Our Praise is Of God

As I read of the line of king David in 1 Chronicles, there is a notable contrast between the consistency of David's sons reigning in Jerusalem and the upheaval in the northern kingdom.  While kings in the north and their many sons were snuffed out again and again for a new line to be established, David's sons ruled until the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and took Israel into captivity for 70 years.  Amazingly and according to God's promise, David's line continued even without a throne and went all the way to Jesus--where in a natural sense it ended because Jesus was never married and did not sire a son or daughter.  With eyes of faith we comprehend what Jesus did by the power of the Gospel, for He has innumerable progeny as John 1:12-13 says:  "...But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: ¹³ who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

This truth ought to impact the perspective of those who seek or long for an earthly legacy of children and grandchildren.  Our family name may continue for generations, but our earthly legacy will someday end; we will not live to see it endure.  I wonder if Joseph and Mary weren't a little disappointed Jesus did not marry or have children like many young men did.  Jesus immersed Himself in the business of His heavenly Father by making saints of sinners, people born again by faith in Him.  Though voluntarily celibate, there was no one more fruitful than Jesus Christ.  God spoke to the foreigner and eunuchs on the subject of divine belonging and spiritual fruitfulness trumping that of having children in Isaiah 56:3-5:  "Do not let the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD Speak, saying, "The LORD has utterly separated me from His people"; nor let the eunuch say, "Here I am, a dry tree." ⁴ For thus says the LORD: "To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My covenant, ⁵ even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off."  Our satisfaction is found by being joined to Jesus Christ in faith and being a child of God--not by having a child to carry on our family name.

Seeing the line of Jesus Christ multiply and expand is a great blessing to all God's children, for we are in Him and He is us.  He has given us an eternal inheritance with Him in heaven, and we are called by His name.  I have heard some people share romantic notions of their arrival into heaven and being met or greeted by people who had been saved through their ministry with thanks and gratitude.  To me, this sounds woefully inappropriate and out of place in the presence of Jesus Christ.  Wouldn't every one of those people who are born again and redeemed be like the cleansed leper who returned to thank Jesus and be worshipping at His feet--not at the feet of His messenger and servant?  The thought of people thanking me in heaven for anything good I have done on earth is unpleasant and repulsive when the whole point of our creation and salvation is for us all is to be united together in thanking the LORD Jesus and giving Him honour He alone is worthy of.  Somehow we have a knack of making heaven about us and being honoured by men, and I want no part of it.

While personal compliments can be a source of encouragement, it is far more satisfying to hear a testimony of what God has done and is doing in your life.  John had no greater joy than to hear his children were walking in the truth, and pastors and parishioners alike have no greater joy than to hear of how awesome Jesus is from awestruck fellow believers.  When people are given glory by men the wise hand it over to the LORD for His credit and honour, and when we hear of God's ministry in the lives of people we can all celebrate before almighty God together.  It is wonderful God chooses to use people and ministries as tools in His hands to accomplish fruitful labour, yet all our usefulness and capacity for good is found in Jesus Christ alone by His grace.  In Christ we have a name better than that of having sons and daughters, for we have an everlasting name that shall not be cut off even after our lives on earth end.  The praise of men is a little thing indeed, and it is good not to seek it.  Having entered into the covenant in Christ's own blood, our praise is of God.  Hearing "Well done!" from God is what we ought to prize because He is holy and glorious above all.

Transformational Teaching

When we read the Sermon on the Mount delivered by Jesus to His disciples, it ought to be deeply challenging to us Christians because it is not our natural way of living and thinking.  To people who grew up under the Law of Moses it was shocking how Jesus went beyond the letter of the Law and illuminated and emphasised matters of the heart.  It is important to recognise the teachings of Jesus were a monumental shift from allegiance from the Law of Moses and to Jesus Christ as the original lawgiver and present LORD.  In our day of grace it is possible to dismiss the Law because we are not "under it" but neglect to submit to Jesus our KING and sovereign.  The teachings of Jesus demonstrate all who call Him LORD ought to hear and do as He says.

