Naked Before God

11 Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, told him, “If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled away and escaped. 13 Michal took an image and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats' hair at its head and covered it with the clothes.’ 14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” 15 Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” 16 And when the messengers came in, behold, the image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ hair at its head. 17 Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me thus and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. Why should I kill you?’”

18 Now David fled and escaped, and he came to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and lived at Naioth. 19 And it was told Saul, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.” 20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. 22 Then he himself went to Ramah and came to the great well that is in Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And one said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.” 23 And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” – 1 Samuel 19:11-24 ESV

Saul’s fear of and subsequent hatred for David continued to intensify. To a certain degree, Saul could not seem to help himself. Throughout the story, we will see that Saul has an underlying, deep-seated love for David. All the way back in chapter 16, when David first came into Saul’s employment, it states, “And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer” (1 Samuel 16:21 ESV). But Saul had to deal with a “harmful spirit from the Lord” (1 Samuel 16:14 ESV) which tormented him regularly. This spirit, more than likely demonic in nature, would possess Saul and cause him to lose all control. It was while under the control of this spirit that Saul attempted to kill David with a spear – on three separate occasions.

While the text describes this tormenting spirit as coming from God, that does not mean God was the cause of Saul’s possession. This would be contrary to the character of God. The apostle James cautions us: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one” (James 1:13 ESV). By removing the Holy Spirit from Saul, God knowingly and willingly made Saul susceptible to demonic possession. He removed the protective power of the Holy Spirit and left Saul vulnerable to the influence of Satan. This was all part of His divine plan.

“Saul’s evil bent was by the permission and plan of God. In the last analysis, all penal consequences come from God, as the Author of the moral law and the one who always does what is right.” – Gleason L. Archer Jr., Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties

Saul’s obsession with putting David to death was most likely the result of his possession by a demonic spirit which would indicate that the conflict between Saul and David was spiritual in nature. Satan was using Saul to thwart the plan of God for the nation of Israel. David had been anointed by the prophet of God to be the next king of Israel and God had declared him to be a man after His own heart. Unlike Saul, David was obedient to God and lived his life to please and honor God. Obviously, Satan preferred Saul over David because Saul had proven to be an easy mark who was easily manipulated and willing to disobey the will of God. Satan’s real objective was the destruction of the people of Israel because they were God’s chosen ones through He had promised to bring the Savior of the World. But Satan’s hate extended far beyond Israel to the rest of humanity. From the first moment God placed His curse on the serpent in the garden and pronounced his pending doom, Satan had been out to destroy the offspring of Eve. God had warned Satan his actions in the garden came with consequences: An ongoing spiritual battle that would end with Satan’s death.

“I will put enmity between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
    and you shall bruise his heel.” – Genesis 3:15 ESV

When God later chose Abraham, He promised to use this obscure Chaldean with a barren wife to produce a great nation that would greatly influence the rest of humanity.

“I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” – Genesis 12:2-3 ESV

God would later expand on His promise to Abraham.

“I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.” – Genesis 17:6-8 ESV

And the apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, would give a further, more detailed understanding of what this promise of God really entailed.

Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. – Galatians 3:16 ESV

Satan had it out for David because David represented the faithful people of God. He had been anointed by God for a reason and Satan realized that this young man presented a threat to his rule and reign over the world and all those who inhabit it. Throughout the Bible, a cosmic conflict between Satan and God is on display, as Satan continually attempts to thwart the will and divine plan of God to bring into existence the “offspring” of Abraham, Jesus Christ the Messiah. This conflict would intensify all the way into the New Testament and reach its apex at the cross, where Satan thought he defeated the plan of God once and for all.

But back to the story of David. Saul’s earlier attempt to order his son Jonathan to execute David had failed. Now he would be foiled by his own daughter. She would betray her father by warning David of Saul’s plot and helping him escape. She would even lie to Saul, risking his anger and possible revenge. It’s interesting to note that Michal used a household idol, a false god, to thwart the plans of Satan, the god of this world. The lifeless image of a non-existent god was used to spare the life of the man whom God had chosen to lead His people. What an amazing picture of the sovereign power of God Almighty.

When Saul sent men to capture David, God intervened again, turning David’s pursuers into prophets – “the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s men, and they also began to prophesy” (1 Samuel 19:21 NLT). This would happen three separate times to three different groups of Israelite soldiers. When his crack troops failed to bring David in, Saul ran out of patience and went after David himself. But he would suffer a similar fate.

