Serve God with Gladness

While Nehemiah served as cupbearer to the king, Artaxerxes astutely recognised Nehemiah was sad and that it was due to grief of heart.  This was the first time Nehemiah had been sad in the presence of the king, and there were potentially serious consequences for Nehemiah as this was forbidden.  Yet the king's expression of concern was genuine for Nehemiah's welfare, and the LORD gave him favour in the eyes of the king, queen and his brethren in Israel he sought to assist in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem to bring an end to their reproach.

Artaxerxes desired Nehemiah to serve with gladness, and this is true concerning the God of Israel.  As our Creator, He has provided all things for us to thrive in this life and in the eternal state by His love, grace and goodness.  David sang to God with confidence in Psalm 16:11:  "You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."  We have joy in the presence of those who delight us, and in God we have a Saviour who loves us and helps us by giving us the indwelling Spirit who makes us joyful.  Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit along with love, peace,  patience, goodness and countless other good things.

God's people did not always serve Him with joy and gladness (despite the kindness God showed them), and this resulted in severe consequences as Moses said in Deuteronomy 28:47-48:  "Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything, ⁴⁸ therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you."  God gave His people great abundance of all things, yet they did not serve God joyfully.  Serving God was burdensome as they murmured, complained and grumbled.  They sought to find satisfaction and fulfillment by what was not God and could never please them.  Because they did not serve God joyfully and gladly with the abundance God gave them, He would see to it they served oppressive enemies while being in need of everything.

Isn't it better to serve God with joy and gladness than die under the oppression of our enemies, seeing everything we have as gifts from God who loves us?  Serving God is a great privilege and not a burden, for He helps us every day and is the lifter of our heads.  Trials and struggles do depress us at times, but at the mention of our LORD Jesus our spirits rise up with sure expectancy of help and deliverance.  Should we serve depression and sorrow when in God's presence is fullness of joy?  Every trouble and tribulation will pass, and all that will be left is our glorious God and a life to be joyfully spent with Him.  God has taken off the yoke we wore that chained us to sin, self and Satan, and how glad we ought to be to be free of bondage, out of darkness and to walk joyfully in the light of life.  Let us serve the LORD our God with joy and gladness, for He is our all in all.

Saying and Doing

Over the years, I have observed people whose poor performance exposed an inflated sense of ability and self-confidence.  I played sport with guys who believed their routine plays belonged on ESPN SportsCenter highlight reels, and they were completely blind to their own shortcomings.  One fellow talked up his baseball skills so much I imagined he would be the best player on our team that season--until the moment he walked onto the baseball diamond.  In minutes I began to wonder if he had ever played baseball before, much less used a baseball glove.  There was a confounding disconnect between the claims he made about his abilities and the performance on the field.

Rather than going through our mental archives to dredge up those who "talked the talk" but didn't "walk the walk," it is more profitable and constructive for us to realise we can and likely do this as well in aspects of our lives.  The children of Israel certainly did at times when it came to keeping God's commands.  Since their failings are included in Scripture for our learning there remains a relevant lesson for us.  After Nehemiah and the people in Jerusalem built the wall, there was spiritual revival as God's word was opened, read and explained.  People lamented their great sin before God, worshipped Him and were determined to change their ways.  They went beyond the letter of the Law in making vows and promising to make serving God a priority:  "We will not neglect the house of the LORD."

As we read on, however, it is evident the people did not follow through with much of what they promised to do.  It was only upon Nehemiah's return to Jerusalem he witnessed the total neglect of God's people to keep their word to obey God:  the high priest had allowed wicked Tobiah to live in the temple court, the portions assigned to the Levites had not been provided by the people (so all the Levites and musicians had left the temple), people were working, buying and selling on the Sabbath, and the foreign wives had not been put away!  Nehemiah was beside himself to the point of cursing and physically assaulting those who had been unfaithful to the LORD by defying God's commands.  The high priest's son was included among the guilty, and Nehemiah drove him away.  The words of the people did not match their walk, and we must be on guard against this same hypocrisy.

God holds His people accountable to His word and also to do the things they say.  It is better not to vow than to vow and not follow through, for our "Yes" ought to be "Yes" and our "No" means "No."  Better than saying what we plan to do, we ought to simply do that thing, for actions speak truer than our words.  Solomon wrote in Proverbs 27:1-2:  "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. ² Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips."  Saying what we will do in the future can be a boast we should refrain from.  Rather than talking up our abilities or seeking affirmation or approval from men, we ought to walk according to God's will so He will say to us in due time:  "Well done, good and faithful servant."  Many people have spoken well, but it is those who do well God commends.

Proclaiming Peace

God told the Hebrews in Deuteronomy 20:10-12 before they entered the land of promise:  "When you go near a city to fight against it, then proclaim an offer of peace to it. ¹¹ And it shall be that if they accept your offer of peace, and open to you, then all the people who are found in it shall be placed under tribute to you, and serve you. ¹² Now if the city will not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it."  Though there were cities and nations God commanded the Israelites to destroy as His chosen instrument of judgment, there was opportunity for those who lived in the land God promised the Hebrews to continue living and enjoy prosperity.  The Hebrews were to approach a city with an offer of peace, not a threat of war.  If the people in the city were willing to accept the terms of being servants to Israel and paying tribute, they would enjoy the benefits of living in a land blessed by God.  If they rejected the terms of peace, however, they faced a siege and defeat by the hands of God's people.

This is a principle we see God employ throughout the scriptures, for it is consistent with His good character to promote peace with the aim to save people rather than destroy them.  To sinners who are enemies of God through their rebellion and wickedness, God has proclaimed peace to all by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  When Jesus Christ the LORD was born in Bethlehem, angels proclaimed His birth to the world in Luke 2:13-14:  "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ¹⁴ "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"  To lost sinners at war with God by their pride, self-righteousness and all manner of transgression, God proclaimed peace through Jesus coming to earth as Saviour.  The amazing thing is when people reject His free offer of peace, He does not write them off:  He settles down right outside the door of their hearts, knocks and calls for them to open unto Him so they might experience fellowship together.

When people receive the Gospel and become born-again Christians, the indwelling Holy Spirit gears us up with the "preparation of the Gospel of peace."  We are to preach peace to those who are near or afar off that all may come to know Jesus as LORD and become His servants as well.  Jesus commanded His disciples He sent out in Matthew 10:11-13 to preach the kingdom of God:  "Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. ¹² And when you go into a household, greet it. ¹³ If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you."  With Jesus as our peace, as much as depends on us, we are to live peaceably with everyone.  We are not to be combative, argumentative, smug or easily angered by those who oppose or resist the truth of the Gospel, for Jesus is our peace Who brings rest to our souls.

