Essentials – The Church and Sacraments

When Peter made the declaration that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Jesus said, “on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).Jesus has, indeed, built his church upon this confession of his being the Christ. But, what is the church? In Scripture Jesus speaks of those “that the Father gives me” (John 6:37). Those who belong to Christ are the church. They are sometimes called the elect, the bride of Christ, the company of the redeemed, the communion of saints, and the new Israel.

Saint Augustine referred to the church on earth as “a mixed body.” Jesus himself said there would be weeds or tares among the wheat (Matthew 13:24-30 and 36-43). Not everyone that we see in the church on earth is a believer. For that reason, people often speak of the visible and invisible church.

The invisible church, according to the Westminster Confession “consists of all the elect who have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ its head” (WCF 25.1). This is everyone who belongs to Christ, from the beginning of time, until the present, and into the future. To us, this is invisible, because we cannot see those who have gone before us, nor those who will come after us. The visible church, on the other hand, is the church on earth at any given moment. It consists of both believers and unbelievers who are either curious or deceptive. Because of this distinction, we can only speak of the invisible church as being holy. Certain manifestations of the visible church may be more or less pure and holy, depending upon the number of unbelievers mixed in.

In Scripture, the church is often compared to a building. To the Ephesians Paul writes that they are being built into a dwelling place for God (Ephesians 2:19-22). Peter uses the same metaphor in his first letter (1 Peter 2:4-5). But the most used comparison is the comparison to the human body (1 Corinthians 12:12-31; Ephesians 3:6; 4:4; Colossians 1:18), for the church is a living organism. And, the head of this body is Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18; 2:19). Many would have us believe that a man living on earth can be the head of the church, but Scripture tells us that that honor and office belong only to Christ.

We have already admitted that the manifestations of the visible church on earth may be more or less pure and true at any given time. So, how does one determine if a part of the body is a true church? How does one determine where to worship God? Historically the marks of a true church have been defined as: (1) the true preaching of God’s Word, (2) the use of the sacraments in accordance with their institution, and (3) the practice of church discipline.

If one of the signs of a true church is the proper use of the sacraments, what are the sacraments? The Latin word sacramentum means “mystery.” The Confession states: “Sacraments are holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace. They were directly instituted by God to represent Christ and his benefits and to confirm our relationship to him” (WCF 27.1). The sacraments are visible signs of Christ, means of grace which convey the promises of God to the church.

According to the Roman Catholic church, there are seven sacraments, including baptism, confirmation, holy communion, penance, matrimony, holy orders, and extreme unction. After the Reformation, the protestant church recognizes only two sacraments – baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The sacraments are nonverbal and must never stand alone, without reference to the word of God. The sacraments do not bring about salvation, but they are an important part of worship and the communion between God and his people.

In the old administration of the covenant between God and his people, the sign and seal of the covenant was circumcision (Genesis 17:1-14). It sealed the covenant with a blood seal, and it was a sign of the unseen cutting away of the dead flesh of the sinful heart of natural man (Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6; Jeremiah 4:4; Romans 2:25-29). In the new administration of the covenant, that sign and seal have changed, to be more inclusive (Colossians 2:11-12). Baptism is now the sign and seal of the covenant.

There are a number of things which are signified by baptism. It speaks of our cleansing (1 John 1:7), regeneration by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5), being buried and raised with Christ (Romans 6:4), and being indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16). Jesus sent his followers into the world to baptize (Matthew 28:18-20), and that baptism, to be valid, must be in the triune name of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

A constant debate has raged within the church concerning who should be baptized and how baptism should be administered. Basically, the debate stems from what the two parties see as the meaning of baptism. For some, baptism is an obedient response to the saving power of Jesus Christ. Known as credobaptists, they believe that baptism is a response by those who believe. For most of them, immersion is the preferred mode of baptism, because it signifies death, burial, and resurrection in Christ. Favorite Scripture passages for this group include Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; and Romans 6:4.

For others, baptism is the New Testament sign and seal of the covenant between God and his people. It signifies the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon those whom God has called to himself. For that reason, they feel that sprinkling and pouring are the appropriate modes, and they believe that baptism is legitimately administered to the infant children of believers. They are known as paedobaptists. Favorite Scripture passages for this group include Acts 2:39 and the stories of the Philippian jailer and Lydia, whose households were baptized with them upon their profession of faith.

In the old administration of the covenant, Passover was the covenant meal. In the new administration, that meal was changed, when, on the night before he was crucified, Jesus instituted the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. In recounting that last Passover of Jesus, Paul write, “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

A major controversy has raged within the church concerning the elements of the Lord’s Supper and how they are the body and blood of Christ. The Roman Catholic church accepts the doctrine of transubstantiation, which teaches that, as the priest prays over the elements, they actually change in substance and become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The Lutherans accept the doctrine of consubstantiation which teaches that Christ is present in the elements, but that their substance does not actually change. A third group, followers of Zwingli and Calvin, including Presbyterians, see the elements as representing the body and blood of Christ. For them, Christ is in the elements in a spiritual sense, and believers feed upon him in spiritually.

