Psalm 75

Three motivations drive Satanic temptation: the lust of the flesh (do what feels good), the lust of the eyes (find happiness in possessions) and the pride of life (aim to be #1).  This Psalm concerns the last one.  In the Garden of Eden the hook was baited with the thought, You can be like God!  They fell for it (Gen. 3:5-6)!  Jesus was tempted to greatness sooner than later by throwing Himself off the top of the temple pinnacle.  He resisted it!  His answer to the easier, quicker path to greatness was, You shall not tempt the Lord your God (Matt. 4:7).

The simple truth of this Psalm undergirds everything the Bible says to us about greatness.  It all has to do with God!  Exaltation and humiliation is from Him.  It doesn’t come from east (lit. the rising of the sun), west (lit. the setting of the sun) or south (lit. the desert).  Rather it is of God.  The boastful wicked will surely drink and drain down the cup of God, from the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God (Rev. 19:15).  And why?  Because in His temple everyone cries “Glory” (Psalm 29:9)!

Jesus both lived and taught the truth of this Psalm.  His humanity was lived in full trust in God who exalts the humble and humbles the exalted.  The Father promised to exalt the Son (Psalm 2:4-6 and many other passages).  Yet the Son was called to the ultimate humiliation of death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:5-8).  But in His suffering He entrusted Himself to God as to a faithful Creator (1 Peter 4:19).  And, at the proper time of God’s choosing (Psa. 75:2) He was highly exalted, given a Name above every name with every knee in the universe bowed before Him (Phil. 2:9-11).  Jesus taught His disciples to live in the same manner.  Rather than the audacity of lording it over others He called us instead to be servants and slaves (Matt. 20:25-28).  The exaltation is left to God!

The temptation to self-exaltation is everywhere.  Today at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem (where we are currently located) I was asked to prepare communion for one person.  We commonly prepare elements for the Lord’s Table for groups desiring to share together.  But why one person?  The Lord’s Table is a Body of Christ observance.  Even Jesus did not celebrate it alone.  When I arrived with the elements I discovered it was a photo op.  The cameraman was there to record one lady eating the bread and drinking the cup, alone. 

But she was not alone in the Garden today in what appeared to be the search for greatness.  I also struggle with the temptation called the pride of life.  The demonic tendencies of envy and self-seeking (James 3:16) long to wrest control of my thoughts and deeds from the Man from heaven.  How wonderful when, by the grace of God, I am content to sing praises to the God of Jacob (Ps. 75:9). That’s when we have it right: when we live to worship God.  Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due season (1 Peter 5:5).

Gen. 3:9-19, Truth in Deceit

For a few days we want to post what I am calling “Genesis Renewed.”  The “renewal” was in my own heart.  For the most part we will engage in devotional thoughts rather than doctrinal thoughts, although, of course, devotional thoughts must always be founded on sound doctrine. 

·       3:10: John wrote, “perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18).  In Genesis Adam was afraid of God.  The reason was because he had sinned, and fear was part of the “death” that came upon Adam, and me, because of sin.  I confess: when I think of the life to come there is an aspect of fear in my thoughts sometimes.  It indicates I am still giving sin power it does not deserve, and not giving God the honor He deserves for all He did to provide for my salvation.  This is not just a failure to obey, to think properly.  It is a failure in relationship.  It is a leftover in this man who once lived “in sin” but now lives “in Christ.”  Lord, help my unbelief.  Father, that I might love you with all my heart, mind, soul and strength.

·       3:12-13: Both Adam and Eve told the truth.  True, they did blame others.  But both said “and I ate.”  And note, there was truth in the “blame.”  And, in fact, God began His pronouncement of judgment against Satan, then judged the two people who were guilty.  Furthermore, let us not forget that Eve was truly deceived as 1 Tim. 2:14 says.  Satan attacked her with the best he has to offer: it looks good, it’ll feel good, and it will make you important.  Because of the deceit she “fell” into transgression. 

·       3:17: Adam, however, went in with eyes wide open.  God said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife.”  Eve sinned.  But that does not excuse Adam.

·       3:15: Don’t forget.  The first Messianic prophecy was given to the Serpent, to Satan.  He must be crushed.  He bears a specific responsibility.  And, by the way, Satan has been crushed (Colossians 2:13-15).   Paul says that Jesus has disarmed the principalities and powers.  The advantage that Satan had in the Garden of Eden has been lost.  Jesus has triumphed over him and those who have sided with him.

·       3:5,22: One last thing.  Satan was right in saying that Adam and Eve would become like God, knowing good and evil.  God had already observed good and evil in Satan’s pride in heaven.  Up until that moment in the Garden, Adam and Eve were innocent.  Now they knew.

So here is something I need to remember.  In the context of evil and rebellion Adam and Eve and Satan said things that were right.  I must not underestimate the necessity of “the renewing of the mind” (Rom. 12:2).  Apart from that I continue to be “conformed to this world,” the world ruled by the god of this age, Satan.