…the Spirit of God came even upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy all the way to Naioth! He tore off his clothes and lay naked on the ground all day and all night, prophesying in the presence of Samuel. The people who were watching exclaimed, “What? Is even Saul a prophet?” – 1 Samuel 19:23-24 NLT

Men who were set on capturing the servant of God ended up prophesying on behalf of God. The enemies of God became the tools of God. The plan of Satan was radically altered by the sovereign will and power of God. There was a spiritual battle being waged behind the scenes and by powers far beyond the comprehension of Saul and his minions. The war going on here is not between Saul and David but between God and the forces of Satan; and that has always been the case. The apostle Paul reminds us that it will always be the case – until Jesus Christ returns and completes God’s redemptive plan.

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. – Ephesians 6:10-12 NLT

Even now, centuries after the events of chapter 19 of 1 Samuel, the people of God still find themselves in an epic battle between good and evil. So, we must remain strong in the Lord. We must rely on His power and stand firm in the knowledge that the battle is His. David was going to learn that Saul was not his real enemy. The battle in which he found himself was about more than one man’s personal vendetta against him. This was the forces of wickedness waging war against the sovereign rule and reign of God.

But Satan is no match for God. In a rather humorous display of His superior power,  God thwarted the plans of Saul and his men with nothing more than a band of unarmed prophets. As Saul’s deputized troops arrived in Naioth to arrest David, they encountered a group of prophets under the leadership of Samuel. When they approached with their swords drawn, they suddenly found themselves powerless before these men of God.

…the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. – 1 Samuel 19:20 ESV

These tools of the “father of lies” (John 8:44) were defenseless against the Spirit of God. Under His influence and control, these men began to prophesy or speak the truth of God. The text doesn’t reveal what they said but it is safe to assume that their words reflected the glory of God and were offered up as praise to His greatness. At that moment, the tools of the enemy became instruments in the hands of Almighty God, and they were powerless to do anything about it.

Even Saul found himself overcome by the Spirit of God and unable to refrain from praising the very One who had vowed to replace him. In the presence of God’s prophet and overcome by the power of God’s Spirit, Saul “stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel. He lay there naked all that day and night” (1 Samuel 19:24 NLT). He was exposed as what he was – a powerless and petty potentate with no hope of standing against the Almighty God of the universe. Stripped of his weapons and all the trappings of his royal prestige, Saul was just another man humbling himself before Jehovah.

The scene described in these verses is a vivid illustration of the truth found in Psalm 2.

Why are the nations so angry?
    Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
    the rulers plot together
against the Lord
    and against his anointed one.
“Let us break their chains,” they cry,
    “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
    The Lord scoffs at them.
Then in anger he rebukes them,
    terrifying them with his fierce fury.
For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne
    in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.” – Psalm 2:1-6 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God’s Calling Confirmed

25 And when they came down from the high place into the city, a bed was spread for Saul on the roof, and he lay down to sleep. 26 Then at the break of dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Up, that I may send you on your way.” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.

27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”

1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you to be prince over his heritage. 2 When you depart from me today, you will meet two men by Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys that you went to seek are found, and now your father has ceased to care about the donkeys and is anxious about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”’ 3 Then you shall go on from there farther and come to the oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. 4 And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall accept from their hand. 5 After that you shall come to Gibeath-elohim, where there is a garrison of the Philistines. And there, as soon as you come to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. 7 Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you. 8 Then go down before me to Gilgal. And behold, I am coming down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, until I come to you and show you what you shall do.” – 1 Samuel 9:25-10:8 ESV

At this point in the story, Saul still seems completely unaware of what is happening. His search for the missing donkeys has taken a strange twist, complete with a religious feast where he finds himself as the guest of honor. Before he can gather his wits about him, Saul has a leg of lamb placed before him and is told by the seer, “Eat, because it was kept for you until the hour appointed, that you might eat with the guests” (1 Samuel 9:24 ESV). One can only imagine the thoughts racing through this young man’s mind as he scans the hall. The room is filled with anonymous dignitaries and honored guests but Saul is left trying to figure out why he has been placed at the head of the table like some kind of celebrity.

There is no record of any further conversations between Samuel and his young guest as the feast continued, but it must have lasted well into the night. When it finally ended, Samuel escorted Saul to a house in the city and provided him a place to spend the night. The next morning, Saul received an early wake-up call from Samuel and was told it was time for him to go home. As they left the city, Samuel instructed Saul to send his servant ahead so they could talk privately.

