DEVOTIONAL ON PSALM 2: 11-12

Oriental Lamp Show, Chattanooga Zoo

"Serve the Lord with fear

And rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son lest He be angry 

And you perish in the way 

When His wrath is kindled but a little. 

Blessed are those who put their trust in Him."

Psalm 2:11-12, NKJV

We are in a society where many have no fear, no respect for God, a heart that like Satan exalts him/herself above God. There are also those that are complacent, thinking God will do neither good nor bad, but has just let the world go on its own (Zephaniah 1:12). This is the philosophy called Deism, and is reflected by the hit "From A Distance." Some believe God is involved, but see Him more as a doting grandfather than a disciplining father.

Unfortunately, some in the church lack a fear of God as well. In part, this is because our trust is not in God but various other things: politics, our church programs, "perfect doctrine," our own good works, and so on. 

What's the answer? Knowing that God loves us, but that He expects obedience. Realizing that we are here to serve Him, not that He's here to serve us.

Lord, give us a love tempered with the fear of You. We put our trusy completely, and long for the day when Jesus rules over the Earth.

 

URIJAH THE PROPHET - BIBLICAL PEOPLE I'M CURIOUS ABOUT (PART 3 OF 6)

The Murder of Zwingli by Karl Jauslin

I'm sure there's several questions about this entry. Such as "Who is Urijah the Prophet?" "Is this the same as Urijah the Hittite?" "Why does he have a picture of a Reformer when the blog's about a Biblical character, and why does it have to be a depressing one at that?"

I'll start with the last question first. You know I usually include at least one picture, but when you're dealing with obscure people as this series is, you'll find there aren't many artists painting these. I was surprised and pleased to find an artistic rendition of Naamah (two weeks ago). So I'll have to go with loose connections, but by the end of the blog, you'll know the connection.

Urijah the Prophet is my moniker for him - he's not called a prophet, though he does what prophets do. And no, it's not Urijah the Hittite, Bath-sheba's first husband. But let me give the immediate context.

Jeremiah 26 starts with Jeremiah, as usual, warning of God's judgment. I've noticed that people love hearing about God judging others for their sins, but it's a different story when the spotlight shines on them. And the people were not happy with Jeremiah's gloom and doom, and wanted to kill him. 

One unique thing that happened here is that the princes came to Jeremiah's rescue (not so later in Jeremiah's ministry). They told the people that Micah son of Moresheth (the minor prophet) gave a similar message a century or so earlier and he wasn't executed. So they spared Jeremiah.

Then, we get to verses 20 - 23 of that chapter:

"Now there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the Lord, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath Jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah. And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid and fled, and went to Egypt. Then Jehoiakim the king sent men to Egypt: Elnathan the son of Achbor, and other men who went with him to Egypt. And they brought Urijah from Egypt and brought him to Jehoiakim the king, who killed him with the sword and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people." Jeremiah  26:20-23, NKJV

No, we don't know more about this Urijah than this. Did God call him as He did Jeremiah? It doesn't say. Was his fleeing to Egypt a lack of faith? Maybe, but we have no record that his fear was disobedience to God. 

That is why I felt the painting of the murder of Zwingli the Reformer was appropriate for this blog. Not completely: Zwingli went into battle and was killed in the fighting. But we need to remember that obedience to God is not a guarantee that we won't face the consequences from an ungodly King.
 

SHOULD YOU HAVE SAID "YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE?"

 

Shoebox gifts for the Baptist Center under Christmas tree at Arlington Avenue Baptist Church

Okay, show of hands. How many of you have ever said when someone gives you a gift or an act of kindness say something like "You shouldn't have" or "You didn't need to do that?" I probably have.

Why do we say that? Simple. To let the giver know that they were in no obligation to give that gift or to do something for the other person. After all, how many of us add a name to our card or gift list because we received something from that person? In those cases, our giving is more guilt or feeling that we're in debt to the other. Thus, we say those things to let a person know they don't owe us.

However, there are two other reasons people might give you an unexpected gift or do something for you that you didn't solicit. I'll divide them in two groups.

1. Those who needed to. These people have giving in their DNA. When Becky gets good service, she adds that person to her list to give them a thank you card. It's in her DNA. Thus, some people give not out of guilt but because they're wired that way. To tell these people "You didn't need to do that" is a lie. Yes, they did need to.
2. Those who should have. These people feel God nudging them to do something for another. Or, to put it another way, God wants to bless a person and He wants you to deliver that blessing. For them not to give would be disobedience to God. Therefore, telling them "you shouldn't have" is wrong. Yes, they should have.

