Greeting - Revelation 1:4-5a

John to the seven churches in Asia; grace to you and peace from the one who is and who was and who is coming, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. [Translation by David Mills]

The greeting and doxology (vv. 5b-8) introduce Revelation like a letter or epistle, and the benediction in 22:21 closes Revelation like a letter. The letter is from the apostle John to the seven churches in Asia. The seven churches are seven literal churches in the province of Asia, but the number seven also suggests completeness so that all churches should hear and keep the words written by John.[6]

As in many epistles, the greeting introduces major themes which occur in the letter. One such theme is the exodus with the plagues poured out on Egypt. This them is introduced when John says that grace and peace are from the one who is and who was and who is coming. This eternal one is the I AM who intervened on behalf of his people to free them from slavery in Egypt. The I AM has not changed. He still is the one who is and who was and who is coming. He is the faithful, ever present God who even yet intervenes with plagues in the world on behalf of his saints (Revelation 8:6 ff. and 16:1 ff.) and who is coming to dwell with them (Revelation 21:2-4).

Grace and peace are also from the seven spirits which are before his throne. Again, seven represents completeness. The Holy Spirit bestows all gifts which enable God's people to live faithful lives and bear faithful witness to God and his son Jesus Christ (Revelation 11:3 ff.).

Finally, grace and peace are from Jesus Christ. He came to earth as the faithful witness of his Father, and for that witness he suffered and died. Because he was faithful, he became the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. This Jesus is a pattern for Christians who will also be raised from the dead and seated with Christ on his throne if they are faithful witnesses in the face of persecution and death.

Footnotes

[6] Seven is associated with completeness because God completed his work of creation and rested in seven days.

Prologue - Revelation 1:1-3 (Part 2)

The revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave to him to show his bond-servants the things that must happen soon. He made it known when he sent it by his angel to his bond-servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, to as many things as he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud and blessed are the ones who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things written in it, for the time is near. [Τranslation by David Mills]

In addition to calling his document a revelation, John also calls it a prophecy. Prophecy is a word from God spoken by a man whom God had chosen. Hence, we often read of the "word of the Lord" coming to a prophet (1 Sam. 15:10; 1 Kings 21:17; Isa. 38:4; Jer. 1:1-2, etc.). By calling Revelation a prophecy, John is emphasizing that its words are from God.

Although Biblical prophecy is more concerned with speaking the words of God than with revealing the future, there is usually a connection between God's words and the future. Prophets often warn of God's impending judgment on those who disobey and promise future blessings for those who repent and obey. Consequently, the shape of the future depends on whether those who hear ignore his words or keep them in faithful obedience. By calling Revelation a prophecy, John reminds them that they should hear God's warnings and admonitions and that they should keep his commands. To keep means "to persist in obedience" or "to continue to obey orders or commandments."[5] Those who hear and keep the words of John's prophecy will experience God's blessing and favor in the future.

Footnotes

[5] BDAG, s.v. τηρέω; Louw and Nida, #36.19.

Prologue - Revelation 1:1-3

The revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave to him to show his bond-servants the things that must happen soon. He made it known when he sent it by his angel to his bond-servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, to as many things as he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud and blessed are the ones who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things written in it, for the time is near. [Translation by David Mills.]

John identifies this document as a revelation of Jesus Christ, which suggests that in it Jesus will fully disclose something.[1] That which he disclosed he also made known; that is, he explained it and made it clear [2] when he sent his angel to John who then bore witness to it. In this way, Jesus was able to show it to his bond-servants. To show simply means to present something to human senses so that it can be known.[3] Hence, those who heard the Revelation would expect to have Jesus make something known to them in a clear way so that they could understand it.

So, what is to be revealed? John says it is the things that must happen soon. John reemphasizes that the things revealed are near when he says the time is near at the end of the prologue.[4] Because the things that must happen will happen in the near future, a degree of urgency is created for hearing them and understanding them. These are not things in the distant future. These are things that those who originally received the message would experience.

