Now again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.
- 2 Samuel 24:1

In this account of the census that David takes within the Dueteronomistic history, the anger of the Lord is what incites David to take a census of the people. But there is a parallel account of this particular event in Chronicles.

Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.
- Chronicles 21:1

Whoa! Here we get quite a different story! Satan (or the opposer literally in Hebrew) is what causes David to take a census of the people. Now as Bible believing Christians, we have a problem: two contradictory accounts. In my understanding, we have two basic options.

One: We can look at the historical context of the passages and understand that 2 Samuel is an exlic book and therefore is more concerned with the reason the people ended up in Babylon. It highlights the sin of the people and therefore puts more weight on David. Also, the Jewish people left Babylon with a greater interest in divine creatures. Chronicles is a post-exilic book. So it is possible that this development lead to two different methods for two different authors at two different times conveying the same idea to two different sets of audiences. Though this does not harmonize the two accounts, it does give a satisfactory explanation for their difference.

Two:  The word Satan simply means an adversary or in our case, the adversary of God. We get the idea of Devil from the hebrew word Azazel. which was a goat demon. Many translators of the Old Testament often translated the word Azazel as ‘Devil’, and as one can see, for good reason.

Depiction of Azazel

But it is important for this discussion to note that other things than the stereotypical ‘Devil’ are called Satan (adversary). Human beings are also called Satan. Peter is called Satan (Matthew 16:23) when he becomes a “stumbling block”. The language of the Bible allows for Satan to be anyone or anything that hinders or is adverse the will of God. So in this sense, could it be that there is no contradiction and that God’s anger can sometimes be his own adversary?

Either option gives the Biblical theologian a bit to think about.

Thoughts?

Shalom,

Bryan

In the early Church, all holidays were the Jewish feast days. That doesn’t come as a surprise, because the majority of the early church was Jewish.They took Holidays that they understood in one context and moved them into another context in light of the advent of Jesus Christ. After the Church became a primarily Gentile entity, Gentiles began to try to reclaim their own culture through the means of putting them in a Christian context.

We can see this phenomenon decisively in early Christian art. When Christians wanted to depict the “first-born of the dead” they would often use Helios who was indeed the “rising sun” in Greek mythology. We even have Biblical imagery that borrows from the surrounding culture to make its point. “The sun brings fire down from heaven” in a chariot.

a depiction of Jesus in Chariot similar to Helios

Jesus was often depicted as having a glowing halo in early christian art.

Helios (notice the halo around the head)

This is similar to what we see here with Jesus.

Jesus with Helios' Halo imagery used

Halloween’s history started as an ancient Celtic holiday called Samhain. People dressed in costumes to scare away Ghosts. On May 13, 609 A.D., Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon in Rome in honor of all Christian martyrs, and the Christian feast of All Martyrs Day was established in the Western church.

Pope Gregory III (731–741) later expanded the festival to include all saints as well as all martyrs, and moved the observance from May 13 to November 1. By the 9th century the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In 1000 A.D., the church would make November 2 All Souls’ Day, a day to honor the dead. It is widely believed today that the church was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. All Souls Day was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels and devils. The All Saints Day celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints’ Day) and the night before it, the traditional night of Samhain in the Celtic religion, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween.

This Holiday, while pagan in origin was reclaimed by Christianity much like many other images. So instead of buying into the superstition of scaring away Ghosts, buy into remembering those who have gone on before us.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us
Hebrews 12:1

Instead of resisting this Holiday because of its roots in paganism, embrace it because we have reclaimed it. As Joseph said in Genesis “You may have intended it for evil, but God intended it for good.” These holidays may have been purposed originally for things contrary to God, but God, in the course of history, has changed that.

Praise God for his power to reclaim this world for his purposes. Let us join him the task of pushing back darkness and reclaim the world by bringing peace where ever we may be.

