Peace On Earth

Luke 2:13, 14 is a well known and often quoted passage concerning the birth of Jesus. “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.’”

This is famously, and melodiously reaffirmed in the Messiah. “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth.” But at this time of year, we are bound to encounter a skeptic who points out that there is not now, nor ever been, “peace on earth.” A quick internet search finds much dispute as to whether there has been continuous war, and usually comes down to the definition of war. You might say that there is a verbal war over whether there has been war. But I digress.

The point is that the promise of “peace on earth” seems to have not been accomplished. Let’s examine that in light of Scripture. (Always a good measure to define debate.) Isaiah 9:6 gives us a background for this concept. This is a prophesy of the Messiah.
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

This Son, (the Seed from Genesis 3:15, by the way) will be born and His functions are outlined. He will eventually rule the world and have wonderful names, including Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace. Notice that this Son will be God, incarnate. The Trinity suffuses the entire Scripture, from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22. The Messiah is God. (Eternal Father is found in Daniel 7:13 as Ancient of Days.)

For our consideration, the Prince of Peace guides us back to the “peace on earth” promise given by the angels to the shepherds. To understand this, we can lean on prophesy, and proclaim that, although it has not yet been realized, it will be when Jesus reigns in the Millennium. But for those poor shepherds and all of those to follow, we have a hopeful future, but not much present consolation.

In fact, Jesus seemed to discourage this in Matthew 10:34 (and Luke 12:51):
“Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
So the prospect of peace on earth between all of the different creeds, and cultures, and convictions seems to be minimal, and quite possibly impossible. So were the angels mistaken or deliberately misleading?

How often are our conundrums a consequence of our mistaken understanding or perception, rather than errors in fact? This is probably such a case. If we, like the first century Jewish leaders, expect the Messiah to immediately impose a “non-aggression” society on the world, we will be harshly rebuked by the current events–from then until now. Even the “Pax-Romana” or peace of Rome was not really peaceful, but was simply marked by lack of effective resistence.

Our mistaken perception is about the mission of Jesus, the Messiah. It was not to BRING peace on earth, but to BE peace on earth. When He came, Jesus was the embodiment of peace on earth. This is quite stunning when we place it in perspective of His times.

Immediately after His birth, the shepherds recognized Him, and worshiped Him. The two elderly people who met Him in the Temple at His circumcision and dedication also recognized and worshiped. The Wise men, likewise, saw, and worshiped. Herod, on the other hand totally missed it. In fact a second Herod (Luke 23) had a chance to meet Him on the Thursday night and blew it.

Pilate, the “searcher for truth,” (What is truth? John 18:38) stared “Truth” in the face and did not recognize it. Peace also eluded him. (The old saying that you wouldn’t know XXX if it bit you in the “rear end,” seems to perhaps have originated with Pilate. Or it could have.)

The search for peace on earth often seems a futile effort. An old folk song, from 1955, says, “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.” That is a great interpretation of what Jesus came to do. We each have a role to play, and peace will “be” on earth when we are at peace. And, now, through the Holy Spirit, He is BEING peace through us.

The ultimate promise of peace on earth is not a “far in the future” hope, but a present, real condition where ever His followers are found. “Joy to the World,” has the words, “far as the curse is found.” And it can be combated. (V. 3) “He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found.” The “blessings” seem to be embodied in peace that we transmit to the world.

And how can we realize peace in our own lives? Again, let’s turn to an old hymn.
Though the angry surges roll On my tempest-driven soul, I am peaceful, for I know, Wildly though the winds may blow, I’ve an anchor safe and sure, That can evermore endure.
Refrain: And it holds, my anchor holds: Blow your wildest, then, O gale, On my bark so small
and frail; By His grace I shall not fail, For my anchor holds, my anchor holds.

The rest of the lyrics* are in a link below. When we are anchored in Jesus, nothing can move us or, as the verse says, “I am peaceful....” Peace on earth is possible. It is available. It must be appropriated. Choose Jesus.

We have covered a lot of music and Scripture. The New Year gives us another opportunity to share that with those we meet. “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth.”

Amen.

Selected lyrics for Handel’s Messiah.
https://www.thoughtco.com/lyrics-and-excerpts-of-handels-messiah-723774
* http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/My_Anchor_Holds/
* https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=my+anchor+holds+lyrics&view=detail&mid=965BC797E180E0FCF94B965BC797E180E0FCF94B&FORM=VIRE

The King is Coming

Doug Oldham sang a “signature” song* called, ”The King is Coming.” That song got me through many long lonely hours and days when I first moved to East Peoria, Illinois, after completing graduate school. One meaning of the song that I had not contemplated until now is that the Coming King came a little over 2000 years ago. As we approach and pass through another Advent Season, it is good to look at both ends of the “coming.”

In May of 2015 the world and United Kingdom in particular welcomed a new royal baby. It was not too many years ago that a baby named William was also welcomed into the world, as the next (or next to next) king of England. I “grew up” with a toddler in England named Charles whom we all expected to become king about the time we matured. It seemed that “The Weekly Reader” had a story about him about once a month or so. He is still waiting. But I digress.

The one thing about all of these “royal births” that did not happen is striking. They were all anticipated and celebrated and revered. But not one of them was worshiped. The babies were feted and praised and great things were predicted for them. But none of them had...well let’s see what the record says: (Matthew 1:1, 2)
...magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” (Emphasis added.)

They showed up on Herod’s door step.
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king,”

If Herod had listened to them, he might not have overreacted so violently. He heard, “King of the Jews...” and went berserk. He anticipated competition and immediately moved to, according to the great philosopher Barney Fife, “nip it in the bud.”

He would have been a lot more surprised if he had listened to what they said. “Worship Him.” None of our English royal babes were worshiped. In fact, though some in history have demanded worship, none deserved it. Our study in Genesis 1 has forever spiked that cannon. Only a nincompoop, idiot, or deranged person would deign to claim deity. (Or as C. S. Lewis said about the baby born in Bethlehem, “He was a liar, lunatic on the level of a poached egg, or Lord of All.”

I read a apocryphal conversation between an evolutionist and God.
E. “Give me a hand full of dirt and I can make a man too.”

God. “Get your own dirt.”

End of story. So the accounts of the shepherds, the two people in the Temple, and the wise men,  worshiping this Baby are quite astounding. And as we prepare to celebrate this anniversary of His birth, we bow in honor and obeisance to the One Who created the whole world and universe.

He was foretold in Jeremiah 23:5
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land.

We will not exegete these verses, except to note that they proclaim Him to be King. Micah 5:2 (Did I tell you I have a grandson named Micah? Different guy. But I digress.)
“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”

This one combines the Kingship with the eternality, or deity, of the coming One. Zechariah 9:9 further identifies Him.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Was He recognized? Look at Luke 19:37, 38
As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, 38 shouting: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

King and Lord are the names applied here. John 12:12-15 echoes these shouts, and John even quotes Zechariah. Was that all? Ironically, the “judge” who condemned Him and the mockers who surrounded the cross repeated this fact. John 18:37
Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Matthew 27:41-43
In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, 42 “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. 43 He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He delights in Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

I just noticed something. There is no conditional, if, in the sentence**, “He is the King of Israel....” They are assuming and conceding that He is the Messiah. Yet they refused to believe Him. What a chilling picture. That reminds me of another, more chilling scenario. Philippians 2:10
so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

We can join those who willingly bowed at His birth, and since, or we will acquiesce when He comes again. The supremely ironic part of the story, is that Herod was also seeking the Baby. But his “seek” was not, as he lied to the wise men, to worship Him. Herod had rejected the Messiah and sought to kill the One Who had come to set him free. Indeed, Herod was so intent on murdering the Baby, that he executed an untold number of baby boys whose only sin was being born in Bethlehem.

Herod now knows the folly of his precipitate act. The other unbelievers at His first coming received a second opportunity. Saul of Tarsus, for instance, refused, then recanted and believed. Even Jesus’ brother, James, did not believe until after the resurrection. God’s patience and long suffering has been extended to the world for now. But there is an assured time coming when it will terminate.

