Meditation on 2Kings.3:4-27

Today God has given me a beautiful insight while I was on my daily meditation. It is from the book of 2Kings.3:7-27. The king of Israel Jehoram, the king of Judah Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom wanted to make war with Moabites who rebelled against king of Israel (v5). The way they travelled to make war was through the wilderness of Edom i.e. making them to attack Moab from south side (v8). After travelling a week, they and their cattle were in much need of water (v9). So they all went to Prophet Elisha with an expectation that God would show them some way in this much needed hour. So, Elisha, under the guidance of the Lord, told to make ditches in the valley of Edom, and by the time of morning sacrifice the water came from the south side and filled all the ditches that were already dug (v15,16,17). However, the army has to return back with an incomplete invasion of the Moabites, because of the Lords' anger against Jehoram for not completely putting away with the idolatry. The key word that has struck me is the word 'ditches'. The word ditches is "gëb", in hebrew, which means, ditch, well, cistern and also an other meaning beam, which is used in the construction. The word 'gëb', here has an universal meaning, 'to support' or 'which can support', because a ditch can support to handle the water and a beam can support a roof in construction. Gods' idea of bringing up a deluge by the next day morning without any wind or rain (v17) which is not at all possible in that part of area unless it rains (v20). Edom is an area of 'red stuff with reddish sandstone', which by the deluge has filled all the ditches, to which this seemed as blood to the Moabites from far off north. While the Moabites, including the young and old, who were all ready to defend themselves, by seeing the blood like water that has filled in the ditches far from north, thought off that the kings have killed one another, casually walked to plunder the dead bodies, but a sudden attack by the armies of Israel and Judah made the Moabites rush back towards their capital city Kir-haraseth (v25). This is an implication of Christ on the Cross. The Moabite King Mesha (v4) who has to pay the taxes to the king of Israel; so is satan, who has plundered our life from us from the day of our father Adam ate the forbidden fruit (v23). To our support came Christ as a beam, who can support our life (construction) from not going to hell which is our destiny. On the beam of Cross poured out all His precious blood as a morning sacrifice gave his life for us and gave back our life from second death. Poor satan as like the Moabites came for the spoil happily seeing the blood coloured water in the ditches, so also satan, seeing the blood drained Jesus on the Cross of Calvary, was dead and kept in tomb was so happy that it was his time to plunder. But as the army of the Israel and Judah made a sudden war against the Moabites so is on the third day Jesus rose from the dead defeating satan once for all, like stopping his resources, temptation (blocking up the springs and wells) taking away the generations, his crop from his hand (filled every good field with full of stones making it not useful for cultivation) and waging war on his kingdom (smote with stones by slingers on their capital walled city) (v25). Thank you Lord Jesus for your unmatched sacrifice for our sake.
Picture: Wilderness of Edom from BAS Library.

Spiritual or Worldly

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. Romans.8:5.

God has a very big purpose in revealing this verse to Apostle Paul. The verse doesn't explain about two types of souls (Spiritual and Worldly), but it draws a circumference to his deeds.

Imagine with me that a man standing before a mirror in a room which is lightened by an electricity bulb. Assume that the man as body, image in the mirror as soul, the shadow of the man is his spirit, the room is the world and the light to as spirit of darkness and to the Holy Spirit in continuation of this article.
The image in the mirror (soul) demands the man (body) all its vices and his shadow (spirit) which depends upon the light (spirit of darkness) emitting from the bulb acts as the body acts. The body which is influenced by the soul which is watching the known world in the emission of light (spirit of darkness) can only fulfill its vices and the spirit (shadow) has nothing to do but just follow the way the body acts. This man who is driven by his soul will live a worldly life.

