The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 17:13,
"Now I [Micah] know that the Lord will be good to me, since this
Levite has become my priest."
Micah offered a wandering young Levite a job to be his priest. He
would pay him four ounces of silver a year and provide his clothing
and food. Further, he reasoned that since he had done this the Lord
would be good to him.
Moses and Aaron were from the tribe of Levi. Out of that tribe only
Aaron and his offspring were appointed by the Lord to serve as
priests, "Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the
Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar,
so they may serve me as priests." Exodus 28:1. Some "insolent" Levite
half-wits (Korah, Dathan and Abiram), challenged this set up telling
Moses, "You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one
of them, and the Lord is with them." Numbers 16. Moses' response to
them was, "Now listen, you Levites! Isn't it enough for you that the
God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite
community and brought you near himself to do the work at the Lord's
tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them? He
has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you
are trying to get the priesthood too. It is against the Lord that you
and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you
should grumble against him?" Numbers 16:8-11.
The uprising was ended horrifically when, "the ground under them
[Korah, Dathan and Abiram] split apart and the earth opened its mouth
and swallowed them, with their households and all Korah's men and all
their possessions. They went down alive into the grave, with
everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished
and were gone from the community. At their cries, all the Israelites
around them fled, shouting, 'The earth is going to swallow us too!'
And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men [who had
joined in the rebellion] who were offering the incense." Numbers
16:31-35.
Not only who was to serve as priests for the Israelites, how the
priests approached the Lord had its importance as well. Look at what
happened to two of Aaron's sons who did it wrong, "Nadab and Abihu,
however, fell dead before the Lord when they made an offering with
unauthorized fire before him in the Desert of Sinai." Numbers 3:4.
Levites had their commission by the Lord for service at the Tent of
Meeting. "The Lord also said to Moses, 'I have taken the Levites from
among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every
Israelite woman. The Levites are mine, for all the firstborn are mine.
When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself
every firstborn in Israel, whether man or animal. They are to be mine.
I am the Lord.'" Numbers 3:11-13. However, only the descendants of
Aaron where to serve as priests.
In Micah hiring a wandering Levite to be his personal "priest" and for
the wandering Levite to accept the position as Micah's personal priest
demonstrates how "low-information people of God" the Israelites had
sunk to. And this, in spite of the fact that, not so many generations
earlier, the Levite rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram ended in
such a horrific judgment of God! And, Micah actually thought this
would bring him God's favor! Astonishing!
Not surprising, unfortunately. We still have people doing just these
kinds of things today, during the church age we now live in. Folks set
themselves up as "priests" in the church where in reality everyone is
a priest, obviating the need for a special "priesthood". As Peter told
all believers, "As you come to him, the living Stone [Jesus
Christ]—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— you
also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be
a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4-5. Folks set themselves up as
apostles in the church when no such thing has existed since the
passing of the apostolic age. Folks do all kinds of things to show
they hold God's imprimatur for fame, fortune, power or whatever.
It is easy to point the finger, but I suspect some introspection is
due on my part. Have I accepted all God has ordained out of that which
touches my life? Do I attempt to thwart or alter what God has
determined, decreed or decided that touches my life? I think the story
of Micah, beyond its astonishing nature, is a cautionary tale for us
all.
What do you think?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Samson's eye trouble - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 16:21,
"Then the Philistines seized him [Samson], gouged out his eyes and
took him down to Gaza."
Samson lost his eyesight when he laid his head in the lap of Delilah,
who betrayed him. Samson had eye trouble throughout his life. I am
reminded of 1 John 2:15-17, "Do not love the world or anything in the
world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in
him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust
of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from
the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away,
but the man who does the will of God lives forever."
As I read the accounts of Samson in Judges 13-16, it appears to me he
had a problem with "the lust of his eyes". In Judges 14:1-2 we read,
"Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman.
When he returned, he said to his father and mother, 'I have seen a
Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.'" Samson's
parents objected but Samson insisted anyway. We are told this was from
the Lord, "His parents did not know that this was from the Lord, who
was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time
they were ruling over Israel." Judges 14:4.
What was it the Lord was using? Samson's desire for a pagan woman,
people the Lord told the Jews to not intermarry with. The Lord was
also using Samson's refusal to honor his parents wishes. Samson was to
honor his parents and his insistence upon this Philistine woman was
anything but that. What lead to all this? "Samson went down to Timnah
and saw there a young Philistine woman...", ("the lust of his eyes").
The Lord did not cause these sinful impulses in Samson, as John
observes, "For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the
lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not
from the Father but from the world." Nevertheless, the Lord used
Samson's sinful impulses to accomplish what he wanted. I'm thinking in
the manner God used the sinful impulses of the people who put Jesus to
death on the cross: God at times uses sinful man in his sinfulness to
accomplish what he desires.
In Judges 16:1 we are told, "One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw
a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her." Again, "the
lust of his eyes". This episode lead to an unsuccessful attempt of the
Philistines to kill him.
Later we read of Samson's involvement with Delilah. We are told, "Some
time later, he [Samson] fell in love with a woman in the Valley of
Sorek whose name was Delilah. The rulers of the Philistines went to
her and said, 'See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of
his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up
and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of
silver." Judges 16:4-5. This she agreed to do and did. She sold out
Samson. Although we do not read anything about the "lust of his eyes"
in this account, I have to wonder what it was Samson did "see" in her.
A willing sell-out who would rather have the silver her betrayal of
Samson brought her than Samson himself. I have to think when he "fell
in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek" it was like the first of
the women. I have to think he must have been "blinded" to what she was
like by what he saw of her beauty. "The lust of his eyes." Just musing
here.
When Samson was betrayed by Delilah and subdued by the Philistines,
how interesting is it the first thing they do is to gouge his eyes
out, to blind him? Was this of the Lord? I note that it was when he
was now blind we see the only time recorded that Samson cried out to
the Lord and seek what the Lord had provided him all along.
As John observes, eye trouble was not only Samson's problem, it is
endemic to our own sinful nature, "For everything in the world—the
cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what
he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world."
How is my eyesight today?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 16:21,
"Then the Philistines seized him [Samson], gouged out his eyes and
took him down to Gaza."
Samson lost his eyesight when he laid his head in the lap of Delilah,
who betrayed him. Samson had eye trouble throughout his life. I am
reminded of 1 John 2:15-17, "Do not love the world or anything in the
world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in
him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust
of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from
the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away,
but the man who does the will of God lives forever."
As I read the accounts of Samson in Judges 13-16, it appears to me he
had a problem with "the lust of his eyes". In Judges 14:1-2 we read,
"Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman.
When he returned, he said to his father and mother, 'I have seen a
Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.'" Samson's
parents objected but Samson insisted anyway. We are told this was from
the Lord, "His parents did not know that this was from the Lord, who
was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time
they were ruling over Israel." Judges 14:4.
What was it the Lord was using? Samson's desire for a pagan woman,
people the Lord told the Jews to not intermarry with. The Lord was
also using Samson's refusal to honor his parents wishes. Samson was to
honor his parents and his insistence upon this Philistine woman was
anything but that. What lead to all this? "Samson went down to Timnah
and saw there a young Philistine woman...", ("the lust of his eyes").
The Lord did not cause these sinful impulses in Samson, as John
observes, "For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the
lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not
from the Father but from the world." Nevertheless, the Lord used
Samson's sinful impulses to accomplish what he wanted. I'm thinking in
the manner God used the sinful impulses of the people who put Jesus to
death on the cross: God at times uses sinful man in his sinfulness to
accomplish what he desires.
In Judges 16:1 we are told, "One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw
a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her." Again, "the
lust of his eyes". This episode lead to an unsuccessful attempt of the
Philistines to kill him.
Later we read of Samson's involvement with Delilah. We are told, "Some
time later, he [Samson] fell in love with a woman in the Valley of
Sorek whose name was Delilah. The rulers of the Philistines went to
her and said, 'See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of
his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up
and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of
silver." Judges 16:4-5. This she agreed to do and did. She sold out
Samson. Although we do not read anything about the "lust of his eyes"
in this account, I have to wonder what it was Samson did "see" in her.
A willing sell-out who would rather have the silver her betrayal of
Samson brought her than Samson himself. I have to think when he "fell
in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek" it was like the first of
the women. I have to think he must have been "blinded" to what she was
like by what he saw of her beauty. "The lust of his eyes." Just musing
here.
When Samson was betrayed by Delilah and subdued by the Philistines,
how interesting is it the first thing they do is to gouge his eyes
out, to blind him? Was this of the Lord? I note that it was when he
was now blind we see the only time recorded that Samson cried out to
the Lord and seek what the Lord had provided him all along.
As John observes, eye trouble was not only Samson's problem, it is
endemic to our own sinful nature, "For everything in the world—the
cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what
he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world."
How is my eyesight today?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
A bad hair day or a bad heart day? - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 16:19-20,
"Having put him [Samson] to sleep on her [Delilah's] lap, she called a
man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue
him. And his strength left him. Then she called, 'Samson, the
Philistines are upon you!' He awoke from his sleep and thought, 'I'll
go out as before and shake myself free.' But he did not know that the
Lord had left him."
Here we read the well known end to Samson's exploits. Delilah got a
fourth explanation from Samson as to the secret of his strength so she
could sell him out to the rulers of the Philistines for silver. As he
explained to her his consecration to the Lord as a Nazarite, he told
her that if his head was shaved, he would lose his supernatural
strength.
I've read some foolish and childish explanations of this account, and
I'll bet you have as well. Samson's strength did not reside in his
long hair. His strength was given him as the Spirit of the Lord came
upon him. Such passages as Judges 15:14-15 make this clear, "As he
[Samson] approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him shouting.
The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power. The ropes on his arms
became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands.
Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a
thousand men." Note in the above quote that when his head was shaved,
"the Lord had left him." It wasn't the hair from his Nazirite
consecration that provided his strength, but the Spirit of the Lord
moving within him.
Consecration to the Lord is a matter of the heart. The Lord provided
for those who wished to make a special vow to him in Exodus 6:1-21,
the Nazirite vow. Both men and women could take the vow, consecrating
themselves for a period of time to the Lord. They were not to consume
anything from the grape vine (not even seeds or grape skins!) during
the time of consecration. The men were not to shave during the period
and not go near a dead body. If someone died suddenly in his presence
it would defile "the hair he has dedicated". He would have to shave
his head, make an offering, and start the period of his separation all
over. Offerings were prescribed at the end of the period of
consecration: a burnt offering, a sin offering, and fellowship
offerings. After the priest presented the offerings at the Tent of
Meeting, the Nazarite was to shave off the hair he dedicated and place
it in the fire of the fellowship offering.
These outward requirements of consecration to the Lord were always to
have manifested an inward consecration of the heart. The hair offered
in the fire of the fellowship offering speaks to the period of time
one had dedicated himself to the Lord. The period of time provided
occasion to deprive oneself of creaturely comforts (fruit of the vine)
as well as distance from that which is unclean (avoidance of a dead
body) as expressions of dedication to the Lord. It was to have been
anything but what the Lord indicted Israel for in Isaiah 29:13, "These
people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only
of rules taught by men." Outward expressions that do not reflect the
heart.
Samson was unique in that he was set apart for the Lord before his
birth to be a "Nazarite of God from birth until the day of his death."
Judges 13:7. Samson's whole life was to have been one of dedication to
the Lord and what we see in Samson's life was anything but that. He
was a man given to passionate revenge and bad women. Nevertheless, the
Lord used Samson for the purposes he set him apart from birth: to free
Israel from Philistine domination. What we read in Judges 16:20 is
that Samson lost his strength because the "Lord had left him."
Likewise, what we see in Samson's last episode, after his strength was
gone and he had been blinded and imprisoned by the Philistines, is
that he is given supernatural strength one last time. Although we are
told his hair began to grow back, Judges 16:22, it was not because his
hair was growing back that brought him the supernatural strength on
that last occasion, but his crying out to God, "O Sovereign Lord,
remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me
with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes." Judges
16:28.
The lesson for me, what I need to keep in mind, is not to take from
the account the notion that the outward doing effects what God wants
necessarily. I'm not minimizing the outward doing, but that the
outward doing needs to reflect what is in the heart. All of the
outward expression of the Nazarite should reflect a consecration of
the heart to God. Samson was a Nazirite and as he lay his head in the
lap of a sell-out of a pagan woman, it wasn't his hair but his heart
that was a problem.
Where is my heart today?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 16:19-20,
"Having put him [Samson] to sleep on her [Delilah's] lap, she called a
man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue
him. And his strength left him. Then she called, 'Samson, the
Philistines are upon you!' He awoke from his sleep and thought, 'I'll
go out as before and shake myself free.' But he did not know that the
Lord had left him."
