48 - and counting!

It would be very nice, in some ways, to have the heading refer to my biological age. However, I must confess that it doesn't. 😞

What it does refer to is the number of years of marriage that my wife and I have celebrated, today. 😊

Yes, it was a full forty-eight years ago that I stood at the front of the sanctuary of St George's-Tron Parish Church, facing my minister, the late Rev George B.Duncan, and with one of my brothers standing by my side. Adam Hair, the organist, was playing a gentle medley of familiar Christian tunes when, suddenly, he stopped and, after a moment's pause, the strains of Handel's beautiful 'Largo', from his opera Xerxes, wafted from the organ pipes.

I knew what that signified, and turned to look over my left shoulder to see a vision in white come walking down the aisle, on her father's arm. If Mr Duncan had leaned forward at that moment, and asked me if I was certain that I loved this girl enough to be willing to spend the rest of our lives together, I would have replied that it was impossible for any human being to love any other human being as much as I loved this girl who was about to become my wife. And I would have meant every syllable!

Forty-eight years later I realise that I would not have known what I was talking about! My love for my wife, today, is a million times greater that it was all of those years ago. She has been my wife, my lover, my support, my encourager, the mother of our two beautiful daughters, homemaker, friend - the list could go on. My life would certainly not have been the same without her by my side. She has stuck with me through good times, and not as good times. I thank Father God for her every day, and pray that, as the Rapture is delayed, we will be granted many more years to love, and share, and be with one another; and to serve Him both as individuals, and as a couple.

The Word of God makes much use of the marriage analogy. In the Tanakh (the Old Testament), the nation of Israel is referred to as the wife of YHWH; in the New Testament (the BritHadasha), the church is seen as the bride of the Christ (HaMashiach). The obviously common theme is that of love. "For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing wrath for a moment I hid My face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you, says YHWH, your Redeemer." (Is.54:7-8). "I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to Christ, to present you as a pure bride to her one husband." (II Cor.11:2) However, the love of God is infinitely greater than even the greatest love that any couple may have for one another - even after 48 years (or 50, or 60, or 70, or more!). Indeed, as John writes in his account of the Gospel: "God loved the world so much that He gave His only-begotten Son - the unique One - that whoever places their trust in Him may not perish but have, here and now, eternal life." (3:16; slightly paraphrased).

It is also the case, certainly for the true disciple of Jesus that, as we live our lives with Him, and are drawn ever closer to Him, we love Him more, and long to love Him more than even that. And we try to please Him in all that we do. That, I would claim, is my desire towards my wife. Of course, as a mere mortal, I don't always achieve that desire - when the jokes have all been finished, I know that I am not, and never have been, the 'perfect' husband. And I am not a perfect man. However, I am so grateful that my dear wife is still with me, and that we have been able to work through the difficult times. And I am so grateful that the Lord forgives me as I come to Him in repentance and faith. It must also be said that He has never, ever, let me down! 

This is where the Third Persona (see my book 'Great Words of the Faith', the chapter on 'The Trinity') of the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit, comes in. It is as He works in me, that I am, little by little, made to be more like Jesus. A little home-made plaque on my study wall reads: "In this life I shall never be sinless; but by the grace of God, I may sin less." That is sanctification - and that is the Work of Holy Spirit, Himself, in my life.

I don't know if you are married, or not. If you are, I don't know for how long you have been married. I do know that even the best marriage is no substitute for the relationship that you may have with your Creator. My marriage to my wife is "until God shall separate us by death". My relationship with Father God, through the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus at Calvary, is not only for time, but also for eternity. Married, or not, have you entered into that relationship? If not - why not?!

Noah, and the Flood.

Okay - as stated last month, I am planning (DV) to look at one well-known passage from the Tanakh (the Hebrew/Jewish Scriptures; the 'Old Testament/Covenant') each month. Each passage will take 3-4 posts but, if enough people show an interest, I plan to follow this through for a number of months.

This month we move from the Creation record, to the Flood, and look at the Biblical character of Noah (Noach in Hebrew) - the only man in his generation who was considered, by God, to be righteous. So we read that: "In his generation, Noach was a man righteous and wholehearted; Noach walked with God." (Gen.6:9; Complete Jewish Bible).  In the Hebrew language, Noach is described as "tzadik" (righteous = right in the sight of God), and "tamim" (pure; innocent; complete, faultless). This is in complete contrast to the time in which he lived: "The earth was corrupt before God, the earth was filled with violence. God saw the earth, and, yes, it was corrupt; for all living beings had corrupted their ways on the earth." (vs.11-12, CJB). Only six chapters into the Bible, and the world is already filled with violence and corruption. Of course, this is what happens when mankind turns its back upon its Creator, and seeks to live its own way, rather than follow His way!

