Author: eejoseph

LIVE DNA AND EVIL

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Every time another atrocity occurs most people are quick to relate it to their backyards. A few still respond with incredulity “Not in my backyard”, others acknowledging with “My backyard has certainly changed”, others feeling the need to create distance from the atrocity respond with  “I need a new backyard”, and the judge and jury types respond with “Why don’t we nuke that backyard?”  Not in my backyard is a popular human response to uncomfortable truths or realities even when the facts are inescapable.

In both the US and Canada the aftermath of a criminal offence one is bound to be painted with calls for punishment “to the extent of the law” and the popular propaganda that the state must use its resources to prevent its recurrence.  I am not buying this prevention cloak. No one is free from one’s DNA, no sinner, no saint. 

So let’s ask the sinner why he sins.  “Evil is in my lifepath”.  Try as one might, the saint has no different answer.  So is there some solution to DNA without evil?  Yes, a Frankensteinite monster from the science laboratory, or a creative religious drama of legal terrors.

The facts are inescapable if one lives in the real – not game show, comedy, or TV reality – world.  Evil can arise from anywhere except a cleansed conscience and heart.  One thought of superiority, one thought of superhuman capacity destroys the NIMBY mentality.  All the people on the planet are at risk both in past performance and progressive reality.  The testimony of history and reliable witnesses is that we failed the divine evaluation and continue to miss the mark.

The NIMBY mindset indicates an unwillingness to accept God’s view of humanity and His gracious provision for our dilemmas.  The seeds of displeasing God are ever present and are sometimes are the king of (even) the believer’s life, this is why those who lead should always consider themselves when they attempt to address the missteps occurring in their communities. NIMBY thinking includes “Not me”, “How could he/she…” and “I never…”  Let us then be diligent to find and recommend God’s backyard a place that includes all humans to whom His gate is now wide open.  Our DNA is our DNA.

Government Silence over Fallen Warriors

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The White House and the Pentagon were mum, and they might as well still be, for twelve days after four soldiers died at the hands of unknown assailants in Niger.

One obvious reason comes to mind.  Those superficial generals forced the real generals to hold back the truth.  The other is that no one attached to the White House could find any alternative truths to tell the sad story of four fallen soldiers and especially to tell how one of them was left behind a temporarily, and why a widow was not allowed the solace of seeing her husband’s remains.

They should have remained silent because the former general, now White House chief of staff, ostensibly tasked with curbing a undisciplined and characterless president, opened his mouth and unleashed a truckload of the same fecal matter that he was supposed to be preventing.

Forgive me, if you have any such resources left, because this fallout and general (no pun intended) failure to tell the truth has been present in religious circles for decades.  People who should be giving us the facts about our salvation seem to have an endless supply of opinions and incredible (literally) alternative explanations.

The 45th president has generals like Sessions and Kelly who are incapable of being genuine and honest until their personal feelings are hurt and who all are reaching for some questionable past greatness.  

This inability to feel for other people and the reach for past greatness, an Israel caricature to be sure, are also present among religious people. This lead me to hypothesize that politicians have seen that lies and talking points move people and work well among religious people.  Hence we have a host of  rabid surrogates lining up to defend silence and despicable ideologies.  I also have, to be fair,  to add up the fact that few religious people actually love the unlovely while they say that is their highest ideal.

The picture that comes to mind is that of a preacher frothing at the mouth about some perceived blessing or curse with an open Bible in his hand but not daring to show us where the Bible actually says what they are talking about.  Silence can be golden but in this case it is a symptom of the lowest facets of humanity just when the highest quality of interaction is needed.

A Bright Moment at the Start of Saul’s Reign

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After Saul had led a military campaign to prevent a disastrous and disgraceful deal with the Ammonites done people thought that those who did not rally being Saul should be executed.  See the story of the propised deal between the Ammonites and the people of Jabesh-Gilead in 1 Samuel 11:1-11.

There is murderous intent in this patriotism

Let’s kill…

Then the people said to Samuel, Who is it that said, Shall Saul reign over us? Bring the men, that we may put them to death.

Saul says what Christ’s disciples need to say.

But Saul said, Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has worked salvation in Israel.

Then Samuel said to the people, Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom. So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal.

