“13God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.” Does that strike you as an odd statement? It does me at first. It conjures up in my mind that God is in some kind of box (like the ark), and finally He can’t take it anymore so he lashes out at those around the box and then returns to His box.
This is a statement of Scripture. The doctrine of inerrancy tells us that David really did say this, but our doctrine of hermeneutics will tell us how it should be interpreted. God did kill Uzzah because he touched the ark. Uzzah touched the ark because David and others had not consulted the Lord about how the ark should be transported. If they had consulted the Lord, Uzzah would probably have never died in the transport of the ark. But what bothers me about the statement is the phrase “broke out.”
It almost implies that David thought that the Lord could be contained in a box. It is interesting to note that in the parallel passages in 2 Samuel that it is after this incident that David determines that he must build a magnificent house for the Lord. What was the Lord’s response? 2 Sam 7:5f, “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? 6“For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle.” As you read that passage, the flow is that God is saying, “I don’t need a tent to dwell in. I am bigger than that.” Solomon caught the Lord’s drift. When he dedicated the temple, he said, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!” God cannot be contained in anything and we have difficulty remembering that.
But do I not mentally put God in a box. He is supposed to act in this religious manner. He is supposed to do this when I do that. He should always act according to my parameters. Hmmm. . . maybe that is part of why our Christianity is so weak. We expect God to work according to our parameters rather than consulting Him about the proper order. After all, the infinite God might have a better idea about how to do what needs to be done--each time it is done. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
PSALM 140
Early teen-aged-years are a very volatile time in life. In my experience it was a time filled with pride filled remarks, both giving and receiving. The insecurity of growing up and not really knowing who one is leads to some very proud comments on one’s own part and against others. Most early teens mask their insecurities with proud statements or statements of sarcasm toward others. I had one or two acquaintances who never grew out of that. I saw one at our 20th year high school reunion. His first comment at the reunion toward me was very negative. I hadn’t even had a chance to greet or offend him, before it was out of his mouth. He had become a pretty successful surgeon. I guess what Matthew Henry says about this Psalm aptly described him, “Proud men, when they prosper, are made prouder, grow more impudent against God and insolent against his people . . . ”* Although I noted the sarcasm, I just ignored it. I figured that he just hadn’t grown up. My best friend from high school was standing there, heard the comment, and came to my rescue with a retort that made our acquaintance know that his comment was out of line.
So how does the glory of God fit into this? The wicked advance themselves by tearing others down. For one who knows who he is in relation to the glory of God, the evaluation of others, no matter how successful they are, is of little importance. Even if that evaluation is able to bring harm to one’s life, it matters little because what really matters is the evaluation of the Almighty God. The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:3–4:
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.
He is the Almighty God and will safely bring us into His presence. Not so with the wicked. They will have many challenges to face in the presence of the Holy God. I am confident that the Lord will handle it justly and well. So when others slander me out of their own insecurities, it is best for me to do as the Psalmist has done, and let the Lord take care of it. After all, He is the judge, and that is His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
*Henry, M. (1996). Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Ps 140:8–13). Peabody: Hendrickson.
ZECHARIAH 2
Labor day weekend of 2007, I was mowing my lawn. I went under a large bush pushing the lawn mower. A branch caught on the handle of the mower and flipped back and cut the cornea of my eye. That was about 8:00 in the evening. By 3:00 in the morning I was in excruciating pain. I never knew that such a little injury could cause such great pain. It gave me a new appreciation for the phrase, “touching the apple of the eye.” I ended up in the emergency room because of the pain.
In his vision, Zechariah continues on in the theme of chapter one and quotes the Lord speaking of His people as saying, “5 For I,’ says the LORD, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst. . . . He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.” When His people are cleansed, His glory is seen in the midst of His people. He calls His people the apple of His eye. When they are pained, it pains Him. I take away two significant things from this: 1) He wants to display His glory in our midst (assuming I am part of the people of God. 2) When we are pained, it causes Him pain as well. Is the pain as excruciating to Him as it is to us? Probably more so. Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
JAMES 2
This chapter is full of the justice of Jesus. Have you ever noticed how we tend to make one sin greater than another? If we don't break the 'great ones,' the implication is that we are really 'tight' with Jesus. Today I was sharing the Gospel with a man. He stated at least twice, maybe 3 times, that his worst habit was smoking. He'd quit drinking. I began to share the Gospel with him. I shared Romans 3:23, "All have sinned. . ." We talked about the 10 commandments. I pointed out a few--taking the Lord's name in vain, breaking the Sabbath, stealing, murder, adultery, coveting. By his own admission, he had broken them all.
James says that if you've broken one, you are guilty of all. We tend to look down on those who have a problem with the ones with which we don't have a problem. Not Jesus. He sees the one with which we have a problem and He says, "You are guilty." That is bad news. There is good news. He says that if we will repent of what we are guilty, then He will forgive all.
When we have received that mercy, it is incumbent upon us to give mercy to others. No, we may not have sinned as they, but we have sinned. We are just as guilty. As rich Americans it is to judge some of the poor among us and say, "You are being judged by God because of your misuse of your resources," or to look at the rich and say, "You are being blessed by God because of the good use of resources. In both cases our judgment may or may not be true. But what is true is that if either of them have sinned and if we do not speak to that sin for the purpose that they may receive forgiveness, then we have judged in error. We must show mercy & speak to both when sin is clear, so that both may receive of the wonderful grace of our Lord. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
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