Isaiah 28
Are you familiar with the geography of the land of Promise in relation to its symbols concerning our relationship with Him? The small area of Palestine is intensely varied in its geographic features. From north to south we begin at the foothills of Mt. Hermon. Mt. Hermon catches the prevailing weather patterns from the Mediterranean Sea forcing the moisture to drop to the ground before the weather patterns can move on East. The fault line that forms Mt. Hermon slopes on down through the middle of Palestine. Consequently, the west side of the fault line is full of green valleys and luxuriant fields until it runs below sea level. So from North to South and from West to East, we move from a luxuriant climate full of abundant growth to desert conditions where life is bleak, hard and difficult. It is interesting to make the corollary that a study of the spiritual life of the people in the north to the south would yield the general rule that as physical abundance was present, spiritual vitality tended to dry up as physical abundance dried up spiritual vitality tended to increase. He warned Israel of that problem:
So it shall be, when the LORD your God brings you into the land of which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, 11 houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant—when you have eaten and are full— 12 then beware, lest you forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
Deut. 6:12
Well, it happened. Samaria, the capital of Ephraim, sat on a hill shaped like a crown in a verdant valley of Israel. According to an article that I read in Biblical Archeology Review, Israel at that time was a major exporter of wine throughout the world. She had become intoxicated with her wealth and her wine. But he would not allow her to remain in her intoxication with the world—that is His glory. He sent His prophet to teach them precept upon precept. But they would not listen, but they just scornfully muttered it back to him. So He promises them they will hear the message again through stammering lips (the foreign language of the Assyrians). He offers them rest, but they refuse. The result? They are snared and caught in death. The apostle Paul interprets verse 11 to mean that the supernatural use of human tongues is a sign to unbelievers. He in effect is calling them unregenerate. They were part of His covenant family. But they were unregenerate. That is His glory. He will not allow His people to remain in the slop of the world. Lord, keep me out of the slop! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
April 20, 2011
Isaiah 19-20
The early church fathers had some interesting theories of interpretation. Usually their interpretations were quite fanciful in as much as they usually followed an allegorical method. Such method often leads to some very imaginative interpretations. Isaiah says, “Behold the Lord rides on a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt.” Jerome thought that the swift cloud was, “Certainly holy Mary, who was heavy with child by no human seed. Behold the Lord has entered the Egypt of this world on a swift cloud, the Virgin,” Homilies on the Psalms II (Psalm 77). But in a ‘historical, cultural, grammatical’ method of interpretation, when did God ever ride into Egypt on a swift cloud during or after the ministry of Isaiah? In a military sense the answer is never; although one commentator has suggested that perhaps it is a reference to Israel’s victory in the six-day war of 1967. While I don’t buy Jerome’s thought of the cloud being the virgin, I do think it is a reference to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. I do appreciate the early father’s attempts to compare Scripture with Scripture. For that reason I like Chrysostom’s thought:
(At the Mount of Transfiguration) The Father uttered a voice out of the cloud. Why out of the cloud? Because this is how God appears. For a “cloud and darkness are around him.” “He sits on a light cloud,” and “He makes clouds his chariot.” “A cloud received him out of their sight.” “As the Son of Man coming in the clouds.”
His voice comes from a cloud so that they might believe that the voice proceeds from God. Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 56.5.
Surely, Egypt did fall to the hands of a ‘cruel master, and a fierce king.’(v.4) In 670 B.C. (shortly after Isaiah’s demise) Esar-haddon, king of Assyria, subdued Egypt. Interesting, Judah was spared the invasion of Assyria, yet Egypt fell. After that time Egypt never again reached its former glory. Egypt’s economy was based up upon the stability of the Nile River. Isaiah prophesies the ruin of the river wrecking the economy. The other destructions seem to lead to a revival in Egypt (v.16-25) The exact interpretation of this has been given many fulfillments. However, Athanasius seems to view it as a prophecy of the triumphs of the gospel of Christ in his native land after the edict of Milan. He says:
The thing is happening before our very eyes, here in Egypt; and thereby another prophecy is fulfilled, for at no other time have the Egyptians ceased from their false worship save when the Lord of all, riding as on a cloud, came down here in the body and brought the error of idols to nothing and won over everybody to Himself and through Himself to the Father.
That is the glory of our Lord Jesus. He takes what seem to be giants in our lives, like Egypt was to Judah, and He reduces them to nothing. What seemed an impossibility in Isaiah’s day, that Egypt could ever be humbled, became reality within a few short years after Isaiah’s death. It was completely fulfilled within a few centuries of Jesus’ coming. What giant is there in my life? He will subdue it in due time for the praise of His glorious grace! He will use it to build righteousness in me! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
The early church fathers had some interesting theories of interpretation. Usually their interpretations were quite fanciful in as much as they usually followed an allegorical method. Such method often leads to some very imaginative interpretations. Isaiah says, “Behold the Lord rides on a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt.” Jerome thought that the swift cloud was, “Certainly holy Mary, who was heavy with child by no human seed. Behold the Lord has entered the Egypt of this world on a swift cloud, the Virgin,” Homilies on the Psalms II (Psalm 77). But in a ‘historical, cultural, grammatical’ method of interpretation, when did God ever ride into Egypt on a swift cloud during or after the ministry of Isaiah? In a military sense the answer is never; although one commentator has suggested that perhaps it is a reference to Israel’s victory in the six-day war of 1967. While I don’t buy Jerome’s thought of the cloud being the virgin, I do think it is a reference to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. I do appreciate the early father’s attempts to compare Scripture with Scripture. For that reason I like Chrysostom’s thought:
(At the Mount of Transfiguration) The Father uttered a voice out of the cloud. Why out of the cloud? Because this is how God appears. For a “cloud and darkness are around him.” “He sits on a light cloud,” and “He makes clouds his chariot.” “A cloud received him out of their sight.” “As the Son of Man coming in the clouds.”
His voice comes from a cloud so that they might believe that the voice proceeds from God. Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 56.5.
Surely, Egypt did fall to the hands of a ‘cruel master, and a fierce king.’(v.4) In 670 B.C. (shortly after Isaiah’s demise) Esar-haddon, king of Assyria, subdued Egypt. Interesting, Judah was spared the invasion of Assyria, yet Egypt fell. After that time Egypt never again reached its former glory. Egypt’s economy was based up upon the stability of the Nile River. Isaiah prophesies the ruin of the river wrecking the economy. The other destructions seem to lead to a revival in Egypt (v.16-25) The exact interpretation of this has been given many fulfillments. However, Athanasius seems to view it as a prophecy of the triumphs of the gospel of Christ in his native land after the edict of Milan. He says:
The thing is happening before our very eyes, here in Egypt; and thereby another prophecy is fulfilled, for at no other time have the Egyptians ceased from their false worship save when the Lord of all, riding as on a cloud, came down here in the body and brought the error of idols to nothing and won over everybody to Himself and through Himself to the Father.
That is the glory of our Lord Jesus. He takes what seem to be giants in our lives, like Egypt was to Judah, and He reduces them to nothing. What seemed an impossibility in Isaiah’s day, that Egypt could ever be humbled, became reality within a few short years after Isaiah’s death. It was completely fulfilled within a few centuries of Jesus’ coming. What giant is there in my life? He will subdue it in due time for the praise of His glorious grace! He will use it to build righteousness in me! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
April 19, 2011
Isaiah 17-18
Ethiopia. It is mentioned in 19 verses of the New King James Version. The word Ethiopian is used in another 18 verses. It is the Greek name for the land of Cush, south of Egypt. Most scholars do not believe that it should be confused with the modern Ethiopian country. A few scholars think that the Queen of Sheba came from Ethiopia; although, most believe that Sheba was part of the southern Arabian Peninsula. 2 Chronicles 14:9 we read of Zerah the Ethiopian who came against Asa with an army of one million men. Here in Isaiah we find a prophecy against the nation. Isaiah warns of coming judgment upon Ethiopia. Thus the people of Judah should not depend upon this Egyptian/Ethiopian dynasty to deliver them from the Assyrians. Indeed the Assyrians defeated the Ethiopians in 701 B.C. Had Judah truly depended upon them, their trust would have been disappointed. But along with the promised judgment, comes a promise. The promise is that this ‘terrible-smooth-skinned people’ would one day bring a present to the Lord in Mount Zion. The Ethiopian Eunuch came to Jerusalem to find out who this Great God truly was. He was reading the scroll of Isaiah 53 when Philip met him at his chariot. What do you suppose he thought when he read of his nation in Isaiah 18?
That Eunuch went back and to this day the Coptic church of Egypt and Ethiopia trace their lineage to him. Yes, the Lord caused Ethiopia to bring a gift to Him. It is the gift of some of her people. And someday even more shall come. Is that not glorious? Our king predicts what happens and then we can see it happen in history! But do we depend upon the people and things around us that will fail us? Or, do we depend upon the Lord? One day, if we depend upon Him, we will bring a gift to Him. It will be the result of our trust in Him. On the other hand, if we trust upon the people and things around us, we will have nothing to bring. I have opportunity to increase His glory by trusting on His promise, not the things around me. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Ethiopia. It is mentioned in 19 verses of the New King James Version. The word Ethiopian is used in another 18 verses. It is the Greek name for the land of Cush, south of Egypt. Most scholars do not believe that it should be confused with the modern Ethiopian country. A few scholars think that the Queen of Sheba came from Ethiopia; although, most believe that Sheba was part of the southern Arabian Peninsula. 2 Chronicles 14:9 we read of Zerah the Ethiopian who came against Asa with an army of one million men. Here in Isaiah we find a prophecy against the nation. Isaiah warns of coming judgment upon Ethiopia. Thus the people of Judah should not depend upon this Egyptian/Ethiopian dynasty to deliver them from the Assyrians. Indeed the Assyrians defeated the Ethiopians in 701 B.C. Had Judah truly depended upon them, their trust would have been disappointed. But along with the promised judgment, comes a promise. The promise is that this ‘terrible-smooth-skinned people’ would one day bring a present to the Lord in Mount Zion. The Ethiopian Eunuch came to Jerusalem to find out who this Great God truly was. He was reading the scroll of Isaiah 53 when Philip met him at his chariot. What do you suppose he thought when he read of his nation in Isaiah 18?
