For he remembered his holy promise given to his servant Abraham. – Psalm 105:42

Today's Scripture Reading (May 31, 2022):  Psalm 105

American novelist Chuck Palahniuk comments that "In a world where vows are worthless. Where making a pledge means nothing. Where promises are made to be broken, it would be nice to see words come back into power." I have often wondered if there ever really was a time when vows were things of worth, where pledges meant something, and where promises were made to be kept, or is it just a lie told to us by nostalgic tales.

If it once existed, it doesn't seem to exist any longer. Politicians routinely make promises to us that they have no intention of ever keeping just to get our votes. But then, I guess they have to make those lies. If they told us the truth, we would give our vote to other people willing to muster up a convincing lie. We have gotten used to the world that Palahniuk describes, and our reality is that we are getting precisely what we expect to receive.

And we have probably all failed at our promises at some point. I know that I have. The truth is that I have failed too many times, and my failings haunt me. When I am trying to relax, they often make their appearances in my mind. And maybe that is a good thing because it makes me want to make sure that I never fail again. And so, I return to my question. Is this the way it has always been, or has something changed? Have we devolved into a less trustworthy race of people? And if we have devolved, then is there any way we can change our downward slide as a people and return to the days when our words contained power and promises were designed to be kept.

If we are going to change, it will only be because we are following the example set by God. David recounts some of the histories of Israel and decides that, at every step, God remembered his promise to Abraham. And it was because of his commitment that he saved his people. The Apostle Paul describes the process this way.

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ. What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise (Galatians 3:16-18).

The law served the promise. It was never the other way around. And when God gives a promise, he keeps it. And that is something on which we can depend.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 106

Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. – Psalm 95:2

Today's Scripture Reading (May 30, 2022):  Psalm 95 & 96

Let me start by saying that I know that I am old. And I have a memory of the church that I grew up in that was very different from the one I attend today. Growing up, the church was a solemn place. There was a fairly serious atmosphere in the church from the moment that you stepped inside the building. The organ played "prelude hymns" in the sanctuary for about twenty minutes before the service started. When the time came for the service to begin, the pastor and other dignitaries walked out onto the platform area along with the choir, often kneeling before what we called "The Throne Chairs" in prayer before they sat in them.

The church service itself was a time of solemn singing of hymns, prayers, and then listening to the pastor's teaching. As for the me that was a kid, I played a game. The idea behind the game was to guess when a minute was up without looking at my watch. (I only ever wore a watch as a kid; it was a practice that I gave up early in my adult years.) I gave myself three tries to guess when a minute had elapsed, and if I was to win, the third guess had to happen in the last five seconds of the minute. It helped me pass the time in my own solemn way.

I don't remember much laughing in church. Or even smiling. It was as if by being solemn, we were somehow serving God in a better way. The Bible says that "Jesus wept" (John 11:35), but it never says that Jesus laughed or even smiled. So, I guess we had better not laugh or smile when engaging in worship.

David says that we are to come into God's presence with thanksgiving and praise him with music and song. But I have a problem with that. To be really filled with thanksgiving, doesn't a smile have to pass our lips or a little giggle escape our breath. If we are truly thankful, shouldn't we also be happy?

The King James Version of the Psalm reads, "Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms" (Psalm 95:2, KJV). Our command is to make a  joyful noise, not a serious one, and Psalm 95:2 is the second time that David commands a joyful noise in the Psalm. It is a repeat of a comment that he made in Psalm 95:1, "let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation." The stress of these verses seems to be that it is joy that is to be present in our worship and not on the solemnity of our worship. Charles Spurgeon makes this comment about this aspect of our worship.

One can imagine David in earnest tones persuading his people to go up with him to the worship of Jehovah with sound of harp and hymn, and holy delight. The happiness of his exhortation is noteworthy, the noise is to be joyful. This quality he insists upon twice. It is to be feared that this is too much overlooked in ordinary services, people are so impressed with the idea that they ought to be serious that they put on the aspect of misery, and quite forget that joy is as much a characteristic of true worship as solemnity itself.