And one other thing.  I also need to understand that Jesus Christ my Lord, in one weekend, provided all that was needed to overcome all that went wrong in the Garden of Eden.  That is why perfect love casts out fear.  There is nothing left to fear in light of Calvary and the empty tomb.

Hosea 11:1-11, The Love of God

The story of Hosea and Gomer in Hos. 1-3 is a tremendous portrait of the love of God.  Hosea 11 is a tremendous teaching passage on the love of God.  It’s somewhat like the NT: in the Gospels the great portrait of God’s love is painted at Calvary; and then 1 Cor. 11 and 1 John 4 draws us to God’s love through the teaching of the Apostles. 

In Hosea 11 we see that God had always loved Israel (v1,4).  This love is God’s love and not the love of men (v9).  Therefore, God will not destroy Israel like he destroyed Admah and Zeboiim (v8).  Those two cities were destroyed the same time as Sodom and Gomorrah. 

·       The verb for “love” in the OT is ahab.  Yes, it is interesting that it is the name of the most wicked king of Israel.  The term is used 13 times in Hosea, including 5 times in Hos. 2 speaking of Israel’s “lovers” who actually hated her.  But then we come to 3:1: “Go again, love (v) a woman who is loved (v) by a lover (lit. “friend”) and is committing adultery, just like the love (noun, ahaba) of the LORD for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love (v) the raisin cakes of the pagans.”

·       The feminine noun form is used 40 times in the OT, 3 times in Hosea (3:1; 9:15; 11:4).  In 11:4 God says, “I drew them with gentle chords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck.  I stooped and fed them.”  The word for “bands” deserves mentioning.  It refers to a cord, rope, chain, perhaps one that is braided.  In other words, it is strong!  In Ps. 2:3 the kings of the earth plot vain ways to break the “bands” that the Creator places around men.  God’s bands are “love” but the powerful people of earth don’t like to be controlled.  Psalm 118:27 reveals another “band of love” from our God. In a very Messianic context (cf. 118:22-24) the Psalmist says, “God is the LORD, and He has given us light: Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.”  How we praise God for binding His Son to the altar of the cross.  And one other aspect of God’s love is that He has “cut in pieces the cords of the wicked” (Ps. 129:4).

·       There is a masculine noun form (also ahab), used only twice in the OT.  One is in Pr. 5:19 where a husband is to be enraptured with the love of his wife.

·       Another masculine noun (ohab) refers to love as an “object,” Prov. 7:18: The immoral woman says, “let us delight ourselves with love.”  You will note in this passage another English word “love” which is a completely different term (Heb. dowd) and is the term used in Song of Solomon for “love” and “beloved” (39 of the 61 times it appears in the OT.

It is our hope that in the word studies we are encouraged by the manifold and manifest love of God!  How He has loved us.  May we respond with the love of all our hearts, minds, souls and strength!

Ezek. 16:49-63, Abominations of Jerusalem, Grace of God

It would be good to read this entire chapter.  Again, it is Ezekiel at his best, under the inspiration of the Spirit, painting a graphic and accurate portrait of Jerusalem.  Our desire today is not to study this entire chapter (which we have done elsewhere) but to note a few things in the latter part of the chapter.  The essence of Ezekiel’s portrait is that Jerusalem is a woman, born, left to die, loved and taken by the LORD to make her beautiful, except that she trusted her beauty and engaged in abominations bringing about God’s fury.  Nevertheless, God will be gracious to her and she will come to know the LORD.

·       16:49: Jerusalem is compared to Samaria, her older sister, and Sodom, her younger sister.  When you think of Sodom and God’s judgment on her, why did it happen?  For many, their thoughts go to “Sodomy,” which is mentioned in v50.  But I find the portrait of Sodom in verse 49 to be interesting in that she was guilty in so many other ways, ways that Jerusalem could identify with I suspect.  Pride!  Fullness of food!  And think about this: abundance of idleness!  And they didn’t help the poor and needy!  Is it typical for God to look at these things among the Nations?  Would He be looking for these things in the USA?  By the way, Jesus also spoke of the sins of Sodom, not keying on Sodomy but on everyday lifestyle issues: “they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built” (Lk. 17:28).

·       16:52: The LORD engages in some “moral comparisons.”  Samaria and Sodom were said to be “more righteous” than Jerusalem.  Again, Jesus said something similar in Luke 10:14: “It will be more tolerable in that Day (of judgment) for Sodom than for that city (that heard the preaching of Jesus and His Apostles).” This is not the basis of God’s judgment.  These words are designed to shock God’s people and to encourage their repentance.  Jerusalem could not believe that God, in His anger, would destroy the City He loved and the Temple where He had His dwelling.  They were “self-righteous.”  To be compared with Sodom might just be what was needed to bring self-righteous people to their senses.