Shalom,

Bryan

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

(Proverbs 9:10 NASB)

In Christianity, we often talk about a concept called “the fear of the LORD”. I have heard many a sermon preached on why the fear of the LORD is a good thing. Many of these sermons evoke the images of wrath that the Bible gives us. They say “if you don’t do what God wants you to do, he will punish you in these ways………so fear him!” And while there is an element of truth in this line of thinking, this actually betrays the nature of our God and makes him out the nothing but a tyrant.

Are we really forced into choosing to regard God in this way? Or is there another option? If that is the way that we are supposed to fear God, how does that open the door to wisdom or understanding?

The answer to these questions lies in a flawed definition of fear in this verse. יִרְאָה (yirah) is the root of the word fear in the Masoretic Hebrew text and the Septuagint renders it as the Greek word φοβος (Phobos). Now our translators are correct in the English rendering of theses words as fear, but they miss a nuance that is often associated with these words in their respective languages. This fear can be a type of loving awestruck caution.

Consider a date with the guy/girl of your dreams. They are beautiful, charming, smart, and kind. You cannot believe how perfect they are. So you spend the date being extremely careful not to put you foot in your mouth and you go to great lengths to make sure that you can keep them around. You know they are way out of your league, so your glad that you even get to be with them at all. It’s not that you are scared of your date. You love her! This caution and care comes from recognizing the disparity in your statuses.

That’s where the term fear comes in handy. Fear in this verse has this connotation. It isn’t that we are cowering in the corner because of what God might do to us. It is that we are aware of how awesome he his and how worthless are. When we think about fear in this sense, it becomes clear how understanding and wisdom begin with the “fear of the LORD”.

When we understand how insignificant we are next God, our crises become mere trifles.

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

(Matthew 6:25-27 NASB)

He’s so much bigger than we are. When we think that we are the center of the universe, our problems and interests take priority over the needs of others. When we realize who God is, this kind of fear is the proper response. We suddenly see the world in the proper way. Nothing is too hard for God. No person is worth any more or less you are. This realization truly is the beginning of wisdom and understanding.

Let’s all look at ourselves in relationship to The Almighty. Evaluate his nature and come to know more of him. Let’s work together in the fear of the LORD with wisdom to combat the stresses of everyday life, and the understanding to take the time to help all of God’s children when they have need just as Christ did.

Shalom,

Bryan

What is the kingdom of heaven though?

In the jewish mind in the first century, the kingdom of heaven was wherever God’s will was being done. This sentiment is echoed by our LORD Jesus Christ.

“Pray, then, in this way:
`Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name. `Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9, 10 NASB)

The prayer is “your kingdom come” and that means that here His will is done on earth like in heaven.

This message of the kingdom is indeed Jesus’ message. Matthew even calls Jesus message about the kingdom a gospel!

Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. (Matthew 4:23 NASB)

Jesus wanted everyone to know that the kingdom is now. Jesus wanted everyone to know that if we do God’s will everything else will fall into place.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33 NASB)

Can you imagine a world like that? A world where everyone loves with a sacrificial, selfless love? The love that does not hesitate to give up everything for people who deserve nothing? In a world like that, there is no need that is not met. It is a real utopia. No wonder this is God’s visions for his people here.

So why don’t we buy into this? Why do we continue to be selfish with ourselves, our time, our money?? Can we not trust the LORD? If we seek his kingdom, the rest of our stuff will be taken care of because doing God’s will is sacrificially taking care of all the needs of the people around us. If all of the people are doing this, then everyone’s needs get taken care of by someone.

The problem of this is that we have to give up control. We have to rely on our brothers and sisters to take care of our needs when our sacrificing leads to difficulty for us. We have to have faith and let go of the nice easy controlled life that we have and truly live by faith. Jesus puts it like this,

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:44-46 NASB)

We can’t buy into the kingdom by scrounging up the left overs of our lives. The treasure of the kingdom is too much for our spare change. With God’s kingdom, it is all or nothing because if every member of God’s community is not committed to the kingdom 100%, then needs will go unmet, suffering will come in, and the kingdom will be defeated.