John gives a clue to the kinds of things revealed when he writes the things that must happen soon. These words allude to Daniel 2:28 (LXX) where Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that God had revealed to him "the things that must happen in the latter days." Because John replaces "in the latter days" with "in a short time," meaning soon, he suggests that the latter days have arrived when God would set up a kingdom which would fill the whole earth (Daniel 2:44). John was a companion with his fellow bond-servants in the kingdom (Revelation 1:6, 9). Soon that kingdom would be filling the whole earth. Again, the message is urgent because those receiving the message are called to participate in the conquest and become conquerors or victors.

Footnotes

[1] BDAG, s.v. ἀποκαλύπτω and ἀποκάλυψις; Louw and Nida, #28.38. In the NT, a revelation is always a divine disclosure. God/Jesus either reveals or is revealed. Here Jesus reveals not so much himself as the things that must happen soon.

[2] BDAG, s.v. σημαίνω; Louw and Nida, #33.153. The focus of this word seems to be on the process of making something clear or understandable.

[3] BDAG, s.v. δείκνυμι; Louw and Nida #28.47. The context of this verb almost always mentions the person who receives the message, so the word seems to focus on the transfer of the message from the sender to the receiver.

[4] For an explanation of why this clause does not mean "things that must happen quickly," see G. K. Beale, The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, Cumbria: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 1999), 182. Alan F. Johnson, "Revelation", The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Volume 12: Hebrews Through Revelation, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 416.

The Key of David

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: "The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut." (Revelation 3:7-8a, ESV)

When the Assyrians were threatening the city of Jerusalem about 700 B.C., King Hezekiah, a descendant of David, entrusted the master key of the king's treasuries and armories to Shebna, who used his access for personal gain. Hezekaih stripped Shebna of his authority, and gave it to a better man, Eliakim (Isaiah 22:22). During the Assyrian threat, Eliakim was reliable, opening doors for those who needed it and closing them against those who would plunder the king's resources. However, he apparently could not support the weight of his responsibility after that threat ended (Isaiah 22:25).

Revelation uses that key to symbolize Christ's power to open the treasures of his heavenly kingdom to whom he wishes and close them to whom he wishes. In Revelation, Christ has not delegated that key to anyone who may prove to be unfaithful or unreliable. Instead, the Holy One has the key of David. The True One possesses the key that opens and closes the gates to the city and treasuries of the King. Those Jews who had denied the Messiah/Christ, could not claim entrance into the kingdom merely because they were Jews. The Messiah who held the key of David had closed the door to them, and no one could open it for them. On the other hand, those who had confessed Jesus as the Messiah would find that he had opened the door for them, and no one else could close it.

The Rod of Iron

The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. (Revelation 2:26-27 ESV)

She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, (Revelation 12:5 ESV)

"From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty." (Revelation 19:15 ESV)

These verses allude to Psalm 2:7-9. In the second Psalm, the Messiah is given the nations as a heritage, and he will break them to pieces because they plot against him. The Psalm says, "I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, 'You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.'" What is of special interest in Revelation (like the LXX) is that the verb "to break" in verse nine is translated as "to shepherd" (ποιμαίνω). The symbol of the Messiah's rod stands for his authority and power to subdue the nations in order to protect and defend God's people.

Revelation uses the symbol similarly; the rod of iron is a symbol of Christ's power and authority. As a symbol, it reveals that Christ uses his power and authority to protect the saints from their enemies and to subdue the unbelieving nations (cf. Psalm 110:5-6). Furthermore, he will share that authority with those who conquer and keep his works to the end.

The Sword of My Mouth

Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
-- Revelation 2:16 ESV; see also 1:16 and 19:11-16

Many symbols which reveal a spiritual truth in Revelation come from the sphere of a kingdom. One of those symbols is "the sword of my mouth." The picture involves a play on words. In OT Hebrew, people were slain with the "edge of the sword" which was literally the "mouth (pěh) of the sword (ḥereb)."  Isaiah made a play on these words when he wrote, "He made my mouth (pěh) like a sharp sword (ḥereb)" (Isaiah 49:2). Here, John accomplishes the same thing by changing the construction from "mouth of the sword" to "sword of the mouth." The "sword of my mouth" is a symbol for the words Jesus speaks. The words of Jesus are compared to a sword.

