Worship. That's the answer to offenses, whether it is to overcome them or even the offense of it itself leading to worship unto Elohim. Though Moses and Jonah failed in that regard because they simply took on the offense without any reconciliation, David and Job overcame that particular trial. David when he was denied the privilege to build the house for Yahweh to dwell in did not take up offense at it but rather instead chose to dwell on the goodness that Yahweh had accomplished in his life and his family's. In every right He was denied the thing that he desired most however he was a man of worship. He did what he had been taught and lived out, he worshipped his Elohim and that in turn gave him gladness of heart over angst of soul.
[2Sa 7:17-18] According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. Then went king David in, and sat before יהוה, and he said, Who am I, O Sovereign יהוה? and what is my house, that Thou hast brought me hitherto?
[2Sa 7:25] And now, O יהוה Elohim, the word that Thou hast spoken concerning Thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as Thou hast said.
It is said that in order to overcome offenses one needs to humble himself because in the end, offense deals with the pride of life. We only get offended because we don't like what the other party has to say about us, our doings, our character. Even if it is for our own good and edification in the end, the majority of situations leaves us offended at many things. One of the ways to overcome offense and even to cultivate not taking offense is to build a life around worship. David was a man of worship, Job as well. He worshipped regularly and continually.
[Job 1:5] And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed Elohim in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
In the end when the time came for his fiery trial, he stood fast and held onto his integrity. Considering all that Job went through it is not a long shot to call his ordeal the most intense of them all besides what Yeshua went through. Noah waited patiently amidst mocking for 100 years, Abraham waited 25 years for his promised son Isaac. If we were to compare the length of the time patiently endured surely they would be much more appropriate. However they had family and friends to support them in their times of need. They had a community in which they could encourage and build each other up. However Job lost all of it and all that was left was just his wife who told him to curse Elohim and then die. But in the end, when there was nothing left he still had his Redeemer and thus he worshipped because he realised that there is no other option left but to worship Yahweh. He had every right to be offended at everything and everyone but he chose the better part, the part of worshipping Yahweh.
[Job 1:20] Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
[Job 19:25-26] For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see Elohim:
Worship is beautiful, praise is beautiful. The many who composed together the book of Psalms said thus. Because worship is a form of humbling oneself. When we turn our eyes away from our troubles and offenses brewing and instead bring ourselves before Yeshua Messiah and worship Him it is an act of humility. When we stop looking at our problems and a way out and just look unto Yeshua, the Author and Perfector of our faith. I have seen so many times where even I have tried to rectify situations only to have them spiral out of control even more so. However when I stopped and worshipped Yahweh, believing in Him to be my Redeemer and Deliverer then it is then when things begin to change. Thus it leads up to Romans 12:
[Rom 12:1-2] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of יהוה, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto יהוה, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of יהוה.
We are called not just to be set apart unto Elohim but even to be living sacrifices of worship and praise unto Him as well. When one speaks of sacrifice one must certainly refers to the Old Testaments art of sacrifice. To them sacrifice is worship unto Yahweh. And that is exactly what we are called to be. To be offered up unto Him as a living sacrifice, as though burnt up but alive unto Him through Yeshua Messiah. In the book of Leviticus, the burnt offerings speaks, at least to me; about the attitude that Yahweh desires from His people when we come to worship Him.
Firstly, the offering that the children of Israel brought is first of a willing heart. That is the sort of heart He requires of us even now. We ought not to come to Him to worship because we 'need' to but because we want and desire to. There is a difference with being forced to worship when you don't want to and finding pleasure in worshipping despite inconveniences. The entire flow changes just because of that. The offering is also of the finest quality, without spot or blemish or stripes. The same is with us, when we come to Yahweh to worship it must be the best simply because He is worthy of the best of all. All the best belongs to Him and then the rest to us.
Secondly, the burnt offering is offered entirely unto Yahweh alone. When the offerings are being sacrificed, a portion is always kept back for the priests and Levites. However only the burnt offering is entirely given unto Yahweh as a sweet aroma unto Him. What more us even now, how long have we withheld ourselves from completely worshipping Yeshua in spirit and in truth? Have we kept back a portion of ourselves in offering it to Yahweh?
There are actually many more things that I have yet to glean and to learn, however I am still lacking in many regards. That is not to say that I know what I say everytime but in the end what keeps me going is the sure mercies of Elohim in my life. Surely without Him I would have been confounded, offended, and cast off by now. Praise Yahweh.
-Sunday, 12th March 2017, 1 year 6 months 5 days, 1835
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