Is Jesus the only way?

(Thoughts concerning the book by Katherine McGlaughlin, Confronting Christianity.)

A common indictment of Christianity is that it is intolerant because it claims that Jesus is the only way to God and heaven. But in reality, such a claim, if true, is both comforting and freeing. It is totally inclusive, with the only thing that is not included is doubt and uncertainty.

When I was an adolescent I began to think about all of the different denominations and even other religions. “How do I know which one is right?” was my first thought. “And since I am in a Christian environment, is it the right one? What if we, our family, chose the wrong one, only because of where we live?” 

I knew almost instinctively that they could not all be “right.” Even a 9 to 10 year-old could figure that out. Many of them contradicted each other with divergent and conflicting claims. Since they could not all be right, how could anyone know, short of dying, which one was the One that God intended for us to follow?

And, you know, there was an answer. It was almost intuitive. Did God tell us what was right? Then it only made sense that if there were any way to God, He would have told someone. And how would we know that it was Him?

And, again, the answer was there, and revealed. There is only one book that claims to come from God. There are some counterfeits, but it it pretty elementary to discern the frauds. One of the first things that occurred to me was that the Book would have to be without error. Second, it would have to have some way of verifying its claims. I did not have the internet to help answer that, but, in a way, that was a blessing. There are a lot of bogus claims on the internet. As Abraham Lincoln said, “You can’t trust everything you read on the internet.”

I was able to narrow my search field by default. I had the Bible, which claims to be God’s Word, so I began with that. If I discovered that it met the criteria of being without error and verifiable, I did not need to go further than comparing the truth claims of each alternative with it.

First, the Bible claims to be without error. This has been verified by archeology in matching literal maps with the descriptions in the Bible. Few other claimants even offer geographical reference points. Another point of verification is the identification of actual people and things that they did. History books, like geography texts, contain this information, so cross-referencing them with the Bible will lead us to the conclusion that the Bible is accurate.

The internal consistency of the Bible is a powerful and compelling argument for both of our criteria. There are no errors or contradictions, and it is verifiable from outside sources. Later, I discovered some study by other experts that buttressed my own study. I like this summation.

Using the acronym, RAMP, we find definitive proof of the reliability of the Scripture. (Another name for the Bible, as is Word of God.) R stands for resurrection. The key event in the Bible and indeed, all of history, is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Bible unequivocally declares that Jesus was crucified, was buried, and rose again on the third day. There are extra biblical sources that also confirm this. In addition, the changed characters of the witnesses to this remarkable event attest that something real happened. And it was supernatural. More on that as we progress.

A is for archeology. I noted earlier that the Bible details places and events in the past. Archeology, beginning in the mid to late 19th century and continuing until the present, has confirmed accounts and locations from the Bible. In nearly 150 years of excavation and research, nothing listed in the Bible has been falsified.

M stands for miracles. Again, the Bible relates numerous miracles. And they are supernatural, not quirks of nature. They are sprinkled throughout the Old Testament and they explode in number in the first five books of the New Testament. None of these miracles have been denied by exterior evidence. Conversely, there are external accounts of miracles, as can be shown about the Resurrection. Miracles alone do not provide conclusive testimony to the veracity of the Bible, but coupled with the other three points, they complete a ramp that leads to heaven.

Finally, P stands for prophecy. Again we find specific prophecies about near future events that were verified. There were also longer term prophecies that were fulfilled hundreds and even thousands of years after the fact. And, as a cherry on top of a Steak N Shake treat, there are prophecies about the future that have not yet been fulfilled. But we can be sure that they will be. 

One very prominent prophecy is about Israel. God predicted, rather declared, that this nation would be settled in the land promised to Abraham, over four millennia ago. The nation would  be expelled from that land, returned home, then ejected again, followed by another repatriation. We witnessed the second “return” to the land in 1948 when the Nation of Israel was established for the third time. (Joshua led the first installation. The nation was captured and removed to captivity by the Babylonians. The second return occurred 70 years later, again prophesied by Isaiah and Jeremiah. Then the Romans banished most of them from the land in, and following, AD 70 when the City and Temple were destroyed. (Again, predicted and completed.)

The third return, in 1948, followed the Holocaust instigated by Adolph Shickelgruber, also known as Hitler. The nation was reinstated into the roll of nations even to the point of recapturing its historical capital, the City of Jerusalem.

RAMP provides irrefutable evidence of the Bible’s accuracy. (I didn’t say “indisputable” because someone will even dispute that the sun came up this morning. We cannot rule out totally imbecilic arguments, but neither do we need to expend intellectual energy contesting them.) Did I say that only an imbecile would dispute the veracity of the Bible? No, the argument speaks for and defines itself.

Back to our point. Is Jesus the only way, and is that exclusionary? He claimed to be the only way. (“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by me.” John 14:6) And we can rely on that since He was the only leader ever to die and come back to life.  But is it exclusionary, not inclusive? 

If you want a map that shows every highway in the country, that is one approach to navigation, but if you want to get to a certain destination, you need a specific route map. “But, aren’t there a lot of ways, however circuitous, to go from point A to B?” But if the process of following the “alternative routes” leads to an absolute stop for some reason, then the number of options is reduced. In the case at hand, the “other routes” all, yes, all, have an absolute stop somewhere.

Remember the contradictions between beliefs we discussed earlier? Somewhere along the “wrong road,” a road block or dead end arises, and the destination is unreachable. The consequences are eternal damnation, and separation from the Father. This is just what Jesus declared. He not only knew the way, He was the Way.

“How exclusive. How restrictive and imprisoning.” Haven’t you heard the accusation? As to exclusive, the question is “Where do you want to go?” Just try dialing a phone number and only being one digit off. That should be close enough for the super smart phone company to determine who you want to call and complete the connection. Just try it.

“But that’s different!” Right, Missing a calling connection is not nearly as significant as missing out on heaven for all of eternity. Get it right.

How about restrictive and imprisoning? If you know the way to go to your destination do you feel restricted as you motor down the interstate? Rather, the feeling is like the one I experienced all those years ago when I was convinced that the Bible was, and still is, true, This is the Way. I was exhilarated, joyful, and relaxed. I was free! I knew, without a doubt that I was on the right way.

How about exclusive? To make it simple, listen to Jesus. “Whosoever will, may come.” How many are included in “whosoever?” Everybody. No one is excluded.

The fact that there is only one way is invigorating and totally inclusive. Why not believe?

Ginger

 My sister just went to heaven, having finally succumbed to the ravages of cancer. Here is a thought or two about her.

Ginger

Our family was blessed with a pair of “younger sisters,” and a pair of “older sisters.” We had two boys bracketing two girls. Ginger was the younger, younger sister, and the younger, older sister, depending upon which vantage point you take. They were all younger than me, and Coy got a set of older and younger, olders. Clear? Let’s go on. Sometimes it seemed like we were all mixed up.

