Category: Faith

A Lifted Countenance

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“The LORD lift up His countenance upon you.” – Numbers 6:26

Men & Children

For many young children, men can be intimidating.   With their large statures, deep voice and scruffy faces, they might as well be Jack’s giant.   They grunt and sigh but seldom speak.  They are always gruff and always angry.  They spank all children and eat the bad ones.  So I’m exaggerating, but only a little.  When it comes to relating with children, there are barriers to break through.  When the giant cares enough to break through it is memorable for both Jack and the giant.  Despite the intimidation, our children crave our attention.  Despite the barriers, our children need our love.

New Heights

As fathers, we like to face our children and lift them up in the air.  As we hold them up roles are temporarily reversed.  Now we must lift our faces to look them in the eyes.  As long as we are lifting them they can reach new heights.  We watch them as they are thrilled at the ability to touch the ceiling.  Perhaps we fly them around the room as imaginary planes and let them see familiar items from a new perspective.  My children are too old to do this with any longer, but I have graduated to doing it with my Grandchildren.  It is good not only for breaking down barriers but for making memories as well.  When conveying love words aren’t always necessary.  Sometimes the best way to spread joy is to pick up our children and lift up our faces towards theirs.

In today’s verse, that is what God is saying to His children.  I want to take you in My hands.  I want to pick you up.  I want to lift my face and look into your eyes.  To the children of Israel, God was that fearful giant on the mountain.  Remember?  They wanted Moses to talk to God and relay the message.  If God talks to us we will die!  When it comes to relating with children there are barriers to break through.  Even for God.  No one breaks through them better.  Your loving Father wants to lift you up so you can reach new heights.

Humility & Exaltation

When we looked at verse twenty-four of this blessing, we talked about the image of God blessing His children by getting on His knees and giving them gifts.  In doing so God was humbling Himself by getting on his knees and coming down to our level.  How amazing it is that our God would do such a condescending act.  At first glance, it might seem that this is similar to what we are looking at today.  Some might say it is two sides of the same coin.  I’m not so sure.  While verse twenty-four shows us the humility of God, today’s verse shows us the exaltation of man.  In the spiritual realm, one must precede the other.

When Jesus was on the cross, God was on His knees.  Our Father looked down from heaven and saw our hopelessness.  He saw us in our misery and showed us mercy.  God came down to our level and gave us a gift.  He humbled Himself.  We must do the same. We must lift our faces to the Savior on the cross and humble ourselves in repentance.  We must get on our knees and accept the gift God has offered us.   It is said that the cross is God’s greatest display of love and wrath.  It is also the best place for God and man to meet on their knees.  God’s arms are outstretched.  He is offering a gift.  Let’s reach out our hands and accept.  Humility precedes exaltation.

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” – James 4:10

The cross wasn’t the end for Jesus.  It was the humility that preceded His exaltation.  “And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  Therefore, God has exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:8-9).  When we are washed by the blood of Christ we are adopted by God.  We are His children.  The fear of His wrath is gone.  He is delighted in us.  He holds us up in divine joy and lifts His face upon us.  As He lifts us up we can reach new heights.  In the outstretched arms of God there are no ceilings.  Only endless joy.  Amazing the heights we can reach because of humility.  If we lift our eyes to Jesus, God will lift His face upon us.

God is not distant.  He is not aloof.  God came down to our level to lift us up to His.  Because of Jesus, the barriers are gone.  God is approachable.  He longs to embrace us.  As God holds you up and lifts His face towards yours may you be overwhelmed by His love and overflowing with joy.  May the experience enable you to see things from a new perspective.  Through Christ God has enabled us to see Himself more clearly.  We can see Him from an exalted position.  That is why He blesses us.  That is why He holds us up and lifts His face to us. When we are in His hands and He is looking into our eyes we have His undivided attention. What a great way to convey love.  What a blessing.

“The LORD lift up His countenance upon you.”

The LORD be Gracious to You

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“The LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.” – Numbers 6:25

The Grace of God

The LORD be gracious to you.  As we continue to look at this blessing, we continue to see the character of God revealed.  Today we look at the attribute of graciousness.  We have no claim against the grace of God.  We do not deserve the mercy He shows us.  If we did it wouldn’t be grace it would be merit.  To show grace to someone implies a relationship involving an inferior and superior party.  When it comes to man and God the gulf couldn’t be greater.  The universe and everything in it belong to our Creator God.  Us, we are just empty vessels with open hands.  Helpless creation dependent upon a benevolent Creator.  Where would we be without the grace of God?  Dead in our sins!

