NOAH --- WALKING WITH GOD

Noah followed Enoch’s footsteps and also walked with God (Gen. 6:9). Actually, he walked with God for a period even longer than three hundred years. As Noah walked with God, God showed him a vision of what He wanted to do in that age. Noah received the vision of the ark used to save eight members of the fallen race.
Like Noah, we should not act according to our concept. Whatever we do and work should be according to the vision we received in walking with the Lord.
In our daily walk with the Lord we will come to see His desire, His mind, and His will. Then we will work and serve according to God’s desire, not according to our own thoughts.
Noah enjoyed God by walking with Him.

DARAH KRISTUS BERBICARA LEBIH KUAT DARIPADA DARAH HABEL

Dalam kitab Ibrani darah Kristus sangat menonjol dan penting. Ini adalah darah perjanjian yang kekal (Ibr. 13:20), yang dengannya perjanjian yang baru dan lebih baik ini didirikan (Ibr. 10:29). Melalui darah ini, Kristus masuk sekali untuk selamanya ke dalam tempat Mahakudus dan mendapatkan suatu penebusan yang kekal bagi kita (Ibr. 9:12). Dengan darah ini juga Kristus membasuh surga dan hal-hal yang ada di surga (Ibr. 9:22-24). Darah ini menguduskan kita (Ibr. 13:12; Ibr. 10:29), menyucikan hati nurani kita, agar kita melayani Allah yang hidup (Ibr. 9:14), dan yang berbicara bagi kita lebih kuat daripada darah Habel (ay. 24).
Karena darah inilah kita memiliki keberanian untuk memasuki tempat Mahakudus (Ibr. 10:19). Kita tidak seharusnya mengganggap darah ini biasa saja, seperti darah binatang; jika kita menganggapnya demikian, kita akan menderita penghukuman Allah (Ibr. 10:29).

Darah Kristus bukan hanya menebus, menguduskan, menyucikan, tetapi juga berbicara. Darah ini adalah darah yang berbicara, membicarakan sesuatu lebih baik daripada darah Habel. Darah Habel berbicara kepada Allah untuk pendakwa dan pembalasan (Ibr. 4:10-15), sedangkan darah Kristus berbicara kepada Allah untuk pengampunan, pembenaran, pendamaian, dan penebusan. Lebih dari itu, darah adi ini berbicara kepada Allah bagi kepentingan kita, mengatakan bahwa oleh darah ini perjanjian yang baru, yang kekal, telah didirikan, dan bahwa di dalam perjanjian yang baru ini Allah harus memberikan diri-Nya sendiri dan semua berkat-Nya kepada kaum beriman dalam Kristus yang menerima perjanjian ini berdasarkan iman.

ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD

If we read Genesis 5:21-24 carefully, we will see that Enoch began his walk with God at the age of sixty-five and continued walking with Him for three hundred years.
He walked with God day after day for a period of three hundred years. Finally, God seemed to say, ‘‘Enoch, you have walked with Me long enough. Let Me take you to Myself.’’
Many Christians are fond of talking about the rapture and the coming of the Lord. Do you realize that rapture requires that you love the Lord and live in His presence?
We need to love the Lord. ‘‘Lord Jesus, I love You. I want to live in Your presence. I want to walk with You because I love You.’’
This loving attitude is the preparation, condition, and basis of being raptured. On what ground was Enoch raptured? He was raptured on the basis of his walk with God for a period of three hundred years. Enoch offered us an excellent example.

KRISRUS ADALAH SALOMO DAN ISHAK YANG SEJATI

Salomo adalah lambang Kristus sebagai anak Daud, Yang mewarisi takhta dan kerajaan Daud (2Sam 7:12-13; Luk. 1:32-33).

Sebagai lambang Kristus, Salomo terutama melakukan dua perkara : dia membangun Bait Allah dalam kerajaan (1 Raj. 6:2) dan mengucapkan perkataan hikmat (1Raj. 10:23-24; Mat. 12:42).

Sebagai penggenap dari lambang tersebut, Kristus kini sedang membangun Bait Allah yang sejati, gereja, dalam Kerajaan Allah dan telah mengucapkan perkataan hikmat.

