The Price Paid Pt 1

Deut 18
21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.

Prophecy is one of the most important parts of Christian Theology and sadly churches today don't touch on prophecy out of fear of being incorrect, and most pastors are uncomfortable with it as they don't study it as much in school. Prophecy in an ancient Jews eyes was viewed as a pattern, not just prediction of future events. Abraham goes to offer his son to God, but God stops him and provides another sacrifice "and Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen."

This was part of the pattern God has relayed through his prophets overtime.

22 Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”

Pay close attention to the wording God uses:

"Take now your son, your only son..." Cross reference with John 3:16

"...whom you love.." Cross reference matthew 3:17; 17:5

"and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you." Cross reference 2 Chronicle 3:1 (Golgotha was not the exact location mentioned in chronicles but it was in that area in the land of Moriah).

"8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together." Cross reference John 1:29 ; 36 and Many cross references in the book of revelations.

The scenario with Abraham is almost like a mini-prophecy played out in their actions.

This is one way God foreshadows his plan in the actions of his people.

Understanding ancient Jewish wedding customs, will give one more insight into the way that God views His relationship for the Church.

There are three stages and the OT shows that this occurred all the way back to the time of Abraham

Stage one:

The ketubbah (plural is ketubboth) was a legally binding document whose primary purpose was to protect the bride, even though she did not even sign it. The father of the bride would use his wisdom to look out for the best interests of his daughter. The bride was seen as being completely under her father's control. For example, if a man sleeps with a virgin, they generally got married, but her father had to consent. “So then both he [father of the bride] who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better.” (1 Corinthians 7:38) The groom and the father of the bride would negotiate a legal document with conditions that clearly laid out: The "Dowry": money to be paid to the father by the groom: “Ask me ever so much bridal payment and gift, and I will give according as you say to me; but give me the girl in marriage.” (Genesis 34:12) The "Bride Price": The bride price was usually set at 50 shekels of silver and was a cash penalty for divorce without cause or taking a second wife without consent and permission of the bride and/or her father. (Polygamy was rare at the time of Christ) The bride's Estate Inventory: An accounting of assets (cash, property, livestock, businesses etc.) the bride contributed to the new husband's estate when she married him. The First stage of a Jewish marriage, (the signing of the “ketubbah”) is the last stage of modern weddings (the signing of the marriage license that you buy at city hall). Since Jewish marriages were sealed when the father of the bride and the groom signed the “ketubbah”, with or without the consent or knowledge of the bride, the "dating" (get to know you stage) began after they were "married". Just like today's legal documents, the ketubah was signed in triplicate where the father, the groom each got a copy and a third one was "filed" with the court (synagogue) with a seal to be broken only by a judge. Many copies of ancient Ketubboth have been unearthed through archeology. Confusion over Jewish Betrothal: When the groom and the father of the bride signed the ketubbah, the couple was 100% legally married. The couple was legally married, but sexual co-habitation has not yet begun until stage two up to a year later. This is seen in the fact that although Mary and Joseph were betrothed, they had never had sex, even though they were 100% legally married. Although called betrothal, it was not equivalent to our modern engagement today, which is nothing more than "monogamous promise dating" with no legal consequences if broken. Once signed, a legal divorce was required to dissolve the "betrothal".

Stage two:

When the father consented to the groom, he was allowed to come to the home of the bride and consummate the marriage in her own house. Afterwards, he would lead her in a ceremonial procession to a wedding feast at his house. (Stage 3) The parable of the ten virgins (Mt 25:1f) illustrates both stage 2 and stage 3 of the marriage.

During this time the Groom would also build his own house next to his Father if he did not have one. The bride never knew when her groom was to return and she was to be in a constant state of awareness.

Stage three:

1. The wedding feast happened in the home of the groom or in a family member of the groom, like the parents of the groom as seen in the parable of the wedding feast. 2. Matthew 22:1-14 has a king throwing a feast for his son: a. “Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. “And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. “Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.” ’ “But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. “But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. “Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. ‘Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ “Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests. “But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. “Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are called, but few are chosen.”” (Matthew 22:1–14) 3. Jn 2:1-11 illustrates a wedding feast in Cana: a. “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” (John 2:1–11)

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb

Pt 2

Source For Quotes above:

www.bible.ca...

Just as God portrayed his plan to sacrifice his son through Abrahams actions God chose to use marriage customs to portray his relationship with the Church.

Many many times the Church is called the Bride of Christ.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 10

8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 [e]that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, [f]resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, [g]resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be [h]disappointed.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

This is Stage One. The Legal binding of a person to the lord. The Church is considered the Bride and therefore the Groom(Christ) must pay the Father the Dowry. We belong to God and before we enter that contract with Jesus, he does not pay the Father the Dowry. We belong to God and "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." Right now God must send anyone who falls short to both physical and spiritual death. However Christ his son has Chosen the Church to be His and the Dowry required by the Father is blood of a completely innocent man.

1 peter 3:18
"For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;"

However this price cannot be paid by any normal man "As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” ... For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard."


John 3
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His [a]only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

Colossians 1:14
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

Christ paid that Dowry for us so we could be part of His family, and because of that he can present us as pure as a virgin to His Father. One thing I would like to point out is that in the anaology the price Jesus paid for us was something that He did out of love and something that he was completely willing to do because he wanted you to be part of his family.

