When the Foundations are Being Destroyed (Psalm 11)

April 1, 2019, 5:53 pm

≫ Next: The Steadfast Love of the LORD (An Exposition of Psalm 136, Part One): A Word on the Word "Hesed"

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It is good to be surrounded by people we trust. We trust them because we know they love us and they care for us. And it is just right. In Solomon's collection of proverbs, several of them talk about the wisdom of listening to advice. The importance of being surrounded by loving and wise counselors even increases when you are given a big responsibility like leading a nation. If you are given that privilege, of course you want the best and the brightest of your friends to be in your cabinet.

But in this case, David had to reject the counsel of people around him. They were probably the best and brightest in their time, and they were so close to David that they loved him. Yet human advisers are fallible. And sometimes they lack the most important component of all, namely faith.

Observe the quotation marks of the last portion of verse 1 and ends at verse 3. The advice was: "Flee like a bird to the mountain". He was told, “It is best for you to move away, far from Jerusalem; far from the throne; far from the seat of power.”

The reason behind the advice was there was too much danger for him to stay: Verse 2 reads:
"For look, the wicked bend their bows;
they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart."

The principle behind the advice was this: "When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?"(verse 3)

Wicked men have had grown too powerful. They permeate the whole society. They had become too influential. Wicked men were destroying the foundations of morality and justice in the nation and any opposition was under the threat of their bended bows. And so the counselors say, “There is nothing more we could do. Give it up David. Flee to the mountain, like a bird in danger. Move as far as you can from Jerusalem, because the foundations of righteousness are being destroyed and there is nothing else we could do about it.”

This Psalm was David's response to that advice. He begins with a statement of trust: " In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me...."
This Psalm shall be helpful to us because we face our own troubles in life and it seems to logical to conclude, this is just how life is. There is nothing we could do. The wicked are in control, what can the righteous do? None. So let it be this way. There is neither faith not desire for God to work on our behalf.

David’s knowledge of God that undergirded his faith in those time when it seems there is nothing the rigtheous could do.

1. The Holy and Right King rules from above (v.4)
God still reigns from his temple in heaven. He is still above all. No matter how high and exalted the wicked persons are here on earth, they are still below the lofty King who dwells in heaven. Aside from his loftiness, we also see here that holiness is the nature of his rule-- his dwelling place is holy. And since he is holy, he hates sin; he hates wickedness; he hates injustice; he hates lies. When the foundations are being destroyed, there is a Holy God on whom we could put our trust.

2. The Holy God is interested in the affairs of men
verse 4c: "his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man."
He observes everyone on earth. He examines; he tests; he scrutinizes every heart. And when he sees wickedness, he is not indifferent to it. His holy wrath will certainly be aroused: Verse 5 b reads "the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates." (v.5). They will not go unjudged; verse 6 says "On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot"

3. God loves the righteous and they shall experience his blessing
verse 7: “For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.
To see the face of God is to experience divine favors. It is to experience the truth that God is with you. It is the blessing of intimate communion between God and his people. in this context, “yes” on their own the righteous cannot do anything to overturn the acts of wicked men who destroy the foundations. Yet the righteous people could always run to God, their refuge, and they will find the deliverance they are seeking. The blessedness of his presence is a reality.

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The Steadfast Love of the LORD (An Exposition of Psalm 136, Part One): A Word on the Word "Hesed"

April 2, 2019, 1:27 am

≫ Next: SEX: One of the Devil's Favorite Subjects

≪ Previous: When the Foundations are Being Destroyed (Psalm 11)

“I don't usually build a sermon around a single word study. But I guess it is in order to introduce Psalm 136 with a study of the word that was repeated over and over again from beginning to end. I am referring to the Hebrew word Hesed, which appears in the translation we read as "steadfast love".

Aside from the "unli-repetition" of hesed in this psalm, a sermon on it is warranted because it is "a central theological term" in the Old Testament¹. When God described himself in Exodus 34:6-7, "hesed" was one of the key attributes he mentioned. It is also one of the key traits he requires of his people in Micah 6:8.

When I was young, I used to listen to Louie Beltran's program "Straight from the Shoulder" on DZRH. One morning, he remarked that there is no English equivalent for the Filipino interjection "Sayang!". A listener who happened to be a member of a Scrabble association sent a message (probably through a letter) asserting that there is such an English interjection equivalent to our "sayang!" and it is the word "pshaw". But as I look it up into the American Heritage Dictionary, this interjection is used in English to indicate "impatience, impatience, disapproval, or disbelief." Hey, that's not exactly how we use the interjection "Sayang!" I think Beltran is still right in saying that "Sayang!" has no exact English equivalent.

The same is true for the word hesed. This Hebrew word has no exact English equivalent. Bible translators has a long history of trying to render it's full essence. In 1535, Myles Coverdale invented the word "Lovingkindness" to translate hesed into English. This word lovingkindness is still found in NASB. The NKJV translates it as "mercy" but it fails to capture the essence of the word. The closest we could get into the meaning of the word according to the most recent scholarship is to translate in a way that combines love and loyalty.²

When we talk about God’s steadfast love, we are declaring our belief that God is both faithful and loving, and so his promises are unfailing. See how translators bring this truth about in their renditions:

ESV: “His steadfast love endures forever”
CSB: “His faithful love endures forever”
NET: “His loyal love endures forever”

The idea being conveyed in the renderings faithful love (CSB) and loyal love (NET) is its quality of “firm devotion and allegiance” and “worthy of trust/reliance”. What is repeated over and over in this psalm is the confidence of God's people in their immutable God. Since he is unchanging, he will remain steadfast. God’s commitment to love his people is unshakable.

It is true that God’s love is counted among his communicable attributes-- that is his traits that his creatures could imitate. And so it is expected of those who are made in God’s image, and those who are conformed to the likeness of Christ to be like God in how they love. We are to be steadfast and loyal to our love commitments in our family, church, community, friendships, etc.; whether these covenants are written or unwritten. We should not be known as a people given to abandoning and betraying others (Prov.2:17; Malachi 2:14-15) especially when the going gets tough (2 Tim. 4:10; Prov. 17:17).