On the other hand, imagine a man (body) standing in a vast open space (world yet to be evangelized) under the sun light (the Holy Spirit). Because, he is not standing before a mirror, he cannot be influenced by his soul (image in the mirror) and because he is not under the (light of darkness) electricity bulb, his spirit (shadow) is not confined to the room (world) but can reach beyond the horizons and above all his spirit (shadow) is influenced by the sun light (the Holy Spirit). As the sun emits its light (the Holy Spirit) and travels from east to west so the shadow (spirit) spreads; the spreading of the shadow is the thirst of the spirit to evangelize Christ to the nations. This is all what Jesus wanted from us. Because there is no mirror/image in the mirror (soul), the body will be influenced by the spirit (shadow) which is again influenced emission of the sun light (the Holy Spirit). This is living after the Spirit.

Those who live after the Spirit do keep this commandment of the Lord.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Matthew.28:19,20

The Trinity - very simply explained

Trinity explained in my theology - We come across a question which is there right from the beginning of the Christian era till today; does Christians worship three or one God?

I have a beautiful answer but explained in my own theology. As most part of the sporting world knows, India is a Cricket loving nation. I don't want to go much into it's basics and its form, but I want to make it clear that there will be two umpires to make decisions between the two sides, when game is on. One is the "Main Umpire" and the other is the "Leg Umpire". Main Umpire stands right before the wickets (180°) seeing the wickets parallel to each other, that is, making him see all the three individual wickets separately and the other Umpire stands at exactly the right angle (90°) seeing the all the three wickets aligning as one single wicket (view of wickets provided in photos).

Coming to the point of my theory, all the three wickets have its names as Off, Middle and Leg Wickets like the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Three of the wickets does play their prominent role on both the bowling end as well as at the batting end or the keeping end; as the batsman or the bowler has to give guard to the umpire before their action of play (a technical word used in the game which is not connected to our subject of discussion). As like the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit have their own ways of dealing with time and it's people.

To conclude, though all the three wickets can be viewed by the main umpire individually separated from each other, to the leg umpire they seem to be like one individual wicket, because all the three are aligned in one straight line. To the person who is standing outside the realm of Christianity, they observe God as three individual forms but for a Christian Believer it is One-God who is not separated from each other, either in any of the form.

Most respected theologians have explained the subject of Trinity in their way and this is my way of understanding the Trinity. Hope I explained it in an understandable manner (to the cricket loving nations). Thanks for going through. God bless you.

Metamorphosis or Metamorphose

Often we listen to one answer, that is "there are still some areas where/which I have to change". For how much time are we going to be in the process of changing? When are we going to see the end product of this change? There is a lot of difference between the two words "changing" and "changed", in other words "metamorphosis" and "metamorphose". The first word speaks of "the process of changing" and the other "into a complete change". When God made man, he made us in his own likeness (Genesis.1:26). But that likeness was marred when man sinned. From then on man was trying hard to get back into the image of God. God gave law to apply unto himself to be a better person before the sight of God. God wanted the law to be a guideline for a righteous living, but man enforced law out of his own self-righteousness. He himself made the law a burden unto himself. Thats why when Jesus in Matthew.5:19, speaking about the one who breaks one of these commandments will be called least in the Kingdom of God. But who else can keep all the commandments of the law, except God himself. Jesus, confirming that he has not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it (Matthew.5:17). By His crucifixion and resurrection, God brought grace unto everyone, by which everyone can be saved by faith in Him. This grace has given man an opportunity that the righteousness of the law can be fulfilled in him (Romans.8:4). When God made man, God could have given him a child like nature (speaking figuratively), so Jesus demands his disciples unless they be converted (to change) and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew.18:3). Jesus wants us not to be in the process of changing, "metamorphosis", but to be changed, "metamorphose". Greek dictionary explains this difference (between metaschematizo and metamorpho/marphoo) more effectively; it describes the first word "to change a Japanese garden into an Italian garden" and the other is "to transform a garden into something wholly different, as a ball-field". The disciples of Jesus Christ, may they be wavering in their spirit, by the time of Pentecost, after the descending if the Holy Spirit, they all are become metamorphose. Apostle Paul grieving and pleading, "I travail in birth again until Christ be formed (morphoo) in you (Galatians.4:19). The expression of Paul is to change the church into the original form or the fashion of the artist is, in other words into the likeness of God. We are in the end times, we can't stay like lukewarm water (Revelation.3:16) still in the process of change (metamorphosis), by the time of our Lord's return we should be ready (metamorphose) to meet our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Are we a metamorphosis or a metamorphose, let's examin ourselves. God bless you.

