Float Like A Butterfly, Sting Like A Bee

Float Like A Butterfly, Sting Like A Bee

by | Jul 12, 2023 | Strateia

“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee

You can’t hit what you can’t see…” – Cassius Clay (Later known as Mohammed Ali)

This taunt, used so often in films and by boxers, is one of the same lies that Satan uses to attack us. He wants us to believe that we’re powerless against him. Ephesians 6 tells us that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but rather invisible spirits and principalities, the forces of darkness. The question is, how do we defeat a foe we can’t see?

Hosea 4:6:

“6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”

The apostle Peter, in his first epistle, refers to us as part of a priesthood, a royal priesthood. However, not everyone is part of this priesthood. The Lord says – My people are destroyed…. Decimated, crushed, killed. Overcome by death (Or, according to Romans 6:23, sin). Why? A lack of knowledge is our downfall. The knowledge referred to here isn’t book knowledge, it doesn’t rely on intellect, but rather, it’s the knowledge of God. Not just knowing His laws, or who He is, but knowing Him! Having a personal relationship with Him! His people are destroyed because they don’t know Him, and because of this they are denied priesthood, because they rejected Him, He will reject them. However, we as children of God, those of us who can call Him father, those of us who love Him, even we are affected by this lack of knowledge. The knowledge of God, although knowing Him is the major issue, isn’t the only aspect we should be looking at. He should be our focus, not just who He is, but what He does and wants. We as children of God need to know His heart; we need to live inside His will, and to do that we need to know what His will is.

God gave us a spirit

“7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim 1:7)

“15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father” (Rom 8:15)

We are free through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. He broke the chains that held us down, and now we have a choice to make. We can remain in bondage, or we can choose life. When we choose life God fills us with His spirit and we are truly free, sons and daughters of the Holy one.

Paul said – we have not received a spirit of bondage to fear, but rather a spirit of adoption through which we cry, Abba, Father! We are free and we are His.

Being co-heirs with Christ

When the son of a king goes into town he has authority over those less superior in rank or standing, so also, we as Christians have authority over Satan and his forces. God is almighty and none can stand before Him, definitely not the devil. When we live according to God’s ways, filled with His spirit, close to His heart, we have authority over Satan and all his forces.

James 4:7:

“7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

We have been given authority by God, not because we deserve it but because we have submitted to Him, because we are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. When the enemy comes against us, he is coming against Jesus Christ, therefore he is powerless and we are victorious in Christ.

The cunning foe

We face a subtle and cunning enemy (Gen 3:1). He knows our weaknesses and how to exploit them. He knows how to bring us down, how to bind us and rob us.

Let’s look at some of the tactics he uses against us:

Rebellion: He likes to makes us rebellious towards God. 1 Sam 15:23: tells us that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. God hates rebellious spirits. He abhors the prayers of those who despise and disobey authority. (Proverbs 28:9) .

Further reading on rebellion – Num 14:9, Pro 17:11, Ps 66:7, Isa. 30:1:

Isaiah 1:20: (KJV)

“20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken.”

Division: When your forces are divided you cannot stand…

1 Peter 5:8-9 (KJV)

“8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

The devil comes as a lion before us, looking for a victim, a meek one to devour. It is our duty as Christians to carry the weak, to help them grow in Christ where we can. It is our duty to defend our faith, standing steadfast, together.

Romans 12:5 (KJV)

“5 So we, [being] many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”


We are the body of Christ, His hands and feet. Can a body function if all its limbs are divided? Can a body function if its members are separated? Satan knows this, but somehow we don’t. We need to be vigilant, we have to build bridges, not burn them. Christ came and died on a Cross, not just for a select few but for everyone.

In James 2:1-12 we find that we as Christians, as children of God, shouldn’t differentiate between rich and poor, and although he is referring to physical status, he could also be referring to the spiritually rich and poor. All too often we as Christians try to keep away from less desirable company just because they don’t fit our spiritual template, just because they’re not on the same spiritual level as us. This is sin, for God said that we should love all our neighbors and our enemies! In simpler terms – love everyone regardless. James said in verse ten that even if you keep most of the law, but transgress at one point, you are guilty for all of it. If you despise or judge even one person you are just as guilty as the adulterer or murderer.

We should stand together in Christ and be strong.

Deceit: The devil is the prince of lies. He misleads us daily, or tries at least.

John 8:44 (KJV)

“44 Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

Here we see that he is the father of all lies; that he abides not in the truth. There is no truth in him.

1 Tim 4:1: (KJV)

“1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”

Satan attacks our thoughts, and by filling our heart with evil our actions correspond.

Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)

“23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.”

Fear: Fear is probably the most powerful weapon the enemy forges against us. There is only one healthy kind of fear and that is the reverential fear and awe of God. Fearing God doesn’t mean being afraid of Him but rather that you should revere and respect Him.

Proverbs 14:26 (KJV)

“26 In the fear of the LORD [is] strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.”