Here we read the well known end to Samson's exploits. Delilah got a
fourth explanation from Samson as to the secret of his strength so she
could sell him out to the rulers of the Philistines for silver. As he
explained to her his consecration to the Lord as a Nazarite, he told
her that if his head was shaved, he would lose his supernatural
strength.
I've read some foolish and childish explanations of this account, and
I'll bet you have as well. Samson's strength did not reside in his
long hair. His strength was given him as the Spirit of the Lord came
upon him. Such passages as Judges 15:14-15 make this clear, "As he
[Samson] approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him shouting.
The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power. The ropes on his arms
became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands.
Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a
thousand men." Note in the above quote that when his head was shaved,
"the Lord had left him." It wasn't the hair from his Nazirite
consecration that provided his strength, but the Spirit of the Lord
moving within him.
Consecration to the Lord is a matter of the heart. The Lord provided
for those who wished to make a special vow to him in Exodus 6:1-21,
the Nazirite vow. Both men and women could take the vow, consecrating
themselves for a period of time to the Lord. They were not to consume
anything from the grape vine (not even seeds or grape skins!) during
the time of consecration. The men were not to shave during the period
and not go near a dead body. If someone died suddenly in his presence
it would defile "the hair he has dedicated". He would have to shave
his head, make an offering, and start the period of his separation all
over. Offerings were prescribed at the end of the period of
consecration: a burnt offering, a sin offering, and fellowship
offerings. After the priest presented the offerings at the Tent of
Meeting, the Nazarite was to shave off the hair he dedicated and place
it in the fire of the fellowship offering.
These outward requirements of consecration to the Lord were always to
have manifested an inward consecration of the heart. The hair offered
in the fire of the fellowship offering speaks to the period of time
one had dedicated himself to the Lord. The period of time provided
occasion to deprive oneself of creaturely comforts (fruit of the vine)
as well as distance from that which is unclean (avoidance of a dead
body) as expressions of dedication to the Lord. It was to have been
anything but what the Lord indicted Israel for in Isaiah 29:13, "These
people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only
of rules taught by men." Outward expressions that do not reflect the
heart.
Samson was unique in that he was set apart for the Lord before his
birth to be a "Nazarite of God from birth until the day of his death."
Judges 13:7. Samson's whole life was to have been one of dedication to
the Lord and what we see in Samson's life was anything but that. He
was a man given to passionate revenge and bad women. Nevertheless, the
Lord used Samson for the purposes he set him apart from birth: to free
Israel from Philistine domination. What we read in Judges 16:20 is
that Samson lost his strength because the "Lord had left him."
Likewise, what we see in Samson's last episode, after his strength was
gone and he had been blinded and imprisoned by the Philistines, is
that he is given supernatural strength one last time. Although we are
told his hair began to grow back, Judges 16:22, it was not because his
hair was growing back that brought him the supernatural strength on
that last occasion, but his crying out to God, "O Sovereign Lord,
remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me
with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes." Judges
16:28.
The lesson for me, what I need to keep in mind, is not to take from
the account the notion that the outward doing effects what God wants
necessarily. I'm not minimizing the outward doing, but that the
outward doing needs to reflect what is in the heart. All of the
outward expression of the Nazarite should reflect a consecration of
the heart to God. Samson was a Nazirite and as he lay his head in the
lap of a sell-out of a pagan woman, it wasn't his hair but his heart
that was a problem.
Where is my heart today?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Monday, January 28, 2013
Faith does not make me perfect in this life - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 16:1,
"One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to
spend the night with her."
In Deuteronomy 23:18 we are told the Lord detests prostitutes, male
and female. The Israelites were told not to degrade their daughters by
making them prostitutes or the land would "be filled with wickedness".
Leviticus 19:29. If a priest's daughter became a prostitute, the
Israelites were told, "she must be burned in the fire.", Leviticus
21:9. Samson's prostitute was a Gentile, but it is clear how the Lord
feels about prostitution. Not so many years after the Lord gave Israel
the law through Moses, Samson, who led Israel for twenty years,
engaged prostitutes (at least this one anyway), even though he was a
man dedicated to God from birth as a Nazirite.
Samson is a hero in the pages of Scripture. In Hebrews 11:29-33, he is
commended for his faith. He is among those whom "God is not ashamed to
be called their God", Hebrews 11:16, that God has prepared "a city for
them". Along with Gideon, Barak, Jephthah, Samuel and the prophets, we
are told the world was not worthy of him, Hebrews 11:38. Samson was
selected by God to lead Israel, to vanquish Philistine rule over
Israel. We are told the Spirit of the Lord stirred in Samson, Judges
13:25, and that the Spirit of the Lord would come on him "in power",
Judges 15:14, etc.
Several thoughts come to my mind as I consider this. The first is,
where else in religious literature do you find the faults and foibles
of its heroes openly acknowledged and reported? This does nothing but
further underscore for me the reliability, authenticity and
truthfulness of my Bible.
The second is, Samson was not commended for being a do-gooder. He was
commended for his faith. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were
commended for." Hebrews 11:1-2. "These were all commended for their
faith..." 11:39, where the many heroes of the faith are enumerated,
among whom is Samson.
The third thought that comes to mind is that faith does not make us
perfect. Faith should impact our lives such that we begin to live for
the Lord who gave himself for us. Faith must be manifested in the
things we think, do and say, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man
claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?...
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what
I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe
that—and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith
without deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20. James makes clear that the
saving kind of faith is the kind that will manifest itself in the
things we do. James does not say faith makes a man perfect. While
there is certainly no need to provide anyone a corner for sin, it
hardly seems appropriate to tell ourselves that faith does something
Scripture never tells us: perfection in our thoughts, words and
actions in this life. It certainly didn't in Samson's life and it
certainly doesn't in mine.
I am reminded of John's words that tell us of the impact the Holy
Spirit makes in our lives, "Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact,
sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might
take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him
keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or
known him." 1 John 3:4-6. Also, "No one who is born of God will
continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on
sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the
children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who
does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who
does not love his brother." 1 John 3:9-10. John speaks here of our
lifestyles. We are no longer slaves to our sinful natures as Paul
tells us in Romans 6, but he is not saying that we become perfect in
the things we think, do and say.
John tells us why he wrote what we call his first letter. He says, "My
dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if
anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our
defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice
for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole
world." 1 John 2:1-2. Our acceptance with God is based on the
atonement of Jesus Christ, not on our ability to be a do-gooder. Faith
brings God's forgiveness for our sins because of the atonement,
(Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross), but it does not make us
perfect in this life. This is why John speaks of Jesus Christ as our
defense when we sin as believers, as "My dear children".
I am mindful that we have the indwelling Holy Spirit in a way Samson
never had, prior to the birth of the church on Pentecost. He had
amazing powers given him when the Holy Spirit would come upon him,
things I will never do. However the Lord has provided us an abiding
companion by sending the Holy Spirit to dwell within each believer.
Through this indwelling, we have something Samson didn't, something
within us that battles against our sinful natures (that still reside
within us) and frees us from its domination. "For the sinful nature
desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is
contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other,
so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit,
you are not under law." Galatians 5:18-18. Paul tells us, "You have
been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."
Romans 6:18.
I may not be perfect, but freedom is a wonderful thing! And, how I
look forward to the resurrection when that ugly sinful nature of mine
is finally left behind for good!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 16:1,
"One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to
spend the night with her."
In Deuteronomy 23:18 we are told the Lord detests prostitutes, male
and female. The Israelites were told not to degrade their daughters by
making them prostitutes or the land would "be filled with wickedness".
Leviticus 19:29. If a priest's daughter became a prostitute, the
Israelites were told, "she must be burned in the fire.", Leviticus
21:9. Samson's prostitute was a Gentile, but it is clear how the Lord
feels about prostitution. Not so many years after the Lord gave Israel
the law through Moses, Samson, who led Israel for twenty years,
engaged prostitutes (at least this one anyway), even though he was a
man dedicated to God from birth as a Nazirite.
Samson is a hero in the pages of Scripture. In Hebrews 11:29-33, he is
commended for his faith. He is among those whom "God is not ashamed to
be called their God", Hebrews 11:16, that God has prepared "a city for
them". Along with Gideon, Barak, Jephthah, Samuel and the prophets, we
are told the world was not worthy of him, Hebrews 11:38. Samson was
selected by God to lead Israel, to vanquish Philistine rule over
Israel. We are told the Spirit of the Lord stirred in Samson, Judges
13:25, and that the Spirit of the Lord would come on him "in power",
Judges 15:14, etc.
Several thoughts come to my mind as I consider this. The first is,
where else in religious literature do you find the faults and foibles
of its heroes openly acknowledged and reported? This does nothing but
further underscore for me the reliability, authenticity and
truthfulness of my Bible.
The second is, Samson was not commended for being a do-gooder. He was
commended for his faith. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were
commended for." Hebrews 11:1-2. "These were all commended for their
faith..." 11:39, where the many heroes of the faith are enumerated,
among whom is Samson.
The third thought that comes to mind is that faith does not make us
perfect. Faith should impact our lives such that we begin to live for
the Lord who gave himself for us. Faith must be manifested in the
things we think, do and say, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man
claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?...
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what
I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe
that—and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith
without deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20. James makes clear that the
saving kind of faith is the kind that will manifest itself in the
things we do. James does not say faith makes a man perfect. While
there is certainly no need to provide anyone a corner for sin, it
hardly seems appropriate to tell ourselves that faith does something
Scripture never tells us: perfection in our thoughts, words and
actions in this life. It certainly didn't in Samson's life and it
certainly doesn't in mine.
I am reminded of John's words that tell us of the impact the Holy
Spirit makes in our lives, "Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact,
sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might
take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him
keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or
known him." 1 John 3:4-6. Also, "No one who is born of God will
continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on
sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the
children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who
does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who
does not love his brother." 1 John 3:9-10. John speaks here of our
lifestyles. We are no longer slaves to our sinful natures as Paul
tells us in Romans 6, but he is not saying that we become perfect in
the things we think, do and say.
John tells us why he wrote what we call his first letter. He says, "My
dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if
anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our
defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice
for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole
world." 1 John 2:1-2. Our acceptance with God is based on the
atonement of Jesus Christ, not on our ability to be a do-gooder. Faith
brings God's forgiveness for our sins because of the atonement,
(Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross), but it does not make us
perfect in this life. This is why John speaks of Jesus Christ as our
defense when we sin as believers, as "My dear children".
I am mindful that we have the indwelling Holy Spirit in a way Samson
never had, prior to the birth of the church on Pentecost. He had
amazing powers given him when the Holy Spirit would come upon him,
things I will never do. However the Lord has provided us an abiding
companion by sending the Holy Spirit to dwell within each believer.
Through this indwelling, we have something Samson didn't, something
within us that battles against our sinful natures (that still reside
within us) and frees us from its domination. "For the sinful nature
desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is
contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other,
so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit,
you are not under law." Galatians 5:18-18. Paul tells us, "You have
been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."
Romans 6:18.
I may not be perfect, but freedom is a wonderful thing! And, how I
look forward to the resurrection when that ugly sinful nature of mine
is finally left behind for good!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Friday, January 25, 2013
Betting on the wrong horse - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 15:11-12,
"Then three thousand men from Judah went down to the cave in the rock
of Etam and said to Samson, 'Don't you realize that the Philistines
are rulers over us? What have you done to us?' He answered, 'I merely
did to them what they did to me.' They said to him, 'We've come to tie
you up and hand you over to the Philistines.'"
After having "viciously" attacked and slaughtering "many" Philistines,
the Philistines came to Judah to fight and take Samson prisoner. When
the men of Judah asked the Philistines why they came to fight, and
having been told, three thousand of the men of Judah went to the cave
Samson was staying in to take him prisoner and hand him over to the
Philistines. Having done so, it appeared they avoided their own
destruction by giving him up.
However, the story does not end there. It turns our their appeasement
of the Philistines was an unwise choice. It was a choice at odds with
God's determination to free Israel from Philistine domination. It was
God that enabled Samson's strength, power, tenacity and determination.
I wonder what they thought as they saw the ropes that bound Samson
drop to the ground? I wonder what kind of terror entered their hearts
as they witnessed Samson's slaughter of a thousand of these "appeased"
Philistines? Samson had to agree to allow the men of Judah to bind him
and hand him over to the Philistines, else Samson might have
slaughtered them! What did they think as they witness this slaughter?
What did these men of Judah go home and tell their fellow countrymen,
their families? How could they have acted so unwisely? How could they
have bet their fortune, their future on the wrong horse? Standing in
the path and finding yourself an obstacle to the agenda of God must be
a terrible position to find yourself in. It is almost certain these
men had no idea what it was God was doing. In their ignorance and
foolishness they made decisions and took action contrary to the
context of God's unstoppable, indomitable, insurmountable and
invincible agenda.