 

Essential #6:

God has called a people out of the world and unto himself. The people of God are the church. The church which we see on earth contains both believers and unbelievers. Christ is building his church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. The signs of a true church are the faithful preaching of the word, the right administration of he sacraments, and the practice of church discipline. The sacraments (baptism and the Lord’s Supper) are signs and seals of the covenant which represent Christ and his benefits to us as believers.

Essentials – Salvation

By simple definition,  to save means to rescue someone from something which is threatening or dangerous. So, what are believers saved from? What is our dangerous threat? Paul wrote that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Romans 1:18) and about “Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10). We have already spoken of the fact that God is holy and just, and that sin is rebellion against him.

Our salvation speaks of God reaching down and pulling us out of a rebellious life of sin and death, adopting us as children, and making us citizens of his kingdom. It is a work of God; not something we can do for ourselves. It is a divine work which is both accomplished and applied by God himself. Thus God speaks of placing enmity between the serpent and the woman, and it was God who sent his Son to save the world (John 3:16-17).

But, how are we saved? How was the work of salvation accomplished? God the Father sent his Son to be an atoning sacrifice for his people. Just as the Old Testament sacrifices acted as a substitute for the faithful people of God, so Jesus Christ acted on our behalf as a substitute before the Father. On the cross, all our sin was laid upon him, and he took the full brunt of God’s wrath for us. As Paul wrote, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This is known as the great exchange. All our sin was given to Jesus Christ, and all his righteousness was given to us. So, by the giving of his righteousness to us, we become the children of God, and we are seen through Christ as clean and holy.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote that those whom God “predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified” (Romans 8:30). This gives us a very simple order of salvation, known as the ordo salutis. Over the years, theologians and teachers have added other steps to this in an effort to explain just how God saves those whom he calls to himself. In one of its most detailed forms, the order includes foreknowledge, predestination, election, calling, regeneration, faith, conversion, repentance, justification, sanctification, perseverance, and glorification.

What is foreknowledge? This is the idea that, since before the foundation of the world, God has known and loved those whom he would call to himself. Following upon that is predestination, which is the idea that our final destination – in heaven as believers and children of God or in hell as unbelievers separated from God – is decided by God, not by us, before we were even born. And, this choice of whom God will save depends upon God’s own will; not upon anything we do, think, or believe. Despite what some would say, God does not “look down the corridors of time” and choose those whom he sees will believe of their own accord. Our fallen nature is evil, and we would never choose God of our own accord.

Those whom God has chosen are called by him to come into his kingdom and be adopted as his children. This call has both an external and an internal aspect. Externally, all men may be called by the message of the gospel as presented in the Word of God. Internally, men are called as the Holy Spirit creates in them a new heart which not only understands, but actually desires, the things of God. This is known as the effectual call, because, when men are so called by the Spirit, they will heed the call and come. It is often referred to as being irresistible, because it always achieves it desired result.

When one is called, the Holy Spirit creates a new heart (Deuteronomy 30:6 and Ezekiel 36:26-27). This rebirth is known as regeneration. It is the making of a new person by the work of the Holy Spirit – a person who desires to know and serve God forever. It must be remembered that regeneration is not the result of faith, for without the new heart faith is impossible. God first makes the person new; then he gives that person the gift of faith.

But, what is faith? At its root, faith is “trust.” To have faith is to trust God to act as he has said that he will. It is to believe in God and to believe God. Faith is to accept the fact that the Father sent his Son to die as an atoning sacrifice for sinners, and it is to trust that the accomplished work of redemption has been applied to one’s own heart. Faith is to know God and Jesus Christ, and to know that we will spend all eternity with God in glory.

We are told that our justification (our salvation) is by the grace of God through faith alone. We contribute nothing to our justification, for there is nothing within us that deserves to be saved. Our justification is a work of God, in which he declares us to be just before him, because of the accomplished work of Jesus Christ upon the cross.

And, finally, we must speak of perseverance and glorification. Jesus has said, “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John10:29). When we have been justified in the eyes of God, we are saved from sin and death, and we can never return to that life. This is known as the perseverance of the saints. All who come to Christ will be saved, and he will keep them until the end. And, that end is a glorious end. We, as children of God will spend eternity with God in glory. That is our hope.

 

Essential #5:

Because of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, every human being is born a sinner. We are all in need of a Savior. God, the Father, sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, to be an atoning sacrifice for his people. The work of salvation accomplished on the cross by Jesus is applied to the hearts of God’s people by the Holy Spirit. God’s salvation – a work which he alone accomplishes – rescues us from a life of sin, misery, and death. We are adopted as children of God, and we are made covenant citizens of his glorious kingdom.

Essentials – Jesus Christ

The Deity and Humanity of Christ

Since the early centuries of the church, there has been a great debate concerning the deity and the humanity of Jesus Christ. How can a man be both human and divine? How can a man have two natures? Throughout history, there have been those who focus on one nature or the other without seriously trying to reconcile the two. Scripture, however, tells us that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth and lived for thirty-three years as a man.

As we will see, faith in both the deity and the humanity of Christ is necessary to being a Christian. Both are part of the gospel message of the New Testament.

