Anxiety and despair over the circumstances which beset our daily lives have been a reality since Adam and Eve disobeyed God. The only difference is that modern technology enables us to experience the scandal, gossip and prejudiced comment of our polarised world in full colour, at full volume and in up-close-and-personal detail. Renowned American fiction writer, John Grisham, has remarked that America’s favourite pastime is the dissemination of hate. Chapter 5, verse 2 of Ecclesiastes warns: Do not be quick with your mouth; do not be hasty in your heart.

So: Whatever happened to “peace and goodwill amongst men?” How can that experience be enjoyed? In our polarised world, is that possible? It is, but only through an understanding of the foundation and origins of the circumstances that prevail.

How did our world become polarised?  How is it that we are beset by a constant struggle between good and evil? Let’s rewind to the origins of life on our planet in order to understand the forces of darkness.

Origins of evil

Revelations (12:7-9) informs us as follows: “There was a war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down – that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”

Jesus in Luke (10:18) accounted for that with the words: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”

Continuing, Revelations (12: 12) states: “But woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury because he knows his time is short.” That statement is clarified in Revelations (20: 10) under the heading ‘Satan’s Doom.’ His fate is to be cast into the lake of burning sulphur where he “will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” So in the struggle between good and evil, we are assured that Satan’s days are numbered and that God and goodwill triumph.

Isaiah (14: 12-15) records the expulsion of Satan from heaven as follows: “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn. You have been cast down to the earth. You said in your heart ‘I will ascend to heaven, I will raise my throne above the stars of God…..I will make myself like the most high.’ But you were brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.”

In the following passage, (28: 14-15) the prophet Ezekiel is believed to be describing Satan’s evolution: “You were anointed as a garden cherub, for so I ordained you. You were the holy mount of God, you walked among the fiery stones, you were blameless in your ways….till wickedness was found in you.”

The issue that defies our understanding is how could wickedness have come about from God’s creation in heaven? After all, the account of creation in Genesis repeatedly states “And God saw that it was good.” God is faultless and perfect. Therefore, it is baffling to try to grasp that within the DNA chemistry of creation there was a fault that mutated into evil. The only response to that mystery I can offer is to await the answer in the next life.

Exploring the element of corruption further, one finds that within the harmony of the Garden of Eden, there were two exceptions: the tree of knowledge and the serpent. Thus, it would seem that by casting evil out of heaven, the sanctity of the earth was compromised. Why, one wonders, did God allow his creation to become inhabited by the evil one? Why from the very outset of Man’s existence was he cast as the battleground in the war between good and evil?

On pain of death, God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of knowledge. (Gen 2: 17). What is significant at that point was their ignorance of sin because they did not know evil. Yet it lurked and posed a threat.

But once they succumbed to the temptation of Satan in the form of the serpent, they became corrupted and open to the forces of evil. In his wrath, God banished Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden and consigned them to a life of toil and hardship.

So, in that we are tempted by and subjected to evil while at the same time we recognise righteousness and are urged to practice and uphold it, our world is a polarised battleground. This is apparent from the extent to which evil and the processes of being healed and cleansed from it are major themes running through the Bible.  If one combines the terms curse, darkness and evil, there are over 1,000 references to them in Nelson’s Concordance. The combination of the terms, healing, cleansed and light totals over 1,200references. Statistically, therefore, as those Biblical references indicate, we are hostages to an intense battle between good and evil.

As the chapters in Genesis after Adam, Eve, Cane and Abel indicate, humanity was captivated by rampant evil to the extent that God decided to destroy humanity with the exception of Noah and his family. Hence the Flood. Fast-forwarding beyond that event, humanity once again proved a weak and easy prey for evil. In seeking to provide order and guidelines as to how God wants Man to live, he handed down the Ten Commandments. But as we know, God’s chosen people, Israel, proved stubborn, “stiff-necked,” as God called them, and were punished in many ways for their backsliding and disobedience.

God’s ultimate effort to redeem humanity from its weak and wicked ways was to send His Son Jesus. By his selfless, faultless example, we are inspired to follow in his ways so as not to succumb to evil. But above all, in the greatest and most significant event in history, Jesus, the Son of God, sacrificed himself for our sakes to free us from sin and to reconcile man with God. His triumph over death was a triumph over the forces of darkness and a lasting victory for righteousness.

It has been said that in school one is taught a lesson and then given a test; whereas in life one faces tests from which one learns lessons. God is not above using or allowing evil to test us. Here are some examples: From 1 Samuel (16:14) we read: “Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.” Saul’s rejection of God’s ways earned God’s displeasure via an evil spirit. God allowed Satan to inflict terrible tragedy and personal suffering on Job to test his loyalty. But Job remained steadfast in the face of adversity and was richly rewarded. Throughout his life on earth, Jesus was tormented and persecuted by the agents of evil. The reproaches Jesus suffered illustrate not only the reality of our polarised world but the encompassing extent of the forces of evil. The most brazen occurred following his 40 day fast in the desert when Satan made three arrogant attempts to corrupt him. In response Jesus said: “Away from me, Satan! For it is written ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only’” (Mt 4: 10). By his betrayal, suffering and death, God allowed Jesus to surrender to the forces of darkness. But by raising Jesus from the dead, God triumphed over evil.

Light and darkness are both practical and symbolic in indicating the struggle between good and evil. Nowhere was that more emphatically stated than when Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”(Jn 8:12). Light is associated with righteousness, joy, glory, upliftment, redemption.

The evil of Satan is associated with darkness. Paul in Colossians 1:13 states that Jesus has “rescued us from the dominion of darkness.” When Jesus was arrested on the night before his death, he described that as the “hour when darkness reigns” (Lk 22: 53). Jesus warned that those who paid lip service to God, would be “thrown into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt 8: 12). When Jesus was crucified, the whole land was shrouded in darkness.

As noted in terms of the contrast between healing and cleansing on the one hand, and evil and darkness on the other, the Bible has many accounts of wrongdoing and the retribution which follows. In that connection, an expression that occurs frequently is: “He did evil in the sight of the Lord.” God wants us to appreciate that disobeying, disrespecting and forsaking him has consequences. In Deuteronomy chapter 11, verses 26 to 29, he said: “I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse – the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord; the curse if you disobey and turn from the way I command you.”

Despite Satan having a fearsome stake in our world, God is the arbiter of destiny. At the end of time, God’s supremacy and control will be demonstrated in awesome fashion: “The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord” (Acts 2: 20). So, Satan can tempt and corrupt but he cannot control destiny which, in any case, spells doom for him.

Our struggle with the polarised world is as much internal as it is external. Paul in Romans chapter 7 unpacks the struggle with good and evil that is waged within ourselves and the quandary which besets us:

When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being, I delight in God’s law. But I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members….. So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin” (verses 22-25).

In Matthew chapter 7, verses18-23, Jesus explained: “Nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him unclean. For it does not go into his heart but into his stomach and then out of the body. What comes out of a man, is what makes him unclean. For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts and folly. All these evils make a man unclean.”

Redemption from this liability was secured by Jesus. As Paul states in Romans chapter 8, (verses 1-2; 5-7): “Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”

“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires. But those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires…..The sinful mind is hostile to God….”

Of course, this does not mean an instant fix. Our vulnerable human nature persists. Thus, as Paul hastens to add, “the Spirit helps us in our weakness” (Romans 8: 26). In chapter 6 of his letter to the Ephesians, he exhorts us “put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (6: 11). He describes that armour as the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword which is the word of God (6:14-18).

Prayer, worship and scripture are the weapons to use in order to defend ourselves against the deception and snares of our polarised world. The fact that Satan was brazen enough to confront Jesus should be a salutary lesson for us as we are infinitely more vulnerable to Satan’s treachery and evil intent.

Paul in Ephesians chapter 6, verses 12 -16 warned that our fight is against the “spiritual forces of evil” which have infiltrated “authorities”; that we are locked in a battle “against the powers of this dark world.”

Promoting hostility to God is Satan’s full-time occupation. Jesus gives us the true perspective and context of what confronts the righteous in this life. Here are his words from John chapter 15, verses 18 to 21: If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you…..If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also….They will treat you in this way because of my name.

Jesus’s mission on earth was to reconcile Man to God. His teaching and his sacrifice on the cross for our redemption radically intensified the nature of the war between righteousness and evil. The very reference to Jesus as the ‘Saviour’ provoked Satan into redoubling his efforts to corrupt humanity and to sabotage Jesus’s mission. Jesus explained this very clearly when he said: “I have come to bring fire on the earth….Do you think I came to bring peace….No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other….” (Lk 12:49-52).

That quote is often troubling to Christians since it appears to contradict references to Jesus as “wonder counsellor” who brought peace and goodwill amongst men. The way to understand what Jesus meant is to see it in the context of the war between good and evil. The righteousness Jesus exemplifies is absolute anathema to Satan. Thus hatred of and hostility towards Christian values and beliefs has gone into overdrive as a result of Jesus’s mission on earth. Jesus was simply warning us of Satan’s reaction to what Jesus achieved and established. The shrill of that war bombards us daily. As an example, let’s look at a very topical controversy: Donald Trump in the context of understanding polarisation and how the forces of darkness manipulate and exploit it.

As stated at the outset of this sermon, the abuse of communication technology is a major weapon in polarising our lives. The volume and intensity of information and disinformation and their agendas promote the polarisation of opinions. If one follows major networks like CNN and NBC, the New York Times and the Washington Post, one might be convinced that President Trump is unworthy of the position he holds and should have been impeached. 50% of Americans polled actually believe that. But 50% also reject those views. Why is that?

The answer is because the other 50% are possibly less gullible and more discerning and consult other sources like Fox News, Breitbart News, Newsmax.com and the Washington Times which carry diverse and alternative views. How do we discern prejudice and slander? The answer is to find out who owns those sources, with whom they are aligned and what their agenda is.

As American poet Ezra Pound wrote: “Real knowledge is for the few who insist on pursuing it. For the rest, education is mere shepherding.”  Whatever views on Trump one has, because he upholds Christian values he enjoys the support of millions of rank and file Christians. Because Trump challenges what is prescribed as politically correct thinking, he is maligned and scorned by those who are associated with humanism, secularism and moral decay.

Trump haters and detractors brand him as a “danger.” Arch-Trump hater and film-maker, Michael Moore said earlier this month that Trump was a greater danger to the US than the Corona virus. The Speaker of the House of Congress, Nancy Pelosi, has called Trump “the most dangerous man in American history.” But what is dangerous about Trump and why are his opponents so extremely hateful of him? To understand their vendetta, we need to know what their agenda is.

The anti-Trump forces advocate a melting pot of nations and a one-world government; they oppose national sovereignty which is why they want open borders and oppose Trump’s policy of building a wall along the Mexican border to stop illegal immigration. They favour bigger government and socialist welfare. They oppose school prayer and Christian values. Already several of those elected to Congress in 2018 refused to swear the oath of allegiance to the US constitution by placing their hands on the Bible.

• They have replaced God’s law with Man’s law.
• They have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.
• They have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
• They oppose disciplining children and instead regard deviant behaviour as cultivating self-esteem.
• They ridicule time-honoured values in favour of what they call open-minded enlightenment.
• They advocate abortion as a woman’s right to reproductive freedom.

According to radical Democrat Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Trump’s pro-life legislation is – quote – “an all-out assault on women and an attempt to deprive women of moral freedom” [Feb 25, 2020]. Gillibrand’s sense of morality is clearly divorced from God’s morality. According to Gillibrand and her ilk, terminating the life of an unborn child is a decision that Christian morality has no business in condemning. They don’t believe that everyone deserves a birthday.

The anti-Trump forces, who call themselves progressives of the New Age, promote degenerative habits and lifestyles. They enjoy the support of New Age billionaire George Soros and his fellow travellers in the elite establishment which is backed by the mainstream mass media, Hollywood and figures such as Hillary Clinton.

When agendas disparage and disrespect Christian values and morals, you can be sure Satan is behind them. To those prejudiced against Trump because of his unsavoury past, the question to ask is: Was St Paul not far worse before his Damascan conversion?

Indeed, God’s way is not Man’s way. In liberating the Jews from Babylonian captivity, God chose a pagan warrior – Cyrus. In initiating the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, God chose that same pagan warrior, Cyrus. Therefore, it is helpful to see Trump as a modern-day Cyrus, a force attempting to restore and defend good.  His presidency has re-established Christmas as a Christian event with nativity scenes in public places. He has officially reinstated the word ‘Christmas’ in public greetings rather than the trite quip ‘happy holidays.’ Trump has appointed two devout Christians to the nine-member US Supreme Court giving conservative Christian values a 5:4 majority. He has abolished the trans-gender toilets in schools that Obama instituted. He recognises that traditional American values are under siege in terms of the agendas driven by the godless and those who Satan exploits as useful idiots.

The relentless hate of Trump is promoted by the adherents of the new world order and their programme of humanism, socialism and secularism which, in practice means the marginalisation, persecution and suppression of Christian values.

In Europe, that programme is at an advanced stage. A report earlier this month by an American TV station noted that 85% of Europeans no longer profess an adherence to Christianity or have become indifferent towards its teachings. Europe is rapidly being de-Christianised as Man’s laws replace God’s laws. Few churches have congregations and many have been closed, commercialised and used as places of entertainment. There can be no doubt that that process is being facilitated and guided by the forces of darkness which pervade the world.

Paul in chapter 2 of his second letter to the Thessalonians (9- 10) wrote: “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of signs and every sort of evil that deceives…”

The concluding verse of Psalm 12 states: “The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honoured by men.” If we ponder the relevance of that verse in the world today, we can recognise how outlooks are universalised and deemed acceptable. The terms “The Conversation,” “trending” and “The Narrative,” in social media are tools in the management of mind control and the promotion of social acceptance.

On this issue, Paul in his letter to Titus advises as follows: “Avoid foolish controversies, arguments and quarrels because they are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once and then a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful…” (Titus 3: 9-11)

Let’s remind ourselves of what is stated in chapter 12 of Revelations: “woe to the earth because the devil has gone down to you.” When Jesus was before Pilate he said: “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But my kingdom is from another place” (Jn 18:36).

In the concluding remarks of chapters 11 and 12 of Hebrews we are reminded that “God has planned something better for us” and that “we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.”

Jesus’s warning cannot be over-emphasised: “I have come to bring fire on the earth….Do you think I came to bring peace….No, I tell you, but division.” (Lk 12:49-52).To survive in our polarised world one has to understand the warnings Jesus gave about it, to be wary and circumspect about developments, who promote them and what their objectives are. But above all, one must strive to uphold Christian values and teachings. As Paul exhorted in Ephesians (5: 8-11):  “Live as children of the light, for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth and find out what pleases the Lord.    Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”

The post OUR POLARISED WORLD: Understanding The Forces Of Darkness appeared first on Duncan Du Bois.

The greatness of God, however, should in itself be overwhelming in ensuring faithfulness to him and his precepts.  Fourth-century theologian, Gregory Nazianus, stated: “To conceive of God is difficult; to define him is impossible.” Recognition, appreciation and celebration of God as the author and architect of creation along with his works as recorded in the Bible, ought to be so staggeringly dazzling that they superglue us to serving him and glorifying him. Experience, history and everyday life, however, is filled with proof that, sadly, that is not the case.

Nonetheless, in a departure from considering our failings and foibles, this sermon is focused on celebrating our awesome God. We are all familiar with the first chapter of Genesis which recounts the origins of creation. But chapter 38 of Job provides an insight of God interrogating his creation; literally unpacking the nuts, screws and bolts of it. As such, it is the appropriate text on which to launch a celebration of awe.

