A New Life, an Angry Wife, and a Bloody Knife

Two Sundays ago, I preached one of the strangest passages in the Bible. It is perhaps the second most debated Old Testament passage there is. It is a passage that talks about Moses and his family on their way to Egypt.

Moses had fled Egypt at 40 years old after killing an Egyptian man. He settles down and lives in the land of Midian. Moses meets a man named Reuel, also known as Jethro, and marries one of his daughters, Zipporah. Moses and Zipporah have two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. Moses lives as a shepherd and at the age of 80, God calls to him to go back to Egypt and lead the Israelites to freedom. Moses reluctantly agrees, packs his things, and heads to Egypt with his wife Zipporah, and two sons. This story picks up at rest stop on the way to Egypt.

Exodus 4:24-26 (ESV) At a lodging place on the way the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. ²⁵Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” ²⁶So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.

We don’t have all the details. There are a lot of questions that are unanswered about this passage and there are several theories about the meaning of this passage. I want to simply take what we know, and recreate the most likely scenario with the information God gives us.

Moses and Zipporah have two different cultures and sets of customs
Moses most likely circumcised their first son, Gershom
Zipporah doesn’t like circumcision and refuses to allow Eliezer to be circumcised
Moses keeps peace and doesn’t circumcise Eliezer
God calls Moses to be the leader of the Jewish nation
Moses reluctantly agrees to obey God and go to Egypt
Moses ignores the command to circumcise his son
Moses leaves for Egypt with Zipporah and his two sons
God (Angel of the Lord) intercepts the family in order to kill Moses
Zipporah circumcises Eliezer and God spares Moses

God has called Moses to lead the nation of Israel, but he first needs to learn to lead his own family. God expects for men to be godly husbands and fathers and provide spiritual leadership at home (Eph. 5:22-24; Heb. 12:9). Too many men have been content to opt out of spiritual leadership and leave the task to their wives. This is disobedience to the pattern for the family in the Bible. Men aren’t fit to lead anywhere else if they will not lead first at home. One of the basic qualifications for spiritual leadership in the New Testament is that a man leads his home (1 Tim. 3:4-5).

Concerning Moses’ situation, Ronald B. Allen says “Moses was guilty of not carrying out circumcision in his own family, yet he was the one who was to lead the circumcised nation of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land.” This wasn’t some peripheral matter that could be excused. Circumcision was an important commandment for the Jewish people. It identified the males as belonging to God. Failure to be circumcised resulted in being rejected by God and cut off from the nation (Gen. 17:12-14). God was so serious about this that he would rather kill Moses than let him attempt to lead Israel while failing to obey the most basic of instructions to all Jews. We all do things to keep peace and we all pick our battles from time to time. However, we don’t get to pick battles where God’s Word and God’s will are concerned. We should value obedience to God’s commands more than the artificial peace born out of a lukewarm, compromised lifestyle.

Men and women are both fallen and sinners, but we are sinners in different ways. Genesis 3:16 demonstrates that there is a power struggle between men and women. Men try to get their way by force and power, while women try to get their way with manipulation and cunning. Sinful but different. The best way for an unmarried person to avoid these types of struggles is to resolve to marry someone with the same faith and values as you. This will keep you from the trap of an “unequally yoked” marriage (2 Cor. 6:14).

God doesn’t want the family to be divided over spiritual issues; rather He desires spiritual unity. This was what Moses failed to achieve in his house. Moses and Zipporah had different social, religious, and cultural views. This resulted in a pagan compromise to withhold circumcision from their son, even though this was the most important expression of belonging to God. Zipporah either did not understand or did not care about the importance of obeying God completely. Moses should not have been content to leave her in this complacent spiritual state. He should have been concerned with his wife’s spiritual condition. Don’t be content to let your spouse be the “spiritual one.” Also, don’t sit by and let your spouse die spiritually. Say as Joshua did, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15). Let’s lead our family to build a godly home that brings glory to God and reflects the love of Christ.

Will God Judge Christians for Their Sins?

This question came up in a recent Pastor Q & A session at Reed Springs, “Why will believers be judged if Jesus paid for our sins and God has forgotten them?” This is a very good question. The fact is, believers will NOT be judged by God for their sins. If we were judged for just one of our sins, we could not go to heaven. We are justified in Christ. Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal on the basis of Christ’s substitutionary death and resurrection of all who repent and believe in Christ (Romans 3:28). Through justification we receive a new standing for God has declared us to be righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). Because of justification, the penalty for sin is done away with for the believer (Romans 6:23).

