God's Telling Our Story

Welcome to Matthew Mondays Part 2.  There’s a lot that could be said about Matthew Chapter 2 and the birth of Jesus Christ, but let’s start with a contemplation:

Have you ever thought about Jesus’ conception?  I mean never mind that Mary’s a teenage virgin, consider for a moment that the infinite God mashed His essence into one cell inside of that teenage virgin, and she didn’t explode!  How crazy is that? 

I’m going to just let you think about that for awhile for two reasons: first two millennium have been spent trying to understand the whole fully God, fully man thing, and secondly I have nothing new to offer.  I’m as amazed and confused by the whole thing as anyone else.  What a powerful and humble God we serve!

So then, since there's no good way to transition from the awe of the incarnation, let's just jump right in; shall we?  When we look at chapter 2, the story of Jesus’ birth in Matthew’s Gospel is as significant in what he leaves out as what he chooses to include. 

Matthew doesn’t mention the census, the manger, the shepherds, the dedication at the temple, or Anna and Simeon.  Instead Matthew’s main focus is to show that Jesus is a descendant of David and heir to the crown, and he does it with the story of the Magi.

The Magi ask, “where is he who is born king of the Jews?” This brings up an important point.  Herod is not the true king of Israel.  Herod was not a descendant of David. He was an Edomite (a descendant of Esau) that the Roman government had set in place: a puppet king.  He had converted to Judaism for the sake of ruling Judah, but he was not of the kingly lineage. 

And he was aware, as was all of Jerusalem, that there was a descendant of David out there.  The Jewish people kept copious records of genealogy at the temple, many of which were destroyed by Rome in 70 A.D. 

Who was that descendant?

Now you’d be tempted to jump and say, “Jesus”, and while you’re not wrong, let’s not forget the genealogy in chapter one.  Joseph, as a son of David and a direct descendant of the kingly line, had a legitimate claim to the throne, and there would have been record on hand to prove it.  Thus his son, Jesus, would have record on hand to prove it.   In fact Jewish scholars from antiquity back up Joseph and Mary’s lineage, though they do so while denying Christ.

The fact that Joseph was a carpenter and not the king shows the situation Israel found itself in during Jesus’ birth.  It was occupied.  Its rulers were appointed by and subservient to Rome.   But the Jewish people were ready to revolt, and if they had a king, a descendant of David, they would have at the drop of a hat.  In fact, all through the Gospels the disciples are itching for war and missing the point of Jesus’ incarnation, which we’ll see in later chapters. 

So, when the Magi show up spouting off about a king, the king of the Jews.  Herod is understandably put on edge, which leads to the child killing and all that.

I guess the part that I find intriguing about the whole scenario is that God picks this point in history to send the Messiah: the One who will free His people from their sins.  This point where the Jewish people are not only figuratively captive in their sin, they’re literally captive, occupied by a foreign power.  And after all the cycles of blessing and cursing, plenty and little, freedom and captivity, God picks this point to send the One to end the cycle, first for the Jew and then the Gentile.

And He does it humbly in the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, so that we might once and all be free from sin, so the King of kings and Lord of lords would not just be the literal king of the Jews who overthrew an earthly oppressor, but the King of all, who took the keys to hell and death, who set us free from ourselves, and who will reign forever and ever.

Could the timing have been better?  I don’t think so.  God is an amazing storyteller, and I can tell you this much, He’s telling your story right now.  The more you listen to the storyteller, the more you’ll get out of this life.

Unveiling the Kings of Israel

David Down’s new book released by New Leaf publishing is an archeological journey through the holy land in which we get a glimpse of biblical life excavated from the mounds of sand and time.   The main premise is that far from being a book of myths, the Bible is an amazing historical record, and each year, more archaeological discoveries continue to prove its validity and significance.

There were a lot of things that I learned from book like how Abraham most likely brought advanced mathematics from Ur to Egypt, which is why he schmoozed with pharaoh, how much water a camel drinks and how hard it would have been for Rebekah to water 10 of them for Isaac’s servant, or even how there is huge amount of written history from other cultures like the Sumerians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Greeks, and Romans that correlate with Biblical history (including many of the miracles.)

And as much as I learned, the academic in me was disappointed by a couple of issues that I noticed in the book: 

First David Down frequently refers to his altered timeline that goes against the currently accepted one for the Egyptian empire.  He says it’s about two hundred years different, but there is not much in terms of actual or estimated dates, like 1600 B.C.  So unless you are deeply familiar with the Egyptian Empire and the dates of all the pharaohs he references; it’s hard to get a sense of when these events are taking place.

