Amos 7:7-9: "This is what He (the Lord) showed me (Amos, the prophet): The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. And the LORD asked me, 'What do you see, Amos?' 'A plumb line,' I replied. Then the Lord said, 'Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. The high places of Isaac will be destroyed and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined; with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam.'"
There is a prevailing philosophy in our world today that truth is a matter of subjective reality for the individual; that is, what may be "truth" for one person may be noticeably different for another. Perceptions of "right" versus "wrong" are seen by these proponents as a matter of cultural conditioning and situational relevance. They would argue that a person's understanding of the "rightness" of something is predicated upon one's social setting and his evaluation of the "fittedness" of a decision in light of its context.
God's Word is diametrically opposed to such foolish conclusions. In the above quoted excerpt, the prophet Amos receives a revelation from the Lord holding a plumb line. In carpentry, a plumb line is the measurement that is used to assure that a building is built straight and level. It is the only true standard of measurement to assure that a structure is built properly. To not follow this line would lead to the crafting of a faulty building that is structurally unsound and subject to collapse. No carpenter in his right mind would attempt to build a structure without making certain that a building is measured true to plumb; to merely guess at the plumb of a structure is to invite disaster for the building; in fact, the structure is subject to condemnation for its faulty workmanship.
God used this analogy with Amos to reinforce that there is only one true "plumb" as the measure for man's life in relationship with God, and that standard is found with God Himself. The "rightness" of a situation is not predicated upon the individual's notions of right and wrong; rather, it is determined by the expectations that God, as the Sovereign Creator, has for His creation. When God set the plumb line before the people of Israel in their wickedness, He found them not to be "straight" and were thus subject to His judgment. The standard of God had been violated and thus brought God's responsive wrath.
We need to resist the world's philosophy that asserts that "right" and "wrong" are determined by the relative convictions of the decision maker. In actuality, there is only One True Maker of "right" and "wrong" and He is the Lord! We need to be conscious of His Divine "Plumb Line" which is given to us through the propositional truths of His Word, the Bible. Contained within its pages are the unaltering truths by which we must abide if we expect to meet God's standard of righteousness.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
The Day of the Lord will be Dreadful Darkness
Amos 5:18-20: "Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! Why do you long for the day of the LORD? That day will be darkness, not light. It will be as though a man fled from a lion only to meet a bear, as though he entered his house and rested his hand on the wall only to have a snake bite him. Will not the day of the LORD be darkness not light . . . pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?"
It is perplexing to think of people who are engrossed in sin, longing for the Day of the Lord (i.e. the Day when Jesus Christ returns to judge the reprobate and pardon the surrendered). On that Day, He will gather His redeemed to shine "like the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Matthew 13:43); however, Christ also will send out His angels to collect those who determined themselves in their earthly lives to be their own lords. These are the ones who lived their lives for themselves and did not seek God as their Master and Savior. These are the ones not unlike those described Amos 5 & 6:
1. They turned justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground (5:7).
2. They despised those who told the truth (5:10).
3. They "trampled" the poor, forcing them to give their meager reserves of grain (5:11).
4. They were great at ritual worship, but their hearts were far from truly worshipping God (5:21-27).
5. They were complacent as they enjoyed their lives of luxury on ornate couches and beds inlaid with ivory. They drank wine by the bowlful in their celebrated feasts, as they paid homage to themselves and their alleged attainments (6:1-7).
When God brought His earthly judgment upon these wicked people through the Assyrian and Babylonian invasions, they would cry out for the end of the world (i.e. the Day of the Lord). God's earthly wrath was so severe in the eyes of the wicked, that they could not imagine that anything worse could befall them. The people "wailed in the streets . . . at every public square" (5:16); they wanted their lives to end so that they might find relief from their painful, earthly misery.
What the wicked then and now do not understand is that the Day of the Lord will only amplify the intensity of God's wrath upon them. When Christ appears in the sky, all of the "nations of the earth will mourn" (Matthew 24:30). Both kings and paupers will flee to caves among the rocks of the mountains and will cry out for the mountains and the rocks to fall on them to save them from the face of God and His wrath (Revelation 6:15-16). But their requests will be to no avail, for they will see for a brief instance the Son of Man coming "with power and great glory" (Matthew 24:30). Then, as the elect are gathered to be in the glorious light of God in Heaven (Matthew 13:43), the reprobate will experience the horror of total darkness. The sun, moon, and stars will stop giving forth light (Matthew 25:29), leaving the unsaved in "pitch-darkness, without a ray of brightness." (Amos 5:26). This "Day of the Lord" will be a day of terror, permanent darkness, and unending torment as God unleashes the full fury of His Holy wrath upon those who did not receive Him as Lord through faith in His glorious grace. For those who think that times are tough on the earth, they will not know until the Day of the Lord just how merciful and patient the Lord has been in holding back His judgment upon the unregenerate.
The illustrative comparison of meeting a bear in his den and then being bitten by a snake seems to reinforce the doubly impressive fierceness and intensity of God's wrath upon the wicked. Whereas the wicked presumably believe themselves to have escaped from the proverbial "lion" (i.e. the earthly experience) by entering into the eternal realm, they now find themselves trapped in the cave of the bear and cannot escape. This analogy reinforces that God's eternal judgment is final . . . there will be no escape from His Righteous wrath! The "Bear" is ready to maul and devour the wicked in everlasting judgment.
This prophetic revelation should be a warning to all of humanity of the coming "Day of the Lord" when every person will stand before the Lord in judgment. Those who have yielded themselves to the Lordship of Christ through surrender and faith in His solely sufficient gift of His death for the atonement of sins will be eternally blessed in the presence of the Lord; for those who obstinately refused surrender to the Lord cannot imagine the dreadful fate that awaits them. Jesus said it well of Himself in Matthew 10:28: "Be afraid of the One (Christ) who can destroy both soul and body in hell." If you still have breath in your lungs, then today is the day of your salvation. Repent, submit to the Lord, and receive His gift of eternal life for the forgiveness of your sins, and this Day will never become reality in your life.
It is perplexing to think of people who are engrossed in sin, longing for the Day of the Lord (i.e. the Day when Jesus Christ returns to judge the reprobate and pardon the surrendered). On that Day, He will gather His redeemed to shine "like the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Matthew 13:43); however, Christ also will send out His angels to collect those who determined themselves in their earthly lives to be their own lords. These are the ones who lived their lives for themselves and did not seek God as their Master and Savior. These are the ones not unlike those described Amos 5 & 6:
1. They turned justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground (5:7).
2. They despised those who told the truth (5:10).
3. They "trampled" the poor, forcing them to give their meager reserves of grain (5:11).
4. They were great at ritual worship, but their hearts were far from truly worshipping God (5:21-27).
5. They were complacent as they enjoyed their lives of luxury on ornate couches and beds inlaid with ivory. They drank wine by the bowlful in their celebrated feasts, as they paid homage to themselves and their alleged attainments (6:1-7).
When God brought His earthly judgment upon these wicked people through the Assyrian and Babylonian invasions, they would cry out for the end of the world (i.e. the Day of the Lord). God's earthly wrath was so severe in the eyes of the wicked, that they could not imagine that anything worse could befall them. The people "wailed in the streets . . . at every public square" (5:16); they wanted their lives to end so that they might find relief from their painful, earthly misery.
What the wicked then and now do not understand is that the Day of the Lord will only amplify the intensity of God's wrath upon them. When Christ appears in the sky, all of the "nations of the earth will mourn" (Matthew 24:30). Both kings and paupers will flee to caves among the rocks of the mountains and will cry out for the mountains and the rocks to fall on them to save them from the face of God and His wrath (Revelation 6:15-16). But their requests will be to no avail, for they will see for a brief instance the Son of Man coming "with power and great glory" (Matthew 24:30). Then, as the elect are gathered to be in the glorious light of God in Heaven (Matthew 13:43), the reprobate will experience the horror of total darkness. The sun, moon, and stars will stop giving forth light (Matthew 25:29), leaving the unsaved in "pitch-darkness, without a ray of brightness." (Amos 5:26). This "Day of the Lord" will be a day of terror, permanent darkness, and unending torment as God unleashes the full fury of His Holy wrath upon those who did not receive Him as Lord through faith in His glorious grace. For those who think that times are tough on the earth, they will not know until the Day of the Lord just how merciful and patient the Lord has been in holding back His judgment upon the unregenerate.
The illustrative comparison of meeting a bear in his den and then being bitten by a snake seems to reinforce the doubly impressive fierceness and intensity of God's wrath upon the wicked. Whereas the wicked presumably believe themselves to have escaped from the proverbial "lion" (i.e. the earthly experience) by entering into the eternal realm, they now find themselves trapped in the cave of the bear and cannot escape. This analogy reinforces that God's eternal judgment is final . . . there will be no escape from His Righteous wrath! The "Bear" is ready to maul and devour the wicked in everlasting judgment.
