Peace and grace in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28:16-20 is divided into two parts as follows.
The accompaniment of God is our main need that cannot be replaced by anything else. During the journey of the Israelites, Moses does not want to go if there is no accompaniment of God.
Exodus 33:3-4
33:3 Go upto a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you area stiff-necked people.”
33:4 And when the people heard this bad news, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments.
The Israelites are a stiff-necked people so they hear the bad news that God does not go with them. If there is no accompaniment of God, everything will be useless. All things in this world without God are useless, even the Heaven without God is useless.
The ways out so God will go with us are as follows.
We discuss the second one.
Exodus 33:5-6
33:5 For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the children of Israel, ‘You area stiff-necked people. I could come up into your midst in one moment and consume you. Now therefore, take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do to you.’”
33:6 So the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by Mount Horeb.
The spiritual meanings of taking off the ornaments are as follows.
God blesses us.
Matthew 28:16-20 is divided into two parts as follows.
- Great spiritual revival that consists of the revival of Holy Spirit at the early rain and the latter one. The revival of Holy Spirit at the early rain is the revival to save the sinners through the gospel Word or gospel of salvation (Good Tidings). The revival of Holy Spirit at the latter rain is the revival to perfect the saved ones through the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ or the teaching Word sharper than any two-edged sword (Bride Tidings).
- The accompaniment of God.
Matthew 28:20b
28:20 .... and lo, I am with you always, evento the end of the age.” Amen.
The accompaniment of God is our main need that cannot be replaced by anything else. During the journey of the Israelites, Moses does not want to go if there is no accompaniment of God.
Exodus 33:3-4
33:3 Go upto a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you area stiff-necked people.”
33:4 And when the people heard this bad news, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments.
The Israelites are a stiff-necked people so they hear the bad news that God does not go with them. If there is no accompaniment of God, everything will be useless. All things in this world without God are useless, even the Heaven without God is useless.
The ways out so God will go with us are as follows.
- Musa pitches the tabernacle of meeting [Exodus 33:7-11].
- The Israelites take off their ornaments [Exodus 33:5-6].
We discuss the second one.
Exodus 33:5-6
33:5 For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the children of Israel, ‘You area stiff-necked people. I could come up into your midst in one moment and consume you. Now therefore, take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do to you.’”
33:6 So the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by Mount Horeb.
The spiritual meanings of taking off the ornaments are as follows.
- Taking off our self-importance or egoism.
If we are egoistic, God will not go with us.
Philippians 2:3-4
2:3 Letnothing be donethrough selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
2:4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
The practices are as follows.- Prioritizing the others more than us, so there is no envy, hatred, or fight.
- Caring the others’ needs.
Matthew 25:34-40
25:34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
25:35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
25:36 I wasnaked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
25:37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You,or thirsty and give Youdrink?
25:38 When did we see You a stranger and take Youin, or naked and clothe You?
25:39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
25:40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did itto one of the least of these My brethren, you did itto Me.’
It is in the form of giving and visiting the other members of the body of Christ who are in needs, either physically or spiritually by sharing the Word. Giving and visiting mean loving the others as ourselves. The aim is only one that is for the building of the perfect body of Christ. The result is the accompaniment of God to bless us, until we receive eternal life forever.
- Prioritizing the others more than us, so there is no envy, hatred, or fight.
- Taking off the things we are proud of.
Jeremiah 9:23
9:23 Thus says the Lord:“Let not the wise manglory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty manglory in his might, Nor let the rich manglory in his riches;
People in this world, including the servant of God, are usually proud of smartness, richness, position, et cetera. All these things are carnal ornaments. If we are proud of them, they will become a golden calf, meaning the idol that eliminates God.
1 Peter 3:3-6
3:3 Do not let your adornment be merelyoutward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fineapparel—
3:4 rather let it bethe hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beautyof a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
3:5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands,
3:6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.
If we are willing to take off our carnal ornaments, God will give us spiritual ornaments from Heaven, so there is no more bad news. God will be with us.