·       16:59-60: Judah and Jerusalem despised the oath they made at Mt. Sinai.  They despised the covenant.  NEVERTHELESS (one of those critical “but” words in the Bible, as in Eph. 2:4), God says “I will remember My covenant with you … and I will established an everlasting covenant with you.”  This is all about the Lord Jesus Christ.  First, He fulfilled the Old Covenant, the Law.  Second, He established the New Covenant upon better promises.  “He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Rom. 8:3-4).  Amen and Hallelujah!

Ezekiel 14:12-23, “Persistent Unfaithfulness”

Ezekiel, as we saw in our last post, was a prophet who frequently used “object lessons” to make clear God’s message.  Part of this aspect of his ministry was, of course, the result of God’s making him mute early in his ministry until the day that Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians.  He would often act out something and then would be allowed by God to speak a related message.  Other than that, he was a quiet man, even when the “object lesson” was the death of his wife.  Read the whole book.  It is a great read and full of applicable truth for today.

Today’s reading has one such truth.  (The entire context is from 14:12-15:8.)  This is the “Noah, Daniel and Job” passage, where God says that even if these great and righteous men were to ask Him to save Israel, He would not do it.  Not even their sons and daughters could be saved.  What is it that has stirred God to such fury?  The answer is at the beginning and end of the passage (14:13; 15:8): persistent unfaithfulness. 

This is an interesting and powerful phrase.  The KJV translates it “trespassing grievously,” the ESV “acting faithlessly,” and the NASB “committing unfaithfulness.”  But actually, what we have is the same word used twice, once in a verb form and once as a noun.  The Wycliffe Bible Commentary hits it right in my view: “by treacherously committing treachery.”  The effect in the Hebrew is to strengthen the action, so the various translations have done well.  There is certainly an emphasis on “faithfulness in committing terrible sins.” 

In the NT we see this in the instructions regarding discipline in the Body of Christ.  In Matt. 18:15-17 Jesus gave instructions for dealing with a sinning brother.  There are three reproofs and if he is still unrepentant then he is to be removed from the fellowship.  Titus 3:10 teaches the same pattern.

In Psalm 19 David sought deliverance from “presumptuous sins” that could “have dominion over” him.  If delivered he would be innocent of “great transgression.”  The noun form is used twice (Josh. 7:1; 22:20) of the sin of Achan, a “treachery” that brought the LORD’s anger against Israel, and that resulted in the stoning of Achan and his family.  In Num. 5:6,12,27 it is used in the testing of a wife accused of unfaithfulness against her husband.  It was used of “the incident of Peor” when Israel committed immorality with the people of Moab (Num. 31:16); this resulted in God’s anger burning against Israel.

In other words, this terminology was chosen specifically by Ezekiel (by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) in this case.  What the prophet is predicting is that God’s fury is about to fall on Judah and Jerusalem.  God is bringing His four great judgments on the nation: famine, wild beasts, the sword and pestilence.  God had warned in Leviticus 26 of this day, as He predicted one judgment after another, of increasing intensity, if Israel continued to sin and refused to heed His warning.  Ezekiel is saying that Israel has persisted in treachery, and now God will bring about great punishment on His people.

We know God forgives sin.  We should also know that He is merciful.  But we should also know that He judges persistent unfaithfulness.  May we not become so stubborn and rebellious. 

Ezekiel 13:1-12, “Untempered Mortar”

There is an important picture in the OT.  We are told that God is our refuge.  In Ps. 2:12 and many other passages, the word “trust” has this idea of keeping yourself in the refuge that God has created for you.  If you step outside that refuge you are on your own.  God has not forsaken you; rather, you have forsaken His refuge.

One important aspect to this “refuge” was the prophet.  He spoke for God, in essence pointing to the refuge, calling people to repent and find their place back in the place where they would know God’s blessing and protection.  Ezek. 13:6 speaks of this prophetic ministry, as he reproves the “foolish prophets” in his day: “You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the LORD.”

Instead, the false prophet in that day proclaimed “’Peace!’ when there is no peace – and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untampered mortar” (13:10).  God’s message to the people in Judah was to give up to the Babylonians because they were His servants.  That is where they would find refuge.  The message of the false prophets was, “resist the Babylonians; they will not take this city; God won’t let that happen.”  They had built a wall that would not stand.

The word “untampered” has a root meaning that has to do with “folly, foolishness” (TWOT, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament).  This mortar is like “’sand without lime, mud without straw’ (Grotius).  Fairbairn translates, ‘plaster it with whitewash.’  But besides the hypocrisy of merely outwardly ‘daubing’ to make the wall look fair (Mt. 23:27,29; Acts 23:3), there is implied the unsoundness of the wall from the absence of true uniting cement; the ‘untempered cement’ answering to the lie of the prophets, who say, in support of their prophecies, ‘Thus saith the Lord, when the Lord hath not spoken’ (Ezek. 22:28)” (from Jameson-Faucette-Browne).

