Well this is the fourth time I am writing about Jonah. It just happened that I was reading the Book of Jonah again today (a Friday - when I write my blog). The question that immediately came to my mind: Was Jonah an actual historical figure who told his life story to tell us more about God? So I posted the question to Google and this is a synopsis of what I have learned:
Wikipedia on the Book of Jonah
Jonah was mentioned in II Kings 14:25 as an actual prophet. His history was clearly documented as "the son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher". From Wikipedia, this city Gath Hepher which today is called "el-Meshed, was located only several miles from Nazareth in what would have been known as Israel in the post-exilic period (as distinct from the former southern kingdom, known as Judah)". Jonah lived during the reign of Jeroboam II (786–746 BC). Again from Wikipedia, "Nineveh, where Jonah preached, was the capital of the ancient Assyrian empire, which fell to the Babylonians and the Medes in 612 BC. The book itself calls Nineveh a “great city,” referring to its size and perhaps to its affluence as well." It had a population of more than 120,000 (Jonah 4:11) and it took 3 days to travel across the city (Jonah 3:3).
Although the person of Jonah and the city of Nineveh may have been historical, the Book of Jonah, and in particular the miracles described in the book may be figurative (e.g. Jonah and the "huge fish" in Jonah 1:17; and the rapidly growing leafy plant in Jonah 4:6). St. Augustine, who in general believed in the possibility of miracles (e.g. Jesus' resurrection from the dead) viewed the story of Jonah as a figure for Christ: "As, therefore, Jonah passed from the ship to the belly of the whale, so Christ passed from the cross to the sepulchre, or into the abyss of death. And as Jonah suffered this for the sake of those who were endangered by the storm, so Christ suffered for the sake of those who are tossed on the waves of this world." Augustine credited his allegorical interpretation to the interpretation of Christ himself (Matt. 12:39,40). Augustine allowed for other interpretations as long as they were in line with Christ's.
Gotquestions.org answering the question: "Was Jonah truly swallowed by a whale?"
It first gave a list of all the objections to the believability of this book:
• A Mediterranean storm, both summoned and dissipated by God (1:4-16).
• A massive fish, appointed by God to swallow the prophet after he was thrown into the sea by his ship’s crew (1:17).
• Jonah’s survival in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights, or his resurrection from the dead after being vomited upon the shore, depending on how you interpret the text (1:17).
• The fish vomiting Jonah upon shore at God’s command (2:10).
• A gourd, appointed by God to grow rapidly in order to provide Jonah with shade (4:6).
• A worm, appointed by God to attack and whither the shady gourd (4:7).
• A scorching wind, summoned by God to discomfort Jonah (4:8).
• Nineveh’s repentance (3:4-9), though it isn’t technically a miracle.
It then made a reasonable (but quite lengthy) argument to explain the course of event using interesting historical evidence such as the popular belief of a fish-god Dagon at the time. Interestingly this fish-god figure was also mentioned in the Bible in relation to the Philistines (Judges 16:23-24; 1 Samuel 5:1-7; 1 Chronicles 10:8-12). The bottom line is that if one believes in miracles (like Jesus rising from the dead) then there is no reason not to believe that these miracles did happen.
So I choose to believe that Jonah was a historic figure who was sent by God to warn a sinful generation. Despite his resistance to follow God's call, he was miraculously restored - twice! The first instance (when he was swallowed by a fish and later delivered to shore) he learned obedience to God's call. In the second instance he was taught to care for the lost when God used a worm and a scorching east wind to remind him that God too cares for the lost. Jesus also used Jonah's story to show that in order for redemption to happen he had to die (on the cross) and was buried for three days.
As for me, I learn that when God speaks I should listen. I know my natural inclination is to run away like Jonah, but through Christ's death on the cross and his burial for three days, I am saved from the same fate as Jonah. And by His Spirit He enabled me to obey. So I know whom I have believed. I hear His familiar and loving voice. Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so...
Friday, 19 December 2014
Saturday, 13 December 2014
The Seven Churches in Revelation
I have heard just a few sermons preached from Revelation 2 and 3 over time. The names of the seven churches mentioned in these chapters are totally unfamiliar to me except for the church at Ephesus, to which the apostle Paul had written a letter included in the New Testament. I am not sure if the apostle John (the writer of the Book of Revelation) had ever traveled to these churches. I am assuming that these were actual churches at the time. Unlike Paul, who had actually visited many churches through his 3 missionary journeys and subsequently wrote letters to them, John wrote 3 letters (1 John, 2 John, 3 John) and the Book of Revelation to remind and instruct all Christians of the good news of Jesus Christ: "We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete." (1 John 1:3-4)
As I once again read through these chapters, I am reminded of a few familiar verses. These messages perhaps addressed the problems of those individual churches at the time. But I think they are also relevant to me today.