But though there it is indeed through that we can imitate God’s love being one of his communicable attribute,there is also a sense in which we could never love the way God does. This is because his love is tied with an incommunicable attribute called his immutability--- or in simple terms: God is unchanging.

Why can't you love the way God perfectly loves? It's because you are a changing being. Because you are changing, what was once fervent could grow cold. What was once deep could turn shallow. What was once colorful could turn pale. The truth is you are changing moment by moment. From Feb. 17 to Feb 18, you've grown one day older.These little changes accumulate into big changes. If you don't believe this, let's make a deal: let us all return to this place thirty years from now and let's see the sum of those little daily changes in us.

But not so with God. He is immutable. He is unchanging. (See Psa. 102:25-27; Mal. 3:6-7)

In a study on the word hesed, which was published in 1951, Norman H. Snaith [[which is interesting because all the translations we considered here predates the said study: ESV,CSB, NET] explains:

“God's loving-kindness (hesed) is that sure love which will not let Israel go. Not all Israel's persistent waywardness could ever destroy it. Though Israel be faithless, yet God remains faithful still. This steady, persistent refusal of God to wash his hands of wayward Israel is the essential meaning of the Hebrew word which is translated loving-kindness.”³

Norman H. Snaith however clarifies:
“we must always beware lest we think that God is content with less than righteousness. There is no reference to any sentimental kindness, and no suggestion of mercy apart from repentance, in any case where the Hebrew original is chesed. His demand for righteousness is insistent, and it is always at the maximum intensity. The loving-kindness of God means that his mercy is greater even than that.”⁴

In the next few Sundays, we will look into Psalm 136 stanza by stanza and see the things he did for his people out of his hesed.

As for the moment of closing this sermon, let’s turn to Romans 8:31-38. This we will read without further comment from me. This is the NT and it is written in Greek so you will not find the Hebrew word hesed here. But though the word hesed is not here, the concept or the idea of a love so faithful and never lets go is here.

FOOTNOTES:

1 Iain Duguid, Loyal-Love (Hesed); Tabletalk Magazine, Nov., 2011; https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/loyal-love-hesed/
2“love and loyalty are combined in this one word”; Iain Duguid, ibid
3 Norman H. Snaith, Loving-Kindness (A Theological Word Book of the Bible; edited by Alan Richardson) (New York: MacMillan, 1951) . Reproduced at http://www.bible-researcher.com/chesed.html
4 Norman H. Snaith, ibid

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SEX: One of the Devil's Favorite Subjects

April 8, 2019, 2:15 pm

≫ Next: Mapapalad ang mga Mapagpakumbaba (The Beatitudes, part 4)

≪ Previous: The Steadfast Love of the LORD (An Exposition of Psalm 136, Part One): A Word on the Word "Hesed"

“The dislocation of sex-instinct is one of the chief symptoms of the Fall... The devil is endlessly ingenious, and sex is his favorite subject."¹

From the author of the The Lord of the Rings series in a letter written to his son Michael. I think there are other subjects which could be counted among the devil's favorites like pride, love of money, idolatry, etc. But I would affirm that sex is indeed ONE of his favorite subjects. Prudent Christian living involves being aware of the devil's schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesian 6:11).

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FOOTNOTE

1. I don't have a copy of Tolkien's letters. I just saw it cited in R. Albert Mohler's book Desire and Deceit: The Real Cost of Sexual Tolerance.

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Mapapalad ang mga Mapagpakumbaba (The Beatitudes, part 4)

April 13, 2015, 9:05 pm

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"Mapapalad ang mga mapagpakumbaba,
sapagkat mamanahin nila ang lupa."

(Mateo 5:5)

Sa mga patimpalak sa telebisyon ng mga batang lalaki tulad ng That's My Boy, ganito ang karaniwang itinuturo sa mga kalahok:

entrance pa lang ay kailangang punong-puno na ng self-confidence ang bata.
maglalakad-lakad siyang parang isang siga
paminsan-minsan ay haharap sa camera ang bata at ilalagay ang daliri na naka-Laban sign sa ilalim ng baba upang bigyang-diin ang pogi niyang mukha
lalapit sa mikropono at sasabin: "Oops, oops, oops! Relax lang kayo mga girls. Akala nyo si Dingdong Dantes ito. Nagkakamali kayo. Mas pogi ako 'dun"

Ito ay sintomas ng malalang kalagayan ng ating lipunan.Ang pagiging mababang-loob ay isang katangian na hindi natin pinapahalagahan. Tayo ay mga taong mapagmataas at ito ang itinuturo natin sa ating mga anak. Salungat diyan ang ikatlong Beatitude na winika ni Hesus: "Mapalad ang mga mapagpakumbaba, sapagkat mamanahin nila ang daigdig." (Mateo 5:3)

Ang orihinal na salitang Griyego na "praus" na isinalin sa Ingles bilang "meek" at "mapagpakumbaba" sa Filipino ay hindi nalalayo sa kahulugan ng pagiging dukha sa espiritu (poor in spirit) na natalakay sa ikatlong talata. Ang pagkakaiba lang nito ay ang"poor in spirit" ay ang kalagayan ng tao samantalang ang "meek" ay kung paano siya makitungo sa Diyos at sa kapwa-tao¹. Ito ay kawalan ng pagmamagaling na nagdudulot ng pagpapakumbaba at hinahon kung kaharap natin ang iba.

