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Micah 5:1-5
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can also download our service at Baptist-Christian at iTunes. Last week we considered the promise of The Savior that came after the Fall but before expulsion from Eden. Adam and Eve thought Cain could be the Messiah until he killed Abel. Only God knew He would use the next 4-6 millennia to prepare the world for the coming Savior. Dr. Norman Geisler gives a brief outline of each of the OT books that shows how God prepared the world for Messiah. I used some other references to add further info to help us marvel at the revelation of how a Sovereign God directed human history from creation to the Cross in what Eric Sauer calls The Dawn of World Redemption. God’s preparation begins with
- AN EXTRAVAGANT CREATION. Genesis is a book of beginnings. It teaches us how God created the universe, the human race, how sin came into the race, and how Israel was established as God’s nation that would bring the promised Seed. It also teaches us that God is a God of relationships between Him and nature, Him and Man, Man and Man. God also prepared the world by
- ESTABLISHING A FOUNDATION. That foundation is set down in the Books of the Law or the Pentateuch (Gen. thru Deut.) In Exodus we see God redeem His nation. He delivered them from bondage, separated them from their former life of slavery, and brought them to Himself. The 10 Commandments establish the ethics and morality of God’s people, which is shown through the elaborate system of sacrifice and worship. In Lev. God sanctifies His nation. The theme of the book is the holiness of God confronting the sinfulness of man. We learn in Leviticus that God is a Holy God Who will not tolerate sin. The book teaches us a life of worship, obedience and sacrifice does not purchase salvation; salvation is always a gift from God. The lifestyle taught is given to teach people how to maintain fellowship with God. In Numbers we watch God guide His nation. He leads them from Sinai through the desert to Canaan. In that journey He teaches Israel they are His servant nation charged with establishing God’s kingdom on earth. He also teaches them the constancy of His faithfulness, even when they are not! In Deuteronomy God instructs His nation. The central message of the book emphasizes the spiritual life which is a call to total commitment to God in worship and obedience. We often miss that truth today, don’t we? In Joshua, God establishes His nation. In the victories Israel experiences when they obey, God teaches them (and us) that a life of worship and obedience is also a life filled with reward and blessings in victory. Joshua teaches us how God moves in the lives of His people to teach, nurture, and care for them while He develops them into a mighty army. That army not only conquers foes, but realizes spiritual victories over forces of evil in the spiritual realm. God also teaches them He is a covenant-keeping God Who always delivers all He promises. So the question becomes, how extravagant is your preparation for the Lord God to work in your life? To what extreme have you gone to let God lay a foundation in your life so you can do the work He has planned for you?
If we can help you with these or other spiritual questions call us at (574) 643-9419.
