Tag: Daniel Smead

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb AND The Great Supper of God

Old Testament: Ezekiel 31-32

Poetry: Psalm 104

New Testament: Revelation 19

     At the start of Revelation 19 heaven rejoices over God’s actions regarding Babylon the great. Soon we hear about the coming of the marriage supper of the lamb, and John is informed that the bride is clothed in fine linen which “is the righteous acts of the saints” (v. 8). He is also told to write that those who are invited to the wedding supper are blessed. This feels a bit like when Jesus commented in 16:15 “I am coming like a thief,” drawing our attention forward to coming attractions rather than remaining in sequence with events.

     The voice which spoke about the marriage supper came from God’s throne, and hearing it speak caused John to fall and want to offer worship. John is corrected for this and told that only God is to be worshipped (v. 10). But it seems like in this case he made an understandable error. Throughout Revelation voices come from a variety of exalted sources, among them angels, strong angels, mighty angels, an angel standing in the sun, the Temple, the altar, and the horns of the altar. For John it may have been like experiencing holy surround sound, never knowing where the next proclamation would emerge from. Maybe degrees of grandeur are indicated by who spoke from where, giving different impacts to their statements. It wasn’t always clear to John what the intention was.

     The message of the chapter proceeds, announcing the arrival of Christ, and of the armies of the world gathered for Armageddon. In fact, the word “Armageddon” is only named back in 16:16 where its origin is explained. Here the battle is previewed as “the great supper of God” – a supper for the birds, to eat the carrion it will provide, in contrast to the wedding supper of the lamb (v. 17‑18). With Jesus on the move there is no contest (2 Thessalonians 2:8). Jesus seems to be given credit for the entire victory: the gathered forces “were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse.” That is, except for the beast and the false prophet. Those two are removed from the scene and dropped into the lake of fire, receiving their punishment for serving the dragon and for deceiving the nations.

     The description of Christ includes having “a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself” (v. 12). Note that this mirrors part of Christ’s letter to the third church, Pergamum. There Christ said he would give overcomers a white stone with a new name written on it, which only the recipient would know (2:17). (That same letter identifies Christ with the sharp two-edged sword, shown in John’s opening vision sticking from Christ’s mouth, much as in chapter 19; 1:16; 2:12.) I like the idea of these names which are known only to oneself. I wonder if I am being fanciful in thinking this new name involves having a sense of your own identity. You won’t need to share that with anyone else. There will be no need to. There will no longer be self-doubt, rivalry, jealousy, any of the potential bitterness that plagues our current lives. It will be a wonderful time. I hope to see you then.

     Lord, I look forward to the day when your kingdom has come on earth as you now reign in heaven. You have been waiting for a long time, allowing more people to be saved through the grace of your son. May your glory and your majesty be shown in my life while I wait for that day. Let me be empowered and enthused to perform righteous actions that will please you. Let me set my mind on the things of the Spirit, live as your humble servant, and exalt you. Let my light so shine before men that they will glorify you. Let me present my body as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to you. Renew my mind, so I may prove what your will is. Thank you, my God. In Jesus’ name I pray these things, Amen.

-Daniel Smead

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you ever think about the fact that it is our opportunity, and honor, to clothe the bride of Christ in righteous acts?
  2. Who are some of the people you want to sit with at the wedding supper of the lamb? What do you think you will talk about there?
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She Falls

Old Testament: Ezekiel 29 & 30

Poetry: Psalm 103

New Testament: Revelation 18

     Revelation 18 pictures the shock of those who supported and gained from the success of Babylon the great, and then see it destroyed. As others have said, true wealth is found only in Christ, so those who tried to gain from corrupting themselves with Babylon did so at the cost of their lives (Matthew 16:26). When the voice from heaven warns to come out of Babylon it isn’t just about leaving before the city falls if you happen to be there, but to avoid contamination with its practices lest we fall as well (compare 2 Corinthians 6:17).

     It is again difficult to decide whether some details in the chapter were meant literally. Does Babylon engage in sorcery, or does that express its evil influence on those caught up with it? Which of the trade goods listed are we to think Babylon truly receives – the list wasn’t going to include modern luxury items, but is it just trying to give the feel of wealth based on first century items? Is it in the slave trade, or does it wreck people’s characters? Some will ask if Babylon is a port city at all, or a system with a global reach. Is Babylon destroyed and burned in a single hour, or does it just suffer a rapid fall? (In Revelation 17:12 we were told that the ten kings shared their power with the Beast for one hour, so we may have a reason to see this time reference as metaphorical. Contrast for example the effort taken in the text to show that three and a half years / 42 months / 1260 days is a precise figure.) That last point would be simple to explain in our modern society, however, as a collapse after a single hour which leaves fire behind could refer to a nuclear attack.

     You might hear part of this chapter and think you were in the Old Testament (for example you could compare Ezekiel 27). There is that feel to it. You could imagine Jonah saying these things about Nineveh. It’s all from the same God. Sometimes God gets to show mercy, but when judgment is called for God does not hold back. In fact, after recounting the despair of the kings and merchants and sailors who sinned with Babylon, the chapter calls on God’s servants to rejoice in what has come about. In Revelation 18:21 a strong angel announces Babylon’s permanent fall and punctuates the point by throwing “a stone like a great millstone” into the sea. Jeremiah never went to Babylon, but he sent a scroll there with Seraiah describing the fate of the city and told him to read it aloud, and then tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates (Jeremiah 51:63). The judgment of God was being left to sink to the bottom, like the city would sink. As I said, we are reading words in a familiar style.

     I’ve long been struck by cases where God set up instructions that don’t seem to have end conditions. How long was the Garden of Eden guarded by an angel with a flaming sword (Genesis 3:24)? Perhaps it was until the flood of Noah’s day destroyed it, or it could have all withered away first. And while the millennium brings grace across the world, will the former site of Babylon the great sit as a blighted patch reminding people of old evils? That may be its fate. As the angel said, no more will the sounds of music, work or happiness be found in her. But then “in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.” It seems like Babylon the great is worthy of the treatment it receives. We would do well to learn its lesson in advance and turn our backs on all its ways and put our hearts fully toward that other city (the one with foundations; Hebrews 11:10).

     Lord, thank you for sanctifying us by the Spirit and faith in the truth. Thank you for teaching us to take pleasure in righteousness. Thank you for disciplining us for our good, so that we may share in your holiness. Thank you for giving us sound words through your servants. Please help us to listen, and to reflect on what you have said. Help us to grow in your will. And in everything we do, in word or deed, may we do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Through him we give thanks to you, dear God. Amen.

