DAY 274 ½

SOME BACKGROUND

I have been promising some background on Isaiah and this post for Day 274 ½ is the first installment. This background comes from The Message of Isaiah from the series The Bible Speaks Today written by Barry G. Webb and when a sentence is in quotations it is from this text.

I have already mentioned that Judah was a small nation, tiny really, but it is located at a strategic center linking Africa with Central Asia and the Far East. Judah lay at the center of the known world and had the audacity to claim that its God, the Lord, was the creator and effective ruler of everything. “Uzziah and his predecessors in the Davidic line were the Lord’s vice-regents whom he had installed on Zion, his holy hill, which would become the center of the new world. Judah lived in the conviction that the Lord was the true king, and looked forward to the day when all the world would know it.** This creed had not been difficult to believe during Uzziah’s long reign (791-740 BC)…” The once mighty Egypt was past its prime and weakened. Assyria was preoccupied with issues of its northern border. This allowed a period for both Judah and Israel to expand its borders and enjoy a great deal of prosperity…but as Uzziah’s reign drew to a close “it is clear that this state of affairs could not be maintained for much longer.” Five years before Uzziah’s death Assyria began to get things settled due to a new young ruler…and as the northern situation was settled the trajectory was clear…west and south to Syria, then Israel, then Judah, then…As the kingship of Judah transitioned from the 52 year reign of Uzziah to Jotham, to Ahaz, then Hezekiah. Hezekiah was a good king; we read about him in 2 Chronicles 29.

This is the period of time Isaiah prophesized during. You might remember in chapter 6, “In the year that King Uzziah died…” Isaiah saw his vision…it is this vision we are reading and studying…a vision of hope amid turmoil. A vision not just for Isaiah's day, but rather a vision for all when they/we think the world is coming apart. Isaiah's vision is God's vision for His world. Do you ever think we live on the brink of things coming apart? That is what will happen during Isaiah’s life…his world will come apart…which makes the vision and message of Isaiah vital to us today…because our worlds come apart—individually, at a family level, at a corporate level and beyond…our worlds come apart…and yet The Lord reigns.

In another post I will pick up on Hezekiah’s reign.

**Just an editorial comment: this idea that their God was the real king, it can go to your head, and you can confuse God’s reign, rule and power with your own sense of rightness and importance…anyone who now believe Jesus is the Christ is vulnerable to the same sense of misguided pride…we must remember that it is not about us, nor is it about our nations or churches or kingdoms…it is about God reconciling His world to himself.

DAY 274

LOOKING AT THE BEGINNING

Isaiah 9 & 10 and Ephesians 2

Yesterday I mistakenly commented on Ephesians 3, so today I will briefly comment on chapter 2. In this chapter Paul lays out glorious statements about God, Christ, and more; here is just a sampling:  

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹ In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

The statements have a sense of completed-ness to them – the verbs are “have been” and “are no longer” in other words “it” is done. What is the “it”? The “it” is our standing with God. The gift of Jesus when received makes us alive with God. We are restored.

Why does the New Testament make such a claim about Jesus? Because the New Testament proclaims the Jesus is “the Christ, the anointed, the Messiah.” What we read in Ephesians is the fulfillment of centuries of promise and prophecy and this Messiah is who Isaiah is beginning to speak of.

I write beginning because while you may be used to this language of Isaiah being applied to Jesus centuries after it was written, Isaiah when he wrote had no idea. And while Isaiah is writing and writing, and we are reading and reading, an interesting dynamic takes place in my mind. In my mind, as I come across the bits of Scripture that are often read at Christmas, I “get it”, but the rest is a bit confusing. So let’s sort it out a bit.

Last chapter, chapter 8, ended in darkness…thick darkness.  To sort out where we are lets circle back to chapter 5. In chapter 5 we met the metaphor of the vineyard; how God had planted it, but how it had not yielded good fruit. In chapter 6 Isaiah had his encounter with God and in 7 and 8 Isaiah met King Ahaz prophesized to him and his people and that prophecy ended with darkness – that prophecy was to the nation of Judah.

In chapter 9 Isaiah first prophesizes that this darkness is changed to light…this is the prophecy of the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace…the zeal of the Lord of host will do this—who is this? Isaiah and the people are not sure, all they know is that a child will be born and that child will lead them to light—over time he will bear the title Messiah.