Fearing God is matter of confidence. There is strong confidence in the fear of the Lord. His children find refuge in Him. In this verse we see that fearing God is likened to the respect a child has for his father.

As long as we respect Him and keep His commandments we will have refuge. When you have this reverential and worshipful fear of God you’ll obey and your confidence and trust in Him will grow.

However: In the first chapter of Job, Satan goes before God to accuse God’s servant. Here we find that Satan is an accuser, but not just before God. Sometimes he accuses us personally. He tells us how useless we are, he reminds us of all our transgressions and forces us to believe that God cannot possibly love us. He is the father of lies and his lies carry fear. Being afraid is hazardous to the body of Christ, to the church. When fear sets in we are immobilized, we are often paralyzed by the “what if’s” and “what now’s”! Situations like these take our focus away from God, and thereby we are slowly pulled away from God.

There are approximately 355 references to ‘fear not’ in the Scripture. That’s one ‘fear not’ for almost every day of the year.

Philippians 1:28: (KJV)

“28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.”

The problem with fear is that it rushes you on a daily basis. We should keep in mind that it’s okay to feel fear, but we shouldn’t give into it. The Bible doesn’t say “Don’t feel afraid!” But rather “fear not!”

“Fear not!” means not running away, not letting fear set in.

Hebrews 10:35 -38: (KJV)

“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if [any man] draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”

We should be confident in Christ, knowing that He is our salvation, that He is our future! Walking by faith means putting your trust in Him, putting your hand in His, knowing that nothing can stand in your way because you’ve got God on your side. Know that fear, the kind that makes you break out in a cold sweat, the kind that makes you run and hide, that fear is not from God, but above all realize that you have authority over the devil through Jesus Christ who clothed you in His righteousness.

FEASTS: Pesach / Passover

FEASTS: Pesach / Passover

by | Jul 11, 2023 | Blueprint Reboot, Christological Reflections, Old Testament, Typology

Historical Survey – What Happened?

In Exodus we read about a man called Moses. He is noted as one of Israel’s greatest leaders – a prophet – a man of God. When he was still an infant, the pharaoh (afraid of a possible uprising/rebellion) ordered all the male children to be cast into the river, as soon as they were born. His mother, a Levite, saw her son and couldn’t bear to let him go, and thus she hid him for three months. After this period of time had passed and she could keep him hid no longer, she put him in a basket and laid it in the flags of the river.

The Bible says that his sister stood afar off – to wit what would be done to him. She was curious and wanted to see what would happen to her baby brother. Pharaoh’s daughter found him and had compassion on him. He grew up in the Palace, as royalty.

When he had come of age though, he found himself wandering about the city – and he saw the plight of his brethren. I think he probably walked the city streets a lot – his heart tugging at his sleeve, beckoning him to follow. I feel God opened his eyes to see the harsh reality that the Israelites had to endure – and it moved him to anger.

It was on one of these days that he saw an Egyptian smiting one of his own. To smite is to strike or inflict a blow – in this case, upon a Hebrew – and this struck a violent chord within his heart. It angered and dismayed him – and because of these feelings he struck out smiting the Egyptian, he slew the Egyptian man and laid him in the sand.

News of this reached Pharaoh and he sought justice – he wanted to kill Moses – but Moses fled and retreated to the land of Midian.

Here he met his wife, the daughter of a priest named Jethro. He married Zipporah and tended his father in law’s flock. In a sense this could’ve been a strange foreshadowing of what his future would have in store for him.

It was while leading Jethro’s flock, to the backside of the desert, that he came to Horeb – and it is here that the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire in the midst of a bush. Here, in the third chapter of Exodus, the Lord appears unto Moses in a Burning Bush and calls him to tend to His flock – to be a shepherd of a different kind.

God sends Moses back to Egypt with one thought: Set my people free. This must’ve been a terrible thought.

The writer Stephen M. Miller writes concerning Moses: “If he had wanted to go to Pharaoh, who thought himself a god, the last thing he wanted to do was tell Pharaoh that the real God said to release the Hebrew slaves used as cheap labor on pet projects. Moses was an old shepherd. He wanted to get older.”1

Yet, Moses went and we read in Exodus about the ten plagues that followed – the tenth being the most terrible. It is here where the Pesach is instituted.

God instructs the Hebrews to take a lamb, each according to his house, an unblemished lamb without spot. This lamb was to be slain and its blood painted on the door posts – the two side posts and the upper doorpost.

According to Dr. Richard Booker this was known as a threshold-blood covenant.

“Humankind’s earliest primitive altar to the one true God, as well as false gods, was the threshold or entrance into the home. The threshold altar was the place where people made their sacrifice to their gods. The purpose was to request protection from the family deity as well as inviting the deity into their house.”2

He says the blood smeared on the doorposts was a similar act – that it was an invitation for God to be present in that house as protector – He would stand in the doorway to keep the destroyer at bay.