Excerpts from Job 38

Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?… Who marked off its dimensions? Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set?…… Who shut the sea behind the doors….when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place?…. Have you ever given orders to the morning or shown the dawn its place?….. The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment.

Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? …Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?….. What is the way to the abode of light? And where does the darkness reside?…… Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail?…. What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?

Who cuts the channel for the torrents of rain and a path for the thunderstorm?….. Who fathers the drops of dew? From whose womb comes the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens?…..can you loose the cords of Orion? Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons?

Job’ response that should be ours

In responding, Job displays humility and awe at God’s power and creation: “I know you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted….. things too wonderful for me to know….Therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes,” (42: 2; 6).

Job’s self-abnegation is appropriate in responding to God’s question: “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?” (38: 2). “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!” (40: 2).

We are endowed with enquiring minds which can probe and realise the greatness of God as Gregory Nazianus did in the fourth century. But that same capacity has led many to scorn God and to dispute his hand in creation. According to such people our existence came about by cosmic accident and not by design. Creation, they claim, evolved as a result of a big bang some 15 billion years ago.

Millions accept that theory which is endorsed by many of the so-called learned community of our day. They brazenly dare to challenge God and to dispute him. Yet their theory is unable to explain many of the crucial aspects of our world which simply could not have resulted by accident. You don’t have to be a scientist to appreciate that if the axis of our earth was not tilted to the angle of 23½° we would not have the seasons as the earth revolves around the sun. That is taught in Grade 9 Geography. Therefore, it is ridiculous to claim that by some fluke during the big bang that not only was the earth created with all its diversity and capacity to rotate on its own axis, but while that was occurring, its axis was carefully tilted to 23½° – not 20 or 25 but 23½°.

Albert Einstein, one of the greatest scientists of all time, did not believe in the God of the Bible. As a pantheist, he believed that a god is in everything. In 1939 he stated that belief in the God of the Bible was in conflict with rationality. Christians, in his view, had “feeble souls” for cherishing the belief that God rewards and  punishes his creatures and that Jesus survived his physical death. Thus, Einstein’s often quoted statement that “God does not play dice with the universe,” is wrongly interpreted as his endorsement of the Biblical account of creation.

In trying to fathom creation, the Bible-deniers fail to appreciate that as finite beings we dwell in an infinity. God is timeless but we are time-bound and measure everything within a time-bound framework. St James expressed it aptly when he wrote, we “are a mist that appears for a while and then vanishes,” (4:14). It is a sad reality that there is a whole industry dedicated to promoting man-made theories of creation and sidelining if not ridiculing Biblical accounts. As Ecclesiastes noted, “yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end’ (3:11). Before leaving Job, let’s admire another one of his gem observations – chapter 26, verses 7 to 10:

….He suspends the earth over nothing. He wraps up the waters in his clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their weight…..he marks out the horizon….for a boundary between light and darkness.

Space exploration photography has enabled us to appreciate the accuracy and reality of Job’s description of the “earth suspended over nothing.” Pictures of the earth transmitted from space always show the defined boundary line between day and night, light and darkness, which we know results from the rotation of the earth on it axis while it revolves around the sun.

How did that come about? The mathematical consistency of rotation and revolution: every 24 hours; every 365 days; the constant heat of the sun’s rays? How was it all fixed in place? Indeed, as Job exclaimed, “things too wonderful for me to know,” and “wonders that cannot be fathomed” (42:3; 9:10). Of course, science has some answers such as gravitational pull and the solar flaring of hydrogen. But beyond whatever data scientists compile, they fall short on explaining the big questions of how and by who.

David’s awe at God’s creation should inspire us: When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him?…. You made him ruler over the works of your hands and you put everything under his feet…..O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Ps 8: 3-9). Yet sadly, today, in terms of name recognition, Bill Gates and Samsung score above God when it comes to the perception of creativity.

In order to appreciate the symmetry of day and night, observe and note the time of sunrise or sunset over say a three or four day period. I did this over the winter solstice –June 21, 22, through to June 24. I watched the red ball of the sun sink over the western horizon and disappear. On June 22, the peak of the solstice, I timed it at 4.56pm. Two days later it had taken nearly a minute longer to fade beyond my horizon. That is the wonder of the design of creation on which the seasons are based and the calculation of time. Take the opportunity to witness it, mindful of what is happening and has been happening unerringly since the beginning of creation. Be awed! Glorify God and have a Job and David moment!

But let us now consider what David noted in Psalm 8 – that God has entrusted man with custody of his earthly creation. Chapter 8 of Deuteronomy provides us with a vista of the grandeur and richness of a part of the earth’s landscape –the promised land. But at the same time it contains a message and a warning.

The Lord your God is bringing you into a good land – a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce; a land where rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord for the good land he has given you. Otherwise when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied,…. You will forget the Lord your God…..You may say to yourself, ‘my power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember……if you forget the Lord your God, you will be destroyed for not obeying….(verses 7-20).

As an agrarian people, the Israelites were integrally bonded with nature and the environment. So when they failed God, he punished them with droughts, hail, famines, locusts and plagues. Nature and the environment are ever-present in the Bible from Genesis to Revelations. The flood: the elimination of the wicked; forty years in the desert: discipline for waywardness; the promised land: reward for faithfulness; captivity in exile: the punishment for neglecting God.

The beauty of God’s natural creation is displayed widely in the Old Testament. Here is an excerpt from the book Song of Songs. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season for singing as come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance… (2:11-13)

Just as we should be conscious of the daily wonder of sunrise and sunset, so we should find time, literally, to stop and smell the roses. The Camelsfoot tree in my property is in full bloom. I have to walk under it to fetch my copy of the Mercury every morning. So I stop and thrust my nose towards one of the low-hanging blooms. They have a delicate, exquisite fragrance. It brings home what wonders of creation are in our midst. Besides the beauty of the blossom, how does it get that fragrance? Another Job and David moment!  In that brief encounter one glorifies God. With few exceptions, no matter where one is, even a window box or a floral arrangement in a room can provide a reminder of the splendour and glory of God’s creation.

So it is sad to witness the plundering and degradation of our environment and ecosystems. Entrusted with safekeeping, man is destroying the natural environment. His indifference, however, does not go unnoticed by God. That is why we read of crop failures, droughts, floods and sicknesses. God punishes man’s disregard for the stewardship bestowed on him and for not glorifying him.

Awesome works

Like several other psalms, Psalm 145 by David is a psalm of praise. He says, “I will meditate on your wonderful works…..tell of the power of your awesome works” (5-6). Let’s reflect, then, on a number of those works to remind ourselves of the uniqueness of God’s powers, be in awe of them. Glorify God.

Venturing beyond the marvel of the creation of our planet, the sun, the moon and the stars, the power of God’s control was first demonstrated by the Flood. He used one part of his creation to destroy another part – corrupt human society. His interventions on behalf of the Israelites when they were captive in Egypt could not be matched by Pharaoh’s magicians. They acknowledged what they termed “the finger of God” when God tormented Egypt with a plagues of gnats and flies (Ex 8).

Pharaoh’s continued refusal to free the Israelites saw Egypt inflicted by a fresh series of plagues. What was remarkable about them was their selective effect. The plague on livestock affected only the livestock belonging to Egyptians. The same distinction occurred when God inflicted a plague of boils and rained down a devastating hail storm. Again, the Israelites were unaffected by those disasters. One needs to pause and try to process from a human standpoint just how astonishing it is that the Israelites and their livestock were immunised against epidemics which otherwise had a universal effect.

Equally astonishing is the plague of darkness. For three days Egypt was plunged into darkness. “No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived,” states Exodus in chapter 10, verse 23. In this instance, our minds should boggle at how God manipulated the rays of the sun so as to isolate the Egyptians in utter darkness.

As astounding as these plagues were, Pharaoh’s heart towards the Israelites remained stubborn. The lesson here is that human nature has not changed. Throughout history hearts have hardened towards God, regardless of the signs and wonders he has performed.

However, Pharaoh finally relented following the plague on the firstborn when again God distinguished between Egyptian and Israelite and cut down the firstborn of every Egyptian child and animal in a night known as the Passover. Pharaoh’s words to Moses are interesting: “Go… take your flocks and herds and go. And also bless me” (Ex 12:32). Did Pharaoh’s apparent eleventh-hour repentance signify that even the most obdurate opponents of God can be turned around? In Pharaoh’s case, however, it was short lived. By allowing his labour force, the Israelites, to leave Egypt, he crippled Egypt’s economy. He had to get them back. So he despatched his army to do just that.

Once again, the power of God in directing the course of events was displayed. The parting of the sea, driven back by a strong east wind so that the Israelites could walk between walls of water on dry ground and escape Pharaoh’s army, is another example of creation recognising and obeying its creator. Scientists and sceptics scoff at this incident telling us that it is impossible and must be an exaggeration. But as we know, with God nothing is impossible.

Another Old Testament wonder that has the sceptics baffled is the crossing of the Jordan River. Despite the river being in flood, the water upstream stopped flowing and piled up in a great heap. The whole of Israel passed through the river bed on dry ground (Josh 3:15-17). The significance of that event was noted by Joshua as follows: “The Lord God did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God” (Josh 4: 24). But, as time wore on, memories faded and hearts hardened despite the reminders of the prophets. Israel suffered when it stopped glorifying God.

New Testament wonders

The word “amazed” frequently occurs in accounts of the miracles Jesus performed. Since they were performed amongst ordinary people, we don’t read about scepticism. That attitude was manifested amongst the so-called learned, the Pharisees and Sadducees, who claimed that it was Beelzebub, the prince of demons, who powered Jesus. The same scepticism and refusal to acknowledge God’s infinite power prevails today. A sceptic once told me that the blank period in the four evangelists’ account of Jesus’s life between the age of 12, when he was found in the temple, and the age of 30, when he started his public ministry, was the time that Jesus spent learning magic in a distant eastern land.

While news of the wonders Jesus performed spread far and wide, there was a grey area in as far as realising who he is. The ordinary folk were in awe. The apostles seemed mesmerised and uncertain. The educated Jewish elite, apart from the likes of Joseph of Arimathea, saw him as an imposter who threatened their authority and way of life.

How fortunate we are that with faith reinforced by the bible, our minds are not clouded by doubt and scepticism. We are able to ponder in awe the miracles of Jesus. In that context, one of the most profound moments and utterances in the New Testament is provided by Thomas, called Didymus. His scepticism at the news that Jesus had risen from the dead was typically human.  For him, as with so many of us, seeing is believing. When confronted with the risen Jesus so that he could personally probe the wounds of crucifixion, Thomas’s exclamation is a superlative statement of reverence, awe and glorification – “My Lord and my God!”

Equally profound and comforting is Jesus’s response to Thomas -and to us: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (Jn 20: 28-29).

Conclusion

The common retort of sceptics and cynics is that if God was so great why does he allow evil and violence to flourish? The answer is that man has turned his back on God, ceased to glorify him, outlawed him from places of learning and embraced secularism. It’s what God warned in Deuteronomy chapter 8, verse 20, cited earlier: If you forget the Lord your God, you will be destroyed for not obeying. The greatness of God is there for those who want to perceive it. And it envelopes us in numerous ways. Many Psalms and hymns are proclamations of praise for and glory of God. They remind us that God, our creator, expects us to praise and honour him. Jesus always acknowledged that his role was to give glory to his Father. Significantly, in most cases, the beneficiaries of his miracles gave glory to God. On the night before Jesus’ death, he prayed to his Father saying: “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (Jn 17: 4). By rejoicing in the marvels of his creation, we glorify God. So, we need to increase our Job and David moments!

The post Glorifying God and Having Job and David Moments appeared first on Duncan Du Bois.

Max Lucado in his book Unshakeable Hope notes that we are in a war that had been raging since the beginning of time. St Paul in Ephesians chapter 6, verses 12 -16 warned that our fight is against the “spiritual forces of evil” which have infiltrated “authorities”; a fight “against the powers of this dark world.” Towards the end of this discussion I will return to Paul’s reference to the threat posed by authorities.

So when did the force of evil originate?  The Bible traces Satan’s activities to a moment of rebellion that occurred sometime between the creation of the universe and the appearance of the serpent in the Garden of Eden. Somewhere between Genesis 1 and Genesis 3, the  angel Lucifer attempted a coup against God and was cast out of heaven. In Luke, chapter 10, verse 18 Jesus referred to Satan’s eviction from Heaven with the words “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”

The prophet Ezekiel conveyed God’s words on that subject as follows: “You were anointed as a  guardian cherub…you were on the holy mount of God….till wickedness was found in you…..So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God and expelled you ….[and] threw you to the earth” (28: 14-18). Isaiah gives us another angle on the fall of Lucifer when he describes Lucifer’s evil intentions: “You said in your heart ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will make myself like the Most High,’ But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit,” (14: 13-15). Lucifer had become proud. He wanted to be worshipped that is why God rid heaven of him. And it is the reason God detests the sin of pride. “I hate pride and arrogance,” says the Lord in Proverbs  8: 13. “He opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble,” (Proverbs: 3:34). David in Psalm 36, verse 11, recognised the danger of pride when he wrote “May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.”

In seeking to separate Adam and Eve from God – just as he is committed to separating us from God, Satan used deceit to cause the first human sin when, in the form of the serpent, he persuaded Eve that no harm would come to her if she ate the fruit from the forbidden tree of knowledge. Outraged, God cursed the serpent along with Adam and Eve. Since that time, the time of the original sin, human life has been cursed. “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life,” said the Lord (Gen 3: 17). The word ‘curse’ in its various grammatical forms appears nearly 200 times in the Bible and is associated with wrongdoing, suffering and the loss of righteousness. It is what mars our relationship with God. But God tempered the threat of a curse with that of a blessing. In Deuteronomy chapter 11 verses 26 to 29 he said: “I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse – the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord; the curse if you disobey and turn from the way I command you.”

In Deuteronomy, Moses recited a list of curses that profaned God:  the hands of the man who crafted an idol for worship; he who dishonours his parents; who interferes with his neighbour’s property; who leads the blind astray; who withholds justice; who indulges in incest; who accepts a bribe to kill someone; who fails to uphold God’s law (27:15-26). Isaiah gives a blunt take on the extent of the curse: “The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt,” (24:5-6). Fortunately, through the suffering and death of Jesus, a new covenant was established. As Paul tells us in Galatians chapter 3, verse 13: “Christ redeemed us from the curse by becoming a curse for us, for it is written [Deut 21:23] ‘anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse.’”

Our Fallen World

In that we live in a fallen world, we are susceptible to the curse 24/7. Sin is the consequence of the influence and power of evil. St Peter in his first letter, chapter 5, verse 8 tells us to be “alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” David in Psalm 10 lamented how “the weak are caught in the schemes [the devil] devises…he lies in wait to catch the helpless….drags them off in his net” (verses 2 and 9).  Proverbs in chapter 2, lines 13 to 14, warns of “those who walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil.” The presence and pervasiveness of evil is such that the prayer Jesus gave us, namely, the Our Father, contains the line “deliver us from evil.”

Jude, the brother of Jesus, like Peter, warned of false teachers infiltrating the ranks of Christians and promoting sinfulness. “They are godless men who change the grace of our God into license for immorality.” For them and their evil ways, Jude wrote, the “blackest darkness has been reserved forever” (4; 13).

