In the Beginning - Pt.10

So, Noah and his family, and all of the creatures involved, have left the ark. What is the first thing that you would have done? Start building a house, or at least erecting a tent - just in case it rained!!!! Perhaps you would have thought that gathering wood for a fire would be a priority. Maybe you would have encouraged the land animals to get as far away as possible - you wouldn't really want the larger ones to be wandering around too close to where you were! But what did Noah do? The record states it simply: "... Noah built an altar to YHWH, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar." (Gen 8:20).

This is a new order that God has brought out of the chaos of the Flood. But it was more than just a new beginning; it was a new peace after hostility - the hostility that had grown between the holy Creator, and His disobedient and sinful creation. Noah's sacrificial offering was not merely a "Thank You" to Almighty God for His safe-keeping. It was an understanding that sin had been the cause of God's judgement, and that Noah and his family were still sinners. Noah knew that sin would remain as a barrier between God and humanity. So we are informed that "... when YHWH smelled the pleasing odour, YHWH said in His heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease." (Gen 8:21-22).

God accepted Noah's sacrifice with pleasure, not because of any virtue in Noah, or in the clean animals and birds, but because of the coming Peace-maker that they represented. Peter reminds us that we, who are in Christ Jesus "... were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was destined before the foundation of the world but was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake." (I Peter 1:18-20). God then declared peace in two ways:

1. by a covenant.

Part of that covenant is in His promise at the end of chapter 8. However, in chapter 9, we have more spelled out: "Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, « Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will look upon it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. » God said to Noah, « This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth. »" (Gen 9:8-17).

YHWH guarantees that the world is under His protection. Note the repetition of the words "never again". Note how long the covenant is to last - "for all future generations". Note how wide is the scope of the covenant - "between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh;". Then as a reminder of that covenant, He gives us the rainbow - a picture, it has been suggested, of the laying aside of His war-bow.

But we must note, also,

2. His commands.

"And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, « Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every bird of the air, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. For your lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning; of every beast I will require it and of man; of every man's brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for God made man in his own image. And you, be fruitful and multiply, bring forth abundantly on the earth and multiply in it. »" (Gen 9:1-7).

YHWH restores mankind's mandate to look after the planet, but He recognises that it is no longer the "very good" world that He had created. It is now a sinful world of fear and bloodshed. In order to recreate order in a tangle of disordered relationships, He stresses the supremacy of human life, and the sanctity of all life. People may now use animals for food, but this is not to lead to inhumane, or murderous, violence. As I read the daily newspapers; as I watch the news programmes on television; I realise how far humanity has travelled from those simple commands. 

Of course, under the New Covenant in the Lord Jesus, each of us may enter into a relationship with our Creator that is personal - "God has no grand-children" to use the title of one of the books on my shelves. The salvation that is offered is offered to individuals, and each of us must make our own decision as to whether we accept it, or reject it. For those who accept it, it is greater by far than being saved from drowning, by entering a wooden ark. It is being saved from sin - its penalty, its power and, ultimately, its presence - and the assurance that when we fall (and we do!) "...  if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." (I John 1:7-10).*

May all who read these words be among those who can say with Paul: "Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing." (II Tim.4:8).

Some things never change!

Last week I celebrated yet another anniversary of the day of my physical birth (my spiritual rebirth was some 15 years later!). This week, my wife celebrates another anniversary of her physical birth. Tempus fugit (Time flies, for those who missed out on a Classical education!!). 

Last year, we celebrated our Golden Wedding Anniversary and, in our annual newsletter, I posted two photographs - one taken on Sept. 4th, 1970 (our wedding day!), and the other taken on Sept. 4th, 2020. I have to confess that each of has changed, quite considerably, during the intervening period! Every year; every month; every day; reminds us of the passing of time, and the changes it brings, be they major, or minor. We are changing; the world is changing (and, for many of us, the past ten months, or so, have seen some of the biggest changes that we have ever known); experiences are changing; our lifestyles are changing; the future is unknown! 

I can only speak for myself, but I can hardly believe that we are already more than half-way through the second month of 2021! Of course, like the New Year itself, it is only a mark in time; in the continuous journey of planet Earth around the Sun. Yet time is important to us. 

