Many moons ago, conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh highly popularized his “35 Undeniable Truths.” Sadly, at the top of his list were perhaps his 2 biggest and most serious blunders of all: “#1: The greatest threat to humanity lies in the nuclear arsenal of the USSR. #2: The greatest threat to humanity lies in the USSR.”
He had no idea that the greatest threat to humanity is – SIN. More specifically, the sin of rebellion against the absolute right of God to rule our lives; and, our blindness to and rejection of the need to be born again through the saving grace of Jesus Christ – believing the Gospel. Not understanding that all of humanity stands under the just judgment of God for our sin(s), and that unless we are reconciled to Him through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on The Cross as our substitute, we will remain justly, eternally damned.
These represent two wildly different worldviews. And only one of them bears the full weight of eternal ramifications.
The above aside, in my years of walking with Christ (oh so falteringly), and study of the Word of God, I’ve jotted down over time – some fundamentals or principles that continue to guide my own thinking and living.
In the installments which will follow, I hope to unpack some of these with the hopes that you might find them useful as well.
That said, let me add two comments up front.
1 – These are not given in any specific order. I jotted them down over years as they emerged in disparate times and places.
2 – Not all of them are of equal importance. They are not all “fundamentals of The Faith.” Some are, some are not. Some are more guiding principles for thought and analysis. Others, speak to the very basics of being a true Christian. Hopefully, even if I don’t point it out, you’ll be able to mark the difference yourself.
We plunge in.
Principle #1 – 1. We are never under any obligation to assist others in the perpetrating of evil.
Say what? Hear me out.
Have you ever wrestled with a Biblical event like the account of Rahab the harlot (Joshua 2-6) and how after lying and committing basic treason, she can be lauded in Hebrews 11 and James 2 as an example of faith?
Or how about the Hebrew mid-wives, Shiphrah and Puah in Exodus 1 who lied to and disobeyed the King of Egypt blatantly – and are then are rewarded for their action by God?
By extension, how about those like the family of Corrie Ten Boom, who hid fleeing Jews from Nazi persecution?
We could well cite others.
Setting aside for the time being deeper and more complex issues regarding what any authority (governmental, familial, etc.) has a right to forbid or command – as Christians, we are never under any obligation to assist in the carrying out of evil.
The Mid-wives were right to subvert Egypt’s edict to commit wholesale infanticide against Jewish male babies. Rahab herself tells the Jewish spies she and the people were aware of their divine deliverance from Egypt 40 years earlier, and that God was planning to give them the land where she lived. And she is rightly recognized for subverting Jericho’s attempt to oppose God’s revealed will.
We could consider here the command to Israel by God in Deut. 20:15 to not give up a runaway slave back to his master if they’ve run to you for help. The clear implication being that even slaves under that system were not to be abused, and that if one ran away, it could only be because conditions were unbearable. A far cry from what we know as the kind of slavery known in the early years of the U.S and in other places globally. No one has such absolute rights over any other that their sin becomes protected behavior.
No, this is not carte blanche to resist everything we don’t agree with. As we see in the lives of Joseph serving in Egypt and Daniel, Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael in the upper echelons of those pagan and wicked governments – we’ve no right to outright rebellion against God’s appointed order. We could add how Mordecai served in Babylon. We cannot use the principle to rebel against paying taxes for instance, because the government uses some of those monies for wicked and nefarious purposes. Passages like Matt. 17, 22 and Romans 13 make that clear. But again, these issues are more complex.
Closer to the context of many today, consider that no spouse is under any obligation to assist an abusing husband or wife by protecting them from criminal prosecution in silence. Nor is any child being abused by any adult, parent or sibling required to assist an abuser in their continued sin by remaining silent. Nor is any congregant called to shield a pastor or other ecclesiastical authority from exposure and prosecution if abuse is present.
Examples could be multiplied almost infinitely.
Yes, situations need to be weighed carefully and individually. But the basic principle remains, and it is reiterated for us in the New Testament: “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.” (1 Tim. 5:22) When we do not expose oppose evil, we assist it. Eph. 5:11 “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”
There is much more to sort out in this regard. But let us begin with a foundational sense that as Believers, we are never under any obligation to assist others in the perpetration of evil. Never.
I am currently reading through the book of Isaiah at a slow pace. Purposely so. Because as I read, I am taking each section and reading Alec Motyer’s wonderful commentary along with it. And I want to argue that such a practice is an incredible tool which I think would yield much to all of us who seek to know God’s Word – and thus God Himself – better.
Now what led me to this particular practice at this time, was the challenge of a conversation with my good friend and pastor – Tony Bartolucci.
Sometime ago, he told me in his daily devotions, he was reading all of the ESV Bible Study notes along with the passages for the day.
The light came on.
Daily time with God is must for all of us if we would grow in Christ. Time in the Word. Time in prayer. Apart from these our spiritual tanks run on empty. As Al Mohler notes regarding the noetic effects of the Fall, one of those is how spiritual truths can slip from our static consciousness if they are not continually renewed. A form of spiritual forgetfulness. Something Motyer in his Isaiah commentary brings up as problematic for God’s people when they were being assaulted by Assyria.
Motyer writes: “Failure in memory is the cause of spiritual disaster.” How so? When we fail to remember and then stand upon God’s promises in His Word, and/or fail to recall how He has met us in the past – we look for new (and typically human) solutions rather than running back to, and trusting in – God. For Ephraim at this time, they turned to idolatry and military alliances, instead of calling out the Lord and looking for His deliverance.
It ended in disaster.
Back to my key topic.
When Christians fail to take advantage of good commentaries – typically under the guise of “all I need is the Holy Spirit”, we actually reject the Holy Spirit in the process.
How so?
Because we forget that some of the Spirit’s gifting, is in giving us teachers! “God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?” (1 Cor. 12:28-30)
So if I (in my arrogance and self-reliance) reject God given teachers to the Church, I say that I have no need of the Spirit’s gifts to me. For as the text plainly asks rhetorically – “are all teachers?” With the implied answer – No. Obviously not.
So I want to argue that when we reject these teaching gifts to the Church, we cut off our noses to spite our faces. It sounds spiritual, but it isn’t. We need every gift the Spirit has to give to the Church – through these He has supplied in His wisdom.
As I am reading Motyer, I am seeing how in his gifts of language, and analysis and decades of study in areas I have no exposure to, he brings light to bear on passage after passage I would never glean on my own.
I am fully aware all commentaries (and other helps) are not equally valuable. I get that. Some are as dry as desiccated dust. And yet…and yet, there are often buried treasures even in the least attractive if we will take the time to dig around a bit.
Then again, there are commentaries like this one by Motyer, that are as devotional as they are precise, rooted in the original languages, and analytical of broad structures. And such, are pure gold.
Let me encourage you to try out reading a commentary, bit by bit, along with some of your daily Bible reading, and see if it does not make your time all the richer – and enjoyable. Particularly as difficult or obscure passages are unpacked.
How do we find good commentaries to trust? Web sites like Ligonier Ministries, Tim Challies, The Gospel Coalition and Best Commentaries (which subtitles itself – Rotten Tomatoes for Biblical Studes) are good places to start. On the last, especially check out the section of recommendations by Don Carson. These are invariably solid and useful.
Look for those with some devotional aspect to them. Ask your pastor or someone else you know who gives some extra effort to study.
And if you’ve ever been intimidated by an OT book like Isiah – I cannot recommend Motyer enough. I found out about it through Carson’s recommendation. And in every section have found insight and application for my personal life, and even for understanding global, geo-political movements as under the sovereign hand of our glorious God.
