THE LORD'S PRAYER, Blessings On The Mount and 10 Commandments
THE LORD'S PRAYER, Blessings On The Mount and 10 Commandments
of the Lord's Prayer. First, when Jesus is quoted praying in his original language the language is Aramaic. When Jesusprays of the cross of Golgotha (Aramaic for "Skull Place" , he says in Aramaic-"Eloi, Eloi lama sabackthani" This is "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?" The words here are Aramaic and not Hebrew which would have been " Eli, Eli lama azabtani." Here inMark 15:34 Jesus is giving the Aramaic Targum rendering of Psalm 22 verse 1.(The New Testament presents Aramaic as the language of Jesus.) Jesus gave out Aramaic names to his disciples, such as Cephas (Aramaic for Peter), Thomas (Aramaic for "Twin") Magdalene (Aramaic for "Tower"), Boanerges (Aramaic for the "Sons of Thunder" who were James and John) He used Aramaic when healing, saying "Talitha Qumi" to the daughter of Jairus which means "Little Girl, Arise," in Aramaic. Although we only have translations of his teachings, Aramaic words embedded in the text, words such as Raca and Mammon, point to the fact that Jesus was speaking thislanguage.) Another significant prayer is the Gethsemane (Aramaic for "Olive Oil Press")Prayer. In Mark 14:36 it states, "Abba, Father, all things are possiblefor You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but whatYou will." Here the Aramaic word for Father-Abba, is used. The Hebrewword, once again is different, it is "av." There are two thingssignificant in this prayer, first is Jesus' use of the Aramaic word Abba for"Father." Many Aramaic scholars feel this is a very intimate term and would more accurately betranslated as "Daddy" or "Papa." The Fatherhood of God is a major and a unique focus of the teaching of Jesus. In the Gospels God is called "Father" over 100 times. (Two Aramaic terms seem to have been veryimportant in the teaching of Jesus: Abba, Father and The Son of ManBarnasha-which is used over 80 times in the Gospels.) Many scholars feel that the Lords Prayer in its original form began with a simple "Abba." The second important point from the Gethsemane Prayer is its similarity with "the Lord's Prayer with its "thy will be done" which is also found in the Lord's Prayer." The second indication that Aramaic is the original language is its similarity with the ancient Aramaic Jewish prayer called the Kaddish. The Lord's Prayer as the "twin sister" of the Kaddish. I hope too that it may contribute towards a fuller appreciation of the New Testament, by showing from a fresh point of view its Jewish background and framework, the Jewish colouring of much of its most characteristic phraseology, and especially by a consideration of the form and origin of the Paternoster [Latin for "Our Father"], the twin sister of the Kaddish. "A further important pointer to Aramaic is provided by the two different versions of the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-15 and Luke 11:2-4: while Matthew has 'and forgive us our debts as we haveforgiven our debtor' (verse 12), Luke has 'and forgive us our sins, as we forgive everyone who is indebted to us'(verse 4). In Aramaic,but not in Hebrew of this period, the words for 'debt', 'debtor,' are frequently used in the sense of 'sin', 'sinner'; in Matthew we have a literal translation of the underlying Aramaic words, while in Luke, in the first half of the verse, there is a more idiomatic rendering (Peculiar to or characteristic of the style or manner of a particular group or people.)
Here are the two different versions of the Lord's Prayer: Luke 11: 2-4
Father, Hallowed be Thy name.Thy kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread; And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves forgive our debtors; And lead us not into temptation
Matthew 6: 9-13
Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name. Thy Kingdom come ,Thywill be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Thy will be done, On earth as it isin heaven. Give us this day Our Daily bread And forgive us our debts, as wealso have forgiven Everyone who is indebted to us; And lead us not intotemptation But deliver us from evil. [For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, forever, Amen]\
(In parables of Jesus we see sin and forgiveness of sin often compared to an acquired debt such as Luke 7:41.) We must also remember the "Maranatha" prayer of 1Corinthians 16:22. It means translated from the Aramaic "Come, Our Lord" and evokes the"Thy Kingdom Come" of the Lord's Prayer. Possible Reconstructions of the Lord's Prayer When examining the Lord's Prayer we are going to look at its background in Aramaic. (For those interested in evidence of Aramaic being the language of Jesus, please refer to my book "Aramaic: The Language of Jesus of Nazareth."
I want to mention reputable Aramaic scholars. This includes Gustav Dalman,C.F. Burney, Matthew Black, Sebastian Brock, Bruce Chilton and Maurice Casey. Iwant to look at how the Lord's Prayer has been reconstructed in Aramaic by someof these experts. Before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls most New Testament scholars would use the Aramaic of the Jerusalem Talmud to reconstruct the words of Jesus. The problem with this is that this Talmudic Aramaic is from a later period than that of Jesus as the Talmud was written hundreds of years after the time of Jesus Christ.
Now, we have the Dead Sea Scrolls. With the Dead Sea Scrolls we now have Aramaic manuscripts from the time of Jesus Christ and before. Contemporary New Testament scholars such as Maurice Casey have reconstructed portions of the Gospel back into Aramaic using the Dead Sea Scrolls. There is an ancient form of Aramaic called Syriac. This form of Aramaic is very similar to, but not exactly identical with, the Aramaic spoken by Jesus. Syriac is importantbecause important ancient manuscripts of the Bible and other ancient Christianwritings have been preserved in this language. In his "The Hidden Pearl" Sebastian Brock shows the similarity of the traditionalancient Syriac rendering of the Lord's Prayer with a possible reconstruction using the Aramaic of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Sebastian Brock states, "Given that the original language of the Lord's Prayer must have been Aramaic, scholars have attempted to reconstruct its Aramaic wording. As will be seen from the table [below], these reconstructions are for the most part very close to the Syriac form of the Lord's Prayer still in regular (R) use today. Although the current Syriac (S) form was translated from Greek, one can be certain that Palestinian and Edessene Aramaic (Syriac) in the first century would have been mutually intelligible dialects of Aramaic.
