Judgment Is Coming.

Writing to the believers in the "eternal city" of Rome, Paul makes this statement: "So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." (14:12).

Centuries later, American statesman Benjamin Franklin wrote: "Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." However, there is only one thing that is absolutely certain, and it is neither death, nor taxes. It is that every single one of us will have to face Almighty God for an accounting of our individual lives!

 

So, we would be wise to take heed of the warning given to the Children of Israel, by the prophet Amos, some 500 years before Paul: "Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel" (4:12); and the words of the anonymous wrote of the Letter to Hebrew disciples of Jesus: "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." (9:27).

Of course, the disciple of Jesus has no need to fear, for "There is therefore now no condemnation (judgment) for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Rom.8:1). How can this be? It is so because the Lord Jesus has paid for our sins and purchased our redemption with His shed blood. He "was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Rom.4:25).

Nevertheless, even as His disciples, we still "must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ" (II Cor. 5:10), where "the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire." (I Cor. 3:13-15). In other words, we need have no fear when we appear before the Father, because the Son will be beside us saying "This one, Father, is mine"! However, we will then appear before the Saviour, Who will judge all that we did "in the body" (II Cor. 5:10). Now that could refer to our fleshly, mortal, bodies. However, the same Greek word is used to refer to the church, as the body of the Christ, and so I believe that this is how Paul is using it here. It is our Christian life that will be judged by the Lord Jesus, because all that went before our conversion was dealt with at our conversion.

Those who die in unbelief, however, not having trusted Christ as their Saviour, will face a different meeting with God. The apostle John describes the awesome scene as he saw it in the Revelation he was given of the Lord Jesus. "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done." (Rev. 20:12). But no one can ever be saved by his works (Eph. 2:9). Therefore, "if any one’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." (Rev. 20:15). 

I commented, at the beginning of this post, that not even death is certain! That may have raised a few eyebrows. However, God's Word teaches that there will be a rapture - a snatching up - of true disciples of Jesus before the final time of tribulation. Paul writes: "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord." (I Thess.4:16-17).

So, those who are "raptured" will include both believers who have already tasted physical death, and those who are still physically alive at that moment. They are those who will never die! 

I am one of many who are utterly convinced that we are in the very last days, leading up to that rapture. Are you ready for it? If not, then I urge you to act, and to do so quickly. If I may be of any further help, please feel free to contact me using the e-mail address at the top of the blog.

Promises!

It's been an interesting week, certainly in the UK. These past days have seen the publication of the manifestos of the various political parties who are putting forward candidates in the forthcoming General Election.

Unsurprisingly, these manifestos are full of promises designed to persuade the unthinking voter to support a particular party at the polling booth. The problem, of course, as many of us who have been around for a fair number of years are aware, is that after the election, most of these promises are quickly forgotten. They are consigned to the dustbin of history. They are seldom actually implemented.

Is it any wonder, then, that so many people have lost all confidence in the political élite? If I make a promise to someone, and fail to keep that promise (and, I admit, this has occasionally happened!), I will not be surprised if, next time I make a promise to that person, they take it with the proverbial 'pinch of salt'!

God's Word, the Bible, is full of promises. Of course, we must note that there are two types of promise - conditional, and unconditional. In the case of the former, there are conditions that are required to be met before the promise is kept; in the latter, the promise is entirely due to the grace of the maker.

The (almost!)all-knowing Dr Google will be able to provide you with many lists of promises that are found in God's Word. However, permit me to share a few of my own favourites!

In Psalm 37, David is used to share three specific promise: "you will dwell in the land, and enjoy security."; "He (the Lord) will give you the desires of your heart."; "He (the Lord) will act." (on  your behalf). (vs.3-5) . However, if we look at those verses in context, we discover that they are all conditional: "Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will dwell in the land, and enjoy security. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act." (emphases added). Conditional promises!

In Matthew 6, part of what we refer to as "the Sermon on the Mount", the Lord Jesus goes through a long list of things necessary for everyday living (vvs.25ff). He points out that we have no need to be anxious about such matters because the heavenly Father is aware of what we need, and that "all these things shall be yours as well." (v.33). However, again, when we look at the context: "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well." (v.33; emphasis added). A conditional promise.   

Isaiah 41 has a wonderful promise, specifically for the Children of Israel but in the principle of which, disciples of Jesus may also take confort: "... fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My victorious right hand." (v.10). Read the previous two verses - no conditions; all is of the LORD.

And we could go on, and on, and on. However, what I wish to emphasise is that Almighty God keeps His promises! Take some time to check out those that have been fulfilled - and be assured that those that have not yet been fulfilled, shall be! Indeed, we are living at a time when more and more of those previously unfulfilled promises are being realised. Praise His Name, He is not a mortal politician!

