“How can these things be?” This simple question appears twice in the Christmas narrative. The first is in Luke 1:18 when a priest named Zacharias encountered Gabriel while ministering in the Holy Place. Gabriel had just notified Zach that he and his wife would, at long last, be parents and their child would be the herald of the Messiah.
Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.”
This was not the exact wording of our title, but it holds the same meaning. The second time it occurs is later in the same chapter. In verse 34 Gabriel again appears, only to a virgin girl in Nazareth. There Gabriel outlines the amazing story of how the Messiah would be born to her. Besides being “perplexed,” according to Luke, she asked a logical question.
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”
Both questions were essentially the same. They both asked how it could be, followed by a logical extension of the “difficulties” or obstacles confronting the events. What is interesting in our thought today is the response each received.
Look back to Zacharias in v. 19.
The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
Compare that to the response Mary received in v. 35.
The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.
Was the angel just being “gentle” with this adolescent girl as compared to the wizened old priest? The angel’s explanation continued, even citing the miracle that he had proclaimed to Zacharias about six months earlier.
And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”
If an old lady, well past child-bearing days is able to conceive, then you should have no problems. “Oh, yes...” (Jim’s addition here. Hopefully it is not misleading or sacrilegious.) “...the little problem of virginity is just the validation that the Holy Spirit needs to verify the identity of the Coming One. Hang on tight, little lady.”
We find her response in v. 38.
And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.”
Zacharias’, “How can these things be?” was a sarcastic, doubt driven response to his limited faith in the ability and power of the angel and of the Lord. “HOW can these things be?” You can almost hear his “under-the-breath mutter,” that this is impossible. And Gabriel challenged him on that very point. “I stand before the One Who created the whole universe.” (See thought on “What is Man?" Of course, Gabriel did not have the internet to convey this note. But you knew that.)
“God created the universe. Causing a conception in the womb of a woman “past childbearing” is a simple thing for Him. Check out Sarah and Rachel. Your own history should overcome your simple, doubting question.” (No offense here, Zacharias. You were probably still reeling from the shock of the angel encounter.) All he had to do was think back to Elisha (2 Kings 4) and see his exact situation. Gabriel was very restrained, if I say so myself.
Mary’s answer was a wondering, amazed declaration of faith. “How can THESE things be?” She did not have the perspective of having seen all this before. It was a first, and only time event. But she immediately and instinctively believed. We can confirm this response in her next utterance in verse 38. (Jim again.) “Wow! What a wonderful thing! I am all in!” And she was. The “rest of the story,” as Paul Harvey used to say, is a thing to behold.
Zecharias has to witness the miracle before his faith was confirmed. And it was spectacularly rewarded. He could see and hear again. We can call his, “Gideon faith.” After the miracle, I will believe.
Mary had “Abraham faith.” She, like Abraham, had not seen the promised miracle or blessing, but believed anyway. “Go, and I will show you....” (Genesis 12) What a witness to a dying world, then and now.
Lord, let that be my question today. How can THESE things be? They are too wonderful to believe. No, they are too wonderful not to believe. Let it begin with me.
Monday, December 9, 2019
Sunday, December 8, 2019
What Is Man?
What interesting thoughts run through the mind at night. And this might possibly be caused by a change in medication or the addition of one. I am extra hungry, one side effect of a new drug, so that may explain the active cogitation. How about attributing this to the work of the Holy Spirit making Himself known? I like that one. Although, He does not do it every night. It often accompanies some change in schedule or routine or, ahem, medication. But He is still the instigator.
A case in point recently kept me awake. I contracted what the doctor thinks is bronchitis and only sleep in spurts. In one of the semi-sleep episodes, my mind wandered to the idea of a Masonic lodge, particularly the ceremony enacted in memory of a departed “lodge brother,” or whatever they call themselves. It is often at a funeral.
I have only seen one such action and was mystified. I do know that some, if not many, or even all Baptist churches, “frown on” such displays, particularly in a church service, the funeral. I questioned someone who knew more about it and received an interesting answer. I do not know if he was a Mason or not, but he offered a suggested explanation or justification for the process.
He said that it might help people to have more confidence that they are going to heaven. It was suggested that a justification for membership was to make sure that the person had not “left anything out.” This might be a “final push” to get him over the threshold into heaven.
I immediately wondered, “What then, would be enough?” Would or should everyone join every organization and religion “just to make sure?” I asked the question but did not respond to his answer. But maybe I should have. Here is what he said.
“Jesus is ‘big enough’ to let someone have that little extra boost in confidence that he will make it.” I did not like that response. We do know that if this person has accepted Christ as Savior, he is as good as being in heaven right then. So this little “extra help” will not affect that at all, unless he was not truly sincere and recognized it. This was at a funeral, and I decided not to make a scene. But, the “help” answer is wrong on several levels. He was correct about faith. But the concept of helping Jesus save us is problematic. Here is why.
First, the item in question is not the “bigness” of Jesus. It is the faith of the person in question. The hymn, “In Christ Alone,” sums up the situation. Nothing more than Christ is needed because there is nothing more. Everything else is less. The basis of salvation is not “production” or works. It is the SUBSTITUTION of Christ’s righteousness for our unrighteousness. It has been imputed to us. Accepting Him puts us into the position of being seen by the Father as if we were His Son. And we are. Sons of God is not a euphemism or a platitude. It is a fact. I am God’s son. You are His son or daughter.
Now let’s get into a little science. I am confident that the aforementioned Holy Spirit gave me this insight. It is time to turn our attention to astrophysics. (Spoiler alert. A series is in the offing here.) We recently had an event called the Mercury Transit. On November 11, the planet Mercury passed in front of the sun. It was the same thing as an eclipse by the moon, except that the dimensions and perspectives are far different. For people with proper solar protection and a telescope, Mercury appeared as a small dot passing across the face of the sun. The same thing happens during a solar eclipse, only the body passing in front of the sun is our moon.
The major difference is the proximity between the earth and the “transiting” body. When the moon makes a transit, it, coincidentally appears to be the same size as the sun, and completely blocks our view. Providing, that is, we are in a direct line between the sun, the moon, and our observation location. It took about five and a half hours for Mercury to cross the sun’s face. The moon takes only a few minutes at the most.
Now for my inspiration. Imagine an astronaut standing on the side of the moon facing us during a full eclipse. He will strike a match at the point of full eclipse. (I know, a match would not light on the moon. There is no oxygen. Just humor me for the sake of illustration.) Would an observer on earth be able to see the match burning on the moon?
“How ridiculous!” you can and should retort. Of course we cannot see anything that small from that far away. Now let’s extend our analogy. Put an astronaut on Mercury during its transit and have him strike a match. (Technical impossibilities noted. This is a word picture. Thanks for your understanding and PERMISSION.) With the brilliance of the sun in the background, our ability to observe the flaring match would be even less. Mercury will obscure part of the light, but the match will compensate for some of the lost light. (Smile)
Back to the topic. Theologically, a Masonic rite will have as much impact on a person’s suitability for entry into heaven as the flaring match will add to the visible light from the sun. In fact, the analogy may be even more apt as placing something in place of Christ, then “lighting the match” of ritual will not increase the light observed, but actually less light will reach the observer. (Recall that Jesus’ righteousness is infinite, so that we cannot add to, nor detract from it. But that merely supports our explanation.) We can call this the practical or scientific refutation of the idea.
I already alluded to the paucity of knowledge as to how much or how many such “additions” we need to “complete the work” of Christ. And, yes, I used that term deliberately. On the cross, Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” That can be translated as “Paid in full,” or fully completed. Jesus removed any doubt or question as to the sufficiency of His sacrifice.
But, going farther, Isaiah 42:8 declares:
“I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.”
Isaiah 48:11 repeats the same phrase. The question is not whether God is big enough to allow us to “add a little security” to our salvation. It is whether we are humble (or wise) enough to recognize the paucity of our ability to increment His glory and work. If we can comprehend the example of Mercury and the astronaut, we can surely understand His direct statement. Just as we cannot receive more light from our astronaut lighting a match on Mercury, we cannot make a better “presentation of brightness” or holiness to God.
Adding anything else to His finished work is pride. It is foolish pride, to be precise. Nothing more is needed, and nothing more can be added. And in light of the astronomical illustration, both literal and figurative, we come to David’s declaration in Psalm 144:3.
O Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You think of him?
Oh, by the way. If we continue to travel “out” from our perspective of observing Mercury, we will pass the edge of the solar system and eventually will leave the Milky Way galaxy. We will get so far away that the galaxy itself will appear as invisible as the planet we “saw” circling the sun. And then, continuing to move away from the group of our “local galaxies,” they will diminish into invisibility.
Space is a big place. And yet, the Creator of this whole thing deigns to notice “man.” That is not the whole of mankind. It is one single person. That is David, and that is you, and that is me. “Stunning or unbelievable” are as inadequate to describe this as “very small or slight” describes the match flare billions of light-years away.
The God Who made the entire universe paid the price for my sin. Incidentally, an offense against such a Person, is a big thing, to understate it a tad. If I were to crawl on my knees in repentance and retribution to the end of the universe, my offense would be as far from being “paid in full” as it is right now. I cannot add anything to what He did.
But, sadly, I can take away from it. Not literally, of course, but in my faith, I am diminishing the sacrifice that He made. And that, I dare not do.
I did not state this, but it seems to be true. Christ plus nothing is everything. Christ plus anything is nothing. I hesitate to declare such flawed thinking as meaning that someone is “lost.” But, thinking that we can or should add anything to what God said is the basis of every cult and false religion. The hisssssss of the serpent in the Garden was, “Did God really say...?” We can reprise it as, “Did God do enough?” He did!
Adding our, or actually, Satan’s, answer to what God said, is the fatal first step of unbelief. Jesus said, “It is finished.” It is complete. It is done.
Is this “extra push” needed? Absolutely not! Should we do it? Probably not. Does it hurt anything? Yes, it diminishes my faith.
It is enough!
A case in point recently kept me awake. I contracted what the doctor thinks is bronchitis and only sleep in spurts. In one of the semi-sleep episodes, my mind wandered to the idea of a Masonic lodge, particularly the ceremony enacted in memory of a departed “lodge brother,” or whatever they call themselves. It is often at a funeral.
I have only seen one such action and was mystified. I do know that some, if not many, or even all Baptist churches, “frown on” such displays, particularly in a church service, the funeral. I questioned someone who knew more about it and received an interesting answer. I do not know if he was a Mason or not, but he offered a suggested explanation or justification for the process.
He said that it might help people to have more confidence that they are going to heaven. It was suggested that a justification for membership was to make sure that the person had not “left anything out.” This might be a “final push” to get him over the threshold into heaven.
I immediately wondered, “What then, would be enough?” Would or should everyone join every organization and religion “just to make sure?” I asked the question but did not respond to his answer. But maybe I should have. Here is what he said.
“Jesus is ‘big enough’ to let someone have that little extra boost in confidence that he will make it.” I did not like that response. We do know that if this person has accepted Christ as Savior, he is as good as being in heaven right then. So this little “extra help” will not affect that at all, unless he was not truly sincere and recognized it. This was at a funeral, and I decided not to make a scene. But, the “help” answer is wrong on several levels. He was correct about faith. But the concept of helping Jesus save us is problematic. Here is why.
First, the item in question is not the “bigness” of Jesus. It is the faith of the person in question. The hymn, “In Christ Alone,” sums up the situation. Nothing more than Christ is needed because there is nothing more. Everything else is less. The basis of salvation is not “production” or works. It is the SUBSTITUTION of Christ’s righteousness for our unrighteousness. It has been imputed to us. Accepting Him puts us into the position of being seen by the Father as if we were His Son. And we are. Sons of God is not a euphemism or a platitude. It is a fact. I am God’s son. You are His son or daughter.
Now let’s get into a little science. I am confident that the aforementioned Holy Spirit gave me this insight. It is time to turn our attention to astrophysics. (Spoiler alert. A series is in the offing here.) We recently had an event called the Mercury Transit. On November 11, the planet Mercury passed in front of the sun. It was the same thing as an eclipse by the moon, except that the dimensions and perspectives are far different. For people with proper solar protection and a telescope, Mercury appeared as a small dot passing across the face of the sun. The same thing happens during a solar eclipse, only the body passing in front of the sun is our moon.
The major difference is the proximity between the earth and the “transiting” body. When the moon makes a transit, it, coincidentally appears to be the same size as the sun, and completely blocks our view. Providing, that is, we are in a direct line between the sun, the moon, and our observation location. It took about five and a half hours for Mercury to cross the sun’s face. The moon takes only a few minutes at the most.
Now for my inspiration. Imagine an astronaut standing on the side of the moon facing us during a full eclipse. He will strike a match at the point of full eclipse. (I know, a match would not light on the moon. There is no oxygen. Just humor me for the sake of illustration.) Would an observer on earth be able to see the match burning on the moon?
“How ridiculous!” you can and should retort. Of course we cannot see anything that small from that far away. Now let’s extend our analogy. Put an astronaut on Mercury during its transit and have him strike a match. (Technical impossibilities noted. This is a word picture. Thanks for your understanding and PERMISSION.) With the brilliance of the sun in the background, our ability to observe the flaring match would be even less. Mercury will obscure part of the light, but the match will compensate for some of the lost light. (Smile)
Back to the topic. Theologically, a Masonic rite will have as much impact on a person’s suitability for entry into heaven as the flaring match will add to the visible light from the sun. In fact, the analogy may be even more apt as placing something in place of Christ, then “lighting the match” of ritual will not increase the light observed, but actually less light will reach the observer. (Recall that Jesus’ righteousness is infinite, so that we cannot add to, nor detract from it. But that merely supports our explanation.) We can call this the practical or scientific refutation of the idea.
I already alluded to the paucity of knowledge as to how much or how many such “additions” we need to “complete the work” of Christ. And, yes, I used that term deliberately. On the cross, Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” That can be translated as “Paid in full,” or fully completed. Jesus removed any doubt or question as to the sufficiency of His sacrifice.
But, going farther, Isaiah 42:8 declares:
“I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.”
Isaiah 48:11 repeats the same phrase. The question is not whether God is big enough to allow us to “add a little security” to our salvation. It is whether we are humble (or wise) enough to recognize the paucity of our ability to increment His glory and work. If we can comprehend the example of Mercury and the astronaut, we can surely understand His direct statement. Just as we cannot receive more light from our astronaut lighting a match on Mercury, we cannot make a better “presentation of brightness” or holiness to God.
Adding anything else to His finished work is pride. It is foolish pride, to be precise. Nothing more is needed, and nothing more can be added. And in light of the astronomical illustration, both literal and figurative, we come to David’s declaration in Psalm 144:3.
O Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You think of him?
Oh, by the way. If we continue to travel “out” from our perspective of observing Mercury, we will pass the edge of the solar system and eventually will leave the Milky Way galaxy. We will get so far away that the galaxy itself will appear as invisible as the planet we “saw” circling the sun. And then, continuing to move away from the group of our “local galaxies,” they will diminish into invisibility.
Space is a big place. And yet, the Creator of this whole thing deigns to notice “man.” That is not the whole of mankind. It is one single person. That is David, and that is you, and that is me. “Stunning or unbelievable” are as inadequate to describe this as “very small or slight” describes the match flare billions of light-years away.
The God Who made the entire universe paid the price for my sin. Incidentally, an offense against such a Person, is a big thing, to understate it a tad. If I were to crawl on my knees in repentance and retribution to the end of the universe, my offense would be as far from being “paid in full” as it is right now. I cannot add anything to what He did.
But, sadly, I can take away from it. Not literally, of course, but in my faith, I am diminishing the sacrifice that He made. And that, I dare not do.
I did not state this, but it seems to be true. Christ plus nothing is everything. Christ plus anything is nothing. I hesitate to declare such flawed thinking as meaning that someone is “lost.” But, thinking that we can or should add anything to what God said is the basis of every cult and false religion. The hisssssss of the serpent in the Garden was, “Did God really say...?” We can reprise it as, “Did God do enough?” He did!
