"A Curious Case of Ecclesiastical Corruption" Judges 17 & 18

If you ever wondered why the country is a mess, it’s because the church is a mess; and the corruption starts at the top.The book of Judges in the OT is known for the thrilling accounts of judges whom God rises up to deliver Israel from the oppression of their enemies. The last five chapters of Judges, however, are a depressing account of the absolute corruption of the culture of Israel. The five chapters center around two loathsome Levites whose deplorable behaviour indicates the kind of religious leadership that was pulling the country down. I call Judges 17 & 18 "A Curious Case of Ecclesiastical Corruption" because in them we see the anarchy and immorality the church slides into when it no longer fears God and keeps his ways. This all happened because "In those days there was no king in the land. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes." (Judges 17:6)

A House of Lies, 17:1-13

After reading chapters 17 and 18 you might be confused about the meaning of the story. It seems pretty messed up. Who are the good guys and bad guys? What is the moral of the story? If you are confused, you are in good company. It is total M.U.B.A.R: Mess-up Up Beyond All Recognition. Instead of God's people having a wisdom from above, on display is a messed-up church stuck in a quagmire of iniquity. There are no good guys in this story.

Everyone is thrown under the bus--priest, elders, and people.

Chapter 17 begin with an origin story about the establishment of the shrine of Micah in Ephraim (v.1-6). This anecdote serves as a  sample of what religion was like in the time of the Judges and can explain why Israel kept backsliding and being defeated by their enemies. If you build a house on a foundation of sand, it is sure to fall. This is what it looks like when you build a house upon a toxic swamp. The birth of this church was conceived in sin. We could play a simple game of "Spot the Broken Ten Commandments" to see how badly this house of worship was conceived. The ruling elder Micah first steals 1,100 pieces of silver (8th Comm.) from his mother (5th Comm.). The act of stealing assumes he coveted to begin with (10th Comm.). His mother had pronounced a curse (presumably in God's name) upon the thief, but when Micah confessed to the crime she reversed the curse to a blessing (3rd Comm.). She then publicly dedicated all the silver to be given back to her son to make a carved image (2nd Comm.). Instead she only used 200 pieces to make two images (9th Comm). These two images were then added to the other household gods within the shrine (1st Comm). In total, seven commandments were explicitly violated in the establishment of the shrine. Instead of following God’s commandments, Micah takes it upon himself to construct a church based upon his own standards. Why did he feel like he had the right to do this? Because there was no king in the land and everyone did what was right in their own eyes. This points out the problem of human autonomy when people do whatever they feel like. It is a type of epistemological corruption when people themselves become the source of the knowledge of right and wrong (ethics). When you become the final judge of right and wrong, you are sure to be wrong. What is shocking about the whole sordid affair is that Micah and his mother are oblivious to their sin. There are no pangs of guilt or sense of shame. They are oblivious to the obvious.

The shrine is up and running, then then one day a wandering priest from Bethlehem of Judah shows up. This unemployed Levite was “looking for a place" to ply his trade. Micah was thrilled by his good fortune and jumps at the chance of hiring this minister. He offers him a job with the pay of ten pieces of silver a year, a suit of clothes, and his living (accomodation?). He gets paid his "ten shekels and a shirt." The  Levite was content with this arrangement because it was to him just a religious gig. He was self-admittedly a mere hired priest (see Judges 18:4 and John 10:12-13). Religion can become a living and a lifestyle. Religious work pays the bills and give a man a sense of significance and status in the community. Ministry can be merely a religious career no different than any other secular career. 

Micah hires him and calls him a “father and a priest," but who was running the show at the house of Micah? Micah. He was the power behind the operation. He was the money behind it all, so he held sway of the shrine. Churches often have a dominant elder, not the pastor, who is the real power in the church. Not even the whole body of elders--just one man. Though all elders are equal in authority, some are more equal than others. When you cross a power elder, your days are numbered. Sometimes, though,  the real power in the church is not in the leadership or even in a man. It could be the wealthy widow who has been around forever and with the stroke of a pen can pay the church's annual budget or pay for a new church fellowship hall. One can remember in British church history, when the nobleman or lord of the land built the church building, and chose and paid for pastors stipend. Sort of like the comical and despicable characters of Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine de Bourgh portrayed in Pride and Prejudice. Who wants to be a sycophantic hired priest like Mr. Collins?

What is the driving force behind all this religious activity? A love for the LORD? No, the answer is given in v. 13. Once Micah has his shrine and his priest he exclaims, “Now I know the Lord will prosper me for I have a Levite as a priest.” The whole operation of the shrine was driven by the goal of getting God to bless him. It was an ancient prosperity gospel. Micah had found him a Levitical lucky charm or a six-foot tall rabbit’s foot. Since he had a legitimate Levite in his shrine, God would surely bless him! This worldly motivation is at the heart of all idolatrous pagan faith. You worship a god so that he will give you what really matters to you: health, wealth, and fertility. There is a huge difference in worshipping a God who prospers you and serving a God who redeems you. This was Micah's game, but God cannot be played.

