So be on your guard,
not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. – 1 Thessalonians 5:6
Luke 22:39-40, 45-46
39 And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives;
and the disciples also followed Him.
40 When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not
enter into temptation.”
45 When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them
sleeping from sorrow,
46 and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may
not enter into temptation.”
We judge ourselves
by our intentions. And others by their actions (Stephen Covey).
Direction, not
intention determines your destination (Andy Stanley).
Even with the best
of intentions and highest aspirations, we way too often fail those we care
about the most. Sometimes temptations overtake us when we are weak, worn out,
and can least resist them. The Lord Jesus Christ knowing this, warned His disciples
to pray that they should not enter into temptation.
So what was the
temptation? The temptation was not to fall into a deep dark sin or moral lapse.
The temptation was to fall asleep. You would think that under the circumstances
regarding Christ’s prediction of imminent betrayal and death, the disciples
would be on the alert. They should have been running on adrenaline. But instead,
it was just another night for them. Everything happened before they knew it.
They failed, they fell into temptation and succumbed to sleep. This temptation
is “not from indifference, but rather from sorrowful exhaustion” (MacDonald).
What did Jesus do?
He gave them another chance. He woke them and repeated His warning not to enter
into temptation. And what did the disciples do? They repeated the same mistake
and surrendered to sleep. In doing so, they failed to be there for the Lord
Jesus Christ on this most dreadful of nights. Succumbing to physical sleep
prevented them from “being there” for their Lord. For all practical purposes,
they fell asleep on their watch, even as the enemies of Jesus approached.
As bad as it was,
it got even worse. All of the disciples abandoned the Lord Jesus and fled as He
predicted they would (Matthew 26:56).
Such personal failures do not take the Father by
surprise nor alter His plans. Although we are responsible for our decisions,
our decisions are part of a larger plan, determined and written of in
advance.
REFLECT & PRAY
Temptation and failure are all too common for us each of us.
Father encourage me to not give up and keep watching and
praying. I am well aware that my spirit is willing, but my physical body is
weak.
INSIGHT
When
faced with very difficult choices, rather than follow what we know the Father
wants us to do, all too often we come up with our own plan. The Lord Jesus
Christ wrestled with this dilemma. Wrestling with fear and doubt is not a sin,
it is normal. But when all the words are said, all the arguments are raised,
and the wrestling is over, what we do next reveals our character and
steadfastness. Jesus is the perfect example of resisting
temptation and choosing to follow the Father’s plan even though it would lead
to horrific anguish, torment, and death.
Luke 22:41-44
41 He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and
knelt down and prayed,
42 “Father, if you are willing, please
take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not
mine.”
44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in
such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of
blood.
In His agony, fervent prayers, and
final choices the Lord Jesus Christ modeled perfect submission. He provided a pattern
we too can follow. For the Lord Jesus, it was a simple matter of priorities.
Who gets the final say? Who has the final word? Without further hesitation, the
Lord Jesus decided. His words ring out for all eternity, “Not My will, but
Yours be done.”
We can follow Him.
We can successfully resist even the greatest temptations and struggles.
Hebrews 12:1-4
1 Let us strip off every weight that slows us
down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with
endurance the race God has set before us.
2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the
champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him,
he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of
honor beside God’s throne.
3 Think of all the hostility he endured from
sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.
4 After all, you have not yet given your lives
in your struggle against sin.
What was it that enabled the Lord Jesus to endure the cross? During His time on earth, He did not exercise His divine powers for His personal interests or needs.
It was the Lord’s faith that enabled Him to endure. Rather
than being dragged down in the now, He focused on “the joy that was set before
Him.”
By submitting to the Father’s will, the Lord Jesus Christ
reconciled the world to the Father. He successfully made atonement for sin
through His death, and resurrection. He made eternal salvation available for
all that would accept it. One day He will have the great joy of ushering all
believers into the eternal glory of the Father’s kingdom (Jude 24-25).
They stoned Paul and
dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. – Act 14:19
2 Corinthians 11:23-27
23 I know I sound like a madman, but I have
served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been
whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.
24 Five different times the Jewish leaders
gave me thirty-nine lashes.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I
was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day
adrift at sea.
26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I
have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own
people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the
cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who
claim to be believers but are not.
27 I have worked hard and long,
enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often
gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep
me warm
Harry Ironside was laid aside for dead when he was born on
October 14, 1876 in Toronto, Canada. His mother was in a bad state and needed
of all the attention she could get if she were to pull through. But God had big
plans for the “dead” baby. A nurse detected a feeble pulse in him. She popped
him into a bath of hot water and he quickly exercised the vocal cords which
would declare Christ to perhaps a million listeners over the course of his
life.
By the time he was four, he had memorized his first
scripture verse. That did not set his mind at rest with God. He became a great
student of the Bible, reading it through fourteen times by the time he was
fourteen years old. At fourteen years of age, he asked the Lord for salvation.
He became associated with the Plymouth Brethren. Despite only an eighth-grade
education, Harry Ironside became one of the world’s best-known and best-beloved
Bible teachers, traveling the globe to give messages. Never ordained, he
nonetheless pastored Moody Memorial Church in Chicago for eighteen years (christianity.com).
What could be more tragic than being born dead? I would
guess to be born alive, but to wish you were dead. Many of us have had thoughts
like that because of the traumas, disappointments, rejections, or abuse that we
have suffered.
Job
was a man like that. He suffered greatly in most all areas of his life. He lost
much of his family, his wealth, and eventually his health. Finally, when he
thought he could take no more, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth (Job
3:1). Job continued to live on in his gloom, frustration, and anger. He found
himself questioning everything. He never expected to find any answers. One of
his friends, Elihu, encouraged him to end the pity party. Elihu redirects Job’s
thoughts away from his suffering. He exhorted him to focus instead on the
majesty and greatness of the Father (Job 36,37).
Job 37:14-24
14 “Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the
wondrous works of God.
22 God is clothed with awesome majesty.
23 The Almighty– we cannot find him; he is
great in power; justice and abundant righteousness he will not violate.
24 Therefore men fear him; he does not regard
any who are wise in their own conceit.”
Elihu’s point is that
Job is self-absorbed and clueless. He really has no hint as to what is going
on, why it is happening, and what the end result will be. It should be obvious
even to the most casual observer, that mere man cannot begin to comprehend the
Father’s ways. We are left with only two options; we can
continue to be wise in our own eyes or we can become truly wise.
Job was startled and totally surprised when the Father, the King of the
universe shows up and turns the tables. He begins to query him, asking him
questions that demonstrated how limited Job’s knowledge and understanding were (Job 38,39). There is nothing abnormal
about questioning God, people do it all the time. But are you really prepared for
the answer?
Job 40:1-5
1 Then the LORD said to Job,
2 “Do you still want to argue with the
Almighty? You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?”
3 Then Job replied to the LORD,
4 “I am nothing– how could I ever find the
answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand.
5 I have said too much already. I have nothing
more to say.”
In the end, prudent people realize that there is not much
chance of winning an argument with the almighty, all-powerful, all-knowing,
eternal Father. Job eventually figures this out for himself.
Job 42:1-6
1 Then
Job replied to the LORD:
2 “I know that you can do anything, and no one
can stop you.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my
wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I– and I was talking about things I knew
nothing about, things far too wonderful for me.
5 I had only heard about you before, but now I
have seen you with my own eyes.