However, some things never change! Speaking through His prophet, Malachi, and using His Covenant Name, the Almighty Creator of all that is states: "... I, YHWH do not change;" ( 3:6). Writing to the early Jewish disciples of Jesus - Who, of course, is the incarnation of the Father - the anonymous author of the Letter to the Hebrews makes this astounding claim: "Jesus, the Christ - the same yesterday, today, and for ever." (13:8). Those words point us to:

The Unchanging Christ. What He was 2,000 years ago, when He walked this earth, He is today in the timelessness of Glory, and He will be throughout eternity. His atoning sacrifice remains effective for all who come to Him in repentance and faith. He opened the way into the presence of the Father, that even a sinner such as I may enter, and be received by Him - not because of anything that I might seek to claim, but purely because of His love, and grace, and mercy. I am forgiven as much as any of those who are "justified by faith" - in other words, because I have responded, positively, to the offer of salvation that was made at Calvary, the Father treats me "just as if I'd" never sinned at all. My sin is not only forgiven, but also forgotten! Hallelujah! Glory to God!

The Gospel message is the same. His covenant love never changes. His grace remains all-sufficient. His promises continue to be true. He is faithful in times of sorrow and distress, as well as in times of joy and laughter. His Word is the same. His presence, through the third Persona (not a typo! See the chapter on "The Trinity" in my first book - details above!) of the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit, is the same.

But there is also: 

An unchanging commitment. For the disciple of Jesus, that commitment is to worship God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is to proclaim the Gospel - the Good News that I have described, briefly above. It is a commitment to serve Him as He commands. It is a commitment to live my life in such a way that I am a good witness for Him. In His final words to His disciples, before He ascended to the Father, the Lord Jesus said: "... you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8). Please note, that this is not a call to every disciple to be an evangelist; but a command to every disciple to be a witness. There is a big difference but, if you are a disciple of Jesus, then you are (as I am!) a witness. The only question is "Am I a good witness, or a bad witness?" If, like me, you must confess to not being the best you might be, then you may turn to God the Holy Spirit, and seek His sanctifying work in your life.

Then, of course, there is:

An unchanging commission. That commission is recorded for us by Matthew, in his account of the Gospel record. "And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 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." (Matt 28:18-20).

Now, "... all the world ..." does not exclude your own family; your next-door-neighbour; your friends; your work colleagues; etc. This Great Commission ties in with the commitment to be His witnesses - everywhere, and anywhere.

There are many - myself included - who believe, firmly, that we are in the very last days prior to the Rapture of the true saints of God (there is also a chapter on that subject in the book referred to above. Remember, ALL royalties are sent, directly, to Release International, in support of the persecuted church). That being the case, there should be an urgency in the church. Those who are disciples of Jesus should be earnest in prayer; eager to serve; excited in their (our!) witnessing.

I would claim that, in order to do so, we must stay close to the Saviour, that He may be close to us. Henry Francis Lyte wrote the words of one of the best-known Christian songs: "Abide with me." In the second verse are these words - 
"Change and decay in all around I see:                                                                                                        O Thou Who changest not, abide with me."

May all who read these words know His unchanging presence at all times. It will be for your good, and will bring glory and honour to His Name.

The immutability of God.

On Wednesday, temperatures of 50 C, and people in danger of death through dehydration. Today: thunder, lightning, torrential rain, and hailstones - and all of that in the space of less than fifteen minutes (the storm, itself, lasted for more than an hour!).

Regardless of climate change, global warming, or any other fad or buzz-word to which we are regularly exposed, there can be no doubt that the weather can be very changeable. One of the regular 'jokes' about Scotland (and other areas!) is that it has four seasons - every day!

Of course, life itself is filled with change. People grow - and the "I" in a photograph of me at about seven years of age, is very different, physically, from the "I" who is typing this post. I am also different in terms of the knowledge and understanding that I have gained during those intervening decades (both of them - if you are one of my former LHS pupils! But don't forget the "few months"!). I have changed my place of residence more often than I care to recall; I have changed from being a single young man to being a husband, a father, and now a grandfather. I have experienced change in terms of taste - in music; in food; in reading material; etc.

All of that, and more, was going through my head as my wife and I sat in the car, outside the shop we planned to enter, waiting for the rain to ease off sufficiently, and the hailstones to stop playing drum-rolls on the roof of the car! Then I thought of the unchanging One!

The fancy, theological word for the associated doctrine (teaching*) is "the immutability of God". What that means, simply, is that He is unchanging in His love; in His character; in His will; in His purposes. Louis Berkhof, in his classic volume of Systematic Theology, defines the immutability of God as "... that perfection of God be which He is devoid of all change, not only in His Being, but also in His perfections, and in His purposes and promises." (p.58). Q.4 in the Westminster Shorter Catechism ask "What is God?", and supplies the answer: "God is [a] Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His Being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth."

