This will be the last blog for year 2013. What started as a new year resolution has turned into a year of learning discipline and many blessings. I have managed to fulfil my commitment to write a blog every week and some. I can only attribute it to the work of the Holy Spirit. There had been times when the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthews 26:41). So this is an appropriate verse to end the year:
So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.
(Zechariah 4:6)
I have heard this verse preached on many times over the years. Typically it is used by missionaries to encourage Christians to trust God's Spirit to do the work which we cannot do ourselves, like saving others. It also causes us to be humble and to give praise to God when the miracle has happened - friends turning to Christ!
The context of this verse has to do with Zechariah's vision in chapter 4 verses 2-3:
“I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”
And the angel explained what it meant (verses 6-9):
“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’” Then the word of the Lord came to me: “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.
Against all odds, Zerubbabel managed to lay the foundation for the temple in Jerusalem after it had been destroyed by the Babylonians. According to Wikipedia "Zerubbabel was a governor of the Persian Province of Judah (Haggai 1:1) and the grandson of Jehoiachin, penultimate (next to the last) king of Judah. Zerubbabel led the first group of Jews, numbering 42,360, who returned from the Babylonian Captivity in the first year of Cyrus, King of Persia (Ezra). The date is generally thought to have been between 538 and 520 BC. Zerubbabel also laid the foundation of the Second Temple in Jerusalem soon after." "Elias Bickerman speculates that one of the reasons that Zerubbabel was able to rebuild the Temple was because of “the widespread revolts at the beginning of the reign of Darius I in 522 BC, which preoccupied him to such a degree that Zerubbabel felt he could initiate the rebuilding of the temple without repercussions”."
It seems to me that to do the impossible task of rebuilding God's temple Zerubbabel needed first of all a capstone (mentioned twice in this chapter). Now what is a capstone? According to The Christian Post: "When a stone arch is built, a stone is placed in the center at the top, holding the arch together. It is the focal point of the arch. It is what holds the arch together. Without the capstone, the arch would crumble. This is what Jesus is - the capstone of the church. He is at the top and in the center. He holds the church together. Without Jesus, there would be no church. Without Jesus, the church would crumble."
Jesus devoted considerable amount of time teaching (and proclaiming the good news) in the temple courts in Jerusalem (Luke 20). When the religious authority challenged his authority, he referred to this Psalms:
‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’?
(Ps 118:22, Acts 4:11)
Again The Christian Post has this take home application (I have changed the third person to the personal pronoun):
"For the individual Christian, Jesus is the capstone - if I allow Him to be. He is the capstone of my life. He is at the top and in the center of my life. He holds me together - mentally, physically and, most important, spiritually. Without Him, I am nothing. Without Him, I would have no hope. Without Him, life is a meaningless, fruitless turmoil that ends abruptly and eternally in death."
"Is Jesus my capstone? Is He my primary focus in everything I do? Is He the most important thing in my life? Is He what holds me together? Is He my hope, my salvation? If not, isn't it time I let Him be?"
Friday 27 December 2013
Friday 20 December 2013
Hosea - the walking prophecies
Starting with his name - Hosea is not an uncommon name which means "salvation", or "He saves", or "He helps"(see Wikipedia). What I didn't know is that Joshua, whom Moses sent to spy out the promise land, was originally Hoshea (same name as Hosea in Biblical Hebrew), son of Nun (Numbers 13:16).
