Epaggelia

The Spirit of Christ says through the apostle Paul, that there is “a new order of existence, and on all who are guided by this rule, be peace and mercy on the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:15-16). Who exactly is the Israel of God? Whoever they are, they have access to the peace and mercy of God. Paul proclaimed that Christians had God’s peace. That is to say, God was not only their God in Jesus, but also their friend. He is merciful to them, in giving them every reason to praise Him and be thankful for the blessings of forgiveness and the hope of a victorious life in Heaven. This was planned for you and me before the earth was created. The ancient prophet Ezekiel prophesied that God’s people would be united under one King forever. Read Ezekiel 37:15-22. He promises that divided Israel and Judah would be reunited as the house of Joseph. Paul calls Christians “the true circumcision” (Philippians 3:3) and the Israel of God, because he knows what Jesus has given us.

The life of Joseph is prophetic, God was foretelling how the Messiah would lead all his children out of Eygpt/Sin.  This wasn’t something Moses did all by himself. It was Joseph who made his descendants promise to carry his bones back to the promised land. After 400 years, Moses kept the promise by the instigation of God, and led the house of Joseph back home! You can see Jesus in Joseph when you look at this story in Genesis, prophetically.

Why is Joseph and Jesus so attractive and essential ? The character of Joseph and his lifestory has many uncanny parallels with the life of Jesus. Without Joseph living the way he lived, he could have died and never had descendants, however his success ensured life and a future for Israel. Joseph cheated death at least 3 times in his life, 1-in the pit from his brothers. 2-in lies of Potiphers wife & prison. 3-in the court foretelling dreams of the Pharoah, if Joseph’s explanation proved false, Pharoah could have killed him. Here is a list of similarities which bring the lives of Joseph and Jesus into an analogy of a Savior.

They both had amazing births, Gen. 30:22-24 & Mat. 1:18-23

… were taken into Egypt to escape death, Gen. 37:28 & Mat. 2:13

… saved lives from Egypt, Hosea 11:1 & Mat. 2:15

… became servants, Gen. 39:4 & Php. 2:7

… began ministry at about age 30, Gen. 41:46 & Lk. 3:23

… were full of the Spirit of God, Gen. 41:38 & Lk. 4:1

… returned good for evil, Gen. 50:20 & Mat. 5:44

… were taught by God, Gen. 41:16 & Jn. 5:19

… loved people freely, Gen. 45:15 & Jn. 13:34

… gained the confidence of people quickly, Gen. 39:3 & Mt. 8:8

… gave bread to the hungry, Gen. 41:57 & Mk. 6:41

… resisted difficult temptations, Gen. 39:8-9 & Heb. 4:15

… had his own brothers reject him, Gen. 37:5-8 & Jn. 7:5

… had visions into the future, Gen. 37:6 & Mt. 24:3

… tested people to reveal their true nature, Gen. 42:25 & Mk. 11:30

… were hated for their words, Gen. 37:8 & Jn. 7:7, and his followers too. Ac. 5:17, 7:9-14, 13:45.

… were sold for the price of a slave, Gen. 37:28 & Mat. 26:15

… were silent before false-accusers, Gen. 39:20 & Mk. 15:4

… were condemned between two prisoners, Gen. 40:2-3 & Lk. 23:32

… were pronounced dead before their fathers, Gen. 37:33 & Lk. 23:46

… rose to reign in a new life as a Lord, Gen. 41:41 – 45:8, & Mk. 16:6 – Rev. 19:16.

 Lastly it is interesting to note that Pharoah said the same words of Joseph, as Mary said of Jesus, “Do whatever He tells you”, Gen.41:55 & Jn. 2:5. One for bread, the other for wine. We must come to church with the priority of seeing Jesus, and we will if we desire to. The Communion is a spiritual feast wherein we proclaim a risen Savior from the dead, in his flesh/bread and blood/wine. We can see Jesus in eachother’s physical fellowship too. Joseph was not physically recognized by his own brothers when they came to him starving in Egypt, Gen. 42:8, and neither did the nationalistic brothers of Jesus recognize Him for who He really was, Jn. 8:19, “You know neither Me nor my Father, if you knew me, you would also know my Father.” Do we really know who Jesus is, and do we desire to see Him? Our life depends on believing He is who he says he is.

