Joshua 9
Many liberal theologians speak negatively of the Old Testament as a “bloody religion.” They speak this in reference to the sacrificial system, but more negatively they speak of it in reference to command of the Lord to kill the inhabitants of Canaan and other similar commands. They (liberal theologians) seem to leave you with the impression that the Canaanites were innocent people who did not deserve to be killed or kicked out of the land. But consider this, many of the Canaanites practiced child sacrifice. Also, consider what the Lord told Abraham in Genesis 15:15-16: “Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” If you don’t know, the Amorites are one of the seven ethnic groups that lived in Canaan. By the time that the Israelites were delivered from Egypt their immorality had advanced to the point that they deserved to be kicked out of the land.
Another problem with the so-called innocence of the Canaanites is that many assume that the Canaanites were given no warning or option. But listen to what the Gibeonites said,
“Because your servants were clearly told that the Lord your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were very much afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
Clearly they had been warned and had the options of pleading for mercy or fleeing the land. This is a picture of our need in salvation. We stand wholly destitute in front of a Holy God in need of mercy. We have no option but plead for mercy for salvation. We cannot flee the land for where can we flee from God? We have been warned. All of creation points to fact that we have offended a Holy God. All of Scripture points to the fact that we have offended a Holy God. If we will not yield to the revelation of nature and the revelation of Scripture, there is no remedy. There is no mercy. He is a just God.
But praise be to the name of the Lord Jesus, we can call out to the Father for mercy, and He freely gives it to us in Christ. We need not and cannot resort to deception. We simply become aware of our need. We repent and believe. Then His mercy and grace are applied to us. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 15:1-21
2,000 years of tradition from Abraham & Moses is hard to break. As a pastor I am aware that even 20 years of tradition is hard to break. How do you break a tradition and mindset that represents over 50,000 people and 2,000 years of passing from generation to generation? Only our glorious Lord could do such a thing. The tradition was that the Gentiles could not be part of God's people unless they were circumcised as were the Jews. For 2,000 years circumcision had been the sign that your family was part of God's covenant people. It is the glory of our Lord to change it without causing a split in the congregation. He did it in such a way that it could not be refuted. First, he sent the Holy Spirit upon the Jews at Pentecost with visible and audible evidence to demonstrate that they knew the Lord. Then, He converted Saul with the purpose of making him a light to the Gentiles. Then. He gave Cornelius, a Gentile, and Peter, the leading Jew, simultaneous visions. Then, He poured the Holy Spirit out upon Cornelius & household just as he had done for the Jews at Pentecost. Then, He sent a mighty movement among the Gentiles in Antioch and Asia Minor raising up Paul (Saul) to plant churches of converts in city after city. Now the rub starts. Do these new coverts have to be circumcised or do they not? 2,000 years of tradition says they do. Paul and Barnabas say absolutely not! What do we do? Take it to the top! The case is laid out. Peter speaks. Paul & Barnabas speak. James the apparent head of the church in Jerusalem speaks. He confirms not only the experience of Peter & Paul but he quotes the Scripture in support of the Gentiles coming to God through Jesus without needing circumcision. God usually works that way. We may have experiences that we deem valid. But if it is from God, our experience never contradicts God's Word. Sometimes His word is a little confusing to us, but as James says, "Known to God from eternity are all His works." That is His glory. If we could always figure out His works, it wouldn't be all that glorious, would it? At times his ways are strange to us because He is the Creator and we are the Creature. Its kind of like the title of the song Intimate Stranger. On the one hand we have great intimacy with Him because of His blood. On the other hand He is the Eternal God. We cannot figure Him out. His ways are strange to ours. Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
July 6, 2010
Joshua 8
“According to the commandment of the Lord you shall do.” As communicated in earlier meditations, the killing of people is no longer part of God’s plan for His people. So what do we do with this? The conquest of Canaan is a type of spiritual warfare that we experience now. How do we deal with the enemy of our spiritual flesh? We kill it, thoroughly and completely according to the commandment of the Lord. When we do this, He leads us in victory. He leads us into the valley of Shechem between Mt. Gerazim and Mt. Ebal where we see the provision that Jesus has for us. There the cursings and the blessings of the law are fulfilled in Jesus, and as we are in Him, they are fulfilled in us. This is His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 14
The glory of Jesus is never without witness. He is the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them. He is good all the time. He regularly sends rain from heaven and fruitful seasons. He fills our hearts with food and gladness. Yet on special occasions He performs signs and wonders, different from His daily acts of goodness. These acts thrill our souls. Perhaps you are one or have known someone who was miraculously healed by the Lord or had some mighty act done for you. Are these any less glorious than the daily things He does for us? If you really stop to think about it, no they aren't. They are just not as frequent.
In the midst of the mighty acts, Satan is always working. In the ones we see every day, he deceives us into believing that they are mundane and not glorious. In the infrequent ones, he stirs up opposition to rip our sails and cease our momentum. So it is with Paul. He is stoned and left for dead. You can be sure Satan, the world and the flesh were all behind that. But the Lord's glory will not be hidden. Jesus raised up Paul. Having been stoned and left for dead, Paul encourages the believers in Derbe with these words, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."
