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A STUDY OF “GO-BETWEENS” IN THE BIBLE

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     Man definitely stands in need of them.

 

B.      They are provided for us in almost every area of life:  parents, teachers, umpires, bosses, police officers, social workers, lawyers, and judges.

 

C.     What are all of these individuals?  They are go-betweens.

1.       They are individuals that stand between two individuals who are at odds in some way.

a.       Parents are often go-betweens for their children.

b.      Teachers are go-betweens for their students.

c.       Umpires are go-betweens for two teams on the ballfield.

2.       These individuals provide rules, boundaries, understanding, alternatives, and answers to difficulties that arise between people and groups.

3.       Their ends are two-fold at least:  resolution and peace.

 

D.     In the Bible, we read of several different go-betweens.  We will be focusing on four words in our study today.  One is in the Old Testament.  The other three are found in the New Testament.

 

I.                    DAYSMAN (Job 9:33)

 

A.     How many of us have ever used the word “daysman” in our daily conversations? 

 

B.      The word “daysman” is found only one time in the Bible. 

1.       Job 9:33

 

Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

 

2.       The word is used by Job, the Old Testament patriarch who was smitten with boils and had all of his wealth stripped from him by Satan.

3.       The word was used as Job spoke to his friends who had come to console and to counsel him.

4.       Notice Job said:  “Neither is there any daysman BETIXT US…”  Job indicates the purpose of a daysman, that is, to stand in between opposing parties.

 

C.     Let’s lay the groundwork for Job’s use of this term.

1.       Job had extremely hard circumstances come into his life.

2.       The prevailing opinion of the day was that if you are suffering it is because a person has committed sin.  Thus, Job’s friends confront him in this manner (Eliphaz, Job 4:8).

 

Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

 

3.       Job, however, contends strongly for his innocence (Job 10:7).

 

Thou knowest that I am not wicked…

 

D.     It is this back and forth between Job and his friends that causes him to long for a daysman betwixt them.

1.       A daysman is a judge.

2.       It is he who proves, discerns, and decides what is right and correct.

 

E.      All of us have been in situations wherein we longed for a daysman, a judge.  Sadly, no one was there to make the call.

 

F.      In the last day, there will be a Daysman.  Abraham referred to Him as “the Judge of the earth” (Gen. 18:25), and He will judge the earth in righteousness (Acts 17:31).

 

II.                 INTERCESSOR

 

A.     The word “intercessor” is not found in the New Testament, but other forms of the word are found such as “intercession” and “intercessions.”

 

B.      The word “intercession” means “a falling in with, a meeting, to have a conversation with, to pray, to entreat.”

 

C.     In the Scriptures, the word involves one person going to God the Father on another’s behalf in order to beg and plead for them.

1.       Paul exhorts those who lead prayers in worship to offer up intercessions for all men (1 Tim. 2:1-2a).

 

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority…

 

a.       We pray for the sick.

b.      We pray for those who are facing big decisions.

c.       We pray for those who are struggling.

2.       Both Jesus and the Holy Spirit are intercessors on our behalf.

a.       Jesus (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 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.

 

b.      The Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:26-27)

 

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:  for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:  but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

 

III.              ADVOCATE

 

A.     The word “advocate” is only found one time in the King James Version (1 John 2:1).

 

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.  And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

 

B.      The Greek word, however, is found in other places.  In those other places, it is translated as “comforter” (John 14:16; 14:26; 15:26; 16:7).

 

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.

 

C.     Definition: 

1.       Summoned, called to one’s side, one who pleads for another, a pleader, a counsel for defense

2.       The idea is having an attorney standing beside you in a court of law to argue your case.

 

D.     In the first century, the apostles were given this promise because Jesus knew what would happen to them (Matt. 10:17-20).

 

But beware of men:  for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.  But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak:  for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.  For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

 

E.      Christians need the Christ as their Advocate when they sin.

1.       The opposing attorney makes his accusations against us.

2.       Our Advocate rises in the court of God and stands between us and God.  He argues our case based upon the fact that He shed His blood for our sins.

3.       Instead of being declared guilty, we can stand justified before God.

 

IV.              MEDIATOR

 

A.     Four times, Jesus is referred to a mediator.

1.       Three of those times (Heb. 8:6; 9:15; 12:4), the word refers to the idea that He is the one who ratified the covenant that now exists between man and God.

 

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

 

2.       One time the word refers to a reconciler, that is, “one who intervenes between two, either in order to restore or make peace or friendship” (Thayer, e-sword).  (1 Tim. 2:5).

 

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

 

a.       If we examine the verse before and the verse after, we understand that Paul is applying the word “mediator” to Jesus’ redemptive work.

 

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

 

1)      God wants man to be saved.

2)      Thus, between Him and man a mediator was placed, the man Christ Jesus.

3)      It was He who gave Himself a ransom, a payment, in order for man to be a peace with God and to have a relationship with Him that had been severed by sin.

b.      In Ephesians 2:14-16, Paul notes both the peace and reconciliation that Jesus had given to mankind.

 

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, so making peace.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     We have looked at four go-betweens in this lesson:  a daysman, an intercessor, an advocate, and a mediator.

1.       We all need daysmen in our lives who can assist at times and umpire the affairs of life that come our way.

2.       All of us can be intercessors for others.  Too, others can intercede in prayer on our behalf.  And even if men fail, we have both the Son and Holy Ghost who intercede for us.

3.       All of us as Christians can rejoice that Jesus is our Advocate.  All of us sin.  We need an attorney who will stand in the courts of heaven and plead our case before the Judge of the Earth.

4.       And, we rejoice that Jesus was willing to be our Mediator in the salvation process.  He restored our relationship with God and has brought peace as well.

 

B.      All of us should bow before God and give thanks for the go-betweens that exist in our lives.

1.       Without them, our lives would have been fraught with injustice.

2.       With them, our lives on earth are made easier. 

3.       Too, by them our spiritual lives are made secure.