Beauty from Imperfection

Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a Redeemer…  — Ruth 4:14

Arrogance is a temptation for all who are convinced they possess ultimate truth, Jew or Christian. We must accept that our God’s business is that of taking the unacceptable and making it acceptable, of taking the sinner and transforming him into a righteous man.

The story of Ruth provides a vivid example. Ruth was a Moabite Gentile married to a Jewish man (remember, Jews were not to marry Gentiles). When her husband died, she accompanied her Jewish mother-in-law to Israel. Together they survived on charity (gleaning was part of the social welfare system of that culture). Liking Ruth and at her request, Boaz took advantage of the kinsman/redeemer law. The first in line to implement the kinsman law refused (it was his right to refuse with no stigma). Boaz then accepted the opportunity and married Ruth.

Their union resulted in a lineage that included King David; the greatest of the Israeli rulers, and, ultimately Jesus Himself, the Savior of the world, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. From the despicable and hated Moabites, from death and poverty, the God Who created beauty, rescued a young Gentile woman, drew her into the bloodline of His divine plan to rescue all of mankind.

Later, in the New Testament, we are assured that it is God Himself who redeems us and qualifies us, makes us worthy or fit to share the inheritance of the saints (Colossians 1: 12) —even those of the Old Testament. His plan for Israel is that one day He will give them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified (Isaiah 61:3).

Ruth is an example of God creating beauty out of imperfection. Now, let’s look forward to what He makes of us.

From: A Layman’s Daily Walk, For HHH Ministries (available at HHH book store for $12)

The Circumcised Heart

  the LORD your God will circumcise your heart..., to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live—Deuteronomy 30:6

Circumcision was required of Israeli men, not for moral or ethical reasons, but as an indication of their identification with Jehovah; the distinct God of the Jews. It became the ID card for Jewish men: if he was circumcised, he was Jewish; if not, he was a Gentile. Because the children of Abraham were regarded as God’s special people, to be circumcised implied right standing with God. As with many rituals, over time the symbolic rite takes on more importance than that which it symbolizes.

In the New Testament, Paul (the ex-Pharisee) recognized circumcision was of value only if the Law was obeyed in its entirety. He came to see that ...circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter... (Romans 2:29). Paul saw the real significance of the symbol: right standing with God comes only through a heart (the core being, the essence of the individual, the motivational center) that is changed. A physical sign can be easily duplicated. A change of heart results in changed behavior.

Again, Paul firmly stated, It doesn't matter if you are circumcised or not. All that matters is that you are a new person (Galatians 6:15 CEV). The capstone of the New Testament teaching regarding circumcision is found in Philippians 3:3, for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus…

Under Moses the Jewish people were notoriously fickle, disloyal, and rebellious. God said the solution to their alienation from Him was ...circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer (Deuteronomy 10:16). The circumcised heart indicates a change in the core being of the individual. Motivations and attitudes, desires and yearnings are now in line with Jehovah’s intent for man, his interpersonal relations and attitudes toward possessions.

From: A Layman’s Daily Walk, For HHH Ministries (available at HHH book store for $12)

The God of Our Fathers Is Our God, too!

The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us — Deuteronomy 5:3

Someone has well said that God has no grandchildren. Everyone is a first generation child of God. Whether it is a promise of blessing or a reprimand for disobedience, God deals with us as father-to-child, not as grand-father to grandchild.

The refugees from Egypt frequently lost their way, spiritually and geographically.  From time to time, Moses had to give them jolting reminders. Chapter five of Deuteronomy begins a long discourse of ceremonial laws for worship and for social order. He begins by reminding the crowd that God was speaking to them, not to their forefathers. 

On the one hand, there was no excuse: “That was for them, not for us.” Or, “Why doesn’t God bless us like He blessed them?” Moses asserts that this covenant from God was with them, not with their fathers.

In John’s gospel we are reminded, “as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). New Testament scholar William Barclay relates a beautiful story found in ancient writings about two children of a king who dared to interrupt their father’s royal court proceedings with a trivial, childish request. The father, rather than reprimanding them and sending them away, put them on his lap, listen and lovingly responded.

Barclay reminds us that that is our relationship to our God. He always has time for us. He is not distant from us. Yes, He made promises to our fathers, but He makes promises to us, too. Let us listen to His voice, be alert to His message for us. It is well to remember our heritage. But it is even better to cultivate our own relationship with Him.

From: A Layman’s Daily Walk, For HHH Ministries (available at HHH book store for $12)

But God, that idol is so attractive...

...the people... said… Come, make us a god… —Exodus 32:1

A characteristic of the Jewish and Christian faiths is the absence of intermediate symbols or objects between the worshippers and God. The second commandment is abundantly clear: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).

God created the human psyche to reach beyond itself for meaning. The ultimate questions of life are never answered by looking inward. Their resolutions are always found outside of oneself.

Review the history of Abraham’s children: the family was saved by a brother sold and exiled to Egypt—the family grew into a subculture numbering millions; one lone Jew stared down the Egyptian monarch and those subculture millions to safety in the barren wilderness. For 40 years food and water were provided supernaturally.