The Bible has a lot to say about how we think, as well as what we think. Passages like – Eph. 4:23 “that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,” and Rom. 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” are typical examples.
We can be preoccupied with mere information, and not enough with HOW TO THINK – How to think according to God’s understanding of the universe.
That kind of thinking, the Bible calls – WISDOM!
Enter Proverbs. W.G.T. Shedd wrote: “The Book of Proverbs is the best of all manuals for the formation of a well-balanced mind. The object of Solomon in composing it seems to have been to furnish to the church a summary of rules and maxims by which the Christian character, having been originated by regeneration, should then be educated and made symmetrical.”
It’s one reason why I’ve become a self-confessed Proverbs addict.
If you never had a godly Dad, or even if you did, Proverbs is like God as your Father, mentoring you personally in how to think and reason the way God does.
There’s a problem however. Something Theologians refer to as “the noetic effects of The Fall.”
The word “noetic” comes from a Greek word which means “mind.”
The Fall shows its effects even in our minds.
Al Mohler for instance lists 14 of these effects – here’s 4.
1. Ignorance: The fall has clouded our ability to see these things as they really are, as God sees them.
2. Distractedness: every single human being has theological “attention deficit disorder.”
3. Forgetfulness: Especially of spiritual truth. We do not keep even central Biblical truths static at all times in our thinking.
14. Partial knowledge: we know only in part, and sometimes we do not even know how partial our knowledge is.
And it is why we need to immerse ourselves constantly in the Scriptures. Some things we just do not retain well.
Proverbs 3 is Solomon’s 3rd and longest talk with his son.
We really should treat the chapter as a whole, but for today, I want to focus on just verses 5 & 6.
Before that though, by way of of context, we should note that this chapter, as well as several others, are specifically aimed at Solomon preparing his son to take the throne of Israel one day.
He wants his son to be a successful, good and wise leader. He also knows for certain – his son is going to face all kinds of trials, tribulations and confusing and complex circumstances which he’ll not be equipped for.
Which is what makes this portion so applicable to us – Welcome to your life and mine.
Life throws us curves.
Stability in life is hard sometimes. Even for Christians.
We get hurt.
We suffer loss.
Disappointment comes.
Loved ones die.
Some close to us remain far from Christ.
A particular sin constantly strives to gain control.
The world around us is chaotic.
And even those we love and respect in the Church, fail.
Wisdom escapes us.
Sadness surrounds us.
Joy eludes us.
Seasons of dryness and distance from God frighten and unnerve us.
What are we to do?
Some say – just hold tight.
Grin and bear it.
“Praise the Lord in all things.”
All things we’ve said to others at times. I know I have.
Things which while true, rarely equal real counsel.
Not when you’re the one suffering.
So how DO we remain stable and balanced in such times? What are the anchors for the soul in such storms?
Where do we go for safety and rest?
Fortunately God’s Word is replete with counsel, like what’s in this text before us today.
It’s profound, counsel.
A place of ultimate safety for the heart and mind.
Weary Christian, God is speaking to you here.
He wants you to know there is help.
Not milk-sappy sentiments.
Real, solid, life sustaining, God-prepared, provision.
Help. When there is none to be found in all the advice and inventions of man.
These 2 verses break down into 4 thoughts:
A WORD OF EXHORTATION – Trust in the Lord with all your heart
A WORD OF WARNING – And do not lean on your own understanding
A WORD OF COUNSEL – In all your ways acknowledge Him
A WORD OF PROMISE – And He will make straight your paths
A. A WORD OF EXHORTATION / Trust in the Lord with all your heart – Trusting in the trustworthy One.
And let me warn you at the outset that I am going to develop this point far more than others. So when I’m done with it, don’t panic, the other 3 points will NOT be as long.
2 Things.
1.NOTICE 1st, We are being asked to trust some ONE, not to simply have blind faith or trust in trust.
This is the very starting point of saving faith, and we must remain in it all the days of our lives.
This is NOT mere naked or religious optimism.
It is not the vague hope that everything will just turn out OK.
It is not Bobby McFerrin’s just “don’t worry, be happy.”
It is a personal trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ at Calvary.
Trust in WHO He is.
Trust in His atoning sacrifice.
Trust in His Word and Promises.
Trust in God’s own character.
As John wrote in 1 John 1:5 “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
CAREFUL! You can believe every word of the Bible is true…And still perish in a Christ-less eternity.
For it is not merely that we give mental assent to the truthfulness of these things – this, the Devil and all the demons in Hell can and do – James 2:19 “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”
It is even more than believing that Christ died for our sins…
It is actually and personally turning away from every other hope in religion, goodness, works, doctrine or anything else – and resting your entire hope on His sacrifice in your stead.
When I ment Jerry Bridges years ago, I asked him what he had been the biggest change he’d seen in evangelism on college campuses?: “We needed to stop asking people if they are Christians or even Believers, we now ask: Is Jesus Christ your sin-bearer?”
It’s still the question before every one of us this morning: Is Jesus your sin-bearer?
For if you cannot answer that in all honesty and reality – you are not yet a Christian no matter what you may profess.
And the rest of this passage is of no use to you.
Personal Trust in the Person and Cross-work of Jesus Christ.
Nothing else is saving faith.
We must trust in the LORD with all our hearts.
Again, we are being asked to trust some ONE, not simply to have blind faith or trust in trust.
2. 2nd Implicit in this exhortation is: THAT WE NEED TO KNOW THE ONE WE ARE BEING ASKED TO TRUST.
You cannot truly trust anyone you do not know.
And our trust must be in the Christ of the Bible, and not an imaginary one or a fake one.
If you were to need an operation, you’d want a real surgeon to do it, and not someone who plays a surgeon on TV.
It’s vital that we put our trust in the REAL Christ, the Jesus of the Bible, and not the Jesus fabricated by false religions, cults OR, our own imaginations.
The Jesus of Mormonism for instance is the spirit brother of Satan – and was a man who became a god even as God the Father was once a man and became a god.
That is an abominable and soul damning invention.
The Jesus of Jehovah’s Witnesses is an angel – the Archangel Michael and not God. A kind of secondary divine being.
The Jesus of Christian Science is just a man who demonstrated what they call the “Christ ideal.”
In Scientology Jesus is just a human teacher who realized his potential.
In Islam he was merely one of the prophets, superseded by Mohammed, and in Baha’ism He’s just one more manifestation of God but not God.
The old Puritan John Owen wrote: “the ancient Christians told [others] the truth,—namely, that “as they had feigned unto themselves an imaginary Christ, so they should have an imaginary salvation only.” (Owen, John. The works of John Owen. (Ed.) William H. Goold. . Vol. 1. Edinburgh: T&T Clark.)
The one we are to trust in with all our hearts – must be the Lord Jesus Christ of the Bible if we are to have a true salvation, and, true help in our time of need.
Running to the wrong Jesus is as helpful as getting the time from a wrist watch tattoo.
It may have the appearance of the real – but in the end, it is an utter fake.
The Jesus we need is the Jesus of the Bible – so magnificently above all the fakes as the heavens are above the earth.
And He is magnificent!
