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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
NUMBERS 8
LESSON #09
THE CLEANSING LIGHT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER
v MEMORYVERSE: JOH 3:21
v REMEMBER THE PATTERN OF NUMBERS:
Ø CHAPTER 5 = CLEANSING FROM SIN
Ø CHAPTER 6-7 = PRESENTATIONS TO GOD
Ø WHEN YOU HAVE SOUGHT GODS FORGIVENESS FROM SIN, THEN YOU CAN PRESENTYOURSELF AND YOUR GIFTS TO GOD FOR HIS USE.
Ø THEN WHEN GOD KNOWS YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT SERVING HIM, HE WILL SPEAK TO YOUAND GUIDE YOU. (7:89)
§ NUMBERS 8 TELLS US HE GUIDES US BY HIS LIGHT.
v READ NUM 8:1-4 THE LIGHT OF THE LAMPSTAND
Ø READ JOH 16:13-15
§ THE LAMPSTAND IN THE TABERNACLE (EXO 25:40)
· 21 TIMES JESUS IS CALLED THE LIGHT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. JOH 8:12 (THENUMBER 7 IS GODS PERFECT NUMBER, TIMES 3, WHICH IS THE NUMBER OF THE TRINITY = JESUSCHRIST, ULTIMATE PERFECTION)
¨ IN JOHN 8, JESUS WAS IN THE TEMPLE AREA, HAVING COMPLETED THE CELEBRATION OFTHE FEAST OF TABERNACLES. IN THE COURT OF THE WOMEN, THERE WAS A LARGE LAMPSTAND. IT WASLIT DURING THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES. WHEN JESUS SAID THAT HE WAS THE LIGHT OF THEWORLD, THIS LAMPSTAND HAD JUST BEEN DARKENED. JESUS WAS USING THE LAMPSTAND IN THE TEMPLEAS AN ILLUSTRATION TO THE PEOPLE.
Ø THEREFORE, WE CAN SAY THAT THE OLD TESTAMENT LAMPSTAND IS A SYMBOL OF JESUSCHRIST, WHO IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
¨ NO DIMENSIONS OF THE LAMPSTAND WERE GIVEN IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. HOWEVER, WEKNOW IT WAS LARGE, ABOUT THE HEIGHT OF A MAN. (ARCHAEOLOGY GIVES US PICTURES OF IT.)
· REMEMBER THE FEAST OF BELSHAZZAR IN DANIEL 5. THE BABYLONIANS HAD STOLEN THEFURNITURE FROM THE TEMPLE. BELSHAZZAR BEGAN TO USE THE GOLDEN UTENSILS FOR A PAGAN FEAST.GOD JUDGED HIM WHEN MYSTERIOUS WRITING APPEARED ON THE WALL EVIDENTLY LIGHTED BY THEGOLDEN LAMPSTAND.
¨ IT IS THE LIGHT OF THE LORD THAT REVEALS SIN.
· THE LAMPSTAND HAD 7 BOWLS FILLED WITH OIL. OIL IS A SYMBOL OF THE HOLYSPIRIT. IT WAS THE LIGHTED OIL THAT GAVE THE LIGHT.
¨ IT IS BY THE LIGHT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT CHRIST IS REVEALED TO US. (JOH16:13-15)
¨ IT IS BY THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT WE RECEIVE THE LIGHT AND GUIDANCE FROM THELORD. THAT IS WHY PAUL TELLS THE BELIEVER TO BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. (EPH 5:18PHIL 2:15)
¨ THE LAMPSTAND HAD 22 ALMOND BLOSSOMS. IN THE SPRING, THE ALMOND TREEBLOSSOMS BEFORE ALL OTHER TREES.
Ø THEREFORE, MAXIMUM FRUITFULNESS IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE ONLY COMES THROUGHFOLLOWING THE LIGHT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. (ROM 7:4 PHIL 1:11)
v READ NUM 8:5-8
Ø WHY DO YOU THINK THIS CHAPTER BEGINS WITH THE LAMPSTAND AND THEN CHANGESDIRECTION AND TALKS AGAIN ABOUT CLEANSING FROM SIN?
§ NOTICE THAT THE LAMPSTAND IS BETWEEN TWO SECTIONS ABOUT CLEANSING ANDOFFERINGS.