followed by the translation of the selected passage into Aramaic. The Aramaic translation is called the targum and it was recited from memory by the meturgeman. Then a sermon was given. The service was closed with the Kaddish prayer. Certain Jews rejected temple worship and instead of worshiping in the Temple, they went out into the desert. This includes groups such as the "Qumran Community" that produced the Dead Sea Scrolls and John the Baptist and his followers. From their point of view the temple worship was not valid because of ceremonial reasons. Other Essene groups seem to have rejected animal sacrifices altogether. Reform groups such as the Kenites stressed a return to the wilderness. In has been confirmed by scholars that Jesus composed this famous prayer in Aramaic and not in Hebrew, Greek or Latin. To understand the Lord's Prayer properly we must study it in Aramaic. Very few people have
Why was it obligated to forgive debts owed is also uncomfortable andchallenging. Perhaps the meaning of the word has changed to 'trespasses'?Perhaps it is because many people don't want to deal with the reality or thegravity of their sins. The idea of being indebted and being changed over time.Believers need to take the teachings of Jesus very seriously and once we knowbetter it is important to quote Jesus accurately and pray in the manner heinstructed us to.
"Prayer was likely spoken in Hebrew, the language of the Torah, which in Jesus' day was not a language spoken by the common person. The language of the street was Aramaic, another Semitic language related to Hebrew and acquired by Israel during itsBabylonian exile. Therefore regular prayer would have been highly stylized, following a language that was awkward to the average person. Jesus likely stood out in two respects: he prayed in Aramaic and he prayed casually, even conversationally.
His prayers do not reflect any of the set forms of his day (no blessing of the nation, land, or temple); they are instead expressions of personal concern. For example, in Matthew 6:7 he is critical of prayers that are filled
with "babbling" and instead urgesthat prayer be heartfelt, private and sincere because God will particularly hear all secret prayers uttered with honesty. EGW SIGNS OF TIMES "Behold, what manner of love the Fatherhath bestowed upon us, that we should be
called the sons of God; therefore theworld knoweth us not, because it knew him not." "But as many asreceived him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to themthat believe on his name." "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage againto fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are thechildren of God; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirswith Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorifiedtogether. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthyto be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." {ST, July 4, 1895 par. 6}
John cannot find adequate words wherein to describe the amazing love ofGod to sinful man; but he calls upon all to behold the love of God revealed inthe gift of his only begotten Son. Through the perfection of the sacrifice givenfor the guilty race, those who believe in Christ, coming unto him, may be savedfrom eternal ruin. Christ was one with the Father, yet when sin entered ourworld through Adam's transgression, he was willing to step down from theexaltation of one who was equal with God, who dwelt in light unapproachable byhumanity, so full of glory that no man could behold his face and live, andsubmit to insult, mockery, suffering, pain, and death in order to answer theclaims of the immutable law of God, and make a way of escape for thetransgressor by his death and righteousness. This was the work which his Fathergave him to do, and those who accept Christ, relying wholly upon his merits,are made the adopted sons and daughters of God, are heirs of God and joint heirswith Jesus Christ. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowedupon us, that we should be called the sons of God." Let no one be sodeluded by the enemy as to think that it is a condescension for any man,however talented or learned or honored, to accept of Christ. Every human beingshould look to heaven with reverence and gratitude, and exclaim with amazement,"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that weshould be called the sons of God." {ST, July 4, 1895 par. 7}
This is the moment when Jesus gives his followers a sample of how prayer ought to sound-what we know as the Lord's Prayer (Matth. 6:9-13). In Luke 11:2-4 we find a shortened version of this prayer. The Lord's
Prayer is a model prayer that reflects the concerns that need to appear in prayers, and most scholars agree that Jesus no doubt taught it in Aramaic. The opening word "Father" (11:2) reflects the Aramaic word"Abba,"
and this was so well known as Jesus' habit in prayer that it became a liturgical form used in Greek speaking churches in Paul's day (Rom 8:15, Gal. 4:6)."
PART 2
Awoon Dwashmaya Nethqaddash shmakh Tethe malkuthakh Nehweh sebayanakh Aykana dwashmayya aph ara Hab lan lakhma dsunqananyowmana Washboq lan hawbayn aykanan dap hanan shwaqnan l-hayawayn Wa la talain lnesyona Ella passan min beesha Mittol d'lakh hee malkootha wa khaylan w tishbookhta alalam almeen Amen.
Aramaic is still spoken by the Assyrian and other Aramaic Christian communities in the Middle East. Here are two examples of the Lord's Prayer in Modern Aramaic:
An Assyrian Aramaic dialect: Baban d ile be shmayya Payesh mqudsha shemmukh Athya malkuthukh Hawe ejbonukh, dekh d ile be shmayya,Hadakh ham b ar'a/ Hallan lekhma snoqyan kud yum.Shwoq talan gnahe diyan,Dekh d ham akhni shweqlan Ta anay de mtu'delay ellan. La mabirettan l juraba, Ella mkhaleslan men bisha, Msabab diyukh ila malkutha, w khela, w shuha l abad abadin.
The Lord's Prayer contains the essence of the entire teachings of Jesus, His Good News, or Joyful Message, that he preached wherever he travelled in the Holy Land. It also contains the basic message of the Torah and the Prophets. EGW PRAYER - Jesus gives them no new form of prayer. That which He has before taught them He repeats,
as if He would say, You need to understand what I have already given. It has a depth of meaning you have not yet fathomed. {Pr 290.1} The Saviour does not, however, restrict us to the use of these exact words. As one with humanity, He presents His own ideal of prayer, words so simple that they may be adopted by the little child, yet so comprehensive that their significance can never be fully grasped by the greatest minds. We aretaught to come to God with our tribute of thanksgiving, to make known our wants, to confess our sins, and to claim His mercy in accordance with His promise. {Pr 290.2}
(A) OUR FATHER - Awoon Dwashmaya 1. I AM that I AMElohim.. Adonai.. Jehovah..Emmanuel.. YAHWEH (YHWH).ABBA..ALAHA..ELI..ELOI.. Here we find a central doctrine of Jesus' teaching, the Fatherhood of God. In Aramaic this is Abba. It isn't our right to address God as our Father but a privilege to those who are adopted into the family of God through
the agency of the Holy Spirit on the basis of their faith in Jesus the Messiah.