(1) To the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7): "You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place." I have learned that keeping the memories of the time I was in love with Jesus should be part of my christian discipline. I should be reminded how it all started and how Jesus has kept my faith over the years.
(2) To the church in Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11): "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown." Yes be faithful even when times are bad.
(3) To the church in Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-17): no specific verse comes to mind. The church in general remained true to God but needed to repent because some had turned to idolatry and sexual immorality. It contained a very strong warning - "Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth." Repentance is always good. Is there some wicked ways in me still?
(4) To the church in Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29): I can't think of any particular verse either. The message is very similar to the message to the church in Pergamum. I am quite puzzled about this woman Jezebel: "You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds." The name of this person was probably not Jezebel but she behaved like the Jezebel in the Old Testament (2 King 9-10), who married King Ahab and introduced a new religious system to Israel, which brought them into false worship, idolatry. These are strong words about any church who tolerate/embrace an individual who clearly preaches a false message about Jesus! There is a limit to "brotherly love"! We must learn to speak the truth in love, even to someone who is popular in church today.
(5) To he church in Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6): "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.". Wow, what a reminder! The comfort of familiar rituals can easily lull us into a slumber. We need to stay awake to finish the "race before us" (2 Timothy 4:7).
(6) To the church in Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13): what a church! The name of the church (the love of brothers) reflects its character. The church has endured patiently and will be greatly rewarded: "Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth." and "I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown." Lord help me to be patient! Come soon!
(7) To the church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22): This is perhaps the most famous church known for its lukewarm faith! "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth." and they did not even know it - "You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked." It's never a good idea to think that I am self-sufficient and no longer need to love of Christ, the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, and the sustaining power of God the Father.
This is probably the most famous verse in these chapters:
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. (Revelation 3:20)
Lord I have heard your "knock" today. I open the door to my heart and invite you in. I have enjoyed your fellowship this morning. Thank you!
As I once again read through these chapters, I am reminded of a few familiar verses. These messages perhaps addressed the problems of those individual churches at the time. But I think they are also relevant to me today.
(1) To the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7): "You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place." I have learned that keeping the memories of the time I was in love with Jesus should be part of my christian discipline. I should be reminded how it all started and how Jesus has kept my faith over the years.
(2) To the church in Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11): "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown." Yes be faithful even when times are bad.
(3) To the church in Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-17): no specific verse comes to mind. The church in general remained true to God but needed to repent because some had turned to idolatry and sexual immorality. It contained a very strong warning - "Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth." Repentance is always good. Is there some wicked ways in me still?
(4) To the church in Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29): I can't think of any particular verse either. The message is very similar to the message to the church in Pergamum. I am quite puzzled about this woman Jezebel: "You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds." The name of this person was probably not Jezebel but she behaved like the Jezebel in the Old Testament (2 King 9-10), who married King Ahab and introduced a new religious system to Israel, which brought them into false worship, idolatry. These are strong words about any church who tolerate/embrace an individual who clearly preaches a false message about Jesus! There is a limit to "brotherly love"! We must learn to speak the truth in love, even to someone who is popular in church today.
(5) To he church in Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6): "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.". Wow, what a reminder! The comfort of familiar rituals can easily lull us into a slumber. We need to stay awake to finish the "race before us" (2 Timothy 4:7).
(6) To the church in Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13): what a church! The name of the church (the love of brothers) reflects its character. The church has endured patiently and will be greatly rewarded: "Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth." and "I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown." Lord help me to be patient! Come soon!
(7) To the church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22): This is perhaps the most famous church known for its lukewarm faith! "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth." and they did not even know it - "You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked." It's never a good idea to think that I am self-sufficient and no longer need to love of Christ, the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, and the sustaining power of God the Father.
This is probably the most famous verse in these chapters:
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. (Revelation 3:20)
Lord I have heard your "knock" today. I open the door to my heart and invite you in. I have enjoyed your fellowship this morning. Thank you!
