Memorial Prayer

Offered on behalf of our brother and friend and co-quarteter, Dennis Howard on the occasion of his joining that innumerable multitude in the sky to await our joining them so we can all serenade together:
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder consider all the works Thy hand hath made.
I see the stars, I hear the rolling* thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

And we anxiously await the day when all of us can join Dennis and David Rowley in the chorus:
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee. How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee. How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

Then, we move up a step: How great Thou art! How great (higher still) Thou art! (Then vocal cord blowing up) How great (up) Thou art!

Glory. Amen.

Watch the video.
* Some versions use “mighty”
http://www.higherpraise.com/lyrics/love/love853329.htm

Do not listen to this while driving. You will not be able to keep both hands on the wheel. Every hand goes up. Mine is up now. Glory.

Video

Heaven Is Closer Than You Think

A little song goes, “I woke up this morning feeling fine, I woke up with heaven on my mind.” Well, I woke up with something on my mind too. And it was a song. Here it is...
End Of The Beginning
Words & music by David Phelps

I was taking a trip on a plane the other day, just wishin' that I could get out.
When the man next to me saw the book in my hand and asked me what it was about.
So I settled back in my seat. "A best-seller," I said, "a hist'ry and a myst'ry in one."
Then I opened up the book and began to read from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John...

He was born of a virgin one holy night in the little town of Bethlehem.
Angels gathered 'round Him underneath the star singing praises to the great I AM.

He walked on the water, healed The lame, and made the blind to see again.
And for the first time here on earth we learned that God could be a friend.
And though He never, ever did a single thing wrong, the angry crowd chose Him.
And then He walked down the road and died on the cross and
that was the end...of the beginning."

"That's not a new book, that's a Bible," he said, "And I've heard it all before.
I've tried religion, it's shame and guilt, and I don't need it anymore.
It's superstition, made-up tales, just to help the weak to survive."
"Let me read it again," I said, "But listen closely. This is gonna change your life."

"He was born of a virgin one holy night in the little town of Bethlehem.
Angels gathered 'round Him underneath the star singing praises to the great I AM.

He walked on the water, healed the lame, and made the blind to see again.
And for the first time here on earth we learned that God could be a friend.
And though He never, ever did a single thing wrong, the angry crowd chose Him. And then He walked down the road and died on the cross and that was the end...of the beginning."

"The end of the beginning?" he said with a smile. "What more
could there be? He's dead. You said they hung Him, put nails in
His hands and a crown of thorns on His head." I said, "I'll read it
again, but this time there's more.

And I believe that this is true: His death wasn't the end but the beginning of life that's completed in you.
Don't you see, He did all this for you..."

"He was born of a virgin one holy night in the little town of
Bethlehem. All the angels singing praises to the great I AM.
He walked on the water, healed the lame, and made the blind to see.
And for the first time here on earth, did you know that God could be a friend?
And though He never, ever did a single thing wrong, He was the one the crowd chose.
And then He walked and He died, but three days later, three days later, three days later...
He rose! Three days later He rose!

You see, He came, He lived, and He died, but that was the end of the beginning.

This will make your day. Have a great day. It is just the end...of the beginning....

After writing this, but before posting, I read of a college friend who had just passed away last night. I did not have a title yet, and this seemed appropriate. This is more real than ever in real life. I would have loved to hear Dennis Howard sing this His high, clear tenor would fit right in. He makes the second of our quartet to go home. Will miss you, Dennis.

Enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew9-FJjEzpU
(And if you have an extra few minutes, let the next song run too.)

A Modest Proposal For Mr. Trump (and us all)

Moses, according to Numbers 6:24-26 (KJV), would go out everyday before the Children of Israel and deliver this invocation before they began any journey.
24 The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: 25 The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

The “bless you,” was and is more than just a “hope things go well for you.” The blessing that every man desperately seeks is to be saved. The ultimate blessing, as those newly freed slaves knew, was to be free from tyranny and oppression. And the ultimate tyrant and oppressor is Satan. How blessed we are to be free from his embrace.

“...and keep you.” Being saved or blessed is not enough. The state of salvation can, and will be attacked, even from unexpected quarters. The Israelites faced danger from other desert dwellers, even though they did not need fear Pharaoh any longer. The dangers ranged from attacks by armies of people living in the wilderness to deadly snakes. This invocation specifically charges the Lord with the responsibility for “keeping” them and us.

“The Lord make his face to shine upon you.” Watch a proud grandparent overseeing the activities of a toddler exploring a new environment. The eager face of the child is reflected in a contented smile on the face of the elder. Approval, love, hopes for the future, and commitment to do all that is possible to make it the best it can be are encased in the shining face. God shows all this and more as, “His face shines on us,” just as it did the ancient Israelites.

“Be gracious to you.” Grace was displayed at Calvary when He let His Son die for us. His grace is extended daily to us as we stumble through this “wilderness” that we inhabit. Grace also would include provisions for all that we need. God graciously provided food every day, and water, and guidance for the entire 40 year journey through this rough land. We are promised the same.

“Lift up His countenance upon you.” A little obscure term today, but the Biblical reference is comparing it to “hiding” His face as when the people sinned. Keeping Him “facing” us is our responsibility in this transaction. During the early days, the chapters would note that the children of Israel did all that the Lord commanded them. Later, they began to disobey overtly, like the “calf,” or covertly by grumbling and complaining.

The invocation is a two way street of God’s blessing, keeping, and sustaining, and our obedience. Moses did not need to implore the Lord to maintain His stance. He merely repeated it to assure and remind his hearers.but we and the Israelites have a ways to go to be faithful to our responsibilities.

