What's With The 'Wing'?

The men of David said to him, "Behold, this is the day of which the LORD said to you, 'Behold; I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.'" Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul's robe secretly.  It came about afterward that David's conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul's robe.  So he said to his men, "Far be it from me because of the LORD that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the LORD'S anointed."  David persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, left the cave, and went on his way. (1 Samuel 24:4-7 NASB)

I'm trying to imagine how this event went down, and I'm struggling with it.  So, Saul saunters (or more likely moves with swift intention) alone into this cave.  Coming from light to dark, his eyes can't see the extent of the cave recesses.  And then, a safe distance into the cave, perhaps to one side, he 'covers his feet' (a Hebrew euphemism for 'cop a squat').  Unbeknownst to him, in those dark recesses he couldn't see upon entering, are hidden his quarry, David and his men.  That's the setup for the verses above.

So here are the places I struggle. 1) Caves echo, and unless there are a lot of deadening sorts of plants or something, dirt on the floor, what have you; you shouldn't be able to whisper without Saul hearing something. 2) How did David get so close to cut and cut quietly?  I'm guessing he didn't whip out his handy orange-handled Fiskers and silently snip, he had to use a knife.  Either that sucker was SHARP, or he spent some time and effort at it.  How did that happen without Saul noticing something in this cave? 3) Why the robe?  If he's following the advice of his men, what's with the piece of robe?  Was that the sign to his men to go ahead and take out their adversary; the first blow?  Next, off comes his head?

I don't think anyone really knows the answers to these questions; partly since the cave in this region (there are hundreds at least) in which this happens is not even known.  So I have only theories (go figure - you knew it had to be). 

I suspect it went down something like this:

• This cave is HUGE, enough to fit 600 or more fairly comfortably, and David's sentry gave plenty of warning that Saul's 3,000 were coming up the canyon (or wadi as they are called there).  
• I suspect sand storms over the last thousands of years or so had deposited plenty of sand near the entrance, with less as you go deeper in the cave (I've never actually been to Israel, so I'm really just guessing), which would deaden sound nearer the cave, not so much deeper in.  
• When David's men realize it's Saul (their eyes are adjusted to the dark, and Saul's aren't), they figure now's the time God provided to take out Saul and end this.  
• I can only imagine that Saul has constipation, so, therefore really taking his time and working fairly hard at what he's doing; therefore hears nothing as he is very preoccupied.
• Because what he going to be doing is usually 'messy' Saul lays his outer garment aside as he approaches the place he picks to 'take care of business'.  I would think, again as I imagine it, this would be somewhere between the squatting and grunting Saul and the door, and therefore the only light source in the cave, and a place of more 'sand'.
• David approaches very carefully, his men watching and ready.  Saul doesn't notice a sound in the sand behind him (if he's facing the cave wall or something - tactically stupid, but I suppose possible).  Saul doesn't notice a shadow passing on the wall around him as David passes between the light of the cave entrance and himself (again tactically stupid, but again, I suppose possible).  David chooses the robe over Saul himself and cuts off a piece.  Saul doesn't hear this either because he's working so hard, and/or because David is so quiet.
• As David cuts the piece of robe, something flashes through is mind.  He sees Saul, the mighty king of Israel squatting helpless over his heels working away, and realizes that this could just as easily be him.  What if one of his men wanted to be the next king?  How hard would this be?  After all, he's setting a precedent here.  His conscience attacks him (or in Hebrew, 'his heart caused him to be struck').
• David changes what he's done into a teachable moment.  Rather than signal his men with the robe to take out their adversary, he sneaks back to them past the squatting sweating king.  And he says, to them, "God forbid (and by that he means 'God do to me if I do to him') that I stretch out my hand against the Lord's anointed."  David realizes that as insane as Saul may be, he and David both are anointed of the Lord.  So David takes this time to teach his men a very important thing for them to know (for his own protection): You don't presume to strike down those anointed from God.

