O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance. 18 The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary. 19 We are thine: thou never barest rule over them; they were not called by thy name. (Isaiah 63:17-19)
I know God can save us from all our sins, but sometimes he doesn't seem to want to. I am frustrated at the moment because I just missed a prayer meeting because I didn't hear my alarm. I have been waking early regularly, why should I oversleep today? I hate being unreliable, my reliability is my favourite thing about myself, the virtue that it foundational to who I am. It's almost like God deliberately made me oversleep to challenge my belief in my own reliability. If you think that's a stretch, I can say I have had countless other instances like this over the last couple of years but not much before that. God wants us to trust him in everything, not our own righteousness. God wants me to be reliable on his terms not my terms. I even need to ask God if he can make me reliable, and I will do it now.
Saturday, 31 May 2014
Thursday, 29 May 2014
Building What Edifice?
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)
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner. (Jeremiah 31:38)
And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. (Amos 9:14)
Isaiah 31 is quite a chapter, well, Isaiah is quite an impressive book, but chapter 31 is one of its most impressive chapters. Coming across it here is like bumping into an old friend.
The next few verses after 38 go on to describe that the city to be built will be much bigger than Jerusalem though in the same place. This seems to be a prototype of the New Jerusalem, which comes down from heaven, there is even a reference here to the ashes of the dead, as there is in relation to the New Jerusalem.
Also the Amos reference is the New Earth, where the redeemed will be able to live life as it was meant to be, and will not be confined to a city.
So what do we make of this connection between building the old waste places and the New Jerusalem? I don't think they are describing the same thing, I think this building is more spiritual. Jesus is preparing New Jerusalem, (John 14:2) not saints. We however are called to "stand in the breach" (Psalm 106:23) and intercede for others. We are to work with the Holy Spirit to reform the church and proclaim the gospel to the world. If we are going to do this we will need to saturate ourselves in the Word and apply it to our lives. We can't just keep on business as usual, it hasn't worked in the past, why should it work today?
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner. (Jeremiah 31:38)
And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. (Amos 9:14)
Isaiah 31 is quite a chapter, well, Isaiah is quite an impressive book, but chapter 31 is one of its most impressive chapters. Coming across it here is like bumping into an old friend.
The next few verses after 38 go on to describe that the city to be built will be much bigger than Jerusalem though in the same place. This seems to be a prototype of the New Jerusalem, which comes down from heaven, there is even a reference here to the ashes of the dead, as there is in relation to the New Jerusalem.
Also the Amos reference is the New Earth, where the redeemed will be able to live life as it was meant to be, and will not be confined to a city.
So what do we make of this connection between building the old waste places and the New Jerusalem? I don't think they are describing the same thing, I think this building is more spiritual. Jesus is preparing New Jerusalem, (John 14:2) not saints. We however are called to "stand in the breach" (Psalm 106:23) and intercede for others. We are to work with the Holy Spirit to reform the church and proclaim the gospel to the world. If we are going to do this we will need to saturate ourselves in the Word and apply it to our lives. We can't just keep on business as usual, it hasn't worked in the past, why should it work today?
Monday, 26 May 2014
Stick With Your Work
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 heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. 4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: 5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. 6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work. (Nehemiah 4:1-6)
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. 4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: 5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. 6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work. (Nehemiah 4:1-6)
Stick with your work.
Do not flinch because the lion roars.
Do not stop to stone the devil’s dogs.
Do not fool away your time chasing the devil’s rabbits.
Do not stop to stone the devil’s dogs.
Do not fool away your time chasing the devil’s rabbits.
Do your work.
Let liars lie.
Let sectarians quarrel.
Let critics malign.
Let enemies accuse.
Let the devil do his worst.
Let sectarians quarrel.
Let critics malign.
Let enemies accuse.
Let the devil do his worst.
But see to it nothing hinders you from fulfilling with joy the work God has given you.
He has not commanded you to be admired or esteemed.
He has never bidden you defend your character.
He has not set you at work to contradict falsehood (about yourself)
which Satan’s or God’s servants may start to peddle,
or to track down every rumor that threatens your reputation.
If you do these things, you will do nothing else.
You will be at work for yourself and not for the Lord.
He has never bidden you defend your character.
He has not set you at work to contradict falsehood (about yourself)
which Satan’s or God’s servants may start to peddle,
or to track down every rumor that threatens your reputation.
If you do these things, you will do nothing else.
You will be at work for yourself and not for the Lord.
Keep at your work.
Let your aim be as steady as a star.
You may be assaulted, wronged, insulted, slandered,
wounded and rejected, misunderstood, or assigned impure motives;
You may be abused by foes, forsaken by friends,
and despised and rejected of men.
But see to it with steadfast determination,
with unfaltering zeal,
that you pursue the great purpose of your life and object of your being
until at last you can say, “I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do.”
Let your aim be as steady as a star.
You may be assaulted, wronged, insulted, slandered,
wounded and rejected, misunderstood, or assigned impure motives;
You may be abused by foes, forsaken by friends,
and despised and rejected of men.
But see to it with steadfast determination,
with unfaltering zeal,
that you pursue the great purpose of your life and object of your being
until at last you can say, “I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do.”
- Anonymous
I think this poem sums up Nehemiah and the people's persistence in the face of opposition. It does seem a bit unclear what the big deal was that Sanbalat was insulting the work. Big deal! Let him rant and rave, it's hardly surprising that an outsider and enemy would insult them, it's almost obligatory. The only way I can make sense of this is to remember that Sanbalat and Tobiah actually had family connections to the Jews. So perhaps they had been friends before. I know this isn't stated, but if they had been previously friends, then being insulted by them now would hurt more.
At any rate, if we are going to finish God's work on Earth we are going to need to be prepared to disregard detractors.
Saturday, 24 May 2014
The Ultimate Generation
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)
And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. (Isaiah 61:4)
And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers 'sepulchres, that I may build it. (Nehemiah 2:5)
Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. (Nehemiah 2:17)
Isaiah 61 is about Jehovah making his people holy and blameless one day. The references in Nehemiah are about rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem after a period of exile. One might make an analogy that God's purification of his people will be like the restoration of the wall, it will be one of the closing events of Earth's history because Jesus comes to claim us. Isaiah 61 speaks of the desolations of many generations. How can one generation heal that? By succeeding where they have failed, in reaching the world with the gospel, not only verbally but lived out in their lives.
And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. (Isaiah 61:4)
And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers 'sepulchres, that I may build it. (Nehemiah 2:5)
Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. (Nehemiah 2:17)
Isaiah 61 is about Jehovah making his people holy and blameless one day. The references in Nehemiah are about rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem after a period of exile. One might make an analogy that God's purification of his people will be like the restoration of the wall, it will be one of the closing events of Earth's history because Jesus comes to claim us. Isaiah 61 speaks of the desolations of many generations. How can one generation heal that? By succeeding where they have failed, in reaching the world with the gospel, not only verbally but lived out in their lives.
Wednesday, 21 May 2014
Reliable
And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. (Isaiah 58:11)
My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away; 16 Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid: 17 What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place. 18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish. 19 The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them. 20 They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed. (Job 6:15-20)
We have a lot of seasonal waterways in Australia. They are dry except after a heavy rain, and then they flow for a few weeks at the most. Job compared his brothers to this kind of river. Absent when most needed. The many stresses and passions of life can seem very important but take the time to be there for someone and you will see how much more important this is.
My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away; 16 Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid: 17 What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place. 18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish. 19 The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them. 20 They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed. (Job 6:15-20)
We have a lot of seasonal waterways in Australia. They are dry except after a heavy rain, and then they flow for a few weeks at the most. Job compared his brothers to this kind of river. Absent when most needed. The many stresses and passions of life can seem very important but take the time to be there for someone and you will see how much more important this is.
Sunday, 18 May 2014
The Fruitful Desert
And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. (Isaiah 58:11)
Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. (Jeremiah 31:12)
And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. (Ezekiel 36:35)
As the water of irrigation can change the desert into a fertile plain, so the living water of Jesus can change you and me, cold and unfruitful as we are, into loving and loveable Christians who will be used by Jesus to save the souls of many others. And don't forget: The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. (Proverbs 11:25)
Pray for the love of Jesus.
Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. (Jeremiah 31:12)
And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. (Ezekiel 36:35)
As the water of irrigation can change the desert into a fertile plain, so the living water of Jesus can change you and me, cold and unfruitful as we are, into loving and loveable Christians who will be used by Jesus to save the souls of many others. And don't forget: The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. (Proverbs 11:25)
Pray for the love of Jesus.
Thursday, 15 May 2014
Spontaneous Maturation
And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. (Isaiah 58:11)
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. (Isaiah 61:11)
A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. (Song 4:15)
Isaiah 61 predicts the coming Christ and describes a bridegroom and bride preparing for their wedding, a metaphor for Jesus and his church that he will return to rescue from her oppressors and claim for his own. Jesus fulfilled parts of this prophecy, parts of it were forfeited by the Jews, but he will fulfil the rest when he returns.
It is not apparent from this text where verse 11 comes in, but when I compare it to Isaiah 58 they seem a very similar idea. So it is a promise that as surely and unstoppably as shoots come out of planted seeds Jehovah God will cause people to become righteous (doers of right) and worshippers of his name. Jesus became a man and died to make this possible, why don't you ask the Father right now to do this in you?
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. (Isaiah 61:11)
A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. (Song 4:15)
Isaiah 61 predicts the coming Christ and describes a bridegroom and bride preparing for their wedding, a metaphor for Jesus and his church that he will return to rescue from her oppressors and claim for his own. Jesus fulfilled parts of this prophecy, parts of it were forfeited by the Jews, but he will fulfil the rest when he returns.
It is not apparent from this text where verse 11 comes in, but when I compare it to Isaiah 58 they seem a very similar idea. So it is a promise that as surely and unstoppably as shoots come out of planted seeds Jehovah God will cause people to become righteous (doers of right) and worshippers of his name. Jesus became a man and died to make this possible, why don't you ask the Father right now to do this in you?
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