“And give you peace.” Peace is on everyone’s mind and agenda. But Moses was talking about more than a lack of military opposition and oppression or the threat of terrorism. He saw peace with God as the ultimate endpoint of both their desert journey and their mortal lives. This plane is not the goal of our existence. It is the preparation for the ultimate reality where all of these are eternally enjoyed.

How blessed would our nation be if, on the cusp of every day, the President, like Moses, stood facing the rising sun, hands uplifted, praying for his people. Add to that the heads of all the cabinet posts and government agencies. Include the Governors of all the states. And most importantly, let every father stand, facing his family imploring God...
The Lord bless you, and keep you;  The Lord make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.
(NASB)

Post Holiday Musings: Voice, Inspiration, and Samson

We had company over Christmas and up until Thursday morning. I woke up this morning, after having struggled with what we think might be bronchitis, with no voice. Well it is Christmas. Luke 1 came to mind. So I took a card and printed HIS NAME IS JOHN on it. And voila`! Oops. Still no voice. I guess Zacharias had better handwriting than I.(verse 63)

One thing for sure, I will not be on a certain TV show anytime soon. (If ever there was a chance of that.) I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and wish for you a prosperous and happy New Year.

Mark 12 records some interactions between the religious rulers and Jesus. They are asking “difficult” questions and are being completely and satisfactorily rebuffed by His erudite answers. Then Jesus turns the tables.

In the “heat of the argument” I have missed, until today, one very interesting assertion. Look at verse 36.
For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, “The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

Jesus goes on to stump them with “two Lords” question. But notice His assumption. “David...said by the Holy Ghost....” Is there a clearer statement that Jesus believed the Old Testament to be  completely God breathed?  This is from the mouth of Jesus, Himself. We probably all know 2 Timothy 3:16, where Paul says that all Scripture is inspired. What better confirmation than to have taken that Idea from the Lord, Himself. Good going, Paul.

People who deny the validity of any, and especially the Old Testament, Scripture are arguing with Jesus. They should read Mark 12 and, as Dr. Phil says, “How’s that working for you?”

One more thing. Samson was a Nazirite. (Numbers 6) Most of the restrictions are pretty well known: No alcohol or even any fruit from the vine; do not cut your hair; be dedicated completely to the Lord; and no contact with a dead body.

The story of Samson begins in Judges 13 and continues through 16. Just from the Nazirite perspective, Samson was pretty fast and loose. The “dedicated” completely to the Lord portion of his vow seems to have fallen first. He not only courted a Philistine woman, he participated in their wedding festivities wholeheartedly. Whether this included the “demon rum” is not clear, but we do know that wine was part of Jewish weddings, so it is not too far fetched to imagine that Samson may have “slipped” in adherence to his vow.

He had already ignored the prohibition on dealing with dead bodies. One of the restrictions in Numbers 6 says that if someone (or thing) dies around a Nazirite, he is to immediately shave his head, purify himself, and then reinitiate his vow observance. He killed a lion on the way to “court” her, then ate honey that bees had accumulated in the corpse of the dead lion. He even used the incident to produce a riddle for the party goers.

These are not marks of respect for one’s solemn commitments. That was not all. We will ignore Samson’s “revenge” for someone “stealing” his wife. But the rest of his life is hardly the prototype of a committed, godly man. He was involved with a prostitute in Gaza.

And not considering the background of Delilah, Samson was pretty cavalier about his vow to not cut his hair. He teased her with the secret of his strength, and even on the next to last tease, pointed to his hair. Then he told her, evidently knowing that she would “work on that.” Every hint before had been followed by an exact replica of the incapacitating prescription that he had detailed.

Did he not think that she would cut his “hair?” (“Not think,” is the key phrase.”) Or did he think that he would be “okay?” Either way, he was wrong. And even in his final faux pas he violated his vow. I do not know that the Nazirite vow was secret, but the “violation” was in not using the excised hair in a sacrifice. It was to be burnt on the altar by the priest.

Samson pretty well trampled every part of his commitment. The remarkable thing, to me, is that the Lord was patient with him through every transgression. We are not wrong in seeing that the Lord is “long suffering.” But we are wrong to presume on that grace and continue in rebellion.

Samson is the poster boy for presumption. Even though restored and redeemed, it cost him his life.

Christmas in Hebrews

Previously we looked at some Christmas stories in the Gospels and the Old Testament. There is also a Christmas story in Hebrews. Look at the first two verses:
God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

Do you see Christmas there? Sure. God had spoken through the prophets, long ago, in many portions or perhaps books, and many ways. He sent Moses with the Ten Commandments and law. He sent judges to lead and point the way. He sent Many (to continue the theme) prophets to correct and instruct the people. Now He has gone the ultimate distance in sending His Son. We saw the joy in the heavenly forces as they announced this miraculous event.

The angels knew the import of this coming, and rejoiced and shouted the news to (excuse the pun) the high heavens. But there is more. Turn to chapter 2:9 through 23. First we identify the main protagonist. (Full text below.)
“But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus,”

The author did not want anyone to be confused as to the identity of the Son. Earlier in the chapter it had talked about someone being “a little lower than the angels,” and we might get mixed up. (Unclear antecedent to the preposition. Thank you Mrs. Cheney.) So that is cleared up It is Jesus.

And next comes a litany of reasons why Jesus came. This is the why of Christmas. The Gospels told us Who, and Where, and When. But to make sure we understood “the reason for the season,” our passage today spells out eight specific reasons why He came.