Second, the section on the last king of Israel is pretty sparse when it comes to any references to archeological or historical evidence.  And there is a lot he could have referred to, but instead he just recounts the story.

I definitely recommend Unveiling the Kings of Israel if you’re into this sort of thing.

You can buy the book here for $19.79

I received this book free from the publisher in return for my honest opinion.

Featured Non-Profit

This December with every post till Christmas, I'm featuring a non-profit worthy of support.  You can see a complete list here.

Today’s Non-profit is the Joshua Fund

Since this post reviews a book on the Holy Land, I thought a non-profit that focuses specifically on the Holy Land would be appropriate.  The Joshua Fund was founded by Joel Rosenberg to be a blessing to Israel and the surrounding nations.  They help the poor in the area, as well as sharing the Gospel with Jews and Muslims alike.  They work almost exclusivity with local pastors, who in many cases are part of the persecuted church, especially in the Muslim nations.

You can read more about supporting the Joshua Fund here.

The Amen is the End

Have you ever stopped to wonder why we always end our prayers with “In Jesus’ name, amen?” The phrase has become this trite little farewell to God after prayer that I doubt many of us have given much thought.  It’s like saying goodbye after we get off the phone. 

“Uh God, I gotta go.  Dinner is getting cold.  
In Jesus’ name, amen.” Click.

Jesus said, “if you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14:14), so we ask everything in His name.  “Bless our food”, “Bless my dog”, “Bless grandma”, “Bless the president”, etcetera, all in Jesus’ name. 

Yet do we ever stop to think about the name we’re whipping out like a no-limit credit card on Heavenstore.com? 

Are we so quick to forget that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father? (Philippians 2:10-11)

Where is the respect due our Lord in using His name so arbitrarily?  I’m not saying not to ask in the name of Jesus, just don’t throw it out in vain without a second thought about who’s name you're using.

And as far as the “Amen” goes, if you’ve done a word-study on “amen” or have ever heard a sermon on it before, you probably already know it means “truly, surely, or it is so.”  But have you ever looked at the word in context?  It never comes after “In the name of Jesus” at the end of a prayer.  The word is sometimes used as an agreement, but it is almost exclusively found after blessing or praising God, like in the Lord’s Prayer: “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:13) 

This use of the word is something I just discovered while writing this post, which is very different then what I intended to write, and in discovering this use of the word, it seems very nearly blasphemous to say it after blessing our food, our dog, our grandmas, even our president.  In fact in Revelation, Jesus says, “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this . . .” (Revelation 3:14).

He calls Himself “the Amen”, which shouldn’t be that shocking since He calls Himself “the Truth” in John 14:6, but it’s like the double whammy of using the Lord’s name in vain at the end of our trite little prayers.  Amen isn’t the end of a prayer; the “Amen” is the End, as in the “Beginning and the End.”

Here’s what I propose.  Let’s stop praying like the God we speak to isn’t real and doesn’t care how we talk to Him, and let’s start praying with fear and trembling, awe and respect, and most of all love for Jesus Christ and the Father who loved us enough to send His Son.

To God Almighty be all glory and honor forever and ever, Amen.

Why are Christians so Power Hungry?

There are a few different types of power hungry Christians that I’ve met over the years.  There are the Dominion groups, both conservative and charismatic, who want to take over the world for Christ the king, either politically, socially, or spiritually.  There are the signs and wonders groups that want to call down fire from heaven anytime they should so desire.  There are the legalists who like to rule over their followers through condemnation.  And there are the traditionalists and denominationalists that set up hierarchies of power to maintain proper distance between individuals and God.

The thing is all of these groups have taken elements that Jesus taught and built man-made traditions around them.   But the kind of power a Christian should seek can never be found in man-made traditions. 

Jesus once told the disciples, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven." (Luke 10:19-20)

Jesus also said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

If you want to know power, seek to know God.  He doesn’t need your help to bring His kingdom to earth, He doesn’t need your help to perform signs and wonders, He doesn’t need your help to convict sinners, and He doesn’t need your help as mediators when dealing with people. 

But when you know Him, when you speak to Him and He speaks back, when you submit to Him and obey His commandments, when you love Him with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might, He will endow you with power from on high to accomplish His will on Earth, which might include all those things mentioned above.

