The Shadow of Judgement

Daniel 9:20-27                            Hebrews 12:22-24                    John 2:13-22

The Shadow of Judgement

In 1882, Norwegian playwright, Hendrik Ibsen wrote a play titled “An Enemy of the People”. It is the story of a man who discovers that certain poisons were seeping into the hot water springs which provided the town with much needed funds from tourists who believed that the warm waters had healing powers. At first the town council agreed that something had to be done, until they heard of the cost involved and the time it would take to rectify the situation. They realised that if they acted according to this man’s recommendations, their lucrative income would be jeopardized, and so they craftily twisted the truth so that the whole town concluded that the man who discovered this all was actually an enemy of the people.

In 1982, one hundred years after Ibsen published his play, author Robin Cook wrote a book titled “Fever”. The book was based on Ibsen’s play, only in Cook’s novel it was a father of a very sick girl that traced her leukaemia and a neighbour boy's fatal aplastic anaemia to benzene dumped into the river flowing past their house by a local rubber and plastic recycling plant. The result of making this discovery public was the same as that of the man in Ibsen’s story. In both stories, the carrier of the deadly poisons was the same…water.

Everyone needs water to live. No one can live without water and consequently, when water is contaminated, all of life is threatened and all of life will be negatively affected. In Ibsen’s play, the waters tourists believed to have healing powers was killing them. How very tragic then for those who knew better to not only idly sit by and do nothing, but to actively suppress and twist the truth, all the while knowing full well that those who trusted in the waters were slowly being contaminated to the point of death. Indeed, how wicked. 

Now, one can draw a parallel with this story and the Temple in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus. Psalm 46:4 says, “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.” Now while there were springs in and around Jerusalem, there were no rivers, so what was the Psalmist talking about? Well, the next line in the Psalm makes his meaning clear. “The holy place where the Most High dwells.” In other words, this river flowed out from the Temple.

As I said last week, this imagery comes from the Garden of Eden, described as situated on a high mountain with life giving rivers flowing out from its centre. The Temple was supposed to be a physical image of a spiritual reality…a picture of this mountain with life giving water streaming from it. Wherever this water flowed, life flourished. 

But as we saw last week, the Temple in Jesus’ day was a far cry from what the prophets had predicted. Instead of life-giving water, it was spewing out the sewage of Satan, killing all who came to drink. In John 8:44 Jesus told the unbelieving Jews that they were of their father, the devil, a liar, a thief, and a murderer. In Matthew 23:13-15 Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widow’s houses, and for a pretence make long prayers. Therefore, you will receive greater condemnation. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel over land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.”

Who were these scribes and Pharisees? Well, they were the leaders of the people…the teachers of the Scriptures…the “clergy” and seminary professors of the day, if you will. If they were corrupt, then everyone they taught would be corrupt too…if the source of the waters was poisoned, those who drank from the stream would die.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones, and all uncleanness. Even so, you also appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Do you catch the irony here? Those who were meant to uphold the law…those who were meant to teach the law, were, in fact, themselves lawless. 

This is why the cleansing of the Temple, and the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, as well as the message of Psalm 69 are all linked together here. It was Jesus’ zeal for the truth that drove the unbelieving Jews to murder. That is why John placed a quotation from Psalm 69 in the middle of the story about the first cleansing of the Temple.

Now, as I said last week, any First Century hearer or reader of a quotation from the Old Testament would immediately recall the whole context of the passage or book in which the quotation is found. They would not just hear one verse used in isolation, but rather they would hear the whole teaching of which the verse was but one part. For this reason, I want us to take a closer look at Psalm 69 to see why John used it here in the context of the Temple cleansing.

Just as an aside, no other Old Testament passage, save Psalm 22, is more frequently quoted than this Psalm and I believe that as we go through it, all too quickly, unfortunately, you will recognise a number of phrases used in the New Testament.

The Psalm begins with an image of sludge-filled, flooding waters threatening to kill all in its path. Does that sound familiar? Listen.

1 Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.

2 I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.

3 I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.

4 Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal.

Now, in John 15, Jesus quoted from verse 4 in his explanation of why the unbelieving Jews hated him and rejected him. “If I had not done among them the works which no one else did,” he said, “they would have no sin; but now they have both seen and also hated both me and my Father. But (and here comes the quotation) this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’” (John 15:22-25)

By rejecting Jesus, the leaders rejected their God…their final act of apostacy being the damning statement at the trial before Pilate: “We have no king but Caesar! Crucify him!” By quoting from Psalm 69, John showed us that the leaders had no excuse…they hated and rejected Jesus without a cause.

The next section obviously applied to King David as Jesus had not sin, but the point is not so much that he sinned, but rather that he was innocent.

5 You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you.

6 May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O Lord, the LORD Almighty; may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me, O God of Israel.

7 For I endure scorn for your sake, and shame covers my face.

Now, while it is true that Jesus had no sin of his own, he did bear upon himself our sin…our reproach…on his sinless self. As Isaiah said, “Surely, he too up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Our guilt…our disgrace…our shame…was laid on him even though he was innocent.

But now comes the quotation found in our Gospel passage. 

8 I am a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother's sons;

9 for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.

10 When I weep and fast, I must endure scorn;

11 when I put on sackcloth, people make sport of me.

12 Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of the drunkards.

Yes, Jesus own brothers did not believe in him until after the resurrection…but I believe this verse speaks to more than just his immediate kin. John tells us in his prologue that Jesus came to his own, and his own did not receive him. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, but the world did not recognise him. Think on this. The leaders, the scribes, the Pharisees, the priests, the Levites, the Sadducees…these were people who claimed to know God. But when God stood right in front of them, they rejected him. 

Why? Because he had zeal for God’s house. That’s why they hated him. He had a zeal for God and that means everything pertaining to God. Their zeal began and ended with themselves. They robbed the poor and needy…they accepted idolatrous coins into the Temple treasury because of the high silver content…they allowed the Romans to appoint their High Priest and their king…they compromised the truth for the sake of expediency…they rendered God’s Word null and void with their traditions. Tradition and so-called reason trumped the truth! Like the shepherds spoken of in Ezekiel 34, the leaders had neglected to feed the sheep…instead they preyed on them, stripping the widows even of their last mite, rejecting the doctrine of God by teaching and upholding and implementing the doctrines of men.

Everything that follows in the rest of the Psalm points back to this verse. It was the zeal of the Psalmist that brought on the persecution. The same is true with Jesus. He exposed their religious inventions by teaching the truth of Scriptures. In the sermon on the Mount, Jesus repeatedly pointed out that what the leaders had taught the people contradicted the Word. You have heard that it was said…you have heard what they have taught you…but this, Jesus said, quoting from the Scriptures, this is the truth. It was this zeal for truth that angered the leaders of the people and so they plotted to kill him.

Zeal for the truth will always bring on persecution. Jesus said that if the world hated him, they will hate us. (John 15:20) Paul warned that all who seek to live godly lives would be persecuted. (2 Timothy 3:12) Peter tells us not to be surprised when we suffer persecution for teaching God’s Word. (1 Peter 4:11-12) Zeal for God…zeal for the Word…zeal for the truth is not acceptable to those who wish to push their own agenda. 

And so, the Psalmist prays:

 13 But I pray to you, O LORD, in the time of your favour; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.

14 Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters.

15 Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me.

16 Answer me, O LORD, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me.

17 Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.

18 Come near and rescue me; redeem me because of my foes.

19 You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed; all my enemies are before you.

20 Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none.

21 They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.

Of course, this was originally the prayer of David, but we see echoes of it in the passion of Jesus too. Jesus prayed that if it was possible that the bitter cup of judgement would pass from him…but because he submitted to the will of God, he was fully vindicated. When Jesus quoted the first line of Psalm 22 from the cross, he was still teaching his disciples…urging them to remember the context of that Psalm that taught that God did not hide his face from him…it may often seem as if he has, but he never leaves or forsakes his children…he will always justify us. Perception must bow to faith and trust. I’m sure that you have already noticed the reference to gall and vinegar…an expression of insult for David, but an awful reality for Jesus. This Psalm was frequently cited in the New Testament as a prediction of the sufferings of Jesus.

But it is what the Psalmist says next that is of interest to us as we grapple to understand the impending judgement alluded to in the first and second cleansings of the Temple. 

22 May the table set before them become a snare; may it become retribution and a trap.

23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.

Paul quotes these verses in Romans 11:7-10 as he spoke about the falling away of the unbelieving Jews. “What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, as it is written: ‘God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.’ And David says: ‘May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.’” 