Number one: “He might taste death for everyone.” Back up in the text and we see Him crowned with glory and honor, so it must have been efficacious. It was. But He had to die for everyone. Why? Because all had sinned (Romans 3:23) and the penalty for that sin was death. (Romans 6:23) Recall our Substitute in Genesis 3:15 and we can see Why He came.

Somebody had to die. Sin demanded it. It would be either your and me, or a substitute who was sinless so that He had no sins for which to die. As much as I like you, I could not have paid for you because I had a debt to pay myself. But the Substitute came. And died.

Number two: To bring  "many sons to glory." There is our “Many” again. The sacrifice was sufficient for all, but not all would accept it. So “to those who received Him,” (John 1:12) He gave the right to become His brothers, and sons of God. (There is more about that in chapter 2 of Hebrews.) God sent Him, but gave us the option of accepting him or not. Why would we not?

He died for all. (See Number one.) John 3:16 said that God loved the whole world. The whole stinking thing. (See the post about the lamb.) But, as we complete 3:16 we encounter, “that whosoever believes in Him.” Not everyone will believe. Jesus said that He was the only way to God. John “He who has the Son has life and he who does not have the Son does not have life.” (John 3:36) There is only one way to God. Everyone is on the way. Some are going the right way: those who believe. And some are going the wrong way: those who do not believe.

“Not believing” does not need to be a violent, virulent rejection, just a failure to believe. This is the ultimate “pass-fail” test. Believe–pass with one hundred percent. Do not believe–fail with a zero. Be one of the “many sons.”

Number three: “To perfect the Author of their salvation.” The “perfecting” is not to complete or fill up. Sometimes we hear that God will be disappointed and incomplete if all people do not believe in Him. This is totally wrong on two levels. First, it is impossible for anyone whom God has chosen to be left out. Part of the “completion” is the final accounting of all those who are called by God.

And second, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are in perfect community and communion with each other and are, always have been, and always well be complete within themselves. There is no deficiency and they need nothing. But, God has chosen to give humans an opportunity to join in this perfection. All we have to do is believe, accept Jesus’ sacrifice for us, and claim His righteousness as our own. We do not fill up the Savior. We join Him in His family. (Number four)

A jeweler who examines a flawless diamond or a pure gold object does not add anything to the object when he pronounces it pure and flawless. He merely demonstrates the perfection that is already there. The Savior was proven to be perfect, complete, and sufficient by the Christmas encounter.

Number four: We are brought into the family. Verses 11-13 exclaim that the believers are included in the fatherhood of God. Jesus calls us brothers after we have been sanctified, or set apart for God, and finally he calls us brothers.

Then it gets personal in Number five: “Since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same.” A rich man could pay the bills of a homeless family and not even miss the money. But if he were to join the family and live with them, on their terms for a while, he would have an appreciation for what his gift would mean. Jesus could have just come, died, and gone back to heaven, and thus saving everyone, as discussed above. But He did not.

He became a man and suffered the same things that man does. More on this later. But He had to become flesh and live in that restricted venue–for Him, anyway–to appreciate what mankind is suffering and to be able to minister to them. He was fully man, as Christmas proves.

Number six: “He might render powerless him who had the power of death.” This is a critical point. Mankind has been subject to a cruel taskmaster. One who has seemingly infinite power, here on earth. The Christmas story proves that his power is not just limited, it is erased. He is powerless. Impotent. And that leads to number seven.

Number seven: “Free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” Our oppressor is not just neutralized, we are freed from the sentence of death that has literally held us captive all of our lives. We are no longer slaves to fear, but are free. The “Fear not” of the angels was not just to the shepherds who were recoiling from a terrifying apparition (Luke 2:10). It was a message of freedom proclaimed to the whole human race! You are free from fear!

And that brings us to number eight. He could have left us with the first seven and we would have been eternally praising and thanking Him for all that He did. But number eight puts a human face on it.

Number eight: “He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest.” He did not leave us as free, and saved to face life as best we could. He became our merciful and faithful high priest. In the Tabernacle economy, the priests represented the people to God, and in turn brought “God” to the people. Jesus is the perfect high priest. He totally understands our nature and can convey that to the Father.

He not only pleads for us, but He brings a complete and perfect answer back to the penitent sinner who has come to Him. And He can do this, because, possibly this should be Number nine, but we will include it here: He is the propitiation for us. “Make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

That big word simply means to make us acceptable to God. Remember the lamb? (Link above. Two Christmas Pictures: A Lamb and a Son) The mother was “propitiated” by the skin of her dead baby, and would accept the orphan. In the same way, God views us through the “lens” of Jesus’ blood and sees us as perfect as is Christ Himself.

The reason I left these two together is the next phrase. (It could be Number nine.)Verse 18: “For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” We are back to the concept that He partook in humanity so that He is not insulated from the feelings and fears that we all suffer. He not only understands, but He comes to the rescue. He comes to our aid.

The God-man, made a little lower than the angels is our compassionate and caring Shepherd in all things, including paying for our failures and enabling us to live in harmony with the Three-in-One.

The Christmas story is thus “complete.”


Hebrews 2:9-23
But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the  author of their salvation through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, “I will proclaim Your name to My brethren, In the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise.” 13 And again, “I will put My trust in Him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me.”

14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. 16 For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. 

17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

Two Christmas Pictures: A Lamb and a Son

Ravi Zacharias gave us a little story to help understand the Christmas story. It seems a shepherd had two mother sheep who were about to give birth. The first successfully birthed her lamb, but then suffered complications and died. The second mother sheep gave birth to a lamb that unfortunately died. So the shepherd had a motherless lamb and lambless mother.