He was told by God to marry a promiscuous woman whose name was Gomer - "for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord." (Hosea 1:2). She will bear him children whose names were like walking prophecies of the fall of the ruling dynasty and the severed covenant with God. His first son "Call him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel" (Hosea 1:4); the second child, a daughter “Call her Lo-Ruhamah (which means “not loved”), for I will no longer show love to Israel, that I should at all forgive them." (Hosea 1:6); the third child, a son “Call him Lo-Ammi (which means “not my people”), for you are not my people, and I am not your God." (Hosea 1:9). Hosea's family life reflected the "adulterous" relationship which Israel had built with polytheistic gods. The relationship between Hosea and Gomer parallels the relationship between God and Israel. Even though Gomer runs away from Hosea and sleeps with another man, he loves her anyway and forgives her. Likewise, even though the people of Israel worshipped other gods, God continued to love them and did not abandon his covenant with them. (Wikipedia)
Hosea was one of the twelve "minor prophets" of the Old Testament in the Bible. He was said to be the only prophet from Israel (of the Northern Kingdom) who had left any prophetic writing. He was a contemporary of the prophets Isaiah and Micah. Although he is known to be a "prophet of doom", his life story speaks of God as the redeemer, even though our idolatrous nature would take us away from him repeatedly. These are some of my favourite verses (from Gotquestions.org):
Hosea 2:23, “I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called 'Not my loved one.' I will say to those called 'Not my people,' 'You are my people'; and they will say, 'You are my God.'”
Hosea 6:6, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.”
Hosea 14:2-4, “Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: 'Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount war-horses. We will never again say "Our gods" to what our own hands have made, for in you the fatherless find compassion.' "I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.’”
This book is a good reminder of the repetitiveness of my idolatry (my going after other gods that are man-made) and the need to go back to the only God who is ever so patient with me and who had redeemed me from my slavery to these things.
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21)
For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. (1 John 2:16)
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9)
He was told by God to marry a promiscuous woman whose name was Gomer - "for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord." (Hosea 1:2). She will bear him children whose names were like walking prophecies of the fall of the ruling dynasty and the severed covenant with God. His first son "Call him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel" (Hosea 1:4); the second child, a daughter “Call her Lo-Ruhamah (which means “not loved”), for I will no longer show love to Israel, that I should at all forgive them." (Hosea 1:6); the third child, a son “Call him Lo-Ammi (which means “not my people”), for you are not my people, and I am not your God." (Hosea 1:9). Hosea's family life reflected the "adulterous" relationship which Israel had built with polytheistic gods. The relationship between Hosea and Gomer parallels the relationship between God and Israel. Even though Gomer runs away from Hosea and sleeps with another man, he loves her anyway and forgives her. Likewise, even though the people of Israel worshipped other gods, God continued to love them and did not abandon his covenant with them. (Wikipedia)
Hosea was one of the twelve "minor prophets" of the Old Testament in the Bible. He was said to be the only prophet from Israel (of the Northern Kingdom) who had left any prophetic writing. He was a contemporary of the prophets Isaiah and Micah. Although he is known to be a "prophet of doom", his life story speaks of God as the redeemer, even though our idolatrous nature would take us away from him repeatedly. These are some of my favourite verses (from Gotquestions.org):
Hosea 2:23, “I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called 'Not my loved one.' I will say to those called 'Not my people,' 'You are my people'; and they will say, 'You are my God.'”
Hosea 6:6, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.”
Hosea 14:2-4, “Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: 'Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount war-horses. We will never again say "Our gods" to what our own hands have made, for in you the fatherless find compassion.' "I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.’”
This book is a good reminder of the repetitiveness of my idolatry (my going after other gods that are man-made) and the need to go back to the only God who is ever so patient with me and who had redeemed me from my slavery to these things.
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21)
For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. (1 John 2:16)
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9)
Friday 13 December 2013
Whom Shall I Fear?
I just finished reading the Book of Hosea and wanted to write a summary like I did for the Book of Ezekiel last week. However, while googling around I "accidentally" discovered a sermon I heard maybe 2 or 3 years ago by Pastor Lane Fusilier (of Philpott Memorial Church) on the topic of "Whom shall I fear" which was taken from the Book of Ezekiel! Here are my notes (the application was very powerful!):
Introduction on the sermon series "Whom Shall I Fear":
Previous sermon on Luke 12:4-7 - "Fear Not"
I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Lesson: Fear God more than anything else. "It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Proverbs 9:10 and Psalms 111:10) - that's the kind of fear we embrace!
This sermon in Ezekiel 2:1-8 - the same phrase "Fear Not" is used.
He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.