6 I take
back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
REFLECT & PRAY
The Father has a purpose and a plan for all that He does. He
does not always explain the whys of our lives. Often, they are only understood
in retrospect
Father, there have been so many times that I have questioned
you. I wish I could take it all back.
INSIGHT
The apostle Paul endured much suffering as he served the
Father. But from the beginning he had something, that Job lacked, an eternal
perspective. He understood that being true to the faith and living it out, came
with a price. Paul had received a high calling and responsibility from the Father.
With the high calling, came a high price.
2 Timothy 3:10-14
10 Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and
how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my
love, and my endurance.
11 You know how much persecution and suffering
I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium,
and Lystra– but the Lord rescued me from all of it.
12 Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly
life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
14 But you must remain faithful to the things
you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those
who taught you.
There was never question in Paul’s mind about his purpose.
He wanted to do the Father’s will at all costs and finish the work that the
Father had for him. Paul never asked others to suffer for him, but he was
always willing to suffer for others. In his case, he suffered for doing the
right thing. Seeking to be faithful and godly is not a ticket to escape from
suffering and persecution. Rather, it is a front row seat to it.
This is one of those promises of God that we’d really rather
do without. God tells us this, not to
discourage us, but to prepare us for the inevitable so that we can shine for
Him when the time comes (Stanley).
Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest
among them. – Luke 22:24
Luke 22:21-34
21 “But behold, the hand of the one betraying
Me is with Mine on the table.
22 “For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it
has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”
23 And they began to discuss among themselves
which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing.
25 And He said to them, “The kings of the
Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’
26 “But it is not this way with you,
but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and
the leader like the servant.
27 “For who is greater, the one who reclines at
the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the
table? But I am among you as the one who serves.
31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission
to sift you like wheat;
32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith
may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your
brothers.”
33 But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am
ready to go both to prison and to death!”
34 And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the
rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”
It
was 1963, a time when heavyweight champions go to battle. A rather loud and
confident pugilist was on the scene. He was not the tallest boxer, nor was he
as bulky as most other boxers of his time, his punches were not the strongest,
but he was still the best fighter of his time. His agility was impressive, but
what was most impressive was his confidence in himself.
Ali proclaimed
to anyone who would hear:
“I am The Greatest.
I said that even before I knew I was” (Muhammad Ali).
Here are excerpts from his 1963 poem, “I am The Greatest.”
This brash, young boxer is something to see. And the
heavyweight championship is his destiny.
This kid fights great. He’s got speed and endurance. But if
you sign to fight him, increase your insurance.
This kid’s got a left. This kid’s got a right. If he hits
you once, you’re asleep for the night.
And as you lie on the floor while the ref counts 10, you
pray that you won’t have to fight me again.
For I am the man this poem is about, the next champ of the
world, there isn’t a doubt.
He is the greatest. When I say two, there’s never a third.
Betting against me is completely absurd.
I am the greatest.
“I’ve wrestled with alligators. I’ve tussled with a whale. I
done handcuffed lightning and throw thunder in jail. You know I’m bad. Just
last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick. I’m so
mean, I make medicine sick.”
To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If
you’re not, pretend you are. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
It was the spring of 33 AD, the week when the Savior went to
die on the tree. It is the night of the last supper. The disciples are
shortsighted. They miss the big idea and focus on irrelevant matters. They are
driven by self-absorption and pride.
Imagine the scene. The Lord Jesus Christ has just finished
explaining the meaning of Passover as it represents His coming sacrifice and
death for sins. In no uncertain terms Jesus said that He is about to die. He
tells the disciples that one of them will betray Him.
Rather than take this to heart and concentrate on this seemingly incredulous prediction, the self-centered disciples focus on their own potential importance and future opportunities. They want to know which of them is the greatest of them all, numero uno. Who will have the greatest prominence in the coming kingdom?
“It is a terrible indictment of the human heart that immediately after the Lord’s Supper, the disciples should argue among themselves as to which of them was the greatest!” (MacDonald)
Barclay is even more direct, “It is one of the most
poignantly tragic things in the gospel story that the disciples could quarrel
about precedence in the very shadow of the cross.”
As the story reveals what is in the hearts of the disciples,
what does it say about our own?
But it becomes a teachable moment.
Christ explains that the greatest is not the one who is served, but rather is
the one who serves (Luke 22:27-30). True
greatness comes through service.
What an odd, unexpected twist. The Father’s kingdom is
nothing like the kingdoms of men. Those who are truly great in the Father’s kingdom
are not the powerful. The greatest are not those who are in control, benefit
from the labor of others, and ostentatiously display their position. Rather,
the greatest are those who serve. The kingdom of God turns everything on its head.
“It is a law of life that service leads to greatness; and the higher a man
rises the greater the servant he must be” (Barclay).
Jesus is exhibit A. He who was the greatest, was indeed the
servant of all.
Mat 20:25-28
25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that
the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise
authority over them.
26 “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to
become great among you shall be your servant.
27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your
slave;
28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served,
REFLECT & PRAY
In the Father’s kingdom, delusions of greatness are
displaced by proven character.
Father, if failure were a disqualification, who could ever
serve You? Though we fall, we are not utterly cast down because You hold us up
and never let go (Psalms 37:24).
INSIGHT
Teachable moment two: Betrayal and failure lurk in
everyone’s heart, even the most self-assured. Luke 22:31-38
True greatness surfaces when extreme trials are faced and overcome.
Jesus had great expectations for Peter. But the road to greatness was marked by
tragic failure, crushing disappointment, and utter shame. Peter’s
self-confidence regarding his commitment, character, and follow-through was to
be totally shattered.
Peter was sure of himself yet when the chips were down, he utterly
failed. He was faithless, frightened, and failed. He was unwilling to die for his
friend, whom he loved, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus had predicted that this
would be so.
Luke 22:31-32
31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to
sift you like wheat;
32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail;
and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
The Greek term translated sift is siniazo.
It means literally to sift, shake in a sieve. It came to mean, to agitate and
press someone to the verge of collapse. Peter collapsed under the pressure. But
his story does not end there, it really only begins.
The Lord Jesus Christ had prayed for Peter and the ultimate
outcome was certain. He had fallen. It was a tragic embarrassment. He was
dishonored and humiliated. But Peter pulled himself together. Peter’s failure
was reversed. The dross of his untested soul was refined. His tarnished
self-image was purged. Unwavering character emerged
He came through the fiery test approved and ready for service. He emerged faithful and stronger than ever. The crushed and mortified Peter was only now prepared and ready to strengthen others.
Psalms 37:24 When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.
I will most gladly
spend and be spent for your lives! – 2
Corinthians 12:15
2 Timothy 4:5-8
5 But you should keep a clear mind in every
situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others
the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.
6 As for me, my life has already been poured
out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have
finished the race, and I have remained faithful.
8 And now the prize awaits me– the crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of
his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look
forward to his appearing.
When Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck walked off the field for
the final time as a player in August 2019, it was to the sound of boos from
fans. Luck, at age 29, decided to retire. He gave up millions in future
earnings. The endless barrage of injuries
stripped away his joy for the game and prompted him to walk away. His body had been “ravaged
by injuries,” during his six seasons in the NFL. He felt trapped in a cycle of
pain. He wanted to just stop hurting and enjoy life. Fans criticized Luck
for quitting, because football stars are seen as “warriors and gladiators.” As
such, they are expected to willingly sacrifice everything to play an extremely violent
game.
