How Lives Are Transformed

 How Lives Are Transformed

1 Thessalonians 1

1 Thessalonians 1:1 (NKJV) Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy traveled together for a while, and during those travels, they visited a place called Thessalonica. The letter of Paul to the Thessalonians tells a remarkable story of transformation and redemption. Verses says

1Thessalonians 1:8 (NKJV) For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.

God willing, we will examine this incredible transformation more closely later. But first, I want us to consider the transformation of the three men who sent the letter: Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy. We will spend some time with these three men, and through that, we will build our understanding and strengthen the foundations of our faith.

You may be wondering if God is working in your life, if God is transforming you, or perhaps you may be wondering if God has forgotten you.

When we think of Paul, we think of the great Apostle, the man whose letters compose a good portion of our New Testament. But he did not start out that way. He initially vigorously opposed Jesus and the Church. Today, we will consider God’s work in Paul’s life and his transformation, and I hope to cover Timothy and Silas later, assuming things proceed as planned. 

Let’s begin by reviewing a couple of things Paul said about himself.

First, when Paul told us about his background, He said:

Philippians 3:5-7 (NKJV) 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, [of] the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.

Paul was perfect. Of course, being a Hebrew, he went by his Hebrew name, Saul. In those days, the Jews had two names—a Hebrew name and a name used for the rest of the world. Saul’s Hebrew name was regal; he was named after the first king of Israel. His Greek name meant “little.” This is part of the reason some people say he was of small stature. Paul was a zealous, proud Jew—a Hebrew of Hebrews. In verse 7, he says these things were profitable for him. Living where he did in Jerusalem, these qualifications placed him among the elite, powerful, and wealthy. But, once he found Christ, look what he said, “I have counted loss.”

This term, loss, is incredibly important. The Greek word is “ζημίαν” (Zēmian). When I looked it up in the dictionary, the first definition given was “detriment.” Do you want to know what a detriment is? It is:

From Britannica and Oxford - causing damage or injury to

He was not saying loss in the sense that he missed these things. He is saying loss in the sense that these things hurt him. They were damaging. To say they were worthless or useless is not incorrect, but it does not convey the full meaning of what Paul is saying. Later, in verse 8, he talks about value when he says that compared to the value of knowing Christ, everything else is just garbage—yucky, stinky garbage.

For us, this lesson that Paul learned is essential. We all have backgrounds, and we are all proud. Our pride might be that we overcame our background, but it is still a form of pride. We may have a poor self-image and hate ourselves, but we still have pride. Pride is a part of being human. If you consider yourself human, know that you have pride. (Of course, for the smart aleck, there are exceptions, such as babies and those who might be severely disabled.) Whatever we are proud of, pride is a hindrance—a detriment.

In Paul’s mind, not only was his background perfect, he was successful. When he was explaining to the Jews in Jerusalem who he was, Paul said the following:

Acts 22:3 (NKJV) “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.

Earlier in Acts, we see Gamaliel as a leader of the Jewish people when he cautions the Sanhedrin to think before killing the Apostles.

Acts 5:34 (NKJV) Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while.

Paul was educated by the Rabbi, not “a” Rabbi, but “THE” Rabbi. Gamaliel is still famous among those who practice Judaism. He was and is revered as a man of wisdom. Paul had the best teacher and credentials anyone could have. He was as successful as a man can be in that he was precisely where he wanted to be.

He was active and involved in the life of the nation at the same time Jesus was. And he would have known about the proceedings when the leaders of the nation decided to kill Jesus. He was involved with the Sanhedrin when we first meet him in Acts. When the Elders and leaders of the nation stoned a man named Steven, Acts 7:57-58 tells us:

Acts 7:57-58 (NKJV) 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast [him] out of the city and stoned [him.] And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Paul did everything within his power to stop the gospel until Jesus interrupted his journey from Jerusalem to Damascus. Acts 9:3-5 tells us:

Acts 9:3-5 (NKJV) 3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It [is] hard for you to kick against the goads.”

Please notice two things about this passage. First, Jesus accuses Paul of persecuting Him. (I am pretty sure Paul was persecuting Christians.) And Second, Jesus says Paul is kicking against the goads.

