Archive for the Category ◊ Old Testament ◊

07 Oct 2023 Exodus (Program #72)

Exodus (Program #72) – The Implications, Indications and Significances of the Ordinances of the Law (3)

Several times a year, God’s people in the Old Testament were instructed to come together to enjoy very specific feasts unto the Lord.  Of course, as Christians today there is no such commands for us to outwardly keep these annual feasts.  But why then are they directly referred to in the passages of the New Testament?  Actually, the Christian life should be a life of feasting continually.  This is our theme on today’s life study of the Bible.

In chapter 21, 22 and 23, we saw yesterday that there were 3 feasts mentioned.  We want to continue to look at them a little further today because the feasts in the Old Testament always show us something very marvelous regarding our enjoyment of Christ in the New Testament dispensation.

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06 Oct 2023 Exodus (Program #71)

Exodus (Program #71) – The Implications, Indications and Significances of the Ordinances of the Law (2)

After the giving of the Ten Commandments in Exodus chapter 20, the Lord continued for 3 more chapters to give item after item of regulations regarding man’s relationships. These added items are called “ordinances”, many if not most, seem to us to have nothing whatsoever to do with us as New Testament believers. They deal with such things as treatment of slaves and the ancient feasts and rituals of Jewish religion; and, even such things as “not boiling the kid in its mother’s milk”. So how do we as Christians regard these Old Testament details? Do we just skip over and dismiss them? Or, in the light of God’s New Testament ministry, is there a real and meaningful application of these items for us?  We return once again today to the book of Exodus and the remarkable journey of God’s people out of their bondage of worldly captivity and through the wilderness.

We’re continuing today to look at Exodus chapter 22 and 23, chapters that as we said offer many items all contain in these ordinances that were supplements or additions to the basic ten Commandments that we’re all quite familiar with. In an earlier message, we heard that though we cannot directly see Christ in the ten original commandments, these supplemental ordinances contain all of the rich details of Christ – what do we mean by this kind of speaking? more…

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05 Oct 2023 Exodus (Program #70)

Exodus (Program #70) – The Implications, Indications and Significances of the Ordinances of the Law (1)

The Bible is the divine revelation.  As such, we need to realize that every chapter contains diamonds and gems.  But if you read the Bible you know there are difficult and hard chapters.  Exodus 21, 22 and 23 for examples deal with slaves and murders and liers.  Where can the gems possibly be within such chapters as these?  Stay with us for this life study of the Bible with Witness Lee.

The focus of our message today is to see the gems and crystals contain in these 3 chapters of Exodus; 21, 22 and 23.  We’re going to see today that these chapters concerning the addition of the ordinances to the basic commandments are full of, in Witness Lee’s words, implications, indications and significances.  The goal of this ministry is always to get beyond the superficial and to get into the depth.

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04 Oct 2023 Exodus (Program #69)

Exodus (Program #69) – Sundry Ordinances of the Law

We are all familiar with commandments and ordinances.   It seems everywhere we turn, we’re met by these rules and regulations.  The same is true in the latter part of Exodus where we find many ordinances and commandments.  But have you ever seen the sweetness of these commandments of God?  You’d want to stay with us for today’s life study of the Bible, featuring the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee.

The genuine ministry of the New Testament is not a miraculous things produced in a short period of time.  It requires much preparation involving the cross, and the spirit in the context of proper Body life.  This comes to mind because the central human figure in Exodus is Moses.  We realize how extensive was the time given to his preparation.  This word preparation is rich in spiritual significance.  more…

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03 Oct 2023 Exodus (Program #68)

Exodus (Program #68) – The First Ordinance of the Law Concerning Man’s Relationship With Others

In all of human history, slavery can easily be identified generally as an evil and even an unholy thing.  Yet when God gave His laws and ordinances to His people, He did not abolish it, but rather He gave special place for a kind of relationship where a slave and a master would be joined in spirit, in love and in obedience for their entire lives.  Before you jump to your own conclusion of this strange and mysterious topic in Scripture, we invite you to stay tune for the next 30 minutes, as we will again be treated to a very fresh and profound view of God’s view on today’s life study of the Bible.