Believers WILL, however, be judged for our stewardship. There are two different judgments for the believer and the unbeliever. These are separate events that take place at separate times. The unbelievers are judged by their sinful works (Rev. 20:11-15) and punished. Believers are judged by our spiritual productivity and rewarded (1 Cor. 3:10-15). The Bible actually says that we will be involved in judging the world and the fallen angels (1 Cor. 2-3). The judgment of believers will be concerned with the spiritual fruit our life produced and how we handled the gospel on earth.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (ESV) According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

This distinction is very important. Many Christians have a very negative view about the Christian life, as if we are only called to meticulously avoid sin so that we won’t have too many strikes against us when we stand before God. This is absolutely backwards. I fear that many Christians are so afraid of doing something wrong, they never do anything at all! Remember, the disobedient servant was scared of doing something wrong, so he didn’t do anything with what his master had given him (Matthew 25:24-27). Rather than focusing on the “thou shalt nots” the Christian is called to focus on the “thou shalts.” When we become concerned about what God has called us to do, then the other things sort of fall in place. When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, he didn’t give a “thou shalt not” answer. Instead he said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God…” and “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself…” (Matthew 22:37-40). If I am focused on worshiping God, growing in Christ, helping others, and sharing Christ with them; then I won’t have to continually worry about the things I’m not supposed to do.

What Are We Waiting For?

One of the wisest Christian men I have ever known was my uncle Manuel. He once told me, “When God repeats Himself in the Bible, He means for you to pay special attention!” I have never forgotten this, and always try to see where God “repeats Himself.” One of the best examples of this is the Great Commission. The Great Commission is so important, Jesus gave it to us five times – Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:45-47; John 20:21; Acts 1:8. The Great Commission identifies our place in God’s plan: making Christ known to the nations.

The apostles in Acts 1:8 could not fulfill the Great Commission right away; they had to wait on the promise of the Holy Spirit. Jesus had promised that the Holy Spirit would empower the apostles to be witness in John 16:13-14: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” Again in John 15:26-27: “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning” (ESV). Once the apostles received the power (dunamis) of the Holy Spirit, they will be witnesses (martus) for Him according to the three-phase plan He has given them.

We, however, do not have to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit for He is already present with believers. There is nothing withholding us from fulfilling the Great Commission in obedience to Jesus’ commands. There is no excuse for following the example of the servant in Luke 19:11-27 who buried his responsibility; we are to invest the Gospel with our neighbors and the nations that God might gain an increase. Today, we need only to become willing, useful, and obedient. We are called to sow the Gospel and reap the souls of men.

Although the apostles had to wait for the Holy Spirit, they obeyed what they could of Jesus commands; they went to Jerusalem to wait for empowerment through the Holy Spirit. Once He arrived, they followed the plan Jesus laid out in Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (ESV). His plan is still practical and possible today; we begin with Jerusalem (local, our home), then spread out to Judea and Samaria (regional, national), and then onward to the end of the earth (international). Did you know:

there are 1.365 billion people who have no access to the Gospel?
of the 6,800 various languages, 5,900 have no written Bible?
86% of the world’s Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists do not know a Christian?
for more information visit joshuaproject.net or unreachedpeoplegroups.org

Every church has a responsibility to fulfill this command in some way. We should evangelize our local communities personally, volunteer for short-term mission trips, be open to God’s call to long-term missions, and give regularly to missionaries and missionary groups. What are we waiting for?

The Reward for Endurance 2 Timothy 2:1-13

Do you know anyone who has left the ministry? I recently read a statistic that said 1800 pastors leave the ministry every month. One major reason for this is discouragement. Many of us have even been discouraged to the point that we have thought about quitting. Some of the greatest leaders in the Bible have been at this point. In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, there are several indications that Timothy is discouraged and experiencing what we call “ministry burnout” (1:6-8, 13-14, 2:1). Paul on the other hand, is near the end of his life of ministry. He is writing from his second Roman imprisonment (A.D. 67) and is facing death at the hand of Emperor Nero (4:6-8). It is in this context that Paul, as Timothy’s mentor, sends his final words of encouragement to the young pastor. In 2:1-13, Paul charges Timothy to endure in the ministry.