In the fourth century, the Arian heresy arose within the church. The followers of Arius questioned the full deity of Jesus Christ. They were willing to admit that he was the Son of God, but they could not accept the fact that he was equal with God the Father. Significant gains against this heresy were made at the Council of Nicea in 325AD. The statement issued at that Council stated that Jesus is begotten, not made, and that, in his divine nature, he is of the same essence (homo ousios) with the Father. The declaration was that the Son is not similar to Deity. He is Deity.

The deity of Jesus Christ can be seen in Scripture with his preexistence with God (John 1:1-3), his being called Lord (Philippians 2:9-11; Mark 2:28; John 20:28; and James 2:1) and his authority to forgive sins (Mark 2:1-12). Also, Paul writes that “in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Colossians 1:19).

On the flipside of the heretical coin, some questioned the human nature of Jesus. Docetism (from the Greek word dokeo “to seem”), was a heresy which taught that Jesus did not have a real physical body or a human nature. According to docetism, he only seemed to have a body, but was actually some sort of phantom. According to John, any who believe such teachings are the Antichrist (2 John 1:7).

Another early heresy was monophysitism (from the Greek monos “one” and physis “nature”). This heresy taught that Jesus had only one nature, and it was neither truly divine nor truly human, but a mixture of the two.

It is essential to Christian doctrine that Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the second Person of the Trinity, became a real human being and lived on earth. At the Council of Chalcedon in 451AD, a declaration was issued which stated that Jesus exists “in two natures without confusion, change, division, or separation.”

Twentieth-century theologian, R.J. Rushdoony put it this way. “In the incarnation, God the Son became very man of very man as well as continuing as very God of very God. Thus, both parties to God’s covenant with man are now represented in the one person of Jesus Christ. He is both the offended Lord of the covenant, the gracious King who in grace and mercy enters into covenant with man, and yet He is also the son of Mary and a member of the offending covenant partner, so that He is the Judge, and also the Judged, the Kinsman-redeemer and the one in whose person all the elect members of God’s covenant are to be redeemed” (Rushdoony, Systematic Theology, Vol. I, p. 392).

One important characteristic of Jesus is the fact that, although living on earth as a man, he was sinless. This sinlessness is important, because by it he was the “lamb without blemish” (1 Peter 1:19) who died to atone for the sins of all God’s people. Just as the Passover lamb had to be without spot or blemish (Exodus 12:5), so the ultimate sacrifice for our sins had to be clean. Both Paul and Peter write of this: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21), and “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” (1 Peter 3:18).

Closely associated with both his humanity and his sinlessness is the fact that Jesus was born of a virgin. Thus he fulfilled the first promise of a Redeemer: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). But, because his was a virgin birth, he was not a son of Adam. He was not born with a sin nature.

The earthly ministry of Jesus is clearly marked by three important events. His ministry began with his baptism by John. There he identified himself with his people. And, as the Holy Spirit descended upon him, he was anointed for service, thus he bore the title Christ which means ”the Anointed One.” His work was completed as he died an atonement for sin on the cross. And, his ministry on earth ended with his ascension back to the right hand of God the Father. It was at his ascension that Jesus entered his glory and took his seat as Judge and High Priest. And, it was from that sit of authority that he poured out the Holy Spirit upon his church.

The reason for Jesus coming to earth was to act as a mediator between God and man. Scripture describes us as being at enmity with God after the Fall. But Paul says that we have been justified and reconciled (Romans 5:10-11); and, that is the work of the Mediator.

 

Jesus Christ as Mediator

In biblical terms, human beings are described as being at enmity against God. We rebel, revolt, and refuse to obey the law of God. As a result, God’s wrath is upon us. For this catastrophic situation to be changed, it is necessary that we become reconciled to God. This is the work or redemption and salvation, which we will look at next.

Theologians often speak of the threefold office of Christ. Christ is our prophet, priest, and king. As a prophet, Jesus reveals the will of God to us. As a priest, he offered himself as an atoning sacrifice, he acts as our Mediator, and intercedes for us. As a king, he rules and defends us and conquers all his enemies.

 

Essential #4

Due to the fall of our original parents – Adam and Eve – into sin, we are in need of a Savior. That Savior is Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Godhead. As the Son of God he is divine. Yet, as a man he came to earth and lived among his people, to save them from their sins. He fulfilled the three Old Testament offices of prophet, priest, and king. As God and man he accomplished a work on the cross which atoned for our sins, and which provides salvation for us.

Essentials – Man

Our study of the essentials of the Christian faith follows a pattern. We began with a study of revelation both in nature and in Scripture. Our first essential was that God speaks to us and reveals himself to us. We know only what God had revealed to us about himself. Secondly, we looked at God. Using his revelation, we saw God’s nature and attributes, and his work and decrees. As we learn about God and his nature, we learn about ourselves, for he made us, and he tells us who we are.

In the Psalm 8, David asks the question that is the center of our study today. “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor” (Psalm 8:3-5). When we think of man, we must first remember that he is a creation of God. Because of this, he is in a relationship with God, and without that relationship he is nothing.

We are told that man was the last, and crowning, element of God’s act of creation. On the sixth day, after he had made everything else, God made man. We read, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:26-27). Later we also read, “then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature” (Genesis 2:7).

