The Promised Morning Star

We continue to review John's letters to the churches of Anatolia. The next is that to Thyatira (Acts 16:14), a town known for dyed goods, trade guilds and workers in bronze.  The overseer/pastor of Thyatira is to pay strict attention to this letter, because it comes from the Son of God, "who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze" (Rev. 2:18).

"And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: 'The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. "'I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' - Rev 2:18-29 ESV

What does that tell us about the LORD Jesus? We've heard him pictured that way earlier (Rev. 1:14-15). Note carefully that John does not write that his eyes were flames of fire, but rather that they were like fire. The same is true for his feet that were like bronze. The point? Fire and bronze are symbols. When Israel left Egypt they were under the protection of the LORD who went before them as a pillar of cloud by day to guide and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light (Exod 13:21-22). Before the Exodus the angel of the LORD appeared to Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush (Exod 3:2). I take it that the LORD's flaming eyes point us to the fact that He sees ahead. He knows all and is ever leading His children on their journeys to the Father's House.

The word for burnished bronze (χαλκολίβανον) is a technical term used by metal workers. It is a compound word, probably referring to some metal alloy, shining like gold, if not more precious. The same man appeared to Daniel with feet like burnished, shining bronze (Dan. 10:6). He is no mere mortal, but the great I AM who rules in splendor and power over all.

The church in Thyatira is made up of people who love and trust in this their LORD and serve Him with patient endurance. But the congregation had a fault. They tolerated that woman Jezebel. They put up with her. Or is the reference to the pastor himself putting up with her? Could she even have been his wife? The text is not clear. The point, however, is clear. This Jezebel character was allowed to prophesy and teach among them and her teaching was leading the LORD's servants astray. They were committing acts of immorality and eating things sacrificed to idols.

The woman is called Jezebel and thus compared to the Old Testament Queen, the Phoenician woman married to King Ahab. She corrupted Israel with the many whoredoms and sorceries of her country's gods, Baal and Astarte (1 Kings 16:31-33; 2 Kings 9:22). So this contemporary Jezebel led the Thyatiran Christians into idolatry with her teaching. The LORD gave her time to repent of her prostitution—a word that likely also refers to idolatry. This was a common way for the prophets to speak about Israel, the bride of the LORD, as she turned again and again to false idols (Hos. 1:2).

Jezebel and Naboth

This Jezebel was even overcome with some malady that put her on a sickbed. But she still did not repent. She had an opportunity at that time, but she would not. Now comes the judgment and it will not only be upon this Jezebel, but also all who commit adultery (idolatry) with her. Not only will they face tribulation and persecution, they will also die!

The problem these Christians faced was tied to their livelihood. The various guilds gathered for feasts and ceremonies in the pagan temples. There they ate the meat of animals sacrificed to their gods. This was a real dilemma. What were believers to do? If they did not participate in the feasts they would probably be shut out of their guilds. They would lose their way of making a living. Consequently they faced economic suicide. The same questions must be faced by every generation of Christians. How far shall we go to accept and adopt the morality, the standards and the practices of the world in which we live? And what happens when we refuse to do so?

Some called this teaching in that day the deep things of Satan? The temptation to pursue such deep things continues. Satan tempted our first parents, challenging them to question the LORD's Word (Gen. 3:1-5). In the same manner he and his teachers continue to this day to tempt us by suggesting that there are unexplored deep things to be learned from complete sexual licentiousness, from the hidden knowledge of the gnostics, from knowledge obtained through astrology and contact with ancient spirits. These teachings are still around and still used by Satan to destroy faith in Christ.

However, two rewards are promised to those who conquer these temptations, who keep the LORD's works until the end (Matt. 24:13; John 8:31-32; Heb 10:38-39). Those who do not hold to this teaching will in the end receive authority over the nations and the morning star.  What does that mean?

Hold fast! The word from the LORD:

The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.

This is the consistent promise throughout the Revelation. There is a great battle going on between the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world led by Satan and his forces. But the satanic forces are doomed, even though at times they seem to be the conquerors (Rev. 11:16-18; 14:8-20; 19:13-21; 20:9-15). The saints, those washed in the Lamb's blood, will reign forever with Him.

And they will receive the morning star ! The morning star is the planet Venus appearing in the eastern sky at sunrise as the herald of the new day after a night of darkness. It was the symbol of victory and of imperial authority in Roman legions.

Symbol associated with Roman goddess Venus

Jesus is described as the bright morning star (Rev. 22:16) In Him the new day has begun (Matt.2:2-10). Meanwhile, as Peter encourages, we have God's prophetic word and we do well to pay attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place until the morning star arises in our hearts (2 Pet. 1:19).

The Way Of Escape From The Temptation To Despair

Sometimes we forget that Jesus is and always will be fully and completely human. This is, after all, the meaning of His Incarnation. It is what we confess in the Nicene Creed, for instance:

. . . by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man.