I leave you with one more promise, made by the Lord Jesus to His disciples: "In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also." (John 14:2-3; emphasis added). Do you have that place ready for eternity? If you are truly His disciple (condition!), then you have (promise). If you are unsure, please act while you have time. As always, if I may be of any assistance, feel free to contact me using the e-mail address at the top of the blog.

Guidance - Pt.2

Last week, I introduced the concept of guidance in our human experience. I suggested that guidance, from Almighty God, can be very real - by those who don't even accept His existence, as much as for those who actively seek to follow Him. 

It is in the light of that statement that, this week, I want to consider the promise of such guidance. You see, this isn't simply some strange idea that I have thought up, all by myself!  I have actually found that it is assured throughout the written Word of God - the Bible.

For example, in what would surely be a strong contender for the title "the best-known part of the Bible", the 23rd Psalm, we find these words of the psalmist-king, David:

"He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness, for His name's sake." (vs.2-3; emphases added). The promise of guidance.

In Psalm 25: 8ff we read: 

"Good and upright is YHWH; therefore He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way. All the paths of YHWH are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.  For Thy name’s sake, O YHWH, pardon my guilt, for it is great. Who is the man that fears YHWH?   Him will He instruct in the way that He should choose." (emphases added). The promise of guidance.

The 32nd Psalm contains this clear promise:

"I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;" (v.8; emphasis added) The promise of guidance.

When we look at Psalm 48, the message is even more clear:

"... this is God, our God for ever and ever. He will be our guide for ever." (v.14; emphasis added). The promise of guidance.

Through the prophet Isaiah, God also promises guidance for His people:

"I will lead the blind in a way that they know not, in paths that they have not known I will guide them." (42:16; emphases added)                                                                                                                               "... He who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them." (49:10; emphases added).                                                                                                                                                        "... YHWH will guide you continually," (58:11; emphasis added). The promise of guidance.

And, lest any should be thinking that such guidance only applies to the Children of Israel, God's guidance is also promised in the pages of the New Testament.

The apostle John, recording Jesus' last discourse with His disciples before He was crucified, writes these words of the Master:

"When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth;", (16:13; emphasis added). The promise of guidance.

Paul, writing to the early believers in Corinth, is able to proclaim:

"... thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph," (II Cor.2:14; emphasis added). The promise of guidance.

But perhaps the greatest promise of all, is what is referred to as "The Great Commission", given by the Lord Jesus, just before He ascended to the Father:

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." (Matt.28:18-20; emphasis added).

And, of course, because these are the promises of Almighty God, we may depend upon them. They become, indeed, not merely promises (that may be broken!), but assurances! Wasn't it Albert Schweitzer who once remarked that if Jesus Christ was the Gentleman he believed Him to be, then he ought to be able to take Him at His word!? Jesus is, of course, much more than a "Gentleman"!

The promise of guidance - implicit, and explicit throughout God's own Word. But we must not forget that these promises are made to those who are, indeed, His people. Does that include you? I hope so - and I hope that you will read the next part of this little series on "Guidance".

Until next time.

Where is God in all of this?

It was on Tuesday, March 17th, that France went into the "lockdown" from which we have only recently begun to emerge. My wife and I were still in Scotland on that day! However, while others we know were turned away from entering France, we were permitted to do so. From a human perspective it would appear that this was because we had both a permanent residence, and official proof that it was so, in the form of my French Driving Licence!

So many weeks later, many are still asking the question "Why?". There have been so many deaths - some of them particularly tragic. So many have suffered, even although they have recovered. Many have lost jobs or, at the very least, a significant part of their income for this year. And the list goes on.

Of course, Covid-19 has not been the only problem for mankind! Even in the midst of the pandemic, the enemies of the Chosen People of Almighty God, the Children of Israel, have been attacking Jews - maiming and killing at every opportunity. Elsewhere in the Middle East, and in dozens of countries around the world, disciples of Jesus are suffering - many in ways that are certainly beyond my imagination - simply because of their faithfulness to Him. There are continuing reports of 'natural calamities' such as earthquakes, tsunamis, plagues of locusts. That list, too, can be lengthened.

How do we make sense of such senseless tragedies?  If God is sovereign, why does He allow suffering?  Why do bad things happen to good people?  These are questions that are often asked - and to which the answers are not easy! The Conservative Jewish Rabbi, Harold Kushner, had to grapple with this question when he learned that his son had progeria, a progressive genetic disorder that causes children to age rapidly.  His son would not live past his teens.

