Semachiah
March 25th, 2008, 05:38 AM
Shalom,
Scripture references are from,
the SET (Stone Edition Tanach) for the OT
and the PNT (Power New Testament) for the NT unless otherwise specified.
Acts 10
10:34. Then when Peter opened his mouth he said, “In truth I understand that God does not show partiality, (Dt 10:17, 2Chr 19:7, Mk 12:14) 35. but in every nation the one who fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him. 36. The message, which He sent to the children of Israel, when He proclaimed Good News of peace through Jesus Messiah, this One, is Lord of All. 37. You know the report, what happened throughout the whole of Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached, 38. as God anointed this Jesus, the One from Nazareth, in the Holy Spirit and power, Who came through doing good and healing all those who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him. 39. And we are witnesses of all that He did in both the country of the Jewish people and in Jerusalem. And Whom they killed, by hanging Him on wood. 40. God raised Him on the third day and caused Him to be revealed, 41. not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen beforehand by God, to us, we who ate and drank with Him after He was raised from the dead: 42. and He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify earnestly that He is the One Who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. 43. All the prophets testify; everyone who believes in Him takes forgiveness of sins through His name.” (Is 33:24, Jr 31:34, Dn 9:24)
10:44. While Peter was still speaking these words the Holy Spirit fell upon all those listening to the message. 45. And the faithful from the circumcision who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit fell even upon the heathens: 46. for they heard them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded, 47. “No one can deny the water, can they, for any of these to be baptized, who took the Holy Spirit like we did?” 48. And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Messiah. Then they asked him to spend some days with them.
Prophecy can be such an amazing experience!
If ever you think you have prophesied publicly, but you knew what you were to say before you said it and you understood the meaning of it before you said it then it "probably" was not actually prophecy!
I am sure that there are exceptions to this but as a general rule we can refer to the example above as our proof. Peter's opening statement after his earlier vision is that...
Acts 10:34... “In truth I understand that God does not show partiality, 35. but in every nation the one who fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him."
This is true prophecy that was answered before their eyes and yet still it amazed them when it was fulfilled.
Notice very clearly that the fulfillment of this prophecy "REQUIRED" nothing, no action on the part of the recipients with the probable exception that they now believed in Y'SHUA as The CHRIST.
Were any of them baptized before this?
Had any made a public proclamation of faith?
Had any paid tithes or offerings?
Had any signed their name as members of a local fellowship?
Where does it say that they did anything other than gather and listen?
Then why do we place burdens upon people that YHVH does not?
Why do we "REQUIRE" things of people that YHVH does not?
We have seen earlier in the Book of Acts where the Ethiopian eunuch was "Born Again" and even though The HOLY SPIRIT was present he did not speak in tongues or in any other way manifest The SPIRIT via one of the known "Gifts of The SPIRIT". We saw after that that Saul/Paul Was baptized in The SPIRIT via having scales fall from covering his eyes and yet he did not manifest any of the known "Gifts of The SPIRIT" nor was he baptized in water (to the best of our knowledge).
Today I have been accused by Jews of not being Jewish at all and never have been. By several CHRISTians I am not even a "Believer" and need to be saved. Everyone seems to know YHVH better than anyone else. Everyone seems to have a standard by which they measure others. Everyone seems to know of some condition that YHVH places upon others but YHVH...
Acts 10:34... “In truth I understand that God does not show partiality, 35. but in every nation the one who fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him."
YHVH appears to be looking for those who give HIM the respect and honor HE deserves and will then follow through and do the tasks HE places before them! YHVH not only 'appears' to be looking for these kinds of people but it seems that HE knew we needed an example to look to in order to understand what we were called to be like and therefore HE created Y'SHUA. Beyond this HE created an anointing (a.k.a. - Baptism in The HOLY SPIRIT) so that we would know when we were to be about the business of being a witness of HIS through the life of Y'SHUA, The CHRIST.
This 'anointing' is the confidence provided by YHVH, that compelled Y'SHUA to the cross.
This 'anointing' is what led HIM through the ministry YHVH had given Him.
This 'anointing' is what set Him apart from any other Jew, any other man, any other being on the earth!
This 'anointing' is what the Heathens had just received before Peter and via Peter's prophecy is still available to you and I...