He remained a man after His resurrection and ascension. He is still a man and ever will be into all eternity. This is why the Hebrews says,

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. - Hebrews 2:14-18 ESV 

He had to be made like his brothers in every respect . . . Do you catch the implications of that? In every respect  or in all things he is like you, like me. He shares our flesh and blood. When he met his disciples after his resurrection they doubted this fact. They couldn't believe their eyes. To Thomas he said,

"Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe." - John 20:27 ESV

By the seashore in Galilee he ate breakfast with them.

Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. - John 21:12-14 ESV

He is no angel. He is human, a man. This is why he is our "merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God." Only a man could offer himself for other men. Only a man could "make propitiation for the sins of the people." I wrote about that strange word propitiation a while back.  Essentially it says that he made complete payment for the debts we owe by offering himself as the sacrifice for us all upon the cross of Calvary. We'll have occasion to come back to that word later in our study of this marvelous epistle. For now let it suffice to know that in every respect Jesus has and is one with us as our merciful and faithful high priest. He is both priest and sacrifice. We'll also come back to that again and again in this study.

In this great work Jesus was tempted to give in. So great was the burden that he nearly collapsed under the weight of it all. Luke writes about his agony and suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane.

And when he came to the place, he said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." 

And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. - Luk 22:40-44 ESV 

He understands what it means to feel like giving up. He knows the temptation to despair and hopelessness. He sympathizes with all of us who are asked to assume grave responsibility for others. He fully comprehends what suffering, pain, sorrow and anguish are all about. And because he does, because he's been there, he is able to be with us when we are tempted to throw in the towel. He promises that he'll never ask of us more than we can bear. Through his apostle he says to us,

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. - 1Cor 10:13 ESV

In Christ you are forgiven. In Christ you have hope of life eternal and the resurrection from the dead. And from Christ you have his promise of a way of escape. In the power of those promises you will endure. You will endure.

How The Devil Does His Evil Work

As noted in my previous post, Jesus took Satan seriously and urged us to pray daily that we be delivered from his schemes. Two questions arise from such a prayer. What are the schemes of the devil? In other words, how does he and his minions go about their devious work? And the second question, how does the heavenly Father deliver us from the evil one? We focus upon the first today.

The best way to understand Satan is to examine the Biblical examples. The three temptations of Jesus in the wilderness serve as a summary. Note well that Jesus was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ... And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." - Mat 4:1 ESV

Jesus Tempted - by James Tissot (1836-1902)

Earlier I wrote about the word used for being led or brought into situations where we might be tempted:  Why Do We Pray, "Lead us Not Into Temptation." I urge you to review that blog. As I said there, "The Father does not take us out of the world, but rather permits us to be tempted in order that we may grow in faith and trust. He wants us to grow up in Christ. This is part of the discipling process, the training for life here and now AND for the life we will live in the age to come."

Satan's temptations can be divided into three major categories:

1. Lust: putting bodily appetites above all else: And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." - Mat 4:3 ESV 

2. Impatience: trying to manipulate God: Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, "'He will command his angels concerning you,' and "'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" - Mat 4:5-6 ESV

3. Idolatry: tempting us to worship other gods: Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." - Mat 4:8-9 ESV

The biblical word for lust (epithymia) refers to any strong bodily appetite or desire, including hunger, thirst, hate, coveting, and sex. A second word, passion (pathēma), complements it. That word may even refer to the sufferings of Christ, as well as the suffering one who follows Christ may have to endure. But in its negative usage, it refers to the pain and anger that arise when you are frustrated and unable to satisfy any bodily desire or appetite. So Satan or the demons assigned to us urge us to do whatever it takes to satisfy our appetites. Give in to those urgings and you will be led to complain, mock, steal, commit adultery, find sex outside marriage, hurt others bodily and even murder. Follow that path and you will ultimately receive what you ask for. God gives you up to the lusts and passions of your sinful heart (Rom. 1:21-32).

The Biblical opposite of impatience is makrothymia, translated as patience or in the KJV as long-suffering. It is what the Children of Israel were unwilling to exercise when they complained about being thirsty and having no food in the wilderness. They did not trust that the LORD would care for their needs. Instead they grumbled and quarreled with Moses (Exodus 17:1-7). Other ways of putting God to the test include living recklessly or taking extreme risks in sports. Taking dangerous and extreme risks financially could also be included. 

The third major category of sin is idolatry. New idols constantly arise to promise anything and everything from fun and excitement to riches, power and glory. An idol is anything that takes our focus away from the LORD God who has revealed Himself to us in His Son Jesus. Many would make money or sex and pleasure their gods. Fame, power, glory and prestige are worshipped by many others.   Almost anything you can name has and can become a god. Jesus went so far as to point out that we are even in danger of making our families into idols or gods. 

