Lord’s Prayer – Deliver Us

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Matthew 6: 13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (NASB) Luke 11:4b does not have “but deliver us from evil”.

As I have studied this portion of the Lord’s Prayer and its various words and their meanings from the Greek, I have had a feeling that how you view Father God will influence your feelings about these twelve words. The various forms of the Greek words with their jots and tittles do dictate what word the translator may use, and the King James version is what is most accepted. Unless you have an Exodus 34:6 and 7 knowledge of our Father, and see the good things Nehemiah 9 tells that God did for His Children; I fear that it is easy to use this verse to project wrong thinking towards God.

Psalm 23 gives you an idea of God’s leading, yes, I have made reference to this Psalm for His epiousious provision. Verses 2-4 talks about leading by quiet waters and through the valley of the shadow of death. The path of righteousness is special; it is a well-marked track (See H4570).  Strong’s Hebrew: 4570. מַעְגָּל (magal or magalah) — Path, track, course, circuit

The Greek words deserve a good look. I am not putting these in order, so use the links if you want to go further. Matthew 6:13 Greek Text Analysis

There is a “legal” side in this part also, I see this in #G 4506. We asked for His Kingdom to come, and this part does show the mission of bringing us to Him and away from the evil one. These last few posts have talked about provision, forgiveness, and now the mission of His Kingdom.

Day Six, Day Seven, Day Eight

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This study started when I was pondering how to answer a question on the number eight and new beginnings. That thought of course starts with the narrative in Genesis 1 and 2 and the seven days of Creation. Now, this is a very metaphorical thought, and I am writing this to start my study. So, this is a big-picture thing, so be patient with the process.

  • Day Six – Man is “born”. Below are links to “created” and “made” which are the words used in verses 26 and 27 of Genesis 1.
  • Day Seven – God and Man rested
  • Day Eight – Man started his “job” of tending the Garden and having rule over the animals of the earth.

The new beginning follows a time of rest with God.

Exodus and Leviticus have been on my mind a lot lately, they have a “creating process” in them.

  • Father God voids the gods of Egypt.
  • Passover is redemption of Israel and bringing the people out healthy and “new”.
  • They have a short period of “rest” with no bondage. They are under the Pillar which protects them.
  • Their “eighth day” is when they went through the Red Sea. They were total free, and those Egyptians would not bother them again.

Leviticus 8 and 9 are the start of the Aaronic priesthood and the first service at the new Tabernacle; some of these thoughts are in this narrative.

Another Passover also has the elements of Day 6, 7, and 8.

  • Jesus came out of the grave (ground) and was a new version of Himself.
  • There was a forty-day period where Jesus stayed with the disciples giving them rest and protection. Remember, He wanted the disciples to leave Jerusalem and go to Galilee.
  • Pentecost was the start of their new beginning and the work they were to be doing.  

Genesis 1:26 Hebrew Text Analysis

Hebrew Concordance: na·‘ă·śeh — 33 Occurrences

Hebrew Concordance: way·yiḇ·rā — 2 Occurrences

Hebrew Concordance: bā·rā — 5 Occurrences

Leviticus 9:11 – A New Year Thought

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Leviticus 9:11 And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp. (KJV)

Hebrew 13: 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the Holy Place by the high priest as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood. 13 So then, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. 14 For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come. (NASB from BibleGateway)

Truth be told Leviticus and the sacrifices and offerings have always been intimidating for me, but New Year, new victories. As a Christian, I know Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the Law when He died on that Roman cross. So, these offerings are not for us, but they can still reveal God-truths, point to Jesus, and explain things that happen during that Passover festival when He died. Just to add some knowledge to this post:

  • Zechariah, John’s father, had incense behind the curtain, not blood, because the Day of Atonement offerings could not be done since there was no Ark of the Covenant with the Mercy Seat. It disappeared when Jerusalem fell to Babylon.
  • Jews have not been able to sacrifice for the last 1900 years because there is not a Temple and altar.
  • Like the Passover lamb, most sacrifices were to be eaten. See 1 Samuel 1 and 2. Yes, the priests and Levities got to eat some of the meat and grain offerings, but so did the people.

Leviticus 9 is all about seven offerings, so the glory of the Lord would come to His people. One point that stood out to me was the priest and elders laid their hands on the BULL for this offering. Jesus had hands laid on Him also, at the trial the Sanhedrin hit Jesus, and the Romains also beat Him before making Him carry His cross.

Chapters 8, 9, and 10 are narratives of “real time” events; Chapters 16 and 24 are like this also. If you follow the timeline, Exodus ends at the first day of the first month of the second year, remember Passover is in this month. Numbers begins at the first day of second month of the second year, there is a “second chance” Passover observance in this month. Chapters 8 and 9 describe the ordination of Aaron and his four sons, followed by the “first church service” at the Tabernacle. Chapter 10, the death of Aaron’s oldest sons, and Chapter 16, and the rules for The Day of Atonement, must have happened pretty quick. Chapter 24 is a “real time” call for clear oil for the lamps in the Tabernacle and the death of a blasphemer. It seems like that was a busy month. By the end of the second year, the spies have been sent out (Numbers 13, 14), Miriam and Aaron oppose Moses, and several other important events happened. For a reference, Numbers 20 to 36 take place after the years of wandering just before they are going into the Land.

My big question about Leviticus is why did God insert those laws where He did? I am supposing that they reflect something that may have been going on in the camp.   

Leviticus 9 – The “church building” has been made, the priests have been ordained, and now it is time for God to enter and show His approval. (Compare this with 2 Chronicles 2 – 7, and Jesus returning to heaven in Acts 1 and the things He did in Hebrews.) He does that by burning up the offering with fire coming out of His Cloud/Presence. It was a “new start” for the Children at the beginning of their new year.

