What is the fear of the Lord?

On June 28th, a couple months after my 8th birthday, my parents gave me my first Bible. Inscribed on the flyleaf was the reference "Proverbs 1:7." In my youthful enthusiasm, I immediately went to the verse:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Reading this, stopped me in my tracks. I'd been taught about the love of God. Why would I fear Him? I asked my Dad "what does it mean to fear God?" (Or something reasonably close to that.) I remember his reply was that "fear" in this case didn't mean "terror" but more like "respect." I remember that the explanation didn't quite click. I understood it and filed it away, but it didn't really fit.

Over the decades since, as I've thought about, studied and prayed over this verse and others like it, I've come to a different conclusion: the "fear of the Lord" does not mean "respect God." It means to be terrified of Him.

The first definition for fear means "knowledge of imminent danger." I think this is the appropriate meaning.

God is holy and righteous. We are sinful. He is light. We are darkness. When light and dark meet, there is no fight. Dark simply vanishes. This should strike terror into our hearts.

Daniel was a prophet of God. He was part of Israel's royal house. He was captured by the Babylonians and made a servant in the foreign king's court for the rest of his life. Daniel grew up and served in an environment where those in authority had the power of life and death over him and those around him. He lived a long life, at least into his 80s, possibly longer. He had extensive first hand knowledge of the authority of the king. He also had a lifetime of serving God. He prayed daily. He interpreted dreams. He was given multiple visions. He saw angels. He had first hand experience of the miraculous. Towards the end of his life, he had a vision of the pre-incarnate Jesus. Even with this lifetime of experience, both in the natural and spiritual, when God shows up he faints in fear.

John was the beloved disciple. He leaned on Jesus at the last supper. He was one of the three closest to Jesus when He was on earth. He was one of the first leaders in the church. He wrote five books of the New Testament. He stood trial before political leaders who tried to kill him. He also lived into his 80s. Towards the end of his life he too had a vision of the resurrected Jesus in all His power. In spite of this lifetime of experience, both in the natural and spiritual, he too faints in fear when Jesus is fully revealed.

I mention these by way of example. I don't think these mighty men of God, who stood boldly before men who held their lives in their hands, fainted out of respect when God showed up.

No. They were shaken to their core. They trembled. They were terrified. If this was their response, how much more so would (or should) we do the same?

God is holy. God is righteous. We should tremble. This is where we need to start. But it's only the beginning.

God is also love. In love He has provided a way for us to be able to stand in His presence and not vanish like shadows when the light is turned on. He touched Daniel and John to give them strength to stand in His presence and receive revelation of what was on His heart. For us He has provided Jesus blood as the way for us to be cleansed of our sins. As a result, we are able to stand in His presence and receive the Holy Spirit to know what is on His heart.

A pastor named Steve Brown frequently says:

If you've stood before God and not been afraid, you've not stood before God. If you've stood before God and only been afraid, you've not stood before God.

And C. S. Lewis puts it succinctly:

He's not a tame lion.

To tremble in fear before God is a good thing. It comes from the knowledge that He is holy and we are common. He is mighty and we are weak. He is just and we are unjust. And it leads us to the understanding that we need salvation and the good news of the cross. Without the fear we cannot know the salvation.

Fear is where we begin.

What is God's primary emotion?

I recently read an article that reminded me how important it is to think rightly of God and His relationship with us. If we don't have the proper understanding of how God perceives us, then we'll base our actions and reactions on wrong information and respond incorrectly. One method to analyze our thoughts surrounding our relationship with Him is to honestly ask ourselves:

What is God's primary emotion when He thinks of me?

When you read that question, what was your initial gut reaction before thinking about it? When you think about God, is He up in heaven upset at the last thing you did wrong? Is he merely putting up with you but would rather you weren't around? Is He ready to throw lightning bolts at you with the slightest provocation? Is He mad at you?

Or is He looking down on you, disappointed that you screwed up again? Does he focus on how you don't measure up to His standards? Does He wish you'd act better? Is He sad about you?

When I asked the question originally, I asked about His primary emotion. There are times when He is angry. There are times when He is sad. But I submit that neither of these are His primary emotions. Rather I believe He is mostly glad. Let's look at the reasons I come to this conclusion.

He isn't mad. Jesus' paid the price for your sins, my sins and the sins of the whole world.^[1] God's wrath was poured out on Him on the cross.^[2] He took on the burden of your sin so you don't have to.^[3] There are limited cases where His anger is released, but He is patient and slow to anger.^[4] An example of this is in the future when all the nations are persecuting the church and the armies of the world are descending on Israel. At this point, we're told His jealous rage will cause massive loss of life as He comes to the defense of His people.^[5] But this is a limited event, not a typical occurrence.

He isn't sad. He is in control and will ultimately rule and reign.^[6] He knows the end from the beginning.^[7] He knows how history will turn out and He knows it is good.^[8] There's no reason, long term, for sadness. The things that cause sadness are when people reject Him and His gifts.^[9] He longs for relationship with others and their rejection of that relationship breaks His heart. But not all fall into this category, and He knows that the end for these who accept Him is righteous relationship with Him for eternity.^[10] Any sadness over those who reject Him is temporary, overcome by the joy from those who accept Him.

He is glad. When He formed you, He knew what He was doing^[11] and danced in joy when He created you.^[12] You are the apple of His eye.^[13] Jesus was anointed with joy by the Holy Spirit, more than any other^[14] and He went through what He did knowing the joy that His work would produce.^[15]

So, when you think about God, is He mad, sad or glad? Do you need to change your perspective of Him? How would a change of perspective change your relationship with Him?

