Does The LORD Still Grant Visions And Dreams?

It has been a couple months since I posted anything to this blog. During that time my wife and I made a major move. We moved to a retirement village in south Texas. So now that we are settled in and comfortable I am able to move on with my next project.  I will now explore what the Bible has to say about visions and dreams. The question is whether the LORD still today speaks to His people through visions and dreams. Does He grant such visions only to a select few or can we anticipate that the LORD will and does speak to any one of us directly in our own visions and dreams?

In the past several months everything we studied in the book of the Revelation has been based upon John's vision. Listen again to what he says as his mysterious book begins:

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, - Rev 1:10-12 ESV

Notice the phrase "in the Spirit" and that he is told by "a loud voice like a trumpet" to write "what you see." When he turns "to see the voice that was speaking" he "saw" seven golden lamp stands. . .

Let's start with "in the Spirit." Exactly what John means by that phrase is not immediately clear. He uses the phrase several times:

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet - Rev 1:10 ESV
At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. - Rev 4:2 ESV
And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. - Rev 17:3 ESV
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, - Rev 21:10 ESV

John is probably saying that he was meditating upon God's Word on the day the church remembers  and celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, the Lord's day, namely Sunday.  To speak of being "in" normally refers to a place with limits of space, such as being in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:1). It can also refer to the contents of a book or prophecy. So Paul writes about that portion of Scripture in  which Elijah is recorded as claiming that Israel has forsaken her God (Rom. 11:2). In turn, Paul writes about a believer being in the Spirit if in fact "the Spirit of God dwells in you" (Rom. 8:9). Consequently it is safe to say that the Spirit dwelling in John led him to hear and to see what the Spirit was uncovering about events that are to take place in the future.

This then is the primary meaning of the visions given to Bible prophets. Led by the Holy Spirit they proclaim and write about what they have seen and heard about the future. So Isaiah starts his prophecy with these words:

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. - Isa 1:1 ESV

The word for vision in the Hebrew language is chazown.  The word occurs 35 times in 34 verses of the Hebrew Bible. So way back in the days before King David, we read about the boy Samuel hearing the LORD speak to him. The writer says that "the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. Samuel did not know what to make of the voice he heard until Eli the priest instructed him to listen and obey. When he did that the LORD spoke to Samuel and said,

"Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the ears of everyone who hears it will tingle." 1 Sam 3:11 ESV

(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, "Come, let us go to the seer," for today's "prophet" was formerly called a seer.) - 1Sa 9:9 ESV 

So Samuel is called a seer of visions. John's vision falls in line with the ancient prophets. He saw, he heard and then proclaimed in writing what the LORD had revealed.

In the next posts I want to explore with you what this means for the present and modern church. What does the New Testament say about prophets and prophesying and in what way does the office of the prophet continue?

The Third Heaven: Dwelling Place Of God

We now follow John as he goes through a door standing open in heaven! But where is that? Surely it is out there, beyond the clouds and the stars above, beyond human experience, outside of this world to that somewhere and everywhere where God dwells with all the great host of heavenly beings. This heaven was opened to Jesus at His baptism and he saw the Spirit of God descending, descending and descending like a dove to rest on him. And he heard a voice from that somewhere that said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Matt 3:16-17).

Now John is invited into that other place, above and beyond us all. A door stands open and he passes through it. The Apostle Paul had been there. He wrote,

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. - 2 Co 12:2 ESV

He called it the "third" heaven. How many are there? And to which of these did John go?

The Hebrew word for it all is shamayim, a plural word. The Hebrew has several other words that refer to the sky, the firmament and the clouds. John uses a Greek word that refers to the same location, but is not a plural. Rather John speaks about the heaven (ouranos). When Peter received his vision about clean/unclean food a voice from the heaven spoke to him three times, indicating that this was God's voice (Acts 10:9-16). The third heaven is the dwelling-place of God.

From the blog of Pastor Ray K Liu

So there are three heavens:

1. The firmament, our planet's atmosphere, where the eagles fly (Gen 2:19; Lamentations 4:19)
2. Beyond is the starry heavens, with the sun, moon and stars in their orbits. Out there they declare God's glory and show His handiwork (Ps. 19:1)
3. The third heaven is that place to which Paul was caught up, the place beyond, the dwelling-place of God, the heaven of heavens (Deut 10:14; Psalms 115:16; 148:4) 

There is no way to speak of that third heaven other than through the use of symbolical language. Paul knew that as well. He says "he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter" (2 Co 12:4). John, on the other hand, is given a revelation from that place of wonder and awe to share, using symbols and images familiar to this time, this world so that we may imagine in some small way what it is like there and what is going to happen in this world as we await Christ's return. These will appear all throughout the next chapters. Here's a partial list of the images we will want to study:

• thrones of precious stones like jasper and carnelian
• emerald rainbows
• crowns
• torches of fire
• people wearing white robes
• creatures like lions, oxen, men and eagles
• creatures with wings, full of eyes
• a mighty Lion
• the Lamb
• scroll with seven seals
• horses of various colors
• wars, blood, storms, people dying
• angels, elders, demons

So we move forward with a prayer that the Spirit will speak to our hearts and open our eyes as well.

Does Your Church Have An Angel?

Does your church have an angel?

Several times I've been told by members of one or the other congregation I served as pastor that they saw an angel standing next to me as I preached. How would you take that remark? True? Active imagination? Listen to John writing in the Revelation:

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, ... As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. - Rev 1:12, 20 ESV

What is this talk about the mystery? What is a mystery? In the Bible mysteries are generally secrets known only to the initiated. They refer to some hidden counsel or purpose of men or they hide the secret counsels of God, counsels the ungodly will never know. These mysteries are often within a saying of the Bible or seen in a vision or a dream. Listen:

And he (Jesus) answered them, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. - Mat 13:11 ESV

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. - Rom 11:25 ESV

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages - Rom 16:25 ESV 

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, - 1Co 15:51 ESV 

But back to the angels of the seven churches. The word angel doesn't necessarily refer to those wondrous spirits who sang and shouted when the LORD laid the foundation of the earth (Job 38:4-7). The word can simply refer to a messenger. John the Baptist was the messenger / angel who prepared the way for Christ's coming:

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, - Mar 1:2 ESV 

Could it be that what is written in the next chapters about each individual church is actually addressed first to the pastors or overseers of those churches? That's the frequent application of this mystery. However, nowhere in the NT is the word angel ever used to point to an under-shepherd, a pastor. David A Huston agrees. He believes that the words of Rev. 2-3 are written directly to the members of the congregations, because the local assemblies founded by the apostles were led by teams of men called overseers, not by single pastors.