Jesus is indeed glorified when He does infrequent mighty acts through us. However, which is easier, to follow a leader who is winning battle after battle with very little casualties, or to follow a leader who says you must constantly be a casualty through your lifetime before you may share in His glory? I think we would all prefer the former and avoid the latter. And yet, if that leader is so loved by His subjects that they would constantly be casualties for the sake of His glory, which leader is more glorious? I think the love and loyalty of the latter would make the glory of that leader more precious. That is what Jesus is doing in this passage and in our lives. But it is difficult to follow Him if we focus on the pain and not upon His glory. Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
“According to the commandment of the Lord you shall do.” As communicated in earlier meditations, the killing of people is no longer part of God’s plan for His people. So what do we do with this? The conquest of Canaan is a type of spiritual warfare that we experience now. How do we deal with the enemy of our spiritual flesh? We kill it, thoroughly and completely according to the commandment of the Lord. When we do this, He leads us in victory. He leads us into the valley of Shechem between Mt. Gerazim and Mt. Ebal where we see the provision that Jesus has for us. There the cursings and the blessings of the law are fulfilled in Jesus, and as we are in Him, they are fulfilled in us. This is His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 14
The glory of Jesus is never without witness. He is the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them. He is good all the time. He regularly sends rain from heaven and fruitful seasons. He fills our hearts with food and gladness. Yet on special occasions He performs signs and wonders, different from His daily acts of goodness. These acts thrill our souls. Perhaps you are one or have known someone who was miraculously healed by the Lord or had some mighty act done for you. Are these any less glorious than the daily things He does for us? If you really stop to think about it, no they aren't. They are just not as frequent.
In the midst of the mighty acts, Satan is always working. In the ones we see every day, he deceives us into believing that they are mundane and not glorious. In the infrequent ones, he stirs up opposition to rip our sails and cease our momentum. So it is with Paul. He is stoned and left for dead. You can be sure Satan, the world and the flesh were all behind that. But the Lord's glory will not be hidden. Jesus raised up Paul. Having been stoned and left for dead, Paul encourages the believers in Derbe with these words, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."
Jesus is indeed glorified when He does infrequent mighty acts through us. However, which is easier, to follow a leader who is winning battle after battle with very little casualties, or to follow a leader who says you must constantly be a casualty through your lifetime before you may share in His glory? I think we would all prefer the former and avoid the latter. And yet, if that leader is so loved by His subjects that they would constantly be casualties for the sake of His glory, which leader is more glorious? I think the love and loyalty of the latter would make the glory of that leader more precious. That is what Jesus is doing in this passage and in our lives. But it is difficult to follow Him if we focus on the pain and not upon His glory. Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Sunday, July 4, 2010
July 5, 2010
Joshua 7
The Lord was fiercely angry with Israel because of Achan’s sin. Is that glory? To my American mindset, it does not sound fair. That is what independence is all about in America. It is the right of the individual. One of my students turned in an solution argument paragraph dealing with crime. As an example of how to deal with crime she cited China, which does not mess with criminals. If you are caught in a wrong, you are severely dealt with. Now I am not suggesting that we emulate China’s justice system; however, I do think that some other cultures have a better understanding of corporate guilt than we do. I also think that some other cultures have a better understanding of justice than we do. Achan’s sin was the county’s sin. It was right that God was angry with it. It violated the truth that God was the sole source of provision for their need. He was rightly offended. And His anger was fierce. I am glad that God is fiercely angry with sin. If he were not, there would be no justice.
There is a unique command that Joshua gives Achan, “Give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” Achan does it. He is punished. God is glorified in his confession and in his punishment. I don’t quite get it, but I believe God is glorified in it! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 13:36-52
The glory of Jesus is that He defeated sin on the cross and death in His resurrection. That seems to be the essence of Paul's messages whether his audience is Jew or Gentile. That message still overwhelms me when I take the time to focus on it. The eternal, holy God, the Creator of all things, became sin on my behalf and died on my behalf and rose again on my behalf. Why don't more people see that glory? In Antioch of Pisidia Paul was light of the glory of Jesus to both Jew and Gentle. That light received a mixed reception. When a bright light shines brightly in the presence of a totally blind person and blind person does not see it, it is not the fault of the light. The problem lies with the blind person. They lack the receptors to see the light. The glory of Jesus is that He breaks through our inability and enables us to see. Herein lies the mystery of the sovereignty of God, which frankly I have neither ability to comprehend or explain. People can't believe because they won't and won't believe because they can't. God breaks the cycle for some by appointing them to eternal life. In breaking that cycle He commands us to speak His glory to all. As we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are enabled to speak light into darkness and He shines, making us lights for salvation to the ends of the earth. Are you filled with His Spirit? Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
The Lord was fiercely angry with Israel because of Achan’s sin. Is that glory? To my American mindset, it does not sound fair. That is what independence is all about in America. It is the right of the individual. One of my students turned in an solution argument paragraph dealing with crime. As an example of how to deal with crime she cited China, which does not mess with criminals. If you are caught in a wrong, you are severely dealt with. Now I am not suggesting that we emulate China’s justice system; however, I do think that some other cultures have a better understanding of corporate guilt than we do. I also think that some other cultures have a better understanding of justice than we do. Achan’s sin was the county’s sin. It was right that God was angry with it. It violated the truth that God was the sole source of provision for their need. He was rightly offended. And His anger was fierce. I am glad that God is fiercely angry with sin. If he were not, there would be no justice.