Friday, 5 December 2014
Don’t Believe Everything You Hear
My vacation in Sanibel Island is nearly over. I am sitting in the local library writing this blog before flying out this evening. Today's scripture is taken from Daniel 1-2 and 1 John 4. I try to find a theme that fits the trip to this mostly retirement locale. One thing I managed to do was to read a lot. These are the books I finished:
1. The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Francis S. Collins
2. God, Freedom, and Evil by Alvin Plantinga
3. Science & Its Limits by Del Ratzsch
4. Humble Apologetics by John Stackhouse, Jr.
Obviously I did not read any of these books in great detail (maybe except The Language of God which I started before the vacation). But I think I managed to learn enough to understand the subject and to know when and where I can look back for reference. There is a common theme to these books: God is an amazing creator - both the physical world and the invisible. I definitely feel the limitation as a human to comprehend the vastness of God's working in the world and among the humankind with whom God wants to have a special relation. I am ever more grateful that I have come to know this God while I live on this earth. I look forward to spending eternity in awe and praise! My reflection this week has been to consider (1) when to believe what I have heard or read; (2) how to share this discovery with those I meet.
I think today's scripture reading gave insight into these questions. Daniel was among the exile from Judah to serve a cruel and foreign king in Babylon (Daniel 1:6). Instead of feeling self-pity and blaming God for his circumstance Daniel remained faithful and did the best he could. He continued with his religious practice (dietary - Daniel 1:8 and prayers - Daniel 2:8). He depended on God to solve the impossible problem of interpreting the king's dream without actually knowing what the dream was! And he gave God the glory by telling the king the source of his wisdom. Now there is no reason to believe that this story (or the person Daniel) was a made up story. (A number of articles can be found on the Internet regarding the authenticity of Daniel. This Dead Sea Scrolls article is particularly helpful). Although there is always a mystery that God communicated with Daniel in a dream and how Daniel believed that the dream was from God. I acknowledge that God does the miraculous thing during extreme world event to make His Name known.
The apostle John gave this warning: "don’t believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God." (1 John 4:1). He then told us the litmus test: "Here’s how you test for the genuine Spirit of God. Everyone who confesses openly his faith in Jesus Christ—the Son of God, who came as an actual flesh-and-blood person—comes from God and belongs to God. And everyone who refuses to confess faith in Jesus has nothing in common with God." (1 John 4:2-3). Another proof that someone is trustworthy: "Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love." (1 John 4:7-10). So when I read a book or listen to a sermon it is important to know if the writer or preacher acknowledges that Jesus is the Saviour and that showing Jesus' love is always the motive behind the lesson.
When I reflect on how I conduct my life and how I share the essential truth of God's love with others, I must remember to learn from Jesus Himself. He is described in scripture as "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). I often thought it helpful when I communicate with others that my words should always be full of grace and truth; and in that order - grace first then truth. Do I see someone as God sees the person - one who is loved by the infinite God? Do my words come spiced with Jesus' love? Oh how I need the Holy Spirit to teach and guide me both in discerning the truth and to communicate the truth.
1. The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Francis S. Collins
2. God, Freedom, and Evil by Alvin Plantinga
3. Science & Its Limits by Del Ratzsch
4. Humble Apologetics by John Stackhouse, Jr.
Obviously I did not read any of these books in great detail (maybe except The Language of God which I started before the vacation). But I think I managed to learn enough to understand the subject and to know when and where I can look back for reference. There is a common theme to these books: God is an amazing creator - both the physical world and the invisible. I definitely feel the limitation as a human to comprehend the vastness of God's working in the world and among the humankind with whom God wants to have a special relation. I am ever more grateful that I have come to know this God while I live on this earth. I look forward to spending eternity in awe and praise! My reflection this week has been to consider (1) when to believe what I have heard or read; (2) how to share this discovery with those I meet.
I think today's scripture reading gave insight into these questions. Daniel was among the exile from Judah to serve a cruel and foreign king in Babylon (Daniel 1:6). Instead of feeling self-pity and blaming God for his circumstance Daniel remained faithful and did the best he could. He continued with his religious practice (dietary - Daniel 1:8 and prayers - Daniel 2:8). He depended on God to solve the impossible problem of interpreting the king's dream without actually knowing what the dream was! And he gave God the glory by telling the king the source of his wisdom. Now there is no reason to believe that this story (or the person Daniel) was a made up story. (A number of articles can be found on the Internet regarding the authenticity of Daniel. This Dead Sea Scrolls article is particularly helpful). Although there is always a mystery that God communicated with Daniel in a dream and how Daniel believed that the dream was from God. I acknowledge that God does the miraculous thing during extreme world event to make His Name known.
The apostle John gave this warning: "don’t believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God." (1 John 4:1). He then told us the litmus test: "Here’s how you test for the genuine Spirit of God. Everyone who confesses openly his faith in Jesus Christ—the Son of God, who came as an actual flesh-and-blood person—comes from God and belongs to God. And everyone who refuses to confess faith in Jesus has nothing in common with God." (1 John 4:2-3). Another proof that someone is trustworthy: "Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love." (1 John 4:7-10). So when I read a book or listen to a sermon it is important to know if the writer or preacher acknowledges that Jesus is the Saviour and that showing Jesus' love is always the motive behind the lesson.