Might it have been important to these men of Judah to know God, to
know what his intentions were, to know what he was in the midst of
doing? What a relevant question for our day! How many today live their
lives, make choices, take positions, take actions without any
reference to God, his agenda and his doings today!
Today I think of what choices I have to make, what actions I need to
take, things I may say that best be done in the light of knowing who
God is, what he is doing in life around me, what his agenda is... how
about you?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 15:11-12,
"Then three thousand men from Judah went down to the cave in the rock
of Etam and said to Samson, 'Don't you realize that the Philistines
are rulers over us? What have you done to us?' He answered, 'I merely
did to them what they did to me.' They said to him, 'We've come to tie
you up and hand you over to the Philistines.'"
After having "viciously" attacked and slaughtering "many" Philistines,
the Philistines came to Judah to fight and take Samson prisoner. When
the men of Judah asked the Philistines why they came to fight, and
having been told, three thousand of the men of Judah went to the cave
Samson was staying in to take him prisoner and hand him over to the
Philistines. Having done so, it appeared they avoided their own
destruction by giving him up.
However, the story does not end there. It turns our their appeasement
of the Philistines was an unwise choice. It was a choice at odds with
God's determination to free Israel from Philistine domination. It was
God that enabled Samson's strength, power, tenacity and determination.
I wonder what they thought as they saw the ropes that bound Samson
drop to the ground? I wonder what kind of terror entered their hearts
as they witnessed Samson's slaughter of a thousand of these "appeased"
Philistines? Samson had to agree to allow the men of Judah to bind him
and hand him over to the Philistines, else Samson might have
slaughtered them! What did they think as they witness this slaughter?
What did these men of Judah go home and tell their fellow countrymen,
their families? How could they have acted so unwisely? How could they
have bet their fortune, their future on the wrong horse? Standing in
the path and finding yourself an obstacle to the agenda of God must be
a terrible position to find yourself in. It is almost certain these
men had no idea what it was God was doing. In their ignorance and
foolishness they made decisions and took action contrary to the
context of God's unstoppable, indomitable, insurmountable and
invincible agenda.
Might it have been important to these men of Judah to know God, to
know what his intentions were, to know what he was in the midst of
doing? What a relevant question for our day! How many today live their
lives, make choices, take positions, take actions without any
reference to God, his agenda and his doings today!
Today I think of what choices I have to make, what actions I need to
take, things I may say that best be done in the light of knowing who
God is, what he is doing in life around me, what his agenda is... how
about you?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Momentary and timely enablement - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 14:14-15,
"As he [Samson] approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him
shouting. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power. The ropes on
his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his
hands. Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck
down a thousand men."
In the many stunning exploits of Samson, we read of the Spirit of the
Lord coming upon him "in power". In this instance Samson had been
bound by his own countrymen who had been threatened by the Philistines
for Samson's actions, and taken to the Philistines who were seeking
revenge for the devastation of their crops and the vicious slaughter
of many of them by Samson. Samson had done these things because he, in
turn, took revenge on the Philistines for their burning his Philistine
wife to death. All this was preceded by previous instances of offences
and revenge between Samson and the Philistines. It really is a
fascinating read.
I note that it was not until the men of Judah had led the bound Samson
to Lehi did the Spirit of the Lord come upon him for what he would
need in his fight against the Philistines that day. Only when they
arrived near with the Philistines shouting and coming at him did this
special enabling of the Spirit of the Lord reach Samson. It was not
until that moment the ropes that bound him dropped from his hands. It
was not until that very point in time the Spirit of the Lord came upon
Samson that he was able to strike down a thousand Philistines with a
donkey's jawbone. Although the Spirit began to stir within Samson at a
younger age, the Spirit of the Lord was not constantly empowering him
24/7 in such a way, but at the occasions when necessary. The
empowerment, the enablement Samson needed to slaughter the Philistines
came at that very point in time.
I am reminded that Samson did not take a "spiritual inventory" at his
local church on Sunday to determine what special gifts he had to offer
in service to God on that day. Had he, it would not have been evident
as the momentary power of the Lord would not have been present. The
power, the ability, the determination all came when it was needed,
precisely timed.
I'm not going to draw the conclusion that this is the way it is
whenever God "gifts" us with abilities to do things to further his
kingdom. But the story of Samson suggests there are those times when
we may find ourselves imbued with the Holy Spirit in a way that
enables and empowers us to do things for him at some point in time
that was not manifest previously, and possibly not afterward. I recall
Jesus words to his disciples, "When you are brought before synagogues,
rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend
yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at
that time what you should say." Luke 12:11-12. Here we see a similar
working of the Holy Spirit: enabling certain ones in that which was
not manifest the day before, and quite possibly not later. A momentary
enablement by the Holy Spirit at the time of need.
In any event, I am reminded that as believers we are all enabled to do
those things the Lord expects of us. He provides us gifts through the
Holy Spirit and dispenses his grace through us using what he has given
us, "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve
others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." 1
Peter 4:10.
The Holy Spirit's momentary enabling of us to do things for the Lord
is one of the many mystical contacts we have with God's kingdom as we
await the Lord's return. Quite possibly you may be able to identify a
time in your life when the Holy Spirit enabled you in a specific way,
in a specific instance. How might he use you this week? Or, next?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 14:14-15,
"As he [Samson] approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him
shouting. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power. The ropes on
his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his
hands. Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck
down a thousand men."
In the many stunning exploits of Samson, we read of the Spirit of the
Lord coming upon him "in power". In this instance Samson had been
bound by his own countrymen who had been threatened by the Philistines
for Samson's actions, and taken to the Philistines who were seeking
revenge for the devastation of their crops and the vicious slaughter
of many of them by Samson. Samson had done these things because he, in
turn, took revenge on the Philistines for their burning his Philistine
wife to death. All this was preceded by previous instances of offences
and revenge between Samson and the Philistines. It really is a
fascinating read.
I note that it was not until the men of Judah had led the bound Samson
to Lehi did the Spirit of the Lord come upon him for what he would
need in his fight against the Philistines that day. Only when they
arrived near with the Philistines shouting and coming at him did this
special enabling of the Spirit of the Lord reach Samson. It was not
until that moment the ropes that bound him dropped from his hands. It
was not until that very point in time the Spirit of the Lord came upon
Samson that he was able to strike down a thousand Philistines with a
donkey's jawbone. Although the Spirit began to stir within Samson at a
younger age, the Spirit of the Lord was not constantly empowering him
24/7 in such a way, but at the occasions when necessary. The
empowerment, the enablement Samson needed to slaughter the Philistines
came at that very point in time.
I am reminded that Samson did not take a "spiritual inventory" at his
local church on Sunday to determine what special gifts he had to offer
in service to God on that day. Had he, it would not have been evident
as the momentary power of the Lord would not have been present. The
power, the ability, the determination all came when it was needed,
precisely timed.
I'm not going to draw the conclusion that this is the way it is
whenever God "gifts" us with abilities to do things to further his
kingdom. But the story of Samson suggests there are those times when
we may find ourselves imbued with the Holy Spirit in a way that
enables and empowers us to do things for him at some point in time
that was not manifest previously, and possibly not afterward. I recall
Jesus words to his disciples, "When you are brought before synagogues,
rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend
yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at
that time what you should say." Luke 12:11-12. Here we see a similar
working of the Holy Spirit: enabling certain ones in that which was
not manifest the day before, and quite possibly not later. A momentary
enablement by the Holy Spirit at the time of need.
In any event, I am reminded that as believers we are all enabled to do
those things the Lord expects of us. He provides us gifts through the
Holy Spirit and dispenses his grace through us using what he has given
us, "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve
others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." 1
Peter 4:10.
The Holy Spirit's momentary enabling of us to do things for the Lord
is one of the many mystical contacts we have with God's kingdom as we
await the Lord's return. Quite possibly you may be able to identify a
time in your life when the Holy Spirit enabled you in a specific way,
in a specific instance. How might he use you this week? Or, next?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Ungodly acts of godly men - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 15:3, 11,
"This time I [Samson] have a right to get even with the Philistines; I
will really harm them"... "I merely did to them what they did to me."
Samson's story is one of a man's passion and bent for revenge. The
Lord raised up Samson to free the Israelites from Philistine
domination. He gave him supernatural strength and resolve and
exploited his passion for revenge, utilizing it all to accomplish his
decision to end the Philistine's rule over Israel.
In Romans 12:19-20 Paul exhorts us against taking revenge as he quotes
Deuteronomy 32:35 and Proverbs 25:21-22, "Do not take revenge, my
friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is
mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary: 'If
your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something
to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.'"
On the contrary, as he tells the Colossian church, "Therefore, as
God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with
each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one
another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues
put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."
Colossians 3:12-14. No room for revenge here.
Samson is listed among those whose faith achieved great things in the
workings of God in Israel's history. Along with Gideon, Barak,
Jephthah, David, and others, we are told the world was not worthy of
them, they were commended for their faith, Hebrews 11:32-39. Yet, we
are told not to comport ourselves in the manner in which Samson did:
do not be vengeful. What to make of this?
Along with Samson we see that Gideon, Barak, Jephthah and David had
their weaknesses and faults, yet the Lord used them all. All were
commended for their faith, yet all had failures in their lives. What I
learn from this is that when the Lord does things through people, his
workings are carried out through sinful and flawed people - just like
you and me. None of these men were perfect and all had shortcomings.
One of the many eye-opening realities of Scripture is its refreshing
honesty when it tells us things about the heroes of faith in its pages
- both the good and the bad. What we see is how the Lord works through
less than perfect people and is quite capable of carrying out his
agenda through sinful and fallen people, while at the same time
retaining the posture of his righteousness and holy character.
Paul is very clear about what the Lord expects from us relative to
revenge. There is no room for it in the life of a follower of Jesus
Christ. What this tells me is that adopting what I see in the heroes
of Scripture best be done in the context of all of Scripture. Just
because Samson was a vengeful man (his many exploits were exploits of
revenge) does not make it right for me.
What is so startling about this is our holy and righteous God is able
to (and does) use sinful people, as well as their sinful acts, to
carry out his purposes while retaining his lofty position of pristine
holiness. I recall Joseph's observation to his brothers, "You intended
to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now
being done, the saving of many lives." Genesis 50:20.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 15:3, 11,
"This time I [Samson] have a right to get even with the Philistines; I
will really harm them"... "I merely did to them what they did to me."
Samson's story is one of a man's passion and bent for revenge. The
Lord raised up Samson to free the Israelites from Philistine
domination. He gave him supernatural strength and resolve and
exploited his passion for revenge, utilizing it all to accomplish his
decision to end the Philistine's rule over Israel.
In Romans 12:19-20 Paul exhorts us against taking revenge as he quotes
Deuteronomy 32:35 and Proverbs 25:21-22, "Do not take revenge, my
friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is
mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary: 'If
your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something
to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.'"
On the contrary, as he tells the Colossian church, "Therefore, as
God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with
each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one
another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues
put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."
Colossians 3:12-14. No room for revenge here.
Samson is listed among those whose faith achieved great things in the
workings of God in Israel's history. Along with Gideon, Barak,
Jephthah, David, and others, we are told the world was not worthy of
them, they were commended for their faith, Hebrews 11:32-39. Yet, we
are told not to comport ourselves in the manner in which Samson did:
do not be vengeful. What to make of this?
Along with Samson we see that Gideon, Barak, Jephthah and David had
their weaknesses and faults, yet the Lord used them all. All were
commended for their faith, yet all had failures in their lives. What I
learn from this is that when the Lord does things through people, his
workings are carried out through sinful and flawed people - just like
you and me. None of these men were perfect and all had shortcomings.
One of the many eye-opening realities of Scripture is its refreshing
honesty when it tells us things about the heroes of faith in its pages
- both the good and the bad. What we see is how the Lord works through
less than perfect people and is quite capable of carrying out his
agenda through sinful and fallen people, while at the same time
retaining the posture of his righteousness and holy character.
Paul is very clear about what the Lord expects from us relative to
revenge. There is no room for it in the life of a follower of Jesus
Christ. What this tells me is that adopting what I see in the heroes
of Scripture best be done in the context of all of Scripture. Just
because Samson was a vengeful man (his many exploits were exploits of
revenge) does not make it right for me.
What is so startling about this is our holy and righteous God is able
to (and does) use sinful people, as well as their sinful acts, to
carry out his purposes while retaining his lofty position of pristine
holiness. I recall Joseph's observation to his brothers, "You intended
to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now
being done, the saving of many lives." Genesis 50:20.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Friday, January 18, 2013
Did God forget the hydration? - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 15:18-19,
"Because he was very thirsty, he [Samson] cried out to the Lord, 'You
have given your servant this great victory. Must I now die of thirst
and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?' Then God opened up the
hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his
strength returned and he revived."
