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Numbers of Blessings!

Numbers of Blessings!

With apologies, this is one of the longest posts I’ve ever shared.  I did not intend or expect it would morph into something so extensive, but then I underestimated what I would learn as I researched the topic of Biblical numerology.  That being said, I pray you still read it, and I pray that it will expand your appreciation of our great God. 

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By God’s good grace, I’ve reached 100!

No, that’s not my age.  (Though, depending on the day or the activity, it might be how old I feel.) Nor is it (or ever was it!) my batting average.  I always managed to hit better than that.

What it does define, however, is the number of posts I’ve shared on this website since I began this endeavor in April of 2020.  This post is actually number 100.  I never would have dreamed I’d reach this number.  But by God’s good grace, here we are.

Sincere thanks to all who have subscribed to the blog since I began, and to all who have taken the time to read my meandering words at one time or another.  As always, I pray something I shared at some point was a blessing and encouragement to you.

100 seems to be a fairly significant milestone.  And we do like to utilize numbers to mark milestones, don’t we?  Whether birthdays, anniversaries, work, school, or personal accomplishments, we tend to mark them with numbers.  The numbers themselves may be different, and the noun after the numbers may change as well (days, months, years, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.).  But we use the numbers to designate significance.

Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise us that the Lord makes frequent use of numbers in his Scriptures.  He recognizes our fondness for digits, so he uses them to emphasize important truths.  But unless the reader recognizes the significance, he or she might miss some of the meaning the Lord is trying to impress upon us. 

Thanks be to God, the Bible is typically simple and clear; the simplest of minds can read the Gospel and find salvation.  However, there are definitely more nuances to God’s words than many realize!  And various numbers clearly carry additional meaning.

Now some individuals carry this concept of “Biblical numerology” to extraordinary (and in my opinion, inappropriate) lengths.  I found one list of examples that tied meaning to every number from 1-50, with multiple additional designations after 50!  I’m not comfortable with making that many connections.  Yet there are some numbers which definitely are more than “just another number.”

Not only are these numbers repeated over and over again in the Scriptures (both Old and New Testaments), but they are often used in conjunction with one another (sometimes by adding them together, sometimes by multiplying them).  You’ll notice this in the list below.

Let’s look at some of those “numbers of blessings:”  (Please note that the examples given for each sample are hardly exhaustive!)

1 = God, Unity

Though there are many “gods,” there is only 1 true God and Lord (Deut. 6:4).  1 Creator; 1 Redeemer; 1 Sanctifier!  And incidentally, Commandment number 1 demands we honor the 1 true God.

2 = Partnership

The concept of partnership probably seems intuitive to us; it seems natural.  And it is, because God created partnership way back at Creation, and has reemphasized it repeatedly through his Scriptures.  Of course, partnership began with the creation of male and female animals, and was capped off with the special bond the Lord created between Adam and Eve, the “crowns of his creation” formed in “God’s image” (Gen. 1:27).

Partnership in pairs is repeated through the Bible.  Some examples would be the animals entering Noah’s ark (Gen. 7:8-9), cooperating partners (Ecc. 4:9), and Jesus sending out 72 disciples in teams of 2 (Luke 10:1).  But marriage between a man and a woman remains a key example in the Word, as summarized in Ephesians 5:31: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”

But the best partnership of all has to be the Lord joining with his believers!  As Jesus himself described, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.  My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them” (John 14:23).

3 = God, Completeness

The obvious tie with the number 3 is the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Mt. 28:19).  John’s vision of heaven was dramatic, and dramatically underscores the worship of the Triune God there and his “completeness”: “Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings.  Day and night they never stop saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come’” (Rev. 4:8).

We see this number appear repeatedly in the Bible, some of the most well-known being Jonah’s 3 days in the belly of a fish, and Jesus rising from the dead on Day 3.  Lesser known but significant is the fact that there are 30 (3 x 10) references in Revelation to “the Lamb,” our Savior who has arisen, ascended and reigns in heaven, having completed our salvation!  (Pastor Wayne Mueller, “Revelation” commentary, NPH, p.5).

4 = Creation, Humans

Since this number pervades life in this world (4 cardinal directions, 4 seasons, etc.), it is used in the Scriptures (especially Revelation) to denote the creation of God.  We heard it used with the 4 living creatures in Rev. 4:8; it pops up again in Rev. 7:1 where 4 angels, 4 corners of the earth, and 4 winds of the earth are mentioned. 

Most importantly of all, it denotes the humans that God has created and saved.  Consider Revelation 7:9, where the description of the believers in heaven was supplied: “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.  They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.”

6 = Imperfection: Satan, Humans, and Evil

As we’ll discuss in a moment, the number 7 is the symbol of perfection and God’s grace shown to the world.  Obviously, 6 falls short of 7; thereby picturing the imperfect.  One of the most famous numbers of all in Scripture happens to be 666, which is “the number of the beast” – Satan and/or the Anti-Christ (Rev. 13:18).

7 = Perfection: God’s Gracious Intervention

The fascinating part of this number is that it comprises the sum of two other previously discussed digits: 3 (God) + 4 (humans).  7 is one of the most commonly referenced number in all of Scripture; it appears over and over again in the pages of the Bible. 

Some obvious examples are the 7 days of creation, with God ceasing his work on the 7th day and setting that day apart as a day of physical and spiritual for rest for humans, as well as the 7 days of the week we still operate under.  7 pops up again at the time of the Flood, both in the number of the “clean” animals Noah was to bring on the ark, as well as the number of days the ark’s inhabitants were on board before the flood waters came.  In addition, the Lord instructed the Israelites to march around Jericho for 7 days, and then 7 times on the 7th day … led by 7 priests carrying 7 trumpets.  When they had done so, “the walls came tumblin’ down!” (Joshua 6).

7 played a huge part in the Old Testament worship life of God’s people, appearing repeatedly.  A few quick examples would be the weekly Sabbath Day (on the 7th day), the process of the Sin Offering (Lev. 4:6), as well as the timing of the Festival of Unleavened Bread (Lev. 23:6-8) and the Festival of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:33-42).  The great Day of Atonement (a huge day!) was celebrated each year on the 10th day of the 7th month (Num. 29:7) – the number of completion combined with the number of God’s gracious intervention.

One may also remember Jesus’ answer to Peter when asked how many times one should forgive another.  “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Mt. 18:21-22), calling to mind God’s unending forgiveness to us as pictured in the parable Jesus shared immediately after these words.  (See also Micah 7:18).