3 He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ 5 And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. 8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”
In Ezekiel, the fear is the fear of being ridiculed. When we are fearful of our vulnerability we look to the cross - Jesus was more vulnerable than we will ever be - by his own choice. However, when we are being ridiculed - it is more personal. We know that when we represent God, we will be ridiculed.
Jesus said:
Blessed are the ridiculed! (Matthew 5:11)
How are we blessed when we are ridiculed for our faith?
Make sure we are not ridiculed because of the way we are doing it. It should be more than me; it should be "because of Jesus" for which we are ridiculed.
Three main points from this passage:
(1) Why did Ezekiel need to be told not to fear?
In chapter 1 Ezekiel had a vision and saw the "glow" (or the glory) of God! This happened while he was among the exiles (deported Jews) living in Babylon (see my last blog). The Babylonians successfully removed the spiritual, economic, and political leaders from Israel and brought them to Babylon. They were rebellious, obstinate, and stubborn (verses 3 & 4). This was the people Ezekiel was sent to warn about God's punishment. God predicted that they would not listen or believe what Ezekiel had to say. They would most certainly ridicule him. He had reason to be afraid. God told him not to fear because the spirit of God would help him - much like what he did in chapter 1 when Ezekiel was so awe struck by the vision of God that he could not stand up on his own (verse 1). The Spirit had to prop him up (verse 2)! Ezekiel was told that it was not about the result (whether they listen or fail to listen); he just needed to obey (speak God's words to them)(verse 7).
(2) What is going to help him not to be afraid?
Ezekiel was asked by God to do only what God can do (changing people's hearts). God will protect him. This is illustrated by the fact that God only called his name twice but He addressed him as "son of man" 92 times in the Book of Ezekiel! Jesus is also addressed as the son of man - he is fully human, he represents man. So God was calling Ezekiel son of man to remind him that he was mortal; only God could keep him alive. Knowing that he was in God's hand helped him not to be afraid.
(3) What is he supposed to do?
Applications:
May God give us grace - our fear is their door to repentance. Give me the courage to speak.
The story of Jim Elliot is a wonderful story of someone who was not afraid to tell the gospel to a man eating tribe.
Isaiah 54:4-8
“Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;
be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
5 For your Maker is your husband,
the Lord of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
6 For the Lord has called you
like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of youth when she is cast off,
says your God.
7 For a brief moment I deserted you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
8 In overflowing anger for a moment
I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”
says the Lord, your Redeemer.
Introduction on the sermon series "Whom Shall I Fear":
Previous sermon on Luke 12:4-7 - "Fear Not"
I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Lesson: Fear God more than anything else. "It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Proverbs 9:10 and Psalms 111:10) - that's the kind of fear we embrace!
This sermon in Ezekiel 2:1-8 - the same phrase "Fear Not" is used.
He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.
3 He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ 5 And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. 8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”
In Ezekiel, the fear is the fear of being ridiculed. When we are fearful of our vulnerability we look to the cross - Jesus was more vulnerable than we will ever be - by his own choice. However, when we are being ridiculed - it is more personal. We know that when we represent God, we will be ridiculed.
Jesus said:
Blessed are the ridiculed! (Matthew 5:11)
How are we blessed when we are ridiculed for our faith?
Make sure we are not ridiculed because of the way we are doing it. It should be more than me; it should be "because of Jesus" for which we are ridiculed.
Three main points from this passage:
(1) Why did Ezekiel need to be told not to fear?
In chapter 1 Ezekiel had a vision and saw the "glow" (or the glory) of God! This happened while he was among the exiles (deported Jews) living in Babylon (see my last blog). The Babylonians successfully removed the spiritual, economic, and political leaders from Israel and brought them to Babylon. They were rebellious, obstinate, and stubborn (verses 3 & 4). This was the people Ezekiel was sent to warn about God's punishment. God predicted that they would not listen or believe what Ezekiel had to say. They would most certainly ridicule him. He had reason to be afraid. God told him not to fear because the spirit of God would help him - much like what he did in chapter 1 when Ezekiel was so awe struck by the vision of God that he could not stand up on his own (verse 1). The Spirit had to prop him up (verse 2)! Ezekiel was told that it was not about the result (whether they listen or fail to listen); he just needed to obey (speak God's words to them)(verse 7).