In J.C. Ryle’s incomparable book: “Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties and Roots” – Ryle makes the observation that: “It would be well if professing Christians in modern days studied the four Gospels more than they do. No doubt all Scripture is profitable. It is not wise to exalt one part of the Bible at the expense of another. But I think it would be good for some who are very familiar with the Epistles, if they knew a little more about Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John…
I say it because I want professing Christians to know more about Christ. It is well to be acquainted with all the doctrines and principles of Christianity. It is better to be acquainted with Christ Himself. It is well to be familiar with faith, and grace, and justification, and sanctification. They are all matters “pertaining to the King.” But it is far better to be familiar with Jesus Himself, to see the King’s own face, and to behold His beauty. This is one secret of eminent holiness. He that would be conformed to Christ’s image, and become a Christ-like man, must be constantly studying Christ Himself.
Now the Gospels were written to make us acquainted with Christ. The Holy Ghost has told us the story of His life and death,—His sayings and His doings, four times over. Four different inspired hands have drawn the picture of the Saviour. His ways, His manners, His feelings, His wisdom, His grace, His patience, His love, His power, are graciously unfolded to us by four different witnesses. Ought not the sheep to be familiar with the Shepherd? Ought not the patient to be familiar with the Physician? Ought not the bride to be familiar with the Bridegroom? Ought not the sinner to be familiar with the Saviour? Beyond doubt it ought to be so. The Gospels were written to make men familiar with Christ, and therefore I wish men to study the Gospels.” Ryle, J. C. Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties and Roots. William Hunt and Company, 1889, pp. 278–79.
Spurgeon preached: “Depend upon it, there are countless holy influences which flow from the habitual maintenance of great thoughts of God, as there are incalculable mischiefs which flow from our small thoughts of him. The root of all false theology is belittling God; and the essence of true divinity is greatening God, magnifying him, and enlarging our conceptions of his majesty and his glory to the utmost degree.”
Listen to how old John Flavel writes of the Biblical Christ: We ought dwell often on the glories of His divine nature.
“It is a special consideration to enhance the love of God in giving Christ, that in giving him he gave the richest jewel in his cabinet; a mercy of the greatest worthy, and most inestimable value, Heaven itself is not so valuable and precious as Christ is: He is the better half of heaven; and so the saints account him, Ps. 73:25. “Whom have I in heaven but thee?” Ten thousand thousand worlds, saith one,* as many worlds as angels can number, and then as a new world of angels can multiply, would not all be the bulk of a balance, to weigh Christ’s excellency, love, and sweetness. O what a fair One! what an only One!
what an excellent, lovely, ravishing One, is Christ! Put the beauty of ten thousand paradises, like the garden of Eden, into one; put all trees, all flowers, all smells, all colours, all tastes, all joys, all sweetness, all loveliness in one; O what a fair and excellent thing would that be? And yet it should be less to that fair and dearest well-beloved Christ, than one drop of rain to the whole seas, rivers, lakes, and fountains of ten thousand earths. Christ is heaven’s wonder, and earth’s wonder.
Now, for God to bestow the mercy of mercies, the most precious thing in heaven or earth, upon poor sinners; and, as great, as lovely, as excellent as his Son was, yet not to account him too good to bestow upon us, what manner of love is this! (Flavel, John. 1820. The Whole Works of the Reverend John Flavel. . Vol. 1. London; Edinburgh; Dublin: W. Baynes and Son; Waugh and Innes; M. Keene.)
In trouble, trial and tribulation, we need the glorious,stupendous, magnificent Christ of the Bible.
Do you remember that great confession of Nebuchadnezzar after God restored him from his humiliation?
Daniel 4:34–35 “At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?””
This is The Lord we are being exhorted to trust in – and He is worthy of such trust.
You will not read Christ exalting words like these in any religion or cult, and you would certainly never invent them yourself.
THIS, is the Jesus of the Bible.
Trust HIM with your salvation.
Trust HIM in all His promises and that the rewards of Christ are greater than any pleasure of sin.
Trust HIM in His holiness, faithfulness, power, goodness, grace, mercy and love.
Trust the LORD, with all your heart. Trust Him as God eternal – one with the Father.
If you are not a Christian today – this is the one you must trust in order to be saved from the wrath of God for your sin: Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.””
And Believer – there is no one else you can absolutely trust with every care, burden, need, concern and trial: Psalm 112:6–8 “For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.”
Beloved, this is so vastly important, let me to labor it a bit more. Again, I will make make remaining points very short – but I need to be sure we do not let this need to know Christ in His fullness pass by without pressing it.
Everything hangs on it.
I am reminded of that vision John received on Patmos in Revelation 1:10–19
He saw Jesus in a long robe down to His feet and with with a golden sash or belt around His chest.
1. Long robes with sashes like that were indicative of 3 things in John’s day:
– Royalty: Royalty wore long robes with sashes that showed their high standing. 2 more times in this book Jesus will be referred to as: “Kings and Lord of Lords.”
– Authority: In the Roman army, the longer the robe, the higher the rank. His is full length.
– Priesthood: The robe and sash combination is particularly reminiscent of the High Priest’s clothing in ancient Israel.
Here, Jesus is being pictured as our great High Priest. His Kingship, His authority over The cosmos and High Priesthood to His Church are powerfully imaged – Christ, the royal, supremely authoritative High Priest over all.
2nd. “The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow.”
Indicating Christ’s ETERNALITY: That as the Ancient of Days in Da. 7 – This Jesus ALWAYS WAS. The Son of God is eternal, and existed before His incarnation.
He is not less than God. He is not some newcomer. He too, is the ancient of days. “Before Abraham was I AM” He’ll declare in John 8.
3rd. He saw that Jesus’ eyes were like a flame of fire.
Signifying His OMNISCIENCE: How He needs no outside source to see and perceive and know – He knows all from His own light. It is flaming, piercing and powerful. All searching.
As in Hebrews 4:13: “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
4th He saw Jesus’ feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace
A bracing symbol of HOLINESS & MORAL PURITY. Historical sources tell us this burnished bronze – was of such exceptional quality, it was considered more valuable than gold.
5. Revelation 1:15b “his voice was like the roar of many waters.”
IMPOSING, INESCAPABLE WONDER: Massive – and all pervading. Inescapable. Think – the cave behind Niagara Falls.
6. Revelation 1:16a He saw that in his right hand he held seven stars
PERSONAL GUARDIANSHIP OF HIS CHURCH AND EVERYONE IN IT:
7th. That from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword
CHRIST AS JUDGE OF ALL: Judgment is rendered at His word. And it cuts both ways. Unsparing and sure.
This is seen again in Revelation 19:15 where we read “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.”
One can’t help but think of Jesus’ words in John 12:48 “The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.”
8th. Jesus’ face was like the sun shining in full strength.
CHRIST AS THE OUTSHINING OF GOD’S GLORY: So glorious – so overwhelming, He cannot be directly looked upon.
It should bring Believers back to Isaiah 6:1–3 Isaiah “saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!””
Now it is in the context of this overpowering vision of the resurrected Christ that Jesus then tells John: So write this all down.
“Therefore” – i.e. Based upon what you have just seen of me – WRITE!
Don’t keep this to yourself. Let others know what it is like to encounter Me in all of My unveiled glory.
It is staggering.
Because I am both the King and the High Priest of my people…
Because I am the Ancient of Days…
Because I am the One who sees all by my own light so nothing can be hidden…
Because I am the thrice holy one in all moral purity…
Because it is MY voice which informs, fills and upholds all of creation…
Because the whole of the Church is supernaturally superintended in MY hand…
Because I am the One who will personally utter judgment on everyone in creation in due time…
Because I am so glorious I cannot be fully beheld or comprehended – WRITE WHAT I SAY. And omit NOTHING!
