Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why. – Esther 4:5

Today's Scripture Reading (October 31, 2023): Esther 4

One of the great things about Halloween is that, for a few hours, you can be anyone or anything you want to be. And if you pick the correct disguise, no one will know who you are. And there is a freedom that goes with the ability of being unknown. Even the shyest or most reserved people can become outgoing entertainers if they just wear a costume. The best actors do precisely that with every role they undertake, turning themselves into someone else, sometimes without a costume that hides their identity. They become someone else and act as the character would instead of how the actor would. It can be a liberating experience.

But the reality is that the less we are known, the more unrestrained we are to act; for the commoner, Halloween comes every day. The truth is that I can go and do mundane tasks only because I am unknown. No one cares if I go through the McDonald's Drive-through at three in the morning; I am just another night visitor, and no one cares as long as I pay my bill. But at the same time, it is something that someone famous or influential would find hard to do. Could you imagine the President of the United States sneaking out of the White House to grab a three a.m. Big Mac, hoping no one will know of his nighttime journey? For years, rumors of a secret exit out of the White House for such escapades have existed. Still, the reality is that even if the President could get away from his bodyguards, every person he ran into on his nighttime expedition would know precisely who he was. Rumors would grow until the President and his Big Mac were front-page news on almost every gossip rag. Anyone with any fame knows that being known can be a curse.

Esther was Queen. It must have once seemed like a dream come true to an orphaned Hebrew girl. But the dream was also a nightmare. Esther couldn’t do whatever she wanted to do. She was known, under careful guard, and her movements were severely restricted. A life where she once would have been able to go anywhere now was limited to the places reserved for the King’s harem. Even something as simple as going to meet the uncle who had raised her became a hard thing to do.

Esther had seen Mordecai and knew that something was wrong, but it seemed beyond her ability to meet with her uncle and find out what was bothering him. Instead, she sends a handler to him to ask what is wrong. It was an action that Esther would have liked to have undertaken herself, but her position and fame made that impossible. Once, she could have gone wherever she wanted, but now she was limited by her status and fame. The result was that the man who was once the most important person in her life had now become someone she felt she could only talk to through a go-between. It was the price that had to be paid to go from an orphan girl to a queen.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Esther 5

After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. – Esther 3:1

Today's Scripture Reading (October 30, 2023): Esther 3

Part of the struggle with fights in the Middle East is that centuries of hurt and prejudice always creep into the conflict. It is not just the hurt of today that fuels the hate, even if that might be what begins the conflict. It is about generations, centuries, and even millennia of discrimination and hatred that keep the battle going. And under those conditions, atrocities often result. The fight between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip turns into a conflict between Lebanon and Israel, and even the reason behind the murder of a boy in Chicago at the hands of his landlord. All of this is a result of centuries of racial and religious discrimination.

I have to admit that the murder of children and babies doesn't make any sense to me unless we consider the generational hatred. And as the murder in Chicago showed us, the generational hate extends far beyond the borders of the regions involved. We understand that it is hard to fight against generational hate, and the extent of that hate often goes far beyond what is logical, at least to me.

Antisemitism is one example of this generational hatred, and it seems to frequently rear its head even thousands of miles away from Israel. But that is not the only generational hatred. During the opening moves of the Israel-Hamas conflict, I received a message that advocated "driving all Muslims into the sea so that this could never happen again." The note advocated more generational hatred. My response to the email was, "I remain in prayer for Hamas and all of the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip, just as I am in prayer for Israel." I don't want to see anyone "driven into the sea" but for peace to reign in the region. If this world is going to experience real peace, we need to find a way to solve our generational conflicts.

Haman has risen to power in the government, and the text of Esther informs us that Haman descended from Agag, an early King of the Amalekites. The Amalekites were generational enemies of the Jews.

Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven."

Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. He said, "Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the Lord, the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation" (Exodus 17:14-16).