These 'credal' statements are, of course, fully backed up by the written Word of God. To give just a few of the Scripture references, we read in the book of the prophet Malachi: "For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed." (Mal 3:6; emphasis added). James, the half-brother of the Lord Jesus, wrote: "Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." (James 1:16-17; emphasis added). In perhaps the best-known reference to the unchangeability of God, in the Persona (not a typo - see the chapter on The Trinity, in "Great Words") of the Son, the writer of the Letter to Hebrew disciples of Jesus states clearly that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever." (Heb 13:8; emphasis added).

So, is this doctrine nothing more than academic pretentiousness, or esoteric grandiloquence? (tongue in cheek, there!). Is there any comfort, or encouragement for the true child of God? There most certainly is! The concept is taught, not simply as belonging to the nature of God in Himself, but as being in the closest connection with His covenant relation to His people, so that the 'religious' value of God's unchangeableness is most clearly implied in this fundamental assertion of the attribute. He is YHWH - the "I AM THAT I AM" - and that very Name, the Covenant name, indicates His immutability. If He ever "was", then He might now be different to what He was before! If he was ever to be, then what confidence could we have that He is not yet all that He might be? However, He Is - eternally; and in that assurance we may take comfort.

As I finish typing this post, the sun is again breaking through the clouds. There, too, is a lesson. Sometimes we may feel so far away from Father God. The clouds of sin get in the way. But He is still there - just as the sun was still there even in the midst of the thunder-storm. And our God, Who created the sun, and all that exists, is far greater, and more dependable, than is it.

The immutability of God. A wondrous doctrine that may be an encouragement to all who call upon the Name of the Lord. May we do so - for our own good; for the blessing of others; and for His eternal glory.

*see my book "Defending the Faith". Details above. Remember, I receive no financial benefit from the sale of any of my books, paperback or e-book. ALL royalties are now paid directly into the bank account of Release International, in support of the persecuted church.

Approaching the Creator.

Many people have made the laudable decision to "read the whole Bible", from cover to cover! Sadly, that is exactly what many of them start to do - forgetting that it is not a single book, but a library of books. However, they have no difficulty with the books of Genesis and Exodus. They are fast-moving narratives, that can easily hold the reader. Then they arrive at the third book - Leviticus. Oh dear! How different this is. This is where many fail - and forget about their original plan and intention.

Yet the book of Leviticus has much to teach even those who live under the new covenant. It is also worth remembering that the Tanakh (what most of us know as the Old Testament) was the only Bible that Jesus and the early disciples ever knew! Yet those early disciples of Jesus were able to use those books to even lead people to a saving knowledge of the Lord! 

Find out more about this book, right here! If you have, in the past, been "bogged down" by Leviticus, you really do need to watch this clip! 

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!

Abraham - father of the faithful (3)

One theological movement goes under the title of "Replacement Theology". It's basis is a belief that the church has replaced the Children of Israel in the plans and purposes of Almighty God. So, have the Chosen People been replaced?

The ministry of Yeshua to the House of Israel led to the missionary work of the first Jewish belivers, who spread the message of God's love, and God's Kingdom, to the Gentiles. That message resulted in an explosive - even exponential - growth in the number of Gentile believers in the early centuries, A.D. However, possibly from a feeling of superiority , or of jealousy, or of religiosity, members of the early church claimed to be the "true Israel", effectively evicting El Shaddai from His established identity as the God of Avraham, Yitzak, and Yacov. This loveless condemnation of the nation of Israel for rejecting Yeshua as HaMashiach led, ironically, to much of the church discounting El Shaddai as Israel's God!

However, in spite of what some who claim to be disciples of Yeshua claim, even today, El Shaddai has not disassociated Israel from His promises, or abandoned His covenants with His Chosen People. He is a covenant-keeping God, true to His Word. That, of course, is good news for those of us who claim to be the followers of Yeshua because if God was willing to break His unconditional covenants, or any of His promises, to the Children of Israel, then He might break them with us as well! We may be grateful, therefore, that "God is not a human who lies, or a mortal who changes his mind. When He says something, He will do it; when He makes a promise, He will fulfil it." (Num.23:19; CJB)

Those who claim that God is done with the Children of Israel point to the covenant at Mt. Sinai, when God said: "Now, if you will pay careful attention to what I say, and keep my covenant, then you will be My own treasure from among the peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you will be a kingdom of 'cohanim' [priests] for me, a nation set apart." (Ex.19:5-6; CJB). Of course, as history records, the Chosen people broke their promise to El Shaddai, to do everything that He had told them to do.