John – Send them a vision of me that is so shattering, that it shakes them out of lethargy, compromise and the fear of life’s circumstances, such that the awe-filled fear generated by the vision can only be alleviated by Me personally extending my grace to them – purchased at the cost of my own blood.
And tell them what awaits them in encountering Me! What only the Believer can safely witness and rejoice in.
This is the Lord we are to trust with all our hearts!
This is the Lord we so desperately need in times of trouble.
Let me mention some practical things here.
When we go through seasons of trial, we need to be reminded of the goodness and greatness of God as two giant pillars of support.
Rehearse the history of His provisions in your own life in past days, and that in the lives of other saints.
Read biographies of the Saints, both in Scripture and outside of it.
Listen to how David does it Psalm 42:5–6 “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.”
Why does he remember Jordan? It was the place where God brought His people over into the Promised Land at last.
And why does he think back to the heights of Hermon? Because it is where God defeated Sihon King of the Amorites and Og King of Bashan at the beginning of Israel’s conquest.
But what about Mizar? Interestingly, there is no other mention of Mizar in all of Scripture.
Evidently, this was some place where God met David in a needed time. It was a private time of God meeting him. And he recalls it to support himself in the present trial.
Oh what short memories we have of God’s past blessings to us and our brothers and sisters throughout the ages.
But secondly, recount His promises so you can know for certain what kinds of things you can trust Him for.
Psalm 121:3 “He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.”
Hebrews 13:5b “for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.””
Matthew 28:20b “behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
Psalm 18:30 “This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.”
Psalm 34:22 “The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.”
Psalm 25:3 “Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.”
Psalm 115:11 “You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.”
We can trust both in WHO He is, and WHAT He has promised.
And beyond that, we leave everything in His hands.
There is no assurance of tomorrow, or a better diagnosis, or the salvation of a loved one beyond what His Word says.
But as Paul by the Spirit writes in 2 Timothy 1:12 “which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.”
B. A WORD OF WARNING / And lean not on your own understanding – Truth vs. Perception
As I mentioned earlier about the noetic effects of the Fall.
1 – Our understanding is always limited, His is not – Isa. 46:10 – He declares the end from the beginning.
2 – Our understanding is often defective, His is perfect – 1 Cor. 13:12– “now we see through a glass darkly”
EXAMPLE: Attraction at Darien Lake
3 – Our understanding is ours, not His – i.e. Centered in ourselves, not Him – Isaiah 55:8–9
We are not even to lean on our own understanding when it comes to things hard to be understood in His Word.
Trinity
The hypostatic union of Christ – how He was both very God and very man.
Salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
The resurrection.
The New Heavens and New Earth.
Do not over scrutinize your circumstances as tho you are living in a tit-for-tat universe where everything can be tied together in an immediate cause-effect relationship.
Do not lean on your own understanding – but believe His Word – even where it is hard.
And we need to make something vital clear here – contrary to so many, faith, is NOT exercised apart from logic and reason.
I know that is a popular trope but it is untrue.
I’ve said many times over the years that the single most neglected spiritual gift is the gift of grey matter.
God is a rational God. He is not arbitrary nor random. He is the very foundation of reason – and so we are born to it.
The warning here is not to rely on our own understanding, apart from the divine revelation of His Word.
I know perfectly well that some will not be able to understand our reasoning, because having not been born again, they simply do not know truth the way the Believer does.
In Christ, and informed by His Word – we understand the whole of life in a way those with the key missing piece to reality – the purposes and plans of God in the person and work of Christ – simply cannot have.
Actions can seem illogical to others who are missing certain information.
Comedian Brian Regan has a routine about things that make you look stupid to others. His prime example is walking into a spider’s web.
People who can’t see it but watching you from a distance see you flailing around like a mad-man and wondering if you are insane. You see and feel it, but they have no idea.
So Scripture says: 1 Corinthians 2:14–15 “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.”
I am reminded of the great anonymous poem:
When God wants to drill a man, And thrill a man, And skill a man, When God wants to mould a man To play the noblest part; When He yearns with all His heart To create so great and bold a man That all the world shall be amazed, Watch His methods, watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects Whom He royally elects! How He hammers him and hurts him, And with mighty blows converts him Into trial shapes of clay which Only God understands; While his tortured heart is crying And he lifts beseeching hands!
How He bends but never breaks When his good He undertakes; How He uses whom He chooses, And with every purpose fuses him; By every act induces him To try His splendour out— God knows what He’s about.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And lean not on your own understanding
C. A Word of Counsel / In all your ways acknowledge Him – Totally living before Him
1 – Seeing everything IN Him – Luke 12:6–7 “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
He is aware of the smallest aspect of everything which concerns you. And He is with you in it: Hebrews 13:5c “For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.””
2 – Confessing everything TO Him – Fear, Doubt, Failure, Sin, Wrong Attitudes, Grief, Shame, Concern, Weakness, Wrong desire, EVERYTHING!
Psalm 62:8 “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah”
3 – Laying every plan BEFORE Him – Psalm 37:5 “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.”
4 – Casting our whole confidence UPON Him – 1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
D. A Word of Promise/ And He Will make straight your paths –
1 – HE – Not “IT”, Not “things” / God Himself promises to direct your steps, even when you can’t see six inches in front of you.
This is something He does personally.
He does not even leave it to His highest trusted angels.
The text says HE will make your paths straight.
2 – He WILL – Not “He can”; Not “He might” / God Himself promises to do this.
3 – He will MAKE – Not just watch; Not hope you’ll walk the right way / He actually performs.
4 – He will make straight YOUR paths – This is not a generic. “one size fits all.”
He knows you. Your strengths. Your weaknesses. Your particular needs.
He knows your unique circumstances and needs.
5 – He will make your PATHS – Not just this one thing; Not just this one time / He promises and performs in bringing your whole course of life under His watchful, wise and loving care.
And He promises and performs this so that having walked, you can look back later and know that the way He took you was right.
So Isaac Watts penned:
Firm as the earth thy gospel stands,
My Lord, my hope, my trust;
If I am found in Jesus’ hands,
My soul can ne’er be lost.
His honor is engaged to save
The meanest of his sheep;
All that his heav’nly Father gave
His hands securely keep.
Nor death nor hell shall e’er remove
His favorites from his breast;
In the dear bosom of his love
They must for ever rest.
Watts, Isaac. 1998. The Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
19-20 / Get rich schemes are anything but. They are contrary to God’s normative means of giving us prosperity WITH character. To want to be rich by means of a shortcut, is to reveal our greed. To want to waste our time in things which hold no true value – is to prevent our own selves from the very things we need and desire. These two always go hand in hand.
But this is not restricted to material things. It is just as true in spiritual matters. The one who will not apply him or herself to know the Word and seek God’s face will have a lean soul – period. We cannot ignore spiritual disciplines, and then hope to walk in the benefits of such as though they are somehow just dropped upon us from the sky. If we work hard at it, we’ll enjoy the fruit. If not, we will be impoverished.
Now the caution here against worthless pursuits can apply equally to those simply in pursuit of earthly riches, security, fame etc., and those who even as Christians pursue doctrine and spiritual experiences like hobbies.
I once knew a man, a good and earnest man, who loved the Lord and longed to teach His Word, but who also gave himself to countless hours trying to connect the Great Pyramid of Egypt to Biblical truth. Endlessly looking for hidden signs and symbols. Fascinated with arcane and supposed prophetic tie-ins. And in the meantime, paying less attention to understanding The Word better, and seeking to grow in the image of Christ. It all had the veneer of “spiritual” pursuit, but it ended in nothing of true value for the soul. In the end it was fruitless curiosity.
