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A Tale of Two Sisters

Ezekiel 23

1This message came to me from the LORD: 2“Son of man, once there were two sisters who were daughters of the same mother. 3They became prostitutes in Egypt. Even as young girls, they allowed themselves to be fondled and caressed. 4The older girl was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. I married them, and they bore me sons and daughters. I am speaking of Samaria and Jerusalem, for Oholah is Samaria and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

5“Then Oholah lusted after other lovers instead of me, and she gave her love to the Assyrians, her neighbors. 6They were all attractive young men, captains and commanders dressed in handsome blue, dashing about on their horses. 7And so she prostituted herself with the most desirable men of Assyria, worshiping their idols and defiling herself. 8For when she left Egypt, she did not leave her spirit of prostitution behind. She was still as lewd as in her youth, when the Egyptians satisfied their lusts with her and robbed her of her virginity. 9And so I handed her over to her Assyrian lovers, whom she desired so much. 10They stripped her and killed her and took away her children as their slaves. Her name was known to every woman in the land as a sinner who had received what she deserved.

11“Yet even though Oholibah saw what had happened to Oholah, her sister, she followed right in her footsteps. And she was even more depraved, abandoning herself to her lust and prostitution. 12She fawned over her Assyrian neighbors, those handsome young men on fine horses, those captains and commanders in handsome uniforms—all of them desirable. 13I saw the way she was going, defiling herself just like her older sister.

14“Then she carried her prostitution even further. She fell in love with pictures that were painted on a wall—pictures of Babylonian*[Or Chaldean.] military officers, outfitted in striking red uniforms. 15Handsome belts encircled their waists, and flowing turbans crowned their heads. They were dressed like chariot officers from the land of Babylonia.*[Or Chaldea; also in 23:16.] 16When she saw these paintings, she longed to give herself to them, so she sent messengers to Babylonia to invite them to come to her. 17So they came and committed adultery with her, defiling her in the bed of love. But later, she became disgusted with them and broke off their relationship.

18“So I became disgusted with Oholibah, just as I was with her sister, because she flaunted herself before them and gave herself to satisfy their lusts. 19But that didn’t bother her. She turned to even greater prostitution, remembering her youth when she was a prostitute in Egypt. 20She lusted after lovers whose attentions were gross and bestial. 21And so, Oholibah, you celebrated your former days as a young girl in Egypt, when you first allowed yourself to be fondled and caressed.  (Ezekiel 23: 1-21, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

The prophet Ezekiel is one of the major prophets of the Old Testament. He was exiled to Babylon along with other Jews living in the nation of Judah. His ministry was primarily to those living in Babylonian exile and his message was a reminder of the sins that the nation and people had committed that led to them being conquered by the Babylonians and taken into exiled captivity.

In this chapter, Ezekiel receives a message from the Lord in the form of a parable. Two sisters (from the same mother) both become prostitutes in Egypt and then later marry the same man (God, in the parable). We’re told clearly that the two sisters represent Samaria, the northern kingdom of Israel, and Judah, the southern kingdom. The parable serves as an illustration of the unfaithfulness of these two related kingdoms, which resulted in the conquering and captivity of its people.

There are a number of interesting things to note from this parable.

First of all, the relationship between God and His people (the separate kingdoms of Samaria and Judah) is likened to a marriage. This was true of His people in the Old Testament and it’s true of His people now. I wrote about God’s desire that we would essentially enter into a marriage covenant with Him here.

Secondly, the imagery of prostitution or adultery is often used to depict the unfaithfulness of God’s people to their covenant relationship with Him. The unfaithfulness of God’s people is often demonstrated through their worship of idols and false gods. This was a recurring problem amongst the Israelites and it became a constant theme in many Old Testament writings, some of which I’ve written about here and here.

The parable mentions early prostitution in Egypt, “allowing themselves to be fondled and caressed.” This is clearly a reference to Exodus 32, when Aaron, with the help of the people, made a calf of gold, which the people promptly began worshiping as God.

However, prostitution in this parable refers more to the two nations’ desires to align themselves politically with these foreign powers rather than rely on God alone for protection and provision. Oholah (Samaria) was enamored with Assyria and was eventually overrun and conquered by the very nation with whom they sought an alliance. Likewise, Oholibah (Judah) was enamored politically by both Assyria, by whom they avoided conquest, and later Babylon, who eventually conquered them and took many of their citizens into exile. It is many of these exiles who Ezekiel is addressing with his prophetic messages.

Third, Oholoh, which represents Samaria, is listed as the older sister. Why is that? If you don’t know anything about the history of Samaria and Judah, here are some relevant bullet points:

    • Israel was one unified kingdom through the reign of Solomon. But because Solomon was unfaithful to the Lord at the end of his life, the Lord, as a consequence, promised to divide his kingdom.
    • Rehoboam was Solomon’s son. He decided he would rule as an iron-fisted tyrant and that ticked off all of the northern tribes, who revolted and elected their own king. Rehoboam remained the king over the Southern kingdom, which included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. All the other tribes became loyal to Jeroboam, who was anointed as the king of Israel (the northern kingdom).
    • The Northern kingdom became associated with Samaria when King Omri made Samaria the capital of the northern kingdom.

If royal succession were being used as a determining factor, Judah would be considered older, since Samaria represents a splintering or off-shoot of the royal dynasty.

However, in the parable, it appears that Oholah (Samaria) is considered the older sister since she was the first to be taken into captivity.

