Magnify
Christ be Magnified – Arranged by Don Ives and written by Cody Carnes
Jesus in Obidiah
Jesus in the book of Obadiah – OUR IMMANUEL 
“Though you (EDOM) soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD – Obadiah 11:4
King Herod the Great came from the land of EDOM, South of Bethlehem. He married into Judaism for political gain. The Kingdom he built in Jerusalem and Southern Israel was like none before or since. But the Prophet Obadiah predicted the fall of this great King some 600 years before he was born!
EVERY KINGDOM HAS A KING
King Herod tried to kill a newborn in a manger, who was worshiped by Magi and Angels, two centuries ago. He was doomed to fail. The book of Matthew records the royal lineage of Yeshua Jesus. But His credentials exceed human genealogy. The Bible tells us that Jesus “had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of Himself that He had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, He set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, He stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, He lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.” – Philippians 2:5 msg
His birth was supernatural. He life was WITHOUT SIN. His death ATONED FOR THE SINS OF HUMANITY. These are His credentials. It’s one thing to be a Son of David. It’s quite another to be THE SON OF GOD.
Emmanuel, “God with us”, was infinitely rich yet became utterly poor, assumed our humanity, entered our sinful world without ever being tainted. He took our guilt, bore our grief, carried our sorrows, was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our inequities. And by His stripes, we are healed. Emmanuel. God with us. Our King.
EVERY KING HAS A THRONE
Friend, a choice lies before you. Like King Herod, you can remain KING on the THRONE of your own life. And your end will be the same. Or, you can give your life, your throne and your crown to the one who created the universe, the I AM who brought it all into being with a simple WORD. Your rewards will be eternal. Who then, will you choose to serve? 
Jesus in Amos
Jesus in the book of Amos – OUR GOD OF THE ANGEL ARMIES
I love the story of the birth of Jesus. I love that each December, hundreds of thousands are retelling that story of the very first Christmas through beautiful pageants, songs, and manger scenes. I love that His story is read out loud by millions of families each Christmas eve. What’s not to like? It is a story of mystery, a star, of angels, of kings and magi. And from the beginning, there was a plot to murder Him by no less than the king himself. Indeed, Jesus was unexpected, unwanted, even hated from the time of His birth by King Herod… who desired to TAKE HIS LIFE.
The prophet Amos was a lot like Yeshua Jesus. He was an unknown, from out of nobody and nowhere important. He was unwanted. Indeed, he was ordered to pick up and go home by the priest of Bethel. But he had an important message for the people. A message of that could GIVE THEM LIFE.
My friends, there are thousands, millions in fact who, like the Christ Child, are unwanted. They will never hear the story of the first Christmas. They will never hear their mother’s loving voice. They will never see their grandchildren in a Christmas pageant. THEY WILL NEVER TAKE A BREATH OF LIFE. Like Yeshua Jesus, they are unexpected, unwanted, even hated. And like the Christ Child, there is a plot to murder them by the rulers of our land.
This Christmas season, the story of the Christ Child challenges us to think about the most unwanted in our society today…. our unborn children. The story of Christmas is the story of the unwanted child. There was no room for Him in the inn. There was no room for Him in the kingdom. No room for Him in the hearts of men. He came, not as the God of Glory that He is, but as a tiny, defenseless, voiceless child. Completely vulnerable. And He felt what it is to be unwanted.
The Prophet Amos looked forward to that first Christmas, centuries later, when a star led the wise men and angels spoke to shepherds about the birth of the Savior: “Behold!”, he said,
“Look who’s here: Mountain-Shaper! Wind-Maker!
He laid out the whole plot before Adam.
He brings everything out of nothing,
like dawn out of darkness.
He strides across the alpine ridges.