How many Believers today are immersed in seeking out secret conspiracies, shadow governments and hidden, nearly all-powerful cabals? Looking for secret prophetic knowledge. Investing all sorts of time, energy and angst prying out information they can ultimately do nothing about, and have no eternal, spiritual reward whatever.
How we need to re-calibrate our hearts and minds to be fixed on the truth of God’s Word, and anchored in His plans and purposes. Investing ourselves in the pursuit and building of His Kingdom. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Once we’ve mastered that, then maybe we can move on to curiosities of all sorts. But until then, let us be about knowing and pursuing the Father’s business.
Work with what God HAS given to you, rather than pining after and chasing what He hasn’t. There is fruitfulness in His appointments.
And there is unfathomable fruit and blessing in pursuits that have eternal benefits.
Seek Christ! Col. 2:1-3 “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
The plans of ethe diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. Proverbs 21:5
Let me share a painful truth with you: There is no shortcut to spiritual maturity.
None.
I know I want it to be otherwise. But this is the plain truth.
As is so often the case in Proverbs, some axioms are repeated over and over, and in different ways. So with this one. And in this case, there is an added dimension.
In the natural, I was what was termed in my day “a late bloomer.” And this brought problems with it.
Although I was somewhat bright (simply “precocious” might be a better word – I’m sure I thought I was brighter than I was) I was also emotionally very immature, even for my age.
Because I was a bit snappy, I started school what was probably a year too early. My parents should have kept me back a year. Though I think I was enrolled early to save my Mother’s sanity at home. One more year of me in the house would have driven her up the wall!
But I was bored. I didn’t see the relevance of anything I was being taught. And my report cards regularly bore the comment: “Reid is not working up to his potential.”
Yeah. My grey matter was sufficient. But my emotional maturity was too far behind to make a good mix.
School wasn’t fun.
I always wanted to be – or at least treated – older than I actually was. Which led me to inserting myself into conversations and situations above my paygrade. It made me a Grade A pain in the neck to my friends and family. Not to mention my teachers.
Maybe you too can remember back to when you wanted to be older than you were? Wanting to be big enough to ride certain rides at the amusement park. Anxious to get that driver’s license. Being old enough to stay home alone without a baby-sitter. Wanting to make your own decisions, etc.
Well that same phenomena replicates itself in the life of the Believer too.
We come into the spiritual life when we are born again, and we look around at those who were saints before us, and we want their experiences, their insights, their impact on others, and their seeming grasp of God, the Word and spiritual matters.
The problem is, there is only one way to get “older.” Time.
But, as I said above, there are no spiritual shortcuts to growth. Only time and the natural process will avail – and only these are desirable. So it is with our souls.
In fact, spiritual growth spurts are not even something to be desired – to grow in sudden, huge leaps.
Time with God, time letting the soul in Christ mature and let every aspect fully develop in balance and harmony. Time to learn God’s Word so as to handle it responsibly. Time to analyze your own heart in the light of the Scripture by the illumination of The Spirit. Time to reflect on past decisions. To consider what makes for spiritual maturity. Time to learn how to begin to master oneself in the power of the Spirit. Time to walk with God consistently so as to know His ways and providence. To cultivate spiritual habits and disciplines that lend themselves to solid growth.
Time.
If you are running from ministry to ministry and seminar to seminar hoping to have some instant miraculous experience which catapults you into spiritual maturity – stop! There is no such thing. You must walk the entire path with Him, you cannot simply be conformed to His image in a moment.
By the age of 12, Jesus Himself, the very Son of God, was more than able to hold His own with the teachers and the rabbi’s in the Temple. But He still remain under His parent’s authority, and didn’t enter into any kind of “ministry” until around 30.
So as Luke 2:52 reminds us: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”
Yet how many new-Born Believers want instant ministry? And how many of us who have walked with the Lord, as still discouraged at our slow rate of growth?
One does not gain spiritual maturity by bestowal – it is by growth. One learns the Word by study, not osmosis. Faith grows in testing, not ease. Age, even in Christ comes by way of time, not sudden leaps forward. Diligence is what leads to abundance. Faithfulness is what perseveres long enough to reap the harvest. Yearning for Heaven makes a man order his steps to get there. Those who imagine they have it all now, or can get it all in a flash are fooling themselves. Such hastiness will only come to poverty.
Yes, it is true the writer to the Hebrews can chide some of his readers for not contributing to their own growth, and needing to get on the stick. At the same time, we are reminded of how patient Jesus was with His own disciples and their slow growth.
How much more with you and me?
Walk WITH Christ, do not try to cross the finish line while you are still in the starting gate.
In due time, you too will fully bear that image. You will “grow up into Him.” (Eph. 4:15)
A few years ago I preached through John’s Apocalypse, and in going over some of those notes, revisited the topic of the Antichrist from Revelation 13.
Because the view I settled on is not a common among us today (though historical), I thought I might post the text of that sermon below, along with a link to the audio if you might prefer to listen.
I am not trying to garner support for the view I adopted, but offer it up as a way perhaps (as my title implies) to re-think what notions of antichrist we might have.
Ch. 12 of Revelation provides quite a bit of insight regarding the nature of true spiritual warfare. James Hamilton in his commentary summarizes what we looked at last time: “By his death, resurrection, and ascension Christ defanged the dragon with seven heads and ten horns. Satan no longer has any standing in Heaven to accuse believers. He knows his time is short, and he is making war on the woman and her seed. Hamilton Jr., James M.. Revelation: The Spirit Speaks to the Churches (p. 258). Crossway. Kindle Edition.
Exactly HOW Satan wages this war is what 13 focuses upon. And what emerges in this chapter is a picture of 2 “beasts”. 12 ends with Satan standing on the shore of the sea. And as we have seen all along, the sea is usually a symbol of what is mysterious, dangerous, unstable and unknown – the unredeemed world. Now, Satan calls the first beast from this sea. In vs. 11, he’ll call out another beast – but from the earth. And we’ll have to wait until next time to see how the 2 figure together. What we have at this point is Satan and the 1st beast.
This Beast, given all that is said about him here and then in more detail in ch. 17 is most often identified as “The antichrist.” In fact the chapter ends with the very familiar idea that this Beast gives a mark to all who are his, and that the number of the Beast is – 666. Something we’ll have to wait to address.
Antichrist.
The very word conjures up all kinds of mental images. Most often, a charismatic world leader with near supernatural powers, poised to lop off the heads of anyone who doesn’t worship him. Reigning over a one-world government using a one-world religion. Scary to say the least.
But it might surprise many today that not all in the church have held quite that same vision historically. From the 2nd century on, there have been 2 main ways of understanding the idea of antichrist. Both are orthodox. Both views have their pluses and their minuses.
First view: Antichrist as a literal historical person who will try to pass himself off as Christ, with the goal of replacing him and wreaking havoc on the world. Irenaeus (130-202) would be a prime example. He along with many others – solid, excellent men throughout history have argued some future, specific person will emerge as THE antichrist. F. F. Bruce, Donald Grey Barnhouse, Robert Mounce, George Eldon Ladd, John Walvoord, John MacArthur – etc. It is perhaps the most dominant view in American Evangelicalism today. It has a political, one-world government emphasis.
