The Inner Circle

Life is so hard always comes in the life of every person, whether it's old, young, big, small, child or adult it will not be overlooked and sometimes devastated building one's life, family or community, especially when the foundation of our life is only built upon a pile of sand then the tree of life we will soon be destroyed.

King Nebuchadnezzar saw an opportunity to build a stronger inner circle again in the events that harsh colonial life in his era. In Daniel 1:1-5 in the telling:
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

King Nebuchadnezzar strengthen the country by hiring people who come from descendant captive king, the nobility, the younger generation who have the skills and broad understanding of science. And Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were included. King Nebuchadnezzar was the king who did not fear God but he knows use what was available in a circle around him to improve his country is with them a decent place to assist in the care of his administration.

Collusion and nepotism do not apply in his administration and he understood the ability of every young generation capable, to be in his employ. Sometimes we as people who believe in God just do not know how to strengthen the inner circle of family life, community, church, nation and even our country. In fact we tend to damage by placing people who are not proficient in it and do not trust the younger generation who are competent to engage in it so that collusion and nepotism is rampant in all our lives.

In the countries we are most pleased to maintain the status quo, static state that deliberately to prevent the onset of instability (which is made-up) in order to defend certain interests to remain awake and in general they maintain their advantage or privilege that can not be separated, no matter whether it will harm other people or communities that to them is something that is legal. And much more sinister when the status quo prevailing in the church or our ministry.
Where there are some people who seek personal gain at the church or ministry, and usually they will not want anymore to back down or be removed from their place although clearly been violated church rules and not according to God's truth, because it is a person who believes in God and walk in truth, we need more critical attention to it.

To fix the inner circle a community, church and state, we must start earlier than most small communities of our families, in our families there should be coaching the mental, spiritual and knowledge. Change the way we think on the truth of the Word of God is to be started from the parents or ourselves before they escalate into a bigger community, and when we became a proficient in science is also the fear of God then we will be the ones used in a positive change in society, church and state.

The ministry of Jesus Christ in this world more than 3 years is not enough for the disciples. When it arrived crucifixion, wobbly the inner circle their service and Judas one of his disciples betrayed him by selling him to the priests at a price of 30 pieces of silver, the price is the price of a slave in the Old Testament. In Exodus 21:32 says: "If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.”
Peter, in Matthew 16:15-16, says: “He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Peter's statement is inconsistent with his actions when Jesus was arrested to be crucified, Satan has entered the circle of Jesus' ministry, shake and dragged Peter and Jude also makes other disciples fled leaving him.

Circle in a faltering in the church or ministry will result in loss of attitude our fellowship with God, and make our relationship with God the more distant and dry. Even Judas in his remorse he eventually committed suicide. But Jesus in his resurrection reaffirming his ministry and restore the faith and spirit of the disciples in his ministry. Including us who want to be restored to the people who qualified, full of science and faith to be engaged in nation and state, church, community service and be a witness to the glory of God.

Lingkaran Dalam

Kehidupan yang begitu keras selalu datang dalam hidup setiap orang, entah itu tua, muda, besar, kecil, anak atau dewasa semuanya tidak akan terlewatkan dan kadang memporak-porandakan bangunan kehidupan seseorang, keluarga atau masyarakat, apalagi ketika pondasi kehidupan kita ini hanya dibangun diatas setumpuk pasir maka pohon kehidupan kita akan segera hancur.

Raja Nebukadnezar melihat suatu kesempatan untuk membangun suatu lingkaran dalam yang lebih kuat lagi dalam peristiwa-peristiwa jajahan kehidupan yang keras dijamannya. Dalam Daniel 1:1-5 di ceritakan: “Pada tahun yang ketiga pemerintahan Yoyakim, raja Yehuda, datanglah Nebukadnezar, raja Babel, ke Yerusalem, lalu mengepung kota itu. Tuhan menyerahkan Yoyakim, raja Yehuda, dan sebagian dari perkakas-perkakas di rumah Allah ke dalam tangannya. Semuanya itu dibawanya ke tanah Sinear, ke dalam rumah dewanya; perkakas-perkakas itu dibawanya ke dalam perbendaharaan dewanya.

