From Shepherd to King (2)
“Facing the Giant” 1 Samuel 17
David was chosen by God to be king - a very unlikely choice perhaps from a worldly point of view. He was so young & inexperienced in many ways. Yet God saw his heart & the Spirit of the Lord anointed David for the task to which he was now called. Notice however that it was not right away that David was made king. He had been anointed in secret & it would be some years before he actually would be crowned as king. Yet as we will see today, God began to position David for his future role. God used him, even as a teenager, to win a major victory over the enemies of God’s people. Saul was still Israel’s king but God’s hand of blessing was no longer upon Saul. In fact 1 Samuel 16:14 tells us, “Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, & an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.” This does not mean that God sent an evil spirit to possess Saul. It simply means that once God’s Spirit was removed from Saul he was open to the influence of evil spirits. In this sense God allowed it for Saul had chosen to turn his back upon God. So too, when we deliberately turn away from God we open ourselves to demonic powers.
God’s hand of blessing, however, was very much upon David. Very soon he was to find himself learning a lot about what was involved in being king – it was a huge jump from looking after the sheep of his father Jesse. It all began when Saul starting having strange moods & even periods of insanity. Of course his attendants were very concerned & tried everything to help. Someone had heard about the young shepherd boy from Bethlehem who played the harp & sang so incredibly beautifully. It is very interesting to see how David is described by one of Saul’s servants in v.18 “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a brave man & a warrior. He speaks well & is a fine looking man. And the Lord is with him.” Isn’t this a wonderful description of young David? Most important is the fact this man noticed that the Lord was with David - & he was such a talented nice guy. David’s gifts & his character were clearly connected in this man’s mind with the fact the Lord was with David.
It is wonderful when people in the world, people out in secular society, see a Christian & describe them in this sort of way. I have been impressed again how well people speak of NZ’s Olympic runner, Nick Willis. He is known as a Christian - & people say “And he is such a nice guy!”They say the same of TVNZ weatherman Jim Hickey & former All Black rugby player Michael Jones. This is how it should be! Christians should not be seen as strange, judgmental religious fanatics – but rather we should be seen as reliable, hardworking, nice people. Jesus said to His followers, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds & praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
The fact David was called to the palace to play the harp & to sing for Saul when he got into a bad mood is a real sign of God’s kindness & grace to Saul. David would have been playing & singing many of the songs of praise that he had composed. The quality of his music was fantastic & it soothed the distressed mind of Saul. Each time David played Saul began to feel better. I am sure too that the words of David’s songs had much about our loving merciful God, & were so uplifting that they touched Saul’s heart. Yes, it was the grace of God to Saul – giving him the chance to come back to a life of faith & obedience – if he so chose.
We not only see here a beautiful picture of the grace of God, but we also see a picture of the sovereignty of God. David was called to the palace of the one he would one day replace as king. This was part of God’s plan. David could learn firsthand about the affairs of state – even if from the sidelines. Saul was so pleased with David that he made him one of his armour-bearers. The word “armour bearer” also means “servant” or attendant – yes, David was just one of many such servants but he was right there in the palace. It was not yet the right time for David to actually be made king. He was in no hurry, nor was God.
We too need to learn to be patient. We may believe that God has certain plans for us. He may have given us a vision, a promise. Maybe there is something we believe God wants to do for us, some prayer we want Him to answer. But we need to wait for His perfect timing. In the meantime we can learn & we can grow in our life of faith despite the difficult circumstances we may be facing. We can trust God. He knows best. 1 Samuel 17:15 tells us, “David went back & forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.” Saul was based at Gibeah which was not far from Bethlehem. David could go home in-between periods of service in the palace. It was a time of learning.
As chapter 17 opens we discover the nation of Israel was facing a great threat. War was looming with their old enemies the Philistines. The Philistines lived along the coast & quite often attacked Israelite settlements in the foothills of Judah. The Philistines had more advanced weapons than the Israelites & at the time had a near monopoly of iron & metal working. The Israelites had to go to them to have their iron ploughs & pruning knives sharpened. In terms of weapons, the Israelites had very few swords & relied on wooden weapons, spears, bow & arrows & the sling. In the Book of Judges we read about 700 Israelites from the tribe of Benjamin (Saul’s tribe) who “could sling a stone at a hair & not miss.” (Judges 20:16)
We read in 17:1, “Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war & assembled at Socoh in Judah.” In other words they had invaded Israel. The Philistines stood on a hill on one side of the valley while the Israelite army faced them from a hill on the other side of the valley. There was a stand-off between the two armies but the Philistines seemed to have a big advantage. Not only did they have superior weapons, but they had an experienced & terrifying fighter, called Goliath. He was about 3 metres tall (that is almost 10 feet). The Chinese basketball player Yao Ming is only 7ft 6ins (i.e. 2.29 metres) so Goliath would have towered over him. It was fairly common in ancient times for each army to choose their champion. Then instead of the two armies fighting, the chosen champions of each army would fight each other. This would save a lot of bloodshed & the side of the victorious fighter would be seen as the winner & could claim the disputed territory.