This prophetic revelation should be a warning to all of humanity of the coming "Day of the Lord" when every person will stand before the Lord in judgment. Those who have yielded themselves to the Lordship of Christ through surrender and faith in His solely sufficient gift of His death for the atonement of sins will be eternally blessed in the presence of the Lord; for those who obstinately refused surrender to the Lord cannot imagine the dreadful fate that awaits them. Jesus said it well of Himself in Matthew 10:28: "Be afraid of the One (Christ) who can destroy both soul and body in hell." If you still have breath in your lungs, then today is the day of your salvation. Repent, submit to the Lord, and receive His gift of eternal life for the forgiveness of your sins, and this Day will never become reality in your life.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Not Listening to God
Amos 3:7, 4:12: "Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets . . . . Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel, and because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel."
About 700 years before Christ, the prophet Amos received a Word from the Lord to communicate to the people of Israel their wickedness and rebellion against God as their Sovereign Lord.
God explained to the people that they could not use ignorance as an excuse when He enacted His judgement against them, for He reminded them that His plans had been communicated via his servants, the prophets. When the Israelites refused to heed the warnings that were shared by the prophets, God then used natural disasters and war to attempt to get their attention. Specifically, God sent famine, drought, blight, mildew, plagues, and enemy invasions (Amos 4) to draw His people (see 3:2) to Himself, but they would not respond with repentance.
In the end, God told these rebellious people to prepare to meet their Maker; their obstinacy would result in God enacting final judgment for such recalcitrance.
We should never treat with contempt God's attempts to get our attention. God primarily uses His Word, the Scriptures, to bring conviction in us leading to repentance. Sometimes, God has to get our attention through circumstances in our lives, but if we continue to ignore His calling for our repentance, we may find ourselves standing before the Most Holy God!
Hebrews 10:31 says that it is a "dreadful thing to fall into the hands of a living God." When we are engaged in sin, may we clear our spiritual ears to hear early God's calling for us to repent and turn to Him. We will never regret such a decision to surrender to Him as Lord.
About 700 years before Christ, the prophet Amos received a Word from the Lord to communicate to the people of Israel their wickedness and rebellion against God as their Sovereign Lord.
God explained to the people that they could not use ignorance as an excuse when He enacted His judgement against them, for He reminded them that His plans had been communicated via his servants, the prophets. When the Israelites refused to heed the warnings that were shared by the prophets, God then used natural disasters and war to attempt to get their attention. Specifically, God sent famine, drought, blight, mildew, plagues, and enemy invasions (Amos 4) to draw His people (see 3:2) to Himself, but they would not respond with repentance.
In the end, God told these rebellious people to prepare to meet their Maker; their obstinacy would result in God enacting final judgment for such recalcitrance.
We should never treat with contempt God's attempts to get our attention. God primarily uses His Word, the Scriptures, to bring conviction in us leading to repentance. Sometimes, God has to get our attention through circumstances in our lives, but if we continue to ignore His calling for our repentance, we may find ourselves standing before the Most Holy God!
Hebrews 10:31 says that it is a "dreadful thing to fall into the hands of a living God." When we are engaged in sin, may we clear our spiritual ears to hear early God's calling for us to repent and turn to Him. We will never regret such a decision to surrender to Him as Lord.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
God is No Respecter of Persons
Amos 2:6,10-13: "This is what the LORD says: 'For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath. They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals . . . . I brought you up out of Egypt, and I led you forty years in the desert to give you the land of the Amorites. I also raised up prophets from among your sons and Nazarites from among your young men. Is this not true, people of Israel?' declares the Lord. 'But you made the Nazarites drink wine and commanded the prophets not to prophesy. Now then, I will crush you as a cart crushes when loaded with grain."
When one reads the first chapter of the book of Amos, one might quickly agree with the enactment of God's wrath against the pagan nations (e.g. the Arameans, Philistines, Edomites, Ammonites, etc.) that perpetrated gross atrocities against God's covenant people (the Israelites) . When the Lord says that He would "break down the gates of Damascus" thus destroying the Arameans, the reader in his spirit of righteous indignation yells out, "you deserve it!" And the same vehement response might be found as one reads God's judgment against the Philistines or the Edomites or the Ammonites; after all, these nations warred continuously against the Israelites and often brought destruction to the descendants of Abraham throughout their Old Testament journey.
Then rather unexpectedly, God includes in His punitive list the very chosen people that He had blessed, protected, and called His "chosen." One might find himself scratching his head wondering why the covenant people would be assimilated into such a listing; God seems to anticipate this question, for He immediately brings His charges to justify His responsive wrath. Specifically, God says that the Israelites, "sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals. They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed . . . " (2:6-7). The descendants of Abraham that God had called out as His own had adulterated themselves by following the licentious, rebellious ways of the very pagans that brought God's judgment. It seems that the Israelites believed that their privileged position gave them immunity from such a response from the Lord. As the Israelites prided themselves in the fact that God had called them out as a privileged nation, these Israelites treated God's graciousness with contempt by not believing that He would call them to account for their defiant, wicked behavior. In reality, the Israelites were no different that those wicked nations around them, and frankly they didn't care. They were going to do whatever their heart desired, and they still expected God to show His preferential treatment to them as the natural descendants of Abraham.
God's responsive words in Amos let the reader know that the Lord is not a respecter of persons when they are engaged in sinful behavior. Being true to His Righteousness and Holiness, God calls to account any person/nation that perpetrates sin, irrespective of the calling to which he/they have been called by the Lord. God does not play favorites; He does not let the sins of His chosen people slide, while bringing judgment upon everyone else. No one is immune from the Divine judgment that will come for cosmic treason against the One True God!
This is a great word to those of us who have responded by faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. We should not think that we are free to live an antinomian lifestyle, simply because we have been redeemed through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul reinforces such a conclusion when he says in Romans 6:11 that we cannot live in sin any longer because we are dead to that lifestyle and are instead alive in our allegiance to Jesus Christ as Lord. We don't look for ways to live lives of selfish hedonism, rather we earnestly seek to yield ourselves to the will of Christ for He has provided us the immeasurable benefits of His glorious grace, thus freeing us from the penalty of our sins.
Still, we should be reminded that our sin will bring God's discipline. The writer of Hebrews says it well, "God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:10b-11).
Don't expect to receive preferential treatment for your sinful behavior. Confess your sins to the Lord, for only then can you expect the Lord to bestow His blessings to you for your faithfulness and obedience to Him.
When one reads the first chapter of the book of Amos, one might quickly agree with the enactment of God's wrath against the pagan nations (e.g. the Arameans, Philistines, Edomites, Ammonites, etc.) that perpetrated gross atrocities against God's covenant people (the Israelites) . When the Lord says that He would "break down the gates of Damascus" thus destroying the Arameans, the reader in his spirit of righteous indignation yells out, "you deserve it!" And the same vehement response might be found as one reads God's judgment against the Philistines or the Edomites or the Ammonites; after all, these nations warred continuously against the Israelites and often brought destruction to the descendants of Abraham throughout their Old Testament journey.
Then rather unexpectedly, God includes in His punitive list the very chosen people that He had blessed, protected, and called His "chosen." One might find himself scratching his head wondering why the covenant people would be assimilated into such a listing; God seems to anticipate this question, for He immediately brings His charges to justify His responsive wrath. Specifically, God says that the Israelites, "sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals. They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed . . . " (2:6-7). The descendants of Abraham that God had called out as His own had adulterated themselves by following the licentious, rebellious ways of the very pagans that brought God's judgment. It seems that the Israelites believed that their privileged position gave them immunity from such a response from the Lord. As the Israelites prided themselves in the fact that God had called them out as a privileged nation, these Israelites treated God's graciousness with contempt by not believing that He would call them to account for their defiant, wicked behavior. In reality, the Israelites were no different that those wicked nations around them, and frankly they didn't care. They were going to do whatever their heart desired, and they still expected God to show His preferential treatment to them as the natural descendants of Abraham.
God's responsive words in Amos let the reader know that the Lord is not a respecter of persons when they are engaged in sinful behavior. Being true to His Righteousness and Holiness, God calls to account any person/nation that perpetrates sin, irrespective of the calling to which he/they have been called by the Lord. God does not play favorites; He does not let the sins of His chosen people slide, while bringing judgment upon everyone else. No one is immune from the Divine judgment that will come for cosmic treason against the One True God!
