"I Keep Hitting The Escape Key But . . . ."
The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me." But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD."
(Jonah 1:1-3a)
Jonah is a short book, so let me encourage you to take the time to read it before continuing here. The story is so familiar to us and yet we seem to miss much of its practical application. There are a number of themes we might take up from the infamous escapades of this reluctant prophet of God, but let us focus on the one which encompasses them all: submission.
The opening verses of the book make it clear that God called Jonah for a very specific task. It is equally clear that Jonah had no intention of heeding that call. We would be tempted to chuckle if we were able to close our eyes to the times we’ve done the same thing..
For the Jews, nothing was more important than the presence of God. He had been with them in their deliverance from Egyptian bondage, through the wilderness field trip (they were not wandering, God led them in circles), and His presence dwelt in the temple. To know that God was with them was to know that they were His people of blessing. They could not imagine life apart from His presence.
This history makes it all the more remarkable that Jonah decided to flee "from the presence of the Lord."
What is perhaps more remarkable is that Jonah tells the crew of the ship he boards that He is fleeing "from the presence of the Lord." (1:10) Apparently, that confession didn’t concern them until the storm arose and the lot fell to Jonah. They became "extremely frightened" when they questioned him about his nationality and he admitted he was a Hebrew who feared "the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land."
How ironic it is that men of heathen nations feared the Hebrew God more than the Hebrew He chose to ignore His will! They knew they were in deep trouble because they were harboring one who had offended the God of Israel. Their only thought was how to save themselves from being consumed by the wrath which had been unleashed to get Jonah’s attention.
To his credit, Jonah told them how to save themselves. At first they rejected his instruction and continued to fight the storm. When all seemed lost, they were still reluctant to follow Jonah’s instruction, but they prayed to God that they would not perish because of Jonah’s rebellion and they prayed that his blood would not be charged to them. Then, they tossed him over the side.
When the storm subsided they were amazed and worshiped God with sacrifices and vows. We’ll leave the story at this point since the stage is set for the point we wish to make: resisting the responsibility God has given us has serious consequences for us and others around us.
Since 1997, I have had a booth for The Constitution Party at our local Fair on the Square. It is an exhausting day, but it is always interesting, instructive, challenging, and fulfilling. In other words, it is a good tired. The view from the booth is quite a different perspective than mingling with the crowd and I love people watching.
Some friends avoid my booth like the plague, others stop in to visit and offer their encouragement. I see people from all walks of life and it is always satisfying to be able to share truth with those who desperately need to hear it.
For me, it is a matter of calling and yet, as the day approaches each year, I’m always fighting the desire to just skip it. It isn’t always fun confronting the culture so I know something of what Jonah must have felt at being called to proclaim judgment against Nineveh.
While there are some who refuse to listen or who just laugh (usually conservative Christians), it is always refreshing to meet people who are very concerned about how our country is storing up wrath for itself. It is particularly rewarding on those rare occasions when I see the lights come on in a person’s thinking and they become excited about the possibilities which lie before us, if we will just be faithful to our calling.
Among the crowd this year was a woman wearing a t-shirt which read, "I keep hitting the escape key, but I’m still here!" (For readers who are not computer literate, there is an escape key which cancels an operation in progress.)
When I saw that quip, I was immediately stricken with just how accurately it describes so many of our countrymen as well as the fellowship of believers. We all have "escape keys" in life and it is imperative we not allow them to keep us from our duty before God. We may escape the duty, but we cannot escape the accountability before God for that duty.
My first thoughts about "escape keys" had to do with those who are just hanging around waiting for God to beam them up out of this troubles of this world so they don’t have to be bothered with them. That speaks to the vast majority of Christians today who believe this world is a lost cause and are just waiting for God to rapture them out of the mess.
Nevertheless, as I considered the idea further, it occurred to me we attempt to escape in a variety of ways. In my experience, filling our lives with activities which, in the overall scheme of things, are little more than diversions, is by far most common.
Now, diversions are a good thing when they allow you to rest from the living out of the call of God in whatever venue. However, when diversions become preoccupations they are detrimental to our calling and must be reined in. So many Christians seem to be far more involved in diversions than they are in their calling.