Second view: Antichrist isn’t so much a person as it is a pervasive heresy which deludes the world and keeps them from the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ. This view was held by Polycarp (69-155), a personal disciple of John and Tertullian (160-220) to name a few. The idea here is of antichrist being a false teaching with perhaps a primary false teacher rather than a political figure. So the emphasis here is neither political nor personal. It’s why many of the Reformers identified antichrist with the Papacy. Not a specific Pope as much as the office and the system deceiving many in the guise of Christ and true Christianity. This is the direction I am going to take and the one I believe has the most Biblical support. Though as I said, both views have both their pluses and their minuses.
Whichever view one may take, we have the words of John in 1 John 2:18 reminding us: “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.” Other passages like this must be used in forming an opinion.
Interestingly, 1st and 2nd John are indispensable here since those are the only 2 books where the word antichrist is ever used in the Bible. So how John uses it must bear on how we understand the concept here.
Whoever or whatever antichrist is – from John’s words we know that while a final manifestation of antichrist is coming, in some sense it has already been here, and is here even now. Something more than a simple future person must inform our thoughts. That said, let’s look at the passage itself.
It divides itself up into 4 sections. The 4th section specifically aimed at Christians, encouraging us and calling us to courage and faithfulness.
Revelation 13:1–2 “And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.”
The 1st thing we have to ask ourselves is – do we see anything like this anywhere else in Scripture? And if so – is there help in explaining what we see here? And thankfully the answer is a resounding YES! Not only do we get far more detail about The Beast in Ch. 17, we especially have the 7th ch. of the Book of Daniel to really help unpack it.
Daniel 7:2–8 “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings…And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear…After this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it. After this…behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.”
The first thing you want to notice here is that the Beast in Rev. 13 – shares the key characteristics of the 4 beasts in Dan. 7. It is in some way a composite if you will. Leopard, Bear, Lion and 10 horns. But next, we need to see how Dan. 7 explains that vision.
Note then that The Beast in Revelation it is a composite of – kingdoms, not of individuals. We know this from the explanation given in Daniel itself. This would seem to indicate The Beast of Rev. 13 is not a man either but something else – a sort of kingdom unto itself. Let’s go further in Daniel.
Daniel 7:17–25 “These four great beasts are four kings…“Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest… and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them…“Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings. He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.”
Dan. 8 goes on to explain that the Lion represents the Babylonian world empire. The Bear = the Medo-Persian empire. The Leopard = the Grecian empire, which then breaks into 4 after Alexander the Great’s death, and then into 10 (the 10 horns) which gives rise to the one horn that persecutes the Jews terribly for -1260 days – Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Which then gives way in some way to Rome. Contemporaneous with Rome, Christ’s kingdom will come on the scene.
In other words, no more global world powers are prophesied to come after these. Not in terms of political or military might. Yet we see this Beast here in Revelation and it is identified somehow with what Daniel saw.
So what might all of this mean? One thing is for certain, that the historical rise and fall of these world empires, prefigure in some way a final world empire – one that bears the traits of all that came before – and to which they were pointing. But not necessarily a political empire or government.
This prefiguring is a common way the Bible speaks. Historical events of the past are often meant to foreshadow things yet to come. Example 1: The Flood, followed by the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah are both pointed to as prefiguring the final destruction of the earth in judgment. Both serve as specific examples of God’s coming judgment. Example 2: The Jews entering Canaan is meant to prefigure both something of our rest now in Christ, and the final rest of heaven yet to come.
Second, remember John’s words that we looked at earlier – antichrist is to come, but there already ARE antichrists? The idea is that there have always been world systems that have been contrary to God’s rule and His people. This is nothing new. But behind them, inspiring them as it were – is Satan’s influence. We see this in John’s vision here.
Let me try to illustrate this in contemporary terms. Behind the murderous and godless rise of Marxist Stalinism and its opposition to all things Christian – was the influence of the Devil. He was behind the rise of Mao Zedong, Adolf Hitler, Pol Pot – and inciting the murder of the 94 million killed in the 20th century under movements dedicated to stamping out Christianity as central to their core values. Each one of these was an antichrist.
So in some sense antichrist has been here in the past in Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, Communist Russia, China, Cambodia and Germany etc.
And, for 215 million Christians today, antichrist is here now the way I John notes. Antichrist is here in some Islamic countries & present-day China and North Korea. Did you know for instance that for the 17th year in a row N. Korea has been ranked as the most dangerous place on earth to be a Christian? 27% of the population live in prison work camps. Simply owning a Bible is a capital offense. For N. Korean Christians today, they are staring at the very face of antichrist. And, antichrist, the final antichrist, is yet to come.
What I am, arguing is that antichrist is not so much a person, as it is a global mindset, a universal worldview that denies God, the very idea of God, and marginalizes and persecutes everyone not in sync with it. A sort of dominant global group-think. All of which aligns perfectly with the demonic deception we saw portrayed in locusts from the bottomless pit and what came out of their mouths, and the flood that came out of the mouth of the dragon in Ch. 12.
Its key features are easily identifiable. If you do not buy into a completely naturalistic view of humankind as a cosmic and evolutionary accident; and of no moral responsibility beyond ourselves; of the highest good being material wellbeing, self-government, ever shifting cultural morality and self-defined “spirituality” – you’re out! So that while many are on the lookout for an antichrist person, they are at the same time actually imbibing the very spirit of antichrist in the world’s values versus God’s. It will have its various spokesmen, it’s false prophets – (we’ll see that later), but ultimately, its savagery becomes evident in how it blinds people to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and sees them lost in Hell and under judgment for the very sin they deny even exists. This is far more subtle and pernicious, for you have far more control over people if they simply all believe your version of reality.
In fact the 4 places where John uses the term antichrist spell it out for us quite plainly I think.
1 John 2:18: Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
1 John 2:22–23: “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.”
1 John 4:1–3: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.”
2 John 7: “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.”
If I understand these correctly, when taken together, antichrist is: The fundamental denial of the person and work of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible, and the entire world view which springs from that revelation.
Let me summarize these: Every religion and every cult that denies the Biblical revelation of the incarnate Son of God dying a substitutionary death for sinners on Calvary – is antichrist. But the great antichrist of the last day is a secular denial of God & Christ, that gains global acceptance and will demand a totally naturalistic worldview. No God of creation, and no humankind as the special creation of God in His image. This, IS antichrist. A wholly secular worldview.
II. 3-4 One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”
The idea this pictures an individual receiving some sort of physical head wound seems unlikely given what we’ve just seen. Based on this verse some in the early church speculated Nero might be the antichrist, since after he died rumor had it he would rise from the dead and re-take the Roman empire. I remember similar wild speculations that JFK would recover from his head wound, and under the guise of being a great social reformer, then gather a one-world government. In fact, in Ch. 17 we read: 17:8 “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come.”
All those speculations aside, given the historical antichrists and the present day antichrists and the antichrist to come, it seems best to see this as understanding that time after time after time, antichrist rises up as an ideology, usually attached to a nation and a leader, and then it is brought down – as all of the previous empires were. And then it rises up again somewhere else with new leadership. It is a never-ending repeat. The Beast, was, and is not, and is to come. Antichrist thought systems emerge, die and remerge.
But what of the world? It never stops giving its allegiance to the Beast. It worships the Beast and what it stands for. Godlessness raises its head over and over and people love it so. In what way do they worship the Dragon and the Beast? 2 Cor. 4:3–4 “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” And to hear the present-day atheists like Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris – all belief in God must go! For it frees mankind to live out his most base desires without guilt or shame or fear of judgment.
