Don't Mock God's Prophets

In the past week I have read two Bible stories about God's judgment on those who rebel against authority put in place by God Himself.  The prophets mocked were Elisha and Moses.


You can read about the first in 2 Kings 2.  


Elisha was mentored by the prophet Elijah, a man of God who performed many miracles.  Both Elisha and Elijah knew one day that God was about to take Elijah up to heaven.  Not only that, but the sons of the prophets of the local areas knew.  They asked Elisha, "Don't you know your master is going to be taken away from you today?"


Elisha knew.  He told the sons of the prophets to be quiet.  Then he stuck to Elijah like glue.  I believe he loved his mentor and wanted to be like him.  That's why he asked Elijah for a double portion of his spirit.


Elijah couldn't grant that; but he knew that God could.  So he told Elisha that if he saw him go to heaven, he'd receive his request. (2 Kings 2:9-12 ESV)

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. 

How do I know that Elisha loved Elijah?  His reaction when Elijah is taken away tells us.

Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 


When Elisha succeeded Elijah, he used Elijah's cloak to hit the water of the river so it would part and he could go through on dry land.  Immediately after that, he used salt to heal the spring of water so that no death or miscarriage would come from it any more.  God did grant Elisha a double portion of His Spirit, and He used Elisha to perform twice as many miracles as did Elijah.  There was to be no mistake: Elisha was God's prophet.


But some young men didn't think so.  They were rebellious, idolatrous youngsters who came out to mock the prophet of God.  "Go up, you baldhead!" they yelled.  They were daring Elisha to do as Elijah did.  They did not acknowledge the power of God.


So Elisha cursed them in the name of the Lord.

[24] And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys. 

(2 Kings 2:24 ESV)

Lest you think that was mean and nasty, consider this.  The "boys" were not little boys, but rebellious and idolatrous young men who could have a very negative influence on Elisha's ministry.  Elisha didn't choose the consequence of their mockery - he simply cursed them in the name of the Lord, leaving the judgment to God. God wisely chose to take those young men out of the picture, lest they do harm to God's people.


Matthew Henry's Commentary explains:

Observe the miracle of healing the waters. Prophets should make every place to which they come better for them, endeavouring to sweeten bitter spirits, and to make barren souls fruitful, by the word of God, which is like the salt cast into the water by Elisha. It was an apt emblem of the effect produced by the grace of God on the sinful heart of man. Whole families, towns, and cities, sometimes have a new appearance through the preaching of the gospel; wickedness and evil have been changed into fruitfulness in the works of righteousness, which are, through Christ, to the praise and glory of God.

Here is a curse on the youths of Bethel, enough to destroy them; it was not a curse causeless, for it was Elisha's character, as God's prophet, that they abused. They bade him "go up," reflecting on the taking up of Elijah into heaven. The prophet acted by Divine impulse. If the Holy Spirit had not directed Elisha's solemn curse, the providence of God would not have followed it with judgment. The Lord must be glorified as a righteous God who hates sin, and will reckon for it. Let young persons be afraid of speaking wicked words, for God notices what they say. Let them not mock at any for defects in mind or body; especially it is at their peril, if they scoff at any for well doing. Let parents that would have comfort in their children, train them up well, and do their utmost betimes to drive out the foolishness that is bound up in their hearts. And what will be the anguish of those parents, at the day of judgment, who witness the everlasting condemnation of their offspring, occasioned by their own bad example, carelessness, or wicked teaching!

The second story I read was that of Miriam.  She was Moses' elder sister.  In Chapter 11 of Numbers we read that God gave Moses permission to appoint 70 elders to help him, and God demonstrated that His power was on them by giving of His Spirit to them so that they praised and prophesied.

Perhaps Miriam was jealous.  After all, she had been by Moses' side and had sung praises to God. She let her discontent with the situation be an excuse to criticize Moses' choice of a wife.  She thought that her other brother Aaron deserved some recognition as well, and likely got him to complain, too.  


Be sure your sins will find you out.  God heard her mutterings, and He summoned the three siblings to the tent of meeting.  If you've ever been summoned to the principal's office, or called to a private meeting by your boss, you have an idea of how Miriam must have felt.  

 And suddenly the LORD said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. And the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward. And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them, and he departed. 