On the other hand, the word angel is used some 60 times in Revelation to speak about one of these great spirits. Sam Storms discusses a few other options, but finally takes the view that the LORD—through John—is addressing the guardian angels of these seven churches. He doesn't know why Jesus would do so, however, and ends up leaving the identity of these angels still a mystery.

There is a parallel in Daniel's prophecy about a strange man who comes to him to tell him of the angelic princes of Persia and Israel.

Then he said to me, "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes (Dan.13:1), came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come." - Dan 10:12-14 ESV

Later in the Revelation we will see and hear about seven angels with seven trumpets or seven plagues or seven bowls of the wrath of God (Rev. 8:2; 15:1; 16:1).  Are they the same seven spoken about here? We'll deal with that later. For now, back to the question of guardian angels of local churches. We hear that little children have angels (Matt. 18:10). Indeed the apostles had guardian angels. Peter's angel got him out of prison (Acts 12:5-15). So if individuals have angels, why not whole assemblies or churches of believers? This brings us back to the question about who is being addressed in the following chapters, the angels or the entire congregation? Certainly the members of the church are held responsible. Why then are the letters address to the various angels of the churches?

Perhaps we are back to viewing the angels as the supervisors, the pastors of the seven churches. To come to that conclusion consider the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the OT. The prophet Haggai is called the angel  or messenger of the LORD.

καὶ εἶπεν Αγγαιος ὁ ἄγγελος κυρίου τῷ λαῷ ἐγώ εἰμι μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν λέγει κύριος  - Hag 1:13 LXX = Then Haggai, the messenger (angel) of the LORD, spoke to the people with the LORD's message, "I am with you, declares the LORD." - Hag 1:13 ESV

Luther Poellot, in his 1962 commentary, says that in the Bible we read about God sending angels as messengers to men, but He never uses men to send messages to angels!

Conclusion: the letters are written to those holding the prophetic office, the shepherds of the seven congregations. They are the messengers who are to convey the messages to their congregants, messages containing both warnings (Law) and words of comfort (Gospel). These same messages can be applied to congregations of believers in our day. We'll talk about that as we open them up.

Essentially The Revelation Is a Book of Symbols.

The Seven Churches of Revelation, also known as The Seven Churches of the Apocalypse and The Seven Churches of Asia (referring to the Roman province of Asia, not the entire continent), are seven major churches of Early Christianity, as mentioned in the New Testament Book of Revelation.

We continue with our study of the Apocalypse or Revelation of John (the Apostle), written from the Greek island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea, off the coast of modern Turkey. John writes to

... the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. - Rev 1:4-6 ESV

"Churches" in this context refers to the community or local congregations of Christians living in each city, and not merely to the building or buildings in which they gathered for worship. In fact, church buildings would not appear to any extent, until a couple hundred years later. John is instructed to write to seven of those Christian communities. There may well have been more. Seven here must be interpreted as a symbol for all churches.  Seven is an important symbolical number in the Bible denoting completion. Some examples:

• Gen. 1:31 - 2:3 - God completed His creation in six days and set the seventh day aside to rest. Thus seven became the number for completion. It still marks the completion of our week of days. 

• In Rev. 13:18 "the number of the beast" is called "the number of a man": 666. Man was created on the 6th day. If God's number is 7, then man's is 6, indicating clearly that man is not God. He was created by God on day 6. The number of man is written 3 times. The number 3, as we'll later learn, is also God's number, the number for the Trinity. In claiming 666 we will learn that the beast is claiming to be God and worthy of worship.  

• Series of sevens often appear in the Bible. So we find:

• Gen. 7:2 - 7 pairs of each clean animal enter the ark. 
• Exodus 25:37 - the Menorah, the tabernacle's lamp stand, has 7 stems
• Proverbs 6:16-19 - The LORD hates haughty eyes, a lying tongue, shedding of innocent blood, a heart devising wicked plans, feet that run to evil, a false witness and one who sows discord.
• Matt. 18:22 - wrongdoers are to be forgiven 70 X 7. 
• In the Revelation the number 7 is used more than 50 times. e.g. 7 letters to 7 churches in Asia and 7 spirits before God’s throne (Revelation 1:4), 7 golden lamp stands (Rev.1:12), 7 stars in Christ’s right hand (Rev. 1:16), 7 seals of God’s judgment (Rev. 5:1), 7 angels with 7 trumpets (Rev. 8:2), etc. 

So here in the beginning of The Revelation the number 7  represents completeness or totality: the 7 churches represent the completeness of the body of Christ, the 7 seals on the scroll represent the fulness of God’s punishment of a sinful earth, and so on.

Symbolical language is very important in the Bible. One study tells us that there are 1,670 symbols in the Bible. These include the rainbow (Gen. 9:13; Rev. 4:3), thunder, lightning, cloud and smoke (Rev. 4:5; 8:5; 11:19), trumpets (Exod. 19:19; Rev. 8:6), throne (Isa. 6:1; Rev. 4:2; 22:3), white hair (Dan. 7:9; Rev. 1:14), etc. Amazing Discoveries has created a Bible Symbols Chart that you may find helpful.

By the way, what do you think about when you see men like myself with white hair ? White is the symbol for purity (Rev. 12:9; 20:2) and for victory (Rev. 19:8; 3:5; 7:14). White hair in particular is apparently a symbol for experience and the consequent wisdom that comes from the same (Rev. 1:14). We are commanded to honor the old man with gray or white hair and consider it to be a crown of glory, glory gained by living a godly or righteous life (Prov.16:31). Obviously not all of us white-hairs have earned such honor, but many have, by God's grace.

What precisely is a symbol or symbolic speech? Webster's dictionary defines it this way: A form of speech that expresses an idea or emotion without use of words. A symbol represents or suggests something abstract, such as burning one’s draft card, bra, or flag, or picketing. So throughout the Revelation we will encounter symbolic speech and we must consequently be very careful never to interpret symbols literally. An obvious example of this is the number 144,000 (12x12x10x10x10). We'll want to explore that peculiar symbolical number later. But is it only symbolical?

The problem is how to decide if one should ever interpret the symbols of Revelation as literal rather than symbolical, pointing beyond the image to an abstract concept, like 144,000 (Rev. 7:1-4; 14:1-3). Jehovah's Witnesses, for instance, claim that 144,000 is the literal number of those who will reside in heaven. The rest will live forever on earth or be annihilated. We'll come back to interpreting that symbolical number later. For the moment I believe we need some guidance on principles of interpretation (sometimes called hermeneutics).

One basic hermeneutical rule is that Scripture interprets Scripture. So right at the start we read that the Revelation comes from God to Jesus. Jesus, in turn, is to show his servants what must happen soon . To do that our Lord sent his angel / messenger to signify or make known what must happen through symbols.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, - Rev 1:1 NKJV

The Greek word for signify here is sēmainō, a favorite verb used by John in his Gospel. So Jesus spoke about his being lifted up as the means by which he would draw all people to himself. John then writes, "He said this to show (or signify) by what kind of death he was going to die. - John 12:33 ESV. The snake lifted up on a pole was a sign of what would happen when Jesus was lifted up on a Roman cross. In its noun form that word is translated simply as sign. So when Jesus heals the son of an  official from Judea John calls it "the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee" (John 4:54). The healing was a sign pointing to Jesus as the Messiah.

So we hear from the outset that this is a book of signs or symbols that show us what must happen. Essentially the Revelation is a book of symbols. That is the primary way by which Jesus chose to communicate to us through His angel. If we are to interpret these symbols in some kind of literal manner, the Holy Spirit will make that clear as well. Otherwise we'll have to treat the various images as symbols or signs, not to be taken literally. If you'd like to read more about this process of interpretation or hermeneutics, read Roy Harrisville's article "A Primer on Lutheran Hermeneutics."

The Kingdom of God is near

As I completed my service to Zion church, Tomball, TX. last Sunday I read the Scriptures publicly. After the Divine Service, as I shook hands with those attending, one lady remarked,

I love the way you read the Bible. It sounds so personal and clear. 

I responded,

The Scriptures were meant to be read aloud and interpreted by the inflection and use of one's voice.

In support of that I submit the following from the first chapter of John's Revelation:

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. - Rev 1:3 ESV 

Actually, the original Greek does not say "reads aloud." It merely uses a word that implies that those reading were reading aloud since you can't hear what is written in this prophecy unless it is read aloud. The blessing John writes about comes in the midst of this public communal activity of reading and hearing the words of this prophecy. The one who reads is blessed and those who hear and keep what is written are blessed. Notice that the blessing comes not merely from the hearing, but also from the keeping of what is written, as the Lord Jesus said,

He who has ears to hear, let him hear. - Mat 11:15 ESV 

The keeping of the words of this prophecy refers to guarding them. When Jesus was entombed by Joseph of Arimathea (a little town of Judea), guards were placed before the tomb. The concern was that the disciples would steal the body of Jesus away and so claim that he had risen from the dead (Matt. 27:62-66). The Greek word for the guards is the one from which we obtain our English word custodian. Following that lead, I can hear John suggesting that we who hear the Word are to be custodians of it, watching over it so carefully that not a single letter is lost. As we ponder and guard that Word we will be blessed.

Further, what John writes is a prophecy. Prophecy has three meanings.

1. In the strict sense prophecy is foretelling, that is speaking about future events before they happen. The Gospel of Matthew often uses prophecy in this way. For instance, the angel who appeared to Joseph told him not to be afraid to marry Mary, because of what had been spoken by the prophet Isaiah: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). - Mat 1:23 ESV
2. The second meaning of prophecy is illumination. Divine light is cast upon what is otherwise secret, unknown or not understood in God's revealed Word. Suddenly there is for the hearers who receive and guard it in their hearts an Aha! So in a recent Bible class I observed that many realized for the first time that "the name" of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is the sacred NAME of God (YHWH - Exod. 3:13-15) and this NAME is shared by all three members of the Holy Trinity. So the Father is YHWH, Jesus is YHWH.  and the Holy Spirit is YHWH. 
3. The third meaning of prophecy refers to interpretation. This is what a preacher or a teacher does for his assembled hearers. He interprets God's Word and applies it to the lives of those gathered. 

As we read (together in this blog) and hear John's Revelation I pray that all of these meanings will be opened to us, because this prophecy does indeed tell of things to come, but it also throws light on things already written and helps us to interpret and apply them to our lives. 

Finally John says, "For the time is near." John uses one of two N.T. Greek words for time. In this case  he speaks of kairos as opposed to chronos. Chronological time keeps changing. It is impermanent. So I may awaken at 6:30 a.m. on a Tuesday, but a moment or two later it is 7:00 a.m. and so on. On the other hand kairos refers to a specific time whose significance continues forward. So I think of the birth of my children. Each birth changed my life permanently and continues to do so to the present. In a far more profound way the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus has changed everything and will continue to do so forever. So after John was arrested, Jesus proclaimed, 

"The time (kairos) is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand (near); repent and believe in the gospel." - Mar 1:15 ESV

Thus let us be very conscious that the reading and hearing of this prophecy brings us to a kairos of decision. The Spirit is a work in these words.  Things foretold are about to be fulfilled. The Kingdom of God is at hand (near). Consider what it means for your life here and now. Now is the time to repent and believe in the gospel. The Kingdom of God is being fulfilled in our midst at this present time.

Historical Context of Revelation

Many people question who the author of the book of Revelation is and when it was written. The author simply calls himself John. In the New Testament we know of two Johns, John the Baptist and John the Apostle. Since the Baptist was long dead, does the author simply assume that we will know it is the Apostle John who writes? Some of the earliest preserved writings of Christian leaders agree. Justin Martyr of Rome (A.D. 150), for instance, wrote that John the Apostle, son of Zebedee, was the author.