About Picture: Wild Goat/Ibex/Conie - Psalm.104:18, Proverbs.30:26.
Hasan Novrozi, an incredibly talented sculptor who trained in Iran creates sculptures from scrap metal, whether it be from used car parts, tools or machinery.

Jesus, the Only Way

Most of us think and assume that after the New Testament (Commission) was given all the Old Testament has been stricken away. However, there are some verses which support this. But, I believe that to pave the road for Jesus Christ, the New Teaching is an amendment to the Old Teaching. I tried to explain my say with a drawing. This is a longitudinal section of a Roman Pavement. This is been laid with a series of layers which were labeled below. I tried to explain each of the layer with an important change that took place in the chronology.
1. Days of Conscience (Normal Earth): Under this comes the days of first worship (Genesis.4:26), Enoch, Mathuselah, Noah, etc. These people lived with Law of Conscience. Apostle Paul speaks of this in Romans.2:12.
2. Patriarchal Covenant (Crushed Rock): This Covenant is a preform of Old Testament Law which is made between the Lord and Abraham (Genesis.15:7-21).
3. Old Testament Law (Gravel in Cement Mortar): As promised to Abraham in Genesis.15:13,14, under the leadership of Moses, the people of Israel walked out of Egypt from slavery and were given the Law. This Law is a preform of Jesus Christ, because Jesus Christ has been every Offering of the Law on the Cross of Calvary for our and for the whole world' sake (1John.2:2).
4. Baptism of John the Baptist (Sand, Gravel and Cement): Though Jesus Christ being the complete meaning and essence of the Old Testament Law, the Scribes and the Pharisees have made a mishmash of the Scriptures and making them as a tradition (Matthew.23:13, Luke.11:52). This mishmash which is been created by Scribes and Pharisees is been rectified by John the Baptist proclaiming, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me", (John.1:29,30). The purpose of John the Baptist was necessary to make the people recognize their sin and its remission and to introduce the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ to the public.
5. Jesus Christ (Large Stone Blocks): Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him", (John.14:6,7). "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil", (Matthew.5:17). This is the declaration of the Lord.
To conclude, in Matthew.5:21-48, Jesus speaks on anger, marriage, divorce, making promise, revenge and on enemies, all of these were been compared with the Old Testament Law and giving a New Teaching of Jesus which is an amendment to the past. As the pavement cannot be permanent if any one of the layers is been taken off, so also with the five which were discussed above. For instance, Take off John the Baptist, there is no one to give a pointer to the sin and its remission and at the same time he is the only one who can point out to the meaning and essence of the Old Testament Law (i.e) Jesus Christ. Ok, let's try with taking out the Old Testament Law, then we don't have Jesus at all. If we take off Patriarchal Covenant then there is no pavement (basic foundation) of the Law. If there is no Days of Conscience then whole generation will be under the dominion of satan. So, my dear friends, as every layer is important for a better road system, the way: Jesus is the only Way and there is no other way to God Almighty. Hope I have done my best. God bless you.
Note: I mentioned the width of the road as 24 feet. The number 24 in the Holy Bible is always used in anti or for bad sense, which I am relating it to satan. And people who put their faith in Jesus tread over it as a sign of Victory over sin which was accomplished on the Cross of Calvary.

