Opus 2026-244: Another Case Ignored

I know a fair number of believers who like to ignore the if/then portions of scripture.  It would make sense to assume that the word “forever” means forever.  Generally that would be true but how often have you used a word like that and known that it probably is not literally true.  How many young lovers have promised to love someone “forever”?  Have you seen the acronym “BFF”?  You can always hope but probability not.

We run into this in scripture when people talk about the “forever” promises made by God to David, Solomon and Israel in general.  The thesis is that God will never turn His back on His chosen people.

What do you do with this?

2 Kings 23:27 (KJV) And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.

What fascinates me is the people who claim to want to take scripture literally but they only do it when it meets their system.  God is going to do with Judah, the southern kingdom, what He did with Israel, the northern kingdom.  In case you were not paying attention, at this point in scripture they have been relegated to the dust bins of history for a couple of hundred years.  Even today we still wonder about the Lost Tribes.  He is also promising to do away with Jerusalem.

It is necessary for us to allow figures of speech to be figures of speech.  Take for instance this statement,

1 Chronicles 14:17 (KJV) And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.

I have no confusion myself what this means.  I also know what it does not mean.  I don’t think that the Olmec got the message.  I doubt if China read the memo.  Obviously it is a figure of speech.  Go to the NT.

Luke 2:1 (KJV) And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

Again, I don’t think that the Bantus of Africa got the word.  We all understand that this means all of the Roman Empire, not what it says.

Think of all the cultural statements we make.  Ancient cultures were no different.  Have you noticed how often the number 40 comes up?  Does it mean a literal 40 or is it a similar statement that I might make at the doctor’s office, “I have been waiting forever.”  If we lived in ancient Israel we might say, “I have been waiting 40 days.”

Always read with your mind turned on. It sometimes also helps to listen to others.

homo unius libri

Opus 2025-585: Advent Calendar: Day 20, Promises, Promises

Have you ever felt like you had a promise from God and He seemed to be taking His sweet time about the results?

Consider Simeon.  He was a man whom God promised to see the Christ before he died.  We assume that Simeon was getting on in years although it does not specifically say so.  What we do know is a bit about the kind of person he was,

(Luk 2:25 KJV)  And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

Notice all those qualifications.  He was not the neighborhood drunk who claimed to have seen an angel who promised he would win the lottery.  You might take that into consideration when you think God is promising something.  No, I am not saying you are the neighborhood drunk.  It was hyperbole to get across a point.

There is one other requirement that we might miss.

(Luk 2:27 KJV)  And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

Notice that he seems to have developed a habit of obeying the Holy Spirit.

All of these things are within our reach.  Make this Advent a time of preparation.

Merry Christmas.

homo unius libri

Opus 2025-573: Advent Calendar: Day 13, Notification

Have you ever wondered what angels do with their time?  No?  I tend to get off on angels because I am aware of my guardian angels working overtime.  When I think of all the times I have come within a hair’s breath of disaster I grow thankful.  

At Christmas we think of them fulfilling their main assignment, delivering messages.

(Luk 2:10 KJV)  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

You can also find an angel delivering announcements to Zechariah and Mary.  For Joseph it was a dream.  We don’t know for sure how God communicated with the wise men.  Keep in mind that the word “angel” is a title not a name.  It literally means messenger.  In this case there are no individual names.

So we have the angel and later the heavenly host delivering celestial e-mails to the shephereds.  We think of the Holy Spirit speaking to us or breathing life in the scripture.  It is possible that the angels might also have something to say to us this season.  Perhaps they will join the choir and make a Christmas program extra powerul.

Keep listening.  You don’t want to miss the celebration.

Merry Christmas.

homo unius libri

Opus 2025-571: Advent Calendar: Day 12, Time to Move?

Let me spiritualize the experience of the shepherds. Spiritualizing is where you take passage of scripture and look for things which are probably not really intended, but provide some insights into life. Consider,

Luke 2:8 (KJV) And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

I want to focus on the word “abiding that is used in the KJV. When I read this, or at least stop to think about it, my mind went to the statements of Jesus about abiding in him and the promise that he would abide with us if we did. The word and it’s essence simply means to live inside or to locate at a place. It has the connotation of focusing on that place and making that place central to who you are.

The shepherds or where they were supposed to be, watching the sheep. You can only do that out in the fields. I guess in modern times you might set up some cameras and watch it on a monitor, but the idea is you need to be there to help them when they run into problems. You need to guard them. That requires abiding in the fields. That is well and good.

But what happens when the symbolic angels appear and tell you it’s time to move on, at least temporarily. What happens when God speaks to us in the spot where we are serving or comfortable and says, it’s time to get out of your comfort zone? The shepherds could’ve stayed where they were in discussed the awesome display that God had given them. They could’ve just ignored it I guess. In order to make that impossible God sent a whole host of Angels. God made all of them, see it. God made it almost impossible to ignore.

