Post by Zac Loh on May 8, 2009 2:55:46 GMT -5
Four Riverheads
Genesis 2:10-14
Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. (Genesis 2:10; underline mine)
1. The Ministry Of Pastor-Teacher
The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there. (Genesis 2:11-12; underline mine)
Pishon : “increase”
Root meaning : to spring about, to frisk (leap or skip playfully), act proudly (figuratively), to be scattered, be spread
Havilah : “circle”
Root meaning : probable meaning: to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained
Gold : very easy to be shaped, that’s why it is popular for the making of jewelry
Bdellium : a gum resin: probable meaning: “to divide, separate, sever, set apart, to make a distinction or difference” because it is obtained by the process of extraction (take out).
Onyx Stone : stones were used in Bible times as a memorial, monument/symbol of remembrance (Exodus 28:9-12; Joshua 4:5-7)
When we are born again, our life is still very much twisting in fear, anguish and pain. The ministry of pastor-teacher is to lift us above our condition, circumstance and situation by nurturing us and teaching us. This is so that we will spring about in the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is our strength. So that our face can be lifted up in the midst of a twisting world (we can have the dignity of Christ).
God wants to “increase” us, to elevate our life, so that we can be used of God to touch and reach other people, so that our good testimony will spread far and wide.
God will shape our life through the nurturing and teaching of a pastor-teacher.
And we will be set apart from the world, distinctly different from the world.
We are extracted from the spirit and system of this world. God wants to make our life memorable, so that others will remember us, thus, giving glory to God.
2. The Ministry Of Evangelist
The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush. (Genesis 2:13; underline mine)
Gihon : “bursting forth”
Root meaning : to burst forth, to draw forth, to bring forth, to break forth - "water break" when baby is due
Cush : “dark”
“Bursting forth”, to me, depicts the born again experience because it is coming out of the womb, the bursting forth of a new life. Cush, which is defined as “dark” speaks to us of the spiritual darkness of this world.
The ministry of evangelist is the `burst forth’ experience (born again experience), it is to `draw forth’ people out of the spiritual darkness of this world, to `bring forth’ people into the kingdom of God, and to `break forth’ people out of the hold of spiritual forces of this world that held them back.
3. The Ministry Of Apostle-Prophet
The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. (Genesis 2:14a; underline mine)
Hiddekel : “rapid”
Assyria : “a step”
Root meaning : apparently used in the sense of “successful” with its primitive root meaning: to go straight, walk, go on, advance, make progress, to lead on (causative), to set right, to be made happy, be blessed.
The ministry of the apostle-prophet accelerates the advancement of the kingdom of God. As you remember, the ox symbolized the ministry of apostle-prophet signifying that the ministry of apostle-prophet is the most productive for the growth and success of the kingdom of God.
The ministry of apostle-prophet is the forefront leadership of the kingdom of God leading the church into “rapid” progression.
The church will be made happy and be blessed, in a true way, with an eternal perspective; because of the ministry of apostle-prophet.
4. The Ministry Of Prophet
The fourth river is the Euphrates. (Genesis 2:14b; underline mine)
Euphrates : “fruitfulness”
Root meaning : from an unused root meaning “to break forth”
One of the main reasons/causes of unfruitfulness is the problem areas of our life, the hidden weaknesses within us. As depicted in the sharp eye of an eagle, the prophet is able to pinpoint areas that is holding us back from “fruitfulness” so that we can have a breakthrough i.e. “to break forth” in fruitfulness.
The Revival In Our Hearts
God uses organizations. They are His tools. Yet it is terrible that we lose the revival in our hearts because we have looked upon the organization as the answer at the expense of owing it to God.
Instead of praising God who did the marvelous works, we overly enthused ourselves with trying to figure-out how the organization works.
One of the main factors which caused the revival in our hearts to die-off; is the worship of structure, and even the worship of the church itself!
Let me ask …which is more important …God of the church …or the church of God? While God exists without the church, the church cannot exist without God. The deception is that we could carry-on church activities based entirely on a well-proven system …void of God.
How have we worshiped the creation in place of the Creator? It is when we put our trust in organization at the expense of faith in our God Who moves on our behalf. It is when we have allowed our focus to be on the set-up and people involved in our ministry or church - to the point of losing God’s presence.
Let us keep the spiritual revival in our hearts going. This revival can be easily lost because we are prone to shift our attention from God.
Four Furniture Of The Tabernacle
Exodus 35:11-19
You notice that only 4 Furniture have poles.
You will notice as we move along, that there were:
4 Rings (for the poles) at each of the said 4 furniture: the 4-fold ministries - power of hinges, break down the door by hitting the hinges, the 4-fold ministries are crucial to hold things together
4 Corners: the 4 furniture have 4 corners - the 4-fold ministries for universality (4 corners of the earth) - the reach of the 4-fold ministry is global via books, dvd, internet etc.
4 Legs: the 4-fold ministries play the role of supporting the body of Christ
4 Horns: blowing with mouth - the 4-fold ministries are a speaking ministry
4 Human Bearers (or multiple 4s because no mention of the length of poles): The 4-Fold Ministries working together in unison in order to transport the furniture – the 4-fold ministers must work together (four people, or multiple fours, carrying the furniture by poles on their shoulders, don’t you think they have to work together?)
Next session, we will study each of the 4 furniture: from The Ark Of The Testimony to The Table Of Incense to The Table Of Showbread to The Altar Of Burnt Offering.