Adding our, or actually, Satan’s, answer to what God said, is the fatal first step of unbelief. Jesus said, “It is finished.” It is complete. It is done.
Is this “extra push” needed? Absolutely not! Should we do it? Probably not. Does it hurt anything? Yes, it diminishes my faith.
It is enough!
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
The Words Help Understand the Word
There is a misconception that Charles Dickens got paid by the word. Therefore, his novels seemed to have an inordinate length. That idea turns out to be untrue. He wrote many serialized novels for weekly or periodic publication and was paid for them by the chapter. But many treatises, by many authors, appear to have the “paid by the word” length through extension of the basic, fundamental thoughts and conversations, and multiplied modifiers, adjectives, and explanations. And maybe run-on sentences. (Get the pun?) Sometimes we treat the Bible as if it were written on a “paid by the word” format. We just skip or skim over parts. For instance, I have read quickly past Daniel 11:1 many times. Check it out.
“In the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him.
Daniel was talking to an angel, the “I,” in chapter 10 and after a chapter of introduction, the angel began to speak. Normally I race past this sentence to get to the “good stuff.” This time it arrested me. Think back, or turn a couple of pages to chapter 5:30, 31.
That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. 31 So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.
We are not following the Babylonian (Chaldean) story here. It had just fallen and the king who conquered it is introduced. Darius became the king. So in his very first year, an angel took a personal interest and role in the reign. And now our two stories coalesce. (Chapter 6)
It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, 2 and over them three commissioners (of whom Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer loss.
“It seemed good to Darius....” He had no idea that his “good idea” was not his own. This angel had instigated the action and, as we read the rest of the story, this divine intervention becomes a crucial part of the story. As you recall, 119 of the satraps conspired against Daniel and that led to the famous episode in a lions’ den. And now the story becomes very personal to Darius. We can infer that the nefarious 119 had some dastardly plans, especially for Darius’ and the kingdom’s resources. (Sorry, got infected again.) Glance back to verse 2 of chapter 6. They were supposed to protect the king’s interests.
Why would they band together against an honest man? I’m trying to avoid being a conspiracy buff here, but a bunch of innocent, honest men would not mind being overseen by another man with integrity. But they did mind. Hummmm....
And, taking the story along the trail, this honest monitor was “cast into the lions’ den.” Where they intended to murder him by leonine proxy. (Don’t you love that kind of talk?) The king was unaware of his danger and peril, so the angel overtly intervened to preserve the king’s man and thereby interests. And that great story resulted.
I am confident that Darius’ proclamation was reflective of his personal conversion, if, indeed he was not already a believer in Daniel’s God. 6:26
“I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God and enduring forever, And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, And His dominion will be forever. 27 “He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
Hebrews 13:2 tells us...
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Darius was rescued by angels without knowing it. And, as we move into the Advent season culminating with the birth of our Lord, there is a portion of the story that I have adopted as a personal crusade. “Where did the wise men come from?” They came from “the east” which we know to be the general area of ancient Babylon. But why and how did they know about a “king of the Jews?”
I have an extended explanation which I will post later, but the “nutshell” version is that after the 119 were dispatched into the lions’ stomachs, Darius logically turned to the guy he could trust to assemble a reliable “watch team.” (Darius’ own was a little flawed.) So who would be more appropriately designated as the replacement satraps than Daniel’s friends and countrymen?
If he appointed a team of financial guardians would he not also monitor their activities? He would focus both on the prevention of fraud and training them in the tasks of financial management. While he was at it, he would also share and explain the “strange visions” that he had been given. (An angel is the source of them, as well, including the famous 70 weeks prophecy. We will incorporate that in a few minutes–or words.)
If Daniel had introduced them to prophecy, both personally and through his written memoirs, this little cadre of “wise men” could have traced and even foretold some of the events as they occurred. And as they followed the progression of the prophetic statements turning into recorded history their wonder, amazement, and excitement would have grown.
Can’t you imagine his introduction? “I saw that Babylon would be overthrown. And that the victors would be...ta da! the Medes and the Persians, our present rulers.” And the excitement must have grown exponentially as he continued with the exposition of Jeremiah’s prediction as to how the overthrow would be accomplished.
Remember that Daniel was in Babylon for nearly 70 years at this point. He was in his late eighties or early nineties. He has had a little time to pore over the books of Jeremiah and Isaiah. And look at what he found. Jeremiah 50:9, 10
“For behold, I am going to arouse and bring up against Babylon A horde of great nation from the land of the north, And they will draw up their battle lines against her; From there she will be taken captive. Their arrows will be like an expert warrior Who does not return empty-handed. (Read carefully here:) 10 “Chaldea will become plunder; All who plunder her will have enough,” declares the Lord. V. 13 “Because of the indignation of the Lord she will not be inhabited, But she will be completely desolate; Everyone who passes by Babylon will be horrified And will hiss because of all her wounds.
It would be a worthy enterprise to read the entire chapter. Daniel continued, ( v. 39)
“Therefore the desert creatures will live there along with the jackals; The ostriches also will live in it, And it will never again be inhabited Or dwelt in from generation to generation.
Even Saddam Hussein was not able to rebuild Babylon. But that is not all. I skipped v. 38.
“A drought on her waters, and they will be dried up! For it is a land of idols, And they are mad over fearsome idols.”
In case you do not know this bit of history, Darius dammed the Euphrates River upstream from the city and his soldiers walked under the walls in the empty riverbed and overcame the guards. Daniel possibly knew about that even as he talked to Belshazzar on the fateful night when it happened. (Daniel 5) Oh! Oh! Oh! Look at Jeremiah 51:56 and 57. (If you haven’t read Daniel 5 yet, do it.)
For the destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon, And her mighty men will be captured, Their bows are shattered; For the Lord is a God of recompense, He will fully repay. 57 “I will make her princes and her wise men drunk, Her governors, her prefects and her mighty men, That they may sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake up,” Declares the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts.
Prophecy not only told what was going to happen, but how. Think the 119 are all ears? Daniel would have gone on with his own revealed prophecies and ended with the promise of the Jews returning home. (Cyrus will do that in a short time. 2 Chronicles 36:22 and Ezra 1:1)
Then Daniel turned to his favorite, my guess here, prophecy. That is the time leading up to the return of the Messiah in chapter 9 of his own book. (Our chapter and verse divisions, not his.) There will be seventy, sevens of years until He comes. (490 for the math-challenged.) He may not have understood all of the details, but the overall focus was clear. The Messiah is coming!
The 70 weeks began when Cyrus sent the Jews back to their land. He would not know exactly when that would happen, but he did know that a king named Cyrus would arise. This time he appealed to the prophet Isaiah who was active during the final stages of Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion and victory, over 70 years before. (Isaiah 44:28) He named the king over 100 years before said king was even born. Quite a feat. Are you starting to get as excited as his little cadre of wise men? Boy, I am!
Astute students have been able to reconstruct the events and times from the somewhat sporadic history accounts we have available. As our “wise men” watched the events unfold, “in real-time,” they could precisely and accurately deduce the time that the Messiah would appear and then be “cut off.”
They must have calculated the time of the “cutting off” and worked backward to find an estimated birth date for the Messiah. As the years ticked off the clock, and they recognized that they were about 50 years from the “time,” their search for signs became quite thorough. And, many experts postulate that the “star” was a special revelation to these seekers from the Lord. Maybe it was even the same angel. Who knows? Angels can look like stars, and no “natural” star would behave like the one in Matthew did. (Matthew 2)
And when it occurred, the little remnant band that was over 400 years removed from their originators and Daniel, urgently saddled up their camels and headed west. And, as they say, “Now you know the rest of the story.”
This verse was not a filler. The angel was not getting “paid by the word.” It was filled with instruction and invitation for us to “dig deeper.” The angel in Daniel 11 was involved in providing the message and guiding faithful followers to their date with destiny. Or better yet, their date with the Messiah. We are likewise offered the opportunity to “watch” for the Messiah as we near the end of the “cut off” period.
We can learn and perhaps intuit a lot from reading the words of the Word. Don’t skip over anything. You will miss a blessing.
Followup thought. The set of wise men traditionally is considered to be three individual wise men, along with a contingent of aids, etc. But we do not know, because we are not told how many there were. Here is a wild idea. What if the contemporary “satraps” sent three, not to carry three gifts, but to symbolize the three kings who were converted under Daniel’s “ministry” in Babylon and Persia? I am confident that Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, and Cyrus were all believers. Their testimonies indicate as much.
So how better to honor Daniel and his work than to send three surrogates for the long since departed kings? That would make a perfect culmination and tribute to the time that he spent working for, and with, each of the individual kings. And for them to bring offerings to the new-born Messiah would be perfectly fitting for three men who literally owed their eternal destiny to this One Who sent His agent, Daniel, into their lives.
To follow our topic, we may be “reading a little into the text,” but I am confident that we are doing no violence to the message. Read on.
“In the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him.
Daniel was talking to an angel, the “I,” in chapter 10 and after a chapter of introduction, the angel began to speak. Normally I race past this sentence to get to the “good stuff.” This time it arrested me. Think back, or turn a couple of pages to chapter 5:30, 31.
That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. 31 So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.
We are not following the Babylonian (Chaldean) story here. It had just fallen and the king who conquered it is introduced. Darius became the king. So in his very first year, an angel took a personal interest and role in the reign. And now our two stories coalesce. (Chapter 6)
It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, 2 and over them three commissioners (of whom Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer loss.
“It seemed good to Darius....” He had no idea that his “good idea” was not his own. This angel had instigated the action and, as we read the rest of the story, this divine intervention becomes a crucial part of the story. As you recall, 119 of the satraps conspired against Daniel and that led to the famous episode in a lions’ den. And now the story becomes very personal to Darius. We can infer that the nefarious 119 had some dastardly plans, especially for Darius’ and the kingdom’s resources. (Sorry, got infected again.) Glance back to verse 2 of chapter 6. They were supposed to protect the king’s interests.
Why would they band together against an honest man? I’m trying to avoid being a conspiracy buff here, but a bunch of innocent, honest men would not mind being overseen by another man with integrity. But they did mind. Hummmm....
And, taking the story along the trail, this honest monitor was “cast into the lions’ den.” Where they intended to murder him by leonine proxy. (Don’t you love that kind of talk?) The king was unaware of his danger and peril, so the angel overtly intervened to preserve the king’s man and thereby interests. And that great story resulted.
I am confident that Darius’ proclamation was reflective of his personal conversion, if, indeed he was not already a believer in Daniel’s God. 6:26
“I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God and enduring forever, And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, And His dominion will be forever. 27 “He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
Hebrews 13:2 tells us...
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Darius was rescued by angels without knowing it. And, as we move into the Advent season culminating with the birth of our Lord, there is a portion of the story that I have adopted as a personal crusade. “Where did the wise men come from?” They came from “the east” which we know to be the general area of ancient Babylon. But why and how did they know about a “king of the Jews?”
I have an extended explanation which I will post later, but the “nutshell” version is that after the 119 were dispatched into the lions’ stomachs, Darius logically turned to the guy he could trust to assemble a reliable “watch team.” (Darius’ own was a little flawed.) So who would be more appropriately designated as the replacement satraps than Daniel’s friends and countrymen?
If he appointed a team of financial guardians would he not also monitor their activities? He would focus both on the prevention of fraud and training them in the tasks of financial management. While he was at it, he would also share and explain the “strange visions” that he had been given. (An angel is the source of them, as well, including the famous 70 weeks prophecy. We will incorporate that in a few minutes–or words.)
If Daniel had introduced them to prophecy, both personally and through his written memoirs, this little cadre of “wise men” could have traced and even foretold some of the events as they occurred. And as they followed the progression of the prophetic statements turning into recorded history their wonder, amazement, and excitement would have grown.
Can’t you imagine his introduction? “I saw that Babylon would be overthrown. And that the victors would be...ta da! the Medes and the Persians, our present rulers.” And the excitement must have grown exponentially as he continued with the exposition of Jeremiah’s prediction as to how the overthrow would be accomplished.
Remember that Daniel was in Babylon for nearly 70 years at this point. He was in his late eighties or early nineties. He has had a little time to pore over the books of Jeremiah and Isaiah. And look at what he found. Jeremiah 50:9, 10
“For behold, I am going to arouse and bring up against Babylon A horde of great nation from the land of the north, And they will draw up their battle lines against her; From there she will be taken captive. Their arrows will be like an expert warrior Who does not return empty-handed. (Read carefully here:) 10 “Chaldea will become plunder; All who plunder her will have enough,” declares the Lord. V. 13 “Because of the indignation of the Lord she will not be inhabited, But she will be completely desolate; Everyone who passes by Babylon will be horrified And will hiss because of all her wounds.
It would be a worthy enterprise to read the entire chapter. Daniel continued, ( v. 39)
“Therefore the desert creatures will live there along with the jackals; The ostriches also will live in it, And it will never again be inhabited Or dwelt in from generation to generation.
Even Saddam Hussein was not able to rebuild Babylon. But that is not all. I skipped v. 38.
“A drought on her waters, and they will be dried up! For it is a land of idols, And they are mad over fearsome idols.”
In case you do not know this bit of history, Darius dammed the Euphrates River upstream from the city and his soldiers walked under the walls in the empty riverbed and overcame the guards. Daniel possibly knew about that even as he talked to Belshazzar on the fateful night when it happened. (Daniel 5) Oh! Oh! Oh! Look at Jeremiah 51:56 and 57. (If you haven’t read Daniel 5 yet, do it.)
For the destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon, And her mighty men will be captured, Their bows are shattered; For the Lord is a God of recompense, He will fully repay. 57 “I will make her princes and her wise men drunk, Her governors, her prefects and her mighty men, That they may sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake up,” Declares the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts.
Prophecy not only told what was going to happen, but how. Think the 119 are all ears? Daniel would have gone on with his own revealed prophecies and ended with the promise of the Jews returning home. (Cyrus will do that in a short time. 2 Chronicles 36:22 and Ezra 1:1)
Then Daniel turned to his favorite, my guess here, prophecy. That is the time leading up to the return of the Messiah in chapter 9 of his own book. (Our chapter and verse divisions, not his.) There will be seventy, sevens of years until He comes. (490 for the math-challenged.) He may not have understood all of the details, but the overall focus was clear. The Messiah is coming!
The 70 weeks began when Cyrus sent the Jews back to their land. He would not know exactly when that would happen, but he did know that a king named Cyrus would arise. This time he appealed to the prophet Isaiah who was active during the final stages of Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion and victory, over 70 years before. (Isaiah 44:28) He named the king over 100 years before said king was even born. Quite a feat. Are you starting to get as excited as his little cadre of wise men? Boy, I am!
Astute students have been able to reconstruct the events and times from the somewhat sporadic history accounts we have available. As our “wise men” watched the events unfold, “in real-time,” they could precisely and accurately deduce the time that the Messiah would appear and then be “cut off.”
They must have calculated the time of the “cutting off” and worked backward to find an estimated birth date for the Messiah. As the years ticked off the clock, and they recognized that they were about 50 years from the “time,” their search for signs became quite thorough. And, many experts postulate that the “star” was a special revelation to these seekers from the Lord. Maybe it was even the same angel. Who knows? Angels can look like stars, and no “natural” star would behave like the one in Matthew did. (Matthew 2)
And when it occurred, the little remnant band that was over 400 years removed from their originators and Daniel, urgently saddled up their camels and headed west. And, as they say, “Now you know the rest of the story.”
This verse was not a filler. The angel was not getting “paid by the word.” It was filled with instruction and invitation for us to “dig deeper.” The angel in Daniel 11 was involved in providing the message and guiding faithful followers to their date with destiny. Or better yet, their date with the Messiah. We are likewise offered the opportunity to “watch” for the Messiah as we near the end of the “cut off” period.
We can learn and perhaps intuit a lot from reading the words of the Word. Don’t skip over anything. You will miss a blessing.
