Tower of Babel

Readings for today: Genesis 10-11

“I don’t understand.” If only I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that phrase come out of one of my child’s mouths. Usually it’s a response generated by a request from either myself or their mother for them to do something. Homework. Chores. Dishes. Taking out the trash. We ask them to sit down and finish their work. We ask them to put aside their devices so they can focus. We ask them to work first so they can play later. They resist us, of course. They want to do what they want to do. They want their own way. They want to be in control of their own lives. They struggle to submit to any kind of authority be it their parents or their teachers at school. However, they are smart enough to know they can’t just refuse so they tell us they “don’t understand.” It’s a crafty play, I’ll give them that! But as we gently but firmly ask questions to tease out what they mean we tend to almost always land on the fact that they just don’t want to do what we’re asking them to do. Any parents out there want to give me an “Amen?” ;-)

It’s the first thing I think about when I read the Tower of Babel story. I can almost hear humanity drawing in a collective breath and saying to God, “I don’t understand.” What do you mean you want us to “be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth?” What do you mean you want us to “exercise dominion over all you have made?” What do you mean you want us to bear your image into all creation? What do you mean, God? Why can’t we simply stay together? Stay safe? Stay comfortable? Don’t you value family, God? Isn’t family our “first ministry?” Think of all the things we can do for you right here, God! We all speak the same language. We know each other really well. Look, we can even build a tower to the heavens!

It’s not about understanding, of course, it’s about obedience. My children don’t need to always understand why I ask them to do the things I ask them to do though I do try to give them as much information as possible. Humanity doesn’t always need to understand why God commands us to fulfill the creation mandate. We simply need to obey. I am quite sure the descendants of Noah were suffering from deep-seated, historical trauma. Their entire world had been destroyed in a great flood. The echoes of that terrifying natural disaster would have rippled out across the generations. No wonder they wanted to stay together! No wonder they wanted to build a tower that stretched to the heavens! It would serve as a fixed point on the horizon of their lives. It would help them feel safe. Secure. No matter how far away they got, they could always look back and see the tower they had built. Not only that but it boosted their collective self-esteem. Their collective self-image. Their collective self-confidence. They were not at the mercy of their elements! They were not at the mercy of the natural world! They had shaped and formed a tower so immense it would rise above any future flood that may come. It would protect them. It would serve as a place of refuge in case something terrible happened.

Friends, this is our fundamental problem. We want to trust in ourselves rather than God. We want to do things our way rather than God’s way. We want to be in control. But God demands obedience. Not because He is capricious or arbitrary or mean but because He has a plan. He has a purpose. He has a design for our lives and He knows we will find our greatest joy, our greatest hope, our greatest peace in serving Him. “Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth. Exercise dominion over all I have made. Bear my image into all of creation.” This is the mandate given to humanity and every time we resist it. Every time we push back against it. Every time we refuse to obey, there will be judgment. Not because God delights in punishing us but because God has entrusted us with great authority and great responsibility to be His priests and priestesses over all the earth. You are more powerful than you can ever imagine. You have more influence than you can ever know. If you are a Christian, you are God’s Temple. God’s Spirit lives inside you. And now He sends you out to bring His glory to the world.

Readings for tomorrow: None. Enjoy worship with your church family!

Covenant Renewal

Readings for today: Genesis 8-9, Psalms 12

God is faithful. Human beings are unfaithful. God is good. Human beings are evil. Evil being defined as “self-centeredness” instead of God-centeredness. God is holy. Human beings are corrupt. Over and over again, we will see this dynamic played out throughout the Bible. It’s critical to keep this fundamental understanding clear in our minds. Human beings are not innocent. Human beings are not sinless. Human beings are not good people who make occasional bad decisions. We are cosmic criminals who deserve the death penalty for our many, many crimes against our Maker. God, on the other hand, is not like us. He is not arbitrary or capricious. He does not act on a whim or lash out in a rage. He is always consistent. Unchanging. Eternal. As such, He does not answer to us. He does not hold Himself accountable to our standards. His ways are higher than our ways. His thoughts higher than our thoughts. He is the Creator of the universe and is beyond any flawed human conceptions of justice, righteousness, or fairness.

How else can we understand the Great Flood? The deluge that caused the death of every living thing outside the ark? An act of “uncreation” as God hits the reset button. Imagine Noah walking off the ark for the first time. What did he see? An earth that had become “formless and void” again. An earth that was desolate and ruined. Nothing alive. Nothing but rot and ruin. Nothing like the Garden where Adam and Eve first dwelt. But God isn’t finished. Creation will be renewed. The creation mandate is restored. God will re-create but it will be in and through His image-bearers. His priests and priestesses. The people made in His image who are once again commanded to be “fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth” with the glory of the Creator. He once again gives them dominion over all He has made. He once again sends them out to cultivate and care for creation. He once again promises to establish His covenant with them and their offspring forever.

“And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image. And you, be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it." "Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth." (Genesis‬ ‭9:1-3, 6-7, 9, 12-17‬)

This is an astonishing decision by God. To entrust His creation to a creature He knows is untrustworthy. To hand the world He loves so much into the hands of a creature who is self-centered and self-serving. To give this creature a second chance to fulfill the calling for which they were created, all the while knowing they will fail. Most of all, God binds Himself to this creature in relationship. Establishes His covenant with this creature for all eternity. He commits Himself to this creature and in so doing, freely and willingly opens Himself up to a world of pain and disappointment and heartbreak. Such grace! Such love! Such compassion! Our God is a God of steadfast love and faithfulness. His mercies are new every single morning. His loyalty never ends. His zeal for us never changes. His pursuit of us is relentless. He will never let us go.

You and I are just like Noah. If I had been on that ark and watched the world be destroyed, I can pretty much guarantee the first thing I’d do is plant a vineyard and drink myself into oblivion! If my son “uncovered my nakedness” (an ancient near east euphemism for rape and one of the many horrific ways men demonstrated their power over one another in ancient cultures), I’d wake up cursing as well! We simply cannot escape ourselves. Man’s inhumanity towards man knows no bounds. We all know this is true. We see it on display ever single day. From the hatred and rage on Twitter to the racism of white supremacy to our fascination with guns and violence to the terrible, inhumane treatment of immigrants and refugees to the rapacious greed that causes us to exploit not only the earth but one another. Humanity is a brutal species. Her divine calling gone horribly wrong. The exercise of her dominion becoming tyrannical as sin has its way. The only hope we have is God. The only antidote to our condition is Christ. The only way to break free from our bondage to sin is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God for His salvation! Thanks be to God for Christ who is the “ark of our salvation!”

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 10-11

The Cancer of Sin

Readings for today: Genesis 6-7

“What about the half-demon dudes?” I was in a small group men’s Bible study in college when I first heard about the Nephilim. I had never read Genesis 6 before and was completely confused. Who were the sons of God? Who were the daughters of men? Were we simply talking about the contrast between the descendants of Seth and the descendents of Cain? Is this the first injunction against intermarriage between the godly and ungodly that we see so often repeated in the rest of the Old Testament? Could it even be an oblique reference to Homo Sapiens intermarrying with Homo Neanderthalus? Or is there something more going on? Why were their offspring so special? Mighty men of old? Men of renown? The word “Nephilim” literally means “giants” so these folks were potentially a different breed than the rest of humanity. Could this perhaps be the origin of the myths and legends we see in so many cultures of half-human, half-divine heroes running around? An embellishment on stories passed down through the generations from the pre-Flood time period?   

As crazy as it may sound, there are good, biblical reasons to believe the Nephilim are the offspring of angels and human beings. First of all, the only other time the phrase “sons of God” (bene elohim)  is used in the Old Testament is in Job 1:6, 2:1, and 38:7. In each case, it clearly refers to angels. Second, there are three New Testament passages that seem to suggest the same...1 Peter 3:18-22, 2 Peter 2:4-5, and Jude 6-7. For example, 1 Peter 3:18-22 says, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.” The “spirits in prison” being those rebellious angels who disobeyed God.