2 Peter 3:9 Warns that the postponement of judgment is not indefinite.
The Lord...is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

As we approach another commemoration of the Coming of the King, let us be diligent on behalf of our own souls and determined to bring salvation to others. This Baby that came in humility will come again and this time with power. No one will seek to kill Him next time. (Well they might, but it will be the height of futility–and stupidity.)

“The King is coming, the King is coming...” Merry Christmas.


** One might infer an implied “if,” but in the English, it is not there. “He said He’s the King...” could be interpreted, but it is not explicitly there. They did not believe it, and giving it a conditional status would expose them to refutation. What if He did come down? So they issued a declarative denial of the point in question.


*n https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omc6Z-xE8FY (Skip the ad)
**https://www.bing.com/search?q=doug+oldham+the+king+is+coming&qs=AS&pq=doug+oldham+the+kin&sc=1-19&cvid=88B335C7DF20458D88B8EA42D817F2F0&FORM=QBRE&sp=1

Wise Men Revisited

Normally when I finish and post a lesson, I can leave it behind. But the thoughts on the Wise Men have continued to dog me all week. For one, thing, I heard a guy on the radio presenting the “beliefs of the Magi,” that was pretty outrageous. Plus, the message has gotten a grip on me, and keeps ringing in my soul. As a kid, I recall one night of sleep where I seemingly laid down, closed my eyes, and it was morning. I prayed every night for a long time for a night of sleep like that again. The Magi keep coming back, not to haunt me, but to comfort and encourage me.

With your permission I will revisit and augment the previous study. (Your permission is implied because, without it you would be reading something else. But I digress.) A quick review is appropriate for those who may have missed the earlier discussion and to refresh our thoughts for those who have been here before.

Why would three or more Magi, Wise Men from Babylon or Persia, be interested in the king of Israel? And furthermore, why and how would they know to identify a “star” in the skies with the birth of this baby? Realize initially that they were between 500 and 1000 miles away. Their last known contact with the minute, now invisible strip of land known as Israel was 400 to 450 years ago.

It is like our looking out at the sky tonight and seeing something and identifying it as the star of the new king of Nepal and jump on our “Camel” leer jets and head for Kathmandu. There must be a rational, reasonable motivation for undertaking such a trip. And, we may have uncovered that reason for the Magi to travel to Jerusalem.

It was probably 500 or so years before that at teenager had been deported to Babylon as a slave, and rose to the rank of the highest advisor in the kingdom. Then he survived, not only a regime change, but the complete destruction of the government and its replacement by a hostile, conquering power. He was a highly placed advisor in the successor governments as well.

This Daniel had not been back to Israel for at least 70 years, but was given dreams and visions about the future of this land. One of them related to the finalization of activities related to his people, the Jews. His vision recounted that 483 years would expire before the long awaited Messiah would be “cut off,” and have nothing. This was not an auspicious end. But a 7 year epilogue would follow after certain specific events had occurred, yielding a 490 year outline. And the grande finale would be “worth the wait.”

The initiation point of the 490 years was a decree for the Jews to return to their land, rebuild the city of Jerusalem, and rebuild the temple. Counting backwards from 483 to account for the growth and maturation of the Messiah, we arrive at the approximate date of the Messiah’s birth, or 450 years after the decree. The “450" years had nearly expired when the Magi saw the star.

A little background here: The Magi were star watchers, and based on their movements, made prognostications concerning future events. Daniel had been trained in that art, and seemingly excelled at it. But his ability was not a natural understanding of star patterns, it was supernatural. He interpreted two specific dreams for Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king, and was highly respected by Darius, the Median king. We can assume that Cyrus, the succeeding Persian king inherited Daniel from his predecessor and was guided by him also.

It also seems not to be a stretch to surmise that Daniel taught other Magi about Israel, and about his prophesies. Couple that with Numbers 24:17, and we have a perfect explanation for why these men, remote in time and space, would be interested in the King of Israel.
A star will come from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel.
Moreover, Daniel would have told them of the “seed” in Genesis 3:15 which would crush the head of Satan and redeem the world.

Ironically, they were better “believers” than many of the Jewish people themselves. We know Simeon and Anna, the believers who met the baby Jesus in the Temple were believers. (Luke 2:25-38) The account also reports that others shared their anticipation of the “redemption of Jerusalem.” But they were in the minority.

Now to continue the thought. As I mentioned, a follower of “the Magi” reported on the radio that their beliefs did not include Jesus as God. He was merely a great teacher. I googled them on the internet and uncovered a site detailing some of their beliefs. At the heart of their presentation was a circle composed of all the religions of the world with their version of the golden rule. (Do unto others as you would have them do to you.) Based on this similar, “fundamental statement of beliefs” they assert that all religions are equivalent and equally efficacious. (Efficacious for what is not necessarily defined. Just to get along with each other, I guess.)

They are right...about getting along. But if religion is only to help us get along with others, it is pretty worthless. Paul said the same thing in 1 Corinthians 15:19
If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone. 
We are like pigs drowning in a mud hole. We may “get along” well in here, but if we do not get out, we will all end up dead.

As I mentioned these beliefs to my wife, including the belief that Jesus was only a great teacher, she blurted out, “But how could they know He was only a great teacher? He was only a baby.” Well, I was planning some elevated theological rebuttal and she made it totally unnecessary. I will complete it, just in case you encounter someone who is a little dense and needs erudite explanations of easily evident information.

So they evaluated the potential of a 1 to 2 year old child and elevated Him to sainthood, but not Deity. Pretty astute boys, weren’t they?

Second, how did they know about Him in the first place? Did they get advance notification of the birth of Mohammad, Gandhi, Confucius, Buddha, et al? The notice was specific enough to tell them where, Jerusalem, and who, the king of Israel, was to be born. The third question is why travel so far just to say “Hi” to a good teacher? Surely they had innate knowledge of the “good teaching” that He would present. No need to bother with the arduous trip of up to 1000 miles to the Mediterranean Sea.

The answer, and dagger to the heart of the arguments, is what they did when they got there. Matthew 2:11
Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him.

No offense to these “Magi followers,” but if they are truly “followers” they will follow in worship. Otherwise they are exposed as poseurs, pretending to follow and believe, but not being convinced. Another word is faker and hypocrite.

Back to Paul. If Jesus is not the Lord of the universe, and indeed raised from the dead, we all are doomed to death in the “mud hole.” A quick look at the circle of religions (see link) will convince us that there is no other way. No other teachings will overcome the problems of our world. And they certainly cannot combine to guide us to the one shining path anywhere.

Christ is our only hope in all the world, and the Magi, of all people, knew it. Christmas is our time to celebrate and, more critically, circulate the message. There is a way out. It is Jesus, the One born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. The Magi traveled 1000 miles to see and worship Him. We look back 2000 years, but need not go back. He is here now. What a Gift to the world.

Gloria in excelsus Deo. Follow the real Magi. Merry Christmas.

Wise Men Seek Him

Matthew 2 records a story that is not repeated in any other Gospel. This is interesting in and of itself, but more so, since the focus of the Magi was to worship the new King of the Jews. And Matthew’s focus was to tell the story to the Jews, and to illustrate that the object of the story was actually the heir to the throne of Israel. I heard two presentations on this topic this Christmas season and frankly had not given it much thought before.

It is time to change. This is fascinating. There are several astute studies explaining the appearance of the star.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
First, a meteorite is pretty easy to rule out. Herod and evidently very few others in Jerusalem noticed the “star.” A meteorite or comet would both be evident and the object of much wonder. The magi would have been able to ask about anyone about it.

It could have been a supernova. But that would not have “behaved” like this star did. Another option would be a supernatural event and all of the conditions would have been satisfied. But in that instance, the Magi would not have been anticipating it, and why would God have shown it to them, way over in what was ancient Babylon? They came to worship, but others could have been shown the miracle also. It seems to be implied that they were looking for something, and when they saw it, they knew it was the King of the Jews. How could this be?

And here, we run into a fantastic confluence (pun intended, it will be obvious later) confluence of events and circumstances that culminated in the Magi traveling to Jerusalem, then Bethlehem to see this wonder. It is pretty well accepted that they came from Babylon or that area.