Darkness is synonymous with punishment, suffering and the absence of divine influence. God punished Pharaoh and the Egyptians by imposing a plague of darkness on them while the Israelites had light in the places where they lived (Ex 10: 22-23). Psalm 107 refers to the liberation of the Israelites from captivity in Egypt with the words: “He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom,” (line 14). Job’s despair at his painful sores caused him to liken his condition to a sense of the darkness of abandonment when God’s care is withdrawn (3: 3-7).

Darkness covered the land during the time Jesus was on the cross. His anguished cry as to why he was forsaken expressed the unfathomable depths into which he was plunged in bearing the load of our sins. As he said to his captors when he was arrested: “This is your hour when darkness reigns” (Lk 22:53). Jesus succumbed to the darkness of betrayal, slander, falsehood and agony in order for us to experience the light of salvation which he delivered by his death. As Paul wrote in his letter to the Colossians: “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (1: 13-14).

Diabolos is the Greek word for devil. From it the English word diabolical is derived, meaning devilish or wicked. Despite the preponderance of evil influences in our fallen world, Max Lucado points out that modern research indicates that 35% of Christians are not sure what to believe about Satan. Some regard Satan merely as a symbol of evil. This, of course, is great news for Satan because as long as he is either misunderstood or not taken seriously, he is free to work his evil. To regard Satan as a contrived bogeyman, amounts to paying tribute to his deception. As Lucado asks: “If you can’t diagnose the source of your ills, how can you fight them?”

Armour of God

Paul in his letter to the Ephesians exhorts us “put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (6: 11). He describes that armour as the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword which is the word of God (6:14-18).

Prayer, worship and scripture are the weapons to use in order to defend ourselves against the deception and snares of the fallen world. Jesus cited scripture when he was tempted by Satan in the desert.  When Jesus quoted Deuteronomy (6:13) to Satan – “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only” – the devil quit because he is highly allergic to the truth.

The fact that the devil was bold enough to confront Jesus should be a salutary lesson for us. Given our human weakness, we are infinitely more vulnerable to Satan’s treachery and evil intent. For what we lack is God’s incorruptible, impenetrable aura of holiness. We can all aspire to a state of holiness but only the Trinity – the Holy Trinity – possesses timeless holiness. “Holiness adorns your house for endless days,” as Psalm 93 states (line 5). That is what places God above and beyond the domain of the fallen. The repetition of the words “Holy, Holy, Holy,” in one of the worship songs serves to emphasise the awe in which we behold God’s sanctuary of holiness. As Paul stated in the first letter to Timothy (3:16): “Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great.”

Although we do not possess godliness and are not worthy of it, John provides us with a measure of assurance. “The spirit who is in you, is more powerful than the spirit in those who belong to the world” (1 Jn: 4: 4).  To put that in perspective, Jesus reminds us that if we belonged to the world, it would love us as its own. But since we do not belong to the world that is why it hates us. In pointing out that the world hated him first, Jesus was referring to the war Satan has been waging against God since the beginning of time (Jn 15:18- 19). It is a chilling statement because it shows the intensity of the evil that prevails while leaving no doubt as to how vulnerable we are as targets of Satan.

Revelations

The good news is that Satan is not the arbiter of destiny. His days are numbered. As Revelations tells us in chapter 12, “he is filled with fury because he knows that his time is short” (line 12) and that he is destined to be “thrown into the lake of burning sulphur” where he “will be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Rev 20: 10). The curse was consigned by God to the earth and is limited to it. Satan’s power is only of the world. But while he plunders as freely as men allow, he is up against the spirit of Jesus who dwells within all who welcome him as their saviour. The very word ‘saviour’ means that there is redemption within the fallen world for those who seek it.

Satan’s fury is indicative of his realisation that time is running out for his evil ways. In Luke chapter 21, Jesus provides a detailed outline of how increasing strife and chaos will engulf the earth and how that will be a precursor to the end of Satan. As Jesus stated: “At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (line 27).

The Range of Evil Forces

Having sketched an outline of the nature of the fallen world, it seems constructive to focus on aspects of our own times and of times past so as to appreciate the reality of Satan’s war and the menace of the forces of darkness.

Socialism, which in its extreme form is communism, is a major weapon in the hands of Satan. The product of the atheist Karl Marx and his disciple Lenin, it is a godless ideology which bans and persecutes Christianity. Millions of Christians were killed in the twentieth century in Russia, Eastern Europe, China and South East Asia by the forces of communism. Right on our doorstep in Mozambique, the communist atheist Samora Machel massacred thousands of Christian Mozambicans between 1975 and 1986.

Although communism collapsed in Eastern Europe and Russia by 1991, its insidious relative, socialism, is alive and well in most parts of the world. In a nutshell, socialism holds that all authority and command of resources belongs to the socialist state. That means the surrender of freedoms and sovereignty to a single, centralised authority. The European Union is a prime example of such a dispensation which is why many Europeans reject the EU and why 52% of Britons voted to leave the EU.

Socialism is rife in the highest levels of American government where several of the newly elected congress representatives refused to place their hands on a Bible when taking the oath of office. Those same people and their ilk reject certain aspects of the American constitution, disrespect the flag and seek to tear down all forms of sovereignty by having open borders. In the name humanism and welfarism, they seek to destroy the cornerstone of society – the family along with values and time-honoured traditions. They promote abortion and sexual deviation. They oppose school prayer and the display of Christian symbols.

Besides the creeping extent to which centralised authorities are eroding personal freedoms and secularising society – all of which aids and abets Satan’s intentions – we are assailed by rampant materialism and every kind of distraction and addiction which serve to relegate godliness and virtue as human goals.

Tower of Babel cacophony, confusion, contradiction and conflict rules the airwaves. The electronic media and the internet are monopolised by forces which, wittingly and unwittingly, advance agendas that are either anti-Christian or which trivialise or adulterate Christian values. As Psalm 12 states, “the wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honoured by men” (line 8).

Despite ample proof of the failure of an ideology that is man-centred and not God-centred, new legions of educated ignorant clamour for socialism thanks to its promotion by universities. In a frightening survey done amongst American youth in 2018, the majority favoured a socialist future for the US. Our own country is also in the grip of socialist agenda which promotes bigger, bloated government and excessive regulation in place of free enterprise and private initiative. The intended imposition of a National Health medical scheme, despite being unaffordable and impossible to implement, is a case in point.

Conclusion

It is easy to become demoralised and disillusioned about the ways of the world. In the past 2,000 years, such thoughts have tormented millions who have gone before us as they experienced social misery as a result of invasions, wars, uprisings, revolutions and bloody dictatorships.

The way to endure the fallen world and to survive in it is to understand its nature in the first place. It is God’s creation which Satan seeks to subvert and defile. Confrontation with sin and the forces of darkness is an enduring theme in the Bible. Ironically, yet as Jesus predicted, the more fervent Christians are about their faith, the more Satan subjects them to persecution and pain. It is how he wages war on God and God’s people. But Jesus’ words in proclaiming the Beatitudes should be our comfort and our guide: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven” (Mt 5: 11-12).

The post The Curse of Evil appeared first on Duncan Du Bois.

Healing is the major theme running through the Bible. This is clear merely by paging through a detailed Concordance. In that healing is both a process and a consequence, it involves cleansing, bloodshed and atonement. There are 60 references to atonement, 280 references to blood and 547 references to the terms clean, unclean and cleansing. There are 92 references to healing itself. Cumulatively that totals 979 references and as such, statistically indicates the significance of healing as a necessary and repetitive therapy not merely for our personal wellbeing but in our relationship with God.

Physical and Practical Healing

The Book of Leviticus accounts for most of the references to blood in that it provides explicit instructions on the ritual of sacrifice and the distinction between “clean” and “unclean.” Chapter 11 deals specifically with that aspect as regards food. Personal hygiene is the focus of chapters 12, 13 and 14. Disease, defilement and contamination posed not only an affront to God in how he should be worshipped, but were a real threat to human health and always have been.  Health care of the body and hygiene were very primitive by modern standards and, as such, subject to many rites and practices. However, what needs to be appreciated is that although health and healing applied externally to the body, it was a stepping stone to the health and healing of the soul.

There is a distinct evolutionary thread, regarding elements such as water and blood linking the Old with the New Testament. The title of chapter 19 of the Book of Numbers, “The waters of cleansing,” is instructive on the need for purification using water when a person’s cleanliness had been compromised. Water – and time – rehabilitated someone who had become defiled and restored his status within society and in the sight of God.  Water also relieved thirst and sustained life as we see when Moses struck the rock at Meribah (Num: 20: 6-13).

The parting of waters provided a passage to liberation. Consider the passage of the sons of Israel through the Red Sea which saved them from Pharaoh’s army. Consider their passage into the Promised Land when the waters of the River Jordan were held back so that they crossed on dry ground (Josh: 3). Transcending a watery barrier facilitated a new beginning, an opportunity for healing. Such instances, however, were practical and physical in application. Later we will consider the role of water and blood in the spiritual sense.

With reference to the cleanliness of the heart and mind, the prophets along with David and Solomon, all acknowledged God as the only source of such healing. God’s power in that regard is starkly stated in Deuteronomy, chapter 32, verse 39: “I put to death and I bring to life. I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand.”  But, as always, repentance is required in order to experience God’s mercy and healing. And, of course, seeking healing requires faith.  Hezekiah, the king of Judah, suffered from a serious illness. In faith, he prayed to God who responded with the words: “I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you” (2Kin: 20:5).

David enjoyed God’s favour and mercy throughout his life because he always repented.  As he wrote in Psalm 41: “O Lord, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you.” Following his adultery with Bathsheba and his consignment of her husband, Uriah, to an untimely death, David wrote Psalm 51 which was not only a plea for mercy but a fervent appreciation of the benefit of always staying within the presence of God and of the power of God’s healing. “Have mercy on me, O Lord, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin…..Create in me a pure heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me……Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me” (lines 1-2; 10; 12).

God’s healing is always available – but on his terms and conditions. Here are some examples: Speaking to Solomon, the Lord said: “If my people will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2Chr: 7: 14). The prophet Hosea, referring to Israel’s abandonment of God wrote: “Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds” (Hos: 6:1). In these examples we see spiritual renewal leading to worldly, physical benefit.

From such examples, we see how the focus is on internal, spiritual wellbeing as a prerequisite for political and worldly reward. When Israel was submissive to God, it enjoyed peace and stability. When it ignored God and turned to idols, it forfeited God’s protection and healing. But in a fallen world, just like ours today, redemption depends on the individual’s relationship with God. Again, David expresses this so concisely in Psalm 24, lines 4 and 5: “He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false, he will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his saviour.”

Sin and defiance of  God, followed by God’s wrath and punishment, followed by sacrifice, repentance and forgiveness, form a consistent cycle in the Old Testament.  But it was always God’s intention to break that cycle by means of a New Covenant.  References to the Saviour were made a thousand years before Jesus’ time on Earth by David in Psalm 22 which foretold of Jesus’ suffering and death and in Psalm 16 which foretold of his resurrection. Jeremiah, in chapter 31, verses 31-32, prophesied: “The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them out of Egypt because they broke my covenant…” Thus, God revealed his intention to scrap the Mosaic covenant which was regarded as holy writ and to announce a new covenant in which healing from sin would be achieved once and for all  by Jesus’ atonement for our sins.  Jesus’ mission was, therefore, to bring about healing through atonement and sacrifice. In short, Jesus came to die for our sins and salvation.

Unfortunately, because of the historical and political misfortunes of Israel and despite the prophecies referring to the Messiah, Israel anticipated a Messiah who would restore its independence and cast off the yoke of Roman imperialism. Israel’s concept of healing was a worldly one, not a spiritual one. Yet, if one joins the dots, so to speak, by piecing together the various indications and prophesies about Jesus, Psalm 22 and Isaiah 52 and 53 for example, a very different perception of the Messiah materialises.  Referring to the “Suffering Servant,” Isaiah noted that “he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows….. by his wounds we are healed.” With the advantage of hindsight, we know that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.

Jesus The Healer

Thirty-seven specific miracles or signs, as John termed them, are recorded collectively in the four gospels. Many more occurred but, as John tells us (21:25) they were too numerous to record. All were performed publicly with the intention of creating belief in Jesus’ divine nature. Jesus did not perform miracles for show or merely out of compassion but to point to him as the Messiah and to the credentials of his kingdom.

By human standards and within the range of human capabilities, even those of the 21st century, the healing Jesus performed was miraculous.  Awe and amazement were the natural responses of those who witnessed Jesus’ powers. He healed every kind of illness and disability, instantly. Jesus healed by touch and even by distance or remote control as in the case of the Centurion’s servant (Mt 8: 5-13). He healed through space and time thus demonstrating his divine nature and his authority over all that he had created.  In calming the wind and the sea, nature recognised its creator and obeyed him. In changing water into wine at Cana, Jesus showed he had authority over natural science. In raising Lazarus from the dead, he showed he had authority over life and death. All Jesus’ miracles defied natural laws.

All that he did, he did in the name of his Father. As he said to his detractors, “I do what my Father does, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I in the Father,” (Jn 10: 37-38). He wanted to be seen as the Servant of God. We see this specifically in Luke, chapter 5, verses 40and 41, where Jesus freed people from their demons. In that instance, the demons came out shouting “You are the son of God.” But Jesus rebuked them and hushed them up. He did not want their witness because it would be exploited by his critics. The incident serves as another example of Jesus’ humility and his constant submission to his Father.

Jesus’ ministry was only three years in duration. Yet in that time over a substantial geographical area, without any of the media and travel facilities we have today, he became not only well-known but the object of political intrigue and betrayal. His achievement of widespread recognition was based on the signs and miracles he performed and his teachings. While many became his followers and believed in him as a result, at the same time a significant number doubted him and saw him as an imposter who posed a threat to their order. Such reactions were and remain typical of our fallen world.

Not only were the signs Jesus wrought extraordinary, they also crossed social boundaries. His healing of those afflicted by leprosy was a case in point.  Not only did he accept lepers in his presence but he touched them – two things that were absolute taboo at that time. The same applied to his healing of the demon-possessed. Like lepers, they were social outcasts. But for Jesus there are no barriers and his mercy and healing are never confined by man-made rules or practices.

At the same time, however, the healing that Jesus bestowed was not just physical. It was spiritual. As Ezra Taft Benson has observed: “The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in.” In other words, Jesus’ miracles were outward signs of inner restoration.  In Matthew chapter 7, verses18-23, Jesus explained how he saw healing by distinguishing between “clean” and “unclean.” Thus he explained: “Nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him unclean. For it does not go into his heart but into his stomach and then out of the body. What comes out of a man, is what makes him unclean. For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts and folly. All these evils make a man unclean.”

As an American evangelist once put it: “Jesus did not come to take people out of the slums. He came to take the slums out of people.”

Water and Blood

As noted earlier, besides cleansing, passages through water facilitated liberation from Pharaoh and accession to the Promised Land.  As such, those passages were key steps in the process of healing. In the New Testament, our salvation was established by Jesus through water and blood.  Jesus’ baptism in the waters of the Jordan was a baptism with water and the spirit. As he said in John 3: 5: “No one can enter the kingdom of God un less he is born of water and the spirit.”  The waters of baptism are waters of transition from a barren state to a state enriched by the Holy Spirit.   They are a rite of passage.  Revelations 22: 17 refers to the “free gift of the water of life.”  Whereas water was synonymous with cleansing, physical purification and quenching of thirst in the chapters cited from the Old Testament, the waters of baptism to which Jesus referred, have a purely spiritual dimension. As Paul wrote in 1 Cor: 12: 13: “For we are all baptised by one Spirit into one body.” The waters of baptism are a passage to a union with God; a rebirth to a new life immersed in God’s spirit. As such, the experience of baptism is both a process and a consequence which transforms the soul and renders it fit for the Spirit to dwell in.