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. - Mat 10:34-37 ESV

Satan's temptations are subtle, hidden and dark, but always present. This is why the Apostles remind us to "be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." - 1Pe 5:8 ESV

In my next post we will consider how the LORD God delivers us from these temptations.

What If God Gives You No Bread?

"Give us this day our daily bread." So you prayed today, fully expecting that God would grant you what you need for today. But . . . what if disaster strikes? What if you suddenly learn that you have cancer or that your mother just died from a heart attack? What if your house burns down after being struck by lightning or is burned up in an unstoppable forest fire? The what ifs can be multiplied.

What then? Can you still pray and give thanks as the Apostle instructed in yesterday's post?

. . . give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. - 1Th 5:18 ESV

In ALL circumstances? How is that possible? Surely Job's wife was correct when she advised,

Job by Leon Bonnat, c. 1860

"Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die." - Job 2:9 ESV 

Mrs. Job spoke with deep irony, for her word for curse is used in most other contexts of the Bible as the word for speaking a blessing, e.g.

And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. ... He also said, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant. - Gen 9:1, 26 ESV 

Yeah, right. So when God knocks me down and takes it all away, I'm supposed to say thanks and bless Him? You've got to be kidding! You've already damned me, God! You've taken everything precious away and I will not thank you for that.

What's the lesson for us when we're poor, beaten down, filled with fear, loss and sorrow? How can we give thanks in those circumstances? How indeed?

Job's answer to his wife is most instructive.

But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips. - Job 2:10 ESV

As hard as it may be in that moment, consider again how it is that you even dare to call yourself a child of God. Remember again that you are a member of God's family only by the grace and mercy of God freely displayed in Christ. Remember how you were called to faith, brought out of the certain eternal death we all deserve by the renewing work of the Holy Spirit. Remember that Jesus took you with Him into death and hell and from there to new life. Do not return to that foolishness that says that you deserve to have a perfect and wondrous life in the here and now. Too many name-it-and-claim-it false prophets teach that drivel.

Learn again what Job knew: "Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?"

But why?

Here we turn to Hebrews 12:1-13. Read over carefully the entire chapter several times. Ponder its meaning for you when you face adversity, suffering, sickness and loss. The writer makes several very important points.

• In Christ Jesus we truly are God's children and loved by Him. Already we have eternal life and we shall certainly share with Him in the imminent resurrection and renewal of all things.

• In the meantime we remain in this world, a world filled with dark powers, temptations, idolatry and evil. Our sinful flesh is constantly pulled toward them. 

• We truly need discipline and training in our struggle against sin. Who better to provide such discipline than our heavenly Father? If He were not to discipline us, then we would have to consider ourselves as illegitimate children and not His sons and daughters. 

• As we grow up, we eventually learn to respect our earthly fathers and mothers for their discipline and training. At the time we may not have. It was most painful and not at all pleasant to be denied and forced to do what we did not want to. But later on we learn how important it was that they did care enough to discipline us. 

• So should we not much more be willing to accept the discipline of our Father in heaven, the Father of all those who have gone before us into heaven? 

• Therefore pick up those hands that are clenched or have fallen helplessly at your side. Stop complaining and wobbling on your knees. Stand up, straighten your back. Take a deep breath and let out a prayer of thanks—yes even for this. 

• And then get on with what stands before you. Pull out that noxious "root of bitterness." It is very toxic and can only bring further suffering and sorrow. 

• Before us is the kingdom that cannot be shaken. And beyond this world's dark valley the Father's house awaits. The door is open and your room is already prepared. 

Our Father in heaven . . . give us today our daily bread!

God's Kingdom Comes Without Our Prayer

In his Small Catechism's teaching on the Lord's Prayer Martin Luther writes,

The kingdom of God certainly comes by itself without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may come to us also.

What is the kingdom of God or of heaven? The term occurs in all four Gospels, Acts, Paul's epistles and in the Revelation. Here are the references just in Matthew:

• Matthew 3:2, 4:17, 5:3, 10, 19-20, 6:33, 7:21, 8:11, 10:7, 11:11, 12:28,  13:24,31,33,44-45,47,52, 16:19, 18:3-4,23, 19:12,14,23-24, 20:1-2, 21:31, 21:43, 22:2, 23:13, 25:1. 

Obviously kingdom of God is a primary theme in the New Testament. The foremost meaning of the terms translated as kingdom in both Testaments is the rank, authority and power exercised by a king. The kingdom includes both the realm or territory and  the people who belong to that realm and over whom the king has authority. The principal meaning, however, is always the authority to rule. The king is sovereign. He has the power. 

Satan, as Matthew shows, knew from the outset that Jesus had this power. This is why he attacked Jesus in the wilderness. 