In other words, when someone does a kindness, maybe all you should say is "Thank you." They're doing what God wants to do.

SUNDAY PSALMS PART 35 OF 48 - PSALM 119:129-136

Cool Creek Park, Westfield, Indiana

 

129 Your testimonies are wonderful;
   Therefore my soul keeps them.
130 The entrance of Your words gives light;
   It gives understanding to the simple.
131 I opened my mouth and panted,
   For I longed for Your commandments.
132 Look upon me and be merciful to me,
   As Your custom is toward those who love Your name.
133 Direct my steps by Your word,
   And let no iniquity have dominion over me.
134 Redeem me from the oppression of man,
   That I may keep Your precepts.
135 Make Your face shine upon Your servant,
   And teach me Your statutes.
136 Rivers of water run down from my eyes,
   Because men do not keep Your law.
       Psalm 119:129-136, New King James Version

Once again, another good Psalm, and one I want to focus on one part: the last verse. Do rivers of water run down from your eyes because men don't keep God's Law?

Think about this. How much entertainment reflects men not keeping God's Law? How much has us cheering those who don't keep God's Law? How often are we laughing at disobedience? How often does it grieve us?

Let's look at where we get our information. Is it unbiased? Or does it reflect a heart that does not keep God's Law? Are they sympathetic to those of faith, or do they look at traditional values (aka keeping God's Law) as backward at best and a danger at worst?

What about our relationships? When there is disobedience to God's Word, are we grieved? Or do we shrug our shoulders? Do we tag along when they're going places we as God's Law-keepers have no business?

Do rivers of water run down from our eyes because people don't keep God's Law? Do we believe what Psalm 12:8 says: "The wicked prowl on every side When vileness is exalted among the sons of men."

SUNDAY PSALMS PART 27 OF 48 - PSALM 119:1-8

Castleton United Methodist Church, Indianapolis

1     Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
      Who walk in the law of the Lord!
2    Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
      Who seek Him with the whole heart!
3    They also do no iniquity;
      They walk in His ways.
4    You have commanded us
      To keep Your precepts diligently.
5    Oh, that my ways were directed
      To keep Your statutes!
6    Then I would not be ashamed,
      When I look into all Your commandments.
7    I will praise You with uprightness of heart,
     When I learn Your righteous judgments.
8   I will keep Your statutes;
    Oh, do not forsake me utterly!
                    Psalm 119:1-8, New King James Version
 

Yes, we've made it to Psalm 119! You're probably aware that it consists of 176 verses and is divided into 22 sections of 8 verses each. I wouldn't be surprised if you also know that in the Hebrew, each verse of each section starts with the same Hebrew letter. For example, this is the first segment, and the verses all start with aleph, the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Finally, you are likely to be aware that almost every verse is talking about the Word of God, the Scripture, what would be called The Holy Bible.

I find this introductory stanza interesting. The first three verses are talking about the righteous and their relationship with God and His word. Verse four focuses on God and His expectation from us. From verse 5, the Psalmist then moves into the first person and deals with his experiences and his interaction with Scripture and their Originator.

The beginning of this Psalm sounds like it's talking about not merely the righteous but the perfect, that they commit no iniquity. Again, the fourth verse mentions God commands us to keep His precepts diligently. 

Does that sound like your experience? What? You mean I'm not the only one who would answer "Nowhere close?" That it, you're saying we relate more to verse 5, where the Psalmist says, "Oh, that my ways were directed to keep your statutes?"

By the way, did you notice how often the word "keep" is used in this stanza? If you didn't, the answer is four: in verses 2, 4, 5, and 8. 

Final two things to remember. One is that if we do keep God's word, we'll be unashamed (verse 6). The other is that there will be joy in keeping His Word (verse 7).
 

 

BOOK REVIEW - INCLUDING THE STRANGER: FOREIGNERS IN THE EARLY PROPHETS

 Is Yahweh, the God of the Bible, a vengeful, violent despot who despises the majority of mankind? Or is inclusion or exclusion of individuals based not on ethnicity but on whether they follow and submit to Yahweh?