Genesis 2:10-14
Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. (Genesis 2:10; underline mine)
1. The Ministry Of Pastor-Teacher
The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there. (Genesis 2:11-12; underline mine)
Pishon : “increase”
Root meaning : to spring about, to frisk (leap or skip playfully), act proudly (figuratively), to be scattered, be spread
Havilah : “circle”
Root meaning : probable meaning: to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained
Gold : very easy to be shaped, that’s why it is popular for the making of jewelry
Bdellium : a gum resin: probable meaning: “to divide, separate, sever, set apart, to make a distinction or difference” because it is obtained by the process of extraction (take out).
Onyx Stone : stones were used in Bible times as a memorial, monument/symbol of remembrance (Exodus 28:9-12; Joshua 4:5-7)
When we are born again, our life is still very much twisting in fear, anguish and pain. The ministry of pastor-teacher is to lift us above our condition, circumstance and situation by nurturing us and teaching us. This is so that we will spring about in the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is our strength. So that our face can be lifted up in the midst of a twisting world (we can have the dignity of Christ).
God wants to “increase” us, to elevate our life, so that we can be used of God to touch and reach other people, so that our good testimony will spread far and wide.
God will shape our life through the nurturing and teaching of a pastor-teacher.
And we will be set apart from the world, distinctly different from the world.
We are extracted from the spirit and system of this world. God wants to make our life memorable, so that others will remember us, thus, giving glory to God.
2. The Ministry Of Evangelist
The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush. (Genesis 2:13; underline mine)
Gihon : “bursting forth”
Root meaning : to burst forth, to draw forth, to bring forth, to break forth - "water break" when baby is due
Cush : “dark”
“Bursting forth”, to me, depicts the born again experience because it is coming out of the womb, the bursting forth of a new life. Cush, which is defined as “dark” speaks to us of the spiritual darkness of this world.
The ministry of evangelist is the `burst forth’ experience (born again experience), it is to `draw forth’ people out of the spiritual darkness of this world, to `bring forth’ people into the kingdom of God, and to `break forth’ people out of the hold of spiritual forces of this world that held them back.
3. The Ministry Of Apostle-Prophet
The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. (Genesis 2:14a; underline mine)
Hiddekel : “rapid”
Assyria : “a step”
Root meaning : apparently used in the sense of “successful” with its primitive root meaning: to go straight, walk, go on, advance, make progress, to lead on (causative), to set right, to be made happy, be blessed.
The ministry of the apostle-prophet accelerates the advancement of the kingdom of God. As you remember, the ox symbolized the ministry of apostle-prophet signifying that the ministry of apostle-prophet is the most productive for the growth and success of the kingdom of God.
The ministry of apostle-prophet is the forefront leadership of the kingdom of God leading the church into “rapid” progression.
The church will be made happy and be blessed, in a true way, with an eternal perspective; because of the ministry of apostle-prophet.
4. The Ministry Of Prophet
The fourth river is the Euphrates. (Genesis 2:14b; underline mine)
Euphrates : “fruitfulness”
Root meaning : from an unused root meaning “to break forth”
One of the main reasons/causes of unfruitfulness is the problem areas of our life, the hidden weaknesses within us. As depicted in the sharp eye of an eagle, the prophet is able to pinpoint areas that is holding us back from “fruitfulness” so that we can have a breakthrough i.e. “to break forth” in fruitfulness.
The Revival In Our Hearts
God uses organizations. They are His tools. Yet it is terrible that we lose the revival in our hearts because we have looked upon the organization as the answer at the expense of owing it to God.
Instead of praising God who did the marvelous works, we overly enthused ourselves with trying to figure-out how the organization works.
One of the main factors which caused the revival in our hearts to die-off; is the worship of structure, and even the worship of the church itself!
Let me ask …which is more important …God of the church …or the church of God? While God exists without the church, the church cannot exist without God. The deception is that we could carry-on church activities based entirely on a well-proven system …void of God.
How have we worshiped the creation in place of the Creator? It is when we put our trust in organization at the expense of faith in our God Who moves on our behalf. It is when we have allowed our focus to be on the set-up and people involved in our ministry or church - to the point of losing God’s presence.
Let us keep the spiritual revival in our hearts going. This revival can be easily lost because we are prone to shift our attention from God.
Four Furniture Of The Tabernacle
Exodus 35:11-19
You notice that only 4 Furniture have poles.
You will notice as we move along, that there were:
4 Rings (for the poles) at each of the said 4 furniture: the 4-fold ministries - power of hinges, break down the door by hitting the hinges, the 4-fold ministries are crucial to hold things together
4 Corners: the 4 furniture have 4 corners - the 4-fold ministries for universality (4 corners of the earth) - the reach of the 4-fold ministry is global via books, dvd, internet etc.
4 Legs: the 4-fold ministries play the role of supporting the body of Christ
4 Horns: blowing with mouth - the 4-fold ministries are a speaking ministry
4 Human Bearers (or multiple 4s because no mention of the length of poles): The 4-Fold Ministries working together in unison in order to transport the furniture – the 4-fold ministers must work together (four people, or multiple fours, carrying the furniture by poles on their shoulders, don’t you think they have to work together?)
Next session, we will study each of the 4 furniture: from The Ark Of The Testimony to The Table Of Incense to The Table Of Showbread to The Altar Of Burnt Offering.