However beginning in verse 8 the chapter turns. Isaiah, from 9:8 to 10:4 prophesizes against the Northern Kingdom, Israel (sometimes called Ephraim) and Syria. Then in 10:5 he turns and prophesizes against Assyria. [this is why I tried to “sketch out” the players yesterday.] So between chapters 5, 9 and 10 God speaks to all those who are not trusting in Him.

And yet in 10:20 the prophecy turns once again, and this time to the remnant. What is a remnant? A remnant is a “little bit that is left.” This too is a biblical image that begins in this Book of Isaiah. Isaiah is prophesying that these nations will be destroyed, but not completely. There will be a remnant; a small group of people who are faithful to God. The remnant is from both houses, both kingdoms…but wait; it is even bigger than those two houses. God speaking through Isaiah says that, of the increase of His (the Messiah’s) government and peace there will be no end. The people hearing Isaiah might ask “how” or “when.” There is more that God has to say through Isaiah and the other prophets about this Messiah. These are the prophets that the Jews studied for centuries, and who we are now studying. Can you imagine studying and studying, and then having it happen…the New Testament letters write to us from this perspective—a perspective of excitement and fulfillment—a perspective that requires a beginning.

DAY 273

ENCOURAGED OR DISCOURAGED

Isaiah 7 & 8 and Ephesians 3

I have not had the chance to provide you the historical setting, but we have to push into it a bit as we deal with chapter 7. You know some of this as we have read the history portion of the Old Testament. The prophets that we are now reading were speaking, speaking prophetically, during that history. The part that we are in is after King David and King Solomon. What was one nation are now two. The two parts are often referred to as the Northern Kingdom (Israel (and to make it even more confusing sometimes it is called Ephraim)) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah). While divided, when they were threatened by outside invasion, they would at times work together…when not threatened with invasion they would at times fight with each other (typical of family dynamics). Yet things have gotten worse.

King Ahaz is king of Judah in the south and it contains the city of Jerusalem. Ahaz is the eleventh king since Solomon. There is a bit of debate about the exact years of his reign (people wrestle over a decade or so) but here is the perspective to have…we are getting really close to Israel, and then Judah being conquered, carried off to exile, and no longer existing as a sovereign nation…a big deal.

In chapter 7 of Isaiah Ahaz faces two dilemmas. Assyria is on the rise and pushing south and west. The kings of Syria and Israel have formed an anti-Assyrian pact and they want, will even try and force, Judah (king Ahaz) to join them – even if that means deposing him and installing a puppet – we think it is 734 bc. Ahaz is panicked. He fears Syria and Israel invading, but he fears even more joining them to fight Assyria.

The prophet of God comes to him: do you think he will encouraged or discouraged?

When Isaiah confronts Ahaz he apparently has thought he would hold out and submit to Assyria. Isaiah has a radical idea. Don’t form any alliances and don’t submit to Assyria, but trust in the Lord God and He will deliver Ahaz and Judah (vv.7-9). Ahaz refuses (v. 12) and Isaiah prophesizes two things: first that Immanuel will be born, and second that Judah will be destroyed by the Assyria that Ahaz has foolishly turned to for help (vv. 17-20). The second prophecy will come to pass long before the birth of the Immanuel, the Christ.

Chapter 8 continues the dilemma. Two points: first is that this is a public prophecy. Whereas in chapter 7 Ahaz was privately told, here Isaiah is told to get witnesses and to write it out on a tablet in common character with witnesses…the point is to make sure everyone is given the chance to trust in the Lord. The second point is that a prophetess is to bear a son named “Quick to plunder-swift to spoil.” This is a prophecy that says that the two countries to the north, that want Judah to join them, will be destroyed. It is a prophecy made in public so that when it happens everyone will know it is a word from the Lord – that Isaiah speaks for the Lord.

Chapter 8 verse 11 ends with the phrase “God with us” which is the translation of Immanuel that we read in chapter 7. These two are connected and chapter 8 goes onto to describe how people we react to Immanuel. It is a chapter that is pronouncing dark judgment upon those who have abandoned the Lord…so dark that they will be thrust into thick darkness.