Fourth, Judah, who avoided captivity by the Assyrians only to later be conquered and exiled by the Babylonians, is considered in the parable as the greater offender, largely because she did not learn from the fate of her older sister (Samaria) when she was taken into captivity by the Assyrians.

The message of the Lord in this parable is that Judah saw what happened to Samaria and should have learned from her mistakes. Instead, Judah followed down the same path of destruction by committing the same sins of idolatry and political unfaithfulness that Samaria had committed.

I think there’s a relevant lesson here for us today. There’s a danger in life when people take the attitude “that can’t happen to me”, which seems to be the posture that Judah took when Samaria was being overrun by the Assyrians. But, as Judah soon found out, it can happen, especially if we forsake the Lord’s protection and provision to pursue the affection of others.

Reflection

What do you think unfaithfulness to the Lord looks like in our culture today?

What are the idols or potential idols in your life that might draw you away from worshiping God alone?

One of the messages of the parable is that unfaithfulness is not just worshiping idols or false gods. In the case of Samaria and Judah, it was also seeking protection and provision from others besides the Lord via political alliances instead of depending on the Lord alone. Who or what are you prone to seek for protection, provision and security instead of the Lord?

What are some practical ways you can ensure that you are less likely be unfaithful to the Lord?

 

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He Who Dies with the Most Toys Wins!

Matthew 6

19“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal. 20Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves. 21Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.

22“Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. 23But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness. If the light you think you have is really darkness, how deep that darkness will be!

24“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6:19-24, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

What does Jesus think about money and wealth?

Many insist that Jesus condemned wealth. Numerous passages are cited as proof that Jesus was a wealth buster. This passage is among them.

The argument that this passage condemns wealth goes something like this:

    • Jesus clearly teaches that we are NOT to store up treasures (i.e. money/possessions) on earth because those things have no eternal value. Instead, we should focus our efforts on storing up treasures in heaven.
    • Furthermore, Jesus warned that wherever our treasure is our heart will be also. So if we are storing up treasures on earth, then our heart will be focused on earthly things, whereas if our treasures are stored in heaven, then our heart will be focused on heavenly, or spiritual things.
    • Hence, Jesus clearly is teaching against earthly wealth.

I’ve written many blog posts on this issue, arguing that the Bible does not condemn wealth or the rich. This includes Jesus. Some of the more pertinent “wealth-condemning” passages are addressed here (Luke 12),  here (1 Timothy 6), and here (Ecclesiastes 5).

As is the case in those other passages, this passage, though using money (or treasures) as a context, is actually addressing a deeper issue.

This passage is addressing the issue of what we invest in. The question being posed is how exactly will we orient our lives?

On the one hand, we can orient our lives to pursue material possessions. This attitude is known as materialism.

Materialism is an ideology or an attitude that elevates material possessions above all else. Similar to being greedy, a person who is materialistic attempts to accumulate as many material goods as possible, seeking security, pleasure and even status through the things they own.

If you’re a person who lived through the 1980’s, you may remember a popular bumper sticker from that decade that read:

“He who dies with the most toys wins!”

This bumper sticker accurately and succinctly summarizes the main premise of materialism, that somehow, the main goal in life is to accumulate things, as if we’re all playing a giant game of Monopoly.

Jesus warns against this approach. When he talks about “storing up treasures on earth” I can’t help but think of someone who owns every new gadget and gizmo and even enjoys flaunting his innumerable toys to others.

In ancient times, one of the ways people flaunted their wealth and promoted their status was through their clothing. People didn’t have luxury cars they could drive around to show off their status, and they didn’t have the plethora of clothing options that we have today. But it was possible to have expensive clothes (see Matthew 11:8).

Jesus is saying that expensive clothes can be eaten by moths and rust can destroy fancy jewelry. Furthermore, any treasured item can be stolen. Of what value is it then?

The alternative to an ideology of materialism is to be kingdom-minded. Jesus urges His listeners to store up for themselves “treasures in heaven”. What exactly does that mean?

Jesus is talking about investing our time, our money, our very lives into things that will not be destroyed….EVER.

There are only 3 things that will last forever: God, His Word, and people. Therefore, it makes sense to invest our time and our treasure (money) into things that will have eternal impact – things that will make an eternal difference.

So Jesus is not saying wealth is bad and he’s certainly not condemning people who are rich. What he is condemning is materialism – the attitude that by hoarding material possessions, I will somehow experience purpose, meaning and fulfillment in life.

Jesus says that “where your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.” He also says that we cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve both God and money.

It turns out that materialism is self-defeating. If you make it your focus to accumulate things, then those things will ultimately become your focus. Essentially, it will become an idol in your life, squeezing God out of His rightful place at the center of your life.

So we have a choice. We can live by the bumper sticker adage that “He who dies with the most toys wins”, reveling in our many possessions while flaunting our status to others. Or we can recognize the futility of that approach, and choose to follow the suggestion of Jesus by serving God and living in such a way that our lives impact others for eternity.

Jesus reminds us that our earthly possessions don’t last and therefore are of no value to us in the next life.

As the rival 1980’s bumper sticker retorted,

“He who dies with the most toys still dies.”

Reflection

How would you respond to someone who says that Jesus is against money and wealth? 

Based on this passage, what do you think is the purpose or value of owning things?

Jesus is speaking against materialism, the idea that material possessions will bring meaning, security and even success. Do you think materialism is something that only wealthy people struggle with? Explain.

