Simeon: Waiting for the Consolation of Israel

 

Simeon

Today we come to a man named Simeon. All we know about him is found in Luke 2:25-35. His is a very remarkable story, I would even say a powerful story. I’m a simple guy, so once more let’s just go through the passage and see what we can learn about faith from Simeon.

25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
Right away we see four things about this man:

whose name was Simeon – He was named after the second of the 12 sons of Jacob

just and devout – he loved the Lord and was faithful and careful to obey and serve Him

waiting for the consolation of Israel - the consolation of Israel is Messiah, who will bring the kingdom of God (righteousness, peace, joy; deliverance from their enemies). Right away his faith is expressed - he believed the promise of the coming Christ, and he waited patiently for him to come. In addition, since he knew the promises, he knew the 70 weeks of Daniel was fulfilled and the time for Christ to come was upon them. He was waiting and anticipating the coming of Christ, and living a life prepared for him!

and the Holy Ghost was upon him – even though this is the gospel of Luke, these are still Old Testament times and this is the Old Testament way of saying he had been filled with the Spirit. As Luke will later describe Barnabas, “For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith.” (Acts 11:24). This is the “promise of the Father” spoken of by the Lord Jesus and under the New Testament every believer can be filled with the Spirit.

Righteous, devout, waiting for the coming of Christ, the Holy Spirit upon him. I would be happy if someone described me this way!

26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Not only all that, it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. This is truly amazing! He didn’t know exactly when he would die, but he knew it wouldn't be until he had seen Christ. He knew the promises of the coming of Messiah, he had discerned the times and knew it was soon, and he had been told he would personally see the Lord’s Christ. By faith he waited to see Christ.

27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

After the custom of the law – which is described in Luke 2:21-24, And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

This included circumcision on the eighth day and then…

days of her purification – how long was this after he was born? 40 days. But the Jewish practice was, "a new mother does not bring her offering on the fortieth day for a male, nor on the eightieth day for a female, but after her sun is set: and she brings her offering on the morrow, which is the forty first for a male, and the eighty first for a female: and this is the day of which it is said, "when the days of her purifying are fulfilled for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring" (Lev 12:6). 
So this is the 41st day after Jesus was born.

he came by the Spirit into the temple – that is, the Holy Spirit somehow told him to go to the temple, and he did. This is what we now know as being led by the Spirit and walking in the Spirit. He had faith to be filled with the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit. Simeon is basically living the normal Christian life.

28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
This is kind of unexpected – Joseph and Mary walk into the temple and suddenly a man they don’t know takes their baby from their arms! But then perhaps they weren’t too shocked because they had both seen an angel and had shepherds show up the night he was born.

29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
Wow! This is pretty cool!

mine eyes have seen thy salvation – this is, oh praise God, this is so good…salvation is not some thing God gives us or even does for us, salvation is a person, it is Jesus. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

before the face of all people – Simeon saw that Jesus was salvation for all people.

A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel – all the peoples!! Simeon had faith to see that Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, came for all the peoples of the world.

33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
Joseph and his mother marvelled – they were probably still processing the fact that their son is the Messiah. And now this! Sometimes, when we read the gospels, we forget they didn’t know as much as we do. What we know for certain, they were living through and trying to grasp and fathom. Mary just had a baby, he’s 41 days old, and they’re being told he will be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel? This is a lot to take in.

Then Simeon prophesies over them. And it’s a hard word – a sword shall pierce through thine own soul. Why would this be? Simeon saw the pain and sorrow Jesus would endure and that this would break her heart. As Isaiah had prophesied:

He was despised, shunned by men, A man of suffering, familiar with disease. As one who hid his face from us, He was despised, we held him of no account. Yet it was our sickness that he was bearing, Our suffering that he endured. We accounted him plagued, Smitten and afflicted by God; But he was wounded because of our sins, Crushed because of our iniquities. He bore the chastisement that made us whole, And by his bruises we were healed. (Isaiah 53:3-5, Tanakh)

Mine eyes have seen thy salvation - Amen. This child is the Christ, the consolation of Israel, the very one spoken of by Jacob way back in Genesis 49:18, I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD. By faith Simeon was righteous and devout; by faith he was waiting for the consolation of Israel; by faith he had the Spirit upon him; by faith he had been told he would see Christ; by faith he followed the Spirit’s leading and went into the temple; by faith he prophesied over the holy family. He believed that Jesus was the Christ of God.

My prayer is that I would walk in faith like Simeon!

His name is Jesus, Jesus,
Sad hearts weep no more.
He has healed the broken hearted,
Opened wide the prison doors,
He is able to deliver evermore.

TUESDAY: Anna

The Shepherds - Faith to Testify

 

The Shepherds – faith to testify

This is the 8th Portrait of Faith. I have been blessed, encouraged, challenged, and warned as I have gone through the previous seven. And remember, if you haven’t read all of the previous posts, you can always navigate through the posts and catch up.

Today we come to the shepherds. Sheep and shepherds have a long and wonderful history throughout the Scriptures. From the beginning shepherds have played a major role in the history of Israel. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and David were shepherds. The leaders of Israel were regarded as shepherds. YHWH said He was the shepherd of His people. Ezekiel prophesied that Messiah would be a shepherd, and Jesus declared,  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. So it’s rather appropriate that shepherds play a central role in the birth of Jesus Christ.

The shepherds are found in Luke 2:8-20. Seems to me the best plan is to simply go through the passage.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
We have no idea how many shepherds were abiding in the field that night, nor any of their names.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
They’re just minding their business, doing their job, when an angel shows up!

sore afraid - I love the expressiveness of the KJV! The Greek word for sore is megas, which basically means “great.” But it is used is several ways, and here it refers to intensity, great fear, deeply felt fear; sore afraid expresses it so picturesquely.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy - the angel has good news, Christ the Lord has been born!