Lalu raja bertitah kepada Aspenas, kepala istananya, untuk membawa beberapa orang Israel, yang berasal dari keturunan raja dan dari kaum bangsawan, yakni orang-orang muda yang tidak ada banyak dan yang mempunyai pengertian tentang ilmu, yakni orang-orang yang cakap untuk bekerja dalam istana raja, supaya mereka diajarkan tulisan dan bahasa orang Kasdim.
Dan raja menetapkan bagi mereka pelabur setiap hari dari santapan raja dan dari anggur yang biasa diminumnya. Mereka harus dididik selama tiga tahun, dan sesudah itu mereka harus bekerja pada raja.”

Raja Nebukadnezar memperkuat negaranya dengan mempekerjakan orang-orang tawanannya yang berasal dari keturunan raja, kaum bangsawan, generasi muda yang mempunyai kecakapan dan pengertian yang luas tentang ilmu pengetahuan. Dan Daniel, Hananya, Misael dan Azarya adalah termasuk didalamnya. Raja Nebukadnesar adalah raja yang tidak takut akan Tuhan tapi dia tahu memanfaatkan apa yang ada disekelilingnya untuk memperbaiki lingkaran dalam negaranya yaitu dengan menempatkan mereka yang layak untuk membantu dalam mengurus pemerintahannya.

Kolusi dan nepotisme tidak berlaku dalam pemerintahannya dan dia mengerti akan kemampuan setiap generasi muda yang cakap, untuk bisa di pekerjakannya. Kadang kita sebagai orang yang percaya kepada Tuhan justru tidak tahu bagaimana memperkuat lingkaran dalam kehidupan keluarga, masyarakat, gereja bahkan bangsa negara kita. Bahkan kita cenderung untuk merusak dengan menempatkan orang-orang yang tidak cakap didalamnya dan tidak mempercayai generasi muda yang cakap untuk terlibat di dalamnya sehingga kolusi dan nepotisme merajalela di dalam setiap kehidupan kita.

Di dalam negara kita paling senang untuk mempertahankan status quo, keadaan statik yang sengaja dibuat untuk mencegah timbulnya ketidakstabilan (yang di buat-buat) demi mempertahankan kepentingan-kepentingan tertentu untuk tetap terjaga dan secara umum mereka mempertahankan keuntungan atau hak istimewa mereka supaya tidak lepas, tak peduli apakah hal itu akan merugikan orang lain atau masyarakat hal itu bagi mereka adalah sesuatu yang halal. Dan lebih mengerikan lagi apabila status quo itu berlaku di dalam gereja atau pelayanan kita.
Dimana ada sebagian orang yang mencari keuntungan pribadi di dalam gereja atau pelayanan, dan biasanya mereka tidak akan mau lagi untuk mundur atau disingkirkan dari tempat mereka walaupun jelas-jelas sudah melanggar aturan gereja dan tidak sesuai dengan kebenaran Tuhan, karena itu sebagai orang yang percaya kepada Tuhan dan berjalan dalam kebenaran, kita harus lebih kritis lagi memperhatikan hal tersebut.

Untuk memperbaiki lingkaran dalam suatu masyarakat, gereja dan negara, kita harus memulainya lebih dahulu dari komunitas yang paling kecil yaitu keluarga kita, di dalam keluarga kita harus ada pembinaan mental, rohani dan pengetahuan. Perubahan cara pikir kita berdasarkan kebenaran Firman Tuhan itu harus dimulai dari orang tua atau diri kita sendiri sebelum meluas ke komunitas yang lebih besar lagi, dan ketika kita menjadi seorang yang cakap dalam ilmu pengetahuan juga takut akan Tuhan maka kita akan menjadi orang-orang yang dipakai dalam perubahan yang positif di dalam masyarakat, gereja dan negara.