Why were the wise men looking for a sign? I think that we can turn back to the book of Daniel for an explanation. Daniel 1:20 begins the explanation: (Daniel and his friends are examined by Nebuchadnezzar.)
As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm. (Note: Magicians and conjurers watched the stars.)
Then the four of them became personal advisors to the Nebuchadnezzar. And we know from chapters 2, 4, and 5 that Daniel would interpret dreams and visions. He also had visions that consisted of detailed prophesies of what would happen in the future. We will only consider chapter 9 here. We will not explore it in depth, but just the relevant items to our study.

First Daniel is given a vision of 70 weeks, or 70, seven year periods: 490 years. The beginning of this would be from the “decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem.” We are not going to repeat the study of this timing, but you can check it out on your own. (See note below.) That decree to return home was given by Cyrus, the king of Persia. The command to rebuild and city and temple came later. (There is some dispute as to which command exactly was the one, but for our purposes that is irrelevant.)  The time line was to run for 490 years. Verse 24 outlines it as applying to Israel and Jerusalem and it would bring a culmination to the story that began back in Genesis when the Lord chose Abram, renamed him Abraham, and established a covenant for land and his offspring. Genesis 12 begins the narrative.

So Daniel was shown the final stages of God’s working with men, through Abraham and his offspring. Do you imagine that he was somewhat elated and rejoicing. Look at the wording in verse 24. Here is what will happen: it will
...finish the transgression, make an end of sin, make atonement for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place.

We again, will not exegete all of the details, but everything will be wrapped up. What a blessing. And it will only be 490 years from the “decree.” Or will it...?
Messiah will be cut off and have nothing,
You can figure out the timing, but it amounts to 483 years after the decree, the metaphorical clock will stop. Then some very disturbing events occur.

First, “the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.” This has to occur after week 69 and before the 70th week, thus demonstrating that the 490 years are not consecutive. From Daniels’ perspective, the city and sanctuary were already destroyed. This implies that the intervening 483 years will find it rebuilt and now destroyed again. “And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.” (We know this happened in AD 70.)

All of this sounds devastating, again. Daniel was less than 70 years removed from witnessing the first destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Now it will be repeated. There is more:
And he (the prince) will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, (seven years) but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

It sounds like things are going to become even worse than when Nebuchadnezzar decimated the city. Again, we will forego the explicit explanation, but this leads us into our story. We do not know if Daniel witnessed the command to return to Jerusalem. But we do know that he was an advisor to Cyrus, and he had counted the years, 70 to be precise, from the time that Jerusalem was destroyed and he had been taken captive. The command should be near. It was.

Now back to our story. I do not consider this to be too much of a conjecture. Daniel was the “top dog” of the “wise men” under Nebuchadnezzar and probably under the subsequent rulers of Media and Persia. Is it too far fetched to venture a guess that he taught his “followers” about Israel, and the Jews’ God? And he could point back to prophesy that had been fulfilled, up to his personal deportation from Jerusalem. So when he got the “new message,” he would have been impelled to share that with his team, and the message was passed down through the years.

Now would it be surprising that some “wise men” in Babylon were looking for a sign of the coming King? We can estimate that about 450 years have passed since the decree, and many generations had perpetuated the “watch.” Maybe only a few faithful ones remained, and they were the ones who noticed the star and had to go see for themselves. This could account for the number of seekers. We call them wise men, because they were seeking the Messiah, the King.

And what caused them such excitement? Again, several suggestions are proposed, but the one I like best is that two planets, Jupiter and Venus came so close to each other that they seemed to merge into one, very bright star. They did not eclipse one another, because that would have blocked the light of one. But coming so close to each other in conjunction would produce the brightest light in the heavens. Recall that they are actually billions of miles apart, but “line uup” in our perspective on earth as they orbit the sun.

And, because of the apparently odd behavior of planets in the sky, Jupiter appeared to circle around in the heavens and return to the place where it had appeared. (Retrogression is due to the earth and the planet both orbiting the Sun and our perspective changes.) This very unusual conjunction of Venus and Jupiter and the apparent circling of Jupiter was what attracted their attention. Nothing like this had occurred in their memory or records, so it is not surprising that they noticed it.

And, again in conjunction with the prophesy in Daniel, these extraordinary events captured their imagination and lives, for a while. Their “understanding of prophesy” is not stretching the facts, because Simeon, a devout Jew also “saw” this. Luke 2:25, 26
25 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
Somehow, perhaps using Daniel’s prophesy also, he had estimated the time of the Lord’s coming. The Holy Spirit could have used the same message to reveal the “time” to him. (The Lord uses the Scripture to instruct us today, too. What a blessing. But I digress.)

Did you notice the term for Simeon’s search? He was...”looking for the consolation of Israel.” What could that mean? Interestingly, it turns us back to Genesis 3:15. The key phrase is:
“And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

My mother quoted this verse often when a snake crawled into our farmyard. She would chop off its head with her garden hoe, declaring that old snakey would not get her heel. It was kept 4-5 feet away. My brother quipped that a snake in the yard was like Christmas. “Hoe! Hoe! Hoe!”

The Lord was talking to the serpent, who is identified for us in Revelation 12:9 and 20:2. He is the Devil, Satan. So Eve’s “seed,” or son would crush the serpent’s head and be injured, Himself.  Seems “interesting” that Christmas, or Christ’s coming would unite Genesis and Revelation. Now Easter is included. I think that conjunction was planned What a story.

So Simeon joined the crowd of wise men. (Just for the record, there were many in the OT, including Daniel.) Imagine their elation when they actually encountered the Baby. “This is HE!”

Let’s go one step farther. Luke 2:36-38 introduces
...a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. 38 At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

This is an additional “conjunction” as they “just happened” to be in the Temple when Mary and Joseph brought the baby. We could learn from Anna’s devotion, but look at her outreach. She spoke “to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.” Jerusalem was still there, but under Roman domination. Did she just want the Romans gone, or something more significant? Editorially, I do not think that she was thinking about a liberated Jerusalem in the condition it was then. An ordinary baby would not have elicited such a response.

But the “seed” from Genesis 3:15 surely would. Now we have wise women seeking Him. This story is getting better and better. It never grows old. We dare not ever let it grow common or routine or tedious. The delirious excitement we experienced during our early Christmas celebrations should grip us more powerfully than ever before when we consider what this means.

The wise men traveled many miles over the Middle Eastern desert to get there. Their homeland is variously identified as from Babylon (as we did here) or as far away as Iran. That varies from 500 to over 1100 miles. Either way, that was an arduous journey in those days. (And with the current political climate, it is not a “friendly” one today.) They were serious about finding the Messiah.

Here is another conjunction. Their route from Babylon to Jerusalem probably coincided with the one Abram followed when he left Ur, of the Chaldees, and transported his household to the promised land. I wonder if they pondered that.

Simeon and Anna had not traveled such a distance, but, apparently they had devoted a major portion of their lives in the quest. And now we get the opportunity to follow in their steps. Is there a conjunction that will guide us?

One last thought. From Genesis 3:15 to the birth, people were “looking for” the Savior. (Or Messiah) Once He went back to heaven His believers have been “looking for” His second coming. But what about the guys on earth when He was here? He was HERE! They could look for Him right there. So for all eternity, man has been watching for the Coming One. We are coming close to the end of that watch. He is coming again.

The wise men, Simeon, and Anna were seeking the Messiah to worship Him. Herod was seeking the Baby to murder him. What are you seeking? Who are you seeking and why? Christmas reminds us that He came, but more that He is coming again. Maranatha

Wise men seek Him.


https://www.gotquestions.org/seventy-weeks.html
I was going to let you look, but when I did, there were so many bogus entries that I decided to save you some time. Contact me for more if needed. JRL

Hot Water

Hot water is a nice luxury. We found this wisdom in a personal event yesterday. We were just ready to kick off our on-line Bible study and I went into the garage to retrieve a bottle of Orange Crush (blatant product placement) for one of our in-person guests.