What did Christ proclaim to the spirits in prison? His victory over sin and death. His victory over hell and evil. His victory over Satan and all his minions. His victory over even their rebellion. Remember, Satan was present in the Garden when he hears God lay down not only the curse on humanity but also the first prophecy of a Messiah. Genesis 3:15, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." As a result, one can easily imagine Satan setting about to do all he can to prevent the prophecy from coming to pass. He would make it his aim to destroy the offspring of Eve. He gets to Cain as we saw in Genesis four, making him a murderer and destroying Abel before he can bear any children. But God’s plan will not be stopped so easily. He gives Adam and Eve a third son named Seth through whom the godly line will continue. Satan, seeking to pervert this line, sends his fallen angels (sons of God) to seduce the daughters of men and therefore bring corruption on the entire human race even at this nascent stage of its existence. The corruption was so vast and so evil that God actually regrets that he made man in the first place and is deeply grieved to see what has become of the special creature He made in His own image. And because the evil is so radical and pervasive, God performs an equally radical and pervasive form of surgery. Not because He’s angry or capricious or hateful but because He knows He must take this step to save the human race. Like a doctor treating a patient with stage four metastatic cancer, God gives the world “chemotherapy” in the form of a great Flood.  

Whether the Flood was truly world-wide or more localized is not the point as humanity at this point in time would have only occupied a very small portion of the earth. As such, their view of the “world“ would have been very limited. What we do know is that Noah, by faith, believed God and built an ark. I love how Hebrews 11:7 describes it, “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” So God cleanses the earth of its evil and corruption. With deep grief in His heart, He “uncreates” all He has made even as He’s trying preserve it. It must have broken His heart to see everything die and yet die it must in order to give the world a second chance.  

Anyone who has gone through cancer can identify on some level with this story. Sometimes the disease we face is so evil, we must undergo therapy that actually attacks our bodies with the hope that it will kill the corruption within us before it takes our lives. The reality is we all were born in sin. We all were born with a fallen nature. And this nature corrupts everything we do, every thought we have, every feeling or emotion we experience. There is not one part of our lives that is not touched by this disease. Thankfully, God is still performing “radical surgery!” Through the Holy Spirit, God “floods” our hearts with His grace, love, and power delivering us. Rescuing us. Lifting us above the death and destruction just as He once lifted up Noah and his family above the flood.   

How has God saved you? Can you think of a time in your life when God reached down and delivered you? Where do you need saving today? God is able! Call on Him! As the floodwaters rise, threatening to overwhelm, know that God is still in the ”ark-building” business! In Christ, He will deliver you! 

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 8-9, Psalms 12

The Fall of Humanity

Readings for today: Genesis 3-5

What does it mean to be made in the image of God? It’s an important question. A close reading of Scripture reveals several things. First and foremost is the ability to procreate. Not just biologically but relationally and creatively. The first command God gives us is to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. This is the creation mandate given to humanity. Second, dominion. What separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom is that we are given responsibility. The authority to rule over all God has made. And we are called to exercise this call in God’s name and for God’s glory. Thirdly, it means community. It is not good for man to be alone. We don’t do well when we are isolated from one another. So we get married. We build friendships. We have a longing deep inside our hearts to connect with other human beings in a deep way. Fourth, we are endowed with a free will. We are given real choices to exercise in our lives and because those choices are real, they come with real consequences. Good, bad, or otherwise. God created us in order to have a relationship with us. But in order for relationships to be real, they must be chosen. No one can force you to love. Love must be freely given.

So God creates Adam and Eve in perfection. He places them in a beautiful Garden where they will work and live and begin to exercise the call He has placed on their lives. Who knows how long they lived in paradise? Who knows how long they walked with God in the cool of the day? But God also had to take a risk. In order to have the relationship He desired with humanity, He had to give them a choice. They must be free to choose love or else it’s not love at all. So He plants a tree in the Garden. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This tree represents a test for Adam and Eve. Will they love God or will they love Self? Will they choose God or will they choose Self? Tragically, they choose Self and the result is a cascading series of events as they, and the world they were given responsibility for, descend into violence, chaos and ruin.

The first thing that happens is they die spiritually. Their souls literally wither inside. Their hearts grow cold and hard. Their desires become disordered. Their wills become enslaved. Their thoughts are reoriented around themselves. As a result they feel shame. They feel fear. They feel pain. They feel anger and rage. They are disconnected from God. From one another. From the creation they were given charge over. Now the very ground will fight them. They will fight each other. And they will fight the very God who created them in the first place. Furthermore, their decision impacts their descendants as their sinful condition is passed down biologically to each successive generation. So Cain kills Abel and lives the rest of his life in fear. Tubal-Cain creates instruments of bronze and iron for war. Lamech kills a man for insulting him. Humanity descending further and further into evil and violence and hate. This is what’s wrong with us. This is what’s wrong with the world. This is the Bible’s diagnosis of humanity’s condition.

Psalms 51 declares that we are born into sin. Conceived in iniquity. All of us are corrupted. None of us escape. There is no such thing as an “innocent” human being. There is no such thing as a “pure” human being. We all rightfully deserve an eternity apart from God. An eternity east of Eden. An eternity of exile and separation and isolation and pain. And this is not some arbitrary or capricious judgment by God but the result of the very real, sinful choices we all make on a daily basis. We are responsible for our own condition. We are suffering the consequences of the choices we’ve made. And the only hope we have is God’s mercy and grace. His passion to pursue us despite our rebellion. His willingness to lay down His own life in order save us from our sin. Without God, we are lost. Without God, we are helpless. Without God, we are dead in our trespasses and sin. Completely unable and unwilling to fulfill the purpose for which we were created.

This is why we call what happened the “Fall.” It was a fall from grace. A fall from glory. We “fell” out of love with God. Out of love for each other. Out of love for the world. And what we see happening around the world today is simply the ripple effect of that first tragic decision.

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 6-7

Christ our Creator

Readings for today: John 1:1-3, Psalms 8 and 104

”In the beginning was the Word…” Before God does. Jesus is. Before God speaks. Jesus is. Before God acts. Jesus is. Jesus is the fundamental reality of our existence. He is the Word. The Divine Logos. The Word that is God. The Word that was God. The Word that was with God in the beginning. He is the firstborn over all creation. Pre-eminent over all God has made. Through Him all things came into being. Nothing was made that has been made except through Jesus. The universe and all that is in it are contingent realities. Jesus is eternal. The world with all of its fullness is temporary. It has beginning and will have an end. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega. The beginning and the end. The first and the last. He is the great I AM.

Why jump to John after reading Genesis 1 and 2? Because the apostle is deliberately evoking the creation narrative. He wants us to understand Jesus is not just the Son of God…He is God. He didn’t come into being at His birth but rather became one of us. The eternal entering the temporal. Immortal becoming mortal. Imperishable, perishable. Jesus exists from eternity in perfect communion with the Father and the Spirit. One God. Three Persons. Forevermore. Jesus is not a created being. He is the Creator. Jesus is not a human being. But a being in which both human and divine natures come together. Jesus is not just an enlightened teacher. Not just an extraordinarily good person. Not just a miracle worker. He is God incarnate. As such, He was present when all things came into being and an active participant with the Father and Spirit in creation.

This is the heart of the Christian faith. If we don’t have a right understanding of Christ, we cannot worship God for who He is. If we don’t have a right understanding of Christ, we cannot know God. If we don’t have a right understanding of Christ, we will remake God in our own image. Reduce Him down to our size. Attempt to manipulate or control Him. Belittle Him. Ignore Him. Forsake Him. If Jesus is not God then there is no Christian faith and we’re all just making it up as we go along. We are among men to be most pitied as the Apostle Paul will later say.