By comparing the words of Jesus to a sword, John reveals a spiritual truth about his words. His words are powerful. They can judge and give the sentence of death (John 12:48). In Revelation 2:16, the words spoken by Jesus will effectively bring judgment and death on those who follow Balaam and the Nicolaitans. We are not to think this picture refers to a bloody sword fight, but to the powerful sentence of a judge.  Likewise, in Revelation 19, Jesus does not engage the unbelieving nations in a bloody battle with a literal sword, but his word of judgment consigns them to eternal death (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:8). His words are as powerful as a sword.

Lowery summarizes the comparison and its purpose with these words: "Symbols are commonly used to communicate abstract ideas in concrete ways. Revelation's symbols represent spiritual realities; thus the double-edged sword in Jesus' mouth (Rev. 1:16) represents power and truth, not an actual sword in his mouth."[1]

[1] Lowery, R., 2006. Revelation’s rhapsody: listening to the lyrics of the lamb : how to read the book of Revelation, Joplin, MO: College Press Pub. Co., p. 215.

Symbols Reveal Rather than Conceal

John does not use symbols as a secret code to conceal anything. Rather, he uses symbols for common things, people, or experiences to reveal spiritual truths which are easily missed or forgotten. For example, he calls the churches to which he is writing "a kingdom" and "priests" (Revelation 1:6). John uses this symbol borrowed from the Old Testament to reveal the glorious nature of the church. In an age when the churches were being persecuted and oppressed, it would be easy to forget the glory of the church.

Later, John describes Jesus as the  "Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David" and then as "a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain" (Revelation 5:5-6). He uses these symbols to emphasize the glorious position and ministry of their crucified Lord.

In the examples just cited, the symbols are drawn from two spheres: the kingdom and the temple. In fact, symbols relating to the kingdom and the temple recur so often that they form motifs or themes that will be considered in more detail in following posts.

Problems with Boasting

"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips." (Proverbs 27:1-2, NIV84)

People boast

• To get attention
• To impress others
• To get praise
• To inform people how great they are
• To intimidate others
• To put others down
• To compensate for insecurity

But boasting is a sin

• It is presumptuous to boast about what we are going to do when we don't know the future (Prov. 27:1; James 4:13-17)
• It is arrogant to boast that you are better or more important than others (Rom. 12:16)
• It is ungrateful not to acknowledge the assistance of others and act like you did it all by yourself (1 Cor. 4:7)
• It is deceptive to stretch the truth or to lie about what we did (Eph. 4:25)

Sennacherib boasted to the people of Jerusalem through his messengers. His boasts were intended to impress the people with his military accomplishments, intimidate the people of the city, exalt himself above both King Hezekiah and the Lord, and to declare what he would do to the city if they did not surrender. He was arrogant, blasphemous, and presumptuous. The people he insulted would survive while his own sons would kill him, the God he blasphemed would be glorified, and 185,000 of his soldiers would die during the night before he could march against Jerusalem or lay siege to it (see Isaiah 36-37).

"This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD." (Jeremiah 9:23-24, NIV84)
 

Faith and Patience

Reflections on Hebrews 11:13

In Strasbourg, France, a thief stole cognac, cookies, chocolates and caramels from his ex-employer, but couldn't wait to enjoy his loot. Police followed a trail of caramel wrappers to his hideout and arrested the litterbug. -Philadelphia Inquirer

Have you ever said, "I can't wait until …"? Maybe it is your birthday or Christmas.  Maybe it is the day you can drive or go on a date.  Whatever it is, you think you can't wait.