John tells us that “Jesus Christ did not come by water only, but by water and blood” (1 Jn: 5:6). It is by the blood of Jesus that we are saved.  As Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians (1:7): “In him we have redemption through his blood, forgiveness of sins.” Jesus himself said at the Last Supper: “This is my blood of the new covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Mt 26: 28).

Blood, as the Old Testament shows, was central to sacrifice and to atonement for sin. Chapter 4 of Leviticus, titled The Sin Offering, provides detailed instructions as to the slaughtering of an animal and how its blood was to be sprinkled and poured.  Exodus chapter 30, verse 10 refers to the “annual atonement made with the blood of the atoning sin offering” which was to be done “for the generations to come.” As Hebrews states: “The high priest carries the blood of animals into the most Holy Place as a sin offering. And so Jesus suffered to make the people holy through his own blood” (13: 11-12). Jesus is the sacrificial lamb of the new covenant. That is the stark difference between sacrifice for atonement in the Old Testament and the New. As stated in Revelations, our robes become white after being washed in the blood of the lamb (7: 14).

Through the blood Jesus shed, we are healed. He suffered the most horrific death for our salvation.  There is no event in history that can compare in meaning to the sacrifice Jesus made. There is no healing to compare with the healing Jesus performed and suffered and died for. There is no ailment or disability that Jesus cannot heal. All it requires, as many examples in the New Testament show, is to have trust and faith in Jesus.

As we enter the season of Advent, let us look beyond the baby Jesus in the manger in Bethlehem. Let us recognise and be eternally grateful for why he took on human form and remember that the healing he provided and continues to provide, comes to us for free, without the pain and agony Jesus suffered on our behalf. All he asks is that we show repentance for our sins, that we recognise and acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Saviour and that we strive to live in his ways. In this season of gift-giving, let us always appreciate that the greatest gift is that of salvation which Jesus purchased for us by his death on Calvary. Jesus is not the ultimate healer. He is the ONLY healer.

The post Healing appeared first on Duncan Du Bois.

The human race is endowed with a restless spirit which, as history shows, results in repetitive cycles of strife and hardship interspersed with periods of relative stability.  My outlined perspective of Saul and David incorporates views from American Pastor Stephen Morefield’s book titled Fierce Grace: 30 days with King David published in 2018.

Background

Circumstances that prevailed during David’s time had their origins earlier. Although under Samuel as Judge, Israel enjoyed peace for many years (1Sa: 7: 13-16), in his old age, the elders of Israel requested that he appoint a king to lead Israel as Samuel’s sons were dishonest (1Sa: 8: 1-6). Reluctant to accede to their request, Samuel prayed to God whose response was very critical. “It is not you, they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their King,” said the Lord (1Sa: 8: 6-8).  God instructed Samuel to warn that there would be consequences if they appointed a king: “Let them know what the king who will reign over them will do” (1Sa: 8: 9). Samuel did as he was instructed: “When you cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, the Lord will not answer you,” warned Samuel (1SA: 8:18). But the people rejected God’s warning and insisted on having a king so as to be like other nations, so they claimed. Reluctantly the Lord told Samuel to heed their wishes and give them a king (1Sa 8: 19-22).

Here we see the basic fault of Israel – seeking to replicate the fashions of the ungodly instead of holding fast to God’s guidance. Israel desired to be “of the world” instead of appreciating that although “in the world,” if it adhered to God’s will, it would enjoy his protection.

So Israel reaped havoc. Saul’s reign of 42 years was one of war, instability and intrigue. Within months his army was reduced to just 600 men by the Philistines (1Sa: 13: 11-15). As Samuel tells us: “All the days of Saul, there was bitter war with the Philistines” (1Sa:14:52). When Saul failed to destroy the Amalekites, as God instructed, and, instead, plundered the best of the Amalekite livestock, the Lord said to Samuel: “I am grieved that I have made Saul king because he has turned against me and not carried out my instructions” (1Sa 15:11). But when Samuel informed Saul of God’s disappointment, Saul rejected it. The two never met or spoke again. A kind of Cold War ensued in which Samuel feared for his life (1Sa: 15:34).

Enter David

That was when God sent Samuel to Bethlehem saying that he had chosen one of the sons of Jesse to be anointed as the new King. The oppression of Saul’s reign, of which God had warned, was evident in the fear with which the elders of Bethlehem received Samuel (1Sa: 16: 1-4). Under God’s guidance, Samuel’s selection of David came as a surprise because he was the youngest of Jesse’s eight sons – an example of how man’s reasoning differs from God’s. Nonetheless, Samuel anointed David in the presence of his brothers. As scripture says, “From that day the spirit of the Lord came upon David in power” (1Sa:16:13).

Troubled by the evil spirit that now resided in him, Saul was advised to employ a harp player to ease his torment. Jesse’s son David was recommended and so came into Saul’s service and, initially, was well-liked by Saul. But that cordial relationship did not last. Following David’s slaying of the giant Philistine, Goliath, Saul became jealous and resented the favour which his subjects bestowed on David (1Sa: 16: 15-23; 17: 26-45; 18: 6-10).

So resentful was Saul of David’s status that twice he attempted to kill him. In frustration, Saul sent David away to lead military campaigns. But enjoying the Lord’s favour, David’s successes simply exacerbated Saul’s mindset. (1Sa: 18:16). In an attempt to curb his influence, Saul twice offered his daughters to David in marriage. But David rejected the offers saying that he had no desire to become Saul’s son-in-law. Outraged, Saul then plotted to have David fall into the hands of the Philistines (1Sa: 18:18-25). But that failed when David again defeated the Philistines. However, in an attempt to soothe relations between himself and Saul, David expressed readiness to marry Saul’s daughter Michal.

Saul’s Resentment

However, Saul’s resentment of David became more pronounced than ever with David’s ongoing success against the Philistines. Saul then instructed his attendants and his son Jonathan (who was loyal to David) to kill David. But Jonathan remonstrated with Saul’s warning that his Father would suffer if such evil was perpetrated (1 Sa: 19: 1-5). For a while matters stabilised until Saul once again succumbed to evil and demanded that David be brought to him so that he could be killed (1Sa:20:31). Before fleeing the palace as a fugitive, David made a pact with Jonathan out of love for each other (1Sa: 20: 42). As he said to Jonathan “there is only a step between me and death” (20: 3)

Chapters 20 to 22 of Samuel’s first book tell of David’s ongoing flight to evade Saul’s efforts to capture him. Saul was so consumed by hatred of David that those who assisted him, like the priest Ahimelech, became the target of Saul’s wrath.  To their credit, Saul’s officials refused to kill Ahimelech pointing out that he was a priest of the Lord. But Saul was so under the influence of evil that he hired Doeg, an Edomite, to kill Ahimelech and 85 others along with women, children and livestock (22: 16-20).

In what has transpired thus far, we see that every desire that finds its fulfilment outside of God comes at a price. So why did God allow this course of events? The answer is, as it always is under such circumstances: to discipline his people for trying to do life without him and to pay the price of wanting a king when he advised against it. At the same time, however, the grace of the Lord enabled David to navigate the ills of Saul’s kingship. From that experience, we should take heart that when circumstances become difficult and dangerous, God is testing our commitment to him. As verse 8 of Psalm 62 states: “Trust in him at all times….pour out your heart to Him for God is our refuge.”

God’s Fugitive

In chapter 23 of Samuel’s first book, we see David being hunted like an animal by Saul, constantly having to evade and flee Saul’s marauding army. Each failed search simply increased Saul’s frustration. Yet despite David’s fugitive status and the fact that his life was in constant danger, an event occurred that shows that he was not vengeful.

Having sought refuge in a cave with his men, David was surprised to see Saul enter the cave to relieve himself. Unseen by Saul, David crept up to the crouching figure and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Returning to his men at the back of the cave, David became conscience-stricken. Although his men urged him to kill Saul, David’s response was gentle and Christ-like. “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed.” Going out of the cave, David hailed Saul with the words “My lord, the king,” and prostrated himself before Saul saying: “I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you….I have not wronged you but you are hunting me down to take my life” (1Sa: 24: 11-12).

Understandably, Saul was gobsmacked by this encounter. He wept aloud, praised David for his righteousness and conceded that he had treated him badly. “May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today,” he said (24: 16-20). Vengeance, we see, is God’s prerogative to take, as and when he sees fit. A reconciliation of sorts followed with David giving Saul an oath of loyalty and Saul leading his army back home. But the truce was short-lived.

After an interlude during which David took two more wives – Abigail and Ahinoam – Saul’s conflict with God drove him, once again, to pursue David. And once again, we see God’s hand over David. The Lord put Saul and his soldiers into a deep sleep which enabled David to enter Saul’s camp undetected and go right into the tent where Saul was sleeping. David could easily have killed Saul. Instead, he reproached his men with the words: “Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed one and be guiltless? As surely as the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him down; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish” (26: 9-10).

As we saw with the confrontation between Saul and David outside the cave, so a similar exchange took place. David asked Saul why he was pursuing him and said that if men had put Saul up to do so, they were cursed before the Lord. Saul, in response, pleaded guilty of having sinned and vowed not to try and harm David again. They parted company in peace (26: 18-25). But intuitively David did not trust Saul and decided to escape to the land of the Philistines and to ask for refugee status. King Achish agreed but on two conditions: that David raided and plundered Achish’s enemies and joined the Philistine army to attack Israel. (27).

At that point in his life, David found himself testing the adage that my enemy’s enemy is my friend. It’s a man-made solution which, as Proverbs (14:12) tells us, does not work out: “There is a way that seems right to man, but its end is the way to death.” Thus, David found himself compromised. If he refused Achish, he would be killed. But if he made war on Israel, he would be a traitor.

Saul’s Demise

Yet in this vexed situation, God continued to work in David’s life. The commanders of the Philistine army refused to have David under their command and demanded that he return to the land of the Philistines which is what he did (29). In the meanwhile, Saul’s army proved no match for the Philistines. Seeing his army routed, Saul took his own life. His body was later mutilated by the Philistines. Thus God vented his wrath and vengeance on Saul. Had Saul honoured his commitment to peace with David, his fate may well have been different. On three occasions Saul had promised to do so, but reneged each time. In the end, he paid the price for his deceit.

Saul was a failed leader – an unrepentant hypocrite, coward and a deceiver, just like so many leaders today. Israel’s plight under Saul showed that it needed more than a man to hope in. All men are fallible. Under Saul, the land God had promised to his people since the time of Moses was desecrated by the Philistines. Righteousness was mocked and denounced by the pagans – just as it is today. Falsehood and false gods were esteemed.

The second book of Samuel commences with David going into mourning after receiving the news of Saul’s death. Despite Saul’s malevolence, David bore him no malice and continued to refer to Saul as “the Lord’s anointed” (2Sa:1: 11-14). In this, we see a reflection of Jesus’s exhortation that, as Christians, we must not bear malice towards those who persecute us. Instead, we should recognise that such persons have succumbed to the same evil forces to which we are exposed without the grace of God.

David’s Kingship

God then instructed David to proceed to Hebron where, at the age of 30, he was crowned king over the house of Judah and ruled for the next 40 years. But Abner, the commander of Saul’s shattered army, refused to recognise David. A feud erupted between the house of David and that of Saul, led by Ishbosheth. But the Lord was with David and the rebellion collapsed after two years. Epic victories followed against the Philistines, Moabites and Ammonites with David’s sovereignty extending to the Euphrates River in the east. As scripture states, “the Lord gave David victory wherever he went” (2Sa:8:14). Obedience to God brought Israel peace and stability. As David stated in praise of God: “You have established your people Israel as your own forever and you, O Lord, have become their God” (2Sa:7: 24).

But, as the cycles of life demonstrate, the prosperity and security that Israel enjoyed under David led to complacency and to sin. No longer needed to lead his armies, boredom and temptation seduced David. His adultery with Bathsheba and his consignment of her husband, Uriah, to death in the frontline fighting angered God. As the prophet Nathan informed David, God intended to exact punishment from David (2Sa: 12: 11).  But God was swift to forgive David for his repentance. “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die,” Nathan told David. Instead, the child that Bathsheba had conceived through David would perish (2Sa: 13-14).

What this episode shows is that God remained loyal to his covenant with Israel. He did not waver despite David’s sinfulness. He accepted David’s contrition and rewarded him with a new son from Bathsheba called Solomon, who, as we know, became famous for his wisdom.

Mephibosheth

Patience and mercy, two Godly virtues, are often lacking in our lives. God’s walk with Israel through disobedience, disgrace and defeat through the centuries, depicts his character. Israel did not deserve that any more than we do for our sinful ways.

David’s treatment of Mephibosheth reciprocated the compassion and mercy God had showered on David’s life and is a salutary lesson in the dignity and respect that can accrue when power is infused with humility.

In ancient times, when a dynasty was overthrown – in this case, Saul’s household –it was common practice to kill off any surviving male heirs so as to consolidate the new ruler’s position and eliminate any future challenges. Saul’s son, Jonathan, who had died along with his father in battle against the Philistines, had a son named Mephibosheth who had a severe deformity: he was crippled in both feet.

Leviticus chapter 21, verses 17 to 23,  lists physical defects and deformities which prohibited a person so afflicted [quote] “to come near to present the offerings made to the Lord by fire…..he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar and so desecrate  my sanctuary.” As we know from the New Testament, many of Jesus’ miracles involved healing deformities and disabilities such was his compassion for the physically stricken. In ancient times, however, such people were consigned to the margins of society and regarded as expendable burdens.

David’s treatment of Mephibosheth, therefore, is significant. He could have had him killed or exiled. Understandably, Mephibosheth was terrified when he was summoned to appear before King David. But David’s first words of greeting were “Don’t be afraid.” Mephibosheth’s surprise and opinion of himself was reflected by his response: “What is your servant that you should notice a dead dog like me?” He must have been astonished and relieved when David informed him that he would inherit everything that belonged to his grandfather, Saul, and that Mephibosheth would “always eat at my table” – like one of David’s sons (2Sa: 9: 6-13).

How do we relate to this? The answer is that we are the Lord’s Mephibosheth’s.  In Hebrew, the name means ‘mouth of shame.’ We are crippled- inside. Sin is inherent in our DNA. Just as Mephibosheth was spared and cared for by the grace of David, so only by the grace of God do we sup at his table.

David’s Last Years

The cycles of history repeated themselves in David’s last years. Just as he had had to flee from, Saul, so David found himself having to escape from his son, Absalom, who conspired to supplant David as king. Once more David became a fugitive. In the turmoil that followed David’s abandonment of Jerusalem, Mephibosheth, to his discredit, remained in Jerusalem under the impression that [quote] “today the house of Israel will give me back my grandfather’s kingdom.” David was disgusted and promptly awarded everything that belonged to Mephibosheth to Ziba, his loyal steward who served Mephibosheth (2Sa: 16: 1-4).