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." 

Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'" - Mat 4:8-10 ESV

Satan laid claim to the kingdoms of the world. Despite his rebellion, he is the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4), blindly worshipped by the people of the world and under his control. Jesus came to de-throne this false god. Satan's demons know about this. When Jesus drove them out of the two Gadarenes the demons cried,

"What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" - Mat 8:29 ESV

The demons shudder in fear. The King has come; judgment awaits (James 2:19; Jude 1:6).

On some level the unbelieving people of the world also know this. Notice the constant mockery of our LORD's name by them. Listen as they cry out or curse, "God damn you! Jesus Christ!" Even in this back-handed way they are acknowledging His authority and power. The King has come. He has arrived to set His people free. And this is all His doing. As Luther said, "The kingdom of God certainly comes by itself without our prayer."

The point Luther made was that none of us are able to usher in the kingdom. The initiative was and remains God's doing. As John so beautifully teaches us,

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. - Jhn 3:16 ESV

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ... We love because he first loved us. - 1Jo 4:9-10, 19 ESV

If this is all God's doing through His only Son, why pray, "Your kingdom come?" We'll look at that tomorrow as we consider in more detail how the kingdom comes and how the king continues his gracious rule in our lives.

Tempting God

The devil's temptations of Jesus (Matt. 4:1-11) are a summary of all the temptations we face. In similar manner the prince of this world seeks to destroy our faith in the Father in heaven. He failed in his attempts to tempt Jesus, but he did not stop there. Throughout Jesus' ministry the devil kept at him. And each time he was tempted our Lord showed us how we are to resist them.

We catch hints of Satan's activity throughout the Gospels. He continued his devious work through the Sadducees, Pharisees, Scribes and even Jesus' disciples.

• And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. - Luke 4:13 ESV
• But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." - Mat 16:23 ESV
• When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness." - Luke 22:53 ESV
• I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, - John 14:30 ESV
• Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. - John 12:31 ESV
• And when (the Helper) comes, he will convict the world . . . concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. - John 16:7, 11 ESV

Our Lord does not remove us from this world when he calls us to faith and gives us new birth. We are not immediately transported to heaven. No indeed. We are his disciples, walking with him day by day, fed and led by him who is our Good Shepherd. But he also allows us to walk with him through the valley of the shadow of death; he permits us to face temptations. He knows they are also a way to grow our faith. They teach us to rely completely upon his promises and upon the power and presence of his Spirit. With this in mind we turn to the second of Jesus' temptations.

Pinnacle of Herod's Temple

Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, "'He will command his angels concerning you,' and "'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" 

Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" - Mat 4:5-7 ESV

Once more doubt: "if you are the Son of God. . ." This time the prince of darkness used the very Scriptures by which Jesus had resisted the first temptation, misquoting and misapplying them.   The quote is from Psalm 91:1-16 where we are taught to hide as a little chick under the shelter of  a great eagle's wings. There we will always be safe, regardless of what serpents and lions may try to do to us. Regardless of what you do, said the devil, "he will command his angels concerning you . . ." So jump from the temple pinnacle and consider how impressive it will be when you land safely after a fall of over 100 feet. Then people will surely realize who you are and what power is in your hands. 

That meant, however, that Jesus was to try to become the Messianic king by trickery. He would force the Father to break the rule of gravity. Forget the cross, forget suffering and death. Fly from the temple's pinnacle and become the king you were meant to be. The angels will bring you safely to ground.

To resist this powerful temptation Jesus used a quote from Moses' record of Israel's Exodus. The LORD had brought them out of slavery in Egypt. He had destroyed the Egyptian army and caused the sea to be parted for their safe passage. But then they ran out of water and they demanded that Moses give them water to drink.

Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." 

And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?" 

But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?" 

So Moses cried to the LORD, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me." - Exd 17:2-4 ESV

The gracious LORD did give them water when Moses used the staff given to him to strike a rock. Later Moses reminded them of this event as they were about to enter the promised land. He warned them never to "put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah."- Deut. 6:16 ESV. Massah means trial, test or temptation. In other words, Israel—and we—are strictly forbidden to test the LORD and His promises. Who are we to put the LORD God to the test? Who are we to question His guidance, providence and protection? Who are we to demand anything from Him?

We are ever to humble ourselves before Him, trusting in His promise to lead and guide us safely to the Father's house. On the cross the Lord has rescued us from the slavery of our sin. Through the cross we have received forgiveness and the certain promise of the resurrection to endless life. Whatever He sees fit to put us through, we trust and submit.

