"And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly." (Exodus 19:18)
The scene of the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai was surely an awesome spectacle. It is understandable the people were intimidated by such an appearance of the Lord. What they saw and heard so terrified them they wished not to see it again. Some might chide them with accusations of being superstitious but those who have any inkling of the holiness of God understand such a response.
In this brief study, I want us to focus on the idea of fire. It is a significant element in the history of Old Covenant Israel which should not be neglected. It is a motif which runs from the very beginning of the story to its end. The burnt offering Noah made following the flood is the first burnt offering mentioned in scripture. It may be a precursor of the nature of the covenant God would make with Abram, but to claim it as such would be highly speculative.
Nevertheless, when God made the covenant with Abram, the element of fire is in clear view. His presence passed through the pieces of the sacrifice as a smoking oven (Gen. 15:17). Hence, the covenant was entered into by fire. Abraham underwent a trial by fire in the sacrifice of Isaac. God dealt with Sodom and Gomorrah by means of fire. Moses was called to be the deliverer of the people by means of a bush burning with the fire of God which did not consume it. Among the plagues visited upon Egypt was hail and fire (probably some form of lightning). As the people came out of bondage, they were led by a pillar of fire by night.
We see the element of fire repeatedly in the history of the old covenant people. The book of Leviticus alone mentions fire 74 times in reference to the ministrations of the priests before the Lord. The author of Hebrews confirms what Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 4:24, "...God is a consuming fire...."
As the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies he passed the Altar of Incense on which holy fire was to burn continuously. You probably remember the story of Nadab and Abihu. They were Aaron's sons and it was their duty to keep the fire kindled but they allowed it to burn out. Rather than confess their lack of diligence and seek God's solution to the dilemma, they offered "strange fire" and they were indeed consumed by it.
The prophets called down fire to consume the enemies of God and fire was the means by which the elect remnant would be refined. The fiery ordeal experienced by Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego demonstrated for all to see that God dwells in unapproachable light (or fire as the original may be translated).
I'm outlining a future book on this subject, but there just isn't space to fully develop the theme here. Nevertheless, I encourage you to pay attention to the image of fire as one of the key elements of the old covenant. It will prove most instructive as you seek to better understand what God was doing with His chosen people.
It is no coincidence the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist came as Zacharias was burning incense. The prophet who would prepare the way of the Lord could have hardly come any other way. It is also no surprise that among his proclamations regarding Messiah was the telling, "...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." (Matthew 3:11) In verse 12, John speaks of that fire as "unquenchable."
In the parable of the tares (Matthew 13), Christ leaves no doubt about the future of those who infest the harvest of God and act as stumbling blocks to those coming to the kingdom. They would be gathered and cast into the fire at the end of the age. The parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22 has a similar element. When the invited guests made light of their invitation, their city was burned and the king sent his servants into the byways to call any who would come.
Warning of the coming judgment, Christ said, "It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed." (Luke 17:28-30)
It should not escape our attention that when the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost (Acts 2), He was manifested as "tongues of fire" about the heads of the apostles. Peter then announces the event to be the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy for the last days which would herald "the great and terrible day of the Lord."
In keeping with Isaiah's "refiner's fire" imagery, Paul admonishes the Corinthians to faithfulness because of the coming fiery ordeal which will try their works (1 Cor. 3). He promises the Thessalonians that God will come "in flaming fire" to give them relief from their oppressors (2 Thess. 1:7).
In a glorious contrast, the author of Hebrews tells believers, "For you have not come to a mountain that may be touched and to a blazing fire...But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel." (Hebrews 12:18a, 22-24)
The change of covenant removed believers from the covenant of fire! Why the excitement? Turn to 2 Peter 3.