After the servant was gone, Samuel said, “Stay here, for I have received a special message for you from God.” – 1 Samuel 9:27 NLT

The time had come for Saul to learn his fate, and what happened next would change his life forever. As he stood anxiously waiting to hear what Samuel had to say, he must have been shocked as the elderly judge took out a flask of oil and emptied its contents on his head. As the oil flowed down Saul’s face, Samuel kissed him and whispered in his ear, saying,  “I am doing this because the Lord has appointed you to be the ruler over Israel, his special possession” (1 Samuel 10:1 NLT).

It is so easy to read this story and miss the weight of what is happening. This young man is having his entire life turned upside down in a bizarre ordination ceremony conducted in the middle of the street by a strange, elderly prophet. Saul’s mind must have reeled as he considered the epic truth bomb that Samuel dropped. But throughout the brief and bewildering encounter, Saul remained speechless; he was at a complete loss for words.

But Samuel had much to say to Saul. With the prophet’s words still ringing in his ears, Saul received further instructions that, when followed, would validate all that happened. This entire sequence of events was the work of Yahweh, from the disappearance of the donkeys to the encounter with the prophet of God. As Saul made his way home, he would receive additional evidence that the sovereign God of the universe was behind his call and orchestrating everything taking place around him. None of this could be written off as a coincidence or good luck.

Samuel prophesied that Saul would encounter two men who would inform him that the lost donkeys had been found and his father had grown worried about his welfare. Further along on his journey, Saul would meet three shepherds leading their goats and bearing three loaves of bread and a flask of wine. As if on cue, these strangers will offer Saul two loaves of bread, which he is instructed to accept. Finally, Samuel informs Saul that when he and his servant arrive at Gibeath-elohim, they will run into “a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying” (1 Samuel 10:5 ESV).

Each of these encounters is intended to confirm the veracity of Samuel’s original message to Saul. The call of God on Saul’s life would be confirmed by the fulfillment of each of these prophecies. If they failed to happen, the words of the prophet would be invalidated. But if they took place just as Samuel said, they would serve as confirmation of God’s divine calling on Saul’s life.

The final prediction was the most important one because it involved the Holy Spirit. Saul is told that he will meet a group of prophets prophesying. This does not infer that these men will be predicting the future as Samuel has just done. Instead, they will be speaking under the influence of the Holy Spirit. In other words, they will be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led, and Samuel informs Saul that he will join them.

“At that time the Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person.” – 1 Samuel 10:6 NLT

While some believe this event will usher in an inner transformation of Saul’s heart, the ultimate outcome of his life would seem to contradict that assumption. Saul’s change will be temporary because it will last only as long as the Spirit’s power remains upon him. Each of these events is intended to teach Saul something about God. First, God is in complete control of all things and able to direct the lives of men, including the two strangers who will tell Saul about the fate of the missing donkeys. As king, Saul would need to know that God is always in control.

Secondly, God’s sovereignty allowed Him to use anyone and everything to aid His chosen leader. The three shepherds who provided Saul with bread would serve as an illustration of God’s providential power to provide for all of Saul’s future needs. Finally, Saul’s anointing by the Holy Spirit would remind him that his rule and reign would only prove successful if he relied upon the supernatural power that only God could provide.

These three events were meant to teach Saul that, from this point forward, God was in control of his life. Saul was no longer the master of his fate and the captain of his soul. He belonged to God now and his life was no longer his own.

Samuel assured Saul that each of these signs would take place just as predicted. When they did, Saul was told to “do what must be done, for God is with you” (1 Samuel 10:7 NLT). It seems that with each encounter, God would provide Saul with further instructions to follow. Saul was to remain hyper-vigilant and obedient, following God’s will to the letter. There was to be no variation or unscheduled detour from God’s prescribed directions, and the final piece of God’s divine plan would prove to be the most important. Samuel provided Saul with very clear instructions to follow. The specificity of his words and Saul’s ability to obey them will prove crucial to the rest of the story.

“Then go down to Gilgal ahead of me. I will join you there to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. You must wait for seven days until I arrive and give you further instructions.” – 1 Samuel 10:8 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Will and the Word of God

10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said,

“‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
    and Israel must go into exile
    away from his land.’”

12 And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there, 13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.”

14 Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. 15 But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ 16 Now therefore hear the word of the Lord.

“You say, ‘Do not prophesy against Israel,
    and do not preach against the house of Isaac.’

17 Therefore thus says the Lord:

“‘Your wife shall be a prostitute in the city,
    and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword,
    and your land shall be divided up with a measuring line;
you yourself shall die in an unclean land,
    and Israel shall surely go into exile away from its land.’” – Amos 7:10-17 ESV

Back during the days when God split Solomon’s kingdom in two, He placed Jeroboam I as the king over the ten northern tribes. They retained the name of Israel, while the two southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin became the kingdom of Judah, under the reign of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. One of the first things Jeroboam I did was to establish his own religion, complete with golden idols. He set up temples in Bethel and Dan, and established a set of annual feasts to discourage the people from making pilgrimages to Jerusalem.