Now we have understood that the expression used among these words, 'According to the days of the tree [of life ] shall be the days of my people; the works of their toil shall abound' obscurely predicts a thousand years. For as Adam was told that in the day he ate of the tree he would die, we know that he did not complete a thousand years. We have perceived, moreover, that the expression, 'The day of the Lord is as a thousand years,' is connected with this subject. And further, there was a certain man with us, whose name was John, one of the apostles of Christ, who prophesied, by a revelation that was made to him, that those who believed in our Christ would dwell a thousand years in Jerusalem; and that thereafter the general, and, in short, the eternal resurrection and judgment of all men would likewise take place. Just as our Lord also said, 'They shall neither marry nor be given in marriage, but shall be equal to the angels, the children of the God of the resurrection.' Luke 20:35f. (Dialogue 81)

The authorship of Revelation was debated back and forth in the Eastern branch of the church. Eusebius (A.D. 325) wavered, but at one point wrote this about the Apostle John and the Apocalypse:

Domitian, having shown great cruelty toward many, and having unjustly put to death no small number of well-born and notable men at Rome, and having without cause exiled and confiscated the property of a great many other illustrious men, finally became a successor of Nero in his hatred and enmity toward God. He was in fact the second that stirred up a persecution against us, although his father Vespasian had undertaken nothing prejudicial to us.
Chapter 18. The Apostle John and the Apocalypse.
1. It is said that in this persecution the apostle and evangelist John, who was still alive, was condemned to dwell on the island of Patmos in consequence of his testimony to the divine word.
2. Irenæus (A.D. 180), in the fifth book of his work Against Heresies, where he discusses the number of the name of Antichrist which is given in the so-called Apocalypse of John, speaks as follows concerning him:
3. If it were necessary for his name to be proclaimed openly at the present time, it would have been declared by him who saw the revelation. For it was seen not long ago, but almost in our own generation, at the end of the reign of Domitian.

These quotes from Justin Martyr and Eusebius do not settle the issue for Mike Blume (Rightly Dividing the Word). He claims that Revelation was written before AD 70 by the Apostle and is a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem, among other things. To support this he quotes a number of the earliest Church Fathers and ancient writings, such as the Muratorian Canon.

I mention all this in order to put the book into its historical context. From my perspective it seems best to conclude that the book was written by the Apostle from the island of Patmos toward the end of Domitian's reign (A.D. 90-95). Besides Eusebius this date is confirmed by the testimony of other early church fathers such as  Clement of Alexandria (200) and Origen (254).

Following the lead of Bruce Metzger then, I look at Revelation as a book written in code for Christians under persecution by the Roman Emperor Domitian. The code, of course, is based upon the Old Testament.

The Book of Revelation—Uncovering or not?

If you followed this blog during the past several years I've been writing it you know that I write primarily to you readers who, with me, accept the reality and Lordship of Jesus, who is both the son of Mary and the resurrected and ascended Son of God. I'm also deeply concerned about learning what to expect as we await His return, as the Angel said to His disciples shortly after He disappeared in a cloud,

This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." - Act 1:11 ESV

From this I assume that He will come back in visible form. Meanwhile I know with great certainty that He is still with us as we wait for that day. In the meantime I want to listen to Him and talk with Him about what He is saying and planning. That seems very important to us all. And I have received many, many requests for help in understanding what God is saying to us in His Word as we await Christ's return. So for a time now I'm going to open my heart to listen, particularly to that wondrous book known to all of us as The Revelation. You're invited to listen in.

___________________________________________

The opening Greek word apocalypse, means "a laying bare or uncovering". However, much of what we find in the book seems to be the opposite, more like a book of hiddenness, confusion and obscurity. Many passages strike the casual reader as bizarre, bewildering, and sometimes frightening. That, however, may be because we of the 21st century are so disconnected from the world of the first century. After all, books need to be understood in their historical context. Bruce Metzger's short 1993 book, Breaking The Code, has proven to be helpful in that regard. Speaking of John's series of visions, Metzger writes of John's visionary experiences,

They invite the reader or listener to enter into the experience being recounted and to participate in it, triggering mental images of that which is described. (p.13)

Metzger goes on to help us understand John's frequent use of symbolic language. Sometimes John explains the symbols. At other times they are obvious and need no explanation, seven  for instance. We all know there are seven days in a week; then another week begins. So seven means completion or perfection.

Other symbols in Revelation can be understood in the light of the symbolism used in the Hebrew Scriptures, particularly the books of Ezekiel, Daniel and Zechariah. It is clear that John had studied the Old Testament thoroughly. Of the 404 verses that comprise the 22 chapters of the book of Revelation, 278 verses contain one or more allusions to an Old Testament passage . . . Therefore, in attempting to understand John's symbolism, we must consider not only the book itself, but also his use of the Old Testament. 

That said, I want to say a couple words about what is called the perspicuity  of the Bible. We who are descendants of the Protestant Reformation have always insisted that the Bible is the supreme authority in matters of faith and practice. And when it comes to its central message about salvation in Jesus Christ it is abundantly clear. Any literate person can comprehend the gospel. Of course that does not mean that all of Scripture is equally understandable. There is plenty of room for responsible scholarship and interpretation. Laity can read and understand the Bible. And I believe that to be true of much of the book of Revelation. It is not as obscure as it first seems to be.

Let us see if that is so in the days ahead. It is, after all, called the Revelation, the uncovering. Maybe with a little help, this part of Scripture will uncover some rather remarkable things for us all.

Come With Me To Mount Hebrews

It has been a month since I've written on this blog. During that time my wife and I took a wonderful trip to Alaska to visit several families of cousins. And what a awesome experience it was. In addition to the joy of seeing these people once again, we had a renewed sense of wonder at the vastness and beauty of God's creation. The entire state is dominated by Mt. McKinley or in the native Alaskan tongue, Denali (Koyukon Athabaskan for "The High One"), at 20,320 feet above sea level, the largest mountain on the North American continent. Here's a photo that I took from a field near the home of cousins Kathy and Rick.

As you can see, that huge mountain dominates the landscape. Because it is so high, it is often clouded, but on this particular evening the clouds had dissipated and the mountain became very visible. The sign in front points to the fact that Rick maintains a field of grain set aside especially as a sanctuary for cranes. 

All that got me to thinking about the wonder of God's revelation. What He has revealed in Christ dominates all of human history. This fact is particularly lifted up in the Epistle to the Hebrews where the writer begins his letter with these words: 

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high . . .  - Hebrews 1:1-3 ESV

• God has spoken to us by His Son 

• Heir of all things 

• Creator of time and the universe 

• The Radiance of God's glory 

• The exact Imprint of God's nature 

• Upholder of the universe 

• God's Right Hand on high

• Purifier for all  sins

Over the next months I want to spend some time gazing upon that Revelation through the eyes of the writer of this wondrous epistle. Some long ago suggested that the Apostle Paul wrote it, but such a claim (inserted in some manuscripts) is uncertain. At best we can say it was written to believers who were well established in the Old Testament Scriptures. Those Scriptures, the history of the Children of Israel and the religious rites they practiced all point to Jesus, the Messiah or Christ. He is the Fulfiller of all God has spoken by the prophets of old. 

I invite you to join me on this new journey—not to Alaska, but through the wondrous terrain of the Epistle to the Hebrews and to the awesome mountain of His revelation in Christ. 