Growing up on the farm we had a division of labor. Boys did outdoor chores, with the exception of gathering eggs, and the girls did the indoor chores. To our point of view, the girls had it easy. We believed that until we got married and got to help with what turned out to be house WORK. They didn’t tote five gallon buckets, roughly 40-45 pounds of slop to the pigs, feed the calves, and do the rest of the farm work, but “indoor labor” turned out to be just as strenuous and taxing as the boys’ jobs. (Who knew?)

I do not know if Ginger was ever bullied at school, but if someone had dared to offend her, that miscreant would have had a couple of hardened farm hands to deal with. (Well, maybe Big Richard and Drew would have caused us pause, but they were both gentle giants, and shirt-tail cousins. I never remember them doing anything, unless they were also defending the younger, less robust kids on the playground.)

I recall one trait of Ginger’s that drove me nuts. Both she and Pam were pianists, and practiced virtually every day. I liked music, and still do. The piano was just outside our bedroom door. (In a house that was 28 by 28, it didn’t matter much where you were, you could hear just about everything.) Ginger seemed to have a penchant for perfection.

She would play a song until she hit a tricky, or difficult spot. Then she would stop, go back, play it again, and again, and again. I was “singing” (make of that what you will) singing along and half way through the phrase, she would stop, go back and do it again. My expected next note never occurred. It drove me nuts not to finish the line.

I even asked her, nicely of course, to finish the line, then go back. She didn’t. I think she was training me not to like contemporary music that has a penchant for stopping a musical phrase on the wrong, wrong to me, anyway, wrong note. A musical phrase, like a sentence has to have an ending and ending inflection. It is like leaving a sentence unfin.....

I remember an accordion, but not whether Ginger ever played it. She was also in the band. I think it was trumpet. Pam was clarinet, squeak, and I was trombone, a slide trombone and you could slide all over a note before finally, hopefully getting it right. Was Coy a trumpet too?

Mom and Dad would not let us quit band and I hated it all through high school, until I was a senior.  (Remember Mr. and Mrs. Houder? I think he taught math and she, music.)Then, in my senior year, the light came on and I looked forward to band. It was the same hour as chemistry, and you know the rest. (I’m a chemist, if you need a hint.)

We even had an organ. Pam tried to teach me to play piano, but couldn’t put up with me so we mutually agreed to terminate that training. I do not remember Ginger ever trying to instruct me. I didn’t care enough to get it right, I guess.

Covid came and I had the great idea of having a Zoom or google.meet conference. Well, somebody got the time wrong. (Alaska is a funny time zone, about 3 to 6 hours different, who knows, from the civilized world in the central time zone.) So I started the call and when Ginger got on, she was in a car, taking kids or grandkids somewhere. It was obviously not a propitious time. I do not know who was driving and who was holding the phone, but we did have a nice little, emphasis, short, visit.

But Covid was “johnny come lately” to Ginger’s health. We got a call, on Palm Sunday, I believe, that she was in surgery for bone cancer in her neck. The doctors did an amazing job, helping the Lord to get her through that. Well, not helping as much as being used by Him. Get it right, Jim. And, fighter that she always was, she was able to give us over eight more years.

Now, she has answered the upward call in Christ Jesus, that Paul mentioned. She heard,  “Well done, good and faithful servant.” We all have a call coming. If, as Ginger, our earth suit wears out, we get the call to our new one, we will be waiting with the Lord. Or, some, maybe some of us, will hear the Lord Himself, call from the heavens and we will all go to be with Him at the great reunion with Grandad and a Grandmother none of us have ever seen; Mom and Grandpa Williamson; and Dad and Mom; along with a whole host of friends and relatives waiting for that trumpet call. Maranatha!

Mom and Dad used to sing a song for funerals at the little church in Stratton, that said, “the land where we’ll never grow old.” The college quartet I was a part of had a song that went, “If you get to heaven before I do, tell all my friends that I’ma comin’ too!” Ginger can tell all those waiting that we are comin’ too.

Even so come, Lord Jesus. Amen.

I am not sure if this is Ginger’s favorite hymn or not, but I’m pretty sure it is at least one of them. This was written by a man who lost his family in a ship wreck and only his wife escaped. When he sailed over that spot in the Atlantic, he composed these words.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.

Refrain: It is well with my soul, It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul. Refrain.

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! Refrain.

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live: If Jordan above me shall roll, No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul. Refrain

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait, The sky, not the grave, is our goal; Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord! Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul! Refrain.

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll; The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul.

 It is well with my soul, It is well, it is well with my soul.

And the last thing we want to think about is another song.

Just think of stepping on shore, and finding it heaven, of touching a hand and finding it God’s, of breathing new air and finding it celestial, of waking up in heaven, and finding it home.

Ginger stepped on shore, touched a hand, breathed new air, and is home. All is well with her soul.

Amen.

Revival at Asbury?

 I found this analysis of the events at Asbury University. I hope this helps.

https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/ken-ham/2023/02/17/revival-breaking-out-asbury-university/?utm_source=kenhamdaily&utm_medium=email&utm_content=blog&utm_campaign=20230217&mc_cid=a0ef8ec6ab&mc_eid=1fd70e2b73

Be blessed and grace be with you,

Theology of Tribulation

  Will the Church Go Through the Tribulation?

We have considered the timing of the Tribulation on several occasions and this is a corollary question. It was the focus of a question on a radio program that specialized in answering Bible  questions. A lady called and asked it, and the host said that he thought that the Church would indeed be in the Tribulation.

He quoted Jesus for as the reason for his answer. The verse was John 16:33

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Sounds convincing, doesn’t it? But remember our rules. Be sure to check the context. Make sure we are not “cherry picking” a verse to buttress or prove a single point. What does the entire context tell us? In this case, we are listening in as Jesus gave His final instructions and encouragement to His disciples in the upper room just before the crucifixion. It goes back to chapter 13 and continues through chapter 17. That is a lot of context. We will just pick a few highlights. (Not cherry picking, but following a thought through an extended address.)

The reason for the “tribulation” statement above is found in 13:16. This is a repeated theme in the discussion. Watch for it. “Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.” So if Jesus was persecuted, so will the church be. Don’t be surprised. In fact, Peter said the same thing in 1 Peter 4:12. Check out how many times “persecution” or some form of that appears in the New Testament. (I found ten that fit this context in the NASB. “Tribulation” occurs 11 times as persecution. The Tribulation, the great tribulation,” appears 9 times.)

Jesus continues in chapter 14 by reassuring them. “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” So He is coming back, but in the meantime the disciples are here on their own. NOT!

Continuing, in v. 16, Jesus reassured them. “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; (remember this later) 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” And then it is smooth sailing, right?

Verse 27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.” I will take peace any day. But then He added, “Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” Whoa there! What is there to “trouble us, or make us fearful?” Read on.

Chapter 15 continues with Jesus’ explanation of the relationship between Himself and His followers, using a vine and branches as illustration. Still good. But Jesus did not hide the truth. Verse 18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.” And v. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you....” The slave and master relationship is repeated.

And here we find the stark, dark reality. Hatred and persecution are coming. So Jesus is discussing the persecution that all believers face, from the disciples continuing on until today, and on. So when He said, “You will have tribulation,” (16:33) He was not discussing the specific time of the tribulation, but the continuing opposition from those who deny and disobey His Word. The ones who hate Him. This is a continuation of His final, pre-examination, if you please, instructions. He was the consummate teacher.

