Davd and the other Goliath's

I am at the airport lounge waiting for my flight back to Canada. It has been a wonderful vacation although I missed my wife. My siblings do appreciate my visit and hopefully my time spent with them will encourage them in their spiritual journey.

Just finished reading the book David and Goliath. In terms of facing formidable enemies and the wisdom and the endurance needed to defeat them, I wrote in my last blog how David needed not only strategies and skills (like throwing a little rock with utmost precision), he was no doubt trusting the Almighty God (El Shaddai) to win the battle for him.

Now the opposite can be true also. In today's scripture reading of 2 Samuel 5, David has finally eliminated all his immediate enemies and is now reigning over the entire Israel. He continued to demonstrate his political wisdom by carefully gaining trust and support from Saul's supporters. He also defeated the Philistines utterly and removed the Jebusites from Jerusalem to establish his own palace there (The City of David). Knowing what will be coming in the next few chapters I feared for David. Success often comes with its own enemies. He will become overly reliant on himself instead of God. He may feel his entitlement to luxury and other pleasures of life (such as his many wives). He will become slack in his disciplines - and prone to temptations. These are the real giants that face those of us who have come to this point in our lives when we feel we deserve to "retire" from all the hard labor of yester-years. The next few chapters in David's life weren't pretty. Let me learn from his mistakes and keep running my race strong - and be able to say as Paul said:

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. (Acts 20:24)

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)

David and Goliath

I have been reading Malcolm Gladwell's book "David and Goliath" and it happened that this morning's bible reading was also on the same topic. 1 Samuel 17 told the story of a little known shepherd boy David who defeated Goliath, the experienced war hero, in an one on one combat. This story always reminds me of how we can do the impossible, as long as we have faith in God and the courage to do what will bring honour to Him.

In Malcolm Gladwell's book he "challenges how we think about obstacles and disadvantages, offering a new interpretation of what it means to be discriminated against, or cope with a disability, or lose a parent, or attend a mediocre school, or suffer from any number of other apparent setbacks." I have enjoyed the first half of this book so far. He has helped me look at life slightly differently - especially when I encounter set back. However, he doesn't touch on the spiritual side of things - what role does God play in the impossible situation? Is there such a thing as a miracle?

The most famous 3 verses in 1 Samuel 17 are:
17:45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 
17:46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 
17:47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

These are the take home messages:

• When we fight a serious enemy we invoke the name of the Lord Almighty (or "El Shaddai"). His name gives us the confidence that he is not only all powerful, but also his character - all loving, faithful and just, full of compassion and mercy.
• The more impossible the situation is the more we know that it is the Lord who has done it and not we.
• The purpose for the victory is to make His name known. "The whole world will know...".
• The Lord uses a different weapon (unlike human weapons) - "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit" (Zechariah 4:6)

P.s. I am writing this blog inside the Ocean Terminal in Hong Kong (where wifi is free!). I have been visiting my siblings this week and tomorrow we travel to Japan for a week of R&R. Praise God!

When is God's punishment too severe?

A common objection to the Christian belief of a loving God often brings up the subject of eternal punishment in hell. How can a truly loving supreme being create such an awful punishment? This is a very complex question and I won't be able to give it a fair treatment in this blog. But in today's scripture reading of Judges 20-21, it invoked in me the same sentiment - did God go too far in punishing the sinful Benjamites?

The background story to this chapter has to do with the rape and murder of a Levite's concubine by the wicked men of Gibeah (who were Benjamites, or people of the tribe of Benjamin). The Levites and his concubine were making a stop at Gibeah  on their return from Bethlehem to their home in Ephraim (Judges 19). When the Levite arrived home he cut up the dead concubine's body (yes it's in the bible!) to 12 pieces and sent them all over Israel. This apparently stirred up the anger of the other tribes of Israel who then came together at Mizpah to punish the tribe of Benjamin. The ensuing civil war ended in tens of thousands of lives lost and a near complete annihilation of the tribe of Benjamin.