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! We would have arranged a press conference with media outlets all over the world, or gone straight to the political powers of the world, but God makes the official birth announcement to shepherds, in the middle of the night, while everyone important was asleep.

We don’t know anything about these guys, but the angel’s announcement indicates they were familiar with the hope of Israel, were well informed, and were probably waiting for Christ and the kingdom of God.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
The shepherds not only got one angel, they got a multitude of the heavenly host! The birth of Jesus was a big event. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. The coming of Christ brings peace and good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
They understood the announcement to also be an invitation. They believed the angel.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
came with haste – they didn’t waste time discussing it or analyzing it; they believed and went.

found Mary – how did they find the holy family? We’re not told how, just that they did. They believed and God led them. God is good…All the time. When your heart is stirred to seek Jesus, you will find Him. Hallelujah! I said not, Seek ye me in vain for ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
Ah, here is the main point, they had faith to testify. As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:13 (quoting Psalm 116:10), We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak. This testifying is not forced, no, we speak what we believe, even as the Lord Jesus said, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. My entire ministry was in churches that practiced “testifying.” I miss that. The shepherds believed the angel and went to see this child, and made known abroad what they had heard and seen.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
People wondered, Mary pondered, the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God.

Glorifying and praising God - You know they weren't quiet, reserved, and dignified - they were praising God out loud; probably loudly; maybe even shouting!! Does my faith in Christ moved me like this? Then, when you get filled with the Holy Spirit, the church meeting will most likely be lively!


Clap your hands all ye people,
Shout unto God with a voice of triumph!
Clap your hands all ye people,
Shout unto God with a voice of praise!

Hosanna, hosanna,
Shout unto God with a voice of triumph!
Praise Him, praise Him.
Shout unto God with a voice of praise!
(Jimmy Owens / Carol Owens, 1972)

Thursday: Simeon

Elisabeth - ready to believe

Elisabeth – ready to believe

Today we come to Elisabeth, wife of Zacharias. We have seen Joseph, the wise men, Herod, the chief priests & scribes, Zacharias, and Mary. Like a diamond, reflecting the light from its many sides, they serve as excellent illustrations of the different aspects of faith. Elisabeth is a portrait of a wonderful and beautiful faith.

I noticed something in these portraits of faith that I think is very interesting – Joseph saw an angel, Zacharias saw an angel, Mary saw an angel; Elisabeth did not. She is the only one of the inner circle who had no divine visitation. Let’s get to her story, which all takes place in Luke 1.

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
Elisabeth was the daughter of a priest. She appears to have been named after Aaron’s wife, Elisheba (which in Greek is Elisabet, and in English, Elisabeth). She was righteous, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no children, which she herself calls a reproach (v 25).*

And they had no child - And to make it worse, they were now well stricken in years. So old that the hope of having children had died. If they were unable to have children when they were young and in the prime of life, it was an impossibility now. When I looked at Zacharias I suggested that the failure to have children, the unanswered prayer, had resulted in discouragement. The question, as we consider Elisabeth, is, did she share his despondency?

21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
Elisabeth was not with Zacharias in the temple when the angel appeared to him. But surely he told her about it when he got home (wrote it down). I believe the evidence demonstrates that he told her about the angel and the promise of a son. After all, when the baby was born, she wanted to name him John (see v 60).

24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
But did she have faith? It doesn’t say, but I am absolutely convinced that when Zacharias explained what had happened to him in the temple and the promise of the angel, her heart was filled with faith. By faith she took steps to get pregnant and praised the Lord when she conceived. And God’s commentary on this as told to Mary, And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.

39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
I asked, Did Elisabeth have faith? The answer is supplied abundantly here – YES!
What a wonderful and amazing passage! The babe in her womb leaped at hearing the voice of Mary and Elisabeth herself was filled with the Holy Ghost.
She spake out with a loud voice – it seems that prophecy was uttered in a loud voice.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb – as excited and thrilled as Elisabeth was to be pregnant in her old age, she knew Mary was blessed among women because of the baby she carried.
And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? – has she faith? Yes! She knew that the babe in Mary’s womb was the Lord Christ.
And blessed is she that believed – she blesses Mary for believing, but she also believed. Mary believed that she, a virgin, would have a son; Elisabeth believed that God would give her, an old woman past childbearing years, a son. The power of God is on full display here and these women are walking in faith!

56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house - Mary seems to have remained with her until just before the delivery.

57 Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
What she said of Mary can be said of her, Blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John.
These neighbors and cousins seem rather pushy to me, trying to name her baby and arguing with her about her chosen name! But Elisabeth was full of faith and stood her ground, Not so; but he shall be called John.

Elisabeth was a woman who believed God. She was ready to believe. I don’t mean she was gullible and would believe just anything, but that she was a woman who walked with God and was quick to believe Him.

When the weather gets cold enough, slowly the top of a creek freezes, but there is still running water under the ice, just waiting for an opportunity to bubble up and freely run. Here is a photo of Horseshoe Falls. It was about 15° that day and Flat Fork Creek was nearly frozen solid, yet a small rivulet was still flowing!

That was Elisabeth. She had faith in God, and even if she had grown discouraged, as soon as the Word came her faith bubbled up once again! She believed the most amazing things without the assistance of an angel, or dream, or star. All she had was Zacharias’ report of his angelic visitor and the promises spoken to him. She laid hold of them and pressed on! She had faith to receive grace to conceive, faith to recognize Christ, and faith to rejoice in God's grace. She had a quiet but sturdy and steady faith. This is a testimony to pay attention to and emulate!