So, it shouldn't surprise anyone that Haman, as soon as he comes into power, proceeds with a plan to exterminate the Jews. He launches a scheme in which he spreads his generational hate among the people of the Empire and develops a plan to have the citizens of the Empire kill his centuries-old enemies.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Esther 4

And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were impaled on poles. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king. – Esther 2:23

Today's Scripture Reading (October 29, 2023): Esther 2

Warning: Sensitive Content

I am not a supporter of capital punishment. On the logical front, there are just too many problems with the process of putting someone to death. We aren't independent judges that can make a dispassionate decision about who to kill. And that fact is apparent in the racial, religious, economic, and gender differences in who we choose to kill. If you are poor or from a visible minority, your chances of being put to death are much higher than if you are rich and white. And this doesn't even begin to examine the number of people who found themselves on death row who have been declared innocent. For me, and I recognize that this is just me, the sanctioned state killing of even one innocent person is too high a risk.

But this is on what I am calling the logical front. There is also an emotional part of me that reacts to execution. No matter how it comes, the end of life significantly impacts me. And every time there is an execution, I have to admit that it is not retribution and a feeling that someone is getting what they deserve that is at the forefront of my mind. It is the idea that someone whose life began with such promise and potential is about to die. All of the promise is wasted as life ends on a gurney, with a state-sanctioned bullet, or at the end of a government rope. There is no chance for repentance, change, or make amends for their crimes. The whole process makes me sad.

I can't begin to imagine the death penalty in ancient times. Not only did it face the same logical problems as we face today, but it was also designed to be gruesome and painful. On top of all of this, it had also become a spectator sport. Criminals didn't die in a room with just a few people witnessing the event for the human community. Executions brought crowds who would stand to watch the convicted person die.  

As Christians, we are used to the awful descriptions of the process of crucifixion. People who were crucified often took days to die. The cause of death was not blood loss or injury; people died of suffocation. They lived until they just didn't have the strength to pull in one more much-needed breath.

Another ancient way of killing someone was impalement. And it might have been an even more gruesome way to die, although it might have been a little quicker than crucifixion. When someone was impaled, they were placed on a stick at the bottom of the torso, and then two people grabbed a leg of the convicted person and proceeded to pull them down on the pole until the sharp end emerged higher up on the body. They had perfected the process so that the person could live in agony for a time after the impalement was completed. Then, the convicted person was left on the stick so that the people could come and see the dead criminal hanging on the pole.

Of course, all of this was an attempt to discourage others from following in the footsteps of those whom the state had killed. In the case of these two men who are executed at the beginning of the story of Esther, these executions were intended to discourage people who might want to consider assassinating the king. Ultimately, the purpose failed because we know that Xerxes, Esther's King, was assassinated in August 465 B.C.E.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Esther 3

Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. – Esther 1:19

Today's Scripture Reading (October 28, 2023): Esther 1

It seems to be the main plot line of several action movies and maybe the plague of every Christian. It is the idea of doing something which we can never take back. In an action film, it is the start of the countdown on a bomb that cannot be turned off. Of course, the reason for it in a movie is that the bomber wants the bomb to go off regardless of who finds it and their expertise at dismantling explosives, and the audience's knowledge that the bomb cannot be dismantled heightens the tension. In Christianity, we are convinced that what God told us when we were younger will still stand when we are older. After all, God never changes, so why would his directives? God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

For Christians, the flip side of the problem is that it also says that what we heard as God's instructions yesterday was accurate. I am not saying that God made a mistake, but isn't it possible that we misheard his constructions? For instance, I am convinced that the Crusades were a mistake; the Crusades were military battles toward which God had not called his church. Either Pope Urban II misheard God when he sent armed troops toward Jerusalem, or he never enquired of God in the first place. Urban thought it was a good idea when he was asked for military assistance in  the Middle East. And the Crusades that followed were equally a mistake, regardless of the outcome.

Many years ago, I had the privilege of attending a lecture delivered by Denis Lamoureux, a triple threat who holds doctorates in dentistry, theology, and biology. Dr. Lamoureux started his career as a Young-Earth creationist. Today, he refers to himself as an evolutionary creationist and disagrees with most of the positions he took as a younger man. He is not afraid to admit that he was wrong then, which probably means he could be wrong now. It is a humble belief of which we could all benefit. Intransigence is a Christian sin that deforms our belief structure and often keeps us believing wrong things. Intransigence might work as part of a movie plot, but it keeps Christians from impacting the changing world around them. We should never assume that we have always believed in the right things. It is a trap Satan uses to keep us out of the cultural fight in our contemporary world.