This account of Samson's thirst and God's supernatural provision of
water follows a startling account of Samson killing a thousand
Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. Three thousand men from
Judah bound Samson with "two new ropes", (not old and weak rope). They
handed him over to the Philistines who were looking to avenge
themselves on Samson's destruction of their fields of grain, vineyards
and olive groves.
We are told, "The Spirit of the Lord came upon him [Samson] in power."
This supernatural ability from the Lord enabled Samson to rip the
ropes that bound him as though they were "charred flax", grab a
donkey's jawbone and slaughter a thousand fighting men of the
Philistines. It is a remarkable account, stunning.
What is just as equally stunning to me is that following the
slaughter, Samson felt he was going to literally die from thirst.
Crying out to the Lord he said, "Must I now die of thirst and fall
into the hands of the uncircumcised?" Maybe it is just me, but isn't
it incredible that following such a supernatural empowerment from God,
enabling Samson to slaughter so many Philistines, that he now fall
into their hands due to thirst? I understand that such a physical
exertion would generate thirst in a big way, I get thirsty after just
jogging a mile! But the whole account is of God empowering Samson's
body to do the supernatural. Did God forget about the hydration part?
I think the answer may be found in a comment Paul makes a little over
a millennium later. "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers,
about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under
great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired
even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But
this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who
raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he
will deliver us." 2 Corinthians 1:8-9.
In this passage Paul reminds us that even when we may feel invincible,
it is God who animates us, it is God who strengthens us, it is God who
empowers us, it is God who equips us. When we fight our victories, we
may need to be reminded it is God we are dependent upon as he is the
One who accomplishes his exploits through us.
Although Samson acknowledges his victory was provided him from God,
might have Samson needed the reminder after such a thrashing of the
Philistines? After utilizing the strength, the prowess, the power, the
determination required for such a feat, Samson may have needed a
reminder as to where it all came from - not from within him but from
what God provided him to do what God wanted him to accomplish. Maybe
Samson's thirst was not a reminder for him nearly so much as it is for
me as I read the account? Maybe I need to be reminded that those who
have done great things for God did it with what God provided.
A huge slaughter demonstrating an indomitable strength, where a
thousand trained fighters are crushed, how could Samson next struggle
for the need of a cup of water? The very God who provided Samson his
strength also demonstrated to Samson, and me, his utter dependence
upon God who supernaturally provided him a drink of water from the
hollow place in Lehi.
I don't think the note on Samson's thirst is simply a passing comment
but an important part of the story.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 15:18-19,
"Because he was very thirsty, he [Samson] cried out to the Lord, 'You
have given your servant this great victory. Must I now die of thirst
and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?' Then God opened up the
hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his
strength returned and he revived."
This account of Samson's thirst and God's supernatural provision of
water follows a startling account of Samson killing a thousand
Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. Three thousand men from
Judah bound Samson with "two new ropes", (not old and weak rope). They
handed him over to the Philistines who were looking to avenge
themselves on Samson's destruction of their fields of grain, vineyards
and olive groves.
We are told, "The Spirit of the Lord came upon him [Samson] in power."
This supernatural ability from the Lord enabled Samson to rip the
ropes that bound him as though they were "charred flax", grab a
donkey's jawbone and slaughter a thousand fighting men of the
Philistines. It is a remarkable account, stunning.
What is just as equally stunning to me is that following the
slaughter, Samson felt he was going to literally die from thirst.
Crying out to the Lord he said, "Must I now die of thirst and fall
into the hands of the uncircumcised?" Maybe it is just me, but isn't
it incredible that following such a supernatural empowerment from God,
enabling Samson to slaughter so many Philistines, that he now fall
into their hands due to thirst? I understand that such a physical
exertion would generate thirst in a big way, I get thirsty after just
jogging a mile! But the whole account is of God empowering Samson's
body to do the supernatural. Did God forget about the hydration part?
I think the answer may be found in a comment Paul makes a little over
a millennium later. "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers,
about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under
great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired
even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But
this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who
raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he
will deliver us." 2 Corinthians 1:8-9.
In this passage Paul reminds us that even when we may feel invincible,
it is God who animates us, it is God who strengthens us, it is God who
empowers us, it is God who equips us. When we fight our victories, we
may need to be reminded it is God we are dependent upon as he is the
One who accomplishes his exploits through us.
Although Samson acknowledges his victory was provided him from God,
might have Samson needed the reminder after such a thrashing of the
Philistines? After utilizing the strength, the prowess, the power, the
determination required for such a feat, Samson may have needed a
reminder as to where it all came from - not from within him but from
what God provided him to do what God wanted him to accomplish. Maybe
Samson's thirst was not a reminder for him nearly so much as it is for
me as I read the account? Maybe I need to be reminded that those who
have done great things for God did it with what God provided.
A huge slaughter demonstrating an indomitable strength, where a
thousand trained fighters are crushed, how could Samson next struggle
for the need of a cup of water? The very God who provided Samson his
strength also demonstrated to Samson, and me, his utter dependence
upon God who supernaturally provided him a drink of water from the
hollow place in Lehi.
I don't think the note on Samson's thirst is simply a passing comment
but an important part of the story.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Samson's fascinating riddle - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 14:14,
"Out of the eater, something to eat;
out of the strong, something sweet."
Following the Lord's Spirit coming upon Samson, the Lord did some
things that provide for a fascinating tale of provocation. The Lord
arranged for Samson to become enamored with a Philistine girl. When he
persuaded his parents to get her for his wife they headed down to
Timnah to make it happen. On the way the Lord arranged a lion attack
that eventually became the inspiration for Samson's riddle above. On a
subsequent trip Samson noticed a bee hive in the lion's carcass and
took from it honey to eat.
Samson couched his riddle in a bet with thirty Philistines at the
feast with him and his father. If they could not answer its meaning in
seven days they would have to pay Samson thirty sets of clothes and
linen garments, if they could then vice versa. The Philistines were
incapable of figuring out the riddle and so decided to defraud and
cheat Samson by threatening his bride with death if she didn't get the
answer out of Samson on the sly. She did so and when Samson learned of
it he declared to the cheats, "If you had not plowed with my heifer,
you would not have solved my riddle." He went out and slaughtered
thirty other Philistines in Ashkelon took their clothes and belongings
and paid off the thirty Philistine cheats.
This initiated Samson's great conflict with the Philistines. The Lord
implemented a fascinating series of events to provoke the conflict
that would lead to Samson freeing the Israelites from the Philistines
and leading them for twenty years. The story doesn't stop there, as
further intrigue follows Samson in his dealings with the Philistines.
My observation in these accounts is how fascinating and intriguing the
Lord carried out his activities through Samson, a wild and colorful
character, given to personal passions that assured the explosive
events would transpire. As I consider the accounts of God in the pages
of Scripture the following words come to mind: absorbing, engaging,
gripping, intriguing and riveting, enthralling.
How about you?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 14:14,
"Out of the eater, something to eat;
out of the strong, something sweet."
Following the Lord's Spirit coming upon Samson, the Lord did some
things that provide for a fascinating tale of provocation. The Lord
arranged for Samson to become enamored with a Philistine girl. When he
persuaded his parents to get her for his wife they headed down to
Timnah to make it happen. On the way the Lord arranged a lion attack
that eventually became the inspiration for Samson's riddle above. On a
subsequent trip Samson noticed a bee hive in the lion's carcass and
took from it honey to eat.
Samson couched his riddle in a bet with thirty Philistines at the
feast with him and his father. If they could not answer its meaning in
seven days they would have to pay Samson thirty sets of clothes and
linen garments, if they could then vice versa. The Philistines were
incapable of figuring out the riddle and so decided to defraud and
cheat Samson by threatening his bride with death if she didn't get the
answer out of Samson on the sly. She did so and when Samson learned of
it he declared to the cheats, "If you had not plowed with my heifer,
you would not have solved my riddle." He went out and slaughtered
thirty other Philistines in Ashkelon took their clothes and belongings
and paid off the thirty Philistine cheats.
This initiated Samson's great conflict with the Philistines. The Lord
implemented a fascinating series of events to provoke the conflict
that would lead to Samson freeing the Israelites from the Philistines
and leading them for twenty years. The story doesn't stop there, as
further intrigue follows Samson in his dealings with the Philistines.
My observation in these accounts is how fascinating and intriguing the
Lord carried out his activities through Samson, a wild and colorful
character, given to personal passions that assured the explosive
events would transpire. As I consider the accounts of God in the pages
of Scripture the following words come to mind: absorbing, engaging,
gripping, intriguing and riveting, enthralling.
How about you?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
The massive freight train of God's agenda - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 14:6a,
"The Spirit of the Lord came upon him [Samson] in power so that he
tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young
goat."
Samson was en route to get himself a wife from the Philistines. His
parents were with him but when he was apparently separated from them
temporarily, a lion attacked him. The passage is careful to note the
lion was young so we can conclude this was not an old lion with
missing teeth and worn claws, past his prime, but a young, virile lion
at the peak of his strength.
It is noted in the previous chapter that the Spirit of the Lord had
already began to stir in Samson, 13:25, and that his affair of
fetching a wife from the Philistines was the Lord's doing, 14:4. The
Lord had decided to use Samson to free Israel from Philistine rule and
when the lion attacked Samson, the "Spirit of the Lord" came upon him,
providing him the power, speed and strength to overcome the lion. As
most things the Lord does, it wasn't what we might call a slight
whooping of the lion: Samson tore the lion to shreds, "as he might
have torn a young goat". With this episode we are introduced to just
how the Lord was going to utilize Samson to free Israel.
Taking a step back from the story, the view is of a man who has been
sent on a mission by God. The man is equipped by God, and although
threats come his way, it is a given he will prevail until God's
objective is accomplished. Such is the nature of God's agenda. God's
plans, God's purposes, God's agenda is impossible to be thwarted,
nothing can stop it and the outcome will always and inevitably be
realized. Nothing on planet earth, not the most intelligent, not the
strongest, not the most technologically advanced can even slow, let
alone stop the massive freight train of God's agenda. God's purposes
are indomitable, invulnerable, unbeatable, unconquerable, invincible,
insurmountable, impregnable and insuperable. Nothing can stand in the
path of God's purposes, nothing in the spiritual realm, nothing in
heaven, nothing on earth.
As God speaks the word, it is as good as done. I am reminded of one of
my favorite verses that speaks to this reality, "As the rain and the
snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering
the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for
the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my
mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I
desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10-11.
Woe to the man who is confused on this!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 14:6a,
"The Spirit of the Lord came upon him [Samson] in power so that he
tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young
goat."
Samson was en route to get himself a wife from the Philistines. His
parents were with him but when he was apparently separated from them
temporarily, a lion attacked him. The passage is careful to note the
lion was young so we can conclude this was not an old lion with
missing teeth and worn claws, past his prime, but a young, virile lion
at the peak of his strength.
It is noted in the previous chapter that the Spirit of the Lord had
already began to stir in Samson, 13:25, and that his affair of
fetching a wife from the Philistines was the Lord's doing, 14:4. The
Lord had decided to use Samson to free Israel from Philistine rule and
when the lion attacked Samson, the "Spirit of the Lord" came upon him,
providing him the power, speed and strength to overcome the lion. As
most things the Lord does, it wasn't what we might call a slight
whooping of the lion: Samson tore the lion to shreds, "as he might
have torn a young goat". With this episode we are introduced to just
how the Lord was going to utilize Samson to free Israel.
Taking a step back from the story, the view is of a man who has been
sent on a mission by God. The man is equipped by God, and although
threats come his way, it is a given he will prevail until God's
objective is accomplished. Such is the nature of God's agenda. God's
plans, God's purposes, God's agenda is impossible to be thwarted,
nothing can stop it and the outcome will always and inevitably be
realized. Nothing on planet earth, not the most intelligent, not the
strongest, not the most technologically advanced can even slow, let
alone stop the massive freight train of God's agenda. God's purposes
are indomitable, invulnerable, unbeatable, unconquerable, invincible,
insurmountable, impregnable and insuperable. Nothing can stand in the
path of God's purposes, nothing in the spiritual realm, nothing in
heaven, nothing on earth.
As God speaks the word, it is as good as done. I am reminded of one of
my favorite verses that speaks to this reality, "As the rain and the
snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering
the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for
the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my
mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I
desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10-11.
Woe to the man who is confused on this!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Scripture's selective accounts - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 12:8, 11, 13,
"After him [Jephthah], Ibzan of Bethlehem led Israel... After him,
Elon the Zebulunite led Israel ten years... After him, Abdon son of
Hillel, from Pirathon, led Israel."