The mentality of the current generation of players has radically shifted.
Many now walk away at a relatively young age. Rob Gronkowski, the New England Patriots
tight end, also quit in 2019. He was 30 years old.
It is not lost on this generation of players that concussions and other
injuries have left previous players with dementia or crippling pain or both.
Some of them are no longer willing to pay such a price.
As Paul shared the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and people accepted
it and believed, they became children of God. But in addition to becoming the
Father’s children, they became Paul’s spiritual children as well. He was their father
in the faith.
The apostle Paul became the spiritual father of untold numbers of
believers in the first century A.D.
2 Corinthians 12:15 I will most gladly
spend and be spent for your lives!
As a spiritual father, how much was he willing to sacrifice for his
children in the faith? For the Corinthians, he was willing to exhaust all of
his resources to contribute to their spiritual well-being. He was willing to
give his very life for them. Like most all parents, he wanted the best possible
lives for his kids. Their relationship with the Father was Paul’s utmost
concern.
The Greek of the New Testament opens up nuances that are undetected in
English. Unseen shades of meaning and significance are often revealed. In 2 Cor 12:15, Paul uses a subtle yet sublime play on
words. Two different words are used that are translated spend or spent. The
first is dapanao which means
to spend freely, even squander. In our culture, we might call
this “pocket change.” This money is used freely and somewhat indiscriminately for
personal desires or wishes.
The second word is ekdapanao.
It means to exhaust oneself, give oneself completely, be spent, drained of
energy, having one’s own energy exhausted. Paul was not using pocket change,
Paul was expending all that he had, even his very life. No price was too great
for Paul, he was all in.
REFLECT
& PRAY
What’s in your wallet? What are you willing to pay? What
are you willing to spend?
Father, I find myself to be so typical, having to make
the same choices over and over again. Encourage me to learn to make a choice once
and for all from which I never vary.
INSIGHT
When Paul met the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, everything
changed. On that day there were two deaths. Paul died to his former manner of
life. He gave up everything that was valuable to him in exchange for the
infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus his Lord.
But he also died to himself and his personal ambitions and goals. He
was no longer living for Paul. He was living for Christ, for the Father.
Galatians 2:20 My old self has been
crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I
live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave
himself for me.
Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Paul was no longer
seeking his own comfort or advancement. He was seeking the advancement of the Father’s
kingdom. For Paul, living was indistinguishable from serving Christ.
2 Timothy 4:6 For I am
already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has
come.
Paul knows that his death is near. After a life of self-sacrifice, only
one final sacrifice remains, the sacrifice of death. He sees himself as once
again, yet finally laying down his life to accomplish the Father’s purpose.
Paul uses Old Testament sacrificial language regarding a drink offering
to portray his fast approaching death. A drink offering was all about
repurposing the use of wine. Wine was intended for personal enjoyment and to
lift one’s spirits. When it is offered to the Father, it is not used for
personal pleasure, but rather it becomes a personal sacrifice. Perfectly good
wine, rather than being consumed was dedicated to the Father and simply poured
out.
Each of the Father’s children choose for themselves. Regarding
sacrifice and dedication, Paul’s choice was a bit more extreme. We are
continually faced with choices. We endeavor to make good choices rather than
bad. We make repetitive, recurrent choices. Our lives are marked by a persistent
query, “will I or won’t I.”
Paul chose only
once. Once and for all, he turned over his life to the Father and became His servant.
The Father’s will, was Paul’s will. There was no disconnect, no separation.
The Greek
reveals a delightful subtlety. Paul is not pouring himself out. Rather, the
Greek verb translated poured out, spendo, is in the passive voice.
The Father is the one performing the action, Paul is the one receiving the
action. Paul is being poured out by the Father.
Was Paul’s life
wasted? Absolutely not. Paul’s life was invested.
When Paul first
met the Lord Jesus Christ, he made the greatest of all investments a person can
make with their life. He was all in. He released control and began “pouring out”
his life. And Paul’s life was poured it out until the very end.
Each child of
God is empowered to make investments. With an eye on eternity, we are able to
make wise investments. What is in your investment portfolio? Is it earning
eternal dividends?
2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are
adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our
adequacy is from God,
The writer of short stories H. L. Gee tells of a tramp who came begging
to a good woman’s door. She went to get something to give him and found that
she had no change in the house. She went to him and said: ‘I have not a penny
of small change. I need a loaf of bread. Here is a pound. Go and buy the loaf
and bring me back the change and I will give you something.’
The man carried out the commission and returned and she gave him a
small coin. He took it with tears in his eyes. ‘It’s not the money,’ he said, ‘it’s
the way you trusted me. No one ever trusted me like that before, and I can’t
thank you enough.’
It is easy to say that the woman took a risk that only a soft-hearted fool would take; but she had given that man more than money: she had given him something of herself by giving her trust. (Barclay)
Thus the LORD used to
speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. – Exodus 33:11
Deuteronomy
34:10 Since that time no
prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,
Isaiah 43:1-7
1 Thus says the LORD, your Creator, O
Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed
you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!
2 “When you
pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will
not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor
will the flame burn you.
3 “For I am
the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior . . .
4 “Since you
are precious in My sight, you are honored, and I love you . . .
Prosopagnosia, also
called face blindness, is more than just “being bad with faces.” It is the
inability to recognize familiar faces, including one’s own face
(self-recognition), and learning to recognize new ones. It is a neurological
disorder characterized by the inability to distinguish faces. It may affect up
to 2.5% of the population. There are two types of prosopagnosia: acquired
(often resulting from brain damage) and congenital.
The term prosopagnosia
was first used in 1947 by Joachim Bodamer, a neurologist. The word is derived
from Greek prosopon, face and agnosia, non-knowledge.
In 1996, Bill Choisser popularized the term “face blindness” for this
condition.
No therapy has
provided lasting real-world improvements.
Facial recognition software began to be developed in the 1960s. However, the Father created facial recognition firmware as a part of the human brain. For most of us it works just fine. How awful would it be not to be able to remember and recognize the faces of those you love and care about, your family and close friends. It would be equally tragic, not to remember and recognize those who love you. For those with face blindness, it is like living in a perpetual, horrid facial Groundhog Day without end.
Can the Father ever
forget us? Never! What He said of Israel, is true for each of His children.
Isaiah 43:1 Thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, and He who
formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called
you by name; you are Mine!
Isaiah 49:15-16
15 Can a mother
forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But
even if that were possible, I would not forget you!
16 See, I have written your name on the palms
of my hands.
REFLECT & PRAY
Only Moses was
face-to-face and mouth-to-mouth with the Father.
Father, I long to experience as much intimacy and open
communication with You as You will allow.INSIGHT
The Father is transcendent, great, high, exalted, and lifted
Up. Yet the Father chose to make a creature with whom He could have close, real
spiritual intimacy.
In the history of the human race, there has been only one
person who had a face-to-face relationship with the Father, Moses.
Exodus 33:11 The LORD used to
speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.
Moses was exceptional. He was a specially chosen mediator
with whom the transcendent God would speak. Moses was selected to hear and
receive the Law of God, which became the Torah, the Five Books of Moses. The
means of communication was extraordinary.
Numbers 12:8 I speak to him mouth
to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles!