They will make commitments to soccer games, concerts, social organizations, etc. but when it comes to making commitments to growing the kingdom of God. Like Jonah, even if we see the duty before us, we flee it thinking we can escape unnoticed into the culture around us. It comes as a real shock to us when we too learn first hand that our flight results in God’s wrath being poured out on our culture and we understand that we are responsible. (continued)
God is not the least bit "surprised" when those who deny Him do evil or support it. His disdain is for those who profess to be His and yet refuse to confront the evil of their day; and His greatest discipline is directed to those who engage in or support an evil culture.
One long-time Christian friend stopped by the booth and was surprised she didn’t know about The Constitution Party. While she was in full agreement with our insistence God is sovereign, she believed that the Christian thing to do was vote for someone who was not as bad a criminal as the other candidate.
Though she agreed to give it prayerful consideration, it seems certain that she, like many others, would rather support a proven lawbreaker than a God-fearing candidate who would uphold the law. In short, she hit the escape button.
For her to abandon the popular view (which is filled with myths like, "you’re wasting your vote," and "you can’t win") would put her at odds with many of her friends and family (boy can I attest to that!) and she is not prepared to pay that price.
Like many, she has forgotten that we are called to be obedient, not win elections or popularity contests. When we align ourselves with those who do evil, we cannot escape the accountability that goes with our actions. When we knowingly give our allegiance to those who do evil and support their actions we can expect God’s discipline, not his deliverance.
It is amazing that Christians who profess to trust God for their daily lives, resort to pragmatism when it comes to the political arena. Although God has called each one of us in this country to be a ruler and to exercise proper judgment under the law, many think it to be of little consequence to give their approval to their servants who break the law.
If we truly desire to honor God, we must stand for what is right and leave the outcome of elections in His hands. When Jonah realized the calamity that his failure was causing others, he at least had the integrity to admit it and repent.
When he asked to be thrown from the boat he was placing himself in God’s hands. To be sure, he had other lessons to learn. So do we, but the journey begins by trusting in God, not man.
What are the "escape keys" in your life? Are there involvements that keep you from doing what you are persuaded you should be doing? Let’s resolve to avoid escaping and "enter" more deeply into a life of faith.
The Scepter of Judah
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. (Genesis 49:10 KJV)
During his opening presentation at the seminar back in August, Don Preston called our attention to this passage. Consider what follows a teaser for the tapes from the series.
It may surprise you, as it did me, to realize that the first mention of "the last days" in scripture is found at the beginning of this chapter. Jacob calls his sons together to tell them what will happen in "the last days." When he comes to Judah, we find the first sign in scripture which identifies the biblical "last days." It would be when the scepter departed from the tribe of Judah. The scepter is a symbol of authority and Jacob prophesied that it would remain with Judah "until Shiloh come."
Shiloh is almost universally accepted by biblical commentators to be a reference to Christ. Equally unanimous is their opinion regarding the time when the scepter passed from Judah - A.D. 70. Even non-Christian (i.e. Jewish and Muslim) sources maintain this timing.
If the scepter departed from Judah in A.D. 70, then it is clear that Shiloh had come and gathered the people, but it is also imperative that "the last days" had arrived. How then can we reasonably hold to a view which says the biblical last days are yet future? To do so would mean they have continued longer than the entire history of Old Covenant Israel. That is more than just a minor problem.
If you’d like to have a copy of the tapes, send your check to the address on the back of this newsletter. The set includes, "Are We Living in the Last Days?", "Can God Tell Time?", "Jesus Coming In The Glory of The Father", "Who Is This Babylon?", "2 Thess. 1:7 Revisited", and two hours of Q & A.
The audio tapes are $10 and the videos are $16. Get both for $22. All prices include postage. This is a great series to begin your study of covenant eschatology. I’ve shared them with several skeptical friends locally and their response has been nothing short of amazement. I think you will be impressed with Don’s scholarship and attention to detail as well. Order your set today!
Why Rosh Hashanah?
We’ve just passed the end of the season of Jewish high holy days. Ironically, they attest to failure of the Jewish system and the glory of Christ our Savior. To see the significance of Rosh Hashanah, you need to read Leviticus 23 where the feasts of Israel are commanded by God. While you’re reading, look carefully for Rosh Hashanah because you won’t find it. So what is it’s origin? Necessity!
