I know it falls outside of the Biblical record (at least as far as Jews and most Protestants are concerned), but I want to wish you all a Happy Chanukah. I work with several Orthodox Jewish women at my schools, and I have no problem wishing them this. "Happy holidays" may be a safe, politically correct way of trying not to offend people, but frankly I'm offended when people who should know better don't recognize which "holiday" makes me happy. If I feel that way, I should extend the same courtesy to others.
Having some Jewish ancestry myself, I find the story of the Maccabees to be fascinating. While in my tradition we don't recognize the books of the Maccabees as canonical Scripture, the story itself is inspiring, and it also helps to fill in the gap between Malachi and Matthew. The struggle of the pious Jews to resist the Hellenizing influences pushed my Antiochus Epiphanes reflects similar struggles we see in the Old Testament narratives. That same struggle continued to follow the Jews even up to our own times. Certainly there is a fine example of human spirit and courage against the odds in this story.
However, it's not just about what the Maccabees and their followers did, as inspirational as that was. In the story of Chanukah we see the power of God in action, enabling outnumbered and outequipped fighters to throw off the oppression of a conqueror set on wiping out the knowledge and worship of God. Many Jews had acquiesced to Antiochus, so the numbers of the rebels were further reduced. Yet they were able to win their freedom back, thanks to their faithfulness to God and refusal to accept the pagan ways of their oppressors.
I also have no problem with believing the miracle of the oil. I know this is disputed among many scholars, even some who don't dismiss the miraculous outright, but I believe that God has the power to accomplish miracles, and such a sign would have been very appropriate at the time.
In John 10:22 we are told that Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication, which is our modern Chanukah. Perhaps the story was fresh in people's minds, since in the dialogue that follows they ask Jesus to state plainly whether or not He was the Messiah. They may have been looking for a hero like the Maccabees to lead them against their oppressors. Jesus didn't fall into the trap of their assumptions, since He was going to be a different kind of Messiah, but Chanukah and its history certainly are a precursor to the coming King, who unlike the Hasmoneans will be a legitimate descendant of David.
So, whether you are Jewish, Christian, or follow some other faith, enjoy the story of Chanukah, and don't be afraid to wish someone you know a "Happy Chanukah" this year.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Sunday, November 24, 2013
The focus of Bible study
During Sunday school this morning, an interesting discussion broke out that wasn't related to the passage we are currently studying. We started to discuss Biblical inerrancy, authority, translation, and hermeneutics. At stake, and at question, was how we know that we can rely on the Bible we have to truly tell us what God says to us today.
Obviously, this is too big a discussion for one blog post, but I really think there are two big answers to the questions raised during our class. The first is that the Bible we have today is reliably the Word of God. I think in all the discussions raised in critical circles about various passages and discrepancies in modern texts and translations, we lose sight of the fact that the vast majority of the Biblical text is essentially undisputed, and that even if we cut out every passage with textual uncertainty we would have the message of God's redemptive plan clearly stated for us. I'm neither advocating cutting anything out without a solid textual basis nor stating that close textual study is not needed; I only want to emphasize that we can have confidence that we have God's Word to read and teach us in the Bible.
The second answer is that no matter what text or translation you use, you have to study the Bible as it is written to understand what it says and means. Reading a gospel, a psalm, an epistle, and a prophetic book all the same way will lead to distortions of sense and meaning. One of the chief errors I find in the teaching of many contemporary preachers and teachers is the ignoring of literary and historical context in their study. (My students and members of my church may get tired of how often I bring up "context" when we're studying. I'll keep doing so until they get it!) If you rip a verse out of its context and apply it as you wish, you may very well find yourself teaching heresy, despite an alleged "Biblical" proof.
I think it takes a while for us to learn this as we study the Bible. We're so used to trying to find a verse that says what we're looking for that we'll take anything, no matter what it meant in its context. Perhaps the classic example is those who say that we're supposed to always be in good health and have success as long as we are focused on God, because in 3 John it says, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper in be in good health, even as thy soul prospereth." (v. 2, KJV) Apart from some issues of language that has changed over the past 400 years, this verse means nothing like that for contemporary believers. It's part of a greeting in a letter, a polite wish that the recipient might be experiencing good things in his life. It isn't a promise, and it isn't meant for anyone other than Gaius. (And don't tell me this is ridiculous; I've heard more than one preacher use this verse for the exact purpose I mention.)
