Upon This Rock I Will Build My Church - Part Two

 

Upon This Rock I Will Build My Church - Part Two

(Matthew 16: 18)

 

In Part One of my earlier post with this title and subject, I reviewed the circumstances surrounding the Lord Jesus when the Scripture recorded His statement: “And I also say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16: 18)”  Many, if not most Christians believe that the Lord was referring to His Disciple Peter as the “rock”, upon which He would build His church. Further, most Christians believe that WE (Christians) are “His church”.

At that time I attempted to establish from the Scripture that Peter had only a brief encounter with Gentiles; that his evangelical focus was the Nation of Israel; and that the Jerusalem Church of which he was a key part was destroyed shortly after his martyrdom. I closed with the rhetorical question: “If Peter was not “The Rock” upon which God would build His church, who was?”

As I ask you to consider another possibility in answer to that question, let’s review the terminology to see that we have the same understanding of the words used. The two key words are “rock” and “church”. As the latter can be addressed more easily, let’s look at it first.

The word “church” is only used in the New Testament, and this occurrence in our title / subject is the first instance of its use. (Matthew 16: 18)  Although some people think of a “church” as a building, our Strong’s Concordance (# 1577) shows that “church” is actually the English translation of the Greek word “ekklesia”.  In this sense, it essentially means ‘a gathering or assembly of Christians for worship in a religious meeting’. (https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/strongs-number-G1577/ )

[As an aside, in the multi-cultural setting of Jerusalem, our Lord Jesus and His Disciples generally spoke in the language dialect of Aramaic and in Hebrew. While Hebrew was used primarily by Israel’s religious leaders, the Roman rulers communicated in Greek. (https://www.christianity.com/wiki/jesus-christ/what-was-the-language-of-jesus.html )]

 

The word “rock” first appears in our Bible in the Book of Exodus (Exodus 17: 6). In that instance, the LORD was instructing Moses as to how to obtain water in the wilderness to satisfy the angry, thirsty millions of Israelites and their animals. The LORD told him to use his rod and strike the rock in Horeb (Mt Sinai), and water would come forth to satisfy their needs.

Our Strong’s Concordance (# 6697) shows that “rock” is the English translation of the Hebrew word “tsuwr”. In this sense, it can literally mean ‘an actual rock or boulder’. However, the term “rock” can also be used figuratively as a reference to God. This alternative use presents an interesting situation as we seek to answer the question raised above. (https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/strongs-number-H6697/ )

As the word “rock” was used by our Lord in the context of “building“ His church, that metaphor seems appropriate if someone is laying a solid foundation upon which to build…and as He said,: “Upon this rock I will build…”  In this context, it seems most appropriate to use the figurative definition, in applying the term “rock” to an individual.  Was the Lord Jesus speaking of Himself?   The answer lies further in the Scripture.

In Bible study, it is always good to remember the lesson taught to us back in Deuteronomy 29: 29. God keeps things secret until He is ready to reveal them. But when He does reveal them, He expects us to believe them and act accordingly. [That is one bit of advice that reminds us to continue in reading the Scripture to find answers to our questions.] 

My Strong’s Concordance notes that of the 119 times the word “rock” is used in the Scripture, only 13 are found in the New Testament. Two of those occurrences are cited in the same sentence, and they relate to Israel in the wilderness after the Exodus from Egypt and crossing the Red Sea: “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10: 4)

To help support that interpretation of Christ as “The Rock” in question for ‘building His church”, I returned to the Concordance to review the word “foundation”, since any building (literal or figurative) will only be able to stand if it is built on a solid foundation. I found the following references spoken of by the Apostle Paul:

·       1 Corinthians 3: 9-11: ⁹ For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.¹⁰ According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.¹¹ For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. …and

·       Ephesians 2: 19-22:  ¹⁹ Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; ²⁰ And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; ²¹ In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: ²² In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

 

Taken collectively, we conclude from these many references that Jesus Christ is The Rock.  He Himself is the foundation upon which He continues to build His church. Further, in addition to being members of His church, believing Christians have been joined with Him through the Holy Spirit, and have become part of that foundation.

From earlier study we learned that not only Christians but also Jewish believers in Christ Jesus have been united in His Body by the Holy Spirit. Note the following Scripture:

·       Galatians 3: 26-28: ²⁶ For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

So, to be fully accurate… Peter, the other disciples and members of the Jerusalem Church, and all those others who have since believed the Gospel of our Lord Jesus, have become both “rock” and “church”. As members of His church Body, we all have the dual role to serve as components of His “Rock” (foundation) to continue to support His eternal Church. (2 Corinthians 5: 17-20)

The Gospel of God’s Grace: 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4; Romans 10: 9-13.

ADDENDUM / UPDATE

Since I originally made this post, one of my teachers, Pastor Joseph Prince, gave a somewhat different interpretation of the scripture in the title. His point of reference was the response made by Peter when the Lord asked the question (in Matthew 16: 15): "But whom say ye that I am?".  Peter's response was: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." (Verse 16)   The Lord then acknowledged that response as truth, having been received by Peter as a revelation from our Heavenly Father. (Verse 17)

Then the Lord said to Peter: "...thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church..."  (Verse 18)  Because he was the lead spokesperson for the Disciples, the Lord was letting Peter (and the other Disciples) know that the revelation of His true identity itself , that he had received from the Heavenly Father, was to be "the rock" / foundation "upon which" the Lord would establish His Church.  Today, as members of the Lord's Church, we have accepted by faith that indeed, our Lord Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

I find no basis for disagreement with Pastor Prince's interpretation of the Scripture.

Dr. W. A. (Bill) Robinson

https://christianityandbiblestudy.blogspot.com

Upon This Rock I Will Build My Church - Part One

 

Upon This Rock I Will Build My Church – Part One

(Matthew 16: 18)

 

Before addressing the specific subject in the title, I’d like to re-state one of the truisms that all Christians and other Bible students should keep in mind when reading the Scripture. That instruction was given by Miles Coverdale, who accomplished the First Full English Bible  Translation, back in the 16^th Century. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myles_Coverdale ) His advice was as follows:

 “It shall greatly help ye to understand the Scriptures if thou mark not only what is spoken or written, but of whom and to whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstances, considering what goeth before and what followeth after.”  

When applying those concepts to the subject title, we note that our Lord Jesus was speaking with His Disciples late during His Earthly Ministry. He had questioned them about the perceptions held by the people of Israel, (after His having performed innumerable miracles among them, to validate His Divinity,) saying: “Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?” After the Disciples responded, saying: “Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias (Elijah); and others, Jeremias (Jeremiah), or one of the prophets.” Then to test His Disciples knowledge, since they had been with Him for three years, He asked: “But whom say ye that I am?”  Then Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

The accuracy of Simon Peter’s answer prompted the Lord Jesus to say: “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona (son of Jonah): for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father, which is in heaven.”  “And I also say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  (Matthew 16: 13-18)

At this point I will try to show that the Lord’s possible reference to Peter being identified as the “rock” upon which He would build His church, was not directed to Gentiles, Christian or otherwise.

Further following Miles Coverdale’s instruction, we should consider “what goeth before and what followeth after.” Perhaps most importantly for Christians is to remember that early in His Ministry, the Lord Jesus commanded His Disciples, saying, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 10: 1-7) This command by the Lord Jesus targets our understanding that He represented to Israel the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12: 1-3; https://www.gotquestions.org/Abrahamic-covenant.html ) As Israel’s King / Messiah, He had come to establish His Kingdom on the Earth, with Israel being the lead nation to evangelize the remaining Gentile populations. (Zechariah 8: 20-23) Because of Israel’s rejection of Jesus as their Messiah, this prophecy will not become reality until the Lord’s Second Coming.

Now, returning to the subject: ”Upon this rock I will build My church”, let’s look at what happened after Israel rejected the Lord and facilitated His Crucifixion, death, burial and (fortunately for us today), His resurrection.