· IT IS THE LIGHT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT CONVICTS US OF SIN. WE THINK WE HAVEREPENTED OF OUR SIN AND MADE OFFERINGS TO GOD ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT THE HOLY SPIRITSLIGHT SHINES ON A DIFFERENT AREA OF OUR LIFE WE NEED TO CLEAN UP. THIS MUST BE THECONTINUAL CYCLE THAT WILL BRING US CLOSER AND CLOSER TO GOD.
¨ REPENTANCE – FORGIVENESS – OFFERING -LIGHT – REPENTANCE – FORGIVENESS – OFFERING – LIGHT, ETC.
Ø EVERYTHING WE ARE AND EVERYTHING WE DO AS CHRISTIANS MUST BE DONE WITH THELIGHT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AT THE CENTER OF OUR LIVES.
¨ HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO THE CHURCH, THE PEOPLE OF GOD?
Ø RELIGION IS A MAN-MADE ORGANIZATION WITH A MAN-MADE AGENDA. MANY CHURCHESARE EXACTLY THAT: MAN-MADE ORGANIZATIONS OF RELIGION BASED ON MAN-MADE PLANS. CHURCHLEADERS MAKE PLANS, PROJECTS, AND PROGRAMS. THEN THEY ASK GOD TO BLESS THEIR PLANS WITHSUCCESS.
§ PEOPLE OF GOD MUST OPERATE DIFFERENTLY. WE MUST, AS A GROUP, SEEK GODSDIRECTION, AND THEN FOLLOW HIS PLAN. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO PRODUCE MAXIMUMFRUITFULNESS IN THE WILL OF GOD.
Ø CLEANSING OF THE LEVITES FOR SERVICE
§ WHAT FOUR THINGS DID THE LEVITES HAVE TO DO?
· BE SPRINKLED WITH WATER AT THE LAVER
· SHAVE THEMSELVES OVER ALL THEIR BODY
· WASH THEIR CLOTHES
· OFFER A SIN OFFERING AND A BURNT OFFERING
¨ THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE FOUR THINGS TO THE CHRISTIAN WHO IS A PRIEST INGODS KINGDOM (1PE 2:9)
Ø SPRINKLED WITH WATER
§ READ 1JOHN 1:7-9
· WHENYOU WALK IN THE LIGHT, YOU SEE THE IMPERFECTIONS OF YOUR LIFE. YOU TAKE THEM TO JESUS, ANDHE CLEANSES YOU.
· READ JOH 13:8-10
¨ JESUS INSISTED ON WASHING THE DISCIPLESFEET. HE TOLD PETER THAT HE WAS ALREADY CLEAN (SAVED) BUT HIS FEET WERE DIRTY. ASBELIEVERS WE GET OUR FEET DIRTY JUST BY LIVING IN THIS SINFUL WORLD. WE GET AWAY FROMWALKING IN THE LIGHT AND SIN ENTERS OUR LIVES. JUST LIKE PETER, IT IS THOSE SINS THAT NEEDTO BE CLEANSED BY THE WATER OF THE WORD OF GOD, WHO IS JESUS. (EPH 5:26 JOH 1:14)
Ø SHAVE ALL THE BODY
§ READ HEB 4:12
· IT IS THE WORD OF GOD THATPIERCES AND DIVIDES. IT REVEALS TRUTH, AND THEREFORE, IT SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON SINS THATNEED FORGIVENESS.
¨ THIS IS WHY THE BELIEVER MUST CONTINUALLY BEIN THE WORD. IF YOU DO NOT READ THE WORD OF GOD, IT DOES NOT PENETRATE YOUR HEART ANDREVEAL SIN.
¨ SHAVING IS UNCOMFORTABLE. EQUALLY, THEPIERCING BY THE WORD IS UNCOMFORTABLE. HOWEVER, IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE BELIEVER WHO WANTSA CLEAN AND CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
Ø WASH THEIR CLOTHES
§ WHAT YOU WEAR REFLECTS THESTYLE AND HABITS OF YOUR LIFE. IF YOU ARE A LABORER, YOU DO NOT DRESS IN A TUXEDO TO GO TOWORK.
· READ ROM 13:12, 14
· THE HABITS AND LIFESTYLES INWHICH YOU PARTICIPATE NEED TO BE CONSTANTLY EXAMINED IN THE LIGHT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. ASTHE HOLY SPIRIT BRINGS CONVICTION ABOUT YOUR CHOICES IN THE ACTIVITIES OF LIFE, YOU NEEDTO CLEAN OUT THOSE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE NOT PLEASING TO GOD. FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING, DIRTYCLOTHES SPOIL OUR TESTIMONY FOR JESUS. (REV 7:14)
Ø OFFER A SIN OFFERING AND A BURNT OFFERING
§ ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OFOFFERINGS IN THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS REPRESENT THE PERSON AND WORK OF JESUS CHRIST FOR US.
