Bismarck Church of Christ

The Stump of Jesse

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 10:31:00 GMT

In the winter of 2021, on the coldest day of the year, I discovered a snake in my office at a correction center. Following a worship, a young man had asked for a Bible. So, he followed me into my office. I looked down and saw a snake by the bathroom door. I said, “Oh, look a snake.” He saw it and asked “Is it real.” Like I keep a rubber snake on the floor in my office just in case someone wanders in. It was real and it was alive. It was a little bull snake. Maintenance told me that snakes can come up through the toilet, but most likely this one came up through the hole in the bathroom floor by the register. For three months, I checked for snakes before I sat down to use the toilet. It was a fear response motivated by thoughts of a snake coming up through the toilet at an inopportune time. Kind of like the fear a lamb has toward a wolf.

Isaiah 11:1-10 is giving us a glimpse into the dream of God. We have been here before in Isaiah 2:1-4 with the mountain of God vision. Hold onto that thought. And a branch will come out of the stump of Jesse. Why Isaiah goes back beyond David to Jesse, I don’t know. Maybe geyza Y isa just sounds better than geyza Dawid. The important thing is that this is clearly speaking about a Davidic king. A sprout from Jesse’s root will bear fruit. It is important that this is not a brand-new tree. From the divided kingdom to the troubled years of the reign of Ahaz, the kingdom has been whittled away to a mere stump. Ah, but from that stump life will grow. And more than grow. The Spirit (the ruach ) of Yahweh will rest upon this fruit bearing branch. This is not the Spirit coming upon a prophet so that he can deliver a word. This is a resting; a dwelling; of the spirit of Yahweh upon the branch of Jesse.

Then we are given three pairs of attributes of Yahweh’s spirit. Or, maybe better, four attributes the Spirit of Yahweh instills upon the Davidic king. The word spirit means, “wind, breathe, spirit, animation.” The king will have the animation of wisdom and understanding; counsel and strength; knowledge and the fear of Yahweh. You could say that this king will be moved by Godly wisdom (=skill in war, prudence, wisdom) and deep understanding; Godly counsel and valor; Godly discernment and fearful reverence of Yahweh. All of these attributed can be found in Proverbs 8, which is woman wisdom speaking about the abilities needed to reign as king. So, basically, a good king; a Godly king. A king that will smell with pleasure the fear of Yahweh. Reverential fear of God is not about the fear invoked by tyranny. It is a fear that is a delight to the senses.

This king will be a just king, not governing merely by what he sees or hears – senses that can easily be fooled by selfishness or trickery. He will govern the poor with righteousness and judge the afflicted from a level place. He will smite the earth with the club of his mouth and the ruach of his lips will kill the wicked. His word is law. Rightness or justice will be a belt around his loins. Faithfulness or steadfastness will be a belt about his waste. This king will be prepared to work with justice and steadfastness.

Verses 6-9 contain an idyllic image of the Garden of Eden. The wolf will sojourn or abide with the lamb. The leopard will lie down with the young goat. A calf and a lion will hang. And a small boy will drive, conduct them. The over all point is that it will be a time of peace. I mean infants will play with cobras. There is a very earthly lesson here: when the king is good, full of God’s ruach , the people can live in safety. But this is also about the dream of God. It is about the Garden life God created us for. Garden life that is full of the knowledge of Yahweh; Garden life where the root of Jesse is set up like a standard that will be sought out by the nations; Garden life of abundantly splendid rest; Garden life in which the residents are not motivated by fear. This is what God has always desired for his people; his king and kingdom.

And yes, Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the dream. When Jesus is the king, there is peace and safety. Every cobra that enters his kingdom will be a playing with infant cobra. Natural enemies will hang out with each other. I wonder if the goat Matthew felt at ease sleeping near the leopard Simon the Zealot. Sheep Ananias may have initially questioned and resisted the idea of baptizing that ol’ wolf Paul, but he did it. Welcome to the Garden life; kingdom life. This dream may be hard for us to fully grasp because we live in a world of chaos. Ah, but we are citizens of the Kingdom of the Root of Jesse. Peace!

The Oracle of the Forester

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 01:43:00 GMT

There is something about a forest. And just like countries, or churches let’s say, there are many different kinds of forests. Some forests are full of tall majestic trees growing almost equally spaced out and with almost no underbrush. Some forests are thick with thickets; so thick that unless there is a trail you will be hard pressed to enter. One forest we hiked in was full of this plant called “The Devil’s Club.” And it’s called that for a reason. I was thankful for the trail. Do forests need foresters? Well, that may depend on the purpose of the forest. But I’m not really talking about forests.

Isaiah 10:33-34 is a wrap up of the previous oracles. Assyria is a tool wielded by Yahweh to deal with the rebelliousness of Israel and Judah. Israel will be destroyed with a scant remnant left. Judah will be flooded up to the neck. Assyria, an evil tool, will also be punished by God. He will march right on up to Jerusalem, but will only be able to wave his hand from Nob. But God wants his people to understand what is really happening here. It would be appropriate to label this short oracle as The Oracle of the Forester. The only question is this: Who is the forest?