After exhorting Timothy to be strong and to train new teachers in the church (vs. 1-2), Paul gives Timothy three models for ministry (vs. 3-7). The first model is the soldier’s purpose. Soldiers possess a singular commitment to the battle or assignment at hand. The minister of the Gospel must also be solely committed to his purpose. The second model is the athlete’s principle. No matter how well-trained or talented the athlete is, he must play by the rules or be disqualified. Like an athlete, the minister must not “take shortcuts” or disobey God’s rules if he is to succeed. The last model is the farmer’s productivity. Through hard work and commitment, the farmer is able to eventually enjoy the yield of his crops. All of these models show long-term, serious commitment to a cause. Paul wanted Timothy to meditate on these truths (vs. 7) because this is the type of commitment required in the ministry.

Paul then gives Timothy the ultimate motivation for ministry: making Christ known to others (vs. 8-10). He provides his sufferings as an example to Timothy of endurance for the sake of preaching Christ. While writing this letter, Paul was in a cold prison cell (4:13), in chains (2:9), expecting execution (4:6), and abandoned by his close friends (1:15; 4:9-12, 16). Paul was motivated to endure this intense suffering in order to bring others to salvation in Christ (vs. 10). The minister of the Gospel can never justify giving up because of Romans 10:14, “how shall they hear without a preacher?”

Paul then gives Timothy a glorious motto for ministry (vs. 11-13). This saying includes four promises concerning our commitment to Christ. First, those who have crucified themselves with Christ (Gal. 5:24) will also live with Christ in heaven. Paul is speaking here of the spiritual death of the old nature at salvation. Second, true believers who endure suffering for Christ will reign with him in his kingdom (Matt. 19:27-28). Our earthly sufferings cannot compare to the heavenly glory awaiting us (Romans 8:18). Third, false believers who eventually deny Christ will be denied by Christ. Finally, Christ is faithful even when we are not. Christ’s love and mercy remains extended even in our weakest moments. These are comforting words for a struggling servant.

Ministry is a hard road; we know this up front. Jesus calls us to take up a cross, not an easy chair. In addition to the difficult nature of Christian service, Satan and his minions are hard at work to discourage and immobilize Christian workers. Following the wisdom of Jesus, we should “count the cost” of serving Christ and then; obey the models of ministry, remember the motivation of ministry, and rejoice in the motto of ministry. Ministry is a marathon, not a sprint, so “let us run with endurance the race that lies before us” (Hebrews 12:2).

This post was originally published in the Baptist & Reflector, February 20, 2013.

The Practice of Godliness Titus 3:1-9

Imagine a black cat in a field covered with snow, a diamond against black cloth, or the light from your cell phone in a dark room. Now imagine that black cat in a dark alley, that diamond in a pile of broken glass, and your cell phone on a sunny day. All of those things can either be highly prominent or nearly invisible depending on their surroundings. The proper contrast gives visibility to the most common things. The same is true of the Christian life. In a dark and dirty culture, it is extremely important that Christians “shine as lights in the world” by displaying godliness (Philippians 2:15). This is true in our culture and it was true in ancient Crete where Titus was a pastor. Titus was left on the Mediterranean island of Crete to lead the church that had been birthed there through Paul’s ministry (1:5), just as Timothy had been left to continue the work at Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:3). The Cretians had been described as “liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons” (Titus 1:12). As a result of this stereotype, it was vitally important that the Cretian Christians live godly lives in order to effectively evangelize their neighbors. In Paul’s letter to Titus, he instructs the young pastor to teach the Cretians to live in contrast to their culture (3:1-9).

Paul identifies three specific attitudes necessary to a lifestyle of godliness (vs. 1-2). He begins with the proper Christian attitude toward authority. Christians are to be submissive and obedient to rulers. This doesn’t mean we always agree with them or condone sinful decisions, but that we trust God to judge those who lead and we trust His election of authority (Romans 13:1-7). Second, we are to be “ready for every good work.” This implies eagerness and action that is contrasted with the Cretian stereotype, “lazy gluttons” (1:12). Christians are to be productive and industrious, especially where ministry is involved. Finally, we maintain good personal relationships by avoiding malicious gossip and fighting and instead showing kindness and gentleness to everyone (vs. 2).

Paul then affirms that godliness is the result of God’s grace toward us (vs. 3-7). After instructing us to show kindness and gentleness to others, Paul reminds us that we once lived a lifestyle of sin and grieved God as others now grieve us. In spite of our sins, Christ “appeared” (vs. 4, Heb. 9:26) to extend mercy and forgiveness to us through his vicarious death on the cross. Our salvation is completely a work of grace through which we are washed, reborn, and made new by the Holy Spirit (vs. 5). On the basis of Christ’s death for us, we are justified, or declared righteous, and become heirs with Christ of all that is his (vs. 7). If God has shown us this measure of grace, we ought to extend that grace to others through a lifestyle of godliness.

Although godliness is commanded of Christians, we ought to joyfully pursue it because of its benefits. Rather than engage in unproductive religious activity such as debates and arguments (vs. 9), we should put into practice what we already know and live the truth we believe. Godliness strengthens our Christian testimony, enhances our relationships, and reflects God’s grace to others. Like exercise to the human body, godliness strengthens our spiritual life, and it also yields eternal reward in heaven (1 Timothy 4:7-8). The congregation at Crete needed to live in contrast to the culture with which they were identified. This is true of the church today. Our transformed lives are the greatest apologetic we possess. We need to couple our outspoken witness with an outstanding walk in order to win our world for Christ.

This post was originally published in the Baptist & Reflector, February 12, 2013.

The Character of Leadership 1 Timothy 3:1-15

WANTED: Christian leaders and teachers! Must have church membership and a pulse! Does this sound familiar? Too often in ministry we find ourselves shorthanded when it comes to responsible leaders. We have positions to fill and not enough qualified leaders to fill them. As a result, we enlist unqualified volunteers hoping for the best and then we find ourselves disappointed. Timothy was a young pastor at Ephesus who probably faced this same ministry challenge. His mentor, the apostle Paul, gave him some key characteristics to look for in potential leaders in 1 Timothy 3:1-15. Paul deals specifically with pastors and deacons in this passage, but these qualifications are a must for anyone in Christian leadership. These characteristics deal with three areas of a leader’s life: his character, competence, and creed.

A leader’s character must be “blameless” and “respectable” (vs. 2, 8). A leader must take every measure to protect his integrity and never give away influence. The reason for this is to avoid falling into “disgrace” and “a snare of the devil” (vs. 7). We lose influence when we lose integrity. How many leaders have been destroyed because a scandal destroyed their influence? Paul warns of some common character flaws that endanger our integrity: sexual sin, self-indulgence, greed, anger, and hypocrisy (vs. 2-8). Nearly all leadership failings stem from these character flaws. Many may disagree with our theology, but a true leader will never give others a valid reason to question his integrity or ethics.

A Christian leader must also be a competent leader who is “sensible” (vs. 2). Someone who is sensible has their priorities straight, is disciplined, and is serious about their responsibility. An unorganized, unprepared person who is flippant about their duties does not need to be given spiritual responsibilities. A Christian leader must be “able to teach.” It is not enough to know God’s Word personally; we must be able to communicate it to others so they understand it. Some aspects of competent leadership must be developed over time, such as the ability to wield leadership with humility (vs. 6). This is why young Christians should not be placed in leadership roles immediately (vs. 6, 10). We must follow before we can lead. One great indicator of leadership competence for an adult is the status in their home. An irresponsible spouse or parent will make an irresponsible leader (vs. 4, 5, 12). Individuals who don’t display competence in secular matters won’t be competent with spiritual matters either (Luke 16:10, 11).

A leader must be committed to some type of creed; in our case that creed is the Bible. Christian leaders must hold “the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience” (vs. 9). What is the mystery of faith? “[God] was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory” (vs. 16). If a leader cannot affirm the doctrines of Christianity, he is certainly not eligible for Christian leadership. Leaders in a local church should be familiar with the church’s doctrinal statement to insure clear communication on what type of teaching is expected. We cannot compromise our convictions especially where leadership is concerned.

I recently heard a Christian speaker say that we recruit 95% of our problems. Perhaps this is true. It is not enough to simply desire to be a leader (vs. 1), but one must possess godly leadership abilities and ethics. Paul gave this list of leadership qualities to help the church identify those ready to lead and to help leaders to stay on track (vs. 15). We need to intentionally develop these traits in others in order to raise up capable leaders in our churches. If we discard this vital checklist from our leader training and enlisting process, we are ignoring the God of order and inviting chaos into our midst.

