Category: Cross

Bread of Affliction

8/10/2025

Sweat trickled in small streams down his face, making narrow rivulets through the dust and grime. He lifted his hand over his head and brought is down again in a swift, sudden movement, beating the miniscule wheat out of the chaff. The process was especially difficult—there was no breeze to chase away the chaff or the heat that beat down upon him, the waves dancing up and down upon the chiseled-out rock winepress.
      “Egypt,” the man of God had said. “Deliverance.” “...Gave us this land.” The words repeated continuously in his mind, in cadence with every blow. The “God of Israel.” The One who “led” us.
      The young man paused, lifting his back up into a standing position, arching against the pain. His painfully thin arm reached up and scrubbed away at the sweat trickling into his eyes, the salt stinging, the moisture blurring his vision. He looked out over the fields below. Stripped. Bare. Ugly. Brown.
      They had come again and left nothing. Seven long years they had come. He looked down again to his small pile. All he had beaten out was barely enough to sow for next year, let alone live off of through the winter.
      He felt tears spring to his eyes, smarting painfully before joining the sweat pooling on his chin. The man of God had given no hope. Just condemnation. Only a reminder of what God had done for others. Just the statement: “You haven’t obeyed.”
      He knew it was true. He’d watched his village meet at the Asherah pole and sacrifice what they had to Baal. They’d hoped that serving the gods of their enemies would prevent their enemies from coming, would ensure an abundant harvest and bigger families. But the child sacrifice had only made their numbers smaller, only brought more pain and grief as the laughter in the streets had turned to silence and the sound of the little feet running had ceased.
      Even more shameful was that it was his own dad who had set it up. As he recalled that night, his head hung lower and his shoulders, their blades sticking gauntly from his back, began to slump. His dad had thought maybe they could be like the other nations; that wealth and abundance could come to them just like it seemed to for their enemies.
They used to have some things, but now there was nothing left—except his dad’s bulls. Those he had kept. They were a symbol of Ba’al, the storm god who controlled the rains that made their crops grow. They were sacred. They had to be fed and fattened with the grain that was withheld from the starving people.
      A picture of the idol sprang to his mind, the golden head of the bull with his horns of strength and might raised up into the sky. His arms were outstretched, waiting for the children he would be given in exchange for his favor. The sacred tree-pole of the Asherah goddess was erected next to him, her promise of supernatural fertility mocking the now emaciated worshippers.
      Gideon shuddered as he shook away the horror of what he’d seen, wishing to erase it from his memory. How could people be so cruel?
He looked up again, eager to look elsewhere, to redirect his mind. He sighed. Yes, they did deserve this. They had given their children and disobeyed God’s commands. He had told them never to give their children or to serve those idols.
He felt anger grip his heart, tightening, painful in its intensity. In a sudden, weary exhaustion, the anger collapsed back to fear and despair.
God would never forgive them. They were here because of their own sin.
There was no hope.

The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of Yehovah, and Yehovah gave them into the hand of Midian (מִדְיָן S#4080 midyan: descended from Abraham’s son Midian by his wife Keturah; from מִדְיָן S#4079 madown: brawling, contention) seven years. 2And the hand of Midian overpowered Israel, and because of Midian the people of Israel made for themselves the dens that are in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds. 3For whenever the Israelites scattered seed, the Midianites and the Amalekites (עֲמָלֵק S#6002 Amalek: a descendant of Esau; from עָמַל S#5998 strenuous human effort that carries a sense of weariness, frustration, and even sorrow) and the people of the East would come up against them. 4They would encamp against them and devour the produce of the land, as far as Gaza, and leave no ability to stay alive in Israel and no sheep or ox or donkey. 5For they would come up with their livestock and their tents; they would come like locusts in number—both they and their camels could not be counted—so that they laid waste the land as they came in. 6And Israel was brought very low because of Midian. And the people of Israel cried out for help to Yehovah. Judges 6:1-5

God's hand is mighty. The Bible often tells us that God saved His people by His mighty hand. Yet, when we sin, it is not His hand but the hand of others who also sin to whom God gives us over. He does this to remind us of what our sin does. As others hurt us through their sin, we begin to realize the sad reality of what sin does, now turned against us. Often our response is to blame God for our consequences: “A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the LORD” (Prov. 19:3 NIV), But this is a mistake and will never bring us back into relationship.
It is our Midianites and Amalekites that bring us back to God by showing us the result of our choices. Midianites are the contentions that arise, those fights and arguments that steal our peace and cause our relationships to be broken. Amalekites are all the human efforts we put into trying to save what we have in a way that only brings weariness, frustration and sorrow.
These two painful enemies come into our lives like locusts, swarming in such numbers and landing on everything green and growing that we have in our lives. By the time they are done ravaging our land, there is nothing left; everything is stripped bare and lifeless. There is no more bread.
When we have finally had enough of our own selfishness and sin, when we finally can see the devastation it causes in our lives and the lives around us, we may find ourselves willing to cry out to God.

7When the people of Israel cried out to Yehovah on account of the Midianites, 8 Yehovah sent a prophet to the people of Israel. And he said to them, “Thus says Yehovah, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of slavery. 9And I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10And I said to you, ‘I am Yehovah your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.’ But you have not obeyed my voice.” Judges 6:7-10

"Why didn't you listen to the ones I sent?"
Have you ever had a friend, pastor, fellow Christian, family member—or even a complete stranger, confront you about your sin? It is easy for our response to be offended denial and defensiveness. "Who are you to judge!" We might angrily retort. We may resist the very words of God if we are not sufficiently humbled enough to receive even the hard words that might bring life back to our souls. How that grieves Jesus!

“Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” Luke 10:16

And they went back and reported [Jesus' resurrection\ to the rest, but they did not believe them either. 14Later, as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the Eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. Mark 16:13-14

Instead of becoming angry when we are confronted, let's remember how much courage and love they must have to face the potential of our anger and perhaps punitive response. Fortunately, and notably quickly for the stories in the book of Judges, the people were ready to respond to God’s gracious remonstrance. And as God always does, He had a plan already for their salvation.

11Now the Ambassador of Elohim came and sat under the oak (אִלָה S#424 or terebinth; from אַיִל S#352 strength, mighty, a pillar, a mighty man, to be twisted together to form a stronger element, as in a cord) at Ophrah (from עָפַר S#6080-6083 dust), which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon ( גִּדְעוֹן S#1439: one who cuts down, a warrior, a feller of trees; from גָּדַע S#1438 gada and גָּדַל S#1438 gadol: to twist, to be great, to grow, to be mighty) was beating out wheat in the winepress to allow it to escape from the Midianites. Judges 6:11

Gideon was hiding at the place of dust, Ophrah, from which he had been created. Dust reminds us that just as we were made from the dust of the cursed ground, as a result of our sin we also will return to dust at the end of our toilsome days (Gen. 3:19). It is our inevitable end to work with difficulty to cultivate the ground, to scatter seed and to have thorns and thistles make the task of yielding a harvest of seed and bread for food a wearisome task (Gen 3). Dust reminds us of our frailness, the temporal nature of our fleeting lives and our extreme vulnerability.
Contrastingly, the oak (or terebinth) tree was a symbol of strength and might in the Bible, and it was under these trees that judgments and judicial decisions would be made by judges, as well as covenants entered into by the people. And yet it is here that Gideon is found, not threshing the grain on the hilltop so that the wind might chase away the chaff, but hiding down in a winepress in order that the Midianites might not see that he was trying to store away what he had been able to retain.

12And the Ambassador of Elohim (מֲלְאָךְ S#4397 / מֶלֶךְ S#4428 malek: ambassador, king, envoy of the king; אֱלהִים S#430 elohim: plural of God, the triune godhead) appeared to him and said to him, “Yehovah is with you, O mighty man of valor!” (חַיִל S#2428 chayil: mighty, valor, abundance, wealth) 13And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if Yehovah is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not Yehovah bring us up from Egypt?’ But now Yehovah has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

"Why, God?"
Oh, dear ones! Isn’t that so often the question aching in our hearts? If God is with us, if God is for us, if God loves us, if God is all powerful and all knowing, then “Why???” Why did my mom die from painful disease? Why did I lose my baby? Why did my spouse betray me? Why did my child reject me? Why did we lose everything we had worked hard for? Why are we impoverished? Why is everything I try to accomplish destroyed by the enemy of my soul?
We’ve heard the stories of what God has done for others. Incredible miracles. Happily-ever-after soundbytes. It’s even painful to hear them at times. And yet God has allowed devastation to come on us and seems to be uncaring. In fact, when the prophet came to condemn the people for not obeying God, it wasn’t necessarily Gideon who had been disobedient. Often, though, we find God’s people suffering along with others as God has to give loving discipling and correction to whole nations and communities.
But God’s representative has not come to berate Gideon for the sins of his family members or his nation. Rather, He has come to commission Gideon and to remind him that though he is dust, his very name carries the greatness, abundance and might that God can instill in a person committed to operating by faith.
Though Gideon had learned through trauma and hardship to have a scarcity mindset, God was ready to teach him about the abundance we have in Christ.