The point is don’t start out thinking you know what’s best when it comes to wielding God’s power.  You are not a superhero out to save the day.  Don’t pray, “God give me the ability to do ‘x, y, or z’.” Rather, seek God’s face because He’s God.  Get to know the One who gives and takes away.  Pray, “God I want to do whatever you want me to do today.  I’m totally submitted to You because I love You.” Serve Him in your weakest moments just as lovingly and confidently as in the moments where it seems like all of heaven is at your beck and call, not because of anything He can do for you, but because of Who He Is:

The I Am, The Beginning and the End, the Creator, the Almighty One, Savior, Deliverer, Provider, Healer, the Jealous One, Merciful and Just, Father, Bridegroom, Brother, Friend . . . Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was, and is, and is to come!

What If Adam Hadn't Sinned?

"What if’s” are useless questions.  The past is over.  It cannot be undone only remembered, judged, celebrated, forgiven, or forgotten.  The past is nothing but a place of learned lessons or ignored warnings.  The future is not much different.  James says, “you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). 

There is no point in thinking about “what if’s” or “what then’s”, only "what now’s."

And while I firmly believe that this is the case, the other night I had a dream that was interesting and worth discussion regarding a “what if” scenario, particularly what if Adam hadn’t sinned. 

It’s not a topic that I wonder much about because I’m also a firm believer that Jesus was chosen before the creation of the world to save us from our sin (1 Peter 1:20).  And I don’t think God was at all surprised by His creations’ actions in the garden.  All that said, in the dream I was explaining to my wife what our place in the world would be like if Adam hadn’t sinned. 

I said:

Some people have this misguided notion that if Adam hadn’t sinned; we’d all be rulers and have absolute authority over the Earth.  But that’s not true.  God would be the ruler of Earth, and Adam would be His appointed delegate of authority over the Earth.  He’d be King Adam.  We would be at best delegated small areas of authority under the thousands of our forefathers still alive on the Earth, maybe a section as small as our own households and nothing else. 

This scenario is much the same as our authority in Jesus Christ.  God rules.  He gave Christ authority.  And Christ makes us delegates on Earth of His rule.  Some He puts in higher positions than others.  Others He puts in smaller areas, maybe just their own households.  Many of those who envision themselves as powerful rulers in a ‘what if’ Earth without sin also tend to imagine themselves as powerful rulers in this world because they believe in Jesus.

But we’re not powerful rulers.  We’re weak servants.  From the beginning we’ve been weak servants, servants delegated authority from on High.  Any power we have is ultimately God’s power handed down to us.  Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). 

And since it’s not our power, we can’t just go around doing whatever we want with it.  Jesus didn’t.  He said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel” (John 5:19-20).

If Jesus never did anything without the Father showing Him first, should we?  More to the point should we do anything in the name of Father, Son, and Spirit without really praying for understanding in what God would have us do?

And then I woke up and started telling my wife my dream in real life, and she peered at me with half-mast eyelids and said, “I’m going to need coffee before any deep theological conversations, dear," which is how most of our mornings start . . .

God's Government Part 3: God's Kingship

God’s Kingship

Random Bible Chapter for the Day – courtesy of http://handykarl.com/randombible/index.html

Isaiah 33

This is the third part of a series I started in June, and honestly the executive side of God’s government, i.e. God as king, is so pronounced in scriptures that it was difficult to boil it all down as to why God’s kingship brings salvation. In the overwhelming amount of information, I sort of gave up. However, I’m going to try finishing what I started with this post despite not getting close to covering everything.

The executive branch of any government has basically two functions, it is charged with defending the nation and enforcing the laws.

The scriptures are literally full of God bringing salvation through the defense of His people:

Psalm 91:9-10

If you make the Most High your dwelling-- even the Lord, who is my refuge--

then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

Defense seems like an easy answer when it comes to the executive branch of God’s government, and we all like that part, but how does salvation come from the enforcement of His laws?

God’s enforcement of His laws comes in two forms, blessings and cursings. Deuteronomy 28 lays out all the blessings and cursings of obeying and disobeying God’s law. The blessings are all the wonderful things we’d hope to get from God all the time, and they embody the very definition of salvation that I think we would all give. However, the curses which are the exact opposite of the blessings are also meant to be a means to salvation.

Deuteronomy 30:1-3 says,

When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come upon you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.

Revelations 3:19 says,

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.

So even the when God enforces His law, He is using the blessings or the cursings as a means to bring salvation to His people.

As I alluded to before this study on God’s government is a huge one, and I’m just barely scratching at the surface of it, but it has been a lot of fun to study, and I hope that you continue looking into for yourself.