There is a unique command that Joshua gives Achan, “Give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” Achan does it. He is punished. God is glorified in his confession and in his punishment. I don’t quite get it, but I believe God is glorified in it! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 13:36-52
The glory of Jesus is that He defeated sin on the cross and death in His resurrection. That seems to be the essence of Paul's messages whether his audience is Jew or Gentile. That message still overwhelms me when I take the time to focus on it. The eternal, holy God, the Creator of all things, became sin on my behalf and died on my behalf and rose again on my behalf. Why don't more people see that glory? In Antioch of Pisidia Paul was light of the glory of Jesus to both Jew and Gentle. That light received a mixed reception. When a bright light shines brightly in the presence of a totally blind person and blind person does not see it, it is not the fault of the light. The problem lies with the blind person. They lack the receptors to see the light. The glory of Jesus is that He breaks through our inability and enables us to see. Herein lies the mystery of the sovereignty of God, which frankly I have neither ability to comprehend or explain. People can't believe because they won't and won't believe because they can't. God breaks the cycle for some by appointing them to eternal life. In breaking that cycle He commands us to speak His glory to all. As we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are enabled to speak light into darkness and He shines, making us lights for salvation to the ends of the earth. Are you filled with His Spirit? Indeed, we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
July 4, 2010
Joshua 6
The Lord needs no army to destroy a city. Then why does He make them fight? Is it the glory of the Lord to kill? Is it the glory of the Lord to have His people kill? Joshua’s mission to kill or drive out all the Canaanites is probably one of the most difficult aspects of Scripture to explain. I think that the answer lies in the simplicity of justice. If God is just, then injustice must be punished. That is the nature of justice. With that in mind if justice is served we all should die. So the surprise should be not that He should command that any should die, but that He should show mercy on anyone. How can He be just and show mercy? Only if justice is satisfied can mercy be shown. He can only show me mercy if I die. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Mercy and justice are seen in the same city of Jericho. The harlot and her family received mercy. The rest of the city received justice. Why did the harlot receive mercy? She received mercy because she chose to trust in Yahweh. How did she know to trust in Yahweh? She knew of Him before the spies came. She knew how He had aided Israel from Egypt to the crossing of the Jordan. One can only assume that the rest of the city was aware of the same stories. Would they not have had the same opportunity as she had? Could they not also have called out for mercy? They could, but they did not. The result was that we see both in this city. Sometimes people are the instruments of God’s mercy and justice. We had better be sure that we go no further than what He has assigned with our mercy or justice.
It was the ark that led the way of His justice. The ark was presence of God. My how powerful is His presence! His presence destroys the power of our enemy. That is why we must grasp the glory of His presence every day. It is His glory that destroys the power of the enemy in us. But He expects us participate with Him in putting to death the deeds of the body. In so doing we live. This passage reveals to me His glory in giving me victory over the deeds of the flesh. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 13:1-35
It was the glory of the Lord to establish a strong Gentile church in Antioch. Saul and Barnabas, Jews, were major tools in the Lord’s hands to build up this church. It had been communicated earlier to Saul and confirmed through the church that God had raised up Saul to minister specifically to the Gentiles. Saul had now gone through years of re-training. It was time for him to embark on His journey.
The Holy Spirit spoke to the prophets and teachers in the Church in Antioch. Jesus usually works by calling someone to a task and then confirming it through the church leadership. Why should it be glory for our Lord to work such a way? We are so full of ego that to get two people to agree about anything is truly amazing. Throw into the mix the fact that Satan is ever seeking to destroy the work of God, then you have a recipe for constant infighting. The Antioch church had a good thing going here. It was large, growing and experiencing peace. Why ruin it by taking away its two key leaders? But the Holy Spirit spoke to the leadership, not just Saul and Barnabas. It was clear that it was time for Saul and Barnabas to begin the work for which God had raised them up. It is the glory of the Lord to call someone to ministry and confirm it through the leadership. From this point on, Saul is called Paul.