14And Yehovah turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” 15And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh (מְנַשֶּׁה S#4519; from נָשָׁה S#5382 to cause to forget), and I am the least in my father’s house.” 16And Yehovah said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” 17And he [Gideon] said to Him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me. 18Please do not depart from here until I come to You and bring out my present and set it before You.” And he said, “I will stay till you return.”

It is worth noting that, although Gideon was hiding, he had, in fact, shown a tremendous amount of faith in his act of continuing to scatter seed and gather it even through seven long years of raids by their enemies. Though he was hiding in a winepress, he was still using the strength he had and the resources he could find. Perhaps it was as a result of this act of faith that the Ambassador of Elohim, the very image-bearer of God Himself, would come to him. Under this great and mighty oak, God manifested in the flesh as Jesus had come to Gideon. He had declared that Gideon also was a mighty man of valor. Just as the word for Oak means also to be twisted together for strength, we know that it is a “three cord strand” that is “not easily broken (Eccl. 4:12). When we are twisted together with Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit, we are indeed mighty.
Gideon was a descendant of the tribe of Manasseh, which means “to forget.” Joseph had named his son Manasseh because God had so blessed him with abundance and greatness that he no longer remembered the painful years of slavery his brothers had inflicted upon him in Egypt.

[God\ allowed no one to oppress them;
he rebuked kings on their account,
15saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,
do my prophets no harm!”
When [God\ summoned a famine on the land
and broke all supply of bread,
17He had sent a man ahead of them,
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
18His feet were hurt with fetters;
his neck was put in a collar of iron;
19until what He had said came to pass,
the word of the Lord tested him.
20The king sent and released him;
the ruler of the peoples set him free;
21he made him lord of his house
and ruler of all his possessions, Psalm 105:14-21 ESV

Psalm 105 tells us that first God would not allow His chosen ones to be harmed, then shares that Joseph was allowed to be harmed. In Joseph’s story, it was also a famine of grain, just as in Gideon’s. Additionally, God had promised Joseph that one day he would be great and powerful. It was God’s word to him that tested and tried his faith while falsely accused and imprisoned for many years.
But in due course, God word was fulfilled and Joseph’s faith was found to be genuine. So also with Gideon, God would bring him through this testing of his faith and into a place of abundance.

19So Gideon went into his house and prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the terebinth [oak\ and presented them. 20And the Ambassador of Elohim said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this Rock, and pour the broth over them.” And he did so. 21Then the Ambassador of Elohim reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the Rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. And the Ambassador of Elohim vanished from his sight. 22Then Gideon perceived that he was the Ambassador of Elohim. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the Ambassador of Elohim face to face.” 23But Yehovah said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” 24Then Gideon built an altar there to Yehovah and called it, Yehovah Is Peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah (dust), which belongs to the Abiezrites (אֲבִי הָעֶזְרִי S#33 abi (father of) ezer (help).

Gideon was now offering a sacrifice to Yeshua, to Jesus, who is the Ambassador and direct representation of the Father (Heb. 1:3).
This offering is reminiscent of the Pesach, or Passover Supper that Jesus celebrated with His disciples on the night before His death as their Passover Lamb. This Last Supper, Jesus declared, was symbolic of His own body and blood given for the sin of mankind. According to the commandments relating to the observance of this Feast, this animal offering could be either a firstborn, unblemished, young goat or lamb (Exodus 12:4-5). This offering would be eaten in haste and entire, and the blood put over the door of their households in order to spare their firstborn from death. It would be served with unleavened bread, in sign of the haste with which they would need to leave Egypt out of their slavery. Instead of the children of Israel being killed as the pharaoh had predicted, it was instead his own son whose life had been required.
Just as Jesus vanished from Gideon’s sight after receiving the offering, so also Jesus vanished from the sight of His disciples after death and His resurrection.

30When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. Luke 24:30-35

After this realization, the disciples immediately went running back to Jerusalem to tell the rest of the unbelieving disciples that they had just seen the Risen Lord, just as He had foretold. Their hearts had burned, just as the Gideon’s bread had burned, both with the eternal fire of Jesus.

And they [the two disciples of Luke 24:30-36\ went back and reported it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. Mark 16:13

36As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit. Luke 24:36-37

14Later, as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the Eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. Mark 16:14

When the word of God has so touched our hearts, when we realize that we have been with Jesus, our hearts burn within us. The sacrifice that He receives are a broken and contrite (repentant) heart (Ps. 51:17) that we give Him as a result of our gratitude for His sacrifice for us.
Just as Gideon was startled and frightened when he realized he had seen the face of God in the form of Jesus, so also the disciples became afraid. But Jesus is the God of Peace, and it this peace He leaves with us—not a peace like the world gives, but a peace that is everlasting and can never be taken away!
The Rock from which the fire sprang is Jesus (1 Pet. 2:4-8) and He Himself was made from the dust of the ground, just like us, being made like us in every way (Heb. 2:17). He still stands with us, being fully God and fully man.
All of it belongs to Abi-ezer, our "Father of Help." God is our Father, and the Helper, the Holy Spirit, is the other member of the triune godhead:

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

“So Send I you!”

25That same night Yehovah said to him, “Take your father’s bull, and the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it 26and build an altar to Yehovah your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down.” 27So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as Yehovah had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night. Judges 6:25-27

It is notable that it was the very same night that God gave this instruction to Gideon. Jesus also went out from the Passover Last Supper with His disciples and was taken in custody by the soldier in the Garden of Gethsemane. This was done by night, because the high priests were afraid of the people who believed Jesus to be their Messiah:

At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
Matt. 26:55-56

The ten servants represent the ten commandments of the Law, by which Jesus must be crucified in order to redeem us from the curse of the Law (Matt. 5:17), thus fulfilling all the requirements of the Law, and the stones represent the entirety of the nation of Isael:

There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes. Exodus 28:21

Additionally, Though Jesus had vanished from Gideon’s sight, He is still there. His presence would not leave, and His voice would be heard. He has promised never to leave us, never to forsake us (Deut. 31:6, Matt. 28:20)
Before we can fight the larger battles, there is often a battle closer to home that we need to address. While sin comes in a multitude of ways, the sins of the ancient people groups really aren’t any different than we encounter today, in our own culture, in our own families.
Abortion, sexual immorality, greed (which is idolatry (Col. 3:5), lust, dishonesty, rebellion, lust and hatred are just some that God has repeatedly warned us will bring nothing but destruction to our lives.
God did not send Gideon first to tackle the nations problem. He sent him first to his own family’s issues.
Sometimes these seemingly smaller battles to win people to a relationship with God are more intimidating than the larger ones. The fear of alienating family members, rejection by our immediate community and friend groups, and even retaliation for our obedience to cutting off anything from our lives that causes us and others to sin that can be very intimidating and have painful reactions by those we love.
Jesus’ final command to His disciples after He rebuked them for not listening to the women and men He had sent to witness to His death and resurrection was to go to world and witness to what we have seen:

15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:15-16

Gideon’s family had been practicing idolatry—what is more, they had been leading their community in this practice. Gideon’s name also carries the idea of cutting down, of felling. He was being instructed to walk in this: to cut down the idols, to cut down the Asherah pole.
Not only that, but the bull God instructed Gideon to sacrifice was what his family was saving to live off of. No doubt they had been carefully hidden and safeguarded from their enemies. Gideon was to take his father’s bull, and a second bull seven years old. This second bull had been alive ironically and tellingly as long as the oppression the people of Israel had undergone. It had been kept safe through all of the difficulties; honored, worshipped and fattened. Just as the Ba’al idol was fashioned in the image of a sacred bull, the symbol of strength and might, the bulls represented the strength the people were trying to obtain through their efforts and pointless sacrifices.
God had commanded Gideon to remove it, placing his entire dependence upon God alone for their needs. They could no longer count on these physical provisions or their own ingenuity to protect them from starvation. They must rest their hope entirely on God’s help. With the sacrifice of Jesus, the people unknowingly rejected Him while simultaneously securing the means to the salvation of the world.

Jesus was the second bull, taking on the form of sinful flesh, though innocent of all charges. The first man, Barabbas, guilty of sin and charged justly under the Law, was released because his debt was being paid by Jesus:

After [Pilate\ had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in [Jesus\. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.
John 18:38-40

The people, crying out to crucify Jesus with the chant, "We have no king but Caesar!" showed their own idolatry to the pagan idolatrous practice of worshipping their Caesar.

28When the men of the town rose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar that had been built. 29And they said to one another, “Who has done this thing?” And after they had searched and inquired, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash (יְהוֹאָשׁ S#3060 fire of Yehovah) has done this thing.” 30Then the men of the town said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it.” 31But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down.” 32Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he broke down his altar.
Judges 6:28-32

We find that what Joash should have done, Gideon did. Joash had been unwilling to take on the responsibility, had been too afraid of the nations, of the idols and of the people. But just as Ba’al, the storm god, was depicted with lightning, the fire from heaven in their reliefs, so Joash’ name reflects this dynamic. It was the fire of God that they needed to fear. It was the fire of God, which had touched Gideon’s offering.
But Joash did state one thing very correctly: If Ba’al was god, he could fight his own battles.