What does this mean? “God communicated with Moses ‘mouth to
mouth.’ This figurative language is intended to convey the preeminence and
uniqueness of Moses as a prophetic figure who experiences a special mode of
revelation. The experience is personal and direct, not mediated through visions
or dreams, and the message is always plain and straightforward, free of cryptic
utterances” (Sarna).
Carefully considering of what it means to be in a
face-to-face relationship with the Father, and mouth-to-mouth communication, is
a journey from the obvious to the sublime.
The Father created man to be in relationship with Him. Each of the Father’s children. Know Him, and
the Father knows them. But the degree of knowing varies greatly. It progresses
from simple recognition to deep intimacy. Face-to-face knowledge connotes
recognition and proximity. But mouth-to-mouth implies direct revelation. Moses
was fully aware and conscious. There were no visions nor dreams. The message
was clear and direct.
Can you imagine what this was like? With a bit of
imagination, I can. I can see the Father querying Moses, “Question, have you
ever wondered how the world began, where the stars came from, and how man and
all the animals came to be?” The Father went on, “Let me tell you how I did
it.” And Genesis chapters 1, 2 and 3 passed from the mind of God to the mind of
Moses. Moses went on to write it down.
Remember only the Father was there at creation, He spoke,
and it was so. Lots of people speculate, postulate, even pontificate regarding
how everything began. But they can only guess. That’s right, guess! One theory
is replaced another down through the decades. Only the Father actually knows.
Modern man extrapolates using very limited scientific knowledge. The Father
created both science and human thought.
In the ancient world, Kings and nobles had many servants but only a few trusted ones (Eliezer, Joseph, Nehemiah, Daniel). In a royal house only the most trusted servant would have regular access to the monarch. They were referred to as, “the king’s personal advisers,” literally “those who see the face of the king” (2 Kings 25:19). Moses was in that position with the Father. He was a trusted friend and servant of the living God. He had frequent, if not regular access to Him. Oxymoronically speaking, run-of-the-mill Old Testament prophets, received their revelations through visions and dreams, angelic messengers, and occasional visitations from the Father. The Father’s communication with Moses considerably beyond that.
Jeremiah 12:3 You know me, O LORD; You see me; and You examine
my heart’s attitude toward You.
Psalms 139:1-7
1 O LORD, you have examined my heart and know
everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You
know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at
home. You know everything I do.
4 You know what I am going to say even before
I say it, LORD.
5 You go before me and follow me. You place
your hand of blessing on my head.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too
great for me to understand!
7 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can
never get away from your presence!
On April 24, 1997, the popular TV sitcom
“Seinfeld” aired an episode called “The Yada Yada.” In that episode, George
Costanza complains about his girlfriend’s shortening her stories and leaving
out critical facts, substituting the phrase “Yada, Yada, Yada.”
“Yada, Yada, Yada” was introduced
into popular American culture and remains to this day. It has become a cliché.
It has been used as a disparaging remark of something which is boring or
tedious. It is somewhat of a modern-day equivalent of saying “blah, blah, blah’”
or sarcastically rolling your eyes. It is an interjection indicating something
is predictable or repetitive, or simply common knowledge. When something can be
skipped over, “Yada, Yada, Yada,” is interjected in its place.
There has been much discussion
regarding its origin. I do not think it is that difficult to get to the bottom
of it. The term, yada, is the transliteration of a Hebrew verb that means “to
know.” When something is common knowledge, “Yada, Yada, Yada,” is interjected, meaning
“You know.” “You know?”
David’s close and loving
relationship for the Father permeates
Psalm 139. This beautiful Psalm recounts the Father’s total knowledge of
all things and all people.
Psalm 139 is a love letter from David
to the Father. It overflows with adoration, love, loyalty, and awe. This is
Theology 101 regarding God’s omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence
expressed as a love song, a poem, rather than some cold, abstract theological
treatise.
Psalms 139:1-3
1 O
LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
The Hebrew word translated examined is chaqar and connotes a deliberate search, thorough
exploration to learn people’s sentiments and expose their weaknesses. The
Hebrew word translated know is yada. It means to know, observe,
realize, to care, to understand, and to express concern.
The Father does not merely know
about us, He knows us.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You
know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
The Hebrew word translated know in this verse is bin.
It denotes to understand, perceive, comprehend, consider; care for, and bring
insight.
3 You scrutinize me when I travel and when I
rest at home. You know everything I do.
The Hebrew word translated
scrutinize is zarah
originally meant to winnow or scatter, disperse. It came to mean to have a clear
knowledge of a person.
The Father actively and personally surrounds,
discerns, searches, knows our minds and hearts better than we know ourselves.
The Father knows everything and everyone all the time and always has. He never
learns new things because He continually knows everything.
The Father knows each of us deeply
and completely. He has pierced all of our defensive fortifications. It is as though,
He gets inside our minds and hearts and knows our thoughts, our emotions, our
needs, our dreams, our aspirations, and our fears.
And David loves the intimacy and immediacy
of being known. He craves it, he pleads for it. Yet at the same time, such
intimate and expansive knowledge overwhelms his mind and confounds him.
“God’s infinite knowledge boggles
the mind. Our human brains strain under the weight of the idea. It is too
exalted for us to comprehend. But when we come to the frontier of our capacity
to understand and can go no farther, we can still bow in worship at the
immensity of the knowledge of God!” (MacDonald).
One can easily be frightened and
troubled by the Father’s omniscience. Yet the recognition that is omniscience
is coupled with lovingkindness alleviates all concerns.
REFLECT & PRAY
The
omniscience of God is awe-inspiring and overwhelming. But it is also comforting
and assuring. It is a short hop from being afraid that we cannot get away from
Him, to being afraid that we could.
Father, thank
You that you know me intimately at the deepest level. None of my personal
faults are repugnant to You and Your response to them is even greater love.
INSIGHT
Psalms 139:6-7
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too
great for me to understand!
7 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can
never get away from your presence!
In David’s
day, the pagans worshiped gods that were local and limited, the sea, the sky,
the harvest, the underworld. So it is with polytheists. But not with the
Father. He had no such limitations. The Father’s presence is everywhere. He
all-seeing and perceives all things in all places.
Hebrews 4:13 Nothing in all
creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes,
and he is the one to whom we are accountable.
David does
not wish to hide and evade the Father, rather he embraces Him. David
acknowledges that his ability to comprehend the Father’s omniscience is beyond
his grasp. He realizes that the Father’s knowledge and guidance are his
protection. The Father keeps him safe.
The Father is
truly amazing and wonderful. David knows he can never fully get his arms around
it. He is not equal to it. Rather, then hurting his brain trying, David shifts
from frustrated efforts to comprehend, to adoration and worship. David reveres and
glorifies the Father for who He is, what He does, and what He has done for him.
Romans 11:33 Oh, how great are
God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to
understand his decisions and his ways!
If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews
will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who
knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this? – Esther 4:14
Esther 3:1-6
1 Some time later King Ahasuerus
promoted Haman over all the other nobles, making
him the most powerful official in the empire.
2 All the king’s officials would bow
down before Haman to show him respect whenever he passed by, for so the king
had commanded. But Mordecai refused to bow down or show him respect.
3 Then the palace officials at the
king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why are you disobeying the king’s
command?”
4 They spoke to him day after day,
but still he refused to comply with the order. So they spoke to Haman about
this to see if he would tolerate Mordecai’s conduct, since Mordecai had told
them he was a Jew.
