"Peace Revealed"

"Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD." (Psalms 122:4)

  May we never forget this, because this peace is not something that we find in anything else but in the testimony of Israel, and how that testimony is transferred and available to all that call upon the name of Jesus Christ! I frequently share about this memory, standing in a circle with ten or more fellow brothers in Christ, and all standing and marching in step, singing the song, "Father Abraham." It was about a month or so after I was saved, and it was a powerful testimony of what it means to be grafted into the family of God. I have heard several different messages about adoption and what it means to be adopted, but when it comes to the principle of God's promises, adoption takes on a whole new meaning. This was Paul's message of being grafted in, that the same promise God gives to Israel applies to each and everyone that is adopted into the "tribes of the LORD." Matthew Henry shares two important points about the, Whither the tribes go up: one is, "To receive instruction from God; they come to the testimony of Israel, to hear what God has to say to them and to consult his oracle;" and two, "To ascribe the glory of God, to give thanks to the name of the Lord, which we have reason to do, especially those that have the testimony of Israel among them." That was what reminded me of that circle of men, and the joy we felt in singing, of the testimony of Israel, among us! Why is this so important? Not sure if you realize this or not, but everyone Jesus was speaking to when He said, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world," were Jews, as was He; so if you really want to take hold of the complete promise, then you had better hold onto the testimony of Israel; don't you think? Besides, those that ascribe to the thought that God has abandoned Israel and is now only focused upon the 'church,' they have somehow bought into a tremendous lie, one that is focused upon a little thing called covetousness; whether they know it or not. If memory serves, that is one of the Ten Commandments, "Thou Shalt Not Covet." Actually, it was the Tenth Commandment, a kind of a 'Wrap', if you will, on everything that means anything that belongs to anyone else, especially power, riches, and love. No nonsense! If you examine the connection, covet is a strong motivator to cause someone to commit just about every other commandment; it was the cause for the original sin in the garden, and it was what caused Lucifer to fall from glory, (Isaiah 14:12-14). Something that I remember hearing the other day, I think it was from Rush, that the real trick that is being portrayed by those that want to take away happiness and peace in the lives of the people, is to get them to live outside of the present; they make them live in the past and in the future, which are both areas that they have no way to control. Add to that, the notion that there is no God, and you have created utter chaos and hopelessness. There needs to be something promised that can be held onto...

"Let you conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." So that we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."" (Hebrews 14:5-6)