This is a great word to those of us who have responded by faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. We should not think that we are free to live an antinomian lifestyle, simply because we have been redeemed through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul reinforces such a conclusion when he says in Romans 6:11 that we cannot live in sin any longer because we are dead to that lifestyle and are instead alive in our allegiance to Jesus Christ as Lord. We don't look for ways to live lives of selfish hedonism, rather we earnestly seek to yield ourselves to the will of Christ for He has provided us the immeasurable benefits of His glorious grace, thus freeing us from the penalty of our sins.
Still, we should be reminded that our sin will bring God's discipline. The writer of Hebrews says it well, "God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:10b-11).
Don't expect to receive preferential treatment for your sinful behavior. Confess your sins to the Lord, for only then can you expect the Lord to bestow His blessings to you for your faithfulness and obedience to Him.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Waiting on the Lord
Hosea 12:4-6: " He (Jacob) struggled with the angel and overcame him; he wept and begged for his (God's) favor. He found him at Bethel and talked with him there-the Lord God Almighty, the Lord is his name of renown! But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always."
We are so apt to rush ahead of the Lord to do that which we desire, even justifying such behavior as doing what we think God is "telling" us to do. Many times in our impatience, we will spiritually defend our chosen action by exclaiming that God is "commanding" us to do something, but in reality is it not a word from the Lord. Instead, it is a word of justification for our behavior. Even in today's vernacular, we have toned down such actions that are in direct contradiction to the Lord's will for our lives. Some, for example, would label this disposition as a pursuit for "self-actualization" or "self-fulfillment"; nevertheless, this path of personal choosing is called sinful rebellion against the Lord.
When we lose sight of the Lord by following our selfish paths of personal fulfillment, we get ourselves into a lot of trouble. This was the problem with the Israelites during the era of Hosea the prophet. Their quest for personal satisfaction (i.e. their consumption with their own wanton lusts) drove them far from the Lord of Hosts. God in return responded with a calling for them to return to Him so that they could experience the blessedness of intimacy with Him again. Tragically, they would not heed His beckoning, and would suffer greatly for their defiance.
Within the context of the book of Hosea, the prophet illustrates the alternate path to the disobedience of the Israelites by recalling their forefather, Jacob, and his pursuit of the Lord Almighty. Specifically, the prophet shared the story of Jacob's wrestling with God at Peniel (see Genesis 32) to receive the blessing of the Lord (a blessing which would be later confirmed at Bethel). As one looks back at the Genesis account, one will find fascinating the persistence and the longevity of the struggle that the patriarch had for the blessing of God. Irrespective of the challenges which he faced (e.g. his brother Esau's vehement hatred) as well as the delay of God in fulfilling His covenant of the Promised Land for Jacob and his descendants (20 years in fact), Jacob still was determined to pursue the Lord intimately and be blessed by Him. The Hosea passage comments that Jacob "wept and begged" for hours for the favor of God. He was willing to set aside everything that would distract him from a passionate pursuit of the Lord. Jacob was focused and determined in his resolve, for He knew the blessed privilege of receiving such a gift from the Lord. Whereas the more expected response would have been a man despondent for the years of silence of the Lord, Jacob did not permit difficulties or time delays to impede his quest. When Jacob encountered the Lord at the River Jabbok, east of the Jordan, he latched onto the Lord until the blessing was given. The patriarch was persistent for God to bestow what He had promised.
We should be encouraged from these passages to wait on the Lord by being obedient to Him irrespective of the circumstances that we might encounter. As Jacob waited for decades to see the promises fulfilled, so too we may have to wait on the Lord to see His hand of blessing befall us. We must not become discouraged by our dismal circumstances, nor are we to capitulate to irrational conclusions that God will not follow through His his assurances to us. We must fight the temptations to reassert our own will over the One True God and even attempt to justify such behavior by spritualizing it. Such sinful, selfish pursuits will thwart God's ability to shower upon us His promised blessings of joy, peace, and contentment.
We are so apt to rush ahead of the Lord to do that which we desire, even justifying such behavior as doing what we think God is "telling" us to do. Many times in our impatience, we will spiritually defend our chosen action by exclaiming that God is "commanding" us to do something, but in reality is it not a word from the Lord. Instead, it is a word of justification for our behavior. Even in today's vernacular, we have toned down such actions that are in direct contradiction to the Lord's will for our lives. Some, for example, would label this disposition as a pursuit for "self-actualization" or "self-fulfillment"; nevertheless, this path of personal choosing is called sinful rebellion against the Lord.
When we lose sight of the Lord by following our selfish paths of personal fulfillment, we get ourselves into a lot of trouble. This was the problem with the Israelites during the era of Hosea the prophet. Their quest for personal satisfaction (i.e. their consumption with their own wanton lusts) drove them far from the Lord of Hosts. God in return responded with a calling for them to return to Him so that they could experience the blessedness of intimacy with Him again. Tragically, they would not heed His beckoning, and would suffer greatly for their defiance.
Within the context of the book of Hosea, the prophet illustrates the alternate path to the disobedience of the Israelites by recalling their forefather, Jacob, and his pursuit of the Lord Almighty. Specifically, the prophet shared the story of Jacob's wrestling with God at Peniel (see Genesis 32) to receive the blessing of the Lord (a blessing which would be later confirmed at Bethel). As one looks back at the Genesis account, one will find fascinating the persistence and the longevity of the struggle that the patriarch had for the blessing of God. Irrespective of the challenges which he faced (e.g. his brother Esau's vehement hatred) as well as the delay of God in fulfilling His covenant of the Promised Land for Jacob and his descendants (20 years in fact), Jacob still was determined to pursue the Lord intimately and be blessed by Him. The Hosea passage comments that Jacob "wept and begged" for hours for the favor of God. He was willing to set aside everything that would distract him from a passionate pursuit of the Lord. Jacob was focused and determined in his resolve, for He knew the blessed privilege of receiving such a gift from the Lord. Whereas the more expected response would have been a man despondent for the years of silence of the Lord, Jacob did not permit difficulties or time delays to impede his quest. When Jacob encountered the Lord at the River Jabbok, east of the Jordan, he latched onto the Lord until the blessing was given. The patriarch was persistent for God to bestow what He had promised.
We should be encouraged from these passages to wait on the Lord by being obedient to Him irrespective of the circumstances that we might encounter. As Jacob waited for decades to see the promises fulfilled, so too we may have to wait on the Lord to see His hand of blessing befall us. We must not become discouraged by our dismal circumstances, nor are we to capitulate to irrational conclusions that God will not follow through His his assurances to us. We must fight the temptations to reassert our own will over the One True God and even attempt to justify such behavior by spritualizing it. Such sinful, selfish pursuits will thwart God's ability to shower upon us His promised blessings of joy, peace, and contentment.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Lost Potential
Hosea 9:10, 17: "'When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your fathers, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree. But when they came to Baal Peor, they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol and became as vile as the thing they loved' (said the Lord) . . . . My God will reject them because they have not obeyed him; they will be wanderers among the nations"
Finding a productive grapevine or a fruit bearing fig tree in the desert is like finding a precious treasure in a most unlikely place. Such a find is not only unexpected but exhilarating to its finder; for with the discovery is the joy of transformation that has occurred in the tree for the benefit of its harvester.
In the passage above, God seems to be the finder, saying of the Israelites that He found hope in their early fruit of obedience. Specifically, God recounts the Israelite fathers, who seem to be showing the evidence of a yielded heart to Him and were therefore comparable to the unexpected find of early fruit in a dry, barren desert. As God narrates this metaphor, one can picture a person traveling through the desert without expectation of finding fruit . . . only to rejoice in this discovery in an otherwise desolate place.
Yet, the early fruit of Israel seems to die in the sweltering heat of sinful rebellion. Whereas the Israelites showed the hope of obedience, they cut off the nourishing sap of righteousness through their pursuit of the "vile things that they loved." As quickly as the promising fruit arose in the arid place, it dried up leaving no evidence of transformation. It was no longer noticeably distinct from its surroundings and lost its blessedness to itself and to others. Although it showed hope of abundant fruit, it would be scorned for its loss of potential.
We would do well to reflect upon this account of the Israelites in the book of Hosea. These Israelites chose to do things their own way, to satisfy their own lusts/desires. With all of their potential that they had to fulfill God's calling for their lives, they forsook the opportunity and failed miserably. God, in turn, would bring judgment upon the people for their rebellion, and their punishment would lead them into captivity to a pagan enemy for many years (9:17).
We are blessed to have such potential to respond to the Lord's calling in our lives. As God initiates our salvation and our path of righteousness, we can blossom for His glory through our responsive obedience and surrender. Our yielded spirit is offered back to God as an offering for His goodness to us, and He delights in the savory fruit of our submission.