This leads some to claim that it is patently obvious that the Children of Israel forfeited their right to be a holy nation! What they forget - or ignore! - is that God also promised that however disobedient Israel became, and no matter how cursed they were because of it, He would not forget the other covenant that He made - to Avraham, Yitzac, and Yacob.: "... in spite of all that, I will not reject them when they are in the lands of their enemies, nor will I loathe them to the point of utterly destroying them and thus break My covenant with them, because I am YHWH their God. Rather, for their sakes, I will remember the covenant of their ancestors whom I brought out of the land of Egypt - with the nations watching - so that I might be their God; I am YHWH." (Lev.26:44-45; emphasis added). 

Avram guarding his sacrifice. (Gen.15)
by James Tissot

The covenant with Avraham was unconditional. No "if ... then" aspects. In fact, Avram was asleep when God 'cut the covenant' (Gen.15:7 ff). Many other promises involve ownership of the land, and its heirs. Regardless of anything else, YHWH assured the Children of Israel that He will keep His covenant that He made with Avraham, and that continued through Yitzak and Yacov. Paul dealt with the same question in Romans 11 - a chapter well worth reading, and studying|!

Of course, if the Creator God has chosen a people to be His ambassadors and, ultimately, to bring forth the salvation of mankind, then we may be certain that the enemy of our souls is working overtime to make God appear to be a liar, and to make His people appear to be racists who want to conquer mankind, and rule the world. As we watch the demonising of the modern State of Israel (which is not synonymous with the Children of Israel!), and the open claims of a desire to annihilate the Jewish people, by the modern media, Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, the 'Palestinian' Authority, and organisations such as the United Nations, we need to realise that, whether or not they realise it, they are but pawns in the hand of the satan - the adversary.

If people would but open their hearts wide enough to see that YHWH, El Shaddai, used Israel to bring monotheism to the world, along with an enduring system of ethics and morals that influences many cultures worldwide, the sooner they would understand what a great debt of gratitude they owe the Jewish people. The world has clearly been impacted through God's choosing of Israel, and continues to do so through Yeshua, and the promise - the unconditional promise! - to bless those who bless His Chosen People. (Gen.12:3).

Well, that's all for now. Next month, D.V., we'll look at another character from the Tanakh. I wonder if you can guess who it might be?!

Noah and the Flood, Part 3

I would love to be able to say, honestly, that I am a very calm person, who never gets annoyed! Of course, as anyone who knows me well enough is aware, that is an impossibility! One of the things that annoy me is the way in which that which was (and is) good, has been 'hijacked' by those opposed to the Gospel and, indeed, to the whole idea of a Creator God to Whom we will, each one of us, answer.

As we continue to look at the record of the righteous man, Noach, we reach the point at which he and his immediate family - now the only human beings on planet earth - emerge from the ark in which they have sheltered during the world-wide flood. The first thing that they do is an act of worship and thanksgiving, as they offer to YHWH a sacrifice of the 'clean' animals that had been carried in the ark for that very purpose.

YHWH then makes a promise: "Adonai smelled the sweet aroma, and Adonai said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, since the imaginings of a person’s heart are evil from his youth; nor will I ever again destroy all living things, as I have done. So long as the earth exists, sowing time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.” "(Gen.8:21-22; CJB - emphasis added).

As a sign of this promise/covenant, YHWH then sets a rainbow in the sky: "I am putting My rainbow in the cloud — it will be there as a sign of the covenant between Myself and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth, and the rainbow is seen in the cloud; I will remember My covenant which is between Myself and you and every living creature of any kind; and the water will never again become a flood to destroy all living beings. The rainbow will be in the cloud; so that when I look at it, I will remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of any kind on the earth." (9:13-16; CJB).

That is the true significance of that particular phenomenon! It has nothig to do with sexual deviancy, any more than has the use of the lovely old word 'gay'! Actually, I take the latter personally. I was taught, at an early age, the old poem concerning the day of the week on which a person was born. I'll not print it all here, but it ends: "But the child who's born on the Sabbath Day is bonny, and blithe, and good, and gay"! You've guessed it - I was born on a Sunday!