Ah, Lord God, Thou has made the heavens
And the earth by thy great power
Ah, Lord God, Thou has made the heavens
And the earth by Thine out-stretched arm

Nothing is too difficult for Thee
Nothing is too difficult for Thee
Great and mighty God (clap clap)
Great in counsel and mighty in deed
Nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing
Nothing is too difficult for Thee
(Kay Chance, 1976)


TUESDAY: The Shepherds

* “For the ancient Israelites, fulfilling the first commandment given by God in the Bible - “Be fruitful and multiply” - was thus a need urgently felt.” (“Women in Ancient Israel and the Hebrew Bible”, article by Susan Ackerman). Consequently, marriage was the norm and childbearing was the expectation and hope of every married couple.

The Blessed Virgin Mary

 

The Blessed Virgin Mary

That’s quite a title! But, as we will quickly see, it is a deserved one.

Mary is a central figure in the Christmas story. (You see how nothing gets past me??) First, I will look at why she is the “Blessed Virgin” and then, when I examine her faith, I will point out some aspects of faith we haven’t seen before. All of this is from Luke 1.

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and favor is related
28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

In the sixth month refers to Elisabeth’s pregnancy (we will look at her faith next).

Hail, thou that art highly favoured / thou hast found favor with God – In the phrases Thou that art highly favored (28) and thou hast found favor (30) the word favor is related to grace. On top of this Gabriel says to her, Blessed art thou among women (28).

As the Douay-Rheims Bible (translation from the Latin) puts verse 28:
And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

This is where the Catholic and Orthodox churches get, “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.” If we believe the Bible, we need to admit she is indeed the Blessed Virgin.

In my early years in the faith, I was among the saints who were so afraid of being considered Catholic that they either ignored Mary or made sure to declare she was really nothing special. None of that for me now. I don’t worship her, but she is indeed The Blessed Virgin Mary! Blessed is she that believed. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

Why was Mary blessed among women? She was chosen by God to give birth to the Messiah. This would have been the hope and dream of every Jewish girl in those days, and Mary is the girl!!

Now on to her faith. Elisabeth said, Blessed is she that believed. So right away we know that she believed Gabriel.

she was troubled at this saying - this shows her humility. That’s when the angel repeats, Thou hast found favor with God. He then proceeds to tell her she shall conceive and bear a son, and that her son will be the Son of the highest, and sit on the throne of David as King of Israel. In other words, the Messiah (31-33)!

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

One minor problem, “I’m a virgin. How shall this be?” It seems she understood the angel’s words to mean she’s going to get pregnant now. Zacharias had a similar question, “Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.” Is she about to lose her speech as well?

35 the angel answered and said unto her – rather than rebuke her, Gabriel explains how this will work. Why did Zacharias receive a rebuke and Mary an explanation? Zacharias demanded proof. He had prayed for this blessing and was now skeptical, a fancy word for unbelief. Mary on the other hand only wanted to know how in her case it would be possible to conceive, after all, Zacharias and Elisabeth were going to conceive the old-fashioned way. The angel ended his explanation with, 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. He was helping her faith! Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. He had given her the Word from God; he had explained how this Word would come to pass; now he adds this, with God nothing shall be impossible. Fuel for faith!

38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

This is powerful! She believed what he told her! “God said it, I believe it, that settles it for me.” Mary heard the word and believed it. Amen! But there are aspects of faith which we’ve not seen before.

(1) There were going to be repercussions to her turning up pregnant: she wasn’t married so she could expect family and social difficulties; there was also a great risk of losing her husband-to-be. Believing the Lord included trusting Him with the details and the fallout. This is important. She believed the promise, but she also trusted the Lord.

(2) And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. There are several words that have been used to describe this: yield, surrender, submit; they all involve the will. She heard the promise, You will have a son who will be Messiah and believed it; she trusted the Lord to work this out in real time; and she said, “I submit myself to your plan.” I haven’t mentioned submission before, but this is often a vital step to faith, “I’m yours, Lord, have your way in my life.” This is an essential step in the deeper life in Christ.

Here is Mary’s faith. And what great faith it is! She has faith to receive a work she cannot do herself. She not only believes the words of the angel, in faith she offers herself to God for Him to do His work in her. And as she believed for grace to conceive, she believed for grace to enable her to handle the consequences of being pregnant before being married.

Mary is indeed blessed among women and a woman of great faith.

All to Jesus I surrender,
All to him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust him,
In his presence daily live.

I surrender all,
I surrender all,
All to thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
(Judson W. Van DeVenter, 1896)

THURSDAY: Elisabeth

 

Zacharias - Discouragement to delight

 

This is the 5^th in my series Portraits of Faith, in which I examine the faith of the people surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ. I’ve already looked at Joseph, the wise men, Herod, and the chief priests and scribes. The last two, Herod and the priests, were sobering, they had a “faith” I want to avoid - because of their malformed faith they missed out on the grace found in Christ. Today we see Zacharias, a backslider restored. He is probably my favorite because I can so easily relate to him.

Zacharias – Discouragement to Delight

Here is an interesting little tidbit to begin with - more space is devoted to Zacharias than any one else in the first two chapters in both Matthew and Luke. All of this is from Luke 1.

1:5-7 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

Zacharias and Elisabeth are introduced:- he was a priest and she was the daughter of a priest; they were righteous, which is explained as walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless, or as Tyndale translated it, no man could find fault with them.

Sadly, they had no child, which was a keenly felt source of reproach among the Jews. And to make it worse, they were now well stricken in years (I like how Wycliffe translated it, and both had gone far in their days). They were old. How old? So old that the hope of having children had died. If they were unable to have children when they were young and in the prime of life, it was an impossibility now.