On that faithful night the Hebrews ate the roast lamb and stayed in their houses and the angel of death moved through Egypt and smote the firstborn in every house it passed.

Flavius Josephus wrote: “Whence it is that we do still offer this sacrifice in like manner to this day, and call this festival Pascha which signifies the feast of the passover; because on that day God passed us over, and sent the plague upon the Egyptians; for the destruction of the first-born came upon the Egyptians that night, so that many of the Egyptians who lived near the king’s palace, persuaded Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go.”3

The plague came upon the Egyptians and they were dismayed. The Pharaoh called Moses to the Palace and

As Josephus wrote: “Accordingly he called for Moses, and bid them be gone; as supposing, that if once the Hebrews were gone out of the country, Egypt should be freed from its miseries.”4

So, the feast was called the Passover because it signified the night that God passed over and sent the plague upon the Egyptians.

It signified destruction to those who had not made the threshold-blood covenant with God, but life to those who had invited God into their homes as protector.

This feast is one that reminds us of God’s power and love – of how He delivered his people from the slavery of the Egyptians.

The Jewish historian, Martin Gilbert, wrote a series of letters to an elderly Jewish woman living in India. These letters explored Jewish history and culture in detail, and it is in these letters that we read: “So central is the story of the Exodus to Jewish life and tradition – as it was to Jewish survival – that Passover comes first in the calendar of Jewish festivals.”5

He makes a statement earlier in his book that enforces my hypothesis in the first section of this project: “For several thousand years Jewish laws and traditions have held the Jews together as an identifiable group. As Jewish communities grew and were dispersed throughout the globe, their traditions and beliefs linked them, however far apart they were.”6

We see that this festival is crucial to Jewish identity – they have been called out of slavery – led out of Egypt by the mighty hand of God.

Socio-Cultural Survey – What Happens?

Every year in the Hebrew month of Nisan the Passover Festival is held. During this time they celebrate the Exodus from Egypt – families gathering at home, often with many guests, to recall the miracles of the ten plagues and the parting of the Red Sea.

Regular cooking utensils, dishes and cutlery are put away and special ones (designated for use during the Passover only) are brought out for the week of festivities.

The only bread eaten during the festival is made without leaven and is called Matza (Matzot – plural).

The Saturday before Passover is known as ‘Shabbat ha-Gadol’ – the Great Sabbath. On ‘Shabbat ha-Gadol’ a portion of the Passover recitation is read and the whole Passover story is explained by a rabbi.

Pesach

The first night of the ceremony is known as the ‘seder’ (meaning order).

On the ‘seder’ night a lamb shank is placed on the table to remind them of the night that God ‘passed over’ the Hebrew first-borns whilst slaying those of the Egyptians.

Accompanying the shank on the table are bitter herbs. These herbs remind us of the bitterness of life under Egyptian rule. There is also a fruit paste called ‘charoses’ eaten at Passover as a symbol of the mortar the Jews had to mix when making bricks for the Pharaoh.

The ‘seder’ begins with the youngest child at the table asking ‘Why is this night different from all other nights?’

The answers to this question and others that follow are answered by those present, turn by turn around the table. There is a discussion about the historic Passover and its meaning, prayers before and after the meal, Psalms, songs and stories. All of these are set in a book called the ‘Haggadah’.

The reading of the Hagaddah before and after the meal is done with much chanting – and the dozen or so songs are sung with enthusiasm, enough to rouse even the sleepiest youngster.

Among Moroccan Jews and those of Moroccan origin, the last evening of Passover is a time for people to go door-to-door to wish each other a happy year.

It is also customary for the whole community to go out, on the day after Passover and recite a blessing over the trees.

Unleavened Bread

Bread plays a large role in this festival. The night before Passover there is a ceremony called the Chametz search. During the festival (Passover) a distinction is made between two kinds of bread. Chametz and Matzah. Chametz is bread with leaven, the term though is also extended to all non-kosher foods and the cooking utensils associated with them. Matzah however is unleavened bread. For the Seder nights a special kind of Matzah is prepared, this is called Matzah Shmurah – meaning watched or guarded matzah. This matzah is followed closely from the time of harvest throughout the baking process to ensure that it stays unleavened.

The Chametz search takes place the evening before Passover, and during this time the family searches for any traces of Chametz. This is a ceremonial and dramatic, yet serious practice. All the lights in the house are darkened and the head of the family recites a blessing by candle light after which he leads his family in the search for Chametz. It has become customary for a responsible member of the family to place crumbs or small pieces of bread throughout the house. These pieces are gathered with a feather and a wooden spoon.

These pieces of Chametz are ceremonially burned the next morning.

So serious is this ceremony that after the burning of the Chametz a declaration is made: “Any chametz or leaven that is in my possession, whether I have recognized it or not, whether I have seen it or not, whether I have removed it or not, should be annulled and become ownerless, like dust of the earth.”7

Prophetically the importance of this ceremony is not lost, but I will get there in a moment.