And so we read in v 4, “A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp.” Not only was Goliath huge, he was covered in heavy armour. His armour covering front & back was made of bronze & weighted five hundred shekels, i.e. 127 pounds or 57 kilograms. He had a massive spear with an iron point. He had a helmet too & another man carried a large shield ahead of him – so he was very well protected. This scary guy Goliath came out each day & shouted across at the Israelites. “Why do you come out & line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, & are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man & have him come down to me.” (v.8) Furthermore Goliath shouted out this challenge, “This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man & let us fight each other.”(v.10) Notice the effect Goliath’s challenge had upon the Israelites. The Bible puts it very clearly, “On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul & all the Israelites were dismayed & terrified.”(v.11)
Are there not times when we feel dismayed & even terrified, when we feel overwhelmed by all the difficulties we are facing? Temptations, troubles, tragedies or bereavement – these things can suddenly strike us. Our normally peaceful pattern of life gets disrupted. We do not know what to do or where to turn. Sadly, like Saul & his army, some people do not turn to the Lord. They face the enemy feeling totally lost & helpless, unable to do anything. Their eyes are focussed on that giant shouting his obscenities, the enemy threatening to overwhelm them. The Philistines & Goliath were the enemies threatening God’s people. In a very real sense the enemies facing God’s people today are the trio we sometimes refer to as “the world, the flesh & the devil”. The “world” refers to the mindset of our secular godless society. The “flesh” is our old sinful nature. And the devil of course is Satan, the evil one. Saul & his army saw the enemy out there & were left dismayed & terrified. We very often feel totally overwhelmed by “the world, the flesh & the devil”. We feel dismayed & terrified.
This is where young David comes into the picture. In vrs 12-39 we read of how he comes to visit his three soldier brothers. David brings them all kinds of goodies from home sent by their father Jesse. Just as David arrived, the Philistine giant Goliath appeared giving his daily challenge from across the other side of the valley. David saw how all the Israelites reacted - in panic & fear. David overheard what the soldiers were saying & asked for more information. What was uppermost on David’s mind was not the reward being offered to the one brave enough to offer to fight Goliath but the shame to Israel of the current situation. David asks in v.26, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” David’s chief concern was the glory of God. His eyes were not so much on the giant as upon God & His glory. Goliath had referred to the Israelites as the army of Saul but David saw them as the armies of the living God.
David’s oldest brother Eliab, one of Saul’s soldiers, clearly despised his young brother & spoke very unkindly to him. David however was not put off by his brother’s angry remarks. If no one was ready to take up Goliath’s challenge, David decided he would do something. This soon got reported to Saul & we read in v.32, “David said to Saul, ‘Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go & fight him.’” Saul understandably was not convinced. He said, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine & fight him; you are only a boy, & he has been a fighting man from his youth.” (v.33) David then proceeds to tell Saul about how he had fought & killed both a lion & a bear that attacked his sheep. Saul had looked at David & said, “No way!” But, David who was looking at God said, “No problem!” Listen to his powerful statement of faith: “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion & the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. Saul said to David, ‘Go, & the LORD be with you.’” (v.37)
What happens next is really humorous – as Saul gets David to try on some armour. He was not used to it & politely said “no thanks!” “Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag &, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.” (v.40)
Can you imagine the scene? The army of the Israelites must have watched in disbelief as David, just a young teenager, headed down the slope towards the towering Philistine standing across on the opposite hillside. They must have watched with bated breath as he bent down to choose his five stones from the stream. Just as dumbfounded must have been the Philistine army. Maybe both armies were asking themselves, “Who does he think he is?” Maybe Goliath asked the same question. They should not have asked “Who does he think he is?” but rather, “who does he (David) think He (God) is?” This was the key to David’s bravery & the key to his faith. It was what he thought of God that mattered. The Israelite soldiers had said about Goliath: “He’s so big, he’ll kill us.” By faith David however was saying, “He’s so big - it would be hard to miss such an easy target!”