Verse 33 is difficult, employing a couple of words that are hapax legomen (words that only appear once in the Bible). It could be translated, “Behold, Adonai, Yahweh of Armies, will decide; a beautiful and terrifying thing.” The word translated “lop off” can refer to a cleft, a branch, a division. If applied to a forester it may refer to dividing out the trees which must be removed from those which are healthy. The word “boughs” is found only here and it can refer to a headdress, a beauty. “A terrible crash” (also found only here in the Bible) means “a terrifying power.” If this interpretation is correct, and it does seem to fit with verse 34, the meaning would be that Adonai, Yahweh of Armies, is the forester. When he divides out the trees, it is beautiful and terrifying at the same time. When some people think of God they want to see only a benignly kind God. That is not the God of Scripture. He is beautifully awesome. And sometimes the forest needs foresting. This is not about tyranny. It is not about God flexing his power. It is about what is best for the forest.

There are some exalted to the heights trees that will be cut down. There are some prideful trees that will be made low. This is a common thread in the Bible. Many sources believe this is about Assyria. I don’t think that fits. This is an explanation of what God is doing among his people. His people are a forest that he wants to thrive. Ah, but they have hoisted themselves up to the highest heights. These proud trees need to be removed from the forest. They are killing it with their rebellious arrogant hearts.

Adonai, Yahweh of Armies, will strike down the thickets of the forest. It seems likely that this would apply more to Judah than to Assyria. The reason for clearing out the underbrush is to save the forest. Judah needed to understand why Assyria was allowed to march up to waving distance; why Israel had to fall; why the surrounding cities of Judah had to flee and seek refuge. The forest was sick and need of a powerful forester. The proud trees of Lebanon will fall. The word “fall” often implies a violent death. And make no mistake, this is accomplished by the Majestic One. Lebanon refers to a region on the slopes of Mount Hermon to the north of Israel. Because of this, many assume that it refers to Assyria. And this is possible. Often God lets his people know that he is using a nation as a tool to discipline them and then he will destroy the tool because it is an evil nation. Whether this refers to the strong and arrogant trees of his own people or to that of Assyria, the Forester is not impressed. They will fall.

So, picture a healthy majestic forest. Not a mangled old diseased forest. How does it stay healthy? It just may need a forester; someone to cut down the arrogant trees that tend to ruin a good forest; someone to cut away the thick underbrush that seems to suck the life out of the forest, not to mention becoming tender for a raging fire. Through Assyria, difficult things were going to happen. Israel was going to fall. Judah was going to be invaded and threatened. God wanted them to know that he is working on making the forest healthy again. Think of the church as the forest of God. Arrogance cannot beautify this forest; it is rotten and it ruins. The arrogant tree will not humbly submit to the Forester. It will rely on itself; lifting itself up and relying on its own ideas of right and wrong. It must be cut down for the forest to thrive. For the forest, the church, to thrive, it must rely on the wisdom of the Forester.

Brace yourselves

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 10:14:00 GMT

Brace yourselves! So, are you the kind of person who wants to know exactly what sort of trying times are in front of you? Or, would you rather be surprised and ride that wave as best you can? Some predictions of mayhem are all about fear mongering. Maybe you’ll buy yourself some insurance. Some predictions are about truly trying to get others to change their course. Detour ahead. But some predictions are about preparing people to brace themselves. It is the pilot who warns of upcoming turbulance. It is the weather service warning of an approaching storm. Brace yourselves! Difficult times are rolling in.

There is a debate about where this oracle begins: 10:27b or 10:28. Many translate the verse as follows: “So it will be in that day, that his burden will be removed from your shoulders and his yoke from your neck, having been broken” (this part of the verse would then be attached with the previous oracle) – “He will go up to Pene-Yeshemon” (The word translated “yoke” can be a verb meaning something like to ascend or go up. This phrase will then be attached with verses 28-32). Pene-Yeshemon can mean “facing the wasteland or wilderness.” 1 Samuel 23:19 uses “Yeshemon” to describe a wilderness territory near the Dead Sea. The words can simply mean facing the wilderness. Christenson has located it near Gilgal which would fit the scenario. What Isaiah’s audience needed to know is that Assyria will go up against them.

Then they will come against Aiath, which is the same as Ai in Joshua 7 and 8. This is west and a little north of Gilgal and about eight miles north of Jerusalem. Anybody need a map yet? He will then pass over or through Migron, which is a few miles south of Aiath. Ah, he is advancing. He will deposit his baggage at Michmash, which was a little to one side. We see David doing this in 1 Samuel 17:22; 25:13; 30:24. From these passages we can understand that the “baggage” was heavier or extra equipment that may or may not be necessary for battle. I’m not sure what it would have been in David’s time. The word means “vessel, utensils, equipement.” But it was important enough to have two hundred men to remain with it as the rest go off to battle (1 Samuel 25:13). So, maybe extra weapons and armour. Possibly seige equipment in our text.