Though believers were certainly undergoing a "fiery ordeal" they would not perish in the fiery end of the Old Covenant system. 2 Peter 3 is largely misunderstood by Christians because they misunderstand the significance of the "heaven and earth" of which Peter speaks. We've discussed this in some detail previously but remember the heaven and earth in view here is not the physical planet. If you need to refresh your memory, revisit Isaiah 51:16 and its context. You will recall that God, speaking through Isaiah, described the covenant He made with Israel as establishing the heavens and founding the earth. We need to read 2 Peter 3 with this fact in view because Peter writes of three heaven and earths (vss. 5, 7, 13).
Pay particular attention to the first heaven and earth. Note he says it was formed out of water and destroyed by water. Question: was the physical heaven and earth destroyed in the flood? The answer is obviously "No" since Noah and his family survived and lived on the planet. It was the corrupt and evil world which was swept away. God was starting over. In grace, God saved Noah. His acceptance of Noah's burnt offering marked a new beginning. The new creation would, as we have seen, not be one of water, but of fire.
In keeping with the pattern, Peter said in verse 7 the creation of fire was "reserved for fire." Just as the world of water perished by water, the world of fire would perish by fire. Again, he is not talking about the planet but the covenant world order which had been corrupted and was about to be removed.
Revelation is punctuated with fire references and history records that Peter's "present heavens and earth" (vs. 7) were burned up in A.D. 70, thus signaling the end of the age. The destruction of Jerusalem ushered in the Messianic age which continues to this day and which will never end (Ephesians 3:20). History also records that the faithful remnant did not perish in that destruction but lived to enjoy the "new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells." (vs. 13)
In 1 Peter 4:17 he had written, "It is the appointed time for the judgment to begin with the household of God...." The sure hope he gave them in his second letter must have been extremely comforting to them. Such comfort would be impossible if the events he described are yet in our future.
When we begin to see ourselves as new creations inhabiting the new heaven and earth, we can rejoice with those first believers in knowing we have escaped the covenant of fire and just maybe we will begin to believe that righteousness can overcome the world through faith. Let us live in the confident assurance that, "Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end." (Isaiah 9:7)
And the people of the Lord say... AMEN!
A Lover's Quarrel
It's the day after Father's Day, but I am able to review a book I received as a gift from my daughter a few days early. This will be of special interest to my church of Christ friends and family and hopefully to others as well ... especially those familiar with the Restoration Movement of the 19th century and the various denominations which arose from it.
A Lover's Quarrel is the autobiography of Leroy Garrett whose writings I encountered in my young adult life. Most of my life I had listened to him being lambasted from pulpits and in church of Christ journals along with his friend Carl Ketcherside. Both names approached the level of profanity in my church circles in those early days. However, when I entered Bible College a young professor named John Ferguson introduced me to Dr. Garrett's Restoration Review and Ketcherside's Mission Messenger. He also shared another little newsletter titled Integrity which had a similar mission: to call churches of Christ back to their roots of unity out of sectarianism. Until I began reading these men, I had simply joined the chorus of those who held them with ignorant reproach.
What I read from them planted seeds which took root and influence my life to this day. I can't rightly say why I ceased to read them. I guess God planned for me to learn firsthand many of the lessons they could have taught me over the years. My interest in their work was renewed a few years ago when my daughter and her husband began attending Garden Ridge Church of Christ in Lewisville, Texas. They are just a few miles south of Denton where Brother Garrett lives. At age 85, he still keeps a busier schedule than most though he has ceased regular publications. He is an occasional speaker at Garden Ridge and I have been blessed to encounter his life and work now 37 years since my first exposure to it.
As I read of his life, I really stand in awe of what God can do in the life of one individual who is willing to be diligent and stand firmly where faith has planted him. From his Depression Era beginning to the present day, his life is marked by the rewards of diligence. It would be hard to overstate the faithfulness and love he has for the very denomination which, for most of his life rejected him, and on one occasion even had him arrested and thrown in jail. All those who have taken a stand against tradition will identify strongly with his story. For anyone wanting a very brief look at some of the history of the churches of Christ, Disciples of Christ, Independent Christian Churches and other Restoration Movement entities, the book will serve you well.