We have some accounts of what took place during the six years Jephthah
led Israel. Next in the book of Judges we read of Ibzan, Elon and
Abdon, who led Israel for seven years, ten years and eight years
respectively. Following what is said about these three, we read of the
exploits of Samson. The accounts of Jephthah span most of three
chapters and the accounts of Samson span four, Jephthah led Israel six
years and Samson twenty years. In between we have a period of twenty
five years when the three, Ibzan, Elon and Abdon led Israel in eight
short verses.
What is striking about the accounts of Ibzan, Elon and Abdon is what
is not there. We read nothing of their leadership, we read nothing of
their exploits as we do Jephthah and Samson, there is almost nothing
said. Why is that?
All we know of Ibzan was that he was from Bethlehem, he led Israel for
seven years, he had thirty sons and thirty daughters, all of whom he
married off, and he was buried in Bethlehem. That's it. Nothing about
the challenges the nation faced that required his leadership. Nothing
about God's activities in Israel at the time. No accounts that
distinguished Ibzan as a leader, what he might have accomplished, what
influence he might have had on the nation. There is even less given
about Elon. All we hear of him is that he was a Zebulunite, led Israel
for ten years and was buried in Aijalon when he died. We read Abdon
was the son of Hillel, from Pirathon, he led Israel eight years, had
forty sons and thirty grandsons, all of whom rode their own donkeys
and was buried at Pirathon when he died.
Why is so little given of these three? The book of Judges is an
historical account of the nation of Israel during the span of time
between Moses and Joshua to the establishment of monarchy starting
with Saul. Following the Pentateuch and Joshua's leadership in taking
Israel into the promised land, the book of Judges fills that period of
time up to Samuel, Saul, David and Solomon and the resulting dividing
of the nation following Solomon. It is an account of the depravity the
nation had sunk to following the passing of Moses, Joshua and those
who led Israel through their forty year wandering. In it we read of
the nation's abandonment of God to embrace the false gods and idols of
her neighbors. We read of a time when "everyone did as he saw fit" as
the nation declined into an abyss of murder, rape, homosexuality,
human sacrifice and the like.
We also read of God's involvement in the nation. We see his anger
expressed against his chosen people as they turned from him. We see
how God took action to get their attention and to draw them back to
him. We see how he relented and blessed the nation when they would cry
out to him. The book is a primer on God's righteousness, his justice,
his mercy and his interaction with sinful people. It is instructive on
how God draws people to himself, how he rights the nation as a ship he
will use to eventually bring about his plan of redemption for all
mankind.
As such, what we find in its accounts is that which is useful and
meaningful to what the book seeks to accomplish. It is not history for
history's sake, it is history to teach us about the sinful depravity
of man's heart and how God works with his rebellious people in a cycle
where we see rebellion, purposeful judgment, repentance, restoration
of the nation and subsequent rebellion with the cycle repeated, over
and over.
I can only speculate why we know none of the activities of Ibzan, Elon
and Abdon. Possibly nothing in their story furthers the message of the
book of Judges. Possibly as leaders of Israel at a time of depravity,
apostasy and sinful rebellion, their own wickedness precluded God's
desire to have anything of their exploits included in his Scriptures.
Then, again, I could be way off the mark here.
What I do know is that what I need is found in the pages of Judges.
God took effort, and using a human instrument, he had the book written
to provide the accounts we all need to be equipped in the way he wants
us to be. Everything isn't there. What we need is. I am reminded of
Paul's comment to Timothy, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is
useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for
every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17. There Paul says all of Scripture
is useful and he also says that the Scriptures are adequate to
"thoroughly" equip us. If Judges doesn't provide the accounts of these
men, apparently I don't need it.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 12:8, 11, 13,
"After him [Jephthah], Ibzan of Bethlehem led Israel... After him,
Elon the Zebulunite led Israel ten years... After him, Abdon son of
Hillel, from Pirathon, led Israel."
We have some accounts of what took place during the six years Jephthah
led Israel. Next in the book of Judges we read of Ibzan, Elon and
Abdon, who led Israel for seven years, ten years and eight years
respectively. Following what is said about these three, we read of the
exploits of Samson. The accounts of Jephthah span most of three
chapters and the accounts of Samson span four, Jephthah led Israel six
years and Samson twenty years. In between we have a period of twenty
five years when the three, Ibzan, Elon and Abdon led Israel in eight
short verses.
What is striking about the accounts of Ibzan, Elon and Abdon is what
is not there. We read nothing of their leadership, we read nothing of
their exploits as we do Jephthah and Samson, there is almost nothing
said. Why is that?
All we know of Ibzan was that he was from Bethlehem, he led Israel for
seven years, he had thirty sons and thirty daughters, all of whom he
married off, and he was buried in Bethlehem. That's it. Nothing about
the challenges the nation faced that required his leadership. Nothing
about God's activities in Israel at the time. No accounts that
distinguished Ibzan as a leader, what he might have accomplished, what
influence he might have had on the nation. There is even less given
about Elon. All we hear of him is that he was a Zebulunite, led Israel
for ten years and was buried in Aijalon when he died. We read Abdon
was the son of Hillel, from Pirathon, he led Israel eight years, had
forty sons and thirty grandsons, all of whom rode their own donkeys
and was buried at Pirathon when he died.
Why is so little given of these three? The book of Judges is an
historical account of the nation of Israel during the span of time
between Moses and Joshua to the establishment of monarchy starting
with Saul. Following the Pentateuch and Joshua's leadership in taking
Israel into the promised land, the book of Judges fills that period of
time up to Samuel, Saul, David and Solomon and the resulting dividing
of the nation following Solomon. It is an account of the depravity the
nation had sunk to following the passing of Moses, Joshua and those
who led Israel through their forty year wandering. In it we read of
the nation's abandonment of God to embrace the false gods and idols of
her neighbors. We read of a time when "everyone did as he saw fit" as
the nation declined into an abyss of murder, rape, homosexuality,
human sacrifice and the like.
We also read of God's involvement in the nation. We see his anger
expressed against his chosen people as they turned from him. We see
how God took action to get their attention and to draw them back to
him. We see how he relented and blessed the nation when they would cry
out to him. The book is a primer on God's righteousness, his justice,
his mercy and his interaction with sinful people. It is instructive on
how God draws people to himself, how he rights the nation as a ship he
will use to eventually bring about his plan of redemption for all
mankind.
As such, what we find in its accounts is that which is useful and
meaningful to what the book seeks to accomplish. It is not history for
history's sake, it is history to teach us about the sinful depravity
of man's heart and how God works with his rebellious people in a cycle
where we see rebellion, purposeful judgment, repentance, restoration
of the nation and subsequent rebellion with the cycle repeated, over
and over.
I can only speculate why we know none of the activities of Ibzan, Elon
and Abdon. Possibly nothing in their story furthers the message of the
book of Judges. Possibly as leaders of Israel at a time of depravity,
apostasy and sinful rebellion, their own wickedness precluded God's
desire to have anything of their exploits included in his Scriptures.
Then, again, I could be way off the mark here.
What I do know is that what I need is found in the pages of Judges.
God took effort, and using a human instrument, he had the book written
to provide the accounts we all need to be equipped in the way he wants
us to be. Everything isn't there. What we need is. I am reminded of
Paul's comment to Timothy, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is
useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for
every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17. There Paul says all of Scripture
is useful and he also says that the Scriptures are adequate to
"thoroughly" equip us. If Judges doesn't provide the accounts of these
men, apparently I don't need it.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Monday, January 14, 2013
God's collaborative workings - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 12:3,
"I took my life in my hands and crossed over to fight the Ammonites,
and the Lord gave me the victory over them."
In his answer to the Ephraimite complaint as to why he fought the
Ammonites without their help, Jephthah reveals a great mystery about
how God works in our world at times. God decided to deliver Israel
from their enemies, the Ammonites, and did so through Jephthah. I see
three elements to Jephthah's observation that interest me.
The first observation I see is that Jehpthah made a personal decision
to act in order to do what God wanted to accomplish. It was an
exercise of his will, a choice he made himself, and at great danger,
"I took my life in my hands and...". However, as a second observation,
Jephthah next recognizes it was the Lord who brought him the victory
over the Ammonites. He didn't take credit for the achievement of it
but pointed to God as the one who provided the victory, "and the Lord
gave me the victory over them."
It is a third observation that is the great mystery for me of how the
Lord often works in our world. In an effort that brings heaven and
earth together at a point, an intersecting of God and man to
accomplish that which God chooses to accomplish, in singleness of
effort, Jephthah fights and the Lord gives the victory. It is
accomplished as a co-effort. Not to say the two were any kind of
co-equal partners at all. It was God's agenda, it was God who brought
the victory. But Jephthah played his part as God provided it to him.
Did God need Jephthah? Not at all. Ask the folks at Sodom and
Gomorrah. God doesn't need anyone to do any thing he may desire to
accomplish, but at times he chooses to do so. This is what I find as a
great mystery: at times God works in concert with man to achieve what
he desires. The whole concept of prophesy is premised upon this
collaborative effort of God working through man. Apostolic ministry
was carried out this way and continues on today through the church.
Evangelism, the primary objective of God's agenda for our day is
accomplished precisely this way.
Possibly one of the most fascinating of collaborative efforts between
God and men is the production of the written Scriptures. Notice how
Peter says the Scriptures came about, "Above all, you must understand
that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own
interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man,
but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
2 Peter 1:20-21. Men spoke from God as they were "carried" along by
the Holy Spirit!
Fascinating, isn't it?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 12:3,
"I took my life in my hands and crossed over to fight the Ammonites,
and the Lord gave me the victory over them."
In his answer to the Ephraimite complaint as to why he fought the
Ammonites without their help, Jephthah reveals a great mystery about
how God works in our world at times. God decided to deliver Israel
from their enemies, the Ammonites, and did so through Jephthah. I see
three elements to Jephthah's observation that interest me.
The first observation I see is that Jehpthah made a personal decision
to act in order to do what God wanted to accomplish. It was an
exercise of his will, a choice he made himself, and at great danger,
"I took my life in my hands and...". However, as a second observation,
Jephthah next recognizes it was the Lord who brought him the victory
over the Ammonites. He didn't take credit for the achievement of it
but pointed to God as the one who provided the victory, "and the Lord
gave me the victory over them."
It is a third observation that is the great mystery for me of how the
Lord often works in our world. In an effort that brings heaven and
earth together at a point, an intersecting of God and man to
accomplish that which God chooses to accomplish, in singleness of
effort, Jephthah fights and the Lord gives the victory. It is
accomplished as a co-effort. Not to say the two were any kind of
co-equal partners at all. It was God's agenda, it was God who brought
the victory. But Jephthah played his part as God provided it to him.
Did God need Jephthah? Not at all. Ask the folks at Sodom and
Gomorrah. God doesn't need anyone to do any thing he may desire to
accomplish, but at times he chooses to do so. This is what I find as a
great mystery: at times God works in concert with man to achieve what
he desires. The whole concept of prophesy is premised upon this
collaborative effort of God working through man. Apostolic ministry
was carried out this way and continues on today through the church.
Evangelism, the primary objective of God's agenda for our day is
accomplished precisely this way.
Possibly one of the most fascinating of collaborative efforts between
God and men is the production of the written Scriptures. Notice how
Peter says the Scriptures came about, "Above all, you must understand
that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own
interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man,
but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
2 Peter 1:20-21. Men spoke from God as they were "carried" along by
the Holy Spirit!
Fascinating, isn't it?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Friday, January 11, 2013
When the Lord asks, forget the push-back. - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 12:1,
"The men of Ephraim called out their forces, crossed over to Zaphon
and said to Jephthah, 'Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without
calling us to go with you? We're going to burn down your house over
your head.'"
Here we go with the Ephraimites again. These johnny-come-latelys had
aleady pulled this once before in Judges 8:1. There, after Gideon's
initial rout of the Midianites, he had called for help from Naphtali,
Asher and both sides of Manasseh as he pursued the fleeing remnant of
Midian's army. Gideon also sent messengers to the hill country of
Ephraim to ask for their assistance to finish the job. When the
Ephraimites had captured and killed the two Midianite leaders, Oreb
and Zeeb, they returned and criticized Gideon, "Why have you treated
us like this? Why didn't you call us when you went to fight Midian?"
Now, again after the big fight, here comes Ephraim with the grievance
they were left out of the action. It is apparent Jephthah had already
asked and been refused help from the Ephraimites, "I and my people
were engaged in a great struggle with the Ammonites, and although I
called, you [Ephraim] didn't save me out of their hands." Nonetheless,
here they come with their complaint after the heavy lifting had been
accomplished.
