Christ in all the scriptures Genesis 21

 Genesis chapter 21

"And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as He had spoken.  For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him."   Genesis 21v1-2

The concept of Genesis as the "seed plot of the bible" is advanced in chapters 21-25 which outline a prophetic programme of Jesus Christ as typified in Isaac.

Chapter 21 The miraculous birth of Isaac, the promised seed of Abraham.

Chapter 22 The symbolic death of Isaac on mount Moriah.

Chapter 23 The death of Sarah, symbolic of the defection of Israel.

Chapter 24 The mission of  the servant to woo a Gentile bride, symbolic of the Church.

Chapter 25 Isaac inherits all his father's wealth, prefiguring the investiture of Christ.

As always, these subjects are expanded, and expounded, throughout scripture.  This picture is the basis of all prophetic revelation unfolded in the sacred writings.

Chapter 21 opens with the birth of Isaac, the promised seed.   God had promised Abraham a seed out of his own loins, who would be the first of an unnumbered multitude-Genesis 12v2; 13v16.  About 8 years after this promise, and his wife Sarah being barren, and himself ageing beyond the natural ability to have children, Abraham began to doubt, as the possibility was growing more remote by the day.  In chapter 15v5 God repeated His promise, without in any way diluting the promise, and Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.  In chapter 16, it was the suggestion by Sarah that they achieve this by making Hagar, the household slave, a surrogate mother, a practice common in those days.   God did not honour this arrangement and waited 17 years before appearing to Abraham again.  He indicated this was a wrong move and instituted the rite of circumcision, indicating their move was in the flesh and not of God.  In the things of God the flesh has to be put away.  Some time later God reveals that the barren Sarah will conceive and the son would be called Isaac.  This is about 19 years after He first promised him a seed.  Humanly speaking this was impossible, and the extent of it is revealed in Romans 4v19-20.  Abraham was a hundred years old, and Sarah was beyond bearing, but there is nothing impossible with God, who responds to amazing faith, and who constantly brings life from the dead.  Note the precision in the verses quoted from chapter 21: And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said; and the Lord did unto Sarah as He had spoken.  For Sarah conceived and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.  This was beyond nature, this was miraculous birth by all standards, and points to the supernatural birth of Christ who was descended Abraham through Isaac, and came into the world by incarnation.  

"The Lord visited Sarah..."; this was a Divine action.   Christ was born of a virgin-Isaiah 7v14; Matthew 1v23; Luke 1v30-35.  He was born Immanuel-God with us, in a unique and supernatural birth.  He came into the world by incarnation-Luke 1v35.

"As he had said..."  He was the child of promise.  From Genesis 3v15, all the way through the historic and prophetic narrative narrative, He was "The coming one".

The birth happened "As He had spoken...".   Concerning Christ we know that the manner of His birth was predicted; the place of His birth was predicted-Micah 5v2, Matthew 2v6; the circumstances surrounding His birth was predicted-Matthew 2v13-15, 2v16-18; the purpose of His birth was declared-Luke 1v32, 2v11, 2v34; His birth was a fulfilment of the promise of God to Abraham-Luke 1v68-75.

It took place "at the set time of which God had spoken...".  The birth of Christ the Messiah was the subject of meticulous timing-Romans 5v6, Galatians 4v4.  God not only does things miraculously, but precisely.  The passing of BC to AD was down to precision timing, just as His coming again is described in terms of days and hours-refer Matthew 25. 

Abraham named his son at the birth, just as Jesus was named at His birth.  The historical record is complete, the fulfilment of the Divine promise is complete, for "In Isaac shall thy seed be called"-Genesis 21v12, Romans 9v17, Hebrews 11v18.

On the page of the book of Genesis the birth of the Saviour was foretold.

Christ in all the scriptures Genesis 15

 Genesis chapter 15

"And it came to pass, that when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.  In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram..."  Genesis 15v17-18

The modern concept of a covenant, or "deal", as the slang would say it, is of the exchange of papers signed between two parties to agree the stated terms, the breaking of which, by one or other of the parties will incur penalties.  The penalties are usually monetary, and, at the breakdown point, compromises can be made.  The usual term for this is "settled out of court".  However in the olden days it was much more binding.  The term was "cut a covenant", and referred to the procedure as follows.  An animal would be taken of the flocks or of birds, and killed and cut in two, both pieces of the carcase placed on  tables, with a walking space between them.  An independent adjudicator would then ask both to walk through between the tables, uttering the words, "So shall be done to the man who breaks this covenant!"  Thus the covenant was "cut" and sealed in blood.  The breaking of the covenant meant the death of the one who broke it.  In this way we understand the powerful meaning of a covenant in holy writ.  Very few covenants were ever broken.  This is the meaning of the ritual performed here.  

The concept of God making covenants with mortal men is a theme that runs throughout scripture, and no such covenant would be possible without the Mediator Jesus Christ, and here we view Him in symbolic form.  The Covenant is twofold in the chapter; to do with the Seed (v1-6), and then the Land (v7-21).  God made a covenant with Abram, the ramifications of which are still future, and will come to pass, for it it sealed in blood.  Nothing, and no one can prevent Abram's seed being multiplied as the stars of heaven, or of them taking possession of the promised land.  Clearly, as the later scriptures reveal, the seed is much greater than one nation, Israel, and the land is much greater than the boundaries outlined here-refer Romans chapter 4.  The principle stands that Adonahy (the title used in v1 of the chapter-Sovereign Lord, the covenant keeping God who is able to effect His purposes against all opposition) has made a covenant signed in blood and ratified by His word!  We learned in chapter 4, that no approach to God can be made without blood being shed.  Here the principle is ratified "Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtle dove and young pigeon"-v9.  The sacrifice of these refer to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ-Hebrews 10v4-12.  The details are specific and have meaning.   

The repetition of three years old is significant.  It is said that at three years old the animal is at its prime in stature and strength.  Applied to Christ it signifies the virility of His offering.

The heifer represents Him in suffering service; the she goat of stubborn resolve in the face of difficulty; the ram of strength and virility; the turtle dove of harmless and mournful innocence and purity; the young pigeon of the homing instinct, that quality of seeking its place of rest.  Each of these can be applied to Christ and the thoughts are developed throughout.