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1. 1st John 2:2; Hebrews 2:9

2. Romans 5:9; 1st Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9

3. 2nd Corinthians 5:21; 1st Peter 3:18

4. 2nd Peter 3:9

5. Revelation 19:11-21; Isaiah 63:1-6

6. Hebrews 1:8-9, 2:8; 1st Corinthians 15:20-28

7. Isaiah 46:10

8. Philippians 1:6

9. Matthew 23:37

10. Matthew 25:1-46

11. Psalm 139:13

12. Proverbs 8:30-31

13. Psalm 17:7; Zechariah 2:8

14. Hebrews 1:9

15. Hebrews 12:2

Attributes of Jesus from Revelation 1 (4 of 4)

Today's article is the last in this series on the Attributes of Jesus from Revelation 1. So far, we've covered: Part 1 (verse 5): Jesus Christ, Faithful Witness, Firstborn from the dead, Ruler of the kings; Part 2 (verses 5-10): Lover, Free-er, Maker, Receiver, Coming on the clouds, Visible to all, Alpha and Omega, The Almighty, Voice like a trumpet; and Part 3 (verse 13-15): Among the lamp stands, Son of Man, Robe to feet, Golden sash on chest, Head like wool/Hair like snow, Eyes like blazing fire, Feet like burnished bronze, Voice like many waters. And now for the final verses 16 through 18.

Holds seven stars in His right hand

The right hand is the place of blessing and honor. The right hand wields power and strength. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches (represented by the lamp stands in verse 13) of Asia Minor: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. Each of the letters in Revelation 2 and 3 are written to these angels. An open question about which there is much debate is: Are these angels in the heavenly sense, like Gabriel and Michael? Or is this word used in the "messenger" sense, as in the leader (e.g. pastor, teacher, prophet) over the church in the human sense? In either case, it's Jesus who holds them. Not an angel. Not a mere man. But Jesus. The Shepherd. The one who corrects and disciplines and serves and protects. He is the one who provides leadership to the church. Genesis 48:14,18,19; 1st Kings 2:19; Psalm 45:9, 60:5, 63:8, 108:6, 118:15-16, 110:1; Matthew 20:21,23, 22:44, 25:32-34; Revelation 1:11,20; Ephesians 4:15, 5:23

Out of his mouth comes a sharp, double-edged sword

Jesus is the living, active Word of God, sharper than a double-edged sword, able to divide between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. The Word of God is the sword the Spirit wields. It was by Jesus' word that everything came into being; He spoke and it was. That same power and authority will be released to kill all who would presume to war against Him. John 1:1-5; Ephesians 6:17; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 19:11-21

Face shining like the sun in its strength

This is the same description as used on the mount of transfiguration. Just as the sun comes up every day, so too will David's throne be established forever; David's kingdom endure. This is fulfilled in Jesus, the descendent of David, both in His everlasting kingdom and in His physical appearance. From the rising of the sun until its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised. Here, it will never set, so praise will rise continually. Nothing can hide from the sun's heat. In perfect beauty and holiness, God's fire shines forth as a consuming fire. God's shining face brings salvation to His people and destruction to their enemies. Matthew 17:2; Psalm 19:6, 50:2-3, 80:3,7,19, 94:1, 97:1-12, 113:3; Daniel 7:10

First and Last

He is unique. There is no God before Him, nor will there be one after Him. This is our comfort; we don't have to be afraid of changes in rulership. Regardless of what we go through, He has been there and is there and will be there. He is all sufficient. He was the agent of creation, the originator of all things. In the end, al things will be subject to Him. Evil will be abolished and the righteousness of His kingdom will reign. As Savior, He is the one who starts our life of faith and He is the one wo brings it to completion. Isaiah 41:4, 43:10, 44:6, 46:4, 48:12; John 1:3; 1st Corinthians 15:24-26; Colossians 1:16, 2:9-12; 2nd Peter 3:7; Hebrews 1:2, 2:10, 12:2; Revelation 1:8, 1:17

Living One

This is the title of Jesus used by the angels at the tomb on the first resurrection Sunday. "The" Living One. Not "A" living One. The definite article is used. He is unique, specific. The "Living" One. He's alive by His own life force. Death could not keep Him down. He is the Life-giver. Life flows from His very being. The Living "One". In conjunction with the definite article, emphasizing the uniqueness of His singularity. There is only one source of Life. This echos Jesus' own statement about Himself: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. The fulfillment of the Feast of First Fruits. He's the source of all life. The one in whom we live and move and have our being. This title is in contrast to all else. All other idols and gods and things people worship are not living, but only exist because He created them whether spiritual beings or physical objects. And as created beings, they are not worthy of worship, even though they may claim and demand worship. Luke 24:5; John 14:6; Acts 2:24, 17:24-29; Romans 6:4,9; 2nd Corinthians 13:4; Revelation 13:2-8

Was dead

How can the Living One become dead? It truly is a mystery. The Infinite becoming a finite human is easier to understand than the Living One dying. But scriptures says it happened. What it means or how it was accomplished I don't know. But here Jesus declares it about Himself, so it must be. Paul also mentions it. I suspect it's related somehow to Jesus becoming master over death. Perhaps it is related to Jesus being baptized. It wasn't because He was in need of repentance, but rather so that we, as part of the bundle of the living wrapped up in Him, might experience baptism with Him. In a similar way to His baptism, He had to die so we, bundled with Him, might die with Him so we could be raised with Him. In His humanity, as a prototype for all human-kind, He died. It's bending. My brain explodes. It's mush trying to wrap itself around this mystery. Romans 6:8-10