The Love of God

God is love.  Because He is love He showers His grace.  Even if He is not loved in return it is His nature to love.  Unconditionally.  No man loves with a love so pure.  No man loves with such an unconditional love as God does.  It’s not possible.  God blesses us.  He kneels, coming down to our level, to give us gifts.  He keeps us.  He places a hedge of thorns around us to protect us.  He makes his face to shine upon us.  He favors us with a smile to lift our spirits.  God is gracious to us by manifesting His love to us.

The Compassion of God

God is compassionate.  He not only gives us what we do not deserve, He withholds what we do deserve.  “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  He will no always chide, nor will He keep His anger forever.  He does not deal with us according to our sins, or repay us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103:8-10).  God does not dismiss our sin.  Our sin deserves judgment.  Our disobedience grieves our Heavenly Father.  Because He is gracious He exercises patience.  He gives us time to repent.  When we do, “He does not deal with us according to our sins, or repay us according to our iniquities.”  Instead, He punishes His Son.  God is gracious to us by manifesting His compassion to us.

Hhanan

The word translated gracious in the original is hhanan.  According to Ancient Hebrew Research Center this word, “Is often paralleled with other Hebrew words meaning healing, help, being lifted up, finding refuge, strength, and rescue.  Our needs are many.  Think of this list as it pertains to our needs and compare with Biblical references that pertain to God’s meeting those needs.  We need healing, God is the great physician.  “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).  Help?  “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?  My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2).  We need lifting up.  “I waited patiently for the LORD; He inclined to me and heard my cry.  He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure” (Psalm 40:1-2).  Need refuge or strength?  “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).   Need to be rescued (of course you do)?  “For thus says the Lord God:  Behold, I, I Myself will search for My sheep and will seek them out.  As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out My sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness” (Ezekiel 34:11-12).

God is gracious.  The above list is by no means exhaustive.   Neither in regards to our needs or God’s grace in meeting those needs. I am sure that as you look at the list other verses probably came to your mind.  I hope so.  We are empty vessels with open hands.  God’s grace cannot be exhausted.  He can feed multitudes with a couple of fish and a few loaves and still have plenty left over.  Even after everyone is satisfied (that’s the real miracle)!

Grace & The Cross

We can not talk about the grace of God without talking about the cross.  When our need was greatest, God’s grace shone brightest.  The great gulf that separated us from God was sin.  God spanned it with the cross.  We were the scattered sheep lost in clouds and thick darkness.  God searched us out.  The Lamb of God hung on the cross for the lost sheep.  “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.  By His wounds you have been healed.  For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:24-25).  “For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:18).  “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.”  (John 12:32)  “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings” (Matthew 23:37).  “In the shadow of your wings I will take refuge” (Psalm 57:1).  “I  can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).  “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom.  To Him be the glory forever and ever.  Amen” (2 Timothy 2:18).

“The LORD be gracious to you.”  A once empty vessel with open hands, now overflowing with the Grace of God.  Like the story of Elisha and the widow, there is more oil (grace) than there are vessels to hold it. (2 Kings 4:1-7)  Thank God for His graciousness.  In His grace He meets our needs.  Even those we are unaware of.  When we were dead in our sins, He made us alive in Christ.  Amazing Grace.  How can it be?  Christ bore on sins on Calvary!

The LORD’s Shining Face

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“The LORD make His face to shine upon you.” – Numbers 6:25

Morning Sun

One of my favorite things to do is an early morning run.  I enjoy being on the road as the sun is waking up.  I like to see the sun breaking the horizon in all of her splendor as the veil of night is withdrawn.  I like to feel her first rays kissing my cheeks.  Her radiance not only warms my face, it also warms my soul.  I don’t want to read about or hear about a sunrise, I want to experience it.  I want to be engulfed in her glory.  So it was with Moses and God.  Moses wanted more of God.  He wanted to more fully experience God.  He made the bold request, “Please show me your glory'” (Exodus 33:18).

God’s Glory

God is holy.  God is light.  The sun in all her splendor can not compare to Him.  Moses could not see God in all of His glory and live, so God “veiled” His glory and gave Moses a glimpse.  Moses was placed on a rock, and as God passed by Moses could look at His back, but not His face lest he die.  When Moses met with God on Mount Sinai, God was enshrouded with a thick cloud.  Yet, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai his face was shining.   Moses had been in the presence of God (though limited) and God’s glory was now reflected on the face of Moses.  Even this reflection of the glory of God was awe inspiring.  The Israelites were afraid.  They were intimidated.  Now it was Moses who had to veil his face because even a reflection of God’s glory is so intense.   Man would have a better chance surviving on the surface of the sun than standing in the unveiled presence of our Holy God.  Yet God wants to make His face shine upon us.

In Psalm 67 verse one the Psalmist prays, “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us.”  In Psalm 4 verses six and seven, David prays, “There are many who say, ‘Who will show us some good?  Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!’  You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.”  God, show us your glory in a special way.  God, show us your approval.  God, bless us with your smile.  May your glory kiss our cheeks.  May your smile touch our souls.  We don’t just want to read or hear about you.  We want to experience you.  “The LORD make His face to shine upon you.”  There is no greater honor.

My Beloved Son

“Please show me your glory.”  Some fifteen hundred years after Moses’ request to see the glory of God, it was granted.  Jesus took Peter, James, and John high up on a mountain and Jesus was transfigured before them.  “His face shone like the sun”.  Moses, along with Elijah, were there to see and speak with Jesus in all of His glory.  Once again, God spoke out of a cloud, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.”  In Jesus, God makes His face to shine upon us.  He shows us His glory. He shows us His approval.  He smiles upon us.  In Jesus, we experience God in all of His fullness.

When God shines His face upon us He shows us His mercy.  He fulfills an inner longing.  He meets a deep need.  We are relational beings.  We crave attention.  We need affection.  To be loved is a fundamental necessity.  Watch a couple with a newborn baby. They tenderly embrace it.  They affectionately nurture it.  When they look at the offspring God has blessed them with their eyes twinkle and their faces shine.  The smiles on their faces look permanent.  But they are not.  Time will turn them upside down.  Trials will bring frowns.  Disobedience will bring discipline.  Disillusionment will bring discouragement.  But behind the visage of the parents, the child still anticipates and craves the shining.  The twinkle in the eyes.  The approval of a smile.  So much is expressed in the face of a person.  Words are not needed to convey mood, emotions or sometimes even thoughts.  We want to know that they still love us despite our inadequacies and the fact that perhaps the infant they held didn’t meet their expectations.

Adopted & Loved

Israel was that adopted baby.  The apple of God’s eyes.  God lavished His love on them.  He showed them His mercy.  And so it is with His church.  God has adopted us into His family.  He lavishes His love on us.  He has shown us His mercy.  Despite our weaknesses, He makes His face shine upon us.  Every day the Sun of Righteousness kisses our cheeks.  His radiance warms our faces and touches our souls.  We don’t even need to tie on our running shoes to enjoy the experience.  In Christ, God will make His face shine upon us wherever we are at all times.  If we think the faces of parents shine in the presence of a newborn, how much more so the Bridegroom upon seeing His Bride on their wedding day.

“In them He has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man runs its course with joy.  Its rising is from the end of the heavens and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.” – Psalm 19:4b-6

Christ has made His circuit from Heaven to earth and back to Heaven again.  Through the man of sorrows who was acquainted with grief, God made His face shine upon us.  When we needed a Savior, God did not turn His back on us.  With His back to the cross He let us see His glory.  With blood on His brow and a tear in His eye, God smiled upon us.  There is no greater honor.

“The Lord make His face to shine upon you.”

The LORD Keep You

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“The LORD bless you and keep you.” – Numbers 6:24

Shamar

The LORD keep you.  The word translated keep in the original Hebrew is shamar.  Literally, it means to guard or protect.  Being nomadic, the Hebrews were a livestock raising people.  In order to protect their flocks in the open, the shepherds would construct a corral of thorn bushes.  A hedge of thorns.  As a matter of fact, the Hebrew word for thorn is shamiyr, a word derived from shamar.  We see an illustration of this in Hosea when the prophet wants to “corral” his wayward wife, “Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns, and I will build a wall against her, so that she cannot find her paths.”  As wayward sheep prone to wander and susceptible to dangers, it is comforting to know that our great Shepherd wants to protect us.  He wants to put a hedge of thorns around us.

Jesus our Guard

In John chapter ten Jesus uses this illustration of a shepherd guarding His sheep, “So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.'”  Jesus, our Shepherd is in an open field with His sheep.  He has built a hedge of protection around them.  Instead of putting up a door, Jesus Himself acts as the door.  Nothing can enter the fold without going “through” Him.  Jesus says He is not a hired hand.  Instead, the sheep belong to Him.  If a wolf comes He will not flee.  No wolf will be snatching any sheep from His fold.  He will indeed keep them.  I feel sorry for any predator that tries to harm His sheep!!

