The Message of the Tawrat, Zabur and Injil
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Taal: English
Gehoor: Muslim
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Episode 1: Introduction
*As-Salaam Alaikum! (Peace be with you!) [*Check on the right local form of the Muslim greeting. It is used with and without the article.]
Although most Muslims know that the Tawrat, the Zabur and the Injil are considered ‘Holy Books’ in Islam, few have actually studied them. This program was prepared to help you understand the Message of the Tawrat, the Zabur and the Injil. For followers of Jesus - the Tawrat is part of the Old Testament which also contains the Zabur – known as the Psalms. The Injil refers to the New Testament.
The Old and New Testaments together are known as the Holy Bible or Holy Scriptures.
This program will use the name Jesus or Jesus the Messiah for the one usually known as Isa ibn Maryam.
The Old Testament includes four parts:
The Law, or Tawrat, which is the first five books of Moses.
Historical books describing the history of the Children of Israel.
The Wisdom Writings, which include the Zabur, the Proverbs of Solomon the Wise and the Book of the prophet Job. The Zabur was written by the prophet David and other prophets.
The Books of the Prophets - like Jonah, Isaiah and Jeremiah.
These books of the Old Testament were given between 3300 and 2300 years ago. Note the Muslims frequently use the word Tawrat to refer to the whole of the Old Testament.
The New Testament, which is often called the Injil, includes the following four parts:
The four accounts of the Good Message - or the Gospel - about Jesus the Messiah - or the Christ - that is the Good Message according to Matthew, according to Mark, according to Luke, and according to John.
An account of how the Good Message spread immediately after the life of Jesus the Messiah. This is called the Acts of the Apostles.
The letters written by the Apostles to the Church and individual followers of Jesus.
The Revelation God gave to the apostle John.
These books of the New Testament were given between 40 – 110 C.E.
It is helpful to note that the word Gospel simply means “Good News” or “Good Message” and the Hebrew word Messiah and the Greek word Christ both mean ‘anointed one’. This is a term that would normally indicate someone especially designated to be king, priest or prophet.
Each Episode in this program has a brief introduction to explain the main message, how it was revealed, or to whom.
Each Episode ends with one or more prayers from the Holy Scriptures. You may play them aloud, or learn to pray them out loud with the recording and offer them as prayers to God. This is an opportunity to learn the prayers, or all the Scriptures, off by heart.
Each Episode is followed by some questions. This is to help you to understand the what God has revealed to us. The correct answer is given after each question. You are encouraged to stop the recording after each question and think about or discuss the answer before listening to the answer provided. Then go onto the next question.
Episode 2: God is One
The Tawrat, forbids every kind of idolatry. God made this very clear to Moses in what is knows as the Ten Commandments, recorded in the Tawrat. The Ten Commandments declare that there is no God but God. He alone is to be worshipped:
In Exodus 20:3-5 we read:
3 “You must not have any other god but me.
4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.”
In Mark 12:29-30 in the Injil we read:
When Jesus the Messiah was asked which of God’s commandments were the most important, He quoted words from the Tawrat, specifically from the Books of Exodus and Deuteronomy:
29 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
These words are based on Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
The apostle Paul condemns idolatry together with other serious sins in the Injil, Book of Galatians chapter 5:19-21:
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarrelling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
The Apostle John writes in Revelation 21:8 that the people who do the following things will be cast into hell by God. One of them is idolatry:
8 “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death.”
In the Zabur, in Psalms 33:1,4-9 the Prophet tells the people to praise God because we can see His greatness in the whole world that He has created:
1 Let the godly sing for joy to the Lord;
it is fitting for the pure to praise him.
For the word of the Lord holds true,
and we can trust everything he does.
5 He loves whatever is just and good;
the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth.
6 The Lord merely spoke,
and the heavens were created.
He breathed the word,
and all the stars were born.
7 He assigned the sea its boundaries
and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.
8 Let the whole world fear the Lord,
and let everyone stand in awe of him.
9 For when he spoke, the world began!
It appeared at his command.
In the Zabur, Psalm 105:1-6
the Prophet also tells the people to worship and to praise God for the way He has revealed Himself through His mighty acts in history:
1 Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.
Let the whole world know what he has done.
2 Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.
Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.
3 Exult in his holy name;
rejoice, you who worship the Lord.
4 Search for the Lord and for his strength;
continually seek him.
5 Remember the wonders he has performed,
his miracles, and the rulings he has given,
6 you children of his servant Abraham,
you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.
Here are some Prayers of worship from the Zabur:
In Psalm 95: 1-7 the Prophet praises God as the Creator of the whole world:
1 Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
3 For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.
4 He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains.
5 The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too.
6 Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, 7 for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care.
In Psalm 139:1-6, 13-14 the Prophet praises God as his creator:
1 O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.
4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
5 You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvellous—how well I know it. too great for me to understand!
Questions
How many gods are there according to the Ten Commandments?
Only one God. (Exodus 20:3-5a)
How many true Gods are there according to Isa?
Only one God. (Mark 12:29)
What is the punishment for idolatry according to the apostle Paul?
They will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:20-21)
What is the punishment for idolaters according to the apostle John?
They will be cast into hell. (Revelation 21:8)
What did the prophet call the people to do in Psalm 33?
To sing joyfully to the LORD and to praise Him. (Psalms 33:1)
Why should we praise God?
6. Because He created us. Because He created us to be our Father. Because He created us to be our Father so that we can share in Him. In Isaiah 63:16 we read: "But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us; you Lord, are our Father, our Redeemer from old is your name." God’s Fatherhood is also stated and implied in the following verses: Jeremiah 3:19; Isaiah 64:8; Deuteronomy 14:1-2; Psalm 103:13 and Jeremiah 31:2. Because we can see His greatness in the whole world that He has created; for the way He has revealed Himself through His mighty acts in history; and for the way He has created us.
Episode 3: God's Laws
We find the Ten Commandments in the Tawrat, in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. God gave it to the people of Israel after He had delivered them from slavery in Egypt:
In Exodus 20: 1-17 we read:
1 Then God gave the people all these instructions:
2 “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.