Followup thought. The set of wise men traditionally is considered to be three individual wise men, along with a contingent of aids, etc. But we do not know, because we are not told how many there were. Here is a wild idea. What if the contemporary “satraps” sent three, not to carry three gifts, but to symbolize the three kings who were converted under Daniel’s “ministry” in Babylon and Persia? I am confident that Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, and Cyrus were all believers. Their testimonies indicate as much.
So how better to honor Daniel and his work than to send three surrogates for the long since departed kings? That would make a perfect culmination and tribute to the time that he spent working for, and with, each of the individual kings. And for them to bring offerings to the new-born Messiah would be perfectly fitting for three men who literally owed their eternal destiny to this One Who sent His agent, Daniel, into their lives.
To follow our topic, we may be “reading a little into the text,” but I am confident that we are doing no violence to the message. Read on.
Monday, November 18, 2019
I Peter 2:10 Scripture Memory and the Jews
I never cease to be amazed at the mastery of the Scriptures exhibited by the apostles and the other New Testament writers. Consider Peter in 1 Peter 2:10
...for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
He was talking to the believers, “...to those who reside as aliens...” in scattered parts of the world. There is a lot there that I hate to skip, but I have a link to the passage appended, so you can read it in its entirety. But notice that he calls them, and us, a group who “were not a people, but now are the people of God.” As I read that, two bells rang in the hall of memory. First, Hosea, 1:10, 11 is where Hosea named his children “No Mercy” or, “No Compassion” and, “Not My People.” Then, in a burst of prophetic revelation, he talked about the redemption and restoration of His people.
Yet the number of the sons of Israel Will be like the sand of the sea, Which cannot be measured or numbered; And in the place Where it is said to them, “You are not My people,” It will be said to them, “You are the sons of the living God.” 11 And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel will be gathered together, And they will appoint for themselves one leader, And they will go up from the land, For great will be the day of Jezreel.
Paul quoted this in Romans 9:25, 26. This was the second memory “bell.”
As He says also in Hosea, “I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’ And her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’” 26 “And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘you are not My people,’ There they shall be called sons of the living God.”
Israel was rejected, or cut out of the olive tree (Romans 11) and the Gentiles, that’s us, were grafted into their place. Then, by miraculous grace, He grafted Israel back into the tree, along with us, so that both groups would be saved. Glory!
But I want to focus on the liberal use of Scripture. Recall that these guys did not have computers to Google the verses they wanted. They didn’t even have concordances. They memorized it. You can protest or explain that they were inspired, so the Holy Spirit gave them the message. But I have to confess that I have never had the Holy Spirit “recall” a verse to my mind that I had not previously memorized. I do often remember the verse that applies, but have to use my spiritual CC, concordance crutch, to find the reference.
It is astounding how they had the verses at the tip of their tongues, or “pens,” if you will. I am working my way through Psalm 119. (One verse at a time, and do not ask me to string them together.) But the messages contained in these individual verses are overwhelming.
Let’s take just one, for instance. We may do more later. Verse 160 says: (Holman)
The entirety of Your word is truth, and all Your righteous judgments endure forever.
In this age of doubting the Genesis story, particularly the first eleven chapters, this is a profound statement. The Psalmist, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit declared all such challenges, void. To modify a common phrase, “What part of entire (all), do you not understand?” All of the Word is true and reliable. God created the world. God cleansed the world in Noah’s day. And in Revelation, also under attack, He promises to again cleanse the world of ungodliness and unrighteousness. (Romans 1:18) (Revelation 16)
God created the world, and He, Jesus is coming back to rule it. Look back up at Hosea 11. The Jews will have one ruler. We know now that is Jesus, and He will rule the land. That is the millennium in chapter 20 of Revelation. And it will be right after the battle of Armageddon, also known as Jezreel (16:16). Recall that place? Yep, Hosea hit it right on the head.
God’s Word is true and His judgments are righteous and will last forever. Good verse to memorize. I am a little behind Peter and Paul...and Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, James, Jude, and a couple of others. But keep learning. Keep memorizing. It is worth the time and effort. After all, It is God’s Word.
...for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
He was talking to the believers, “...to those who reside as aliens...” in scattered parts of the world. There is a lot there that I hate to skip, but I have a link to the passage appended, so you can read it in its entirety. But notice that he calls them, and us, a group who “were not a people, but now are the people of God.” As I read that, two bells rang in the hall of memory. First, Hosea, 1:10, 11 is where Hosea named his children “No Mercy” or, “No Compassion” and, “Not My People.” Then, in a burst of prophetic revelation, he talked about the redemption and restoration of His people.
Yet the number of the sons of Israel Will be like the sand of the sea, Which cannot be measured or numbered; And in the place Where it is said to them, “You are not My people,” It will be said to them, “You are the sons of the living God.” 11 And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel will be gathered together, And they will appoint for themselves one leader, And they will go up from the land, For great will be the day of Jezreel.
Paul quoted this in Romans 9:25, 26. This was the second memory “bell.”
As He says also in Hosea, “I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’ And her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’” 26 “And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘you are not My people,’ There they shall be called sons of the living God.”
Israel was rejected, or cut out of the olive tree (Romans 11) and the Gentiles, that’s us, were grafted into their place. Then, by miraculous grace, He grafted Israel back into the tree, along with us, so that both groups would be saved. Glory!
But I want to focus on the liberal use of Scripture. Recall that these guys did not have computers to Google the verses they wanted. They didn’t even have concordances. They memorized it. You can protest or explain that they were inspired, so the Holy Spirit gave them the message. But I have to confess that I have never had the Holy Spirit “recall” a verse to my mind that I had not previously memorized. I do often remember the verse that applies, but have to use my spiritual CC, concordance crutch, to find the reference.
It is astounding how they had the verses at the tip of their tongues, or “pens,” if you will. I am working my way through Psalm 119. (One verse at a time, and do not ask me to string them together.) But the messages contained in these individual verses are overwhelming.
Let’s take just one, for instance. We may do more later. Verse 160 says: (Holman)
The entirety of Your word is truth, and all Your righteous judgments endure forever.
In this age of doubting the Genesis story, particularly the first eleven chapters, this is a profound statement. The Psalmist, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit declared all such challenges, void. To modify a common phrase, “What part of entire (all), do you not understand?” All of the Word is true and reliable. God created the world. God cleansed the world in Noah’s day. And in Revelation, also under attack, He promises to again cleanse the world of ungodliness and unrighteousness. (Romans 1:18) (Revelation 16)
God created the world, and He, Jesus is coming back to rule it. Look back up at Hosea 11. The Jews will have one ruler. We know now that is Jesus, and He will rule the land. That is the millennium in chapter 20 of Revelation. And it will be right after the battle of Armageddon, also known as Jezreel (16:16). Recall that place? Yep, Hosea hit it right on the head.
God’s Word is true and His judgments are righteous and will last forever. Good verse to memorize. I am a little behind Peter and Paul...and Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, James, Jude, and a couple of others. But keep learning. Keep memorizing. It is worth the time and effort. After all, It is God’s Word.
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Bad Doctrine Deity
Did you ever notice and lament that the Bible does not specifically refute any specific heresy? Wouldn’t it be nice, for instance, if it specifically said something like, “Abortion is wrong?” Or maybe a specific rebuke to those who deny the Trinity?
But, if it did that, then any oddball idea that was not specifically refuted could claim that since it wasn’t mentioned, it must be okay. (Incidentally, a lot of the erroneous ideas do claim that now, but without any probative force. If a grocery list of errors were included, those omitted would have a more powerful and persuasive position.)
Instead, the Bible just presents good doctrine and allows that to decimate false teaching. Aside: The US government trains forgery agents to recognize fake bills by having them study genuine ones. If they know the real thing well enough, a forgery jumps out at them like monopoly money. The Holy Spirit, in inspiring the writers to record God’s message did the same thing. He imbedded Truth into the body of the text so that it would point out error as we read.
Here is a new example. Hebrews 7:23 and 24 in describing the Priesthood of Jesus says:
The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, 24 but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.
Did something jump out at you? The author of Hebrews was comparing Jesus and his priestly ministry to that of Melchizedek in Genesis 14. He noted that the Levitical priests died and did not continue their ministry. But that Jesus will continue forever to be a priest, the Priest. That idea is continued for a couple of chapters, but the focus today is this phrase: “He continues forever....”
That was just casually stated as if it were no big deal. And to the writer, it was not. He knew that Jesus was eternal, and would never die. In fact, He had always existed. That, my friends, is one of the attributes of God. The chapter headings and explanations are not inspired text, but often help to point us to the truth. Chapter 7, in my Bible, is introduced by, “Melchizedek’s Priesthood Like Christ’s.” Notice the order listed. Melchizedek was LIKE Christ. But Jesus didn’t show up until the New Testament, and as we noted, Mel was in Genesis 14.
Even the chapter titles point to the eternality of the Lord. Notice that I used the Name, Lord. We will circle back to that later. I will briefly list six references that explicitly state that He is eternal. Let’s begin with Habakkuk 1:12.
Are You not from everlasting, O Lord, my God, my Holy One?
Isaiah 26:4
“Trust in the Lord forever, For in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.
Psalm 48:14
For such is God, Our God forever and ever; He will guide us until death.
Psalm 93:2
Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.
Deuteronomy 32:39, 40
“See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, And there is no one who can deliver from My hand. 40 ‘Indeed, I lift up My hand to heaven, And say, as I live forever....’”
Jude 25
...to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Clear, unmistakable, incontestable, unimpeachable, and explicit would be a simple way to describe that argument. God is, and claims to be eternal. So when Hebrews says that Jesus is eternal, well, I guess that kind of hints at the Trinity, doesn’t it? In fact a careful reading of those verses also interchanges the Name “Lord” with “God” almost deliberately, it would seem. This is not just a single “proof text” to point out that Jesus is God, it is woven into the warp and woof of the text from Deuteronomy to Jude. And more, if we wanted to explore it.
This does not merely represent an assumption that it is true, hoping to sneak it in under the radar. It is a bold, declarative statement. Any doubt of this must include a dismissal of massive portions of the body of Scripture. That is a dangerous theological and spiritual path. It only leads to disaster and destruction.
So the Bible does not specifically warn us against following a “Moses cult.” I made that up years ago in a discussion and just recently I discovered that there is, indeed, a Moses cult. (Maybe I ought to get royalties.) (Nah.) They take the first five books of the Bible and discount the rest. Guess they forgot to read them. Just in passing, “Thou shalt have no other gods before (beside) Me.” Ignoring the other 61 books in favor of Moses is placing him above the LORD. Busted!
That is beside the point. Specific pronouncements against a false doctrine are not necessary. Even such things as idol worship are not singled out for specific denunciation. God does declare that some of the more egregious ones are abominable to Him, but that is just in the context of claiming that He is The One and Only God. And just in case you missed the point, He will single out specific grievous and heinous examples of false gods. Ravi Zacharias points out that there are millions of gods in Indian religions. So God lumps them all into one trash bin. He does the same with false doctrines.
The Bible continues to be the best commentary on what the Bible says.
FYI. This list is not exhaustive. Just representative.
But, if it did that, then any oddball idea that was not specifically refuted could claim that since it wasn’t mentioned, it must be okay. (Incidentally, a lot of the erroneous ideas do claim that now, but without any probative force. If a grocery list of errors were included, those omitted would have a more powerful and persuasive position.)
Instead, the Bible just presents good doctrine and allows that to decimate false teaching. Aside: The US government trains forgery agents to recognize fake bills by having them study genuine ones. If they know the real thing well enough, a forgery jumps out at them like monopoly money. The Holy Spirit, in inspiring the writers to record God’s message did the same thing. He imbedded Truth into the body of the text so that it would point out error as we read.
Here is a new example. Hebrews 7:23 and 24 in describing the Priesthood of Jesus says:
The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, 24 but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.
Did something jump out at you? The author of Hebrews was comparing Jesus and his priestly ministry to that of Melchizedek in Genesis 14. He noted that the Levitical priests died and did not continue their ministry. But that Jesus will continue forever to be a priest, the Priest. That idea is continued for a couple of chapters, but the focus today is this phrase: “He continues forever....”
That was just casually stated as if it were no big deal. And to the writer, it was not. He knew that Jesus was eternal, and would never die. In fact, He had always existed. That, my friends, is one of the attributes of God. The chapter headings and explanations are not inspired text, but often help to point us to the truth. Chapter 7, in my Bible, is introduced by, “Melchizedek’s Priesthood Like Christ’s.” Notice the order listed. Melchizedek was LIKE Christ. But Jesus didn’t show up until the New Testament, and as we noted, Mel was in Genesis 14.
Even the chapter titles point to the eternality of the Lord. Notice that I used the Name, Lord. We will circle back to that later. I will briefly list six references that explicitly state that He is eternal. Let’s begin with Habakkuk 1:12.
Are You not from everlasting, O Lord, my God, my Holy One?
Isaiah 26:4
“Trust in the Lord forever, For in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.
Psalm 48:14
For such is God, Our God forever and ever; He will guide us until death.
Psalm 93:2
Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.
Deuteronomy 32:39, 40
“See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, And there is no one who can deliver from My hand. 40 ‘Indeed, I lift up My hand to heaven, And say, as I live forever....’”
Jude 25
...to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Clear, unmistakable, incontestable, unimpeachable, and explicit would be a simple way to describe that argument. God is, and claims to be eternal. So when Hebrews says that Jesus is eternal, well, I guess that kind of hints at the Trinity, doesn’t it? In fact a careful reading of those verses also interchanges the Name “Lord” with “God” almost deliberately, it would seem. This is not just a single “proof text” to point out that Jesus is God, it is woven into the warp and woof of the text from Deuteronomy to Jude. And more, if we wanted to explore it.
This does not merely represent an assumption that it is true, hoping to sneak it in under the radar. It is a bold, declarative statement. Any doubt of this must include a dismissal of massive portions of the body of Scripture. That is a dangerous theological and spiritual path. It only leads to disaster and destruction.
So the Bible does not specifically warn us against following a “Moses cult.” I made that up years ago in a discussion and just recently I discovered that there is, indeed, a Moses cult. (Maybe I ought to get royalties.) (Nah.) They take the first five books of the Bible and discount the rest. Guess they forgot to read them. Just in passing, “Thou shalt have no other gods before (beside) Me.” Ignoring the other 61 books in favor of Moses is placing him above the LORD. Busted!
That is beside the point. Specific pronouncements against a false doctrine are not necessary. Even such things as idol worship are not singled out for specific denunciation. God does declare that some of the more egregious ones are abominable to Him, but that is just in the context of claiming that He is The One and Only God. And just in case you missed the point, He will single out specific grievous and heinous examples of false gods. Ravi Zacharias points out that there are millions of gods in Indian religions. So God lumps them all into one trash bin. He does the same with false doctrines.
The Bible continues to be the best commentary on what the Bible says.
FYI. This list is not exhaustive. Just representative.
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Crazy Forgiveness
A black man was killed in his apartment by a lady who mistakenly went to his apartment thinking it was hers. Upon seeing an “intruder” she shouted for him to get down. He did not and she shot him. Oh by the way, the lady who shot him was an off duty, but still uniformed Dallas police officer.
Numerous “rabble rousers” (is that too strong a word? Is it racist?) Rabble rousers claim that the conviction of this woman for murder and her subsequent forgiveness by the victim’s brother sends a bad message. Connecting this situation with the protests of police officers shooting black men, seems to be a stretch. This discussion will ignore the particulars of the case. It is over and done with. Nothing can change the facts.
The shooter has been convicted and sentenced to prison. The “justice or injustice” of the sentence is not our topic. Something that happened after the sentencing is our focus today. The brother of the innocent victim stated, in court, that he forgave the person who shot his brother and even requested permission to give her a hug. At this point we want to deliberately ignore race, politics, and cultural norms.
Here is a person who, besides the victim himself, is probably the second most wounded member of the family and the society. His mother was hurt the most.