Two things separate man from all the rest of creation. In Genesis 1, we are told that God spoke the universe into being. God said, “Let there be …,” and there was. However, with the creation of man, God reached down and created him out of the dust of the earth. He took a more hands-on approach to the creation of this one aspect of his new world. Secondly, man was created in the image and likeness of God.

What does it mean that man is created in the image of God? Does it mean that we, in our physical appearance, look like God? Remember that our study of God stated that God is spirit. He does not have a body. Although Scripture sometimes speaks of the arm of God, or his heart, or his eye, he does not have a body like ours. So, there must be more to the idea of God’s image than merely having a body that looks like him.

The Westminster Confession speaks of God creating Adam and Eve “with rational and immortal souls, endowed with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness” (WCF 4.2). This what is meant by the image of God. Man was created as a rational being. He was intelligent and moral, and able to think for himself. He could make choices. And, like all of creation, he was made very good” (Genesis 1:31).

Another important aspect of man, as he was created by God, is the fact he exists as a body and a spirit (or soul). And Scripture says that this was good, from the beginning. Some early Greek philosophers taught that only that which is spiritual is good, and that which is physical is always evil. Therefore, in their mind, the good spirit of man was trapped in the evil body, and the two were always in conflict with each other. For them, redemption was the release of the spirit from the body.

Scripture, on the other hand, speaks of man as a duality – two distinct parts united by God’s act of creation (Genesis 2:7). While the Greeks spoke of redemption as a release of the spirit from the body, we know that both spirit and body await redemption by Jesus Christ. Paul wrote, “And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23). After death, our souls continue to live, and they will be reunited with our glorified resurrection bodies.

We said that God created man righteous and holy (WCF 4.2). But, we also know that man did not remain in that original state of righteousness and holiness. What happened is referred to as the Fall. Man disobeyed the direct command of God; man sinned.

What is sin? According to the Westminster Larger Catechism, “sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, any law of God, given as a rule to the reasonable creature” (WLC #24). God’s perfect law is a revelation of his character, and it reveals to man how he should live as a creature of God.

In the Garden of Eden, there was only one negative command which was to be obeyed. God told the man, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). We know, from Genesis 3, that Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate from the tree. At that point, they died spiritually, and they began to die physically. Not only that, but sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). The sin of Adam and Eve effected not only them, but all mankind after them.

And so, all men descended from Adam are born sinners. This sin nature or the flesh, is known as original sin.  It is the result of the first sin in the Garden of Eden, and it refers to the corruption of all of mankind. It is the propensity (natural inclination) that we all have to sin. And, from it flow all actual sins which we commit on a daily basis. And, even when we are justified by Christ’s work on the cross – when we are saved – we continue to struggle with this sin nature. It is about this struggle which Paul writes in Romans 7. That chapter is wonderfully summarized in the statement, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15). And it is the death of this sin nature, and the resolution of this struggle that we refer to as sanctification, as we are daily transformed into the image of Christ (Romans 12:2).

 

Essential #3

Man is a creature of God, made in his own image and likeness. As such, he has been given a mind which can think and reason, and which can make choices. Originally, that mind made only choices which were pleasing to God. However, after the fall of man into sin, all our desires are sinful (Genesis 6:5 and Jeremiah 17:9). In this estate, we are in dire need of a Savior whom God has graciously provided.

Essentials – God

The Nature and Attributes of God

What is God like? What are his attributes, his characteristics? We have already learned that all that we know about God is only what he has revealed about himself. Now we come to a study of God himself, and who and what he is. The Westminster Larger Catechism states, “God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection; all‑sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere present, almighty, knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious, long‑suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” (WLC #7).

Most theologians, when they speak of the attributes of God, begin with the incomprehensibility of God. That is to say that no human being can completely understand God. It does not mean that we cannot know or understand anything about God. It just means that we cannot know and understand everything about him. The reason for this is what is known as the Creator/creature distinction.

God is infinite, with no beginning and no end. We, on the other hand, are his creations. There was a time when we did not exist, and we are finite. We cannot know everything. An old philosophical adage states that, “the finite cannot grasp (or contain) the infinite.” If it could, the infinite would no longer be infinite. If we could completely understand God, he would no longer be God. The greatness and incomprehensibility of God can be seen in Deuteronomy 29:29; Job 38:1-41:34; Isaiah 55:8-9; and Romans 11:33-36.

The next attribute of God is what is referred to as his triunity. This describes the Trinity – one God in three Persons. In the early centuries of the church, there was much debate over the relation of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Some, who believed what was known as modalism, wrongly taught that the three persons were just different ways of God expressing himself. God the Father ruled in the Old Testament and delivered his people from bondage. God the Son was a manifestation of God on earth as he lived among men and saved them. God the Holy Spirit now inhabits his people as he hears their prayers and witnesses to their being children of God. Equally false was the teaching of tritheism, which said that there were actually three beings which came together and made up God.

Finally, the Nicene Creed became the orthodox statement of who God was and how the three Persons are related. We believe that, as stated in Deuteronomy 6:4, there is but one God. But, we also believe, from Scriptures such as Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; and 1 Peter 1:1-2, that there are three persons in this one Godhead. In the words of the Westminster Confession of Faith, “In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son” (WCF 2.3).

