Walking Worthy

Yesterday I heard a song refrain which repeated, "Lord of glory, make us worthy to possess your name."  I read that artists and painters can be poor expositors, and on occasion Christian lyrics can fall into this category.  The most melodic music and uplifting harmony, from a biblical view, is only as good as its adherence to sound doctrine.  Whilst there is freedom in Christ and creativity in expression, it is good for all followers of Jesus to examine the words we hear and sing.

My ears perked up at the phrase, "make us worthy."  Is this something God ever promises to do, to make us worthy of Him?  In my study of scripture man is deemed worthy of many things - like punishment, discipline, and death.  The fact God greatly values man does not mean there is intrinsic worthiness in us.  If we in any way are worthy of God or to be a partaker of His glory by ourselves or efforts then our salvation is not of grace.  We are saved by grace through faith, and therefore any assertion of our worthiness is dashed to pieces like a clay vessel.  Like in the cult classic "Wayne's World" when Wayne and Garth bowed before Alice Cooper shouting "We're not worthy!" none of us are worthy to "hang out" with God based upon our own merit.

Having been born again through the Gospel and filled with the Spirit of God, we continue to reside in a sinful body of flesh.  In our flesh we are no more worthy of God than ever before, yet in His grace God enables us to walk worthy of Him.  We do not deserve God, and He deserves better than us.  It is solely due to God's grace and mercy we are adopted as children and have fellowship with God.  We are Christ's ambassadors to the world now divinely enabled to walk worthy of Him.  John the Baptist was not worthy to loosen Christ's sandal strap, and no one was found but Christ in heaven or earth worthy to break the seals and open the scroll in Revelation 5.  Jesus is the only One worthy of worship, honour, glory, and praise.  It is only by His grace we are invited and able to enter in.

Paul wrote to believers in 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12, "You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; ¹¹ as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, ¹² that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory."  We are not worthy, but we should walk worthy of God who has called us by His grace - devoutly, justly, and blameless.  It is fitting we like Paul would exhort, comfort, and charge others to also walk in a manner worthy of Christ's example.  It is only through His indwelling Spirit we are made to walk worthy when we relinquish ourselves to be His possession.

The Future is History

It is always exciting for me to discover new connections in the Bible.  The God who designed this universe has also crafted the remarkable tapestry of history, revealing His handiwork throughout.  History is not filled with what some might mistakenly call coincidences, but signposts directing us to what God later did and even causes us to look expectantly to God for the future.

The city of Jerusalem in Israel, situated on ancient Mt. Moriah, is an amazing biblical site.  Probably one of the most famous instances regarding the site is it is the location Abraham took his beloved son Isaac at the command of the LORD to present him as a burnt offering.  Abraham believed the promises of God to make of him a great nation yet did not hesitate to do what God commanded him.  He laid the wood in order, bound his son, and took the knife to slay Isaac.  Genesis 22:11-12 says, "But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am." ¹² And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."  Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw a ram caught in a thicket, and offered the ram as a sacrifice to the LORD on Mt. Moriah.

Fast forward about 860 years when King Solomon began to build the Temple in Jerusalem.  2 Chronicles 3:1 reads, "Now Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite."  Not only is the location of the temple on Mt. Moriah the place where Abraham took Isaac to be sacrificed, but it is place where King David saw the angel of the LORD in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.  David had sinned in the numbering of the people of Israel and did not take the required ransom (Ex. 30:12).  God caused an ensuing plague to kill 70,000 men in Israel.  2 Samuel 24:16 tells us, "And when the angel stretched out His hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented from the destruction, and said to the angel who was destroying the people, "It is enough; now restrain your hand." And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."  King David purchased the threshing floor and offered burnt sacrifices to God, and this is the exact place where the Temple was built.

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem today is revered by many as the "foundation stone" of creation, and it is interesting these two historical events occurred there.  The name "Jerusalem" means "city of peace," and in both instances God commanded for the lives of people be spared.  Abraham was told to put down the knife; the angel of the LORD was commanded to sheath his sword.  Both of the occasions ended with sacrifices being offered to God in worship, to God who is our Peace.  Looking ahead, this is the place foretold by scripture that Jesus Christ will return with a sword to judge the world in righteousness and in Jerusalem He will establish His throne.  Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God provided as an offering for sin, and in due time the risen LORD will be revealed to all in glory.  Out of His mouth will come a sharp sword to smite unbelieving nations, and He will not spare or pity in that notable Day.  Unless God is gracious all would surely be consumed.

When Solomon built the Temple there were two notable pillars mentioned in 2 Chronicles 3:17:  "Then he set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left; he called the name of the one on the right hand Jachin, and the name of the one on the left Boaz."  The meanings of these names are insightful:  "He shall establish" and "In it is strength."  Those great pillars were eventually torn down by Babylonian invaders, but the Word of God is established and will endure forever.  The Messiah promised by God has established a New Covenant and shall establish His kingdom on earth, and in Him is strength.  It is fitting the Prince of Peace should reign in Jerusalem, the city of peace, and all will bow the knee before Him.  Our God is one of justice and judgment, but also of restraint.  He is greatly to be feared yet gracious, longsuffering, and merciful.  When God says, "It is enough," He will see it done and all will behold Him.