Although our surroundings look rather dismal, we do not have to follow the way of the barren desert around us. Let us rather press on to be all that we can be for God and His kingdom. God's initiatory power and our responsive allegiance to Him will make our fruit noticeably evident in a desolate world.
Finding a productive grapevine or a fruit bearing fig tree in the desert is like finding a precious treasure in a most unlikely place. Such a find is not only unexpected but exhilarating to its finder; for with the discovery is the joy of transformation that has occurred in the tree for the benefit of its harvester.
In the passage above, God seems to be the finder, saying of the Israelites that He found hope in their early fruit of obedience. Specifically, God recounts the Israelite fathers, who seem to be showing the evidence of a yielded heart to Him and were therefore comparable to the unexpected find of early fruit in a dry, barren desert. As God narrates this metaphor, one can picture a person traveling through the desert without expectation of finding fruit . . . only to rejoice in this discovery in an otherwise desolate place.
Yet, the early fruit of Israel seems to die in the sweltering heat of sinful rebellion. Whereas the Israelites showed the hope of obedience, they cut off the nourishing sap of righteousness through their pursuit of the "vile things that they loved." As quickly as the promising fruit arose in the arid place, it dried up leaving no evidence of transformation. It was no longer noticeably distinct from its surroundings and lost its blessedness to itself and to others. Although it showed hope of abundant fruit, it would be scorned for its loss of potential.
We would do well to reflect upon this account of the Israelites in the book of Hosea. These Israelites chose to do things their own way, to satisfy their own lusts/desires. With all of their potential that they had to fulfill God's calling for their lives, they forsook the opportunity and failed miserably. God, in turn, would bring judgment upon the people for their rebellion, and their punishment would lead them into captivity to a pagan enemy for many years (9:17).
We are blessed to have such potential to respond to the Lord's calling in our lives. As God initiates our salvation and our path of righteousness, we can blossom for His glory through our responsive obedience and surrender. Our yielded spirit is offered back to God as an offering for His goodness to us, and He delights in the savory fruit of our submission.
Although our surroundings look rather dismal, we do not have to follow the way of the barren desert around us. Let us rather press on to be all that we can be for God and His kingdom. God's initiatory power and our responsive allegiance to Him will make our fruit noticeably evident in a desolate world.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Feigned Worship
Hosea 7:14,16; 8:2,4-5,11-12: "They (the Israelites) do not cry out to me from their hearts but wail upon their beds . . . . They do not turn to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow . . . . Israel cries out to me, 'O our God, we acknowledge you!' But Israel has rejected what is good . . . . With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction . . . . My anger burns against them (says the Lord). How long will they be incapable of purity? . . . . Though Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings, these have become altars for sinning. I wrote for them the many things of my law, but they regarded them as something alien."
These two chapters from the Old Testament book of Hosea illustrate everything that is wrong with worship. The Israelites to whom this book was written were great at pomp and ceremony in their ritual religious practices, but their hearts were devoid of any desire to worship the One True Lord.
Although God desired to redeem His people (7:13), He began to enact His judgment upon the people for their wickedness. Their worship observances were to no avail in appeasing the judgment of the Lord. What is interesting is the Israelites' response to God's enactment of His wrath. In Hosea 7:14, the people wailed upon their beds, but they were more grieved at their present circumstances rather than their rebellion against the Lord. Whereas they showed an emotive response to their accumulating losses, they did not show genuine contrition of the heart. God compared them to a faulty bow; namely they looked good in their outward composition, but they failed in their performance . . . . these sinful people were more upset that life was miserable and less concerned with the reasons WHY they found themselves in their deplorable position.
God then critiqued the people's perfunctory worship:
1. The Israelites cried out to the Lord, using verbiage like "O our God, we acknowledge you!" But these words in fact were hollow, for they were not backed up with hearts of surrender.
2. The people chose to use their silver and gold to make idols for themselves, not to honor the Lord. The use of their wealth revealed a heart that sought what was best for self over glorification of God.
3. Though they built great altars for sin offerings of repentance to the Lord, they instead used these altars to sin against the Lord. They were using these sacred places to engage in sacrilegious, lewd acts against the laws of God.
4. They refused to recognize God's Word (i.e. Scripture) as the source of direction for their lives; instead, they considered everything that the Lord had communicated to them as something "alien" or inapplicable to them.
Because the Israelites had forsaken their Maker, the Lord in turn was not pleased with their worship. He determined to punish their sins . . . thus, their worship was illegitimate and ineffective at glorifying God.
What a great word for us today is this book of the Bible. If we believe that we can honor the Lord with hollow worship practices, we are deceiving ourselves. God tells us in Hosea 6:6 that He desires acknowledgment of Him (i.e. surrender to Him as Lord) over burnt offerings (i.e. ritual worship). Routine religious acts without a heart of contrition and submission are worthless; they do not please the Lord.
Hundreds of years later, John the Baptist reinforced this fact in his words to the crowds around Jordan: "Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God. Don't say 'We're safe.' That proves nothing" (Luke 3:8). Routine, ritual worship is not worship at all . . . it is ill effective in pleasing the One Sovereign Lord who expects genuine worship from the heart.
These two chapters from the Old Testament book of Hosea illustrate everything that is wrong with worship. The Israelites to whom this book was written were great at pomp and ceremony in their ritual religious practices, but their hearts were devoid of any desire to worship the One True Lord.
Although God desired to redeem His people (7:13), He began to enact His judgment upon the people for their wickedness. Their worship observances were to no avail in appeasing the judgment of the Lord. What is interesting is the Israelites' response to God's enactment of His wrath. In Hosea 7:14, the people wailed upon their beds, but they were more grieved at their present circumstances rather than their rebellion against the Lord. Whereas they showed an emotive response to their accumulating losses, they did not show genuine contrition of the heart. God compared them to a faulty bow; namely they looked good in their outward composition, but they failed in their performance . . . . these sinful people were more upset that life was miserable and less concerned with the reasons WHY they found themselves in their deplorable position.
God then critiqued the people's perfunctory worship:
1. The Israelites cried out to the Lord, using verbiage like "O our God, we acknowledge you!" But these words in fact were hollow, for they were not backed up with hearts of surrender.
2. The people chose to use their silver and gold to make idols for themselves, not to honor the Lord. The use of their wealth revealed a heart that sought what was best for self over glorification of God.
3. Though they built great altars for sin offerings of repentance to the Lord, they instead used these altars to sin against the Lord. They were using these sacred places to engage in sacrilegious, lewd acts against the laws of God.
4. They refused to recognize God's Word (i.e. Scripture) as the source of direction for their lives; instead, they considered everything that the Lord had communicated to them as something "alien" or inapplicable to them.
Because the Israelites had forsaken their Maker, the Lord in turn was not pleased with their worship. He determined to punish their sins . . . thus, their worship was illegitimate and ineffective at glorifying God.
What a great word for us today is this book of the Bible. If we believe that we can honor the Lord with hollow worship practices, we are deceiving ourselves. God tells us in Hosea 6:6 that He desires acknowledgment of Him (i.e. surrender to Him as Lord) over burnt offerings (i.e. ritual worship). Routine religious acts without a heart of contrition and submission are worthless; they do not please the Lord.
Hundreds of years later, John the Baptist reinforced this fact in his words to the crowds around Jordan: "Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God. Don't say 'We're safe.' That proves nothing" (Luke 3:8). Routine, ritual worship is not worship at all . . . it is ill effective in pleasing the One Sovereign Lord who expects genuine worship from the heart.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Tearing Down and Building Up
Hosea 5:14-6:3: "For I (God) will be like a lion to Ephraim, like a great lion to Judah. I will tear them to pieces and go away; I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them. Then I will go back to my place until they admit their guilt. And they will seek my face; in their misery they will earnestly seek me." . . . . (Hosea replied) "Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds . . . . Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth."
In chapter 5 of Hosea, we find the Israelites engrossed in arrogant rebellion against the LORD; in fact, the Lord refers to them as "rebels who were deep in slaughter" They were prostituting themselves by forsaking their covenant marriage relationship with the Lord and by following after their impassioned lusts. Although they were participating in ritual worship practices, they were an arrogant people, who ultimately worshipped themselves.
In response, God decreed that He would "pour out (His) wrath upon them like a flood of water . . . like rot to the people of Judah." God continued His proclamation of judgment by saying that He would be like a lion that would "tear them to pieces . . . (and) carry them off, (so that) no one would rescue them." Although God knew that the rebellious people would first seek relief from the dominant world powers of the day (e.g. the Assyrians), God proclaimed that no one would be able to save them from His wrath. God then said that He would remove Himself until the point was reached that the people admitted their guilt and "in their misery, earnestly would seek Him" (5:15).