(2) What is going to help him not to be afraid?
Ezekiel was asked by God to do only what God can do (changing people's hearts). God will protect him. This is illustrated by the fact that God only called his name twice but He addressed him as "son of man" 92 times in the Book of Ezekiel! Jesus is also addressed as the son of man - he is fully human, he represents man. So God was calling Ezekiel son of man to remind him that he was mortal; only God could keep him alive. Knowing that he was in God's hand helped him not to be afraid.
(3) What is he supposed to do?
- Speak for God: Speak regardless of the response - expect results not in the short term; "they will know a prophet has been among them" (verse 5) - that's the effect. In Greg Koukl's book Tactics he used the phrase "to leave a stone in their shoe" to remind the people that God was there; he had warned them by his prophet.
- Speak as someone "the glory of God had impacted his soul". If we speak without the impact of the glory of God it will sound like something we made up, and come across as self-righteousness.
- Speak according to God's word "Speak my words to them...open your mouth and eat what I give you" (verses 7 & 8) - be satisfied with God's words ourselves first; then speak.
Applications:
- Fear is real. We have experienced it. Jesus had experienced it also (Hebrews 2:18). God has spoken to this (as in the book of Ezekiel).
- The reason God has chosen you - because you are just like them in all the important ways (just as Ezekiel was one of the exiles). We know the questions they have - like why did God not answer our prayer to heal our love one. Statistics showed that 80% of new believers were introduced to Jesus by their friends; only 2% were by a pastor. They see me just like them. We must love the word more than their approval and not be afraid of their ridicule.
May God give us grace - our fear is their door to repentance. Give me the courage to speak.
The story of Jim Elliot is a wonderful story of someone who was not afraid to tell the gospel to a man eating tribe.
Isaiah 54:4-8
“Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;
be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
5 For your Maker is your husband,
the Lord of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
6 For the Lord has called you
like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of youth when she is cast off,
says your God.
7 For a brief moment I deserted you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
8 In overflowing anger for a moment
I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”
says the Lord, your Redeemer.
Friday 6 December 2013
What I learned from the Book of Ezekiel
Finished reading through the Book of Ezekiel a couple of days ago. I have been doing this year after year following the read through the bible calendar. I cannot say I get anything more out of it this time than the other years. So I decided to devote a bit more time exploring other resources to see if I can understand the book a bit more and thus be blessed by it since it is part of scripture, God's Holy Word.
Biblestudytools.com gives a very good historical context for the Book of Ezekiel. Basically Ezekiel lived through many wars: firstly the invasion of the Assyrians ending with the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel (722-721 b.c.); then followed by the invasion of the Babylonians and Medes (612 b.c.); only to be supplanted by the Egyptian 3 years later, who also destroyed the southern kingdom of Judah. After a couple of more battles between the Egyptians and the Babylonians Jerusalem finally fell in 605 b.c. resulting in the exile of 10,000 Jews, including Ezekiel, to Babylon. On August 14, 586, Jerusalem and its famous temple were burned down completely. These events were also recorded in other books of the bible including 2 King 23-24, 2 Chronicles 35, Jeremiah 46, and Daniel 1.
Ezekiel was a priest serving among the exiles and there he received his call to become a prophet (Ezekiel 1:1-2). "For the first seven years of his ministry (593-586 b.c.) he faithfully relayed to his fellow Jews the stern, heart-rending, hope-crushing word of divine judgment: Because of all her sins, Jerusalem would fall. The fact that Israel was God's covenant people and that Jerusalem was the city of his temple would not bring their early release from exile or prevent Jerusalem from being destroyed. The only hope the prophet was authorized to extend to his hearers was that of living at peace with themselves and with God during their exile."(extract from Biblestudytools.com).
