Oxford Bible Church - Living in the Last Days (audio)

1Corinthians 12:1: “Concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant.” 1Cor 12:31, 14:1: “Earnestly DESIRE the best gifts... Pursue love and DESIRE spiritual GIFTS.” We need to KNOW what God’s Word teaches about these gifts, and this will cause us to DESIRE these gifts to operate in our lives, so that the Spirit may flow through us to bless others. When we DESIRE to be used in the gifts, we will make ourselves AVAILABLE to the Spirit, for Him to manifest Himself through us. “The Manifestation of the SPIRIT is given to EACH ONE for the profit of all. To one is given (1) the WORD of WISDOM through the Spirit, to another (2) the WORD of KNOWLEDGE through the same Spirit, to another (3) FAITH by the same Spirit, to another (4) GIFTS of HEALINGS by the same Spirit, to another (5) the WORKING of MIRACLES, to another (6) PROPHECY, to another (7) DISCERNING of SPIRITS, to another (8) different kinds of TONGUES, to another (9) the INTERPRETATION of TONGUES. The SPIRIT works all these things, distributing to each one individually as HE WILLS” (v7-11).

*The 3 REVELATION GIFTS (Spirit of knowing): (1) The WORD of WISDOM, (2) the WORD of KNOWLEDGE, and (3) DISCERNING of SPIRITS. These involve supernaturally KNOWING things by the Spirit, that we could not know otherwise. *The 3 POWER GIFTS (Spirit of doing): (1) Special FAITH, (2) GIFTS of HEALINGS, and (3) WORKING of MIRACLES. These involve doing things by the supernatural power of the Spirit, that we could not do by our own faith or ability. *The 3 VOCAL, INSPIRATION or UTTERANCE GIFTS (Spirit of speaking): (1) Different kinds of TONGUES, (2) the INTERPRETATION of TONGUES, and (3) PROPHECY, when the Spirit speaks supernaturally thru someone, a message from God, under the Spirit’s inspiration.

CESSATIONISM is a false teaching that says these supernatural gifts are no longer for today, for God stopped giving them once all the apostles died and Scripture was completed. But the Bible says these gifts will continue until Jesus’ Return. 1Cor 1:4-8: “you were enriched in everything by Him in all UTTERANCE (the utterance gifts) and all KNOWLEDGE (the revelation gifts), even as the testimony of Christ was CONFIRMED in (among) you (by the power gifts in signs, wonders and miracles), so that you come short in no GIFT, eagerly waiting for the Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Thus, all the GIFTS will continue to enrich the Church until the END of the Church Age, when JESUS will be REVEALED to us in the Rapture. Jesus said: “these (supernatural) SIGNS will follow those who BELIEVE: in My Name they will cast out demons (a POWER gift); they will speak with new tongues (an UTTERANCE gift); they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover (all examples of POWER gifts)” (Mark 16:17-18). He also said: “he who BELIEVES in ME, the WORKS that I DO he will DO also; and greater works than these he will do” (John 14:12-13). He promises as we go in obedience to fulfil the Great Commission, He will be WITH US providing supernatural confirmation of the Gospel, and will continue to do this until the END of the CHURCH AGE (Matt 28:18-20). The Last Days started at Christ’s Resurrection and continue throughout the Church Age into the Millennium. Acts 2:16-19: “This (outpouring of the Spirit) was spoken by Joel: “It shall come to pass in the LAST DAYS, says God, that I will POUR out of My SPIRIT on ALL FLESH; your sons and daughters shall PROPHESY (an UTTERANCE gift), your young men shall SEE VISIONS, your old men shall DREAM DREAMS (these are REVELATION gifts). And on My menservants and maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall PROPHESY. I will show WONDERS in Heaven above and SIGNS in the earth beneath (POWER gifts).” The purpose of this outpouring and associated supernatural Signs is given in Acts 2:21. He then explained how Joel’s Prophecy came into fulfilment in Acts 2:32-33, and how they could receive this promise of the Spirit and His gifts in their own lives in Acts 2:38. Based on Joel, he declared this Promise of the Spirit and His gifts is for ALL BELIEVERS in the LAST DAYS, including all future generations in the Church Age (Acts 2:39). So, to say the gifts are not for today contradicts God’s Word.