So I speak a challenge to both myself and you. Seek first the Kingdom. Trust the LORD’s promise that all the other things will be added. Sure it’s scary, but we know that we are called to be a people of faith. It’s so much easier to accept that reality is flawed and people just have to go without their needs met because that’s just how it is. But while, it may be easier, it is against God’s vision for His world. Go in boldness.

Shalom,

Bryan

Exile is not a pleasant thought. How would you feel if God said he was sending people to rip you from the land which blessed you with? Not so good I would guess. But it is interesting that the prophets frame the exile almost like the exodus. The exodus was liberating. Apparently so is the exile. Indeed when the Jews came back from Babylon, they were determined not to fall into the same traps of old.

Isaiah has some deep insight into how God treats his children in the later part of his book.

1 But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.

-Isaiah 43:1-2

God, through exile put, his people through a blazing fire. They are crushed by the Babylonian forces and have their cities set ablaze and their temple reduced to rubble. Friends and family have even been lost in battle. How in the world can god ask a people in that situation to be without fear? That seems almost cold. God tells his people not to be afraid in the face of a truly frightening and confusing situation.

Why not be afraid? It would be perfectly logical to be fearful in the situations that Isaiah’s audience had been put in. The key to the reason for the lack of fear is redemption. “I have redeemed you” This brutal process in which there was hurt and death and difficulty, redemption is achieved for God’s community.

When we talk redemption, there are many images and ideas that come to mind. One of the more powerful images is of slave redemption. When one would redeem, or purchase a slave, you would have to remove him from his former ownership. God had to remove his people from the wicked master they had sold themselves to. Judah’s intense idolatry and injustice had led them to belong wholly to their own wickedness.

Where will you be stricken again,
As you continue in your rebellion?
The whole head is sick
And the whole heart is faint.

(Isaiah 1:5 NASB)

God’s people have become so enticed that they cannot chose another master. They cannot know how to turn to God and cannot chose to be righteous because of their wickedness. It is almost like swatting a small child because he ran out in the street, there is no way to rationalize road safety to a 2-year-old. Because of God’s love, he chooses to remove them from the chains of wickedness from the limbs of his people by force. He claims them as his own through the breaking that he puts them through.

I don’t know about you, but I get complacent in my Christianity. I don’t want to get out of my comfort zone and I don’t want to risk persecution or being inconvenienced by my faith. But every once in a while, God sends me someone who pushes me into areas that I’m not comfortable with. He pushes me into a closer relation to him by giving me no one else to depend on. God did the same thing with his people in the time of Isaiah and he does the same for all of us.

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

(James 1:2-4, 12 NASB)

James tells us the same thing. Trials are a blessing. The pressure of hard moments in life split the bonds of our own selfishness and release us into the abundant life within God’s community. God has consistently refined his people through the flames of trials. So when your life isn’t easy, when all you can see is pain and it would be easier to quit, don’t. Be free. Walk through the fire. Step out on the water and closer to the lord. Do not fear.

Shalom,

Bryan

This first post will be a reflection on one particular issue in light of my background in the stone/campbell movement. The most revered ceremony in Christianity throughout the centuries has been the Lord’s Supper. Some call it the Eucharist, some call it Communion, but whatever we call it, it’s prominence in our theological make up is undeniable.

For centuries, it was regarded almost universally as a sacrament. A sacrament is defined as a “medium through which divine grace is imparted”. The sacramental view went virtually unchallenged until 1520 (or perhaps as late as 1525 by Zwingli), when Honius (perhaps espousing the view of a teacher) suggested that the “is” in the phrase “This is my body” in Matthew 26 means signifies. The sacramental view gave way to the ordinance view in the vast majority Protestant movements. A spiritual ordinance is something that is just a command and has no spiritual power in and of itself.

Now, what is at stake in this argument? It may seem like a trivial distinction, but as we will see, this discussion will give us insight into our own methods of thought and call into question the righteousness of God.