Pelayanan Yesus Kristus di dunia ini kurang lebih 3 tahun tidak cukup untuk murid-muridNya. Ketika penyaliban itu tiba, lingkaran dalam pelayanan mereka goyah dan Yudas salah satu murid-Nya mengkhianati-Nya dengan menjual-Nya kepada Imam-imam dengan harga 30 keping perak, harga tersebut adalah harga seorang budak dalam Perjanjian Lama. Dalam Kitab Keluaran 21:32 mengatakan: “Tetapi jika lembu itu menanduk seorang budak laki-laki atau perempuan, maka pemiliknya harus membayar tiga puluh syikal perak kepada tuan budak itu, dan lembu itu harus dilempari mati dengan batu.”

Petrus, dalam Injil Matius 16:15-16, ketika ditanya Yesus: “Tetapi apa katamu, siapakah Aku ini? Maka jawab Simon Petrus: “Engkau adalah Mesias, Anak Allah yang hidup!”. Pernyataan Petrus tidak sejalan dengan tindakannya ketika Yesus ditangkap untuk disalibkan, Iblis telah masuk lingkaran dalam pelayanan Yesus, menggoyahkan dan menyeret Yudas juga membuat Petrus beserta murid-murid yang lain melarikan diri meninggalkan-Nya.

Lingkaran dalam yang goyah dalam gereja atau pelayanan akan mengakibatkan hilangnya sikap persekutuan kita dengan Tuhan, dan menjadikan hubungan kita dengan Tuhan semakin jauh dan kering. Bahkan Yudas dalam peyesalan akhirnya dia bunuh diri. Tetapi Yesus dalam kebangkitan-Nya meneguhkan kembali pelayanan-Nya dan merestorasi kembali iman dan semangat murid-murid dalam pelayanannya. Termasuk kita yang mau untuk dipulihkan menjadi orang-orang yang cakap, penuh ilmu pengetahuan dan iman yang teguh untuk dipakai didalam bangsa dan negara, gereja, pelayanan dan masyarakat menjadi saksi untuk kemuliaan Tuhan.

Dark Night Of Jesus

The worst night of Jesus marked a crisis for the crisis, at first he did not see the prayer answered. Jesus had just apply very sad to God. "And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt". (Matthew 26:39).

When it was not to pray in an atmosphere of calm and quiet, according to Matthew, Jesus "felt sad and anxious" (Matthew 26:37), the Master "fell to the ground" and called out to God. Luke tells us that Jesus "suffered" and "Sweat like blood dripping onto the ground" (Matthew 22:44).
Jesus' prayer was not answered, whether the God who has cattle on a thousand hills, will refuse to give something to the children of his own? that's what happened that night. Jesus had to face the problem of prayer is not granted and it was only the beginning of the struggle to be faced later on that later "along with Judas, came too many people who carry swords and clubs.

They were told by the chief priests and the elders ... and then the crowd came forward and arrested Jesus "(Matthew 25:47, 52). Judas comes with an angry mob, the mass was carrying yet another crisis. Jesus did not just have to face the prayer is answered, but he also had to deal with services that do not bring results. It is precisely those who He came to save now come arrest him.

Perhaps in the shadow of our Judas led a dozen soldiers or fewer, and they took a two-lanterns, but Matthew says that "many people" came to arrest Jesus. John even more specifically, the term used is the Greek word speira or "an army" (John 18:3). Least speira describe the forces of two hundred soldiers. This word can also describe a detachment of one thousand nine hundred soldiers.
John's picture of speira would be more appropriate if the human flow imagine the kind of form a few hundred soldiers into the garden, plus a number of spectators or the countless people, who by Matthew just called "the people" then we can describe a bunch of people many come into the park.

From a bunch of people that no one wants to defend Jesus, he has helped so many people in the cases of magic which he did, but who would dare claim that he is innocent, nothing! possible mob did not know to do more than just watching because their contact with Jesus was so short but what about the students? they even know more about Jesus.
Drugs most bitter to swallow Jesus is "Treason is almost unbelievable from the students of his" so Judas is not the only traitor, Matthew admitted: "But all this happened so that there is even written by the prophet - prophet. Then all the disciples left Him and fled ". (Matthew 26:56). And what Peter said earlier: "Although I should die with thee, I will not deny you." (Matthew 26:35).