Para naman kay John Macarthur, ang pinakamainan na paraan upang maipaliwanag ang katangiang ito ay hindi sa mga depinisyon kundi sa pagbibigay ng mga halimbawa² tulad nina:

a. si Joseph, na ibinenta ng kanyang mga kapatid bilang isang alipin. Ngunit noong nagkaroon na siya ng kapangyarihan, pinili niyang gawan ng mabuti ang kanyang mga kapatid sa halip na maghiganti (Gen. 50:19-20)

b. si Pablo, na sa kabila ng kanyang katayuan bilang apostol at tagumpay sa pagtatayo ng mga iglesya sa mga lugar na hindi pa naaabot ninuman ay nagsabi na siya ay ni hindi karapat-dapat tawaging apostol (1 Cor. 15:9-10)

c. si Hesus, na bagamat siya ay Diyos at Haring nakaluklok sa kaitaas-taasan ay nagpakababa bilang tao, namuhay na tila isang alipin at naging masunurin hanggang sa kamatayan sa krus (Fil. 2:6-8)

Maaari rin maging halimbawa ng pagpapakumbaba ang sinuman sa atin kung sa kabila ng ating mga kakayahan at talento, ating kinikilala na ang may hawak ng ating kinabukasan ay hindi ang ating angking galing kundi ang Diyos pa rin na siyang bukal ng lahat ng habag at pagpapala. Ipagpalagay natin na sina Ginoo at Ginang Vergara ay mag-asawang mahuhusay na negosyante. Matitinik sila pagdating sa pagkilatis ng mga business opportunities at sa pagpapalago ng puhunan. Kung sila ay tatanungin,"How do you see yourselves 10 years from now?" maaari silang sumagot ng ganito: "Well, 10 years from now we will have a mansion much bigger than this house. Each of our sons and daughters will drive their own cars. Our business will have branches in Laoag in the north and Davao in the south and other major cities in-between." Ang ganitong pagtitiwala sa sarili ay papalakpakan ng sanlibutan tulad ng pagpalakpak nila sa mga kalahok sa patimpalak na That's My Boy. Subalit kung Bibliya ang pagbabatayan, ang nararapat na sagot ng mag-asawa ay "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." (Santiago 4:13-16)

Talababa:

1. William Hendriksen, Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (NTC, Baker Book House 1973)

2. John Macarthur, The Only Way to Happiness: The Beatitudes (Moody Press, 1998; unang inilathala noong 1980 sa pamagat na Kingdom Living, Here and Now)

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Random Thoughts on the Christian Use of Social Media

May 17, 2020, 11:20 pm

≫ Next: They're All Intimidated (Psalm 114)

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1. Technology is one of the good gifts given by God in the created order.

When we think of the creation, we usually think about things in nature like the sun, moon, stars, planets, mountains, birds, seas, fish, flowers, butterflies, bees, etc. We rarely think of technology as part of creation, but it is!When man takes something out of nature and develops that raw material into something useful, he is actually doing what God has commanded to subdueand have dominionover the things on earth (Gen. 1:28).

Let me quote the study note for Genesis 1:28 in the ESV Study Bible:

“... the idea is that the man and woman are to make the earth’s resources beneficial for themselves, which implies that they would investigate and develop the earth’s resources to make them useful for human beings generally. This command provides a foundation for wise scientific and technological development...”

Imagine transporting Adam to our time. He would probably be amazed by all the technological advancements all around us: transportation, roads, buildings, clothes, light bulbs, microphone, pen, gas stove-- we could go on and on. And to his amazement, Adam would probably ask, “Where did all these came from?” He would be surprised and delighted to know that his descendants have indeed subdued and exercised dominion over the things on the earth and made them useful for mankind. Things in creation yield good things for us and these good things are to be received with thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4:4). The different social media platforms available to us are included among these good things.

2. All things from creation and developed out of creation belong to God and is for God.

God is ultimately the owner of all things, and we are just stewards. “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1a; cf. Deut. 10:14). Jesus is the goal of creation. Everything was created for his honor and praise. The Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 1:16, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible... all things were created through him and for him."Therefore, everything on earth including social media and other technologies must be used in a way that glorifies him (1 Corinthians10:31).

3. Beware of the dangers of social media use, particularly of what John calls “the love of the world”.

Though everything God created is good, the entry of sin in the world (Genesis 3) resulted in the corruption in man's use of the good gifts. Music is good but it is undeniable that profanity is present in much of it. Movies are good obscenity and ungodly ideas are found in many of them. There is nothing inherently bad in dancing but much of it is characterized by lewdness. The irresponsible use of natural resources ruins our land and destroys the natural habitat of beautiful creatures already endangered if not already extinct. There's pollution in the air and rivers. Wherever sinful man is, there you find corruption. Social media included.

Be warned about this thing called “love of the world” by the Apostle John (1 John 2:15). He was not referring to the physical material world, but to the system of anti-God ideas, anti-God attitudes and anti-God practices led by Satan (1 John 5:19). The elements of “loving the world” are listed in verse 16:

a. lust of the flesh- these are desires and interests that draw us away from God or at least prevents us from being in fellowship with him. (Gary Burge in The Letters of John, NIV Application Commentary)

b. lust of the eyes- these are sinful cravings activated by what people see (NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible)

c.the pride of life- being puffed up in pride because of one's possessions, achievements, etc.. This is measuring your worth and the worth of others by possessions or accomplishments.

All the above three are in abundance for every single day you browse through the internet in general and your social media news feed in particular. If you love these, the love of the Father is not in you (1 John 2:15). You are not friends with God. You are an enemy of his, because friendship with the world is an enmity against God (James 4:4)

4. Regard social media as a cyber mission field-- a means of reaching the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The church received a commission from her Lord to be his witnesses in Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. While netizens cannot replace real life missionaries, there is no denying that we now have the technology to influence people from all parts of the globe. Youtube is lately a source of excitement for James R. White because his uploaded debates against leading Muslim defenders are getting lots of hits from Indonesia, a predominantly Islamic country here in Southeast Asia.

Presbyterian pastor and seminary professor Kevin DeYoung once tweeted: “We are all natural evangelists for the people and things that we love the most.” We naturally proclaim to others the persons and things that give us joy.