Are you encouraged or discouraged by this text. Is this a text that is a text of a God of judgment or mercy? Some would say judgment, but I think it is one of mercy. Here are God’s people and God’s king. They have not trusted him for generations…many generations. And yet God says, “Trust me!” They say “No, we are too scared.” Notice that God does not utterly abandon them. He says that they will be thrown into darkness, a darkness they have in essence thrown themselves into. Yet God say, don’t worry, I will send Immanuel…that is mercy…this is the mystery of the ages that Paul speaks of in Ephesians…re-read that bit in Ephesians with this idea of Immanuel in mind.

Encouraged or discouraged is something I need to be thinking of more often…God is well justified to abandon us, and yet He is with us…

DAY 272

WHEN DO YOU THINK GOD FIRST THOUGHT OF YOU?

Isaiah 5 & 6 and Ephesians 1

WOW! The texts today, all of them have big important things to say. I want to write to you about what was going on in Isaiah’s world when he was hearing God, and I want to write you a little about the structure of the Book of Isaiah…but neither of those are topics for today, or tomorrow. Next week I will try and post some thoughts about them.

Today I want to speak first and foremost about the question I titled this blog with: When do you think God first thought of you? Before you read the next sentence, pause and try and answer it. Was it when you were born? Was it when you were conceived? When? It says in Ephesians 1, a portion of verse 4 the following, “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world…” He chose us—in him—before the foundation of the world. One Bible translator says it this way, “Before God made the world…he thought of you!” What an amazing idea…that God thought of us.

The second big thing to notice is Isaiah 5 and the vineyard. The chapter is a love poem. John Stott writes that Isaiah audaciously refers to God as his beloved and to God’s people, Israel, as a vineyard…and God has done everything, everything, to make this vineyard fruitful…but it is not. Then come six woes: illegal acquisition of land (v.8), excessive consumption of alcohol (v.11-12), a brazen defiance of God (18-19), a perverse transfer of moral categories (v.20), conceit (v.21), and the corruption and denial of human rights (vv.22-23). I will later write more about the society of Isaiah’s day, but you are getting a good picture. What I want to suggest to you is the metaphor of vineyard. Can you hear Jesus telling a story about it (John 15)? Israel, and you and I, are thought of as vineyard…something God has worked at, worked hard at, done all he can…you might say the vineyard is something God planned…even thought about beforehand…all so that you and I produce good fruit.

The third big thing is Isaiah 6. “Woe is me, I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips.” Isaiah finds himself in a dramatic scene before God. The hem of God’s robe fills the temple and Isaiah is undone. What would you do if you came face-to-face with the Living God…even if it is the hem of His robe? Isaiah has a healthy sense of himself; he knows he is not perfect. He knows he makes mistakes. He knows therefore that he should not be in presence of God. But God thought of Isaiah before Isaiah was born…and God has a plan for Isaiah so long as Isaiah is open to God’s leading. “Whom shall I send…send me Lord…”

The point of all this gives me pause…God thought of it, of you, and of me…before he thought of the cosmos. If this is true then I pray you will no longer have self image issues…and I pray you will have a richer sense of how much God cares for and loves you…and I pray that you will, like Isaiah, offer yourself more to God and His service.

DAY 271

STAYING WITH THE SWEEP

Isaiah 3 & 4 and Galatians 6

We will spend the next 21 days in the company of Isaiah. Over the course of these three weeks we will take a few diversions into the New Testament texts for the day, but for this day we begin Isaiah.

Volumes have been written about this amazing book and the blog entries will be less a “chapter and verse” commentary, and more a few comments about the sweep of what we are reading…and that sweep begins in with the very first words “hear o heavens, listen o earth…for the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah stands up and summons heaven and earth to hear. Isaiah stands and proclaims a vision, a huge vision, and a vision that ends in chapter 66 with a new heaven and a new earth…a new kingdom.

This prophet stands at a unique place on the earth and a unique place in time. I have not mentioned (odd as we are 270 days in) that when we consider the nation of Judah and Israel, especially their size, you would think they are not of any import. But here are two things that are amazing. While the large nation of Egypt is to the south, and the emerging power of Assyria is to the north…Israel stands at the cross roads. The Via maris (the way of the sea) lies on one side and the Kings highway on the other. Commerce and culture travels through Israel: commerce and culture travels through a place where the Lord God is to be king.