It would seem that the answer would be to put the two together and all will be well. But whenever the little lamb approached the mother, she smelled a foreign entity and refused to nurse the lamb. Finally in desperation the shepherd skinned the dead lamb and fashioned a coat of sorts for the hungry baby. After wrapping the baby in the dead lamb’s skin, the shepherd was able to coax the mother to accept the live one and nurse it.

The little dead lamb became, in essence, a savior for the living lamb. And when “clothed in the skin” of the lamb the new baby was accepted by the mother. We are “foreign” to God because of our sins. He rejects any of our approaches to Him as totally unacceptable.

One verse of “On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand,” goes, “Clothed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.” That is me. And I cannot do it by myself. Isaiah 59:2
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Isaiah 64:6 (NASB) makes it worse.
For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. 

The answer is in 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 (NASB)
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

We are hapless, helpless, and hopeless. Then He steps in at Christmas.

Identity Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

The musical, “Messiah” is filled with Old Testament references that refer to the coming Messiah. One of the best known is Isaiah 9:6. Again Ravi Zacharias helps us to plumb the depths of its meaning. “...a child is born.” This affirms His essential humanity. The Messiah was not a spirit being, an apparition, nor an angel. He was literally a man, just as we are.

But... “a son is given.” This refers to His deity. The Son did not have a beginning and will have no end. So the Son was not born, but given. The description continues with, “the government shall be upon His shoulder.” This is referring to the kingship, inherited from David, but that is not all. The government–not of one small portion of the planet–but the government of the entire world is in view. Later on, the Oratorio identifies Him as “King of kings and Lord of lords.” He will be the supreme ruler of the world.

And He is identified by name. “Wonderful.” Some like that name alone, while others add Counsellor (sic KJV). Wonderful is a good name, in and of itself.  Judges 13:18 finds the angel talking to Samson’s parents and saying that his name was “Wonderful.” Other translations expand that to mean beyond understanding or secret. But however it is meant, it is wonderful and can apply to the Counsellor.

The wonderful counsel is that He, the Messiah, is the answer to the age old question of how to acquire peace with God. This One is the answer. He alone can bridge the gap between sinful man and the holy God. There is no other way. And part of the solution is that He, the Messiah, is God Himself. “The Mighty God.”

There is only one live God, and He is not impotent. He is almighty. In Isaiah 43:13 He proclaims that He can act and no one can reverse it. No one can cancel, counteract, or contest His actions. But some can and do counterfeit them. A warning to the wise.

More, is that He is the Everlasting Father. Daniel 7 describes the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man. The Son will be given an everlasting kingdom. (See above) And here Isaiah tells us that this “Son” is the Father, Himself. Hard to understand? It is, but if it were some simple thing, it would not be so “wonderful” or secret, would it?

And last, the "Prince of Peace." Not just some petty cessation of hostilities between countries or even over the entire planet. This Peace is peace with God. Jesus said, (John 14:3)
27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

The world cannot reconcile us to the Father. Jesus did. And it is no wonder that the angels told the shepherds, “Do not be afraid.” The “glad tidings of great joy” that they gave was the message of Jesus. (Luke 2)

Our two pictures have merged into one. The way He could bring peace was by being the substitute lamb whose scent the mother lamb (Father) would accept. It is not too complimentary to think that our natural aroma is repulsive to God. But the stink of sin has infected and infested our lives and we need to be deodorized. Not just a cleanup and new cologne, but a new, recreated, essence that has the sweet odor of sacrifice, as Moses was instructed in the wilderness. (Exodus 29)

The message of Christmas is one of freedom from fear because of the tidings of Joy. We can be redeemed. And the Redeemer has come. Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth, peace to men–who accept His offer. I have. The Christmas gift is offered to you too. Accept it.

Thoughts on Winter Solstice

Recently we had the winter solstice. That is when the earth points away from the sun in the northern  hemisphere. As we discussed that in 3rd grade at Stratton Public Schools, I asked the teacher how the earth knew how far to tilt, how it stopped, and went back. That was Vonda Carlson. Anyone remember her? She said that it just did.

My next question was what happens if the “stop” order does not work and the earth kept tipping until it was upside down? I did not ask her that. I was certainly relieved when, years later, I learned that the earth does not tilt like a top. It is just pointed at an angle and as it circumnavigates the sun, the top is pointed toward the plane of the sun half of the year and away the other half. The equinox is when it is exactly half way in between.

The tilt of the earth is 23.5 degrees. Isn’t it fortunate that it is just that? If it were zero, or straight up as it goes around the sun, the climate at any one place on earth would be the same year around. If the tilt were much more than that, the extremes would be more than humans could tolerate. What a wonderful design. Here is a link to explain it more fully. http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Astro/orbtilt.html  (Speaking of design, watch for an upcoming dissertation on the design of the solar system. Shameless self promotion.)

Here is a Puzzle: When does 12 come before 11 when counting forward? Don’t look until you think.

On the clock. 12 AM is eleven hours before 11 AM. Same with PM.

Puzzle or riddle 2: What is Santa at the South Pole? A lost Claus.

Last year my granddaughter was playing with the nativity scene and moving the pieces around. As she placed them, she named them. Mary, Joseph, and then she said, “And here is the little lamb. He goes in the manger.”

Pretty good theology there. Have a Merry Christmas.