God who is the Father of all those who are born again, born into His family as the children of God." Calling God our Father is a gift to those who are born again into the family of God by faith. Jesus said that for one to enter the Kingdom of God we must do so as a child. Children at the time of Jesus had no rights and weredependent upon others to provide for them and to protect them. Before believers came into the family of God they were in a perilous situation. They were "fatherless". In the Old Testament Yahweh is "A Father of the fatherless, a defender or widows, is God in his holy habitation" (Psalm 68:5).
We come to God in his community. God's children need to communetogether in a fellowship. This is stressed in the teachings of Jesus in hisLord's Prayer. We must not be individualistic. It is not "My Father" but "Our Father" in how Jesus instructed his children to pray. With these words Jesus establishes the church.
Abba is the word Jesus used to express God as the Loving Father. 'Abba' is a uniquely Aramaic word. It is not Hebrew. The Hebrew word for 'father' is 'Avi'. It is not Greek. The Greek word for 'father' is 'pater'. In Aramaic 'Abba' is the word for 'father' and 'Abba' means 'daddy'. Aramaic was the language of Jesus and the first Christians. Today it is the language of the Assyrian and Chaldean Christians of the Middle East. In Judaism, Aramaic was, and it still is, a language of the Jews (although very few Jews speak Aramaic today, only a small tribe of Iraqi) In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed, "Abba, Father, all things are possible unto Thee. Take away this cup form Me; nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt" (Mark 14: 36). Never in Judaism before Jesus did any rabbi dare to address God as "My Father" as Jesus did. Jesus also instructed his follows to pray to Our Father as he did. The use of the word 'Abba' is very important because it is what scholars call "ipissima vox", the original voice, or "ipissima verbo", the authentic words. There is no doubt that this was the exact word Jesus spoke. And Jesus always prayed to God as Father. How important is this saying of Jesus? No less than 170 times in the Holy Gospels does Jesus call God 'Father'.
Abba is however a mystery, a special revelation that comes only through Jesus Christ. The Messiah said, "All things are delivered unto Me by My Father, and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father, neither knoweth any man the Father, except the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him" (Matthew 11: 27). Paraphrased from the Aramaic this means, "Only Father and Son truly know each other. And because only a father and a son truly know each other, therefore a son can reveal to others the innermost thoughts of his Father." So, only Jesus can pass on to others the real knowledge of God.
EGW Prayer - But if you call God your Father you acknowledge yourselves His children, to be guided by His
wisdom and to be obedient in all things, knowing that His love is changeless. You will accept His plan for your life. As children of God, you will hold His honor, His character, His family, His work, as the objects of your highest interest. Itwill be your joy to recognize and honor your relation to your Father and to every member of His family. You will rejoice to do any act, however humble, that will tend to His glory or to the well-being of your kindred. {Pr 292.1} Which art in heaven. He to whom Christ bids us look as our Fatheris in the heavens: He hath donewhatsoever He hath pleased. In His care we may safely rest, saying, What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee. Psalm 115:3; 56:3. {Pr 292.2} CONCLUSION : OUR FATHER which art in heaven means we acknowledge that we know Him personally and except Him as our Heavenly Father and Creator!
PART 3 (B) Hallowed Be Thy Name - Nethqaddash shmakh - 2. Youshall have no other gods before ME.. Matt5 : 12 Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], andshall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. The name of God isthe "tetragrammiton" or the "4 letters" YHWH orthe Hebrew letters Yoad-hey-vav-hey. Moses began using this divinename "Yahweh" and introduced it to the Israelites. Before the time of Moses God was known as "El-Shaddai" and not Yahweh. This is confirmed by the fact that no one before Joshua, has a Yahwistic name. A Yahwistic name is a name that includes Yahweh within it, such as EliJAH, ZecharIAH, Jonathan, IsiYAH, ect. This is obvious when one looks at the name of the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, even other names such a Simeon, Gad, and others. The first person to have a name was Joshua or Jehoshua and he was given this name by Moses (Numbers 13:16). This original name was Hosea. After the return of the Jewish people from exile in Babylonia, the Jews began a practice of not speaking the name of God. This practice has continued until this day. We know from the Bible and from extra-biblical writings that the Jewish people commonly spoke and used the name "Yahweh" in ancient times. After the return from exile instead of saying Yahweh, they would say "Adonai," meaning "the Lord" or "Ha-shem" meaning "the Name." The reason for this practice was an attempt to avoid not taking the name of the Lord, Yahweh, in vain. By the time of Jesus, the prohibition against uttering the name of God was firmly established. To speak the name of God, even in accident, such as while reading from a Biblical text in which it was written was grounds for permanent banishment from certain Jewish communities such as the Qumran community that is credited with the writing of the Dead Sea Scrolls. By the time the Old Testament was translated into Greek which was around 200 years before the writing of the New Testament, the name of Yahweh was no longer used. In the Septuagint Old Testament and the Greek NewTestament, God is often referred to as Kyrios,or "the Lord." (By the way, Yahweh isnot equivalent with "I am that I am." In Hebrew this is"Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh." In Exodus 3:15 God says to Moses, "Tellthem 'Ehyeh (I AM) sent me to you.") Jesus apparentlynever uttered the name Yahweh in his teachings. We have Jesus calling God "Allaha"and
thereare found therein four different doctrines; Whenman hath love and devotion and is himself lowly, it is then, O Nanak, he obtainedsalvation. In 1935, Dr.Pran Nathpublished an article in the Times of India that the RIgVeda (hindu Holy scipptures)
contains events of Babylonian and Egyptian kings and theirwars. One fifth of the Rig Veda is derived from the Babylonian scriptures.