1:8-10 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

“We are informed in the Talmud, that it was the custom of the priests to divide the different functions of the sacerdotal office among themselves by lot: and, in this case, the decision of the lot was, that Zacharias should at that time burn the incense before the Lord, in the holy place...Incense was burnt twice a day in the temple, in the morning and in the evening. The incense was itself an emblem of the prayers and praises of the people of God. While, therefore, the priest is performing the rite, the people are employed in the thing signified. Happy the people who attend to the spirit as well as the letter of every divine institution!” (Adam Clarke)

1:11-12 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

I have learned that supernatural experiences in the temple were not uncommon, nevertheless seeing an angel always resulted in fear.

1:13-17 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Zacharias is afraid but the angel comes with great news! Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. This is wonderful! and amazing! and awesome!

And it gets even better: He, your son, the answer to your prayer, will be the forerunner of Messiah! Yes, the time is fulfilled, Christ is about to appear, and your son will prepare the people for him. Exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

1:18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

What??? This is great news and Zacharias is stumbling over it.

1:19-20 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

Here’s the problem – Zacharias didn’t believe Gabriel. As a result he was unable to speak until the boy was born. Why didn’t Zacharias believe this announcement? We are not told, but I’m persuaded it was discouragement. They had prayed with faith and expectation for years, and nothing had happened. That’s discouraging. Now, "I am old, and my wife hath gone far in her days. This can’t happen, it is a physical impossibility." How sad - discouragement has robbed this righteous man of faith in the power of God. This still happens. Discouragement keeps us from believing God, and we slowly stop expecting God to answer our prayer, maybe even praying about it at all.

Now to be sure the angel is asking Zacharias to believe a lot – “Hey, old man, your old lady is gonna have a baby.” But in the angelic worldview, God said it and that settles it, so he doesn’t take kindly to this unbelief, as a result Zacharias will be unable to speak.

And now for “the rest of the story.” Yeah, it doesn’t end here. I believe Zacharias, when he was smitten by the angel, repented of his unbelief and believed the word and promise of the Lord. I think we have three proofs of this repentance in the rest of the chapter.

1:21-24 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months...

He finished his week of ministry, went home, told Elisabeth what happened, and then in faith, well, they were married! And Elisabeth conceived! Oh his faith is soaring now! That’s First.

Second
1:57-63 Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.

Elisabeth not only conceives, she goes full term and delivers a baby, a boy, just as the angel announced. When it is time to give this boy a name, Zacharias goes with John. He was indeed a righteous man, and when he stumbled, he repented, believed, and obeyed.

and Third
1:64,67 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God... And was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

He prophesied. Yes, his mouth was opened and he prophesied, which can only be done by faith. (His prophecy, 68-80, is one of the most powerful sections in the whole New Testament. Sadly, we are not looking at this today.)

Zacharias walked in obedience and righteousness, but became discouraged and lost faith; but to his credit, once rebuked he repented and believed again, and in that faith knew his wife, had a baby, named him John, and prophesied of the salvation of God. Oh the grace of God!

What does Zacharias teach me about faith? Pray. Pray. Pray again, believing the Lord to answer my prayer. And if discouragement creeps in and faith and prayer falter, repent and believe the Lord again, and pray until God answers my prayer!


When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
(John H. Sammis, 1887)


TUESDAY: Mary

The chief priests and scribes

 

Portraits of Faith is a look at the faith of the people surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ. I have already considered Joseph - faith to obey, the wise men - faith to worship, and Herod - faith without repentance. If you missed any of these you can always go back and read them. Today we see the chief priests and scribes.

The Chief Priests and Scribes - faith without works

Matthew 2:3-6
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel

This is all that is said about the chief priests and scribes at the time of Christ’s birth. I don’t see anything about faith. And that’s the point.

We know they heard the story of the wise men – Herod was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. This could hardly not include them. They heard the wise men were looking for the king of Israel and that his birth had been announced by a star. When Herod asked them where Christ was to be born, they were ready with the answer, Bethlehem. And it was the right answer - they knew the Scriptures and the hope of Israel.

So, they heard the report of Christ being born. They told Herod where to look. And that’s the last we read of them. The wise men go on to Bethlehem to worship Christ. Herod seeks to have Christ murdered. They. Do. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. They just go on like nothing has happened. What?!? What is this? Unbelief. Well, for my purpose today it is faith without works. And as James said: faith without works is dead, being alone.

Now wait a minute. They were the chief priests, as such they were very involved in the worship of the temple. That’s works. They were scribes, active in the study and copying of Scripture. That’s also works. How can I then accuse them of having faith without works? In Hebrews 6:1 Paul mentioned repentance from dead works. These are real works or activities, but they are useless, lifeless; having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. Jesus said to the Jews, including the scribes, Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” (John 5:39-40) Their faith was lifeless. This is why I say they had faith without works – They could give the right answers, but did not act on the right answers.

The knew the Scriptures and the hope of the Coming One, but it made no difference in their lives. The wise men arrive and share a supernatural testimony that Christ has been born - they do not believe it. Herod asks them where Christ is to be born - they’re the experts in all things Jewish – they are ready with the correct answer, then go back home. The wise men are moved to worship Christ; Herod to kill the Child; they do nothing. How sad is this? How this must have grieved the heart of the Father – His own people can tell where Christ was to be born, but the report of his birth moves them not an inch. Oh how unbelief hardens the heart!

Take heed, Jeff, lest you think this could not be you. “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief.” (Hebrews 3:12)

Do they tell us anything about Christ? Yes!

[Herod] demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

First, it is written by the prophet. This reemphasizes the importance of the Old Testament and the vital role it plays in the Gospel itself.

Second, And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea. The prophecy was incredibly specific!

Third, out of thee shall come a Governor. The wise men, Herod, and now the priests speak of Christ as king. I’m not the sharpest kid in class, but even I catch this. We almost exclusively talk about Christ as Savior, they’re all talking about Him as king. Must be something to this! This is how the opponents of Paul described his preaching, these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus. (Acts 17:7) Maybe we need to give our current preaching a tune-up?

