Psalm 85: God's Restoration

My oldest daughter, Flopi, loves Art. She will soon be leaving for college to continue her studies in Art. She always is looking for great masterpieces. This week, she was looking on the internet about “La Pietà” (pity). It is a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture made by Michelangelo. She mentioned to me how the statue of the “The Madonna” was attacked in 1972.

She was really surprised that I remembered it so well. When that event happened, it was in May 1972. It was one of my best friend’s “quincieñera- birthday party” on a Pentecost Sunday. A mentally disturbed geologist named Laszlo Toth strode into the St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome and attacked the statue with his hammer shouting, "I am Jesus Christ."

This was a very sad episode because many visitors took part of the marble that flew off. Many returned the parts, but many others didn’t- including Mary’s nose. It had to be recreated from a chunk of marble cut out of her back. I was in high school and remembered the newspaper, TV and all the news talking about the episode.

I even had a project in art about the subject.

Immediately, I also remembered a sermon that I heard many years ago. The Pastor said something that called my attention, the museum in that opportunity did not place the statue in storage. By the contrary, they called the best expert of the world to fix and restore the masterpiece.

In this same way, God restores us from our failures or even out of our sins and brings good to us by his Mercy and Grace. Restore is to bring back to a former, original, or normal condition. God is the only one who can restore us.

Psalm 85 is a Psalm of Restoration.

Since there is an allusion to captivity, many Bible scholars suppose this psalm was written at the time of Zerubbabel (Ezra.3:4) or more probably during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah (Neh. 2-4).

 The subject of this psalm is “Restoration”, not only historically but prophetically because it speaks about God’s restoration to us. Today!

 ¹ LORD, you were favorable to your land; 
   you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 
² You forgave the iniquity of your people; 
   you covered all their sin. 
                         Selah*
³ You withdrew all your wrath; 
   you turned from your hot anger.

 ⁴ Restore us again, O God of our salvation, 
   and put away your indignation toward us! 
⁵ Will you be angry with us forever? 
   Will you prolong your anger to all generations? 
⁶ Will you not revive us again, 
   that your people may rejoice in you? 
⁷ Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, 
   and grant us your salvation.

 ⁸ Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, 
   for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; 
   but let them not turn back to folly. 
⁹ Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, 
   that glory may dwell in our land.

 ¹⁰ Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; 
   righteousness and peace kiss each other. 
¹¹ Faithfulness springs up from the ground, 
   and righteousness looks down from the sky. 
¹² Yes, the LORD will give what is good, 
   and our land will yield its increase. 
¹³ Righteousness will go before him 
   and make his footsteps a way.

We can divide the Psalm in three deferent parts:

Verses 1 to 3 look to the past

Restoration involves God’s favor (v. 1).

Restoration involves God’s pardon (v. 2).

Restoration involves God’s patience (v.3).

 Verses 4 to 7 look at the present

Our God of salvation is able of our reinstatement (v. 4).

Our God righteous is capable of our restoration (v. 5).

Our God of joy is competent of our re-establishment (v. 6).

Our God is kindheartedness and  capable of our restitution (v. 7).

Verses 8 to 13 turn to the future

Restoration comes with peace for the Godly (v. 8).

Restoration comes with deliverance for the God fearing (v. 9a).

Restoration comes with the glory of God’s presence on the earth (v. 9b).

Restoration comes with the reign of the Messiah King (vv. 10,11).

Restoration comes with  wealth (v. 12).

Restoration comes with clear direction and way (v. 13).

Here same commentaries about verse 12:

"Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good. Being himself pure goodness, he will readily return from his wrath, and deal out good things to his repenting people. Our evil brings evil upon us, but when we are brought back to follow that which is good, the Lord abundantly enriches us with good things. Material good will always be bestowed where it can be enjoyed in consistency with spiritual good. And our land shall yield her increase. The curse of barrenness will fly with the curse of sin. When the people yielded what was due to God, the soil would recompense their husbandry...The whole world also shall be bright with the same blessing in the days yet to come, --The Treasury of David

and, under this, the deserted land shall be productive, and men be "set," or guided in God's holy ways. Doubtless, in this description of God's returning favor, the writer had in view that more glorious period, when Christ shall establish His government on God's reconciled justice and abounding mercy.-- Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good
Meaning not merely temporal good, as rain in particular, as some think, because of the following clause; but that which is spiritually good, his good Spirit and his grace, grace and glory: nor will he withhold any good thing from his people; every good and perfect gift comes from him:

and our land shall yield her increase;
such who are like to the earth, which receives blessing of God, and oft drinks in the rain that comes upon it, and brings forth herbs to the dresser of it, ( Hebrews 6:2 ) , these increase with the increase of God, bring forth fruits of righteousness, and grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ; though the whole may be interpreted of the incarnation of Christ, which agrees with what goes before and follows after; see ( Psalms 67:6 Psalms 67:7 )-- John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

The Lord shall give - good - הטוב hattob, The Good thing - what is the supreme good, the summum bonum, for which man has searched in vain through all his generations. Those who are reconciled to him through the Son of his love shall enjoy the favor of their God; to have which is the supreme happiness of man.