3 “You must not have any other god but me.
4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those[b] who love me and obey my commands.
7 “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.
8 “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 You have six days each week for your ordinary work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.
12 “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
13 “You must not murder.
14 “You must not commit adultery.
15 “You must not steal.
16 “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.
17 “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”
Jesus the Messiah summed up the Ten Commandments in two important commandments in the Injil, in the Book of Matthew, chapter 22:34-40 in these words: Love God and love your neighbour. The passage reads:
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
In Matthew 5:21-24 Jesus the Messiah taught that God’s laws do not only apply to what we do, but also to what we say and what we think:
21 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ 22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.
23 “So, if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
In Matthew 5:43-45 Jesus the Messiah taught that God expects much more of us than we expect of ourselves:
43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.
A Prayer
In Zabur surah 119 (Psalms 119:1-16)
1 Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord.
2 Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts.
3 They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths.
4 You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully.
5 Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees!
6 Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands.
7 As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should!
8 I will obey your decrees. Please don’t give up on me!
9 How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.
10 I have tried hard to find you— don’t let me wander from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
12 I praise you, O Lord; teach me your decrees.
13 I have recited aloud all the regulations you have given us.
14 I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches.
15 I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways.
16 I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word.
Questions
What two important commandments did Jesus give when He summed up the Ten Commandments?
Love God and love your neighbour. (Matthew 22:34-40)
Jesus the Messiah taught that God’s laws not only apply to what we do, but also to our…
To what we think. (Matthew 5:21-22)
What examples did Jesus give to show that what God expects of us is higher than what we expect of ourselves?
Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)
4. How can a young man keep his life pure according to the prophet who wrote Psalm 119?
By living according to the word of the LORD. (Psalms 119:9)
Episode 4: God Warns Man
The story of the Garden of Eden is found near the beginning of the Tawrat, in the Book Genesis 2, chapter, verse 8-9 and 15-17. God warned Adam and Eve that if they disobey his command, they would die. This death meant that they would be separated from God, which is spiritual death and that as a consequence of this separation from God, their bodies would die:
8 Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. 9 The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
15 The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. 16 But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”
Satan came to Eve as a snake to tempt her. First Eve and then Adam disobeyed God’s command: We read in Genesis 3: 1-13:
1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”
4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.
8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man[a] and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
10 He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”
11 “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?”
12 The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”
13 Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?”
“The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”
In Genesis 3:22-24 we read that God expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden to show that they no longer had any right to have fellowship with Him:
22 Then the Lord God said, “Look, the human beings[a] have become like us, knowing both good and evil. What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it? Then they will live forever!” 23 So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. 24 After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
Disobeying God’s laws and his instructions is serious and the Holy Bible calls this sin. Sin is serious because it dishonours God and demonstrates lack of trust in God and his instructions. Sin is seen in our actions and in our attitudes and thoughts. It affects our character. Anything that is not in accordance with God’s holy and perfect character is sin according to the Holy Scriptures.
All of creation was affected by the sin) of Adam and Eve. Sickness, death and decay became part of the world God had made. Yet, the prophet Ezekiel explains to the people that God holds every man responsible for his own sin. We cannot blame our parents, friends, evil spirits or anyone else for our sins. In Ezekiel 18: 1-4, 30-32 we read:
1 Then another message came to me from the Lord: 2 “Why do you quote this proverb concerning the land of Israel: ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste’? 3 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, you will not quote this proverb anymore in Israel. 4 For all people are mine to judge—both parents and children alike. And this is my rule: The person who sins is the one who will die. 30 “Therefore, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign Lord. Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you! 31 Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel? 32 I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign Lord. Turn back and live!
The Apostle Paul declares that all men have broken the Laws of God. This has affected our character. From the time of Adam all humans are sinful and choose to go our own way rather than God’s way. We are not just weak but we are born with a nature afflicted and wounded by sin and cannot change our afflicted nature by our own efforts. We are under the control of sin. Sin is not just bad things we do, say or think. Being sinful means, we fail to live up to God’s standard of perfection. It means to miss God’s purpose for our lives. It says in Romans 3: 9-20, 23:
9 Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, [a] are under the power of sin. 10 As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. 11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. 12 All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” 13 “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.” “Snake venom drips from their lips.” 14“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” 15 “They rush to commit murder. 16Destruction and misery always follow them. 17 They don’t know where to find peace.” 18“They have no fear of God at all.” 19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. 23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
A Prayer
In the Zabur surah 51 (Psalms 51: 1-9) the Prophet David confesses his sins to God after he committed adultery and begs for forgiveness:
1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.
3 For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.
4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.
5 For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
6 But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there.
7 Purify me from my sins,[c] and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice.
9 Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt.
Questions
God warned Adam and Eve that if they sinned, they would die. What does this death mean?
It meant that they would be separated from God and as a consequent, their bodies would die.
Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent for causing them to disobey God’s command. Who was responsible for their sin?
They were responsible for their own sin. (Ezekiel 18:4 and 30)
Who does God hold responsible for your sin?
You are responsible for your own sin. (Ezekiel 18:4 and 30)
Do all people sin?
Yes, all people sin. (Romans 3:9-12, 23)
What does the word `sin’ means.
5.…It means to disobey God and failure to do what the law of God requires. To miss the purpose for which God has created you/us. Sin can also mean to fail to live up to God’s standard and to dishonour God.
What did the prophet David do when He sinned?
He turned to God and he confessed his sins and asked God’s forgiveness. (Psalms 51: 1-4)
Episode 5: God's Mercy
In the Zabur sura 103 (Psalms 103: 8-14)
the Prophet says that God is like a Father who loves and cares for His children:
8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.
10 He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
12 He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.
13 The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
14 For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.
God is also a righteous God. He is a just Judge who cannot let the guilty go free without punishment. God revealed through the prophets Jeremiah and Habakkuk that sin is serious. It is not an unimportant thing for God so that he can just forget about it: In Jeremiah 5: 7 and 9 we read:
7 “How can I pardon [forgive] you? For even your children have turned from me.
They have sworn by gods that are not gods at all! I fed my people until they were full.