Paul is opposed by an emissary of Satan at Paphos. The hand of the Lord blinds the opposition. The result is that the proconsul believes. The Lord is glorified. In Perga, Pamphylia the going gets rough and John Mark abandons them. In the synagogue of Perga, Paul addresses the synagogue. After a brief recitation of the history of the “Son of David”, he declares that Jesus is that Son as is demonstrated in His resurrection as foretold by David in the Psalms. It is the glory of the Lord to have enigmatically foretold what He would do a thousand years before He did it. Paul needed those preparatory years before and after his conversion to see it. And now, God is unfolding the glory of the Lord Jesus through him. Indeed we have a glorious King! Speak his glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
The Lord needs no army to destroy a city. Then why does He make them fight? Is it the glory of the Lord to kill? Is it the glory of the Lord to have His people kill? Joshua’s mission to kill or drive out all the Canaanites is probably one of the most difficult aspects of Scripture to explain. I think that the answer lies in the simplicity of justice. If God is just, then injustice must be punished. That is the nature of justice. With that in mind if justice is served we all should die. So the surprise should be not that He should command that any should die, but that He should show mercy on anyone. How can He be just and show mercy? Only if justice is satisfied can mercy be shown. He can only show me mercy if I die. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Mercy and justice are seen in the same city of Jericho. The harlot and her family received mercy. The rest of the city received justice. Why did the harlot receive mercy? She received mercy because she chose to trust in Yahweh. How did she know to trust in Yahweh? She knew of Him before the spies came. She knew how He had aided Israel from Egypt to the crossing of the Jordan. One can only assume that the rest of the city was aware of the same stories. Would they not have had the same opportunity as she had? Could they not also have called out for mercy? They could, but they did not. The result was that we see both in this city. Sometimes people are the instruments of God’s mercy and justice. We had better be sure that we go no further than what He has assigned with our mercy or justice.
It was the ark that led the way of His justice. The ark was presence of God. My how powerful is His presence! His presence destroys the power of our enemy. That is why we must grasp the glory of His presence every day. It is His glory that destroys the power of the enemy in us. But He expects us participate with Him in putting to death the deeds of the body. In so doing we live. This passage reveals to me His glory in giving me victory over the deeds of the flesh. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 13:1-35
It was the glory of the Lord to establish a strong Gentile church in Antioch. Saul and Barnabas, Jews, were major tools in the Lord’s hands to build up this church. It had been communicated earlier to Saul and confirmed through the church that God had raised up Saul to minister specifically to the Gentiles. Saul had now gone through years of re-training. It was time for him to embark on His journey.
The Holy Spirit spoke to the prophets and teachers in the Church in Antioch. Jesus usually works by calling someone to a task and then confirming it through the church leadership. Why should it be glory for our Lord to work such a way? We are so full of ego that to get two people to agree about anything is truly amazing. Throw into the mix the fact that Satan is ever seeking to destroy the work of God, then you have a recipe for constant infighting. The Antioch church had a good thing going here. It was large, growing and experiencing peace. Why ruin it by taking away its two key leaders? But the Holy Spirit spoke to the leadership, not just Saul and Barnabas. It was clear that it was time for Saul and Barnabas to begin the work for which God had raised them up. It is the glory of the Lord to call someone to ministry and confirm it through the leadership. From this point on, Saul is called Paul.
Paul is opposed by an emissary of Satan at Paphos. The hand of the Lord blinds the opposition. The result is that the proconsul believes. The Lord is glorified. In Perga, Pamphylia the going gets rough and John Mark abandons them. In the synagogue of Perga, Paul addresses the synagogue. After a brief recitation of the history of the “Son of David”, he declares that Jesus is that Son as is demonstrated in His resurrection as foretold by David in the Psalms. It is the glory of the Lord to have enigmatically foretold what He would do a thousand years before He did it. Paul needed those preparatory years before and after his conversion to see it. And now, God is unfolding the glory of the Lord Jesus through him. Indeed we have a glorious King! Speak his glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Friday, July 2, 2010
July 3, 2010
Joshua 5
As Jesse and I have walked around the neighborhoods here, I have noticed a number of round concrete manhole type things protruding out of the ground next to the street. Occasionally the cover will be slid to the side. At first I thought that they were just utility manholes or storm sewer access holes. But then as we walked by one of them, a distinct outhouse smell wafted out and there was an overwhelming increase in the number of flies. My thought was, “If we were walking in the dark and did not see the opening, one could possibly stumble into the hole.” Now there is a nasty thought. One would become a reproach to all who came near. I thought of a National Geographic article that I read a number of years ago concerning the untouchables, the Dalit, in India who are used as human sewer line cleaners. They would indeed be revolting, a reproach to all.
Remember the event in Exodus 4?
4And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him. 25Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” 26So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision.
Apparently, Moses’ wife, not being an Israelite, did not understand the practice. I would assume that she opposed Moses in the practice, and giving in to her, Moses did not circumcise his sons. The Lord was angry with him because he did not obey. Circumcision was given to the Israelites as a sign of their special relationship with the Lord. By not practicing it, it was like saying that he did not want his sons to be part of that special relationship. That was unacceptable! It was so unacceptable that the Lord sought to kill Moses probably by some sort of illness. He had become a reproach to God. Zipporah finally saw the importance of circumcision to the Lord. Moses was unable to perform the act. So, she performed it. As she did so, the Lord restored Moses.