It is hard to say exactly what Paul had in mind with regard to the “table” that became a snare, a trap, and a stumbling block for them, but by comparing this statement to others where the Apostle used the same words with regard to the Jews stumbling over Jesus, we can safely assume that this had something to do with table fellowship in the kingdom…in other words, who would sit around God’s table. Indeed, Jesus frequently referred to the kingdom in terms of a banquet. For example, in Matthew 8:11, he said: “I say to you that many will come from the east and the west and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

But the rejection of the truth always ends in judgement. It is therefore no surprise to read the further prayers of the Psalmist.

24 Pour out your wrath on them; let your fierce anger overtake them.

25 May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents.

26 For they persecute those you wound and talk about the pain of those you hurt.

27 Charge them with crime upon crime; do not let them share in your salvation.

28 May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous.

OUCH! We tend to shy away from such prayers today. It just doesn’t sound very loving, does it? But, let me ask, dearest beloved brethren…is it ever loving to allow evil to flourish unchecked and unchallenged? 

Philosopher John Stuart Mill once said: “Let not anyone pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. He is not a good man who, without a protest, allows wrong to be committed in his name…” 

You see, when we refuse to confront and deal with evil, we allow evil to triumph. Just like the town council in Ibsen’s play or like the authorities in Cook’s novel, those who say or do nothing are as guilty as those who poisoned the water. 

Yes, our speaking out may not win us favour with the world, but if we have chosen to follow in the footsteps of the one who gave up his life to save us, we need to remember that obedience to the truth is better than empty religiosity. Confronting evil, especially when it threatens to ensnare and enslave and mislead, glorifies God as it praises and exults the one who is true. As the Psalmist said:

29 I am in pain and distress; may your salvation, O God, protect me.

30 I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.

31 This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.

32 The poor will see and be glad-- you who seek God, may your hearts live!

33 The LORD hears the needy and does not despise his captive people.

And so, the Psalm ends on a triumphant note:

34 Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them,

35 for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it;

36 the children of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will dwell there.

Zeal for God and for truth may make us enemies of the people, but we will be vindicated. If we deal with the poisoned waters…if we do whatever it takes to purge the Church of all erroneous and false teachings…we will continue to be the conduit for the life giving water that flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 

We must remember that we are now the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised that we…like the Tabernacle and the Temple…we would be inhabited by the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The dwelling of God is with the Church. Remember what John said in Revelation 21:3:

“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”

This is an echo of what he said in John 1:14:

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

And as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 6:16, quoting from Lev 26:12:

“For we are the Temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.’”

But if the Church, like the Temple in Jesus day, is defiled…if we who claim the name of Jesus are projecting an image other than that of our holy God…will we not be judged too? The Church…the New Jerusalem…is portrayed by John as Eden restored…there is a river of life flowing out from it with the Tree of life bearing fruit and leaves for the healing of the nations. The curse has been reversed. 

But if our water is poisoned…or if we neglect to deal with the pollution in our midst…if we have forsaken our first love…if we tolerate the false teaching that misleads…if we are dead or lukewarm…will our Lord not spit us out of his mouth and withdraw from us? Our God is holy, dearest beloved brethren. 

The shadow of judgement that was cast over the Temple surely serves as a warning for us today as well. What flows out from us? Life? Healing? Truth? Reconciliation? Or has our water been poisoned. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to examine our hearts so that he may remove all that is not from him. 

Shall we pray?

Search me, O God…search me and know my heart…test me…see my anxious thoughts. Examine me and expose any and every offensive way in me…and lead me in the way everlasting.

Amen.

© Johannes W H van der Bijl

Foreshadowing Judgement

Psalm 69:1-12                       Ezekiel 34:1-10                      John 2:13-22

Foreshadowing Judgement

Two men once robbed a jewellery store. One was a lawyer and the other was a high school dropout. Both were caught, arrested, convicted, and sentenced to imprisonment. The judge ordered the dropout to be incarcerated for three years, but the lawyer received a ten-year sentence. When questioned about the imbalanced nature of the two sentences, the judge stated that the lawyer knew what was right, and yet he deliberately chose to do what was wrong. Knowing the truth made him more responsible and therefore he deserved a stricter punishment. James said the same about church leaders and teachers…those who know the truth and yet choose to teach what is contrary to the truth will be judged with greater strictness (James 3:1).

The two cleansings (or purifications) of the Temple at the beginning and end of Jesus’ ministry, I believe, serve as boundary markers. The first cleansing is a warning, heralding a time of grace…a time during which Jesus would repeatedly call Israel back to the God revealed in the Scriptures…calling them to the abandonment of the ways of the world and to the submission to the truth of God’s Word. “Why do you call me, Lord,” Jesus asked, “and yet do not do what I tell you?”

The second cleansing marks the end of this period, closing the time frame and heralding a time of judgement. While the first cleansing alerted them of what was to come, the second signalled the beginning of the fulfilment of the warning. The first cleansing exposed the error…the second showed that nothing had changed…the warning had gone unheeded. God was about to deal with the false shepherds. Both cleansings foreshadowed the greater cleansing that would come through the cross, but both also predicted the destruction of the old corrupt order and the rise of the new holy order.

But today we are dealing with the first cleansing…the one that marks the beginning of the period of God’s gracious and merciful reaching out to his people…one which marks the beginning of the long shadow of judgement – the Lord suddenly coming to his temple to purify the sons of Levi – that will ultimately culminate in the Lord leaving the Temple handing it over for devastation and desolation.  

I believe that John recorded this event using a common writing design or form called a “quadrumanous chiasm”. Isn’t that a lovely word? Quadrumanous. It just means fourfold, but it just sounds so glamorously intelligent, doesn’t it? The chiastic style was used in many places in the Old Testament, especially the Psalms, as an aid to understanding and memorisation.

What this means is that the Apostle designed the story in such a way that it would highlight the middle section where Jesus quoted from Psalm 69, because Psalm 69 holds the key to the understanding of what Jesus was demonstrating by his actions. If you examine John 2:13-22 you will find this following form:

The Old Covenant Passover (2:13)

       The Old Corrupt Temple (2:14)

              The Messianic Sign given (2:15-16) (The Lord suddenly coming to his temple to purify the sons 

               of Levi, Malachi 3) “these things” repeated in 18

                     The Shadow of Judgement (2:17) with a quotation from Psalm 69

              The Messianic Sign demanded (2:18) “these things” from 16

       The New Holy Temple (2:19-21)

The New Covenant Passover (2:22)

Now, we don’t have time to go through Psalm 69 today, so we will look at that next week (in other words, do not miss the next gripping instalment), but what we will try to do now is to set ourselves up for what Psalm 69 teaches and how that relates to what Jesus did in this passage. So, what I want us to do is to link the corresponding parts as we go through the passage.

First the Old Covenant Passover was contrasted with the New Covenant Passover in verses 13 and 22. As y’all know, in the Old Covenant Passover, the pure and spotless Passover Lamb was slaughtered, and its blood daubed on the doorposts of the houses of God’s people. The angel of death then passed over the house when he saw the blood. This festival was repeated every year to remind Israel of God’s gracious deliverance from slavery in Egypt and that this deliverance was the basis for the covenantal relationship with him. 

But Paul referred to Jesus in 1 Corinthians 5:7 as “our Passover” who was “sacrificed for us”.…in other words for our deliverance from slavery to the greatest captivity of all time...from slavery to sin. The first lamb was a sign…the second the fulfilment. The first was an image…the second was the reality. Of course, the sign was not unimportant…it was necessary as it pointed forward to its greater consequence…but it was just insufficient.

However, the timing of this cleansing is significant as it is also at a Passover that the greatest cleansing of all is fulfilled. This was a time when deliverance from bondage should have been foremost on everyone’s mind. And yet here they were shackled to an empty system of rule and ritual and rite. The symbol of liberty had become a greedy burden. And so, John contrasts this with the far superior deliverance yet to come. 

But this contrast leads us to yet another contrast, namely that of the Temple itself. Once again, we see the image compared with the reality. The book of Hebrews tells us that the Temple was a mere copy, a sketch, a shadow, or a replica of the true temple in heaven (Hebrews 8:5, 9:24) A pattern was revealed to Moses so that he could build a physical illustration of a spiritual truth. Everything in and of the Temple was a reflection of what is in and of heaven. So, it was a very serious matter if the priests erred in their duties and responsibilities or worse…if they made up their own rules and did their own thing (think of Hophni and Phineas, the sons of Eli)…because that would result in confusion and a misrepresentation of heaven and a misunderstanding of God and his ways.