I don't know if you thought it through or read it through, but this lesson David teaches his men is done so well, and so powerfully, that in the Kingdom of Judah, David's line has almost no assassinations, maybe three or four incidents (one at least has a lot of people dying, but is a single incident).  Not all his offspring die of natural causes, but very few die at the hand of a usurper.  On the other hand, in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, it happens all the time.  Dynasty's are rare up there in Samaria, and that kingdom lasts much less time than David's line ruling in Judah (like 300 years less!).

I'm sure that my 'imagination' of how the events in the cave went down deviate from what really happened significantly, but the overall sense of what happened is probably close.  The lesson is unmistakeable.  While I'm not sure what the point of cutting off the robe as opposed as stabbing the squatting king actually was, the point David makes is genius, probably inspired.  David's opportunity to teach his men not to strike one anointed of God had to be a divinely created opportunity, one he didn't pass up.  But what is my lesson, my take away here?  What point can I learn from the piece of robe rather than a life?

Paul already points our that our spiritual warfare is not against people but against the 'spiritual forces of darkness in heavenly realms' (Ephesians 6:12).  So I see that lesson here, that David sees that his foe is not really Saul, but those evil things oppressing Saul.  Seeing that I suspect David is able to see himself in Saul's sandals/shoes, perhaps even his predicament (caught with his robe around his ankles).  He did not see a helpless foe as an opportunity.  That is probably the biggest thing.  In a sense, those evil things oppressing Saul were now tempting David to take the life of their pawn, and therefore his place as their human puppet (okay, I'm probably over the top in reading into this). 

The lesson my Master is teaching me is probably more that the opportunities He provides I should be taking.  So, when I come home, and see that neighbor out in the street with his kids, I should take that opportunity to engage in a 'Kingdom conversation'.  When I'm in line at Walmart for an hour or so because there's only one line open for all 20,000 people in my city congregated in the store at the same time (why do they do that? Both, my town and the store), then I should take the opportunity for a 'Kingdom conversation'. 

There are opportunities all around me to engage the enemy of my Master, and bring in the light of my Master's Kingdom into the dark strongholds, offer release to captives, and plunder the camps of the Devil.  And he knows it.  So those opportunities are also to draw fire, flaming arrows requiring faith, chest shots requiring righteousness, head shots requiring salvation, and having the equipment handy provided by truth.  The sword I borrow from the Spirit of my Master divides soul and spirit, joints and morrow; what could be a more effective weapon than that?  Why, if I'm so well equipped, do I not take these afforded opportunities?

So, my challenge is to put it on, take it up, go forth, stand, pray, and engage.  If the gates of hell cannot stand against the called out ones of my Master, why aren't I kicking them in?  It's time.  "Let's roll!"

Who Gives Up Their Hero?

Now David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here."  Then David said, "O LORD God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account.  Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard? O LORD God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant." And the LORD said, "He will come down."  Then David said, "Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?" And the LORD said, "They will surrender you."  Then David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the pursuit. (1 Samuel 23:9-13 NASB)

 In the account of Saul's pursuit of David, one of the elements I really never understood was the willingness of the people to surrender David to Saul.  This seemed almost infuriating, how could they?  How could they not notice the weak sanity of Saul?  How could they not notice the faith and strength of David?  How could they not see such stark differences between them and choose the obvious choice?

This is a perfect example of my difficulty.  The people of Keilah in Judah are being attacked by Philistines, and it's David who comes to rescue them.  When Saul hears of it, he's elated that David is now shut up in a city where he can be found.  When David inquires of God, God makes it clear that David will be handed over to Saul by the people of Keilah.  How is that even possible?  I looked it over from the Hebrew, and there's no other way to read it.  It's sad.  It's crazy, as crazy as Saul.

So, my assumption is that people should see how bad Saul is and throw their lot in with David.  To get to this point I had to read chapter 22, where Saul tells Doeg the Edomite to kill the priests of Nob, and who then proceeds to initiate the ban on the entire city, men, women, children, infants, and livestock.  Okay, so perhaps it's the smoldering ruin of Nob that gives people the sense of which side is safest, in their best interest, best for their families and livelihood.