Joseph was 17 years old when God revealed in dreams that he would become a ruler to whom even his brothers would bow down (Gen. 37:1 ff.). There were probably times he thought he couldn't wait until his brothers bowed down to him, but he had to wait.  His brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt, and then he was sent to prison where he stayed until he was 30 years old.  How long would that have been?  Yes, 13 years.  Then Joseph became governor of Egypt, and another eight years passed before his brothers came to Egypt to buy grain and bowed down to him.  How long did he wait for God's promise?  Yes, 21 years!

David was not yet old enough to be a soldier when Samuel anointed him as God's choice to be the next king.  That means he was less than 20 years old when God promised to make him king (see Num. 1:3; 26:2).  There were probably times he thought he couldn't wait until he was king, but it didn't happen soon.  After spending several years as an outcast running away from King Saul, he finally became king when he was 30 years old.  How long did David have to wait to receive God's promise?  Yes, he waited more than 10 years.
 
Why were Joseph and David able to wait patiently for what God promised?  It was because they had absolute faith in God.  Faith enabled them to wait patiently for God's promise.
 
"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God….  These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city" (Hebrews 11: 8-10, 13-16, ESV).

Do you know how old Abraham was when God promised him the land he had gone to see?  Look in Genesis 12:4-7. (He was 75 years old.)  How old was Abraham when he died? Look in Genesis 25:7-8.  (He was 175 years old when he died.) So, how long did Abraham wait for God's promise?  He waited for 100 years and still had not received the land when he died.  God gave him something better than he could have ever had on this present earth.  He gave him a heavenly country and a city whose designer and builder was God.

God has also made many great promises to us.  Peter says that "according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (2 Peter 3:13, ESV).  Satan does not want us to wait patiently for God's promises.  He tries to destroy our faith and tempts us to satisfy our desires with temporary pleasures in this world.  "For all that is in the world-the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life-is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:16-17, ESV). He wants us to replace heavenly treasures with treasures on this earth.  What he does not tell us is that those treasures rust, become moth-eaten, or get stolen.  He wants us to replace the joys of marriage, which we have to wait for, with the cheap thrills of pornography which inevitably robs the honeymoon of much of its thrill.  He wants you to replace the joys of eternity with the pleasures of sin that last for only a short season.  Then, those sinful pleasures rob you of eternal joy.  Don't let Satan rob you!

Free Kindle Edition

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When God chose David to be the king of Israel, He said, “I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.” David inspired Israel in battle, established Jerusalem as the capital of their nation, and focused their hearts on God with his psalms. Then just as he was defeating the last of the nation’s enemies, he committed a series of horrible sins which nearly destroyed him. He repented and recovered sufficiently to make extensive plans for the temple his son would build and to reorganize the priests and Levites in religious and judicial roles which would endure to the time of Christ. Finally, when “he had served the purpose of God in his own generation,” he “fell asleep and was laid with his fathers.” (Quotations are from Acts 13:22 and 36 in the English Standard Version.)

More is written in the Bible about King David than any other person with the exception of Jesus. His story is told primarily in the books of Samuel and again in 1 Chronicles. The first section of Reflections on the Life of King David collates the events recorded in the two accounts. An attempt is made to put the events in chronological order and to assign an approximate date to them. The second section is a series of reflections on the significance of those events for people in both his day and ours. A final brief section explains the reasoning behind the adopted chronological order and the assigned dates.

Walking by Faith, Not Sight

Reflections on 2 Cor. 5:7 ESV - "for we walk by faith, not by sight." 

In the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana Jones must pass three booby traps in order to find the Holy Grail that will save his father's life.  One of these traps is a deep chasm which he must cross.  We see him here as he approaches the trap.

http://youtu.be/xFntFdEGgws

Unknown to Indiana Jones, a bridge stretched across the chasm though he could not see it because it blended in with the rocks on the other side.  His father had told him he had to believe the book that told him to walk across the empty chasm.  He took the step of faith into what appeared to be empty space and walked safely to the other side.  Similarly, Christians must walk by faith.  Walking by faith means that you trust God promises and live so that you will inherit them.  Walking by sight means that you believe only what you can see right now, and act in a way that satisfies present desires.  Here are some times you must choose to walk by faith rather than by sight.

