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Reflections on Joshua 3:1-4:24
Within the Promised Land Joshua 3
"Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." Joshua 3:5. The people of Israel had grown accustomed to following the Spirit of the Lord. He had been a cloud; He had been a pillar of fire; His word had been spoken through Moses; He had been represented as the Ark of the Covenant and within the tribe of the Levites. They did not move from camp unless bid by the Spirit of the Lord. When we are bid to go out in the Spirit of the Lord, the Bible says we will know. He instructs us in the way we should go when we love Him with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. Although it is important to keep ourselves pure at all times, often we will be given advance warning so that we can prepare our provisions and consecrate ourselves to be used in His service.
I am reminded of Ezekiel's vision from Ezekiel 1. Ezekiel 1:20 states "Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels." Jesus made a promise to those of us who trust in God and follow His commandments to Love in John 14:15-17 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be (is) in you. John 15:17 states; "This is my command: Love each other."
Not even having the Spirit of God can grant us all knowledge, but only what the Father allows: His relationship with the Father was very similar to the Son who only spoke what the Father allowed Him to speak. John 16:13b-14a "when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine." The ultimate purpose for you and I, for the Spirit and for the Son, is to bring glory to the Father, beginning with honor and reverence and culminating in everlasting Love.
The joy is that as Christ came and lived among men, that separation of 2000 cubits of Joshua 3:4 was brought down to something they could feel and touch. Today, we can stand on His promise from Ezekiel 36:26 ""Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." Jesus spoke of this as being born again in John 3:3.
Isaiah spoke of the Father's work among us from the beginning of time in Isaiah 64:4-5a "Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways." Paul continues this thought in I Corinthians 2:10b-13 " God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
And yet, Isaiah claims we have not listened! Listen as he continues in Isaiah 64:5b-9 "But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins. Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, O Lord; do not remember our sins forever. Oh, look upon us, we pray, for we are all your people."
This brings us back to today's story. We cannot look beyond the fact that the Lord's purpose of redemption and salvation was at work even in the coming destruction of the old ways represented by the land of Canaan. We cannot contrive to be a world at war, imagining we are God's chosen people when His purposes have been made extremely clear in scripture. How dare we use His Love as a weapon against our fellowman today and imagine for a moment this is the working of His Holy Spirit whose fruits are Love, Joy, and Peace. His purpose was to provide sanctuary to all people. A safe haven where man could find peace with man and with their God. The children of Israel were prepared to go in and cleanse the land, and that is our job today as well. Purify your heart and mind that you may know what the will of our Father is: " To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8b)
The Lord chooses our leaders. It is our responsibility to honor them and seek God's will through them. As Children of God, we must seek God's blessing upon our leaders and choose to exalt them before God, praising those things they do that bring glory to our Father in Heaven. There is not one item of scripture that justifies our defiance of our leaders except when it comes to worshiping them as a God, or asking us to break our bond of Love with the Father, or with our fellowman. Without our support of His choice of leadership in our world, there will be no peace. Countries will remain divided, and they will fall - and we will cry "My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me!"
Our leaders also must invoke the name of our Lord and seek to follow Him. They must acknowledge His presence and direction in their lives and seek to honor Him in their thoughts, deeds, and actions. He will hold them accountable for their service in His sight. If they turn against Him, He will take vengeance and replace them. Our job is to vote and honor and to stay involved in service before God and man.
The recent dishonor of religious bodies against their leaders and against their fellowman is what has prompted my motivation to write this commentary. We must all strive to work together to heal major divisions between God and men to bring glory to his name. Our dedication to division and our blatant dishonor has brought shame and disgrace to our religious communities. We have even stooped so low as to judge one another's faith as worthy in His sight. And the result is that we ourselves have been judged unworthy. We can be assured that our God is not present as divorce rates climb, families crumble, churches are empty, economies crash, wars continue without end, poverty overwhelms us, civil war has begun in our hearts, individual accountability has been justified even as we stand in judgment seeking God's vengeance upon our fellowman.
Together with our fellowman, we stand on the west side of the Jordan. The armies of righteousness have mounted up on the far side and prepare to cross. The Son has risen and has mounted the charge. His intent is to destroy the evil within our lands. He comes with ten thousands of angels to pierce our very souls. We are the Canaanites! We have suffered the curse of embarrassing our Father. We have but one option! Wave your white flag and call out for peace! Serve within His army of the righteous and enjoin the hearts of men.
