The Slow Learner Gets Reading Glasses

I'm back.

And before I share what the Lord showed me, I would ask readers to please set aside any preconceived notions about doctrine or eschatology.  I promise, I'm not a crazy heretic who's pushing some "new and improved" version of salvation.  And I'm sure our study of God's Word is never pointless.  But the "extra" stuff WILL cloud our vision if we don't already clearly see the "big picture". God's people have been stuck too long contemplating such details as how works "work", who is "elect"  and why some believers are "gifted" when others are not. 

Please pray that the Lord would  help you weigh carefully what I say here.  Facing the whole truth and choosing to continue believing partial truths is not a light matter and I'm frightened at having been given such a precious treasure to share. I don't want to do this the wrong way.

And no.  This is not Heather being dramatic.  If we want to see the truth, we have to ask the One who IS truth. Otherwise, we will stubbornly continue in unbelief.


Alright.  The simple, basic truth is really not so different than my father's summation of the Bible.

1.  I am God.  You are not

2. And I love you anyway.

There is much wisdom there.  But I would change it to say:

1.  I am your Father.  And I know what is best.  Leave the hard things to Me.

2.  But even though you don't want to see this, I love you anyway. Come back and let Me take care of you.


Do you see what I see?

Read Genesis and Exodus.  Everything Jesus said.  John's Gospel and his epistles. Paul's writings.  It's all over Scripture. 

 Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

"But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.".....(NASB)

The foundation of our faith is simple.  It is a pure devotion to our Lord. But we make it hard because of our stubborn, sinful flesh that does not want to admit that we were made to need a Gentle Shepherd who will take care of us.   We want to have it our way and try to scheme and plan and figure out a better path to everlasting life.

Look carefully at the "photographs" in the Old Testament.  Look at the terminology in the New Testamrnt.  Father, mother, Sister, Brother, birth, children....

God needs absolutely NOTHING from us.  But He wants us to trust Him as little children would trust a loving Father. God wants a family. The "Kingdom" of God is a Royal Family and we are all to act as though we believe that. Our sinful pride (attitude of "I want to be the boss") messes with us constantly. And our greed causes us to reach for that which was not ours to take.  Namely, the "knowledge of right and wrong": the right to BE God.

Now, I'm sure this is not a "new" concept to most professing Christians. But I have to ask, how many of us honestly believe this simple profession of faith?  How many of us actually trust that God's wisdom and care is sufficient instead of relying on our doctrinal creeds or Calvinistic/Arminian/Lutheran/Catholic/Baptist/Charismatic/Reformed etc. teachings? Or perhaps we are obsessed with church programs, "uplifting" song services and social justice?

How many of us will  stand up to "defend God's Word" against all opposition, yet we do it in our own "intellectual" way..totally missing the family portrait that is painted there? How many of us have reduced a relationship with our Father and His children to being a mechanical set of "Sunday-go-to-church-because -we're -not -supposed -to -forsake -the -assembly" rituals?  Or, we've abandoned church altogether because no one cares?

Do we care when a Family member is sick, sad, hurt, going bankrupt, abandoned, struggling with alcoholism, p*rn*graphy or h*m*s*xuality?  Are we concerned for the welfare of another professing believer who is known to be stuck in a pattern of sin? Do we care enough to go say "Daddy told us to not behave like that"-let's go together and ask Him to help you trust Him in this trial. Do we even notice the blatant disregard for the wisdom of the Father which runs rampant in the church? Does it break our hearts and cause us to plead with Him to open the eyes of those who are perishing?  Or, do we shudder in self-righteous indignation, call down heavenly condemnation and then begin the 3-step "Church discipline" process?

That brings me to Matthew  18.

 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.   What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays, does he not leave the ninety and nine and go into the mountains and seek the straying one?  And if it happens that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety and nine which did not stray.  Even so it is not the will of your Father in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.   But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. (v 11-16)

I only copied part of it, but I highly recommend a thorough reading of the whole context.  Look at the words Jesus is using and please recognize that he is not laying out a formula by which we kick people out of our elite club.  Our job is to first humbly, privately offer to help, fully acknowledging that any of us is a potential offender simply because we are living in cursed carcasses.

