Obeying God Rather Than Men

Story: King Saul orders somebody, anybody, to kill this popular young David fellow.  Prince Jonathan objects.  David escapes.  Jonathan wants David to come back to the palace.  David says, "Not on your life!  Your dad is plotting to murder me."  "No, he wouldn't do that."  "That's what you think.  He's hiding it from you because he knows you wouldn't like it."  Jonathan comes up with a plan to test it out and still ensure David's safety.  (1 Samuel 18-20)

In chapel, Pastor asked the kids about the fourth commandment.  Jonathan was disobeying his father.  Wasn't that sinful?  (By the way, in case you're wondering, the answer is NO, not sinful.)  As we read the story, and as Pastor brought in other passages, something crossed my mind.  

We cannot truly honor someone unless we are holding fast to the Word of God.

Any time we have to fudge on God's word a bit, whatever "honor" we are showing to somebody isn't really honor.  It may be for self-preservation or for gaining power or for some other reason.  But it's not honor.

So when there are ethical problems with regard to abusive husbands, or parents using kids as drug-runners, or governments enacting unjust laws, the answer will always be in God's word, especially in connection to His word of promise and mercy.




 

'Tis the Word

Mark the sacrifice appointed,
see who bears the awful load.
'Tis the Word,
the Lord's anointed,
Son of Man
and Son of God.

Palm Sunday.  Palms.  Donkey.  Crowds.  The Passover psalm applied to Jesus.  "His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him" (John 12). 

Wait a minute.

These things --these things in Zechariah and the Psalms-- were written about Him. 

Moses wrote stories about Jesus.
Isaiah wrote about Jesus.
David wrote about Jesus.
Jeremiah wrote about Jesus.
Joshua and Samuel and Ezekiel and Solomon wrote about Jesus.

All those stories about Jephthah and Samson and Isaac and Ezra and Aaron and Nebuchadnezzar and Abel and Daniel -- they show us stuff about Jesus.  So when we sing this week, "Tis the Word," and when we're reading the story of Jesus' trial and scourging and crucifixion, it IS the "Word," the scriptures' stories, all tied up in one Man's suffering and death.

Where Was Jesus Baptized?

The Israelites entered the Promised Land when they crossed the Jordan River (Joshua 3).  This is not only a historical, geographical fact, it's also a picture/foreshadowing of Christians crossing into heaven after a pilgrimage through the wilderness of life. 

Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River.  I always thought that was because [duh] the Jordan River just happened to be the one that was available for John the Baptist.  A simple fact of geography and nothing more.

But it IS more.  We are joined to Him in His death and resurrection (Romans 6).  In His baptism, He takes our sin upon Himself and gives us His righteousness.  This is our entry into the promised land.  Baptism is when the Father says also to us, "This one is My beloved son."

Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River.
A simple fact of geography.
And a big, sweet, beautiful theological truth
of what has been
and of what is yet to come.

Miss Timnite

Samson was off to visit his heartthrob.  He killed a lion on the way.  When he returned for his wedding, he found the beehive in the lion's carcass.  And that's where he came up with the riddle.  When the Philistines couldn't solve the riddle, they threatened Samson's wife.  "Hey, you better find out the answer, Miss Timnite.  If you don't, we'll kill you and your family."

You know the story.  She whined.  She pouted.  She begged.  She wore down her husband, and he told the answer to the riddle.  She ratted him out.  And havoc ensued.

But catch what happens in the next chapter (Judges 15:6).  The Philistines turn on her anyway, and burn her and her father's house with fire, precisely what they'd threatened at the wedding.

That girl was doomed.  If she didn't tell, the Philistines would've killed her.  When she did tell, they ended up taking out their anger at her and executed her even though earlier she had complied with their demands.

That's how it is with the devil.  "Do this and I'll leave you be."  "Do this and I'll give you something good."  You do.  And he turns on you.  What a liar and enticer!

Don't Look Back

So this fellow wants to follow Jesus.  But first he wants to say bye to his family.  Jesus says that no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:57-62). 

But when Elijah told Elisha to follow him, Elisha wanted to hold off long enough to say bye to his family (1 Kings 19).  And Elijah said, "Go ahead."

That always seemed oddly inconsistent to me.

But recently someone suggested something.  "No one is fit for the kingdom of God."  No one. 

What if I can be committed enough?

No one.

What if I can be pious enough?

No one.

What if I can love the Lord my God with ALL my heart and all my soul and all my strength and all my mind?

