Thursday, June 23, 2011

Fulfillment

The Bible talks a lot about sacrifice, about waiting and hoping. But lately I've been thinking about how it talks about rewards and reaping and feasting. I don't have any specific questions except: what do you know about those?

UNFURL: “...he bore a tall staff, as it were a standard, but it was close-furled in a black cloth bound about with many thongs. ‘It is a gift that I bring you from the Lady of Rivendell. She wrought in secret, and long was the making. But she also sends word to you: The days now are short. Either our hope cometh, or all hopes end. Therefore I send thee what I have made for thee. Fare well, Elfstone!’ ”
“Behold! Upon the foremost ship a great standard broke, and the wind displayed it as she turned towards the Harlond. There flowered a White Tree, and that was for Gondor; but Seven Stars were about it, and a high crown above it, the signs of Elendil that no lord had borne for years beyond count. And the stars flamed in the sunlight, for they were wrought of gems by Arwen daughter of Elrond; and the crown was bright in the morning, for it was wrought of mithril and gold. Thus came Aragorn son of Arathorn, Elessar, Isildur’s heir, out of the Paths of the Dead, borne upon a wind from the Sea to the kingdom of Gondor…” – JRR Tolkien, The Return of the King

FRUIT - "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who ABIDES in Me, and I in him, bears muchfruit; for without Me you can do nothing." – John 15:5

FULFILLMENT - "He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them." – Psalm 145:19
"For I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." – Luke 22:16
"But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves." – John 17:13

REAP – “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
“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” – Galatians 6:9

PERFECT - "YHWH will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O YHWH, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your hands." - Psalm 138:8

BURGEON - to begin to grow, as a bud; put forth buds, shoots, etc., as a plant. (dictionary.com) "For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord YHWH will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations." - Isaiah 61:11

FINISH – Jesus is the finisher. He does finish. "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." – Hebrews 12:2
"being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" - Philippians 1:6

CULMINATE – “And the 2nd day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. So they did 6 days. But it came to pass on the 7th day that they rose early, about the dawning of the day, and marched around the city 7 times in the same manner. On that day only they marched around the city 7 times.
And the 7th time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: "Shout, for the LORD has given you the city!"... So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
Joshua 6:14-20

CONSUMMATION - completion. perfection; fulfillment. (dictionary.com)
Not an ending, though... Sometimes completion is a good place to start. Congrats to my cousin and his new bride!

JUBILEE - "His deep desire was for forgiveness; He longed to see their liberty & His yearning was embodied in the Year of Jubilee. At the Lord's appointed time His deep desire became a Man, the heart of all true jubilation & with joy we understand: in His voice we hear a trumpet soundthat tells us we are free! He is the incarnation of the Year of Jubilee."
“And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family.” – Leviticus 25:10

FEAST - "And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year's end." – Exodus 34:22
FEAST - "And in this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of well-refined wines on the lees… And it will be said in that day: "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." – Isaiah 25:6, 9
FEAST - "Then he said to me, Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' And he said to me, These are the true sayings of God." – Revelation 19:9

CELEBRATE – “Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps.” – Nehemiah 12:27

To God be all glory.

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