Can we be counted upon?!

In a moment of madness, I accepted a challenge, on Facebook, from a very dear young friend. I only wish that the response to that challenge (as, having failed, I had to pass it on!) could be replicated with my blog!!

Anyway, as we move through the amazing library of books that is named The Bible, we come to the book of Numbers. Maths just happened to be my best subject during my secondary education - but one doesn't need to be a mathematician to learn from this book. 

Here is the next video.

I wonder if anyone is noticing the lessons here?! How like those Israelites of old is the church - the body of the Christ - today! Indeed, as one who is intensely interested in, and supportive of, the modern descendants of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, I see the modern State of Israel behaving in the same way through its secular government that looks to alliances with other nations, rather than to the God of their ancestors! more to come in the next post.

Genesis - Part 2

As a student of history, I am all too aware that nations and empires rise - and fall! Where are the ancient nations of Philistines and Persians, to name but two? Many will not have read, but most will be aware of, Edward Gibbon's monumental work: "The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire." However, there is one very real exception; one nation that, in spite of many attempts to destroy it, has survived for millennia. That nation is the Jewish Nation - the Children of Israel; the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The second part of the book of Genesis deals with the call of Abraham,and the events that followed. Here is the next video that gives a brief overview of all of that.

Now that you have seen the overview, may I encourage you to fill in much more of the detail by actually reading the book?! I would recommend a modern translation so that you are neither confused, nor 'put off'', by the somewhat archaic language of the Authorised (or King James) Version! My personal 'favourite' is still the RSV (Revised Standard Version), but the NRSV (New RSV) is also a good translation. Some will prefer the NIV (New International Version), but unless you already have a copy, I am informed that the 2011 publication is best!

Whichever version/translation you use, do read - and before doing so, take a minute to ask for the help of God the Holy Spirit, that you may understand what He is saying, specifically, to you.

The root cause.

Any student of history is aware that many major conflicts can be traced back to a single event.   So the First World War was the result of a single pistol-shot, by a man named Gavrilo Princip.  That shot fatally wounded the Arch-Duke Franz-Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, when he visited Serbia on June 28th, 1914. 

In my personal devotions, I am currently reading in Paul's letter to the early believers in Galatia. This letter is sometimes referred to as an introduction to his letter to the early Roman believers.  It's a letter that I have studied before - so much so that even my wide-margin copy of the Bible that I use for my devotions, has little space to accept additional notes!  However, as is so often the case, it is when one reads a passage for the umpteenth time, that one sees something that has never occurred to one before!

None of what I read this morning was actually "new" to me.  I didn't receive any wonderful revelation - a direct word from the Lord to me.  However, something became more real to me.  It is that the current, ongoing, conflict between Israel and the Arab nations, started with a single event - an event that took place some 4,000 years ago!  That event was the physical union of Abraham with Hagar, his wife Sarah's maid.  It was from that union that Ishmael was born.

Paul writes: "Tell me, you who desire to be under law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise." (Gal 4:21-23).   

This was the great difference between Abraham's two sons - one was born of a servant, the other of a free woman; one was born "according to the flesh" (that is, 'naturally'), the other "through promise" (supernaturally).  If we go back to Genesis 15, we see God's clear promise to Abraham - the promise of an heir.  All very well, except for the fact that, even then, both Abraham and his wife, Sarah, were well past the normal age of producing children!  The years passed; neither of them was getting any younger; and no child was born.  Eventually, Sarah suggested that Abraham father a child by her maid, Hagar - culturally quite acceptable.  However, although it may have been acceptable, it was bad advice!  Out of that union, Ishmael was born.

It was some 14 years later that the miracle took place when Sarah, now 90 years of age, conceived and gave birth to Isaac.  This, of course, was a supernatural birth!  We read, later in the Genesis account that "... Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. So she said to Abraham, "Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac." And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said to Abraham, "Be not displeased because of the lad and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your descendants be named." (Gen 21:9-12).

That is the beginning of the enmity between the descendants of Isaac - the Children of Israel (the Jewish people); and the descendants of Ishmael - the Arab nations.  We might say that the current Israeli-Arab controversy actually started in Hagar's bedroom (or tent)!  A single act - with results that were to be far-reaching, and totally unexpected.  The feud continues - each group looking back to Abraham as their progenitor; and each claiming the land of Israel as their own.