(Numbers 12:4-9 ESV)

God defended His prophet.  There was to be no murmuring and complaining against him.  God set Miriam and Aaron straight.  I imagine His voice shook the tent.  As soon as He left, Miriam found herself full of leprosy.


Aaron immediately cried out to Moses...  

And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have done foolishly and have sinned. 

(Numbers 12:11 ESV)

Moses, a meek and godly man, cried out to God on Miriam's behalf.  Like Christ who pleaded, "Father, forgive them," Moses held no grudges against his sister or his brother.  It's more painful to be hurt and mocked by those in our family or in our close relationships, so Moses' example is a gracious one that we should follow.  We have no cause to punish those who sin against us.  Jesus paid the price for their sin; or if they are not saved, they will pay the price in eternity.  All we are called to do is to forgive.  


God did give Miriam a reprieve; she only had to suffer with the leprosy outside the camp for 7 days.  She would have had to present herself to her brother Aaron, the high priest, to be declared clean and be allowed back into the camp.  I would imagine it was a very humbling experience for both of them.


So what should we learn from these two stories?


1.  Don't mock God's prophets.  That principle carries through to the leaders in the Church that God has raised up to preach and to teach His word.  Be very careful what you say.  Teach your children to respect the Pastor and elders of your congregation.  Yes, they are sinners saved by grace, just as you are.  But they have been given a high calling and will one day give an account.  Honour them.

1 Timothy 5:17

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.

2.  Our ways are not God's ways.  We likely wouldn't think of sending a she-bear out to tear up young men. But God knows what is best.  We do not know what damage would have been done if those mockers were allowed to live.  When we don't understand God's ways, we do well to remind ourselves that "as the heavens are high above the earth, so are His thoughts higher than our thoughts, and His ways higher than our ways."


3.  God is merciful.  He punishes and restores.  He rightly curses a source of water, but then causes His prophet to heal the spring with salt.  He rightly gives leprosy to a bitter woman, then causes His prophet to pray for her healing.  He will not always strive with us, nor will He be angry forever.  He forgives.


May we be like Him.

D.A. Carson - How do I know God exists?

Christina Rossetti

Christina Rossetti is one of my favourite poets. She began writing poems when she was a teenager, and wrote an average of a poem a month for the remainder of her 64 years. A deep thinker, she was spiritually minded and introspective. A recurrent theme in her writing was that of human frailty contrasted with divine faithfulness.

O Lord, I cannot plead my love of Thee:

I plead Thy love of me:

- The shallow conduit hails the unfathomed sea.

God is the one Who keeps us. We only love Him because He first loved us.

The contrast between God and man is demonstrated in the third line. In contrast to the immeasurable, immense ocean, we are nothing but a little dip in the road for the water to run into the sewer.

Isaiah 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Christina was astute enough to recognize and battle her worst enemy: self.

Who Shall Deliver Me?

by Christina Georgina Rossetti

(1830-1894)

God strengthen me to bear myself;

That heaviest weight of all to bear,

Inalienable weight of care.

All others are outside myself;

I lock my door and bar them out

The turmoil, tedium, gad-about.

I lock my door upon myself,

And bar them out; but who shall wall

Self from myself, most loathed of all?

If I could once lay down myself,

And start self-purged upon the race

That all must run ! Death runs apace.

If I could set aside myself,

And start with lightened heart upon

The road by all men overgone!

God harden me against myself,

This coward with pathetic voice

Who craves for ease and rest and joys

Myself, arch-traitor to myself;

My hollowest friend, my deadliest foe,

My clog whatever road I go.

Yet One there is can curb myself,

Can roll the strangling load from me

Break off the yoke and set me free.

I, too, need my God to harden me against myself - this coward with pathetic voice who yearns for rest, and peace, and joys. Thank the Lord, He is the One who breaks my yoke and sets me free. We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous, and He is the propitiation for my sins. I cannot plead with God because of my great love for Him. But because of His great love for me, I boldly approach the throne of grace.

Three things may give boldness in prayer. We have a Father to pray to, and the Spirit to help us to pray, and an Advocate to present our prayers.