His name is God, God-of-the-Angel-Armies” – Amos 4:13 msg
Jesus in Joel
Jesus in the book of Joel – OUR AVENGER
Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand– a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come. – Joel 2:1-2
Whenever I think of Yeshua Jesus, I think of Love. I think of what He did for me on the Cross. Indeed, there IS no greater Love than His. He is the Suffering Servant. The innocent Lamb. But the Bible shows us another Jesus, still a man, still bearing the nail scars, as He returns to the earth He created and was crucified upon. This Jesus is riding a white horse, all powerful, commanding a legion of angels. This is what the Prophet Joel predicted, centuries before:
“Before them the earth shakes, the sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The LORD thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command. The day of the LORD is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?” – Joel 2:10:11
The Prophet Isaiah also spoke of this day:
“See, the day of the LORD is coming –a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger– to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins… I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the LORD Almighty, in the day of his burning anger.” – Isaiah 13:9-13
And Yeshua Jesus Himself spoke of it:
“But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken… And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.” – Matthew 24:29-30
The Prophet Joel looked forward through the Cross, through the Millennia to a time in our future. Yeshua Jesus said of that day,
“no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.” – Matthew 26:36
But He also said this:
“You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the present times.” – Luke 12:56
My friend, can you see the signs of the times? Can you see the clouds beginning to form on the horizon? We live in a rapidly evolving world. Up until 1900 human knowledge doubled every century. By 1945, it was doubling every 25 years. By 1982, every 12-13 months. Today, human knowledge is doubling EVERY 12 HOURS. The world is changing quickly… But God never changes.
The Bible says,
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” – Hebrews 13:8
Friend, Jesus is your constant in a world that is spinning out of control. Reach through the darkness to find His hand. Colossians 1:17 says He “Holds all things together”. Cling to Him now. Take hold of His nail-scarred hand… before it is too late.
Jesus in Hosea
Jesus in the book of Hosea – OUR SALVATION
When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my Son. – Hosea 11:1
So he (Joseph) got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my Son.” – Matthew 2:14-15
The name Hosea means “Salvation.” The prophet Hosea lived some 700 years before the birth of Yeshua, who’s name also means “Salvation”. Most of us remember this long suffering Prophet for the story of his unfaithful wife, Gomer. God told him to marry her, yet she became an adulteress. Yet Hosea remained faithful to his bride, even as she cheated on him and eventually left him. But God said, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress.” So… he BOUGHT HER with a PRICE. And he loved her back.
.
How so is the love of our Lord! When we, by our very nature, throw God’s love away, He redeems us. For GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD… that He gave us Yeshua Jesus. He called Him to humble Himself, become a man… and pay the ultimate price for His bride.
Friend, have you been faithful to Him? How long has it been… since you talked with the Lord, and told Him your heart’s hidden secrets? Has it been so long that you have found other loves? Or have you left him completely?
Ephesians 5:2 tells us, “He (Jesus) didn’t love in order to get something from us BUT TO GIVE EVERYTHING OF HIMSELF TO US.” What kind of Love is that? A tender, longsuffering love that passes all understanding. That is His love for you.
How long has it been? Can you call him your friend? How long has it been…since you knew that HE CARED FOR YOU?
Jesus in Daniel
Jesus in the book of Daniel – OUR ANOINTED ONE
600 years before the birth of Yeshua Jesus, the king of Babylon (now Iraq) and his armies invaded the Holy City of Jerusalem. Among the spoils they took was a young teen named Daniel. The story of Daniel is one of the most amazing tales in the Old Testament. The most enduring theme in this fascinating book is the steadfast faithfulness of Daniel to Yahweh God in the midst of the most extreme political circumstances imaginable. And in turn, God was faithful to Daniel.
I’d like to look at just one amazing prophecy that you will find in this book:
“The Lord has commanded 490 years…It will be 49 years plus 434 years from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One comes!…” – Daniel 9:24
Ezra 7 tells the story of when the commandment was given to rebuild Jerusalem on March 14th, 445 B.C.
Using the Jewish calendar, we can count 49 + 434 = 483 years from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem (March 14th, 445 B.C.) until Anointed One comes.
On that EXACT PREDICTED DATE, Palm Sunday, April 6th 32 A.D., Yeshua Jesus rode a donkey into the City of Jerusalem… and the people threw palm branches before Him, anointing Him King! (Matthew 21:7-10) With fulfilled prophecies like this, it is no wonder that so many trust every word in the Bible as TRUTH!
Daniel was an authentic Prophet of God. He lived in extreme political times. In fact, when his three friends were commanded to renounce their faith by King Nebuchadnezzar, they chose the fiery furnace instead. But God preserved them for His purpose. And as they stood in the fire, unharmed, there was a fourth man among them!
“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” – Daniel 3:25
You see, friend, when YOU are in your darkest hour, when your situation seems hopeless, Jesus will be there with YOU in the flames. For your greatest sins He has already suffered. From the fiery pit of hell He has rescued you. Reach to Him now, friend. Jesus will NEVER leave you or forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6) Trust in Him today.