However, the Biblical record makes it absolutely clear.  The "Promised Land" is given by Almighty God to those who are the descendants of, not only Abraham, but of Isaac and Jacob as well.  That is why so many of the disciples of Jesus - Himself a Jew! - are firm supporters of the modern State of Israel.  If we believe the Bible to be true, we can be no other.  Of course, we may not agree with every political policy followed by the Israeli government - any more than we agree with every policy of our own national governments.  But I believe that we must stand by the Jewish nation - particularly in the light of the current rise in anti-Semitism.  To that end, I encourage anyone to become part of Christians United for Israel (http://www.cufi.org.uk/).  If you are not resident in the UK, then you may prefer to join the "parent" organisation at http://www.cufi.org/

When Jacob received the blessing of the first-born (even although he did so by deceiving his father, Isaac), that blessing ended: "Cursed be every one who curses you, and blessed be every one who blesses you!" (Gen 27:29).

In Zech 2:8-12, we read "... thus said YHWH Sabaoth, after His glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye: "Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the YHWH Sabaoth has sent me. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for lo, I come and I will dwell in the midst of you, says YHWH. And many nations shall join themselves to YHWH in that day, and shall be My people; and I will dwell in the midst of you, and you shall know that YHWH Sabaoth has sent me to you. And YHWH will inherit Judah as His portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem." 

The Jewish people are still "the apple of His eye"; and those who curse them will be cursed, even as those who bless them will be blessed.  Choose blessing, not a curse!

Puzzle time!

It's a quiet Sunday afternoon, here in the static (mobil-home) near to Bayas, in the Gironde Department of France.  The process of purchasing a permanent home closer to Bergerac has commenced and, by the summer, we hope to be given the keys, and to be able to attend to a few jobs that will be more easily completed if we are not in full residence!

With only about eighteen days to go before the UK General Election - probably the closest one in generations, if the polls are anywhere close to the truth - and with the promise of at least one more post on that subject, I thought that it was time for some light relief with one of my, now famous (!!), quizzes!  This one has to do with celestial beings.  I wonder how much you know!   The correct solution will be posted in a few days!

1.  Heavenly creatures, having four faces, four wings, hands like a man, and wheels full of eyes., are called .......?

2.  Isaiah saw some other celestial beings.  "... each one had six wings; with two he covered his face; with two he covered his feet; and with two he did fly." and they cried "Holy! Holy! Holy! is YHWH Sabaoth (the LORD of Hosts)."  They were .......?

3.  Satan's name, before he fell into sin was ......?

4.  In a dream, Jacob saw some angels of God who were ascending and descending a ......?

5.  After the angel of the LORD announced the coming birth of Samson, he ascended to heaven in the ...... of an altar.  What is the missing word?

6.  The name of the heanenly being who told Mary that she would give birth to Jesus was ......?

7.  A donkey saw a threatening angel, and saved a prophet from death by its actions.  What was the name of the prophet?

8.  The angel who strove with the devil over the body of Moses was named .......?

9.   Disciples of Jesus will, one day judge which celestial beings?

10. Angels are more powerful than humans.  True/False? 

Advent.

Sunday, as many will be aware, was the First Sunday of Advent - the season in the Christian calendar during which we prepare to celebrate the miracle of the Incarnation.  That miracle is explained, as succinctly as is possible, by the name given through the prophet Isaiah, and reiterated - and defined -  by the apostle Matthew: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel (which means, God with us)." (Matt 1:23; cf Is.7:14).


But can we unpick that definition a little more?  What does Matthew mean by "God with us"?  Well, the easy understanding is that, in the Persona (see the chapter on the "Trinity" in my book, Great Words of the Faith; - details at top of page) of the Son, Almighty God, the Creator and Sustainer of all that is; the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the great "I AM"; took upon Himself human flesh, and entered the very time-space continuum that He had created.  I am reminded of that great saint of the Old Covenant, Enoch.  I make reference to one of my favourite Old Testament characters in "Great Words", where I write:

"Remember the great old patriarch, Enoch?  I love those words recorded of him in Gen.5:23-24 – “Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.” Or, as the older translations put it, “... he was not; for God took him.” (KJV).

