"You cover the LORD's altar with tears..."

GREAT discussion in life group Sunday. Somehow we managed to have a class in which idolatry was not the major topic. Nevertheless, idolatry is always lurking about. Flip a few chapters back from the passage of Malachi we discussed today and you'll find some incredible language. Malachi 2:11--"Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god." What happened when these people presented an offering to God? Verse 13: "And this second thing you do. You cover the LORD's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand." The Scripture says that these people were "cut off" (v. 12).

Even a cursory study of the Old Testament provides examples of brazen idol worship. Unfortunately, our idol worship is often more subtle, sometimes hidden to ourselves. Golden statues are obvious. A low-grade anxiety that affects your work productivity or your relationship with your family is less apparent. I've mentioned before that one of my idols is safety (or security or health). Only in the last year or so have I started to realize how much of an idol safety, which in itself is a worthy thing, has become for me. At my son's soccer practice today I watched the coach demonstrate the principle of staying between the other player and the ball. Then I watched the kids work so hard at protecting the ball that it became the terminal, rather than a mere instrumental, goal. Why am I protecting the ball? So that I can protect the ball! That's what safety had become for me: the goal in itself, rather than just a something to consider on my way to the real objective.

Malachi spoke to people who engaged in useless weeping and groaning, cut off from God by their sin. What about us? Did you marry the daughter of a foreign god? Where is your golden statue? More important, what stands between you and God?

How grateful are we that Jesus is our sanctuary?!

"He changes times and seaons; he removes kings and sets up kings..."

Daniel is a superstar of obedience and faith. His divine reward for following Mosaic Law is revealed in Daniel 1:17--"As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams." Chapter 2 begins with Nebuchadnezzar's troubling dreams. As you know, Daniel offers to interpret the king's dream. Notice what happens in 2:17-18--"Then Daniel went to his house, and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon." Before Daniel would interpret the king's dream, he sought the prayers of his friends. I hope to remember that the next time I hesitate to share something weighing on my spirit.

That night, God graciously provided the interpretation of the king's dream to Daniel in a "night vision." What is Daniel's response? Praise! Verses 20-21:

"Daniel answered and said: 'Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings...'"

Because of his obedience, Daniel is blessed with health, wisdom, and the ability to interpret strange dreams. Daniel's focus is singular and unwavering, never forgetting the source of his gifts and blessings. During his interpretation of the king's dream, Daniel reminds Nebuchadnezzar "the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory..." (v. 37). Daniel's message is: "I didn't do this and neither did you!" In exile, surrounded by pagan government and culture, Daniel does nothing but praise God, thank Him for His gifts and blessings, and keep His commands. The king's response in verse 47 is AMAZING: "Truly your God is the God of gods and Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery."

Daniel is my hero: respected and promoted by his pagan culture for doing nothing other than maintaining laser focus on God. Would we get the same response from our culture? More important, does it matter?

We missed everyone helping with DNow last week, but had a great meeting with everyone who came. This Sunday we'll cover the last lesson in our OT survey: The Return. Have a great week and see you Sunday!

"And the LORD spoke to the fish..."

I've mentioned a few times in class how much I relate to Jonah. I recently heard RC Sproul's sermon series on Jonah and was richly blessed by his teaching, particularly his sermon on Jonah's prayer (Chapter 2). Take a look at verse 5:

"The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped around my head..."

Jonah was as good as DEAD. What did God do? He "appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah" (Jonah 1:17). The "great fish" was not created to punish Jonah. God designed that creature for one purpose ... to save Jonah's life. In the midst of these mind-blowing circumstances, Jonah unleashed an amazing prayer. The last time I read the book, a couple of verses stood out that relate heavily to our last two life group sessions. Verses 7-9:

"When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came up to you, into your holy temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD."

Does anyone else shudder at verse 8? Will anyone else admit to paying regard to vain idols? Despite that, consider this ... Jonah fled from God, going so far as trying to take a nap in the bowels of a ship while the rest of the crew faced extraordinary peril. Still, God responded with love, although its form in this instance is bizarre. Nothing says "I love you" like being swallowed and vomited by a huge fish.

Speaking of difficult circumstances, the focus of Sunday's life group session is "The Exile." We'll discuss a chunk of Daniel, another of my favorite books of the Bible.

Hope everyone has a great week. See you Sunday.
J

"Surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses..."

The reading from Hebrews 12 really stuck with me after life group Sunday. We're surrounded by a "great cloud of witnesses." Dig back through Hebrews and you'll discover that the author of Hebrews specifically names these witnesses. Hebrews 11:3 says: "By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible." Starting in verse 4, the author lists the witnesses:
Abel – offered a better sacrifice by faith and was commended as righteous
Enoch – by faith he pleased God, so he never experienced death
Noah – by faith he obeyed God’s command
Abraham – obeyed God and went where God told him to go, without knowing where this would be.  He made his home in the Promised Land even though he was a stranger there. 
Isaac – Abraham’s promised child, who by faith blessed Jacob and Esau
Jacob – who by faith blessed Joseph’s sons
Joseph – who by faith gave instructions that his bones should one day be carried out of Egypt and buried in the Promised Land
Moses’ parents – who by faith hid Moses from the edict of Pharaoh and did not leave him to die
Moses – who, though adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter, by faith refused to be known as her son, and “chose to be mistreated along with the people of God”.  By faith he kept the first Passover.
The People of Israel – who by faith passed through the Red Sea
Rahab – who by faith welcomed God’s spies, saving her family from the fall of Jericho

The author closes the roll call in verse 32 by mentioning Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets.

If you jump down to Hebrews 12:3-4, you find additional encouragement, but also a grim reminder: "Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood." Wow.

I created this blog as a way for us to engage the class material outside of class. I'll try to post reminders about upcoming lessons, group events, and prayer requests. With the great cloud of witnesses in mind, it is my hope that we might serve a similar purpose for each other.

J