That Eunuch went back and to this day the Coptic church of Egypt and Ethiopia trace their lineage to him. Yes, the Lord caused Ethiopia to bring a gift to Him. It is the gift of some of her people. And someday even more shall come. Is that not glorious? Our king predicts what happens and then we can see it happen in history! But do we depend upon the people and things around us that will fail us? Or, do we depend upon the Lord? One day, if we depend upon Him, we will bring a gift to Him. It will be the result of our trust in Him. On the other hand, if we trust upon the people and things around us, we will have nothing to bring. I have opportunity to increase His glory by trusting on His promise, not the things around me. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Monday, April 18, 2011
April 18, 2011
Isaiah 16
Moab and Edom were ancient relatives of Judah and enemies as well. Moabites were the descendants of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Six hundred years after the birth of Moab, his descendants were antagonistic toward Israel as they passed through Moab on their way to Canaan. They hired Balaam to prophesy against Israel. God, in the law, forbade any Moabite from entering the temple up to the fourth generation. This set the stage for a long history of antagonism between the two nations. During the time of the judges, a few Moabite kings severely plagued Israel. David’s grandmother, Ruth was a Moabitess. It was only by his mercy that the Lord allowed David to enter the tabernacle. David subdued the Moabites and they remained under Israel’s control for many years. Under the divided nation, Omri subdued Moab. But when the Syrians and Assyrians were hassling Ahab, the Moabites rebelled and gained independence. This incident was celebrated by Mesha king of Moab on the now famous Moabite stone on display in the Louvre. Ahab’s son Jehoram talked Jehoshaphat into helping him once again subjugate Moab. The King of Moab sacrificed his son to Chemosh in a last ditch effort to get the gods to support him against Israel and Judah. The sacrifice rallied the Moabite troops and scared the Israel & Judah troops, so the expedition failed. On other occasions the Moabites invaded Israel. When we come to the time of Isaiah, the Assyrians are conquering Moab. Yesterday and today’s passage is the prophetic lament of Moab’s defeat.
So where is the glory of Christ in this lament? “Send the lamb!” to Jerusalem is a command to make peace with Jerusalem for the purpose of gaining deliverance from the Assyrian invasion. Sela was the capital of Edom which later became known as Petra. It was a magnificent natural fortification. The Moabites had fled there to escape the invading Assyrians. If you have ever seen Indian Jones and the Last Crusade, you have seen part of Petra or Sela. It is the temple at the end of the movie where the medieval knight keeps guard over the Holy Grail. Verse five indicates that in the millennial kingdom the Messiah will bring justice and righteousness into the land. At that time Moab will be able to come to Him for relief from those who seek to destroy it. In the mean time, Isaiah says, “We have heard of the pride of Moab.” He has probably heard of what we call the Moabite Stone which boasts of its victory over Israel. Moab is warned to cease its boasting.
The enemy of our souls is at war with us seeking to destroy us. We have one hope of victory. It is the Lamb of God. He is also the One that will one day be seated upon the throne of David in Jerusalem. In the mean time we need to cease boasting in our own strength. We need to realize that we have no strength but His. Ours is an exchanged life. We die to our self in exchange for His life. Now that is glory! Moab illustrates those who cling to their own glory rather than the glory of Jesus. That is why I need to seek Him in His word every day. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Moab and Edom were ancient relatives of Judah and enemies as well. Moabites were the descendants of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Six hundred years after the birth of Moab, his descendants were antagonistic toward Israel as they passed through Moab on their way to Canaan. They hired Balaam to prophesy against Israel. God, in the law, forbade any Moabite from entering the temple up to the fourth generation. This set the stage for a long history of antagonism between the two nations. During the time of the judges, a few Moabite kings severely plagued Israel. David’s grandmother, Ruth was a Moabitess. It was only by his mercy that the Lord allowed David to enter the tabernacle. David subdued the Moabites and they remained under Israel’s control for many years. Under the divided nation, Omri subdued Moab. But when the Syrians and Assyrians were hassling Ahab, the Moabites rebelled and gained independence. This incident was celebrated by Mesha king of Moab on the now famous Moabite stone on display in the Louvre. Ahab’s son Jehoram talked Jehoshaphat into helping him once again subjugate Moab. The King of Moab sacrificed his son to Chemosh in a last ditch effort to get the gods to support him against Israel and Judah. The sacrifice rallied the Moabite troops and scared the Israel & Judah troops, so the expedition failed. On other occasions the Moabites invaded Israel. When we come to the time of Isaiah, the Assyrians are conquering Moab. Yesterday and today’s passage is the prophetic lament of Moab’s defeat.
So where is the glory of Christ in this lament? “Send the lamb!” to Jerusalem is a command to make peace with Jerusalem for the purpose of gaining deliverance from the Assyrian invasion. Sela was the capital of Edom which later became known as Petra. It was a magnificent natural fortification. The Moabites had fled there to escape the invading Assyrians. If you have ever seen Indian Jones and the Last Crusade, you have seen part of Petra or Sela. It is the temple at the end of the movie where the medieval knight keeps guard over the Holy Grail. Verse five indicates that in the millennial kingdom the Messiah will bring justice and righteousness into the land. At that time Moab will be able to come to Him for relief from those who seek to destroy it. In the mean time, Isaiah says, “We have heard of the pride of Moab.” He has probably heard of what we call the Moabite Stone which boasts of its victory over Israel. Moab is warned to cease its boasting.
The enemy of our souls is at war with us seeking to destroy us. We have one hope of victory. It is the Lamb of God. He is also the One that will one day be seated upon the throne of David in Jerusalem. In the mean time we need to cease boasting in our own strength. We need to realize that we have no strength but His. Ours is an exchanged life. We die to our self in exchange for His life. Now that is glory! Moab illustrates those who cling to their own glory rather than the glory of Jesus. That is why I need to seek Him in His word every day. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Friday, April 15, 2011
April 15, 2011
Isaiah 13
Babylon is first mentioned in the Bible in 2 Kings 17:24. Relatively speaking it is rather late in the history of the world and Israel. Babylon is the nation that eventually sacked Jerusalem and took Judah into captivity. But that event would come 80-100 years following Isaiah’s ministry. Babylon would become a huge issue after Josiah’s death. It is interesting that Babylon was used by the hand of the Lord to punish Assyria and yet this passage speaks of the fall of Babylon at the hand of the Medes. Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel have volumes to speak of Babylon because they lived in the times when Babylon was the dominate world power. After the sack of Babylon by the Medes, we really don’t hear too much about it until the book of Revelation. At the time that John wrote the Revelation, Babylon was in the ruins of which Isaiah speaks in this chapter. However, Babylon appears in Revelation as it represents the world financial system. It is an idolatrous system which pursues wealth over God. It is the world financial and religious system by which men seek to support themselves, so that they do not have to seek God.
In this passage literal Babylon’s destruction is prophesied at least 80 years before it even becomes a threat to Judah. It is both a near prophecy (given at least 140 years before the beginning of its literal fulfillment) and a far prophecy given concerning the end of the world. At the height of Babylon’s power it probably seemed impossible that the city would ever fall. Listen to the KJV Bible Commentary’s description of Babylon:
The splendor of ancient Babylon was indeed spectacular, covering over 1000 acres surrounded by a double-walled system of defense that encircled the city. These walls were over 85 feet thick and 11 miles long, with the outer walls being approximately 25 feet wide and reinforced with towers every 65 feet. There were eight major city gates named after various Babylonian deities (e.g., Ishtar). The city was dominated by a seven-story ziggurat, 288 feet high, known as the Tower of Babylon. It was constructed from nearly 60 million fired bricks. On the top of it stood the temple of Marduk. The Greek historian Herodotus claimed that it contained a solid gold statue of Marduk weighing 52,000 pounds!
Can you imagine what must Jeremiah, Ezekiel or Daniel’s contemporaries must have thought of this prophecy? “It’s crazy! Babylon could never fall. Its wealth and power are too vast and great.” Yet this mighty city fell overnight to the Medes, just as Isaiah predicted. Eventually it fell into obscurity and became exactly what Isaiah predicted, “The hyenas will howl in their citadels, and jackals in their pleasant palaces.” Today it is a mass of broken down bricks. Saddam Hussein sought to restore the palace of Nebuchadnezzar as a tourist attraction. However, the gulf war brought an end to his endeavors.