A Lost Tribe, 18:1-31

The Levite wasn’t the only person looking for a place. In fact there was a whole lost tribe of Israel trying to find a place to dwell. Verse 2 says they were seeking a place because no inheritance had fallen to them. That needs a little explanation for territory had been allotted to them, which Joshua 19:40-41 makes clear. But they were unable to drive out the Amorites who lived there, instead were driven back to the hills (Judges 1:34-36). They were failures at conquering the land. Unlike Joshua who was "bold and strong" in faith, these Dannites were scared and weak. So they were looking for somewhere else a bit easier to possess. They send out a search party of five to spy out the land (v.1-10). On the way they stop off at the house of Micah and meet the Levite, and inquire about him. Already they were making plans for the future. They sought his blessing on their journey, which he grants them, "Go in peace. The journey on which you go is under the eye of the LORD" (18:6). So they head-off way north and come across a lush, secluded valley of people in Laish. These Sidonians were peaceful, unsuspecting, and isolated from all military allies. They returned and reported back to the whole tribe this good news. 

You can’t help but notice the similarities between this spy story and the original spy story of Numbers 13, but there are significant differences. In both accounts a small group of spies is sent out to report on the land. In each case they bring a good report of the land itself, that it was lush and overflowing with "milk and honey." Yet there is a significant difference in the Canaanite opposition. In Numbers 13 the spies are distraught over the size of their foes and the fortification of the cities. In Judges 18 the spies are gleeful over the weakness and vulnerability of the folks in Laish. So each set of spies draws contrasting conclusion about God's disposition towards them. In the case of Numbers 13, the majority report concludes that since the opposition if severe God is against them. In Judges 18, the spies are unanimous that since the path is easy, God is for them. The first spies want to retreat, the second spies want to attack. Both parties of spies exhibit a similar weakness of faith which assumes that if God is in it he has to make life easy for you. How opposite was the spirit of Joshua and Caleb (the minority report) who were convinced that God would grant them the victory regardless of the strength of the opposition--a classic "if God is for us, who can be against us?" attitude. But in Judges 18 we have a Dannite conquest without God and without faith. Their faith was only able to rise to the level that God should give them an easy path to victory. They were only willing to proceed if they could do it in their own strength. If you are honest with yourself, isn't that the kind of path you really want? You want God to make your life easy so that you can succeed based upon your own capabilities. The last thing we want is a difficult path which forces us to rely upon God's strength.

This is what could be called the Presbyterian prosperity gospel. Micah had a Charismatic prosperity gospel, which is “God prospers you" hopefully miraculously." The Presbyterian prosperity gospel is “You prosper yourself" with God’s approval.” Charismatics worship God so that he will bless them; Reformed people work hard and expect God's rubber stamp. The common denominator between the two prosperity gospels is that you prosper within God’s will. Both prioritise human prosperity over the fulfilment of God’s righteousness.

The previous segment (v.1-10) shows the wimpiness of Dan, now we get to see their ugliness (11-26). On display is a putrid display of covetousness, stealing, manipulation, ambition, strife, and potentially murder. The tribe of Dan sends an army of 600 men up north to take the land. On the way they pass by the house of Micah and the search party mentions all the valuables in the shrine. All 600 armed men stop at the gates of the house while the five spies go in and ransack Micah and take all the images, gods, and the ephod. They meet the priest and tell him to stay silent, and then they morph into a pastoral selection committee and persuade him to become the pastor of their tribe, “Come with us and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be the priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and clan in Israel?” (18:19). That sealed the deal, “And the priest's heart was glad.” (18:20). So now instead of objecting to the theft of the images, the priest lends them a hand. “He took the ephod…and joined with the people.” When Micah and his men send a posse after them,  the Dannites yell out, “What’s the matter with you!” (18:23). When Micah complains about the theft of his stuff and his priest, they warm him to shut up or they will kill him. Seeing that he was outnumbered he returns home dejected. On display was raw church power politics--might makes right.

All this corruption occurs because of the selfish desires of the people involved. A word that pops up frequently in this story, which is the most sinister, evil four-letter word in the OT, is took. (Hebrew: laqach)  Micah took his mother's silver (17:2). The Dannites took the images (18:17). The priest also took them all (18:20) Micah says that the Dannites took his gods and his priest (18:24). It's no wonder, many of the worst sins in the OT have took in them. Achan took the forbidden things at Jericho (Josh 7:21). Sarah took her maid Haggar and gave her to Abraham (Gen 16:3). David took Bathsheba and lay with her (2 Sam 11:4). The grandaddy of them all, Eve took of the fruit and ate (Gen 3:6). To take is the  selfish grasp that grabs what it craves. 

In this chapter we see a church that is no different from the world. There were no salt and light attributes in God's people. Nothing glorious is spoken about this city of God (Ps 87:3). Jesus said that if salt loses its saltiness, what is it good for? Good for nothing, except to be thrown out and trampled on. All of this nasty behaviour occurs because none of the people are seeking God’s righteousness. Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added." (Matt 6:33). With both the house of Micah and the tribe of Dan righteousness is neither sought first or last. Everybody wants "all these things" but nobody wants the kingdom of God and his righteousness. This is the kind of demonic wisdom which James 3:14-16 warns us about: "But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice."

