When the Worship Wars become Domestic

June 27, 2023 at 2:45 pm | Posted in I Chronicles | 5 Comments
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And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.

I Chronicles 15:27

The ephod of linen is an interesting fact. We might wonder how it serves the narrative here, but in the parallel account of this incident in II Samuel 6 it sounds like David was the only one dressed this way – as though he had stripped down to his skivvies. In reality, the linen ephod could have been a type of smock, apron, or even just a loincloth worn by the Levites as a representation of their holiness, and as practical garments that would still provide a somewhat modest covering when they shed their outer garments while butchering animal sacrifices in the Tabernacle.

Here in I Chronicles 15:27 it says “David also” – highlighting the fact that he was dressed like a Levite priest – which might or might not have been problematic depending on whether it was okay for a king, as opposed to a priest, to wear a linen ephod.

Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.

I Chronicles 15:28

II Samuel 6 kind of makes it sound like David was the only (or at least the most) enthusiastically jubilant one, but here we learn that “all Israel” was shouting and celebrating to music.

And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal, the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.

I Chronicles 15:29

Michal’s disapproval is noted much more succinctly here than it is in II Samuel 6, because the Chronicler’s chief reason for bringing it up is to show the unfitness of the house of Saul contrasted with David. There is some debate about whether Michal was right or wrong to despise David for this display of dancing and playing.

12 And it was told king David, saying, The Lord hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness. 13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. 14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. 16 And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.

II Samuel 6:12-16

This idea that David was doing it “before the Lord” is not really mentioned in I Chronicles 15. It could mean that David was very aware of doing it before the Lord, and therefore believed that this made it okay, or even well-pleasing to the Lord. On the other hand, it could be telling us that Michal recognized that David’s doing it as part of a recognized worship event made his behavior even worse. We can’t even be sure whether Michal was upset about the dancing itself, or just about the linen ephod. Was she mad that David was wearing a priestly garment forbidden to non-priests, or was she upset about the immodesty evidenced by the exposure of David’s body?

And they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

II Samuel 6:17

There is a decidedly more David-focused narrative in II Samuel than in I Chronicles.

18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house. 20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!

II Samuel 6:18-20

I believe the statement “how glorious” and the reference to him as “king of Israel” are clearly sarcastic. The comment about the vain fellows and the shameless lack of clothing may have been meant as a criticism of his immodesty or his lack of regard for the restriction of linen ephods to the Levites. We can’t know for sure, because, however it was intended, David took the bait and responded with even more sarcasm.

21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the Lord, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel: therefore will I play before the Lord. 22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.

II Samuel 6:21-22

Some people take this as a warrant to be as vile as possible as long as it’s done with an attestation of “doing it for the Lord,” but, again, I think David was still being sarcastic, and that this was a pretty bad marital spat. Even if we concede that Michal is the real villainess here, and we call her a mean old legalist who doesn’t want people to get happy in worship, we must still admit that David’s response to his wife is less than gracious and not very Christ-honoring.

Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

II Samuel 6:23

This is nearly universally seen as evidence of a curse from the Lord, but I think it’s just as likely that David never slept with her again after this confrontation. Let us, reading this today, remember to worship enthusiastically and joyfully, but not irreverently and selfishly. Maintain a position of humility and don’t participate in a “worship war,” especially with your spouse.

Bible Study as a Means of Grace (Part 1)

June 20, 2023 at 10:24 am | Posted in II Timothy, Means of Grace | 5 Comments
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God’s grace, when it comes to eternal salvation, is supernatural. There is no explanation that we can see for how it enters our lives. Once we have received the gift of salvation by grace, though, then God sends grace to us in our spiritual disciplines, so that we can play an active part in cooperating with His grace as we grow in grace. One of the most obvious means of grace is Bible study.

As the Apostle Paul was on death row, facing execution by the Roman government, one of his last instructions to his protégé Timothy had to do with the importance of reading, learning, studying, applying, proclaiming, and living out God’s revealed Word in the Scriptures. In order for us to be effective in studying the Bible, we first need to have a clear understanding of what it really is. This is the context in which Paul addressed Timothy on this subject:

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

II Timothy 3:12

This is the reality for those who will faithfully follow Christ. It was true in Paul’s life, and it was true for Timothy and the early Church. It will be true for us too, at some level – and not only that, be it will get worse before it gets better.