While in the desert, their God, in essence, makes two demands: love and obey Me, and behave yourselves, that is, treat one another justly. Unanimously, the refugees accepted the mandate from God. The ink was hardly dry on the stone tablets before they manufactured a symbol, the golden calf (Exodus 32) and pronounced the symbol as God Himself, a direct violation of their contractual agreement with God.

That golden calf was so attractive. After all, it was made of precious metal. And, probably, it was the work of master craftsmen. It was visually attractive. It appealed to the senses.

Idolatrous attraction appeals to our senses today: the physical beauty of our companion, man or woman; the bolstered self-esteem that comes with the promotion or recognition. The pride derived from the newest acquisition, the new car, the large flat screen TV, the new house, ring, necklace, etc.

And God said, “You shall have no other gods before me.”

From: A Layman’s Daily Walk, For HHH Ministries (available at HHH book store for $12)

The Horror of Sin and The Blessing

of Hope — Genesis 3

            All of us...have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way — Isaiah 53:6

My friend Jim is a musician’s musician. He practices for hours to produce just the right tempo and melding of notes. He delights in the perfect performance of others. A missed cue, the wrong note, or disharmony causes a wince, a startled jerk. The flawless performance evokes a twinkle and an expression of boundless joy.

God’s creation was declared “very good.” All elements, all plant life, all the inhabitants of the sea, birds of the air, land animals, mankind, the laws of nature, conformed to the master design. They meshed perfectly and worked in unison. Imagine the God of Creation turning to His holy angels, pointing with pleasure to His handiwork and declaring, “That’s very good!”

In our Genesis narrative, it seems it was not long before that which was good became marred and flawed. Blatant disobedience ruined the whole and condemned the part. The earth and all it contained ceased to be “very good.” Mankind no longer functioned according to the creation ideal. The beautiful union between man and woman became competitive, and fraught with finger-pointing blame.

The consequence is death; the ruination of perfection, and ultimately, the destruction of the “very good” creation. The biblical account consigns rebellious mankind to eternal punishment, while the rest of creation is annihilated.

However, on the bright side, the hope, the God of Perfection has chosen to reclaim some of the rebels, re-work their very being and declare them new (II Corinthians 5:17) and then prepare for them a “new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1).

While treating us with loving kindness, He is teaching His holy angels something of His character and wisdom (Ephesians 3:10). As they are in awe of their Creator, so we should be in awe of this God of gods, this Lord of lords, and thank Him for His gracious foresight, wisdom and kindness that includes a bright future for us.

From: A Layman’s Daily Walk, For HHH Ministries (available at HHH book store for $12)

Of Whom Do We Ask?

You do not have because you do not ask — James 4:2

James is regarded as one of the oldest New Testament letters. It is also one of the most practical, that is, it deals with questions of everyday importance. How do we handle opposition? How do we handle the bedraggled down-and-outer in public meetings? What is the responsibility of teachers? What is the relationship of faith and works? These are, in one sense, elementary issues; yet they are practical.

Chapter three opens by noting a greater responsibility placed on teachers. That slides directly into the dangerous use of the tongue. From teacher to tongue… hmmm.

Misuse of the tongue is still the major topic when James says,  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth (James 3:14). The tongue is that agent that arrogantly lies in order to satisfy its jealousy and selfish ambition. Strife within the fledgling church is the direct result of wisdom that does not come down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic (3:15). James continues, where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing (3:16).

The jealousy, selfish ambition, arrogance and lying have led to turmoil within the church:  What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask (James 4:1,2).

Ask of whom? Ask of one another. Rather than seethe with envy and desire for another’s property or position, openly talk about it. Do not scheme (and even commit murder) to acquire that which is not yours. Negotiation must be in good faith not with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures (4:3).

Think: prayer is not in the text; God is not in the text. The text deals with human relationships. Asking is the negotiating that culminates in a deal with both parties satisfied.

From: A Layman’s Daily Walk, For HHH Ministries (available at HHH book store for $12)

Just What Is “the Word of God”?

  the word of God is living and active - Hebrews 4:12

It is commonly held that word of God refers to the Holy Scriptures. Several alternatives have been proposed: the gospel’s message, the mind of God, and the person of Jesus.

John Gill, a 19th century Baptist and Greek and Hebrew scholar, says it “is to be understood of Christ, the essential Word of God; for the Word of God was a known name of the Messiah among the Jews.” John the Apostle supports his view:  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1) and, speaking of Jesus, He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God (Revelation 19:13).

In addition, the following verse, Hebrews 4:13, seems an obvious reference to Jesus and the word of verse 12: And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

It would seem then that to conclude the context and the rest of Scripture would support the position held by John Gill.

Does it make a difference that we understand the subject of verse 12 be the Scriptures or Jesus? The verse reads, For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

The value of making the distinction is its reflection on how we go about studying and understanding what the Scriptures are saying and what they teach. As lovers of God, we are people who are concerned about Him, Who He is, what He says to us, and how He relates to us. That makes our skill in understanding the Scriptures important.

Will our devotion to God hinge on this distinction? No. Will our skill and accuracy as interpreters grow? Yes.

From: A Layman’s Daily Walk, For HHH Ministries (available at HHH book store for $12)