Oh, really?  What if you can? 
Let's see how that goes for you....
(In other words, no one ....)

What we see in Elisha is that God (through Elijah) is patient and giving.  God understands our weakness.  And He forgives it and bears it.  And He chooses us even though we --in ourselves-- are not "fit for the kingdom of God."

Those Thin Tent Walls

God is my refuge.

It's all through the psalms.  Refuge.  Rock.  Fortress.  Strength. 

And yet, when David wrote those psalms, the temple was not yet built.  They still had the tabernacle as the place of the Lord's saving presence.  It was constructed of cloth.

Not what we usually think of as a stronghold.




It is not just plain cloth, but the Word of God in and with the cloth.  For without God's Word, the cloth is just a plain tent and no refuge.  But with the Word of God, it is a refuge, that is, a life-defending fortress.

Vanity and Chasing After the Wind

Poor Solomon.  He's on his soapbox about how it's all useless.  You work your butt off, and then your stuff all goes to the man who comes after you (Eccl 1-2).  And who knows what that fellow is going to do with it -- how he's going to screw up all you worked for?

So, did he already know Reheboam would be his successor?
Did he already know that his son was the type of guy who couldn't hold the kingdom together?
Was he expressing not only "You can't take it with you" but also "You can't keep being an influence for good after you're gone"?

Whose Side Is God On Anyway?

You know those old stories.  Elijah's ministry was finished.  Elisha was the prophet.  Israel wouldn't listen.  God was trying to get their attention.  The Syrian army had been attacking.  Then the little Israelite slave girl tells her master about the prophet who could heal him  of his leprosy (2 Kings 5).  So Naaman, the commander of the enemy, heads off to Israel and is eventually healed.

Seriously?  God helps the guy who's in charge of attacking His people?  Seems weird.  But, hey, God does weirdly-generous, merciful things.

But then look at the next chapter.  The Syrian king is hacked off at the "spy."  Turns out there is no spy, feeding insider information from the Syrian boss-guys to the Israelites.  It's just God telling Elisha what's coming.  And that's how the Israelite army avoids one attack after the next!*   Summing up, first God gave Naaman victory over Israel.  Then God gave Naaman healing from leprosy.  But then God thwarted Naaman (or his successor) and protected Israel's armies and villages.

I think God's plans in the temporal affairs of mankind just don't jive with what we think God should be up to.



* Footnote:  Amazing, ain't it, that the Israelite king can make use of what Elisha says when it comes to strategic positioning of his army (knowing that Elisha speaks the truth) and yet blow off whatever else Elisha says.

Moses and Elijah

Moses and Elijah both struggled with doubts.  "I don't want to be doing this, Lord."  "I've had enough of this; these people don't want to listen to me; how about I quit now?"  Or "How about You just kill me now?"  Okay, sure, they both had the problem of "hearers" who refused to listen to them.  But even more, they suffered with their own unbelief, hating it, and yet incapable of freeing themselves.  And what help is there for that?

Oh.  Yeah.  Talking to Jesus about His suffering and death that was approaching.

Jereboam's Sign

The man of God was sent to Israel to prophesy to King Jereboam (1 Kings 13).  The Lord told the prophet not to eat or drink while he was there.  When the king invited him to stay for lunch, the prophet said no.  When a false prophet invited him for lunch, the Lord's prophet said no.  But then the false prophet scammed him, saying that the Lord had had sent a message for the guy to stay and eat after all.  So the prophet did.  I feel for the guy in the story.  He'd done the hard job of reporting bad news to the king. He'd already said "no thanks" a couple of times.  Then he listened when someone lied to him.  I can sympathize with his reticence to being rude to the men of Israel.

Still, he died.
The Lord said "Don't eat while you're there."
He ate.  He died.

It seems like such a small thing he did wrong.

But this is a sign to Jereboam.  Death was the result when Adam and Eve turned from God's word.  Because we forget those stories of ancient history, God gave a fresh sign to Jereboam: "Act contrary to the good word I have given you, and it will result in death."  If such a small disobedience resulted in the prophet's death, how could Jereboam ever hope to escape death for leading God's people into idolatry and false worship?  What God says will surely come to pass.

Who Needs to Listen to the Lord?

Pastor has been pointing out in stories how often people know what the Lord says, know that it's true, and yet keep acting in opposition.  This happened over and over again in the stories of King Saul.  He knew that David had been anointed by the Lord.  And yet he was determined to get rid of David and make sure his own sons were lined up to be the next king.  He knew what God said; he knew it was true; and yet he had no intention of listening to it.