All these qualities of character would be to no avail, were the animal not killed and the blood shed-"without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins".  And so it says, "And he took unto them all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another, but the birds divided he not"-v10.  Meticulous care is taken in scripture to preserve the fine details of the typology of Christ.  They say that it is impossible to divide birds without breaking bones, and "no bone of Him shall be broken!"

The ceremony took place in darkness, v12; it was when the sun went down, and a deep sleep fell upon Abram.  It was described as "an horror of a great darkness".  It was when the sun went down at midday, and there was darkness over all the land from the sixth to the ninth hour that Jesus suffered the horror  of the darkness of Calvary when all our sins were laid upon Him-the four gospels!  God enshrouded the scene in darkness for no human being can conceive the horror of those hours.  God's covenant with Abram, and all who believe was sealed in the context of a perfect sacrifice, an agonising death, and a hidden sorrow that only Divine beings could endure.  Well did the hymnwriter pen the words of the chorus, "Oh make me understand it, help me to take it in; what it meant to thee, the Holy One, to take away my sin!"

It was there in the darkness of those hours, that God walked in the midst of the sacrifice, symbolised by the smoking furnace (the wrath of God against sin), and the burning lamp (the presence of the glory of God).  It was there and then that Christ took the sins of the world, and God was satisfied, and His promises are forever secure.  All through this, Abram was in a deep sleep, so he played no part in the ritual.  The covenant is unconditional, it depends on God, and not on Abram or any of his seed.  What God has done, and what He has secured in Christ is ours for the taking.  For us, like Abram it is all about this, "He believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness."  This is the message of Genesis 15, it is the same message all the way through.

Christ in all the scriptures Genesis 14

 Genesis chapter 14

Melchisedek..."priest of the most high God".

Genesis 14 prefigures Christ as the superior, eternal, and perfect priest for all God's people.  The concept of a priest is of one who represents God to men, and introduces men to God.  That Melchisedek points to Christ is made clear in Psalm 110 and Hebrews 7, again proving the bible is one homogenous whole.  The mysterious appearance and disappearance of Melchisedek introduces the most wonderful truth of Divine involvement in priestly terms in the complexities of life.  We look at some of the issues from Hebrews chapter 7.  

Hebrews 7 can be divided into three parts to expound the implications of the mysterious person called Melchizedek.

V1-10, the historical argument, Melchizedek greater than Aaron.

V11-25, the doctrinal argument, Melchisedek replaces Aaron.

V26-28, the practical argument, Melchizedek a fitting priesthood for Christian worship.

V1-10 Melchizedek greater than Aaron-the historical argument.

Mentioned only briefly in two portions of O/T scripture, Genesis 14 and Psalm 110, yet his appearance on the page of holy scripture is most significant for every believer in the present age.  It is important we understand his role as intended by God.  He was no phantom, nor was he a visiting angel, he was a real man with real parents.  He was a real king and operated as priest of the most high God.  He functioned in the land that God had given to Abraham and his descendants, and was aware of the wars being waged in the land, but was involved only in blessing the victors.  He is a most graphic type of our Lord Jesus Christ, there being no record of any such order until Christ.  In the course of this marvellous historic account we learn much of how scripture is to be interpreted.

Melchisedek preceded Aaron by almost 500 years- Genesis 14 and Exodus 28.  He was a king and priest, King of Salem, Priest of the most high God.  These two offices could never be combined in one person in Judaism.  He met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him. This is the narrative of Genesis 14 which presents the work of the priest as in the story.  The land was under attack from the realm of Shinar- first mentioned in chapter 11 at the rebellion of Babel.  God’s heritage had been subdued for 12 years and war ensued in the 13th year.  Melchisedek was not involved in the battle, save to bring the most high God into it.  His intercession was heard and Abraham with a few hundred men overcame the armies of five nations in a miraculous victory, in which his nephew Lot was recovered with the souls of Sodom and surrounding areas.  The king of Sodom came with an offer of reward, but Melchisedek intervened first, reminding Abraham of the God who was the possessor of heaven and earth.  By this, Abraham was saved from possible future servitude to the king of Sodom, and instead received a blessing from Melchizedek in the form of bread and wine.  Abraham was preserved by the priestly intervention and as they say “the rest is history”.  This event had profound effects on Abraham and all who follow him in faith; so the work of Melchizedek was vast, even if the narrative is short.  The role of priest is therefore established as comfort and blessing for the people of God in times of conflict. This gives us an insight into the present priestly work of Christ for us all.  His name had an important meaning, first King of Righteousness, after that also King of peace.  Names had special significance, but also the order is recognised-first righteousness, after that peace.  This is the very essence of the Christian gospel foretold in the Old and expounded in the New Testament.  There is no peace until righteousness is established-Isaiah 32v17, “The work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousness shall be quietness and assurance forever.”  Psalm 85v10 “Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed.” Hebrews 12v11 speaks of “the peaceable fruit of righteousness.”  This, that is the basis of the gospel, was first symbolised in Melchizedek.

There is no trace of his genealogy, in a book full of genealogies.  Scripture argues from silence…he had parents, he had genealogy, he was born a real man, he died, but there's no record of any of this.  He appears on the page and never leaves until the Son of God comes. Those who object to arguments from silence take note. The Holy Spirit uses this very literary tool.  As such, he is a perfect type of the high priestly office of Christ.  “Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the son of God abideth a priest continually.”  His eternal existence is assumed; His secret preparation for the work unseen by human eyes; His eternal representation of God to His people are all prefigured in this wonderful historical narrative.

We are asked to “consider how great this man was” because he received tithes of the spoils of war from Abraham.  This was an acknowledgment of his greatness and the patriarch Abraham (note the high rank) paid homage to his greatness by honouring him with the tithes-the practise of the days of deference to kings.  Verse 7 says “without all contradiction the lesser is blessed of the better.”  In verses 4-10 he is comparing the Aaronic priesthood with that of Melchisedek from the point of view that Levi, the priestly tribe, came out of Abraham.  Levi received tithes by Divine commandment, Melchisedek by virtue of the excellence of his person; Levi received tithes but they died, Melchizedek lives forever, a continual priesthood; Levi who received tithes, first paid tithes in Abraham for they were “in the loins of Abraham” when he paid the portion of the spoils of war.  Melchisedek received tithes by virtue of his Divine anointing. This last comparison leads to the phenomenal truth that is imprinted on the sacred page, and that is anything given to the Lord will be paid back in abundance.  Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedek-effectively to the Lord, as one payment on one occasion through Levi.  Abraham received back tithes for thousands of priests over hundreds of years!  A little given to the Lord, will be paid back in abundance, for details see Mark10v29-30, Matthew 19v27- 29, Luke 18v29-30.