Jeroboam also erected buildings at the pagan shrines and ordained priests from the common people—those who were not from the priestly tribe of Levi. – 1 Kings 12:31 NLT

Now, hundreds of years later, another king of Israel, who was also called Jeroboam, proved that he and his predecessor had far more in common than a shared name.

He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit. – 2 Kings 14:24 NLT

Jeroboam II had followed the ways of every king of Israel who had preceded him. He propagated the practice of idolatry begun by his namesake. And he continued to lead the people away from their worship of Yahweh. That’s why God had provided Amos with the visions of Israel’s pending destruction. He was not going to tolerate the continued apostasy of His chosen people, and He had specifically decreed the end of Jeroboam II’s reign.

“I will test my people with this plumb line. I will no longer ignore all their sins. The pagan shrines of your ancestors will be ruined, and the temples of Israel will be destroyed; I will bring the dynasty of King Jeroboam to a sudden end.” – Amos 7:9-10 NLT

It didn’t take long for this fateful news to reach the ears of the king, and it came through one of his false priests, a man named Amaziah. He served at the temple in Bethel, where Jeroboam I had placed one of his golden calves. Amaziah was no more qualified to be a priest than the idol he worshiped was qualified to be considered a god. According to God’s law, only members of the tribe of Levi could serve in the priesthood. God had set them apart for that very purpose. But Amaziah was not a Levite and, therefore, not really a priest at all. He was just a man who pretended to be a priest for a god that didn’t really exist. But in the apostate land of Israel, that was more than enough for him to have the respect of the people and the ear of the king.

So, when Amaziah got wind of Amos’ doomsday visions, he immediately reported it to the king.

“Amos is hatching a plot against you right here on your very doorstep! What he is saying is intolerable. He is saying, ‘Jeroboam will soon be killed, and the people of Israel will be sent away into exile.’” – Amos 7:10-11 NLT

The so-called priest rejected the word of God’s appointed prophet. He placed no stock in Amos’ words and simply viewed him as a potential threat to the kingdom and his own way of life. In Amaziah’s mind, Amos was nothing more than an insurrectionist who had threatened the life of the king. He needed to take his prophetic show somewhere else.

“Get out of here, you prophet! Go on back to the land of Judah, and earn your living by prophesying there! Don’t bother us with your prophecies here in Bethel. This is the king’s sanctuary and the national place of worship!” – Amos 7:12-13 NLT

According to the opening verses of this book, Amos was from the city of Tekoa, which was located in the southern kingdom of Judah. Yet God had called him to prophesy to the northern kingdom of Israel. So, Amaziah viewed Amos as an outsider and strongly encouraged him to go back where he came from, because he was no longer welcome in Israel. But Amos was anything but a professional prophet and he wasn’t in it for the money. He had been minding his own business as a sheepherder when God called him and sent him to prophesy to the northern kingdom. He had not chosen this less-than-enjoyable assignment, but had been divinely appointed for it. And as long as God continued to speak, Amos was going to repeat what he heard.

So, rather than take Amaziah’s advice and return home to Tekoa, Amos gave his nemesis a prophetic word from God.

Now then, listen to this message from the Lord:

“You say,
‘Don’t prophesy against Israel.
    Stop preaching against my people.’
But this is what the Lord says…” – Amos 7:16-17 NLT

Amaziah was in no position to dictate demands. He had no authority to order around a prophet of Yahweh. And while he thought he could ban the prophet of God, he couldn’t stifle the word of God. And the news that Amos had to share was anything but encouraging.

“Your wife will become a prostitute in this city,
    and your sons and daughters will be killed.
Your land will be divided up,
    and you yourself will die in a foreign land.
And the people of Israel will certainly become captives in exile,
    far from their homeland.’” – Amos 7:17 NLT

It was as if God had placed His plumb line next to the life of this false priest and found him to be way out of alignment. He failed to measure up to God’s righteous standard. Amaziah had failed on all accounts. He was not a Levite. That means he was unqualified to be a priest. On top of that, he worshiped a god that didn’t even exist. He was a fake priest who promoted the worship of a false god. And he served a king who “did what was evil in the Lord’s sight” (2 Kings 14:24 NLT). Amaziah was nothing more than a poorly constructed wall that leaned precariously and dangerously in the wrong direction. And his fall was imminent and unavoidable.

