Rev. Dr. Anthony T. Turkson, 6805 E. Clinton Street, Clinton, MD 20735
Web: www.worldmissionsministries.org n Email: wmmbc@earthlink.net
(301) 868-5484 n Employer ID No. 52-1519034
(Reprinted with permission)
Westbury, New York Bible Study
Thursday, May 31, 2007
(Teaching Notes)
Restoration
Rev. Dr. A. T. Turkson
Psalm 69:4
They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
This verse refers to a prophecy given to David about the crucifixion of Jesus. It records that Jesus' suffering, crucifixion and death will result in the restoration of what He (Jesus) did not take away, or to be more specific, what the human race had lost. Restoration always assumes a prior loss. In this study, the words 'restoration' and 'redemption' will be used interchangeably although there is a distinction between the two.
What did the Human Race Lose?
To better understand this prophecy, it is necessary to go back to the book of Genesis.
Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
God made that statement in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve lost ownership of the garden and all that was given to them through their disobedience of God's specific order that they not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam was created to have a free will but when given the opportunity to exercise it, he made the wrong choice in choosing to be a slave to the devil. Thus Adam lost his possession to the devil. As a result, the human race fell under the dominion of sin and Satan (Romans 5:12)
Romans 5:12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
Genesis 3:15 is a picture of Calvary. It prophesies that mankind will be delivered from the dominion of the devil (the serpent) when the authority of Jesus destroys (or crushes) the dominion of the devil over mankind. To accomplish this deliverance Jesus would have to suffer and die on the cross. Although Jesus came to die for mankind, the Bible explains in Psalm 69:4, that the devil was operating through people to kill Jesus.
Psalm 69:4
They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
Through His suffering, Jesus restored what had been taken away from Adam in the Garden. In the death of Jesus, we see the wisdom of God as the devil did not understand that he would be dispossessed of his dominion over mankind when Jesus sacrificed His life for us (1 Corinthians 2:7-8)
1 Corinthians 2:7-8
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
1 John 3:8b
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Therefore, the devil no longer has authority over us. (Hebrews 2:14)
Hebrews 2:14
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
What Else Did Adam And Eve Lose?
They lost relationship with God. They also lost their home and the sweet fellowship they had with one another.
Restoration Of Man's Relationship With God.
This is the most important restoration. Sin separated us from God. (For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23). However we were created for fellowship with God and to give Him pleasure (Revelation 4:11). It would not be beneficial for God to remain separated from man. Therefore Jesus became the bridge to join man with God.
John 3:16.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
I Timothy 2:5, 6a
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all…
Restoration came through Redemption
A beautiful picture of redemption is found in Genesis 3.
Genesis 3:21
Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
An innocent animal had to die to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness. This is a picture of what would happen to Jesus.
Revelation 5:9-10
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
And has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
The emphasis is on " redeemed us to God " and "made us". Jesus brought us back to the One who originally created us. This picture is similar to what happens in the financial market when investors redeem shares from their portfolios. The investor can only redeem or repossess shares that belonged to him. God did the same thing. He bought us back with the blood of Jesus and did not leave us the way He found us. He made us kings and priests. He gave us new life and a new identity. [Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new - 2Corinthians 5 :17].
Our Restoration Cost Jesus His Life
Jesus had to die to bring us back to God. Therefore, when we combine what Jesus did for us with our faith in Him, we are restored to God.
He is now our God (see Revelation 5:10 noted above). We no longer belong to the god of this world. Moreover, as an additional benefit, we shall reign on earth and we are also assured of a place in heaven.
Examples of Restoration
Restoration of a wife to a husband
Genesis 20:1-7
Verse 7a - Now therefore restore the man his wife;
God does not change. It is still His will today for a man to be restored to his wife and vice versa. Whatever you might lose (health, wealth, relationship…) remainconvinced that it is God's will that it be restored to you.
God wants restoration to happen in human life.
General Family Restoration.
Malachi 4:6
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
The emphasis is on changing the heart.
Our children must know that we love them. We, as parents, are not perfect, but our children must know they have our heart. They must know they can come to us when they make mistakes and they will not be rejected.
A teaching on restoration would be incomplete without talking about pardon, forgiveness, and mercy.
Colossians 3:12-13
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
God forgave us. We should extend the same benefit to others. Restoration implies forgiveness. Our lives are too short for us to live angry at a child, a parent, a loved one. Release your children. Release your loved ones. Let the Lord bring healing to your own life. Refusing to forgive a child or a loved one, holds them back spiritually.
John 20:21-23
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Can you picture a container with everything that your child or loved one ever did wrong? Every time you see this container, would you feel happy or sad? This container is not helping you. It is preventing God's purpose for your life from being accomplished. Get rid of the container and free yourself and your loved one. We are not going to be on earth for long. Let's forgive and love one another as Christ did for us!
God is Able to Restore Our Souls - Psalm 23:3
God can change our lives and give us another chance.
God Wants You to Keep Your Blessings
2 Kings 8:1-6
1Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.
2And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God: and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.
3And it came to pass at the seven years' end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land.
4And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done.
5And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.
6And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.
God wants you to retain/keep your blessing, but it is not automatic. It is to be expected that some people will not be happy for you when you are blessed and the devil will come against your blessing. He will attack you as he attacked Job. Notice that it was the devil that stole from Job, not God (So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown - .Job 2:7).
Moreover Job's fear gave an open door to the devil (I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.- Job 3:26).
God does not give and take away.
Don't live in fear. Fear is not of God. When the devil attacks your peace, health, family, ministry, finances, don't accept it. Refuse to lose what God has given you. RISE UP AND PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
We see in the passage at 2 Kings 8:1-6, that the woman received retroactive restoration. Likewise God is able to reach back into your past and restore everything you lost.
Open your spirit, your life, your home and ask God to restore to you what you lost.
Joel 2:25
And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you
It is His desire to restore. More importantly, Jesus died to restore your relationship with God.
Luke 19:10
For the Son of God is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
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