Behold!

I am enjoying Professor Horner's Bible Reading System. Because it is designed to take the reader through a daily reading of the Pentateuch, History, Poetry, the Gospels, and the Epistles, one begins to see how integrated the entire Bible is.

Case in point: I read the following passages yesterday and today (admitting that I sometimes only read 5 passages per day, but strive to read all 10): Matthew 28, Genesis 28, 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Peter 1, Job 28, Psalm 28, Proverbs 28, Judges 4, Isaiah 28 and Acts 28. The theme that jumped out at me in perusing these passages was BEHOLD!

Strong's Concordance says that behold means:

1) to see with the eyes

2) to see with the mind, to perceive, know

3) to see, i.e. become acquainted with by experience, to experience

4) to see, to look to

4a) to take heed, beware

4b) to care for, pay heed to

5) I was seen, showed myself, appeared

Behold, from "to stare at"

In Genesis 28, Jacob is fleeing from his brother Esau's wrath, and begins to see things. He becomes acquainted with the Lord through his dream... the passage includes four "beholds" - behold a ladder; behold the angels; behold the Lord; behold, I am with thee.

Jacob, a deceiver, was chosen by God before he was even born. He is beginning to pay attention to the God of his fathers, but is weak in faith at this point. He makes a conditional promise:

20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the Lordshall be my God

He is beginning to see, yet it will take years of trial and confusion before he really understands the fear of the Lord.

1 Peter 1:20
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

Strong's explains the phrase "made manifest":

1) to make manifest or visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way

1a) make actual and visible, realised

1b) to make known by teaching

1c) to become manifest, be made known

1d) of a person

1d1) expose to view, make manifest, to show one’s self, appear

1e) to become known, to be plainly recognised, thoroughly understood

1e1) who and what one is

Most of the entire world knows about Jesus. He was a guy who lived in Roman-occupied Palestine; he was a good teacher; a great example.

But He was (and is) so much more than that! The Irish Calvinist explains who Jesus is. (Go there!)

The thing is, unless your eyes have been opened to understand what has been hidden, the truth about Jesus will be invisible to you. Yet, this is the most important truth in the universe. You need to search for it as for hidden treasure, and dig for it as buried gold. Seek Him, while He may be found!

Job 28:28 defines wisdom as the fear of the Lord. This is too important to miss.

‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

This is why I proclaim Jesus on this blog. I do not want my loved ones, my friends, my relatives, my readers to miss the fact that Jesus is Lord, and that one day they will stand before Him to give an account of their lives. One day they will know that they failed miserably to live the holy life they were required to live - and they will do one of two things. They will rejoice, because they have been forgiven, and the blood of Christ has cleansed them from all their sin. Or they will despair, because they remain unforgiven, and will be cast into utter darkness to suffer for eternity.

Acts 28. Paul was imprisoned in Rome, and while in prison he had a fruitful ministry. Many people came and listened to him as he tried to convince them about Jesus,

24 And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved.

They had eyes to see and ears to hear, but their heart was not moved. Paul quoted Isaiah 6:

25 And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement:t “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:

26 u “‘Go to this people, and say,
You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.
27 For this people's heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed;
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’

So, do you see? Are you willing to pay attention and behold the Lord Jesus? There is nothing more important than understanding this: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

I plead with you, pay attention. Behold the MAN! Don't let your pre-conceived ideas trap you.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. . .

Jesus is the fullness of Deity in bodily form; He is God in the flesh. He came for a reason. Seek Him!