These two things go together, and they, like pride, are part of us all. 

First, we all persecute Jesus before we accept Him. The Bible says,

Romans 8:7 (NKJV) Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

According to this passage, our flesh (our human will) considers God our enemy. We may not be in a powerful position like Paul, but our attitude can still be hostile toward Jesus. 

Along with this hostility, we all kick against the goads. We resist God’s work in our lives.

The oxgoad was a dangerous weapon, usually about seven or eight feet long and having an iron point. A goad could be used as a spear in a pinch. Judges 3:31 describes a judge of Israel who delivered the Israelites from the Philistines by killing six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. The usual use of a goad was to poke the backside of an ox to encourage it to pull a plow. If the ox complied, there was no problem. But, if the ox responded by lashing out with a hoof, it just bloodied itself—harsh, but it worked.

Paul knew the truth; he was fighting against it. If you read Acts, you will see that within days of accepting Jesus as his Savior, Paul was able to argue expertly from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. He knew the truth. He knew the Old Testament better than anybody else, and the Old Testament is about Jesus. Paul was fighting against what he knew, and by doing so, he was hurting himself.

We also can discern the truth, but often we resist. The Lord warns us of this repeatedly.

Proverbs 3:11-12 (NKJV) 11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction; 12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son [in whom] he delights.

In Israel’s years in the wilderness, we see the results of resisting God’s proddings

Psalms 95:6-11 (NKJV) 6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. 7 For He [is] our God, and we [are] the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: 8 “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as [in] the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 When your fathers tested Me; they tried Me, though they saw My work. 10 For forty years I was grieved with [that] generation, And said, ‘It [is] a people who go astray in their hearts, And they do not know My ways.’ 11 So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”

Paul surrendered to God and was transformed from a hate-filled persecutor to the one who gave his life preaching the gospel he once opposed. Surrendering to God is necessary for each of us. Another word that we can use in place of surrender is repent. Repentance or surrender is an act of a moment, but it changes everything. It transforms our lives. Just as one country surrenders to another in war, surrender is the act of a moment in time, but it changes everything, so it is with surrendering to God. As long as we refuse to surrender, we kick against the goads. We hurt ourselves. 

Seventy Weeks

Daniel 9:20-26

At one time, Israel was a superpower. Under King David and his son Solomon, the nation was one of the leading powers of its era. However, years of decline and poor leadership led to the country being overrun by Babylon. In 605 BC, Daniel was taken captive from his homeland of Israel to the capital of Babylon, where he was made a eunuch and forced to serve King Nebuchadnezzar. Nineteen years later, in 586 BC, Nebuchadnezzar sacked Jerusalem, destroying its walls, burning its gates, and deporting all but the poorest of the population.

Daniel continued to serve his enemy while he was far from Jerusalem, in Babylon, where he held the position of advisor to the king. You may have heard the story of "Daniel in the Lions' Den." Daniel was favored by the king, which made the king's other advisors jealous. They conspired to eliminate him but initially struggled to find a way. Eventually, they persuaded the king to sign a law stating that no one was to pray to any god other than the king for 30 days, knowing that Daniel prayed every day. Daniel 6:10 tells us:

Daniel 6:10 (NKJV) Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.

What I want you to see today is Daniel’s deep love for his home, Jerusalem. From his early days, he prayed three times a day with his windows open toward the city. In Daniel 9, we encounter Daniel praying and seeking God on behalf of his people, 70 years after he was taken from Jerusalem. He dedicated a lifetime to praying three times a day, always facing toward Jerusalem. Can anyone have a greater heart for his people and his nation? The once mighty nation, God’s chosen people, had existed only in the memories of Daniel and others his age for the past 50.

Where was the fulfillment of God’s promise for a nation that would  endure through all time? What became of the assurance that a descendant of David would reign eternally? How could Daniel trust in God’s faithfulness to His promises if there was no nation?

These questions must have driven Daniel to fast and pray, seeking answers. So, God sent Gabriel to explain some truths to him. Let’s briefly look at what Gabriel told Daniel.

