My goal in this series is our greater joy in Jesus, even in complex struggles intellectually, emotionally, relationally, etc.  So, each time I will offer a buffet on 8 ‘P’s of good news.  Chew and savor whatever helps your joy in Jesus.  “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!  Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.” (Isaiah 55:1) 

For the rest of Christian Joy 105 we’ll open with another image of Christ’s purpose in this next video.  It illustrates God’s fifth “P” (calling us in for worship) and the sixth “P” (sending us to others) as we’ll see in Christian Joy 106.

The 6^th part of Purpose in Christ is pictured in the Day of Atonement:  “Fear Me”.  Imagine your Dad owns a sports team or band or crew, and all the members daily fall short of his good and gracious leadership.  Some are obvious rebels; most are more subtle in pursuing their agendas; and none of it is a secret to him.  So, he calls everybody together to renew their loyalty, forgive completely, and restore the team to himself and to all his privileges.  There is one alternative:  complete banishment.  And just to be clear, he owns the universe, heaven, hell, and eternity.  That’s the Day of Atonement.

Leviticus 16 details this annual event, which you probably know by its original Hebrew pronunciation:  “Yom Kippur”.  On that entire day – the tenth of every seventh month – God required all His people to do no work and to וְעִנִּיתֶ֖ם (bow down/humble/afflict themselves, probably by fasting), acknowledging their complete dependence on Him. (Leviticus 16:29-31 and 23:27-32)  On the first they would’ve celebrated the Feast of Trumpets with sacrifices symbolizing complete dedication of self to God (Leviticus 1 and Numbers 29:2), their work to God (Leviticus 2 and Numbers 29:3-4), and His forgiveness of their sin. (Leviticus 4 and Numbers 29:5).  Like a referee’s whistle, conductor’s baton, or a starter pistol, trumpets gave commands for the people to rally or advance, always implying the leader’s authority and character. (Numbers 10:1-10)  Thus, the Feast of Trumpets called them to reflect on God’s past acts of redemption pictured in the weekly Sabbath and spring festivals and to prepare for God’s future act of final judgment pictured in the Day of Atonement:  a promise of certain forgiveness by the death of another in our place or the alternative, bearing one’s own sins forever.

Forgiveness would include God’s incredible privileges highlighted every seven years in the Year of Jubilee or “year of release”. (Deuteronomy 15:1-9)  On that Day of Atonement they blew “the loud trumpet throughout all (their) land” beginning an entire year of blessings:  release from all debt and even from laboring in the field. (Leviticus 25:10-12)  But don’t take my word, check it out.

And the 6^th part of Christ’s Purpose – “Fear Me” – has practical and specific joys.  Below Lauren and I talk especially about a proper, godly fear of the Lord prompting us to draw near in joy and tremble in reverence at the same time.  It’s hard to imagine such a relationship between human beings, but the Lord Jesus elicits such from His people because of our sin and His grace.

If you’d like to know more about who publishes the articles, videos, and other materials on tools4trenches, you can click on the picture of me and my wife.