So what happened to Enoch?  Well, what I am now going to share is, I confess, totally speculative.  But I share it with you because I am convinced, not only of its possibility, but of its probability!  I believe that those words are telling us that, every morning, when Enoch awoke, his first words were “Well, Lord, where are we going today; what will we be doing?”  And the Lord told him.  Then, one day, he awoke and, having asked the same question, was told by God, “Today, Enoch, dear friend, you are coming to my place.  Let’s go!”  And Enoch simply walked through that ultra-fine veil that separates time from eternity."   

Enoch knew the reality of "Emmanuel" - God with us!

But "Emmanuel" doesn't just refer to the presence of God; it also refers to the purpose of God.  You see, He came among us not as some cosmic experiment, but for a definite, and specific, reason.  He came, so that He could live among us; experience all that we experience ("yet without sin": see Hebrews 4:15); and, at the end, take upon Himself the punishment that we deserve - bearing "... our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness." (I Peter 2:24).  He came in order that sinful people like us could know His eternal pardon - and His eternal life!


Christmas is the time, for so many, when gifts are given and received.  Indeed, for too many in the western world, that is now all that it is!  Yet the majority will ignore the greatest Gift of all - salvation through faith in the Lord, Jesus the Christ: an act of divine grace that we can never, ever deserve.
The Gift is available to all.  However, like any gift, it may be rejected. 

It would be my longing that all who read this post would accept that Gift.  If anyone requires further, more personal, help then please feel free to contact me using the e-mail address at the top of the page.  I only check that one a couple of times each week, but I shall respond.  Alternatively, there are some useful links in the right-hand margin of the blog.

Israel, Palestine, and the World Council of Churches.

My regular copy of Life & Work (the Church of Scotland's monthly magazine) arrived with the post this morning.  In spite of the fact that I have not been an official C.of S. minister for almost 35 years, it started arriving a few years back, and has done so ever since.  I'm not sure that it will be sent to France when we move there - but we shall see!

Usually, I tend to read only the parts that interest me - the deaths, retirals, and demissions (an increasing number of those known to me fall into the first of those categories!); the Letters pages; and the offerings of one or two of the regular contributors.  However, in this edition, I noticed a headline in the World News pages: "Solidarity with Palestinian Prisoners", and stopped to read!  It was a brief article which I reproduce here (in the hope that it is acceptable to do so without written permission. I am assuming that with the annual meeting of the Kirk, in General Assembly, taking place this week, the editor will have more important fish to fry!).

"Observing Palestinian Prisoners' Day on April 17th, the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary expressed solidarity with 5000 Palestinian men, women, and children languishing in Israeli jails.
In an open letter to the WCC's members, the Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit said: 'As people of faith, we are called to pray for, visit, and tend to the needs of all prisoners, no matter the reason for their detention.  For Israel and Palestine, prisoners have taken on even greater significance than in the past.
We were disappointed when the government of Israel cancelled the scheduled release of prisoners who have been in Israeli jails [since] even before the Oslo Agreement of 1993', he added."

The Reverend Doctor ought, perhaps, to use his undoubted intelligence, and research skills, to probe a little further into the situation before automatically assuming that the Israeli Government are the 'bad guys', and that the Palestinians are all as pure as the driven snow!  That cancellation of a scheduled release of prisoners was not an arbitrary move.

It was a response to the lack of progress made in the U.S.-brokered peace negotiations, or any meaningful concessions on the Palestinian side.

It was a response to Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas who, while – with the support of the Arab League – is adamant in his refusal to recognize the Jewish state, but has been demanding a construction freeze in Judea and Samaria, and the freeing of terrorists, as a precondition for merely continuing the talks.

It was a response to the comment by PA Central Committee Member Tawfiq Tirawi who, as documented by Palestinian Media Watch, stated on official PA television that the negotiations are merely 'one of the methods of struggle. But the rifle is here, and it can burst forth at any moment.'

It was a response to the PA's President's receiving of released prisoners, with blood on their hands, as heroes!

Of course, the Kirk showed, at the last General Assembly, that it has little support for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but prefers to support the Philistines.  Perhaps it fits in well with the WCC!