reprinted from June 08 - PSYC Blog - but I read it again and it took my breath away - God has such awesome little stories tucked away in between the pages that can really speak to us where we are . . .
There is a little known story of Elisha blinding the enemy in 2 Kings 6:8-22. In the Bible, we read about how he knows of the enemies location and each time the enemy wants to attack, the men of Israel are ready for the King of Aram. Then the King of Aram seeks out Elisha and surrounds his town with chariots and a great army. The servant of Elisha is afraid until his eyes are opened to see the surrounding Armies of the Lord and they have chariots of FIRE! However, they aren't even needed because Elisha prays for blindness in the enemy army and then leads them (for 13 miles) deep into Israeli territory (into the city of Samaria).
He then prays for their sight to be restored and instead of surrounding the enemy army and killing them, they prepared a great feast for them - with food and drink - and then sent them back to their king. It worked. God got the glory and the fighting from that enemy ceased.
What a great illustration and picture of The Salvation Army. We are aware of the strongholds of the enemy - for example - alcohol - yes, the Bible says drink a little wine and is not exclusively against the consumption of it. Many cultures take a little beer with their meal. Is this a sin? The Bible does not say it is. But it certainly can be - and often is - a stronghold for the enemy. In the Army, we become aware of many of the pitfalls and strongholds that can capture us and make us "prisoners of war." We teach our people to be aware of the location of the enemy - his wily ways . . .
When we become surrounded by seemingly insurmountable odds, we need to remember the flag that encircles us - the Blood and the Fire.
I love the next part, too - the enemy is brought into the city - and then treated with kindness and love. Are they converted? Sadly, no. Did they stay? No, they returned home. But were they enemies any longer? The Bible says no. It's the people who were treated kindly but they took reports back home to the king.
I see The Salvation Army here so clearly. The world sees us how they want to see us - a social services organization, a good rehab organizatin, people who do lots of good. When they are brought inside the city, they realize we are a church - a religious group of fanatics who are doing nice things for people for an ulterior motive - to convert them. They begin to see us as we really are - people of God (which can sometimes be very offensive in a tolerant world that is not tolerant of Christianity). And yet, just about the time, they reach for their weapons to throw at us (cries of discrimination, threats of funding losses, etc.), we do the same thing to them that we do to everyone else (hopefully) - we treat them with love and kindness and respect (I hope!).
Now the enemy KING in our world is not going to be happy if we are nice to people who are in his kingdom and he is not willing to call a cease-fire just because we feed drug addicts and alcoholics. But we can expect less direct fire - because after all, people are people - and when you treat an enemy (who is within your power) kindly, they often respond with embarassed retreat.
And lest you want the argue the idea, remember who is encamped outside the city - the Army of God - ready to fight at the command of the Lord - for us.
If God is for us, who can be against us?
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
about the ark and the veil . . . .
I'm studying about the plans for the Tabernacle . . . wow, so many breathless things there!
The Ark of God - covered with gold, the testimony on the inside. This speaks of integrity - I can't just look good on the outside - it's what on the inside that makes up the value.
And the veil - I've heard that the veil being rent meant we have access to the Holy Place, that the old covenant is done away with now, that we no longer have to do the sacrifices to approach him. Okay, I agree that it means we have access to God - even me, as a non-priest woman Gentile person. But I have read about some other traditions that might make a little more sense of why it was written that the veil was rent.
Traditionally (in the Talmud), the Jews say that whoever is closest to a person when he dies is obligated to tear/rent his clothes, as a sign of mourning and anguish. They also say (in another place in the Talmud) that the veil or the curtain is God's tunic (so even God had to wear a tunic!). If God rent his tunic at the time of the death of Jesus, then it means that he was the closest one to Jesus at the time of his death - and it is like a Father who rents his clothes at the death of his Son. That leaves me breathless!
The Ark of God - covered with gold, the testimony on the inside. This speaks of integrity - I can't just look good on the outside - it's what on the inside that makes up the value.
