THE LORD SPOKE (February 10)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Leviticus 4-5

Did you know that you can sin by doing nothing? Sin does not have to be an active procedure. It can be a passive lack of action. There are sins we commit and there are sins we omit. That is to say, there are things we should do and, by failing to do so, we thereby sin.

Leviticus 5:1 says, “If a person sins because he does not speak up when he hears a public charge to testify regarding something he has seen or learned about, he will be held responsible.” This isn’t just an unintentional sin - they’re covered in chapter 4. The four instances of sin covered here in Leviticus 5 all begin with an active verb: “he does not speak up”, “he touches” (2x), and “he thoughtlessly takes an oath”. In all four instances, he knew what he was doing and did it anyway, even if it was done without adequate consideration beforehand.

The point I’d like to make here is that you can sometimes sin by not speaking up. I’ve often sinned by speaking out when I shouldn’t, or in a way I shouldn’t. My problem is rarely that I say too little. O, that we would learn from the saying, “Better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”

But, “there is a time to be silent and a time to speak”. So said the wise Solomon (Eccl. 3:7) and so says the Scripture in more than one place. Let us hold our tongue when appropriate but let us speak out firmly and faithfully whenever we ought. The tongue can be an instrument of great good or of great evil. Let us each commit ours to the God of speech that He might use it for His glory only.

A missionary in the orient tells how a 20 year-old man approached a temple, removed his sandals, and bowed before the idol. Drawing a dagger from beneath his shirt, in one quick swipe he cut off his tongue and offered it to the silent, lifeless image. In minutes he lay unconscious in a pool of blood at the feet of the statue. God wants our tongues, not cut off and placed before him, but dedicated to his worship, service and honor.


New Testament: Mark 13

Like Peter, James, John, and Andrew (vs. 4), we too would love to know when the prophecies will be fulfilled. “When will these things happen?” is still our question also.

Without giving a calendar date, Jesus did give some very clear indicators as to when these things would happen:

• vs. 7 - “when you hear of wars and rumors of wars” (followed by “earthquakes in various places and famines”)
• vs. 11 - “whenever you are arrested and brought to trial” (preceded by “handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues”)
• vs. 14 - “when you see the abomination that causes desolation standing in the Temple”
• vs. 26 - “at that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory”
• vs. 29 - “when you see these things happening, you know that it is near”

Jesus is talking about His return to rule (what we call the Revelation), not His return to gather the Church (known as the Rapture). Before that event - the catching-up of New Testament saints - there are no prophetic events waiting to be fulfilled. It could happen at any moment. While some of the subsequent prophetic events could be in place prior to the Rapture, there is no prophesied event that must take place first. On the other hand, the Rapture will initiate a series of events that will culminate in the coming of the King to set up His earthly kingdom (see Revelation 19:11-18). For that sequence we have many details revealed in Scripture.

That was, in fact, the question the disciples were asking. They wanted to know when the end would come, i.e. when the kingdom would be established. Before that happens there are some clear and definable events that will take place. Does knowing that help? Probably not. In fact, it can be a hindrance if it results in any kind of complacency or wait-and-see attitude. Instead, we’re commanded to “keep watch” (vs. 35-36).

Luke’s parallel passage says, “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Are you looking up?

THE LORD SPOKE (December 25)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Zephaniah 1-3

It’s a good thing it ends like it does. After two and a half chapters of fierce wrath, Zephaniah says:

The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with his love,
He will rejoice over you with singing. (Zeph. 3:17)

Being himself a fourth-generation descendant of King Hezekiah (Zeph. 1:1), Zephaniah was familiar with the Judean court and all the hot political issues of his day. He sounds a lot like Isaiah and Amos in that regard. He was a contemporary of Jeremiah, Nahum, and Habakkuk, and prophesied in the days of good king Josiah (640-609 BC).

His message of severe punishment of the surrounding nations (Zeph. 2:1-15) included Jerusalem (Zeph. 3:1-8). The inescapable Day of the Lord (Zeph. 1:14-18) would be bitter and bring wrath, distress, anguish, trouble, ruin, darkness, gloom, and blackness (were there any words left in his thesaurus?).