There are three kinds of spiritual ornaments as follows.- Being meek.
James 1:21
1:21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Being meek means having pure heart, so one is able to receive the Word of God no matter how hard or sharp it is. It is the true teaching Word.
Being meek means being obedient to the true teaching Word.
2 Corinthians 4:7-10
4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
4:8 We arehard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we areperplexed, but not in despair;
4:9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—
4:10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
No matter how great a man in this world is, he is only an earthen vessel that will be destroyed. This earthen vessel must be filled with the true teaching Word. The results are as follows.- [verse 8-9] The accompaniment of God makes us endure the temptation. Thus we will not easily be disappointed and desperate, but we always give thanks to God. The accompaniment of God makes us not perish.
- [verse 10] The life of Jesus becomes obvious in our life, so we experience life renewal from flesh man to spiritual one as Jesus. Life renewal is started from there is no more lies. The more we are renewed, the more obvious the accompaniment of God over our life is.
- [verse 8-9] The accompaniment of God makes us endure the temptation. Thus we will not easily be disappointed and desperate, but we always give thanks to God. The accompaniment of God makes us not perish.
- Being quiet.
Being quiet means being silent and correcting ourselves. We introspect ourselves through the sharpness of the sword of the Word. If we find sin, we must confess it to God (vertical) and the others (horizontal). If we are forgiven, we must not do sin anymore.
Sin is the heaviest problem in this world. If sin is solved, God will also solve all other problems in His time. If we are separated from God, we will face unsolved problems, as the disciples who face epilepsy when Jesus goes up on the mountain. - Being submissive or obedient.
1 Peter 3:6
3:6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.
Sarah has permanent weakness that is being barren and menopausal. But Sarah is submissive and the result is the accompaniment of God opens her womb and takes all her disgrace and blame. All our failures will be taken by God and replaced with success. God will beautify our life.
A woman (who also represents the church of God) must be submissive. Do not shake our head as Vashti.
- Being meek.
- Sincerity. It means we receive the accompaniment of Holy Spirit. We are anointed, filled, and overflowed with Holy Spirit.
Being sincere is being simple and having no bad intention.
Isaiah 44:3
44:3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring;
Holy Spirit is as floods on the dry ground. The situation of man in this world is as the dry wilderness. We are always in thirst. If we are filled with sin, we will be sunk and bound more by sin up to perdition forever.
The usefulness of Holy Spirit is as follows.- Giving us true satisfaction, that is Heavenly satisfaction, so we will not fall into sin up to its peak.
- Strengthening the weak willows that represent the servants of God who are powerless by the power of flesh.
Isaiah 44:4
44:4 They will spring up among the grass Like willows by the watercourses.’
Psalm 137:1-2
137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion.
137:2 We hung our harps Upon the willows in the midst of it.
Without Holy Spirit, many servants of God will stop before the end and be dragged by the rivers of Babylon. There, we will only weep.
Holy Spirit will make us faithful and fervent in spirit to serve God until the end line, that is until we pass away or until Jesus’ second coming. - The power of Holy Spirit renews our life from flesh man to spiritual one as God.
Titus 3:5
3:5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
Without Holy Spirit, Peter (who represents man, parents, senior pastor) denies God. But when he is filled with Holy Spirit, Peter dares to preach the Word and bears witness about Jesus in front of many people.
Without Holy Spirit, Mary Magdalene (who represents woman) lives in uncleanness. But when she is filled with Holy Spirit, she can live in righteousness and holiness. She sends a sweet-smelling aroma in front of God.
Without Holy Spirit, Thomas (who represents youth) has no faith. But when he is filled with Holy Spirit, Thomas believes Jesus until he is willing to be speared.
If spiritual miracle happens, the physical one will also happen. God will create the thing that has not existed before. God will make possible the impossible one. We are renewed and become as glorious as Him. We sit together with Jesus on the throne of Heaven forever.
- Giving us true satisfaction, that is Heavenly satisfaction, so we will not fall into sin up to its peak.
God blesses us.