The Israelites had not practiced the covenant sign of circumcision since they had left Egypt. Why? Maybe it had to do with the lack of water; maybe it had to do with their constant travel. Certainly it was disobedience. By not performing the sign, they had rejected their special relationship with the Lord. They had become a reproach. They were revolting in the presence of God. Now they have miraculously been delivered into the land promised to Abraham. They have crossed the Jordan in the spring (flood stage). They want to renew the covenant. They begin with circumcision. God rolled away their reproach. He made them clean. Gigal, by the way, means, “rolled away.”
Then they celebrated the Passover, another sign of the covenant. Then they ate of the fruit of the Promised Land. Then the manna ceased. Then the Commander of the army of the Lord appears to them. They were then ready to possess the land.
I was walking on my dark path. I stumbled into sin. The result was that I was covered with the stench of sin. I became a reproach to my Lord. I had no way to remove the stench which seeped from every pore. But Jesus came. He washed me in His own blood. I became whiter than snow. He clothed me in clean garments. He perfumed me with His own fragrance. I am now acceptable in the presence of God. I am now equipped to battle against the spiritual forces of darkness who seek to enslave me once again to the yoke of sin. This is all true because of what Jesus has done. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 12
From a human perspective, it was a dark day for the glory of our Lord. James the brother of John had been put to the sword. And then Peter was arrested. One would be tempted to roll over and play dead. However, verse 5 has a very important little word, ‘but’ and then follows the clause, ‘prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.’ As a result of the death in the last outbreak of persecution, the Lord accomplished the salvation of Saul. What would he do this time? The church knew that the glory of the Lord was on the line, as well as Peter’s life. They went to prayer.
God never seems to work in the same way in similar situations. He always seems to do a new solution for each problem. He dispatched an angel. The angel set him free. Do you ever notice we often don’t believe the answer to our own prayers? When Peter showed up at the prayer meeting, held on his behalf, they didn’t believe he was at the door. On the one hand, we shouldn’t be amazed when He does things like that. On the other hand, that’s part of what makes it glory—it’s amazing.
God still wasn’t finished with just setting Peter free. Herod wasn’t done either. He had the guards put to death. I sure wouldn’t want to have been a guard back then. Note what happened when he took what should have been God’s glory. He was eaten by worms and died. What an awful way to go. God is jealous of His own glory and the glory of His Son. Surely we need to speak much and often of the glory of Jesus. Indeed we have a glorious King! Speak his glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
As Jesse and I have walked around the neighborhoods here, I have noticed a number of round concrete manhole type things protruding out of the ground next to the street. Occasionally the cover will be slid to the side. At first I thought that they were just utility manholes or storm sewer access holes. But then as we walked by one of them, a distinct outhouse smell wafted out and there was an overwhelming increase in the number of flies. My thought was, “If we were walking in the dark and did not see the opening, one could possibly stumble into the hole.” Now there is a nasty thought. One would become a reproach to all who came near. I thought of a National Geographic article that I read a number of years ago concerning the untouchables, the Dalit, in India who are used as human sewer line cleaners. They would indeed be revolting, a reproach to all.
Remember the event in Exodus 4?
4And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him. 25Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” 26So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision.
Apparently, Moses’ wife, not being an Israelite, did not understand the practice. I would assume that she opposed Moses in the practice, and giving in to her, Moses did not circumcise his sons. The Lord was angry with him because he did not obey. Circumcision was given to the Israelites as a sign of their special relationship with the Lord. By not practicing it, it was like saying that he did not want his sons to be part of that special relationship. That was unacceptable! It was so unacceptable that the Lord sought to kill Moses probably by some sort of illness. He had become a reproach to God. Zipporah finally saw the importance of circumcision to the Lord. Moses was unable to perform the act. So, she performed it. As she did so, the Lord restored Moses.
The Israelites had not practiced the covenant sign of circumcision since they had left Egypt. Why? Maybe it had to do with the lack of water; maybe it had to do with their constant travel. Certainly it was disobedience. By not performing the sign, they had rejected their special relationship with the Lord. They had become a reproach. They were revolting in the presence of God. Now they have miraculously been delivered into the land promised to Abraham. They have crossed the Jordan in the spring (flood stage). They want to renew the covenant. They begin with circumcision. God rolled away their reproach. He made them clean. Gigal, by the way, means, “rolled away.”
Then they celebrated the Passover, another sign of the covenant. Then they ate of the fruit of the Promised Land. Then the manna ceased. Then the Commander of the army of the Lord appears to them. They were then ready to possess the land.