If our sibling in Christ chooses to not repent, then we are to bring in an ELDER sibling (this has nothing to do with some organizational hierarchy, BTW--it is acknowledgment of Family order, pure and simple).  Call for one who's faith is recognized to be more mature and who might be able to better hear from Daddy what to do.  If that doesn't work, get the whole local Family together so that they can all urge the errant brother back into the protective arms of his Father.  The purpose here is reconciliation with Daddy, not the merciless gang-beating of one of His children by the rest.  If the person still refuses to repent (Post on that topic), and will not act as though he believes Dad knows what He's saying, then we need to recognize that he most likely doesn't know Dad and doesn't want to be disciplined by Him.  For, through Solomon, God said  "My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline or be weary of his reproof,  for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights."  Proverbs 3:11-12  

We are to hand that errant person back over to the Lord for punishment (put him out of the "assembly").  The Lord will not fail to deal with him. And if he responds, we are to welcome him back with open arms---no questions asked. That is the forgiveness of agape.


  But while He yet talked with the people, behold, His mother and His brothers stood outside, desiring to speak with Him.   Then one said to Him, Behold, Your mother and Your brothers stand outside, desiring to speak with You.  And He answered and said to him who told Him, Who is My mother? And who are My brothers?   And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, Behold, My mother and My brothers!   For whoever shall do the will of My Father in Heaven, the same is My brother and sister and mother. Matthew 12:46-50

God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  God wants a big family and "we" are the way He has chosen to go about it.  I'm not going to speculate as to how certain doctrines fit that concept. Obviously, there is only one safe way to the Father-- through His Son, who purchased us for a price none of us can begin to imagine.

Jesus told Nicodemus that one must be "born again".  We are to be stripped naked before Him and allow Him to cover us as He intended from the beginning.

If we are His children, we need to behave as though we believe that Daddy knows what is best.

There are many, many things in the Bible that are hard to understand and I don't think we are supposed to try to wrap our minds around every bit.  Instead, we are to allow God to wrap His heart around us and show us what He wants us to know.

Then, we are to do what He has told us to do, as we seek Him and He reveals it to us as individuals.  Just as a large natural family can have babies, preschoolers, elementary-aged, teenagers, young adults, middle aged, older adults...we should expect God's family to have similar stages of growth happening at any given time. We need to be careful to not consider others as being unworthy of adoption. And if we really believe He's building a family based in mercifully forgiving Love, it changes the way we look at our spouses, children, neighbors, bosses--even complete strangers.

My goal as a family member is to learn to trust my Father by accepting His discipline and to remember to encourage other family members to do the same.  When I fail (commit acts of sin), I need to  admit that I am helpless without Him, then turn from my own foolish dimwittedness and ask Him to teach me to love and trust Him more.  In this, I am set free from the law of sin and death--because death is simply what happens when Life is taken away.  Salvation really is that simple.

A word of caution to the proud and perverse:

  Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.   But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God.  Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." Luke 18:15-17

  And he said to his disciples, "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!   It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. Luke 17:1-2

The essence of sin is in not trusting that Daddy loves us and will take care of us.  It is the rejection of His loving discipline that destroys our faith in Him.  Causing anyone else to stumble in their simple, childlike faith is not a crime the Lord will simply overlook.

I must be humbled and learn to cry "Abba, Father! Help me, for I am helpless!  Adopt me, for I am Fatherless.  Discipline me, for I am foolish.  Teach me to walk in Your ways so that I will no longer be stubbornly rebellious to your precious, life-giving care!"

Have I tried to build an intellectually logical framework into which I cram God? Is it my business to try to determine who is "elect" and who deserves God's wrath?  Do I dare to stand in opposition to the family that Jesus is building through the Spirit?  If that is my attitude, then I should be trembling in fear, for John tells us that


  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.   So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.   In this is love perfected with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so are we in this world.   There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love.  We love, because he first loved us.  If any one says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.  And this commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should love his brother also. 


One last thing.  I have read through the Gospel of John a couple of times.  The last time, we read it as a family about 6 months ago.  And for the first time in my life, I noticed the way  Resurrected Jesus addressed his fishing disciples...


  Then Jesus said to them, Children, do you have anything to eat? They answered Him, No. John 21:5 
 

 Read the rest of that passage.  As we read the Bible, we need to strive to catch a glimpse of  the family that God is building.  We need to beg him to take the scales off of our eyes and cause us to SEE what He's doing.   Jesus' death and resurrection makes it possible for all of mankind to be reconciled with the Father. How He does it and who He chooses is none of my business.  But I'd better not get in His way.