All the promises will be loyal, but this all away, what we see is treason. Followers of his have been away from Him, the crowd had rejected Him, and God does not hear him then we can imagine what that must be met Jesus that night.
From the human perspective, Jesus' world collapsed. No answer from heaven, no help from the people, there is no loyalty from friends of his. Jesus as high as the neck of the garbage so we can describe his situation but what we see Jesus differently! He is not oblivious to the trash, but he saw something else bigger than a garbage wrapped his body.

Conscious or not we are living in the world of garbage, trash unwanted into our lives on a regular basis. We have prayers answered no, there are dreams that do not bear fruit betrayals, too unbelievable, and maybe we never left the garbage bag full of accidents and hurt, what shall we do with all that?

Malam Gelap Bagi Yesus

Malam terburuk dari Yesus ditandai krisis demi krisis, mula-mula Ia melihat doa yang tidak terkabul. Yesus baru saja mengajukan permohonan amat sedih kepada Allah. “Maka Ia maju sedikit, lalu sujud dan berdoa, kata-Nya: “Ya Bapa-Ku, jikalau sekiranya mungkin, biarlah cawan ini lalu dari pada-Ku, tetapi janganlah seperti yang Kukehendaki, melainkan seperti yang Engkau kehendaki.” (Matius 26:39).

Saat itu bukan berdoa dalam suasana tenang dan hening, menurut Matius, Yesus “merasa sedih dan gelisah” (Matius 26:37), sang Guru “tersungkur ke tanah” dan berseru kepada Tuhan. Lukas mengisahkan bahwa Yesus “sangat menderita” dan “Keringatnya seperti darah menetes ketanah” (Matius 22:44). Doa Yesus tidak dijawab, apakah Allah yang memiliki ternak di seribu bukit, akan menolak memberikan sesuatu kepada anak-Nya sendiri? itulah yang terjadi malam itu.

Yesus harus menghadapi masalah doa yang tidak dikabulkan dan itu baru pemulaan dari pergumulan yang akan dihadapi nanti yang kemudian “bersama sama dengan Yudas, datang juga banyak orang yang membawa pedang dan pentungan.
Mereka disuruh oleh imam-imam kepala dan pemimpin-pemimpin Yahudi…kemudian orang banyak itu maju dan menangkap Yesus” (Matius 25:47, 52). Yudas datang dengan massa yang marah, massa ini membawa krisis lain lagi. Yesus tidak saja harus menghadapi doa yang tidak terkabul, tetapi ia juga harus menghadapi pelayanan yang tidak membawa hasil. Justru orang yang Ia datang selamatkan sekarang datang menangkap Dia.

Mungkin dalam bayangan kita Yudas memimpin selusin tentara atau lebih sedikit dan mereka membawa satu dua lentera, namun Matius mengatakan bahwa “banyak orang” datang menangkap Yesus. Yohanes bahkan lebih spesifik lagi, istilah yang dipakainya adalah kata Yunani speira atau “sepasukan tentara” (Yohanes 18:3). Sedikitnya speira menggambarkan pasukan dua ratus tentara. Kata ini dapat juga menggambarkan satu detasemen sebesar seribu sembilan ratus tentara.

Gambaran Yohanes tentang speira akan lebih tepat kalau membayangkan semacam arus manusia berupa beberapa ratus tentara yang masuk ke taman itu, di tambah jumlah penonton-penonton atau masyarakat tak terhitung jumlahnya, yang oleh matius hanya disebut “orang banyak” maka kita dapat gambarkan adalah segerombolan orang banyak yang datang masuk ke taman itu.
Dari segerombolan orang banyak itu tak ada satu pun yang mau membela Yesus, Ia sudah begitu banyak menolong orang dalam perkara-perkara yang ajaib yang Ia lakukan, tapi siapa yang berani menyatakan bahwa Dia tidak bersalah, tak ada satu pun! mungkin gerombolan orang banyak itu tidak tahu untuk berbuat lebih dari sekedar menonton karena kontak mereka dengan Yesus begitu singkat tetapi bagaimana dengan para murid? mereka bahkan tahu lebih banyak tentang Yesus.