The Scripture records early in the Book of Acts that Peter and the other disciples remained true to the Lord’s instructions to confine their ministry to the people of Israel, and the Gospel of the Coming Kingdom. (Matthew 9: 35; Acts 1 through 7)  The failure of Peter, Stephen and the other disciples to get Israel to repent led the Ascended Lord to choose Saul of Tarsus / the Apostle Paul as His new “Chosen Vessel” to bring salvation to the Gentiles through His new Gospel of Grace .(Acts 9: 15; 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4; Romans 10: 9-13) [Interestingly enough it was Peter who first brought “salvation” to a group of Gentiles (the family of the Roman Centurion Cornelius), but that was through the Gospel of the Kingdom (Acts Chapter 10)]

Later in the Scripture there is reference to very important aspects of the differences between the two Gospels.  As Peter and other Jewish disciples from the Jerusalem Church continued to evangelize the Nation of Israel towards the Gospel of the Kingdom taught by the Lord Jesus, the Apostle Paul was beginning to make in-roads with the pagan Gentiles towards accepting the new Gospel of Grace. Paul’s successes with the Gentiles fostered intense opposition among the traditional / conservative members of the Jerusalem Church.  As soon as Paul created a small congregation of new believers in his Gospel, (based on simply believing what the Lord accomplished to bring salvation), the opposition “Judaizers” would descend on those congregations to “correct” Paul’s message.  They insisted that salvation could only be achieved by obeying the Law of Moses, as taught initially to Israel.

To address this major conflict, Paul took his associates Barnabas and Titus to Jerusalem, to meet with the leaders of the Church there, to resolve the issues. This momentous meeting has been referred to as the “Jerusalem Council”. (Acts Chapter 15; Galatians Chapter Two). The scripture notes that after much disputing, it was the critical testimony of Peter that led to the break in the impasse, as he noted that he himself had brought salvation to some Gentiles (as noted above). The landmark resolution was that the Jerusalem Church leaders and members would continue to focus their efforts to lead more Jews to recognizing the Lord’s role as their Messiah. Further, they would no longer obstruct Paul’s efforts to bring salvation to Gentiles through his Gospel of Grace.

It was clear that Peter was part of the group who would remain focused on Israel. That is why it comes as no surprise that near the end of his earthly journey when he wrote his final epistles he made it clear that he was writing: “to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,”  (1 Peter 1: 1) In other scriptural references, it is clear that “the strangers scattered” were members of the Nation of Israel. (See Acts 8: 1, 4; 11: 19) Further, in his final letter, he acknowledged the critical importance of the Gospel preached by the Apostle Paul, and strongly guided his followers to Paul’s messages. (2 Peter 3: 14-18)

True to the end of his earthly journey, Peter remained faithful to the well-being of his fellow members of the Nation of Israel. Bible scholars have estimated the Peter died circa 67 – 68 AD.  Within two years, in 70 AD, Israel’s Temple was destroyed by the Roman General Titus, and the remaining Jews in Jerusalem were killed or became part of the world-wide dispersion.

By sharing these scriptural references, I’m trying to clarify that the “church” noted by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 16: 18, and in the title of this blogpost point to Peter’s role in the establishment and continuation of the Nation of Israel’s “Jerusalem” Church, not the predominantly Gentile, “Christian” Church founded by the Apostle Paul.

In Part Two of this blogpost, I will try to address the obvious question: “If Peter was not “The RocK” upon which God would build His church, who was?”

 

Dr. W. A. (Bill) Robinson

https://christianityandbiblestudy.blogspot.com

We Are Living in the "Third Day"

 

We Are Living in the “Third Day”

 

While reviewing the Scripture it is more than just an interesting coincidence that several important events in man’s history took place “on the third day”. Some examples are these:

·       Genesis 1: 9-13 – The Creation of the Earth: land, seas, grass, herb yielding seed, and fruit tree yielding fruit

·       Genesis 22: 4 – Abraham began his journey with his son Isaac, to offer him as a sacrifice to the LORD

·       Exodus 19: 1-16  – In the third month after leaving Egypt, the people of Israel came into the wilderness of Sinai, where they would receive God’s Law. When the people agreed through Moses to obey Him and keep His covenant, He committed to making them a “peculiar treasure to Himself, a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.” On the third day in the morning, the LORD came down to Mount Sinai. “There were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the Mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.”

·       1 Kings 12: 12 – After the death of King Solomon, his son King Rehoboam was asked by the people of Israel that he reduce the tax burden that his father had imposed. The King directed the people to return on the third day while he considered their request. On that third day he rejected the people’s request, choosing to reject the advice of his father’s older advisers, after listening to his younger friends. As a result, Israel became divided into the Northern and Southern Kingdoms; weakened militarily; and subsequently conquered by the Assyrians (in the North), and the Babylonians (in the South).