When I reflect on how I conduct my life and how I share the essential truth of God's love with others, I must remember to learn from Jesus Himself. He is described in scripture as "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). I often thought it helpful when I communicate with others that my words should always be full of grace and truth; and in that order - grace first then truth. Do I see someone as God sees the person - one who is loved by the infinite God? Do my words come spiced with Jesus' love? Oh how I need the Holy Spirit to teach and guide me both in discerning the truth and to communicate the truth.
Friday, 28 November 2014
Am I a Watchman or a sheep of the Great Shepherd?
I am doing my morning scripture reading on Sanibel Island, Florida. I have had problem maintaining my spiritual discipline whenever I travel. It seems that I can be easily distracted by a new routine. Not that I feel I deserve "a break" for I really do treasure my time alone with the Lord listening to His voice through His word, it's just that my regular routine is broken. Oh that I long for a permanent home where I will "dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Psalm 23:6).
The scripture reading this morning is from Ezekiel 33-34 and 1 Peter 5. A number of ideas came to mind. My wife reminded me that Watchman Nee got his name from Ezekiel 33. His famous quote:
"Christ is the Son of God who died for the redemption of sinners and resurrected after three days. This is the greatest truth in the universe. I die because of my belief in Christ." (watchmannee.org)
However, I was unable to find a direct association of his name with Ezekiel 33. The site apologeticsindex.org has this to say about his name:
"Nee was born Nee Shi-Tsu in November 1903. His mother, a Methodist mission convert, later changed his name to "Bell ringer," or Watchman, with all the Christian connotations. He claimed conversion to Christianity in April 1920"
The article went on to caution the readers that Watchman Nee's theology was very concerning:
"When a Christian begins to see Nee as a guide in determining the value of other Christian writers, or sees Nee's writings as a key to spirituality, that person is headed for trouble. Nee's presuppositions are suspect in light of the Word of God. His books provide grist for cult groups such as The Way, The Alamo Foundation, the Children of God and other groups. The astute believer should watch out for Watchman Nee."
What I also learned was that I had confused his name with a certain Witness Lee, who along with Watchman Nee wrote this article concerning the visions of Ezekiel. Enough said about Watchman Nee.
But there is a reason why I dwell on this concept of a watchman. Throughout my Christian life I have been compelled by the thought that my Christian responsibility is like that of a watchman - to warn the non-believers of the impending doom (God's judgement of hell fire). If I don't tell everyone I meet about the salvation offered by God, his blood will be on my head (Ezekiel 33:6)! And I must say that the motivation of telling others about Jesus has turned to more of saving my own neck than to demonstrate Christ's love. I know that can't be true.
It is very interesting that Ezekiel followed the watchman metaphor (chapter 33) with the shepherd metaphor (chapter 34). In fact it is very comforting that Ezekiel predicted the coming of the one shepherd (Jesus):
"I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken." (Ezekiel 34:23-24). We are but sheep of His pasture:"You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord." (Ezekiel 34:31).
The promise was that there would be peace and justice in the land. The difference between a watchman and a sheep of the great Shepherd is that the gung-ho Sovereign Lord will accomplish this!
"Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd... I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice." (Ezekiel 34:7-16)
What a coincidence (or God's providence)! 1 Peter 5 also talks about the shepherd and the flock:
"Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." (1 Peter 5:2-4)
So I am both a shepherd of God's flock and a sheep of His pasture. The love of God does compel me to share the gospel (2 Corinthians 5:14), but with the right motivation. I can also rest on the assurance that God is always at work to bring salvation to mankind and I am His ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Lord, thank you for your love! When your people shared your love with me I came to know you as my own Savior and Lord. Today when I meet different people on my vacation, help me see them as people you love and have sent your Son to die for. May there be opportunity to share that great story of Christ's cross and resurrection. Amen!
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7)
The scripture reading this morning is from Ezekiel 33-34 and 1 Peter 5. A number of ideas came to mind. My wife reminded me that Watchman Nee got his name from Ezekiel 33. His famous quote:
"Christ is the Son of God who died for the redemption of sinners and resurrected after three days. This is the greatest truth in the universe. I die because of my belief in Christ." (watchmannee.org)
However, I was unable to find a direct association of his name with Ezekiel 33. The site apologeticsindex.org has this to say about his name:
"Nee was born Nee Shi-Tsu in November 1903. His mother, a Methodist mission convert, later changed his name to "Bell ringer," or Watchman, with all the Christian connotations. He claimed conversion to Christianity in April 1920"
The article went on to caution the readers that Watchman Nee's theology was very concerning:
"When a Christian begins to see Nee as a guide in determining the value of other Christian writers, or sees Nee's writings as a key to spirituality, that person is headed for trouble. Nee's presuppositions are suspect in light of the Word of God. His books provide grist for cult groups such as The Way, The Alamo Foundation, the Children of God and other groups. The astute believer should watch out for Watchman Nee."