But for the victim’s brother to forgive the shooter is a mark of more than magnanimity and graciousness. It is an example of a love that is greater than we can generate in ourselves. Brandt Jean demonstrated the level of love that Jesus commanded His followers to exhibit. Here is the crux of the story. (https://www.newsweek.com/botham-jean-brother-bryant-offers-forgiveness-hug-amber-guyger-dallas-1462868)
In an emotional statement, 18-year-old Brandt Jean told former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for Botham's (Jean) death, that if she was "truly sorry...I forgive you. And, I know if you go to God and ask him, he will forgive you too."
Brandt said that while he could not speak on behalf of his family, he wanted to offer Guyger his personal forgiveness, saying: "I love you just like anyone else and I'm not gonna say I hope you rot and die, just like my brother did, but I personally want the best for you."
"I wasn't gonna ever say this in front of my family or anyone, but I don't even want you to go to jail," Brandt said. "I want the best for you because I know that's exactly what Botham would want you to do and the best would be, give your life to Christ...Again, I love you as a person and I don't wish anything bad on you," he stressed.
His final statement summarized how he could do that. He had received forgiveness for his sins and was passing that along to people with whom he intersected, either for good or bad. And, expectedly, the backlash was instant and vituperous.
Rev. Cornell William Brooks (@CornellWBrooks) October 3, 2019: In an interview with Newsweek, Brooks expanded on his statements, asserting that Guyger's 10-year-sentence already "seems to send the wrong signal."
"The signal it sends is not that black lives matter, but that black lives either don't matter or matter less."
"You have black people who have received 10 years for selling marijuana. She gets 10 years for killing a person," he said. "The message that this sentence sends is that, literally, your life is worth nothing on the street and less than nothing in your own home."
And in an ultimate backhanded compliment, he continued.
Those celebrating Brandt's gesture towards his brother's killer, Brooks said, should understand that his act of forgiveness "says everything about his character and nothing about hers."
"She wasn't given forgiveness based on what she deserved, but, rather, what Brandt Jean thought she needed, according to his faith," he said. "So, in other words, forgiveness here is not something that she purchased by virtue of her character, but rather something she was given by virtue of the character of Botham Jean's brother."
Amen, brother. That is the best thing he said in the entire interview. Too bad he didn’t quit while he was ahead.
"The danger, however, here, is that the forgiveness of black folks is used as a permission slip for police brutality, a permission slip for racial profiling and a permission slip for racial disparities," Brooks said.
Am I overreacting in reading into this that “black folks” shouldn’t do such a noble and loving thing in order to avoid the appearance of sanctioning “police brutality, ...racial profiling, ...and racial disparities?” It seems like Brandt should have not done this in order to perpetuate the narrative that Brooks is condemning. By “letting her off the hook,” he betrayed his family, his race, and the culture’s obsession with the three pronged indictment of society.
Brooks is in error in his understanding of forgiveness. Forgiveness does not excuse, condone, or sanction anything that was done. When we forgive someone who has wronged us, it is not for my his sake. It is for me. I am set free from the hurt, anger, and even hatred for the one who perpetrated the wrong. He, or in this instance, she is still liable for the penalty which the jury imposed on her.
A second comment was made by his mother:
"What Brandt did was to cleanse his heart towards Amber … I do not want it to be misconstrued as complete forgiveness of everybody."
(https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/10/03/amber-guyger-hug-forgiveness-courtroom-and-its-many-meanings/3851088002/)
She almost understood it. What Brandt did reflects his commitment to his Savior, Christ, and his commitment to follow and honor Him. If he can forgive someone who took what was probably his closest friend on earth, he demonstrated that lesser offenses would also be forgiven. Notice again, not exonerated, excused, nor eliminated. But in his mind and life, they are not as important as what he has in Christ. Since Jesus forgave him and gave him eternal life, it is only understandable that he would offer that same largess to others. I want to be in his crowd.
(Incidentally, the jury that convicted and sentenced him was made up of women and people of color. https://www.newsday.com/news/nation/dallas-shooting-amber-guyger-botham-jean-1.37055573)
By offering her forgiveness, he set himself free. Pray for this man as he navigates the rest of his life. I cannot wait to see how many will experience the impact of his life and action.
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)
Matthew 6:14-15 explains for us.
For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
After the sentencing hearing and judgment, two people left the courtroom left the court room free: Ex-officer Guyger and Brandt Jean. She was not free from prison, but she was released from the prison of guilt and remorse. And he was released from the prison of resentment and bitterness.
Numerous “rabble rousers” (is that too strong a word? Is it racist?) Rabble rousers claim that the conviction of this woman for murder and her subsequent forgiveness by the victim’s brother sends a bad message. Connecting this situation with the protests of police officers shooting black men, seems to be a stretch. This discussion will ignore the particulars of the case. It is over and done with. Nothing can change the facts.
The shooter has been convicted and sentenced to prison. The “justice or injustice” of the sentence is not our topic. Something that happened after the sentencing is our focus today. The brother of the innocent victim stated, in court, that he forgave the person who shot his brother and even requested permission to give her a hug. At this point we want to deliberately ignore race, politics, and cultural norms.
Here is a person who, besides the victim himself, is probably the second most wounded member of the family and the society. His mother was hurt the most.
But for the victim’s brother to forgive the shooter is a mark of more than magnanimity and graciousness. It is an example of a love that is greater than we can generate in ourselves. Brandt Jean demonstrated the level of love that Jesus commanded His followers to exhibit. Here is the crux of the story. (https://www.newsweek.com/botham-jean-brother-bryant-offers-forgiveness-hug-amber-guyger-dallas-1462868)
In an emotional statement, 18-year-old Brandt Jean told former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for Botham's (Jean) death, that if she was "truly sorry...I forgive you. And, I know if you go to God and ask him, he will forgive you too."
Brandt said that while he could not speak on behalf of his family, he wanted to offer Guyger his personal forgiveness, saying: "I love you just like anyone else and I'm not gonna say I hope you rot and die, just like my brother did, but I personally want the best for you."
"I wasn't gonna ever say this in front of my family or anyone, but I don't even want you to go to jail," Brandt said. "I want the best for you because I know that's exactly what Botham would want you to do and the best would be, give your life to Christ...Again, I love you as a person and I don't wish anything bad on you," he stressed.
His final statement summarized how he could do that. He had received forgiveness for his sins and was passing that along to people with whom he intersected, either for good or bad. And, expectedly, the backlash was instant and vituperous.
Rev. Cornell William Brooks (@CornellWBrooks) October 3, 2019: In an interview with Newsweek, Brooks expanded on his statements, asserting that Guyger's 10-year-sentence already "seems to send the wrong signal."
"The signal it sends is not that black lives matter, but that black lives either don't matter or matter less."
"You have black people who have received 10 years for selling marijuana. She gets 10 years for killing a person," he said. "The message that this sentence sends is that, literally, your life is worth nothing on the street and less than nothing in your own home."
And in an ultimate backhanded compliment, he continued.
Those celebrating Brandt's gesture towards his brother's killer, Brooks said, should understand that his act of forgiveness "says everything about his character and nothing about hers."
"She wasn't given forgiveness based on what she deserved, but, rather, what Brandt Jean thought she needed, according to his faith," he said. "So, in other words, forgiveness here is not something that she purchased by virtue of her character, but rather something she was given by virtue of the character of Botham Jean's brother."
Amen, brother. That is the best thing he said in the entire interview. Too bad he didn’t quit while he was ahead.
"The danger, however, here, is that the forgiveness of black folks is used as a permission slip for police brutality, a permission slip for racial profiling and a permission slip for racial disparities," Brooks said.
Am I overreacting in reading into this that “black folks” shouldn’t do such a noble and loving thing in order to avoid the appearance of sanctioning “police brutality, ...racial profiling, ...and racial disparities?” It seems like Brandt should have not done this in order to perpetuate the narrative that Brooks is condemning. By “letting her off the hook,” he betrayed his family, his race, and the culture’s obsession with the three pronged indictment of society.
Brooks is in error in his understanding of forgiveness. Forgiveness does not excuse, condone, or sanction anything that was done. When we forgive someone who has wronged us, it is not for my his sake. It is for me. I am set free from the hurt, anger, and even hatred for the one who perpetrated the wrong. He, or in this instance, she is still liable for the penalty which the jury imposed on her.
A second comment was made by his mother:
"What Brandt did was to cleanse his heart towards Amber … I do not want it to be misconstrued as complete forgiveness of everybody."
(https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/10/03/amber-guyger-hug-forgiveness-courtroom-and-its-many-meanings/3851088002/)
She almost understood it. What Brandt did reflects his commitment to his Savior, Christ, and his commitment to follow and honor Him. If he can forgive someone who took what was probably his closest friend on earth, he demonstrated that lesser offenses would also be forgiven. Notice again, not exonerated, excused, nor eliminated. But in his mind and life, they are not as important as what he has in Christ. Since Jesus forgave him and gave him eternal life, it is only understandable that he would offer that same largess to others. I want to be in his crowd.
(Incidentally, the jury that convicted and sentenced him was made up of women and people of color. https://www.newsday.com/news/nation/dallas-shooting-amber-guyger-botham-jean-1.37055573)
By offering her forgiveness, he set himself free. Pray for this man as he navigates the rest of his life. I cannot wait to see how many will experience the impact of his life and action.
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)
Matthew 6:14-15 explains for us.
For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
After the sentencing hearing and judgment, two people left the courtroom left the court room free: Ex-officer Guyger and Brandt Jean. She was not free from prison, but she was released from the prison of guilt and remorse. And he was released from the prison of resentment and bitterness.
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Old Testament “I Love Lucy”
Years ago, many years ago to be frank, there was an episode of the TV show “I Love Lucy” that depicted her taking a job as a representative of “Vitameatavegemin,” a health supplement that had vitamins, meat, vegetables, and minerals. The skit involved her shilling the benefits of the product, and, to prove the point, she took a big spoonful. As the tryout/practice continued, Lucy consumed a significant portion of the elixir. And, as soon became evident, the potion was very potent.
Well, you can guess the results. At first she grimaced and frowned at the taste. Then as the session continued, she began to exhibit the characteristics of inebriation. That skit came to mind while reading Isaiah 28. Check it out.
Woe to the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, And to the fading flower of its glorious beauty, Which is at the head of the fertile valley Of those who are overcome with wine! 2 Behold, the Lord has a strong and mighty agent; As a storm of hail, a tempest of destruction, Like a storm of mighty overflowing waters, He has cast it down to the earth with His hand. 3 The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim is trodden under foot. 4 And the fading flower of its glorious beauty, Which is at the head of the fertile valley, Will be like the first-ripe fig prior to summer, Which one sees, And as soon as it is in his hand, He swallows it. 5 In that day the Lord of hosts will become a beautiful crown And a glorious diadem to the remnant of His people; 6 A spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment, A strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate. 7 And these also reel with wine and stagger from strong drink: The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, They are confused by wine, they stagger from strong drink; They reel while having visions, They totter when rendering judgment. 8 For all the tables are full of filthy vomit, without a single clean place.
Isaiah begins with a little sarcasm. Other skits with Lucy show her becoming progressively more disheveled and incoherent as she continued to consume an alcohol infused product. Isaiah draws attention to the “proud crown” of the drunkards of Ephraim. Some skits showed Lucy with hat askew, stumbling around, mumbling somewhat incoherently. Sounds familiar. Isaiah repeated the description in v. 3 which he called a proud crown. He attributes this spectacle to being overcome with wine. In comparison, the Lord will bring an agent that will overwhelm the nation in another manner. “Ephraim” is another name for the northern kingdom of Israel. Later in the chapter, the nation of Judah is addressed, confirming that Isaiah has both parts of the country in mind.
He also repeats another descriptive phrase: “Woe...to the fading flower of its glorious beauty.” V. 1, 3 The debauchery is taking a toll on the nation and it will be swallowed like the first fig of summer. (V. 4) That exact event occurred in stages between 734 and 724 BC for Israel. Verse 5 inserts a glimpse into the future when the Lord will restore them.
But in the meantime v. 6-8 depict the scene of the beleaguered defenders attempting to repel the invasion. It includes the leaders, the defenders at the gate, the prophet and the priest. Verse 7 describes their behavior and it sounds exactly like our friend Lucy over 2500 years later. They reel with wine and stagger with strong drink. Picture a drunken cadre of soldiers attempting to repel invaders. You get the picture.
Verse 7 describes their demeanor and competence.
They are confused by wine, they stagger from strong drink; They reel while having visions, They totter when rendering judgment.
Imagine a drunken Lucy defending the city, delivering a message of warning, sitting at the judge’s bench rendering decisions. Not an inviting prospect. But it gets worse. Verse 8 describes the environment in their office and even cafeteria.
For all the tables are full of filthy vomit, without a single clean place.
Imagine the stench if the whole place is covered. UGH!
This is more than a screed against the consumption of alcohol. It mirrors the actions and abilities of those who have rejected the Lord. The chapter continues to include the southern kingdom in the indictment, although in not so picturesque language. Ultimately both kingdoms were deported and placed into captivity that lasted for 70 years.
The point of this consideration is that we would be wise to avoid the types of behavior that would lead to a judicial indictment. Negative, profligate, and debauched behavior is often described as acting like a drunken sailor. “Spending like a drunken sailor,” comes to mind. Driving, walking, fighting, generally acting like a drunken sailor is not a commendable or enviable description.
Just for the record, I have enough episodes of staggering, reeling, being confused and tottering without adding an additional instigating or aggravating factor. I have enough trouble navigating life while sober. There is no telling how much damage would result from any other condition.
This is kind of a negative lesson. At least it is a sober (pun intended) reflection on the results of defying and disobeying the Lord. I want to walk a straight line. (Again, pun or allusion intended.) And thank you Johnny Cash.
Have a great, and dry day. And forego Vitameatavegemin.
Well, you can guess the results. At first she grimaced and frowned at the taste. Then as the session continued, she began to exhibit the characteristics of inebriation. That skit came to mind while reading Isaiah 28. Check it out.
Woe to the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, And to the fading flower of its glorious beauty, Which is at the head of the fertile valley Of those who are overcome with wine! 2 Behold, the Lord has a strong and mighty agent; As a storm of hail, a tempest of destruction, Like a storm of mighty overflowing waters, He has cast it down to the earth with His hand. 3 The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim is trodden under foot. 4 And the fading flower of its glorious beauty, Which is at the head of the fertile valley, Will be like the first-ripe fig prior to summer, Which one sees, And as soon as it is in his hand, He swallows it. 5 In that day the Lord of hosts will become a beautiful crown And a glorious diadem to the remnant of His people; 6 A spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment, A strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate. 7 And these also reel with wine and stagger from strong drink: The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, They are confused by wine, they stagger from strong drink; They reel while having visions, They totter when rendering judgment. 8 For all the tables are full of filthy vomit, without a single clean place.
Isaiah begins with a little sarcasm. Other skits with Lucy show her becoming progressively more disheveled and incoherent as she continued to consume an alcohol infused product. Isaiah draws attention to the “proud crown” of the drunkards of Ephraim. Some skits showed Lucy with hat askew, stumbling around, mumbling somewhat incoherently. Sounds familiar. Isaiah repeated the description in v. 3 which he called a proud crown. He attributes this spectacle to being overcome with wine. In comparison, the Lord will bring an agent that will overwhelm the nation in another manner. “Ephraim” is another name for the northern kingdom of Israel. Later in the chapter, the nation of Judah is addressed, confirming that Isaiah has both parts of the country in mind.
He also repeats another descriptive phrase: “Woe...to the fading flower of its glorious beauty.” V. 1, 3 The debauchery is taking a toll on the nation and it will be swallowed like the first fig of summer. (V. 4) That exact event occurred in stages between 734 and 724 BC for Israel. Verse 5 inserts a glimpse into the future when the Lord will restore them.