-Daniel Smead

Reflection Questions

1.  When you envision God, do you see God as preferring to show mercy or to give judgment?

2.  What do you find yourself most valuing about your life as a Christian?

3.  What do you most look forward to in your future as a Christian?

4.  What do you most appreciate being able to share with others as a Christian?

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7 Bowls

Old Testament: Ezekiel 25 & 26

Poetry: Psalm 101

New Testament: Revelation 16

     I tend to think of the seals, trumpets, and bowls of God’s wrath as a sequence, but when I’m away from reading Revelation for a while I can lose track of how late in the book the bowls appear. Way back at the sixth seal we are told of God’s wrath, and that people would try to hide from it in caves and beneath rocks (6:15-17). Now, in chapter 16, that wrath comes. Its targets, as Paul stated, are not Christ’s followers (1 Thessalonians 5:9); they are people who served the Beast, killed God’s servants, and would not repent. Considering the nature of some of the bowls, it may be hard to imagine how anyone is protected from their impact – but during years of drought God made sure that Elijah ate and drank.

     Several bowls seem to build on earlier parts of Revelation. While the second and third trumpets affected just a fraction of the sea and rivers, they are fully affected by the pouring of the second and third bowls. With the fifth seal a vision came to John of those who died for the word of God, crying out for judgment (6:9‑10), the angel of the third bowl declares that such judgment is happening and is fully justified (16:6). Those with only blood to drink had poured out the blood of the righteous. The comment “they are worthy” is ambiguous, it may describe the martyrs as worthy of being avenged, or their killers as worthy of this punishment. Either interpretation may feel different than how “worthiness” was discussed in chapters 3-5. There worthy believers were dressed in white. There also a great search took place for one worthy to open the seals on God’s scroll, and the lamb was found. But God does not just watch over the righteous, He also does not leave the guilty unpunished (Exodus 34:7).

     Part of the effect of the fourth trumpet was to bring darkness in a third of each day. The fourth and fifth bowls of wrath initially scorched with the sun those who defy God, and then plunged them into darkness. In both cases the people chose to blaspheme God, rather than repent. (I bypassed the first bowl, and the sores it brought; those sores remind me of Job. I see these people as anti-Jobs, beyond trust or accepting help, who simply lash out.)

     The sixth bowl involves the river Euphrates drying up, as preparation for eastern armies to reach the site of Armageddon (in the north of Israel). That is as opposed to the sixth trumpet when an army tied to the Euphrates killed a third of the population (9:15). Also, evil spirits come from the dragon and the two beasts to gather the kings of the world to Armageddon. When the seven seals and seven trumpets were listed there was a lengthy pause after each of the sixth entries, and there is also a pause after the sixth bowl, but this one is fairly short, just a brief comment from Jesus about his coming like a thief.

     With the seventh bowl the fall of Babylon begins (see chapter 18). The worst earthquake in history occurs, and Jerusalem splits in three. Language about the islands and mountains moving (Revelation 16:20; 6:14) suggests there is overlap between the seventh bowl and the sixth seal. Overlap of language also seems to link the seventh bowl with the seventh trumpet (16:18, 21; 11:19). Even if we can tie the timing together for those two moments we can’t say much about the overall chronology of the seals and trumpets. Some of those events are stated to take months or years, and God may just want us to know about all of them but not to understand interconnections.

     The famous four horsemen from the first four seals collectively tie to the devastation of humanity. Whatever it is the “victors” of such conflict may think they have gained, they do not possess the wisdom to avoid fighting the army of Christ. The battle of Armageddon will be massive and destructive, but it will at least be decisive, and it launches a time of peace and restoration on earth.

     Also mentioned with the seventh bowl is hail the weight of a talent (v. 21), which may mean it is a hundred pounds. The heaviest recorded hailstone so far is 2.25 pounds. A bit lighter case, 1.9375 pounds and the size of a softball, left a ten-inch pit where it struck. Why will God use such large hailstones? If the goal is to impress, why not just have a lot of hail? But that has been done. The hail accumulation record is from 1959, when a 54-square-mile section of Kansas received a 19-inch covering of hailstones. I find that much hail difficult to envision already. Amassing a hundred pounds of ice layer by layer in the clouds may only be feasible with a miracle of air pressure. Penny-sized hail requires 40-mile-per-hour updrafts. Grapefruit-sized hail requires 98-mile-per-hour updrafts. Tornadoes do achieve winds over 300-miles-per-hour, but anyway I think you see the issue. Just referring to the weight of the hail may lead us to underplay in our minds the significance of the storm itself.

     But still, why 100-pound hailstones? Perhaps because God will be dealing with people who would seek to hide from judgment beneath rocks, and in caves. And at least some portion of those refusing to acknowledge their sins will be the world’s most powerful and haughty, those who were content with their actions and amassed huge wealth in service of the Beast and Babylon. Some of them might even be sealed in bunkers when the bowls of God’s wrath are tipped out. Perhaps they will check in on events through video, and then just turn off the screens. But God does not intend for anyone to remain comfortably oblivious to the truth, or even comparatively so, in whatever hideaways they find for themselves. A hundred pounds of ice will put a hole in quite a lot of concrete, steel, and pretension. And God has excellent aim (Joshua 10:11).

     Lord, let me not be complacent, comparing myself to those who will one day go far astray. Truly, without your grace, I would be quite different. But no one sets out to be deceived and destroyed. Please help me be observant of others’ needs, not inattentive. The world is a less distressing place than it will be, but even now there are issues I feel I can only bring to you in prayer. Let me pray, but also show me where I should act. Please help me to trust in you, and to keep my compassion and hope. You are a great God, and you continue to work powerfully. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

-Daniel Smead

Reflection Questions

  1. Revelation 16 describes the last plagues God enacts in this age, which finish His wrath (15:1). What do you think it shows us about how God views wickedness? How do you think it might have affected people over the centuries?
  2. Are you sometimes comforted by considering God’s promises to bring judgment on the wicked? Maybe, like you see a rainbow and remember God’s mercy, you can see hail and recognize that He won’t just let things go on forever.
  3. Revelation 6:16-17 refers to people who wished to hide from “the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come.” (Revelation 15 and 16 don’t refer to matters that way.) Do you find it jarring to think of Jesus expressing the wrath shown in the chapter?
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Herb’s Last Words

Old Testament: Isaiah 19 & 20

Poetry: Psalm 68

*New Testament: Hebrews 13

     Chapter 13 closes out the book of Hebrews. Here Herb (my name for the author of Hebrews, for simplicity) states concerns for his audience, along with a blessing. Without this last section it would be difficult to see Hebrews as a letter, rather than a sermon. But he comments about the needs of the people he is writing to, and gives a benediction, as is the normal pattern for New Testament letters. Herb’s comments show that false teachings were affecting the people the letter went to, “varied and strange teachings” that must not be allowed to carry them away (v. 9). The specifics are not made very clear for us.