Our land shall yield her increase - There shall be neither dearth nor barrenness; for truth, which springs out of the earth, shall yield an abundant harvest, in the conversion of all nations to the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ- - Adam Clarke

In your prayers for this 2012, just remember:

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51:12

For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord, because they have called you an outcast: ‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!  Jeremiah 30:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Joel 2:25  (MSG)

 ^25-27 "I'll make up for the years of the locust, 
   the great locust devastation—
Locusts savage, locusts deadly, 
   fierce locusts, locusts of doom,
That great locust invasion 
   I sent your way.
You'll eat your fill of good food. 
   You'll be full of praises to your God,
The God who has set you back on your heels in wonder. 
   Never again will my people be despised.
You'll know without question 
   that I'm in the thick of life with Israel,
That I'm your God, yes, your God, 
   the one and only real God.
Never again will my people be despised.

 This is His promise for you and for me. Remember He never give up on us.

I will quote a friend  Elder Marvin,

“In 2012, this will be the year of REHOBOTH (meaning a place of enlargement and flourishing). You shall enjoy

(R)RECOVERY (You shall Recover ALL that you have lost without Fail)
(E)ENLARGEMENT (God will Enlarge your coast and expand your territory)
(H)HIGHER GROUND (God will take you to a Higher Ground)
(O)OVERCOMING VICTORIES (God will fight for you and you shall Overcome)
(B)BLESSING (You shall be blessed, be a blessing and be favored by all)
(O)OPEN DOOR (He will cause your door of breakthrough to be opened)
(T)TURN-AROUND (He will Turn your situation around & change your story)
(H)HARVEST (Great Harvest shall be yours in the year 2012)”

* “Selah (Hebrew: סֶלָה‎, also transliterated as selāh) is a word used frequently in the Hebrew Bible, often in the Psalms, and is a difficult concept to translate. (It should not be confused with the Hebrew word sela‘ (Hebrew: סֶלַע‎) which means "rock.") It is probably either a liturgico-musical mark or an instruction on the reading of the text, something like "stop and listen". "Selah" can also be used to indicate that there is to be a musical interlude at that point in the Psalm.^[1] The Amplified Bible states Selah as "pause, and think of that".—Wikipedia Read moreRead more

Please visit our Prayer Wall. If you need prayer. we can pray for you.

Maria P

Help me God! I am in need.

My Little One, Victoria, is twelve years old and has Down syndrome. She is very functional and active, the most beautiful girl in the world.

One time, I received an email from the Down Syndrome Parents Association about how God was very angry with human kind, because all of them wanted to be the most beautiful, the most intelligent, and was fighting between one another because of it and no one who had The Lord in his heart. Jesus who was sitting at His side, asked him,

“What are you going to do about it? By your Word, you can destroy them; it is your promise,”

“No,” said God the Father, “I will create another human kind. All of them will have the same face, they will not be the most intelligent at all- but they will have my heart and they will show my love.”

“How will you call them?” Jesus asked.

“I will call them Down syndrome.”

“But to whom are you going to give them as sons and daughters?”

“I will give them to very special parents,” said God the Father, “The ones who love me more.”

“Why them?”

“They know how to smile at problems and still love me.”

Victoria was only 31 week along the pregnancy. The day that she was born, a nurse entered my room with a boom box and began to play a song.

I thought, “This lady is confused.”  But when she pushed play, I began to cry.

She shared with me that she had a daughter with Down syndrome, the miracle blessing that she was, and how her daughter pushed her and her older brother to go to church even when she was tired after working the whole night before service.

She told me that she had no other choice than to dress herself and take her to the Church because her daughter was all ready.

I never will be thankful enough for that visit in the Hospital. Here is the song by Bruce Carroll " Sometimes Miracles Hide" 

Many times I see Victoria and I see the heart of God. Down syndrome children are very functional, they can walk, speak, be potty trained, swing, run horses and all that the most typical children can do, but it will takes more time to achieve their goals. They are the most loving people, they have God's love. 

"Perseverance is not a long race. It is many short races one after another." - W. Elliot

When Victoria was born, I was concerned about if she will be able to know the lord as a Savior and Lord like the daughter of my nurse friend. Many times I prayed the same prayer request. That the Lord will open Victoria’s heart.

