THE LORD SPOKE (July 20)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Esther 3-5

The Amalekites were already Israel's enemies 500 years before the time of Esther. Haman is identified here as an Agagite and Agag was the king of Amalek (I Sam. 15:20). He had faced off with King Saul of the tribe of Benjamin five centuries previously. Now Haman faced another Benjamite, Mordecai, and he wasn't happy.

Wasn't happy? "He scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai's people, the Jews..." (3:6). He was so enraged, he wanted to "annihilate all the Jews - young and old, women and children" (3:13). He was willing to pay for it up front (3:9) but saw the opportunity to get enormously rich by plundering their goods (3:13). What year are we in? 1939? By the way, Haman had a wife to match. After hearing the gory details of his "final solution", she contributed her own ideas and advised, "Don't worry - be happy." (5:14).

Why do people so hate the Jews? The closest thing to a stated reason here is because their "customs are different from those of all other people" (3:8). But many others have odd customs. Jingoists everywhere have despised those whom they think are odd. That's not enough to explain why the Jews have been singled out throughout history for "special treatment". Antisemitism is, in the last analysis, a hatred of God. Because He chose the Jews through whom to work out His purposes, they represent His righteous requirements for all mankind. Their existence and history reminds man that there is a sovereign God, that He has established a standard of right conduct, and that every man will answer for his actions. But men are lovers of darkness, rather than lovers of light (Jn. 3:19). The Jews, who are to be "a light to the nations" (Is. 42:6 et al.) serve as a reminder that a God of justice demands a reckoning and every man will be held accountable. So, in an attempt to escape Him, they turn their wrath against the Jews.

That's why He won't let the Jewish people go down. Ever! They keep popping back in history, not because of their own resilience or resourcefulness (though that is great), but because of His sovereign grace and plan. This was Mordecai's advice to Esther, "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place..." (4:14). At that time, there was no other place from which help could come. The Jews were in captivity. Tiny numbers and oppressed conditions were not going to produce a mighty deliverance. They had no king or army and none were for hire, especially not to them. God was their only possible source of deliverance and He is never without means.

Esther was faced with the opportunity to be His chosen vessel for that moment. So are you.


New Testament: Titus 1

“Sound doctrine.” It’s a major concern of the Pastoral Epistles where Paul mentions it eight times (and nowhere else). Sound doctrine is both commended and commanded, defined and demanded, proposed and practiced. Consider this:

1. There is such a thing! There is right and wrong, black and white, sound doctrine and bad doctrine. We’ve been so conditioned to being neutral that we’ve lost sight of that. Today you’re supposed to be accepting of everyone. Avoid being confrontational. Don’t be critical of other points of view. Not true! There is right teaching and there is wrong teaching and all wrong teaching is to be refuted (I Tim. 1:10).
2. It is definable. It is the “sound instruction of Jesus Christ” and “godly teaching” (I Tim. 6:3). That means it comes straight from Scripture. No add-ons and no omissions. Every proposition must have a biblical base and nothing may be avoided or disregarded.
3. It is preachable. Some won’t put up with it (II Tim. 4:2-3) but that makes no difference. It is the basis for correction, rebuke, and encouragement and must be sustained “with great patience and careful instruction”.
4. It is meant to be held up as a standard of judgment. It is a pattern meant to be fulfilled (II Tim. 1:13). Those who disagree or trust it in any way are to be refuted (Tit. 1:9). It is a measuring rod, a straight edge, and a standard.

The opposite of having sound doctrine is to be “robbed of the truth” (I Tim. 6:5). Some people have sound doctrine taken from them by false teachers. How do you deal with that? Turn that radio station off! Get out of that church that isn’t preaching truth - all of it.

Others are missing sound doctrine by their own actions. Whether through laziness or through inattention to detail, they are not getting a well-rounded diet of biblical teaching. Stop it! Don’t let yourself be content with a milk-only diet. Dig deeper. Look for nourishing spiritual food that is based on sound doctrine.