Again, the Holy Spirit emphasizes this number in Revelation.  The book refers to 7 spirits, 7 lampstands, 7 stars, 7 churches, 7 bowls, 7 scrolls with 7 seals, and 7 trumpets, as well as sharing the 7-fold praises to God of the inhabitants of heaven.  (Mueller, p.5).  God emphasizes his gracious intervention for sinful humans, and thanks be to God that he does!

10 = Totality, Completion

Certainly the number 10 appears often in God’s Word.  The obvious 10 that comes to mind is the total list of the Commandments.  But the number is significant throughout the Bible.  For example, the words “God said” are recorded 10 times in connection with his creative process (Gen. 1-2).

Like 7, 10 is another number used extensively in connection with the worship life of God’s Old Testament people.  Where it especially appears is in God’s instructions for the furnishings of the Tabernacle (Ex. 26-27), and again in the construction of Solomon’s temple (1 Kgs. 6-7).

The most frequent use of 10, however, is when it is used as a multiple of something.  We see this repeatedly in Scripture.  The product of 10 multiplied by another number emphasizes the fullness of whatever that item may be. 

One of the most common biblical examples of this is when 10 is used to the third power (10 x 10 x 10), which denotes the highest completeness.  Such as in Deuteronomy 7:9, “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations (10 x 10 x 10) of those who love him and keep his commandments.”

Revelation 5:11 takes it a step further: “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.”  That would be 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 times 10 x 10 x 10 x 10.  (For those choosing to forego the math, that totals 100 million angels!)

12 = Result of God’s Work among His People

The product of 3 (God) times 4 (Humans) is 12.  It’s a number repeatedly appearing in the historical account of God’s people.  There were 12 Old Testament tribes and 12 Apostles of Jesus.  The number also played a significant role in the dedication of the Tabernacle (Num. 7:84-87).  Even in our secular existence, the number appears in the months of the year – reminding us of God’s planning and provision.

We run into 12 again in Revelation.  The Tree of Life in the heavenly City produces 12 crops of fruit, one for every month (Rev. 22:1-2).  And 12 holds a crucial place in the Holy City.  The “New Jerusalem” measured 12,000 stadia (12 x 10 x 10 x 10) long and wide, with 12 foundations, boasting walls 144 cubits (12 x 12) thick and decorated with 12 precious types of stones, with 12 gates guarded by 12 angels (Rev. 21:10-21).

But perhaps the most significant number of all in Revelation is the number of those who were “sealed” or set aside by God for God: 144,000 with 12,000 coming from each “tribe” of Israel!  (Rev. 7:4).  That is 12 x 12 (God’s work among his people) times 10 x 10 x 10 (highest completeness).  In other words, all those who are saved!

40 = Time of Testing, Training or Difficulty

40 is 4 (humans) x 10 (completion).  It’s another number we see often in Scripture.   Just a few examples would be Noah, who endured 40 days and nights of rain on the ark in the flood (Gen. 7:12); the Israelites who endured 400 years (4 x 10 x 10) of slavery in Egypt (Gen. 15:13); Moses while with the Lord for 40 days on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 24:18); the Israelites wandering and dying in the desert for 40 years (Num. 14:34); Goliath taunting the Jews for 40 days before David challenged him (1 Sam. 17:16); Elijah’s 40 day journey to Mt. Sinai (1 Kings 19:8); Jesus fasting and enduring temptation for 40 days in the wilderness (Mk. 1:13); and Jesus teaching his disciples in the 40 days after his resurrection (Acts 1:3).

50 = Celebration

Feasts and ceremonies often incorporated the number 50.  The number was a key one in the construction of tabernacle (Ex. 26-27).  Pentecost, which was initially an Old Testament festival occurred 50 days after Passover (Lev 23:15-16), just as the Holy Spirit empowered the apostles on Pentecost 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection.  Then there was the year of Jubilee, which was to take place every 50 years (Lev 25:10).   

70 = Judgement

70 is reached by 7 (God’s gracious intervention) multiplied by 10 (completion).  70 members of Jacob’s family were listed in the genealogy of Jacob when they traveled to Egypt to be cared for by Joseph during the horrible drought (Gen. 46:27); 70 elders were appointed by Moses to oversee the people’s needs and adjudicate their disagreements; the Jews were in Babylonian captivity for 70 years (Jer. 25:11).  Furthermore, 70 and multiples of 70 appear over and over again in Scripture in conjunction with the punishment God doled out for wickedness.

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All of this numerology is rather overwhelming.  Which calls to mind some pertinent words from the book of Job: “Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven” (Job 25:2).  The Apostle Paul concurs: “For God is not a God of disorder … Everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way” (1 Cor. 14:33a & 40).

Thank the Lord for his numbers of blessings!

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Your Life Plan – A Story

Your Life Plan – A Story

Ethan was struggling mightily.  There was no other way to describe the situation; things seemed bleak at best.  His mind was emotionally distraught; his heart spiritually tumultuous.  His days were spent in a mental fog; his nights in unrest.

Over and over he cried out to the Lord, decrying the circumstances; demanding answers; begging God for help.  He poured over the Scriptures, searching for solutions.  Yet his struggle continued.  He was immersed in one of life’s dark valleys, at a loss on how to ascend to the sunshine of the heights yet pleading for God to lift him there.

Tossing and turning one night in another fitful and largely futile attempt to reach the state of slumber, his sheer exhaustion finally dragged him into a deep sleep.  That’s when the Lord Jesus made his appearance.

It was more than the wild randomness and fluffy illogicity of a dream.  Even in his state of deep slumber, Ethan realized that somehow it was real – all real.  Jesus was real, and everything that transpired with Jesus was real.

They stood over an ornate table, he and Jesus, looking down at what appeared to be a sort of topographical map with the geographic details laid out in contoured formations.  (Kind of like one might see in some national parks, the features and elevations of the park graphically displayed.)  Ethan intuitively recognized already at a glance that this was no normal map.  The landscape elicited the comfort of familiarity and, simultaneously, the discomfort of a different view of the familiar.

Ethan’s mind struggled to grasp what he was seeing.  Then he saw the gold script inset into the top of the topographic table: Your Life Plan.  He gasped as it all became clear.  He was gazing down at a map of his life!

With wide eyes and gaping mouth, he raised his view to Jesus.  The Lord was watching him intently, his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes twinkling and a small smile settled on his bearded face.  “Look closer, Ethan,” Jesus suggested quietly.

So Ethan did.

There below him was blazed a golden line that wiggled its way across the table.  Sometimes the line continued straight and true; but usually it zig-zagged either to the right or to the left of the general direction of the path.