Obat paling pahit yang harus ditelan Yesus ialah “Pengkhianatan yang hampir-hampir tak dapat dipercaya dari murid-muridNya” jadi Yudas bukan satu-satunya pengkhianat, Matius mengaku: “Akan tetapi semua ini terjadi supaya genap yang ada tertulis dalam kitab nabi-nabi. Lalu semua murid itu meninggalkan Dia dan melarikan diri”. (Matius 26:56). Padahal apa yang dikatakan Petrus sebelumnya: “Sekalipun aku harus mati bersama-sama Engkau, aku takkan menyangkal Engkau.” (Matius 26:35).
Semua berjanji akan setia, namun demikian semua melarikan diri, yang kita lihat adalah pengkhianatan. Pengikut-pengikutNya telah meninggalkan Dia, orang banyak telah menolak Dia dan Allah tidak mendengar Dia maka kita dapat membayangkan apa yang harus dihadapi Yesus malam itu.

Dari sudut pandang manusia, dunia Yesus ambruk. Tidak ada jawaban dari Sorga, tidak ada bantuan dari orang, tidak ada kesetiaan dari teman-temanNya. Yesus setinggi leher dari sampah begitu kita bisa gambarkan keadaanNya tapi apa yang dilihat Yesus berbeda! bukan Ia tidak sadar akan sampah itu, tetapi Ia melihat hal yang lain yang lebih besar dari sekedar sampah yang membungkus tubuhNya.

Sadar atau tidak kita sedang hidup di dunia sampah, sampah yang tidak diinginkan masuk ke dalam hidup kita secara teratur. Kita mempunyai doa-doa yang tak dijawab, ada impian yang tidak berbuah juga pengkhianatan-pengkhianatan yang sulit dipercaya dan mungkin kita pernah diserahi sekantong penuh sampah kecelakaan-kecelakaan dan sakit hati, apakah yang akan kita perbuat dengan semua itu?

Copper sea

There is a special sense in the Word of God to the believer who was raised as Jews. In the Old Testament, in the Tabernacle there is a large bowl made of a copper vessel calledwashing, at the Temple of Solomon, this is called Copper Sea / Sea Cast (Bronze Sea). 15 feet in diameter and holds approximately 8000 gallons of water for the priests for washing.

In 2 Chronicles 4 is told:
Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height there of. Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about. And under it was the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round about: ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about.

Two rows of oxen were cast, when it was cast. It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward. And the thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held three thousand baths.

He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them: such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in. And he made ten candlesticks of gold according to their form, and set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left. He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. And he made an hundred basons of gold.

Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass. And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the south. And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basons. And Huram finished the work that he was to make for king Solomon for the house of God; To wit, the two pillars, and the pommels, and the chapiters which were on the top of the two pillars, and the two wreaths to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were on the top of the pillars;

And four hundred pomegranates on the two wreaths; two rows of pomegranates on each wreath, to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were upon the pillars. He made also bases, and lavers made he upon the bases; One sea, and twelve oxen under it. The pots also, and the shovels, and the fleshhooks, and all their instruments, did Huram his father make to king Solomon for the house of the LORD of bright brass.

In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredathah. Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out.
And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the shewbread was set; Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold; And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that perfect gold; And the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers, of pure gold: and the entry of the house, the inner doors thereof for the most holy place, and the doors of the house of the temple, were of gold.

Washing vessel made of copper is placed in a special place both in the Tabernacle andthe Temple. His position was among the worshipers and all other parts of the Tabernacleand give meaning to cleaning. A devotee is required to wash themselves before being allowed to worship, in Exodus 30:17-21, God commanded Moses to make a regulationrelating to the priesthood by the laver of copper.

The priests are required to wash their hands and their feet before they can serve before the Lord. Hands and their feet like hands and feet, are the parts that have touched the things that exist in this world. Hands and feet are a symbol of our openness to the world a place where we live, filled with sin and the fall.

On days when the nation of Israel to worship God in the Tabernacle and in the temple, the priests had to go through a ritual washing before they are allowed to serve God for the benefit of the people