Jesus In Numbers

So the total of all the troops on Judah’s side of the camp is 186,400. These three tribes are to lead the way whenever the Israelites travel to a new campsite. [Numbers 2.9] 

There is much more to the arrangement and order of the tribes of Israel than meets the eye. I am certain that as time goes on for a dedicated reader of God's Word, that more and more will be revealed with each reading. Such has been the case for me.

While Leviticus and Numbers certainly present their challenges for such revelation, they should never be discounted as "revelation-less." In fact, I believe time and dedication of reading these two books in particular will reveal some of the most profound revelation in the Bible.

Until then, I found the passage above to contain an interesting bit of information. When Israel moved from place to place, it was Judah's side of the camp (Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun) that led the way. What do we know about Judah, Issachar and Zebulun? Perhaps the best place to start is their own father's words over them before he died:

“Judah, your brothers will praise you. You will grasp your enemies by the neck. All your relatives will bow before you. Judah, my son, is a young lion that has finished eating its prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor. He ties his foal to a grapevine, the colt of his donkey to a choice vine. He washes his clothes in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk. “Zebulun will settle by the seashore and will be a harbor for ships; his borders will extend to Sidon. “Issachar is a sturdy donkey, resting between two saddlepacks. When he sees how good the countryside is and how pleasant the land, he will bend his shoulder to the load and submit himself to hard labor. [Genesis 49.8-15]

First, let's consider Zebulun. Zebulun will be a harbor for ships. It is safe to conclude that Zebulun has to do with "international" when it comes to leading Israel.

Then, if we consider Issachar, we see hard work with a specific goal.

And finally, as we consider Judah in Jacob's words over him, we see Jesus - the Lion of the Tribe of Judah..

So, what group was it that was selected to lead Israel through the wilderness? The groups representing Jesus, the world, and hard work.

Here are a couple New Testament scriptures that come to mind:

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. [John 3.16]

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [Matthew 28.18-20] 

We can see then, from Israel's order of things, is that Jesus is revealed - Jesus, Who leads the way of salvation for the world as the work of all those in company with Him. 

Father, it is exciting to see how everything in Your Word ties together and points to Jesus. I am convinced that there is simply no other piece of literature that compares! May I be found dedicated to Your Word, learning more every day as Your Spirit opens my eyes and ears to the amazing truth found therein. So be it.

What Are You Worth?

The LORD said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. If anyone makes a special vow to dedicate someone to the LORD by paying the value of that person, here is the scale of values to be used. A man between the ages of twenty and sixty is valued at fifty shekels of silver, as measured by the sanctuary shekel. A woman of that age is valued at thirty shekels of silver. A boy between the ages of five and twenty is valued at twenty shekels of silver; a girl of that age is valued at ten shekels of silver. A boy between the ages of one month and five years is valued at five shekels of silver; a girl of that age is valued at three shekels of silver. A man older than sixty is valued at fifteen shekels of silver; a woman of that age is valued at ten shekels of silver. If you desire to make such a vow but cannot afford to pay the required amount, take the person to the priest. He will determine the amount for you to pay based on what you can afford. [Leviticus 27.1-8]

Once again, on this day as yearly Bible readings go, I reviewed my previous articles regarding this particular passage of scripture and I am convinced of one thing: I really don't have a clue what this is all about!

However, in a slight sign of progression, I must say something did stand out to me today: If you are going to dedicate someone to the LORD, it's the least expensive to do it while they are young!

Whether it has any association or not, it gives me pause to consider something about Jesus and children:

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left. [Matthew 19.13-15]

The fact that Leviticus detailed a "cost" with dedicating a person to God makes me consider another New Testament passage:

A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him?  And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own. [Luke 14.25-33] 

While religion and religious thinking gets us all bogged down in the Equal Rights gender and age issues of Leviticus 27.1-8, Luke 14.25-33 really gets to the heart of the matter. And, in particular, the importance of the age or gender of a person pales in comparison to the importance of Luke 14.33: So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

Father, when I survey my own worth as Leviticus 27.1-8 details it, I see in Luke 15.33 that it simply does not matter. May my focus be on Luke 15.33 and not Leviticus 27.1-8! May I be found giving up my own way, taking up my cross, and following Jesus. So be it.