Anyway, back to Noach. A righteous man he was; perfect, he was not! After leaving the ark, he plants a vineyard. In time, sadly, that results in him becoming drunk, and he is found by his second son, Ham, passed out naked in his tent. You know, that is one of the amazing things about the Word of God - it is transparently honest about even its finest characters! That's just one reason why it may be trusted! Ham, it should be noted, was the father of Kena‘an (Canaan - ring any bells?!).

Noach blesses his other two sons, Shem and Yefet (Japheth) because they walk in backwards, carrying a cloak, and cover their father without looking at him. There is an important lesson here! Although Noah's entire family is saved physically, each one still has to choose the way of spiritual salvation — a transformation of the heart.  Shem and Yafet show a right heart and right spirit, while their brother Ham, shows that his heart needs to be regenerated.

This curse over Ham did not end with him, but carried on down the generations: "When Noach awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him. He said, “Cursed be Kena‘an; he will be a servant of servants to his brothers.” Then he said, “Blessed be Adonai, the God of Shem; Kena‘an will be their servant. May God enlarge Yefet; he will live in the tents of Shem, but Kena‘an will be their servant.”" (9:24-27; CJB).  There are many who would claim that any of us, today, may unknowingly carry curses upon our lives from a previous generation. Certainly, the Second of the Ten Words (commandments) indicates that children suffer because of the sins of their parents and grandparents, and even earlier generations. We may be truly thankful, therefore that the atoning blood of Yeshua HaMashiach paid the price for all our sins. The aged apostle John wrote: "... if we are walking in the light, as He is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of His Son Yeshua purifies us from all sin." (I John 1:7; C.J.B.). Therefore, there is no longer any condemnation awaiting those who are in union with the Messiah Yeshua." wrote rabbi Paul to the Roman disciples of Jesus (8:1; C.J.B.). If there are, indeed, such "generational curses", then He has the power to break them. However, we must receive, proclaim, and walk in the freedom that He offers to each and all.

We must also realise that we are not the masters of our own time. Speaking through His prophet, Isaiah, YHWH declares to His chosen people, Isreal: " 'For Me this is like Noach’s flood. Just as I swore that no flood like Noach’s would ever again cover the earth, so now I swear that never again will I be angry with you or rebuke you. For the mountains may leave and the hills be removed, but My grace will never leave you, and My covenant of peace will not be removed,' says Adonai, Who has compassion on you." (54:9-10).

Almghty God so loved Israel that He sent them a righteous, yet suffering, Servant so that a right relationship with Him could be restored, and eternal salvation be guaranteed to all, Jew and Gentile, who submit their lives to Yeshua, Who, Himself, is God. While Noach was used to save himeslf and his family physically; Yeshua HaMashiach is the Saviour of all who place their trust, unreservedly, in Him.

Just like the floood in the days of Noach, in the end times - and many, myself included, are convinced that that is when we are now living - judgment will come suddenly and swiftly (see Matt.24:36-41). But those who know the Lord Jesus need not fear, for He is, Himself, our safe shelter from the raging storm of tribulation, just as the ark sheltered Noach and his family. Isaiah wrote: "Come, My people, enter your rooms, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourselves for a little while until the wrath is past." (26:20; C.J. B.).

May we emerge from the Ark of God's shelter, in the unity of faith, to establish the new heavens and the new earth of peace and righteousness and justice, under the perfect rule of the Messish - Yeshua,

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.

"I hate divorce!"

The title to this post is in quotation marks because it is a quotation! It is, in fact, the word of YHWH, through His servant and prophet, Malachi, and is the third criticism of the Children of Israel of the time - their failure to uphold the sanctity of their marriage vows. And there are those, even within the church, who think that the Old Testament scriptures are irrelevant!! 

The people, it seems, were no better than the priests at whom we looked in the previous post. They, too, had rejected a solemn agreement given to them by YHWH and, as a result, He had withheld His blessing from them. His message, through Malachi, to those who had broken their marriage vows, was simple, straightforward, and incapable of misunderstanding: "... I hate divorce, says YHWH the God of Israel, and covering one’s garment with violence, says YHWH Sabaoth. So take heed to yourselves and do not be faithless." It is interesting, is it not, that God even equates divorce with violence?!

What, we may wonder, would Malachi say if he were alive today? Statistics for the UK are not up-to-date, but the ONS (Office of National Statistics) estimate that some 40% of UK marriages end in divorce. There was a slight drop a couple of years ago, but I would suggest that that was because of the lower number actually entering into a marriage covenant, choosing instead to cohabit, as cohabitation separation is not included in the statistics.