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

II Timothy 3:13

These are not good men who are simply mistaken. They are evil, they have an evil motive, and they are crafty and scheming (seductive). Their goal is to deceive others, just as they themselves are being deceived. They pretend that they attack the truth with lies, but in their minds they zealously think this is the right thing to do. How will Timothy  – and how will you and I – spot false teaching? How will we know the truth from the lie?

A popular anecdote says that U.S. Treasury agents would spend hours examining genuine currency in order to be so familiar with it that that a counterfeit bill would be glaringly obvious. This would be used as an illustration of the way that Christians should know the Truth by studying the Word rather than experimenting with, and spending too much time, examining competing claims. I believe the anecdote has since been outed as an urban legend, of sorts, but the principle is still true.

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

II Timothy 3:14

“[O]f whom thou has learned them” is a studied ambiguity. It would apply to: Lois, his grandmother; Eunice, his mother; Paul, his mentor; and God Himself, the Supreme Teacher, in the person of the Holy Spirit. The way Timothy would guard against deception would be by studiously and steadfastly continuing in the Truth. And where precisely would he find this Truth on which to constantly meditate?

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

II Timothy 3:15

He would find the Truth in the holy “Scriptures” – the graphe (“the writings,” from which we get the terms, autograph, biography, graphite) – meaning the Old Testament books of the Bible and the then-being-written books of the New Testament. You and I have the same access to these Scriptures, and they not only give us knowledge (which we must have), but application of that knowledge, which is wisdom.

Where does wisdom begin? The beginning of wisdom is the fear of God: a true and right reverent awe and respect that this Book is not like other books, and the words in it are not like other words. These words are “breathed out” (inspired) by God Himself.

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

II Timothy 3:16-17

Continued in Part 2.

An Impassible Marriage

June 13, 2023 at 1:08 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments
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Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

James 5:17

To convince us that we need not be discouraged, or awed into hopeless inactivity, by the example of some super-spiritual saint, the Holy Spirit reminds us that even the great prophet Elijah was prone to human feelings just like we are. The word “passion” is from the same root word as terms like pathology, pathetic, sympathy, empathy, and compassion.

 22 It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

Although the Bible often speaks of the Lord’s compassions and feelings, we have to distinguish between some of the anthropomorphic or anthropopathic language used to illustrate His interactions with human beings, and His ultimate impassibility, which is linked to His immutability.

For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Malachi 3:6

God’s immutability and His steadfast unmovable love for His redeemed creatures provides an instructive backdrop for how we are to think about the way we are to love our spouses, and our expectations about what we would prefer – when we are thinking Biblically – our spouses to be motivated by in their love for us.

Which of the following notes would you rather receive from your spouse on your wedding anniversary?

Note #1: You are beautiful/handsome, charming, and funny. You make me excited and happy. Thank you for all you do. I love you more every day.

Note #2: There is nothing about you that is really exceptional to me, but I love you because that’s the way I am, and I will never stop.

To which of the following marriage proposals would you have been more likely to say “yes” (for wives)? Or (for husbands) which of of the following marriage proposals do you think your wife would have been more likely to accept?

Proposal #1: You are the most important person in the world to me. You make me want to be a better man. You complete me. I think you are beautiful, funny, smart, and charming. I can’t imagine living the rest of my life without you. Please make me the happiest man in the world and marry me.

Proposal #2: I have chosen you to be my wife. I don’t need you, but I have decided to stay faithful to you and provide for all your needs. This is because of the type of man I am, and you should be grateful, and, in response, commit to reverence me and obey me for the rest of your life. I love you and I will not change who I am, so I command you to marry me.

If you had to choose one or the other, which of the following would you want your spouse to do?

Choice #1: Love you purely because of his/her own nature (something inside your spouse caused him/her to commit to love you, no matter what).

Choice #2: Love you because something about you caused him/her to love you (to find you pleasing or delightful or worthy or attractive).