Hosea initiated a response to God's punishment by encouraging his fellow Israelites to respond to God in repentance and acknowledgement (i.e. submission). Hosea was wise enough to know that if his fellowmen would confess their sin of rebellion to the Lord and seek His face above all other persons and things (including themselves), then God would come with a downpour of His abundant grace and mercy. God would be true and faithful . . . He would restore His people, "binding up their wounds (so that) they could once again live in His presence" (6:1-2). Hosea then reinforced God's promise to His people by using the analogy of the rising sun to the guaranteed provision of God's healing for His repentant people.
The old adage, "those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it" is so true. We would do well to learn from the wayward Israelites of the Old Testament that sinful rebellion against the Lord will draw Him from His throne to pour out His wrath. God will never permit sin to go unpunished, for it treats with contempt His holiness.
Still, God is merciful . . . abounding in love and grace. He will heal us if we will simply turn from our wickedness and surrender to Him as the One truly worthy of our worship. If we are looking for the downpour of His abundant blessing, we must start with ourselves and seek the Lord with unadulterated allegiance.
In chapter 5 of Hosea, we find the Israelites engrossed in arrogant rebellion against the LORD; in fact, the Lord refers to them as "rebels who were deep in slaughter" They were prostituting themselves by forsaking their covenant marriage relationship with the Lord and by following after their impassioned lusts. Although they were participating in ritual worship practices, they were an arrogant people, who ultimately worshipped themselves.
In response, God decreed that He would "pour out (His) wrath upon them like a flood of water . . . like rot to the people of Judah." God continued His proclamation of judgment by saying that He would be like a lion that would "tear them to pieces . . . (and) carry them off, (so that) no one would rescue them." Although God knew that the rebellious people would first seek relief from the dominant world powers of the day (e.g. the Assyrians), God proclaimed that no one would be able to save them from His wrath. God then said that He would remove Himself until the point was reached that the people admitted their guilt and "in their misery, earnestly would seek Him" (5:15).
Hosea initiated a response to God's punishment by encouraging his fellow Israelites to respond to God in repentance and acknowledgement (i.e. submission). Hosea was wise enough to know that if his fellowmen would confess their sin of rebellion to the Lord and seek His face above all other persons and things (including themselves), then God would come with a downpour of His abundant grace and mercy. God would be true and faithful . . . He would restore His people, "binding up their wounds (so that) they could once again live in His presence" (6:1-2). Hosea then reinforced God's promise to His people by using the analogy of the rising sun to the guaranteed provision of God's healing for His repentant people.
The old adage, "those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it" is so true. We would do well to learn from the wayward Israelites of the Old Testament that sinful rebellion against the Lord will draw Him from His throne to pour out His wrath. God will never permit sin to go unpunished, for it treats with contempt His holiness.
Still, God is merciful . . . abounding in love and grace. He will heal us if we will simply turn from our wickedness and surrender to Him as the One truly worthy of our worship. If we are looking for the downpour of His abundant blessing, we must start with ourselves and seek the Lord with unadulterated allegiance.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Another Look at Global Warming
Hosea 4:1-3: "Hear the word of the LORD, you Israelites, because the LORD has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: 'There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. Because of this the land mourns, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying.'"
Global warming is a hotly debated issue in our modern culture, with proponents and skeptics arguing its viability. Irrespective of the correlation/causation between the natural catastrophes that we are observing and global warming, there is one thing that I believe that we're noticeably missing in our reflective evaluations, namely the judgment of the One True God!
In the above cited passage, God communicates to His covenant people that the reason for the death of creation is the sinful behavior of people. In the eighth century BC, the Israelites were committing detestable acts before the Lord, and they did not concern themselves with the Divine consequences of such behavior. For example, they were sexually promiscuous. . . . they were taking advantage of others for their own benefit . . . they practiced a 'ritual religion' without substance . . . . and most egregiously they 'lacked (any) acknowledgement of God.' These people chose to forsake the Lord in favor of their wanton lusts, and did not care that they were treating with contempt the Sovereign God who created them and expected their submission to Him as Lord. They created a theology that supported their vain, selfish desires and refused to hear the prophets of God who attempted to warn them of coming judgment.
In turn, God enacted judgment upon the land in which the people lived. As He struck His creation with a curse, it began to "waste away." The land began to mourn as the stench of people's sin brought Divine judgment; and to this day, creation has been "groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time" (Romans 8:22). We continue to see the Divine curse placed upon nature for the perpetuated sins of humanity.
Lest I be misunderstood, the sins to which I refer are not merely the physical abuses that humanity perpetrates in nature (i.e. contaminates injected into the environment from mass global industrialization). The sins to which I refer are the ones that are mentioned earlier and are noticeably absent from being addressed in our culture as acts of rebellion against the Lord: adultery, sexual immorality, cursing, lying, murder, thievery, abuse, lack of love for one's neighbor, lack of submission to the Lord, etc.
If we want to counter the ill effects of global warming, we would do more than simply changing our environmental consciousness, we would repent of our sins against God and surrender ourselves to Him as the Lord of our lives. Only God can correct the ill effects that our sinful behavior has brought upon our world.
Global warming is a hotly debated issue in our modern culture, with proponents and skeptics arguing its viability. Irrespective of the correlation/causation between the natural catastrophes that we are observing and global warming, there is one thing that I believe that we're noticeably missing in our reflective evaluations, namely the judgment of the One True God!
In the above cited passage, God communicates to His covenant people that the reason for the death of creation is the sinful behavior of people. In the eighth century BC, the Israelites were committing detestable acts before the Lord, and they did not concern themselves with the Divine consequences of such behavior. For example, they were sexually promiscuous. . . . they were taking advantage of others for their own benefit . . . they practiced a 'ritual religion' without substance . . . . and most egregiously they 'lacked (any) acknowledgement of God.' These people chose to forsake the Lord in favor of their wanton lusts, and did not care that they were treating with contempt the Sovereign God who created them and expected their submission to Him as Lord. They created a theology that supported their vain, selfish desires and refused to hear the prophets of God who attempted to warn them of coming judgment.
In turn, God enacted judgment upon the land in which the people lived. As He struck His creation with a curse, it began to "waste away." The land began to mourn as the stench of people's sin brought Divine judgment; and to this day, creation has been "groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time" (Romans 8:22). We continue to see the Divine curse placed upon nature for the perpetuated sins of humanity.
Lest I be misunderstood, the sins to which I refer are not merely the physical abuses that humanity perpetrates in nature (i.e. contaminates injected into the environment from mass global industrialization). The sins to which I refer are the ones that are mentioned earlier and are noticeably absent from being addressed in our culture as acts of rebellion against the Lord: adultery, sexual immorality, cursing, lying, murder, thievery, abuse, lack of love for one's neighbor, lack of submission to the Lord, etc.
If we want to counter the ill effects of global warming, we would do more than simply changing our environmental consciousness, we would repent of our sins against God and surrender ourselves to Him as the Lord of our lives. Only God can correct the ill effects that our sinful behavior has brought upon our world.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
God's Punishment is Restorative
Hosea 2:13,17,19: "'I (God) will punish her (Israel) for the days she burned incense to the Baals; she decked herself with rings and jewelry, and went after her lovers, but me she forgot,' declares the LORD. . . . . 'I (God) will remove the names of the Baals from her lips; no longer will their names be invoked . . . . I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion.'"
Hosea was a prophet called by God in the eighth century before Christ to proclaim judgment upon the Israelites for their pagan idolatry and licentious practices against the Lord. As God spoke through His chosen prophet, He identified Israel as His wayward bride who had followed after other lovers (idols) rather than the One True Lord. God reiterated that Israel was choosing her path of adultery because she selfishly desired her appetites to be satisfied above her commitment to her husband (God). For Israel, her self-fulfillment justified any behavior that brought her to this desired end. She was unrelenting in her passion for her wanton lusts.
God in response determined to frustrate His bride's attempts at waywardness. In His punishment of Israel, God desired that she would come to the realization that her immoral pursuits were worthless and thus would return to her True Beloved.
Toward the end of the second chapter of Hosea, God reinforced His eternal betrothal to His chosen bride. God proclaimed that His true people would dwell with Him in a state of eternal blessedness, secured by His love, compassion, righteousness, and justice (2:19).
Of course, this blessedness would be predicated upon God's initiatory work of relational restoration followed by His bride's consequent response of loyalty and submission. Those who were truly His would "remove the names of the Baals from their lips" and would call God "her husband" (i.e. her covenant partner).