Friends, to have a relationship with Christ is to have a relationship with the Creator of the universe Himself. To know Christ is to know God in all His fullness. Christ is the image of God. In Him the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. There is no God beyond Christ. No God behind Christ. No God outside of Christ. All other gods are idols. All other conceptions of god are false. All other ideas about god are foolish. Everything we can say about God, we can say about Christ. Everything we will learn about God as we read the Old and New Testaments, we can attribute to Christ. He is the Word of God. He is with God. He is God! And so we sing with the Psalmist, “O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!” (Psalms‬ ‭8:1‬)

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 3-5

Creation

Readings for today: Genesis 1-2

”In the beginning God…” Before God does. God is. Before God speaks. God is. Before God acts. God is. God is the fundamental reality of all existence. The universe and all that is in it are contingent realities. They are temporal realities. They have a beginning and they will have an end. Not so with God. He is. He was. He will be. I am reminded of how God reveals Himself to Moses in the burning bush. He says, “I AM who I AM.” A statement which in English can be rendered a number of different ways including “I WILL BE who I WILL BE.” It signifies the timelessness of God. The eternity of God. God is the one constant in the universe. The true North Star. The firm foundation on which all of reality rests.

Remarkably, God creates. God creates everything in heaven and earth. He dumps it all out on the floor of his workshop where it lies formless and void. Darkness on the face of the deep. The waters of chaos swirling and churning while the Spirit hovers over everything. Then God speaks. Interestingly enough, J.R.R. Tolkien (author of the Lord of the Rings trilogy) imagined God singing at this point. Singing light into darkness. Singing matter into being. Singing life out of lifelessness. The song of creation crescendos with the creation of human beings. Creatures made in God’s own image. Bearing His own likeness. Male and female together.

God blesses all He has made. Declares it good and righteous and pure. God has brought order to chaos. He has created a home to live in. A Temple to dwell in. And then He turns to humanity. Ordains them as priests and priestesses over all He has made. They are to be fruitful. Multiply. Bear His image over all the earth. They are to care and cultivate all He has made. They are to exercise dominion. Responsibility. They have the authority to reign and to rule in His name. It’s a truly astounding picture. The grandeur and scope of all God has done takes our breath away.

This is the vision of God from the beginning and it’s critical not to lose sight of it as we move forward from here. This was God’s plan. This was God’s design. This is what God is working towards even today. He wants to reclaim that which was lost. He wants to restore that which was broken. He wants to redeem that which was ruined and corrupted by the Fall. And God is eternally consistent. Just as He entrusted His creation into our hands at the beginning, so that call continues to this day. He will not allow us to abdicate our responsibility. He will not allow us to relinquish our high priestly role. Christ is our forerunner. He serves as the Second Adam. The Faithful Adam. Adam as he should have been. And those who are found to be in Christ also become priests. Revelation 20:6 says, “They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.”

Friends, this our eternal destiny! But it’s not something that begins the moment we cross from this world to the next. It actually begins the moment we receive Christ. As soon as we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become Temples of the Holy Spirit. God sanctifying us from within so that we may fulfill our high calling to serve as His priests to the world. What does this mean for our lives? It means everything we do comes weighted with glory. Freighted with meaning and purpose. There is nothing mundane about your life. No interaction that is insignificant. For you are a high priest of the Living God! An image-bearer of the King of kings! Called forth into the world to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth with His glory!

Readings for tomorrow: John 1:1-3, Psalms 8 and 104

Maranatha!

Readings for today: Malachi 3-4, Revelation 22, Psalms 150, Proverbs 31:25-31

Come, Lord Jesus!” Echoing Paul’s famous phrase from 1 Corinthians 16:22 - “Maranatha” - John finishes the Revelation with what has become the heartcry of Christians for centuries. Come, Lord Jesus. Come soon. The vision John received has reached its climax. The new heavens and new earth have come. New Jerusalem has descended out of heaven. God in the midst of her. The gates are open continually for the nations of the earth to receive their blessing. The leaves of the trees that grow beside the river of God are for their healing. God has wiped away every tear. God has done away with every evil. There is no more crying or suffering or pain. God has made good on His promise. The Alpha has issued the final “Omega.” What was once broken is now whole. What was ruined has now been restored.  The incomplete has been brought to completion. It is truly finished. All things made new. 

The delay of the “parousia” or 2nd coming of Jesus has plagued Christians for centuries. Why does Jesus not return? What is He waiting for? Many Christians have believed He was coming back in their lifetimes. As they looked around at the evil and suffering in their world, they could not imagine things getting worse. Many believed they were seeing the four horsemen of Revelation storming all over the earth bringing war, disease, famine, and death. Such has been the lot of humanity since Cain first slew Abel all those years ago. The Apostles were no different. John, Paul, Peter, along with most of the Christians of the first century, believed Jesus was returning in their lifetimes. It colors some of their advice to the local churches they were writing to. Scholars suggest you can even see Paul grappling with this delay, especially in his correspondence with the Corinthians and Thessalonians. 

Why hasn’t Jesus returned? Our atheist friends suggest it’s because God doesn’t exist. The “Father” Jesus so faithfully believed in is a myth. Jesus, as good as He was, made a mistake. Others suggest it’s because the work of the church isn’t finished. The Great Commission has yet to come to completion. We haven’t preached the gospel to every tribe, tongue, and nation so everyone hasn’t yet had a chance to hear the good news. Still others believe it’s because the events of Revelation haven’t yet come to pass. The anti-Christ has yet to be revealed and as bad as things may be, they will get much, much worse before the end. To be honest, I have no idea why Jesus hasn’t returned and can only assume it’s because His plan for this world have yet to reach its fulfillment. Time doesn’t pass for God like it does for us. While we are stuck in “chronological” time. Time as it ticks by. God exists in “Kairos” time. Time outside of time. Special time. Anointed time. The appropriate time. And only God knows where we stand according to His eternal clock.  

What we can know is that Jesus promised He would come. No less than three separate times, He affirms this to John in the last chapter of Revelation.  

• "And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book." (Rev. 22:7)

• "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." (Rev. 22:12-13)

• He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." (Rev. 22:20)

And what should our response be? To come to Jesus. “The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” (Revelation‬ ‭22:17‬) Don’t miss this! The movement goes both ways. God comes to us, we come to Him. God returns to us, we return to Him. God draws near to us, we draw near to Him. This is the pattern God has set since the first chapters of Genesis and it repeats itself here at the end of Revelation. This is God’s great desire. It is the primary message He’s been preaching through the entire Bible. It is the Word He longs for us to hear and receive and respond to by faith. So trust Him, friends! Accept His invitation! Believe in His name and receive the salvation He offers you by grace! 

Postscript: If you’ve been walking through the Bible in a Year with us...well done! You’ve made it! Congratulations! This is a significant milestone in your spiritual life. What’s next? Do it again. And again. And again. Keep reading. Keep reflecting. Keep seeking to hear God’s voice through His Word. Email me if you would like to join us in 2020 as we dive back in with a new plan for a new year! Doug@pepc.org. 

New Heavens and New Earth

Readings for today: Malachi 1-2, Revelation 21, Psalms 149, Proverbs 31:10-24

I love the image of a new heavens and new earth. Creation redeemed. Creation renewed. Creation restored to its original glory. God finally putting an end to sin and evil and death once and for all. This is the final fulfillment of God’s salvation plan. It’s the final act of the divine play that’s been working itself out since the opening words of Genesis. And as you let these words sink into your soul, take note of a few important things.

First, the new creation will be like a bride adorned for her husband. I remember well my wedding day. My wife has never looked more beautiful. Never more pure. Never more perfect than at that moment she walked down the aisle. (I have never felt more unworthy either!) The same is true for the new creation when it comes. God has always intended to have a relationship with His creation. He desires depth. Intimacy. Complete and total transparency. The kind of relationship we can only dream about this side of heaven. The kind of relationship of which human marriage is but a foretaste.

Second, there is no Temple. God is fully present and we are fully able to bear His presence in our glorified, resurrected bodies. God literally takes up residence with us. He can be seen. Touched. Heard. He wipes away our tears. He heals our infirmities. He makes us finally, completely, and utterly whole. There is no need for sun or moon for God will be our light. There is no need for walls or guards for God is in perfect control. There is no need for judgment or punishment for all the nations of the earth will walk in the light of the Lord and will bring Him the worship He deserves.