Similar to cities that refused the offer of peace by the Hebrews and were starved out, when people refuse to receive Christ and the Gospel ultimately there will be devastating, unavoidable consequences.  Everyone is already heading towards the death of our bodies and eternal torment in hell for our own sin against God that His word has detailed in black and white.  God commands all people to repent, for all the world will be judged by the risen King Jesus.  God has also given us a conscience that agrees that there is right and wrong, and that it is right to bring those who are guilty of doing wrong under judgment.  How thankful and grateful we ought to be that God has drawn near to us and proclaimed peace to us, and that the offer of eternal life is received by the Gospel.  When we deserved to be wiped from the face of the earth for our iniquity, God loved us, was merciful to us, and sent His own Son to redeem us--not just to be His subjects but as beloved sons and daughters.

An Encouraging Warning

Even though the Bible records warnings and tragic events from history, because of God the tenor of Scripture is encouraging rather than discouraging.  There is more than a silver lining for Christians but the guarantee of a glorious future with God with comfort, help and strength presently through His presence.  Faith in the living God opens a new world of abundant life to every person who submits and humbles themselves before Him.  While our eyes scan for promising signs to put our faith in, Jesus is the one we must look to because God's goodness and promises are always assured.

God is able to bring hope out of hopelessness, and the life of Samson provides a good illustration of this.  After the Holy Spirit departed from Samson for his sin and unfaithfulness to God that led to his head being shaved by Delilah, God remained gracious to him.  Samson was not forgotten or cast away by God.  Though Samson was arrested, blinded, bound and enslaved by the Philistines, at his lowest, darkest point the goodness of God shone in Judges 16:22:  "However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven."  Perhaps Samson felt like his life was over after being betrayed by the woman he loved and was shamed by his fall from being a judge for 20 years in Israel, but God wasn't through with Samson.  The regrowth of Samson's hair foreshadowed a restoration of God's Spirit upon Samson.  By the power of God, Samson would deal a massive blow to the Philistines by toppling the supporting pillars of temple of their god and kill more Philistines in death than during his entire life.

This story of Samson came to mind as I was mowing the nature strip by our house.  When the concrete footpath was being put in, damage was done to the bark of the gum tree by a careless Bobcat operator.  The gash in the bark was quite extensive, and initially I was concerned the tree would not survive.  Amazingly, it has continued to thrive and fresh, green growth continues to adorn the branches.  As I looked recently at the green leaves, I felt this was a good sign--that is, until I looked at the bark at the base of the tree.

On the other side of the tree I noticed that underneath where the bark has begun to repair itself an ugly hole developed--likely a harbinger of death.  It looks like white ants (termites) or some other pest has taken up residence under the bark, and the remaining bark at the base of the tree is splitting and rotting away.  To me, the cause for concern with the damaged bark completely overrides the positives of the green leaves that bask proudly in the sun.  Here we see the antithesis of Samson's hair regrowing, for there is superficial beauty and the appearance of strength that will not endure if things continue as they are.

This is illustrated in the life of Absalom, son of king David.  He was a very handsome man without physical blemish who wore his full head of hair long, and it was so heavy on him he would cut and weigh it annually.  Not only was Absalom an attractive fellow, but he was also personable and friendly.  As a prince he made time to speak with regular people, listen to their problems, and commiserate with them.  But like the tree on the nature strip, there were also clear signs for concern.  He had orchestrated the death of his own brother; he set fire to general Joab's field.  He worked to steal the hearts of the people away from the king and sought their loyalty to himself.  Looking at the warning signs, it was not surprising when he declared himself to be king over Israel and sought the life of his father.

There are people inside and outside the church who appear very successful in ministry and business, in their marriage and families.  Their lives are like a thriving tree with green growth and without a dead branch to be seen.  They are like Samson and Absalom in their prime, and we may even idolise them.  But from a spiritual perspective, there is grave cause for concern in their pride that shows subtly in the way they snap at their children or spouse when they are tired, how they brag or refuse to listen.  The neglect of prayer and time with the LORD feeding on His word is not visible during their highly regarded sermons, nor is it noticed in their rising net worth.  But the sin of self-sufficiency, like rotten bark at the base of the tree or cancer undiagnosed in the bones, will always be destructive in the end.  Like the green growth on the tree initially took my eye off further examination of the trunk, so we imagine spiritually fruitfulness or increase is assured by what we can see when it is also being undermined right in the open--if we are willing to take a closer look.

Psalm 1:1-3 compares the life of one who fears God to a healthy tree:  "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; ² but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. ³ He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper."  Let us not imagine we can thrive spiritually when we walk in ungodly counsel, stand with sinners or sit with scorners.  We ought to delight in God and His statues that guide us continually, living lives worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Little insects can bring down the biggest trees, and a little pride, arrogance and self-righteousness works to ruin the strongest saint.  Let us be those who humble ourselves before God knowing He will exalt us in due time, and thus we live to exalt and glorify Him always.  Even in God's warnings there is great encouragement for all those who hope in the LORD.

United with Christ

Jesus said in His message to the church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:19-20, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. ²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."  After Jesus exposed the lukewarm condition of the Laodicean church and how they were full of themselves, He bid them to repent and open up to Him instead.  He stood knocking at the door of their fellowship, at the hearts of each individual member, and Jesus calls out to everyone:  if anyone hears and opens the door, Jesus promises to come in to him so they could enjoy fellowship together.  This is wonderful, for it shows us even in a lukewarm church there never need be distance between us and Jesus Christ.

Having received Christ and His love, we are to walk worthy of the Gospel by repenting of sin He brings to our attention.  Jesus says His sheep hear His voice, and since we have received Jesus as Saviour we ought to receive His correction as LORD and open the door to Him.  Cain provides an example of one who did not respond to God's correction, for he was enraged when Abel and his sacrifice were accepted by God and Cain was rejected.  Genesis 4:6-7 reads, "So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? ⁷ If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."  God stands at the door of our hearts in the person of Jesus, and God explained how sin also lay at the door.  Envy, anger and pride were sins conceived in Cain's heart that when full grown manifested themselves as murder--an illustration of how sin literally brings forth death and accursed separation from God.

Those who hear the word of God, respond in repentance to God's rebukes and chastening, and choose to walk in obedience to God supply evidence they are His.  Even as young children want to be with their parents they know love them, Christians desire to be in God's presence and commune with Him in prayer, to hear His voice and obey Him, and to do what is pleasing in His sight.  It would be to our shame to be influenced by sin lying at the door when we are at the table in fellowship with Jesus.  Can you imagine choosing to open the door to sin to pollute and corrupt us when Jesus has demonstrated His love to die to atone for our sins and wash us clean?  We should rule over sin as human beings created in God's image, but in our flesh (like Cain) we cannot.  When we repent of our sin and are born again, the Holy Spirit guides and helps us to walk righteously.

