I will uproot from among you your Asherah poles when I demolish your cities. – Micah 5:14

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 25, 2014): Micah 5

On August 23, 79 C.E., life in Pompeii continued as it had for generations. The city itself was home to probably around 20,000 people, but Pompeii in 79 was not just a place where people lived and worked; it was a vacation destination. Pompeii was built on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea, and arm of the Mediterranean Sea just south of the current city of Naples. Pompeii was a city of trade as well as a vacation destination, and the city was also a place of worship. The city was spotted with Temples dedicated to the worship of gods like Apollo, Jupiter, Isis, and other local deities. There was even a Temple that was dedicated to the former Roman ruler – Caesar Augustus. And on August 23, 79, the Temples were filled with people making offerings to the gods so that their personal plans would be successful. Life continued, as it always had.

Temple of Jupiter with Mount Vesuvius in the background

And on the morning of August 24, the people got out of bed expecting the 24^th to be much like the 23^rd, and probably much like the day before that. But on August 24, 79 C.E., life in Pompeii was about to suddenly end. Next door to the city was a volcano named Vesuvius. Vesuvius had erupted in 62 C.E., but the city had recovered. Most of the damage in Pompeii had actually been from the earthquake that had accompanied the eruption. But on August 24, 79 C.E. at about noon, Mount Vesuvius erupted again.  And this time, before the residents and visitors to Pompeii could even figure out what to do next, the city was buried in 20 feet of ash. Life in Pompeii came to an end very suddenly. And the city of Pompeii would lay under that ash, it was like a city that had been lost in the pages of history for the next 1500 years. But when the city was uncovered, it was like looking back into time. Everything in the city looked so normal, it was as if life was expected to pick up again the next day.

Micah makes a comment that on the day that the cities are destroyed, the Asherah poles would also be uprooted. He points at the places of worship and reminds the people that they would be destroyed along with the city. But in Micah’s eyes, it was not just the places of worship that would die, but the gods symbolized by those places of worship. No god that had been created by the hands of man can ever survive the disasters that will destroy us. None.

The Prophets of Israel had long foretold of what was an almost unthinkable event. The day was coming when the Temple of Jerusalem would be destroyed. Not one stone would be left on top of another. According to the prophets, the Temple of Solomon was going to disappear along with the city of Jerusalem. And yet, the moment of the destruction of the temple would not be end of the God of Israel. It would be just part of the story of a God for whom heaven was the place where he sat and the earth was the place where he rested his feet – and the place where he walked. But in the midst of every disaster this world has known, when the dust has cleared, the God of Israel has been the one that was still standing. He is not a God of our creation, but rather, he is the creator of all that we know – and he cannot be destroyed, even by the events that destroy the things most precious to us.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Micah 6

Note: Last Week's message from VantagePoint Community Church (Edmonton) "Real Comfort" from the Series "The Upside Down Kingdom" is now available on the VantagePoint Website. You can find it here.

In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. – Micah 4:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 24, 2014): Micah 4

One of the most contested religious sites in our world is the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Currently three of the world’s faith groups claim it as sacred ground – Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

For Judaism, Temple Mount is the very place where Abraham brought Isaac intending to sacrifice him at the request of God, only to be stopped by God himself and a ram was presented to be offered in place of Abraham’s beloved son. It then became the home of Solomon’s Temple, and after the exile it was the site of Zerubbabel’s Temple or the Second Temple and the restoration of that Temple that was started by Herod. The ruins on Temple Mount are of the Second Temple – no sign remains of glorious Temple built by Solomon.

For the Christian, Temple Mount is the site of many of the stories of Jesus. It is the place of christening when the baby Jesus was only eight days old. On two occasions, Jesus cleared the temple maintaining that it was designed to be a House of Prayer, but that people had made it a den of thieves. And for some, Jesus clearing of the temple was a foreshadowing of the destruction of the Temple by the Romans

For the Muslim, Temple Mount is third most sacred site of the faith. And it is the very place where Mohammed ascended into heaven. Conflict between the faiths exist because currently the Al Aqsa Mosque rests on the far southern side of the Mount, facing Mecca – and  The Dome of the Rock currently sits in the middle, occupying the area (or close to the area) where the Jews and Christian believe that the Third Temple (Ezekiel’s Temple) needs to be rebuilt. And obviously the sacred site of the Jews and the Christians cannot be rebuilt on the site while the sacred site of the Muslims still stands. And there is no end to the controversy over the problem, or over how the three faiths could share what is a very sacred space for all three religions.

Micah speaks of the temple being rebuilt on Temple Mount. Some commentators place this prophecy in the “already fulfilled category.” Since Micah was writing in a time when Solomon’s Temple was still standing, the understanding is that the rebuilding of the Temple Micah describes is the building of the Second Temple (Zerubbabel’s Temple.) But for some, Micah’s words expressing the exalted nature of the temple and the people that would stream to it does not seem to really fit. Zerubbabel’s temple was a bit of a disappointment for some of the Jews precisely because it did not measure up to Solomon’s Temple.