But they thanked me by committing adultery and lining up at the brothels.
8 They are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for his neighbor’s wife.
9 Should I not punish them for this?” says the Lord. “Should I not avenge myself against such a nation?
In Habakkuk 1:13 we read:
But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil. Will you wink at their treachery? Should you be silent while the wicked swallow up people more righteous than they?
Because God loves us, He does not want to punish us as we deserve. He wants to forgive us. This is what God says through the prophet Hosea in Hosea chapter 11 verse 8-9:
8 “Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you like Admah or demolish you like Zeboiim? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows. 9 No, I will not unleash my fierce anger. I will not completely destroy Israel, for I am God and not a mere mortal. I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy.
So, there is a problem! God must punish sin to be just. However, he wants to forgive because of his love. How did God deal with this problem?
In the Tawrat, God revealed to Moses that the priests were to offer sacrifices to purify the people from their sins. These sacrifices showed the people of Israel that to fix the broken relationship between God and mankind - a life must be given and blood shed in payment for the sins of the people. The sacrifices were also channels of God’s grace. The sacrifices were a way by which people could have an experience with God by and through their senses. Through the sacrificial rituals the people could experience the love and grace of God by smell, sight, touch/feeling and even by taste. The sacrifices were also intended to indicate a submission to God - a giving away of yourself, an act of turning towards God. The sacrifices represented the person who offered the sacrifice.
The full meaning of these sacrifices was not revealed until the coming of the Messiah:
In Leviticus 9:7 we read:
7 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Come to the altar and sacrifice your sin offering and your burnt offering to purify yourself and the people. Then present the offerings of the people to purify them, making them right with the Lord, just as He has commanded.”
Every day sacrifices were brought for the sins of the people. But there was one day every year when special sacrifices were offered. This was called the Day of Atonement. We read in Leviticus 16: 5-10, 21-22:
5 “Aaron must take from the community of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 6 “Aaron will present his own bull as a sin offering to purify himself and his family, making them right with the Lord. 7 Then he must take the two male goats and present them to the Lord at the entrance of the Tabernacle. 8 He is to cast sacred lots to determine which goat will be reserved as an offering to the Lord and which will carry the sins of the people to the wilderness of Azazel. 9 Aaron will then present as a sin offering the goat chosen by lot for the Lord. 10 The other goat, the scapegoat chosen by lot to be sent away, will be kept alive, standing before the Lord. When it is sent away to Azazel in the wilderness, the people will be purified and made right with the Lord. 21 He will lay both of his hands on the goat’s head and confess over it all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the people of Israel. In this way, he will transfer the people’s sins to the head of the goat. Then a man specially chosen for the task will drive the goat into the wilderness. 22 As the goat goes into the wilderness, it will carry all the people’s sins upon itself into a desolate land [the desert].
Although these sacrifices were channels through which God helped his people understand the nature and seriousness of sin, these sacrifices could not truly take away the sins of the people. They were to remind the people of God and the seriousness of sin. They were also a pointer to the time when God would provide the real and effective sacrifice that would deal with their sin - the Messiah. In Hebrews 10:1-7 we read:
1 The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. 3 But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. 4 For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 That is why, when Christ[a] came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. 6 You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. 7 Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God— as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”
The Messiah was sacrificed to atone for all the sins of mankind and to restore the whole of creation which was damaged as a result of humankind’s sin and rebellion. To put it in other words: The Messiah, Jesus, also suffered under the sin of mankind out of love for us to restore our relationship with God and to re-align all of creation towards God within His very own Person - to bring God and Man back together within Himself as God and Man. In Hebrews 9:25-28 we read:
25 And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. 26 If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice. 27 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, 28 so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.
Ephesians 1:7-10 also states:
7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. 9 God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.
For Christians the Sacrifice of the Messiah is also a fulfilment of the Old Testament story in Genesis 22 where Isaac, the son of Abraham is bound as a sacrifice to God, but then, at the very moment that Abraham was ready to kill Isaac, God stopped him.
1 Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”
2 “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”
3 The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.”
6 So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together, 7 Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”
8 “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.
9 When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. 11 At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!”
12 “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”
13 Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
15 Then the angel of the Lord called again to Abraham from heaven. 16 “This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that 17 I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. 18 And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.”
19 Then they returned to the servants and travelled back to Beersheba, where Abraham continued to live.
Abraham was willing to give everything to God – even his own son. By being willing to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham proofed to God His faith, therefore God stopped Abraham from killing Isaac, and in Isaac’s place, God Himself provided a ram to be sacrificed in the place of Isaac. Even though the original story in Genesis tells us how Abraham’s faith was tested, early followers of Jesus interpreted this story against the Sacrifice of Jesus – as the Lamb of God who was sacrificed in the place of sinners. But also, Abraham himself, can be viewed as a prefigure [an early indication, suggestion] of God the Father sacrificing his son for a broken world.
A Prayer
In the Zabur sura 32 (Psalm 32:1-7) the prophet David expresses his joy because he knows that his sins have been forgiven:
1 Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
3 When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long.
4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude
5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude
6 Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.
7 For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.
***NOTE TO PRODUCTION/RECORDING TEAMS: Some translations have the word Sela at the end of every passage in the Psalm. It is a musical and poetic stress or emphasis mark. When recording, the idea is that the sentence before the Sela is repeated and then there is a moment of silence. You may choose to do that, or leave it out, like in this translation.
Questions
Why did the prophet David say that God is like a Father to us?
He loves us and cares for us. (Psalm 103:8-13). And we are His creatures.
All of us have sinned. Do we deserve to be punished by God?
Yes.
Does God want to punish us, of does he want to forgive us?
He wants to forgive us. (Hosea 11:8-9; Psalm 103:10) What does this forgives entail? He wants to bring us ack into fullness of life.
How did Aaron atone for the sins of the people according to Leviticus 9:7?
Aaron was to offer sacrifices to purify the people of their sins. (Leviticus 9:7)
What important sacrifices were brought on the Day of Atonement?
Aaron had to take two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. (Leviticus 16:5)
This was to show us God’s scapegoat who would take away the sins of the world. Who was he?