But in the meantime v. 6-8 depict the scene of the beleaguered defenders attempting to repel the invasion. It includes the leaders, the defenders at the gate, the prophet and the priest. Verse 7 describes their behavior and it sounds exactly like our friend Lucy over 2500 years later. They reel with wine and stagger with strong drink. Picture a drunken cadre of soldiers attempting to repel invaders. You get the picture.
Verse 7 describes their demeanor and competence.
They are confused by wine, they stagger from strong drink; They reel while having visions, They totter when rendering judgment.
Imagine a drunken Lucy defending the city, delivering a message of warning, sitting at the judge’s bench rendering decisions. Not an inviting prospect. But it gets worse. Verse 8 describes the environment in their office and even cafeteria.
For all the tables are full of filthy vomit, without a single clean place.
Imagine the stench if the whole place is covered. UGH!
This is more than a screed against the consumption of alcohol. It mirrors the actions and abilities of those who have rejected the Lord. The chapter continues to include the southern kingdom in the indictment, although in not so picturesque language. Ultimately both kingdoms were deported and placed into captivity that lasted for 70 years.
The point of this consideration is that we would be wise to avoid the types of behavior that would lead to a judicial indictment. Negative, profligate, and debauched behavior is often described as acting like a drunken sailor. “Spending like a drunken sailor,” comes to mind. Driving, walking, fighting, generally acting like a drunken sailor is not a commendable or enviable description.
Just for the record, I have enough episodes of staggering, reeling, being confused and tottering without adding an additional instigating or aggravating factor. I have enough trouble navigating life while sober. There is no telling how much damage would result from any other condition.
This is kind of a negative lesson. At least it is a sober (pun intended) reflection on the results of defying and disobeying the Lord. I want to walk a straight line. (Again, pun or allusion intended.) And thank you Johnny Cash.
Have a great, and dry day. And forego Vitameatavegemin.
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Galatians
I just love Romans. Paul lays out the perfect and complete version of Theology 101. He started with God and ended with some interpersonal interactions between believers. In between are layers of theology that cover everything from original sin, to redemption and forgiveness, to the end times. (PS the whole nation of Israel will turn back to God. End of story.)
But the little gem of Galatians kind of hides out farther back in the New Testament. The Gospel that he so carefully delineated in Romans was subject to disruption. Listen to verse 6 of ch 1:
I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;
He continues to declare that it is not really a different gospel, but a fake and that they should not even believe him if he presents an alternative. Pretty strong language there. And, just for the record, he also squelched the idea that even an angel could change or add to what he had delivered. Take that, cults.
Then to again spike any cannons, he outlines his credentials, including the acceptance of his Gospel by Peter and the Jerusalem church elders. (Read other apostles there.) What he preached was indeed from God and they all knew it. My intention is not to walk through the epistle but to hit the high points.
In chapter 3 he declares:
You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
And the focus of his concern is revealed. A “works” component has been added to some of the teaching there. It essentially said that we are saved by grace, yes, but that we have to keep ourselves saved by our actions. It even implies that this “finished” salvation provided by Jesus is a little deficient. We can lose it, or take ourselves out of it, or fail to maintain it. Paul’s response was... “Bull hockey!”
Well, he was a little more discrete, “Are you so foolish?” And chapter 3 looks back to Abraham to confirm that it is by faith alone. (V. 6-9) Paul continues to point out that keeping the law is a futile enterprise. No one ever could, and no one ever can. We had to have a substitute, (there’s that word again) to remove the curse from us for failing to complete the transaction of keeping the law.
Verse 15 to the end of chapter 3 is a masterpiece of logic. If no one can alter a human contract unilaterally, then it is preposterous to believe and claim that God’s covenant can be amended. Since no one is able to keep the law, the whole world is “shut up” or bounded by the law so that the promise delivered by Christ can be afforded to everyone. (V. 22) Review quickly. God gave a promise to Abraham, His covenant: righteousness based on faith, and the extension of that promise to the entire world. So if Abraham got the promise by faith, it is ludicrous, literally nonsense to assert that there would be a different formula or recipe for others.
Was the law an enemy antagonist to faith? V. 21 b. Paul’s and my favorite negation: “May it never be!” Me genoito in Greek. That is repeated in Romans 3:4, 6, 31; 6:2.; 7:7, 13; 9:14; 11:1, 11. (I told you Paul liked that. But I digress.) Paul, in his most strenuous language rejected that idea. The law was a tool, a school master to show us what our deficiencies were. A good teacher does not teach the class what they already know. He counters ignorance by teaching what they do not know. (I did that for years. Maybe I still do.)
Then in chapter 4 he extends the argument. An heir, the son of the land owner, is like a slave when he is a child. Both are under guardians and masters until the date that the father has designated for the son’s identification as such, or to use a Biblical term, adoption. Then the son has full privileges and responsibilities of ownership and leadership in the family.
We have received the adoption as sons (4:5) and now are full participants in His family. Verse 9 presents Paul’s anguish:
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, (been adopted into the family as the heir-ed) how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?
Why do you want to return to the tutorship of the slave who “raised” you? The term, “foolish” comes to mind here, once again. Paul’s literal anguish is explained in 4:12-20. Then in chapter 5 Paul gets very stern and pointed.
Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?
Pay attention to what you are asking. Paul then appeals to Jewish history to compare Isaac with Ishmael. One was the son of a slave and the other was the son of Abraham’s wife, and the heir of the Promise that God had given. And for the final comparison, we turn back to Genesis,
“Cast out the bondwoman and her son, For the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”
(That was in Genesis 21.) Do you want to be a slave again?
So Paul points out that people who put themselves back under the law are following an inferior relationship and inheritance. Ishmael got to wander in the wilderness, alone with no father. Isaac lived with his father and inherited the promised blessing. Sounds like an easy choice.
Paul turns to specifics in chapter 5.
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (V. 1)
Slavery is the practice of keeping the law in order to please God. The specific item of dispute was being circumcised. Ironically, some today urge people to keep Jewish traditions and feasts as a means of “walking more closely with the Lord.” There is nothing wrong with observing them, but there is no inherent spiritual value or merit in them either. God doesn’t love us for keeping the feast of whatever any more than He loves those who do not keep it. This is even true for Jews. Ask Michael Rydelnyk, a Messianic Jew. (I suspect that he has read Galatians a time or two.)
Paul concludes the treatise in 5:7:
You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you.
The “caller” to observe the law and all of its customs was not “Him who calls you.” Don’t go there. But then just in case someone decides that good relations between “brothers” is superfluous to the Christian life, Paul spends the next two chapters outlining our responsibilities to each other. His paragraph headings speak for themselves.
5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit
Then chapter 6 finalizes the mandate to care for others and don’t behave like spoiled brats. And 6:17 is Paul’s final admonishment.
From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.
Shape up and don’t cause me so much trouble. What a fantastic lesson in applied theology. Paul wants us to all live like sons and treat others as if we like them. We do. I just love Galatians. I hope you do too.
But the little gem of Galatians kind of hides out farther back in the New Testament. The Gospel that he so carefully delineated in Romans was subject to disruption. Listen to verse 6 of ch 1:
I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;
He continues to declare that it is not really a different gospel, but a fake and that they should not even believe him if he presents an alternative. Pretty strong language there. And, just for the record, he also squelched the idea that even an angel could change or add to what he had delivered. Take that, cults.
Then to again spike any cannons, he outlines his credentials, including the acceptance of his Gospel by Peter and the Jerusalem church elders. (Read other apostles there.) What he preached was indeed from God and they all knew it. My intention is not to walk through the epistle but to hit the high points.
In chapter 3 he declares:
You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
And the focus of his concern is revealed. A “works” component has been added to some of the teaching there. It essentially said that we are saved by grace, yes, but that we have to keep ourselves saved by our actions. It even implies that this “finished” salvation provided by Jesus is a little deficient. We can lose it, or take ourselves out of it, or fail to maintain it. Paul’s response was... “Bull hockey!”
Well, he was a little more discrete, “Are you so foolish?” And chapter 3 looks back to Abraham to confirm that it is by faith alone. (V. 6-9) Paul continues to point out that keeping the law is a futile enterprise. No one ever could, and no one ever can. We had to have a substitute, (there’s that word again) to remove the curse from us for failing to complete the transaction of keeping the law.
Verse 15 to the end of chapter 3 is a masterpiece of logic. If no one can alter a human contract unilaterally, then it is preposterous to believe and claim that God’s covenant can be amended. Since no one is able to keep the law, the whole world is “shut up” or bounded by the law so that the promise delivered by Christ can be afforded to everyone. (V. 22) Review quickly. God gave a promise to Abraham, His covenant: righteousness based on faith, and the extension of that promise to the entire world. So if Abraham got the promise by faith, it is ludicrous, literally nonsense to assert that there would be a different formula or recipe for others.
Was the law an enemy antagonist to faith? V. 21 b. Paul’s and my favorite negation: “May it never be!” Me genoito in Greek. That is repeated in Romans 3:4, 6, 31; 6:2.; 7:7, 13; 9:14; 11:1, 11. (I told you Paul liked that. But I digress.) Paul, in his most strenuous language rejected that idea. The law was a tool, a school master to show us what our deficiencies were. A good teacher does not teach the class what they already know. He counters ignorance by teaching what they do not know. (I did that for years. Maybe I still do.)
Then in chapter 4 he extends the argument. An heir, the son of the land owner, is like a slave when he is a child. Both are under guardians and masters until the date that the father has designated for the son’s identification as such, or to use a Biblical term, adoption. Then the son has full privileges and responsibilities of ownership and leadership in the family.
We have received the adoption as sons (4:5) and now are full participants in His family. Verse 9 presents Paul’s anguish:
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, (been adopted into the family as the heir-ed) how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?
Why do you want to return to the tutorship of the slave who “raised” you? The term, “foolish” comes to mind here, once again. Paul’s literal anguish is explained in 4:12-20. Then in chapter 5 Paul gets very stern and pointed.
Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?
Pay attention to what you are asking. Paul then appeals to Jewish history to compare Isaac with Ishmael. One was the son of a slave and the other was the son of Abraham’s wife, and the heir of the Promise that God had given. And for the final comparison, we turn back to Genesis,
“Cast out the bondwoman and her son, For the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”
(That was in Genesis 21.) Do you want to be a slave again?
So Paul points out that people who put themselves back under the law are following an inferior relationship and inheritance. Ishmael got to wander in the wilderness, alone with no father. Isaac lived with his father and inherited the promised blessing. Sounds like an easy choice.
Paul turns to specifics in chapter 5.
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (V. 1)
Slavery is the practice of keeping the law in order to please God. The specific item of dispute was being circumcised. Ironically, some today urge people to keep Jewish traditions and feasts as a means of “walking more closely with the Lord.” There is nothing wrong with observing them, but there is no inherent spiritual value or merit in them either. God doesn’t love us for keeping the feast of whatever any more than He loves those who do not keep it. This is even true for Jews. Ask Michael Rydelnyk, a Messianic Jew. (I suspect that he has read Galatians a time or two.)
Paul concludes the treatise in 5:7:
You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you.
The “caller” to observe the law and all of its customs was not “Him who calls you.” Don’t go there. But then just in case someone decides that good relations between “brothers” is superfluous to the Christian life, Paul spends the next two chapters outlining our responsibilities to each other. His paragraph headings speak for themselves.
5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit
Then chapter 6 finalizes the mandate to care for others and don’t behave like spoiled brats. And 6:17 is Paul’s final admonishment.
From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.
Shape up and don’t cause me so much trouble. What a fantastic lesson in applied theology. Paul wants us to all live like sons and treat others as if we like them. We do. I just love Galatians. I hope you do too.
Monday, September 2, 2019
Cleansing
When rain falls, it hits the highest peaks first. That said, a cleaning process logically and logistically begins with the highest elements and progresses down the body of the object to be cleaned. When God cleans His church, the same principle will apply. The “highest” or most prominent and quite possibly the most Christ-like will experience the cleansing bath before anyone else.
Ironically, this came to mind in a dream. I was addressing a group of camp counselors and their charges. I do not remember the topic or passage from which I was speaking, (probably a good thing, now that I think about it) but as we progressed through the message a number of the leaders began to express repentance and contrition. Some merely wept quietly, while others got up and went to the altar and knelt. This was followed by others doing the same or approaching each other, whispering a few seconds, then embracing, often with tears.
The lesson didn’t seem to be that profound when I wrote it, but the Holy Spirit was using it in a mighty way. Now, mind you, this was a dream. But it made me think of two real-life situations. First, is the real predicament with which the church faces both the society in general and the coming future. And our second situation is this world itself. God’s message has been discarded and disregarded for decades. Is there hope?
Several pastors have recently discussed revival and, to a man, they commented that no revival in history has commenced without a movement of prayer preceding it. And we will not experience revival without prayer. A Christian radio network pauses every day at 12:00 to remind us to pray for our world, our country, our church, and our family. They present striking examples of how prayer “worked” in the past, and challenge us to emulate that posture today in our situation.
Weather disasters, military defeats, and spiritual confusion are just some of the examples cited. We literally face all of those things today. Our country, our churches severally and Church corporately, and our families are struggling with issues that seem unprecedented in history.
The second thing about revival after being introduced by prayer is that it “hits the highest peaks” first. Revival will begin at the top and wash down. The time for Jesus to return is drawing near. And, like the rain, the realization of His work will fall on the highest peaks first.
I grew up on a farm with a small septic tank. (This will tie into our thought, just hand on.) In an attempt to not overfill and thus cause a “toxic or noxious” spill, we conserved water. One way we did that was the washing machine did not empty into the septic system. It discharged out back under a tree, which I am sure benefited from the phosphates in the detergent. But I digress.
The practical application was that when we took baths, we shared the water, again to avoid overtaxing the capabilities of the limited septic system. And the smallest, and usually the cleanest, took their baths first, then we older, dirtier ones took ours last. God the Holy Spirit will begin to cleanse His family, the church. He will address the “cleaner” ones first, then progress down (literally) the line to the rest of us.
But the key issue is that He will clean us and prepare us for His service. This is our second point of application. This world is drying up and dying like the tomato plant that we put in our yard. We got a few plum-sized fruit from it, and the tomato lover was pleased with the crop. But the end is coming, both for that plant and for the world. The Lord is at the door. The angel is holding his trumpet to announce His return. 1 Corinthians 15:52
...in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
That refers to His coming for the church, then seven years later He will return, with His church, all dressed in white to cleanse the world of those who reject Him. (Revelation 19:11, 14) That is just like the Flood in Noah’s day. What a spectacle! The Groom comes riding on a white charger and His Bride, in full regalia, that is a wedding gown, comes riding behind!
(Historical disclaimer. I think it was Queen Victoria in 1840 who began the tradition of a bride wearing a white gown. But she surely did not invent the concept. It was right there in Revelation. She merely copied it. That said, the “bride” in Revelation will probably not be wearing a “ball gown” such as we have come to expect at weddings. The white clothes, representing purity are not a vestige of historical interpretation. They are real. And they are the focus of our thoughts.)
(Second disclaimer. I heard a guy saying that “the last trump” (KJV) is the current President. He is a Trump. Can you say, “Bo-gus!” with gusto and disgust? The trumpet in Corinthians is a literal trumpet. My Dad called me son, but I did not light up the world. A coincidence in names is not a prophetic revelation. Don’t be foolish. Nuff said.
(Well maybe one more thing. I was dating a girl in college named Joy and she dumped me. I talked to my counselor and told him that I had just that morning read a verse that said, “...that I may finish my course with joy.” (Acts 20:24) That was a promise, I claimed, that Joy and I would live life together. “Nope,” (you dope, he didn’t say) “that is just a coincidence in words. It is not a prophetic comment.” Read the Bible carefully, but intelligently. Now nuff said.)
Back to cleansing. Purity begins at the top. Personal note: I wash my hair and head first, then down to the trunk and armpits, followed by, uh, well you know, then the legs and feet. TMI, probably. Top-down is the point. The pure church will be produced by cleansing from the top down. Pray for our leaders, that they will experience the cleansing of the Holy Spirit. Then we open ourselves to His purifying touch. Finally, let the “cleansing bath” wash all over the society and world.