A Synopsis

“Do not make idols or set up carved images, or sacred pillars, or sculptured stones in your land so you may worship them. I am the LORD your God. You must keep my Sabbath days of rest and show reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD. [Leviticus 26.1-2]

Before going into the first introduction to blessings and curses upon obedience or disobedience respectively, Leviticus gives a summary of what God's people are to do. It is, in fact, a brief synopsis of the Ten Commandments.

Just as the subjects of land and slaves are addressed in Leviticus 25.24.55, so, in Leviticus 26, God is demanding a distinction be made among God's people and those who are not. Like all the Old Testament, Leviticus is shadowing "Jesus" and His followers long before Jesus' time. The significance of this fact found in Leviticus 26.1-2 is that there are only three main points made about being God's people: idolatry, the Sabbath, and God's sanctuary. It should be understood that there is a reason for this!

Idolatry is the subject of the first three of the Ten Commandments. Idolatry is the antithesis of the 1st Commandment. If a person does not get the 1st Commandment right, idolatry is the result. As would be expected, idolatry, in all its implications and symptoms, reveals the failure to "have no other god."

Then, the 4th Commandment is about the Sabbath. As concretely established in the New Testament, Jesus is the Sabbath. Every mention of the Sabbath in the Old Testament is a shadow of Jesus. The Sabbath also represents all the ceremonial requirements of the Old Testament. In keeping "the Sabbath" as "Jesus," every New Testament believer, effectively keeps all the Ten Commandments. The life of every modern-day believer cannot be separated from Jesus as fulfillment of the Ten Commandments: Jesus demands "no other god" and Jesus demands He is Lord of the Sabbath.

Interestingly enough, God mentions in Leviticus the importance of His sanctuary. His sanctuary is where He dwells. Could this then be a shadow of the last six manward Commandments since God's chosen sanctuary, in New Testament times, is the heart of man submitted to Christ?

I am suggesting here that Leviticus 26.1-2 reveals all ten of the Ten Commandments! All the Ten Commandments shadow Jesus Christ.

Father, help us to look for and see Jesus throughout the entire Bible, not just the New Testament! So be it.

Shadow Religion or Reality Relationship?

“In addition to the Sabbath, these are the Lord’s appointed festivals, the official days for holy assembly that are to be celebrated at their proper times each year. “The Lord’s Passover begins at sundown on the fourteenth day of the first month. On the next day, the fifteenth day of the month, you must begin celebrating the Festival of Unleavened Bread. This festival to the Lord continues for seven days, and during that time the bread you eat must be made without yeast. On the first day of the festival, all the people must stop their ordinary work and observe an official day for holy assembly. For seven days you must present special gifts to the Lord. On the seventh day the people must again stop all their ordinary work to observe an official day for holy assembly.” [Leviticus 23.4-8] 

The days and festivals described above are only a representative portion of many such days and festivals described not only in Leviticus but elsewhere in the Old Testament. Observers of these days and festivals who try to follow these instructions as closely as possible but do not come to the reality of Christ in them have missed the point altogether.

“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! [John 5.39]

So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. [Colossians 2.16-17]

People get caught up in the 2D shadow missing the 3D reality of Jesus Christ. It's just silly to attempt to imitate the shadow when we have the actual living reality described in the New Testament! One of the Apostle Paul's prayers for the believers in Ephesus reveals the 3D reality of Jesus:

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. [Ephesians 3.16-19]

Observance of the shadow does not reveal the reality. Only the observance of the reality - living in Christ and Christ living in us - is fullness of life and power. The observance of "Jesus" is salvation. Jesus said it like this:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

To give up our own way is to proactively turn from (repent of) any and every way of our own that does not look like Jesus. Jesus described His way this way:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” [Luke 4.18-19]

And, Jesus directly said His way is to be our way:

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. [John 14.12] 

So complete was Jesus demand that our lives mirror His that He included take up your cross in the qualifications for following Him. Following Him is discussed in greater detail in  John 15.

