To: Hebraic-Foundations@yahoogroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Subject: HF004 - The Prostitutes Enter First
Date sent: Thu, 15 Jun 2000 04:53:55 -0500
Hebraics,
Here is a fourth Bible study for discussion.
Jesus gave a parable to the hardened religious leaders. He spoke
of two sons who were told to work in the vineyard. One said he
would not go, but he did. The other said he go, but he did not.
"Which did the will of the father," Jesus asked. They said, "The
first." The Lord then responded, "The tax collectors and prostitutes will
get into the kingdom of God before you."
Isn't this interesting that Jesus would speak of prostitutes entering the
kingdom of God, ahead of those of a religious mind set? The Lord was
speaking to the chief priests and elders. He was standing in the temple,
and talking to the recognized leaders of world Judaism.
Not only is this a wonderful truth, but this truth is actually laid out in
Biblical form. In the genealogy of Jesus Christ are four women. All four
are Gentile in origin. Two of the women had prostitution written in their
lives. Another was an adulteress. And one has an interesting story.
All four of these women help preserve the lineage of Jesus Christ.
Here is a brief rundown. Tamar dressed herself as a temple
prostitute in order to deceive Judah. Through her the lineage of
Judah was preserved. Through Judah would come King David, and
eventually the Messiah, the one we Christians call Christ.
Next you have Rahab. As much as folk like to whitewash Rahab's
role, she was simply not an inn keeper. The Bible says she was a
'harlot.' [Hebrew is 'zanah' which means to be a harlot or commit
fornication.] The two spies were at Rahab's place for a reason.
Yet it was Rahab who saw something with her heart. Because of
her, when Israel overflowed the land, her household was spared,
and she also became part of the lineage of the Messiah.
How about Ruth? Ruth's story is one of the most beautiful in all the
Bible. She was a Moabitess. Her mother-in-law said to Ruth, "Wash yourself
therefore, and anoint yourself and put on our best clothes, and go down to
the threshing floor; but do not make yourself know to the man until he has
finished eating and drinking." The Hebrew allows us to understand what
happened. No need to bring this out.
Of course behind this was the levirate marriage, which, by the way,
wasn't really a marriage. The issue was to receive the seed of
someone of close kinship to a dead husband, by which no child
had been born, so that the dead husband's line would not
disappear. Once again we have a non-Israelite woman preserving
the seed of Messiah.
Finally we have Bathsheba. You know her story well. From this
woman came the lineage of Messiah.
It is not an issue of lifting up sexual behavior. Nor am I sharing this to
condone things than transpired in any of these situations. If we knew the
times well enough, we would know how much the women were at the mercy of
the men. A woman was born under complete control of the father. This went
to the husband. And as a rule, she received no inheritance from her dead
husband, because it passed to the sons. The sons were to care for the
mother. If she did not have sons, her situation was not good. The sons
were the social security system of the time. (There are variations on this,
so I'm not being technical.)
As for sexual sins, here is just a note. A lady in our congregation
asked my wife, "Why is it that men have all the sexual problems?"
My wife's response was, "He can't have a problem by himself.
Where there is a man in adultery, there has to be a woman also."
Kind of a odd question to ask when you think about it.
Now back to prostitutes entering the kingdom of God first? What
does this tell us? Does it not say that religion is often the greatest
destroyer of faith. Did not Jesus show kindness to the prostitutes. When
the religious minded men wish to stone a certain one, what did Jesus do?
He diverted the attention of the men to their own sins. He spoke nothing
but kindness to the frightened woman. But he did tell her to free herself
from the sinning business.
Isn't it religion that destroys rather than heals?
When the woman at the well, who by the way had had five
husbands, and was presently just living with a guy, met Jesus,
what did Jesus do? Did he slice and dice her? No. He began
helping her process her life. He spoke to her heart. He awakened
something in her.
But notice that the woman has a final argument. And it was over
religion. She said, "Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and
you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to
worship." There it is? All she knew was religion. It was like a pain in
her heart, that she couldn't do anything about.
But the Lord did what we must learn to do. He took it out of the
hands of religion. He said, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming
when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the
Father." He goes one to say, "God is spirit, and those who worship
Him must worship in spirit and truth."
There is quite a bit of history behind the animosity of the Jews
and Samaritans. It isn't necessary to discuss it here. But the
Samaritans had their own reasons for where their temple was
situated. To them it pointed back to Jacob.
But what the Lord was saying was that there aren't going to be any
more special mountains you need to go to. There are no special
anointed places you need to seek out. There are no great religious
figures you need to bless you. True worship will be of the heart.
Paul later expounded on this, in saying, "Beware of the dogs,
beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are
the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in
Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh." (Phil3:2,3)
Some years ago I went to Israel, enjoyed the experience, but not the
merchandizing. An interesting thing happened. I went to the
western wall, put my hands on it, pressed my head against it,
prayed to my heavenly Father, but there was nothing but
deadness. You, see, contrary to some Jewish belief, there is no
Shekinah or anointing in that wall. The anointing is in the people
whose hearts have been sprinkled by the blood of the Lamb.
This brings us full circle back to the high priests, the elders, the
prostitutes, and the tax collectors. We need to stop looking at the
religious world for the answer. This includes all the hype you see on
the television tube. Jesus is present with every one of His people. He is
in their hearts. He is in their mouths. He is in their lives. You see,
religion stopped at the cross. It was nailed there in the body of Christ.
What does all this mean? It means the door to heaven has been
flung open. The curtain has been ripped. No one can ever again
stand between you and the Lord God. There is no prophet in the
land that you need to go to. Just listen with your heart. Jesus said, "I
have other sheep also, which are not of this fold; *I must* bring them
also, and *they will* hear My voice; and *they will* become one flock
with one Shepherd."
Does this do away with the Church? By no means. We are the Church.
The Church has never been a building. Christ Himself builds His Church,
and He flocks His people as He wills. We just need to find out were we
need to be.
My final observation - I have been a pastor for a long time. My
greatest joy is to look at those who have been entrusted to my
care, and say, "Thank you Lord. Thank you for all these beautiful
people. They were once sickened in sin, but you have glorified
Yourself in them. Thank you Jesus."
And sometimes I even do a little jig!! Sorry folk. I just can't help
myself. Jesus did it. Why can't I?
Open for discussion.
Shalom and Christian greetings.
Buddy
Lawrence E. (Buddy) Martin, HF Host
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org