Now alive forevermore

The Living One, who was dead, is now alive forever and ever and ever. The Living One could not be held by death; it was impossible. Like darkness has no choice but to flee before light, death had no choice but to flee before the Living One. He did not have to die over and over again but rather His sacrifice is sufficient, once for all people for all time. It is appointed for all to die once and after that face judgement. Since He has now died once, He's now alive forever to bring salvation to those who place their trust in His atoning death. Acts 2:24; Romans 5:6-19, 6:10; Colossians 1:21-23; 1st Peter 3:18; Hebrews 9:21-28, 10:10-12

Hold keys of death and Hades

The one holding the keys is free to enter and leave at will. He has authority over that place. This is what He did. He entered and spent three days in Hell. Then He left of His own accord. He has authority over even death. The last enemy. He is the one who has freed us and we no longer have to live in fear. Death has no substance anymore. It is merely a powerless shadow. Hell and the place of destruction are naked before Him. The gates of death are revealed to Him and He sees the gates of darkness. He will abolish death. There will no longer be any death. Matthew 12:4; Psalm 23:4; Job 26:6, 38:17; 1st Corinthians 15:26; 2nd Timothy 1:10; Hebrews 2:15; Revelation 21:4

And that's it for this series. I hope you were blessed by it. If you have any thoughts, please leave them in the comments below.

Attributes of Jesus from Revelation 1 (3 of 4)

This is the third installment in my series on the Attributes of Jesus taken from Revelation 1. (Here are part 1 and part 2.) Today's items are found in verses 13 through 15.

Among the lamp stands

The lamp stands represent the church. He walks among His people. He is in our midst. He doesn't leave us. By the Holy Spirit, we burn in love and joy and praise before God with faith and character that have been refined through trials as if by fire. There were lamps in the tabernacle and temple the priests were responsible to tend. They trimmed the wicks and filled the oil to provide a constant, pure light. Jesus too is the final High Priest giving us the oil of His Spirit to burn for Him. Revelation 1:20; Matthew 18:20, 28:20; Hebrews 13:5; Job 23:10; Zechariah 13:9; 1st Peter 1:6-9; Matthew 3:11

Son of Man

In Jesus, God became man so He knows what we are going through and can come to our aid. We don't have a priest who cannot relate to us, but one who knows what we go through. He has, once for all, obtained redemption for us and, because of His sacrifice, as a man, He will rule and reign forever. Hebrews 2:17-18, 4:15, 9:11-12; Revelation 5:9; Daniel 7:13-14; Matthew 24:30, 26:64; Mark 13:26, 14:62; Luke 21:27

Robe to feet

The robe, in conjunction with the sash, are priestly garments, again showing His role as one who mediates between God and mankind. The robe represents the salvation and righteousness by which He rules and which He confers upon His people. Exodus 28:4; Leviticus 8:7; Hebrews 7:25-28; 2nd Chronicles 6:31; Isaiah 61:10; Psalm 132:9,16; Romans 3:21-26, 5:14-21; 1st Corinthians 1:30-31; Philippians 1:9-11

Golden sash on His chest

Like the robe above, the sash indicates His position as priest. This evokes the image Paul gives regarding the armor of God: the robe of truth and breastplate of righteousness. Jesus is the Truth. He is our righteousness. Exodus 28:4; Leviticus 8:7; Isaiah 22:21; Ephesians 6:14; John 14:6; 1st Corinthians 1:30

Head and hair like wool and snow

This passage directly links Jesus of John's vision to the Ancient of Days of Daniel's vision. White hair symbolizes the wisdom of age. There is no one who has more wisdom than Him. This direct link also confirms Jesus' devine nature. He is God just as the Father is God. Daniel 7:9; Job 12:12-13

Eyes like blazing fire

Fire symbolizes judgement. Judgement can bring one of two results. It can condemn or it can reward. It can destroy and purify. Like light destroys darkness, God's presence destroys those who are against Him. But for those who join themselves to Him, it purifies and protects. It provides light and guidance and brings glory to God. Jesus is the light of heaven. Genesis 19:24; Exodus 13:21; Psalm 11:6; Isaiah 43:2, 64:1-2, 66:15; Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:2-6; Matthew 5:14-16, 6:22; Luke 3:9, 8:16-17, 11:36; Acts 2:3; 1st Corinthians 3:12-15; Revelation 19:11-12, 21:23, 22:5

Feet like burnished bronze, glowing from a furnace

Feet are the place of subjection. Enemies are trampled underfoot. Bowing at the feet shows respect and submission. Bronze represents judgement. The altar in the tabernacle and temple was of bronze as were all the utensils accompanying it. The altar is where sin was judged and atoned for by sacrifice. Moses lifted up the bronze serpent to bring healing to the people being judged for their sins. In the same way, Jesus was lifted up on the cross to provide healing to all who would look to Him for their salvation. Glowing from a furnace represents purity. Combining these concepts, all judgement is subject to Jesus, or in other words, He is the supreme judge because He was the perfect Lamb of God, sacrificed for the sins of the world. His judgement is correct. There is no impurity in it. Feet: 2nd Samuel 22:38-39; Esther 8:3; Mark 7:25, 22:5; 1st Corinthians 15:27; Hebrews 2:8; Bronze: Exodus 27:1-8; Numbers 21:5-9; John 3:14-15; Furnace: Proverbs 17:3; Isaiah 48:10; Zechariah 13:9; 1st Corinthians 3:11-13; 1st Peter 1:6-8

Voice like many waters

These are the same words that were used to describes the Father's voice. He speaks and things come into existence. It has to be obeyed. Like a tsunami, His voice is irresistible, loud, cleansing, powerful and majestic. It judges and sweeps away impurity. Like rain, it is life giving. Without it nothing would exist. Genesis 1; Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 13:4,18; Ezekiel 43:2; Psalm 29:3-9; John 1:1-5; Revelation 16:1-12, 21:1-8

That's it for today. We'll finish the rest next time. As always, if you have any thoughts, please leave them in the comments below.

