Gleanings for November 23, 2007

Luke 10: 20b & 21a: “Rejoice because your names are written in heaven… In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, ‘I thank You Father, Lord of heaven and earth’…” Joy and rejoicing bring to us an attitude of thanksgiving!

Strongs’ Concordance gives us the original meaning of the word Joy:

“JOY (“gil”, pronounced “geel”) to rejoice, be glad, and be joyful. The original word for “joy” contains the suggestion of “dancing for joy” or leaping for joy”, since the verb originally meant “to spin around with intense motion”.

“This puts to rest the notion that the biblical concept of joy is only a “quiet” inner sense of well being”. God dances for joy over Jerusalem and because of His people. See Isaiah 65:19 & Zephaniah 3:17.

“Then in Psalm 21: 1: The righteous Messiah shall rejoice in God’s salvation with intensity that the Psalmist cannot find words to describe. In turn, His redeemed citizens are joyful in their King;

Psalm 149: 2 & 3: “They praise Him with dances with instruments and with singing.” Although everything is wrong in Habakkuk’s external world, he is leaping for joy over his fellowship with Yahweh. (We referred to that in Wednesday’s Gleaning.)

The context of the scripture we began with today tells how the disciples “returned with joy” from a “mission trip” that Jesus had sent them on. They reported to Jesus that “even the demons were subject to His Name.” Jesus reply was to tell them that the spiritual foes are defeated and we have been given authority over those foes.

Jesus wanted them to understand that a greater occasion for rejoicing is that their names were registered in heaven. When He told them that truth, we see Jesus expressing the kind of JOY described in Strongs’ definition written above.

“The successful mission the disciples experienced, caused Jesus to burst forth in a spontaneous demonstration of worship, the Greek word suggests shouting and leaping with joy. He also expressed gratitude that God’s revelation is given to those who are willing to listen and obey.” That is a quotation from a footnote in my Bible.

The “Mission” the disciples had been given is recorded in Luke 10:9:

“Heal the sick and say to them, The Kingdom of God has come near to you’.”

That commission is also for you and me today. Be mindful, as we continue to celebrate Thanksgiving every day; let’s not just be grateful for material things but may we have a renewed commitment to share with others, spiritual blessings as well as the material abundance which we now enjoy. We then will also know:

THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH!