If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: (Isaiah 58:13)
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:8-11)
Last time we looked at the significance of the Sabbath as a symbol or ritual of universal inclusion for God's people. But what does keeping the Sabbath look like today? The next cross-reference takes us to the Ten Commandments, spoken by God to the whole congregation of Israel, the most dramatic public announcement God has ever made, with Jesus' baptism coming a close second in drama. I think if we put aside our biases and ideas about what the Sabbath is we will notice a few things here in the Ten Commandments.
Contrary to the common misconception, the emphasis of the Sabbath is not on avoiding work, although the word "sabbath" means "rest". If we throw away all preconceptions, and read the opening line of the Sabbath commandment we read: "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." So the first key is to recognise that for God, the Sabbath commandment is not about avoiding work at all costs, but about making his holiday (not Australia Day or Labor Day but we could say "God Day" but God calls it "Sabbath Day" so we'll go with that) special. God wants his day to be a special day and he doesn't exactly say how he wants us to do that, although in other places he suggests that his people should meet together on that day, which is where the idea of weekly worship comes from by the way.
Just like the way we need the whole of the second commandment to understand that it is ok to have artwork, we need the whole of the second commandment to understand the bare minimum requirements that God prescribes for keeping his day holy. We are to keep it on the seventh day of the week, to commemorate the seventh day of the week of creation, and we are not to work during that day, or make anybody else work for us.
God made this commandment, not me. God knew when he made it how incompatible it would seem in our modern world. Jesus made it clear that we can take care of emergencies on Sabbath, but anyway, each according to our own conscience we should do our best to avoid working (or studying for work) and avoid letting someone else do professional work for us.
This commandment is hard to keep today in our 24/7 world, but God knew about this when he made it, and he calls on us to show our loyalty by making his day special.
Sunday, 22 June 2014
Thursday, 12 June 2014
Ritual of Universal Inclusion
If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: (Isaiah 58:13)
Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. 3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. 4 For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; 5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. 6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; (Isaiah 56:2-6)
This is fascinating. We have all been given the idea that before Jesus the Israelites were God's only people and yet here is a clear description of how a non-Jew could potentially show that he wanted to join the Israelite nation and be one of God's people. Obviously it would not suffice for him to stop murdering and stealing, he may not have been doing this before. Apparently it would not be sufficient to stop worshipping idols, even an atheist would do the same. The way for a non-Jew, a Gentile, to declare his loyalty to Jehovah God of Israel was to start keeping the seventh-day Sabbath that was unique to Jehovah alone. A Gentile convert that kept the Sabbath was not able to be admitted into the ceremonies of Jerusalem but was promised full access in the New Jerusalem. The Sabbath is the ritual of universal inclusion.
A castrated man could not have a biological family, and this being the standard form of church growth in Israel made him seem spiritually unfruitful too. But God declares that if that eunuch is faithful in choosing the best things then Jehovah will give him fulfilment beyond that of having children. I think the prophet Daniel is an excellent example of this, and in a less literal sense the apostle Paul. The God who made man's pleasures can make your life pleasurable whether that includes celibacy or not.
Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. 3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. 4 For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; 5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. 6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; (Isaiah 56:2-6)
This is fascinating. We have all been given the idea that before Jesus the Israelites were God's only people and yet here is a clear description of how a non-Jew could potentially show that he wanted to join the Israelite nation and be one of God's people. Obviously it would not suffice for him to stop murdering and stealing, he may not have been doing this before. Apparently it would not be sufficient to stop worshipping idols, even an atheist would do the same. The way for a non-Jew, a Gentile, to declare his loyalty to Jehovah God of Israel was to start keeping the seventh-day Sabbath that was unique to Jehovah alone. A Gentile convert that kept the Sabbath was not able to be admitted into the ceremonies of Jerusalem but was promised full access in the New Jerusalem. The Sabbath is the ritual of universal inclusion.
A castrated man could not have a biological family, and this being the standard form of church growth in Israel made him seem spiritually unfruitful too. But God declares that if that eunuch is faithful in choosing the best things then Jehovah will give him fulfilment beyond that of having children. I think the prophet Daniel is an excellent example of this, and in a less literal sense the apostle Paul. The God who made man's pleasures can make your life pleasurable whether that includes celibacy or not.
Thursday, 5 June 2014
A Brief Word of Prayer: Help
Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. (Nehemiah 2:4)
It is hardly likely that Nehemiah got down on his knees and bowed his head to pray this prayer. That said, he may have been bowing to the king already, but that's a technicality. It is not at all likely he closed his eyes or prayed out loud.
These kinds of prayer are good, important and often necessary. But we can also pray silently with a moment's thought that appeals to God for help. "Help me Lord" that's all we need to say sometimes, and God honours and answers such prayers. There is nothing like this to give hope in dangerous situations, there have been many moments when I have prayed such a prayer and I am still alive today, perhaps as a result.
Prayer should be our automatic first response to problems, it will become this as we pray about other things in our lives on numerous occasions. Sometimes it is good to make habits of praying frequently, like before you eat or before driving. This can sometimes be necessary, and it is always a good way to train ourselves to pray without ceasing.
It is hardly likely that Nehemiah got down on his knees and bowed his head to pray this prayer. That said, he may have been bowing to the king already, but that's a technicality. It is not at all likely he closed his eyes or prayed out loud.
These kinds of prayer are good, important and often necessary. But we can also pray silently with a moment's thought that appeals to God for help. "Help me Lord" that's all we need to say sometimes, and God honours and answers such prayers. There is nothing like this to give hope in dangerous situations, there have been many moments when I have prayed such a prayer and I am still alive today, perhaps as a result.