     Before Herb raised the issue of false teaching he advised: “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” (v. 7). We aren’t told the roles of these leaders, they could be everyone these people ever encountered who guided them and have died, whether apostles, traveling missionaries, disciples in their own congregations, etc. (The term “led” here is a different form of the Greek word translated “leaders” in 13:17 and 24.) They spoke the word of God to them. They told them the truth. So now the idea is to consider the outcome of these people’s conduct – the end of each one’s life – and based on that imitate their faith. In a way Herb is asking for his audience to work out Hebrews 11 on a small scale, thinking about the faithful of the recent past who they have known. We can do the same with people we have known, evaluating if they held true to the end, which was a big concern expressed by Herb in his book, and if they did hold true we should imitate their faith.

     “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (v. 8). Jesus Christ doesn’t change. The truth about him doesn’t change. Those who were trustworthy about him before would be trustworthy now, were they alive to still be saying the same things. The faith they held in Jesus before was well founded before, and it would continue to be well founded if they were still alive to continue advocating it. So, you can take up that belief and take up that faith for yourself and hold firm in it. Jesus Christ doesn’t change. And, to the extent that we have obtained to the Christian maturity we ought to hold, neither should we change.

     Lord, let me have proper firmness. Let me care deeply. Let me be willing to give the sacrifices of praise and of doing good. Please help me to be who I ought to be, with faith like that of the loving leaders I have known. Please guide me with your Spirit, and work what is pleasing in your sight. And may your blessings also go to the readers of these words who seek your guidance. In the name of your blessed son Jesus, I pray these things, Amen.

-Daniel Smead

Reflection Questions

1.  What do you figure happens if a whole congregation of people take up the faithful attitudes of their leaders (or former leaders)?

2.  Perhaps most of us had some familiarity with Hebrews before we read it these last weeks, and anyway we were able to back up and re-read sections if we wished to. Most of Herb’s audience was first exposed to his letter when it was read aloud. Probably it was then repeated so they could go over it again. Perhaps a group of leaders read it first to understand it better so they could address questions for the group. They may have wanted to look at related Old Testament texts, as well. Thinking about these scenarios, how many times through do you think it would take before they “got” the message of Hebrews?

3.  Do you expect that Hebrews succeeded with encouraging its first audience and bringing them to a new commitment? Has it succeeded in encouraging you?

On a personal note, I wanted to ask for prayer because I have been suffering from migraine issues for just over 48 months. Basically, a constant migraine began in August 2019. I had suffered from migraines before then, just not so badly. Yes, I’ve been seeing a neurologist. Yes, I’m on drugs for this (several drugs). I’ve made lifestyle changes, including ones to reduce stress and relieve eye strain (like hardly reading from paper books anymore). The pain is not as bad now as it was three years ago, though it fluctuates, but I would appreciate it if the headache stopped at some point. Thank you.

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A Tale of Two Mountains

Old Testament: Isaiah 17 & 18

Poetry: Psalm 67

New Testament: Hebrews 12

     When I read Hebrews 12 I tend to think about how I’d like to see a painting of the Hebrew people gathered in front of Mount Sinai. Something that captures the atmosphere, with the darkness and smoke, the fire and the quaking ground. Maybe someday I will run across a painting like that hanging in a museum and I can marvel at the artist’s impression of the moment. I realize there is no point in my having such an artwork myself. First, I can’t imagine where my wife would let me hang it. Second, I’m not at all sure I would want to look at it for very long. If the painting was done well, I don’t think I would find it that pleasant to see. Impressive, yes. Happy-making, no.

     The scene with Mount Zion and the heavenly Jerusalem is quite a different story.  You might first think this was meant to illustrate the future kingdom, but recall the phrasing “You have come to” (v. 22), not ‘You will come to.’ The contrast we are being offered is between the tabernacle where it sat at Mount Sinai and the heavenly tabernacle set up by God. Notice that the description includes the heavenly Jerusalem, which we would not expect to be relevant to Jesus’ second coming (there is a thousand-year gap to consider before it comes to earth). We are also told about “the spirits of the righteous made perfect” – that they are perfected implies this is in the future, at the second coming (or after). But the mention of “spirits” helps bring to mind Revelation 6:9-11. There, in a vision, John hears those who had been slain speak from below the altar. This is a description of worship, contrasted with the worship at Mount Sinai. It is not literal, but a presentation of what is involved with the heavenly tabernacle as opposed to the earthly tabernacle.

     When my mind has tried to visualize this scene it tends not to work well. For one thing the scale is off, too many millions of angels are present. And my mind balks at a painting showing God, despite the number of painters who have tried to produce just that. I won’t bother telling you more about what my brain came up with, I don’t want to mess up your imaginations if you have a better grasp on this.

     Herb (my name for the author of Hebrews, for simplicity) is making another of his arguments for staying firm in the faith. He isn’t trying to get people to say how much nicer the Mount Zion scene is than the Mount Sinai scene, but how much firmer and authoritative the message of the Mount Zion scene is. It represents covenant 2.0, for which Jesus shed his blood. This is another ‘that was good but this is better’ argument. I’m not sure if Herb thought about it quite this way, but while people might have been warned against touching the old mountain, sinners looking at the new mountain would know better than to come anywhere near it. It had myriads of angels, for one thing (don’t forget the Bible reports of how even the presence of a single angel kept making people fall to the ground). And God is right there. When verse 29 says “our God is a consuming fire” the main reference may be Deuteronomy 4:24 or 9:3, etc., but we shouldn’t forget about what first set the tone: “The glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it . . . and to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the mountain top.” (Exodus 24:16-17). The people saw God as a consuming fire while God was concealed within a cloud, away on a mountain top. With God less concealed God is brighter, and this is the God who will replace the sun for the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:23). Yes, potentially very scary to anyone who isn’t certain they are on the Lord’s side.

     Herb wanted the people to be fully committed in their decisions for Jesus. He wanted them to endure, not growing weary and losing heart (12:3). He wanted them to strive against sin (v. 4). He wanted them to continue in discipline so that they would be able to share in God’s holiness (v. 10). He wanted them to pursue peace with all men, to pursue sanctification, and one day see the Lord (v. 14). They were to be part of a kingdom that could not be shaken (which may pull in Daniel 2:44, drawing on another mountain reference), but the implication was that everything else would fall away.