This story is the last of a series of "weird" stories recorded in the Book of Judges. It is weird mostly because I am living in a well protected and basically civilized country and this type of events just don't happen in modern day! However, looking around the world, it is not difficult to find similar stories happening even right now - in Syria, Egypt, Ukraine, and many countries in Africa where civil wars have torn these countries apart.

"In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit." (Judges 21:25)

This sentence appears multiple times in the Book of Judges. It describes the moral decline of the nation of Israel. In earlier chapters, when the Israelites sinned, God sent their enemies to punish them. But when they cried out to God in repentance, God sent them a Judge to redeem them. Not so in this last story. The Levite, who was at the centre of this story did not cry out to God. He called for vengeance. He took matters into his own hand. The result was severe casualties on both sides.

What I make out from this story is that:

• Severe consequence accompanies moral decline (even among God's people).
• God is gracious and will preserve a remnant of His people to accomplish His ultimate goal.
• God is our King, our obedience to His rule will serve us well.
• God sent the ultimate Redeemer, His son, to save us - not by conquering over our enemies, but by dying for our enemies. We do well to follow His example.

Deborah's song

Deborah is the name given to my third child. I didn't realize that she has one of the longest song in the bible (30 verses - Joshua 5)! David's victory song was likely the longest (50 verses - 2 Samuel 22) and the song of Moses and Miriam after they crossed river Jordan on dry land is much shorter (18 verses - Exodus 15).  These songs have one thing in common: they speak of God's redeeming power and victory is ours if we trust Him fully. Deborah's song ended with this verse (verse 31):
“So may all your enemies perish, Lord!
    But may all who love you be like the sun
    when it rises in its strength.”

Deborah was the only female judge in the bible (see christianity.about.com). There were 12 judges mentioned in the Book of Judges. They were heroes (though often imperfect as human can be) used by God to rescue the Israelites from their enemies. This book tells us that God is merciful and gracious, and is willing to save his people when they repent of their sins. I also learned that Samuel the prophet was probably the writer.

Carl Hagensick wrote a nice commentary on Deborah's song. This is a summary (and my applications):