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02 Oct 2023 Exodus (Program #67)

Exodus (Program #67) – The Pollution Caused by Man’s Work and the Nakedness Exposed Through Man’s Way

Thoughtful people throughout the ages have always look upon the stars and the moon and even the marvel of God’s creation and realize that God must be there.  Must careful thought has been given to this matter over the centuries particularly the matter of worship.  Some of man’s most elaborate and magnificent achievement are devoted in some way or another to worshipping God.   But in this matter we must be clear.  God has no intention of leaving the way of man’s worship to His own devises.  God has reserved this for Himself and our part simply to open to Him and His Word for the clear understanding.  Don’t miss today’s life study of the Bible with Witness Lee.

Yesterday we saw that following the giving of the ten commandments, the Lord began to add a great number of additional items called ordinances.  What was the point of these supplemental items and particularly the first few which we are going to look at again today?

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01 Oct 2023 Exodus (Program #66)

Exodus (Program #66) – The Ordinances of the Law Concerning the Worship of God

The first half of Exodus is full of wonderful stories of many miracles that God accomplished for His people as He led them out of Egypt and brought them through the wilderness.  Accordingly, many Christians have little interest in Exodus after chapter 14.  But the second half of this book unveils the details of God’s intention and His ultimate desire for all of His people and the riches of His full salvation are covered in these chapters.  To miss them is to be robbed of the riches of His full revelation.

Many Christians may not even realized that the entire book of Exodus is a book that unveils God’s salvation in full.  All the great stories in the early chapters are popular in Sunday school and occasionally in Bible studies.  We really don’t want to ignore the last half of the book.  What are the major items revealed in the lesser known side of Exodus?

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30 Sep 2023 Exodus (Program #65)

Exodus (Program #65) – The Veil Over the Ministry of Condemnation and Death

When Moses received the commandment of God for His people, his face was shining as a reflection of God’s glory and grace.  Yet when apostle Paul refers back to the event in his second epistle to the Corinthians, he call that ministry, a ministry of condemnation and death.  How does something full of God’s glory and grace become an instruction of condemnation and death?   You will not want to miss today’s life study of the Bible with Witness Lee.

To help us get into this message, we need to consider a couple of passages in Scripture in Old Testament portion from Exodus 34 and the New Testament section from 2 Corinthians.  This comparison is going to be very interesting.

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29 Sep 2023 Exodus (Program# 64)

Exodus (Program #64) – Apart From the Living God the Law Becoming the Killing Letters

God’s eternal purpose is to work Himself into us as our life so that we may take Him as our person to live Him and to express Him. This is the desire of God’s heart; it is also the focal point of the Bible including the book of Exodus. Stay with us today as we are drawn again to God’s intention and heart’s desire even as He gave man the revelation of His law and commandments.

This program again brings us into the Exodus of God’s people and the continuing unveiling of how this story is really our story as well. In Exodus 19 and 20, God gave the commandments to the people, most people know them as the ten commandments.  Right away the people responded with this word, “All that God has said we will do”.  That seems good enough when we read it but this was really a window that exposes a lot about the people.  Why is it such a telling remark showing that the people were a long way from where God desires them to be? more…

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28 Sep 2023 Exodus (Program #63)

Exodus (Program #63) – The Negative Aspect of the Giving of the Law (3)

The living of Christ was reproduced in Stephen.  When our brother Stephen was being stoned, was he wondering what would Jesus do in this situation?  How am I suppose to conduct myself when I am being stoned?  He was just loving the Lord, one with the Lord and the Lord was living in him.

The Bible commands us to do many things, even beyond the well-known ten commandments.  Page after page of Scripture can seem like one demand after another.  A lot of people shy away from the Bible for just this reason, because they are well aware that every attempt to carry out the demand seems to be met with discouraging failure.  So what should be our response whenever we are faced with a “thou shall not” or “thou shall”?  Stay tune for the surprising answer on today’s life study of the Bible with Witness Lee.

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