Praise God’s Name - Psalms 134-136

Psalms 135:13-14 (ESV)

Your name, O LORD, endures forever,

your renown, O LORD, throughout all ages.

For the LORD will vindicate his people

and have compassion on his servants.

Psalm 135 is about praising God.   It starts out and ends with Praise the LORD!    In the above passage we read why we are to praise the LORD.   The writer gives us the following reasons to burst out in praise to God:

1. God’s name endures forever.   There are some names, that when we hear them, we remember their conquests or their character.   But it is God’s name that will endure forever and ever.   The phrase means that there is no end to God.   This not only speaks of God’s character above all, but His eternality.   It is not just His name but HE who endures forever.  

2. God’s renown is throughout all ages.  We might say a famous name but it can’t compare to the renown of God’s name.  The Hebrew word used here means memory or memorial.  In the first line of the verse it is talking about the length of time God’s name will be remembered.  The second line speaks to the quality (the memorial) of His name. 

3. God’s will vindicate and have compassion on His servants.   This is the reason mankind will remember the name of the LORD and praise Him.   God does not forget those who love Him and serve Him.  God’s word tells us about God’s steadfast care and love for His servants.  God does not forget us and does not leave us.  The world may forsake us.  But God is always and continually caring for us.  

Praise His name! 

When We Study God’s Word, God Will Use Us to Teach God’s Word - Ezra 6-10

Ezra 7:10 (ESV)

For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.

The story of Ezra is the story of the rebuilding of the spiritual lives of the people who were returning to Jerusalem after their captivity.   Nehemiah would lead them into rebuilding the Temple.  Ezra would lead them in rebuilding their hearts.   They needed spiritual nutrition as much as they needed the physical Temple.   God put in Ezra’s heart to be the one who would feed them.  He would provide them with the spiritual nutrition they would need to make hard decisions and to worship according to God’s Word.   It is important to note that Ezra purposed in his heart to study the Law, first.  He knew he was going to be called upon to know the Law and to teach it to those who would return.   This study work in captivity had to be down before the teaching work could be completed in Jerusalem.    He purposed in his heart to study and to learn how to teach the Law.   What would be the result of this effort?  Would it bear fruit?  If we dedicate to our lives to study God’s Word and to teach it, how will God use that?   Note what the pagan king will eventually say to Ezra:

Ezra 7:25-28 (ESV)

“And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God. And those who do not know them, you shall teach. Whoever will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed on him, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of his goods or for imprisonment.”

Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem, and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the LORD my God was on me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.

When we dedicate our lives to study God’s Word, don’t be surprised if He gives us opportunity to teach God’s Word.   

God Wants Justice - Deuteronomy 16-19

Deuteronomy 19:15-21 (ESV)

Laws Concerning Witnesses

15 “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established. 16 If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing, 17 then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days. 18 The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, 19 then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. 20 And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you. 21 Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

For many years the eye witness testimony was a powerful tool in the court of law.   Recently, under the lens of psychology, we are told the eye witness is less reliable.  Their internal bias, selective seeing and other factors seem to make their version of events to come into question.    Their eye witness testimony seems to be a matter of concern to those in the justice system.   In the above passage, following God’s law, we might see a solution to that thought.  God’s law calls for two or three witnesses to be reliable to make things just. It also states that these witnesses are to be questioned to assure the validity of their account of the events.  

The other aspect of God’s approach to these things is regarding what happens to a false witness.   In our land a false witness can be charged with perjury.  That might carry a fine and/or a prison sentencing.   However, in God’s law the false witness was given the same punishment of the one was accused.   Image that thought as a deterrent to stop lying during a someone’s trial for a fault.   Only those who spoke truth would want to put themselves into that situation.   God’s method to weed out false testimony makes it more assuring that the right conclusion is reached.  God wants justice.   Not just in the case of someone being brought to a trial of some sort, but also in the case of how they are tried.   God is a just God and falsehood plays no part.   