The 600 armed men of Dan eventually descend upon the unsuspecting inhabitants of Laish and slaughter them. It was easy pickings, like shooting fish in a barrel. They did it in their own strength. They had no need of God. It was faithless and godless, yet successful. And that’s how must people like to function, they get all the glory that way. You can’t help but feel sorry for the folks of Laish. When Joshua conquered the land, the Canaanites were locked and loaded, and you don't feel any sympathy for the Canaanites. But in this story it's not so clear. Church history (and the church at present) is littered with stories of God's people accomplishing things in the name of God, which never had God's approval.

Having ousted the Laishites, they renamed the town Dan after their forefather, and established themselves in the land. Of course, they needed to set up their own shrine with Micah's stolen silver images. They mimicked Micah's shrine, but up-sized the whole operation: they super-sized the sin. They took the stolen images, ephod, gods, and the Levite and that set up a worship center that ministered to the whole tribe. In 18:29 we learn the name and perfect pedigree of the Levite: Jonathan , grandson of Moses. Instant credibility with that ancestry. So this linage of priests and the images became the centrepiece of their worship which taints all the northern tribes. And thus they plant the seeds of their own destruction. Spoiler alert! Just as Micah’s house of lies fell, so too will their kingdom fall. In 18:31 there is an allusion to the ultimate captivity of the nation. The kingdom of Israel has not even began, and there is an allusion to its demise. Why? Because images and false gods were the foundation of their faith. A house built upon wrong foundations is doomed to fail. If the church is going to thrive is must be established upon the rock of Christ's righteousness and the word of God.

This portion of the book of Judges is like one massive negative example of how the church should not act. By inference, the opposite is how we should act. The kingdom of Christ should be started and advanced with the primary goal of God's glory and righteousness. Faith and character matter. Instead of worldly wisdom we should heed James' antidote to worldliness: "Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom...the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." (James 3:13, 17-18). As practical action points consider this:

·    What are your motives? Self-interest or God’s glory and the interests of others?

·      Ministries conceived in sin are doomed to fail.

·      Ministry is a calling, not a career. It's not about the money.

·      It's God’s house not yours? Beware of being a power player.

·      Stop trying to use God to bless your will. Pray: "Not my will, but thy will be done."

·      Humility and grace are a cure for the contagion of sin.

·      Follow God’s word instead of doing what is right in your own eyes.

·      Don’t substitute your short-term success for the church’s long-term failure.

"Pray Without Ceasing" Luke 18:1-8

Prayer is one of the most vital components of the Christian life, but it is also the most difficult. The disciples themselves recognised they needed lessons from Jesus in order to pray better. The Gospels record numerous accounts of Jesus' instruction on prayer. In particular, Jesus sought to encourage people when they lost heart in their praying. In the parable of the persistent widow Jesus seeks to revive their confidence in the effectiveness of prayer and the assurance of an eventual answer.

The Danger of Despondent Prayer, v. 1, 8

Don't you love it when you understand the meaning of a Bible passage? It makes it much easier when Jesus explains the meaning of his parables, like in the parables of the sower and the weeds (Matt 13). In verse one, the passage explicitly declares the intent of the parable, "He told them a parable to the effect the they ought to always pray and not lose heart." The meaning is clear: keep on praying, even when your heart is despondent.

The danger of despondency is expressed in two places. In v. 1 Jesus says that people "lose heart." The Greek word means “to faint, lose heart, be discouraged, give up.” The second place is in v. 8 when Jesus wonders when he returns “will he find faith on the earth?” The key phrases complement each other, in other words, Christians may be so discouraged in faith that they just stop praying. There can be a number of reasons why you lose confidence in prayer. You might have rejected requests, when  God says “no”. You don’t get what you ask for. Then you are embarrassed, frustrated for being wrong, or angry about not getting your will. Worse, you might be devastated when a terrible event occurs that you were praying against, such as the loss of a loved one. Perhaps there is no answer. You pray yet God remains silent, and the wait is tormenting. During prolonged hardship the waiting erodes our faith, and you begin to question whether God cares or is able to do anything. Sometimes you are uncertain what to pray for, because you don't know God’s will. Then you become fatalistic, and just resign to the fact that God is going to do what he is going to do.

In the face of these factors Jesus is intent that we keep on praying. The kind of prayer that Jesus is talking about is not simply repeating specific requests. It is about an overall disposition of trusting and calling on God always in your life. To “pray without ceasing” is not to engage in a protracted prayer meeting that never stops. Your whole life you are to be a person of prayer, no matter what. The whole church for the duration of its existence on this earth continues to cry out to God. This universal and eternal sense is evident by the reference to the return of the Son of Man. Will there be faith anywhere on the earth, or will all the hardship of life erode the faith of the church so much that it simply stops asking God for anything more? This is the danger we face, particularly when times are hard and they don’t seem to be getting better.

