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Topic: Rejoicing (11/22/04)
TITLE: NO GREATER CAUSE By Roberta Kittrell 11/29/04 |
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First of all, sticking with only English, one still has trouble with the “re” of “rejoicing.” The “re” infers “again.” Further study shows that there is a verb “joy” which is defined as “to experience great pleasure or delight: rejoice”; and has two archaic meanings: to gladden or enjoy (WEBSTER’S SEVENTH NEW COLLEGIATE DICTIONARY 1963).
Please stay with me. As we search the Bible, we will come up with a conundum—a mystery. In Leviticus 23:33-43 is the initial celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. All were to rejoice because of the Lord God and His bountiful blessings. This theme of rejoicing continues on until we come upon Deuteronomy 27:6-8,
“You shall build with whole stones the altar of the Lord your God. You shall offer peace offerings, and shall eat there, and rejoice before the Lord your God. And you shall write very plainly on the stones all the words of this law.” (NKJV)
What’s happening? We now have the Mosaic Law being a contingent. Should one have a questions as to its importance, let’s proceed further to Deuteronomy 28:58-63,
“If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses. Moreover He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. Also every sickness and every plague which is not written in this Book of the Law, will the Lord bring upon you until you are destroyed. You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of heaven in multitude, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God. And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, SO THE LORD WILL REJOICE OVER YOU TO DESTROY YOU AND BRING YOU TO NOTHING; AND YOU SHALL BE PLUCKED FROM OFF THE LAND WHICH YOU GO TO POSSESS.” (NKJV).
Did you catch that? The Lord Who rejoices over doing good to ones being the Lord Who rejoices over destroying those who disobey. What’s the significance? The Lord Your God is sovereign. He does not exist for us. We exist for Him. Yet, in spite of that, He’s always been Jehovah Jireh. Consider the Lamb that was slain before the foundations of the world, the first shedding of blood—done by the Lord Your God to provide animal skins for the outward protection of mankind; and the solid blood-red thread of redemption which proceeds from Genesis 3:15 through Revelation.
In the New Testament, we are urged to rejoice and give thanks in and for everything, and to rejoice evermore since this is God’s Will for us.
“Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:5-6, NKJV.
Some commentators attribute this to the three-part return of the Israelites from the Babylonian Captivity. However, the Lord Jesus Christ is throughout the Word—both Old and New Testaments. Could this possibly be referring to those to whom His Great Commission is given? Can there be any greater cause for weeping and rejoicing?
### Roberta J. Kittrell – 11/28/2004 – word count: 638 -- copyright 2004