For instance, Jesus said in Matthew 5:38-42:  "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' ³⁹ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. ⁴⁰ If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. ⁴¹ And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. ⁴² Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away."  Many times when I read the teachings of Jesus, the contrast is so extreme from the wisdom of the world and my own inclination that I can be tempted to think of situations that must be exceptions when His commands do not apply.  But this is not the case.  We may point to sections of scripture where people resisted evil, retaliated in kind, or stood up for their legal rights, yet that does not change what Jesus said.  Jesus is not calling us to be spineless punching bags, naked and homeless because we can't help but do whatever other greedy people demand of us, but for us to depend and rely upon Him for protection and provision.  Knowing vengeance is God's and He will repay, I do not need to stand up for myself or my rights when He is my refuge.  The Judge of all the earth will do right.

Under the Law of Moses, if someone punched out your tooth you had the legal right to demand the offender's tooth be knocked out as compensation for your lost tooth.  Rather than retaliating against others, Jesus would have us generously love and serve others, praying for our enemies rather than cursing them.  Being slapped in the face physically or battered by unkind words is not open season for us to do as has been done to us.  Even if our eye has been put out on purpose, we ought to follow the command and example of Jesus to look to the LORD in faith and sought to honour Him by loving others.  We are never at the mercy of our enemies when the almighty God sits on the throne over all and is our advocate.  Demanding an eye for our eye focuses more on what we have lost, our desire for retribution and making others pay rather than rejoicing in the LORD who sees, heals and restores us.

Following Jesus is to embark on a whole new way of living by faith in Him that runs contrary to our natural thought processes and inclinations.  To those who were sued and stood to lose their clothes, Jesus said to part with your jacket too.  Is God unable to provide for our needs when He clothes the flowers with beauty?  To people who put their foot down and would not go one mile Jesus told them to go an extra mile willingly and gladly.  Can't the LORD use a walk along the road to share His love and grace with others?  Jesus said to give to those who ask and those who desire to borrow we ought not turn away.  Hasn't God been generous to forgive us every time we repent of our sin?  Isn't everything we have a gift from His hand?  God has not left us to make wise decisions alone, for He has freely provided the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth.  As Jesus did not cater to the temptations of Satan or cave to the pressure of the Pharisees, we are never obligated to veer from following Jesus, honouring Him in all we say and do.

Righteous Destruction

When the sin of God's people in Israel multiplied before the LORD, judgment by the hand of their enemies was the LORD's righteous remedy.  They sold themselves to rebellion, sin and idolatry, so God sold them as slaves into the hands Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.  It is ironic that Israel had been given the Law of Moses, had built the temple as God's dwelling place and had priests and Levites who conducted worship and corrupted themselves, yet it was Nebuchadnezzar who did God's will in destroying Jerusalem.  God had a good purpose and plan even in displacing the people and making the city a ruin, for He would refine them and cause them to return to Him (and the land He gave them as an inheritance) at His appointed time.

Consider what is written in Isaiah 10:20-23:  "And it shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, and such as have escaped of the house of Jacob, will never again depend on him who defeated them, but will depend on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. ²¹ The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the Mighty God. ²² For though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, a remnant of them will return; the destruction decreed shall overflow with righteousness. ²³ For the Lord GOD of hosts will make a determined end in the midst of all the land."  For a season the children of Israel were made to depend on those who defeated them because they would depend on the LORD God in truth.  God preserved a remnant who would place their trust and reliance upon God who chastened them even as a father does his son in whom he delights.  Though it seemed no good could come from the destruction and death, God had a determined end in mind for the good of His people.