And then there's the other element to this story that it was God sending David to Keilah in the first place.  God sends him there knowing the people would be faithless to David.  That just seems so weird.  Why would He do that?  It just seems sometimes in Scripture that God is being just as faithless as the people, doesn't it?  It just doesn't seem fair.  Think of David's men; they didn't want to go to Keilah out of fear, and now, it seems they were right.  How faithful would that make them toward David?  How easy is for him to lead them into battle now?  Well, actually, easier.

David has 400 men when he starts at Addullum in chapter 22, leaving Keilah he now has 600.  I don't know, it doesn't say where these additional 200 came from, but I wonder if it was men of Keilah.  Probably not anywhere near 200, but I bet some were.  I bet the faithfulness and devotion of David for the people of Judah was crystal clear to many.  His willingness to go where God sent regardless of cost, how he always seems to come out on top of difficult situations, that he never wavers in his devotion to God or to the people; it probably made a deep impression. 

These are the qualities with which I struggled in ministry.  When the people were faithless toward me, would I still fight for them?  When God seemed to be leading me into danger on behalf of these faithless people, would I remain obedient to Him?  The thing that led me out of vocational ministry was finally reaching a point where I became convinced that these people couldn't see past me to my Master.  They were so focused on me they couldn't hear anything else.  It was amazing. 

On the other hand, it could have been that I was focused on me; my problems, my pain, my frustration with them.  It could have been that I was not what distracted them, it was this world, their problems, their lack of faith, and their inability to be honest.  All these things probably stemmed from fear, but I didn't stay there long enough to know what lay beneath.

So was I right to remove myself from the equation? Was it the right thing to get out of the way so God could have His voice without my interference?  I don't know.  I suspect that I needed to go, that vocational ministry wasn't my thing, at least not there.  But I don't know.  I see here that the faithfulness of others to him didn't deter David.  I see that He was obedient even when it didn't make sense, and the odds were against him.  I see that David set his heart against the enemies of God and His people, not against those seeking David's life; which is probably the hardest lesson I see here.

And so I learn that I need to stop fighting the wrong battles.  I see that I need to start seeking the real enemy (which seems surreal if you think about it).  I'm beginning to understand that the righteousness of others is not to be my motivation for serving them, or even for continuing to serve them.  It's starting to dawn on me that my Master is less interested in my safety than my usefulness in His Kingdom; against His enemies as opposed to against His faithless people. 

But not all are faithless.  As I suspect some of the 200 came from Keilah, faithful ones who understood the difference between David and Saul; so I suspect I will see my Master work in the lives of others for transformation, just as He works in mine.  Even if their faith is weak, isn't mine?  I can change, but so can they.  My faith can grow, and so can theirs.  Perhaps I will lead others, others discontent with the status quo, the usual, the norm.  But then I should be leading them in the path of faithfulness of my pursuit of my Master, shouldn't I?  Well, time to whip out the machete and get to 'trail-busting'; leaving a swath for others to follow in pursuit of my Master's work.  Perhaps I should sharpen it first?

My Taunt Is Better Than Your Taunt

The Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.  The Philistine also said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field." 

Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD'S and He will give you into our hands." (1 Samuel 17:43-47 NASB)

There is a lot of debate about the text of chapter 17.  There are plenty of seeming inconsistencies, theories to reconcile them, grousing about whether David was even a real historical figure, and so on.  If it weren't for these controversies, many scholars wouldn't have received their doctorates. 

But one piece which is not so hotly contested because it lacks inconsistency, is documented in the best texts, and fits well in the narrative as a whole are the taunts between David and Goliath.   The giant has been taunting all day, early to late, and no one comes to fight.  Finally out comes some good-looking shepherd boy and he's out of good insults.  But the shepherd's not.