What is the fundamental difference between these two interpretations? Well, the sacramental view means that you do literally come into contact with gods grace. The ordinance view means that you don’t come into contact with God’s grace, you do what Jesus said to do and because you obeyed a command, grace is imparted. This could very well be viewed as an argument of semantics. One might say, “What difference does it make? With the sacramental system, you get the grace through the action. With the ordinance view, you get grace because of an action. The result is the same!” If one did feel that way it is perfectly natural. The end result is indeed the same for the believer, but when considered biblically, they make different claims about the nature of salvation and God.

One of The most relevant passage when considering the Eucharistic debate is in John 6.

So Jesus said to them
, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.”

(John 6:53-58 NASB)

Some may debate the fact that Jesus is referring to the Lord’s Supper in these verses due to the fact that he hadn’t instituted it yet. But this line of logic fails to take into account that the Gospel of John is not written to be historical, but to make theological claims to Christians in Asia minor. Any Christian within the intended audience who read the words of John 6 would immediately have the Lord’s Supper in mind. For John to write these words knowing what they would assume, would be irresponsible if he did not intend for them to associate this passage with the Lord’s Supper.

With that in mind, the Gospel of John clearly depicts Jesus as saying that the Lord’s Supper has salvific properties. Now, the question remains, is eternal life imparted because one obeys an ordinance? Or is it because one comes in contact with the saving act of God? If it is because you obey God’s commands, I believe we have a problem.

If we understand salvation as a conditional proposition based on our ability or inability to perform arbitrary tasks given by God, it puts the weight of salvation on our shoulders rather than upon the shoulders of the one who bore the cross. This leads to a Christian constantly living in fear of falling away because of his inability to perform every single one of God’s ordinances.

If we instead choose to understand salvation as a participation in the ultimate faithfulness of Jesus Christ, then the burden of salvation is placed upon the divine, we just take part in that. So to go with the sacramental view is to uphold the ideal we find throughout the Bible: God is the one who saves.

If we take an ordinance view, we also make God into a ring master who makes us lowly animals jump through hoops for his own amusement. If he could impart salvation based on our obedience to any command of his choosing, he is arbitrary and whimsical and his righteousness and glory are nowhere to be found.

In short, we within the Protestant church and more specifically the Stone/Campbell movement have relinquished a hold on orthodox beliefs in pursuit of a more logical approach to the Lord’s Supper. It makes more sense to have a merit based ordinance than a mystical rite within the modern world. It may make more sense to human logic, but it is not biblical, nor theologically beneficial to discuss the partaking of the body and blood as an ordinance rather than a sacrament.

Shalom,

Bryan

11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

-Ephesians 6:11-16

I have heard this passage used time and time again to emphasize either Evangelism, or Spiritual purity. They would expand on the passage saying, “We must take up the armor so we can bring the sword of the spirit to cut to the lost to the heart….ect..” or I would hear, “We must be prepared with our shield of faith so that we can defend ourselves from the flaming arrows of temptation…ect…”. Now I don’t think that either of these interpretations is wrong, but they don’t take into account the fact Paul is building upon an Old Testament concept. When we understand the Armor’s original purpose, I think it is quite clear what Paul is calling us to do. Let’s check out Isaiah

1 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save,
nor his ear too dull to hear.

4 No one calls for justice;
no one pleads his case with integrity.
They rely on empty arguments and speak lies;
they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.

5 They hatch the eggs of vipers
and spin a spider’s web.
Whoever eats their eggs will die,
and when one is broken, an adder is hatched.

6 Their cobwebs are useless for clothing;
they cannot cover themselves with what they make.
Their deeds are evil deeds,
and acts of violence are in their hands.

7 Their feet rush into sin;
they are swift to shed innocent blood.
Their thoughts are evil thoughts;
ruin and destruction mark their ways.

8 The way of peace they do not know;
there is no justice in their paths.
They have turned them into crooked roads;
no one who walks in them will know peace.

