Hello All,
(Just a general disclaimer that I must insert here at the beginning. I am but a lay person, like most of you. And these weekly “thoughts” are but my own. Not the definitive word on this or any topic. Just my own conclusions derived from my own study and faith in God. The greatest hope I have for these weekly “thoughts” is to have them be a springboard for further study on your part. Not to be a weekly treatise to be blindly accepted. So, please read them with this intent, this motive in mind).
This week’s lesson from “The Adult Sabbath School Guide” is titled “Noble Prince of Peace”. And in Wednesday’s lesson we are directed to consider the “Rod from the stem of Jesse” (Isaiah 11:1). In this chapter of Isaiah, we see at least six of the “seven spirits of God” (Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 4:5). In Isaiah 11:2 we see the Spirit of:
1. Wisdom
2. Understanding
3. Counsel
4. Might
5. Knowledge
6. Fear of the Lord
The Spirit of God is preeminently wisdom and power. Eyes are a synonym for perception/ wisdom and horns indicate power. And the slain Lamb in the midst of the throne has “seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth” (Revelation 5:6). Why are they “sent out into all the earth”? To spy upon people so as to accuse and condemn people? Of course not! They are sent out to be the power and wisdom of God to us. Because the Spirit of Christ is to us “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24).
The Spirit (seven characteristics of that one Spirit) that led “the Rod from the stem of Jesse”, is the same Spirit that leads us, too, if we will. The same Spirit that “breathed into (Adam’s) nostrils…the breath of life” (Genesis 2:7) is breathed into us, too. As free and as plentiful as the air we breathe. As constant and just as vital. But most do not recognize this life-giving, life-sustaining Spirit of God because of being so carnal. ”But you are not carnal but spiritual if the Spirit of God finds a home within you” (Romans 8:9, Phillips). If we recognize God’s Spirit and He finds a home in us (we want Him, we welcome Him, we submit to Him), then that Spirit will be to us “life” as much as breathing. There are infinite possibilities to the one who accepts God as his very life. What “eye has not seen, nor ear heard” (1 Corinthians 2:9) and what the mind of man has never conceived, God will reveal to us by His Holy Spirit.
“The Rod from the stem of Jesse”, shall not judge according to appearances nor according to hearsay. But that is just the way mankind judges, and the only way they judge. Note the contrast: “He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes nor decide by the hearing of His ears; but with righteousness He shall judge” (Isaiah 11:3-4). Therefore, for us to judge after the sight of our eyes and after the hearing of our ears is to judge un-righteously. Let us never forget this. Perfect judgement can only be rendered by God, “for the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). “With Righteousness He shall judge” (Isaiah 11:4) because He Himself is righteousness… His life is righteousness.
But “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Yes, we might become like Him. But for most, that is not what we want. We do not want the life God has for us, that is demonstrated in the life of His Son. Most want an “insurance policy” kind of righteousness. A righteousness (so-called) that still gratifies earthly and worldly desires. And so most never really have God as their life at all. Most still have a life the way they want, not as He wants. Most only have the amount of God’s life that they want... the same amount that the beasts have. Not the more abundant life of God.
Yet, cannot His will be done on earth (in me) as it is in heaven? Cannot my life be His life? Yes, assuredly. But as long as we hold to our life our way, our hands are still full of self. We do not receive for we do not have room for Him. We only have room for Him on one-seventh of the week and to yield one-tenth of our increase. And so the abundant life is willfully missed, willfully rejected. And when in the judgement it appears that God’s perfect, eternal life has been given to each, and each has willfully rejected the fullness of that life, then each one will pronounce sentence upon himself and declare that God is just. No one can say it is unfair of God to give us exactly what He gave His only begotten Son.
Let us consider the life we were created to live. The life God “breathes” into us each moment of each day. A life of goodness and love. Let us welcome this life and let this abundant life make a home in us. Without making it our home, our life is just like the beasts. Making a home for it in us, it becomes us. A life of just like “the Rod from the stem of Jesse”. May it be so for you and me.
With brotherly love,
Jim