It is not possible for us to be unaffected in our feelings because of the actions of our spouses, but we can choose not to be moved or affected in our actions, including our words, toward our spouses. Passibility is from the same root word as “patient.” A patient in a doctor’s office is called the patient because he is the one upon whom a procedure is going to be performed. When we change “patient” from a noun into an adjective, what we are describing is someone who has a willingness to have an action performed upon him, and to bear it without refusing it or fighting back against it.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

I Corinthians 13:4 (emphasis added)

Those who would love with the love of Christ are required to suffer “long,” but not to suffer forever. Even if the suffering lasts the rest of our lives, or the rest of our marriages, God has promised to repay our suffering when we suffer for His sake.

22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. 23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

Luke 6:22-23

Our challenge in marriage is to love our spouses with our actions and words, even when we are suffering. Though our motivation may be strengthened by the promise of a reward, even when the reward does not seem worth it we remember our Lord Who loves us not because we are easy to love, or because He needs us, or because there is anything in us which deserves or merits His love, but because it is in His nature and character to make unbreakable commitments.

Elective Salvation

June 9, 2023 at 2:27 pm | Posted in Ephesians | 6 Comments
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Ephesians 1:3-14 is one long run-on sentence, consisting of 202 words. Run-on sentences are usually frowned upon grammatically, but this miraculously beautiful passage of Scripture, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is perfect. There are different views on why Ephesians begins this way, and how exactly to categorize it, but calling it a hymn or a doxology seems appropriate. It is organized with a Trinitarian structure. Here is a breakdown on the divisions: Verses 4-6 deal with the Father’s selection of those who are to be saved; Verses 7-12 address the Son’s sacrifice on behalf of those who are to be saved; Verses 13-14 proclaim the Holy Spirit’s seal on those who are to be saved.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Ephesians 1:3-4

The word “chosen” is a key word in understanding the timing and the focus and the motivation of the Father’s selection. It describes a very specialized type of choosing. In the original Greek it is eklegomai (chosen) referring to the eklektos (the elect). Both words are from the same root. It is from this idea that we get the doctrine of election. Here are three important things to know about this type of choosing/electing/selecting:

1. It is in what is known as the “middle voice,” which means that it is an active verb describing a passive action (such as, “he injured himself”). God has chosen those who will be saved, and He has made this choice “in Himself” without any coercion, outside pressure, or condition.

2. This type of choice is aware of all the possible alternatives. As finite human beings, with relatively little knowledge, we often choose from what we perceive to be a very limited selection, never realizing that we had other choices available. This is not true of God. He has comprehensive information and knowledge.

3. In this type of choosing, the object chosen is not chosen because of its worthiness or because it has any legal claim to be chosen. The chooser is not under any obligation to choose.

God chose those who are to be saved in eternity past: “before the foundation of the world.” And He chose them for a purpose: that they “should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” This does not mean that the choice was made because of His love (although it was). It means that, in the exercise of Christian love (agape), those who are chosen should be holy (different from those not chosen) and blameless (correctly living out their calling).

Agape love is the particular kind of love that loves the undeserving, and it is exercised with full awareness of this. It is not beholden to passion or selfish obligation. It’s chosen love, active love, love not enslaved to feelings. It is love that seeks to bless the beloved, not to manipulate a reciprocal blessing.

No Rest for the Wicked; Rise and Shine; Trampled Underfoot

June 5, 2023 at 1:41 pm | Posted in Isaiah | 3 Comments
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Lord, we look forward to Your coming, but let it motivate us to serve You with a new urgency. We praise You for Your greatness and Your power. You are the Almighty. We thank You for Your goodness and Your righteousness. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

After prophecies and Servant songs in Isaiah, there is preaching against sin in Chapters 57-59.

Comfort is not complacency.

3 But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. 4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood.

Isaiah 57:3-4

Idolatry is spiritual adultery or whoremongering.

3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. 4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

Isaiah 58:3-4

Hypocrisy is revealed in motives. Christians like to have fun, but we must not fall into the trap of being envious at all the worldly “fun” that the world is having. There is greater joy in serving the Lord. Don’t sell your true joy for a little “fun.”

