Vengeance

Startling wording from Paul in 1 Thess 1.8,9. What awaits those who "know not God" and who do not "obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" is "everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power." This is not politically correct wording, with which Paul was not in the least concerned. Rather he was concerned about communicating the truth just because he understood the reality of "everlasting destruction."

That No Man...Defraud his Brother

According to BDAG the word translated "defraud" in the KJV (1 Thess 4.6) means: To take advantage of, outwit, exploit, cheat. While the context is of sexual sin, and it certainly has application to that, the broader application is to any number of things. For instance, selling your brother something that you know is worth much less than you sell it, like it is broken and you know it, but he does not. Cheating is similar, an example might be buying something from him that you know is much more valuable than what he is charging, but he doesn't know it.

He who Avenges Blood

This is a revelation of God's character that we don't often mention, but the psalmists (David here) are not so reticent to point it out. "When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: He forgetteth not the cry of the humble" (Ps. 9.12, KJV). Vengeance for innocent blood is God's responsibility, and here we are promised that he will carry out his responsibilities. This is why as Christians we do not seek vengeance. Indeed we are called to love our enemies. God, who is the perfect judge, will carry out vengeance for innocent blood.

Here we find the beautiful thing. The same God who is a God of vengeance, is the one who sent his only son, Jesus, so that we who are guilty—we who ought to receive God's vengeance—can be delivered from it. This is why, while a man breathes, there is always hope that he will come to his senses and follow Christ.

Safety Belongs to the Lord

"The horse is prepared against the day of battle," writes Solomon, "but safety is of the Lord" (Prov 21.31, KJV). The ESV translates it: "but victory belongs to the Lord." The Hebrew word can mean "salvation, rescue, deliverance," so it can mean either of the two translations, or more likely, both.

God's providence, as worked out in the Scriptures, is responsible for both victory and safety. This does not mean that we do not prepare, that we just sit back and expect God to win the victory with us doing nothing, "the horse is prepared against the day of battle." It means that ultimate victory and safety in any situation is firmly in the hands of God and of his providential care and conduct of history.

Here is what the New American Commentary says about these verses. "Verse 31 gives a concrete example, from a military setting, of what v. 30 describes abstractly. Readying a horse for battle is the application of technical skills in pursuit of a goal (in this case, military victory). Just as a trained, prepared army can be defeated if God wills it, so also all efforts at success in life (the goal of wisdom) without God are vain. The text does not demean practical skills (e.g., horsemanship), for that also is part of wisdom; but it says that all knowledge is hollow without God."

If Ye continue in the Flesh

Colossians 1.23 (KJV). This is the consistent biblical position on the perseverance of the saints. Paul says that Christ has reconciled believers in Colossae "to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his right: If ye continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel."

"Continue in the faith," Paul encourages the Colossians, "be not moved away from the hope of the gospel." These are crucial words to heed.

He saw, and Believed

John's succinct comment on the beloved disciple's (John himself?) response to the empty tomb (John 20.8). I find the comment fascinating. Obviously, when the disciple witnessed the empty tomb everything that he had seen, witnessed, and heard from Christ came rushing back and he understood; he perceived; he believed.

The beloved disciple is the only one in the gospels who is described as believing at the sight of the empty tomb (although it appears to be implied that Peter also believed at that point). Everyone else would need to understand the empty tomb AND see the risen Christ. As one commentator put it: "The beloved disciple, however, is here viewed as the model for the church."

The Eyes of the Lord

"Are in every place," writes Solomon, "keeping watch on the evil and the good" (Prov 15.3, ESV). The Scriptures speak remarkably consistently in regards to God and on whom he keeps his eye. Ps. 139.7-12 works out this same truth. No matter how far we run or how much we try to hide, God is never far from us. This is a good thing. This is a remarkable thing. This is the God whom we serve.

He that Hath Seen Me Hath Seen the Father

Christ speaking in John 14.9, a chapter in which the Triune God is stated perhaps more clearly than any other chapter in the Scriptures. Stated, but not explained, the Scriptures leave it a mystery.

Christ's statement is breathtaking here. "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." He fully understood the import of his statement. He was, in a few short words, claiming to be equal with God the Father. His resurrection proved it. His disciples believed it. They sacrificed their lives to that particular truth.

I believe it.

And It was Night

John slips in this comment at the end of John 13.30 so that we almost miss it. He is certainly not just making a reference to the time of day here. There is something going on far deeper than that. Darkness is a time of evil because evil hates the light and Christ is the light of the world. When else to betray Christ except at night?

Adam Clarke puts it most succinctly and well: Under the conduct of the prince of darkness, and in the time of darkness, he did this work of darkness.

Doth Not Wisdom Cry?

Sometimes the KJV is just better than anything else in English ("Doth not wisdom cry?" (Prov 8.1 KJV), and this is one of those times. Compare the ESV: "Does not wisdom call?" The ESV is bland and boring; the KJV is majestic.

Just saying.

The question in Prov 8.1 is a rhetorical one. Solomon means for us to answer it yes, and for the rest of the chapter explains why wisdom cries and to whom. I think that there is no better place in the Scriptures where the truth and implications of wisdom are worked out. One would be wise (no pun intended) to spend a lot of time thinking through the implications of what Solomon says here.