For the Old Testament believer, the Temple was the navel of the world, as it represented the nucleus of the cosmos. It was where God had chosen to reveal himself to his people…where he chose to meet with his people. What happened at the Temple influenced all of life. So, if God’s Word was taught and upheld by the priests, then the Temple brought forth life. But the opposite is just as true. If the Word was not taught or if the Word was changed or compromised by the priests, death would flow from its doors. Jeremiah lamented that God’s people had forsaken him, the fountain of living water, and hewn out for themselves broken cisterns. (Jeremiah 2:13)

The prophets spoke of a pure river of water that would flow from the threshold of the Messianic Temple. (See Ezekiel 47:1-12; Joel 3:18; Zechariah 14:8) “On that day,” Zechariah prophesied, “a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.” In the Revelation of Jesus Christ, John described the river of life as flowing from the very throne of God and of the Lamb in the heavenly Jerusalem. Standing on the southern steps during the Festival of Tabernacles, Jesus once more indicated that he was the real Temple when he stated that out of him…from his midst or from his navel, as it were…rivers of living waters would flow. 

The Temple in Jesus day was the brainchild of Herod the Great, an Edomite puppet king, who had been placed in that position of power by the Roman government. Construction had begun around 19 BC and it was not completed until the reign of Herod Agrippa in AD 63…ironically just seven years shy of the destruction of Jerusalem. Because of political involvement and interference, the Temple leadership had become corrupt (their High Priest, Caiaphas, had been appointed in AD 18 by the Roman prefect Valerius Gratus). As such the Temple leadership was as corrupt as the Medieval Church at the time of Luther…or perhaps, one might dare to say, as corrupt as some leaders in the modern Church today. When the tail wags the dog, you know you have a problem.

Now, the money changers mentioned here served as agents of exchange. Ironically, the leaders declared that the Tyrian shekel, a coin bearing the image of the Phoenician god Melqart otherwise known as Baal and yet containing at least 94 percent silver, was the only legal currency that was acceptable in the Temple. Now, can you remember someone else receiving coins of silver in the Temple? Yes, no doubt it was this same acceptable shekel taken from the Temple Treasury and given to Judas to betray the Lord Jesus…30 pieces of silver. 

Do you get the tragedy of this drama? The money changers changed “unclean” money for “clean” money so that the worshippers could buy their sacrificial animals. Judas would exchange and destroy the clean sacrificial Lamb of God for what became unclean or blood money, and the leaders would exchange and destroy the true Temple to preserve their own corrupt temple! A Temple, I hasten to add, that had never been blessed with the Shekinah Glory of God as with the Tabernacle and the Temple of Solomon!

In this passage, Jesus gave the leaders two clear Messianic signs. The first was the cleansing itself. In Malachi 3 the prophet tells his readers that the Lord would suddenly come to his temple like a refiner and purifier of silver to purify the sons of Levi until they would present righteous offerings to the Lord. Seriously, you can’t make this up!

So, the very act of cleansing the Temple ought to have set their minds alight…but as with all unregenerate minds, they missed the sign by a mile. We know that because they then asked for one…they dared to ask for a sign. 

And how did Jesus respond? With yet another comparison, yes! “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up!” Of course, they don’t get that either as their eyes were so firmly focused on the copy that they simply could not see the reality.

But here’s a question. Did the leaders ever see this sign…this sign predicted by Jesus? Yes, they did. Remember after Jesus’ resurrection the terrified Roman guards reported what they had witnessed…the resurrection of Jesus in three days! And how did the leaders respond? The same as they did with all the signs. It is interesting to note here that they bribed the guards by giving them a large sum of money…perhaps the same silver Temple shekel…we don’t know.

This brings us to the centre of the chiasm…remember that wonderful word? Quadrumanous chiasm. Just saying that makes me feel super intelligent. Feel free to use it when you get together for coffee with your friends. 

The centre to which John leads us by means of this chiasm is found in verse 17. To most folks this may not look like a big deal, but to the first century believer, all sorts of alarm bells would be ringing at this point. You need to remember that when anyone quoted a line from the Old Testament, the listener would quite naturally bring to mind the teaching or the message or the context, if you will, of the whole passage as well as other related passages. 

This quotation is taken from Psalm 69 which we will look at in more detail next week, but for the sake of clarity, I want to quickly sketch the outline of what we will examine next week. The Psalm has to do with the unjust betrayal and rejection of the Psalmist by those closest to him. But in order to appreciate the connection between Psalm 69 and the cleansing of the Temple, we need to remember that those who should have been the closest to Jesus…the leaders, the priests, the Levites…were, in fact, the furthest. Those who taught the law, who served in the Temple, who prepared and offered the sacrifices, who daily witnessed and observed the signs of which Jesus was the reality, were those who were far from him. 

The Temple was meant to be an agent of life…as we’ve already seen, Ezekiel described it as a place from where a river of life-giving water flows. It was meant to mirror Paradise…the Garden of Eden with all the rivers flowing out from it to water the world. But the serpent was once again at work and what was meant to bring life, brought death. Remember, Jesus likened the leaders to whited sepulchres full of death. He also told them that their ministry made their converts twice the children of hell as what they were. The Temple was a centre of death, not life. The waters flowing from its doors were poisoned with the false and worldly teachings of those Jesus called the children of Satan. Wormwood had fallen right into the centre of the fountain, and it turned the waters that issued from the Temple bitter, and many people died from the bitter waters. (Revelation 8:11)

So, the Temple had to be cleansed so that it could become a source of life once more. But if it resisted purification, it would be destroyed and replaced with a New Temple from which a river would flow to bring healing to the nations. I suppose it would be fair to say that this ought to be a warning to the Church as well.

Referring to Psalm 69 therefore served as a damning indictment against the sons of Levi as they spewed forth the sewage of Satan and drowned those who sank in the mire they created. It was Jesus’ zeal for God’s house that drove him to expose this candy-coated poisoned death pill for what it was…and they responded by planning to push him under their flood of filth as well.

In neglecting to be cleansed…by neglecting to caste off their compromise with the political powers…the leaders brought upon themselves the fury of the Holy God as in AD 70 he came once more to his Temple…not to cleanse, but to destroy. A modern-day application is easy to make…it doesn’t even have to be mentioned by name. 

It is a serious thing indeed for the people of God to misrepresent him before the world. Like the lawyer, we ought to know better and therefore we will be judged with greater strictness. Our Lord may warn many times, but at some point, he will come to purge and to expel and to terminate. Perhaps the time has come once more for judgement to begin with the household of God…but what will be the end of those who do not obey the Gospel? (1 Peter 4:17)

The Scriptures tell us that we…you and me…collectively and individually…we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. If Jesus were to walk into your life today, what would he cleanse? What would he overturn? What would he cast out?

Shall we pray?

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2023

Rushing Wind:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL-9-Bk9Ocw

Washed With Wine

Isaiah 62:2-10                                      John 2:1-12

Washed With Wine

What do you do when you accidentally put diesel in your petrol tank? Do you just drive anyway, hoping for the best? Do you just add more petrol with the hope that it will dilute the diesel?  No, you need to call the breakdown service immediately to come to you to drain and flush, not just the fuel tank, but the whole fuel system. You cannot and must not drive your car until it has been thoroughly cleansed and “purified”.

This is true of our spiritual lives as well. When we allow the impure to invade us…or to use the words of Paul, when we conform to the ways of the world…we too need to be drained and flushed…we too need to be cleansed and purified…we need to be transformed.

There is so much going on in chapter 2 of John’s Gospel…so many images…symbols of deliverance and abundant life…so much that needs to be seen, acknowledged, and examined if we are to fully comprehend and appreciate what John is trying to convey to us. There is a wedding, there is an abundance of the best wine, and there is a reminder of liberation from slavery: the Passover. In both the stories told in this chapter, the wedding in Cana and the cleansing of the Temple, John spoke of “signs”…the first is a sign Jesus performed to reveal his glory to his disciples…the second is a sign demanded, by non-disciples, for Jesus to reveal the source of his authority. 

Also in both stories, the need for purity or purification is emphasised…the use of purification jars for the transformation of water into wine would not have gone unnoticed by 1st century believers, as would the need to purify a defiled Temple. This act of cleansing or purifying is coupled in both stories to the death and resurrection of Jesus as at the wedding he referred to his “hour” or his “time” that had not yet come, and at the temple he spoke of the destruction and subsequent raising up of his body as the new Temple. We also know that later Jesus referred to himself as the True Vine and to his blood shed for the atonement of sin as the cup of wine at Passover…his body broken, his blood shed…words used at the institution of the Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper. 

I believe it is also significant that the sign at the wedding was performed on the third day and that Jesus said that the sign to prove his authority would become apparent on the third day. 

So much to explore in this chapter and yet so little time…for this reason, we are going to limit ourselves to the first story today, but I do want you to have both connected in your minds as we examine them separately. 