Jesus in Ezekiel
Jesus in the book of Ezekiel – OUR RIGHTEOUS JUDGE
The prophet Ezekiel lived hundreds of years before Yeshua Jesus was born. He and his people were exiles, captives of Babylon. He was a prophet during hard times and he prophesied of more hard times for the nation of Israel. He predicted the DIASPORA –
I will disperse you among the nations and scatter you through the countries… Ezekiel 22:15
As an authentic prophet of Yahweh God, Ezekiel had a vision. Indeed, he was not only able to predict the diaspora, but he predicted the time when it would be ended, the time when Israel would be regathered to the land, to await the return of the King. He was able to see FAR into the future, into OUR future, when Christ returns to Reign on this earth!
Ezekiel encounters the Lord Jesus in the very first chapter:
“high above on a throne was a figure like that of a man… glowing… as if full of fire… and brilliant light surrounded him.” – Ezekiel 1:26-27
This is not the “suffering servant“ Jesus that is portrayed by Isaiah. This is not the Jesus we read of in the Gospels. This is the Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, when He returns in all His Glory!
Ezekiel’s vision is remarkably similar to another vision in the Bible, the vision that God gave the Apostle John, while a prisoner on Patmos. There are in fact OVER EIGHTY PARALLELS between the prophecy of Ezekiel and the prophecy of John in Revelation. For example, in his vision, John identifies the Lord Jesus as the:
“Alpha and Omega, now reigning in heaven” – Revelation 1:5-8
“…I turned and saw… someone like a son of man… his eyes were like blazing fire… his face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.” – Revelation 1:13-17
“…there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it… from the throne came flashes of lightening, rumblings and peals of thunder…”- Revelation 4:2-5
Like John, Ezekiel finds it difficult to describe what he has seen. He speaks of “the figure like that of a man” who had:
“the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord” – Ezekiel 1:28
The ”glory of the Lord”, here clearly refers to the presence of God revealed in a person. A person, who, in the fullness of time,
“became flesh, and dwelt amongst us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father” -John 1:14
The apostle Paul also describes this person in Philippians 2:
“Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself even to death on the cross” – Philippians 2:6-8
Jesus in Ezekiel is revealed as God who became man.
Friend, do you know Him? Do you recognize Him? Hundreds and thousands of years before He was born, The prophets recognized Him. Abraham knew Him.
My friend, the final hour is near. Time is short. Jesus is coming…in flashes of lightning and peals of thunder! The nations of the earth will come against Him. And, the Bible says, EVERY knee shall bow and EVERY tongue confess that HE IS LORD. Run to Him now, before it is too late.
Jesus in Jeremiah
JESUS IN THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH – OUR BLOOD COVENANT
In the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel, we learn of a Priest named Zachariah. Zachariah became famous for being stricken mute after his disbelief in God’s promise that he and his wife Elizabeth, the cousin of Mary, would be blessed with a son in their old age. And after the birth of his son, he regained his voice after naming him John. He became the father of John the Baptist, making John the cousin of Yeshua Jesus. The Priests in those days performed a BLOOD SACRIFICE that fulfilled a COVENANT with God and cleansed the sins of Israel, a foreshadowing of the atoning death of Jesus on the Cross.
The Prophet Jeremiah lived during the most crucial period of Judah’s existence as a kingdom. He predicted, “This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years”, in Jeremiah 25:11. And he saw the destruction of Jerusalem and the holy Temple. And when the catastrophe finally overwhelmed his people, he was the one who bitterly lamented Israel’s terrible fate in the Book of Lamentations. Although Jeremiah was most certainly a type of Jesus Christ in many ways, let’s focus on just one:
Jeremiah Prophesied, “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a NEW COVENANT with the people… “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God… and will remember their sins no more.”
About 600 years later, a Jewish Rabbi named Yeshua Jesus gathered with His disciples in an upper room. He took the bread of the Passover meal, gave thanks and broke it, gave it to them and said these now famous words:
“This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the NEW COVENANT in my blood, which is poured out for you.” — Luke 22:19-20
What is the NEW COVENANT that Jeremiah spoke of 600 years before? It was the blood of Christ. John the Baptist called Jesus the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). There are many references to blood in the Old Testament, like the sprinkling of innocent BLOOD on the Hebrew doorposts when they were held in bondage by the Pharaoh of Egypt.
“In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of BLOOD there is no forgiveness.” – Hebrews 9:22
After centuries of the shedding of the innocent blood of a lamb, Yahweh God provided a NEW COVENANT, a way to finally make us right with Him, by the BLOOD OF HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, JESUS, THE LAMB OF GOD.
Friend, are you covered by the Blood? Have you met Jesus in that upper room? Has HE poured Himself out for YOU, for YOUR SIN, so that once and for all, you may be FORGIVEN? He drank from the cup, the cup of the wrath of Yahweh God, to pay your debt. Go to Him now, friend. Repent of your past… and become NEW in Him.
Jesus in Isaiah
JESUS IN ISAIAH PART 4 – OUR GUILT OFFERING
Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; …His soul is made a guilt offering… Isaiah 53:10
WHO KILLED JESUS? I awakened today with this question on my mind. Like anyone else, I did a quick google search on my phone to find out! The top result was Wikipedia: “According to the canonical gospels, Jesus was arrested and tried by the Sanhedrin, and then sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged, and finally crucified by the Romans.”
But there are many more results. Most of them blame the Jewish Sanhedrin, but, since it was Pontius Pilate who actually sentenced Him, some put the blame on this unfortunate Roman magistrate. A few purists say it was the Roman guards… After all, they performed the actual execution. And then I remembered when I was 17 years old, a brand new Born-Again believer, sitting in the pew in the Catholic Church looking up at the Crucifix. I was overcome by emotion as I thought… “I am responsible. My SIN put Jesus on that Cross!”
These are all valid answers to the question of who killed Jesus. BUT THEY ARE ALL WRONG. Yeshua Jesus made a clear statement about who had the actual power to take His life:
“The Father loves me because I SACRIFICE MY LIFE SO I MAY TAKE IT BACK AGAIN. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” – John 10:17-18
On the Cross:
Then Jesus shouted out again, and HE RELEASED (DISMISSED) HIS SPIRIT. – Matthew 27:50
From His grave:
His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for HE IS RISEN… – Matthew 28:3-5
Just as He said.
The book of Leviticus describes five offerings of Old Covenant Worship. One of these is called the GUILT OFFERING. The guilt offering focuses on the need for PAYMENT for SIN. The sacrifice of a pure, innocent lamb was considered restitution. The idea is that it’s not enough to be forgiven, we need to make things right to clear up our GUILT.
Let’s look again at Isaiah 53:10 – “Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; …His soul is made a guilt offering…” Isaiah 53:10
The word used for “offering for guilt” is the exact same word used in Leviticus 5:15 to describe the compensation or guilt offering of the innocent lamb.
Friend, Yeshua Jesus made things right between you and God. He gave His sinless life as an offering; a PAYMENT IN FULL for YOUR SIN. Once you receive it, you are declared righteous. NO LONGER GUILTY. If you have ears to hear, believe and receive Him now. He is waiting. He loves you.
Jesus in Esther
JESUS IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER – OUR DELIVERER
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? – Esther 4:14
Esther is the beautiful story of an improbable yet extraordinary young woman who dared to pursue her destiny despite all personal cost. Indeed, she had everything. She was queen of a great nation. But her destiny was not yet fulfilled.
Was Esther a TYPE of Jesus? Look again at her story:
- God raises up a savior.
- She gives her life selflessly, on behalf of her people.
- Through her willingness to die for others, God’s enemies are defeated and God’s people are given life and honor.
- She is vindicated and honored.
So too with Yeshua Jesus. God chose to accomplish the greatest triumph of human history through the lowliest of means: a pregnant virgin, a humble carpenter, an improbable savior who was rejected and crucified.
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! – Philippians 2:6-8
Friend, Yeshua Jesus prayed for any other way, yet in obedience fulfilled His destiny and went to the cross for you and me.
My friend, I have another question that ONLY YOU CAN ANSWER:
Have YOU fulfilled your destiny in Christ? God is sovereign and He will accomplish His will with or without you. It is your choice.
For who knows, but that YOU have come to your position in life FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS. 
Jesus in Ezra and Nehemiah
JESUS IN THE BOOKS OF EZRA NEHEMIAH – OUR HEALER
“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” – John 5:39
Ezra and Nehemiah are books about renewal and restoration. The city of Jerusalem and Solomon’s temple had been destroyed. The people of Israel had been in exile in Babylon for 70 years. But then the Gentile King Cyrus allowed three key figures to begin the restoration of the people, the temple and the city walls of Jerusalem. Our Savior is TYPIFIED in Zerubbabel, the rebuilder of the temple; Nehemiah, the rebuilder of the wall and Ezra, the restorer of the people. Indeed, Ezra’s primary focus was the altar of their hearts. Isn’t that the very focus of our Savior, Yeshua Jesus?