·       Ezra 6: 14-16 – This “Third Day” marked the completion of the re-building of Israel’s Temple, “according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.” This followed Israel’s 70-years of slavery under the Babylonians, and the Medes and Persians.

·       ***Hosea 6: 1-2 – The Word of the LORD had come to Hosea the Prophet to warn Israel of the difficult times that were ahead because of their disobedience. In the Scripture, Hosea says: “Come and let us return unto the LORD: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight “. 

·       1 Corinthians 15: 3-4 – The Apostle Paul revealed to his new converts to Christianity the Gospel of Grace by which they are saved…if they truly believed it. It is the same Gospel by which we and other Christians today have been (or will be) saved: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

  

However all that being considered, for Christians the most significant Scriptural references to the “Third Day” were the actual words of our Lord Jesus as recorded by His Disciples, or the words attributed to Him by those Disciples who documented them.  Christians and other Bible students are very familiar with those references to what happened to our Lord Jesus Christ on the third day following His suffering to pay for our sins and the sins of the world; His Crucifixion and death on the Cross; and His burial in the tomb. On the Third Day He was Resurrected !!

We know that that was a highly important event because it was repeated (for emphasis) in each of the Four Synoptic Gospels (both in the Lord’s words and in the Disciples’ words; and in the Gospel of John. (Matt 17:23, Matt 20:19, Matt 26:61, Matt 27:63, Mark 8:31, Mark 10:34, Luke 9:22, Luke 18:33, Luke 24:7, John 2:19)

Now I’d like you to stretch your thoughts to consider the “third day’ from a different perspective. That perspective relates to the Scripture that brought this different concept to my attention. It was presented by one of my teachers, Les Feldick (https://www.lesfeldick.org/ ), who noted:  Hosea 6: 1-2. As background, The word of the LORD had come to Hosea the Prophet to warn Israel of the difficult times that were ahead because of their disobedience. In the Scripture, Hosea says: “Come and let us return unto the LORD: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight “. 

You might recall from one of my earlier blogposts that our eternal God looks at “time” in a unique way.  The Scripture says: “A day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” ( 2 Peter 3: 8)  If we translate the past two thousand years since the Lord Jesus’ resurrection into “two days”, we are now living in the “third day”.  Connecting that understanding to the prophetic words of Hosea cited above, we know that the LORD will be returning to resume His dealings with His favored Nation of Israel, and to establish His Kingdom on the Earth. This will be the culmination of the Abrahamic Covenant, as previously discussed. (Genesis 12: 1-3)

You might be thinking, “If we are dealing with blocks of time as large as one thousand years, what is the interest if we are just entering that next / third thousand?”   The key is that in reviewing the Scripture, the Lord Jesus Himself spoke to that question…at least twice. In the Book of Matthew, that Disciple reported: “The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that He would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, it will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?  A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas (Jonah). And He left them and departed.” (Matthew 16: 1-4).

The Lord’s reference to the “sign of the prophet Jonas” (Jonah) was a reference to His own future. At that future time He would sacrifice Himself for our sins; suffer and die on Calvary’s Cross; and be buried for three days…as Jonah spent three days in the belly of the whale. (Jonah 1: 17; Matthew 12: 40); (https://www.gotquestions.org/sign-of-Jonah.html )

For the sake of space, I won’t cite the Lord’s other primary reference to “discerning the signs of the times”, but I encourage you to read it in Luke: 12: 51-57. However, there is one particular verse (Verse 51) that I’d like you to note, in which the Lord said: “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? Nay, but rather division;”  He, above all others, knows that Lucifer / Satan is and has been the “god / prince of this world” since the fall of Adam. (John 12: 31; 2 Corinthians 4: 4)  All the world’s negative events that have erroneously be labeled “acts of God”, have been precipitated by God’s enemy Satan.

Rather than simply removing this Enemy, the Lord allows him to continue to offer mankind a choice between believing our true God,  or believing him / Satan. Choices bring “division” between individuals and between groups of mankind.  Those opposing choices will ultimately separate those who believe the Gospel of God’s Grace and receive eternal salvation, (1 Corinthians 15: 1-4; Romans 10: 9-13); and those who don’t.