This is what made itthe most sacred site of Arabian paganism. In 1944, G. Caton Thompson revealedin her book, TheTombs and Moon Temple of Hureidha, that she had uncovered a temple of theMoon-god in
southern Arabia. The symbols of the crescent moon and no less thantwenty-one inscriptions with the name Sin(shiva) were found in this temple. Anidol which may be the Moon-god himself was also discovered. This was later confirmedby other well-known archeologists. The evidence reveals that the temple of theMoon-god was active even in the Christian era. Evidence
gatheredfrom both North and South Arabia demonstrate that Moon-god worship was clearlyactive even in Muhammad's day and was still the dominant cult as his uncle hehelp when as a boy was a pagan priest in the pagan temple. According to numerousinscriptions, while the name of the Moon-god was Sin (shiva), his title wasal-ilah, i.e. "the deity," meaning that he was the chief or high godamong the gods. "The godIl or Ilah was originally a phase of the Moon God." The Moon-god was called al-ilah, i.e. the god, which wasshortened to allah in preIslamic/chirstian times. The pagan Arabs evenused allah in the names they gave to their children. For example, both Muhammad'sfather and uncle had allah as part of their names. The fact that theywere given such names by their pagan parents proves that allah was the titlefor the Moongod even in Muhammad's day. Prof. Coon goes on to say,"Similarly, under Mohammed's tutelage, the relatively anonymous Ilah,became Al-Ilah, The god, or allah, the supreme being."
Allah was made to seem to be derived from theAramaic Allaha , names for God used in the Bible, such as the book of Daniel.However, the god of Islam/hindu isdifferent from the concept of God found in the Bible.The word allaha andallah is totally different and we are made to accept it like God changed the name of Abraham from Abram etc.
For example,according to the Islamic Koran, God is not Father and "allah had noson." The Bible says "Beholdwhat manner of Love the Father has given unto us, that we may be called thesons of God.") Jesus followed the Jewish practice of refraining fromuttering the name of God. As in Exodus 20:13 says..do not let any other namesof gods be said from your mouth.
We need to remember that someone's name oftenmeans more that a word that they answer to. It also refers to their person and character as we speak of someone's"good name." These connotations are included in
theKaddish and in the "Our Father." In the Kaddish wefind a similar expression. In Aramaic it is "yit-ga-dal ve-yit-ka-dashshe-mei raba" which means, "Magnified and sanctified be His greatName."
In the Lord's Prayer there is no 'NAME' givento God beside that of 'Father'. In the Old Testament the name of God is Yahweh.Jews in the time of Jesus (and today) did not dare utter the sacred name of Godor even try to change the Holy Name of God the Father.
In the New Testament this Name of God is not mentioned but isalluded to, especially in the Revelation. To be Holy means to be"set-apart". Both Jesus and the Old Law says that we are to be Holyas God is Holy (Matthew 5:48 Leviticus 19:2, Deuteronomy 18:13). Jesus saidthat a student should be like his master. We need to live "the Way"and not just in believe God's rule.
EGW Prayer - To hallow the name of the Lord requires that the words in which we speak of the Supreme
Being be uttered withreverence. Holy and reverend is His name. Psalm 111:9. We are never in anymanner to treat lightly the titles or appellations of the Deity. In prayer weenter the audience chamber of the Most High; and we should come before Him withholy awe. The angels veil their faces in His presence. The cherubim and the bright and holy seraphim approach His throne with solemn reverence. How muchmore should we, finite, sinful beings, come in a reverent manner before theLord, our Maker! {Pr 292.3} We are called by Thy name; leave us not. Jeremiah 14:9. {Pr 292.4} This name is hallowed by the angels of heaven, by the inhabitants of unfallen worlds. When you pray, Hallowed be Thy name, you ask that it may behallowed in this world, hallowed in you. God has acknowledged you before menand angels as His child; pray that you may do no dishonor to the worthy nameby which ye are called. James 2:7. God sends you into the world as His representative. In every act of life you are to make manifest the Name of God.This petition calls upon you to possess His character. You cannot Hallow Hisname, you cannot represent Him to the world, unless in life and character yourepresent the very life and character of God. This you can do only through theacceptance of the grace and righteousness of Christ. {Pr 293.1}
Conclusion: You shall have no other gods before ME and always Hallow my Name and men shall revile you,
and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
(C) Thy Kingdom Come -Tethe malkuthakh -3-You shall not take the Name of the LORD your God in vain Matt 5; 11 Blessed [are] they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Early Hebraic Christians often recited a short Aramaic prayer the Maranatha prayer. It is a onesentence prayer and translated from the Aramaic is "Our Lord, Come" (1 Corinthians16:22). The Kaddish also requests that the Kingdom come. It states "May heestablish His kingdom during your life and during your days, and during thelife of all the house of Israel. Speedily and in the near future. Amen" In Aramaic the word Kingdom is Malkutha.
This Good News of the Kingdom of God was theCentral Message of Jesus. The Aramaic word for Kingdom is also anAramaic "Power word". Is the Kingdom of God the Celestial Realm? Is it the comingrule of God after the END TIME? Is itthe rule of God in the hearts of his faithful children? It is all these things and more even to beingfalsely accused and tortured for speaking the truth!
How has God revealedhimself to us? In history in the person of Jesus Christ. God has intervened inhistory and spoke to us in time, and space, in the Holy Land and has spoken tous in a human language, Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke. And with full hopein faith we have a His second coming in full Glory being told to all. EGW Prayer - The heavenly gates are again tobe lifted up, and with ten thousand times ten thousand and
thousands of thousandsof holy ones, our Saviour will come forth as King of kings and Lord of lords.Jehovah Immanuel shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there beone Lord, and His name one.The tabernacle of God shall be with men, and Hewill dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall bewith them, and be their God. Zechariah 14:9; Revelation 21:3. {Pr 294.1} But before that coming,Jesus said, This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world fora witness unto all nations. Matthew 24:14. His kingdom will not come until thegood tidings of His grace have been carried to all the earth. Hence, as we giveourselves to God, and win other souls to Him, we hasten the coming of His kingdom. Only those who devote themselves to His service, saying, Here am I;send me (Isaiah 6:8), to open blind eyes, to turn men from darkness to lightand from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sinsand inheritance among them which are sanctified (Acts 26:18) they alone prayin sincerity, Thy kingdom come. {Pr 294.2}
Conclusion : Preach His coming Kingdomand devote to use His name wisely and honourably for you will be
also persecuted for righteousness' sake but by this , you will inherit the kingdom of heaven.