The Messiah. (Hebrews 9:26)
Episode 6: God's Prophets
God reveals Himself to man through His word. The prophet Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 55:10-11 speaks of how God acts in the world through His Word:
10“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth.
They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.
11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
In the Tawrat, in the Book of Leviticus, chapter 26, verses 1 and 11-13, God commanded Moses to make a “Tent of Meeting”, called a Tabernacle, for worship, so that the people could know that God was with them. God rules over everything, but He also wants to be near to His people. This is the law that He gave to Moses:
1 “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. 11 I will live among you, and I will not despise you. 12 I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people. 13 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk with your heads held high.”
The LORD said to Moses in Exodus 29:44-46:
44 Yes, I will consecrate the Tabernacle and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. 45 Then I will live among the people of Israel and be their God, 46 and they will know that I am the Lord their God. I am the one who brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the Lord their God.”
The tabernacle - as well as the later temple built by Solomon - represented the “Presence” of the Lord (God) – the “Shekinah Jaweh”. (In Judaism, the Shenikah bears the meaning of “God's manifested glory” or “God's presence.”)
God revealed through the prophet Ezekiel, in Ezekiel chapter 37 verse 26-27 that one day He would come to live among His people in a new way:
26 And I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give them their land and increase their numbers,[a] and I will put my Temple among them forever. 27 I will make my home among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
God said through the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 40:3-5 that he would reveal His glory to all the nations:
3Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord!
Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. 5 Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!”
Similarly, God said to the prophet Malachi in Malachi chapter 3 verse 1 that He would suddenly come to His Temple. But before this happens, He will send a `messenger’ to prepare the way by showing the way of salvation to the people:
1“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
When John the Baptist, the prophet Yahya, was born, we read in Luke 1: 67-70, 76-78 that his father, who was a priest and prophet of God, prophesied this over him:
67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: 68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. 69 He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, 70 just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. 77 You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. 78 Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us.”
In the first chapter of the Good News according to the Apostle John, the Messiah Jesus, is described as the Eternal Word which had become flesh - the living embodiment of the Word of God* [(expression of the Word of God in a visible body/form)] (see note below). In fact, the Apostle John calls the Messiah, Jesus, the Logos (Greek for ‘word’), indicating that the Messiah Jesus is the ‘Blueprint’ or ‘Intellect’, the mind and wisdom of God. It was through the Messiah that all things were created. We read in (John 1:1-4; 14).
1In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2He existed in the beginning with God.
3God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
4The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
14So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
*Important note: (Embodiment of the Word of God means that God became Man with a physical human body. It also means that the Messiah, Jesus is an icon of God. Icon then means that Jesus is a living, breathing picture of God. It can also means “imprint”. This is a very important concept and translating teams should make sure that it is translated correctly into a target language. Consult with translation consultants or assistants on this issue.)
John the Baptist is the `messenger’ sent by God to `prepare the way for the Lord’ before the Lord will suddenly `come to his temple’. We read in Luke 3:2-4:
2 Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. At this time a message from God came to John, son of Zechariah, who was living in the wilderness. 3 Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. 4 Isaiah had spoken of John when he said,
“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!”
Prayers:
In the Zabur sura 96 (Psalm 96: 10-13) the Prophet is full of joy because God is going to come to rule the world with justice:
10 Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.
He will judge all peoples fairly. 11 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!
Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! 12 Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!
Let the trees of the forest sing for joy 13 before the Lord, for he is coming!
He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.
The Prophet Isaiah confesses the sins of the people. He asks God in Isaiah 64: 1-9 to reveal Himself to men in a powerful way as He has done in the past:
1[a]Oh, that you would burst from the heavens and come down! How the mountains would quake in your presence!
2 [b]As fire causes wood to burn and water to boil, your coming would make the nations tremble. Then your enemies would learn the reason for your fame!
3 When you came down long ago, you did awesome deeds beyond our highest expectations. And oh, how the mountains quaked! 4 For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him! 5 You welcome those who gladly do good, who follow godly ways. But you have been very angry with us, for we are not godly. We are constant sinners; how can people like us be saved? 6 We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind. 7 Yet no one calls on your name or pleads with you for mercy. Therefore, you have turned away from us and turned us over[c] to our sins. And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand. Don’t be so angry with us, Lord. Please don’t remember our sins forever. Look at us, we pray, and see that we are all your people.
Questions
In what way did God make Himself known among His people in Old Testament times?
Through the Law, the sacrifices; the tabernacle/temple and by His word which frequently came through the prophets
Why did God command Moses to make a Tabernacle?
So that His people could worship Him in the Tabernacle and so that they could know that God was with them. (Leviticus 26:11-13a and Exodus 29:45-46). It also was to represent his presence in a way that people could experience (more than just observable) way.
What did God reveal through the prophet Ezekiel?
He would one day come to live among His people in a new way. (Ezekiel 37:27)
God revealed through the prophet Malachi that the Lord (God himself) would suddenly come to His Temple. Before this happens, He would send His `messenger’ to prepare the way. Who was this?
John the Baptist. (Luke 3:2b-4)
According to the prophet Micah, where will the descendant of David, who will be king, be born?
Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2)
Episode 7:Jesus the Messiah
In the Injil, in Luke 1: 26-35, 38 we read that
God sent an angel to Mary to announce to her that a holy child will be born out of her through the power of the Holy Spirit:
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings,[a] favored woman! The Lord is with you![b]”
29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel[c] forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
We find the story of the birth of Jesus the Messiah in Luke 2:1, 3-20. Let me read it:
1 At that time, the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.
6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
When Jesus the Messiah was 30 years old, He started His public ministry. These were some of the miracles He performed to show God’s love and care for all people:
* He raised the dead. We read in John 11:1-45:
1A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. 2 This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair.[a] Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. 3 So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.”
4 But when Jesus heard about it, he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” 5 So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, 6 he stayed where he was for the next two days. 7 Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”
8 But his disciples objected. “Rabbi,” they said, “only a few days ago the people[b] in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?”
9 Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. 10 But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light.” 11 Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.”
12 The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!” 13 They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.