9 So justice is far from us,
and righteousness does not reach us.
We look for light, but all is darkness;
for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.

10 Like the blind we grope along the wall,
feeling our way like men without eyes.
At midday we stumble as if it were twilight;
among the strong, we are like the dead.

11 We all growl like bears;
we moan mournfully like doves.
We look for justice, but find none;
for deliverance, but it is far away.

12 For our offenses are many in your sight,
and our sins testify against us.
Our offenses are ever with us,
and we acknowledge our iniquities:

13 rebellion and treachery against the LORD,
turning our backs on our God,
fomenting oppression and revolt,
uttering lies our hearts have conceived.

14 So justice is driven back,
and righteousness stands at a distance;
truth has stumbled in the streets,
honesty cannot enter.

15 Truth is nowhere to be found,
and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.
The LORD looked and was displeased
that there was no justice.

16 He saw that there was no one,
he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;
so his own arm worked salvation for him,
and his own righteousness sustained him.

17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate,
and the helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on the garments of vengeance
and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.

-Isaiah 59:1,4-17

It is rather clear that Paul is is pulling from this passage. But why did God take up his own armor in this passage?

The LORD looked and was displeased
that there was no justice.

-Isaiah 59:16

Judah’s sins were many. They had turned to other gods. They had defiled the temple, and detested God’s Law. But their greatest sin, the sin that caused God to take up arms against them, was they did not seek Justice.

Now when we as Americans think about Justice, our minds are immediately drawn to the court systems, or fairness. A “getting what you deserve” type thing. In the Bible, that’s not what God is talking about when he talks about Justice.

God has shown you what is good. What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

-Micha 6:8

God doesn’t want you to give people what they deserve. Justice in the biblical sense isn’t about that. The Hebrew word is Tzedakah.The English renders the word “Justice” and also “Righteousness”. Dr. Harold Shank once said, “Tzedakah is basically trying to convey the Golden Rule in one word.” Indeed loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself keeps the whole Torah. God accuses them of unjust acts again and again in Isaiah.

“Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.”

-Isaiah 1:17

“The LORD enters into judgment against the elders and leaders of his people: It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?’ declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.”

- Isaiah 3:14-15

The list goes on and on in Isaiah. God cares for the poor, and the weak, and the oppressed. In Isaiah 59, he saw that no one was seeking Justice, No one was liberating the oppressed, and no one was caring for the poor. God took up armor for that reason. Our reason is the same. Sure Evangelism is important, but people don’t care about what you know until they know how much you care. Sure keeping yourself spiritually pure is important, but that’s not why God needed armor. He is Purity. Paul wants us to put on armor to help the defenseless. Paul wants us to put on armor so that we can stand in the difficult times. We need armor so that when our TV’s are stolen after letting a homeless man stay in our homes, we will stand. We need armor. I like the way Paul says it best.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

-Ephesians 6:12

Rome didn’t care for the poor. The governors of regions weren’t concerned with the powerless widows and orphans. They succumbed to the deceitful charm of wealth, prosperity, and power. Christianity expanded exponentially partially due to their generosity towards the helpless.

Let’s take up HIS armor. Let’s take up HIS cause. Let us establish Justice in the darkest corners of our world. Let us not make the same mistakes a Judah. Don’t be complacent. Don’t stand for the beating this world gives the poor and helpless. Let us fight for their sake. Let’s fight for the same reason God chose to.

Shalom,

Bryan

I was listening to a pretty legit’ gospel message this past Sunday and the preacher quoted Ephesians 2:4

3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God

-Ephesians 2:3-8

Paul does a neat thing by giving hope to those who were lost, but that wasn’t what caught my eye. I knew I had heard that phrase “Because of his great love” in the Hebrew scriptures somewhere. I searched, failed and asked my friend James to help me out. He pointed me to Lamentations 3…

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

-Lamentations 3:22

…James was right on. As I jumped into the text and swam it’s waters I found that the implications of Paul referencing Lamentations 3 here are astounding.