Not surprisingly, Goliath thought the whole thing was just a joke. “He looked David over & saw that he was only a boy, ruddy & handsome, & he despised him. He said to David, ‘Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks?’ And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.” (vrs 43 & 43) He threatened to tear David apart & feed him to the birds. How did David reply? “David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword & spear & javelin (in other words, with ordinary weapons), but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” David was saying he was coming not just with ordinary weapons. He was coming with spiritual weapons. The greatest spiritual weapon of all is the powerful name of LORD Almighty, the wonderful name of Jesus. As we pray in the name of Jesus the giants standing in our way are defeated. There is power in the mighty name of the Lord Jesus.“This day the LORD will hand you over to me, & I'll strike you down & cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air & the beasts of the earth, & the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, & He will give all of you into our hands.’” (vrs 45-47) What an incredible statement - not said sitting in a cosy lounge or in a beautiful church but said facing a ruthless battle-hardened giant bearing down upon him. “I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty… whom you have defied.” “The whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.” “The battle is the LORD’s.” What an important lesson to learn! It was above all a spiritual battle & David was using spiritual weapons. Not only that – it was God’s battle, not David’s!
Dear friends, do we face giants intent on tearing us apart? Do we face the mocking attacks of a world that defies God & laughs at His people? In some societies Christians face very real physical opposition, being a Christian can be dangerous. This past week I heard Pastor Lai of Lighthouse Church share about a certain nation in Asia where a preacher was threatened with death if he dared go to a certain place to preach. He went anyway, despite the warnings of the local people that his life would be in danger. “Why did you come?” they asked. “I came because I have such good news that I am prepared even to give my life in order to bring it to you.” After he finished preaching the village head rose to his feet & said, “I want to believe in the God of this man who was willing to give his life for us.” After he stood to his feet, so did many others. Like this brave preacher in modern-day Asia, David was putting himself in great danger by facing the giant Goliath. He was so committed to bringing glory to God that he was unafraid. He knew that whatever happened, the battle belonged to God. He could trust God to take care of him.
David only needed to use one of those five stones. His very first sling shot hit its mark – right on the forehead of the giant. It hit like a bullet. Goliath fell down flat – knocked out cold. David then used the giant’s own sword to chop off his head. The champion of the Philistines lay dead & the Philistine army fled in terror. A great victory was won that day. Dear friends – let us learn from this famous story. Let us, like David, be passionate about God’s glory. Let us not be left paralysed by the opposition of secular society around us. Let us long for the presence & the power of God to be displayed amongst His people. Let us be ready to lay our lives on the line for the God we serve, that others may see & believe.
From Shepherd to King (1)
“Chosen by God” 1 Samuel 16:1-13
David is one of the most popular names in our church. Just think of all the David’s we have! Well, David is also one of the most famous names in the Bible. There is more written about David in the Bible than about any other person, except Jesus of course. There are about 140 chapters in the Bible related to David – far more than about Abraham, Moses, Daniel or Paul or any other famous Bible character. We know more about David’s words, his thoughts, his prayers, his strengths & weaknesses than we know about anyone else. Despite some of his serious failings, God had a very high regard for David. In Acts 13:22 we read that God said of David “I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart.” David was God's man. He had a real heart for God.
Today we start a new series of messages looking at the life of this amazing man.
Although he lived 3000 years ago, we can learn a lot from David. Whatever situation we face it is quite possible that David has insights that will help us. Many of the precious truths we find in the Psalms David found true in his own experience. He speaks to young & old. He speaks to those enjoying success & those feeling deserted & alone. He speaks to those enjoying intimacy with God & to those feeling cut off from God. All through his life, in all the incredible ups & downs he experienced, David was someone with a passion for God. Yes, he made some terrible mistakes. He knew he needed God’s grace & forgiveness. Pleasing God was all-important to David.
After Moses led God’s people out of slavery in Egypt it was under Joshua that they conquered the Promised Land. After that for almost 400 years they had a series of judges or leaders of whom Gideon & Samson are perhaps the best known. The last judge was the prophet Samuel the nation’s undisputed spiritual & civic leader. This was when the people asked for a king, like other nations had. So in about 1050 BC Saul was anointed by Samuel as Israel’s first king. Saul started out really well but sadly did not continue that way. He became proud. Power corrupted him. He did not follow the instructions given by God through the prophet Samuel. We come to a very sad statement in 1 Samuel 15:26 where Samuel says to Saul, “You have rejected the word of the LORD, & the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!”
