WHAT IS THIS BIBLICAL EXPERIENCE REALLY ABOUT?
A BIBLE/WORD STUDY
Pastor Jim Sanderbeck, May 2024
Luk 19:1 He [Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through. :2 And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. :3 Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. :4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. :5 When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” :6 And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly. :7 When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” :8 Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” (NASB)
:9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. :10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save THAT which was lost.” (NASB & KJV)
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Amp. Bible |
TPT Bible |
MSG Bible |
| Luk 19:9 And Jesus said to him, Today is [Messianic and spiritual] salvation come to [all the members of] this household, since Zacchaeus too is a [real spiritual] son of Abraham;
Luk 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost. |
Luk 19:9 (9-10) Jesus said to him, “This shows that today life has come to you and your household, for you are a true son of Abraham. The Son of Man has come to seek out and to give life to those who are lost.”
(Those or That?) |
Luk 19:9 Jesus said, “Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of Abraham!
Luk 19:10 For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost.” (People only?) |
This is why we must be careful in Biblical translation. (See NASB, KJV, AMP, TPT, MSG BIBLES) Amplified concurs with authenticity of the KJV & NASB. TPT & MSG translations could be insufficient in the accuracy of the translation.
All italics by JAS
SALVATION (Strong’s G4991) Soteria—rescue or safety (physically or morally); deliver, health, salvation, save, saving
HOUSE (Strong’s G3624) Oikos—of certain affinity, a dwelling (literally or figuratively), by implication a family, home, household, temple.
SEEK (Strong’s G2212) Zeteo—seek (literally or figuratively) specifically to worship God (or in a bad sense) to plot against life. Go about, desire, endeavor, enquire (for), require, ? will seek (after, for, means)
SAVE (Strong’s G4982) Sozo—to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively), heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.
So, What was the “THAT” which was lost?
Read Gen. 1:25-30, 2:7-9; & Gen. 3 especially vs 17-24 to get the foundational understanding of what the “that” was that was lost.
Gen 1:25 God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good. 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” :27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. :28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” :29 Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; :30 and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so.
Gen 2:7 Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. :8 The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. :9 Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Gen 3:17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. :18 “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field; :19 By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.” :20 Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. :21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. :22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— :23 therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. :24 So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life. (NASB)
When God regularly met with Adam (& Eve), it was in a perfect garden that supplied for every need, (Eden) and in a perfect face-to-face family relationship. Everything man needed for life, rule and stewarding was made available to him. This provisionary and face-to-face relationship was meant for life for all time. However, disobedience through deception (willful sin) brought about in the natural earth an unrepairable separation between man and God. Man’s security and significance was lost. Fear (they hid themselves) became their motivating factor. Faith was exchanged for fear. Instead of a complete dependence upon God for every need through the tree of life, man chose self-dependance through the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Man was put out of the garden for he was alienated from God. (Gen. 2:16-17) The face-to-face relationship with God was lost. All that was purposed for man was lost and cut off because of sin and man no longer could gain entry to the garden (Eden). Most importantly, that which was lost was man’s relationship with God, his significance (authority & special position) and his security.
Genesis 12:1-3; 14:17-24; & Chapt. 15:5-6; 17-1-6. Covenant relationship was provided as a way to re-connect with God.
Gen 12:1 Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; :2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; :3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (NASB)
Gen 14:17 Then after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). :18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. :19 He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; :20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” He gave him a tenth of all. :21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the people to me and take the goods for yourself.” :22 Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the LORD God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, :23 that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ :24 “I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share.” (NASB)
Gen 15:5 And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” :6 Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Gen 15:18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates:
Gen 17:1 Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless. :2 “I will establish My covenant between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly.” :3 Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying, :4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, And you will be the father of a multitude of nations. :5 “No longer shall your name be called Abram, But your name shall be Abraham; For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. :6 “I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you. :7 “I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. (NASB)
The Abrahamic covenant of the Old Testament (Covenant) promised a way of blessing and relationship back with God for and through Abram. God saw in Abram a man of faith in God and reckoned it unto Abram as righteousness which had been was lost by Adam. Abram becomes Abraham (father of many nations) and by his obedience and faith in that covenant resulted in the birth of Isaac (the promise) and ultimately the people became Israel. However, under this covenant, the only way for that covenant of relationship with God to continue was through the law. A priest now (signified by Melchizedek [some say he was Jesus] and the priestly order that followed) was an intermediary between man and God. Man was still under the curse of Genesis 3 and the only way man could have a relationship with God and overcome the evil was through a blood sacrifice and legal practices. Face-to face relationship with God remained lost. The relationship would be termed today as religion (A particular variety of beliefs, especially when organized into a system of doctrine and practice; A set of beliefs, values, and practices) and institutional (A custom, practice, relationship, or behavioral pattern of importance in the life of a community or society -; long association with a specified place, position, or function).
Ezekiel 37:21-28 The promise of a united nation and a new covenant. The nation had split into 2 groups—(10 tribes + 2 tribes-Judah & Benjamin)
Eze 37:21 “Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; :22 and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king will be king for all of them; and they will no longer be two nations and no longer be divided into two kingdoms. :23 “They will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. And they will be My people, and I will be their God. :24 “My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances and keep My statutes and observe them. :25 “They will live on the land that I gave to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and their sons and their sons’ sons, forever; and David My servant will be their prince forever. :26 “I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in their midst forever. :27 “My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people. :28 “And the nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forever.”‘” (NASB)
This promise of a new covenant was now prophesied and this new covenant promises that what was lost (relationship of being face-to-face with God) would be forever re-established.
Matthew 1 especially vs 17; John 3:16-21; and Luke 22:14-20
Mat 1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.
Joh 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. :17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. :18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. :19 “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. :20 “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 3:21 “But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”
Luk 22:14 When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. :15 And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; :16 for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” :17 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; :18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” :19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” :20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.
The coming of Jesus Christ (Messiah), His sinless life, His shed blood in death, His resurrection to life eternal and His ascension to His heavenly throne as the advocate for man restores everything that was lost for those who believe. That which was lost is redeemed and the face-to-face relationship with God is forever established. And finally, Jesus makes the way for man to enter a new covenant with all authority, significance and security restored.
Mat 16:16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” :17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. :18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. :19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. :19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, :20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
So, What was the “THAT” which was lost?
- Intimate Family Relationship with God (God wanted a family so He created man in His image).
- Man’s Significance, Rank, Confidence
- The Authority To Steward All Of Creation
- Man’s Security, Safety & Provision
These were the “that’s” which were lost. Most importantly our face-to-face intimate relationship with God. But through the new covenant in Jesus Christ everything that was lost has now been restored. The law was fulfilled in Jesus. He has sought us and saved us because we were lost from Him. Remember the parable of the lost sheep:
Mat 18:10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. :11 [“For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.] :12 “What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? :13 “If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. :14 “So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.
Luk 19:9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation (rescue/deliverance) has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. :10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek (search for specifically to worship God) and to save (to make whole) THAT which was lost.” (NASB)
Eph 2:8 For by grace (unmerited favor; divine enablement) you have been saved (made whole) through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; :9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. :10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
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