     I wonder if Herb’s comparison of two mountains in chapter 12 may be behind his pattern of writing about the tabernacle and avoiding references to the temple in this book. It helped him tie the first covenant to Mount Sinai, and the second covenant to Mount Zion. The tabernacle later moved along with the people, and eventually Solomon built the temple at Mount Zion. But mentioning those facts could have complicated the analogy. If that is the case, well played, Herb. And I like your illustration.

     Lord, your worthiness for praise is obvious to the angels. Please help us Christians to understand you better. Help us show you an acceptable service with reverence and awe. You have allowed your son to die so that our hearts can be purified, and we could be closer to you. Help us not to lose track of the value and importance of your choice. Please let me serve you, and those you love. Amen.

-Daniel Smead

Reflection Questions

1.  Going through difficult experiences can increase our understanding – Hebrews 12:7 refers to having the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Are you prepared to accept support from fellow believers when you struggle in times of endurance? Are you prepared to support fellow believers when it is appropriate?

2.  Has a piece of art (painting, sculpture, music, etc.) helped you understand God better? Has a piece of art helped you grow as a person? Do you think God works through artistic beauty?

3.  How does it make you feel about God, knowing that He is preparing to set up a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and has invited you to be part of it?

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A Better Promise

Old Testament: Isaiah 15 & 16

Poetry: Psalm 66

*New Testament: Hebrews 11

     Hebrews chapter 11 is very well known and a powerful and beautiful piece of writing, maybe on a level with 1 Corinthians 13. What Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13 about love is more often quoted in wedding services, out of context, than used to discuss the situation at Corinth. Something similar may be true with what Hebrews 11 says regarding faith. Good use is made of the passage to discuss faith, but perhaps comparatively not much of the time in the context of what Hebrews is about. It is extremely easy to break this passage away from the rest of what was written by Herb (my name for the author of Hebrews, for simplicity).

     New Testament Greek had no chapter breaks, or even paragraph breaks. When authors of that time wanted to establish a change in topic they needed to do so with their words. Herb does a lot with inclusio, also called bracketing, which used repeated words to emphasize a section of text. The presence of these repetitions helped people who were following along with a work while hearing it out loud – and those attempting to memorize it. For hundreds of years very few people had access to written copies of these works and often they depended on listening to them spoken aloud, perhaps even from memory. (In seminary I had a teacher who assigned students to memorize a Psalm and recite it. Part of the point was to gain some sense of what it was like to hold scripture in your mind and speak it aloud. He was pleased and surprised when a student took up the challenge of learning Psalm 119 and succeeded.) There is an inclusio in Hebrews 11:2 and 39 created with the Greek for “to witness” which sets apart that chapter and shows our chapter break to be reasonable.

     But Herb did not discuss “faith” only in chapter 11. The Greek word for “faith” appears in Hebrews a total of 32 times: in 4:2; 6:1, 12; 10:32, 38, 39; then in chapter 11 (24 times); 12:2; and 13:7. Outside chapter 11 the references to faith almost all involve Herb expressing concern about believers having proper faith in Christ. You can also see a cluster of four references around chapter 11 which show how Herb set up that chapter and then picked up from it to move into the next part of the letter.

     For these devotions we generally read a single chapter but if you wish after reading this devotion you could reread the text, backing up a few verses to include part of chapter 10 as a lead-in to chapter 11. First, I want to highlight a few more words to pay attention to that appear in both Hebrews 10 and 11.

     In Hebrews 10:34 a Greek word for “better” appears which Herb uses 13 times in Hebrews. That is far more than elsewhere in the New Testament, but It obviously fits with the tone of the book, which keeps saying that Jesus is better than one thing or another. The word then gets used in 11:16, 35, and 40.

     In Hebrews 10:36 a Greek word for “receive” appears for the first time in Hebrews. It will be used twice more, in 11:19 and 39.

     Also in Hebrews 10:36, a Greek word for “promise” appears, the eighth of 14 uses. The remaining six times are in 11:9 (twice), 13, 17, 33, 39.

     Breaking down the list, “faith” is mentioned in the end of chapter 10, all through chapter 11, and at the start of chapter 12. Three other words connect the end of chapter 10 to chapter 11, suggesting that Herb set up points he was going to make in the faith chapter: “receive,” “better,” “promise.” You could back up to Hebrews 10:32 and read on through 12:2 to see how these words are emphasized together.

     If you choose to, you could also do a second exercise, for a different way of looking at things, considering these facts:

     In Hebrews 10:32 a Greek word for “endured” / “endure” appears. It is used four times in Hebrews, here and in 12:2, 3, and 7.

     In Hebrews 10:36 a Greek word for “patient endurance” or “perseverance” appears. It is used only here and 12:1.

     So two words about ‘endurance’ bridge the end of chapter 10 to the start of chapter 12, for a total of six appearances. This suggests that while Herb didn’t choose to emphasize endurance on the part of the Old Testament figures chapter 11 discusses he wanted to emphasize endurance on the part of the Christians he wrote to. This will become very clear if you try another read through starting at Hebrews 10:32 perhaps, but this time skip over chapter 11 entirely and read to 12:7.

     Hebrews 11 has a remarkable message about many great examples of faithfulness from the past who trusted God to be reliable and now serve as examples to us. Many people speak of the great acts of faith that these people engaged in, but that is not how the chapter describes them. It says that they “gained approval” from God for their faithfulness (v. 2, 39). In terms of Herb’s actual message these figures from the past are case studies in endurance, people who did not shrink back. Herb finally emphasizes not what they received through faith but what they did not receive, because none of them got what they were waiting for, which is interesting as it shows their common understanding of what to expect and that they did not allow thousands of years of waiting to throw off their patience (v. 39). We also see that the list of named figures stops with David and Samuel, in the time of the tabernacle. Some of the other figures are identifiable as from later times, such as the reference in verse 33 to “shut the mouths of lions,” which is plainly Daniel, but they remain unnamed.

     Verse 40 is the kicker for this chapter, of course. “God provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.” This is now the twelfth of fourteen uses of this language about perfection in Hebrews (the next will be in 12:2, the last in 12:23). It is remarkable the lengths that have been gone to in some interpretations to have this language make sense, without having the return of Christ and the resurrection hope be significant for the Old Testament saints and the church, together. But the repeated (and, in my Bible, underlined) words of the chapter prompt us and we can’t ignore them – receive better promises – there is no reasonable explanation where some part of the Church has already inherited what God planned to give us. We are a body, undivided, faithful, and patient. “Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at his coming.” (1 Corinthians 15:23).