This is where the story of David begins. Obviously Samuel was deeply grieved about Saul. Twenty five years earlier he had anointed Saul as king. Saul’s failure & rejection by God hit Samuel very hard. Well God had important instructions for Samuel. We read in 1 Samuel 16:1, “The LORD said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil & be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.’” Samuel was told to get oil ready for an anointing ceremony. Just as Samuel had anointed Saul king all those years earlier, God now wanted him to anoint a new king. He was to go to the village of Bethlehem to the home of a man called Jesse. God had chosen one of Jesse’s sons as the next king & God would show Samuel who it was.
Samuel was very scared, however, & said to God, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it & kill me.” Yes, Saul had become a cruel, jealous man. He was no longer a leader who cared about his people. He was a law unto himself. God gave Samuel the following instructions in vrs 2 & 3, “Take a heifer with you & say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, & I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.” Samuel lived in a place called Ramah where the tabernacle was set up, but used to travel around the countryside holding sacrifices for the people as he taught them about God. So, when God wanted to have a new king anointed, He told Samuel to take a heifer, that is a young cow, & go down & hold a sacrifice in Bethlehem. This would not in itself make Saul suspicious.
Each village or town in Israel had its elders (local leaders), probably the heads of influential families. When Samuel, the revered prophet unexpectedly arrived in Bethlehem, the elders were very surprised. In fact the Bible says “the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, ‘Do you come in peace?’” (v.4) Samuel reassured them & invited them, including Jesse & his sons, to the sacrifice. They were to consecrate themselves before the sacrifice actually took place. Consecration involved washing themselves. This outward cleansing was a sign of the importance of inner cleansing. It reminded the people of the importance of coming to God with a pure heart. This is important for us too as we come to worship. We too need to ask God to cleanse our hearts & minds as we come into His holy presence.
After a sacrifice the men of a village would normally eat a feast with Samuel. During his visit to Bethlehem, Samuel must have been asking the Lord to show him who was the one he was to anoint. He already knew it had to be one of Jesse’s sons but which one? Samuel also knew if Saul heard about it there would be big trouble for all concerned. He had to be very careful. Samuel must have told Jesse that he wanted to meet all his sons. Most probably he did not say why, except that it was very important & that he would explain later. Jesse would have introduced his sons to Samuel one by one from the oldest to the youngest. The Bible tells us, “…Samuel saw Eliab & thought, ‘Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD.’” No doubt Samuel was very impressed with Eliab, Jesse’s eldest. Samuel immediately thought that he must be the one God had in mind. No sooner had such a thought entered his mind, however, than we read, “But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’” (v.7) Saul, who God had now rejected, had also been very impressive. He was tall & handsome. Maybe Samuel thought the new king would have to be tall & handsome like Saul, but God warns Samuel not to judge by outward appearance alone.
When we judge by outward appearance we can very easily overlook unseen qualities that are far more important. The physical, outward things by which society judges a person are no measure of their true worth. A person may not have the looks of a movie star but they might have inner qualities, inner good looks, inner beauty that is far more lasting & of far greater value. Young people, remember this when you are thinking about romance & marriage. Girls, don’t let a guy’s good looks or charisma be the only things you notice. Look deeper. Look for someone who is reliable, honest, humble, hard-working, & who loves the Lord. Guys don’t just look for outward beauty. Look deeper. Look for someone who is pure, gentle, modest, faithful, & godly. Don’t judge by outward appearances.
The same applies to selecting employees. Don’t just look at the outward, seemingly obvious. Get honest references. Make sure their CV is genuine. Even the NZ Immigration Department & the Ministry of Defence have made mistakes, not adequately checking a person’s CV. We can do the opposite as well – that is, reject a really good person simply because of outward appearances. Judging people by their outward appearance is what a racist does. The racist looks at ethnic background, colour of skin, or language, rather than taking people on their merits. A well-known media personality recently got into serious trouble, & rightly so, over remarks he made about our Governor General. His remarks clearly reflected racial prejudice – judging a man not by character or merit but by ethnic background.
