Life is Vain - Ecclesiastes 11-12

 Ecclesiastes 12:6-8 (ESV)

before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.

In the 12th chapter of Solomon’s book we read the decline of life due to old age and then culminated in the final moment of death, as written above.    As always, to understand the above we need to go to the end of the book to recall Solomon’s conclusion to life:

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (ESV)

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Solomon is telling us that life, without God, is vanity. So, as we read the language about a golden bowl, or a sliver cord, or a broken pitcher, we understand that THIS life comes to an end.  That is what Solomon has been trying to teach us throughout the book.   He has been outlining the fact that everything on this earth is vanity.  He has experienced it all and even if you have it all, it is vain.    In the end we return to dust.   This entire book leads us to Philip’s words said to Jesus:

John 14:8 (ESV)

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”

We have to come to the point that nothing on this earth is ours and nothing on this earth lasts.  We are to have our entire focus on the Father.  He and He alone is enough.   

Praise God Before Whoever - Psalms 137-139

 Psalms 138:1 (ESV)

Give Thanks to the LORD

OF DAVID.

I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;

before the gods I sing your praise;

We are not sure who the “gods” are in the above psalm.   This song is a thanksgiving song that starts out with David’s declaration of his intent to give God thanks before ...?   The term “gods” could mean before human leaders, such as judges or rulers.    But, it could also mean heavenly beings.   It could be before the fallen angels.  It could mean he is going to praise God before and in the presence of the heavenly angels that worship God, day and night.    It might not matter if we understand David’s pledge.  It might be that the ambiguity of the word is intended.  David is simply claiming that he wants to give thanks to the LORD and he will do it before anyone who is there to hear.   David is not bashful in his praise.  Nor should we be.  We should not let the word “god” be our focus.   We should focus on David wanting to give thanks with is “whole” heart.   When we do that, in that way and to that measure, it matters not who we are in front of.    We don’t mind praising God in church on Sunday morning.   But, will we do so on Friday night, or Saturday night before others?  Will we praise God 8-5 during our work week before our boss, our co-workers, our clients.   This is the test of praising and thanking God with a “whole” heart before the “gods.”  Whatever the term means, David was willing to sing praise to God in front of them.  As should we.  

Leadership Trusts God, but Still Works the Plan - Nehemiah 1-4

 Nehemiah 4:19-20 (ESV)

And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the city, starting on the city walls.   When he arrived he had no idea that the rebuilding of the city would first start with rebuilding of the mindset of the people.  They were very defeated.  Their outward enemies were scornful and belittling them.  There was actually a plot to get the workers on the walls to desert (Nehemiah 4:10-14).  Nehemiah, however, came up with a plan to make sure no one deserted the work and everyone felt supported and safe in the work.  He assured they had hope that the work would be finished and that they were safe while doing the work.   Because the work was so spread out it was necessary for Nehemiah to establish an alarm system to alert everyone to where to concentrate on safety.  He, himself, would be on constant guard for the people.  He made himself available and engaged in the work.   As he supervised the worked he focused on the safety of his people.   So he made sure the people were not lax.   He made sure they were ready and able to protect themselves and each other.  Yet, he also reminded them that the strength for them was not in his organizational skills or in their fighting skills.  He reminds them that it is God who will fight for them.    Nehemiah is a great leader who not only engaged the people in the work, but also engaged them with God, who was both behind the work and the purpose for the work.   He took care of their immediate safety, but also made sure they didn’t just sit and wait for God to supernaturally complete the work.  God would use them to complete the work and He watched over them.  God would defend them by making sure Nehemiah equipped them.  Good leadership relies on God as they equip their teams to fight the fight and do the work.   Faith is an action item that is demonstrated by works.   

Reminders Are Important - Deuteronomy 20-22

 Deuteronomy 22:12 (ESV)

“You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of the garment with which you cover yourself.

To understand the above command from God to the nation of Israel, we need to read the following:

Numbers 15:37-41 (ESV)

The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD your God.”

I wear a rubber bracelet on each of my wrists.  They both are a portions of Bible verses that are reminders to me about how I want to live my life.    Apparently they didn’t have rubber bracelets in Moses’ day.    The point of the tassels was to remind the Israelite that God was faithful to them and they were to be faithful to Him.   The tassels were to be on their “cloak.”   In those days they didn’t have an outfit for each day.   Their cloaks were to wear during the day and at night.   Therefore they were forever be reminded of God’s Word and God’s faithfulness to them.   This was to be a constant reminder to them.  Man is forgetful.  Therefore, having a reminder of God’s commands and man’s obligations to those commands was a constant battle.   We need to be reminded each day of God’s Word.   This is why having reminders helps us.  