The Life-giving Word From God

We continue our discussion of temptation in the Christian's life with a more detailed look at our Lord Jesus' temptations by the devil after his baptism.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" - Matt 4:1-4 ESV

Everything Jesus did was for us. Empowered and led by the Spirit, he spent 40 days in the wilderness. No one lived in the wilderness. In the wilderness John the Baptist called the Jewish people to repent. The wilderness had symbolical meaning. After their exodus from Egypt Israel was born while wandering for 40 years in the wilderness. John called his people to remember their history, to rethink who they were and whence they had come. He called them to turn away from their sinful ways, seek forgiveness from God for their sins and recommit themselves to His service. Jesus accepted this responsibility by being baptized by John out in the wilderness. At first John insisted that he was the one needing baptism by Jesus, not the other way around. To this Jesus replied,

"Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. - Matt 3:15 ESV

The Father in heaven sent Jesus to live in complete and total obedience and to give himself as the final sacrifice for all men's sins. In this way he fulfilled all righteousness. As Jesus said,

"My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. - John 4:34 ESV (see also John 3:16-18)

But Jesus also knew he would have to fight the devil in our place. He must be tempted by him as are we. And he must show us how to overcome these temptations. We study these temptations in order to learn what to expect and how to resist them.

The first thing the devil did was to plant a seed of doubt: "If you are the Son of God." Jesus had gone without food for 40 days and was extremely hungry. He was probably so weak that he wondered if he could even make it back to civilization. Had his Father forsaken him?

In a 1997 editorial in the British Medical Journal, Peel briefly reviewed the available literature regarding human starvation. Generally, it appears as though humans can survive without any food for 30-40 days, as long as they are properly hydrated. Severe symptoms of starvation begin around 35-40 days, and as highlighted by the hunger strikers of the Maze Prison in Belfast in the 1980s, death can occur at around 45­ to 61 days

In such extreme cases of starvation the most common cause of death is heart or other organ failure. 

People are still starving in our day. For example, the United Nations World Food Programme has suspended operations in southern Somalia after recent terror threats, leaving a million people at risk of hunger because of the severe drought that is currently devastating the Horn of Africa.

Our Lord identified himself with Israel's wilderness journey by his life-threatening 40-day fast. He also identified with all the millions that starve to death because of lack of food. And he faced the temptation to doubt his Father's love as a result. Why does the heavenly Father permit such things to happen? The answer is sometimes hidden in the unknown counsels of God. 

In this extremely fragile situation the devil tempted Jesus to set aside his humanity and simply command the stones and rocks of the wilderness to become bread. To be sure, he could have done that, but then he would not have completely emptied himself of his divine nature and been completely one with us (Phil 2:6-8).

This he refused to do. Instead he threw himself into the hands of his Father by drawing on the written account of Israel's wilderness experience. Israel also had no food all the days of the Exodus. Each day they went out to pick up manna, that strange food that simply appeared. In this way they learned complete dependence upon the LORD. Moses reminded them of this as they prepared to enter the land of promise.

And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. - Deu 8:3 ESV

So Jesus teaches us about hunger, weakness, starvation, suffering, sickness, the danger of death and how to deal with the temptation to doubt in those situations. We must not question what the Father allows to happen. Our task is to trust and submit. The Father may well answer our prayers and provide manna. Or he may not. In any event we know that our earthly lives are in the hands of our loving Father. We know it because we have Jesus. He is our life. In him we have been reborn and he lives within us (2 Cor. 12:9; Gal. 2:20). Regardless of what may come in this present age, that is enough.

"'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

 

Bend Your Knees To The Great Singularity, King Of All

We're talking about the so-called Singularity, an event that will supposedly occur sometime during the next 25 years. Check my previous post for details. In that post I suggest that we Christians have not even begun to address this new challenge to our faith. What approach shall we take? One approach I shall not undertake is to attempt to refute whether it will or will not occur. I am not a scientist and have only enough experience with computers to make my way around the internet in a minimal manner. My expertise lies in theology. For that reason I propose that we see all this talk about the Singularity for what it is: an attempt to create another god and to redefine human nature.

When our Lord Jesus began his public ministry after his baptism he was confronted by the devil after fasting 40 days and nights. He was hungry. In that condition the devil tempted him to turn stones into bread and tempt his Father to rescue him upon leaping from the pinnacle of the temple, some 700 feet above the Kidron valley. When he resisted these temptations with quotations from the Holy Scriptures, the devil finally offered him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'" - Mat 4:9-10 ESV

This is what Satan is again doing with the promises of the Singularity. With this power all the world will fall before your feet. Imagine the glory, the wonder and the unimaginable splendor of having such power. With your endless knowledge you will be able to control everything and everyone in the entire world. No car will be able to move without your permission. No grid will be able to deliver power to a city without your approval. No airport will be open unless you allow it. Food and drink will be under your control. You will even control when the wind blows and where the rain falls. Politicians and rulers will beg for your good will. You will be the master and ruler of all the kingdoms of the world.