What do you think are some practical steps a person can take to avoid materialism?

What are some of the ways our culture promotes materialism? 

What are some practical ways a person can “store up treasures in heaven”?

 

Photo by Dave Lowe

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Can Revelation 3:20 be Used in Evangelism to Non-Christians?

Revelation 3

14“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:

15‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, 18I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. 20‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”  (Revelation 3:14-22, NASB)

The Daily DAVEotional

I recently wrote about how this message to the church at Laodicea might be the most well-known of the seven messages in Revelation 2 and 3 because it’s the origin of the phrase “lukewarm Christian”. You can read my post here.

But there’s another reason why this passage may be the most well-known of the seven church messages. In Revelation 3:20, Jesus is famously quoted as saying,

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. (NASB)

This particular verse has been used by many Christians around the world, in tracts and evangelistic presentations, to invite those who don’t know Christ to respond to Jesus’s offer of salvation.

“Jesus wants to begin a relationship with you”, the Christian might say to the non-Christian. “He’s standing outside the door of your life and He’s knocking. He wants to come in. But you have to open the door.”

I myself have used this verse with thousands of people as I’ve shared the gospel with them, inviting them to respond to God’s offer of love and forgiveness. I’ve echoed these exact words more times than I can count.

But there’s a potential problem with using this verse in an evangelistic setting.

A few years ago I was taking an online theology course. The professor wanted to create a virtual dialogue, so part of the grade required students to respond to discussion questions he posted online. In order to gain full credit, students were required to respond thoughtfully to each discussion question AND we were also required to respond at least one time to another student’s post. These responses created a sort of “class discussion” but in an online thread.

I vividly remember engaging in a robust exchange with another student who argued that because the message to the church at Laodicea was a message to believers, Revelation 3:20 could not be used as an invitation to non-Christians. In other words, it was argued that Jesus’s invitation in Revelation 3:20 was an invitation for Christians who were worldly to get right with God; it was not an invitation for non-believers to enter into a relationship with God.

It created a very lively class discussion, especially since many of us in the class had been trained to share our faith with others using tracts and presentations that used Revelation 3:20 in precisely the way our classmate was arguing against.

Is what this other person shared true? Are all the evangelistic tracts that utilize Revelation 3:20 as an invitation for non-believers to invite Jesus to come into their life theologically incorrect?

There is no doubt that when Jesus was talking to the church at Laodicea, He was addressing real churches that existed at that time. Therefore we must assume that they were believers.

HOWEVER, just because Jesus was addressing Christians does not mean that we can only quote Revelation 3:20 when we are talking to other Christians.

The truth is that Jesus died for EVERYONE. We all know this. John 3:16, perhaps the most popular verse in the whole Bible, clearly states “For God so loved THE WORLD…” (emphasis mine)

In addition, in 2 Peter 3:9, Peter says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but EVERYONE to come to repentance.” (NIV, emphasis mine)

Many more verses demonstrate God’s desire for ALL people to come to know Him, including Mark 10:45, Luke 19:10, John 10:10 and 1 Timothy 4:10.

Consequently, since Scripture teaches that God’s desire is for ALL people to be in an intimate fellowship with Him (not just Christians), it is appropriate to use Revelation 3:20 with non-believers, even though it was initially written to a group of believers.

As Dr. Thomas Constable says in his Bible notes on Revelation 3:20;

“This verse expresses a truth taught elsewhere in Scripture, namely, that Jesus Christ desires intimate fellowship with all people (cf. Song 5:2-6; Mk 10:45; Lk 19:10; Jn 10:10; 1Ti 4:10). Consequently, I believe it is appropriate to use it in evangelism. It expresses God’s universal desire very graphically, by way of application, not interpretation.”

In other words, the imagery of Revelation 3:20 expresses a truth that can be applied beyond the context for which it was written. Since we know from Scripture that God’s desire is for intimate fellowship with ALL people, the image conveyed in this verse can be extended beyond the initial context.

Reflection

What has been your experience with evangelistic conversations?

Do you think it is wrong to use Revelation 3:20 in an evangelistic conversation? Why or why not?

If you believe that Revelation 3:20 should not be used when sharing the gospel with others, how would you go about sharing God’s desire to enter into a relationship with the non-believer?

What illustrations could you use to graphically illustrate to a non-believer that God desires to come into their life but it is their decision to let Him in?

 

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Is Being a Cold Christian Better Than Being Lukewarm?

Revelation 3

14“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the ruler  of God’s creation:

15“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were one or the other! 16But since you are like lukewarm water, I will spit you out of my mouth! 17You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. 18I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. And also buy white garments so you will not be shamed by your nakedness. And buy ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. 19I am the one who corrects and disciplines everyone I love. Be diligent and turn from your indifference.

20“Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends. 21I will invite everyone who is victorious to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. 22Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” (Revelation 3:14-22, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

The message to the church at Laodicea was the last of the seven different messages given to the seven different churches in Revelation 2 and 3. I’ve previously written about the messages to the church at Pergamum here and the church at Ephesus here.

The message to the church at Laodicea is unique for a couple of reasons. First, it is the only message of the seven messages given that does not include a commendation. While each of the other six churches had at least one thing that evoked a commendation from the Lord, the church at Laodicea apparently did not have any good thing that the Lord could honor them for.

The message to this church may be the most well-known of the seven church messages because it is the source for the popular term “lukewarm Christian.” In verses 15 and 16, Jesus tells the church they are lukewarm and as a result, He will spit them out of His mouth.