Chapter 16 continues this theme of the disciples’ interaction with the godless, world system. And Jesus reaffirms the promise that He would send the Holy Spirit (16:5-11) and His role in helping the disciples and every believer to overcome the world. Incidentally, v. 23, 24 are where the promise of answered prayer is inserted. This leads up to v. 33 and describes the continuing, universal persecution that all believers experience.

This time of persecution or tribulation is a continuing event, throughout history from the time of the disciples until the end. According to the answer on the radio, we are in the Tribulation now, although I do not think he meant that. I will address this issue at the end of our thought.

Let’s go on. Revelation 2:10 continues this theme. Jesus is talking to the church at Smyrna and tells them, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” That is a continuation of the persecution, only more intense. But it is for a limited time, unlike the “regular,” universal persecution that He discussed in John.

We know that, because Jesus did explain what we now call The Tribulation. He called it the time of Jacob’s trouble, great tribulation in Matthew 24. (This is a repeat of the thought in Jeremiah 30.) Matthew 24:9 “Then they will hand you over to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.” This is in response to their question of “What is the sign of the end of the age?” So the end of the age began then or at least on the day of Pentecost.

Verse 9 and following seem to make it appear that all believers who are alive at the end will be included in the Tribulation. But keep reading to discern the context. Verse 15: “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet....” That points us back to Daniel 9:24-27 where we find that this is applied to “...your people and your holy city...and ultimately the Temple.” It is the final seven year period of the seventy weeks, or seventy sevens of years that will be the culmination of Jewish history. Sixty nine of those have passed, ending in Jesus’ time at the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, on Palm Sunday.

The final seven years are what Jesus said would be in progress (three and one half years in) when the abomination occurs, and that will culminate in v. 21. “For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will again.” So the Church will not be there, as the final seven years focus on Israel.

That is a long explanation that still does not answer the question. I agree.  So where is the Church during this time? Again, we need to know the “context” in order to answer the question. So let’s dig in. Does Revelation 7:14 help?

And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Here are some believers who were in “the great tribulation.” But where did they come from? We may be able to eliminate some sources. Were they the Church? Revelation 3:10 helps. “Because you have kept My word of perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of the testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who live on the earth.” This church is promised to be “kept from,” not “kept through” the hour of testing. Since the literal church at Philidelphia is no longer extant, this refers to the universal Church, which is not in the Tribulation.

The context, again, is the final seven years of Daniel’s prophecy. First, it is specifically directed at the nation of Israel. (“Your people, your holy city,” and later, “the Temple.”) That excludes the Church. We further confirm this with Daniel’s indicator of the “kick off” to this time.

The final seven year period will begin with the signing of a seven year treaty between the anti-Christ and the Jewish nation. Daniel 9:27 “And he will confirm a covenant with the many for one week....” “He” is the anti-Christ and the “many” are “your people.” Daniel’s people means the nation of Israel. 

We can turn to Revelation 7 and find that here, in the Tribulation, a contingent of 144,000 Jews are chosen and sealed to take the message to the entire world. There are 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. And how successful are they? Verses 8 and 14 of the chapter tell us that an innumerable multitude are in heaven. And, v. 14 “And he said to me, ‘These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’” Jewish believers, the 144,000, will carry out the promise to Abraham, to be a blessing to the whole world. They bring the message of the Messiah to the world. 

So when will this tribulation, the Great Tribulation, begin? At the inception of the seven year treaty of peace. And what about the Church? 

Let’s make a quick summary. This last seven years is for the Jewish nation. The Church is promised (Revelation 2) that they will not go through this time. And in Revelation we find that the judgment is directed to “those who dwell on the earth.” (Revelation 3:10; 6:10; 11:10; 13:14 (twice); 14:6; and 17:8) The context differentiates between this group, the earth dwellers, and those who believe.

So to our question, “What about the Church?” They are not included in any of the previous designations. Second Thessalonians 2:3 tells us that the day of the Lord, “will not come unless...the man of lawlessness is revealed....” Verse 6 continues, “And you know what restrains him now, so that he will be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is removed.”

Who is the capitalized “He?” It must be a person. One Who is strong enough to restrain Satan and his followers, particularly this specific one, the man of lawlessness. It must be the Holy Spirit. And how does He do it? He indwells every believer. That happens at the moment that we “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and are saved.” (Acts 16:31) So, will the Church, believers, be here? Simply put, no. We can’t be.

The Holy Spirit is in us forever. This is the Helper from John 14:16. He will never leave us nor forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5 and rephrase of Nehemiah 9:31 I told you that we would see that again.) So when the Holy Spirit goes, so does the Church. He cannot, will not, leave us, so we  will not be here without Him. So, until the Holy Spirit and the Church leave,  the anti-Christ cannot be revealed, to initiate the treaty, and begin the Tribulation. Don’t you love short, clear answers?

End of story.

Seventy Sevens of Christmas

  Seventy Sevens of Christmas

Or the Story of the Bible

This string of thought began with a seemingly simple, innocuous question on a radio talk show. “Is there any reason why the Children of Israel were in captivity for 70 years?” 

And the answer is a simple “Yes.” And what is so salient about that? It actually opens up a window in Daniel 9 that portrays the panorama of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Let’s follow this link. Why 70 years? 

I. Background

The Children of Israel were supposed to give the land a rest every seven years. They had been in the Promised land for 490 years, but had not observed the Sabbath one time. So, the Lord said that He would take the Sabbaths for the land. Since they would not observe the Sabbath rest while they lived there, He sent them out of the land to Babylon.

Which is an interesting place because Abraham had originally lived in that general area, Ur of the Chaldees. God had instructed him to leave this “home” and go to “a land I will show you.” So Abram, as he was called then, moved in stages to his new land which we now recognize as Israel and Palestine on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. God promised him all of this land with the caveat that he would sometime own all the land that he walked on. 

The ironic thing is that Abraham only owned a small plot of land where he and his wife were buried. Later his son, Jacob, and his wife were buried there too. The key element in the story is that this land was promised to Abraham, and after a 400 year “visit” in a foreign land, Egypt, his now enormous family moved back home, to the promised land. 

Under the guidance of Joshua, they returned to the land and set up the original manifestation of the Promised Kingdom. While they were in the process of occupying the land, God gave them specific commands. One, was the one previously mentioned that they rest the land every seventh year. Second they were to completely expel the current residents to prevent the temptation to worship the false gods of the current residents, the Canaanites. 

Long story short, the people did not comply with either of these commands. Subsequently, they not only allowed their enemies to live in the land, causing much distress and  harm, but also adopted the worship of the false gods. The Book of Judges gives us the stories of 13 to 15 leaders (depending on how you count them) judges of the nation in their efforts to deliver the Israelites from the consequences of their disobedience. Then Kings were appointed to lead the Nation with similar, futile results. Ultimately, the unbelieving and disobedient nation was overthrown, by Babylon, and carried into the land from which  Abraham had departed hundreds of years ago. And that brings us to the 70/490 years consideration. They had ignored 70 of the seventh year rests, or seventy sevens.