14 So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.”
16 Thomas, nicknamed the Twin,[c] said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.”
17 When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. 18 Bethany was only a few miles[d] down the road from Jerusalem, 19 and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. 20 When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.”
23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.”
25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life.[e] Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” 28 Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.” 29 So Mary immediately went to him.
30 Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. 31 When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus’s grave to weep. So they followed her there. 32 When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him,[f] and he was deeply troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” he asked them.
They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Then Jesus wept. 36 The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!” 37 But some said, “This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?”
38 Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. 39 “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them.
But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.”
40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
The Plot to Kill Jesus
45 Many of the people who were with Mary, believed in Jesus when they saw this happen.
* He drove out evil spirits. We read in Luke 4:31-36:
31 Then Jesus went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught there in the synagogue every Sabbath day. 32 There, too, the people were amazed at his teaching, for he spoke with authority.
33 Once when he was in the synagogue, a man possessed by a demon—an evil[a] spirit—cried out, shouting, 34 “Go away! Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
35 But Jesus reprimanded him. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered. At that, the demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched; then it came out of him without hurting him further.
36 Amazed, the people exclaimed [All the people were amazed and said to each other], “What authority and power this man’s words possess! Even evil spirits obey him, and they flee at his command!”
* He calmed the storm in Luke 8:22-25:
22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross [go over] to the other side of the lake.” So, they got into a boat and started out. 23 As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.
24 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. 25 Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?”
The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!”
Jesus was given the title “The Messiah.” `Messiah’ means `Anointed One.’ In the old days they poured oil on a person’s head to anoint him as a prophet, a priest or a king. Jesus was called “The Messiah” because He was chosen to be the most important Prophet, Priest and King of all.
When John the Baptist was put in prison, he began to have doubts if Jesus was the Messiah, so he sent his followers to ask Jesus if He really was the promised Messiah. We read in Luke 7:18-23:
18 The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing. So John called for two of his disciples, 19 and he sent them to the Lord to ask him, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting,[a] or should we keep looking for someone else?”
20 John’s two disciples found Jesus and said to him, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?’”
21 At that very time, Jesus cured many people of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. 22 Then he told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” 23 And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.[b]”
A Prayer
In Luke 1:46-55 Mary prayed this prayer to God when it was revealed to her that she was going to give birth to Jesus the Messiah:
46 Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. 47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.
50 He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.
51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
52 He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54 He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful.
55 For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.”
Questions
Was Mary married when the angel told her she would have a baby?
No. (Luke 1: 26-27)
Has Mary ever slept with any man, even Joseph, before the birth of Jesus?
No, never. (Luke 1: 26-27, 34)
How is it then possible that she could conceive a child?
Through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1: 35) (Note: The Holy Spirit does not refer to the angel Gabriel but to God himself – specifically the Third Person of the Holy Trinity.
What was the name the angel Gabriel said the child should be called?
“Jesus.” (Luke 1: 31)
What good news was brought to the shepherds by the angel Gabriel?
That on that day in the town of David (Bethlehem) a Saviour has been born to them; he is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2: 11)
Why was Jesus called “The Messiah.”
Jesus was called “The Messiah” because He was chosen to be the most important Prophet, Priest and King of all.
Episode 8: The Message of the Injil through Jesus
Jesus the Messiah said that he proclaimed the “good message” from God. `Injil’ means `good message’. or ‘Good News’ The Good Message Jesus preached was that through Him God was going to establish His Kingdom on earth. We read in Mark 1:14-15:
14 Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News.[a] 15 “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!”
When Jesus the Messiah started to preach, he read these words from the prophet Isaiah to describe the work He has been called to do. We read in Luke 4:16-19:
16 When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:
18 “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, 19and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.
One of the most surprising things in the teaching of Jesus the Messiah was that He claimed to be able to forgive sins. We read in Luke 5: 17-26:
17 One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law were sitting nearby. (It seemed that these men showed up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord’s healing power was strongly with Jesus.
18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, 19 but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 20 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.”
21 But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, “Who does he think he is? That’s blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”
22 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? 23 Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 24 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man[a] has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
25 And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!”
The message of the Injil is summed up in a very important parable of Jesus the Messiah. We find it in Luke 15: 11-32.
This is the Parable of the Loving Father (Sometimes called the Parable of the Lost Son). This parable explains the love and compassion of God, who wants all people to return to Him to be welcomed as his children.
The parable shows how someone can reject God (the father) and go their own way. However, that way leads to unhappiness and trouble. If a person repents, God welcomes them back. It also shows the danger of just doing the right thing like a servant without a good relationship with God.
11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’
20 “So, he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.[a]’
22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’
28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’
31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”
The story has no ending – every person who serves God only as a servant must decide whether or not he will accept God’s invitation to become a son.
A Prayer
In the Injil, in Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus the Messiah taught his disciples to pray to God as sons speaking to a loving Father. This prayer is known as the “Lord’s Prayer”:
9Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,
12 and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.
Questions
Good Message and Injil means the same. What is God’s good message for all people?
That through Jesus God was going to establish His Kingdom. (Mark 1:15)
Who is the only person who can forgive sin?
Only God. (Luke 5:21)
What sign did Jesus perform to show that He is able to forgive sin?
He healed a paralysed man. (Luke 5:23-24)
Why could Jesus forgive sin?
Because Jesus, the Son of Man, had the same authority as God. (Luke 5:24)
What does the parable of the loving Father teach us?
This parable explains that God loves us and has compassion for us like a very good father. He wants all people to return to Him so that He can welcome them as children. (Luke 15:11-32)
Is it possible to know God as you would know a loving father?
Yes.
Episode 9:God's Love through Jesus
We read in John 5: 2-18:
The Jewish leaders wanted to kill Jesus the Messiah, because He spoke of God in such a way that He put Himself equal to God. This happened after Jesus the Messiah had healed a man on the Jewish Holy Day called the Sabbath
2 Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda,[a] with five covered porches. 3 Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches.[b] 5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”
7 “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”
8 Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”
9 Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, 10 so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!”
11 But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”
12 “Who said such a thing as that?” they demanded.