1Corinthians 13:8-12: “Love never fails. But whether there are PROPHECIES, they will FAIL; whether there are TONGUES, they will CEASE; whether there is (a WORD of) KNOWLEDGE, it will VANISH away (the GIFTS will pass away one day). For we know IN PART and we prophesy IN PART. But WHEN that which is PERFECT has come, THEN that which is IN PART will be DONE AWAY....For NOW, we see in a mirror dimly, but THEN FACE to FACE. NOW I know IN PART, but THEN I shall KNOW (perfectly) just as I also am known.” As far as we are concerned, the gifts will only pass away WHEN we enter into PERFECTION (v10), which is defined as being when we see the Lord FACE to FACE at His Return - then we will have perfect knowledge (v12).

What are the righteous to do when the wicked seem to be prevailing and the foundations of society are being destroyed? Should we yield to fear and flee like a bird to safety, or run to the Lord, to find our refuge in Him? When we wait on the Lord, we will rise up high like an eagle, enabling us to see the big picture from God's perspective (Isaiah 40:31). David faced many evils and dangers (v1-3), but put his trust in the Lord (v1), and as a result he saw through the eyes of faith that the Lord is enthroned in Heaven far above all. Moreover, God sees all and is testing all men with great interest, to see who He will accept and who He will reject (v4). Thus God is in ultimate control and evil is only temporary. Meanwhile, the Lord is testing, refining and developing the righteous through all the trials of life. He is interested in how we respond, whether in faith or in fear (v5a). Knowing this, David's fear of God outweighs his fear of man. His main concern is to please God, rather than focusing on what man may do to him. Therefore, what can the righteous do in the face of evil? They should put their trust in God, look to Heaven, where God is enthroned on High, pray, and knowing that God is watching them, be faithful and obedient in doing His will. They can be sure that God is in ultimate control and will work all things for His glory and their good. God hates sin and will reject the wicked if they do not repent (v5b), so He will judge all evil doers, which means righteousness will finally prevail. Thus, David concludes by contrasting the eternal destiny of the wicked in Hell (v6), with the eternal destiny of the righteous in Glory, enjoying face to face fellowship with their Lord (v7).

John 8:12: "Jesus said: “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

*(1) Jesus is the Light of the World.

"He (Jesus) is the true Light which, coming into the world, gives light to every man" (John 1:9). "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it" (John 1:4-5).

*(2) Whoever follows Him will not walk in Darkness.

"We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1John 5:19). "For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people" (Isaiah 60:2). “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going” (John 12:35). "He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake" (Psalm 23:3). "The path of the just is like the shining sun[light], that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble" (Proverbs 4:18-19).

*(3) Followers of Jesus Christ shall have the Light of Life.

The Person is Life and the Life is Light. "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4). "God is light and in Him is no darkness at all' (1John 1:5). "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2Corinthians 4:6).

"Your sun shall no longer go down, nor shall your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light. And the days of your mourning shall be ended" (Isaiah 60:20).

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall If ear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1). "For He Himself has said: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6).

Psalm 10 continues Ps 9. It’s a Lament by David at the prosperity of the wicked, but by the end he comes to a place of confidence, that God will judge righteously. He starts by questioning His apparent inactivity in times of trouble (9:9), in not moving against the wicked. Then v2-12 give a long description of the proud wicked, who mistreat the poor & weak, considered unimportant by comparison. So, he prays they'll reap what they sow (v2). They're filled with self & what they want, boasting they can do as they please, and bragging about their own sins, blessing those like them, and renouncing (rejecting) God (v3). The essence of sin is pride (independence from God). He doesn’t feel any need of God nor seeks Him. God is in none of his thoughts. His proud heart manifests in lofty looks (v4). But he can’t not think of God (v11,13). Then David protests to God that his prosperity confirms him in his pride & disregard of His Word, with His judgments seemingly far away (v5). His rejection of God leads to him to devalue the rights & importance of others, even dehumanising them, as their dignity & value is based on them being God’s image. The 2 main aspects of God's Law are (1) love God & (2) love people. (1) Man's alienation from God causes him to (2) commit evil against those in God's image. So, he treats his opponents with contempt & boasts things will always go his way, his wealth giving him a false sense of security (v6). But God has other plans for him. His evil manifests thru his mouth in cursing (swearing & speaking evil of others), deceit (lies), and oppression (scheming evil things) - v7 (quoted in Rom 3:14). He is violent against the weak & helpless, operating in secret (v8-10). Foolishly, he imagines God does not see his evil deeds (v11). So, he feels free to live as though there's no God, doing as he pleases. No wonder David wanted God to deal with these sinners! So, he asks God to take action to confound them, and rescue the humble, who call on Him for help & deliverance (v12).