God’s children should in all their troubles run to their heavenly Father, as the sick child in 2 Kings 4: 19: ‘He said unto his father, My head, my head.’ So pour out thy complaint to God in prayer. ‘Father, my heart, my heart; my dead heart, quicken it; my hard heart, soften it in Christ’s blood. Father, my heart, my heart.’ Surely God, who hears the cry of ravens, will hear the cry of his children! –Thomas Watson

More on Christina will follow.

Come Thou Fount - Verse 2

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I’ll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin. . .

Life is tough. In some ways, it's tougher for a Christian who wants to please God, because it is glaringly apparent that most of what he does is not pleasing to the Judge of All the Earth.

So, we sorrow when we contemplate our sin and our flesh. We strive to do right. We make lists of things to do, and write resolutions of things to change, so that we can feel better about ourselves.

The truth is that when we do these things, we are in danger.

The Irish Calvinist talked about this on his blog. He spoke of Jonathan Edwards, a giant of the faith, who made many resolutions as he walked through life, striving to live a holy, passionate life before the God he loved.

The Irish Calvinist writes,

We Like Measurable Standards
However, (and here is my concern) the propensity of the human heart to attach itself to rules and regulations for righteousness is an ever intimidating and sobering reality. We want to be active doing– so that we feel like we are– something. And the scary thing for me as both a pastor and someone who wants to pursue holiness is that we see the rules and don’t see the gospel.

I must repeat that: We want to be active doing so that we feel like we are something.

Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I'll begin...

But the truth is that we are already something if we have been purchased by the blood of Christ. We are His children! We are rooted and grounded in Christ. God is refining and changing us, making us like His dear Son. Thank God, our salvation doesn't depend on us. God is the One who is holding us in the palm of His hand, and He will never let us go.

If you are one of those people who fall into the trap of doing so you feel like you are something, you need to change your way of thinking. You may lack obedience and discipline, but your obedience and discipline is not going to make God love you more, even if you were very obedient and perfectly disciplined. God loves you on the basis of what Jesus accomplished, not on what you do or do not do every day.

I used to derive a false sense of security by checking off a list in my mind each day. I based my Christian life on my accomplishments rather than on a relationship with God. The checklist was a source of pride and satisfaction - see what a good little Christian I am? I did this. I did not do that.

I still operate by using lists. However, I don't see my accomplishments as a way to please God. I am not working my way to heaven in my much-doing. I have learned to rest in Jesus. I have learned to see my sin more clearly, and see God's grace more gratefully, and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit more fully.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I've come...

What's an Ebenezer? Dr. Gregory Neal explains:

"Literally speaking, an Ebenezer is a "stone of help," or a reminder of God’s Real, Holy Presence and Divine aid. Spiritually and theologically speaking, an Ebenezer can be nearly anything that reminds us of God’s presence and help: the Bible, the Sacramental Elements, a cross, a picture, a fellow believer, a hymn – those things which serve as reminders of God’s love, God’s Real Presence, and God’s assistance are "Ebenezers.""

A stone of help. A rock of remembrance. Here by Thy great help I've come. I am nothing apart from Christ. He is the One who has given my life purpose, and focus, and meaning. He is the One who is my Helper.

And I hope, by thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

This world is not my home, I'm just passing through. God is pleased to lead me safely on the path towards the Celestial City. In His good pleasure, He chose me to be His child and to be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. I am safe in Him.

It's all about Jesus, people.

The Irish Calvinist says we can learn from Jonathan Edwards - not to make lists and resolutions, relying on them instead of on Christ. No, Jonathan Edwards was passionately in love with Jesus - he praised Him constantly in his writing and in his living.

"We could certainly could learn a lot from Edwards in context…stare long at Christ, his person and work, and then dip you pen in the inexhaustible fountain of grace and respond to it with a Christ-centered, cross-boasting, pride-smashing, personal resolution to live for the glory of God…because it is right and he is worth it."

Keep on singing the praises of God. Keep on living for the glory of God. Because it is right and he is worth it!

Effective Prayer

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Jesus is our holy and sympathetic high priest. He lived on this earth, experiencing all of the temptations that plague us daily, yet He NEVER, not once, sinned. He is holy, holy, holy...yet He is sympathetic - He understands our weaknesses; He knows our frame.

This Jesus was appointed by God His Father to suffer so that we would receive the gift of eternal salvation. And what a gift! We are saved in time and eternity - given the right to be called the sons (and daughters!) of God. Adopted into God's family; preserved and guided and helped by His grace.