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would
not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage.
6 He had learned of Mordecai’s
nationality, so he decided it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone.
Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire
empire.
Anti-Semitism is defined as hostility toward or discrimination against Jews
as a religious or racial group. The term anti-Semitism was coined in 1879 by Wilhelm
Marr to designate the anti-Jewish campaigns under way in central Europe at that
time. Although the term is now widely used, it is a misnomer. It implies a
discrimination against all Semites. Arabs are also Semites, and yet they are
not the targets of anti-Semitism (Encyclopedia Britannica).
Capt. Alfred Dreyfus was a Jewish French artillery officer. In 1894, he was
falsely accused of espionage and treason, stripped of his rank and sent to
Devils Island. The case became known as the Dreyfus affair. It was one of the
most controversial and polarizing political dramas in modern French history.
The reverberations from which were felt throughout Europe. After a global
campaign to prove both his innocence and rampant anti-Semitism. Dreyfus was
ultimately exonerated, freed, and restored to his rank in the French military.
The book of Esther was written about 450 BC. The events
in the book take place in Susa, the capital of the Persian Empire during the
reign of King Xerxes, who was known as Ahasuerus
in the book of Esther. The Jewish people of the southern kingdom of Judah were
conquered by Babylon and taken into captivity. Babylon was in turn conquered by
Persia. The Persians were very flexible and allowed many conquered foreigners
to return to their own lands. Many of the Jews had returned to Judah, but many stayed
behind.
Esther and her cousin Mordecai
were among those who remained in the Persian kingdom. They grew comfortable and
felt safe. Of all things Esther became a contestant in a beauty pageant and won.
She was crowned Miss Persia. She became the wife to Ahasuerus and the queen of Persia. At first, she
must have been way outside of her comfort zone. But eventually she felt safer
than ever and fitted right in. The fact that she was Jewish seems to have
little impact on King Ahasuerus because
she was so beautiful. Just like Natalie Portman, Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), or
Madeleine Stowe in our day.
In one sense, the book of Esther is unique. It is the
only book in the Bible that does not mention the name of God. Although the
Father is not mentioned, His presence, faithfulness, and providence permeate
the story. The Father was always working behind the scenes and setting the
stage for what was going to happen. The Father had
a unique and special task for Esther to carry out. Had she not been elevated to
the position of Queen she could not have accomplished it.
For
Mordecai and Esther, it was “the good old days.” But they were not to last. A
great darkness was in the land, but they had no idea.
An evil
man named Haman was secretly plotting to destroy all of the Jews in Persia.
Haman managed to shrewdly weave a web of seemingly insurmountable circumstances
to entrap, capture, and annihilate all the chosen people.
The Father uses average people and everyday events to accomplish His eternal
purpose. Totally placing their lives in the Father’s hands, trusting Him for
the outcome Esther and Mordecai, two ordinary people with extraordinary faith,
risk everything to save the Father’s Chosen People and themselves.
As the story unfolds, the Father is hidden but
not hiding. He is the unseen, behind-the-scenes artist of the tapestry of
events coming together. He is accomplishing His eternal plan. The Father is
fulfilling His redemptive promises for His chosen people. “Providence is God’s
attention concentrated everywhere. His care is microscopic as well as telescopic”
(Strong). “Kings may issue their unalterable decrees, but God overrules and
accomplishes His purposes” (Wiersbe).
REFLECT & PRAY
God is
everywhere present and actively at work. The challenge for us is to discover
Him and respond in faith.
Father
encourage me to stand up and complete the tasks You have graciously assigned to
me with integrity and endurance.
INSIGHT
The Father allows
the evil villain to arise, knowing his end from the beginning. The Father sees
what people cannot see. There will be no surprises, except of course for Haman.
At the same time, His invisible powerful Hand of
Providence is at work in a faithful man and a faithful woman. Against
overwhelming odds, way outside of their normal comfort zones, Mordecai and
Esther rise to the occasion. When everything was at stake, they chose to stand
up and trust God with the outcome. This was their moment in history.
Mordecai becomes aware of the plot but must
get word to Esther. He could not go to her, but he could make her aware that
there was a tremendous problem that was greatly grieving him.
Esther 4:1 When Mordecai learned about all that
had been done, he tore his clothes, put on burlap and ashes, and went out into
the city, crying with a loud and bitter wail.
Esther’s servants came and told her
what was going on. She sent one of her attendants to find out what was
troubling Mordecai and caused him to go into mourning. He returns to Esther
with the shocking truth and Mordecai’s even more shocking request.
Mordecai wants her to approach the
king uninvited, at risk of her life. If the king did not hold out his golden
scepter, she would be doomed and forfeit her life (Esther 4:11). Mordecai solemnly warns her, if she did nothing she
would not be spared, because she too was a Jew. But the Father was faithful and
had her back.
Esther 4:13-14
13 Mordecai sent this message to
Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you
will escape when all other Jews are killed.
14 If you keep quiet at a time like
this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but
you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for
just such a time as this?”
Wouldn’t be great to have someone who would
encourage you like that? Undoubtedly fear raced through her heart, there was so
much at risk. Remember it was the good old days, life was good, everything
seemed normal in the palace. But she stepped outside her comfort zone.
What did she not do? Esther did not tweet or
go on Facebook and rant. Remember, if
Satan cannot get us to do the wrong thing, he will try get us to do the right
thing in the wrong way. What did she do, she called a prayer meeting!
Esther 4:16 Go and gather together all the Jews
of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My
maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go
in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.
Wow! Not only was she in the right place at
the right time, she had the right heart attitude and immediately responded in
faith. If only we could all be just like that.
Haman’s evil law was in place.
A bounty was offered for every Jew that would be exterminated. His twisted and
perverted plan to eliminate all the Jewish people was ready. The trap was about
to be sprung. The Jews were about to be destroyed. The stakes could not have
been higher. Haman had already built special gallows to hang Mordecai, the focal
point and source of his hatred for anything Jewish.
Would the Father prevail? Would the people of
God be spared?
Esther boldly but politely went before King Ahasuerus. Ahasuerus lifted his scepter and
welcomed her. Esther believed that the Father had her back and had developed a
plan of her own. She invited the king and Haman to a banquet.
Haman, totally clueless, thought he was going to be honored. Haman had no idea that
Esther was Jewish, and that Mordecai was her cousin.
Esther exposed Haman’s evil plan and
destructive goals. The king became outraged and commanded Haman be hung
immediately, on the very gallows prepared for Mordecai. What a shocking
reversal! The Jewish people of the land were spared. Sadly, hatred of the Jews
did not end with Haman. It is with us to this day. Mordecai was promoted to
become one of the king’s servants.
The Father’s unseen and unknown eternal plan
was carried out. Yet in real time, the Father heard the earnest prayers of the
people and answered. They had prayed God’s will into existence. His will was
being done on earth as it is in heaven. Who knew? The Father knew!
The Father is at work, He is at work all the time. He invites you to
participate in His plan. The choice is yours. Maybe you also have come into His
kingdom for such a time as this.
My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me
fully. – Numbers 14:24
Numbers 14:6-11
6 Two of the men who had explored the land,
Joshua and Caleb, tore their clothing.
7 They said to all the people of Israel, “The
land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land!
8 And if the LORD is pleased with us, he will
bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing
with milk and honey.