PART 4 (D) Thy will be done -Nehweh sebayanakh - 4-Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.- Matt5;10 Blessed [are] the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children ofGod. The anguished prayerthat Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane is similar to the Our Father, Heopens with 'Abba' and prays "not my will, butthine be done" (Mark 14:36). Thy will be done on earth, as it is in
heaven, lifted Sabbathafter Sabbath by men and women who steadfastly refuse to do the will of Godthemselves and are surely in no position to assists its accomplishment in thelives of others." A Christian strives to align his will (10 Commandments)with that of the Heavenly Father. The goal of the Christian is to live a Christ-centered, rather than a self-centered life.Also, Christians practice love and peace in action and help the suffering and lost. As truth bearers we spread the peace and truth shown to us by our Lord.
EGW Prayer - The will of God is expressedin the precepts of His holy law, and the principles of this law are
theprinciples of heaven. The angels of heaven attain unto no higher knowledge thanto know the will of God, and to do His will is the highest service that canengage their powers. {Pr 294.3} But in heaven, serviceis not rendered in the spirit of legality. When Satan rebelled against the lawof Jehovah, the thought that there was a law came to the angels almost as anawakening to something unthought of. In their ministry the angels are not asservants, but as sons. There is perfect unity between them and their Creator.Obedience is to them no drudgery. Love for God makes their service a joy. So inevery soul wherein Christ, the hope of glory, dwells, His words are re-echoed,I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart. Psalm40:8. {Pr 294.4}
Conclusion : Remember the unity between you and the your Creator (holy shalom Sabbath day) in obedience and peacefulness and joy in your hearts and you will be peacemakers on earth and will be called the children of the true God.
(E) On Earth as it is in Heaven - Aykana dwashmayya aph ara - 5-Honour your father and your mother Matt5 : 9 Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God. The Kaddishmentions "the world which he created according to His will". This is a prayerfor the consummation of the age. Here we pray for the end of tyranny, pollution, exploitation,oppression, suffering
and evil.
Here we pray for "God'sImperial Rule" to be established on planet earth and the foundation ofcharacter is LOVE which should betransformed in purenessand seen in His children. Book of Acts of the Apostles were written in Aramaic rather than inGreek. He says, "Much of the material in these chapters shows signs ofhaving been drawn, immediately or indirectly, from Aramaic sourcesthe primitive Jerusalem church was Aramaic-speaking, and so Aramaisms in thesechapters are what we should expect." He also shows that not only doesJesus show a familiarity with the Kaddish, so does Peter. Peter says in Acts 2:36,"let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly that God has madehim both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." For Jesus showed His LOVE and pureness in character during His life on earth. "For the phrase"all the house of Israel"It appears also in the Jewish liturgy in awell-known Aramaic prayer, the Qaddish:"Magnified and sanctified beHis great Name In the world which he hascreated according to His will: May He establish His kingdom during your life (inhonouring the family in heaven as to thefamily on
earth) and done during your long days( blessed by the Lord)., Andduring the life of all the house of Israel, speedily and At a near time. Andsay ye, Amen."
EGW Prayer - The petition, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven, is a prayer that the reign of evil on
this earth may be ended, that sin may be forever destroyed, and the kingdom of righteousness be established. Then in earth as in heaven will be fulfilled all the good pleasure of His goodness. 2 Thessalonians 1:11. {Pr 295.1}
Conclusion : Honouring your father and your mother on earth as you honour your Father in Heaven with
pureness of your heart filled with Love and then the home becomes as close as what we have in heaven then we shall see God. (F) Give us this day our daily bread - Hab lan lakhma dsunqanan yowmana - 6-You shall not kill - Matt 5:;8 Blessed [are] the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. During the time ofthe Early Church ancient Aramaic and Hebrew versions of the Gospel were circulating in the Church. Christian Jews, such as the Nazoreans and theEbionites preserved these ancient texts. Jesus tells his disciples to live one day at a time and not to be worried about tomorrow. This is found in Mark 6: 31-43, "therefore donot worry saying, "What shall we eat?", or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" Do not kill/torture yourself or others by having mercy to yourself and others in reaching/searching
/dreaming/reaching for things which is not in our control. A "composite" definition of"mercy" (based ondefinitions found in various dictionaries) would go like this: A feeling oftenderness, aroused by someone's distress or suffering, which inclines (causes)one to spare (abstain from killing/hurting) or to help another who is in one'spower and has no claim whatever to (or is completely undeserving of) kindness.Another definition would be: pardon given to someone who could be punished(often used with reference to God when He forgives sin).
For all these things do the heathen seek. For your heavenly father knows you need all these things. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shallbe added unto you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about it's own things. Sufficient for the day is its own
trouble." This passage has a dual meaning. God wants us to brings our needs to him. He is concerned about these needs. But there is also a deeper meaning. Jesus is the Bread from heaven. He is our needful bread. Moses says, "Man cannot live by bread alone; butby every word that comes out of the mouth of God" (Deuteronomy 8:3). Jesussays, "Do not labor for the bread that perishes, but for the bread which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man [Aramaic "Bar Nasha" another Aramaic power-word.] will give you, because God has set his seal upon him"(John 6: 27).
