It is interesting that the gospel penned by Luke mirrors the only written account of the birth of the Church, in that in both accounts a man is chosen to be in a specific place based upon being chosen by lot. Perhaps a reason Peter suggested what he did, was due to his understanding that they were indeed called to be priests, perhaps not yet understanding fully their royal lineage – Jesus Christ their ascended head priest, greater than the line of Abidjan or Aaron.
Luke records how the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. Akin to the upper when the Church was birthed.
The first sermon preached by a Spirit filled man, focuses entirely and singularly upon the great truth that the Lord is on the righthand side of God, and as a symbol and signpost of these eternal things to come the Angel of the Lord appears to Zechariah upon this sacred ground.
Could the sequence of events prior to the Word becoming human flesh, be upon any other ground. The pronouncement of the coming redemption, and the ministry of preparation could it be anywhere else other than the alter, the sanctuary, that place of the mercy seat!
The angel of the Lord is very specific with Zechariah, giving him all the details.
Verses 16 & 17 are a beautiful ministry and show that Gods great love, is perfected through his obedient Son. Abraham the Father of the faith, having been chosen as he would teach his own children concerning ‘Gods provided sacrifice’.
Since time began, the message hasn’t changed, God is the great lover of men’s souls, and his desire has always been to share his wisdom with the sons of men. God created mankind, that he may flow outwards unto his whole creation with blessing, multiplied and multiplied as the stars in every galaxy.
The wisdom of God that he does not withhold, is conformity to the image of his Son. Man was made in the image of God, but due to the fall, we need the Word himself to become flesh to ransom are high calling in God – after his kind ness.
Adam believed a lie concerning the wisdom of God, he believed a sinister and ‘corrupting’ voice that God had lied concerning what he had spoken!
The knowledge of the truth sets men free, because God has never withheld wisdom from man, obedience to Gods word is life eternal, the truth of Gods Word is that God had not withheld from man the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, man has always been free to disobey Gods commandments, he simply desires according to his own nature that man would choose to believe his word to be truth. But that freedom of choice has dramatic consequences, and death is not an understated word concerning a character devoid of relationship with God the Father.
Relationship is the Joy of life & communion is the wonder of love. How could God not command man to remain in a childlike state trusting Him to grow his understanding in all things.
The desire of God, has always been many Sons of glory. The God of glory, appeared to Abraham.
The angel of the Lord, conveys two distinct characteristics of God. Firstly, the centrality of the sacred ground, the Holiness of God – the dwelling place, the place of all authority – able always to speak new life into the old old story – where creation was ordained.
This sacred place, that had been given to Moses in specific detail! All the history of the people of Israel, centered on the promises of God who had given them a blueprint to become a blessing to every family and nation of the world.
Zechariah was troubled, he was encountering a realm deeper and beyond his deepest depths of understanding, grappling with the origin of species was consigned to the trivial shelf where it belong – how can a man be anything other than teachable and childlike, when encountering the realm of God, the divine, who holds the universe in the palm of his hand.
Specific detail, are part and parcel of the new covenant.
The second distinct characteristic is the warmth of Gods love. So effective is the relational communion of Gods liberty, that the righteous priest who walked in all the commandments of the Lord, is completely placed at ease and proceeds to bring forth his inner most doubts and fears!
His external fear from the first initial encounter had been ministered too through the specific details of Gods way and plan of redemption, God being contrasted to a span to become a living man.
Now, he brings forth his inability to be akin to God, now he brings all his limitations and inability to reach for the stars, all the reasonings and learning of men.
Communions aim is for their to be no division between the sacred and liberty, this is integral to the essence of love.
Therefore, the angel does not entertain upon the counseling coach Zechariah’s new found liberty to ponder the issue and ask for further knowledge! What was Zechariah thinking? Did he really think that he could obtain more knowledge and understanding concerning Gods instructions through his own reasoning and musings.
Did he speak it as an old man in despair after years of heartache. His response was not merely concerning the promise of a Son, it concerned the very WORD of God!
How shall I know this? Is this not the same cry that came from Abraham Genesis Ch 15 v8.
Is this not the cry in every child’s life – every child facing a multitude of voices and the sure knowledge that they will get older day by day, hour by hour and year by year.
