A Time for Reconciliation (Part One)

Hosea 3:1-5

Then the Lord said to me, “Go again; show love to a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, just as the Lord loves the Israelites though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes” (3:1 CSB).

The book of Hosea is a love story: the love of the faithful God towards his unfaithful people, Israel. This love story is not a “fairy tale romance” for the immature. It is a biting, heart-wrenching portrayal of adult love in the worst conditions. In presenting this love story, God uses the marital experiences of his faithful prophet Hosea toward his unfaithful wife, Gomer, to show his desire to be reconciled with his people.

It is my earnest prayer to God and heart’s desire that neither you nor anyone in your family will know the anguish and sense of violation that comes from marital unfaithfulness. The world around us shows little respect for marital purity, and people hop from partner to partner like a rabbit freely hops around your backyard. In our culture, when a person loses the feeling that they assume they should have toward their spouse, they show no hesitation in abandoning their spouse for a new fling, leaving their ex to pick up the pieces of his or her life.

What is remarkable is the love of God towards the unfaithful displayed in this passage. God commands Hosea to be reconciled to his very unfaithful wife. God does this to let us know the power of his love toward unfaithful people.

The Lord presents Hosea with difficult task (3:1). God commands Hosea to restore his marital relationship with Gomer, his adulterous wife. Hosea faced two obstacles: her involvement with another lover and her character. Gomer was not looking to go back to Hosea; she was uninterested. This is a picture of how we all are apart from God’s grace. By nature we are deeply involved in sin and do not seek a way back to the true God.

God does not appeal to anything inside Hosea (like desire for her beauty or loving feelings) in telling him to restore her. His action was based on the word of God to him. When God seeks a sinner, there is nothing in the sinner to merit God’s love; in fact, there is only demerit. Grace is God’s unmerited, undeserved favor to those who have earned and deserve wrath.

Consider God’s purpose in this command. Do not think that God lacked concern about Hosea and Gomer; he certainly did. But he reveals another reason for his command.

  • To show the standard of love— “as the Lord loves the Israelites.” Hosea would model God’s love toward Israel. This is the job description for every Christian husband, which we men should keep before us (cf. Ephesians 5:25-27).
  • To show the depth of love— “though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” Hosea would show God’s love to a wayward people. They were in love with other gods, and yes, they loved the worship of those other gods (“the sacred raisin cakes”).

When people are in love with a false religion, their feelings get tangled up with all the externals of that religion, too. They find it hard to give up the little things, like raisin cakes, for a better relationship with the living God. For example, “I love the ceremonies, the spiritual atmosphere; it makes me feel like ‘God’ is there.”

Why won’t people turn to God? They’re in love with greed, sexual immorality, greed, pleasure, greed, drunkenness, greed, and having all their time and money for themselves!

Are there any Christians still alive who are willing to ask God if they’re really in love, not with God, but with sexual immorality, pleasure, drunkenness, and having all their time and money for themselves? May God the Holy Spirit give us grace to examine ourselves.

Grace and peace, David

Naboth’s Vineyard (Part Two)

1 Kings 21:1-16

Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.” But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors” (21:2-3 NIV).

Ahab came to Naboth with a greedy demand. Naboth was immediately in a very uncomfortable position. Though the northern kingdom of Israel was nominally part of the people of God and Elijah had called them back to God, the reality was far different. Since the split between Israel and Judah after Solomon’s reign, Israel had worshiped two golden calves, and Ahab and Jezebel had led them into Baal worship. Therefore, Naboth was confronted by an evil demand from a wicked king, who cared nothing for God’s covenant with Israel. In other words, Naboth’s situation was like the one true Christians face from a world that cares nothing for Christ’s new and better covenant. How ought we to respond. Consider Naboth’s faithfulness (21:3).

What was the background for his refusal: the command of God. The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me. And in all the country you possess, you shall allow a redemption of the land (Leviticus 25:23-24 ESV). Ahab sought a permanent transfer, as Naboth’s immediate response indicates. In the whole scheme of things, this can seem like an insignificant command. It was not written on the stone tablets, and there is not much written on the subject in the law. “Why risk your life over something so small, Naboth? You’re refusing an evil tyrant!” People easily assume that they can decide what parts of God’s word are important on the basis of their social consequences. For example, sexual abuse is wrong, but sexual immorality is quite permissible; in fact, it is not considered terribly wrong, even in most churches in our time. Fornication is part of the path to marriage, as long as two consenting people “love” each other.

However, Naboth reasoned in a godly manner. The issue was not how significant he thought the command was; the issue was that God had ordered him not to sell the land. Naboth knew his responsibility. God was the owner of the land, and Naboth was merely a trustee, and not a permanent trustee at that, but a pilgrim on a journey to a better country. God had his rights as landowner, and neither Ahab or Naboth had any right to act contrary to the word of the Lord. It is this perspective that gets true Christians into problems with a post-postmodern culture. The great evil, in the opinion of the current culture, is to call anyone out on any moral issue. Everything is to be tolerated and accepted, except truth and the judgment to come. To warn people against eternal punishment is regarded as an act of hatred. To Ahab, Naboth had decided to hate him.