People with Biblical eyes perceive God planting His people, His lights to the world, exactly in this spot in order that He may be known, worshipped and obeyed. But in Isaiah’s day things are changing. The chosen people are not shining God’s light, it might go out, and so Isaiah is called to speak out. As he speaks we here in the first chapter both judgment and hope: he calls them to account, but then (speaking for God) says, “Come let us reason together, those you sins are like as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…” v.18. There is the hope of God. And further, as we enter into chapter 2 we hear of the “mountain of the Lord”…when we read that in Isaiah we are being invited to look forward into the coming Kingdom of God. In many ways, from 1:1 to 2:5 the vast sweep of the book has been laid out, and now come the details of judgment and salvation.

When I read two, three and four chapters of a book like Isaiah, I try less to figure out all the details, and more to allow it to wash over me. I recommend you try the same. I will try and draw your attention to themes and other ideas along the way. In many ways it is trying to stay with the sweep and tone of the prophet’s message.

DAY 270

WHAT KIND OF FRUIT ARE YOU?

Isaiah 1 & 2 and Galatians 5

“What kind of fruit are you?” Or maybe I should say “What kind of fruit do you produce?” (The first question is more fun.)

Today we start Isaiah, and I will write about this new book of the Bible tomorrow. Today let’s finish Galatians. Yes there will be one more day of reading it, but in many ways we get to a beautiful climax in chapter five. Let’s retrace our steps:

1.      Paul is upset that the Galatian church seems to be thinking they have to “do something” to receive God’s love, and so he outlines why they do not.

2.      We have read how there is no longer Greek/Jew, slave/free, male/female.

3.      We have read how we are adopted as sons and daughter – heirs!

4.      We have read how we are “known by God.”

We come now to Paul proclaiming that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free, do not submit again to a yoke of slavery…in other words, receive God’s love and do not fall back into the trap of having to think you have to earn it…stay free!

That sounds great. Then we get what seems like a long list of do’s and don’ts in vv. 16-21. How do you understand this list? Does it sound like law? Is Paul suggesting follow his rules vice the rules of those other people? Not at all! And here is the crux of following Jesus.

Following Jesus means accepting his, God’s, love. Following Jesus means being secure in the knowledge of God’s love. Following Jesus means choosing life. When you decide to follow Jesus, it is not as if someone waves a magic wand over your head and everything inside of you becomes perfect…not at all…it means you have decided to let Him lead you on a journey. There will be flat parts and there will be steep parts. In other words you will have walking and working to do.

If I might change the metaphor: following Jesus means being planted in God’s soil and not some other. It means being nourished by God’s Word and Sacraments. When you do these things fruit will be produced. I love how Paul changes his language. He writes, “the works of the flesh are…, but the fruit of the Spirit is…” Works versus fruit: you cannot go get “patience” and tape it to yourself…it must grow from what you are rooting yourself in and feeding yourself.

Paul’s point is root yourself in the freedom of God’s love in Jesus Christ…not any human works.

DAY 269

BEING ABLE TO DISTINGUISH

Song of Solomon 6, 7 & 8 and Galatians 4

“Your hair is like a flock of goats leaping down the slopes of Gilead…” Not the best line to “impress your girl,” but read on and you can sense the emotion…Come my beloved…for many waters cannot quench love…” The Song of Solomon speaks of true love.

Love—a challenging word. I have written earlier that I love my wife and I love pizza: obviously not the same. We need to be able to distinguish between the two.

In this portion of the letter to the Galatians we are presented with two religions and two ministries. Paul is trying to get this church to be able to distinguish between Gospel faith and worldly religion (vv. 8-11), and he is trying to get them to distinguish between Gospel ministry and worldly ministry (vv. 12-20). It is one of the most important insights of this letter…and it matters that we understand the contrasts and see how to spot them in our world today.

Turning first to religion: in v. 8 we read how that at one time they were enslaved—what were they enslaved to? The answer on the surface is idolatry. At a higher level it is a belief that by human action they can save themselves. In v. 9 we see the opposite…Paul intentionally starts the sentence with “us knowing God” (as if we are in control) and then he switches to “being known by God.” Being known by God—describes a relationship not a religion. The first difference to be able to note in this world today is the difference between religions where we think we are ones “doing” what makes us right with God…as compared to a relationship God offers to us. The only place you can find the later is with and through Jesus Christ…all other religions…literally 100% of every other religion in the world…has you having to do something for you to satisfy God. In Jesus, He has done it all. The issue in Galatia was being able to distinguish between adopting Jewish laws over against staying free in the relationship through Christ.