 One Sunday at the end of the service, Pastor was calling to pray. That particular service he was calling to pray for salvation. As a member of the prayer ministry, as was at the altar and many people came to the altar to receive the Gift of Eternal life.

One of the teens that were there for prayer approached me and to my surprise she had Down syndrome.

She asked me if I can pray with her.

So, I ask her if she want to receive Jesus in her heart. She answered:

“Me?  No, I received Him when I was little. This is for my father that I came today, he is not saved and I want to ask Jesus to touch his heart. So everybody in my family is going to heaven, my sisters, my brother my mom are saved. The only one that is not saved yet is him.”

We prayed for his father, and then I cried and thanked Jesus.  I thank the Lord for the revelation and for letting me be a witness of how much is in the heart of special person.

 I know it today because Victoria asks me everyday, “Are we going to Church?” She loves to pray and praise the Lord. She loves the Children Ministry and her pastor.

Our special children do not have the typical body. They do not have the typical mind. But their spirit is perfect in the presence of the Lord, and they Know Him by Name, and the HE smiles to them.

The Lord blessed us with five children, four are ‘normal’. I really don’t like the term ‘normal’. Let’s put it like this, they don’t have physical or mental impediments but all of them have special needs.

 In Victoria you can see it, but everyone have a special need, you and I are no exceptions.

When you are praying today, remember them, confess them, keep them in your heart. Put them in you desktop, in your mirror, in your refrigerator. 
When we pray, we don't need to remember to God His Word. His Word  becoming alive, it no longer Logos, now it Rhema for us.

Peter 5:7

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. 

Matthew 6:33

Seek the Kingdom of God, above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Psalm 37:4 

4 Take delight in the LORD,

   and he will give you the desires of your heart

Jeremiah 30:17

“For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” says the Lord. 

Philippians 4:19

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” 

Matthew 11:28

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 6:34

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

2 Corinthians 9:8

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything; you may have abundance for every good deed;

  

In the same way that I take care of my special child because she is in need, our Heavenly Father knows and takes care of your needs.

Talk with Him, let Him know what your necessities are today and how much you need His help. 

Can you see that every special need must be handled with prayer?


Do you need prayer? Please let me know how we can pray for you.
365prayingforyou@gmail.com or  "Maria Pereyra" <365prayer@famemphis.net>


Maria P

How to pray: Power of prayer

Isaiah 49:11

¹¹ And I will make all my mountains a road, 

   and my highways shall be raised up




So what is the purpose of prayer? For E. M. Bounds, prayer is “to put God in full force in the world.”  When Adam and Eve sinned, they lost their authority and it was given to Satan, who then became “the god of this world” (2 Cor.4:4 NLT).  But the Second Adam, Jesus Christ, came as a man and restored man’s authority, giving it to all who believe in Him.

God tied his hands, “let them rule” He gave to man all authority and He will never break his own word. He makes us his ambassadors in the earth realm because He is the King in Heavenly realm.

When you “Ask” Him to take control, you have been asking Him to take back that authority.

You are asking to come here to earth and reign His kingdom down. To make His will over your petition, over your life. You are giving Him the ability to resolve you earthly problems.

If you don’t ask nothing is going to happen.

Brother and sister, I encourage you to begin today to apply these principles in your life.  Ask God to take control over every situation in your life and then be faithful to do his will.  That is the first step to understanding the power of prayer.

James 4:2-3 (NIV)

^“You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

The great harvest of the Lord will never be accomplished by a few hired hands, nor even by a team of highly gifted evangelists, apostles, prophets, teachers, and pastors. The work is too great, the scope too grand to be accomplished by an elite few-- only a praying church can harvest an entire lost world in one generation! God is calling every member of His household back to the foundation of prayer that launches every great move of God in the earth. It is time for us to hit our knees and pray the heart of God into being in the earth! It's time for us to recapture our marbles and have the mind of Christ concerning the "House of Prayer for All Nation" The Lost Art of Intercession" Jim Goll)

So this is my prayer for you:

Ephesians 1:18-23 (NIV)

^“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know they hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.”

I challenge you to know His Heart, His mind, His thoughts. So you can ask according with His will and according with your faith and give Him back all authority to whatever your prayer request is. 