How shall I know my destiny. How will I know what I should do in life. What is the essence of life, what is the structure for life. How is are planet held in place in outer space.
But his cry we know was specific too, just as Abrahams was! And was not that cry akin to the very original blueprint of God, was it not akin to cry: Where are you?
All ministry starts with the heart of the Father to the children.
And now we probe with greater light the mystery of the hands who made them out of clay and breathed into them to become living souls.
Eve was not made out of the little toe. Nor from a finger nor his only head.
She was formed from one of his ribs, an integral part of the whole breathing apparatus. Probably, closer to the diaphragm. It speaks of the blood, that carries life around the body, the bones producing red blood cells inside. And the blood carries life O2 around the whole body. A rib is also protective of this cycle of life. The mensural cycle is part of Gods redemptive commandment to reproduce new life.
A rib itself speaks of being a help meet. It is alongside, an integral part of maintaining and protecting and reproducing the life that had been breathed into them: both male and female. I presume Eve must have had the very breath of God breathed into her.
A rib isn’t a bicep, it represents a tender and vulnerable side, a place joined through kindness and friendship. A rib isn’t running here and there, nor laboring in the fields or lifting the bails of barely. A rib is a constant place of rest of union and communion with every breath throughout each day – a sene of belonging and connection, an abiding and tangible sense of not being alone.
This casts light upon a great mystery of life and love. It is the reason why man spake prophetically for the first time concerning his beloved.
This speaks of Gods mysterious ability to join two people together as one, in mutual love. Not a love that grows tired. But a union that has access to sparks and streams, rivers of life eternal. That has a warmth that never diminishes the sacred. Guarding the way to the tree of life.
On the day of Pentecost they were all gathered together in one accord.
How shall I know this?
Zechariah had not understood deeply that the universe is framed by the very Word of God. When God speaks it shall come to pass. This great priest of righteousness shows us why his Son was less than the least in the kingdom of God, the faith that is according to the Word of God, his Son Jesus Christ is pure and faultless before the throne, being found in Him.
‘I have come to seek and save the lost’. ‘For this my Son was dead and is alive again’.
The Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world.
Zechariah, reveals the folly of the senate of the sauna, thinking or striving that man can obtain a knowledge that will enable him to bridge into the divine! Nano chips, missions to Mars or the incredible DNA code – faith shall never not be the building block of life.
‘Only believe’ – cried the finished work of the almighty Son of God.
The finished work of God – Justification by faith is wisdom for children and old men, for sons and daughters it is taking God at his sacred and Holy ineffable Word.
Zechariah reveals, like father Abraham, his roots from Adams fall.
Therefore, Gabriel possessing the knowledge of Gods union between the sacred and liberty, its utter harmony within the nature of God, reveals both distinct aspects of the nature of God in their continue discourse.
Truly, Gabriel is an arch Angel of the LORD – a Cherubim who understood the arch of covenants union, the two together providing protection and fellowship to the breathe of God that speaks from within the mystery of the Mercy seat.
Take off your shoes, for love is a science that knows no evil, hears no evil and thinks no evil.
Exodus Ch 2 v11: How effective is the warmth’s of God great tender and exquisite love, but the sacred place of harmony that speaks of better things, reserved entrance into the promised land to be only the rock of revelation which can only be struck once: You are the Christ the Son of the living God.
Blessed art thou, Son of Johan – a prophet who had this rock carry him through the seas and inside the belly of a whale.
Three times he cursed and swore that he did not know Him. Upon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Justification through faith alone. It works through love.
Moses joined Elijah upon the mount of transfiguration, because that which the law and prophets had represented was about to be fulfilled. Speaking of his appointment to be struck once.
The law, sacred. All authority.
Prophesy: This is at last, that. A righteousness that is not my own. I can love God with all my heart, mind and soul, a cry: FATHER OF JESUS CHRIST, MY LORD – Hymn
And did not the simple obedience of Mary exemplify the way of new birth. God knowing what details we need for his specific will for are lives! Zechariah had been told clearly the details already.
Mr Wesley, understood that Father of the child in that valley that contrasted so much with hearing him alone – self desperate I believe. Music and singing are an expression of the hearts affections, ‘My God I am thine, what a comfort divine’. But Mr Wesley had heard and believed Him: Lazarus come forth – revive us again. Always a time to pray, the 3rd or 9th hour of the day.