Firstfruits

The Feast of the Firstfruits was to be celebrated on the day after the Sabbath, and it is generally accepted that the Sabbath referred to is the weekly Sabbath.

Before any barley produce of the new crop could be eaten, or even touched, an omer had to be brought to the temple as a sacrifice unto the Lord. The purpose of this was to consecrate the harvest to God. The firstfruits represented the whole harvest. They had received the Promised Land from God’s hand and therefore they were but stewards of the land and its produce. This sacrificial act reminded them that God had given them the land and that the harvest was rightfully the Lord’s.

Prophetic Survey

Bethlehem is translated (from the Hebrew language), by James Strong, as ‘House of Bread’ (the Arabic form – Beit Lahm – translates as ‘house of meat’).8

According to Webster’s Dictionary9 the name Bethlehem has been corrupted and changed to Bedlam (through speech and linguistic ‘evolution’ – although deterioration would be a better word) – and such changes often have interesting results for interpreters and critics of all disciplines. Bedlam generally refers to a place appropriated to the confinement and care of the insane – for example a madhouse, but can also refer to a place where uproar and confusion prevail.

Bethlehem was the birthplace of Jesus, and it was here that Jesus was born into a bedlam of pagan origin – a world filled with sin and death – where pagan gods were worshiped and whole towns and villages were built according to the needs of these false deities10 – it was here that the Bread of Life was born to heal the insane of their infirmity – to set the captives free and overwhelm the kingdom of darkness – to bring light in a world where darkness reigned.

Jesus was the Lamb of God – spotless and without blemished. His blood was spilt to cover our iniquities and our sins – and His blood is painted on the doorposts of our heart, if only we choose to enter a threshold-blood covenant with Him – when we choose to invite Him into our hearts as our savior and protector.

Those whose doorposts are painted with the Blood of the Lamb, the will be saved from certain destruction and death.

Those who partake in the sacrifice of Christ shall receive peace that surpasses all understanding and will be able to rest assured in God’s mighty hand – secure in the knowledge that He is our rock and our salvation – His hand rests upon His children – a mighty fortress, a strong tower to shelter the righteous.

The Matzah can be seen as a type of Jesus since He is bread without leaven, watched through every temptation and trial and found without sin.

The annual search for the chametz is done by candle light and should be done as soon as possible after nightfall.

For the believer in Christ this aspect of the Passover has great importance – as soon as we realize our situation, that we are caught in darkness and sin, we must take the light that is God’s Word (The Psalmist calls it a lamp unto his feet and a light unto his way) and search for all traces of sin and eradicate it from our lives. We have to search for those undesirable characteristics of the flesh and ask God to consume it with His righteous fire. To burn away our sin, fear and doubt and purify us in the flames of His love, mercy and grace.

Dr. Richard Booker states the following in his book ‘Celebrating Jesus in the Biblical Feasts’: “As with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, it too relates to our condition as believers in and followers of Jesus. These feasts show the two different phases of Christian commitment that are necessary to change our spiritual condition. These two phases are separation and consecration.”11

These feasts point to Christ as the Lamb of God, the Bread of Life and the Firstfruits from the Dead.

He walked the earth as ‘unleavened bread’ without sin – and was found as the Spotless Lamb without spot or blemish. Finally, He died for our sins taking all our burdens upon Him to restore us and He was resurrected from the dead as the Firstfruits from the Dead.

Paul writes:

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. (Rom 8:11)

The first aspect of the festival, the Pesach, is symbolic of Christ’s sacrifice for us.

The second aspect of the festival, the Unleavened Bread, symbolizes separation – the distinction between Chametz and Matzah – the righteous from unrighteousness.

Finally we find, in the third and final aspect of the Passover festival, eternal life in Christ Jesus.

Just as the firstfruits were waved to God as an act of consecration – consecrating the whole harvest, the resurrection of Christ (our intercessor) consecrated all of us (the whole harvest).

The Passover, therefore, doesn’t only remind us of the Israelites Exodus from Egypt, but also of our own journey, our own Exodus from the kingdom of darkness – for Jesus has called us out of the darkness and into His light – He has come to set the captives free.

We can rejoice, with our Jewish brothers and sisters, secure in the knowledge that our God is great and merciful and that He is salvation to those who cling to Him.

Amen.

1 Stephen M. Miller, Who’s who and Where’s Where in the Bible (Miller, 2004)

2 Dr. Richard Booker – Celebrating Jesus in the Biblical Feasts (Booker, 2009)

3 Flavius Josephus – The Antiquities of the Jews (chapter 14) (Josephus, 2001)

4 Flavius Josephus – The Antiquities of the Jews (Josephus, 2001)

5 Martin Gilbert – Letter 112 (Gilbert, 2002)

6 Martin Gilbert – Letter 104 (Gilbert, 2002)

7 The Artscroll Siddur – The Search for Chametz/Leaven (Scherman, 1990)

8 Strong’s Handi-Reference Concordance. (Strong, Strong’s Handi-Reference Concordance, 2006)

9 (Porter, 1913)

10 One example of this is a town called Beth Shan, a very impressive place which had hundreds of enormous Greek style columns lining the main street, running from perfect east to almost perfect west. They set that city up on an east/west axis in part so you could get a good last look at the sun before it set at night but also to make it

easier for the many sun worshippers who lived in that town. This town was a little bit south of Tiberius, a city on the Sea of Galilee.