I am greatly encouraged by Philippians 4:5:  "Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand."  Despite our faults and failings, Jesus is never far from us:  our LORD Jesus is at hand.  Psalm 145:18 says, "The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth."  We also read in Psalm 34:18:  "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit."  The Shulamite was slow to open the door to her beloved who called out to her because it was an inconvenient hour (Song of Solomon 5:2-8).  Finally, after questioning the timing of her husband and complaining of the extra labour it caused, the wife opened the door to find her husband gone.  Praise the LORD this is never the case with Jesus when we call upon Him in truth with a broken and contrite heart.  Jesus is always at hand ready to forgive, deliver and save us.  He wants to come in to dine with us, to unite with each of His beloved as one:  so we might share His love, heart and mind.

Brought Out to Bring Us In

This morning I read Deuteronomy 6:20-23:  "When your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What is the meaning of the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which the LORD our God has commanded you?' ²¹ then you shall say to your son: 'We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand; ²² and the LORD showed signs and wonders before our eyes, great and severe, against Egypt, Pharaoh, and all his household. ²³ Then He brought us out from there, that He might bring us in, to give us the land of which He swore to our fathers."  God gave the children of Israel the responsibility to teach their children of the living God who chose them as His people out of all the nations of the earth.  The living God revealed Himself to them, gave them His laws and guided them to walk righteously.  As they recalled their miraculous deliverance from slavery in Egypt in the past, they were to be loyal to God moving forward.

Verse 23 reveals God did not bring the children of Israel out from the iron furnace of Egypt so they could go their own way with the purpose to bring them into the land He promised to give them.  Whilst the Hebrews suffered in bondage, they cried out to the LORD for deliverance.  They knew it was terrible to be oppressed and afflicted; they understood the horror when Pharaoh commanded their male infants be thrown in the Nile.  They rejoiced to be delivered from what they knew to be evil, yet they did not believe God to enter the promised land God gave them!  God's judgment against the Hebrews was the generation 20 years old and above would perish over the course of 40 years in the wilderness, and then the following generation would be brought into Canaan.

The Hebrews knew slavery was awful, but what they did not comprehend was God intended to bring them out from bondage to idolatry they believed was good.  Over the course of hundreds of years of bondage in Egypt, the children of Israel began to worship images they believed benefitted them.  God desired to bring them out of spiritual idolatry and into the worship of the one true God, the LORD who proved His supremacy over all the idols of Egypt as it says in Numbers 33:4:  "For the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had killed among them. Also on their gods the LORD had executed judgments."  It proved easier to deliver the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt (though they did at times long to return) than free them from idolatry, for even after they took possession of the land Joshua rebuked them for continuing to carry the idols of their fathers in Joshua 24.

This principle of bringing people out from slavery to bring them in rings true concerning the Gospel.  Many of us were well-aware of the evils of sin that held us bound, and we are glad to be free of wickedness that was our ruin:  yet there are also things we can believe benefit us that God also wants to deliver us from.  God's desire is to free us of bondage to sin and self so we can enter into the abundant life Jesus promises us by His grace.  It is good for us to consider what God delivered us from and the new way of living and thinking He commands us to embrace in obedience to Jesus.  There are things that are not bad in themselves that do not edify us, and it is good for us to be increasingly reliant and dependant on the LORD to supply our needs as He guides us by faith.

Anxious or Praying?

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:6-7

Jesus urged His disciples not to worry about what food to eat, what to drink and what clothes to wear because life is more than these things.  He said we are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all of these things will be added unto us.  When we prioritise seeking God who gives us all things richly to enjoy, we will find all our temporal needs met in His time and marvellous way.  Our God is the one who caused manna to appear in the wilderness, and at His command water flowed from the rock.  During their 40-year pilgrimage through the desert, the clothes and sandals of the people did not wear out because God was with them, protected and provided for them by making fabrics and leather last.

In the same vein of His Saviour Jesus, Paul exhorted believers to be anxious for nothing.  There are many situations that are naturally troubling to our minds, and fiery trials can produce anxiety in hearts that are easily confused, overwhelmed and feel helpless.  Christians need not be at the mercy of our circumstances to experience the peace of God, for we can bring everything to God by prayer with thanksgiving.  All our requests and petitions are known by God before we say a word, and we can communicate our concerns to Him knowing He loves us, hears and will answer--though He bear long with us.  People will help a person simply because they are weary of being pestered, motivated by their own selfishness and not by the goodness of their hearts.  We can have all confidence God is good and will avenge His own children speedily.

There was a situation in the Old Testament that arose due to the slackness of the people assembled in Jerusalem who had not cleansed or purified themselves in preparation for the Passover.  For a long time the service of the temple had been neglected, but Hezekiah and the people rejoiced how quickly temple worship and sacrifices to God were re-established.  It marked a period of spiritual revival in Israel, for King Hezekiah invited people from the far reaches of the northern kingdom to assemble for the Passover.  Some of the people who travelled far were not ceremonially clean and thus could not consecrate their lambs to the LORD.  2 Chronicles 30:18-20 says, "For a multitude of the people, many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the good LORD provide atonement for everyone ¹⁹ who prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary." ²⁰ And the LORD listened to Hezekiah and healed the people."  How good God is to hear and answer prayers of undeserving, unprepared, unworthy people!

The chapter concluded in 2 Chronicles 30:26-27:  "So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. ²⁷ Then the priests, the Levites, arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard; and their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place, to heaven."  Great and awesome is the LORD, who hears the voices and prayers of His people and answers with "Amen!"  God brought great joy to His people, and the following chapter begins by describing how the people destroyed idols and high places throughout the land.  There are some who imply God will not hear people who are in sin; God will not hear our prayers until our idols are destroyed.  This is simply not true.  God hears the prayers of sinners and answers them because He is good.  While we should not presume upon the goodness of God by remaining in sin and idolatry, God's healing, forgiveness and atonement is all of grace.

Knowing God is good and hears our prayers, let us be those who repent of our sin and walk in the righteous way that pleases God.  The question is not if God loves us, hear our prayers or will avenge us, for He assures us He will on the basis of us belonging to Him.  The question Jesus posed is the one we will answer with whether we fear God and pray to Him in Luke 18:8:  "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"  Jesus is coming back, just as He said.  Will He find people who are anxious or those who in everything make their requests known to God in prayer with thanksgiving?  Before Jesus returns, now is the time to right our wrongs concerning the fear of man instead of God and justifying our anxiety rather than praying and thanking God.

Settling Short of Abundant Life

During the 40 years of being led through the wilderness, the tribes of Ruben and Gad approached Moses with a request.  They had large herds of cattle, and they saw the land on the east side of the Jordan (Jazer and Gilead) was prime land for cattle.  So they asked Moses if they could have permission to settle on the east side of the Jordan as their inheritance--even though God promised to give them land on the west side with everyone else.