Prayer has the power to change mountains into highways.  "Wesley L. Duewel"

 Yes but you need to ask God to 

Who is Jesus? The 7 " I AM" statements

Yesterday was the first service of 2012. Pastor’s preaching was extraordinary, but something that really called my attention was our Bulletin. Pastor wrote Jesus’ Resume as if he were applying for the Top Management position in our lives. It included the following: His Qualifications, His Occupational background, His Skills, but the one that called my attention the most was His Accomplishments:
“I laid down my life so you could live. I defeated the arch-enemy of people. I’ve raised the dead, healed the sick, and fed the poor. You can read my full list @ www. HolyBible.org.”  Lol.
The truth is that Jesus in the Book of John really said Who He is.
As a teacher for many years, I was trying to get my student to understand the importance to putting together the text, a good interpretation, and your point of view. In this research, The quotes are from the Gospel of John, but I have almost no words to add to this study that I found.

Here it is!

 "The I AM sayings Of Jesus"

As we reflect on the whole witness of the inerrant and infallible Scriptures, regarding the Person of Jesus, we can see many elements and various passages that assert, affirm and prove His divinity. For example, there are the Messianic prophesies, such as, Ps.2:7,12, which speaks of Him as God's Son. Ps.110:1 declares Him as lord, while Ps.45:6 and Isa.9:6 speak of Him as God. Then there are the didactic passages, for instance, Jhn.1:1,14 speak of Jesus the Christ being the Word and the Word also being divine (God), then becoming flesh [human]. Phil. 2:5-11 speaks of Him being the "form of God" and Heb. 1;2-3; Col. 1:15 declare that "He is the radiance of the glory of God, the exact representation of His being and the image of the invisible God," while Heb. 1:8 boldly states that He is God, and 1 Tim. 3:16 asserts that this God "appeared in a body." We also have the narrative materials, such as, Mk. 2:27-28; Lk. 5:20; Jhn. 11:43-44, amongst many others, which testify that Jesus claimed divine prerogatives. These include, redefining the Sabbath, forgiving sin and raising the dead.! However, besides His own bodily resurrection, I genuinely believe that it is in the "I am" sayings of Jesus that we are presented with some of the clearest assertions, affirmations and proof of His divinity. For in them we have the very words of Jesus concerning His "true identity." Here we have the self-disclosure of the Incarnate God. It is with the assistance of the Apostle John, who recorded the very words of Jesus Christ as an eyewitness, along with other eminent theologians, that I seek to present this truth.

I begin by stating that the implicit intentions of the Apostle John, in writing his version of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ, are to be found in Chapter 20 verses 30-31. There, John clearly states, "Jesus did many more miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. So, we see that John's aim is two-fold. Firstly, it is revelatory, he seeks to reveal and demonstrate "that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God." Secondly, it is evangelistic, he wants people to know the true identity of Jesus, so "that you may have life in his name." Now, for the purpose of this essay, it is the initial aim of John that I want to highlight. As we have seen, John is seeking to prove that " Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world" (4:42). And in his attempt to do so he enlists the aid of many things. For example, the statements of witnesses, such as John the Baptist (1:29, 32-36), the Samaritan woman and villagers (4:39-42), Jesus (8:13-14), and God Himself (8:17; 12:28-30), accounts of the life, ministry and works of Jesus, including His many discourses and His eventual death and resurrection. He also introduced, or recorded, various miracles (signs) performed by Jesus, which are also recorded in the Synoptic Gospels. However, it is he alone, of all the Gospel writers, who that gives an account of the sermonic discourses of Jesus, which shed light on the meaning of the message behind the miracles that took place. Hence John's use of the Greek word `semeion` [sign], rather than simply `dunamis` [miracle]. Now, included in these sermonic statements are some of the "I am" sayings, for example, "I am the bread of life" (6:35) and "I am the resurrection and the life." The remainder of the sayings took place during his verbal interactions with the people (8:12), the Pharisees (10:7, 9, 11), and His disciples (14:6; 15:1).

Another thing which I seek to draw the readers attention to is the actual Greek words `ego eimi`, translated (I AM). Leon Morris correctly states, "Jesus uses an emphatic "I AM" to bring out important teaching about his person. In Greek, the personal subject of the verb is not normally expressed: the form of the verb makes clear what the subject is. But if it is desired to emphasize the subject, then the appropriate pronoun may be used. What makes this so important in John is that we find a similar usage in the Greek translation of the Old Testament. There we find that the translators used the emphatic form of the speech when they were rendering words spoken by God." He then goes on to say, "When Jesus used the "I AM" construction he was speaking in the style of deity." And, "There is general agreement among Johannine scholars that this kind of language is a significant pointer to what John is telling us about the person of Jesus." (1) In other words, when Jesus was using the "I AM" construction he was indicating His divinity, and in John recording His statements he was doing likewise.

Morris, also, correctly observes that there are two groups within the "I AM" sayings. One with the predicate and one without the predicate. Commenting on them he says, "Both constructions are somewhat unusual, and the form a Johannine distinctive." Quoting J.H.Bernard, he goes on to say, "This is clearly the style of Deity...Its force could at once be appreciated by one familiar with the LXX version of the Old Testament." (2) In examining both groups of the "I AM" sayings, I would like to follow Morris's example and present the former group first and the latter group second.

"I AM the Bread of Life"

The first of the notable "I AM" sayings, in the book of John, is "I AM the bread of life" (6:35). This was uttered in the discourse which followed the feeding of the multitude. During the discourse, Jesus tells the crowd, "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you" (6:27). As He seeks to elicit their faith in Himself, He is met with a challenge to "demonstrate His credentials." (3) "What sign do you do that we may see and believe?", they ask. To this they add, "Our forefathers ate manna in the desert, as it is written: `He gave them bread to eat`" (v.31). They were obviously implying that Moses gave them the manna, for Jesus goes on to correct their misunderstanding. He states, "I tell you the truth, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it was my Father" (v.32). To that He adds, "My father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven" (v.33). By this, Jesus was not only implying that God gave "bread from heaven" in the past and continues to do so in the immediate present, but was also implicitly stating that He Himself is "the bread of God come down from heaven" (v.33). "In apparent expression of some stirring of spiritual desire they ask for this bread from heaven, though how earth- bound their understanding remains will emerge as the conversation continues." (4)

Now, it is in response to their request that Jesus makes the astounding claim, "I AM the bread of life, he who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty" (v.35). This saying actually enshrines the essence of Jesus' message. He is the answer to the needs of the human heart. "The bread of life implies the fundamental, elemental role Jesus claims to fulfil in relation to the yearning human spirit. For Jesus' bread was `the staff of life`, the primary source of nourishment. But since bread is a basic food universally, there is also the implicit claim that he fulfils this role for everyone. He is (the Saviour of the world)" (5), and gives life to the world (v.33). Morris, interestingly, points out that the definite article, before the word bread, indicates the fact that Jesus, and Jesus alone, is the one who is the bread of life. (6) While Milne states that, "the bread of life also points to the satisfying nature of Jesus." (7) This is clearly seen in the corollary, "never go hungry, and never be thirsty." All other bread, like manna in the wilderness, leave a sense of dissatisfaction. The inner ache is not assuaged: we hunger again. By contrast Jesus, once tasted, obviates the need for further satisfaction. In conclusion, we contend that in the claim, "I AM the bread of life," Jesus is making His heavenly origins known, and the fact that He alone supplies the spiritual need of His hearers.

"I AM the Light of the World"

This is the second "I AM" statement that is followed by a predicate. John has previously informed us, in the Prologue, that the Incarnate Word was "the life," and "the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it" (vv.4- 5). He once again picks up the light metaphor, and elaborates what he has previously said. John states that Jesus made the claim, about being "the light of the world," and other similar statements, on various occasions. For example, 8:12; 9:5; 12:35-36, 46. Although John does not actually identify exactly when Jesus maid the claim in 8:12, he does tell us where He made it. He gives the Feast of Tabernacles, and the possibly the temple courts, as the backdrop to this eventful drama (7:14).

During the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles, two major religious, and highly symbolic, ceremonies took place. The first was the out- pouring of water on the west side of the alter, by the Levitical priests, as the choir sang the Great Hallel (Ps. 113-18). (8) The second was the lighting of several large candels in the temple precint. John indicates that Jesus took the opportunity of using these two symbols to illustrate His teachings (7:37-38; 8:12). The light metaphor is steeped in Old Testament allusion. The glory of the very presence of God in the cloud led the people to the promised land (Ex. 13:21-22), and protected them from their enemies (Ex. 14:19-25). The Israelites were trained to sing, "the LORD is my light and my salvation" (Ps. 27:1). The Word of God, the law of God, is a light to guide the path of those who cherished instruction (Ps. 119:105; Pr. 6:23); God's light is shed abroad in revelation (Ezk. 1:4,13,26-28), and salvation (Hab. 3:3-4). "Light is Yahweh in action" (Ps. 44:3). Isa tells us that the Servant of the LORD was appointed as a light to the Gentiles, that He might bring salvation to the ends of the earth (Isa. 49:6). The coming eschatological age would be a time when the LORD Himself would be the light of His people (Isa. 60:19-22; cf Rev. 21:23-24). Perhaps Zech 14:5b-7 is especially significant, with its promise of continual light on the last day, followed by the promise of living water flowing from Jerusalem-this passage probably forming part of the litergical reading of the Feast.

So, with these verses in mind and "in the context of such powerful ritual, Jesus' declaration must have come with stunning force." (9) What is also stunning is the note of universality about the claim. He is not simply the light of the Jews, but "the light of the World." This reference to light is not just physical or moral light. As Morris correctly points out, that when Jesus declared, "If anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him" (11:9-10), that the reference to the light not being in him, shows that we have moved from physical illumination to spiritual truth. He then comments, "Jesus is telling his hearers that those who reject him, who do not take him into their lives are in grave danger." (10) By way of summary, we contend that in each of the "I AM the light of the world" passages, the main thought is that "Jesus is the only light and that people must respond to the coming of the light by giving him a welcome and believing in him. Apart from that they are lost eternally. That Jesus is the light of the whole world and that people's eternal destiny depend on their reaction to him tell us something very important about him." (10)

"I AM the Door"

The next "I AM" saying of Jesus is found in the context of a disputive discourse with the Pharisees. We see in chapter 9 Jesus healing the blind man, who is subsequently excommunicated for defending Jesus and who eventually believes in Him (vv.34-38). After this miraculous sign, and the subsequent ill treatment of the former blind man by the Pharisees, Jesus contrasts Himself with the religious leaders of His day, whom He terms as "thieves and robbers." This contrast is dressed in the form of a "figure of speech" (v.6), which consists of some very striking metaphors. For example, "sheep pen" (10:1), "shepherd" (v.2), "watchmen" (v.3) and "door", or, "gate" (v.3). Despite the vividness of the metaphors, the Pharisees did not grasp Jesus' point (v.6). Therefore, Jesus, seeking to explain His message and expand its meaning , not only elucidates, but also amplifies and inter-relates the metaphors. For example, He now claims, "I AM the door" (by which the sheep of the sheep pen enter) (v.7). Previously, He spoke of Himself as "the shepherd" (v.2), which HE will do again with a further modification (v.10).

What does Jesus mean when He says "I AM the door."? In order to answer this, we may find it helpful to remind ourselves that a sheep pen normally has one doorway, and that the shepherds of the Near East often slept in the doorway, acting as the door itself. Its is plain to see then, in order for the sheep to enter the pen they would obviously have to enter through the doorway, and metaphorically speaking through the shepherd. Thus in answer to our question, we see that Jesus is saying He Himself, and no other, is the means by which the sheep may enter into the promised fulness of life (vv.9-10). For as Morris points out, "Jesus says He is "the door", not "a door." There is something exclusive about "the" door. He is saying that the way into life goes through him, and him alone. He is the door." (11) This is further emphasized when Jesus says, "The thief only comes to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life; and have it to the full." "This is a proverbial way of insisting that there is only one means of receiving eternal life, only one source of knowledge of God, only one fount of spiritual nourishment, only one basis for spiritual security-Jesus alone". (12) Jesus also said, "If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and go in and go out, and find pasture" (v.9). Although He does not explain what He means exactly by "saved", we can take it as meaning having "eternal life." For we find the two concepts of being "saved" and having "eternal life" linked in Jhn 3:16-17. Therefore, expositional consistency demands that we understand a similar linkage here.

Thus in conclusion, as Morris has so astutely observed, "once again we encounter the thought of an exclusive salvation, exclusive in the sense that it can be entered only through the door, Jesus Christ. If there is one door for all the race, then once more we are reminded of something very important about Jesus. Like the other I AM sayings, this one leads us to think of deity." (13)

"I AM the Good Shepherd"

The next I AM saying of Jesus is closely related to the one previously discussed, in the sense that it is a metaphor that has been used in the same "figure of speech", in which we find "I AM the door." In chapter 10 verve 1, Jesus speaks of "the shepherd." He now adds an adjective to the word shepherd, and makes the claim "I AM the good shepherd" (10). Here again Jesus is contrasting Himself with the religious leaders, whom He is speaking too, who are the not-so-good-sheperds, or retaining the metaphor in the passage, "the hired hand" (vv.12-13). That He is referring to the Pharisees, as the "hired hand", is evident in verse 13. For there He speaks of the hired hand as "not caring for the sheep." This is an obvious referal to their harsh treatment of the former blind man.

When Jesus used the term "the good shepherd", He is speaking of His intrinsic goodness, as well as His moral rectitude and beauty. In His using the term "shepherd", He is speaking of His position. He is the shepherd of the sheep, He is the one who protects, leads, guides and nourishes the sheep. In turn, the sheep are utterly defensive and totally dependant upon the Shepherd. It is hard not to see an allusion to Ps 23, where the LORD is the Shepherd, who protects, leads, guides and nourishes His sheep. Jesus is also referring to His mission. For on no less than three occasions, He speaks of "laying down" His life for the sheep (vv.15,17,18). The Shepherd, who protects the sheep, now protects them to the point of death. The Shepherd now reveals that He is also the sacrificial "lamb of God" (1:29,35), who willingly lays down His life for the sheep. "The death of Jesus is no tragic accident, but the divinely appointed way whereby salvation would be brought to those who trust in Him." (14) It was not just for the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" that He was to lay down His life, but also for the "sheep of another pen" (10:16), the Gentiles. Thereby, making one flock, resided over by one Shepherd (v.16). How can the death of one man avail the redemption of so many, unless it was rendered more than sufficient by the divinity of this one man.! Thus, we contend that this I AM saying screams out the divinity of Jesus the Christ.