But God would not leave Himself without a remnant (Zeph. 3:12). He never does. And, He never abandons His chosen people. The day would come when He would take away the punishment and turn back the enemy (Zeph. 3:15). The Day of the Lord begins with the darkest night but turns to dawning and noon-day bright.

“At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home.
I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord.
(Zeph. 3:20)

Though judgment of sin is certain and there is a point at which all hope is lost, that point only comes after the opportunity to repent has been spent. God offers forgiveness to the repentant sinner always. Like the father of the prodigal son, he comes out on the road to meet us. Quoting the psalmist, the writer of Hebrews warns us:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion....”
See to it, brothers, than none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart
that turns away from the living God...
so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
(Heb. 3:7,12,13)

Proverbs 25

Another chapter on the tongue?! We must really need this instruction. Indeed, we do. Though Proverbs 25 has several other proverbs included, the predominant theme has to do with how we use our mouth - for good or ill.

• Prov. 25:2 - Some things are better off left unsaid. There’s a time when it’s best not to tell all.
• Prov. 25:6-7 - Don’t toot your own horn. Even if it’s a good horn. Better that someone else should discover that melody independently.
• Prov. 25:9-10 - You may never regain a good reputation if you reveal a confidence. Who would trust you?
• Prov. 25:11 - Saying the right thing in the right way at the right time is a work of art.
• Prov. 25:12 - Listen to wise words, even when they hurt. Especially when they hurt. A rebuke will improve you more than anything else, if you listen.
• Prov. 25:13 - How refreshing is a message conveyed accurately, faithfully, and dependably. Like a cool breeze on a hot day.
• Prov. 25:14 - Talk is cheap. Be sure you put your money where your mouth is.
• Prov. 25:15 - A soft word is more effective than a hard one. Both can break but one is more repairable.
• Prov. 25:18 - Might as well just shoot me! If I can’t trust your words, it makes it hard to live with you at all.
• Prov. 25:20 - There’s a time for jollity but make sure it matches the occasion. Silly words can sting more than you ever intended.
• Prov. 25:23 - A man with a clever tongue will be remembered next time. People will shy away from such a one.
• Prov. 25:24 - Like an angel (always up in the air, harping on something), a contentious wife will drive you up the wall.
• Prov. 25:25 - Remember your friends far away and write them an encouraging note today.

No wonder James says “the tongue is a fire” - it can produce wonderful warmth or withering heat. “With the tongue we can praise our Lord and Father [its highest use], and with it we curse men who have been made in God’s likeness [totally incongruous]” (Jas. 3:9).

Solomon give us lots to work on!

THE LORD SPOKE (November 26)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Ezekiel 44-45

Ezekiel 44:23a - They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common....

The requirements sound like a resumé of the laws found elsewhere (Ex. 19-24; Lev. 11-15; Deut. 4-11), just slightly notched up. True, the priests were held to a different standard (Ezek. 44) but nearly all the individual requirements are found elsewhere and applied to every Israelite. The substance of God’s righteous expectations didn’t vary greatly between priest and people. There were a few items which set the priests apart but the moral principles were applicable across the board.

In a very similar sense, the New Testament requirements for a pastor/bishop/elder in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1 are found scattered in many other texts with application to all believers. It seems to be the qualifying nature of the combined list that sets it apart. Some will quibble over the terminology of “requirements”, “qualifications”, or “characteristics” but that seems to miss the point. Because of their role as spiritual leaders, God holds them to a higher standard.

Both the priest in the Old Testament and the pastor in the New are held accountable for the spiritual state of others. “They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common” (Ezek. 44:23a). James warns us, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly (Jas. 3:1). Teaching others means you better know it first yourself.

Because, by their example, they could so easily lead others astray, God required the priests to be different. It’s not that certain sins are excusable for laymen. It’s that they were unacceptable for spiritual leaders. You’ve heard it said, “like father, like son”? Well, it’s also true, “like priest, like people”. Of the wicked sons of Eli (I Sam. 2:12-17) it was said, “they had no regard for the Lord” (I Sam. 2:12). The result is that people concerned with righteousness will be discouraged and may grow disheartened in their pursuit of God. Those unconcerned with righteousness will grow colder yet or be confirmed in their godless living. For the spiritual leader it means double-jeopardy - for his own sin and for those he encourages others to commit by his poor example.