Essentially, the giant said he would feed David to the birds and animals.  David said he was going to give all the Philistines to feed them, oh, and cut off the giant's head.  But David also reveals his motivation. He wants everyone to know, Israelite and Philistine, that the battle belongs to God, and He delivers however He wants.

David turns the issue around on the armies.  It's no longer about giants and swords, bronze and iron.  Now it's about God and those opposed to Him.  Once the battle is framed this way, giants, metal, and numbers no longer matter.  And neither do texts, theories, and archeological evidence.

I learn that the things I face aren't really about what I know or don't.  They aren't about what I can do or can't.  Not even what I want or don't want factors into the things I face each day.  The life I live is about my Master.  In a sense, David proclaimed that he had been crucified with the Messiah, and he no longer lived, but the life he lived he lived in faith in that Messiah having loved him and gave Himself up for him (Galatians 2:20).

As David lived and testified, so it is for me.  Can I stand before giants and assembly and proclaim that it is all about my Master?  Will  I?  What about today?  What about my work day?  Sure, perhaps in the drama, I can stand bold, but what about the daily grind upon my soul?  Can I stand even then?  And this is not about perfection, it's about being consistent, honest, and real.

The major problems in my life are not the crises, but the routines.   I can face the crises in faith, and have repeatedly.  It's the routines that grate on me, but it is also the routines that get the job done, any job.  If I don't face the routines faithfully, then I won't be prepared for the crises (ask a firefighter).  I may endure it, I may even shine during, but I will be working under a handicap I created, my lack of readiness.

I want the fun, the adrenaline, the surge of excitement.  I need to be faithful in the routines so when my Master calls me to stand before the assembly and giants to proclaim that this is all about Him I will be ready to obey.  Practice, practice, practice, small victories to gain more faith for the larger ones.

So today is about the routines, my giant to face.  Today is about doing what I need to do rather than what I want.  Today is about my Master; like every day, including tomorrow, and Saturday, and so on...

Even Prophets Fear Sometimes

Now the LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have selected a king for Myself among his sons."  But Samuel said, "How can I go? When Saul hears of it, he will kill me." And the LORD said, "Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.'  You shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one whom I designate to you." (1 Samuel 16:1-3 NASB)

"Samuel! You've just confronted King Saul and told him God has rejected him, you've just finished hacking the captured King Agag to pieces before God and the all the elders of Israel.  What are you going to do now?" Somehow, it never works out that the prophet says, "Go to Disneyland!"  Great courage, shown in the work of God, major victory for the righteousness of God, and then comes some sort of wavering of faith.

It's weird, but I do it too.  Samuel faced down Saul and yet now, when God tells him to stop mourning the wayward king and go anoint someone else, Samuel is afraid of Saul.  Why does faith evaporate? Further on in the story, one of my favorites: Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.  He faces them down, humiliates them, God sends fire, and he and the people slay all the prophets of Baal.  Then he runs away from the Queen who won't even come out to face him.

So, why do great demonstrations of faith in the face of powerful foes wind up followed by demonstrations of fear?  Moses gave every excuse imaginable and some not to be excused from leading the people of God out of Egypt.  It's a character of the prophet that there is this fluctuation between faith and fear, and in some cases, obedience and compromise.  But like I said, I do it too.

The other day, I had a great encouraging meeting with our pastor to discuss the marriage mentoring ministry God is putting together using my wife and I.  That night I can't sleep, and temptation is nearly overwhelming.  The next day, I'm really tired, don't have coffee to make, and have to constantly fight off temptation all day at work.  It was brutal.  What was going on?  Why the fight?  Why all of a sudden do I have this struggle when it hasn't been for almost a year?  Oh yeah, victory and progress against the enemy; he's worried and attacking at full strength.  Duh.

We think if spiritual warfare in terms of casting out demons, but more often than not, it is much closer to daily life.  More often than not, the spiritual warfare I face is the concentrated attacks of the enemy when I'm weak: Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and/or Tired (HALT).  Sometimes temptations are of my own making: wrong place, wrong time, wrong thinking, and compromise of any sort bring them on.  But other times, it's an attack of the enemy, sometimes subtle, and sometimes not.