This post was originally published in the Baptist & Reflector, February 5, 2013.

The Truth of the Gospel: 1 Timothy 1:1-20

We live in an age where the truth of the Gospel is constantly challenged. The exclusive nature of the Gospel and the righteous commands of God make our message unpalatable to most. As a result, a more agreeable alternative to biblical Christianity is often sought. This is nothing new. Paul constantly countered the arguments of false teachers during his ministry. Timothy was a young pastor who Paul had placed at Ephesus to lead the church and to deal with problems emerging there (vs. 3). In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he charges him to teach the truth and prevent false teachings from invading the church.

Paul says many at Ephesus had turned from the truth to empty debates brought on by false teaching (vs. 5-7). These individuals wanted to become teachers of the law like Jewish rabbis, but didn’t even understand what they claim to believe. Their teaching consisted of myths and genealogies loosely based on elements of Judaism (vs. 3, 4). The end result was a legalistic heresy that offered salvation by works. While the law serves a legitimate purpose in the New Testament, it is not a means of salvation. We are saved by God’s grace, not our works (Ephesians 2:8, 9). Paul tells Timothy to guard against this teaching because it is powerless to transform lives or produce genuine faith (vs. 4, 6).

Unlike the empty message of the false teachers, the Gospel of Jesus Christ has life-changing power. Paul is an example of radical Christian conversion. He had been a “blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man.” His life prior to Christ was committed to defending Judaism and destroying Christianity (Philippians 3:4-6), but God had chosen him to be a minister of the Gospel (Acts 9:15). Paul’s conversion perfectly demonstrates the authentic change that takes place through salvation, “he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Jesus extends mercy to the worst of sinners and transforms them into trophies of God’s grace. In verse fifteen, Paul encapsulates the mission of Christ in a short statement, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” The integrity of the Gospel is eternally important because it is only through Jesus that we can be saved and transformed (Acts 4:12).

Paul illustrates and explains the “shipwreck” of apostasy with the story of two Christian teachers who fell into heresy: Hymenaeus and Alexander. Paul says the cause of their error was their abandonment of “faith and a good conscience” (vs. 19). They began as superficially convincing Christians, but ended up with a doubting heart and a dirty conscience. They failed to believe the Gospel and they failed to obey the Gospel. Rather than change their lives to align with the truth, they modified the message to fit their lives. The result was poisonous and they were excommunicated in order to preserve the unity and integrity of the church (vs. 20). Paul uses this tragic example to demonstrate that faith and a good conscience are indispensable traits for the Christian.

There are opponents to the Gospel who would do away with it entirely. Then, there are those who would like to take the more agreeable points of Christianity, but leave out the more controversial elements. The problem with that approach is that a partial Gospel is a powerless Gospel. From the garden of Eden to the garden tomb; from creation ex nihilo to the consummation of the age, there is not one element of the Gospel that is dispensable. This is why we must “earnestly contend for the faith” (Jude 3) and “fight the good fight” in the face of opposition and false teachers (vs. 18). We must disregard the sinister suggestions of the slithering serpent, and echo the words Jesus prayed only hours before his crucifixion, “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17).

This post was originally published in the Baptist & Reflector, January 29, 2013.

Haggai: A Message of Hope

Haggai brings a welcome message of hope during a time of judgment and despair. The timing of his prophecy is clearly established in his writings (1:1; 2:1; 2:10; 2:20), and took place in the year 520 BC. Haggai had probably returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel and about 50,000 other Israelites eighteen years earlier (538 BC) when King Cyrus of Persia made the proclamation that the Jews could return to their homeland. The temple had not been rebuilt in Haggai’s day, and the prevailing opinion was that it was not time to rebuild it. God called Haggai and his contemporary, Zechariah, to tell the Israelites that it was time and they should rebuild the temple. The temple was finished four years later in 516 BC.

The Jews had begun to rebuild the temple in 536 BC, but abandoned the work because of opposition from enemies. Sixteen years later, Haggai’s prophecy rebukes the Israelites’ disobedience. Haggai brings his message to Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest, the civil and spiritual leaders of the people. Haggai tells them that God says it is wrong for the people to live in beautiful homes paneled with cedar while God’s house lies in ruins (1:4). God further states that the reason the people had been experiencing economic and agricultural difficulty is because of their failure to build the temple (vs. 5-11). God says that the only way to end their problems is by obeying Him and building the temple. In the words of Jesus, they needed to “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matt. 6:33). Twenty-three days later, the people respond with obedience and begin building again (vs. 12-15).