What I also learned was that I had confused his name with a certain Witness Lee, who along with Watchman Nee wrote this article concerning the visions of Ezekiel. Enough said about Watchman Nee.
But there is a reason why I dwell on this concept of a watchman. Throughout my Christian life I have been compelled by the thought that my Christian responsibility is like that of a watchman - to warn the non-believers of the impending doom (God's judgement of hell fire). If I don't tell everyone I meet about the salvation offered by God, his blood will be on my head (Ezekiel 33:6)! And I must say that the motivation of telling others about Jesus has turned to more of saving my own neck than to demonstrate Christ's love. I know that can't be true.
It is very interesting that Ezekiel followed the watchman metaphor (chapter 33) with the shepherd metaphor (chapter 34). In fact it is very comforting that Ezekiel predicted the coming of the one shepherd (Jesus):
"I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken." (Ezekiel 34:23-24). We are but sheep of His pasture:"You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord." (Ezekiel 34:31).
The promise was that there would be peace and justice in the land. The difference between a watchman and a sheep of the great Shepherd is that the gung-ho Sovereign Lord will accomplish this!
"Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd... I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice." (Ezekiel 34:7-16)
What a coincidence (or God's providence)! 1 Peter 5 also talks about the shepherd and the flock:
"Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." (1 Peter 5:2-4)
So I am both a shepherd of God's flock and a sheep of His pasture. The love of God does compel me to share the gospel (2 Corinthians 5:14), but with the right motivation. I can also rest on the assurance that God is always at work to bring salvation to mankind and I am His ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Lord, thank you for your love! When your people shared your love with me I came to know you as my own Savior and Lord. Today when I meet different people on my vacation, help me see them as people you love and have sent your Son to die for. May there be opportunity to share that great story of Christ's cross and resurrection. Amen!
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7)
Friday, 21 November 2014
Jerusalem - the Adulterous Wife, or Your Beauty Went to Your Head (rated R)
I read Ezekiel 16-17 and James 3 this morning. Ezekiel 16 really jumped out at me. It read like Song of Solomon at first glance. The allusion of Jerusalem as an adulterous wife was very graphic. God's chosen people living in Judah (represented by Jerusalem, the city where God chose to make it His home) was described as a mixed race abandoned girl, left to die on the open field with her umbilical cord still uncut, naked and exposed (Ezekiel 16:3-4). Yahweh (יְהֹוָה - the proper name given to God by the people of Israel then) rescued her and helped her grow until she was old enough for a love relationship with Him:
"I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine."(Ezekiel 16:8)
The phrase "I spread the corner of my garment over you" (see also Ruth 3:9 the story of how Ruth and Boaz got engaged) described the covenant as a husband and wife relationship (see also gotquestions.org for further explanation).
The rest of chapter 16 went on to describe how unfaithful Israel was to her husband, Yahweh Himself. She became worst than a prostitute. Worse still,
"And you took your sons and daughters whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols. Was your prostitution not enough? You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols. In all your detestable practices and your prostitution you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, kicking about in your blood." (Ezekiel 16:20-22)
Yet God was not ready to give up on her:
"I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant. Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. ...So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord. Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign Lord." (Ezekiel 16:59-63)
I have highlighted the word covenant throughout this passage. First there was the old covenant which she broke. But God established a new covenant (an everlasting covenant) after making atonement for her sins. We now know that this is the new covenant made possible because of Jesus' death on the cross (Luke 22:20), which was also predicted by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
Ezekiel 16 is not an easy chapter to read. Yet perhaps it is exactly what I need to hear today. The commentary by Longhenry has this to say:
"The sins described and the condemnation decreed because of them are not somehow unique to Ezekiel 16; they represent the consistent message of all of the prophets of that time. It is the description of Jerusalem as the abandoned child, dependent on YHWH, yet ultimately being the whore who must be condemned that is quite evocative and powerful. It is hard to get past the vulgarity that so easily offends modern sensibilities; nevertheless, sometimes it is the vulgar that makes the point and communicates the message in ways which the sensible and rational cannot. The raw emotion displayed throughout the description of the metaphor is haunting. In Ezekiel 16 we come face to face with the very hurt yet ultimately forgiving Husband, along with the wife who owes everything to Him but is more interested in everyone else until it is too late. Let us learn a lesson from the whore Jerusalem: let us not serve idols but serve the One True God who has provided us with every blessing!"