 

In response to suffering, he wrote the book When Bad Things Happen to Good People.  Kushner concludes that God is not the immediate cause of tragedy and that asking questions such as “Why did this happen to me?  What did I do to deserve this?” is pointless.  Such questions, he believes, are unanswerable. Instead, he believes that the only meaning suffering has is the meaning that the sufferer gives to it.  And we need to give it meaning, he says, to find our way through it. He writes:

 

“Let me suggest that the bad things that happen to us in our lives do not have a meaning when they happen to us.  They do not happen for any good reason which would cause us to accept them willingly.  But we can give them a meaning.  We can redeem these tragedies from senselessness by imposing meaning on them,” he writes. “The painful things that happen to us are not punishments for our misbehavior, nor are they in any way part of some grand design on God’s part.  Because the tragedy is not God’s will, we need not feel hurt or betrayed by God when tragedy strikes.  We can turn to Him for help in overcoming it, precisely because we can tell ourselves that God is as outraged by it as we are.”

We read, in Dr Luke's account of the Gospel record, these words: "There were some present at that very time who told Him [Jesus] of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And He answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus? I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Silo′am fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." (13:1-5).

The bottom line is that we do not always have a nice. pat, answer to the question of suffering. What we do know is that Father God is in the situation with us, if we have a personal relationship with Him, through the Lord Jesus. He, and He alone, is our Certainty in these continuing uncertain times.

On eagle's wings.

It is with some regret that I have to confess that I am no ornithologist. If I was, I would have been able to identify the bird that has been soaring over our home these past few days. I suspect that it is a kestrel, or a hawk, but cannot be certain! I am sure, however, that it is not a Golden Eagle. It simply isn't big enough - and I don't think that this area would be a suitable habitat for that most majestic of birds!

The eagle is, of course, mentioned quite often in the written Word of God. From what I can learn, it is an amazing bird. It is, I believe, the only bird that can fly directly towards the sun. It can see a small animal in a field from an amazing height. However, the characteristic that I thought about as I watched that other bird, is the way in which it deals with its young. I am given to understand that, when the parents believe that the young birds are ready to fly, they will push them out of the nest! However, they will also fly under the young birds and, if one is having difficulty, a parent will 'catch' it on its own wing! In teaching its young to fly, it protects them from injury with watchful affection, 

This characteristic of the eagle is referred to in Deuteronomy 32: 11, where we read these words: "Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that flutters over its young, spreading out its wings, catching them, bearing them on its pinions,"  The context of those words is the final song of the great leader of the Children of Israel, Moses. He is showing, here, how YHWH "... gave to the nations their inheritance," (v.8) and that "... Jacob (i.e.Israel) is His allotted heritage." (v.9). 

Under the new, or second, covenant disciples of the Lord Jesus, the Christ (i.e. Messiah), have been grafted on the to root which is Israel (there is no hint of so-called "replacement theology" in the pages of the new covenant!). Read Romans 11 and allow Paul to explain the relationship between Israel and the Church. "... if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the richness of the olive tree, do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you. You will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast only through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you." (Rom 11:17-21).

"He (the Lord Jesus) was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world knew Him not. He came to His own home, and His own people received Him not. But to all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:10-13).

As a disciple of Jesus, I am a child of God. As a child of God, I may know His special care. To claim another couple of promises from the pages of the First Testament: "Underneath are the everlasting arms." (Deut.33:27). "He alone is my Rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken" (Ps.62:6).

Carried; cared for; protected; saved. He is my Certainty in these uncertain times.

A new year.

It's been an unusually busy couple of weeks! I was aware that this blog was being neglected but - it's all a matter of priorities! Anyway, part of the busyness (that included a trip back to Scotland in order to spend Christmas Day with our family; and leaving early on Boxing Day!) was that I was preaching in one of the French-speaking fellowships with which we are involved, yesterday! Being the final Sunday of the year, I wanted to encourage the people and used the situation of the Children of Israel as, under the leadership of Joshua, they prepared to enter Canaan - the land of the promise of Almighty God. The Israelites had been wandering for forty years - the result of their listening to ten weak spies who were overwhelmed by the difficulties they perceived, rather than the two men (Joshua and Caleb) who had true faith in YHWH, the God of the covenant. The land across the River Jordan was as unknown to them as is the year 2020 to us. So how did they face their unknown, and what lessons can we draw from their experience?