Another example is 2 Samuel 3.  Abner (who had been the commander of Saul's army) had fought against David all along, as Saul pursued David.  Saul died.  Abner set up Saul's son as king, in opposition to David's kingship.  Abner fought against David.  Then, lo and behold, Abner got ticked at Ishbosheth (Saul's son who was ruling Israel) and said in verse 9 that God should zot him [Abner]  if he doesn't go and help set up David as king over all Israel "as the Lord has sworn to him." 

Seriously?  Abner knew all along that the Lord had sworn to give the kingdom to David.  And still he was scheming, warring, and rebelling.  He thought he would thwart GOD? 

Yup.
(Ain't it amazing that we can be so dense?)
(And why is it so easy to see when it's other people doing it?)

Since Jesus Crossed What River?

Death's flood has lost its chill
since Jesus crossed the river.
Lover of souls, from ill
my passing soul deliver.  (LSB 482)

A choir director or a pastor or somebody told me once that this was an allusion to the river Styx.  Greek mythology.  The place of the dead.  Charon ferrying the dead person across.

Really?

But this year it crossed my mind that many aspects of mythology have roots in the truth.  Sure, the truth was twisted, sometimes almost beyond recognition.  In this case, the truth is that Canaan was the Promised Land to which God was leading the children of Israel.  And Canaan is a type of the promised land.   As the Israelites were baptized in the crossing of the Red Sea and then spent decades on their pilgrimage, so we are baptized into Christ and then spend our lives on a pilgrimage.  They crossed the Jordan River into the promised land.  We cross from our earthly pilgrim life into the promised land of heaven.  Maybe the Jordan is where the myth of the Styx came from.

So maybe the hymn isn't alluding to the Styx, but maybe the story of the Styx found its beginning in God's story.

Gath

In one of our Bible stories this week (1 Samuel 5) the ark of the covenant was captured by the Philistines.  All sorts of bad stuff happened in Ashdod, where the Lord's ark was.  Then the ark was taken from Ashdod to Gath.  The same bad stuff happened in Gath – plague and tumors.  The Philistine people concluded that Yahwah was zotting them.

Goliath was from Gath.  He would have known this.  This plague would’ve been during his lifetime or maybe shortly before (during his parents’ lifetime).  But still, he shows up on the battlefields a few chapters later, sassing God.  Amazing.

Chariots and Horses of Fire

In the story of Elijah's ascension (2 Kings 2), Elisha and Elijah are separated by the chariot and horses of fire, and then the whirlwind whisks away the senior prophet into heaven.

Interestingly, a few chapters later we read about the Syrians trying to continue their attacks against Israel.  But Elisha kept telling the Israelite king where the Syrians would be sneaking in, so the king kept putting watchmen in those spots.  When the Syrian king found out who was thwarting his attacks, he decided to take down Elisha.  He sent chariots and horses and a great army to surround Dothan.  When Elisha's servant woke up the next day and saw the armies, he flipped out.  But Elisha told him to chill because "there's more on our side than on theirs."  Then Elisha asked God to open the eyes of his servant, and the fellow saw hordes of chariots of fire and horses of fire.

I couldn't find anywhere else in the Bible where it spoke of chariots of fire and horses of fire.  The fact that these stories both happened to Elisha means something.  I don't know what.  At least, not yet.   (If you know, give me a hint.)

Double for Her Sins

Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,
that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned;
for she has received from the Lord's hand
double for all her sins. (Isaiah 40)

As the class was considering this verse, Nancy brought up the connection to Elijah and Elisha. Elisha wanted a double-portion of Elijah's spirit (2 Kings 2). But that's not a quantitative "double" because you can't have more of something you already have in all its fullness. She suggested that both of these "doubles" refer to the double portion of inheritance that is due by right to the firstborn (Deuteronomy 21:17).

After all, we are "in Christ." And He is the firstborn of the Father. And He will share the spoils with us (Isaiah 53). The double portion is ours!

Gideon's Army

Our story today is about Gideon going against the Midianite army with his 300 soldiers and their "fearsome" weapons of trumpets and torches.

Look at verse 2. The Lord told Gideon that he had too many soldiers. With 32,000 soldiers, if God gave Midian into the hands of the Israelites, Israel would think they (not the Lord) had won the battle: "lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me...."

"Against Me"?