 

Verses 11-25 Melchisedek replaces Aaron- the doctrinal argument

We can think of this difficult but important section in three ways. It was necessary to replace the Aaronic priesthood because of:

 Verses 11-19 The imperfection of the law

Verses  20-22. The inviolability of the Divine oath

Verses  23-25. The mortality of the priests.

Judaism was a preparatory system of worship, but imperfect. And ultimately had to be replaced with a new order of things and this has been done in Christ.  Therefore, God has moved away from it to a perfect worship in the form of a greater priesthood, under a greater covenant, in a greater sanctuary, and based on a greater sacrifice.

Verses 11 to 19. The imperfection of the law.

That God indicated there would be another order of priesthood-Psalm110, meant that in His estimate, the existing one must be replaced.  The Aaronic priesthood was based on the law and on obedience to the law on the part of the worshippers.  The blood of animals was sacrificed to avoid the judgment of God on their approach.  But this was only prospective for something better to come.  God has now finished with the old priesthood and if He will change the priesthood, He must also change the law, the basis of it.  The new priest of the order of Melchizedek did not come from the tribe of Levi-the only ones permitted to sacrifice at the altar, he came from the tribe of Judah.  A new order of priest from a different tribe, cannot operate under the law. The emphasis in these verses is on one from another-a different tribe, and to a different priesthood which is not based on a carnal commandment.  The law only brought death, but  the new covenant is according to the power of an endless (indissoluble) life.  So he is developing the weakness of the law as against the power of the gospel in Jesus Christ.  The Divine decree stands forever “Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedek”  He is not going back to the old order, He has finished with it, He has replaced it, and we should follow.  The disannulling of the law was implicit in the declaration of the permanent priesthood of Messiah and in a graphic way the weakness and unprofitability of the law is contrasted with the power of an indissoluble life in Christ. The law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did.  God has replaced the old priesthood with the new order of Melchizedek, which can accomplish what the old never could.  It is now by this alone, we draw nigh to God… it is a spiritual worship.  The external ceremony is gone and we worship God in the spirit.

 

The inviolability of the Divine Oath.

The old priests were not required to be sworn into office. They entered by virtue of natural birth, and functioned from 20 years old upward.  They were only debarred if certain physical characteristics were deficient.  Not so with the priesthood of Christ. He is so by Divine oath, which under no circumstances can be altered forever.  “The Lord swear and will not repent “Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” God has moved forward and He will never move back.  If we wish to keep in step with Him we must follow-“By so much has Jesus become surety of a better testament.”  Under the old system, no one could keep the law, but Jesus fulfilled it and is become surety- guarantor, of a new and better covenant.  The word testament or covenant occurs 21 times in the letter and is a major topic. It means now that all the wealth and work of Christ has been passed into law in the sight of God, and is now indelibly secured in the vaults of heaven. The old is finished, and the new stands forever.

The mortality of the priests.    They were many priests in the old economy but they were subject to death as they themselves were sinners. Their priesthood became transferable to another on death.  There is only one high priest today, and because He lives forever, His office will go on and He possesses an untransferable priesthood; this is the essence of perfection.  By this He is able to save to the uttermost, to the ultimate end, in whatever situation, all who come unto God by him. This is because the operation of His priesthood is eternal and powerful and effective.  He lives to make intercession for us.

Verses 26-28  Melchizedek a fitting priesthood for spiritual worship.

The theme is stated in verse 26  “For such an high priest became us…” The people saved by so great salvation, and represented before God by so great a person, need a great high priest of impeccable character and so He is.  Here we have a summary of the impeccable character of our great high priest.  In the good of all that he is, we can approach God, for He is all that we are not, and God accepts us in Him.  He is holy, Godward, God-fearing and reverent.  He is harmless, manward, He neither gives offence nor takes offence. The word could mean innocent, free from guilt.  He is undefiled in Himself, untainted by the sin all around.  He is separate from sinners, not a spacial, but a moral separation, He is a class apart. This means He is sinless. Two examples in the letter, chapter 4v15 and chapter 9v28-the expression is sin apart, there was no suggestion of sin either in His person or in His work.  His position is supreme, “made higher than the heavens”, morally, spiritually, and positionally.  He is above all, and He is our access to God.  Comparisons with Aaron can be made in this connection.  In the execution of his office, Aaron had to wear garments of beauty and glory, but not in the Holy of Holies- Leviticus 16v4 .  It is reserved for Jesus, our great high priest who in the very presence of God wears the beautiful garments.  He has taken beauty and glory to the pinnacle of the throne from which He serves us. Each of the high priestly garments, the linen Ephod, the Onyx stones on the breastplate, the robe of blue, and the mitre with its crown of gold, can be linked to the details of v26.  It was such an high priest that became us, who have been redeemed and cleansed and fitted for God service.  There should be no doubt in our minds about our acceptance with God.  There should be a cleansing effect every time we approach God as well as a joy in our hearts.  Nothing of the old order can compare with this. They were sinners and had to offer first sacrifices for their sins before they could help others. The law, the old order made men high priests with infirmities.  The word of the oath, the new order, makes the Son who is perfect forever.  In approaching God today we come in the name and in the worth of one who is perfect and who lives to bring us “salvation to the uttermost.”

"The Lord hath sworn and will not change His mind, "Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedek"-Psalm 110v4.  This is our Great High Priest, precious truth from Genesis 14!

 

Christ in all the scriptures Genesis 6-8

 Genesis chapters 6-8

"Make thee an ark of gopher wood"-Genesis 6v14

The story of Noah's ark is so well known that even President Putin of Russia's escape plan, in the event of breakdown, has been so termed.  The New Testament (Hebrews 11v7) interprets this old narrative as follows: "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house: by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.  Again (1st Peter 3v20), "...the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a-preparing, wherein few, that is eight souls were saved."  The ark of Genesis symbolises provision for the safety of some, while the whole world was in danger, and clearly points to Christ as the Saviour of the world, and refuge for those who seek His presence.  

