Dear friends, I know I haven't posted anything in over eight months. Many of you know that I had a stroke almost three years ago, and I have struggled since then. I have been able to maintain our Sermon Audio work continually, plus an occasional writing at twitter, and a few emails. But now if God will help me I want to reopen my blogs and do a periodic entry. I am 73 years old now and do not know how much longer God is giving me to live, so I at least want to try to contribute the rest of my days. Today I contribute something I found at Facebook which I hope is a blessing. Please pray for me.
Thanks, Charles

STRANGE FIRE

          
“And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD” (Leviticus 10:1,2).

Aaron was God’s first appointed high priest. He had four sons, who were also priests. All five of them, as well as other Levites who were appointed certain duties in the tabernacle, had just received detailed instruction from the Lord through Moses on exactly what was required in the sacrificial offerings. Two of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, chose to do things their own way. Either they were not paying attention, or wanted to cut some corners. Either way, they blew it -- big time! So God slew them right on the spot.

As part of their training they had been told “And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings. The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out” (Leviticus 6:12,13).  This was the fire that the Lord  Himself started. They understood that no new or unauthorized fire was to be started by man for any sacrifice at the altar. That is why it is called strange fire.

It also seems from the text that they wanted glory for themselves, for they were taking up Aaron’s duty. He was in charge of the sacrifices, and only when he designated them could Nadab and Abihu participate. They both put fire in their own censers, and came presumptuously to offer before Jehovah. Evidently they wanted to “be somebody”. This is under the Old Testament economy of law, yet similarly we see this today in the churches. There are those with a Diotrephes spirit (see 3 John 1:9), who want to be somebody at all costs, whether it is God’s way or not. This is not the religion of Jesus -- it is the religion of Jesse. Jesse Jackson used to pump people up by getting them to say  “I am somebody.” Actually, we are all nobodies, and only God can make somebody out of us.

As for me, I do not want to proclaim, declare, or exalt myself, but only Christ. Sadly, there are many in the ministry who are in effect saying “Look at me, look what I have done”. This is like the spirit of Nadab and Abihu. We need to say “Look at Christ, look what He has done. Scripture says it this way “Look unto me, and be ye saved all the ends of the earth; for I am God and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:22). This is the verse that God used to grip the heart of 15 year old Charles Haddon Spurgeon and save him. He became one of the spiritual giants of the New Testament church. He being dead yet speaks today! Actually I do not want to listen to, read after, or otherwise attend any preacher that exalts himself. Give me Christ! Exalt Him! Don’t exalt your creed, your denomination or statement of faith, good as they may be. Exalt the Savior!

Beloved, God will not truly bless anything He did not originate. I realize there are great differences in the OT and NT. The old was types and shadows largely, but was foundational. Included in it were the civil laws of the nation of Israel. Violations such as picking up sticks on the Sabbath, or cursing one’s father or mother, brought swift and sure judgment. “And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death” (Exodus 21:17).

They didn’t have to wait for the Great White Throne; it was on the spot! The OT is the NT typified, the New is the Old  realized. Yet God always establishes an exact pattern. (see Hebrews 9:23). Even the “fire” of Calvary was lit by God. Evil men put Christ to death, but it was in the divine purpose of Jehovah “It pleased the Lord to bruise Him” (Isaiah 53:10). “But He was wounded for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5). It was “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain” (Acts 2:23).

Men today don’t want the fire, the blood, the “slaughterhouse religion”, as they call it. They want a nice, tidy, easy believism gospel.  A gospel of man’s making, i.e., strange fire. In most churches the old paths are gone. Long ago they took the blood out of most of the hymnbooks. But you better leave it in there, for “Without the shedding of blood is no remission of sin” (Hebrews 9:22). The only sacrifice God will accept is the one He ordained. It was “not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4), yet Christ’s once for all offering did this for all believers. "He is the way, the truth and the life" (see John 14:6).
Just as great fear came upon the NT church when Ananias and Sapphira were slain by the Holy Ghost, so fear came on Aaron’s other two sons, Eleazar and Ithamar. After their brothers died, at first they feared to even eat the sin offering, which was their right and duty.(see Leviticus 10:16-20). In a later OT example Uzziah the king didn’t want to go God’s way either, but usurped the office of the priesthood in much the same way as Nadab and Abihu, and Uzziah was made a leper until his death. (see 2 Chronicles 26:16-21). “Thus those who hate to be refined by the fire of divine grace, will undoubtedly be ruined by the fire of divine wrath” (Matthew Henry).
There is a warning given those who presume to take communion unworthily. (see 1 Corinthians 11:27). Yet, none of us are  worthy, except in Christ. “A humble communicant who comes ‘not in his own righteousness, but in the Lord’s mercy’ needn’t be discouraged; for He (God), knows how to distinguish between presumptuous rashness or contemptuous disobedience” (Thomas Scott). Do remember, brethren, there is such a thing as a healthy fear of God, for “Our God is a consuming fire”


Published by Charles Woodruff- email: oursong2000@yahoo.com

ICHABOD

Dear friends,

Likely you have noticed that I have published nothing so far in 2015. Hopefully tonight that has changed. I am sending a slightly revised version of my message on Ichabod. I should tell you that the major reason I haven't published is problems I had with my printer and computer. It seems okay now so hopefully I can publish again, at least every two weeks. Please pray for me. Our Sermon Audio ministry is continually growing, for which I thank God. We have a good number of listeners around the world. Pray that Sermon Audio and the Word of Truth ministry will grow. So many in this world need Christ. I also still have the blogs, though have not done so much with them in some time. Pray about that also please. I try to remember to pray for all of you regularly.