It is speculated that the tribe of Ephraim felt their importance in
the nation was challenged by Manasseh at the time, the tribe both
Gideon and Jephthah came from. It appears in both instances, when
victory had been achieved against the enemies of Israel with Ephraim
missing out on the main events, Ephraim sought to reestablish itself
as the leading tribe of Israel. I also wonder if there were jealousies
over the distribution of booty, etc.
In any event, the Lord raised up victors for Israel in Gideon and
Jephthah and both were confronted by the men of Ephraim. No good deed
goes unpunished and when any of us do something for the Lord, we very
well may find opposition as well.
Regardless the opposition we may face, when we do things for the Lord,
we find the ultimate in fulfillness and purposefulness in this life.
What we accomplish in this life for God's kingdom will follow us into
the next and we can always take great satisfaction that we have served
him. And, lets face it, who could shy from fulfilling what we know our
Lord asks of us, no matter the push-back, the consequences, the cost.
When we consider the boundless love he has for us, the miserable death
on that cross he took on himself for us, the invitation to his family
he has extended us, the Holy Spirit he has given us as a companion in
this life, as we consider all the Lord has done for us, when he asks
something from us, how can any of us shy away, even given opposition?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 12:1,
"The men of Ephraim called out their forces, crossed over to Zaphon
and said to Jephthah, 'Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without
calling us to go with you? We're going to burn down your house over
your head.'"
Here we go with the Ephraimites again. These johnny-come-latelys had
aleady pulled this once before in Judges 8:1. There, after Gideon's
initial rout of the Midianites, he had called for help from Naphtali,
Asher and both sides of Manasseh as he pursued the fleeing remnant of
Midian's army. Gideon also sent messengers to the hill country of
Ephraim to ask for their assistance to finish the job. When the
Ephraimites had captured and killed the two Midianite leaders, Oreb
and Zeeb, they returned and criticized Gideon, "Why have you treated
us like this? Why didn't you call us when you went to fight Midian?"
Now, again after the big fight, here comes Ephraim with the grievance
they were left out of the action. It is apparent Jephthah had already
asked and been refused help from the Ephraimites, "I and my people
were engaged in a great struggle with the Ammonites, and although I
called, you [Ephraim] didn't save me out of their hands." Nonetheless,
here they come with their complaint after the heavy lifting had been
accomplished.
It is speculated that the tribe of Ephraim felt their importance in
the nation was challenged by Manasseh at the time, the tribe both
Gideon and Jephthah came from. It appears in both instances, when
victory had been achieved against the enemies of Israel with Ephraim
missing out on the main events, Ephraim sought to reestablish itself
as the leading tribe of Israel. I also wonder if there were jealousies
over the distribution of booty, etc.
In any event, the Lord raised up victors for Israel in Gideon and
Jephthah and both were confronted by the men of Ephraim. No good deed
goes unpunished and when any of us do something for the Lord, we very
well may find opposition as well.
Regardless the opposition we may face, when we do things for the Lord,
we find the ultimate in fulfillness and purposefulness in this life.
What we accomplish in this life for God's kingdom will follow us into
the next and we can always take great satisfaction that we have served
him. And, lets face it, who could shy from fulfilling what we know our
Lord asks of us, no matter the push-back, the consequences, the cost.
When we consider the boundless love he has for us, the miserable death
on that cross he took on himself for us, the invitation to his family
he has extended us, the Holy Spirit he has given us as a companion in
this life, as we consider all the Lord has done for us, when he asks
something from us, how can any of us shy away, even given opposition?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Twisting God's arm in a vile and loathsome way - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 11:30-31,
"Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: 'If you give the Ammonites into my
hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I
return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord's, and I will
sacrifice it as a burnt offering."
We read in the following verse that the Lord gave the Ammonites into
Jephthah's hands. Later we read that Jephthah followed through on his
vow to God. It was his only child that came out the door of his house
on that fateful day that he sacrificed as a burnt offering to the Lord
to fulfill his vow.
In regard to human sacrifice, the Lord later condemned Israel for
following the heathen nations of their day in the practice of it as he
called it "a detestable thing". He said, "They built high places for
Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters
to Molech, though I never commanded, nor did it enter my mind, that
they should do such a detestable thing and so make Judah sin."
Jeremiah 32:35.
Jephthah sacrificed his daughter in his wheeling and dealing with God.
God has said he never commanded human sacrifice, it had never entered
his mind and he found it a "detestable" thing. The Merriam-Webster
on-line dictionary defines "detestable" as "arousing or meriting
intense dislike - abominable". Synonyms include, "base, contemptible,
despicable, ignoble, dishonorable, execrable, ignominious, sordid,
vile, wretched."
Given this, it is apparent that God was going to give Jephthah victory
as he fought against the Ammonites without any human sacrifice. In
fact, God provided him the victory in spite of it and found that act
on Jephthah's part to be detestable, base, contemptible, despicable,
ignoble, dishonorable, execrable, ignominious, sordid, vile, wretched,
as he would any human sacrifice. I have a strong suspicion God caused
Jephthah's only child to come out that door on that day as a judgment
against him for such a wicked and vile oath.
In verse 29 of the chapter we are told the Spirit of the Lord had come
upon Jephthah, and yet, that didn't appear to dissuade him from his
bartering with God. We also read in Hebrews 11:32-40 he was a man of
faith, such that the world was not worthy of him. Yet, that didn't
appear to dissuade his bartering with God using human sacrifice!
It causes me to wonder: if someone filled with the Holy Spirit, a
person of faith like Jephthah, can have so little an understanding of
the things of God, what God finds detestable and is attempting to
barter with God, can we be guilty of such a thing? I'm not suggesting
human sacrifice as something we might consider, just that we might
think we need to buy off God with something we might find dear, to
persuade him to our agenda, to get him on our side?
It seems to me such activity must break the Lord's heart. If we need
to barter with God, if we tell him we will give up drinking and
smoking, stop chewing tobacco and refusing to date girls who do, might
he get us that job, that promotion, that spouse, that child, that
education, that whatever, it just may indicate we have lost sight of
the things of God as well.
Unconditional love on God's part means something.
Possibly I need to be thinking more in terms of God's unearned love
toward me, what a gracious and compassionate God he is, that what he
has in mind for me, desires for me, must be far superior to that which
I think I need to twist his arm for.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 11:30-31,
"Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: 'If you give the Ammonites into my
hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I
return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord's, and I will
sacrifice it as a burnt offering."
We read in the following verse that the Lord gave the Ammonites into
Jephthah's hands. Later we read that Jephthah followed through on his
vow to God. It was his only child that came out the door of his house
on that fateful day that he sacrificed as a burnt offering to the Lord
to fulfill his vow.
In regard to human sacrifice, the Lord later condemned Israel for
following the heathen nations of their day in the practice of it as he
called it "a detestable thing". He said, "They built high places for
Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters
to Molech, though I never commanded, nor did it enter my mind, that
they should do such a detestable thing and so make Judah sin."
Jeremiah 32:35.
Jephthah sacrificed his daughter in his wheeling and dealing with God.
God has said he never commanded human sacrifice, it had never entered
his mind and he found it a "detestable" thing. The Merriam-Webster
on-line dictionary defines "detestable" as "arousing or meriting
intense dislike - abominable". Synonyms include, "base, contemptible,
despicable, ignoble, dishonorable, execrable, ignominious, sordid,
vile, wretched."
Given this, it is apparent that God was going to give Jephthah victory
as he fought against the Ammonites without any human sacrifice. In
fact, God provided him the victory in spite of it and found that act
on Jephthah's part to be detestable, base, contemptible, despicable,
ignoble, dishonorable, execrable, ignominious, sordid, vile, wretched,
as he would any human sacrifice. I have a strong suspicion God caused
Jephthah's only child to come out that door on that day as a judgment
against him for such a wicked and vile oath.
In verse 29 of the chapter we are told the Spirit of the Lord had come
upon Jephthah, and yet, that didn't appear to dissuade him from his
bartering with God. We also read in Hebrews 11:32-40 he was a man of
faith, such that the world was not worthy of him. Yet, that didn't
appear to dissuade his bartering with God using human sacrifice!
It causes me to wonder: if someone filled with the Holy Spirit, a
person of faith like Jephthah, can have so little an understanding of
the things of God, what God finds detestable and is attempting to
barter with God, can we be guilty of such a thing? I'm not suggesting
human sacrifice as something we might consider, just that we might
think we need to buy off God with something we might find dear, to
persuade him to our agenda, to get him on our side?
It seems to me such activity must break the Lord's heart. If we need
to barter with God, if we tell him we will give up drinking and
smoking, stop chewing tobacco and refusing to date girls who do, might
he get us that job, that promotion, that spouse, that child, that
education, that whatever, it just may indicate we have lost sight of
the things of God as well.
Unconditional love on God's part means something.
Possibly I need to be thinking more in terms of God's unearned love
toward me, what a gracious and compassionate God he is, that what he
has in mind for me, desires for me, must be far superior to that which
I think I need to twist his arm for.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Three years of pleasure for an eternity of terrifying misery! - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 9:1-2; 5; 22-24,
"Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to his mother's brothers in Shechem
and said to them and to all his mother's clan, 'Ask all the citizens
of Shechem, "Which is better for you: to have all seventy of
Jerub-Baal's sons rule over you, or just one man?" Remember, I am your
flesh and blood.'... He went to his father's home in Ophrah and on one
stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal
[Gideon]... After Abimelech had governed Israel three years, God sent
an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem, who
acted treacherously against Abimelech. God did this in order that the
crime against Jerub-Baal's seventy sons, the shedding of their blood,
might be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the citizens of
Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.
What a wicked man Abimelech was! He turned the city of Shechem against
Gideon's family. The Lord had used Gideon to bring forty years of
peace to Israel during a tumultuous time. Following Gideon's death,
his son from a concubine, Abimelech, slaughtered his seventy
half-brothers, save one, Jotham. This he did so he could seize the
power of the city of Shechem and enjoy all that entailed.
Three years later the Lord fulfilled the curse Jotham called upon
Abimelech and the people of Sheckem to bring justice for the
wickedness all these people had done.
Two thoughts strike me this morning. The first is how insane and
half-witted sin causes people to be. Abimelech wanted to be the ruler
of the city and was willing to act abominably to acquire it. Here is a
man who will spend an eternity in a fiery lake of burning sulfur! All
for the fulfillment of a passing fancy to be the top dog and enjoy
what it brought for... what? three years?! I wonder how valuable those
three years look to Abimelech right now, after having spent the last
three millenniums in the place of torment we read of in Luke 19. In
the account of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man found that place
intolerable after only just arriving! And, as Abimelech sits in that
place of torment day after day, all he has to look forward to is the
great white throne judgment when he will be cast into that horrific
lake of fire we read of in Revelation 20! I wonder just how valuable
his ill-gotten gain he had for a mere three years looks to him now? I
suspect as he considers it day after miserable day it rises in his
heart as an overwhelming and nauseating horror.
What could have been... and what it is! Sin only destroys and the
satisfaction it provides is only an illusion that will dissipate in
the reality of the judgment it will certainly bring! Make no mistake,
God's horrific and terrible judgment outweighs any pleasure and
satisfaction we might think sin will bring - by a long, long country
mile!
The other thought that strikes me this morning is that it was three
years later that God brought justice for the family of Gideon for all
Abimelech and the people of Shechem did to them. It didn't happen
immediately. Why? I'm just speculating here, but I wonder if God
doesn't delay his judgment in this life for sin to provide folks an
opportunity for repentance. Peter tells us, "He is patient with you,
not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2
Peter 3:9. On the other hand, we do know that God's election, his
choice is that all who will embrace him in faith are given the right
to become children of God, John 1:12. As such he keeps a low profile
in order that the opportunity for faith can exist. If he immediately
brought his justice each and every time wickedness was committed, his
presence would be evident and the context where faith could be made
manifest lost. Just musing here... what do you think?
Those who have been wronged in this life and struggle as they await
justice in their behalf can take heart. Even though you may have
suffered and not seen the culprit pay... be fully assured that day
will, without fail, come. In a sobering observation while Paul
encouraged us to not take revenge ourselves he said, "Do not take
revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is
written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." Romans
12:19. No one can come close to making the sinner pay (in full!) like
the Lord!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 9:1-2; 5; 22-24,
"Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to his mother's brothers in Shechem
and said to them and to all his mother's clan, 'Ask all the citizens
of Shechem, "Which is better for you: to have all seventy of
Jerub-Baal's sons rule over you, or just one man?" Remember, I am your
flesh and blood.'... He went to his father's home in Ophrah and on one
stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal
[Gideon]... After Abimelech had governed Israel three years, God sent
an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem, who
acted treacherously against Abimelech. God did this in order that the
crime against Jerub-Baal's seventy sons, the shedding of their blood,
might be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the citizens of
Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.