Once upon a time there was a Hen and a Pig that decided to make an escape from Old MacDonald’s Farm. Their timing was awkward because it was Sunday morning and a church was right across the road, so they waited till everyone was singing and they could run away unnoticed. As they passed the chapel, the church sign was now in view, which they never saw from inside the Farm. It read “Today’s Sermon: What Shall We Do For The Poor?” . The Hen told the Pig, “Now that we are free, we can do what we want,…what about giving the ‘Poor’ a Ham & Egg Breakfast?” The pig replied, “That may be a nice contribution for you, but a sacrifice for me”.  Many Christians realize that giving is easy when it’s only from our abundance, but when do Christians realize that giving can also be a sacrifice?  The problem we have, is that we see giving as the Hen & Pig see it. Is giving what we want to do, or is it what God wants us to do? When Jesus realized His Father had the Cross in mind, how did He react? Prayerfully ! The question of contribution or sacrifice can only be answered from fervent prayer. There are many ways Christians make sacrifices. Jesus taught graphically about them in Matthew 18:1-10, cutting off feet if they made you stumble and plucking out eyes if they caused you to sin. But that is not what Christians do, is it? No we seem to never take our fight against sin so seriously.  The truth is, God isn’t interested in our sacrifices that maim ourself, but He is desiring us to do whatever we can to kill off our fleshly desires that lead us into sin.  Read Colossians 3:5.  

Some Christians live with sin, others fight with it, but none of us obliterate it, until Jesus comes again. So does that mean we give up? No. God has always called us to recognize His own superiority and guidance over sin. In Jesus he defeated it. The Old Testament shows us His attitude he wants us to adopt concerning sin. In the Templegrounds, the burnt offerings for sin was always OUTSIDE the Temple itself. The offerings inside the Temple were Oil, Bread and Incense. None of these were about sin, they were about our expressions of holiness and thankfulness, grattitude. But in the Holy of Holies, blood was brought from the outside and offered on the mercy seat inside. The blood went through the place of offerings, sanctifying them all.  The apostle Peter entitled all Christians with the following description: (1^st Peter 2:9) “But, ye, are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a peculiar treasure, that the excellences, ye may tell forth, of him who, out of darkness, hath called you into his marvellous light” 

What is a priesthood all about? Making sacrifices.  Christians should make sacrifices for our King. The sacrifices we make, should give credit and glory to Jesus, not ourselves.  Why?  To Mediate between the Lost and a Holy God. If we do not have a priesthood, no one gets access to God. What qualifies the priesthood to sacrifice & mediate? The royalty and holiness of Jesus. Without Him, we are unqualified as a priesthood, It is His Power in his royalty and his Purity in His holiness that qualifies us.  The apostle Paul called all Christians to live like they themselves were sacrifices, (Rom. 12:1)

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, through the compassions of God, to present your bodies a living, holy sacrifice, unto God acceptable,—your rational divine service;”

 Sacrifices to God were burnt, this means they smelt.  There were also the offerings of incense, resulting in an aroma.  Paul spoke of this very effect in our lives as Christians.  Ephesians 5:2.  And walk in love—even as, the Christ also, loved you, and delivered himself up in your behalf, an offering and sacrifice unto God, for a fragrance of sweet smell.” We are priveleged by Christ to be the reality of Temple offerings shadowed from the old covenant. Why? Because we (Christians in the Church) are a Temple!   1st Cor. 6:19-20. See Philippians 4:18, also. Even our praise of God is a sacrifice,  Hebrews 13:15.  What  a  privilege to be a Sacrifice and make sacrifices!