Leroy's story is a wonderful balance of doctrine, insight, history and humor; all seasoned with profound love and deep humility. Regardless of your Christian background, I think you will find it delightful reading. In closing, I want to leave you with a quote from the book which captures its heart. There are many which would fill the bill, but one stands out in my mind. It is part of comments from Garrett to Ketcherside as they were preparing to debate the issue of instrumental music with representatives of the Christian Church. I pray the attitude expressed would become the hallmark of all believers in Christ:
"We should make it clear that Seth and Don are our brothers in Christ as much as we are to each other. We might differ on the issue under discussion, but that would not keep us from loving and accepting each other as brothers in Christ. We don't have to agree on instrumental music to be united in Christ." (p. 139)
(Note: Ketcherside opened the debate by reading the letter and the result was a most amicable discussion of the issue)
The Gipper
Many of us remember our first exposure to Ronald Reagan in the movies. It was only later we encountered him in the political arena. While I certainly have difficulties with a significant part of his administration, he was something of a breath of fresh air after Watergate and the years which followed. We've been holding our breath every year as the stench from D.C. has grown stronger with every passing administration and even a return to the Reagan years would be preferable to the current abuse of power - but I digress.
Reagan's death came as little surprise to us and the typical fanfare raised by the media and politicos was expected. I watched very little of it and that mostly by chance. Since I didn't stay glued to the tube I was pleasantly surprised to catch the memorial service in California in the evening. Most of what was said and done conformed to expectations, but there was one glorious moment. The remarks of adopted son Michael.
Of all the children, I was most convinced that Michael really knew his father. Michael's bold confirmation of his father's faith in his "Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" must have made the media liberal wince (but surely they were elated with the New Age leanings of his siblings). I was impressed too with the expressed understanding that faith is not a badge to be worn on one's sleeve but a life to be lived whatever our station, location or destination. That message should not be missed by many Christians today who want to use the federal government to bully the country into having things their way, no matter how noble they may be.
Civil government is the antithesis of freedom, which makes it something of a paradox because government of some sort at some level is necessary to control those who refuse to control themselves. Reagan rightly saw Communism as an "evil empire" because it is one of the ugliest forms of government gone bad.
In the primary battles for the Republican nomination for president in 1964, I remember reading many of Reagan's remarks. He understood the problems with government gone bad and he understood ours was headed down that path. That was forty years ago and we are now careening down that path at breakneck speed. Perhaps it was a blessing that Alzheimer's disease spared him the realization of just how close we have come to being the "evil empire" in our day.
We have embraced socialism with open arms and every time government involves itself more in the private sector we are one step closer to communism. Half the working population is now employed by the government at some level and, more and more, private sector workers are required to obtain permits, licenses, or certifications from the state. The transition to communism is well under way. How much Reagan knowingly contributed to the problem, I'm not sure, but I believe The Gipper would be grieved with today's situation.
I know that won't set well with some of you, but facts are facts if one cares to entertain them. Many wish to honor President Reagan's life and memory. I suggest we do so by returning our country to a republic under God.
(You can take a step in that direction by visiting www.peroutka2004.com)
Darwin Awards
For those unfamiliar with them, Darwin Awards are given posthumously to those who improve the human race by removing their genes from the gene pool. Here are a couple for your enlightenment.
(Iowa) Several years ago, an adventurous pair decided to take their ropes and rappel off the Boone Scenic Valley Railroad train over the Des Moines river. Words can't describe how breathtakingly high this narrow train bridge is over the river valley. The open train ride over the abyss is both stunningly beautiful and somewhat nerve-wracking. Our adventurers had to be completely fearless, because they walked to the middle of this narrow railroad bridge, tied off their ropes, and began to rappel down. When the train came by on it's daily tour of the valley, their one mistake became apparent. They had tied the ropes to the sturdiest support possible: the steel train tracks...
What are you anchored to?