13 The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. 14 But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” 15 Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.
Jesus Claims to Be the Son of God
16 So the Jewish leaders began harassing[c] Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules. 17 But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” 18 So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.
Jesus the Messiah knew that the Jews were planning to arrest Him. So, He prayed that God would save Him from suffering and death. But if it was God’s will, He was willing to suffer and die. We read in Matthew 26: 39-54:
39He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
40Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 41Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”
42Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open.
44So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again.
When Jesus was arrested, He rebuked Peter for trying to defend Him, explaining that if He wanted to, He could ask God to send angels to rescue Him:
50 Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.”
Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 51 But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.
52 “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. 53 Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands[a] of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? 54 But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?”
In Luke chapter 22: 66 – chapter 23: 2 we read:
When Jesus was tried by the Sanhedrin, the Supreme Jewish Court, the High Priest accused Him of blasphemy:
66 At daybreak all the elders of the people assembled, including the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. Jesus was led before this high council,[a] 67 and they said, “Tell us, are you the Messiah?”
But he replied, “If I tell you, you won’t believe me. 68 And if I ask you a question, you won’t answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man will be seated in the place of power at God’s right hand.[b]”
70 They all shouted, “So, are you claiming to be the Son of God?”
And he replied, “You say that I am.”
71 “Why do we need other witnesses?” they said. “We ourselves heard him say it.”
23 Then the entire council took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor. 2 They began to state their case: “This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king.”
The Jewish Council did not have the Authority to sentence Jesus to death, so they persuaded Pilate, the Roman ruler, to give permission for Jesus to be crucified. In Luke 23: 20-26 we read:
20 Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
22 For the third time he demanded, “Why? What crime has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death. So, I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.”
23 But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded. 25 As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and murder. But he turned Jesus over to them to do as they wished.
26 As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene,[a] happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
In Luke 23: 32-43 it is described how Jesus was nailed to the cross:
32 Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. 33 When they came to a place called The Skull,[a] they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left.
34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”[b] And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.[c]
35 The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. 37 They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 A sign was fastened above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”
40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
We read in Luke 23: 44-49 that Jesus gave his life on the cross:
44 By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 45 The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. 46 Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!”[a] And with those words he breathed his last.
47 When the Roman officer[b] overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent.[c]” 48 And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow.[d] 49 But Jesus’ friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching.
Many years earlier the prophet Isaiah spoke of someone whom God calls “my Servant.” We find it in Isaiah 53: 4-6.
Isaiah prophesied that this “Servant of the Lord” will bear the sins of men through His own death. When Jesus was baptised, God revealed that He was the “Servant of the Lord.”
4Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows[a] that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.
A Prayer
Zabur Surah 22 (Psalm 22) is a poem that describes the agony and suffering of the prophet who wrote it. The writer feels that God has abandoned him in his time of suffering, yet also expresses his hope in God.
Jesus the Messiah quoted from this Psalm as he hung on the cross. Jesus was carrying on himself the sin of the world. He endured on humanity’s behalf God’s punishment for sin. This Psalm reveals the depths of his pain and feelings of abandonment. At the same time, it affirms his trust in God the rescuer. Jesus fulfils the prophecy of this Psalm both in his suffering and in his victory over death.
Sometimes we too can feel overwhelmed and abandoned by God but we too can look to God as our rescuer.
1My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Why are you so far away when I groan for help?
2 Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.
Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.
3 Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 Our ancestors trusted in you,
and you rescued them.
5 They cried out to you and were saved.
They trusted in you and were never disgraced.
6 But I am a worm and not a man.
I am scorned and despised by all!
7 Everyone who sees me mocks me.
They sneer and shake their heads, saying,
8 “Is this the one who relies on the Lord?
Then let the Lord save him!
If the Lord loves him so much,
let the Lord rescue him!”
9 Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb
and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast.
10 I was thrust into your arms at my birth.
You have been my God from the moment I was born.
11 Do not stay so far from me,
for trouble is near,
and no one else can help me.
12 My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls;
fierce bulls of Bashan have hemmed me in!
13 Like lions they open their jaws against me,
roaring and tearing into their prey.
14 My life is poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like wax,
melting within me.
15 My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay.
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead.
16 My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs;
an evil gang closes in on me.
They have pierced[a] my hands and feet.
17 I can count all my bones.
My enemies stare at me and gloat.
18 They divide my garments among themselves
and throw dice[b] for my clothing.
19 O Lord, do not stay far away!
You are my strength; come quickly to my aid!
20 Save me from the sword;
spare my precious life from these dogs.
21 Snatch me from the lion’s jaws
and from the horns of these wild oxen.
22 I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.[c]
I will praise you among your assembled people.
23 Praise the Lord, all you who fear him!
Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob!
Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy.
He has not turned his back on them,
but has listened to their cries for help.
25 I will praise you in the great assembly.
I will fulfil my vows in the presence of those who worship you.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied.
All who seek the Lord will praise him.
Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy.
27 The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him.
All the families of the nations will bow down before him.
28 For royal power belongs to the Lord.
He rules all the nations.
29 Let the rich of the earth feast and worship.
Bow before him, all who are mortal,
all whose lives will end as dust.
30 Our children will also serve him.
Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord.
31 His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born.
They will hear about everything he has done.
Questions
Why did the Jewish leaders want to kill Jesus?
The Jewish leaders wanted to kill Jesus the Messiah because He healed a man on the Sabbath day and because, He spoke of God in such a way that He put Himself equal to God. (John 5:18) (There were other reasons also.)
Was it God’s will that Jesus should suffer and die?
Yes. (Luke 22:42-44)
Did Jesus need the disciples to defend Him?
No.
Why not? __________________________________________________
Because if He wanted to, He could ask God to send more than twelve legions of angels to rescue Him. (Matthew 26:53)
What did Jesus answer when He was asked if He was the Son of God?
“You are right in saying I am.” (Luke 22:70)
What did the High Priest accuse Jesus of?
That Jesus was subverting their nation, that He opposed payment of taxes to Caesar and that He claimed to be the Christ, a king. (Luke 23:2)
What prophet prophesied many years earlier that the Messiah, who is the “Servant of the Lord,” would suffer for our sins?
