Spirit Breakfast 🍞☕ 21st February 2019

Theme: The Advocate that cannot be Denied

Anchor Text: Jeremiah 15:1 New Living Translation
Then the lord said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me pleading for these people, I wouldn’t help them. Away with them! Get them out of my sight!

An advocate is anyone who argues the case of another; also known as an intercessor. An advocate's purpose is to plead and make a case that is otherwise unfavourable for a person become favourable. He seeks to bring mercy and pardon that a person deserves in place of judgement.

In our anchor text, the children of the southern kingdom of Judah were so far gone in idolatry as led by their king Manasseh. The wickedness of Manasseh was so much that he built idol altars in the temple of God and also sacrificied his son in fire. 2 Kings 21:1–18 and 2 Chronicles 32:33–33:2 has the accounts of Manasseh. The iniqiuites of Manasseh and the people of Judah was so much that his wickedness was likened to the wickedness of the heathens who lived in the land before the children of Israel. 

This spiritual decadence brought about proclamation of judgement by God upon the nation as we see in Jeremiah 15 after several warnings which fell on deaf ears.

Before God began to pronounce the judgement as a result of their deeds, He made it clear to the prophet Jeremiah in verse 1 of chapter 15 as seen in our anchor text that even if Moses and Samuel were to act as advocate for the people of Judah, He would not listen.

This seems rather harsh and makes the matter seem so severe as well. However, looking at the gravity of the iniquities of Judah, one would agree that the judgement was fitting for such wickedness and perversion in the land. And for the Lord to refuse the intercession of Moses and Samuel proved a serious point.
 
Moses and Samuel were two important leaders of the nation of Israel that were selected by God to lead at a point where the spirituality of the people of Israel was very low. Moses began to lead when the Israelites were captive in Egypt and brought not just physical deliverance but also spitual restoration back to God. Samuel on the other hand began to lead when the priestly lineage was failing in exercising their spiritual duties in leading the children of Israel towards holiness, rather they led them to immorality and spiritual decadence to the point the ark of covennt was lost. So in terms of being a light in the midst of spiritual darkness these two men were qualified.

In fact as regards advocacy, Moses advocated on behalf on Israel twice and God did not wipe them out as He intended. Samuel was one whose words did it fall to the ground. Which means God honoured Samuel's words whenever he spoke. These men were men of spiritual status and honour, yet God said that concerning the case at hand, He would not be entreated or persuaded to change His mind like He had done when they asked Him in times past.  

So there's a stage where certain advocates cannot plead a case because of the gravity of the offence.  But 1 John 2:1&2 introduces us to someone else who serves as an advocate for us.
2:1 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.
2:2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. (New Living Translation)

When Jesus died, He was the sacrifice of sin and because of His obedience He received the authority to also judge the Nations. So the Advocate is also the Judge. So apostle John said that we who have accepted this sacrifice of Jesus on the cross are not supposed to sin, in fact later on in this letter, he said we cannot even sin.

However, he said in case we sin by error, that we have an Advocate. The King James Version puts it this way: And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: Our Advocate is with the Father: What that means is that the Advocate is working directly with the Father in executing judgement. So before any judgement is pronounced, the Advocate must agree to it with the Judge. And because He is our Advocate primarily before being the Judge, He ensures that we are not judged but rather pardoned.

And the Father cannot say no because the authority to judge the Nations lies in the hands of the Son. So there is no condemnation whatsoever for those who have chosen Jesus to serve as their Advocate by accepting Him as stated in Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The Son is constantly with the Father making intercession for us.  Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. So when intercession is made by our Advocate Jesus, the Father looks at Him and sees him as the ultimate sacrifice that met all the requirements and judgement of sin and He cannot pass judgement anymore because it already has been passed on the Advocate Jesus. 

And our pardon is complete and not partial in any manner. Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. When He said it is finished, He meant it completely. No other advocate can make intercession that will be accepted like Jesus; no priest, pastor, saint, etc can make intercession for us that will be accepted like that of Jesus.

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for being our Advocate.

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