1st Thessalonians, part 4, Links to Hebrew Letter

Hebrew letter het

We’ve looked at what’s in 1^st Thessalonians for a few weeks, but we haven’t shown how it links up to the Hebrew letter het. Remember that this Hebrew letter symbolically means fence or hedge. Its original pictographic form looked like two fence poles with two or three rails across.

The two other het books in the Bible are Amos and Ruth. Amos has some links back to Ruth and forward to 1st Thessalonians. In Ruth we saw the wall of warmth that surrounded Ruth in her relationship with family and in Amos we saw the fire on the wall and the Lord standing by it. Now I’ll show you some more links:

1st Thessalonians, part 3, Do's and Don't's

Now let’s look at 1st Thessalonians 5: 14 – 28:

14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.
 23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
 25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us. 26 Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.
 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Paul packs a lot into his final instructions.

1st Thessalonians, part 2, the Rapture verses

We looked at chapter 1 of 1st Thessalonians last week. In the chapters following Paul covers the believer’s walk and sanctification and hope. Please read and carefully study this letter. We’ll look at just a couple of other things here. Read chapter 4: 13 – 18:

 13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

These are the “rapture” verses.

1st Thessalonians, part 1, the Doctrines of Christian Faith

Hebrew letter het

The New Testament book of 1st Thessalonians links up to the Hebrew letter het. Remember that this letter symbolically means fence or hedge. Its original pictographic form looked like two fence poles with two or three rails across.

1^st Thessalonians was written by St. Paul. It is the earliest of his letters. He wrote it shortly after he preached in the Thessalonian church for about a month. The young disciples in this church needed confirmation in the foundational truths and Paul gives it here. He also exhorts them to go on to holiness and he comforts them regarding those who had died.

All of the great and wonderful doctrines of the Christian faith can be found in this epistle. 

Let’s look first at chapter 1 where we find the subjects of election, the Holy Spirit and assurance, the Trinity, conversion and also the second coming:

1 Paul, Silas and Timothy,
   To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
   Grace and peace to you.
 2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians, part 2, What Should Husbands Do?

Let’s look specifically at the rules for holy living found in chapter 3 of Colossians. Read the chapter and then see if you can fill in the answers:

1.         Where should you set your heart?

2.         Where should you set your mind?

3.         Should you “put to death” sexual immorality?

4.         Should you “put to death” impurity? What is impurity?

5.         Besides lust, evil desires and greed, what else should you “put to death”?

6.         What are the 5 things you should rid your lips of?

7.         What are the 5 things you should clothe yourself with?

8.         What should wives do?

9.         What should husbands do?

10.       What should children do?

11.        What should fathers not do?

12.       How can you make verse 23 central to your life?

So, what should husbands do?

Answer: Love your wives; do not be harsh with them.

Colossians, part 1, Linking to a Hebrew Letter

Hebrew letter "zayin"

Zayin is the 7th Hebrew letter and means weapon or sword. In Modern Hebrew it means to be armed and that is the primary theme of the 7th book, Judges, but our third zayin book, Colossians, is void of weapons. However, being related to the 7th letter is apparent in its relationship to the number 7 itself. In Biblical symbolism 7 represents fullness, completeness. Throughout Colossians the theme of God's fullness is apparent in the 18 times it occurs. 

all wisdom, all things, all fullness, all treasure, all wisdom, Christ is all in all, etc.

Colossians was written by St. Paul to the Christians at Colosse. Paul had not visited Colosse, but he often prayed for the Christians there. In fact he says early on in his letter (1:9) that he had not stopped praying for them. This is a short book and you can easily read it straight through right now before reading on.

Philippians, part 2, Pure Stuff, Lovely Stuff

Look at Philippians 4: 4 – 9:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Okay, let’s do the old list exercise for this passage.

Philippians, part 1, Linking to a Hebrew Letter

Hebrew letter "vav"

The book of Philippians links up with the Hebrew letter vav. Remember that the symbolic meaning of this little letter is nail or hook. It plays a very important part in Jehovah’s name. (I’ve written before about the symbolic meanings of the four letters in God’s Hebrew name. The name Jehovah or Yahweh is made up of the letters yod hey vav hey. These letters have symbolic meanings and they are Hand, Behold, Nail, Behold.)

Hebrew name for God (read right to left)

Merry Christmas Post

  MERRY CHRISTMAS

This is our first Christmas away from Big Pine Lodge (hence a picture from last year), but celebrating Christ's birth is just as exciting and wonderful as long as there is family around.

Thank you, Jesus, for being born to die for me. I could never pay for my owns sins, except through death and eternal damnation. You conquered death and washed my sins away, never to be remembered again. Thank you, thank you. I marvel at the cost to you to bear the sins of billions. I bow at the cross, but right now, in this season, I rejoice in your humble birth and sing the wonderful songs of Christmas.

Ephesians, part 2, Linking to a Hebrew Letter

Ephesians links to Deuteronomy and Daniel, 2 Old Testament books that match up to the Hebrew letter hey like Ephesians. Compare Ephesians 6:1 – 3 with Deuteronomy 5: 16

 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

 16 “Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

This commandment is found in Exodus, too, but does not include the blessing of long life there. Only in these hey books do things match up so nicely.

Ephesians, part 1, Pure Grace

Hebrew letter "hey"

Ephesians, another beautiful letter by St. Paul, is written to the saints in Ephesus. He covers the believer’s status in Christ through pure grace. He also writes about the walk, service and warfare of the Spirit-filled believer.

Hebrews is linked to the Hebrew letter hey which means “Behold!” so let’s behold what the Lord says. Turn in your Bible to Ephesians and read the first 14 verses of the first chapter. (Or if you're not near your Bible scroll down for the verses at the end.)

Ask yourself some questions. I’ve put the verse in parentheses to help you.

          1)      How many spiritual blessings do we get? (vs. 3)   

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