And they told me, “The remnant who survived the exile are there in the province, in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.” When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. – Nehemiah 1: 3-4.
As He (Jesus) approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it – Luke 19:41
Friend, Jesus weeps over you. He loves you more than you can imagine. Jesus is your ultimate Ezra, your perfect Zerubbabel, your incomparable Nehemiah. He wants to renew your broken heart, to refresh your weary soul and heal your tattered body. Fall into the loving arms of the Savior, Yeshua Jesus… before it’s too late.
Jesus in Chronicles
JESUS IN THE BOOKS OF CHRONICLES – OUR ETERNAL KING
I will be His Father, and He will be My Son. – 1 Chronicles 17:13
The Bible is a colorful, layered tapestry that, when carefully studied, reveals the deeper truths. As we move from the Books of 1st and 2nd Kings to the books of 1st and 2nd Chronicles, we begin to see King Solomon as, in fact, a TYPE of Yeshua Jesus. A TYPE, or túpos (Greek τῠ́πος) is a New Testament term used in passages like Romans 5:14 –
“Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a TYPE of Him who was to come.”
Like the word SHADOW (Greek σκιά), a TYPE is something from the Old Testament that we can now understand through our New Testament lens. As Saint Augustine once said,
“The Old (Testament) is in the New (Testament) revealed, the New is in the Old concealed.”
“Therefore, no one is to act as your judge in regard to food and drink, or in respect to a festival or a new moon, or a Sabbath day— things which are only a SHADOW of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.” – Colossians 2:16-17
Now let’s look at the Book of Chronicles through our New Testament lens:
In 1st Chronicles 17, Nathan the prophet gives a message from Yahweh God to King David:
…. “I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.”
Of course, David’s son Solomon did succeed him. And God did establish his kingdom. But three times God uses the word “FOREVER”. That does not apply to Solomon’s kingdom at all! Less than four hundred years later Judah and Jerusalem were totally sacked by the Babylonians, and thereafter never again did any descendant of Solomon rule as a king from Jerusalem. EVER. If we read the 1st chapters of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke in the New Testament, we see that Jesus is a descendant of King David. If we look further into the New Testament, we find this in the book of Hebrews, speaking of Yahweh’s (God the Father’s) relationship to Yeshua Jesus:
“…I Will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son.” – Hebrews 1:5
This was the writer of Hebrews, speaking of Yeshua Jesus and quoting from 1 Chronicles 17:13!
If we begin to read the Bible as a tapestry that reveals Yeshua Jesus on every page, we realize that the ancient writings of the Old Testament are worth far more that gold or silver. Consider this story, long before Christ, from the book of 2nd Chronicles (Chapter 34) in the days of King Josiah:
At that time, the temple that King Solomon had built was in ruin and the people of Judah, Josiah’s Kingdom, worshiped idols. So, Josiah ordered the Temple of Yahweh to be rebuild. As work progressed, the workers began uncovering the ruins of the old Temple and something was discovered and brought quickly to the King. Was it silver or gold? No, in fact. It was a PRICELESS BOOK. It was the long-lost book of God’s law, that we now know as DEURTERONOMY. And not with gold or silver, but with that book, King Josiah began to rebuild not only God’s Temple but the Kingdom itself.
You see, friend, there is something infinitely more precious than all the riches on earth for you to discover between the pages of the Bible. Yeshua Jesus is woven deep into the tapestry of the Bible from the ancient books of the law to the final book of the New Testament. He is, indeed, the AUTHOR OF LIFE and the PAINTER OF BOTH YOU AND ME. My friend, to DISCOVER HISTORIC JESUS is discover the meaning of life itself. Your life. He is reaching out from these ancient pages of 1st and 2nd Chronicles today, offering a nail-pierced hand to His bride.
Jesus in Kings
JESUS IN THE BOOKS OF KINGS – OUR GIFT-GIVER
At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love… Give your servant therefore an understanding mind” – 1 Kings 3:5-14
And to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God – Ephesians 3:19
Solomon had already received the greatest treasure in life—the steadfast love of the Lord. So he humbly asked for wisdom. That same steadfast love of the Lord that Solomon experienced some three thousand years ago has been offered to us through the work of Yeshua Jesus. And His wisdom is here in His Word.
