Month: October 2010

Something of which to Boast

“In God we boast all day long, and praise your name forever.” (Psalm 44:8)

The psalmist wrote these words after reviewing Israel’s history. In particular, he had reminisced on the biblical record of the events surrounding Israel’s entrance into Canaan. This would have included the exodus from Egypt under Moses’ leadership and the entrance into Canaan under Joshua’s leadership.

The psalmist acknowledges that the great victories along the way and the expulsion of the inhabitants of Canaan were by the hand of the Lord. There were so many memorable miracles and victories that provoke worship of the Lord. There were occasions where all Israel did was “watch and see the salvation of the Lord.” They didn’t even have to lift a finger on some occasions. Generally, though, there was a cooperation or moving together of man and God.

Now that Israel was in the land all credit must go to the Lord who brought them out of slavery into His liberty. The Lord had delivered them in the past – so they could be confident He would do so again in the future, and would fulfil His Covenant with Abraham.

At the time of writing this Psalm, Israel was in disarray, having been plundered by its enemies and made a reproach among nations. The other nations made scorn of them and derided them and Israel was greatly dishonoured.

The ungodly were prospering and mocking those who remained faithful to the Lord. Israel as a nation had turned away from the Lord but there was still (as always) a remnant of faithful people in Israel. This faithful remnant bore the brunt of the mockery, because they continued to confess the God of Israel as God of all; yet the condition of the nation denied that their God had any strength.

We live in a similar world today. The ungodly seem to prosper even though they shake the fist at God and, in one way or another, ridicule true believers. Believing Jews are similarly mocked by other Jews for believing that Jesus Christ is the fulfilment of the Covenant.

We may well, with the psalmist, wonder why God does not intervene, why He “hides His face” and leaves us apparently at the mercy of the ungodly. Of course, it is only a short while until the Lord comes for us and delivers Israel once again. He will vindicate our faith and that of the believing remnant of Israel with great splendour and power.

Giving in Faith

“I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” (1 Kings 17:13)

By the time Elijah had come to this widow he had trusted the Lord to feed him by ravens and experienced their twice daily provision for some time. When the Brook Cherith dried up the Lord sent him to this destitute widow. Her state is adequately described in the verse above.

Instead of Elijah providing for the widow and her son he asked her to prepare her last food and give it to him. Humanly speaking we would say, “Who in their right mind would do such a thing?” Common sense says don’t give away the last of your food. However, the widow was moved to a measure of faith in Elijah when he told her she could make some more for herself afterward. From where would this man produce more flour and oil?

The woman gave all that she had based solely on the word of Elijah. The result was that she saw the hand of the Lord provide for all three of them for a lengthy time. Then she knew that the God of Elijah was truly the God of all creation and she then put her faith in Him. (v 24).

We do not place our faith in a man but in One infinitely greater. Jesus Christ is the bread of life but do we really believe it?

Our actions with material things, including money, demonstrate our faith in Jesus Christ. If we are stingy it shows that we think He is stingy; if we are generous it shows we believe He is generous. If we give it all into His hands it shows that we understand He gave all for us and will not leave us forsaken.

Another widow hundreds of years later also gave all that she had (Luke 21:1-4). In contrast to the amounts the more wealthy gave it was very little, even insignificant, yet Jesus says she gave more than all.

This should be a clue to us that Jesus is not impressed with amounts we give but rather the faith in the heart of the one giving. What we do with money and material things is evidence of where our heart is. As Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12:34).

It is not for us to measure others because we do not know what is in their heart. Only the Lord knows that – but He does know that. It is always time for a stock take on your treasure. Is it in heaven (Jesus Christ) or on earth (material things)? One is eternal and the other destined to be destroyed.

Emulate the faith of these widows who trusted Him for their daily bread.

The Half Not Told

“Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom” (1 Kings 10:8)

These words were spoken by the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon as she stood humbled and amazed at the wisdom and wealth of Solomon. Solomon was an earthly king who had been extremely blessed by the Lord. As the son of David who reigned on David’s throne he is a forerunner of the Seed of David who will reign on David’s throne forever.

If the Queen of Sheba thought that Solomon’s servants and the men who worked in close proximity to him were blessed and happy how much should we to be considered blessed and happy who are able to continually hear, read and meditate on the words and wisdom of Jesus? Jesus is the One who gave Solomon all he had so how much greater is He than Solomon?