It points out the great difference between believers, who draw close to God and desire Him to remember them (v1), and sinners who wants the opposite (v11). Then in v13, he asks 'Why do the wicked renounce God?' The answer is: "He says in his heart: ‘You will not require an account.” He delays His judgment, to give him a chance to repent (2Pet 3:9), but he misinterprets this long-suffering as apathy, thinking He'll forget his sin and not judge him, and so hardens his heart, and so stores up greater judgment in due time (Ecc 8:11, Rom 2:3-6). Having started with perplexity from feeling God as far off (v1), he now comes to a place of calm confidence, knowing He does see their works & the suffering they cause, and will judge them. Also, He will help the helpless, who entrusts himself to Him (v14). When we pray, we go from anxiety to confidence, as we rise up higher and see God’s perspective (Isa 40:31). Then He prays for God to help the weak, and bring the wicked to repentance by breaking his power, and seeking out his wickedness, bringing it to the light, until he repents (v15). He concludes by declaring his confidence in God's Kingdom (v16a), and looks to the future when the prayers of the just for justice will be completely fulfilled when Christ establishes His Kingdom on earth and removes all the wicked (v16b). Joshua, who led Israel into the land and removed God's enemies, is a type of Jesus, who'll take possession of the earth and reign as King, in response to the prayers of the humble (v17), for then He will defend, fully vindicate and deliver His oppressed people, and put a final end to the wicked (the man of the earth) and their reign of terror (v18, Rev 3:10, 6:10, 8:13, 11:10, 12:12, 13:8, 12,14, 14:6,17:2,8).

He describes God's work of grace in our hearts by His Spirit when we pray: "You prepare their hearts" (v17). He inspires & directs our heart to pray His will. Then He responds and part of His answer is to strengthen our hearts, giving us His peace (assurance) that He’s heard us, imparting confidence to us that He is with us, empowering us to know and walk in His will and stand strong in His strength in the presence of evil. Thus, when we pray, He imparts more grace to our heart, enabling us to trust Him and empowering us to stand strong and be faithful in trials, knowing He'll vindicate and deliver us from all evil. In this way, He completes our spiritual heart preparation, that began by inspiring us to pray. That’s what God did for David in this inspired prayer, as we see him come from despair to confident faith in God's reign over all (v14-18). Prayer is effectual by God’s grace. To desire to pray is His gift, a sign of His Presence with us. Then, when we’ve released our prayer, He strengthens our heart with His peace, giving us His assurance of His full control, and completes His preparation of our heart to walk in His will.

The HOLY SPIRIT, who dwells in us, is our HELPER (John 14:16-17, 26, 15:26, 16:7, 1Corinthians 3:16). He is the Spirit of Truth, who reveals God's Word to us and enables us to hear and know the will of God for us, and He wants to help us to live our life to the glory of God (John 16:13-14). He fills our hearts with God's love (Romans 5:5), and helps us to WORSHIP God (John 4:23-24, Philippians 3:3), and pray effectively, including praying in tongues (Ephesians 6:18, 1Corinthians 14:2,4).

We are Temples of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 6:19-20). He indwells us and reveals and transmits God's grace to us: “He (the Holy Spirit) will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine (including healing) and declare (communicate, transmit) it to you. All things (such as healing) that the Father has are Mine. Therefore, I said that He will take of Mine (healing) and declare (communicate, transmit) it to you” (John 16:14-15). He is our COMFORTER (com-fort = with-strength), and HELPER. He STRENGTHENS us within to help us stand firm and do God’s will, as Jesus said: “He (the Father) shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that He may abide with you for ever, the SPIRIT of truth; you know Him, for He will be IN YOU” (John 14:16-17). He wants to fill us and empower us for ministry (Acts 1:5, 2:1-4). We must cultivate a close fellowship with the Person of the Holy Spirit.

