Hebrews 5:7

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

I read this verse today and it kind of jumped out at me. Jesus prayed to the one "who was able to save him from death". And "he was heard".

Yeah.

Which is why He died on the cross then, right?

I mean, that is not exactly what I would have in mind if I prayed to be saved from death.

The next few verses make things a bit clearer, if not easier.

Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus was not delivered from death in the immediate sense. But He was more than delivered from death. He conquered death!

Anyway, that's about it. Just a reminder that God's answers to prayers may not always (is ever) look like what we had in mind. But that does not at all mean that He does not hear.

Standards

My mind kind of wandered today during the last hymn (which is one of my favourite hymns):
How sweet and awesome is the place
With Christ within the doors...

I'm not exactly sure what I usually picture when singing this hymn, but today (especially after communion), I was suddenly thinking of a bride coming to her husband. Sweet, yes, and also awesome -- tinged with a righteous dread. The picture was lovely. And as I thought about it, I realized that it's going to be hard for a man to live up to that picture which I have of Christ and His church.

Oh, I know that I'm a sinner. I don't deserve to be married to a perfect man (even if I could find one!)

But at the same time, I'm HIS. I belong to the God of the universe. My Father is the King of all creation... I'm not going to run off with some bozo. My Brother, my Betrothed, is the Conqueror of Death itself.

I began thinking of other standards which I have for men. So I'll go on, chancing the sort of response which Marion is given in The Music Man.
(I know all about your standards
And if you don't mind my sayin' so
There's not a man alive
Who could hope to measure up to that blend'a
Paul Bunyan, Saint Pat and Noah Webster
You've got concocted for yourself outta your Irish imagination,
Your Iowa stubbornness, and your liberry fulla' books!)

Other images of what my husband should be...
Mr. Darcy.
Calvin.
Merlin.
Luther.
Aragorn.
Arthur.

Mr. Darcy for steadfastness. Calvin for commitment to God's word. Merlin for enchantment. Luther for reformation. Aragorn for being the Ranger-King. Arthur for High-Kingness.

Aragorn, I think, most typifies all of the characteristics, because I think that he is the most Christlike.

So then I started thinking... I'm giving some guy quite the list of men to live up to. What do I need to be asking of myself?

Am I preparing myself to be Elizabeth Bennet? Do I have the spunk and lively wit? Am I cultivating that?
How about Idelette? Most of my knowledge of her comes from Edna Gerstner's book Idelette. Am I being that Godly?
If I want Merlin, am I ready to be Nimue, to have mysteries of my own? Our culture, I think, has gotten away from that -- with feminism and the devaluing of women. Victoria's Secret leaves no kind of secrets at all, and that's a shame.
Oh, and then Katerina Von Bora! How about THAT kind of spunk and commitment to God's Word? Am I there?
Can I be Arwen to Aragorn? That wise, that patient, and that willing to give up myself for him?
And Guinevere is along the lines of what NOT to do. Since I don't want to be the unfaithful queen, what am I doing to prepare my own heart to be steadfast? Am I learning faithfulness and integrity which would keep me far from such sin?

Am I learning the things which will make me an excellent wife? Am I learning to be the Bride of Christ? Yes, I have high standards for the man who I will marry.

But I also have high standards for myself. Because God does.

What are your standards?

I Timothy

So, I read through I Timothy. Slowly. Verrrrrrrrry slowly. And I noticed a few things...

One thing that I noticed was how often Paul talks in there about consciences.

The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (1:5)

This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. (1:18-19)

[Deacons] must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. (3:9)

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared (4:1-2)


There are also a number of beautiful doxologies.

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.

...until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

There are a few other themes, which perhaps I will post about (and perhaps not)..

What have you been reading? What have you been noticing?

God is in Control (especially of the American Government)

Today's passages look rather, well, random.  In family devos, we were finishing up Psalm 63.  (I am very fond of this psalm partly because I really like the tune Te Deum and think it fits well.)  For myself, I read Job 41 in English.  (While I was in DC I started Job... at the point that Elihu starts making his speeches, which is chapter 32.)  Then, not feeling like tackling Job in Hebrew (yikes!) I went for part of Psalm 63.  Then for Greek, I read John's part about the triumphal entry (John 12:12-19).  And then for my singing psalm (which sometimes happens and sometimes doesn't...) I was on 63, of course.  