I think one of the motivating factors to study the issues of obscurity and textual discrepancies in the Bible for some people is that it allows them to avoid studying the plain and simple truths presented in Scripture. There is much that can be learned just from reading and studying the most plain passages of the Bible, enough to keep a Christian busy for years trying to master the material in his or her life. We can't let the small questions and minor issues of text, transmission, and translation turn us away from applying what is clear to us in our daily lives.
Now, I'm not arguing that you shouldn't study textual transmission, translation, and hermeneutics. Anyone who's read this blog for any length of time knows I"m in favor of that! But we can't let our study of details derail our study of the obvious. So study the Bible. Study hard. Then let the Word do its work in you, and put it into practice in your life.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
What we really are
In my annual reading through the Bible, I've reached the book of Hosea. This is one of my favorite books of the Bible. I know, most people don't even know how to find the Minor Prophets, much less read them. And for those who do, it's probably more of a slog than a pleasure. I have found the Minor Prophets to be a truly fascinating section of the Bible, and Hosea in particular moves me every time I read it.
You may know the story of Hosea. He was the prophet commanded by God to marry a "wife of harlotries," whether she was one at the beginning of the marriage or became one later. (The translation I am currently reading, the NET, makes an interpretive translation which leaves out the fuzziness and calls her a prostitute, but there is some dispute as to her character at the time of marriage.) She bears Hosea one son, then gives birth to two other children who are apparently not his. Eventually she abandons Hosea (and presumably her children) for other lovers.
The Lord then interprets Hosea's home life for Israel. Through Hosea, he says, "This is what you are to me-people who are pledged to me in covenant, but who have rejected me and pursued other gods. You aren't the faithful bride I rescued from distress, and you are giving what belongs to me to others." If the story ended there, you would expect the "divorce papers" to follow quickly.
But Hosea is told to go and buy his wife back. He pays a paltry sum for her, and, after a time of waiting, their relationship was restored. (Interestingly, the Bible doesn't tell us about their future together. Some scholars think this means the "restoration" was actually another object lesson with another woman, but I think that undercuts the message of the book.)
This is what God does with us. We are estranged from God, people who should be His but who follow after other gods, whether money, sex, career, power, or whatever takes His place. The Lord has every right to send us away, to condemn us to an eternity of judgment for our unfaithfulness. Yet Jesus Christ bought us back from our slavery to sin through His own blood, and makes it possible for us to have a new relationship with God.
There is a heart-rending passage in Hosea 11 that speaks about God's love for His people Israel:
“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim?
My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.
9 I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again.
For I am God, and not a man— the Holy One among you. I will not come against their cities.
10 They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion.
When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.
11 They will come from Egypt, trembling like sparrows, from Assyria, fluttering like doves.
I will settle them in their homes,” declares the Lord. (Hosea 10:8-11, NIV)
This is the love God has for us. Who are we? Not the good, godly folk we sometimes pretend to be, assuming we're good enough that God has to accept us as we are. We are the rebellious, the unfaithful, the ones who scorn and reject God's love. Who is He? The one who loves us and who paid the price to redeem and restore us.
I encourage you to go read Hosea. It will break your heart, but it will also give you a glimpse into God's heart.
You may know the story of Hosea. He was the prophet commanded by God to marry a "wife of harlotries," whether she was one at the beginning of the marriage or became one later. (The translation I am currently reading, the NET, makes an interpretive translation which leaves out the fuzziness and calls her a prostitute, but there is some dispute as to her character at the time of marriage.) She bears Hosea one son, then gives birth to two other children who are apparently not his. Eventually she abandons Hosea (and presumably her children) for other lovers.
The Lord then interprets Hosea's home life for Israel. Through Hosea, he says, "This is what you are to me-people who are pledged to me in covenant, but who have rejected me and pursued other gods. You aren't the faithful bride I rescued from distress, and you are giving what belongs to me to others." If the story ended there, you would expect the "divorce papers" to follow quickly.
But Hosea is told to go and buy his wife back. He pays a paltry sum for her, and, after a time of waiting, their relationship was restored. (Interestingly, the Bible doesn't tell us about their future together. Some scholars think this means the "restoration" was actually another object lesson with another woman, but I think that undercuts the message of the book.)