For this group of people, it seems that Micah could only be talking about Ezekiel’s Temple – the Temple we have described in the writings of Ezekiel but that has never been built. And for this group of people, the future building of Ezekiel’s Temple is and event that is prayed for and actively sought after – for it is believed that the Messiah will not come (for the Jews) or return (for the Christians) until the temple has been built – and according to Micah, that temple will need to be built on Temple Mount.

But another Christian interpretation of the Micah passage is that the temple has already been rebuilt in the person of Jesus Christ, and people from many races and creeds have already streamed to him. Under this interpretation, there is no need for a rebuilding of the temple on Temple Mount, the Messiah has come and will come again. And when he stands on Temple Mount, it really won’t matter what other structures are there. All the eyes of the world will be only on him.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Micah 5

This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead my people astray, they proclaim ‘peace’ if they have something to eat, but prepare to wage war against anyone who refuses to feed them. – Micah 3:5

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 23, 2014): Micah 3

In October 1032, Pope Benedict IX began his unique papal reign. At the time of his ascension Benedict was probably only 11 or 12 years old. He rose to the post not because he was suited for it, but rather because the position had been obtained for him by his Father. Both Pope Benedict VIII and Pope John XIX were his uncles. Although Benedict was Orthodox in his beliefs, it seems that his practice did not follow what the boy believed. His reign marked a dark time for the papacy. Pope Victor III, who reigned about forty years after Benedict IX, wrote of “his rapes, murders and other unspeakable acts. His life as a pope was so vile, so foul, so execrable, that I shudder to think of it.”

But what really sets Benedict IX apart is that he is the only Pope to rule more than once (in Benedict's case, he was made Pope on three different occasions.) His first chance to sit in the Papal chair was from 1032 until 1044. At that point, Benedict IX was forced out of office and replaced by Pope Sylvester III. But Sylvester III was only Pope for a little more than a month. Charged with bribing his way into office, he was deposed and then excommunicated by Benedict IX, who then regained the Papal office. Benedict’s second reign as Pope started in April of 1045, but his reign would also be very short lived (lasting only about a month). While it appears that Benedict IX charged Sylvester with bribing his way into office, in May of 1945 Benedict himself openly sold the papacy to his Godfather who became Pope Gregory VI. But it appears that he regretted his decision because in 1047, Benedict IX returned to force Gregory out of the Chair of Peter so that he could sit in it for his third reign, which this time would last about six months. But in the confusion of Benedict’s return, there would actually be three men who claimed to be the rightful heir of the papacy. Finally Benedict IX would be forced out of the chair of Peter and excommunicated from the church (although that excommunication was lifted after his death on claims that Benedict had repented of his behavior as Pope so that he could be buried on ground that had been consecrated by the church.) But the legacy of Benedict IX is that he only seemed to want the Chair of Peter for what he could get out of it. There were no thoughts in his mind about how he could serve the greater church.

Micah describes a similar condition that seems to have existed during his days. It was the highest crime that Micah could think of – when men who had been charged with serving the people God did so only for personal gain. And a warning for all of us who call ourselves Christians. We are followers of Christ only as far as we are willing to serve those around us. Our faith is not for personal gain, but rather that as humble servants we are involved in the work of making this world a better place for everyone – regardless of faith or sex or race – to live.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Micah 4

I will surely gather all of you, Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture; the place will throng with people. – Micah 2:12

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 22, 2014): Micah 2

When I was small, my family moved away from our traditional home in Eastern Canada. We moved from the communities that surround Toronto, Ontario to Calgary, Alberta. It was about a 2000 mile jump. And when we moved, we left a lot of family behind. I have fond memories of the family left behind, but I also recognize that there are parts of my extended family that I know very little about. Over the years, parts of the family also moved to Alberta, and so we were able to reconnect and rebuild relationships. But a few years ago one of my cousins passed away unexpectedly. And in those moments you begin to wonder about the relationships that have been lost – to mourn them and wish that we could somehow all be together again.

Micah prophecies of a time when the family of Jacob (Israel) would be brought together again. Micah comment is specific – it is about all of the family. In the time that Micah was writing, “all of you” would have been interpreted to be both Israel and Judah – and reunification of the whole family of Jacob. And Micah continues to describe the party. He talks about the remnant, which means that it will be only a representative part of the family that will be brought together, but he also speaks of the place that will “throng with people.” Throng usually indicates a big group. So this is not a small party, many of the children of Jacob, from across all of the thirteen tribes, will be part of the celebration. Micah also speaks of the place of the party. He says that God will bring them together in a place that will be like sheep in a pen or a flock in its own pasture. The words indicate that the reunification will happen in a safe place. And a safe place is usually a big asset to a great party.