Philosopher Giannis Delimitsos sums up this idea.

"When a philosopher happens to read some of his older texts, and most of the time he shakes his head in disapproval, he can be sure that he is on the right path. For this is an infallible sign that his thought has evolved and that he possesses the capacity to learn, to unlearn, to adapt. He is brave enough to acknowledge that he may have been naive, and this, at the same time, is a useful reminder that he might be wrong even with his current views. Thus, he protects himself against arrogance and intransigence" (Giannis Delimitsos).

Unfortunately, intransigence is also a biblical plot point, and never in a good or positive way. And it rears its ugly head at the beginning of the story of Esther as King Xerxes issues a command that cannot be repealed. Yes, it opens the door for Esther but stops any reconciliation process between King Xerxes and his Queen, Vashti. Maybe that is unimportant, but the truth is that because the order could not be repealed, we will never know. I am convinced that there were moments when Xerxes would regret the intransigent order he issued.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Esther 2

For this is what the LORD says: "I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees.- Isaiah 66:12

Today's Scripture Reading (October 27, 2023): Isaiah 66

As I write this post, the unrest in Israel and the Gaza Strip seems to grow. And over the past few days, I have received more messages reminding me to keep Israel in my prayers, which they are almost every minute of the day. However, my response has remained that we need to also keep the Palestinians, Hamas, and other anti-Israel actors in our prayers; after all, regardless of which side we find ourselves, Jesus reminded us,

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that (Matthew 5:44-47).

If we are really followers of Christ, then it is our duty to pray for everyone in the area, including the innocent victims and the participants on both sides of the conflict.

But living on the other side of the world, it may be a little surprising and scary that the conflict is here. Like so many others, I have heard the horror stories of students who identify with one side of the conflict and are scared as they go to class for fear that someone will be offended by their heritage or ancestors. It was a little disconcerting to see a car filled with young adults of Palestinian descent, all sitting on the windows of their vehicle, fully masked, waving Palestinian flags, honking their horns, and screaming at others in a language that I didn't understand, driving through a shopping mall in my little corner of the world. The war isn't just in the Middle East; it has come home to where I live with my family and children.

In the closing of his prophecy, Isaiah speaks of a day when peace will come to Jerusalem like a river. (Time to break into a rousing version of the old Sunday School song "I've Got Peace like a River.”) But the peace doesn't just stay with Jerusalem. Isaiah's prophecy is that peace will begin in Jerusalem but then flood to the other nations and extend to the world. Isaiah speaks of a time that this world has never known, when we live in true peace, one with the other. It is a time that I pray for, even as I pray for Israel, the Gaza Strip, Hamas, and other actors with whom I agree and disagree. Because peace is the counter-cultural movement toward which God is calling us. And maybe today is the day that it starts with us.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Esther 1

This is what the LORD says: "As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and people say, 'Don't destroy it, there is still a blessing in it,' so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all. – Isaiah 65:8

Today's Scripture Reading (October 26, 2023): Isaiah 65

A friend recently dreaded attending a pastoral gathering in which she felt she had to participate. Her problem was that she knew there would be pastors in attendance who disapproved of her presence and would not accept her as an equal. They believed the presence of a Y chromosome was a biblical requirement to be a pastor (translation: pastors had to be male). And so, she dreaded what she anticipated as being another time when she would be forced to stand alone as her colleagues and the very people who should have been her cheerleaders criticized her. She hoped that someone, hopefully, another female, would be attending the meeting to give her some support. Maybe that is a common reaction whenever we enter into the figurative "Lion's Den." Daniel might have been alone, but we would prefer some company when facing our lions.

Elijah felt the same way. In his complaint to God, Elijah makes this complaint.

"I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too" (1 Kings 19:10).