God had decreed destruction that would "overflow with righteousness."  This opposes our assumption that building is good and tearing down is bad.  Tearing down is often necessary to build something better, like when a house is condemned and uninhabitable.  God was like a builder who tore down a building who possessed the skill, resources and plans to rebuild and spare no expense.  God directed Nebuchadnezzar to raze the ornate temple Solomon built to the foundation with the intent to make His people the humble temples of the Holy Spirit He would inhabit.  The physical destruction of a building dedicated to keeping the covenant of law preceded the establishment of a new covenant by grace through faith in Jesus.  The people prided themselves in the temple and gave their lives to defend it, yet God in due time would send His son Jesus to die for the sins of the world so all can be made new creations by the power of the Gospel.

Out of the wreckage of Jerusalem and a long period of captivity God would preserve a faithful remnant, and this is good for us to remember in the midst of trials and difficult seasons.  This observation should not cause us to minimise the struggle or pain people experience, that we ought to dismiss grief and troubles we or others face, but to realise God has plans to miraculously redeem them for good.  Romans 8:28-29 holds forth this assurance that is more sure and predictable than the force of gravity on earth:  "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."  Rather than seeing predestination as God choosing some and excluding others, it is better to view it as the guarantee that all who choose to trust Jesus were first called and chosen by Him.  From the death of His only begotten Son God has brought the promise of new life He has freely extended to all.  The question is, will we receive Jesus by faith and be faithful?

Your Fear and Dread

Regardless how many times we have read the Bible or done in-depth study of it, one can never predict what God will say to us through His word.  Yesterday I received instruction concerning a defining factor in relation to conspiracies or conspiracy theories.  I differentiate the two by the first being one as a matter of fact (like when Absalom declared himself king over Israel whilst king David reigned) and the other as a fanciful, far-fetched report gained second-hand through individuals who claim to have inside information (with regular updates!), have an online presence and often are selling something.

Last night I read Isaiah 8:11-13 (NIV) that says:  "The LORD spoke to me with his strong hand upon me, warning me not to follow the way of this people. He said: ¹² "Do not call conspiracy everything that these people call conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. ¹³ The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread."  Coupled with conspiracy--whether real or imagined--are feelings of fear and dread.  When David heard his son declared himself king, there was an opportunity to justify fear of the future or what action he was to take.  Rather than being afraid of what was out of his control, David was to fear and dread the LORD Almighty whose perfect love casts out all fear.  Knowing God is sovereign and mighty over all, our Good Shepherd, provider and deliverer, we do not need to fear what man or armies can do to us.

One of the common threads in what I would call conspiracy theories is the leveraging of our own fears to spread a message, take action, doubting anything considered established or "mainstream," and to have loyalty and allegiance to those who drip feed incredible claims.  I have observed fear and dread take hold in the church and cause divisions when Y2K was a thing.  Some of those who peddled hysterical claims online or in books that were ultimately proved false (because they did not take place) have continued to profit off sowing doubt and fear in the minds of impressionable people.  The subject matter changes, but the fearmongering continues like a pyramid scheme built of fear and dread.  Dear Christian, let us be discerning about our motives in seeking out and spreading messages that are designed to put people in fear.  It is possible to foolishly wield scriptures to put people in fear of the government, possible loss of freedoms or future suffering when our aim ought to point to the holy God, the one we are to fear and dread.

The Hebrew words translated fear and dread are basically the same, and this is an example of parallelism frequently employed in Hebrew poetry.  It means "fear, terror, awe."  God is worthy to be our central focus and awesome in our eyes, able to do everything without fail.  Those who trust in God knowing He is for us have a sure refuge in time of trouble, the promise of provision and protection, and eternal and abundant life by His grace.  Due to trust in Jesus conspiracies, whether real or imagined, ought not to trouble us at all because Jesus has overcome the world, provided perfect peace and gives us all that pertains to life and godliness.  Your fear and dread is a hallowed space that only the LORD Almighty is worthy of.  When tempted to fear what man can do, praise the LORD for what He has done and has promised to do.