I heard an ominous and disquieting “hissing” sound. This was not “snakes in a garage” for those of you who have watched our lesson. I began to reconnoiter. (Our military friends call this, “recon.”) I immediately noticed that the water heater was wet from the top down, and some boxes on an adjacent cabinet were soaking wet. A little bit of “feeling detective work” led to the positive conclusion that the leak was the supply pipe and not one of the pipes going into or out of the body of the heater.

Turning the shut off valve to “full off” terminated the hiss and the leak. PTL for small miracles. After finishing the study broadcast and fellowship time we ventured into the garage to assess the damage and the potential for repair. (Shameless product advertisement: The fellowship cake was a Pepperidge Farms fudge cake. Don’t you wish you had been there?)

I removed all of the “stuff” packed on top of the water heater and that stored around it and transported it outside. More on that later. Then with unhindered access to the supply pipe, I was able to ascertain that it indeed was a leak in the pipe where it underwent a sharp bent to reach the connection. Only need a supply tube and we are back in business.

Side comment. Bev asked if we should postpone the repair until the morning. “If you want to skip a bath or take a cold one,” I replied.

“Go ahead and fix it.”

A quick search through the reconfigured garage, (Thanks to my organized son) I discovered, to my delight, a brand new hot water supply hose in the drawer where it was supposed to be. (Another miracle? Garage Sale Supply INC came through again.) Guess where my first stop will be when I venture out today? Yep, Home Depot for another water supply hose which will replace the other one, which was installed at the same time the faulty one went into service.) (More product placement.)

The 1 1/8" nut on the hose stared at me as I rummaged through my large wrench kit. One inch, one and one quarter inch, but nothing in between And all of my crescent wrenches were scattered throughout various “job sites.” But I did find an adjustable large wrench which I have never had to use. It fits larger nuts, including 1 1/8" ones. Another miracle, thank You.

A few twists and both nuts were off, teflon tape attached to the ends of the pipes, and new hose nuts tightened to the “no leak” point. Hot water is now available. PTL.

Cleanup time. I glanced outside and decided that the bright moon in an only slightly cloudy sky meant that this stuff can wait until tomorrow to come back inside.

Fast forward to about 12:30 AM. Groggily I became aware of the pitter patter of rain on the roof. I slipped outside, not waking the sleeping wife next to me, and returned the perishable items to the shelter of the garage.

As I slipped back into bed, the pitter patter on the roof turned into a torrential downpour. Back in Nebraska, we called that type of precipitation “gully washers.” I slipped into a deep sleep until after 6:00 am. Thank you for the extra protection, Lord.

Oh yes. We did take a nice hot bath last night. Ahhhh.....

Free Will

With the latest church shooting, mass murder, we will inevitably hear the question, “Why would God give man free will if He knew that man would sin?” Without going into the specifics of this particular incident, we can address this very insightful question.

A recent call-in program featured an 8 year old boy asking, “Since God knew that man would sin, and the devastation that would be brought onto the world, why would He give man free will? If I were a parent, I would not give my child an alternative that would hurt him.”

The commentator kindly pointed out that we are dealing with two different situations. By refusing to let a child eat candy all the time, we are counting on the fact they he or she will someday understand that it was for his own good, and because the parent loved him. In fact, we all, as parents, have reasoned the same way.

But with God and man, the situation was different. Adam and Eve did not have a conscience nor any concept of love. Just as a pet, and I know I will get into trouble with this, a pet does not experience love for an owner who feeds and cares for it. I will concede that animals can recognize care and kindness. Maybe we should make our “pet” a snake, a turtle, or a spider. They have no concept of care or concern. (I say this assuredly, as I read of a 20' python found in a home with the owner inside. Obviously deceased. No caring response there.) Animals act on instinct.

(Please do not send me the story of a lion cub raised and then turned loose into the wild who had a “loving” reunion years later. I would aver that the care provided by the master had so imprinted on the animal, that he did long to return to the “easy times.” More often we read of a domesticated animal turning on an owner. The experts tell us that this is a wild animal, regardless of the altered circumstances from “in the wild.” But I digress.)

Adam and Eve had no “freedom” to love God until they recognized that it was a choice. Maybe this will be a better example. Your computer does exactly what you “command” it to do. You may not have written the exact code, but someone did. And when I push a key on the keyboard, I am certain that I will always see the associated character appear on the screen. (We will abstain from discussing “random lottery” picks that most states use to reward the few lucky suckers who spend money on this “rigged” game.) (You might be able to guess my position on the topic.)

Adam and Eve were given the choice of whether to love God or not love Him. Without that, they were simply human automatons, incapable of any choice or action outside of their programming.

Jesus even spelled this out for us in John 14:15. (In fact this is an Old Testament concept as well.)
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
Without love, there will be no true obedience. And without obedience, we have evidence of no love.

So why did God give us free will? Not so that He could have someone or something to love. It was to give us the unparalleled, in the universe, unparalleled opportunity and blessing of loving Him. My computer does not love me, even though it does what I command. It has no choice. (Absent an electrical surge or some other shock.)

We can love God, because we have the freedom not to love Him. Even like our candy-denying parent, it is for our own good. God loved us so much that He took the risk of us not loving Him. It was not because it would have “cost” Him something. He is totally complete. But it does cost us everything if we do not love Him.

I choose to love Him.

Answer A Fool

Proverbs 26: 4 and 5 appear, at first glance, to be a contradiction.
Proverbs 26:4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Or you will also be like him..

Proverbs 26:5 Answer a fool as his folly deserves, That he not be wise in his own eyes.

Remember that these proverbs are given to guide a wise man in how to act, particularly in relation to a fool. (26:1-12) I counted 11 mentions of how a “fool” acts in these 12 verses. This twin couplet occurs about in the middle of the passage.

Verse 4 says not to answer “according to” or like the fool. You will appear to be a fool also. And you probably are. It may have been my Dad who told me, “Never argue with a fool. All you get is two fools fighting.” The recent demonstrations in Shelbyville and Murfreesboro may be a good example of how not to respond to a “fool’s” actions. Anyone who attempted to rebut either side surely found themselves in a foolish argument. Another witticism that applies is, “Never try to out shout a shouter.”

But, there are times when the foolish actions or words are presented in a framework that has the cachet of respectability or even erudition. If these instances are left unchallenged, at least the fool thinks he is wise. The written statements of the demonstrators may at times require a refutation. The foolish may not gain from this, but he does not, at least, walk away thinking that he has posited an unanswered argument.

I remember the very first debate tournament which the LeTourneau debate team entered. We came out of all four rounds exulting that we had certainly won them all. Our coach, Dr. Terry, did not comment on our evaluations until we had a chance to read the ballots. We lost them all, and lost badly. He said that he had expected this, because it was the first time we had ever debated.

We did not know enough even to know whether we had won or lost. We did learn, and became fairly proficient. (Shameless self congratulation.) The point is, that we might answer a fool, yet he does not perceive that he has been refuted, like we “debate fools.” But the “coach,” or outside advisor does see what has happened.

Many of our cultural clashes involve these two Proverbs. We must be wise enough to distinguish whether to apply verse 4 or verse 5. Never be foolish in answering a fool.

But we may reasonably produce an answer for anyone else who may witness the confrontation. In fact, it seems incumbent that we do answer such nonsense.  That is my excuse for answering people who proclaim that the earth is a flat disk. And that one race is superior to another. Or that abortion is a positive thing. Or...you fill in the blank.

Farthest Star?

The farthest objects that we can “see” with our present instruments range from 13.1 to 13.4 billion light years away. And they are not all in the same “direction.” This brings up a question.

If the farthest stars are in various directions from the earth are the same distance away, then is the earth “the center” of the universe? Some are claimed to now be 13.4 billion light years “away” and the universe is supposedly 13.9 billion years old. That means that these guys were about one half a billion light years away from the earth when they were formed. But it was not even here, then.

So what about the closer stars, like Andromeda? It is supposedly 9 billion years old, and is 2.5 billion light years away. See the problem? If the earth is 4.5 billion years old, then this star and galaxy must have passed us about 2.5 billion years ago.