Naboth’s obedience. He chose to live his life according to the Scriptures. He stood for absolute truth when Ahab was trying to bend reality to fit the desires of the individual. The ultimate issue is authority. Who is the boss, the holy God or a sinful, twisted human? Here, faith in God is crucially important. Who will choose to follow God’s word in the scriptures, unless we are fully persuaded that God has ultimate, absolute authority and speaks to us with final authority through his word?

Sometimes in order to obey God, we must disobey people. And that choice to disobey a wicked person may be extremely expensive in this world. Compare Acts 4:18-20 with Acts 5:17-20, 40-41. We in the church have forgotten much of our history. Not many remember the cruel sufferings of the Anabaptists during the Reformation. Many Puritan ministers had to make this choice at the time of “the Great Ejection”, and they lost their positions and their means of making a living. During that time, John Bunyan was imprisoned for the better part of twelve years, leaving his family charity cases. He had only to sign a paper, acknowledging the authority of Britain’s king over the church. Through his sufferings, we received his greatest work, Pilgrim’s Progress.

Grace and peace, David

Naboth’s Vineyard (Part One)

1 Kings 21:1-16

Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.” But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors” (21:2-3 NIV).

This is a well-known Bible story, or I ought to say it was when I was young, when parents took their children to Sunday School and read them Bible stories at home. Perhaps you can remember it from their childhood. Its purpose is to present an ongoing question in God’s story: Will people make choices about living for the glory of God and pleasing God rather than to please themselves? Both the main characters had to make this choice.

Life in this present time is filled with suffering (Romans 8:18-27). We do not like to hear this. It is much easier to play to the desire for pleasure that people have and tell people that God wants them to be happy and prosperous now. Such teaching destroys and perverts God’s message as much as teaching salvation by good works.  God speaks to all in the setting of a fallen world, handed over to bondage. And in that situation, evil people do run over the righteous and harm them. God wants us to understand the world in which he works out his glory. Here it is King Ahab’s greed (21:1-2, 4) that will harm a godly man. A powerful and already rich man was about to oppress a common person. In the plan of salvation, God permits evil events. He allows people to commit sins, even monstrous sins. Our view of God and his world must be correct, so that we are not misled with false ideas like “God will bless me and make we happy, healthy, and prosperous, if I have enough faith.” How did this evil event happen? Ahab wanted something that was close to him but that did not belong to him. The desire to have a field was not wrong in itself (cf. Proverbs 31:16), but Ahab desired something that God’s law had forbidden him to have. There can be a very thin line between legitimate desire and greed. When we wrongly want something forbidden that is nearby, it can be very difficult to resist the temptation to covet, since the object constantly attracts us. Think of David and Bathsheba, Herod and Herodias, Judas and money.

Ahab continued to covet, even when his offer was refused (21:4). He plainly transgressed the tenth command of the law covenant. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s (Exodus 20:17). To paraphrase Matthew Henry, Paul was content in a prison, but Ahab was discontent in a palace. Contrary to popular opinion, comfortable circumstances cannot produce happiness and satisfaction. Think of Amnon’s illicit desire for his half-sister, Tamar (2 Samuel 13:1-4). In an affluent culture, such as the one in which I live, it is too easy to fall into greed. Everything around cries out, “Purchase me, indulge yourself, and you will enjoy comfort!” But the whole world cannot satisfy the human heart.

Grace and peace, David

John and His Message (Part Three)

Luke 3:10-14

“What should we do then?” the crowd asked (3:10 NIV).

John preached God’s message of grace. The Lord Jesus was on his way to save his people from their sins (cf. Luke 3:6; Matthew 1:21). Salvation was the joyful news! However, the people needed to prepare to meet the Lord. For this reason, John preached a baptism of repentance—a change of heart that would produce a godly change in a person’s way of life. This is the correct context in which to read verses ten through fourteen. “What should we do then?” They needed direction.

Please understand very clearly that seeking guidance from the Holy Scriptures concerning how to please the Lord and to walk worthy of our calling is not legalism! Believers, because we have changed our hearts, turned, and trusted the Lord, live according to grace. We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God and desire his glory. We want to know and to live a way of life that is consistent with glory. The grace of the coming salvation in the Lord Messiah teaches the hearts of those who listen to deny ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:12 NIV). John was a prophet who declared the word of God. The repentant people sought knowledge about the kind of changes the good fruit of would produce in them. This is the “doing” they spoke of, a doing not to earn grace but to respond joyfully to grace.

John gave practical examples of the changes that true repentance in the heart produces. Notice that the examples are consistent with a person’s calling in life. The idea is that we should think through changes in how we do our work, and our family and community life. Since I have been a pastor and teacher for many years, my repentance, for example, should bear the good fruit of ministering to people in a kind, loving, parental way (cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12). Let’s listen to John’s examples, and then think through the changes that should be seen in our lives and work.