Jesus said, "Iam the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger and he believes in me shall never thirst" (John 6:35). Jesus is the food for the soul and the only food that can satisfy the soul. Jesussaid at the synagogue in Capernaum, "Amen, I say unto you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my fleshand drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is food indeed and my blood is drink indeed" (John 6:53-54).Jesus had earlier told this truth to the apostles but they did not comprehend it. He said,"I have food to eat, of which you do not knowMy food is to do the will of him who sent me,and to finish his work" (John 4:32-34).
" In order to think and pray this way, we must first shake off the false notion that life is somehow separated into twod istinct compartments-the secular and the sacred-and that the practical needs of everyday life occupy one place, while Christian faith and its responsibilities occupy another.
The early Church didn't see it that way. When you read Paul's words in chapter eleven of 1Corinthians (vv. 17-34), you get the idea that the first century Christians combined their Lord's Supper observance with the enjoyment of a potluck fellowship. That observation is not far from the truth. The "breaking of bread' was a
crucial partof their lives together, for it helped sustain many of the early believersTheir gatherings had both physical (mercy) and spiritual significance. (grace)"
EGW Prayer - The first half of the prayer Jesus has taught us is in regard to the name and kingdom and will
of Godthat His name may be honoured, His kingdom established, His will performed. When you have thus made Gods service your first interest, you may ask with confidencet hat your own needs may be supplied. If
you have renounced self and given yourself to Christ you are a member of the family of God, and everything in the Fathers house is for you. God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.He which soweth sparingly shall reap alsos paringly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 2 Corinthians 9:8, 6. {Pr 296.2} The prayer for daily bread includes not only food to sustain the body, but that spiritual bread which will nourish the soul unto life everlasting. Jesus bids us, Labor notfor the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlastingl ife. John 6:27. He says, I am the living bread which came down from heaven:if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever. Verse 51. {Pr 297.1} Our Saviour is the bread of life, and it is by beholding His love, by receiving it into the soul,that we feed upon the bread which came down from heaven. {Pr 297.2} We receive Christ through His word, and the Holy Spirit is given to open the word of God to our understanding, and bring home its truths to our hearts. We are to pray day by day that as we read His word, God will send His Spirit to reveal to us the truth that will strengthen our souls for the days need. {Pr 297.3} In teaching us to ask every day for what we needboth temporal and spiritual blessingsGod has a purpose to accomplish for our good. He would have us realize our dependence upon His constant care, for He is seeking to draw us into communion with Himself. In this communion with Christ, through prayer and the study of the great and precious truths of His word, we shall as hungry souls be fed; as those that thirst, we shall be refreshed at the fountain of life. {Pr 297.4} Conclusion : With our daily bread and communion with Jesus we will not destroy our spiritual and physical
health thru distress or suffering and be merciful to self and others and the Lord will also be merciful to us.
PART 5 (G) And forgive us our debts Washboqlan hawbayn aykanan -7-You shall not commit adultery - Matt5:6 Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for theyshall be filled. Respected Aramaic scholars of the New Testament that Haebain, which literally means "debts"is peculiar to the Aramaic language in its own Semitic, early Palestiniancontext. Here in the prayer,the term for "debt"-hauba- is ametaphor for "sin", "error (adultrationof truth)", "guilt","fault", "offense", "mistake",and "transgression". And the wordhayawein literally signifies " debtors" but denotes "sinners,""offenders,"and "transgressors".We also find thispeculiar use of the Aramaic term
love of God thatdraws us unto Him, and that love cannot touch our hearts without creating lovefor our brethren. {Pr 297.5} Gods forgiveness isnot merely a judicial act by which He sets us free from condemnation. It is notonly forgiveness for sin, but reclaiming from sin. It is the outflow ofredeeming love that transforms the heart. God in Christ gave Himself for our sins. He suffered the cruel death ofthe cross, bore for us the burden of guilt, the just for the unjust, that Hemight reveal to us His love and draw us to Himself. And He says, Be ye kindone to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christforgave you. Ephesians 4:32, R.V. Let Christ, the divine Life, dwell in youand through you reveal the heaven-born love that will inspire hope in thehopeless and bring heavens peace to the sin-stricken heart. Conclusion Forgiving us our sins thru HIM dwelling in us always and without adulteration of HIS truth and
always hunger and thirst after righteousness thru faith by grace we will surely be filled with Love, Hope and Peace. (H) As we forgive our debtors - dap hanan shwaqnan l-hayawayn -8-You shall not steal - Matt 5;5 Blessed [are] the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. When Jesus finishedgiving the Lord's Prayer for the first time he immediately began to teach his disciples about forgiveness and humbleness. Let us give and show joy and gratefulness to all. Let no one steal these
Christians we must do for others what God has done for us, as He has forgiven us even though we don't deserve it. Those who cannot forgive cannot be forgiven by God, they poison themselves and put themselves
in Satan's Power. When we sin,we sin against God. When David sinned with Bathsheba he sinned against himself,Bathsheba and the nation of Israel, since as King it was his duty to exemplify the Law of God. But David says, "Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in your sight" (Psalm 51: 4). David is focusing here on the fact that all sins are sins against God. The writer of Hebrews reminds us"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living GodFor our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 10:31, 12:29). EGW Prayer - The one thing essential for us in order that we may receive and impart the forgiving love of
God is to know and believe the love that He has to us. 1 John 4:16. Satan is working by every deception he can command, in order that we may not discern that love. He will lead us tothink that our mistakes and transgressions have been so grievous that the Lord will not have respect unto our prayers and will not bless and save us. In ourselves we can see nothing but weakness, nothing to recommend us to God, and Satan tells us that it is of no use; we cannot remedy our defects of character.When we try to come to God, the enemy will whisper, It is of no use for you to pray; did not you do that evil thing? Have you not sinned against God and violated your own conscience? But we may tell the enemy that the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleansed us from all sin. 1 John 1:7. When we feel that we