Another indication of what the foolish prophets did is seen in the term “wall” in 13:10.  It is actually the only time this term is used in the OT.  It’s not your normal wall that will stand strong against the siege of the enemy.  TWOT, following many others, translates it “party-wall" by which they mean a “thin wall.”  So not only is this wall of foolishness not bound by strong cement; it is so thin that the enemy will have an easy time knocking it down.

This is a picture we need to visualize as we read throughout the Bible the dangers of false teachers, apostles and prophets.  We need to know that those who “shepherd the flock” of which we are part, that they are men who obey the command, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).  We need to know that we are people like that ourselves as we provide a “refuge” for our families and others for whom we provide a refuge.

2 Corinthians 4:1-6, The Gospel Ministry

In 2 Cor. 4:1 Paul refers to “this ministry.”  He is speaking of himself as a minister “of the new covenant” (3:6) and calls it the “ministry of the Spirit” (3:8) and “the ministry of righteousness” (3:9).  We want to do a rather simple study of who does what in this ministry, as revealed in the verbs of 4:1-6.

First, what has Paul done in his ministry?  In 4:1 he says “we do not lose heart.”  So that is something he has not done, but tells us, of course, what he has done.  The verb “lose” in Greek is in the active voice meaning this is Paul’s part in the ministry.  However, v1 also says it is because “we have received mercy.”  Thus, Paul’s part in the ministry depends on the mercy of God.

Related to this, a second thing Paul did was to “renounce the hidden things of shame” (4:2).  “Renounce” is middle voice indicating it is Paul’s action in connection with someone else.  The details of this are seen in a series of participles: not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully but commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God by openly speaking (manifesting) the truth.

One other thing about Paul is that “we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord” (4:5).  “Preach” is also an active verb.  This is the role of the preacher so that those who hear can believe.

Now let us ask, what has Satan done?  He, “the god of this age has blinded” (active voice) the minds of those who are perishing.  The ones who are perishing are those “who do not believe.”  “Believe” is not a verb but is an adjective; it describes these people when they are blinded by Satan.  In the context of 2 Cor. 3-4 these people are the Jews, those who embrace “the ministry of death” and “condemnation” (i.e. the Old Covenant, 3:7,9).  If that is the case, then Paul is talking about what Isaiah prophesied in Isa. 6:9-10 and which was quoted in all 4 Gospels and Acts.  Isaiah said their hearts would be dull and their eyes shut “lest they see with their eyes” and return and be healed.  That sounds like what Paul is saying: they are blinded “lest the light of the gospel … should shine on them” (4:4).  What is interesting is that in Isaiah and in the Gospels and Acts it sounds like God is doing this, though what it says is that God told Isaiah to preach this “blindness.”  Paul says it is Satan who blinds those who don’t believe.

Now we must ask, what does God do in this ministry?  First, in Creation (Gen. 1:3) God “commanded” light to shine out of darkness.  At least it sounds like what happened on day one of Creation.  However, John 1:4-5 might also lead us to think that God commanded His Son (the True Light) to shine out of darkness.  That fits the context here better as Paul goes on to speak of “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Let us summarize.  God is responsible for sending His Son into the world to bring salvation to the world.  He commanded the Light to shine.  Satan blinded the eyes of the Jewish nation, as the Lord told Isaiah, so they could not see the Light.  (Remember John 1:11-12: He came unto His own, the Jews, who did not receive Him, although the individuals who did receive Him were born again by the Spirit.  Paul is one of those who received Christ because he says God “has shone in our hearts.”)  The servants of Christ are to preach Christ Jesus as Lord, and have been given mercy so as not to become discouraged or to use shameful methods.  Simple?  Yes!  But profound in its simplicity.  Let us be faithful.

Psalm 74

This Psalm is a great lesson in how to make our problems God’s problem.  We are not suggesting that we try to trick God into doing something about our problems by making Him think it’s his problem.  It is actually the opposite: it is seeing that we don’t in fact have a problem unless it is God’s problem.  The difference between whining at God and pouring out our burdened hearts is that in some way His Name and glory are at stake in what we are enduring.

Let us note the flow and symmetry of this Contemplation of Asaph. 

·         74:1-2: Why? (Why have you cast us off forever?)

·         74:3-8: The enemy causes perpetual desolations (describes the problem)!

·         74:9-10: How long? (How long will You let this go on?)

·         74:11-12: Why? (Why do You withdraw Your hand?)

·         74:13-17: You are the omnipotent God (describes God)!

·         74:18-23: Arise, O God (plead Your own cause)!

The Psalmist has a problem.  He and God’s people have been cast off by God.  It is a severe time and seems hopeless; he wonders how long this will go on.  But throughout he calls God to remember.