The Parable of Persevering Prayer, v. 2-6

He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men." (v.2)

Having addressed the danger of prayerlessness, the master teacher tells a parable. The first character in the story is the villain. He is an unjust judge “who neither feared God nor respected man.” This establishes his character. To “not fear God” means that he had no interest in justice or righteousness. To “not respect man” means that he did not care about people: an unrighteous and heartless judge. 

Why would Jesus concoct such a loathsome character to be be compared with God? Isn’t this comparison offensive? Two reasons, when God is not answering prayer we kind of wonder if God does not care about justice or us. God seems like this judge. Second, and more importantly, Jesus is making an argument of “the harder to the easier,” a kind of “how much more” argument. If the widow’s persistent requests are effective with a bad judge, how much more will they work with a good God.

And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying,"Give me justice against my adversary."(v.3)

The hero of the story is the relentless widow who keeps bringing her request to the judge. It is helpful that we do not restrict the thrust of this parable to merely to some trivial legal dispute. The widow represents the poor and needy of this world. She represents Christians, who are the humble and poor. She presents a valid request to a judge for vindication against an enemy. She is under some kind of oppression in her life because of this foe. We tend to think about judges as court officers who only hand out punishments, but the judge represents a ruler who can solve her situation and grant goodness in her life. Judges gives punishments and rewards. They govern over life. So her plea is a cry for help. This is Christian prayer. Help me! Give me justice. O Lord, the Judge and Ruler of all the earth! Give me deliverance from my foe. This is essentially, thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Included within the widow's prayers would be any plea for salvation in your own life, the expansion of gospel witness throughout the world, and the transformation of governments and culture. We are praying for God's kingdom of justice to overturn a world full of corruption. 

The parable contains a number of lessons. First we should expect delays in the answers to our prayers.The judge initially refuses her. The parable recognises that there will be a delay in an answer:“For a while he refused, but afterward...” Likewise, Jesus concedes a waiting period for the saints, “Will he delay long over them?” Second, there is a need for perpetual prayer. Since there is a delay, we must keep on praying. The widow “kept coming,” day after day. The judges says that the widow “keeps bothering me," And he answers her, so that she will “not beat me down.” The Greek is much more physical, it literally means to give me a black eye. Jesus recognises that the saints are they “who cry to him day and night.” (v. 7) So our ongoing prayer can be likened to a “beat down” on God. Lastly, due to this constancy of prayer her request is answered. Jesus says that we are to “Listen to the unjust judge.” The judge explains why he ultimately gave her justice: though I am not good, I will answer her because I want her to stop. So prayer works. Reformed Christians generally don’t like that saying, because it implies that praying itself brings the result, instead of God. But if we listen to Jesus he says that the answer comes due to the continuance of prayer. In a bygone era, Christians called this importunate prayer, the persevering solicitation of God. Our prayers are endowed with an inherent effectiveness. God respects our prayers. Since we are in a covenant relationship God, we have “pull" with him. It is an unfathomable mystery, but we have a working relationship with God, wherein he uses our prayers to implement his sovereign designs. 

The consistent teaching on prayer in the Gospels is to encourage persistence. In the parable of the friend at midnight (Luke 11:5-8) a just-awakened friend gets up from the bed to help his neighbour, “Not because he is his friend but because of his impudence.” We see persistence rewarded in people who cry out to Jesus for help, though they are initially rebuffed. Blind Bartimeaus who won’t shut up even when the disciples try to stop him (Mark 10:46-52). The Canaanite woman in Matt 15:21 keeps crying out for Jesus to heal her daughter. Both Jesus and the disciples knock her back, yet she persists. Eventually Jesus is pleased with her persevering faith and grants her request.

Now there are some possible objections to this teaching on persist prayer. Doesn't this parable contradict Jesus' own instructions in Matt 6:7 about repeating empty words?:“Do not heap up empty phrases as the gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their many words.” Default answer, no. Empty repetition is not the same as persistent supplication. Empty repetition is worlds apart from faith-filled  and thoughtful prayers. Empty repetition is like Buddhist windmills or Hindu chants. They lack heart and thought. Same thing could be said of a repetitive prayer over the same specific request. Also, is insistent prayer kind of like ordering God around? Is this type of prayer dishonouring to God? You err when you use God's promises to to tell God what he has to do for you. We never dictate to God, we ask of God. Even a fervent prayer is still a humble request of a sovereign king, who is free to answer as he pleases. 

The Assurance of Answered Prayer, v. 7-8

“Will not God give justice to his elect who cry to him day and night?” v.7

Having established the principle that persistent pleading is effective even with a bad judge, Jesus amplifies this truth as it applies to a good God. To pray effectively we need confidence that our prayers will be answered. Jesus seeks to encourage our hearts that there we will an assured answer. To bolster confidence, Jesus asks rhetorically, “Will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? I tell you, though he delay, he will give justice speedily" (v.7-8). When Jesus says, “I tell you” it is the same as “truly, truly.” How do you know that God will answer you? Well, Jesus just said that God would. Isn't that proof enough? What other guarantee do you need besides the sure word of Jesus?