Ishak adalah lambang Kristus sebagai anak Abraham, Yang mewarisi janji dan berkat yang Allah berikan kepada Abraham (Kej. 22:17-18; Gal. 3:16, 14).
Sebagai lambang Kristus, Ishak terutama melakukan dua perkara : dia taat sampai mati kepada ayahnya dan dibangkitkan dari kematian (Kej. 22:9-10; Ibr. 11:19), dan mengambil Ribka, seorang perempuan kafir, sebagai istrinya (Kej. 24:61-67).
Dalam menggenapi lambang ini, Kristus diletakkan dalam kematian, dan dipersembahkan kepada Allah serta dibangkitkan dari kematian, Dia pun mengambil gereja sebagai mempelai perempuan-Nya dari bangsa kafir.

SETH AND ENOSH - CALLING UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD

Perhaps the names of Seth and Enosh are unfamiliar to you. Seth and Enosh were the third and fourth generations
of mankind, although the Bible considers them as one. After Abel was slain, the line of life seemed to be terminated.
Nevertheless, Seth and Enosh were raised up to continue it.
These two generations had one outstanding characteristic - they began to call upon the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26).
They not only prayed, but called on the name of the Lord. If you read the original text of the Hebrew and Greek, you will see that the word call means to cry out, not only to pray. Although all Christians pray, few pray in a calling way. Most pray very quietly, even in silence. However, the third and fourth generations of mankind learned that in order to contact God they needed to cry out to Him and call on Him.
Do not argue that God is not deaf, that He is able to hear us. Even the Lord Jesus Himself prayed with a strong cry in the garden (Heb. 5:7).
During the time of Seth and Enosh, men learned how to pray to God in the way of calling on Him. If you try it, you will discover that it makes a difference.
The Apostle Paul said that the Lord is rich unto all who call upon Him (Rom. 10:12). If you want to enjoy the riches of the Lord, you need to call upon His name.

KRISTUS ADALAH ADAM YANG AKHIR

Kristus bukan hanya Adam yang akhir (1 Kor. 15:45) tetapi juga manusia yang kedua (ay. 45). Adam yang pertama (ay. 45) adalah permulaan dari umat manusia; Adam yang akhir adalah akhir umat manusia.
Sebagai manusia yang pertama, Adam adalah kepala ciptaan lama, mewakili ciptaan lama dalam penciptaan. Sebagai manusia kedua, Kristus adalah Kepala ciptaan baru, mewakili ciptaan baru dalam kebangkitan.
Dalam seluruh alam semesta hanya ada dua manusia : manusia pertama, Adam, meliputi semua keturunannya; manusia kedua, Kristus, meliputi semua orang beriman-Nya.
Kita kaum beriman termasuk di dalam manusia yang pertama karena kelahiran, dan menjadi bagian dari manusia kedua melalui kelahiran kembali.
Iman kita telah memindahkan kita dari manusia pertama ke dalam manusia kedua. Dikatakan dari segi kita berbagian dengan manusia yang pertama, asal usul kita adalah tanah dan sifat hakiki kita adalah debu tanah.
Dikatakan dari segi kita berbagian dengan manusia yang kedua, asal usul kita adalah Allah dan sifat hakiki kita adalah surgawi.

ABEL --- CONTACTING GOD IN GOD'S WAY

What is the origin of man’s own way of contacting God?
The source is man’s troublesome mind, which can produce nothing except knowledge. Hence, men contact God in the way of knowledge, not in the way of life.
Abel, however, contacted God in His way. His elder brother, Cain, contacted God in his own way.
God’s way is life; Cain’s way is knowledge. We all need to be careful. Although you may say that you are for God,
perhaps you are for God in your own way. You approach God in your self-invented way, and that way is entirely a
matter of knowledge. Do not follow that way.
We should observe the example of Abel and contact God by laying aside our thought, opinion, and concept.
‘‘Lord, I contact You in Your way. I don’t contact You by my thought, concept, or knowledge.
Lord, You are my way.’’ If we do this, we will enjoy God as the tree of life.
Abel did partake of God as the tree of life. He truly ate of the fruit of this tree.