Amaziah’s tenure as a well-respected priest in Israel would come to an abrupt end. As a member of the royal retinue, he would end up being taken captive when Israel fell to the Assyrians. That would leave his wife as little more than a widow, forced to sell her body in order to make ends meet. His children would be murdered by the Assyrians and his land holdings would be confiscated and divided among others. Amaziah would end up losing everything. This man who thought he could stifle the word of God would have his life destroyed according to the sovereign will of God. And there was nothing he could about it.

But because Amaziah was not a priest of Yahweh, he couldn’t recognize God’s voice or accept God’s prophet. He had long ago sold out to the false gods of Jeroboam I. He had grown rich and influential by promoting the worship of gods that didn’t even exist. But now, Amaziah was about to find out the hard way, that not only did Yahweh exist, His will was unavoidable and His word was always reliable. God had spoken and it would happen – just as Amos had said.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

A Message from the Lord

1 The word of the Lord that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel:

2 Hear this, you elders;
    give ear, all inhabitants of the land!
Has such a thing happened in your days,
    or in the days of your fathers?
3 Tell your children of it,
    and let your children tell their children,
    and their children to another generation.

4  What the cutting locust left,
    the swarming locust has eaten.
What the swarming locust left,
    the hopping locust has eaten,
and what the hopping locust left,
    the destroying locust has eaten. – Joel 1:1-4 ESV

As the name of the book implies, its author was an individual known as Joel. His name means “Yahweh is God,” so it would be easy to assume that his parents were faithful Israelites who raised their young son to worship the deity who had chosen the descendants of Abraham to be His prized possession. We know little about Joel, except for the name of his father, Pethuel. Joel did not come from a well-known or influential family. He had no apparent pedigree or status as a religious leader among his people. He simply introduces himself as “Joel, the son of Pethuel.”

The significant thing about Joel is not his name or his background, but the message he delivered. Even more importantly, it is the one who gave Joel the message that provides this book any weight and makes Joel someone worth giving the time of day.  He claims to be delivering “the word of the Lord.” 

The Hebrew word translated as “Lord” is actually the tetragrammaton YHWH. The ancient Hebrew language in which the book of Joel was written used only consonants and no vowels. So, the name of God was written with the four letters: YHWH. When translating the Hebrew text to English, the name of God has been translated as Jehovah, Yahweh, or as it is here, Lord. The ancient Hebrews held God’s name in such high regard that they refused to speak it out loud, even when reading the Scriptures. So, when they came to a passage where the tetragrammaton YHWH was found, they would substitute the word Adonai (“Lord”).

Joel is establishing from the outset that his message has been given to him by Yahweh, the God of the Jews. And it would appear from the context of the book’s content that God’s message is directed primarily at the southern kingdom of Judah. Determining a date for when Joel penned this message is difficult and has been hotly debated over the centuries. The disagreements all revolve around the period known as the exile – referring to the time when the southern kingdom of Judah was defeated by Babylonians, and the walls of Jerusalem were breached and the city destroyed. The city and its beautiful temple, built by King Solomon were ransacked by Nebuchadnezzar’s army in 586 B.C. And it is around this year that the debate regarding the dating of the book of Joel swirls.

Basing their discussions around the exile or the time in which the people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon, some argue for an early pre-exilic dating, while others defend a mid-pre-exilic timeline. Still others promote a late pre-exilic date. But the one thing they all share in common is the pre-exilic designation. In other words, they all believe that Joel wrote his book before the nation of Judah fell, and its people were taken captive to Babylon. But there is a fifth opinion out there that puts the date of the writing of Joel after the exile, designating it as being post-exilic in terms of its timing.

It seems that many who hold to the post-exilic view do so because they reject the prophetic nature of the book. In other words, because Joel’s message contains what appear to be predictions of Judah’s destruction at the hands of the Babylonians, he must have written it after the fact. Therefore, it is not really a book of prophecy, but a book of reflection, written in retrospect. Yet, one of the main themes in the book is the sovereignty of God. It is not meant to be a looking back at what God has done, but a revelation of what God is going to do. God is delivering through Joel a message of judgment against the nation of Judah for their unfaithfulness. They had repeatedly broken their covenant with Him, and now He was warning them what was going to happen as a result. If you adopt the post-exilic dating, the calls to repentance found in the book seem out of place and even unjust on God’s part, because if the people have already been taken captive and restored to the land, there is no opportunity or need for their repentance.

So, it would make much more sense to see this book as having been written before the fall of Jerusalem. It is prophetic in nature, containing God’s message for the people of Judah, warning of His coming judgment, calling them to repentance, and assuring them of His mercy should they do so.