Daniel 9:24 (NKJV) “Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.

In these words, God outlines His intentions for Israel.

 

Let’s examine what God reveals to Daniel. "Seventy weeks" is a Hebrew phrase that can be understood as "seventy sets of seven." Six key objectives will be achieved within these 70 sets of seven.

1. To finish the transgression, 
2. To make an end of sins, 
3. To make reconciliation for iniquity, 
4. To bring in everlasting righteousness, 
5. To seal up vision and prophecy, and 
6. to anoint the Most Holy.

Consider these six things: no more sin and everlasting righteousness—these concepts do not align with the world we know! Another interpretation of point number five is “to make an end of vision and prophecy.” If an end is made to vision and prophecy, it indicates that Scripture is complete. All of this suggests the completion of God’s plans, and indeed, it is. 

It is important to note that the 70 sets of seven are specifically designated for Daniel's people. In other words, these seventy sets of seven apply to Israel.

 Briefly look at the division of these years.

Daniel 9:25-26 (NKJV) 25 “Know therefore and understand, [That] from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, [There shall be] seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times. 26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it [shall be] with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined.

Much is revealed in these words, and you could earn a doctorate studying them. Today, observe that there are seven weeks, then sixty-two weeks, and then the Messiah will be cut off. 

In light of the historical context where the nation of Israel no longer existed, the announcement that there would be a decree to rebuild Jerusalem was truly a beacon of hope for Daniel. This held profound significance, signaling the renewal and restoration of the beloved city. And what is more, the of the Messiah, the One who is to sit on David’s throne is repeated. But wait! What is this about the Messiah being cut off? In this instance, I favor the NLT version that says, “The Anointed One will be killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing.” Okay, wow! Ah, how is it that the One who is to sit on the throne forever is “cut off,” killed?

There is definitely a mystery involved here. Let's take a moment to think about a mathematical fact together. Initially, Gabriel mentioned seven weeks and then sixty-two weeks. When we add these together, we get a total of 69 weeks. However, Gabriel stated that 70 weeks are determined! An interesting fact here—the 69 weeks were accomplished and ended in 33AD when Jesus died, was buried, and rose again. At that point the Messiah appears to have been “cut off.” Believe it or not, we are still waiting for the 70th week. Many yet to be fulfilled prophecies and most of the book of Revelation fit into this final seven-year period.

The time from the cross to the present is known as the Church age and the 70th week is on hold.  While all heaven and earth have waited for the final set of seven for the past two-thousand years, God has focused on us Gentiles.

Romans 11:25 (NLT) I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.

Many have felt proud and discounted God’s plans for Israel, but Jesus said:

Luke 21:24 (NKJV) “And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

When the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled the 70th week of Daniel will take place. This last set of 7 years is known as the great Tribulation and is the time when the man known as the Antichrist will come to power. But we need not worry about those 7 years, because they are determined for Israel. God has made known what is going to happen and what is happening. 1/3 of the Bible is prophecy and the events we are witnessing today in the world are clearly following the outline that God has given. The reason God has made these things known is so that people will believe.

From what we see written in both the Old and New Testaments, we know the time of the 70th week is near. So what are we to do? 

Jesus told us what we are to be doing. He said:

Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV) 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, [even] to the end of the age.” Amen.

Jesus tells us to teach others to follow Him until the end of the age.

Prophecy shows us that the Word of God is certain. History has happened just as God foretold. And the future will unfold just as God has said it will. Our knowledge of what is happening does two things for us. It gives us confidence because we understand what God is doing. And second, our understanding helps us to give witness to God’s working in the world. As the day draws closer, we see more of what God has promised happening, and we gain confidence and power in our witness. If we, like Daniel, care about our people, the most important thing we can do is to help them understand that God is at work in our world. 

Skill to Understand

Daniel 9:20-23 (NKJV) 20 Now while I [was] speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God, 21 yes, while I [was] speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. 22 And he informed [me,] and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. 23 “At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell [you,] for you [are] greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision:

Consider verse 23. Verse 23 says, “You are greatly beloved!”