I have a friend who likes cosplays. Her social media activities confirm it.
I have a friend who's an advocate of environment protection. Her social media activities proclaim it loud and clear.
I have a friend who likes to travel. He rarely posts on Facebook but when he does, it is usually about a place he recently visited.
I have a friend who excels both in technology and theology which are the usual subjects of his posts. But there are moments when he can't keep his feeling in and he can't restrain himself from posting about Jennie and Jisoo of Blackpink.

The persons and things that dominate your passions shall flow out of your heart and into your timeline (Matthew 12:34-35): family, career, basketball, cars, pets, politics, movies, crushes, even strife and discord. Is the gospel a source of joy to you? Are you passionate about the Lordship of Jesus Christ? If these are true about you, then you would be a natural evangelist for the gospel which is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).

How does one become an online evangelist? First and foremost, there should be a supernatural transforming work in you to love God and his gospel. Without this, you'll only continue to post about your little hobbies and whatever else is in your heart but never about the wondrous things of God. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks and the fingers type.

5. View social media as an extension of your ministry of edification to the brethren.

There is a lot of overlap between this point and the previous one since online evangelism and online edification of believers both involve knowing and telling about the wondrous things of God and his gospel.

There is no substitute for the meeting together of believers for mutual edification (Hebrews 10:24-25). That's why Paul longed to visit the believers at Rome (Romans 1:11-12). But there were times when circumstances beyond his control prevented him from doing so (Romans 1:13). When Paul can't visit, he does the next best thing-- write letters! (1 Timothy 3:14-15). The technology available to the New Testament ministers was pen plus ink (1 John 1:4; 2 John 12; Jude 3). I am convinced that if the technology we have today were available to them, they would have used it as an extension of their shepherding ministry. I am also convinced that we who are given these technologies must use them as a tool in edifying and encouraging other believers.

In 2009, John Piper joined Twitter and he explained in a blog post why he did so. One of his motivations in joining Twitter is to draw people away from sin and draw them near God. He wrote:

It also seems that the book of Proverbs is God’s Twitter compilation for us. So when I think of my life goal, and when I think about how God uses proverbs, I am not inclined to tweet that at 10 AM the cat pulled the curtains down. But I am inclined to tweet:The Lion of Judah will roll up the heavens like a scroll and put the sun out with his brighter glory (128 characters). If God answers my prayer, that tweet might distract someone from pornography and make him look up to something greater.

Like Piper, we should pray that our social media activities would somehow turn the eyes of our brethren away from worthless things (Psalm 119:37) and seek the Lord instead. By this, we fulfill the instruction of Hebrews 3:13 to encourage one another daily so that none of us may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

Also, don't forget to bring joy, honor, and encouragement to those who are nurturing you in the faith. The greatest joy of spiritual parents is when they see their spiritual children walk in the truth (3 John 4; Proverbs 23:15-16). It puts a smile on my face when someone I ministered to in the past show maturity in the faith in how they post and comment on social media. On the other hand, it hurts me when I see people on whom I have invested considerable amounts of time and energy yet show no signs of spiritual life. Worse, some post worthless and abominable things.

6. Consider that in social media, you are building a reputation.
Your reputation is what people think of you overall. It's the common opinion of people about you. The perception of people about you may be flawed but you still have the responsibility to build and guard your reputation. To have a good name (reputation) is more desirable than riches says Prov. 22:1. Aspirants for church leadership must have a good reputation not just inside, but also outside the church says Paul in 1 Tim. 3:7. These are just some of the biblical warrants for a follower of Christ to build and guard his reputation.

So I encourage you to build a reputation as someone who makes sense. How do you do that? By posting stuff that make sense. Type comments that make sense. In that way, you will be seen as a person who makes sense.

Question 1:

How will people perceive you if all your post for the last seven days were pictures of white vans captioned, “Nangunguha ng _____?”

You'll probably be perceived as someone shallow (mababaw). Some amount of humor (which is also a good gift) every now and then in a serious lecture like this could be helpful. But I would be wasting your time if all you'll hear from me in this session are corny jokes. Let us say “YES” to sense of humor, but “NO” to flippancy.

Question 2:

How much weight will people give to your opinions if your comments are marked by jejemons, misspellings, and poor use or even non-use of punctuation marks?

I assume they will not ascribe much weight to what you are saying.

Question 3:

How will people perceive you if you easily fall hoaxes and fake news?

Of course they will perceive you as a gullible person and rightly so.

7. Consider the possibility that your timeline, tweets, blogs, and vlogs will outlive you. Therefore, aim to leave a legacy.

One of the main sources of information for a biographer are handwritten letters and diaries. Such documents are more and more becoming rare. I suspect that the next best sources of information for a biographer or any person interested in the life of a dead person are the social media activities of the departed. I would like the social media companies to prosper and continue earning so that my posts and comments would also be preserved.

Consider leaving a legacy of wisdom and godliness to your grand children and great grand children. Serve the next generations long after your death. The Bible talks about Abel who even though he was long dead still speaks (Hebrews 11:4)-- that is his life recorded in the Bible still bears witness of God's approval of those who live in faith. John Calvin died in 1564, but he still speaks today through his books. Charles Spurgeon died in 1892, but he still speaks today through his writings and transcribed sermons. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones died in 1981, but his voice is still heard today through his taped-recorded sermons and lectures.

I would like my Facebook timeline to speak even when I'm dead. I would like by blog posts to minister to future generations even when all that is left in my grave is my skeleton.You too can speak long after you are dead, if you will be faithful in your use of your timelines, tweets, blogs, and vlogs.

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They're All Intimidated (Psalm 114)

May 25, 2020, 5:23 pm

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From the free stock photos of Pixabay

Psalm 114

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

1 When Israel came out of Egypt—

the house of Jacob from a people

who spoke a foreign language—

2 Judah became his sanctuary,

Israel, his dominion.

3 The sea looked and fled;

the Jordan turned back.

4 The mountains skipped like rams,

the hills, like lambs.

5 Why was it, sea, that you fled?

Jordan, that you turned back?

6 Mountains, that you skipped like rams?

Hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,

at the presence of the God of Jacob,

8 who turned the rock into a pool,

the flint into a spring.