What a wicked man Abimelech was! He turned the city of Shechem against
Gideon's family. The Lord had used Gideon to bring forty years of
peace to Israel during a tumultuous time. Following Gideon's death,
his son from a concubine, Abimelech, slaughtered his seventy
half-brothers, save one, Jotham. This he did so he could seize the
power of the city of Shechem and enjoy all that entailed.
Three years later the Lord fulfilled the curse Jotham called upon
Abimelech and the people of Sheckem to bring justice for the
wickedness all these people had done.
Two thoughts strike me this morning. The first is how insane and
half-witted sin causes people to be. Abimelech wanted to be the ruler
of the city and was willing to act abominably to acquire it. Here is a
man who will spend an eternity in a fiery lake of burning sulfur! All
for the fulfillment of a passing fancy to be the top dog and enjoy
what it brought for... what? three years?! I wonder how valuable those
three years look to Abimelech right now, after having spent the last
three millenniums in the place of torment we read of in Luke 19. In
the account of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man found that place
intolerable after only just arriving! And, as Abimelech sits in that
place of torment day after day, all he has to look forward to is the
great white throne judgment when he will be cast into that horrific
lake of fire we read of in Revelation 20! I wonder just how valuable
his ill-gotten gain he had for a mere three years looks to him now? I
suspect as he considers it day after miserable day it rises in his
heart as an overwhelming and nauseating horror.
What could have been... and what it is! Sin only destroys and the
satisfaction it provides is only an illusion that will dissipate in
the reality of the judgment it will certainly bring! Make no mistake,
God's horrific and terrible judgment outweighs any pleasure and
satisfaction we might think sin will bring - by a long, long country
mile!
The other thought that strikes me this morning is that it was three
years later that God brought justice for the family of Gideon for all
Abimelech and the people of Shechem did to them. It didn't happen
immediately. Why? I'm just speculating here, but I wonder if God
doesn't delay his judgment in this life for sin to provide folks an
opportunity for repentance. Peter tells us, "He is patient with you,
not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2
Peter 3:9. On the other hand, we do know that God's election, his
choice is that all who will embrace him in faith are given the right
to become children of God, John 1:12. As such he keeps a low profile
in order that the opportunity for faith can exist. If he immediately
brought his justice each and every time wickedness was committed, his
presence would be evident and the context where faith could be made
manifest lost. Just musing here... what do you think?
Those who have been wronged in this life and struggle as they await
justice in their behalf can take heart. Even though you may have
suffered and not seen the culprit pay... be fully assured that day
will, without fail, come. In a sobering observation while Paul
encouraged us to not take revenge ourselves he said, "Do not take
revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is
written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." Romans
12:19. No one can come close to making the sinner pay (in full!) like
the Lord!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Does God maintain a stable of evil spirits? - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 9:22-23,
"After Abimelech had governed Israel three years, God sent an evil
spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem, who acted
treacherously against Abimelech."
Here is an interesting comment in Judges: God sent an evil spirit.
Does God harbor evil spirits (in the sense of beings of a spiritual
nature with a predisposed malevolent disposition and with sinful
intent) to dispatch at his convenience to accomplish what he desires?
Does God maintain a stable of evil spirits in his arsenal to effect
his determined impact on the peoples of earth as he sees fit?
Entertaining that thought might bring one to the horrible conclusion
that our God harbors and exploits evil to accomplish his purposes.
This thought is contrary to what is revealed to us about God in the
pages of Scripture. We know that God allowed Satan to bring misery and
suffering to Job. The lesson there was for Satan himself. God
demonstrated through Job to Satan that others (certainly Job) will
maintain their allegiance to God in spite of misery and difficulty -
not because God has bought them off with goodies. We also know that
God raised up Pharaoh, a man with a hardened heart and opposed to God
and his people. In Scripture the Lord says to Pharaoh, "But I have
raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power
and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." Exodus 9:16
(see Romans 9:17.)
Clearly, nothing in all creation is beyond our God's ability to
manipulate to his own ends. However, those ends are always and without
fail, just and righteous. And, although he may manipulate to his own
ends that which is evil, he nonetheless remains consistent with his
own holy and righteous character and nature. Therefore his means in
carrying out those ends are likewise holy, just and righteous.
Throughout the pages of Scripture we read of God's involvement and
interaction with various men and women. Many of whom he used to carry
out his purposes to achieve what he desired. Apart from his one and
only Son, Jesus Christ, everyone of them was a sinner. All had sinned
and all had within them an inherent sinful nature. Yet God does not
abide evil and he will not accept evil within his creation. He may be
patient, but all evil will find its end in the fiery lake of burning
sulfur at the end of the age, see Revelation 20-22. All evil will be
paid for, and thankfully, many of us have availed ourselves of the
payment Jesus Christ made for our sins that we might inherit eternal
life.
In speaking of Christ's atonement for our sins Paul made the
observation, "God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through
faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in
his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—
he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be
just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." Romans
3:25-26. Here we see that God's patience, his forbearance in not
immediately crushing any and all who sin rests in the satisfaction of
Jesus' death on the cross, providing opportunity and possibility for
repentance. "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but
everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9b.
In this passage, Judges 9:22-23, the "evil spirit" there can be
understood as merely a "troubling" or "disastrous" mindset between
Abimelech and the folks of Shechem, not a personality at all. A simple
turning them against one another, suspicions and the like.
When it comes to God and evil, James tells us, "When tempted, no one
should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil,
nor does he tempt anyone..." James 1:13. John tells us, "...in him is
no sin" 1 John 3:5. John also tells us, "This is the message we have
heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no
darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in
the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth." John 1:5-6.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 9:22-23,
"After Abimelech had governed Israel three years, God sent an evil
spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem, who acted
treacherously against Abimelech."
Here is an interesting comment in Judges: God sent an evil spirit.
Does God harbor evil spirits (in the sense of beings of a spiritual
nature with a predisposed malevolent disposition and with sinful
intent) to dispatch at his convenience to accomplish what he desires?
Does God maintain a stable of evil spirits in his arsenal to effect
his determined impact on the peoples of earth as he sees fit?
Entertaining that thought might bring one to the horrible conclusion
that our God harbors and exploits evil to accomplish his purposes.
This thought is contrary to what is revealed to us about God in the
pages of Scripture. We know that God allowed Satan to bring misery and
suffering to Job. The lesson there was for Satan himself. God
demonstrated through Job to Satan that others (certainly Job) will
maintain their allegiance to God in spite of misery and difficulty -
not because God has bought them off with goodies. We also know that
God raised up Pharaoh, a man with a hardened heart and opposed to God
and his people. In Scripture the Lord says to Pharaoh, "But I have
raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power
and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." Exodus 9:16
(see Romans 9:17.)
Clearly, nothing in all creation is beyond our God's ability to
manipulate to his own ends. However, those ends are always and without
fail, just and righteous. And, although he may manipulate to his own
ends that which is evil, he nonetheless remains consistent with his
own holy and righteous character and nature. Therefore his means in
carrying out those ends are likewise holy, just and righteous.
Throughout the pages of Scripture we read of God's involvement and
interaction with various men and women. Many of whom he used to carry
out his purposes to achieve what he desired. Apart from his one and
only Son, Jesus Christ, everyone of them was a sinner. All had sinned
and all had within them an inherent sinful nature. Yet God does not
abide evil and he will not accept evil within his creation. He may be
patient, but all evil will find its end in the fiery lake of burning
sulfur at the end of the age, see Revelation 20-22. All evil will be
paid for, and thankfully, many of us have availed ourselves of the
payment Jesus Christ made for our sins that we might inherit eternal
life.
In speaking of Christ's atonement for our sins Paul made the
observation, "God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through
faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in
his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—
he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be
just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." Romans
3:25-26. Here we see that God's patience, his forbearance in not
immediately crushing any and all who sin rests in the satisfaction of
Jesus' death on the cross, providing opportunity and possibility for
repentance. "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but
everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9b.
In this passage, Judges 9:22-23, the "evil spirit" there can be
understood as merely a "troubling" or "disastrous" mindset between
Abimelech and the folks of Shechem, not a personality at all. A simple
turning them against one another, suspicions and the like.
When it comes to God and evil, James tells us, "When tempted, no one
should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil,
nor does he tempt anyone..." James 1:13. John tells us, "...in him is
no sin" 1 John 3:5. John also tells us, "This is the message we have
heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no
darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in
the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth." John 1:5-6.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Monday, January 7, 2013
Unopposed may mean we pose no threat - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 8:1,6,
"Now the Ephraimites asked Gideon, 'Why have you treated us like this?
Why didn't you call us when you went to fight Midian?' And they
criticized him sharply... But the officials of Succoth said, 'Do you
already have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your possession? Why
should we give bread to your troops?'"
Gideon found, as many have over the years I suspect, that while on
mission for the Lord, resistance is encountered. At the beginning of
this chapter in Judges, Gideon is criticized for not calling for help
from the Ephraimites in his mission from the Lord. On the east side of
the Jordan we are told that when Gideon asked for help from the people
of Succoth and Peniel, he was criticized for asking for help before he
captured the two leaders of the remaining Midianites, Zebah and
Zalmunna. What Gideon encountered was a kind of "damned of you do and
damned if you don't" scenario of opposition in the pursuit of Zebah
and Zalmunna. Gideon responded to each accordingly. He sought a "pass"
from the Ephraimites through an appeal couched in humility. For the
other, he assured the people of Succoth and Peniel he would take out
his revenge on them for refusing to provide his troops relief. Later,
he delivered on his threat.
There are numerous accounts of folks on mission from God facing
criticism and opposition. In 2 Timothy 4:14-15 Paul warned Timothy of
Alexander the metalworker who had "strongly opposed our message".
Earlier in that letter Paul speaks of the men of our day, men of
depraved minds, who would opposed even the truth, 2 Timothy 3:8. Paul
suffered opposition from the Jews on many occasions and in Corinth he
told them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my
responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." Acts 18:6. In
Acts 13 we read of Elymas the sorcerer and his opposition to Paul and
Barnabas. John tells us that as the saints act in righteousness the
world will hate them, just as Cain murdered his brother, 1 John 3:13.
At times we live our lives in a bubble where we fail to appreciate the
spiritual conflict that rages around us. I know I do from time to
time. Satan and the world opposes the advances of the kingdom of God.
The deceitful and the spiritually perverse feel threatened as God's
people carry out God's purposes. Opposition will happened. We need to
expect it and not feel threatened by it. We all know what the eventual
outcome will be in all things. Our God calls us to service and as we
encounter opposition, if we keep our hearts and minds on Jesus Christ,
we find a strength and a desire to press ahead. How could we do any
less for the One who gave his life for us, who has made a way for us
into eternal life with him?
If one does not experience opposition in pursuit of the things of God,
he might just question the nature of that pursuit. Given the spiritual
conflict that surrounds us, should opposition not be expected? From
the accounts in Scripture, it sure seems that way. So, if you are
facing opposition in doing things for God, take heart! It may just be
the greatest validation that you are having positive impact in
furthering God's kingdom.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 8:1,6,
"Now the Ephraimites asked Gideon, 'Why have you treated us like this?
Why didn't you call us when you went to fight Midian?' And they
criticized him sharply... But the officials of Succoth said, 'Do you
already have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your possession? Why
should we give bread to your troops?'"
Gideon found, as many have over the years I suspect, that while on
mission for the Lord, resistance is encountered. At the beginning of
this chapter in Judges, Gideon is criticized for not calling for help
from the Ephraimites in his mission from the Lord. On the east side of
the Jordan we are told that when Gideon asked for help from the people
of Succoth and Peniel, he was criticized for asking for help before he
captured the two leaders of the remaining Midianites, Zebah and
Zalmunna. What Gideon encountered was a kind of "damned of you do and
damned if you don't" scenario of opposition in the pursuit of Zebah
and Zalmunna. Gideon responded to each accordingly. He sought a "pass"
from the Ephraimites through an appeal couched in humility. For the
other, he assured the people of Succoth and Peniel he would take out
his revenge on them for refusing to provide his troops relief. Later,
he delivered on his threat.
There are numerous accounts of folks on mission from God facing
criticism and opposition. In 2 Timothy 4:14-15 Paul warned Timothy of
Alexander the metalworker who had "strongly opposed our message".
Earlier in that letter Paul speaks of the men of our day, men of
depraved minds, who would opposed even the truth, 2 Timothy 3:8. Paul
suffered opposition from the Jews on many occasions and in Corinth he
told them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my
responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." Acts 18:6. In
Acts 13 we read of Elymas the sorcerer and his opposition to Paul and
Barnabas. John tells us that as the saints act in righteousness the
world will hate them, just as Cain murdered his brother, 1 John 3:13.