Who are the combatants here anyway? I always thought it was Israel and Midian. But God said, "against Me." And when you think about it, isn't that what the Book of Judges is all about? The Israelites are fighting against God. So He calls them to repentance. The Midianites aren't so much the main enemy here as they are the tool of God to chastise His dear people who have despised Him and considered Him to be the enemy. And yet in love, He still draws His people back to Himself and fights for them and preserves them and gives them the victory.

Joshua's Farewell Message

Joshua is nearing the end of his life. He reminds the children of Israel of all that the Lord had done to rescue them from slavery in Egypt, to sustain them on their journey, and to defeat their enemies and give them the Promised Land. Joshua told them to choose whom they would serve. The people responded that the Lord was the true God, reciting what He had done for them, and professed, "We will serve the Lord, for He is our God."

Good plan.

But look how Joshua responded. "You can't." (See Joshua 24:19.)

Ack! You almost want to throw something at Joshua. He says, "Choose." They choose. Then he says, "You can't do it."

But isn't this what the Third Article tells us? "I believe that I cannot ..." And yet, the Holy Spirit calls us and gives us the Sacraments and sanctifies us.

Even though we cannot, He can, for with God, all things are possible.

They Couldn't Do It

This week and next we are praying the Third Article of the Creed:

I believe that I cannot
by my own reason or strength
believe in Jesus Christ my Lord
or come to Him.
But the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel...

One of our Bible stories this week was about the end of Joshua's life (chapter 24). Joshua preaches to the people all that God has done to save them, to rescue them, to defeat their enemies. Joshua asks them to choose whether they'll serve the Lord or all those other gods of the Egyptians and/or the Canaanites. The Israelites respond, "We're gonna serve Him." But Joshua tells them, "You cannot serve the Lord."

What?

Pastor pointed out in chapel how this dovetails with the Creed this week: "I believe that I cannot."

We cannot. We have no ability to trust. We have no strength to serve. But nevertheless, the Holy Spirit calls us, enlightens us, sanctifies us. He does in us and for us what we cannot do ourselves.

He Has Visited His People

In recent years I have been pondering Jesus' words to the Emmaus disciples when He "expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself" (Luke 24). I've been watching for little bits of Jesus hidden in the Old Testament, things that those saints would have seen as God's working on their behalf, but may not have recognized to be specifically about the Messiah. With hindsight we can see some of those references to Jesus. In the same way, you know there are things in the Bible that we scratch our heads over now, things which will be obvious at the Last Day. Anyway, it's fun to be able to look at those stories with Jesus in view. Not long ago we had the story of Ruth.

Naomi and her family left Bethlehem during a famine. They went to Moab. About ten years later, when the three men had died, Naomi heard that "Yahweh had visited His people by giving them bread" (Ruth 1:6).

Now, I am totally clear on the fact that there had been a famine and it had ended. God was giving them food for their bellies. This is straight-up history.

But this is also a theological truth about Jesus. The story of Ruth does not inform us that God gave them food; it says He gave them bread. When the Bread of Life (still in His momma's womb) had been staying with Zachariah and Elizabeth, Zachariah sang, "The Lord God of Israel has visited and redeemed His people" (Luke 1:68).

Next Sunday, when we see the Bread of Life on the altar and taste Him on our tongues, we will know that Yahweh has visited us, His people.

Absolom's Death

from chapel yesterday

The story of the coup runs from 2 Samuel 15-18. King David's son slowly won the hearts of the people away from his father. He took over. David and his family and loyal servants skeedaddled out of the capital city. Prior to the battle for control of the kingdom, King David instructed that no harm be done to his son Absolom. When Absolom was caught, David's general killed him. When David heard the news of his son's death, he wept and mourned. Even though David's side won the battle, they returned to the city in mourning as though they had lost.

Joab, the general, was disgusted. He went to the king and told him to knock it off. He reminded the king that many people supported him, and that the king was making them feel worthless, like as if the king cared more about the death of his unfaithful, rebellious son than he would have cared if all his faithful servants had died.

Joab makes some good points: the king needed to encourage his followers. But what Joab didn't understand was the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15). King David shows us (albeit imperfectly) in so many ways what Jesus was like. Here we have a father who loves his son, who wants that one saved and restored to him, almost to the point that it's like none of the others matter because his love for the one lost sheep/son overwhelms his mind and heart.

Think on that: that unreasonable and all-consuming love of David for his son. And our heavenly Father's love for me (and you) is so much more intense.