Yet we cannot leave this passage just looking at the near fulfillment of Isaiah. The prophecy also looks to the far fulfillment of the final day of the Lord. This is of what John’s Revelation also speaks. One day this mighty world system of finance and economy, which seduces the people of the world to pursue it rather than the Lord, will collapse. Right now it seems impossible. Oh we all admit that there will be depressions and blips on the road, but few of us really believe that one day it will completely collapse upon itself. It is for this reason that Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor. . . Do not worry about your life. . . Seek first the kingdom of heaven and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Our first priority is Him. Isaiah tells us that one day it is all coming crashing down. “I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”
That is the glory of our Lord. He will permit nothing but allegiance to Himself. He deserves nothing but allegiance to Himself. He graciously grants us opportunity to seek Him. But one day a day of reckoning is coming. He Himself will be exalted in that day. Should we not give all that we are for Him right now? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Babylon is first mentioned in the Bible in 2 Kings 17:24. Relatively speaking it is rather late in the history of the world and Israel. Babylon is the nation that eventually sacked Jerusalem and took Judah into captivity. But that event would come 80-100 years following Isaiah’s ministry. Babylon would become a huge issue after Josiah’s death. It is interesting that Babylon was used by the hand of the Lord to punish Assyria and yet this passage speaks of the fall of Babylon at the hand of the Medes. Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel have volumes to speak of Babylon because they lived in the times when Babylon was the dominate world power. After the sack of Babylon by the Medes, we really don’t hear too much about it until the book of Revelation. At the time that John wrote the Revelation, Babylon was in the ruins of which Isaiah speaks in this chapter. However, Babylon appears in Revelation as it represents the world financial system. It is an idolatrous system which pursues wealth over God. It is the world financial and religious system by which men seek to support themselves, so that they do not have to seek God.
In this passage literal Babylon’s destruction is prophesied at least 80 years before it even becomes a threat to Judah. It is both a near prophecy (given at least 140 years before the beginning of its literal fulfillment) and a far prophecy given concerning the end of the world. At the height of Babylon’s power it probably seemed impossible that the city would ever fall. Listen to the KJV Bible Commentary’s description of Babylon:
The splendor of ancient Babylon was indeed spectacular, covering over 1000 acres surrounded by a double-walled system of defense that encircled the city. These walls were over 85 feet thick and 11 miles long, with the outer walls being approximately 25 feet wide and reinforced with towers every 65 feet. There were eight major city gates named after various Babylonian deities (e.g., Ishtar). The city was dominated by a seven-story ziggurat, 288 feet high, known as the Tower of Babylon. It was constructed from nearly 60 million fired bricks. On the top of it stood the temple of Marduk. The Greek historian Herodotus claimed that it contained a solid gold statue of Marduk weighing 52,000 pounds!
Can you imagine what must Jeremiah, Ezekiel or Daniel’s contemporaries must have thought of this prophecy? “It’s crazy! Babylon could never fall. Its wealth and power are too vast and great.” Yet this mighty city fell overnight to the Medes, just as Isaiah predicted. Eventually it fell into obscurity and became exactly what Isaiah predicted, “The hyenas will howl in their citadels, and jackals in their pleasant palaces.” Today it is a mass of broken down bricks. Saddam Hussein sought to restore the palace of Nebuchadnezzar as a tourist attraction. However, the gulf war brought an end to his endeavors.
Yet we cannot leave this passage just looking at the near fulfillment of Isaiah. The prophecy also looks to the far fulfillment of the final day of the Lord. This is of what John’s Revelation also speaks. One day this mighty world system of finance and economy, which seduces the people of the world to pursue it rather than the Lord, will collapse. Right now it seems impossible. Oh we all admit that there will be depressions and blips on the road, but few of us really believe that one day it will completely collapse upon itself. It is for this reason that Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor. . . Do not worry about your life. . . Seek first the kingdom of heaven and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Our first priority is Him. Isaiah tells us that one day it is all coming crashing down. “I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”
That is the glory of our Lord. He will permit nothing but allegiance to Himself. He deserves nothing but allegiance to Himself. He graciously grants us opportunity to seek Him. But one day a day of reckoning is coming. He Himself will be exalted in that day. Should we not give all that we are for Him right now? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Thursday, April 14, 2011
April 14, 2011
Isaiah 11-12
“All Things Bright and Beautiful, the Lord God Made them All” Perhaps you have sung the song before. On the one hand, I appreciate its sentiment. Although we live in a cursed world, it is still very beautiful indeed. It is so beautiful in fact that we usually don’t want to leave it. We cling to it. It feels like home. On the other hand, This world is full of dark and troublesome things. Indeed we do live in a sin cursed world. There are arachnids, insects and snakes whose bite can cause serious damage and even death. We are all aware of animals of prey which we don’t want to meet alone in the wild, such as lions and tigers and bears (oh my). Then there are a host of plants as well that can be dangerous to our existence if not producing annoying allergies. And then there are weather patterns that we cannot control that produce drought, flood, tornados, hurricanes etc. Add to these earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions. It does not seem that our Creator created a very safe world for us. We must keep in mind that we do live in a cursed creation. It is cursed because of our sin! In the words of Ken Ham could you imagine a song entitled, “All Things Bright and Beautiful, the Lord God Cursed them All?” How do these things reveal the glory of our Lord Jesus?
It is for the redemption of that cursed world that the Lord Jesus came. Today’s passage gives us a glimpse of how He shall change it when He returns to rule as the promised Messiah. He will take this mess and restore it to its original glorious state. Can you imagine a child playing with a cobra? Can you imagine the Palestinian and the Israeli living in peaceful coexistence? Can you imagine a calf and a lion lying down together to eat grass? Our Lord Jesus will do that. In the meantime He desires that we permit Him to uproot the sin in our own lives that he might reign supreme in our hearts. He desires the death of ourselves that He might live in us. He does it as we trust Him. Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
“All Things Bright and Beautiful, the Lord God Made them All” Perhaps you have sung the song before. On the one hand, I appreciate its sentiment. Although we live in a cursed world, it is still very beautiful indeed. It is so beautiful in fact that we usually don’t want to leave it. We cling to it. It feels like home. On the other hand, This world is full of dark and troublesome things. Indeed we do live in a sin cursed world. There are arachnids, insects and snakes whose bite can cause serious damage and even death. We are all aware of animals of prey which we don’t want to meet alone in the wild, such as lions and tigers and bears (oh my). Then there are a host of plants as well that can be dangerous to our existence if not producing annoying allergies. And then there are weather patterns that we cannot control that produce drought, flood, tornados, hurricanes etc. Add to these earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions. It does not seem that our Creator created a very safe world for us. We must keep in mind that we do live in a cursed creation. It is cursed because of our sin! In the words of Ken Ham could you imagine a song entitled, “All Things Bright and Beautiful, the Lord God Cursed them All?” How do these things reveal the glory of our Lord Jesus?
It is for the redemption of that cursed world that the Lord Jesus came. Today’s passage gives us a glimpse of how He shall change it when He returns to rule as the promised Messiah. He will take this mess and restore it to its original glorious state. Can you imagine a child playing with a cobra? Can you imagine the Palestinian and the Israeli living in peaceful coexistence? Can you imagine a calf and a lion lying down together to eat grass? Our Lord Jesus will do that. In the meantime He desires that we permit Him to uproot the sin in our own lives that he might reign supreme in our hearts. He desires the death of ourselves that He might live in us. He does it as we trust Him. Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
April 13, 2011
Isaiah 10:5-34
Wouldn’t it be cool if God raised up out of Lybia the greatest missionary force the world has ever seen? Here is a country that oppresses its own people. Here is a country that outlaws any conversion from Muslin to anything else. Here is a country which forbids any effort to witness to others. Wouldn’t it be cool if God raised up out of Lybia the greatest missionary force the world has ever seen?
God raises up people and nations for a purpose. He has a purpose for all of us. He has a purpose for the United States. He has a purpose for Lybia. If He is so purposeful, why is everything such a mess? It is simply that in the midst of doing that for which He raised us up, we rebel. We either refuse to be what He has designed us to be, or we taking the gifts, which He has given us and thinking that they originated with us, we wield them for our own glory boasting against Him, or we exceed the boundaries of what He intended for us.
Isaiah pronounces judgment against Assyria. God raised up Assyria to judge Syria and Israel, but Assyria went further than what God intended. Assyria exalted itself against the Lord (v.15). It went beyond His intended purpose. It sought to annihilate the Lord’s chosen people. You can read how Assyria devastated the individual cities as it approached Jerusalem. Look at the list! Aiath, Migron, Michmash, Geba, Ramah, Gibeah, Gallim, Laish, Anathoth, Madmenah, Gebim, Nob, Jerusalem. But just when it seems that Assyria will have overrun them all and taken Jerusalem, “Behold, the Lord, The LORD of hosts, Will lop off the bough with terror; Those of high stature will be hewn down, And the haughty will be humbled. He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron; And Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.” That is exactly what happened within Isaiah’s lifetime. That is the way the Lord works. He lets the rebellion of man grow to its fullest, and then He simply lops it off. It has happened time and again throughout history. The unbeliever cries out, “How can God be just and loving and permit this?” The believer says, “It is God’s mercy that He waits so long and His justice that brings it to an end.”
What do we see now? In 1966 One of the 16 points of Chairman Mao’s cultural declared that all religions must be eradicated. The world watched in horror as millions, gave their lives and their freedom because they loved the Lord Jesus Christ more than life. Many Christians in the west thought that the church in China would be wiped out. Why did God raise up China? What is her purpose? Today there are probably over one hundred twenty million Christians in China. That is more than are in the United States! China is becoming one of the greatest missionary forces in the world! How cool is that? Wouldn’t it be cool if God raised up out of Lybia another of one of the greatest missionary forces the world has ever seen? That is the glory of our Lord! He makes even the wrath of man to praise Him! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Wouldn’t it be cool if God raised up out of Lybia the greatest missionary force the world has ever seen? Here is a country that oppresses its own people. Here is a country that outlaws any conversion from Muslin to anything else. Here is a country which forbids any effort to witness to others. Wouldn’t it be cool if God raised up out of Lybia the greatest missionary force the world has ever seen?