Though Gideon was certainly not a god, Jesus was God Himself. It is ironic, then, that the declaration of Baal's need to contend, or fight for himself, is echoed in the mocking jeers of the rulers at the foot of the cross:

And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” Luke 23:35

We see that to the Jews, power is all-important as a sign of God's authority (1 Cor. 1:22-24), which became a stumbling block to them receiving Jesus. However, it is in the foolishness and weakness of the cross that the gospel was chosen to come to us. Jesus knew that He would receive salvation from the grave in due time and willingly gave up enacting His own contention. Unlike Baal, who would indeed come next to contend against Gideon, Jesus knew that His vindication would come from God alone.
This was an entire sacrifice, including the accursed wood of the asherah tree. Significantly, it was the wood of the tree, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, that had borne the fruit that through mankind’s disobedience would bring death and sin to all of God’s Creation. It was the wood of this tree that was accursed. As it is written:

22“And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.
Deut. 21:22-23

“Bring out your son that he may die!”
Early in the morning the men of the town surrounded Gideon's father. This happened also with Jesus:

Early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrina devised a plan. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate. Mark 15:1

The words of the people of Ophrah, those people of dust, resound in our ears with impact. Unlike Gideon's father, our The Father, God, did bring out His Son. He was given as a sacrifice because of the need to destroy the works of darkness, to destroy that ancient enemy, the Serpent. It is this cursed tree that must be used to redeem us from the curse of sin. Jesus would become sin, become our curse, so that we might be brought back into relationship with our God:

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”
Gal 3:13

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Cor. 5:21 ESV

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Col 2:13-15

Just as Gideon had to contend first with his sin and that of his family, so Jesus was sent first to the lost sheep of Israel (Matt. 15:24) and then His disciples were sent to bring the good news to the world. This would take great courage.
Gideon, the feller of trees, the mighty warrior, stands in the symbolic place of Jesus, who felled the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, became sin on this tree and broke down the altar of Ba’al (בַּעַל S#1168 ba’al: owner, master), the slave master over us. God had indeed rescued Gideon and His people from Egypt once again. With Jesus’ help, we will never again be in slavery to sin or endless work to receive our salvation.
There is, and only ever will be, one Sacrifice that will bring us victory over sin's mastery and back into relationship with God. Have you trusted in Jesus alone for your salvation? Have you confronted your need to repent?
Have you been willing to confront the sin in your family and in your community? When will it be worth it to tell people just how devastating their sin has been and what their remedy is?

Will you let fear stop you from bringing salvation to those you love?

https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/the-worship-of-baal-in-the-ancient-levant
https://armstronginstitute.org/325-zeus-baal-and-a-rare-bronze-bull-idol-discovered-in-greece
https://www.ancient-origins.net/history/moloch-0016383
https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-asia/identity-moloch-0011457

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Behold, the Lamb of God!

4/28/2024

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Every year Pesach is celebrated, and every year the Jewish nation awaits their Messiah. When we visited Israel two years ago, I was able to speak with a Jew at the Pool of Siloam. He questioned me about Jesus, and told me that the Jewish people are fearfully awaiting the coming of the Messiah, because they are told that he was coming soon, ready or not. To get ready, they are told, they must do enough good works. Sometime between now and the end of the 6000 years of the world, he will come. If they are ready, it will be to set up his kingdom. If they are not, it will be to judge them. He asked me about our Messiah. We talked about how Jesus, a Jew, is the passover lamb, crucified for our sins to bring us back into a relationship with God. We talked about how He is coming again, and all those who place their faith and trust in Him have no fear of His coming, but only joy and anticipation!

It was deeply sad to me that, for many of the Jews, a "veil lies over their hearts," so that they cannot see that their Messiah has come.

Yet hidden in their own Seder meal is the very heart of the gospel. Moses prophesied that a “Prophet like” him would come, One whom God’s people must listen to. The Messiah, a prophet deliverer like Moses has come, was rejected, suffered and died for our sins to reconcile us to the Father and rose again to give us new life! This good news is first for the Jews, then to the Gentiles. Not only that, but the Exodus story is prophesied to repeat itself, when our Messiah returns for His people. On that day, The Suffering Messiah will come as the Triumphant King! God’s people will be delivered and the Enemy we see before us today, we will see no more forever! (Ex. 13:14)

As we meditate on this holy and deeply meaningful feast, I invite you to join us as we discover the meaning behind each element and the incredible hope we have as we await our Messiah, Jesus, who will return again for us!

The week of Pesach, of Passover, begins on Nisan 14th with a Seder meal and concludes with the bringing of the Firstfruits and rituals in readiness for the Harvest.

Yeast Removal

Each household was commanded to examine and remove all leaven from their homes. Ridding all forms of yeast, or leaven, from the whole household was meticulously done for days. All breads with any leaven were abstained from for the entirety of the seven day festival. This represented the close examination of our hearts by the Holy Spirit to remove any sin against God or others. We are to repent of any wrong and remove anything within our homes or families and even throughout our whole church family that causes us to turn away from obedience to God (Exodus 12:8, 15, 13:7, 1 Cor. 5: 11:27-29).

Fast of the Firstborn

Some Jews have the practice that the firstborn in every family fasts on the eve of Passover from sunrise to sunset. This comes from the firstborn son being consecrated to God alone as the Firstfruits of the womb. Instead of sacrifice their firstborn, they would instead redeem him with a sacrifice (Ex. 13:13-16). In addition, it is in memory of their redemption out of Egypt, the house of slavery to dead, unending work. Both Pharaoh and Herod killed all the male Hebrews babies two years old and under, in their attempt to prevent the Messiah/Deliverer from coming (Ex. 1:22; Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Chapter 9.2; Matt. 2:16). This Deliverer had been prophesied in each instance by wise men who instructed the ruler about the coming Deliverer. In an outstanding reversal, it is God who brings Pharaoh’s second attempt at killing the firstborn back upon him, when the Angel of Death comes to take the Egyptians firstborn, and passes over the firstborn of all under the blood of the sacrificial lamb.

Cessation from Work

During the first two and last two days of Passover observant Jews will abstain from all work, resting in the finished work of God. This symbolizes the finished work of Christ in his life, death and resurrection and how believers are to enter into His work and refrain from any form of trying to earn their own salvation through good works or observance of the Law (Genesis 2:2; John 17:4, 19:28-30; 1 Cor. 5:1-9; Hebrews 4:9-10).

Seder Meal (Last Supper/Communion)

1. Kadesh — Kiddush (“Holy,” or “sanctified”)
The wine is blessed at the start of the meal. This cup of sanctified wine represents the blood of Christ, poured out in death for us. His side was pierced on the cross, blood and water pouring out as He prophesied at the Seder meal (Last Supper)(Luke 22:20-21, John 19:34). There are four cups of wine:

The Cup of Sanctification
The Cup of Deliverance/Judgement (deliverance for those who repent, judgment for those who refuse
The Cup of Redemption
The Cup of Acceptance

2. Urhatz —Wash
Washing is first performed in preparation for eating. A towel is wrapped on the arm of the one serving. This person goes around to each of the participants, pouring water over the hands from a pitcher into a bowl. In Jesus' time, this would have included foot washing because of the many miles of walking through dust with sandaled feet. Jesus represented this washing when He wrapped a towel on himself and washed the feet of His disciples, declaring them fully “clean.” This further signifies how Jesus washes His bride, the Church, with the water of the Word, cleansing her and preparing her for the Wedding Supper of the Lamb when He returns for His Church. (John 13:1-17, Eph. 5:26)

3. Karpas — “wool”
Any vegetable that is not bitter may be eaten. Common vegetables used are celery, parsley, onion, or potato. Dipped in salt water for purification and seasoning, they remind us of the baby boys cast in the Nile and the tears shed by the slaves.
In its meaning of “wool,” it is used in the Hebrew scriptures to demonstrate Christ types, who as a “lamb before His (wool)shearers was silent, so He did not open His mouth” at His trial and crucifixion (Isaiah 53:7:
It is used to describe Esther’s royal robe when she went before the King after three days, risking her life to intercede for her people and gaining their freedom on the day of Passover.
It describes Joseph’s “coat of many colors,” made of wool, torn and dipped in the blood of the goat as his brothers when they sold him into slavery.
It describes Tamar’s torn “coat of many colors” as she was defiled by her brother, her blood being shed.
Finally, they remind us of Jesus’ command to rejoice at our own persecution as believers, stating that we are the salt of the earth in order to bring the purification of Christ to others. Though we are favored by our Father, just as Esther, Joseph, Tamar and Jesus, and wear the royal robes of righteousness, through suffering, we allow others to “taste and see that the Lord is good!” (Matt 5:10-16, Psalm 34:8)

4. Yahatz — “Divide”
Three matzahs (unleavened breads) are used in the ceremony, represented the triune nature of God. The middle matzah is broken and the larger part saved for the conclusion of the meal, signifying Jesus’ body, broken for His people (Luke 22:19). The saved portion signifies the return of the Messiah at the end of time. The matzah is unleavened, representing the innocent and sinlessness of Christ. It is pierced through many times, representing the piercing with the spear by the soldier at Christ’s death as well as the flogging He received in order to save us from our sins: 5But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5

5. Magid — Narration of the Exodus story of redemption from slavery

The plate of affliction. The plate with the symbols of affliction is lifted up.
The shankbone of the Paschal lamb or kid: the zero’a of the paschal sacrifice is included because the word zero’a literally means “arm,” alluding to the verse which states, “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm . . .”;

Boiled egg: In Aramaic (spoken by Jews at the time of Jesus), an egg is called bey’a, which also means “pray” or “please.” Thus, the foods silently plead, “May it please the Merciful God to redeem us with an outstretched arm.”