Moses was disturbed by their request, as it seemed they were following in their father's footsteps of rebellion against the LORD!  They assured Moses this was not the case, for they would gladly take up arms when the time came and fight with their brethren so they too could receive their promised inheritance of land in Canaan.  Once the people of Ruben and Gad pledged to help everyone else, their request to settle on the east side of the Jordan as their inheritance was granted.  In this allowance I see the grace of God, for He is willing to be entreated by His subjects and heeds the requests of His people.

Since all the Scriptures have been provided for our learning, the decision of the tribes of Ruben and Gad to settle on the east side of the Jordan is relevant to our lives as Christians.  Canaan is not a type of heaven or symbolic of eternal life, for Canaan was full of enemies, conflicts and troubles.  Like the children of Israel, when God brings us out from slavery and saves us by His grace, He has an inheritance presently for every one of us to enter into by His grace.  By faith in Jesus we are born again, are filled with the Holy Spirit, and given spiritual gifts and fruitfulness.  As Canaan was a "land flowing with milk and honey," Christ gives us an inheritance of abundant life as part of the church, members of His body.  There was much land to be possessed by the children of Israel bit by bit, and as we continue living on earth we learn to submit more of our lives to Jesus.

This passage teaches us God will permit His own people to settle outside of His will for them.  He had plans for the nation of Israel to all settle together on the west side of the Jordan, yet the children of Ruben and Gad did not believe they could find better land for cattle than what they saw in Jazer and Gilead.  They took stock of their herds and their careers as herdsmen, and thus preferred to choose their own inheritance they felt suited them best.  These were not unbelievers or apostates; they were saved from the iron furnace of Egypt like everyone else.  At the same time they made up their minds where their future was brightest, and they believed it was on the east side of the Jordan.  Whilst God gave them permission to settle short of Canaan, it would have been best to enter in by faith in God who had provided and would continue to provide for all their needs.

In applying this to our lives, it is helpful to see our lives as a composite of all the tribes.  Because you have received or operate in a spiritual gift does not mean there is not an area of your life where you may be content to settle outside of God's will and plans.  We can take stock of our lives in regards to a career or ministry and settle where it seems an ideal location, but it may not take into account God's designs for our future.  Jesus chose fishermen, a chief tax collector and zealot to be among His disciples!  In following God by faith, He may lead us in a totally unexpected direction like Amos in Amos 7:14-15:  "Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah: "I was no prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet, but I was a sheepbreeder and a tender of sycamore fruit. ¹⁵ Then the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to My people Israel.'"

God can call a sheepbreeder to be a prophet, and He called Saul of Tarsus to be an apostle to the Gentiles.  He took David from the sheepfold and made him king over the nation of Israel, and who but God knows the inheritance and calling He has for the remainder of your life on earth!  The question remains:  will you settle for what looks good to you now or will you follow God's leading into what is unknown and unfamiliar?  Will you submit and continue to submit to the LORD--not just for a season to help other people enter their inheritance--but to keep climbing mountains like Caleb late in life, who believed God's promises, slew giants, destroyed strongholds, and generously gave to his children of what God had given him?  The life you choose for yourself cannot be as wonderful as the abundant life God has in store for you.

Zeal to Save

In my morning reading, I came across the passage in Numbers 25 where Phinehas executed judgment upon Zimri of the tribe of Simeon and Cozbi a woman of Midian.  The Hebrews were condemned by the LORD for their idolatry, and because of a plague many among the people died.  The rulers of the tribes were executed and hung according to the command of the LORD.  Phinehas was obedient to the command of God and with one stroke slew two transgressors in a tent, and God took notice.

Numbers 25:10-13 says, "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ¹¹ "Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. ¹² Therefore say, 'Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; ¹³ and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.'"  Atonement by the shedding of blood was required for the wrath of God to be turned away from His erring people.  The Law of Moses provided means of atonement with the sacrifice of animals, but otherwise the blood of the transgressors was required.  In his zeal for God, Phinehas did right to execute righteous judgment and from God received a covenant of an everlasting priesthood--which is awesome.

Today is Good Friday, a day set aside by Christians to remember the death of Jesus on the cross when He provided atonement with His own blood for sinners.  Romans 5:8-11 states, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. ¹⁰ For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. ¹¹ And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation."  Because of God's love for us sinners, all who trust in Jesus the Son of God have been justified by His blood and shall be saved from wrath through Him.  The death of Jesus made possible our reconciliation to God and eternal salvation.

Phinehas was commended by God for his zeal in executing sinners, and the zeal of Jesus to obey His Father and save sinners was seen in offering Himself as a atoning sacrifice.  Paul said in Acts 20:28, "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood."  As sinners saved by God's grace and purchased with His own blood, we ought to praise God continually for the new covenant in His own blood that redeems us for eternity.  Glory to God for His love for a dying world and His goodness to us!  That our great High Priest would lay down His life so we might live forever!

God Is More Than Man

"God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?"

Numbers 23:19

As Good Friday and Easter draws near, I remain in awe of the incarnation.  It is an amazing, miraculous demonstration of love Jesus would die on the cross to redeem sinners from death, yet it is remarkable God humbled Himself to put on human flesh at all.  Unless God was willing to become a man, He could not have died and provided atonement for us on the cross.  While God became the man Jesus Christ, God is not a man.  That's one reason the incarnation is so marvellous.

To humans with a natural mind, it is not humbling in itself to be a human being.  We can discern the difference between an honourable, respectable person and one who is treated with contempt, but we cannot know what it is like to be something other than human.  The God who created the world and all that is in it, every living plant, creature and all human beings in His own image, is completely separate and distinct from us.  He is not the "man in the sky:"  He is the almighty and eternal God, a spirit Being of infinite wisdom, knowledge and power who dwells outside the universe and apart from time.  God is not a man, and thus He does not have our limitations, weaknesses, short-sightedness, and folly--like saying something we have no intention or ability to do.  We can make the error of reducing God to our image and strip Him of His glory by our idolatry.

God chastised His people who assumed He was like them in Psalm 50:21-23:  "These things you have done, and I kept silent; you thought that I was altogether like you; but I will rebuke you, and set them in order before your eyes. ²² "Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver: ²³ whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God."  While the Bible attributes human characteristics to God as a frame of reference--like God figuratively having an outstretched arm.  In theology, this is called an anthropomorphism.  There is also zoomorphism, attributing characteristics of animals to God, like where God is described as sheltering people under His wings.  God does not have wings, nor does He have arms.  When God came in the person of Jesus Christ, however, God had physical hands and feet.  Jesus used these hands and feet to do good as He lived, and these were all pierced when He died on Calvary for lost sinners.