This is what God does with us. We are estranged from God, people who should be His but who follow after other gods, whether money, sex, career, power, or whatever takes His place. The Lord has every right to send us away, to condemn us to an eternity of judgment for our unfaithfulness. Yet Jesus Christ bought us back from our slavery to sin through His own blood, and makes it possible for us to have a new relationship with God.
There is a heart-rending passage in Hosea 11 that speaks about God's love for His people Israel:
“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim?
My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.
9 I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again.
For I am God, and not a man— the Holy One among you. I will not come against their cities.
10 They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion.
When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.
11 They will come from Egypt, trembling like sparrows, from Assyria, fluttering like doves.
I will settle them in their homes,” declares the Lord. (Hosea 10:8-11, NIV)
This is the love God has for us. Who are we? Not the good, godly folk we sometimes pretend to be, assuming we're good enough that God has to accept us as we are. We are the rebellious, the unfaithful, the ones who scorn and reject God's love. Who is He? The one who loves us and who paid the price to redeem and restore us.
I encourage you to go read Hosea. It will break your heart, but it will also give you a glimpse into God's heart.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Starting a spiritual workout
I joined a fitness club recently. My doctor has been urging me to lose some weight and get myself in better shape. So, thanks to help from our insurance, I was able to find an affordable place to work out. While I can't say it's made a big difference in my health and fitness yet, it has given me some insights into spiritual development.
When I first started, I had an evaluation done by the staff nurse. This gave me my baseline for starting my exercise program. As I anticipated, I'm not in great shape (although it could be worse). I got a medical clearance from my doctor, and setup an appointment with a trainer to develop an exercise program.
That's when I learned the most important part of working out. It's not going to the gym. I could drive there and just visit the fitness bar and slurp down a protein shake without much of an effect. It's not all the wonderful equipment the center has. I can come look at it all day and never get one iota fitter. IT's not getting dressed in the locker room. Even if my clothes were stylish, they wouldn't get me any closer to looking better in them.
No, the most important part of an exercise program is getting onto the equipment and doing the exercise. Until I commit myself to actually engaging in physical fitness, I won't get any fitter. I can read about fitness, search the Internet for exercises, and even make the best-intentioned promise to exercise, but until I do it, it doesn't mean anything as far as physical improvement goes.
The same principle applies to our spiritual development. You can have a shelf full of the best study Bible printed. You can have high-speed access to great computer and Internet study software. You can know all the best places to watch and listen to the most respected Bible teachers and theologians teach. You can have a wonderful church with a strong, Bible-preaching pastor and experienced Bible teachers. It won't matter, if you never bother to use them.
The Bible is a life-changing book that tells us the truth about our awesome God and Creator. The Holy Spirit gifts men and women with wisdom in teaching and proclaiming this truth in ways that communicate timeless truth to a contemporary world. But if you never open the Bible, or go to church, or join a small group Bible study, or actually watch or listen to those great teachers available, you won't grow. It's as simple as that.
As a Christian education director, one of my greatest frustrations occurs when people tell me, "I don't seem to be growing much as a Christian," yet these same people are nowhere to be found on Sunday morning, Wednesday night, or any other time the church has teaching. They also are scarce when ministry opportunities arise, and others in the church develop gifts by using them while they sit at home. Of course they aren't growing, but they don't seem to see why.
So my challenge today is to get started. If you want to grow as a Christian, and to develop spiritually, you need to start exercising now. Read your Bible. Study. Go find a good teacher and let them help you learn. Pray to draw closer to Christ, and to grow not only in knowledge, but in service. Go use what you know to help others. Do that, and I think you'll start seeing some "healthy" results.
When I first started, I had an evaluation done by the staff nurse. This gave me my baseline for starting my exercise program. As I anticipated, I'm not in great shape (although it could be worse). I got a medical clearance from my doctor, and setup an appointment with a trainer to develop an exercise program.
That's when I learned the most important part of working out. It's not going to the gym. I could drive there and just visit the fitness bar and slurp down a protein shake without much of an effect. It's not all the wonderful equipment the center has. I can come look at it all day and never get one iota fitter. IT's not getting dressed in the locker room. Even if my clothes were stylish, they wouldn't get me any closer to looking better in them.