As a child, nothing drives away fear like the presence of our father.  We view our fathers as flesh and blood Supermen.  In their presence, ghosts disappear.  Storms seem to calm.  Spooky sounds are quieted.  We have the confidence our fathers can protect us no matter what the threat.  With the passing of time, we progress from protected to the protector.  As a father, perhaps nothing is so “ingrained” in us as the desire and passion to protect our children.  Even a man with a reputation for being mild will become animated if he feels his children are threatened.  If you think I am exaggerating open your Bible.  Even Jesus used pretty strong words in defense of children, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6).  Threaten my children? Happy swimming.  Not exactly Mr. Rogers.

Cannot Fail

To this day this is the area I struggle with most in regards to losing our daughter.  I “feel” like I failed her as her protector.  I still replay the decisions that were made throughout her struggle to survive.  Logically, I don’t know what, if anything, I could have done differently to save her life.  Yet this inherent passion trumps logic.  We may fail our children in other Fatherly “roles” in other areas, but to fail as their protector leaves a scar like nothing else.  A good father, like the Good Shepherd, will lay down his life for his children.  We not only want to guard them physically but more importantly, we want to protect them spiritually.  We pray for their spiritual protection.  We pray a hedge of thorns around them to keep them from wandering.  We try to shelter them from ungodly influences.  We pray that they will be protected from the evil one.  While we may fail as earthly fathers, our Heavenly Father never will.  As strong as our passion to protect and guard may be, His is even greater.  His words as always are backed by action.

In order to “keep” us, God had to “sacrifice” our Great Shepherd.  Our Great Shepherd, laid down His life for us.  When He did so He went to Calvary wearing a crown of thorns.  How ironic.  Even on the cross, our Shepherd wore a crown twisted from the thorns a shepherd would have used as a hedge of protection.  Christ died wearing our “hedge of protection.”  He bore our sins.  He rose from the dead.  He sits at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us.  Guarding us.  Protecting us.  Keeping us.

There is no danger our Father cannot protect us from.  Our Father that has the humility to get on His knees and present us with gifts, has the strength to protect us as well so we can enjoy the blessings He has bestowed upon us.  When it comes to keeping His children, He will never fail.  No more need for thorns, He has placed His Spirit within us to make sure we arrive safely home.

The LORD bless you and keep you!

“The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.  The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.  The LORD will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life.  The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” – Psalm 121:5-8

“Keep them in your name, which You have given Me, that they may be one, even as We are one.  While I was with them, I kept them in Your name, which You have given Me.  I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” – John 17:11b-12

The Arm of the Lord

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“And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” – Isaiah 53:1a

Suffering Servant

After asking this question, Isaiah portrays a suffering Servant.  The description is not impressive.  A young plant growing out of dry ground.  No form or majesty.  No beauty.  A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.  The reaction?  Men don’t want to look at Him.  Men don’t desire Him.  He was despised and rejected by men.  Men hid their faces from Him.  He was despised (repeated) and was not esteemed.  He was esteemed stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  He was oppressed, he was afflicted. By oppression and judgement He was taken away.  He was cut off out of the land of the living.  His grave was made with the wicked. He was numbered with the transgressors.  His sorrowful condition must have been a punishment from God for His sin.  Appearances must be right.  Right?  Wrong!!

The truth.  Isaiah further says, “He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows.  He was pierced for our transgressions.  He was crushed for our iniquities. Upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace.  With His wounds, we are healed.  Like sheep, we have gone astray, we have turned-every one- to his own way, and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.  He was stricken for the transgression of the people.  He had done no violence, and there was no deceit in His mouth.  His soul makes an offering for guilt. He shall see His offspring.  He shall prolong his days.  The will of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.  Out of the anguish of His soul He shall see and be satisfied.  He will make many to be accounted righteous and shall bear their iniquities.  He bore the sins of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”  Things aren’t always as they appear.

Our Salvation

The Suffering Servant is our salvation.  In His suffering, He reveals His humanity.  He reflects us.  It is we who are frail.  We are sorrowful and acquainted with grief.  We are subject to God’s wrath because of sin.  We are oppressed.  We are afflicted.  In His servanthood, He reveals His divinity.  He bears our sorrows and griefs.  He is pierced for our transgressions.  He is crushed for our iniquities.  He brings us peace.  We are healed by His wounds.  He makes us accounted righteous.

The Arm of the Lord

The Suffering Servant is the arm of the Lord.  The arm of the Lord is the revelation of God’s strength.  Born in a manger to a lowly couple.  A wandering teacher with no place to lay his head.  He made His triumphal entry on a borrowed donkey.  He was betrayed by the kiss of a friend.  In His hour of need, He was denied by his “bravest” follower and abandoned by most of the rest. He was savagely beaten, He was mocked, and He was crucified naked on a Roman cross.  The cruelest form of execution.  When dead He was buried in a borrowed grave.  “To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”  To those that claim this Suffering Servant as their Savior.  Before we can recognize the true identity of the Servant, we must recognize our sinfulness.  When we think of a strong arm we envision one that is flexed with a clenched fist.  God’s strength was revealed in humility with extended arms and open hands.  Nailed to a cross.  When we are so proud, how could we expect to see a Messiah as a suffering Servant? Never confuse humility with weakness.

The stone was rolled away.  The borrowed tomb is empty.  Sin and death were defeated.  Captives were set free.  The Holy Spirit was “unleashed”.  The Church was born.  That baby in the manger was God in the flesh.  That wandering teacher was the living Word.  On earth, He had no place to lay His head until the cross, because Heaven is His home.  When He returns the borrowed donkey will be exchanged for clouds and angels. Instead of being betrayed, every knee will bow before Him.  That is the proper reaction to the arm of the Lord.

We could have never imagined the arm of the Lord revealed as a Suffering Servant.  Wouldn’t fit our “style”.  But a drowning man is in no position to critique life preserver fashion.  Drowning in sins we couldn’t save ourselves, only God could.  In our weakness, He revealed His strength.  He stretched out His arms and opened His hands.  Grab them!

“He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was on one to intercede; then His own arm brought him salvation, and His righteousness upheld him.”  Isaiah 59:16

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’  Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?…For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” – 1 Corinthians 1:18-20, 25

Who Has Believed?

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“Who has believed what he has heard from us?” – Isaiah 53:1a

Hard to Believe

What a gold mine is Isaiah chapter 53.  With every shovel we turn over more treasure is exposed.  In this chapter, Isaiah gives us a portrait of a Suffering Servant.  A servant we can observe, but would not embrace with our own reasoning.  Who could have imagined a Messiah that would lead as a servant?  Or one with common parents?  How about a Messiah with no “special” physical attributes?  Who would have imagined a Messiah that would be despised and rejected by men?  Or one of sorrows and acquainted with grief?  A Messiah that men would despise and hide their faces from?  Only God.

“Who has believed what he has heard from us?  And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?  For He grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him.  He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.” – Isaiah 53:1-3

Too Familiar?

Familiarity can be a dangerous thing.  How many blessings are missed or joys deprived because of it?  Jesus was a known entity.  People knew His parents and siblings.  They watched Him grow up.  They saw Him when He was sick, or when He fell down.  “He grew up before them like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground.”  When our eyes have seen this, how can we believe what we have heard?  “Is this not the carpenter’s son?”  Nice guy perhaps.  Messiah, no way!  Messiah, God’s way!!

This young plant growing out of dry ground is actually the Holy Seed (Isaiah 6:13) and Root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:10).  He is the vine with whom we are to abide.  His parents are not “common”.  Our suffering Servant is actually the Son of God through the Holy Spirit.  He is our source of life.  To those who believe, our source of abundant life.  May we strive to learn more about Him without becoming too “familiar”.  May we work over His word with pick and shovel, mining the blessings and joys He has “buried” for us to lavish in.

Foolish Yardsticks

If familiarity can be dangerous, physical “yardsticks” can be deadly. How many feelings have been hurt or spirits crushed by these measurements of worth?  Too big. Too small.  Too fat.  Too skinny.  Too short.  Too ugly. Who ever came up with these?  Not God.  “He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him.”  No form?  No beauty?  The yardsticks reveal that we are too shallow.  God has a better way of measuring worth.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God He created him.”  “You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.”  “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.”  “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are your works.”  Wonderful are your works!!!  No mention of appearance or physical attributes and their association with worth.  Good time to throw away the shallow yardsticks.

Despised & Rejected

“He was despised and rejected by men.”  Sad commentary.  Logical conclusion.  Proof that the combination of fallen man’s emotions, mind, and will cannot be trusted.  Isaiah continually turns up gold, the people only see dust.  Too often men can only see what they are looking for. When they don’t like what they see, they turn their faces.

The human mind will never believe using rational.  Divine revelation is necessary.  Only the remnant will see Holy Seed while the world sees a root out of dry ground.  Only His true Brothers and Sisters will seek His face and find beauty, while the lost will hide their faces and despise Him.  His disciples are willing to walk away from their boats and tax booths to follow Him.  They esteem Him of greater worth than family relationships and even life itself.  The world esteems Him not.

God sent a suffering servant.  Isaiah exposed His majesty.  Believing what we have heard is more precious than gold.

“This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” – Matthew 17:5

Crushed for Our Iniquities

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“He was crushed for our iniquities.” – Isaiah 53:5

Christ Crushed

He was Crushed.  “If you offer a grain offering of firstfruits to the LORD, you shall offer for the grain offering of your firstfruits fresh ears, roasted with fire, crushed new grain” (Leviticus 2:14).  In Leviticus chapter two, the grain offering is instituted.  The grain offering is a symbol of the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins.  When Isaiah wrote of the suffering Servant, he did so seven hundred years before the birth of Christ.  Yet his words are written in the past tense.  The fatal decision in the Garden of Eden led to the struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane.   Satan would bruise the heel of Jesus.  Jesus would crush the head of Satan.  But Jesus also would have to be crushed.

Our Iniquities

For our iniquities.  “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”  “Sin is crouching at the door.  Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”  “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”  “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?’  “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of their altars.”  Mankind has a terrible disease.  Sin.  Iniquities. Written with a pen of iron, engraved with a point of a diamond on the tablet of our deceitful and desperately sick hearts.  Examine your thoughts for one day and take note of the sinful ones.  When it comes to our iniquities does the Bible exaggerate?  We might deceive others.  We might deceive ourselves.  We will never deceive God.  He searches the heart and tests the mind.  His verdict?  Guilty.

God’s Will

Will of God.  “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush Him” (Isaiah 53:10).  “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22).  Jesus committed no iniquities.  He was sinless.  The only one qualified to be our sin bearer.  The only one qualified to be our Savior.  The consequence of our iniquities?  Jesus was crushed by the millstone of God’s wrath.  A righteous God has to judge sin.  Punishment must be meted out. We deserve it.  It was the will of God to crush Him!  Eden’s ban became Gethsemane’s invitation.  The desire of the forbidden fruit led to the necessity of the crushing of our Firstfruits.  The disobedience of Adam brought death, the obedience of the last Adam brought a life-giving spirit. Because of Adam’s sin, he would eat bread by the sweat of his face.  Because of Adam’s sin, the Bread of Life would sweat drops of blood. The temptation yielded to in Eden led to banishment.  The submission offered in Gethsemane led to restoration.  “It was the will of the Lord to crush Him.”  Jesus surrendered to God’s will.  He drink of the bitter cup.

Firstfruits

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive…And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.”  Christ was crushed for our iniquities.  He was crushed for our redemption.  When our “kernels of grain” are buried in the ground, our souls will join Christ.  Because He has been crushed, we have been made pure.  The angels that guarded Eden will welcome us into Heaven.  Our crushed Savior will be sitting at the right hand of the Father who crushed Him.  The millstone of God’s wrath will not be there, because our iniquities have been crushed and cast to sea.  Crushed by God’s steadfast love.

“Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of His inheritance?  He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in steadfast love.  He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities underfoot.  You will cast all of our sins into the depth of the sea.” -Micah 7:18-19

Pierced for Our Peace

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Shalom

“But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace (shalom) was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5

Shalom.  Health, security, tranquility.  A satisfied condition, an unconcerned state of peacefulness.  A sense of well being.  A harmonious state of soul and mind, both externally and internally.  Completeness, harmony, and fulfillment.  The word translated peace in the above verse is literally shalom.  This is what the punishment of Jesus brings us.  That is what He has purchased in His death.

Eirene

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace (eirene) among those with whom He is pleased.” – Luke 2:14

Eirene.  The absence or end of strife.  A state of untroubled, undisturbed, well-being.  When the heavenly host sang at the birth of Christ, this is what they promised.  With the birth of Christ, the relationship between God and man was forever changed.  The separation and enmity between God and man that sin had caused could be removed because of the Grace and Mercy of God in sending His Son.  But reconciliation would come at a price.

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace (eirene), according to your word…Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” – Luke 2:29, 34b-35.

Mary “Pierced”

When Joseph and Mary presented Jesus at the temple, Simeon held the Christ child in his arms. Inspired by the Holy Spirit he blessed Jesus.  Having seen God’s salvation, Simeon could now die in peace.  For Mary, however, there would be pain.  Men’s eternal destiny would be decided by their attitude and relationship with Jesus.  They would “rise” or “fall” accordingly.  The salvation Jesus would offer would cost Him His life and Mary’s soul would be pierced.  As she held her newborn baby in her arms, how much did she comprehend the words of Simeon or the prophesy of Isaiah?  Simeon’s peace would come at a price for Mary.  In the providence of God, piercing and peace are intertwined.