Permaisuri

Permaisuri, dalam Mazmur 45:10 Melambangkan gereja, khususnya para pemenang, sebagai istri unik Kristus.
Dalam Wahyu 19:7 dan 9a, istri Anak Domba adalah mempelai perempuan korporat yang tersusun dari kaum beriman pemenang yang diundang ke perjamuan kawin Anak Domba. Demikian juga, dalam mazmur ini permaisuri tidak melambangkan individu; sebaliknya, ia melambangkan kesatuan korporat yang menyusun semua rekan-rekannya: putri-putri raja sebagai perempuan terhormat dan anak-anak dara sebagai teman-temannya (ay. 15).
Maka, dalam mazmur ini raja Salomo dengan banyak istri dan gundiknya, yang adalah putri-putri, anak perempuan raja-raja kafir (1Raj. 11:1, 1Raj. 11:3), dipakai dalam pengertian positif untuk melambangkan Kristus sebagai Raja dengan istri korporat-Nya, gereja (Yoh. 3:29; Ef. 5:24-25,31-32), yang tersusun dari kaum beriman dari segala suku, bahasa, kaum, dan bangsa (Why. 5:9).
Dalam ay. 9 gereja dilambangkan oleh istana gading, bangunan, dan dalam ayat ini gereja digambarkan sebagai permaisuri, istri. Di seluruh Kitab Suci dua lambang ini-bangunan dan mempelai perempuan-dipakai untuk melambangkan gereja (cf. Kej. 2:22 ).
Di satu pihak, gereja adalah bangunan, rumah Allah (1Tit. 3:15), dan di pihak lain gereja adalah mempelai perempuan, istri Kristus (2 Kor. 11:2).

Permaisuri berpakaian emas melambangkan penampilan gereja dalam sifat ilahi. "Emas" yang menutupi gereja adalah Kristus, Sang ilahi, sebagai kebenaran kaum beriman untuk pembenarannya (Luk. 15:22; 1Kor. 1:30). Ini adalah lapisan pertama penutup gereja.

The stream of living water

According to the revelation in the Bible, we see two streams proceeding out of the throne of God. One is the stream of living water, and the other is a stream of fire.
The stream of living water is revealed in Ezekiel 47 and Revelation 22. In Ezekiel living water issues out of the house of God; in Revelation 22 living water flows out of the throne of God. In Daniel 7:9-10 we see another stream, a stream of fire, flowing out of the throne of God.
The living water is for reviving and watering, but the stream of fire is for judging. It courses in judgment throughout the universe. The river of water proceeds out of the throne of God and will flow all positive things into the New Jerusalem.
The stream of fire issues out of the throne of God and will sweep all negative things into the lake of fire. In the beginning of the Bible we have the start of two lines, the line of life and the line of knowledge. At the end of the Bible we have two results, two consummations----the city of living water and the lake of burning fire.

Yesus Seorang Manusia- Allah

Sebagai seorang manusia-Allah dengan esens insani dan esens ilahi, kehidupan Yesus adalah luhur sampai puncaknya. Kehidupan-Nya mencapai standar yang tertinggi, standar yang Allah tetapkan bagi manusia ketika Dia pertama menciptakan manusia. Yesus mencapai standar ini karena Dia adalah seorang manusia-Allah, seorang yang memiliki status ganda sebagai Allah dan manusia.
Di dalam Yesus, atribut-atribut ilahi berbaur dengan kebajikan-kebajikan insani. Perbauran ini memampukan Dia menempuh hidup menurut standar moralitas yang tertinggi. Ini adalah kehidupan bermoral yang tertinggi yang melayakkan Dia untuk menjadi Penyelamat kita. Dia mampu menyelamatkan kita tidak hanya sekedar karena Dia adalah Allah. Dia mampu menyelamatkan kita karena Dia adalah seorang manusia-Allah. Kita tidak hanya diselamatkan oleh Allah; kita juga diselamatkan oleh seorang manusia, seorang manusia-Alah yang menempuh hidup menurut standar moralitas yang tertinggi.
Standar kehidupan yang tertinggi ini dinamis dan penuh kuasa. Ini adalah satu kehidupan yang dinamis, penuh kekuatan dan tenaga.

The Genealogy in Matthew and Luke

The genealogy in Matthew begins with Abraham, but the genealogy in Luke goes back to Adam.
Matthew does not cover Adam and his descendants, but Luke does.
What is the meaning of this difference? Luke is a book of God's salvation, whereas Matthew is a book of the kingdom.
God's salvation is for the created and fallen race represented by Adam, but the kingdom of the heavens is only for God's chosen people, the called race represented by Abraham.
Therefore, Matthew starts from Abraham, but Luke traces the genealogy back to Adam.