And you will be immortal. Your mind, your consciousness will be in an endless computer network. You will decide how and where to use your power, a power that will continue to grow exponentially. Nothing and no one will be able to harm you, because you will  endlessly repair any and all damage to yourself. You may choose to walk about in a body. Or you may prefer to act, think and exist without a body, in cyberspace, traveling anywhere at the speed of light, with constant access to all knowledge and power.

Never before has such wonder and glory been available. But very soon it will be under the control of you and other singularitarians. Great Singularity will provide it. All you need do is fall on your knees and worship him. Turn away from the nonsensical and outmoded thinking about some other god above, beyond and outside this universe, some supposed creator of all things. Acknowledge the rational truth. The universe is all there is. We are all products of a chance happening untold billions of years ago when somehow, in some yet to be discovered way, the vast process of evolution began. How that happened we will one day learn as our intelligence grows. Meanwhile know that over these billions of years the process has moved on until in this moment it is moving forward exponentially toward the great Singularity! And you can be a part of that wonder.  The power released in that moment will be yours if you but embrace it.

Forget all the empty blather about some God speaking forth a universe with His Word, saying, "Let there be . . . etc." Forget those childish stories about a chosen group of Hebrews conquering a promised land. Forget the crazy stuff about an anointed king who was to rescue and redeem the world from his Father's judgment. And laugh your heart out at the tales of a little boy child born of a virgin, a child who was God with us, Emmanuel. It all sounds quaint and folksy, but it didn't happen. This nonsense and all that other stuff about religion and faith is for immature minds.

Come, join me. Worship our true god and live forever!

What Shall We Say About Vampires?

76, 900,000! That's how many sites popped up as soon as I did a Google search on moon vampire! Wild! And weird. Girls can go to YouTube and see a demonstration on how to do makeup to look like
new moon vampire Jane. Everyone is invited to play Play Full Moon Vampire a Free Game at Fupa Games. Vampires ruled the night at the MTV Movie Awards. And on and on and on. 

What's this all about? Why the popularity and fascination with vampires and the moon?  Vampires are evil and evil fascinates. And these poor vampires need normal people. Even though they have their own doubts about killing and drinking blood, they still need us. They are lonely.

The exciting thing, especially for youth, is that they challenge established ways of thinking, organized religion, racial and class prejudices. They seem so wise and above the adults with their narrow ways. Vampires are beyond all that. They have no restrictions about monogamy or sexuality. Anything goes. They are the dark and powerful beings of the night.

What's more, vampires defy death; they are eternal and forever young. And so they attract youth who want to believe they too will or can, somehow, live forever.

Wikipedia says this of vampires,

Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence (generally in the form of blood) of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person/being. Although vampiric entities have been recorded in many cultures, and may go back to "prehistoric times", the term vampire was not popularized until the early 18th century, after an influx of vampire superstition into Western Europe from areas where vampire legends were frequent, such as the Balkans and Eastern Europe,[8]although local variants were also known by different names, such as vrykolakas in Greece and strigoi inRomania. This increased level of vampire superstition in Europe led to mass hysteria and in some cases resulted in corpses actually being staked and people being accused of vampirism. . . 

With the arrival of Christianity in Greece, and other parts of Europe, the vampire "began to take on decidedly Christian characteristics." As various regions of the continent converted to Christianity, the vampire was viewed as "a dead person who retained a semblance of life and could leave its grave-much in the same way that Jesus had risen after his death and burial and appeared before his followers." In the Middle Ages, the Christian Church reinterpreted vampires from their previous folk existence into minions of Satan, and used an allegory to communicate a doctrine to Christians: "Just as a vampire takes a sinner's very spirit into itself by drinking his blood, so also can a righteous Christian by drinking Christ's blood take the divine spirit into himself." The interpretation of vampires under the Christian Church established connotations that are still associated in the vampire genre today.[9]For example, the "ability of the cross to hurt and ward off vampires is distinctly due to its Christian association.

What does all this have to do with the Christian family that looks to the Bible for guidance and counsel? For the youth, grounded and secure in God's love and in the love of their parents, interest in such fantasy fiction as the Twilight series of books and movies may be harmless. They are able to sort out fantasy from reality. However, all preteens and teens are dealing with issues of identity, meaning, self-esteem and purpose in their lives. And they do not all come from healthy, spiritually mature families. Such kids are at great risk for developing unhealthy interests in the occult. Listen to what the Apostles say about Satan's use of such things and about the importance of filling our minds with God's word:

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. - 1Pe 5:8 ESV

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me--practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. -
Phl 4:8-9 ESV

Parents are well advised to take an active interest in their children's attraction to vampires and all the literature and movies related to the same. Read the books. Learn about them and the movies. Discuss what you learn with your kids and help them to see the problems and dangers. Above all, let them know that you care about them and want them to grow and develop in God pleasing ways.