Bitter herbs: These signify the bitterness of the death. The word bitter in Hebrew is “marah,” and was included in the names of the women, three different Marys, who attended Jesus’ cross, burial and witnessed to His resurrection.

Invitation to the nations. An invitation to the stranger and foreigners is to join the Seder meal, signifying the invitation to the world, including Gentiles, to become part of the Body or Church of Jesus.

The wine cups are refilled.
The youngest person at the seder asks the Four Questions and responses are given.

The Four Children
These signify four kinds of people who respond to the gospel: wise, wicked, simple, and one who does not know how to ask. Jesus’ parable of the farmer who sows his seed represents the gospel being shared with people. There are four kinds of people who receive His Word: 1) Those who hear, but Satan comes and takes it away so they will not believe to salvation; 2) those who receive it with joy, but because they do not press onto maturity through a deeper understanding and relationship with God, only persevere in the faith for a time until they give into temptation; 3) those that are consumed by the cares, riches and pleasures of this world and bring no fruit of the Spirit because they never reach in maturity in God; and 4) those who are honest and good in heart, who having heard the Word, hold tightly to it and bring much fruit with persevering patience (Luke 8:5-15).

The Ten Plagues. The word “plague” is also the word “stricken.” Just as Jesus was stricken, so also the evil of the world will be stricken at the end of time as the Lamb of God avenges and delivers His holy people who have suffered at the hands of those who refuse to repent (Rev. 15).

Cup of Suffering. Since our “cup of salvation” cannot be regarded as full when we recall the suffering of the Egyptians, a drop of wine is removed from the cup with the mention of each plague. This signifies the remainder of the suffering which we as believers will endure as we also drink the Cup of Suffering given us by our Father (Mark 10:38-40, John 18:11, Col. 1:24)

Dayenu (It Would Have Been Enough). Let all present join in the refrain thanking God for all the miracles he bestowed upon the Israelites.

The cup is again lifted in joy, thankful for God’s deliverance, ready to praise Him with the first word of the Psalm of praise (Hallel). Two Psalms of the Hallel, Psalms 113-118
Drink the wine, with the blessing of salvation.

6. Rohtza — WashReady to eat, the hands are washed before the meal, as is required at any meal. It is similar to the previous hand-washing, but now all wash with the usual benediction as the hands are dried.

7. Motzi Matzah — Eating MatzahThe first food at the meal is the matzah, the unleavened bread. It is blessed before being eaten.

8. Maror — Bitter HerbsSmall pieces of horseradish are dipped into haroset (a sweet paste symbolic of mortar) to indicate that overemphasis on material things results in bitterness.

9. Korekh —The Passover lamb or kid (young goat) was sacrificed in memory of the blood of the lamb or goat that was put on the doorframe of the houses of Egypt in order for the angel of death, which was bringing judgment, to pass over them and spare their families. In ancient times, the Talmudic scholar Hillel ate the three symbolic foods (lamb, matzah, and bitter herbs) together so that each mouthful contained all three. Thus, the symbols of slavery and liberation were intermingled.

10. Shulhan Orekh — MealThe joyous feasting gives us the feeling of human fellowship in harmony with God.

11. Tzafun — DessertNow the afikomen. Either someone has “stolen” it, or parents can hide the afikoman when it is first put aside (Step 4) and let the children look for it during the meal to win a prize. The larger piece of matzah, the unleavened bread which was broken and hidden is now found and shared among those present. This represents how the body of Jesus was hidden from the sight of His disciples as he ascended into the clouds, with the promise that He will return one day in the same way He ascended and that every eye will see Him on that day! Those who pierced Him will mourn for Him as for an only, beloved son (Acts 1:9-11, Rev. 1:7). Just as the matzah is hidden, it is found by the children and they are rewarded, so also Jesus is coming soon, and says to us, “My reward is with Me!” (Rev. 22:12)

12. Barekh — “Let us praise!”This is the usual “bentschen,” grace after meals, including, of course, thankfulness for the Passover holiday. Fill the cup before this grace and drink the third cup at its conclusion, with the usual “bore p’ri hagafen” blessing.

Door for Elijah. At this point in the seder, they open the door for Elijah, who by tradition is the forerunner of the Messiah, the harbinger of hope, and sing “Eliyahu Ha-navi.” At Jesus’ transfiguration, there was both Moses and Elijah who came and talked with Him. Moses represents the 5 books of the Law that witness against our sin, while Elijah represents the Prophets who prophesied of the Messiah’s coming. Afterward, the disciples asked Him about this, and Jesus declared that Elijah would come, but also had come in the form of John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah. Malachi 4 prophesies of the Judgment Day of the Lord, the second coming of the Messiah, wherein Moses’ Law would testify to our guilt and the prophets would testify to whether we have received the Messiah. Elijah would come again, and if the hearts were not restored, would “strike” the land with a decree to bring them all under the curse of those devoted to destruction.
This is prophesied for completion at the end of time, when the two witnesses will stand and strike the earth with plagues before being martyred and resurrected (2 Kings 2:11, Jude 1:9, Matt 17:1-12, Malachi 4:1-6, Rev. 11:3-13, Zechariah 4:11, John 6:30-46, Luke 16).

13. Hallel — Psalms of PraiseThe rest of the evening is given over to hymns and songs. The Hallel is sung, including Psalm 118, a messianic prophecy of the rejection of Messiah by the leaders of Israel, the Messiah’s death and resurrection and how He becomes the gateway to God for His people (Matt 26:30, Psalm 118).

14. Nirtzah — “Accepted”Nirtzah means to be accepted. Because of the Lamb’s sacrifice, we are included in the righteousness of Jesus when He offered the payment for our redemption price in the form of His life. God accepted us in His Beloved and we are also to accept one another in Jesus in the same way. At this conclusion, they sing L’Shana HaBa’ah B’Y’rushalayim [Next Year in Jerusalem] (Eph. 1:6, Rom. 15:7).

Bringing the Firstfruits (Bikkurim)

By law, the Israelites were commanded to bring the first of their crops and the firstborn of their children or animals to the temple (Ex. 23:19; 34:26, Num. 15:17–21; 18:12–13; Deut. 26:1–11). If it was a crop, it was given to the Levites. If it was an animal or a child, it was redeemed. All firstfruits, however, belonged to God. Jesus became the firstfruits, the firstborn from among the dead in order to redeem all other firstborns (Col 1:18). Just as the firstborns were redeemed before the Exodus from death by the blood of the sacrificial lamb, so when Christ became our Lamb He redeemed us and became the firstborn among many brothers and sisters (Rom. 8:29).

The Resurrection of Christ would begin the first day of the counting of the Omer--on Nisan 16. This harvest counting would give time for the harvest to be fully brought in and completed.

As we continue our studies into the Book of Acts and the work of the Holy Spirit in beginning the Harvest of all souls, let's prayerfully consider how we can follow Jesus, our forerunner.

Isaiah 53

Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.
3He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
5But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?
9And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
10Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief;
when his soul makesh an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11Out of the anguish of his soul he shall seei and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
12Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.

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You, Follow Me!

4/20/2024

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We have a lot of kids. If you might believe it, sometimes it's hard for me to concentrate, get work done, or rest well in our home. :) But I still need to be present and available. So Jeff built me a little cottage as a retreat. I love going out there and looking at the trees, listening to the wind and the water in the creek. God restores my soul there.

For a while my daughters lived in the cottage while our parents were living with us. After they were able to move into other rooms again, the cottage was left cold, empty and uninviting. Of the many things needed out there, the top concern I had was heat! I searched the internet for the perfect heater. I love to read and have a lot of books, so I wanted it to have bookshelves attached. After some time, I found a little, white electric fireplace with bookshelves on either side. It was delightful! I could go out there with a cup of tea and enjoy watching the fake flames dance around. It was great-- until two weeks later the fireplace stopped working.

Oh, the flames still danced, it still looked like it worked, but there was no power to the heat element. All it could do was look pretty. It couldn't function in any purposeful way to chase away the cold in that little room. It needed to be connected to a genuine source of real power.

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” John 21:15

We must hear and 0bey by agape-loving God.