The first thing we see is that the Children of Israel went forward with courage in the Lord. You may read the story in Joshua 2. Perhaps remembering that situation forty years earlier, Joshua sent just two men to spy out the land again. Their report was very encouraging! They assured Joshua that "Truly YHWH has given all the land into our hands;" Take a minute or two to compare that report with the one given by the ten fearful spies as you'll find it in Numbers 13. It's the difference between unbelief, and faith!

Unbelief says “Let’s go back to where it’s safe.”; but faith says “Let’s go forward to where God is working.” In his first letter, the apostle John writes: “… this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.” (5:4).

May I share a very important piece of information? Almighty God has not changed! He tells us so, Himself! “I the Lord do not change;” (Mal.3:6). 

These men of faith were willing to receive this great assurance; to take God at His word. Are you and I willing to do the same as we move forward into a new year? The assurance they were ready to receive, and the assessment they were able to make.  “moreover, all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of us.” was their report. This was a most encouraging report. Not only the inhabitants of Jericho, but of all of the land of Canaan, were afraid of the Children of Israel! The only possible reason for this is that the reputation of the Children of Israel and, of greater importance, of YHWH, their God, had lasted throughout a full generation - that forty years during which they had wandered in the wilderness! The Canaanites took it for granted that nothing could stand before the Children of Israel – and this information was necessary to Joshua to guide him in forming the plan of his campaign.

As we look forward to a new year, let us also recall what the Lord has already done for us – and let us then go into this year, confident that He is still with us, and has a plan for us. It's a plan, of course, that requires us to be led froward by the Lord. For the Children of Israel, that meant being led by priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant - where YHWH had met with Moses. The Ark was symbolic of the presence of YHWH among His chosen people. It was "God with them - Emmanuel"!

Most of us will have heard words like those over recent days. It is the Lord Jesus, Himself, Who is our Emmanuel. It is He Who has promised, “I will never fail you nor forsake you.” (Heb.13:5). It is He Who has said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me.” (Jn.14:6). It is He Who will lead us into a new year – if we will but follow! That involves action on our part! You see, Father God does not force us to do anything. He could do – but He chooses not to. That means that I have a responsibility to co-operate with God the Holy Spirit in the work of my sanctification. Writing, this time, to the brothers and sisters in Philippi, Paul encourages them: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Phil 2:12-13). The Christian life is not one of sitting back and leaving everything to the Lord! It is service; it is warfare; it is walking. But we do not travel the road alone – “for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

However, action is not enough. We need also to display a proper attitude. Concerning the Ark, Joshua commanded: “there shall be a space between you and it, a distance of about two thousand cubits; do not come near it.” (v.4^(b)). Why was this? It was a mark of reverence. It was an acknowledgment that no-one may come even close to Almighty God in their own right. It was a recognition that the Creator is different from His creation.

It always concerns me when I hear some, who claim to be disciples of Jesus, saved by His precious blood, treating Him, the Father, the Holy Spirit, as if they are here just for their benefit. I cringe when I hear people refer to the Creator of all that exists in an overly-familiar manner. Of course, He is my heavenly Father; of course, He is my Friend; but He is also God, and I must display my reverence for Him at all times! “Fear (reverence) God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.” counsels the writer of Ecclesiastes (12:13); while Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus, in what we know as the Magnificat, says: “He Who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.” (Lk.1:49-50).

The Children of Israel as they stood on the threshold of Canaan, faced the unknown with courage in the Lord. They were led forward by the Lord. The result was that they saw the power of the Lord, immediately, in the miraculous crossing of the river Jordan. For many, even although they had been but children at the time, this would have been a reminder of the past when, with their parents, perhaps even their grandparents, their siblings, and their friends, they had crossed the Reed Sea – and seen the mighty Egyptian army perish. You see, even the mistakes of the past may provide good lessons for achievements in the future! Writing about these matters, Paul told the Corinthian church that “…  these things happened to them as a warning, but they were written down for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages has come.” (I Cor 10:11).

I wonder if you have experienced the power of Almighty God in your life – individually, and as a fellowship of God’s people? There are those who condemn “experiential Christianity” and, of course, if we are seeking to build our lives as disciples of Jesus solely on spiritual experiences, then that condemnation is deserved. We need to be solidly grounded in the Word of God; we need to be obedient to the Word of God; we need to be fed by the Word of God. But often, the power of Almighty God touches us in such a way that the experience lives with us for a long time afterwards – and may even be with us for the rest of our earthly lives. The Children of Israel were provided with a reminder of the past, and with a reassurance for the present. 