Ezekiel's prophetic messages often involved symbolism and object lessons. The most extreme object lesson I think is the death of his wife during which time Ezekiel was told not to mourn openly. This was to be a sign to God's people that they were not to mourn openly for the fall of Jerusalem and its temple (see Ezekiel 24:15-27). Ezekiel's prophetic messages also followed similar sequence as other major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zephaniah): judgement against God's people (chapters 1-24); judgement against the invading nations (chapters 25-32); and promise of restoration of God's kingdom (chapters 33-48).
So what can I learn from this book? I had referred to Chuck Swindoll's overview previously. In "What's the big idea?" he wrote: "God didn’t exile the Israelites primarily to punish them. God never has been nor is He now interested in punishment for punishment’s sake. Rather, He intended the punishment or judgment in Ezekiel’s day as a means to an end—to bring His people to a state of repentance and humility before the one true God. They had lived for so long in sin and rebellion, confident in their own strength and that of the neighboring nations, that they needed God to remind them of His holy nature and their humble identity in a most dramatic way. After centuries of warnings, prophetic messages, and invasions, God decided that more significant action was required—He had to remove the people from their promised land."
So these are my take home points:
Biblestudytools.com gives a very good historical context for the Book of Ezekiel. Basically Ezekiel lived through many wars: firstly the invasion of the Assyrians ending with the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel (722-721 b.c.); then followed by the invasion of the Babylonians and Medes (612 b.c.); only to be supplanted by the Egyptian 3 years later, who also destroyed the southern kingdom of Judah. After a couple of more battles between the Egyptians and the Babylonians Jerusalem finally fell in 605 b.c. resulting in the exile of 10,000 Jews, including Ezekiel, to Babylon. On August 14, 586, Jerusalem and its famous temple were burned down completely. These events were also recorded in other books of the bible including 2 King 23-24, 2 Chronicles 35, Jeremiah 46, and Daniel 1.
Ezekiel was a priest serving among the exiles and there he received his call to become a prophet (Ezekiel 1:1-2). "For the first seven years of his ministry (593-586 b.c.) he faithfully relayed to his fellow Jews the stern, heart-rending, hope-crushing word of divine judgment: Because of all her sins, Jerusalem would fall. The fact that Israel was God's covenant people and that Jerusalem was the city of his temple would not bring their early release from exile or prevent Jerusalem from being destroyed. The only hope the prophet was authorized to extend to his hearers was that of living at peace with themselves and with God during their exile."(extract from Biblestudytools.com).
Ezekiel's prophetic messages often involved symbolism and object lessons. The most extreme object lesson I think is the death of his wife during which time Ezekiel was told not to mourn openly. This was to be a sign to God's people that they were not to mourn openly for the fall of Jerusalem and its temple (see Ezekiel 24:15-27). Ezekiel's prophetic messages also followed similar sequence as other major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zephaniah): judgement against God's people (chapters 1-24); judgement against the invading nations (chapters 25-32); and promise of restoration of God's kingdom (chapters 33-48).
So what can I learn from this book? I had referred to Chuck Swindoll's overview previously. In "What's the big idea?" he wrote: "God didn’t exile the Israelites primarily to punish them. God never has been nor is He now interested in punishment for punishment’s sake. Rather, He intended the punishment or judgment in Ezekiel’s day as a means to an end—to bring His people to a state of repentance and humility before the one true God. They had lived for so long in sin and rebellion, confident in their own strength and that of the neighboring nations, that they needed God to remind them of His holy nature and their humble identity in a most dramatic way. After centuries of warnings, prophetic messages, and invasions, God decided that more significant action was required—He had to remove the people from their promised land."
So these are my take home points:
- Sin has a real price tag. I am quite aware of my own sin and the sin of those around me. Do I have the same holy fear as Isaiah, who when he saw God in a vision, exclaimed: "Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty."(Isaiah 6:5)
- The consequences of sin are real. I am hurt and those around me are hurt. But praise God for the gift of his Son Jesus Christ. I share the same exhortation as Paul when he said: "So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:21-25)
- My hope is in what Jesus has done for me on the cross and what the Holy Spirit will accomplish through its sanctifying work. I will learn to listen carefully when God speaks, either through his holy word, or through his servants whom he sent to remind me of his truth.
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