If looking deeper is important in all these areas just mentioned, how much more important it is in our Christian lives! Yes, God looks at the heart. He sees what we are like inside. Most of us spend at least some time in front of the mirror each day – making sure we look OK. If we take care of our outward appearance should we not also be concerned about how we are on the inside? We make sure our hair, if we have any, is in place. How about taking care of our hearts? Others may not know what we are like inside, but God knows.
It is also important to remember these things when we think about serving the Lord & when we think about church. It is easy to make a good impression, to look very spiritual, to be busy doing all kinds of things for God – while our hearts are not in a good place. We might be secretly holding on to bad habits, or ungodly attitudes, while at the same time leading worship or praying or preaching. I once got an email from a respected Christian brother, an elder in a church in South Africa, in which he confessed to me that his marriage was in trouble because he had become addicted to pornography on the Internet. He looked good on the outside but on the inside in his private life he was in deep trouble. Well my dear friends, God sees everything. He sees our hearts & He knows when we are sincerely seeking to please & obey Him. We may stumble & fall but God is looking at our hearts. He knows when we are sincerely sorry & when we are genuinely crying out for His forgiveness & His help.
Yes, it is wrong to judge others by what we see or don’t see on the outside. There are some people, for example, that we hardly notice & seldom praise who are truly pleasing to God. He sees their kind words & loving deeds, the things they do behind the scenes. One day they will hear His “well done, good & faithful servant.”
After God told Samuel that Jesse’s eldest, Eliab, was not the one to be anointed king, it seems that Samuel was not quite so quick to jump to conclusions with the rest of Jesse’s sons. V.8 says, “Then Jesse called Abinadab & had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, ‘The LORD has not chosen this one either.’” And so along came son number three. “Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, ‘Nor has the LORD chosen this one.’” (v.9) The three sons mentioned so far were all soldiers in the army led by king Saul. They were tough physically impressive young men. Yet none of them was chosen by God. Jesse introduced each one of his seven sons to Samuel. Samuel looked at each one of them carefully, but no matter how impressive they were, we read that Samuel told Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” (v.10) Samuel had been introduced to all of Jesse’s sons, or so it seemed, but not one of them had been suitable. Had not the Lord told him that the one He had chosen was a son of Jesse? Well then, Samuel’s question to Jesse in v.11 is perfectly understandable. He asks, “Are these all the sons you have?” Maybe there was another son somewhere who had not yet been introduced to him.
And that is exactly what had happened. “‘There is still the youngest,’ Jesse answered, ‘but he is tending the sheep.’ Samuel said, ‘Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.’” It seems Jesse had not given his youngest son David so much as a passing thought. He was just a young lad. What use could he possibly be to the great prophet Samuel? “If Samuel has not found what he is looking for in any of my older boys,” Jessie may have thought, “surely he will not find it in David!”
All that Jesse & his sons could now do was to wait patiently, or perhaps impatiently, for David to arrive. The fact David was working as a shepherd may indicate that he had been despised by others in the family. He was not much good for anything else in their eyes, perhaps. But in God’s eyes things were very different. David may have been forgotten & neglected by his father. He may have been mocked & looked down upon by his brothers. But he had not wasted his time as a shepherd. He had become skilled with a sling. He was brave & with his bare hands had killed wild animals attacking the sheep. He had also become incredibly skilled as a musician. He had spent countless hours playing his harp singing the songs of praise & worship that he had composed, songs of praise to the God he loved. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” The magnificent Psalm 23 is one of David’s songs of praise to God composed as he sat watching his father’s sheep. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” Psalm 19, speaking of God’s creation & of His Word, was possibly composed as David sat under the stars meditating upon the Lord & His Word. His years watching the sheep were not wasted years. In God’s school they were essential training for the one who was to become shepherd over God’s people.
So finally along comes David, the smell of the fields & the sheep still clinging to his clothes. And this is how he is described, “He was ruddy, with a fine appearance & handsome features.” (v.12) David may have been the youngest. He may have been less impressive than his older brothers but he was still a very good looking young man. The moment Samuel saw David we read, “…the LORD said, ‘Rise & anoint him; he is the one.’” What a powerful statement! God had chosen the youngest, the least impressive in the eyes of the world. But this was the one God had chosen to be the future king of His people.
We read in 1 Corinthians 1:26-28, “Think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world & the despised things…” God chose unlikely David. He also chooses you & me. What a huge privilege!