This turn of events reflects the very real rollercoaster that is our sinful human existence. Mephibosheth was gifted by David’s grace. Yet he saw nothing remiss in attempting to take advantage when his benefactor’s fortunes were down. Mephibosheth’s opportunism reflects the self-centeredness and greed that thrives in human nature and which can only be defied and denied if we are subservient to God.

Just as David mourned the death of Saul, so he mourned the overthrow and death of Absalom. Whereas the messengers of that news had thought David would be pleased that Absalom’s rebellion had been crushed, David was heartbroken –“If only I had died instead of you,” he cried (2Sa:18: 33). David then faced the task of winning back the hearts and minds of his subjects who had transferred their loyalties to Absalom (2Sa:19: 13-14). When he encountered Mephibosheth, David again showed mercy. He could have punished him but instead, despite Mephibosheth’s lies about Ziba, David ordered that the fields he had granted to Ziba be divided between the steward, Ziba, and Mephibosheth. David could have thrown Mephibosheth out, which is what he deserved for being a turncoat. But instead, he displayed magnanimity and waived Mephibosheth’s attempts to patronise him. It’s the same kind of generous spirit Jesus displayed towards his apostles on occasions when their faith in him faltered or failed. And, of course, the same spirit of forgiveness that Jesus had towards his executioners on Good Friday.

Hardly had the sedition of Absalom ended, when a new rebellion arose under Sheba, the Benjamite, who declared that he and his men had no faith in David (2Sa:20: 1-2) Fortunately that sedition was short-lived . But strife and dissension plagued the last years of David’s reign as king. Yet he never questioned his lot in life or cursed God. When the anger of the Lord burned against Israel following David’s failed government of his kingdom, he implored God as follows: “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O Lord, I beg you take away the guilt of your servant” (2Sa: 24: 10). He was distressed at the suffering of his subjects, following the Lord’s unleashing of a plague which killed 70,000 Israelites and said to the angel: “I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall upon me and my family” (2Sa: 24:17).

Conclusion

David offered himself as the scapegoat of Israel. But God ignored David’s offer because he had a far more worthy offering to atone for the sins, not only of Israel, but for all of mankind, namely, Jesus. In many ways, Jesus was, as Stephen Morefield contends, “the Greater David.” He conquered temptation and sin completely, whereas King David’s achievements depended on the grace of God which, on occasions, he forfeited through sin.

From a broader perspective, the annals of Saul and David’s lives characterise the range of human behaviour: faults, failings, highs, lows, deceit, lust, devotion, foolishness, opportunism, victory, defeat and death. Occupying two books of the Old Testament and nearly a century in terms of history, it is an account that focuses deeply on how God works.  His patience, compassion and mercy are infinite but depend on repentance and subservience. Saul failed in that regard. Consequently, he met an ignominious end. David also succumbed to sin but repented and showed subservience to God and met an honourable end.

Psalm 12*, which was written by David, shows that the challenges of the world during his time, have become even more severe in our own time. The relevance of Psalm 12 to our time reflects the timelessness of the scriptures.

Help, Lord, for the godly are no more;

the faithful have vanished among men.

Everyone lies to his neighbour; their

flattering lips speak with deception.

May the Lord cut off all flattering lips

and every boastful tongue that says

“We will triumph with our tongues;

we own our lips – who is our master?

Because of the oppression of the weak

and the groaning of the needy, I will now

arise, says the Lord. I will protect them

from those who malign them.

O Lord, you will keep us safe and protect

us from such people forever.

The wicked freely strut about when what

is vile is honoured among men.

(* 12.6 – omitted)

The post Saul and David – The Timeless Scripture appeared first on Duncan Du Bois.

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Creed is an emphatic statement of belief and trust. But there is a third emphatic and essential pillar of faith, namely, obedience.

Besides the example of Enoch who walked with God (Gen 5: 21-24), the earliest demonstration of faith in the Bible is that of Noah. Genesis chapter 6 tells of God recognising Noah’s righteousness and tasking him with building an ark. In carrying out God’s instructions, Noah showed obedience in addition to his trust and belief in God. He must have been subjected to ridicule and harassment while labouring on the enormous task of constructing the ark. Yet he never wavered and adhered faithfully to God’s command.

Abraham’s obedience to God’s request that he sacrifice his only son, Isaac, again exemplifies true faith. He travelled all the way to the Moriah region with Isaac, built the altar, bound his son up and was on the point of killing him when the angel of the Lord intervened and stayed the execution of Isaac because God was satisfied with Abraham’s absolute faith. What is starkly and chillingly apparent is Abraham’s unflinching and unquestioning obedience to God. From the point of view of a parent, to be confronted with such a mission is unthinkable. Yet Abraham resolutely and calmly carried out God’s test of his faith. (Gen 22: 1-12). In the New Testament, James wrote of Abraham’s righteousness: “You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone” (2: 24).

The story of David and the Philistine giant, Goliath, is another remarkable illustration of faith. For 40 days the Israelites hesitated to meet Goliath’s challenge in battle. David, the youngest of Jesse’s sons was a mere shepherd boy. Summoned by Saul, David was adamant that he would confront Goliath. When Saul remonstrated with him on account of his youth and inexperience, David pointed out that he had fought off a lion and a bear that had seized a sheep from his flock.

But what really illustrated David’s commitment, belief and trust in God – his faith – was this statement: “The Lord, who has delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, will deliver me from the hand of the Philistine.” So evident was David’s faith that Saul at once gave him his blessing (1Sam: 32-38).

In confronting the well-armed, nine-foot-tall Goliath, David’s courage and expression of faith is legendary. Armed with only a pouch of pebbles and his sling, David said: “I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel. This day the Lord will hand you over to me and I will strike you down and cut off your head,” (1 Sam: 17: 45-46). And that is exactly what happened. Faith triumphed over adversity in a totally uneven contest. That episode is a fine example of St Paul’s statement that “we live by faith and not by sight,” (2Cor:5: 7).

The Book of Daniel has two exemplary illustrations of faith. Following Nebuchadnezzar’s construction of an image of gold, 90 feet in height and nine feet in width, he commanded all peoples of his kingdom to fall down and worship the image at the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre or harp. Failure to do so would be punishable by death in a fiery furnace (Dan 3: 1-6). When it was reported that three of the Jews in Babylonian captivity, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were refusing to pay homage to Nebuchadnezzar’s golden idol, they were summoned to appear before him. Steadfastly they informed Nebuchadnezzar as follows: “We do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it.…. But even if he does not, we want you to know that we will not serve your gods….” (Dan 3: 12-18).

Outraged, Nebuchadnezzar ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than its usual temperature. So extreme was the heat that it killed the soldiers who cast Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the furnace. To Nebuchadnezzar’s amazement, the flames failed to singe even a hair on the heads of the three men. On his command, they came out of the fire – completely unharmed. Their faith in God had saved them and converted Nebuchadnezzar as he exclaimed: “How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation” (Dan 4: 3).

Subsequently, however, Nebuchadnezzar’s failure to show obedience to God and his reversion to ways of arrogance and oppression resulted in God deposing him from his throne and exiling him to live like an animal. Only when he renounced the error of his ways and acknowledged God, was his kingdom restored (Dan 4: 28-36).

The prophet Daniel’s faith was put to the test when under the new ruler of Babylon, Darius, he refused to adhere to a decree requiring that all men pray to King Darius. As a result, he was cast into a den of lions. After a night in the den, Darius was astounded to see that Daniel was unharmed. His faith and trust in God had saved him and served to convince King Darius of the truth and righteousness of God (Dan 6: 10-28).

Job, as we know was the subject of a test God allowed Satan to impose by covering Job’s body with sores. Not only did Job suffer physical pain and extreme discomfort. He also suffered social alienation. Here is an excerpt from chapter 19 of his book: “My acquaintances are completely estranged from me. My kinsmen have gone away; my friends have forgotten me. My guests and my maidservants count me as a stranger; they look upon me as alien. My breath is offensive to my wife; I am loathsome to my own brothers. Even the little boys scorn me; when I appear they ridicule me; those I love have turned against me. I am nothing but skin and bones” (13-20).

Job’s suffering caused him to question his plight and for his faith to falter. But he never capitulated to doubt and allowed Satan to triumph. Instead, he insisted that: “As long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils, my lips will not speak wickedness and my tongue will utter no deceit……I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it” (27: 3-6).

Job’s righteousness and steadfastness defeated Satan. As Job said of God: “I know you can do all things, no plan of yours can be thwarted” (42: 2). For his obedience unto God, Job was richly rewarded: he was granted prosperity and greater material wealth than he had had before.

As Psalm 37 states: “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun” (5-6).

Jeremiah warned that faithlessness leads to ruin. He urged Israel to acknowledge its disobedience and return to Godly ways; that by doing so, God would show mercy and to restore his favour. “Return faithless people and I will cure you of backsliding,” says the Lord (Jer 3: 12-13; 22).

In each of the afore-going excerpts, virtuous outcomes were determined by obedience to God. But as the Old Testament repeatedly demonstrates, disobedience to God has consequences – from the fall of Adam and Eve, the flood, exile in Egypt, Sodom and Gomorrah, Jericho, Babylonian exile.

New Testament

Faith is bedrock of the New Testament. John’s gospel is called the ‘Gospel of belief’ on account of his extensive reference to faith – some 98 times. The shining, unblemished, insuperable example of faith is, of course, Jesus. His unwavering obedience to his Father particularly in submitting himself to a death of indescribable agony and humiliation serve as an example second to none.

The relationships and associations people had with Jesus during his public ministry were all subject to faith in him. Of the many such occasions, let us consider some instances. The healing of the man with leprosy in Matthew chapter 8: contagious and incurable disease, lepers were social outcasts. It took courage and faith for that leper to dare to approach Jesus as he was in the midst of a crowd of followers. His words “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean” are brimming with the definition of faith – belief, trust and obedience. Jesus instantly recognised that and cured him. The same absolute faith in Jesus was shown by the woman who had suffered menstrual bleeding for 12 years. Her conviction that she would be healed was so strong that she felt it necessary only to touch the hem of Jesus’ cloak. Knowing her thoughts, Jesus praised her and healed her (Mt 9: 20-22).

The example of the Roman Centurion is astonishing because of his pagan culture. The modest and courteous way in which he addresses Jesus even had Jesus blown away by the expression of his faith: “Lord, my servant lies at home paralysed and in terrible suffering……I do not deserve to have you come under my roof, but just say the word and my servant will be healed’ (Mt 8:5-10). The servant was healed within the hour. As with the leper, the Centurion’s request reflected acceptance of whatever Jesus decided. The terms and conditions of faith were all there: belief, trust, obedience.

Yet for the apostles as followers of Jesus and, therefore, already possessing some faith, trust was lacking. It showed in the example of the storm on the lake. Fearing that the boat might capsize and that they would drown, the apostles woke Jesus from his slumber. He rebuked them with the words: “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”  In other words, Jesus exposed their human weakness which allowed them to doubt that their safety was threatened despite his presence (Mt 8:23-26). Lapse of trust was shown by Peter when, seeing Jesus walking on the water during a storm on the lake, decided to try the same thing. But after a few steps his fragile human nature prevailed and he began to flounder and sink. Catching Peter by the hand, Jesus said: “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Mt 14: 25-31).

Obedience unto God’s will is no more resolutely demonstrated than on the Mount of Olives on the night Jesus was betrayed. Knowing what was going to happen to him, Jesus prayed to his Father: “If you are willing, take this cup from me, yet not my will but yours be done.” So great was Jesus’ anguish that he perspired blood. An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. (Lk 22: 42-44).

There is supreme significance in this event. Just as Satan had tempted Jesus at the outset of his public ministry, so now he attempted to weaken Jesus and to thwart him from his mission as Savior. For Jesus, his anguish was not only at the prospect of the death he faced, but primarily at the prospect of his sinless state being smothered and overwhelmed by the sins of humanity and the wrath of God. He felt vulnerable at being severed from his Father during this ordeal; his human side, exploited by Satan, urged him to relent and to evade what was coming. But despite his sorrow and extreme trauma, Jesus was obedient to his Father’s will. Demonstrating obedience is thus the ultimate test of faith.

The Early Church

The death of Jesus shattered the faith of his followers. Of the eleven apostles, only John was present at the cross. The fact that Jesus entrusted his Mother to John’s care, showed that John’s faith was intact. Of course, Jesus’ resurrection and multiple appearances before his ascension served to rekindle faith in him. But, as we know, the apostles were in a very vulnerable position and were obliged to keep a low profile for fear of reprisals by the Jewish authorities. Nonetheless, with the exception of Thomas, they retained their belief in Jesus.

The refusal of Thomas to acknowledge the risen Jesus reflects human weakness and vulnerability. Filled with doubt, Thomas was unable to fulfil the requirements of faith – belief, trust and obedience. But when confronted by the risen Lord, his words are a tribute of the highest order – “My Lord and my God.” And in responding, Jesus pays the highest tribute to all who since that time have come to accept him: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (Jn 20: 26-30). From this we see how belief is the fundamental premise of faith.

The infusion of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, which Jesus had promised, not only stabilised faith and trust in Jesus and the mission he had entrusted to his followers, but it energised them in a way that continues to manifest itself to this day amongst many who preach and teach God’s word and all adherents of faith in Jesus.

Paul in his letter to the Romans provides guidance on how to live up to the requirements of faith. He tells us that while no human is righteous, by having faith in Jesus we are freed from the power of sin and placed in a right relationship with God in which we should strive to live lives that are pleasing to God. As Jesus stated in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:10).

The 11th chapter of Hebrews recounts the examples of faith from Abel to Jacob, Moses, Samson, David, the prophets through to the martyrs for Christ. Faith, Hebrews states, is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see….without faith it is impossible to please God” (1; 6). And without faith, Hebrews tells us, it is impossible to enter the kingdom of God (3: 18-19).

In all of the above instances, faith was tested by adversity and strengthened by adversity. As Peter states: “Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering…..But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (1 Pet: 12-14). Where there is adversity in the world today, that is where Christianity is strongest. There are more martyrs for Christianity today in Asia and the Middle East than in Western countries where churches are poorly attended and little attention is paid to servicing faith. In one of the Emirates states in the Middle East, five services are held every Sunday, each one is filled to capacity. Yet in many Western countries, God has been banished from public life and substituted by man-ordained precepts. Such situations are tailor-made for ungodly life in which virtue is replaced by vice, righteousness is ridiculed and faith in materialism is exalted.

Where faith is under siege, we should recall Jesus’ warning that “if the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first….. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world” (Jn 15: 18-19). Belief and trust in Jesus is the antidote to adversity and persecution. But above all, obedience to his ways and His will is the sure path to salvation.

The post Belief, Trust, Obedience: The Essence Of Faith appeared first on Duncan Du Bois.

There are 128 references in the Bible to glory in its various forms – as a noun, a verb and an adjective. Everything in creation exists for the glory of God. As stewards of God’s creation, it is our obligation to give God glory for what he has bestowed on us. So how should we do that?

By being pleasing to God, honouring him, acknowledging him, respecting him and appreciating him in everything we do or contemplate. Giving glory to God is the key to a sanctified life. As Paul wrote, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” [Rom: 3:23].

Since we live in a fallen world, God has made it very clear as to what he expects of us and why that is so. In giving Moses the Ten Commandments, God said: “You shall have no other god before me…..for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God…. But show love to those who love me and keep my commandments,” [Exodus: 20: 3-6]. In one of eight references the prophet Ezekiel makes to God as a jealous God, he forecast God’s wrath against Israel when he would allow the Babylonians to attack as a result of Israel having forsaken God: “I will direct my jealous anger against you and they will deal with you in fury” [Eze: 23:25].