It is interesting that Ezekiel 16:63 ("when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation") ties nicely with the message in James 3:1-12. The Message translation entitled this passage "When You Open Your Mouth".
"A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell." (James 3:3-6 Msg)
Perhaps this is the area of focus I can work on today:
"I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine."(Ezekiel 16:8)
The phrase "I spread the corner of my garment over you" (see also Ruth 3:9 the story of how Ruth and Boaz got engaged) described the covenant as a husband and wife relationship (see also gotquestions.org for further explanation).
The rest of chapter 16 went on to describe how unfaithful Israel was to her husband, Yahweh Himself. She became worst than a prostitute. Worse still,
"And you took your sons and daughters whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols. Was your prostitution not enough? You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols. In all your detestable practices and your prostitution you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, kicking about in your blood." (Ezekiel 16:20-22)
Yet God was not ready to give up on her:
"I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant. Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. ...So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord. Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign Lord." (Ezekiel 16:59-63)
I have highlighted the word covenant throughout this passage. First there was the old covenant which she broke. But God established a new covenant (an everlasting covenant) after making atonement for her sins. We now know that this is the new covenant made possible because of Jesus' death on the cross (Luke 22:20), which was also predicted by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
Ezekiel 16 is not an easy chapter to read. Yet perhaps it is exactly what I need to hear today. The commentary by Longhenry has this to say:
"The sins described and the condemnation decreed because of them are not somehow unique to Ezekiel 16; they represent the consistent message of all of the prophets of that time. It is the description of Jerusalem as the abandoned child, dependent on YHWH, yet ultimately being the whore who must be condemned that is quite evocative and powerful. It is hard to get past the vulgarity that so easily offends modern sensibilities; nevertheless, sometimes it is the vulgar that makes the point and communicates the message in ways which the sensible and rational cannot. The raw emotion displayed throughout the description of the metaphor is haunting. In Ezekiel 16 we come face to face with the very hurt yet ultimately forgiving Husband, along with the wife who owes everything to Him but is more interested in everyone else until it is too late. Let us learn a lesson from the whore Jerusalem: let us not serve idols but serve the One True God who has provided us with every blessing!"
It is interesting that Ezekiel 16:63 ("when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation") ties nicely with the message in James 3:1-12. The Message translation entitled this passage "When You Open Your Mouth".
"A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell." (James 3:3-6 Msg)
Perhaps this is the area of focus I can work on today:
- Am I grateful for what God has done - since the days of my youth; since the day I was "redeemed from the pit and crowned with love and compassion" (Psalm 103:4)?
- What are the idols in my life - money, reputation, health? Do I "count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:8-10)?
- Lord, help me to glorify you with my mouth and "Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them." (Ephesians 4:29 NLT)
- AMEN!
Friday, 14 November 2014
Great is your faithfulness!
Years ago when I was still a young christian I came across a story of the famous missionary Hudson Taylor who served in China with the then China Inland Mission (now called the OMF International). The story described a time when Hudson Taylor, then the General Director of the mission, was suffering from personal tragedies of losing his wife and children to sickness, and losing many missionaries from the revolution taking place in China. He was distraught and wondered if he did not have enough faith, or that he was not living the kind of holy life God required of him. He then received a letter from his missionary friend John McCarthy, who penned these words that have since etched into my heart through all these years:
"How then to have our faith increased? Only by thinking of all that Jesus is and all He is for us: His life, His death, His work, He Himself as revealed to us in the Word, to be the subject of our constant thoughts. Not a striving to have faith … but a looking off to the Faithful One seems all we need; a resting in the Loved One entirely, for time and for eternity." (page 117 of Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret)
It always makes sense to me, but only after a time of quiet reflection. What's the point of asking for more faith from an unfaithful person? And how do I know if someone is always faithful unless I get to know the person more and more each day, as I do when I read the scripture every day.
Today's scripture reading is in Lamentations chapters 3-5 and Hebrews chapter 10:19-39 (read it from biblegateway.com). Here I am reminded of these famous verses (and the hymn that goes with it):
Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
(Lamentation 3:21-24)
The background to this was supposed to be about Jeremiah, the prophet, who was deeply affected by the destruction of his people and the religious establishment as the consequence of God's punishment on their sins. Yet in the midst of this discouragement, Jeremiah found faith in God and His faithfulness and drew strength from it.