Money

Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21, NIV84).   Walking by faith means choosing a career in which you can please and glorify God. When you walk by faith, you store up treasures which cannot be destroyed in heaven.  Walking by sight means you will choose to make as much money as you can so you can have houses, cars, TV's, iPads, boats, and expensive clothes as soon as possible.  When you walk by sight, you store up earthly treasures that will perish.  Christians choose to walk by faith and store up heavenly treasures that will last for eternity. 

Temptation

The writer of Hebrews says that Moses "chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward" (Hebrews 11:25-26, NIV84).  Walking by sight means that you choose to satisfy your desires as quickly as possible.  You get immediate thrills with wild partying, speeding, threatening others to get your way, intimidating others, and looking at pornography.  Sadly, those pleasures don't last very long and usually result in broken relationships, misery, and even death.  Walking by faith means that you refuse to participate in those sinful pleasures and seek God's eternal reward by doing what is right and good. 

Peer Pressure

Sometimes students will ridicule you and mistreat you because you will not join with them in sending sexually explicit messages or pictures, drinking, experimenting with drugs, stealing, or being disrespectful to authority.  If you walk by sight, you will give in so that the mistreatment and ridicule will stop.  You will join them in the evil that they are doing.  However, if you walk by faith, you will not give in but remain faithful to Jesus and obey him because the eternal glory you will experience is far greater than anything you may suffer in this life.  Paul said, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NIV84)

Believing the Unseen

Reflections on Hebrews 11:1

"To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see." (Hebrews 11:1, GNB)

Perhaps you've heard someone say, "I won't believe it unless I see it."  Nevertheless, they believe many things they have never seen and cannot see.  They cannot see the past, but they believe many things about the past.  They believe in George Washington even though they have never seen him.  They cannot see many things in the present, yet they believe them.  They believe that they have brains, though they have never seen them.  They cannot see the future, but they believe many things about the future. They believe that they will own a car when they grow up even though the car may not even be made yet.  They believe the sun will come up tomorrow, and their mother will make them go to school, but they have not yet seen it.  Actually, they have good reasons to believe most of those things even though they have not seen them.  They are not stupid. Similarly, Christians are not stupid for believing things they cannot see.  They have good reasons to believe them.

God

God is a spirit (John 4:24), so no one has ever seen him (1 John 4:12).  Nevertheless, we believe in God because "his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made" (Romans 1:20, ESV). We believe in him because "The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays his handiwork" (Psalm 19:1, NET). When we see what God does, we have good reason to believe in him just as we have good reason to believe in wind because we can see and feel what wind does.

People in the past

We also believe and are certain that Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, and Paul were real people who lived on this earth. We believe Jesus was a real person who lived on the earth even though none of us have seen him.  We believe he did because others saw him and wrote or told about what they saw.  Matthew became a follower of Jesus and wrote about what he saw and heard.  Peter was also a follower of Jesus who told about what he saw and heard.  Mark wrote what he learned from Peter.  Luke interviewed many people who had known Jesus, and wrote what he learned.  John was also a follower of Jesus, and he wrote a book about Jesus also.  We believe Jesus was a real person for the same reason people believe in George Washington - because people who saw him, talked to him, and touched him wrote about him.
 
When several people reported that they had seen Jesus after he rose from the dead, Thomas did not believe them.  He said, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it" (John 20:25, NIV84). Thomas finally did believe when Jesus actually appeared to him and showed him his wounds.  Then Jesus said to Thomas, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29, NIV84).  We believe and are sure that Jesus lived and rose again, not because we have seen him, but because we have heard what those who saw him said.
 
Promises about the future

Why do we believe that our parents will make us go to school tomorrow?  Because that is what they usually do.  Why do we believe them when they promise us something for our birthday?  Because our parents keep their promises to us.  Similarly, we believe the promises God and Jesus have made about the future.  We believe that Jesus will return to this earth, that he will raise the dead, and that he will judge all the people in the world, that he will send the wicked to a place of eternal punishment, and that he will take the righteous to live with him in a new heavens and a new earth. We have not seen any of these things, but we are sure of the things that we hope for because we have learned that God keeps his promises. 