"I AM the Resurrection and the Life"

This particular I AM saying was made to Martha, who's brother Lazarus had recently died. When Jesus told her that Lazarus would rise again she took this to refer to "the resurrection of the last day" (11:23-24). It is at this point that He makes this explicit and astounding claim, "I AM the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me , even if he dies, he will live, and everyone who lives, and believes in me will certainly not die." (11:25-26). With this claim, Jesus is not simply stating that He imparts resurrection and life, but that He Himself is resurrection and life. As John said in his Prologue Jesus, (the Word), was life (1:4). Morris notes, "That he is the resurrection means death, which to us appears so final, is no obstacle, and that he is the life means that the quality of life that he imparts to us here and now never ceases." (15) This claim of Jesus is fully sustantiated in the following raising of Lazarus from the dead (v.44).

In commenting on John's recording of this incident, Morris powerfully states, "He is writing about one who is supremely great and who has breathtaking superiority over death. It is a comment to the human race that in the end we all face death and there is nothing we can do about that. We may stave off death for a time, but when it takes place it is final. John writes about a Lord for whom it is not final. He is such a great person that even death gives place to him." (15) Surely this claim of Jesus' has no place on the lips of an ordinary man, but can only have place on the lips of Him who is divine.

"I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life"

This is the next I AM saying, to be addressed to those who have committed themselves to Jesus. On the eve of the Lord's crucifixion, Jesus gives His `Kingly farewell speech`. He has just instituted the Lord's Supper, (though John does not record this), and announced His imminent departure (13:33,36;14:2-3). In conjunction to the announcement of His departure, He adds, "You know the way to the place where I am going" (14:4). To this, the perplexed disciple Thomas responds, "Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?". "He wants the position to be clear, and will not let our Lord's word stand as though he understands them when he really does not. The man's fundamental honesty stands revealed". (16) This provides Jesus with the opportunity of expanding and elucidating what he has just said. Thus, He replies, "I AM the way and the truth and the life". To which He adds, "No-one comes to the Father except through me" (14:6), (italics mine). Despite the controversy that surrounds these words, and the many forms of translations and interpretations given, it is clear, by the the syntactical structure of these words, that Jesus is saying three distinct things about Himself. (The stress in the verse falls on "the way", since that is the issue (v.5). However, the three terms, "the way", "the truth" and "the life" are syntactically co-ordinate. Hence the indication that Jesus is declaring three distinct things about Himself.)

First He says, "I AM the way". Again, we see here an exclusivity which can not be denied, nor overlooked. Since Jesus refers to going to His Fathers house (v.2), and that "No-one comes to the Father except through me (v.6), we can see that He is not speaking of a moral or ethical way, but the way of salvation. The way of salvation leading to the Father. He is confidently stating that He is not one of many ways to God, but "the" way. This astounding claim hits at the heart of our pluralistic society and the syncristic philosophy that it dearly subscribes and holds on to. With one fell swoop, He disintegrates mans false notions of approaching God, and asserts His `uniqueness`. His substitutionary, atoning death is closely linked with Him being "the way". For it is through His death that God and sinners are reconciled.

Second, He claims to be "the truth". This speaks of His utter veracity and reliability. All that He has said, claimed and done can be both believed and trusted in, not simply because He tells the truth, but because He is the truth. For He is the Word of God that has become flesh (1:1,14). As Carson insightfully points out, "Jesus is the truth, because he embodies the supreme revelation of God-he himself `narrates` God (1:18), says and does exclusively what the Father gives him to say and do (5:19ff; 8:29), indeed he is properly called God (1:1, 18; 20:28). He is God's gracious self-disclosure, his "Word", made flesh (1:14). (17)

Third, Jesus states that He is "the life". This, as Morris correctly states, "takes us into the same area as the saying, "I AM the resurrection and the life". (18) Once again we observe Jesus associating very closely with life. "It is he alone whose life is unique, self- existent like the life of the Father (5:16). He is the life and the source of life to others (3:16)". (19)

We contend, then, that "this comprehensive saying claims an exclusive position for Jesus. He is the one way to God, he is thoroughly reliable, and he stands in a relation to truth such as no one else does. The same, of course, is true of his relationship to life". (20)