How was Mary’s soul pierced?  By the fulfillment of prophesy.  Parental love is the strongest natural emotion.  Try to read these passages through the eyes of Mary.  This is for identification, not veneration.

Jesus Pierced

“Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him.  And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head and arrayed Him in a purple robe.  They came up to Him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ and struck Him with their hands…So he delivered Him over to be crucified.  So they took Jesus, and He went out bearing His own cross, to the place called the place of the Skull…When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took His garments and divided them into four parts…But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother…Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said, ‘I thirst’…When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished’, and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit…When they came to Jesus they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.  But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water…These things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled:  ‘Not one of His bones will be broken.’  And again another scriptures says, ‘They will look on Him whom they have pierced.'”

“His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and His form beyond that of the children of mankind.” – Is. 52:14

The same Mary who carried  the baby Jesus in her arms to the Temple now holds her dead son at the foot of the cross.  As her tears mingle with His blood the words of Simeon come back to her, “A sword will pierce through your own soul.”  Though marred beyond human semblance, her Son is more beautiful than ever.  As her hand caresses the welted body she feels the wound in His side where He was pierced.  He was pierced for you.  He was pierced for her.  Though pierced, Mary’s soul can have access to Heaven because of the Cross.  Because her Son was pierced, she can have peace with the Father.  And so can we.  Like Simeon, we can die in peace; a state of untroubled, undisturbed, well being.  Because Jesus was pierced, we can say, “It is well with my soul.”  “Look on Him whom they have pierced.”

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you.” – John 14:21

“Behold, His is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him.  Even so. Amen.” – Revelation 1:7

Shalom!

Herod’s Sword

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“Be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain.” – Romans 13:4

Herod’s Sword of Authority

The magistrate has the privilege and responsibility of bearing the sword.  The authority to expect submission and the power to enforce.  If wielded according to God’s intention, the sword would be a source of protection to those that abide by the law and a deterrent to those that don’t.  But when the wicked rule, chaos ensues.

The Sword and the Babies

“Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men” (Matthew 2:16).  If you like understatements, Herod the Great had issues.  He had three of his sons put to death on suspicion of treason.  He had ten wives and killed his favorite (wonder how he treated the others) as well as a mother-in-law.  He invited the high priest down to Jericho for a swim and drowned him in a game of water polo (rough sport).  He also killed several uncles and a couple of cousins.  Augustus said of Herod the Great, “I would rather be Herod’s pig than his son.”  Quite a character if his pigs had a longer life expectancy than his sons.  Along come three wise men looking for the One who has been born King of the Jews.  Herod is paranoid.  When the wise men do not return to Herod with the whereabouts of Jesus, Herod becomes furious and orders the execution of the male babies.  Innocent voices silenced by the sword of Herod.

“Weeping was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”

The Sword and the Baptist

“He sent and had John beheaded in prison, and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother” (Matthew 14:8).  With the death of Herod the Great, the sword was passed to Herod Antipas.  Antipas divorced his first wife and married the ex-wife of his half brother Philip.  John the Baptist was outspoken in his condemnation of this arrangement, leading to his arrest.  While his father struggled with depression and paranoia, Antipas struggled with sensuality and cowardice. Herod made a foolish oath.  The temptress danced for him.  John the Baptist was beheaded.  The voice of one crying in the wilderness, silenced by the sword of Herod.

“What then did you go out to see?  A prophet?  Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.  This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ “I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John.”

The Sword and James

“About that time, Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church.  He killed James the brother of John with the sword” (Acts 12:1-2).  The sword of Herod was now wielded by Agrippa.  Agrippa was a nephew of Antipas.  Although related, they were not on friendly terms (surprised?).  Agrippa exposed his uncle as a conspirator and had him exiled, thus assuming his position.  According to Josephus, Agrippa was “recklessly extravagant”.  He was deeply in debt and arrested for a sum of money owed to the Treasury.  His father Aristobulus IV was strangled at the order of his grandfather Herod the Great for fear of treason (alluded to above).  It has been said that Herod Agrippa was raised with a strong Jewish identity.  It is obvious that the Herod obsession with blood was prevalent with Agrippa.  Perhaps seeing the young Church as a threat to peace, Agrippa arrested some of its members, including James.  But this alone wasn’t satisfactory to Herod or the Jews he ruled.  Herod thus had James beheaded, just as the Baptist was.  The voice of a son of Thunder, silenced by the sword of Herod.

“And going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.  And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed Him.”