Faith; It's Not About You

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6, NIV84)

Faith is not merely confidence that you can do what you want or have what you desire.  Faith is not about God making it possible to do what you want or giving you what you ask for.  When people don't understand this, they may get angry with God.  A young girl may get angry with God when she prays and prays that God will help her get all A's on her report card, but she gets a C in one class.  A boy may even question whether there is a God after he has prayed that God won't let his parents get a divorce, but then his dad files for divorce and leaves.  But faith is not about you.

Faith is about being able to do the things that please God.  Without faith, you cannot please God.  It is impossible to please Him without faith.  But you may ask, "Why would I want to please God?  What is in it for me?"  That is a little like asking, "Why would I want to please my father?  What's in it for me?"

We love our fathers, assuming they are not negligent dope heads or abusive drunkards, because they loved us even before we knew to love them.  They protect us from danger.  Sometimes they may even refuse to let us do or have something we want because they know it is dangerous.  If we have not yet learned that it is dangerous, we might become angry with them, but they don't change their minds because they know what is best for us.  Fathers also comfort us and fix our wounds when things go wrong.  We may not understand why they can't or don't prevent what goes wrong, but they are always there to help us.
 
When we understand that our fathers love us, protect us from danger, and help us when things go wrong, our faith in them grows and we can please them.  In the same way, when we understand that our Heavenly Father loves us and wants the best for us, our faith in him grows and we can please him.  Here are some ways you can put faith in your Heavenly Father.

Put more faith in His purposes than your own

Paul was very zealous for God and had plans to arrest and to persecute all who called on the name of Jesus.  He thought his plans were good, but God had different plans.  God planned that Paul would suffer much for the name of Jesus and proclaim salvation to the nations in his name.
 
You may have plans that you think are good.  You may want to go to college, play football, become a doctor, take the gospel to a foreign land, or build a business.  You may pray and ask God's blessing on your plans.  God may bless your plans, but if he doesn't, don't become angry with God.  If God has different plans for you, you must put more confidence, more trust, in what He gives you to do than in what you wanted to do.  Faith is all about trusting God.

Put more faith in His promises than your desires

You may want popularity and fame.  You may want your name in record books or your picture on the front cover of Sports Illustrated, but God doesn't promise you those things.  You may want riches.  You may want a big house, an SUV in the drive, and a boat and cabin on the lake, but God doesn't promise those things either.  Instead, He promises you victory over sin, opportunities to let your light shine for him, the food and clothing necessary for life, and a dwelling with Him in the New Jerusalem for eternity.

You may think what you want is good, and you may ask God to give you what you want.  God may give you some of what you want, but he may withhold that which merely satisfies selfish desires or does not accomplish his purposes for you.  If he withholds something, don't get angry or question God's existence.  Put your trust in God's promises, in the things that He has promised to give you.  Faith is not about you; it is about trusting God.

Put more faith in His power than your own

When Moses saw Israel's cruel slavery in Egypt, he tried to free his people by his own power.  However, when he killed an Egyptian slave master, he had to flee Egypt.  Forty years later when Moses was eighty years old, God sent Moses back with only a shepherd's staff in his hand and words in his mouth.  God humbled the Egyptians with ten plagues, and destroyed the Egyptian army in the sea without Moses lifting a sword.  God's power was greater than the power of Moses.

You may think you are young and strong.  You may think that you can do anything you want to do, but eventually you will fail.  Someone will defeat you, someone will rob you, disaster will overtake you, or you will die and leave it all behind.  Your power is nothing compared to the power of God.  Put your faith in His power.  Faith is not about you; it is about trusting God.

God does care about you, and when you seek him diligently in faith trusting him in all things, he will reward you. Scripture says, "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, NIV84). Trust God completely.  Faith is not about you; it's about trusting God.