The sin that entered the world in Eden, whilst seemingly innocuous, had taken on monster proportions in the days of Noah.  We are not privy to the details but the declarations of the God. who knows everything, reveals the reality of these days;

"God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."  6v5

"And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth...for it repenteth me that I have made them."

That this is relevant to the present, Jesus said that "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man."  Luke 17v26; Matthew 24v37.  The world today is no better than the days of Noah, the wickedness is just as great, the threat of  the judgment of God is just as real.  The only escape is the provision God has made in Christ, available to all, but effective only on those who are in the proverbial ark.  This is Christ imprinted on the sacred Old Testament pages in Genesis.  He is the only escape from the wrath of God; He is the only Saviour from the consequences of sin.  The Ark speaks of Christ.

The Ark was made to the design and the dimensions given by God.  Interestingly enough, modern ships are built to the scale of Noah's Ark-v14-16.  No better designer than God!

It was impervious to the ingress of water-v14; It was 120 years in the building-v3.

Those to be saved, both man and animal, were called to enter the ark and the door was shut-chapter 7.

The start of the deluge was marked as to the year, the month and the day of Noah's life-7v11

The deluge of water was awesome..."all the fountains of the great deep were broken up and the windows of heaven were opened-7v11.  The waters descended from above and beneath upon the earth and the full force of the storm was felt in the Ark.  "The waters increased-7v17; the waters prevailed and were increased greatly upon the earth-7v18; the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth and all the high hills that were under heaven were covered-7v19; fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail and the mountains were covered-7v20.

All flesh died that moved on the earth-7v21.

The picture is detailed, and graphic.  There is no room left for speculation or doubt.  The wrath of God fell on an ungodly world, and only those in the Ark were saved.  After 11 months the Ark rested on mount Ararat on the seventeenth day of the first month.  This corresponds to the exact day of the resurrection of Christ who was crucified on the 14th day of the first month of the new year, and rose again on the 17th day.  The accuracy is awesome and compelling and sets the Ark of Noah as a type of the death and resurrection of Christ.

We ponder the detailed image of this deluge as applied to Christ.  We remember that His death is described as a baptism, both by Himself (Luke 12v50) and by the apostle Peter (1st letter 3v21).  He is the fulfilment of what the Ark represents, and He endured the full fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God to become our Saviour.  We could not end such a study without registering the record of scripture about Him.  God shrouded this aspect of His suffering in darkness from the eyes of men, just as it is largely hidden from our minds today.  However there are glimpses, and we pen a few here, describing the indescribable, the force of God's wrath poured out on His Son to save us.  All of these apply to Christ.

Psalm 69v1-2 "Save me O God, for the waters are come into my soul.  I sink in deep mire where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters where the floods overflow me."

Psalm 42v7 "Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows they pass over me".

Psalm 88v6-7 "Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness in the deeps.  Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with thy waves".

Isaiah 53v6 "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all"-R.V. suggests laid on can be translated "made to converge on Him", or "cascade upon Him."

Romans 8v3 "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh."

1st Peter 2v24 "Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree."

Like the flood that engulfed Noah's Ark, so was Christ engulfed at Calvary, when He took upon Him the wrath of God against our sin.  Just as the ark rested, after the storm, so God has rested in the work of Christ who took all our sins in the murky depths of the cross, and now the invitation is to come "...thou and all thy house into the Ark".

Christ in all the scriptures Genesis 4

 Genesis chapter 4

"And it came to pass...that Cain rose up against his brother Abel and slew him"  4v8

Behind the narrative of the first murder in the first family, motivated by religious bigotry, lies the ultimate prediction of the treasonous execution of Jesus Christ that would take place some 4000 years later.  This is a mighty story that reverberates throughout scripture! There are two characters in the story, Cain and Abel, the first brothers born into the world.  Their stories find resonance in the greatest enmity of all, culminating in the unlawful death of the innocent one.

The New Testament links one of the brothers, Abel, to Christ, the anointed of God, and the other, Cain, to Satan, the usurper.  What happened in Eden, prefigured the ultimate sin of humanity.

In Hebrews 11 and 12, Abel is clearly linked to Christ.  "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts."  Again, in the context of the New Jerusalem, the city of God which will rule this earth at the fulness of times, "Jesus, the mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling which speaketh better things than that of Abel."  Thus Abel clearly is a picture of Christ.  Abel brought an offering to the Lord of the firstlings of the flock-Genesis 4v4.  It was an approach to God as taught by his parents.  In chapter three they had learned that approach to God after sin had entered, must involve the shedding of blood-3v21 "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothed them".  Man, in sin could only approach God by the death of another.  Abel learned this from them and brought his offering to God.  It was of the firstlings of the flock with the fat thereof, symbolising the best of the flock-only the best will do for God.  Approach must be on the death of another, in this case a lamb of the flock.  This topic is taken throughout scripture and when we link it to the spotless offering of Jesus, we begin to understand the importance of this.  Throughout scripture there is a slow drip-feed of this crucial topic as follows:

Genesis 4        The necessity of the Lamb for approach to God.

Genesis 22      The Lamb became a substitute for Isaac

Exodus 12       The Lamb must be without spot and blemish

Leviticus 16    The Lamb must be acceptable to God

Isaiah 53         The Lamb is a person...."He, Him, His", >30times

John 1             The Lamb is identified as Jesus

Acts 8             The Lamb is the Messiah

Revelation 5   The Lamb is enthroned on the seat of universal power

Thus the picture here in Genesis 4 prefigures the programme for the reconciliation of the world to God.  The last book of the bible-Revelation, contains reference to the Lamb almost 30 times and makes the subject paramount in Divine revelation.   Abel prefigured Christ the Messiah, who would redeem the world and bring glory to God; his brother Cain prefigures  Satan who killed Jesus, but who will come to his end as we saw in chapter 3.  All who follow him will come to the same end.