The Weaklings Made Special

"If God is for us, who can be against us?"; that's the question asked by the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:31. It demands no answer for the answer is obvious. If God is on our side, there is no power or force that can prevail against us. In fact, God employs all these to work in favor of those who love God and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

Before Israel's birth as a nation, they were perceived as weaklings for they were just slaves in Egypt. But to the surprise of the ancient world, they scored a decisive victory over one of the superpowers of that time.

Psalm 114 begins by calling to mind that very event in their history. The psalmist views the Exodus as a turning point. Not only did the nation secured their liberation and independence, they also became YHWH's sanctuary and dominion (verse 2).

To be YHWH's sanctuary means being a sacred place which is set apart for God's presence and to be his dominion means being a nation ruled by God for Israel was supposed to be a theocracy (1 Samuel 8:5-7). God made Israel his “own possession out of all the peoples” although the whole earth is his. He set them apart as a special, a “kingdom of priests” and a “holy nation” (Exodus 19:5-6). He who is enthroned above chose to dwell among his people. The nation of weak slaves became special, not because of anything meritorious in them but because God has chosen them to be the object of his special love. It was sheer grace.

We do not belong to that nation. But you know what? In the New Testament, the Apostle Peter wrote something about the church that is so similar to this. And this should excite everyone who belongs to the church of the redeemed:

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10 CSB)

The Stable Structures Moved!

In the next stanza (verses 3-6), the psalmist as a true poet employed personifications and imageries depicting how some of the most fixed of geographical features namely the sea, the river, and the mountains were all disturbed and moved during some of the events in Israel's history.

The sea is told to have looked, and after seeing what he saw, it fled. This points back to how the Red Sea was divided into two to give way to God's people. (Exodus 14)
The Jordan River is described as turning back. This is the event narrated in Joshua 3; the priest were carrying the ark of the covenant and as soon as their feet reached Jordan, the waters flowing downstream were cut off
The mountains and hills also were pictured as skipping like animals. I don't know exactly what historical event is this but I know one mountain that was moved like this. In Exodus 19, Moses and the people met with God and Mt. Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke; there was thunder and lightning and the mountain shook violently. It was a frightening sight (Exodus 20:18-19)

God's Intimidating Presence

The last two verses of this stanza (5 & 6) asked what is the reason behind these? When the sea looked, what did he saw that he fled? What did Jordan saw that he turned back? What caused the mountains and hills to skip like rams? The answer seems to be so obvious for us now. But let us make it explicit, just as the psalmist had made it explicit even when it sounds obvious already. The reason is in verse 7: they trembled because of the presence of the God of Jacob.

There was nothing inherently intimidating in Israel as nation; they were just weak slaves remember? But with God on their side, who can be against them? Now it's not just the sea, rivers, and mountains that must tremble before the Lord. The whole earth and everything in it are commanded to tremble (see verse 7): the forces of nature, kings and kingdoms, politicians and criminals, things visible and invisible can't inflict harm on a people on whom God dwells. This people is loved by God that he turns even the driest of dry things into pools and springs if that is what is needed for their survival and nourishment. (see verse 8)

Just as the Moses-led struggle of Israel against Egypt was a turning point in their history, a new testament believer's inclusion in Christ by faith and repentance is also a turning point. Not many of us were of noble birth (1 Cor. 1:26). Most of us were less than ordinary. We don't belong to the high and mighty of the society. But by our inclusion in Christ, we were counted among God's blessed people. The same intimidating presence that moved the seas, the rivers, the mountains, and the earth is among us. He is Emmanuel, God is with us– so we could have an impact in the world (Acts 4:13; Acts 17:6).

We fear things in nature. We fear the powers that be. We fear the unseen spiritual forces of darkness. We fear natural calamities, stray bullets, diseases, the fragile economy and many other things. But in this song, the things we fear were all commanded to tremble before the Lord. With God on our side, it's not us who are supposed to be afraid, but the the things we fear.

The LORD is my light and my salvation—

whom should I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life—

whom should I dread?

(Psalm 27:1 CSB)

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My Own RZIM Story

May 28, 2020, 3:25 pm

≫ Next: Give Thanks to the Good and Supreme Lord (Part 2 of the Psalm 136 Series)

≪ Previous: They're All Intimidated (Psalm 114)

Back in the day when internet was slow and costly, and reading materials were scarce, I used my surfing hours to search for Christian freebies offered on the web. Because my theology way back then was awfully bad, most of my subscriptions were to the publications of awfully bad teachers of the "Prosperity Gospel"/"Word of Faith"/"Name-it-Claim-it"/"Blab-it-Grab-it"/"Positive Confession" movement. But sometimes by God's providence, I stumble upon some good materials. I don't know how in the world did I find Ravi Zacharias because I had no idea who he was.

The old issues of Just Thinking (RZIM's tri-annual communique) was printed on ordinary white paper with a simple layout. It was not flamboyant in appearance unlike the glossy pages of the false teachers' magazines. But it was definitely not lacking in substance. It featured not only essays by Ravi, but also by other RZIM writers like Michael Ramsden, Stuart McAllister, Danielle DuRant, Amy Orr-Ewing, Paul Chamberlain and Joe Boot. They introduced me to concepts too big for me then like "postmodernism" and "relativism". Well, they're still too big for me now but not as much as when I was younger. I would like to acknowledge Ravi's contribution to my spiritual formation. I praise the Lord for the man and his ministry.

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Give Thanks to the Good and Supreme Lord (Part 2 of the Psalm 136 Series)

May 31, 2020, 8:11 pm

≫ Next: Ang Kristiyano at ang Estado: Dalawang Extreme Views Ayon kay Martyn Lloyd-Jones

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1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

(Psalm 136:1-3 NIV)

Be grateful

The phrase “give thanks” is repeated three times in this stanza. This is the key for determining what this stanza is all about. It is an exhortation to be grateful. Thanksgiving is a form of praise and worship (Psalm 100:4). It is an acknowledgement that you have received favor from YHWH. One indicator of humanity's universal sinfulness is its failure to give thanks (Romans 1:21). The propensity of men to be ungrateful is highlighted in the account of the healing of ten lepers in Luke 17:11-19. All of them were healed but only one returned to give glory to God.