Friend, He loves you so much, enough to die in your place. Not because you deserve it, but even though you don’t. Indeed, His steadfast, unfailing love tugs at your failing heart this very moment. Come to Him now… and be healed.
Thanks be to God for His Indescribable Gift – 2 Corinthians 9:15
Jesus in Samuel
Jesus in the books of Samuel – OUR MERCY & GRACE
The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. – 1 Samuel 2:6 
The story of MEPHIBOSHETH
Disaster! My life is over! I’ve rehearsed this ending to my story a thousand times. And it is now playing out, just as I feared. Oh, I started out in life with such promise… The grandson of the Great King Saul, and the son of Jonathan, heir to the throne of Israel. But something went terribly wrong…
My grandfather Saul seemed to get crazy in his old age. He drove my father’s best friend, David, out of the Kingdom. He was threatened by David, who remained loyal to my grandfather and faithful to God. And when my grandfather Saul and father Jonathan went to war with the Philistines, they were both killed in battle. I was only five years old at the time. But even then, I knew that David would become King and destroy me, an heir to the throne.
My nanny also knew this, and she protected me. She held my hand tightly as together we ran from the Palace to safety. But I could not keep up, so she picked me up and continued running down the steep steps of the Palace. It was then that the next disaster of my life took place. My nanny lost her balance and fell headlong down the great steps and I fell with her. And both of my ankles were broken. Even then, my nanny was faithful. She made sure I was taken far from the Palace to the home of a trusted friend in Lo Debar. There my legs mended, but badly, and I was lame. And I have harbored deep resentment and hatred for King David for destroying my life.
I have managed to hide out from the King for fifteen years before the law caught up with me. And now here I am, kneeling before The King. I HAVE REHEARSED MY FATE A THOUSAND TIMES. He will condemn me to death, for I am an enemy of The King.
“MEPHIBOSHETH!”, The King spoke with authority from His judgement seat.
“Sir”, I mumble as I stare at the marble floor at my feet. I am waiting for the sword. Then I hear His powerful voice again.
“Don’t be frightened,” I hear Him saying. “I’d like to do something special for you in memory of your father Jonathan. To begin with, I’m returning to you all the properties of your grandfather Saul. Furthermore, from now on you’ll take all your meals at my table.”
Is this some kind of a trick? I know I DESERVE DEATH for the thoughts I have had for the past ten years about this man. But as I stutter, unable to speak, I am being ushered into the royal household; being treated as one of the King’s own sons. I am bathed and dressed in fine linens and brought to King’s table where I am served alongside of Him. Indeed, I have found GRACE, unmerited favor, from the King this day.
My past has been forgiven and forgotten. And I will serve this King for the remainder of my days.
Sincerely,
Mephibosheth
There is perhaps no better picture of God’s undeserved Mercy and overwhelming Grace towards us than the story of Mephibosheth in 2nd Samuel 9. Mephibosheth was a grandson of King Saul, the first king of Israel who started out well but then turned away from the God. He then plotted to destroy David, God’s chosen one. Thus, there was alienation and enmity between King David and the dynasty of Saul. Mephibosheth was crippled since childhood from a fall. He had lived a miserable life and deserved a sentence of death from King David.
But David not only showed mercy to Mephibosheth, but instead treated him as a son. Not because of anything Mephibosheth had done, but because of David’s love for Jonathan his father, who died to save the kingdom.
Friend, we are hopelessly crippled by sin. We deserve death but are instead offered God’s undeserved Mercy and overwhelming Grace because of Jesus’ substitutionary death on our behalf.
My Friend, are you crippled by your sin? Do you deserve only death? Jesus died to save you. He loves you with an everlasting love! Believe in Him and receive eternal life today.
Jesus in Ruth
JESUS IN THE BOOK OF RUTH – OUR KINSMEN-REDEEMER
Then the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed is the LORD who has not left you without a Redeemer today, and may His name become famous in Israel – Ruth 4:14
The story of Ruth and Boaz takes place in Bethlehem. Ruth was a Gentile whom Boaz purchased as His bride and in doing so redeemed Naomi. Boaz was uniquely qualified. The name Boaz means ‘ability’. You see, according to the law, a kinsman-redeemer must not only be a relative but must also be free of debt.