At times we live our lives in a bubble where we fail to appreciate the
spiritual conflict that rages around us. I know I do from time to
time. Satan and the world opposes the advances of the kingdom of God.
The deceitful and the spiritually perverse feel threatened as God's
people carry out God's purposes. Opposition will happened. We need to
expect it and not feel threatened by it. We all know what the eventual
outcome will be in all things. Our God calls us to service and as we
encounter opposition, if we keep our hearts and minds on Jesus Christ,
we find a strength and a desire to press ahead. How could we do any
less for the One who gave his life for us, who has made a way for us
into eternal life with him?
If one does not experience opposition in pursuit of the things of God,
he might just question the nature of that pursuit. Given the spiritual
conflict that surrounds us, should opposition not be expected? From
the accounts in Scripture, it sure seems that way. So, if you are
facing opposition in doing things for God, take heart! It may just be
the greatest validation that you are having positive impact in
furthering God's kingdom.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Friday, January 4, 2013
Does God love sinners? - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 8:33-34,
"No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted
themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god and did
not remember the Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands
of all their enemies on every side."
How deceitful the human heart! In this case Israel, but Israel is only
representative of all mankind. Just as soon as the man the Lord used
to deliver them from their enemies died, they "did not remember the
Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their
enemies on every side."
The "did not remember" phrase refers not to memory loss, but to an
intentional abandonment of the One they owed so much to. In Judges 6:6
we read, "Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to
the Lord for help." Now that the help had come and the Lord had
delivered them from their desperation and they had enjoyed forty years
of peace and tranquility, they turned from their deliverer.
Such is the heart of mankind. "The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9. All mankind
has an abiding sinful nature that is at the core of his heart. It is
an existential reality that permeates every part of our being. Even
those who have been born in to God's kingdom continue to struggle with
this sin nature in this life. It will remain with us until the day we
experience our resurrection and we are renewed.
In Galatians 5:16-18 we read of the frustration and battle believers
have with this inward sinful nature, "So I say, live by the Spirit,
and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the
sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit
what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each
other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the
Spirit, you are not under law."
It is against the reality of this sinful condition bound up within our
hearts that I am struck with astonishment as I consider the love our
Lord has for us! How could God our Creator find within his heart, a
pristine heart of flawless character, a character that responds to
sinfulness with horrific judgment, how could he harbor such love for
us that he sent his Son to die a miserable death on that cross to pay
for our sins?! Any, yet, that is exactly what he has done! "God
demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us." Romans 5:8. "This is how God showed his love
among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might
live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he
loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1
John 4:9-10.
I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge what our Lord has done in
regard to this for those who love him. For those who have embraced the
Lord in faith, he has provided us help in our struggle with this
sinful condition. Paul makes an interesting observation about this,
"You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the
Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have
the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is
in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive
because of righteousness." Romans 8:9-10.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 8:33-34,
"No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted
themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god and did
not remember the Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands
of all their enemies on every side."
How deceitful the human heart! In this case Israel, but Israel is only
representative of all mankind. Just as soon as the man the Lord used
to deliver them from their enemies died, they "did not remember the
Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their
enemies on every side."
The "did not remember" phrase refers not to memory loss, but to an
intentional abandonment of the One they owed so much to. In Judges 6:6
we read, "Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to
the Lord for help." Now that the help had come and the Lord had
delivered them from their desperation and they had enjoyed forty years
of peace and tranquility, they turned from their deliverer.
Such is the heart of mankind. "The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9. All mankind
has an abiding sinful nature that is at the core of his heart. It is
an existential reality that permeates every part of our being. Even
those who have been born in to God's kingdom continue to struggle with
this sin nature in this life. It will remain with us until the day we
experience our resurrection and we are renewed.
In Galatians 5:16-18 we read of the frustration and battle believers
have with this inward sinful nature, "So I say, live by the Spirit,
and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the
sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit
what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each
other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the
Spirit, you are not under law."
It is against the reality of this sinful condition bound up within our
hearts that I am struck with astonishment as I consider the love our
Lord has for us! How could God our Creator find within his heart, a
pristine heart of flawless character, a character that responds to
sinfulness with horrific judgment, how could he harbor such love for
us that he sent his Son to die a miserable death on that cross to pay
for our sins?! Any, yet, that is exactly what he has done! "God
demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us." Romans 5:8. "This is how God showed his love
among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might
live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he
loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1
John 4:9-10.
I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge what our Lord has done in
regard to this for those who love him. For those who have embraced the
Lord in faith, he has provided us help in our struggle with this
sinful condition. Paul makes an interesting observation about this,
"You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the
Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have
the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is
in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive
because of righteousness." Romans 8:9-10.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Politics and theology - Ruminating in the Word of God
The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 7:2,
"The Lord said to Gideon, 'You have too many men for me to deliver
Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me
that her own strength has saved her...'"
Israel suffered under the oppression of the Midianites for seven
years. The Lord himself brought this suffering upon Israel due to her
straying from him, abandoning him. He did it to bring Israel back to
him.
Israel's purpose, the reason the Lord raised her up, was to engage the
world through this nation that came from the offspring of Abraham, the
man of faith. God would use Israel as an instrument through which he
would pursue the building of his kingdom - a building project that
continues on today through the church.
At this point in her history, having abandoned the Lord, Israel was no
longer useful to him in his purposes to reach out to the world and so
he brought this suffering to Israel. His effort in bringing suffering
to Israel with his subsequent deliverance of her, when they got to the
point of crying out to him for relief, was to re-engage Israel in his
agenda to reach out to the world. The whole exercise would have been
for a loss if Israel missed the point that their fate was in the
Lord's hands and needed to remain devoted to him and his agenda.
Consequently, when the Lord delivered Israel from the Midianites, he
did so with a ridiculously small handful of men. The Israelites would
have to recognize the Lord did it - they did not do it through their
own strength, their own efforts apart from him.
National pride is often thought a good and healthy thing. However,
when a nation, any nation, displaces God, with a subsequent conceit
that assumes it can pursue a promising prosperous future is an
invitation to disaster. Just as the people at the Tower of Babel
discovered, when folks begin to assume they can achieve peace and
prosperity through their efforts apart from God, they cease to be
useful to him and find that their pursuit ensures his judgment. The
Bible is full of accounts of how the Lord interacts with nations as he
seeks to build his kingdom.
I am firmly convinced that theology and politics do not exist apart
from one another. It is my perspective that a person's political
perspective is not arrived at on the intellectual level, but on the
spiritual. It is clear to me that one's political stance flows from
his theological perspective. That is the simple reason why two people
with the same set of facts arrive at political differences. The
assertion of one that the other is "stupid" does not address the
differences we see. I am entirely convinced this is where the origin
of our "culture war" is found.
Those who pursue politics that seek to remove God from the culture and
replace him with social safety nets, those who feel that every
disaster can be remedied by new laws and new government assistance
apart from seeking God's help and acknowledging him are only inviting
further disaster. In Isaiah 9:8-12 we read how Israel, following
disaster, sought to rebound, rebuild, make itself strong and resilient
apart from embracing God, "The Lord has sent a message against Jacob;
it will fall on Israel. All the people will know it— Ephraim and the
inhabitants of Samaria— who say with pride and arrogance of heart,
'The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone;
the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.'
But the Lord has strengthened Rezin's foes against them and has
spurred their enemies on. Arameans from the east and Philistines from
the west have devoured Israel with open mouth."
Anyone who reads the Old Testament will have to acknowledge that
nations only exist for God's purposes and agenda, and when any nation
drifts from God, makes itself un-useful for the building of his
kingdom, it can expect the kind of pain and suffering that only God
can bring. Just a brief reading of Judges helps us see just how
horrific the pain is that God can bring.
"If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted,
torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its
evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had
planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is
to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does
not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for
it." Jeremiah 18:7-10. Every nation on planet Earth is accountable to
the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Every nation on planet earth has
as its purpose the building of God's kingdom. "From one man he made
every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he
determined the times set for them and the exact places where they
should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach
out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us."
Acts 17:26-27.
The United States was founded upon an appeal to God to bless the
creation of this new nation. I think many would be astonished to see
how impassioned many of the founding fathers of our nation were in
their pursuit of God for his blessing on this fledgling new nation. No
one can argue this nation has not been exceptional among any nation in
the history of mankind. If we continue to move away from God and find
our national well-being apart from God through the exercise of
government in the many social programs, efforts of global
arrangements, regulatory agencies, laws and policies, we will
certainly find our demise as we cease to serve the purpose of God for
any nation: the building of God's kingdom.
To seek God as a nation is not to force its people to join a
government-mandated church. To not seek God as a nation is to insure
its demise.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 7:2,
"The Lord said to Gideon, 'You have too many men for me to deliver
Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me
that her own strength has saved her...'"
Israel suffered under the oppression of the Midianites for seven
years. The Lord himself brought this suffering upon Israel due to her
straying from him, abandoning him. He did it to bring Israel back to
him.
Israel's purpose, the reason the Lord raised her up, was to engage the
world through this nation that came from the offspring of Abraham, the
man of faith. God would use Israel as an instrument through which he
would pursue the building of his kingdom - a building project that
continues on today through the church.
At this point in her history, having abandoned the Lord, Israel was no
longer useful to him in his purposes to reach out to the world and so
he brought this suffering to Israel. His effort in bringing suffering
to Israel with his subsequent deliverance of her, when they got to the
point of crying out to him for relief, was to re-engage Israel in his
agenda to reach out to the world. The whole exercise would have been
for a loss if Israel missed the point that their fate was in the
Lord's hands and needed to remain devoted to him and his agenda.
Consequently, when the Lord delivered Israel from the Midianites, he
did so with a ridiculously small handful of men. The Israelites would
have to recognize the Lord did it - they did not do it through their
own strength, their own efforts apart from him.
National pride is often thought a good and healthy thing. However,
when a nation, any nation, displaces God, with a subsequent conceit
that assumes it can pursue a promising prosperous future is an
invitation to disaster. Just as the people at the Tower of Babel
discovered, when folks begin to assume they can achieve peace and
prosperity through their efforts apart from God, they cease to be
useful to him and find that their pursuit ensures his judgment. The
Bible is full of accounts of how the Lord interacts with nations as he
seeks to build his kingdom.
I am firmly convinced that theology and politics do not exist apart
from one another. It is my perspective that a person's political
perspective is not arrived at on the intellectual level, but on the
spiritual. It is clear to me that one's political stance flows from
his theological perspective. That is the simple reason why two people
with the same set of facts arrive at political differences. The
assertion of one that the other is "stupid" does not address the
differences we see. I am entirely convinced this is where the origin
of our "culture war" is found.
Those who pursue politics that seek to remove God from the culture and
replace him with social safety nets, those who feel that every
disaster can be remedied by new laws and new government assistance
apart from seeking God's help and acknowledging him are only inviting
further disaster. In Isaiah 9:8-12 we read how Israel, following
disaster, sought to rebound, rebuild, make itself strong and resilient
apart from embracing God, "The Lord has sent a message against Jacob;
it will fall on Israel. All the people will know it— Ephraim and the
inhabitants of Samaria— who say with pride and arrogance of heart,
'The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone;
the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.'
But the Lord has strengthened Rezin's foes against them and has
spurred their enemies on. Arameans from the east and Philistines from
the west have devoured Israel with open mouth."
Anyone who reads the Old Testament will have to acknowledge that
nations only exist for God's purposes and agenda, and when any nation
drifts from God, makes itself un-useful for the building of his
kingdom, it can expect the kind of pain and suffering that only God
can bring. Just a brief reading of Judges helps us see just how
horrific the pain is that God can bring.
"If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted,
torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its
evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had
planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is
to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does
not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for
it." Jeremiah 18:7-10. Every nation on planet Earth is accountable to
the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Every nation on planet earth has
as its purpose the building of God's kingdom. "From one man he made
every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he
determined the times set for them and the exact places where they
should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach
out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us."
Acts 17:26-27.
The United States was founded upon an appeal to God to bless the
creation of this new nation. I think many would be astonished to see
how impassioned many of the founding fathers of our nation were in
their pursuit of God for his blessing on this fledgling new nation. No
one can argue this nation has not been exceptional among any nation in
the history of mankind. If we continue to move away from God and find
our national well-being apart from God through the exercise of
government in the many social programs, efforts of global
arrangements, regulatory agencies, laws and policies, we will
certainly find our demise as we cease to serve the purpose of God for
any nation: the building of God's kingdom.
To seek God as a nation is not to force its people to join a
government-mandated church. To not seek God as a nation is to insure
its demise.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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