Elijah felt that he was alone and the only true worshipper of God who remained in the country. But that wasn't true. In his response, God tells Elijah, "I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him" (1 Kings 19:18). Elijah felt he was alone when the reality was that there were seven thousand who lived in Israel and honored God in everything that they did.

The same situation existed among the exiles. God was not out to destroy Israel but to reset and restore the nation to its intended form. And God uses an illustration of the day to convey the concept to Isaiah. When a cluster of grapes has not entirely dried up, you don't destroy the entire bunch. It is enough to destroy the shriveled fruit and take the juice of those grapes that still have grape juice hiding inside them. Even the juice that is left is a blessing for those who want to drink. Similarly, God was not about to throw out a nation when there were still godly people among them. These people were the remnants that God planned on using to rebuild the country.

I have a message for my friend. There are a lot of us out here who support and love her and other female pastors. I have been clear that I believe that some of the best pastors of my conference happen to be women. Maybe my commitment needs to be that I, along with the many others who support women in ministry, must be more vocal than we have been. We must let others know that misogyny in the contemporary church is not okay, just as it is not okay anywhere else we might find it.   

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 66

After all this, LORD, will you hold yourself back? Will you keep silent and punish us beyond measure? – Isaiah 64:12

Today's Scripture Reading (October 25, 2023): Isaiah 64

"After all this." The words are emotionally charged. After all that I have suffered. After all of the circumstances and after all the forces that stand against me. After everything that has happened, is there no moment or outlet for mercy? Most of us have been there; it is the moment when we reach the end of our rope. We are still holding on, but the truth is that we are not sure how much longer we can maintain our grip.

I have been there a few times in my life—times of desperation where I have felt like another Job living against insurmountable oppression. But more importantly, I also admit that I made some unfortunate decisions in those circumstances, although maybe not the ones that my critics accuse me of making. But I also know that I am not alone in this experience. It is a condition of living on this earthly plane. And if we are honest, most of us have been there. Would we do things differently if we were given a chance? Of course we would, although we might not admit it publicly.

Israel has been devastated. The Temple is gone along with the city in which it was built. The countryside is scarred by the marks inflicted on it by the invading forces. The people have been expelled, and animals and migrant groups of people have moved into the land. The prophet understands that this was the result of a failure of the people to live lives that honored God. But when would God's anger be satisfied? When would God's punishment end? And maybe the biggest question is that the invaders of the land had committed greater sins than those committed by the people of Judah. Would they pay a similar price to the one that had been paid by the children of Israel?

These were all good questions. But we know something that the prophet didn't. God was reshaping the country, and he had plans to punish Babylon for their sins and send the exiles back home to rebuild their nation. All of this would happen, but only in God's timing.

I love how Eugene Peterson translates the beginning of the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount. Peterson writes, "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule" (Matthew 5:3). Whether Israel understood it or not, they were standing in the blessing of God. Here, their Creator could do a reset that would allow them to move into the future. And that is how we should see our struggles as well. When we find ourselves at the end of our rope, God is blessing us with a reset. And even amid our struggles, his promise remains that he will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 65

Look down from heaven and see, from your lofty throne, holy and glorious. Where are your zeal and your might? Your tenderness and compassion are withheld from us. – Isaiah 63:15

Today's Scripture Reading (October 24, 2023): Isaiah 63

Life is filled with peaks and valleys; times when everything seems to be going well, and we are on top of the world; and times when the problems seem to be winning the day, and we begin to think that the world has turned against us. And the truth of life is that we all experience both realities while on this journey together. Right now, I admit that I am going through one of the valleys. And, sometimes, it seems that God has stopped speaking. But I have come to understand that God's silence is more about me listening in the valley than God's actual silence.

Well-meaning Christians have advised me to act as if I am not in the valley. The idea is to react aspirationally as if the God who seems silent has already answered my prayer and delivered me from the valley. It is the "Power of Positive Thinking" Christianity. And I agree that living with a positive attitude has many benefits to our health and the circumstances of life. But there are also times when we must admit we are in the valley. And one of those times is when we get alone with God in our prayers.