Weddings in the Ancient Near East were grand affairs. There were great celebrations, with the ceremony usually taking place in the evening…Wednesday if the bride was a virgin and Thursday is she was a widow…and this only after an elaborate feast. Then there was the procession to the home of the groom, a joyous, noisy parade, with an open house and entertainment that could last for a week or more. 

So, it would be a shameful thing for the host to run out of anything, especially wine! Such an occurrence would be regarded as an insult to those present and could lead to possible future social isolation of the family. So, the wine running out here was a rather serious matter.

We are not told why Mary stepped in to rescue the situation…perhaps she was a relative or maybe she was just “there-is-a-problem-I-need-to-fix-it” type person…and we are also not told why she thought Jesus could do something about it! Had she witnessed Jesus transforming something before? 

“Oh no, here comes Aunt Jemima with her five children…we don’t have enough food on the…wow! Where did those fish come from? Jesus?” We just don’t know…but what we do know is that she clearly believed that Jesus could do something to save the day. 

Some commentators are puzzled by what they perceive to be a bit of a rude reply from Jesus, as if he was irritated by her meddling. Quite literally he said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with me?” “Woman” was not a word usually used by the ancient when addressing their mother. However, Jesus also called his mother “woman” at the cross in a moment of great tenderness and concern, so the use of the word “woman” does not appear to be rude at all…to the contrary. 

When I read this, I see more of a loving playful interaction between mother and son. Clearly John believed that Jesus intended to change the water into wine because this act was the first of the signs Jesus did to reveal himself and his purpose. Jesus never did anything because he was forced to – nor did he do anything coincidentally…everything was always deliberate and intentional…in John 5 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”

But as with everything else Jesus said and did, this was a teaching moment. By referring to his “hour” or his “time” that was yet to come, Jesus used this “sign” to be the first indicator of what lay ahead. Later in John 12 Jesus said to his disciples, “the hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified” and then he proceeded to speak about the crucifixion, and its benefits. In John 13 we read that Jesus prepared to have the final Passover meal with his disciples once he knew that his “hour” had come. There are more references in the Gospel of John where Jesus equated this “hour” with his death on the cross as well as the resurrection…that which was instrumental in granting us access to the wedding feast of the lamb. 

Now, I don’t think that it was coincidental that it was at a wedding that Jesus performed the first of several signs or indicators. The intimate relationship between God and his people is often portrayed in terms of a marriage in the Old Testament. In Hosea 2 the Lord bewailed the fact that Israel, his wife by covenant, had defiled herself. When Isaiah spoke about the Messianic age, he described the mystical union of God and his people as a marriage. It is no surprise then, that John used the same imagery to announce the inauguration of the Church in Revelation 19:7. “Let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.” For this reason, I think that Jesus intentionally mentioned his “hour” at this wedding in Cana (right at the beginning of his earthly ministry) to indicate that what he was about to do was more than just help the host to save face…even if this was only understood in hindsight.

The Scriptures teach us that God’s plan is eternal and unchangeable and that it therefore includes all the acts of created beings. According to Proverbs 16:33, even something as random and as apparently unpredictable as the casting of lots or the rolling of dice is within our Lord’s sovereign control. “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is form the Lord.” Or as the New Living Translation renders it: We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall.”

In fact, the Scriptures indicate that God’s plans even include the sinful acts of people that he then turns around to bring about something good. Remember what Joseph said to his wicked brothers in Genesis 50:20? “You meant evil against me but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” Also, in a passage we looked at briefly in the last talk, Acts 4:27-28, the Early believers prayed, “for truly against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together to do whatever your hand and your purpose determined before to be done.” God’s plan is sovereign and as such it incorporates all the actions of his creatures.

Now, let’s look at what Jesus instructed the servants to do. He told them to fill six stone water jars with water. John tells us that these specific jars were the kind used by the Jews for their purification rites. In other words, these jars were used to pour clean water over unwashed or unclean hands as well as to clean certain vessels, but (and this is important) they were never used as storage jars for drinking water. So why did Jesus choose these specific jars? Why not use the now empty wine vessels for instance? 

In the book of the Revelation of Jesus, John wrote: “Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To him who loved us and washed us from our sins with his own blood, and has made us kings and priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Also, in 1 John 1:7, he wrote, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

I believe that John understood why Jesus used purification jars in his first sign. The one who performed this sign of changing water contained in purification jars into the best wine, was also the one who would pour out his precious blood in abundance for the purification of sinners. His blood which he said was illustrated by the cup of wine at the institution of the Eucharist or Lord’s Supper. But whereas the waters of purification could cleanse the external…hands and dishes…the wine that Jesus gives cleanses the hearts and souls of people. It is a washing parallel to none.

As the wine was brought out to the master of ceremonies, he marvelled at its exceptional quality. So too, the cleansing that comes from being washed in the blood of the Lamb…washed with wine…is by far superior to the various ceremonial washings. By this, John said, Jesus manifested his glory – another indication that this sign pointed forward to the cross – and, we are told, his disciples believed in him.

John said that this was the first sign…please note, not the first miracle…but the first sign. In John’s Gospel, there is a difference. Jesus did many miracles, but only seven signs that served as markers on the way to the cross…all pointing to his divine person and divine purpose…leading the disciples to their mind-boggling conclusion about Jesus after the resurrection and ascension. In John’s Gospel they were recorded so that others might come to the same conclusion as that of the disciples…that they too might come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God…and that by believing in him, they too might have eternal life.

It is interesting to note that we are not told if anyone else at this wedding, other than his disciples, believed…in fact, we know that Jesus’ brothers did not believe as John says as much in chapter 7:5. We are told that the servants knew what had happened to the water in the jars…but we are not told whether or not they actually believed in Jesus.

Am I pushing it if I say that just as the wine was offered to all so too the purifying sacrifice of Jesus is offered to all…and yet not all believe? Some may even know the truth, claiming to be followers of Jesus, and yet they deliberately choose to embrace falsehood. As Daniel said, “Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.” (Daniel 12:10)

There is a reason why Paul warned us not to be conformed to the ways of the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.  We have the promises of freedom and abundant life freely offered to us through Jesus. Like a petrol car is drained and flushed from all traces of diesel, we are purified and cleansed from sin. Why then would we return to it like a dog to its vomit? It just doesn’t make sense, does it?

Let us rather follow the advice of Paul and purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2 Corinthians 7:1) Our God is a holy God, dearest beloved brethren and he has revealed to us clearly in the Scriptures what is good and what he requires of us: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God. (Micah 6:8) We are to walk in the light because he is in the light.

The blood of Jesus washes us whiter than snow…his blood cleanses us from the stain and filth of sin. This purification is symbolised in the act of our partaking of the elements of bread and wine in the Eucharist. Jesus said, do this…this “sign, if you will…do this in remembrance of me…in other words, bring to mind what I have done for you every time you eat this bread and drink this wine…and as you partake of these “signs”, hear again the words of Jesus: “Your sins are forgiven…go and sin no more.”

Shall we pray?

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2023

The Present Reign of Jesus as Universal King

Psalm 2                       1 Samuel 17:41-47                    John 1:29-51

The Present Reign of Jesus as Universal King

Little Johnny loved to have the old classic fairy tales read to him and his all-time favourite was “Jack the Giant Killer”, a Cornish legend about a young man who slew several bad giants during the reign of King Arthur. 

Because he loved the story so much, his parents decided to take him to see the stage production at a local theatre. At first, little Johnny was enthralled by the colour and the excitement of the occasion. But then, the “Giant” appeared on the stage. Suddenly the fun was over as little Johnny leaped into his mother’s lap and covered his eyes with both hands. You see, Johnny could listen all day long to the story being told over and over again, but when he was confronted by what seemed to be the real giant, he was terrified.

The Scriptures teach us that the lost dominion of Adam and Eve, created to be God’s vice-regents on earth, was recovered and restored by Jesus (the 2nd Adam, to use Paul’s words) who presently reigns as universal king, seated as he is at the right hand of God the Father. We say we believe this. We repeat this in the Creeds. We sing this in our hymns and songs. And yet, when the giants of the world walk onto the stage of our life, we are deeply disturbed. 

This is nothing new. Remember the patriarchs who said their wives were their sisters because they feared the rulers of the land? Remember Moses who at first did not want to return to Egypt because he was afraid? Remember the ten spies when they saw the giants of Canaan? Remember Israel when they faced Goliath? He had the whole army of Israel cowering in fear. Then one young shepherd boy dared to look past the giant to focus on his omnipotent God. Looking past the apparent enabled him to see the inapparent…what looked impossible at first, suddenly became possible.

We have now looked at two of the three so-called offices of Jesus, namely his priestly office and his prophetic office. Today, we are going to look at the final office of Jesus, his royal or kingly office. My hope is that our understanding of his present reign as universal king will be strengthened as we examine the Scriptures. 

