The Field of Sharp Swords

"And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. So they sat down, one on one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool. ¹⁴ Then Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men now arise and compete before us." And Joab said, "Let them arise." ¹⁵ So they arose and went over by number, twelve from Benjamin, followers of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. ¹⁶ And each one grasped his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent's side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called the Field of Sharp Swords, which is in Gibeon." 

2 Samuel 2:13-16

This event illustrates the destruction of division.  During this season in Israel's history, the nation was divided between allegiance to David king of Judah and king Ishbosheth who reigned over the remaining tribes of Israel.  Generals Abner and Joab gathered at Gibeon, situated on opposite sides of a pool of water.  Abner suggested the men have a bit of fun.  Joab agreed.  Twelve men from each side were chosen to compete in a wrestling match of sorts.  It was not long before tempers flared, swords flashed, and twenty four men lay dead in pools of their own blood by the hands of their fellow countrymen.  What a great tragedy!  In this moment of violent passion it appears these men forgot they were brothers.

These men had lost sight of who their enemy was.  Philistines had invaded the land, yet the division between the house of David and Ishbosheth led to brother killing brother.  Divisions in the Body of Christ have led to numerous battles and infamous killing fields.  Like Abner and Joab, we can fall into the trap of setting ourselves in opposition to others divided by practice or interpretation.  Brothers and sisters in Christ, this ought not to be!  If pride begins to take root in our hearts, we are not far from a fall.  God has given us a sword to stand fast in faith and to earnestly contend for the faith, not to mercilessly attack men created in the image of God.  Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:2-3, "I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; ³ for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?"  The massacre at the Field of Sharp Swords was a result of the flesh.  Our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places.  Our battle is not against people of differing beliefs and practices within or outside the Body of Christ.  Our battle is against Satan, a foe defeated by the shed blood of Jesus Christ we by God's grace have also overcome.

For those with ears to hear, let us consider Galatians 6:1:  "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."  Mere men cannot fulfill this task:  we need the power of the Holy Spirit filling and anointing us to walk in such love.  Jesus says to those who cause division, "Put your sword in its sheath!"  The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword intended to reveal the thoughts and intents of our hearts, not for the purpose of devouring one another.  Let us be peacemakers.  Those who live by the sword also die by the sword.  We are one body in Christ.  What God has joined, let not man attempt to separate.  May we mourn all manner of division and seek restoration by God's grace.

This post is not for others to heed:  it is for you alone.  It is not ammunition to condemn others.  It is not a sharp sword to point out faults and further cause division.  It is an exhortation that we might labour to be peacemakers and those who unite instead of sowing discord.  James 3:13-18 reads, "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

The Bride Price

At Calvary Chapel Sydney, we've been moving through 1 and 2 Samuel on Sunday mornings.  In the passage this week, Abner, the general of the Israelite army, offered to help unite the kingdom under David's rule.  David was pleased with the arrangement, but made one stipulation:  Abner would not see his face until David's estranged wife Michal was restored to him.  About ten years earlier, David fled from his father-in-law King Saul.  Saul then took David's wife and gave him to a man named Phaltiel.  2 Samuel 3:14 reads, "So David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, saying, "Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines."  David placed a higher priority on his wife being restored to him than uniting the kingdom under his rule.

When David demanded his wife back, he cited the bride price that he had paid to betroth her to himself.  Saul, hoping that the Philistines would kill David, told David he could marry his daughter if he paid the cost of 100 foreskins of the Philistines - a gruesome price at great risk.  So pleased was David to marry Michal and be the king's son-in-law that he provided double the asking price.  1 Samuel 18:27 says, "...Therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife."  Because David had paid the bride price, Michal was rightly betrothed to him.  His payment was the basis of his demand.

I wonder how Michal felt, knowing how her prospective husband literally risked his life in fighting for her hand in marriage.  If his love was ever in doubt in her mind, she could always say:  "I know he loves me.  He fought for me.  He risked his own life just to be with me."  This picture of David demanding his wife being reconciled to him is a beautiful picture of how Jesus Christ will restore the nation of Israel to Himself before He establishes His throne on earth.  God chose the descendents of Israel as His special people and made a covenant with them.  Yet they played the harlot, worshiping idols and the creature rather than the Creator.  Concerning His people it is written in Hosea 2:14:  "Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her."  Also in Hosea 2:18-20:  "In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, with the birds of the air, and with the creeping things of the ground. Bow and sword of battle I will shatter from the earth, to make them lie down safely. ¹⁹ "I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; ²⁰ I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the LORD."

Yet God's love is not limited to the Jews.  Through Jesus Christ the love of God has been displayed openly and offered to all people.  Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Jesus paid the bride price of His church not through the risk of His life, but through His death and resurrection.  Colossians 1:19-20 states, "For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, ²⁰ and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross."  It is amazing that Jesus would pay such a price to redeem us.  We are not royalty, nor do we bring any rich dowry to the relationship.  All we bring is an everlasting debt of sin - a debt that Christ rejoiced to pay through His own sacrifice.