God’s spiritual leaders must teach His people the difference between the holy and the common.


Psalms 141-142

Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. (Ps. 141:3)

Someone has said:

If your lips you would keep from slips,
Five things observe with care:
To whom you speak, of whom you speak,
And how and when and where.

But there might be some danger in thinking you can do it alone. For success in this endeavor, be sure to do this:

If your tongue you’d keep from wrong,
One thing be sure to do:
Commit your way to God above,
His grace will see you through.

Here are some selected Proverbs that might help you in your use of the tongue:

10:18-19 - He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool. When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.

11:9,12-13 - With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor.... A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue. A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

12:19,22 - Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.... The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.

13:3 - He who guards his lips guards his soul, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.

15:1,4 - A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.... The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

16:23-24,28 - A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.... A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.

17:27-28 - A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered. Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.

18:2,6-7,13 - A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.... A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating. A fool’s mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul.... He who answers before listening - that is his folly and his shame.

20:19 - A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.

THE LORD SPOKE (September 5)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Proverbs 8-10

Proverbs 10:19 - When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.

• Would you like to sin less? Talk less!
• Adding many words will multiply sin and divide friends.
• A ton of words will tungle the tange every time.
• “Nothing is often a good thing to do, and always a good thing to say.” (Will Durant)
• Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
• “The only edged tool that gets sharper with use is the tongue.” (Washington Irving)

Writing proverbs about the tongue is not a hard thing to do. What's hard is to tame the tongue. Really hard! In fact, James tells us that “no man can tame the tongue” (3:8). Earlier he said that, “If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check” (3:2). We go on diets and get into exercise programs to discipline our bodies. Is there something like that which we should do for our tongues?

Proverbs mentions several categories of tongues - both good and bad:

• lying tongue (6:17; 26:28)
• healing tongue (12:18, 15:4)
• deceiving tongue (17:20)
• guarded tongue (21:23)
• gentle tongue (25:15)
• flattering tongue (28:23)
• teaching tongue (31:26)

That should give us something to aim at. The solution is going to come from God’s Word, be sure of that. If we would fill our hearts with Scripture and God’s thoughts, it's bound to have the desired result. Here’s what Jesus had to say about that:

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45)


New Testament: Revelation 11

Where is the Ark of the Covenant? At the end of Revelation 11 it is located in heaven. That must have some bearing on the question today.

Following the destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians, there is no more mention of the Ark in the Old Testament. We are left with three possibilities:

1. It was destroyed at the same time as the Temple (but why no mention?).
2. It was taken to Babylon along with the other Temple utensils (but then, why is it not mentioned along with all the other items, either going or returning, and why is it not in the rebuilt Temple?).
3. It was hidden away by the priests before the Babylonians got there.

Of the three, the last seems to be the most likely. That leads to at least three possibilities:

1. It was hidden underground in the area of the Temple by the priests before the arrival of the Babylonians. This is the most widely accepted idea among orthodox Jews today and Rabbi Goren (the chief rabbi at the time of the Six-Day War) fed this theory with some unsubstantiated claims. Indeed, the entire area of the Temple Mount is honey-combed with cisterns and some connecting channels, providing innumerable possibilities.
2. It was secreted away to an off-site hiding place (across the Jordan River has been commonly suggested but there is no evidence at all. Forget Petra!). There are various later developments in this theory. For example, the Knights Templar are said to have carted it away during the Crusades to France, or Britain, or Ireland.
3. It was taken to Egypt by Jeremiah and the Jewish refugees and eventually found its way down to Ethiopia. This seems so far-fetched but the persistence of the story and some attempt to account for the Falashas justifies including it on the list.