Modern worship has lost a little of the seriousness that characterized the worship that I remember as a child. And I admit, sometimes I miss the pomp and circumstance of the worship services in which I grew up. But, maybe at the same time, the loss of solemnity is a good thing, especially if we can replace it with a double dose of joy, mixed with some smiles and just a little holy laughter.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 105

Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each Israelite man and woman. – 1 Chronicles 16:3

Today's Scripture Reading (May 29, 2022):  1 Chronicles 16

One of the many jobs that my grandparents had during their lives was as the owner-operators of a motel. I still remember as a kid spending time at my grandparent's motel and staying in one of the rooms closest to where my grandparents lived. Looking back, I have to admit that it was an unusual motel. For one thing, my maternal grandparents were never late-night people. On the other hand, my paternal grandparents were late-night people. But for my motel-running grandparents, there was a moment not too late into the evening when my grandfather would routinely turn on the "No Vacancy" sign, even if there were still empty rooms at the inn. Then grandma and grandpa started to prepare for bed. Scripture plaques also hung in every room, a reminder of the depth of the faith of the proprietors.

I have also spent time traveling with both sets of my grandparents. And traveling meant looking for a restaurant at mealtimes and a motel/hotel to rent for the night as evening approached. And I do not remember ever not being able to find either. Our mobile society is filled with places to find food and a place to sleep.

But that wasn't true in the ancient world. Often visitors would spend time camping in the town square, but there was also an expectation of hospitality that existed for the inhabitants of every town or village. People would routinely allow visitors to eat with them and a place where they could safely spend the night, knowing that sometime in the future, they would be the ones who would be traveling and would have to depend on the generosity of strangers. It wasn't just a nice thing to do, but hospitality was a cultural expectation in a world where restaurants and inns were relatively rare. And examples of this kind of hospitality are sprinkled throughout scripture. Jesus instructed his disciples that when they went out into Israel communicating the Gospel, they were to …

… not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town (Matthew 10:9-15).

The disciples were to depend on the people's hospitality within the towns that they would visit.

As David brings the Ark into Jerusalem, first he makes sacrifices to God, something that he had not done the first time that he had tried to move the Ark. But then David does something maybe a little unexpected. David gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to every man and woman in Israel. The food was a form of a peace offering, a sacrifice to restore the peace between God and his creation. It was as if God had given them a meal and then invited them to sit down at his table and eat with him. The shared food was an important example of hospitality in a culture that made hospitality an important element of what it meant to live.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalms 95 & 96

Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob. – Psalm 24:6

Today's Scripture Reading (May 28, 2022):  Psalm 24

German novelist Hermann Hesse (1877-1962) noted in his novel "Demian" that "I have been and still am a seeker, but I have ceased to question stars and books; I have begun to listen to the teaching my blood whispers to me." I, too, am a seeker. And I hope that I always will be. I am constantly seeking, constantly evaluating what I think I know, and searching for the answers that continue to evade me. I feel sorry for those who believe that they have everything figured out. I know that I don't, and I don't think I will ever reach that elevated position.

Psalm 24 was likely written to be used when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem. It would have been shouted or sung, like a responsive reading between the priests carrying the Ark and those waiting on the walls of the City of David. And the priests remind those awaiting the Ark at Jerusalem that we are to be a generation of seekers. And as such, we will remove anything that gets in the way of our search. Charles Spurgeon phrases it this way.

He who longs to see his friend when he passes takes care to clear the mist from the window, lest by any means his friend should go by unobserved. Really awakened souls seek the Lord above everything, and as this is not the usual desire of mankind, they constitute a generation by themselves; a people despised of men but beloved of God (Charles Spurgeon)

David understood that he had always had a blind spot. There were times when David believed that he knew the answer. It was precisely what had happened the first time he tried to bring the Ark to Jerusalem, a move that had cost him the life of a trusted soldier, Uzzah. Uzzah died because David had stopped seeking God.

We need to be the generation that never stops seeking God. We are not that generation that is sure of its orthodoxy. That is a dangerous place to live. We need to be the generation who never stops asking questions, especially about what we think we know. We need to stop being the generation that continually looks for the hands of God and the blessings that he is willing to give to us. We need to understand that God blesses those who seek his face and presence in all of our circumstances despite the things that we think we already know.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 16

Personal Note: A very happy birthday to my wife, Nelda.

Whoever does these things will never be shaken. – Psalm 15:5b

Today's Scripture Reading (May 27, 2022):  Psalms 15 and 16

Poet John Keats argued that "There is nothing stable in the world; uproar's your only music." Keats might be right, but we wish that he wasn't. I have been lucky that I have lived in a fairly stable world. I have never really had to fear that someone might get angry and bomb the city where I live. There has been some economic instability during my lifetime. Still, as I look back at long stretches, it hasn't been as bad as the economic downturns through which the generations that preceded me have suffered. Sometimes, mountains have threatened to overwhelm me, but looking back at them, I realize that they were nothing more than bumps in the road.