And the veil - I've heard that the veil being rent meant we have access to the Holy Place, that the old covenant is done away with now, that we no longer have to do the sacrifices to approach him. Okay, I agree that it means we have access to God - even me, as a non-priest woman Gentile person. But I have read about some other traditions that might make a little more sense of why it was written that the veil was rent.
Traditionally (in the Talmud), the Jews say that whoever is closest to a person when he dies is obligated to tear/rent his clothes, as a sign of mourning and anguish. They also say (in another place in the Talmud) that the veil or the curtain is God's tunic (so even God had to wear a tunic!). If God rent his tunic at the time of the death of Jesus, then it means that he was the closest one to Jesus at the time of his death - and it is like a Father who rents his clothes at the death of his Son. That leaves me breathless!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Breathless Moment #1
I am reading in Exodus today - chapter 13 where the children of Israel are leaving Egypt.
Exodus 13:9 "Moses took the bones of Joseph with him."
Genesis 50:24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." 25 And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place."
Hebrews 11:22 "By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones."
Joseph knew there was going to be a redemption. He knew that freedom from slavery meant a change of life, a change of location, a change of heart - and that they would be leaving Egypt for places elsewhere. He made the sons of Israel solemnly swear that they would carry his bones from Egypt.
When did this happen? It happened on the First Passover - when the sacrifice was made, redemption was granted, and freedom allowed them to leave. His bones were taken as well - leaving behind an empty tomb.
Two thousand years later, we find another empty tomb - on another celebration of Passover - but this time, it was THE Passover of Passovers, the promised redemtpion. "Just as the redemption from Egypt betokens our redemption in Messiah, so too Joseph's empty tomb portends Messiah's empty tomb. In fact, the tomb in which the Master was laid belonged to a man named Joseph." (Vol. 2 - shadows of the messiah - first fruits of zion)
I am reminded of the road to Emmaus when Jesus meets the two disciples walking . . .Luke 24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Wow. Three obscure verses about some dead man who is so insecure that he doesn't want to be buried in a foreign land. I mean, in today's day and age, who cares what happens to your bones after you die? After all, doesn't the Bible say we will be with Him? What does it matter?
But the three verses show us several things - 1: God has a plan. 2: He has always had a plan. 3: What is written in the Old Testament is found in the New Testament, which proves another important point - God never changes. 4: Reading the New Testament is like reading Cliff's notes. It's so much better when you read the book itself.
Read the book.
Exodus 13:9 "Moses took the bones of Joseph with him."
Genesis 50:24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." 25 And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place."
Hebrews 11:22 "By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones."
Joseph knew there was going to be a redemption. He knew that freedom from slavery meant a change of life, a change of location, a change of heart - and that they would be leaving Egypt for places elsewhere. He made the sons of Israel solemnly swear that they would carry his bones from Egypt.
When did this happen? It happened on the First Passover - when the sacrifice was made, redemption was granted, and freedom allowed them to leave. His bones were taken as well - leaving behind an empty tomb.
Two thousand years later, we find another empty tomb - on another celebration of Passover - but this time, it was THE Passover of Passovers, the promised redemtpion. "Just as the redemption from Egypt betokens our redemption in Messiah, so too Joseph's empty tomb portends Messiah's empty tomb. In fact, the tomb in which the Master was laid belonged to a man named Joseph." (Vol. 2 - shadows of the messiah - first fruits of zion)
I am reminded of the road to Emmaus when Jesus meets the two disciples walking . . .Luke 24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Wow. Three obscure verses about some dead man who is so insecure that he doesn't want to be buried in a foreign land. I mean, in today's day and age, who cares what happens to your bones after you die? After all, doesn't the Bible say we will be with Him? What does it matter?
But the three verses show us several things - 1: God has a plan. 2: He has always had a plan. 3: What is written in the Old Testament is found in the New Testament, which proves another important point - God never changes. 4: Reading the New Testament is like reading Cliff's notes. It's so much better when you read the book itself.
Read the book.
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