The secret ceremony, attended only by Jesse & his sons, now took place. “Samuel took the horn of oil & anointed him in the presence of his brothers, & from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power.” (v.13) People were anointed with oil when they were set apart for God’s service – as a prophet, a priest, or as a king. The oil symbolized holiness. Saul was still king & would remain so until his death but God had chosen David to replace him. Notice the very important phrase: “from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power.” God’s Spirit had been withdrawn from Saul. Saul no longer enjoyed the favour & blessing of God. But young David was anointed not just with oil but, more importantly, he was anointed by Spirit of the Lord. David would not be able to fulfil God’s calling upon his life unless he was filled with the Holy Spirit.
In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit came upon certain people for certain special tasks. In the New Testament however the anointing, the infilling, of the Holy Spirit is God’s provision for every believer. Have you been filled with the Holy Spirit? Do not try to live the Christian life or to serve the Lord in your own strength. You will not be able to do it. Christianity becomes a burden without the infilling & the power of the Holy Spirit. It is like a car without fuel. It is like a gas burner without gas. It is like a lamp that is not plugged into the power supply – there is no light, no shining.
Has God chosen you? Has He anointed you? Do not think it is unlikely or impossible for God to use you. He sees your heart. He is able to prepare you for ministry. He is able to equip you with power. Praise His wonderful name. God does this by His Spirit. This is what He did for David, & what He can do for you & me.
Preparing for Easter
“The Passover”
Exodus 12:21-30 & Luke 22:7-20
A number of years ago my late wife & I were travelling from Europe back to Hong Kong. We had a brief 3-day stop-over in Istanbul in Turkey. As we drove from the airport into the city at several points along the way we saw crowds of people gathered around watching men slaughtering sheep. The men killed the sheep with a big knife & then skinned them. There was a lot of blood around. The taxi driver explained that we had arrived on the first day of the festival of Kurban or Eid – the Festival of Sacrifice. It was the very day every Muslim home offered a sacrifice. That night each family roasted & ate the meat of their sacrificial lamb.
Muslims in China, ethnic groups like the Uygur & the Hui, also celebrate this festival. The origins of this Muslim festival can be traced to the Bible. In Genesis in the Old Testament there is a famous story of how God provided a ram for Abraham so that he didn't have to sacrifice his own son Isaac. That ram died as a sacrifice in the place of Isaac. Of course for the Jewish people this was a very important event. For Christians, we believe it points very clearly to our Saviour the Lord Jesus. That ram which God provided for Abraham was a fore-shadowing, a type, an illustration pointing forward to Jesus. In the Bible Jesus is called “…the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”. (John 1:29) He is the Lamb of God who takes our place, who dies instead of us.
Well there is another similar but even more important festival celebrated by the Jews. It is called Passover. It also involved the killing of a lamb. And Christians believe that the Passover lamb also points forward to Jesus. When Jesus was on earth, & the Temple was still standing in Jerusalem, the highlight of the Festival of Passover was the sacrificing of the paschal or sacrificial lamb. Each family also sacrificed a lamb which was then roasted & eaten with unleavened bread. Unleavened bread has no yeast in it. Even today Jewish people celebrate Passover although they no longer kill sacrificial lambs. They eat unleavened bread & roast lamb cooked with bitter herbs, & they drink wine.
Now, why is the Feast of Passover so important? Do Christians celebrate it & if so how & why? These are some of the questions we will think about today.
Indeed Christians do celebrate Passover. It is one of our most holy festivals, except we normally do not call it Passover. Instead we call it by the name Good Friday. It was during the Jewish festival of Passover that Jesus was crucified on the cross – on Good Friday. It is all part of Easter for following on from Good Friday is Resurrection Sunday. Next weekend we celebrate Christian Easter.
Let us look at what the Bible tells us about this important festival & why it is so important. We find the story in the second book of the Bible, the book of Exodus. The Jewish people had been living in Egypt for over 400 years. By this time they had become slaves & were suffering terrible oppression under the iron-fist of their Egyptian slave masters & the Egyptian king Pharaoh. God called Moses to lead his people out of Egypt - but Moses had a major problem. Pharaoh & his officials were in no mood to allow God's people to leave. After all, the Egyptian economy depended upon the slave labour provided by the Hebrews. Even when God used Moses to perform signs & wonders in front of Pharaoh he would not change his mind. Then God sent terrible plagues on the land but Pharaoh simply hardened his heart. He refused to listen to God. Even today God gives people many opportunities to turn away from their sin. He gives us signs & sometimes even performs miracles. And when we experience tragedy & hardship in life – God is there to help us if only we will see our need, humble ourselves & turn to Him. But no, like Pharaoh, we refuse to listen.