May God bless you.  Charles

ICHABOD
“And she named the child Ichabod, saying, the glory is departed from Israel: because the ark
of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. And she said, The glory
is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken" (1 Samuel 4:21, 22).
Most people of my generation have heard the name Ichabod from Washington Irving’s famous
short story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The story was set in upstate New York in the 1790’s.
In the story a schoolmaster named Ichabod Crane was pursued by a phantom called the Headless
Horseman. Washington Irving was one of the first American writers to gain acclaim in Europe.
He also wrote the short story Rip Van Winkle. These were two of my favorite childhood stories.
Ichabod is a Bible name found in our text above. According to Strong’s Concordance it is
Hebrew for “there is no glory”. In reading the entire account, we see the corruption of the
Aaronic priesthood, especially of the high priest Eli’s evil sons, Phinehas and Hophni. Also we
read about the death of Eli. Eli himself was a faithful priest, except in his weakness of ruling his
corrupt sons. Eli was the high priest, so he not only had authority as their father, but as their
priest. Yet Eli failed to reign them in. He attempted to correct them when they were committing
evil acts, which included having sex with women that came to the tabernacle (See 1 Samuel
2:22). Eli’s corrections were only ignored words, since he did not use his authority to remove his
sons from the priesthood as he should have done.
 

God sent a prophet to rebuke Eli and warn him of coming judgment (1 Samuel 2:27-36). This
man of God told Eli that there would be a sign to him -- that both of his sons, Phinehas and
Hophni, would die on the same day. This is exactly what happened! The Philistines overran the
Israelites, and the ark was taken by the Philistines, and truly the glory of the Lord was departed
from Israel, which meant that God’s presence was removed from them for a time of judgment.
As all this was happening, Phinehas’ wife was giving birth to the son who was to be named
Ichabod, and she died giving birth to him. This was an ominous warning to Israel of much worse
things to come. Earlier Jehovah had spoken to the very young prophet, Samuel that this judgment
was coming “And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both
the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all
things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. For
I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because
his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto
the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering
for ever” (1 Samuel 3:11-14).
 

This Old Testament example has application to us in the New Testament church. Throughout the
NT, especially in the epistles, we are warned of forsaking the “Faith once delivered unto the
saints” (Jude 3). The little book of Jude warns of apostasy (falling away from the faith), and its
consequences. Just as departing from the true way brought judgment on Eli, his sons and the
nation of Israel, it brings judgment on the NT church as well. In our day there are many
“ministers” of a false gospel leading people away from the true faith. They are not following the
admonitions of the Lord given by Christ and the apostles to “walk in the Spirit”. Revivalists used to speak of Ichabod being written “over the doorposts” of many churches. In our day here in
North America, Ichabod would have to be written on the doorposts of most churches, for the
glory has departed along with the true gospel. God is not going to bless deviation from His
explicit instructions and commands, rather He curses it! God says through Paul‘s inspired words
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto
another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert
the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto
you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him
be accursed”(Galatians 1:6-9). 

 

It is not modern methods of preaching such as the internet,television, satellite radio, mail outs, etc. that God opposes. What God opposes is changing the gospel message! Perhaps never before in American history have we had so many who claim to be preaching the gospel, but are not really preaching the true, uncompromised, message.
 

The pressure to accept any religion as true as long as it has faithful followers is evident as never
before. It is not ecumenism that is the major thrust now, but acceptance and working in harmony
with all religions. But Christians cannot be in harmony with idolatry! The Bible, God’s inspired
word, tells us clearly that there is only one savior and one true religion! This makes some
people angry, but it is the truth! Jesus did not say He was one of several ways, but He said “I
am the way, the truth and the life: No man cometh unto the father but by me” (John 14:6).
 

With this in view, why does Southern Baptist pastor Rick Warren, who is perhaps the most
influential pastor in the world, advocate that all the various religions of the world (whom he calls
“people of faith”), work together with governments of the world to support health care, and other
needs? Warren said this at Bill Clinton’s Global Initiative meeting in New York on September
26, 2008. These “people of faith” Rick Warren speaks of are Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus,
Shinto’s, etc. He regards all religious people as people of faith. But faith in what? Warren
deviates dangerously from God’s word. I am not making this up! 

 

I have no doubt that those pastors and churches who follow Rick Warren’s philosophy have
become Ichabod, for truly the glory of the true God, our Jehovah-Jesus, has departed from them.
We are so weak in our human nature that we are often distracted. Were it not for God’s grace we
would be destroyed. The mercy of God is so overwhelming that we must praise Him often. The
simplest thing I can tell you is to keep looking to Jesus. He does love us more than we could
know. When you get knocked down, get back up, dust yourself off and start all over again. God
is faithful. Don’t you see it is his will, not ours, that keeps us and picks us up when we fall?
Please keep looking unto Jesus. Next time I may resubmit the excellent article titled Looking
Unto Jesus by Theodore Monod. It speaks such a great power when read with an open heart

Published by Charles Woodruff- email: oursong2000@yahoo.com
Snail mail: 90 Raymond Ray Street, Newnan, GA 30265-1611