Humility Is The Basis of Church Polity - 1 Peter 4-5

1 Peter 5:5 (ESV)

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

In church life there are positional leaders.  It is an odd structure compared to the world.  Church governance is called polity and it is quite different than the world.  Depending on how the elders of a church are selected, they become the leadership of the church.   Those who attend the church are not required by a contract to follow them or be subject to them.  Those who attend are not compensated by the church to do a task and therefore be subject to the church leadership.   That way of thinking is the world’s business model.   This entire structure of church governance is based upon obedience to God’s Word.   People come into churches and leave churches.  But people voluntarily put themselves into the position of being subject to the leadership of the church.   A key to make sure that happens is found in the second line of the above text.  Yes, the younger is to be subject to the elder (this is not just an age description but a leadership position ... see 2 Timothy 3).   But note that the text also states that all of you are to clothe ourselves in humility.   It is this humility that breaths air into the church governance system.    When leadership begins to act out in pride and arrogance (because they are the leader), that is when a church governance model breaks down.   Church leaders are to be humble and submit to others in the church, just as others in the church are to be humble and submit to the church leadership.    What will happen if this truth is violated?   Note the last line of the above text:  God opposes the proud.   A church will buckle under its own self when pride and arrogance sneaks into its pews.   Leadership and follower-ship can’t allow their pride to derail the governance model God has created.   Like Jesus’ humility on the cross brought us our salvation, so, too, should the church governance be based upon humility.   When we cease to be humble we begin to be prideful.  When we begin to be prideful we begin to know and experience to God’s opposition to our mission and purpose.   

Spiritual Growth Through Contentious Situations - Acts 15-16

Acts 15:36-41 (ESV)

Paul and Barnabas Separate

And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

We have to love how honest and transparent God’s is about the struggles of His children. In God’s Word, the Spirit tells us about:

• Noah’s struggles 
• King Saul’s struggles
• King David’s struggles
• Achan’s struggles
• Absalom’s struggles
• Peter’s struggles
• Paul’s struggles

The list can go on and on and on.   In the above passage we read about the contention that was formed between Paul and his good friend (and mentor) Barnabas.   God shows us that in the early church there were challenges.  Remember, in Acts 5  we read about the death of the couple who lied about their offering.  In Acts 6 we read about the challenge about serving the widows.   In the beginning of this chapter in Acts we read about the struggle with Jewish believes about Gentile believers.   Now, here, we read about Paul wanting to return to the mission field and not wanting to take John Mark vs Barnabas (his cousin) wanting to take him on this second trip.   The reason?   Because on  the first missionary journey note what happened:

Acts 13:13 (ESV)

Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem,

Paul apparently took issue with John Mark leaving them.   We aren’t told why John Mark left. The writer of Acts, Luke, may have known but doesn’t tell the readers.   It is a pleasant reminder that we can point out a struggle without revealing all the sorted details.    In the above passage we read that Barnabas wanted to take his cousin with them.  The Greek tense here is in the imperfect tense, meaning he persistently and persistently persisted.  The church will side with Paul in this situation.  But the contention was strong enough that the church had to intervene.   Three things should be noted:

1. Barnabas didn’t get bitter.  He took John Mark with him back to their home town and he ministered to him.  In fact later in Paul’s ministry here is what Paul wrote about John-Mark:

2 Timothy 4:11 (ESV)

Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.

2.  John Mark is so ministered by Barnabas he writes the Gospel of Mark.  The Gospel of Mark was the first gospel story written.  When one person is not fitted for one ministry it does not mean they can’t be fitted for another. 

3. Paul learns a lesson.  When he leaves for the missionary trip he takes young Silas.   He also, at his first stop, finds young Timothy.  Paul had some time to consider his own approach to the ministry.   As Barnabas poured his life into John Mark, Paul started to pour his life into Silas and Timothy.   It might be wondered how much of this story played later into the Spirit writing through Paul this point in his letter to young Pastor Timothy in Ephesus:

Ephesians 4:11-12 (ESV)

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

The contention between these two gives us a lot of lessons to grow.    Don’t let a contentious moment only be contentious.   Let it also be educational and feed your spiritual growth.  

Zachariah - Why Was It Written?

ZACHARIAH

(Means: Yahweh has remembered)  He and his grandfather (Iddo) had returned under Zerubbabel to Jerusalem

Historical Setting:

1. The nation had returned under the leadership of Zerubbabel to rebuild the temple.
2. The people were tempted to once again fall away from God despite their recent captivity.  