There they sacrificed peace offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.  1 Samuel 11:12-15

No one survives the law or thrives without repentance

Now if our actual treatment of unbelievers is to throw anything at people let us revisit our story that we have been touched by the grace of God.

The source of great rejoicing is still available: Christ the Son of God, Saviour.

​Psalm 22: snapshots of the Lord’s passion

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We know that Scripture cannot be broken, that is, rendered useless.  We also know that the personal suffering of one of our Lord’s ancestors, David, comes to play a large part in assuring us that our Lord’s suffering is the most helpful thing in history and eternity.  Certain words and actions from this psalm appear in the gospels and at least letter as reminders of an unfailing plan and incomparable love.

The famous and painful words.  Mark 15:34.  Psalm 22:1

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 

The mocking crowd. Mark 15:32.  Psalm 22:8

He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!

The physical abuse. John 19:34.  Psalm 22:16

For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— 

The casual gaming.  John 19:24.  Psalm 22:18

they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. 

The crucified’s commitment.  Hebrews 2:12.  Psalm 22:22

I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

It is tempting to call events that fulfil scripture incredible, but this phenomenon – the relationship between Old Testament texts and events in Christ’s life – is the most credible of all. 

Tall and Handsome Sent to Find Lost Donkeys

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How Saul Ends up Anointed as King

1 Samuel 9:2_3

And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people. (3)

Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, Take one of the young men with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys. 

Tall and Handsome Reveres the Seer

1 Samuel 9:6.  But he said to him, Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.

Chosen to deliver.  1 Samuel 9:15-16.

Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.

Chosen to restrain

1 Samuel 9:17.  When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall restrain my people. 

Lost donkeys found.  1 Samuel 9:20

As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s house?

The day passes with a visit to the high place, dining together, and. after spending the night in intriguing conversation…

1 Samuel 10:1

Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you to be prince over his heritage.

God uses seemingly insignificant and every day incidents to bring together the agents of his large and uncommon plans.

May you be surprised today!

​PEOPLE SEEKING SHELTER FROM LIFE

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In this episode – Jeremiah 42:7-17 covering the closing days of pre-Babylonian exile Judah –  we see the similarity to the people flirting with godliness without Christ’s flavour and people’s desire to have fish without the fishy smell.

At the end of ten days the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. Then he summoned Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest, and said to them, 

They were still seeking divine help.

Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your plea for mercy before him: 

The message was not what they wanted to hear.

 If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you. 

If fear of God was the beginning of wisdom then Israel was all folly. They were afraid of the Babylonian king even after the memory of the Exodus.  This is similar to Christians being afraid of policemen and creditors after the memory of salvation from sin.  It bore repeating.

Do not fear the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not fear him, declares the Lord, for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand. I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and let you remain in your own land. 

People tend to do what their ancestors did.  Egypt was good for Abraham, Joseph, the whole Hebrew family, and infant Yeshua, but with Babylon breathing down Judah’s neck Egypt was not on the destination list.  Jeremiah was again apparently on the wrong side.  Nobody should be thinking of Egypt as a refuge.

Choices are a part of the human problem.  Our knowledge can be useless.  Our faith can be misplaced.  

But if you say, We will not remain in this land, disobeying the voice of the Lord your God and saying, No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we shall not see war or hear the sound of the trumpet or be hungry for bread, and we will dwell there, then hear the word of the Lord, O remnant of Judah. 

There is no escape from the divine decree.  Judah’s humiliation was going to happen, no matter where the Judeans were. Famine – remember what drove Jacob to Egypt – would pursue them.

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: If you set your faces to enter Egypt and go to live there, then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are afraid shall follow close after you to Egypt, and there you shall die. 

NO SURVIVOR, NO REMNANT, ONLY DISASTER

All the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to live there shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. They shall have no remnant or survivor from the disaster that I will bring upon them.  

Jerusalem, in New Testament times, became a pitiful victim of the same kind of misplaced confidence.

Consider Christ’s expression of apprehension over Jerusalem. 

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. Luke 19:41-44. 

When God is intervening we, like the ancient Judeans, are not exempt from seeing his provision for our welfare as destructive.  May our experience of our visitation be pleasing to God and glorious. 

As the Tide Turns

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RELEASED FROM PRISON TO BE HARASSED FOR SAYING “STAY IN THE CITY AND DIE”. Jeremiah 38:2

Thus says the Lord: He who stays in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans shall live. He shall have his life as a prize of war, and live. 