Did Solomon’s servants value what they heard as Solomon wisely answered all the dilemmas and questions put to him? We have the opportunity to hear infinitely greater wisdom day by day from our Lord and Saviour by reading, studying and meditating on His word with the supernatural help of the Holy Spirit who understands all things.

The Queen of Sheba had heard of Solomon’s great wisdom and when she heard him for herself she exclaimed that “indeed the half was not told me.” As great as Solomon was in wisdom we have the opportunity to sit at the feet of One so much greater as to not be a comparison.

Today, even now is the opportunity to be continually in His presence and hear Him. That is what the Father told the disciples, Peter, James and John on the mount of transfiguration; “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” (Matthew 17:5)

The allurements of the world may make us happy for a moment but they will lead to the destruction of the soul. The happiness that comes from hearing Jesus is life and it is eternal. Are you relishing and enjoying the blessed place you have in Christ or do you treat it with indifference? Come, sit at His feet each day and you will find that “indeed the half was not told.”

Futile Standards

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

We often understand and express the idea that Jesus took the penalty for our sin actions in His death on the cross. This is not the key aspect or prime purpose of Jesus Christ’s death. If that was all He accomplished then we are still unfit for God’s kingdom. Something must be done about the sin disposition with which we were born ­inherited from Adam. We sin because we have inherited the sin disposition and it must die and we must be newly created if we are to enter God’s kingdom.

Jesus Christ was without the sin disposition and therefore never sinned. On the cross He identified with our sin disposition taking the heredity of sin upon Himself and dying. Sin, the disposition, died in Christ’s death. When we accept this truth concerning Jesus Christ we are free to accept the Gift of a new hereditary nature, the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), which includes Christ’s righteousness.

We can do nothing about the inherited sin nature but, thanks be to God, in Christ Jesus He has taken it to death. That He has done so successfully is declared in His resurrection.

No other religion has a mechanism for dealing with the sin nature. They can only look for means to make outward behaviour conform to a standard. Because of the sin nature man cannot live to God’s perfection. Men have established their own standards which they hope will satisfy God but this is futile and an abomination to Him.

No one will go to hell because they were born with the sin nature or have sinned, however evil. Every human being in hell will be there because they refused God’s remedy for the sin nature – Jesus Christ and His death on the cross. You may turn to and put your trust in Jesus Christ right now.

Promise Keeper

“Ah, Lord God! Will you make a complete end of the remnant of Israel?” (Ezekiel 11:13)

Periodically throughout Israel’s history the question of the nation’s survival has arisen. The first occasion is recorded in Exodus 32 when Israel tested the Lord by making a molded calf to represent the Lord. This was in violation of the second commandment.

In response the Lord threatened to consume the nation and begin again with Moses. Moses was a descendant of Abraham so the Covenant God made with Abraham could still have been fulfilled; but what about the covenants, promises and prophecies concerning Jacob’s twelve sons (Genesis 49)?

It would seem that the Lord had no intention of carrying this out but was testing Moses as to his fitness to lead God’s people. In Moses’ prayer he says that beginning again would give the Gentile nations opportunity to blaspheme the Lord by saying He could not do what He promised.

We live in what Jesus and Paul call “the last days” and again the question of the Lord fulfilling His promises and covenant with Israel is in question. Some are saying that God has dispensed with Israel and the church has replaced it, but what of the Lord’s very specific and detailed promises concerning Israel? Is He not able to deliver? Moses believed He could.

The Lord is emphatic in Ezekiel  saying, “I will gather you …” and “I will give you the land of Israel” (11:17); “I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them” and “they shall be My people and I will be their God” (vv 19, 20).

If we believe that the Lord God of Israel will renege on His covenant with Abraham, David and Israel, what assurance do we have that He will not renege on His word regarding us? Can there be any assurance of salvation if the Lord is a covenant breaker?

The Bible tells us from cover to cover that our God is a covenant and promise keeper. If not, the seventh commandment would be nonsense.

In Romans 11 Paul makes it clear that Israel has a primary role in this world’s future in the plan of God. The apostle John, in recording the word of the Lord in Revelation 7, also makes it clear that Israel will preach the Gospel to all gentile nations at a future time.

The church has not replaced Israel with regard to the Covenant and promises of God to Israel. The Lord will do just as He has said with Israel and with the church, but they are quite separate entities.

This has implications to all of us who have trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. It is the fact that God keeps His word without fail that provides us with assurance of salvation.