We may assume God is altogether like us, but He is actually nothing like us:  He is righteous, glorious and good.  While we may not keep our word and forget what we said, when God spoke He brought the heavens, earth and all creatures into being.  The apostle John said concerning Jesus Christ, the Word who became flesh in John 1:1-3:  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made."  As people observed and interacted with Jesus, they realised no one spoke like Him; Jesus did miraculous things no one else had ever or could ever do continually.  No one had humbled themselves like Jesus did as it says in Philippians 2:8:  "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross."  Jesus took on the appearance of a man but He was and remains more than a man, raised from death to eternal glory.

Worship the LORD, you His saints!  Bow before Him in reverence, and sing songs to exalt His holy name!  For our LORD is good and glorious, not a man that He should lie, one who speaks and does not fulfill His word.  At times God was silent before people who imagined He was like them, but now He speaks through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ--the Man ordained by God to judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31).  Having been redeemed by His blood and forgiven of sins, how blessed we are to know and be known by our LORD Jesus.  Psalm 34:8-9 reads, "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! ⁹ Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him."  Because Jesus Christ is my shepherd, I shall not want.

Peace by Faith in God

Unbelief is a killer of rest and peace.  When harboured in our hearts, it prevents our healing and restoration to fellowship with God and other believers.  The writer of Hebrews explained it was due to unbelief the children of Israel would not and could not enter the land God promised to give them, and their dead carcasses in the wilderness are a warning to all who follow them in unbelief.  God was grieved by their unbelief, and they weren't pleased with the prospects of 40 years in the wilderness when they were on the cusp of entering in and receiving their inheritance (Hebrews 3:17-19).

After 10 spies gave a bad report of the land of Canaan, the people felt hopeless and wept--though God remained good, faithful and sovereign.  God would defeat the people of Canaan as surely as He delivered them from slavery in Egypt with a mighty hand, but the reports of giants put the people in fear.  Unbelief in God and His promise prevented the people from trusting Him.  The people decided their best course of action was to choose a new leader and return to Egypt where they were previously enslaved!  While they discussed stoning Moses and Aaron, the glory of God appeared in the tabernacle and God spoke.  God pronounced a judgment that all of those 20 years and older would die in the wilderness over the next 40 years, and the 10 spies who gave a bad report were struck dead by a plague.  You can read about this in Numbers 14.

One would think the people would be humbled before God after His appearance and plagues, but not so.  Early the next morning the people presumed to go into the land of Canaan to defeat the inhabitants of the land, even though God was not with them, and they were routed by their enemies.  It was not long after this debacle when Korah, Dathan and Abiram in Numbers 16 murmured against Moses and Aaron, and God executed them for their sin by causing the ground to open up and swallow them and all they possessed in the sight of Israel.  The 250 men who put incense in their censers also died when fire from the LORD consumed them for their trespass.  The following day all the people came against Moses again and accused him of killing "the people of the LORD."  God caused a plague to smite the people, and when Aaron made atonement for the sake of the people the plague ceased.

In Numbers 17 God directed Aaron and the leaders of each tribe to present a marked stick and to place them in the tabernacle overnight.  God said in Numbers 17:5, "And it shall be that the rod of the man whom I choose will blossom; thus I will rid Myself of the complaints of the children of Israel, which they make against you."  It was indeed Aaron's rod that budded and bore almonds overnight, and thus God confirmed Aaron's line of the house of Levi was God's choice to do the service of the LORD.  While God's purpose in doing this was to cause the murmuring of the people to cease so they would not die in rebellion, their complaints due to unbelief continued in Numbers 17:12-13:  "So the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, "Surely we die, we perish, we all perish! ¹³ Whoever even comes near the tabernacle of the LORD must die. Shall we all utterly die?"  Though they saw God's presence and He made Himself known to them, they misunderstood Him entirely.  God aimed to preserve their lives, and they accused Him of killing them for coming near the tabernacle--a falsehood steeped in self-pity and pride.

I'm not sure what is worse:  dying in battle by Canaanites in a foolish attempt to deliver oneself from living in the wilderness for years, or to live in the wilderness for years with a heart filled with unbelief in God.  How can it be that God's chosen people could imagine He was against them and unworthy of trust?  But this clearly can be the case.  God said in Isaiah 57:19-21:  "I create the fruit of the lips: peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near," says the LORD, "and I will heal him." ²⁰ But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. ²¹ "There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked."  The writer of Hebrews sets forth the children of Israel in the wilderness as a cautionary tale for Christians, that there is rest God has for us we can stop short of entering by unbelief.  Faith in God leads to peace with God and healing for broken hearts.  If our hearts resemble a troubled sea that kicks up filth of murmuring and complaining, there remains peace and rest for us in Jesus Christ--a rest that is only entered by faith in Him.

Children of God

John the Baptist was quite a polarising figure in Israel.  He had a devout Jewish upbringing under the Law of Moses and was the son of a respected priest.  His lifestyle was strict and his devotion to God brought back memories of prophets of old--to the point Jews wondered if he could possibly be the Messiah!  At the same time, John spoke without respect of persons, rebuking those who came into the wilderness to be baptised by him.  His fierce upholding of God's word and his severe demeanor against wickedness gained him many followers.  Luke 3:7-9 says, "Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. ⁹ And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."  Turn or burn, one could say.

John strongly denied he was the Messiah, but he came to prepare the way for Him.  He was the voice of one crying in the wilderness and preached repentance to the people, and many souls turned to God with expectancy.  Some left all to follow him as disciples, and others hated him and did not believe him.  Many went seeking John out of curiosity, to see a local celebrity for themselves, but being baptised was not repentance.  John's words challenged and rattled people who were confident in their heritage and righteousness under the Law, that their talk or undergoing ritual baptism was cheap without a change of mind, heart and life.  He was not satisfied by the droves of people who came to see him or the number of people he and his disciples baptised:  his preaching brought the acute realisation they needed a Saviour--even though Abraham was their father.  The preaching of John worked to shatter self-righteousness and self-confidence so people would see their need for forgiveness and salvation they would discover could only be found by faith in Jesus Christ.

One thing John said that impacts me as a Gentile is the line, "For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones."  To those who could not boast in Abraham being their distant relative, those with whom God made an everlasting covenant with, this is both challenging and encouraging.  It is likely John pointed to stones that littered the ground to make his point, saying God was able to raise up children to Abraham from stones even as God miraculously caused living water to flow from the rock in the wilderness.  God is able to bring life to something that has no life.  He is able to remove a heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh that feels, is sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and is filled with love and compassion that did not exist before.  Do you believe God is able to raise up children for Abraham from stones?  What is encouraging about this is we have seen Jesus Christ fulfill this word, for Gentiles who were alienated from the kingdom of God have been born again by the power of the Gospel and accepted by grace.  As many as have received Jesus by faith, the same He has given the right to become children of God.