I suspect that this "mourning of Saul" that Samuel was going through was the wearing on him of the enemy.  He was "sulking" in a sense because he had become attached and invested in who he knew had become a failed king.  It was more than just worrying about what Israel would do for leadership without Saul, it was about mourning a hope and a person.  He was attached to what God did not what He was going to do.

God regretted.  And then He moved on.  Samuel mourned, but couldn't get out of it.  That is why I think he was under the attack of the enemy.  He had just hewed to pieces one of the enemies favorite pawns, King Agag.  His whole nation was unable to be redeemed, they were so under the sway of the evil one.  Of course Samuel was a target; one of revenge.  And for whatever reason, even with all his demonstrations of faith, the attack of the enemy was working.

But God didn't stop using him.  And He won't stop using me, even though I struggled with the old me, the old struggles, the ones that no longer characterize me.  I am not that person, so why does the old thinking and behavior reemerge and threaten to overwhelm me?

I notice something about resurrection and spiritual warfare.  When my Master raises the dead, their new lives are better than the old ones were.  When the enemy raises deadness, old ways and thinking, it is more like a zombie; neither alive, but not yet dead.  The resurgence of the old ways should be expected as this new ministry progresses.  And I need to remember two important things: 1) this is normal, all people of great or small faith encounter these struggles when things are good; 2) it is the enemy using my dead nature, not the 'real me'.

Sometimes, in my life, I have found that the best tactic in spiritual warfare is re-framing my circumstances in their correct spiritual warfare 'frame'.  Once I admit what I'm going through is spiritual warfare and not what I suspect it is, the energy and power goes out of it.  The enemy tries to hand me a 'frame' to use in understanding my experiences, and I too willingly take it; "it's their fault", "it's my fault", "it's about who's at fault", "it's hard", "it's scary", "what if ___", on and on.  When I'm able to re-frame what's happening as an attack of the enemy ("this is not from my Master", "this is the enemy", "this is not who I am", etc.) I can feel the energy level change, and peace comes.

The real indicator is that the 'frames' of my Master bring peace, and the 'frames' of the enemy destroy peace with fear and confusion.  So, perhaps the most powerful tool of spiritual battle is a spiritual 'framing hammer', big, heavy, cross-hatched head, long handle, you know the kind.  Used in prayer and study of the Bible, such a 'hammer' can demolish the frames of the enemy, and construct frames based on my Master's views.  Now, where's my tool belt and hard hat?  I've got some frames to replace...

A Double Dog Dare Gone Horribly Wrong

Now Nahash the Ammonite came up and besieged Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a covenant with us and we will serve you."  But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, "I will make it with you on this condition, that I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you, thus I will make it a reproach on all Israel."  The elders of Jabesh said to him, "Let us alone for seven days, that we may send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to deliver us, we will come out to you." (1 Samuel 11:1-3 NASB)

They said to the messengers who had come, "Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have deliverance.'" So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.  Then the men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you."  The next morning Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. (1 Samuel 11:9-11 NASB)

There is a sense of the barbaric in that this Nahash wants to gouge out an eye of every towns person.  And then there's this sense of "honor" in that he allows them to send for help.  The false sense of honor is that this is an affront to the people of Israel.  Nahash is taunting them, daring anyone to stop him.  He is confident that they will do nothing and let him be barbaric.  He's a terrorist, a bully, totally confident in his own power to do whatever he wants to anyone.  It doesn't say how many he brought with him, but it wasn't enough.

Saul summons the people in a rather brutal fashion as well, with a threat, although not involving gouging out an eye.  When the terror of God falls on them, 300,000 show up along with 30,000 of Judah (I don't know why they're numbered separately).  Saul splits them into three companies, and marches to help Jabesh.  In the morning they totally rout Nahash and not one of his men is left with another as they are scattered.