Christ in all the scriptures Genesis 3

 Genesis chapter 3

The seed of the woman will bruise the serpent's head

Into the paradise garden of Eden entered the arch demon spirit in the body of a serpent.  This serpent is identified throughout the scriptures of truth as to who he is and what he is like.   The Bible is a homogenous whole and we are left in no doubt as to his identity.  

• Rev. 12v9 "The great dragon was cast out, that old serpent the devil and Satan."
• Rev. 20v2 "He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent the devil and Satan."           
• The link between the first and last books of the bible is decisive.  The use of the phrase "that old serpent" declares that Revelation 12 and 20 are referring to Genesis 3. 

The descriptions reveal his character: as the dragon he is violent; as the serpent he is cunning; as the devil he is slanderous; as Satan he is the adversary.  He appeared in the garden with malicious intent, and through creating doubt, and deceit, and denial, and dissatisfaction, and ultimately delusion, he succeeded in bringing the first human beings down.  This has been his intent and mode of operation all the way through.  However his intrusion would fail, and his demise was decreed on the very day of the fall.  God said the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's head.  The word bruise means breaking, or crushing.  The bruised heel refers to the suffering of the woman's seed; the bruised head to the terminal crushing of the serpent.  

At no time in the narrative did God identify the seed of the woman, and, since the demon spirit behind the serpent was not omniscient, he would be kept guessing who the seed was, all the way through history.  Evidence of his frustration is marked in the narrative of scripture, where he made several attempts to destroy the seed whose identity he did not know.  At the birth of every baby, he would wonder, is this the one?  In Genesis 14 the abortive attack  on the land where nations were defeated by one man (Abraham) and his trained servants.  In Exodus 1-12, he made a futile attempt to destroy the nation of Israel. In the book of Job he tried and failed to negate the faith of a righteous man.  In 2nd Kings 11 he attempted to destroy all the seed royal, but one escaped.   He made various attempts to silence prophets and corrupt the people but to no avail.   Finally when Jesus was born, and the seed of the woman was known, he tried and failed to destroy Him, but He was ahead of him, and in the process slaughtered innocent babies.  Finally he confronted Him in the wilderness and was sent packing, thoroughly defeated by his adversary-the account is in Matthew 3, Mark 1, and Luke 4.  He attempted to destroy Him and His disciples on the boat on the lake of Galilee, but the majestic Son of God controlled the wind and waves-the account is in Matthew 8v23-27; Mark 4v37-41; and Luke 8v23-25.  All he achieved in this was to strengthen the faith of the disciples and enhance His reputation.  Finally at the crucifixion, when every injustice and evil maliciousness was poured upon Him, the devil met his doom, and the very instrument he used to destroy Him became the place of  Satan's end.  The declarations are incontrovertible, the future is clear.  We now know the identity of the seed of the woman who has set the seal on the destruction of Satan.  It is written in scripture that the serpent, the devil, and Satan will, in the course of time meet his end.

John 12v31-32 "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me".

Romans 16v20 "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly."

Colossians 2v15 "And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it."

Hebrews 2v14 -15 "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

Revelation 20v10 "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever."

The final crushing of the serpent was decreed in Eden, effected outside the walls of Jerusalem, and will be suffered in the lake of fire forever.  There is no doubt, it is only a matter of time.  All who have been deceived by him will suffer the same fate.  How encouraging is nit that at the outset of the bible the note of triumph has been struck.  The ongoing narrative unfolds the details.

Christ in all the scriptures Genesis 2

 Genesis chapter 2

"And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called woman for she was taken out of man"    Genesis 2v23

Chapter 1 ends with Man and Woman in dominion over the earth: chapter 2 reveals Man and Woman in intimate union in the home.  Chapter 1 majors on light and life: chapter 2 on love.  This is exactly how the Bible unfolds, the drip-feed of Divine truth, the details of which are expanded throughout the books.  This is the chapter of the Divine design of family life in a never-ending love relationship.

Genesis 2 consists mainly of the creation of the man (Adam) from the dust of the ground, and the formation of the woman (Eve) from the man.  It is said by scholars that there are four ways of coming into the world: by creation as in Adam; formation as in Eve; generation as in the rest of humanity; and incarnation as in Christ.  The narrative is interesting: Adam became a living soul by the breath of God; he was commissioned to tend the garden in which he was placed; he was given one limitation of what he could eat on pain of death-in this way God established His sovereignty; he familiarised himself with all the animals and birds and gave names to every one; then God operated on him to take a rib from which He formed the woman.  The outcome of this delighted Adam, and he exclaimed, "this is now...".   This is at last someone like me!-bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh!-another human being like myself!  After all the different animals and birds with their varied features and mannerisms, one just like myself, a companion with whom I can converse, and rely, and love!  He declared "She shall be called Woman (Heb. ishah), she was taken out of man (Heb. ish).  Hebrew scholars know that the addition of "ah" to a word suggests the diminutive of Jehovah, godlike or of God.  Adam viewed the woman as a very special gift from God.  He proclaims, she is one of me!  The union of man and woman, here stated carries very important pointers for marriage relationship.  No longer would Adam be alone in the tasks of life, she was his to share and enjoy and love and cherish.  This is the very basis of love and marriage till the present day.  So intimate was to be their union God declared they were one flesh!  Marvellous as this is, it is even more remarkable when we see that the union of the man and the woman prefigured the union of Christ and the Church.  In Ephesians 5v23-32 we read that the marriage union is applied to Christ-"this is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.  It is a wonder, beyond anything else in life, that human beings are destined to be in intimate relationship with their Creator God.  This is even more astonishing when we consider the fall of humanity into sin (as in the next chapter), that such union with a sinless Creator is even possible.  The fundamental picture here that sinless humanity, as is true in Genesis 2, will be in holy union with Christ, even after the fall into sin.  Reference to the following scriptures will reveal the beauty of this:

Romans 8v39 "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn of many brethren."

Ephesians 1v22-23 "...the Church which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all"

Philippians 3v20-21 "...the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working where He is able even to subdue all things to Himself."

1st John 3v2 "...we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is".

This last, "we shall be like Him" is the very truth first imprinted in Genesis 2.  Adam proclaimed she is just like me!  The late John Nelson Darby wrote, as he pondered the greatness of this concept...