Geba was only a couple of miles southeast of Migron. After going through the pass, they will lodge in Geba for a time. The following names are not on the route of attack, but they are close enough to be in danger of foraging soldiers. Advancing armies often devastated towns and farms to provide food for her soldiers. Often they destroyed more than was needed in order to demoralize the enemy. Verses 30 and 31 are all about this fear. The word “cry aloud” has the idea of a shrill piercing cry. Gallim was north of Jerusalem and is mentioned in 1 Samuel 25:44. We do not know where Laisha was, but because of its mention here it was most likely also north of Jerusalem. The inhabitants are called upon to pay attention. Anathoth was three miles northeast of Jerusalem. She is called wretched, poor, afflicted because she also in danger. Madmenah – the name means “place of doing” – and Gebim – “the pits” – are unknown. All that we need to know is that they fled and sought refuge.

Assyria stands or stops at Nob. This is on a ridge and Jerusalem can be seen from here. In 1 Samuel 21:1 it is called a city of priests. Well, those priests are going to want to live close to Jerusalem. From here he waves his hand at the mountain of the daughter of Zion. Watts believes that verse 32 is Yahweh waving his hand as a sign of his pleasure. But again, there doesn’t seem to be any indicater in the text that would warrant the shift of subject. Maybe the idea is that Assyria can come that close but then will only be able to wave his hand at Jerusalem. It is the metaphor of the flood reaching the neck of the people (Isaiah 8:8. well, without the metaphor).

The goal of our passage is not to give an exact route. The goal is to tell the people to brace themselves. The enemy from the north is coming. And they will get close enough to wave their hand at the daughters of Zion; the people of God. Brace yourselves! Be prepared! When Peter told Jesus that they had left everything to follow him, Jesus let him know that they would be rewarded with a spiritual family and they will also be persecuted. YES! Brace yourselves! Following Jesus is not only about good times with good folks. It is that for sure. But there is turbulance out there and your path goes right through it. The message of Jesus has never been “follow me and nothing bad will ever happen to you.” Brace yourselves!

The Surgeon

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 09:52:00 GMT

“I recommend surgery.” Nobody wants to hear these words. I mean, it’s not like surgery is fun. And recovery is no picnic either. It can be threatening and scary to face surgery. Ah, but that alternative thing. The on-going and worsening pain; the whole “if it is not dealt with now, it will only get worse” thing; the looming possibility of even more invasive surgery down the road. So, sometimes we endure pain in the moment to have a less painful long term. Oh, and it’s not like the surgeon enjoys inflicting pain. We accept this in good faith, don’t we? A good surgeon only does necessary operations; not for his own personal gain, but for the patient’s well-being.

In a sense, Isaiah 10:24-27 is God’s message of comfort during surgery. This message is from Adonai, Yahweh of Armies. Well, that seems significant. He is addressing his people who sit, remain, dwell in Zion. Zion who will survive the onslaught of Assyrian aggression. Israel will be destroyed, and Judah will be invaded, but Jerusalem will remain. So, this is a message of comfort in the midst of a very difficult time. Yahweh tells them not to fear the Assyrian who is whacking them upside the head with a rod; who lifts up his staff menacingly. Verse 24 ends with “the way of Egypt.” Many translators assume that “way” here means “manner, conduct,” and it can have that meaning. The message would then be that Assyria is abusing them in much the same manner that Egypt did all those years ago. But the word can mean “path, way.” In Isaiah 9:1 the phrase “by way of the sea” refers to a location – possibly the sea of Galilee. Way of Egypt may also refer to a location. In 733 B.C. Tiglath-Pileser had himself a campaign that reached as far as the Brook of Egypt. After this campaign he left a garrison on the Egyptian border and restricted trade. This Assyrian presence along the border was a constant threat to Judah. But don’t fear Zion dwellers.

Verse 25 literally reads: “For in a trifle little while indignation is complete and my anger their destruction.” Break it down! God’s indignation will burn but a short time. Oh, sure, while you are experiencing it, it seems forever. But it is merely a trifle. His anger will result in their destruction. This most likely refers to Israel. Jerusalem will not be an unaffected bystander during this anger however. With the analogy of the flooding waters, Isaiah told them that it will reach up to their necks. And sure enough in the days of Hezekiah Assyria would begin a siege of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem was never taken by the Assyrians. They did not need to fear.

You see, even though Assyria was a tool of God’s wrath, Yahweh of Armies would awaken a whip against him; a whip like the wound of Midian at the rock of Oreb. This references Judges 7 and the story of Gideon’s defeat of the Midianites. We don’t know exactly where the rock of Oreb was, but it was most likely near the Jordan river. What we do know is that Gideon was seriously outnumbered. The Midianites and the Amalekites were as numerous as locusts. And with 300 men and the power of God, Gideon defeated them. And he pursued the two leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and killed them – Oreb at the rock of Oreb and Zeeb at the wine press of Zeeb (I’m thinking these place names were given after the event). Most likely the point in Isaiah is that the victory was clearly due to the hand of Yahweh. It was just as miraculous as the dividing of the Reed Sea during the Exodus. The staff held up over the sea had nothing to do with the power of Moses. Nah, it was the power of Yahweh. Clearly. And he will lift the staff up in the way of Egypt. This is most likely means that the presence of Assyria at the border will be removed. We don’t know exactly when this took place but we do know that Tiglath-Pileser and his successors were unable to maintain a presence at this border. The burden will be turned aside and the yoke will be broken and removed from their neck. It is Yahweh who shattered this threat. The last part of verse 7 may read “out of the Face of Oil” and may be a place name. If so, it goes with the next section. This seems to make more sense to me.

The oracle then is about necessary surgery. The infection had become so bad in Israel that it had to be completely destroyed or removed, you know surgically. Judah was also sick. Even though Ahaz was following God’s advice concerning Assyria, he was not a godly king. So, surgery was needed here as well. The scalpel for this surgery would be Assyria. But don’t fear. This surgery will only last a trifle little while. Then the healing can begin. Do we face moments like this today. Whatever you are going through, don’t despair. The dawn will break. God is a good surgeon. He only does what is necessary for healing. Trust.

The Cause of Consequences

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 13:31:00 GMT

I may have said this before, but consequences are kind of important. We may not like the painful experience, but without it, chaos reigns . . . well, chaotically. So, we need those consequences because inconsequential chaos is bad boys and girls. The only question is will we survive it and will they do what they are intended to do? You see, consequences have a cause. They are intended to correct and give hope. But sometimes hope is seen dimly through the cracks of collapsing consequences. Can hope thrive here? Well, maybe thrive is the wrong word. Can hope stubbornly cling here? I hope so.

Isaiah 10:20-23 is all about a hope squeezed through consequences. Verses 5-19 have dealt with the use of Assyria as a tool to cut off Israel and prune Judah. The tool will be visited by Yahweh in punishment, but that is much later. It will happen in those days, in the days of Assyrian invasion and dominance (733-721 B.C.) that there will be remnant of Israel – of the house of Jacob. There doesn’t seem to be any reason to see this as dealing with anything other than the northern kingdom. The Vision of Isaiah has said over and over again that Israel will be destroyed. The line has been crossed and there is no delaying this one. But some will escape. This remnant will never again lean on the one who struck them, which could refer to either Aram (Rezin defeated Israel in 736 B.C. and supported Pekah’s coup d’état, who then became Rezin’s puppet) or Assyria after the campaign of 733 which put Hoshea on the throne as Assyria’s puppet king. Either one of these would adequately fit “the one who struck them.” The word “lean on” is used in Isaiah 30:12 for a negative leaning on oppression and guile. The word is often used in a negative sense; a fickle leaning on God without any conviction (Micah 3:11). That is why they will now faithfully lean on Yahweh, the Sacred of Israel.

One source claims that verse 21 is an exultant cry of the people “YES! A remnant will return . . .” Almost a bragging session which Isaiah has to correct in verse 22. Maybe. But if so, there is no indicator. It seems like a guess to me. It could just as easily be Isaiah emphasizing that a remnant will return. The word “return” can refer to a physical return such as the return after captivity in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. But the word can also mean to repent; a return of heart. This seems to fit the context better. Those who escape death will return to Hero God. The consequences were severe, but there is a sliver of hope here. Verse 22 reminds them that it is a sliver. The remnant at this point is nothing to boast about. They used to be as numerous as the sand of the sea. But now. Well, now they are a small remnant.

The destruction is already cut or decided. It may seem hard and painful, but it is an overflowing river of righteousness. How many years did God plead with his people to stop calling evil good and good evil? How many years did he tell them to seek justice for the vulnerable? Corruption and oppression danced while the orphan and the widow were buried in the dust. No, this is a righteous flow of consequence. A complete annihilation has been dialed up. Adonai, Yahweh of Armies will make it happen in their midst. Well, that doesn’t seem hopeful at all. Yes, destruction is coming. The once proud and numerously populated nation of Israel will be reduced to a remnant. Will they also be so few that children can count them like the trees of Assyria (verse 19)? Where is the hope. Oh, it’s there. It is small and dusty. You may have to squint to see it, but it’s there. A remnant will return. The name of Isaiah’s son – Shear-jashub – will ring true. And this “remnant will return” is finally going to get it. They are going to understand the cause of the consequences and return to a mighty God. They will stop calling evil good and good evil. They will take care of the orphan and the widow. They may be few, but they will be strong trees.

The consequences of life may seem too difficult at times. It may feel as if the darkness is all engulfing without a sliver of hope. Look closer. Hope breathes here. The word “remnant” became a technical term for the core people who are truly leaning on God. Lean on God! Truly lean on the Master! Try it. I’m convinced that no matter how dark; no matter how painful; you will see a sliver of light. And the more you lean on him the more that light will grow. And before you know it, it will radiate in you and through you. Oh, it may take years. It may take some consequences to convince you to return to leaning. Be the remnant that returns to lean on God then. Don’t be so stubborn that you don’t survive the consequences. The sad thing here is that many more people were killed by the consequences. See the cause and lean in.