Acts 10:34... “In truth I understand that God does not show partiality, 35. but in every nation the one who fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him."
There is no expiration date on this package!
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
The image that Y'SHUA demonstrated was that of YHVH.
Heb 1:3. He is the radiance of the glory and representation of His nature, and carries everything by the power in His word. After He made Himself purification for our sins, He sat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4. then He became so much higher in rank than the angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
If we are to rise above sin and to become 'overcomers', if we are to eventually receive a name above that which we have today, then we need to first receive the same anointing which Y'SHUA did.
The same anointing that Peter and the other Disciples did.
The same anointing that these 'Heathens" did!
Acts 10:34... “In truth I understand that God does not show partiality,
If you have been told that this anointing was only for Y'SHUA and the 'Age of the Apostles' then someone has told you that YHVH is a liar as it would pertain to this verse. This was the image that The Apostles demonstrated. This was the image that the Heathens portrayed and this was the image of Y'SHUA. This very image is the image of YHVH HIMself and it is this image that we are called to be conformed to...
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
We know that YHVH was with Y'SHUA for that is what we are told in Matt 1:23...
“Behold the virgin will be pregnant and will bear a son,
and they will call His name Emanuel.” (Is 7:14)
which is translated “God with us.”
We also know that YHVH was with Him from...
Acts 10:38. as God anointed this Jesus, the One from Nazareth, in the Holy Spirit and power, Who came through doing good and healing all those who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.
How was YHVH with HIM?
Via the 'anointing' of The HOLY SPIRIT.
It was this same 'anointing' that YHVH gave to the Apostles and disciples of The CHRIST via the outpouring of The HOLY SPIRIT in Acts 2:1-4 and it is the same "anointing' that HE gave to these Heathens. If YHVH shows no partiality, why would HE stop making available this 'anointing'? HE wouldn't! In fact HE couldn't or HE would then be showing partiality.
Acts 10:34. Then when Peter opened his mouth he said, “In truth I understand that God does not show partiality, (Dt 10:17, 2Chr 19:7, Mk 12:14) 35. but in every nation the one who fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him.
Are you acceptable?
Scripture references are from,
the SET (Stone Edition Tanach) for the OT
and the PNT (Power New Testament) for the NT unless otherwise specified.
Acts 10
10:34. Then when Peter opened his mouth he said, “In truth I understand that God does not show partiality, (Dt 10:17, 2Chr 19:7, Mk 12:14) 35. but in every nation the one who fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him. 36. The message, which He sent to the children of Israel, when He proclaimed Good News of peace through Jesus Messiah, this One, is Lord of All. 37. You know the report, what happened throughout the whole of Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached, 38. as God anointed this Jesus, the One from Nazareth, in the Holy Spirit and power, Who came through doing good and healing all those who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him. 39. And we are witnesses of all that He did in both the country of the Jewish people and in Jerusalem. And Whom they killed, by hanging Him on wood. 40. God raised Him on the third day and caused Him to be revealed, 41. not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen beforehand by God, to us, we who ate and drank with Him after He was raised from the dead: 42. and He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify earnestly that He is the One Who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. 43. All the prophets testify; everyone who believes in Him takes forgiveness of sins through His name.” (Is 33:24, Jr 31:34, Dn 9:24)
10:44. While Peter was still speaking these words the Holy Spirit fell upon all those listening to the message. 45. And the faithful from the circumcision who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit fell even upon the heathens: 46. for they heard them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded, 47. “No one can deny the water, can they, for any of these to be baptized, who took the Holy Spirit like we did?” 48. And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Messiah. Then they asked him to spend some days with them.
Prophecy can be such an amazing experience!
If ever you think you have prophesied publicly, but you knew what you were to say before you said it and you understood the meaning of it before you said it then it "probably" was not actually prophecy!
I am sure that there are exceptions to this but as a general rule we can refer to the example above as our proof. Peter's opening statement after his earlier vision is that...
Acts 10:34... “In truth I understand that God does not show partiality, 35. but in every nation the one who fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him."
This is true prophecy that was answered before their eyes and yet still it amazed them when it was fulfilled.