We are the Vessels of God

Hurrah, we have come into a new year. We were been successful and even honoured for, in the past year. Well some might already had prepared a todo list for this year. It is fairly good that we have a plan for our future. But are we really planning our life? Does our plans really secure us? Might so? But there is one thing that we should really think of even before everything: The life that God has given us. When God made us, he had an elite plan for us not just restrained to this world but to the spiritual world too. A name enough of being called the children of God (John.1:12). But we lost that honour, by failing in our faith for Christ. Even though we were been introduced to this world as Christians, we seldom lived a life of a Christian. To make it straight, we never lived because of the corporate pressure. God has created us as a vessel which cannot be denied: "Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it", "Hath not the potter power over the clay.." (Isaiah.45:9 and Romans.9:21). We were made in such a way to carry the precious thing with in us "the Word Himself", "wherein was the golden pot that had manna" (Hebrews.9:4). Although, the word "vessel", which we were been referred to is in metaphorical form (అలంకారాముగ లేక ఉపమానముగ చెప్పబడిన) in the Holy Bible: speaking of Apostle Paul, God said to Ananias that "Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel" (Acts.9:15). And David in his Psalm referring to himself, "thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over" (Psalm.23:15). David, Paul and we ourselves were been referred to as vessels: earthen vessels. Apostle Paul writing about the honour of having and exercising the glory of God to Corinthians, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us" (2Corinthians.4:7). We are as containers to contain God in us, but that was not fulfilled by us. In Psalm 23:5, the word "cup" was used as a vessel to contain something within that overflows. But, there is also an another meaning referring to the same word: "unclean" and "forbidden" (in Hebrew kôs). Speaking to the Israelites, God speaks through Moses some commandments to follow, of which one is about the sacrificial and unsacrificial or forbidden animals and birds as sacrifices. God saw them as of no use like dirt. We, instead of containing the God within us, we fill our vessel with dirt which is of no use as like an unsacrificial animal. We filled the space of our vessel, ourselves with dirt and malicious malignant desires, with which we can never be a "sweet smelling sacrifice to God" (Philippines.4:18). To make us clean and acceptable to God, Jesus Christ gave Himself on the Cross so that we can be acceptable to God. He made us anew and reconciled us with God through Jesus, 2Corinthians.5:15,17-21. As we already read, we were made as useful vessels to be in the Temple of God. But we were been taken off by satan, as Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the Holy Temple and taken away the vessels from the Temple of God and we, the vessels of God were been used to filthy things as like the vessels in the hands of Belshazzar, drinking and partying from the vessels that were brought by Nebuchadnezzar from the Temple of God with his princes, wives and concubines (2Chronicles.36:7,10. Daniel.5:1-4). But Gods' intention wasn't that, that we be as dirty vessels in the hands of Belshazzar. Our God who is abounded with grace (Romans.5:20b) has reconciled us with the Lord. It is like king Cyrus of Persia decreed that the vessels that were brought from the Temple of God in Jerusalem be brought back and kept in its place that is the Temple of God (Ezra.1:7, 5:15, 6:5). Our gracious God who is awesome in providing the manna everyday for more than six lakh people until they reached the Promised Land (Exodus.12:37,16:35), like filling the oil until there is no vessel left to borrow by the widowed woman (2Kings.4:6), like feeding more than five thousand by Jesus leaving twelve more baskets full (Matthew.14:21, Mark.6:44, Luke.9:14, John.6:10) is ready to fill us, use us and overflow us with his blessings. The more we takeoff the dirt creating the space within us, the more we be filled with God and his blessings. Now, God is ready to fill us and overflow us with is anointing Oil, which are our blessings. Let's create space in our vessels by faith in the Lord and taking off the dirt within us. God bless.

David: Worrier or Murderer

Why God thought of David to be the king after Saul, inspite of having his elder brothers in the army of King Saul ? God saw how much he cared for his sheep, he didn't leave one of his sheep as a prey to either lion or bear, but he fought/kill the animal until it let it's prey/sheep (1Samuel.17:34,35). This is exactly the attitude that made God to select David as King. If someone who fought with a wild animal for the sake of an animal, how much more does he care for the people. This exactly what God saw in David. These are the words once I listened on the Television by an Evangelist (Rajkumar Patta). Isn't that true, God doesn't look to our outward appearance but He searches for our attitude towards Him. It is the same attitude that God showed towards us when we were all been scoop away by sin, Jesus not leaving us to our fate, gave us freedom from bondage of sin, taking up the fight with satan. Amazing isn't it. Faith without attitude is void.