David Firth deals with this issue in Including The Stranger: Foreigners in the Former Prophets, part of the New Studies In Biblical Theology series.  His view is that foreigners who are obedient to Yahweh are included with His people, such as Rahab, the Gibeonites, and Namaan (and theorizes that Caleb the son of Jephuneh, the Kenazite, was not Jewish). Likewise,  Israelites who are disobedient are treated as foreigners (e.g. Achan) and sometimes Israelites are treated like foreigners by fellow-Israelites (such as the virgin girls kidnapped by the Benjaminites).

Some may wonder what is meant by "The Former Prophets." The OT canon we normally use are divided into the Law, the Historical Books, the Poetic Books, and the Prophetic books, sub-divided by the major and minor prophets (designated not by importance but by book length). However, the Jewish canon divides those same books into the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings (often referred to as Psalms, which is the first book of that section), with the Prophets divided by Early prophets and later prophets. The Early Prophets include Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings (the Jews did not divide the books of Samuel and Kings).

This is the seventh book I've read in this series. Some books are ones that inspire me; others are ones that leave me more knowledgeable on the subject dealt with. Personally, I would consider this one of the latter. I feel richer intellectually for reading this, but it hasn't really effected my daily life like some of the others did.

 

WHAT WOULD THE GIFT OF PROPHECY LOOK LIKE TODAY? - A LOOK AT PROPHECY, PART 5 OF 5

The Prophet, woodcut by Emil Nolde

 
Let me repeat this for those who have followed this series: What would the gift of prophecy look like today? 

So why are you looking at me? Do you expect me to have the answer?

Yes, I believe God still can use the gift of prophecy. Have I ever seen it where I'm convinced it is God speaking to us? No. Do I have the gift? No.

There have been times I've been in churches that fit in the Charismatic/Pentecostal category that I have heard someone give what would be called prophecy. Each time, though, it is a positive affirmation that sounds like a blending of Scriptures. Could they have opened their Bible and read a verse with the same message? Yes. As the cessationist rationale I mentioned previously in this series says, "If it agrees with Scripture, it isn't necessary." If it was from God, I believe it would be given for a specific purpose, and I'd sense a power. In fact, my opinion is that the true gift of prophecy would either be rebuke to a disobedient church that they don't want to hear, or a clear promise to those who are suffering something specific. Likewise, I didn't remember what the message was. I think I'd remember if God clearly spoke through a prophet/prophetess.

One thing we need to remember - God chooses the prophets, not the other way around. Some, like Isaiah, say, "Here I am, send me." Others, like Moses, say, "Here I am, send Aaron." (Some may remember this was the title of a 1984 book by Jill Briscoe.) 

Not only that, but remember Jesus saying to the Priests and Pharisees, "Which prophet did your fathers not persecute?" Let me put it a different way: ALL the true prophets were persecuted. Not only that, but they were persecuted by the people God sent them to. If that is true, wouldn't we expect the prophets of the church to not be the most popular members of the congregation? Would you invite a prophet to a party?

My opinion - some people want the gift of apostle or prophet because they want to be considered a spiritual authority. Cessationists have been given ammunition by those who claim these offices. But more often than not, true prophets are ignored. Remember when the remnant from the fall of Jerusalem asked Jeremiah whether they should go to Egypt or not? When the prophet told them to stay there and not go to Egypt, he added that they already made up their mind to disobey. And the remnant said, "God didn't speak to you," and did what they wanted to do.

Would I want the gift of prophecy? To be honest, I'd rather have the gift of encouragement or teaching or helps (to support a brother in the Lord), or maybe the gift of discernment of spirits (though that may not be any more popular than a prophet would be). But if God gave me the gift of prophecy, I'd have the heart of Isaiah. But to me, it's not the gift that matters - it's a desire to be obedient to God.

You have my thoughts. You might agree. You might disagree. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the topic.

P.S. I mentioned in the first blog of this series that most churches operate on two or three of the gifts listed in Ephesians 4:11 for the equipping of the saints (depending if you consider pastor and teacher to be one or two gifts). I made the case for us having a place for prophets. But didn't the gift of Apostle die out in the first century? That's one of three views I've seen dealing with that gift. Church growth specialist C. Peter Wagner defined that gift as being a pastor's pastor, a gift for a denominational leader. A more likely view of that gift is that of a church planter, particularly those who do pioneer missions work and bring the gospel to a people who never heard. If you define the gift of apostle as a church planter, I'd accept it. Because in those case, it's people wanting to fulfill the Great Commission, but not wanting to be considered an authority.