Captive To God's Word

I take no delight in the endless quarrels between churches and church members. I do not rejoice in the multitude of christian church denominations. I am puzzled by the growth of so called non-denominational churches in the United States, especially since they generally reflect a particular denominational viewpoint anyway. Born and raised in a family of Lutheran christians, I long to retreat into the catholic church and be done forever with all the dissension and differences.

But note that I said catholic, not Roman Catholic!

The historic, universal, worldwide church has three ecumenical creeds, statements of belief generally accepted by all christians. These include the Apostolic, the Nicene and the Athanasian creeds. In the Nicene Creed we find this phrase: We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I focus on that statement as I continue this brief study of the Reformation.

We christians believe in the Church, especially since we do not always see her with our physical eyes. Yet we believe, because the Holy Spirit has called us to faith in Jesus Christ, God's one and only Son, and our Savior and Lord. The Spirit calls, nurtures and grows this faith in us by means of God's Word. Thus we believe that wherever the Word of God is taught, there also the Holy Spirit is at work creating in the hearts of young and old faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Listen to the Apostle Paul.

But the righteousness based on faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) or "'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." - Rom 10:6-11 ESV

The Apostle is paraphrasing a couple other portions of Holy Scripture. The first are the words of Agur, son of Jakeh.

Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know! Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. - Pro 30:2-6 ESV

As far as I can tell, no one knows who Agur was. One explanation is that Solomon was playing upon the name's meaning. Agur means "the one who is brave in the pursuit of wisdom"; the son of Jakeh signifies "he who is free from sin." Whatever the intent, Agur's words are preserved in the Book of Proverbs and later quoted by the Apostle.

The point of the quote is obvious. God, the Holy One, dwells in heaven. He controls the wind and waves throughout the earth. Unless He reveals Himself and the name of His son, we know nothing about Him. We are totally reliant upon His revelation. In His Word He speaks to us and His Word is absolutely true. We trust and rely upon that Word precisely because it is God's Word, and not man's. No man can ascend to heaven nor control wind and wave. This is why we dare not add to nor take away from His Words. To do so makes one a liar.

The second quote in Paul's paraphrase comes from the Book of Deuteronomy. Moses is concluding his instructions to the Children of Israel who have completed 40 long years of wandering in the wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula. They are now about to take possession of the Promised Land. Moses promises they will indeed possess the land and the LORD will circumcise their hearts so that they love the LORD with all their hearts and souls. Thus will they live by the power of God speaking to them in His Word.

And you shall again obey the voice of the LORD and keep all his commandments that I command you today. The LORD your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For the LORD will again take delight in prospering you, as he took delight in your fathers, when you obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, when you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. "For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. - Deu 30:8-14 ESV

Note again the emphasis upon God speaking personally, in their hearts. No need to ascend to heaven and God's throne. No need to travel beyond the sea to discover some new revelation from a wise man on a distant mountain. No indeed. God Himself came down to you on Mount Sinai. There He spoke face to face with His servant Moses. In turn, Moses gave you God's Word. You heard His voice. Now His Word is both in your heart and on your lips. And as you go to possess the land, God will fulfill all His promises. Trust and obey God's Word and He will bless you. Turn from Him and you will surely perish.

This was the first major premise of the Reformation movement that Martin Luther began. God has given to us His Word. We have no choice but to hear and believe it. This was Luther's stance as he stood accused before the Diet of Worms. Relying completely upon God's Word he is supposed to have said, "Hier stehe Ich. Ich kann nicht anders. Gott helfe mir!"

In his seminal book Luther: Man Between God and the Devil (English edition Yale, 2006), Reformation scholar Heiko Oberman correctly renders Luther's speech like this:

Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures or by evident reason—for I can believe neither pope nor councils alone, as it is clear that they have erred repeatedly and contradicted themselves—I consider myself convicted by the testimony of Holy Scripture, which is my basis; my conscience is captive to the Word of God. Thus I cannot and will not recant, because acting against one's conscience is neither safe nor sound. God help me. Amen.

We christians have always been captive in our consciences to the Word of God. We remain so today.

Dreams, Visions And Enthusiasm

Although haphazard, I do have somewhat of a journal of my dreams. As I look back at them I am often confused. What do those symbols and stories mean? And how important are my dreams? Seldom, if ever, have I considered the possibility that they are messages from God. Yet I read many stories in the Bible about various believers receiving visions and dreams with messages and directions from God. Here's the Apostle Peter's vision just prior to a visit from men sent by the Roman centurion Cornelius, a devout man who believed in and prayed to God.

The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 

And there came a voice to him: "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." 

But Peter said, "By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." 

And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has made clean, do not call common." 

This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. 

Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them." - Act 10:9-20 ESV (see also Acts 11:4-18)

My, but do I have a ton of questions when I read this account—not about Peter, but about why the Spirit has given this tale to us and what I personally am to make of it. Yes, I know that the story tells us that the Gospel is not to be confined to the Jews. It is for all men. But that's not what I'm getting at. What I want to know is whether you and I are being told to expect similar dreams or visions from God giving directions and messages?

The usual answer to these questions is No! The time for that ceased once God's revelation about Christ and His salvation was given and recorded by the Apostles. The Spirit does continue to speak to us, but always and only through the objective written Word of God. The Spirit does not speak through our own personal, subjective visions and dreams. In this context one may quote Paul's  instructions to young Pastor Timothy,

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. - 2Ti 3:14-17 ESV

The apostle seems to be saying that the God-breathed or inspired Scripture, both the Old and the New Testaments, is all the man of God needs to be competent and completely furnished to do his work. Teach the Scripture. You do not need additional visions and dreams, nor should you expect them. Study the Bible and seize whatever opportunities come along to share God's Word. Do not expect further visions like Peter's or the direct speaking of the Spirit such as we read about in the Acts of the Apostles (cf. Acts 11:27-30; 13:1-3; 16:9-10; 18:9-11). That time of the Apostles is past. 

Dr. Martin Luther was deeply concerned about this. He called it enthusiasm, the direct internal speaking of the Holy Spirit (the word enthusiasm originally meant 'God in me'). Luther's concerns grew particularly out of his conflicts with Thomas Müntzer, an early disciple of Luther who later broke with him. Müntzer believed that God's teachings came directly from the Holy Spirit. He opposed the doctrines of justification by faith alone and of the Scripture as the exclusive source of divine truth. As an exponent of the supremacy of the inner light of the Holy Spirit as against the authority of Scripture, Müntzer was said by Luther to have swallowed the Holy Spirit, “feathers and all” ( “Against the Heavenly Prophets in the Matter of Images and Sacraments.” Luther's Works. Vol. 40:83. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press, 1958). Müntzer's enthusiasm ultimately led to a peasants' war and his own death. Luther writes about enthusiasm in the Book of Concord, Smalcald Articles (III:viii (9-13).