Take to heart this lesson from the stones that are inanimate, unfeeling, senseless, dense, hard and heavy objects.  The stones that lie on the ground and we dig up in the garden were formed long before we were born, and will likely remain unmoved long after our bodies turn to dust.  Stones seem permanent and that they can never be something they are not.  When Jesus Christ enters the scene, however, He brings hope to hopelessness and the promise of life where there was no life.  He is able to raise up children of God from stones, and those who have repented of sin and been born again by faith in Jesus are proof of His divine power and grace.  Paul explained this transformation of God's true people in Romans 2:28-29:  it is not by ethnicity but accomplished spiritually by faith in Jesus:  "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; ²⁹ but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God."  God is able to raise any person to be a true child of Abraham through faith in Christ, and we better believe it!

Undivided Loyalty

I was impressed by the description of the men of Zebulun who came to David at Hebron because they were determined to make him king of over Israel.  1 Chronicles 12:33 in the NIV described them in this way:  "...men of Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty--50,000."  These are the sort of men a new king would want.  While their experience and preparedness for battle using every type of weapon was a plus, it was their undivided loyalty that was their greatest asset.  Divided loyalties lead to all sorts of conflict and trouble that can weaken and destroy a kingdom from within.

The NKJV puts the passage in a different light:  "...of Zebulun there were fifty thousand who went out to battle, expert in war with all weapons of war, stouthearted men who could keep ranks."  Rather than undivided loyalty, this version refers to the character of the men as "stouthearted."  The word is also translated, "undivided heart," "one or singleness of purpose," and "completely loyal."  The fact they could keep ranks shows how they all worked together to achieve one goal, for even in their marching they were ordered in where they were going as they kept in step with one another.  They were united in heart, resolve and intention, unique people who joined together in a grand venture of faith to serve and support the LORD's anointed king.

As long as Christians have an undivided loyalty to Jesus, we can unite together joyfully in service to our Saviour and KING.  God has given every believer in the church different spiritual gifts, experiences and abilities to be used for His honour and glory.  It is a shame when we assert uniformity in style, practice or perspective are requirements for unity.  The men of Zebulun had undivided loyalty coupled with preparation for battle with every type of weapon.  Among them were men skilled with swords and shield, others with bows, spears, slings--all kinds of weapons.  It was to their advantage to have masters of every discipline among them as they prepared for battle, and their singleness of purpose showed in ability to keep ranks.  The coordinated ranks of the men of Zebulun are a good example of the stouthearted unity believers can have in the church, the body of Christ.  As a body is one but has many members, we are to unite in God's work as one under Jesus our Head.

What does undivided loyalty to Jesus look like?  It is shown in our obedience to the commands of Christ, to put into practice the many "one another" commands, like loving one another as Jesus loves us.  Our loyal love to Christ is demonstrated when we confess our sins to one another, pray for one another, and forgive one another.  Galatians 6:1-2 says, "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. ² Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."  It means to support one another like when Joab found himself surrounded in battle and said to Abishai in 1 Chronicles 19:12, "...If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you."  Undivided loyalty to Jesus is to give grace to all, and the early church showed this by providing for the needs of the Jewish and Hellenist widows alike.  We may not be experts in war, but we can be willing to keep ranks together with undivided loyalty to Jesus.

The Haman Distortion

The Bible provides many examples we should emulate and also ones we ought to avoid.  Thus the worst characters and most repugnant personalities provide instruction we do well to observe and take to heart.  Haman, the villain of the Jews, is one such person.  He was an influential, rich and powerful man, a close friend of King Ahasuerus who ruled over the Persian and Mede empire.  One would think with the great wealth, favour and royal access Haman would have been content, but he was far from it.

After accepting an invitation to a banquet and enjoying the hospitality provided by Queen Esther for the King and Haman, he was pleased.  But on the way home there was the Jew Mordecai who did not stand or move at all as he walked by--and this lack of a show of respect filled Haman with rage.  Esther 5:10-13 says, "Nevertheless Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and called for his friends and his wife Zeresh. ¹¹ Then Haman told them of his great riches, the multitude of his children, everything in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and servants of the king. ¹² Moreover Haman said, "Besides, Queen Esther invited no one but me to come in with the king to the banquet that she prepared; and tomorrow I am again invited by her, along with the king. ¹³ Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate."  Haman had much to be glad about, yet the lack of respect from one man on the street made all the good things--even the favour of the king and queen--Haman possessed as nothing.  His envy over the loss of honour stripped him of thankfulness for all his blessings.

I wonder:  can we Christians give a place in our lives to the Haman distortion?  Has not the almighty God given us better things than Haman possessed?  He had great riches, but it was not long before Haman was parted from them.  In Christ we have eternal riches, a home in the heavens with the LORD forever that no one can steal from us.  Haman bragged about his children:  how much better it is to be a child of God by faith in Jesus?  The king promoted Haman in the kingdom of the Persians and Medes, yet we have been made co-heirs of the everlasting kingdom of God with Christ by His grace!  The blessings and benefits of being a child of God infinitely exceed what Haman possessed, yet we can experience his affliction:  to allow a small slight to render our blessings as nothing.  When Jacob's faith was tested to send Benjamin to Egypt, he felt all was against him rather than finding rest and comfort in God who was for him.

It is good for us to realise when we observe the worst of people in Scripture--or see instances of people of faith in God at their worst--we are looking at a mirror of our own natural condition.  Through them, God is giving us a look into our own fleshly hearts and minds, and He helps us see pitfalls to avoid and our own tendencies to pride and unbelief.  Without the transforming power of the Holy Spirit at work in us, we would never realise our spiritual blindness and dullness.  The pride of Haman led to his discouragement and downfall, and let us avoid this snare by humility, thankfulness and gratitude before God and man.  Seeing ourselves as unworthy of God's smallest benefits fills us with joy at the grand scope of His goodness towards us continually.  Philippians 4:6-7 exhorts us, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Jesus Is the Man

To the children of Israel God delivered from slavery in Egypt, Moses was the man.  He was the one chosen by God to lead them out of Egypt and through the desert to the land of promise.  By his hand God did great miracles, and Moses spoke with the LORD face to face while the rest of the people kept their distance.  Moses was the one who carried the stone tablets engraved with the finger of God down from the mountain, and he was instrumental in interceding on behalf of the people.  As Moses held aloft the rod of God the Hebrews were victorious over their enemies, and he judged the people with God's wisdom.