What exactly does Jesus mean when He calls the Laodiceans “lukewarm”?

The typical view is that the term is a sort of temperature gauge of our spiritual commitment. The lukewarm person is someone who is not completely on fire (hot) for God. Being lukewarm is often synonymous with a person who is indifferent or apathetic toward God. The lukewarm believer is often described as a person who has one foot in the world and one foot in the church. In this view, God hates spiritual indifference and apathy so much that He is going to spit (or vomit) that person out of His mouth!

There are a number of problems with this understanding.

First of all, if the idea of being lukewarm is describing a person’s wishy-washy, tepid commitment to God, then how are we to interpret verse 15, where God says that He wishes we were either hot or cold rather than lukewarm? This would seem to indicate that being cold toward God is somehow more desirable than being lukewarm and just as desirable as being hot.

Are we to believe that completely rejecting God (being cold) is just as preferable to God as us being totally committed and sold out to Him (being hot)?

While it might make some sense to think that God doesn’t like believers who are lukewarm (indifferent, apathetic, half-in & half-out), this understanding doesn’t seem to completely fit this passage.

There’s another problem with this understanding of being lukewarm, and that is that the Laodiceans are not described as being indifferent and apathetic. The issue that Jesus has with this church is that they were self-reliant and materialistic.

Verse 17 says:

You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.

The NASB says it this way:

‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,

The problem with the Laodiceans is that they were focused on their material wealth while ignoring their spiritual poverty. They apparently had gained great material wealth which they ascribed to their own self-effort instead of viewing it as being a result of God’s blessings. God was not central to their lives, which were wrapped up in materialism, monetary gain and self-indulgence.

So what then is Jesus saying? If the term lukewarm is not describing the temperature of our spiritual commitment, what is meant by the term lukewarm?

To understand what Jesus means when he talks about being hot, cold and lukewarm, it’s helpful to know a little bit about the context of the church at Laodicea and some of the other churches in the area.

To the north of Laodicea was Heiropolis, whose water was supplied from hot springs that were known for their medicinal benefits. South of Laodicea was Colosse, which had a water supply from clear cold springs.

Laodicea’s water was imported by aqueduct and was neither hot nor cold. Instead, the water was lukewarm, dirty and nearly undrinkable.

Whereas cold water is refreshing and hot water has many medicinal health benefits, the lukewarm water from Laodicea was neither refreshing nor beneficial.

Jesus is using the poor tasting and uninviting water of Laodicea to describe HIS REACTION to their spiritual condition. Hence, being lukewarm is not meant to be an indicator of the relative hotness or coldness of our spiritual commitment toward God as most people have interpreted. If this is what Jesus is saying, then we have to conclude that Jesus would rather we be against Him (cold) rather than indifferent (lukewarm).

Instead, Jesus is saying that while both cold water and hot water have benefits, there is virtually nothing good or inviting about lukewarm water. In the same way, the spiritual condition of the Laodiceans is as disgusting to Him as drinking lukewarm water.

So being lukewarm has nothing to do with how “on fire” you might feel for God at this particular moment. If you are not experiencing the mountain high vibe currently, that doesn’t make you “lukewarm”.

The lukewarm Christian is any Christian whose lifestyle would evoke the response Jesus had for the Laodiceans. The lukewarm lifestyle is one where Jesus is not central and primary. The lukewarm Christian denies their spiritual need because they have put their hope in material things. The lukewarm believer is living according to the values of the world instead of the values of Christ. In short, the lukewarm Christian is worldly.

This is not a good look to Jesus. It is as distasteful to Him as drinking bland, lukewarm water.

 

Reflection

What has been your understanding of the term “lukewarm Christian”?

How has your view changed as a result of this new information regarding the water supply in Laodicea and surrounding area?

In what ways are you prone to become “lukewarm”? That is to say, what are some things in your spiritual life that, if not addressed and attended to, might evoke the kind of response from Jesus that He gave to the Laodiceans?

What can you do to ensure that you don’t slip into a state where you deny your spiritual need and become uber-focused on material gain and self-made wealth?

How can you protect yourself from becoming a lukewarm (worldly) Christian?

 

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Better Than…

Hebrews 1

1Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2But now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he made the universe and everything in it. 3The Son reflects God’s own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly. He sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command. After he died to cleanse us from the stain of sin, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God of heaven. (Hebrews 1:1-3, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

Imagine for a moment that you grew up in a different culture with a non-Christian religious background. You move to America and some friends invite you to church. You gladly go, make new friends and begin to learn about this Jesus fellow.

Over time, you’re exposed to many Christians who all seem nice. The message of Christianity seems nice as well. In fact, it seems very similar to your non-Christian religious upbringing, except some of the major religious figures are different.

One day, you decide to become a Christian. After all, many of your friends are Christians and you are living in America. It seems like the right thing to do.

But everyone in your family is still committed to the religion of your upbringing and your conversion is not taken well, as it’s asserted that forsaking your religious roots is akin to turning your back on your culture. Over time, you relent and once again embrace the religion of your upbringing.

In a way, this is the context for the letter to the Hebrews. The letter is written to a group of Jews who had become Christians but were beginning to abandon their newfound faith in order to revert back to their Jewish religious cultural roots and customs.