Like I said, it all seemed rather scrambly.  While I was reading Greek, I thought about how good it is for me to read stuff in Greek, because it ensures that I am actually thinking about the words somewhat.  (See how well that works?  I was thinking about something else while doing it...)  And then I was sort of left glaring at myself, and thinking about what I had already read, in English and in Hebrew, because that's important to remember too.  With English, I can read it and not give it another thought.  With Hebrew, I can be soooo concentrated on trying to find words that I know and track it somewhat that I can entirely miss the big picture.  Greek, with my English Bible nearby to doublecheck things, is my happy medium at the moment.  But all that can turn into an excuse for inattention and laziness.

So I thought about what I was reading -- Jesus going into Jerusalem.  And that seemed to tie into a discussion that we had at breakfast after reading Psalm 63, about America and our government.  The government is picking up all kinds of control that it is not supposed to have, and that can be scary.  I'd love to see the church flourish, and be refined, and... I'm not all that eager to be persecuted, myself.  I want God's glory, but I like my life the way it is.  

When the New Testament was written, the Romans were the masters of the world.  They weren't the nicest masters you could imagine, either.  The Jews were so excited when Jesus came riding into Jerusalem, that day.  I would have been, too.  "Hey!  It's our king!  It's the messiah, the one God promised!  He's going to set us free and life will be good and..."

It didn't happen.

At least, it sure didn't happen the way they planned it.  Instead, this "messiah", this "savior", went and got himself killed.  I can tell you what -- I have never had political dreams that got that badly smashed.  I've worked campaigns and enjoyed it, but I don't have a dream candidate.  My view on government is pretty sadly (but accurately) described by the despair.com picture...

In the midst of my being-on-the-road-to-hyperventilation about our government comes the reminder that God is in control.  Yes, I know that.  I know that.  I know it!  

Since I know it so well, God saw fit to remind me in Job.  I read about Leviathan -- which no one even knows what it is.  But it's obviously big and strong and undefeatable.  Kinda like... well... the government.  

But although Job can't control Leviathan, God obviously can.

Okay.

God's in control.

I know.

Psalm 63 told me so, too.  You can listen to the tune here, although it sounds much better with people singing it (especially at Titus's, I may be biased).  It starts off slow and confident and moves into confident and triumphant.

Oh God, You are my God, and early will I seek for You

My soul is athirst for You

My flesh cries out for You, from out a dry and thirsty land

A land where no water is.

For thus to behold You in splendid strength

I gazed after You in the holy place

Since Your grace is much more than life

My lips will give praise to You!

I'll bless You while I live, and I will ever lift my hands

To praise and confess Your name

My soul will be made full as with all choice and hearty meats

I'll praise You with joyful lips.

I think of You thus as I lie in bed

And bring You to mind in the hours of night

Since You ever have been my help

Your wings are my shield and joy.

My soul clings fast to You, Your right hand holds me safely up

When men would destroy my life

To depths of earth of earthy they go, they are delivered to the sword

To jackals become a prey

The king will rejoice and be glad in God

And they boast aloud who have sworn in Him

But the mouth will be made to stop

Of those who declare a lie.

Seriously, learn and sing this song.  Pray that our leaders will "rejoice and be glad in God".  And whatever happens -- whether the government takes over everything, whether they do all come to know and obey God -- we don't have reason for fear.  Bulletproof by Chuck Holton is a very good book dealing with why Christians should not fear anything, and what that looks like.  

John's story of the triumphal entry ends with the Pharisees saying to one another, "Look, the world has gone after Him!"  

Little did they know.  

That day, it was Jerusalem.  But Jerusalem would be back with them soon enough, shouting to crucify this "messiah" who had let down their hopes.  It was afterwards -- AFTER they killed Him -- that the whole world would, in fact, go after Him.  

Two passages to keep in mind, and, I'd recommend, memorize.  One to anchor yourself, and one to launch you.  

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.  [Philippians 3:7-21]

Our citizenship is in HEAVEN.

In light of that truth, and the uncertainty of the world which we live in, we do have a certain mission.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.  [Matthew 28:19-20]

The whole world is called to go after Him, no matter what is going on.  If we fear, we are wasting energy which is to be given to that mission.  