I have also had people tell me that, when they are in the valley, it seems that their prayers are bouncing off the ceiling and falling back down on them. I have had that experience, too, yet I continue to pray. I pray in faith that God can hear me even when it seems to me that he is very far away.

That kind of praying in faith that God hears us is also the testimony of Scripture. The poets and prophets of Israel did not pray in an aspirational manner. They prayed their real situations; they prayed their tears and struggles when it seemed that only the ceiling was listening.

Isaiah prays to his God from exile. He tells God not what he wishes life was like but about his real feelings. It seems that God no longer sees the struggle that is taking place for those who are living in Babylon, far away from the land that they love. Missing from Israel is the zeal and power of God; God's tenderness and mercy also appear to be completely absent. Isaiah knows that all of Israel needs God to move.

So, the prophet sets the example for all of us. He cries out to God, revealing to the one who created him the emotions that have taken over his life. He trusts that, even now, God does hear him. And that even in the valley, God does speak. And in the end, that is all that is important. Even in my valley, I need to know that God hears my prayers. Even when I can't hear his voice, I need to trust that he answers, speaking to my hurts and frustrations.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 64

The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow. – Isaiah 62:2

Today's Scripture Reading (October 23, 2023): Isaiah 62

As Hamas began its 2023 offensive against Israel, and as Israel declared war on their terrorist opponents, I struggled, wondering, "What exactly is the endgame?" I understand all those who believe Israel has no right to exist. The space occupied by Israel has been your land for the past 1900 years. Israel has been absent as a nation of the world longer than it has existed as a nation. And I wonder if it was not for Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust, I wonder if it would exist today. Over that time, it has become your land. You are passionate about the land and want to take it back. But I keep asking myself, "Will the world powers allow Israel not to exist." And the answer that I keep coming back to is "no." In some form, Israel will still stand when all this is over. I am not sure that I believe the same about Hamas, but I do think that even if Hamas is wiped off the face of the Earth, some other terrorist group will rise to take their place, and the cycle that has been present in the Middle East for the last 75 years will continue.

So, the better question might be, understanding that Israel is not going away, is there a better way to arrive at a suitable solution? And the answer might be political. When a military solution doesn't exist, we often have to turn to peaceful revolution. The reality is that if the enemies of Israel want to win the war on the ground in the Middle East, they will first have to win the war in the hearts of the planet's inhabitants, especially the hearts of the West. It was what happened in India under Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi's strong belief in India and peace was the force that brought about significant change in the nation. Beating up on someone with guns and missiles might be more emotionally satisfying, but as with most emotional decisions, it is a decision that will not take us where we want to go.  

Isaiah writes that the nations, literally anyone not of Israel, will be drawn to Israel and come to trust in Israel's God. It is a further reminder that Israel's mission has always been to show God to the world and be a blessing to the citizens of our planet. It is a task that the Christian Church has also been called to, working alongside our Jewish brothers and sisters. At that time, God will give Israel a new name; no longer will Israel be known by its past nicknames, but God will provide them with new names that reflect their character. The idea carries over into the New Testament in John's Revelation.

The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name (Revelation 3:12).

But none of this has happened. It is still the possession of the future chapters of the story that we are writing. And only after this takes place will the Middle East know real peace.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 63

They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. – Isaiah 61:4

Today's Scripture Reading (October 22, 2023): Isaiah 61

I worked for a home renovation company during the summer before I went off to attend my first year at university. I didn't know much about construction but spent that summer working on various home improvement tasks. I spent a lot of time on roofs, replacing shingles, and performing many other functions at the different houses in the area.

And when there was no work, we worked on a house the boss had purchased and was renovating for resale. The home we were renovating was old, and the roof on this building was probably one of the steepest I had ever seen, a fact that became important one afternoon. I have no idea what the house looked like in its original condition. By the time I made my acquaintance with the building, it had already been dismantled and needed to be rebuilt.