When we are born again by grace through faith, we become intimately acquainted with the Creator and Lover of our souls.  Ours is a God who fights for us.  As we lean on Him in faith, we realise it is He who is supporting us.  It is He who keeps our feet from stumbling, and Jesus is the lifter of our heads.  Let us praise Him for paying our bride price - a debt we could never pay - and for restoring us unto Himself.  Our relationship to God is a priority for Him, even a greater priority than establishing His eternal throne on earth!  How humbling, how amazing is such love!  May we ever abide this this love.

No Dramas!

This morning we called for a meeting after church to discuss recent developments concerning our visa for residency in Australia.  To make a very complicated story short, it came to light this week that there had been a mistake on the nomination form lodged over seven months ago.  We were made aware of legislation passed in November that did not help our cause.  We submitted the application portion of the visa process about a month ago, not knowing yet that the nomination could not be approved in the current state.  An immigration agent called me and a fellow board member, suggesting that we withdraw the application because a withdrawal is better than a refusal.  This was done and here we are, exactly one week from our 428 Religious Worker's visa running out, no bridging visa, and with the prospect of applying again at full price - with a price tag of just over three thousand dollars.  And you know what?  I'm not mad, worried, or freaked out.  It is a testimony to the reality of an All-Powerful God.  Because if I didn't know Him, that's exactly how I would feel!

People say, "God is on the throne."  That's not just a cliche to polish up in difficult times.  It is a fact:  our God reigns!  He allows obstacles, difficulties, trials, tribulations, and persecutions.  His perfect love casts out all fear.  As we discussed the situation with those able to stay late at church for the meeting, there was a tangible sense of God's presence.  There was no finger pointing, accusations, blaming others, or veiled threats.  The was a profound sense of love, grace, and understanding.  After the meeting I was struck by how blessed we are to have a fellowship filled with friends who stick closer than a brother.  I am convinced that God will use this situation for good and will undoubtedly bring my family and I to His desired end.  Who but God knows what priceless gems will be mined through this experience?

The current plan of action is to re-apply for the 186 direct-stream visa in the next couple days which will automatically initiate a new bridging visa to allow our family to stay in country until it is resolved.  We are praying that God will give us wisdom and favour with immigration to have all the information supplied by the deadlines which are quickly approaching.  We are confident that money is not a problem for our God and therefore it won't be a problem for us or the church.  In Australia we have a saying which is basically synonymous with "No worries."  When in the States someone would say "Piece of cake!" people in OZ say, "No dramas!"  There's a lot of drama in this world, but nothing is too hard for our God.  We can take God at His Word to provide for all our needs.  As we fight the good fight of faith, let us stay true to our LORD no matter our circumstances.

Thanks for praying for Calvary Chapel Sydney and the Grisez family!  We are blessed beyond measure, greatly enriched by the love of the saints, and rejoice in the faithfulness and provision of our God and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

The Eye Opener

God has provided the scripture so we might know Him, be instructed in righteousness, and convicted of sin so we might repent.  Because of the conscience God has placed within us, both Christians and non-Christians often seem confident in their knowledge of right and wrong.  Premeditated murder, rape, and stealing are obviously wrong.  There might be some who disagree by their actions, but the vast majority of people spanning nations and cultures of the world universally agree.  Laws are created to set limits, protect the innocent, and punish lawbreaking offenders.  The Bible goes way further than providing a list of "do's and don'ts," but ferrets out the sin that breeds in the human heart not governed by man's external laws:  sins like pride, covetousness, envy, and greed.  Unless the Bible had called these natural tendencies sin, I never would have known!

James 2:10 reads, "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all."  This passage is commonly quoted, but when I read it yesterday I was reminded of the immediate context.  Did you notice that the passage begins with a "for?"  This means the verse is predicated on the prior verse or verses.  James 2:8-9 says, "If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well; ⁹ but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors."  Showing partiality, favoritism, or nepotism is a sin according to God's righteous standard.  I find it intriguing that partiality is the sin mentioned right before James says, "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all."  This proves that being partial is just as bad a sin as murder and adultery, sins mentioned in the verses following.  Would you have ever dreamed that favoritism in God's eyes carries the weight of guilt of murder?  Again, without scripture I could not have known this!

It is obvious that none of us is perfect according to God's standard.  Even worse, the law has no power to cleanse or save us from sin.  All it can do is point out my mounting faults and condemn me under divine justice.  God, knowing this, sent His Son Jesus Christ to become a sacrifice for sin and establish a covenant in His own blood.  Containing a promise written in Jeremiah 31, Hebrews 8:6-10 states, "But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah--not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."  The Law can only find fault with us, but grace, peace, and salvation come through Jesus Christ.  The Law is good in that it reveals our sin and desperate need for reconciliation with God.

Our hearts in their natural state are blind guides, leading us into every error imaginable.  But the Bible holds forth with crystal clarity the nature of our hearts, the deceitfulness of sin, that being partial on one occasion is enough to break God's Law for eternity, and the forgiveness and salvation available to all through Christ.  He uses His Word to open our eyes as the Holy Spirit instructs, corrects, and comforts us.  Praise God for the New Covenant and for putting His law into our hearts.  Though we have sinned, God will forgive when we repent and trust in Him.  What good news for sinners this is!