There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

Isaiah 57:21

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

Isaiah 60:1

Rise and shine is a wakeup call, but also a reminder that the Lord is light, as opposed to darkness.

Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.

Micah 7:8

Darkness here is a metaphor for pain and suffering and imprisonment. Micah was Isaiah’s contemporary. He described darkness like in a dungeon.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Psalm 84:11

God is like the sun for believers. He gives us life and we can’t live without Him.

19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 20 Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.

 Isaiah 60:19-20 

When the sun goes down each night we have less light, but when Christ is physically present and ruling the Earth it will be like daylight all the time.

But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

Isaiah 61:6

God’s people will get a new name, the way a bride gets a new name from her husband.

Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.

Isaiah 62:4

Hephzibah means “My delight is in her.” Beulah means “married.” Israel was put away by the Lord for a time – separated, but not divorced – for reasons of spiritual adultery.

Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.

Isaiah 62:10

Why would God trample people underfoot like grapes in a winepress? Is it because He is petty and spiteful? No, He takes no pleasure in the destruction of the wicked, much less the punishment of those He loves.

But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.

Isaiah 63:10

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Isaiah 64:6

If our supposed righteousness is as filthy rags, how must our SIN look to Him?

I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.

Isaiah 65:1  

And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

Isaiah 66:29

This is a reference to Gehenna, the infernal garbage dump outside the city which Jesus used to illustrate eternal punishment in hell. Isaiah offered comfort to the people, but not empty comfort. They needed to confront spiritual reality, not a mere show. They slaughtered animals and called it sacrifice, but is the New Testament worship we offer in our day any less hypocritical? Are we praising the Lord a couple of times a week in church while sinning gleefully the rest of the time? There is no peace for the wicked, and there shouldn’t be, but we must care enough about them to offer them the only real comfort.

The Armor of God

June 1, 2023 at 3:05 pm | Posted in Ephesians | 5 Comments
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The armor that Christians must put on to withstand the schemes of Satan is God’s armor. He has fashioned it for us. Unlike the spiritual gifts – where not any one person possesses them all – the pieces of armor are defensive weapons given to every Christian by God, but we are responsible for “taking” each piece and wearing and employing it in spiritual warfare.

Our enemy is not a clown or a mythical ogre. He is evil and powerful and – worst of all – subtle: sneaky, devious, treacherous. Fighting fair is not in his repertoire. He typically assaults believers through temptation, fear and intimidation, and appeals to pride. He also has demonic agents who occupy positions of authority in the unseen spiritual world.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Ephesians 6:12

We are reminded here at the outset that our real enemies are not the human beings manipulated by Satan. We were once like them – and apart from God we would still be like them.

It is also important to remember the exhortation to “stand.” The command is not to march and not to assault. Don’t seek out the enemy. Serve God; the enemy will find you quick enough, and seek to knock you off course. We must never let our guard down, but we are also told that some days (“the evil day”) the battle is more intense than other days.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Ephesians 6:13

Take the WHOLE armor, not just a couple of pieces of it.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Ephesians 6:14

This is a belt or an apron of truth. In physical battle it would, to an extent, protect the legs – the foundation for standing – but it also holds the other armor together. It connects to the breastplate, and the sword is attached to it. As Christians we must deal in truth. The truth of the Word of God may be the only truth you hear all day. We don’t combat Satan’s lies with more-logical-sounding lies. We withstand them by having ourselves saturated and marinated in TRUTH.

The devil will tell you: “God doesn’t love you;” “Prayer isn’t working;” “Church and ministry aren’t really important.” Having all your defenses tightly bound with truth stops these lies from knocking you over.

And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

Isaiah 11:5

Jesus is the offensive warrior in this warfare. When it is time to go on the offensive, He will fight. And though we are engaged in defense, our weapons are modeled on His.

The breastplate is a covering for the vital organs, notably the heart. This is probably not referring to the objective forensic righteousness we receive at salvation. This breastplate is comprised of the righteous works we do in the Spirit’s power. Satan’s tactic is to make it seem like doing good doesn’t pay off, but if we are taking and wearing good and God-glorifying deeds regardless of credit or recognition or reward, then Satan will not be able to plant a root of bitterness in our hearts.

For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.

Isaiah 59:17


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