This is where stage 2 occurs and the Groom(Jesus) returns for his Church. This is a parallel to the Great Snatch. In Jewish wedding customs the Bride was never actually sure when the wedding feast was she had to wait to be notified by the Groom(The voice of the archangle telling us to meet him in the Clouds). In Matthew 25 you will see that the bridesmaids who are meant to accompany the Bride to the Feast fall asleep. These are people who will come to God during the Tribulation.

Stage 3 occurs in revelations, and it quite easy to pick out so I won't spend much detail on it. In conclusion, Christ loves you and cares about you. He ask the Father if He could have you and the Father told him what was owed. Christ gladly paid that price, now all you have to do is accept Him and become part of the family.

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb
Another good passage for the "bridal gifts" theme is Ezekiel ch16 vv8-14
Though the image is complicated there by the fact that God is acting as "bride's family" as well as "bride's husband".

See also Song of Solomon ch8 vv8-9
The whole of Song of Solomon is a more optimistic version of Ezekiel ch16.

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb

Can we extend this to Israel being the bride (chosen) of Yahweh, but Israel played the harlot? The only way to divorce Israel was death of the Son of God (Yahweh). As we see from Genesis 9, Elohim (Father) requires that the blood be accounted first.

Genesis 9

9 Elohim blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fertile, increase in number, and fill the earth....

...6 Whoever sheds human blood,
by humans his blood will be shed,
because in his image, Elohim made humans.

7 Be fertile, and increase in number. Spread over the earth, and increase.”

In telling Noah to fertilize the earth with his seed, he is showing the promise of the rainbow, or nations from Noah.

8 Elohim also said to Noah and his sons, 9 “I am going to make my promise[a] to you, your descendants, 10 and every living being that is with you—birds, domestic animals, and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ship—every living thing on earth. 11 I am making my promise to you. Never again will all life be killed by floodwaters. Never again will there be a flood that destroys the earth.”

12 Elohim said, “This is the sign of the promise I am giving to you and every living being that is with you for generations to come. 13 I will put my rainbow in the clouds to be a sign of my promise to the earth.

From here, Yahweh continues to rebel against EL by choosing His bride from among the colors of the rainbow. From this, the one nation then wars against them all. Today, we still have the promise alive (nations). His death on the cross is the blood accounted for the wars of Yahweh on mankind.

Connect the dots and you see a different story emerge. You can't know unless you read it from the Names of God Bible. The bride of Christ includes the Gentiles. Death annulled the first marriage contract in favor of Elohim's promise to mankind. ALL NATIONS!

Yahweh was denied the day of the Lord in favor of God's love for all of us. That promised Day of Vengeance is replaced by loving enemies. We will see if the Son follows through. He must, or his words are denied.

As we know from the story, there is a Ram caught in the thicket. If the body of humanity is the body of the Son, then the son will be spared. Satan is the snake Yahweh created and the very snake he must defeat to save himself and us all from destruction. If not, Elijah has failed.

Malachi 4

5 “I’m going to send you the prophet Elijah before that very terrifying day of Yahweh comes. 6 He will change parents’ attitudes toward their children and children’s attitudes toward their parents. If not, I will come and reclaim my land by destroying you.”

IF NOT means it is yet to be determined. As Yahweh found out, his promise was against himself. Quite the twist of fate for the Son of God as he struggles to be a God above EL. There IS a God above Yahweh. EL rules quietly, behind the scenes. He raises HIS Son.

An Inconvenient Truth

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb

who is lord today? surely we would not be here without a living lord and god.
Just because we think words have not come true does not make it fact because we still have to understand exactly what the words mean and that requires interputation that changes with the waves. I am not quick to dimiss everything.

a reply to: AlephBetel is just a young child today but will come of age. He has came here by way of the ark.

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb

When I was reading the Torah, it struck me that Abraham knew Isaac would be ok, because he said explicitly that they would be returning together. He had faith in God that even if he killed Isaac, God would resurrect him from the dead, because Isaac was the vehicle for God to deliver his promise to Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation. (Well, bonus, Abraham actually ended up being the father of three great nations, but I guess that is just how history turned out). Personally, I think the entire story is allegorical of Abraham being willing to sacrifice all of his own worldly ambitions at the whim of God, I doubt this ever really happened in real history.

a reply to: Nechash

Lots of archaeological evidence that surrounds Abraham.

Matthew 1
2 Abraham [d]was the father of Isaac, [e]Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of [f]Judah and his brothers. 3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of [g]Ram. 4 Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon. 5 Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. 6 Jesse was the father of David the king.

We know that David was a real person, and there is no reason to suppose that this genealogy is false.

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb

I think anything prior to the second kings period is highly suspect. For all we know, the priests at that time just invented their history entirely and when they claimed they were returning people to a faith they had lost, they were really just creating a new faith for them to adhere to. As layered and symbolic as the Torah is, it was either the invention of extradimesional beings or an entire society of scribes. I seriously doubt a single human author devised it.

Documentary Hypothesis

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb

"Take now your son, your only son..." Cross reference with John 3:16

The cross reference has to do with the "only son" part, and is not so much about a supposed connection between what God and Jesus did to save the world, since Abraham wasn't going to save anyone but himself by obeying what seemed to him to be a sort of threatening command by this fierce and bloodthirsty god that demanded first born sons.

I think the whole idea here with the sacrifice story in Genesis was to establish Isaac as the firstborn in the eyes of God, that his life was demanded by this mountain dwelling deity, rather than Ishmael (who was actually born before Isaac was).