The encouragement to “draw near” to God's throne implies that Christians have the privilege of a personal relationship with God. We are told to have confidence - boldness & courage - as we speaking before God Almighty - this Holy One of greatest rank and power in the Universe. We are so privileged, because God expects us to come before Him and speak plainly and honestly and reverently, without fear that we will incur shame or punishment by doing so.

The Irish Calvinist wrote about this. He said that he wakes up and his mind goes immediately to what he needs to accomplish that day - and he is aware that what he does do will not be done flawlessly.

Yet, God graciously reminds him of Hebrews 7:24.

Hebrews 7:24 [Jesus] holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Jesus intecedes for us before the throne of grace. God the Father graciously helps those who need forgiveness and strength in temptation.

It is a good thing to pray for one another. We Christians are urged to do so. The effectual, fervent prayers of a righteous man availeth much, James tells us. We are called to pray, taught how to pray by Jesus Himself, and commanded to continue steadfastly in prayer (Col. 4).

We often ask others to pray for us, and that's a good thing, too. Paul asked for prayer. He didn't ask to be delivered from prison, or spared the lash, or given creature comforts. He asked for prayer that God would help him in communicating the mystery of Jesus Christ to the world.

Colossians 4:3At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

This is one of the mysteries: Jesus intecedes for us!

So, the next time you are weary in well-doing, the next time you battle the flesh, the next time you struggle with temptation and wonder if you'll ever get it right, remember:

Jesus is praying for YOU.

There is no one more effective. There is no one more fervent. Jesus will never fail, and He knows exactly what to pray on your behalf.

Amazing, astounding grace.

Jesus KNOWS how far the east is from the west.

Psalm 103:10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,

nor repay us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

12 as far as the east is from the west,

so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

13 As a father shows compassion to his children,

so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

God is Mysterious - and Trustworthy!

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

Mother's Day

Today was Mother's Day in North America.  Churches were extolling the virtues of being a mother.  Ladies were handed flowers, or coupons for Tim Horton's, as they walked into church.  Families gathered for food and fellowship, honouring mom by giving cards or flowers, pictures of the children, or gift certificates to favourite restaurants.

It's a good thing to honour moms.  Theirs is a difficult task.  I honoured the moms in our family by writing the following to my daughters and daughter-in-law:

To all of my daughters and my daughter-in-law, who have blessed our family with the most gorgeous grandchildren in the world, Happy Mother's Day.  Praise the One Who blessed you with children and formed them in secret, in the depths of your wombs.  Praise Him for giving you strength and courage to labour, not only to bear these little souls, but to raise them to know Him and serve Him all the days of their lives.  May God continue to pour out blessings on you - love for your families, joy in the journey, wisdom to deal with their needs and desires, and peace as you remember that He Who called you is faithful, and will walk with you all of the days of your life.

I believe in giving honour to whom honour is due.  And as I was lying in bed this afternoon, trying to catch a quick nap before the Thundering Herd arrived, I thought... "GOD is the One Who should be honoured on Mother's Day!"

God designed mothers.  He gave them the unique ability to accept a seed that would join with their egg, forming a tiny person within the womb.  He intricately knit each one of us together in the secret place!

God designed pregnancy.  Every detail of the pregnant woman's body is amazing.  Blood volume doubles.  Organs move out of the way to accommodate the growing uterus.  The placenta, the amniotic fluid, the exchange of blood gases and nutrients - all designed perfectly by our Creator!

God designed labour and delivery.  It's astounding to watch a baby emerge from his mother's birth canal.  The contractions, the thinning of the cervix, the birth of baby and placenta...all planned by God's good hand.

God designed the mother's breasts to be the perfect way to feed a baby.  He gave her maternal feelings so that she would love (instantly, in most cases!) and protect her little one.  The breasts were not only designed to provide nutrients, but also to provide antibodies so that the baby's immune system would have the right cues to develop immunities to germs in this dark and sometimes dangerous world.

God designed a mother's love.  He knew that she would care for her children from before they were born to the end of life - whether hers or theirs, only God knows.  He knew that the children would learn from Mom; but He also knew that the Moms would learn from their children -love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, selfcontrol.