But Joel opens his book with a stern message directed at the leaders, but intended for the ears of each and every citizen of Judah.

Hear this, you elders;
    give ear, all inhabitants of the land!
Has such a thing happened in your days,
    or in the days of your fathers?
Tell your children of it,
    and let your children tell their children,
and their children to another generation. – Joel 1:2-3 ESV

The land of Judah had suffered from a devastating wave of successive locust infestations. Joel describes what appear to be four different kinds of locusts: cutting locusts, swarming locusts, hopping locusts, and destroying locusts. But it is likely that he is only trying to illustrate that the destruction took place over time, with the locusts doing increasing degrees of damage with each successive infestation.

And Joel poses the question, “Has such a thing happened in your days, or in the days of your fathers?” This is a rhetorical question requiring no response. The answer is obviously, “No.” This was devastation on never-before-seen scale and Joel wants his readers to not miss the significance of what they have just experienced. They were to spread the word and retell the story for generations to come. And this command from Joel reflects the words of Psalm 78.

O my people, listen to my instructions.
    Open your ears to what I am saying,
    for I will speak to you in a parable.
I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—
    stories we have heard and known,
    stories our ancestors handed down to us.
We will not hide these truths from our children;
    we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
    about his power and his mighty wonders. – Psalm 78:1-4 NLT

They were not to hide the glorious deeds of the Lord from their children. And in this case, Joel commands them to tell their children about the judgments of God as well. And the Psalmist goes on to provide the rationalization behind this disclosure of God’s power and mighty wonders.

   …teach them to their children,
so the next generation might know them—
    even the children not yet born—
    and they in turn will teach their own children.
So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
    not forgetting his glorious miracles
    and obeying his commands.
Then they will not be like their ancestors—
    stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful,
    refusing to give their hearts to God. – Psalm 78:5-8 NLT

God’s people are to paint a clear and comprehensive picture of Him. He is not one-dimensional and is not to be presented in a lopsided or incomplete manner. God is love, but His wrath cannot be overlooked or ignored. He is holy and righteous and stands in opposition to all that is unholy and unrighteous. God blesses, but He also curses. His rewards can come in both positive and negative forms, depending upon the actions of the one He is rewarding. Sin brings His condemnation and judgment. Obedience brings blessing.

Joel is issuing a stern wake-up call, demanding that the people of Judah assess their circumstances and recognize that hand of Almighty God. They could allow the devastating judgment they had just endured to draw them back to God, or they could grow “stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.”

The choice was theirs. But Joel will spend the next three chapters calling on the people of Judah to wake up and smell the coffee. He will plead with them to repent and return. He will warn of future judgment to come should they refuse. The message he was delivering was from the Lord, and it would be best if they listened.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

The Unfolding Plan of God.

Ezra 1-2, Hebrews 1

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. – Hebrews 1:1-2 ESV

God spoke through the prophets. He used these men to communicate His word to His people and to warn them of things to come if they continued to disobey His Law. But He also told them of things He was going to do in the not-to-distant future that would be the result of His grace and mercy. Isaiah the prophet, under the influence of the Spirit of God, had written concerning God, “…who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid’” (Isaiah 44:28 ESV). God had given Jeremiah the wonderful news, “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place” (Jeremiah 29:10 ESV). And then we read the opening lines of the book of Ezra: “In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing” (Ezra 1:1-2 ESV). God was fulfilling His promise.

What does this passage reveal about God?

The book of Ezra, like the books of 1st and 2nd Chronicles, was written to the post-exhilic community who had returned to the land. The audience is made up of Jews who had been living in exile in Babylon, but who now found themselves living back in the land of promise. But they had returned to a land that was nothing like what it had been before. They found Jerusalem, the great city of David, in shambles. The walls that had been demolished by the Babylonians seven decades earlier, were still nothing more than a pile of stones. The great Temple built by Solomon was little more than rubble. And yet, God was at work. This entire book is a look back at how God miraculously and graciously provided for His people, not because of them, but in spite of them. These words were intended for the Jews who were living in the land long after the events recorded by Ezra had happened. They were to serve as a reminder of the sovereignty and faithfulness of God. Even after the walls had been rebuilt, the Temple restored, the sacrificial system reinstated, and the city of Jerusalem repopulated, the people of God would still find themselves living in a land surrounded by their enemies, without a king or a standing army, and with little hope for the future. But these words were to be a reminder that God was still in charge. He was in control and at work, no matter what their circumstances might say to the contrary.  