III. 5-6 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.”
So the Beast will be allowed to have its day. And it does what it does by one primary means: Uttering haughty and blasphemous words: By what it teaches and promulgates as truth. It will deny the truth of God, of the Gospel, of sin and judgment and righteousness. It will mock and make fun of everything sacred and holy and good. And it will have its 42 months, its 1260 days, its 3-1/2 years. Its period of trampling God’s people down.
IV. 7-10 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear: If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.”
Conquering the world in its deception and the church in its persecution, there will come a day when it will seem like the Church and the Gospel will seem to be all but snuffed out. For those in N. Korea, that day is now. But just as Jesus was crucified and buried and even His disciples thought it was all over – the new dawn is just about to break.
No wonder vs. 10 ends by saying this calls for “the endurance and the faith of the saints.”
Well then, what provision has been made for Believers so that we will endure? John is given 3 things.
a. vss. 5–7 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months…7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation,
Our God and King is as much Lord over Satan and The Beast as He is over all else.
Without God’s permission – even The Beast can do nothing.
We can trust our Heavenly Father who reigns over all.
b. vs. 8 All who dwell on earth will worship The Beast EXCEPT, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
Believers have been promised that we will NOT be deceived – because our salvation was decreed before God even made the world.
We can trust our God.
c. vs. 10 If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain.
Believers have their trials appointed by God and so are not at the mercy of The Beast – even when it may look like it.
He knows our individual strengths and weaknesses. He knows our constitutions. He is as much Lord over our sufferings as He is our blessings. We can trust Him.
The very confidence of Jesus when He stood before Pilate is ours. Pilate said don’t you know I have the authority to release you or crucify you? And Jesus calmly answered: You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given to you from above.
As He trusted the Father, so do we. For in our faith in Him, we overcome The World, The Beast, and even Satan himself.
In J.I. Packer’s excellent little book “God’s Plans for You” he opens Ch. 6 “How God Leads Us” like this: “Evangelicals differ from most Roman Catholics and liberals in that they are constantly uptight about guidance. No other concern commands more interest or arouses more anxiety among them nowadays than discovering the will of God.”
Packer then goes on to quote Joseph Bayly in a 1968 monograph: “If there is a serious concern among Christian students today, it is for guidance. Holiness may have been the passion of another generation’s Christian young men and women. Or soul-winning. Or evangelizing the world.… But not today. Today the theme is getting to know the will of God.” Packer, J. I. 2001. God’s Plans for You. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
It is my experience that Packer and Bayly are both right. This is a huge issue. And maybe, just maybe, more than it ought to, or need to be.
In that regard then, I’d like us to briefly consider the events of Acts 15 and the Council at Jerusalem.
The setting is clear. vs. 1 says that some men from Judea, had gone to the largely Gentile church in Antioch telling the new Believers that unless they were circumcised in conformity to the Mosaic law, they couldn’t be saved.”
Naturally, this created quite the concern. Not simply due to the practical realities, but what impact this had on the Gospel. Paul and Barnabas vigorously confronted the issue. The text says there was “no small dissension and debate.” A right proper brouhaha broke out. With the result that Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem to put the matter before the apostles and elders there.
This is where what went on in the Council becomes interesting and I believe instructive to us.
Let’s recap the Council. It has a lot to say about the natural progression of spiritual maturity.
So, how did this group proceed to ascertain the Lord’s mind and leading on what was before them?
1 – (v 6) The apostles and elders got together to consider it.
2 – (vss 7-9) Peter stands up and appeals to his being led to preach to the Gentiles, but does not see even his extraordinary vision as definitive. What he does appeal to is the providential outpouring of the Spirit that attended his ministry at Cornelius’ house.
3 – (vss 10-11) Peter argues theologically and with reason. He especially notes the unbearable burden of salvation by obeying the Law, and then appeals to the Gospel of grace they’ve all been preaching.
4 – (v 12) Paul and Barnabas reinforce the nature of God’s providential work among the Gentiles.
5 – (vss 13-21) First, James reasons from Peter’s and Paul’s activity, and then, how this confirms or fulfills the Old Testament prophecies. His appeal to Scripture is important. He then adds that the Word will still have its impact on Believers.
6 – (vss 25 & 28) They write a group letter to the Antiochene church. The letter appeals to 3 things. a. Their arriving at consensus after discussion & debate; b. Examination of God’s providential acts; c. The verification of the Scriptures. This is termed as seeming “good to the Holy Spirit and to us.”
Now hold on to your hat. Because what is missing here is as important, maybe even more so, that what is included.
What is missing?
No vision. Here is this most important issue, striking at the very heart of the Gospel itself, and no one among the apostles, prophets and elders – gets a vision to settle the matter. No one.
No “leading”. No one just stood up and said “I feel led.” And the whole group then saying “o well then, if you feel led – let’s…”
There was no supernatural sign. No attesting miracle or anything of the like from anyone EVEN THE MOST EMINENT APOSTLES. No one said: “God told me” as definitive.
Note then, how as the church matures, calling upon God given reason informed by the Scriptures, with the counsel of others operating similarly, and confirmed in providence becomes the norm above immediate impressions or revelations.
This is vitally important. Let me repeat it.
Calling upon God – given reason informed by the Scriptures – with the counsel of others – and confirmation in providence – THIS becomes the norm over immediate impression or revelations.
Note also that the Bible does not record a litany of individuals being “led” supernaturally in personal matters – but only where there is something pivotal regarding redemptive history for the Church. It simply is not the Biblical pattern. Where key events in the Redemptive history and progress of the Church at large are at stake, yes, visions like Peter’s on the roof in Joppa occured. But here, we’re told how that event was central to opening Gospel mission to the Gentiles. It wasn’t an every day occurrence, nor was it repeated.
Note how such leadings decline the more the Word is ingested and people reason in wisdom out of God’s Word, in conference with God’s people, and in concert with providential markers. These grow fewer and fewer as the narrative of Acts proceeds.
And note too how impulses are never to be given the force of a MANDATE. To do so, puts them on par with Scripture and creates new sins which the Bible knows nothing about. For if someone fails to do what is mandated by God, such failure can be nothing other than sin, but one not applicable to any other but yourself. An entirely new category of sin is created. The individual “God told me” but I did not obey – which is not applicable to the Church at large.
Note lastly: The more a relationship matures, the less directives are needed, and the more communication shifts to fellowship.
The better I know my boss’s goals and desires, the less I have to ask for specifics, and the more I can carry out his business freely.
The better a child knows the ways and desires of the parent and matures in terms of what is good versus what is bad or harmful, the less rules are needed, and the more the child lives on the principles. We move from precept to principle as we mature. It is this way in sanctification, and this way in growing in the Spirit.
Things like God’s manifestations on Sinai are for the immature and again at pivotal moments. Once things are spoken there, the less He speaks in the same way. Once the Law was given, the Israelites did not need to go to Mt. Sinai every morning for fresh revelations. They had what He had written.
The pillar of cloud and fire disappear once they come into the promised land. They are no less led, but know that their mandate is to conquer – they are no longer wandering. Such leading signs are indicative of immaturity, earlier stages in growth and wandering, not maturity and entering into what God has sent us to do.
The supernatural manna ceases as soon as they enter the promised land, and now they are to cultivate food and feed themselves. They are no less dependent upon God, but have entered into a more mature relationship which assumes they be about God’s business, rather than looking for new leadings.
As Deuteronomy 29:29 reminds us: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
Does the Spirit prompt and guide? Surely. But first and foremost through His Word, then in Providence, God given propensities, wise counsel, etc. Believers are not doomed to live constantly trying to divine God’s secret will for their individual circumstances. We are so much freer than that.