"And is it so we shall be like thy Son?  Is this the grace that He for us has won?  Father of glory thought beyond all thought! In glory to His own blest likeness brought!"

That the ultimate plan of God should be, that from Adam's fallen race God will bring forth myriads of human beings who are like His Son, is a truth of greatest note.  In Genesis 1 we have the man and the woman in unchallenged dominion over creation; in Genesis 2 we have the man and the woman in unbreakable union in a bond of love.

The scriptures....they are they which testify of me! Genesis 1

Genesis chapter 1

"And God said, Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth" 1v26 

On the face of it, Genesis chapter 1 is an account of the creation of the material universe, and of course this is so, as is repeated throughout scripture.  However there is also a principle throughout scripture that the natural creation is symbolic of the greater and superior new creation, which is spiritual and eternal and will outlast the natural.  It is from this perspective we can apply this chapter to what the bible calls the last Adam, the second Man, who is Jesus Christ.  That this is the genuine perspective of this opening chapter of the bible is evident from the following.  We know that everything God makes is perfect, this is a biblical principle.  Indeed at each stage God declared that it was good, and at the end declared it to be "very good".  A supreme God, who can speak worlds into being, makes nothing imperfect, that needs to be embellished in any way.  Yet it is recorded that "the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep"-1v2.  So God made it like this initially by design, for He would bring light out of darkness; He would bring cosmos out of chaos; He would bring plenty out of emptiness by garnishing the earth and filling the seas and the firmament with life.  This is exactly how God made the earth, and for a reason, to illustrate how He would bring mankind out of darkness, and disorder, and dereliction, into the full wonder of life in Himself.  Therefore we can look beyond the natural creation and see in the days the story of new creation in Christ.

Day 1  Light introduced into darkness....symbolic of the INCARNATION

Day 2  Heaven and earth separated.....symbolic of the CRUCIFIXION

Day 3  Earth rises from the seas.....symbolic of the RESURRECTION

Day 4  Luminaries ruling in the skies....symbolic of the ASCENSION

Day 5  Life in the waters and in the skies...symbolic of global EVANGELISATION

Day 6  Life on the land and man in dominion...symbolic of RESTITUTION

Day 7  Eternal day without a night...symbolic of  SATISFACTION

What God created, despite the intrusion of sin, will be ultimately perfect, and this is the story of the Bible from the very outset.  It began with a scene of darkness, and disorder, and dereliction.  Then the Spirit of God hovered over the empty, chaotic, and lifeless darkness to produce light and life and love.  The sixth day ends with the man and the woman in the image of God in total dominion over all the earth.  Symbolic of Christ and the Church, which union is developed throughout the sacred writings.   Only in Christ will mankind be in the image of God, and after His likeness.  The fact that it will be so is the astonishing truth expounded in the Bible.  The entrance of sin bringing death and darkness will not prevent the decree of God, that man and woman in perfect conformity to the Creator will rule the earth-refer Psalm 8; Psalm 72; Hebrews 2; Revelation 3 and 20, and others.  Imprinted on the first page of the Bible is the glorious dominion of Christ as man with His bride.  In the language of the last book of the Bible, from Revelation 4v11, we give homage to the God who created us and has redeemed us...

"Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."

Christ in all the scriptures

 When we speak of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, most think of the book of the Revelation at the end of the Bible.  However the revelation of Jesus Christ is from Genesis to Revelation, and through all the 66 books which make up the library called the Bible.  We begin this ongoing and lengthy study by noting that Jesus Christ is Himself the Revelation of the Godhead, who, without Him, remain unknown.  Matthew notes in chapter 11v27 "No man knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him".  Christ is the exclusive revelation of the Father, and if we would know God it must be through Him.   He is revealed in two ways: by the Holy Spirit who dwells in each believer, and who convicts every unbeliever.  To avoid any one claiming private revelation, the Spirit has given us the written word which is the Revelation of God we can all share.  The Bible therefore is the Revelation of God, of whom Christ is the major theme.

On the road to Emmaus, walking with two disheartened disciples, Jesus "opened to them the scriptures".  This involved the whole of Old Testament revelation, as Luke records in chapter 24.

"And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself"-Luke 24v27.   Again....

"These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that were written in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms concerning me.  Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures"-Luke 24v44-45.

There is no doubt that the scriptures are a revelation of Christ and that the Holy Spirit would have us understand He is the major topic.  He had occasion to challenge the Pharisees, a very powerful religious group in Israel..."Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me.  And ye will not come to me that ye might have life"-John 5v39-40.   This "holier than thou" body of men had missed the whole point of scripture, that the scriptures are a testimony to Christ, who alone gives eternal life.  Likewise when any read the Bible today and miss the major topic which is the person of Christ, the anointed of God, the Saviour of the world, they have read it with blinded eyes and lose the blessing of the life He gives.  The Bible is read to greatest profit, when the person of Christ as the revelation of God illuminates every portion.  This we will commence as a study, the Bible as a testimony of Christ,  This will take us from Genesis to revelation, and time will probably run out before the grand subject itself.  

  

Follow thou me

 

19-24)  “Verily, verily I say unto thee, when thou wast young thou girdest thyself and walkedst whether thou wouldest.  But when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.  The spake he signifying by what death he should glorify God.  When he had spoken He saith unto him, follow me. Then Peter turning about seeth the disciple, whom Jesus loved, following, which also leaned on his breast at supper and said, which is he that betrayeth thee?  Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord and what shall this man do?  Jesus saith to him, if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me.  Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die.  Yet Jesus said not unto him, he shall not die, but if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?  This is the disciple which testifieth of these things and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.”

Jesus now reveals to Peter how his life would end, and this perhaps explains His severe questioning of His love for Him.  He tells Peter he would be crucified when he was old and in his death he would glorify God.  Peter responded by exposing an old rivalry which existed between him and John-even amongst the disciples of Christ there was rivalry.  He recites all that John was, and had become known as the one whom Jesus loved.  What shall he do, Peter asks; if I am to give my life, what will happen to the favoured one.  It may be that this rivalry was partly in the mind of the Lord when He asked Peter “Lovest thou me more than these?”-that is do you love me more than the other disciples?  Peter’s fixation on John suggests this and he had claimed to be more loyal than the rest.  The Lord does not rise to this and says it is all in His will.  He repeats, “Follow thou me”; no matter what is in store for anyone else, you follow me.  This gave rise to the rumour that John would not die, which He never said.  The reality is that what the Lord has for others is not in our gift.  John uses all this to identify himself as the writer, as the one who lived longer, and who was given the task of delivering the truth of God, even after his contemporaries were long gone.  This is his record, and his record is true, it is credible, and worthy of their faith. 