Love created us.  It walked among us.  Love is saving us and is building a permanent home for us.  Love ran to us when we had wasted our beautiful inheritance.  It hugged us while we smelled like manure.  It rejoices when any previously thankless child turns and comes, filthy and broken, back to the Father. It washes us.  It places royal robes on our shoulders and holds a feast out of pure joy...............


Love instructs us to touch others in the same way and we can't do it without Him. 


Can you see it?  

If this concept doesn't absolutely rock your world, beg God to tip you out of the boat--in the middle of the lake--during a storm--with no life jacket.  He will not fail to lift you up when you plead with Him to save you. 

He's promised. And His Promise is trustworthy.


Will return to the concept of the Bible as a love story ASAP 

The Slow Learner in the Remedial Reading Room

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Ever read some passage of the Bible and wonder what message God is trying to convey?

My dad tends to sum up all of Scripture by saying that God's message to mankind is

1. I'm God. Your not.

2. And I love you anyway.

Of course, that is a tad simplistic and it is difficult to fully subscribe to the second point as my dad states it. God is indeed patient and kind to all of us but has sent out a call to repentance. There is no way to benefit from His love unless we accept it in the way He desires for us to. So, while talking with my dad, I would find myself racing in my mind to thoughts concerning God's anger and wrath toward humanity and then want to strenuously protest. But my dad's smarter than I am. So I tend to keep my mouth shut.

After much asking, seeking and knocking (not to mention desperate crying, crawling and begging), the Lord has given me a peek at the heart of His revelation to us. And I wanted to pass it on.

The Bible is not primarily a "manufacturer's instruction manual" from which we are to extract certain principles for daily life. That implies that we could somehow fix what is wrong in our own lives.

It isn't a self-help book full of handy tips on how to be a "better" person--thus working our way into God's favor. That would offer suggestion of good works and good behavior resulting in clean conscience and material blessing.

And it's not (as some would claim) a horror story in which an angry, terrifying, bloodthirsty deity is determined to force men into worshiping Him --even if it means He would murder His own son to get what He wants. God is not a maliciously vengeful tyrant Who is looking for the perfect opportunity to simply crush and destroy people who He specifically made to not be able to meet His qualifications.

I've noticed that the more I read, the more I realize that I do not measure up to the standard that God is. Left to my own efforts and wisdom, I could never be able to be considered worthy to stand in His presence. We certainly should heed the instruction on what good behavior looks like. And the consequences of rebelling against God are indeed terrifying.

And, not being remotely perfect, I have often felt Scripture weigh down my heart til it feels as though it is being crushed under the enormity of my imperfection.

The Bible is a book of condemnation. A testimony against all unrighteousness--and a Holy declaration of what that unrighteousness justly deserves.

But if that is all we see, we have missed the main theme. For God is LOVE.

For a while I thought the Bible might be something of a photograph album, with random pictures of the predicted Messiah sprinkled throughout. In a way, it is. But while I was busy examining snapshots, I didn't notice how they made up the details of a much larger portrait.

At the risk of sounding irreverent, I've come to think of the Bible as a Divine Romance novel (with hundreds of illustrations) depicting God's ferociously sacrificial love for His creation, which initially spurned His advances.

Sound weird? I would have thought so until about a week ago. Then God taught me how to read and He even showed me how His wrath fits perfectly into the scenario.

:o)

Hopefully will post more on this later.

Prayer Request

I was wondering if readers would pray for a blogging brother?

His site and request are Here

Thank you.

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The Slow Learner Contemplates "Repentance"

Several months ago, God directed me to 2 Corinthians 11:3

"But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.".....(NASB)

...which resulted in a bit of chastisement over the fact that I often suffer spiritually because I disobediently allow myself to get tied in knots over complex aspects of Scripture that I don't readily understand.

I happily adopted the verse as a reminder to always aim for singleness of devotion to Christ Jesus.

That is actually a much healthier perspective than my standard aerobic approach:

When in danger, when in doubt, Run in circles, scream and shout.

Recently, I realized that I had no personal understanding of what it means to "repent and believe the Gospel" according to Jesus' instruction in Mark 1:14-15

And, that little verse from Matthew 24:13 (But he who endures to the end, the same shall be kept safe. ) has been cause for serious concern about whether God will disown someone after (s)he has truly placed faith in Christ.