God is self-existent. No one created God. He has always been, and he is the Supreme Being, the first cause from which all other causes flow. This self-existence is the essence of the Creator/creation distinction, in that God has always existed, but we were created by him (Psalm 90:2; John 1:1-5; Acts 17:28; Colossians 1:15-20; and Revelation 1:8).

The omnipotence of God speaks of his great power over his creation (Genesis 17:1; Psalm 115:3; Romans 11:36; and Ephesians 1:11). This allpowerfulness of God is a great comfort to the Christian, because we know that the same power with which God created the universe is available to him to assure our salvation. Nothing can thwart his holy will.

God is also omnipresent. He is everywhere. Not only is God everywhere, but, because he is an eternal spirit, all of God is everywhere. In other words, God is fully present in the worship of his people throughout this city, this state, this nation, and this world. There is no corner of the universe where God is not. Even the wicked in hell are in the presence of God. They are merely separated from his benevolence; not his presence. Solomon speaks of the inability of earthly houses to contain God in his prayer of dedication for the temple in 1 Kings 8:27. Also, David, speaks of the fact that we are always upheld by God and in his presence in Psalm 139:7-10).

The omniscience of God speaks of the fact that God know everything. Because he is infinite, his knowledge is infinite. His omniscience is closely related to his omnipotence. He knows all things, because he has created all, and he has willed all (Psalm 147:5; Ezekiel 11:5; romans 11:33-26; and Hebrews 4:13).

In Scripture, the word holiness has two meanings. Firstly, holy means set apart, and God is holy, because he is above all his creation. He is set apart as the almighty, sovereign Creator of all things. Secondly, holy means pure and righteous. It refers to God’s actions. God is right in all that he does. He does not do the things he does because they are right. The things God does are right, because he does them. He is altogether holy (Exodus 3:5; 1 Samuel 2:2; and Psalm 99:5-9).

R.C. Sproul says, “God’s goodness refers both to His character and His behavior. His actions proceed from and flow out of His being…. The law He obeys is the law of His own character. He always acts according to His own character, which is eternally, immutably, and intrinsically good.”

Lastly, God’s justice speaks of his giving to people what they deserve. If someone receives less than what they deserve, we call that injustice. But with God, his justice is closely tied to his mercy. With the fall of Adam and Eve into sin, the whole human race became rebellious against God. What we deserve is his wrath, death, and hell. However, he has called some to himself, and he has saved them. In this case, not receiving what we deserved is mercy; not injustice.

 

The Works and Decrees of God

The first work of God that we see in Scripture is creation. God, as we have said, has always existed. From eternity past God has existed as three Persons in a triune Godhead. But, at some point in time, God saw fit to create the universe, for his own glory. Despite what others will say, the universe did not come into existence through a big bang. It did not suddenly appear, for a basic tenet of science is the Latin phrase, “ex nihilo nihil fit, – out of nothing, nothing comes.” Someone, or something, had to create the universe. And, Scripture tells us that it was God who created the universe, in such passages as Genesis 1:1; Psalm 33:1-9; Psalm 104:24-26; and Hebrews 11:3.

Theologians refer to providence as the second of God’s works. Providence deals with the fact that God, after creating all things, now sustains all things. He governs his universe. The Westminster Confession states, “God – the great Creator of all things – upholds, directs, disposes, and governs all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least. He exercises this most wise and holy providence according to his infallible foreknowledge and the free and unchangeable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy” (WCF 5.1).

God’s decrees have to do with his will. Theologians speak of God’s will in three ways. God’s decretive will is his sovereign will by which He ordains everything that comes to pass. His preceptive will is that will which is revealed through his law. It is the moral law written in our hearts. Lastly, God’s will of disposition describes his attitude and what is pleasing to Him.

The basic structure of the relationship God has established with His people is the covenant. A covenant consists, basically, of three elements, a preamble which tells who the parties to the agreement are; a list of the obligations of both parties; and a list of the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience of the various responsibilities.

In Scripture we see two covenants between God and men. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve lived in what was known as the covenant of works. In this covenant, God promised eternal life as the blessing for perfect obedience, and death as the penalty for disobedience. We know that Adam and Eve broke this covenant, and they died. They also plunged all their descendants into a life of sin, misery, and death. But God then established the covenant of grace. In this covenant God again promises salvation and eternal life, for all those who have faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior.

 

Essential #2:

We worship and serve a God who was not created or made, but who has existed from all eternity. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, holy, unchanging, good, and merciful. This all-powerful and all-knowing God saw fit to create a universe and fill it with men and women made in his image. He now sustains this universe by the power of his word, and he provides the needs of his people.

 

Note: Again, I need to mention that I got a lot of this material from R.C. Sproul’s Essential Truths of the Christian Faith.

Essentials – Revelation

Over the next few weeks, I will be posting the classroom handouts from a seven-part series we did on the essentials of the Christian faith. I need to begin by saying that I got a lot of this material from R.C. Sproul’s Essential Truths of the Christian Faith.

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son (Hebrews 1:1-2a). God is a God who speaks. Everything that we know about God and about Christianity has been revealed to us by God.

