Great Peace From The Rock of Offense

[Mr. M]

Isaiah 8:14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock

of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Romans 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation

has come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

When Christ came He caused division among the people of Israel,

while ushering in His Great Peace to the world.

Matthew 10:34-37 Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;  and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.  He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

Psalm 119:165 Great peace have those which love Your Law:

and nothing shall offend them. (cause them to stumble, or be an offense?).

The Law was to keep God’s people from the stumblingblocks of iniquity, and yet throughout

the New Testament the instruction is that God’s people avoid placing stumblingblocks before

others, and flee from the idolatry that causes offense.

Isaiah 57:14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way,

take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.

When God’s people stray, He places stumblingblocks for discipline,

with a call to return to Him.

Jeremiah 6:21 Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before these people,

and the fathers and the sons together shall fall on them. The neighbor and his friend shall perish.

Why For?

19 Hear, O earth! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on these people—The fruit of their thoughts,

because they have not heeded My words nor My law, but rejected it.

Believers are instructed to bring every thought into captivity to Christ,

to avoid setting up idols in our hearts.

Ezekiel 14:3-8 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them? Therefore speak to them, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols, that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols. Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations. For anyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up his idols in his heart and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, then comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me, I the Lord will answer him by Myself. I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.

Stumblingblocks of iniquity arise from the most mundane activities, including where, why, and what we eat!

Romans 14:13; 19-23 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way. 19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

Woe to the one who causes offense!

Matthew 18:7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come,

but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!

The Law of Liberty Can Become A Stumblingblock

1 Corinthians 8:8 & 9 But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better,

nor if we do not eat are we the worse. But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become

a stumbling block to those who are weak. 

Great Peace For Those Who Love God’s Law

Leviticus 19:11-18 You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of the person who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning. You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the Lord. You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord. You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Great Peace For Those Who Overcome

John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.

In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

Edited March 15, 2023 by Mr. M
cosmetic

[tim_from_pa]

 

Psalm 118:22-23 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

Zechariah 4:7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

1 Corinthians 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

Here's the Hebrew words meaning Father and Son: אב בן

Here's the Hebrew word for Stone: אבן

The divine Godhead.  

Edited March 16, 2023 by tim_from_pa