If it’s going to be located in heaven in Revelation 11, does that mean that it’s there now? Perhaps not. The Bible tells us that there will be a temple rebuilt at some point before or during the Tribulation. It’s possible that the Tribulation Temple will be the one still standing in the Millennium, but it seems more likely that it will be destroyed again and an entirely new (and much larger) Temple will be built during the Millennium. The present topography of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount won’t accommodate the dimensions of the Temple measured and described by Ezekiel. Chronologically, Revelation 11 comes before Christ’s millennial kingdom so it could be that the Ark of the Covenant is relocated in heaven in relation to the events of the Tribulation.

Will it show up in the meantime? That’s a big question but one thing is pretty certain - it’s not likely that the Ark of the Covenant is stored in some warehouse in Washington, DC.

THE LORD SPOKE (August 8)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Psalm 25-30

Have you ever just sat and watched a storm roll in, discharge its fury, and then move on through, leaving a clear horizon and a happier earth behind? That’s how David describes the Lord of Glory in this psalm. Look at it more closely:

Ps. 29:3 - the voice of the Lord is over the waters”
= Mediterranean Ocean
Ps. 29:5 - “the voice of the Lord breaks the cedars...of Lebanon”
= central mountains of the Lebanese chain
Ps. 29:8 - “the voice of the Lord shakes the desert”
= the Transjordanian Plateau leading onto the desert

The storm metaphor that David uses is exactly the scene that one would experience in Israel. The prevailing winds along the Levant come off the Mediterranean and drop whatever moisture the clouds carry on the central highlands before moving across the Jordan Rift Valley and dissipating in the Arabian Desert.

The imagery of thunder (Ps. 29:3) and lightning (Ps. 29:7) describe the heavy storms which come in December and January. The mighty power of the storm reminds us of the mightier power of God and “Glory!” escapes our lips (4x - Ps. 29:1,2,3,9). Creation’s awesome voice (thunder) gives audible evidence of the God of glory (Ps. 29:3). Broken cedars (Ps. 29:5) and twisted oaks (Ps. 29:9) give further evidence of His power.

“The voice of the Lord” appears seven times in this brief psalm and it is powerful and majestic (Ps. 29:4). It shakes things up (Ps. 29:5-9) but then produces strength and shalom (Ps. 29:11).

Shalom. It means so much more than just “peace”. Indeed, there is a calm that comes after the storm but biblical shalom includes the calm before the storm and the very storm itself. The fundamental meaning of the Hebrew word is completeness or fullness. It is characterized by calmness and satisfaction. Nothing is missing or out of place. Everything is balanced and harmonious. Whole.

Only God can do that. Sin has broken our world but He “blesses his people with peace/shalom” (Ps. 29:11). It then becomes easy to ascribe glory to His name and worship Him “in the splendor of his holiness” (Ps. 29:2). That is a difficult Hebrew phrase which also appears in Psalm 110:3 where the NIV translates it as “arrayed in holy majesty”. He clothes us in garments of holiness. He restores our soul and He wants to bless us with shalom.

Let this word be on your tongue today.


New Testament: James 3

The only edged tool that gets sharper with use is the tongue. - Washington Irving

James tells us that “no man can tame the tongue” (Jas. 3:8), yet the emphasis of this chapter is that we submit our whole being to God in order that He might give us control over our tongue as well. A salty spring cannot produce fresh water (Jas. 3:11-12) but God is able to change the spring itself at the source.

Like a rudder on a ship, the tongue is capable of setting the direction of our entire life. That’s why the Devil is so very interested in getting control of it. He has come up with a pseudo-wisdom (Jas. 3:15) that is in reality a denial of truth. He brings all the resources of hell to bear on us (Jas. 3:6) and infects us with his deadly poison.

He uses two very effective tools to do this: “bitter envy” and “selfish ambition” (Jas. 3:14,16). These lead to “disorder and every evil practice”. Like a fire it spreads and our tongue has the same effect as gasoline on it. Not only does it spread quickly, it will actually consume our whole being if left unchecked (Jas. 3:6). Our stumbling (Jas. 3:2) then becomes a free fall.

So what’s the answer? How do we access the power of God to affect change? How can the tongue be tamed?