25) “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written Amen.”

He is too big for the world, He is big enough for me!!

How fitting that he closes the book with a tribute to Jesus Christ his Saviour, with whom he had lived for over three years and whom he had served for over 60 years.  He brings it to a climax with a reference to the INSCRUTABLE and INEXHAUSTIBLE Jesus.  Of the little that we know of Him, it is enough for us to believe, and to enjoy the eternal life that comes as a result.  

His whole message summed up in 20v31:

“These are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through His name.”

 

   

Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me?

 

Feeding      The challenge to Peter, his ultimate restoration and commission to leadership.  This restoration to leadership was done in the presence of the other disciples.  The others would get to know, and when we read the book of the Acts we see they recognised this.  But first Peter must learn the deep issues involved.

15-17 “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto Him, yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee.  He saith unto him, feed my lambs.  He saith to him again the second time, Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me?  He saith unto Him, yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee.  He saith unto him, feed my sheep.  He saith unto him the third time, Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me?  Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time lovest thou me?  And he said unto him, Lord thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee; Jesus said to him feed my sheep.”

We take note of the many wonderful things that are here:

·      Jesus addressed Peter by his old name, Simon son of Jonas.  He was reminding him of the propensity in all of us to revert to the old nature, and live as we did in unconverted days.  Oftentimes, Jacob who had his name changed to Israel was referred to as Jacob, the deceitful man, the man who manipulated his way through life.  Jesus indicates here that his reversion to fishing, which he had left to serve Christ was a backward step to the old ways of self-determination rather than waiting on the Lord.

·      This may have been in the mind of the Lord when He said “lovest thou me more than these?”  Do you love fishing more than you love me?  It is a relevant question for all of us.  He had been called from the lucrative trade of fishing to highest service, and now had, temporarily lapsed back, due to inactivity, which did not suit Peter’s nature.  It is a relevant question, what is priority in my life, my business or the Lord?  This goes to where the heart is-remember that Jesus taught them that where their treasure is there will the heart be.  Peter’s actions revealed where his heart was, and the Lord digs very deep.  Paul could say that to follow Christ, he had suffered the loss of all things; Peter the same-we have left all to follow thee.  Yet the Lord poses the question, as if to say, very quickly, Peter, you have had a hankering after the old life, where is your heart really?  Peter appeals to Jesus supreme knowledge, thou knowest that I love thee.  OK, then said Jesus, the evidence that you love me will be that you will feed my lambs.  His role is now not to be engaged in his own business, using his own expertise, but to be engaged in the work of providing food for the lambs, for the young members of the flock of God who need feeding.  Some have asked, why does the Lord mention the lambs before the sheep?  It has been said by those who tend sheep that if you have contented lambs, you have a contented flock.  Interesting observation and it is also true with the people of God.  Provision of fresh, healthy pasture is important, especially where the young in the faith are concerned. 

·      Jesus asks for the second time, do you love me Peter?  This time he deepens the meaning of love, using the Greek word agape.  Previously He had used phileo which is brotherly love.  Now He asks, do you really love me Peter, would you really give up everything for me, would you even sacrifice yourself for me in a kind of love that knows no limits, Peter do you love me like that?  He replies in the positive, but uses phileo in reply; this is best translated, Yes Lord you know that I am very fond of you, and you are a big part of my life, I may not go as far as you suggest but I do love you in a brotherly kind of way.  Jesus says “Feed my sheep”-the word is more than feed, it is tend to every need of the mature sheep.  Now says Jesus, love to me will involve tending to the sheep.  The word for tend is pomaino which involves more than feeding and refers to the whole work of shepherding, tending to every need.  This is a comprehensive word, translated feed 7 times, rule 4 times.  The work of the shepherd is many sided, and involves the whole range of needs; This is summed up in 1^st Thessalonians 5v14-“…warn the unruly, comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient unto all.”  Peter, himself, who became an elder, encouraged fellow elders to “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly, not for filthy lucre (ungodly gain) but of a ready mind”-1^st Peter 5v2.  Only sacrificial love for the Lord will enable a man to fulfil this work, and it will take every strength you can muster.  Only love beyond even brotherly love will enable you for this.

·      Jesus said to him for the third time, do you love me?  This time Jesus changed the word love back to phileo-ordinary brotherly love.  Peter was grieved-greatly upset, that He  asked him a third time, and reduced the level of love.  Jesus had touched a raw nerve.  Three times Peter had denied Him, now three times Jesus challenged his love for Him.  We need to understand our weakness, we need to be aware of our imperfection as we serve Him.  Perhaps he was grieved because He downgraded the word love, and Peter made no claim to the greater.  In the presence of one who knew all things, who knew him inside out, who knew him better than he knew himself, Peter settled for the lesser brotherly love.  Jesus said, therefore feed my sheep, provide spiritual food for them to keep them.  Don’t just say you love me, provide for my sheep!

Fishing

 

3-4) “Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a-fishing.  They say unto Him, we also go with thee.  They went forth and entered into a ship immediately and that night they caught nothing.”

In typical impetuous style, Peter suggested they go fishing, rather than wait about; the others joined in as he imposed his leadership influence.  The comment says it all, “…that night they caught nothing.”  These were seasoned fishermen who knew the trade, knew when to go, and where to go to catch fish, but it was futile, they caught nothing.  It had been a while since they left their trade, but their fishing trip was a waste of time.  They had moved at the suggestion of Peter, but not under the guidance of the Lord.  They moved without Him and the results were nothing.  Jesus is about to conduct another miracle on the lake, the first was like it on a failed fishing trip on the same lake.  He is taking them back to the beginning, something He will continue doing until they get the message.  In another context He told them “…without me ye can do nothing.”   How many efforts have been made using the ingenuity of men alone in vain efforts to become fishers of men?  Campaign, after campaign is waged in vain for the Lord is not in it.  The disciples were slow to learn, as are many today.  The adage of Moses applies here, “Except thy presence go with me, then carry me not up hence.  The apostles in the successful missions in Acts were careful to seek the Lord’s guidance, to wait His time before moving, for He knows all circumstances, and His presence makes all the difference.  Paul said, after having doors closed to him, but deciding to move into Europe, “…assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel to them.-Acts 16v10.  We move in vain if the Lord is not in it, if He is in it the results will be great as we are about to learn.