As the people began to rebuild the temple, it became apparent to those who remembered Solomon’s temple that this one was inferior in comparison (2:3). Solomon’s temple was a magnificent building furnished with precious metals, cedar, and hewn stone. Haggai comforts the people, telling them that the Lord is with them now just as He was during the Exodus (vs. 4, 5). God wants his people to celebrate His presence among them rather than focus on their lack of wealth. After all, God is the possessor of all things, including the wealth of the nations (vs. 8).

Haggai’s message then turns to the future. God promises that he will “shake the heavens and the earth” and “all nations (vs. 6, 7)” and “overturn royal thrones and destroy the power of the Gentile kingdom” (vs. 22). This prophecy looks forward to the Day of the Lord when God judges creation and conquers the nations (Luke 21:25-27; Joel 2:30-32). God says that after this series of events, He will fill the temple with wealth and the final glory of the temple will be greater than the first (vs. 8, 9). God always saves the best for last, and this is true with this passage.

The prophecy ends with God’s election of Zerubbabel as His servant. God says he will be like His signet ring; an emblem of royal power and authority. Zerubbabel was a descendant of David, and was the legal heir to the throne. The Davidic dynasty had continued unbroken until the Babylonian exile where it ended with Jehoiachin (Jeremiah 22:24). God chose to reestablish the royal lineage with Zerubbabel and it would continue through the silent years until it ended with Christ (Matt. 1:12-16).

Israel was living in the aftermath of the exile in Babylon and they were only a remnant of the nation they had been. However, God promised them a new temple, His presence, victory over their enemies, and the coming of the Messiah. Haggai’s message is simple; God offers us a future, even in the midst of judgment. It is not time to give up; it is time to repent, rebuild and receive God’s promises.

This post was originally published in the Baptist & Reflector, January 22, 2013.

Obadiah: A Message of God’s Justice

The book of Obadiah is the shortest book of the Old Testament, consisting of twenty-one verses. The book supplies no information of the author other than his name. We know that Obadiah was a prophet of God about the time of Judah’s destruction by the Babylonians and he prophesied against the Edomites. Obadiah’s prophecy, therefore, occurred after Judah’s captivity in 586 BC and before Edom’s demise in 500 BC. The Edomites were the descendants of Esau (Genesis 36:9), the brother of Jacob. Although the Edomites were Israel’s enemies, they were also their distant relatives. Obadiah’s prophecy foretells of Edom’s destruction because of their wicked treatment of Israel during the Babylonian overthrow of Judah.

Edom’s capital city, Petra, was located in mountainous terrain and was an impregnable natural fortress. The city was surrounded by deep gorges and enormous mountain peaks. God promised to destroy the Edomites despite their false sense of security (vs. 3, 4). God further declares that Edom will be betrayed by all of her allies and pillaged until there is nothing left (vs. 5-7). Obadiah says that this judgment is deserved because of Edom’s wicked treatment of Israel that began during the wilderness travels under Moses (Num. 20:14-21) and reached their a climax during the recent Babylonian invasion of Judah.

God gives four different charges against the Edomites: they refused to help Judah during the attack of the Babylonians, they rejoiced at Judah’s demise, they plundered Jerusalem, and they captured and sold as slaves those who fled from the attack (vs. 11-14). By refusing to help Judah in their time of trouble, Edom was considered by God to be just as guilty as Babylon (vs. 11). Edom had shown no mercy to Judah, and would receive no mercy from God. “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy” (James 2:13).

God’s judgment on Edom is a preview of God’s judgment on all nations during the Day of the Lord (vs. 15). God says that He will cause them to “drink continually” until they are “as though they had never been.” This refers to the cup of God’s wrath, which Jeremiah spoke of, “Take this cup of the wine of wrath from My hand and make all the nations I am sending you to, drink from it.” (Jeremiah 25:15). Judah had tasted this cup for a time (Isaiah 21:22-23), but now Edom would drink from it until they were destroyed as will all nations and individuals who sin against God.

