Awesome Hands – part 121

“From a strangers hand”

September 15, 2017

Getting exciting news from someone seems to pull us into the excitement ourselves. Likewise, hearing of sad or bad news tends to bring us down as well.

I’ve often wondered how the “good news” is considered good when most of humanity is doomed to spend their eternity in hell, according to mainstream Christianity.

I myself used to think of the good news as being good because this was the information that someone needed in order to escape the fiery doom awaiting them at their physical death.

Since I have matured in my understanding of scripture, I of course have learned that this fiery hellhole simply does not exist in the ways that a majority of professed Christians believe, but I have also learned that “taking someone else’s word for it”, and then applying it to my own walk with God, is simply just becoming an accomplice to ignorance of scripture.

We are going to look at this concept of “taking someone else’s word for it”, in our study today, and examine how the Lord tells us to handle this mindset in His temple.

Leviticus 22:24  Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land.
Leviticus 22:25  Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you.

In our last study, we looked out how the Lord does not accept anything that has a blemish of any sort. We also saw that a son of Aaron could not fulfill the office of the priesthood if he were brokenhanded or broken footed. You could partake of the “bread of God”, but you could not serve it at the altar.

With our verses today, we read that we cannot offer the bread of God from a strangers hand because of the corruption that is in them. Since we are not offering physical sacrifices today, as the priests of God, what does this mean for us spiritually? How do we offer spiritual bread or not?

I purposely used the doctrine of hell and hellfire earlier to help explain this concept.
Most babes in Christ believe in the doctrine of salvation from hell and punishment. Hence, the altar call is very popular. Even if most Christians disagree on details of this doctrine, and they do, the overall concept is the same. Be saved or burn!

So, as a new babe in Christ, and after becoming a member of a various denomination, I could easily start propagating the doctrine of hellfire. This is the spiritual equivalent of taking from a strangers hand and offering the bread of your God. What then is the “bread” of God spiritually speaking? We will just touch the surface of this with this study.

In order to connect this idea with scripture, we will read a few examples of this.

Luke 4:3  And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
Luke 4:4  And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God.

Who is the Word of God?

John 6:33  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

We shall not live by bread of God alone but also by His Word. That seem interesting. Why did the devil challenge Jesus to turn a “stone” into bread? What can stones represent?

Ephesians 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Ephesians 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Ephesians 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Ephesians 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

1 Peter 2:7  Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
1 Peter 2:8  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them WHICH STUMBLE AT THE WORD, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
1 Peter 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Matthew 7:8  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Matthew 7:9  Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

Matthew 21:42  Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Matthew 21:43  Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
Matthew 21:44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Luke 19:38  Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
Luke 19:39  And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
Luke 19:40  And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

There is a big difference on us falling on the stone and becoming broken versus the Stone falling on us and grinding us to powder. See, something broken can be mended in most cases. Something ground to powder is changed altogether.

Someone healed physically will still die, as was seen with the miraculous healings performed by Jesus. However, “greater things than these” will we do.

From the verses we just read, we can see that Jesus is the bread of God, the Word of God and the chief corner stone of the temple of God.

Where then do we fit in as His disciples indeed, as His friends and as His kings and priests in spirit?

John 6:33  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
John 6:34  Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
John 6:35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
John 6:36  But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

John 6:48  I am that bread of life.

John 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Wait, it gets even better for us!

Acts 2:46  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

1 Corinthians 5:8  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

1 Corinthians 10:16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
1 Corinthians 10:17  For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
1 Corinthians 10:18  Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

We then can conclude that we are one bread, one word and part of the one Temple of God which has various stones making the one temple.

Why have I taken the time read these familiar and various verses? Once we know what the bread is and that we are A PART of that bread, then we can then understand why it is we are commanded NOT to offer the bread of God from the hand of a stranger.

The bread of God that is being spoken of physically in Leviticus 22 was prepared, handled and ministered by the priests of God. Likewise, the sacrifices were brought and dealt with in various ways by the priests.

Therefore, as priests offering sacrifices to God upon His altar, how can we take the bread of God from a strangers hand who has NO RIGHT to EAT of that altar?

I used the example of hell fire earlier to prove this point. How can I say I am a priest of God, handling the things of His temple and altar, and then proclaim things from the Word of God that I have ONLY HEARD others tell me about?

How can I claim that a doctrine is true or false if I have only HEARD it from the mouth of another without also doing the work of CONFIRMING it to be so?

Hebrews 13:9  BE NOT CARRIED ABOUT WITH DIVERS AND STRANGE DOCTRINE. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
Hebrews 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

Look at how bread is mentioned in these next verses as it pertains to WORK.

2 Corinthians 9:6  But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
2 Corinthians 9:7  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
2 Corinthians 9:9  (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
2 Corinthians 9:10  Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

I dare say, that while this is speaking about physical “bread for your food”, there is a much more important BREAD that feeds my SPIRIT! The seed sown is for the INCREASING of the FRUITS of the SPIRIT of GOD.

2 Thessalonians 3:6  Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
2 Thessalonians 3:7  For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
2 Thessalonians 3:8  Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
2 Thessalonians 3:9  Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
2 Thessalonians 3:10  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

Again, these verses of course are speaking about laboring so that we are not chargeable to anyone or a burden, but it is not and CANNOT be only speaking about PHYSICAL things. It is inspired by the Holy Spirit of God to convey to us that we are to WALK ORDERLY after the tradition we have been TAUGHT.

We eat the SAME BREAD Christ offered, of which He is, and He is the Word of God. Those that stumble at the chief corner stone are those who waver and are blown around with DIVERS DOCTRINES.

These are the same doctrines, or bread, that we are NOT to offer or sacrifice to God. Now, apply the verses in Leviticus that we started with today, to yourself inwardly. Try the spirits within this study, and which are also within you to see if these verses apply to us today.

Leviticus 22:24  Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land.
Leviticus 22:25  Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you.

If we are being told to offer only the bread of God back to God, then it must be bread which is prepared in His temple by His priests. Then, it is sacrificed to God.

Practically speaking, this is simply us learning of the bread of life, the Word of God and then sowing that in our hearts and minds so that it can bring forth fruit.

How can we do this? We must WORK OUT our own salvation with fear and trembling knowing that it is God who both wills and does it all within His temple.

It is acknowledging that the things we learn are not SMOOTH things to hear, but are necessary for the STONE to fall and crush us to powder.

It is acknowledging that we are loved by our Father, but with that love comes chastening grace which TEACHES us Godliness.

Lastly, it is a terrible road to travel to compare ourselves among ourselves when it comes to looking on others and the “perceived” work that is being worked. Yes, we can perceive fruits of the Spirit in one another, but COMPARING ourselves and what the Lord is doing with us, to others in the body of Christ, is fallacy at its best.

We are ONE BREAD and therefore we are all being formed into what is needed for the ONE BODY, and we certainly will not look the same in the shaping of being created into functioning parts of a healthy body.