God raises up people and nations for a purpose. He has a purpose for all of us. He has a purpose for the United States. He has a purpose for Lybia. If He is so purposeful, why is everything such a mess? It is simply that in the midst of doing that for which He raised us up, we rebel. We either refuse to be what He has designed us to be, or we taking the gifts, which He has given us and thinking that they originated with us, we wield them for our own glory boasting against Him, or we exceed the boundaries of what He intended for us.
Isaiah pronounces judgment against Assyria. God raised up Assyria to judge Syria and Israel, but Assyria went further than what God intended. Assyria exalted itself against the Lord (v.15). It went beyond His intended purpose. It sought to annihilate the Lord’s chosen people. You can read how Assyria devastated the individual cities as it approached Jerusalem. Look at the list! Aiath, Migron, Michmash, Geba, Ramah, Gibeah, Gallim, Laish, Anathoth, Madmenah, Gebim, Nob, Jerusalem. But just when it seems that Assyria will have overrun them all and taken Jerusalem, “Behold, the Lord, The LORD of hosts, Will lop off the bough with terror; Those of high stature will be hewn down, And the haughty will be humbled. He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron; And Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.” That is exactly what happened within Isaiah’s lifetime. That is the way the Lord works. He lets the rebellion of man grow to its fullest, and then He simply lops it off. It has happened time and again throughout history. The unbeliever cries out, “How can God be just and loving and permit this?” The believer says, “It is God’s mercy that He waits so long and His justice that brings it to an end.”
What do we see now? In 1966 One of the 16 points of Chairman Mao’s cultural declared that all religions must be eradicated. The world watched in horror as millions, gave their lives and their freedom because they loved the Lord Jesus Christ more than life. Many Christians in the west thought that the church in China would be wiped out. Why did God raise up China? What is her purpose? Today there are probably over one hundred twenty million Christians in China. That is more than are in the United States! China is becoming one of the greatest missionary forces in the world! How cool is that? Wouldn’t it be cool if God raised up out of Lybia another of one of the greatest missionary forces the world has ever seen? That is the glory of our Lord! He makes even the wrath of man to praise Him! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
April 12, 2011
Isaiah 9:8-10:4
What parent among us will not discipline our child when we realize that it is needed? If we love our children, we discipline them in order to teach them how to live in this world. Is God any different? Of course He is not any different. He disciplines His own children. He disciplines us to teach us to live not only in this world, but also in the one to come. This passage is an excellent example! For generations the nation of Israel had been stiff-necked and disobedient. She had robbed the needy of justice, taken what was right from the poor, preyed upon widows and robbed the fatherless. The Lord promises that His judgment, discipline, will come. Even at that late point in Israel’s history, she thought that she could rebuild from past discipline. Israel still thought she could turn to Syria and the Philistines and with their help survive the current crisis. But the Lord warns that they will turn on Israel and devour her. God has extended His hand to discipline and it was extended still. But like a strong-willed child, Israel refuses to respond to the discipline of the Lord. She insisted on pursuing her own way. The result was the promised destruction of her leaders.
So, where do I fit in this scheme? It is His glory to discipline me to teach me how to live in this world and in the next. I can learn to be compliant. One practical outworking of being compliant can be seen in how I respond to the poor, especially the widow and the orphan. He desires mercy upon them. When it is shown, it reveals His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
What parent among us will not discipline our child when we realize that it is needed? If we love our children, we discipline them in order to teach them how to live in this world. Is God any different? Of course He is not any different. He disciplines His own children. He disciplines us to teach us to live not only in this world, but also in the one to come. This passage is an excellent example! For generations the nation of Israel had been stiff-necked and disobedient. She had robbed the needy of justice, taken what was right from the poor, preyed upon widows and robbed the fatherless. The Lord promises that His judgment, discipline, will come. Even at that late point in Israel’s history, she thought that she could rebuild from past discipline. Israel still thought she could turn to Syria and the Philistines and with their help survive the current crisis. But the Lord warns that they will turn on Israel and devour her. God has extended His hand to discipline and it was extended still. But like a strong-willed child, Israel refuses to respond to the discipline of the Lord. She insisted on pursuing her own way. The result was the promised destruction of her leaders.
So, where do I fit in this scheme? It is His glory to discipline me to teach me how to live in this world and in the next. I can learn to be compliant. One practical outworking of being compliant can be seen in how I respond to the poor, especially the widow and the orphan. He desires mercy upon them. When it is shown, it reveals His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
April 11, 2011
Isaiah 8:1-9:7
One of the most amazing things about the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ is that He is with us. “Immanuel” simply means “God with us.” If we were to judge by our circumstances as to whether or not God is with us, we might easily conclude, “No, He is not.” In Isaiah & Ahaz days, it would have been easy for Ahaz to conclude that God was not with them. When it came to the end of Ahaz’ life, he was not evaluated as a good king (2Kings 16:1-4), but from Isaiah it would seem that he was at least toying with the idea of being a Yahweh follower. For the sake of His people and His eternal plan, the Lord was with the nation at this time.
Do you get the precarious circumstance that had befallen Judah and Ahaz at this time? Assyria was riding to the zenith of its world domination at this time. Israel and Syria were quite concerned and were convinced that only a strong alliance between Syria, Israel, Judah and Egypt could muster the force needed to with stand the surging tide of Assyria. Syria and Israel were threatening Judah with military force to join them voluntarily or be militarily subjugated to join them. Kind of a strange concept it is to force another country through military intimidation to join you in conquest. Yet it is a concept that has been used through the millennia by many countries. Indeed, Chengis Khan used it extensively to build the largest empire the world has ever seen. So what should Ahaz do? Join Syria and Israel in an alliance to fight Assyria? Or should he resist Syria and Israel, and if successful, what would he do if Assyria beat Syria and Israel? Ahaz was playing the field sacrificing to every god in order to try gain the right advantage to expand his kingdom.
Enter Isaiah with an unwanted but much needed message. “God is with you. Don’t worry about Syria, Israel or Assyria. Depend totally on the presence of the One who is.” It wasn’t what Ahaz wanted to hear. God even makes Isaiah’s coming children to be a prophetic illustration of what he was going to do. God would be with them. Assyria would come in like a gentle but unstoppable flood. It would drown Syria and Israel. It would come up to Judah’s neck but not overwhelm them. Ahaz should not fear this but fear the Lord who was with him. Isaiah’s children are a sign in that even though they were just conceived, all these things would be accomplished before his son could talk.
The Lord brings us a similar message today. We are not to fear our circumstances but fear Him because He is with us. We are not to pursue man’s solution but rather trust in His presence. It is a difficult thing to do when everyone else is running after what seems to be right to them. But He tells us to wait upon Him. He ordains our children to be signs of waiting upon Him. Where is the American church today? Never has there been so great a proliferation of programs and schemes to build the church as we have seen, and yet the futurists tell us that we are losing this generation. Maybe it is because we have been trusting in the hand of man rather than truly turning and trusting in the God who is with us. We must somehow live so that the fear of God is upon us. I am convinced that can only be done as we go back to the Word (law and testimony) and listen to what the Spirit says to us through it. He will show His glory in that manner. His glory will be revealed as He is with us. As He is with us, we experience that He indeed is the Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
One of the most amazing things about the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ is that He is with us. “Immanuel” simply means “God with us.” If we were to judge by our circumstances as to whether or not God is with us, we might easily conclude, “No, He is not.” In Isaiah & Ahaz days, it would have been easy for Ahaz to conclude that God was not with them. When it came to the end of Ahaz’ life, he was not evaluated as a good king (2Kings 16:1-4), but from Isaiah it would seem that he was at least toying with the idea of being a Yahweh follower. For the sake of His people and His eternal plan, the Lord was with the nation at this time.
Do you get the precarious circumstance that had befallen Judah and Ahaz at this time? Assyria was riding to the zenith of its world domination at this time. Israel and Syria were quite concerned and were convinced that only a strong alliance between Syria, Israel, Judah and Egypt could muster the force needed to with stand the surging tide of Assyria. Syria and Israel were threatening Judah with military force to join them voluntarily or be militarily subjugated to join them. Kind of a strange concept it is to force another country through military intimidation to join you in conquest. Yet it is a concept that has been used through the millennia by many countries. Indeed, Chengis Khan used it extensively to build the largest empire the world has ever seen. So what should Ahaz do? Join Syria and Israel in an alliance to fight Assyria? Or should he resist Syria and Israel, and if successful, what would he do if Assyria beat Syria and Israel? Ahaz was playing the field sacrificing to every god in order to try gain the right advantage to expand his kingdom.
Enter Isaiah with an unwanted but much needed message. “God is with you. Don’t worry about Syria, Israel or Assyria. Depend totally on the presence of the One who is.” It wasn’t what Ahaz wanted to hear. God even makes Isaiah’s coming children to be a prophetic illustration of what he was going to do. God would be with them. Assyria would come in like a gentle but unstoppable flood. It would drown Syria and Israel. It would come up to Judah’s neck but not overwhelm them. Ahaz should not fear this but fear the Lord who was with him. Isaiah’s children are a sign in that even though they were just conceived, all these things would be accomplished before his son could talk.