I've noticed that there are numerous voices which offer contradictory views. Some present the Good News as simply "trusting in Jesus' finished work on the cross--no strings attached" while others insist that certain specific behavior modification must accompany this trust. James makes it clear that "works" of obedience are proof of saving faith, and the sheer number of "Scripturally based human frameworks for genuine Christian life" are staggering.

Of course, I tend to latch onto the most condemning point of view and immediately begin to doubt whether I've truly been saved. Honestly, I'm not into self-torture, but the concept of standing before God's throne and discovering that I was just a goat is terrifying.

So, we must repent, believe, obey and endure to the end. "Repent of sin and believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father" don't seem to be too hotly disputed. But there appears to be a lot of disagreement about what that "obedient endurance" looks like. What happened to pure simplicity?

This time, I ran to God. Pounded incessantly on His door until He opened it. And wrestled with Him until He agreed to bless me. What else could I do? Only He knows what He meant when He gave the command and I have to know for myself what it means to "repent".

So He sent me to the beginning to discover what actually "went wrong"....

And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them... Genesis 1:27-28

God made the man first.

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day you eat of it you shall surely die" Genesis 2:16-17

Abundant blessing and only one rule. God reserved for Himself the right to discern the difference between right and wrong. Man was originally instructed to accept that ONE directive.

Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." Gen. 2:18

"And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed." Genesis 2:25

Like newborn babies, Adam and Eve had no concept of what it meant to stand before God while unclothed. That is interesting, because it appears that other areas of Scripture suggest that clothing represents righteousness. Man was made in God's image, but he was not an exact representation. He was not perfect, as God is. I think a more appropriate word would be "innocent", in that he had no idea that he had no covering before the Lord. And, as long as the man didn't try to find out what good and evil were, he would not have realized that he was not perfect.

The account states that Satan, in the form of a serpent, opened dialogue with the wife. He called into question the "rightness" of God's command to "not eat".

Interestingly, Eve's version of the instruction doesn't match what God apparently said to Adam.

She said that they weren't even to touch the fruit. Not sure what that means, but it looks like there was already a breakdown of communication somewhere that God was overlooking because the people didn't know any better.

At any rate, the wife was duped into eating as the serpent promised she would not die, but instead would become wise, like God--able to determine for herself what was and was not "good". And, Adam followed suit, thus deliberately disobeying the Lord's one rule.

In their haste to become their own authority, Adam and Eve actually chose to serve the serpent, stepped out from God's protective boundary and realized that they were guilty of sinning against God. They tried on their own to cover their nakedness, but their efforts were not adequate to hide the fact that they had thanklessly disregarded God's gift of a simple life of just getting to know Him and being amazed at all He had given them. There is nothing we can do to cover our own nakedness before the Lord.

God cursed the serpent. And He punished the humans. Spiritually, they were tarnished and would have to physically die. It actually was a merciful thing as it would be a torment to live eternally bearing a burden that human beings were not designed to carry. He provided covering in the form of animal skin and a promise to send a Deliverer Who would clear a way for reconciliation by way of payment for the crime and the necessary covering.

Jesus Christ graciously loves and accepts those who will humble themselves and acknowledge that they are indeed unable to approach the throne of God in their "nakedness". When we continue in this attitude, He is faithful to forgive us when we confess that we have transgressed His law and honestly recognize our failings. If anyone chooses to reject this unmerited, priceless offer, there is no help left as there is no one greater than God.

For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and if every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by those who heard Him; Hebrews 2:2-3

I find the Genesis account to be a fascinating parallel to Romans 1:16-25

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because the thing which may be known of God is clearly revealed within them, for God revealed it to them. For the unseen things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being realized by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, for them to be without excuse. Because, knowing God, they did not glorify Him as God, neither were thankful. But they became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, and birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves. For they changed the truth of God into a lie, and they worshiped and served the created thing more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Farther down in Romans ch 1 is an extensive list of sinful behavior that stems from the original attitude of "I want to be god". We "inherited" the tendency to rebel (and enjoy it) from Adam. And we are held responsible for the evil choices that we make. But at the root of everything is the pridefully lifted up heart that does not search for direction from God.

We were not created to take upon ourselves the heavy responsibility of knowing what is good and evil. It literally is what kills us. Our "yoke" was supposed to be light and pleasant as we enjoyed communion with God and explored the wonders of His creation in humble gratitude.