The prophet Zephaniah also spoke of God’s “jealous anger” [3:8]

Paul warned the early Christians about leading a double life and how that would earn the jealousy of God: “You cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy?” [1 Cor: 10: 21-22].

Manifestations of God’s Glory

1] Light and Radiance

They characterise encounters with God and, as such, exemplify his glorious state. After spending 40 days on Mount Sinai in the presence of God, Moses’ face was so radiant that the Israelites were afraid to come near him [Ex: 34: 29-30]. God’s presence in the Tabernacle, which he had instructed Moses to build, was indicated by a cloud in the daytime which became bright and fiery by night.

As the scripture tells us, “the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” [Ex: 40: 34-38].

Ezekiel gives us an image of God’s glory when he was called by God to prophesy: “Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell face-down….” [1: 28].
Jesus’ “face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light” at his transfiguration. God’s voice came from within a “bright cloud” [Mt: 17: 2-5]. A blinding light toppled Paul to the ground when Jesus intervened in Paul’s life while he was on his way to Damascus [Acts: 9: 3-6]

The New Jerusalem, Revelations tells us, would not be illuminated by the sun or the moon. “The glory of God gives it light and the Lamb is its lamp” [21: 23].

2] Beauty and Majesty

Isaiah depicted God’s triumph with the words “a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath” [28:5]. Psalm 93, declares that the Lord is “robed in majesty” and that “holiness adorns your house” [verses 1 and 5]. David’s psalm of thanks refers to God’s glory, splendour and majesty and exhorts all to “worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness” [1Chr: 16: 10-29].

Psalm 104, like many of the psalms, exults in praise of God: “Praise the Lord, O my soul….you are very great; you are clothed with splendour and majesty. He wraps himself in light as with a garment” [1-2]. Elsewhere David was even more emphatic in the need to give glory to God. In Psalm 145 he says: “I will exalt you, my God…I will praise your name forever and ever….I will meditate on your wonderful works… I will proclaim your great deeds….[1; 5-6].

The lesson from the psalms is clear: honour, praise and submission to God is proclaimed over and over. No matter the circumstances, God is given glory.

Reciprocating God’s Favour

In the first book of Samuel: 2: 30, God declared: “Those who honour me I will honour, but those who despise me will be disdained.” The example of Naaman in the second book of Kings is relevant here. Although the commander of an army and a valiant soldier to whom God had granted a great victory, Naaman suffered from leprosy. When he heard of the prophet Elisha in Samaria who could cure him, he set off to find him. After initially doubting Elisha, he did as instructed and washed himself seven times in the Jordan River and was cured. Ecstatic at his recovery, Naaman declared: “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel” [5: 1-15].

The healing miracles Jesus performed were greeted with amazement – a perfectly normal human reaction. But their response was not limited merely to the wow! factor. In several instances we are told the crowds praised God. They acknowledged God and gave him glory. That was pleasing to Jesus. But it was not always the case. When Jesus healed the ten lepers, only one returned to thank him, praising God in a loud voice. Jesus was not impressed at the failure of the other nine to reciprocate God’s mercy [Lk: 17: 12-19].

Dishonouring God – a Routine of the Fallen World

1] Pride

Our God is a jealous God, as we read earlier. He does not tolerate his glory being diverted, neglected or dishonoured. Revelations, chapter 12, verses 7 to 10 reveal how Satan attempted to seize control of heaven but was repulsed by the angel Michael and hurled to the earth. As Proverbs relates, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” [16: 18].

Pride detracts from giving God glory. No matter what we achieve, the reality is that we owe it to God because he is the arbiter of every breath we draw. Here I am reminded of how some soccer players make the sign of the cross after they have scored a goal. Dealing with punishment and disobedience, God states in Leviticus 26: 19 that he will inflict terrible punishment on those who persist in “stubborn pride.”

Psalm 10, verse 4 notes that “In his pride the wicked does not seek God; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.” For proudly claiming that his achievements were the result of his power and majesty, Nebuchadnezzar was punished by God. He was driven from his kingdom to live with wild animals and to eat grass like cattle. Only when he acknowledged the splendour and majesty of God, did God end his punishment and restore his kingdom. As Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged, “those who walk in pride, he is able to humble” [Dan: 4: 29-37].

King Herod is another case in point. Like Saul, he delighted in persecuting Christians. He had James, the brother of John, killed and had arrested Peter intending to have him put to death as well. But, as Acts chapter 12 tells us, the angel of the Lord liberated Peter from prison. Subsequently, Herod went to Caesarea where his haughty, proud manner cost him his life. For failing to give praise to God when delivering an address from his throne, he was struck down by an angel of the Lord and eaten by worms until he died [20-23].

As Peter said in loosely quoting a Proverb, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” [1: Pet:5:5].

Peter also supplies the antidote to the sin of self-pride: “Humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand that he may lift you up in due time” [1:5: 6].

2] Worship of Idols

The practice of idolatry and the worship of idols was the greatest abomination in the eyes of God. When, in Moses’ absence, a golden calf was fashioned and God’s people began to worship it, God denounced them as “stiff-necked” whom his rage sought to destroy [Ex: 32: 1-9].

In renewing the covenant with God, Moses was blisteringly precise about idol worship. In Deuteronomy, chapter 29, verse 18, he stated: “Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the Lord our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such poison.”

God’s disgust at his glory not being acknowledged because of idolatry is a frequent occurrence in the Old Testament. Yet despite his favour towards his chosen people, they were prone to lapse into idolatry. The prophet Ezekiel refers to idols 39 times in his book. One such passage illustrative of God’s abhorrence of idolatry reads as follows: “I am about to bring a sword against you…your incense altars will be smashed and I will slay your people in front of your idols; your idols will be smashed and ruined and what you have made, wiped out. Your people will be slain in front of you and you will know that I am the Lord” [6: 3-8].

3] Hypocrisy

In chapter 23 of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is scathing in his condemnation of hypocrisy, delivering a withering broadside against the Pharisees. The fact that he exposes their hypocrisy over a range of issues shows the extent to which hypocrisy is regarded as a cardinal sin by God.

Before examining what aggrieved Jesus, what needs to be appreciated is that the Pharisees represented the pinnacle of Jewish religious learning and practice. As Jesus noted at the beginning of his address, obedience to everything the Pharisees said and did was unquestioned at the time.

But in his thorough unpacking of Pharisaic hypocrisy, Jesus starts with warning people not to do what Pharisees do because “they do not practice what they preach.” He rebukes them for showing off their righteousness, seeking public exultation, their utter lack of humility, their greed and self-indulgence.

“You hypocrites! You are like white-washed tombs which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside, you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness,” Jesus declared [23: 27-28].

He reminded them that they were the ones responsible for the murder of prophets. Jesus even hinted at his own death by saying “some of them you will kill and crucify.” What is also noteworthy of this chapter in Matthew’s gospel is the torrent of reproach Jesus pours out on the Pharisees. He calls them “snakes,” “a brood of vipers,” “whitened tombs,” “blind hypocrites,” “unclean.” But Jesus was not merely exposing the Pharisees for what they were. He was also expressing his outrage at how they failed to give glory to God; at how they consciously deflected glory from God to themselves; at how they had perverted religious fervour into a process that served them and not God.

Jesus was also echoing what God said through the prophet Ezekiel. God had poured out his wrath by exiling his people to Babylon because they had defiled themselves through the worship of idols. In justifying his actions God said: “I had concern for my holy name which the house of Israel had profaned” [36: 21]. And so Jesus’ reproach of the Pharisees includes their violation of God’s holy name.

From all this we can appreciate why in the English language, the word ‘Pharisaic’ means hypocritical.

4] Lying

Proverbs 12:22 says: “The Lord detests lying lips but he delights in men who are truthful.” Lies and falsehood were the cause of the enslavement of God’s people, their repeated downfalls, their exile to Babylon and, of course, the reason Jesus came to save us from sin. The prophet Hosea posted God’s charge sheet against Israel in the fourth chapter of his book. An excerpt reads as follows: “There is only cursing, lying, murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds…” [4: 2].

Many of the statements Jesus made, commenced with the words “I tell you the truth.” Of course, we expect Jesus to tell the truth, so why did he always place such emphasis on truth? From what we have seen in terms of hypocrisy, pride and false worship, the truth was frequently dishonoured; lies were substituted for truth.

There are 235 references to truth in the Bible. Truth features prominently in Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah and particularly in the writings of John and Paul. From that, one appreciates that not only is truth under siege in the fallen world but of course, it is fundamental to the whole purpose of the Bible. Truth is synonymous with God.

Verses 4 and 5 of Psalm 25 reflect the appeal frequently made in the various books of the Bible: “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths, guide me in your truth.” The most powerful exhortation to truth in the Bible is to be found in John’s gospel, chapter 14, verse 6: Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

These are such profound words. In two brief sentences, Jesus declares the terms and conditions of salvation and eternal life with him. And the key to fulfilling those terms and conditions is to give glory to God.

Giving Glory

As noted earlier, there are a number of ways to give God glory. The book of Hebrews, chapter 13, verses 15 and 16 provides good guidance: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Colossians 3: 17 extends that advice: “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Ephesians 5: 20 echoes that: “Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

There is a perspective on giving glory which is probably not one we would readily entertain, namely, suffering. Job, upon hearing that he had lost his entire estate to raiding parties and that all his children had been killed in a freak disaster, declared: “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” [1:21].

And following the infection of his entire body with sores, Job said: “Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?” [2: 10].

The first letter of Peter provides further perspectives on suffering as a means of giving glory to God. “If you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God” [2: 20].

“If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the spirit of glory and of God rests on you” [4: 14].

As the worship song states: “Give God the glory – and he will give you the victory.”

The post Give God The Glory appeared first on Duncan Du Bois.

The only time life has been free of persecution was in the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve sinned. However, even then there was a warning of persecution.  In Genesis 2: 17, God made it clear that, on the pain of death, Adam was forbidden to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge. Upon disobeying God, Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden. The price for forfeiting their idyllic life was condemnation to a life of labour, pain, torment, strife and persecution (Gen: 3: 17-19).

There are 74 references to persecution in the Bible. But as we will see, persecution is a two-edged sword: retributive and redemptive. While it is used by God to inflict punishment on persons and nations for disparaging and forsaking him, it is also used to bring glory to him when it is endured by the righteous for which they are blessed and richly rewarded.

The first and greatest persecution in the Bible was The Flood. Genesis chapter 6: 5-8 tells us that, disgusted by man’s wickedness, God decided to rid the earth of humans. Only Noah and his family were exempted. After The Flood, God then promised that he would never again subject the earth to such a curse (Gen: 9: 11). Subsequently, on a restricted scale, God did destroy Sodom and Gomorrah on account of their wickedness and initiated the destruction of Jericho.

Three Old Testament instances of personal persecution and redemption

1] Joseph

Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery in Egypt. But despite his situation in terms of rejection and discrimination, he enjoyed God’s favour. Within the pagan Egyptian political structure, he was able to prosper and was put in charge of the entire logistical operation of Egypt by the Pharaoh. Indicative of Joseph’s appreciation of his blessings from God was the name he gave to his second son – Ephraim. “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering” (Gen. 41: 52). But for disowning their brother Joseph, Jacob’s sons paid a price. Not only did they have to endure famine, but they were humbled in having to beg for food from Joseph, who they did not recognise, in his role as the arbiter of food supplies during the famine that came over the land. Joseph, to his credit, held no grudges. He freely acknowledged God’s role in him being brought to Egypt – “It was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household…” (Gen. 45: 8).

The retribution Joseph suffered from his brothers and later when he was falsely accused of trying to procure sexual favours from an Egyptian official’s wife, on both occasions were tempered by God’s favour. In turn, Joseph did not seek vengeance on his brothers. Although he imposed terms and conditions by way of redeeming them, he did not persecute them. In this episode, therefore, one sees virtue evolving from adversity. That was further illustrated when  Pharaoh gave Joseph and his brothers together with their father, Jacob, property in the best part of Egypt, the district of Rameses (Gen. 47: 11).

2] Job

The story of Job is perhaps the most stirring in terms of the extremes of retribution to which Job was subjected all the while sustaining his conviction in God for which ultimately he was generously rewarded.

Job was a wealthy man. He had seven sons and three daughters; owned 7,000 sheep and 3,000 camels, 500 oxen, 500 donkeys and had a large number of servants.  He was “blameless” and “upright,” and “shunned evil” (Job: 1:1-3). One day, Satan presented himself before God. In the exchange between them, God boasted of Job’s faultless and upright character and expressed confidence that Job would never renege on his faith in God no matter what suffering was imposed on him. To prove his point, God allowed Satan to put Job to the test.

In the first test, in the course of a single day, Job received four devastating messages. The first three concerned the loss of all his livestock and servants. The fourth one informed him of the death of all ten of his children when the house collapsed on them.  Job tore his clothes and shaved his head in mourning, but he remained resolute in his faith in God, saying: “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1: 21).

Determined to succeed in breaking Job, Satan again came before God who granted him a second chance to test Job. This time, Job was afflicted with painful sores from head to toe.  Appalled at his state, his wife urged him to curse God and to give up and die. But Job’s response was: “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (2: 10). Bravely he bore his suffering and refused to curse God.

Three of Job’s friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, came to visit him. They sat with Job in silence for seven days out of respect for his mourning. On the seventh day, Job spoke, beginning a conversation in which each of the four men shared, at length, their respective thoughts on Job’s afflictions.

Job cursed the day he was born, comparing life and death to light and darkness. The visitors’ responses and interpretations of his condition merely speculated on the reversal of his fortunes causing Job to scorn their opinions.

Nonetheless, Job pondered man’s relationship with God; how God is unseen and his ways are inscrutable and beyond human understanding.   He lamented that God let wicked people prosper while he and countless other innocent people suffered. He wanted to confront God and complain, but could not bring himself to do it. Instead, he resolved to persist in pursuing wisdom by fearing God and avoiding evil. As is stated in Proverbs, “fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom” (1:7).

The exchange of opinions was further protracted by the entry of a fourth visitor, Elihu. But eventually God intervened. Calling from a whirlwind, he commanded Job to be brave. Overwhelmed by the encounter, Job acknowledged God’s unlimited power and admitted the limitations of his human understanding.

In appreciation of his steadfast resolution and faith, God restored Job’s health, made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before, namely, 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 oxen and 1,000 donkeys. His family of 10 children was also restored. (42:10-14). Job’s faith and endurance in the face of extreme adversity earned him God’s reward and redemption from succumbing to Satan.

3] Jeremiah

Around 627BC, at the age of about 18, Jeremiah first recognised his vocation. “The word of the Lord came to me saying: Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations…. Do not be afraid.. for I am with you and will rescue you” declared the Lord (Jer:1 5-8).

Jeremiah’s mission was, as one writer has put it, one of anguish and gloom as a consequence of God making his intentions known. The pagan kingdoms to the north of the Israelites were destined to lay waste the land of Judah because of its idolatry and wickedness in forsaking God. “For I am bringing disaster from the north, even terrible destruction” (Jer 4: 6). So awful was the punishment that God intended to inflict on Judah, that he instructed Jeremiah not to take a wife because in the destruction that was to come, families would perish.