The river of life has been held at bay - beginning at Adam until all the righteous have passed over and entered this land of men. We stand within this promised land and our war is at hand. The Spirit of the Lord stands in the midst of of that river until all the children of God have entered the battlegrounds - until all have entered this conflict. We are a mixed race. We represent the godly and the ungodly, the Jew and Gentile. We are no longer warriors intent on destroying the lives of men, but we are friends and brothers intent on serving a God who desires our peace. We are individuals acknowledging our refinement within. We are called to Love and allow His leadership to change our hearts and minds as we seek to serve within this Kingdom. We are standing on Holy ground. Creation serves as the promised land and all His blessings and curses can be ours, based on how we use His weapon, our law of Love.
Rembering How We Got Here Joshua 4
The army of the Lord crossed over the Jordan. In representation of the Sons of Israel, God had them set up a memorial so that their children would not forget the glory and power of the Lord. The memorials not only represented where they were now, but also within the midst of the sea as a reminder that God Himself had made their presence possible. His providence and Joshua's leadership had been established. Memorial stones and crosses still mark death to this day. The old has passed away, behold a new day dawns.
This story has been told, and these memorials have been given so that we may each remember where we have been and what God has done on our behalf. Let's work together to change this promised land to work for us again! Let's destroy the evil within us and bring Glory back to our creator, our Father. For everything you have done and everything you are about to do, we thank you Lord.
Psalm 89:11-18a "The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it. You created the north and the south; Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name. Your arm is endued with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness. For you are their glory and strength, and by your favor you exalt our horn. Indeed, our shield belongs to the Lord"
Reflections on Luke 14:7-35
Virtues of the Christ Luke 14:7-14
Our story today begins within the house of a Pharisee where Jesus had been invited to dine. Not only did Jesus speak of the Kingdom of God through the life of shephards and farmers; Not only did He display wisdom regarding horticulture, psychology, sociology, history, and religion; but He also displayed knowledge of more domestic issues and even wisdom in throwing successful festivities, winning the hearts of men and of God.
I speak often of Love, Joy, and Peace, but don't often mention kindness, gentleness and meekness. Webster uses words such as; gentle, patient, long suffering, lacking resentment, submissive, not violent or strong. Certainly not the type of behaviour most men today would like to exemplify, but certainly Christlike - except when it came to his violent nature within the walls of the church as they charged people for repentance with animal sacrifices! This of course gives rise to one of my favorite pieces of scripture as Paul explains this concept in more detail in words more beautiful than I could hope to describe:
Phillipians 2:1-11 "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature (in the form of) God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature(the form) of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (see also Isaiah 45:3 and Romans 14:11)
I share the concern of may readers that the writer of this letter to the Philippians has given Jesus the highest honor of the last days which had previously been bestowed upon the Father. Considering the rest of the passage, there is some concern that Jesus Christ would accept such an honor, and yet, God calls all men to Himself through Christ's sacrifice on behalf of man's salvation. Therefore, this understanding of Christ's humility in death bestowing such great honor "to the glory of the Father" fits perfectly with Luke 14:7-11. Jesus Christ did not ask for this honor; It was given him by man and by the heavenly host according to Revelation 5:11-13
Revelation 5:11-13 "Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcFTtu5kJpk&feature=related Thanks to our Father and His only begotten Son, our future is glorious beyond our comprehension!
In our honor before our Lord and Savior, how many of us follow the teachings of Luke 14:12-14? I know I will generally invite family and friends. How far out of our way do we go to invite the less fortunate? How concerned are we for those people God has placed on our heart that may not have a place to enjoy a feast with their own family and friends? This is another reminder that He is watching! By keeping that in the forefront of our minds, we will all make better choices as we prepare to meet our maker.
Dangers of Interpretation Luke 14:15-24
Luke 14:15-24 may be taken quite literally! An assumption of this commentary is that God intends to redeem all of Creation - and that if that assumption is correct, our Father shall not fail. Again, I must remind the reader that this is merely an assumption and I in no way claim it to be fact. That being said, the discipline envisioned in this passage is for those who have experienced the call of God in their lives, yet refuse to do anything about it. We may have all sorts of reasons for not coming to the table - joining together with the family of God - based on our individual needs and desires, but what are you going to do with this passage? "Not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet." My guess is that He refers to those who refuse to join in fellowship with all men - they will not forced to do so. My guess is that if we are so busy minding our own business, we shall not witness the transformation that is taking place in our world. My guess is that if we refuse to Love our neighbor, we will fail to experience the Love of God while we remain on this earth. "My guess!" My advice is that you begin to consecrate yourself and sanctify yourself in this "blood of the lamb" as I anticipate that something wonderful is about to happen and I'd love it if we could all be a part!