Some don’t know any better. They’ve never been taught so they don’t even know what they’re missing. Solution? Get into the Bible for yourself. Start reading and then start looking for answers in the text. Compare Scripture with Scripture. Be no longer content with a superficial breeze through the easy parts. Carve out some time, sit down with paper and pen in front of you, grab a concordance and some other Bible study tools, and start reading the sacred text.

You’ll never be the same afterwards.

THE LORD SPOKE (January 27)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Exodus 13-14

It’s the ultimate aquarium. Imagine a wall of water on both sides of a corridor which you can walk through, observing the fish and other sea-life. And the Red Sea has some of the most spectacular underwater life on earth. Look out Chicago, Atlanta, and San Diego - your aquaria spectator numbers are going to face some serious competition.

Unfortunately, the Israelites weren’t able to concentrate much on spectating just then. Feeling trapped, with the Egyptians hot on their heels, their primary response was one of relief and haste. Nobody was anxious to stay between those two walls of water for very long. The Israelites scurried on through and when the Egyptian wheels came off, panic struck.

You can read the whole story in Exodus 14 - how the Israelites made it through on dry ground (which, in itself is another miracle), how “the sea went back to its place” in a devastating water clap, and how the Egyptians were swept into the sea. “Not one of them survived” (Ex. 14:28). That day the Israelites saw the frightening threat vanish and the fish had a banquet.

And when the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant. (Ex. 14:31)

Ponder the results of this memorable experience:

1. they “saw the power of the Lord displayed” - The same can be said of us in hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, or even the mighty display of a glorious sunset. God’s power is frequently on display for all to see.
2. they “feared the Lord” - A reverential awe that respects His sovereignty and bows before Him should be our response too.
3. they “put their trust in Him” - Of course! If He is so powerful and sovereign over all, how could I respond in any other way? I surely don’t want to fight against Him.
4. they “put their trust in...Moses his servant” - When God sets His seal upon a leader, he is to be trusted and followed. That’s what leadership means, especially godly, spiritual leadership. We’ve had our share of miserable deceptions and failed leaders, but that doesn’t change God’s pattern one bit. He has given leaders to His people and He expects us to follow their example and leadership, so long as it conforms to Scripture.

New Testament: Matthew 27

“Let his blood be on us and on our children!” (Mat. 27:25). What horrible words! But could they even say such a thing? Does the saying make it true?

No! God said, “Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sins” (II Ki. 14:6). Children are never held accountable for the sins of their parents. They may have liability. It’s certainly true that they will probably suffer for bad choices made by their parents. But they are not to be judged for someone else’s sin. Not by God and not by anyone else. Sufficient unto each one is the guilt of his own sin.

So how are we to understand the words of Matthew 27:25? At most, it is the misguided statement of a handful of the Jewish religious leaders in the city of Jerusalem in the year AD 30 (± depending on chronology questions). Large crowds of people followed Jesus and the common people gladly received him (Mk. 12:37) so those who condemned him represent only a tiny minority. No stretch of the imagination can make the entire Jewish people responsible for the death of Jesus forever after.

But never underestimate the theological stretch of the imagination of some. The Roman Catholic Church and a majority of misguided “Christianity” through the centuries has taught that the Jews are the “Christ-killers”. Christians have hounded, condemned, persecuted, and even murdered Jews ever since, all “in the name of Christ”. Sad to say, antisemitism is primarily a “Christian” invention. So called “Christians” often hate Jews even where no Jews live - they’ve never even seen one but they know they’re supposed to despise them. That’s despicable!

Who did actually put Jesus to death?

1. True, a handful of Jewish religious authorities in Jerusalem requisitioned His death.
2. Pilate and the Roman government provided the legal apparatus to murder him.
3. Some Roman soldiers performed the physical act of scourging Him, placing the crown of thorns on His head, and nailing Him on the crossbar of death.
4. But, the reason He died was because of my sin. I am the one responsible. He hung there for me.

My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine;
For thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art thou;
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

I love thee because thou hast first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;
I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow;
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.