Where was it formed? And what did it do for 6.5 billion years, before it began to recede from the earth? We are supposedly seeing light emitted 2.5 billion years ago, but it is is moving away from us. So we are seeing it where it was 2.5 billion years ago. If it has existed 9 billion years, where is the light given off for the 6.5 billion years before it became visible to us?

And every star that we examine is going “away” from us. But over 2.5 billion years ago, it must have been coming toward us. But according to Big Bang (BB) theory, all of the matter in the universe was created 13.9 billion years ago in the BB. It has been rushing outward since then. Supposedly the earth was formed 4.5 billion years ago, so for 9 or so billion years the “star stuff” (Carl Sagan) that would become earth hurtled through space, then coalesced into to this solar system. (The sun is also purported to also be 4.5 billion years old.)

But the Milky Way galaxy (MW) is 13.2 billion years old. (I did not check the ages of other stars in our galaxy. It is too messy now.)  So the MW formed about 0.7 billion years after the BB, then raced away from the “epicenter” of the universe, where ever that is, until the sun and solar system formed inside this moving mass of star stuff about 4.5 billion years after Andromeda formed. Then 2 billion years later, Andromeda began to recede from earth. Confused yet?

Another question. Did some unknown star or stars form, then supernova into oblivion to produce more of the high atomic number atoms that form the earth, but evidently not the sun? Or were all of the “high number” atoms formed in the BB? Most theories do not account for that. They postulate a sequence of events to produce the higher elements. All of this while rushing through the cosmos. The degree of “messiness” is approaching the level of confusion as to “how all this happened.”

A philosopher named Ocham proposed a “razor” or test to determine how to distinguish between competing theories. The simplest and most straight forward is to be preferred until it is proven wrong or discredited. Seems BB is tottering on the brink of discreditation. (Is that a word? Red squiggly line says, “No.” But is applies. What does WordPerfect know?)

It is amusing to see the literally mindless numbers bandied about in articles concerning stars and black holes “eating” each other and other celestial phenomena. Most of these occurrences are not “observed” but merely inferred from a burst of X-rays or gamma rays. Often there was “nothing” there, that we could see, anyway, and then suddenly a literal “blast from the past” occurs and the radiation is detected and “explained” as if someone were actually on site, reporting on channel 2.

I should have taken astronomy instead of chemistry. Pity the poor chemist who has to actually do experiments and get results that correlate with his theories. (Except for P-chem, of course. They get to make up formulas and claim that the result is proved. Just joking, Barry. I know you work hard.)

But the astronomer observes something from the unthinkable past, guesses what it could be, and is lauded as a genius. And if they all “guess” the same way, it looks like a preponderance of evidence is accumulated.

(Disclaimer: These observations are made by a guy who stopped with differential equations and never took quantum mechanics. Who also struggled with atomic and nuclear physics. I understood the words when the prof explained that an electron could “tunnel” through a zero probability area to appear on the other side, but it sounded like hokum. (Technical science term) So the theoretical basis of astrophysics is outside the purview of my training and understanding.)

One does wonder, with all of eternity to spend with the Creator, if He will kindly bring all of us up to date on how He did all this. “He made the stars also.” (Genesis 1:16) My biggest question, is, “Will there be a test on this?”

This meandering pontification was all generated by the words of a song: This Love Is Mine. (First Verse below.) “We may plumb the depths of all the mighty oceans, we may tell the distance to the farthest star.” This got me thinking. (“Plumb” sounds better to me than “sound," but who am I to tell John W. Peterson and Alfred B. Smith how to write? “Sound” is okay.) The point is, that God’s love is more vast than even the universe. Think on these things.

Have a great day, and keep looking up tonight.



We may sound the depths of all the mighty oceans;
We may tell the distance to the farthest star.
But the mighty love of God cannot be measured.
Its dimensions are so high, so deep, so far!

CHORUS

This love is mine, I cannot comprehend it!
This love revealed through Christ, my Lord divine.
When on the tree He died for me.
God’s wondrous, glorious, mighty love,
This love is mine

http://www.namethathymn.com/hymn-lyrics-detective-forum/index.php?a=vtopic&t=142
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8lG9LUfIVI
(Not the greatest musical rendition, but the message is there. Jim the music critic.)

1 Corinthians 15 Logic of the Resurrection

Paul’s logic is as impeccable as it is irresistible. The whole book of Romans builds from the depravity of man to the salvation plan to the arguments against it, and how it plays out in the believer’s life. As you read along, you say, “Yes, okay. I understand and agree with that.” And then the next point builds in and you repeat.

Finally, at the end of the treatise, you just shake your head and say, “Well, whaduya know? He is right.” 1 Corinthians 15 follows the same trajectory, only we can see it in a much shorter time. The whole book was to address problems in the Corinthian church. Paul did not jump on his hobby horse, but took them in a reasoned fashion. I will let you read the book to discover that.

The 15th chapter deals with the question of resurrection. As we progress through it, you will find the master at work. Any good logician and master of argumentation will begin at the common ground. Verse 1 reminds or reviews the Gospel. First, it was what Paul preached to them. Second, they received it. Third they took their stand on it. All of this is common ground and they readily agreed.
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 

The hook is next. Verse 2
By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

Their salvation is based on the Gospel. The next phrase is not a concession that they might lose their salvation. Just hold on a minute here. Notice that the alternative is that they might have believed in vain. But if they believed, how could it be in vain? He opens a query without addressing it immediately. Read on.

Paul repeats the message that he preached, and they received, and on which they took a stand..
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

We will not exegete every phrase, but the main thrust is a reprise of his preaching. Notice that it was “according to the Scriptures.” Nothing is fabricated here. Christ died, was buried, rose on the third day, and appeared to an indisputable number of witnesses. That is what they have to hold to be logically consistent with what they believed and to which they made a commitment.

Parenthesis: Paul wants to insert a disclaimer that he is not a super apostle, and nothing in his history justifies basing what they believed on him or his credentials. Rather it was “according to the Scriptures.”
9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

End Parenthesis. Notice the end of verse 11 gets back onto the topic. “What you believed.” Not who preached it or any other extraneous consideration. The Gospel is paramount. The hook was in verse 2. He sets it firmly in verse 12.
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 

The “problem” is unveiled, just like a fisherman jerking the hook and whipping the fish from the water. The cover of the statue is dramatically whisked off the object and it stands exposed. “If it is preached....” by me, Paul, which you have received and stood on, “that Christ has risen,” how can “some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” you have a logical fallacy. “Christ has been raised from the dead.” 

You believed it. Did I mention that before? Now we see what the question of “holding on to” dealt with. Not belief for salvation, but of whether Jesus was raised. And if they did not believe, they were never saved. And here Paul crushes any other argument.
13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

He exposes two mutually exclusive propositions. One cannot believe in no resurrection and still claim salvation. If there is no resurrection, there is no salvation. Our faith depends upon Christ having been raised. Otherwise, preaching is “useless” and believing is in vain. It is worthless or worse.

The ramifications amplify as we go deeper.
15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. 
Paul becomes a false witness, a liar because he testified (that is a legal term signifying, under oath) testified that God raised Christ. That makes it perjury. Continue:
But he (God) did not raise him (Jesus) if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 

If God could not or did not raise Jesus, then there is no hope for anyone else. A friend of mine used to proclaim, “Not this mouse.” If something was not going to happen, do not look at “this mouse” for help.

Paul said that if not Jesus, then no one has a hope. And that is not just one unbeliever.
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 

This is deep water. IF the unbelievers are right, then our friends and family have perished. There is nothing to look for anytime. “Unbelievers” is deliberate. If they “believe” the Gospel, then this is a moot point. If they dispute the resurrection, then they do not believe the Gospel. Paul sums it up in verse 19.
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

We are piteous as well. I think of snatching a drowning kitten out of a stream. You hold up the sopping, dripping, mangled mass of fur and have pity. That is us. And our destiny is to go back into the “crick” and finish drowning if there is no resurrection. (Parents, you might want to omit this if reading to the kiddies.) But Paul pulled no punches.