In John 21, John introduces us to Jesus’ commissioning of His disciples on His third appearance to them after His resurrection. The disciples had just gone out fishing, mirroring their original calling by Jesus. Now, after breakfast, Jesus has three questions for Peter, and three questions for us. "Do you love Me?"

John, the author of this gospel, refers to Peter as Simon Peter. His original name was Simon. It is the same name as Simeon, and comes from the Hebrew verb, “shama:” to hear and obey.

The Shama was the commandment of God which the Israelites would recite first in the morning and last at night every day of their existence, which Jesus claimed to be the Greatest Commandment:

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Deut. 6:4-5

This was Simon’s name. He carried this around with him daily. He was to hear and obey God out of gratitude for God hearing his cries for salvation.

But John reminds us that Simon has another name, “Peter.” Why?

To understand Simon Peter’s second name, we need to go back to the beginning of the book, to John 1:40-42. Andrew had just been at John the Baptist’s Jordan River baptism, where John the Baptist identified Jesus as the Messiah when the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus as a dove and remained. He announced Jesus as the Lamb of God who would “take away the sin of the world!” It was then that Andrew went and got Simon and told him that he had found the Messiah and brought him to Jesus.

Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas (Peter)” (which is translated, A Rock). John 1:40-42

But here in this passage Jesus specifically refers only to his original name. Why? We will get to that in a bit, but for now we also need to see that Jesus keeps referring to Simon as the son of Jonah.

Jonah means “Dove.”

But there is also another story of Jonah. It is the story of a prophet that God commands to go to his enemies to tell them of God’s pending judgment who wanted God’s grace for himself, but not for his enemies. The story ends with us as the readers not being told whether Jonah ever allows God to change his heart.

Simon is a son of Jonah. He is frail, weak and full of false bravado. He hears God, he receives God’s grace for his three times’ denial of Jesus and every other wicked thing he had done—but he still doesn’t want to give God’s grace to the evil Gentiles, like the Romans, who had taken over his country and abused them.

Next Week we will start a series in the Book of Acts, and we will find that twice God uses this story with Jesus in John 21, in the story of the Acts of the Spirit in the birth of the Church. Simon will truly be Simon son of Jonah, with a redemptive ending!

So Jesus asks the question, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”

More specifically, Jesus asks “do you have agape-love for me?” This is God’s sacrificial love for us. God so agape-loved the world that while we were still sinners, living in hostile rebellion to God, He gave His only, beloved Son to die to redeem us. That is the agape-love of God. “Simon, son of Jonah, do you agape-love me more than these?

We must agape-love God more than anything in the world.

“More than these.” To whom or what is Jesus referring?

To find out, we need to go back to Jesus’ original calling of Simon Peter in Luke 5:1-11. Jesus had just spoken to the multitude from inside Simon’s boat. Afterward, He tells Simon to put the boat out into the water to catch, and Simon, after protesting that he had tried all night and caught nothing, hears and obeys Jesus. They catch such a great amount of fish that their nets begin to break. In Simon’s awe of this miracle, he falls down at Jesus’ knees in repentance and fear, proclaiming, “go away from me, Lord, I am a sinful man!”

And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him. Luke 5:10-11

Back in John 21, we must remember, Jesus had just risen from the dead. Where does Peter go? Fishing. Jesus’ renewed calling of Simon Peter in John 21 recalls his realization of his sinfulness and the grace given to him. Jesus had originally told him not to be afraid. Simon, however, had been very afraid at the cross, to the point where he denied Jesus three times. So after Jesus’ death Peter goes back to fishing, because it’s what he knows, what he loves, what is safe, and what provides him the life that he wants: one of success and safety.

There is a grammatical structure in the Greek that point to what Jesus is talking about with his phrase “more than these” in both accounts. In the Greek, these words “all” and “more than these” grammatically end the same as the object to which they are referring. In Peter’s original calling, when they “forsook all,” the grammar indicates that the “all” is referring back to the boats. In John 21, “more than these” is also referring to the fishing, to the fish and to his livelihood from this career. The antecedent, the words earlier referenced are the “so many great fish, 153 of them.” Jesus is asking him, “Do you agape-love me more than you love fishing? More than you love this boat, this net, this job, this income, this world?”

Jesus clarifies this further in Luke 14:25:

Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. Luke 14:12-14, 25-33

Back in John 21, Simon’s response to Jesus’ question, Do you agape-love me more than these” is sad and unsatisfactory. He has no power over fear. Simon said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I have phileo-affection for You.”

Peter has a self-awareness. He doesn’t use agape-love, he uses “affection.” He loved Jesus like he might his brother or his family. To agape-love God means to love Him more than anything else. It is a comparison word, and by comparison our love for Him should be so much more than anything else in this world that people might consider the natural love we have for people who are close to us to be in comparison a hatred. That is the difference between the agape-love of God and the phileo-affection that Simon has for Jesus.

If we love Jesus, we must Shepherd His Church.

"Jesus said to Simon, 'Feed My Lambs."

Jesus had just called His disciples “children” at the beginning of their encounter with Him. To feed a sheep means to give it nourishment. To feed a lamb is to give it milk, because it is not yet ready for solid food. Milk is the Word of God, but it is the easy word of God. The gospel, the commands, the elemental principles of God’s word. “As newborn babes,” 2 Peter 2:2 tells us, we are to “desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.”

This command to Simon is part of The Shama:

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
Deut. 6:4-7

If we agape-love Jesus, we will feed those new to Jesus, the little children who are new to the faith, the milk of the Word of God as they grow. We will spend our waking hours looking for opportunities to share with them who God is, what His nature is, and how we can follow Him better.

Milk is for the immature, for the worldly, those not taking the steps of walking in the Spirit.

Paul talks to the Corinthian Church in 1 Cor. 3:1-3 about their pettinesses and sinful, worldly lifestyles as Christians and challenges them:

Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? 1 cor. 3:1-3

Simon was still a “child” because he was still focusing on the world and what he could get out of it. Jesus was calling him to maturity, to forsaking the world and preparing to live out his calling in a way that would no longer just focus on his own need for grace, but also for the world’s need for salvation.

Jesus said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you agape-love Me?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I have affection for You.”

He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”

Sheep are mature adults, mature Christians. To shepherd means to not only provide pasture and calm waters, but also protection from thieves and predators. They are ready to grow on more than just milk. As we shepherd our families and those God has placed into our lives, they will need to be led to where they can learn more about God. They need protection and wisdom from the enemy's lies and deception. They need to be led to still, quiet places where they can have their soul restored in the Lord's presence. They need to be taught how to be discerning between God's voice and the enemy's voice:

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Heb. 5:11-14

Peter was still worldly. He was still focused on what he could gain out of this for himself. He was “supposing that Godliness was gain” (1 Tim. 6:5).

When we are raising our children, the goal isn’t just that they feed themselves, clothe themselves and clean up after themselves. When they are newborns, we do everything for them. As they grow and starting to eat solid food, we still do much of the work for them. But the goal is so much more. We are raising our children to not only provide for themselves, but to be able to provide for a family and their community. To be a blessing to the world. That is maturity.

Jesus is telling Simon will need agape-love to shepherd His church. It is a sacrificial love that lays down one’s life, one’s dreams, one’s success and reputation. In fighting off predators and protecting the sheep, there is necessary risk that we must accept. As a parent, we understand this. We know that caring for our kids means that we may need to place ourselves into harm to make sure that our kids are protected. We know that there will be sleepless nights, long hours, and challenging times trying to provide for them.

This is something that is very challenging for us to accept. It was challenging for Simon, because he loved and cherished his life. In Matthew 16 The Jewish rulers come to Jesus asking him to prove himself as the Messiah. Jesus tells them the only sign they will be given is the Sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the sea serpent for three days and three nights, so Jesus would be in the grave for three days and three nights before his resurrection. Jesus was suffer the cross before the life. The Jewish rulers were looking for a conquering messiah, one who would conquer, decimate and humiliate their enemies, raise them all to power, fame and wealth, and make everything amazing. This is what Simon also wanted from a Messiah. As we go on in Matthew 16, Jesus then warns his disciples to be wary of the problem the Pharisees have. Then in verse 15 he asks them this very important question: Who do you say that I am? It is Simon's answer that defines his identity:

Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Son of Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter (a small pebble or easily moved stone), and on this Rock (a large, cliff-side rock used as a foundation to build structures) I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”
But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
Matthew 16:16-28

It was by the Spirit of God that Peter recognized the power of God in the Son of God! It was by the frailty of his humanity that he resisted the calling to suffering of His same Messiah. Again, in John 10:11-13, Jesus reminds us of the difference between sharing the gospel for worldly gain vs one taking care of the Church out of agape-love:

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. John 10:11-13

But Jesus knows that Simon doesn’t have this kind of courage in him. He knows he’s just a Peter, just a movable, little rock. So when Jesus is telling Simon Peter to Shepherd His Sheep, he is reminding him of his need to understand his frailty as Peter, not just Simon. Simon would need to depend entirely on the Spirit of God to accomplish the work of shepherding God's people. It would only be on the Rock of Christ that the Church would indeed be built and that not even Hell’s Gates could stand up against the onslaught of the Church of Christ to redeem the world that God loves!