Hark! Harold the Angel Says

During our last Christmas expedition into literature we examined a carol. Today we will examine the “source document” for that song. Luke 2:10-12 King James Version (KJV)
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Please excuse a little artistic license as we name the angel, Harold. From other verses about interactions between men and angels we are aware that these are not benign encounters. The angels are not threatening, nor terrible, but their demeanor of unsullied purity, coupled with the authority given them from their Maker sent nearly every human subject to the prone position. Even John, when he saw the Risen Jesus about six decades after their last tete-a-tete, fell face down. John was the “beloved disciple.”

So our shepherd friends were very wary, to say the least, when they saw this magnificent apparition in the sky. “Don’t be afraid.” (That encouragement occurs over 350 times in the Bible.) Did you ever notice that when the angels said this, that the recipients were no longer fearful? Something to think about.)

Harold continues, “Look, I am bringing you notice of great joy which will be to everyone on earth.” This is not to some little, cloistered sect in Judea, but he announced this to the entire world. “Good news. Joy.”

And now, one of the shortest, yet most information filled phrases anywhere. “Today is born, in Bethlehem a Saviour (sic KJV) which is Christ the Lord.”

“Saviour.” The world is lost and heading for perdition–and worse. Literally volumes have been written about the Savior. And we have not scratched the surface. A quick summary of our need is in the Ten Commandments. They do not point us to the path to please God. They are an indictment that we have missed the path at least ten times. We failed every one. Right after Moses explained the law to the Jews in Exodus 20, God revealed the sacrificial process by which the Children of Israel could confess their sins and express their faith in Him

We needed a Savior and He had come. But the Savior was also Christ, Messiah. The promised one, that Moses referred to in Deuteronomy 18:15, would be the One Who would lead them. He was the Messiah. And He is the One Coming for us. (John 14:3; and Revelation 22:20) Revelation repeats the promise, “I am coming,” eight times, and the final verse in the Bible 22:20 confirms it one last time. “I am coming.” The Messiah of Deuteronomy has promised to return. Great news!

But that is not all. He is Savior: He is Christ, Messiah: and He is Lord. That is Jehovah, Yahweh, the I AM. God. All of the previous ideas pale in light of the One Who is Savior, Who is Messiah, for He is Lord.

I imagine that the shepherds were up and running. But in circles. “Where, where, where?” They already knew Bethlehem, but where? So the angel, who might have been Gabriel, told them the child would be swaddled. This is not too unusual, as many babies are “swaddled” today.

Aside: Some think that Mary brought the clothes in preparation as she knew that it was “about time.” Others equate the “swaddling clothes” with grave clothes, but this seems to be a weak association, at best. He was wrapped up.

But the real tell-tale was that the babe was in a manger, a feeding trough. Ever watch a cow eat? Slobber (saliva, but not as picturesque) drools out of their mouth as they munch the feed. Not an ideal place for a newborn.

“Find a stable. Any babies inside? If so, let us know.” This was probably their shouted instructions to each other as they ran to town.

“Thanks for letting us know, Harold, Gabriel, or whoever.” It did not matter who had told them. In this instance, Marshall McLuhan was wrong. The medium was not the message. Angels are irrelevant. The Savior, Christ the Lord is here.

What a Savior. What a message. Tell it.

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Hark the Herald Angels Sing
A Doctrinal Dissection

Luke 2: 13 “And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,” 14 ‘Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.’”

We often are exposed to a criticism of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” because one translation  specifically says “Hark the Herald Angels SAY.” So do we need to recast the words? “Hey, listen up dude, them flyboys are fixing to vocalize about some kingy guy.” No, the other may be a little better. Let’s check that out.

 And if that word choice is the deepest level of understanding that we bring to this and other carols, then I would SAY that we are missing a lot. Read the text of the carol:
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King;
        Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”
        Joyful, all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies;
        With th’angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
(Refrain) Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

Now if we just take the first phrase, “Glory to the newborn king..,” it is not much encouragement for the average shepherd or any resident of Bethlehem or of the nation of Israel. If this “newborn” king is just another Herod or Caesar, it is just more of the same old stuff. (SOS) He will be either more cruel or a little less, but they are all the same.

But then the angels, and our song, go farther. “Peace on earth.” Here is a cosmic shift. The newborn one is not another of the same kind. Peace is the farthest thing from the mind or ability of any earthly king, and the angels’ audience knew it from hard, bitter experience. And, “mercy?”

“Mercy me,” is a common phrase, but is most often not used in an understanding manner. Comparing the translations of Psalm 23 gives us a hint. “Surely goodness and MERCY will follow me....” (KJV) NASB uses “loving kindness,” and Holman uses “faithful love.” The mercy of this newborn King must involve love. Something that was and is foreign to any contemporary rulers.

The explanation and fuller understanding comes from the rest of the sentence. “...God and sinners reconciled.” Man, meaning you and I, has been at war with God since the Garden of Eden.  (Genesis 3:15; Romans 5:10) The separation has been healed. We sinners are reconciled to the Holy God. Mercy is extended, through the Baby, to undeserving sinners.

The rest of the first verse is praise for the “medium” of the reconciliation and the source of peace. All nations and the heavens join in the rejoicing over the Christ, the Messiah, coming to earth. He is the triumphal Substitute alluded to in Genesis 3:15. Hark the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

The next verse describes this One Who has come.
Christ, by highest Heav’n adored; Christ the everlasting Lord;
        Late in time, behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
        Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail th’incarnate Deity,
        Pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel.