Hilary shares about the Person of the Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Counsellor, who lives in us (John 14:16-17), who enables us to receive God’s love, and to give our love to God: “the COMMUNION (fellowship) of the HOLY SPIRIT be with you all” (2Corinthians 13:14). He inspires and empowers our fellowship with God, and enables us to receive God's grace and to fulfil God's plan and purpose for our life.

We complete our study of Psalm 9, a Thanksgiving Psalm. v11 introduces the 2nd half of the Psalm with a parallel verse to v1, singing praises to the Lord, who dwells in and with His people (Zion), calling them to declare His deeds to all people.The basis for his praise, thanksgiving and declarations is God's justice that He performs on behalf of the oppressed and the humble, who call out to Him. In particular, He is the Avenger of innocent blood, who investigates every crime and hunts down the oppressor (v12, see also Numbers 35:33-34, Genesis 4:10, 2 Kings 9:26). God will remember and avenge the blood of His persecuted people. We discuss the avenger of blood and the cities of refuge in the Old Testament. All have sinned, and the Lord is the Avenger, who will hunt every man down until they pay in full for their sin, but God has also provided a City of Refuge for us - Jesus Christ, to whom we can flee for safety (Hebrews 6:18, Proverbs 18:10). Believers are those "who have fled for refuge to Christ" (Hebrews 6:18). In Christ we are saved from Divine Judgment. We discuss the danger of sitting on the fence as illustrated by the story of Joab killing Abner in the gates of Hebron (a city of refuge) in 2 Samuel 3.

Next David asks God to deliver him from those who hate him, who were seeking to kill him (v13), and it is significant that his main motivation for asking for deliverance was that it would result in God getting the glory (v14), which is a great example for us. If our prayers were motivated by the glory of God, we would surely see more answers. He then describes one way God's judgment works in this life - the law of sowing and reaping. Evildoers get ensnared in the same trap they set for others (v15,16). Haman built a gallows for Mordecai, only to be executed on it himself. God can created this universe to operate in a moral way, according to His moral and physical laws, so when people violate His moral order, it will come back to bite them. Moreover, sin carries its own curse, bringing darkness, death and destruction on the sinner. This can be seen as a judgment of God on sin, for God created and ordained things to work this way. "There is nothing that a wicked man does that is not against his own interest. He is continually doing himself harm, and takes more pains to destroy his soul than the righteous man does to get his saved unto eternal life." This is a weighty truth, so the Psalmist adds at this point: "Higgaion; Selah", which means meditate on this; mark it well.

Then David goes on to describe final end of the wicked at death and beyond: "The WICKED shall be turned into HELL (Sheol), and all the nations that FORGET God." The essence of sin is forgetting God, living as if there is no God, forgetting the claims of our Creator. Even nice people who forget God are wicked in His sight. Since they forget Him and push Him out of their thoughts, God will forget them – they will be separated from His loving Presence forever. This is their eternal judgment - God gives them up to their choice to be independent from God. Why does the sinner forget God? Because the thought of God (1) makes him afraid, (2) doesn't entertain him enough, and (3) makes it hard for him to carry on in sin. By contrast "the needy (those who know their need for God and depend on Him) shall not always be forgotten (He will remember them forever - they will eternally dwell in His Presence). The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever" (v18). Even if it seems like God has forgotten them, He has not, and soon He will manifest His grace to them, which will continue forever.

David finishes with a prayer for God to move into action and judge the nations for their own sake: "Arise, O Lord, do not let man prevail (prosper in their evil ways). Let the nations be judged in Your sight. Put them in fear, O Lord (Divine judgments produce the fear of the Lord in people), that the nations may know themselves to be but (weak, frail) men (who need salvation). Selah" (v19,20). David does not ask God to display His judgment upon the wicked from a spirit of hatred. His real hope was that the display of God’s judgment would teach them their proper place before God, so that they would humble themselves before God and be saved (see Psalm 9:12). It is better for them to experience the wake up call of a judgment in this life, than face an eternal judgment of condemnation in Hell.