Now if persistence works on a bad judge, how much more will it work with God who is actually good. Persistence has an inherent efficacy, but the superior character of God gives even greater assurance of an answer. Unlike the unjust judge, God loves justice, has compassion on people, and has a relationship with his elect ones. The famous “ask and it will be given; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened" (Luke 11:9) exhortation seeks to build confidence in answers to prayers. Jesus places the ultimate assurance of an answer in the God's good character. If a bad father gives good things when a child asks, how much more will your Heavenly Father give good things when you ask (Luke 11:13). 

I think the word “answer” may be the most precious word in the Bible. The psalmist cry out, “Answer me when I call, O God” (Ps 4:1), or encourage us, “May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! (Ps 20:1). The most precious experience you can have in this life is an answer to your prayers. “I love the Lord, because he heard my voice and my pleas for mercy (Ps118:1). When Jesus was in the depths of Sheol he announced his resurrection with these words in Psalm 22:21, “You have answered me.”

The last two verses contain a perplexing paradox: God both delays long over them and answers speedily. How do these fit together? Is God slow or fast? Perhaps it is a differing perspective on time. A day for the Lord is like a thousand years for us, right? Or we just can't figure out his timing, like when the hobbit Frodo says to the wizard Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings,  “You’re late, Gandalf.” Gandalf replies, “A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.” God does work on his own time schedule.

The long delay refers to the duration when God's people are crying out for God to deliver them. Persistent prayer requires a delay, oh, but when he answers, watch out!When God does answer it can be so fast and effective. God has a rapid response, even if it was a long time coming. The Bible has numerous accounts of a long delay followed by speedy deliverance. Joseph spent a years in prison before his rapid rise to be prime minister of Egypt. The children of Israel were afflicted for 400 years in Egypt before they were speedily delivered in the exodus event. In the book of Judges, Israel is repeatedly afflicted for many years and then God raises up a judge who quickly defeats their enemies. In 2 Kings 6-7, the Syrians besiege Samaria so that there was great famine, but then Elisha prophecies that the next day there would be great abundance. The whole Syrian army fled leaving all their food. Lastly, Israel spent 70 years in Babylon until they are suddenly sent out by Cyrus back to the land.

The skeptic says, "Those are just Bible stories! What about in the real world?!" Think about post WWII Europe dominated by the Soviet Union. From 1945 onwards, persecuted Christians cried out to God day and night for justice from their Marxist atheistic oppressors. The Romanian pastor Richard Wurmbrand wrote the book Tortured for Christ chronicling this persecution. Then in 1989, after 44 years of praying, the kingdom quickly came. Starting in June 1989 every communist regime in Eastern Europe collapsed within three years. Like dominoes they fell, resulting in the break up of the Soviet Union on Christmas day 1991. Who could have imagined the timing, speed, and ease of the end? Richard Wurmbrand later wrote From Torture to Triumph, as he rejoiced over God’s speedy answer after 44 years of praying.

These things all happened in this age. But there is one pray request that Christians have been praying for 2000 years that has not yet been answered: "Come Lord Jesus! Come!" The ultimate vindication of the saints will come at the return of Christ. All things will be set right. In a blink of an eye, speedily, out of the heavens judgement and restoration will come and the adversary destroyed. "Nevertheless,"  Jesus wonders, "when the Son of Man returns will he find faith on earth?" (v.8) Will his church still be hoping and praying? Heed his words, therefore, and keep on praying.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

"True Confessions of a Bitter Believer": Psalm 73

It is guaranteed that Christians will face troubled times in their life, and their faith will be pushed to it's limits. The question comes as to how will you emotionally cope when God is not blessing your life the way you had hoped? During those hard times, Christians often lose the confidence of their faith, and bitterness creeps in and takes over. The challenge for the Christian is then to come out of the funk and hope again in God's goodness. With a renewed heart they can cherish fellowship with the Lord above all earthly blessings. We see such a process occur within the heart of the psalmist Asaph, as recorded in Psalm 73. Asaph's journey into and out of the darkness of his soul is a warning and an encouragement to all of us who find our own hearts similarly struggling.

The Confession of a Clear Perspective, Psalm 73:1
The psalm begins curiously with a conclusion--sort of an introductory conclusion. In the first verse he declares that, "Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart." This conclusion is vital since it reveals his state of mind at the writing of the psalm. He is going to give a raw account of when he was once in a "bad head-space," but at present he is in his right mind. He has a clarity over what he felt during that dark time and sees the folly for what it is. This conclusion is also encouraging for it shows that there can be faith at the end of the tunnel.

The word "confession" often invokes a negative reaction in people. Criminals confess crimes to the police; sinners confess transgressions to a priest. Yet "confession" also has a positive slant. Churches have confessions of faith wherein they boldly declare what they believe about God. Verse one is such a positive confession: "Truly God is good." This is the bedrock of all true faith, that God is truly good to the believer. No matter what, God intends good for his children. This was Asaph's conclusion which he returned to at the back-end of all his trials. He inserts it at the front-end of his psalm because he wants us to stand on this truth before our own trial begins. So before you have that meeting with your boss to be told that your position has been made redundant or doctors appointment with your oncologist, tell yourself, "Truly God is good."