(2 August 2002, Kansas) Police said an Olathe man was struck and killed by a train after his vehicle broke down on Interstate 35. His attempts at repairing his car had failed, and he had stepped away from the busy freeway to call for help, when the train engineer spotted him standing on the tracks. The engineer said the man was holding a cell phone to one ear, and cupping his hand to the other ear to block the noise of the train.
What are you trying hard not to hear?
The Apprentice's Journal
When I started this newsletter in 2000, it was really with the idea of staying in touch with family and friends. We don't often get together and when we do conversation usually turns to things other than our biblical study. I really wanted a way to share what I was seeing in scripture in hopes that others would be challenged and respond in kind.
As part of the effort, I decided to include this section to provide a keyhole view into my life outside the study. Sometimes I wonder if anyone is really reading the rest of what I write, but you let me know regularly that you enjoy these little updates. That pleases me, but I truly hope you will spend time with the rest of the newsletter. The things I address are matters of importance to me and I really look forward to hearing from you. That said, the regular fare follows.
The garden is in full swing now. In spite of too much rain, we're now getting beans and the first peppers, okra and tomatoes. The watermelons are about the size of a softball. The corn is filling out and should be mature before too much longer. It has rained so much I did have to string wire from one end of the row to the other and back to keep the stalks from falling over!
The baby Blue Bird I mentioned last time made its getaway either late one evening or early one morning. I hated not to get any video of the event but they are just so secretive about their actions. When I didn't see them one Saturday morning, a quick look in the nest confirmed he was gone. Those who know say to remove the old nest immediately and the parents may nest again. I followed those directions and within minutes they were back checking the house out. Soon they were building a new nest. It's still under construction but I expect we'll have more eggs soon. We did see the new little guy with his parents on the fence one afternoon about a week ago but we haven't seen him since.
The real surprise this spring was our discovery of twin fawns behind our house. The lot behind us is wooded and apparently their mother chose that location to set up housekeeping. I'd seen her going in and out of the trees and wondered if she had a little one back there, but seeing two was really unexpected. One evening mother must have been out grazing when the youngsters decided to test their legs. They were having a grand time running in the clearing between our lot and the woods, and in the little park next door. After a humorous session of follow the leader, it was like they began to think mother would come home and find them out of place. They quickly jumped back into the woods and the fun was over. A week or so later we had a heavy rain and one of the twins had just discovered water. He was jumping straight up and down in a puddle much like a small child might. I didn't see the two together for some time and began to wonder if something had happened to one of them. Just this morning (6/21) I saw them both out together again. They are a real joy. We'll get along fine unless they discover the garden!
On June 2nd, Sharon and I celebrated our anniversary. It sometimes amazes me to think we have known each other for 49 years and been married 35 of them! Perhaps a little history is in order for the sake of those who don't know us. We met at church when her family moved to Texas from Arkansas. Our parents became best friends and spent a lot of time together so we were together a lot. We were more like cousins than friends and her parents were Uncle Bruce and Aunt Louise to me all during childhood.
Sharon arrived in this world in August, four months ahead of me. That put her a grade level above me in school; so we were nothing more than good friends the first twelve years. However, once I finally started college, the difference between a freshman and a sophomore didn't seem all that significant. It wasn't long until we were dating and the following summer we were engaged. We promised she would finish school before we married so the wedding came the day after graduation.
Most of my late teen years, different people had made a point of telling how Sharon was going to make someone a good wife "one of these days." Somehow, those comments never consciously took root but they did come to mind when I began seeing her as a potential life partner. All those who paved the way with their hints were right and I have been abundantly blessed by our relationship. It takes a special person to live with someone like me and God made the arrangements. Like all couples, we've had our rough times, but through it all God has been faithful to sustain the tie that binds us even when it was stressed beyond human limits to maintain.
Today, we are stronger than ever and more united than ever. Though I've considered it a possibility for years, when we exchanged cards the morning of our anniversary we realized we had chosen the same one! Maybe next year we'll just go to the card counter and decide on one together. Then we can take the $4 savings and share a .... On second thought, I'd better nix that idea right now! ~ Jim