Perhaps the most shocking thing that Solomon writes is at the very end of the chapter. "All they that hate me (wisdom) love death" (Prov 8.36, KJV).

He That is of God...

...heareth God's words (John 8.47, KJV). Christ to the unbelieving Jews. The second half of the sentence is: "Ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God." Christ was never one to hold back truth when it needed to be spoken, as it did here. His most direct comments were always made to those who were the most self-righteous; one assumes because others knew they were sinners, the legalists, not so much.

This is why we should always be evaluating our own theology and motives. Who knows that self-righteousness hasn't crept in when we weren't looking. Humility is the key. The humility to reexamine ourselves and ask, "have I wandered away from the truth?" "Am I more interested in my own theological scheme than I am in ferreting out the truth?" "Can I be wrong here?"

This lays a healthy foundation for, as Millard Erickson once put it, holding our theology with humility because we may be wrong, as the unbelieving Jews were wrong here.

To Whom Shall We Go?

Such a pertinent and crucial question from Peter. He rightly understands that apart from Christ we have no hope. Apart from Christ to whom shall we go to for salvation? Who will cleanse us from our sins? Who is able to make us right with God? Who can solve the desperate broken nature of the world? None but Christ. In this incredible moment, Peter understands. Christ has the words of eternal life. Christ alone.

"Then Simon Peter answered him, "Lord to whom shall we go? Thou has the words of eternal life" (John 6.68,KJV)

The Lord Gave

Reading in Job 42.10, this morning. The writer of Job (Job himself?) makes a peculiar point. He says that the Lord gave Job twice as much AS HE GAVE HIM BEFORE. We shouldn't miss that little remark because it goes to the heart of who God is and who we are. We would like to think that what we have is the result of our own efforts and talents, which is true so far as it goes. Ultimate responsibility rests with God. This is the whole message of Job. God gave Job blessings; God took away those blessings; God gave them back double. Humbling, but true.

Location:OAK

Doth the Hawk fly by Thy Wisdom?

God to Job in Job 39.26, KJV. Answer: No. Implication: It is by God's understanding and design that the hawk soars. Man's proclivity is to look only at the construction of the hawk and understand how it soars and what makes it do so. Man never asks why the hawk soars or how it got that way. God says that it got that way because of his understanding, because of his wisdom. Since he created hawks, he would know.

Fightings and Fears

I love Paul when he sounds the most like me because it gives me hope that I can do this thing called "The Faith." This is why 2 Cor 7.5 resonates so much with me: "For when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears" (KJV). Yes, this sounds like me, wrestling with fears on the inside and difficulties on the outside.

Difficulties and fears are a normal part of living out the Christian faith. Indeed, I would argue that God brings difficulties and fears so that we learn to depend on him alone, rather than on our own abilities or strength. They are blessings! Sure they don't seem like it at the time, but neither did Joseph perceive his time in an Egyptian prison as a blessing, until he saw what God was up to. Then his testimony became: "You (his brothers) meant your actions for harm, but God meant them for good."

KJV Word of the Day: Surfeit

A surfeit of anything is too much of it. The word was applied to excess eating or drinking, to the consequent sickness and nausea, and to the resulting disgust or loathing. As such it was a natural translation of the Greek word kraipale, which stands for carousing, intoxication, and the subsequent headache and hangover.

Luke 21.34, KJV.

Your Redemption Draweth Nigh

And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory, And when these things shall begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth night (Luke 21.27,28 KJV).

Christ is speaking of his second coming here. This statement encompasses our hope and the promise of the gospel. We hope that this life is not all there is; that there is ultimate meaning and purpose to our existence; that there is a God who created all things and who is working all of history to a conclusion and summation in Christ; and that he loves us intimately and has gone to prepare a place for us, "That where I am there you may also be" (John 14.3, ESV).

The key sign that the end is here will be when we see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. This is the fulfillment of the promise. Lift up your heads, O followers of Jesus Christ, stir in your graves, O Christian who has died before the coming of the promise, for as surely as God's promises are true, your redemption draweth nigh.

And He was a Samaritan

Christ healed ten lepers; only one of them returned to thank him. They ought to have all thanked him—a fact which Christ points out. Only one returned. The returnee gives us a real shock when Luke tells us: "And he was a Samaritan" (Luke 17.16). Ouch. That hurt. We don't know what race the other nine belonged to, what we do know is that the only one who showed proper gratitude was the one who belonged to the hated race of half-breeds. Their theology was mixed up. They were no pure Jews. They were worthless. In this incident, the Samaritan is the only one who acts properly. It is apparent that the Samaritan's faith makes him whole, not only in body, but in spirit.

Paul's Purpose/Our Purpose

Paul had such a clear understanding of his purpose in life. He states it succinctly in 2 Cor 1.9. His purpose was to make known to anyone who would listen that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. To him there was no higher purpose; no higher reason to be alive.

We are not all called to be evangelists like Paul. We are all called to live out our lives in the same way he did, in order to make Christ known as the Son of God to men. We can have no higher purpose.

No Partial Disciples

This is the choice that Christ gives us in Luke 14.33. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple" (KJV). Christ will have all, or he will have nothing. There is no in between; there are no partial disciples.