Being reminded of past wonders is one thing – but we live in the present! And Father God knows! So we read: “Joshua said, “Hereby you shall know that the living God is among you," (Josh 3:10). Almighty God was still on the throne – and He still is! Do you remember those words of the Lord Jesus to His disciples as He prepared to leave them and return to the Glory that was, and is, His by right? They are recorded for us by Matthew: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” (28:19-20). “I am not just a figure from history,” says Jesus. “I am the living and eternal God, who never leaves, nor forsakes, my true people.”

The writer of the great letter to the Hebrew disciples of Jesus gave to them, and to us, the wonderful assurance: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.” (13:8). With such an assurance, we may step forward, bravely, and confidently, into the new year that beckons. Are you willing to go into the new year depending on His promises? Then go – and know that He goes before you; and with you; and in you. And know that He will accomplish His purposes through you, to bring glory to His most holy Name.

I wish you a truly blessèd 2020. 

From Judges to a monarchy!

Personally, I am not a Republican. I have a deep affection for Elizabeth I of Scotland - also known as Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth!! 

However, the Children of Israel were meant to live under the Kingship of the Creator - YHWH. This they failed to do and, as we saw in the Book of the Judges, that particular form of leadership led to what we would term, today, as anarchy: "... every man did what was right in his own eyes." (Judges 21:25).

The Book(s) of Samuel take the story on to the next stage:

Do remember that these videos are no more than a brief overview. I would encourage you to take the time to read each book fully, and fill in all the missing detail.

Repetition helps!

As I continue the process of learning the French language, I know the importance of repetition! It's probably considered to be an old-fashioned process in the brave new world of modern education. However, I have always found it to be very effective. Certainly, I now speak reasonably fluent French (although I still have difficulty in understanding my French friends - possibly because most of my adult life has involved me in speaking more than listening!!!)

Anyway, as we move through the Tanakh (the Old Testament), we come to the book of Deuteronomy - which means "Second Law". This is not (entirely!) a new set of laws for the Children of Israel, but a repetition of the laws already given. So, take less than eight minutes to watch the video - that explains a great deal about this interesting book.

Getting out - part 2.

In the previous post we left the Children of Israel having escaped from the Egyptians to whom they had been enslaved for some 400 years! The rest of the book is the record of their journey to the land that the Creator, the Covenant God, had promised to Abraham and his descendants. This clip doesn't deal with every part of that record (although you may read it for yourself - preferably in a modern translation that will not bog you down with archaic language!), but it does deal with some of the most important themes.

Okay, next time we move on to a book that many people choose to ignore - but that has a great deal to teach us!

Getting out!

The story used to be told of an Assistant Minister who was a particularly handsome young man, and unmarried. In the parish in which he was serving, there were a number of unmarried young ladies, and the mothers of these young ladies were constantly trying to get the young minister interested in their daughter. Eventually, the situation became too much for the young man and he went to his senior minister and asked if he could be released, and sent to a different parish. When he explained his reason for wanting to move, the older man smiled and asked, "But don't you know that there is safety in numbers?" "Oh I do." replied the assistant, "However, I believe that there is even greater safety in exodus!"

Exodus - a 'leaving'. It was certainly that for the Children of Israel, as recorded in the Old Testament book of that name. Here is the link to the Bible Project video on Exodus. This is another "two-parter", so be sure to come back in a couple of days for the rest of the story!

Beginnings!

After the brief series on "From Hebraic roots to Greek philosophy!", this is the first of an occasional series in which I hope, D.V., to look at some passages from the Tanakh (the Old Testament) from the Hebrew perspective from which they should be viewed – and also to see how their teaching may be relevant to the teaching of the Brit Chadashah (the New Covenant/Testament).

As this is the first in the series, where better to start than at the beginning, with the book of Genesis. The English language name comes from the Greek word γενεσις (genesis, “origin, source, beginning”). However, in Hebrew, the book is named by its opening word – Bereisheet (“In the beginning”).

“In the beginning [Bereisheet] God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1). In as few as 31 verses and 469 words Moses, the inspired human author of Genesis, describes how God takes confusion and emptiness (tohu v’vohu) and creates a perfect, delicate balance of order and beauty.

“The earth was unformed and void [tohu v’vohu], darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God hovered over the surface of the water.” (Genesis 1:2).

The Ruach Elohim (the Spirit of God) hovers over the waters [mayim] as God separates the light from the darkness and land from the water.  He creates vegetation and creatures – fish of the sea and birds of the air, as well as land animals. YHWH Elohim (the LORD God) looks at everything He has made and declares it good. However, He is not quite finished.

On the sixth and final day of creation, God brings forth the first human – Adam – out of the dust of the earth (adamah). “Then YHWH Elohim formed man [Adam] of the dust of the ground [adamah], and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”  (Genesis 2:7).

