[Biblemat] Gospel Observer 8/5/07
tedwards at onemain.com
tedwards at onemain.com
Tue Aug 7 16:38:42 CDT 2007
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THE GOSPEL OBSERVER
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"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching
them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you
always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20).
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August 5, 2007
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Contents:
1) The Mountain of the Lord (Connie W. Adams)
2) News & Notes
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-1-
The Mountain of the Lord
by Connie W. Adams
From the picture of Jerusalem which had become a harlot and the
lodging place of murderers (Isa. 1:21), the prophet Isaiah turns to
the brighter prospect of the ideal Jerusalem, or Zion where his
government will be respected by "many people" who would "flow unto
it" (Isa. 2:2-3) and where peace would prevail among those brought
under its government (Isa. 2:4). This was Messianic Zion.
"And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain
of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the
mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations
shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, come ye, and
let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God
of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his
paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the
Lord from Jerusalem" (Isa. 2:2-3).
The Meaning of
the Mountain of the Lord
In prophesy mountains were often used to describe the
governments of the nations. They tower over the people. Their
presence stands for power and might. It was fitting that God would
identify his people with mount Zion. Zion was first one of the
hills of Jerusalem. In time it came to stand for the city itself as
the center of divine worship and government. David built his house
there and so the idea of government came to be connected with Zion.
Then it came to stand for God's rule over his people. To the mind
of the devout Jew, Zion symbolized all that was peculiar to the
Lord's people. In captivity it was said, "By the rivers of Babylon,
there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion" (Ps.
137:1).
Zion and Jerusalem are equated by the prophets. "Thus saith the
Lord; I am returning unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of
Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the
mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain" (Zech. 8:3). Here
we have linked Zion, Jerusalem, the city of truth and the holy
mountain. It is to a spiritual Zion, a heavenly Jerusalem that
Christians have come. "But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto
the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem" (Heb. 12:22).
Daniel foresaw a succession of kingdoms terminating with the
Roman empire, in which time there appeared a little stone "cut out
of the mountain without hands" (Dan. 2:35,45). That little stone
came down and smote the image on its feet, broke it in pieces and
"consumed all these kingdoms" that it might "stand forever" (Dan.
2:44). This was the kingdom set up by the God of heaven "which
shall never be destroyed" (Dan. 2:44).
The mountain of the Lord's house is the mighty government of
God in his kingdom, God's rule over his people, his house. Back to
Isaiah 2, what is under discussion is the establishment of the
Lord's house. The "mountain" of his house is the government of it.
He would send forth his law, his word, from Jerusalem.
The Nature of His Rule
This divine government would not be like the nations over which
it would rise in eminence and power. Such mountains (nations)
ascend by military force. They are advanced and maintained by human
strength. But this "mountain" would be different. It began as a
little stone cut out of the mountains "without hands." That is, it
was divine in origin. Jesus said to Pilate, "My kingdom is not of
this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my
servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews" (John
18:36). Jesus said, "The kingdom of God cometh not with
observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for
behold, the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:20-21).
His rule is advanced by teaching. "He will teach us of his
ways, and we will walk in his paths" (Isa. 2:3). The only force
employed to bring men of every nation under this mountain, this
government, is the force and power of truth working within the
hearts of those who exercise their own will to obey him. They would
"walk in his paths" because they had first been taught his ways.
Jesus said "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all
taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath
learned of the Father, cometh unto me" (John 6:45). Indeed, the
gospel "is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that
believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Rom. 1:16).
The book of God virtually closes with an appeal for all to come
under his government, but by their own will. "And the Spirit and
the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let
him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the
water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17).
The Nature of His Subjects
Men of diverse nations and backgrounds would flow unto this
mountain of the Lord. Isaiah said "all nations" and "many people"
would come. There, in the shadow of "the mountain of the Lord" they
would stack arms, learn to love each other and find a common place
of service at the feet of the same Lord. That is the meaning of
"and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears
into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more" (Isa. 2:4). This has no
reference to a lasting armistice among the nations of the earth.
The peace described here is the peace of those who have learned the
same word, or law, of the Lord and have come to walk in his paths.
They have all submitted to the same government. They have learned
what Paul said: "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God"
(Col. 3:1). This is the peace of Ephesians 2. Here were Gentiles
who were alienated from God and from the Jews: They have both come
to the cross. "And that he might reconcile both unto God in one
body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. And came and
preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were
nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the
Father" (Eph. 2:16-18). All of this corresponds to the prophecy of
Isaiah 11:9 which said "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my
holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the
Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Where is the place where they
shall not hurt nor destroy? "In my holy mountain." Where is that?
It is under the towering influence of the law of the Lord, the
gospel of Christ through which the government of the Lord is now
exercised. Notice that this government is expanded as the knowledge
of the Lord is extended. The word of the Lord from Jerusalem is to
be carried to all nations (Matt. 28:19-20) as the waters cover the
sea.
The Responsibility of His Subjects
If the knowledge of the Lord is to fill the earth, and if the
Lord will teach us of his ways, then how does he propose to
accomplish this? The apostles of our Lord were given a promise that
the Holy Spirit would "teach you all things" so that they might
impart that to others, who in turn would teach yet others. Paul
said, "And the things which thou hast heard of me among many
witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able
to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:2). The church is said to be "the
pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15). The simple truth is
that the Lord uses those who have submitted to this heavenly
mountain, or government, to teach others that they might "flow unto
it." Are there yet people among the nations of the earth who have
not submitted to the rule of God? Surely there are. Will they all
respond favorably to the message? Not likely. But we don't know
which ones will and which ones won't. That is not our concern. Our
task is to do all we can to make known that "word of the Lord"
which began to go out from Jerusalem by inspired men, which spread
then to Judea, Samaria, and then to the uttermost parts of the
earth. We must do our part in our time to press the claims of him
who has been given to be "head over all things to the church, which
is his body, the fullness of him who filleth all in all" (Eph.
1:22-23). Meanwhile, everyone who has learned of his ways needs to
be sure he is walking in the paths of him who is King of kings and
Lord of lords.
-- Via Guardian of Truth XLI: 22 p.3-4, November 20, 1997
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"How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains
understanding. For her profit is better than the profit of silver
and her gain better than fine gold" (Prov. 3:13,14).
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-2-
News & Notes
Let those of us who are Christians be praying for the following
people:
...the family and friends of Lillian Rushing (Luther Shuff's
sister) who passed away July 20. She was 92 and had lived in
Bastrop, Louisiana.
James Shuff will soon be undergoing a new treatment for
hepatitis C that came out just a few months ago.
Ken Wilt (one of the elders at the Northshore church of Christ
in Mandeville) is now back home from his by-pass surgery and will
need the next several weeks to recuperate. They worked on 4 of his
arteries.
Ann Webb (a former member at Park Forest) is also back home
after the car accident. She has been very sore, and the doctors
think she might not regain the full use of her right arm.
We were glad to hear the recent report that R.J. Evans is now
rid of all cancer.
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MYRTLE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST
1022 Myrtle Street
Denham Springs, LA 70726
(225) 664-8208
Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM
Wednesday: 7:00 PM
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520
e-mail: tedwards at onemain.com
web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go
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