The rabbi’s have a technique that they use often. They quote a very small part of a passage of scripture, but mean to reference the whole thing. The “Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament” calls these “hints” echoes.

After my studies, it is apparent that Paul is using such a technique here. The parallels between Paul’s life and lamentations 3 are really moving. It’s as if he is doing a list of his hardships, as he has done before, all by quoting one verse of an old testament chapter. Let’s break it down.

In the earlier part of Acts, Paul had been deceived by the adversary (Satan in Hebrew) into persecuting the Church. No wonder he often warns us by saying “Do not be deceived!”. He goes to Damascus to drag the followers of Christ back to Jerusalem in Chains and Jesus appears to him.

4He [Paul] fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

5″Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6″Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

-Acts 9:4-9

So we see Christ intervenes on the path that Paul was on with brilliant light and calls Paul to the mission that he will eventually give his life for. Because Paul was against and spiritually blind to the truth, God strikes him with physical blindness.

1 I am the man who has seen affliction
by the rod of wrath.

2 He has driven me away and made me walk
in darkness rather than light; (Lamentations 3:1-2)

This sounds very much like our Paul on the road to Damascus. Indeed he was made to “walk in darkness”. Since Paul is indeed recalling his miraculous call to the Gospel, The next part of Paul’s story in acts is really meaningful. The Lord speaks to Ananias, telling him to, “Go! This man (Paul) is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” (Acts 9:15-16).

It is cool that follows what follows in lamentations 3 IS a list of sufferings. Paul does his own lists of sufferings in his some of his other writings. Let’s compare.

4 He has made my skin and my flesh grow old
and has broken my bones.

and here’s Paul

…[I have] been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned

-2 Corinthians 23-24

Just like the sufferings in Lamentations, Paul’s bones had surely been broken by his persecutors.

He has besieged me and surrounded me
with bitterness and hardship.

-Lamentations 3:5

and here’s Paul

…Three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. (2 Corinthians 11:25-26

If this isn’t a list of bitterness and hardship, I don’t know what is.

He has made me dwell in darkness
like those long dead.

-Lamentations 3:6

and here’s Paul

…[I have] been exposed to death again and again.

-2 Corinthians 11:23

Paul had indeed been made like those long dead. He is persecuted like the prophets of old.

He has walled me in
so I cannot escape;
he has weighed me down with chains.

-Lamentations 3:7

and here’s Paul

I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently…

-2 Corinthians 11:23

If you do much study on Paul, you will find him in prison for a good deal of his ministry. The Jews and Romans kept him “Walled in” so to speak quite often.

He drew his bow
and made me the target for his arrows.

He pierced my heart
with arrows from his quiver.

-Lamentations 3:12-13

Here’s Paul

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

-Ephesians 6:16

Paul knew these schemes of the Devil well, He had taken aim at his own heart many times.

became the laughingstock of all my people;
they mock me in song all day long.

-Lamentations 3:14

and here’s Paul

…[I have been] in danger from my own countrymen…

-2 Corinthains 11:26

Paul was on the fast track to being a Big Deal in Judaism. He was a disciple of Gamaliel for peat’s sake. But for the sake of Christ, they had despised him.

I have been deprived of peace;
I have forgotten what prosperity is.

-Lamentations 3:17

and here’s Paul

…I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 2 Corinthians 11:27-28.

If you have ever been in charge of a project of any sort of size, you know how stressful that can be. I’m sure the wellbeing of the churches Paul planted wore on him and robbed him of peace.

So I say, “My splendor is gone
and all that I had hoped from the LORD.”

-Lamentations 3:18

Here’s Paul

8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

-Phillipians 3:8

Paul’s everything was lost for the sake of Christ. Even his life according to Church tradition.

I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.

I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.