Our Gospel lesson has introduced us to four titles used by John to describe Jesus: Son of God, Messiah or Christ, King of Israel, and Son of Man. Each one of these four depictions points to royalty. Son of God (a title also used for Adam in Luke’s genealogy as well as for Israel in Hosea) describes vice-regency. Messiah or Christ (both meaning the anointed one) speaks of the ancient practice of anointing the kings of Israel. The title King of Israel is clear enough, but it does help to remember that Jesus was of the royal line of David from both his mother’s side as well as that of his adoptive father. And finally, while the title Son of Man at first seems to simply refer to his humanity as it is used of several other biblical characters, it rises to a higher level when read together with a prophecy of Daniel, a passage we will look at briefly later in this talk.

John was determined to present Jesus not only as a Prophet and a Priest, but also as a King…not an earthly king though…no, Jesus is portrayed in the New Testament as a cosmic King, ruling over every part of creation.  So, let’s look a little closer at this office of Jesus, shall we? 

We will be examining the expectation of Jesus in the Old Testament, the exaltation of Jesus in the New Testament, the effects of the universal reign of Jesus, and finally at our personal experience of his reign today. 

There are a number of prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the coming of a King unlike any other king Israel ever had. In Genesis 49:10, we have a prediction concerning the coming monarchy…bear in mind that this prophecy was spoken a long time before Israel ever had a king. In his parting words to each of his sons, Jacob had this to say to his son Judah:

“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to him shall be the obedience of the people.” 

The first thing we learn from this prophecy is that the kingly line was to come through Judah and, as you no doubt know, Jesus was of the line of Judah. In the words of John, Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5). 

The second thing we learn is that this reign would continue until Shiloh came. Now, while commentators disagree on what this refers to, most believe that the word is derived from the root form of Shalom or Salem, meaning peace. In other words, this king must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet…until he has brought in eternal peace. We will look again at this later. 

And then the last thing to note is that the word “people” is plural…the peoples. The reign of this king would be over all tribes, tongues, and nations.

Another interesting reference comes from the lips of a Gentile man who had been hired by King Balak to curse Israel in the wilderness. But, instead of cursing them, Balaam blessed them, much to the fury of the heathen king. In his fourth prophecy (Number 24:17-19), Balaam said this:

“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A Star shall come out of Jacob; a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and batter the brow of Moab, and destroy all the sons of tumult. And Edom shall be a possession; Sier also, his enemies shall be a possession, while Israel does valiantly. Out of Jacob one shall have dominion and destroy the remains of the city.”

Now I do hope that more than just visions of sugarplums are dancing in your head right now, because here we have a reference to the Nativity and Epiphany. When one looks at the wording of this prophecy one can understand why Herod was so disturbed when the Magi from the East came following this mysterious star. Herod was an Idumean, which is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Edom. This prophecy told of a time when a star would herald the birth of a King of Israel who would rule over all the surrounding nations…including Edom and the Edomites.

The next Scripture I would like us to look at, is Psalm 2. 

“Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.’” 

Now, what is interesting about these first three verses is that they are used in a prayer of the Early Church in Acts 4:23-31. If you recall, Peter and John had been threatened by the Sanhedrin and told never to speak about Jesus again. This was no idle threat as the book of Acts shows clearly later, especially with regard to Stephen, but it did not dampen the spirit of the disciples nor discourage them from continuing in their mission to preach the Gospel. 

“For truly,” they prayed, “against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever your hand and your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak your word, by stretching out your hand to heal, and that signs may be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed this, the place where they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with great confidence and certainty. 

The Early Church knew what it meant to call Jesus King! They knew the true meaning of Psalm 2. “I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to me, ‘You are my son, today I have begotten you.’ Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession.”

This King had a promise no other king ever had before…that of universal dominion…and it was his for the asking. Paul tells us in Romans 8:34 that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God ever interceding for us. We know that Jesus always prays according to the will of the Father…so is there ever any prayer of his that will not be answered? If he is asking for the ends of the earth as his possession, will God not grant it? 

Let’s look at one more Old Testament reference before turning to the New Testament. In Daniel 2, King Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing dream which none of his wise men could interpret…except Daniel. The dream, if you remember, was of a statue made of various elements that represented four separate kingdoms, starting with Babylon, then Medo-Persia, then Greece, and finally Rome. In the days of the kings of Rome, Daniel said, “the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.” This kingdom was represented by a stone cut out without human hands…in other words, it has a divine origin. This stone then struck the statue and broke it in pieces…and then it became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. Jesus came preaching and teaching that the kingdom of God was at hand…and this kingdom began at his incarnation and it was established through his enthronement on the cross.

What some call the humiliation of Jesus began when he took on the form of a lowly servant and coming in the likeness of a human. This is the basis of Paul’s call for the followers of Jesus to cultivate the same humble mind of Christ. While Jesus never ceased to be God, at the incarnation he deliberately chose to live his earthly life never more than a human so that he could not only identify with us in all things, but also provide us with an example of how to walk in step with the Holy Spirit so as to live in total submissive obedience to God. 

But his exaltation began, not at the ascension, but at the cross as it was there that he fought and won the battle against Satan, sin, and death. It was there that his work of recreation was finished. “It is finished,” Jesus said, deliberately echoing Genesis 2:1-3. And then he too rested on the 7th day in the tomb. Whenever Jesus spoke about the cross in the Gospel of John, he referred to the event as his being glorified. It was at the cross that the determining judgment of God upon humanity took place. It was there that he, as the Lamb of God, took away the sin of the world. Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. The cross thus became the great watershed of all time and it is, as such, central to the Christian faith.

Without the cross there can be no atonement for sin, and we would remain guilty before a Holy God. It is the acceptance or rejection of this one act of substitutionary sacrifice that ultimately determines the eternal destination of all humankind. We see this most clearly with the two thieves crucified on either side of our Lord. The one who believed entered Paradise with our Lord while the other who rejected him remained under the wrath of God.

In this the cross is glorious in that it accomplishes all that God intended to achieve through the coming of Jesus. Jesus came to save his people from their sin. Jesus came to deliver us from slavery to Satan. Jesus came to gain for us access to the kingdom of God. And he did this by dying for us on the cross. 

Yet the cross would remain a tragic failure without the resurrection. The resurrection testifies to our Lord’s triumph over death…because he had no sin, death could not hold him…and because he died as our substitute, there is no longer a sting in death. Because Jesus is risen, all those who are in him are risen and seated in heavenly places with him. And because we are in him, we can be assured of our own resurrection. This is what Paul and John meant when they called Jesus the firstborn from the dead…the firstborn of the new creation. In this he is the Second Adam…the head of a renewed and renewing humanity. As such the resurrection is glorious as it guarantees what was accomplished on the cross.

Yet, the resurrection would remain largely ineffective if Jesus did not ascend on high to take up his rule over all the ends of the earth. Daniel indicated that it was at the ascension that Jesus became the universal ruler. “I was watching in the night visions,” Daniel wrote, “and behold, one like the Son of Man, coming on the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. Then to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.” It was at the ascension that Jesus, the God-Man, took up his role as King over all the earth. 

And then we must also bear in mind that without the ascension, the Holy Spirit would not have been poured out on all believers. The Church would have been left powerless in her role as witnesses to Jesus. So, the ascension too was glorious as it led to the coronation of our Lord and King as well as the empowerment of his people to do his bidding.

All these things are glorious in and of themselves, but they are made more glorious with the sure promise of the consummation of all things when Jesus returns once he has triumphed over all those who oppose him through the witness of his Body, the Church. As Paul said, “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when he puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” Until Shiloh comes…our Lord’s second coming is glorious as it brings all history to an end and subjects everything to the Father so that God may be all in all.

But if Jesus is reigning over all, even now, what are the effects of this reign? Basically, three things. First, his reign means the redemption of all who believe in him. Second, his reign means the restraining of evil…Satan may prowl around like a roaring lion, but he is wounded and bound and therefore limited. And thirdly, Jesus’ reign means that all things will be restored. 

In the parable of the wheat and the weeds in Matthew 13, Jesus explained that the field, representing his kingdom, is the world, the good seeds are the sons and daughters of the kingdom, but the weeds are the sons and daughters of the evil one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. It is interesting to note that the farmer refrains from pulling out the weeds to ensure that the wheat is not uprooted with them. This tells us something about the reality of our Lord’s present reign. At the end of this age, he weeds are said to be gathered out of his kingdom. But once the weeds are removed at the end of the age, the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father…all will be restored.

The reign of Jesus is not subject to anyone but himself. The salvation of believers is not dependent on anyone except our Saviour, and the final subjection of those who persist in their refusal to believe is according to his plan for the advancement of his kingdom throughout the world. 