·         74:2: Remember who we are (Your congregation which You purchased, Your inheritance which You redeemed.  Israel is His turtledove and His poor, v19).

·         74:18,22: Remember what the enemy has done (blasphemed Your name; reproached You daily).

So the Psalmist has come in the right way to God.  He has seen how God’s name and glory is besmirched by the problem he faces.  He recognizes that Israel belongs to God and exists for God’s glory and to serve Him as His witness.  Believers today have the same truths to call upon.  We are the people who belong to Christ, purchased by Him for His glory (1 Cor. 6:19-20).  We are left here to testify of Him to the world (2 Cor. 5:18-20).  This kind of praying has the added benefit of elevating our hopes and aspirations above the temporary to the eternal things that befit God’s people (2 Cor. 4:16-18).

This week in the office at the Garden Tomb where we are serving we had some old gospel music playing (it’s a bit slow, and the Norwegian lady at the reception desk loves gospel music as do I).  Vestal Goodman was singing God Walks the Dark Hills and I was wondering, where does that idea come from?  Maybe the answer is in Psalm 74:20.  For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty.  We all know the fear one can have hiking the hills through a dark forest.  It is a great picture of life in an increasingly sinful world where God’s people walk.  Even as I write this I have seen in the news an American pastor in jail in Iran has been freed; AND an American missionary in Burkina Faso has been killed in a terrorist attack.  In both, and in every case, what comfort to know: God walks the dark places!  He is among the people He has redeemed!

Isaiah 30:8-18, Waiting! On the LORD!! (2)

The Little Apocalypse (Isa. 24-27) tells us Israel will wait on the LORD for at least 4000 years (Abraham to today).  Doesn’t that seem like a long time?  Doesn’t that seem like a lot of generations who “did not receive the promise” (Heb. 11:39). 

Well, one answer to that seeming problem is that there is a lot that has to happen.  We are talking about the submission of a nation of stubborn and rebellious people.  And also, the submission of the rest of the nations that “rage” and “plot a vain thing” against the LORD and His Anointed (Ps. 2:1-3).  It turns out that the righteous are not the only ones waiting; God also waits while we wait (Isa. 30:18):

Therefore the LORD will wait that He may be gracious to you;

And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. 

For the LORD is a God of justice;

Blessed are all those who wait for Him.

If the only “variable” was the sovereign faithfulness of God then He could have fulfilled His promise while Abraham was still alive.  But God worked out the fulfillment in history with people who were permitted to be rebellious and raging.  The end result is greater honor to God.  How is that you ask?  It is because while we are “waiting” He is being “patient” with those He loves.  And as the number of the righteous continues to grow, so does the honor given to His Name!

On this matter of God’s glory in all of this, let me refer to Isa. 26:8, where the saved nation of Israel is saying these words:

Yes, in the way of Your judgments,

O LORD we have waited for You;

The desire of our soul is for Your name

And for the remembrance of You.

What characterizes the righteous when they are waiting on the LORD is that their heart’s desire is that God’s name be honored.  In other words, their focus is not on their trial or complaint or wondering, “How long?”  Meanwhile, what is the LORD waiting for?  He is waiting for faith!  In the context of Isa. 30 (it’s no longer the “Little Apocalypse”) God waited because Israel did not trust Him and instead sought for help from Egypt.  This had to run its course.  Israel had to realize that Egypt was a mere “shadow” and not anything substantial (Isa. 30:2).  God’s plan is not an arbitrary plan.  He waits for a reason.

Meditate on these two final passages related to Israel’s waiting.  First, a prayer; then a promise.

O LORD, be gracious to us; We have waited for You. 

Be their arm every morning, Our salvation also in time of trouble. (Isa. 33:2)

But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles.

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint. (Isa. 40:31)

There is much we can learn from Israel’s waiting.  The LORD will strengthen us for our time of waiting. 

Isaiah 25, Waiting! On the LORD!! (1)

Let’s take some time to talk about everyone’s favorite subject: “waiting.”  If you didn’t see it clearly, the previous sentence contained a large amount of sarcasm.  Nobody wants to wait.  We want fast food, fast service, fast answers, fast working pain medicine, not to mention quick books, jiffy lubes and urgent care.  (That last sentence took five minutes; I don’t have time for this.)

Isaiah 24-27 is where we’ll begin.  It is a section of Isaiah sometimes called “The Little Apocalypse.”  In 4 chapters it contains many of the ingredients in the Apocalypse, the Book of Revelation.  This world-wide apocalypse promises to bring joy to the people of Israel (26:1-19).  But wait!  Hear the LORD’s word in Isa. 25:9:

And it will be said in that day

“Behold, this is our God;

We have waited for Him, and He will save us. 

This is the LORD;

We have waited for Him;

We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”

Twice it says: “We have waited for Him.”  A similar line is in 26:8: “We have waited for You.”  And you will see, there are several more references to “waiting” in Isaiah.  It’s actually an important theme.