Heaven loves Him. He is the eternal Lord. (See previous posts on Isaiah.) “Late in time,” does not necessarily mean at the last second, but “in the last days.” (Isaiah 2:2; Jeremiah 23:20, 49:39; Ezekiel 38:16; Hosea 3:5;  Amos 4:2; and Micah 4:1) The hymn is looking forward to the second coming as described by Jesus as the end times. (Matthew 28:20 and others)

Then the carol goes into His unique identity: virgin born, the image of God in flesh, incarnate God, Emmanuel–God with us, and most astounding of all, this Visitor from Heaven lives in a body like ours. He is “pleased” to have such an existence. He is not here grudgingly nor under duress. He chose it. Makes you want to shout with the angels: “Glory to the newborn King!”

There is more. (The version I learned was “heaven born” instead of heav’nly, but it is the same.)
Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
        Light and life to all He brings, Ris’n with healing in His wings.
        Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die.
        Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth.

If we were to look up all the Old Testament references, we would be here a long time. Grab a good concordance or go to BibleGateway and check them out. Prince of Peace. How does He bring peace? The Sun of Righteousness brings reconciliation between our sin and God’s righteousness. Light of the world is He and he brings life and healing (spiritual and physical) in His wings. (Gotta reference this: Matthew 23:37)

He meekly laid aside the glory of heaven, except for a “peek” on the mountain of transfiguration and once in Gethsemane. (Matthew 17, Mark 9 and Luke 9; and John 18) The glory flashed out for a second and they had a glimpse of what He had “laid aside.”

He was “born that man might no longer die. (John 3:16) We were dead in trespasses and sins. We had to be raised from spiritual death. (Ephesians 2:1) And He provided a second birth. (John 3:3) Hark the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King.”

There is a pretty complete lesson on theology there. (And there are two other verses in some hymnals.) And all this from a “poor word choice.” Not to mention the skill and beauty of the words themselves. The writer was a true craftsman and wordsmith. “Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see...incarnate Deity. Pleased...in flesh to dwell.”

Also notice the rhyming pattern and the beats per line. No cramming in a bunch of extra 1/8th or 16th notes to complete a phrase. Or no whole notes to let the music catch up with the words. It rhymes, it flows, it communicates. Flawlessly. Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

And we can sing (or say) with them.


Here are some links to hear a rendition. I could not choose, so you can. 1) The first is an adult choir with audience.

2) The text with Chris Tomlin and adult choir are here.

3) Text and kids choir sing for us here it is pretty good.

4) Gaither Men’s trio–no explanation required.

Added two verses.
Come, Desire of nations, come, Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed, Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Now display Thy saving power, Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.

Refrain

Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface, Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above, Reinstate us in Thy love.
Let us Thee, though lost, regain, Thee, the Life, the inner man:
O, to all Thyself impart, Formed in each believing heart.

Refrain

Train Up a Child

We have all heard the verse in Proverbs 22:6 and probably heard many sermons about it.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

We will not rehash all of those sermons and interpretations, but David Jeremiah had a new take on it that made me think. The word “train” is not pedagogic, but therapeutic. When a new born is reluctant to suckle, a midwife would take a date and rub it inside the baby’s mouth. This would stimulate the sucking reflex.

Essentially, the sweet flavor created a desire for more and the response led to the baby getting nourishment. David Jeremiah’s application was that as parents, or midwives of our children, we are to “train” them by stimulating a desire and hunger for “the way he should go.” In other words we should create a desire to know and follow God.

This is good news and bad news. The good news is that it is never too late, even when the children are grown and gone. Our lives can still stimulate a hunger for God and to know Him better. Personally, I know my parents’ love for and dedication to the Bible has rubbed off on me. I want to know more. I read a “yearly Bible” that takes me through the entire Scripture once a year. But often I cannot wait, and get ahead.

Our responsibility to our kids is not exhausted when they leave. So it is never “too late” to implement the proverb. That is the good news. It is never too late.

The bad news is that this is a life time commitment. Think the kids are grown and gone and now we can let down the guard? Better think again. They are still watching. They are still available to have some “date therapy” applied to increase their hunger.

The more I learn about my family tree, the more I see this played out in our at-large family. Parents, uncles and aunts, grandparents, great uncles and great aunts all have coalesced into a “training” academy to elicit hunger. And as I connect with more and more of my “clan” I am delighted to find more and more of them are Christ followers. This goes back several generations. Praise the Lord for such a heritage.

Their “training up” continues to the present. I, and we, must commit ourselves to be one more link in the “date stimulators,” or midwives of this and other families. We don’t stimulate the date, we use the date to stimulate the child. And the child is anyone in whom we can stimulate a hunger for God.

What an exalted calling. “Train up a child....”

Devotions in Isaiah Part 1 Jehovah's Witness Isaiah 43:10-13

Devotions in Isaiah Part 1. Jehovah’s Witness

Isaiah 43:10-15 (NASB)

10 “You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me.
11 “I, even I, am the Lord, And there is no savior besides Me.
12 “It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, And there was no strange god among you;
So you are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “And I am God.
13 “Even from eternity I am He, And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?”


I guess I have to confess. I am Jehovah’s witness. Look right here in Isaiah 43:10
“You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord,
The Lord, by the way, is Yahweh, also translated in some versions as, Jehovah. And as His witnesses, we have a job. Read on.
“And” (you are) “My servant whom I have chosen,”

We are chosen to be His witnesses and His servant. Now, recall that this was written to Israel, but here, it “spills over” to us Gentiles and the rest of the church. And what are we to be witnesses about? This is where is gets great.
10 “You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me. 11 I, even I, am the Lord, And there is no savior besides Me."

We are to be witnesses to the fact that He chose us. (And He chose Israel also and we must not forget or ignore that.) He chose us to be his servants.