Attributes of Jesus from Revelation 1 (2 of 4)

The last article covered five attributes of Jesus as presented in Revelation 1:5. This article will continue with the rest found in verse five and continue through verse ten.

Lover

He loves us and demonstrated this by His giving Himself over to death on our behalf. We didn't love Him first. Rather, He loved us before we even thought of Him. Nothing can separate us from His love. Because of His love, He has given us eternal comfort. His love for us should transform us into lovers of others. John 3:16, 13:1, 13:34; 1st John 4:10, 4:16, 4:19; Romans 5:8-10, 8:37, 8:39; Galatians 1:4, 2:20; Ephesians 5:2; 2nd Thessalonians 2:16f

Freer

We are free from bondage to sin and death. We were slaves to unrighteousness. We had no choice. He has freed us from this slavery and we can now live in righteousness. John 8:31-32, 8:34-36; Romans 6:4-18, 6:20, 6:22, 8:1-5

Maker

Jesus is the agent of all creation. He made everything, whether spiritual or physical. Nothing exists that He didn't make. And now, He has made us alive, forgiving our sins and nailing our debt to the cross. He has made us a kingdom and priests to God, a fulfillment of an Old Testament promise. John 1:3, 1:10; Colossians 1:16-17, 2:13-14; 1st Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 1:2; Revelation 1:6; Exodus 19:5-6

Receiver

He is the one who receives all glory and dominion. He alone is worth. There is only one in both heaven and earth who has been found to be worthy. He received glory and honor from God when He was on the earth; God is well pleased with His Son. Every being in heaven and earth will bend the knee and confess that Jesus is Lord. Some will willingly do it. Some will be compelled to do it. Revelation 5:2-10; 1st Peter 1:16-18; Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35; Philippians 2:9-11

Coming on the clouds

Forty days after His resurrection, He ascended into the sky and disappeared in the clouds. In the same way He will return. Jesus Himself told us He would return in the clouds. When He appears, it will be to establish an everlasting kingdom. Being in the clouds, high and exalted, He is presented with all power and authority over all other powers and authorities on the planet. Returning in this way demonstrates His power and ability to rule. Acts 1:1-11; Matthew 24:29-31, 26:64; Mark 13:24-26, 14:62; Luke 21:27; Daniel 7:13-14

Visible to all

Everyone will see Him. His return will not be hidden or disguised or in secret. As lightning is seen across the whole sky, so too will His return be. There will be no mistaking it. Matthew 24:27, 28:3; Luke 17:24

Alpha and Omega

He is the Beginning and the End; the First and the Last. There was no God before Him and there will not be any after Him. All things are by Him and through Him and for Him. Isaiah 43:10, 44:6; Romans 11:36; 1st Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 2:10

The Almighty

He is preeminent. There is no one greater than Him. He is not one among equals; rather He is supreme. While we are called to be like Him in character, no one can become like Him in nature. He is a strong protector. He is the righteous judge and king and since there is no one mightier than Him, His ruling will ultimately reign supreme. Psalm 91; Revelation 11:17, 15:3, 16:7, 19:6, 19:15

Voice like a trumpet

Trumpets are clear and loud. Their frequency cuts through and is heard above all the other instruments in the orchestra. Their notes pierce through the clash and din of battle. They cannot be ignored or drowned out. In a similar way, Jesus speaks to His people. He speaks to those who are His in a way they cannot ignore over the din of day to day life. Trumpets are used in the Old Testament to call to war, remind of sin and the provision for atonement. He told us to take heaven by force. In saying this, He calls us to war against sin and our natural, sinful man who is at odds with our spiritual, regenerated man. Exodus 20:1-18; Numbers 10:9-10; Judges 3:27, 6:34, 7:15-22; Matthew 11:12

That's it for this installment. The next post will look at Jesus' attributes as described in verses 13 through 15. If you have any thoughts, please leave them in the comments below.

Attributes of Jesus from Revelation 1 (1 of 4)

The last book of the Bible starts with the words "The revelation of Jesus Christ." This can be read two ways. The first meaning is the revelation is a possession of Jesus. In other words, "Jesus Christ's revelation." It is a revelation He gave to us. I believe this is the first, clear and intended meaning of this phrase. However, I think this phrase can also be understood a different way. Revelation, in addition to being a foretelling of history that Jesus possesses, also reveals more of who Jesus is in His nature and character. In much the same way the gospels tell us both the facts of what happened and the character and heart of Jesus, Revelation shows us both what will happen in the future and more of Jesus heart and character.

Over the last couple months, I have meditated on many of the attributes of Jesus as enumerated in the first chapter of Revelation. Starting with this post, and continuing for three more, I will list them and write a few thoughts on each along with a list of supporting scriptures. In total, I identified 31 different names and descriptions. Depending on how you read the text, one could argue a couple more or less. I don't think the exact count is as relevant as the fact that there are many dimensions to Jesus revealed in this chapter and they are worth meditating on and gazing on the many-faceted beauty of this Man.

All the attributes of Jesus in today's posting are from verse 5 of Revelation 1.