John finished his survey of coming things with, “Even so come, Lord Jesus.” Amen and amen. Be clean. (Revelation 22:20)
Ironically, this came to mind in a dream. I was addressing a group of camp counselors and their charges. I do not remember the topic or passage from which I was speaking, (probably a good thing, now that I think about it) but as we progressed through the message a number of the leaders began to express repentance and contrition. Some merely wept quietly, while others got up and went to the altar and knelt. This was followed by others doing the same or approaching each other, whispering a few seconds, then embracing, often with tears.
The lesson didn’t seem to be that profound when I wrote it, but the Holy Spirit was using it in a mighty way. Now, mind you, this was a dream. But it made me think of two real-life situations. First, is the real predicament with which the church faces both the society in general and the coming future. And our second situation is this world itself. God’s message has been discarded and disregarded for decades. Is there hope?
Several pastors have recently discussed revival and, to a man, they commented that no revival in history has commenced without a movement of prayer preceding it. And we will not experience revival without prayer. A Christian radio network pauses every day at 12:00 to remind us to pray for our world, our country, our church, and our family. They present striking examples of how prayer “worked” in the past, and challenge us to emulate that posture today in our situation.
Weather disasters, military defeats, and spiritual confusion are just some of the examples cited. We literally face all of those things today. Our country, our churches severally and Church corporately, and our families are struggling with issues that seem unprecedented in history.
The second thing about revival after being introduced by prayer is that it “hits the highest peaks” first. Revival will begin at the top and wash down. The time for Jesus to return is drawing near. And, like the rain, the realization of His work will fall on the highest peaks first.
I grew up on a farm with a small septic tank. (This will tie into our thought, just hand on.) In an attempt to not overfill and thus cause a “toxic or noxious” spill, we conserved water. One way we did that was the washing machine did not empty into the septic system. It discharged out back under a tree, which I am sure benefited from the phosphates in the detergent. But I digress.
The practical application was that when we took baths, we shared the water, again to avoid overtaxing the capabilities of the limited septic system. And the smallest, and usually the cleanest, took their baths first, then we older, dirtier ones took ours last. God the Holy Spirit will begin to cleanse His family, the church. He will address the “cleaner” ones first, then progress down (literally) the line to the rest of us.
But the key issue is that He will clean us and prepare us for His service. This is our second point of application. This world is drying up and dying like the tomato plant that we put in our yard. We got a few plum-sized fruit from it, and the tomato lover was pleased with the crop. But the end is coming, both for that plant and for the world. The Lord is at the door. The angel is holding his trumpet to announce His return. 1 Corinthians 15:52
...in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
That refers to His coming for the church, then seven years later He will return, with His church, all dressed in white to cleanse the world of those who reject Him. (Revelation 19:11, 14) That is just like the Flood in Noah’s day. What a spectacle! The Groom comes riding on a white charger and His Bride, in full regalia, that is a wedding gown, comes riding behind!
(Historical disclaimer. I think it was Queen Victoria in 1840 who began the tradition of a bride wearing a white gown. But she surely did not invent the concept. It was right there in Revelation. She merely copied it. That said, the “bride” in Revelation will probably not be wearing a “ball gown” such as we have come to expect at weddings. The white clothes, representing purity are not a vestige of historical interpretation. They are real. And they are the focus of our thoughts.)
(Second disclaimer. I heard a guy saying that “the last trump” (KJV) is the current President. He is a Trump. Can you say, “Bo-gus!” with gusto and disgust? The trumpet in Corinthians is a literal trumpet. My Dad called me son, but I did not light up the world. A coincidence in names is not a prophetic revelation. Don’t be foolish. Nuff said.
(Well maybe one more thing. I was dating a girl in college named Joy and she dumped me. I talked to my counselor and told him that I had just that morning read a verse that said, “...that I may finish my course with joy.” (Acts 20:24) That was a promise, I claimed, that Joy and I would live life together. “Nope,” (you dope, he didn’t say) “that is just a coincidence in words. It is not a prophetic comment.” Read the Bible carefully, but intelligently. Now nuff said.)
Back to cleansing. Purity begins at the top. Personal note: I wash my hair and head first, then down to the trunk and armpits, followed by, uh, well you know, then the legs and feet. TMI, probably. Top-down is the point. The pure church will be produced by cleansing from the top down. Pray for our leaders, that they will experience the cleansing of the Holy Spirit. Then we open ourselves to His purifying touch. Finally, let the “cleansing bath” wash all over the society and world.
John finished his survey of coming things with, “Even so come, Lord Jesus.” Amen and amen. Be clean. (Revelation 22:20)
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Dumb and Dumber Is Not Just a Movie
Two articles in the USA Today made me think. They had an emphasis on sexual exploitation and assault on college campuses. One article quoted a counselor who said, “IF you plan on overindulging, talk to your peer group about having somebody responsible look out for you.”
That probably hits at least a level two on the dumb, dumber, dumbest scale. Just planning to overindulge seems a little counter productive. I am going to a smorgasbord and eat two pounds of BBQ ribs. And fries and other stuff as well. Not because I will enjoy it, but because I can. “I paid for this and I’m going to get my money’s worth.” The tummy ache we got as a kid when we binged out on candy, cookies, or ice cream, or all three, seems to be forgotten.
Overindulging on inebriants is even more stupider. First it is a poison. People have and do die from alcohol poisoning. And, not in personal experience, but second hand testimony has informed me that if you do survive, the aftermath makes you wish you were dead.
But the final level of dumbosity, that is one higher than dumbest, is “having someone responsible look out for you.” Think on this for a nanosecond. You all are going out to “par-tay!” The “responsible” person will be in a similar condition to the one being “looked out for.” Jesus said that if the blind lead the blind, they will both fall into the ditch. (Matthew 15:14) I would surmise that a drunk, watching out for a drunk, will be a little less than worthless. Maybe a lot less.
Nuff said. Then an article farther down the page reported that “Tainted alcohol worries travelers.” It went on to note that several tourist destinations, particularly in Mexico and Puerto Rico have had “guests” poisoned and even killed by methanol also know as wood alcohol that they consumed at a resort. (Maybe they should be signed in as “Victims,” instead of guests.) The first time this happened, it was a surprise. The twenty or thirtieth time is getting deep into the dumb scale.
My dad used to say, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” You can make the application here. In both of our stories, we see a level of repeated foolishness that is unnerving. Why are people so dumb? And why are they repeating that folly?
Another thing that Dad taught me was, “What is this for?” Is college or vacation a place to go to get hammered? That is not a sports term referring to how Clemson treated U of A in the last college super bowl. That is a slang term for losing your senses, as in being whacked up side the head by a hammer. If you want to booze it up, stay home where it is relatively safe, providing you have someone to call 911 when you get into life threatening territory.
Or better yet, imbibe a great cinnamon spice tea–hot or cold. It “tastes great and is less filling.” And does not lead to assault or death. Just think of how many news reporters would be out of work if we all did that.
That is “nuff said.”
That probably hits at least a level two on the dumb, dumber, dumbest scale. Just planning to overindulge seems a little counter productive. I am going to a smorgasbord and eat two pounds of BBQ ribs. And fries and other stuff as well. Not because I will enjoy it, but because I can. “I paid for this and I’m going to get my money’s worth.” The tummy ache we got as a kid when we binged out on candy, cookies, or ice cream, or all three, seems to be forgotten.
Overindulging on inebriants is even more stupider. First it is a poison. People have and do die from alcohol poisoning. And, not in personal experience, but second hand testimony has informed me that if you do survive, the aftermath makes you wish you were dead.
But the final level of dumbosity, that is one higher than dumbest, is “having someone responsible look out for you.” Think on this for a nanosecond. You all are going out to “par-tay!” The “responsible” person will be in a similar condition to the one being “looked out for.” Jesus said that if the blind lead the blind, they will both fall into the ditch. (Matthew 15:14) I would surmise that a drunk, watching out for a drunk, will be a little less than worthless. Maybe a lot less.
Nuff said. Then an article farther down the page reported that “Tainted alcohol worries travelers.” It went on to note that several tourist destinations, particularly in Mexico and Puerto Rico have had “guests” poisoned and even killed by methanol also know as wood alcohol that they consumed at a resort. (Maybe they should be signed in as “Victims,” instead of guests.) The first time this happened, it was a surprise. The twenty or thirtieth time is getting deep into the dumb scale.
My dad used to say, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” You can make the application here. In both of our stories, we see a level of repeated foolishness that is unnerving. Why are people so dumb? And why are they repeating that folly?
Another thing that Dad taught me was, “What is this for?” Is college or vacation a place to go to get hammered? That is not a sports term referring to how Clemson treated U of A in the last college super bowl. That is a slang term for losing your senses, as in being whacked up side the head by a hammer. If you want to booze it up, stay home where it is relatively safe, providing you have someone to call 911 when you get into life threatening territory.
Or better yet, imbibe a great cinnamon spice tea–hot or cold. It “tastes great and is less filling.” And does not lead to assault or death. Just think of how many news reporters would be out of work if we all did that.
That is “nuff said.”
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
More on David
We looked at David’s Psalm to his little rescued lamb last time. Further meditation on that story brought up another line of thought. We commented that David cited his rescue of the lamb to Saul when he, David was attempting to convince the King to allow him to challenge the Giant.
Just before this encounter, David’s brother had rebuked him, charging that David was merely curious, looking for some entertainment. (1 Samuel 17:28) He belittled David’s contribution to the family by asking what had happened to the “few sheep in the wilderness.” Actually, David had responsibly left them in the care of another keeper, so he was “doing his job.”
The ironic thing is, that Eliab, the elder brother, was not “doing his job.” Goliath had come out and challenged the men of Israel to battle for 40 days. No one, including David’s soldier brothers, had responded. Then David arrived and was anxious to confront the Philistine who was belittling Israel and berating the God of Israel. This is the point at which Eliab charged David with dereliction of his duties in caring for those “few sheep.”
Based upon Eliab’s response to Goliath, we can surmise that had Eliab been the one in the wilderness with the sheep when the lion and bear attacked, the “few” would have been a couple less in number. David was not a coward. He did not run from lion, bear, or giant. His father Jesse may have not sent him to keep the sheep based only on his being the youngest and thus assigned the more menial tasks, but the father may have recognized the bravery inherent in his youngest son.
Whether David felt fear in his encounters is not known, but bravery is not a lack of fear. Rather it is acting in spite of fear. David not only “acted,” it says that he ran toward the encounter with Goliath. (V. 48) This is an interesting tactic and it possibly unnerved Goliath, causing him to hesitate just a second. A second too long, that is. And you know the rest of the story.
One other interesting sidelight is that this battle tactic was employed by Alexander the Great when he conquered the known world. His soldiers ran toward the enemy, again unnerving them and contributing to the successful defeat of enemy armies. This was even prophesied by Daniel in his dreams. (Daniel 7:6)
After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.
Daniel’s vision was of four beasts that would conquer the world. First was Babylon, the nation in power as he lived. His vision occurred during the reign of Belshazzar, before Daniel saw and interpreted the “handwriting on the wall.” Babylon was overthrown by Medo-Persia which, in turn, fell to Greece represented by the leopard. Then a fourth, a “dreadful and terrifying” beast gained power, and we know that as Rome.
Greece, under Alexander, had overcome enemies by the tactic of running into battle, represented by a leopard with wings. This was reinforced by another vision two years later in chapter 8. This time, the kingdom of Babylon was not represented, but the successor, Medo-Persia characterized by a ram with two horns, one more prominent and larger than the other. (“Medo,” the lesser country and “Persia” the greater.) It “butted” west, north, and south, taking control of all of the land around it. History now identifies this entity as Medo-Persia, the consortium that overthrew Babylon.
Then in v. 5, we find the successor: a goat from the west.
While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.
Note that the conquering force was “flying,” or moving rapidly. Again a leader is identified by a “conspicuous horn.” The confrontation between the two forces follows in v. 6. (The goat...)
He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath. 7 I saw him come beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was none to rescue the ram from his power.
The specific detail of “charging or rushing” the enemy is specified. And the kingdom of Persia was completely destroyed, just as Daniel had predicted about 300 years earlier. (A summary of the decisive battle may be found here. The final analysis was that Alexander lost about 100 men while killing over 300,000 and capturing many more. 301 BC)
David’s and Alexander’s strategy was also seen in the “blitzkrieg” unleashed by Hitler in WWII. Back to David. This teenager, of 16 or 17 as far as we know, began his career by protecting sheep from predators, then battling to the death, a nine-foot-tall opponent. He inaugurated a battle plan that led to many successful campaigns throughout history. And his brother had the temerity to challenge him and his courage.
Seems like the obvious is not always so obvious.
Just before this encounter, David’s brother had rebuked him, charging that David was merely curious, looking for some entertainment. (1 Samuel 17:28) He belittled David’s contribution to the family by asking what had happened to the “few sheep in the wilderness.” Actually, David had responsibly left them in the care of another keeper, so he was “doing his job.”
The ironic thing is, that Eliab, the elder brother, was not “doing his job.” Goliath had come out and challenged the men of Israel to battle for 40 days. No one, including David’s soldier brothers, had responded. Then David arrived and was anxious to confront the Philistine who was belittling Israel and berating the God of Israel. This is the point at which Eliab charged David with dereliction of his duties in caring for those “few sheep.”
Based upon Eliab’s response to Goliath, we can surmise that had Eliab been the one in the wilderness with the sheep when the lion and bear attacked, the “few” would have been a couple less in number. David was not a coward. He did not run from lion, bear, or giant. His father Jesse may have not sent him to keep the sheep based only on his being the youngest and thus assigned the more menial tasks, but the father may have recognized the bravery inherent in his youngest son.
Whether David felt fear in his encounters is not known, but bravery is not a lack of fear. Rather it is acting in spite of fear. David not only “acted,” it says that he ran toward the encounter with Goliath. (V. 48) This is an interesting tactic and it possibly unnerved Goliath, causing him to hesitate just a second. A second too long, that is. And you know the rest of the story.
One other interesting sidelight is that this battle tactic was employed by Alexander the Great when he conquered the known world. His soldiers ran toward the enemy, again unnerving them and contributing to the successful defeat of enemy armies. This was even prophesied by Daniel in his dreams. (Daniel 7:6)
After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.
Daniel’s vision was of four beasts that would conquer the world. First was Babylon, the nation in power as he lived. His vision occurred during the reign of Belshazzar, before Daniel saw and interpreted the “handwriting on the wall.” Babylon was overthrown by Medo-Persia which, in turn, fell to Greece represented by the leopard. Then a fourth, a “dreadful and terrifying” beast gained power, and we know that as Rome.
Greece, under Alexander, had overcome enemies by the tactic of running into battle, represented by a leopard with wings. This was reinforced by another vision two years later in chapter 8. This time, the kingdom of Babylon was not represented, but the successor, Medo-Persia characterized by a ram with two horns, one more prominent and larger than the other. (“Medo,” the lesser country and “Persia” the greater.) It “butted” west, north, and south, taking control of all of the land around it. History now identifies this entity as Medo-Persia, the consortium that overthrew Babylon.
Then in v. 5, we find the successor: a goat from the west.
While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.
Note that the conquering force was “flying,” or moving rapidly. Again a leader is identified by a “conspicuous horn.” The confrontation between the two forces follows in v. 6. (The goat...)
He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath. 7 I saw him come beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was none to rescue the ram from his power.
The specific detail of “charging or rushing” the enemy is specified. And the kingdom of Persia was completely destroyed, just as Daniel had predicted about 300 years earlier. (A summary of the decisive battle may be found here. The final analysis was that Alexander lost about 100 men while killing over 300,000 and capturing many more. 301 BC)
David’s and Alexander’s strategy was also seen in the “blitzkrieg” unleashed by Hitler in WWII. Back to David. This teenager, of 16 or 17 as far as we know, began his career by protecting sheep from predators, then battling to the death, a nine-foot-tall opponent. He inaugurated a battle plan that led to many successful campaigns throughout history. And his brother had the temerity to challenge him and his courage.