Grow in Grace - 2 Peter

 2 Peter 3:18 (ESV Strong's)

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Grow in Grace

Peter gives us much to learn and remember throughout both his first and second letters.   In this second letter he starts out by telling the readers “what” growth in Christ looks like:

2 Peter 1:5-7 (ESV Strong's)

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 

He then tells them “why” they should grow:

2 Peter 1:8 (ESV Strong’s)

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally, in the above text that ends the letter for Peter, he tells them “how” this growth takes place:  In God’s Grace.   It would be easy for the reader to read a portion of the letter and walk away thinking that their own efforts are what produces growth in their live.  Yet, Peter ends the book by telling them that growth is only possible as a gift of God via His grace.   It would be easy to read and think we are to “do” things to produce what Peter is writing about in the first chapter of his letter.  But, it is the last chapter of the letter, the last verse, that tells us to remember that all growth is an act of God’s grace.   Our growth is not based upon our strength or our efforts.  It is simply believing in His word and all how His word to sanctify us:

John 17:17 (ESV Strong's)

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

Proclaiming God’s Love AND God’s Wrath - Acts 17-18

 Acts 17:29-31 (ESV)

Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

In the above passage, Paul is preaching to the Gentile philosophers gathered in Athens at a place called the Areopagus.    It was both a place (there is an actual rock outside of Athens named the Areopagus) and the name of the leadership council or governing body.   Earlier in the chapter we read about their normal activities:

Acts 17:21 (ESV)

Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.

These were Gentiles who didn’t know God but wanted to know a God, any God that would be their God.   Paul observed that they even had an image created to the unknown God:

Acts 17:23 (ESV)

For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.

Paul was there to proclaim Jesus Christ risen from the dead.   In the above passage he tells them about Christ.   In his approach he offers two things of interests:

1).  He first tells them about judgment to come 

2). He second tells them about Jesus’ payment on the cross to pay for and cover that judgment.  

Despite the fact that these people are unchurched or contemporary in nature, Paul does not hesitate to talk to them about God’s wrath.  The formula for today’s contemporary approach to ministry is to “meet them where they’re at.”    However, Paul meets them where they are about to be, in the face of God’s judgement.   Today’s approach is to entice others to want Jesus.  Paul’s approach was to tell them about God’s judgment and show them their need for Jesus. It does not have to be an either/or approach.  But, Paul was not fearful of speaking God’s love And God’s wrath.   

From Fasting to Feasting - Zechariah 8-14

 Zechariah 8:18-19 (ESV)

And the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.

The book of Zachariah is filled with all types of prophetical utterances from the prophet.   He is speaking to Judah about their enemies, their own walk with God, their past, their present and their future.    God is warning them, informing them, preparing them and comforting them, all in one prophets words.  The above words are the comfort words.   They have had some difficult times.  In the fourth month, the walls of Jerusalem fell and they fasted about that (2 Kings 2:25:3-4).  In the fifth month the city fell and they fasted over that (Jeremiah 52:12-15).   In the seventh month their king at the time (Gedaliah) was assassinated and they fasted about that (2 Kings 25:25).   In the tenth month the tenth month the siege of the city began and they fasted about that (Ezekiel 24:1-2).   These were all fasted over.   But, in a promise in the midst of punishment, God sends them a message of hope and comfort.  These fast days, says the Lord of Hosts, will be turned to joy and gladness.   Right in the midst of struggle God sends a messianic message of hope in Christ.   What should the response be of the people?    They are to “love truth and peace.”   That is the response to God providing us comfort. Our response to Christ’s love and comfort is to provide love and peace to others.   There is no other option.  

Leaders Should Look of Leaks - Ecclesiastes 9-10

 Ecclesiastes 10:16-18 (ESV)

Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child,

and your princes feast in the morning!

Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility,

and your princes feast at the proper time,

for strength, and not for drunkenness!

Through sloth the roof sinks in,

and through indolence the house leaks.

In the days that Solomon wrote the above words, it would be important to know about the construction of the roof of a home.   The roofs were not made of metal, shingles or stucco.    The roof would have been clay and branches.  They had to be constantly repaired and kept from leaking.   To allow a small leak to go in repaired was to invite the entire rook to collapse.    Solomon is talk to us about leadership who ignore an issue and allow a small leak to bring down their kingdom, their organization, their home.   While the leaders are drinking and celebrating and living in debauchery, the roof is leaking and bringing future destruction.   But, the nation, organization, or home is “happy” when the leadership acts like “nobility” and in strength and not in “drunkenness.”   The attention to small leaks in an organization is vital to the survival of that organization.   Churches ought not allow small leaks to fester.   They will bring the house down.  It is a leader’s role to make sure these small leaks are cared for before they amount to something bigger and more dangerous to the entire Body.  