• Deborah begins her song with praising the Lord for the victory, but is quick to add her appreciation of the willingness with which ten thousand Jews put their lives on the line to defend the nation against the superior armaments of the armies of Sisera. (verses 1-3) Application: with every victory I should remember to thank God as well as other Christians who supported me along the way.
• Undoubtedly the method God used to bring victory to Barak’s army was a flash flood of the river, brought on by a sudden storm making the approach route for Sisera’s chariots not only impassable but actually bogging them down in the mire. (verses 4,5) Application: the dark clouds that seem to cause the deepest distress in me are the very means God uses to destroy my enemies!
• Much of the blame for Israel’s desperate circumstances rested on their shoulders. Those to whom the safety of the people had been committed became instead the very ones who helped sponsor idolatry. (verses 6-8) Application: warning to those entrusted with the spiritual welfare of their flocks (including me!), who frequently depart from the teachings of the Bible, substituting the gods of humanism, secularism, or the creedal gods of the dark ages. Therefore, let me stay focus on the teaching of the only true word - God's!
• Deborah’s praise of the governors of Israel is in contrast to her attitude toward “those who ride on white asses” and those that “sit in judgment” and those that “walk in the way.”...Thus the conduct of the governors was to be an object lesson to them, as it was to lesser local judges who sat in judgment at the city gates and to those who walked by the way, an idiomatic expression for those who went along with popular opinion and did not have the strong character to stand for Israel. (verses 9-11) Application: I should follow the example of good leaders. I should be a good role model for those who look up to me.
• Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam. Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.(verses 12,13) Application: reminding me to celebrate when I follow the Lord's call into action; otherwise I will miss the blessings!
• Deborah’s song demonstrates the varying decisions of the different tribes. Deborah singles nine of these tribes out for specific mention. Judah, Simeon, and Manasseh are not mentioned. This omission may indicate the extent of control that Midian, Amalek, and the Arabs had just before Sisera’s defeat.(verses 14-18). Application: don't refrain from giving assistance to other Christians for fear of financial loss, or out of the sense of personal security that says, “This is your battle to fight, it does not affect me.”
• It is from the song, and not the account of the battle in the previous chapter, that we learn the method God used was a flash flood down the Kishon River. The Kishon flows for about twenty-three miles from the hills of Taanach through a narrow mountain gorge to the sea. Usually dry in summer, spring rains can quickly cause a rushing torrent and swell the river to as wide as sixty six feet. Such a sudden onsurge of water would overwhelm the prancing horses and thoroughly mire down the scythed steel chariots. (verses 19-23) Application: God will fight for me against those I cannot!
• It was for this act of heroism that Deborah lavishes praise on Jael. By thus meeting his death at the hand of a woman, the prophecy was fulfilled that Barak would not receive the glory for the victory (Judges 4:9). (verses 24-27) Application: learn from the mistake of Barak - be brave and trust the Lord; otherwise the glory will go to someone else!
• Deborah closes her song on a satirical note, mocking the mother of Sisera for anticipating the victorious return of a conquering general... The song ends, like it begins, praising Jehovah, and neither Barak nor Jael, as the ultimate cause of victory. May it be thus, she pleads, to all tyrants who oppress the people of God. The enemies are temporary but the shining prospect of those who are the Lord’s is to shine eternally as the sun—the Sun of Righteousness with “healing in its wings” (Malachi 4:2). (verses 28-31) Application: a lesson for all Christians as they battle the foes of the world, the flesh, and the devil in their personal lives. Every time we experience a personal victory, let us lift up our hearts and voices in a hymn of testimony and praise.

The Gibeonite Deception

Today  I read in Joshua 9 the story of the Gibeonite Deception. The Israelite have been empowered by God to go into the  promised land to destroy all the local inhabitants and to claim the land as their own inheritance. This story is not unlike the saving of Rahab, the Canaanite prostitute who assisted the two spies from Israel to escape when they were in the city of Jericho (Joshua 2). Rehab and all who were with her in her house were then spared from destruction (Joshua 6:17). DesiringGod.org has a nice blog about this. It pointed out that indeed God's promise to bless all the families of the earth through Israel will be fulfilled. The Gibeonite Deception highlighted that God's mysterious providence made this happen through the disobedience and failures of his people Israel.

SermonCentral.com has these take home points:
1) The Danger of Carnal Reasoning: Impetuous Decision-Making - when facing these strangers who seemed to produce a convincing story, Joshua 9:14-15 says "The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath." Instead of taking the time to ask for God's guidance, we too find ourselves easily deceived. "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)
2) The Importance of Keeping Our Promises - Joshua 9:19 says "The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now.". Despite the deception which gives ground to nullify the treaty, and the pressure from the people, we must give credit to Joshua and the leaders of the assembly to honor their promise. We ourselves have learned to trust God's unwavering promises despite our own failures and unfaithfulness.
3) The Evidence of God’s Over-ruling Providence - the Gibeonites eventually became part of God's community. "So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord at the place the Lord would choose. And that is what they are to this day."(Joshua 9:26-27). We can see that God's blessings are now extending to the gentiles and eventually to all the nations on earth. God can use our mistakes for his own plan. Praise God!

What I learned this week about gleaning

The title of this blog is called Scriptural Gleaning. Events that happened this week and what I read today gave me a fresh understanding of what gleaning is. The scripture passage is from the book of Deuteronomy 24:19-22:
"When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this."