We Need to Deal with Our Hearts

Then according to Luke 8:4-15, we need to deal with our hearts.
In dealing with our hearts, we should keep our hearts away from worldly traffic. This means that our hearts should not be occupied with the business of making a
living. Instead, we should live a simple life. However, many are slaves to earning a living. The more they increase their living expenses, the more they need to labor.
The more they uplift their standard of living, the more they need to work. Some even work two jobs in order to maintain a high standard of living. We, on the contrary, should simplify our living. If we simplify our life, our hearts will be kept away from worldly traffic.
We also need to deal with all the rocks, the obstacles hidden within us. These hidden things may include hidden sins or hidden desires. As an example of a hidden desire, we may mention the desire common among young people
to have a good car. The desire for a certain kind of new car may become a "rock" in our hearts, a rock that makes it difficult for Christ to grow within us.
In addition to dealing with worldly traffic and the hidden rocks, we also need to deal with the "thorns" of anxieties, the deceitfulness of riches, and the pleasures of
life. Some, after graduating from college, worry about getting married or about saving money to buy a house.
Parents may worry about taking care of their children. These anxieties are related to the cares of this life. If our hearts are filled with anxieties, how can Christ grow in us?
In order for Him to grow within us, our hearts need to be free from anxiety, the deceitfulness of riches, and the pleasures of life.
The sequence in 7:36--8:15 shows that after we have been forgiven, we live a life of peace. As we follow the Lord and minister to Him, we need to grow in life. For the growth in life we need to have a good heart for the Lord to grow within us. A good heart is a heart that is kept away from the worldly traffic, that has all rocks cleared away, and that does not have the thorns of anxiety, the deceitfulness of riches, and the pleasures of life.

4 Kinds of Hearts

In Luke 8:11-15 we see four kinds of hearts into which the seed is sown. The first kind of heart is likened to the soil "beside the road" (v. 5). Concerning this, the Lord says in verse 12, "Those beside the road are those who heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and be saved." The earth beside the road is the earth on the wayside. This earth has been hardened by a great deal of traffic. As a result, wheat cannot grow in that kind of soil.
A heart that is like the wayside, like the soil beside the road, is a heart in which there is too much traffic of worldly business. If our heart is occupied with making a living, there will be too much traffic in our heart. The result will be that our heart will not be the proper soil for the growing of Christ, for it will be a heart hardened by worldly traffic.
A second kind of heart is likened to rocky ground (8:6,13). This kind of ground has soil on the surface, but underneath it is full of rocks. It is not possible for Christ to
grow in this kind of heart. A person with such a heart may receive Christ and be saved; however, it will be difficult for him to grow in life. Because of the rocks, it is difficult for Christ to grow in the heart signified by the rocky ground.
Matthew 13:5 describes this kind of heart as rocky places, which do not have much earth. This signifies the heart that is shallow in receiving the Lord's word. Such a heart is shallow because deep within are "rocks"--hidden sins, personal desires, self-seeking, and self-pity--which frustrate the seed from gaining root in the depths of the heart.
Luke 8:7 says. "And other seed fell in the midst of the thorns, and the thorns sprouted up with it and choked it." Concerning this, verse 14 explains: "And that which fell into the thorns, these are those who heard, and they are choked by the on going anxieties and riches and pleasures of life, and do not bring any fruit to maturity." Here we see clearly that the "thorns" signify anxieties riches (in particular, the deceitfulness of riches--Matt. 13:22), and the pleasures of life. These things choke the word and prevent it from growing in the heart and becoming fruitful.
The fourth kind of heart is that signified by the good earth: "And other seed fell into the good earth, and having sprouted up, it produced fruit a hundredfold" (v. 8). In verse 15 the Lord explains, "But that in the good earth, these are those who in a noble and good heart hear the word. and hold it fast, and bear fruit with endurance." This good earth signifies the good heart, a heart that is not hardened by worldly traffic, that does not have hidden sins. and that is without the anxiety of the age, the deceitfulness of riches, and the pleasures of life. Such a heart gives all the ground to receiving the word so that the word may grow, bear fruit, and produce even a hundredfold.
A heart without worldly traffic, rocks, and thorns is a purified heart. This kind of heart is good for growing Christ. After we have been forgiven and have begun to live a life in peace, we should follow the Lord and minister to Him.