And if we stopped here, it would indeed be a major downer. I will sneak a peak into the next paragraph.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 

Notice the twofold response. 1) Christ has been raised. 2) Firstfruits means that there is more to follow. That is the dead in Christ and us. If He is alive, we will be too.

We will continue the consideration of this chapter later. But this triumphant proclamation rings through history.  We cannot surpass King James at this point: “But now is Christ risen from the dead.”

That just demands a glory hallelujah.

Glory! Hallelujah!  See you next time.

Forsaken

  About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Matthew 27:46 records this plaintive cry from Jesus on the cross. People often ask if God really forsook or turned His back on Jesus. If that is the case, then will God forsake me as well? That is a legitimate question.

As usual, the Bible answers this question. Turn to (or click) 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.

God has not turned, nor hidden His face. He has not stopped hearing. He never will. But our sins are responsible for the alienation and separation. Our sins are like a thick cloud or barrier that has “separated” and “hidden” His face. Our actions speak so loudly that He cannot or will not hear. Notice that our verse starts with an elipsis. Look at the previous verse: (1)
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

The blockage, again, is not God’s. He is ready to save and waiting to hear. Sin is the barrier that separates us. Our sin. And at the point of our discussion today, Jesus was bearing the entirety of the sins of the world. It is no wonder that His cries seemed to be ignored. In fact, they were blocked by the burden of sin provided by you and me.

Isn’t that astounding and shocking? This is one more aspect of the crucifixion where our sins exacerbated the suffering that Jesus endured for us on the cross. He went through everything for us, including the illusion of being separated from God. His was only momentary “separated,” as the instant He died, that load was forever banished into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19)

But this momentary separation, for an infinite God, was an infinity. Jesus did, indeed, suffer everything that was due to sinning man, including eternal separation from God. Sinning you and sinning me. He bore the entire judgment and punishment for us. How can I help but love Him?

We will never have to say, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” We will never be forsaken. He will never fail to hear us. It is finished–paid in full. Glory!

What Does It All Mean?

When I was in college I heard some people report that the fortune tellers and others who looked into the future could not see anything after 1974. If we subtract the seven year tribulation, that meant that 1967 was possibly the year that Jesus would rapture His church. (Disclaimer: I knew that these guys were charlatans, and it meant nothing, but... So just for good measure I watched the end of 1967 pass with no rapture and was pretty sure. Then, just in case, we watched 1974 come and go and we went right into 1975 and beyond. The prognostications were spurious.)

I just heard a guy say that the recent eclipse was very significant. It was pretty unusual, in that the totality was confined to the United States and it passed a certain point in the Atlantic Ocean before racing off into space. Then Hurricane Harvey hit “exactly” (I didn’t check) exactly 40 days after the eclipse. That points to September 23 as the definitive date on some calendar. Maybe Jesus will come back then.

Or not. Sadly, Christians have been embarrassing themselves by refusing to believe Jesus when He said that no one knows the day or hour. So unfulfilled prophesies continue to spew forth and continue to muddy the water of the Bible’s credibility. Actually, every false one should reinforce the veracity of Jesus’ comment. Nobody knows. But people keep trying.

I heard one person say that God would not do anything without telling His prophets, so we should expect a prophet to warn us. We will look at that verse later. Someone else said that we are to look for signs (Matthew 24) and these speculations are merely the fruit of “obeying” that command. (This does not require comment on conflicting comments by Jesus. That is bogus on its face.)

Part of the problem is that people misinterpret Matthew 24. It begins with Jesus’ prediction of the destruction of the temple. Then his disciples asked what would happen next. (Verse 3)  “Tell us, when will these things happen, (Temple destruction), what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Jesus answered the questions in reverse order. He did not do this to be obtuse. He addressed the most important question first. When will the end of the age come? Second He dealt with signs of His return. Actually, He did not give a date for the destruction. That, like some of our questions today was not important. We are given the information that we need. And trying to extract the rest from questionable interpretations of obscure Scriptures almost seems presumptuous. If He wanted us to know, He would have told us and not leave “hidden clues.” But it was pretty clear when the destruction happened.

Jesus did comment about the end of the age (V. 4-31) Then He turned to the matter of when He would come back. Notice the difference between the Glorious Return (v. 29-31) and His other coming. We know this is a different one, because He said that no one knows when this one will happen. (V. 36, 42, 44, 50) The Glorious Return will come at the end of the seven year Tribulation, so it can be predicted once the Tribulation begins. (Treaty between anti-Christ and Israel. Daniel 9:27)

The differences between the two “comings” in Matthew 24 point to the dilemma we face today. “When will He return?” 1 Thessalonians 4:16 describes this other return.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

This is not the Glorious Return. It is too different. For one thing, notice that this coming is for His people. The Glorious return says He comes with His saints. (Revelation 19:14 White linen is a mark of believers and not angels.) And notice the final verse.“Comfort one another.” By capitalizing on curiosity, some preachers have introduced a distinct level of discomfort to this prospect. Jesus said, “Be ready.” Paul said “Take comfort.” Other messages are false.

Going on, we find some “signs” of His coming. (Glorious appearing. At this point, the Rapture had not been revealed, and His disciples were looking for the “end.”.) Some signs specifically are the abomination of desolation (v. 13) from Daniel 9 and the failure to shine of the sun and moon and stars falling. (v. 29) These are events described in Revelation 8:12, 16:8-10, and 6:13. These all happen during the Tribulation. (After the Rapture.)

Matthew 24:32 and following turn to the question of His coming. Note that Jesus again reiterated that no one knows the actual time. But He did say that we can tell when “it is near.” And Jesus was hinting about His “other” coming. The particulars are an interesting study. I recommend it.

To summarize again, Jesus comes back to take the believers (1 Thessalonians) back to heaven. Then the final event, the Tribulation, begins and the “signs” in the earlier verses lead to the “end.” Note, again, that we can predict the time of the Glorious Return. It will be seven years after the Treaty of Daniel 9.

Back to our question. Interestingly enough Isaiah and Jeremiah both encountered false prophets who counter-prophesied what the true prophets had been told by the Lord. We have noted and marveled at the end of such pseudo-prophets. I would be circumspect about making any such prophesies, if I were these guys. There is a legitimate question as to what all of this may mean. We just need to be careful about extrapolating our curiosity into conclusions as to the time of Jesus’ return.

Let’s look at what the Bible has to say about false prophets. God knows what the false prophets would say. Ezekiel 11:5,
Then the Spirit of the Lord came on me, and He told me, “You are to say: This is what the Lord says: That is what you are thinking, house of Israel; and I know the thoughts that arise in your mind.”

In both Isaiah and Jeremiah we read of guys “prophesying” that Babylon would be defeated and sent back home. Judah would survive and prosper. These were diametrically opposed to what God had told both Isaiah and Jeremiah. And Babylon did destroy the city and the temple. Nuff said.

God did have “big plans” for them. Just not now. That was the promise in Jeremiah 29:11.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

That was fulfilled about 70 years later. Now let’s examine the idea that we will have “signs” now. The idea comes from Amos 3:6-8
If a ram’s horn is blown in a city, aren’t people afraid? If a disaster occurs in a city, hasn’t the Lord done it? 7 Indeed, the Lord God does nothing without revealing His counsel to His servants the prophets. 8 A lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who will not prophesy?

So, are we to receive additional prophesies? I would suggest that the “revealing” has already been done. Amos was Old Testament. They did get prophesies to warn them. Then Jesus and Paul and Peter warned the believers in the New Testament. Why would we need anything more? Why would we want anything more? Especially since Jesus said that no one will know the specific time. (Has that idea sunk in yet?) We are to be ready, like the home owner in Matthew 24. Asking for more seems almost presumptuous and entitled. It is almost as if we say, “God owes me more guidance.”

Flash. He has given enough. If we do not listen to that, it is our fault, not the prophets’. And for those who titillate the ears of eager followers, there seems to be a certain (unhappy) result. Just as days have come an gone in the past, so September 23 has passed. (Note the draft of this was composed before the date. Confidence. PS There was a new date, October 21 which is a couple of days away. We will be able to read this after that as well--unless Jesus comes first.)