Above is my Facebook post on David. There are certain comments that are very educative which are given below as Q-for comment/question asked and A-is the answer which I have given.

Q - Did God also see the murderer in him and his lust for other men's wives?

A - Dear ...., First of all I am a very big admirer of you. Wish that all the hard work and your theories come out true and support Bible literally. Coming to the post, God has seen the attitude for the purpose to be served, to the question of lust and murder it is his carnal appetite. God wants everybody to be fit for His purpose, but we are fallen by our own appetites. This is all what I can help you with. I am overwhelmed with joy speaking to you on Facebook. Thank you Sir.

Q - Can you see where I have a problem? I see Saul forgive the Amalekite (in the way of teachings of Christ) and for that he is cursed by Samuel who hacks the man to death. And I see David ordering the murder of Uriah because he lusts after the Hittite's wife. David got to write the history of the time because he was the victor and victors always write history in their own light.

A - Yes, the victors will always write their own history. That dosen't mean that David lived a pure life and Saul obeyed God. David sinned against God by having Bathsheba and Saul disobeyed God by sparing the life of Amalekite king and the animals. Nobody is a victor over here. It is the purpose of God that he should come down from the clan of Judah because he should be a King and the only sacrifice where only a Levite can offer; a prophecy to be a fufilled. The victor is God himself and He is writing his own story to the mankind. Hope I stood by your statement. Thank you.

Q - I think it was Christ who said 'forgive your enemies'. So I don't think Saul disobeyed God ... unless God said 'do not forgive your enemies' ... in which case God and the Son of God seem to be at odds.

A - I believe God has his own plans and strategies which a man cannot  understand. God and Son of God are not different but One and the same which I cannot explain in words. How can One and Only God be at odd?

Q - It's either called schizophrenia or the fact that the teachings of Jesus are different to the laws of Moses. Do you not see the contradiction between Saul's forgiveness of his enemy being punished by God and Jesus' teaching about loving and forgiving your enemies? So you are right ... as a man (a mere mortal) I certainly do not understand.

A - Yes Sir, we are mere mortals who cannot understand Him, but He is just in everything he does. With all due respect speaking to a great man of God like you make sense in my life. Pray that you should be used by God to his best.

Q - David killed a lion and a bear after he was anointed by Samuel the prophet. David was an ordinary man without the anointing. After he was anointed he killed the bear the lion Goliath n many more. But God didn’t choose him seeing his attitude in fact morally he was lower than Saul the king. God chose him for his purpose. That doesn't mean everyone chosen by God would turnout to be what God intended. It is Grace.

A - Biblically you are right. But that doesn't necessarily mean that David killed the lion and the bear after he was annointed by Prophet Samuel, 1Samuel.16:1, says that David was already been chosen by God himself. It is not Samuel who chose but it is God who chose, so the question of killing the animals after anointing dosen't arise. Before going to fight with Goliath, David is reassuring the emminent win by reminding Saul his past experiences and victories, which may or may not be taken place before or after anointing. There are 73 Psalms out of 150 which are written by David. Does all the 73 Psalms were written after the anointing? Definitely there could have been Psalms sung by David even before his anointing. This shows that he has a heart for God. And God chooses by seeing who is obedient to Him in his heart (1Samuel.15:22). And being obedient is an attitude. This attitude made God in choosing David. Every chosen one who has a heart for God turnsout to be a great leader, whether he may be used before a great multitude or within his family members.