9 Do not rebel against the LORD, and don’t be
afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have
no protection, but the LORD is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”
10 But the whole community began to talk about
stoning Joshua and Caleb.
So Near and Yet So
I so often dream we might make a team But so wild a scheme I must banish
For each time I start to open my heart you vanish
My dear, I’ve a feeling you are so near and yet so far
You appear like a
radiant star first so near, then again so far
Although the Father had performed
remarkable miracles in the land of Egypt and at the Red Sea, the people were incongruously
skeptical and untrusting. The Father faithfully led them to the promised land.
They were on its outskirts, right at the border. But they were still faithless and
clueless.
So the Father ordered Moses to choose
twelve men, one from each of the twelve tribes, to enter and spy out the land
of Canaan (Numbers 13:2). All twelve
of the spies went together. They all saw exactly the same things. But their observations
and reactions could not have been more different. Their responses were swayed
by their hearts
Ten of the spies saw things through the
eyes of fear and doubt. Two of the spies saw things through the eyes of faith
and trust, Caleb and Joshua.
When the twelve spies returned to the camp,
they gave reports on what they saw. What were the quality of the land and the
condition of the people living in it? The mission of the spies covered over 220
miles from the Negeb on the South to just north of Damascus (Numbers 1:1-16). They accomplished their
mission and recounted their reflections.
But two different kinds of reports are given. One is an evil report. It focused on all of the obstacles. There were large, fortified cities and Giants (Nephilim). They concluded their report saying, “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are! The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers” (Numbers 13:31-33). What they saw with their eyes was filtered through their fearful, doubting hearts.
The other report was a good report. What Joshua and Caleb saw with their eyes was filtered
through their faithful, trusting hearts.
Numbers 14:7-9
7 They said to all the people of Israel, “The
land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land!
8 And if the LORD is pleased with us, he will
bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing
with milk and honey.
9 Do not rebel against the LORD, and don’t be
afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have
no protection, but the LORD is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”
But what did the people do? They believed
the evil report!
Numbers 14:1-3
1 The whole community began
weeping aloud, and they cried all night.
2 Their voices rose in a great chorus of
protest against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in
the wilderness!” they complained.
3 “Why is the LORD taking us to this country
only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried
off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?”
Numbers 14:10 The whole community
began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb.
We are tempted to
say their response seems incredulous. But not so much when we realize that we
might have done exactly the same thing.
The children of
Israel were about to become toast, burnt, and crispy toast.
REFLECT & PRAY
The courage and
faith of Joshua and Caleb were exemplary. What set them apart? It is quite
simple. They took the Father at His Word. They believed all that the Father said
and put their full confidence in Him. God assumes full responsibility for our needs when
we obey Him wholeheartedly (Stanley).
Father I pray that
I may have a different spirit, a spirit of faith, trust, and confidence in You.
INSIGHT
In the midst of
all of this, how did the Father feel? He felt totally disrespected and
unappreciated. His patience with their disobedience was about maxed out. He had
just about enough and was ready to strike. What did the Father do next? If He were
in the White House today, He would have picked up the Red Phone, and placed a
person-to-person call to the Kremlin. The Father returned to the camp in His glorious
splendor, takes Moses aside and says, “we need to talk!”
Numbers 14:11-12
11 And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will
these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all
the miraculous signs I have done among them?
12 I will disown them and destroy
them with a plague. Then I will make you into a nation greater and mightier
than they are!”
Moses intervened on behalf of the Jewish
people and the Father’s anger abated. Moses words are well worth pondering and
reflecting upon (Numbers 14:13-19).
The Father relented, and switched from Plan I, immediate death, to Plan S, slow death. Rather than striking the people immediately, the Father condemned
them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years and die in it. They would never
again see the promised land and certainly not enter into it.
The following is R-rated and not meant for
young readers. Yet it is in the Torah, right in the middle of it in the book of
Numbers.
Numbers 14:29-34
29 You will all drop dead in this wilderness!
Because you complained against me, every one of you who is twenty years old or
older . . . Will die.
30 You will not enter and occupy the land I
swore to give you. The only exceptions will be Caleb and Joshua.
34 “‘Because your men explored the land for
forty days, you must wander in the wilderness for forty years – a year for each
day, suffering the consequences of your sins. Then you will discover what it is
like to have me for an enemy.’
Ah, a teachable
moment! The lesson is simple. It is far better to have the Father as your
friend than as your enemy.
So how does the story end? Not too well for the
children of Israel who were over 20 years of age. They all died in the
wilderness. Only their children were allowed to enter the promised land. But
Joshua became the commander-in-chief of the Army of Israel and successfully led
them in battle, for the conquest of the promised land.
What about Caleb?
What made him special? The Father singles Caleb out with great affection and
admiration. He had a spirit of faith. He followed the Lord with his whole
heart. Nothing was held back (Numbers 14:24). When we possess a spirit of faith, the Father enables us to overcome
seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Time passed and it is now 45 years later. Caleb
is 85 years old, undaunted in spirit and body ready to take on all challenges
and all challengers.
Joshua 14:6-12
6 Caleb said to Joshua, “Remember what the
LORD said to Moses, the man of God, about you and me when we were at
Kadesh-barnea.
7 I was forty years old when Moses, the
servant of the LORD, sent me from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land of Canaan.
I returned and brought word back to him as it was in my heart.
8 For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the LORD
my God.
9 So that day Moses solemnly promised me, ‘The
land of Canaan on which you were just walking will be your grant of land and
that of your descendants forever, because you wholeheartedly followed the LORD
my God.’
10 “Now, as you can see, the LORD has kept me
alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made
this promise– even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am
eighty-five years old.
11 I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent
me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then.
12 So give me the hill country that the LORD
promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak
living there in great, walled towns. But if the LORD is with me, I will drive
them out of the land, just as the LORD said.”
Because of his
wholehearted faith and trust, Caleb knew that the Father had his back
And so He did.
One of descendants of
Anak made a really big splash about 400 years later during King David’s time,
his name was Goliath (Joshua 11:22).
But that is a story for another day.
When we align
ourselves with God and His will, the Lord takes the battle out of our hands and
places it in His. Big enemies become small when God leads the charge (Stanley).
Then Jehoshaphat added, “But first let’s find out what the LORD says.” – 2
Chron18:4
2 Chron 18:33-34
33 An Aramean soldier, however, randomly shot
an arrow at the Israelite troops and hit the king of Israel between the joints
of his armor. “Turn the horses and get me out of here!” Ahab groaned to the
driver of the chariot. “I’m badly wounded!”
34 The battle raged all that day, and the king
of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans. In the
evening, just as the sun was setting, he died.
Stray bullets hit
unintended targets. Being struck by a stray bullet is considered a freak
accidents or an act of God. It is considered very unlikely. As such, it cannot
be predicted, controlled or prevented. The probability of an accidental death from
a firearm discharge in your lifetime is about 1 in 8527, in any given year is
about 1 in 670,204 [www.iii.org].
To put this in
perspective:
One-year
odds Lifetime odds
Accidental poisoning 5,027 64
Opioids both legal and
illegal) 7,569 96
All motor vehicle
accidents 8,096 103
Assault by firearm 22,399 285
Fall from stairs and
steps 130,654 1662
Drowning in swimming
pool 450,511 5732
Firearms discharge
(accidental) 670,204 8527
What about bullets
fired straight up into the air?