So they went.

be alert to see if God is calling you to get up and move. As I said before that could be a permanent change or just a temporary move. It could be just an adjustment. The thing is, we are to be obedient to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Merry Christmas and joyful obedience.

homo unius libri

Opus 2022-353: Advent Calendar: Day 20, One of a Kind Promise

Behind door twenty you find a walker.  Old people sometimes use them.  You might need one after surgery.  Simeon would have had one if they were around in those days.  My guess is that instead of a walker they would have a young nephew or grandson walk around with you so you could lean on him.  He could also try to catch you when you fell or at least help you up.

With Simeon we move beyond the birth to the temple ritual demanded of all first born Jewish boys.  

(Luk 2:22 KJV)  And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;

Simeon had a unique promise from God,

(Luk 2:26 KJV)  And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

That was for Simeon and no one else.  Often we take promises that are not intended for us and appropriate them.  There are promises of longer life based on such things as honoring our parents.  I don’t know of any promise that you or I will live to see the second coming.

Look around you and search for the blessings that God has earmarked for you.  Yesterday I had the privilege of rocking my grandson while he decided to wake up.  Each time I get the chance I know it may be the last time.  Then I will look for other blessings.

I trust that this Christmas season will be a time when you see God’s blessings.

Merry Christmas.

homo unius libri

Opus 2022-342: Advent Calendar: Day 14, Sheep Being Sheep

Today’s chocolate tidbit looks like a poorly drawn sheep.  Or it could be a fluffy dog.  Or a pair of mittens if you imagination is working well.  It is one of the sheep in the fields.

(Luk 2:8 KJV)  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And that is it.  Talk about a bit part.  You can see why the toddlers and pre-school kids get this part in the Christmas Pageant.  It is also a good designation for most of the people in the country who walk around without any clue.  There is no indication of whether the sheep noticed the angels in the sky.  I would have thought that a sky full of angels in chorus would have caused a stampede no matter how well they sang.  We don’t know but I think it would have been referenced.

And then the shepherds went off and left them.  I would guess they were better off not knowing what was going on.

As my mind wanders I think about all the times I have come close to death.  Some I have noticed.  When someone is going the wrong direction on the freeway and barely misses you it is hard not to sit up a little straighter.  I often wonder how many times my guardian angels has headed off a drunk driver or blown a deadly virus out of the way.

Be grateful that you don’t get invited to all the parties.

Merry Christmas.

homo unius libri

Opus 2018-311: The Traditional Greeting

Merry Christmas.  Today is the day the western church set aside to commemorate the incarnation, the birth of Jesus, the promised Jewish Messiah.

(Luke 2:10-11 KJV)  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Most of the activities that have come to be a part of Christmas are traditions added by men.  That is why we need to pause and acknowledge that the reason for this holiday is not the need for a winter holiday.  The reason this is a special time of family and friends is not because people everywhere decided we needed a day to come together.  The reason all this started was to remember the birth of Jesus.

If you do not believe in Jesus and still celebrate, thank you for the unknown honor you bestow on the one who is called “Emmanuel” which means, “God with us”.

I have time to wish you well because I am up, the tree in on, I have filled my wife’s stocking, the doll representing the baby Jesus is in our homemade manger and everyone else is still asleep.

Blessings.

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Opus 2013-393: Is It a Nominative or Genitive Christmas?

What did the angels really say to the shepherds?

The controversy was brought about at the Christmas Eve service last night.  The translation on the screen had a modern text of Luke 2:14.  It came up again as we read through the Christmas story at home.  Most people are familiar with the King James.

(Luke 2:14 KJV)  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Modern translations say it in a different way.

(Luke 2:14 NAS77)  "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

To the casual reader this is no big deal.  Actually it shows a difference of theological understanding about salvation and how God interacts with each of us.

The difference goes back to the Greek.  The KJV uses what is called the Textus Receptus or Majority Text.  This Greek text has the largest number of manuscripts, thus “majority.”  Most modern translations use the group of texts that are thought to be older but not as common.  The words are the same in Greek but the tenses are different.  The Majority Text has the nominative case and the other the genitive case. 

What difference does it make?  Does the peace of God extend toward all mankind or does He reserve it for those that please Him?  If you are one who lives in obedience it applies both ways.  If you are one who likes to thumb your nose at God or wants to put off getting your act together it is important to believe that God extends His peace to everyone regardless of our behavior.

This came up in one of Alistair Begg’s sermons.  He was talking about Jesus calling Matthew, “Follow me.”  Begg was making the point that Matthew was a tax collector and thus outside the fold.  He was one of a hated class that was known for their selfishness and greed.  Begg, a Calvinist, was making the point that God can chose whoever He wants, which of course is true even to non-Calvinists.

But what were the conditions that made him pick Matthew.  Tax collectors were notorious, true.  Was Matthew just another greedy Roman foil or did Jesus sense an openness in Matthew that wasn’t in the others?  I doubt if He picked him because he was a stinker.  Personally I think that Matthew may have been one of those rare honest tax collectors.

Are there people that Jesus called that said “No.”  We don’t have a list of them but there were people who seemed to be ready to follow but pulled back.  Think of the ones who wanted to go bury their parents and such. 

If God has preordained each of us in our response then it doesn’t make much difference which translation you use.  If you are expected to respond then it follows that the peace of God is extended to those who please Him.

Merry Christmas. 

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