Ungratefulness is not only shown by the failure of our lips to utter words of thanksgiving but also in how we act. One may say “thank you” a thousand times but surely remains ungrateful if he returns evil for good (Proverbs 17:13). Men do this all the time. They enjoy all the good things from the Creator: food, sunshine, oxygen, and life itself but they often live in a way that offends the favor-giver.

Since the propensity to be ungrateful is deeply ingrained in human nature, even believers must be urged and called upon to give thanks. It should be the natural response of someone who receive the saving graces of God and other divine favors. But our weakness constantly demands that we should be reminded often and called upon often to be grateful, via our lips and our living. A past pastor of Moody Church remarked, “Praise is the spontaneous outcome of a grateful heart that has experienced the saving grace of God and recognizes His providential dealings and Fatherly care day by day. It is strange indeed that we should need to be urged to praise. But we are so prone to be forgetful of the source of our mercies..." (Harry Ironside, Continual Burnt Offering)

For YHWH is Good

Why should we be grateful? Because the God we worship is good (see verse 1). He doesn't just do good things; he is by nature good. Men can do good things but shall remain contaminated by sin in this present age. Only God is purely good. This distinction could be seen in Luke 11:11-13. In the context of urging the listeners to persevere in prayer, Jesus' point was this: even men, whose hearts are contaminated by sin and are evil in nature will not give things that will harm their children but only what is beneficial, how much more God who is pure goodness in his nature. Since the Father is good, he will give good things to his children (James 1:17). And when he works, he works not for harm but for the welfare of the faithful (Genesis 50:20).

This goodness is even magnified when we think about how it is combined with the Hebrew word “hesed”. Because of modern scholarship, the word is mostly translated now as a combination of “love and loyalty” (faithful love, loyal love, steadfast love). We have tackled that in part one of this series. Yet the old translations are not entirely wrong. They captured some important aspects and nuances of the word. Think about “lovingkindness”-- Coverdale's coined word which is a combination of “love” and “kindness”. Surely God is goodand loving and kind! Covenant loyalty was definitely in the relationship of Naomi and Ruth (Ruth 1:8-9), but the concept of kindness is also present (Ruth 2:11-12 and 3:10, ESV). Covenant loyalty was definitely present between David and Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:1-17-- attention on 8, 14, 15), but love was there first and it was the basis of covenant. When Jonathan died and David became king, he showed kindness to Mephibosheth (Jonathan's son) (See 2 Samuel 9:1-13).

Love + Kindness = LOVINGKINDNESS! Coverdale's coined word is still relevant. Though we see goodness, love, and kindnessin the lives of Naomi, Ruth, Jonathan and David, we also know that they were all mortal sinners like us. Following Jesus' logic I conclude, If the virtues of goodness, love, and kindness could proceed from mortal sinners, then to an infinitely greater degree we have this assurance that God will be good, loving, and kind to his people.

God of gods; Lord of lords

Okay, God is good. But what comfort shall you derive from a good God who is powerless? Surely there is no comfort in a god who says "I love you my son, and I desire good things for you. Unfortunately, I do not have the power to help you." or "There are greater powers and forces outside of me that prevents me from doing good things to you"?

In verses 2 & 3 we read that Israel's God is “God of gods” and “Lord of lords”. God is supreme over all other powers and forces in heaven, on the earth, in the seas and everywhere else. The grammatical construction here is superlative similar to the holy of holies in Exodus 26:33-34 and servant of servants in Genesis 9:25. No so-called god and no so-called lord among their polytheistic neighbors is above Israel's YHWH. The God to whom the thanksgiving is addressed is the Supreme God and the Supreme Lord. He is greater than them all, in fact other gods don't even exist (1 Corinthians 8:4-6). They are powerless and worthless (Psalm 135:15-18). In contrast the Lord of lords is sovereign (Psalm 135:5-6). This good God is able to fight for your good because he is above all entities that may threaten to harm you.

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Ang Kristiyano at ang Estado: Dalawang Extreme Views Ayon kay Martyn Lloyd-Jones

June 2, 2020, 11:28 pm

≫ Next: Basketbol, Boksing, at Karapatang-Pantao

≪ Previous: Give Thanks to the Good and Supreme Lord (Part 2 of the Psalm 136 Series)

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Basketbol, Boksing, at Karapatang-Pantao

June 2, 2020, 11:40 pm

≫ Next: "We Write for the Future" ~ Ambeth Ocampo

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Sinasabi natin, "Basketbol lang 'yan" o "Boksing lang 'yan", ngunit sumisidhi ang emosyon natin kung ang ating manok ay biktima ng crucial calls & non-calls, o kung ang score cards ay 114-114 Draw kung alam ng lahat na ito dapat ay 118-110 Unanimous. Kung puwede lang baliktarin ang resulta ay 'yun sana ang ating nais. At hindi tayo kuntento doon: kung garapalan talaga kung kumilos ang mga awtoridad (referees & judges) ay nais natin silang masuspende o tuluyang matanggal.

Bakit ganun? Dahil sa puso natin, alam nating ito'y hindi "basketbol lang" o "boksing lang". Ito'y isyu na ng katuwiran at katarungan. Kung ito ang ating damdamin sa basketbol at boksing kung saan ang nakataya ay trophy lang, medalya lang, o belt lang, eh 'di ba dapat mas sumidhi ang ating damdamin kung ang pinag-uusapan na ay buhay at kalayaan ng tao?