The Sword and the Savior

“At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to Him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’  And He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish My course” (Luke 13:31-32).  Herod the Great put to death innocent babies with the sword.  Herod Antipas put to death John the Baptist with the sword.  Herod Agrippa put to death the Apostle James the Greater with the sword.  When news came to Jesus that Herod Antipas wanted to kill Him, Jesus called him a fox and said that His work was unfinished.  In the Jewish culture, a distinction was made between lions (great men) and foxes (lesser men).  There was a famous expression in a Jewish Talmud, “There are lions before you, and you ask foxes?”  A fox threatening the Lion of the tribe of Judah!  Didn’t work so well for Herod.  Jesus put him in his place.  Tell that fox that while he is wielding the sword, I am casting out and curing.  My end is in my own control.  I will dictate how and when.  Your sword may silence others, but it will never silence me.

“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.  But I will warn you whom to fear:  fear Him who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell.  Yes, I tell you, fear Him!” – Luke 12:4-5

The Savior’s Sword

We are to respect Herod and his sword.  We are to revere Jesus.  We are to pray for Herod, we are to pray to Jesus.  Herod can kill our body, Jesus alone can save our souls.  Foxes like the Herods come and go, there is only one Jesus, and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Because of the blood of Jesus, the babies of Bethlehem, John the Baptist, and James the Greater will spend eternity in Heaven.  No more wicked rulers.  No more chaos.  No more tears for Rachel; her children live.  The Baptist is in the presence of the water of life.  James, the son of Thunder is before the throne from which come, “flashes of lightning, and rumbles and peals of thunder.”  Herod may have a sword, but he will never have the last word.

“In His right hand He held seven stars, from His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full strength.” – Revelation 1:16

“The words of Him who has the sharp two-edged sword.  Therefore repent.  If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.” – Revelation 2:12b, 16

God Created

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“In the beginning, God created…” – Genesis 1:1a

God created 

No mistake.  No random chance.  No compromising.  These two words are foundational to our Faith.  The implications are many, more than I could hope to cover in a blog.  I would however like to touch on a few principles that are important for us as Christians.  First of all, I want to point out the power of God.  God created our universe by speaking it into existence.  Look to the heavens.  Look at wildlife.  Look at the complexity of the human body.  We cannot even begin to fathom the power of God to simply speak creation into existence.  God not only brought our physical world into existence by His Word, but He also uses His Word to bring salvation.  The gospel (good news) is the power of God unto salvation to those who believe.  His Word is sharper than a two edged sword.  It is important that we have faith in the power of God’s Word.

“By faith we understand that the universe was created by the Word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” – Hebrews 11:3

Our lives have value 

We are not here as a result of some cosmic explosion.  We did not evolve from animal life.  We are not the by product or end product of natural selection.  God created us.  He has a plan for us.  He has a purpose for us.  He has an order of authority.

We were created in His image.  We were created to fellowship with Him.  God loves us, and He has expectations for us.  Our lives have meaning.  Our actions have consequences.  This world is not all there is.  God has breathed immortality into us. There is a distinction between right and wrong (set by God).  How we treat our fellow man is important.  God has created us as male and female, with each sex unique and dependent upon the other.  It is important we recognize that our value is intrinsic.  It is not utilitarian, it is not economic.  Life is not a survival of the fittest.  We are our “brother’s keepers.”

“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to Me.” -Matthew 25:40

Authority

This is the principle so many resist.  This is why many promote evolution.  The Creator has authority over His creation and the creation doesn’t want to submit.  Man has a problem with accountability.  We want to rule our own lives and control our own destinies.  Good luck with that.  God is the potter, we are the clay.  He owns the cattle on a thousand hills.  The earth and all who dwell on it belong to God.  His right is to command, our responsibility is to obey.  Plain and simple (or at least clear).  Any authority man has is derived from God.  What appears on the surface to be restricting is really rather liberating.  We just need to humble ourselves and accept it.

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth…” – Acts 17:24

Glory

All of creation was brought for to bring glory to God.  Men want to worship.  It is a universal desire.  The only question is what or whom men will worship.  God is a jealous God.  He does not like when men worship idols (understatement).  We were created to exalt the attributes of God.  No one can compare with His Wisdom.  Nothing can come close to His power.  Nothing is perfect as He is.  No act of love can compare with the cross.  He is eternal, immutable, omniscient, omnipotent, sovereign, etc.  He is pre-existent, He is Creator.  Why would we worship any other?  We need to grasp the truth that God created.  We need to become better acquainted with His attributes.  God created.  May all of His creation give Him the glory He deserves.  That is why He created.

“The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.” –  Psalm 89:11

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.” – Psalm 19:1

“Worthy are you our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” – Revelation 4:11