If you will research contemporary information regarding the Jewish feasts and compare that with Leviticus 23, you will realize that they no longer keep one of their feasts. That is a lethal omission since God promised anyone who did not keep the feast would be cut off from the people and the promises forever.
I’ll save you the trouble by noting that the Feast of Firstfruits is no longer observed. Why not? The answer is compelling: Christ was resurrected on this feast day! I won’t take the space to develop the chronology here. All that is necessary is to realize that this feast always fell on "the morrow after the sabbath" during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
This was a week long feast which started when Passover ended at sundown. Whenever Sunday came, the Feast of Firstfruits was celebrated. Following the resurrection of Christ, that was just too much for those clinging to the Old Covenant system and somewhere along the way they ceased observing it.
That created no small dilemma since it left them with six feasts and six is the number of evil. To correct this problem, they replaced Firstfruits with Rosh Hashanah from the civil calendar. The ecclesiastical new year begins in the spring but the civil new year comes in the fall.
The impact of substituting a secular holiday for a prescribed high holy day cannot be overstated. It is compelling evidence that modern Israel is not, and cannot be, biblical Israel.
Dead Sea Scrolls in Dallas!
Those of you in or near the Dallas area have, perhaps, a once in a lifetime opportunity to see The Dead Sea Scrolls and other rare documents. They will be on display at The Biblical Arts Center through November 16th. We plan to make the trip and I highly recommend it to you. Details can be found on the Internet at www.deadseaexhibit.com or you can call 1-877-33BIBLE (1-877-332-4253).
The exhibit is touring the U.S. so watch the web site to see if it is coming to a city near you.
How’s That Again?
It should be clear to regular readers that I am strongly opposed to our present military involvements in the mid-east and elsewhere in the world. At the same time, a recent revelation did get my attention.
Do you realize that when military personnel are injured in combat and require hospitalization they are required to pay for their meals? Yep, it’s a fact! The rate is presently $8.10 per day. It’s incredible we can talk about stealing $87 BILLION from taxpayers for rebuilding Iraq but we can’t feed our own injured troops.
Apparently this has been going on since 1981 when the enabling legislation was passed. How it has escaped public attention until now is something of a puzzle to me. The good news is that H.R. 2998 was passed unanimously by the House on October 8th to address this issue.
Let’s quit bombing countries because we don’t like their government and keep our soldiers at home to protect our shores. Then we won’t have to bear the cost of rebuilding what we spent billions of dollars destroying in the first place. Then we’ll be able to take care of the legitimate needs here.
The Law and The Truth
"Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also." (Hebrews 7:11-12)
We recently began meeting in a Sunday afternoon Bible Study with a few friends and are presently viewing a video series dealing with first half of Max King’s, The Spirit of Prophecy. The second lesson bears the title above and listening to it brought the scripture above to mind.
The point being made in the study is that while the old covenant law was true it was merely a shadow of God’s Truth. It was never intended to continue and could not address man’s needs in an effective way. As Hebrews makes clear, it was totally inadequate and inferior to reality in Christ who is The Way, The Truth, and The Life.
While it is indisputable that the principles represented by the old covenant law are timeless, they find new application and depth in Christ. It is unnecessary and perhaps unwise to view those commands as they were viewed by the Old Covenant people. They may serve as a model for our behavior but they are not law to us in the same sense they were under the old regime.
Most Christians will agree that the priesthood has changed. As believers, we are a royal priesthood and Christ is our High Priest. The author of Hebrews tells us that since the priesthood has changed, it is a necessity that the law changed.
The word for "change’ here is instructive: metathesis. It has the idea of a transferal or moving of authority (i.e. from earth to heaven). What were codified as physical principles of an earthly regime have been translated to spiritual principles in the heavenly kingdom.
While we are free from the bondage of the old law, the love of Christ restrains us and compels us to live our lives in right relationship with God and one another.