The lesson I take from Nahash is that such people do exist.  Perhaps the venue is different today, I may find them at work, but not gouging out eyes.  Perhaps the threat is different, but the attitude remains: totally self-confident that nothing can stop their trampling of others.  What I learn about my Master here is that He does not tolerate such people.  I learn that He calls His people to fearlessly stand against such threats, and aggressively attack and defeat them.  That last part may not sit well with people, but consider the story again.

When Saul summons the people as he does, the "dread of the LORD fell on the people," and they came, not to stand in front of Jabesh but to attach Nahash and destroy his army.  There has been discussion among believers as to when do we stand against the Nahash's of our world, and when do we fight; something called a Christian Manifesto.  I have avoided such talk and discussion because it's uncomfortable, and I think people use it as an excuse to be violent; to justify bad behavior.  On the other hand, I believe there are times when it is necessary.

I know the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, and neither are our "enemies".  But I also understand that this "warfare" is a spiritual battle, mostly regarding the defeat of sin in my life.  This is a different situation.  Here, the battle was carnal/temporal/physical in setting, and it was still a mandate from my Master.  I have to accept that sometimes my Master calls me and my fellow servants of Jesus to fight temporal/physical battles.

Again, the venues may be different, the weapons my be different, but the concept of standing versus attacking remains.  I believe that sometimes attack is warranted, not because I want to be violent.  I believe it's warranted when my Master wants to use me to remove something hindering Him and His plan.  I don't believe He can't remove it without me, but if He wants to use me, it now becomes about obedience. 

And so I'm clear here, in this context, the people did not break the law.  This is where I sense many "manifesto" discussions go off the rails.  They end up looking for an excuse to fight the government or others in violation of the laws of the land.  I don't think that's what my Master leads us to do.  Perhaps, one day, when my country's leaders begin to persecute the servants of Jesus, then I may violate laws to protect my fellows, but it won't be to attack those in power with guns and bombs.  I don't see that path in the response of the early church to persecution by Rome.

The venues of this application I believe are in defense of my family, my church, and my fellow servants of Jesus. And the application is that I actively engage in the arena where the danger appears.  If city hall, then in their meetings; if in business, then in business; if in schools, then schools; wherever the threat appears, I believe I should engage rather than simply stand.  Now, where's my torch and pitch fork, I have some monsters to hunt; who's with me?

Lessons from the Last Book, the one I usually avoid

Revelation is one of those books that I do not try to spend much time in.  That’s not good for me, but it’s so controversial that I don’t like the fight over what will happen in the end.  Part of my issue is that my view of the “Great Tribulation” is that we’re all going through it.  Not necessarily now, but the way I read Scripture, believers will be in the Tribulation period.  Any sense that we escape it I believe isn’t supported in Scripture.  On the other hand, it would be really cool if we did.  So, I think as if I’m staying here through it, and either way, my faith is grounded.

I didn’t get to that position from the logical process of what would keep my faith.  I got the understanding of the end that I have because other ones are simply too complex to have the feel of my Master on them.  It doesn’t match with a lot of the other stuff He has revealed in Scripture.  The other reason is that the historical context in which much of the writing occurred which is used to support various views seems to have been on the cusp of great persecution of the Early Church.  There were waves of these throughout the first 200 years of its life, and these waves were brutal.  In some sense they were not as insidious as Islamic persecution of believers today, but they were definitely brutal in their day.

Two things result from this historical context.  The first is that open discussion of the oppressive powers was dangerous, so allusion to them was used instead.  Using Babylon as a reference for the powers in Rome replaced a term for them with their enemy.  Romans would have thought the writings were patriotic, not written against them.  The second is that much of the writing is “Apocalyptic” which means that while it does refer to the end of the world, symbolic language was heavily used throughout.  Disentangling the symbols takes a lot of historical research few are willing to do (I haven’t been, which is why this is a reason I don’t).