Ethan traced the path back to its beginning.  He noticed the line originated at an X and initially was gray.  He looked up to Jesus questioningly.  “That was when you were conceived” Jesus told him.  Tracing the line further, he noticed another X, this time in gold.  “That was when God’s grace brought you to faith and when I began journeying with you.”  Ethan was stunned.

Then he noticed that the gold line became brighter and more pronounced further along the way.  “As I grew older, smarter and stronger?” he asked.

“No, Ethan.  As you grew stronger in your faith through time in my Word,” Jesus answered.  “Physical strength, mental capacity and earthly accomplishments are unimportant on this map.”  Ethan nodded, the extreme importance of feeding one’s faith starkly revealed.  Jesus continued.  “Sadly, for some their line becomes gold at one point but eventually returns to gray.  For others, their line remains gray their entire lives.”

Jesus moved beside Ethan and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. “But that is not what I brought you here to see.  Look closer still.”

Ethan traced his lifeline with his finger.  The path not only zig-zagged back and forth, but it undulated up and down, climbing up rises and descending back down again – sometimes journeying at length in the heights; sometimes tarrying in the valleys.  “What do you make of the many variations, Ethan?”

Ethan hesitated uncomfortably.  Finally, he whispered in shame, “It seems I’ve often wandered off your path.”

“Yes, well, you do have a sinful nature,” the Lord replied.  “But look even closer at some of those side trips.  Especially some of the longer ones.  What do you see?”

Ethan leaned closer to the golden trail, focusing especially on some of the more extreme horizontal wanderings.  “My gold line was growing dimmer.”  He gasped and drew himself nearer still.  “But there’s golden barricades at the end of those lines!”  He looked back to the Lord.  “Does that mean what I think it does?”

Jesus smiled warmly.  “Yes, Ethan.  Your faith was growing weaker as you wandered your own way, but I blocked you from wandering farther from my path.”  The Lord gestured over the table.  “Now project your path if you had continued down some of those long detours.”

Ethan found some of the longer ones and traced their ultimate destination.  He shuddered.  “They end in destruction!  Spiritual starvation!  Steep cliffs to fall over!  Deep waters to drown in!  Spiritual death!  O, Lord, you preserved me!”

“Yes, Ethan.  Sometimes I pushed you; sometimes I pulled you.  Sometimes I knocked you over.  Sometimes I whispered in your ear through various methods.  Whatever it took to redirect you spiritually.  I love you and want you to be with me forever.”

Jesus eyes shimmered, the tears threatening to escape.  “Sadly, some refuse to listen even to me.  They insist on climbing over my barricades.  It never ends well for them.  But again, that is not my reason for bringing you here.”

The Lord looked intently at Ethan.  “I know you are extremely discouraged right now, so I will give you a special insight.  Put your finger again at the beginning of your life path and trace it slowly.”

Ethan tentatively lowered his index finger to the first X and slid it forward.  The realizations began bombarding him – blessings upon blessings upon blessings all along the path, in both the “good times” and the bad, in the pain and the pleasure.  Some he had recognized at the time; most had been unnoticed and unnoted.  New lessons learned and new insights gained. Experiences that had made him “richer” in a multitude of ways.  And astoundingly, some of the greatest blessings of all had come through the most difficult times in his life!

The magnitude of God’s unending faithfulness and goodness overwhelmed Ethan.  He was speechless.

Once again Jesus pointed to the map.  “Find the last X, Ethan”

He did.  It was easy enough to locate near the end of the line.  “Is this my death, Lord?

“No, Ethan, that is not displayed on this map for you to see.  Look closely at that final X.”

The X was in a deep, dark valley.  And the realization struck Ethan; this was where he was right now in his life!  It was one of the deepest depressions on the entire map.  He couldn’t speak.  Once again he looked back at Jesus.

Again the words came.  “Look closer, Ethan.”

Ethan dropped his eyes to the final X.  He noticed two things: his gold faith-line was brighter here than anywhere else on the map, and he noticed that beyond the X the path began to climb again.

It happened so suddenly he couldn’t have hoped to quell it; Ethan began to sob uncontrollably.  Jesus moved even closer and wrapped both his arms around him, embracing him tightly.  “Yes, Ethan, you are stronger spiritually now than you have ever been.  Which is why I have led you to this place.  You needed to rely on me and my promises more.  This valley has helped you do that.”  Jesus paused, then continued.  “And yes, Ethan, I will lead you back out of it in due time.”

Jesus words came quietly and lovingly.  “I have guided you your entire life, Ethan, and I will guide you home to me one day.  Trust me, Ethan.  Trust me.  I’m handling your life plan.”  And Jesus kissed his forehead.

Ethan’s eyes jolted open.  He was back in his bed.  (Still in his bed?)  His pillow was drenched, but his heart was light.  Loving Jesus was guiding him all the way!  There was no reason to despair.

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God Is Our Guide

Psalm 23:1-4
1  The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3  he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4  Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 37:23-25
23  The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; 24  though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand. 25  I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken …

Psalm 48:14
For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.

Isaiah 30:20-21
20  Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction … 21  Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

God Blesses Us Through Adversity

Psalm 119:71
It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
9  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.

We Don’t Understand Now; One Day We Will

Isaiah 55:8-9
8  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.  9  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

1 Corinthians 13:12
For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

We Can Trust Our Loving God Who Has Wonderful Plans for Us

Proverbs 3:5-6
5  Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6  in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Romans 8:35, 37-39
35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … 37  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

How to Interact on This Blog

To Comment – Please share your thoughts!  (Commenting is the fun part!)  To do so, click on the “Comments” tag under the title.  I, and many others, would love to benefit from your insights!

To Subscribe – Go to the “Follow This Blog Via Email” column.  If you don’t immediately see that box, click on the “Comments” tag under the title, and scroll to the very bottom.  You should find it there.

Silently Observing; Actively Intervening

Silently Observing; Actively Intervening

We have a rat problem in our backyard.  (Don’t judge; you almost certainly have rats in your yard and neighborhood too, no matter how nice it may be!)

The typical Norway rat can (and does) live anywhere.  They love to burrow under things, and any pile or structure that can provide shelter is readily used.  Furthermore, a female rat will often birth from 4 to 6 litters per year, typically producing about 50 babies annually.  But in ideal conditions she can give birth to even more litters and more ratlets, and have up to 150 pups (or more!) over the course of that year.  Those offspring are fending for themselves in just 3 weeks!  So yes, we can be confident that we all have a rat problem.

At our place we have a large garage in the backyard, and our neighbors all around also have outdoor structures.  There are rat holes under every one of them.  The reason multiple tunnels lead under our backyard fences is because we have an active bird feeding station there.  There is always plenty of seed that falls to the ground under the feeders, and the birds don’t peck it all up.  The vermin are glad to glean what is left over.

