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Tuesday, March 8, 2016

BAPTISM SERIES / Part A -- section 2: " Forty days and nights "

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Matt.4:2
"After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry."

"After forty days and forty nights"
The time Jesus spent in the wilderness, was patterned for us in Moses (Ex.24:18; 34:28). By examining that pattern, we learn more about the purpose of Christ being there (Matt.4:2), after his anointing by God (Luke3:22; Ps.45:2,7,17; Luke22:29; Rev.3:21; Ps.110:1-4).
God initiated a covenant during that same time period, through Moses (Deut.9:9,11) during which he interceded on behalf of God's sinful nation (Deut.10:10; 9:25,18; Joel 2:12-14,15-17; 1:14-15) (Joel 2:14; Rev.6:6 d), and learned a means of atonement for His people's sins (Deut.9:18; Acts 3:22-23,25). 
[The unrepentant, do not fast 
(Isa.22:12-14; 1Thess.5:3,7; Isa.56:11-12; Luke12:19-20; Rev.3:17-18; Isa.28:7; Luke12:45-46; Hosea 6:5; Nahum 1:10)].

Questions:
1. What was the spiritual condition of God's people, when both Moses and Jesus entered the wilderness for 40 days and nights?
2. What did both Moses and Jesus seek from God, while in the wilderness?
3. What was God's response to both Moses and Jesus?
4. What responsibility did God give both Moses and Jesus, which they both began to carry out when they left the wilderness?

Other examples of this time pattern of 40, also involve bearing the iniquity of sin  (Num.14:34; Eze.4:6; 1Kings 19:14,8; Jonah 3:4) and includes the repairing of a covenant/God's favor, for the repentant (Num.14:19-20,27,29-30,23,31-32,34; Eze.5:13; Jonah 3:6-7,10).
Question:
1. How is the 40 day period in the wilderness, one of intercession?

It is a period that signifies testing, to let each person prove their heart before God. By that period's completion, all reap what they have sown. Those who remain to inherit God's promises, are cleansed and made suitable (Joshua 5:6; Num.32:13; 14:34).
(segment about numbers is removed, due to feedback. I will wait to publish that information, when it can be more fully explained.)
Question:
1.Before God's justice accepts intercession for sin, what must the intercessor, prove?

"Forty days and forty nights" is also a reference to the period during which God sent rain to cleanse the earth (Gen.6:11,17; 7:12,17), which also initiated a covenant (Gen.6:8,22,18). 
Those who remain faithful and are granted God's favor and mercy, and are carried through the period of trial, during which God judges and removes those who prove, wicked (2Pet.2:4-9,1-3).
Question:
1. What was the purpose of the 40 day period of rain, in Noah's day?

When Jesus went into the wilderness, he also suffered deprivation and temptation on behalf of his nation and it's sin (Mark 1:13; Luke 4:2; 19:10; Matt.15:24), during which he proved himself, without sin. He too sought God's Laws for His wayward people (Ps.40:7-8; Luke4:18-21), sought to become a channel of God's laws to be written on tablets of hearts, and for those who obey, a covenant... mercy, forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and divine favor for the repentant.
(John1:17; Heb.1:1-2; 2:10; 5:9) (2Cor.3:3; Jer.31:33; Ps.40:8; Deut.11:18; Rev.7:3; 14:1; 22:4).
Question:
What three main things did Jesus accomplish during his 40 days in the wilderness?

Jesus Christ's successful endurance of ongoing Satanic test (Mark 1:13), established the fall and rise of many within God's nation, based upon the divine favor he attained by that faithful endurance, and it's comparison to those proving unfaithful.
(Luke 2:34-35; John12:48; Luke 1:50-54; Isa.8:14,18; Ps.110:2)
Our faith must accomplish the same
(2Cor.6:4; 1John2:13; Rev.12:11; 1Cor.6:3; Mal.3:18)
(Heb.11:7; Rom.4:13; John16:33; Heb.12:2; 1John5:4; Rev.3:21; Acts 3:25; Gal.3:29; Ps.110:2; Rev.5:9-10; Eph.2:6).
Questions:
1. How did the faithfulness of Christ, cause many to rise or fall?
2. How can we also have a part in the judgment of God's justice upon others?

Lastly, Jesus began to fulfill his role toward those who entered a covenant with him, by the same time pattern (Acts 1:2-3).
What can we learn by this time pattern, and how might we apply it in our own life?
During that final period on earth, Jesus provided "orders" to his apostles (Matt.28:20) and God's teachings "about the kingdom", which are also contained in the scroll of Revelation (Rev.19:9; 22:19). 
During Jesus' 40 day period with his apostles after his resurrection, it was time for Jesus to be the one to impart understanding, authority, and a means of reconciliation with God... to be made available through his apostles (2Cor.5:11-12,18-20). 
Just as Moses was given God's Laws on Tablets of stone, and Jesus was given an opened understanding of God's will for the New Covenant by Christ's blood;
the apostles (twelve foundation stones of God's spiritual Temple) and all the priesthood to follow, were given direction from Christ, during that same "40" period.
Questions:
What occurred during Christ's last 40 day period?
How did the apostles fulfill a role similar to Moses and Jesus, during that period?

We are facing our own period in the wilderness (1,260 days) (Rev.12:6; Dan.9:27), to learn from the opening of the seven seals of God's scroll, and to be tested as to our loyalty to what we are given. Are we also willing to live and die in behalf of a sinful nation?
  We will either prove faithful to those teachings (Rev.12:14), or unfaithful (Rev.17:3) (two mothers) (Rev.22:11-12,18-19) (Zech.14:4; Rev.16:12; Josh.10:40).

Those who prove faithful, will come through their time of testing in the wilderness... refined, restored, and reconciled to God (James 1:12; 1Thess.2:4), and bearers of God's message of reconciliation and restoration.
Questions:
Who is in the wilderness of Revelations' prophecies?
How do they differ?
How can we prove faithful in the wilderness, during our own symbolic 40 day period?


"
...he felt hungry" (Matt.4:2)

According to Jesus, his "food" was to do the will of Him who sent him to the earth (John 4:34). That work and will, was to bear testimony to God's Words of truth (John5:36,24; 17:6,4; Rev.3:14; John1:1,4,9,14,17-18; 6:58). As we feed others, we are fed (1Cor.9:9-10; 1Tim.5:18).
This was also true of Christ (John 4:32,34; Deut.8:3). Yet until he finishes God's will, he feels hungry (Luke12:49-50; John5:17). When the fire from heaven is finally finished with it's work (Luke12:49; Jer.23:29; 5:14; Rev.11:5; 2Pet.3:7,10-13); Jesus will again feast in the Kingdom of God (Luke22:18; Ps.23:5; Rev.19:9; Jer.31:14) (Matt.22:2; Rev.19:9).

Questions:
For what food, did Jesus hunger?
When is Jesus second period of fasting?
Where, when, and how, is Jesus fed again?

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