The author, whoever they may be (we don’t know for sure), uses the letter to advance the argument that the New Covenant of Jesus is far superior to the Old Covenant, on which the Jewish religion is based. Hence, reverting back to the Old Covenant religious system is senseless.

These first three verses serve as a sort of introduction and thesis to the letter and are packed with a number of theological truths that demonstrate, by themselves, proof of the author’s assertion – the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant.

How does the author demonstrate this?

The author starts by stating that in the past, God has spoken to His people through prophets. Now if you are a Jew following the Jewish religious customs, there is no greater authority than the prophets, Moses being chief among them. Moses, after all, was the primary mediator between the Israelites and God and he delivered the Old Testament Law to the people.

The author then says that God, in these final days, has spoken through His Son. So instead of sending human messengers (prophets) to be His mediator, God has upped His game and has now sent His Son. A son is always better than a servant.

What follows is a short list of key theological facts that demonstrate the superiority of Jesus as a mediator over the prophets, including the following:

    • God has promised everything to the Son as an inheritance. Hence, the Son is the owner of EVERYTHING.
    • The universe and everything in it was made by the Son. Hence, the Son is the creator.
    • The Son reflects the glory of God and is the exact representation of God. Hence, the Son is deity.
    • The Son sustains the universe by His power and command. Hence, the Son is almighty.
    • The Son died to cleanse us from sin. Hence, the Son is redeemer.
    • The Son sat down at the right hand of the Father. Hence, the Son is ruler.

What follows in the book of Hebrews is a number of detailed arguments that serve to reinforce the author’s original thesis – that Jesus is a better mediator and therefore, the New Covenant is superior to the Old Covenant. If this is true, then you would be foolish to return to your Old Testament Jewish religious customs.

 

Reflection

What was your religious background growing up?

If you grew up in a different religious environment, what were the factors that caused you to convert to Christianity?

Do you find it difficult to maintain your Christian beliefs? What are some of the factors or forces that might be seeking to draw you away from Christianity and back to the religious roots of your upbringing?

What are some other reasons you can think of that might prompt someone to “give up” on being a Christian and revert to their old religious ways or philosophical worldview?

Of the reasons stated by the author in just these 3 verses regarding the superiority of the Son, which do you find most compelling and convincing?

 

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What is Your One Word for 2024?

Acts 22

1“Brothers and esteemed fathers,” Paul said, “listen to me as I offer my defense.” 2When they heard him speaking in their own language, [Greek in Aramaic.] the silence was even greater. 3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. At his feet I learned to follow our Jewish laws and customs very carefully. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just as all of you are today. 4And I persecuted the followers of the Way, hounding some to death, binding and delivering both men and women to prison. 5The high priest and the whole council of leaders can testify that this is so. For I received letters from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring the Christians from there to Jerusalem, in chains, to be punished.

6“As I was on the road, nearing Damascus, about noon a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone around me. 7I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

8“‘Who are you, sir?’ I asked. And he replied, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, the one you are persecuting.’ 9The people with me saw the light but didn’t hear the voice.

10“I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that you are to do.’

11“I was blinded by the intense light and had to be led into Damascus by my companions. 12A man named Ananias lived there. He was a godly man in his devotion to the law, and he was well thought of by all the Jews of Damascus. 13He came to me and stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And that very hour I could see him!

14“Then he told me, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and hear him speak. 15You are to take his message everywhere, telling the whole world what you have seen and heard. 16And now, why delay? Get up and be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on the name of the Lord.’

17“One day after I returned to Jerusalem, I was praying in the Temple, and I fell into a trance. 18I saw a vision of Jesus saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem, for the people here won’t believe you when you give them your testimony about me.’

19“‘But Lord,’ I argued, ‘they certainly know that I imprisoned and beat those in every synagogue who believed on you. 20And when your witness Stephen was killed, I was standing there agreeing. I kept the coats they laid aside as they stoned him.’

21“But the Lord said to me, ‘Leave Jerusalem, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles!’”

22The crowd listened until Paul came to that word; then with one voice they shouted, “Away with such a fellow! Kill him! He isn’t fit to live!” 23They yelled, threw off their coats, and tossed handfuls of dust into the air.

(Acts 22:1-22, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

Have you heard about this “One Word for your New Year” idea that has gained popularity in recent years?

The idea is to pick one word that you want to be the theme for the upcoming year. For example, you might choose “healthy” if you want to lose weight, develop better eating habits, or get in shape. Or you might choose the word “simplify” if you want to declutter or downsize your current living situation.

Whatever the word, the thought is that this one word could help to give focus and discipline to your lifestyle choices for the year, which hopefully result in some positive outcomes.

Some people swear by it, but I’m not so sure its effect is any different than just making a traditional New Year’s resolution. Still, I think any tool or resource that motivates a person to make consistently positive life choices is a good thing. (Click here to see a blog post that explains the concept in more detail)

In this chapter of Acts though, we encounter a slightly different take on the ONE word effect.

Paul has just been falsely arrested by his Jewish compatriots for defiling the Temple. Before he’s hauled off to face the Jewish high council, Paul makes a public defense to the crowd, in which he shares about his personal encounter with Jesus, who has selected him to be His missionary agent to the GENTILES.

Everything seems to be going well, until Paul reaches that ONE WORD – GENTILE!

Paul is talking to a Jewish audience, which is mostly attentive, listening to him explain his previous life as a traveling henchman for the Jewish High Council before experiencing a divine encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. When Paul reveals to the crowd that part of God’s master plan is to send Paul to GENTILES so that they too can be saved, his audience loses it, instantly turning into a violent mob.