After a lot of pages were turned and studies done that covered fat, liver coverings, outside of camp, and the types of sacrifices and offerings, it all come back to God wanted to show His glory to His people. Seven different animals and a grain offering were presented and parts of those had to be burned outside the camp. Sins had to be confessed and transferred to those animals and Aaron had to go into a tent before he could bless the people and have the glory and power of God approve the offering. I hope you can see Passover, Easter, and Pentecost in this paragraph.

2024 was a tumultuous year. Did God preform like you wanted Him too? Humph, did you perform like God wanted? (Romans 8:28 ,29) Read Exodus 11 to the end of the book and see how the Israelites’ year went, did they have problems and attitudes? We have been given a new year and I am sure God is still in control. Prepare yourself in the things you offer to God and find Jesus as you offer them, so the glory of God can be seen in your life.

In 2025 can you pray like Jesus, “Father, Your kingdom come and rule here like You do in heaven.”

Have a blessed year,

Mark

The Lamb

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Jesus was born a baby in a stable and was a king; He was a lamb and the Lion of Judah. He had shepherds and scholars seek Him out to give Him praise. Jesus has many crowns or titles that are His.

My thought for this post came as I was studying Leviticus 8 and 9. These chapters detail the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priest and the first community “church” service at the new Tabernacle. Lambs, rams, and he-goats, animals from the flock, were used in these two chapters. But they were not all for the sin offering. A bull and goat were the offerings for sin, why? I am not sure I have an answer for that question, about those two offerings. The bull was for the priest and the goat was for the people’s offerings. (My feeling is the bull is associated with Egypt and Aaron made a golden calf at Mt. Sinai. The goat would become the offering for the Day of Atonement.)  

It made me think, why is Jesus our sin offering? He is not referred to as a bull or goat and there is no artwork from the Middle Ages, that I can think of, where Jesus is a bull or goat. John the Baptist’s iconic statement stems from Passover, Jesus died at Passover. The first lamb’s blood delivered Israel from the Death Angel, who became prominent after Adam and Eve ate the fruit and allowed him in the world.   

I see another connection to Jesus and the Passover. In The Day of Atonement, Passover, and Epiphany I make the point that Zachariah was offering incense behind the curtain in the Temple, The Day of Atonement. Count out the months and Gabriel went to Mary six months later, Passover. Jesus’ conception was at Passover, He came out in the winter months, Epiphany/Christmas. At the darkest time of the year the “Light of the World” was born.  

I feel these lay a good foundation to discuss Jesus as the Lamb of God.

  • Genesis 22:8 – God provided Abraham with a lamb to replace Issac as an offering.
  • Exodus 12:3 – Take a lamb for your family so the Death Angel will pass over you.
  • Isaiah 53:7 – The lamb did not open His mouth as He was led to the slaughter.
  • John 1:29 – John the Baptist announced Jesus was the Lamb who would take away the sin of the world.
  • Revelation 5:6  And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. (NASB)

Other lamb ideas to consider: 1. Did God clothe Adam and Eve in the Garden with sheepskins? 2. Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem, the house of bread, if He was a lamb? 3. Is Jesus the Lamb of God or the Great Shepherd?

  1. We do not know the exact animal, but it is consistent with the practice that the “flock” would provide sacrificial animals. If this was the first sacrifice, the second one with Abel is also associated with the flock.
  2. Bethlehem was David’s hometown, so that is a big connection. Rachel died near there and Jeremiah announces a horrible act that King Herod would do, the Death of the Innocent. The lambs for Temple use were raised in this area, and those strips of cloth Mary wrapped Jesus in may have been for wrapping those sacrificial lambs. The strips are said to have come from retired vestments of the priest.
  3. Both, Jesus wears more than one crown. He was our Passover Lamb before the Resurrection and our Great Shepherd after He rose from the dead; think Lamb to Great Shepherd like Baby to Lord of all creation. Hebrews 13:20 is the reference that coins the phrase “Great Shepherd”, but there are verses in the Old Testament that foretell this. Micah 5:4 is an example; you may need to check several translations if you are doing a word search.

Balaam Announces the King – Christmas 2024

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My first title was God Used Balaam to Announce Immanuel; the thought is there in Numbers 24:7 but it says King and not Immanuel or Messiah. If I was looking for an earthly king, which one would I chose? Saul or David were true oil-anointed kings, but they were far off. Moses or Joshua were “kings” of a sort, but not really. Then we must realize Balaam already could see God was with Israel, just ask him (vs. 3-5 and in oracles 1,2, and 4). You just have to know God used Balaam so a Gentile “wiseman” announced King Jesus.

Who was this enigmatic Balaam? Much has been written. The Bible says he lived at Pethor near the River (22:5), and Balak saw he walked in the promise of Abraham (22:6). After that he had a donkey talk to him and he was killed in Numbers 31:8. I see him as a proto-Judas figure who knew the truth, but he still betrayed the King for money. I think he was a great grandchild of Abraham through Katurah. Midian was one of her children and Moab was from Lot. Balaam joins Melchizedek and Job as non-Jacob related characters who God used for His glory.

Numbers 24:7b Their king will be higher than Agag and his kingdom lifted high.8 God, who brought them out of Egypt (CJB). The fourth oracle goes on to talk about a STAR (vs. 17) coming out of Jacob and a scepter from Israel.

So, how do I end this post? A deep productive look at the Hebrew words in these verses. A grand list of the types and shadows. How about: God has always had a plan to bring mankind back to Himself, so we can have righteous fellowship with Him. From this story today, I chose to see the Christmas story being introduced by Balaam.

Merry Christmas,

Mark