     Lord, you have made lovely poetry, and remarkable prose. Yours are the greatest inventions, incredible art, the purest flavors, colors and lightning. I praise your creativity, and I await the wonders of the more perfect world that awaits when your son returns to earth. All I know now is the damaged version of what you intended. Some of what you first made still shines through, and it is amazing to me. Let me grow in faith in you always, for you are almighty and perfectly trustworthy. Amen.

-Daniel Smead

Reflection Questions

1.  Imagine if chapter 11 really were not in Hebrews. What would we be missing?

3.  Have you ever tried to memorize part of Hebrews 11? With its repeated pattern about “faith” it seems set up for that purpose, but modern Americans don’t tend to try memorizing much. What advantages do you see to memorizing scripture? How do you decide what scripture to memorize?

3.  Do you expect that faith is easier to hold to if you have people encouraging you to be faithful? How have you tried to be encouraging today? What things do you find encouraging?

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Love Like Jesus Day

Old Testament: Isaiah 13 & 14

Poetry: Psalm 65

New Testament: Hebrews 10

     “You showed sympathy to the prisoners” (Hebrews 10:34). I don’t know what that phrase brings to your mind. Maybe you see something from a television program or a movie, someone behind a sheet of glass holding a telephone receiver. Perhaps you have visited a prisoner at some point, for a prison ministry, or a relative or friend. You may think of sending letters, or helping prisoners readjust after their release. The issues under discussion in Hebrews were rather different. With the Roman empire it was expected that the relatives and friends of a prisoner would provide their food and other physical needs, though there might be some small rations. Christians became known for taking care of fellow believers who had been arrested for their faith, as well as other prisoners in need. But that meant people helping Christians ran the risk of getting accused of being Christians themselves. That’s probably where the next part of the verse came in, that they “accepted joyfully the seizure” of their property – they continued with their behavior even though it risked them being identified and targeted. They didn’t shy away from risk to guard themselves. It isn’t mentioned here but Christians during the Roman empire also became known for caring for plague victims when others would not, taking in orphans, collecting clothes to give to the poor, and generally being good to others.

     In the fourth century the Emperor Julian would become very frustrated about the contrast between the Christians and the pagans. In a letter he wrote: “Why then do we think that this is sufficient and do not observe how the kindness of Christians to strangers, their care for the burial of their dead, and the sobriety of their lifestyle has done the most to advance their cause? Each of these things, I think, ought really to be practiced by us.”

     In Hebrews 10 we find that Herb (my choice of a simple name for the book’s author) returned to issues he addressed in chapter six about a person surrendering their faith in Jesus (6:4-8; 10:26-31). These comments are directly paired in both chapters with the statement that Herb’s audience is not like that, which is shown by the fact that they have been ministering to believers (6:9‑12; 10:32-39). For Herb to defend his audience this way should be an obvious route to take. What are Christians told to do? “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34‑35). Yes, that isn’t the only thing for Christians to do, but it is a huge example: “This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. The one who keeps His commandments remains in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He remains in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” (1 John 3:23-24). And the call to love isn’t necessarily simple or easy, either. The very fact that Jesus said “just as I have loved you” should put this at a high level, for Jesus loves at a high level.

     Hebrews 10 began by comparing the priests who stood in the tabernacle day after day offering sacrifices to Jesus and the single sacrifice he offered before he sat at God’s right hand. Herb wants us to understand that what Jesus did is much more powerful than all those earlier sacrifices. And because it is so much more powerful it calls more powerfully for our response. Herb says: “let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (v. 22-24). Those verses give a complicated image. The idea of being “sprinkled clean” plays off the sprinkling of the blood by the high priest once a year over everything that needed to be cleansed in the Holy of Holies – but Herb says that our hearts are part of what Jesus cleansed. There are no more evil consciences for us, we can have pure consciences and serve wholeheartedly, having been washed with pure water, referring to our baptisms. This is very similar to 1 Peter 3:21-22, “baptism now saves you – not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God”. We are to hold to the confession of our hope that came with that baptism – because the fact of being baptized, to Herb, doesn’t mean what is so often called baptism today (the sprinkling of a baby, with no knowledge of what it means) but the choice made by a believer to state their understanding in front of at least one other person, confessing hope in the promises of God involving Jesus and the future. He who promised is faithful, so we should not waver in our commitment. By having made that choice each one of us becomes part of the body of Christ, which is a collective group. Recognizing that we are part of that group should remind us that we have support with each other, and also that we have responsibility and commitment for each other, so we need to think about how we can stimulate each other to love and good deeds.

     One of my seminary teachers noted that there are two possible interpretations of Hebrews 10:25. It is often used to advocate for attendance at worship services using the phrase “assembling together” to refer to ‘not meeting on a regular basis,’ as a matter of habit. But the Greek word for the assembling or gathering here is the one used in 2 Thessalonians 2:1, and it has been suggested that it could be saying not to forsake our being gathered together with Jesus at his return – so not, by your choices, giving up on being a part of the resurrection with him. More like “Don’t forsake being part of the resurrection gathering, as some are in the manner of, but encourage each other to be there at that day, all the more as you see it drawing near.” Either meaning could work. (The term translated as “habit” also gets translated “manner.”)

     Hebrews 10:31, which says “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God,” should be read along with verse 27 that refers to “a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.” We are still speaking of the adversaries of God being consumed, not simply tortured in some ongoing way (as some versions of theology would have it). I see no conflict in this. Notably Hebrews 10:26 references Numbers 15:30, showing that Herb had that part of the book in his mind when he was writing this section about fire and judgment. And Numbers 16 may well be the section he was pointing his readers to for a consideration of how terrifying God could be when passing judgment. God doesn’t need to be a demented torturer to be scary. I don’t think that Korah was complacent when he faced the results of his revolt. Endless suffering is not required for God’s wrath to be respected. If all we were concerned about was what came after this life we would have no concerns about anything in this one. But we have proven ourselves well capable of being concerned about what happens now.

     In the last part of the chapter Herb wants his audience to proclaim that they are not giving up on Jesus. He doesn’t want any doubt on that point. He says “do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward” (v. 35). He quotes God saying:

“My righteous one shall live by faith;

And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”

But Herb tells his audience “we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.” (v. 39).