The story from the roof was told one afternoon. We had already removed the shingles, and the roof's condition underneath the old shingles was terrible. As a result, we were attempting to fix several problems with the underlying structure before we reshingled the roof. For that summer, the roof was usually protected with a plastic sheet so that no more damage would be done while we worked on the underlying problems. One afternoon, after spending the day at the house and completing several tasks to repair the home, one of my workmates noticed a storm approaching. One thing I learned that summer was that storms came up extremely quickly in the area, and this one seemed to just appear over the town. And we had taken the plastic sheet off of the roof.

We had been warned never to get up on the roof without a safety harness, but on this afternoon, there just wasn't time. I reacted, ran to grab the plastic, and got it up on the roof without a harness. I was busy working to secure the sheet on the roof when a blast of wind knocked me off my feet. I slipped down the steep roof toward the edge and saved myself by grabbing the chimney before sliding off the roof. And there I hung until someone could get a ladder and help me off the roof.

God loves restoration. And he expects his people to be all about it as well. No, it is not about rebuilding houses, but my summer spent working on that old house was a good experience, showing me what restoration looks like. Restoration is rarely a quick process. Maybe that is why our society tends to throw the old away and construct something new rather than work at restoring what is broken.

I love some of the older buildings that can be found in our cities and am saddened by our penchant to destroy rather than rebuild. But, even worse, we also do it with the people in our midst. We are too quick at the task of throwing people away rather than being patient with them and allowing God to restore them through our presence. And we are the ones who lose in those situations. But when we allow God to perform restoration with others, he also does amazing things with us. And the truth is that we all have areas in our lives that need to be restored.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 62

Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. – Isaiah 60:3

Today's Scripture Reading (October 21, 2023): Isaiah 60

Every Christmas, we talk about the Christmas Star. It adorns our Christmas trees and is a crucial character in our advent displays and Christmas art. But the Christmas Star is unlikely to be like anything we have imagined or portrayed in our many seasonal decorations. For one thing, the closest "star" to our planet is our sun, and even it, or any of the even closer planets, is too far away to be seen as standing over one animal stable, house, or even town. Besides, the star didn't lead the Magi to Bethlehem but to Jerusalem. It was only because of the Temple priests and teachers of the law that the Magi adjusted their destination to Bethlehem, a town not far from the Jewish Capital.

What is more likely is that the Magi were astrologers who looked for the story of the world being told in the stars. And because a rogue star, most likely a comet, was making its way through the houses of the stars, these Magi were led to the conclusion that a new King had been born in Israel. And since he was a new King, the proper place to look for him was in the Capital city, Jerusalem.

The Magi were also likely Zoroastrian believers, a monotheistic faith that rose in ancient Persia or modern-day Iran. So, soon after the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, nations and officials came following the light that told the story in the stars of the birth of the new king of Israel.

Is this the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy? Maybe it is the beginning of fulfillment, but the fullness of the prophecy continues even today. The light that has shone over Israel through Jesus continues to attract people from all of the nations of the world. But the ultimate fulfillment of the prophecy will wait until the millennial kingdom of Christ, when the light of Jesus will be raised over Israel, and all nations will be brought to his light.

But for now, the light of Christ continues to shine out of the lives of those who follow him. After all, it was Jesus who gave us our mission.

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 61

"The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins," declares the LORD. – Isaiah 59:20

Today's Scripture Reading (October 20, 2023): Isaiah 59

The story of Ruth probably describes the idea of the kinsmen-redeemer the best, even if the concepts were actually introduced in Leviticus and the Books of Moses. But the story of Ruth places the notion of a kinsmen-redeemer within the human equation. Ruth and Naomi are saved only because Boaz is willing to step up and take responsibility for Naomi and her daughter-in-law, women who had been left unable to support themselves because of unforeseen circumstances in their lives and the unfortunate demise of Naomi's husband and sons.

The role of the kinsmen-redeemer was reasonably well defined by the expectations included in the Law of Moses. Among other things, the kinsmen-redeemer was responsible for buying a relative out of slavery, buying back family land, and marrying a childless widow so the family name would not completely disappear from the nation. The kinsmen redeemer "was responsible to safeguard the persons, the property, and the posterity of the family" (David Guzik, italics his).