While it seems noble to observe "shadow" days and festivals, it is only actually scripturally right to observe the "reality" of Jesus. To observe the "shadow" is to relish (idolize) the box instead of the "real gift" it contains. 

To observe the shadow is religion.

To observe the reality is relationship.

Shadow Religion is not complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God and, consequently segues to eternal damnation.

Reality Relationship with Jesus is indeed complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God and, segues to eternal life in heaven.

The Light of God's Word leaves no shadows - it completely illuminates the reality of Jesus Christ. All that are found in the shadows are idols.

Father, may we all live in the fullness of life and power that is the reality of Jesus. So be it.

The Implications Of This Are Huge!

“You must keep all my decrees and regulations by putting them into practice; otherwise the land to which I am bringing you as your new home will vomit you out. Do not live according to the customs of the people I am driving out before you. It is because they do these shameful things that I detest them. But I have promised you, ‘You will possess their land because I will give it to you as your possession—a land flowing with milk and honey.’ I am the LORD your God, who has set you apart from all other people. “You must therefore make a distinction between ceremonially clean and unclean animals, and between clean and unclean birds. You must not defile yourselves by eating any unclean animal or bird or creature that scurries along the ground. I have identified them as being unclean for you. You must be holy because I, the LORD, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own. [Leviticus 20.22-26] 

To understand this passage, we must fast-forward to Acts 10:

The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon, and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.” “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.” But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven. [Acts 10.9-16]

Then, after Peter went to Cornelius' home, he told Cornelius and his family: 

“You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. [Acts 10.28] 

The whole reason for ceremonial purity was to make a distinction between Israel and non-Israelites. Leviticus 20.26 confirms it:

You must be holy because I, the LORD, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own. [Leviticus 20.26]

As the Jewish people were slowly learning in Peter's time, Jesus' Advent, life, death, burial and resurrection changed all that. Peter's experience recorded in Acts 10 confirms it. God's inclusion of every nation in His plan for salvation is made clear in His announced removal of the ceremonial purity rules to Peter. And then, God further confirmed His plan for all the world:

Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked, “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days. [Acts 10.44-48]

Of all the books of the Bible, the book of Leviticus contains the most uses of the word ceremonial (73 times in the NLT). That's sixty-three percent of the word's usage in the entire Old Testament! Ceremonial cleanness or uncleanness of people and objects accounts for most (if not all) the uses of the word ceremonial in Leviticus (and the whole Bible).

Interestingly enough, the Gospel of John contains two uses of the word ceremonial. One of those is nothing short of explosive revelation surrounding Jesus' first recorded miracle!

The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, that’s not our  problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. [John 2.1-11]

Before God ever told Peter to "break ceremony" Jesus had completely already done so! Notice the word ceremonial in the passage above. Jesus made new wine in ceremonial washing water jars. What's amazingly more is that the new wine Jesus made was in fact old wine (aged to perfection, best, and expensive)! It should not be overlooked that that first miracle recorded of the Savior of the World occurred at a wedding ceremony!

And, in even more distinct "breaking ceremony" Jesus revealed His pivotal significance to another ceremonial observance: the Sabbath:

At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.” Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God, and he and his companions broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath? I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple! But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.) And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one! Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus. [Matthew 12.1-14]

There is simply not enough room to revel in the revelation of Jesus Christ here and now! Suffice it to say, in every place the word "ceremonial" is used in the Bible, we need to look for Jesus!

So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. [Colossians 2.16-17]

I realize the implications of this are huge! And so, I encourage every person reading this article to search the Scriptures for himself. You will find Jesus ...even in Leviticus!

Father, never have I been so overwhelmed with Jesus as I have today! Thank You! May I be faithful with what You have revealed to use it to do the work You have called me to do! So be it!