A bearer of bad news is never welcome. From the outset, Jeremiah was subjected to ridicule and insults for proclaiming God’s word and exposing the religious rot of Israel. His role as a prophet, as all the prophets experienced, was one of persecution for his obedience to God’s instruction. Here’s what he was up against: the worship of false gods that even involved human sacrifice; priests engaged in ritual sex with so-called holy prostitutes in the temple, a practice that was supposed to promote the fertility of crops; a shrine to Ishtar, the Assyrian goddess of love and war, which had been placed inside the temple.

Despite Jeremiah’s efforts, the spread of paganism continued. But his courage never flagged. In October 608 BC, at the time of the annual feast of Tabernacles, God instructed Jeremiah to interrupt the ritual display by the priests as they circled the altar in the temple. Boldly Jeremiah declared: “Reform your ways and your actions and I will let you live in this place…But you are trusting in deceptive words…Will you burn incense to Baal and other gods you have not known?…. Has this house which bears my name, become a den of robbers to you?” (Jer 7: 3-11).

Outraged at his words and his prediction that the temple would be trashed, a furious mob seized Jeremiah and demanded that he be executed. Unfazed, Jeremiah continued to urge his detractors to mend their ways and thereby earn the Lord’s mercy. Temple officials decided to spare his life on that occasion. But his outspokenness had made him a marked man. Even in his birthplace, he was warned that if he prophesied in the name of the Lord, he would die.

Not long afterwards, again in the temple, Jeremiah declared: “This is what the Lord says:  Listen! I am going to bring on this city and the villages around it every disaster I pronounced against them, because they were stiff-necked and would not listen to my words” (Jer 19: 15). The chief priest, Pashhur, was outraged at Jeremiah’s prophesy and promptly flogged him with a lash. Then had him  shackled to the stocks near the Benjamin gate of Jerusalem. The next morning Jeremiah was released but not before prophesying that Pashhur would be carried away into captivity and die there (Jer. 20: 1-6).

Jeremiah’s persecution distressed him. Now banned from the temple, he complained to the Lord that everywhere he was ridiculed, mocked and insulted. “Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow and to end my days in shame?” he asked. But at the same time he acknowledged that God’s “word is in my heart like a fire… I am weary of holding it in…” (Jer. 20: 18; 9).

In 597 BC, the first of Jeremiah’s prophesies was realised. Babylonian legions took Jerusalem after a three month siege, ransacking the temple and palace and taking many into captivity. Jeremiah told the captives that they would be in captivity for 70 years – absolutely correct as it turned out.

When Judah’s new puppet ruler, Zedekiah, tried to declare independence from Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, imposed a new siege on Jerusalem. Jeremiah advised Zedekiah to surrender. But his God-inspired advice was ignored. Upon trying to leave Jerusalem, Jeremiah was accused of desertion, beaten and thrown into a dungeon. Subsequently, he was condemned to death for continuing to urge surrender. Lowered into a swamp-like mud at the bottom of a cistern, Jeremiah was left to die. But God had promised to protect him and prevailed on Zedekiah to change his mind. And so Jeremiah was lifted out of his deathtrap.

The siege of Jerusalem lasted two years during which famine resulted in some resorting to cannibalism. In July 587, the siege ended with Nebuchadnezzar’s forces utterly destroying the temple, looting the city and slaughtering the populace including Zedekiah’s family. Jeremiah was spared because he had advised surrender instead of resistance (Jer: 40:1-5).

Jeremiah prophesied retribution if the Israelites did not abandon their wickedness. He also prophesied redemption after 70 years of captivity. His prophesies turned out to be absolutely accurate. For his unrelenting prophesying he suffered severe social and physical hardship and pain. In a word:  persecution. Yet he remained obedient to God’s mission.

Overview

In carrying out God’s wishes and being faithful to God, Joseph, Job and Jeremiah each endured pain and suffering. Is not the lesson here that persecution of the righteous is God’s way of testing the endurance of their faith? Thus, God rewards those who see the setbacks of life as opportunities to acknowledge God as the arbiter of all things and remain steadfast in their adherence to him.

Persecution of those who neglect and reject God and of those who remain faithful to him, are consistent themes in the Bible – a constant interplay of retribution and redemption. Many of the Psalms lament the plight of the weak and the upright who are exploited and persecuted by the wicked. They implore the Lord to help the oppressed. The prophet Amos in chapter 4 provides an account of the occasions God inflicted retribution on Israel: from imposing plagues, withholding rain, sending locusts to devour crops. “For I know how many are your offenses and how great are your sins” (Amos: 5: 12). But God’s warnings are tempered by mercy. “Seek good, not evil that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you,” said Amos in relaying God’s word (5: 14).

Isaiah in chapter 52 refers to Jesus as the “Suffering Servant.” That description is widely associated with Jesus’ suffering on Good Friday. But if one considers the life of Jesus, from his birth to Calvary, he was constantly subjected to persecution. In the first place, he humbled himself to live amongst humanity with all our faults, failings and sinfulness. He chose to be born in a stable, to be a refugee as a baby, to do common labour as a carpenter, to be tempted by Satan after spending 40 days in the wilderness fasting; to have his wisdom and understanding despised and disparaged by the elite of his time because of his humble origins. As the Messiah who had been predicted for centuries, Jesus had to suffer not only non-recognition of who he is, but rejection, betrayal, denial and death – the ultimate form of persecution.

Jesus experienced persecution on a daily basis. He was intellectually harassed by the Sadducees and Pharisees, badgered by those who saw him as an entertaining medical wonderworker, rejected by Capernaum and Nazareth, threatened with an early death, frustrated by the fickle nature of his apostles. He had to balance his divine nature with the weakness of the human form that he embraced. As Jesus said on the night of his betrayal, “the spirit is willing but the body is weak” (Matt: 26: 41).

A virtue

Since we live in a fallen world, persecution is an unavoidable reality. Therefore, we should see it as a virtue. For as Jesus said in relating the Beatitudes: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven… (Matt: 5: 10-12).

As Timothy has stated (2:3: 12): “In fact everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Thus, for us, persecution is not retribution but our sure means of redemption.

To conclude, let us reflect on and pray daily for Christians who are undergoing vicious persecution in China, Pakistan and in Islamic states. It is a tragic reality that there is more persecution of Christians in our time than in any previous age.

The post Persecution – Retributive And Redemptive appeared first on Duncan Du Bois.

So, what are the nuts, screws, bolts, bricks and mortar of history – primary source material, as it is called? Documents, reports, letters, artefacts, buildings, photographs, recordings, gravestones – such relics constitute the essential stuff of history. Our world is full of such relics to which all archival repositories attest. Grand examples of that heritage are, of course, castles, churches, ships and houses. Westminster Abbey in England is 1,000 years old and houses the tombs of several English monarchs. Mount Vernon in Virginia, USA, is the preserved stately home of George Washington. In such examples, history and heritage are indelibly and indisputably bound up.

Yet no such personal, physical relics exist as far as Jesus is concerned. He left no personal writings or artefacts. We do not know the exact location of his birth in Bethlehem nor do we know whereabouts in Nazareth he lived. Even the exact location of Calvary and the tomb in which he was laid are subjects of debate. Of course, there is a substantial primary source – the Bible. But even that is the subject of query by sceptics, particularly the New Testament and specifically about the most significant event of all time: the Resurrection of Jesus after his crucifixion.

Despite that scepticism, the reality is that Jesus is the most referenced, noted and enduring figure in the world. Our very dating and chronological reckoning takes its cue from his birth. Outside of the Far East and parts of the Middle East, there is not a village, town or suburb in a city that does not have a structure glorifying Jesus. Churches, as we call them.

So, how do we dispose of doubt and scepticism that continues to question who Jesus is and what his mission on Earth involved? How do we rebut the challenges of the sceptics and detractors who claim that the Biblical record of Jesus has flaws and inconsistencies?

Old Testament

Part of the answer is to match the prophecies of the Old Testament with the accounts of the New Testament. As the saying goes, the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. Beyond that, one needs to rely on the forensic skills of writers like Lee Strobel who closely interrogates the ministry, character, conviction, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus in his book The Case for Christ.

For nearly a thousand years before Jesus came on Earth, prophecies foretold of the Anointed One and as such, created a fingerprint, an historical DNA, that only the true Messiah could fit. Only Jesus, through all those prophecies matched and fulfilled the fingerprint. According to Max Lucado, in his time on Earth, Jesus fulfilled 332 prophecies.

I am neither qualified nor do we have the time to list and consider those 332 prophecies. But before coming to the crux of this discussion, the Resurrection, let us briefly consider nine random Old Testament references as beacons attesting to the life and existence of Jesus.

Let’s commence with David’s Psalm 22 from which Jesus quoted when he was on the cross and which foretold what crucifixion entailed some 700 or more years before some demented mind devised it. Psalm 72 written by Solomon spoke of the “royal son” to whom the kings of Tarshish, Sheba and Seba would bring gifts at his birth. 700 years before Joseph and Mary with the baby Jesus had sought refuge in Egypt from the evil intent of Herod, Hosea wrote “out of Egypt I called my son,” (11; 1). Isaiah (49:7) foretold how the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel would be despised. At the Last Supper, Jesus quoted from Psalm 41 (verse 9) when identifying Judas as his betrayer – “He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.” In chapter 53 Isaiah provides graphic details of Jesus’ suffering and crucifixion – again centuries before that gruesome form of execution was known. Zechariah writing in 520 BC prophesied Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday with the words: “See, your king comes to you…. gentle and riding on a donkey” (9:9). Zechariah also forecast the grief and mourning that would occur in Jerusalem for “the one they have pierced” (12:10). Micah foretold of Bethlehem producing “one who will be ruler over Israel” and “whose greatness will reach to the ends of the Earth” (5: 2; 4). Of course, Jesus himself reminded the two disciples he accompanied to Emmaus on that day of his resurrection that “beginning with Moses and the Prophets what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (Luke: 24:27).

In that the very cornerstone of our Christian faith and belief is Jesus’ Resurrection following his suffering and death for our redemption, it is the aspect which attracts the most critical attention from naysayers and sceptics. For as Paul states emphatically in 1 Cor. 15:17, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” So, to use a popular expression, let us join the dots to make our case.

That Jesus would rise from the dead was foretold by David nearly a thousand years prior to the event. In Psalm 16, verse 10, he wrote: “because you will not abandon me to the grave nor will you let your Holy One see decay.”

New Testament

The starting point for those who dispute the Resurrection is, as CS Lewis has noted, that nobody actually saw Jesus revive, remove his burial clothes and walk out of the tomb. All four gospels refer to the empty tomb and, with the exception of John’s account, the evangelists record the presence of an angel or angels stating that Jesus had risen from the dead. In her state of shock, Mary Magdalene suggested that Jesus’ body had been removed and hidden. Which was the angle that the Jewish authorities exploited in their attempt to explain how the closely guarded tomb came to be found open and empty.

Confusion and dismay at the disappearance of Jesus’ body from the tomb preoccupied the Jewish chief priests and elders. As Matthew tells us (28: 12-15), they concocted the story that Jesus’ disciples came in the night and stole his body. Anxious to ensure that their story prevailed, they bribed the tomb guards into silence. As an early example of fake news, it was intended to discredit the view circulating that Jesus had risen from the dead. But the key point in all this is that nobody denied that the tomb was empty.

In rebutting the sceptics of the Resurrection, what source evidence do we have? Lee Strobel lists nine appearances by Jesus that are recorded collectively from the four gospels. A tenth one is listed by Paul in 1 Cor: 15: 6 and will be discussed later. There were also several sightings referred to in Acts 1-5 and 10-13.

Briefly, the details of the nine are as follows: Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene outside the tomb on that Easter Sunday (John: 20:14-18). Then He appeared to the other women who were returning from the tomb after an angel had informed them that Jesus was alive and would see them in Galilee. They clasped his feet and worshipped Him (Matt. 28:8-10). The third appearance was when Jesus accompanied Cleopas and another disciple who were walking to Emmaus. When Jesus supped with them and broke bread they recognised Him (Luke: 24:13-32).

The fourth appearance occurred when Jesus appeared in the midst of the apostles and others who were gathered in a room in Jerusalem. Rebuking them for thinking he was a ghost, he asked them to touch his hands and feet and ate a piece of fish before opening their minds to what the Scriptures had stated about him (Luke: 24: 36-46).

Although the fifth encounter seems similar to the fourth one, the context is different. John 20: 19-23 relates how Jesus appeared to the disciples who were in a locked room for fear of the Jews. He showed them his hands and his side. He then breathed on them, infused them with the Holy Spirit and empowered them to forgive sins.

The sixth occasion is well-known because from it the expression “doubting Thomas” was coined. Thomas, called Didymus, had not been present previously when Jesus appeared to his apostles and had famously declared that unless he could put his finger into the marks where the nails had pierced Jesus’ hands, he would not believe. A week after Jesus had appeared to the ten apostles, Thomas was present when Jesus came into their midst. After allowing Thomas to inspect the wounds of his crucifixion, Jesus rebuked him for doubting and blessed those who believed in his resurrection without the benefit of first-hand experience (John: 20: 24-29).

The shore of the Sea of Tiberias was the location of the seventh occasion that Jesus was in the presence of his disciples. Peter and five others had been out fishing but had not caught anything. When Jesus urged them to cast their net to the right side of the boat, to their amazement it filled to breaking point with large fish – 153 in all. They then shared a meal ofgrilled fish with Jesus (John: 21: 1-14).

The mountain or hilltop in Galilee, where Jesus had directed his apostles to gather, was the location of the eighth appearance (Matthew 28: 16:20). There Jesus instructed them on their evangelising mission to the world.

Jesus’ ascension from the Mount of Olives, 40 days after his resurrection, was the final occasion that the apostles were gathered in his presence (Luke: 24: 50-52).

As Lee Strobel relates, these encounters and occasions were not about some shadowy, fleeting figure observed by only one or two people. They were substantial; they involved physical contact and the consumption of food. As such, Jesus’ multiple appearances devastate the sceptics’ denial of the Resurrection. Twice John implicitly mocks the sceptics when he states that the risen Jesus “did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples which are not recorded in this book” (20: 30) and that if every one of them was recorded, they would fill many books (21: 25).

The Acts of the Apostles are also “littered with references to Jesus’ appearances,” as Strobel observes (p. 317) and are found in the first five chapters and from chapters 10 to 13. In Acts 3:15, Peter was emphatic when he told the Jews: “You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.” Paul twice refers to his personal encounters with the resurrected Jesus (1Cor: 9:1; 15:8)

The appearance of Jesus to a crowd of 500 is mentioned only by Paul in 1 Cor: 15:6. The fact that the four gospels omit reference to it has caused sceptics to reject it as an authentic event, claiming Paul probably fabricated it. Biblical scholar Dr Gary Habermas, in defence of the appearance to 500, points out that if Paul was fabricating the event, he would not have invited people to check on the fact by stating that many of the 500 who saw Jesus on that occasion were still alive.

The Jews

Although Jesus appeared to many during the 40 days before his Ascension, the news of his resurrection was not openly proclaimed by the apostles. Fear of reprisals by the Jewish authorities caused them to keep a low profile. During that time, the Chief priests and elders stuck to their fake news story that the apostles had stolen Jesus’ body. That was the spin they put on the fact that the tomb was empty. And Jesus himself advised the apostles not to leave Jerusalem until “the gift” of the Holy Spirit had come upon them (Acts: 1:4).