- Lamentations 3:19-20

Paul had clearly experienced persecution trials. If he wanted to communicate with the Ephesian church, he picked a good way to do it. They themselves experienced persecution and trials (Acts 19). The sufferings in Lamentations 3 truly parallel Paul’s. Now we finally have arrived at the quote that Paul made in the letter to the Ephesians. Lamentation’s message has been rather hopeless so far. The message of Ephesisans 2 is one of hope. There has to be some hope in Lamentations somewhere right? Right. Here it is…

22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”

25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;

-Lamentations 3:21-25

Though both the Ephesians and Paul experience suffering. God’s love is unending. It is New every morning. Our sufferings will not consume us..What a comforting thought. But I think the greatest reason for our hope comes in Lamentations 3:26.

it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

-Lamentations 3:26

The Hebrew for salvation of the Lord, or Yahweh’s salvation, is Yashua. In English, Jesus.

Paul, through this echoes technique gives them hope. He tells them, in a very rabbinic style, that, “You’ll suffer (even as I have suffered), but it is good to wait for the one who promised his return.” But he tells them in a style that we won’t see unless we seek to study the text in a manner that is foreign to us. Once we do though, we see a clearer picture of how rich the text can be.

We will suffer. There is no doubt about it if we belong to Christ. But Paul encouraged the Ephesians through Lamentations by giving them the hope of an end to their sufferings. We have the hope of Jesus, God’s salvation. We may be beaten and bruised. We may be considered fools by our own country men. We may experience hardships of many kinds. We may even face death. But Jesus is our hope. Jesus has beaten the hardships that we will experience including death and we will someday be raised and be victorious with him. Take heart. Be courageous. Wait quietly for God’s salvation.

Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

-Isaiah 40:30-31

Be patient, he’ll be here soon.

Shalom,

Bryan

I was doing some study on David’s wife Michal and I came across a very interesting piece of her story. As we know, Saul’s relationship with David was sketchy at best, but at the end, there was no question that Saul wanted David dead at all costs.

20Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law.” (1 Samuel 18:20-21)

Saul was willing to use the love of his daughter to achieve David’s death. You can see how deep Saul’s hatred for David had sunk. But his hatred turned into David’s deliverance.

11Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, told him, “If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” 12So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled away and escaped. (1 Samuel 19:11-12)

David sneaks out during the night through a window….sound familiar? When I read this I was astounded that I had never seen the connection before. Paul has a very similar encounter with another ruler.

30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever,knows that I am not lying. 32At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands. (2 Corinthians 11:30-33)

First off, it’s a bit of humorous irony. David was lowered through a window to escape Saul. This time, SAUL is the one being lowered. God has a great sense of humor. But I think Paul is recounting this particular event in this life to make a very powerful point.

Earlier in 2 Corinthians, we learn that Paul is having to defend himself as an apostle, he goes into great detail about his sufferings and the like to prove himself. The last thing he does is recount the story above. See, Paul wanted to show the people who questioned his loyalty just how much of a disciple he was of Christ. The first verse of the first chapter of the first book of our New Testament establishes Jesus as the heir of the Davidic line.

A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David (Matthew 1:1)

As a disciple, you want to be EXACTLY like your rabbi. Paul is a genius. He effectively said, “I’m being hunted and delivered exactly like the one who now sits victorious on the throne of David. Who are you to question my dedication?”.

Paul took the biblical imagery that had previously been established to say that he is being like Jesus and that is proof enough of his discipleship. We should learn that lesson. Our proof of discipleship is not if we go to church on Sunday or not. Our proof of discipleship isn’t how many church events we volunteer at. Our proof of discipleship isn’t how much money we give as an offering. Our proof of discipleship is living like the Son of David, Jesus. The scary thing is, if we take Paul’s life as an example, if we live like him, we will suffer like him as well.

So go out and live. Paul says, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Do not grow complacent in your walk. Times will be tough. David and Paul had people trying to kill them. But God has promised not to tempt us more than we can bare. There’s a way out. It may be a long way down. The rope may be uncomfortable, the opening may be narrow, but God has promised us a window of escape.

Shalom,

Bryan