There is so much more to say, but I’ll leave it here for now. Give yourself to what God has revealed already, and trust Him in what He hasn’t.
It has been my experience, that I most often find out I’ve been “led” in the aftermath of something when it has come to pass – not before. It just might be that way most often period. After all, we walk by faith, not by sight. Needing a leading, is needing some form of sight.
Proverbs is a loving Father, doing his best to educate his son in the way of the World in light of the reality of God, sin, and human frailty. As such, Solomon spends a lot of time dealing with the issue of temptation. He knows well from experience how the allure of sinful things can draw us off from following God and His Word. Nothing’s changed.
Context is important here.
As a Father speaking to his son, perhaps in his teen years, Solomon knows full well two things are at play; first, raging hormones.
We are complex creatures. As such we do not just have minds and bodies, but those two are bound together in such a way that each impacts the other. Our physiology often impacts our psychology. In the extreme we see this in alcohol and drug use (Solomon will deal with alcohol more than once). But even something more benign like caffeine can make one anxious or jittery.
In my mother’s latter years, she came to me complaining that she could not sleep in her own bed because she became so anxious and fretful – but could not attach the anxiety to a specific matter. She prayed and sought the Lord and could not overcome. It grew worse. She saw it as a lack of faith issue. Not trusting the Lord enough.
One day, looking over her medications, and doing a little research online, I suspected the root cause may have been interactions between 2 certain meds. Calling the Dr. we switched out the one, and overnight her crippling anxiety eased wonderfully. Her problem wasn’t unbelief, it was chemically induced.
Teenagers, boys or girls are undergoing immense changes physiologically which have psychological and spiritual implications. Solomon got that.
Second, he’s talking to a young man. And so he casts the character of temptation in general, in the form of a seductive woman. He is not saying women are somehow inherently temptresses to be thought of poorly. He is using this example to demonstrate how attractive sin always is, and how we each have our individual propensities toward particular sins, even at specific times and certain circumstances.
Hence my title: “What’s in your wallet.” Where do you locate your wealth? What is most alluring to you that you count gain? What tempts you most? For what you value or treasure most – that will be your “temptress.”
Is it fame? Reputation? Success? Family? Money? Social status? Peer opinion? Relationship? Safety? Being known and appreciated? Marriage? Obliteration of pain or failure? Accomplishment? Self-image?
What?
Irrespective of what it is that tempts you most, Solomon’s words to his son here are absolutely indispensible in overcoming temptation. Even temptation complicated by hormones, past experiences or individual propensities and circumstances. Solomon outlines his approach in vss. 1-4.
Proverbs 7:1–2 “My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;”
Here is the “secret” to obedience – that God’s Word is “treasured”, prized and delighted in – not because of the material only, but especially because of Who has written it to us.
We delight in Him and therefore want to know everything He has said.
And when that kind of love is at the bottom of it – we are never in the place of simply carrying out commands, we are indulging ourselves in our highest Love.
Only an entranced love can keep you from the seductions and wiles of the enemy. Nothing else will do.
The apple of the eye is the pupil. It represents both what we prize most – i.e. keep our eye on, but also what we protect most. We protect our eyes at all costs. So we need both to value and protect the Word of God.
2. Proverbs 7:3 “bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.”
The idea is that effort must be expended in order to keep these things of the Spirit embedded in the heart and mind. A mere surface acquaintance will not do. Due to the effects of the Fall on our human constitution, this takes work.
God’s commands must be kept and guarded from loss, and corruption. Loss in ignoring them or not retreating to His Word for them, but inventing our own and guarding in letting people redefine them, including ourselves. We must not either add to them nor subtract.
And how are we to do this? As above, like the reflexive response of batting anything away that comes near the eye. As though this is most sensitive and needs careful protection.
3. Proverbs 7:4 “Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend,”
Understanding ourselves, God’s Word and the nature of temptation will find us on our knees, calling out for wisdom and insight and deep intimacy with truth as God knows it. Nothing less than conscious, constant, deliberate dependence upon the indwelling Spirit of Christ as the very Spirit of wisdom Himself.
And in pursuing this – what does Solomon say will be the result? Proverbs 7:5 “to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.”
It is to seek Christ and the depths of His finished work on our behalf, and the gift of His Spirit. This Jesus Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col. 2:3)
“Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.” (Prov. 4:25-27)
When contemplating any course of action, it only makes sense to ask: “Where will this take me? What is the end of what I am contemplating?” In either word or deed.
But of course, this also begs the question of whether or not I am on my way to anywhere at all?
If one were to pursue a career as a lawyer – they would plot out a course that would take them there. The right undergraduate courses in college, and then Law School. Then setting their sights on passing the Bar, and then – only then – the practice of Law itself.
It is the same with anything in life. To be a teacher, a race car driver, an electrician – name it.
But, as the old saying goes, if you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it – too.
Setting a course in the natural is one thing – but how many actually contemplate setting a course toward Heaven?
Do we imagine we will just stumble in there someday? That “being” a Christian is the end game, the goal itself? Do we forget Jesus words: Matthew 7:13–14 (ESV) — “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
Nobody just wakes up in Heaven someday and says “whew! I made it.”
Why do so few find it? Why do so few enter in? Because so few are actually looking for it and seeking to enter in.
If you are aiming at entering heaven, keep your eyes on that destination, and make the decisions which coincide with going there. Keep looking for the door of that Great City. Keep your eyes fixed on what you intend to do and be there – and who you are longing to spend eternity with.
No one will get there by accident. Only those who inquire as to The Way – Jesus – and who order their lives to go there to be with Him and the Father.
Where are you headed?
In this case, Siri can’t help you. Only Jesus can. For as He told us: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
Where was He going? To the Father. By way of the Cross.
What is the way so we can go too? Through Him. Only through Him.
Matt. 16:24: “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
And by grace, He is still issuing that call today.
No, this isn’t a post about the 1962 hit by Anthony Newley. It is about the existential question the book of Proverbs begs us to consider in nearly every chapter. For the Bible has a LOT to say about being a fool. The first mention of which appears in vs. 7 of chapter 1: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Newley’s song, co-written with Leslie Bricusse, is a lament about the loneliness, emptiness and self-doubt that plagues a person who never risked the kind of vulnerability that loving another deeply requires.
Proverbs on the other hand, often appeals to the wretched condition of one who never trusted themselves to the revelation of God in His Word, and ends up too in loneliness, emptiness and self-doubt.
Even worse.
Newley’s song never gives an answer as to why he remained that way.
Proverbs does: “Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
In a nutshell, the Fool, is the one who takes the very notion of God lightly (the idea behind the word “despise” here), and takes true wisdom and instruction lightly. He or she does not know that one cannot understand the universe and the meaning of human life, apart from fearing the God who made it all.
If He is not in His rightful place in our thoughts, we can know nothing of the truth, only uncontextualized facts.
Fools do not want a sovereign God.
An untamable God.
A demanding God.
A holy God.
A judging God.
A God with absolute rights.
A God who is to be feared on any level.
One who imposes Himself in any aspect of life – and who cannot be quantified and harnessed to their own wills.
This is what makes a fool.
The Fool wants fantasy above reality.
I pray this is not you.
Flee to Him today.
Own the self-evident reality of this God. Believe the Gospel and be saved. For this God, so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that all who believe in Him would not die, lost as they are, but have everlasting life.
Only a fool, would refuse the obvious and heralded truth.
ResponsiveReiding 