Now there are, of course, many objections to this triumphant theology. I will look at only two. The first is based on the depravity of humanity. The argument is that if evil is present, there can be no kingdom. At first this argument seems logical and biblical, until one uncovers its basis. It is the presence of evil that becomes the determining factor, not the triumph of Jesus. I do believe the Scriptures teach us that Jesus reigns despite all opposition. There are weeds in his field…there are weeds in his kingdom…and they will remain there until the end of this age. 

The second argument is based on observation. If we examine the world today, does it look like Jesus is gaining the upper hand? This argument is usually used by those who believe that world history is doomed to end in chaos as Jesus returns to rescue his dwindling Church amid all sorts of calamities, disasters, mishaps, and trials. But Scripture does not share in this negative view of history. 

The author to the Hebrews wrote that God has put all things in subjection under his feet (this is in keeping with what Jesus said about himself – that all authority in both heaven and earth has been given to him). “For in that (God) put all in subjection under him,” the author to the Hebrews said, “he left nothing that is not under him.” (In other words, Jesus has supreme authority over everything in all creation.) “But”, and here comes the argument of observation, “but we do not yet see (or observe) all things put under him.” Can you hear the argument? As I hear the daily news, I don’t see evidence of Jesus reigning now.

But the author of Hebrews has an answer for this: we may not see evidence of his reign, but we do “see Jesus…crowned with glory and honour…” We live by faith and not sight, no? So, by faith, we believe that Jesus is on the throne currently subjecting all things under his feet through the reconciling ministry of the Church.

The second argument only stands so long as we keep our eyes fixed on something other than our enthroned Lord Jesus. We need to remember that Jesus never said things would be easy in this life. We are not to deny the presence of evil…the devil is prowling around us…but we are not to be paralysed by it. Jesus warned us that in this world we would face trails and troubles, but that we should rejoice in the fact that he has overcome the world! The world cannot and should not triumph over us! Remember how the Early Church faced persecution. They asked for more boldness to speak in the name of Jesus! John reminds us in his first letter that is our faith in Jesus…that steadfast and abiding focus on him…that overcomes the world.

Joshua and Caleb understood this as they urged the fear filled Israelites to take the land because God had promised them victory. David understood this as he faced Goliath. “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin,” he shouted to the giant. “But I come to you in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand…then the whole world will know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hands.”

What giants are you facing today, dearest beloved brethren? Are you filled with fear because of the evil all around you? Do you feel more like the ten spies than like Joshua and Caleb? Are you more like Saul and his army than like David? When trouble comes your way do you run and hide, or do you ask God for more boldness to face it head-on? Where is your focus?

The opening chapter of the Gospel of John sets the triumphant tone for the rest of the Gospel. Before he tells us anything more about Jesus, John wanted us to firmly fix in our minds that the one he was writing about was the final and complete revelation of God, the substitutionary sacrificial High Priest who freely gave his life to deliver us from the curse, and the sovereign present reigning king over the universe. 

This is our God, dearest beloved brethren. Set your eyes on him and not on the things of this world. He is working out his purpose. He will bring to pass all he has promised. In the meantime, we have work to do. 

Shall we pray?

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2023

The Prophetic Office of Christ and His Church

Numbers 11:16-17; 24-29             John 1:19-51

The Prophetic Office of Christ and His Church

An athletic and impressive looking salesman representing Nike sportswear came to sell his products to a local manager of a sport’s store. The manager expressed interest in the man’s footwear.

“Those are good looking track shoes you’re wearing,” he said.

“Oh, yes,” the Nike salesman replied, suddenly getting very animated and excited, “They are the newest release of performance footwear from Adidas imported directly from the factory! They’re not even out in the shops yet!” 

“Adidas?” the surprised manager echoed back.

“Yes! They are the best of the best!”

The salesman enthusiastically slipped them off and proudly placed them on the manager’s desk. 

“See here. Notice the inner arch support and the extra stitching on the seams – basically indestructible. The soles are made of a special material to give a little bounce to reduce the pressure to your heels. The manufacturers chose only the very best material which is not too heavy and not too thick…in other words, these shoes are designed for comfort, durability, and practicality. A lot of scientific research went into the shape of the shoes and the inner support was made using memory foam so that each shoe conforms to the contours of each specific wearer’s foot. They cost me a fortune, but these are, in my professional opinion, the best on the market.”

The salesman paused to draw breath and then said, without skipping a beat, “Now, could I interest you in the latest merchandise from Nike?”

Now, of course, Nike will sell simply because of the brand name, their reputation, and their effective advertising – so even though the salesman messed up his sales pitch, the manager probably was interested in what he had to offer.

But the story draws a parallel with the sales pitch, if you will, of the modern church. We are meant to be representatives of the God revealed to us in the Holy Scriptures…we are meant to be ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven and yet, our lives very often speak of the things that belong to the kingdom of this world. Some would even dare to use the name of Jesus to sell the wares of the world. Representing one company, as it were, while wearing the garments of another. 

 Of course, like Nike, the Gospel doesn’t really need a salesman – it is effective in and of itself and has stood the test of time and trial – but nevertheless, we ought to ask ourselves whether what we say and do represents Jesus (the REAL biblical Jesus) or something else. Do those around us see and hear God’s Word in our words and deeds?

Today, we will be looking at the prophetic office of Christ and, as we do, we will also look at how this office or this role has been shared with us, His Church. First, we will look at the prophetic office in the Old Testament so that we can define it biblically. Then we will look at the office as it pertains to Jesus and to the Early Church. And then, finally, we will look at the prophetic office today. In all three cases, we will look at the anointing or baptism of the Holy Spirit as well as the teaching or ministry of the Holy Spirit through the office of the prophet.

Now, in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was sent from God to an individual (or to individuals) for a specific purpose and for a specific time. The references are many and are mostly alike, but I will give you a few examples.

In Numbers 11, the Lord instructed Moses to gather seventy men who were known as leaders for the express purpose of giving them the same Spirit who rested on Moses. The purpose was for them to be enabled to share the burden of teaching and leading or “judging” the people of God. We are told that the Lord came down in the glory cloud and that he put the Holy Spirit on the 68 leaders who had come to the tent of meeting as well as the other 2 who had remained in the camp…and all 70 of them prophesied. Now, remember the two in the camp as we will look at them a little later. 

Then in 1 Samuel 10:10, we read that the Holy Spirit came upon Saul, and he prophesied…we also know that the Holy Spirit later departed from Saul. 

In Ezekiel 2:2 we are told that the Holy Spirit entered Ezekiel and told him to preach to Israel and warn them of imminent judgment if they did not turn from their wickedness and live according to God’s law. 

Now, these are just a few examples, but I’m sure you get the picture. The Holy Spirit would come and go as God sent him upon individuals to enable them to say some specific word or do some specific task in God’s name. 

But just what exactly did the Holy Spirit enable these individuals to say or do? Unfortunately, many people think that prophecy is solely a foretelling or a prediction of events yet to come…but, as you read through the Scriptures, you soon realise that what these prophets or leaders did or said when the Holy Spirit came on them had very little to do with predicting the future. Most of what they had to say and do was to either teach the people the law or warn them of the consequences should they choose not to obey or follow the law. 

You can see this particularly in their references to and quotes from the books of the Torah…from the Law. And so, we can safely assume that the primary task of the Holy Spirit filled individual was to forthtell (in other words, to preach, teach, exhort, reprove, encourage, or train up in godliness) rather than to foretell (to predict future). As such, the Holy Spirit filled prophet, as the term is used in Scripture, was simply a person who represented God – they were channels of revelation and interpreters of the law. Of course, they did from time to time predict the future, but such predictions were usually simple statements with regard to the logical consequences of bad behaviour…other predictions were rather rare and usually only incidental to their main objective, which was to call people to repentance through preaching and teaching what was written in the Scriptures…and also calling the people of God back to faith through their proclamation of the coming redemption. Some of what they said was recorded and preserved for the edification of all believers.

So, the bottom line is simply this: prophecy in the Old Testament had more to do with teaching, preaching, admonishing, exhorting, and recording the pronouncements of God than with foretelling the future…and then we must also remember that when these were predictions they were usually linked to warnings already contained in the law.

But what about the New Testament?

In our Gospel reading for today, we saw that John testified to the coming of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus. This is very similar to what happened with the Old Testament recipients of the Holy Spirit. However, with Jesus there were some differences.

Whereas the Old Testament prophets had to preface everything they said with the words, “thus says the Lord,” Jesus spoke with authority, “I say to you”. He not only spoke for God, but he spoke as God. As the author to the Hebrews wrote: “God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days (please note the words, “these last days”) spoken to us by his Son.” As such, Jesus is, in many ways, the final revelation of God to humanity…the rest of the New Testament and, indeed, the teaching of the Church, is basically a commentary on his life and ministry and an application of his teaching.