The King's Slave

Reflections on Romans 1:1

Rom. 1:1 (NIV84) Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God

When we introduce a speaker at a conference, we usually try to impress the audience with the qualifications and accomplishments of the person they are about to hear. If someone were introducing Saul as a young man, he might refer to him as a Hebrew of the Hebrews from the tribe of Benjamin (one of only two which remained loyal to the line of David), a natural-born citizen of Tarsus but raised in Jerusalem, educated by Gamaliel, living according to the strictest sect of the Jews, and advanced in his religion beyond many his own age.

As an older man, Paul, as he was known when he wrote to the Christians in Rome, mentioned none of those things. His former status and accomplishments had become rubbish to him. Instead, he introduced himself as a servant, not a paid servant, but a bond-servant, a slave, one wholly owned and subject to a master. His master was King (Christ/Messiah) Jesus. Paul was not a free man, and he was not writing to the Roman Christians to promote himself or his own agenda. He had no will but the will of King Jesus.

Although he was a slave, his message was important because he was an apostle (messenger, ambassador, envoy) of the King. To this he had been called on the road to Damascus. He had been called not merely to salvation but primarily to service. Jesus said he was his chosen instrument to carry his name to nations, kings, and the people of Israel (Acts 9:15). Paul had been called by Jesus himself (Gal. 1:1) and appointed an apostle to the nations (Acts 22:14-15; 1 Tim. 2:7) so his service or ministry was of great importance (Rom. 11:13) though he himself was a slave.

Paul's service as an apostle or envoy was important because he had been set apart or designated as one to carry the good news (gospel) from God. As a minister of King Jesus, he had the "duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles (nations) might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 15:16 NIV84). The victorious King had appeared, and he was offering gracious terms of peace and countless blessings to those who served him. They could not afford to ignore the message he sent through his slave and envoy Paul.

Like Paul, all Christians are slaves of King Jesus.  We are not our own because we have been bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19-20). We were called, not merely to salvation, but also to serve the one we confessed as Lord (Col. 3:24). We are set apart to live the gospel, to do heaven's will on earth (Matt. 6:10) so that our King may be made known to all and so that our God may be glorified (Matt. 5:16). For Americans who value individualism and freedom, it may be difficult to live as slaves of our Lord, but Paul said quite clearly, "He who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave" (1 Cor. 7:22)

The Prophet on the Mountain

Reflections on Matthew 5:1

ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὄρος - "he went up into the mountain" is the exact phrase used of Moses in Exodus 19:3 (LXX; also 24:18; 34:4) when he received the Law from God and gave it to Israel.  Jesus is presented as the "prophet like Moses" to whom the people were to give heed (Deut. 18:18-19) for his words were also from God.  In fact, his words fulfill and supersede the words of Moses.  In both cases, a multitude of people surrounded God's prophet on the mountain.  May we be more than one in that crowd that Jesus saw.  May we be one of those disciples or learners who come to him and give heed to his words.

The Army of the Lord

Reflections on 1 Chron. 12:23-40

THE ARMY OF THE LORD

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
-- 1 Cor. 16:13

TRIBES. All twelve tribes and the Levites were present to make David king over all Israel. Two tribes (Judah and Simeon) were present from the south. Seven and a half tribes (Benjamin, Ephraim, half Manasseh, Issachar, Zebulun, Naphtali, Dan, and Asher) were present from the north. Two and a half tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh) were present from the east. In addition to the twelve tribes, the Levites also sent representatives to make David king. Just as all the tribes made David their king, so today all who come to Jesus make him their Lord (Rom. 10:9).

NUMBERS. The soldiers who came under David’s command at Hebron numbered 340,800 men. (Some have suggested that only the officers, commanders of thousands and hundreds, were present for the anointing in which case a total of 398 officers from the twelve tribes are enumerated in text; see Payne, 1988, p. 378). This number under David’s command were about a quarter of all the men of fighting age in David’s kingdom at the time he took the census toward the end of his reign. All of these, however, were the core of the army which would give Israel victory over the people of the land and the surrounding nations. Today, God gives us victory over all the power of Satan through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:57).