In the first nineteen verses, Daniel repents and confesses his sins and the sins of his people, Israel. It is essential to note that God loves us even when we sin. Just as crucial is the truth that sin has consequences, even though God loves us. God does not zap us with lightning, but in a metaphorical sense, our sin does!

Consider also verse 23 when it says, “At the beginning of your supplications the command went out.” Daniel prayed for a while. We do not know how long, but in Daniel 9:3, Daniel says:

Daniel 9:3 (NKJV) Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

Fasting, sackcloth, and ashes suggest a time extending at least a few days. What could have delayed the answer? Is God somehow limited? No, God is not limited. He entrusted the message to His messenger, Gabriel, and we know from this verse and Daniel 10:13 that Gabriel can be delayed.

God grants understanding through His Holy Spirit, and His written word, the Bible, imparts many truths. However, there are times when we need support from others to help us connect these truths. The Bible tells us that God has provided pastors and teachers for the Church. Teaching is a crucial part of our learning and spiritual growth. This is just one of several reasons why attending church is essential for Christians.

During Daniel's time, no one was available to teach him, and no one alive understood what was being revealed to him. Therefore, God sent Gabriel to explain these things to Daniel. 

Consider verse 22. Daniel says:

Daniel 9:22 (NKJV) And he informed [me,] and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand.

In verse 22, Daniel states, “And he informed me and talked with me.” The details of what Gabriel taught Daniel are revealed in the remainder of Daniel 9. The fact that Gabriel and Daniel “talked” indicates that Gabriel took some time to instruct Daniel. They talked!

God revealed a vision to Daniel, but did not explain it Himself. Despite Daniel being greatly loved, God sent Gabriel to provide the explanation. This approach is generally followed, with a few exceptions. To understand this principle, we can look at an incident in Moses's life while he was leading the Israelites in the wilderness, which is recorded in Numbers 12.

Numbers 12:1-8 (NKJV) 1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2 So they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” And the LORD heard [it.] 3 (Now the man Moses [was] very humble, more than all men who [were] on the face of the earth.) 4 Suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!” So the three came out. 5 Then the LORD came down in the pillar of cloud and stood [in] the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went forward. 6 Then He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, [I], the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. 7 Not so with My servant Moses; He [is] faithful in all My house. 8 I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?”

In verse 6, God says, “If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream.” This is how God made Himself known to Daniel — in a vision.

In verses 7 and 8, God says, “Not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings; and he sees the form of the LORD.” 

While Moses was on the mountain of the LORD for 40 days and nights, God taught and explained various things to him. They talked! When Moses came down from the mountain, his face shone so brightly that people could not look at him. I am not aware of any Scriptures that mention this happening to anyone else, unless one wants to point out that Jesus’s glory was revealed during the Mount of Transfiguration.

Moses remains a significant figure, and we still have his writings. Jesus is Lord, and He has provided us with the written word, the Holy Spirit, and pastors and teachers. Therefore, it is unlikely that He will send Gabriel again in our day. The last mention of Gabriel speaking to anyone in the Bible is when he tells Mary that she will give birth to the Son of God.

Not all pastors and teachers are reliable, honest, or devoted to the Lord. Therefore, it is essential to compare their teachings with what the Bible says. Faithfulness to doctrine is the reason churches have doctrinal statements.

It’s essential that everything I teach aligns with the Scriptures. Any doctrine that deviates from the Bible should be dismissed, regardless of who presents it—be it me or anyone else. I urge you to exercise caution with quick, one-verse interpretations; true biblical truths are woven throughout multiple passages and must harmonize with the entirety of Scripture.

The truth that Gabriel teaches Daniel is a theme found throughout the entire Bible. Without understanding the meaning of this vision, we cannot grasp what God is doing in the world and why events are unfolding as they are today. The insights Gabriel imparts to Daniel are available to all of us because Daniel wrote them down.

If you desire understanding, 1) ask God for understanding and trust that His Holy Spirit will guide you; 2) search the Scriptures; and 3) ask a teacher you trust to help you.

I urge you to do all three.