One of the important elements to The Revelation of John is the first few chapters where he continually uses the phrase, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”  This was written as a record of a message to various churches, and these congregations were located in one region, not all over the world of Rome.  I think it’s full of very important lessons, particularly brilliant word pictures, and very convicting about things I have become comfortable with.  But I do not want to forget the original audience.  I want to join them in the seats as this was read to them.  I want to hear it from their perspective first.

Another recurring phrase is, “To him who prevails I will give…” and what is given changes depending upon the particular problem that church faces.  To the one who prevails or overcomes, or to the one fighting all the way to the end, my Master will give something that is worth the fight.  That phrase sometimes follows the previous one but always shows up tied to it.  So, one important lesson clear from the beginning of this book is that my life is a fight to the finish.  I am to fight until I die.  I confess I like R&R and fighting without a break does not sound appealing.  That has been a lot of my problem I suspect.

The rewards for me if I fight to the finish are worth the fight.  The appeal of what I see here picks at my faith, but keeping the end in sight, the prize my Master has for me, will help me continue fighting.  It is tiring work when I look at my progress or what I have accomplished.  Instead I need to look at my Master and what He accomplishes through me, with me, and around me.  Again, it’s not about me, but my Master.  It’s me fighting with Him in His war, not about Him helping me in mine.  My war fades into insignificance as I get caught up in His.  Pride and a desire to be center-stage hinder me from focus on His war.

But the rewards make the striving worth it.  To see His face, stand before His throne, and finally know His love end to end; those are gifts worth the focus of my life.  This menial striving I do for this or that in this life gains me little.  Holiness and peace result as I strive for Him in His war for His people.  I want to know Him, and for that I push daily through the competing thoughts and ideas set up against that knowledge.  I know that, but it’s hard to focus on that.  I like my current comfort, my soft bed, tech toys, and reclining couch.  Well, it’s time to get off the couch, and get back into the fray.  See you in there!

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, December 4

Humility, Ability, Swords and Armor

One of the things about Paul that always sort of intimidated me was his confidence in his own devotion.  In 1 Corinthians 15:10 he speaks of himself working harder than all the rest.  Even though he ends it with, “but not I but the grace of God with me” it still sounds like boasting, except I suspect he was right.  He seems like one of those people I run into from time to time who are so driven they reveal my own devotion for the poor sad façade it really is.  On the other hand, I need to be very careful here.  If I call my devotion sad and poor, I need to be careful to step on myself, and not on what my Master can and does do with me.

There are things I can control and am responsible for such as spiritual disciplines of one sort or another.  These things put me in greater availability to my Master.  As He uses me then things happen that have little to do with my abilities or condition.  I consider myself moderately successful in my past ministry, but not by the number of people saved, but by the effect I had on saved and lost alike.  I saw those apart from the church return, and I saw some never “churched” receive Jesus as Savior.  I was in the process of relationally reaching out to my community even when I was being undermined by some of my church leaders.

The success was not because of my ability.  What abilities I had and have lack the power of what my Master does.  I can “manufacture” somewhat something that looks vaguely like success.  But when my Master is the One succeeding, it is astounding.  So, I have to be careful where I point out my faults.  As long as they display my Master’s power and glory, I’m on the right track.  And I remain on the right track as long as I don’t tread on His power and ability.  I am not worthless, Jesus’ death proves that.  I am not worldly successful, though I have been blessed financially in this place (at least I think of it as blessed financially).  But I do have areas to work on in my life.

The areas where I lack are in my thorough devotion to my Master.  I let the influence of other people override the voice of my Master.  He makes divine appointments for me and I miss the out of fear of other people.  This is America, so it’s not fear of prison or physical harm either.  I clearly fear appearing foolish in their eyes.  What I can’t figure out is why I care.  I hardly know anyone here.  Why would I care what they think?  And even if I did know them, still, so what?  I used to be afraid of messing it up, but I have learned that my Master has that handled.  I act as more of a place-holder for the presence of my Master; it’s not my ability anyway.