11 Dr. Richard Booker – Celebrating Jesus in the Biblical Feasts (Booker, 2009)

The Feasts of the Old Testament

The Feasts of the Old Testament

by | Jul 11, 2023 | Christological Reflections, Old Testament, Typology

Revelations Abounding

I am a firm believer in the fact that there is one question that all individuals, at one point or another, ask and that is: Who am I?

I once read that it is the most asked question in the world.

We are caught in a constant struggle for identity, and we see this everywhere. We see it in the clothes we buy, the places we eat, and the cars we drive. We see it on billboards and on those screens that decorate at least one room in every house. The modern man (or woman) is caught in a storm, a hurricane, of opinions and ideas – we get all kinds of doctrines and dogmatic ideals shoved down our throats on a daily basis, but one thing always remains the same – there is one constant factor in a world of variables and that is God’s Word.

To understand who we are we need to understand the Pentateuch – the first five books of the Bible. To understand who we are, or who we are called to be, we need to understand God- and God has revealed Himself to us so wonderfully in the five books of Moses, through prophecy and typology but also through His actions – through His deeds and His words.

An example of this is Genesis 1:1:

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

This verse consists of only ten words yet it is filled with revelation.

The first three words – In the beginning – teaches us that God is eternal. He was there before time and space were created, before everything around us existed He was there. In these three words we also find that God transcends the material realm – that which can be observed – because He was there before it was created.

In the first three words we see two aspects of God – He is eternal and beyond this physical realm.

When we continue we find that He is a creative God – that He is God the Creator – He has the power to create. We also read and see that God is infinite in His power.

H.P. Lovecraft once wrote: “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.”

H.P. Lovecraft was an author of science fiction and horror stories, and a brilliant one at that – he knew how the human mind worked – he understood emotions, especially fear, and knew how to draw one into a tale and keep you there – on the edge of your seat.

In ancient cultures the sky was the limit. It was hard to comprehend the stars and that which lay beyond the clouds – our ancient ancestors feared that which they could not comprehend and it is because of this fear that many ‘sky gods’ came into existence – it was because of this that sun and moon cults sprang up in many primitive cultures – a lack of understanding and the fear of the unknown.

In the midst of these cults and religions God speaks unto Moses revealing the creation of the Heavens and the Earth. God comforts His people saying (in a sense): Do not fear that which lies beyond your understanding but know that I am the Creator, that everything on this earth and beyond was created by My hand.

God speaks unto Moses and emphasizes one important fact – that He is the creator of the universe – of that which is seen and that which cannot be observed.

Colossians 1:16 explains this beautifully:

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

God reassures His children of His power and His might – of His status as the Omnipotent and Omniscient God who has created and is aware of all things – both the known and the unknown.

All of this and more is found in the opening verse of the Genesis – the first verse in the Bible. I think it’s amazing how God can reveal so much in so little – just think, for a moment, about all the knowledge to be gained in working through the Pentateuch – there are revelations in abundance to be found.

This specific series however is not about the Pentateuch in general but about the Biblical Feasts and Festivals found therein as well as some of the other feasts mentioned in the Old Testament.

The Purpose of the Feasts

Émile Durkheim was a French Sociologist often cited, along with Karl Marx and Max Weber, as the principle architect of modern social science. He was the first to formally establish sociology as an academic discipline.

He was born in Épinal in Lorraine and came from a long line of devout French Jews. His family had seen three generations of Rabbis – his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

Émile however decided not to answer the rabbinical call, as his forefathers had, and lead a completely secular life. The majority of his work was dedicated to religious phenomena – attempting to demonstrate that the religious experience (in general) stemmed from social factors rather than the divine.

Even though he chose not to follow family tradition he did not sever ties with his family or the Jewish community.

There have been many arguments concerning the influence Jewish thought might have had on his work, but the answer remains uncertain.

This being said, Durkheim firmly believed that any religion could be reduced to a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things. These beliefs and practices unite all those who adhere to it in a single moral community often called a church.

His definition of religion is favored by modern anthropologists of religion and could very well shed some light on the cultural/social purpose of the Biblical Feasts.

In an essay called ‘On the future of religion’ he states: “There can be no society which does not feel the need of upholding and reaffirming at regular intervals the collective sentiments and the collective ideas which make its unity and its personality.”

What he is saying is that every society (as defined by their cultural and social norms and ideals) eventually (and again there after) feels the need to reaffirm those collective sentiments and ideas that define them as a society.