Notice very clearly that the fulfillment of this prophecy "REQUIRED" nothing, no action on the part of the recipients with the probable exception that they now believed in Y'SHUA as The CHRIST.
Were any of them baptized before this?
Had any made a public proclamation of faith?
Had any paid tithes or offerings?
Had any signed their name as members of a local fellowship?
Where does it say that they did anything other than gather and listen?
Then why do we place burdens upon people that YHVH does not?
Why do we "REQUIRE" things of people that YHVH does not?
We have seen earlier in the Book of Acts where the Ethiopian eunuch was "Born Again" and even though The HOLY SPIRIT was present he did not speak in tongues or in any other way manifest The SPIRIT via one of the known "Gifts of The SPIRIT". We saw after that that Saul/Paul Was baptized in The SPIRIT via having scales fall from covering his eyes and yet he did not manifest any of the known "Gifts of The SPIRIT" nor was he baptized in water (to the best of our knowledge).
Today I have been accused by Jews of not being Jewish at all and never have been. By several CHRISTians I am not even a "Believer" and need to be saved. Everyone seems to know YHVH better than anyone else. Everyone seems to have a standard by which they measure others. Everyone seems to know of some condition that YHVH places upon others but YHVH...
Acts 10:34... “In truth I understand that God does not show partiality, 35. but in every nation the one who fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him."
YHVH appears to be looking for those who give HIM the respect and honor HE deserves and will then follow through and do the tasks HE places before them! YHVH not only 'appears' to be looking for these kinds of people but it seems that HE knew we needed an example to look to in order to understand what we were called to be like and therefore HE created Y'SHUA. Beyond this HE created an anointing (a.k.a. - Baptism in The HOLY SPIRIT) so that we would know when we were to be about the business of being a witness of HIS through the life of Y'SHUA, The CHRIST.
This 'anointing' is the confidence provided by YHVH, that compelled Y'SHUA to the cross.
This 'anointing' is what led HIM through the ministry YHVH had given Him.
This 'anointing' is what set Him apart from any other Jew, any other man, any other being on the earth!
This 'anointing' is what the Heathens had just received before Peter and via Peter's prophecy is still available to you and I...
Acts 10:34... “In truth I understand that God does not show partiality, 35. but in every nation the one who fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him."
There is no expiration date on this package!
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
The image that Y'SHUA demonstrated was that of YHVH.
Heb 1:3. He is the radiance of the glory and representation of His nature, and carries everything by the power in His word. After He made Himself purification for our sins, He sat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4. then He became so much higher in rank than the angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
If we are to rise above sin and to become 'overcomers', if we are to eventually receive a name above that which we have today, then we need to first receive the same anointing which Y'SHUA did.
The same anointing that Peter and the other Disciples did.
The same anointing that these 'Heathens" did!
Acts 10:34... “In truth I understand that God does not show partiality,
If you have been told that this anointing was only for Y'SHUA and the 'Age of the Apostles' then someone has told you that YHVH is a liar as it would pertain to this verse. This was the image that The Apostles demonstrated. This was the image that the Heathens portrayed and this was the image of Y'SHUA. This very image is the image of YHVH HIMself and it is this image that we are called to be conformed to...
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
We know that YHVH was with Y'SHUA for that is what we are told in Matt 1:23...
“Behold the virgin will be pregnant and will bear a son,
and they will call His name Emanuel.” (Is 7:14)
which is translated “God with us.”
We also know that YHVH was with Him from...
Acts 10:38. as God anointed this Jesus, the One from Nazareth, in the Holy Spirit and power, Who came through doing good and healing all those who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.
How was YHVH with HIM?
Via the 'anointing' of The HOLY SPIRIT.
It was this same 'anointing' that YHVH gave to the Apostles and disciples of The CHRIST via the outpouring of The HOLY SPIRIT in Acts 2:1-4 and it is the same "anointing' that HE gave to these Heathens. If YHVH shows no partiality, why would HE stop making available this 'anointing'? HE wouldn't! In fact HE couldn't or HE would then be showing partiality.
Acts 10:34. Then when Peter opened his mouth he said, “In truth I understand that God does not show partiality, (Dt 10:17, 2Chr 19:7, Mk 12:14) 35. but in every nation the one who fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him.
Are you acceptable?