The New International Version and many other translations shorten the term kinsmen-redeemer to simply a capitalized "Redeemer." This is in contrast to an English translation of the Jewish Tanakh, which would read, "And a redeemer [or kinsmen-redeemer] shall come to Zion, and to those who repent of transgression in Jacob, says the Lord" (Yeshayahu [Isaiah] 59:20). The point that the NIV is making that we need to hear is that we know the identity of the kinsmen-redeemer. While the identity of this person was a mystery to Isaiah, he is not a mystery to us. His name is Jesus. And he is the one who has redeemed every portion of our lives.

David Guzik suggests we could reword or paraphrase Isaiah's prophecy by saying, "I will send My Messiah, the Redeemer for all humanity, Jesus of Nazareth!" He who became like us, merging his deity with our flesh and walking with us on our paths as our brother, is the kinsmen-redeemer we need. He is the one who has purchased us back from slavery and restored us to our lives by paying the price for our transgression on Calvary's Cross.

But Isaiah adds a condition. He says that this kinsmen-redeemer takes on the restoration of those who ask for his help. It is true today, and it was true in the story of Ruth.

"Who are you?" he [Boaz] asked.

"I am your servant Ruth," she said. "Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian [kinsmen]-redeemer of our family" (Ruth 3:9).

Ruth needed to let Boaz know who she was and the level of her needs. When we repent, we let God know the same thing. Only then can our Redeemer take on our sins and restore us to the life God intended for us.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 60

Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins. – Isaiah 58:1

Today's Scripture Reading (October 19, 2023): Isaiah 58

I have a question, one that is directed at the Christian Church. And maybe it is not the one that we are expecting. Here it is: do we recognize the sin of our society? Perhaps even better, do we acknowledge the sin of the Christian Church? If Jesus were to confront us with the sin of our generation at a meeting tomorrow, what would it be? I know we have some leading candidates.

In my conference, a lot of energy has recently been expended on the issue of "same-sex marriage." Some churches have declared that people in same-sex marriages could be allowed into church leadership. Other churches have opposed this practice, claiming that God would be done with us if we allowed same-sex marriage as a denomination. We would have become the Babylon predicted in the Bible, and God would no longer honor our efforts. In support of the cause of righteousness, the only thing that we can do is expel the churches who are involved in the practice and restore the holiness of God's church.

Another argument that seems to be happening in the contemporary church is the fight between those who believe that we should allow women into church leadership and those who think that women should only be allowed to play a complementary role to men's leadership in our churches. And some believe that those who allow women to lead should be expelled. And I think the scripture we would use to support the position of kicking churches out of our conferences is from Paul's letter to the Corinthians; "Expel the wicked person from among you" (1 Corinthians 5:13).

But I must admit that I am not convinced that either is our signature sin. Our sin is not a permissive attitude for those involved in the LGBTQ community or allowing women in the church. Both topics are much more complex than we are often willing to admit. What isn't complicated is the last command Jesus gave his disciples. I am convinced that our contemporary sin is summed up by Jesus's words to his disciples at the Last Supper. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35).

Here is our sin. They will not know that we are disciples of Christ because of our theology or the things we detest. And that should be apparent to us. The Christian Church, in recent years, has become known more by the things that we oppose and hate rather than by our love. Let me shout our sin as loud as I can. This world doesn't need to know the list of things we stand against. Jesus says we will only be recognized as his disciples because we love. As disciples of Jesus, we are called to love, even amid significant disagreements. Love even those who oppose us. We are to pray for our enemies, even the ones we find within the church.

I am convinced that if Jesus called us into a meeting with him, his question wouldn't be about our stand on women in ministry or the LGBTQ community. His question would be about why we are not loving as he instructed. This is our rebellion, and I am not hearing enough church leaders speaking about this sin.