No, the most important part of an exercise program is getting onto the equipment and doing the exercise. Until I commit myself to actually engaging in physical fitness, I won't get any fitter. I can read about fitness, search the Internet for exercises, and even make the best-intentioned promise to exercise, but until I do it, it doesn't mean anything as far as physical improvement goes.
The same principle applies to our spiritual development. You can have a shelf full of the best study Bible printed. You can have high-speed access to great computer and Internet study software. You can know all the best places to watch and listen to the most respected Bible teachers and theologians teach. You can have a wonderful church with a strong, Bible-preaching pastor and experienced Bible teachers. It won't matter, if you never bother to use them.
The Bible is a life-changing book that tells us the truth about our awesome God and Creator. The Holy Spirit gifts men and women with wisdom in teaching and proclaiming this truth in ways that communicate timeless truth to a contemporary world. But if you never open the Bible, or go to church, or join a small group Bible study, or actually watch or listen to those great teachers available, you won't grow. It's as simple as that.
As a Christian education director, one of my greatest frustrations occurs when people tell me, "I don't seem to be growing much as a Christian," yet these same people are nowhere to be found on Sunday morning, Wednesday night, or any other time the church has teaching. They also are scarce when ministry opportunities arise, and others in the church develop gifts by using them while they sit at home. Of course they aren't growing, but they don't seem to see why.
So my challenge today is to get started. If you want to grow as a Christian, and to develop spiritually, you need to start exercising now. Read your Bible. Study. Go find a good teacher and let them help you learn. Pray to draw closer to Christ, and to grow not only in knowledge, but in service. Go use what you know to help others. Do that, and I think you'll start seeing some "healthy" results.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Who is your God?
Reading through Jeremiah, I can't help but be struck by how much the situation in Israel just before the Captivity reminds me of many aspects of current American culture. Israel placed her trust in her own strength and wealth, and followed whatever gods she felt would enhance those. The king and leaders, as well as many of the people, ignored the Lord unless they needed a favor from Him. As their situation became more precarious, they did start to call out to God, but they did so while presenting themselves as faithful and worthy of God's intervention.
It's not a reflection of a genuine faith ion God to turn to Him when all else has failed. As He reminds us through Jeremiah, when people turn to other gods He will let them continue to get their help from those gods. Israel had reached a point at which they were ripe for a well-deserved judgment, and the Lord wasn't about to accept half-hearted efforts to ask Him for help.
I think that in many ways our culture has pursued other gods-not carved images, but things like money, success, fame, and position. Even good things like family and church can become a false god when put in the place that the Lord deserves. It may well be that when we scramble back to God in times of trouble He could say to us, "Go ask the god you've been serving for its help."
Is judgment in our future? I can't say that. I can say that what our society values and pursues are gods that can't help us, and that God may well let us reap the consequences of pursuing those gods. But I also know that He is merciful, and that if His people turn to Him, and the Holy Spirit works in hearts, we can see a revival in our churches and a great harvest of those who turn to the Lord.
I certainly am concerned about what I see happening in our culture. The stories I see on the news show that there is no value given to serving the Lord, and little even to serving others. People seem to be concerned almost exclusively with their own desires, and that brings about breakdowns in relationships, crimes against others who have what we want or are in the way of us getting it, and an obsession with and greedy hoarding of material possessions. I don;t see the love and mercy of Christ reflected in society as a whole, and, sadly, sometimes not even in the church.
A former pastor of mine had a vision for our church, which he summed up as, "We need to love people until they ask us why." That vision has carried on even though he has moved on, and our church strives to show the love of Jesus in our community to open doors to the gospel. We are still working on it, but I see progress. I think that attitude needs to be lived out in our culture, to show people what it means to turn from gods of self to the God who made us. As we do, we can expect the Spirit to work through us to touch our society for Jesus.
It's not a reflection of a genuine faith ion God to turn to Him when all else has failed. As He reminds us through Jeremiah, when people turn to other gods He will let them continue to get their help from those gods. Israel had reached a point at which they were ripe for a well-deserved judgment, and the Lord wasn't about to accept half-hearted efforts to ask Him for help.
I think that in many ways our culture has pursued other gods-not carved images, but things like money, success, fame, and position. Even good things like family and church can become a false god when put in the place that the Lord deserves. It may well be that when we scramble back to God in times of trouble He could say to us, "Go ask the god you've been serving for its help."