Assyria the Tool

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 13:29:00 GMT

I had a tree in my back yard that we decided needed to go away. Let’s say that it was a rebellious tree. Well, it’s my land and I don’t want rebellious trees hanging about. There is another tree in the front yard that needed to be pruned up; some of its branches were hanging too low. I have a tool; a tool that seems evil to every tree. Well, you know, if trees could feel and think, they would feel that my chainsaw was evil. Right? So, I start up the evil beast and wield it against the tree. It’s not pleasant, but I feel it’s necessary. And then I march on into the front yard and begin to prune the other tree. And then something strange happens. The chainsaw begins to boast about being the great tree slayer. It shouts at the tree that it will cut it all down to a stump. It even belittles me. So, I cut the branches I wanted to cut and then I burned the chainsaw. I will not tolerate a tool talking back and overstepping, thank you very much.

Isaiah 10:5-19 is God’s judgment against his tool: Assyria. It begins with a “Woe, ah, alas, dissatisfaction and pain” directed toward Assyria. Even though Assyria was God’s rod of anger and staff of outbursts, it does not resemble or speak like a tool at all. God sent it against the godless nation of Israel. And here Isaiah uses a word that the Jewish people often used of the Gentiles: goy. At one time they may have been his ahmim (people), but now they are just one of the other godless nations; a people of his fury. He commissioned Assyria to spoil the spoil; to plunder the plunder; the trample down the trampled down. Three times Isaiah used the verb and noun of the same word. Israel will become a trampled clay road. Ah, but Assyria didn’t want to resemble a tool so it rampaged and boasted. It boasted of all the little kings she had gobbled up and made vassal kings. She boasted of defeating Calno (738 B.C), Carchemish (717 B.C.), Hamath (720 B.C.), Arpad (720 B.C.), Samaria (722 B.C.), and Damascus (732 B.C.). All of these cities were subjected to Assyria before their destruction. Jerusalem paid tribute, but was not seriously threatened until Hezekiah.

Assyria, the tool, even looked down on the God that sent and commissioned it, viewing the gods of other nations as superior. At this time defeating a nation was also defeating its gods. They would take the idols and place them in their own temples to demonstrate that their god was victorious. Assyria reached the great idols of great nations. So, of course, Jerusalem and her little god will fall. This is a boast that never happened. Even though Assyria never realized it, they were just a tool; an evil raging and violent tool, but a tool nonetheless. So, God speaks into this boast and lets them know that when he has completely pruned the religious (Mount Zion) and political structure (Jerusalem), he will then visit with punishment the fruit and heart of the king of Assyria. The king who boasts about his own might and skill and discernment, believing with all of his heart that he was more than a tool. He had moved around the boundaries because, well, he could. He cut down whole nations. He reached out his hand and snatched them like eggs from an abandoned nest. It was that easy. “I’m telling you, I’m an amazing guy.”

God interjects again with a parable of a boasting axe who thinks its better than the wielder. Or the saw who lifted itself up over the hand holding it. Or the club who tries to wield the one who lifted it up. Or the rod who forgot that it was made of wood. We know that this could never happen. Tools are just tools after all. Ah, but God wields nations like a tool. And those nations don’t realize it, so they boast and brag and carry on. So, Assyria’s stout soldiers will waste away to nothing with a disease. The Master, Yahweh of Armies, is sending disease and fire. Israel’s God is no mere idol. No! He is the light that will burst into flame and Assyria will burn. The great forests that Assyria was so proud of will have so few trees that a child will be put in charge of counting them.

When a tool no longer resembles a tool, it is time to chuck it. Again, there is a great mystery here. God can pick up evil (disobedient) or good (obedient) tools. It is better for us if we are obedient tools. Obedient tools last longer. They live happier and more fulfilled lives. Assyria may have had years of self-aggrandizing, but she was still merely a tool. An evil tool that cut Israel down and pruned Judah. When that was accomplished, God visited her with punishment and she fell in 612 B.C. That may seem unfair, but Assyria was a ruthless and evil nation; a bully who terrorized other nations for years. Because he is God, Yahweh can pick up any tool. Be a good tool then; an obedient tool.

Ah, Alas

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 12:04:00 GMT

In the old police drama “Barretta,” Barretta would often say, “If you can’t do the time don’t do the crime.” What a sage that Barretta was. And how many shows have we watched or books have we read where a character says, “I can’t go back to prison.” And don’t we want to shout, “Then why are you doing something illegal?” I mean right? I’m not talking about the wrongly accused here. Well, my good sire, there is a simple solution to your dilemma: Don’t break any laws. Now imagine that there is this group of powerful and wealthy people who oppress the weak; the vulnerable. Instead of breaking the laws they are writing them; and they are writing them to their advantage. When God speaks judgment into their awareness, will they shake their fists and shout out “UNFAIR!” Irony leaps about crazily.

Isaiah 10:1-4 is the fourth and final strophe of the oracle that began in 9:8. It begins with a woe. The word “woe” is an interjection expressing dissatisfaction and pain. It could be translated “ah, alas, ha, woe.” This woe is pronounced on those who cut decrees of sorrow or wickedness. You can see them, can’t you? They have the authority to execute all manner of laws that are designed to oppress and cause sorrow. They are always writing up writings of trouble or mischief. Ah, alas, this seems all too familiar. Laws being cut that benefit the cutter and takes advantage of the poor. They turn aside justice from the weak, the poor, the thin. In any given society laws should protect the most vulnerable. This would be especially true of the northern kingdom of the Jews. God’s laws made provisions for the poor. But they have turned aside his justice and cut their own, benefitting themselves to the detriment of the weak, laws. They tear away judgment from the poor of God’s people. They do this so that the widows may become their prey. Widows, who should have been able to fall on the justice of God’s laws, are being torn and ripped apart. Orphans are being plundered. Widows and orphans are often mentioned together to represent the most vulnerable of any society. They represent those whom God wanted protected.

Ah, alas a day of visitation is coming. Yahweh is coming for a visit, but not in a sit down to a cup of coffee kind of visitation. What will they do? Well, the reality is they really can’t do anything. This visitation is from God. They may wield the power and authority in their country, but that is nothing in comparison to God’s power and authority. What will they do when devastation and ruin comes at them from afar? This will be Assyria, but, in reality, it is God visiting them with punishment. To whom will they flee? Aram will not be able to help. Their power will be of no avail. They refused to trust in God and now it is too late to take refuge in him. And where will they abandon their abundance? It will not serve them. It cannot save them. They had clamored after it to the demise of the weak and vulnerable, but now it is just something else that they cannot take with them.

Nothing remains except to bow down among the captives. Did they think that because they were the leaders; because they had the power and money; that they could escape the coming tide of devastation? Either they will be marched away as a captive or they will fall along with those who are slain. And again, their wealth cannot help them. The Assyrians will not take a bribe. Nor will they show compassion. Ah, alas, it could have been different. If they had trusted in God; if they had shown a little compassion themselves; if they hadn’t lined their coffers with money stolen from the most vulnerable of people; they could have been spared this humiliation. Ah, alas, in all of this God’s anger does not turn away and his hand is still stretched out against them. Israel will fall. They have oppressed and flaunted their power over the vulnerable. They will fall because they refused to trust in God; to accept his plan. Ah, alas, they will fall.

If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime. There is a simple message here. God does not want to visit us with devastation. But he will if our actions warrant it. God wants us to take refuge in him; to trust in him; to walk in his will. And he will, if our attitude warrants it. Once again we come face to face with a proverbial saying that runs like a thread throughout the Bible: if you exalt yourself, God will humble you; if you humble yourself God will exalt you. Israel had exalted itself to the point that it became okay to prey on the vulnerable. God is going to humble them. They have crossed a threshold of rebellion. They have done the crime and now they were going to have to do the time. This is justice. Put your trust in God.

Wickedness is a Raging Fire

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 12:49:00 GMT

Wickedness is a raging fire. It is a self-absorbed flame licking up all in its path. It is a self-destructive flame feeding on itself. Have you heard about a controlled burn? The problem with a controlled burn is that it can easily become an uncontrollable conflagration. Wickedness cannot be controlled. What I mean by that is that you cannot play around with it; practicing just a little wickedness here and there. It will never be the subject of a controlled experiment or a controlled burn. My guess is that most people do not set their foot on the path of wickedness thinking, “let it burn me up along with everyone around me.” They probably thought they could manage it; that it would be a controlled burn.

Isaiah 9:18-21 is the third strophe in the oracle found in Isaiah 9:8-10:4. Why must the northern kingdom fall? Because wickedness burns like a fire. It greedily consumes briars and thorns. In Exodus 22:6 there is a command dealing with a fire that gets out of control and spreads to the thorn bushes and destroys stacks of grain or even the field. The person who started the fire is responsible to make restitution. The thorn bush infamously burned hot and quick. Because of this, it became the symbol for an out-of-control fire. So, this fire of wickedness has raged so much that it has reached and set fire to the thicket of the forest. So much so, that a swelling up of smoke is the result. Often smoke is used to symbolize the presence of Yahweh. Here, it signals the conflagration of evil. It is a billowing stench of rebellion.