Where is your focus?  This world is a "dry and thirsty land" (the Newsboys say, "Maybe this world is a barren place/ for a soul prone to get lost", and it is) but our heart's cry is to be, 

For thus to behold You in splendid strength

I gazed after You in the holy place

Since Your grace is much more than life

My lips will give praise to You!

For heaven still hounds from the smallest sounds/ to the cries of the storm-tossed... [Newsboys]

And very probably, heaven especially hounds IN the cries of the storm-tossed.

God is in control.

[From 12.29.08]

Isn't it strange how now I don't even remember exactly why I left a bookmark in my Bible at Zech 14 for so long that the pages became discoloured?  

I think it was because of these verses:

On that day there shall be no light, cold, or frost.

And there shall be one day, which is known to Yahweh,

neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light.

On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem,

half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea.

And Yahweh will be king over all the earth.

On that day Yahweh will be one and his name one.  [Zech 14:6-9]

These verses really bring three things to mind -- one OT, one NT, and one why this passage probably captured my imagination and attention in the first place.

OT -- The Shema:  Hear, O Israel:  Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one.  (Deut 6:14)  Zechariah 14:9 really uses similar phrasing.  Why?  To point to when all things WILL be in unity under Him?  When no one shall try to make gods before Him?

NT -- The new heaven and the new earth; Zechariah's words seem to be a foreshadow of what John saw in Rev 21 and 22.

no light (Zech 14:6, Rev 21:23)

neither day nor night (Zech 14:7, Rev 21:25)

living waters (Zech 14:8, Rev 22:1)

"And Yahweh will be king over all the earth."

Isn't that what is surely revealed to John?

What caught me -- It sounds like fantasy, and very good (read:  Tolkien:  Josh Addisson would be pleased) fantasy.

But it isn't.  As we tell the kids at Frontier Club, "This is true!  It's real!  Isn't that exciting?!?"

It's BEAUTIFUL.

Praise for God

Where even to start today?  

Zechariah 12:1-9.  Look at how God defends His people.  He makes their enemies look drunk, hurt themselves, be burnt up.  He will so clearly fight for His people that it will be said, "The inhabitants of Jerusalem have strength through Yahweh of hosts, their God."

v7-8 are cool.  It really seems to me to go with Romans 9-11, and how the new Israel fits with the old Israel.  He gives salvation to us -- the Gentiles -- first, so that their glory may not surpass ours.

BWAH.  BAM!  He saves us -- Jews and Gentiles -- He gets the glory!  [Editing note:  That is seriously what it says in my notes.  I think I've been in the Greek II class for a while.]

AND THEN....

Zechariah 12:10-11.  Arrow straight to Jesus, anyone?

God does pour out a spirit of grace on us.  And pleas for mercy for having pierced Him.  Crazy, isn't it, that the first plea for mercy for us was from the one pierced?  Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

Matthew Henry relates the lamentation/mourning of verse 11 as being the same as that in Lamentations 5:16.  

"Woe to us, for we have sinned."

Ai, Lord, so we have.

And Your forgiveness is incomprehensible.

Forgiveness?  Oh, was I getting ahead of myself?  Where is it mentioned here?

Zechariah 13:11

On that day

there shall be a fountain opened

for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem

to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.

WOW.  

~~~~~~~~~~~

Revelation 19 grossed me out at the end.  But.  It is part of my God.  He is holy.  He is just.  Defending His people means destroying His enemies.

Look at the reasons given to praise Him.

~because salvation, glory, and power belong to Him

~because His judgments are true and just

~because He judged the great prostitute

~because He avenged the blood of His bondservants

~because the smoke goes up from her [the great prostitute] forever and ever

~because He reigns

~because the marriage of the Lamb has come

~because His Bride has made herself ready

~because she can clothe herself with the righteous deeds of the saints

It's much easier for me to praise God for some of these things than for others.  Easy for my joy in salvation to outstrip my indignation at sin.  But the two must go together.  

I must love what He loves, hate what he hates, and become conformed to His image.

~~~~~~~~~

Psalm 147 was cool too, throwing seeming paradoxes at me, as if to show me that I CANNOT fully comprehend God.  It is also focused on praising God.

~He is intimate (healing brokenhearted, binding wounds)

~He is infinite (determining the number of stars, giving them names)

~He lifts up the humble and casts down the wicked

~He takes care of the whole earth -- from the heavens to individual birds

~He doesn't delight in what men do (strength) but in those who fear Him,  who hope in His steadfast love.