After the altar of God was anointed and dedicated Numbers 7:89 says, "Now when Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice of One speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus He spoke to him."  Moses was given the privilege by God's grace to hear the LORD speak from a burning bush, on Mount Sinai and in the tabernacle.  The children of Israel sinned by making a golden calf to worship as a god, and then Moses moved the tabernacle outside the camp due to their sin.  When Moses arose to go to the tabernacle to meet with God, the people stood in the doors of their tents until he went beyond their sight into the tabernacle.  They watched and worshipped in awe when the presence of God descended in the cloudy pillar at the door of the tabernacle, and He spoke with Moses.

God's presence was seen and was near His people, and at the same time God remained far off and unapproachable in glory.  An incredible, miraculous change occurred when Jesus the Son of God died on the cross to provide atonement for the sins of the world.  When Jesus breathed His last on Calvary, the veil of the Temple that separated the Holy of Holies from the holy place was torn from top to bottom.  This signified the spiritual separation man had from God due to his sin was removed by Jesus Christ for all who trust in Him.  Hebrews 10:19-22 explains, "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, ²¹ and having a High Priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."  Jesus has drawn near to us, and we are invited to draw near to Him in faith.

Under the Law of Moses only the high priest was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, and since Jesus has provided atonement once for all everyone who trusts in Him has access to the presence of God spiritually in prayer, to make requests, to be continually casting our cares upon Him.  Like Moses went into the tabernacle, Christians can boldly enter God's throne room of grace to obtain mercy and to find grace in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).  Adam walked and conversed with God in the cool of the day before the fall, and by the Gospel of Jesus we can walk and talk with Jesus all day every day even though we have fallen!  Since Jesus is risen, we can know forgiveness and new life.  Jesus is our peace, and how blessed and privileged we are to converse with the living God.  To paraphrase the words of Pilate, Jesus IS the Man--and He is also our LORD, High Priest and King.

Examining God's Love

During Bible study last night we spoke of our need as Christians to examine our love.  What is important is we realise this is not a comparison with our peers but to consider the manner and expression of our love in light of Christ's love to us.  Jesus commanded His disciples to "Love one another as I have loved you," and He demonstrated His love for sinners by dying on the cross to atone for their sins.  Jesus provided an example of loving service by washing the feet of His disciples when He had every right to demand His feet to be washed as their LORD and Master.

The apostle John, one who referred to himself as the "disciples Jesus loved," wrote in 1 John 2:10-11:  "He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. ¹¹ But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes."  The one who walks in love towards His brother will not be prone to offence, nor will he be offensive.  If we discover animosity, frustration, annoyance and anger in us towards our brother, these are indications we are not walking in love towards him.  When we are not loving the brethren as we ought, this not only negatively impacts our fellowship with one another but with God too.

Jesus made it clear His love was not reserved solely for His fellow Jews or immediate family members but to all His enemies.  Jesus practiced what He preached in Matthew 5:43-45:  "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.' ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."  Born-again disciples of Jesus do not earn the right to become children of God by loving our enemies, but loving as Jesus loves is evidence we are indeed born of God by grace through faith in Him.  We cannot love like Jesus unless we in Christ by faith.  Because we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, we are enabled by the Holy Spirit to love with the love we have received from Him.

A description of God's love that never fails is found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV):  "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  How constant and consistent is the miraculous, supernatural love of God!  The love described here is a choice based on the goodness, compassion and mercy of God that can be known.  It can be recognised by what it does and does not do; God's love has boundaries yet at the same time remains infinite and is extended to all.  By considering and examining God's love to us, we are enabled and inspired to love one another.

Victory of Faith

I like how commonly and casually the Bible describes the miraculous.  The Bible begins assuming God's existence and supernatural power, but the Scripture reveals that after creation God continued to do wonderous things by His grace.  In 1 Chronicles 5:19-20, we read of the Reubenites, Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh:  "They made war with the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. ²⁰ And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them, for they cried out to God in the battle. He heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him."  The children of Israel were engaged in war, and when they cried out to God He heard and helped them.  He provided strength and deliverance for them, not because they had been faithful to keep His commands or by status earned by good works, but due to their faith in Him.

As a result of God's divine intervention, the Israelites won the battle and seized livestock, camels, sheep, donkeys and many captives.  As 1 Chronicles 5:22 explains, "...many fell dead, because the war was God's. And they dwelt in their place until the captivity."  The war fought by the people was won because it was God's war.  This is a common theme in the Bible, for God fights for His people who trust in Him.  David declared the "battle is the LORD's" and thus proclaimed certain victory to Goliath's face and all those who assembled in 1 Samuel 17.  While God caused David to triumph over the giant with sling and stone, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Jahaziel to King Jehoshaphat of Judah in 2 Chronicles 20:17:  "You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you."  The following day the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab and Edom, and they ended up destroying one another as God's people sang praises of worship and joyfully advanced.

These kind of victories do not just happen; they are not convenient coincidences.  Teenage shepherds with slings do not normally triumph over giant champions who wear full armour and expertly wield sword and spear.  Since when do unarmed singers triumph over armed enemies?  These victories were not improbable:  they were impossible!  Yet in response to the prayers of faith of God's people, the battle became His and was won--and in some cases without God's people even needing to fight.  In the New Testament we do not see the children of God engaged in warfare against enemies for territory, but we are introduced to what a spiritual battle looks like and how believers are to engage.  Rather than warfare taking place in a field or in a valley between two mountains, this battle takes place in our redeemed hearts renewed minds by faith in Jesus.  Having been filled with the Holy Spirit who regenerates us, we are equipped for this battle and enabled to stand before even the accuser of our souls in victory.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6:  "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
⁵  casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, ⁶ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."  The weapons of our warfare are not knives or guns, for these would be useless to accomplish what our mighty God can do in pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and anything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.  By faith in God we can bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Jesus and be ready to take corrective action upon the disobedient.  Only God is sufficient for these things and helps us overcome when we cry out to Him in faith.  We do well to remember the way the world fights battles--by force, protests, politics, compromise, propaganda, threats or fear--will never supply the arsenal required to experience genuine victory.

Our faith in Jesus Christ is the victory that overcomes the world, and there is no other Way (1 John 5:4).

God's Righteous Judgment

Queen Jezebel is a woman whose villainy is infamous in the pages of Scripture.  She stirred up her husband Ahab to do great evil, systematically tried to exterminate all the prophets of God, murdered righteous Naboth and his household for his vineyard, and promoted idolatry like few in Israel before her or ever since.  For her sin God took vengeance upon her according to His word by the hand of Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat.

The prophet who anointed Jehu king held forth the word of the LORD in 2 Kings 9:7-10:  "You shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. ⁸ For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off from Ahab all the males in Israel, both bond and free. ⁹ So I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. ¹⁰ The dogs shall eat Jezebel on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her.' " And he opened the door and fled."  For a long time God had been longsuffering towards Ahab and Jezebel, yet the day came when He would bring judgement about their house.  As sure as God's salvation is for all who repent of their sins and trust in Him, so is His fierce wrath and judgment upon those who hate Him--and the end of Jezebel illustrates this perfectly.

