2nd Evangelical Free Church

Blogging Through Isaiah: Dump those idols.

Isaiah 44:6-23

Isaiah moves on to describe in further detail the folly of idolatry. For one thing, it belittles the one true God and moves Him out of the main focus of life. Idolatry exalts some thing or person or idea or lifestyle and puts that into the place which should be held by God. Isaiah’s purpose for doing this is so that Israel (and we) will have no illusions about the vanity of idolatry. After all, idols in his day were just blocks of wood or stone fashioned by human hands and so useless to help in times of need except as fuel for cooking or heat.

We may tend to minimize the concept of idols because of the way Isaiah described them. The idols then were objects and people no longer really worship such things as statues or images. But we don’t have to look far to realize that this is not true. Many people do pray to statues and pictures and treat them with great honor and respect as they would do to a divine being. Many of those people would claim that they are not worshipping the image or representation but adore the spirit which it represents or which inhabits that image. Apparently these spirits cannot operate apart from the image nor can they be approached in prayer in any other way. How can they really help us then? Our God is a Spirit who can be reached anywhere, anytime for He does not need a statue or image, temple, shrine, or church.  

When we think of an idol today we usually adopt the version that the media has popularized: a person, a celebrity whom people admire with great passion almost to the point of worship. No man must ever occupy our attention or passion so much that he or she usurps the place of God as our authority, driving force, counselor, guide or reason for living. No man can provide the guidance or the salvation that Jesus can give. 

 

Blogging Through Isaiah: Don’t place your trust in pleasure.

Isaiah 22

The valley of vision refers to Jerusalem and Judah. It was a misnomer, for in reality Judah lacked vision. She was blind to what the Lord was doing. The Lord was angry because the people, as a whole, failed to heed the prophecies Isaiah has just declared against the nations. If mighty Babylon was going to suffer a crushing defeat, how could little Judah survive? The Jews may have been filled with dread at this prospect, but this did not turn them to God for answers, help or comfort. Hezekiah may have repented but not the nation as a whole. They chose to follow other leaders who only led them astray. And, in the light of the doom that would come shortly they decided to seek comfort in sensuality and pleasure rather than in the Lord. 

Many of the people of our world are like this. Many are quite pessimistic about their lives and about the world in general. That feeling of dread and fear causes them to adopt lifestyles of hedonism and sensuality. All they have is the pleasures of the flesh. These delights numb them to the pain of life and block out their feelings of despair and grief but do not eliminate them. They reason that if this life is all there is, then it is vital to enjoy themselves by finding meaning and comfort in indulging fleshly appetites. But they lack vision. They do not see what God is doing; they fail to heed any of His warnings; they reject all of His loving invitations to come to Him and find rest. Non-believers lack vision because they are blind to their sinfulness, their need for repentance and their need for a Divine savior. The hope of the cross shines like a beacon in this dark world. Pray that many would see it and come to faith in Jesus. 

 

Blogging by Numbers: The work of mediation.

Numbers 7:89-8:26

This chapter opens with the Lord once again speaking to Moses. He reminded him of the need for the Lampstand to project its light forward. The light would then fall directly on the table which held the sacred showbread. The bread symbolized Israel, so the light shining on it symbolized the light of God’s eternal presence and guidance which illuminated the life of every Israelite.

The Lord also reminded Moses of the means by which each Levite was to be cleansed for service. The Levites take the place of the first born males of Israel. Rather than place each first born son of every family of every tribe in the ministry of tabernacle service, the Lord accepted the Levites as an appropriate substitute. As such, each one was to be cleansed so each would be holy when he ministered unto the Lord on behalf of His people.

The substitution of the Levites for the Israelite males reminds us that Christ is our substitute. He was the first born male of His family but not a Levite. He is the intercessor or mediator between each believer and the Father. We cannot go before the Lord in our sinful state because we need a mediator as Israel did. Jesus is the only mediator we have or need. So when we go before the Father, we do not go through saints, priests, mystics or “holy” people or by means of our good deeds or acts. We go directly to the Father in the Name of Jesus.  

The vanity of religious hypocrisy.

 

Ecclesiastes 5

Here Solomon speaks against the foolishness of dishonesty, primarily towards God, as in religious hypocrisy. The religious hypocrite is one who’s words and piety mask sin, evil and a lack of love towards God and other human beings. He may boast loudly of his love for the Lord and sing His praises with great vigor but his lifestyle is marked by prejudice, selfishness, self-centeredness and a general disregard for the well-being of others. He thinks that it’s all about me, forgetting that life is all about God and everything comes from Him. Rather than thank God for His gifts, when such a person goes before the Lord it is to demand his needs and wants be met. He has no real desire to admit his need for God or surrender and obey His will unless of course he gets his way first.

 

In my own life I have tried, not always with success, to be humble, to not make a big show of my religious deeds or exalt my righteousness and good standing before God. I am painfully aware of most of my weaknesses and sins and I know my place before God. When I forget He reminds me how far I am from perfection. Yet I have seen many people get up before God and the Church, testify of how much God has done for them, and they for Him, make vows and promises to do great things for Him as well as to forsake their besetting sins, at least the more obvious ones. Most of them were seeking glory for self, not God and most of them fell away. The wise man goes before the Lord speaking little but listening with great humility so he may hear His voice and follow His guidance.

Meditate & Apply: In what ways are you a religious hypocrite? Do you think God is fooled by your show? Doesn’t He know what you lifestyle habits reflect?