But what is the big idea? What is so important about not worshiping false gods, and observing the Sabbath? That story begins in Genesis 1. God created a perfect earth and populated it with life, including a man and woman and gave them the privilege of living in it with Him and worshiping Him. They had one command, one condition: don’t eat from the poison tree. “If you do, you will die.” 

Enter Satan. He had already chosen not to follow God’s commands and had attempted a coup to take over God’s place in the universe. He tried to usurp the glory that belonged to God. Now, he approached Adam and Eve with the proposition that they could supplant God in the Garden. “You will be like God,” was the specific enticement. Some translations say that they would know good from evil. Actually, the intent was for them to decide and decree what was good and what was evil.

Then the final appeal was to cast doubt on God’s Word. “You will not surely die.” This was an out-and-out lie. Satan knew the consequences of disobedience. He may have deluded himself into thinking that he might possibly overcome God, but that is totally erroneous and illogical thinking. God proved that He is omnipotent by creating the universe. There is no power or force in existence that can match or counteract Him.

II. Solution

Adam and Eve believed the lie and disobeyed God. And they died, immediately in the spiritual sense, and ultimately, physically. The story could have legitimately ended there. But God! What a thought. “God, Who is rich in love and mercy,” chose to intervene. He sacrificed a lamb for Adam and Eve and offered that substitute to his fallen, and now, damned, creation. They accepted His proffered alternative by faith, and were given new spiritual life. This life can never be ended. One last thing must be included. The Lord promised a “Seed,” Who would crush Satan’s head and ultimately eliminate any force that would resist God. This Seed, is the One we know as Messiah, or Christ. Hang on, we are getting there.

Take a look at John 3:16:  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” Get that last phrase. Shall never perish but have everlasting life.” Ever lasting means never ending. And God’s promise included a new, eternal body. 

I just received a “new” heart valve. Some people have received other new body parts. But no one yet has received a whle new body. Jesus was that Son, the Seed, and He was the sacrificial substitute emblemized by the lamb in the Garden. His death, after living a perfect life, was accepted by God the Father as full, complete payment for the sins of the whole world. God raised Jesus, the Messiah, from death and gave Him a new body, one that will never wear out, get tired, sick, or injured.

When Adam and Eve believed God in the Garden, their faith opened the way for them to return, ultimately, to the fellowship and life with God that they had forfeited. We can experience that same benefit, by faith. But what about the 490?

Thanks for bringing that up. Remember our friends, the Israelites who were led into the Promised Land by Joshua? God gave them two commands or conditions. Drive out the false-god worshipers and give the land a rest every seven years. As noted before, they failed, no, refused to obey the Lord and even worshiped the false idols they were supposed to displace.

After 490 years of living in rebellion, or seventy of those seven year periods, God sent two prophets, Jeremiah and Isaiah, to warn them to repent or they would be taken to Babylon. They refused to repent and went to Babylon, via the Nebuchadnezzar transit company. (Just made that up.) But some did believe, and one, a guy named Daniel, stayed true to the Lord even while in Babylon. While there, he also studied the old documents left by Isaiah and Jeremiah. Imagine his surprise when he discovered that the 70 year exile was about to come to an end. “We’re going home!” Then I imagine that he mused “What is next?”

III. What Is Next

In the book of Daniel, chapter 9, he is visited by an angel with exciting news of the future. His people had allowed seventy sevens (Sabbaths) to expire without observing the command of the Lord. “Now your people will have seventy more sevens (490 years) and this time the Lord will accomplish what needs to be done on earth and in history. This is another way to say they got a second chance/.

Let’s take a look. Daniel 9:24-27

24 “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the wrongdoing, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place. 25 So you are to know and understand that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, until Messiah the Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with streets and moat, even in times of distress. 26 Then after the sixty-two weeks, the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 And he will confirm a covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come the one who makes desolate, until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, gushes forth on the one who makes desolate.”

Looking back to Genesis 3, we are alerted to the fact that the Seed will have to show up sometime in that time span because it says He will be “cut off.”. This Seed is the Messiah. In short, this means that there will be a 490 year window for the Him to show up and act. His actions will finish the transgression. In other words, there will be no more rebellion and refusal to obey the Lord. Second, all prophecy, including the promises to Abraham would be fulfilled, completed. And third, everlasting righteousness will be brought into this fallen world. If there is no more transgression, then it would be possible for us to experience perfect obedience, and righteousness. Bring it on Daniel.

This passage has been correctly called the keystone or lynchpin of prophecy and history. The Jewish nation was seemingly wandering around and living with no clear goal or purpose in mind. Now they are introduced to God’s plan for them corporately and individually. God has always had a plan, and now we are given a glimpse into His strategy for His people, and for all believers, the world.

There was no “timeline” associated with the first 490 years, except for the termination point: off to Babylon. Now the angel explains three phases of the timeline, the clock. It began with a command or permission to return to their land and rebuild the city, the wall, and the Temple. The first seven of sevens, or 49 years following the return of the people to their land would involve the rebuilding of the walls of the city and the Temple. There are two sections to go.

And, speaking of the Temple, what is significant about that? The Temple is where the Israelites were supposed to worship God. They were specifically commanded not to engage in worship outside of God’s designated places. This was specifically targeted at idol worship. The other nations worshiped under every tree, on every high hill, and where ever they felt the urge. Worship of the Lord was specifically designated to magnify and glorify the God Who created the universe. The Lord knew how tempting and susceptible to perversion “uncontrolled worship” and even ecstatic exclamations would be. The heathen worshipers soon crossed any and all barriers to decorum and and decency. 

The worst aspect of false worship was, and is, that it is directed toward Satan. His plan is to divert good worship, God’s worship, to something, anything else. His ultimate goal now, as back in the beginning, is to steal it away from God.

The Temple was very crucial to true worship. It began with the Tabernacle in the wilderness as soon as they exited Egypt. The chain of worship places continued with building a Temple in Jerusalem, God’s designated place for worship. It continued with the reconstruction of the Temple when they returned from Babylon. 

The destruction of the Temple leading to the Babylonian Captivity was devastating to the nation. They rebuilt the Temple on their return. So the second destruction predicted in Daniel 9 also decimated the nation’s spiritual life and aspirations. The people rightly took pride in their glorious Temple during Jesus’ life but it almost bordered on idolatry. The prophecy of destruction of their Temple, again, devastated them.

IV. The Timeline Parts 1 and 2

The timeline began and after seven sevens, 49 years, the Temple was completed. This started the second phase of the prophecy, 62 sevens or 434 years which ended with the cutting off of the Messiah. This leaves one seven following the cut off. 

Back to the 62 sevens. The people now had a 434 year window in which the Messiah would come. And, considering that He would be a normal human man, we can further limit the window to the end of that 62 sevens. Christmas is coming.

Further analysis would lead us to realize that the time line before cutting off must include some time for the Messiah to grow to a man, further reducing the Christmas window to about to about 430 years. Confused yet? Me too. In perspective, that puts the “Christmas Window” at about 6 BC to 4 BC or so. Ring any bells? Pun intended. (There is a lot of discussion about that. You can sort that out on your own.)