Obadiah’s message ends with a promise of future blessing. Obadiah prophesies that Israel will be victorious over Edom (vs. 17-18), and will reclaim their land according to the God-given boundaries (vs. 19-20). The only time in Israel’s history that they possessed all the land promised them was under the reign of David and Solomon, but God says they will possess it again. Obadiah’s last words leave us with a promise of the land being governed under the rule of Yahweh (vs. 21). God is reminding Israel, Edom, and all the nations of the world that they will one day become “the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:15).

We live in a fallen world that is temporarily under the control of Satan and it often seems that there is no justice when wicked nations and individuals go unpunished. God allowed the Edomites to persecute Israel for centuries, but the time of their judgment was certain as is the judgment of all nations. In the midst of all the global turmoil and injustice, God promises a day when “He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power” (1 Corinthians 15:24). The Day of the Lord will bring God’s perfect justice to a world that desperately needs it.

This post was originally published in the Baptist & Reflector, January 15, 2013.

What Can a Christian Learn From a Crook?

Luke 16:1-8 contains what is perhaps one of the strangest parables Jesus ever gave, the parable of the dishonest manager. Jesus uses this story about a man who steals from his employer to teach us something about the kingdom of God and our responsibilities.

The man was a hired steward, or manager, and his job was to manage his employer’s estate and finances. His employer received an accusation that he was “wasting” his assets. The employer then calls the manager in and orders him to give a final accounting of his work before he fires him. The manager knows he has been caught and exposure like this would ruin his reputation to the point that no one would hire him, so he seizes a small window of opportunity to save his own skin. He calls in everyone who owes his employer money, and he cuts them a sweet deal. He cuts the first man’s debt in half, and gives another man a twenty percent reduction! His motive is to get on the good side of his master’s debtors so they will hire him when he is fired. This is shrewd thinking. Dishonest, but shrewd. Then the unexpected happens, his employer finds out what he has done and commends him. Why would he praise the man who is stealing from him? The master realized that even though his manager was dishonest, he was a shrewd businessman and he would be better off having him working for him than for a competitor.

The man didn’t repent of his dishonesty; he actually added more dishonesty to it. He wasn’t sorry for his sin, he was sorry he got caught. Why would Jesus use this despicable man as an example to his followers? He tells us why in verse 8, “For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.” Jesus says that the world works harder and smarter in the business realm than the church does in the kingdom of God. While this dishonest manager is a poor moral example, he possesses some exemplary traits as a manager. We as managers of God’s assets ought to perk up and take notice.

He was prudent

He had discretion that helped him use situations for good. Where most would have panicked, he saw a bad situation as a small window of opportunity. “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.” (Proverbs 27:12). We need to use godly wisdom and discretion to act productively in difficult situations.

He was progressive

Rather than pining over past failures, he cut his losses and moved forward. Many people are immobilized by their past failures and even successes to the point that they never move onward from today. Paul was progressive for Christ, “Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14).

He was proactive

He acted in advance of problems. He didn’t wait until he was on the street to wonder what he was going to do, he acted in advance. Much of what we do in ministry is a knee-jerk reaction to problems. Rather than being proactive, we wait until there is an emergency and we spend all our time putting out small fires.

He was purposeful

Rather than leave his future to chance, he acted “on purpose” to secure income for tomorrow. He had a goal – future financial security – and he acted in ways to meet that goal. Paul was purposeful in his evangelism strategy (Romans 15:20-21). If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.

He was a planner

When he was caught in a bad situation, he immediately began thinking of how he could act today in order to better himself tomorrow. He maintained his composure and developed a practical (though dishonest) plan for the future. “The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.” (Proverbs 21:5). We see a great deal of godly planning in the Scriptures. Jesus even gave us a plan for evangelism (Acts 1:8). To fail to plan is to plan to fail.

The employer did not praise his manager because he was honest, trustworthy, or responsible. He praised him because he was shrewd. He had practical business sense and discretion which were valuable qualities in the business world. Jesus used this example to show us that the world is better at their business than we are at ours. If there’s a dollar to be made, people bring their best to the table; but when there are eternal souls in the balance, we settle for mediocrity. This manager used all of his savvy and abilities to secure his future, what are we doing to secure the future of the Kingdom of God? We are God’s managers (1 Corinthians 4:1, 2), let’s not be outdone by those who only manage earthly assets.

Ray A. Umphrey

Pastor | Preacher | PhD