No fun to be found under the sun

   

Ecclesiastes 3

There is a phrase that we ought to note as Solomon uses it consistently: “under the sun”. This is to be understood in contrast to 3:1, “under heaven”. Things done under heaven are those done in God’s economy and for His glory. Everything that happens in the natural world and everything that occurs even in the affairs of man has a time and purpose and a proper place. There are limits and restrictions and wisdom helps us to know the difference.  In contrast those things done under the sun do not recognize these restrictions and limits. Things are done by man for himself and for his purposes, not in accord with God’s will, but actually to circumvent that will. That is why they are futile and meaningless.

 

As Solomon continued to reflect he realized that no matter what he did, his final end would be like the animals as if man was just a higher form of beast. This concept is very popular in modern culture thanks to Darwin. Our whole culture is built upon the idea that man is just a highly developed animal, the product of random evolution, not intelligent design by a benevolent deity. Based on this idea it is no wonder people seek meaning and purpose in pleasure. If there is no God, there is no after life, no reason to live a moral life, no reason to help others. Yet Solomon tells us that we are all created in the image of God and if we live for Him we will find all the happiness and joy and meaning we need.

Meditate & Apply: Think back on your life. In what ways did you try to understand the meaning and purpose of your existence? How has your view of the world changed in the light of the Bible? Why are people so willing to reject the Bible while accepting the ideas and claims of philosophy and/or science about the nature of life?

Pity the fool!

Proverbs 24

Proverbs teaches us of the sweetness of wisdom which contrasts with the bitterness of the ways of the fool, the ways of the world. They promise much but deliver nothing of lasting value while wisdom gives us fullness of life. In order to do this we must avoid looking at the world and envying its values and its success stories. Wisdom calls us to have personal integrity as displayed in our speech and our actions. This means that we are not to waste our time, energy and resources on pursuits fueled by envy and lust on desiring the riches of the world. As we have already learned in Proverbs, a point which must be emphasized over and over because of our weaknesses and lack of discipline, we are to earn our way honestly and with diligence.

One of the other antidotes is something which seems foolish: we are to tend to the needs of others. We may think this hard for when we look at the world we envy what we don’t have, not realizing that if we look at the oppressed and the lowly we will see we are the ones who are blessed and rich. God has given us such blessings so that we will take up the case of the oppressed and the needy and stand against the wickedness of the foolish every where it exists. This we do primarily with our words and speech but also with our actions and resources. It does not, however, give us license for violence, slander, insults or revenge, nor should we gloat over anyone’s misfortune. Fools are to be pitied because they are bound by lust and sin and they refuse to listen to sound teaching and instruction. The Lord will take care of them. He desires that we focus on those who are oppressed and needy.

Meditate & Apply: Have you looked at what you have in comparison to what most of the people in the world lack? What are some of those things? Can you thank God for them? How?

How does discipline temper our desires?

Proverbs 13

The first couple of verses indicate to us that the focus of this chapter is on the twin themes of discipline and desire. We may know that discipline is a good thing but may look doubtfully at desire as something that is harmful and leads us to sin. Yet both discipline and desire can both be used for evil, but together, they lead us to joy and peace. We know that we all have desires and longings. Here they are described metaphorically with images of eating. Thus we understand that desire is part of our humanity, the way the Lord God made us. Those who are wise live in peace, for their desires are filled and satisfied within the proper limits set by discipline and wisdom. They live for others. Those who ignore discipline live for self. They are never satisfied or at peace. Rather they are consumed by insatiable greed.

 

These proverbs give us a strong warning against compromise. God’s wisdom and worldly wisdom do not mix, though we often think and act as if they did. Proverbs calls worldly wisdom folly and those that follow it are fools. All of us occasionally act as fools for we take the easy and pleasurable way, giving in to the seduction of the media, the heat of the moment, or the pressure and lax morals of our peers. Wisdom teaches us that those who take this way end up unhappy and dissatisfied. The wise man, not the fool or the sluggard, looks at the long range results and consequences of all his actions especially those related to the fulfillment of desires. If we would be wise we must do the same.

Meditate & Apply: What foolish things have you done without considering all the long range consequences or what the Lord thinks? 

Repent America!

JULY 3

Psalm 44

Pray for the Lord’s Guidance

Think as you read: What is the cause of the Psalmist’s nostalgia?

This Psalm is another Psalm of mourning and grief, but this is national in scope. The Psalmist recalls the glorious past victories which the Lord wrought for Israel over His enemies. He does not understand why Israel cannot enjoy such glory now. Defeat and loss have overtaken the nation from which to sees to be no respite. As far as he knows, there is no reason for it, for he has not sinned, nor does Israel seem to be guilty of any sin at this time. The fact that the hand of the Lord has allowed this seems to be a mystery.

As we celebrate the independence of the United States of America it is wise to reflect upon the calamities which have befallen this nation over the last several years. Today the nation is torn by dissension which seems to focus on two issues. One is the war on terrorism especially as it is being fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. There seems no end in sight of the carnage so there is division over the efficacy of fighting such a war. The other cause of dissension concerns the toleration and acceptance of immorality, particularly that of homosexuality. Such immoral lifestyles are now proclaimed as the norm by the media while the Christian view of aberrant lifestyles as sinful is being labeled as outmoded, “medieval” and racist. I see the tolerance of immorality as a national sin. This sin is the reason why God has allowed the nation to suffer reversals in war, terrorism and “natural” disasters. God is calling the nation to repentance.   

Meditate & Apply: As you celebrate Independence Day, pray for sinners to come to repentance, especially those guilty of sexual immorality.