Is judgment in our future? I can't say that. I can say that what our society values and pursues are gods that can't help us, and that God may well let us reap the consequences of pursuing those gods. But I also know that He is merciful, and that if His people turn to Him, and the Holy Spirit works in hearts, we can see a revival in our churches and a great harvest of those who turn to the Lord.
I certainly am concerned about what I see happening in our culture. The stories I see on the news show that there is no value given to serving the Lord, and little even to serving others. People seem to be concerned almost exclusively with their own desires, and that brings about breakdowns in relationships, crimes against others who have what we want or are in the way of us getting it, and an obsession with and greedy hoarding of material possessions. I don;t see the love and mercy of Christ reflected in society as a whole, and, sadly, sometimes not even in the church.
A former pastor of mine had a vision for our church, which he summed up as, "We need to love people until they ask us why." That vision has carried on even though he has moved on, and our church strives to show the love of Jesus in our community to open doors to the gospel. We are still working on it, but I see progress. I think that attitude needs to be lived out in our culture, to show people what it means to turn from gods of self to the God who made us. As we do, we can expect the Spirit to work through us to touch our society for Jesus.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Who's it all about?
I taught a Sunday school class today on 2 Samuel 7-8. This is the passage where David desires to build the Lord a house, but God tells Him no. Instead, God tells David He will build him a house instead, and that it will be his son who builds God's house. In essence, the Lord tells David, "Nice plans, but not Mine."
What is David;s reaction? There are few passages in the Bible that express more awe of God and His work in a life than 2 Samuel 7:18-29. David expresses his awe and gratitude at God for even considering him to be the king of Israel, and for promising a future dynasty for his line. He constantly uses the name "Lord GOD," or as the NIV translates it, "Sovereign LORD." The idea is that while David is a king, he recognizes who the real King is.
Perhaps more astounding to many modern readers i David;s attitude toward God's denial of his desire. Many Christians are discouraged or sulky when they want something and God clearly closes the door on them. (I'll admit it's happened to me a few times.) They aren't ready to praise the Lord or acknowledge His sovereignty. Instead, they pester the Lord with whines and complaints, and sometimes even move forward without Him. Then they are surprised when the Lord doesn't bless the works of their hands.
David fully expected the Lord to bless what he and his descendants would do, but it was not because he had made plans and expected God to honor them. It was because he knew that when the Lord made a promise, and when His people faithfully followed His will, that the blessing would follow. David continually expresses his understanding of who God is, and who he is in relation to God. He understands that in the end, it's all about God.
In our lives, and even in our churches, we sometimes get so concerned with building our reputations that we forget that our goal is to point to God's reputation instead. If we successfully get the credit for everything we do, we can fail the Lord if we don't acknowledge that all of our success is rooted in Him. That doesn't mean we don't do anything, or should never be thanked or even honored for what we do. (After all, we see David being honored in other passages!) But we do need to point people to our mighty God, who makes it all possible.
What is David;s reaction? There are few passages in the Bible that express more awe of God and His work in a life than 2 Samuel 7:18-29. David expresses his awe and gratitude at God for even considering him to be the king of Israel, and for promising a future dynasty for his line. He constantly uses the name "Lord GOD," or as the NIV translates it, "Sovereign LORD." The idea is that while David is a king, he recognizes who the real King is.
Perhaps more astounding to many modern readers i David;s attitude toward God's denial of his desire. Many Christians are discouraged or sulky when they want something and God clearly closes the door on them. (I'll admit it's happened to me a few times.) They aren't ready to praise the Lord or acknowledge His sovereignty. Instead, they pester the Lord with whines and complaints, and sometimes even move forward without Him. Then they are surprised when the Lord doesn't bless the works of their hands.
David fully expected the Lord to bless what he and his descendants would do, but it was not because he had made plans and expected God to honor them. It was because he knew that when the Lord made a promise, and when His people faithfully followed His will, that the blessing would follow. David continually expresses his understanding of who God is, and who he is in relation to God. He understands that in the end, it's all about God.
In our lives, and even in our churches, we sometimes get so concerned with building our reputations that we forget that our goal is to point to God's reputation instead. If we successfully get the credit for everything we do, we can fail the Lord if we don't acknowledge that all of our success is rooted in Him. That doesn't mean we don't do anything, or should never be thanked or even honored for what we do. (After all, we see David being honored in other passages!) But we do need to point people to our mighty God, who makes it all possible.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)