The Complaint of a Bitter Soul, verses 2-16
Asaph moves from his confession of faith to his confession of sin in verses 2-16, when he recounts a dark season in his life when his faith was slip, sliding away, "But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped." (v.2). Such language depicts a person losing his faith, but did he actually lose it? It depends on how we define faith. In Hebrews 11:1, faith is defined as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." He had lost all assurance, conviction, and hope, so in one sense he did lose his faith. When he assessed himself he said that "my flesh and heart may fail" (v.26). He was "brutish and ignorant" and like a "beast" (v.22). His "soul was embittered" and his "heart pricked" (v.21). And if he were to have given voice to all of his dark thoughts he "would have betrayed" the faith of other believers (v. 15). He no longer believed that God was good to him. So at a practical level he had emotionally and practically lost his faith. But, you will notice those two little adverbs in verse 2: "almost" and "nearly." There still is hope.

What was behind this erosion of faith? His envy of the wicked. "For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." (v.3). He was continually frustrated by the worldly success of unbelievers. Their life seemed to be pain-free and prosperous (v.12). And then because of all their success they exuded pride, threatened violence, and spoke foolishly (v.6-8) They even mocked religion and the very idea of divine justice. Since there was no immediate negative consequences to their blasphemies, people began to doubt if God takes any notice. "How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?" (v.11). This type of arrogant secularism is exploding in our day with the militant atheists, social progressives, and LGBTQ activists. Whereas in the past opponents of religion were at least respectful, now Christians must endure people who "set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth." (v.9)

If the success of the wicked wasn't bad enough, his bitterness is stoked by his own personal misery. He gripes, "All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence." (v.13) He concluded that he was righteous in vain. It was pointless to be godly. Where were all the blessings for keeping God's law that the book of Deuteronomy promised? Doesn't Psalm 1 say that the believer's leaf will not whither and every thing they do will prosper!? It seemed that all he got was hardship. "For all day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning." (v. 14) Implied in his complaint is a growing cynicism over God's justice. Perhaps you can relate to these inner complaints when you don't think your life has been blessed enough.

Trying to reckon with the reality of this situation tormented him:"But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed like a wearisome task." (v. 16). It was just too painful to figure out. You might wonder then if Asaph's depiction of the success of the wicked and the misery of the righteous was his own warped perception of reality, or a faithful accounting of how life actually is? It is certainly true that there are many highly successful and wealthy Christians throughout the world. Likewise, there are many rotten sinners who have made a devastating wreck of their lives. But we should heed the instructions of Jesus in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). The rich man wore fine linen and feasted sumptuously his whole life. He represents the non-elect unbeliever who lives his whole life apart from the fear of God. In contrast, Lazarus is resigned to a life of homelessness, begging, and physical affliction. Lazarus is the Christian. Jesus seems to have a pretty low estimate of the average quality of life of the believer in this world.

So when your heart is festering in bitterness over your plight in life, how should you deal with it?First, watch yourself. When your hope in God's goodness has failed, be on guard, for you are in a dangerous place. Bitterness can be benign, but it can turn malignant. A hurting heart can turn into a hardened heart, and your slide into unbelief can lead to a complete falling away. Second, don't vent to people. When you believe that God no longer intends good for you, do not spew forth this ignorant nonsense to other believers. Looking back, Asaph writes, "'If I had said, 'I will speak thus,' I would have betrayed the generation of your children." (v.15). He recognises how damaging his faithless words would have been to the faith of other believers. The writer of Hebrews warned similarly to be careful that "no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble and by it many become defiled." (Hebrews 12:15). Lastly, if you need to vent, complain to God. That is a valid expression of prayer. God can handle it. He's got a thick skin. Besides he already knows what you are feeling. The book of Psalms is packed with the moaning and groaning of God's saints as they endure hardship in life. They cry out, "Why?!" and "How long?!" You may find that as you express your complaint a word of wisdom will return to you heart.

The Comprehension of Ultimate Reality, verses 17-28
It seems that all hope is lost for Asaph. But then he goes to church, and everything changes. "Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end." (v.17). When he entered God's house he gained a new perspective. By looking at the world he had an observation of reality, but in God's house he gained a revelation of reality. In God's house resides God's Word, and the Scriptures reveal a greater reality than what we can merely see. In the Scriptures we learn the ultimate truth concerning God's character, purposes, and the fate of all people.

