What God is and Why and So What

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When we read the Old Testament we tend to look for the story, with good reason. Paul wrote that the ancient events were recorded for people in the modern age (1 Cor. 10:11). In a perverse kind of way we long for those things we approve to happen to us, so we sing confidently “What He’s done for others He’ll do for you…” as if there are no unique and exclusive things God wants to do for us. We diligently seek to be like Israel without understanding that there is no repeat, there is no emulation of Israel. There is only one Abraham and one Moses, and one Messiah. The stories are only reliable when they feed us the things that belong to Christ. The narratives are warnings – admonition (1 The. 5:14, Titus 3:10). Besides the narratives there are proclamations that demand an “Amen” without reservation. These sayings have neither probability nor assumptions that attaches to humanity. They admit no changeability. They simply are true.

The Lord is my light, literally, yahweh my light, yhwh ooree

The Lord is our refuge, literally, yahweh for us refuge, yhwh lanu machaseh

These types of sayings are tagged as copulas. The first half = to the second half. No-one is doing anything; the saying reports what is.

the LORD  is God (Old Testament)

the Word was God (New Testament)

the light was the light of men (New Testament)

Contemporary examples would be “Muhammad Ali [is] the greatest”, “America [is] home of the brave”.

There are scores of these copulas in the OT. Our hard copies of the KJV (The King James Version) of the Bible preserves many copulas by placing the was or the is in italics. How very accurate and cool is that!

In my digital version of the KJV – the KJS – the italics are replaced by brackets.

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1 (KJS)

For the LORD [is] good; his mercy [is] everlasting;

and his truth [endureth] to all generations. Psalm 100:5 (KJS)

In this last example the translators inserted endureth but the significance of the saying is the same.

God’s goodness simply is. His truth is endless.

In the Law

  • Genesis 21:22 (KJS) And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God [is] with thee in all that thou doest:
  • Genesis 31:50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take [other] wives beside my daughters, no man [is] with us; see, God [is] witness betwixt me and thee.
  • Numbers 23:19 God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
  • Numbers 23:21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God [is] with him, and the shout of a king [is] among them.
  • Deut. 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God [is] one LORD:

In the Prophets

  • Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God [is] my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH [is] my strength and [my] song; he also is become my salvation.
  • Isaiah 45:14 Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, [saying], Surely God [is] in thee; and [there is] none else, [there is] no God.
  • Nahum 1:2 God [is] jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and [is] furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth [wrath] for his enemies.
  • Habakkuk 3:19 The LORD God [is] my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ [feet], and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

Some New Testament Examples

  • 2 Cor. 1:18 But [as] God [is] true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.
  • 1 Tim. 4:4 For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
  • Hebrews 6:10 For God [is] not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
  • Hebrews 12:29 For our God [is] a consuming fire.
  • Rev. 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God.

Great soul food from David

I found this example among from a Psalm of David most compelling, (i) because it is repeated and (ii) each is followed by a different profound statement of confidence.

He only [is] my rock and my salvation; [he is] my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. Psalm 62:2

He only [is] my rock and my salvation: [he is] my defence; I shall not be moved. Psalm 62:6

greatly = in any way = never = not at all

Both are to be read as “I shall not be moved, period”. Anything less would be foolhardy

The believer has relevant experience here. Christ is our rock, our salvation and our defence. We cannot yield to notions about being shaken or moved from our place in Him. Let the winds blow, let the floods rage, our house stands. If you are afraid, shaken or moved from your rock-salvation-defence, check your foundation. It is very likely to be sand.

Great soul food from David’s son

And the rain descended, and the floods came,
and the winds blew, and beat upon that house;
and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. Matt 7:25
And the rain descended, and the floods came,
and the winds blew, and beat upon that house;
and it fell: and great was the fall of it. Matt 7:27

A truly Messianic saying of this type that features both the fixed truth and the action is Exodus 15:2, where God is strength-song-salvation-ancestral God

The action is underlined, for example,  the Word became human etc.

The LORD [is] my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he [is] my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

 

Things to Believe and the Only One to Believe in

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For many believers faith invites us to a new life.  The new life is a challenge because it is new.  Nothing we had before conversion is an essential building block in the new life.  We shatter our credibility when we talk about believing in things.  Creeds and doctrinal systems are overgrown elephants in the rooms.  Knowing what to believe is not a nightmare unless one is prone to  say yes to ridiculous apostles and prophets.  Credibility appears to come in two shapes: suffering then glory (Luke 24:26-27)

Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.  

A question like this is also credible because it points to the answer, namely, yes.  And so will His disciples.  Taking the servant and the master as walking together we find that a cross is always present.  It is not that every second of the believer’s life is to be experienced as pain and suffering, but that there is daily dying to catalyze our growth.  

As it is written,  For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.  Romans 8:36 

The exercise of Faith brings us to life: salvation and belonging.  It also empowers the life through love and hope: love that reflects the love of God-in-Christ and hope that covers our nakedness and flavours our attitudes regarding ourselves and others.  The hope of having substance to replace our futile existence is called the hope of glory.  It is not something entirely new because CHRIST IS IN US. But hope fixes on the swallowing up of mortality and the end of pain and suffering.

 BELIEVE AND CONFESS

It is problematic to say things like “I believe in obedience”, “I believe in miracles”, and most disturbing “I believe in faith”, because belief is God’s gift to enable salvation.  Why waste it?

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them.

But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart,Who will ascend into heaven?(that is, to bring Christ down)

or Who will descend into the abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).  Romans 10:5-7

It is indicative of Satanic deception that people are still trying to add something to this explicit description of salvation and the distinction between law and faith.

DrJ

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.