1. Don’t put yourself forward as a teacher (Jas. 3:1). This is the result of selfish ambition and will bring greater judgment upon you. If God has called and gifted you to teach, He will provide the proper timing and opportunities for that to happen within His purposes.
2. Consider well the power of the tongue (Jas. 3:3-6). Like a bit in the mouth of a horse, like a small rudder on a ship, and like the spark that ignites devastating fire, it must come under the control of a greater power and you are not able to do that on your own (Jas. 3:7-8). You must ask for help.
3. Make sure you understand the meaning and implications of being created in “the image of God”. Even unregenerate man is still a bearer of the imago Dei and to curse him is ultimately to curse God (Jas. 3:9).
4. Pursue the wisdom that “comes down from heaven”. It will make you wise and understanding. It is recognized by the humility that it produces and will result in good deeds. It’s the opposite of worldly wisdom which is characterized by bitter envy, selfish ambition, boasting, denial of the truth, disorder, and every evil practice (Jas. 3:14-16).

This kind of relationship with God will produce “a harvest of righteousness”. “The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (Jas. 3:17).

Isn’t that what you desire?

THE LORD SPOKE (August 6)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Psalm 15-18

Psalm 17:3 - “I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.”

James 3:2 tells us that, “If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.” In fact, look at what else James has to say about the tongue in that same chapter:

Jas. 3:5 - the tongue “makes great boasts”
Jas. 3:6a - “the tongue is a fire”
Jas. 3:6b - “it corrupts the whole person”
Jas. 3:6c - it “sets the whole course of [your] life on fire”
Jas. 3:8a - “it is a restless evil”
Jas. 3:8b - it is “full of deadly poison”

Not a pretty picture! In fact, James wraps it all up by saying rather conclusively, “no man can tame the tongue” (Jas. 3:8). So How could David say what he does in Psalm 17:2? How could he resolve not to sin with his mouth? First, keep in mind that this is a prayer of David. We learn that in the superscription of the psalm. Second, David is crying out to God for help in this (see Ps. 17:6b). He is not making an arrogant statement for public consumption. Though he is definitely involved in the effort, he acknowledges that it is by the word of God’s lips that he is kept from sin (Ps. 17:4). It’s not his own resolve that does it.

Third, David has observed the contrast with the wicked who by “their mouths speak with arrogance” (Ps. 17:10). Indeed, it is most often arrogance that drives us and causes us to sin with our mouths.

If you your lips would keep from slips,
Five things observe with care:
To whom you speak, of whom you speak,
And how and when and where.

It will take resolve! Here’s an assignment for you: read through the book of Proverbs looking for what it has to say about the tongue. It will bring conviction but it will also bring help for our resolve as we consider the words of God’s lips, designed to keep us from sinning with our mouths.


New Testament: James 1

How do you handle trials? More important, in the light of this passage, how do you find joy in trials (Jas. 1:2)? How can a difficulty be turned into a blessing?

1) Assess the problem. (Jas. 1:3) - Start by defining the adversity and admitting your sin. There are problems that we don’t cause (“trials of many kinds”) but most often they are the result of something we’ve done, or not done. Those trials that aren’t our own fault are sent to us to test our faith particularly in the area of our love for God (Jas. 1:12). So begin by recognizing the nature, cause, and (if possible) purpose of the trial.

2) Ask God for help. (Jas. 1:5) - You’re never alone in your trials. God is only a prayer away and this verse is a clarion call to turn to Him in your hour of need. Just ask for His help. He’ll do more that you can imagine (“he gives generously”) and it will be without reproach (“without finding fault”). But you have to ask!

3) Activate your faith. (Jas. 1:6) - Use trials as a trigger for good. Don’t let them turn you to doubt and depression. When you ask, you must believe. That’s both very simple and extremely hard. Simple, because it’s a 1+1 equation. Hard, because it’s so contrary to our natural inclination. Doubts will destabilize every area of your life (Jas. 1:8). The answer is faith in God that springs from love for Him. And, did you notice? “Those” who love Him is plural. You’re not alone.

4) Anticipate the reward. (Jas. 1:12) - The “crown of life” is promised to those who persevere under trial. God is watching and knows every detail of our lives. He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6).

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay. (Heb. 10:35-37)