Some 1300 years later, in the town of Bethlehem, another kinsmen-redeemer was born. He purchased His bride at a great price. Indeed, Yeshua Jesus is uniquely qualified, having become one of us, yet without sin.
Friend, do you know this Kinsmen-Redeemer, Yeshua Jesus, who will redeem His people Israel through his bride? He holds out His nail-pierced hand to you now, to take you as His bride. He has paid your debt with His blood, so that you can be redeemed.
Jesus in Judges
JESUS IN THE BOOK OF JUDGES – OUR WARRIOR-SAVIOR
And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. – Hebrews 11:32-35
Perhaps the best translation of the word “Judges” from the Old Testament is Warrior-Savior. In this unlikely book we can glimpse our own great Warrior-Savior, Yeshua Jesus, in the imperfect forms of heroic men and women who, at great personal risk and sacrifice, saved the nation of Israel from destruction. They are part of the epic cosmic warfare of the ages that began in a garden many centuries ago. Jesus our Warrior-Savior is first found in Genesis 3:15 when Yahweh promised a seed who would be born of woman, engage in mortal combat with the serpent, and ultimately crush his head. Throughout redemptive history there is a recurring echo of this glorious promise as seeds born of women such as Jael and David become warrior-saviors who crush the skulls of the likes of Sisera and Goliath. These are imperfect types of our own Warrior-Savior, Yeshua Jesus, who will ultimately crush the skull of the serpent.
In the book of Judges we can also wince as we glimpse into our own desperately wicked hearts. As much as we cringe at the sin and rebellion found in this book, we see ourselves in a mirror. And the only answer is a Warrior-Savior-King with a bloody robe who says, “It is finished” (John 19:30).
Friend, have you given your heart to the Warrior-Savior Yeshua Jesus? At great personal risk and sacrifice, He paid the ultimate price to save you from destruction. Believe and receive today.
Jesus in Joshua
JESUS IN THE BOOK OF JOSHUA – OUR CONQUEROR
Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”
“Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell face-down to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”
The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. – Joshua 5 13-15
Jesus, Yeshua, Joshua!
The Greek form of the name “Joshua” (“Yahweh saves” or “Yahweh is salvation”) is “Jesus.” As Joshua led Israel to victory over her enemies and into possession of the Promised Land, and as he interceded for the nation after it had sinned and been defeated, so does Jesus.
But did the Joshua of old actually meet Yeshua Jesus? Who was this “Captain of the army of Yahweh?” “The captain of the Lord’s host said to Joshua, ‘Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is Holy.’ And Joshua did so.” Was there another such appearance of Jesus to Moses… in the Burning Bush? What did He say?
The appearance of Jesus in the Torah or Old Testament is called a Theophany or Christophany. Yeshua Jesus later said, “If you love Me you will keep My commandments.” Joshua did not have any problem with obedience. He obeyed. If we love Him, we will obey Him. It is a question of LOVE and Joshua obeyed!
Jesus in Deuteronomy
But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. – Luke 2:52
JESUS IN DEUTERONOMY – OUR BROTHER
“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” – Deuteronomy 6:6-9
First-century Hebrews like Yeshua Jesus were home-schooled during their youth and learned by repetition and recitation of Gods Word. They would often begin with the book of Deuteronomy. It was common for children to have most of the Torah committed entirely to memory by the age of 13. The Talmud emphasizes the importance of reviewing the scriptures frequently: “He who studies the Torah and does not review is like one who plants and does not harvest.”
I must confess that I have spent little time in the book of Deuteronomy in the past. But it’s never too late for a fresh look. To hear this verse afresh is to be convicted again for my children and grandchildren. Let us examine the way we choose to educate our youth. Are we following our Creator’s way or giving in to pagan culture? Lord, help us find the way back home
Jesus in Numbers
JESUS IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS – OUR REDEEMER
The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
– Numbers 21:8-9
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
– John 3:14-17
Nowhere in the Torah do we find a more striking symbol of the Cross of Christ than in Numbers 21. In the Hebrew mind, to hang someone’s body from a tree after death was a sign of God’s curse:
If someone guilty of a capital offense is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole, you must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.