Notice that it takes the breath of God to transform Adam into a “living soul” – a being of flesh and blood with personality, emotions, and desires. Notice, too, that contained within the name of the first “man” on earth is the Hebrew root word dam (blood).  This is not a coincidence, since God tells us that life is in the blood (Genesis 9:4; Deuteronomy 12:23; Leviticus 17:11).

Notice as well that humankind – both male and female – are created in the very image and likeness of God. Hebrew uses the word b’tzelmo (in His image).  The Hebrew root word tzelem (image) is used in modern Hebrew to mean taking a photograph, or making a photocopy, and there is a very definite family resemblance between us and our Heavenly Abba (Daddy).

“And God created man [Adam] in His own image [b'tzelmo], in the image of God [b'tzelem Elohim] created He him; male [zachar] and female [nikeivah] He created them.” (Genesis 1:27).

While we don’t necessarily resemble God in our temporary vessels made out of dust, we do resemble Him in our souls and spirit. One of the ways we resemble God is our capacity for creativity. Just as God delighted in the creative process of earth and life, so is there an innate quality within each human being to also be creative, which can express itself not only as art, writing, or music but also strategic thinking, engineering, programming, etc.

But how did God create the universe?  The Bible says He spoke it into existence using words.  For that reason, each act of creation begins with the phrase “And God said ....”

“And God said: ‘Let there be light.’  And there was light.”  (Genesis 1:3).

Although you and I are not gods, as some in the New Age movement claim, we have been given creative power in our words.  Even the power of life and death is in the tongue!  (see, e.g., Proverbs 18:21). We see this principle at work when God tells the Children of Israel that He would give them that which they had declared with their own words.  They fostered unbelief and disobedience and spoke death over themselves.  The result of their faithless words was that the entire generation perished in the wilderness. “‘As I live,’ says YHWH, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will surely do to you; your corpses will fall in this wilderness.’”  (Numbers 14:28–29).

Keeping this in mind, let us carefully guard our mouths and watch our words – for they have the power to create good things in our lives, and in the lives of others; or to cause destruction.  (see Prov. 15:4; James 3:5-10; I Pet.3:10).

[I hadn't realised how much I had written for this post until I started on the "labels"! This is now only the first part of three on "Beginnings"! The others will follow quickly!]

It's about the money, of course!

The previous three posts have been about the word off YHWH to His people, the Children of Israel, through His prophet Malachi - and some lessons that we may learn for our own situations today, especially if we claim to be disciples of the Lord Jesus, the Christ.

The last of YHWH's criticisms concerned the failure of the people to give to Him their tithes and offerings. Indeed, He had a name for such people - he called them "robbers"! "Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me. But you say, ‘How are we robbing You?’ In your tithes and offerings." (3:8).

As its Creator, everything that exists belongs to God. He is the proprietor; we are the stewards. The giving of the tithe (one-tenth of our income) is an acknowledgement of His ownership over all that we have - including the other nine-tenths of our income! I recall, very clearly, when I was a student at the Bible Training Institute in Glasgow, over fifty years ago, the then Superintendent of the Tent Hall - I think that his name was Stanley Collins - came to speak to the student body. The topic he chose was "Tithing"! It was the day that I determined to adopt this Old Testament practice - even although he pointed out that some of us might think that being Bible College students meant that we were giving greatly to the Lord's work, and that with College fees to pay, most of us had little spare cash with which to play about! "You might be given £1 towards your College fees, and think that that was okay. But 2 shillings of that £1 is the Lord's, and should be given directly to His work outwith your College courses. The other 18 shillings may go towards your fees!"

There are, of course, some disciples of Jesus who claim that tithing, as an Old Testament principle, ought not to be carried over into New Testament teaching on the subject of money. After all, they would claim, we live under grace, not law - and that, of course, is correct. However, tithing is a good place to start with one's giving as it establishes a principle that, when learned, opens up the way to bigger and better things. As a disciple of Jesus who has some awareness of what my salvation cost my Saviour, I do not tithe as a matter of law, but as a response of love!

The tithe, of course, is only the starting point! After that comes the freewill offering! Anyone knows that my tithe (in practice, "our" tithe, as my wife and I tithe together!) is 10% of my income. However, the freewill offering is between me and the Lord! One Christian businessman reportedly commented that "God has prospered me so much - now I want to know how much of God's money I may legitimately keep for myself and my family." That is the New Testament order - "How much of God's money may I legitimately keep for myself?" There are those who give their 10%, and think that the remaining 90% belongs to them. It doesn't! Everything that we have, and are, belongs to Him - and if we are to grow and develop spiritual values, then this is something that we must recognise. 