Lord, it really is a terrible thing to think of anyone giving up on their confidence in your son. I read the book of Hebrews and I think I understand the concern it expresses, the passion which Herb felt about his readers. He didn’t want to say that any of them might turn away, but he didn’t want to stop urging them to remain vigilant. He just really wanted them all to be safe in the end. He wanted to tell them about how dangerous it would be to turn away from the sacrifice that Jesus made, because there is only one sacrifice in the new covenant, but he also wanted to say that it is up to you to judge – because if they thought they might have stepped too far then they might despair and not turn back to Jesus. Everything was a balancing act and the focus was always on getting as many as possible to devote themselves to the Lord. I am glad for your mercy, Lord, because I know so many people who I know need it, including me. Please help us to serve you better. Please help us to grow. Help us to love. Thank you again. Amen.

-Daniel Smead

Reflection Questions

1.  Do you value being at church services with other believers? Do you feel that you are a part of the worship? Are you growing? Are you open to others? If not, how could that change?

2.  Herb wants his audience to be revived in their faith, to be passionate about Jesus against the risk of persecution. What if they weren’t warned about the risk of persecution when they first became Christians, and meeting opposition took them off guard, how might that affect their attitudes?

3.  Are you open to challenging yourself to a Love Like Jesus Day? Of course we are always supposed to do that. But how about consciously checking your actions for one day, all your thoughts, words, deeds, measuring yourself against Jesus and trying to amp your love to Jesus-levels? What do you think it will look like?

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The Priest, Melchizedek, & Jesus

OLD TESTAMENT: ISAIAH 6-7

POETRY: PSALM 62

NEW TESTAMENT: HEBREWS 7

In Hebrews 7 the author of Hebrews (who for simplicity I’ll call “Herb”) describes Jesus’ greatness, particularly as a high priest. Herb is following a pattern we recognize, he has compared Jesus to angels, Moses, Joshua, and now Levitical high priests and says ‘that was good, but he is greater.’ The style of argument he is using was one employed by rabbis, it emphasized moving from a lesser thing (never a thing without value) to a greater thing. In the case of the priesthood connected to the Levites Herb compares it with a priesthood connected to Melchizedek, who has almost no known history (see Genesis 14:18-20, Psalm 110), and ties that to Jesus’ High Priesthood.

When Melchizedek and Abraham met it was several hundred years before the Levitical priesthood began with Aaron’s family, and before the Law which records instructions for those priests. There was no Ark of the Covenant then, and no Tabernacle to house it. It is difficult to imagine what form Melchizedek’s service toward God took, and for whose benefit it was provided. Should we suppose that Melchizedek and Abraham met often, and that the first frequently ministered to the second? We are told that Melchizedek was not only a priest but also the king of Salem (that city seems to have been at or near the site of Jerusalem, Psalm 76:2). Might Salem, under Melchizedek’s leadership, have been faithful to God?

We may find Melchizedek mysterious, rather like Balaam who operated as a prophet separately from the Hebrew people in Moses’ day (and ended up turning away from God). But Herb’s description in Hebrews 7:3 makes Melchizedek’s life sound even less clear, getting into whether we know who this priest-king’s parents were, or when he was born or died, as though Melchizedek had no birth or death. Herb’s point really is that Melchizedek was never stated to have become a priest based on inheriting the position, and that it is never mentioned that anyone took up his role as a priest after him. This is following a second style of reasoning accepted among rabbis, one in which you didn’t need to assume the reality of things which scripture left unstated. This allowed Herb to draw connections to Jesus, as one who did not inherit a priestly role from a parent, and who would never stop serving in his role as high priest. That was in contrast with the carefully kept genealogies of the Levitical system – there were tens of thousands of priests living in the New Testament period, each of whom gained their title through their father, and each of whom was to retire at age 50 (Numbers 8:25) – the order of Melchizedek was not joined based on birth records and was not temporary, but was through the permanent oath of God declaring membership (v. 21, 28; Psalm 110:4). So Herb’s statement “made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually” (3b), paired with him saying that Melchizedek “lives on,” (8) may not just involve the rabbinical argument about an unstated death being assumed not to have occurred – it may refer to Melchizedek retaining his status as priest when he is resurrected. Melchizedek will continue to serve alongside the high priest of his order.

Hebrews repeatedly points to Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s plans and calls believers to follow Jesus to gain perfection / maturity / completion (the Greek term doesn’t translate simply). We are told in 7:19 that “the Law made nothing perfect,” but 7:28 says that “the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.” Now of course when Herb tells us to join with Jesus he doesn’t mean that believers will stop sinning in this life, after all in 7:25 he describes Jesus as “able also to save forever [completely] those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (you see the point, people don’t need intercession unless they are still doing wrong; by the way, where 7:25 says “forever” and I note the Greek was more like “completely” that wasn’t the same Greek term as I was mentioning Herb used related to “perfection” and “completion.” I am sort of in the habit by now of noting with translations that say things like “forever” or “eternal” what word they should have said, though, because – say it with me – there was no New Testament word for eternal). As chapter six reminded us, a high priest never took the task on for himself, God made the choice, and when God provided us with Jesus we got the best (and only) high priest possible for the purpose of bringing us fully into contact with God.

I’m not sure if people in the church today think very often about how salvation works, but Herb felt it needed clarification and provided some in his book. We have read about Jews who were concerned over the idea of the Law continuing to be followed in the Church, a meeting was held at Jerusalem with apostles and other leaders to discuss that. At one point Paul addressed the issue by pointing to how God interacted with faithful Abraham, centuries before the Law. Paul showed that obedience to the Law was not required to please God, God was more interested in faith. Herb describes something similar with the priesthood, showing that it existed in Abraham’s time well before Aaron or Levi’s line and so the Levitical priesthood was not required for making connections to God. Herb also showed that Levi effectively tithed to Melchizedek when Abraham gave him a tenth of the spoils of battle, which Herb said meant that the earlier line of priesthood was greater than the later one. 

Such interpretations as Paul and Herb wrote, or the many statements interpreting prophecies in the Bible, do not result from authors ‘putting together the pieces’ for what they wanted to support. I don’t think they could have been so fortunate in locating such details anyway. Rather we are talking about a God who shaped event, prophecy, and interpretation. Just as God chose Abram, by His own will, from whom to make a great nation, God also determined that He would use Abram as the starting point to reach the world. God’s choice involved setting up a whole imperfect system to put the Hebrew people on their path, creating a nation and a history and a culture that prepared the way for Jesus. Jesus then opened the way for people from the world; Jesus also provided for better things than the Hebrew people had been experiencing. It can be mindboggling to think about all the steps of the plan God put in place. I tend to wonder if some of those steps along the way were interchangeable, based upon whether certain people would follow through or fail in what they were called upon to do. What I am certain about is that God’s plan was never going to fail.