Well, the tenth & final plague was about to fall. It was going to be the worst plague of all. God said that the firstborn of every family in Egypt would die. The angel of death would go through the whole land. No one would be spared. “Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl, who is at her hand mill.” (Exodus 11:5) Pharaoh was warned about what would happen but still refused to let God's people go.
God had a plan to spare the Israelites, His people. He would save them from the plague. God told Pharaoh through Moses: “Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt & Israel.” (Exodus 11:7) Dear brothers & sisters, even Egypt & Israel in this story are types, or pictures or shadows of things to come. Of course I am not talking about modern day Egypt or modern day Israel. I am talking about what these two nations represented as types or pictures in the Old Testament. Egypt is a type or a picture of the person who refuses to turn to God, the one who refuses to believe, the one who fights against God. Egypt represents the unbeliever, those who are lost. Israel on the other hand, in this context, is a type or a picture of the people of God. Israel represents the believer. It represents the Church. It represents those who believe the gospel & obey God's Word. It represents those who are delivered from the slavery of sin, those who are saved. My friend – you are one or other of these two today – either Egypt or Israel, either God's enemy or God's friend, either lost or saved. There is indeed a distinction between Egypt & Israel.
God warned that the angel of death would go through the whole land & no firstborn son would be spared. If the Israelites were to be spared they would need to carefully follow God's instructions. We read in Exodus 12:3, the Lord says first of all to Moses: “Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.” They were to prepare a lamb – one for each family. They could share with neighbours but there must be enough for each person. All were to participate – young & old. Each family was to choose a lamb. Dear friend, if you want to be saved – you too need to choose a lamb. However you cannot choose any lamb. The only One who can take away your sin, the only One who can save you, is the One chosen by God – our Saviour Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. If you choose Him today you will be saved. If you reject Him you will remain in your sin & you will have no hope when the angel of death passes over you. So first of all the Israelites had to choose a lamb.
Secondly, they had to choose a male lamb (or a goat) that was a year old & the lamb was to be without defect. It was to be perfect. We read in v.5, “The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, & you may take them from the sheep or the goats.” A one year old lamb is in its prime. It is healthy & strong. Its meat is tender & tasty. And the lamb to be chosen must be perfect. What a picture we have here of our Lord Jesus! He was in His prime & He was perfect. Only He was good enough. Only He could stand against evil & remain unspoiled. Only He could face temptation & remain pure. Only He could close hell & open heaven. As a verse in an old hymn says: “There was no other good enough To pay the price of sin; He only could unlock the gate Of heaven, & let us in.”
Thirdly, after having killed the lamb, God told them to do something very strange. We read in v.7, “Then they are to take some of the blood & put it on the sides & tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs.” Blood from each lamb was to be applied to the top & the two sides of the front door of each house. It must have been a gruesome sight – blood painted over the door way. Why did they have to do this? We see the reason in v.13. God says, “The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, & when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.”
Many of you are familiar with the custom at Chinese New Year of pasting strips of red paper called “chun lian”on the two sides of the front door of a home. Matching phrases or couplets, usually with “lucky” words, are written on these red strips. The character for happiness or blessing is often pasted on the door or above it. The idea of putting up these “chun lian” on red paper is to keep out evil & welcome good in the New Year. Chinese Christians often also put up “chun lian” but put Scriptural verses on them instead. Non-Christians may hope that the red paper & lucky words will keep evil out of their home in the New Year but in fact it is only the blood of Jesus that can protect us from fear & evil. Only the blood of Jesus can bring us blessing & salvation.
When the angel of death passed over Egypt that night, there was either death or salvation in each home. When the angel saw blood on the doorposts he passed over that house. The blood was a sign. It was a mark distinguishing God's people from those who were not His people. The blood was a covering & those under the blood were safe. It was their protection. The Lord said, “…when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” The Hebrew for “you” is in the singular, not the plural. The plural form would refer to all the people of Israel but here the emphasis is on each individual being covered by the blood & each individual being saved. We cannot rely upon our background or our race or our position in the church. Each person individually must believe & must obey.