The obvious lessons from this scripture passage include:

• We must try to find a way to provide for those in need; especially the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. In  the case of the Israelites, they would soon be inheriting the promised land and would be living among displaced people and those uncared for within the traditional family context.
• We can do this charitable act in the context of our work, as in farming for the Israelites. We don't necessarily just give handouts.
• There is an expectation that those in need will have to do some work also. They have to harvest what has been left behind in the field.
• The reason for doing this is to remind ourselves where our own provision comes from - the One who had saved us from our sin and from our slavery to sin (John 8:34, Romans 6:6).

Now according to Wikipedia: "Gleaning (formerly 'leasing') is the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers' fields after they have been commercially harvested or on fields where it is not economically profitable to harvest. Some ancient cultures promoted gleaning as an early form of a welfare system."

Two things happened this week, both related. The first was the purchase of an used vehicle for my daughter. I was looking everywhere for this particular model of car my daughter asked for but was not easy to find. I happened to spot just such a car while driving by a rather run down dealership. The elderly salesman came from a developing country. He had suffered a small stroke and his speech was not easy to understand. Now it was easy to say to myself that this man was not to be trusted but I persevered (1 Corinthians 13:7 came to mind). Although I did not buy the car from him at the end but the few times I met him developed into a small friendship. I gave him a little bit of money for all the effort he took to help me.

The second thing that happened this week had to do with my purchasing another used car to replace my "old clunker". Now this old clunker was in good running condition and other than the fact that it was over 12 years old and had a high mileage, it really should run for a little while longer as long as one didn't mind to live with a few minor electrical problems. When I asked the dealer for a trade in I was offered only $500 for it. Initially I thought I could do much better selling it on my own on Kijiji. But after taking the old car home I began to loathe over the many things I had to do to sell a used car myself. Then I remembered how in the past I had donated several cars to either charity or the mission organization where I was (and still is) serving as a volunteer board member. A tremendous peace came over me and I did just that. Turned out it became an answered prayer for a missionary family who had been praying for a car for the last month!

I believe God instituted gleaning as something I must do to benefit not only those in need but also to myself - to develop my generosity and my trust in his rich provision. It is also an expression of my gratitude to him who demonstrated his love to me in this: while I was still a sinner, he died for me (Romans 5:8).

Where did the israelites get their animals and grain for sacrifice in the desert

Just finished reading the Book of Numbers. Like Leviticus, the book before it, these books describe in details the sacrificial system given to the Israelites as they travelled through the desert. Up until now I had always thought that the Israelites had been stubborn, ungrateful, and unfaithful. They had the privilege of seeing God's miracles every single day - manna from heaven and quails coming out of nowhere to provide food for their journey (Exodus 16:31), cloud by day to shield them from the desert sun and fire by night to keep them warm (Exodus 13:21), and being shown the glory of God from time to time (Numbers 16:42)! But such is human nature. The sad end to the entire generation of Israelites aged twenty years and over, who left Egypt (and slavery) by God's mighty hand, would perish in the desert without entering the promised land. The apostle Paul reminded us that these things happened to them as examples and as warnings for us (1 Corinthians 10:11).

But thinking from the perspective of the Israelites, what was it that made believing in God so difficult? For one thing, the sacrificial system was very hard! The Skeptics estimated that over the 40-year period, there would have been 1,007,400 lambs and 3,007,600 pigeons or turtledoves sacrificed. These animals were presumably taken from Egypt when they left (Exodus 12:35-36). But what about the grain that was required for offering? Where did they get that in the desert?

Bible.org "The Grain Offering" offered a very scholastic explanation. The "grain" that was offered was likely "seeds" that the Israelites took from Egypt in order to restart farmland wherever the Israelites would end up. So that would be their security that they were to offer up! So it would be like giving up our retirement savings!

Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matthew 16:24-26)

Again, the story of the rich young man who came to Jesus to ask him "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Mark 10:17-31). Jesus' reply: “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”. Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

I continue to see God's miracles every single day. I sometimes feel that I am giving away too much for God. I must continue to learn from scripture. Romans 8:31-37 is particularly helpful. Here is my favourite verse to put things into perspective:
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (verse 32)