What goes up must come
down, right? What goes up: A bullet fired from a Kalashnikov rifle leaves the
muzzle traveling faster than 1,500 miles per hour. What comes down: If that
bullet is shot straight into the air it would be traveling at about 150 miles
per hour as it falls to the ground because air resistance for slows it down. It
would hit the ground, or your head, with the same amount of energy as if you
were struck by a brick falling from about 4 feet above you [source: Matthews].
And what about stray
arrows?
The Word of God
contains stories that you just can’t make up. So goes the story of Ahab, king
of Israel and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. This story takes place during the
time of the divided kingdom after the reign of Solomon. The northern 10 tribes
are called Israel and the two southern tribes are called Judah.
Jehoshaphat was a good
king, but he made the mistake of entering into an alliance with Ahab, the evil,
plotting, tricky and deceptive king of Israel. This was a bad idea on many
levels, and Jehoshaphat almost paid for his mistake with his life.
Ahab asked Jehoshaphat
to join him in an attack on a mutual enemy. Jehoshaphat agreed, but only on one
condition. He wanted to know what the Father had to say about it. Now that was
a great idea. The hitch was that Ahab really did not want to hear from the Father
at all. He’d rather consult with false prophets and sycophants who would tell
him what he wanted to hear. The truth often stung, and Ahab wanted to avoid it
at all costs.
2 Chron 18:2-4
2 Ahab enticed Jehoshaphat to join forces with
him . . .
3 “Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?” King
Ahab of Israel asked King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Jehoshaphat replied, “Why, of
course! You and I are as one, and my troops are your troops. We will certainly
join you in battle.”
4 Then Jehoshaphat added, “But first let’s
find Out what the LORD says.”
But Ahab was not on extremely good terms with the Father’s true prophets. So he summoned 400 of his own prophets, guys who he had in his pocket, who would give him the answer that he wanted.
2 Chron 18:5
5 So the king of Israel [Ahab] summoned the
prophets, 400 of them, and asked them, “Should we go to war against
Ramoth-gilead, or should I hold back?” They all replied, “Yes, go right ahead!
God will give the king victory.”
Although Jehoshaphat had
lapses in good judgment that got them into the present situation, he was not so
easily fooled by every outright lie and subterfuge. False prophets just would
not do, and he insisted to hear from one of the Father’s true prophets instead.
In a good sense, knowing what the truth sounds like, spoils you and turns you
off from lies. Those who are used to handling the truth, the Word of God have “their
senses trained to discern good and evil” (Heb 5:14).
2 Chron 18:6 But Jehoshaphat
asked, “Is there not also a prophet of the LORD here? We should ask him the
same question.”
Ahab was not very pleased with this because he hated the Father’s prophets. Whenever he consulted them, they always gave him bad news. Go figure!
2 Chron 18:7 The king of Israel
replied to Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man who could consult the LORD for
us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name
is Micaiah.”
Jehoshaphat replied, “That’s
not the way a king should talk! Let’s hear what he has to say.”
Jehoshaphat scolded
Ahab for talking in such a negative and insulting way about one of the Father’s
prophets. So begrudgingly, Ahab sent one of his officials to find Micaiah and
bring him in to present the Father’s guidance and direction.
But in the process,
Ahab’s guy tried to put in the fix, and get Micaiah to produce the same results
as the false prophets. Micaiah stood tall and would have nothing to do with it.
That’s one of the things about the Father’s prophets, they tend to be harder
than flint and will not back down from telling the truth.
2 Chron 18:8 So the king of Israel
called one of his officials and said, “Quick! Bring Micaiah.”
2 Chron 18:12-13
13 Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get
Micaiah said to him, “Look, all the prophets are promising victory for the
king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success.”
13 But Micaiah replied, “As surely as the LORD
lives, I will say only what my God says.”
REFLECT & PRAY
Just the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth (John 17:17).
Father encourage me to stand tall for the truth and not
succumb to peer pressure or the influence of governmental authorities, even
when the odds are 400 to 1. The Father’s Truth alone is Truth.
INSIGHT
Real servants of the Father,
only say what He tells them to say. They don’t add, they don’t take away, and
they do not alter His words. It is always wise to measure what is heard in our modern
age by this plumb line. By this time, Micaiah was well aware what was going on,
having gotten inside information from the Father Himself. He resorts to
sarcasm.
2 Chron 18:14, 15
14 When Micaiah arrived before the king, Ahab
asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I
hold back?” Micaiah replied sarcastically, “Yes, go up and be victorious, for
you will have victory over them!”
15 But the king replied sharply, “How many
times must I demand that you speak only the truth to me when you speak for the
LORD?”
Well Ahab was not stupid
either, well not that stupid. And he knew that Micaiah was not telling what the
that the Father had revealed to him. He calls Micaiah out. So Micaiah, comes
clean and tells the rest of the story.
2 Chron 18:6 Then Micaiah told him,
“In a vision I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep without a
shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘Their master has been killed. Send them home in
peace.’
Well of course this
was not comforting or pleasing for Ahab. Why? Well, there was the rather
obvious fact that Micaiah was predicting Ahab’s death. But even that were not
the case, wicked people, with dark, evil hearts, do not really want to hear the
truth, not to mention listen to it or act on it. When he asked for the truth, it
was simply another ploy, he really did not want to hear it.
Ahab had Micaiah
arrested and put on bread and water. Ahab underscores his hatred of Micaiah in
his whining complaint to Jehoshaphat.
2 Chron 18:17 “Didn’t I tell you?” the
king of Israel exclaimed to Jehoshaphat. “He never prophesies anything but
trouble for me.”
2 Chron 18:18,25-27
18 Then Micaiah continued, “Listen to what the
LORD says! I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven
around him, on his right and on his left.”
25 “Arrest him!” the king of Israel ordered.
26 Give them this order from the king “Put
this man in prison and feed him nothing but bread and water until I return
safely from the battle!”
27But Micaiah replied, “If
you return safely, it will mean that the LORD has not spoken through me!” Then
he added to those standing around, “Everyone mark my words!”
The original “mark my
words,” entered the English language through the Miles Coverdale’s 1535
translation of the Bible, “Take hede, and heare my voyce, pondre and merck my
wordes wel. …. [sic.]” (Isaiah 28:23).
In the 20th century,
this was updated and popularized by Clint Eastwood, A.K.A. Dirty Harry, “But
being that this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and
would blow your head clean off, you’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I
feel lucky?’ Well do ya, punk?”
This is followed by
yet more intrigues, deceptions, subterfuge, disguises and camouflage. Ahab did
everything short of painting a target on Jehoshaphat’s back.
2 Chron 18:29 The king of Israel
said to Jehoshaphat, “As we go into battle, I will disguise myself so no one
will recognize me, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel
disguised himself, and they went into battle.
Well, a random act of
God seemingly got in the final word, that is shot, “stray arrow.”
2 Chron 18:30 Meanwhile, the king
of Aram had issued these orders to his chariot commanders: “Attack only the
king of Israel! Don’t bother with anyone else.”
2 Chron 18:31,32
31 So when the Aramean chariot commanders saw
Jehoshaphat in his royal robes, they went after him. “There is the king of
Israel!” they shouted. But Jehoshaphat called out, and the LORD saved him. God
helped him by turning the attackers away from him.
32 As soon as the chariot commanders realized
he was not the king of Israel, they stopped chasing him.