In verse 33 of John 1 we see another difference. “The one on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain (or abide) is the one who will baptise with the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit remained or abided on or with Jesus, unlike the Old Testament characters, where he would come and go. In other words, the Holy Spirit is fundamentally central to who Jesus was as well as to what Jesus did. It was through the Spirit that Jesus was conceived. It was through the Spirit that Jesus spoke and performed wonders. It was through the Spirit that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. And it is through Jesus breathing the Spirit on the disciples that the Church was born. 

The opening chapter of Genesis speaks of the Spirit hovering over the face of the deep shortly before creation is spoken into existence. And here, in the opening chapter of John’s Gospel, the Spirit once again hovers over the face of the baptismal waters to speak into existence the new creation through the life and ministry and death and resurrection of Jesus. It is Jesus who, through the Spirit abiding on him, brings spirit and life to those who receive him.

Now, did Jesus predict the future? Yes, he did but in a rather limited fashion. His foretelling mainly focussed on the coming destruction of the old order – these are the so-called “last days” spoken of in the Scriptures…the days between the end of the old order and the beginning of the new. Now, of course, he does speak about his return, his second coming, if you will but these few references are somewhat vague and rightly so. It is not for us to know the times and the seasons…that is the Father’s prerogative…it is for us to obey whether we know what the future holds or not. Humanity has always wanted to control the future independent from God, but God knows it is best for us to be totally reliant on him…that’s what faith and trust is all about. If we knew all there was to know, we would not need God, would we? No, we need him, and we trust him because he alone holds the future in his hands…and we know that his thoughts and plans for us are always the best.

Be that as it may, besides these few predictions, Jesus’ ministry was mostly focussed on demonstrating by word and deed the character and will of God. His prophetic ministry as revealed in the Gospels had to do with teaching, preaching, exhorting, admonishing, encouraging, challenging and calling people back to God and warning them of the consequences should they refuse to listen. Throughout the sermon on the mount, he repeatedly called people back to the Scriptures and away from the so-called oral law or the tradition of the elders. “You have heard that it was said…NOTE: NOT READ WHAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN…you have heard that it was said…but I say to you…” 

In a classic confrontation with the teachers of the law, Jesus asked, “Why do you transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?” You see, his ministry was to call people back to the Word and thereby back to the God of the Word. The prophetic ministry of Jesus had to do with correcting false teaching and bringing people back to the true meaning of Scripture. That’s why he said that he did not come to destroy the law and the prophets but to confirm them or fulfil them. To clarify or illuminate what the Word really says…not what we want them to say.

So, what about those who followed him and those who took the Gospel out into all the world?  Well, we know that all 120 believers praying together in the Upper Room were filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. Jesus had already breathed the breath of regeneration on them when he appeared to them in that same upper room shortly after his resurrection, but now they received the promise of power…power to be witnesses to Jesus. And that is what they did…they preached, by word and by deed, the good news of liberation from Satan and sin and death through the death and resurrection and ascension and present reign of Jesus. Then the same Holy Spirit came upon the Samaritan believers and then later on the Gentile believers for the same reason…to spread the Gospel to all. 

Now, when one reads the book of the Acts of the Apostles and the New Testament Letters, one does see a few predictions of future events, especially in the Book of the Revelation of Jesus, but these predictions dealt mainly with the destruction of the vestiges of the Old Covenant, namely Jerusalem and the Temple. But mostly, the New Testament believers functioned in very much the same way as did the Old Testament prophets. In John 14:26 Jesus told his disciples that “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things I said to you.” He said something similar in John 15:26-27: “…when the Helper comes, who I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify of me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.” 

So, in this case, the Holy Spirit enabled the followers of Jesus to recall his teaching in order to write it down for future generations so that we and those yet to be born can have an eye-witness account of all Jesus said and did. In theological terms this is called the doctrine of inspiration…just like the authors of the Old Testament books, the Holy Spirit inspired the authors of the New Testament to write down the teaching and the application of the teaching of Jesus. 

So, the prophetic work of Jesus, as we understand it from Scripture, continued as the Holy Spirit enlightened and inspired and led the Early believers to be the witnesses they were called to be. They were empowered by the same Spirit that rested on the Old Testament believers and on Jesus to be ambassadors or spokespeople for the Kingdom of God.

This work continues today in and through us…those who have come to believe in Jesus through what was recorded and expounded by the first disciples. We are also called to bear witness to Jesus wherever we may go in this world.

Now, do you remember the two leaders in the wilderness who did not go up to the Tent of Meeting, but stayed in the camp? The Holy Spirit came on them in the same way as with the other 68 and they also prophesied, but in the camp, not at the tent as was customary. All teaching and other matters of ritual and religion always happened in and around the Tent…not in the camp. What these two men were doing was considered irregular. So, Joshua asked Moses to put a stop to their prophesying, but Moses replied: “Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” This yearning desire and heart prayer of Moses came to pass from the day of Pentecost on through to today. 

Like Moses, the leaders, other Old Testament characters, and like the disciples, all of the Lord’s people are filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul states quite clearly in Romans 8:9 that “if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.” Plain and simple. Every believer after Pentecost has the Spirit…and, unlike the Old Testament believers, but like Jesus, the Holy Spirit abides or remains in us. 

So, in a sense, all of God’s people are prophets…prophets like Jesus…and, as such, all of God’s people can proclaim the truth of the Gospel and can call people back to God through repentance and faith. Of course, there are some who are specifically gifted and called to be leaders and teachers and preachers in the Church, but this does not detract from the responsibility of all God’s children to be witnesses to Jesus. If you are in Jesus, then you are filled with the Holy Spirit. As Paul said in Galatians 4:6-7, “Because we are children, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” 

So, the prophetic ministry of Jesus continues down through the ages as his faithful followers, now empowered and illumined by the indwelling Holy Spirit, bear witness to the truth: that Jesus has come to seek and to save the dead and the dying.

But alas and alack…the modern Church seems more preoccupied with the agenda of the world, rather than with the agenda of Jesus. Our preaching and teaching ministry has taken a wrong turn somewhere and we are stuck in some dead-end alley. We speak more about humanity and their needs than about God and his will…which is so strange because Scripture clearly teaches that if we obey God’s will then all our needs will be met. Note, I said needs, not greeds or wants or lusts or desires. It seems as if Jesus has become a celestial vending machine, or a Santa Claus who exists solely to give us what we want, and prophecy has become little more than crystal ball gazing…you will be blessed in 2023 with health, wealth, and a Rolex watch…whatever…

In so many ways, Christianity has become an empty or shallow religion practiced by people who no longer view God as altogether Holy and Just and True, not to mention the Almighty Creator and Owner of everything that exists. When the first disciples met Jesus, he asked them what they were looking for. This is another way of asking them if they had considered the cost involved should they choose to follow him. They had to think about why they would follow him…and what the consequences would be should they choose to do so. Jesus taught them that they had to deny themselves…deny those wants and desires and dreams and ambitions…and that they had to be consistent, determined, persistent, informed, and submissive in their following. They had to come to him on his terms, not theirs. 

There was and there still is a price to pay in following the Lord Jesus. When one speaks the truth, there will be a reaction. Jesus died for speaking the truth. Most of his first century followers also died for speaking the truth. Down through the ages, people have paid a tremendous price for following Jesus. Some still do. 

But what about us? Are we perhaps a little bit like our salesperson…trying to sell Nike while promoting Adidas? Do we perhaps outwardly claim to believe the Word of God while living in the skin of the world? Jesus warned us about wolves in sheep’s clothing. 

But let’s not engage in finger-pointing here. Let us look deep down into our own hearts. Are we fulfilling the prophetic role of our Lord or are we just biding our time till we die by and by? Are we truly serious about being his witnesses…about doing what the Holy Spirit has enabled and empowered us to do…about seeking first his kingdom and his righteousness? 

What are you “selling”, dearest beloved brethren? 

Shall we pray?

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2023

Inward and Outward

Philippians 3:1-11       Luke 2:15-21

Inward and Outward

At this time of year, people often make decisions about their future…decisions they call “New Year’s Resolutions”. Usually, these kinds of decisions focus on doing something you either neglected to do the past year, or perhaps something you should or could have done better. Then the new year begins and for a while renewed effort and delusion work together to convince the person that they are actually succeeding…but old habits kick in and the backward slide begins. 