Nothing was prized more than a measure of stability in the ancient world. And so, as David writes this Psalm, he ends it with a promise of stability. He argues that if you do these things, God will bless you with peace as you move through the phases of life. What items does David include in his list of preferable actions? David includes such characteristics as being blameless, righteous, and speaking the truth from the heart. He argues that we should be the one who refuses to slander and who does no wrong to our neighbors. Those who despise evil and keep a promise even when it is inconvenient. The one who lends money to the poor and refuses to charge interest even if interest is offered. These things are what lead us to a stable life. Or maybe more to the point, do these things, and whatever turmoil might be in your life will not overwhelm you.

But the promised stability at the end of the Psalm does not seem to reflect the question asked at the beginning of the Psalm. At the beginning of the Psalm, David asks God who is it that can live in your sacred tent? Who can live on your holy mountain? And the answer to David's question is the same list of characteristics and activities as David promises us will bring stability to life.

And maybe that is the secret. The only place where we will ever find real stability in this life is if we can dwell in God's sacred tent and live on his holy mountain. Stability is what we receive if we can stay close to the heart of God. John Keats might believe that the only music in this world is uproar. But maybe we know better, and we can cling to the God who inspired Cleland Boyd McAfee to write "Near to the Heart of God."

There is a place of quiet rest,
Near to the heart of God;
A place where sin cannot molest,
Near to the heart of God.

O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God;
Hold us, who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 24

You have shaken the land and torn it open; mend its fractures, for it is quaking. – Psalm 60:2

Today's Scripture Reading (May 26, 2022):  Psalm 60

On April 14, 1865, at 10:15 pm, John Wilkes Booth walked into Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C., and killed the President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln would be the first American President to be assassinated. Unfortunately, he was not the last. The murder of President Lincoln was part of a larger strategy to kill the three most important officials in the government of the United States. The other two officials were Vice President Andrew Johnson and the Secretary of State William H. Seward. But the killing of Abraham Lincoln was the only part of the plot that was successfully carried out. The reason for the strategy was that, at the time of the assassination, the American Civil War was winding down. The conspirators hoped that by killing Lincoln, Johnson, and Seward, they could revive the hopes of the Confederate States. But that hope was never made a reality. Less than a month after the assassination (May 9, 1865), the American Civil War ended with a Union victory.

But just because the war was over didn't mean that there was no pain in the United States. The Civil War had caused no end of pain on both sides of the conflict. And the effects of the Civil War are still felt today, at least in some quarters. Disagreements rage over what is to be done with memorials dedicated to Confederate Generals or celebrated with Confederate military bases. Even the Confederate Flag has caused division in recent years, something I am not sure existed back when we watched "The Dukes of Hazzard" in the 1980s. "The Dukes of Hazzard" features a Dodge Charger named "General Lee," a Confederate General, with the Confederate Flag prominently displayed on the car's roof. I am almost certain that we would never be able to produce the show today. And often, there is no consensus over what should happen next. And every time the subject is raised, it is like tearing off the scab of the wound of the Civil War, forcing us to feel its pain anew once again.

Psalm 60 is a psalm of national lament written by David. It was written very early in David's reign. The problem with the Psalm is that we know of no reason for the lament. It appears to be written around the time of Israel's significant victories over Philistia, Moab, Syria, Ammon, and Amalek. But we know of no substantial losses in this era of Israel's history. For some, it is a good reminder that the biblical story often condenses events and reveals the highlights to its readers and not the entire record.

But if I had to make a guess, it would be this; at this time, early in the reign of David, the nation was not as united as it should have been. That echoes of the seven-year Civil War in Israel still caused some division and pain within the country. And because of that division, sometimes even winning the battle felt like a loss. I can't prove it, but I think it is possible.

David's lament was a prayer for healing for a nation that had been torn open by its internal conflicts. It had fractures that needed to be healed, and Israel was a land that could only be stilled through the strength of her God. And so, David prays, "You have shaken the land and torn it open; mend its fractures, for it is quaking."