In short: enthusiasm clings to Adam and his children from the beginning to the end of the world—fed and spread among them as poison by the old dragon. It is the source, power, and might of all the heresies, even that of the papacy and Mohammed. Therefore we should and must insist that God does not want to deal with us human beings, except by means of his external Word and sacrament. Everything that boasts of being from the Spirit apart from such a Word and sacrament is of the devil. For God even desired to appear to Moses first in the burning bush and by means of the spoken word; no prophet—not even Elijah or Elisha—received the Spirit outside of or without the Ten Commandments; John the Baptist was not conceived without Gabriel’s preceding Word, nor did he leap in his mother’s womb without Mary’s voice; and St. Peter says: the prophets did not prophesy “by human will” but “by the Holy Spirit,” indeed, as “holy people of God.”However, without the external Word, they were not holy—much less would the Holy Spirit have moved them to speak while they were still unholy. Peter says they were holy because the Holy Spirit speaks through them.

OK, but that still doesn't answer my original concern about dreams and visions—or does it? What if you or I have what we consider to be a Peter-and-the-sheet experience or Paul's come-over-to-Macedonia call? We have not rejected the authority of Scripture and the central doctrine about God declaring us justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone. And yet you or I sense God's leading in a dream or vision. What about that? 


Let's come back to this vital topic and the Biblical worldview next time.

Newt Gingrich's Misuse Of The Bible

In several speeches I heard Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich misquote Proverbs 29:18, "Where there is no vision, the people perish."

“I’ll fine-tune my message to say: Without vision, the people perish,” he said, paraphrasing Proverbs 29:18 and casting its admonition as his central campaign theme. “You need a visionary leader with very big, very bold ideas. This is a very big, very bold country.” 

Gingrich does not ever directly say he is that visionary candidate, perhaps mindful of the biblical warning that comes just a few verses later: “A man’s pride shall bring him low.” But his point is clear as he outlines what he casts as “big ideas” and “big solutions.”

What exactly does the Bible mean by the word Gingrich used? What is this vision to which he mistakenly refers? Let's start with the full quote from the King James version:

Where [there is] no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy [is] he. - Prov. 29:18 KJV

The word, chazown in Hebrew, is variously translated in other versions:

• revelation, NKJV
• divine guidance, NLT
• prophetic vision, ESV
• prophecy, RSV

We encounter the word in 1 Samuel 13 when the future prophet Samuel hears the LORD speak to him during the night. The writer of Samuel comments that "the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision (chazown)" I Sam.3:1—ESV. By this the writer implies that there had been a time when God spoke His word (dabar in Hebrew), but such times were infrequent in Samuel's day.

Earlier we read that the word (dabar) of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, promising that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars (Gen. 15:1-5). The word for Abram's vision (machazeh in Hebrew) is the same word for the oracle that the strange alien prophet Balaam received. In his vision Balaam could only praise and bless the Israelites coming out from the desert. As a result, Moab's ruler, Balak, screamed that he had commanded Balaam to curse, not bless Israel. Balaam replied,

'If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the LORD speaks, that will I speak'? - Num 24:13 ESV

Both chazown and machazeh are nouns that come from the verb chazah, to look, see, behold or prophesy. Some applications:

• Moses is commanded to "look (chazah) for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens." - Exd 18:21 ESV

• David rejoices, "So I have looked (chazah) upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. - Psa 63:2 ESV

• The 70 elders who went with Moses, Aaron and his sons up on Mt. Sinai "beheld (chazah) God, and ate and drank. - Exd 24:11 ESV

• The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen (chazah) and its interpretation?" 

Daniel answered the king and said, "No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these . . ." - Dan 2:26-28 ESV

• And after the resurrection all saints will join Job to say, "After my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see (chazah) for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me! - Job 19:26-27 ESV

The point to be emphasized in all of this is that no one ought properly to speak about a vision unless he can also say that the LORD God has revealed His mysteries to him. Only then can he claim to be a spokesman, a prophet who speaks the word (dabar) of the LORD.

Further, if any prophet claims to speak a word that conflicts in any way with what the LORD has previously revealed to His true prophets and seers (1 Chron. 29:29), that false prophet must be rejected and denounced (Deut. 13:1-3).

And finally, in the coming resurrection of all God's saints, the LORD will grant them to see Him in all His majesty and glory.

Sorry Newt, but I don't think you qualify as a prophet, regardless of what vision and big, bold ideas YOU may have for America. Next time, please don't misuse Holy Scripture to support your political agenda.  

The Mystery of Mysteries

Today we continue our study of the mystery of marriage, especially in the light of what the Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 5:32, "This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church." So far I have not asked why Paul chose to even use the word mystery, especially since it was such a loaded term in his time. A word about that.

There were many mystery cults in Paul's day all around the Roman controlled world. And they had been around for hundreds of years. These cults practiced mysteries, cultic rites. In these rites the destiny of the particular god worshipped is portrayed by certain sacred actions.

In the Roman world one such cultic action was the festival of the Greek god Dionysius, the Dionysia, on January 6, a date that later became the Christian festival of Epiphany. "It was the second-most important festival after the Panathenaia. The Dionysia actually consisted of two related festivals, the Rural Dionysia and the City Dionysia, which took place in different parts of the year. They were also an essential part of the Dionysian Mysteries."

The Dionysia, also known as Bacchanalia—Dionysius' Roman name was Bacchus—celebrated the mystery of the god, retelling his story annually through rites, plays, songs and wild parties. Dionysius or Bacchus was the god of wine, agriculture, fertility of nature, and the patron god of the stage. His festivals celebrated the annual rebirth of nature and especially wine.There were processions, special stage plays, sacrifices of bulls, wild dance parties, drunken orgies and many other uninhibited actions. The festivities become so wild and dangerous that Roman authorities had to put strict limits upon them. 

There were many other mystery religions, each with its own rites, each revealing mysteries of the god only to initiates. To become an initiate one had to undergo various ritual initiations and learn certain formulas and secret symbols and signs. The myths and feasts were closely connected with the change of seasons, with human life and death, with perishing and returning to life in nature. The whole idea of mystery was widespread in philosophy and religion. 