When I was in grade school, it seemed like it took forever for each six weeks to end. Then the semester took three times longer. And the end of the year seemed like an eternity away. But there was a master plan and the school and my teacher knew exactly when each of those milestones would occur.

In the same way, waiting for Jesus’ return seems endless to us, but we can know two things for sure. First, there is a “master plan” and the Planner has it in mind. And second, every day brings us one day closer than we were before.

That, kind of like the destruction of the temple, is enough to know that it will happen. The superfluous knowledge of exactly when is not necessary for us to know. It is enough to know that it will happen. Guessing at the timing is both superfluous, and self gratifying and glorifying. It implies that we are more favored than those who went before.

I think I will just wait. Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Why Did Thissssss Happen?

This started out as a comparison of Sabbath and rest days between the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim belief systems. But I got hijacked by Jesus in Mark 2:27 when He said, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.”

God created everything, including man in six days and then He rested. This “rest” was not to relax and recuperate from a long, tiring week. God arrested or terminated His Work as an illustration of how man should behave. For God, the work creation was easy, fun, and fulfilling. He wanted to revel in its perfection. Recall that He pronounced everything, “Good.” That was not on the comparative scale of good, better, best, but on the scale of excellent or execrable, only fit for disposal.

The Sabbath day was instituted for man to contemplate God’s creation and God Himself. Man has the honor of joining God in labor and “creating” something. Man does not create ex nihilo, but his efforts can be ideally as satisfying as what God did.

And that is where the “rabbit hole” opened up. Into this perfect contemplation of God’s finished work of creation a nevil was interjected. (For those who are not familiar with C. S. Lewis’ Narnia tales, “The Magician’s Nephew” chronicles the creation of Narnia. And into this perfect world a wicked witch was injected. One of the characters remarked that a nevil (an evil) had entered and they wondered what a “nevil” was. And what follows is the rest of the story. But I digress.)

A nevil was released into the perfect world that God created in Genesis 1:1. And we are observing and living out “the rest of that story.” The attack is reported in Genesis 3. Notice that Satan does not use the creation tack to tempt Eve. (Adam was there too, but he was playing the strong, silent type. Actually the strong, silent, stupid type. I am told that his name in Hebrew is pronounced, “ah `Dahm.” I will let you pronounce it that way, but type it normally. I hate to see all those squiggly red lines all over my screen. But I digress again.)

Satan did not approach Eve with the thought that God is not strong enough to cope with them “knowing as much as He does.” If God could create the whole kit and caboodle, he could handle anything. The creation argument would be a non-starter with ah`Dahm and Eve. (It is up to you from here on. Adam it is.) Satan is too smart to choose loser arguments like creation.

He took another tack. “Hasssss God said that you cannot eat from any of the treesssss in the Garden?” (We can hear the hisss from here.)

“Oh no!” interjected Eve. “We can eat from them all except one and we cannot even touch that one.” (Warning Will Robinson! When we start adding to what God said, we are heading for trouble.)

Evidently Eve, anyway, had been contemplating the “forbidden” fruit, and in order to help her “keep the law,” she began to hedge it with other “helpers” to keep her from falling. “Don’t even touch it.” Incidentally, that was the problem with the Jewish celebration of the Sabbath.

“Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy.” (Exodus 20) Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it. “Don’t eat from this tree.” But the Jews added layer upon layer of regulations to guide them and everyone else in how to “remember and keep.” It got so complicated that one was almost afraid to breathe hard, because moving air could be considered “work.”

That precipitated the exchange recorded earlier, when Jesus reminded them that the Sabbath had been instituted for Adam’s benefit and not to unduly restrict and burden him. Satan’s attack was on the goodness of God. “God is not giving you His best. He is keeping it for Himself, the selfish old goat!”

And Eve fell for the line. The attack is the same today. “How can a good God let thisssss happen?” (Hear the hissss from the Garden?) Insinuated is the thought that a “good” God will not let bad things happen. But the “bad thing” has already happened. Adam and Eve learned something that God did not want them to learn. It was not because He could not handle it. They could not handle it.

Adam and all of his offspring are now acquainted disobedience, death, and destruction. That disrespect for God led to the other failures. Worship is contained in respect. Refusing to substitute inferior objects for God is a result of respect. Using His Name in a disrespectful manner likewise is a copartner with disrespect. Sanctifying the Sabbath as He commanded is rooted in respect. (And that is the wedge that got us in here.)

Everything else is grounded in respect. Honoring and respecting parents, refusing to murder, commit adultery, stealing, and lying to one another are likewise respectful actions. And the final one, coveting, is essentially valuing something else above God, and it inexorably leads to all of the other transgressions. When Adam and Eve “learned” what evil was, it led to the corruption of every other relationship in the family and society.

That was what God was protecting them from. Again, all of His commandments were to preclude the horrible consequences of “knowledge.” My mother was somewhat naive in terms of societal “junk.” She was not hip to all the nuances of popular language.

She responded to catastrophic and horrific events with, “Horrors!” Her kids, the girls and my brother, along with me kind of chuckled every time she said it. It sounded like a slang term for prostitutes. I think the girls finally broke the news to Mom. She was horrified (‘scuse the pun) at what that meant. She certainly did not mean to take the name of prostitutes in vain.

But in a way, her “ignorance” was a blessing, because she often would catch herself when she was about to blurt out her reaction to disaster, when it was perfectly appropriate. It was our dark interpretation of her statement that was the problem. Adam and Eve were unaware of sin until they knew the difference between good and evil. Evil was present. They just did not recognize it.  That knowledge was not a blessing. It was, and still is, a curse.

And ultimately, without the gracious intervention of God in Christ, the ultimate disaster of separation from Him for eternity would have been visited on all of mankind. The command to Adam and Eve was not to protect God, it was to shield them, and all of us, from the consequences of sin.

If God intervened and prevented every disaster, this world would be as attractive as Eden. God does not wish for us to suffer, but better a little suffering now to warn us about the ultimate suffering to come. He wants us to recognize that every time a disaster occurs, that death was just one of the ramifications of sin. The proximate relief from this will come to the earth when Jesus comes back to rule on the earth for 1000 years. The full and complete deliverance was accomplished on the cross.

Jesus paid the “death” penalty imposed by Adam’s sin and repeated by you and me. Adam accepted the “proximate” deliverance offered by the lambs’ skins, and the ultimate release effected on the cross. (Genesis 3:15) I have too. I hope and pray that you have.

Don’t let the hissss of disssssaster distract nor preclude you from turning to the Redeemer. Do it today. You may contact me or call 888-NEED HIM (888-633-3446).

Benediction

Hebrews 13:20, 21
Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—with the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 equip you with all that is good to do His will, working in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ. Glory belongs to Him forever and ever. Amen.

The benediction that completes the book of Hebrews is filled with reminders of what the author covered, and wants his readers to recall and act upon. He is sending the readers, us, out to accomplish two things. But I am getting ahead of myself. Let’s look at this.

“Now may...” introduces a coming action. Get ready. The Actor is “the God of peace.” This guides us on how we should approach problems. “Peace” is always better than war. We become attractive when we display a peaceful attitude and approach to life. This spills over into the lives of others with whom we interact. God is peace. So His people should also project peace when we interact with everyone.

And this God demonstrated His power by raising Jesus from the dead. Our Lord Jesus is both personal, our, and the boss–Lord. He is our master, leader, and helper. Is there a contradiction there? How can He be “our,” meaning a possession, and simultaneously the Lord? We use the phrase, “My Lord,” all the time without thinking what it entails. I belong to Him, but He also belongs to me.

An old children’s chorus said, “Now I belong to Jesus, Jesus belongs to me.” Never knew how profound that was until now. Did you? And if you recall the final phrase, you can rejoice. “Not for the years of time alone, but for eternity.” “Our Lord Jesus.”

Going on, and He was raised from the dead by the God of peace. If you want a set of credentials to introduce yourself to people, try peace, the power to raise from the dead, and the person Who has come back to life from the dead. Walking into a situation with this background almost immediately removes doubt, animosity, or fear.