Prophecy Against:

This prophecy is a true "prophet" utterance.  It is filled with visions and oracles in typical prophetic style.  It is a prophecy to encourage the nation to continue in faithfulness toward God, trusting His promises.

Time Period:

1. November, 520 B.C. - (Post-Exile of Israel back to the land.  Two months after Haggai)
2. His ministry lasted two years

Historical Theme - What did it mean then?

1. Similar to the prophet Haggai's themes.
2. People needed to be encouraged and these messages were meant to do that. 

Future Theme - What's it mean in future?

1. No prophet gives more Messianic predictions than Zachariah.  So, we see that he can tell us a lot about Christ and the future Kingdom. 
2. Many prophecies about Christ's first coming (3:8; 9:9, 16; 11:11-13; 12:10; 13:1, 6-7)
3. Prophecies about Christ's second coming (chapter 14)

Outline of the Book:

1. Eight Visions - Chapters 1-6
• Introduction of the Visions (1:1-6)
• The communication of the visions (1:7-6:8)
• The symbolic act concluding the visions (6:9-15)
2. Four Explanatory Oracles (Messages) - 1. Chapters 7-8
• Zachariah's request for the messages via fasting (7:1-3)
• The Lords response - the Messages (7:4-8:23)
3. Two Revelatory Oracles - Chapter 9-14

Reasons to read it:

1. Longest of the minor prophets and most difficult to read - which means you read it with the purpose of really studying what God was trying to communicate to us: God's mission.
2. It is the most Christ centered and most apocalyptic and eschatological book of the OT.  So, you read it to see what God wants to accomplish.  
3. Zachariah gave more information about Christ than any prophet except Isaiah. So you read it to see what he says about Christ.

Practical Theme - What does it mean for me today?

1. God's Word will be fulfilled and will last, even though we won't (1:1-6) (see 1:5) (see also Titus 1:2-3; 2:5)
2. God speaks through visions but will always provide the interpretations we need (1:8-10) (especially 1:9)
3. The fact of Christ's first appearance was a predicted historical event that demands our belief in the promises of His word (3:8; 9:9, 16; 11:11-13; 12:10; 13:1, 6-7)
4. The fact of Christ's second appearance is a predicted historical event that demands our belief in the promises of His word (chapter 14 .... especially verses 4, 9, 20).  (See also Titus 2:13-14 & 1 John 3:3)

The Mystery of Life Explained … A Little! Ecclesiastes 7-8

Ecclesiastes 8:14-17 (ESV)

Man Cannot Know God’s Ways

There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.

When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one’s eyes see sleep, then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.

As you can see in the above passage the ESV entitles this section, Man Cannot Know God’s Ways.  This is the point of Solomon’s conclusion as he observes the confusion of the world.  He openly admits that what he sees each day does not match the philosophy and theology he has learned.  He sees the righteous in pain and suffering and he sees the wicked in prosperity.  He doesn’t conclude that God is unfair in this observation, but rather this is all vanity (emptiness).   The word vanity is used 30 times in Ecclesiastes.   Solomon is saying that these observations of his are useless to pursue, to try to understand.  He summarizes the above two paragraphs with, Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.   That is what makes it vanity.   There is no use!   And, his recommendation in the midst of these contradictions of life is to:

And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.

He seems to relax in the paradox and simply wants to enjoy his own little paradise.  He could of course to do this:

When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one’s eyes see sleep, then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun.

But, as stated, that just takes his sleep away. This all might leave us in the dark regarding this futile reasoning.   Solomon seems to be saying, “Life is complex. I try to understand it but only lose sleep in the futility of these arguments and observations.  The most wisest of man even get lost in these paradoxes.  Therefore, simply enjoy the life and fully accept what we have been afforded.”    He seems to commit to just accepting what he sees, believing that mankind can’t understand it all.   If we left it there we might think Solomon is being fatalistic in his approach to life (and, in once sense he is).   But he does, eventually, get to the right conclusion.  Remember, we can’t read or understand anything about Ecclesiastes unless we start here:

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.

These paradoxes are life can only be observed through the lens of God sovereign control and divine interventions.   If we look at life through man’s eyes, it is all vanity and we lose sleep.   If we look at life through the eyes of God it may still be a mystery, but it a mystery God controls.