When, especially in the materialist society in which most of us live, you can let go of all of your possessions and let God have them, life takes on a sense of stewardship. Suddenly, you realise that you are handling something on behalf of Another! That does something to the whole of life - it puts sacredness into the secular. Money becomes a message! Jesus said: "You cannot serve God and mammon." (Matt.6:24); but you may certainly serve God with mammon!

YHWH throws out a challenge to the Children of Israel: "Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house; and thereby put Me to the test, says YHWH Sabaoth, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing." (Mal.3:20). This, I suspect, has been interpreted by some disciples of Jesus as a form of financial investment! However, treating it as such is, I believe, a certain way for the principle to fail - and fail utterly! As mentioned above, we must give because of our love for Him Who has given - and continues to give - so much to us.

Have you been robbing God? Perhaps it's time to take a careful look at your finances - and even realise why they may not be as healthy as they might be!

Love - real love!

I suspect that most of us have had times in our lives when we have been really "down". It isn't a pleasant place to be - but we usually manage to rise out of those dumps again.

Remember Gomer? We thought about her a couple of posts ago. She was the wife of the Old Testament prophet, Hosea who, after bearing him a child was unfaithful to him and bore two more children - to other men! Each of these children was given, by Hosea, a prophetic name as they, like his marriage, were to be an object lesson to the Children of Israel. The threat contained in their names was of divine judgement on a nation that had been as unfaithful to YHWH, the Covenant God of their forefathers, as Gomer had been to Hosea. Her infidelity symbolised Israel's spiritual impurity and corruption; and the names of the children reflected God's revulsion at the moral and spiritual condition of the ten northern tribes.

We are not given any specific information on what happened to Gomer after the birth of her third child, but the language of chapter 2 of the prophetic book indicates that she left Hosea completely - presumably seeking out her old lovers (remember that she had been a prostitute before her marriage) and dropping back into her blatantly promiscuous lifestyle. Hosea, however, resisted any desire he might have had, to bring her back - because, of course, he was 'under orders' from God to await the right time. As Hosea waited, he came to understand that his own situation, painful and distressing 'though it was, was as nothing compared to the hurt in the very heart of YHWH.

God allowed Gomer to hit rock bottom before He impressed upon His servant the need to find her and bring her home. When Hosea tuned in to God one morning, he received the message "Go, and get your wife again and bring her back to you and love her." (3:1). Hosea sets out to find Gomer - and discovers her in a slave market - a piece of human flesh for sale! The purchase price was "... fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley." (3:2). Now that may not mean much to you and to me - but it was a very low price: she was nothing more than a knockdown lot, fit only for the bargain counter; or the bin in a bookseller's that is labelled "remainders" (books that are marked down to less than £1 because no-one is buying them at their marked price). We may only speculate why this was the case for Gomer. Had her profligate lifestyle taken its toll on even her physical body and looks? 

We may also speculate on the sight of Hosea walking into the market-place to buy back his bride! Doubtless the gossip-mongers would have carried the story far beyond the immediate locality! Can you imagine some of the things that they would have said? "How could Hosea - this man who claimed to be a prophet of God - lower himself to do such a thing? She simply wasn't worth it!" However, even as they would have talked among themselves, YHWH was quietly using the situation to bring home to there own hearts the message of His own faithfulness, and undying love.

When Hosea arrives home with his wife, he explains that there will be no physical relationship between them. To Gomer, 'love' appears to have been nothing more than a matter of sexual activity. This was what she had lived for in the past. Now, she must learn what love, and marriage, are really all about! God's bride needed to learn a similar message: Israel will be a long time without a king or a prince, and without an altar, temple, priests - or even idols! (v.4). Like Gomer, Israel - the Northern Kingdom - was taken up with the physical side of her relationship with YHWH: leaders, sacrifices, rituals, and ceremonies. She used religion as a substitute for relationship, as Gomer had used sex as a substitute for true love. 

So what has all of that to do with you and me in the early years of the 21st century AD? If we claim to be disciples of Jesus, it is surely a call to examine ourselves! Not other people, but ourselves. How easy it is to allow familiarity to breed - if not contempt, certainly a dangerous complacency! How easy it is to convince ourselves that "going through the motions" is sufficient. How easy it is to think that if we are saved, then that is all that matters! We forget, so easily, that we are enjoined, in the words of Paul, to "... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Phil.2:12-13). The apostle also remind us that, while it is true that it is "... by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God - not because of works, lest any man should boast." it is also the case that "... we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Eph.2:8-10; emphasis added). The problem arises when we depend on our works rather than His grace; when we 'put the cart before the horse'!

