Posts Tagged ‘Jerusalem’

Power Shift

Posted: October 5, 2010 in Bible, Christianity, leadership, prophecy
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In the fall of 1995 I was flying over Naples, Italy on a beautiful, starry night. I remember that it was nearly impossible to tell where the land ended and the sky began because the lights of the city blended perfectly with the stars in the sky. Looking across the horizon I noticed the one distinguishing factor between the two: as we flew across the peninsula the lights from the city slowly moved from left to right across my window but the stars appeared to be fixed in place.

In that moment I felt like the Lord told me, “Look, Kraig… The things that man puts in place will come and go, but the things I set in place are established forever.”

In my heart I finally understood the significance of the old hymn:

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder, Consider all the works thy hands have made; I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed; Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

The things that man puts in place will come and go…

After 150 years of dominance, the Assyrian Empire finally began to crumble. Weak leadership, generations of cruelty, distractions and overreaching military strategies began to take their toll on the Assyrians at the same time Babylon was rising in power. With the assistance of the Medes (more on them during the Rebuilding Crisis) Nineveh was destroyed in 612 B.C. and Babylon assumed supremacy over the land. Fifteen years later, Jerusalem itself fell to Babylonian control & its citizens were taken into captivity.

Those who find themselves at the top should remember the fragility of their position.

The things that man puts in place will come and go, but the things God sets in place are established forever…

Here are a few leadership takeaways:

  1. All earthly positions of leadership are temporary.
  2. Leadership is a gift from God & must be stewarded accordingly.
  3. You’re not the smartest or the most gifted person in your organization–you’re just the leader. (Thank you Andy Stanley for that one!)
  4. The perversion of purpose (as established by God) is sin — whether in leadership or any other sphere of life.
  5. The purpose of leadership is to serve others in justice, mercy & humility.
  6. Leaders should leverage their position & power to elevate others to achieve their full potential.
  7. Cruelty and disrespect from leadership breeds contempt and revolt. (If you lead with an iron first, you will fall on an iron sword.)
  8. Today’s subordinate may be tomorrow’s superior.
  9. You will be held accountable for the way you lead.
  10. God is watching.

Isaiah (part 5: the OLD in the NEW and the NEW in the OLD)

Posted: September 8, 2010 in Bible, Christ, Christianity, prophecy
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In a nutshell…

  • Isaiah was the last prophet who lived during the Assyrian Crisis.
  • Assyria was the superpower that destroyed Samaria and exiled Israel (the northern kingdom) in 722 B.C.
  • Babylon was the superpower that conquered Assyria, destroyed Jerusalem and exiled Judah (the southern kingdom) in 586 B.C.
  • Persia was the superpower that conquered Babylon and released the Jews from captivity in 538 B.C.

 

When the Jews were released from captivity and returned to rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem, they were more than a little disheartened (Ezra and Nehemiah are vibrant accounts of this time in Israel’s history).

Life in post-exilic Israel was no bed of roses and the people rapidly returned to their sinful ways (the same OLD habits in a brand NEW setting). They became religiously complacent and saw no necessity for maintaining any distinction between themselves and their neighbors. God’s ceremonial laws were neglected, intermarriage with pagans became common, and idol worship quickly took root across the land.

Chapters 56-66 of Isaiah address this scenario. As you read this section, look for these recurring themes: (1) the absolute necessity for righteous living, (2) the absolute inability to live righteously, and (3) the absolute grace of God that delivers us from sin.

“These chapters are about the internalization of the law by means of an intimate relationship with God who alone can enable people to live holy lives [by his Spirit].” -Dr. John Oswalt

In other words, it’s the NEW Testament in the OLD Testament!

Notice that this section begins and ends by including all nations in God’s salvation plan (see Isaiah 56:1-8 and Isaiah 66:18-24).

So…

If salvation by grace, an intimate relationship with God, gentiles in the kingdom, and empowerment by the Holy Spirit all occur in the OLD Testament … is it possible that a call to righteous living occurs in the NEW Testament?

You decide:

1 Peter 2

1Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3now that you have tasted that the Lord is good… 

9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

 11Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Humph! The OLD is in the NEW and the NEW is in the OLD.