Now I am aware that the issues relating to divorce are often very complex. However, it must be stated that the God-given pattern is one husband with one wife, for life. This is confirmed by the Lord Jesus, Himself: "And Pharisees came up to Him and tested Him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that He who made them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” He said to them, “For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another, commits adultery.”" (Matt.19:3-9).

So, divorce, while hated by Almighty God, is permitted because of the hardness of the hearts of men and women. However, as is so often the case, Jesus takes the matter further by stating that a divorcee who remarries is committing adultery. Not only that, but it is, effectively, perpetual adultery! If I have a "one-night-stand", or even an affair that lasts for many months I am, as a married man, committing adultery. However, like the prodigal son, I may "come to my senses" and if I confess my sin to Father God, and am truly repentant, then I may receive His forgiveness. However, if I divorce my wife, and enter into a second marriage relationship, only a life of celibacy could stop me committing adultery on a regular basis!

I would suggest that if we saw divorce as God sees it, then we would approach marriage problems with a good deal more determination to resolve them than many appear to do at present. Human nature is such that when the initial romance - the "being in love" - begins to fade in a marriage, it is all too easy to develop a roving eye, and a flirtatious attitude, and so slip into an adulterous relationship. May I emphasise that I am not judging anyone! Jesus also made it clear "... that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matt.5:28) and, by that standard I, like any red-blooded, heterosexual male, am a serial adulterer! However, the thought is not, in fact, as bad as the deed in God's eyes! Jesus made that point, and others, to show some Pharisees that, just because they did not physically commit certain sins, did not mean that they were sinless!

Divorce and "remarriage" also have a strong bearing on those who would be in leadership within the church - read I Timothy 3: 1-13; Titus 1:5-9. However, if we choose God's ways of faithfulness, and loyalty, then we shall experience His blessing on our marriages. In an age in which there is such an acceptance of divorce as the only viable solution to marital problems (and I reiterate, that I am aware that the issues relating to divorce are often very complex) let those of us who claim to be the adopted children of the heavenly Father, resist such a pressure with all of the energy available to us; and seek to resolve any marital problems by the Word of God, and in the power of God the Holy Spirit. Let us also encourage others to be faithful to their marriage vows, and to seek His help in any difficulty.

Doing it His way; and a massacre!

In the previous post, I mentioned that the Old Testament prophet, Malachi, had four main criticisms of the Children of Israel. The second of these was that they had failed to keep the covenant into which Almighty God had entered with them. 

"For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of YHWH Sabaoth. But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says YHWH Sabaoth, ..." (2:7-8).

The covenant to which he refers was a covenant that YHWH had made, with the priests, through Levi (see Numbers 25. Phineas was a descendant of Levi. This is "another example of the Heb. concept of 'corporate personality'; Levi represents the 'tribe of Levi' of the Levites . . ." (New International Bible Commentary. Zondervan), that they would teach the people, accurately and faithfully, all aspects of the divine law. This they had patently failed to do, and so Malachi faces them with this challenging and strong indictment.

However, I would contend that we are experiencing a similar situation in the church in the 21st century (and before!). In an article that I had published, recently, I stated: "Surely the church is intended to be a prophetic voice to the nation – not a subservient reflection of the social norms that, sadly, are so much at odds with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus, the Christ! Is it not the case that the established churches that are seeking to emulate society ... .... are slowly dying as they forsake the Word on which they should be founding their message to mankind?" One friend, here in France, often makes the point that the problem in the church is one of ignorance (in the correct definition of the word!) of the Word of God, and I believe that he is absolutely correct. But who is to blame? Surely it is those who have been charged with delivering, and explaining, that Word of God. Is it really being expounded in  the way in which it ought to be?

Now, of course, there are notable exceptions, and I could rhyme off a list of congregations/ fellowships in Scotland in which the Word is faithfully preached, without the addition of 'gimmicks'! However, there are far too many places in which the Word of God is so diluted, diminished, denigrated, denied, and even destroyed, that people leave having heard no divine challenge; no word from God; no revelation from heaven. We may have a semi-professional worship team (or a fine choir and an expensive organ); we may have hearty congregational singing; we may have our programmes to help the poor and downtrodden; we may have regular visiting of the sick; we may have a hundred-and-one wonderful programmes; but if we have no sound Biblical exposition and teaching, then our 'worship services' are a hollow mockery, and an empty pantomime!