The Lord brings us a similar message today. We are not to fear our circumstances but fear Him because He is with us. We are not to pursue man’s solution but rather trust in His presence. It is a difficult thing to do when everyone else is running after what seems to be right to them. But He tells us to wait upon Him. He ordains our children to be signs of waiting upon Him. Where is the American church today? Never has there been so great a proliferation of programs and schemes to build the church as we have seen, and yet the futurists tell us that we are losing this generation. Maybe it is because we have been trusting in the hand of man rather than truly turning and trusting in the God who is with us. We must somehow live so that the fear of God is upon us. I am convinced that can only be done as we go back to the Word (law and testimony) and listen to what the Spirit says to us through it. He will show His glory in that manner. His glory will be revealed as He is with us. As He is with us, we experience that He indeed is the Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
April 8, 2011
Isaiah 5
Who is the Well-Beloved? In all three synoptic Gospels the Father twice calls the Son His, ‘Beloved.’ He does so once at His baptism and once at His transfiguration. Here in Isaiah it states that His Well-Beloved had a vineyard. Who is the vineyard in Isaiah? It is the nation of Israel. The vineyard was planted and well cared for. It should have produced an abundance of sweet grapes. Rather, it produced wild grapes. He loves His people too much to allow them to produce inedible fruit. He promises destruction of the nation if they continue on the same path.
But what specifically is He upset about? He discusses that fruit in verses 8-23. It is a six-fold woe that includes: 1) The rich taking advantage of the poor. 2) Drunkenness. 3) Parading their idolatry before God. 4) Reversing moral standards. 5) Self-wisdom. 6) Intoxicating themselves so that can no longer observe justice.
So what is the Lord going to do about it? In 24-32, He pronounces a firey-judgment.
So who is this Well-Beloved? He is the One is intimately loved by the Father. He is the One provides all our needs. He is the One who has ordained that we should bring forth fruit that remains. He is the One also will bring a fiery-judgment upon His own people, in order that they might bear that fruit. For this our souls love Him! He is my King! O Lord, let me bear fruit for Your pleasure. You take no delight in burning Your servants. Let me bear the fruit that You delight in! You alone are worthy of honor. Let Your honor be multiplied in me because it is for this that I am created. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Who is the Well-Beloved? In all three synoptic Gospels the Father twice calls the Son His, ‘Beloved.’ He does so once at His baptism and once at His transfiguration. Here in Isaiah it states that His Well-Beloved had a vineyard. Who is the vineyard in Isaiah? It is the nation of Israel. The vineyard was planted and well cared for. It should have produced an abundance of sweet grapes. Rather, it produced wild grapes. He loves His people too much to allow them to produce inedible fruit. He promises destruction of the nation if they continue on the same path.
But what specifically is He upset about? He discusses that fruit in verses 8-23. It is a six-fold woe that includes: 1) The rich taking advantage of the poor. 2) Drunkenness. 3) Parading their idolatry before God. 4) Reversing moral standards. 5) Self-wisdom. 6) Intoxicating themselves so that can no longer observe justice.
So what is the Lord going to do about it? In 24-32, He pronounces a firey-judgment.
So who is this Well-Beloved? He is the One is intimately loved by the Father. He is the One provides all our needs. He is the One who has ordained that we should bring forth fruit that remains. He is the One also will bring a fiery-judgment upon His own people, in order that they might bear that fruit. For this our souls love Him! He is my King! O Lord, let me bear fruit for Your pleasure. You take no delight in burning Your servants. Let me bear the fruit that You delight in! You alone are worthy of honor. Let Your honor be multiplied in me because it is for this that I am created. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
April 7, 2011
Isaiah 4
Many people have trouble with Isaiah because he moves so fluidly between judgment and restoration. In my mind that is what really establishes the unity of the book of Isaiah. It is his style. It is the way the Lord communicated using Isaiah’s personality. He constantly presented judgment for the cleansing of sin followed by the comfort given to a cleansed and restored people. Verse one of chapter four really belongs with the judgment of the previous passage. But as the Lord burns away the sin of the nation in judgment, He brings back the beauty of the nation in restoration. The Branch of verse two speaks of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Some interpret it as the fruitfulness of the land under the Messiah. Others interpret it as fruitfulness of the nation under the Messiah. Others, like myself, view the Branch as the Messiah. This term seems to also be applied to Messiah in Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15; and Zechariah 3:8; 6:12.
This Messiah, our Jesus, shall come upon the heels of judgment. When He cleanses His people, He sets up a canopy, a tabernacle, a place for dwelling in fellowship with His people. That is the beauty of our Jesus. He loves us too fiercely to permit us to live in sin. He orients everything so that we will be holy, even as He is holy. When we are clean as He is clean, then He opens to us the pleasures of fellowship with Him. Do you want to see Him in His beauty? It will require some burning. He is a consuming fire and burns away those things that are displeasing to Him, but the result is the sweet privilege of communion with Him. Communion with Him is the sweet fruit of the earth. It is excellent and appealing. It is what our hearts long for. It is that for which we were created. Oh Lord, burn the chaff out of my life so that I may continually walk in the glory of Your presence! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Many people have trouble with Isaiah because he moves so fluidly between judgment and restoration. In my mind that is what really establishes the unity of the book of Isaiah. It is his style. It is the way the Lord communicated using Isaiah’s personality. He constantly presented judgment for the cleansing of sin followed by the comfort given to a cleansed and restored people. Verse one of chapter four really belongs with the judgment of the previous passage. But as the Lord burns away the sin of the nation in judgment, He brings back the beauty of the nation in restoration. The Branch of verse two speaks of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Some interpret it as the fruitfulness of the land under the Messiah. Others interpret it as fruitfulness of the nation under the Messiah. Others, like myself, view the Branch as the Messiah. This term seems to also be applied to Messiah in Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15; and Zechariah 3:8; 6:12.
This Messiah, our Jesus, shall come upon the heels of judgment. When He cleanses His people, He sets up a canopy, a tabernacle, a place for dwelling in fellowship with His people. That is the beauty of our Jesus. He loves us too fiercely to permit us to live in sin. He orients everything so that we will be holy, even as He is holy. When we are clean as He is clean, then He opens to us the pleasures of fellowship with Him. Do you want to see Him in His beauty? It will require some burning. He is a consuming fire and burns away those things that are displeasing to Him, but the result is the sweet privilege of communion with Him. Communion with Him is the sweet fruit of the earth. It is excellent and appealing. It is what our hearts long for. It is that for which we were created. Oh Lord, burn the chaff out of my life so that I may continually walk in the glory of Your presence! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
April 6, 2011
Isaiah 3
“All rise for the Honorable . . . “ I have had many occasions to attend court with people with whom I am serving. Usually the court session begins with the above quote as the bailiff prepares the court room for the judge’s entrance. The court room is still one of the few vestiges of honor left in our society. No one, even the attorneys, questions the honor of a judge in the court room. We may wail upon them outside the courtroom, but in the courtroom, the judge is held in high esteem. In the court room, the judge reigns supreme. It must be that way for justice to remain just. In this chapter Isaiah declares:
The LORD takes his place in court
and presents his case against his people!
14 The LORD comes forward to pronounce judgment
on the elders and rulers of his people:
“You have ruined Israel, my vineyard.
Your houses are filled with things stolen from the poor.
15 How dare you crush my people,
grinding the faces of the poor into the dust?”
demands the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
The Lord is a just judge. In this court room scene, He is bringing in wealthy rulers of Israel who have abused the poor in order to advance their own cause. I wonder how often we abuse the poor in our own society in order to advance our own cause. Yes, I know that most of the time the poor are in the court room because of their own willful breaking of the law. But, how often do the rich not even get brought into the court room because of the connections they have because of their wealth. Not so with the Lord! He is a just judge, and He despises an unjust scale. All of the guilty are brought into His courtroom! And the gavel comes swinging down, “Guilty as charged!”
Fortunately, we have an advocate in the Lord Jesus. His blood cries out for those who repent and believe in Him, “The penalty is paid!” Mercy triumphs over judgment. When mercy triumphs over judgment in my life, how can I ever not extend mercy to my brother or sister who has wounded me? I cannot. Why? Because I am so wonderful? No! Because He is so wonderful! He, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, is a just judge, but He is also merciful. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
“All rise for the Honorable . . . “ I have had many occasions to attend court with people with whom I am serving. Usually the court session begins with the above quote as the bailiff prepares the court room for the judge’s entrance. The court room is still one of the few vestiges of honor left in our society. No one, even the attorneys, questions the honor of a judge in the court room. We may wail upon them outside the courtroom, but in the courtroom, the judge is held in high esteem. In the court room, the judge reigns supreme. It must be that way for justice to remain just. In this chapter Isaiah declares:
The LORD takes his place in court
and presents his case against his people!
14 The LORD comes forward to pronounce judgment
on the elders and rulers of his people:
“You have ruined Israel, my vineyard.
Your houses are filled with things stolen from the poor.
15 How dare you crush my people,
grinding the faces of the poor into the dust?”
demands the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
The Lord is a just judge. In this court room scene, He is bringing in wealthy rulers of Israel who have abused the poor in order to advance their own cause. I wonder how often we abuse the poor in our own society in order to advance our own cause. Yes, I know that most of the time the poor are in the court room because of their own willful breaking of the law. But, how often do the rich not even get brought into the court room because of the connections they have because of their wealth. Not so with the Lord! He is a just judge, and He despises an unjust scale. All of the guilty are brought into His courtroom! And the gavel comes swinging down, “Guilty as charged!”