· THE SIN OFFERING (LEV 4:1-35;5:7-13)
¨ A PERSON CAME AS A CONVICTED SINNER NOTBECAUSE OF ANY PERSONAL SIN BUT BECAUSE HE WAS AFFECTED BY THE SIN NATURE THAT ALL MENINHERITED FROM ADAM. THIS OFFERING CLEANSED HIM FROM THE SIN NATURE.
¨ CHRIST BECAME SIN FOR US ON THE CROSS TOCLEANSE US FROM THE SIN NATURE. (HEB 10:3-10 GAL 1:4 2COR 5:20-21)
· THE TRESPASS OFFERING (LEV5:14-19 LEV 7:1-10 LEV 14:6-7; 14:12-18)
¨ THIS OFFERING CLEANSED A PERSON FROM PERSONALACTS OF SIN AGAINST GOD AND AGAINST OTHER PEOPLE.
¨ WE HAVE BEEN RECONCILED TO GOD BY JESUSCHRIST WHOSE BLOOD CLEANSES US FROM PERSONAL SIN. (MAT 5:23-24 ROM 5:10 2COR5:18-20 EPH 5:2 1PE 2:24)
· THE BURNT OFFERING (LEV 1:1-17;5:7; 6:9-13)
¨ IN THIS OFFERING, THE PERSON CAME TO GOD AS AWORSHIPER WHO WAS ALREADY CLEANSED FROM THE SIN NATURE AND FROM HIS PERSONAL SINS.
¨ HE COULD THEN PRESENT HIMSELF AND HIS GIFTSTOTALLY TO GOD FOR GODS GLORY.
¨ THIS OFFERING WAS A TYPE OF OUR PERFECTSAVIOR WHO OFFERED HIMSELF TOTALLY TO GOD AND BECAME OUR EXAMPLE OF A SUBMITTED BELIEVER.
Ø THE PERSON WHO WANTS TO BE A CHRISTIAN, NEEDSTO BE SAVED (CLEANSED OF THE SIN NATURE BY JESUS, OUR SIN OFFERING), FORGIVEN OF ALLPERSONAL SINS (CLEANSED BY JESUS, OUR TRESPASS OFFERING), AND SUBMITTED TOTALLY TO GOD(LIKE JESUS, WHO WAS OUR BURNT OFFERING).
v READ NUM 8:9-11
Ø APPLICATION:
§ STEP #6 IN BECOMING AMOVE-ER IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD:
· WALK IN THE LIGHT OF HIS WORDALLOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT TO REVEAL AND CLEANSE SIN FROM YOUR LIFE.
¨ REMEMBER THAT GOD WILL NOT USE YOU IN HISKINGDOM UNLESS YOU TAKE STEP #6.
v HOMEWORK
v NUMBERS 9
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY.PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER.
v APPLICATION OF NUM 8
Ø WHICH OF THE 4 STEPS OF CLEANSING A PRIEST,DOES YOUR LIFE NEED TODAY?
Ø DO YOU NEED TO BE CLEANSED FROM SOME PERSONALSIN?
Ø DO YOU NEED TO READ THE WORD MORECONSISTENTLY TO ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO CONVICT YOU OF SIN?
Ø DO YOU NEED TO CLEANSE YOUR LIFE FROMPARTICIPATION IN SOME HABIT OR LIFESTYLE NOT PLEASING TO GOD?
Ø DO YOU NEED TO PRAY AND ACCEPT GODSFORGIVENESS OF ANY SIN IN YOUR LIFE?
Ø DO YOU NEED TO TOTALLY SUBMIT YOURSELF ANDYOUR LIFE TO HIM?
v PREPARATION FOR NUM 9
Ø READ NUM 9 AND 1COR 11:17-34
§ HOW DO YOU THINK THE NEWTESTAMENT COMMUNION RELATES TO THE OLD TESTAMENT PASSOVER CELEBRATION?
§ WHAT DOES 1COR 11:27 MEAN?
§ WHAT ARE SOME WAYS ACHRISTIAN TAKES COMMUNION UNWORTHILY?
v MEMORY VERSE: 1COR 11:26
