“Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Matthew 2:13-15)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. (Luke 4:18)
SECOND EXODUS
14 "Therefore behold, days are coming," declares יהוה, "when it will no longer be said, 'As יהוה lives, who brought up the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt,'
15 but, 'As יהוה lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of the north and from all the countries where He had banished them.' For I will restore them to their own land which I gave to their fathers." (Jeremiah 16:14-15)
7 "Therefore behold, the days are coming," declares יהוה, "when they will no longer say, 'As יהוה lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt,'
8 but, 'As יהוה lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.' Then they will live on their own soil." (Jeremiah 23:7-8)
11 And it shall be in that day that יהוה sets His hand again a second time to recover the remnant of His people who are left, from Ashshur and from Mitsrayim, from Pathros and from Kush, from Ěylam and from Shinʽar, from Ḥamath and from the islands of the sea.
12 And He shall raise a banner for the nations, and gather the outcasts of Yisra’ĕl, and assemble the dispersed of Yehuḏah from the four corners of the earth.
13 And the envy of Ephrayim shall turn aside, and the adversaries of Yehuḏah be cut off. Ephrayim shall not envy Yehuḏah, and Yehuḏah not trouble Ephrayim. (Isaiah 11:11-13)
They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim [is] my firstborn. (Jeremiah 31:9)
Somoli's Risk Escape Through Red Sea
Yeshua ha Mashiach/Jesus Christ gave God's people what is known as "The Great Commission to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, saying: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. This mission will not be without persecutions for Christ's sake.
We read in the scriptures: "For your sake we are killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter." (Psalm 44:2) But in all of this, we must bear in mind the need for the lost and dying world to receive the Revelation of Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul exhorts us with the fact that God's kingdom comes in great power, when he says: "And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." (I Cor 2:4-5) This demonstration of the power of God, sets the message apart from all others.
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (Mark 16:15)
The only gospel message found in the New Testament was given on the Day of Pentecost, with the following words of the Apostle Peter, who quotes Old Testament prophecy from the book of Joel, stating that this is the very fullfillment of God's promise:
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:38-40)
Yeshua/Jesus said that we must receive the Kingdom of God as a little child, which means humbling ourselves enough to OBEY the Gospel.
WISDOM THROUGH GOD'S INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT
"If any man lacks wisdom let him ask of God, who gives to all men liberally and upbraidth not." (James 1:5)
The words of Psalm 44:22 are cited by the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:36. There will always be believers in Messiah who are martyred for the sake of their faith in the Lord. Paul himself was warned prophetically of the things he would suffer for the Lord's name sake. Yet the perilous times in which we live, demand that believers be every bit as "spiritual" as their scriptural counterparts. We must walk in the Spirit.
An evangelist who for many years worked under the authority of a large denomination once told me how he and his wife were so burdened for the lost, particularly street people. They evangelized, took people into their shelter, and collected donations of food and clothing and gospel literature to meet these needs. But he did not hesitate to share with us mistakes that were made when staff was low, and they became exhausted with the multitude of responsibilities. A convert shot himself in the head one day just as we were arriving to help out at the shelter. The man of God openly admitted that he felt that perhaps this suicide could have been prevented had he been "prayed up" enough to receive a prophetic warning from God prior to the incident. But at times missions lack adequate staff members so others can take over and provide necessary rest for workers.
Ministry although a blessing, for the souls we see saved, is no less dangerous than we read of in the New Testament. In countries all over the world, believers are giving their lives for the sake of the gospel. The "die-hard" attitude that God called us to this mission post, many years ago, so we will never leave may not be the will of God. Some missions are in extremely dangerous regions. God may actually lead believers to become far more mobile in time, moving teaching centers from time to time, and houses of worship from "house to house," so as to protect the meeting.
Workers may receive direction from the Lord to have people manufacture goods and supplies in the field, or to change the means of dispersing them, by divine direction. Colonists who came to America as a mission field, discovered soon enough the need to be dependant upon God and not the mother country even for their daily necessities.
Those who study the scriptures have read that in the time of Isaac and Rebekah, certain men of the land in which they sojourned became envious of their prosperity, and launched an all out offensive against them there. God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” And he said, “Here I am.” So He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.” (Genesis 46:2) This sojourn in Egypt was the fulfillment of a word given to Abraham many years before: "Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for 400 years.” (Genesis 15:13)
In Egypt, the Hebrew community thrived for over 400 years. But as they prospered into a kingdom, there was envy which arose in opposition against them. God did not force them to remain in the foreign land to face the extermination of their very race and the governmental control of their worship of the true and living God. His tender mercies for them as infanticide arose against them, was to raise up Hebrew midwives to preserve their infants alive through the wisdom of God. When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. God chose by His own will to relocate them in a new land with a new vision. It was not a land without enemies, but they had a new revelation of God as "I AM That I Am." When they left Egypt, they partook of the Passover and there was not a feeble one among them! (Psalm 105:37)
Again, this is not to say, that there aren't persecutions for the gospel's sake. The scriptures speak of those martyred for the faith and their reward in heaven is great. During the missionary journey's of the apostles, persecutions opened many doors of opportunity, causing Paul to proclaim: "All who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions. (2 Tim 3:12) The Lord used some amazing methods to deliver His workers in scripture. Angels warned Paul of an impending sea disaster. (Acts 27:23) The leader of a nation, who sought to destroy the holy seed, was killed by an angel. (Acts 12:23) In another instance, an angel opened the prison door at night, facilitating an escape. God's calling on our lives must be continually presented to God in prayer, so that we can receive both His provisions and instructions.