Can you imagine a group of people becoming uncontrollably triggered over the utterance of just one word? It seems preposterous.

Except that this kind of response is so commonplace today that we hardly notice it anymore. People are triggered by all kinds of words, including racial and political descriptors. Politically, many people on the right are triggered by words and phrases that describe people on the left.

Likewise, many people on the left are triggered by words and ideas that represent people on the right.

In our current cultural environment, outrage and anger isn’t limited to different political beliefs but extends to racial divisions as well.

The truth is that many people in Paul’s day were racist, including many Jews. And people today are no better. Despite what you may have been told or led to believe, we still live in a country full of bigots and racists. That’s because we live in a country full of PEOPLE. And people are all still just as sinful today as they were in the New Testament times.

But haven’t we progressed as a society? I don’t think so. Yes, our laws have eliminated the most egregious and obvious racist and discriminatory acts, which is obviously a good thing. But racism and bigotry as a heart condition certainly persist and that is clearly evident from the events of the last few years. It turns out that the Bible once again is true – making laws to legislate behavior doesn’t actually change people’s hearts. Only Jesus can do that.

So the challenge I’m giving myself and invite you to as well is to pick ONE WORD for 2024. But rather than picking a word that might define a theme for your year, pick the one word that is most likely to send you over the top in anger or frustration. Ask yourself what is it about that word that sets you off so much? Then invite the Holy Spirit to empower you to love any person or group who might be characterized by that word. After all, Jesus died for them just as He died for you. And “those people” have infinite value in the eyes of God, just as you and I do.

Reflection

What do you think are some reasons why people get so upset when they encounter certain words, phrases or ideas?

What is your “Gentile” word – the one word that provokes the most frustration and anger?

What do you think are the reasons this word provokes you so much?

What steps can you take to allow the Holy Spirit to initiate a heart change in you regarding your attitude toward people who may be categorized by your “one word”?

 

Photo by Dave Lowe

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The Long Goodbye

On Thursday, October 26th, we said goodbye to my father-in-law, Cliff Bloom.

While his passing was somewhat sudden at the end, in many ways it was a long goodbye, as Cliff suffered from the cruel disease of Alzheimers which forces its victims to endure a slow demise mentally.

Classic Cliff – a big smile and ready to greet you with a hug!

Even though Cliff’s cognitive abilities were in decline over the last several years, his long-term memory remained mostly intact.

Cliff was born in the Philadelphia area and thanks to his dad’s employment as a civilian engineer with the Army Corps of engineers, Cliff lived an adventurous life growing up in various parts of the world that most people only read about.

Cliff loved to regale others with stories of what it was like living in Morocco or Turkey as a teenager, or the camaraderie he enjoyed with fellow cadets at Sewanee Military Academy where he attended high school.

Cliff started college at Georgetown but when his parents settled in Oklahoma he ended up transferring to Southeastern Oklahoma University. When asked how he ended up at such a small school that was off the beaten path, Cliff told the story:

“I set out in the car from my parents house and I wasn’t sure where I was going. I happened upon this small school where I saw a bunch of students who were having fun. A bunch of students were standing in a line and when I asked what they were in line for, they said they were registering for classes. I got in line and registered myself.”

Joshua (left) and Jacob pose with their grandpa (ca. 2007)

Upon graduation, Cliff attended Officer Candidate School where he commissioned as an officer in the Navy, serving our country for several years during the Viet Nam war.

Cliff was extremely patriotic and loved history and learning about other cultures. He was a people person. To Cliff, strangers were just friends he hadn’t met yet.

Less than 2 years after Jen and I were married, we learned that Cliff was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Though it was benign, he developed a serious infection as a result of the surgery and it left him partially disabled. Life suddenly changed for Cliff, who was no longer able to do the active things he enjoyed, like cycling and golf.

I never once heard Cliff complain about his situation. He was an extremely positive person who loved to laugh and joke around with others. He always sought to make the best of his circumstances.

Family Christmas photo (December 2015)
Front (L-R): Susan, Cliff, Jen, Dave.
Back (L-R): Kyle and Thomas (our nephews), Jacob, Joshua, Debbie (Jen’s sister), Steve (brother-in-law)

Whenever we would visit Jen’s family, Cliff was always there to greet us with a big smile and big hug. He had a way of making you feel loved and special. He was an encourager at heart and he would often tell his kids and grandkids how proud he was of them.

The beauty of the gospel is that there is hope beyond this life. Though Cliff will be sorely missed, we take comfort in knowing that He is with Jesus now and he is no longer suffering from any of the health or memory complications that afflicted him in recent years. He is alive and fully redeemed!

We would greatly appreciate your prayers for us and our family as we grieve Cliff’s passing and seek to celebrate his life and legacy!

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A Psalm about the Nature of God

Psalm 90

1Lord, you have been our dwelling place

throughout all generations.

2Before the mountains were born

or you brought forth the earth and the world,

from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

3You turn men back to dust,

saying, “Return to dust, O sons of men.”

4For a thousand years in your sight

are like a day that has just gone by,

or like a watch in the night.

(Psalm 90:1-4, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

A.W. Tozer is famously quoted as saying, “what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

What do you think about when you think about God? What do you think God is like? How would you describe Him? What are some of his attributes?