What does this passage reveal about man?

The entire Bible has been given to us to reveal the nature and character of God. It tells us the kind of God we worship. It gives us a glimpse into His divine nature and allows us to see just how holy, righteous, powerful, sovereign, loving, gracious, faithful, reliable and resourceful He can be. Just like the remnant of Jews living in the promised land long after the days of Ezra, we can sometimes find ourselves doubting God's power and presence. We can begin to wonder why He is not as active as He was in the “good old days.” Based on our circumstances, we can easily begin to doubt God or feel like He has somehow abandoned us. But the Scriptures give us proof of God's reliability and trustworthiness. He is always in control. He is completely sovereign over all things, including kings. He has a divine plan that is time-sensitive and He is working that plan to perfection. Our problem is that we can only see our present circumstances and we forget that God's plan is far greater than our personal comfort and convenience. We too often fail to recognize and remember that God has something far greater in mind than our temporary happiness or our deliverance from some particular problem or difficulty. He has greater things in store for us. The challenge for us is to look for the bigger picture of God's plan. We need to open our eyes and see what He is doing on a grand scale. But it is so easy to become myopic and focus on our own personal problems and limit the work of God to our own personal circumstances.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

Like Ezra, the writer of Hebrews was addressing an audience of Jews who were living in difficult times. They were surrounded by enemies and suffering persecution for their faith. His readers were made up of Jews who had come to accept Jesus as their Messiah. They had placed their faith, hope and trust in Him as their personal Savior. And as a result, many were suffering rejection from their families and the Jewish community. They were considered outcasts by their own people. By placing their faith in Jesus as their Messiah, they had ostracized themselves from their fellows Jews. But the writer reminds them that their faith in Jesus is worth it, because “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs” (Hebrews 1:3-4 ESV). He goes on to quote an assortment of Old Testament passages, using them as proof of Jesus' deity and divinity. He is God's Son. He is the King and Lord. He is eternal and all-powerful. And He sits at the right hand of God the Father. In other words, He is in charge and in control, no matter what their circumstances may say. Oh, how easy it is to doubt God or lose hope in Jesus as my Savior, just because things don't quite go the way I expected them to go. How quick I can lose sight of God's sovereignty and Christ's majesty. I can see Him as the Savior who paid for my sins, but fail to recognize Him as the King of Heaven who is coming some day to put an end to sin and death once and for all. I need to keep a big-picture view that includes eternity, not just my little slice of history. Yes, God is involved in the here and now, but His plan is all about the hereafter. My hope is not to be in this world, but the one to come. 

Father, thank You for the countless reminders in Your Word of just how faithful, powerful, and reliable You are. Forgive me for doubting You so often. Help me to take my eyes off of the world and my own circumstances and place them on You and Your plan for eternity. AmenKen Miller Grow Pastor & Minister to Men kenm@christchapelbc.org

Order in the House.

1 Corinthians 14:26-40

 But be sure that everything is done properly and in order. – 1 Corinthians 14:40 NLT

Our God is not a god of confusion or chaos. He prefers order and unity. Even in the public assemblies of His people. A study of His design for the Tabernacle in the wilderness gives a clear indication of just how orderly our God is. And yet, when Paul received news regarding the state of affairs with the people of God in Corinth, he was not pleased. Their worship meetings had become disorderly and confusing affairs, marked by competition and pride. Even the use of their spiritual gifts were accomplishing the exact opposite of what they were intended to do. Rather than edify and build up the body, they were causing dissension and disorder. Those who had the gift of prophesy were refusing to take turns, trying to outdo each other. If someone had a revelation from God, they would just begin to speak, rather than wait for the other person to finish. Those with the gift of tongues were all talking at once, without the aid of an interpreter. So the end result was that no one was able to understand a word that was being said. Even the women had gotten into the act. It is obvious from earlier in Paul's letter, that he did not forbid women from participating in praying or prophesying in public worship. His only requirement, which appears to be a contextual and cultural one, was that they do so with their heads covered (1 Corinthians 11:5). But in this section, it seems that the issue is one regarding their questioning of or spoken response to words of prophesy uttered by others in the congregation. Paul had said, "Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said" (1 Corinthians 14:29 NLT). It appears that there was a protocol that allows others to examine or even oppose what was said. They could pose questions or raise concerns regarding the individual's statements. And it seems that some of the women were taking part in this activity, which is what Paul was forbidding when he said, "Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says" (1 Corinthians 14:34 NLT). Again, this appears to be a cultural issue. If a man uttered a word of prophesy, and a woman questioned him in public, it would have been unacceptable and inappropriate. It was common practice in both the Gentile and Jewish cultures for men to question public lectures, but not women. This was in keeping with the cultural mores concerning subordination and headship. So Paul was not forbidding women from using their spiritual gifts, but to refrain from ignoring matters of headship by publicly questioning the words of another man during corporate worship. If they had questions, they were to raise them at home with their husband or father. Again, this all has to do with order, decorum and the overall integrity of the worship service. Which is why Paul ends this section with the words, "But be sure that everything is done properly and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40 NLT).