Thank you, Lord, for your plan, which you have been preparing for so very long. Thank you that we do not have to depend upon who gave us birth in this world to determine if we may enter your kingdom, but that you allow us to become inheritors of your kingdom through a relationship with your son Jesus. I may come into the relationship fallen, but he can lift me up. However dirty I seemed to myself, he was able to wash me clean. However useless I have felt, he can make me useful. As inheritors with him please help us each to joyfully work in your plan, caring and serving as he does for the will of his Father. And please help me be eager to serve him, let me help in ways I have not yet even been of help. Thank you, Amen.

~ Daniel Smead

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you find it encouraging to think that your future is not based on your past, but on your connection to Jesus?
  2. Hebrews 7:25 says that Jesus is able to save completely “those who draw near to God through” Jesus – do you see this more as part of the cautionary language in the book, saying salvation calls for drawing near to God, or as part of the promissory language of the book, pledging that we are able to draw near to God? How might a difference in outlook on that point affect someone’s life? How have you drawn nearer to God in the last few months?
  3. Perhaps it will seem to be a side issue, but we are told we will be priests in the coming age (Revelation 5:10). If the offer had existed through the Levitical order almost no Christians would be eligible – they are not Levites, they are not male, they are the wrong age, etc. But as members of the Melchizedite order alongside Jesus we are not subject to those restrictions, and we can serve with our High Priest Jesus for centuries. How can you honor God today?

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A Prayer of Praise from Paul

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 14-16

Poetry: Psalm 5

*New Testament: 1 Timothy 1

     Today I want to break down a single verse in praise to God and consider what Paul was getting at:

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17)

     We are quite ready to think of God as a king, since we are so familiar with the language of God’s kingdom from the Old Testament, but God is rarely called “king” in the New Testament. I see Matthew 5:35, here, 1 Timothy 6:15, and Revelation 15:3. The fact that Paul is choosing to use this language at all probably means he is doing something special, trying to point to attributes of God he feels the Ephesians should be dwelling on.

     You may recall that New Testament Greek has no word meaning “eternity.” But that concept has been put into English translations where people thought it sounded right. It has been suggested that the history of these insertions was aided by some unhelpful translations of the Greek in Jerome’s Vulgate Latin (back in the fourth century), affecting how later versions were produced. (For example, Revelation 10:6 has a phrase which in the Vulgate is something like “there will be no more time” rather than “there will be no more delay”.) So, the first words of praise in 1 Timothy 1:17 are more like “Now to the King of the ages.”

     It has been pointed out before that when the Bible begins it never tries to explain who God is, it assumes the existence of God. There is no great effort put in to describe God as “eternal” in the sense philosophy attaches to that word. It seems obvious that God is beyond the scope of the universe God created, and we accept that God is beyond our understanding. Romans 16:26 is a text with a similar sort of feel.

     The next term used to describe God is given in the NASB as “immortal.” In 1 Corinthians 15:53 Paul uses two images to describe how our frail bodies will change with resurrection. In the NASB it says we need to “put on the imperishable” and “put on immortality”. Another way to express those ideas might be to put on “incorruption” (the inability to decay) and “immortality” (the inability to die). The term Paul used in 1 Timothy 1:17 was the one for incorruption or imperishability. Paul referred to God this way one other time, in Romans 1:23. When Paul returned to praising God in 1 Timothy 6:16 he used the other term from 1 Corinthians 15:53, and described God as “immortal,” so the letter does use both words. I guess the NASB put the wrong word in chapter one because they wanted to have a more commonly understood term.

     The third term applied to God is “invisible.” The Greek term itself simply takes the word for “visible” and puts “a” at the start to negate it. This kind of word construction happens a lot with terms we are familiar with, like “amoral,” or “agnostic” (“not knowing”). With this word the meaning is a bit ambiguous, maybe saying “invisible,” maybe saying “unseen.” This is another case where Paul returns to the topic in 1 Timothy 6:16. The word is used just a few other places in the New Testament: Romans 1:20, Colossians 1:15 and 16, and Hebrews 11:27.

     The fourth point Paul makes is that God is the only God. This is classic Jewish theology, basic day-one stuff. Abraham understood this, Moses stated this clearly in Deuteronomy 6:4. The language Paul uses to describe it I could transliterate in English letters as “mono Theo” – “one God,” close to how monotheism gets its name. For similar language elsewhere in the New Testament you could look at John 5:44, 17:3; Romans 16:27; Jude 4. Of course, other passages of scripture establish that God is the only God, just with different words.

     By the way, if you are using a translation that has the phrase “only wise God” and wondered about that, I checked on it in my book that tries to track all the differences in the Greek manuscripts for the New Testament. The committee that produced the book figured that difference pretty certainly got into the text for the King James Version (and thus all the translations that follow from it) by way of a copyist who was remembering the phrasing in Romans 16:27. There are manuscripts from too many lines of transmission without the extra word to think that it was originally in 1 Timothy 1:17. But it is still obviously a legitimate way that Paul wrote about God so there is nothing wrong with the phrase.

     The fact that Paul called for “honor” to be given to God brings up John 5:23, where we are told that those who do not honor the son do not honor the Father who sent him. It also brings up John 8:49, where Jesus says that he honors his Father.

     That God receives “glory” brings up Romans 16:27, where Paul calls for God to receive glory – and that glory was to come to God through Jesus Christ. Also Philippians 2:11, “that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

     The phrase given as “forever and ever” is more like “to the ages of the ages” – as there was no word for eternity to use so this is casting the intention far into the future.

     “Amen” – “truly,” or “so be it.” Please be careful what you say Amen to, because it is supposed to mean you are agreeing, and that is supposed to matter.

     I suspect that Paul thought his audience would be familiar with a lot of scripture, so it may be necessary to follow up on some of the references I listed to get all the meanings he intended them to see. Particularly it may be necessary to read part of chapter six before everything ties together, as I suspect Paul intentionally linked these two parts to each other.

     The single verse we have examined is a prayer, seeking to exalt God. I can’t be sure whether breaking it down this way has caused you to gain insights, but I figure it was worth a try once. Now please put it back together again and take the time to pray Paul’s prayer. Give it time and heart. It’s short, you can say it more than once if you choose. You don’t have to use the words your Bible version offered, you have enough words to choose from now to put it in the terms that make sense to you. And if it strikes a chord with you, maybe you will even choose to memorize it. Amen.