As we reflect upon our lives today, we all can identify with the wayward wife of Israel mentioned in the book of Hosea, for all of us have sinned against the Lord (Romans 3:23). All of us have been unfaithful in our allegiance to the One True God. God, in response, has brought punishment for our sin in the form of the curses mentioned in the early chapters of the book of Genesis. Specifically, we will all experience physical death and we will toil in our life journey here on this earth; still, God's judgment is restorative in nature. God desires for all to come to repentance and seek Him as Lord. This is why He Himself came and died on a cross for our sins . . . that He might be the perfect, atoning sacrifice for our sins (I John 2:1-2). He alone is solely sufficient to make atonement for our sinful disobedience to Him as Lord. He loves us so much that He was willing to take our deserved eternal punishment upon Himself through His death on the cross; and through His triumphant victory over sin and death in His resurrection, He offers the gift of His grace. Our husband is extending His hand of reconciliation through His sacrifice for us, even when we were utterly defiant against Him as Lord (Romans 5:7-8). This is TRUE LOVE!
Still, we must respond to this offering of grace by disavowing the gods that we have worshipped above Him. We must turn from our spiritual adultery and renew our commitment to Him as our Husband. This marital restoration necessitates our seeking the forgiveness of God and surrendering to Him. God will not refuse such an earnest response to His grace, and He will renew our marriage with Him for all eternity.
Hosea was a prophet called by God in the eighth century before Christ to proclaim judgment upon the Israelites for their pagan idolatry and licentious practices against the Lord. As God spoke through His chosen prophet, He identified Israel as His wayward bride who had followed after other lovers (idols) rather than the One True Lord. God reiterated that Israel was choosing her path of adultery because she selfishly desired her appetites to be satisfied above her commitment to her husband (God). For Israel, her self-fulfillment justified any behavior that brought her to this desired end. She was unrelenting in her passion for her wanton lusts.
God in response determined to frustrate His bride's attempts at waywardness. In His punishment of Israel, God desired that she would come to the realization that her immoral pursuits were worthless and thus would return to her True Beloved.
Toward the end of the second chapter of Hosea, God reinforced His eternal betrothal to His chosen bride. God proclaimed that His true people would dwell with Him in a state of eternal blessedness, secured by His love, compassion, righteousness, and justice (2:19).
Of course, this blessedness would be predicated upon God's initiatory work of relational restoration followed by His bride's consequent response of loyalty and submission. Those who were truly His would "remove the names of the Baals from their lips" and would call God "her husband" (i.e. her covenant partner).
As we reflect upon our lives today, we all can identify with the wayward wife of Israel mentioned in the book of Hosea, for all of us have sinned against the Lord (Romans 3:23). All of us have been unfaithful in our allegiance to the One True God. God, in response, has brought punishment for our sin in the form of the curses mentioned in the early chapters of the book of Genesis. Specifically, we will all experience physical death and we will toil in our life journey here on this earth; still, God's judgment is restorative in nature. God desires for all to come to repentance and seek Him as Lord. This is why He Himself came and died on a cross for our sins . . . that He might be the perfect, atoning sacrifice for our sins (I John 2:1-2). He alone is solely sufficient to make atonement for our sinful disobedience to Him as Lord. He loves us so much that He was willing to take our deserved eternal punishment upon Himself through His death on the cross; and through His triumphant victory over sin and death in His resurrection, He offers the gift of His grace. Our husband is extending His hand of reconciliation through His sacrifice for us, even when we were utterly defiant against Him as Lord (Romans 5:7-8). This is TRUE LOVE!
Still, we must respond to this offering of grace by disavowing the gods that we have worshipped above Him. We must turn from our spiritual adultery and renew our commitment to Him as our Husband. This marital restoration necessitates our seeking the forgiveness of God and surrendering to Him. God will not refuse such an earnest response to His grace, and He will renew our marriage with Him for all eternity.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Do You Have the Right To Be Angry?
Jonah 4:4: "But the LORD replied (to Jonah), "Do you have any right to be angry?"
The book of Jonah is somewhat anticlimactic in its final chapters, for one finds that Jonah does not respond to God's mercy the way we might expect. As one reads through the early chapters of Jonah's life experience (i.e. his disobedience against the LORD by not going to Nineveh, his subsequent punishment by being swallowed by the great fish and residing there for three days, his repentance while in the belly of the fish, and his deliverance from the fish by the power of God) one would expect to find Jonah a person yielded completely to the will of God and excited about God's grace. Yet, as we will see, Jonah was grateful for God's mercy towards himself, but he was not so thrilled when that same mercy was bestowed to others . . . particularly the pagan Ninevites.
Once he was freed from the great fish, Jonah made haste to follow the Lord's command to go to Nineveh; he made his way quickly to the pagan city of Nineveh and proclaimed judgment upon the city if they did not repent. Yet in his indignation, Jonah wanted to see God's execution of judgment upon the people. After all, he had made the long journey to the city to do what God had told him to do. Now, he wanted to see the fruit of his labor.
To Jonah's surprise, the people of Nineveh listened to his words of stern rebuke. The king and his subjects of Nineveh fasted from food, put on sackcloth (as a sign of mourning), and called upon the mercy of God. God, in response, had compassion on the city and withheld His judgment against them.
Jonah was enraged at this outcome. In his prayers to the Lord, he in effect said, "Didn't I tell you that this would happen Lord? I know that you O Lord are compassionate and gracious, and I knew that if they repented you would withhold your judgment. Boy, this was a wasted trip . . . here I stuck out my neck to do what you asked me to do and nothing ultimately came from it. This was why I didn't listen to you the first time and fled to Tarshish. Why don't you just go ahead and take my life . . . I'm ready to die!"
Jonah then went outside the city and sat under a vine provided by the Lord for shade. He just sat for hours . . . sulking at his miserable lot. Still, God was resolved to teach Jonah an important lesson about grace even through the prophet's passive aggression. The next day, God caused a worm to chew up the vine that He had provided so that it withered and no longer provided shade for the prophet. Jonah was even more frustrated at lack of good fortune. As the sun blazed on Jonah's head, he grew faint and again petitioned God to take his life.
In response, God said to Jonah a second time, "Do you have a right to be angry . . . " God then used the vine as an illustration to the sulking prophet. He essentially said to Jonah, "here you are so worked up about this vine that you neither created nor tended, and yet Nineveh has more than 120,000 people that I created and thus am genuinely concerned that they have been misled in their disobedience towards me. Should I not be concerned about these people whom I created and to whom I desire fellowship?"
We don't know the response that Jonah gave to the Lord, for the book ends with God's questioning of Jonah's disposition at the course of events. Nevertheless, we can glean some important words of wisdom from this narrative account:
1. God is gracious and compassionate by nature, slow to anger and abounding in love (to the repentant). Jonah quickly forgot his own receipt of God's compassion, and in his "righteous indignation" wanted to see God's wrath befall these pagan Ninevites. Jonah should have been praising the Lord that the people of Nineveh had received the same mercy that he himself had experienced when the Lord delivered him from the belly of the great fish.
2. God has genuine concern that humanity (the pinnacle of his creation) experience propitiation (the turning away of His wrath). God is not sitting in heaven with lightning bolts in hand, ready to feed his insatiable desire to destroy his creation. In fact, he takes no delight in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23), but he desires that all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). God's kindness toward the sinner is with the hope that it will lead him to repentance (Romans 2:4).
3. Although we (like Jonah) are quick to point out the shortcomings of others, while minimizing our own sins, God still is willing to teach us to appreciate his mercy which is afforded to all who would respond with submission, humility, and repentance. God's hope for us all is that we would be overwhelmed with His love and mercy, and that we would respond to His offering by being surrendered to Him as Lord.
The book of Jonah is somewhat anticlimactic in its final chapters, for one finds that Jonah does not respond to God's mercy the way we might expect. As one reads through the early chapters of Jonah's life experience (i.e. his disobedience against the LORD by not going to Nineveh, his subsequent punishment by being swallowed by the great fish and residing there for three days, his repentance while in the belly of the fish, and his deliverance from the fish by the power of God) one would expect to find Jonah a person yielded completely to the will of God and excited about God's grace. Yet, as we will see, Jonah was grateful for God's mercy towards himself, but he was not so thrilled when that same mercy was bestowed to others . . . particularly the pagan Ninevites.
Once he was freed from the great fish, Jonah made haste to follow the Lord's command to go to Nineveh; he made his way quickly to the pagan city of Nineveh and proclaimed judgment upon the city if they did not repent. Yet in his indignation, Jonah wanted to see God's execution of judgment upon the people. After all, he had made the long journey to the city to do what God had told him to do. Now, he wanted to see the fruit of his labor.
To Jonah's surprise, the people of Nineveh listened to his words of stern rebuke. The king and his subjects of Nineveh fasted from food, put on sackcloth (as a sign of mourning), and called upon the mercy of God. God, in response, had compassion on the city and withheld His judgment against them.
Jonah was enraged at this outcome. In his prayers to the Lord, he in effect said, "Didn't I tell you that this would happen Lord? I know that you O Lord are compassionate and gracious, and I knew that if they repented you would withhold your judgment. Boy, this was a wasted trip . . . here I stuck out my neck to do what you asked me to do and nothing ultimately came from it. This was why I didn't listen to you the first time and fled to Tarshish. Why don't you just go ahead and take my life . . . I'm ready to die!"
Jonah then went outside the city and sat under a vine provided by the Lord for shade. He just sat for hours . . . sulking at his miserable lot. Still, God was resolved to teach Jonah an important lesson about grace even through the prophet's passive aggression. The next day, God caused a worm to chew up the vine that He had provided so that it withered and no longer provided shade for the prophet. Jonah was even more frustrated at lack of good fortune. As the sun blazed on Jonah's head, he grew faint and again petitioned God to take his life.
In response, God said to Jonah a second time, "Do you have a right to be angry . . . " God then used the vine as an illustration to the sulking prophet. He essentially said to Jonah, "here you are so worked up about this vine that you neither created nor tended, and yet Nineveh has more than 120,000 people that I created and thus am genuinely concerned that they have been misled in their disobedience towards me. Should I not be concerned about these people whom I created and to whom I desire fellowship?"
We don't know the response that Jonah gave to the Lord, for the book ends with God's questioning of Jonah's disposition at the course of events. Nevertheless, we can glean some important words of wisdom from this narrative account:
1. God is gracious and compassionate by nature, slow to anger and abounding in love (to the repentant). Jonah quickly forgot his own receipt of God's compassion, and in his "righteous indignation" wanted to see God's wrath befall these pagan Ninevites. Jonah should have been praising the Lord that the people of Nineveh had received the same mercy that he himself had experienced when the Lord delivered him from the belly of the great fish.
2. God has genuine concern that humanity (the pinnacle of his creation) experience propitiation (the turning away of His wrath). God is not sitting in heaven with lightning bolts in hand, ready to feed his insatiable desire to destroy his creation. In fact, he takes no delight in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23), but he desires that all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). God's kindness toward the sinner is with the hope that it will lead him to repentance (Romans 2:4).
3. Although we (like Jonah) are quick to point out the shortcomings of others, while minimizing our own sins, God still is willing to teach us to appreciate his mercy which is afforded to all who would respond with submission, humility, and repentance. God's hope for us all is that we would be overwhelmed with His love and mercy, and that we would respond to His offering by being surrendered to Him as Lord.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Forfeiting Grace
Jonah 2:8-9: "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD."
Idolatry is defined as anything that displaces God as first in one's life. It can manifest itself in physical forms like golden, carved images, or it can be the vain pursuits of a hedonistic culture (pleasure, affluence, relationships, etc.). Despite the wide array of manifestations that idolatry can take, its commonality is found ultimately is the satisfaction of "self." Each person who follows after an idol is in reality worshipping himself above all other persons and things (including God).
Jonah spoke the above cited words of truth at a pivotal point in his life. Specifically, he had been called by God to go to the formidable, pagan city of Nineveh and proclaim Divine judgment upon them if they would not repent of their sins against the Lord. Jonah would have nothing to do with God's summons. He fled as far as he could away from Nineveh; in fact, he boarded a boat bound for the distant land of Tarshish. We don't know the complete motivation for his refusal to go to the town of Nineveh . . . it could be because these people were ruthless, even skinning alive those whom they considered their enemies. Maybe the motivation was mere disdain for these pagans . . . maybe Jonah thought that these Assyrians were unworthy of his time (certainly, this seems likely given Jonah's response in 4:1-4). In response to Jonah's rebellion, the LORD brought judgment upon the prophet. After Jonah boarded the boat and headed out into the Mediterranean, the Lord brought such a violent storm that "the ship threatened to break up" (1:4). The experienced sailors knew that this storm was greater than any they had experienced before, and they cried out to their own gods seeking deliverance. When Jonah confessed that his sin was the reason for the storm, the soldiers decided to throw the prophet overboard to appease the Lord.
Jonah was tossed about the turbulent waves for an extended period of time; we know this from Jonah's own later account of his experience: "the currents swirled about me; all your (God's) waves and breakers swept over me . . . . The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head . . . . When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD." Jonah found himself in a setting that gave him time to reflect upon his previous response to the Lord; the prophet was now able to see the futility of his disobedience.
As Jonah was beaten by the raging waters crashing around him, he remembered the most important truth of life: Grace is afforded by God to those who refuse to cling to worthless idols. In other words, to those who surrender to God as his Lord, God brings salvation; to those who would chose himself over God, he will forfeit the grace that could be his.
Jonah learned the hard way to submit to the Lord. Let us learn from his life experience and his spoken words of truth to be a people surrendered to the One True God as our personal Lord and Savior.
Idolatry is defined as anything that displaces God as first in one's life. It can manifest itself in physical forms like golden, carved images, or it can be the vain pursuits of a hedonistic culture (pleasure, affluence, relationships, etc.). Despite the wide array of manifestations that idolatry can take, its commonality is found ultimately is the satisfaction of "self." Each person who follows after an idol is in reality worshipping himself above all other persons and things (including God).
Jonah spoke the above cited words of truth at a pivotal point in his life. Specifically, he had been called by God to go to the formidable, pagan city of Nineveh and proclaim Divine judgment upon them if they would not repent of their sins against the Lord. Jonah would have nothing to do with God's summons. He fled as far as he could away from Nineveh; in fact, he boarded a boat bound for the distant land of Tarshish. We don't know the complete motivation for his refusal to go to the town of Nineveh . . . it could be because these people were ruthless, even skinning alive those whom they considered their enemies. Maybe the motivation was mere disdain for these pagans . . . maybe Jonah thought that these Assyrians were unworthy of his time (certainly, this seems likely given Jonah's response in 4:1-4). In response to Jonah's rebellion, the LORD brought judgment upon the prophet. After Jonah boarded the boat and headed out into the Mediterranean, the Lord brought such a violent storm that "the ship threatened to break up" (1:4). The experienced sailors knew that this storm was greater than any they had experienced before, and they cried out to their own gods seeking deliverance. When Jonah confessed that his sin was the reason for the storm, the soldiers decided to throw the prophet overboard to appease the Lord.
Jonah was tossed about the turbulent waves for an extended period of time; we know this from Jonah's own later account of his experience: "the currents swirled about me; all your (God's) waves and breakers swept over me . . . . The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head . . . . When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD." Jonah found himself in a setting that gave him time to reflect upon his previous response to the Lord; the prophet was now able to see the futility of his disobedience.
As Jonah was beaten by the raging waters crashing around him, he remembered the most important truth of life: Grace is afforded by God to those who refuse to cling to worthless idols. In other words, to those who surrender to God as his Lord, God brings salvation; to those who would chose himself over God, he will forfeit the grace that could be his.
Jonah learned the hard way to submit to the Lord. Let us learn from his life experience and his spoken words of truth to be a people surrendered to the One True God as our personal Lord and Savior.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
The Blessing of a Godly Heritage
Psalm 61:5b: "(O God) you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name."
When recently I was reading this passage, I stopped to reflect upon the impact that one's childhood experiences have on his adult character development. I thought about those to whom I have counseled over a decade of ministry, and I thought introspectively of my own life and how those people in my early years impacted who I am today (some good and some not so good). Then I concluded that one's early setting and family of origin have a tremendous impact upon whom one becomes.
We inhabit the blessings (and the curses) of those who influenced our early lives. For some, the blessings of security, stability, and godliness that were modeled for us by our parents and friends will continue to shower upon us in years to come. These blessings may be made manifest in our ability to love and be loved, to live principally-driven lives, and to desire an intimate fellowship with Christ. Others will war throughout life with the consequences of a familial environment lived in performance-based, conditional love with a lack of affirmation and security as well as the absence of Godly commitment. These manifestations may take the form of insecurities or a lack of integrity or an apathy toward God Himself.
Still, we must remember that no one has to live the carbon-copy life of what was modeled for him as a child. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can rise above the experiences of the past to become the people that God ultimately desires for us to be. The ideal of our Lord is for us to be people who are committed to Him, so that by our lives of integrity, we might be a blessing to those who come after us. God is seeking future generations who will rise up and give Him glory (see Malachi 2:15). This necessitates that previous generations provide the legacy that will demonstrate love, integrity, and godliness. Listen to the words of the following Psalm of David to hear what each generation's responsibility is:
Psalm 145:4-7: "One generation will commend your works (O God) to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness."