Onto ministry: Paul highlights that he became like them for them. His ministry is flexible. He is a Jew. He is circumcised. He can and probably does follow the Jewish law…but he does not expect them to. His ministry is also transparent in that his weakness is on display for them. This ministry contrasts to the other type…the type where “they make much of you only to shut you out.”

The story of Hagar and Sarah is meant to illustrate these points, but I don’t think I have the time to unpack them.

So let me circle back and end with love—it is also the word we often lean into when we speak of God’s love for us. And He does love us: for when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons and daughters. And because you are sons and daughters, God has sent the Spirit of his son into our hearts…”

Sons and daughters…if you and I can somehow get this into our hearts we will have a much easier time spotting and staying away from false religions and self-serving ministries. 

DAY 268

JUST ONE MORE THING…

Song of Solomon 4 & 5 and Galatians 3

Anyone who every watched the TV show Columbo knows that the line, “just one more thing” never-ever meant ONE.

Consider for a moment the following scenario. Let’s say you have figured something out, for example, how to finally get a good night’s sleep. You have struggled for years and someone has come along and given you just the right piece of information, you receive it, and sleep well. After a little while someone else comes along, hears your story, notes that it is terrific you’ve learned how to sleep, but they tell you that it is not enough. They say you have to do more. Not only do you have to sleep, but you have to work at sleeping nine hours a night. They pull out studies and more to show you. The next night you sleep, but wake after 7 hours and 52 minutes. You think, “oh no, I need to sleep longer, I must work at sleeping longer.” For the next 1 hour and 8 minutes you try and try. Finally at the 9^th hour you jump out of bed, exhausted, so that you can end this mandatory “slumber.” Sound silly? Of course, it does. But let’s say you work at it and manage to do it. You meet those “nine hours of sleep advice givers” and tell them the good news. They say, “Great, nine hours of sleeping on your back is perfect.” You say, “On my back…no I sleep on my side.” To which they reply, “No, no this is terrible you must sleep on your back.” That night you try, and things go from bad to worse. Silly…stupid even…of course…and this is what Paul is taking about as he begins chapter 3.

Paul begins you “stupid” Galatians. Some Bibles translate it “foolish” but “stupid” is equally accurate. Here is what is going on. As I have said, the Galatians have received the Good News that Jesus, God the Son, came to earth, took all our sins on the Cross, put them to death, and then He defeated death. That those who believe in the Son of God can have their sins, their mistakes, dealt with by the Cross—in fact God offers this gift freely. And this is not a “transaction” but rather an invitation to a lifelong relationship with God.

The Galatians have received this gift. But then some other Jewish Christians come into the city and say, “Yes it is wonderful you have received Jesus, now you just need to become Jewish, so get circumcised (ouch!). Let’s say some men do. The next word they would receive is, “Great, but just one more thing.” There is not one more, there are 630+ more. What happened to the good night’s sleep…I mean that free gift of Grace from God? It just got removed.

Paul is more than a bit annoyed. He has to deal with a few things—what about how the Jewish people are chosen and from Abraham, and what about the Law, are not these good things? Paul points out that Abraham “believed and it was counted to him as righteousness”—you have read this in Genesis. Abraham believed…not Abraham did something. And what about being Jewish? It is a good thing because it is through the Jewish line, through Abraham, that Messiah has come for the world. BUT HERE IS THE POINT…for there is no longer Jew/Greek, slave/free, male/female…for we are all one in Christ Jesus. You have read this before in Romans, but in Galatians Paul makes the point a bit differently which is good for us to study again.

So what of the Law? Again, we spoke about this when we read Romans. The Law kept us on track until Jesus Christ came. The Law reveals how God hopes we would live. The Law also reveals how we cannot live this way and so we need God. And God in his mercy has given himself to us through the Cross. And once we “get it” we have not completed a transaction, there is not “just one more thing,” rather we have entered a new life…one that never ends.