~He chooses some and not others.

PRAISE HIM!

[12.28.08]

That Princely Sum

Then I said to them,

"If it seems good to you, give me my wages;

but if not, keep them."

And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver.

Then Yahweh said to me, 

"Throw it out to the potter" 

--the lordly price at which I was priced by them!

So I took the thirty pieces of silver

and threw them into the house of Yahweh, to the potter.

--Zechariah 11:12-13--

There is more than a hint of irony here.  Thirty pieces of silver have two other very different connotations in Scripture.  But the rather sarcastic irony is first seen in the prophet's words, "The lordly price!" (ESV).  NJKV says, "That princely price!"  NLT says, "This magnificent sum at which they valued me!"

The sarcasm is that there is NOTHING princely about such a sum.  Thirty shekels of silver was the price to be paid in restitution for a slave who was killed (Exodus 21:32).  Magnificent?  Lordly?  Hardly.

The irony is much intensified by the passage in Matthew 27:3-10.  Thirty pieces of silver.  That's what Judas sold Jesus for.

God was sold for the price of a slave.

Paul marvels at this mystery in Philippians 2:5-8.  Jesus did make himself nothing.  He took the form of a bondservant even to the point of humble death.  The price for His death was that of the price for a slave's death.

That makes my mind want to explode.

The Blood and Beauty of God

Zechariah 9:11 is beautiful.

As for you also,

because of the blood of my covenant with you,

I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

Is "the waterless pit" Babylon, as Matthew Henry says?  The flames of hell?  Either way, the prisoners are redeemed.  By blood.  By YOUR blood.  You are good.

It was actually Zechariah 9:16-17 that caught my eye first.

On that day

Yahweh their God will save them,

as the flock of His people;

for like the jewels of a crown, 

they shall shine on his land. (16)

The imagery is glorious.  God's people are like jewels in a crown.  US!  Made from DUST!  Thinking about that makes me smile and at the same time makes tears spring to my eyes.  It's SO much more than I deserve.  It is awesome.  I shiver in the dreadful joy of God's love.

Verse 17 continues:

For how great is His goodness, and how great is His beauty! 

Grain shall make the young men flourish,

and new wine the young women.

The last two lines, rather obviously, made me think of the end of Psalm 4.  (It's been well-drilled into my psyche at Titus's!)   But Psalm 4:7 clearly says that YOU are greater joy than grain and new wine.

And I rejoice in Your beauty.  You don't need jewels.  You are glorious in splendour, and I worship.

[12.26.08]

Foreshadowing in Zechariah, Thoughts from Revelation 15, and a Look at Psalm 143

Reading Zechariah -- with the perspective of the whole New Testament -- makes me want to laugh.  Of COURSE the Messiah's name was Jesus, a variant of Joshua.  It is SO heavily foreshadowed.  Look at Zech 6:11-13.

Joshua.  The Branch.  (Look at Is 53:2 and chapter 11 -- especially 11:1.)  And then in Zechariah 6:13, He is "a priest on his throne" (NKJV).  Priest AND King.  The NLT finishes that verse, "and there will be perfect harmony between his two roles."

Joshua son of Jehozadak.  Jesus, the priest-king.  I think Zechariah and Hebrews have some fascinating connections, and I want to study them!

Revelation 15:3-4 is an amazingly beautiful song.  I'm glad that I know the Judy Rogers version, but I can't wait to sing it around the throne of God!!

Revelation 15:6 provides a nice answer to the question which came up yesterday in my family about why we think angels are clothed.

And Psalm 143... I looked at it in the NLT, and it is... sweet.

I lift my hands to you in prayer.

I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for water. (v6)

Earlier I was singing

If life is water, I was dry as Tucson dirt... [Newsboys]

To thirst for God that way is BEAUTIFUL.  It's like an amazingly intense love-song to be able to say that.

Then the psalmist goes on with a list of do-such-because such which I thought was interesting.

DO BECAUSE

come quickly, answer me my depression deepens

NOT turn away from me I will die

let me hear of your faithful love (each morning) I am trusting you

show me where to walk I give myself to you

rescue me from my enemies I run to you to hide me

teach me to do your will You are my God

(may your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing)

preserve my life For the glory of your name, YHWH

bring me out of my distress of your faithfulness

silence all my enemies/destroy all my foes I am your servant (and your unfailing love)