Jonah and Us

We've talked a lot about God & Jesus. Let's talk about you and me this time. I'm not perfect. I have sinned. And, frankly, I feel terrible about it. I often feel as Paul said, "I am the chief of sinners" (ITimothy 1:15). But I am not alone in this confession. Romans 3:23 says "all have sinned...". Without Jesus we would all be in the same boat. Speaking of boats, it reminds me of Jonah. God said to Jonah, "go preach to Nineveh" (Jonah chapter 1). Nineveh was East. Jonah thought this was a very bad idea since Nineveh was a very powerful and evil city, capital of the Assyrian Empire. So instead of traveling by land to the East, Jonah got on a boat going West. Everybody on that boat was in danger, headed in the wrong direction, with a storm brewing. Aren't we like that sometimes; headed just opposite from where we should be headed. But God saved Jonah because He loved him and had a plan for him. And God saved us (Jesus) and has a plan for us. But while He wants us all to be saved (I Peter 3:9), and He made a plan for all of us to be saved, He left it to us to obey and follow Him, to follow Jesus. The choice is ours not His. He did His part, but what about us? Have we made that good commitment. Jesus said in Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord', shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' "


Jonah was slow to come around to God's way. But he finally did what God wanted. We can be just as stubborn. We can run from God, but we cannot hide. He must be followed and honored and worshiped.


"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (I Timothy 1:17)

Response--Hagar and Ishmael

I will use this week's blog entry to respond to a question posed by Steve S a couple of blog entries back, and a very good question it was. The question had to do with Hagar and her son Ishmael being cast away from the family because Ishmael was not the child of promise (Isaac was) and there was great dissension between Sarah, Abraham's wife, and Hagar, the handmaiden. The question had to do with the fact that God saved Ishmael who went on to be the father of the Arab nation. Restated, the question asks if we then should be tolerant of the Islamic faith since God is responsible for creation of the Arab nation.

The Bible is very clear on some points that relate to this:

1. It is true that God played a key role in Ishmael's reestablishment (Gen. 21:17) and growth as a nation (Gen. 21:18).

2. Ishmael was promised 12 princes (Gen. 17:20). This compares to the 12 tribes of Israel.

3. The descendants of Ishmael settled into the areas that we now refer to as the Arab world.

4. Galatians 4 uses this story in a symbolic way to compare bondage (Hagar) under the Jewish law to freedom (Sarah) that we find in Jesus Christ. Galatians 5:1 says, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."

Here are what I consider to be necessary conclusions to all of this:

1. God never encouraged anyone to form a separate faith, and certainly did not do so with Ishmael. God saved him, sent him off to form a separate nation, but never wanted them to form a new faith and never gave any support to the Islamic faith. Ishmael was the father of the Arab nations, but the Islamic faith followed of their own creation.

2. God is no longer "tolerant" of the Jewish faith, nor should we be. Galatians chapter 3 gives a good summary of the God's plan through the Bible, how the Promise was given to Abraham, then the Law to the Jews and finally Faith came through Jesus. Note Gal. 3:24 on, "Therefore the law (Jewish) was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith (in Jesus) has come, we are not longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek...." The Jewish age is over, and the Bible is clear on that. Acts 2:36 says, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." We now must follow Jesus.

Finally, I would like to state that "tolerance" sounds like a beautiful word and is practiced widely in our country today. But the Bible never condoned tolerance in regard to various religions that man creates. The world is full of various religions that fit the desires of man but do not follow the teachings of God. We need to be kind to one another for sure, but not tolerant. Revelation 22:16 says, "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." And vs 18, "If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the Book of Life." The only way is through Jesus..........On a brave day you might mess with Texas, but don't mess with God. See you next week.

Friends

I have to stop the flow of this series of Bible thoughts by inserting this entry about friends. People are so important to us in this life, to me personally and to you as well.


The Bible tells us of such great relationships. The two people who stand out to me as I look at the Bible are David and Jesus. And it seems appropriate to look at the personal friends of these two because Jesus was known as the "Son of David" (Mark 12:35). David, who would become the greatest King of the Old Testament, loved his best friend so much. Note I Samuel 18 & 20 for more on this, but I Sam. 18:3 says Jonathan "loved him as his own soul." These two were bonded.