Just as a side note, when I looked around for more information about the Book of Lamentations I found this from Wikipedia:
Jeremiah's authorship is no longer generally accepted; nevertheless, it is generally accepted that the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon in 586 BCE forms the background to the poems. The book is partly a traditional "city lament" mourning the desertion of the city by its god, its destruction, and the ultimate return of the divinity, and partly a funeral dirge in which the bereaved bewails and addresses the dead. The tone is bleak: God does not speak, the degree of suffering is presented as undeserved, and expectations of future redemption are minimal.
However, Biblehub, Gotquestions.org and Biblestudytools all still assume the authorship by Jeremiah.
Now the passage in Hebrews also calls us to persevere in faith: Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)
And if we are all suffering as a group of believers: And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
The focus of our response to suffering should be that of encouraging each other to love one another and to love our neighbors even more! And do not stop going to church! I know how easy it is that when I am discouraged I get into self-pitying and do not want to meet with others, fearing that I have nothing good to share with others! The one thing we can all look forward to is the second coming of Christ!
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32)
Jesus' life and death in history is what is giving me the confidence to face the troubles ahead.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace. (Hymn: (Youtube)Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus)
"How then to have our faith increased? Only by thinking of all that Jesus is and all He is for us: His life, His death, His work, He Himself as revealed to us in the Word, to be the subject of our constant thoughts. Not a striving to have faith … but a looking off to the Faithful One seems all we need; a resting in the Loved One entirely, for time and for eternity." (page 117 of Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret)
It always makes sense to me, but only after a time of quiet reflection. What's the point of asking for more faith from an unfaithful person? And how do I know if someone is always faithful unless I get to know the person more and more each day, as I do when I read the scripture every day.
Today's scripture reading is in Lamentations chapters 3-5 and Hebrews chapter 10:19-39 (read it from biblegateway.com). Here I am reminded of these famous verses (and the hymn that goes with it):
Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
(Lamentation 3:21-24)
The background to this was supposed to be about Jeremiah, the prophet, who was deeply affected by the destruction of his people and the religious establishment as the consequence of God's punishment on their sins. Yet in the midst of this discouragement, Jeremiah found faith in God and His faithfulness and drew strength from it.
Just as a side note, when I looked around for more information about the Book of Lamentations I found this from Wikipedia:
Jeremiah's authorship is no longer generally accepted; nevertheless, it is generally accepted that the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon in 586 BCE forms the background to the poems. The book is partly a traditional "city lament" mourning the desertion of the city by its god, its destruction, and the ultimate return of the divinity, and partly a funeral dirge in which the bereaved bewails and addresses the dead. The tone is bleak: God does not speak, the degree of suffering is presented as undeserved, and expectations of future redemption are minimal.
However, Biblehub, Gotquestions.org and Biblestudytools all still assume the authorship by Jeremiah.
Now the passage in Hebrews also calls us to persevere in faith: Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)
And if we are all suffering as a group of believers: And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
The focus of our response to suffering should be that of encouraging each other to love one another and to love our neighbors even more! And do not stop going to church! I know how easy it is that when I am discouraged I get into self-pitying and do not want to meet with others, fearing that I have nothing good to share with others! The one thing we can all look forward to is the second coming of Christ!
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32)
Jesus' life and death in history is what is giving me the confidence to face the troubles ahead.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace. (Hymn: (Youtube)Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus)
Friday, 7 November 2014
Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts
The title of this blog is found in my scripture reading for today in Hebrews 4:7 in reference to King David's Psalm 95:8. Thank you Lord! I think this is your answer to my question this week. I will explain.
This morning I was also reading from Jeremiah 40-42. The context of this story was that the Babylonians had invaded the kingdom of Judah and had destroyed Jerusalem entirely. They carried off the majority of the Jews to captivity leaving just a remnant of the poorest of the land to stay behind, presumably that they wouldn't have survived the journey anyways. They also left behind a few solders and appointed Gedaliah to govern the land, keeping the land productive, presumably to pay taxes to Babylon over time. Now there were also remnants of Jewish fighting men who had escaped to the open country. These chapters were about these men - some (represented by Ishmael) were reckless, murdering Gedaliah for power, but others (represented by Johanan) appeared to be genuine to the Jewish faith. Johanan and his army officers came to Jeremiah the prophet to seek advice whether to remain in the land (of Judah), or to immigrate to Egypt. These choices were not always clear to make. To remain meant hard work and uncertainty of getting reprisal from the Babylonians. Egypt appeared safer - food was plentiful, even though they would return to slavery, from which God had previously delivered them. Jeremiah received a clear instruction from God - He wanted these men to stay. But they would eventually disobey. It was in this context that Jeremiah declared:
“Remnant of Judah, the Lord has told you, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Be sure of this: I warn you today that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the Lord your God and said, ‘Pray to the Lord our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.’ I have told you today, but you still have not obeyed the Lord your God in all he sent me to tell you. So now, be sure of this: You will die by the sword, famine and plague in the place where you want to go to settle.” (Jeremiah 42:19-22)
In Psalms 95 King David reminded his people that the story of God's great deliverance of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt but subsequently perished in the Sinai desert served to warn us that we must not be disobedient to God's guidance:
Today, if you will hear His voice:
“Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion,
As in the day of trial in the wilderness,
When your fathers tested Me;
They tried Me, though they saw My work.