Jesus

First, is His name. It is what would have shown up on a birth certificate had they had them in first century Bethlehem. It is the English version of the common Hebrew name Joshua. There were in fact other Joshuas in Israel's history: Joshua, son of Nun, the leader of Israel after Moses, and Joshua the high priest in the days of the restoration when Israel returned from exile in Babylon. His name, while common, carried a promise, for it means God Saves. It was the name God Himself proscribed for Him through Gabriel's announcement to Mary when she was told she was the one chosen by God to bring forth his Son. He wanted to remind us that every one of us have sinned and need to be saved. And He wanted to tell us that the salvation of humans was the first reason Jesus became a man. It was by the shedding of His blood for us and our acceptance of what He's done on our behalf by which each one of us is reconciled to the Father. No one can have a relationship with God without the salvation Jesus provides. Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:31, 2:11, 2:21, 2:30-32; John 1:29, 1:36; Acts 2:38, 4:12, 5:31, 13:23,38,39; Romans 10:9-10; Colossians 1:20-23

Christ

Next is His best known title. It is what would have been beneath His name had he had a business card. It means Anointed. To be anointed is to be set apart, or consecrated, for a particular purpose. It was typically formalized in a ceremony where oil was poured on the initiate. This is seen at Jesus' baptism. The Spirit, commonly symbolized by oil, came and rested on Him and soon afterward He proclaimed God's anointing to be upon Him to preach the gospel, release the captives, recover the blind's sight, set free the oppressed and proclaim the year of God's favor. Priests in the Old Testament were anointed with oil to show their consecration as priests before God. This title shows us how Jesus is the final high priest between God and mankind. This title goes hand in hand with his role as savior. First He saves us, then He brings us into relationship with the Father. Matthew 11:5, 12:18; Luke 4:18; Acts 10:28; Hebrews 3:1-2, 4:14-16

Faithful witness

Jesus was a witness to us of God's character and heart. He revealed God to us. He said "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." Jesus did and said the things the Father told Him. One way "faithful" can be applied: He was faithful in this task. He did not waver from what was before Him. He was faithful in the face of opposition, even to His own detriment, death on the cross. Another way to understand His faithfulness: it's the nature of Jesus. He was the image we could see showing us the invisible Father who we could not see. Jesus is the exact representation of God's nature. The witness He bore was a true revelation of God's character. John 1:14, 12:44-50, 14:8-10; Philippians 2:8; Colossians 1:15; 1st John 5:20; Hebrews 1:3

Firstborn from the dead

Jesus' resurrection from the dead was the fulfillment of the Feast of First Fruits. He is the first of many more to come. Since He was resurrected, we can have confidence that we too will be raised from the dead. Our salvation is not just from our sins to have relationship with God now in this life, but also from the everlasting effects of sin, physical death. 1st Corinthians 15:20-26

Ruler of the kings

He is the King of all kings. Everyone will be subject to Him. He will rule over everything. All authority starts with Him and no authority exists apart from Him. He will rule over everything forever. Every knee, whether demonic, angelic or human will bow before Him and confess that He is Lord. All enemies will be subject to Him, including the last enemy, death. Deuteronomy 10:17; Revelation 17:14, 19:16; Matthew 11:27, 28:18; Ephesians 1:20-23; Colossians 1:16-18, 2:10; Daniel 7:13-14; Philippians 2:9-11; 1st Corinthians 15:25-26

That's the first five attributes, all from a single verse. There are more to come from this verse as well as many more from the rest of the chapter. If you have any thoughts, please leave them in the comments below.

Why war against the King of Kings?

During my read through Revelation over the last year, one of the things that has never really made sense to me in this book is the mindset of those who war against God. I've always pondered, "who do they think they are?" I mean things that have never happened before in history are happening. Cataclysmic judgment is falling around them, they know He caused it, and yet they don't repent and turn to Him for salvation.^[1]

In one of the last scenes, the armies of all nations on the planet are arrayed against the King of all Kings. Up to this point, there have been all sorts of incredible signs that the end is near and they need to repent. Finally, the sky has split open and Jesus has come down from heaven.

Stop. Think about this. There is no special effects team creating this in some movie software and putting it on the screen. This is here and now reality. The One who created the universe in all its intricate detail, majestic beauty and awesome power stands in front of them. Yet they doggedly persist in rebellion. How can they? Do they not see they are doomed? And then it hit me, I'm looking at this in too limited a context. I have to back up a bit and get a bigger picture.

There's a significant part of our society that denies the spiritual. They say there is no God. They think they find naturalistic explanations for things that scripture clearly explains God caused. Within this context of discrediting anything their concept of science cannot support, the Anti-Christ and his false prophet make their appearance with demonstrable signs of supernatural power. Their abilities fill an vacuum created by society's refusal of the unearthly. With nothing to compare to, their power seems large, mighty and overwhelming. However, in reality, when compared to Jesus power, they are so insignificant as to not matter.

So, in the end, because of their prejudice, as Revelation says^[2], the Anti-Christ deceived them. They cannot see that the one they follow who they think has enormous power is a mere slave when compared to the King. They thought they were wise in denying that God created the universe. They thought in their wisdom they found natural reasons for things that, without their blinders of preconception, are obviously from the Creator. This reliance on their own understanding opened them to being deceived and played the fool and ultimately their destruction.^[3]

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1. Revelation 6:16, Revelation 9:20, Revelation 9:21, Revelation 16:9, Revelation 16:11

2. Revelation 19:20

3. Romans 1:18-32

Establishing a throne: What is righteousness?

This is the fifth and final article on a series entitled Establishing a throne. Previous articles are:

1. Is Jesus a Democrat or Republican?
2. How is it established?
3. Who sits on it?
4. What is justice?

This article looks at the last phrase of our key verse for this series:

In love a throne will be established;
in faithfulness a man will sit on it --
one from the house of David --
one who in judging seeks justice
and speeds the cause of righteousness.
-- Isaiah 16:5

Our society does not talk much about righteousness. This is unfortunate since I believe it is at the very core of the defining issues of the present generation. Warren McGurn in the Wall Street Journal opines that the conflict in our society is not due to “culture wars” but rather “constitutional wars.”^[1] While I think I understand what he is saying, that there is an element to the conflict that is based on differences of understanding how the constitution should be applied, I disagree on which is cause and which is effect. I think there are different visions for our society and culture leading to the constitutional disagreements, not that those constitutional differences drive the culture. I believe the laws of a society reflect the values of that society. They are an encoding of what that culture believes to be right. For example, with the long-standing conflict of abortion and the newer issue of so-called “gay marriage,” both sides typically frame the argument as human rights issues. The problem is neither of these are fundamentally human rights issues but rather issues of righteousness.