Down the Road

When God called the children of Israel to drive out the inhabitants of the Promised Land, they did so with varying degrees of success.  They were told not to make leagues (alliances) with the people of the land but to destroy all who opposed them.  The Gibeonites, hearing of the Israelite advance, out of fear of their great God disguised themselves as distant foreigners.  Joshua and the elders were flattered and pleased by the proposal and made an alliance with them - without seeking guidance from God.  Their neglect of seeking God caused them to ignorantly sin by doing exactly what God forbade them to do.

Whilst the failure with the Gibeonites is commonly known, I came across an interesting passage which had a similar outcome.  The house of Joseph went up against Bethel (formerly called Luz) and the spies struggled to find the hidden entrance to the city.  Judges 1:24-25 reads, "And when the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, "Please show us the entrance to the city, and we will show you mercy." ²⁵ So he showed them the entrance to the city, and they struck the city with the edge of the sword; but they let the man and all his family go."  The men of the house of Joseph did not seek the LORD but asked for the help of a man who departed the city.  They promised to show him mercy and were true to their word.

I was surprised when I read Judges 1:26:  "And the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a city, and called its name Luz, which is its name to this day."  The ancient city of Luz was later called Bethel by Jacob, meaning the "house of God."  The single man and his family to whom was extended mercy went to the land of Hittites and established a new city called "Luz," a city named after the ancient one.  The name "Luz" means "as growing there."  The slackness of the house of Joseph to obey God to eradicate the inhabitants of the land led to Luz being rebuilt and fortified in the land of  the Hittites, a people hostile to God and His people.  Disobedience to God causes problems to grow in our lives which will impact us and others.

This made me consider how important it is for us to seek God and heed His Word.  It seemed a little thing to show mercy to one God had deemed under judgment, but see the fruit of their negligence!  Like a single cancer cell can grow and spread throughout the body, a little disobedience and slackness will certainly lead to a future threat upon our spiritual and physical well-being.  There is no mention in the book of Judges of the house of Joseph doing what was commanded by God in Deuteronomy 20:10-11:  "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."  They showed mercy to a man who had no intention of agreeing to conditions of peace, and future generations faced hardened enemies and strongholds because of it.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear!  Our God is a merciful God, but let us not be merciful to corrupting influences in our lives.  Should we do what is right in our eyes, we will later reap what we have sown and increased problems down the road - in some cases literally.

Thoughts and Prayers

The news of a mass school shooting in Florida reached our fair shores in Australia on news broadcasts and the familiar inundation on social media of caustic and defensive posts.  A recurring theme was the disdain of people offering "thoughts and prayers" for the victims of the shooting without taking drastic practical action to eliminate these terrible tragedies.  There is palpable frustration for some people when others respond with "thoughts and prayers" after a tragedy because in their minds if tragedies happen what has thinking and praying accomplished?  On the other hand, cursing and making memes does not bring comfort to anyone, alter what has happened, or prevent future tragedies.

This recent shooting occurred on Valentine's Day, a day when cards, letters, and messages are sent with the recurring theme "Thinking of you."  It is not an offensive thing to be remembered and thought well of.  Based upon this, it is likely not the thoughts which riles people up but the mention of "prayers."  It is a confronting and uncomfortable for people to be "prayed" for because this assumes the reality of a God who hears and answers prayer - a concept which many people (especially when suffering is involved) vehemently oppose.  I remember an Australian Prime Minister in the face of tragedy said to victims, "You are in our thoughts" and as a Christian I wondered what mere thoughts could accomplish.  To think of others is kind, but to intercede on behalf of others in prayer to an Almighty God does more than all the thoughts in the world.

Even a child is known by his doings, and horrible stories of violence coming from the United States and others parts of the world are deeply troubling.  Never in my life have I seen the people of the United States more divided and fractured, and like Humpty Dumpty after his fall I do not think horses or men can unite them again.  There is no hope in politics, education, money, or legislation to change the hearts and minds of people.  If everyone had a gun for each hand or no guns at all nothing engineered or conceived in the minds of man can bring salvation for a country intent on tearing itself apart.  It is God - the One who people love or love to hate - who provides hope for the lost, rest for the weary, and salvation for the damned.  Blaming God or scorning prayers offered to Him is to ignore the only hope in this world.  There is no hope in prayer apart from the Living God who answers the prayer of faith in Him according to His Word.

For all those who are convinced there is value in praying to God, let us be the ones who walk in obedience to His revelation and answers.  Tragedy and pain prompts many questions, and what is the point of God's answering if we will not repent and change our ways?  Men commit senseless tragedies with no regard for God or men every day, yet God is a Redeemer.  In the face of murder, abuse, neglect, and destruction I do not see a ray of light, but I know God is good and without sin.  God has providentially placed His people all over the globe so His light will shine bright through them offering love, comfort, and compassion for all those who suffer.  It is love of God which leads to the love of people and even enemies.  The power of God's love demonstrated by Christ on the cross the wise recognise.  All who have received God's love keep believing, keep trusting, and keep praying no matter what.