What is Israel “waiting” for?  One answer to that question is in today’s reading from Isa. 25.  In 25:1 there is a promise to exalt and praise God because His “counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.”  What we understand by this is that God has been faithful to His “plan” (counsels).  His plan to exalt Messiah in Zion was made in eternity past (Ps. 2:6-9) and in time was first revealed to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; 15, etc.).  So they will have waited since the time of the Fathers.

But notice that in 25:9 it says “in that day” they will be talking about how they waited for God.  What “day” is it talking about?  It’s the one described in 25:2-8, where we see that …

·       v2: God made a city of foreigners a ruin;

·       v3: the terrible nations are glorifying God;

·       v4: God has been a refuge to the poor people;

·       v5: the noises of the nations are diminished;

·       v6: the nations will fellowship with God in Zion;

·       v7: the veil of darkness over Israel has been removed;

·       v8: “He will swallow up death forever.  And the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces.  The rebuke of His people (Israel in this context) He will take away from all the earth.”  Death was swallowed up in the resurrection of Christ (2 Tim. 1:10).  The removal of tears is related to the taking away of Israel’s rebuke by the nations. 

What is Israel “waiting” for?  The complete fulfillment of God’s promises to the Patriarchs, which happens at the same time as the “times of the Gentiles/Nations” comes to an end with the return of Christ. 

Let us end with the command often seen in the Psalms: Wait on the LORD (e.g. Ps. 27:14).  How long have you been waiting for an answer from the LORD?  God will keep His word.  Wait, I say, on the LORD!

John 7:1-2,37-52, Let’s Go Camping (Succoth, 3)

Do we have a record of Jesus celebrating Succoth?  Yes!  It’s in John 7.  Jesus did not go at first because of what we would call “security” issues.  He was there secretly at first but then, “about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught” (7:10-14).

Some important truths were announced by Jesus in 7:37-39 on what John calls “the last day, that great day of the feast.”  This was not “Simchat Torah” which was the day after the last day but was the day referred to as “Simchat (the rejoicing) beit (at the place of) Hashoavah (the water drawing).”  Each morning the priest would go to the pool of Siloam, and bring water back up to the temple to be poured out as part of a drink offering.  In just the last few years the path that connected the temple with the pool has been discovered and excavated.  In 2014 the Temple Institute people did a reenactment of this ceremony.  It was always accompanied with great and joyful celebration.  The ceremony was not commanded in the Torah but was part of Jewish oral tradition and was tied to Isaiah 12:3: “Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.”

It was in the context of this ceremony, on the last day of the Feast, that Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”  John 7:39 tied Jesus' words to the Holy Spirit who would be given to all who believe after Jesus was glorified (i.e. after His resurrection).  The question is, why did Jesus use the Feast of Tabernacles?

·       What Jesus said deals with the New Covenant promised in the Old Testament.  Succoth is about the old (wilderness days) versus the new (being in the land).  So that can make sense.

·       It seems likely Jesus did this as the joyful procession returned from Siloam.  What Jesus announced is news of great joy.

·       And of course, there is the “living water” theme connected to the Holy Spirit.

Let’s review the connection of the New Covenant with the Holy Spirit.  Remember that Moses acknowledged that the people of Israel were not equipped to keep the law that they were committed to keep (Deut. 29:4).  Even before they entered the land Moses acknowledged the truth that would become the New Covenant: “The LORD your God will circumcise your heart” (Deut. 30:6). 

God revealed through the prophets various details of this NC.  It would be an arrangement whereby Israel would be able to walk faithfully with God, something they had never been able to do (Jer. 31-34).  How would this be possible?  Isa. 59:21 says that God’s Spirit and God’s words would never depart from His people.  That, of course, is what Jesus is referring to in John 7.  Ezekiel spoke of what the Holy Spirit and the word of God would bring about:

·       There will be a newness of heart and spirit in the believer (Ezek. 36:27-28).

·       The believer will have a deep and true relationship with God (Ezek. 37:27-28).

·       God’s face will shine on the believer (Ezek. 39:29).

All of that is the experience of believers today, living in the time after the glorification of Christ.  All of that was not the experience of the people of Israel in the pre-Christ time.  Those kinds of blessings could not belong to God’s people until their sins were atoned for at Calvary.  “Oh the power, of the cross!”

Neh. 7:73; 8:1-18, Let’s Go Camping (Succoth, 2)

There are several examples of or references to Succoth in Scripture.  These would include:

·       1 Ki. 8:2,62-66: Solomon planned the dedication of the temple during Succoth.  Likewise (1 Ki. 12:32), Jeroboam planned an alternative feast during the 8^th month as part of the idolatrous worship of the golden calves.

·       Neh. 8: In the Post-Exilic time, under Ezra, Israel celebrated Succoth.  Ezra read from the Book of the Law of Moses each day during the feast.