A careful examination of Daniel’s message puts this point of emphasis into perspective. The timeline will come to a pause at 483 years, 69 sevens, before the second Temple will be destroyed. That happened in AD 70, clearly following the Messiah being cut off. We will define this “cutting off” later. It happened 483 years after they went back to the land, in exact accordance with the prophecy. And we can rejoice that this was not the end. God merely paused His plans for Israel and began to concentrate His focus on sending the Message of forgiveness, given in the Seed in Genesis 3 and John 3, to the entire world through a different avenue. 

V. Cut Off Messiah

So a Seed, the Messiah, will be cut off after the 69th seven or 483 years. That implies that He would have to come into the world sometime before that. Working backward, an officer, like priest or Levite would begin his ministry at the age of 30 years. So subtract 30 from 483, and we get a prospective birth date of the Messiah about 453 years after the timeline began, as we said earlier. So there are roughly 453 or so years during which the Messiah could be born, a Christmas. (Sorry for any confusion. Maybe this should be entitled, 453 years of Christmas.) 

Now what is this “cutting off?” Back to the promise to Abraham. He was told, and later prophets confirmed, that a son of Abraham would rule, not only the Middle East, but the entire world. This “son” was the Messiah. Specific prophecies gave the place of His birth, Bethlehem, his parentage, a virgin, and His ultimate role in ruling everything. An astute student would have been able to estimate when the Messiah would come and indeed some people had. In Luke 2, we find Simeon and Anna who were looking for the Messiah.

Stepping back a week or so, we find some shepherds who were told of this coming and went to worship him. But, as far as we know, very few, if any noticed His appearance. Except for some dudes in Babylon. (The East) Why would “pagans” about 500 miles as the crow flies, and 900 miles as the camel walks, be interested in what happens in this little territory on the Coast of the Mediterranean Sea? 

I think Daniel, when he was given the prophecy, set up a little group of “wise men” to begin looking for the Messiah. Not a bad plan even today. This group of Bible scholars had probably noticed Numbers 24:17, which said a star would arise out of Judah. The Babylonian society was enamored with the heavens and stars in particular. When a new star appeared, they would notice it, and they did. They “saddled up” and headed west. Matthew 2 recounts their visit and the important thing to notice is that they recognized Him as God, and worshiped Him as such. Their long journey and longer wait was over. Messiah had come.

The Baby grew and became a leader, presenting Himself as God and as their Messiah. It culminated on Palm Sunday or the day of the Triumphal entry. But what happened next is totally confusing, except that it is not. It is right in line with how mankind has behaved since the Garden. 

Jesus came on a donkey, as the prophets had foretold, and the people seemingly accepted Him, proclaiming Him as the One Who comes in the Name of the Lord. But before the week was out, they shouted, “Away with Him. We will not have this Man to rule over us.” And most important in our story, “We have no King but Caesar.” Then they approved of His murder on a Roman cross. Messiah had been cut off. End of story...or not. The Resurrection comes next, but the decision of the nation was final. Cutting off the Messiah stopped the time clock at 483 years.

But Daniel’s prophecy was not done. The clock had stopped, but there are still seven years the last seven, to go for God to complete this seemingly impossible plan. But God! Instead of working through Israel, now the focus on spreading the message of forgiveness and salvation to the whole world transferred to the Gentiles. A group of believers, known as the Church, had witnessed a miracle. A dead Man came out of the grave and met with them, finally rising up into heaven. His last command was, “Go into all the world and tell this good news to everyone!” Everyone could have a Substitute, like Adam and Eve, Who died for their disobedience and would give them eternal life. (John 3)

And the message went out. But what about our final seven? Daniel had carefully bracketed that with some details to help us understand. After Messiah’s death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, the Temple and even the City of Jerusalem was totally destroyed. End of story? Not yet. Check out Daniel 9: “the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing.” Sounds like the end, doesn’t it? “... and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.”  That was the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

Who or what is this “prince who is to come?” Remember the Jews had rejected their Messiah? Now a fake, a counterfeit, an alternative messiah comes into view. Other Scriptures define and describe him as the anti-Christ, man of sin, even Satan incarnate. And jumping ahead to Revelation, this false christ will rise to power over the entire world. How will we know him?

VI. Last Seven

Verse 27 of Daniel 9:

And he will confirm a covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come the one who makes desolate, until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, gushes forth on the one who makes desolate.

 There is a lot to grasp there.

First, he executes a seven year treaty with “the many.” That is the Jewish nation. There has never been a seven year treaty or “covenant of peace” made with any ruler and God’s people. So this has not happened. It is not something that we anticipate like the first coming that we saw in Matthew and Luke. The wise men saddled up and ran toward the star, the evidence of His coming. This appearance will cause people to run from the man. But to no avail, because, according to Revelation, he will rule the entire world.

It will begin somewhat auspiciously with world-wide peace. But, in keeping with the deceptiveness we have seen from Genesis on, Satan’s man will be telling a lie, a big lie. After three and one half years, or 42 months, he will turn on the nation of Israel that he has promised to defend, and begin to persecute them. Again, Revelation gives us the sordid, gruesome details of at least one half of the world population being massacred by him. And that is only the beginning. 

Daniel 9 describes it this way: “but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come the one who makes desolate.” The Temple worship of the Jewish nation will have been restored, but he will abruptly terminate it. And worse, this same “prince” will demand that the suspended worship of the Lord be transferred to him. This is the ultimate “abomination of desolation.” Remember, all false worship is directed to Satan. So worshiping the anti-Christ is worship of Satan. And it will take place in God’s Temple.  Finally, Lucifer’s aspirations of universal worship will seemingly come to pass.

This final seven year period of God’s plan will seem to have ended in disaster. But wait. We jumped part of the story. Remember the believers, the church that Jesus left to share His message of hope and forgiveness? They, and that includes you and me if you believe in Jesus, have been following instructions. Millions and even billions across the globe have believed in Jesus, the Messiah, and are carrying His message across the world. God’s plan for all the world to hear of His love and mercy is progressing. And now it really gets good.

Before this anti-guy comes to power, God’s messengers are going to be taken out of the world, in the same manner as Jesus ascended. This is called the Rapture. We will be with Him forever. But what about those left behind? God’s plan is perfect and universal, and will be complete.

Paul tells us of the removal or “snatching away” of believers in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15. But are we going to leave the rest of the world to the devices of this false messiah? Absolutely not. Again Revelation tells us of a group of 144,000 Jewish believers (neat, huh? Full circle, back to the Jews.) They will carry this message to the unbelieving world. And literally millions and even billions, (again) will accept that and believe on Jesus.

But when will all of this happen? And, this, I believe is the coup de gras, to Satan. This final world ruler, who will be an absolute potentate, will not be able to come on the scene of the earth until the Holy Spirit gives him permission! Satan’s ultimate goal of “universal worship” has to say, “Mother may I?” (Or something like that.)

2 Thessalonians 2 tells us that this “man of sin,” the anti-Christ, the penultimate ruler of the world cannot be revealed until “He Who restrains is taken out of the way.” The anti-Christ cannot begin his seven year “term” until the Holy Spirit is taken out of the world. And, the Holy Spirit lives in you and me, and all believers. When He “goes” guess who goes along? The Holy Spirit in us is like a hand in a glove. Where ever the hand goes, the glove goes. Since He has promised never to “take us off,” we will never be left alone. (Another Hallelujah is in order.)

So Satan’s grand plan and that of the anti-Christ must wait until God gives them permission, after the Rapture. After seven years of terrorism, this rebellious duo, along with all those who have rejected the True Messiah will gather near Jerusalem and attempt to destroy Israel, ultimately and completely nullifying God’s promise to Abraham. 

They will switch their focus to an attempt to overthrow Jesus, the Rider on the White Horse of Revelation 19 as He descends to defend Jerusalem. They will completely, and totally fail, with the false messiah being consigned to the Lake of Fire forever. That is the “complete destruction one that is decreed, gushes forth on the one who makes desolate.” (Daniel) And as for Satan, he will be thrown into the bottomless pit for 1000 years. His role has one more scene to play.

Jesus’ total and complete victory will rid the earth of rebellion and disobedience,  the transgression, and usher in a time of His rule over the entire world, with David as His co-ruler. The end of Daniel’s 490 years results in the world-wide reign of Jesus. What a Christmas present.

VII. Epilog

This reign of Christ will last for 1000 years, the Millennium. Do you see any connections? First Abraham and his family will possess and rule the entire world. (Fulfilled prophecy) His son, David, and his descendent, Jesus, will rule a world with almost no rebellion or rejection. Close to ending the transgression. One step to go.

At the end of the 1000 years, Satan be released to deceive the inhabitants of the world one last time. And, true to form, some will follow him. Most, I believe, will not. This rebellious faction will be destroyed and Satan will also be thrown into the lake of fire for ever, with the  false messiah. There will be no more rejection, no more disobedience, nor rebellion (transgression), the prophecy of Israel’s future has been literally fulfilled, and there will be no more sin. It will be a perfectly righteous place. Daniel’s prophecy will be completely satisfied.

Revelation 21-22 wraps up the whole story with God and man living in perfect1 harmony and worship forever. This was God’s intention when, in Genesis 1, “God created the heavens and the earth.” And that summarizes the Story of the Bible from Gen to Rev. The point of the whole message is how God created mankind and now has redeemed us. We will live with Him forever, in heaven.

Adam and Eve were offered a substitute in the Garden, we are offered that same Substitute, Who will pay our sin debt and provide forgiveness and eternal life with God. His impending birth led people to anticipate His coming back in the first century. Simeon and Anna and the wise men, and a few others had  waited 453 years or so, for “Christmas,” to greet the coming Messiah. 

But we have a greater “coming” to anticipate. Jesus said, “If I go,” and He did, “He would come again.” It has been more than seventy sevens, and even about 2000 years, but He will come. I believe it is soon. We can anticipate His impending second coming, a “second Christmas,” if you please, just as fervently as the first. And we know just as surely as He came before, He will come again. Are you ready, as Anna and Simeon, the shepherds, and the wise men were? And this is a greater Christmas. Get ready.

Theology of Christmas Carols

  Theology of Christmas Carols

As we approach the Christmas season, it seems fitting to finish our year on some Christmas carols and interestingly enough, they just dovetail into Colossians 1. We will touch verses 21-23 and find that they point to the Christmas message. (This is not too surprising as we look at the Supremacy of Christ and this is the beginning of the story.)

As I began to prepare for this lesson, I discovered a seven-fold outline of Christ’s supremacy in the first chapter.  Paul points to seven (nice number) reasons for seeing the Supremacy of Christ. First, in v. 15 we find that He is the very image of God. We discussed this in detail earlier. Point two, He is the first-born over creation. Note that He is not the first-born IN creation, but over it. This is because, third, He is the Creator. V. 16, 17. He cannot be part of something that He created. He cannot create Himself, but has to be outside it in order to have made it. (Contrary to some secular ideas, gravity cannot account for the origin of the universe. The “law of gravity” is part of the universe, and as such could not precede it. Logic.)

Fourth, v. 18, Christ is the head of the body, the Church. The first three points  focused on natural existence. Now we turn to what is in the creation, and God’s intent was to produce a body of people who would be blessed with the opportunity to know and praise Him. (Note that this is not ego-centric on the Lord’s part. It is focused on man being able to join the fellowship, the communion of the Trinity.) God didn’t need us. We, as His creation, need Him. And the Church is the body that will spend all of eternity with Him, praising and glorifying Him–to our everlasting benefit.

Point five, He is the beginning and the first-born from the dead. V. 18 Adam was the first-born of the natural creation and the result was disaster, death, for everyone who followed him. Jesus became the first man to rise from the dead, forever. In doing so, He led the way for all who believe in Him to join Him in eternal life. He created the first world, and He will  begin the second one, the one that will never fade away. Needs an “Amen!” there.

Point six looks back to point one. Verse 19 declares that the fullness of God resides in Him. Again, He is God, so all of God’s attributes must be found in Him.  And seven, v. 20 He is the One who reconciled all of mankind to God. We will explore the wonder and magnificence of that as we go on. Wow, what a story! Now let’s tie that into the Incarnation, Christmas.

I. Paul’s Readers v. 21-23

And although you were previously alienated and hostile in attitude, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now reconciled you in His body of flesh through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister. 

Why we needed an incarnation, God coming to earth. The description above us us.

I. A. Our condition v. 21

Paul begins with a “before and after” statement. We were alienated, hostile, and evil doers. He said we are engaged in evil deeds and that comes from our first two characteristics. We were alienated, or cut off from God. Ephesians is a mirror of Colossians as Jude and 3 John are of each other. Ephesians 2:12 reminds us to..remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, ...having no hope and without God in the world. 

And we recall that Genesis 3 explains how we cut ourselves off from God. He said, “Do not...” and we did. Mankind continued to ignore God’s commands in the Ten Commandments. So we were separated from God, His people, and the promise.

But that is not all. Paul continued in Ephesians 4:19. 

    We were alienated and hostile in mind...being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart.

Paul in Romans 5:6, 8, 10 describes our condition as helpless, sinners, and “enemies of God.” We were alienated, hostile, and... (Ephesisans 4:19) 

and they, having become callous, have given themselves up to indecent behavior for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 

Paul’s term was “evil doers.” They, and we, were engaged in evil deeds. That was “before.” The rest is glorious, and leads us into the Christmas meditation. Now, back to our passage. V. 22 “yet He has now reconciled you in His body of flesh through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.”

Don’t you just love the “yet?” (It is like, “But God...” in other passages.) Despite our self inflicted alienation, and its resultant hostile mind, which led to evil deeds, He has reconciled us. And what does that entail? When we are reconciled to Him, we are made “holy and blameless and beyond reproach.” I will take that triplet for what we had any day. Not alienated, not hostile, and not doing evil. Holy compares to the disgusting mess that we were. Blameless means that we are no longer enemies. And being beyond reproach is a better lifestyle than constant criminality–or infested with sin.

II. Carols

So how do Christmas carols relate to this Scipture? We needed a “Christmas” a time that God came to live with men. Let’s take a couple and follow the magnificent theology.

II. A. Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Charles Wesley wrote this. I have heard some criticize this as inaccurate because the “angels ‘said,’ not sing.” My response is to, “take that up with Charles when you see him in heaven.” Hark, listen,

The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”

There is our first description. Only we are reconciled. Go on.

Joyful, all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies; With th’angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Again, here is a “birth.” That has to be a baby, a person. (Contrary to abortionists.) And it is a real man. Did Jesus have to be a man? Keep singing. Refrain:

Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

V. 2 Christ, by highest Heav’n adored; Christ the everlasting Lord; Late in time, behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb.

Yes, he had to be a man. He is a real man, born of a flesh and blood woman. He is God. Sing on.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail th’ incarnate Deity, Pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel.

And again watch the words. Don’t you pity Jehovah’s Witnesses? They can’t sing this. He is not “pleased with us IN SPIRIT to dwell.” He was a real man and really God. He lived IN FLESH, a real man. And Wesley looked on to the future. I adjusted the words in the brackets.

Hail the [heaven-born] Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, Ris’n with healing in His wings.

He is coming back. But before we get there, reinforce the message. He is the True God, but...

Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die; Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth.

Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the new born King.” How much of our Scripture do you see in there? It is a lot. Let’s sing another verse. This is much less known.

Come, Desire of nations, come, Fix in us Thy humble home; Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed, Bruise in us the serpent’s head.

Now display Thy saving pow’r, Ruined nature now restore; Now in mystic union join Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.

Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface, Stamp Thine image in its place: Second Adam from above, Reinstate us in Thy love. Let us Thee, though lost, regain, Thee, the Life, the inner man: Oh, to all Thyself impart, Formed in each believing heart. Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King.”

II. B. Joy to the World

This one is actually a carol that we will sing in the Millennium. So let’s be prophets.

Joy to the World, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love, And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love

If only that were true now. But it will be. Glory! Joy to the World, the Lord is come!

III. What Child it This

What Child is this who, laid to rest On Mary's lap is sleeping? Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet, While shepherds watch are keeping? This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing; Haste, haste, to bring Him laud, The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate, Where ox and ass are feeding? Good Christians, fear, for sinners here The silent Word is pleading. Nails, spear shall pierce Him through, The cross be borne for me, for you. Hail, hail the Word made flesh, The Babe, the Son of Mary.

We look ahead, even up to two years later. (The Wise Men were not at the manger.)

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh, Come peasant, king to own Him; The King of kings salvation brings, Let loving hearts enthrone Him. Raise, raise a song on high, The Virgin sings her lullaby. Joy, joy for Christ is born, The Babe, the Son of Mary.

IV. Christmas Bells

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - 1807-1882 wrote this during the Civil War. Let that background color your understanding.

I heard the bells on Christmas Day their old, familiar carols play, and wild and sweet the words repeat of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom had rolled along the unbroken song of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way, the world revolved from night to day. A voice, a chime,    a chant sublime of peace on earth, good-will to men!

(And now the War, not such a pleasant thought.) Then from each black, accursed mouth, the cannon thundered in the South, and with the sound the carols drowned, of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent the hearth-stones of a continent, and made forlorn the households born of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head; "There is no peace on earth," I said; "For hate is strong,  and mocks the song of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Don’t give up hope. Sing on.

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail, the Right prevail, with peace on earth, good-will to men."

Glory glory hallelujah. We need to sing a little Handel here. Or even Julia Ward Howe.

V. Oh Holy Night

This is a bonus. There is not a lot of theology here, but the story is very interesting. I will let you read it at the end of the lyrics. This author may not have been saved. But he read Luke’s story.

O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining It is the night of our dear Savior's birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining 'Til He appears and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born. O night, O Holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand. So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming Here come the Wise Men from Orient land. The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger. In all our trials born to be our friend He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger. Behold your King; before Him lowly bend. Behold your King; before Him lowly bend

Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and His Gospel is Peace Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother. And in His name, all oppression shall cease.  Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we Let all within us Praise His Holy name. Christ is the Lord; O praise His name forever! His power and glory evermore proclaim. His power and glory evermore proclaim.

(One evident point is that it leaves out any thought of the cross and redemption. It may be implied.)

O Holy Night - A History of the Carol

The author of O Holy Night lyrics is Placide Cappeau. Cappeau was a commissionaire of wines, and a part-time poet. Cappeau lived in a small village, Roquemaure near Avignon, France during the nineteenth century (1808-1877). History tells us that Cappeau rarely attended mass and that he was better known for his poetry and this may have been the driving force behind the local parish priest asking him to write a Christmas Poem. In December of 1847 Cappeau obliged and on a trip to Paris was inspired to write a poem. That poem was entitled, Cantique de Noël. 

When Cappeau arrived in Paris he knew that this poem needed someone better than him to compose the music. Through some close friends in Paris he was able to take his new poem to the famous composer Adolphe Adam. Adam accepted the work and was able to compose music for the poem. Within a few days the music was complete and allowed Cappeau to return to Roquemaure and present it to the priest who had requested it. Cantique de Noël was first played during Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve 1847.

At first, Cantique de Noël was accepted and incorporated into Christmas services around France. Then the song was omitted from those services and attacked by the French Catholic Church. The song wasn't rejected for its content but it was rejected because of the views and other writings of its author and the false allegation that it's composer was Jewish. Cappeau in his later years had gained a reputation as being a social radical, a socialist and an atheist. Cappeau had become outspoken against opposition to inequality, slavery and social injustice. He also became anti-clerical and French Bishops sought to distance themselves from Cappeau. The composer Adam'hristmas was also mis-identified by the French Catholics as a Jew. By accounts of his funeral notice he was Catholic and his home Parish was Notre-Dame-de-Lorette.

The English Translation to the Christmas Carol; O Holy Night ("Cantique de Noël")

In 1855 John Dwight, a Unitarian Minister created a vocal version and English translation to Cappeau's lyrics. The result is O Holy Night as we know it today. The song was first published in English in Dwight's, Journal of Music. The song was quickly adopted by the American public and became part of the American Christmas tradition.

The First Christmas Song Ever Played Live on the Radio

O Holy Night is also famous for being the first Christmas song ever played live over the radio. In 1906 Reginald Fessenden ( a former employee and lab technician for Thomas Edison) transmitted a short broadcast from the Brant Rock radio tower. This broadcast included Fessenden himself reading verses from the gospel of Luke and with him playing the violin to O Holy Night while singing the last verse, live. Thus giving this Christmas Carol the honor of the first Christmas song ever played across the radio. From the Brant Rock radio tower the Christmas Eve broadcast was heard as far away as Norfolk, Virginia. A re-broadcast on New Year's Eve allowed the song to be heard as far away as the West-Indies.

One last one.

There are many carols that we could examine, but I will leave that to you. But I did want to look at one more, less famous carol.  Charles Wesley began our last consideration of Christmas carols. He wrote “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” This chapter of CCT (Christmas Carol Theology) will begin and end with “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus.” Side note, Charles Wesley wrote between 6500 and 10,000 hymns. I did not find a specific enumeration of how many of them were specifically Christmas Carols, but he wrote a hymnal with 25 hymns and poems definitively pointing to Christmas. I am sure that there are many more.

Listen to these words from “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus.” “Born to set Thy people free; From our fears and sins release us....” Remember the angel’s words to Joseph? “And she (Mary) shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.” And with our sins forgiven, we have nothing to fear, including the fear of death. (See Hebrews 2:9-15 By the way, chapter 1 of Hebrews also demonstrates the supremacy of Jesus.) Here is the full carol.

Come, Thou long expected Jesus Born to set Thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us, Let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel's strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art;

Dear desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver, Born a child and yet a King,

Born to reign in us forever, Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit Rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all sufficient merit, Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

And notice that the final line points to the Supremacy and completeness of Christ, the focus of our study in Colossians. And as we walk through Colossians 1:24-29 we will find aspects of this carol imbedded in it. 

And in passing, Wesley also wrote, “And Can It Be?” It is included as a Christmas song in some compilations. Regardless, it is a great song. And, in my ipinion, when we get to heaven, we will all sing “The Hallelujah Chorus.” Since it is all Scripture, there will be no doctrinal divisions. Amen. 

(And one day soon, we will all “rise” to meet Him, either individually or corporately in the Rapture. Maranatha! Even so, come Lord Jesus.)

Champion of Love

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Thoughts 5/24 Value and Babel

 I read a story about a man in Spain who was found dead inside a papier-mâché dinosaur. It appears that he had dropped his cell phone inside the decorative statue and tried to crawl in to retrieve it. He fell in, head first, and was trapped. And since no one knew where he was, and the phone was on the bottom of the leg, he could not alert anyone. That seems to be another argument for cell phone lanyards. I would surely lose or misplace mine a lot less. (Inventors alert!)

Just a thought. That was a very expensive cell phone. He gave his life for it. I wonder how often we trade something very valuable for a bauble of relatively trivial worth. I wonder what the Bible says about that.

The first thing that comes to mind is Esau, trading his birthright for a bowl of red bean stew. (Genesis 25) The firstborn got a double portion of the father’s wealth, so in the case of Jacob and Esau, that would have been two-thirds of the estate. Even if they merely traded inheritances, Jacob doubled his holdings. And if the deal was for the share, Jacob became the owner of the whole kit and caboodle. However you slice it (pun intended), Esau made a bad deal. But probably not as bad as what this man in Spain did.

Moses, on the other hand, traded the riches of Egypt for the “reproach of Christ.” (Hebrews 11:23-26) That was a very good trade. No one even knows who the Pharaoh of Egypt was who adopted Moses. Nor is anyone sure who replaced Moses in the hierarchy of Egyptian government. Good trade.

Second, and completely different thought:

Colin Smith was preaching on the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. He had a different view that was very interesting and instructive. The Holy Spirit came with the sound of a rushing wind. Dr. Smith surmised that the entire city of Jerusalem heard it and that is what impelled them to go out into the streets, trying to discover what it was. “What is going on?”

And when they encountered the 120 from the upper room, the crowds heard the message of the Gospel in their own languages. The result was that over 3000 believed that first day. 

In order to understand the Bible, it is best to look to the rest of Scripture to interpret it. So we ask, “When did anything like this occur before?’ And the answer was in Genesis 11. Man was in the process of building a tower to himself and to his own accomplishments. We will not explore the theological ramifications of that, other than to comment that they were doing it in the attempt to supplant God as the key figure in the world. (Or as God.)

Did you ever wonder why Genesis 11 proceeded as it did? What if God had merely sent a whirlwind or an earthquake and destroyed their temple to man? I imagine that they would have merely recalculated their plans to deal with such catastrophes and rebuilt. Obviously a “verbal warning” would not have deterred them. They were planning to replace God anyway. Who cares what He says or wants?

The solution was ingenious. Or rather, it was supernaturally inspired. (Pun intended.) One morning, the builders woke up and were not able to understand each other. The architects could not give the foremen their instructions. And, even if the foremen understood, they could not communicate the directions to the laborers. Add to that, the problems with materials procurement and delivery, and even the simplest tasks such as preparing and delivering lunch and water to the worksite.

In frustration, different groups banded together, based on a similar language, and then they migrated away from the “pagans” who could not understand them. The work was terminated and a barrier to ever initiating it again was erected. Who could have conceived such a novel, effective, and permanent solution? God could.

So when we come to Acts 2, the nations of the world, were figuratively assembled in Jerusalem for the Pentecost celebration. Except that they could not understand each other. Citizens from nearly every nation came together for this religious ceremony. At least, those who were descendants of Abraham and Jacob assembled. They had been dispersed over the years by deportation by conquering armies. Assyria and Babylon come to mind immediately. Then, in the intervening years Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome had invaded the Holy Land and further dispersed the children of Israel.

So, in AD 33 (probably), the habit of returning to Jerusalem at least once a year was repeated. Only this time, a supernatural intervention accompanied their memorial. They heard the Wonderful News that the Messiah had come and had died for them. And they heard it in their own languages. No cumbersome or bulky, let alone error-plagued, interpreters were needed. The Holy Spirit took over from Peter and the other preachers’ sermons and communicated the message in their own languages.

And the result of this “reverse Babel” incident was to, again, spread to the entire world. Only this time, the message was not one of separation, but of unity. The body of Christ was unified in the message that He had come; He had died; and He had risen again. He was the Messiah. And the final part, was that He was coming back to gather all of His people together to Himself. Glory!

And the active Agent in this anti-Babel action was again the Holy Spirit. He had confused the languages in Genesis 11. In Acts 2, He clarified the languages and gave understanding to the entire world. God the Father had a role. God the Son had a role. And God the Holy Spirit had a role. And since they are One, the Message and role were unified. Even now, we look to the Holy Spirit to fill us and enable us to do the work that the Lord Jesus gave us to do.

The best news of all is that we do not have to beg for the Holy Spirit to be given to us. He is in us when we believe. We have the Spirit. Our “complicating factor” is our response to Him. Do we yield to His control and let Him work through us? We have the fruit that He gives (Galatians 5:22-23) and that will enable us to do what pleases Him. The catch is that we have to yield to Him. We have to give up control of our lives and seek Him and allow Him to control us.

But our focus is not on “getting the Holy Spirit.” It is on pleasing God. C. H. Spurgeon is said to remark that if you keep your eyes on Jesus, the Dove, the Holy Spirit will come to you. (Matthew 3:16 Isn’t it interesting that this is another 3:16 verse?) Conversely, if you keep your eyes on the dove, it will fly away. Our focus must be on Jesus and the Holy Spirit will take and remain in His rightful place. He will then do His work through us. Trying to attain the Holy Spirit will interrupt our focus on, and communion with, the Lord. Keep your eyes upon Jesus.