So what exactly is righteousness? This is not a hard question. The dictionary defines it as “the quality or state of being righteous; holiness; purity; uprightness; rectitude; conformity of life to the divine law.”^[2] Deuteronomy 6:25 defines it simply as following God’s commands: if we are careful to obey all this law ... that will be our righteousness. There is not really much wiggle room in either of these definitions. In both cases, the standard of God’s law is the basis for righteousness. The problem I see with our current cultural situation is we do not bring this into public discourse. We try to have conversations on fundamentally moral issues without an absolute moral framework. We hold the discussion on political or morally relative foundations and so we have lots of arguments, amendments, demonstrations and disagreements without addressing core issues or coming to a resolution.

Another interesting question: is righteousness something that involves personal, religious beliefs that are independent of society as a whole? Alternatively, can we apply the concept of righteousness to a culture? I believe it to be both. There is the concept of personal righteousness, wherein we as individuals need to realize we will stand before the Judge of the universe and be held personally accountable for our actions. Old Testament prophets talk about individuals being responsible for their own sin; the son is not responsible for the father’s sin nor is the father responsible for the son’s. Paul exhorts us to pursue righteousness by living lives of faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Jesus, Paul and John all tell of judgment to come. These are but a few examples.^[3] Scripture is replete with more.

The issue we as a society have ignored, and what may be offensive to many, is the concept of righteousness applying to a group of people, whether it is a nation, culture or society. Many try to raise the “separation of church and state” argument. The problem is the misapplication of this phrase when used in this situation. The concept, worded this way by Thomas Jefferson in some letters and encoded in our constitution as the First Amendment, means the government will not support and establish an official state denomination or sect.

This concept has its roots in the history of Europe where the Catholic Church had ruling power shared with kings. Due to political differences between nobility and liturgical leaders, there were many conflicts. Eventually some countries established other denominations as their official ones that, in some countries, continue to the present day.

At the founding of the United States, the Constitution eliminated an official, established, state religion to avoid the conflict and possible oppression that it can foster. However, no one intended an abandonment of Judeo-Christian ethics or a banning of the reference to scripture from all things public and politic. In fact, many early leaders recognized that without scriptural values as a base, this country would not survive.^[4]

Regardless of what the Founding Fathers thought, scripture tells us “righteousness lifts up a nation, but sin is a disgrace in any society” and that “the way of wicked people is disgusting to the LORD, but he loves those who pursue righteousness.”^[5] Even if early or contemporary Americans think religion has no place in society, God will disagree. Israel was judged for their corporate sin.^[6] God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for the wickedness found in them.^[7] Through these and other passages,^[8] it is clear that God judges societies for their collective sins independent of whether or not they acknowledge His rule.

Because of this, many in the present day are concerned about the repercussions due to unrighteousness in our own society. Even though they individually follow God’s commands as best they can, they are still concerned about the lack of concern in the culture as a whole to follow them. They know that even though Daniel was one of most righteous men who ever lived, he did not escape captivity when judgment fell on his society.^[9] The active disdain evidenced by some quarters of our nation towards scriptural commands puts us as a country in a dangerous position before the King. We cannot continue to ignore divine law and expect to continue enjoying the blessings we have had up to now.

On the other hand, we see oppressive, religious fundamental societies in the Middle East where groups walk around brutally enforcing their version of righteousness and we recognize this is not a good model to follow either. While we may admire the passion some Moslem sects have for their cause, we cannot adopt their means. Some things are clearly condemned in the Bible; there are also many things not so clear. I do not agree with all my Christian brothers with what constitutes all aspects of righteousness and would not want to be under their control any more than those who disagree with me want live with my understanding of God’s laws.

Clearly, there needs to be liberty to allow individuals to seek of God’s will and responsibly follow it. At the same time, because of the corporate responsibility we share, we need to arrive at some means of agreement with what the minimal standards are. At issue are those in our midst who will not seek to follow God’s rules in any measure. It is not a matter of disagreeing on degree or subtleties; these individuals outright reject clear scriptural teaching. I wonder if there is a way to reconcile these groups. Perhaps this is why in the end, God himself will return to set things right.

Getting back to the text, what is the “cause of righteousness” and how does one “speed” it? Personally, I find this phrase hard to understand. Translations that are more literal render it as “hastening righteousness” which I find easier to comprehend. Simply, Jesus the King urges and facilitates our growth in righteousness. There are two ways I see this happening. As above, one is on a personal, individual level and the other is on a corporate level.

First, Jesus came the 2000 years ago to save individuals from their sin. We each owed a debt where the only payment was our death. When the perfect Jesus died in our place, he paid that debt for us. When we accept this payment, He imputes His righteousness to us and we receive God’s approval and life.^[10] Because of this right standing we now have before the Father, we have authority to live righteously. Before the imputation of righteousness, sin bound us like slaves. Now we are free from sin and have the capacity to live righteous lives. By freeing us from this bondage, Jesus makes it possible for each of us to be righteous.

Finally, he will return to save us from our corporate sin. As alluded to above, there are two sub-points here. One, there are areas that Christians honestly disagree over when it comes to understanding what scripture says. They are not both right, and in fact, they may both be wrong. In order to clarify these areas, He will reveal unambiguously by His appearing and instruction how we are to live. Two, there are those who will outright reject His decrees and laws. They have no interest in righteousness; no desire to follow His commands. These He will remove. In both cases, He will ultimately cause righteousness to increase on a global level.