God has illustrated the depth of His love to us at Calvary. Let us seek, by the help of the indwelling Spirit, to return that love in all that we say, and do. It will be to His glory - and for our own good!

The emptiness of a Godless life.

There is an old limerick that goes: 

"A cheerful old bear in the zoo

could always find something to do.

When it bored him, you know,

to walk to and fro,

he reversed it, and walked fro and to!"

Perhaps the composer of that bit of doggerel believed that people could learn from the bear. Certainly, bears appear to be content as long as they have sufficient food to eat, and some other bears for company. A lot of we humans could, indeed, learn a valuable lesson from such an example!

The prophet Haggai, whose prophetic book is found in the Tanakh (the Old Testament in the Bible), lived at the time when the Children of Israel had returned from the Babylonian exile, and he discovered that man cannot find happiness when he lives at the level of even the highest animal. His contemporaries ignored the fact that the Temple had not been rebuilt (Note to the so-called Palestinians, and the members of UNESCO - this was a long time before the false 'prophet', Muhammad had even been born!), although they had provided, for themselves, finely constructed houses, and occupied themselves with worldly affairs.

However, their harvests were poor; their clothing was inadequate; and their wages failed to keep up with the rising costs that resulted from inflation! The prophet uttered the word of YHWH: "You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes." (1:6). The prophet told them to re-examine their priorities, as they were reaping a harvest of unhappiness by putting selfish pleasures first.

Whenever people forget the Lord, and concern themselves with the pursuit of material and sensual things, they are - at least in the long run - poorly rewarded. The rich find little true satisfaction in their abundance, and the remaining multitudes, who are not even particularly rich, end up discontented, disillusioned, and bored with life. The reason for this is that God made us in His own image, and for His glory, and we can never find true joy until we obey the instruction of the Lord Jesus to: "... seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, ..." (Matt.6:33). Only then will we sow and reap abundantly, and eat and be truly filled. Augustine said: "You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You." A modern version of that says "There's a God-shaped blank in every heart that only God can fill."

If you are aware of an emptiness in your life, that the so-called pleasures of life are failing to satisfy, then I commend the Lord Jesus to you. He came, He assured us, that you "... may have life, and have it abundantly." (Jn.10:10). That life - eternal life - is available to you, today.

Independence - in the U.S.o A.

July 4th - and celebrations all over the United States of America as they recall the signing of the Declaration of Independence (although that signing did not actually take place until Aug 2nd, 1776!) from Great Britain.  

Perhaps the best-know section of the Declaration comes from the preamble: 

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.  

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. 

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."  

Some of those words, by the way, may be considered to be particularly appropriate within the context of the result of the recent U.K. referendum on continued membership of the E.U.!  However, I would also have to contend that the "just powers" of any government are derived, not "from the consent of the governed", but from Almighty God! (see Rom.13:1).

Today, for citizens of the USoA, is a reminder of the liberties that such a people, in general, enjoy. Indeed, all of us who live in "the West" enjoy freedoms and rights that are still denied to millions of people in many countries around the globe!  The problem is that most of us tend to take such things for granted, and display little concern for those who are not likewise blessed!  Often, we insist upon our own rights, and make unfair demands on others without due regard for their interests and welfare!  However, is it not true that few of us are concerned about the rights of Almighty God?

In the book of the prophet Isaiah, is a song that pictures the nation of Israel as YHWH's vineyard.  It contains these words: "... He looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes." (Isa 5:2).  The song teaches us that God has a right to expect love, worship, obedience, and willing service from those whom He blesses. Sadly, like those in Isaiah's day, most of us show little gratitude, but flagrantly break His laws.  When we do so, God has the right to act in judgement - and the histories of the nations reveal that whenever they choose to deny His existence, and reject his Word, they do indeed reap a bitter harvest.

Disciples of Jesus, at least, surely need to recognise that He is the Lord of the vineyard, and expects us - as He expected the Children of Israel - to produce "... the fruit of the Spirit [which] is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law." (Gal 5:22-24).

It is interesting that it is in Isaiah 5 that we find words that I have seen quoted, frequently, in recent months: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" (5:20).

Dr Jim Denison, in his "CulturalCommentary" for today ends with these words: "The greatest gift we can give our nation is to help her citizens be people God can bless. So let's choose to reverence God and place our hope in his love. Let's pray for others to do the same. And let's pray what we sing: "God bless America." Today and every day, to the glory of our Lord."  Let even those of us who are not citizens of the USoA pray for our own nations; and let us not forget the rights of God!