But that is not all. The resurrection from the dead was facilitated by the “blood of the everlasting covenant.” The covenant, foretold in Genesis 3:15, was consummated on the cross and is a continuing covenant throughout eternity. Is it any wonder that Paul exulted in Romans 8:38 that nothing could separate us from Christ. It is an everlasting covenant. (A good verse to remember along with 8:28)

That was just the beginning. Look at the action phrase. “Equip you will all that is good....” Are we ever at a loss for goodness? Nope. ALL that is good is at our disposal. Do you imagine any of the prominent billionaires roaming the landscape today ever get a bill and go, “Oops, how are we gonna handle that?”

They just trot out the old check book and whip one off. And when we face a “goodness deficit” we need not wring our hands in distress. Just call on the “goodness fund,” and pay that thing off. Do you imagine that is why Paul also said that nothing is impossible for us? (“I can do all things through Christ, Who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13)

So we can do “all things.” Look at the modifier. “...to do His will.” This power of good is focused on one goal: To do the will of the God of peace. Why else would we want to wield such power and for Whom else should we wield it? Dumb question, there. Remember the “Magician’s Nephew,” from C. S. Lewis’ masterful Narnia tales?

In the story the hero was going to steal a magic apple to heal his gravely ill mother. Aslan, the Lion, told him that stolen apples would produce the opposite effect that he desired. But if it were given to him freely, it would do much good. That sounds strangely like a lot of “power” in our world today. The same is true in the spiritual realm. If we do His will, a lot of good will spill over into everyone’s lives.

But there’s more. Now the writer gets involved. “...working us US what is pleasing in His sight.” This is now a joint venture. He wrote the message for us, and he will share the pleasure, through Christ, of pleasing God. Not a bad cooperative action there. And the final focus is like the first: Christ, and the God of peace.

So our two “tasks” were to do His will and work what is pleasing in His sight. And our collaboration has produced the result of glory for ever and ever. Are we “adding to” God’s sum of glory? Never. We are sharing the exposure of that glory to the watching world. What a glorious thought.

Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—with the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 equip you with all that is good to do His will, working in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ. Glory belongs to Him forever and ever. Amen.

Amen.

Don’t Drink the Kool-aid

Well, the Apocalypse didn’t hit for Alabama or the world last Saturday. (9/23/2017) Despite many predictions that Vandy would upset the mighty Tide, the football world continued as normal. (For those who care, Nebraska did tend to business, but was not spectacular as they dispatched Rutgers. Who knew they played Power Five football?)

And the Feast of Trumpets did not climax with the Rapture. Ignoring Vandy, which isn’t too hard to do, (Evidently Nick Saban and the boys didn’t.) ...isn’t hard to do, the confluence of the Rapture and the upset of Alabama are totally coincident. They have nothing to do with each other, except that they would both be a surprise to the world.

The pedicters of the Vandy upset have not suffered a loss of credibility. No one really expected it to happen. Sadly, every incident of prediction of the return of Christ and/or the Rapture merely adds to the skepticism surrounding both His return and the veracity of the Bible in general. Please take no offense, but anyone who “reads secret meanings and numbers” in the Bible, is on the Kool-aid.

First, I would posit the fact that the Bible clearly teaches what we need to know. Granted, though the “mystery,” as revealed by Paul, was veiled for a time, it is clearly defined and explained in the Scripture. Just as we do not teach atomic theory to first semester chemistry students, the doctrines of the Bible are cumulative and an understanding of the “basics” is necessary to go on to more involved topics. But these are not hidden in word and letter codes that are basically undecipherable without the aid of a computer and an ingenious programer.

To propose that the most important event in history after the first coming of the Messiah is hidden from the regular believers is an insult to God and a denigration of the members of the Church. Several times Jesus, Himself, declared that He spoke openly of what He was doing and Who He was. Why would He change His approach to communication with regard to this event? In short, He would not.

Second, what is your view of God? If you see Him as someone who would specifically and explicitly state that we cannot know when He is coming, then “hide” secret messages as to that time, you have a warped view of both God and the Bible. The cult of secret knowledge was condemned by Paul a couple of times. They were called Gnostics, and Paul rebuked them and their heresies a couple of times. (1 Timothy 6:20, 21) There is no “secret knowledge” of God that is only available to a select few. And this event is too critical to be left to the “experts” to decipher. He clearly said that He was coming back. Likewise, He stated that we will not know the specific time. To even search for a hidden message seems, to me, an insult to the Lord.

God has revealed Himself in the world through creation. He has also revealed Himself in His Word for any who choose to read and study it. Finally, (Hebrews 1:1) He has revealed Himself through His Son. If we believe in Him, Jesus will reveal the Father to us. (John 14:7-9)

It is presumptuous to literally “add” to revelation by interpreting or more accurately, misinterpreting, the Scripture to claim a more in depth knowledge of God. He has already told us that there is nothing there. And now, the “guesser” has recanted his September 23 date and has revised it to October 21. I did not bother to read his reasons.

The Lord is coming. The Bible teaches that before the “Glorious appearing” there will be a removal of the Church and the Holy Spirit. He will not be completely gone, but will revert to the method of interacting that was used in the Old Testament. He came upon His prophets and others who He wanted to use. The Spirit even spoke through a donkey. Talk about “speaking in tongues.”

The removal of the Holy Spirit will pave the way for the Anti-Christ to appear and begin the final seven year attack on the Jews. He cunningly cloaks himself as the real Christ and fools a lot of people for three and a half years. But then he will reveal his true intent to destroy both the Jews and anyone who believes in Jesus. Thankfully, this time will be abbreviated but will produce the greatest turning to God in history. Revelation 7 records their presence in heaven. They will go there immediately upon their martyrdom. The number will be too large to humanly number, according to John.

At the end of the seven years, and particularly the final 42 months, Jesus will return in all of His glory and set up His kingdom on earth. “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” will be literally fulfilled. Glory. (Matthew 6:10) And guess who is coming back with Him. You guessed it. The believers who have died in Christ and those who were raptured seven years earlier. (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17)

Is He coming back? Absolutely, positively, yes. Do we know when? Absolutely, positively, no. But it does not matter. I heard Robert Jeffers give an example of our options. Either go up when He comes, or pass through the portal of death before.

He was in the Soviet Union and was stopped at the immigration counter. He showed his documents and all that rigamarole and then they gestured that he could pass through the “gate” into the hands of US authorities. He did not dread the passage through the portal. He embraced it and even hastened unto it. Death is not fearful. It is merely a passage from this country into our home country.

And that is no Kool-aid. It is total and complete truth. Glory. “Even so, come Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)

Forsaken

  About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Matthew 27:46 records this plaintive cry from Jesus on the cross. People often ask if God really forsook or turned His back on Jesus. If that is the case, then will God forsake me as well? That is a legitimate question.

As usual, the Bible answers this question. Turn to (or click on) 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.

God has not turned, nor hidden His face. He has not stopped hearing. He never will. But our sins are responsible for the alienation and separation. Our sins are like a thick cloud or barrier that has “separated” and “hidden” His face. Our actions speak so loudly that He cannot or will not hear. Notice that our verse starts with an ellipsis. Look at the previous verse: (1)
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

The blockage, again, is not God’s. He is ready to save and waiting to hear. Sin is the barrier that separates us. Our sin. And at the point of our discussion today, Jesus was bearing the entirety of the sins of the world. It is no wonder that His cries seemed to be ignored. In fact, they were blocked by the burden of sin provided by you and me.

Isn’t that astounding and shocking? This is one more aspect of the crucifixion where our sins exacerbated the suffering that Jesus endured for us on the cross. He went through everything for us, including the illusion of being separated from God. His was only momentary “separated,” as the instant He died, that load was forever banished into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19)

But this momentary separation, for an infinite God, was an infinity. Jesus did, indeed, suffer everything that was due to sinning man, including eternal separation from God. Sinning you and sinning me. He bore the entire judgment and punishment for us. How can I help but love Him?

We will never have to say, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” We will never be forsaken. He will never fail to hear us. It is finished–paid in full. Glory!