In God's house he saw the future of the wicked, and it was not pretty. God has set the wicked "in slippery places" and he "will make them fall to ruin." (v. 18). They are "destroyed in a moment" and "swept away." The destruction gets worse. The wicked are like a nightmare which is quickly forgotten (v.20). People who "depart" from God will "perish" (v.27). A stronger translation of the second clause of v. 27 states that "you annihilate everyone who whores against you." So when does this "end" occur? Sometimes it is sooner than anticipated. Judgments comes both in time and eternity. The wicked person in this psalm mirrors the life of the American financier Jeffrey Epstein. He was a brilliant and charismatic figure who socialised with political leaders, royalty, movie stars, singers, and media moguls. His private jets flew him to his numerous mansions throughout the world and his two private islands in the Caribbean. However, he was eventually convicted as a sex offender and was under arrest for child prostitution charges. This past August, while awaiting trial Epstein managed to hang himself in his jail cell. He "was destroyed in a moment." (v.19) Absent any evidence of repentance onto Christ, his terror had just began. For the promise of terror follows into eternity. Like the rich man in the parable, Epstein will experience the torments of hell wishing for one drop of water on his tongue to alleviate his misery. So, don't envy the wicked. You don't want to be that guy.

This revelation from God is Asaph's future consolation, but the presence of God is his present comfort. He confessed that during his bitter, dark night of the soul he had become like a "brutish... beast." (v.22) God could rightly abandon him for his faithlessness. But in v. 23 Asaph declares that "Nevertheless, I am continually with you." What a beautiful word: "Nevertheless," conjunctions like "but" and "nevertheless" are some of the most theologically powerful words in the Bible (see Ephesians 2:4). He had lost hope in God, but he was still held by God. "You hold my right hand. You guide me with counsel." (v.23-24) In spite of his loss of faith, God remains faithful to him. That is why he added the words "almost" and "nearly" earlier in v. 2. God sustained him through the trial of faith. The doctrine of the perseverance of faith of the saints is undergirded by the doctrine of the preservation of the saints by God. What utter nonsense is that saying "God never gives you more than you can bear." Wrong! God always gives more than you can bear. This occurs so that you will learn to trust in God and not your own strength. Asaph said, "My flesh and my heart may fail,  but God is the strength [rock] of my heart." (v.26) When your faith fails, you learn that God is the real source and strength of your faith.

Asaph also considers his own end. In v. 24 he declares that "afterward you will receive me to glory." The Hebrew verb for "receive" is better translated "take." It is not that God is waiting to welcome him in heaven, but that God is taking him there. God has never left his side. In the end, the ending is all that matters. At least that is what Jesus taught. Verse 24 may be one of the most clear references in the Old Testament to the hope of a glorious afterlife in the presence of God. This is the ultimate hope, not all the goodness of this world. The apostle Paul thought so, "If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied." (1 Cor 15:19)

Asaph also had a hope in this world, but it was not connected to the fleeting pleasures and glory of this age. In spite of all his trouble he could conclude, "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing that I desire upon earth besides you." (v. 25) The wicked may consider all the good things of this world to be their portion in life, but Asaph declares that "God is my portion." (v.26) The presence of God is his highest good. After all the disappointments and bitterness has faded, we ultimately return to the core affection of our soul. We quietly sing once again: "Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus. You can have all this world. Give me Jesus." This is where we always end up after we are stripped of everything else. To be near the one who was a "man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" becomes more precious than any material thing. During the suffering you may find a fellowship with Christ which the days of success could never afford. So he concludes his psalm the way he started it. "But as for me it is good to be near God." (v.28) For he knows "truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart."

“The Word in the Wilderness” (Matthew 4:1-4)

The barren places in our life are where our faith flourishes the most. After the glorious launch of Jesus’ ministry at his baptism one would expect him to immediately embark on a world-changing ministry tour. Instead the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness for forty days to be tempted by the devil (4:1). A wilderness is a barren place where all the good things of life are absent. No food, shelter, or creature-comforts. In our life God leads us into places and seasons where we lack the good things of life, whether it be financial, health, or relationships. When we are put in such situations we often wonder if it is due to some flaw in our character or conduct for which God is punishing us. Clearly that cannot be the case with Jesus. God had just pronounced Jesus to be the beloved Son. Since Jesus is his beloved Son, and he has done no wrong, why would God afflict such suffering on him? This is actually a comforting question, for the hardships in our own lives are often due to our righteousness, not our sin.

A troublesome aspect of this story is that the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted. This seems to contradict those portions of Scripture that teach that God does not tempt believers (James 1:13), and that we ought to petition God to “led us not into temptation” (Matthew 6:13). This tension can be resolved when we understand that the Greek word for “to tempt” (peirazo) also carries the sense of “to test.” The one event involves two purposes. The devil is tempting Jesus with the intention of ruining his faith; God is testing Jesus with the intention of refining his faith. One’s intentions matter. Jesus was put to the test in order to prove his obedience (Hebrews 2:10; 4:15; 5:8). Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness is patterned after the nation of Israel who was tested for forty years in the desert to see “what was in their heart” (Deuteronomy 8:2). What an awful place for Jesus’ obedience to be put to the test. It is very difficult to stay faithful in harsh circumstances. Such a contrast to the temptation of Adam and Eve, who failed in the midst of the paradise of Eden.