We know from Scripture itself that God has revealed himself in various ways throughout the history of mankind. In the Garden of Eden, he walked and talked with Adam and Eve. He spoke to Noah and to Abraham. He appeared physically to Abraham. He revealed his will to various people through dreams and visions. He spoke to Moses through a burning bush. He spoke to Balaam through a donkey. And, finally, he spoke to a great number of people through the incarnation of his Son, Jesus Christ.

God also speaks through his creation. This is known as general revelation, because it is general in content and audience. In other words, it is available to everyone everyday. In Scripture we read that “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). And Paul writes, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). So, God’s creation tells us about God.

But what does it tell us? Creation tells us that ours God is a God of order. It tells us that he is a God of power and deity (Romans 1:18-23). According to the Westminster Confession of Faith, creation reveals “the goodness, wisdom, and power of God” (WCF 1.1).

Included in this general revelation is the idea of immediate general revelation. In this form of revelation God reveals himself directly to the human mind. This is what Paul speaks of when he writes of the law being written upon our hearts (Romans 2:12-16). It is this revelation that is denied by those whom the Bible calls fools (Psalm 14:1).

But, general revelation is not completely adequate. Creation does not give a full revelation of God. Also, the direct general revelation in the heart of man is so suppressed due to sin, that it is also ineffective. Therefore, God has seen fit to give man his special revelation in his word.

In his letter to Timothy, Paul writes of the special character of God’s word. He writes, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Here we learn that God’s word is breathed out by God. Often translated as inspired, the Greek word is theospneustos. It means that the words contained in Scripture are the very words of God. When we speak of inspiration, we do not mean that God dictated his words to those who wrote Scripture, or that he poured his words into their brains. We mean that the Holy Spirit communicated the Word of God to the writers and allowed them to use their own styles of writing. As Peter write, “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).

Paul also tells Timothy that God’s word is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. In other words, God’s revelation of himself in his word is sufficient for our salvation. Thus, Paul writes, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

We often speak of the Canon of Scripture. This is the set of books which make up our present-day Bible. The word Canon comes from the Greek word kanon, which was a reed or cane used as a measure or a standard. Over many years of the first centuries of the early church, there was discussion about which books should be included in the Canon of Scripture. Generally, the Old Testament Scriptures of Israel were accepted, but there was great debate about the books of the New Testament. Eventually, the church used three guidelines to determine whether a book should be included: 1) apostolic authorship or endorsement, 2) recognized as authoritative within the early church, and 3) in harmony with the books that were undoubtedly part of the canon.

John closes the book of Revelation with the following words, “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19). This, along with other verses, are used by most Christians as proof that the Canon of Scripture is closed. God has revealed all that is necessary for our salvation and godly living. Nothing else needs to be added either in the way of further writings or private revelations. Thus we speak of the fact that Scripture is the word of God; not that it contains the word of God.

Finally, a word on interpretation. Again, the Westminster Confession states, “The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself. Therefore, when there is a question about the true and full meaning of any Scripture, that meaning must be searched out and ascertained by other places that speak more clearly” (WCF 1.9). Men and churches are not permitted to give their own, private interpretation of Scripture. If anyone’s interpretation of Scripture, or teaching from Scripture, is not in line with what other parts of Scripture say, then that interpretation is not to be accepted.

 

Essential #1:

God is a God who speaks. The writer to the Hebrews warns, “See that you do not refuse him who is speaking” (Hebrews 12:25). God has revealed himself to man through his creation and his word. A true believer accepts God’s written word as infallible, inerrant, and breathed-out by God himself.

The Prayer of Jesus

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.

…

O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:1-26)

 

Background:

In the 13th chapter of his Gospel, John begins what is known as the Upper Room Discourse. This is the Passover Seder which Jesus celebrated with his disciples on the night he was betrayed. This was the last Passover he observed with them, and it was also the institution of the Lord’s Supper, the covenant meal of the new covenant.

During this time together, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. He gave them the new commandment to love one another, and he told Peter that he would deny him in chapter 13. In chapter 14 taught them that he was the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and he promised the Holy Spirit when he was gone. Chapter 15 contains his teaching of the vine and the branches, and the fact that the world would hate them, because it hated him. In chapter 16 Jesus comforts the disciples by telling them of the work of the Holy Spirit and the fact that he has overcome the world. In chapter 17, we have the prayer before us. Many commentators remark that it appears, from John, that Jesus prayed this prayer before leaving the upper room and going to the Garden of Gethsemane.