Simon Peter should not be afraid. But he is. He is afraid of the cross. He is afraid of death. And this is preventing him from being who he is called to be: one that shepherds Christ’s church.

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection for Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you have phileo-affection for Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I have phileo-affection for You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

Jesus knows all things. Yes, he knows that Simon Peter only has an affection at this point. He needed Simon to know it. He needed Simon to know the kind of love that was necessary. He knows us too. He knows our fears. He knows our conflicting allegiances. He knows that we struggle to give up what we cannot keep to gain what we cannot lose.

He knows it’s hard.

But if we have even affection for Jesus, we must follow Him by taking up our cross and caring for His people.

Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”

The very cross Simon ran from would become the death he died. The fear he faced would be changed into courage by the Power of the Spirit and out of the love that he would be given for God and for the world. Jesus knows this about you too. The Bible says that God always finishes what He starts. He will carry us on to maturity and complete the work He has begun in you and in me (Phil 1:6). Jesus knows this and isn’t afraid that He can’t accomplish this work in us!

But what do we do? I think we are so much like Simon here. We compare ourselves to others in this process. When my kids are young, they often want to divert our learning conversations to avoid applying to themselves what they need to do. "What about her?" "What about him?" they ask. "Don’t they have to do their chores too?" "Why are they getting to stay up late and I have to go to bed?" "Why did they get a date and I haven’t yet?" We look around and wonder what God’s trying to do with someone else. That’s exactly where Simon goes when the conversation gets uncomfortable:

Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”
Jesus said to him, “If I desire that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”
Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”

Simon was likely also remembering Jesus’ words in Matt 16:28:

Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Matt 16:28

John was the only one of the disciples who, according to church tradition, lived a long life and died naturally. John was enabled to see the revelation of Jesus’ second coming in the book of revelation.

Peter sees John following Jesus. John hadn’t run at the cross. It was John who brought Simon into the room where Jesus was standing trial. It was John who stood at the cross, watching Jesus die. It was John who believed as soon as he saw the empty tomb. John is already following Jesus. But Jesus isn’t talking to or about John. He’s talking to Peter. We do that, don’t we? Try to distract ourselves with God’s dealings with others. "What about them, Lord?" "See how they messed up?" "What about them, Lord, aren’t you going to ask them to do something hard?" "Your people aren't getting it right." "What about them, Lord, are they going to have to do it too?"

But Jesus’ response to Simon Peter is the same as to us: If He desires a different outcome for someone else, what is that to us?

“You, follow Me.”

Have you counted the cost to follow Jesus? Do you love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength? Do you love the people of the world as you love yourself? Are we willing to follow Jesus, even to the cross?

Peter wasn’t ready for any of these things. He was just a weak, double-minded human who was frail and too small to accomplish the great task that Jesus had assigned for him. We feel that. If we are real with ourselves before God, we know we don’t have what it takes to love like God loves, to lay down our lives every day for others, to risk our lives to save our enemies. But Jesus isn’t asking us to be strong, He is asking us to connect into Him as our Source of Power so that we can walk in His strength, doing His works, and allowing God to use us to build His Church on Jesus Christ, the immovable Rock! As we will see next week, a Power was coming from God that would give them and us exactly the kind of courage that we need to love God and shepherd His Church.

As we lean into Jesus’ hard questions for us this week, let’s not get distracted with what God is doing with other people. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to show us what things in this world—our families, friends, work, reputation, comfort.

What are the things that we are clinging to that prevent us from loving God with all our hearts? Are we willing let His Spirit fill us with the power to accomplish what He's called us to do?

References:
1Strong's Greek: 4074. Πέτρος (Petros) -- "a stone" or "a boulder," Peter, one of the twelve apostles (biblehub.com)
2Strong's Greek: 3404. μισέω (miseó) -- to hate (biblehub.com)

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40 Days with Goliath - Final

7/1/2021

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For forty days the Philistine came forward
every morning and evening and
took his stand.

1 Samuel 17:40-54

This week we took our fluffy, white puppy to a geology camp with our kids. They got to learn about dinosaurs, handle real fossils and petrified dinosaur eggs, be awed by a plethora of fluorescent rocks, and dig in the dirt to find their own fossils.
The owners of the camp had three large Great Pyranees, who nightly scouted their 180+ acre farm in the desert of Washington for grizzlies, wolves and cougars who regularly frequented the ranch. Last fall, their pyranees had attacked and treed a cougar on the property.
During the day, as we watched from a distance, our small bundle of fluff, about the size of an Australian Terrier, would crawl on her belly toward these giant dogs. Her nose running along the ground, she would inch and pause, inch and pause, positioning herself as close as she dared to them. As soon as she reached them, she would flip her belly into the air, pleading for their mercy, and then snuggle up close for their protection.
Bedtime, however, was another story! As we would settle in for the night, spanning the length of a log bunkhouse with our kids, we would give our dog her food next to her crate on the porch. Next to us, she had all kinds of courage. In her mind, though not in mine, we were much more powerful than these pyranees! As the other dogs would advance, tails wagging, to check out the smell from her dog bowl, she would bristle, bark, and growl at them. It was hilarious to watch her challenge them from the vantage of the porch, with her family behind her!
As I watched her take courage based on her faith in our abilities, it reminded me of little David's courage as he fought Goliath. A courageous faith, that, unlike our dog's, was not misplaced.
In Part 1, we studied the place and stance of our fight, and who our Goliaths are. In Part 2, we looked at some of the first problems David encountered before he even had to stand up to his Goliath, and how he rooted himself firmly in his identity and future. In Part 3, we focused on how David negotiated closed doors, discrimination, and how to maintain an effective defense in a new battle situation. Today, I want to dig in to the Covenant relationship we have with God, how to gather our resources, estimate the cost, and how to turn the enemy's weapons against himself!

COVENANT
Let's declare our loyalty and love for God above all!

Goliath appeared “morning and evening,” when the Shema was to be declared. The Shema was Israel's affirmation of faith in God as their Covenant King--the Covenant authority Goliath was trying to replace by usurpation:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord [YHWH\ our God [Elohim, plural for God\, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
Deut. 6:4-7 NKJV

God's people were commanded to declare vocally that the Lord was their God, in all of His triune, plural Godhead. They were to declare the command to love God with everything that was in them. Morning and evening, they were to rise and make these declarations over their lives and that of their families and nation. It was and is the quintessential statement of their faith in God.
It was their enemy's goal to make Israel, God's people, omit this affirmation of faith and to transfer their faith and obedience to his mastery over them.
Our enemy wants to take God's place in our lives in order to imprison and destroy us. It has been his goal from the very beginning, when he challenged the Godhead! (Isa. 14:12-21)
But God has not left us without resources.

COMPILE
Let's gather what we need!

Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself
five smooth stones from the brook,
and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had,
and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.
1 Sam. 17:40

As a shepherd, these are the typical things David would have already been using regularly. David gathered his staff, his bag, and his sling. The staff he brought to the fight would have been a smaller, blunt, club-like stick. This stick was different than the rod, or shepherd's crook, that he would have used to guide, discipline and rescue the sheep. This particular staff would have been what David used to beat away predators, wild dogs, lions, and bears. The sling would be slung with a stone at a predator from more distance: efficient and deadly.
God wants us to be resourceful. While He is the God who creates everything out of nothing, He still chooses to participate with us so that we can join Him in the pleasure and reward of victory!
What do we have in our hand today? It is enough.
It is enough because we have a God who multiplies. He multiplies our time, energies and resources. He just wants a willing and giving heart. “For if there is first a willing mind, [the gift] is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.” (2 Cor. 8:12)
It is enough because He is the One who is our strength. He is the God of angel armies. “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him (2 Chron. 16:9a).
David gathered five stones.
At first glance, the five stones seem like backup plans. If the first stone failed, he would have more to try again. But that wasn't the purpose. Just as Jesus died once for all, (1 Pet. 3:18) so David would defeat the giant with one blow.

No, these extra stones were a preparation for David's future. You see, Goliath had four more brothers, all giants. They ruled with the Philistines, their allies, in the five cities of Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and Gath, which was situated within the southeastern shore of Israel's border along the the Mediterranean Sea.1
These giants were descended from Anak, of the giant ethnic group of the Nephilim, which began pre-flood, but whose lineage continued post-flood. The descendants of Anak had settled in the best, most fertile land of Canaan, in the mountainous and well-watered region of what would be called the land of Hebron. (Gen. 6:4; Deut. 9:2; Josh 15:3)
God knew that His people would be tempted to fear the giants. God never denied that His people are unequal to the giants. Rather, He wants to change our perspective to see the giants in juxtaposition to His own might!

