making the scriptures plain

Notes

It is Jesus Christ who declares God the Father. Communication from God to man is through Jesus the Son. We are reflecting on passages of the Old Testament that record Him interacting with His people, and passages that speak of the coming Saviour.

When Jesus spoke the ten commandments from Mount Sinai in a thundering voice, it terrified the people. In fact they were so frightened by the experience, they asked Moses to ask God not to speak to them again directly, but always through Moses.

Through revelation Moses predicted that God would raise a Prophet from among His people. This is the first direct reference to Jesus who would be born of a woman.

Jesus used to appear to Moses and the children of Israel in a pillar of cloud at the tabernacle. But when Joshua took over as the leader of the children of Israel, He appeared as commander of the host of the Lord. Joshua had gone out of the camp for a moment of meditation when He presented Himself to him as this magnificent warrior angel. He instructed Joshua to take his shoes off as He did to Moses at the burning bush. Joshua fell on his face and worshiped the Lord and the Lord encouraged Joshua.

Under the influence of the Holy Spirit, the mother of Samuel, Hannah prophesied the coming of the anointed one who shall destroy evil. And, speaking to Eli the priest through a man of God, the Lord promised that a faithful priest would be raised up whose family would be priests to His anointed kings forever. All these are references to the coming Christ.

Finally we see the first of many promises given to David that through Christ, God would establish David's house forever. And David confirms that it is Jesus speaking to him, calling him the God of Israel, the Rock of Israel. His advice to David? ‘Rule righteously, in the fear of God. Then you will be like the light of morning at sunrise, like a morning without clouds, like the gleaming of the sun on new grass after rain.’ What a God we serve! One who loves poetry. One who loves this beautiful world that He created!

Jesus the Prophet to come from among us

Deut.5.6 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
Deut.5.9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,
Deut.18.15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
Deut.18.16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.

Neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink

Deut.18.17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
Deut.18.18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
Deut.18.19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
Deut.29.6 Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I am the LORD your God.
Deut.31.15 And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle. 

Jesus Captain of the host of the Lord meets Joshua

Josh.5.13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
Josh.5.14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
Josh.5.15 And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

I am the LORD your God

Judg.6.10 And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.

I will raise me up a faithful priest

1Sam.2.10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
1Sam.2.35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.

The Lord speaks to Samuel

1Sam.3.4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.
1Sam.3.5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.
1Sam.3.6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.
1Sam.3.8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.

The Kingdom of Jesus Promised

2Sam.7.11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
2Sam.7.12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
2Sam.7.13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
2Sam.7.14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:

As the light of the morning

2Sam.23.3 The God of Israel said, the spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
2Sam.23.4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.