More about this in my next post.

The Tempting Power Of Images

During this Lenten season I have been meditating with you upon the temptations the devil placed before Jesus during the forty days he spent in the wilderness after his baptism (Matthew 4:1-11). Matthew writes about the third temptation in this manner:

"Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory." 

Jesus was tempted as we are and on our behalf, as the Hebrews writer says, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). So I ask, why a very high mountain and how did the tempter show him all the glory of worldly kingdoms?

My wife and I have a second home in some very high mountains of Colorado. Here's a sample of what we can see from them.

Note that you can see a long way, but you cannot see all the world by any means, regardless of how high you go. And yet there is a sense of superiority. You are looking down at everything that is spread before you. We own but a tiny piece of all this, but what if it were all ours?

My second question is how did the devil do this? The text seems to suggest that the temptation was internal, especially since satan and his minions are spirits that interact with our spiritual nature. Let me give you an example of how the word show is used in this manner. It's from the Acts of the Apostles, the story of how Peter came to realize that the Gospel is for all manner of men (Acts 10:1-43). While Peter was on a rooftop praying something very strange happened to him. He had a kind of dream. His way of seeing things was altered. What he saw was inward and yet it seemed to appear before his eyes. Most translations call this a trance. One translation copies the Greek to call it an ecstasy.

What Peter saw was something like a great sheet of linen held up by its four corners. In this huge sheet were animals, reptiles and birds of all kinds. Peter, as a devout Jew knew full well that the Lord forbad him to eat many of these creatures (Deut. 14:3-21). They were unclean. Listed among them are camels, rabbits and pigs. Birds of prey such as the eagle, vulture, falcon and owl were also forbidden. And yet he heard a voice distinctly saying, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." When he objected the voice came a second time, "What God has made clean, do not call common or impure."

My point is simply that inward visions can have a powerful impact upon us. The devil knew this full well as he pulled up a mighty vision of the world's kingdoms in their majesty and power to parade them before Jesus "in a moment of time," as Luke writes (Luke 4:5-7). "All this authority and their glory can be yours. I can give it to you if you will only worship me."

We live in a multi-media culture, dominated by visions and images of all sorts. Do not under estimate the impact and power of such. The advertising and entertainment industries do not. Nor does the pornography industry. The god of this world uses these images to tempt us in all kinds of ways to abandon the will of God in favor of the pleasure, power and glory they offer. As always, this prince of darkness says, "All this can be yours if you will only worship me."

Consider carefully that these are lies. Know your own weaknesses. Admit your failures and how you have fallen into such temptations. And take then the counsel of the Hebrews writer to heart as he urges you to draw near to Christ's throne to receive forgiveness, mercy and "grace to help" in those times of grave spiritual need (Hebrews 4:16).

The Blessed 40 Days of Lent

In this next week millions of Christians will begin their 40-day journey toward the celebration of the first and greatest of the Christian festivals, the Feast of the Resurrection. This Feast is so important because, as St. Paul wrote, "If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain." He goes on to point out that he is a false prophet if this is not so. If there is no such thing as a raising of our bodies from death and the grave, we are still guilty as sinners who must answer to God. And those who have died before us have most certainly perished and gone to hell. What pitiful wretches we are. Everything about life is therefore without meaning and the only thing left is to grab as much of life's treasures and pleasures as you can before you die. (1 Corinthians 15:14-19; Ecclesiastes 6:1-12).

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead. That is both our faith and the most irrefutable fact of human history. We challenge anyone, any where to prove otherwise. And we look forward with great eagerness to that day when death, the final enemy, will be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:20-26).

In preparation for this celebration the Church has encouraged believers from the beginning of the Christian era to set aside 40 days to meditate upon God's Word, pray and fast. Why 40 days? 40 is the number closely connected with cleansing, penitence and preparation for new beginnings. Consider the following:

• When the Lord saw that all mankind had rejected Him, He determined to destroy them all with a great flood. Noah and his family and the animals floated safely upon the waters in the Ark as it rained upon the earth 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:12). The flood continued for another 150 days before the Ark settled on the mountains of Ararat. On the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible. Noah then waited another 40 days before opening a window in the Ark (Genesis 8:6). 
• After Moses led the Children of Israel out of bondage and slavery in Egypt and across the Red Sea, they came to Mount Sinai. The LORD then called Moses up to the mountain and spoke with him for 40 days and nights, giving him instructions about the Tabernacle and its furnishings, the priests and the Sabbath (Exodus 24:12-18). 
• While on the mountain, large numbers of the Israelites gave up their trust in the LORD and in Moses. They forced Moses' brother Aaron to create a golden calf, most likely the Egyptian goddess Hathor, who was represented as a holy cow and considered the goddess of love, sex, fertility, beauty and motherhood. They worshipped this goddess with sacrifices, feasting, music and ribald lust. When Moses came down from the mountain he was filled with anger and called upon the Levites to slaughter the revelers. Some 3,000 died that day. Then Moses returned to the mountain for 40 days, to fast and to plead for the people, fearing especially that the LORD would destroy them all (Exodus 32:1-35). 
• Later Moses sent spies from all the tribes to scout out the promised land for 40 days. This was the land they all longed for. This was the land they hoped to possess (Numbers 13:17-25). 
• Because they rejected the opportunity given to them to take the promised land, the LORD sent the Israelites back into the wilderness for 40 years, one year for each of the 40 days they had explored the land (Numbers 14:33-34). 
• Many years later, the prophet Elijah fled to the wilderness of Sinai after challenging and slaughtering the prophets of the god Baal. Strengthened by an angelic meal, he went on for 40 days to Mount Horeb where he heard anew the voice of the LORD (1 Kings 19:1-18). 
• In perfect obedience to His Father and ours the LORD Jesus, led by the Spirit, went for 40 days into the wilderness to fast and pray. At the end of His fast He hungered and was tempted by Satan to disobey His Father (Matthew 4:1-11). 

 So we follow these great examples and set aside 40 days to ponder our lives here upon this earth, to remember that we also are disobedient sinners and deserve nothing less than the eternal judgment of God. But we also rejoice that our LORD Jesus endured all this for us and lived for us that perfect life of obedience, finally offering up that most precious life for us all and rising again on the third day.

I'll say more about the temptations our LORD endured for us while in the wilderness in the days ahead.

The nature of temptation - according to psychology

The nature of temptation - The Boston Globe

Reminds me of the Biblical teaching about original sin. . . and our daily prayer to lead us not into temptation. Luther points out that God indeed tempts no one. The devil, the world and our flesh take care of that and quite well too.

The Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 7 that the good we would do, we do not do and what we would not do, we do.

Thanks be to God, we have a Savior who washes away our sin. That washing does not, of course, permit us to go back to the sin. Lots of things to ponder here.

Biblical Fasting: What It Is and How to Do It

We are currently deep into the season of Lent (the word means springtime, the time when days lengthen). One of the ancient customs among Christians during this season is fasting. Lutherans, following their catechism, have taught that "fasting and bodily preparation are indeed a fine, outward training." However, very few of us--myself included--have ever done much of it. 

In searching the Internet I found a balanced and helpful website you may want to look at in that connection: Biblical Fasting: What It Is and How to Do It. Dennis Rupert, the author writes, "...I don't want you to feel overwhelmed by the thought of going without food for days and days. There are types of fasting that don't involve such a radical commitment. The Bible gives examples of many different kinds of fasting. " He goes on to tell about three types of fasts: 

1. The Normal Fast - One 24 hr. day, from sunset to sunset, based upon the Old Covenant's Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29;23:32). Other than not eating, no details are provided. Drinking water is not forbidden. 

2. The Partial Fast practiced by the famous "three men in the fiery furnace," Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, together with Daniel (Daniel 1:15). They ate only vegetables and water, a healthy diet promoted by many in our day. You may even be a vegetarian yourself and not consider this to be a fast at all. However, for those of us who are not vegetarians, this may indeed be the place to start. 

3. The Radical Fast during which you go without food for an extended period of time. The 40 days of Lent are built around our Lord's 40 day fast at the beginning of his public ministry (Matthew 4:1-11). This was also a re-enactment of the 40 years during which the Children of Israel were tested in the wilderness--and failed (1 Corinthians 10).

Following up on that history, the Apostle Paul wrote that everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial or constructive. That's why Lutherans have not been big on fasting, I suppose. It really isn't the matter of denying yourself food. The issue is that of training yourself to trust the Lord and His Word completely and radically. Interesting is the fact that the Word of God nowhere commands New Testament Christians to fast. Two Bible passages come to mind. 

1 Timothy 4:8 - "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." The Apostle's point is that godliness and reverence do not come from something you do, including fasting. They are what God does in and through His Word. The Word is the means used by the Holy Spirit to renew the image of God within. 

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 - In this passage the Apostle speaks about how he disciplines his body as athletes do in preparation for the various contests. He follows this comment with a discussion about Israel's wilderness journey in which they fell deep into temptation and lost any rights to the promised land. He ends that discussion with a Gospel promise. You can depend upon God, he says, because he will never allow a temptation greater than you can bear. He will always show a way out. 

If you fast during this Lenten season or at any other time, be aware that the whole discipline can be useful, but it is not a means of grace, a means through which the Holy Spirit works to strengthen and nourish faith and trust. That He always does through His Word and through the visible Words of the Lord's Supper and Holy Baptism.