In conclusion, Jesus has caused, and will cause in the future, an increase of righteousness. First by imputing His righteousness to us, then through the agency of the Holy Spirit imparting righteousness to us as we mature in Him and finally by establishing a global government wherein righteousness reigns.

Footnotes

1. Opinion piece by William McGurn in the Wall Street Journal online.

2. righteousness. (n.d.). Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary. Retrieved December 09, 2008, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/righteousness

3. Ezekiel 18:19-20,30-32; 1 Timothy 6:11; Matthew 25:31-46; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; Revelation 20:12-15

4. Washington’s Farewell Address: Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

5. Proverbs 14:34; Proverbs 15:9

6. Jeremiah 2:20-28

7. Genesis 18:16-19:25

8. Deuteronomy 9:5: Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thy heart, dost thou go in to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations Jehovah thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may establish the word which Jehovah swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
Isaiah 58:2: They look for me every day and want to know my ways. They act as if they were a nation that has done what is right and as if they haven’t disregarded God’s judgment on them. They ask me for just decrees. They want God to be near them.

9. Ezekiel 14:14,20: Even if these three men--Noah, Daniel, and Job--were in that country, they would, by their righteousness, rescue only themselves," declares the Almighty LORD. ... As I live, declares the Almighty LORD, not even Noah, Daniel, and Job could, by their righteousness, rescue their sons or daughters. They could rescue only themselves.

10. I Corinthians 1:30: You are partners with Christ Jesus because of God. Jesus has become our wisdom sent from God, our righteousness, our holiness, and our ransom from sin.

Romans 5:18: Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

II Corinthians 5:21: God had Christ, who was sinless, take our sin so that we might receive God’s approval through him.

Philippians 3:9: This means that I didn’t receive God’s approval by obeying his laws. The opposite is true! I have God’s approval through faith in Christ.

Establishing a throne: What is justice?

This is the fourth installment in the series entitled Establishing a throne where I look at the following verse:

In love a throne will be established;
in faithfulness a man will sit on it --
one from the house of David --
one who in judging seeks justice
and speeds the cause of righteousness.
-- Isaiah 16:5

An alternate rendering for the passage highlighted above is "In judgment He establishes justice." Psalm 89:14 tells us "justice is the foundation of His throne". There are many other similar passages.^[1] Given the nature and plethora of passages, we understand that the concept of justice is very important in Jesus' kingdom.

Looking around the world, we observe varying degrees of oppression in all governments. We see decrees by court systems that seem out of alignment with our sense of justice. Moreover, at the same time, others look on these very same rulings and deem them just. Legislatures pass laws we look at with dismay. Those charged with upholding the laws too frequently undermine them. With so much seeming injustice in the world, and so many different voices in our culture claiming situations as being both just and unjust, the question is raised "What exactly is justice?"

One definition of justice is "Things in perfect accord with God's original plan."^[2] This is a great definition. It works well illuminating the passages above, and elsewhere in scripture, about justice. Using this definition, decisions are just when they match God's will, heart and desires. It gives us a yardstick by which to view any given situation and evaluate what is just in that context.

This definition also explains why there is disagreement on what exactly is just by relating it back to Genesis. Originally, everything was good in God's eyes; justice ruled. The reason we yearn for justice is that it is the original intent. It is part of our hearts and souls' design. However, when disobedience entered the world, we separated from God. The reason we now have injustice is that we, corporately and individually, through our separation are no longer in perfect accord with God's plan.

Apart from God, there is no hope for lasting justice. All our fallen human institutions are corrupt: government, political parties, charitable organizations, cultures. No group of people is sinless: wealthy, poor, male, female, black and white. Because of this corruption, if we start with any other foundation than God's will, we build on the sand of human sentiment. We will inevitably take our eyes off the injustices our own soul commits and focus on injustice external to ourselves. In doing so, we forget our own depravity and think we can bring change through our own efforts.

To solve issues of injustice, we first must start with our relationship between God and ourselves. The original injustice is sin. We have all done it. We have all violated God's laws. We all need reconciliation with Him. The only way to this is through Jesus and accepting His payment on our behalf. It is only after this most basic of all relationships has been restored that we can begin pursuing and understanding what is on His heart for other relationships. This must be the foundation for establishing justice in our own life and the lives of others. If it is not, then we are fostering the spirit of anti-Christ by making people think justice can happen apart from right relationship with God.

After we have dealt with our injustice towards God by acknowledging our culpability, seeking His forgiveness and accepting His mercy, the next step is to deal with the injustices we have committed towards others. Depending on the situation, there may be various, appropriate means of dealing with the injustice. These include, but are certainly not limited to, seeking forgiveness directly from the individuals involved, providing restitution, confession to authorities and seeking forgiveness from God. Due to the various ways of dealing with these situations, seeking and doing God’s will is of utmost importance.

Injustice towards us is the last relationship with which we are personally involved. This can be a hard issue to deal with since everything in our being cries out for justice. Unfortunately, we are not objective enough to judge accurately when we are the wronged party. In these situations, remember Jesus’ example where, while suffering the greatest injustice of all on the cross, he asked God to forgive the very people committing the crime and submitted Himself to God's will.

Finally, there is the issue of injustices between third parties. This includes all the contexts where we are not one of the parties involved in the situation. One place where this occurs is the so-called Justice system. Balthazar's definition of justice explains why human courts sometimes get it right and other times wrong when it comes to their rulings. If the ruling matches what is on God's heart in the matter, they get it right. If the ruling conflicts with God, then it is wrong and needs to be changed. At one time, God's laws formed the basis for our laws. The Ten Commandments used to have a prominent place in our courthouses. Our legislation simply encoded the basic tenets of Judeo-Christian ethics and our courts followed. As our society has moved further into humanistic relativism, our legislature and courts have reflected this shift with more and more laws and rulings that are out of accord with God's law. We are slowly moving from the absolute authority of God's word to relativistic human sentiment and thought.