God’s Power to Give Possessions to His Chosen People - Psalms 134-136

 Psalms 135:8-12 (ESV)

He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,

both of man and of beast;

who in your midst, O Egypt,

sent signs and wonders

against Pharaoh and all his servants;

who struck down many nations

and killed mighty kings,

Sihon, king of the Amorites,

and Og, king of Bashan,

and all the kingdoms of Canaan,

and gave their land as a heritage,

a heritage to his people Israel.

The above is the same as the next Psalm, but with this noticeable addition:

Psalms 136:17-21 (ESV)

to him who struck down great kings,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

and killed mighty kings,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

Sihon, king of the Amorites,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

and Og, king of Bashan,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

and gave their land as a heritage,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

Both of these songs are praise hymns to be song in honor of who God is and what He has done for the people Israel.   Those who speak of the current land of Israel would do well to read the above and sing the refrain.  The Bible is very clear as to how Israel obtained the land of Israel.   When Abraham was called out of his home land, God promised him the land:

Genesis 12:4-7 (ESV)

So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

We, like Israel, are to praise God for His sovereign direction over Israel. It is not their great strength that acquired anything.  It was the hand of God upon them. That is what these two song declare.  We are to equally be careful that we don’t claim anything as coming from our own strength.    

1 Corinthians 15:10 (ESV) 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 

Prayer for Repentance - Ezra 6-10

 Ezra 9:3-7 (ESV)

As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled. Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of the returned exiles, gathered around me while I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice. And at the evening sacrifice I rose from my fasting, with my garment and my cloak torn, and fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God, saying:

“O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today.

Ezra has returned to Jerusalem from being held captive by the Assyrians.  One wave of the people had already returned and Ezra lead the second wave (there would be three total).  The King of Assyria’s heart was moved to send them back to their land and supply all they needed to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.  However, upon his arrival, Ezra learns that the people had once again begun to intermix in marriage with the people of the land, something strictly forbidden by the Torah.   This type of disobedience to the Scripture was the reason the people were taken into captivity in the first place.   Yet, here they are again, following in their father’s footsteps.   Ezra falls to his knees in prayer.   He wants to appeal to God in mercy and grace and hope for wisdom, repentance and contrition.    The interesting aspect of this prayer is that Ezra, not guilty of these sins, prays as though he is guilty of these sins.  He includes himself in the people.  He understands collective community.   He is part of the community and the community has sinned, therefore he needs to pray for mercy and grace.   This should be a truth for all those who lead churches, homes, etc.   God wants us to pray for holiness.   When we sin as a people we sin together.   No, we are not going to be held accountable for someone else’s sin.  However, in a community that is practicing sin, we need to realize it is all who will suffer.  (Ask the people under Joshua’s leadership with Achan sinned - Joshua 6-7).   Ezra is a great leader.  He leads the people in a prayer of repentance and then in the remaining chapters actions of contrition.   It all began because Ezra shared and identified with their guilt.   

Boundaries - Deuteronomy 16-19

Deuteronomy 19:14 (ESV)

“You shall not move your neighbor's landmark, which the men of old have set, in the inheritance that you will hold in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

Boundaries for lands matter.   Just ask our current government and those countries around the world that are fighting about who owns what land.  When God gave the nation of Israel their land He divided it up into 12 segments.   The land of Israel today is only a small portion of what God gave them during this time frame of the book of Deuteronomy.   The argument that Israel is currently possessing someone else’s land today ignores the historical data of this book and the book of Genesis where God gave the land to Abraham (Genesis 12), the father of Isaac, the father of Jacob (remained Israel).   The above imperative from God to Israel through the hand of Moses is a warning to not infringe on the land of others by moving their boundaries.   Property, both in those days and this day, is a valuable and precious commodity.  We don’t let our neighbors sit on our property much less build on our property.  Home owners have gone to county and sometimes war of property (just ask the neighbors of Russia and the Arab states).   When reading this section of Deuteronomy the above passage seems out of place since he was just writing and warning about safe cities to be set up in case someone accidentally kills his neighbor.  So, in the midst of the serious nature of death, Moses adds this warning about property boundaries.    The issue here is not just dirt.  The issue here is if you attempted to move a boundary you were in essence stealing the land and that is a direct disobedience to the eight commandment of not stealing. If you wanted the land and were attempting to move the boundary because you were simply wanting it, that is a violation of the tenth commandment of do not covet.   God sets the boundaries of land.  So, if we attempt to rearrange the boundaries by our own will be violate God’s sovereign choices to set boundaries:

Acts 17:26-27 (ESV)

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,

The battle against other boundaries is NOT a battle against mankind (although that is how it is stated).  The battle against boundaries is first and foremost about fighting God’s sovereign will.   Granted there are those who take what they want.   God is knowledge of that and it is God who will care for that.  In the above passage God is instructed His people to recognize the boundaries that He set by His sovereign will.  