Third, there are no divisions in the new creation. No human distinctions to keep us apart. Every dividing wall of hostility will finally be torn down. The New Jerusalem is built on the foundation of the twelve apostles and her gates represent the twelve tribes. In other words, God will gather His people - Jew and Gentile alike - together and make them one. He will gather His people from every tribe, tongue and nation before His throne and all that separates us will fade away like mist before the Lord.

It’s a beautiful picture, is it not? Now here’s the challenge. When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we ask for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. We ask for the church to be a living reflection of this future glory. We ask for God’s will to be done in our lives. In our community. In our nation. In our world. How are we living and acting and speaking and treating others so that they see the new heavens and new earth emerging in our midst? How are we presenting to the world a picture of heaven? How are we giving those around us a foretaste of what’s to come through what we say and do? Christians are called to live as citizens of the Kingdom of God in this world. As you close out your Bible reading this year, I’d encourage you to reflect on the following questions…

1) Is there less of you and more of Jesus than when you began this year?

2) What parts of your life have been crucified with Christ and therefore no longer live?

3) How have you intentionally died to self and sought to live for Christ?

Becoming more like Christ is more a marathon than a sprint. It involves a long obedience in the same direction. I hope you’ve gleaned that if nothing else from your reading this year. God is at work across the centuries and across the generations. His primary desire is to make us more and more into the image of His Son. To restore us to the image He originally intended for us to bear. May the Lord continue His work in us and among us and through us until He comes again! Maranatha!

Readings for tomorrow: Malachi 3-4, Revelation 22, Psalms 150, Proverbs 31:25-31

Forward Look

Readings for today: Zechariah 12-13, Revelation 19, Psalms 147, Proverbs 31:1-7

Anyone who is familiar at all with the gospel story will recognize the Messianic prophecies embedded throughout Zechariah’s visions. This is a critical reminder of the importance of the Old Testament. We have to understand the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the climax of a story that has been unfolding for centuries. Jesus is the true fulfillment of the covenant God first established with Abraham. He is the true seed. The promised Son. The faithful Israelite. He is the perfect emodiment of God’s eternal plan and its fulfillment. Throughout the Old Testament, as God interacted with His people, He dropped clues as to what was coming. The “Day of the Lord” it was often called. A day when the Messiah would come and Israel would be saved. The people of God looked for this day. Longed for this day. Prayed for this day. Especially in periods of great hardship and suffering. So again, Zechariah is prophesying at a time of great change and upheavel. Decades of exile and slavery has come to an end. The people have survived Babylon. They’ve survived attempts at genocide. They’ve survived attempts to forcefully assimilate them into a broader, pagan culture. And now they’ve returned home. To a ruined city. To ruined homes. To a ruined Temple. Time to start over. Where will life go from here? Will God remain faithful? What life will they build? These are the fundamental questions they’re asking and God sends Haggai, Nehemiah, Ezra, and Zechariah - among others - with the answer. 

He gives them a picture of the future. When Messiah’s Kingdom comes to earth. And so we read familiar words like... 

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah‬ ‭9:9‬)

“Then I said to them, "If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them." And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. Then the Lord said to me, "Throw it to the potter"—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter.” (Zechariah‬ ‭11:12-13‬)

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.” (Zechariah‬ ‭12:10‬)

 “And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one.” (Zechariah‬ ‭14:9‬)

Surely, it is argued, the gospel writers ripped these verses out of context. These prophecies were meant for a particular people bound to a particular time. But such a perspective is itself bound by modern, western understandings of philosophy that would have been completely foreign to the Hebrew authors of the Bible. For them, the text is living and active and often comes layered with different meanings. So it’s the most natural thing in the world - after they meet the Risen Christ - to go searching through the Old Testament to understand the clues God left that lead us to faith in His Messiah. Such words - often quoted or alluded to throughout the New Testament - are meant to remind us that God is in control. God reigns sovereign over all the earth. His plan is being worked out. His purposes are coming to pass. His will is being done on earth as it is in heaven.  

Christmas is now behind us. The celebration of the first Advent of the Messiah naturally causes us to long for His second Advent. The day pictured in Revelation 19 when Jesus shall return to put all things right, make all things new, and put an end to sin and evil and death once and for all. But until that great “Day of the Lord” comes, what should we do? Cling to hope. Cling to faith. Cling to God. He will never let us down. His promises are sure. His faithfulness is great. His steadfast love is loyal and true. So these words from Zechariah encourage us just as they encouraged God’s people so many centuries ago.  

“Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain...Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.” (Zechariah‬ ‭8:3, 7-8‬)

“On that day the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land. For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty!” (Zechariah‬ ‭9:16-17‬)

“I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.” (Zechariah‬ ‭10:6‬)

“The Lord will give victory to the rest of Judah first, before Jerusalem, so that the people of Jerusalem and the royal line of David will not have greater honor than the rest of Judah. On that day the Lord will defend the people of Jerusalem; the weakest among them will be as mighty as King David! And the royal descendants will be like God, like the angel of the Lord who goes before them! For on that day I will begin to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem.” ‭‭(Zechariah‬ ‭12:7-10‬)

“I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.” (Zechariah‬ ‭13:9‬)

Friends, the Lord will come again! He is on His way even now! Every day brings us one step closer to the day when heaven comes to earth and every tear wiped away. Believe this! Trust this! Hold fast to your faith no matter circumstances this life may bring!

Readings for tomorrow: Zechariah 14, Revelation 20, Psalms 148, Proverbs 31:8-9

Resolutions

Readings for today: Zechariah 10-11, Revelation 18, Psalms 146, Proverbs 30:33

What are your resolutions for the coming year? The promises you are making yourself? Is it to eat better? Exercise more regularly? Is it to stop drinking? Stop smoking? Conquer some other addiction in your life? Is it to dream bigger? Start a new business? Launch out on a new career? Is it to try something new? Learn something you never thought you could? Is it to make more time for those you love? Slow down? Simplify?

Studies show four out of five people end up breaking their resolutions. Fully one-third barely make it past the first month. Why? Because we are often trying to accomplish these goals through sheer will-power alone. We try to make these changes without help. Without accountability. Without relying on anyone’s strength but our own.

Listen to the wisdom of the Psalmist. “Don’t put your confidence in powerful people (including yourself!); there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them. But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.“ (Psalms 146:3-5) God alone can give you the strength to change. In fact, if you have accepted Christ, His promise is that He will send His Spirit to dwell inside you. To initiate and accomplish His sanctifying work. He will make you more like Jesus! He will transform you from the inside out! He who began this good work in you will bring it completion!

What’s our role in all this? Simply to surrender. To present ourselves before God day after day and ask Him to have His way with us. We open our hands and hearts to His love and grace. We intentionally seek to pattern our lives after His life. And what does His life look like? Again, hear the wisdom of the Psalmist. “He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever. He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. The Lord loves the godly. The Lord protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.” (Psalms‬ ‭146:6-9‬)

Today in my devotional reading, I ran across this great quote from 20th century Christian missionary and statesman, Frank Laubach… “If anybody were to ask me how to find God I should say at once, hunt out the deepest need you can find and forget all about your own comfort while you try to meet that need. Talk to God about it and He will meet you there. You will know it.” I believe this with all my heart because I have seen and experienced it with my own eyes. When I have gotten engaged in God’s mission in the world, I have found Him waiting for me there. My faith grows. My heart breaks. My eyes fill with tears. And I realize God is changing me. Giving me His heart of compassion. His heart of love. His heart of mercy. And I am overwhelmed with deep thankfulness. This thankfulness spills over into my everyday life. I become a better husband and father. A wiser pastor. A more faithful friend.

If you are wondering what you can do in the coming year to “make God your helper”, let me encourage the following four spiritual practices…

1) Spend time with God every day. Intentionally place yourself before Him and ask God to help you look at your life and the world around you through His eyes.