The result of all of this was that Almighty God vowed to destroy every living person - with the exception of righteous Noach and his family. These eight people would be miraculously saved in an "ark" - the English language word comes from the Latin 'arca', meaning a chest or box in which items were kept safe. The Hebrew word, "tebah" means simply "box" so, in spite of the fact that it's described/depicted as a boat in a lot of children's books, it was simply a large wooden box! This also answers the criticism that Noach and his sons would not have had any boat-building skills as they did not live close to water (some unwarranted assumptions in that claim, but we'll let them go!). Almost anyone can build a box! Of course the point of the ark was not that it would be seaworthy, but rather that it would preserve the lives of the people in it!

Noach may not have understood what he was doing; he may have been subjected to mockery; he may have been totally ignored. But Noach obeyed God, even although he saw no evidence of the coming deluge, and had never experienced anything like it before. Indeed, that is the reason why he is included in the the letter to Hebrew disciples of Yeshua, in the Brit Hadashah (New Testament/Covenant): "By trusting, Noach, after receiving divine warning about things as yet unseen, was filled with holy fear and built an ark to save his household. Through this trusting, he put the world under condemnation and received the righteousness that comes from trusting." (Heb.11:7; CJB). His absolute faith on God, that resulted in such an uncompromising obedience, was the reason that he was able to truly enter a place of total rest, when the flood eventually came. In fact, the meaning of his Hebrew name is "rest"! He was not a man who leaned on his own understanding of a situation, but one who trusted in the Word of the Lord - and was obedient to it!

Too often we try to reason everything out - the Greek influence! - and make sure that something makes sense, or agrees with our theology, before complying with Father God's commands. The Letter to the Hebrew disciples of Yeshua, again: "For the one who has entered God’s rest has also rested from his own works, as God did from His. Therefore, let us do our best to enter that rest (noach - the rest of obedience); so that no one will fall short because of the same kind of disobedience." (4:10-11; CJB).

If there is just one lesson to be learned from the record of Noach, it is surely one of unquestioned obedience - regardless of the cost. May all of us who claim to follow Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus, the Messiah) be found also to be obedient - for our own good, and for the greater glory of Father God.

So, when was Jesus really born?!

Less than a fortnight to go - and it will be Christmas Day. That, of course, as everyone knows, is the day on which the Baby Jesus was born. Well, actually, there are two mistakes in that statement! First of all, there are very many who do not know that this day celebrates the incarnation of the unique Son of God - coming into the world that He had created, in the human flesh that He had created. Many, sadly, seem to think that it was when "Santa Claus"(aka "Father Christmas") was born; or that it is just another excuse for a break from work, parties, special food, loads of alcohol, and presents.

The second error in the statement is that Jesus was born on Dec. 25th. Many will claim that we simply do not know the date of that momentous event, but accept that Dec. 25th. is one of the least likely contenders. However, it is possible to deduce, if not the precise day, certainly a very limited period in which the Christ-child was laid in an animals' feeding-trough.

As I have been discovering over the past few years, one of the problems we face as disciples of that same Jesus is that, too early in its life, the church lost sight of its Hebraic roots. It may be said to have started with a Hellenistic ("Greekised") Jew named Philo of Alexandria who lived from about 20 BC until 50 AD - covering the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus. It was he who, through those who followed his teaching, introduced Greek philosophical ideas into the the church from its earliest days. This led to a departure from the Hebrew mindset, which was totally different from that of the Greeks.

So, we find that if we revert to Hebraic thinking, we can indeed, place the birth of the Lord Jesus to within a week or two! How may we do so? Well, let's start with the record of Luke where we find, in the first chapter, the account of the birth of John, who was to be known as the Baptiser. Zacharias, John's father, was a priest on duty in the Temple in Jerusalem (N.B. the cult of Islam had not yet even been dreamed of!). Luke records that "Zacharias was a member of the Abijah division of the Temple service corps." (1:5; Living Bible Translation). Scholars can show us that this division served in the month of Tamuz - the fourth month in the Hebrew calendar. Elizabeth, Zacharias' wife, conceived shortly after his encounter with the archangel Gabriel (v.24) and, in due course, gave birth to her son.

However, after six months of Elizabeth's pregnancy, a young girl named Mary - a close relative of Elizabeth - also conceived supernaturally. In her case, the conception was even more amazing, as no man was involved. Rather, she conceived through the activity of God the Holy Spirit (v.35). Her conception may be dated as during the month  of Shvat and, nine months later, the Child was born - in the month Tishrei. This is the time of year which, in our Gregorian calendar, is marked by the period of September/October. 

Tishrei is also the time of the year when the Jewish people celebrate Succoth - the Feast of Tabernacles. Is it merely a coincidence that John, in his account of the Gospel record, states that "... the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth;" (1:14), when we know that the word translated "dwelt" is the equivalent of "tabernacled"? We would also note that the original Tabernacle - the forerunner of the Temple - signified the presence of YHWH, the Covenant Name of God, with His chosen people.

I am learning, in these days, to try to see the Scriptures of both the Tanakh (the "Old Covenant") and the Brit Hadashah (the "New Covenant") with a more Hebraic mindset. It doesn't just help me to realise that Yeshua (Jesus) was born at a specific time in the Jewish calendar. It also helps me to understand more of what God would say to me, and us, in these end times. Glory to His Name.