I love watching the birds; I hate feeding the rats.  (But unfortunately, a person can’t do one without doing the other.)

Consequently, it is common to see the nasty rodents under the feeders at night.  And the bolder ones even during the day!  I have trapped them, poisoned them, and shot them with my pump BB gun.  (I would use larger weapons, but we live in the city.)  Our dog has even taken a few out.  But it’s a losing battle.

However, the tide may be turning. 

The other evening, my daughter was in the backyard with our golden retriever, and she was startled to see the silhouette of a large owl perched on our basketball backboard in the dark.  The owl just stared at her as she snapped its picture, (see the photo above), before finally retreating to some nearby evergreens.

It appears that our nocturnal visitor was a barred owl.  (Also known as a striped owl or hoot owl.)  Barred owls earn their name from the obvious strips on their belly feathers.  They are one of the larger owls, growing as tall as two feet, and are actually considered an invasive species here on the west coast.  They prefer residing and hunting in mature forests, but there one sat in the backyard of a residential area of South Tacoma.

Barred owls will eat pretty much anything that moves, but their preferred main course happens to be small mammals (such as rats!).  Their keen night-vision and silent flight make them formidable predators for scurrying rodents.  From its perch on the basketball backboard, that owl could see virtually the entire backyard … including under the birdfeeders.  I wonder how many nights it has quietly nestled there hunting, and how many rats it has taken out?  We certainly haven’t been seeing as many of the disgusting critters lately.  Perhaps Mr. or Mrs. Owl has snagged multiple meals there recently?

Just as we all have physical rats in our yards, so we all have spiritual rats in our lives.

Those vermin show themselves in many different ways.  They scurry through our lives in every sort of sin and deposit their stinking feces in every aspect of our lives – in our relationships with both God and people, in our perspectives, in our foolish decisions, in our selfish actions, and in our hasty and hurtful speech.  They burrow into our minds through worries, fears, frustrations, discontent and struggling self-esteem.  Nothing is unaffected by their presence.

Try as we might and do what we will, those spiritual rats seem to thrive.  Our sinful natures make for prime habitat for spiritual rodents.

The Lord observed our predicament, was disturbed at our dilemma, and was determined to get involved.  “The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice.  He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene [for us]; so his own arm achieved [our] salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him” (Isaiah 59:15-16).

Our Savior swooped silently in and actively intervened.  In unfathomable love, he spread his “wings” wide on the cross to win full atonement for our multiple mistakes.  It cost him dearly, but he paid the price gladly, and he paid the price fully.  And though he died, Satan and the grave could not contain him.

That same Savior sees the havoc the spiritual vermin propagate in our hearts, minds, bodies and lives.  His heart grieves at the pain and problems they bring to his people.  And he still isn’t content to simply silently observe.  

Our Lord who loves us continues to actively intervene on our behalf.  And he is the ultimate predator.  For the sake of this metaphor, Jesus is the silent but deadly effective owl.  (The Bible goes stronger by describing him as the “Lion of Judah” who triumphs – Rev. 5:5.) 

As his people walk in his Word and look to him in faith, he swoops in to pluck off those spiritual rats plaguing them.  Not always and not all of them, but at just the right time, the ones that absolutely need to be removed.  (Unfortunately, never in this world will we be totally free from oppressing vermin.)  But how wonderful when yet another problem is remedied by our Redeemer’s flashing talons!

Which is why Moses, after the Lord miraculously brought the Israelites safely through the Red Sea, sang this song, “The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.  He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.  The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name” (Exodus 15:2-3).

A barred owl, and a loving Savior – both silently observing and actively intervening.  Both incredibly effective!  Both wonderfully comforting!

How to Interact on This Blog

To Comment – Please share your thoughts!  (Commenting is the fun part!)  To do so, click on the “Comments” tag under the title.  I, and many others, would love to benefit from your insights!

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Even Better!

Even Better!

My wife has had to deal with some significant eye issues recently (a repeated detached retina).  Fortunately, God has blessed her with excellent care from one of the foremost eye trauma facilities in the world in nearby Seattle.  The Eye Institute is on the seventh floor of the building immediately across the street from the Harborview Hospital Emergency Entrance.  The opposite side of the building looks down the hill at the Seattle skyline.

Because we choose to take the earliest appointments possible to avoid the rush hour traffic North, we have frequently found ourselves in the waiting area in the early morning, gazing out at the lighted skyscrapers just across the freeway.  The view includes the tallest sentinel of all, the Columbia Center, stretching impressively over the city.

The Columbia Center contains 76 stories.  At 933 feet, it is the tallest building in the state of Washington, and one of the tallest five on the entire West Coast. 

Gazing at the Columbia Center, (and its equally impressive neighboring structures), in the darkness of the morning with the 76 floors of windows beaming out light, one can’t help but be in awe.  How did they manage to build that monstrous building?

And it’s not even just a simplistic block form!  “The building’s structure is composed of three geometric concave facades with two setbacks, causing the building to appear like three towers standing side by side” (Wikepedia.com).  The Columbia Center with its intricacies was developed by Martin Selig and designed by Chester L. Lindsay Architects.  Construction took almost three years.

Again, how did they manage that?  I’ve built some simple shelves and furniture.  But I can’t begin to comprehend building a skyscraper!

It’s difficult for me to grasp the amount of planning involved.  The deep and sturdy foundation necessary, and the magnitude of the building’s footprint.  The sheer amount and weight of materials.  The mathematics; the sciences; the precision.  The pouring and shaping concrete hundreds of feet in the air.  The wiring; the safety system; the dual elevator shafts.  The tensile strength demanded on the lower levels to support the immense tonnage of weight from the upper levels.

How does it not collapse?   How in the world does it not topple over in the fierce winter winds?  And how has it continued to stand in the past earthquakes?

It’s certainly an impressive view in the early morning from the seventh floor of the Jefferson Building.

Just a few floors from the top of the Columbia Center, a 360-degree observation area allows the public to look down on the city of Seattle, (for a fee, of course).  It’s the highest public viewing area east of the Mississippi.  I know from personal experience that it takes 2 long elevator rides to even reach it!  But what a view when you do!

To the West are the revolving waterfront ferris wheel, the ferries traversing Elliot Bay, and container ships waiting to be unloaded.  To the South, the sports stadiums for the Mariners and Seahawks.  To the East, the freeway below with tiny vehicles in snaking procession, and Harborview Medical Center on the hill above.  To the North, the jutting scrapers of Seattle and the iconic Space Needle.  And above it all, airplanes cruising in for landings at nearby Seatac Airport.  Astounding works of man everywhere the eye gazes … viewed at almost 900 feet in height from inside a freakishly high construction constructed by people.