·       Zech. 14:16-19 indicates there will be celebrations of Succoth in the Messianic Kingdom.  That passage indicates participation by the Nations, which is an important aspect about Succoth: it was the one religious festival during the year when it was appropriate and encouraged to include one’s Gentile friends.

Succoth is a wonderful time to visit Israel, in my opinion.  An organization called International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) has an annual emphasis on getting people from the nations to Israel at that time.  Thousands heed the call.  The first time we were in Israel we arrived at the end of Succoth.  Christian friends we visited had erected a booth outside the apartment building where they lived in Haifa.  They invited people in the building to use it or to join them there.  The goal these days is to eat at least one meal per day in the shelter during the feast.  The large apartment buildings in the cities would often have these shelters on the balconies of some of the apartments or on the sidewalk in front of the building.  A large hotel decorated their banquet hall to make it look like an outdoor shelter so people could get the “feeling” as they enjoyed their meals.  Yes, these days some have left the camping behind and stay a week in a hotel instead.

I do remember that first time in Israel going out for a walk in Tiberias our second night there.  I had noticed down one street people gathered outside a building, and as I got closer saw that it was a Synagogue.  It was the women and children outside the building and the men were inside.  About the time I was walking past the men began lifting shouts of joy with clapping as a rabbi-looking man in front was doing something.  The women and children also joined in the celebration.  A few years later I learned that this was the day at the end of Succoth (the 9^th Day) called “Simchat Torah.”  What the man was doing was rewinding the scroll of the Law so they could begin again the annual reading and study. 

Tabernacles is a great time in Israel and has the potential to be significant in the homes of Jews and Gentiles.  It is especially significant for Christians.  Next time!

Camping at Gideon's Spring during Succoth

Lev. 23:33-43, Let’s Go Camping (Succoth, 1)

My family, growing up, went on camping trips every year.  My family, with my wife, pretty much did the same, other than a couple of travel vacations.  Now it’s just the two of us and we still enjoy getting out into the woods for a few days at a time.  My dad designed and built a tear-drop trailer that was pretty amazing.  But it was small (by definition) so in my teen-age years he came up with a travel trailer which made camping for mom a lot easier.  In my own family it was a similar evolution: from tent camping to the VW Westphalia to a travel trailer.  My uncle also had a tear-drop so quite often we camped with our double-cousins and maybe grandparents or other clan members.  For us these days, the major campout each year is with our kids and grandkids.  What great times.

God planned into Israel’s year a national camping trip.  It was called “Feast of Tabernacles” or “Booths” or “Succoth” (Hebrew).  From today’s reading we see that it was in the 7^th month (Fall), after the gathering of the fruit of the land, and it lasted 8 days with the first and last days being Sabbaths.  The plan was that the people would gather poles and branches and make a covering or temporary dwelling (tabernacle) and live in it for the week.  The purpose was to remember the years after leaving Egypt when they dwelt in tents in the wilderness, and to remember how God cared for them during that time. 

Numbers 29 describes, in essence, and pardon if you think this is disrespectful, a giant national barbecue (note the invitation for the Simchat Torah BBQ; it makes sense.)  The animals were offered as sacrificial offerings, but they were the types of offerings where everyone shared the meal together.  If you read through the entire chapter with it’s detailed listing of offerings for each day, you will see that every day was the same except that the number of bulls was reduced by one each day, from 13 to 7 on the 7^th day, with only one on the last day as part of a holy convocation.  My theory on why the reduction in the number of bulls is that, as time went on, it took less beef to fill up the hungry Israelites. 

Besides the memories of the wilderness days, Deut. 31:10-13 indicates Succoth was about the reading of the Law. Thus, the purpose of the feast was four-fold:

·       To give thanks for the harvest and the blessing of being in the land.

·       To remember God’s care in the past.

·       To thank Him for how much better it is now.

·       And to review the Law.

We have been in Israel on Succoth, and for many it is still a time for a family camping trip.  At Gideon’s Spring, around 8AM, we had to walk through the campground to get from the parking lot to the spring, and it was just like home.  We were certain there was the waft of bacon in the air.  What a great God to “require” the people to go camping every year as part of their relationship with Him.

 Booths for Succoth at Megiddo and Haifa

Matt. 12:9-14; John 7:1-8, Sabbath and the Feasts

Today let’s think about Sabbaths and feasts, particularly in the time of Christ.  We of the New Covenant need to know something about these weekly and annual events in Israel.  What we will do today is not particularly deep.  We are about to spend a few days together talking about one particular feast.  So perhaps we can call this a little groundwork in preparation for what is coming.

First, briefly, we want to list the feasts in John’s Gospel.  This is valuable, so that you remember the context for the various stories, sermons and conversations as you study the book.