Right now, the President-elect is choosing his aides, confidants, and advisors. They are not called, “servants” but they literally serve the President. We are called to a much higher position. We are servants of the.., well let’s see Who we are called to serve.

First it is the “He.” (We will examine the “preemptive” name in the next consideration.) But “He” introduces Himself. There was no God before Him and there will be none after Him. There have been Presidents before our new one and there will be Presidents after him. But God is the eternal, I AM. He. The is also the Lord. In English that means the ruler, the one deserving service and obeisance. Jesus is Lord of lords. I feel a Hallelujah coming on. “King of kings, and....”

We are chosen servants. This was not a random, or haphazard appointment. It was a deliberate choice. He chose you. He chose me. Whew! Hang your hat on that for a while. Paul claimed this in Romans 1:1; Philippians 1:1; and Titus 1:1. Paul also used a particular term, “bond servant.” This is more than an accidental slave, it is a deliberate, self-committed indenture to the master. And Paul also notes others who are bond slaves.

Other writes repeat the refrain. James, the Lord’s brother does in James 1:1. Peter in 2 Peter 1:1. Jude in Jude 1:1. Jude is also thought to be a brother of Jesus. John includes himself and all to whom the Book of Revelation is written in Revelation 1:1. That’s us folks. Jesus reaffirms that several times later in the book. Revelation 15:3 also identifies Moses as a bond servant. And all, throughout the book are summarized as “bond servants of God.” I rest my case.

But we bond servants are not just chosen to do. We are to know.
“So that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He.”
Know, believe, and understand Who He is. He is described in the “Hallelujah” paragraph above. And notice the interesting juxtaposition of words. Know, then believe, followed by understanding. God works like that a lot of times. We are told what to do without necessarily having received understanding–yet.

Abraham, went out, not knowing where he went. (Hebrews 11:8.) We see that pattern a lot in the Scripture. We even use it in our daily lives. We can warn our kids not to touch the stove, because it is hot. The little toddlers do not always understand what that means and often have to “touch and see” to really understand. As we grow older, we hope to become better “believers” before understanders.

And we have just begun. We know, believe, and understand, what? He is the Lord, but if He stopped there, it would be a terrifying declaration. He is Lord. We are servants. But we are flawed and deficient servants. His next description is lifesaving. Literally.
And there is no savior besides Me.

HE IS THE SAVIOR! HE IS MY SAVIOR! And that is why I witness, why I proclaim, why I testify. This, HE, the I AM, has saved me. I am out from under the onus of my own flaws and failures. My sins are gone. As an old song goes, “Buried in the depths of the deepest sea.” Actually farther. Gone. Period.

Handel “Hallelujah’ed” about Who Jesus, God, was and is. We “hallelujah” about what He has done. He has saved us. Verse 12
“It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, And there was no strange god among you;"

Sermon outline there. (It will be a short one, don’t worry. We will get out in time to make lunch.) He 1) declared, He 2) saved, and He 3) proclaimed. What did He declare? Back to the text.
Verse 10 “You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen," 

He has declared us to be His witnesses and that He chose us. We love the Declaration of Independence and celebrate it every 4th of July. This is the declaration of selection, and we declare it. “HE chose me.”

Point two, He saved me. No sense in having a defective, read sinning, servant. So He purified, or to use a good doctrinal word, justified, us. We are made as pure as Christ. When He sees me, He sees the righteousness of Christ. (Romans 3:21, 22) Philippians 3:9 gives us an explanation. We have a righteousness as a gift through faith in Christ. That is the ultimate salvation. Ultimate and irreversible. (See the next post. Preememptive Name)

Point three, He proclaimed. The last part of verse 12 is the proclamation:
"And there was no strange god among you; So you are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “And I am God."

No “strange” or other god did this. No one can do this. It was the One of Whom we witness. He is God. Be a witness.
(To be continued.)

Devotions in Isaiah Part 2 Preemptive Name

Preemptive Name  (Isaiah 43:12, 13)

Do you know any preemptive names? Some of us older dudes probably know of the Babe, Babe Ruth. No one else has ever been called “the Babe,” although some have been named “Babe.” How about Pele? (Soccer fans know him.) He was a great soccer player and no one, to my knowledge has called himself by that name. The preemptive name has been popular among celebrities recently. Anyone remember Fabian?  One I get a kick out of was Prince. Later, he became “the artist formerly known as Prince.” Then he went back. Was he “Prince the artist formerly known as the artist formerly known as Prince?”

Did you notice that we “forgot” something in our first meditation? We have considered all He did for us, but slightly ignored the “He.” Now let’s focus on the Who of our witnessing

Historically there have been some preemptive names. Pharaoh was the ruler of Egypt. Even though there were several individuals who took the role and name, they were successive. Only one was Pharaoh at a time. Another name like that was Caesar. Again there were several Caesars, first being of the same family, then later, just assuming the title. But again, only one at a time.

Look at our verse for today. Isaiah 43:12
“And I am God.”
He did not call Himself, a god. That would be heresy and blasphemy. There is only one GOD, but He did not even use that. No, “The God,” or “The One God.” Just “God.”

That is as preemptive as you can get. Other places He says, “There is no other,” but that is to keep us from being confused. He does not need it. And looking at verse 13 we see more explanation. “Even from eternity, I am He.” There will be no predecessor or successor, like with the Pharaohs or Caesars. He is eternal, never beginning and never ending. Just God. Notice the present tense. For Him there is no past or future. He is.

But what He says next is comforting, to those of us who are included in the chosen ones.
“And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?”

That sounds like John 10, doesn’t it? Jesus is talking about His sheep.
27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand." 