Some wish to separate the ceremonial aspects of the old law from its moral tenets. That simply is not possible. In Matthew 5, Christ specifically said not the smallest point of the law would pass until it was all fulfilled. If any of it has passed, it has all passed. And, if it has not passed, we are obligated to keep it in its entirety. To do that would be to discount the sacrifice of Christ and that should be unthinkable to those who profess faith in Him.
Praise God, the law and the prophets were fulfilled in Christ and our lives are caught up in His righteousness which empowers us for Godly behavior.
The Apprentice’s Journal
The hummingbirds have departed for more tropical climes. The frogs are rarely seen or heard in the evening. The squirrels are scavenging the acorns from the trees in the front yard. The trees are beginning to put on their coat of many colors and some have even started shedding theirs to create the fall task of raking. The air is cooler and drier, though it is never really dry here near the gulf coast. We’re still waiting for the first crisp morning and first frost, but it is much anticipated. Isn’t it a blessing to witness the glories of God’s creation and rejoice in them?
Our daughter and grandchildren were here for a few days and it is a blessing to see those little ones growing up and learning life’s lessons. It isn’t always easy, but it is a blessing. The great thing about children (especially grandchildren) is that they give you an excuse to revisit your own childhood and engage in behavior which on any given day might earn you a padded cell.
There is a low area in our backyard which drains the watershed above us when it rains. At times, it can be 12-18 inches deep. It’s not the kind of feature which many people would seek but it does have it’s advantages. It rarely needs to be watered during the summer but more importantly it has great potential for creative play when it rains.
The two grandsons already exhibit their differences. Geren (the oldest) is more indoor oriented and Joshua is constantly begging to be outside. While they were here, it rained enough to get our little stream flowing and I suggested we take the opportunity to play in the rain. I do get caught in the rain occasionally, but it has been decades since I played in it.
We had a blast! Geren was reluctant at first but when he saw Joshua and me
splashing in the water his misgivings evaporated and he came running to join us.
We ran back and forth through the water, made boats and had a grand time.
Pity the parent or grandparent who is so restrained they can’t occasionally be a child with their children (and pity the ones who are more childish than their children too!). When our daughter was young, I remember what a delight it was to have an excuse to visit the fire station, local bowling alley, or any other place which promised an adventure simply by asking for a "tour" of the facility. It’s great fun, but nothing compares to sharing their delight in the moment.
As we splashed through the water, Geren came running up to me with a huge smile on his face and with the sweetest expression of sincerity said, "Grandfather, I really love you." Was it worth getting wet? You bet!
It is good to reflect on the things which bring us real joy in life. We seem to spend so much time and energy pursuing things which really don’t and can’t truly enrich our lives. They may bring a little transient pleasure or satisfaction, but they just don’t have the staying power of the joy that is born in relationship. I’m trying to major in that more and more.
It’s hard to see relationships as destinations rather than points of interest in the itinerary of life. We wander into and out of friendships like they are disposable. I know we don’t really believe that, but our actions suggest it all too often.
As I reflect on my own life, there are a number of people who truly blessed me along the way. We spent a great deal of time together and shared life’s struggles together. Yet, today we’ve been out of contact for years. Some just quit responding and others I just ceased to make an effort to maintain.
Maybe it is supposed to be this way, but somehow I think not. When we cease to communicate, we not only cease to grow together, we grow apart. Surely, you know what I mean.
You meet someone you used to know well but haven’t seen in years and the memories of the past brighten the encounter, but after initial pleasantries, you discover you don’t really know each other any more. In some cases, you even discover you really don’t want to know each other anymore. The memory of the past is more pleasant than the present reality.
How might it be different if we kept the lines of communication open and the relationships alive? Only God knows. I suppose there are limits to how many people we can keep track of at any given time, but it still seems tragic that dear friendships suffer from such neglect and inattention.
As we enter the time of year when we tend to place more emphasis on getting together with family and friends, let’s rejoice at the blessing God has given us in the relationships we share. The words of the John Fawcett’s old hymn come to mind:
Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love! The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.
Before our Father’s throne we pour are ardent prayers; our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, our comforts and our cares.
We share our mutual woes, our mutual burdens bear; and often for each other flows the sympathizing tear.
When we asunder part, it gives us inward pain; but we shall still be joined in heart and hope to meet again.
Till next time ... Jim