On our way to The Feast of Trumpets this year; we have been studying several daily Elul meditations. We started with The Ten Commandments; and now we are busy looking at the attributes of God’s nature.
Why would we be doing this?
Because one of these days when that old shofar sounds; our King is going to return. We must be about getting ourselves ready for that occasion. What better way to prepare than to be reflecting on all of the things that make God; God?
By knowing what makes up the nature of God we are better able to focus on how to make our lives reflect His life.
GOD IS DECIDING YOUR NEXT YEAR
This needs to happen by the time we reach The Day of Atonement (just ten days after The Feast of Trumpets.) This is the time of the civil year when God looks down and makes up his judgments for the coming year. The condition of our hearts leading up to that decision are what determines how that time will go for us.
It will be the same in the Last Judgment; only in that judgment we will be looking back at our whole lifetime and not just the year gone by. We will be preparing for eternity and not just the next year of living on earth.
Knowing that Jesus is Our King and knowing that He could return and intervene in this process at any given moment, only adds more mystery and anticipation to the Days of Awe.
WE ARE PREPARING FOR A KING
We MUST be all about preparing for our coming King!
Any clear thinking Hebrew can tell you; The LORD Our God is One! This has been their daily prayer for years and years and years; and it should be ours too.
This aspect of Oneness is always easier to understand when we think about how an egg is made. All eggs have a hard outer-shell, a liquid part that surrounds the middle, and a yoke on the very inside.
An egg is all three of these things; the shell, the white and the yoke; but it is more clearly defined as one thing; an egg.
Eggs are all about bringing new life into the world; so I think it is really cool that God chose the egg to illustrate this part of His nature so that we could better understand what it means to be three things in one.
THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE
This great One encompasses the whole essence of The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. I really don’t have time or intention today to argue the definition of “Trinity” when it comes to our God; but I do know that the one thing we can all agree upon is the fact that all three of these; Father, Son and Holy Spirit do exist and they make up the complete whole of our One True God.
Call it what you will; this is one of the first principles of living with God that Jewish children learn; that all of the parts of a Great God come together and combine to make One Great God.
It is interesting to think about the part of God that is called The Son; Jesus; our Messiah.
So many beautiful facets of God’s nature can be seen in what we know of the Messiah part of God.
He is The God Who Saves Us!
He is Immanuel; God with us!
HE IS THE LION OF JUDAH
In thinking of The Messiah; one cannot help but reflect on The Lion of Judah. This is the awesome nature of God I wish to dwell on here today; the part of God that is Jesus who happens to also be The Lion of Judah.
Why would we call Jesus by this name and what does it mean?
To me; this name carries many significant end-time meanings. I picture Jesus coming on the clouds to save His people. Sometimes these visions are symbolized with the fierce face of a roaring lion. You know the Lion is always perceived as being “the King of the Jungle.”
Look out Jungle of the World – The King is going to return!
When that happens; He is going to reign, all powerful and mighty, forever and ever.
Those who love Him will get to be with Him – forever.
Can you imagine?
Is this not amazing and truly something to get excited about?
THE KING IS COMING AGAIN!
As we look forward to the Feast of Trumpets and we are reminded that it is the Coronation Day of Our King – I see the Majestic Lion of Judah raise it’s awesome head!
Can you see the amazing traits of this Lion/King?
He was born to be noble. Though much of the world didn’t notice; the angels sang, the shepherds worshiped, the wisemen came with gifts for a King; and a star led them to the King – who became The Lion of Judah.
The King; though royal through and through was humble. He loved and identified with the lowest and poorest of society; including tax collectors and prostitutes. This Lion of Judah King helped the feeble and infirm. He healed those who never dreamed they would be well; the blind, the lame, the demon possessed and the broken-hearted.
The men who followed Him were called; yet they were ordinary men with every day trades such as fishing and tent-making. The famous were not on his list of helpers. He earned his own way with the skills of a carpenter and he always gave away anything that he had of earthly value.
The Lion of Judah was a Lion King that possessed great strength; both physically and spiritually. He walked everywhere, covering miles and miles of territory. His bed was where ever he found himself when the sun went down.
At sunrise each morning he would go out to the mountains or the wilderness and pray and pray for hours and hours; until he had the spiritual strength to face the burdens of a Messiah of the World. God was the source of His strength and He knew this. Fasting brought Him even more strength and determination. Just an ordinary man but The Son of God; he endured the pain and agony of a cruel and horrid death on a cross. Three days later the supernatural strength He had gained brought him out of the grave alive again! He had risen!
NOBILITY,HUMILITY, STRENGTH, COURAGE AND PERFECTION
All great Lions possess courage; it is one of their most endearing traits. They never fear; for they know they are King! All of the jungle watches and holds their breath as they see the Mighty Lion King pounce and destroy His enemies. The Lion of Judah is always victorious. He will never fail.
What is it that makes him so noble, so humble, so strong and so full of courage?
He is on mission from Heaven to do The Father’s will. He never gives in to temptations and this is what has kept him pure and sinless and this is where the power comes that he will be perfect in every way. For you see; a sacrifice must be perfect and without blemish in order to be accepted by God as a covering for the sins of the world.
The Lion of Judah has prevailed.
WE MUST BE READY
This mighty Lion of Judah has accomplished his impossible mission, and now he sits ready to return at any moment; whenever The Father gives him the Word.
One day we will see him coming in the clouds and all of the earth will bow before him.
Will it be this year?
Only The Father knows for sure.
We must be ready!
Our King is coming!