5-11)  “But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore but His disciples knew not that it was Jesus.  And Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat?  The answered Him no.  And He said unto them, cast the net on the right side of the ship and ye shall find.  They cast therefore and they were not able to draw for the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved, said unto Peter, it is the Lord.  Now when Simon, Peter knew it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, for he was naked and did cast himself into the sea.  The other disciples came in a little ship, for they were not far from land, but as it were 200 cubits dragging the net with the fishes.”

All night they had caught nothing. Professional fisherman, using their know-how and practical knowledge yet they achieved nothing.  At the command of Jesus, who alone knew where the fish were, they caught so much they could barely contain the catch.  The lesson is obvious, in the Christian work of fishing for souls, we must have Him with us, we dare not move before Him, we dare not trust our own ability or ingenuity.  The results were decisive and every detail was spelt out, but we have to mark the spiritual state of the disciples-“they knew not that it was Jesus.”  Someone was standing on the shore but they did not perceive Him.  They knew He was coming, they should have been expecting Him, but they were so engrossed in their failure, they could not think straitly.  Only in chapter 20 is it recorded that the disciples had not perceived the scripture-20v9; also Mary was so grief stricken she knew not that it was Jesus-20v14.  How easily we allow things of time and sense to cloud our thinking.  The disciples have only just come through the greatest trauma of their lives in the crucifixion of Jesus;  they have been witness to the wonder of His resurrection, yet, here they are obsessed with their failure to catch fish, they don’t recognise Jesus on the shore.   They were so engrossed in this that Peter was naked as he toiled on the boat. 

Jesus cries to them in familiar terms, “Children”, an intimate term used between people who knew each other-John uses the same term in his epistle.  It is like “Lads have you caught any fish?  Of course He knew they had not, and He was about to make it happen.  They first had to be reminded of their failure.  They cast their nets as Jesus said and there was a great catch, so great they had trouble hauling it in.  There were whispers, it is the Lord!  Peter, in typical style, clothed himself and plunged into the sea to meet Him first.  The others came in by boat, and they managed to reach land with the fishes intact.  No doubt there was a little embarrassment at the whole episode, yet Jesus dealt with them graciously, but firmly.

9)  “As soon as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there with fish laid thereon, and bread.”

Somehow the Lord had made breakfast ready.  It was not His intention to embarrass them but to teach them of His sufficiency at all times. They should have known, but, like them, we are slow to learn.  Jesus uses the situation to bring about the restoration of Peter.  He used the fact that Peter had been the instigator of a failed enterprise, perhaps feeling a little foolish and somewhat guilty he had led the others astray.  The first thing they see is a fire of coals with food heating thereon.  They had attempted all night to supply food; Jesus had the food ready.  The fire of coals-anthrakia, from which we have anthracite, a kind of charcoal used for heating and cooking, must have disturbed Peter greatly.  It was by a similar fire, Peter denied the Lord three times-John 18v18.  This was a first step in the recovery of Peter.  Restoration in spiritual things begins by going back to where we went astray.  This is a biblical principle that occurs time and again.  If we would recover we must go back to the point of departure.  There are numerous examples in scripture, one which is found in Hosea 2v15, where he speaks of “…the valley of Achor for a door of hope.”  This was where Israel departed from the Lord in the matter of Achan, when they fell into sin.  Recovery will be to return to the point of evil and acknowledge it and repent.  Peter reached a low point at the fire of coals where he publicly and vehemently denied his Lord, and he must never forget it if he will be restored.  The Lord will open this up again in the course of this narrative, but it will have a benign and remedial outcome. 

Without drawing attention too much, He summons the others to bring the fish they caught, so they can all enjoy breakfast.  A description is given of the haul of fish and we learn much here:

10-14)  “Jesus saith unto them, bring of the fish which ye have now caught.  Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land full of great fishes, 153: and for all there were so many yet was not the net broken.  Jesus saith unto them, come and dine.  And none of the disciples durst ask Him who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.  Jesus then cometh and taketh bread and giveth them and fish likewise.  This is now the third time that Jesus showed Himself to his disciples after that He was risen from the dead.”

·      Although it was at His direction they caught the fish, he credited it to them-“the fish which ye have now caught”.  Only He can save souls, but He will credit them to the agents He uses.

·      The fish caught were all called “great” fishes.  Every soul won by sovereign grace is great;  every soul saved is a Divine miracle, every one precious to God.

·      Every fish was counted and none was lost!  The number is sure and known to the Lord but they were not counted until the morning on the shore.  We are reminded that He said “…those that thou gavest me, I have kept and none of them is lost…”-John 17v12.  There are many professors of faith, but in the morning, when He comes, the count will be sure!

·      153, a strange number, but significant in the time in which this was written.  It was believed back then that this was the number of species of fish in the sea, and so this number represents every species in existence, not every fish, but from every family of the entire fish stocks.  This points to the biblical truth that salvation comes to “every tribe and people and tongue and nation”-a fact that is repeated throughout scripture; Genesis 12v3-all families of the earth; Genesis 18v18 and 22v18-all nations of the earth; Revelation 5v9 and 7v9, “…a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people and tongues…”.  The message is that there is no group on earth, however we group human beings, that is beyond the mercy of God in salvation.  There will be folks saved from every conceivable category of people.  Others have applied biblical numerology to bring out many staggering facts from this number that are significant.  Enough, here to note that there were 8 people for breakfast and more than 153 fish, for Jesus had already supplied some.  Also they were great fish, so there was much more supply than they could have eaten.  No doubt they distributed what they did not eat among the local people.

·      Jesus was host to His disciples when the morning was come.  Is this a cameo of heaven when the night is over and we are with Him forever.

·      Note is made that this is the third appearance after the resurrection, another reminder to Peter of his threefold denial.