Micah’s description makes us want to be there. But there is a problem. Some have interpreted the words of Micah to indicate that the exile in Babylon would not be the final chapter in the story of Jacob; that a remnant would return to Palestine, the ancient homeland of the Jewish people. But the Babylonian exile only involved the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (and Levi when we include the priests and the Levites that were also part of that exile – all committed to the work of God in the Temple in Jerusalem.) But three tribes out of thirteen is hardly all. So if it was not the return to the homeland of the Jews from Babylon, then what event was Micah talking about. And the short answer is that we don’t know. This reunion has never happened.

But for the Christian, we see it as happening as the Jewish people finally come to accept Jesus as their coming Messiah. It would seem that only in Christ can this reunification ever happen. And in that instance, the party will not just include the thirteen tribes of Israel, it will include all of us as God removes the boundaries that keep us apart.

We believe that Micah’s family reunion is still coming. And for those who like reunions, we can’t wait for the time of celebration to finally arrive.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Micah 3

Those who live in Maroth writhe in pain, waiting for relief, because disaster has come from the LORD, even to the gate of Jerusalem. – Micah 1:12

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 21, 2014): Micah 1

We want life to be fair, even though we know that it is not. Andy Stanley makes a plea for the unfairness of life imploring us to do for the one what we wish we could do for everyone. Instead, the typical reaction tends to be that if we cannot do it for everyone, then we should not do it for anyone. I sat in a room with a Pastor that operated on this principle. He wished that he could sit in Starbucks and drink coffee and talk with every person in his congregation. But since that was impossible, he decided to sit in his office and drink coffee with no one. At least, in his eyes, that was fair.

Stanley talks about one of the ones in his life. In his life, the one takes the form of an addict that Stanley has helped out in various situations over the years. He wishes that he could have this kind of an effect on everyone, but he can’t. So he settles for the one. In return, he also speaks of the impact that this addict has had on his life – an impact and experience that has enriched him, and that he would never have had if had not done for the one what he wished he could do for everyone. Stanley’s stance recognizes the inherent unfairness of life, and the responsibility of each of us to minister in the midst of that unfairness.

We really have no idea about the place that Micah call Maroth. Some experts have questioned whether this might be a clerical error and the town identified should be rather Ramoth (of which there were three in ancient Israel). But Maroth fits better with the tone of the beginning of Micah’s prophecy. Specifically, Maroth sounds like the Hebrew word for “bitter” or “perfect grief” which fits perfectly with the context of the verse.

Other experts have simply indicated that Maroth was an evil town in Judea – one that was rightly destroyed by the attacking Assyrian army in the late 8^th century B.C.E.. As Micah correctly indicates, that attack of the Assyrians stopped at the gates of Jerusalem and the Holy City never fell into Assyrian hands. But the problem with assuming that Maroth was evil is that this is the only mention of the town that we know of – and nothing in this passage would indicate that Maroth was evil, it only says that Maroth was in pain because of a disaster – assumed to be the Assyrian attack on Judah – that came from God. The inference seems to be that if the attack came from God, then Maroth must be evil. But that is inconsistent with the Hebrew understanding of God. For the Hebrew people. God was all-powerful and therefore God was fully able to stop anything from happening. It was the hand of God that stopped the Assyrian army at the gates of the city of Jerusalem. And because he was able to stop it, then all of the bad things in life came from God. And yet the Hebrew Bible also teaches that the good and the bad happen to both the righteous person and the evil one. Assuming that Maroth was evil just because it suffered goes against that teaching.

Probably the best way to interpret Micah’s comment about Maroth is to admit that this is a commentary on the unfairness of life. Jerusalem was preserved from the Assyrian attack – and that preservation was because of God – yet Maroth suffered and was destroyed even though the town existed just outside the gates of Jerusalem. Maybe the people could have fled to Jerusalem, but they were too proud. Maybe there was not enough time for the people to get out. Either way, Maroth became a place of “perfect grief” in an unfair world – dying on the very steps of the great city that God decided to preserve from the Assyrian army.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Micah 2

I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them. – Hosea 14:4

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 20, 2014): Hosea 13 & 14

On Monday morning, October 2, 2006, Charles Roberts entered a one room, Amish school in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania. Roberts was carrying a gun and enough ammunition to wage a small war. He ordered the teacher and the boys to leave the classroom. One nine year old girl who did not understand English followed the boys and the teacher out of the classroom. She would be the only girl in the small school to escape the events of this day without injury. After the exodus, Roberts ordered the ten girls that remained in the classroom to kneel down on the floor. One girl, a thirteen year old and the oldest student left in the classroom, begged Roberts to just kill her and let the younger ones go. But Roberts refused. He said that he was angry with God for the death of his daughter, and with that explanation Roberts shot each one of the girls execution style on the classroom floor. By this time the authorities had gathered outside. At the sound of the gunshots they rushed the small schoolhouse. But by the time they got there the damage was done - and Roberts lay dead on the classroom floor alongside of his victims. Two of the girls died immediately, one on the way to hospital and two more during the night that followed. Five of the ten girls died as a result of Roberts’ anger.