It is time to love. Whether we agree with each other or not on complex arguments is not an excuse for our lack of love. We should be able to stand with each other and declare our love for each other even though we disagree. And until we deal with our sin, we need to be willing to shout out our deficit and continually ask for the forgiveness of God and each other for our lack of love.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 59

I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not benefit you. – Isaiah 57:12

Today's Scripture Reading (October 18, 2023): Isaiah 57

It happened at church when I was a young teen. One Sunday morning, I was making my way through the crowded foyer, which was located at the midpoint of the church in front of the church offices, with the dreaded hiccups. I was busy hiding my predicament when a woman approached me with a message. I can still remember her words. They were accusatory in a way that I had never experienced before. “I know what you’ve done.”

I admit that I was shocked, and immediately, my mind started to race toward what it might be that she could know. As I said, I was a young teen, and I didn’t have many significant secrets. But I had secrets that were significant to me. And I stood in shock as my tormentor repeated her accusation. “I know what you’ve done.” It was news to me because she apparently knew I had committed a significant sin, one of which I had no knowledge.

“You don’t believe me, do you?” my accuser said as she looked at me. “I am telling you that I know all about you.”

Did God converse with this woman who had confronted me in front of the church's offices as I approached the sanctuary for the morning worship time? Finally, after what seemed like a long period of accusation, I found my voice. “What do you know?” And while we are at it, couldn’t we have had this conversation in a place that was a little more private?

My accuser replied, “I know!” But I still didn’t know what it might be that she thought that she knew. Finally, she smiled and said, “Your hiccups are gone.” The whole discussion had been an elaborate way of scaring the hiccups out of me. And it worked.

God is telling his readers the same thing. I know what you are doing. I know what is going on behind closed doors. I know what it is that you really believe and not just what it is you say you believe. I see your righteousness, but what is more, I know the reason for your righteousness, and your motives are not pure. And all of this I am going to expose. You think that the good you have done will put you in a good place, but I am telling you that you will not benefit from what you have done because you have done it for the wrong reasons. All of your good actions will fade because it was not done to pursue a deeper relationship with God. 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 58

"Come," each one cries, "let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better." – Isaiah 56:12

Today's Scripture Reading (October 17, 2023): Isaiah 56

I admit that you are unlikely to see me standing on a street corner holding a sign that says, "The End is Near." Every time someone announces that the end of the world is just around the corner, I am skeptical. And it seems that the world's end is prophesied as happening with almost every year that passes us by. At some point, the prognosticators are bound to be correct. Eventually, this planet will go through a catastrophic event, and all life on Earth will end. It might happen tomorrow, or it might happen a few billion years from now. But at some point, it will happen. Maybe we will be here to experience it, but it is just as possible that we will have gone on from life on our blue marble long before this world gives up its last gasp.

As we enter the last quarter of 2023, it may be appropriate to examine how the world is supposed to end this year. And it is quite a list. First, the Earth is predicted to be knocked out of its orbit around the sun and become a wandering planet throughout the universe, leaving the welcoming warmth of the sun due to a nuclear incident, whether at the command of some lunatic or because of an accident. Therefore, life on our planet ends in the cold embrace of space. At the same time, there will be a massive solar storm, big enough to destroy Earth's magnetosphere, exposing the planet's inhabitants to enough space radiation to destroy life on our planet.

And, as if that is not enough, before this year ends there is supposed to be an alien invasion, not one of benevolent visitors who want to help us out of the predicament caused by a nuclear accident and an overwhelming solar storm, but an attack of bloodthirsty monsters that want nothing more than to destroy the life on this planet for their own entertainment. Apparently, it will be an exciting two and a half months.

But Isaiah suggests that this world will end, not because of any of these predicted events, but because of our apathy and the belief that we can drink our life away, thinking that tomorrow will be just like today and that the end will never come.

I don't believe that we should go on believing that the end won't come, so eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow will be even better. Life on this planet will end at some point, but I agree with Isaiah; the end is much more likely to come because of our apathy than it is to end because of bloodthirsty monsters from space.

The truth is that this life is supposed to be lived as if today was the last day. We are never to assume that there is a tomorrow, and so, for today, we do our best to honor what God expects from us. If he gives us the gift of tomorrow, we will do the same again, not because the world is ending, but because it is what our God has asked us to do.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 57