So, my spiritual disciplines need to run more toward increasing my devotion to my Master, and practicing overcoming my fears.  That sounds deceptively easy.  I have always had more trouble attacking than defending.  But the gates of hell not prevailing against the confession of faith means it’s aggressive, not defensive.  I need to don my ill-fitting armor (on loan from my Master, so it doesn’t fit me well), grab my borrowed sword and shield, and get into the fray.  Okay, deep breath. One, two…THREE!!!  AAAAHHHHH!!!! (let’s hope this doesn’t end with a thud)

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, November 30

Living Life Through Another World

Is living in the world, but not being “of” the world possible?  I believe it is in the sense that the Scriptures use the word “of”.  In the original languages, the case of nouns normally translated with the preposition “of” is typically a possessive form.  Fortunately, “of” has this meaning in much of the English usage as well.  So, not be “of the world” would mean I’m not possessed by the world.  And in that sense I agree with the statement.  Chambers refers to Jesus living in another world rather than living aloof.  I believe that is an important key to a life in but not of this world.

Paul says that our battle is not against flesh and blood and then provides a list of enemies in the spiritual sphere; enemies we can’t see.  It is the awareness of this sphere that helps me live in another world while in this one, or will once I learn better focus on my Master.  The enemies Paul lists exist in the same sphere inhabited by my Master, and He is Master of that sphere too.  I don’t want awareness of the spiritual sphere to be aware of these enemies as much as to be aware of my Master.  It is His reality I am after. 

I referred to emotional problems, or problems that affect me emotionally, as “handles” for my spiritual enemies.  When I hold a grudge, harbor resentment, brood on a hurt, or revisit the feelings of a hurtful event, I am providing a hand hold for my unseen enemies.  They can use those to introduce ideas that are not from my Master.  Distracted by these, my selfish sense of entitlement rises and I have left focus on my Master.  Once there, I am easy prey for my spiritual enemies.  Focused on my Master, these emotional memories become more fodder for my sacrificial pyre, chaff of my life to be burned so He can continue to transform me.

These emotional hurts and hang ups come, but if my response if not awareness of this spiritual sphere my enemies in this sphere can attack me.  Awareness of this sphere enables me to continue focus on my Master putting these things before Him and receive His healing.  I believe this is a sort of spiritual discipline that will become automatic over time, but I have a lot of practicing to do.  I want to be so much in this sphere that it feels weird not to be.  That way I will more readily return to it when I am distracted from it.

What this awareness does is expand what I see around me.  It is no longer rude and obnoxious people (or shop keepers) that oppose me but their tormentors who sense in me their enemy.  When I am aware of this sphere, I respond to the proper enemy rather than their human victim.  How can I truly have a heart for those dead ones apart from my Master without being aware of their oppression which keeps them captive?  If I see them as merely annoying, I am missing the “rest of the story”, as Paul Harvey might describe it.  There’s more going on and I’m only seeing a portion of it.

I know mental and emotional oppression personally.  This should give me an even greater sensitivity to it.  And yet, my fear is not yet suppressed to the point I can be brave in the face of these enemies.  I still look at the wind and waves, and take my eyes off my Master.  I still wonder what it would look like, what people will think, and I succumb to the waves.  The gates of hell cannot keep out the truth of my faith, so why would I fear these enemies?  They are already defeated!  This is my Master’s will, that I engage this world with the awareness of His constant mastery over it all.  It is my connection to Him that enables me to engage.

The freedom I have enjoyed this past year is the path to this awareness.  It is really awareness more of my Master than of the enemies, but it includes them in the sense that I see them as defeated foes.  Seeing my Master more clearly, more consistently I will not fear to engage in life in this world.  Evil will not be my path, but peace and joy, even when surrounded by evil.   It is a righteous life of knowing my Master more.  I can’t think of a higher aspiration or better goal.  And I can’t think of anything else I can do that will affect my neighborhood more.  It’s time to put on my swim trunks and dive into the deep end of the pool!  Cannon Ball!

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, November 27