Author of Salvation

Dear Brethren,

We are just over a month away from the beginning of the fall Holy Days.  The Feast of Trumpets is on Thursday, September 29, 2011.  The Feast of Atonement is on a weekly Sabbath this year – Saturday, October 8th.  The Feast of Tabernacles begins on Thursday, October 13th, and ends October 20th – the Last Great Day.   There will be opening night services on October 12th at 7:30 pm.

Cranking up the Heat:  So many of our leaders are working hard to turn us into a non-Christian nation.  We in God's Church have long understood how God will send tribulation on a rebellious and disobedient people.  The secularists will call it a coincidence – but it is actually a little love note to those who reject God.  Just as an attention getter, an historic earthquake shook Washington DC and New York City this week, closing the Capitol Building and leaving cracks in the Washington Monument.  New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, tiring of the superstitions and nonsense of a Creator God, has banned religion at the 10 year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  Eliminating the spiritual element, current plans call for the 9/11 ceremony to exclude prayers and references to God.  Hurricane Irene, an "act of God," is scheduled to arrive in New York City – the nation's most populated city late tonight or early Sunday morning – bringing 95% of the city's traffic to a halt.

Author of Salvation

Brethren, what are we to understand when we read that Jesus Christ is the author of our salvation?  "Being made perfect, [Jesus Christ] became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him."  (Hebrews 5:9)  King David was a man subject to like passions as we are – pride, lust, power and vanity.  How was David converted and changed to be a man after God's own heart?  God is the master engineer – the author of our salvation.  Let's look at how God used Uriah the Hittite, one of King David's 37 valiant mighty men, to help bring David to repentance and salvation.  Uriah was a member of David's Special Forces team made up of skillful men, strong in character and loyalty.  Uriah was a trained member of the king's brave Honor Guard.  "These are the names of the mighty men whom David had... Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all."  (2 Samuel 23:8, 39)

Uriah fell in love and married the girl of his dreams, the very beautiful daughter of Eliam, another of the king's mighty men.  Bathsheba and Uriah made their home in downtown Jerusalem.  Uriah was a good man, dedicated to his young wife, and to his king and country. (2 Samuel 11:3)

With seemingly everything going well for him, the life of Uriah was about to take a tragic turn.  While Uriah was out of town on military duty, his wife and his king betrayed his faithfulness and loyalty.

"It came to pass in an evening tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.  And David sent and inquired after the woman..., Bath-Sheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.  And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her." (2 Samuel 11:2-4)

Unaware of the illicit sexual affair between David and Bathsheba, Uriah remained loyal to his king and country.  When David conspired to deceive Uriah into believing that Bathsheba's illegitimate child was naturally his, Uriah responded to David, "The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing [go unto my wife]." (2 Samuel 11:11)

Uriah is among the select few Biblical personalities who are a type of Christ.  He will not find out that he is a type of Christ until he is restored to life at the end of the millennium.  That is when he will learn that he was betrayed by everyone close to him.  That is when he will know that his marriage covenant was broken, and that his wife married the adulterous king.  That is when he will find out that he was murdered.  Uriah was sacrificed for the sins of others. "The shooters shot from off the wall upon...the king's servants..., and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also." (2 Samuel 11:24)

Like Jesus Christ, Uriah was betrayed by those closest to him.  Like an innocent lamb – he was led to the slaughter.  He was obedient unto death.  He was cut-off in the prime of life.  His wife was unfaithful.  And, as we shall see – Uriah was used mightily by God.

Thankfully, Uriah never felt the pain of betrayal during his lifetime.  Bathsheba will be in the same resurrection as Uriah.  What will Uriah think as he regains his life?  Uriah will feel the pain of betrayal of his wife and his king.  Perhaps, he will reason that his God also betrayed him.  Can we imagine Uriah's rage?  Everything Uriah held sacred was defiled.  Will he want to kill Bathsheba for her adultery?  There is no worse pain than betrayal by those you love the most.

For Uriah, the worst hurt is yet ahead of him in the resurrection.  His greatest trial is yet to come.  Uriah's dilemma will just be starting as he learns of the history that has transpired during the four thousand years he has been dead.  David not only took his wife, he also ruled as a great king for many years.  While Uriah was suffering the shame of corruption in the grave, Bathsheba was, incredibly, in the lineage of Jesus Christ.  "...David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Uriah. " (Matthew 1:6) "Saying, What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David." (Matthew 22:42)

While Uriah "slept in the grave" throughout the one thousand years of the millennium, King David will have reigned over the twelve great nations of Israel. "David my servant shall be king over them... And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant..., and my servant David shall be their prince forever."   (Ezekiel 37:24-25)

Where is the fairness?  King David will be resurrected immortal, made king over the twelve apostles at the return of Christ - while Uriah was robbed of his life, wife, family, love and future.  "They shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them." (Jeremiah 30:9)

Where is the justice for Uriah?  Where is the righteousness in the system?  How can this terrible situation be rectified?  Unfaithful David and Bathsheba will have tens of thousands of offspring – while faithful Uriah remains childless.   David, as a glorified Spiritual Son of God, will be in the first resurrection and enjoy one thousand Passovers with Jesus.  "For I [Jesus] say unto you, I will not any more eat [the Passover] thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God." (Luke 22:16)

How will Uriah be able to forgive?  Forgiveness is not possible under these circumstances because forgiveness is not a human attribute.  Only with the outpouring of God's Spirit will Uriah be able to understand his great contribution to the Plan of God.  Uriah will come to see very quickly that God has already dealt with David.   David has been humbled and suffered much – justice has been served.  Jesus Christ will show Uriah the penalties that came upon David for his sin.  With God's help, Uriah will see and be fully convinced of David's whole-hearted repentance.  Best of all, Uriah will see how he was used mightily by God to play a pivotal role in David's conversion.  Before his repentance, David was useless to God.  In His mercy, God needed to chastise and humble David, so that David could become a man after God's own heart.  Uriah made this possible.   Uriah was the instrument of David's fall - that God might redeem him.  As a result, David's heart and life were turned around, and he became exceedingly useful to God.

God, in His infinite wisdom, allowed Uriah to be "used up" for this majestic purpose – but in God's infinite mercy, not forever used up.   Through God's miraculous intervention, Uriah will be able to see God's spiritual plan from a magnanimous perspective – and then he will be able to completely forgive all offences.  Uriah's reward will be exceptionally great because he was used to bring about King David's repentance, and ultimately - David's salvation.  "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." (1 Peter 4:13)

Let's ask God to help us understand that as the, Author of Salvation, He is working out His vast plan in ways that we cannot yet fathom, so that we might have the faith to be able to forgive.

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Sermon:

"Author of Salvation"