I am convinced that, if Malachi were alive today, he would be thundering into the ears of the 'spiritual leadership' of our nations: "... you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; ..." (v.8). In that article already mentioned, I also wrote that when I consider "... the church adapting its beliefs and practices to conform with the current social zeitgeist, I wonder what Paul would think! That is the Paul who, under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, enjoined that we “… be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom.12:2; emphasis added)."

Yesterday, in Texas, a young man deliberately murdered 26 people, and left another 27 seriously wounded in First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs. This was no Muslim jihadist. This was no "gun-toting redneck". This was, it would appear, a young man who once taught briefly on a Christian vacation camp, but who had become a militant atheist. It begs the question - that doesn't apply only to the USoA - "What is happening to the teaching ministry in today's church?" Do our young people grasp the full meaning and implication of the Christian faith? Are they being shown how to live in accordance with the values revealed in the written Word of God? Do we provide them with clear Biblical instruction on how to cope with sexual permissiveness, and deviance; problems of authority; matters of morality?

Surely it is time that many in the church - and particularly in its leadership - became less concerned about changing the Gospel to suit society, and started to preach the Gospel that society might be changed! Paul's Holy Spirit inspired words are as relevant today, as ever they have been! It's time that we did it His way!

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!

Marriage!

On Saturday, my wife and I were privileged to be present at the marriage of two lovely young disciples of Jesus, to one another.  It was, of course, a French wedding - the third that we have attended during this calendar year.  With more than 46 years of marriage behind my wife and me, I have a more than passing interest in the institution of marriage, and want to share some thoughts on the subject, here.

Marriage, as I shared in the Christian Marriage Service that I conducted in my days as a parish minister, "... is a state of life provided and instituted by God. It has been blessed by the presence of Jesus Himself at the marriage in Cana of Galilee. In Holy Scripture it is commended as honourable in all, and the marriage union is seen as a symbol of the union of loyalty and love that exists between Christ and His people.

"It is, therefore, not to be undertaken lightly or unadvisedly, but thoughtfully and reverently, and as before God, and with due consideration of the reasons for which it was given to us.  It was given for the sake of the life-long companionship, help, and comfort that husband and wife ought to have of each other.  It was given that family life may continue, and that children, who are a gift from God, may be brought up in the love and security of a stable and happy home.  It was given for the welfare of human society, which can only be strong and happy where the marriage commitment is kept and honoured."

It is, to me, a matter of great sadness when couples who have entered into such a union decide, for whatever reason, to break it.  Especially in a Christian marriage, the union is a covenant relationship that includes Father God - and only He can break such a union (which He does by the death of one of the couple).  This is why, the immediate words following the exchanging of vows, and rings, are: "What God has joined together, man must not separate."

An illustration that I have used for years was, not too long ago, expanded by a friend.  It concerns what I refer to as "the eternal triangle".  That is, in secular terms, a reference to "husband, wife, and the other man/woman".  However, I think of it as the husband, the wife, and Father God.  Imagine the triangle standing on its base. The couple are at opposite ends of that base-line.  Father God is at the apex, and the other two sides of the triangle connect Him with the husband and wife.  If, at any time, there should be a crack in the base-line, then as long as the other two sides remain intact - in other words, as long as each spouse maintains their relationship with God - the triangle will stand upright, allowing time for the crack in the base-line to repair.  It is only when one of the sides is broken that the whole edifice comes crashing down!

That was as far as I used to go.  However, a friend who was in a group with which I was sharing that, added to it. She pointed out that, if the couple each move up "their" side then, as they draw closer to God, they also draw closer to one another!  I love that extra dimension to the picture.  It is, I believe, the secret of a truly happy marriage.

My young friends who were married to one another on Saturday, both love the Lord, and each loves the other.  It is my prayer for them that, as they live their lives for Him, so they will indeed be drawn ever closer to Him, and to one another, and be a shining example to all who know them, of what a truly Christian marriage can be like.

Abraham - the father of the faithful!

Paul's words, in Gal 3:7 - "... it is men of faith who are the sons of Abraham." - are among those that have given rise to Abraham being described as in the heading to this post.  But, having recently completed reading about Abraham in my personal devotions, I found myself thinking on Abraham's own faith.  What kind of example has he left to disciples of Jesus today?

Well, the first thing we may note about Abraham is that he was saved through faith.  Paul, this time writing to the believers in Rome, makes the point: "What then shall we say about Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.' Now to one who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due. And to one who does not work but trusts Him Who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness." (Rom 4:1-5).  Abraham could not have been saved by the keeping of the Law - because that Law had not yet been given.  He could not have been saved by the ritual of circumcision, because God declared him to be righteous before he was circumcised (see Rom.4:9-12).  He was, like everyone else who is saved, saved through faith - faith in the Living God. (see also Heb.11).