Just as God's people were to cross over to occupy the Promised Land, God gave them this promise:

Hear, O Israel: You are to cross over the Jordan today, and go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to heaven, a people great and tall, the descendants of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the descendants of Anak?’ Therefore understand today that the Lord your God is He who goes over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and bring them down before you; so you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the Lord has said to you.
Deut. 9:1-3

When the twelve spies were sent by the Israelites before they were to go into conquer the land, only two men, Joshua and Caleb(from the tribe of Judah), came back with a good report of the land.
After 40 days of spying out the land—40 days of seeing the goodness of what God had promised to give them and 40 days of witnessing the intimidating power of the giants—Caleb and Joshua alone saw the power of the giants in relation to God. They saw the immense benefit of the land. The rest of the spies could only focus on the giants in relation to themselves: We were as grasshoppers in their sight!” (Num. 13:33)
As an old man, it was Caleb of the tribe of Judah who would ask to inherit the specific region of the giants, Hebron, that he might drive them out. Many years later, it would be in Hebron that David would first occupy as reigning king (2 Sam. 5:3).
David knew that once he took on this fight with Goliath, it would necessitate an all-out war against the rest of the giants in the land of Philistia (2 Sam 21:18-22). David was making a commitment with the Lord to participate fully in walking in victory over everything that God had promised him. The gathering of stones was an act of faith--not only for this day of battle, but for a lifetime with God.
Like his aged ancestor, Caleb, the youth David wanted to have complete victory with God. At either spectrum of weakness, they two showed us the power of God to empower us in our weakness!
What are those battle areas in our lives that we know will follow on the heels of victory? Where are the strongholds that you can identify today, that you know you will need to deal with in the Lord-- Those places of defeat, of family history, or intimidation?
While God doesn't ask us to fight every battle all at once, we can still make some preparation now. What steps can you take in faith now, to prepare for when those battles will come to you?

COMPARE
Let's assess the situation from a right perspective!

So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.
1 Sam. 17:41-47 NKJV

David took stock. He inventoried what his enemy had, and of what he himself had. His enemy had formidable, real, and powerful weapons and stature. He himself had the Name of the God of angel armies. David compared the two, and declared his side to be the more powerful. He knew that the One within us is greater than the enemy (1 John 4:4).
Jesus showed us in Luke 14:28-32 that as His disciples, He expects us to first sit down and weigh the cost of discipleship. Is our God big enough? Is the reward worth it? Are we willing to invest all that we have?
Since the investment of ourselves in this battle is very costly, God wants us to know that this battle is important enough to Him to commit all that He has to the battle with us.
There are two reasons why God is committed to work with you to defeat your giants:
God wants to be glorified in the entire earth as the only true and all-powerful God, with nothing and no one comparable to Him.
God wants all the people who know you personally to have a deeper understanding of how God works for His people. He wants them to respond to Him in faith in their own lives.
Once we have weighed the balances, once we have made up our minds whose side we are on, there must be no hesitation. It is the time to run into the battle!

CHARGE!
Let's wield the weapon the enemy uses with confidence!

So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron. Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents. And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.
1 Sam. 17:48-54

David didn't start into the fight with a sword to kill Goliath--it was the sword Goliath carried that David used to kill him! It would be the sword that David used again and again throughout his fighting battles against the Philistines and any who would encroach upon the territory he was commissioned to guard (1 Sam. 21:9).
Goliath's sword stands for the Word of God (Eph 6:17). It is the Sword that the enemy uses to accuse us to God night and day, morning and evening (Zech 3:1; Rev. 12:10). God's Word contains the law of commandments, the handwriting of ordinances, under which we, as lawbreakers, stand condemned before God as the Righteous Judge.
The devil uses God's own words to declare us guilty—to declare that we have no help from God because of our sin. It is that same Word of God that we must use to shut down the voice of the enemy. We can acknowledge the accusation---”Yes, by God's standards I was guilty of that sin. Yes, by God's Word I had no standing on my own with God because of that guilt. But that is why the blood of Christ was so important. He paid the penalty for me, and I have been brought near into covenant relationship with God through the blood of Christ (Eph 2:13)!
This Sword, the Word of God, also contains the Promises of God for us as the People of God. The devil tries to use the Promises of God to derail us from our purposes in the Will of God.
In Jesus' temptation in the wilderness after His baptism and anointing by the Spirit--Jesus' own battle with Goliath--we see three Promises of God that Satan wielded to try to derail Jesus from His purpose in Luke 4:1-13:

“God promised to provide for you.”
“God promised to give you the kingdom.”
“God promised to protect you.”

In each of these temptations, there was a legitimate and real promise of God found in Scripture for God's people that Satan tried to persuade Jesus to obtain outside of the Will of God. In each temptation, Jesus wielded the Word of God back to the devil to declare the larger and more complete purpose of God. Because Jesus had a complete understanding of God's greater plan of redemption, Jesus left these promises unfulfilled in His earthly life. Even though Jesus had the actual power to make these promises happen physically at that time, He chose to give them up to God's better will for His life in order to bring us into His joy along with Him.
Jesus gave up His provision (Matt 8:20), his kingdom (John 18:36), and His protection (Matt. 26:53) in a temporal setting in exchange for a lasting and eternal Promise (Phil 2:6-11).
Ultimately, as Jesus died on the cross, he fulfilled the promise of redemption for us from the enemy found in Genesis 3:15 AMP “And I will put enmity (open hostility) between you[the devil] and the woman, and between your seed (offspring) and her Seed [Jesus]. He shall [fatally] bruise your[the devil's] head, and you shall [only] bruise His heel.”
Just as David used the sword of Goliath to render the enemy in his life powerless, so Jesus used the very weapon Satan tried to use against Himself to destroy the devil and to render him powerless. Jesus' own death resulted in Satan's destruction: “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction!” (Hos 13:14)
It was this laying down of Jesus' rights under the Word of God for our sake that reconciled us to God:

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities[all evil spirits\, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Col. 2:13-15 NIV

When you take courage and find these battles in your life, people around you will see that God is able to deliver them. Many of them will take courage and come to the battle as well. Not only did the Israelites join with David in the battle, but they were also able to plunder the Philistines, securing their border and taking home a reward.
David, however, knew that there was something else he must do. He must place physical reminders--memorials--of the victories he had with God, in prominent locations. The head of the giant went to Jerusalem, and the armor David placed in his own home.
These memorials would be not only be for the present, placed in his current dwelling place, but also in Jerusalem: the future of where he would ultimately reside as King of Israel, and the location where Satan's head would, one day, be crushed by Jesus Himself as Jesus gave His own life on the cross.
What can you do to establish memorials pointing to the victory of Christ for yourself and for successive generations?
How will you point to your reminders and tell your story?

Reference:
Palestine-David-Solomon.jpg (912×1600) (britannica.com)1

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The Power That Remains

4/6/2021

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Have you ever been fascinated by mountain climbers? I just think it's incredibly daring and awe-inspiring. They train intensively for the altitude differences in oxygen levels and physical exertion. They research and prepare the proper equipment and layers of moisture wicking clothing, and for most of them, they hire a competent and experienced guide.
  As much as they train or prepare, though, things can go wrong.
I remember a few years back when an extended family member had been training rigorously for a climb. Unfortunately, he broke his leg shortly before the trip was to start, and disappointedly he wasn't able to go with his team. During the week he had been set to go, Nepal was hit with a severe earthquake and avalanches began on the mountain he was set to climb--Everest.
Tragically, all the training, protection and guidance couldn't stop the injuries and even deaths that resulted from an unforeseen and uncontrollable force of nature.
In my studies this week, I saw some of the same devastation in the life of King Saul. In 1 Samuel 16, we find that after his rejection of God, he made a progressive series of poor and destructive choices that avalanched over his kingdom and family.

After the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, a spirit of distress
{evil, bad, wicked} from the LORD began to torment {terrorize, startle} him. Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely a spirit of distress from God is tormenting you.
1 Samuel 16:14-15