– Deuteronomy 21:21-23
Jesus took our Sin upon Himself. He was literally cursed by God the Father for our sakes.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”
– Galatians 3:13
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
– 2 Corinthians 5:21
Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus. -Hebrews 3:1
Friend, do you know Him? Do you know the one who suffered and died for your Sin, your rebellion against God? The ONE who took your Sin upon Himself and was hung on a tree to be cursed by God in your place? God our Father invites you to come to the Cross of Christ just as He called Israel to look at the snake on the pole… and see not your Sin but the ONE who took the consequences of your Sin in your place – Yeshua Jesus.
Jesus in Leviticus
JESUS IN LEVITICUS – OUR PERFECT SACRIFICE
The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! – Hebrews 9:13-14
…and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. – Ephesians 5:2
The Bible tells us that our Sin has separated us from our Creator. But it is our Creator’s deep desire to fellowship with His human creation. Before the foundations of the world were laid, the Creator had a plan for our redemption. Thousands of years before Yeshua Jesus walked the earth, His offering was foretold!
This was a sweet savor offering (Philippians 2:8). The burnt sacrifice was to be a male animal without blemish, portraying the One “who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God” (Heb 9:14). It was to be made voluntarily. Our Lord said, ”No man takes it (life) from Me, but I lay it down of Myself” (John 10:18). Like that of our Savior, this sacrifice was ordered by God. It was flayed upon and laid upon the wood. As the sacrifice was made the guilty put his hand upon this innocent, spotless one to identify with it, as this was the ONLY WAY to be seen pure in the eyes of a sinless, perfect Creator. And the relationship was restored.
Friend, do you have a relationship with the perfect One who loved you enough to be flayed and laid upon the wood for your sake? God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God – 2 Corinthians 5:21.
How then should we respond?
Jesus in Exodus
JESUS IN EXODUS – OUR SUFFERING SERVANT
But if the SERVANT declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free’, then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and PIERCE his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life. – Exodus 21:5
Freedom should never be taken for granted. History is replete with examples of oppression, not the least of which is the inhuman practice of slavery. And how our Creator abhors it! He provided a path of freedom for slaves and indeed the book of Exodus is largely about that very subject. We as sinners can be set free by following His path – by keeping our eyes on the Cross of Christ. And as beautiful as this allegory is, I believe we can go deeper!
Jesus gave everything, including His freedom, out of love for His bride. Isaiah tells us that Jesus was (would be) “PIERCED for our transgressions”. But rather than with an awl in His ear, it was with nails of iron and a cross of wood that Jesus paid the ultimate price for us.
The Apostle Paul explains:
Who, being in very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a SERVANT, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! – Philippians 2:6-11
Friend, are you a slave to sin? Jesus has given everything for you. He has taken on your slavery that you should be free. He was PIERCED for you. How will you respond?
Jesus in Genesis
JESUS IN GENESIS – OUR HIGH PRIEST
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. – Genesis 14:18
The mysterious man Melchizedek is mentioned ten times in the Bible: once in Genesis (Gen 14:8), once in Psalms (Ps 110:4), and the rest are in Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 7 is devoted to discussing his priesthood. His name means King of Righteousness and His title King of Salem, שלום (Shalom), meaning Peace. It is also interesting that Salem was the ancient name for the City of Jerusalem – In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion. -Psalm 76:2
Hebrews 6:20 tells us that Jesus has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. Not of the order of the Levites, which represented a mere shadow, but of the ETERNAL order of Melchizedek.
In the order of Melchizedek, King, High Priest, Righteousness and Peace are combined. In this way Melchizedek foreshadowed the work of the Cross, where “mercy and truth met together, and righteousness and peace kissed each other” – Psalm. 85:10.
The High Priest King Melchizedek celebrated communion with Abraham as he looked forward thousands of years, into an upper room in Jerusalem where the Rabbi Jesus celebrated a solemn final Passover meal with His disciples:
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘TAKE AND EAT; THIS IS MY BODY’. Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘DRINK FROM IT, ALL OF YOU. THIS IS MY BLOOD OF THE COVENANT, WHICH IS POURED OUT FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS’. – Matthew 26:26-27
In 1st Corinthians 11:26 the Apostle Paul reminds us, “Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. The bread represents His body that was given for us. The cup is the new covenant of his blood, shed for the remission of sins.”
Because His body was broken and His precious blood was shed, we can also look forward to the crown we’ll receive on the day when we’ll all be together with our High Priest in His Kingdom. Not because we’ve done anything for Him, but because He’s done EVERYTHING for us.