Ah, but there is another flame here. There is the overflowing rage of Yahweh of Armies. This flame also burns up the land. In this flame, the people, not the thorn bush, are the fuel. Have you heard about firefighters starting a fire to put out a fire? Sometimes, a fire is left alone so that the land can reset itself. The forestry department has discovered that years of putting out fires has allowed underbrush to thrive and create fuel for the fire. So, today, when a fire is ignited, the fuel is plentiful and the fire rages with an intensity that is frightening. The fire of Yahweh is about his anger. Yes. And we cannot dance around the issue. Holiness overflows with an anger directed at wickedness. But sometimes the fire is necessary for cleaning; for purifying. Too much underbrush has been allowed to grow. The more wickedness we have the more fuel for the fire we have. So, this second fire is about punishment. To be sure. Punishment is not an evil concept no matter what our modern minds may think. It is a necessary burning. To clean and to stop the fire of wickedness from burning even more out of control.

The wickedness that raged in Israel was all about mistreating each other. No man spared or had mercy on their brother. Isaiah uses the imagery of feeding on your own body to emphasize the self-cannibalism that was taking place in the northern kingdom. They sliced off on the right and remained hungry. They eat on the left and are not full. They may think that they are only hurting their neighbor, but in reality they are chewing up themselves. Manasseh was consuming Ephraim. These two half-tribes; brothers descending from Joseph; should have been unified. They were brothers. Both of them turn against Judah. Manasseh and Ephraim probably represent all of Israel here.

What should have been a healthy nation that was dedicated to Yahweh of Armies, was cannibalizing itself. They cut off a slice of their own arm and greedily ate it up without finding any sense of contentment. So, the fire of wickedness raged out of control. Yahweh’s anger overflows because it is the most vulnerable who are always hurt the most by this conflagration. Israel ate and consumed and people suffered. In this, God’s anger does not turn back and his hand remains stretched out to discipline. His fire is about cleansing and stopping the ugly fire of wickedness.

Wickedness is a raging fire. You cannot control it. You cannot play with it. It burns up everything around it. The old excuse “I’m not hurting anyone but myself” has never been true. It is true that you are hurting yourself. Absolutely. It is a self-destructive fire. But it also burns up those around us. And if we become self-absorbed enough, we stop caring who else gets hurt. We cut off a slice here and there, without a thought of the pain that is being inflicted. As we cut and slice and consume, we are never satisfied. Wickedness is a raging fire I tell you. There is this Switchfoot song that says, “You are the fire that burns me clean.” Allow God to be the fire that burns you clean. Everyone stumbles over wickedness. Everyone needs the burning clean fire of God. Which fire will you choose? Shalom.

Choosing the Lie

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 22:57:00 GMT

In the movie the Matrix, the one who ends up betraying Morpheus and everyone else, does so because he wants to be plugged back into the lie. The truth is too stark; too real. He knows that, in reality he will be in a pod and plugged into the Matrix; that he won’t really be walking around and working; that the food will not be real. But he doesn’t care. He wants to live the lie. Some people may be simply misled and that would be sad. But many are misled because they don’t like the truth. They want the lie. They are easily misled, not because they lack ability to comprehend, but because they lack a desire for the truth. And this can be true of a whole nation of people.

Israel’s reality is going to be harsh. Yahweh is going to cut off the head and the tail. Verse 15 makes it clear that the head and the tail represent leaders: respectable elders and prophets. Both the palm branch, which represents nobles, and the reed, which represents the lowly, will be cut off in a day. Remember Isaiah’s son Maher-shlal-hash-baz (“swift is the booty, speedy is the prey”)? The reality is stark and it will happen quickly. The head is the elder, the exalted man. The tail is the prophet, who teaches deception. A prophet was supposed to proclaim and interpret a word from God. But instead, these prophets are shooting arrows (the word means to display or point out) at deception; untruths that cannot sustain but can only disappoint. It sounds nice. Join forces with Aram and Philistia and shake off the shackles of Assyria. But God had been telling them that this was not his plan. They didn’t want to hear God’s plan.

So, you have a situation where those who are supposed to be making a straight path toward God are instead heading straight into error; into a wandering maze of overwhelming confusion. And then, you have those who are following these leaders right on into an engulfing pit of confusion. If the oracle ended here we might feel sympathy for these misled people; these too simple to figure out the true path individuals. But the oracle doesn’t end there. The master, Adonai, does not rejoice in the young men. He does not have compassion on the orphans or the widows. Okay, often in the Bible, widows and orphans are mentioned together to represent the most vulnerable in society; those whom God wants his people to protect and shelter. But here, God has no compassion for them. Well, what in the world God?

And then we are given the reason why God does not pity even the vulnerable of Israel. Every one of them, from the royal palm branch to the lowly reed, are godless, profane, irreligious. Every one of them is doing evil, harm, injury. They are not innocents who have been bamboozled. Every mouth is spewing senselessness or disgrace. The word can refer to sexual immorality. Again, instead of seeking God; instead of submitting to the Master; they are full of wickedness. The description of Israel here is similar to that of the people before the flood: “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5 NASB).

Because of this wholesale irreligiosity, God’s anger does not turn back and his hand is still stretched out. This is the refrain (cf. 9:12; 17; 21; 10:4). It is about discipline; and attempt to train their hearts to seek him. God desires repentance. Their rebellion stokes his anger and his hand is stretched out. They will be cut off, from the nobles to the lowly. It will happen. They have wandered further and further away from God; from his will. And they were not innocents led astray by those wily ol’ false prophets; those snakes. No, They chose the lie because they didn’t like God’s word.