For forty years I was grieved with that generation,
And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts,
And they do not know My ways.’
So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’” (Psalms 95:8-11)
The writer of Hebrews uses the concept of the sabbath rest to remind us that the gospel of Jesus Christ tells us that we no longer need to labor/work (by obeying the laws of Moses) for our salvation, but to rest/believe in Christ's saving work on the cross:
Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:6-11)
Working out our faith in God isn't easy. The New Covenant relationship is supposed to replace the Old - faith in Christ should replace strict obedience to the laws of Moses (including the Ten Commandments). Love and sibling friendship with Christ should replace fear and work. But our true love for Christ should manifest itself in our obedience to His command (which is to love God and our neighbor as ourselves). This love relationship is complex. He is not like someone we physically see day to day and interact with in every activity we do. But this love relationship is growing. By understanding more of His character (from the Bible - both the Old and the New Testament), and by experiencing Him in my service to others, I learn to trust Him more and more. Today I learn not to harden my heart when I hear his voice. I have heard Him today!
This morning I was also reading from Jeremiah 40-42. The context of this story was that the Babylonians had invaded the kingdom of Judah and had destroyed Jerusalem entirely. They carried off the majority of the Jews to captivity leaving just a remnant of the poorest of the land to stay behind, presumably that they wouldn't have survived the journey anyways. They also left behind a few solders and appointed Gedaliah to govern the land, keeping the land productive, presumably to pay taxes to Babylon over time. Now there were also remnants of Jewish fighting men who had escaped to the open country. These chapters were about these men - some (represented by Ishmael) were reckless, murdering Gedaliah for power, but others (represented by Johanan) appeared to be genuine to the Jewish faith. Johanan and his army officers came to Jeremiah the prophet to seek advice whether to remain in the land (of Judah), or to immigrate to Egypt. These choices were not always clear to make. To remain meant hard work and uncertainty of getting reprisal from the Babylonians. Egypt appeared safer - food was plentiful, even though they would return to slavery, from which God had previously delivered them. Jeremiah received a clear instruction from God - He wanted these men to stay. But they would eventually disobey. It was in this context that Jeremiah declared:
“Remnant of Judah, the Lord has told you, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Be sure of this: I warn you today that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the Lord your God and said, ‘Pray to the Lord our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.’ I have told you today, but you still have not obeyed the Lord your God in all he sent me to tell you. So now, be sure of this: You will die by the sword, famine and plague in the place where you want to go to settle.” (Jeremiah 42:19-22)
In Psalms 95 King David reminded his people that the story of God's great deliverance of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt but subsequently perished in the Sinai desert served to warn us that we must not be disobedient to God's guidance:
Today, if you will hear His voice:
“Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion,
As in the day of trial in the wilderness,
When your fathers tested Me;
They tried Me, though they saw My work.
For forty years I was grieved with that generation,
And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts,
And they do not know My ways.’
So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’” (Psalms 95:8-11)
The writer of Hebrews uses the concept of the sabbath rest to remind us that the gospel of Jesus Christ tells us that we no longer need to labor/work (by obeying the laws of Moses) for our salvation, but to rest/believe in Christ's saving work on the cross:
Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:6-11)
Working out our faith in God isn't easy. The New Covenant relationship is supposed to replace the Old - faith in Christ should replace strict obedience to the laws of Moses (including the Ten Commandments). Love and sibling friendship with Christ should replace fear and work. But our true love for Christ should manifest itself in our obedience to His command (which is to love God and our neighbor as ourselves). This love relationship is complex. He is not like someone we physically see day to day and interact with in every activity we do. But this love relationship is growing. By understanding more of His character (from the Bible - both the Old and the New Testament), and by experiencing Him in my service to others, I learn to trust Him more and more. Today I learn not to harden my heart when I hear his voice. I have heard Him today!
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