God, YOU are amazing.  You deserve all of the praise and all of the glory.  If there ever were a mother who loved as You love, it's only because of Your grace.  If there ever were a mother who disciplined with wisdom and taught her wayward child with patience, it is only because of Your grace.

Thank you, God, for Your beautiful design.  Thank you, God, for mothers.

Legalism is a Real Killer

You all know I love poetry.  It really doesn't matter whether it's a child's poem (Jonathan Jo has a mouth like an "O" and a wheelbarrow full of surprises) or a sonnet, I love the twists and turns poets create with words, and the pictures that flow through my head as I read them.  By far the best poetry, however, has the attributes of God or the truth of His Word as its subject.

Lynn at Indelible Grace has written one such poem.  She gave me permission to copy it here:

My righteous deeds are but a trap. 
They never can erase
My sin; these filthy rags just slap
The sacred scars of grace.


Completely filled with pride and self
I strive to make sin less,
But what I count as gain is pelf*;
In bondage I regress.


On God alone I must depend;
All pride confess, forsake.
These hellish bonds my God must rend;
This legalism break.


Christ broke my bonds and set me free!
His work, not mine, I sing;
Whose pain and scars at Calvary
Accomplished everything.

*pelf–noun

money or wealth, esp. when regarded with contempt or acquired by reprehensible means.

What is wrong with the world?

Lots.  Look around you, and you know that not all is right with the world.  But how can what is wrong be made right?

If you do nothing else today, click on the link below, and listen to this man:

The problem is: ME.  I do not acknowledge the Supremacy of Christ.  I judge God based on how He carries out MY goals in this world.  I want a God who is omnipotent, but not sovereign, so I can wield His power. Click below:

 Voddie Baucham on the Supremacy of Christ

Death By Love

Consider the words to the following great hymn, written by Stuart Townend:

How deep the Father's love for us 

How vast beyond all measure 

That He would give His only Son 

To make a wretch His treasure 

How great the pain of searing loss 

The Father turns His face away 

As wounds which mar the chosen One 

Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross 

My guilt upon His shoulders 

Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice 

Call out among the scoffers 

It was my sin that held Him there 

Until it was accomplished 

His dying breath has brought me life 

I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything 

No gifts, no powr's, no wisdom 

But I will boast in Jesus Christ 

His death and resurrection 

Why should I gain from His reward? 

I cannot give an answer 

But this I know with all my heart 

His wounds have paid my ransom

Tim Challies wrote in a post entitled Behold the Man Upon a Cross:

Townend is right—it was not the nails that held Jesus to the cross. He could so easily have escaped the cross and, even if He decided to go there, could just as easily have escaped from the cross. He could have stepped down and watched as His angels gained vengeance on the heartless men who had nailed Him to that tree. But He did not. Jesus remained there until the work was accomplished. He stayed there until He had done the work His Father had assigned Him. He stayed there until He had secured the redemption of all of His people. It was not the nails that held Him, but His love for the Father and His love for us. It was my sin that held Him there in the deepest expression of love the world could ever know. It was death by love.

Heart Surgery

We were listening to one of the dvds of Christianity Explored this evening, and the following passage was mentioned as one of the "hard" passages in the book of Mark:

Temptations to Sin

42 “Whoever causes one of  these little ones who believe in me to sin,  it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to  the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into  hell. 47  And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ 

The grandchildren were sitting there, wide-eyed, thinking about this.  I do sin with my hand...should I cut it off?  I do sin with my feet...I've kicked my brother, and run to play instead of obeying Mommy....should I cut off my feet?  And I've used my eyes to look at cartoons when I'm supposed to be doing my math.  Does Jesus really want me to cut out my eyes?

We adults - parents and grandparents - assured the children. 

No, you don't have to cut off your hands and feet.  You don't have to pluck out your eyes.  That's not going to solve anything, now is it?  You'll just keep on sinning.  

The problem is bigger than that.  The problem is in your heart.  

Grandboy nodded.  He understood, the problem is in his heart. 

The light slowly dawned.

You mean I have to cut out my heart?

Well, you can't do that, can you?  

No. They all agreed.  We can't cut out our hearts.

There's nothing we can do.  This is serious stuff.  That's why Jesus says those shocking statements.  Cut it off, pluck it out.  Get rid of it.  If you don't, you won't be getting into heaven.