READINESS. These soldiers were experienced and equipped for battle. They bore “shield and spear,” and they were “equipped for battle with all the weapons of war.” They were “mighty men of valor,” troops “seasoned” and “ready for battle.” Some were men who had “understanding of the time, to know what Israel ought to do,” but all came with singleness of purpose to make David king. Today, Christians are soldiers called to serve Jesus, the son of David. We who given our lives to Christ should have a single of purpose – to please the one who enlisted us (2 Tim. 2:4). We should be equipped having taken up the whole armor of God. Being equipped, we should be ready to engage the enemy standing firm in our opposition to all evil spiritual forces (Eph. 6:13).

Confessing Their Sins

Reflections on Mark 1:5

In the Old Testament, there are three great prayers of national confession and repentance (Daniel 9, Ezra 9, and Nehemiah 9). All of them sought the Lord's favor as Israel returned from Babylonian captivity and the reestablished their nation. Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah turned their hearts toward God. Their nation was restored, but not their king. The nation still looked forward to the time God would send his Messiah, his anointed one, to rule over them.

John was sent to prepare the way for the Messiah. His preaching turned the hearts of the people toward God. The people responded, not just a few leaders. All Judea and all Jerusalem went out to hear John and were baptized confessing their sins. The people were prepared to receive their Messiah. Sadly, this time most of the leaders did not prepare their own hearts with repentance and confession of sin. Most of them would reject the Messiah.

A Baptism of Repentance

Reflections on Mark 1:4


John's baptism was a baptism of repentance which made it different from Jewish washings in a second way. 

Jewish washings were prompted by a desire to purify oneself from uncleanness caused by contact with unclean animals, unclean objects, unclean people, or dead bodies. Even cups and pots and copper vessels, which make no moral choices, could become "unclean" and need to be washed according to Jewish traditions (Mark 7:4). Jewish washings were intended to purify them from any uncleanness in the environment which may have defiled them.

John's baptism had nothing to do with things which defiled a person from without, but with sin which defiled a person from within. It was prompted by a recognition of one's sinfulness and a desire for cleansing from that sin. Hence, John's baptism was a baptism based on repentance or prompted by repentance. Those who came to John sought God's mercy by confessing their sin and moral bankruptcy.  Again, this made John's baptism unique, different from Jewish washings which preceded it.

John the Baptist

Reflections on Mark 1:4

The messenger God sent to prepare the way for Jesus the Messiah appeared in a most unusual way - baptizing in the wilderness. The baptism he preached was not Jewish baptism for Jews did not baptize others but only themselves. Rather, John was sent by the God of heaven to baptize those who came to him in repentance (John 1:33; Luke 7:29). Because people did not baptize themselves, they could not imagine that it was their own efficacy which obtained whatever benefits resulted from baptism. The efficacy was of God who was working through his messenger whom he had sent to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah.

Preparations for a Presidential Visit

Reflections on Mark 1:2-3

When the President of the United States travels to a city, extensive preparations must be made before his arrival. All commercial and private flights into the airport must be diverted to other airports from before his arrival until his departure from the airport. The President's route through town must be identified, all garbage cans and mailboxes removed, and every manhole examined. Every building he will enter must be inspected and spaces provided for meetings, photo ops, travel companions, and his own personal privacy. Rooms must be completely cleared and inspected to insure safety and security from electronic eavesdropping. Rooms and communication networks for the White House press core must be provided. People who will be permitted to see the President must be identified, checked, and issued tickets. Preparations are extensive so that the President can be assured that he will accomplish his goals during his visit.

God's plans for the arrival of his Son on the earth were no less extensive. He sent his Son to Judea and Galilee in the "fullness of time" (Galatians 4:4) so that he might accomplish God's eternal purpose. Before his Son's arrival, He sent a messenger ahead to prepare his way and enlist others in making straight paths for him. The appearance of his Son was a big event. The success of his mission had to be insured.