 

The Prayer:

when Jesus had spoken these words (v. 1):  While in the upper room, Jesus had just comforted his disciples with the words, “But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). It was after speaking these words that he prayed the following prayer.

the hour has come (v. 1):  Jesus knew that the Father was in sovereign control of all things, and he knew that the redeeming event for which he came to earth had arrived. Earlier in his ministry Jesus had spoken of the hour of his death, but always to say that the time had not arrived. Now, he acknowledges that the hour has come. Unlike the prayer in the Garden later, he does not pray here that the cup of suffering might pass from him.

glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you (v. 1):  The writer to the Hebrews writes that for the joy that was set before him, Jesus endured the cross and despised its shame (Hebrews 12:2). That is his prayer here, that in his death he might be glorified as the obedient Son of Philippians 2:8 who did what the Father sent him for. In so doing, he would be glorified and also bring glory to the Father at the same time.

to give eternal life to all whom you have given him (v. 2):  The coming death of Jesus on the cross would be the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of his people. In accepting that sacrifice, the Father would grant eternal life to all those for whom Christ died. And, as the Father had given him the authority over all flesh, those whom he would save would come “from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9).

and this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (v. 3):  This is not a definition of eternal life, but shows how eternal life makes itself known. It is more than just a basic abstract knowledge of God the Father and his Son. James writes that “Even the demons believe – and shudder” (James 2:19). To know God and Jesus Christ as he mentions here is to know the Father as the sovereign creator and ruler of the universe, and to know the Son as the only savior of God’s people. It is an intimate relationship with God which is in view.

I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world (v. 6):  In this section, Jesus turns from speaking about himself to praying about, and for, his disciples. They are the ones whom God the Father has given him out of the world. They followed him to this point, and he has taught them about God the Father and the kingdom at every turn. He has thus manifested the Father’s name to them at all times. For Jesus said that he taught only that which the Father had given him to teach (John 8:28 & 38).

yours they were (v. 6):  Jesus acknowledges that the disciples (and all God’s people) are the elect. They are the ones whom the Father ahs chosen from all mankind to bring into his kingdom. He chose them before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), and he has now given them to Jesus the Son (John 10:29).

they have kept your word (v. 6):  Interestingly, Jesus had earlier referred to the disciples as men of little faith, and he knew that they would desert him when the time of crisis came. Yet, here, as he prays to the Father, he calls them those who have kept the word of God – the faithful ones. This high-priestly prayer casts no dispersion upon the followers of Christ.

everything that you have given me is from you (v. 7):  Jesus Christ did and taught only what he had received from the Father (John 8:28 & 38). And, those whom the Father had chosen were given to him.

I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world (v. 9):  This is a difficult saying for many. In our human nature, we want to see Jesus praying for the whole world, but he prays only for those whom the Father has given him. We see here the idea that Christ died only for those whom the Father had chosen. The saving benefits of Christ’s sacrifice are not universal.

they are in the world, and I am coming to you (v. 11):  A difficult teaching for the disciples to receive was the fact that Jesus was going to be going away. He was going to return to the Father. Earlier he had told them that the world hated him, and now he was going to be leaving this world. They, on the other hand, were staying behind in the world, to carry on Jesus’ work of telling others about the kingdom. Now the world would hate them, just as it had hated Jesus. But, his prayer is that the Father will keep them in the power of his name. As strong as the wicked power of the world is, the power of God’s name is stronger. The people of God are in his hands, and no one can snatch them away (10:29).

I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one (v. 15):  We are told that “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, God took him” (Genesis 5:24). For reasons known only to God, he removed him from the evil prevalent in the world at that time. And, God can do that. However, he can also leave his people in the world to accomplish his plan for mankind. In those cases, he keeps them and protects them from the ravishes of the wicked world around them.

sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth (v. 17):  The word translated sanctify in this verse is the Greek word hagiazo. It means to set apart, and it’s sister words are translated holy and saints. Jesus is asking the Father to set his people apart in the world for holy service to God. And, the way the saints are set apart is through the word of God, which is truth itself.

I do not ask for these only (v. 20):  Here Jesus makes another change, as he begins praying for the church universal.

those who will believe in me through their word (v. 20):  When Thomas saw the scars in Jesus’ hands and side, he cried, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus replied, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). There, as here, he spoke of those believers who would come after his ascension to the right hand of the Father. Indeed, those who saw him on earth and believed were blessed, but Jesus said that we, who believe because of the words of the apostles, were more blessed, for we believe with our hearts; not because our eyes have seen. And here, in the prayer just before he was crucified, Jesus prayed for all of us who would one day believe the word of God and trust Jesus as our Savior.

that they may all be one (v. 21):  Here we see Jesus’ reference to what is known as the church universal. There is only one church – one body of Christ in the world. Many have used this verse to condemn the idea of denominations, but that is not what appears to be in Christ’s mind. What he is praying for is that the church will be set apart from the world as the one true body of Christ to carry on the work of the kingdom until his return.

 

Relevance:

This last prayer of our study, unlike the others, is not necessarily an example of how we ought to pray. Rather, it is a glimpse into the interaction of the Father and the Son. Through it we learn that Jesus Christ sought to glorify the Father through his atoning death on the cross, even as he was glorified in his obedience. We see that he was truly concerned for his disciples, even on the night before he was to be crucified. Rather than spending the night praying for himself and the easing of his suffering, he prayed for his followers, asking that God would protect and sustain them in a fallen world. And, to the wonder of many, he prayed for us, also. Knowing that future generations would believe in him as Savior from the teaching and writing of the apostles, Jesus prayed that we also would be kept by God as we strive to live as obedient servants and children of God.

The Prayer of Mary

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever. (Luke 1:46-55)

 

Background:

Luke begins his gospel with the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist. Zechariah and Elizabeth were both descendants of Levi. After the story of how Elizabeth became pregnant after many years of barrenness, Luke turns to introduce us to Mary, a young woman of Nazareth.

