#09a A Couple More curiosities - From the Old Testament
Just to keep some side issues going while waiting for responses on Acts009, I thought I'd share a couple more
curiosities from the
Scriptures. The last ones I shared had to do with the New Testament
writings. In this post I we will consider two faith issues from the Old
Testament.
(Someone had asked how to preach Jesus from the Old Testament
Perhaps you will pick up something here that can be shared.)
(1) Its all in the a word - Zechariah
12:10 says, "I will pour out on the
house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace
and of supplication, so that they will look on Me WHOM they have
pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son,
and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a
firstborn."
This Scripture is filled with allusions to the new covenant writings.
If
you will study it carefully, each statement connects to something given
about Jesus. There is one word, however, you may find of particular
interest. A Jewish rabbi did. The word 'WHOM' is made up of two
letters, the first and the last letters of the Hebrew alphabet; Aleph
and Tau.
A Jewish rabbi was reading this and the word 'WHOM' stuck in his
mind. He then read from a New Testament that was in his library,
these words, "'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God,
'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.'" (Rev1:8)
Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet.
The Lord captured this rabbi's heart with one word. The WHOM
brought him to Jesus. (Interesting, no?)
(2) What is it is about the tithe? Leviticus
22:14 says, "But if a man
eats a holy gift unintentionally, then he shall add to it a fifth of it
and
shall give the holy gift to the priest."
The ancients were commanded to put something in their hand when
they came to the Lord. (Cf. Deut14:22-29)
Failure to do so was
considered the mark of a backslider. It was believed that all physical,
spiritual, and financial blessings backslid with the backslider.
So, when it came to repentance, the peoples were told to show their
repentance, by coming to the Lord by adding an extra fifth to their tithe.
Why
is this? It was an issue of right-heartedness. (Cf. Lev27:30,31)
Isn't it interesting how our purse can become a measure our walk with
the Lord. Paul added; "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for
whatever a man sows, this he will also reap." (Gal6:7)
This isn't an issue of New Testament tithing. But it does appear that
no
one fools God, tithe or no.
Previous: #09 (Acts 4:13-22) The Challenge of Authority
Next: #09b - A Couple More Curiosities - From the Old Testament - A Follow-up
This study on
Acts was originally part of a
series on the book of Acts given to members of
Hebraic Foundations from July 10, 2002 through January 19, 2003.
They were written by Pastor Buddy Martin, Founder and Senior Pastor of
Christian Challenge International.
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