DEATH TO JEREMIAH FOR SAYING SO. Jeremiah 38:4-5

Then the officials said to the king, Let this man be put to death, for he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm.  King Zedekiah said, Behold, he is in your hands, for the king can do nothing against you. 

THE DUNGEON FOR JEREMIAH FOR SAYING SO.  Jeremiah 38:6

So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.  

RESCUED BY AN ETHIOPIAN. Jeremiah 38:7-13 [his name means king’s (melek) servant (servant) and eunuch indicates a job title]

When Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern—the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate— Ebed-melech went from the king’s house and said to the king, My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern, and he will die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city. 

Thirty Men to Lift Jeremiah from the Dungeon

Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, Take thirty men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies. 

So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the house of the king, to a wardrobe in the storehouse, and took from there old rags and worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern by ropes. Then Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, Put the rags and clothes between your armpits and the ropes. Jeremiah did so. Then they drew Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.  

ONE-ON-ONE WITH THE KING.  Jeremiah 38:14-23.  THIS WAS A YOU-CAN’T-BE-SERIOUS-INTERVIEW

King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance of the temple of the Lord. The king said to Jeremiah, I will ask you a question; hide nothing from me. Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, If I tell you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me. 

KING’S OATH.  As the Lord lives
Then King Zedekiah swore secretly to Jeremiah, As the Lord lives, who made our souls, I will not put you to death or deliver you into the hand of these men who seek your life. 

THE HARD FACTS

Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: 

  • If you will surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live. 
  • But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand.


ROYAL TREPIDATION and CLEAR OPTIONS

King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, lest I be handed over to them and they deal cruelly with me. 

Jeremiah said,

You shall not be given to them. Obey now the voice of the Lord in what I say to you, and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared. 

People saw Jeremiah as a prophet of doom even though he wept bitterly over the nation’s harlotry and the oncoming judgment.  He was not like Jonah, wanting to see destruction and despising mercy.  The choices are clear.

But if you refuse to surrender, this is the vision which the Lord has shown to me: Behold, all the women left in the house of the king of Judah were being led out to the officials of the king of Babylon and were saying, 

Mocking Jeremiah’s plight

 Your trusted friends have deceived you and prevailed against you; now that your feet are sunk in the mud, they turn away from you.  

Devastating and Certain Consequences

 All your wives and your sons shall be led out to the Chaldeans, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand, but shall be seized by the king of Babylon, and this city shall be burned with fire.

SURRENDER TO BABYLON OR DIE.  [what a thing to say!]

Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If you will surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live. But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand. 

KING’S SECRET.  Jeremiah 38:24-28

Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, Let no one know of these words, and you shall not die. If the officials hear that I have spoken with you and come to you and say to you, Tell us what you said to the king and what the king said to you; hide nothing from us and we will not put you to death, then you shall say to them, I made a humble plea to the king that he would not send me back to the house of Jonathan to die there. 

Then all the officials came to Jeremiah and asked him, and he answered them as the king had instructed him. So they stopped speaking with him, for the conversation had not been overheard. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken.  

The familiar narratives about the security of holy city, and victory over all enemies, and the endurance of the temple are about to undergo a radical twist.  Fire will consume both the city and the temple.  How can the 21st century believer survive if the one voice of reliability – Yeshua, Saviour of the world – is practically silenced and his name is a curse-word?  Hardly.

Thunder, Violence and Stones of Help

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…but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth–car. (1 Samuel 7:10b-11)

If God thundered and shook up the United States of America some of her neighbours and people that she had oppressed might be heard saying “It’s a natural phenomenon”.  It would be quite another thing for the US’ neighbours to move in on the US with violent intent.

God does shake people up with earthquakes, cyclones, fires and poor leadership but thankfully our neighbours are not our enemies. So there is no chance of us pursuing and smiting our neighbours.

We are at risk of treating our neighbours as inferior specimens all the while putting ourselves, our own clan, family, village, city and nation as the epitome of goodness and excellence.

Let us make sure that our Ebenezers – our celebrations of God’s help –  are free from sinful intent, free from pride and prejudice, not coloured by our achievement, and are genuine expressions of gratitude. No ifs, no buts.

Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben–ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. (1 Samuel 7:12)