Prayer should be our automatic first response to problems, it will become this as we pray about other things in our lives on numerous occasions. Sometimes it is good to make habits of praying frequently, like before you eat or before driving. This can sometimes be necessary, and it is always a good way to train ourselves to pray without ceasing.
Wednesday, 4 June 2014
Ready or… What?
And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. (Isaiah 58:12)
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. (Daniel 9:25)
In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: (Amos 9:11)
The reference in Amos is to the New Earth, it speaks of Jehovah himself repairing the breaches and ruins. But Isaiah is not speaking to Jehovah, Jehovah is speaking to his people. The reference in Daniel is referring literally to the rebuilding of Jerusalem, but this was done without a particular emphasis on good works. In this prophecy in Daniel, the Jews are given the chance to restore Jerusalem so that they can accept the Messiah before the expiry date specified in the prophecy (v.24). They had "seventy weeks" to anoint the Messiah along with several other things. But the Jews failed in this and they lost everything. The church today has a commission to prepare for Jesus' second coming. There is no expiry date on it, but Jesus is ready when we are. The bridegroom cometh, get ready.
What does it look like to get ready? Fast. Yes, afflict your soul and repent of your sins and go without food sometimes but mostly: draw out thy soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul.
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. (Daniel 9:25)
In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: (Amos 9:11)
The reference in Amos is to the New Earth, it speaks of Jehovah himself repairing the breaches and ruins. But Isaiah is not speaking to Jehovah, Jehovah is speaking to his people. The reference in Daniel is referring literally to the rebuilding of Jerusalem, but this was done without a particular emphasis on good works. In this prophecy in Daniel, the Jews are given the chance to restore Jerusalem so that they can accept the Messiah before the expiry date specified in the prophecy (v.24). They had "seventy weeks" to anoint the Messiah along with several other things. But the Jews failed in this and they lost everything. The church today has a commission to prepare for Jesus' second coming. There is no expiry date on it, but Jesus is ready when we are. The bridegroom cometh, get ready.
What does it look like to get ready? Fast. Yes, afflict your soul and repent of your sins and go without food sometimes but mostly: draw out thy soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul.
Tuesday, 3 June 2014
Wall of Law
And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. (Isaiah 58:12)
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth (Nehemiah 4:7)
Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) (Nehemiah 6:1)
One might say that Nehemiah was the repairer of the breach described in Isaiah 58, which would explain why he gets so much more attention than many more significant people described in the Bible. But what Nehemiah did was different from what Isaiah described. Nehemiah built a wall, Isaiah describes God's people during the time of the Day of Atonement doing good for others. The breach that God wants repaired is not a hole in a literal wall, it is the exclusion of one of the Ten Commandments from being observed today.
Nehemiah worked hard and organised people and got government help to repair a literal wall. How much more should we do to repair the protective wall of God's law?
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth (Nehemiah 4:7)
Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) (Nehemiah 6:1)
One might say that Nehemiah was the repairer of the breach described in Isaiah 58, which would explain why he gets so much more attention than many more significant people described in the Bible. But what Nehemiah did was different from what Isaiah described. Nehemiah built a wall, Isaiah describes God's people during the time of the Day of Atonement doing good for others. The breach that God wants repaired is not a hole in a literal wall, it is the exclusion of one of the Ten Commandments from being observed today.
Nehemiah worked hard and organised people and got government help to repair a literal wall. How much more should we do to repair the protective wall of God's law?
Monday, 2 June 2014
Restorers
And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. (Isaiah 58:12)
For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. (Isaiah 51:3)
Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. (Isaiah 52:9)
When will the deserts become a paradise? At the very end, after Jesus has returned (Rev 21:1). It that what is meant in Isaiah 58 by building the old waste places? I don't know. The restoration of the character of God in his once-wasted people will happen just before his return, perhaps this is the old waste places. Isaiah 58 is describing a situation before the Second Advent, not after it.
Jesus wants to restore things that have been destroyed as a consequence of sin. He is not the author of emptiness, but fulfilment. If he can command us to sing in joy he can give us the ability to do it. Trust in the Lord like you don't trust anything else, and he will fill your heart with joy.
For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. (Isaiah 51:3)
Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. (Isaiah 52:9)
When will the deserts become a paradise? At the very end, after Jesus has returned (Rev 21:1). It that what is meant in Isaiah 58 by building the old waste places? I don't know. The restoration of the character of God in his once-wasted people will happen just before his return, perhaps this is the old waste places. Isaiah 58 is describing a situation before the Second Advent, not after it.
Jesus wants to restore things that have been destroyed as a consequence of sin. He is not the author of emptiness, but fulfilment. If he can command us to sing in joy he can give us the ability to do it. Trust in the Lord like you don't trust anything else, and he will fill your heart with joy.
Sunday, 1 June 2014
Greatness
Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews. (John 7:13)
There are some topics and people that the average person is very interested in but doesn't want to talk about it public because of fear of social exclusion. At least at this point of Jesus' ministry, he was not someone that "everyone was talking about" but people actually were talking about him, they just didn't do it in public. Greatness for the Christian is not having your picture on the front of Time magazine, it is influencing the world for the kingdom of God.
There are some topics and people that the average person is very interested in but doesn't want to talk about it public because of fear of social exclusion. At least at this point of Jesus' ministry, he was not someone that "everyone was talking about" but people actually were talking about him, they just didn't do it in public. Greatness for the Christian is not having your picture on the front of Time magazine, it is influencing the world for the kingdom of God.
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