But we can't cut out our hearts.  We need Someone to rescue us.

Jesus.  Saviour.  Heart Surgeon.  He cuts out the heart of stone, and replaces it with a new heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 36:26 

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. 

And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Jesus is praying for ME!

Imagine that!

But it's true.  It's one of the glorious facts of the gospel.  Our Saviour lives to make intercession for us.  

Why does He have to pray for me, you might ask?

Because the Enemy desires to sift me like wheat, just like he wanted to sift Peter.  And I know it.  I feel the whispered temptations to do those things which are a mediocre waste of time, instead of redeeming the time by doing those things which count for eternity.  I hear the snide accusations of failure as I hang my head in agreement - yes, I said that wrong thing, yes, I did that awful deed, yes, I thought that terrible thought.

But then, I remember.  Hebrews 7:25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.  

The Irish Calvinist wrote about it - Satan is Preying so the Saviour is Praying.   He asks, 

Do you thank Jesus for his intercession? Do you thank him for his glorious righteousness? Do you thank him for his commitment to you? Oh, it is true indeed, he is a far better Savior than we think him to be. You and I would be a Judas in an instant, selling Jesus out for a handful of pocket change and some temporal props, if it was not for Jesus and his faithful intercession. As the Good Shepherd pivots to Calvary he has his beloved sheep on his mind, he was and is praying for his sheep. And so we thank him with humble joy, for he is glorious.

And so we should.

The Lamb of God

In family devotions we are reading the book of Mark together.  This is no rapid read-through.  Rick takes his time, taking apart the verses line-by-line, word-by-word.  In this week leading up to Easter, we just happen to be reading Mark 15.

It struck me as I listened to my husband read the chapter aloud to the family that Jesus did not have to be silent.  He stood silently before Pilate, condemning the governor's weakness, his desire to please the Jews and keep his position with Rome.  After His one affirmation that He was, indeed, the King of the Jews (You have said so - a good confession - see I Tim. 6:13), He stood silent, fulfilling Isaiah 53:7.  He was lead like a lamb to the slaughter, and like a sheep before his shearers was silent.

Mark 15:2 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, l “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” 5 But Jesus l made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.

I am amazed, too, but for different reasons than Pilate was amazed.  I am astounded that God the Father let this happen - no, that He purposed that it should happen.  It leaves me awestruck that Jesus didn't call down fire from heaven to burn up Pilate, Barabbas, the Sanhedrin, and all of the wicked crowd who ignorantly called for His blood to be on their heads, and on those of their children.

God hated what happened.  

How do I know? 

Proverbs 6:16 

There are six things that the Lord hates,

seven that are an abomination to him:

17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,

and hands that shed innocent blood,

18 a heart that devises wicked plans,

feet that make haste to run to evil,

19 a false witness who breathes out lies,

and one who sows discord among brothers.

Haughty Eyes  Can any eyes be more haughty than those of men in authority?  The Chief Priests, the Sanhedrin, the Scribes and the Pharisees all considered their authority to be of utmost importance.  They challenged Jesus' authority, and called him an illegitimate Nazarene.

Matthew 21:23

And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?

A Lying Tongue - Those that accused Jesus lied repeatedly. 

Mark 14:56 For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree.

Hands that Shed Innocent Blood - Jesus NEVER sinned.  God the Father made Christ to be regarded and treated as “sin” even though Christ Himself never sinned (Heb. 4:15; cf. Gal. 3:13)

2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Acts 2:23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

A Heart that Devises Wicked Plans - They plotted together to kill Him.

Matthew 26:3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.

Feet that Make Haste to Run to Evil - Judas was told to go quickly to carry out his evil plan.

John 13:27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”

A False Witness Who Breathes Out Lies

Matthew 26:59 Now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward...

One Who Sows Discord Among the Brothers - Stirring up the people.  Pilate wanted to release Jesus, for he found no fault in Him.  But the leaders would have none of that.

Mark 15:11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead.

God hated the betrayal.  He hated the lies.  He hated the discord, the haughty eyes and the wicked plans.  Don't for one minute think that any of that pleased Him.

Yet, as the KJV puts it, "It pleased the Lord to bruise Him."  Or as the ESV puts it, it was the will of the Lord to crush him.