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"We Write for the Future" ~ Ambeth Ocampo

May 4, 2020, 9:42 am

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God's Love Demonstrated in the Creation (Part 3 of the Psalm 136 Series)

June 7, 2020, 3:41 pm

≫ Next: Dito pala galing ang ngalan ng bandang Sixpence Non the Richer

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Photo credit: WikiMedia Commons

4to him who alone does great wonders,

for his steadfast love endures forever;
5to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
6to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
7to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
8the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
9the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever

Psalm 136:4-9 ESV

What we have seen so far in this series is that the steadfast love(hesed) of the Lord immovable, faithful, loyal, and forever enduring. In the first stanza (verses 1-3), the worship participants were urged to give thanks because of the Lord’s goodness. He is good by nature and so he does good things to his people. All the good things he wants to do, he is able to do because he is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is above all other powers in the physical and spiritual worlds.

The rest of the Psalm shows how God demonstrated this steadfast love. Love cannot remain undemonstrated. With a wonderful God like YHWH, love is displayed by his wondrous deeds (verse 4). The lifeless, non-existent gods of Israel's neighbors can never do such wonders. Only Israel's God is able to do these.

8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
nor are there any works like yours.

9 All the nations you have made shall come
and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.

10 For you are great and do wondrous things;
you alone are God.

(Psalm 86:8-10 ESV)

The first demonstration of God’s love is by the wondrous act of creation. Keep in mind that God is self-sufficient. He is not in need of anything. His revealed name YHWH (I Am) implies that he is the eternal one. There was never a time when he was not existing. Long before he created the universe, he was already there existing and happy. He did not create the world because he is in need of something in it. "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything."Creation does not sustain God’s life; it’s the other way around. God gave life to creation and its continued existence is due to his sustaining power (Colossians 1:17).

This world showcases God’s love for man. He prepared it to be man's abode. Unlike God who is sufficient in himself, you and I are dependent on the surrounding creation for survival:

Just think about the last thing you ate.
Think about the raw materials your shelter is made of.
What would happen to you if you would not inhale oxygen for the next 15 minutes (if you can)?

The energy and materials of the created order is sustaining your life, for the creation is God's act of love. Not only are we dependent of God’s creation for existence; we are in fact a part of the creation."The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein" (Psalm 24:1). He owns us; we are at his disposal. The very fact that we are still alive even when our sins deserve death means he is rich in mercy.

Created by Understanding

Through the creation, he has not left us without a witness of his brilliance. Verse 5 says he created the heavens by understanding. This is a word that is closely related to wisdom and insight. In the present context, it probably refers to his skill as a master craftsman (see Exodus 31:3-5). The sky with the sight of the sun by day and the moon by night (verses 7-9) is one of the ways by which he exhibits his genius. Add to that the stars, the constellations, and the clouds. Ancient people look up the sky with their bare eyes (without the aid of a telescope) and concluded that this God is a glorious God (Psalm 19:1-6). I think people of modern technology are even more accountable to God because more of his intricate designs are now accessible to us and they reveal even more how wise God is. This is not limited to what we see in the sky. It includes all the wonders of the created order, like the microbiological and aquatic wonders for example. They all reflect God’s brilliance as a craftsman.

Be Conscious of Your Ungratefulness

Since Psalm 136 is a call to give thanks to God for his steadfast love, we should continually thank God for his works through our lips. Let us be conscious also of the other ways by which we manifest our ungratefulness.

1. Every time we entertain ideologies that displace God as the origin of life and universe, we prove our ingratitude.

The most prominent ideology in our time that denies God as Creator and Sustainer is the naturalistic worldview or philosophical materialism. It is the belief that the material universe is all that there is. The existence of spiritual things is denied. There are no angels, no demons, no God. It denies the existence of a designer, therefore denying the wise God who crafted the universe with great understanding.

The world is becoming more and more secularized and the view of the origin of the universe that is largely presented in the textbooks and in the classroom is this philosophical materialism. As secularism and materialism gets stronger and stronger, God is removed from the thoughts of our children. Sooner or later, they will live as if there is no God to whom they are accountable. But we need to be faithful to God by proclaiming the doctrine of creation to the present and future generations. It is a vital component of our faith (Genesis 1; Psalm 33:6 & 9; Rev. 4:11, Heb. 11:3)

2. Another proof of our ungratefulness is when live as if we are autonomous beings not in need of God who sustains the created world.

People may still affirm God's existence, but they live as if God does not matter in the daily affairs of life (Deuteronomy 8:17-18; Luke 12:16-21)

3. The ultimate demonstration of man's ingratitude is when they reject Jesus and his gospel.

The Scriptures undeniably testify about the role of Jesus Christ in the Creation week. "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made" (John 1:3 NIV). His role did not end in the creation of the world, for "in him all things hold together" (Colossians 1:17). But when he came on earth, he was rejected, despised and murdered (John 1:9-11). Humanity's hostility towards Jesus continues because people loved darkness rather than light (John 3:19).

But blind as we are, God's grace is sharp enough to pierce through darkness so we could see the beauty of the gospel, believe in Jesus the Savior, and repent of our sins (2 Corinthians 4:4-6)

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now am found,

Was blind but now I see.

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Dito pala galing ang ngalan ng bandang Sixpence Non the Richer

June 10, 2020, 5:10 am

≫ Next: May pananagutang moral ang taong naniniwala sa mapanirang huwad na balita

≪ Previous: God's Love Demonstrated in the Creation (Part 3 of the Psalm 136 Series)

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May pananagutang moral ang taong naniniwala sa mapanirang huwad na balita

June 10, 2020, 10:22 am

≫ Next: God's Steadfast Love in the Exodus (Part 4 of the Psalm 136 Series)

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God's Steadfast Love in the Exodus (Part 4 of the Psalm 136 Series)

June 15, 2020, 11:52 pm

≫ Next: Mercy in the Wilderness (Part 5 of the Psalm 136 Series)

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10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
11 and brought Israel out from among them,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
for his steadfast love endures forever

PSALM 136:10-15

English Standard Version

Verses 10-15 recounts the Exodus event by which YHWH brought Israel out of Egypt through mighty acts particularly the death of all the firstborn in the land, Goshen exempted (Exodus 12:1-36) and the parting of the sea (Exodus 14:5-31). This is because of God's loyal, steadfast love. Perhaps it is necessary to provide some background for those unfamiliar with Israel's history.