They offer a slightly paraphrased quote Micah 5:2, probably from the Septuagint:

And thou, Bethleem, house of Ephratha, art few in number to be reckoned among the thousands of Judah; yet out of thee shall one come forth to me, to be a ruler of Israel; and his goings forth were from the beginning, even from eternity.

But notice how they only quoted the first part of the verse. In their defense it may be because they had so little regard for Herod they didn’t want to cast their pearls before swine. But the rest of the verse tells us who this Ruler/Governor/King is:

and his goings forth were from the beginning, even from eternity.

This is amazing! His goings forth were from eternity! This is the Son of God, “begotten of his Father before all worlds” (Nicene Creed). He has been going forth from the beginning: to create all things, to speak to Israel (He is the Word of the LORD), to deliver and save His people Israel, and now to be born of the Virgin. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:18)

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Not a bad testimony from folks who had a dead faith!

King of kings and Lord of lords
Glory (Clap) Hallelujah (2x)

Jesus, Prince of peace
Glory (Clap) Hallelujah (2x)
(Sophie Conty, Naomi Batya, 1980)


Thursday: Zacharias

Herod - faith without repentance

 

Herod – faith without repentance

Matthew 2:3,4,7,16
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

King Herod is right in the middle of all this, as was Pilate at the crucifixion. He was not Jewish, but being in Jerusalem, he would have been familiar with Jewish ways, practice, beliefs, and hopes; and he would have heard about the Coming One. So, when the wise men appear in Jerusalem and cause a stir asking about Christ, he was troubled. He knew who to ask too – he “demanded” of the chief priests and scribes, Where is Christ to be born?

This is interesting. Herod does not appear to have the hope of Christ, yet he believed the wise men that Christ had been born. He believed the chief priests and scribes that Christ was to be born in Bethlehem. He had faith, yet this faith had no affect on him - he was not moved to obedience as Joseph; he was not moved to worship as the wise men. He was moved to seek Christ, but not directly and, it turns out, with evil intent. What’s going on? How can he have faith but receive no blessing from God? This is powerful: Herod had faith without repentance.

He loved his position as king, he loved wielding power, he loved indulging his passions. Joseph was minded to divorce Mary, but when the angel said, “Marry the girl”, he changed his mind and said, Yes. The wise men were living a fine life in the east, but when they saw the star they left that life and came to worship Christ. Yet when Herod heard of Christ, rather than bow to the King, he sought to slay Him so he might continue as sovereign; rather than turn from his iniquity, he sought to kill Him so he might continue in his sin. He believed but to no avail, because he refused to repent.

This is why the Bible everywhere speaks of turning to the Lord.

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Be converted sounds passive, like it is something that happens to you or is done for you, but this word is actually an imperative, just like repent: Repent and turn. As in 1 Thessalonians 1:8-9 ...in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad... how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. Their faith in God moved them to turn to God and away from their idols, that they might serve God and wait for his Son from heaven (see v 10).

What does Herod tell me about Christ? Christ is king. He is a mighty king - simply by being born He is a threat to Herod. He brooks no competition. I cannot be king, He is king. I cannot be lord, He is Lord. I cannot be my own savior, He is Savior!

What then does Herod teach me about faith? If I would have faith that avails with God, that secures His blessings and grace, it must be accompanied by repentance, a turning from self and sin. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way. If I persist in my own way, living my life my way, my faith is empty; if I continue in my sin, my faith is vain. Repentance should be a recurring theme in my life.

Depth of mercy! Can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God His wrath forbear,
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?

I have long withstood His grace,
Long provoked Him to His face,
Would not hearken to His calls,
Grieved Him by a thousand falls.

Pity from Thine eye let fall,
By a look my soul recall;
Now the stone to flesh convert,
Cast a look, and break my heart.

Now incline me to repent,
Let me now my sins lament,
Now my foul revolt deplore,
Weep, believe, and sin no more.
(Charles Wesley, 1740; to Take My Life and Life and Let it Be; repeat final line)


TUESDAY: The chief priests and scribes

The Wise Men

The Wise Men – faith to worship

Matthew 2:1-2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

There came wise men from the east - funny how we want to automatically add three. There could have been three, but to be honest, Matthew doesn’t say how many wise men came.

Who were these ‘wise men’? The word is μαγοι which we transliterate magi. This was the name given by the Babylonians, Medes, Persians, and others, to the wise men, teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, soothsayers, sorcerers.

"The Jews believed that there were prophets in the kingdoms of Saba and Arabia who were of the posterity of Abraham by Keturah; and that they taught in the name of God, what they had received in tradition from the mouth of Abraham. These, knowing the promise of the Messiah, were now, probably, like other believing Jews, waiting for the consolation of Israel.” (Adam Clarke)

This helps! They were waiting for and anticipating the coming of Christ. How did the wise men or magi know to expect Christ? I’m persuaded they knew the ancient prophecy in Numbers 24:17 (LXX)

I will point to him, but not now; I bless him, but he draws not near: a star shall rise out of Jacob, a man shall spring out of Israel; and shall crush the princes of Moab, and shall spoil all the sons of Seth. 

It is interesting that "An ancient and settled persuasion prevailed throughout the east, that the fates had decreed some to proceed from Judea, who should attain universal empire."
(Suetonius (AD 69-122; Roman Historian)

"Many were persuaded, that it was contained in the ancient books of their priests, that at that very time the east should prevail: and that some should proceed from Judea and possess the dominion." 
(Tacitus, AD 56-120; Roman historian)

This is amazing! But to be honest, Scripture is silent on this – it doesn’t explain how they knew to expect Christ. I conclude it doesn’t matter how they knew Christ was coming and would be announced by a star, the facts are: they did know and when they saw the star they immediately set off to find and worship him. They believed he was coming, they believed the star announced he had just been born, and as a direct result of this belief they came to Jerusalem. They had faith to seek Christ.

9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh

In 2:3-8 Herod the king learned where Christ was to be born. He charged the magi to go find him, return, and let him know where he could be found. Armed with more information, they pressed on.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy – I love this! They were being divinely guided in their journey, they knew it, and rejoiced with exceeding great joy! They had the joy of the Lord before they had even met him!

We have found the Christ who’s all in all;
He is everything to us;
O how blest upon His name to call,
How divine, how glorious!

It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Full of glory, full of glory;
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
And the half has never yet been told!
(Barney Elliott Warren, 1900; you can hear it here being sung in a Baptist church)

And when they were come into the house, they fell down, and worshipped him – this was no intellectual or academic journey, they were seeking the King with the full intention of worshipping him. Hallelujah! They had faith to worship.

2:12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
They also had faith to obey. The wise men had a vibrant faith!

What does this mean for me? Faith in Christ is not merely knowing the right things about Christ, it is a spirited and vigorous conviction and trust that moves me to seek Him, to worship Him, and to obey Him.

The wise men teach us that Jesus is Christ. As Christ he is King. And as King he should be worshipped!

This also shows us a little about worship. Worship means to do obeisance to, that is to bend the knee, bow the head, fall down before. In so doing you acknowledge Him to be worthy, glorious, powerful. This is the goal of every worship service: to come to the place where we bow before Him.

At one point in a liturgical service you come to the Sursum Corda (below in bold), which dates back at least to the third century and is found in the earliest liturgies of the Church:

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Celebrant: It is right, our duty and our joy, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
All: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

This is where we want to be, “Lord, I lift up my heart to You.” Worship can be expressed in music, prayer, lifting our hands, bending the knee, but it all begins in the heart.

I want to join the wise men and worship Christ the King!

O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
Christ the Lord
(Adeste Fideles, John Francis Wade, 1751; translated into English as O Come, All Ye Faithful by Frederick Oakeley, 1841)

NEXT: Herod: Faith without repentance

Joseph & Christ

What do we learn about Christ from Joseph?

Matthew 1:20-23
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

While he thought he thought on these things – Joseph was engaged to Mary and found out she was pregnant, consequently, he was thinking about putting her away (divorcing her). While he thought on these things he had a dream from the Lord. In this dream an angel appeared to him and told him ‘the rest of the story.’

that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost – I don’t know if he understood fully what this meant, after all Mary got a much fuller explanation, but the main thing was this means she had not been with another man. This pregnancy is supernatural. Therefore, “Marry the girl.”

she shall bring forth a son – This the best ultrasound in history!

thou shalt call his name JESUS – While this was not a unique name (in Acts 13 there is a man named Bar-Jesus (son of Jesus), which means there were at least 2 other men named Jesus), it is a heavenly name. 

for he shall save his people from their sins – Ἰησοῦς or Iesous is the Greek form of Joshua/Yeshua, “Yahweh saves” or “salvation”. You shall call his name salvation: for he shall save his people from their sins. Hallelujah!

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus; there's just something about that name.
Master, Savior, Jesus, like the fragrance after the rain;
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, let all Heaven and earth proclaim
Kings and kingdoms will all pass away,
But there's something about that name.
(Bill & Gloria Gaither)

I think Joseph is getting the picture by now: Mary is going to give birth to the Messiah!

22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

This is Matthew’s explanation of the significance of all this – it was fulfillment of prophecy. God was so good to announce beforehand the coming of Christ, to announce details so we would recognize him when he came. I know there is a growing trend to cast aside the Old Testament as irrelevant for us today, but this is so wrong. The Old Testament is the foundation for the Gospel, the skeleton for the Body. When you talk to people about Christ they often object, "There are so many religions out there, how can you know the gospel is true?" One way is fulfilled prophecy; prophecies made hundreds of years before they were fulfilled in Christ. We need to be familiar and conversant with the Old Testament!

Behold, a virgin shall be with child - A miraculous conception is a major miracle, but the biggest news is who this child is, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. This is all talking about the child Mary will give birth to; Jesus, who will save his people from their sins.

Did Joseph know this? I mean, was he aware of the prophecy? did he tie this all together? We are not told, but I wouldn’t be surprised. He was Jewish; he knew the Scriptures; and he no doubt shared the hope of the Coming One.

Come, thou long expected Jesus,
Born to set thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to thy glorious throne.
(Charles Wesley)


NEXT: The Wise Men

Portraits of faith - Joseph

 As we enter the Advent and Christmas seasons, our attention is often focused on the first two chapters of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. I am persuaded that all the folks we encounter in these chapters teach us many things about faith that would be worth looking into.

I want to look at the people in these four chapters, in the order they appear, and see what I can learn about faith. It follows then that I would begin with Joseph.

Everything we will see about Joseph is in Matthew 1 & 2.

1:20, 24  But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost . . . Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

2:13-14  And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

2:19-21  But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

2:22-23  But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

Angels played an active part in these chapters - three of Joseph’s encounters involved angels. All four involved dreams. How does this illustrate faith?

First, Joseph believed God speaks to people in dreams – he never doubted that God was speaking to him in his dreams. I remember many of my dreams and I have also had dreams from the Lord. It is really neat that you can tell when your dream is from the Lord!

Second, Joseph believed angels are God’s messengers. They must have identified themselves and he never doubted them for a minute. As I said, I have had a few dreams from the Lord, but I have never seen an angel, but I have a feeling that when angels appear it is pretty evident who they are.

Third, Joseph believed what the angels told him, and he believed this to be the word of the Lord to him and for his situation.