There are things in the Bible that are difficult and uncomfortable. Skipping the uncomfortable parts of the Bible does not encourage growth. Changing them so that they are more palatable is just dangerous. The goal is not to dress God up so that he seems more manageable. We don’t manage God. He manages us. The goal is to humbly submit to his will. No matter how hard. No matter how much it doesn’t fit with our plans; our desires; our sense of right and wrong. My fear is that there are a whole lot of people who are stuck in a pod and plugged into the mainframe. And they know it and they choose it. Because the lie feels more comfortable. The lie encourages selfishness. The lie encourages arrogance. The lie encourages laziness. You just lie down and swallow down the non-offensive rhetoric. But let me say this. No matter how stark, the truth is the only path to freedom. Not the kind of freedom where you do what ever you want; not a selfish freedom. Nope. Freedom from the pod. A freedom to have a strong healthy relationship with God.

Failed Discipline

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 12:21:00 GMT

Discipline, when done well, is all about relationship. My wife watches our grandchildren. In the process of the day, there are moments when she tells them “NO!” or scolds them. They often respond with tears. And in that moment of hurting, the person they want most, is their Grandma. They may not fully understand that they are longing for the relationship to be strong; to thrive. But I am confident that their running into the arms of their Grandma is all about relationship. And so is the discipline. I have never had a problem hugging a child who has just been disciplined, whether that be my children when they were little, or my grandchildren now. I want the relationship to be strong as well. I want the relationship to thrive. Somewhere along the way, have we forgotten that it is about relationship?

Isaiah 9:8-10:4 is one oracle. We are going to look at the first section (vv. 8-13) today. Right after the message of Messianic hope, Isaiah brings them jarringly back to the present reality. The Master – Adonai – sends a word against Jacob; a word that will fall on Israel. The word “fall” often holds the idea of violence. Well, that is not entirely off the mark. The word against the northern kingdom is about destruction. It has already been uttered several times in this Vision: 1:2-3; 2:6-8; 5:1-7, 8-30; 6:9-10; 7:7-9; 8:1-3. Because Yahweh has sent out this message all the people know it. Ephraim, which often stood for the northern kingdom and those who dwell in Samaria, the capitol have heard and know the word of God and instead of responding with a humble submission, they utter out of the swelling up and greatness of their heart – out of pride and arrogance – a message of defiance. The bricks are destroyed! So what! We will rebuild with smooth stones. Stones are better than brick. The sycamore tree, plentiful but not particularly sought after, has been cut down. So what! We will plant ourselves some cedars. Basically they are saying that no matter what God brings their way, they will rebuild better and become even greater. They are like defiant children, who, while in time out, color on the walls.

Therefore Yahweh will exalt adversaries against him from Rezin, the king of Aram. This is interesting because Israel was in league with Aram. They were rebellion partners. But the reality was that Pekah was merely Rezin’s puppet. And for a time, Yahweh allowed him to rise up, and cause himself some havoc. But Aram was no friend to Israel. Israel joined forces with them out of fear and a desire to break the yoke of Assyria. So, on the east was Aram and on the west was Philistia. These were the main parties of the rebellion. Israel may view them as allies, but they are actually swallowing Israel down with their whole jaw. Picture a snake with unhinged jaw swallowing down its victim. So, again, these nations were not allies of Israel. They were enemies taking advantage of Israel’s rebellious pride and arrogance.

And then we have a refrain found throughout this oracle: His anger does not turn back and his hand is continuously stretched out. A swelling pride; a reliance on one’s own greatness; are rampaging in the heart of Israel. God’s anger does not turn back because their hearts remain rebellious. And not just against Assyria. They are rebelling against God. They are stomping their feet and spewing out a defiant self-reliance. Verse thirteen helps us to see the heart of Yahweh. This outstretched hand of discipline is not about righteous indignation; it is not a blind striking; it is not the abusive hand of a tyrant. No. It is the hand of a God who longs for his people to turn back to him. He longs for their hard hearts to melt into a humble turning. He longs for them to see the purpose of his outstretched hand. He longs for his hands to be stretched out in embrace rather than discipline. But they do not seek Yahweh of Armies and his heart is breaking. Can you see it? The wrath of God; the discipline of God; is always a longing for renewed relationship.

The goal of an outstretched hand is renewed relationship. This was not about a controlling God; a tyrant. This is about a longing for embrace; a turning back; a return from the far country to a Father who runs to greet and fall on the neck of his son. And our obedience today (yes we are called upon to obey our Father) is not about avoiding the outstretched hand of discipline. There are consequences for disobedience, to be sure, but the obedience is about relationship; a growing, thriving relationship with a loving God. It is sad that this discipline of Israel failed. God did everything he could; that was divinely possible, and yet they remained in their rebellion. Don’t do that. Make your relationship with God strong.