Introduction & Review:
As we saw on last week, the sons of Issachar stood out from the other tribes of Israel due to the fact that they were said to have been those who:
“And of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do”
Much like the New Testament account of the Thessalonians of whom Paul said:
1 Th 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
1 Th 1:7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
1 Th 1:8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.
As we can clearly see, whether it was the sons of Issachar, or the Thessalonians both groups possessed a “Defined Purpose” in that they were effective in their times to bring about the will of God.
God has taken major steps to assure that the world should continue according to God’s very own strategy, in spite of the fact that due to the transgression of Adam, the world is on a course motivated by satan the god of this world who is blinding the minds of all those who do not believe the gospel of Jesus the Messiah.
- The global flood in the days of Noah
- The confounding of languages & scattering of the nations from the Tower of Babel.
- The sanctification of Israel as a people for His own possession
- The giving of true worship & prophecy through the Jews by the prophets
- The first advent of the Messiah as an offering for the sins of the world in accordance with the law & the prophets.
- Two thousand years of an open door amnesty policy by His Grace being preached in all the world proceeding from the Apostolic ministry through His Church even until now. Not only to Jews but also to every Gentile.
Point # 1:
Through all this & even more than we have time to cover in one sitting, multiplied millions still refuse to repent of their sin & be made clean by the sacrifice of the Son of God and choose to remain in darkness under the agency of satan.
2 Cor 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
2 Cor 4:4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
2 Cor 4:5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.
Point #2:
Having a knowledge of the course of this world, and consequently the course of our own personal lives, is crucial and also dictates how we feel about every circumstance we endure. God has made a way for all who believe the gospel of His Son to be able to tune in on His view of the world. By doing this God has chosen to open the mysteries of His Word to everyone who believes in His Son as Savior and LORD. The giving of the gift of the Holy Spirit to everyone who believes opens up our ability to “Perceive a Higher Strategy” which is that of the Almighty Himself, which is affecting every area of our lives in an increasing manner.
Isa 55:6 Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.
Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
Isa 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.
Isa 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Isa 55:10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth, And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
Isa 55:11 So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
Isa 55:12 “For you will go out with joy, And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Isa 55:13 “Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up; And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up; And it will be a memorial to the LORD, For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off.”
Isa 56:1 Thus says the LORD, “Preserve justice, and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come And My righteousness to be revealed.
Point # 3
Also we can note that even when we are viewed by the world as being strange in our pursuits of the things of God that the reason is that due to God’s grace given to us in our salvation through faith in His Son Jesus Christ , we who believe in Jesus have been equipped to “Perceive a Higher Strategy” much like the saints of old yet even better.
Job 19:19 All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.
Job 19:20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
Job 19:21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
Job 19:22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
Job 19:23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
Job 19:24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
Job 19:26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
Job 19:27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
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