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalms 15 and 16

In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines. – 2 Samuel 8:1

Today's Scripture Reading (May 25, 2022):  2 Samuel 8

How good are you at identifying a city by its nickname? Let's start with an easy one. Where would you go to find "The Big Apple?" If you said New York City, you are right. Here is another easy one: The City of Angels? The correct answer is Los Angeles. Okay, maybe a little harder. (I will include the answers to the next few cities at the end of this post in case you want to play along.) Where is "The Emerald City?" What city often goes by the nickname "The City of Champions?" Where would I find "Whitestone?" Or maybe the city that goes by the name "First Throne?" One more, what about "Venice of the North?"

Cities are strange things, and some have even changed names over the years. Saint Peterburg, Russia, might be a good example of a city that has changed its name. Saint Petersburg, which originally had a slightly different spelling, Saint Petersburgh, became Petrograd at the beginning of World War I (1914). In 1924, the city's name changed once more, this time to Leningrad. And it stayed as Leningrad until 1991 when the powers that be decided to change the name back to Saint Petersburg with a slightly different spelling. But all these names refer to the same city.

Metheg Ammah has presented scholars with a problem. Part of the problem is that we have no idea where the city might be. In fact, this is the only mention of the city anywhere. And there is a possibility that it is a nickname, like "The Big Apple" or "The Windy City" (Chicago). Metheg Ammah means "Bridle of the Mother City." If it is a nickname, then it is likely a nickname for the city of Gath. Gath at the time was the central or mother city of Philistia, and it had reduced the other Philistine city-states into being merely vassals or subjects of Gath.

The hypothesis that Metheg Ammah is actually Gath is supported by a parallel passage found in 1 Chronicles 18. In that passage, the author of Chronicles commented, "In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its surrounding villages from the control of the Philistines" (1 Chronicles 18:1). In the process, David exercised control not only over all of Israel but also over his previous place of refuge, the place where he had hidden while he was running from Saul. The Philistines may have once dominated Israel, but with David, the slayer of Goliath, on the throne of Israel, the past was gone and everything had been made new once again. Life had seemed to come full circle. And David proved that there was no power that he was unwilling to confront with God by his side.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 60

(Scroll down for the answers to the city nickname quiz.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

City Nickname Answers

The Emerald City – Washington, D.C., U.S.A.

The City of Champions – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Whitestone – Moscow, Russia

First Throne (trick question) – also Moscow, Russia

Venice of the North – Saint Peterburg, Russia

Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation. – 2 Samuel 7:17

Today's Scripture Reading (May 24, 2022):  2 Samuel 7

I recently received an email from someone who purported to be a prophet of God. He was an unknown to me, but attached to the message was a chapter from his book. I like to read, so I thought I would read a little of what this prophet had written. I was a little amused that the attached chapter of his book was written as if it were part of the Bible. The author had inserted verse numbers throughout the document. It was something that the original prophets had not done. The verse numbers in the Bible are a late addition and not part of the original document. But I felt that this contemporary prophet somehow believed that the addition of verse numbers gave him some form of authority.

The chapter from my prophet was pretty standard stuff. It was complete with warnings about the wrath of God if we did not change. There were warnings about the worship styles of the church, framed like a Hebrew Prophet writing in the Tanakh or the Hebrew Bible. Accusations that the church has moved to follow idols instead of the one true God. There was a plea for monetary support so that the prophet could continue. (No, I did not give him any.)

But there was a fundamental problem. I had no connection with this prophet except in his writing which seemed to be designed to get my trust simply by resembling the prophecies of the biblical writers. There is a reason why I often include personal details in my writing; if you read my blog regularly, I would like you to get at least a little sense of who I am. Why else would you place any trust in me? (And I try not to make any grandiose prophecies in my writing because you don't have any reason to trust what I might say.)

Nathan hears the word of God, and then he goes and tells David the entire revelation. But Nathan had an advantage; David knew Nathan and had come to trust, and even depend, on him. Nathan had never told David, "This is what God says," when God had not spoken. So, when Nathan speaks, David has the assurance that the words are true.

Not all prophets had the same advantage. When Elijah walks into the presence of King Ahab, Elijah is a complete unknown. And, in some ways, it is no wonder that Ahab didn't believe him when Elijah announced the approaching drought. He had no reason to think that Elijah told him what God had said. But by the time of the encounter at Mount Carmel, Ahab should have known that Elijah was a prophet of God.

And it is this same problem that exists with the modern phenomenon of the traveling or email prophet. We need more Nathans who are willing to spend their entire ministries in one place. Or even a Paul, who was prepared to go and spend enough time in one place that the people could get to know them and trust that what he said was really the word of God.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 8