Link to Lesson on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Q140cUF_Ttk
Tonight is a look at a story from 4 Maccabees, and what this teaches us about peace in the storm, and the peace we receive from God - especially during times of duress.
#Bible, #Creation, #OurCreation, #GodsPlan, #Disciples, #GodsCharacter, #GodsNature, #ChristianDevelopment, #HCJC, #HCJCministries
Kick off Video:
Bible Project: What is the Bible? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak06MSETeo4
Link to Lesson on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Q140cUF_Ttk
Our path to Re-Creation - Day 7
God Preparing Us
In this study we are applying metonymy to Genesis chapter 1, so what does this mean for us?
We received Jesus so His Light or Truth in us. He is teaching us.
We acknowledge God, and learn to humble ourselves. He is our Heavenly Father.
God begins removing things in us that we put there, and growing things He wants there.
Our Father begins teaching us greater and deeper lessons, represented by the Sun / Son, and moon - the great lights of the heavens - or Great Lights of the Heavens.
These teach us the Nature of God by revealing it through Jesus. And how to reflect His Light to this world.
Through His teaching we begin to develop thoughts that flow from His Truth The re-creation is centered on our Heart. Biblically, our heart is where our thoughts, desires, will, emotion, reside As we’ve seen, this is also a description of our soul
On Day 6, we begin to act in accordance with His Love and Teaching
On Day 7 we learn to rest in His Peace in the middle of the storm.
Day 7, we learn to live in peace with God
Living in Peace with God comes from Salvation
Living in Peace from God comes to us under duress
Living with the Peace of God comes through divine intervention
Genesis 2 Common English Bible (CEB)
2 The heavens and the earth and all who live in them were completed. 2 On the sixth day God completed all the work that he had done, and on the seventh day God rested from all the work that he had done. 3 God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all the work of creation. 4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
Tonight’s Bible Story
In this story from 4 Maccabees:
Antiochus was a king who took over Israel and brought tyranny to Jerusalem.
His soldiers torture people who won't comply with his rule to eat pork.
Seven brothers are compelled to eat pork.
Their mother watches as this unfolds.
4 Maccabees 9 Common English Bible (CEB)
1 “What are you waiting for, tyrant? We are ready to die rather than sin against the commandments handed down by our ancestors!
4 We consider your pity, which offers safety at the cost of breaking our Law, to be more bitter than death.
The First Brother:
12 The soldiers beat him with whips until they were completely tired out, without accomplishing anything. So they tied him to the wheel. 13 They stretched the honorable young man around this instrument until all his limbs were pulled out of joint. 14 Although every part of his body was broken, he spoke out against the tyrant, saying, 15 “You bloodstained tyrant, you are an enemy of divine justice, and you have the mind of a savage! You don’t abuse me like this because I have murdered someone or acted in a way that wasn’t godly but because I protect God’s Law!”
The Guards:
16 The guards said, “Say that you will eat pork so that you can be set free from these tortures!”
First Brother's Reply:
17 But he replied, “You dirty thugs! The wheel is not stretched tight enough to choke off my mind! Keep cutting my limbs, burning my flesh, and twisting my joints. 18 Through all of this suffering, I will persuade you that the Israelites alone can’t be defeated when it comes to moral character!”
First Brother's Torture:
9 While he was still saying these words, they spread fiery coals below him. They fanned the flames and tightened the wheel even more. 20 By this point, the wheel was covered in blood, the burning coals were being put out by the gory drippings, and chunks of flesh were falling off parts of the machine. 21 Even with all the ligaments of his bones severed, the dignified son of Abraham didn’t cry out loud. 22 Instead, he endured the torture with honor, as if he were transformed by the fire into a life without end.
First Brother's Last Words:
He said, 23 “Imitate me, brothers. Don’t desert your post in this contest or deny the courage we share as brothers! 24 Fight the holy and dignified battle for our godly way of life. The just providence that watched over our ancestors might become merciful toward our nation and might punish this cursed tyrant through that battle!” 25 After he had said these words, the devout youth died.
4 Maccabees 12 Common English Bible (CEB)
The Seventh Brother - who was still a boy:
2 When he [the Tyrant Antiochus] saw that the boy was already in chains, the tyrant felt pity for him, despite the verbal abuse he had endured from the boy’s brothers. He called the boy closer and tried to encourage him, saying, 3 “You see the result of your brothers’ lack of sense. They died in terrible pain because they disobeyed. 4 If you don’t obey me, you too will experience horrible torture and die long before your time. 5 But if you listen to me, you will be my friend, and you will be put in charge over the affairs of the kingdom.” 6 After giving his advice, Antiochus sent for the boy’s mother to take pity on her after she had lost so many sons and so she could persuade her remaining son to obey and save himself.
Mother's Encouragement:
7 After his mother encouraged him in Hebrew (as we will discuss later), 8 he said, “Let me go. I want to speak to the king and all his friends.” 9 They were very happy with the boy’s announcement, so they quickly let him go.