Out of God's Community - A Serious Indictment

“Give them this command as well. If any native Israelite or foreigner living among you offers a burnt offering or a sacrifice but does not bring it to the entrance of the Tabernacle to offer it to the LORD, that person will be cut off from the community. [Leviticus 17.8-9]

There was only one place a person could make a sacrifice. To get to God, one had to come to the Tabernacle.

When Jesus died on the Cross, the Bible makes very clear that the veil in the Temple (permanent Tabernacle) was torn from the top to bottom.

Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. [Matthew 27.50-52]

So, here is a question to ponder: When the veil in the Temple was torn from top to bottom, did that signify that man could get to God, or that God could get to man? 

It could be understood that the torn curtain in the Temple, because it was torn from top to bottom, would reveal that God did the tearing from His position "above all things." And, as the "Tear-er" in this circumstance, it should furthermore be understood that God was making a move to get to man and not the other way around. 

The subject passage above from Leviticus 17.8-9 reveals that God is very exclusive. This is no less obvious in the first three of the Ten Commandments. As "God in the flesh" on the Cross, Jesus' earlier words resonate:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. [John 14.6]

Wait! Jesus' words in John 14.6 reveal that a person cannot get to God the Father except through Him (Jesus). So, when the veil in the Temple was torn from top to bottom, it would appear God was approaching man. But, Jesus said man would approach God - albeit only through Himself, Jesus. In this way, God's approach to man AND man's approach to God are consummated in the person of Jesus Christ.

Leviticus 17.8-9 reveals that the Tabernacle was initially the only place God and man could interact. Matthew 27.50-52 reveals that Jesus is now the only place God and man can interact. Jesus spoke it in John 14.6, then God made it happen. Interestingly enough, that interaction, in context, yielded people being miraculously raised from the dead confirming the miraculous nature of God-to-man, man-to-God union (as opposed to what "dead religion" makes it look like).

Here, we should consider that Leviticus 17 reveals that any person attempting relationship with God anywhere besides God's designated place would be "cut off from the community." That person would not enjoy all the benefits of the community. So it is with any person who attempts to get to God by any means other than Jesus - he is cut off from every benefit of the community - the blessings of God (see Deuteronomy 28.1-14). In application, this means any other "way" to God does not yield blessings, but instead yields curses (see Deuteronomy 28.15-68).

The implications of this upon "the Church" today are alarmingly serious! The obvious benefits (blessings) of being in community with God through Jesus are largely non-existent in the modern Church today. The only conclusion that may be scripturally drawn from this observation is that the modern Church today is, in fact, not in community with Jesus. Jesus' words ring hauntingly true:

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. [Matthew 7.13-14]

Jesus did not hold back on what being in community with God through Him looks like:

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. [John 14.12] 

The solution is to believe in Jesus.

Believing in Jesus, however, cannot exclude repentance:

“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” [Mark 1.15] 

Faith in Jesus is a lifestyle, not a single event. Repentance is the beginning and continuation of that lifestyle. Any "faith in Jesus" that does not include repentance is a farce. Likewise, any "faith in Jesus" that does not include His works is a lie. This is what God's Word (and Jesus Himself) says, and, it dates back as far as Leviticus 17.8-9!

Father, the miracle-less community most of us live in today reveals that we are not in community with You through Jesus Christ, but, in fact, are outside - having been cut off - from that community. May we be found genuinely repentant (giving up our own ways that clearly are not revealing Jesus in us), genuinely believing (taking up our cross that reveals Jesus - even to the point of death), and following Jesus. So be it.

Got Mildew?

Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “When you arrive in Canaan, the land I am giving you as your own possession, I may contaminate some of the houses in your land with mildew. [Leviticus 14.33-34] 

To say God randomly does something opens Pandora's Box of doubt about God and the entire Bible.