PROTECTION THROUGH MAINTAINING AN OPEN HEAVEN RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
"And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." (John 1:51)
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. 10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. (Psalm Chapter 2)
"And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he passing through the midst of them went his way..." (Luke 4:29-30
The enemies of God oppose His righteous rule. (Psalm 2) The scriptures open to us the truth of how God's adversaries sought to kill Messiah from soon after His birth: Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. (Why would 'all Jerusalem' be troubled?) 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where where Christ should be born. (What are we going to do about this?) 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, (The chief priests and scribes knew the prophesies. The question is, on whose side were the chief priests (clergy) and scribes (reporters)?) 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. (The Bible does not say Herod privily gathered all the chief priests and scribes. So it may be correct to conclude these two conversations were of a different nature.) 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
Yeshua/Jesus ministry took he and his disciples into some dangerous areas. And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people. (Luke 22:2) Again, John 7:1 recounts a portion of this ministry, saying: "After these things, Jesus walked in Galilee, for he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. In John 10:33, the chapter describing Yeshua walking in Solomon's Porch during the Feast of Dedication, The Jews answered him, "We don't stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy: because you, being a man, make yourself God. "Many times there was a death sentence on the heads of Christ and his followers. The region in Nazareth where His adversaries sought to take His life, was is hilly region, as Nazareth was situated "between" two hills, or in a vale among mountains. The place to which they led the Saviour is still shown, and is called the "Mount of Precipitation." It is at a short distance to the south of Nazareth. Yeshua/Jesus escape was nothing short of remarkable. It's incredible that he should escape out of their hands when their very object was to destroy him, and that he should escape in so peaceful a manner, without violence or conflict. A similar case is recorded in John 8:59. Messiah's ministry was characterized by constant prayer, and in this way, He was able to receive moment by moment direction from His Heavenly Father. He "had" power over the spirits of people we learn from the occurrence in Gethsemane, when he said, "I Am; and they went backward and fell to the ground," (John 18:6).
During my bible college years, I recall the testimony of a single sister in the Lord. She awoke one night to discover a burglar standing in her bedroom. The Spirit of the Lord came upon her and she uttered the following verse from the scriptures: "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm" (Psalm 105:15). The intruder began to shake and he ran out of the house, leaving her unharmed. God's Word has power! His Word spoke the very universe into existence.
BEING OF QUICKENED UNDERSTANDING IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD (Isaiah 11)
“And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15:45)
In the Messages to the Seven Churches of Asia found in Revelation 2-3, we see a vision of 7 lamps burning before God's throne.
1And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 3And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 5And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. (Isaiah 11:1-5)
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)
“Thou, which hast showed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Psalm 71:20 3.“...My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.” Psalm 119:25 “Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.” Psalm 119:37 Our Lord exhorted us with the following words: “If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”
The scriptures teach the importance of "walking in the Spirit and not after the flesh." Why is this of such extreme importance? “...the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”
“...the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh [could not be kept in our own power], God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us [written in our hearts and inward parts], who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” —Romans 10:4
WHO IS SPEAKING FROM HEAVEN?
“4 ¶ Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. 7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. 8 But unto the Son [he saith], Thy throne, O God, [is] for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness [is] the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, [even] thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: 11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; 12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. 13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Hebrews 1:1-14) Acts 9:1-22
1And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. 3And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 8And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. 10And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. 11And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 12And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. 13Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 14And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. 15But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. 17And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 18And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. 19And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. 20And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. 21But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? 22But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS
My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding;Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. (Proverbs 2:19)
New Testament believers need to be flexible, easily moved about from place to place, and confident in their knowledge of God and the ability to hear His voice and to respond accordingly. There are instances in scripture in which gospel workers were told the sufferings and hardships which awaited them in their service to the Lord. He did not keep them in the dark. God lead them very specifically by His Spirit. With the conversion of the Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus, Yeshua/Jesus said: "For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my names sake." (Acts 9:16) Believers in scripture lacked nothing necessary to carry out the work God had called them to. Saul, whose name was later changed to Paul, was warned by God, prophets, and angels.
TRIALS WORK FOR THE GLORY OF GOD
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. (Romans 8:28)
Persecutions, sufferings for the sake of the gospel work for the glory of God. Paul in his epistle to Corinthians (2 Cor.11:23-33) described the extent of his sufferings for Christ. Paul did not seek divine deliverance or angelic deliverances in all his afflictions. If you are minister of God, the Holy Spirit exhorts you to take time to meditate on the afflictions of Paul.
"Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft, Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one, Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and in thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches". During the first missionary journey the apostolic team arrived at Iconium, then continued on to Lystra and Derbe. In dealing with the indigenous people of the area, Paul healed a cripple man. Because of this miracle, the people of Lystra mistook Paul and Barnabas for gods. Even though the people were ready to worship them, they turn to hostility, as Jews from Antioch (in Pisidia) and Iconium turned the people against the traveling companions. They attacked Paul, stoning him and leaving him for dead. However, Paul recovered, as the disciples stood around him, and went again into the city. They later left on their way to Derbe (Acts 14:19-20).
The ministry of the apostles was a tremendously fruitful one. Even the trials and persecutions worked together for good, as the scriptures state. In fact persecutions opened new doors of opportunities for believers. Even imprisonment furthered the extension of the gospel. Paul proclaimed to us that "All who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." (2 Timothy 3:12) Again: "Persecutions, afflictions which came to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, what persecutions I endured, but out of them all the Lord delivered me."
“1 ¶ God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by [his] Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of [his] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;”