All this is a powerful picture of the gospel. Those who come to Jesus the Lamb of God & apply His blood to their own lives will be saved. What Jesus did on the Cross, shedding His precious blood for us, brings us deliverance from the penalty of sin which is death. Jesus is the only One to whom we can run for safety from judgment. Only if the blood of Jesus has been applied to us are we safe from the righteous judgment of God. Do you have the mark of the blood on your life? Do not delay. Come to Jesus today. Ask Him to wash away your sin in His precious blood. As the old hymn asks, “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh! precious is the flow That makes me white as snow; No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”
The Apostle Peter speaks of the precious blood of Jesus. In 1 Peter 1:18 & 19 we read, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver & gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”
Some people think that speaking of the blood of Jesus is gruesome. However the Bible makes clear that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. A price has to be paid. All through the Old Testament, the sacrifice of animals was important but it was just a picture pointing forward to the only truly effective sacrifice - the sacrifice of the perfect Lamb of God. The blood of Jesus is indeed precious. It is powerful to save. Satan is afraid when we speak of the blood of Jesus for he knows it means the total defeat of all his evil schemes. Have you applied the blood of Jesus to the door frames of your life? Are you safe under the cover of His sacrifice for you?
Fourthly notice, after applying the blood to the door posts, the people had to roast the sacrificial lamb. We read in v.8, “That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, & bread made without yeast.” Roasting over the fire perhaps is a picture for us of the agony Jesus endured on the Cross. He tasted the fires of hell for us. Because of His suffering we are spared the suffering we deserve. Because he died, we can live. And it was a bitter death He died. Eating the Passover meal with the bitter herbs would remind God's people of the bitterness of suffering from which they were spared. It was also to help them remember the need to be sorry for sin, to show true repentance. To experience God's forgiveness we need to come in true bitterness of soul, in heart-felt repentance.
Yeast is what makes bread rise. It takes time but just a tiny amount of yeast eventually spreads through a whole lump of dough. At the time of the first Passover, God's people did not have time to make bread the normal way – with yeast. So they ate bread without yeast. However, in the Bible yeast is also used as a picture of sin. Even a little sin can affect the whole body. Secret sins in the life of a believer can have a devastating effect. So Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 5:7 & 8, “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice & wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity & truth.”
Sixthly & finally, they were to eat the Passover meal in a hurry. They were not to delay. Look at v.11, “This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet & your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD's Passover.” The reason they were to eat in a hurry was that they had to be ready to move.
The angel of death struck at midnight. Very soon after that when the Egyptians discovered that all their first-born sons lay dead, there was great wailing throughout the land. Pharaoh finally allowed the Israelites to leave Egypt. In fact he wanted them to go right away. There could be no delay. Perhaps there is a picture here of how we are to live as Christians. We must be ready to move. Like the person waiting for the start of the race. He is ready to take off as soon as the gun sounds. We must be ready to follow our Lord in service. We must also be ready for His return. He could come at any time. The Lord could also call us at any time. As the 19thcentury Anglican preacher Henry Law puts it, “He is a foolish servant who has to seek the key when his Lord knocks. … When death comes, have nothing to do, but just to die.”
I heard about the famous British preacher Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones who at 82 was nearing the end of his life. He seemed to sense the Lord was calling him home. He made sure all his affairs were in order. He even cancelled his morning newspaper from a certain date. He died on Sunday March 1st. 1981 – the very day after which his last newspaper had been delivered. Very few of us will have any idea as to when we might die but whenever it is we need to be ready. Even if we are young & think we have lots of time. In fact we don't. None of us knows the minute or the hour. We must be ready.
Yes, dear friend, only if you belong to Jesus will you be ready. Only if His blood has been applied to the doorposts of your heart, will you be unafraid to die. The covering of His blood is our only security for living & for dying.
God told the Israelites to always remember their deliverance from Egypt. They were to celebrate the Feast of Passover every year. At Easter we as Christians also remember the sacrifice of Jesus the Lamb of God. But we also remember His sacrifice very time we meet for communion around the Lord's Table. In the passage we read from Luke 22, which describes what happened at Passover time in Jerusalem the night before Jesus was crucified, Jesus says to His disciples, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfilment in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 22:15 & 16) It was right after this that Jesus led His disciples in the very first communion. “He took the bread, gave thanks & broke it, & gave it to them saying, 'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.'” Jesus was the fulfilment of Passover. He was the Lamb of God who gave Himself for us, to die in our place. Then we read, “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 22:20)
Not only once a year at Easter but whenever we celebrate communion, we are remembering what Jesus did for us in dying for us on the Cross. We do not have to fear the angel of death for Jesus our sacrificial Lamb has died in our place. He is of course alive again & He lives for evermore. Let us give thanks. Let us bow before Him in praise & adoration.