  Without the Spirit of God, Saul was susceptible to the mental torment of an evil spirit.
Earlier in 1 Samuel we see that when Saul was anointed as king, God sent His Holy Spirit to rest upon Saul and empower him with courage, passion and wisdom to get the tasks done that the Lord gave him for his position over the people.
Once Saul, however, had thoroughly rejected God as his own king (1 Sam 13:13-14; 14:11-26), God in turn rejected Saul, and by consequence, the Spirit of God was removed in order that Saul and all the people of Israel could see just how evil power without godliness could be (1 Sam 8:7-18).
After the Holy Spirit and presence of God was removed from Saul's life, it was a natural next step for Saul to be harassed by an evil spirit. While we see from the passage that God sent the evil spirit, displaying the sovereignty of God, we also know from Saul's own free choices that he was dwelling on the very temptations that the evil spirit enticed him with...jealously, evil suspicions, envy, murder, deceit, malice, debilitating fear, worry, and discontent.
The word used in the Hebrew for the evil spirit “tormenting” him, means to terrorize, bring fear, make one easily startled. He became unable to properly handle the ministrations of the kingdom, being often brooding, enraged, distracted, anxious and rash.
While God indeed is sovereign in this situation, Saul also made his choice. He chose to serve the evil of his own heart rather than to repent, which in turn led to an open invitation by his spirit to other evil spirits. Spirits of fear, of lust, of pride, and of murder.
Jesus tells the story in Matthew 12 about a man who had been freed from an evil spirit, and had “swept his house clean, and set it in order.” The healed man's spirit was free and clear and in completely order, free to make its own choices. Tragically, the man's choice was to leave his own spirit empty. In so doing, he became a target for the evil spirit who had previously occupied his body. Going to arid places, Jesus tells us, the evil spirit sought seven other spirits more evil than itself and invited them to come with him to reoccupy the empty man's body, since there was an open vacancy. “The final condition of that man,” Jesus tells us, “was worse than the first.”
   A few years ago we owned a delightful dark chocolate brown newfoundland puppy. He was fluffy and cuddly and playful. Very quickly, though, we discovered that we enjoyed him better without that "wet dog" smell that is so classic to long-haired dogs. Now, newfoundlands are bred to be water rescue dogs. Their coats are extra insulating and warm, and they love to play in the rain and snow, making him a perfect dog for our mountain home. What we learned, though, is that if we shampooed his coat it would temporarily strip the natural oils from his fur and take away the natural waterproofing with which he was created. Without the oils saturating his fur, the moisture would have access to his skin.
Jesus' story illustrated that the only way to not be occupied by evil was to be filled with the Holy Spirit, effectively shutting the door against any unwanted occupation.

Submission to God, His will and His spirit
results in a saturation that repels evil.

But there is another condition which the Bible shares with us about torment from evil spirits, one of which believers should also be aware. It is not an occupation, but it is an exterior pressure that brings suffering internally. An occupation or indwelling of an evil spirit gives it mastery over a person, and enslaves a man to do evil. In contrast, though, suffering experienced by a believer from an evil spirit results in the power and glory of Christ and increased ministry!
My husband and I are currently leading a youth group at our church. Over the course of the year, I have noticed that whatever Biblical principle I am about to share in our ministry ends up coming very close and raw in my own life, and I far too often find myself confused at the particular and unique trials and feelings that I go through.
Confused that is, until I start to work on the next passage for our studies, and find the very answers to my own situation and needs! To be truthful, I am both a little annoyed at this and very grateful. I wish I didn't need to go through even a taste of each problem before I shared it, but it does help me to understand the frustrations and challenges that are involved in working through these principles with the Lord, and I am so very grateful that He does know how to help me handle them!
This last week, I found myself often coming under a particularly frustrating attack on my nerves. It was debilitating. I am used to having the end of a long day or when my blood sugar is low be very challenging or stressful for me, particularly with noise or mess. But this particular morning was unique in that I was thoroughly rested, well fed, and with no greater than normal noise level. I found that all of a sudden every noise was excruciating, my work on homeschooling or on the computers were met with every kind of roadblock and frustration, and that my soul seemed completely overwhelmed.
Not only that, but even with my holding in my feelings so that the kids wouldn't be disturbed (I certainly can't say that I have the self-control to never spill my frustrations onto my kids, but this morning I had been extra careful), I started to hear the little kids reacting to this spiritual attack in the middle of what had been a peaceful morning, and they were completely unable to cope. It dawned on me after a bit (I should have noticed it sooner!) that it was spiritual in nature, rather than just a typically difficult day. I prayed silently, submitted our school day and agendas to the Lord, asked for His help and peace and Spirit to comfort us, and commanded any evil spirit to leave in Jesus' name. Within moments God's Spirit had restored my calm and peace completely, and the kids were peaceful again as well, praise the Lord!
The funny thing is, and rather embarrassing to admit, I forget those moments so very easily! Even today, as I was trying to sit down to write out this devotional, the very same thing happened. This time, it wasn't until I started reading through the passage that it dawned on me that the spiritual attack was happening again, and that I needed to deal with it in the Lord. Once again, as soon as I did, His peace and comfort returned and I was free to work without impairment.
While that is so simple and wonderful, though, there have been many times where whatever trouble it was that I pleaded with the Lord to remove just remained in my life, and I had to live with the problem while living in His peace in the middle of it, sometimes for years, and some that are still ongoing for me.
In 2 Corinthians 12:17 the Apostle Paul shares with us his story of great favor, blessing and revelation from the Lord, and his subsequent suffering in order to not give himself over to sin. For Paul, it was very similar—an evil spirit to bring him suffering. However, because Paul's spirit was indwelt with the Holy Spirit, he had an entirely different outcome: “Lest I should be exalted above measure, there was given me a thorn [stake, impalement] of the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to buffet[beat, pound in] me.”
Paul doesn't share with us in this context to what he was referring, whether it was a physical ailment, emotional trauma, mental agony or spiritual temptation, but whatever it was left him feeling weak and inadequate for what he was called to do. The words he used suggest to me that it was his own form of bearing the cross, the impalement of the cross, from which Jesus Himself prayed also to be spared.
Therefore, when Paul asked Jesus three time to remove this evil spirit, this acute suffering, Jesus would not, but replied to him:

  “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Paul's response is both awe-inspiring and humbling at the same time:

“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,
so that Christ's power may rest on me.”

Honestly, this is hard for me. Being weak and inadequate while allowing God to use me is not really what I had hoped for in my dreams of a future in ministry or parenting. Dealing with pain, frustration, uncertain physical outcomes and spiritual attacks on my family definitely wasn't.
But if my weakness and inadequacy makes Christ's power more evident, if it increases His glory and leads to more healing and wholeness for myself, my family and the people God brings into my life, then I want it. It does feel backward to me, but a couple of verses come to my mind, "for the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God....But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him." (1 Cor 1:18, 27-29)
What about you? What things in your life does the Spirit put his finger on and say, “This....[pain, unfinished story, brokenness, weakness, insufficiency].....this is what I want to use to bring people to Me? This...is how I will bring you the very most blessing.....

"This...is what makes My power rest on you...and remain.”

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Your Presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation, and renew a right spirit within me."
Psalm 51:10-12
A Psalm of David
after he sinned with Bathsheba

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Bread of Affliction

There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes. Exodus 28:21

15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:15-16

And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” Luke 23:35

Early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrina devised a plan. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate. Mark 15:1

Behold, the Lamb of God!

Yeast Removal

Fast of the Firstborn

Cessation from Work

Seder Meal (Last Supper/Communion)

Bringing the Firstfruits (Bikkurim)

You, Follow Me!

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” John 21:15

We must hear and 0bey by agape-loving God.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Deut. 6:4-5

Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas (Peter)” (which is translated, A Rock). John 1:40-42

We must agape-love God more than anything in the world.

And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him. Luke 5:10-11

If we love Jesus, we must Shepherd His Church.

Jesus said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you agape-love Me?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I have affection for You.”

He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”

Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Matt 16:28

40 Days with Goliath - Final

For forty days the Philistine came forward
every morning and evening and
took his stand.

1 Samuel 17:40-54

COVENANT
Let's declare our loyalty and love for God above all!

COMPILE
Let's gather what we need!

Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself
five smooth stones from the brook,
and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had,
and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.
1 Sam. 17:40

COMPARE
Let's assess the situation from a right perspective!

CHARGE!
Let's wield the weapon the enemy uses with confidence!

The Power That Remains

Author

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Bread of Affliction

​

There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes. Exodus 28:21

15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:15-16​

And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” Luke 23:35

Early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrina devised a plan. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate. Mark 15:1​

Behold, the Lamb of God!

Yeast Removal

Fast of the Firstborn

Cessation from Work

Seder Meal (Last Supper/Communion)

Bringing the Firstfruits (Bikkurim)

You, Follow Me!

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” John 21:15​

We must hear and 0bey by agape-loving God.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Deut. 6:4-5

Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas (Peter)” (which is translated, A Rock). John 1:40-42

We must agape-love God more than anything in the world.

And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him. Luke 5:10-11

If we love Jesus, we must Shepherd His Church.

Jesus said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you agape-love Me?”He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I have affection for You.”​He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”​

Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Matt 16:28​

40 Days with Goliath - Final

For forty days the Philistine came forwardevery morning and evening and​​took his stand.1 Samuel 17:40-54

COVENANTLet's declare our loyalty and love for God above all!​

COMPILELet's gather what we need!​

Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook,​and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had,and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.1 Sam. 17:40

COMPARELet's assess the situation from a right perspective!​

CHARGE!Let's wield the weapon the enemy uses with confidence!​

The Power That Remains

Author

Archives

Categories

15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:15-16

Early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrina devised a plan. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate. Mark 15:1

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” John 21:15

Jesus said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you agape-love Me?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I have affection for You.”

He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”

Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Matt 16:28

For forty days the Philistine came forward
every morning and evening and
took his stand.

1 Samuel 17:40-54

COVENANT
Let's declare our loyalty and love for God above all!

COMPILE
Let's gather what we need!

Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself
five smooth stones from the brook,
and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had,
and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.
1 Sam. 17:40

COMPARE
Let's assess the situation from a right perspective!

CHARGE!
Let's wield the weapon the enemy uses with confidence!