DAY 267

WHAT GOD INTENDS

Song of Solomon 1, 2, & 3 and Galatians 2

There are two general streams of interpretation about this potent Book, the Song of Solomon. The first is that it is a collection of love poems between and a man and a woman celebrating the sexual relationship God intended for marriage. Yes it is explicit. It is explicit in the beauty and power and passion of the deep interconnectedness between husband and wife. The second interpretation is that it represents the union of Christ and his church. It might be acceptable to function at both levels. I tend to prefer the first. Why (you might ask)? Because so often the church is viewed as uptight about sex. There is nothing uptight in this book. Young Jewish boys were actually not allowed to read it. I am pleased that we can in God’s Word celebrate sex when it is being practiced as God intended.

How God intends “things” is what many of us wrestle with, even today. Make a list of the moral hot button issues – from capital punishment, to abortion, to same-gender marriage, to end-of-life medical treatment, to stem cell research…the list is endless. Many divisions have arisen in churches over these and other issues. I have often said if we could “wave a magic wand” so that the church agreed on all the issues, then give us a day or so and we will find more to disagree on.

So knowing what God intends – and church unity – are important issues. In fact it is exactly what Paul is working on in Galatians. In chapter two he: 1 – lays out how he has gone to Jerusalem and what his standing as an apostle is. 2 – He presents the situation and gets resolution. 3 – He again presents the Gospel. Let’s look at each.

1.      He lays out that situation and in doing so he is walking a razor’s edge. He is an apostle. He is going to the other apostles. If he leans too much on their authority, then it might indicate he really does not think he is one. If he leans too far the other way then he might be indicating he is not concerned about unity.

He walks this line well and then lays out the issue. The issue is some Jews who are followers of Jesus have come to Galatia (after Paul has planted churches and given them the Gospel) and told the Galatian gentile Christians that it is good that they have accepted Jesus, but they must also be circumcised and keep the Jewish law…there it is…the Gospel PLUS something…in this case circumcision.

2.      So Paul presents the situation and gets a resolution. They only need the Gospel. He even challenged Peter when he strayed from this “freedom in Christ.” Using the language used earlier in this post, the key is “what does God intend for these Gentiles?” Paul, very concerned with church unity, is equally concerned with presenting the pure Gospel.

3.      This brings us to the third point. He again present the Gospel in verse 16: we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.

In the next few chapters of Galatians we will spend more time looking at the full implications of just what this means.

DAY 266

GOSPEL+

Ecclesiastes 10, 11 & 12 and Galatians 1

I tried to “wrap up” Ecclesiastes yesterday and make room for the start of Galatians today. Yesterday, the point I was trying to make is made at the end of Galatians…”The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

Which brings us to Galatians: you might be groaning saying, “Oh no, not another letter from Paul!” Before you cringe let me just try and get out in front of this letter a bit. The letter is written to churches in Galatia. The letter is addressing an issue that the church has. The good news is that two things will emerge in this letter – first we will be able to understand the “issue” that Paul is writing about, and the second is that Paul will in a multiplicity of ways present “the Gospel” – what it is and what it is not.

For today it might be simple enough to plant a small seed with you…the Galatians have received the Gospel – which is terrific – but they have added to it. The picture at the top of this blog post for today is a fragment of one of the oldest pieces of papyrus that contains the Gospel. The Galatians have decided they need more; they have come up with a sort of “Gospel-Plus” [or Gospel+]. The letter will take a look at not only what they have added, but what is the effect of “adding” to the Good News. In the end we will better understand the Gospel.

Just a couple of quick points:

1.      Paul normally has a section where he expresses thanks, but in this letter he does not, rather he is astonished, Paul seems quite agitated.

2.      Verse 4 is a rather short summary of the Gospel – we were lost (we had to be rescued) and so God gave Himself to deliver us. There it is, in a nutshell.

3.      This is a divine message, not even the angels could change it.

DAY 265

SITTING ON A PORCH “RUMINATING”

Ecclesiastes 7, 8 & 9 and 2 Corinthians 13

If you have been following Ecclesiastes closely, then you may feel like at times it contradicts itself. In chapter 1:16-17 we read that the preacher sought wisdom, but the seeking of it was folly. Today we read that wisdom isn’t so bad after all.