Another common theme associated with justice revolves around social issues relating to the oppressed and poor. All too often, we try to treat these issues outside the context of right relationship with God but the fact is God is more concerned with social issues than we are. Like the children of Israel in Egypt, He hears the cry of the downtrodden and promises aid. They will see the ultimate fulfillment when Jesus’ throne is finally established. This is the primary hope to point them to while secondarily we attempt to implement some of God’s kingdom even now.

Given all this, it is incumbent upon all of us to consider each decision in light of God's desire, first as individuals and then as leaders. Do you not think you are a leader? Consider virtually everyone is in a leadership position somewhere whether parents who guide their household or a team captain establishing rules for those they are working with or national politicians establishing and administering laws. When we make decisions, we can either seek God's will or follow our own desires.

Finally, some questions to contemplate:

• What would my life look like arranged with everything in perfect accord with God's plan?
• How far off is it?
• In those areas that are off, is it due to a decision I have made or one imposed on me?
• For those decisions I have control over, what can I do to rectify the situation such that it is closer to what I know to be His will?

Further reading

Stuart Greaves gave a talk on this topic. Notes for it are here.

Footnotes

1. Psalms 45:6, Psalms 89:14, Psalms 97:2, Isaiah 9:7, Hebrews 1:8

2. Quote attributed to Hans Urs von Balthazar.

Establishing a throne: How is it established?

In love a throne will be established;
in faithfulness a man will sit on it --
one from the house of David --
one who in judging seeks justice
and speeds the cause of righteousness.
-- Isaiah 16:5

This passage recently caught my attention. In the middle of prophecies about destruction due to unfaithfulness and injustice, this verse appears about one who will put things right. It stands out with hope in contrast to the context of misery it sits in.

It starts stating a throne will be established in love. I believe this to be a future prophecy about Jesus' earthly government with several aspects to the "love" component.^[1] First, he will be given the throne by the Father because of the love between the Father and Son. The Father has loved Jesus since before creation. Jesus honors the Father through obedience to His will; in turn, the Father is pleased with and desires to honor the Son.^[2]

Next, the Father will give leadership to Jesus because they both love creation and mankind. Originally, creation was made perfect. When humans rebelled, all of creation was subjected to futility. Because of their love for the cosmos, they do not want to leave it in this condition but know, under current systems, nothing is going to fundamentally change.^[3] Something radically different needs to happen; that radical change is Jesus government. He came the first time to pay the price to rule the universe and to demonstrate His worthiness. Next time He comes it will be to claim and enforce the right He already possesses.^[4]

Finally, because of the love between Jesus and His people, those being ruled will agree with and support the Father's action. Jesus is working in his people that the same love the Father has for Him will also be in them.^[5] There are two places these people come from. The first is from the non-Jewish peoples. These are the Gentiles who have believed on Jesus and have been grafted into the family tree of faith, spiritual descendants of Abraham. The second group are Jews. Jesus told the Jewish people I will not come again until Israel says "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."^[6] We don't yet see either of these groups sold out in love to Him but there is a time coming when we will. Jesus is developing a deep love in both these groups to bring them together so in unity they may cry with the Spirit "Come!"^[7]

1. I follow the traditional Christian position that this passage is talking about Jesus. I depart from some of Christianity by believing it will be fulfilled literally. I'm convinced that there will be a time when Jesus physically returns and establishes a global government here on the earth. This topic is too large for this article, but I did want to establish my perspective right up front.

2. Matthew 3:13-18, Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 1:9-11, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 3:21-22, Luke 9:28-36, John 3:31-36, John 5:19-20, John 17:24, 2 Peter 1:16-18

3. John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. The word translated "world" here is the Greek "kosmos" from which we get our word "cosmos". Like our word "world" it can mean either the physical planet or the inhabitants thereof. I think both meanings are equally applicable.

4. 1st Corinthians 15:20-28, Hebrews 2:5-9, Ephesians 1:19-23

5. John 17:26, Revelation 22:17,

6. Matthew 23:37-39

7. Revelation 22:17

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This is the second in a series entitled Establishing a throne:

1. Would Jesus be a Democrat or Republican?
2. How is it established?
3. Who sits on it?
4. What is justice?
5. What is righteousness?

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Establishing a throne: Would Jesus be a Democrat or Republican?

Jesus would have been a Democrat.

Someone was loudly proclaiming this on the internet the other day shortly after Senator Obama's speech at the close of the Democratic National Convention. Over the years I have heard Republicans express similar claims on the loyalty of Jesus to their party. I have got some news for all these people: your paradigm is completely, utterly wrong.

Jesus would not be a member of either party. Not only that, he would reject the whole governmental system of the United States. He is not interested in democracy. He is not interested in a republic. No. Get this straight:

Jesus is a king.

He does not care about political planks on some party's platform. He doesn't care about building consensus or opening dialog in a pluralistic society. Rather, He leads a kingdom. His word is law. He speaks and righteousness and justice are established. Any who do not agree with Him have no place under His leadership and will be removed from His kingdom.

No, we cannot claim Jesus to our side.

All we can do is align ourselves to His side.

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This is the first in a series entitled Establishing a throne:

1. Would Jesus be a Democrat or Republican?
2. How is it established?
3. Who sits on it?
4. What is justice?
5. What is righteousness?

If you're interested in future articles, you can sign up for notifications here:
Subscribe via RSS

Subscribe via e-mail: