Thoughts on This Morning's Study

Reading through Isaiah chapter 11 today. We hear this every Advent and I think we sometimes don't pay a lot of attention because it's so familiar.

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;

So far so good, huh? We all understand this to be talking about Jesus, and what He is going to do when He comes into the world.
Next:

and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

Not so gentle Jesus meek and mild, is it? All kinds of cross references come to mind here; think of Revelation 19 or Psalm 2. Jesus' word strikes the wicked of the Earth, and this comes from His righteousness and faithfulness (He is called Faithful and True).

His striking the earth and killing the wicked results in:

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze;
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.

We know this cannot be heaven or the Resurrection. Why? There are children. Whether this animals-gettin'-along business is literal or symbolic, there is no doubt that Christ's rule is to result in amazing peace. So much so that:

They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.

Here are the promises of God concerning what will happen when He sends His Son into the world. We have already been told that when He comes the increase of His government and of peace will have no end. Here is the glorious "millennium" of His reign and the result of the fruition of its increase.

Wonderful.

Waterboarding

This came up on a friend's Facebook page, but I don't want to be a comments-monopolizer so I'll post my thoughts here.

If someone can make a Biblical defense of waterboarding, I'd like to read it. I can't imagine how that could be done.

There are two defenses of this procedure that I have heard. The first is that it doesn't really endanger or harm the recipient, and is therefore not torture. The second is that it has produced the desired results, and saved American lives.

Regarding the first point, does it matter if no real harm is done? You're inflicting torment on a guy to make him talk. He's suffering as if he were drowning. That's torture. If the practice is Biblically justifiable, then don't be a wuss and call it what it is and do it. If it is not justifiable, don't do it, ever.

The second point is simply the ends justifying the means. That trick never works. If God forbids this sort of thing, then obedience to Him is not going to result in disaster, and disobedience to Him cannot result in anything but disaster. Let those of us who are Calvinists think Calviny thoughts: God is sovereign.

I'm open to having my mind changed. To the Law and to the Testimony! Someone persuade me.

The Revelation

As I posted earlier, eschatology keeps rearing its head in several areas of my life lately (more on that later), and so I undertook another detailed look at the Revelation, this time transcribing it and working through Chilton's magnificent commentary on the book.

Just a few thoughts:

1. The book has very little to say about the end of the world.

2. The book has a lot to say about the end of the world--the old world, that is. It is so very obviously primarily concerned with the fall of Jerusalem and the end of the Old Covenant.

3. The similarities and parallel structure to Ezekiel's prophecy are staggering. Why was I never taught this?

4. I tend to agree with the hypothesis that the prophecy was meant to be read liturgically and not all at once.

5. Once one is familiar with the Bible's style of prophetic symbolism (another post on that soon too), the Revelation is not confusing in any way. It's actually very, very clear.

6. It's also very complex, in that the information communicated is very compact. There's much more to it than a quick reading will bring to mind, at least for those of us who aren't as Biblically literate as we should be (like yours truly).

7. There is no "battle of Armageddon." It doesn't ever happen, and there is no place called "Armageddon."

8. Chapter 19 ain't the Second Coming. John sees heaven opened, and Jesus seated on a horse. He doesn't "come" (go) anywhere.

9. The whole point is that Jesus rules, NOW, and we will be victorious in this present age.

10. We're very obviously living in the so-called "millennium." I don't see how anyone can not get that.

Bonus: Man, Dispensationalism is kooky. ;^)

In the Last Days

You have probably heard about this particular "sign" that we are approaching "the end times," from Paul's epistle to Timothy:

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

Problem: Paul's next sentence to Timothy is:

Avoid such people.

Paul cannot possibly be talking about the days at the end of history.

Trinity Sunday

Tomorrow is the day set apart in the Church's calendar specifically to teach and celebrate the glorious mystery of the Holy Trinity. God, from Whom and to Whom are all things, has revealed Himself to us as the One Lord in Three Persons. The Lord our God, the Lord is One! And He is the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

This fact is necessary to every aspect of our lives. Neither the world or we ourselves could not exist if it were otherwise.

We confess, with the entire Church throughout time, the Blessed, Glorious, and Holy Trinty:

The Athanasian Creed (Quicunque vult)

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic Faith.
Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
And the catholic Faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;
Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.
For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost.
But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.
Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.
The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Ghost uncreated.
The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible.
The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal;
And yet they are not three eternals, but one Eternal.
As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but one Uncreated and one Incomprehensible.
So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Ghost almighty;
And yet they are not three almighties, but one Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God;
And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.
So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord;
And yet not three Lords, but one Lord.
For as we are compelled by the Christian truth to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord;
So are we forbidden by the catholic Faith to say there are three Gods, or three Lords.
The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten.
The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten.
The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son, neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.
So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.
And in this Trinity none is before or after other; none is greater or less than another;
But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together and co-equal.
So that in all things, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshiped.
He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For the true Faith is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man;
God, of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the Substance of his Mother, born in the world;
Perfect God, and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting;
Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father, as touching his Manhood.
Who although he is God and Man, yet he is not two, but one Christ;
One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of the Manhood unto God;
One altogether, not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person.
For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ.
Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, and rose again the third day from the dead;
He ascended into heaven; he sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give account for their own works.
And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire.
This is the catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.

The Lord of Song

Okay, okay, I'm a Doug Wilson fanboy. I think he rocks. So here's yet another posting of his that I think is absolutely fantastic, and I would like you to read it and then come discuss it with me here in the comments.


Blog homework: brought to you by Every Square Inch.

Antediluvian Origins of Music

Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

Here we see the birth in human society of three industries important to the life of men: agriculture, the arts, and technology. I'd like to point out two interesting things.

First, notice that art, specifically music, is as primal and as important as the other two industries.

Second, notice that all these things were given to mankind by God through the increasingly pagan line of Cain, which would eventually be wiped away in the Flood. The knowledge of them was preserved through Noah and his sons. It's important to realize that that which the pagans come up with that is legitimately useful may be appropriated by God's people for their use, and benefit.

So one can't automatically rule out the Christian's use of certain forms or styles of music merely because they have pagan origins. If the musical structure may be put to obedient use, it's valid. Certain pagan musical inventions can't (think of what "chance music" says about the sovereign God), but they are few.

Return of the Son of Numbers

Actually, Deuteronomy. A look at the structure of one of my favorite books of Scripture.

Listen here.

Son of Numbers

Part three in our walk through the book at Holy Trinity.

Is the Gospel in the Gospels?

Jeffrey Meyers asks that question, and answers it beautifully in the first of a series of postings.

Read, then let's discuss.

Numbers, the Sequel

The second class in my study of Numbers at Holy Trinity.

I Feel Like A Number

I'm teaching a quick look at the book of Numbers (and an even quicker trip through Deuteronomy) at Holy Trinity this month. Lesson One is here. Sorry, but I'm out of the public speaking habit, and thus the huge "y'know" count.

A Thousand

In Scripture, the number 1000 is used to denote a huge number. You've got the cattle of a thousand hills, the thousand years of Christ's Messianic reign, and so on.

Okay.

God says that He will bless to the thousandth generation those who love Him and keep His Law.

That's a minimum of 40,000 years, folks. How amazing is that?

Spirit and Truth

"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."

Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

What's the implicit question in the woman's statement? Is it, "How should we worship?" Or is it, "Where should we worship?"

Jesus' answering a woman asking Him where she should worship with some veiled statement about one's "heart" (spirit) and "head" (truth) would be a pretty dumb answer, and would not make sense in the way people understood those words in that time.

"Where do I worship, sir?"
"You worship the Father in the Holy Ghost and in Me."

Makes waaaaaay more sense. In several different ways.

The Woman Caught in Adultery: Our Lord's Glorious Obedience to the Law

Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?" This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."

Compare:

A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.

If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman. So you shall purge the evil from Israel. (Emphasis added.)

Those who brought the woman to Jesus were breaking the Law. Though they claimed she was caught in the act, no witnesses were brought forward, nor was the man with whom she had had sex. She was not brought before the judges (in this case that would be the Sanhedrin). Jesus' writing in the dust was more than likely His way of bringing to mind the "trial by ordeal" of Numbers 5. As they realized He was calling them out on their lawlessness, they left. As He was left alone with the woman, He, in His manhood, acknowledged that He could not condemn her under the Law.

Far from being the relaxing of the Law or an illustration against judging, this scene in the Gospel is an example of the perfect obedience of Christ to His own Law.

Micah

I've finished working through Micah's prophecy. I don't have a lot of insights from this book; it's pretty straight ahead. Still, I have profited greatly from spending time in the book. Obviously, the "mandate" to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly before God has implications for all of life.

Next, I think I'll work on James. I'm leading up to attempting to transcribe two books at once, one on either hand, Peyton Randolph-style (for those who don't know, he was our first President, and guys back then would write with both hands simultaneously). We'll see.

The Epistle to the Hebrews

I finished transcribing Hebrews tonight, which is my favorite book of the New Testament. It's so beautifully written and overflowing with truth.

The glory of Jesus as our High Priest, our access to the Holy Places not made with hands, our citizenship in Jerusalem above and the roll call of the Faithful--every sentence makes my heart soar. I love it.

Next up: Micah.

Proverbs

I've finished transcribing the Proverbs. I'll continue to study this wonderful book (Greg Bahnsen taught his son to read a chapter a day, every day. Sage advice) but next up is my favorite book of the Bible: the Epistle to the Hebrews.

Wanna know how to be a man? Read Proverbs, my son, and learn wisdom and understanding.

Interesting Take on Romans

...by Peter J. Leithart:
Romans and A.D. 70

Narrative Oddity

Peter Leithart's blog was interesting today.