Each feast has an individual purpose, these feasts allowed the Israelites to remember certain times when God stretched forth His hand to save them from certain situations (for instance – how God delivered them from Egypt), or reached out to His children to share His will and divine plan with them (the giving of the Law unto Moses).

These feasts are celebrated to unify the Jewish community – to gather God’s children that they may remember His mighty deeds –He is life unto those who abide in Him and salvation to those who dwell in His shadow.

I believe these feasts and festivals –these Holy days – were ordained by God to give the Israelites a sense of identity in a world rotten with idol worship and pagan cults. These days were given unto the Israelites to commemorate the times that their God triumphed over the old, pagan mythos and saved them from the physical powers and authorities of this world.

A statement made by Durkheim, one that stays with me is this: “in a word, the old gods are growing old or are already dead, and others are not yet born.”

These Holy Days are there to prove that God is eternally faithful and true – most of these feasts not only serve a physical, historical purpose but also a prophetic purpose. When we see the prophecies fulfilled there is no doubt in our minds that our God is not dead but living and true. Durkheim’s statement might apply to the pagan deities and idols but it does not and will never apply to our Lord and Savior.

In Isaiah 40:8 we read:

8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

The whole physical world may eventually wither and fade away but the word of our God will stand forever – unchanging and true. Always constant.

We read in Hebrews 1:10-12:

And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; 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.

We see that everything that is in existence, everything that exists in this physical realm will perish, yet God will remain. Everything, the writer exclaims, will wax old – shall grow old and be changed – but God Almighty will remain the same forever. Our God is consistent – never changing, eternal and true.

These feasts are a testimony to the fact that God is our salvation – that He is love and hope in the face of adversity and this binds those who adhere to these beliefs and practices together in a moral and spiritual community as children of the Most High.

The purpose, therefore, of these feasts and festivals was to provide the Israelites with a social and spiritual identity that distinguished them from the gentile nations and their pagan religions. It supplied them with a constant affirmation of their shared sentiments, ideals and beliefs. It encouraged them to remember the great love and mercy of God and His work in the midst of His children.

Peace be with you as you read and explore the influence the Biblical Feasts might have on your life as a believer in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

The Beautiful Gate

The Beautiful Gate

by | Jul 7, 2023 | Attitude Adjustments, Blueprint Reboot

re·​boot | \ ˈrē-ˌbüt  \
plural reboots

1: the act or an instance of shutting down and restarting something (such as a computer or program).
2: the act or an instance of starting (something) anew or making a fresh start.

In the beginning God created man in His image to serve His purpose. The implications of the creation narrative are that there is more to life than simply just being – there is purpose and meaning.

God had a blueprint in mind for each of us – but we deviated from it. We chose – and continue to choose – ‘nothingness’ over EVERYTHING.

We fill the God shaped hole in our hearts with sex, with drugs, with technology, with entertainment, with streaming services, even church – these things have become our idols. We live after the flesh and not by faith, chasing visceral (body) experiences instead of the grace and love – the very heart of God.

Peter Rollins explores this idea often, going as far as saying (and I’m just paraphrasing) that churches have become shops, clergy have become sales people and Jesus, in a lot of cases has just become another product we sell.

We keep ourselves fat on milk, chasing spiritual fathers who never teach us how to chew. We chase a temporary high – and we become dependent on the dealer. This has been my experience with many charismatic churches over the years – in many, not all. We exalt the leader instead of the One who appointed him. It was the same problem that Moses encountered when he left the Israelites to meet God on the mountain and came back to find a golden calf.

For the Israelites at that time, Moses was the embodiment of God in their midst – he was the face of God, the voice of God. When he went up the mountain, his people felt like they had been abandoned. Moses, however, knew that this was not how it was supposed to be.

I propose a shift in focus.

Romans 8:15: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father.” (NKJV)

Although I believe in Spiritual Mentorship, and I have had many spiritual fathers who have mentored me, I do feel that we need to realize that in many cases our leaders have failed us. They have made us dependant on them instead of God. The moment we start focusing on the leader, the prophet, the preacher, the PERSON, we are putting our faith in the wrong place.

It says in the book of Corinthians that God is Spirit, and that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. No preacher, apostle or prophet can give you freedom, no preacher, prophet or apostle can break your chains – but Jesus can – and HE HAS!

We want to strip away the dead works of religion. We want to live according to the Word of God.

I absolutely love the book of Acts, especially the story in chapter 3 – which I like to call, ‘Waiting to Be Beautiful’.

1Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to [a]ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 7And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. 9And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

The man sitting at the gate got an instant reboot – not because John was there, not because Peter spoke – but because Jesus had paid for the healing – there was an impartation of grace that took place in that moment through the movement of the Holy Spirit.

The book of Acts continues:

11Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 12So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15and killed the [b]Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

When those gathered in the temple tried to pat Peter and John on the back, when they tried to attribute the healing of the lame man to the ‘godliness’ of these two apostles, Peter rebuked them saying that it was simply through the Name of Jesus.