But he was not only saved through faith, he also lived by faith.  Wherever he went, we read, he pitched his tent and built an altar to El Shaddai.  He let people know that he was a pilgrim and a stranger - even in the land that God had covenanted to give to his descendants.  His willingness to sacrifice Isaac, the son of promise, proved his trust in God - "He considered that God was able to raise men even from the dead; hence, figuratively speaking, he did receive him [Isaac] back." (Heb 11:19).  His works did not save him, but they proved that his faith was genuine.

Saved through faith; living by faith; and Abraham walked in faith.  Of course, he had lapses - some of them serious - but his general manner of life was one of faith.  "Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. ... So Abram went, as the LORD had told him;" (Gen.12:1,4).  That great eleventh chapter of Hebrews has more to say about Abraham than about any other of the individuals who are named there!

So what has all of that to do with you and me, so many millennia later?  Well, if we have no interest in the things of God - absolutely nothing!  However if, like me, you claim to be a disciple of the Lord, Jesus the Christ, descended, after the flesh, from this same Abraham, then his life must be a challenge to you, as it is to me. 

I must remember that my salvation is only by the grace of Almighty God to which I, too, must respond through faith.  "For 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." (Eph. 2:8-9).  I am not saved by my "good works" - and any service that I do render is only because I am "... His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works , which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Eph. 2:10). I must learn to walk by faith - and that means walking in obedience. It means, as the hymn-writer put it, "Standing on the promises".  A friend of many years ago would often state that "God said it; I believe it; that's it; period!"  That's not a bad way in which to live!

I've been challenged, afresh, by the life of Abraham.  Perhaps you will be, as well!

Rainbows!

As I look out of my study window, here in the Dordogne area of SW France, the last thing I expect to see is a rainbow!  All that I am able to see are some fluffy clouds, floating lazily across an otherwise blue, blue sky.  However, David Robertson (St Peter's, Dundee) has published one of his own blogs, that commences: "I don't often like writing about  my own congregation, St Peters.    But yesterday was such an encouraging day that I thought I would make an exception. As we drove home from the church, I saw this double rainbow in a perfect arch over St Peters -  it was a beautiful symbol, not of man's rebellion against God, but of God's grace towards humanity."

In my own devotions, this morning, I was reading in Genesis 9 in which it is recorded, some may recall, that Almighty God made the rainbow to be His covenant sign that He would never again flood the whole of planet Earth.  David mentioned that the rainbow is a symbol "... of God's grace towards humanity."  If that is true - and I agree with David that it is - then those of us who are disciples of Jesus must surely ask ourselves why we so often fret and worry.  God hasn't promised that we will never experience storms - but He has promised that they won't destroy us!  "When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." (Isa 43:2).

Warren Wiersbe makes an interesting point about the shape of the rainbow!  He points out that the bow is normally thought of as a weapon; an instrument of war.  However, God has transformed it into a picture of His grace.  He writes: "God could certainly turn the bow of judgment upon us, because we've broken His law and deserve judgment.  But He has turned the bow toward heaven and taken the punishment for us, Himself!   When Jesus died on the cross, it was the Just One suffering for the unjust (I Peter 3:18) and bearing the suffering that rightfully belonged to us." (Be Basic; p.121. Emphasis in original).

Rainbows are also universal.  They may be seen all over the world.  This, surely, is a reminder that God's grace is offered to, and sufficient for, everyone - regardless of age, gender, nationality, skin colour, education, social position, or whatever.  That, in turn, means that it is available to, and sufficient for, you!  "For God so loved [YOU] that He gave His only Son, that [if YOU] believe in Him [YOU shall] not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16; slightly edited!).

Of course, in Genesis 9, I was reminded that God said: "When the bow is in the clouds, I will look upon it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth." (Gen 9:16; emphasis added).   The rainbow is not only a reminder to us of God's unfailing grace; it is also an assurance that He sees it, and will not ignore His covenant.  

I find it rather sad that such a beautiful symbol has, like a certain beautiful word, been "hijacked" by those who wish to legalise - and even encourage!- the practice of sexual deviancy.  However, we who know Him may rejoice that He is the One Who does not change (Mal.3:6); that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever." (Heb 13:8).  Hallelujah!  Glory to His Name.