I was walking on my dark path. I stumbled into sin. The result was that I was covered with the stench of sin. I became a reproach to my Lord. I had no way to remove the stench which seeped from every pore. But Jesus came. He washed me in His own blood. I became whiter than snow. He clothed me in clean garments. He perfumed me with His own fragrance. I am now acceptable in the presence of God. I am now equipped to battle against the spiritual forces of darkness who seek to enslave me once again to the yoke of sin. This is all true because of what Jesus has done. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 12
From a human perspective, it was a dark day for the glory of our Lord. James the brother of John had been put to the sword. And then Peter was arrested. One would be tempted to roll over and play dead. However, verse 5 has a very important little word, ‘but’ and then follows the clause, ‘prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.’ As a result of the death in the last outbreak of persecution, the Lord accomplished the salvation of Saul. What would he do this time? The church knew that the glory of the Lord was on the line, as well as Peter’s life. They went to prayer.
God never seems to work in the same way in similar situations. He always seems to do a new solution for each problem. He dispatched an angel. The angel set him free. Do you ever notice we often don’t believe the answer to our own prayers? When Peter showed up at the prayer meeting, held on his behalf, they didn’t believe he was at the door. On the one hand, we shouldn’t be amazed when He does things like that. On the other hand, that’s part of what makes it glory—it’s amazing.
God still wasn’t finished with just setting Peter free. Herod wasn’t done either. He had the guards put to death. I sure wouldn’t want to have been a guard back then. Note what happened when he took what should have been God’s glory. He was eaten by worms and died. What an awful way to go. God is jealous of His own glory and the glory of His Son. Surely we need to speak much and often of the glory of Jesus. Indeed we have a glorious King! Speak his glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Thursday, July 1, 2010
July 2, 2010
Joshua 4
“Heap of Birds,” now there is an unusual name. That was the last name of a guest lecturer that the OSU art department had on campus. I wonder, “What is the significance of that name?” “What is the glory behind it?” Here at the crossing at Gilgal Israel created a heap of stones. There intentionally was glory behind it. It was to be a reminder to generations to come of how the Lord caused them to cross the Jordan on dry ground. It was a memorial not only for Israel’s generations but also for all the peoples of the earth. It has significance even for me for I am one of those who in the flesh are not part of the descendants of Israel. It speaks to me of the miraculous provision of the Lord. It speaks for all ethnic groups for here is a heap of stones that speaks to an event transcends the cultural biases of all ethnic groups. It is simple and clear, “The Lord delivers His people.” Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 11:1-30
Well ministry to the Gentiles isn't secure yet. There are still tens of thousands back in Jerusalem, who did not see the vision of either Peter or Paul. Yes they had probably heard about Paul's conversion and commission by now. But, they probably chalked it up to the ravings of a madman, especially since Paul had left the area and had been gone for over three years now. They hadn't heard about Peter's vision or Cornelius' vision, or about the evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit at Cornelius' conversion. All they knew was that Peter had entered the house of a Gentile! And, gasp, he ate with them. This goes against 1400 years of tradition on how God had worked with the Children of Israel!
It’s a good thing Peter was backed against the wall (see yesterday's comments). He would have caved otherwise. But it is the glory of our Lord to demonstrate His desire so that for all times it might be demonstrated that it is not about tradition. It is about His glory. It is His glory to bring people of all culture and subcultures to make them one, to bring people of one generation and another generation to make them one. It is His glory to change them so that they cease complaining about their brothers and sisters who are different. The church today has much to learn from this. Anyway, as I was saying, Peter was backed against the wall. He was being called on the carpet for breaking tradition. All that He could do was recount what the Lord had done. None of what had happened had been of his initiative. Having heard the story, most of the cooler heads in the group saw the Lord was in it. The church approved the ministry to the Gentiles. The glory of Jesus has prevailed. 1400 years of tradition is broken. Now that indeed is amazing.
But publicly announcing the possibility of breaking tradition and actually doing it are two different things. Almost everyone is still afraid to do it. But there were some men (funny, they're un-named) who grew up in Cyprus and Phoenicia (they grew up playing with Gentiles) who took bold steps. Horror of horrors they spoke the glory of Christ to Gentiles in Antioch (a long way away from Jerusalem). And the glory of God fell upon them, the hand of the Lord was with them. Barnabas, ever the son of encouragement, put 2+2 together. He traveled all the way to Tarsus, found Paul who had been commissioned to go to the Gentiles and brought him to Antioch to begin teaching the Gentiles about Jesus. Somebody finally got it right.
After a year of ministry, the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ was so great among the Gentiles of Antioch that the non-believing Gentiles began to call the believers, "Christians," which means little Christ or of Christ. The glory of Christ was so great upon them that others recognized Christ in them. O that Jesus would do that in us!