The works of humans are evident everywhere, whether gazing at the skyline from the seventh floor Eye Institute, or from the viewing area of the Columbia Center above the skyline.  But if one looks past the creations of people, the creations of the Creator are also evident.  The beaming sun and brilliant blue sky, (on the clear days in the Pacific Northwest!).  The Olympic and Cascade Mountains; the Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean; the forests, woods and flowering meadows; and all the wondrous creatures that live on, in and under them.

God created them all!  God created the base materials, and the basic scientific and mathematical principles used to build these things.  God created human beings who utilize the materials and the principles, and God endowed them with incredible capabilities.  The knowledge and ability to build skyscrapers, a Space Needle, and sports stadiums, (and operate on eyes!) comes from the Lord.  As does the fortitude to construct ferries and freeways and flying planes. 

The Creator made all of creation, and He made all of the mini-creators who utilize God’s creation to create.  What humans build in relation to God’s handiwork – well, that’s like comparing my homemade bookshelves to a skyscraper!

The creations and knowledge and abilities of humans are certainly impressive.  But God and his work, that’s even better!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Isaiah 40:28-31
Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 42:5&8
This is what God the LORD says— the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: “I am the LORD; that is my name!  I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.

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Wonderfully Made; Incredibly Special!

Wonderfully Made; Incredibly Special!

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you alter?

I’m sorry, but removing your sinful nature isn’t an option.  (Much as we would dearly love to shed that ugly part of ourselves!)  Rest assured, the Lord will definitely handle that – and completely! – when he calls us home to him.

Our sinfulness is a trait we all share, and one that we bear in common throughout our existence in this world, so it doesn’t qualify for this whimsy.  There are plenty of other qualities we possess that are somewhat unique to ourselves.  Which of those personal characteristics would you switch out if you were able?

I’m fairly confident that each one of us could think of at least one thing we would change about ourselves, if provided the opportunity.  And probably many of us could enumerate multiple items.

What would our chosen change be? 

A little taller?  A little shorter?  A little slimmer?  A little curvier or more muscular? 

Younger with more energy?  Older with more wisdom?

More handsome or beautiful?  More educated?  More athletic, artistic, or adventurous?  More musical?  More practical? 

Handier?  Hipper?  Healthier? 

Wiser?  Wittier?  Less of a worrier?  More confident?

More hair?  Less hair?  Different hair?  A different color of hair?

A modification of our nose, ears, lips, or eye shade? 

An improvement in one or several of our senses?

More tech or social media savvy?  More tool knowledge?  More craftiness? (As in, gifted at crafts, not deceitful!)  A general boost in some desirable skillset?

Less impatient, less prone to anger, or less judgmental?  Greater tact?  Greater empathy or love for others … even those drastically different than us?

Then there are some incredibly personal, private and perhaps even painful possibilities that come to mind.

The options are countless!  So what would you change in your fundamental self if given the chance?

The fact that we are able to list off some options betrays us.  It demonstrates that our self-esteem is damaged, at least to some degree.  (Yet another unfortunate aspect of our sinful nature.)  We all struggle with contentment at who and what we are; we all recognize we could be different, better, grander.

To which I say what God says: “We are God’s handiwork!” (Ephesians 2:10a).   Not only spiritually, but physically!  In the book of Job, Elihu states it this way: “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life” (Job 33:4).

In his typical eloquent way, David gushes his praise to God his (and our) Creator: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalm 139:13-14).

What would you change?  What should you change?  Nothing!  You are just the way God wants you to be.  You are “fearfully and wonderfully made” by the Lord himself!

Of course, I’m not referring to our sinfulness.  God didn’t make sin!  Nor did he place sin in us; we inherit that from our sinful parents.  Consequently, we absolutely long (and strive to!) abandon those sin-habits that plague us.  Our entire life is an ongoing battle against our undesirable tendencies that flow from our flesh.

Nor am I suggesting that we not try to learn new skills, temper negative tendencies, or foster general attitude improvements.  We always desire to become better people.

Rather, I’m referring to our fundamental selves.  There are a host of issues that we cannot alter, much as we may wish we could. 

And that’s okay.  In fact, that’s pretty neat.  Exciting.  Awesome even!  Something to celebrate instead of mourn.  We are “wonderfully made” by a loving, all-knowing God who recognizes exactly what we need to be and why we need to be that way.  He has plans for our inadequacies; blessings and insights to bring us and others through them. 

That actually makes us incredibly special … just the way we are!

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Indescribable!

Indescribable!

Really, how does one describe the indescribable?  We struggle to put into words the incredible things we experience and the views we see here on earth.  If we sometimes struggle to adequately describe our present world, how could we even begin to describe the wonders of the world waiting for us in heaven?

The Apostle Paul writes this:  “… No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 – NIV 1982).

In other words, the wonderful home in heaven which God has prepared for his faithful people is indescribable!  Since no eye has seen its splendor and no ear has heard its sounds, how could any mind conceptualize what it is really like?

Of course, the Bible does give us some insights into that wonderful place.  Jesus’ simple words provide a cozy picture of that new home: a room in the Heavenly Father’s mansion in the presence of Jesus himself.  “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3).

Jesus’ description makes heaven sound wonderfully comfortable; John’s description from his God-given vision in Revelation 21 displays it as beyond extravagant.  Here are his mind-boggling words:

“The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.  The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone.  The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.”

“The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl.  The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.”

“I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp” (Revelation 21:18-23)

Is that description of the heavenly wall, gates and street intended to be taken literally, or is it symbolic of the matchless beauty and priceless worth of being there?  Is it God’s way of propelling us to absolute awe by providing a picture we can “sort of” grasp?  Who here on earth could know?  However, I believe the description of God’s glory illuminating heaven is undoubtedly the way it is.  Nothing shines brighter, so no other source of light is needed there!

Then John provides this little nugget regarding our salvation: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes’” (Revelation 21:3-4). 

Those tears?  They are tears of joy at being allowed to exist in the very presence of God … forever!  I suspect that the Lord will frequently need to dry our joyful tears through our never-ending time there.  We’ll be repeatedly – eternally! – overwhelmed by the magnificence of the place, and the sheer wonder that we are actually there (and never have to leave!).

The descriptions of how heaven looks and how heaven will be are impressive.  Perhaps even more impressive are the descriptions of how people feel and act there.  What I have always found fascinating is that very often the Bible’s descriptions of the blessings of heaven tell us what does NOT exist there instead of what does!  (Which makes sense because our frame of reference is life in this broken world.)