In the New Testament we see the love that Jesus shared with Martha, Mary and Lazarus, three siblings. John 11 and the first part of 12 show us the depth of love and emotion that these four people shared. It was over in Luke 10:38-42 that Jesus said "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part..." But in John 11:5, Martha is named first, "Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus." It was Martha who invited Jesus into their house in the first place (Luke 11:38). But it was Mary who anointed Jesus' feet with costly oil, using her hair (John 12:3). This was right before Jesus' death and the fragrance likely stayed with Him throught the death process; such love. And we see that through the sequence of events where Lazarus dies and Jesus raises him, "Jesus wept" (John 11:35). The bond between these four was amazing. And we share these kinds of bonds in this life..........(There are other examples in the Bible such as Jesus and the disciple whom He loved, John. And there was Paul and Barnabus, Paul and Timothy and more.)


As we get older we realize more and more that it isn't where we are but who we are with. It isn't places and things that matter, but it is people that matter. My mother loved the beach more than any place on earth. But late in life we couldn't get her to go because she wanted to be close to her friends. That is how it is. And we all know that sometimes the people who matter the most to us are those we don't even see or talk to very often.


And finally it is important to remember that the best friend of all is Jesus. And one of these days, and not very long, we will all get to be together....with Him.....forever......if we have truly been His friend. Feel the love.
__________________________
I want to do what's right,
For already Heaven's in sight.
Come and go with me; I want you there
In that beautiful home so fair. mw

The entry this week is a bit of departure from the usual in that I happened across an article in a magazine published by the organization "Friends of Israel" (FOI). I am not a member of FOI and disagree with a pre-millenial position that they promote. Lord willing, more on that another time. But much of their teaching is straight Bible; and this article is impressive. The reason for mentioning it here is threefold: 1) it is interesting, 2) they are "christians" trying to convert Jews, and 3) it fits with our last lesson. So read the following excerpts quoted directly from "Friends of Israel" (Jan/Feb '09), written by Steve Herzig:

"Is there only one way to God?....'Orthodox Rabbi Schmuley Boteach told Larry King in 2000, "I cannot accept that there is a morality, in a spiritual system, which denigrates me as a Jew and says that I am going to burn in hell even though I have lived a good life... This barbaric element which has entered into religion has got to be put aside.'.......(The writer continues) There is no middle ground when answering the question, 'Is there only one way to God?' The reply must be either yes or no. And the Bible is the only place that contains the correct answer......To obey Jesus often brings rejection. To publicly claim He is the only way to heaven will ensure you a reputation of being narrow-minded, unkind, hateful, and intolerant. However, Jesus is not the only subject on which the Bible takes a narrow view. There was only one way for Adam and Eve to remain in the Garden of Eden. They disobeyed God and were expelled. There was only one acceptable sacrifice for Cain and Abel.......In the days of Noah there was only one avenue of deliverance from the worldwide flood: the ark.....In Egypt God gave Pharaoh one option: 'Let My people go'. At the Passover in Egypt, only the blood of the lamb on the door saved the firstborn in each family from death.......There was only one way to move the Ark of the Covenant (I Chron. 13:9-10) and only one way by which the Syrian commander Naaman could be cleansed of leprosy (2 Kings 5:1-19). The Old Testament, in fact, is filled with restrictions and instructions that show God had a precise way He wanted things done. Any other way was unacceptable to Him. Why, then, does it seem strange that there is only one way today for people to come to God?.........There is only one way to God, Larry (King). Through faith in Jesus Christ."

This is just one man's summary of what the Bible teaches. But anyone who knows the Bible will agree that this is a true and accurate summary. God has shown us over and again that His way is the right way--Not man's way, but His way. It seems narrow to some, but it still is the Truth--God's way! Listen to Jesus, "Enter by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matthew 7:13,14)." See you next week!

Jesus is the only way

So far we've been dealing with basics, about God and His plan. Nothing is more basic and fundamental than to note that Jesus Christ is the only way. Thomas said in John 14:5, "...how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Also note John 5:22-24, "...the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgement to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into Judgement, but has passed from death into life." These are simple statements, but they control everything we know about religion.

We often hear people say "we all are heading to the same place, just doing it in different ways." I've heard it said "all religions worship the same God; they just call Him by different names." But God said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" If you are in a religion that doesn't honor Jesus, you are wrong. He is the way. He is the Son of God. He alone is the Savior. There are a lot of good, honorable people who are religious and who worship. But without Jesus there is no hope!

A final thought about controversy. This blog is not seeking controversy, but in fact is controversial. There are many religious people and religious groups who would argue these basic Bible principles. But know this, while peace and unity are beautiful and I seek them, truth, God's truth, is even more valuable. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, the life...........keep my commandments."

See you next week. (Be sure and come back because I have some interesting information coming from "Friends of Israel".)