Psalm 9 & 10 have a close relationship, so much so the Septuagint treats them as one. The acrostic structure that begins in Ps 9 continues into Ps 10, linking them together. They also have similar terminology & themes. But each stands by itself. Ps 9 is a Thanksgiving Psalm, whereas Ps 10 is more a lament. The title of both Psalms, giving the key to their fulfilment, is 'the Death of the Son' which points to the work of Messiah, the Son of God (Ps 2:7), who was prophesied to become a Man, the Seed of the Woman, to take our sin and suffer death to save us, and then crush the enemy underfoot in His resurrection (Gen 3:15). In this way, He lays the basis for the salvation of those who receive Him, and for establishing His Kingdom on earth. In this way, Ps 9 continues on from the messianic revelation of Ps 8, and this connection is confirmed by the mention of the NAME of the Lord (9:2), as in Ps 8:1,9. Thus the death of the Messiah, the Son of God is the basis for the ultimate fulfilment spoken of in these Psalms.

Ps 9 is a Thanksgiving Psalm, but whereas thanksgiving is usually for the Lord's mercies, here it is mostly for His Righteous Judgments, that in a world full of wickedness and oppression, God will set things right, punish the wicked and restore the oppressed, and right all wrongs. David starts by praising God with all his heart, proclaiming all His wonderful works, rejoicing in His salvation and singing praise to His Name or revealed nature (v1,2). He then thanks God for how He'd fought for him in the past and will fight for him in his future battles, acknowledging God's Presence with him was the key to his victories, causing his enemies to retreat, fall and be defeated before him (v3). God had supported David in his cause; judging in his favour as the Judge of Righteousness, only because he had submitted to God and His cause (v4). Likewise, when we first submit to God, He gives us more of His grace (presence), so that when we resist the enemy, he will will flee from us (Jam 4:6-7). Then in v5-6 looks at the bigger picture and declares the future final judgments of the Day of the Lord, just before God’s Kingdom is established on earth. He uses the prophetic perfect tense to emphasise these prophecies are certain to come to pass. He announces the final destruction of the wicked, blotting out their name forever. Once God's Kingdom is established, the wicked and their earthly kingdoms will be forgotten, and the wicked will be blotted out of God's Book of Life. God's enemies, who'd destroyed many cities, will themselves be destroyed, so that they can no longer destroy others. Even their memory will perish. This will be fulfilled when all the kingdoms of this world will be destroyed at Christ's 2nd Coming, when He'll establish His Kingdom on the earth. By contrast with the reign of the wicked, the Lord & His Kingdom will endure forever; He'll judge the nations from His throne (v7). "He shall judge the world in righteousness" (v8) - in Acts 17:31, Paul quotes this verse, claiming it will be fulfilled by Jesus Christ: “He has appointed a Day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the MAN whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by RAISING Him from the DEAD.” This shows Paul understood the messianic nature of this Psalm, as revealed by its Title - that the Lord who will ultimately reign as King & Judge over the whole world, is Christ, the Son of God, who'll first become a man and die and rise again.

Then, David offers thanksgiving for the salvation of God’s people, who trust in the Messiah, who is a refuge for the oppressed, who call upon Him in times of trouble (v9). 'Trouble' is a rare word describing being in despair, cut off from all hope. Christ is also our Refuge from the Divine Judgment that we deserve for our sins. In His death, He became our Atonement (Covering), taking God's righteous judgment upon Himself, so that those who trust (take refuge) in Him are saved (as in the picture of Noah's Ark). Then he describes how believers can enjoy a growing intimate personal relationship with the Lord: "Those who KNOW Your Name will put their TRUST in You; for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who SEEK You" (v10). We should be those who continually SEEK Him, for those who SEEK Him will FIND Him (Matt 7:7-8), for He will reward us by revealing more and more of Himself to us (Heb 11:6), so that we will personally KNOW Him more, and KNOW His Name (His nature, love, faithfulness, salvation - Jesus is the ultimate revelation of His Name), and the more we KNOW Him, the more we'll be able to TRUST in Him and receive from Him. We determine how close we are to God and how much faith we have, because it is up to us to SEEK Him (Matt 6:33). "If we draw near to God, He will draw near to us" (Jam 4:8). You show how close you want to be to the Lord by how much you seek Him, and He will fulfil your heart's desire accordingly.

Matthew 13:45-46: “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one Pearl of Great Price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Peter looks at this Parable from 2 viewpoints (1): The Merchant represents those who are searching, and discover that Jesus Christ is the Pearl of Great Price, and are willing to surrender all they have to possess Christ. Only in Him is there PEACE in this world and HOPE in the next world. (2): The Merchant represents Jesus Christ, who loved us and came and gave His all (even His Blood) to purchase us for Himself, that we might be freed from sin and belong to Him forever.