May the mumbling commence!
Happy New Year!
Let’s start this New Year with a deep sense of gratitude
for what the Lord has given us. Let’s
give thanks that we do not depend on ourselves (individually or collectively)
or on other things that can become gods to us.
It is important to give thanks in this way… to remember in this
way. Read from Judges chapter eleven:
"So you see, it was the Lord,
the God of Israel, who took away the
land from the Amorites and gave it to Israel. Why, then, should we give it to you? You keep whatever your god Chemosh gives you,
and we will
keep whatever the Lord our God
gives us. Are you any better than Balak son of Zippor, king of
Moab? Did he try to make a case against Israel for disputed land? Did he go to
war? No, of course not. But now after
three hundred years you make an issue of this! Israel has been living here all
this time, spread across the land from Heshbon to Aroer and in all the towns
along the Arnon River. Why have you made no effort to recover it before now? I have not
sinned against you. Rather, you have wronged me by attacking me.
Let the Lord,
who is judge, decide today which of us is right – Israel or Ammon."
(Verses 23-27)
All of creation is the Lord’s. And God gives portions of it to whoever He
chooses. Who are we to question the sovereignty
of the Creator? Who are we to give away
what the Lord has given us? Hold tight
to the promises that God has extended to you.
The greatest danger in holding onto God’s promises is
not understanding the depth and length and breadth of the promises. When we lack total understanding, we hold
onto something less than what God has promised us. And even when we do, sometimes we speak
prophetically without even knowing it.
Read from John chapter eleven:
Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high
council together to discuss the situation. "What are
we going to do?" they asked each other. "This man
certainly performs many miraculous signs.
If we leave him alone, the whole nation will follow him, and then the Roman army will come and destroy
both our Temple and our nation."
And one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year,
said, "How
can you be so stupid? Why should the
whole nation be destroyed? Let this one man die for the people."
This prophecy that Jesus should die for the entire nation
came from Caiaphas in his position as high priest. He didn't think of it himself; he was inspired
to say it. It was a prediction that Jesus' death would be not for Israel only, but
for the gathering together of all the children of God scattered around the
world. (Verses 47-52)
The religious leaders perceived the promise of the Lord
as being the privileges given to them by the Roman government – their Temple and their nation. They did not understand that the Lord God was
breaking through with a much larger and more expansive promise – one that
included both them and the Romans.
Caiaphas was inspired to speak words of prophecy that he
did not fully understand. But his words
echo onto today, and we recognize them for what they are – God-inspired words
of prophecy. God must love irony!
Many of us have experienced this type of prophecy or
truth telling. I know that I have. I remember quite vividly one time, when I was
preparing to go to a small group Bible study.
One of my nieces or nephews asked me why I was going to Bible study. I responded, “Because I have nothing better
to do.”
I meant the comment somewhat
sarcastically at the time. But soon
after I said it I realized the truth of the words. There is nothing better to occupy our time
than studying God’s Word. So, let’s take
full advantage of the promise of the Scripture in this New Year.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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