The essence of "enduring, obedient repentance" is the heart that has been "brought low" so as to acknowledge that there is only One who is worthy to be called "Jehovah". It is the agonized cry of the drowning sinner pleading "Lord, save me--COVER me in the sight of Almighty God because I cannot do anything to save myself!" And it is the life that is marked by adoring, single-minded devotion that is expressed toward the heroic, self-sacrificing Rescuer by freely giving to others as we have received.

I do believe I can now see why Jesus said:

"Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:13-14

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For consideration:

The Lord to the "king of Babylon": How you are fallen from the heavens, O shining star, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart, I will go up to the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north. I will go up above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High. Isaiah 14:12-14

At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank You, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the sophisticated and cunning, and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things are delivered to Me by My Father. And no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son will reveal Him. Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke on you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. Matthew 11:25-30

Samuel's words to King Saul (Israel's first human king and perhaps representative of Adam). For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship. Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, He has also rejected you from being king! 1 Samuel 15:23

Zedeki'ah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnez'zar, who had made him swear by God; he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel. 2 Chronicles 36:11-13

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7

David: "Deliver me from the guilt of shedding blood, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. O Jehovah, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice; or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem. Then shall You be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then they shall offer bulls on Your altar. Psalm 51:14-19

For so says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity; whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, even with the contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For I will not contend forever, nor will I be always angry; for the spirit should fail before Me, and the souls I have made. For the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry and struck him; I hid Myself, and was angry, and he went on turning away in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways, and will heal him. I will also lead him, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; peace, peace, to him far off, and to him near, says Jehovah; and I will heal him. But the wicked are like the troubled sea, which cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, says my God, to the wicked. Isaiah 57:15-21

And now be wise, O kings; be instructed, O judges of the earth. Serve Jehovah with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled in but a little time. Blessed are all who put their trust in Him. Psalm 2:10-12

Egyptian Sojourn 13: Always Remember

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The last Egypt post was too "full", I think. So I want to back up a bit to reiterate a point that I think is key to understanding what God was doing here. Actually, I think it is key to understanding what He is doing today....but I don't want to run ahead of myself.

As He led them out, God gave some instructions to the Hebrews concerning certain customs that they were to observe. Namely, Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Salvation from God's judgment and removal of sin. Not exactly the same thing--but undeniably interconnected.

And you shall tell your son in that day, saying, This is because of what Jehovah did for me when I came out from Egypt. And it shall be a sign to you upon your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that Jehovah's Law may be in your mouth. For the Lord has brought you out of Egypt with a strong hand. You shall therefore keep this law in its season from year to year. Exodus 13:9-10 (MKJV)

So, "What did God do?" and "Of what is this sign a mark?" Answer to question #2 is probably easier to answer I think. Craig pointed out that the sign on the hand would have been one of ownership. The memorial (I think) is that the religious observances themselves would be a visible reminder--so the parents would have opportunity to tell their children and grandchildren about God's miraculous intervention on their behalf. He wanted them to remember.

BUT, REMEMBER WHAT? It appears that, by the time Jesus arrived on the scene, "something" of this meaning had been lost. Or perhaps not yet revealed.

I think the answer is twofold:

They set out from Ram'eses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the passover the people of Israel went out triumphantly in the sight of all the Egyptians, while the Egyptians were burying all their first-born, whom the LORD had struck down among them; upon their gods also the LORD executed judgments. Numbers 33:3-4

And

And now go, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring forth My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt. Exodus 3:10

And He said, I will be with you. And this shall be the sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God upon this mountain. Exodus 3:12

And it shall be for a token upon your hand, and for frontlets between your eyes. For Jehovah brought us out from Egypt by strength of His hand. Exodus 13:16

And Moses and Aaron said to all the sons of Israel, At evening, then you shall know that Jehovah has brought you out from the land of Egypt. Exodus 16:6

When Israel was a child, then I loved him and called My son out of Egypt. (Mark this!!!)Hosea 11:1

And he was there until the death of Herod; so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the LORD through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called My Son." Matthew 2:15 (When Herod went on a murderous, fear-driven rampage and Joseph was given instruction to hide in Egypt with Mary and Jesus until it was safe to return. Refers back to Hosea 11:1)

So, what God did was:

1. Administer justice. Against the false gods of Egypt and those who served them.

2. Affect deliverance of "the sons of Israel", which also were physical descendants that were promised by God to elderly Abraham. In turn,this foretells an event in the life of the promised Messiah. Jesus was the promised Son and heir to His Father's inheritance. God was acknowledging "Israel" as His son.