Let us break the patterns of dysfunction that perhaps were modeled for us as children by surrendering our lives wholly to the Lord and following obediently His commands and His principles. Although we may continue to struggle with the consequences of our early lives, we can through the power of the Holy Spirit rise above those experiences to bless those who come after us. Future generations yearn for such blessings as these!
When recently I was reading this passage, I stopped to reflect upon the impact that one's childhood experiences have on his adult character development. I thought about those to whom I have counseled over a decade of ministry, and I thought introspectively of my own life and how those people in my early years impacted who I am today (some good and some not so good). Then I concluded that one's early setting and family of origin have a tremendous impact upon whom one becomes.
We inhabit the blessings (and the curses) of those who influenced our early lives. For some, the blessings of security, stability, and godliness that were modeled for us by our parents and friends will continue to shower upon us in years to come. These blessings may be made manifest in our ability to love and be loved, to live principally-driven lives, and to desire an intimate fellowship with Christ. Others will war throughout life with the consequences of a familial environment lived in performance-based, conditional love with a lack of affirmation and security as well as the absence of Godly commitment. These manifestations may take the form of insecurities or a lack of integrity or an apathy toward God Himself.
Still, we must remember that no one has to live the carbon-copy life of what was modeled for him as a child. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can rise above the experiences of the past to become the people that God ultimately desires for us to be. The ideal of our Lord is for us to be people who are committed to Him, so that by our lives of integrity, we might be a blessing to those who come after us. God is seeking future generations who will rise up and give Him glory (see Malachi 2:15). This necessitates that previous generations provide the legacy that will demonstrate love, integrity, and godliness. Listen to the words of the following Psalm of David to hear what each generation's responsibility is:
Psalm 145:4-7: "One generation will commend your works (O God) to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness."
Let us break the patterns of dysfunction that perhaps were modeled for us as children by surrendering our lives wholly to the Lord and following obediently His commands and His principles. Although we may continue to struggle with the consequences of our early lives, we can through the power of the Holy Spirit rise above those experiences to bless those who come after us. Future generations yearn for such blessings as these!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
God Will Restore Those Who Call Upon Him
Joel 2:25,32: " I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten . . . my great army that I sent among you . . . . (For) everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance."
These verses should be a tremendous source of encouragement to us all, for each of us like the sinful, obstinate Israelites of Joel's day has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). In the passage above, the covenant community had lived for years in abject rebellion against the Lord. They had sought their own sinful delights over the One True God, despite God's petitions to draw them back into intimate fellowship with Him. Eventually, God needed to send calamity (i.e. the locusts) to get the attention of His people . . . and He certainly got their attention. Still, the purpose for such punitive measures was restorative, to return His people to right relations with Him.
Although God affirmed that He was the one who brought the famine upon the nation by introducing the swarm of locusts, He also proclaimed that He would restore everything that "the locusts had eaten." God is in the restorative business, for He "wants no one to perish but all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
Still, God's forgiveness is predicated upon our response to His calling. We must "call upon the name of the Lord," which means we must repent of our sins of rebellion against Him and surrender to His Lordship in our lives.
An interesting contrast is found in Joel 3:12, where God's declarative judgement is enacted upon those who defy Him (i.e. those who attempt to assert their own lordship over the One True God). The Lord says in this passage that He will judge all the nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (whose name means "the Lord judges"). These people will experience the eternal wrath of a Holy, Sovereign God who will not let the wicked go unpunished. However, for those who chose to respond in repentance to the Lord, He will be faithful to restore His Divine blessings. Respond to the Lord today with a humble heart of contrition and let His healing begin to restore your soul.
These verses should be a tremendous source of encouragement to us all, for each of us like the sinful, obstinate Israelites of Joel's day has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). In the passage above, the covenant community had lived for years in abject rebellion against the Lord. They had sought their own sinful delights over the One True God, despite God's petitions to draw them back into intimate fellowship with Him. Eventually, God needed to send calamity (i.e. the locusts) to get the attention of His people . . . and He certainly got their attention. Still, the purpose for such punitive measures was restorative, to return His people to right relations with Him.
Although God affirmed that He was the one who brought the famine upon the nation by introducing the swarm of locusts, He also proclaimed that He would restore everything that "the locusts had eaten." God is in the restorative business, for He "wants no one to perish but all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
Still, God's forgiveness is predicated upon our response to His calling. We must "call upon the name of the Lord," which means we must repent of our sins of rebellion against Him and surrender to His Lordship in our lives.
An interesting contrast is found in Joel 3:12, where God's declarative judgement is enacted upon those who defy Him (i.e. those who attempt to assert their own lordship over the One True God). The Lord says in this passage that He will judge all the nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (whose name means "the Lord judges"). These people will experience the eternal wrath of a Holy, Sovereign God who will not let the wicked go unpunished. However, for those who chose to respond in repentance to the Lord, He will be faithful to restore His Divine blessings. Respond to the Lord today with a humble heart of contrition and let His healing begin to restore your soul.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
A Little Folly Ruins Everything
Ecclesiastes 10:1: "As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor."
Analogies are great at helping us better appreciate principles of truth; many comparative illustrations can be used to give us a powerful insight into words of direction for our lives. In this passage, the writer of Ecclesiastes uses a sensory illustration from his cultural setting to better aid his hearers in appreciating the reality of folly's devastating effects on life.
In the culture of ancient Palestine, perfume was costly. It could take years of accumulated wages to purchase many of the perfumes that were used in that day, so one was careful to protect the precious commodity once a financial sacrifice was offered for its purchase. Although used sparingly, the costly fragrance's blessing was noteworthy, given the rural, agrarian, semi-nomadic setting in which the people lived in that day. There was a lot of sweating from a lot of hard work with little opportunity to bathe. Perfume was a true treasure!
Still, if in one careless moment the flask or jar were left open, the costly perfume would be subject to flies or other elements that could contaminate it. Though years of hard work, sweat, tears, and sacrificial saving may have purchased the perfume, in one minute of carelessness, everything would be lost. It is a tremendous loss, given that the person has lost years of his life working for no substantive purpose. It is the ultimate waste.
As we reflect upon the analogy above, we are able to appreciate how one bad decision of folly can wreck everything for which we have worked in our lives. Whereas some may call it a lapse in judgment, it is nonetheless irreparably damaging to us. Although we may be able to find forgiveness from the Lord for our sin, we may have to live with the lasting consequences of poor decision making.
For this reason, we must strive to follow obediently the dictates of Scripture to avoid the costly decisions of waywardness. We must seek the Lord and His will as if we were seeking priceless treasure (thus above all things), for it is to this disposition of heart, that the Lord gives wisdom for wise decision making (see Proverbs 2:3-10). Our righteousness, sparked and fueled by the Holy Spirit, will bring us deliverance and blessing, free from the calamities of folly (see Proverbs 11:6).
Analogies are great at helping us better appreciate principles of truth; many comparative illustrations can be used to give us a powerful insight into words of direction for our lives. In this passage, the writer of Ecclesiastes uses a sensory illustration from his cultural setting to better aid his hearers in appreciating the reality of folly's devastating effects on life.
In the culture of ancient Palestine, perfume was costly. It could take years of accumulated wages to purchase many of the perfumes that were used in that day, so one was careful to protect the precious commodity once a financial sacrifice was offered for its purchase. Although used sparingly, the costly fragrance's blessing was noteworthy, given the rural, agrarian, semi-nomadic setting in which the people lived in that day. There was a lot of sweating from a lot of hard work with little opportunity to bathe. Perfume was a true treasure!
Still, if in one careless moment the flask or jar were left open, the costly perfume would be subject to flies or other elements that could contaminate it. Though years of hard work, sweat, tears, and sacrificial saving may have purchased the perfume, in one minute of carelessness, everything would be lost. It is a tremendous loss, given that the person has lost years of his life working for no substantive purpose. It is the ultimate waste.
As we reflect upon the analogy above, we are able to appreciate how one bad decision of folly can wreck everything for which we have worked in our lives. Whereas some may call it a lapse in judgment, it is nonetheless irreparably damaging to us. Although we may be able to find forgiveness from the Lord for our sin, we may have to live with the lasting consequences of poor decision making.
For this reason, we must strive to follow obediently the dictates of Scripture to avoid the costly decisions of waywardness. We must seek the Lord and His will as if we were seeking priceless treasure (thus above all things), for it is to this disposition of heart, that the Lord gives wisdom for wise decision making (see Proverbs 2:3-10). Our righteousness, sparked and fueled by the Holy Spirit, will bring us deliverance and blessing, free from the calamities of folly (see Proverbs 11:6).
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