Reading this article is not going to bring about any change in your life – even my obedience in writing it is not going to do anything. In my last 20 odd years in prophetic and pastoral ministry I have found that the anointing flows most powerfully when I take myself completely out of the picture. Your life is going to change because YOU are going to lay your burdens before God. YOU are going to lay yourself on the altar, as broken as you are – as dirty as you are – as imperfect as you are – and YOU are going to say, ‘God, here I am – let Your will be done.’

All I can do is pray that God will open your eyes and that there will be a supernatural impartation of grace into your life – but it will depend on your willingness to receive from the hand of God.

We have chosen nothingness over and over again – I know I have – but I have lost my life and found it in Christ – He has rebooted the blueprint He had in mind when He created me.

Romans 8:15: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father.” (NKJV)

When we choose to live according to religion – here being defined as a specific system of worship created and set out by man – when we choose to live according to the teachings of fallible men – we will always be subject to the bondage of fear.

We will do things because we are afraid of the consequences of not doing them. We will refrain from doing things because of what people will say and think.

But when we live according to the Spirit, something beautiful happens – we ourselves are made beautiful.

Doubt and Calling

Doubt and Calling

by | Jul 7, 2023 | Attitude Adjustments, Blueprint Reboot, Discipleship, The Pattern

The Call of God

I remember when I was still a youth, just after getting accepted into Bible college, and just before the first year of study was to begin, I had serious doubts regarding my entering the ministry.

One night I went out during an altar call, asking for agreement in prayer. I expressed my doubts about formalizing my ministry. At this stage – at eighteen years old – ministry was not a new thing for me. I had started out preaching, running small groups and being a part of the worship team since my early teens. I had spent four years going weekly to the hospital to pray for the sick. Made efforts to attend every Bible study, help with Sunday school, volunteered at youth groups.

Church was something I was born to do. Just like Joshua, as a young man, I had my own Moses. An elderly pastor who mentored me, and spent a lot of time teaching me, guiding me, encouraging me towards this moment. However, now that the call was going to be ‘made official’ my feet started going cold.

A third year student came to pray for me, and after hearing my ‘complaint’ gave me the following sage advice – “If you don’t feel ready now for the call of God, you never will be.”

Over the last 15 years these words have stuck with me.

Every time I went through a rough patch, or some self-doubt – or a dark night of the soul as the mystics called it – I would hear these words and push through.

In Numbers 13:8 we are introduced to another young man who would find himself in a similar situation. He is introduced as Hoshea, son of Nun, from the tribe of Ephraim.

His name is ‘Deliverance” or ‘Salvation” but at some point a little later his name gets changed to Joshua (Yehoshua) which much like the name “Yeshua” or English “Jesus” means “God is Salvation”.

His name gets changed to make clear where the salvation comes from. Not from man or any other power, but from God. God is our deliverer. God is our salvation.

In the first chapter of Joshua, we see God speaking to the warrior-prophet.

“After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over the Jordan, you and all the people, to the land which I am giving to them – the children of Israel.”

Moses, the Servant of the Lord, had passed away, and his assistant Joshua is called by God, directed to fill the shoes of his predecessor. It is interesting to note in verse 1 that Joshua is refered to as ‘the servant of Moses’, and not the “servant of the Lord” at this stage.

The vision God gives him in this moment is earth-shaking. Too big to comprehend.

God given vision, a God given calling, usually is.

And it is almost certain that Joshua quite possibly doubted in his own ability to set out and accomplish this mission, for God encourages him three times in the first nine verses that he (Joshua) will not be going into this alone, God will be with him.

Jeremiah doubted

Doubt is not a rarity in the Bible. Many of the prophets and leaders God called had doubts about themselves.

Jeremiah for example, finds himself one day hearing the voice of God.

“Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah is immediately overcome by self-doubt. He cries back to God, “I cannot do this for I am just a youth”. Not a “young man” – but a “child”.

It is important to note that Josiah, son of Amon, and king of Judah at this time became king at the tender age of eight. Scholars seem to agree that Jeremiah, in the thirteenth year of Josiah’s reign would have been somewhere between the age of 13 and 16.

But God, very reminiscent of Paul’s advice to the young minister Timothy, admonishes him to not look at his age, but to rest in the thought that He will empower him in what is to be done.

“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See I have this day set you over the nations and oer the kingdoms; to root out and pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant.”

Immediately after these words we find a sort of confirmation of the calling and acceptance on the side of Jeremiah as he receives the vision of the almond branch.

Isaiah felt unworthy

Isaiah in chapter 6 of the book of the same name – whose name also interestingly means “God is salvation” – has a vision of the Lord upon His throne. The angels cried out “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Lord of Hosts. The temple was filled with His presence, the very foundations shaking with his holiness. The house was filled with smoke.

Isaiah sees the glory of God and immediately he is despondent. In verse 5 he calls out “woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.”