The Irsaelites were not only to remember what God did---but Who He is to them. Their nation represented the family relationship of the children of promise. The children of promise are God's children who are united to Him through His Son, Christ Jesus. They were supposed to remember.

I can't express with words how excited I am to be able to see that because it has changed the way I read everything in the Bible.

I need to stop here and will hopefully get back to this topic very soon. I recently found an interesting piece on Egypt and, after reading it, want to dive into the whole series. But I need to finish my own homework first. Don't want to inadvertently plagiarize, so I'm highly motivated to press on.

Contemplating Christ

Digesting some things.

Thought I'd repost this video of Phil Keaggy's thought-provoking Maker of the Universe.

As an aside, the first time I saw him play, I noticed that Mr. Keaggy hold's his right hand in a "strange" position and Craig recently came across an interview in which Mr Keaggy explains that he lost half of his middle finger in an accident when he was a child. In spite of, he plays beautifully and this is one of my favorite songs.

Meanwhile, the Israelites are approaching the Red Sea and God's glory is still on my mind.

(This is far more edifying than worrying about politics or finances)

The Centrality of God's Glory

It is interesting to me how God weaves together life's many intricate details. My comment section generally remains pretty quiet. Not sure if I only have four regular readers, am not controversial enough to spark any interest, or am simply so boring that people fall asleep on their laptops. But recently, one post got quite a bit of attention. The discussion took a turn from the original topic and centered on God's glory. I found it to be very interesting and have been thinking about it for days. As I am a person of very little brain , I've come up with a lot more questions than appear to be readily answered at this time. But it is definitely a worthwhile thing to contemplate, is it not? What is God's glory? What does it look like? How does it relate to me? Is it something we can even define in human terms?

Today, I noticed John Piper had a post on his blog which focused on the same thing. Not surprising since "God's glory" is a central theme in his ministry. But I find the timing to be interesting.

Anyway, I'm going to stick it up here for reference and hopefully come back later with my own thoughts.

Rebuilding Some Basics of Bethlehem: The Centrality of the Glory of God

By John Piper November 4, 2009

We use the term “glory of God” so often that it tends to lose its biblical force. But the sun is no less blazing, and no less beneficial, because people ignore it.

Yet God does not like to be ignored. “Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!” (Psalms 50:22). So let’s focus again on the glory of God. What is it? How important is it? What Is the Glory of God?

The glory of God is the holiness of God put on display. That is, it is the infinite worth of God made manifest. Notice how Isaiah shifts from “holy” to “glory”: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3). When the holiness of God fills the earth for people to see, it is called glory.

The basic meaning of holy is “separated” from the common. Thus, when you carry that definition all the way to the infinite “separation” of God from all that is common, the effect is to make him the infinite “one of a kind”—like the rarest and most perfect diamond in the world. Only there are no other diamond-gods. God’s uniqueness as the only God—his God-ness—makes him infinitely valuable, that is, holy.

The most common meaning for God’s glory in the Bible assumes that this infinite value has entered created experience. It has, as it were, shined. God’s glory is the radiance of his holiness. It is the out-streaming of his infinite value. And when it streams out, it is seen as beautiful and great. It has both infinite quality and infinite magnitude. So we may define the glory of God as the beauty and greatness of God’s manifold perfections.

I say “manifold perfections” because specific aspects of God’s being are said to have glory. For example: “the glory of his grace” (Ephesians 1:6) and “the glory of his might” (2 Thessalonians 1:9). God himself is glorious because he is the perfect unity of all his manifold and glorious perfections.

But this definition must be qualified. The Bible also speaks of God’s glory before it is revealed in creation. For example, Jesus prays, “Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed” (John 17:5). So I would suggest a definition something like this: God’s glory is the outward radiance of the intrinsic beauty and greatness of his manifold perfections.

I am aware that words are poor pointers here. I have replaced one inadequate word with two others: glory with beauty and greatness. But we must try. God has revealed himself to us in words like “the glory of God.” And he does not want them to be meaningless.

We must constantly remind ourselves that we are speaking of a glory that is ultimately beyond created comparison. “The glory of God” is the way you designate the infinite beauty and the infinite greatness of the Person who was there before anything else was there. In other words, it is the beauty and the greatness that exists without origin, without comparison, without analogy, without being judged or assessed by any external criterion. It is the all-defining absolute original of greatness and beauty. All created greatness and beauty comes from it, and points to it, but does not comprehensively or adequately reproduce it.