Fortunately, we have an advocate in the Lord Jesus. His blood cries out for those who repent and believe in Him, “The penalty is paid!” Mercy triumphs over judgment. When mercy triumphs over judgment in my life, how can I ever not extend mercy to my brother or sister who has wounded me? I cannot. Why? Because I am so wonderful? No! Because He is so wonderful! He, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, is a just judge, but He is also merciful. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
April 5, 2011
Isaiah 2
I briefly had a part-time job selling baseball tickets for the Portland Beavers over the phone M-F 6:00-8:00. It was an interesting job. I only made minimum wage plus $1.00 for every package that I sold. It lasted for about 4-6 weeks. As you can imagine, I did not make much money. What made the job interesting was the people with whom I worked. One of them was a local bank vice president. He made a comfortable living. I was a little perplexed as to why he bothered. He said that he did it because he was bored at home, and he thought this might be interesting temporary outlet. One night I was out of gas and money, so I rode my bicycle into town. When he found out that I had rode my bicycle 11 miles to show up for a 2-hour minimum wage job, I guess that he felt sorry for me. He asked if he could give me a ride home. I wasn’t hard to persuade. He volunteered to take me home the rest of the nights until I was paid and could put a little gas in my car. During the next week or two, I got to know a little bit about his values. And we talked about spiritual things. He even taught me a song that he learned as a kid:
I don’t care if it rains or freezes
Just as long as I’ve got my plastic Jesus
Sittin on the dashboard of my car. . .
Hmmm. . . I don’t remember his name, but I remember the silly song he taught me. . . .
Yet the song represented his spiritual thought so well. He had invented his own god whom he worshipped. In truth he worshipped a god that was the work of his own hands. To people such as they, who never repent from the work of their own hands, Isaiah says three times that they will hide away from “the glory of His majesty.” (v. 10, 19,21)
Most people spend their lives worshipping the work of their own hands. My friend did. He had risen to vice-president of data control for a bank. He wasn’t extremely wealthy, but he was comfortable. He didn’t need (so he thought) the real Jesus. He was comfortable with his plastic Jesus, one made with his own hands. Why would he trade the glory of His majesty for a Jesus made with his own hands? Could it be because he never stopped long enough to seek Him in His word to see His majesty? Could it be that he had never seen the majesty of the real Jesus? Isaiah tells us that the day is coming when Jesus will dwell among us visibly. His majesty will be available for viewing. Then nations will say, “Come and let us go unto the mountain of the Lord.” They will do this in order to experience Him. How ever we view the glory of His majesty now, it is certain then the glory of his majesty is something that will motivate people to lay aside all for which they had warred in order to cease warring and take up farming. His glory, when fully experienced, is worth laying aside all for which we previously fought and died for in order that we might know Him. Do we have that kind of knowledge of Him now? If not, why not? What is it about Him that would make one want to give up the god of their own making to trade it in for farm implements? Maybe we have a faulty view of the glory of His majesty. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
I briefly had a part-time job selling baseball tickets for the Portland Beavers over the phone M-F 6:00-8:00. It was an interesting job. I only made minimum wage plus $1.00 for every package that I sold. It lasted for about 4-6 weeks. As you can imagine, I did not make much money. What made the job interesting was the people with whom I worked. One of them was a local bank vice president. He made a comfortable living. I was a little perplexed as to why he bothered. He said that he did it because he was bored at home, and he thought this might be interesting temporary outlet. One night I was out of gas and money, so I rode my bicycle into town. When he found out that I had rode my bicycle 11 miles to show up for a 2-hour minimum wage job, I guess that he felt sorry for me. He asked if he could give me a ride home. I wasn’t hard to persuade. He volunteered to take me home the rest of the nights until I was paid and could put a little gas in my car. During the next week or two, I got to know a little bit about his values. And we talked about spiritual things. He even taught me a song that he learned as a kid:
I don’t care if it rains or freezes
Just as long as I’ve got my plastic Jesus
Sittin on the dashboard of my car. . .
Hmmm. . . I don’t remember his name, but I remember the silly song he taught me. . . .
Yet the song represented his spiritual thought so well. He had invented his own god whom he worshipped. In truth he worshipped a god that was the work of his own hands. To people such as they, who never repent from the work of their own hands, Isaiah says three times that they will hide away from “the glory of His majesty.” (v. 10, 19,21)
Most people spend their lives worshipping the work of their own hands. My friend did. He had risen to vice-president of data control for a bank. He wasn’t extremely wealthy, but he was comfortable. He didn’t need (so he thought) the real Jesus. He was comfortable with his plastic Jesus, one made with his own hands. Why would he trade the glory of His majesty for a Jesus made with his own hands? Could it be because he never stopped long enough to seek Him in His word to see His majesty? Could it be that he had never seen the majesty of the real Jesus? Isaiah tells us that the day is coming when Jesus will dwell among us visibly. His majesty will be available for viewing. Then nations will say, “Come and let us go unto the mountain of the Lord.” They will do this in order to experience Him. How ever we view the glory of His majesty now, it is certain then the glory of his majesty is something that will motivate people to lay aside all for which they had warred in order to cease warring and take up farming. His glory, when fully experienced, is worth laying aside all for which we previously fought and died for in order that we might know Him. Do we have that kind of knowledge of Him now? If not, why not? What is it about Him that would make one want to give up the god of their own making to trade it in for farm implements? Maybe we have a faulty view of the glory of His majesty. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
April 4, 2011
Isaiah 1
Boys and mud go together. I don’t know what it is, but as a kid it was so much fun to get dirty. In the second through sixth grades, we lived in a house on the corner of two streets that were both gravel roads. One day after washing the family car, I noted how the water was running down into the street like a river. They had just finished building Lake Keystone, and we had recently been out to observe the massive structure which created a lake which caused whole towns to be relocated. Being fresh in my mind, I could not help but make the correlation between the stream and the street and the Arkansas River. I wondered if I could build by own dam and have a miniature lake in my street. I began with gusto piling up gravel and dirt in the street to build my dam. Soon I had a little pool forming instead of a stream. But as rapidly as I built the dam, the pool would expand and go around the dam. Eventually, my mom came out to see what I was doing. I was covered from head to foot in mud. She was not pleased, but she wasn’t wrathful either.
Isaiah speaks of the Lord as the Holy One of Israel in this chapter, twelve times in the first half of the book and 14 times in the second half of the book. Why? What is holiness? How does it relate to Isaiah’s message? Basically, holy means separate. He is separate from His creation. In the most fundamental sense, He is separate from us, different from us, other than us. More specifically He is separate from any moral impurity. He will not allow moral impurity in His manifest presence. Isaiah is calling the nation to repentance. They had become dirty. They had been playing in the filth of this world. They were building dams to store up their own supply of water. They were covered in sin which Isaiah compares to crimson. Crimson stood for blood-guiltiness before God. In their day the crimson dye of the scarlet worm was “absolutely colorfast and indelible.” Though their sin had stained them, and it was colorfast and indelible. He promises them cleansing. And how will it be accomplished? He says, “Let us reason together.” To reason means, “To prove, decide, judge, rebuke, reprove, correct, be right.” If we will but come into communion with Him and let Him prove, judge, rebuke, reprove, correct, and make us right, He will remove our sinful-blood-guilty stains and restore us clean! But if we resist, we will be devoured. That is His glory. He takes our blood-guilty stains and washes them in the judgment of His blood, and we come out clean as new-fallen snow! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Boys and mud go together. I don’t know what it is, but as a kid it was so much fun to get dirty. In the second through sixth grades, we lived in a house on the corner of two streets that were both gravel roads. One day after washing the family car, I noted how the water was running down into the street like a river. They had just finished building Lake Keystone, and we had recently been out to observe the massive structure which created a lake which caused whole towns to be relocated. Being fresh in my mind, I could not help but make the correlation between the stream and the street and the Arkansas River. I wondered if I could build by own dam and have a miniature lake in my street. I began with gusto piling up gravel and dirt in the street to build my dam. Soon I had a little pool forming instead of a stream. But as rapidly as I built the dam, the pool would expand and go around the dam. Eventually, my mom came out to see what I was doing. I was covered from head to foot in mud. She was not pleased, but she wasn’t wrathful either.
Isaiah speaks of the Lord as the Holy One of Israel in this chapter, twelve times in the first half of the book and 14 times in the second half of the book. Why? What is holiness? How does it relate to Isaiah’s message? Basically, holy means separate. He is separate from His creation. In the most fundamental sense, He is separate from us, different from us, other than us. More specifically He is separate from any moral impurity. He will not allow moral impurity in His manifest presence. Isaiah is calling the nation to repentance. They had become dirty. They had been playing in the filth of this world. They were building dams to store up their own supply of water. They were covered in sin which Isaiah compares to crimson. Crimson stood for blood-guiltiness before God. In their day the crimson dye of the scarlet worm was “absolutely colorfast and indelible.” Though their sin had stained them, and it was colorfast and indelible. He promises them cleansing. And how will it be accomplished? He says, “Let us reason together.” To reason means, “To prove, decide, judge, rebuke, reprove, correct, be right.” If we will but come into communion with Him and let Him prove, judge, rebuke, reprove, correct, and make us right, He will remove our sinful-blood-guilty stains and restore us clean! But if we resist, we will be devoured. That is His glory. He takes our blood-guilty stains and washes them in the judgment of His blood, and we come out clean as new-fallen snow! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
April 3, 2011
Song of Songs 8
The Shulamite is delighted that they are now on their way home in her beloved shepherd’s arms. She desires to kiss him, it is culturally inappropriate at this point. Her reference to wishing that he were his brother is so that she would not be despised at showing inappropriate affection. She gives one last charge to the daughters of Jerusalem to not to try to tempt her back to Solomon. In verse 5a we see Solomon’s cry of disgust as he realizes that he is losing the Shulamite to this simple shepherd of the wilderness. In verses 6-7 we hear her request of her shepherd to be faithful to her forever. Her love for Him has become like an unquenchable flame. As they continue home she reminisces of when younger her older brothers set some parameters upon her for her moral purity. She now concludes, “I am a wall.” She has remained morally pure even under the strongest wooing of Solomon the King! Solomon has a thousand vineyards with other women to enjoy them. She has but one vineyard which she will enjoy with her beloved shepherd. Back at home as she prepares for her wedding night, she hears her beloved shepherd out in the garden speaking with his companions. She calls him back in. Come quickly!