Seems like the obvious is not always so obvious.
Thursday, August 8, 2019
A Shepherd’s Psalm
A young lamb lies in the arms of his shepherd. The lamb’s legs dangle below the supporting forearm and his chin nestles into the crook of the shepherd’s elbow. He is a little bloody and mangled, but he is safe. The shepherd fondly gazes down on the helpless little bundle of wounded wool resting there.
He thinks back a few minutes. As he was tending his father’s sheep, to his horror a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock. 35 (He) went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against (the shepherd boy), (he) seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 (He) has killed both the lion and the bear. (1 Samuel 17:34-36)
“Just be quiet, little lamb. I will take care of you. You have nothing to fear.” As he ruminated a little more, he mused, “I have a Shepherd too, you know.”
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Then he switches his focus to the Shepherd. Now he is comparing his own care for the lamb to the care that the Good Shepherd affords to him. This is particularly poignant to both the young man and the sheep.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
The lamb has it pretty good, with a brave and dedicated care giver. But our friend, you have surely identified him as David, is comparing his own care with what he offered his flock. Even all the lovingkindness that he could lavish on his sheep could not compare to the prospect of living in the house of his Lord forever. (Psalm 23) Amen. Glory.
“The LORD is my shepherd.” Is He your Shepherd too? Today is the best time to begin the relationship and let Him care for you–forever. If you are already there, just relax and praise Him.
He thinks back a few minutes. As he was tending his father’s sheep, to his horror a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock. 35 (He) went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against (the shepherd boy), (he) seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 (He) has killed both the lion and the bear. (1 Samuel 17:34-36)
“Just be quiet, little lamb. I will take care of you. You have nothing to fear.” As he ruminated a little more, he mused, “I have a Shepherd too, you know.”
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Then he switches his focus to the Shepherd. Now he is comparing his own care for the lamb to the care that the Good Shepherd affords to him. This is particularly poignant to both the young man and the sheep.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
The lamb has it pretty good, with a brave and dedicated care giver. But our friend, you have surely identified him as David, is comparing his own care with what he offered his flock. Even all the lovingkindness that he could lavish on his sheep could not compare to the prospect of living in the house of his Lord forever. (Psalm 23) Amen. Glory.
“The LORD is my shepherd.” Is He your Shepherd too? Today is the best time to begin the relationship and let Him care for you–forever. If you are already there, just relax and praise Him.
Friday, July 26, 2019
How to build a wall
Building The Wall
Nehemiah 3 is one of those chapters that you start to read, then think, “I should just skip over this to the good stuff.” Let me show you why.
Then Eliashib the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They consecrated the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel. 2 Next to him the men of Jericho built, and next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.
Booorrrriiing. And this goes on for 32 verses. Verses 31 and 32 cap off the chapter.
After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, carried out repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, in front of the Inspection Gate and as far as the upper room of the corner. 32 Between the upper room of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants carried out repairs.
Are you asleep yet? Then I noticed something interesting. Each family or individual was identified, not only by his parents, but by his occupation. In verse 1 the high priest and his brothers the priests built. The men of Jericho built next to them.
My curiosity was sparked and I scanned the whole chapter. Look what emerged, like a submarine surfacing in the ocean.
Verse 5: the Tekoites made repairs; v. 7: the Gibeonite and the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, also made repairs; v. 8: the goldsmiths made repairs; v. 9: the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs; v. 10: (some guy) made repairs opposite his house; v. 12: the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs, he and his daughters; v. 13: the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They built it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars, and a thousand cubits of the wall to the Refuse Gate; v. 14: the official of the district of Beth-haccherem repaired the Refuse Gate. He built it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars. V. 15: the official of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He built it, covered it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars, and the wall of the Pool of Shelah at the king’s garden as far as the steps that descend from the city of David. V. 16: (the) official of half the district of Beth-zur, made repairs as far as a point opposite the tombs of David, and as far as the artificial pool and the house of the mighty men. V. 17: the Levites carried out repairs; v.17, 18: the official of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district. 18 After him their brothers carried out repairs under (the) official of the other half of the district of Keilah. V. 19: the official of Mizpah, repaired another section in front of the ascent of the armory at the Angle; v. 22: the priests, the men of the valley, carried out repairs; v. 26: the temple servants living in Ophel made repairs as far as the front of the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower; v. 27: the Tekoites repaired another section in front of the great projecting tower and as far as the wall of Ophel; v. 28: above the Horse Gate the priests carried out repairs, each in front of his house; v. 29: the keeper of the East Gate, carried out repairs.
Notice anything? The list started with the high priest and ended with goldsmiths. In between we find not only other professions and officials, but many “ordinary” people, each contributing his part to the overall project. Did you miss the official of Jerusalem who worked with his daughters? (V. 12) People from all walks of life and even places outside of Jerusalem joined in the united effort to build the wall and secure the city.
It is also interesting that the list of names and people completely surrounded the city. The link for a map is included and you can see that the list of workers began at the Sheep Gate (v. 1) and ended with the project building to the Sheep Gate. (V. 32)
The “crew” included people from all walks of life and different locations. Sounds like a church at its best, doesn’t it? And they completed the job. What a fantastic testimony. You can read the whole chapter, and with the attached map, trace the entire outline of the city. And some archeologists believe that they have found remnants of the wall built over 2500 years ago. (Circa 445 BC)
What a stimulating account. Aren’t you glad you didn’t skip to chapter 4? If you want to read the whole thing, follow the link. Not only is every person valuable in God’s plan, every chapter, verse, and line in His Book are too. Happy reading.
Nehemiah 3 is one of those chapters that you start to read, then think, “I should just skip over this to the good stuff.” Let me show you why.
Then Eliashib the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They consecrated the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel. 2 Next to him the men of Jericho built, and next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.
Booorrrriiing. And this goes on for 32 verses. Verses 31 and 32 cap off the chapter.
After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, carried out repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, in front of the Inspection Gate and as far as the upper room of the corner. 32 Between the upper room of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants carried out repairs.
Are you asleep yet? Then I noticed something interesting. Each family or individual was identified, not only by his parents, but by his occupation. In verse 1 the high priest and his brothers the priests built. The men of Jericho built next to them.
My curiosity was sparked and I scanned the whole chapter. Look what emerged, like a submarine surfacing in the ocean.
Verse 5: the Tekoites made repairs; v. 7: the Gibeonite and the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, also made repairs; v. 8: the goldsmiths made repairs; v. 9: the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs; v. 10: (some guy) made repairs opposite his house; v. 12: the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs, he and his daughters; v. 13: the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They built it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars, and a thousand cubits of the wall to the Refuse Gate; v. 14: the official of the district of Beth-haccherem repaired the Refuse Gate. He built it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars. V. 15: the official of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He built it, covered it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars, and the wall of the Pool of Shelah at the king’s garden as far as the steps that descend from the city of David. V. 16: (the) official of half the district of Beth-zur, made repairs as far as a point opposite the tombs of David, and as far as the artificial pool and the house of the mighty men. V. 17: the Levites carried out repairs; v.17, 18: the official of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district. 18 After him their brothers carried out repairs under (the) official of the other half of the district of Keilah. V. 19: the official of Mizpah, repaired another section in front of the ascent of the armory at the Angle; v. 22: the priests, the men of the valley, carried out repairs; v. 26: the temple servants living in Ophel made repairs as far as the front of the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower; v. 27: the Tekoites repaired another section in front of the great projecting tower and as far as the wall of Ophel; v. 28: above the Horse Gate the priests carried out repairs, each in front of his house; v. 29: the keeper of the East Gate, carried out repairs.
Notice anything? The list started with the high priest and ended with goldsmiths. In between we find not only other professions and officials, but many “ordinary” people, each contributing his part to the overall project. Did you miss the official of Jerusalem who worked with his daughters? (V. 12) People from all walks of life and even places outside of Jerusalem joined in the united effort to build the wall and secure the city.
It is also interesting that the list of names and people completely surrounded the city. The link for a map is included and you can see that the list of workers began at the Sheep Gate (v. 1) and ended with the project building to the Sheep Gate. (V. 32)
The “crew” included people from all walks of life and different locations. Sounds like a church at its best, doesn’t it? And they completed the job. What a fantastic testimony. You can read the whole chapter, and with the attached map, trace the entire outline of the city. And some archeologists believe that they have found remnants of the wall built over 2500 years ago. (Circa 445 BC)
What a stimulating account. Aren’t you glad you didn’t skip to chapter 4? If you want to read the whole thing, follow the link. Not only is every person valuable in God’s plan, every chapter, verse, and line in His Book are too. Happy reading.
Pithy Pronouncements from Adrian Rogers
Pithy Pronouncements
Adrian Rogers: We spend more time praying to keep saints out of heaven than we do to keep sinners out of hell.
Adrian Rogers: We spend more time praying to keep saints out of heaven than we do to keep sinners out of hell.
Monday, July 22, 2019
Praise
All People That On Earth Do Dwell
Doxology
You just have to praise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6IdQNsFUEw&feature=youtu.be&utm_source=General+List&utm_campaign=4fe98c48b6-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_06_04_02_12_COPY_03&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_34c1eea318-4fe98c48b6-102080817&mc_cid=4fe98c48b6&mc_eid=5b0480756c
ALL PEOPLE THAT ON EARTH DO DWELL
TUNE: OLD 100TH
"All people that on earth do dwell,
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.
Him serve with fear, His praise forth tell;
Come ye before Him and rejoice.
The Lord, ye know, is God indeed;
Without our aid He did us make;
We are His folk, He doth us feed,
And for His sheep He doth us take.
O enter then His gates with praise;
Approach with joy His courts unto;
Praise, laud, and bless His name always,
For it is seemly so to do.
For why? the Lord our God is good;
His mercy is for ever sure;
His truth at all times firmly stood,
And shall from age to age endure."
Doxology
You just have to praise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6IdQNsFUEw&feature=youtu.be&utm_source=General+List&utm_campaign=4fe98c48b6-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_06_04_02_12_COPY_03&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_34c1eea318-4fe98c48b6-102080817&mc_cid=4fe98c48b6&mc_eid=5b0480756c
ALL PEOPLE THAT ON EARTH DO DWELL
TUNE: OLD 100TH
"All people that on earth do dwell,
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.
Him serve with fear, His praise forth tell;
Come ye before Him and rejoice.
The Lord, ye know, is God indeed;
Without our aid He did us make;
We are His folk, He doth us feed,
And for His sheep He doth us take.
O enter then His gates with praise;
Approach with joy His courts unto;
Praise, laud, and bless His name always,
For it is seemly so to do.
For why? the Lord our God is good;
His mercy is for ever sure;
His truth at all times firmly stood,
And shall from age to age endure."
Friday, July 12, 2019
Miracles
“If only I could see a miracle, I would believe.” How often have you heard that from people who are “on the fence?” This is not to minimize anyone’s true seeking spirit, but often what they say is just not factual. We see many examples in Scripture.
Jesus in Matthew 16:4 commented on those who asked Him for a sign.
An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away.
Luke 11:29
As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah.
(And they did not believe that sign, like Ninevah did.)
Jesus again Mark 8:11, 12
The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. 12 Sighing deeply in His spirit, He said, “Why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
John 6:26
Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.
And the quintessential, in the negative sense, can be found in the Old Testament. The Jewish nation, in general, and King Solomon, in particular, did not believe because of wonderful signs. We all know the sad story of the Jews just days out of Egypt, having passed through the Red Sea, and through most of their history, that they refused to believe.
Perhaps the saddest story is found in 2 Chronicles 7:1-3. King Solomon has just finished the dedication of the Temple and...well read it for yourself:
Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house.
He saw fire fall from heaven. At other times this had happened, the text notes that the people “gave a shout, and fell on their faces!” No surprise there.
Yet Solomon drifted away from the Lord. Turn to 2 Chronicles 8:11-13.
Then Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the city of David to the house which he had built for her, for he said, “My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy where the ark of the Lord has entered.” 12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of the Lord which he had built before the porch; 13 and did so according to the daily rule, offering them up according to the commandment of Moses, for the sabbaths, the new moons and the three annual feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Booths.
Why would Solomon keep his wife separate from “the places are holy where the ark of the Lord has entered?” I think we find the answer in 1 Kings 11:4
For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.
Syncretism is a big and bad word that fits this. It is the amalgamation or attempted amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought. In other words, Solomon merged his belief in Yahweh with the beliefs of his wives, perhaps thinking that this would be an improvement. It was not.
But, in the end, he came back. Perhaps the memory of what God had done kept him in touch and eventually pulled him back into the harbor. I like the example of John, discussed below, better. I want to be like John. There is an old spiritual song, referring to Revelation that goes, “Walk in Jerusalem, Just like John.” Walk, just like John. (Link below.)
So why did Jesus do miracles? Look at Mark 2:10
But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.” 12 And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”
Jesus did not do, nor does He do miracles now to just impress people. The purpose is to prove that He can “heal” souls. He can forgive sins and give us real life, eternal life. And those changes are permanent. They do not fade with time.
For a truly seeking soul, miracles can and will have a profound effect. In spite of seeing the Lord perform miracles for three years, all of the disciples, except John, doubted and ran away. But, once the risen Lord Jesus appeared to them, they became immovable stalwarts of belief. Peter changed from a cowering coward, denying that he knew Jesus to the megaphone broadcasting the message to the temple mount and leading 3,000 others to believe. In the end, he died for his belief in and devotion to Jesus.
The rest of the band were no less transformed. James died for his stance. In fact all of them did, except John, who was persecuted for over 60 years. He, as his fellow disciples, did not yield.
Paul was another notable exception to our miracle seekers. He also met the risen Christ and was moved even farther than Peter was. Peter was mediocre, or lukewarm follower such as the ones in the Laodicean church which Jesus chided, but Paul was a ranting, raving dynamo of persecution and even murder. No believer was safe, that is until he, Paul, met Jesus. He also died for his testimony after he took the message to a major portion of the world.
That is why the Lord still does miracles. They are not for the “gee whiz” value of amusing people, but to ratify the faith of those who are faltering or sincerely seeking.
Should we pray for miracles? Absolutely. We never know the state of a person’s heart. He or she may be at the cusp of belief and the miracle will be the impetus to drive them the final step.
Isn’t God great? He meets our needs all the time. All the time, He meets our needs.
You get a choice.
Walk in Jerusalem Just Like John
(Tennessee Earnie Ford)
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Walk-In+Jerusalem+by+the+Jordanaires+YouTube&&view=detail&mid=6846AD9DD43BECDBA4256846AD9DD43BECDBA425&rvsmid=833F37CC5CC0594FD899833F37CC5CC0594FD899&FORM=VDQVAP
Golden Gate Quartet Scratchy–old recording)
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=the+golden+gate+quartet+walk+in+jerusalem+just+like+john&docid=608025483834950117&mid=D2454454E0D07F82253CD2454454E0D07F82253C&view=detail&FORM=VIRE
Or I have a recording of the LeTourneau College Quartet. Great! :>)
Jesus in Matthew 16:4 commented on those who asked Him for a sign.
An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away.
Luke 11:29
As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah.
(And they did not believe that sign, like Ninevah did.)
Jesus again Mark 8:11, 12
The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. 12 Sighing deeply in His spirit, He said, “Why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
John 6:26
Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.
And the quintessential, in the negative sense, can be found in the Old Testament. The Jewish nation, in general, and King Solomon, in particular, did not believe because of wonderful signs. We all know the sad story of the Jews just days out of Egypt, having passed through the Red Sea, and through most of their history, that they refused to believe.
Perhaps the saddest story is found in 2 Chronicles 7:1-3. King Solomon has just finished the dedication of the Temple and...well read it for yourself:
Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house.
He saw fire fall from heaven. At other times this had happened, the text notes that the people “gave a shout, and fell on their faces!” No surprise there.