Abraham was the first and foremost of Israel's patriachs. He was called to leave his ancestral roots with a promise from YHWH that he will be the father of a great nation with an accompanying land and blessing (Genesis 12:1-3). But before the promise takes fulfillment, God foretold that his descendants must first be enslaved in a foreign land (Genesis 15:12-14).

That foreign land turned out to be Egypt. Abraham's descendants migrated there when Joseph, one of his great-grand-sons, rose to power second only to the Pharoah himself. They settled peacefully in a particular place called Goshen and multiplied quickly. Yet Joseph was aware that they would not enjoy peace and freedom forever in Egypt. He knew they would be enslaved one day and subsequently leave Egypt to settle in the promised land, for these were prophesied beforehand. So he gave an instruction to his brothers that they should carry his bones out of Egypt when God comes to rescue them (Genesis 50:24-25)

The prophesied enslavement did came! It happened when a new ruler emerged in Egypt who was ignorant of Joseph's contributions in the past (Exodus 1:6-14). The oppression against Abraham's descendants were so great, they groaned out of anguish and the merciful and faithful God heard them (Exodus 2:23-25). In response, God raised Moses.

This is the very essence of YHWH's faithful love (hesed), that the promise made to Abraham several generations beforehand was unforgotten even when YHWH himself was already forgotten by Abraham's descendants. Ezekiel 20:6-8 reveals that it was not only the Egyptians who were guilty of idol worship, but the Israelites as well. They too deserved God's wrath. They too deserved to be drowned in the sea but by God's mercy they were made to “pass through the midst of it, for his steafast love endures forever” (verse 14). Such is the depth of his love.

Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus

Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free

Rolling as a mighty ocean

In its fullness over me

This deep, deep love is not only for the biological descendants of Abraham. From the very start, God had in mind a worldwide blessing. Abraham was told, ”in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). The birth of the Messiah fulfills the promise (Luke 1:54-55), and all who would believe in the saving work of Jesus are counted among Abraham's children (Galatians 3:7-9). Praise the Lord!

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Mercy in the Wilderness (Part 5 of the Psalm 136 Series)

June 22, 2020, 11:08 pm

≫ Next: God's Steadfast Love in the Victories Over Powerful Kings (Part 6 of the Psalm 136 Series)

≪ Previous: God's Steadfast Love in the Exodus (Part 4 of the Psalm 136 Series)

Photo by Sergey Pesterev (Wikimedia Commons)

to him who led his people through the wilderness;
His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:16 (NIV)

Recognizing the wilderness experience as a distinct juncture in Israel's history, the updated NIV isolated verse 16 as a separate stanza. Even if none of the popular bible versions did such, I would still do a separate post on verse 16 for the reason that many of us are unfamiliar with Israel's history.

Israel's exit from Egypt was an spectacular event. With such a grand display of YHWH's power, one would think that the faith of the Israelites would be immensely fortified and the nation would be on a roll to glory. But to our disappointment, what follows that great event were accounts of Israel's unbelief. Because of YHWH's displeasure, they wandered aimlessly around the desert way too long than they should. In fact, none of the mature men who experienced the Exodus, except Joshua and Caleb, survived long enough to see the land promised to the patriarchs.

Their prolonged stay in the wilderness meant a difficult life for the area does not provide sufficient resources to sustain long-term community existence. The wilderness juncture was marked by grumbling, rebellion and unbelief. They grumbled about food and water. They unreasonably opposed God's man Moses. They refused to engage in battle as they trembled in fear when they should have been emboldened by God's promise to fight for them. Perhaps the episode in the wilderness narratives that most clearly shows their idolatrous hearts is when they used the gold they've taken from Egypt to make a molten calf. They held a feast in honor of the golden calf and attributed their liberation from Egypt to it!

Being holy as he is, YHWH always expressed his displeasure whenever the people did grievous sins. But even in all these, God did not terminate his steadfast love. He still accompanied them in the wilderness. He supplied their needs. He gave them manna. He gave them quail meat. He gave them water to drink. He led them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Their clothes and their sandals have not worn out for 40 years!

In the wilderness juncture, we learn that YHWH is merciful. He was merciful to a people living a difficult life through the desert. Though it was their own fault why they wandered in the desert for too long, their suffering was alleviated by God who is by nature merciful. His mercy is often mentioned in the Scriptures along with his other excellent moral attributes. No less than Moses, the appointed leader of the people, proclaimed: "YHWH, YHWH, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6). The aspect of mercy has always been in God's work of redemption. So in the New Testament, we read that his regenerating work in Christ flowed out of his nature as being "rich in mercy" (Ephesians 2:4). Salvation is never because of any obligation on the part of God to reward undeserving sinners. It was always God freely acting in mercy, grace, and love to rescue the undeserving.

Much more could be written about the wilderness but I don't want to make this post unnecessarily long. I would like to end this post with a passage where Jesus alluded to a scene in the wilderness to describe his saving work. He said, "Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14-15, NET2). By alluding to Numbers 21:4-9, the implication is that the whole sinful world is afflicted with some kind of a spiritual venom. Do not ever think that the ancient Israelites were especially aberrant and that we are better than them. No! We are all depraved and worthy of death. You may not feel it, but a deadly venom flows in your blood stream and it will only end in death if you will refuse the cure. And the cure, the anti-venom, is Jesus Christ. Whoever puts his trust in Jesus will be spared from death. There is saving mercy for sinners in the cross of Christ. There is mercy in the wilderness.

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God's Steadfast Love in the Victories Over Powerful Kings (Part 6 of the Psalm 136 Series)

June 29, 2020, 2:45 am

≫ Next: God's Steadfast Love in the Present (Part 7 of the Psalm 136 Series)

≪ Previous: Mercy in the Wilderness (Part 5 of the Psalm 136 Series)

to him who struck down great kings,