Isaiah 53:10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief;

God did that which He hated with a fiery passion, in order to save those He loves.  

Jesus didn't have to stand there, taking the mocking and the spitting and the scourging.  He didn't have to listen to the false witnesses, hurling accusations at Him, while He stood there, innocent of all charges.  He didn't have to endure silently the plucking out of His beard, while the torturers demanded that He should name them, even as their names whirled around in His head.

He didn't have to.  But He did.  He did it out of obedience to the Father.  He did it out of love for those He was saving.  

Our Great God did not have to ignore those things that He hated.  He didn't have to turn His back on His Son, His only begotten Son, His sinless Son with Whom He fellowshipped from the beginning.  But He did.  He did it because it was the only way to pay the price of sin.  

The wages of sin is death.  But the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ, His Son.

He did it for me.

Yet I Will Rejoice.

I have been following with a great deal of interest the current world-wide economic woes.  I have read about President Obama's plan to stimulate the economy by "investing" TRILLIONS of taxpayers' dollars in dubious projects, such as shoring up the banks.  I have watched YouTube videos explaining how a switcheroo can take debt that ought to bankrupt the banks and can place it squarely on the shoulders of the taxpayers.

On top of economic issues, there are the issues of Freedom of Speech, or lack thereof, right here in Canada.  I just read Ezra  Levant's eye-opening book, Shakedown, which exposes the Human Rights Commissions in Canada for the Star Chambers they are.  In reality, they are not about human rights, but about the rights of whiny individuals to not be offended by someone else's beliefs or comments.  

Of course, there are always wars and rumours of wars.  More Canadian soldiers have lost their lives in Afghanistan, and for what?  So the powers that rule that country can agree that a woman is not allowed to leave her home without her husband's company?  So women can be told that they are NEVER permitted to deny their husband's sexual advances?  

Sigh.

What is this world coming to?

Well, Habakkuk asked the same sorts of questions.  The world he knew was a mess.  He complained to God:

Habakkuk's Complaint

2 

O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,

and you will not hear?

Or cry to you “Violence!”

and you will not save?

 3 Why do you make me see iniquity,

and why do you idly look at wrong?

Destruction and violence are before me;

strife and contention arise.

 4 So the law is paralyzed,

and justice never goes forth.

For the wicked surround the righteous;

so justice goes forth perverted.

He complained about the violence he witnessed(Afghanistan?), about the lack of justice (Human Rights Commission?).   And the Lord responded - don't worry, Habakkuk.  I control the Chaldeans as well as the Assyrians.  I am using them as I see fit.  The answer is on its way.

If it seems slow, wait for it;

it will surely come; it will not delay.

Even if it seems to be taking forever... it will surely come.

 4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,

but the righteous shall live by his faith.

The soul of the ungodly is puffed up.  He thinks he is in control.   But the truth is, none of us control anything.  We cannot guarantee our next breath.  We have no control over whether or not we'll wake up tomorrow morning.

But the righteous does not live "puffed up".  The righteous does not think he can spend his way out of debt.  He does not think he can circumvent the laws of the land to get his agenda pushed through.  He does not arrogantly make laws that enslave women.  The righteous lives by faith- Faith In the Ever-Living God.

Woe to Obama, who heaps up debt for the people.  Woe to the bankers, who loaned money to those who would not be responsible and pay it back.  Woe to the Human Rights Commissions who spent Canadian taxpayers' funds to pursue innocent men for a ridiculous cause.  The whole earth WILL be filled with the knowledge of God, as the waters cover the sea.  I wouldn't want to be in the shoes of the guilty when that day comes.

Woe to the Chaldeans

6 Shall not all these  take up their taunt against him, with scoffing and riddles for him, and say,

“Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own—

for  how long?—

and loads himself with pledges!”

 7 Will not your debtors suddenly arise,

and those awake who will make you tremble?

Then you will be spoil for them.

 8 Because you have plundered many nations,

all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you,

for the blood of man and violence to the earth,

to cities and all who dwell in them.

 9 “Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house,

to set his nest on high,

to be safe from the reach of harm!

10 You have devised shame for your house

 by cutting off many peoples;

you have forfeited your life.

11 For the stone will cry out from the wall,

and the beam from the woodwork respond.