“Deliver out of,” or “snatch them out of.” That sounds like the same thing, right? “Deliver” is not the deliver of escaping harm or danger, but control. What is in God’s hand is there. Nothing can take it out or, to continue the verse in Isaiah, “reverse it.” The sheep in Jesus’ hand are secure. They have life, will never perish, and will not be separated. Pretty good stuff. It also pronounces the omnipotence of God. There is no power equal to Him, and thus nothing can challenge or change what He does. We are in His hand. Irreversibly so.

Did you think that Jesus made it up on the spot? Nope, He was quoting Isaiah. Look at the rest of Jesus’ comment.
29 “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” (Omnipotence. Ed.)

Right out of Isaiah 43. And then He went on to explain that He and the Father are one. That was not great revelation to those who had been around Him. They could witness to that fact. And so can, and do, I. The ramifications are staggering. God chose me. He has declared or announced that, just as a Roman father announced his son when the boy reached the age of responsibility. God, and Jesus, can do that because they have saved me. Jesus actually died for my sins. God accepted that sacrifice and to prove it raised Jesus from the dead. (Romans 4:25)

And finally, He proclaimed me. Just to make sure that there is no doubt He used the Old and New Testament to affirm (proclaim) that I am His and His forever. “No one can take them (Jim, and you if you are ‘saved’) out of My, or the Father’s hand.” 

What a promise. No, not just a promise, an affirmation of fact. And the One who made it is God. He is the great preemptive One. We talk of security: web security, identity security, property security, all kinds of security. But this security is undoubted, unchanging, and unchallengeable.

He is preemptive in His identity. He is omnipotent; He is sovereign; He is eternal; He is compassionate (calls sheep); He is faithful; He is the only One; and He has made Himself known. He is preemptive and He is preemptive in His announcements. There can be no doubt. God said it. We can only fall in wonder and worship.

One Night

Devotional from Gordon-Conwell Seminary for Advent

2016 Gordon-Conwell Advent Devotional | Day 8 | One Night The One who wove the helix, woven now in flesh, Bound fast together on the earth, God and Man enmeshed. Ineffably committed, no way out, nor back. It is finished; God is Man, of mercy now, no lack. Echo of sage and prophet now find your voice in him, Present now for all—or none—to hear his joyful hymn. Deep shadow now illumined, in flashing flesh grown bright, Present now for all—or none—to see his holy light. The roadless way is travelled, with tiny fetal feet. She sweats and cries and thrashes, all for him to meet. Seraphic eyes now shielded under pinioned wings, Creation gasps upon his birth, and heaven starts to sing. Oh Healer of the primal wound, who wounded must become, Join us here in our travail, and be of sin our sum. We welcome you, we WELCOME you! Come well–Lord Jesus come, For in the chasm of our souls you’ll find your journey’s run. Oh deep long night of winter, when all is dark and drawn, Arise now all creation sing, the glories of your Dawn! The endless end is ending, God’s kairos now has come. The Son is here to save us, “it is finished,” just begun…

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Pearl Harbor

Seventy-five years ago, December 7, 1941, the “Day that will live in infamy,” was initiated at 7:45 AM, a Sunday morning. Whether the United States would have, or should have entered the war became a moot point. We were in it. And a country that had largely demilitarized itself, suddenly initiated a united (pun intended) effort to defeat an enemy on two fronts. And  by September, 1945, that task was completed.

A string of victories from North Africa, to the Mediterranean front and Italy, to the Normandy invasion of Northern Europe was coupled with the campaign in the Pacific. A partial listing of the islands marching from Midway and the Coral Sea, Guadalcanal, the Philippines, Iwo Jima up to Okinawa coupled with other offensives in SE Asia, Burma, borneo, India, and even China were the prelude to the attack on the Japan itself.

The bloody battles for Iwo Jima and Okinawa were portents of the nearly impossible task of taking the main islands. The ultimatum of the Potsdam Conference July 26, 1945, demanded the surrender of Japan or threatened ultimate destruction.

When there was no response, on 6 and 9 August, 1945 said destruction was unleashed. The strategy has been variously debated since, but the clear result was immediate, unconditional surrender and the end of the war. One minor irony is that the Japanese empire feared additional bombing and capitulated, unaware of the fact that there were no more functional bombs available. That would appear to be a coup for our nascent intelligence agencies.

Wednesday commemorates the end of a true “world war.” It was a “hot” or shooting war. Other offensives have been mounted and faced in the intervening years. We hope and pray that another such conflagration will not occur, ever.

The loss in human terms, in economic terms, and in cultural terms is literally incalculable. The United States, its allies, and the world cannot afford another such conflict. Alfred Nobel wished that his invention, dynamite, would be so horrific that no future wars would be fought. He was sadly mistaken and every destructive advancement since has multiplied the “killing efficiency” of arms. Our latest technological advances have not been actually deployed, but potentially are available.

We are technologically superior to our ancient forefathers, but our aggressive tendencies are no less developed or controlled. Much of our human “genius” is applied to improvised killing devices of all types from the relatively primitive conditions in the Mideast confrontation to computer generated electronic attacks to mind boggling technological threats.

Just as the Civil War, WWI, and WWII, and every conflict before, in between, and after have siphoned vital resources from the world, so the continued fascination with destruction efficiencies drains our world of needed resources and solutions to human problems. It is a high price to pay.

On the other hand, failing to defend against those who harbor ulterior motives will result in a world wide domination more catastrophic than that of the barbarians who destroyed the Roman Empire. Hope and prayer are our only hope, and we better pray first.