So just how are you to “read” and even more so “hear” the Book of Ecclesiastes? Is this just an example of why the Bible is not to be read? Let me give you an image. Picture two or three old timers sitting on a front porch in their chairs; maybe there is a dog or two at their feet, and they are “talking.” Have you ever been witness to one of those conversations? I have. They go “round-and-round.” One says something, and that gets the other to “thinking.” Sometimes they keep the same line of thought, sometimes they go off in another direction, and sometimes they seem to contradict one another. There is the back and forth, this meandering around that you experience. It can be quite maddening. If you have sat there long enough you know that for all the wandering there is usually a point. These old timers have spent enough time with each other that they know they actually agree. And in fact their musings are rather nuanced.

Consider just a piece of chapter 7: 16 Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? 17 Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time? 18 It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them. 19 Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. 20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. 

Be not “overly righteous” really? Is that like aiming for a grade of A- or B+ in righteousness? No, it means don’t be too full of how righteous you are…think of how the Pharisees and the religious of Jesus’ day considered themselves righteous…so much so that they would not associate with “sinners.” The point is don’t think you are too perfect…is not that what the preacher says in verse 20? (Romans 3:23 is not the first place in the Bible the imperfection of humans is spoken of.)

There is also some wonderful practical advice: 21Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. 22Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others. Do you worry about what others say…Ecclesiastes says don’t…and yet this bit of wisdom is buried in an entire section on the value of wisdom…my point? You are sitting on the front porch and the conversation zigs and zags. It winds around and you wonder if it is going anywhere.

It is! Consider: 23 All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me…For it is God (who) made man upright (7:29) and Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked? (7:13). [You may recall in 1:15 there was a statement that what was made crooked cannot be made straight. The point, humans cannot, but God can “straighten.]

The teaching in the Book of Ecclesiastes is not that wisdom or righteousness or other good things are bad…quite the opposite. The Book is trying to make a point…what is “it?” Well the “it” is not so much a thing, as “it” is a way of thinking. The “it” is chasing after the something, and the preacher has gone through his litany of things he chased after—some inherently good (such as wisdom) and some inherently dangerous (such as wealth and pleasure). His conclusion is that it is folly to think that as humans we can successfully “chase after and catch” something all by ourselves. That sort of vanity will lead to the thing you are trying to catch—catching you. God has greatly gifted humankind, but Ecclesiastes is a warning to us to make sure we do not spend ourselves chasing after something…rather we should “chase after”—seek—God.

In our day an age we have a fancy word for the point of view that holds that humankind can figure it all out…and not only that…but that we all by ourselves can make the world better, perfect even…that word is Humanism. Humanism is the belief that we are endowed with all we need to make the world a better place…in other words we do not need God. This view is rampant and it relegates religion to superstition. I would suggest that a few old men sitting on a porch in their chairs might have another point of view…Ecclesiastes certainly does.

DAY 264

WHAT IMPRESSES YOU?

Ecclesiastes 4, 5 & 6 and 2 Corinthians 12

Today in Ecclesiastes we see the preacher struggle with evil…it is everywhere and it is a bit discouraging, but don’t give up yet, we have not finished the book.

Pushing into 2 Corinthians leads me to see what is going on and Paul’s approach. The stage that has been set is that there are spiritual leaders in Corinth leading the people astray. Apparently they are very impressive.

Paul has “boasted” a bit. He boasted in chapter 11 and in this chapter, verse 1, he goes onto visions and revelations. But then he says, “I knew a man who 14 years ago was caught up to the third heaven,” to which you might say, “Huh?” What is the third heaven—I do not know. And isn’t 14 years a bit of a long time? It is, and Paul then switches to his weakness, and how he asked God to remove a “thorn.”

What is the point of all this? It seems to be a bit of rambling. Here is how I understand it. Paul since chapter 10 has been taking issue with people who have been leading the Corinthian church astray. He hints at the fact that they are somehow continuing to sin at the end of chapter 12. His issue is that these “super-apostles” (cf. 11:5) who perhaps “are impressive” because they see visions—these are leading them astray. Paul is concerned for his flock.

And so he points them to God. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” is what God proclaims. We know from the Old Testament that God often works through the least and the lost. The point is do not be overly taken by “super spiritual people.” Being dependent upon God is good and should be the norm for all of us. I can remember holding onto that verse in the dark days of my divorce. I felt utterly weak. It was God who carried me through. And it was that experience which has greatly deepened my faith in God. If I believe in God more than I did years ago, it is because of my weakness.

What impresses you? Super-apostles or is it God’s presence when you are weak?