God has a sense of irony. He warned and sent a famine to Judea. Apparently many of the Jewish believers in Judea were in dire straights. And the Jerusalem church was too impoverished to help each other. How did God provide for them? He used the Gentile believers of Antioch to send relief. Those people, with whom the Jews would not eat because their tradition said it would make them unclean, God sent by their hands food for the Jewish believers to eat. And He used Saul/Paul of all people to deliver it. That is ironic. That is also glorious. Our Lord breaks down barriers that divide people! In the words of Randy Matthews, who was rejected by the church for his contemporary music, "It took a carpenter to tear down my walls, it took a stronger hand than mine." Jesus is glorious in the way He tears down walls. Indeed we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
“Heap of Birds,” now there is an unusual name. That was the last name of a guest lecturer that the OSU art department had on campus. I wonder, “What is the significance of that name?” “What is the glory behind it?” Here at the crossing at Gilgal Israel created a heap of stones. There intentionally was glory behind it. It was to be a reminder to generations to come of how the Lord caused them to cross the Jordan on dry ground. It was a memorial not only for Israel’s generations but also for all the peoples of the earth. It has significance even for me for I am one of those who in the flesh are not part of the descendants of Israel. It speaks to me of the miraculous provision of the Lord. It speaks for all ethnic groups for here is a heap of stones that speaks to an event transcends the cultural biases of all ethnic groups. It is simple and clear, “The Lord delivers His people.” Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 11:1-30
Well ministry to the Gentiles isn't secure yet. There are still tens of thousands back in Jerusalem, who did not see the vision of either Peter or Paul. Yes they had probably heard about Paul's conversion and commission by now. But, they probably chalked it up to the ravings of a madman, especially since Paul had left the area and had been gone for over three years now. They hadn't heard about Peter's vision or Cornelius' vision, or about the evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit at Cornelius' conversion. All they knew was that Peter had entered the house of a Gentile! And, gasp, he ate with them. This goes against 1400 years of tradition on how God had worked with the Children of Israel!
It’s a good thing Peter was backed against the wall (see yesterday's comments). He would have caved otherwise. But it is the glory of our Lord to demonstrate His desire so that for all times it might be demonstrated that it is not about tradition. It is about His glory. It is His glory to bring people of all culture and subcultures to make them one, to bring people of one generation and another generation to make them one. It is His glory to change them so that they cease complaining about their brothers and sisters who are different. The church today has much to learn from this. Anyway, as I was saying, Peter was backed against the wall. He was being called on the carpet for breaking tradition. All that He could do was recount what the Lord had done. None of what had happened had been of his initiative. Having heard the story, most of the cooler heads in the group saw the Lord was in it. The church approved the ministry to the Gentiles. The glory of Jesus has prevailed. 1400 years of tradition is broken. Now that indeed is amazing.
But publicly announcing the possibility of breaking tradition and actually doing it are two different things. Almost everyone is still afraid to do it. But there were some men (funny, they're un-named) who grew up in Cyprus and Phoenicia (they grew up playing with Gentiles) who took bold steps. Horror of horrors they spoke the glory of Christ to Gentiles in Antioch (a long way away from Jerusalem). And the glory of God fell upon them, the hand of the Lord was with them. Barnabas, ever the son of encouragement, put 2+2 together. He traveled all the way to Tarsus, found Paul who had been commissioned to go to the Gentiles and brought him to Antioch to begin teaching the Gentiles about Jesus. Somebody finally got it right.
After a year of ministry, the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ was so great among the Gentiles of Antioch that the non-believing Gentiles began to call the believers, "Christians," which means little Christ or of Christ. The glory of Christ was so great upon them that others recognized Christ in them. O that Jesus would do that in us!
God has a sense of irony. He warned and sent a famine to Judea. Apparently many of the Jewish believers in Judea were in dire straights. And the Jerusalem church was too impoverished to help each other. How did God provide for them? He used the Gentile believers of Antioch to send relief. Those people, with whom the Jews would not eat because their tradition said it would make them unclean, God sent by their hands food for the Jewish believers to eat. And He used Saul/Paul of all people to deliver it. That is ironic. That is also glorious. Our Lord breaks down barriers that divide people! In the words of Randy Matthews, who was rejected by the church for his contemporary music, "It took a carpenter to tear down my walls, it took a stronger hand than mine." Jesus is glorious in the way He tears down walls. Indeed we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
July 1, 2010
Joshua 3
“By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and. . . “ Imagine that—the living God among us. Is that not what we long for? Is that not what Utopian dreams are all about? That the God who spoke the Universe into Existence should desire to commune with us is incredible. That He should want to dwell among us is beyond the wildest dreams of any science fiction, fantasy or romance novel. But it is not fiction. It is reality. But there is a problem in Utopia. We are sinners in front of a God who detests sin.
In the New Testament the crossing of the Jordan is considered to be a type of rest, spiritual rest. The Lord promised to be with them to defeat the enemy. In the NT the enemy is the sin that towers above us toying with us as a evil slave master. The Lord promises to drive out that slave master who is over us. By this we know that the living God is among us; He without fail breaks and cancels the power of Satan, sin and death which holds sway over us. Yes we still have to deal with the flesh and the world. but we do it in His victory. We exchange our meager abilities for His life, His victory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 10:24-48
It is unfortunate that I can't hear Peter speaking to Cornelius. Upon the first reading, I hear the intonations of Peter implying, "I really don't want to be here, but God made me come. What do ya want?"