Fourth, each time he had a visit from an angel, or a dream, he believed what he was told to do was from God, and he did it. Every time. Immediately. Joseph had faith to obey.

When you believe you obey: obedience springs from faith. Faith and obedience are like Siamese twins – you never see one without the other. If I say I believe, but I don't obey, then I do not have saving, sanctifying faith; I do not have the faith that pleases God. Throughout the entire Bible, whenever someone believed the Lord it affected what they did; and whenever folks did not obey they were charged with unbelief. We see this in Hebrews 3:15-19:

15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

We see their problem described as “sinned” (17), “believed not” (18), and “unbelief” (19). “Believed not” in v 18 is a word that means they stubbornly refused to be persuaded to believe and obey the Lord. “They chose to sin, and would not believe. Unbelief produced disobedience, and disobedience produced hardness of heart and blindness of mind.” (Adam Clarke)

Rather than singing the song Israel sang in the wilderness, "I don't believe and I won't obey", I would prefer my song to be:

I'll say yes, Lord, yes
To Your will and to Your way
I'll say yes, Lord, yes
I will trust You and obey
When the Spirit speaks to me
With my whole heart I'll agree
And my answer will be
Yes, Lord, yes
(Lynn Edward Keesecker, 1983)


NEXT: Joseph & Christ: What we learn about Christ from Joseph

The just shall live by faith in the New Testament

 

Habakkuk 2:4 is the central verse in this little book. It is also a fundamental principle of the gospel and the New Testament. It is quoted in Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews. I thought it would be good to take a closer look at this.

Let's begin with Habakkuk.

2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

The righteous man will live, will survive the coming days, by his faith. Not by his righteousness, but by his faith. Faith is powerful.

Faith also has priority. It comes before righteous living, righteousness is birthed in faith.

What is this faith? Belief in the Lord, His Word, His ways, His character, His promises, His faithfulness. It is faith that moves me to obey, to be righteous, to be holy; it is faith that helps me ride out the storm. Not simply faith, but faith in the Lord, because faith connects me to Him.

As I have already said, Paul quotes this verse three times in the New Testament. Let’s take a brief look at each one and see how he uses it.

The Epistle to the Romans 

1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Paul quotes this verse to support his message that salvation comes to every one who believes in Jesus Christ - those who are righteous by faith will live. How do we become righteous by faith?

3:21-22 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe...

4:4-5 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Paul spends much of chapter 3 and all of chapter 4 explaining and emphasizing this. Salvation is “unto all and upon all them that believe;” that is, it is offered to and actually given to all who believe in Jesus Christ. The just by faith shall live.

The Epistle to the Galatians

3:10-12 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

Throughout Galatians Paul contrasts justification by the works of the law and justification by the faith of Jesus Christ, and says over and over that we are justified by faith in Christ.

2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

We have believed in Jesus Christ, believed He is the Son of God and trusted Him to save us; through this faith we have been justified, declared righteous, made right with God. The righteous by faith will live.

The Epistle to the Hebrews 

10:35-39
35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

This time Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:3-4 in full. This quote is from the Septuagint or LXX, as is every time Paul quotes Habakkuk. First, the full passage in Habakkuk:

Habakkuk 2:3-4 LXX

3 The vision is yet for a time and will rise up at the end and not in vain; if he seems to delay, wait for him, because he who is coming will come and will not tarry.
4 If he should draw back, my soul has no pleasure in him: but the just shall live by my faith.

You may notice the version in Hebrews is a little different than Habakkuk. It seems that “For yet a little while” is his paraphrase of the first half of v3, "The vision is yet for a time and will rise up at the end and not in vain; if he seems to delay, wait for him." Then he reverses the phrases in v4. Otherwise he is clearing quoting Habakkuk with an emphasis on the just shall live by faith.

There is an interesting expression in Romans 1:17, “from faith to faith.” I have wondered about that expression for a long time. Now I'm persuaded this passage in Hebrews is a wonderful commentary on it. Salvation comes to those who believe in Jesus Christ, they are justified by faith. But this believing in Jesus is not a one off experience, y’know, believe one day and then go your merry way. No, “the righteous shall live by faith,” that is, “believe to the saving of their soul.” On March 4, 1973 I believed in Jesus and was saved. Hallelujah! And lo, these 49 years later I still believe in Jesus. And for all 49 years I have lived by faith, read the Word by faith, prayed by faith, ministered by faith, preached and taught by faith. From faith to faith. Saving faith, walking faith, serving faith, waiting faith. This is exactly what God meant when He told Habakkuk, the just shall live by faith.

In all three quotations Paul is saying that Habakkuk 2:4 reveals a principle, one that is seen throughout the Old Testament, and is now enshrined in the Gospel: righteousness before God comes through faith; and the righteous live for the Lord by faith.



John Chrysostom on “the just shall live by faith”
John Chrysostom (347–407) was an Early Church Father; he was archbishop of Constantinople, and was known as a very eloquent speaker (Chrysostom means "golden-mouthed"). He preached through the Bible verse by verse. Here is his explanation of the the just shall live by faith from his preaching through Romans and Galatians. He says it so much better than I can.

Rom 1:16 the gospel is the power of God unto salvation
For it is not to all absolutely, but to them that receive it. For though thou be a Grecian, and even one that has run into every kind of vice, though a Scythian, though a barbarian, though a very brute, and full of all irrationality, and burdened with the weights of endless sins, no sooner have you received the word concerning the Cross, and been baptized, than you have blotted out all these.

Rom 1.17 for therein is the righteousness of God revealed
and righteousness, not your own, but that of God. For you do not achieve it by toilings and labors, but you receive it by a gift from above, contributing one thing only from your own store, believing. Then since his statement did not seem credible, if the adulterer and effeminate person, and robber of graves, and magician, is not only to be suddenly freed from punishment but to become just, and just too with the highest righteousness; he confirms his assertion from the Old Testament. And first with a short sentence, he lays open a vast sea of histories to one who has a capacity for seeing them. For after having said, from faith to faith, he sends the hearer back to the dispensations of God, which took place thus in the Old Testament, which, when writing to the Hebrews, he explains with his usual great wisdom, showing that both the just and the sinners were justified in that way even then, wherefore also he made mention both of the harlot and of Abraham.

Galatians 3:10-11 For it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them. Now that no man is justified by the Law is evident: for, The just shall live by faith
he again establishes his point by a text which concisely states both points; that no man has fulfilled the Law, (wherefore they are under the curse,) and, that Faith justifies. What then is the text? It is in the book of the prophet Habakkuk, The just shall live by faith, which not only establishes the righteousness that is of Faith, but also that there is no salvation through the Law.

You see how he proves that they are under the curse who cleave to the Law, because it is impossible to fulfill it; next, how comes Faith to have this justifying power? The Law being too weak to lead man to righteousness, an effectual remedy was provided in Faith, which is the means of rendering that possible which was impossible by the Law. Now as the Scripture says, the just shall live by faith, thus repudiating salvation by the Law, and moreover as Abraham was justified by Faith, it is evident that its efficacy is very great.

This is wonderful and comforting news! The just by faith shall live!!

Prayer & Psalm of Habakkuk

 

Chapter 3 Prayer and Psalm of Habakkuk

Chapter 3 is a prayer, psalm, and outburst of praise. It begins, "A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth" (v1) and ends (v19), “To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.” I'm not sure what 'Shigionoth' means, but it appears the entire chapter was meant to be sung. See, nothing gets by me!

He begins (v2) with a powerful prayer, O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. Amen. Is this not a great prayer? As we pray for our church, our city, our country, can this not be our plea, “O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years”? I say, Yes!

Then, in 3-16, we find the heart of the song, which begins:

3:3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.

3:4 And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.

“The prayer of the prophet, in the strictest sense of the word, is contained in the words of verse 2. The rest is, in its form, praise and thanksgiving, chiefly for God’s past mercies in the deliverance from Egypt and the entering into the promised land. But thanksgiving is an essential part of prayer, and Hannah is said to have prayed, whereas the hymn that followed is throughout one of thanksgiving (1 Sam 2:1). In that also these former deliverances were images of things to come, of every deliverance afterward, and, especially, of that complete Divine deliverance which our Lord Jesus Christ wrought for us from the power of Satan, the whole is one prayer. ‘Do, O Lord, as thou hast done of old; forsake not Thine own works. Such were Thy deeds once; fulfill them now, all which they shadowed forth.’ It is then a prayer for the manifestation of God’s power, and with that the destruction of His enemies, from that day to the Day of Judgment.”
~Albert Barnes, Commentary On The Prophet Habakkuk

3:13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.

with thine anointed - "anointed" is Messiah or Christ; "with thy Christ." Is it possible he is looking forward to Messiah? Yes!! This is a very old understanding of this verse.

The Catholic Church, which is pretty old, understands it this way:

“The Prayer of Habakkuk is a song that describes a grand vision of God, shining forth in glory upon a mountain. It refers back to the events of the Exodus – and points forward to the coming of the Messiah. The prayer, also known as the ‘Canticle of Habakkuk’, is now used as part of the Church’s worship.

In some ways, the Prayer of Habakkuk – which is found in chapter 3 of the book – stands on its own. The song draws upon images from the Exodus, when God revealed himself in glory on Mount Sinai and rescued his people from the Egyptians. Using poetic language, Habakkuk describes God going into action in his own day to save his people and destroy their enemies.

However, in Christian tradition, the song was also often interpreted as a mysterious reference to the Transfiguration of Christ. This was when Christ was glorified before his disciples on a mountain, his face shining as brightly as the sun (Matthew 17:1-8). A line in the Prayer of Habakkuk reads: “Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people: for salvation with thy Christ.” (3:12 Douay-Rheims). This was understood, along with Habakkuk 2:3, as an ancient hint to the coming of the Messiah. (cf Hebrews 10:37)”
The Prayer of Habakkuk

The Orthodox Church, which is just as old, also understands it this way:

Habakkuk 3:3 “God will come from Teman, The Holy One from the mount of shaded leafy trees.”

This verse is quoted in Orthodox hymnology. The Prophet Habakkuk prophesied that the Son and Word of God would be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, who he described as a “mount of shaded leafy trees,” from which “the God of all shined forth in fleshly form.”

“Rejoice, the shaded virgin mountain from which the holy one of Israel appeared, according to the God-proclaiming Habakkuk.”
Holy Prophet Habakkuk As A Model For Our Lives Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas

Amen and Hallelujah!

Habakkuk ends on one of the highest notes of praise, praise which flows from faith.

3:17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
3:19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

Man, Habakkuk begins and ends with conviction! Am I as faithful, fervent, and expectant in prayer as Habakkuk (1:1-4)?? Do I have a faith which blossoms into such bouquets of praise?? 

We used to sing these verses - sometimes singing the Word helps us be doers of the Word.

Though the fig tree does not blossom
And there be no fruit on the vine
The produce of the olive fail
And the field yield no food
Though the flock be cut off from the fold
And there be no herd in the stalls

Yet will I rejoice in the Lord
Yet will I rejoice in the Lord
I will joy in the God of my salvation
God the Lord is my strength

God the Lord is my strength
(Tony Hopkins © 1972 Scripture in Song; Habakkuk 3:17-19 RSV)

Click here to give a listen. It starts slowly, then perks up!

NEXT: The just shall live by his faith

This final post is possibly the best one of all. And that's saying a lot because I have been blessed and challenged throughout Habakkuk!