Acts Ch 1 v16-26
On the eve of the Church being born. Jesus having risen from the dead, and having appears to them through many infallible proofs. Having taught them and opened their understanding concerning the law and the prophets. Their hearts being warmed.
Peter understood, that scripture had to be fulfilled. I am now no longer neutral on this. And akin to it not being by chance that it was Zechariah was chosen by lot so to was Matthias, I believe, chosen to fulfill that penned in the sacred Song, Psalm 109. Is this not a Psalm concerning end times and is it not placed correctly before Psalm 110.
Acts Ch 2 v44-47 – Stephen was chosen akin to Matthias, and Paul is the necessary vessel of Grace to give the Church continuity throughout the Church age. But the 12 according to the fulfillment of scripture proceeded this outward multiplication.
God does not waste 10 verses of scripture before the birth and fulfillment of that which his Son came to start. It is in absolute harmony with the whole, God fulfills his Word.
This is the sacred place that Zechariah entered into.
The wonder for Mary, was that she received with gladness the sacred warmth of Gods Word into the depths of her being. The seed of Abraham has always been the Promised Son of liberty. Only never use it for an opportunity for the flesh, the old nature that did not know the purity of life.
God fulfilled his covenant word of promise, that Eve first heard, concerning the child who would crushed the serpents lies.
Justification by faith, Rock of ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee.
God fulfills his Word, that is the underlying principle behind the mysterious science of the day of Pentecost. And why Peter, the chief apostle so to speak, lays the foundation, before and afterwards. Prophetically, endowed to minister the testimony of Jesus: This is that.
Psalm 110.
Acts Ch 2 v24: The obedient Son! It was not possible that death could hold him. He had never yielded to darkness and its corrupting lies, not once, not for a moment or an inch. No darkness could be found inside the life that is light.
Verse 30: Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath.
This is the sacred warmth of Gods love that holds this universe together. God cannot lie.
This is the realm of God. He is. In God we live, and move and have are beings.
Oh, the despair, murder, adultery – David, Moses and Abraham! How shall I know!
Perhaps we do not have their successes! But we have the thief upon the cross, the women caught in the very act of adultery & we have former slave traders whose eyes caught sight of his risen and conquering life. I once was lost but now am found.
Peter, had been in the Psalms, studying Gods Word as a spring board for the day of Pentecost. Peter is faithful to the promises and covenants of God, this is how God builds his Church.
‘He is Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified’
It cuts to the heart – and from ‘How shall I know’ to ‘What shall we do’.
Repent, be baptized in water as John preached and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Paul later draws out from the Word the same truth concerning the mystery, the Christ who met him upon the Damascus Road had not consigned his life to hades, but rather given him gifting according to Gods irrevocable and unchanging nature: My grace is sufficient for thee.
Sufficient to present you before the Fathers throne without spot or blemish.
Obedience runs through this narrative, and obedience to Gods Word brings an infilling. But it is an obedience that brings Gods Glory, like a mighty rushing wind.
The dynamism of the Father & Son is the tangible and witnessed manifestation of God. The day of Pentecost was their acceptance into the well beloved. As Jesus had been baptized for all men, and he also likewise received the Spirit first so that it all may be by grace the workings of faith in his finished work. The baptism in the Spirit should never be presented as an austere thing to fear, as Gods great tender and exquisite love cant be reduce in its warmth, it is a consuming fire.
Jesus Christ received the Spirit as the ascended head of his body. He had to do this first so that it could be released upon the sons and daughters of men.
No room is left in this narrative for any other Gods. Their is no other sacred ground. The text of scripture and the words preached on the day of Pentecost are clear. Their is only one Lord and Christ. He is the Lord of all creation.
He is a jealous lover of men’s souls, and will not share it with half truths or grey matter.
The reality and realm of God and his love, cannot be merged with any form or creed or teachings that come from the father of lies.
Gods word is a lamp unto my feet.
Only Jesus sets me free.
And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
And incredible covenant promise spoken by the Word of God.
Ask, Seek, Knock and you shall find.
eternalrays 