It’s almost like God has a plan…

Isaiah (part 4: Rude Awakening)

Posted: September 7, 2010 in Bible, Christianity, prophecy
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Exactly as predicted, Judah was exiled by the Babylonians in three separate waves (605 B.C., 598 B.C. and finally in 586 B.C. when Jerusalem was destroyed). 

In Isaiah’s lifetime, Judah considered herself the darling of heaven and despite the prophets’ warnings, she was unwilling to face her peril. Now the Temple laid in ruins, their homes were ransacked, their leaders deported, their national identity destroyed and foreigners were brought in to occupy their land. 

Talk about a rude awakening!

Many Jews concluded that God wasn’t real. Others believed God existed but that He had abandoned them. Both groups were in danger of adopting Babylonian religious beliefs and losing their identity as God’s chosen people.

Historically, no nation had ever returned from exile.

Chapters 40-55 of Isaiah offer hope to people who fear they have been cast aside by God.

Do you ever feel that way?

Cast aside?

Forgotten?

Abandoned?

Have you ever been tempted to give up on God?

Doubt His existence?

Or feel like there’s no benefit to following Christ?

If so, these chapters will be extremely encouraging for you. God assures His people that He will conquer their enemies, destroy foreign idols, redeem His people from their sins, and restore them to their homeland.

Everything He promised came to pass.

God is absolutely trustworthy!

History proves it & faith clings to it. 

Isaiah 40

 1 “Comfort, comfort my people,”
      says your God.
 2 “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem.
   Tell her that her sad days are gone
      and her sins are pardoned…”

Micah (part 6: Promise)

Posted: August 17, 2010 in Bible, Christ, Christianity, church, culture, prophecy
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About 100 years after Micah’s death, the Jews were exiled to Babylon in three waves (605 B.C., 598 B.C. and 586 B.C.), then eventually released by Cyrus the Great in 538 B.C. (more on all that in future posts).

Although Micah specifically condemned the corruption of Samaria and Jerusalem in his day, his words serve as a stark warning to any culture whose economic and political systems run counter to God’s kingdom.

Is America any less immoral; syncretic; idolatrous; indifferent to the poor, weak, and powerless; self-serving; corrupt; or apathetic toward God than Israel was during the time of Micah’s ministry?

I think not.

Yet in the middle of all of this, Micah offers comfort to those who act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. Micah promises a new era of God’s presence, blessing and protection under the dominion of a Davidic King (see 4:1-5:15).

When the Jews finally returned to rebuild Jerusalem and re-establish their national identity, they looked to Micah’s prophecies and were disappointed to discover that things were not as great as Micah had promised.

Many Christians today feel the same frustration:

“Jesus died for our sins, yet still we struggle. Evil still permeates the earth and the ungodly still prosper. Where is the Lord??”

My friends, don’t lose heart because things aren’t happening as quickly as you’d like. If Jesus had returned 20 years ago, I would not have been counted among His faithful remnant! I thank God for His patient endurance which gave me the grace and time I needed to come to Christ in faith.

What about you?

What if Christ had returned 20 years ago…10 years ago…or yesterday? Would you have been ready? What about your friends, family and loved ones?

Does God’s patience nullify His faithfulness or demonstrate it?

Know this: In the end, every promise God has made will be fulfilled.

Check out Micah’s prayer (7:14), God’s reply (7:15), and the prophetic promise to God’s people (7:16-20):

14 O Lord, protect your people with your shepherd’s staff;
      lead your flock, your special possession.
   Though they live alone in a thicket
      on the heights of Mount Carmel,
   let them graze in the fertile pastures of Bashan and Gilead
      as they did long ago.

 15 “Yes,” says the Lord,
      “I will do mighty miracles for you,
   like those I did when I rescued you
      from slavery in Egypt.”

 16 All the nations of the world will stand amazed
      at what the Lord will do for you.
   They will be embarrassed
      at their feeble power.
   They will cover their mouths in silent awe,
      deaf to everything around them.
 17 Like snakes crawling from their holes,
      they will come out to meet the Lord our God.
   They will fear him greatly,
      trembling in terror at his presence.

 18 Where is another God like you,
      who pardons the guilt of the remnant,
      overlooking the sins of his special people?
   You will not stay angry with your people forever,
      because you delight in showing unfailing love.
 19 Once again you will have compassion on us.
      You will trample our sins under your feet
      and throw them into the depths of the ocean!
 20 You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love
      as you promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago.

A promise like that is worth waiting for…

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