In the Bible the word (Hebrew raz, LXX Greek mysterion) is found only in the prophetic book of Daniel (Daniel 2:18-19,27-30,47;4:6). There we read that King Nebuchadnezzar was perplexed by a dream he couldn't remember. His enchanters, astrologers and magicians couldn't tell him either, especially since the king couldn't remember what he had dreamed. But the mystery (raz) was revealed to Daniel by the LORD in a night vision and he was then able to tell the king what he had dreamed and what it meant. Without God's revelation no one knew about it. In the revelation Daniel saw a great image made of gold, bronze, iron and finally clay feet. This pointed to three kingdoms that were to follow that of Nebuchadnezzar, all of which would finally be replaced by an eternal kingdom established by the God of heaven (Daniel 2:44-45).

Paul was an educated Jew, trained by the best rabbis in Jerusalem, and a Roman citizen. He knew about all those meanings of the word mystery, both in Hebrew and in Greek. Consequently he used the word to speak about this mystery of marriage between a man and a woman, a mystery that points to the deeper mystery of Christ's union with His bride, the church. In both instances, we look to God's revelation to understand what God intended and what God is doing. We cannot be faithful to Him if we change the definition of human marriage. It is and always will be the union of one man and one woman for life. As such it reflects the eternal union of Christ, the second Adam, with His bride, the church (Ephesians 5:32; 2 Cor. 11:2; Revelation 19:7-8). This is the supreme mystery, far surpassing any mysteries before or since.

 

Christ's Secret Marriage Plan

These days we're exploring the mystery of marriage. Earlier I pointed you to the Genesis text (Gen. 2:24):

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh

Today I begin to unravel what the Apostle means when he says that this is a profound mystery and he is saying that it refers to Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:32). Paul frequently refers to mysteries. Earlier in Ephesians he writes:

• how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. ⁴When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit (Ephesians 3:3-5).
   
• To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ⁹ and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in^[a] God who created all things, ¹⁰ so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places (Ephesians 3:8-10).

The gospel of Jesus Christ is a mystery revealed and made known to Paul and through him to us all.  

• Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages (Romans 16:25). 

Above all, the Apostle emphasizes that this mystery was not something he discovered by his research or science. It is a mystery unknown to mankind in all other generations. It was kept secret for long ages. All of Adam's descendants, like Adam in the garden at the beginning, were alone. However, this was not the same kind of loneliness as Adam experienced at the beginning when he was still secure within the Garden and spoke with God each evening. No indeed. This was a loneliness brought on by Adam's disobedience. From that time forward he and his kind were separated from God and excluded from the Garden. Moses writes, 

“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife
   and have eaten of the tree
of which I commanded you,
   ‘You shall not eat of it,’
cursed is the ground because of you;
   in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
¹⁸ thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
   and you shall eat the plants of the field.
¹⁹ By the sweat of your face
   you shall eat bread,
till you return to the ground,
   for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Gen. 3:17-19)

And then the loneliness and separation began. 

"Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” ²³ therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. ²⁴ He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life" (Genesis 3:22-24).

What did the LORD God mean when He said, "the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil?" Surely He did not mean that Adam and his kind were not to develop moral judgments, the ability to distinguish good from evil. What then? We know that God knows good and evil. And we see that Adam did not have this knowledge until after his act of rebellion. As a result of gaining this knowledge the entire planet has been infected with suffering, pain and death. Adam and Eve now realize they are dust, earth and their bodies will now decay and return to the earth from whence they have come. 


Why this judgment? Because in claiming the right to decide what is good or evil, Adam has declared his autonomy. He has claimed to be God. Adam now makes the rules. Adam now decides what is good and what is evil. In so doing he has grievously erred. He is not God. He is Adam, created by God and made from the dust of the earth. He must learn this—and he will, at the cost of his life! 

"Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—"

The phrase, knowing good and evil, is used one more time in the Bible. 

"And as for your little ones, who you said would become a prey, and your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there. And to them I will give it, and they shall possess it" (Deuteronomy 1:39).  

The children of Israel had disobeyed the LORD God in the wilderness by refusing to go in when He commanded them. They allowed their fear to hold them back. They said that the Nephilim, giants, ruled there. Before them they were but grasshoppers. It was not possible. Consequently these disobedient people were excluded from entering the land (Numbers 13:25-14:45). Their children, who had not been part of the rebellion, were innocent. They had "no knowledge of good or evil"; consequently they were allowed to possess the land after 40 years when their parents had all died off.


Perhaps you can see where this is leading. The mystery revealed in Christ is that we, the children of Adam, are now reunited to our rightful husband, master and LORD in Christ. Through His innocent suffering, death and resurrection, we have been declared innocent and forgiven. We are no longer the disobedient sons of the first Adam. In baptism we are now united by faith to the second Adam (Romans 6:3-11; 1 Cor.15:21-22) We have become bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh, so that we say with Paul, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). This is the long-hidden, secret marriage plan. 


More on this next time. 

 

New Revelations About The Mystery Of Marriage

For the past several months I've been focusing upon the divinely established institution of marriage. Not only did God establish and define marriage, He also blessed it. However, in this fallen world what God has established will always be rejected or redefined. It has been so from the beginning because we live in a rebellious world, led by the prince of darkness and confusion. Recall how he began his attacks: 

¹ Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made.

   He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” ² And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, ³ but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” ⁴ But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. ⁵ For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:1-5)

For untold centuries people of all nations have assumed that marriage is the union of a man and a woman—for life. Many want us to believe that is not so, that we have come to a new understanding, even a new revelation from God in our day. They are asking, "Did God actually say that?"

And when we quote God's Word, they reply, "That's not quite correct. Let us tell you what He was really saying. You see, in our day we have gained new and deeper insights into this institution. What was once a mystery has now become quite plain to us through our studies. We have new revelations. Marriage is not only the union of one man and one woman. It was meant by God to be more than that." 

Interesting. Could it be so? More than that? Maybe, maybe it is. Wow!

But let us be very cautious. Are we changing what God has said? Before approaching this mystery called marriage we had best address the back story. In novel writing, the back story is vital to understanding how the main story progresses. Let's take another look at the back story of marriage, because, as the Apostle Paul says, it is indeed quite a mystery! And you will never unravel this mystery unless the Author of the great story, the Author of Life (Acts 3:15, Hebrews 12:2), unwinds it for you. Paul writes about this in his commentary on marriage:

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church" (Ephesians 5:32).