Q - Bible is written by the HolySpirit meaning that the people who were used by God to write were anointed, whatever people may think, the Bible says, Not by might nor bt power but by my Spirit sayaith the Lord. Lion is not just a cat to kill, neither a bear a small thing to deal with, humanly certain things are impossible unless God does. Its not a simple thing to kill a lion. And when God does, its through his anointing. If it was just killing of animals, it wouldnt have been written in bible. It was quite remarkable from God's side that he felt the killing of lion and bear was important and so that topic was included. Saul was also anointed but didnt have enough faith to use the anointing,  hence a carnal man. If David was so careful about his  flock that God chose him to be a king then why did God continue him as a king when he took URIAH's wife cunningly and also murdered him?..Uriah was one of the sheep in David's flock. David who cared for an animal didnt care for the life of a man who was made in God's image. God knew that David would sin still he chose him...that is Grace. I love that grace. I love .... (you) also.

A - Agreed that all the Scripture is by the inspiration of God (2 Timothy.3:16). To the question of killing the wild animals, I believe that every flock keeper will care about his flock and their experiences can be adventurous at times. Every flock keeper has his own adventurous stories; with all the respect towards the Scriptures and David not counting them as least. It is an act of courage and will to withstand the situations which in case of David resulted him in making all the tribes and even reaching far in making his kingdom as one (Israel and Judah). Killing the wild animals to me is not a big issue and which cannot be measured as strength after the anointing. It is not new to us listening to this that, God uses our skills for His purpose. No doubt that after the anointing David was more involved in army of Saul and its administration and playing harp for Saul than as a flock keeper. In my last reply I haven't denied killing the wild animals, but the event might have taken place either before or after the anointing which David is memorising of his act before Saul in a conversation before the fight with Goliath. To the question of anointing, David wasn't chosen by Samuel but by God himself (1Samuel.16:1). Anointing to me is a bench-mark by the Chroniclers of these books. 1Samuel.16:1, says that God has chosen David and its not the anointing that changed something in David. David was and is of the same attitude(love) towards God. That is why he wrote so many Psalms. That is why he could again reconcile with God after the sin he committed with Uriah' wife (Psalm 51). David was led by the Spirit of God as a flock keeper and as a King too. David wrote Psalms before anointing with the help of the Holy Spirit. What anointing brought into the life of David is, the Spirit of God took control of David and stayed with him. That is why David confesses his sin and reconciled with God again which Saul could not do. I want to give you a much more clearer example from the NT on the leading (work) of the Holy Spirit (anointing). We know that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are One and the same. In Matthew.16:13-17, Jesus when enquired about himself, Peter comes out with an answer "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God", Jesus endorses that saying "for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven". How could Peter came to know that truth; only with the help of the Spirit of God. It is in the book of Acts, 2:4, where all the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. This dosen't mean that the Spirit of God didn't empower them in the past. Infact there are examples where the disciples baptised people and not just the disciples, but there are others who also baptised people after John the baptist. Dosen't these incidents profess the works of the Holy Spirit God. Yes, the Spirit of God worked even before the day of Pentecost. But the day of Pentecost was a bench-mark when the Spirit of God controlled and stayed upon the disciples. This is how the Spirit of God works and anointing is just one of the channels through which God works. To the question of the continuity of the kingship after the murder of Uriah, the answer is Psalm 51. Saul recognised that he sinned against God but instead of making a confession for his sins before God, asks Samuel to come with me so that I may worship the Lord (1Samuel.15:25). But David after acknowledging his sin against God, he didn't request Nathan to come with him so that he can confess his sins before God, but goes himself to God in confession of his sins. In his Psalm 51:3,4,6,7,9,10,11,12,14,17 all these verses show the attitude of David, the way he confesses and reconciles with God again. This attitude is what God saw in David. And coming to the question of grace, Grace is an act of Love from God. Matthew.5:45, " .... for he maketh his sun raise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust". God' grace has no formalities. It was by grace David was chosen, it was by grace he was been forgiven. But David recognised that grace of God which made him confess his sins. It is this attitude that made David a man after God' own heart. Even today this grace is upon each and everybody on earth, how many are confessing their sins, it is only those who confess are who are persuaded by the Spirit of God. But unless he be enlightened, which I call it as attitude, he won't accept Christ as his Lord and Savior. Even on an unbeliever the Spirit of God works, because He is God of Love. God loves even me and you too.