have sinned and cannot pray, it is then the time to pray. Ashamed we may be and deeply humbled, but we must pray and believe. This is a faithful saying,and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to savesinners; of whom I am chief. 1 Timothy 1:15. Forgiveness, reconciliation with God, comes to us, not as a reward for our works, it is not bestowed because ofthe merit of sinful men, but it is a gift unto us, having in the spotless righteousness of Christ its foundation for bestowal. {Pr 298.3} We should not try to lessen our guilt by excusing sin. We must accept Gods estimate of sin, andt hat is heavy indeed. Calvary alone can reveal the terrible enormity of sin. Ifwe had to bear our own guilt, it would crush us. But the sinless One has taken our place; though undeserving, He has borne our iniquity. If we confess ours ins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9. Glorious truth!just to His own law, and yet the Justifier of all that believe in Jesus. Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger forever, because He delighteth in mercy.Micah 7:18. {Pr 299.1} Conclusion - As we forgive our debtors in humbleness and confess weakness , we will show the qualities of
Christ in us and will lead others to this Love and not depriving/taking from them His truth. We will be blessed and then inherit the earth. (I) Lead us not into temptation - Wa la talainlnesyona - 9-You shall not bear false witness - Matt 5:4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Jacob the Righteous,the Brother of Jesus, stressed the fact that God does not tempt anyone to sin (James 1:13-17). "In this phrase of the prayer, ta-alon means "to enter'. Thus, the line correctly reads, "Do not let us enter into temptation." Jesus used the same word when he told his apostles, "Wake up and pray, that you may not enter (ta-alon) into temptation" (Mt.26:41). Jesus was tempted in all ways such is the manner of all men and yet was without sin (Hebrews 4: 15). Jesus went into the desert to be tempted by the devil. When he returned in victory he recounted his victory to his students. Satan knows ourweakness and how to tempt us. "If one were to inquire what was chiefly present to the mind of the multitude during this period [of Christ's ministry], one would receive a three-fold answer: 1. Food, for the people were often starving;(water wasnot the problem) 2. Faith in God's miraculous intervention in their direneed; 3. Assurance that the proud heathen would ere long besubject to a redeemed Israel. It was on thee three counts that Jesuswas tempted in the wilderness." Jesus was tempted in allways such as we are and yet was without sin. Scripture warns us to beware of the devices of the devil. EGW Prayer - Temptation is enticement to sin, and this does not proceed from God, but from Satan and
from the evil of our own hearts. God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempteth no man. James 1:13, R.V. {Pr 300.1} God in His great loveis seeking to develop in us the precious graces of His Spirit. He permits us to encounter obstacles, persecution, and hardships, not as a curse, but as the greatest blessing of our lives. Every temptation resisted, every trial bravely borne, gives us a new experience and advances us in the work of character building. The soul that through divine power resists temptation reveals to the world and to the heavenly universe the efficiency of the grace of Christ. {Pr300.3} But while we are not to be dismayed by trial, bitter though it be, we should pray that God will not permit us to be brought where we shall be drawn away by the desires of our own evil hearts. In offering the prayer that Christ has given, we surrender ourselves to the guidance of God, asking Him to lead us in safe paths. We cannot offer this prayer in sincerity, and yet decide to walk in any way of our own choosing. We shall wait for
His hand to lead us; we shall listen to His voice, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it. Isaiah 30:21. {Pr 300.4} It is not safe for usto linger to contemplate the advantages to be reaped through yielding to Satans suggestions. Sin means dishonor and disaster to every soul that indulges in it; but it is blinding and deceiving in its nature, and it will entice us with flattering presentations. If we venture on Satans ground we have no assurance of protection from his power. So far as in us lies, we should close every avenue by which the tempter may find access to us. {Pr 300.5} The prayer, Bring us not into temptation, is itself a promise. If we commit ourselves to God we have the assurance, He will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13. {Pr 301.1} The only safeguard against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. It is because selfishness exists in our hearts that temptation has power over us. But when we behold the great love of God, selfishness appears to us in its hideous and repulsive character, and we desire to have it expelled from the soul. As the Holy Spirit glorifies Christ, our hearts are softened and subdued, the temptation loses its power, and the grace of Christ transforms the character. {Pr 301.2}
Conclusion As we are tempted by satan and we yield which leads to dishonour and disaster , we will be lead into hideous and repulsive character (unholy words from our tongues). We should have a very deep desire (crying or mouning) to expel these feeling from our soul and He will comfort us thru the Holy Spirit . (J) But deliver us from evil - Ella passan min beesha - 10 -You shall not covet Matt5: 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. We must be aware that we battle spiritual forces. Jesus interceded for Peter (Luke 22: 31-32). Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have
prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." Jesus teaches us here that every time we pray we are engaging in spiritual warfare. (Jesus prayed for those who were close to him, and so should we. Jesus also blessed his food and so should we. See Luke 24: 30.) Our society needs to be delivered from evils. Evils such as pornography, sexual promiscuity, divorce, abortion, homosexuality, greed, destruction of the environment and terrorism. Jesus in his ministry warred against the kingdom of Satan. Jesus was often casting out devils. Christ also preached a message of
repentance and compelled his disciples to turn away from a life of sin and do good works. Paul taught us,
"We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age. Against spiritual hosts of wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12). EGW Prayer - Christ will never abandon the soul for whom He has died. The soul may leave Him and be overwhelmed with temptation, but Christ can never turn from one for whom He has paid the ransom of His own life. Could our spiritual vision be quickened, we should see souls bowed under oppression and burdened with grief, pressed as a cart beneath sheaves and ready to die in discouragement. We should see angels flying swiftly to aid these tempted ones, who are standing as on the brink of a precipice. The angels from heaven force back the hosts of evil that encompass these souls, and guide them to plant their feet on the sure foundation. The battles waging between the two armies are as real as those fought by the armies of this world, and on the issue of the spiritual conflict eternal destinies depend. {Pr 301.3} To us, as to Peter, the word is spoken, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. Luke 22:31, 32. Thank God, we are not left alone. He who so loved the world, that He gave Hisonly-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16), will not desert us in the battle with the adversary of God and man. Behold, He says, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19. {Pr 301.4} Live in contact with the living Christ, and He will hold you firmly by a hand that will never let go. Know and believe the love that God has to us, and you are secure; that love is a fortress impregnable to all the delusions and assaults of Satan. The nameof the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. Proverbs 18:10. {Pr 302.1}
Conclusion When we live in close contact with Jesus all desires of the world will be lost and faith will not
fail. We will be seen low in spirit for things of the world but the LORD will prepare for us things we cant even imagine as we will be with Him in heaven and be part of His kingdom forever!
PART 6 (K) For thine is the Kingdom and the Power and theGlory Forever. Amen. -Mittol d'lakh hee malkootha wa khaylan wtishbookhta alalam almeen Amen. "Ask ye for thegreat things, so will God give you the little things." You are praying falsely, saying to the Lord,
always your prayers are moving in a circle around your small "I", your own needs and troubles and desires. Ask for the great things-for God's almighty glory and kingdom and God's great gifts, the bread of life and the endless mercy of God, may be granted to you-even here, even now, already today. That does not mean that
you may not bring your small personal needs before God, but they must not govern your prayer, for you are praying to your Father. He knows all. He knows what things his children have need of before they ask him, and he adds them to his great gifts. Jesus says, "Ask you forthe great things, so God will grant you the little
things." The Lord's Prayer teaches us to ask for the Great things.
EGW Prayer - The last like the first sentence of the Lords Prayer, points to our Father as above all power
and authority and every name that is named. The Saviour beheld the years that stretched out before His disciples, not, as they had dreamed, lyingin the sunshine of worldly prosperity and honor, but dark with the tempests of human hatred and satanic wrath. Amid national strife and ruin, the steps of the disciples would be beset with perils, and often their hearts would be oppressedby fear. They were to see Jerusalem a desolation, the temple swept away, its worship forever ended, and Israel scattered to all lands, like wrecks on adesert shore. Jesus said, Ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars.Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes,in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Matthew 24:6-8. Yet Christs followers were not to fear that their hope was lost or that God had forsaken the earth. The power and the glory belong unto Him whose great purposes would still move on unthwarted toward their consummation. In the prayer that breathes their daily wants, the disciples of Christ were directed to look above all the power and dominion of evil, unto the Lord their God, whose kingdom ruleth over all and who is their Father and everlasting Friend. {Pr302.2} The ruin of Jerusalemwas a symbol of the final ruin that shall overwhelm the world. The prophecies that received a partial fulfilment in the overthrow of Jerusalem have a more direct application to the last days. We are now standing ont he threshold of great and solemn events. A crisis is before us, such as the world has never witnessed. And sweetly to us, as to the first disciples, comes the assurance that Gods kingdo m ruleth over all. The program of coming events is in the hands of our Maker. The Majesty of heaven has the destiny of nations,as well as the concerns of His church, in His own charge. The divine Instructoris saying to every agent in the accomplishment of His plans, as He said to Cyrus, I girded thee, though thou hast not known Me. Isaiah 45:5. {Pr 303.1} In the vision of the prophet Ezekiel there was the appearance of a hand beneath the wings of the cherubim. This is to teach His servants that it is divine power which gives them success. Those whom God employs as His messengers are not to feel that His work is dependent upon them. Finite beings are not left to carry this burden of responsibility. He who slumbers not, who is continually at work for the accomplishment of His designs, will carry forward His own work. He will thwart the purposes of wicked men, and will bring to confusion the counsels of those who plot mischief against His people. He who is the King, the Lord of hosts, sitteth between the cherubim, and amid the strife and tumult ofnations He guards His children still. He who ruleth in the heavens is our Saviour. He measures every trial, He watches the furnace fire that must test every soul. When the strongholds of kings shall be overthrown, when the arrowsof wrath shall strike through the hearts of His enemies, His people will besafe in His hands. {Pr 303.2}
Thine, O Lord, is thegreatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine. . . . In Thine hand is power and might; and in Thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. 1 Chronicles 29:11, 12. {Pr 303.3} *[This chapter appearsin Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing} Conclusion : Desire ofAges - Nearly two thousand years ago, a voice of mysterious import was heard inheaven, from the throne of God, "Lo, I come." "Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me. . . . Lo, I come(in the volume of the Book it is written of Me,) to do Thy will, O God."Hebrews 10:5-7. In these words is announced the fulfillment of the purpose thathad been hidden from eternal ages. Christ was about to visit our world, and to become incarnate. He says, "A body hast Thou prepared Me." Had He appeared with the glory that was His with the Father before the world was, we could not have endured the light of His presence. That we might behold it andnot be destroyed, the manifestation of His glory was shrouded. His divinity was veiled with humanity,--the invisible glory in the visible human form. {DA 23.1} This great purpose had been shadowed forth in types and symbols. The burning bush, in which Christ appeared to Moses, revealed God. The symbol chosen for the representation of the Deity was a lowly shrub, that seemingly had no attractions. This enshrined the Infinite. The all-merciful God shrouded His glory in a most humble type, that Moses could look upon it and live. So in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, God communicated with Israel,revealing to men His will, and imparting to them His grace. God's glory was subdued, and His majesty veiled, that the weak vision of finite men might behold it. So Christ was to come in "the body of our humiliation"(Philippians 3:21, R. V.), "in the likeness of men." In the eyes ofthe world He possessed no beauty that they should desire Him; yet He was the incarnate God, the light of heaven and earth. His glory was veiled, His greatness and majesty were hidden, that He might draw near to sorrowful,tempted men. {DA 23.2} God commanded Moses for Israel, "Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them"(Exodus 25:8), and He abode in the sanctuary, in the midst of His people.Through all their weary wandering in the desert, the symbol of His presence was with them. So Christ set up His tabernacle in the midst of our human encampment. He pitched His tent by the side of the tents of men, that He might dwell among us, and make us familiar with His divine character and life."The Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us (and we beheld His glory, glory as of the Only Begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth."John 1:14, R. V., margin. {DA 23.3}
God bless us all ! Amen !