“There will be no more night” (Rev. 22:5).  For the blessed who are there, “‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat’” (Rev. 7:16).  ‘“There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’  He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!”’ (Rev. 21:4-5). 

We can certainly conceptualize what is NOT in heaven.  But what IS there is inconceivable, and therefore indescribable. 

I suspect everyone envisions their existence in heaven differently.  We likely picture it in earthly terms with earthly concepts.   I confess mine is relaxing peacefully before some spectacular view of nature.  Others may have different thoughts on what would make for a “heavenly” heaven.  But here’s what will make salvation unmatchable: we will finally and forever be able to look upon our all-sacrificing Savior on his throne … and that view will be indescribable!

And then there’s the sight of the angels and all the other glorified believers who are there with us!

Not to mention the brilliant light and other-worldly colors.  The exuberant and unmatchable singing.  (Perhaps 100-part harmony sung by the redeemed and angels beyond count!)  The splendorous smells.  The sumptuous heavenly “feast” (Isaiah 25:6).  The ultra-fine feel of everything there.  (To once again use our earthly senses in an attempt to grasp the unearthly.)

But to transition to the spiritual, which will far transcend the physical: the pure holiness of everything in that perfect place!  (Including us!)  The absolute and all-encompassing security.  The perfect peace; the incredible joy.  The lack of any trace of negativity. The complete tranquility.  The utter bliss.  The eternalness of it all!

In the words above, I’ve shared some of the Bible’s descriptions and a few thoughts of my own regarding heaven.  But finally, the only way to describe heaven is that it is indescribable. 

The fact that we get to go there because of Jesus our Savior is indescribable too!  

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.  This inheritance is kept in heaven for you …” (1 Peter 1:3-4).

How incredibly blessed are we to be heirs of such magnificence!  And how incredibly blessed are those who are already experiencing that inheritance!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This post is dedicated to the many wonderful Christians who have arrived at their heavenly home in the past year … some of whom were very dear to me, and some of whom were wonderful supporters of this blog.

In particular, I want to mention Diane Quick, who regularly played organ for our congregation’s worship services for almost eleven years, and who was the third person to subscribe to this blog.  She jumped on board immediately.

I also want to acknowledge Lee Hunt, who was the eighth person to subscribe, and was one of my greatest encouragers on this endeavor.  He eagerly read every post, and discussed them with me almost every Sunday.  When I held a 50th post contest, God saw to it that Lee won.  He proudly wore his “Heading to Heaven” prize tee shirt many Sundays to worship in our church … which always warmed my heart and now chokes me up. 

Both of them have indeed “Headed to Heaven.” I pray that some of the things I shared on this blog (and from the pulpit) “encouraged them until they finally got where they were going.”  I will miss them both, as well as all my loved ones who are now rejoicing with the Lord in their heavenly home.  But I rejoice at their destination!  I know it’s indescribable, but they will have an eternity to try.

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Simple Victories

Simple Victories

The beginning of a new year tends to be a time of reflection.  What am I content with in my world?  What do I want to change?  What do I NEED to change?

As we consider these things, I think we tend to regard our choices on changes as needing to be significant ones.  And perhaps significant changes are needed?  After all, none of us truly has our lives totally together.  By all means, we should attempt to address areas that need addressing.  We all have key areas that need some adjusting; we can all become better men and women.

However, with grandiose plans it is all too common to dream big, fall short and eventually fall flat.  Which is discouraging.  So we tell ourselves, “Oh, well, I’ll try again soon, or maybe next year.  I’ll get it done one these times.”

By all means, don’t stop attempting to become a better person!  But perhaps a different approach might be beneficial?  Perhaps being content with the simple victories would be a wiser approach?

Let me explain with an example.  I enjoy metal detecting.  Most people would assume that the best metal detecting finds are under the surface, requiring at least some effort to retrieve. And typically this is true.  The benefit of the metal detector is that it indicates when there is metal below the coil of the detector.  Usually whatever set off the detector is below the surface, and usually the older items (e.g. coins) are indeed deeper in the soil. 

But not always!

A while back I had the opportunity to break away for some much-needed R&R.  I stayed in a rustic yurt in a Washington state park.  In our state, some of our state parks actually allow metal detecting in designated areas.  By design, I was in one of those parks, and I had most of the area around me all to myself!  Furthermore, it was all open to detecting.

In limited time between the heavy rain showers, I found over sixty coins.  I dug up most of them.  But perhaps a third of my finds were simply resting on the surface.  In other words, “surface finds.”  Some of the coins I spotted even before swinging the detector over them.

Surface finds are easy victories.  They don’t take much time or effort to retrieve, but still supply satisfaction and joy. 

Granted, most of the coins I discovered were just pennies, and none of them were terribly old.  But each find was an accomplishment.  And some of the coins, even some lying on the surface, were worth ten pennies (dimes); some worth twenty-five (quarters).

They all went into my recovery pouch … even the ones resting on the surface.  Never did it occur to me to bypass the easy victories!  They all counted!  They were all accomplishments!  And the surface finds were simply retrieved, yet still counted for the same face value as the coins I had to dig up.

Easy victories!  But abundantly satisfying!

Do you have big plans for personal improvements in this new year?  Good for you, and God’s blessings on your efforts!  But don’t overlook the little blessings and the minimal advances.  Any progress is still progress, and is still an accomplishment.  Any accomplishment is worth celebrating.  And multiple little wins can ultimately lead to great ones.

David wrote, “May [the LORD] give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.  May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests” (Psalm 20:4-5).

Or to say it another way, may the Lord give you many simple victories this year!  And may He help us appreciate every single one.

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When Red Makes White

When Red Makes White

As I type this, the snow is gently falling outside.  The light carpet of white over the green grass in the late hours of the day means that technically we experienced a rare white Christmas in Tacoma this year. 

While “gently falling” sounds innocuous enough, the expectation is that it will continue to “gently fall” through the night and into the morning.  Which means that everything will be thoroughly white in the morning … including the streets! 

Certainly beautiful!  But around the rolling topography of western Washington, also treacherous.  Especially since the temperatures are forecast to remain below freezing. 

Which means that our worship service in the morning will almost certainly be cancelled.  So I share this special post in place of the message I planned to share personally in church.

Contemplating the lovely white that is gradually accumulating overnight, I recalled the striking words of Isaiah 1:18: “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

If one pauses to consider the Lord’s words, they seem to offer a strange contrast.  Red sins becoming white?  Why those choice of colors?