The Seventh Brother's Last Stand:
10 He ran to the nearest container of burning coal 11 and said, “You unholy tyrant! Of all evil people, you are the farthest from God! You received your kingdom and all good things from God. So why have you felt no shame for murdering God’s servants and torturing the champions of the godly way of life? 12 For these actions, justice is waiting for you with a stronger and everlasting fire and torture, from which you will never, ever be released! 13 As a human being weren’t you ashamed? You are a wild animal! You cut out the tongues and abuse and torture people who have feelings just like you and who are made of the same flesh and blood as you. 14 By dying honorably, they fulfilled their religious duty to God. You, however, will howl bitterly for killing without reason these champions of the godly way of life.” 15 Then, since he also was about to die, he said, 16 “I’m not going to desert the good example of my brothers. 17 I call on the God of our ancestors to show mercy to our nation. 18 On you, however, he will take revenge both now while you are alive and after you are dead.” 19 After praying against the tyrant, he threw himself into the container of burning coal and so gave back his life.
Lesson of Clear Thinking - Peace In The Storm
4 Maccabees 13 Common English Bible (CEB)
The Towers and a Harbor:
6 The towers at the entrance of harbors hold back the crashing waves and make a calm place for sailors entering the harbor. 7 In the same way, these youths’ ability to reason correctly was seven towers beating back the storm of the emotions and defending the harbor of their godly way of life. 8 Standing together like a holy chorus of the godly way of life, they encouraged each other, saying, 9 “Brothers, let’s die together like brothers for the sake of the Law! Let’s imitate the three young men in Assyria who refused to back down when facing the same fiery test. 10 Let’s not be cowards when we are called to demonstrate religious devotion to God.”
The Stakes Are High:
14 Let’s not be afraid of the one who wants to kill us; 15 because the soul’s contest is great, the danger of eternal punishment prepared for those who break God’s command is severe.
4 Maccabees 14 Common English Bible (CEB)
Brothers Like the Days of Creation
7 How holy was this group of seven, these brothers in harmony! They were like the seven days of creation that danced together around the godly way of life. 8 So also these boys surrounded and destroyed their fear of torture when they danced in a circle of seven.
Mother is the Best Example:
12 The mother of these seven young men endured the torture of each one of her children. 13 You see how a mother’s love for her children is a very complex feeling. Everything is focused on a sympathy that she feels for them deep down inside.
20 But the young men’s mother wasn’t moved by sympathy for her children. She had the same heart as Abraham.
4 Maccabees 15 Common English Bible (CEB)
1 How the clear thinking of these children was a tyrant over their emotions and how respecting God was more precious to the mother than her own children! 2 The mother had two options in front of her: the godly way of living, and saving her seven sons for a while, as the tyrant promised. 3 She preferred the path of respect for God, saving her sons for eternal life, as God promised.
16 How the mother was tested by pains far worse than the labor pains she suffered for them!
22 How great was the pain that this mother suffered while her sons were being tortured by wheels and hot irons! 23 However, godly thinking strengthened her to ignore her natural love for her children. Godly thinking created in her a masculine courage in the middle of this suffering. 24 Even though she saw the destruction of seven children and the various devices of torture, the excellent mother ignored all these things because of her faithfulness toward God.
26 This mother held two ballots in her hand: the first sentenced her children to death; the second rescued them. 27 She chose not to seek the kind of rescue that would keep her seven sons safe for a short time.
4 Maccabees 16 Common English Bible (CEB)
12 But this holy and devout mother didn’t cry for any of her sons with funeral songs. She didn’t try to talk any of them out of dying, and she didn’t grieve for those who were already dying. 13 Instead, she had a mind that was as tough as nails. She gave all of her sons a second birth into a life without end. She encouraged them, urging them on to death for the sake of respect for God.
18 Remember that you have had a place in this world and enjoyed life only because of God. 19 Because of this, you owe it to God to put up with any distress for his sake.
Abraham, Isaac, Daniel, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego):
20 This is why our father Abraham moved quickly to sacrifice Isaac his son, who was supposed to become the father of a nation. Isaac also didn’t shrink back when he saw the sword in his father’s hand bearing down on him. 21 Daniel, that righteous man, was thrown to the lions and Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael were flung into the blazing furnace and endured it for God.
We are Called to the Same:
22 So you must show the same faithfulness toward God and not be angry.
24 By encouraging them with these words, the mother of the seven brothers persuaded each one of her sons to die rather than disobey God’s commandment. 25 They knew very well that those who die for God will also live in God’s presence, just like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the ancestors of the nation.
4 Maccabees 17 Common English Bible (CEB)
1 Some of the guards reported that, just as they were about to grab the mother and put her to death as well, she threw herself into the fire before anyone could touch her body. 2 Mother, together with your seven sons, you made the tyrant’s violence look like nothing! You defeated his evil plans, and displayed dignity and bravery by your faithfulness.
With God’s thoughts working within us:
Our knowledge about how to act in our material world comes from our spiritual understanding
These are connected, not separate
Wisdom flows directly from our Lord Christ Jesus forming our spiritual thoughts
Spiritual thoughts flow to material thoughts
This all gives us a Godly understanding
We learn to act from Love - the Love of Jesus living within us
And out of faithfulness to God's Love, we develop Peace with God, and Peach through Him in the storm
Days of our Re-Creation
We become a new person
We learn to acknowledge God - Jehovah Jesus
We learn to learn from His Word
Then we must practice what the Word teaches
Being led by the values of our Father. Evidence of His Character alive and at work within us,as demonstrated by “our character” or His Character IN us
Grow our faith or letting His faith grows in us
Resting in Peace with God
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