The prophet Isaiah. (Isaiah 53: 4-6)
Why did God abandon Jesus when he was on the cross?
On the cross Jesus was abandoned by God as punishment for our sins, so that His followers will never be abandoned by God.
Episode 10: Victory over Death
In Luke 23:5—56 we read how the body of Jesus was taken down from the cross and placed in a cave tomb:
50Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. 52He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. 54This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation, as the Sabbath was about to begin.
55As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where his body was placed. 56Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body. But by the time they were finished the Sabbath had begun, so they rested as required by the law.
On the third day the Disciples discovered that the body of Jesus was not in the tomb any more. An angel appeared to them and explained that He had been raised form the dead. We read in Luke 24:1-12:
1But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 3So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.
5The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”
8Then they remembered that he had said this. 9So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. 11But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. 12However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.
After His resurrection Jesus appeared to two of His Disciples and explained to them from the Scriptures why it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer before being raised by God. We read in Luke 24:13-35:
13That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. 14As they walked along, they were talking about everything that had happened. 15As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16But God kept them from recognizing him.
17He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”
They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”
19“What things?” Jesus asked.
“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. 20But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.
22“Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”
25Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” 27Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
28By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, 29but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. 30As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. 31Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!
32They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” 33And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, 34who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.”
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
35Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread.
After His resurrection Jesus appeared to all the Disciples, and told them to preach the message of forgiveness of sins to all nations. We read about this in Luke 24: 36-47:
36And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 37But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!
38“Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? 39Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” 40As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.
41Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he ate it as they watched.
44Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47It 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.’
The writer of the letter to the Hebrews explains: that because Jesus was willing to die on the cross, He has broken the power of death and the Devil, Satan. Jesus is willing and able to help us in all our temptations and suffering. He showed that to us by taking our suffering on Himself on the cross. Although He is God, Jesus identified Himself with us, because of His love for God the Father and mankind. Because of his love for us, Jesus died in our place and took the punishment for our sin. We read about this in Hebrews 2:14-18:
13He also said, “I will put my trust in him,” that is, “I and the children God has given me.”
14Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.
16We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. 17Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. 18Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested [tempted].
A Prayer
In the Zabur, sura 16 (Psalms 16: 1-11)
the Prophet puts his trust in God, because he knows that God will protect him from the power of death. He is also glad that he will be with God forever:
1Keep me safe, O God,
for I have come to you for refuge.
2I said to the LORD, “You are my Master!
Every good thing I have comes from you.”
3The godly people in the land
are my true heroes!
I take pleasure in them!
4Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods.
I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood
or even speak the names of their gods.
5LORD, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.
You guard all that is mine.
6The land you have given me is a pleasant land.
What a wonderful inheritance!
7I will bless the LORD who guides me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8I know the LORD is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
9No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
My body rests in safety.
10For you will not leave my soul among the dead
or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.
11You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever.
Questions
What did the women discover when they went to Jesus’ grave early on Sunday morning?
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. (Luke 24:2-3)
What did the angels tell the women?
“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” (Luke 24:5-6)
Where were the two disciples going when Jesus met them on the way?
To Emmaus. (Luke 24:13)
What did Jesus the Messiah say must happen to Himself according to the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms?
Everything had to be fulfilled that was written about him in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms and the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day. (Luke 24:44 & 47)
What message must be proclaimed to all the nations, starting in Jerusalem?
Repentance and forgiveness of sins. (Luke 24:47)
What power has Jesus broken by dying on the cross?
The power of death and the Devil. (Hebrews 2:14-15)
Episode 11: God's Spirit to his Disciples
In John 14: 15-17, 26; 16: 7-11, 13-14 we read:
While Jesus was still on earth, He told His disciples that after his return to heaven, He will send them another Counsellor or helper, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of God. The Counsellor will comfort and guide them:
15“If you love me, obey my commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
26But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
167But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.
12“There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.
In Acts 1: 2b-5, 8-9 we read:
After the resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah, before He was taken to heaven, he told His disciples that God would soon send His Spirit to live in them:
2[Before] the day he was taken up to heaven [he gave] his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.
4Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
The Ascension of Jesus
6So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”
7He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him.
After He was taken up to heaven, the angels told His disciples that He would on day return to the earth - Acts 1:10-11:
10As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
Acts 2:1-4 reads: After about 40 days, the Holy Spirit came on the Disciples:
1On the day of Pentecost, all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
In Acts 2: 22-39 we read:
When the Spirit of God was given to the Disciples, the apostle Peter explained what had happened to Jesus the Messiah:
22“People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. 24But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip. 25King David said this about him:
‘I see that the LORD is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
26No wonder my heart is glad,
and my tongue shouts his praises!
My body rests in hope.
27For you will not leave my soul among the dead
or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.
28You have shown me the way of life,
and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’
29“Dear brothers, think about this! You can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. 30But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne. 31David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave.
32“God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. 33Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. 34For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said,
‘The LORD said to my Lord,
“Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
35until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under your feet.”’
36“So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”
37Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.”
So, we see that the Holy Spirit, the comforter is not the angel Gabriel and neither is it another prophet. The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit. He is God himself who comes and lives in those who believe in Jesus.
The apostle Paul explains that when we receive forgiveness of our sins through the death of Jesus and His resurrection, we also receive the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God makes it possible for us to obey His laws by recreating us anew as sons and daughters of God (John 3:3-8):
3Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
4“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
5Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
Romans 8:1-17 confirms this:
1So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. 3The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
5Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
9But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) 10And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. 11The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
12Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. 14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
15So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
A Prayer
In the Zabur, sura 51, the prophet David confesses his sins to God. In Episode 4 we have studied the first verses of this sura.
In the second half he asks God to receive him back into His presence:
10Create in me a clean [pure] heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
13Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you.
14Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
15Unseal my lips, O Lord,
that my mouth may praise you.
16You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.
17The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
Questions
Who is the Counsellor that Jesus mentions in John 14 and 16 that will come?
The Holy Spirit. (John 14:26)
What, did Jesus say in Acts 1, will happen to His followers when the Holy Spirit comes over them?