All this is important to Christians and non-Christians alike today. The “signs of the times” are very clear, and becoming more so. Look closely at how our Lord Jesus addressed this issue when asked by His Disciples.  The details are found in the Book of Matthew, Chapter 24. When you read this scripture you will quickly see how we are already dealing with His prophetic points personally, locally, regionally, nationally, and globally. The media (social, print et al.), politicians, businesses, and others continue to employ “deception” as their device of choice to mislead others. That was our Lord’s primary caution.  Regrettably many, if not most will fail to heed that advice.

Note also the high prevalence of violence (between individuals, cultures, nations, pacts, and other groups). The media and national attention are drawn to the wars between Israel and Hamas; and Russia and Ukraine. Receiving less attention are conflicts in other parts of the world that are affecting many more millions of people. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_armed_conflicts ) Add the effects of earthquakes; (https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=earthquake+trends+last+100+years&fr=mcafee&type=E210US105G0&imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.researchgate.net%2Fpublication%2F322792893%2Ffigure%2Ffig2%2FAS%3A588481176809472%401517316254504%2FUSGS-earthquake-graph.png#id=3&iurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.science20.com%2Ffiles%2Fimages%2Fearthquakes%2520usgs%2520graph08.jpg&action=click ); and pestilences: (for example, do you remember HIV/AIDS? COVID? )

It might be early in the “Third Day”, but there should be no doubt that mankind is quickly approaching  a critical “tipping point”.  No one should venture to try to guess when that will happen. Remember that just before His Ascension to return to our Father (Acts 1: Psalm 110: 1), the Lord's Disciples asked Him: “Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” His definitive response was: “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power.” (Acts 1: 6-7) No one can predict when man’s time in this “third day” will end.

However, the Scripture has prophesied that before the end of this “Third Day”, other major events must take place…the Rapture of the Church (1 Thessalonians 4: 13-17; 1 Corinthians 15: 51-54); and the appearance of the Antichrist and the seven-year period of the Tribulation, followed by the Lord’s Second Coming. (Fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel Chapters Seven, Nine, and Eleven; Matthew 23: 23-24; John 14: 29-30; 1 John 2: 15-18; and Revelation Chapter 13; ) (https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Antichrist )

What should not be lost to Christians and others are the words of our Lord Jesus that He spoke to the Apostle John, who wrote the last Book of our Bible, the Revelation of Jesus Christ. So that we will not be taken by surprise when this “Third Day” will end for us (through the Rapture of the Church or our physical death), the Lord cautioned three times in the final chapter of Bible scripture: “Behold, I come quickly” (Revelation 22: 7); “Behold, I come quickly” (Revelation 22: 12); and “Surely I come quickly.” (Revelation 22: 20)

We should always be ready to meet Him, and acknowledge that we believed Him.

Dr. W. A. (Bill) Robinson

(https://christianityandbiblestudy.blogspot.com )

God Sees Man as Both Individuals and the Group Called "Humanity

 

God Sees Man as Both Individuals and the Group Called “Humanity”

 

One of the concepts of Scripture that some Christians and other Bible students should find helpful is found in the title above: “God sees man as both individuals and the group called ‘humanity’”. Understanding this concept makes it clearer as to why God changed His approach to dealing with man and humanity / mankind at various points in our history. This is important for us today because it helps us realize and acknowledge that the first man and all subsequent mankind were created in the image of God as eternal spirits (Genesis 1: 26-27). Further, we each are unique in having a distinct eternal soul (mind, will, emotions), which God imparted into us when we took our first breath and became alive. (Genesis 2: 7) He also gave each of us the freedom of choice as to whether we would return or reject the love He showed us when He gave man dominion over the Earth. (Genesis 1: 26-29; 2: 19)

Even as we are each individuals, we are also linked to all other human beings / humanity, and the God who created the first man. As we review the Bible as a whole, we note that the Scripture begins with the human focus on individuals and their relationships with their Creator. It then moves to show us the impact on those relationships with the Creator and each other, when individuals are parts of groups of humanity various sizes (families, tribes, nations, etc.)  In the final chapters, it returns to its focus on the individuals (each who have ever lived), the choices they made during their lifetimes on the Earth, and how their future lives will be determined by their Creator. (Revelation Chapters 19 through 22). This is personal for every man / woman.