So where is the glory of the Lord Jesus in this? Is His glory so wonderful to us that we would endure all the temptations of this world for Him? Indeed, to be wooed by Solomon the “richest and wisest” man on earth at the time would have been very tempting. She could have lived a life of ease, comfort and pleasure. She could have lived a life with servants constantly waiting upon her. She would have passed through life with no cares. But the love of her shepherd was far more wonderful. Do we view Jesus this way? I am reminded of the song I’d Rather Have Jesus. The lyrics were written by Rhea F. Miller and the tune written by George Beverly Shea.
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand.
Than to be a king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway,
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than world-wide fame,
I’d rather be true to His holy name.
He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out of the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs,
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead.
That is the glory of my Jesus. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
The Shulamite is delighted that they are now on their way home in her beloved shepherd’s arms. She desires to kiss him, it is culturally inappropriate at this point. Her reference to wishing that he were his brother is so that she would not be despised at showing inappropriate affection. She gives one last charge to the daughters of Jerusalem to not to try to tempt her back to Solomon. In verse 5a we see Solomon’s cry of disgust as he realizes that he is losing the Shulamite to this simple shepherd of the wilderness. In verses 6-7 we hear her request of her shepherd to be faithful to her forever. Her love for Him has become like an unquenchable flame. As they continue home she reminisces of when younger her older brothers set some parameters upon her for her moral purity. She now concludes, “I am a wall.” She has remained morally pure even under the strongest wooing of Solomon the King! Solomon has a thousand vineyards with other women to enjoy them. She has but one vineyard which she will enjoy with her beloved shepherd. Back at home as she prepares for her wedding night, she hears her beloved shepherd out in the garden speaking with his companions. She calls him back in. Come quickly!
So where is the glory of the Lord Jesus in this? Is His glory so wonderful to us that we would endure all the temptations of this world for Him? Indeed, to be wooed by Solomon the “richest and wisest” man on earth at the time would have been very tempting. She could have lived a life of ease, comfort and pleasure. She could have lived a life with servants constantly waiting upon her. She would have passed through life with no cares. But the love of her shepherd was far more wonderful. Do we view Jesus this way? I am reminded of the song I’d Rather Have Jesus. The lyrics were written by Rhea F. Miller and the tune written by George Beverly Shea.
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand.
Than to be a king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway,
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than world-wide fame,
I’d rather be true to His holy name.
He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out of the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs,
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead.
That is the glory of my Jesus. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
April 2, 2011
Song of Songs 7
“I’m just a girl who can’t say no. I’m in a terrible fix. I always say, ‘C’mon lets go,’ just when I oughta say, ‘Nix.’ Perhaps you recognize the lyrics from Addo Annie’s solo from the play Oklahoma. It would seem that Solomon was a guy who wouldn’t take no, and the Shulamite was girl who wouldn’t say, “Yes.”
Solomon is indeed persistent in his desire to seduce the Shulamite. This is more of the direction in which we spoke yesterday. He continues to speak of her beauty in 7:1-9. He is sexually charged and desires to consummate his advances. He gives many metaphors of her beauty which would be understood by any resident of Israel of Solomon’s day but which are rather curious to us. Some of the metaphors we understand, and others take some digging. However, it is clear that the speaker is declaring the beauty of the Shulamite.
Finally upon hearing that the roof of her mouth is like the best wine, the Shulamite has had enough. She turns the phrase back on Solomon. That wine is only smooth for her beloved! She belongs only to her Beloved and His desire is for her. She is saying in effect, “Back off Solomon there is only one man for me, and you are not him!”
At verse eleven, she realizes that her beloved has arrived and now addresses Him. She calls out to him for them to quickly exit and find the fields where they can be betrothed and their togetherness consummated. The Shulamite has succeeded in resisting the advances of Solomon. Now she may enjoy her beloved.
Do we resist the advances of the world as she does? The world is constantly seeking to seduce us with its boast of our beauty and how only we can satisfy its lusts. Are we a girl who can’t say, ”No?” When the world says that our “Cheeks are like cream and its gotta have cream or die,” how will we possibly keep from being seduced? Only by remembering the glory of our Beloved, only by remembering that we belong to him, only by remembering that His desire is for us. That is His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
“I’m just a girl who can’t say no. I’m in a terrible fix. I always say, ‘C’mon lets go,’ just when I oughta say, ‘Nix.’ Perhaps you recognize the lyrics from Addo Annie’s solo from the play Oklahoma. It would seem that Solomon was a guy who wouldn’t take no, and the Shulamite was girl who wouldn’t say, “Yes.”
Solomon is indeed persistent in his desire to seduce the Shulamite. This is more of the direction in which we spoke yesterday. He continues to speak of her beauty in 7:1-9. He is sexually charged and desires to consummate his advances. He gives many metaphors of her beauty which would be understood by any resident of Israel of Solomon’s day but which are rather curious to us. Some of the metaphors we understand, and others take some digging. However, it is clear that the speaker is declaring the beauty of the Shulamite.
Finally upon hearing that the roof of her mouth is like the best wine, the Shulamite has had enough. She turns the phrase back on Solomon. That wine is only smooth for her beloved! She belongs only to her Beloved and His desire is for her. She is saying in effect, “Back off Solomon there is only one man for me, and you are not him!”
At verse eleven, she realizes that her beloved has arrived and now addresses Him. She calls out to him for them to quickly exit and find the fields where they can be betrothed and their togetherness consummated. The Shulamite has succeeded in resisting the advances of Solomon. Now she may enjoy her beloved.
Do we resist the advances of the world as she does? The world is constantly seeking to seduce us with its boast of our beauty and how only we can satisfy its lusts. Are we a girl who can’t say, ”No?” When the world says that our “Cheeks are like cream and its gotta have cream or die,” how will we possibly keep from being seduced? Only by remembering the glory of our Beloved, only by remembering that we belong to him, only by remembering that His desire is for us. That is His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Friday, April 8, 2011
April 1, 2011
Song of Songs 6
Yesterday we closed with the Shulamite’s description of her beloved, her friend. Today in sarcasm the court ladies ask, “So where is your beloved?” Implied in the sarcasm is, “Why do you keep holding on to this hope of your beloved when you are in the presence of the Solomon and you could be enjoying the pleasures of his court?” Once again the world casts its sarcasm upon us as we are willing to hold out for the beauty of His presence denying all the riches and pleasures that this world promises to us. For those ensnared by the world’s system, it is incredible that we should seek Him above the riches of this world. How many people have stood in astonishment as men and women have given their lives for the glory of their Shepherd? How many people have seen the sacrifice and declared, “What a waste!”
But the Shulamite will not be persuaded. Once again she states, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” Her beloved is far more beautiful than all the wealth of Solomon. But now Solomon arrives on the scene. Now he begins to try to woo her to himself. How do we know this is Solomon speaking this time? The speaker compares the beauty of the Shulamite to things with which he is familiar and things with which she is familiar. He begins by comparing her to Tirzah and Jerusalem. According to the KJV Bible commentary, Tirzah, which means delightful, was a city of great beauty and of course Jerusalem was Solomon’s capital city in which he was doing many building projects. If this were the Shulamite’s shepherd, he probably would not be comparing her to cities. Solomon knowing that he had competition also uses pastoral imagery to woo her. But the really telling feature is that Solomon in his arrogance compares her to his harem by stating that she is the most beautiful of all his queens. Verse eight could literally be translated, “I have sixty queens and eighty concubines.” He goes on to talk about how there is only one like her. I semi-jokingly often tell my daughter that she is my favorite daughter. She is never impressed because she is my only daughter. The Shulamite, however, has lots of competition. But her desire is not to be the best of many, but to be the only love of her shepherd.
She tries to explain to Solomon (v.11) how this whole sordid event was put into motion. She was simply on a gathering excursion for groceries when she encountered the royal accompaniment. Before she knew what was happening she had been recognized for her striking beauty and placed in the prince’s chariot to be forced into Solomon’s harem. Now back in the present and she trying to run away, they call out to her to return. Her response is, “What would you see in me?” The reply of the men is the dance of the two camps, Mahanaim. That was the name Jacob gave to place where he wrestled with God. In Genesis 32:1 we read that when morning came that Israel saw a camp of Angels next to his own camp. So, he named it Mahanaim. Israel was speaking of the place where the Divine met the human. The men were speaking of her that they saw in her something of where the Divine met the human.
Today the church of our Lord Jesus Christ is the God-ordained place where the Divine meets the human. If the world is going to see the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, He is going to reveal it in the church (Eph. 3:21). So, if Satan is going to seek to hide the glory of our Lord from the world, what is he going to do? He will do his best to seduce the church to draw her away from her true love her true shepherd. IF he can fill her with the world, then the glory of our Lord will be hidden. Now more than ever, we must resist the advances of the world and focus only on the Glory of our Lord Jesus. We are betrothed to Him and Him alone. Only to Him can we give our affections. Oh Lord, help us to love only You and not love the world. Lord, everything in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, are not of the Father but of the world. Oh Lord, help us to perceive that the world is passing away. Its allurements are only to draw us away from you. When it is done with us, it will just toss us aside like used toilet paper. Oh Lord, give us pure hearts, hot for the love of You! Like the Shulamite, enable us to sacrifice all for You. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Yesterday we closed with the Shulamite’s description of her beloved, her friend. Today in sarcasm the court ladies ask, “So where is your beloved?” Implied in the sarcasm is, “Why do you keep holding on to this hope of your beloved when you are in the presence of the Solomon and you could be enjoying the pleasures of his court?” Once again the world casts its sarcasm upon us as we are willing to hold out for the beauty of His presence denying all the riches and pleasures that this world promises to us. For those ensnared by the world’s system, it is incredible that we should seek Him above the riches of this world. How many people have stood in astonishment as men and women have given their lives for the glory of their Shepherd? How many people have seen the sacrifice and declared, “What a waste!”