The three temptations of the devil strike at core aspects of true faithfulness. In this first attack upon Jesus, Satan leads with a reference to Jesus being “the Son of God.” Most people assume this is a reference to Jesus’ divinity. The title “the Son of God” is derived from Psalm 2 where God will install his Son to be the king of the universe. Thus, “the Son of God” moniker primarily refers to Jesus’ authority in this world. By faithful obedience to the Father Jesus will be crowned the King of Kings, having absolute power over everything. Thus, Satan is provoking Jesus to use a tiny portion of that power to fix his awful circumstances and alleviate his hunger. There is no need to submit to the Spirit’s leading. As Fleetwood Mac sang and Isuzu trucks promote, Satan suggests, “Go your own way! Go your own way!” This strikes at the core issue of whether we are willing to submit to God’s will in our life when it leads us into tough places. How temping it is to invoke our own will and authority to chose our own better path. 

Satan’s suggestion of turning stones to bread seems such a small, harmless thing. Sometimes the small things can be the most dangerous (one bite of fruit or one night with Bathsheba). Jesus was hungry and it would meet his need. You’ve got to eat to live, right? How easy it is to rationalise doing your own thing when needs are at stake. It seems like a perfectly reasonable suggestion. But where is the line between needs and wants? We tend to throw a lot of wants into the need category, and wants expand until they encompass the world. 

Jesus responds to Satan with a Bible verse. All of Jesus’ responses to Satan begin with “It is written,” and all three quotes are from the book of Deuteronomy. The only real defence against Satan is the word of God, which is the “sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17). And unlike Eve who was unclear about God’s commandment (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-6) Jesus knew God’s word precisely. Knowing the Bible accurately in all its contents and doctrines is absolutely necessary to withstand the onslaught of temptation that Christians face in this world.

Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” The key issue is what does life consist of? Life is more than just bread. “Bread” is used as a synecdoche for all the good things of this life that we need to live. As physical beings we need things to live, but we are more than just physical. Made up of body and soul we also have needs which affect our inward being, and these should be given the priority of importance. Jesus would later teach that “life is more than food, and the body more than clothing” (Matthew 6:25) so “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). However, the vast majority of people presume that obtaining more money, and all the “bread” it purchases, is the key to having a good life.

In contrast, Jesus holds that life is found through submitting to “every word that comes from the mouth of God.” The contrast between “bread” and “word” should not be reduced to a choice between reading the Bible or eating pizza. Attaining life through God’s word has a number of facets. God’s word should serve as the ultimate authority and source of truth in your life. God’s word is the means by which we enter into eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. God’s word instructs, transforms, and rejoices our soul. God’s word also is God’s revealed will for our life which informs us in all manners of righteous and wise living. Lastly, God’s word also refers to the sovereign decrees which govern the course of our life. The word of God determines all things in life and grants us good things by which we live. This last facet of God’s word is perhaps the toughest word to live by. Our faith must trust in God’s will for our life. Our wills must submit to God’s plans, even through the hardest times. With Job we must say, “Though he slay me, I will hope in him.” (Job 13:15).

The wilderness puts your faith to the test, so that your faith will grow. If you had to confront Satan on your own he would make mince-meat of you. The gospel hope is that Jesus’ victory enables your victory. Since Jesus has prevailed over every temptation he is able to aid you when you are tempted. Since you are united to Christ, the triumphant Jesus gives you support through his Spirit within you. You too can persevere in your time of testing. In the wilderness when Satan tempts you to no longer trust in God’s will and go your own way, Jesus will help you say, “I will live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

The Worth of Work in a World of Vanity: The Evaluation of Human Vocation in the Book of Ecclesiastes

Abstract of Thesis

A critical issue in interpreting the book of Ecclesiastes is the determination of Qohelet’s primary purpose. This thesis argues that Qohelet is driven by a quest to evaluate the aims and results of human vocation for the purpose of guiding the reader towards a preferable mode of living. Qohelet is primarily concerned about whether human labour is able to achieve its intended goals, thus teleology is the main lenses through which to interpret the book. Ecclesiastes can be structured within a framework of Qohelet’s negative critiques of futile work and his positive advice for effective living. Essential to understanding the theme of the work is a knowledge of the key work (עמל,עשה ,ענין ) and benefit (יתרון, טוב, שמחה, חלק) terms in Ecclesiastes. The הבלmotif establishes both the perpetual nature of a corrupted world and specific instances of human futility in vocation. In Qohelet’s observations of human work, he highlights numerous הבלscenarios wherein people fail to achieve their aspired aims and gives analysis of the futility. Integral to determining the worth of work is an understanding how human accomplishments fit within the wider scheme of the events of life. This knowledge is beyond human wisdom and knowledge capabilities, which frustrates an accurate assessment of the worth of work. Qohelet’s heuristic method first “tears down” human labour in order to “build up” human work through the fear of God and the use of wisdom. In the enjoyment passages and wisdom admonitions Qohelet gives advice on modes of living which emphasize the divine bestowal of benefits from labour along with the advantages of applying wisdom. Though the book begins on a negative note in his critiques of human vocation, Qohelet ends on a positive note, with a promise of hope that human work in this life “under the sun” has true value.