2) Gather with a local church family in corporate worship each week. Put it on your schedule right now. Before all the activities and opportunities begin to crowd God out. God promises to meet His people wherever two or three or more are gathered in His name.

3) Find a small group of friends to intentionally pursue Jesus with. Pursue relationships of authenticity and transparency and accountability. Deep spiritual friendships don’t happen by accident. They require intentionality and sacrifice.

4) Find a place to serve. Inside the church. Outside the church. Both. Find a way to get involved in God’s mission to reach the lost and to teach others all He has commanded us as believers. We were created to carry God’s image to the ends of the earth. Get in touch with why you were made.

Don’t try to do 2020 on your own! Don’t fall for the lie that somehow you are strong enough or bold enough or talented enough or stubborn enough. Surrender to the Lord and He will become your helper. He will be your strength and your courage. He will lift you up and carry you though!

Readings for tomorrow: Zechariah 12-13, Revelation 19, Psalms 147, Proverbs 31:1-7

Songs of Praise

Readings for today: Zechariah 9, Revelation 17, Psalms 145, Proverbs 30:32

There may not be a better Psalm for the day after Christmas. After all the songs have been sung. The Word preached. The candles lit. The majesty and mystery of Christmas Eve comes to a close. We go to our homes. We eat good food. We drink good wine. We enjoy special time with those we love. Then life ramps up again. We head back to work. Homes empty as friends and family catch flights back home. Gifts are returned. Decorations taken down and put away for another year. Before we know it, we launch into another year.

It’s easy to forget God in the midst of ordinary life. It’s easy to lose sight of Him. It’s easy for the feelings of peace and joy and love and grace to fade the further we get from Christmas. The Psalmist encourages us to keep praising God. To keep reminding ourselves of all His wonderful acts. To remain consciously aware of His abiding presence. To lay hold of His perfect love which casts out all fear. How do we do this? We worship. We praise. We glorify God each and every day of each and every week of each and every month in the coming year.

“I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever. I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness. Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles. Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness. The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation. All of your works will thank you, Lord, and your faithful followers will praise you. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom; they will give examples of your power. They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign. For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does. The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads. The eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it. When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness. The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them. The Lord protects all those who love him, but he destroys the wicked. I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless his holy name forever and ever.” ‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭145:1-21‬)

There is nothing more important for your spiritual life than meditating on promises of God. Reminding yourself of His steadfast love and faithfulness day after day. God is good. All the time. God is great. All the time. God is gracious and merciful. All the time. He is close to all who call on Him with a sincere heart. He protects those who love Him. He hears the cries of His people. He answers the prayers offered in His name and for his glory.

Friends, we are coming to the end of yet another year of reading Scripture together. Some of you finished early. Others fell behind. Others will finish right on time. I trust all of you wrestled and struggled and prayerfully reflected on how God was speaking to you through His Word as we read. It’s not easy to read the Bible. It’s not easy to attempt to immerse yourself in the strange world of Scripture. But I believe God rewards those who diligently seek Him and I am thankful for the questions you asked. The doubts you wrestled over. The fears you courageously expressed. The way your faith has been challenged and tested and grown. I want to invite you to join us in 2020 for another round. We will launch around January 5th in the new year with a chronological plan that will involve reading six days with Sundays off as we join together in corporate worship. Looking forward to it!

Readings for tomorrow: Zechariah 10-11, Revelation 18, Psalms 146, Proverbs 30:33

Christmas Eve

Readings for today: Zechariah 6-7, Revelation 15, Psalms 143, Proverbs 30:24-28

It’s Christmas Eve. The most special and miraculous night of the year. I think of the millions who will gather around the globe this evening to sing praises to God for all He has done. To worship Christ the newborn King. To marvel at God’s presence in a manger. To tell the old, old story once again.

Why does this story refuse to die? Why does it not just fade into history like so many other stories? What is it about this particular baby that makes Him stand out from all others? As many have pointed out over the years, human history is full of myths and legends. Full of miracles and signs and wonders. Many different religions have come and gone over the centuries. Why has Christianity persisted? Why does it remain so compelling? Historians puzzle over the answer. The rise of the Christian faith is one of the most unlikely things that has ever occurred. There really is no good human explanation for how a rag-tag bunch of uneducated disciples were able to convert an empire within three centuries. No one really understands or can explain how a group of largely poor, powerless, marginalized, and persecuted people were able to spread the gospel so far and wide.

Perhaps it is true? Perhaps this baby we celebrate tonight truly is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Perhaps He is who He says He is. God incarnate in human flesh come to dwell among us. Come to be with us. Come to fight for us. This, of course, is the conclusion of literally billions of people on the earth today and throughout history. It is what keeps them coming back. It’s what keeps them preaching. Keeps them serving. Keeps them giving so much of themselves for the sake of the world.

I love the picture today from the Book of Revelation. The saints of God who have triumphed over death. Those who have persevered through the trials and tribulations of this life. Those who have endured suffering and persecution but have held fast to their faith in Christ. Together, they gather before the throne. Spread out over a sea of glass mingled with fire. And what are they doing? They’re singing. They’re worshipping. They’re praising God for all He has done. “And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying "Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." (Revelation‬ ‭15:3-4‬)

Tonight you and I have the chance to sing the “song of the Lamb” once again. Sing the song of the Emmanuel. Wherever you gather this evening and whoever you gather with, I pray it is a special time of worship. May Christ fill your hearts with His presence and perfect love! Merry Christmas!

Readings for tomorrow: Zechariah 8, Revelation 16, Psalms 144, Proverbs 30:29-31

Sealed and Set Apart

Readings for today: Zechariah 4-5, Revelation 14, Psalms 142, Proverbs 30:21-23

One of the more common questions I get from the book of Revelation has to do with the identity of the 144,000 listed in chapters seven and fourteen. Those who take a “dispensational premillenialist” view of Revelation will argue that after the rapture of the church, the Holy Spirit will set apart 144,000 Jewish believers who evangelize the earth. Others will argue - like the Jehovah’s Witnesses - that this is a special group of believers set apart by God. My belief is that this number is symbolic, representing the full number of those who have been redeemed. 

Again, this is muddy water we’re swimming in. Interpreting Revelation is difficult at best and there are godly men and women who take different positions on these issues. So it’s important to hold loosely here to our eschatological positions while we hold tightly to one another in fellowship. 

Why do I believe the 144,000 is symbolic? Several reasons. First and foremost, is the fact that the number itself is highly stylized. Numbers are often used symbolically throughout Scripture to communicate a deeper truth. We have already seen from much of the writings of the New Testament that one of the biggest challenges facing the early church was the inclusion of the Gentile believers into largely Jewish fellowships. Remember, John is writing to actual churches who are facing severe persecution and he is seeking to encourage them. So it makes perfect sense that in John’s vision from God, an angel of the Lord seals 144,000. A number combining the 12 tribes of Israel with the 12 apostles of Jesus multiplied by 1000 - a number which the Bible often uses to describe a multitude too large to count. Indeed, the very next section in chapter seven talks about “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" (Revelation‬ ‭7:9-10‬)

Second, the list in chapter seven of the tribes of Israel is unique and highly stylized as well. Judah is listed first, probably because Jesus is descended from this particular tribe thus giving him primacy over his older brother Reuben. Joseph is listed which is unusual as his place was taken by his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Levi is listed which is also somewhat unusual in that he is left out of some Old Testament lists since he didn’t inherit any land. Also, because room needs to be made for both of Joseph’s sons to be listed. Dan is left out, perhaps because his territory was the center of idolatry in ancient Israel. The point here is that this list is unique and actually not in alignment with Old Testament history which means a more symbolic, theological point is being made. 

Third, when this number reappears in chapter fourteen, the 144,000 is described as the “redeemed from the earth” or “redeemed/purchased from humanity” which is universal language. Furthermore, if one is going to take a more literal view then one has to conclude that the 144,000 represent a special group of celibate, Jewish evangelists sent out to the earth. I tend to believe the language continues to be symbolic here with sexual purity representing the holiness attributed to those who believe - both Jew and Gentile alike - by the blood of the Lamb. 

So what’s the point? Are we just arguing over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin? I think the larger issue at stake here is this...in this world we will suffer tribulation. In this world we will suffer persecution for our faith. Perhaps we’ve escaped for a time in America but those days are rapidly coming to a close. Christian hegemony has come to an end in the West and we will soon find ourselves faced with the challenges our brothers and sisters face around the world. John’s Revelation will become even more significant in the years ahead not as an intellectual exercise as we try to “crack the code” but as an encouragement in our suffering for Jesus. Just as John wanted to encourage the early Christians to hold fast to our faith even under great trial, so he encourages us to do the same. We have been sealed as God’s own people. We have been set apart to proclaim the excellencies of His grace. We have been saved from a crooked and perverse generation and now are sent out to be His lights in the world. 

Readings for tomorrow: Zechariah 6-7, Revelation 15, Psalms 143, Proverbs 30:24-28

Understanding Revelation

Readings for today: Zechariah 1, Revelation 12, Psalms 140, Proverbs 30:17

Imagine for a moment you live in a world full of violence. Suffering. Pain. Disease. A world where food can be scarce. Clean water unreliable. Disposable income non-existent. Imagine your political leaders are corrupt. Regime change is a constant. Imagine armies marching through your town, your city, your community with frequency. Stripping your storehouses bare. Often burning your fields. Stealing everything of value. Imagine feeling trapped. Helpless. Powerless.

Now layer in the fact that you are a Christian in a predominantly pagan city. There are only about twenty to thirty of you. You have no wealth. No political power. No cultural influence. You are considered an oddity at best, seditious at worst. Because you refuse to participate in the cult of the emperor or the cultural festivals of your city, you are often persecuted. The people taking out their anger and frustration on you with great regularity. Because you follow special rules regarding diet, practice sexual restraint, and care for the sick, poor, and dying; you stand out. You cannot hide. You are marginalized.

Such was the lot of the early Christians John was writing to and it is against this backdrop that we have to read Revelation. Especially passages like the one we find in chapter twelve. The early Christians faced significant persecution. Their lives were threatened almost every day. Living out their faith was not safe. It was costly. It was sacrificial. They were discriminated against in the workplace, in the marketplace, and in the halls of political power in their communities. So when John writes about the suffering of the woman in Revelation and the terrifying might of the dragon as he pursues her, one can easily imaging those early Christians drawing strength and hope from his words…"Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” (Revelation‬ ‭12:10-11‬)

One of the reasons reading and understanding Revelation is so hard for us is we’ve never experienced persecution. Not on the level of our brothers and sisters in the first century or in places like China or Iran today. We have lived relatively comfortable lives of privilege, power, wealth, and influence. We’ve enjoyed a somewhat unprecedented run of peace especially if one is white and middle class. We’ve not had to grapple with institutional discrimination. Systemic persecution.We don’t know what it’s like to be targeted by the government, and more importantly, the government’s police force. And so we are left to speculate. Left to hypothesize on the identity of the woman and the dragon. Left to conjecture on when the war will happen and why God allows the war in the first place.

These questions are important ones but it is equally important to keep in mind the cultural distance between us and those Christians who are living under intense persecution around the world, including our own country. For them, these words are not allegorical but literal. They know what it’s like to hear the dragon’s roar, feel his breath, and endure his relentless pursuit. They know what it’s like to watch their loved ones suffer and struggle and die for their faith. They are the casualties of the very real war being waged in the heavens. The dragon will not go quietly. He will not give up easily. He wants to take as many with him as he can.

So how do we read and understand this difficult book? We humbly let these truths sink in. We resist the temptation to engage this book philosophically and instead try to read it from the perspective of those who suffer. What hope can we find? What can we learn about perseverance and endurance and facing our trials by faith? How can we hold onto faith in the Son of God who came into the world to defeat the powers of darkness and destroy the devil once and for all?

Readings for tomorrow: Zechariah 2-3, Revelation 13, Psalms 141, Proverbs 30:18-20

Created for Worship

Readings for today: Haggai 1-2, Revelation 11, Psalms 139, Proverbs 30:15-16

What is the meaning of life? Why are we put on this green earth? What is our purpose? What is God’s will? These are the fundamental questions of our existence. And no matter how hard we try or how much we drink or how many pills we take or how much we smoke or how much we eat or how much we save or how much we spend or how hard we work out or how successful we become or how much sex we experience or how many children we have or how much power and control we are able to gain…we will never find peace until we find the answers. For thousands of years humanity has been on this quest. Searched high and low. Traversed the globe. Looked in every nook and cranny on earth. To no avail. U2 was right. We still haven’t found what we’re looking for.

What is the chief end of man? What is the reason for our existence? Why are we here? To worship God and enjoy Him forever. To praise God for who He is and what He’s all about. To serve God and bear Him glorious image to the world. This is why God comes down so hard on Israel when they neglect the rebuilding of His Temple. It’s not that God’s homeless. It’s not that God is feeling lonely. It’s not that God somehow is dependent on the worship of His people. Far from it. God created the universe and all that is in it and exists outside time and space in perfect communion with Himself. But God does love us and He desires to have a relationship with us and the Temple is the place where Israel could come and meet with Him. The Temple was the place where Israel could come and worship Him. The Temple was the place where heaven met earth and on that threshold we find all our fundamental questions answered.

“Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, "Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes…Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord.” (Haggai‬ ‭1:3-6, 8‬)

God will have the worship He deserves and the worship He demands. He created us to praise Him. Created us to worship Him. Created us to serve Him. When we abandon those purposes or neglect those purposes, our lives descend into chaos and confusion. When we are attentive to the Lord and surrender to His will and willingly offer our lives to Him, we experience the blessings of peace and joy and love that pass all understanding. As you head into Christmas this year, where is your heart? Is it drawn towards worship? Drawn to the stable? Drawn to the manger? Drawn towards the Christ child? Do you find your heart longing to go to the “Temple” to worship the Living God?

Readings for tomorrow: Zechariah 1, Revelation 12, Psalms 140, Proverbs 30:17

The Challenge of Revelation

Readings for today: Zephaniah 1-3, Revelation 10, Psalms 138, Proverbs 30:11-14

I always find it strangely appropriate to finish my Bible reading each year in the Book of Revelation. As we head into the celebration of Christmas - the first advent of Jesus Christ - it is good to let our hearts naturally turn to His second advent. The day when He comes again. When the living and the dead are raised and heaven and earth come together in consummate glory and the reign of God is established once and for all.  

When will it happen? How will it happen? No one really knows and the Book of Revelation is notoriously difficult to decipher and understand. So here are some basic ground rules as you wade into the final book of the Bible. First, it is written by John while in prison on the island of Patmos. In order to get this letter out to the churches, John had to write it in code. The Roman authorities would have screened every piece of communication coming in and out of the prison so John had to be careful. Second, the writing is apocalyptic which is a very specific genre known to many in the ancient world. The fantastic images and visions are hallmarks of this type of literature. Third, the churches John is writing to are under persecution. They are facing the prospect of torture and death on a daily basis. This book is meant to encourage and equip them so they can endure in the rough days ahead. Fourth, many different Christians approach this book from many different interpretive angles. There is no one way to read this book and we want to make sure to extend liberty and charity to one another as we go. Wherever you land on the “End Times” theological spectrum, what’s most important is that we all agree Jesus will come again. 

Does this mean we should just chuck Revelation? Of course not. But as we read, we should remind ourselves over and over again of the words John spoke to the seven churches. They must become the “lens” through which we read the rest of the book. After all, this letter was initially intended for their benefit and encouragement. As you and I struggle and wrestle through the ups and downs of life. As we battle our own demons and fight against forces beyond our control. As we watch our country and our world descend into more and more chaos. I believe these words from John become more and more relevant. “I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation‬ ‭1:8‬) God spoke the first Word in creation and God will have the last Word in consummation. He who began all things, will bring them to a close according to His will and good pleasure. God is. This is all we know. This is really all we can say. God stands outside the time and space continuum He created and will remain there looking in until He determines the time is right for His return. As John said in His Gospel, God revealed Himself to the world but the world did not recognize Him. He revealed Himself to His people, His family, and they rejected Him. When He comes again, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord. He will leave no doubt. “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.” (Revelation‬ ‭1:7‬)

It is good to know that God is in control. Not in a flippant, cliche, empty platitude kind of way but a real, gritty, earthy, down-in-the-weeds, feet-on-the-ground kind of experience that undergirds all of life. It is good to hold fast to an eternal perspective when things in this life go haywire. To know God is at work even now building a new Jerusalem which will one day descend to earth. To know that God is at work even now preparing a place for each and every one of us that we may dwell with Him forever. To know that God is at work not just in heaven above but in earth below to draw many to Himself. He sends us out in His name to fight injustice. To minister peace. To heal the sick. Visit those in prison. Clothe the naked. Feed the hungry. Bring the good news of the gospel to those who have not heard or who need to hear again. Do we as the church often lose our way? Of course. Just look at the warnings John issues to the seven churches. Ephesus, you have lost your first love. Smyrna, you are about to suffer terribly. Pergamum, too many of follow false teaching. Thyatira, you tolerate sexual immorality and idolatry. Sardis, your works are not yet complete. Philadelphia, hold fast to your faith. Laodicea, pick a side. Sounds about right. Par for the course for the church of Jesus Christ. We are mixed bag. Broken people trying our best to follow Jesus. We won’t always get it right. We won’t always get it wrong. Thankfully, our eternal destiny does not rest on our faithfulness but on the faithfulness of the One who declares, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”‭‭ (Revelation‬ ‭1:17-18‬)

As your journey through the Bible in 2019 comes to a close and you ponder what the Lord may be calling you to in 2020, what lessons have you learned? How has your faith been challenged? Where have you found comfort? How have you grown spiritually? What questions persist? What doubts continue to plague? Don’t be afraid to take these to Jesus! He is not afraid of your fears. He is not daunted by your questions. He doesn’t get angry over your battle with unbelief. He is here to help. He is here to comfort. He is here to guide. Trust Him and He will see you through!

Readings for tomorrow: Haggai 1-2, Revelation 11, Psalms 139, Proverbs 30:15-16

Is God Enough?

Readings for today: Habakkuk 1-3, Revelation 9, Psalms 137, Proverbs 30:10

“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places.” (Habakkuk‬ ‭3:17-19‬)

When I was in college, I attended a Bible study one summer where the leader challenged us all to think about why we loved God. Drawing in material from across the Old Testament, he forced us to ask the fundamental question, “Is God worthy of our love simply because He’s God? Or does God need to earn our love and devotion on some level?” That may seem like an easy question to answer on the face of it but consider the implications. Consider the words of Habakkuk above. What if God withheld His blessings from your life? What if your work didn’t prosper? You never got married? Your children suffered? What if your health failed? You were discriminated against? Or falsely accused and imprisoned? What if your friends walked away from you? Your family turned against you? And you were left alone? What if your body turned against you and you contracted a disease like ALS? Or schizophrenia emerged when you were in your early 20’s? Or early dementia set in robbing you of your faculties? Would you still love God? Would He still be worthy of your devotion? Taking it one step further, would you rejoice? Praise the God of your salvation? 

These are the issues the leader of our group forced us to confront as we wrestled with the fundamental question, “Is God Enough?” From a ministry perspective, consider the call God placed on Habakkuk’s life. He is called to preach judgment. Suffering. Pain. The coming retribution for cumulative sins of the people of God. This is not your best life now. Or seven steps to a better you. Or God has a wonderful plan for your life. This is hard stuff and I am sure it didn’t make him very popular. He probably didn’t pastor a mega-church. Probably didn’t fill an auditorium. Probably would not have appeared on the cover of OutReach Magazine. He fails the seeker-sensitive test. Fails to make faith attractive. He puts a stumbling block to faith in the path of every single person who would give him a listen. And yet, everything he says is true. God’s truth. 

Passages like this force us to grapple with why we believe. Why we love God. Why we worship Him and serve Him. Is it for the eschatological goodies? Eternal salvation? An eternal home where the streets are paved with gold? A place where there is no more suffering, crying, or pain? Is that why we love God? Because He provides a safe and secure retirement plan? Or is it for the temporal blessings? Health. Wealth. Success. Take these things away and we often find our faith on the chopping block. I can’t tell you the number of Christians I’ve counseled over the years who’ve walked away from their faith simply because they felt God had let them down.  

Is God enough? It’s a question every Christian has to wrestle with at some point in their lives. It’s fundamentally the question the great heroes of our faith wrestled with in their lives. Noah believed God was enough even as he watched the world be destroyed. Abraham and Sarah believed God was enough even though they were barren and had no children. Moses believed God was enough even as he was being sent back to what I’m sure he assumed would be certain death in Egypt. David believed God was enough even after he committed rape and adultery. Jesus believed His Father was enough which is why He embraced the cross. Paul believed God was enough which is how he learned to be content in all circumstances. And on and on it goes. Down through the ages. The question is posed to every generation in all times and places. Until it comes to us. Do we believe God is enough? Or do we need more? What if God took away our American Dream? What if God took away our health? Our wealth? Our success? What if it served God’s purposes to strip these things out of our lives? Would He still be enough for us? Or would we find ourselves needing more? 

Especially during this Christmas season, I hope you will take time to ponder and reflect on the gift of Jesus. He truly is more than enough!

Readings for tomorrow: Zephaniah 1-3, Revelation 10, Psalms 138, Proverbs 30:11-14

Two-Faced God

Readings for today: Nahum 1-3, Revelation 8, Psalms 136, Proverbs 30:7-9

“The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; he dries up all the rivers; Bashan and Carmel wither; the bloom of Lebanon withers. The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it. Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him. The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness.” (Nahum‬ ‭1:2-8‬)

The Romans had a myth about a god named Janus. Janus was the god of beginnings and endings. He looked to both the future and the past. He was the god of transitions. The god of dualities. The god of doorways and gates. As such, he was always depicted as having two faces.

One of the most common questions I get when we read the Bible in groups is why God seems to have two faces. Why God seems to have two natures. The Old Testament often depicts Him as a vengeful, angry deity capable of great atrocities while the New Testament often depicts Him as a God of love and grace and mercy. What gives? How can both be true? Should we just jettison the Old Testament as irrelevant to our understanding of God’s nature and character as some are wont to do? Jesus doesn’t leave us that option. He tells us not one “jot or tittle” will pass from the Law. He clearly believes His Messiahship is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as much as He is our God today. He is the Alpha and the Omega. The Beginning and the End. He is the Lord of life and the Lord of time. In a sense, He is the true Janus with this one critical difference…He only has one face.

God is eternally consistent and He interacts with His creation in an eternally consistent way. From the beginning, God makes the heavens and the earth out of nothing. It is perfect. It is good. He then makes a creature in His own image. Endows it with the ability to discern right from wrong. Good from evil. Obedience from disobedience. He gives this creature dominion over all He has made. The sole reason for this creature’s existence is to steward all creation for the glory of God. Care for creation as the high priest of God. And creation itself is designed to thrive under the authority of this image-bearing creature. Tragically, the creature rebels against God. Rejects his calling. And abuses his authority. Now the world suffers. The world groans. The world cries out in pain. Disease. Pestilence. Violence. Natural disasters. Famine. Drought. These are signs of a world in chaos. A world in turmoil. A world in upheaval because the high priest has abandoned his call in order to serve himself.