But the Shulamite will not be persuaded. Once again she states, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” Her beloved is far more beautiful than all the wealth of Solomon. But now Solomon arrives on the scene. Now he begins to try to woo her to himself. How do we know this is Solomon speaking this time? The speaker compares the beauty of the Shulamite to things with which he is familiar and things with which she is familiar. He begins by comparing her to Tirzah and Jerusalem. According to the KJV Bible commentary, Tirzah, which means delightful, was a city of great beauty and of course Jerusalem was Solomon’s capital city in which he was doing many building projects. If this were the Shulamite’s shepherd, he probably would not be comparing her to cities. Solomon knowing that he had competition also uses pastoral imagery to woo her. But the really telling feature is that Solomon in his arrogance compares her to his harem by stating that she is the most beautiful of all his queens. Verse eight could literally be translated, “I have sixty queens and eighty concubines.” He goes on to talk about how there is only one like her. I semi-jokingly often tell my daughter that she is my favorite daughter. She is never impressed because she is my only daughter. The Shulamite, however, has lots of competition. But her desire is not to be the best of many, but to be the only love of her shepherd.
She tries to explain to Solomon (v.11) how this whole sordid event was put into motion. She was simply on a gathering excursion for groceries when she encountered the royal accompaniment. Before she knew what was happening she had been recognized for her striking beauty and placed in the prince’s chariot to be forced into Solomon’s harem. Now back in the present and she trying to run away, they call out to her to return. Her response is, “What would you see in me?” The reply of the men is the dance of the two camps, Mahanaim. That was the name Jacob gave to place where he wrestled with God. In Genesis 32:1 we read that when morning came that Israel saw a camp of Angels next to his own camp. So, he named it Mahanaim. Israel was speaking of the place where the Divine met the human. The men were speaking of her that they saw in her something of where the Divine met the human.
Today the church of our Lord Jesus Christ is the God-ordained place where the Divine meets the human. If the world is going to see the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, He is going to reveal it in the church (Eph. 3:21). So, if Satan is going to seek to hide the glory of our Lord from the world, what is he going to do? He will do his best to seduce the church to draw her away from her true love her true shepherd. IF he can fill her with the world, then the glory of our Lord will be hidden. Now more than ever, we must resist the advances of the world and focus only on the Glory of our Lord Jesus. We are betrothed to Him and Him alone. Only to Him can we give our affections. Oh Lord, help us to love only You and not love the world. Lord, everything in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, are not of the Father but of the world. Oh Lord, help us to perceive that the world is passing away. Its allurements are only to draw us away from you. When it is done with us, it will just toss us aside like used toilet paper. Oh Lord, give us pure hearts, hot for the love of You! Like the Shulamite, enable us to sacrifice all for You. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
March 31, 2011
Song of Songs 5
Finally, the time of separation is at an end. The shepherd has gathered his myrrh and his spices, his dowry, he is ready to bring his bride to himself. He comes for a bride who has kept herself for him alone. Yesterday we saw that the Shulamite in this drama was a type of the bride of Christ who was to keep herself for His delight alone. In the first verse of today’s reading, we see Him coming with that pure, fierce, passionate and undying love for His bride. His friends encourage Him to go and finalize their love.
But as He arrives, the Shulamite is cast into one more turbulent dream sequence. In the dream, He arrives at the door and knocks seeking entrance. But she is slow at inviting Him in. He withdraws His presence. Frantic at having missed Him she runs into the streets looking for Him. The world’s watchmen abuse her and send her home. The world asks for a description of her beloved. She faithfully accounts His beauty, and she concludes, “Yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, And this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem!“ She calls Him her ‘friend.’ Once again, as highly charged sexually this passage is, it also delivers a strong friendship relationship.
I am reminded that Jesus told his disciples:
13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
Yet, Jesus tells His church in Rev. 3:20 that He stands at the door and knocks. He seeks to have fellowship, friendship with His bride. But we keep Him locked outside. Maybe part of the reason the world has a hard time understanding the Gospel from our lips is because we have denied Him entrance into our lives. We keep Him at an arm’s length. When our friendship with Him is deep an rich, perhaps we have a better footing to declare the beauty of His presence. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Finally, the time of separation is at an end. The shepherd has gathered his myrrh and his spices, his dowry, he is ready to bring his bride to himself. He comes for a bride who has kept herself for him alone. Yesterday we saw that the Shulamite in this drama was a type of the bride of Christ who was to keep herself for His delight alone. In the first verse of today’s reading, we see Him coming with that pure, fierce, passionate and undying love for His bride. His friends encourage Him to go and finalize their love.
But as He arrives, the Shulamite is cast into one more turbulent dream sequence. In the dream, He arrives at the door and knocks seeking entrance. But she is slow at inviting Him in. He withdraws His presence. Frantic at having missed Him she runs into the streets looking for Him. The world’s watchmen abuse her and send her home. The world asks for a description of her beloved. She faithfully accounts His beauty, and she concludes, “Yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, And this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem!“ She calls Him her ‘friend.’ Once again, as highly charged sexually this passage is, it also delivers a strong friendship relationship.
I am reminded that Jesus told his disciples:
13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
Yet, Jesus tells His church in Rev. 3:20 that He stands at the door and knocks. He seeks to have fellowship, friendship with His bride. But we keep Him locked outside. Maybe part of the reason the world has a hard time understanding the Gospel from our lips is because we have denied Him entrance into our lives. We keep Him at an arm’s length. When our friendship with Him is deep an rich, perhaps we have a better footing to declare the beauty of His presence. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Monday, April 4, 2011
March 30, 2011
Song of Songs 4
To the western mindset the beloved shepherd’s poetic description of the Shulamite’s beauty is a bit bizarre. However, keep in mind that the idyllic shepherd is giving metaphors and similes that are consistent with his experience. He is letting his lover know how attractive she is. His description includes seven parts of her body, eyes, teeth, lips, mouth, neck, temples and breasts. Seven is the number of perfection and as such he is describing how he considers her physical appearance to be perfect. He delights in her. Do you ever stop to think that the Lord Jesus Christ does that with His bride of whom you are a part? Yes, if you are in Christ, you are part of His body, His bride. He has not only declared you to be perfect, but He also is working to present you pure and spotless to Himself. When we come in line with His designs for us, He delights in us even as the shepherd delights in the Shulamite. He delights in you.
In verse 6 he informs her that he must go and there will be a short time of separation until he returns for her. Our great shepherd has informed us of the same thing. Having won our love upon the cross, He has returned to heaven for a time of separation until He returns for us.
In the meantime he informs her of how she has won his heart. Her beauties are intoxicating and have won his heart. Her love is better than wine. He calls her his sister indicating that his love for her is deeper than just sexual attraction. There is a platonic relationship present that is expressed in more than just the physical. It is a deep life-long affection that crosses beyond the sexual. Have you ever considered that the love of the Lord Jesus Christ toward His bride, toward us, is very similar? He loves us with a fierce, passionate, undying love.
But what about her love for him? He views her love to be like an enclosed garden. It is a garden that is private. Walled all about, only he is given entrance. Only he is allowed to enjoy the choicest fruits of her life. Hers is a chaste love. She desires only his presence. Are we as chaste for the Lord Jesus Christ? He loves us with a pure fierce passionate, undying love. That is what makes Him so desireable. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
To the western mindset the beloved shepherd’s poetic description of the Shulamite’s beauty is a bit bizarre. However, keep in mind that the idyllic shepherd is giving metaphors and similes that are consistent with his experience. He is letting his lover know how attractive she is. His description includes seven parts of her body, eyes, teeth, lips, mouth, neck, temples and breasts. Seven is the number of perfection and as such he is describing how he considers her physical appearance to be perfect. He delights in her. Do you ever stop to think that the Lord Jesus Christ does that with His bride of whom you are a part? Yes, if you are in Christ, you are part of His body, His bride. He has not only declared you to be perfect, but He also is working to present you pure and spotless to Himself. When we come in line with His designs for us, He delights in us even as the shepherd delights in the Shulamite. He delights in you.
In verse 6 he informs her that he must go and there will be a short time of separation until he returns for her. Our great shepherd has informed us of the same thing. Having won our love upon the cross, He has returned to heaven for a time of separation until He returns for us.
In the meantime he informs her of how she has won his heart. Her beauties are intoxicating and have won his heart. Her love is better than wine. He calls her his sister indicating that his love for her is deeper than just sexual attraction. There is a platonic relationship present that is expressed in more than just the physical. It is a deep life-long affection that crosses beyond the sexual. Have you ever considered that the love of the Lord Jesus Christ toward His bride, toward us, is very similar? He loves us with a fierce, passionate, undying love.
But what about her love for him? He views her love to be like an enclosed garden. It is a garden that is private. Walled all about, only he is given entrance. Only he is allowed to enjoy the choicest fruits of her life. Hers is a chaste love. She desires only his presence. Are we as chaste for the Lord Jesus Christ? He loves us with a pure fierce passionate, undying love. That is what makes Him so desireable. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
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