Our Sure Help

"For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain." Is it oxen God is concerned about? ¹⁰ Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope."

1 Corinthians 9:9-10

In his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul demonstrated the relevance of precepts from the Law of Moses for present personal application.  While Christians were not "under the Law" or obliged to keep the letter of the Law, even a passage that prohibited the muzzling of an ox that treads out the grain provided guidance in the financial compensation of Christian ministers who laboured in the word.  This insight provides precedent by the leading of the Holy Spirit to open up enlightening and refreshing applications tucked away in the Old Testament modern-day believers ought to consider and heed.  Paul's point was God included the law that forbade muzzling oxen at work--not just to prevent animal cruelty--but for the sake of guiding and exhorting Christians to contribute towards the temporal or financial needs of Christian workers.

Understanding the timeless relevance of God's righteousness in Law, wonderful insights are provided for the hungry seeker.  I was greatly encouraged by another passage that happened to involve animals in Deuteronomy 22:4:  "You shall not see your brother's donkey or his ox fall down along the road, and hide yourself from them; you shall surely help him lift them up again."  Children of Israel who saw their brother's ox or donkey fall over and struggle to rise were not to pretend they did not notice the animal in distress.  Even if the brothers or neighbours were not on the best terms, people were legally obligated to help their fellow Jew to lift up their donkey or ox--a tiring, time-consuming task.  As Paul mentioned, though this passage in the Old Testament is about a donkey or ox falling down, this is written for our sakes.  If we see our brother in Christ stumble or fall into sin, we should not hide ourselves from helping support and strengthen him, desiring him to be restored to fellowship with God and the church (Gal. 6:1).

Carrying this further, we know by the scripture God never commanded people to do things He did not always do Himself.  If God should command brothers to help one another lift up a fallen beast of burden, we can know the God Who sees all does not act oblivious when one of His own precious children stumbles and falls.  God knows very well when we are cast down and unable to lift ourselves.  The Good Shepherd will leave 99 sheep to search and rescue one, and thus we know He will not hide Himself from us even when we are to blame for wandering from His side and into trouble.  God said to His people, "You shall surely help him lift them up again" and we can have confidence God will not hide Himself from us in our distress:  He will surely help lift us up again.  He is the lifter of our head and more still.  When Ezekiel was confronted with the glory of God and fell on his face, Ezekiel 2:1-2 reads:  "And He said to me, "Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you." ² Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me."  Ezekiel stood and heard, yet it was all God's doing.

When we struggle to rise and it seems God is far from us, know He is aware of our need for help.  He does not hide Himself from us to "teach us a lesson" but draws near to help lift us up so we might again walk in the light.  God is not to be blamed or at fault for our falls:  it is we who are weak, stray, stumble and fall and ironically are reluctant to seek or cry out to God in our distress.  He draws near to all who draw near to Him in faith, and should God be hidden from our sight most likely it is because we have not actually sought Him.  We have hoped in ourselves or looked for something or someone other than God to do what only He can.  Psalm 43:5 wisely says:  "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God."  By hope in God those who despair are made to praise Him with joy and gladness.

The Unchanging, Good God

Understanding context is very important.  Many times we have come into a conversation at the "wrong time" and were left confused or perhaps offended by what we heard because we didn't understand what was said before we arrived.  This can be applied to situations as well.  Imagine walking into a room and to your shock see masked people in white coats removing organs from a living human being.  To people ignorant of surgery, this would seem the most inexcusable, barbaric butchery.  What could seem cruel and horrific was a procedure done by trained, experienced professionals to promote the health of a consenting patient.

I believe this illustration of the one who unwittingly stumbles into an operating theatre is fitting for many people who read the Bible and are appalled by God's judgments and actions.  Even Christians can be confused and almost embarrassed God would judge people and nations that result in death.  Perhaps they had only been exposed to a view of God that emphasises His love, mercy and grace without comprehension of His righteousness, justice and wrath which complement one another.  They have come into a conversation without knowing God's revelation of Himself in truth; they have wandered into passages they cannot understand because they are not mixed with faith that God is good, His ways perfect, and He is our Peace.

No Christian needs to defend or apologise for anything God has done, for His righteous, loving and just ways are higher than ours.  When God chose to use the Canaanites, Philistines or Babylonians to judge His people by oppressing them or killing them in battle, He was wise in doing so.  There were also times God used the children of Israel as His instrument to judge other nations long in sin.  Know that this was never without warnings and opportunities to repent and submit to God.  The Law commanded the Hebrews give a proclamation of peace before attacking if their enemies would willingly surrender (Deut. 20:10).  Some might be aghast God would kill the firstborn of man and beast in Egypt with what would surely happen if they would not let His people go.  God said to Moses in Exodus 4:22-23, "Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the LORD: "Israel is My son, My firstborn. ²³ So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn."

Even as faith in God was required for Pharaoh to hear and heed the word of the LORD, so it is for those who read the Bible to obtain understanding and wisdom from it.  Those who are not convinced God is good, gracious, just and merciful will balk to receive the truth of scripture.  Refusal to submit to God's ways as right and our own perceptions and judgments as infinitely inferior will prevent us from walking in the fear of God.  As long as we stand in judgment of God as unnecessarily harsh and brutal, we blind ourselves from God's goodness to show the wickedness of sin.  It is not the licensed, skilled surgeon who has blood on his hands that is in the wrong, but those who call him a butcher because they--in their ignorance--do not agree with his methods.  God was willing to come to earth and shed His blood (Acts 20:28) so we could be forgiven, redeemed and saved, and He is the merciful and just God of the Old Testament as well.