"I AM the True Vine"

Now we come to the final I AM saying with the predicate. During the upper room discourse, Jesus twice makes the declaration, that He is "the vine". On the first occasion He links Himself with the Father, when He says "I AM the true vine, and my Father is the gardener", or, "vinedresser" (15:1). On the second occasion He links Himself with the believer, when He declares, "I AM the vine; you are the branches", or, "vine canes" (21), and "goes on to refer to the mutual indwelling of the Saviour and the saved (15:5)". (22)

Many commentators have indicated the connection between this declaration of Jesus' and the Old Testament usage of the vine image. One of these is the noted theologian Bruce Milne. In his commentary on the Book of John, which places the emphasis on Jesus' mission, he states, "The image of the vine serves the `mission` theme in two important ways. In the first place, it was the supreme symbol of Israel. A great golden vine trailed over the temple porch, and the coinage minted during the revolt against Rome (AD 68-70) also bore a vine symbol. The Old Testament has many pertinent allusions. Possibly the most important in connection with Jesus' claim, I am the true vine (v.1), is Psalm 80, which blends talk of Israel as `the vine out of Egypt` (v.8) with `the son of man you raised up for yourself` (v. 17).

But the vine `is burned with fire` (Ps. 80:16). Israel has failed in God's long-term role she was called to fulfil, that being `a light for the Gentiles` (Is. 49:6), to bring God's salvation `to all the ends of the earth`... Israel, however, was more attracted by the gods of the surrounding nations than penetrating them as a missionary. Her centuries-long declension from God's purposes now reaches its nadir in the rejection of the Messiah and the repudiation of the kingship of God (19:15). But God's purposes, from which Israel turn in final apostasy, does not fall to the ground. It is grasped anew by the one who stands in the midst of Israel, and among the disciples. In contrast to the vine which has destroyed itself by disobedience, Jesus is `the true vine`. He is the obedient Son through whose sacrifice and consequent mission the age-old purpose of Israel would find fulfilment, the nations would be reached, and `all the families of the earth shall bless themselves` (Gn. 12:2).

He then continues, "The image of the vine has a second, less theological, pointer to mission. the vine is an essentially utilitarian plant; it exists to bear fruit. W. Temple eloquently portrays the fruit- bearing function of the vine. `The vine lives to give its life-blood. Its flower is small, its fruit abundant, and when that fruit is mature and the vine has become, for a moment, glorious, the treasure of the grapes is torn down and the vine is cut back to the stem`. This function is reflected in Jesus' stress on fruit-bearing (explicitly in verses 2, 4-5, 8, 16). We should therefore beware of interpretations of this passage which concentrate solely on our inward relationship with the Lord. Its real thrust is the renewal of the mission of Israel through Jesus the Messiah and the disciple community. While more `subjective` aspects are not entirely absent (cf. Jesus' reference to `love` and `obedience` to his commands; 10, 12, 17), the primary focus remains bracingly objective and missionary. Jesus by his exaltation in death and resurrection will be removed tangibly from the world. The disciples are sent into the world, as was Jesus, to carry on the task in his `absence`. That is the principle implication of Jesus' saying, I am the vine; you are the branches". (23)

While I concur with Milne's interpretation of Jesus being the fulfiller of God's missionary objectives, i.e. the true vine, through His life, death and subsequent resurrection. I do not whole-heartedly agree with his interpretation of I am the vine; you are the branches. I would tend to agree more on the lines of Morris' argument when he states, "the second saying emphasizes the vital contact with Christ. `He who remains in me, and I in him`, says Jesus `this man bears much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing` (15:5)." He continues, "it is an error to suppose that in the energy of the flesh that we are able to do anything that pleases God. For that we need the strength that he alone can supply. The condition of fruitful in Christian service is vital contact with Christ... Exactly what the "fruit" is is not explained, but usually in the New Testament the word means qualities of Christian character (Matt. 3:8; 7:20; Rom. 6:22; Gal. 5:22 etc.) and we should see this as primary in mind here. (24)

When we consider that "Salvation comes from God" (Jonah 2:9), and that Jesus the Christ is appointed of God as "a light for the Gentiles", so that He may bring God's "salvation to the ends of the earth" (Isa. 49:6), and that the transformation of the believer is only possible by the work of the indwelling Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9), and one's vital contact with Him (Jn 15:5). We can see that this I AM saying, like the rest, indicates His deity.

by Adel Mohammed El Naggar (a former Muslim) also yo can read his  testimony.

NOTES

1. Leon Morris, Jesus Is The Christ (STUDIES IN THE THEOLOGY OF JOHN), pp. 107-8.

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Maria P