In the following discussion I’d like to explore some of the concepts relevant to those points.

The initial point at which God began dealing with man was during the sixth day of the Creation. (Genesis Chapter One)  Unfortunately for the first man Adam and subsequently all humanity / mankind, one of God’s highest created angelic beings (Lucifer / Satan) had turned against Him. In an act of hatred against God and His newly-favored creation man, this Enemy succeeded in corrupting the relationship between the Creator God and man while they were in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis Chapter Three). That story was further explained by the LORD to the prophets Isaiah (14: 12-17) and Ezekiel (28: 11-14), and will be addressed in another blog posting.

From that historic beginning, the Bible Scripture focused on Adam, his wife Eve, and their sons, Cain and Abel, and later Seth (Genesis Chapter Two;  Chapter 3, Verses 1-13; Chapter Four). This brief introduction to mankind as individuals provided the critical background for our understanding the behavior of man, both as individuals and groups of humanity over the many centuries since the Creation. We learned that man’s sinful nature was a common trait inherited from the first man Adam, who at the instigation of the Serpent Lucifer, disobeyed the one commandment given by His Creator. (Genesis Chapter Three; Romans 5: 12, 3: 23)  We also learned that the Biblical term “man” was applied as the general designation for human beings / humanity, unless related to those of a specific sexual gender. (Genesis 1: 26-29; 2: 7, 18-25; 5: 1-2)

There in the Garden of Eden we were also introduced to God’s concepts of “time” and “death”. The LORD God had told Adam in the Garden that “in the day” that he ate of the forbidden tree he would surely “die” (experience death). (Genesis 2: 16-17) For context remember that when God created man, He placed man’s invisible, eternal spirit and soul into a perfect physical body that knew no aging / corruption…but the physical nature of that body was composed of earthly materials that could be altered, and even destroyed. Therefore the concepts of “time” and the  “dying / death” of man must be considered from two perspectives.

The immediate ”death” brought about by Adam’s disobedience / sin resulted in their (Adam’s and Eve’s) spirits and souls being separated from their Creator God. Note in the Scripture that the once warm relationship between them in the Garden of Eden had been broken / fractured. But because of His continuing love for them, the Creator God moved immediately to restore their spiritual communication with Him. (Genesis 3: 6-24)  Even so, at the same time the slow process of the “dying” of their physical bodies had begun. (Genesis 2: 16-17; 3: 17-19). This will culminate in man’s “first death”.

[The bottom-line reason why God gave us the Bible Scripture was to inform and teach humanity what has happened before their time on the Earth; how we became separated from Him; and what He has done through His Love for man, and the suffering of His Dear Son (our Lord Jesus Christ), to restore us to Him. (1 Corinthians 15: 1-4; Romans 10: 9-13) His “Redemption” has resulted in our “Salvation”… if we will believe what He has said. (2 Peter 3:9)  Otherwise the separation of our soul and spirit from Him (the “second death”) will become a reality and permanent fate through eternity. (Revelation 20: 11-15)]

After the introductory chapters of the Bible, the Scripture continued to focus on individuals as it listed the men who “begat” / brought forth the generations following Adam. It also listed their lifespans which reached many hundreds of years. (Genesis Chapter Five)  Their longevity seems unbelievably remarkable to us today, until we consider the relative perfection from which they began their lives. Of the physical lifespans of the individuals named, none lived to reach 1,000 years. [Methuselah was the longest living man. He reached the age of 969 years. (Genesis 5: 21-27)]  To put our eternal God’s perspective of “time” as it relates to man, later in the Bible Scripture we learned: “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8)  

Today, none of us expects our physical bodies to live up to one thousand years.