Yet Solomon drifted away from the Lord. Turn to 2 Chronicles 8:11-13.
Then Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the city of David to the house which he had built for her, for he said, “My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy where the ark of the Lord has entered.” 12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of the Lord which he had built before the porch; 13 and did so according to the daily rule, offering them up according to the commandment of Moses, for the sabbaths, the new moons and the three annual feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Booths.
Why would Solomon keep his wife separate from “the places are holy where the ark of the Lord has entered?” I think we find the answer in 1 Kings 11:4
For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.
Syncretism is a big and bad word that fits this. It is the amalgamation or attempted amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought. In other words, Solomon merged his belief in Yahweh with the beliefs of his wives, perhaps thinking that this would be an improvement. It was not.
But, in the end, he came back. Perhaps the memory of what God had done kept him in touch and eventually pulled him back into the harbor. I like the example of John, discussed below, better. I want to be like John. There is an old spiritual song, referring to Revelation that goes, “Walk in Jerusalem, Just like John.” Walk, just like John. (Link below.)
So why did Jesus do miracles? Look at Mark 2:10
But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.” 12 And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”
Jesus did not do, nor does He do miracles now to just impress people. The purpose is to prove that He can “heal” souls. He can forgive sins and give us real life, eternal life. And those changes are permanent. They do not fade with time.
For a truly seeking soul, miracles can and will have a profound effect. In spite of seeing the Lord perform miracles for three years, all of the disciples, except John, doubted and ran away. But, once the risen Lord Jesus appeared to them, they became immovable stalwarts of belief. Peter changed from a cowering coward, denying that he knew Jesus to the megaphone broadcasting the message to the temple mount and leading 3,000 others to believe. In the end, he died for his belief in and devotion to Jesus.
The rest of the band were no less transformed. James died for his stance. In fact all of them did, except John, who was persecuted for over 60 years. He, as his fellow disciples, did not yield.
Paul was another notable exception to our miracle seekers. He also met the risen Christ and was moved even farther than Peter was. Peter was mediocre, or lukewarm follower such as the ones in the Laodicean church which Jesus chided, but Paul was a ranting, raving dynamo of persecution and even murder. No believer was safe, that is until he, Paul, met Jesus. He also died for his testimony after he took the message to a major portion of the world.
That is why the Lord still does miracles. They are not for the “gee whiz” value of amusing people, but to ratify the faith of those who are faltering or sincerely seeking.
Should we pray for miracles? Absolutely. We never know the state of a person’s heart. He or she may be at the cusp of belief and the miracle will be the impetus to drive them the final step.
Isn’t God great? He meets our needs all the time. All the time, He meets our needs.
You get a choice.
Walk in Jerusalem Just Like John
(Tennessee Earnie Ford)
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Walk-In+Jerusalem+by+the+Jordanaires+YouTube&&view=detail&mid=6846AD9DD43BECDBA4256846AD9DD43BECDBA425&rvsmid=833F37CC5CC0594FD899833F37CC5CC0594FD899&FORM=VDQVAP
Golden Gate Quartet Scratchy–old recording)
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=the+golden+gate+quartet+walk+in+jerusalem+just+like+john&docid=608025483834950117&mid=D2454454E0D07F82253CD2454454E0D07F82253C&view=detail&FORM=VIRE
Or I have a recording of the LeTourneau College Quartet. Great! :>)
Saturday, June 22, 2019
Summer Solstice
My brother was born on June 20. In some years that is the summer solstice. Other years, like this one, 2019, the solstice comes a day later, on June 21. My brother used to say, maybe he still does, that he was so special that when he was born, the sun did not want to go down. So it waited until the final possible minute before setting. Incidentally, the solstice was June 21 that year. He explained that when the sun came up the day after his birthday, it realized what an opportunity it had missed and made up for it.
The solstice, caused by the tilt of the earth always fascinated me. But the fascination came from a different motivation. I was curious about two things. First, how did the earth tilt back and forth? Second, how did anyone figure out that it was tilted? The first question occurred to me in about third grade, I believe.
The teacher had explained about the seasons being caused by the tilt of the earth. I asked how the earth tilted back and forth, and how did it know how and when to stop and tilt back the other way. I was concerned that if it didn’t “work right” the earth would just turn upside down.
“It just does,” was the answer. I knew that she didn’t have a clue, nor did she care. Not a lot of scientific curiosity there. I kept looking for an answer. (For the younger readers, there was no internet on which anyone could just type in a question and get a dozen answers some of which might actually be accurate!) I do not remember if I saw a model of the solar system or was just playing with a globe. Some show the earth standing straight up. This one showed it tilted at the 23.5 degree angle and as it was moved “around the sun,” I noticed that the tilt did not change, but as it circled the sun, the axis alternately pointed toward then away from the sun.
Voila! Now it made sense. I had also worried that the shock of tilting one direction, stopping, then tilting back might make the earth break up sometime. My fears were assuaged.
The second question was not so easily resolved. And, in fact, I did resort to an internet search. (A full explanation is found at this address. http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/physics/148-people-in-astronomy/history-of-astronomy/general-questions/995-who-and-when-discovered-that-the-earth-s-axis-is-on-a-23-degree-tilt-intermediate)
Long story short, a vertical pole casts a shadow and the shadow “moves” throughout the year. Of course, the shadow “moves” throughout the day as the earth moves under the sun. But the angle the pole shadow makes at the same time each day changes throughout the year. A Chinese guy noticed that about 1100 BC. (I guess he had nothing else to do than measure the angle of shadows.) Since the shadow is not the same the year around, he surmised that the earth was tilted.
Note: We examined the fallacy of a flat earth a while back but did not include this additional “complication” in our consideration. If the earth were flat, the “plate or disk” would indeed have to literally tilt up and down every six months to account for the different shadow angle cast by a pole. But I digress.
Back to a consideration of solstices. My dad used to tell me that in the winter, “the cold begins to strengthen when the days begin to lengthen.” The coldest part of the winter is in January and February. You would think that the coldest days would be during the times of least sunshine. Maybe that will be the topic of a future post.
Quite often, the hottest times of the summer are in July and August, again after the duration of sunshine begins to decrease. I am sure that there is a good explanation. But one other consideration comes to mind.
The Earth's axis is tilted 23.5o degrees away from the plane of the ecliptic. It's because of this tilt that the Earth experiences seasons as it orbits around the Sun. If this tilt were more pronounced, as is Uranus, which at 98 degrees, is nearly lying on it side, the seasons would be extremely different. Part of the year it would be too cold and then, six months later, it would be too hot for life to exist. Or consider Jupiter, at 3 degrees, and Mercury, a minuscule 0.1 degrees, where the seasons would be virtually constant year round. Earth, 23.5, Mars, 25, Saturn, 27, and Neptune, 30, all have distinct seasons.
Notice that I left Venus for last. It is tilted 13 degrees to the left. All the others tilt right. This is determined by the way they rotate. If you stand on the north pole with arms extended, your right hand would circle toward the left, or west to east. But on Venus, the rotation is the opposite. Astronomers explain this by postulating that Venus turned “upside down” and is actually tilting at a 177 degree angle. And this brings us back to creation.
The supposition by evolutionists is that the solar system formed from a random dust cloud that accreted into eight or nine distinct balls that orbited the sun. For now, we will ignore the problem of celestial mechanics in producing such an intricate and exquisite formulation. But if all the planets formed the same way, they should all be spinning the same direction. That is called conservation of angular momentum. Love that kind of talk. (The same is true for the moons orbiting each planet, by the way.) And they all should be pointing straight up or perpendicular to the ecliptic. That is the plane of the solar system. Another question is why did all of the planets line up in such a flat configuration? But we will defer that as well.
Now back to our upright planets. To explain the precession or tilt of the planets, evolutionists propose a collision of the planets with some “random body” hurtling through space which “knocked the planet” out of kilter. And, Venus must have been almost knocked completely over, upside down. (Or maybe my third grade musing was accurate, and it did turn upside down.) Another unanswered question is the remarkable coincidence of random collisions with each of the planets. And why did such catastrophic collisions did not disintegrate the planet? But I digress.
Or, maybe a Creator made it that way to give our ancient Chinese observer something to amuse himself. And, incidentally, to give the earth the perfect tilt to produce varying weather patterns without being so severe that life would be threatened. Spontaneous, random generation of the solar system, not to mention the almost infinitely more complex problem of the universe, is not only difficult to comprehend and explain, but it also challenges credibility. Moses, when writing the book of Genesis explained it in 10 words. (Genesis 1:1) (English. Not sure how many in Hebrew, six, I think.)
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
He expanded on that in v. 14, 15.
“Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth”
As for the rest of the universe, check verse 16.
He made the stars also.
For anyone who protests that it is too hard to believe that a God could do that, I recommend that he or she answer the previously posited questions. And, while you are at it, go ahead and explain why some of the planets are terrestrial or rocky, and others are simply gas balls. I will let you find out which is which.
One last consideration. Why is the earth exactly 23.5 degrees “off” from the perfect, or upright position? Consider the answer from “Universe Today.” After repeating the “bunches of rocks stuck together to make a planet,” it states:
All the same, the Earth’s tilt is very important. It is perfectly positioned so that it gives us the seasons and on top of that the seasons are near(ly) perfectly calibrated for life. When compared with other planets Earth’s tilt allows for seasons that are not too extreme in temperature but are pretty well balanced. At the same (time,) if it had stay(ed) in the “perfect” position one side of the Earth would be too hot at times and then too cold.
I like the wording, “perfectly calibrated for life.” Does that sound like a random, spontaneous generation of the universe? I would suggest that is not compatible with what is actually seen. It seems rational to consider the proposition that, “In the beginning, God....”
Thank you, brother, for being born on such a momentous day. We are reminded every year that not only are we creations, but we are loved creations. (John 3:16) This is a little bit of editorial license, but “In the beginning, God loved.”
Have a great summer.
The solstice, caused by the tilt of the earth always fascinated me. But the fascination came from a different motivation. I was curious about two things. First, how did the earth tilt back and forth? Second, how did anyone figure out that it was tilted? The first question occurred to me in about third grade, I believe.
The teacher had explained about the seasons being caused by the tilt of the earth. I asked how the earth tilted back and forth, and how did it know how and when to stop and tilt back the other way. I was concerned that if it didn’t “work right” the earth would just turn upside down.
“It just does,” was the answer. I knew that she didn’t have a clue, nor did she care. Not a lot of scientific curiosity there. I kept looking for an answer. (For the younger readers, there was no internet on which anyone could just type in a question and get a dozen answers some of which might actually be accurate!) I do not remember if I saw a model of the solar system or was just playing with a globe. Some show the earth standing straight up. This one showed it tilted at the 23.5 degree angle and as it was moved “around the sun,” I noticed that the tilt did not change, but as it circled the sun, the axis alternately pointed toward then away from the sun.
Voila! Now it made sense. I had also worried that the shock of tilting one direction, stopping, then tilting back might make the earth break up sometime. My fears were assuaged.
The second question was not so easily resolved. And, in fact, I did resort to an internet search. (A full explanation is found at this address. http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/physics/148-people-in-astronomy/history-of-astronomy/general-questions/995-who-and-when-discovered-that-the-earth-s-axis-is-on-a-23-degree-tilt-intermediate)
Long story short, a vertical pole casts a shadow and the shadow “moves” throughout the year. Of course, the shadow “moves” throughout the day as the earth moves under the sun. But the angle the pole shadow makes at the same time each day changes throughout the year. A Chinese guy noticed that about 1100 BC. (I guess he had nothing else to do than measure the angle of shadows.) Since the shadow is not the same the year around, he surmised that the earth was tilted.
Note: We examined the fallacy of a flat earth a while back but did not include this additional “complication” in our consideration. If the earth were flat, the “plate or disk” would indeed have to literally tilt up and down every six months to account for the different shadow angle cast by a pole. But I digress.
Back to a consideration of solstices. My dad used to tell me that in the winter, “the cold begins to strengthen when the days begin to lengthen.” The coldest part of the winter is in January and February. You would think that the coldest days would be during the times of least sunshine. Maybe that will be the topic of a future post.
Quite often, the hottest times of the summer are in July and August, again after the duration of sunshine begins to decrease. I am sure that there is a good explanation. But one other consideration comes to mind.
The Earth's axis is tilted 23.5o degrees away from the plane of the ecliptic. It's because of this tilt that the Earth experiences seasons as it orbits around the Sun. If this tilt were more pronounced, as is Uranus, which at 98 degrees, is nearly lying on it side, the seasons would be extremely different. Part of the year it would be too cold and then, six months later, it would be too hot for life to exist. Or consider Jupiter, at 3 degrees, and Mercury, a minuscule 0.1 degrees, where the seasons would be virtually constant year round. Earth, 23.5, Mars, 25, Saturn, 27, and Neptune, 30, all have distinct seasons.
Notice that I left Venus for last. It is tilted 13 degrees to the left. All the others tilt right. This is determined by the way they rotate. If you stand on the north pole with arms extended, your right hand would circle toward the left, or west to east. But on Venus, the rotation is the opposite. Astronomers explain this by postulating that Venus turned “upside down” and is actually tilting at a 177 degree angle. And this brings us back to creation.
The supposition by evolutionists is that the solar system formed from a random dust cloud that accreted into eight or nine distinct balls that orbited the sun. For now, we will ignore the problem of celestial mechanics in producing such an intricate and exquisite formulation. But if all the planets formed the same way, they should all be spinning the same direction. That is called conservation of angular momentum. Love that kind of talk. (The same is true for the moons orbiting each planet, by the way.) And they all should be pointing straight up or perpendicular to the ecliptic. That is the plane of the solar system. Another question is why did all of the planets line up in such a flat configuration? But we will defer that as well.
Now back to our upright planets. To explain the precession or tilt of the planets, evolutionists propose a collision of the planets with some “random body” hurtling through space which “knocked the planet” out of kilter. And, Venus must have been almost knocked completely over, upside down. (Or maybe my third grade musing was accurate, and it did turn upside down.) Another unanswered question is the remarkable coincidence of random collisions with each of the planets. And why did such catastrophic collisions did not disintegrate the planet? But I digress.
Or, maybe a Creator made it that way to give our ancient Chinese observer something to amuse himself. And, incidentally, to give the earth the perfect tilt to produce varying weather patterns without being so severe that life would be threatened. Spontaneous, random generation of the solar system, not to mention the almost infinitely more complex problem of the universe, is not only difficult to comprehend and explain, but it also challenges credibility. Moses, when writing the book of Genesis explained it in 10 words. (Genesis 1:1) (English. Not sure how many in Hebrew, six, I think.)
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
He expanded on that in v. 14, 15.
“Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth”
As for the rest of the universe, check verse 16.
He made the stars also.
For anyone who protests that it is too hard to believe that a God could do that, I recommend that he or she answer the previously posited questions. And, while you are at it, go ahead and explain why some of the planets are terrestrial or rocky, and others are simply gas balls. I will let you find out which is which.
One last consideration. Why is the earth exactly 23.5 degrees “off” from the perfect, or upright position? Consider the answer from “Universe Today.” After repeating the “bunches of rocks stuck together to make a planet,” it states:
All the same, the Earth’s tilt is very important. It is perfectly positioned so that it gives us the seasons and on top of that the seasons are near(ly) perfectly calibrated for life. When compared with other planets Earth’s tilt allows for seasons that are not too extreme in temperature but are pretty well balanced. At the same (time,) if it had stay(ed) in the “perfect” position one side of the Earth would be too hot at times and then too cold.
I like the wording, “perfectly calibrated for life.” Does that sound like a random, spontaneous generation of the universe? I would suggest that is not compatible with what is actually seen. It seems rational to consider the proposition that, “In the beginning, God....”
Thank you, brother, for being born on such a momentous day. We are reminded every year that not only are we creations, but we are loved creations. (John 3:16) This is a little bit of editorial license, but “In the beginning, God loved.”
Have a great summer.
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