Resolutions have been around ever since Eve decided she wanted to be equal to God and, of course, failure to meet expectations (and sometimes the realization that perhaps the resolution was not such a good idea after all) have been around since the fig leaves wilted. But it is interesting to examine humanity’s rationale behind making these decisions. Aristotle maintained that we become what we do and so he resolved to do so that he may become. Plato went in the exact opposite direction, maybe after observing the repeated failed attempts of his teacher. He believed that right action followed on from right thinking and so he resolved to think right so that he might act right. Then along came Farmer Brown who believed that you become what you eat and so he resolved to eat good so that he could look good…just kidding…

Now, although there is truth in the philosophies of both Aristotle and Plato (the truth in Farmer Brown’s philosophy is perhaps more obvious, especially around the holidays), they are both missing the essential and foundational point. Fallen, broken humanity cannot act or think right because they are corrupt at the very core of their being. Scripture tells us that the heart of man is deceitful above all things and altogether corrupt (Jeremiah 17:9). And the Scripture also teaches us that humans follow their heart…a person is as they think in their heart (Proverbs 23:7). 

So, from the very outset, our well-intentioned resolutions are doomed to fail. Therefore, Paul said in Philippians 3:3, “we have no confidence in the flesh”. If we are going to make any kind of decision for positive change, we must be radically renovated from the inside out…but who can do that especially with a heart that lies…even to its owner? 

Well, here’s good news. Our God is in the heart transplant and exchange business. Quite literally. The prophet Ezekiel said that a time would come when God would remove the defective heart and exchange it for a responsive heart…but more than that. He said that God would place his Holy Spirit in us, and he would cause us to do what God knows is the very best for us. This is a radical inner renovation. We are essentially changed from the inside out. We are no longer what we once were and because of this new identity, an identity that is ours in Jesus, we can do what we intended to do as creatures created in the image of God. 

What we are able to do now as believers is a direct result of our new identity brought about by the prior gracious work of renewal that God has achieved in us through the finished ministry of Jesus. Consequently, any resolution should then be based, not only on what God has already revealed to be right and acceptable, but also on what God had already achieved in us if it is to be fruitful. Our actions depend on the ongoing work of God in us…he began the good work in us, and he will complete the good work in us…he is both the author and perfecter of our faith…without him, we can do nothing of substantial and eternal value.

This is seen most clearly in the life of the Apostle Paul. Paul lived out what God had made him and therefore he was not derailed by adverse circumstances. 

But before Saul became Paul, he found confidence, not in what God had done or was doing as much as in what he himself had done and was doing…in the flesh. Paul was a rising star in Israel. He had been schooled by one of the greatest Rabbis at the time. He no doubt moved in high circles and was respected by his peers. He lived according to the strictest ethical code and was so convinced that he was right that he was willing to capture, torture, and kill anyone who did not meet his standards. 

But then, in an instant, it was revealed to him that everything he had once believed to be true was, in fact false. Everything he had once held dear…everything he had once considered gain…everything came crashing down as he realised that what he had been striving to achieve was worthless. 

He was so shocked that he spent three years in seclusion trying to reprogram his life around this new revelation that centred in and around the life and ministry of Jesus. Then he returned to tell his fellow countrymen the truth…but the tables were now turned…his fellow countrymen were still as he once was…and they were not exactly ecstatic about Paul’s drastic about-face. In fact, they were downright hostile. And suddenly, the hunter became the hunted…he had to flee for his life, he was rejected, whipped, beaten, arrested, imprisoned, threatened, and stoned. Gone were the days of moving among the elite…his former friends were now his enemies.

And then, as he sat in an Ephesian prison, he received news that one of his best churches was being torn apart by two head-strong members. So, he took up his quill and wrote: “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.” Poor man…it must have been a piece of rancid bread. Rejoice? In the circumstances, he should have been pulling his hair out. How could anyone rejoice when your labour of love was being destroyed? 

The key to Paul’s inner peace was an inner renovation. He could resolve to rejoice because of who he was in Jesus. His eyes were firmly fixed on what God intended him to be…all other things were peripheral…they faded in the glory of what God had done and what he was doing. 

The circumstances hadn’t changed…in fact, for the most part, they had only gotten worse…but Paul had changed. And so, even when life was hard and unfair and even when he was misunderstood and inconvenienced by the consequences of life in a fallen broken world, Paul could rejoice because he knew what God had done and was continuing to bring to completion. 

All the many resolutions and decisions, rituals, ceremonies, and outward conformity to rules and regulations, count for nothing when compared to gaining Christ and being found in him. To know Jesus and the power of his resurrection, is worth more than all the riches this world can afford.

You see, external change means very little without internal change. This was our Lord’s contention with the Pharisees. He called them whitewashed tombs for good reason. Outwardly they were beautifully decorated, but inside they were full of death and decay. Paul had once been one of them. He listed all his accomplishments in verse 5 and 6 in Philippians 3. But even the Old Testament pointed out that the circumcision of the flesh without the circumcision of the heart meant nothing…the biblical characters all demonstrated this fact clearly. 

The outward is really nothing without the inward. You can make as many resolutions as you wish this year, but if the Lord has not changed the inner you, you might as well write your resolutions in water.  

Better to ask God to graciously renovate you…to change the inside of you…but be forewarned. Things may not get easier…but, as we saw with Paul, if the inner part of you has been changed, you will always be able to rejoice in the Lord, regardless of circumstances, as your focus will be centred on his resolution to conform you to the image of Jesus. Once his will and purpose is more important than your whims and wishes, then you too will gain the peace of God that transcends comprehension. 

So, rather than make fragile New Year’s Resolutions this year, why not rather compare sides of your life’s ledger.  Anything and everything you have ever counted as gain on the one side…and Jesus on the other. The choice is simple, but never easy.

May God in his grace, grant you the inner ability to live as he would have you live outwardly.

Shall we pray?

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2023.

Do you hear what I hear?

Isaiah 9:6-7           Luke 2:1-7

Do you hear what I hear?

On a cold January morning, a violinist was heard playing in a metro station in Washington DC. Since it was rush hour, thousands of people passed him by, most of them on their way to work. The man played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. After three minutes, a middle-aged commuter stopped for a few seconds, but then hurried along to catch his train. A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip from a woman who simply threw the money in the jar without stopping to listen.

Others stopped briefly to watch him play, but none of them stayed for any length of time. The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy, but his mother dragged him away. This boy’s reaction was repeated by several other children, but all the parents, without exception, forced them to move on. 

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped to listen for a few minutes longer than most. About 20 gave him money but they all continued to walk their normal pace. When he finished playing, no one noticed…no one applauded...no one gave him any recognition. In the end, he collected $32.

What these commuters did not realise was that the violinist playing in the station was none other than Joshua Bell, one of the best violinists in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars. Two days prior to his performance in the metro station, Bell sold out at a theater in Boston with the seats averaging about $100.00 each. 

Earlier, the Washington Post had asked Bell to take part in a social experiment about perception and the priorities of people. They wanted the event to take place in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour to establish how people assess beauty. Whether they would recognise something remarkable in an everyday setting. Whether they would stop to appreciate it. Whether they would even recognize brilliance in an unexpected context. 

The aim was to answer a simple question: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

This afternoon, we have gathered to celebrate the greatest Gift ever given. The Scriptures tell us that God loves the world and that he has demonstrated that love by sending his only Son into the world to save it from slavery to sin. It is the birth of this Son, Jesus…the one who came into the world to offer Himself as a substitute for our sin so that he might grant us redemption and everlasting hope…it is his birth that we stop to contemplate at this time. 

In the Word made flesh, we hear the sweet melody of God’s graciousness and his kindness and his mercy and his forgiveness. Here, in this fallen and broken world, from the palatial homes of the wealthy to the squalor of a shack in a slum, people everywhere have been given the opportunity to attend this most wonderful symphony of life, for free. The question is, will they stop to listen…will they perceive the immeasurable gift and stay…or will they not be able to comprehend the Creator God in this very ordinary setting, and simply move on?

It is interesting to note that many at the time of his birth did not respond appropriately either. Other than a few shepherds, the birth of the King of kings went by largely unnoticed. Who would seek a king in the feeding trough of domestic livestock?  

This afternoon, we have gathered not to celebrate the birth of a distinguished and brilliant superstar, like Bell. No, we are here to celebrate the arrival of a fragile baby…born to poor parents in an occupied country. And yet, a baby who is none other than God incarnate…the promised Messiah…the Child who invaded the world to save the world…the one who came to liberate the enslaved…to freely offer the hope of eternal salvation to you and to me…and to anyone who will receive him.

 Of all of the sounds you will hear this Christmas season, listen carefully to hear an even greater sound; the sound of the unveiling of Jesus to the world. Embrace this exquisite melody and allow it to fill every part of your life, so that, wherever you may go in this world, others may hear what you hear and see what you see.

Shall we pray?

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2022