The Shield of Faith

"Behold, I have created the blacksmith who blows the coals in the fire, who brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the spoiler to destroy. ¹⁷ No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me," says the LORD."

Isaiah 54:16-17

In Australia, there are homes that are "heritage-listed," which means they are old homes of cultural and historical interest.  These houses often have unique features from modern dwellings like vaulted ceilings, ornate moulding and carvings, or even quarried stone.  These homes can be expensive to renovate because of the rules and regulations established to ensure the character and appearance of the house is preserved and compliments the original.  "Heritage" in a basic sense suggests it has been inherited--like the ownership of a house is passed down through generations.

A lot of people are still waiting for the benefits of an inheritance given by others.  The inheritance God spoke about through the prophet Isaiah would be received and enjoyed by the Jews during the future millennial reign of their Messiah.  Spiritually speaking, however, this heritage for all who trust in Jesus Christ as LORD is to be received and enjoyed today by all believers.  God promised no weapon formed against His people would prosper, and no accusation brought against them would stick.  Even as God created the blacksmith with his tools and fire to bring forth metal instruments, so God is able to harness and direct Satan to accomplish God's will and redemptive purposes.  We see this in the crucifixion of Jesus.  Had the powers of darkness known how God would use Christ's atoning sacrifice to deliver souls from death to eternal life and spiritual fruitfulness, Satan would never have worked to that end.

In the New Testament, Paul utilised an analogy of a warrior's armour to explain the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer.  A Christian is able to "be strong in the LORD and in the power of His might," not by what we try to accomplish in the strength of our flesh, but by Who Jesus is and all He has created us to be in Him.  Paul wrote of an especially vital part of armour provided by the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 6:16, "...above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one."  Notice the shield of faith is able to quench "all the fiery darts" of the wicked one:  no weapon formed against us shall prosper.  There is no flaming arrow Satan can fire at us that can shatter the shield of faith in Jesus that extinguishes them.  Our strength is not our own; our righteousness is not our own.  In Christ by faith in Him we are given strength for the day and righteousness forever by His grace.

Above all we are to take the shield of faith with which we will be able to quench all the fiery darts of Satan.  Just because the shield is impenetrable and we are able does not guarantee a flaming arrow will not at times find the mark.  People with genuine, saving faith are not guaranteed to always walk by faith in Jesus.  Like Samson, a man greatly used by the LORD, we can think to ourselves in folly, "I will arise as at other times," thinking we are sufficient in ourselves to deliver ourselves!  Those who are in Christ ought to live by faith in Christ, and when we take steps of faith in obedience to Christ we are perfectly protected from all spiritual attacks and evil intent.  Job was greatly afflicted by Satan through loss and severe illness; Jesus was crucified and died on Calvary.  Yet Job was brought through the trial like gold refined seven times and doubly blessed, and Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into eternal glory.  I am convinced the greater our faith becomes the shield of faith is lighter and more effectively wielded, for the Holy Spirit helps us in our infirmities.

Senses to Discern

Little children put pretty much everything that comes to hand into their mouths, and as we mature as children of God we ought to learn to discern what is spiritually healthy and good for us and what is not.  Anyone can be infected with pinworms in their intestines, but it is young children who are most susceptible because they often put contaminated food or fingers in their mouth.  Age alone does not equal spiritual maturity, for Hebrews 5:12-14 says:  "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. ¹⁴ But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

Over time children in the ancient world were weaned from breastmilk to solid food, and it is important to point out the milk from a mother is not sterile.  From what I have read it is actually a living substance that contains all the necessary nutrients and microbes that promote the health and development of infants, strengthen their immune system and provide a healthy gut.  A time comes when the physical needs of babies and toddlers are met with solid food as they grow up.  Those who are born again by faith in Jesus are to acquire their spiritual nutrition from the word of God that is profitable for babes and those of "full age" alike.  As a baby hungers for milk from his mother or a person hard at work looks forward to a healthy lunch, so Christians are to satisfy their spiritual hunger by God's word they feed upon and put into practice.

It is important God's word provides the acceptable standard for what we will choose to receive.  Just because a book is written by a pastor or a worship song is sung by a well-known Christian artist, it does not follow it is guaranteed to be biblically sound.  As we grow older we learn to put the food we plan to eat to simple tests like how it looks, if it smells off or if there is something moving in it that should not be.  Sometimes we are not quite sure if the milk is fine or if leftovers are safe to eat, and in most cases it is good to be cautious to avoid what will make us sick or not agree with us.  Recently I bought an album by a Christian band that I have enjoyed very much, however there is a line I refuse to receive.  Just because lyrics rhyme or are catchy does not mean they are all true and accurate according to scripture.

As followers of Jesus, we must be discerning of what we read, sing or assume must be true lest we fall into error.  It is good when we recognise rotten doctrines and heresies before we drink them down, and by reason of use determine wholesome scripture interpretation in fellowship with other Christians.  Better than microbes, we have the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts and guides us into all truth.  He convicts of sin, of righteousness and judgment, helping us to walk in love and grace towards all.  We will never mature beyond our need for guidance, direction and wisdom from God's word, for they are the words of life that promote spiritual growth, health and fruitfulness.