As Jehu rampaged towards Jezreel, eliminating those of Ahab's house one by one, Jezebel heard he was approaching and put on make-up, styled her hair and adorned herself with her royal crown.  Her words dripped with arrogance and hypocrisy as she greeted Jehu from the safety of her high window in 2 Kings 9:31:  "And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?"  Jezebel was guilty of mass-murder, yet she accused Jehu of doing evil who obeyed the command of God as His anointed.  Jehu did not argue with or address her at all.  He said to the eunuchs who attended her, "Who is on my side?  Throw her down."  After they threw Jezebel to her death, Jehu promptly trampled her corpse with his horses and chariot and left her where she lay.  When Jehu later sent his servants to bury Jezebel, all that remained was her skull, hands and feet because dogs had eaten her, according to the word of the LORD.  Though a king's daughter, she was like refuse upon the ground so no one could see a tomb and say, "Here lies Jezebel."  Her only memory is found within the pages of scripture:  a warning of God's judgment against those who commit wickedness in God's sight, and a foreshadowing of the plans God has for Satan.

Jezebel was thrown down from a window by eunuchs, and Satan will one day be thrown out of heaven by angels.  He will be bound and ultimately destroyed forever for His crimes against God.  The prophet Isaiah spoke of the destruction of Lucifer, the oppressor and accuser of God's people.  The devil who thought to exalt himself to assume God's throne in heaven above the stars will be justly thrown into hell for his wickedness.  It says in Isaiah 14:18-19:  "All the kings of the nations, all of them, sleep in glory, everyone in his own house; ¹⁹ but you are cast out of your grave like an abominable branch, like the garment of those who are slain, thrust through with a sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a corpse trodden underfoot."  God takes no delight in the death of the wicked, but He loves to uphold justice and righteousness in heaven and earth forever.  Like Jezebel was thrown down, so Satan will be cast down and be without memorial forever by the word of the LORD.  The destroyer of the world will be destroyed, and all who fear God ought to rejoice in His salvation and judgment.  Vengeance is the LORD's, and He will repay (Deut. 32:35, Heb. 10:30).

An Everlasting Love

The book of Malachi begins with the burden of the word of the LORD that reads, "I have loved you," says the LORD.  Yet you say, 'In what way have you loved us?'"  Isn't this a heartbreaking response from God's people, ones He always loved?  It is written in Jeremiah 31:3:  "The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."  From the beginning God only showed love to His people, for God is love.  The Hebrews were God's people because He loved and chose them out of all the nations of the world, brought them out of Egypt, and brought them into the land of promise.  Yet a day came when they did not acknowledge God loved them at all.  Their response to God's claim of loving them was, "Yeah?  Prove it!"

Malachi's style of prophecy was dialectical or disputational, and God's objective statements were followed by questions and contradictions by His people.  God through the prophet provided evidence for His initial claim, and those who feared God would be moved to repentance for sin and heed God's command.  God is good not just to tell us where we have done wrong, but He explains the right action we ought to take instead.  While God showed His love of His people by the covenant of Law and countless blessings, all people today--both Jew and Gentile--have a fuller, more complete picture of God's love through Jesus.  Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son Jesus, and by the power of the Gospel He gives the right to become children of God by believing on His name.

A well-known poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning begins, "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways."  This is a good exercise for Christians to embrace, that we would consider all the ways God has practically shown His love for us.  When we acknowledge God's continuous love toward us by revealing Himself to us, providing for all our needs, drawing us to Himself with lovingkindness, providing atonement for our sin and remaining faithful to us despite our faults, it evokes praise and thanksgiving to God.  1 John 3:1 reads, "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him."  It is because God loves us that He redeemed and reconciled us to Himself as children, and if this was the only thing He did for us it would be enough cause for us to praise and glorify Him forever.

God has done more than love us in a particular way because He is love.  Everything about Him is loving, and His undying, active love always acts for our ultimate good.  Since He is able to make all things work together for good to those who love God, we can rest assured in His sovereignty and be secure in His love.  We will never be able to count all the ways God has loved us, but the cross speaks of love that is sacrificial, constant and eternal.  In coming to Jesus Christ for salvation we discover God has loved us with an everlasting love, and therefore with lovingkindness He has drawn us to Himself through Jesus.  If we ever assume the posture of "How has God loved me lately?" it may be we have yet to understand God is love, and He is ours through faith in Christ.

One God Regards

"And Elisha said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you."

2 Kings 3:14

I found this verse encouraging, that God regards His people even when they live among those who do not fear God.  King Jehoshaphat was asked by King Jeroham son of Ahab, along with the king of Edom, to attack Moab for refusing to pay tribute.  When there was no water and Jeroham imagined it was God's design to destroy them, Jehoshaphat requested they seek the counsel of a prophet of the God of Israel, and Elisha was summoned.  2 Kings 3:13 tells us, "Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother." But the king of Israel said to him, "No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab."  Elisha then revealed God regarded or respected the presence of Jehoshaphat whom He knew.  Because that God-fearing king was among them, God was attentive to their request and needs.  How gracious is God to regard or be mindful of any person!

A sobering consequence of refusing to regard God is that He will not regard such people.  God said in 1 Samuel 2:30, "...them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed."  Yet the glorious truth remains that God has respect and looks upon all those who love and trust Him.  This was demonstrated early in the book of Genesis when Cain and Abel both offered sacrifices to God.  Genesis 4:3-5 reads, "And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. ⁴ Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, ⁵ but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell."  Notice how God first respected Abel, and then his offering was accepted.  We can have this backwards:  we believe it is on the account of the gift or offering we present God chooses to accept us when the opposite is true.  It was the humble, contrite heart of the person in the eyes of God that was of greater importance than the offering itself.  Cain's rage showed his pride and lack of the fear of God.

It certainly was a blessing for Jehoram and the king of Edom to have with them a man who feared God, one who was willing to humble himself and seek the LORD God of Israel for help in time of need.  If God regarded the needs of wicked kings for the sake of his servant Jehoshaphat, how confident we can be God hears and regards every Christian for the sake of Jesus Christ who lives to make intercession for us in the presence of God in heaven.  No longer need we make our requests through a prophet who has unique access to God, but we are invited personally to enter God's presence through prayer as beloved children of God by faith in Jesus.  Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."  How awesome is the opportunity and privilege of believers to be regarded by God, that we can entreat Him to intervene in the lives of others who do not fear God so they might come to know Him too.  God regarded lost sinners by sending His Son Jesus to atone for our sins, and God regards our prayers because He regards every one redeemed with the blood of Christ.