As we read in the second chapter of Acts, the infusion of the Holy Spirit emboldened the apostles. On that Pentecost day, they burst forth loudly proclaiming Jesus as Lord and Saviour in a multitude of languages. Again the sceptics tried to denounce them claiming they were drunk, a charge Peter promptly rejected as he launched into an authoritative and moving address citing the Prophet Joel and quoting Psalm 16 at length while attesting to the apostles as direct witnesses of the risen Jesus. There in the heart of Jerusalem under the very eyes of the Jewish Sanhedrin, on that day, 3,000 people accepted Jesus.

In the weeks and months that followed, the Jewish religious elite saw their fake news about Jesus shredded as thousands more accepted the teaching of the apostles. Coupled with Peter’s miraculous healing of the crippled beggar and the scriptural authority the apostles displayed, the Jewish establishment found itself on the back foot. Their plot to terminate Jesus in the most gruesome fashion – crucifixion – produced an outcome that continues to reverberate 2,000 years later.

Non-Christian Sources

Returning to the point raised about the validity and credibility of sources in determining historical truth, the case for Christ’s existence on Earth is strengthened by the corroboration of at least 10 non-Christian sources and writers who mention Jesus within 150 years of his time on Earth. They are: Josephus, Tacitus, Pliny, Thallus, Suetonius, Lucian, Celsus, Phlegon, Mara-Bar-Serapion and the Jewish Talmud (Beyond Today, April 2016, p.13).

Those writers supply anecdotal information which corroborates Gospel sources. For example, Phlegon, a Greek author, noted that in a year which, transposed from the pagan Greek calendar, works out to 33AD, the likely year in which Jesus died, “there was the greatest eclipse of the sun; it became night at the sixth hour of the day [i.e. noon] so that the stars even appeared in the heavens. There was a great earthquake in Bithynia and in Nicaea.” (Bithynia and Nicaea were in northwestern Turkey near the Black Sea, that is, about 1,000 kms north of Jerusalem.) What Phlegon described was also observed in Rome, Athens and other places around the Mediterranean according to essayist Tertullianus (see: Strobel, p. 111). The gospels tell us that from the sixth hour to the ninth, darkness came over all the land and that when Jesus died the earth shook and rocks split. (Matt: 15:45; 51; Mark: 15: 33; Luke: 23:44-45).

The Talmud, an important Jewish work completed in 500 AD makes reference to Jesus, albeit in a negative way, as a false messiah who practised magic and was justly condemned to death (Strobel, p.113). Roman historian Tacitus, writing of the persecution of Christians by Emperor Nero around AD 66, noted that the Christians took their name from Christus who had “suffered the extreme penalty at the hands of the procurator Pontius Pilatus.” Significantly, Tacitus remarked that those Christians were willing to die for their belief in Jesus (Strobel, p. 107; 109).
Biblical scholar Dr Edwin Yamauchi of Miami University has remarked, “We have better historical documentation for Jesus than for the founder of any other ancient religion,” (Strobel, p. 114). In contrast, Mohammed claims he went into a cave and had a religious experience in which Allah revealed the Quran to him. There were no witnesses to that nor are there any corroborative sources. Moreover, Mohammed offered no miraculous signs to certify anything (Strobel, p. 336).

To conclude: the willingness and determination of Stephen, Peter, Paul, James and the early church leaders to persevere against the menacing political order of that time in propagating the Christian message and to be martyred for their belief in Jesus, surely serves as an additional reason to accept the resurrection of Jesus and all that is based on that event.

The post The Resurrection: Applying History To Conquer Scepticism appeared first on Duncan Du Bois.

The particular book which inspired much of this discussion is titled He Chose The Nails, published in 2007. In examining the details of Our Lord’s passion and execution, Lucado focused on the various symbols involved. In tracing their origins he unlocks much profound relevance and significance of what took place on Good Friday. It is only by tracing the origins of those symbols and the contexts to which references are made, that one acquires a far greater insight into Jesus’s suffering and torment and the meaning of it all.

According to Lucado, in his lifetime Jesus fulfilled 332 prophesies of the Old Testament. Several of those were fulfilled in the last hours of his human life. Let us commence by considering the significance of the crown of thorns which was thrust onto Jesus’s head (Matt 27:28).

Thorns

There are 50 references to thorns in the Bible – 34 of them in the Old Testament. Here are some random references:

Genesis 3: 17-18: To Adam, God said: “cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil, you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you….”

Numbers: 33:55: “If you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides….”

Proverbs: 22:5: “In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares….”

Isaiah: 7:23-25: “In that day, in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels, there will be only briers and thorns… for the land will be covered with briers and thorns….you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns…”

From those references, it is clear that thorns represented the fruits of sin, failure, woe, suffering, punishment, despair, torment. In that Jesus took upon Himself our sins, the crown of thorns, roughly and crudely thrust onto his head in order to mock his claim of being a king, was a key symbol of the dress of sin with which Jesus allowed Himself to be clothed as part of his sacrifice to redeem us. Besides the obvious excruciating pain of the thorns piercing his head and the blood that would have coursed down his face and neck, the placement of the thorns on his head represented the cynical rejection that Jesus suffered because of who He said He is, a rejection that He forecast would occur among the wicked and the un-believing until the end of time. A rejection, as we will see, which would even be represented in the placement of the crosses on Calvary.

Spit

The dictionary refers to the act of spitting as the ejection of saliva from the mouth. As such, it is an act of getting rid of something foul, distasteful and unwanted.  A rejection; an unclean act intended to curse and humiliate when aimed at a fellow human being.

Leviticus: 15:8: “If a man with a discharge spits on someone who is clean, that person must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.”

Numbers: 12:14: “The Lord replied to Moses: If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days?”

Job: 30:10: “They detest me and keep their distance; they do not hesitate to spit in my face.”

Mark: 14:64-65: “They all condemned him as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at him….”

As the Old Testament references show, to be spat upon meant being in disgrace, being socially evicted and detached because one was considered unclean and unworthy of society. Those who did the spitting were expressing contempt, scorn, hatred – and rejection.

The saliva that landed on Jesus’s face was another significant symbol of sin; another part of the dress of sin with which He allowed Himself to be clothed. The slime and ooze of saliva discharge from his tormenters’ mouths on His face and body represented the ugliness of sin. Yet Jesus embraced it because of his commitment to redeem us from sin.

Clothing

There are over 200 references to clothing in the Bible. Most refer to the tearing of garments. That practice was an expression of extreme emotion – shame, anger, mourning or rejection. It could also have been an act of self-denial or abnegation such as Joshua performed after the Israelites acted unfaithfully and God’s anger burned against Israel:  “Joshua tore his clothes and fell face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening” (Joshua 7:6). In some respects tearing of clothes was a symbolic disrobing.

Jesus was stripped of his clothing when he was scourged. His nakedness exemplified the extreme state of shame and sinfulness before his tormentors that he accepted on our behalf. When afterwards the crown of thorns was thrust on his head, Jesus was clothed in a purple robe. The colour of that clothing was associated with authority, kingship and wealth. Although clothing Jesus in that robe after having savagely scourged him and crowned him with thorns was meant to be the ultimate mockery, the reality is that Jesus is the king of kings, the ultimate authority and possesses all.

Before his passion and death, Jesus’s cloak was associated with divine power. Mark 5: 28-30 tells of the woman in the crowd who had suffered menstrual bleeding for twelve years. Her faith was such that she believed that if she could merely touch the hem of his cloak, she would be healed. And she was. Jesus noted that when she touched his clothing “power had gone out of him.”

At the Transfiguration, Jesus’s clothing “became as bright as a flash of lightning” (Luke: 9:30). The point here is that dressed in his own clothes, Jesus exuded divine power and influence. Stripped of that clothing he was brought down to our level of sinfulness, scorn, shame – and, as we will see, – despair.

On Calvary, the removal of Jesus’s seamless robe has huge significance. Its seamlessness represented his unblemished character, purity and sinlessness – his perfection. By being reduced to nakedness when he was crucified, Jesus assumed a different wardrobe – one of indignity and the criminality associated with crucifixion. In other words, he was clothed in the full apparel and disgrace of sin. In other words, he changed places with us and bore and wore our sins.

The nature of Jesus’s seamless garment even had an effect on his executors. They cast dice to see who would own it as they did not wish to tear it into pieces (John: 19:24). The significant word here is “tear” – and what we know it meant Biblically.

Clothing was significant in the discovery of Jesus’s resurrection. The Jews tried to claim that the apostles had stolen his body. But consider the following facts: If his body had been stolen, how come his grave clothes were neatly folded up? Why, if stealing a body, would you want to remove the burial garments? (See: John 20:6-7). Of symbolic significance here is that Jesus’s unclothed state on Calvary had represented death – the death of sin, whilst the folded burial clothes in the tomb that Sunday morning attested to Jesus’s resurrection, his triumph over death and the very foundation of our Christian belief and faith.

Blood

There are over 270 references to blood in the Bible, mostly in the Old Testament.

Exodus 12:1-12 recounts the safe delivery of Israelites in Egypt who had painted their doorposts with the blood of a sheep or goat that was without blemish. Blood was fundamental in offerings seeking atonement. Bloodshed marked the birth of Jesus when Herod ordered the slaying of first-born males in an attempt to eliminate his fear that Jesus posed a threat to his position as King.

Of course, the most significant reference to blood was made by Jesus at the Last Supper when he gave notice that his “blood would be poured out for many” (Mark: 14: 24) as the founding of the new covenant between God and Man. As St Paul states in Colossians 1:20: “ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him and through him reconcile to himself all things… by making peace through his blood on the cross.”

The blood Jesus shed on Good Friday is the blood of the new covenant which purchased our redemption. Just as the sheep or goat slain at the Passover in Egypt had to have been without blemish, so Jesus, the offering on which the new covenant was based, is without blemish. Without that and without his resurrection, there would be no foundation to our Christian faith. Thus, the blood Jesus shed during his torture, scourging and crucifixion was all part of his sacrifice to gain our redemption from sin.

Jesus’s bloodshed began when he was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. His anguish at his coming ordeal was such that he perspired blood. Severe pain always accompanies bloodshed. Excessive bloodshed causes a loss of consciousness. Scourging as inflicted by the Romans was intended to be so extreme that the victim was left literally half dead. Add to that the crown of thorns and the beating he received in trying to carry the cross and falling three times through severe loss of blood. The effects of the crucifying nails simply drained whatever blood reserves Jesus still had. In saying that his blood would be “poured out,” Jesus could not have been more specific.

Pilate’s sign – INRI

Scorn, contempt and mockery constituted the psychological aspect of Jesus’s suffering and death even to the extent of the written sign which Pontius Pilate had placed on the cross above Jesus’s head. INRI – written so as to be internationally readable – stands for: Jesus of Nazareth. King of the Jews.

Meant to ridicule Jesus and to placate the political sensitivities of the Jewish Sanhedrin for Jesus’s alleged crime in claiming to be a king, the irony of Pilate’s sign is its eternal truth. As Revelations 17:14 and 19:16 states: Jesus is the Lord of lords and the King of kings.

The three crosses

There is great significance in the fact that Jesus’s cross was placed between those of the two criminals who were also crucified that day. The one criminal rejected Jesus by mocking and scorning him. The other showed respect and repentance.

Thus, the placing of the three crosses is of profound relevance:  Jesus’s cross represents redemption as the centre of Christian faith. He was flanked by rejection on the one side and repentance on the other. Our world is characterised by rejection of Jesus and by recognition of Him as Redeemer only through repentance.

Temple curtain

When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain in front of the atonement cover of the ark, the most holy place, the barrier to the holiest of holies, was ripped in half. That curtain measured 60 by 30 feet in size. To tear it in half in a flash was physically impossible. Yet that is what happened. The tearing of the curtain paralleled the tearing of Jesus’s flesh when he was scourged and crucified.

Levitcus 16:1-2 tells of the extreme holiness of the temple’s sanctuary:

“The Lord said to Moses: tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover of the ark, or else he will die…”

Exodus 33:15-33 indicates the great barrier that existed between God and Moses. Despite their dialogue, God made it very clear that “no one may see him and live.”

By his death Jesus destroyed the curtain barrier to the holiest of holies. For 1,500 years that curtain had separated God from human beings. It had rendered him remote and unapproachable. By defeating sin Jesus removed that barrier, opened access to God and initiated, dramatically, a new beginning in the relationship of Man with  God.

Human nature

In submitting to the legal system of that time as a human being and in accepting the torture and torment of that system along with the sins of humanity, Jesus naturally evinced human emotions. When Jesus cried out on the cross asking why his Father had abandoned him (Mark: 15:34), he was exhibiting natural human feelings of abandonment and anxiety. Clothed in sin, rejected and in extreme pain, Jesus plumbed the depths of despair on our behalf. Apart from his anguish in the Garden of Gethsemene, those words of anguish on the cross constituted the lowest point of Jesus’s human psyche.

Excerpts from Psalm 88: 7-18 illustrate this:  “Your wrath lies heavily upon me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves….. I am confined and cannot escape; my eyes are dim with grief; I spread out my hands to you….the darkness is my closest friend.”

Soon after that Jesus died. He had fulfilled his mission completely as the scriptures foretold. (See in particular Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53). As Isaiah stated: ‘For he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors’” (53:12).

Jesus’s greatest humility was to be born and live amongst humanity; to experience all the slings and arrows of life whilst simultaneously remaining sinless; to be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver; to be sentenced to the harshest, most inhumane of punishments exacerbated by vindictive, wilful, bestial cruelty, sentenced to crucifixion in place of a criminal who was released to go free.

Jesus’s ordeal on our behalf can never be atoned by us. Yet he accepted it as Isaiah states, “like a lamb to the slaughter, as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth….Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer…” (53: 7; 10).

Darkness and light

Finally, darkness and light played a highly significant role in the drama of Good Friday and its aftermath. There are over 200 references to darkness in the Bible. One of the most significant and symbolic is to be found in Exodus 10:21 – the plague of darkness. One of the punishments God unleashed on Pharaoh’s Egypt was to cover the Egyptians in extreme darkness for three days, so that no one could see anyone else or leave his place. “Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.”

Darkness is associated with God’s wrath and the prevalence of evil. When Jesus was arrested, anticipating what was coming, he said to the delegation of temple guards and priests: “Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour – when darkness reigns” (Luke 22:53).

When Jesus was on the cross, St Luke recorded that “darkness came over the land… the sun stopped shining” (23:44). As noted above, that darkness served to heighten Jesus’s feeling of the oppression of sin and evil and to manifest his anguish. Yet that gloom spelt doom for sin on account of Jesus’s sacrifice.

In contrast, light represents joy, justice and God’s grace – “let us walk in the light of the Lord,” says Isaiah 2:5. Not surprisingly, there are over 250 references to light in the Bible. Jesus lucidly contrasted the relevance of darkness and light when he said: “I have come into the world as a light so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness (John 12:46).

The darkness and all it represented on Good Friday was extinguished and dispelled by the sunshine and brightness of that Easter Sunday morning when the resurrection of Jesus was discovered. Mark’s gospel tells of the visit of the women to Jesus’s tomb “very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise” and of their alarm at seeing the tomb empty (16: 2; 6). But subsequent references in the four gospels to Jesus after his resurrection are of enlightenment in understanding his redemptory role and of unprecedented joy. Jesus’s entry into the world was indicated by the brightness of a star that illuminated the sky. His resurrection and ascension into Heaven took place in the light and brightness of day. As John wrote in Revelations (22:5), for those who accept the redemption Jesus offers, “there will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.”

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