  • Be a sharing neighbor (3:11). This is general instruction. The second greatest priority is, as Jesus quoted the Torah, Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). This requires us to share our resources to those in need. However, an essential perquisite is being aware and involved in the lives of our neighbors. How can I know that my neighbor needs a tunic, if I do not know my neighbors and their needs? We must forsake the hyper-individualism of our culture. God has designed us to be part of a community, even at the cost of making a community. By the way, this should be on our hearts when we start new churches or small groups or Bible studies. How can we make a new community out of a group of people? Sharing a tunic with someone means that you or I have one less tunic, right? What have you given to a neighbor that cost you more than a price of a week’s groceries? Do we know the happiness that Jesus points us to (Acts 20:35)? Sharing with others is a fruit of repentance.
  • Keep away from greed (3:12-13). We are taught to acquire more for ourselves. This is usually connected with the line “to enjoy your retirement”. I just searched the Bible for that phrase (these Bible apps are great time savers!), and guess what? God says nothing about providing for a pleasant enjoyable retirement. The tax collectors for the Romans could collect whatever they could coerce out of the taxpayers. Rome only cared that they brought in what was required. A tax collector could enrich himself off the sufferings of the people. John told them to only take what was a fair amount. What is the fair amount that the Lord has provided for us? Are we growing rich while others suffer?
  • Don’t abuse but learn contentment (3:14). Roman soldiers could easily misuse their power. The Jewish people were especially vulnerable. They were easy prey for those who wanted to enrich themselves. John told them to be content with their pay. We also are to learn contentment. Some subjects in school were harder to learn than others. Learning contentment is a tough one. Christ’s power is available to help us learn this subject (Philippians 4:12-13).

John’s practical instruction to his hearers still speaks to us. Meditate on his words to the crowds and consider how the Lord wants your repentance to bear fruit. The fruit will be seen in your treatment and relationship with other people.

Grace and peace, David

An Alternative to an Empty Life

DSCN0546Luke 12:13-21

In the Four Gospels we read selected accounts of the earthly mission of our Lord Jesus Christ. He came to set us free from an empty way of life (1 Peter 1:18). Often we fail to realize the depths of that emptiness. Let’s listen to how our Redeemer revealed that emptiness in his teaching and pointed us to a better alternative.

Luke has already set the scene for this teaching session. A crowd of many thousands gathered (12:1), and it was not a calm crowd. Please do not think of a typical church service in our day where people are bored with the building, the pastor, the music, the ritual prayers, the message, and each other. No, this crowd was trampling on each other in their shared eagerness to listen to Jesus. (The time when modern churchgoers trample upon each other is to get out of the building and the parking lot.) This, however, did not mean that this crowd was filled with spiritual, godly, heavenly-minded people.

After the Lord spoke directly to his disciples (12:1-12) about the important topic of fear and worry, a question comes from the crowd. Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” [All italicized quotes are from the NIV.] Ah, there can be many people in “church”, and many of their hearts are not thinking about meeting with the living God and his dearly loved Son, but their minds are on other personal and “important” matters. People are very easily distracted from God.

The Lord Jesus, instead of brushing aside the man’s impertinent request, used it as a teaching opportunity, because he had come to make God known and to reveal what we are to us. Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” It was a dangerous course to ask Jesus questions. The man perhaps thought that Jesus would take his side out of a concern to see justice done. But Jesus unmasked the greed in the man’s heart. Though he had gathered with the crowd to hear Jesus, he was a functional idolater (Colossians 3:5). Jesus warned his hearers of getting their identity from their possessions. This is a problem in our affluent culture. It is too easy to confuse what we have with who we are. We can learn this about ourselves from how we evaluate others by where they live, what they drive, the clothes they wear, or the places they go. People might say they admire those who devote their lives to helping others, but are they willing to divest themselves of their possessions to do it? We can drift into this kind of transfer of identity, which is why Jesus calls us to be on our guard against all kinds of greed. Where should our identity come from?

Next, Jesus told a story to warn everyone about greediness. And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’” This parable is very well-known, and I will make only a few observations. First, the providence of God was working for the prosperity of this rich man. While there is skill in being a successful farmer as well as other occupations, God’s rule of the world overrides the skill of people. If there had been a couple years of drought, the rich farmer would not have had a large crop. Second, God’s blessing on his crop had brought the rich man to the need to make new choices. Prosperity and poverty require us to make decisions. What should a person do when he or she prospers? Consider Romans 2:4. Third, the rich man’s heart was filled with himself. He was proficient at using the first person pronouns. Greed is idolatry, and so is a consuming interest in oneself. Fourth, he thought he knew the future. People proudly assume that they are in charge, that they can map out their lives. The rich man’s attitude can be shared by anyone. Fifth, he lived for pleasure. Hmm, it sounds like he was a “last day’s sort of person” (cf. 2 Timothy 3:1-4). Sixth, God interrupted his plans. This is what people forget. The living God can expose our true emptiness in a moment.

Jesus made his point. “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” The Lord Christ is teaching us the nature of true repentance. We must turn from a self-focused view of life to building our life and identity in relationship to God. Being rich toward God is true wealth. We must prefer the true God over all things.

What is the question you would like to ask Jesus? Since he knows your heart, how would he answer you?

Grace and peace, David