The comments in the preceding verses offer some clarification.  Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord is sharing some harsh but crucial criticisms to his people.  He informs his supposed followers that their many sacrifices to him hold “no pleasure” for him (1:11).  Their offerings to him are “meaningless,” their incense “detestable to me,” their assemblies “worthless” (1:13), and their religious festivals “I hate with all my being” (1:14).

If that wasn’t severe enough, the Lord goes on to state, “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening.  Your hands are full of blood!” (1:15).

Now the contrast between red and white becomes clearer.  God’s own were following God’s instructions on how to worship him, but “their hearts were far from him” (Isaiah 29:13).  Consequently, their hands were red with the blood of pointless sacrifices, and their hearts and lives full of iniquity … including the blood of fellow humans who suffered through their loveless actions.

To which the Lord in love offers an incredible offer: “Turn to me and I’ll settle this matter – I’ll make your scarlet sins as white as snow!”

Of course, many (most even) disregarded the Lord’s merciful proposal and continued to simply go through meaningless motions in their worship and their lives.  But some took God’s words to heart and rejoiced in his loving and graceful promise.

Yet the faithful couldn’t begin to understand how the Lord would bring it about.  They didn’t realize that all those countless lamb sacrifices God commanded pointed ahead to God’s own ultimate Sacrifice of his Son – Jesus, the Lamb of God.  Jesus would offer his holy life as the all-atoning Substitute for the sins of sinners on the altar of the cross.

Jesus bloody birth in a barn was his first step to the bloody cross.  His life on earth began in blood and ended in holy blood … so that he could remove the unholy blood from all of our hands and our lives. 

Thanks be to God for the red blood of the Savior which turns our hands and hearts and lives clean and white!

Yes, the snow is lovely.  But not nearly as lovely as pure souls.

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The ABCs of Christmas

The ABCs of Christmas

A number of years ago I compiled this list (below) to build a Christmas service around.  Through the years I’ve reused the service now and then.  Even if some subscribers remember it, hopefully the list will still be enjoyable to review.  I know I always appreciate it when I re-read it.

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A reminds us of … Adam, who brought the first sin into the world, and made it necessary for the “Second Adam” to come to make things right again … and Abraham and all the other Old Testament believers, who eagerly awaited the “Second Adam’s” arrival … and the Angels who brought the announcement to the astonished shepherds … and the Amazement that people felt when they heard the shepherds’ message after they had seen the baby Messiah … and the Alleluias that sinners sing when they realize they are all-the-way Absolved and absolutely saved by this “Second Adam” … and Amen, which means, “This is all most certainly true.”

B reminds us of … the Baby Boy who was Born in a Barn in Bethlehem.

C reminds us of … Caesar Augustus, who issued the Census that caused Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem, where the Christ, the “Promised One,” was to be born … and the ragged Clothes in which this baby Christ was dressed … and the Cattle which surrounded him at his birth … and the Cross on which this Christ would be one day be Crucified … and his Compassion for us which caused him to come to earth in the first place … and Christmas, at which time Christians celebrate all of this.

D reminds us of … the Devil, who would delight in destroying us in hell … and the Determination of our God that the devil would be Defeated … and David, whose Divine Descendent was born from David’s line and in David’s city to destroy the devil’s power.

E reminds us of … Easter, when Jesus rose from the dead, and to which Christmas ultimately leads … and how Easter means that Jesus is the Savior of Everyone … and how Jesus wants everyone to be with him in Eternity, which is now possible because of Christmas and Easter … and the East, from where men traveled to worship him when he was young … and Egypt, to where his family had to flee to avoid Herod’s death sentence after the men from the East returned home.

F reminds us of … Father, both Jesus’ Heavenly Father and Joseph, his earthly one … and the Fields in which the Flocks fed when the angels appeared … and the Forgiveness this Savior won for all who look to him in Faith.

G reminds us of … the angel Gabrial, who told Mary that God in his Goodness and Grace was giving the Greatest Gift of all … God’s own Son to save the world … and the Glory that radiated from the angels who told the shepherds a message of Good News of Great Joy, the Gospel message of a Savior being born, which caused them to praise the Lord with the words, “Glory to God in the highest” … and the Gifts the Wisemen brought of Gold, incense and myrrh.

H reminds us of … how Jesus was born Holy, and remained holy all his life … and the Holy Spirit, who miraculously caused Mary to conceive, and who told us everything we need to know about Jesus in God’s Holy Word … and Heaven, from where the Heavenly Host came, and where we one day will go to live in perfect Happiness … and Hell and its horrors, where we would have certainly ended up if not for Jesus … and Herod, who tried to kill baby Jesus with a horrific crime.

I reminds us of … the prophet Isaiah, who prophesied that Immanuel, “God with us,” would one day come … and Israel, (both Old and New Testament Israel), whom Immanuel came to dwell among and to save … and the Inn which had no room for Joseph and Mary, and the Inn-keeper who offered the stable instead, where the Innocent Baby Jesus was born.

J reminds us of … Jesus … and Joseph, Jesus’ stepfather … and Jerusalem in Judah, where Jesus was crucified, and where he rose back to life on the third day.

K reminds us of … the believing Old Testament Kings who pictured Jesus the King … and how Jesus is the King of kings.

L reminds us of … how Jesus is the Lord of lords … and the Law from Caesar that demanded Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem, as well as the Law of God which demanded punishment for anyone who wasn’t perfect … and the Lamb of God, who in Love paid the penalty the law demanded.

M reminds us of … the prophet Micah, who prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem … and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who laid the baby Messiah down to rest in a Manger … and the angelic Messengers who brought the amazing Message to the shepherds that the Lord had kept his word; the Messiah was born.

N reminds us of … the Night that Jesus was born, which seemed like just another night, but was actually a night like no other … and how there was No Room in the inn that night for Joseph and Mary and that Jesus grew up in Nazareth and was called a Nazarene … and that Jesus came to establish God’s New Covenant.

O reminds us of … the Oppression that Satan and sin kept us under, and how Jesus was born to Overcome that oppression for everyone … and that Jesus isn’t just the Savior of Others, but also of us.  He is Our Savior.

P reminds us of … the Prophets who Prophesied about God’s Present of the Promised One … and the Old Testament Priests who had to continually offer sacrifices for the sins of the people … and that Jesus was also a Prophet and Priest who would bring Peace to God’s People by sacrificing himself on the cross … and the Praise of God that the angels and the shepherds spoke because of the peace that God was providing … and how Mary Pondered all these things in her heart.

Q reminds us of … Quirinius, the governor of Syria when the Roman census took place.

R reminds us of … Rome, who controlled Judah when Jesus was born, and from whom most people thought the Messiah would Rescue them … and how Jesus was really born to Redeem people from sin, death and the devil.