How we think about God is extremely important. In fact, the second of the ten commandments says that we are not to fashion an idol in the form of an animal and worship it (see Exodus 20). This is because God is not an animal. Since God created all the animals, God is GREATER than any animal. Hence, it is demeaning to think of God as an animal – something that he actually created.

So what is God like?

The psalmist paints a partial picture of God with some incredible attributes, including the following:

    • “Before the creation of the world, you are God”. In other words, God existed before the world did, which means that He is distinct from His creation.
    • “For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by.” What this means is that God is not subject to the same laws of time as we are. God is outside of time. Hence, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day.

The psalmist is accurately describing the eternal first cause.

Philosophers understand that when thinking about the origin of the universe, there must be an eternal first cause or else you run into the problem of infinite regression.

What is infinite regression?

Infinite regression is when you find yourself caught in an infinite series of questions and responses concerning the creation. For example, suppose a 5-year old asks, “where did I come from?”

You answer, “from your parents.” He follows up by asking, “but where did they come from?”

You reply, “from their parents.”

He replies to your reply with the same question, “but where did they come from?” And you reply each time with the same response, “from their parents.”

This chain of questions and responses regarding origins could go on forever – to infinity, UNLESS you arrive at a first cause that was itself eternal and uncaused.

For years, scientists and philosophers assumed that the universe itself was eternal, that it has ALWAYS existed. In that case, when one asks, “but where did the universe come from?” the answer is that it didn’t come from anyone or anywhere. It has always existed. It has always been there. Since it has always existed, we do not need to answer the question, “where did it come from?”

The problem is that we now know scientifically that the universe is NOT eternal. We know that it had a beginning. In fact, the Big Bang states that all matter, energy, space AND TIME came into existence at a point about 13.7 billion years ago. This demonstrates that the universe itself is NOT eternal.

So we are back to the question, “where did the universe come from?”

According to the psalmist, the universe came from God, who existed BEFORE the universe was created and BEFORE the concept of time. Hence, two major attributes of God are that 1) He is outside of space (creation) and  2) He is outside of time.

There is much more that could be said about God and his attributes but these two characteristics of God are foundational to understanding who He is. If he is outside of creation (space) and outside of time, then God must be eternally self-existent and He must be infinitely greater than any of us can even imagine. This is why any attempt to depict him in a way that is finite, such as a created animal, is demeaning to God. It is an offense to His very nature.

Reflection

What is your concept of God? What words and phrases would you use to describe Him?

Tozer says that what we think about God is the most important thing about us. Do you agree? Why or why not?

What reasons would you give someone when explaining why it is wrong to worship a created image?

The Big Bang states that the universe came into existence about 13.7 billion years ago. How does this scientific fact provide evidence for God’s existence?

 

Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash

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The Prisoner and the Cup-Bearer

Genesis 40

1Some time later, Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer and chief baker offended him. 2Pharaoh became very angry with these officials, 3and he put them in the prison where Joseph was, in the palace of Potiphar, the captain of the guard. 4They remained in prison for quite some time, and Potiphar assigned Joseph to take care of them.

5One night the cup-bearer and the baker each had a dream, and each dream had its own meaning. 6The next morning Joseph noticed the dejected look on their faces. 7“Why do you look so worried today?” he asked.

8And they replied, “We both had dreams last night, but there is no one here to tell us what they mean.”

“Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” Joseph replied. “Tell me what you saw.”

9The cup-bearer told his dream first. “In my dream,” he said, “I saw a vine in front of me. 10It had three branches that began to bud and blossom, and soon there were clusters of ripe grapes. 11I was holding Pharaoh’s wine cup in my hand, so I took the grapes and squeezed the juice into it. Then I placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”

12“I know what the dream means,” Joseph said. “The three branches mean three days. 13Within three days Pharaoh will take you out of prison and return you to your position as his chief cup-bearer. 14And please have some pity on me when you are back in his favor. Mention me to Pharaoh, and ask him to let me out of here. 15For I was kidnapped from my homeland, the land of the Hebrews, and now I’m here in jail, but I did nothing to deserve it.”

16When the chief baker saw that the first dream had such a good meaning, he told his dream to Joseph, too. “In my dream,” he said, “there were three baskets of pastries on my head. 17In the top basket were all kinds of bakery goods for Pharaoh, but the birds came and ate them.”

18“I’ll tell you what it means,” Joseph told him. “The three baskets mean three days. 19Three days from now Pharaoh will cut off your head and impale your body on a pole. Then birds will come and peck away at your flesh.”

20Pharaoh’s birthday came three days later, and he gave a banquet for all his officials and household staff. He sent for his chief cup-bearer and chief baker, and they were brought to him from the prison. 21He then restored the chief cup-bearer to his former position, 22but he sentenced the chief baker to be impaled on a pole, just as Joseph had predicted. 23Pharaoh’s cup-bearer, however, promptly forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought. (Genesis 40:1-23, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

Genesis 40 is a critical chapter in the story of Joseph and shows that God’s hand is on Joseph’s life despite the unfavorable circumstances in which he finds himself.

Whatever situation Joseph encounters, he thrives. Even in prison, he separates himself as highly proficient and trustworthy, putting himself in a position of authority over others.

When the chief baker and chief cupbearer end up in prison, Joseph is assigned to oversee them.

After some time, they both come to Joseph to interpret dreams that they each had. Joseph’s interpretations are spot on – events unfold exactly as Joseph predicts based on his interpretation of the dreams.