In the midst of all
this confusion, the Father remembered Jehoshaphat and helped him by turning
away his attackers. But at the same time the Father saw to it that evil King
Ahab was himself “randomly shot by an arrow.”
2 Chron 18:33,34
33 An Aramean soldier, however, randomly shot
an arrow at the Israelite troops and hit the king of Israel between the joints
of his armor. “Turn the horses and get me out of here!” Ahab groaned to the
driver of the chariot. “I’m badly wounded!”
34 The battle raged all that day, and the king
of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans. In the
evening, just as the sun was setting, he died.
How could King Jehoshaphat not
discern what Ahab was doing to him? If Ahab had put a target on Jehoshaphat’s
back, he would not have made it easier for the enemy to kill him! But God is
sovereign in all things and protected Jehoshaphat, while at the same time
allowing a random arrow to hit an opening in Ahab’s armor and kill him. Ahab
was disguised and yet was killed, while Jehoshaphat was in his royal robes and
never touched (Wiersbe).
Psalms 118:8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in
people.
In those days there
was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. – Judges
21:25
Judges 2:18-19
18 Whenever the LORD raised up a judge over
Israel, he was with that judge and rescued the people from their enemies
throughout the judge’s lifetime. For the LORD took pity on his people, who were
burdened by oppression and suffering.
19 But when the judge died, the people
returned to their corrupt ways, behaving worse than those who had lived before
them. They went after other gods, serving and worshiping them. And they refused
to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.
Life is filled with daunting situations. We face challenges
big and small. What do we do? Some freeze and shrink back in uncertainty.
Others plow ahead and take a chance. While others may rise to the occasion and
perform heroic acts. Most folks who perform one-time acts of bravery (like
rushing into a burning building or rescuing someone from the path of an
oncoming train) are not significantly different from everyone else.
However, others live lives of lifelong heroism.
Consider firemen and other first-time responders. Professional nurses who
regularly comfort the sick and dying tend to be lifelong heroes. Such nurses
share personality traits or qualities that set them apart from non-heroes. They possess a strong moral code
(personal values), are empathic and nurturing. They live by their
values and are willing to take personal risks to protect and maintain those
values. The prophet Deborah was such a person. Deborah was a force to contend
with.
The book of Judges was written 1045-1000 BC. It covers
the period between the Exodus, 1445 BC and the time of Solomon (1 Kings 6:1). It is the tragic story of ancient Israel’s
cycle of disobedience, rebellion and idolatry. Over and over again the people
went from short periods of righteous living to failure and sin. When things
became unbearable, they would repent and callout to the Father for help. The Father
remained true to His covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Father
would send a leader, a judge to save His people from their oppressors. All would
be well for a short time, and then the cycle would repeat. This lasted for a
span of about 400 years.
The cycle began with the death of Joshua and the
other leaders of the conquest. The Israelites turned their backs on the Father and
entered into idolatry. They had no loyalty to the Father and took Him for
granted. They openly rebelled, evoking His displeasure and inviting His
discipline (Judges 2:8-16). The Israelites never learned.
Sadly, each of us can probably identify with this
behavior and see ourselves doing similar things. It is eerily familiar to the
apostle Paul’s experiences in Romans 7.
Romans 7:21-24
21 I have discovered this principle of life–
that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.
24 Oh, what a miserable person I am!
Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?
Against this horrid background, the Father raised
up a force to contend with, Deborah, the fourth judge of Israel. She is
revealed as a housewife and mom, not a soldier. She was neither an Amazon
warrior nor a WWF female superstar. Rather than being mighty in stature, I
envision her as a tiny, petite woman perhaps only 5′ 2″ or so. Her
strength came from within, her character and integrity. She was powerful,
resourceful, and resilient. She was taken seriously and had great personal
power and influence. Deborah was steadfast and devoted to the Father and His Word.
She inspired Israel’s forces to confident victory. She encouraged them to faith
and righteous living.
In addition to her natural strengths, Deborah was
a prophet. She heard from the Father directly (Amos 3:7). The Father would give her the battle strategy to defeat the enemies of
Israel. She would in turn pass it on to Barak, leader of Israel’s forces. When Barak
carried out her instructions, victory was won.
The Father has two criteria for service: availability and
willingness. Only one person measured up to the task at hand, Deborah. No man
was willing or able to do the job. In fact, Barak would not go out to war
against the enemy without Deborah’s leadership.
Ancient armies were not a coed endeavor. The leaders and
strong warriors were typically all-male. The fact that Israel’s all male army
would not go to war without Deborah’s leading them, was a slap in their faces.
There was no honor in it for the men. Deborah sought no honor for herself. She
was only doing the task that she had been assigned by the Father.
Judges 4:8-9
8 Barak told her, “I will go, but only if
you go with me.”
9 “Very well,” she
replied, “I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this
venture, for the LORD’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a
woman.”
It had to be very humiliating to the male warriors of Israel
in their male-dominated society. But the choice got down to following a woman
into battle and having victory. Or going it alone and facing certain defeat. Ultimately
however, the honor and glory belong to the Father. It was His battle plan and His
intervention On Israel’s behalf that brought about the victory.
“When God wants to glorify Himself through His people, He
always has a perfect plan for us to follow. God chose the leader of His army,
the place for the battle, and the plan for His army to follow. God also
guaranteed the victory.” (Wiersbe)!
REFLECT & PRAY
Prov 21:31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to
the LORD.
Father encourage
my heart to have the spirit of Deborah.
INSIGHT
Is it possible to have the spirit of Deborah
today? Can we be full of faith and courage, and be energized by our zeal for
God?
Mark 10:27 “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But
not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
In Deborah’s day, there were real physical enemies to contend
with, large opposing forces, not to mention 900 iron chariots. But today most
of us are not a war and our enemies are internal: fear of failure, a sense of
inferiority, concerns over what others think, poor self-image, and often even
stubborn unwillingness
While each of us have our individual callings and gifts, any
of us can have the spirit of Deborah. Any of us can hear from the Father, take
Him at His Word, trust, commit, and take action. Frequently we do not see
ourselves as the Father sees us. The Father wants to free us from our internal
nemeses!
The spirit of Deborah, a spirit of faith and trust is
available to us all. As the Father exposes what needs to be done in our lives
we do not have to draw back from these internal enemies. His spirit is at work
in us.
Phi 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what
pleases him.
It is past time to stop doubting our
faith and believing our doubts. Rather doubt your doubts and believe your
faith.
By the way the name Deborah means bumblebee.
For many years, in spite of the obvious visible evidence to
the contrary, it was thought that short and stubby bumblebees should not be
able to fly at all. For such a creature to fly was seemingly a violation the
law of aerodynamics. But bumblebees not knowing aerodynamics, having never
attended science or physics classes, flew anyway. In the 1930s, French
entomologist August Magnan concluded the insect’s flight is actually
impossible, a notion that has stuck in popular consciousness since then.
However, the enigma was solved in 2005 by Dr. Michael
Dickinson, a professor of biology and insect flight expert at the University of
Washington. He used high-speed photography to capture the wing movement of flying
bees. It turns out that bumblebees do not flap their wings up and down. This is
a common misconception. Rather, they flap their wings back and forth. This is
been dubbed a “bug flap.” Such movements provide sufficient lift to allow the bumblebees
to fly. Who would’ve guessed? Perhaps instead of going to class, they were
outside watching hummingbirds, or even helicopters.