The chapter is described as the ‘calling of Isaiah as a prophet’, although it seems that he had already been receiving visions and prophecies before this time. This chapter seems to be more of a confirmation of the call already on his life.

However, the servant of God is still dismayed at seeing the Lord.

When we as human beings are confronted by the glory of God, there is no way that we cannot react the same.

An encounter with God is necessary before Isaiah is ready to receive and move in the direction of his calling. “Behold, this (a live coal from the altar) has touched your lips, your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is purged.”

A part of me wonders if the live coal – the purging – the burning was at all uncomfortable for Isaiah.

I imagine it would be.

I somewhat wonder if he watched the angel coming towards him, holding the tongs with which the coal had been taken up, with fear, awe and wonder.

I’m sure I would have.

Sometimes the calling is uncomfortable. Sometimes the things we need to go through to discover our purpose is uncomfortable. Perhaps even painful.

Yet, after this encounter we find Isaiah is weighed worthy, feels worthy enough to respond to the call, “Here I am, send me”.

Moses outright argued

Since we are looking at Joshua, we also have to pause and reflect on Moses. His name is mentioned 10 times in Joshua chapter 1 alone.

In Exodus 3 we find a younger Moses tending to his father-in-law, Jethro’s sheep, after having killed an Egyptian and fleeing to Midian.

He led the flock to Mt. Horeb, and here he has a startling, life changing encounter with God.

A bush bursts into flame as the Angel of the Lord appears to him, and Moses gets called near. God explains that he has heard the groaning of His children, that He has taken note of the oppression taking place under the iron fisted rule of the Egyptians, and that Moses will be His instrument in bringing the Israelites out of bondage and into the Promised Land.

Immediately though Moses questions this call.

In Exodus 3:11: he says to God, “but who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

God, who am I that you could trust me with this duty? Who am I?

Isn’t this the most common response? I am not good enough! That’s what Moses is saying. I am unworthy.

I must admit that I have always preferred the preacher who doubts in himself, but trusts in God and grows in boldness over time, than those who arrogantly and ignorantly climb onto the pulpit. The Word of God is holy and should be approached with respect, with awe and reverent fear. His work should be done diligently. It is with great ardour that we study to show ourselves approved, seeking not material gain, fame or social standing, but that souls may be saved through the grace of God.

We see this in the prophets mentioned above – even in Moses. The Law-Giver, the one one who led his people out of Egypt, the same Moses through whom God parted the Red Sea – this great and almost legendary figure so highly regarded by history – his first question to God, his first argument against his calling is: Who am I? I am not good enough.

And perhaps this is where you find yourself right now. You feel the stirring of the Spirit within you. You feel the flames of passion pushing you in a certain direction. You feel the tingling of a God given purpose. You know you are called to make a difference, but somehow you argue that it cannot possibly be, because of qualifications, insecurities, fears and anxieties – but God does not call the qualified – I know it’s a cliche, but bear with me – God qualifies the called.

So God speaks to Moses, and tells him that the calling will be confirmed through signs and wonders – Moses just has to trust in the plans and purposes of God.

Still, Moses is unsure. This continues for quite a while – Moses arguing with God.

“What if they don’t believe me? I can’t just go to them and say ‘the God of your fathers sent me’ – surely they will ask me what Your name is? What shall I say?”

But God keeps answering. “I AM WHO I AM.”

Still Moses keeps arguing, going so far as to say, “I’ve never been very eloquent, people won’t listen to me.” and the final one, out right denying the call of God, the epitome of self-doubt – “God, please send someone else.”

God has called each of us for a purpose, for a reason – and for some it is easier to say, “God, please send someone else.”

However, in the fourth chapter of Exodus, God assures him once more that He will be with Moses, that he will supply the resources necessary – in fact – Moses already has all the resources he needs.

The rest is history.

HIS story.

God wants to use us to tell His story, to write history.

Jesus is calling. You are called to be a minister of the Gospel. We all are. That’s the beauty of the Cross – the Blood calls to the East, to the West, to the South and to North. The blood of Jesus calls us near, to become a part of this family. To become a part of this royal priesthood. To leave our chains, to come out of our graves, to turn our back on the darkness that enveloped us before, and proclaim the goodness of Him who called us.

Moses argues that he is not eloquent enough to lead the people out. God instructs him to use Aaron as his mouthpiece (Exodus 4:16).

Exodus 4:16 – 17: “So he (Aaron) shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”

“YOU SHALL BE TO HIM AS GOD”.

We are called to be imitators of Christ, to be a reflection of God. We were created in His image, after all, and even though that image might have been tarnished by sin and carnality, it has been restored through the reconciliation found in the Blood of Jesus.

You are called to be as God to those around you. The Kingdom should not just be something you belong to, but a lifestyle. God is not just an object of worship – He is living and active in our lives.

He has called you. And He will provide the opportunities and resources you need to fulfill the words of The Our Father.

“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.”

May the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, be living and active in you, around you and most importantly through you.