After giving the cup-bearer a positive interpretation of his dream, Joseph implores the cup-bearer to “please have some pity on me when you are back in his [Pharaoh’s] favor. Mention me to Pharaoh, and ask him to let me out of here.”

However, after the cup-bearer is restored to his previous position of service to Pharaoh, the text says that he “promptly forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought.”

It’s amazing to me that the cup-bearer could so quickly forget about Joseph and his uncanny ability to interpret dreams. I think this passage illustrates a principle of human nature, which is that we are inclined to forget the role others play in the blessings we experience.

Personally, I tend to attribute successes in life to my own hard work, ingenuity and perseverance while often explaining my failures and short-comings as being the result of the incompetence or inadequacies of others.

The truth is that in our human pride and arrogance, we can tend to overemphasize our own abilities and efforts while minimizing the impact and contribution of others.

The cup-bearer illustrates how many people react when things go well – they go on their merry way without giving any thought to how they got where they’re at and who may have contributed to the blessings they are experiencing.

Joseph, by contrast, recognizes that God is the one who has gifted him with the ability to interpret dreams and he’s is quick to credit God instead of lifting himself up.

 

Reflection

In what ways can you relate to Joseph and in what ways can you relate to the Cup-bearer?

What is generally your response when things are going well? Do you tend to recognize the positive role others played in your circumstances or are you more likely to take the full credit for your good fortune?

Who is someone in your life that you have “promptly forgotten” in terms of recognizing the positive role they have played in your life? What steps can you take to ensure you recognize and acknowledge the roles God and others have played in your life’s circumstances?

 

Photo by Hasan Almasi on Unsplash

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I Want to Know What Love is

I remember the first time I encountered Ed Stevens. I was asked to teach a Wednesday night class at church on evangelism. Ed was an older gentleman in the back who stood out to me because, with his wiry white hair, cargo shorts, tube socks and old worn out polo shirt, complete with a pocket protector, he looked to me like a shorter, stouter version of Doc Brown from the Back to the Future movies.

Ed Stevens loved the Lord and he loved people! Click the photo to read his obituary.

Some time later I started attending the mid-week prayer service at church, which was very sparsely attended. To be honest, I attended out of convenience since I normally dropped my boys off for the middle school youth group and it seemed like a waste of time and gas to drive 20 minutes home only to leave 15 minutes later for the 20 minute return trip to pick them up. Ed was there out of conviction. He just loved to pray.

Ed was a classic example of “don’t judge a book by its cover.” Ed didn’t make any fashion statements and if you didn’t know him, you might make the mistake of thinking he was a guy who was a bit down on his luck.

It turns out that Ed was a rather brilliant guy. He had an engineering degree from Rice University and worked over 50 years for Parker Hannifin (an aerospace company in Irvine). He had many patents credited to his name.

In addition, Ed was extremely knowledgeable biblically, having earned a Masters Degree in Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. Ed loved music and loved to worship by singing and playing trumpet.

One night, at the end of our prayer meeting, Ed asked me if I would consider teaching a Sunday school class for seniors. Ed had started the class 40 years earlier and had been the primary Bible teacher all those years. He decided that maybe it was time to take a break and he approached me about taking over for him. I wasn’t sure I had the time and of course, seniors were well beyond the target age of Young Adults, which was the audience on which our ministry was focused.

I shared my hesitation with Ed and to address my concerns he proposed that I tag team the teaching duties with another guy who also attended the mid-week prayer time. Ed was so affable that it was hard to say no to him.

Nearly every Sunday at the end of the class, Ed would ask, “who’s going to lunch with me?” As many of the other class members would politely decline for various reasons, I often found myself joining Ed so he wouldn’t have to go to lunch by himself. Ed’s restaurant of choice was almost always The Snooty Fox, a local breakfast joint that was lacking in decor but was always packed because the food was good.

Ed knew all the workers by name and would often greet others who were waiting to be seated with a friendly story, a Bible verse or a corny joke. He always had an arsenal of gospel tracts and booklets on hand that he would hand out to people he had just met. 

What stood out most to me about Ed was his positive attitude. He exuded joy. When I first met him, he was wheeling his wife Liza around in a wheel chair. She was in the advanced stages of Alzheimers and by the time I met her she was not able to speak. Ed took care of her for over 14 years and never complained or even hinted that the situation he was in was anything other than a privilege.

Ed talked dotingly about his wife – what a great mother she was and how she had introduced hundreds, if not thousands of kids to Jesus through a Good News Club she had started and kept active for years. Liza passed away shortly after I began teaching in the Living Light Sunday school class.

Over the years, the class dwindled as members passed one by one. Not long before the pandemic, the class Ed had started 45 years earlier finally got so small that they merged with another class of seniors at the church. That class already had a teacher and so my Senior Sunday School teaching duties came to an end.

Recently, I had lunch with my old teaching partner whom I hadn’t connected with since before the pandemic. It was good to see him and catch up. I asked him, “have you heard from Ed?” He told me he hadn’t. A few minutes later he pulled up Ed’s obituary on his phone. Ed was almost 89 years old when he passed away last year after a short bout with Covid.

To me, Ed epitomized the Great Commandment because he truly loved the Lord with all his heart, soul, strength and mind and he loved people. 

As the classic Foreigner rock ballad says, “I want to know what love is….I want you to show me.” Ed Stevens showed us, by his life and his words, what love is.

Please pray that we would be able to know and experience God’s love ourselves and that we would be able to show it to others through our lives and ministry.