They would receive power to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
How do we know that Jesus will return to this world one day?
The angels told them. (Acts 1:10-11)
What happened to the Apostles on the Day of Pentecost?
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:1-4)
The closing words of Peter on the Day of Pentecost were very strong words. He said that God has made Jesus …
Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36)
What must we do to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit?
We must repent and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. (Acts 2:38)
According to the Apostle Paul there are no condemnation for certain people. What people?
Those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)
What pleases God more than the sacrifices in the Old Testament? God does not need sacrifices, what does He prefer?
The sacrifices that please God are a broken spirit and contrite heart. (Psalms 51:17)
Episode 12: The Last Words
Thank you that you have gone through this study of selected passages from the Tawrat, Zabur [Psalms] and Injil [New Testament]. As was explained at the beginning, these Scriptures have been put together in one Holy Book. This Book is often called AL-Kitab or the Bible. We hope that you have been encouraged by the message of this study.
Although the Bible is a book, it is actually a collection of Books and letters. The word ‘Bible’ literally means: ‘library.’ The Bible consists of many different books, written by more than 40 writers, over a period of more than 3500 years. Different groups of Christian believers may have a different amount of these Books in their editions and translations of the Bible. Some have all 73 Books of the Bible, while other Christian groups have 66 of these Books in their editions. Many translations don’t include all of these yet. Although the authors lived hundreds of years apart, and did not know each other, yet the message is the same. All the books in the Bible support one another to give us this message: Firstly, that because of sin, mankind’s relationship with God is broken. And secondly, that because of His love, God wants to give man a second chance through Jesus the Messiah.
Perhaps you have wondered how you can become a follower of Jesus. Not everyone who has read the Bible or listened to teachings from the Bible, is a follower of Jesus. Some people think that following Jesus is only for Westerners, but the Bible itself says in Revelation 7:9 that there will be people from every nation tribe and tongue who follow and worship him), so you too can become a follower of Jesus.
You may consider becoming a follower of Christ because:
You realise your dependence on the Triune God. You acknowledge that you also have sinned against Him by doing what is right in your own eyes. This is what the prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah 53:6:
“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.”
You may also choose to listen again to Episode 4 of this program.
You confess your sins by mentioning these to God in prayer. This is what the prophet David prayed after he sinned. We find this prayer in the Zabur sura 51. (Psalm 51:3-5):
“3For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
4Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.
5For I was born a sinner—
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.”
You acknowledge that Jesus was indeed who he claimed to be at His trail: the Messiah, who is also the Son of God. You acknowledge that Jesus is God in the flesh. Listen to this conversation between Jesus and Martha, one of His first followers in John 11:25-27:
25Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”
27“Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.”
You may want to listen to Episode 7 of this program series again. Let’s also consider John 20:31:
31But these are written so that you may continue to believed that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.
You invite Jesus the Messiah to come into your life. He promised that he will do so. In Revelation 3:20 we read that He Himself said:
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”
We can invite Him into our life by prayer. Here is an example of a prayer you can pray.
“Lord God, I thank you that You spoke to me through Your Word that I read. I confess that I have sinned against You by my deeds and my thoughts. Please forgive me. Thank you that Jesus died for my sins on the cross. I ask Jesus to come into my life, and receive Him as my Lord and Saviour. I will obey all His teachings as we find it in Your Holy Book, the Bible. Guide my life in the right way. Make me as you want me to be. Amen.”
Is this the prayer of your heart? God is not concerned whether you use the right words. He sees your heart. This again is the prayer that David prayed in Psalm 51:
“1Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.
2Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
3For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
4Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
7Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me—
now let me rejoice.
9Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
10Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.”
If you pray this prayer, and really mean it, the Holy Spirit will come into your life.
Pray right now.
If you have asked Jesus to come into your life, and you have been serious about it, several things have happened. This will mean that you will have to do some things:
What happened:
You decided to become of follower of Jesus and did the following steps:
You realised you are a sinner, living in rebellion against God and deserving of God’s punishment
You recognised that you cannot save yourself.
You acknowledged that you are completely dependent on God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (You may not understand this but that will come later.)
You asked God to forgive you for your sin and rebellion. You do not need special words just a sincere heart.
You surrendered the control of your life to God and invite God to live in you by his Holy Spirit.
You now seek to honour God in every aspect of your life with the help of the Holy Spirit.
If you understood and followed these steps because of an honest conviction in your heart, you became a follower of Jesus, which is also called a believer.
All your sins of the past have been forgiven by God. “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (1 John 1:9)
The Holy Spirit came to live inside you. “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)
God adopted you as His child. “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
You became a member of the household of God. “... we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.” (Hebrews 3:6b)
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People who become followers of Jesus receive many wonderful gifts from God. Some of these gifts are:
Forgiveness of their sin.
The gift of eternal life (life forever with God after this life).
The gift of the Holy Spirit who lives in them and helps them through life.
The fear of death is taken away.
There is new joy and peace even in difficult times.
What do followers of Jesus do and what should you do now?
Followers of Jesus study the words of Jesus every day and follow His teachings. Jesus said, “If you love me, obey my commandments.” (John 14: 15)
Demonstrate your decision before trusted followers of Jesus by a ritual washing of the whole body, called baptism. This is what Peter told those who came to faith: “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38a) The Christian baptism is a proclamation and demonstration that you have turned from your old way of life to a new life in Jesus Christ. It shows that you accept Christ’s death, burial and resurrection.
Do not grief the Holy Spirit by continuing to sin. If the Spirit makes you aware of any sin, confess it and stop doing it. It says in Ephesians 4:30: “And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.”
1 Thessalonians 5:17 instructs us to pray constantly. You may talk to God in prayer regularly, in the same way a child will talk to his father. Be encouraged by what Romans 8:15 teaches: “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption. And by him we cry, `Abba, Father.’”
Meet regularly with other followers of Jesus, to study the Bible and pray with them, just as Hebrews 10:25 advises: “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
May the Lord our God bless you and be with you on your new walk together with Him.
Salaam Alaikum! (Peace be with you!)