“The glory of God” is a way of saying that there is objective, absolute reality to which all human admiration, wonder, awe, veneration, praise, honor, acclaim, and worship is pointing. We were made to find our deepest pleasure in admiring what is infinitely admirable, that is, the glory of God. The glory of God is not the psychological projection of human longing onto reality. On the contrary, inconsolable human longing is the evidence that we were made for God’s glory. How Central Is the Glory of God in the Bible?

The glory of God is the goal of all things. “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). All things were created for God’s glory (Isaiah 43:6-7).

The great mission of the church is to declare God’s glory among the nations. “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!” (Psalms 96:1-3; Ezekiel 39:21; Isaiah 66:18-19). What Is Our Hope? Seeing the Glory of God

Seeing the glory of God is our ultimate hope. “We rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2). God will “present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy” (Jude 24). He will “make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory” (Romans 9:23). “He calls you into his own kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:12). “Our blessed hope [is] the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

Jesus, in all his person and work, is the incarnation and ultimate revelation of the glory of God. “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3). “Father, I desire that they . . . may be with me where I am, to see my glory” (John 17:24). What Is Our Hope? Sharing in the Glory of God

“So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed” (1 Peter 5:1). “The creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). “We impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7).“This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17). “Those whom he justified he also glorified” (Romans 8:30).

Summary

Seeing and sharing in God’s glory is our ultimate hope through the gospel of Christ.

Hope that is really known and treasured has a huge and decisive effect on our present values and choices and actions.

Get to know the glory of God. Study the glory of God, the glory of Christ, the glory of the world that reveals the glory of God, the glory of the gospel that reveals the glory of Christ.

Treasure the glory of God above all things.

Study your soul. Know the glory you are seduced by, and know why you treasure glories that are not God’s glory. Study your own soul to know how to make the glories of the world collapse like Dagon (1 Samuel 5:4) in the pitiful pieces on the floor of the world’s temples.

Hungering to see and share in more of the glory of Christ, the image of God,

Pastor John

© Desiring God

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Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

Why Love?

Photo Courtesy Freefoto.com

1 Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude.

Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood.

So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (RSV)

Paul wrote that without love, I am simply an annoying noise-maker. If I "do" all manner of things for God, but have no love, I have gained nothing.

Paul made a point of saying that prophetic insight, staggeringly brilliant intellect and unshakable faith are worthless unless love is present.

As an aside, I wanted to compare that statement with Jesus' words in Matthew 7:21-23

"Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.'

Doesn't it seem overly harsh for Jesus to say "I don't care that you sacrificed everything for me--I don't know who you are, you will have to leave." ? Perhaps. But He also says that only those who do the will of His Father will enter the kingdom.

Paul goes on to give a description of what love is...and what it is not. Then he again reiterates that the greatest of all gifts is love.

Perhaps the rejected people in Jesus' illustration are those who lack love. Could it be that the will of God is that we LOVE?

Why is love so important? And why would Jesus say He doesn't know those who don't have love?

I think the answers to both questions can be found in John's statement that He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. (1 John 4:8)

Catch that? God is love. I don't mean to seem as though I'm yelling, but it's really important to recognize this, I think.

God's very being defines the essence of what love is.

I think it is very interesting to go back and re-read 1 Corinthians 13 by substituting "God" for "love".

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10

Jesus Christ is the embodiment of God's love. He loved that which was incapable of returning His love so that in Him we may have life. "Life" and "love" are intertwined in Christ's person in such a way that they cannot be separated.

No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his own Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. In this is love perfected with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because he first loved us. If any one says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should love his brother also. 1 John 4:12-21

There are numerous religions and even socially concerned atheists that believe it is important to be nice and try to get along with others. But that isn't love as described by Paul and John. As Jesus said, there will be many who come to Him saying "Look at all that we did for You!" But He won't recognize them because they had no relationship with Him as they did those things.

Love is not primarily what we do or feel, although action and emotion are involved.

As Christians, Love defines who we ARE. And in this, we identify with the love that God IS. The actions and (sometimes) feelings follow as verification of this reality. We are being molded into Christ's image and we "do" because of who we are in Him.

Put simply: No Love, no Life. Or, more precisely....No God, no Life. Therefore, without love, I am nothing.