I
love the stories in the Old Testament. A man being swallowed by a big fish, a
flood that reboots the earth, a band that brings the walls of a city crashing
down to the ground & those are just a few. It is at times hard to believe
that they could really happen. But even more then believing them is
understanding what God’s purpose behind them is. That is why as we read the New
Testament & the clear revelation of who Jesus is, is such a grace gift.
What God does in the Old Testament makes sense when we learn about the things
that Jesus does & says in the New Testament.
First,
there is Jonah being swallowed by a big fish. God wanted to save a sinful
broken people of Nineveh, but Jonah hated the Ninevites & ran the other
way. But God allowed a storm to come up the boat & he was thrown overboard
& swallowed by a big fish & he stayed in the fish for three days, just
like Jesus in the tomb. Then Jonah got resurrected by being barfed upon the
shore. He went to Nineveh & preached & God brough spiritual awakening.
This
foreshadowed what Jesus did:
Humanity
rebelled against God (Ninevites’ unbelief & human’s unbelief)
God
made a miraculous way for righteous to be restored (big fish swallowed Jonah &
Jesus went to the cross)
God
have grace to the people who believed (Ninevites spared when they believed
& people save when we believe)
Raise
the Roof & Remove the Walls is about God providing a way for sinful broken
people to be saved.
Noah
is told by God to build a big boat that could save people from a worldwide
flood. The people had never seen rain & had no idea what a flood was. But
Noah obeyed God & built the boat. He endured mocking & reticular, but
obeyed God. The people rejected Noah’s message, but Noah & his family were
saved by entering into the ark.
This
foreshadowed what Jesus did:
Humanity
rebelled against God (people disobeyed God & we have disobeyed God)
God
made a miraculous way for righteousness to be restored (ark was built &
Jesus went to the cross)
God
gave grace to the people who believed (Noah’s family delivered & we are
saved when we believe)
Raise
the Roof & Remove the Walls is about God providing through Jesus a way to
deliver people from God’s wrath against sin.
Joshua
is told by God that Israel will take the city of Jericho, but the battle plan
was strange. The people were to walk around the city once a day for six days
completely silent. Then on the seventh day the people were to walk around six
times still being quiet & then on the seven time to blow the trumpets &
all the people were to shouted & the walls would fall in & Israel would
take the city. The people obeyed & the walls fell & the city was taken.
This
foreshadowed what Jesus did:
There
was obstacle between God’s will & people (Jericho & sin)
God
made a miraculous way for the obstacle to be removed (marching around the city
& Jesus on the cross)
God
gave grace to the people who believed (the walls fell & sin was atoned for)
Raise
the Roof & Remove the Walls is about God removing the obstacle of sin
through Jesus’ death so we can be saved.
Raising
the Roof & Removing the Walls,
Joe
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