·       John 2:13-4:45: Passover (2:13).  So remember, the conversation with Nicodemus took place then.  And Jesus’ return home through Samaria was not with the crowds of pilgrims who would have taken the Jordan River route.

·       John 5:1-47: “a feast of the Jews” (2:13).  No one can be sure.  Many think it was a Passover but it apparently doesn’t matter that we know.

·       John 6: Passover was near (6:4).  That’s the backdrop for feeding the 5,000 and presenting Himself as the Bread of Life.

·       John 7:1-10:21: Feast of Tabernacles.  More on this in days to come.

·       John 10:22-42: Feast of Dedication.  John, by the Spirit, just continues Jesus’ teaching on Himself as the Good Shepherd.  The same topic raised during Tabernacles came up again a couple months later at Dedication or Hanukkah, which celebrated the rededication of the temple in the time of the Maccabees.

·       Which brings us to “six days before Passover” (Jn. 12:1, Jesus anointed by Mary) and then “before the feast of the Passover” (13:1) and the Last Supper, Gethsemane, Crucifixion and Resurrection.  It is not mentioned in John or any of the Gospels but the resurrection was on the Feast of Firstfruits, during Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Second, let’s talk about the nature of the Sabbath.  In Jesus’ ministry the “Sabbath controversies” were some of the most explosive events with the Jewish leadership.  Jesus had a different view of the Sabbath.  But Jesus’ view was that of the Torah while the Jews created a whole system that ruined what God intended. 

There was a difference between activity and work.  On the Sabbath people were required, if you will, to rest and enjoy the blessing of the 6 days of work.  Two OT illustrations will show this.  First, the people “harvested” the manna 6 days, meaning it was part of their daily business.  Failure to do that meant they came up short in the grocery department.  Second, the young man who was stoned for breaking the Sabbath was doing the same: he was gathering fuel for the fire, part of the daily work of Israelites in the wilderness (Num. 15:32-36).

But the words in the Torah also reveal this.  Lev. 23:3 says of the Sabbath, “you shall do no work on it.”  The word “work” is used in Gen. 39:11 of Joseph in Egypt.  There it says he went into the house to do his work.  Going into the house was not work but was certainly being active.  The word is first used of God, of course, in Gen. 2:2-3, where He finished His work.  It says, “He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”  He rested from the creative work.  Lev. 23:7 uses another term translated in the NKJV “customary work.”  This is the term for labor or service; it’s one’s job, if you will.

Therefore, when you read today’s Matthew passage, Jesus is not doing his “job.”  He is caring for someone.  Thus, He concludes, not that what He did was an exception to the law.  No, He said “it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Psalm 73

The Psalmist had a problem, a big problem.  His problem was his envy of the wicked.  He saw people who did not know or love God and saw that their lives seemed easier and more enjoyable than his.  His thoughts almost caused him to stumble (v2).  He wondered if he had wasted his time with godly living (v13).  He obsessed with this envy, thinking about it from morning’s waking moments to evening's fading thoughts.

How does this happen?  Perhaps it follows some great act of self-sacrifice.  Perhaps our love is rewarded with people taking advantage of us.  Or perhaps it is the result of simply being a law-abiding citizen while others bend the rules, lie, cheat, and steal. The Psalmist was paying all his taxes, making all the required contributions, being generous to the poor; and what was it getting him? 

Have you had this experience of thinking that your choice to follow Christ was making life in this world harder?  Can you remember a time when you took your cue for life from observing the lives of people around you?  Ultimately the Psalmist felt God was holding out on him in some way.  This thought process is fundamental to what the Bible calls sin.  From the very beginning man's problem has been the belief that obedience to God leaves him diminished in some way (Gen. 3:4-6).  The Psalmist simply could not resolve this.  Until...

"Until I went into the sanctuary of God" (v17).  At the "holy place" of God...

1.                His thinking was changed (v17-20).  He remembered that the wicked will pay for their wickedness, if not in this life, surely in the one to come.

2.                His heart was changed (v21-22).  He was humbled and repented of his foolishness.  He had been animal in his thoughts, like a beast that knows no better.

3.                His relationship with God was changed (v23-24).  He was again trusting God, realizing God would always be for him, in this life and the one to come.

4.     His whole life attitude was changed (v25-28).  Though his strength fail God would be his strength.  No longer would he be preoccupied with those around him; rather he would draw near to God.  He was now totally satisfied with life because he was totally satisfied with God.

"Until I went into the sanctuary of God."  In Israel coming to the temple was a pilgrimage, not simply a journey to a place but a journey to God.  Believers in Christ are on pilgrimage, a journey to draw closer to God.  It’s not just the trip to heaven; it is the daily journey in which we draw near to God.  The result of that pilgrimage will be the same: he will come to find full and complete satisfaction in the One his soul desires (v25).  Are you on pilgrimage today, seeking to know God (Phil. 3:10) and to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2 Pet. 3:18)?