12 “Woe to him who builds a town with blood

and founds a city on iniquity!

13 Behold, is it not from the Lord of hosts

that peoples labor merely for fire,

and nations weary themselves for nothing?

14 For the earth will be filled

with the knowledge of  the glory of the Lord

as the waters cover the sea.

Habakkuk goes on to acknowledge that he fears the Lord.  He knows that God is in control, and that the wicked will not go unpunished, so he cries out to God, "in wrath, remember mercy."  Were it not for the mercy of our Beautiful God, we'd all be without hope.

His splendor covered the heavens,

and the earth was full of his praise. 

  His brightness was like the light;

rays flashed from his hand;

and there he veiled his power.

  Before him went pestilence,

and plague followed at his heels. 

 He stood and measured the earth;

he looked and shook the nations;

then the eternal mountains were scattered;

the everlasting hills sank low.

His were the everlasting ways.

God's ways are still the everlasting ways.  He is not impressed by the G20 leaders and their empty rhetoric.  He is not concerned about the red tape of government bureaucrats who are vying for ever more power.  This God will move on our behalf, when He is good and ready.  Meanwhile, we wait.  We trust.  We know there are hard times ahead.  Yet we rejoice. 

We rejoice in God, our Saviour.

I hear, and  my body trembles;

my lips quiver at the sound;

rottenness enters into my bones;

my legs tremble beneath me.

Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble

to come upon people who invade us.

Habakkuk Rejoices in the Lord

Though the fig tree should not blossom,

nor fruit be on the vines,

the produce of the olive fail

and the fields yield no food,

the flock be cut off from the fold

and there be no herd in the stalls,

  yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

 I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

 God, the Lord, is my strength;

he makes my feet like the deer's;

he makes me  tread on my high places.

The First Place

The First Place

March 5, 2009 by ostrakinos

Radiant colors swirl ahead and behind crystal-like boardwalks
That reflect nothing around rainbows and emerald seas.

Mild flashings under deep rumblings from between
Chambered rounds of faith lumbering in thunderous voices
Too loud to be heard.

The more I think I know the face of the One who made me
The more I know I think wrong things about most of what makes me
Think more of the things that wrongly made me
Think of them in the first place.

 

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. . . I think with flawed thoughts. . . yet I think often about the One Who Made Me.  

Like Ostrakinos, I am fragile . . . easily broken . . . a jar of clay.  

Yet, I am treasured . . . eternal . . . full of joy.

May the majority of my thoughts be turned towards the Only One who is Worthy of my thinking.

Idol Factory

From the Irish Calvinist:

 I know my heart is an idol factory that can take and corrupt good things.  I know that I secretly crave affirmation from the world around me.  I know that I want to indulge my flesh.  I know that I want to evaluate people based on my standards.  I know my pride swollen heart really does want to eclipse Christ’s glory even through the Trojan horse of ministry.  I know that I need to spend much more time evaluating my own heart in light of the word of God rather than evaluating others’ in light of my own standards.

Heart Idols are something we all struggle with.  We want to be on the throne, to be appreciated, to be admired.  We want to do well, and we often fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to the next guy.  I  have been homeschooling for many years, and it warms my heart when I see that my son reads better than others his age.  I tend to swell, just a little, with a tiny bit of pride.  

Again I say (agreeing with the Irish Calvinist) I have to preach the gospel to myself.  I have to remind myself that God chose the foolish (me), the weak (me), the low and despised (me!) so that He could show His power through His people. 

1 Corinthians 1:26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise;  God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even  things that are not, to  bring to nothing things that are, 29 so  that no human being  might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God,righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

If I teach well, it's because of Christ.  If my children follow the Lord, it's because of Christ.  If I am healthy and have energy and can go from dawn to dusk, it's because Christ, the Lord, empowers me.  I can do all things through Christ, Who strenghthens me.  Without Him, I can do nothing.  At least, nothing of any value.

Lord, keep this child of Yours from idols.  Help me to guard my heart, to recognize the idols I constantly try to manufacture, and to cast them aside.  Help me to live this moment before YOU, before the face of God.  You are SO GOOD to me.  May I live in the light of that Goodness, and bask in the sense of Your presence.  In Christ, I pray.  Amen.