You can imagine what it would have been like to have two to three people all speaking in foreign tongues at the same time, only to be interrupted by someone else trying to utter a word of prophesy, while another person tried to speak over them with a word of revelation. It would have been total chaos and confusion. And this was not something Paul was willing to tolerate. It went against the whole purpose for them having come together as the body. It contradicted the very purpose of the gifts. God had equipped His people so that they might build one another up. Their times together were to be well-ordered and for the mutual benefit of the body, not the individual. It was not to be a competition to see who was the most gifted or who had the latest word from the Lord. All was to be done in love and submission. Paul would write later in his letter to the Ephesian believers: "So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:15-20 NLT). Worship should never be a show. Musicians should never perform in order to get noticed. Pastors should never preach to get recognized. Prayers should not be prayed to impress others. All should be done to glorify God and to build up the body of Christ. Otherwise, we miss the point altogether.

Father, may all that we do be done in order and with a heart to build up the body of Christ. Never let us make it all about us. Forgive us for our affinity for showmanship and personal recognition. Give us a selfless attitude that desires the well-being of the body over our own personal good. Amen.

God's Plan Unfolding.

Matthew 2:1-23

“This fulfilled what the prophet had said.” – Matthew 2:23 NLT

Four different times in this passage we read of events that were in direct fulfillment of prophetic writings recorded hundreds of years earlier. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, not as a result of random chance, but in direct fulfillment of God's divine plan that He had put in place long before the creation of the world. In these 23 verses, we see God's perfect plan unfolding with precision. It is not coincidence that Herod the Great is on the throne, operating as the Roman-appointed king of Israel. He was a tyrant, a ruthless and wicked man who had murdered members of his own family to protect his position as king. Two years after Jesus' birth, Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus are still living in Bethlehem. Wise men from a distant country, arrived in Jerusalem, seeking information regarding the newborn king of the Jews. It seems these men somehow knew that the star that had appeared in the sky was a premonition of something new that was happening. How they linked it to the birth of a new king in Israel, we are not told. But their arrival on the scene in Jerusalem and their questions regarding the birth of the Messiah, deeply concerned King Herod. Unwilling to tolerate a potential threat to his throne, he begins to plot how to discover and eliminate this usurper. Through it all, God is in control. He warns Joseph to take his wife and the child and escape to Egypt. What is amazing is that the funds for this costly trip would have been provided by the gifts of the wise men. The gold, frankincense and myrrh could have easily been liquidated into cash used to pay for their trip and the accommodations they required while living in Egypt. This trip and their time in Egypt were also in direct fulfillment of God's Word. As the children of God had found themselves exiled to the land of Egypt and then rescued by the hand of God, so the Son of God would spend time exiled into this foreign country. But God would bring Him back and restore Him to the land.

Upon hearing that the wise men had refused to return to Jerusalem and give him word regarding the whereabouts of this newborn king, Herod's anger erupted and he unleashed his fury on the innocent children living in Bethlehem. His pogrom of infanticide was also a fulfillment of what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah. Herod, acting as an enemy of God, failed in his attempt to eliminate the Messiah. This would not be the last time that the enemy would attempt to thwart the plan of God in order to prevent the Messiah from fulfilling His role as Savior.

At just the right time, God gave word to Joseph that it was safe to return. But rather than return to Bethlehem, God directed Joseph and his family to Nazareth. This would become Jesus' home town for the next 30 years of His life. He would live there in relative obscurity and anonymity until it was time for His earthly ministry to begin. All in fulfillment of God's meticulously detailed plan. All had happened as God had ordained it. No mistakes, no coincidences, no human intervention or unexpected occurrences. It all was unfolding just as God had planned it. Right down to the smallest detail.

Father, it is amazing to think that this story was written long before mankind even existed, before there was a Jewish people or a Roman nation. You came up with this plan before Abraham was chosen or David was anointed king of Israel. And yet I still worry at times that You are not in control or are incapable of seeing my through my current circumstances. Help me rest in Your sovereignty and power. You are in control, at all times, and over all things. Amen.