Elders! 1 Peter 4-5

 1 Peter 5:2-3 (ESV)

shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

Peter is writing to a church that is under persecution from the outside.   He has outlined how believers should live in front of those around them who wish to persecute them.  In the above passage, however, he turns to the leadership of the church and tells them how to live in front of the believers in the church.   They are to be examples as they SHEPHERD the flock OF God.   The first point to make in this passage is that they shepherd a flock of people that belong to God and not them.   This is not THEIR church.   These are not THEIR people.   They shepherd GOD’S people.   Peter than goes on, with that premise, and tells them how to shepherd:

1.  Exercising oversight:   They are to take the approach that they are over-watching the flock.  This is the Greek word: episkopeō.   From it we get the English word Episcopalian.    This is an administrative function of the elder.  

2.  With a willing spirit and not under compulsion, for God chose them for this role.   This leadership role is not to be down with groaning, but with an eagerness and willing spirit.  This is a chosen position given to them by God.   They are to serve with a spirit that reflects that choosing.  Note how the author of the book of Hebrews said it:

Hebrews 13:17 (ESV)

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

3.  They are not to serve for gain of wealth or power.   It is interesting how most church bodies make sure the wealth is not there.   We tend to pay those who serve a despicable wage.   We often point to this verse to justify under paying the elder.   But, they are NOT to serve MOTIVATED by material goods. Or, to accumulate power.   

4.  They are to serve eagerly.   That means without hesitation.  They should not shrink back in fear.  They are to step forward. That is what leadership does.   It does not avoid the hard stuff but is eager to serve and lead.  

5.  They are not to dominate the flock.  This again speaks toward power.   They are to make sure they have a humble spirit.  It is hard to lead from behind when you are placed up front.  But, that is the point of the elder.  They are to be great leaders by being great servants.    

6.  They are to be examples to the flock.  This might be the toughest of all.  They are failing believers because they are human.   They have sin in their lives like all others.  Yet, they are to strive to set the example of how to live a holy life in a corrupt world.   Those they lead, God’s sheep, will be the first to notice their failures and the first to point them out.   They (the flock) will be the first to criticize every decision of the elder.   Yet, they are to be an example of not only how they lead but how they handle that very criticism.  

This is the lot of the elder.   This is probably why few which to accept the role when offered to them.   

Decision Making - Acts 15-16

 Acts 15:19-21 (ESV)

Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

The above words are coming from the lips of the Apostle James.  He was the leader, apparently, of the Jerusalem church in specific and the Church in general.   There was a challenge in the early church centered around salvation regarding Jewish traditions, specifically circumcision.    Those Jewish Christian were making the case that if you came to Christ as a Gentile you needed, as well, to become circumcised.   Paul, Barnabas and Peter all spoke to this argument.   They rightly all agreed that  coming to Christ was by faith alone.  James pronounces this decision in the above passage.   They were concerned that the Jews were adding requirements to the Gentiles.   They wanted to prevent that.  But, an interesting aspects of James’ decision was that he also addresses another challenge.   Not only did they want to prevent the Jewish Christian from hindering the Gentiles, they also wanted to make sure the Gentiles did not hinder the Jewish Christian.   James gives them requirements as to how to live in front of their Jewish Christians.   Just as Jewish Christians can’t put a stumbling block in front of Gentiles coming to Christ, so, too, Gentiles are not to put a stumbling block in front of Jews as they live for Christ.   This decision was to cover both the challenges they faced.   Great decision making is about finding solutions that meet the needs of the decision.  

Motivated to Obey - Zechariah 1-7

 Zechariah 5:3 (ESV)

Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears falsely shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side.

Zechariah is trying to motivate the Jews who returned to Jerusalem from captivity.   They had come back in several waves of returnees and had fallen into a state of apathy.   The prophet is a master motivator.   God writes through him several motivational tools that will (or should) inspire those who have returned.  In a posting back in 2020 I outlined nine motivational themes Zechariah uses.  In the above passage with have #6 from that list.  The motivational tool he uses in the above passage is:

6.  He motivates them by reminding them that He will ultimately judge the sin of this world.  

Judgment for sin will not motivate all those who want to sin, no matter what (see 2 Peter 2).    But, for those who walk with God, the above message can be motivating in two ways:

1.  It motivates because those who have become discouraged by the sin around them can rest assured that God is going to deal with it.   

2.  It motives because they know that God will address ALL sin, and that includes their own.  This should motivate them to seek God and seek purity in their lives. 

God is not absent in our lives.  In these hard days for Israel God saw their hardship. He sent someone to encourage them.  This motivator was meant for them to continue the work of rebuilding the Temple.   That was the reason God sent them back.   The sin they were facing was not always a sin of “commission” but one of “omission.”  They were failing to do what God told them to do.  Zechariah wants them to know that sins of “omission” are as equally before they eyes of the Lord.   God was motivating them to obey.