Worship call 0696 The Rule of the Peacemaker

Worship Call 0696

Tuesday July 25, 2022

beware of the silent killer! Exodus 15:23-26 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. Murmuring or complaining is one of those sins that are overlooked.  Sometimes we get so focused on the "big sins" such as murder and adultery that we overlook this sin -- but the Lord doesn't give this sin a free pass -- quite the opposite.  It's a hidden killer!  This sin unleashed a plague that killed thousands of Israelites! [Numbers 16] In this passage, we read how the Israelites, who were desperately thirsty, looked only at the fact that the water they had come to was bitter and undrinkable. How quickly they forgot their God, who had led them out of Egypt with signs and wonders. They had just witnessed His dividing of the Red Sea and the destruction of those who had enslaved them. And yet, so quickly, they returned to looking only with their natural eyes at the problem in front of them, completely forgetting the miracle-working power of their God! And so they murmured against Moses. But honestly, weren't they really murmuring against God? Once again, Moses interceded for them, revealing the faithfulness of His God to answer every impossible dilemma and provide for every need; and again, setting them the example: they simply needed to go to the Lord! So often, just like the Israelites, we focus on our desperate situation with our physical eyes and not with eyes of faith and then fall into the trap of complaining. And if you're like me, once I start, it can be really hard to stop...until the Lord stops me, right in my tracks, and He reminds me –- aren't you really complaining against me?  I have to remember to see that I actually hinder the Lord's answers to my problems by unbelief...which leads to the sin of murmuring! let's not allow this sin to gain a foothold -- because it can easily become a stronghold! The same wonder-working God that led the children of Israel out of Egypt is still at work today -- but are we hindering Him? If we are grumbling and complaining, the answer is, "YES"! And in so doing, until we stop, we are missing out on His answers and blessings, which are waiting in the wings to meet our faith in Him! Your family in the Lord with much agape love, George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah Baltimore, Maryland

(A T Robinson) The peacemakers (οἱ εἰρηνοποιοι [hoi eirēnopoioi]). Not merely “peaceable men” (Wycliff) but “makers up o’ strife” (Braid Scots). It is hard enough to keep the peace. It is still more difficult to bring peace where it is not. “The perfect peacemaker is the Son of God (Eph. 2:14f.)” (McNeile). Thus we shall be like our Elder Brother.[1]

Ephesians 2:14–18 (NASB95) — 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; 18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

The Peacemaker has to first have had established peace within his and her own heart with God. One who is maturing in the faith coming into a personal love for God.

The Peacemaker takes on the image of Christ who is the peacemaker. Conforming to that image the Peacemaker picking up his own Cross.

Possessing personal love for God the peacemaker has impersonal (unconditional) love for mankind

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (NASB95) — 4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

The Peacemaker has a burden for souls.

Turns the other cheek when wronged

Goes the extra mile

The peacemaker before bringing an offering to the alter will leave it to go and be reconciled with his brother when that brother has something against him.

The Peacemaker having established peace in one’s own heart by sanctifying the Lord God in his heart is ready to give an answer for the hope that is found in Him.

There are times when a peacemaker will have to come to a brother who is stumbling and don’t see it.

Matthew 18:15 (NASB95) — 15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.

We were created for good works that we should walk in them, those works are the extension of the work of Christ who came

Luke 19:9–10 (NASB95) — 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

The work that the Peacemaker is active in is

Evangelism; leading others to Christ

2 Timothy 4:5 (NASB95) — 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

And in discipleship teaching the younger believers.

Mark 16:15–16 (NASB95) — 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.

Hebrews 5:12 (NASB95) — 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers,

A Peacemaker does not exercise his own liberty that will cause another to stumble.

The Peacemaker follows the one who says that He is the way (John 14:6). It is Christ who is the Prince of Peace. A Christ follower imitates the life and work of Christ even if it costs him or her their lives as they are to pick up their own cross and follow the way of Jesus.

As A.T. Robinson has pointed out, the peacemaker is like his elder Brother.

The Way may lead the Peacemaker through the valley of tribulation. Through trials. Through pressures. To places he does not want to go but knows he must go for the purposes of Christ’s mission to bring peace.

As it is that a Soldier is equipped for war the Peacemaker is equipped and trained for peace. Sometimes the peacemaker will have to run into hostile territory to accomplish his mission.

In so doing the peacemaker is like the one who will run out on the battlefield to retrieve a wounded soldier facing a enemy’s fire.

Matthew 5:9 (NASB95) — 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Matthew 5:45 (NASB95) — 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Luke 6:35 (NASB95) — 35 “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.

Romans 8:14 (NASB95) — 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Being the Son’s of God means that one is distinguish as being part of the Royal Dynasty of God.

In the Tanakh Sons of God are the spiritual beings who have rulership functions.

Genesis 6:4; J:6; Job 38:7

In the chain of being, man is created and positioned lower than the angels.

Hebrews 2:6 (NASB95) — 6 But one has testified somewhere, saying, “What is man, that You remember him? Or the son of man, that You are concerned about him?

Christ in His humanity being the first fruits with his resurrection and ascension and seat at the right hand of the Father is now exalted above the angels.

Hebrews 2:8–10 (NASB95) — 8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. 9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.

The winner believer the one who overcomes the one who loves the lord’s appearing is rewarded with position, robe, crown, the morning star, and title the son of God, all pictures rulership function.

2 Timothy 4:6–8 (NASB95) — 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

James 1:12 (NASB95) — 12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

Revelation 2:25–28 (NASB95) — 25 ‘Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. 26 ‘He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star.

Revelation 3:5 (NASB95) — 5 ‘He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Revelation 3:11 (NASB95) — 11 ‘I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

Revelation 20:4 (NASB95) — 4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

What is history moving forward to?

Toward the millennial rule of Christ and then afterwards to a heaven and a new earth. It is the prince of peace who is actively engaged with bringing history to its ultimate and divine conclusion.

It is the Peacemaker who partners with the Lord, fulfilling the will of the Lord and pursues the mission of the Lord.

It is these that will be called the Sons of God.

[1]Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Mt 5:9). Broadman Press.