In fact, following the continual wickedness, constant thoughts of evil, and other sinful behavior of man that led to God’s decision to flood the Earth ("Noah's Flood"), God has placed a newer limit on man’s (physical) lifespan to be 120 years. (Genesis 6: 3)

In contrast to the physical body, remember that man’s essence, his spirit and soul are eternal. That is the key to recognizing the significance of our spirit and soul being “saved” from “the second death”, the eternal separation from our Creator. (Revelation 20: 12-15)  With Adam and Eve, the LORD God Himself provided for their eternal “salvation” by making coats of the skins of animals to clothe them. (Genesis 3: 21)  This shedding of the blood of the innocent (to clothe them in righteousness) for the remission of sin marked the pattern that continued for man. (Job 29:14; Isaiah 59:17, 61: 10) . It applied to the many animal sacrifices made by the Nation of Israel to provide coverage for their individual and collective sins.  Today as Christians we believe that the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is the key factor in our eternal salvation.  (Galatians 3: 27; Hebrews 9: 7, 11-22)

The Bible teaches us that all humanity have been given access to the knowledge of this sacrifice made by the Lord Jesus on our behalf. (Titus 2: 11-14)  That Gospel is found in 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4; and Romans 10: 9-13.  Today each individual must decide for himself / herself whether to believe this message from God through the Holy Spirit. That belief / faith is all that God is asking of us. (Note the Bible’s “Faith Chapter”, Hebrews 11, especially Verse Six)  That should remind all humanity of the dire consequences endured by mankind / humanity as a result of Adam’s failure to believe His Creator God.  But now, each individual has the opportunity to determine their own eternal future.

There are too many instances in the Scripture to identify each situation relevant to our discussion of God’s dealing with man as both individuals and the collective group called humanity. However, below are some additional notable examples:

1)      When you read Genesis Chapter Six and the following chapters about the world-wide flood, note that God dealt with Noah first as an individual, then his family as a small segment of humanity; and then the entire family as the progenitors of all humanity / mankind.

2)      Some 2,000 years after Adam, in light of mankind’s continued inability to achieve righteousness in God’s eyes, God implemented the next phase of His Plan for man’s salvation. (Genesis 12: 1-3, 7)   Starting with one man Abram, the LORD made a promise (Abrahamic Covenant). If Abram would separate himself and his wife Sarai from their past, and obey His guidance, He would make of them a great nation (Israel).  The LORD would bless them as individuals, and through them would come a blessing (our Lord Jesus Christ) for all the families of the Earth (all humanity).

3)      When God moved to redeem the people of Israel from their slavery in Egypt, he turned to one man, Moses. It was during their 400 years there in Egypt (including the period of slavery) that the people grew from a family of 70 souls from Abram’s grandson Jacob / Israel (Exodus Chapter One), into a nation of millions.  [Note that only warrior males 20 years of age or older were counted in Israel’s census which showed approximately 600,000. (https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/6324155/jewish/11-Facts-About-Counting-the-Israelites-in-the-Desert.htm )]  The estimate of “millions” in the total population includes all the women, children and elderly males.

4)      In Exodus Chapter 19, the LORD spoke to the Nation of Israel through Moses, saying: “…if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and an holy nation.” The Scripture continued, saying: “And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do.” From that point on, the LORD regarded them as a distinct segment of humanity, separated from the rest of mankind (Gentiles).

5)      When the Nation of Israel as a whole rejected the Lord Jesus as their Messiah who would fulfill the Abrahamic Covenant, there were individuals and relatively small groups (including the Disciples, and later members of the Jerusalem Church) who believed in Him. This rejection of the Son of God by Israel led God to turn to another individual Jew, Saul of Tarsus (later known as the Apostle Paul), to lead His new plan to evangelize the Gentile world.

As the LORD God began His relationship with humanity through the individual man Adam, so now He has returned His love and attention to each of us as individuals. As with Adam, He only asks that we believe what He has said and done.  Adam heard Him through His audible voice. Today we hear Him through the written word provided by the Holy Spirit to the gifted men who wrote it two thousand years ago.  In the Book of Romans, Chapter Ten, the Spirit taught that our faith in our Lord Jesus and what He has accomplished on our behalf is the result of our hearing the word of God. As noted above, the key to our eternal salvation is found in the Scripture in knowing the Gospel that: 1) Jesus Christ is the Son of God; 2) He died as our substitute to pay the penalty for the sins of mankind; and, 3) He was buried, but He arose / was resurrected on the third day, according to the scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15: 1-4) This Gospel is also explained in the Book of Romans, Chapter Ten, Verses 9 – 13.   Now that we have that knowledge, as individuals we are to share it with others…as Ambassadors for Christ. (2 Corinthians 5: 18-20)

 

Dr. W. A. (Bill) Robinson

https://christianityandbiblestudy.blogspot.com