S reminds us of … the Shepherds who were watching the Sheep in the fields when the angels appeared to them and told them that the Savior from Sin and Satan was born … and the Sign that the angels’ message was true was that this Savior could be found in the Straw of a manger in a Stable … and the Special Star that signaled that the Savior was born … and how Jesus was both the Son of God and the Son of Man.

T reminds us of … the Traditions of Christmas, which include a Christmas Tree … and the Tree of the Cross upon which Jesus died … and the Trinity, the Triune God who gave us the Treasure of our Savior … and the Truth of God’s Word which shows us this Treasure, and removes the Terror of being punished for our Transgressions.

U reminds us of … the Unimaginable and almost Unbelievable, yet Undeniable, Unforgettable and Ultimate truth that God was born to live and die for us to save us, and that he rose back to life and is waiting to bring us to heaven one day.

V reminds us of … how Jesus was born of a Virgin, as Isaiah prophesied he would be.

W reminds us of … the Wisemen who, in Wonder, traveled a huge distance to Worship the new-born Savior.

X reminds us of … the Greek letter X (“chi”), which is the first letter in Xristos (“Christ”).

Y reminds us of … the people of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, both Young and Old, and You and Me, for whom Jesus was born and died.

Z reminds us of … Omega, the last letter of the Greek alphabet, and how Jesus told us that he is our Alpha (1st letter) and our Omega, our everything … and Zion, the place where our God lives, and where he will bring us one day because Jesus was born for us.

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Can you think of any Christian Christmas words that should be included in this list?  If so, please share them in the comments feature of this blog!

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John 3:16-17
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

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Lowly Positioned and Highly Honored

Lowly Positioned and Highly Honored

Have you ever experienced a surreal situation – a time when it seemed impossible that what was occurring was real?  The mind struggles to comprehend what the senses are relaying.

For the shepherds outside of Bethlehem on the night Jesus was born, surreal didn’t even begin to describe what they were experiencing.  One moment they were wrapped and resting in their goat-skin cloaks; the next they are seeing and hearing a heavenly being!

Luke describes the scenario with these famous words: “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified” (Luke 2:8-9).

Humans don’t generally respond well when exposed to the “glory of the Lord.”  Where holy glory appears, whether God himself or his angelic messengers, sinful people cringe in abject terror.  And that’s what the shepherds did as well.

Understandably, the angel tried to reassure the stricken shepherds. ‘“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger”’ (Luke 2:10-12).

A gloriously-beaming angelic appearance was surreal enough.  The angel’s message even more so!  “The Messiah, the Promised Savior, the Lord himself is born.”  But there’s additional astounding information shared: “The Lord is wrapped in rags and resting in a grungy feeding trough for livestock,” as unlikely and seemingly inappropriate as that might be.

In short measure, the surreality is compounded.  The men were already cowering from the brilliance of the one angel; then that splendor is magnified and intensified, and their experience ratchets up yet another degree.  “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests”’ (Luke 2:13-14).

I’ve always been fascinated with the shepherds outside of Bethlehem.  There are so many questions regarding this account.  Not questions about whether it happened, but questions about how it happened and why it happened.

How many shepherds were there?  What were their ages?  Their names? 

And when the first angel appeared, did it approach them gradually from a distance, or appear suddenly in close proximity?  Was God’s messenger standing on the ground or hovering in the air above them? 

How did the angel look?  We know the traditional representation of angels in art, but the descriptions of angels in the Bible vary quite a bit.  In fact, sometimes their appearance was beyond extraordinary.  (Undoubtedly, angels can take on any appearance they want.)  What did the initial angel’s voice sound like, and how amplified was it? 

How large was the “great company of the heavenly host,” and how did they approach and appear?”  Were the shepherds even able to gaze at the glorious host at all, or did they just sense them and hear them?  What an overwhelming view the multitudes of angels must have presented, and what a chorus their united voices must have made!

After the angels’ departure, and while their eyes readjusted to the night, surely the shepherds must have wondered, “Why us?  Why did these marvelous creatures appear to us?  Why did they entrust this incredible message to us?”

At the time, shepherds were essentially outcasts.  They provided a necessary service, but were otherwise disregarded by most.  Sheep-herders were considered untrustworthy; they were generally despised and deprived of basic civil rights. 

“The Mishnah, Judaism’s written record of the oral law, also reflects this prejudice, referring to shepherds in belittling terms. One passage describes them as “incompetent”; another says no one should ever feel obligated to rescue a shepherd who has fallen into a pit.” (“Shepherd Status,” by Randy Alcorn, in Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus, pp. 85-89.)

Which leads back to the shepherds’ introspection.  “Why us?”  The question would be natural for anyone who experienced a vision of an army of angels and was entrusted with the greatest message the world would ever hear.  But it was especially pertinent when the experience occurred to social outcasts like them.

Why didn’t the angels appear to the religious leaders in Bethlehem?  Why not to the town leaders?  Why not to more “acceptable” citizens?  Why not to the entire town all at once?  Of course, most people were sleeping.  But that wasn’t a hurdle an angel from heaven couldn’t overcome, much less a “great company of angels.”

Perhaps the answer was as simple as this; these societal outcasts had little to lean on outside of the Lord.  Maybe they were the most devoted to God and his promises to send the Savior in all of Bethlehem?  Or could it be that the Lord was showing already here that Jesus would associate with the lowly (because the haughty would generally disregard him)?

Alfred Edersheim, the highly regarded Jewish Christian scholar, shared this remarkable viewpoint about the shepherds: “Close by Bethlehem, on the road to Jerusalem, was a tower, known as Migdal Eder, the ‘watch-tower of the flock.’  For here was the station where shepherds watched their flocks destined for sacrifices in the Temple. … It seems of deepest significance, almost like the fulfillment of type, that those shepherds who first heard tidings of the Savior’s birth, who first listened to angels’ praise, were watching flocks destined to be offered as sacrifices in the Temple.”  (Sketches of Jewish Social Life, pp.76&77).

In other words, if Edersheim is correct, these keepers of the sheep for the sin sacrifices in Jerusalem were the logical ones to be told that the ultimate, once-for-all Sacrifice was now born.  And they were the obvious ones to first lay eyes on “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

What an intriguing possibility!

But finally, God had his own reasons for sharing the news with the shepherds.  Regardless of those reasons, the fact remains that these lowly positioned shepherds were highly honored on that night.  And they have been highly honored ever since.

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To Comment – Please share your thoughts!  (Commenting is the fun part!)  To do so, click on the “Comments” tag under the title.  I, and many others, would love to benefit from your insights!

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