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think Paul put a prayer into the middle of his letter to Timothy?
  2. Why do you think Paul emphasized, in his prayer, that God was the King?
  3. How often do you pray to God with just praise? How often with prayers that are not your own words? Have you had experiences of prayer in the past that you look back on with great joy, but that you just haven’t taken the opportunity / effort / whatever to put back into your life recently?

Daniel Smead

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Physically Strong – but – Spiritually Weak

*Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 10-13

(my apologies, chapter 10 was supposed to be included yesterday)

Poetry: Psalm 4

New Testament: 1 & 2 Timothy Intro below

     Today we again check in on the history of the ancient kings, with 2 Chronicles 11-13. The twelve tribes of Israel were just split into two nations, confusingly known as Israel (to the north) and Judah (to the south). Civil war would have broken out but God sent a message: “You shall not go up or fight against your relatives; return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me.” (11:4). It is good that the Lord prevented bloodshed in this case, and that the people were prepared to listen, but it could almost be seen as comical: ‘don’t fight, chalk this one up to me and just draw a new border.’

     King Rehoboam of Judah didn’t assume peace would last, he began preparing fortresses and weapons. It did him no good at all because he prepared physically, and not spiritually. “When the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and strong, he and all Israel with him forsook the law of the Lord.” (12:1). Just five years into his reign he lost his grip on what really mattered – his relationship with God. He barely restored the connection in time, humbling himself before God when Shishak of Egypt and his allies attacked. Still, they took “everything” from God’s own temple treasuries, and those of the palace (9).

     Rehoboam should have spent more time reading the copy of the Law which, as the king, he was supposed to be guided by (Deuteronomy 17:14-20). That book lists a whole series of curses that God promised to bring on the nation if it abandoned Him, and He worked through them over the years. But God accepted Rehoboam’s humility, and He held back from further destruction in his lifetime (1 Chronicles 12:10-12). The books of kings show that only a quarter of the kings of Judah were viewed with favor by God, so you might consider that the nation just limped along.

      In comparison none of the northern leaders had God’s favor, though we hear less about them in the Chronicles than in the books of the kings. We do read here that the Levites left for the south when it became clear that King Jeroboam of Israel had no interest in proper worship of God. That choice was folly on his part, of course. He feared that if the people worshipped at the Jerusalem Temple they would be influenced toward loyalty to Judah’s king while they visited there, so he provided golden idols for the people to worship in his territory (1 Kings 12:26-33). But that meant severing them from true worship, their history, and any hope for righteousness.

     We do see signs for hope in these chapters. God acts to defend the people, and He guides them. Those from out of all the tribes who wanted to worship God gathered into the southern kingdom (11:16-17), where the Temple was, which provided a faithful remnant of the nation. During most of its history the city of David may have been only a shadow of what it was intended to be, but it was at least a rallying symbol for the people – the covenant with David had been made and it would be fulfilled, no matter how far from it any individual king might be.

            We can imagine a better history, one where Solomon did not allow the nation to go into idolatry, and the nation was not split in two (1 Kings 11:29-39). Or where Jeroboam remembered the terms under which God gave him the kingdom of Israel, and he did not abandon the worship of God. I could keep giving suggestions, but is there much point in reimagining the Bible with Israel ruled by people who followed God perfectly? Wouldn’t that mean it was the kingdom we are waiting for? Solomon understood better than that when he prayed at the dedication of the Temple: “When [your people] sin against You (for there is no man who does not sin) . . . if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul . . .then hear from heaven, from Your dwelling place, their prayer and supplications, and maintain their cause and forgive Your people who have sinned against You.” (2 Chronicles 6:36, 38, 39). We all sin, and we need to have a way back to God. That’s why God kept offering us systems that provide them.

Lord, thank you for allowing your power and your mercy to be shown to us in so many accounts of the history of your people in the Bible. I am glad to be able to learn from their experiences, though I am also glad I have not needed to wrestle with some of the choices they had to make. Please help us to view these events with wisdom, to compare passages carefully to gain from the connections that exist among them, and let our memories serve us well when it is fruitful to draw on what we have learned. And I thank you, Lord, that one day we will see the perfect version of what was hinted at in these texts, a Temple that cannot be attacked by armies, a King who will never deny you, a nation undivided and fully committed to your will. Until that day, let me serve you in the world I have. Amen.

-Daniel Smead

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you think Rehoboam replaced the golden shields of Solomon with bronze ones so it would look like he still had that great wealth, or to remind himself of the wealth he had lost, and the humility he needed to maintain (2 Chronicles 9:15-16; 12:9-11)? In what ways can we develop our humility to help ourselves have a good relationship with God?
  2. Deuteronomy 17:17 said that Hebrew kings were not to have many wives. What changes do you think it would have made if the kings had followed that rule? Why do you think they may have thought it unimportant to follow that rule? Are there things you think God wants you to do but which you have decided not to do, for now, or for reasons you think are good enough?
  3. If you intended to fight a battle, do you think the spiritual or the physical is the more important area to prepare? Do you apply that to all areas of your life?

1 & 2 Timothy Introduction

Paul wrote First and Second Timothy to Timothy, Paul’s “true son in the faith”.  

In 1 Timothy, Paul wrote to warn Timothy against false teachers in Ephesus – where Timothy was serving.  Paul gave many instructions for running a church, including rules and actions for overseers and deacons, even those who shouldn’t teach or have authority.  Paul also stressed the importance of holy living. 

Paul wrote 2 Timothy while Paul was in prison awaiting execution.  This was his farewell letter in which he also asked Timothy to come quickly to visit.  Paul tried to encourage Timothy to live a holy life and remain faithful despite persecution.  He strongly stressed living a holy life and gave warnings about godlessness in the last days.

Here are some well-known passages in 1 and 2 Timothy:

  • 1 Tim 2:5 “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”
  • 1 Tim 4:8 “For physical training has some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
  • 1 Tim 4:12 “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.”
  • 1 Tim 4:16 “Watch your life and doctrine closely.  Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
  • 1 Tim 5:6-7 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.”
  • 1 Tim 6:10 “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and have pierced themselves with many griefs.”
  • 2 Tim 1:12 “…I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.”
  • 2 Tim 2:2 “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”
  • 2 Tim 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
  • 2 Tim 3:16-17 “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
  • 2 Tim 4:2-3 “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.  Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”

I hope to eventually be able to say, like Paul did in 2 Tim 4:7-8, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”  I hope you will be able to say this too.

-Steve Mattison

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