In the Bible the word mystery, as in novel writing, is something unraveled step by step. The hints were already there in the beginning, when the Author of Life made Adam and Eve as two separate beings. When Adam awoke he was amazed. He sensed the meaning of the mystery. He said, "Aha! This is it! At last I see what You are doing. A bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh. I shall give her a name like my own, even as I have been commanded to define all of the other creatures (Genesis 2:19). She shall be called Woman (Hebrew: Ishah. The word for man is Ish)."

Wikipedia gives us this background for our English translation of the Hebrew: 

The Old English wifman meant "female human" (werman meant "male human". Man or mann had a gender neutral meaning of "human", corresponding to Modern English "one" or "someone". However in around 1000AD "man" started to be used more to refer to "male human", and in the late 1200s began to inevitably displace and eradicate the original word "werman").[1] The medial labial consonants coalesced to create the modern form "woman"; the initial element, which meant "female," underwent semantic narrowing to the sense of a married woman ("wife").

But wait, the story is  moving too fast. I've skipped over a vital part, the part about Adam's rib. Remember that? No sweat, right? Everybody knows that Eve was made from Adam's rib. But do you really know that part of the story? Just for fun let's take another look at it. The Hebrew text of Genesis says something far more than that. It actually says that Adam was split in two while he slept. Take a look:

"So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man" (Genesis 2:21-22).

So reads most familiar English translations. But is that what the original Hebrew text actually states?

The word translated 'rib' is tsela. The Stone edition of the Chumash (English translation of the Hebrew Pentateuch) renders the verse in this manner:

"and He took one of his sides and He filled in the flesh in its place."

Following this translation you see at once that something far more was going on than merely making another being out of a piece of Adam, like his rib. Indeed. Did you know that nowhere else in the Bible is that word tsela translated as rib? Let me give you but two examples a bit further into the Pentateuch. Speaking of the Ark of the Covenant, the LORD told Moses,

"You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it" (Exodus 25:12).

The word for side in this quote is tsela, the entire side of the Ark (see also Exodus 37:3-5  for the same description of the Ark).

Now move to the description of the two sides of the Altar:

"And the poles shall be put through the rings, so that the poles are on the two sides of the altar when it is carried" (Exodus 27:7).

Once again the word for side is tsela in the plural, the two sides of the Altar. There are other examples of the word (1 Kings 6:5-6; 6:34; Job 18:12, etc.). As noted, nowhere else in the Bible is the word translated as rib. Makes you wonder why the King James folks ever got into calling it Adam's 'rib'. But that's another story.

Think about this. What is the Author of Life telling us, both about marriage and about His plans to unite Himself with His Bride? For starters, note that Adam was split in two. He had been one, but now he was made two. When he awoke he saw at once his other half, like him, yet different. He was separated, alienated, but here she was. He could only become one by being united to her, this woman,  this female human.

There's a whole lot more to this mystery. But we'll save that for another day. 

God Created Us Male AND Female

In an earlier post I mentioned the report by the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod's Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR): Human Sexuality: A Theological Perspective. Since marriage, gender relations and the human family as we know them are under so much attack, I've decided to take you through that report in some detail and add some comments of my own along the journey.


The study offers three purposes:

1. to place the order of marriage within the larger framework of human sexuality as God's creation
2. to discuss the purposes or ends which marriage serves, as these are taught in Scriptures and understood in the history of the church
3. to discuss, in the light of these purposes, certain problems or "issues" which must inevitably engage the attention of those who think about human sexuality. 

Many talk about marriage these days. For instance, every day I receive emails and links to articles that seek to redefine marriage, seeking to make gay marriage both moral and legal. This church or that clergyman claims proudly that he is ready to perform a gay marriage, etc., etc. To do so, obviously, means that we have redefined the estate of marriage. We've changed what we have understood marriage to be over these long centuries.

But on what basis? Some new insights into human sexuality? Some evolving understanding of creation? Notice that this study points us to human sexuality as God's creation and discusses the purpose of marriage as taught in Scriptures and understood in the history of the church. In other words, the source of our understanding of marriage is the Word of God and the reflections of believers upon that Word. The Creator Himself has revealed very clearly why He made us male and female and created the estate of marriage. Since the world in which we Christians live has other sources of authority and other basis for making decisions, we can only speak to one another about marriage and then bear witness by our lives to the unbelieving world. The rulers and the diverse cultures we live in may redefine sexuality and marriage on the basis of some so-called new knowledge or insights. We followers of Jesus Christ depend upon our Creator and His revealed Word.

So we turn to the Scriptures and where they begin: 

"So God created him; male and female he created them" (Gen. 1:27; italics added)

We exist in this duality. We are male. Or we are female. One is not both, although there are rare conditions that produce true hermaphroditism (a child is born with both genetalia). That condition is very rare. One of the other issues that must be discussed is homosexuality. This study does not. That requires another detailed study. For the purposes of this study the focus is upon this truth: 

we are male and female and there are differences between us.

That's the way God created us. This is basic. We are created to be in fellowship and community as male and female. We are either male or we are are female, never simply "persons".


At this point the study urges us to "think Hebrew," in other words to remember that we are not spirits or souls who just happen to have bodies, but we are embodied souls. What we do in our bodies, WE do. It is done by us as a whole person. Our bodily deeds have an effect upon us inwardly, in the deepest recesses of our souls. They also effect our relationship with the Lord Jesus to whom we are bound by the waters of Baptism.


The Apostle Paul speaks about this in his discussion of sex and what today is commonly called consensual sex, whether it is paid for or simply the result of some kind of sexual attraction, an affair for one night or many. Here's what he says, 

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!

Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two will become one flesh."

But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. (1 Corinthians 6:15-18)

When you join your body to a prostitute—someone other than your marital partner—whether for money or for lust, you have become one body with her or him—or at least that was the Creator's original intention. When you ignore this and join yourself to many you are sinning against your own body. What does that mean?


It means that you reject God's purpose and how and why God made us male and female. The joining of our bodies is intended by our Creator to be done in the context of commitment and love. It is to be done within the bonds and the protection of the marital union. That is how He made us. That is also why He made us male and female. We do grave harm to ourselves and to one another when we ignore His plan. We cannot be untouched by our physical commitments. There is, for instance, no such thing as an open marriage.


Next time we'll look at celibacy, an acceptable way of life, but not a way of life more acceptable than the union of a husband and a wife in marriage.