Kingdom Economics and Marketing Luke 14:25-35
Perhaps Luke 14:25-33 sheds some light on our quandry of Luke 14:15-24. A Catholic priest must renounce romantic engagement to follow his calling. In choosing to write this commentary, there are pressures upon me regarding my business and family obligations. They are bound to suffer and this is a cost I have to deal with every day. The disciples gave up lives of being fishermen or tax collectors. Some gave up family as wives and children were forced to not only fend for themselves, but to provide sustenance for the troop of Jesus closest friends. Some of them, such as the wife of Zebedee, mother of James and John gave up their daily lives to care for the needs of these men and women. Following Jesus necessarily became their number 1 priority. Their dedication was required of Him, and the consequence was the experience of participation and friendship with Jesus in His ministry that would be their special priviledge. Any of the people in that great multitude would understand the cost of following Jesus, just as we must understand the cost of pursuing missions in His name. And yet, for me, the reward has been very fulfilling. If I am unable to complete this project, I will suffer shame for not having been prepared from the start. May the Lord grant me strength and bless this calling I believe He has placed upon my heart.
There is always the concern that our vision is a product of our own mind and we must be constantly in prayer, seeking His will and validation of our efforts. If our efforts within the Kingdom lose their potency to bring about change within the Kingdom of God on earth and outside its walls, they may lose the blessings of God. We must continue to be vibrant in changing our world. This true of the entertainment industry and all of life. If we do not have something tasty to offer, there will be no desire and the demand for our influence will die. Perhaps this could be considered the economy of the Kingdom of God. This theme of the need for compelling ministry is displayed in the message to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3 as the Spirit speaks to 7 churches. The final church was Laodicea, and the message is quite clear:
Revelation 3:16-19 "So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent."
Reflections on Psalm 80:1-19
What a beautiful Psalm! From the heart of a Psalmist's lament, he has prophesied through allegory the deliverance of the nations! Through frustration and torment of what appeared to be failure and ruin, He has witnessed the mind of God and seen His outstretched arm.
(vs 1-3) The Lord has led his chosen people from the patriarchs of old. Through the children of Rachel, he established them in a land of captivity and led them forth with power and great glory! Through their purification, He is redeeming the world.
(vs 4-7) Yet, as with all men, Israel fell short of His glory and as prophesied, they were scattered among men. For His sake, they were broken and humiliated before men as the Heavenly host looked down from Heaven praising God as all was as it should be. They beheld the glory of the Lord, knowing that by Israel's wounds, salvation would come.
(vs 8-13) In purity and holiness, they had been rescued from bondage and planted in a land flowing with the blessings of our Almighty God! Impurity was driven away and they thrived for a time on righteousness and holiness filling the earth and subduing it. Their lands reached from the mountains of Seir to the cedars of Lebanon, from the great sea to the west to the great Euphrates river of Aram to the North. And yet, they had been blessed to be a blessing and in the fate of their torment, their righteousness and holiness spread throughout the entire world as all nations partook of their fruit, ripping, tearing, feeding, nursing, and eventually glorifying in the Lord their God with the realization that there is no other.
In the end of time, look again, Heavenly Father, bless your people whom you have held in the palm of your hand. Bring them back to that Holy Land of old where you cradled them in the nook of your arm. Where you sent your only begotten Son that we might not perish. Let the nations see your splendor and majesty and glorify our Father in Heaven. Help us all to see the gift you gave through your children, Israel! May we turn our hearts towards you oh Lord and unite around your Holy Hill.
Restore us all Lord, Creator of all mankind, "make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved." (vs 19b)
Reflections on Proverbs 12:27-28
Proverbs 12:27 appears to be tough to interpret, but most seem to feel it deals due diligence in caring for our food or possessions. Jesus gave a proverb that was very similar in Luke 8:18 " consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him."
(vs 28) Living a life of virtue grants a long and happy life at peace with God and man, whereas, living apart from God can turn all of creation against you. (See Deuteronomy 28) Beyond the curse of creation however, addictions in life can certainly cause early termination or health and emotional concerns dogging even the shortest of lives.
Choose virtue, in the long run you'll be glad you did.
Until tomorrow
Rick
Sunday, April 11, 2010
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