This is how it begins... Our educated minds immediately conclude that mildew is an "uh-oh" associated with moisture and therefore reasonably conclude that the solution is to simply get rid of the water and mildew will take care of itself. There is no need to repent - just stop the water.

Next problem?

We could go on to address financial uh-oh's, uh-oh's from natural disasters, accidents, theft, or loss, health uh-oh's, and just uh-oh's in general. Down the list, man's knowledge and ingenuity have formed or formulated solutions that don't require repentance - just get the solution! And yet, every "uh-oh" in this list (including mildew) is detailed as a curse for disobedience found in Deuteronomy 28.15-68.

In a strategic move to counteract frivolous religious nonsense, I want to open a different Pandora's Box to elicit doubts about the man-made solutions today we so quickly turn to to remediate the "oh-oh's" detailed above...

What if our man-made solutions are nothing but distractions to keep us from repenting? What if our man-made solutions that keep us from repenting therefore prevent us from witnessing the miraculous, unexplainable, irrefutable power of God? What if we attempt then to religiously justify that our man-made solutions are from God ignoring that fact that Godless people claim these same solutions are purely the evolution of man's intellect? What if we just stop thinking or talking about this because it raises questions we have no answers for except that we are in need of repentance? What if, because we have man-made solutions for nearly everything, we see no need for God and certainly no need for Jesus (except to maintain some religious facade)? 

What if our man-made solutions are not the result of Godly advancement (evolution) of man's ingenuity, but are instead idols that infuriate God and enrage His jealousy? 

What if our man-made solutions merely shape-shift curses from one form into another - let's say into expensive monthly payments or up-front costs? What if our man-made solutions effectively, one interest payment, one premium payment, one prescription or procedure payment, or one gadget purchase at a time, make money our god (that insatiably consumes all our time and efforts)?

What if?

What if our wonderful man-made solutions (our own ways) are nothing but suicidal extended curses upon our disobedience? Who would do such a thing?

There were man-made solutions in Jesus' day. If God indeed uses man-made solutions to solve man's problems (as misguidedly suggested by some), why did Jesus instead miraculously, unexplainably, and irrefutably solve those problems without aid from man's solutions? Why the distinction? Why did Jesus use only God's ways (miracles) instead of incorporating man's ways (calling it miracles)? Why did Jesus tell at least one person, "Go, and sin no more!"?

“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” [Mark 1.15]

The Good News is:

It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ [Luke 24.47]

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” [Galatians 3.13]

Repentance and faith are required to enjoy the benefit(s) of Jesus' rescue - Redemption - the Good News. Whether it is mildew or sickness or lack, these curses indicate the need for repentance and faith in Christ. Sounds silly, right? Not if you read the Bible for what it actually says (instead of what religion has made it out to be!).

Jesus resorted to the miraculous, unexplainable and irrefutable power of God to prove that man-made solutions are not the answer. Jesus presented Himself as the solution to every progressive curse of death upon man. Jesus presented Himself instead of man-made ways:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

To give up your own way is to repent. To take up your cross is to believe the Good News that is, Jesus. To follow Jesus is to repent and believe God's solution for the curses upon man and the world instead of man's solution.

Got mildew? Got need? Got tragedy? Got sickness? Got trouble?

Follow Jesus (repent and believe)! Intentionally give up on man-made solutions. Intentionally take up the way of faith (even to the point of death on your cross) in following Jesus, walking in the pure, miraculous power of God.

Father, Your Word is clear: curses point us to repentance, not man-made solutions. It is overwhelming to consider how far away from this truth the modern Church has wandered. Oh, we know "Jesus is the answer," but we refuse to acknowledge the question, "why are we experiencing curses?" Consequently, we faithfully 'worship' man-made idols (debt, insurance, medicine and technology to name a few) with our time and energy in flagrant defiance of Your jealous demand to trust You alone. Forgive us! But find our repentance with feet and hands to intentionally give up our ways of idolatry and intentionally take up the way of faith in Jesus alone - our cross, following Him in miraculous, unexplainable, and irrefutable demonstration of Your power! So be it.