Dear Family,
Today is Friday, May 15, 2020, Day 34 in our Counting toward Pentecost. This is the 6th day of Week 5.
Throughout Israel’s history they rejected the blessing of the Rock of their salvation. Repeatedly, they stumbled at God’s Word, rejecting His counsel, and disobeying clear instructions. They wanted life their own way. They wanted religion, worship of God, their own way. They wanted the look of doing things right without submitting to God.
Ten of the tribes of Israel, God’s chosen people, eventually went into a lengthy captivity because of continued idolatry, Sabbath breaking, and other abominations. They were carried away captive and scattered by the Assyrians around 722 BC. These tribes remain scattered and basically unknown as “Israel” today. Most of these blood descendants of Abraham think they are Gentiles. Some of these Israelites have been evangelized by true Believers and other “Christians,” and millions of them have embraced an invented form of religion, claiming worship of Christ.
Around the 580s BC the tribes of Judah, Levi, and half the tribe of Benjamin also went into captivity in Babylon for 70 years. When they returned to the “promised land” under Nehemiah and Ezra, they brought numerous unscriptural practices with them, including a long list of do’s and don’ts for Sabbath keeping. They held onto invented religion. They had a form of worship.
When the Word of God became flesh and was manifested among us, He continued to be a stone of stumbling in the land of Israel. The invented form of religion of the Jews was a key element leading to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Rock. They said He broke the rules of their God.
1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
Although physical Israel has consistently rejected God’s form of religion, or true worship, God has called a people of faith who will believe God and obey. They hear and heed the sayings of the Rock of their salvation. Instead of being ashamed of Him, these sons of Abraham through faith are building upon the Rock.
Romans 9:33 As it is written {Isaiah 8:14; 28:16}, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Luke 6:48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Christ is building His Church. It will consist of people who will not invent their own religion. And, what is built upon the Rock will never fail!
Matthew 16:18 And I say also 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.
Much of ancient Israel and their modern-day descendants have forsaken the Rock, also referred to as the Fountain of Living Waters.
Jeremiah 17:13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.
However, true Believers will remain faithful, following God’s lead, feeding upon the Bread from heaven, and drinking of the Water of Life.
May God bless us all with an abundance of this fresh and new daily direction, Spiritual Food, and Living Water.
Ben Faulkner
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