Actually, I am too harsh with Peter. That probably wasn't his intonation. Most likely Peter was just expressing his surprise that God wanted him to actually enter the house of a Gentile and that God wanted Gentiles to know Him. To the Jewish mindset, they had always been God's special people. God just didn't consort with Gentiles--according to their mindset. I don't think we even begin to imagine the cultural contempt of the Jews toward Gentiles; therefore, we miss the contempt which Peter and the whole church had for Gentiles. Yet it is the glory of our King to unite the two groups into one and to use the ones who held the greatest contempt to reach the group that held the least contempt. Peter gives a very simple explanation of the Good News of Jesus with which he ends, "To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins."
While Peter was still speaking those words, the Holy Spirit fell upon the Gentiles evidenced by tongues--just like Pentecost. The Lord Jesus made sure that there was no question about His desire to reach the Gentiles. Peter did not teach them to speak in tongues. He didn't even get to lead them in the sinners prayer! He just spoke the words and they were born again. Why? Two reasons:
1. Anyone, anywhere, who really wants to know Him, God will move heaven and earth to reveal His glory to them. But He always sends people to explain the Gospel. We have to go. These people wanted to believe in Jesus they only lacked knowledge and when the knowledge came, it was received with out a verbalized prayer. Yes we can believe in Jesus without a verbalized prayer. It is a commitment of the mind, will and emotions. We ask people to pray because it helps focus on the commitment.
2. God wanted for all time to make clear that He receives Gentiles and that the church was for both Jews and Gentiles. Pouring out the Holy Spirit, even before Peter had a chance to even say anything about the Holy Spirit, was proof that this was from God and not a trumped up event.
Peter is backed against the wall. The glory of the Lord Jesus is shining clearly in the Gentiles! A new era has begun! Praise the name of Jesus, that glory still shines today to all who yield in faith to the indwelling presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. He still wants to take His glory to all peoples of the earth. Indeed we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
“By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and. . . “ Imagine that—the living God among us. Is that not what we long for? Is that not what Utopian dreams are all about? That the God who spoke the Universe into Existence should desire to commune with us is incredible. That He should want to dwell among us is beyond the wildest dreams of any science fiction, fantasy or romance novel. But it is not fiction. It is reality. But there is a problem in Utopia. We are sinners in front of a God who detests sin.
In the New Testament the crossing of the Jordan is considered to be a type of rest, spiritual rest. The Lord promised to be with them to defeat the enemy. In the NT the enemy is the sin that towers above us toying with us as a evil slave master. The Lord promises to drive out that slave master who is over us. By this we know that the living God is among us; He without fail breaks and cancels the power of Satan, sin and death which holds sway over us. Yes we still have to deal with the flesh and the world. but we do it in His victory. We exchange our meager abilities for His life, His victory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Acts 10:24-48
It is unfortunate that I can't hear Peter speaking to Cornelius. Upon the first reading, I hear the intonations of Peter implying, "I really don't want to be here, but God made me come. What do ya want?"
Actually, I am too harsh with Peter. That probably wasn't his intonation. Most likely Peter was just expressing his surprise that God wanted him to actually enter the house of a Gentile and that God wanted Gentiles to know Him. To the Jewish mindset, they had always been God's special people. God just didn't consort with Gentiles--according to their mindset. I don't think we even begin to imagine the cultural contempt of the Jews toward Gentiles; therefore, we miss the contempt which Peter and the whole church had for Gentiles. Yet it is the glory of our King to unite the two groups into one and to use the ones who held the greatest contempt to reach the group that held the least contempt. Peter gives a very simple explanation of the Good News of Jesus with which he ends, "To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins."
While Peter was still speaking those words, the Holy Spirit fell upon the Gentiles evidenced by tongues--just like Pentecost. The Lord Jesus made sure that there was no question about His desire to reach the Gentiles. Peter did not teach them to speak in tongues. He didn't even get to lead them in the sinners prayer! He just spoke the words and they were born again. Why? Two reasons:
1. Anyone, anywhere, who really wants to know Him, God will move heaven and earth to reveal His glory to them. But He always sends people to explain the Gospel. We have to go. These people wanted to believe in Jesus they only lacked knowledge and when the knowledge came, it was received with out a verbalized prayer. Yes we can believe in Jesus without a verbalized prayer. It is a commitment of the mind, will and emotions. We ask people to pray because it helps focus on the commitment.
2. God wanted for all time to make clear that He receives Gentiles and that the church was for both Jews and Gentiles. Pouring out the Holy Spirit, even before Peter had a chance to even say anything about the Holy Spirit, was proof that this was from God and not a trumped up event.
Peter is backed against the wall. The glory of the Lord Jesus is shining clearly in the Gentiles! A new era has begun! Praise the name of Jesus, that glory still shines today to all who yield in faith to the indwelling presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. He still wants to take His glory to all peoples of the earth. Indeed we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
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