All of us are guilty. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory God originally intended for us. All of us are naturally selfish. Self-interested. Self-promoting. Self-absorbed. We are our highest priority. Taking care of self is our number one goal. This is the opposite of God’s design. In God’s eyes, it is “evil” and the source of all the pain in the world. God is just. He is holy. He is righteous. So He judges the people of the earth. He sends His prophets to call them to account for their sin. He rightly demands they get back to work. Return to their high calling. Fulfill the purpose for which they were designed in the first place. But humanity continues to rebel. Continues to dig in their heels. They make other gods. Gods they can control. Gods they can manipulate. Gods who reflect their broken image. These gods are lifeless of course. They offer nothing because they are not real. So sin piles up on sin. The injustice and violence and suffering of the world increases. Eventually, God does step in. He punishes. He puts an end to evil. The results are terrifying in their scope and power. Still humanity protests. Still humanity blame-shifts. How can God be so cruel? How can God be so unfair? How can God be so unloving?

Eventually, in the fullness of time, God sends His one and only Son into the world. This has been God’s plan all along. Hatched in the mists of eternity before time began. God plotting to rescue His creation from the Fall. Planning to redeem the creature made in His image and restore him to his rightful place in the world. Sin has piled up on sin. The injustice and violence and suffering only continues to increase. So God steps in. He takes our punishment. He puts an end to evil. The scope and power of Jesus’ suffering and death is terrifying to behold. How can God be so cruel to His Son? How can God be so unfair as to lay the sin of the world on His shoulders? How can the Father be so unloving towards His beloved Son?

In Christ, the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament come together. Jesus satisfies the demands of the Father’s justice. He turns away the Father’s righteous wrath. He takes the Father’s righteous judgment on Himself. In so doing, He becomes a refuge for all who would come to Him. He becomes a stronghold for all who would run to Him. He becomes a sanctuary for all who would seek shelter in Him. He is good and His love endures forever!

Readings for tomorrow: Habakkuk 1-3, Revelation 9, Psalms 137, Proverbs 30:10

God’s Everlasting Arms

Readings for today: Micah 5-7, Revelation 7, Psalms 135, Proverbs 30:5-6

I grew up going to church every Sunday. I said the creeds. Prayed the prayers. Sang the songs. My mom was a music teacher and she instilled in all of us a great love for music, especially the music of the church. My brothers and I all participated in choir and we learned the great hymns. One of my favorites growing up was a hymn titled, “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.” More upbeat than most, the chorus goes like this. “Leaning, leaning; Safe and secure from all alarms! Leaning, leaning; Leaning on the everlasting arms.” Though I did not come to faith until college, I’ve always experienced God as a comforting presence. Mainly because of songs like this one that declare His nature and character. Even though I was not a believer, God was instilling in me through the music, prayers, creeds, and sermons I heard a deep understanding of who He is. Building a bridge to my heart that I would later walk across at CU.  

I love how Micah concludes his prophetic work. “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah‬ ‭7:18-19‬) In this passage we hear echoes of the great epiphany of Moses from Exodus 34 where God literally appears and reveals His divine nature and character to His people. "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation." (Exodus‬ ‭34:6-7‬) Throughout their history. Thousands upon thousands of years. Israel leaned on the everlasting arms of their God. They trusted in His forgiveness and grace. They experienced His deep, loyal, steadfast love. They rejoiced in His great compassion. Every week when they would gather for worship, they sang. They prayed. They declared the glory of God. And they passed on their faith to each successive generation. 

Why is worship so important? Why is reading Scripture every day so important? Why is coming before Christ on a regular basis so crucial for our faith? Because we need to be reminded of God’s great faithfulness. We need to be reminded of His great love and compassion. His mercy and grace. His forgiveness. We need to be reminded in the midst of judgment that while “weeping may tarry for a night, joy comes in the morning.”(Psalm 30:5b) We need to be reminded that while God will not be mocked and will by no means clear those who are guilty of sin, He will not remain angry with us forever. “For His anger is fleeting but His favor lasts a lifetime.”(Psalm 30:5a) We need to be reminded that God knows our weakness and has provided a way for us to salvation. “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days...And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.” (Micah‬ ‭5:2, 4‬)

I don’t know what you might be facing today. The challenges. The crises. The difficulties. Maybe it’s a health issue. Maybe it’s a family issue. Maybe it’s a job issue. Maybe you’re staring at an uncertain future. Maybe you’ve made a huge mistake and you’re paying the price. Let me encourage you to lean on the everlasting arms of Jesus! Trust Him. Believe in Him. Place your faith in Him to carry you through! Maybe things are going well for you. Life is blessed. Success seems to follow you wherever you go. Your kids are doing great. Your career is on the upward swing. You’re surrounded by people who love you. Praise Jesus! Thank Him for His great faithfulness! Rejoice in His favor! Share it with others.  

God is the same yesterday, today and forever, friends.(Hebrews 13:8) There is no shadow or turning with Him.(James 1:17) “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Numbers‬ ‭23:19‬) Believe Him for your life today!

Readings for tomorrow: Nahum 1-3, Revelation 8, Psalms 136, Proverbs 30:7-9

Dying to Self

Readings for today: Jonah 1-4, Revelation 5, Psalms 133, Proverbs 29:26-27

Jonah is a great book. Especially when read in it’s historical context. The northern kingdom of Israel has just been destroyed by the Assyrian Empire. They’ve been scattered to the four winds. Forcibly resettled in new lands. Their way of life gone forever. And now we get to read of God’s prophetic attempt to call those same Assyrians to repentance. To say Jonah is an unwilling prophet is an understatement! He must have had a tremendously frustrating career. His own people refuse to follow the Lord. They keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again. They are unfaithful. They are unworthy. They are idolatrous. As a result, God sends the Assyrians to punish them. To drive them to their knees in humility and repentance. When that doesn’t work, those same Assyrians become the instrument of His righteous judgment on His own people. One can only imagine the hatred a man like Jonah would harbor for such people. They are Gentiles. Unbelievers. Unclean. Unworthy of God’s grace. But then he receives the call to go and preach the gospel to them. What the heck?! 

Jonah is a great book to read today. Our world is full of hatred and enmity. Social media gives full vent to our anger and rage. Judging others seems to be the order of the day and grace is in short supply. If someone disagrees with you, they are almost sub-human. Worthy only to be unfriended, unfollowed, and publicly shamed. If someone questions you, they become a target. Attacked. Torn down. Their character assassinated. If someone doesn’t affirm you, they get cut out of your life almost immediately. It is sad and disheartening and ultimately self-destructive. 

Perhaps this is why Jesus calls us to love our enemies. Love humanizes. Love requires grace and forgiveness. Love requires listening and humility. Ultimately, love is selfless. It requires us to die to self in order to live for someone else. It forces us to take a good hard look at ourselves, our motives, our intentions, and lay them aside before engaging others. It celebrates diversity and assumes the best of others. It honors difference and dignifies those who disagree. It is deeply practical. And it should set Christians apart from the rest of the world. 

Unfortunately, too many Christians seem to have forgotten this command. They explain it away. Rationalize it. Reject it. And the result is only more pain as the vicious cycle continues. Every Christian should ponder and pray over the closing words of Jonah...“When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, "It is better for me to die than to live." But God said to Jonah, "Do you do well to be angry for the plant?" And he said, "Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die." And the Lord said, "You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?" (Jonah‬ ‭4:8-11‬) We need to ask ourselves if we do well to be so angry? So enraged? We need to ask ourselves if we pity those who are like us more than those who are different? Pity those who agree with us more than those who disagree? Pity our friends more than our enemies? Should God not pity Democrats and Republicans? Liberals and conservatives? Whites and blacks? Asians and Latinos? Aboriginal people as well as immigrants? Should God not pity Americans as well as Mexicans? Israelis as well as Palestinians? North as well as South Koreans? Should God not pity Trump supporters as well as Bernie supporters? Rich as well as poor? Privileged as well as under-privileged? The list is infinite but thankfully so is God’s grace. 

The way to life is the way of love. And the way of love is the way of sacrifice. We must die so others might live. We must lay down our lives so that others may thrive. We must give our lives away so that others might rise. Friends and enemies alike. Worthy and unworthy alike. This is what it means to follow Jesus. This is what it looks like to have the heart of God.

Readings for tomorrow: Micah 1-4, Revelation 6, Psalms 134, Proverbs 30:1-4