But the scene that was taking place outside of the classroom was really what caught the attention of the watching world. One of the grandfathers of the murdered girls was rushing around to the grieving parents, imploring them to not “think evil of this man.” When it was announced that the gunman was dead, the message that “he was now standing before a just God” was circulated by another Amish man. The Amish community responded overwhelmingly to the Roberts family. Cards and gifts from the community were received by Roberts’ widow. One scene of an Amish man sitting and holding the weeping father of Charles Roberts for over an hour trying to comfort him dominated the headlines. At the funeral for Charles Roberts, over half of the mourners were from the Amish community. The Amish forgiveness of Charles Roberts for the deeds he had done in the small schoolhouse was so complete that the Amish even contributed to a fund to help Roberts’ surviving family.

But outside the Amish community, people struggled with their reaction. Some even criticized the forgiveness, a dominant characteristic of the Amish beliefs, saying that the forgiveness that the community freely gave to Roberts was unwarranted – that forgiveness should never be given unless it is asked for, and in this situation, Charles Roberts was in no position to do the asking. But their pleas fell on deaf ears. For the Amish of Nickel Mines, forgiveness was given, even if it was not deserved.

Hosea finishes his prophecy with this promise of divine forgiveness. Nowhere in the prophecy do we find the people crying out for it. Even in the story of Hosea and Gomer that starts off the book of Hosea, nowhere do we read of Gomer’s plea for or acceptance of forgiveness. Hosea simply forgives her in spite of her action. And at the end of the prophecy, God simply forgives Israel of all of their transgressions and welcomes them back in his arms.

Historically, the Northern Kingdom of Israel never did return from exile – and yet, according to this passage in Hosea we know that they are forgiven and exist in the ever present grace of the Father. It has been said that we are as close as we can get to the image of the divine when we decide to act with forgiveness. Following the events of October 2, 2006, a community tried desperately to show that kind of divine nature to the watching world. Some of us got, but others refused to understand. The world understands our anger, but I am convinced that it is only changed by the way we forgive. Go and be the divine in your world, forgiving freely, even when some would say that forgiveness is not appropriate. For those who try to exist reflecting the divine nature of the ever present God, forgiveness is always an appropriate response to life.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Micah 1

In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel; as a man he struggled with God. – Hosea 12:3

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 19, 2014): Hosea 11 & 12

Political analyst and radio host Dennis Prager tells the story of a time when a Muslim listener phoned into his radio show with a question. The question was why Dennis, a religious Jew, was not a Muslim. Most of us could probably imagine a number of answers to the question, but I have been intrigued with Dennis’ answer. He believed that the question had been asked with sincerity and so he answered the question in the same way. His reply to his listener was that the name of her religion was “Islam” – and “Islam” means submission to God. Dennis himself is a follower of Judaism, but Judaism is the religion of the children of Israel – and Israel does not mean “submission to God” – it means “struggles with God.” Dennis finished this descriptive stage of the conversation with this comment – Dennis said that he follows Judaism because he would rather struggle with God than to simply submit to God. And, to be honest, I love that answer. Not only do I approve of the answer, but it describes me – I too, would rather struggle with God than to simply submit to God.

Hosea is speaking to the people of Israel and he reminds them of who it is they are. They are not simply the people that God has chosen. And they are definitely not the people that have blindly submitted to God. In actually what they had become was the people that have ignored God. But who Israel was designed to be was the people who struggled with God. And that struggle started with Jacob, the one who was later in his life called Israel. There had been a name change from the one who grasps the heel of his brother – which is the basic story behind the name and the meaning of Jacob – to Israel – the one who struggles with God.

As Christians, I believe that we are supposed to adopt this attitude – we are the ones that join with Israel in the struggle with God. I have been haunted in the past few months by a comment by Walter Wink. He wrote “I for one do not abandon scripture, but neither do I acquiesce. I wrestle with it. I challenge it. I am broken and wounded by it, and then in defeat I sometimes encounter the living God.”

Sometimes I think that we believe that God is happy if we simply submit to him. But the reality is that we are never encounter God through simple submission. And sometimes we totally miss the plan he has for us because we have misunderstood him and have simply submitted to what we had in our heads that he was saying. But when we struggle with God, we get to the root of what God is really saying, not just what we think he is saying. And sometimes we are surprised in the struggle when we begin to realize what God is really about.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Hosea 13 & 14

Note: VantagePoint Community Church (Edmonton) has a new website. Please check it out at www.vantagepointcc.org.