Mary was a virgin, a descendant of Judah, pledged to be married to Joseph, also a descendant of Judah. In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel came to Mary and told her that she would be with child. He told her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, and that the baby she carried would be the Son of God. Rather than fear or anxiety, her reply was, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

After this, Mary went to visit Elizabeth who was a relative. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice, we are told that John leaped for joy in her womb (Luke 1:44). Elizabeth said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Luke 1:42). As Elizabeth blessed her, Mary recited the following prayer/song.

 

The Prayer:

In this prayer, we learn a great deal about worship from Mary. Unlike those in Isaiah 29:13, who honored God only with their lips, Mary’s worship was internal and intense.

my soul magnifies the Lord (v. 46):  This song is known as the Magnificat, which is the Latin word for magnifies. The Greek word is megaluno. It means to exalt, glorify, magnify, highly esteem, laud, or praise. This is the thought expressed by the psalmist when he writes, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together” (Psalm 34:2-3). It is also reminiscent of Psalm 18:46; 57:5; 69:30; 97:9; 99:5; and 108:5.

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior (v. 47):  Mary continues her exaltation, as she rejoices in God. It is significant that she acknowledges God as her Savior. Only sinners are in need of a Savior, thus the Roman Catholic view of Mary is dashed by her own words.

for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant (v. 48):  God quite often uses the lowly and humble in his plans, rather than the high and exalted. This too is reminiscent of Hannah’s prayer for a son when she prayed, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son” (1 Samuel 1:11). Mary acknowledges the sovereignty of God and his power to use those whom he will in the accomplishment of his plan. She was well aware of the fact that, as God’s creation, she was his servant.

all generations will call me blessed (v. 48):  This is another passage that has been misinterpreted by the Roman church. Their belief is that, because Mary is blessed, she blesses others. Therefore, prayers are supposedly made through her to Jesus Christ. But, Mary here states that she is the one blessed; not the one who blesses. Interestingly, Jesus responds to such a comment during his earthly ministry. At one time, a woman cried, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” But Jesus said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:27-28).

for he who is mighty has done great things for me (v. 49):  Mary was blessed, because God had chosen her to bear his Son. It was not because of anything she had done by or for herself. Again, It is when God chooses to bless his people that they are truly blessed.

and holy is his name (v. 49):  Holiness is one of the attributes of God. It is who God is.

his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation (v. 50):  Here Mary speaks of God as he spoke of himself. As he passed before Moses on Mount Sinai, God proclaimed his name saying, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7). Earlier, when he gave the Ten Commandments, God spoke of idols and said, “You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:5-6). Who are those who receive God’s mercy? It is those who fear and love him, for he is a gracious God, and his mercy is sufficient for his people.

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate (vv. 51-52):  Throughout Scripture we read of God’s bringing down the haughty and exalting the humble. During his earthly ministry, Jesus spoke of the first being last and the last being first (Matthew 19:30; 20:16; Mark 10:31; Luke 13:30). Being merciful, God cares for the widow, the orphan, and those who are downtrodden. And, that is what Mary acknowledges here.

he has filled the hungry with good things (v. 53):  Again, God cares for those in need. Not only does he provide for their needs, but he also often grants the desires of their hearts (Psalm 37:4). Every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17).

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever:  God’s mercy is a special mercy. It is sovereign, in that he chose to bestow his mercy upon Abraham and his descendants. It is a covenantal mercy, as God entered into covenant with Abraham and his descendants. And, it is a benevolent mercy, as God cares for the hungry and exalts the humble.

 

Relevance:

God uses his people to accomplish his plan. And, God blesses his people as he uses them. Even the humblest of servants will be blessed as they realize that God’s sovereign plan involves them. God cares for his people – those who love and fear him. They will be exalted above their circumstances, and all things will, indeed, work together for their good (Romans 8:28).

The Prayer of Habakkuk

O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.

…

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. (Habakkuk 3:2-19)

 

Background:

Habakkuk was a prophet in Judah before the people of God were taken into captivity. Acting as a representative for the people, he takes their complaints before the Lord in the first chapter of his book. As he looks around him in Judah, he sees violence and injustice. He complains that “destruction and violence” are before him, and “strife and contention arise.” “The law is paralyzed,” and “justice never goes forth.” He begins his complaint by asking, “How long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?” (1:2). He, and those he represents, are frustrated that God has done nothing to punish those in Judah who continually sin against him.

God answers Habakkuk’s complaint by telling him that he has a plan. God says, “I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told” (1:5). He is going to bring the Chaldeans (the Babylonians) to invade Judah and carry the people into captivity, as he had warned and promised in Deuteronomy 4. God says, “Don’t worry. I have everything under control, and I will punish the evildoers.”

This was not what Habakkuk had in mind. The Chaldeans were worse than the Israelites! How could God possible use a violent, heathen, Gentile race to punish his own people? How was it just to favor a nation of even worse sinners? But, God assures Habakkuk that the Babylonians will also be punished. As we know, the Medes later came and overthrew the Babylonians. In telling of the eventual overthrow of the Chaldeans, God informs Habakkuk that “the righteous shall live by faith” (2:4), a verse later referenced by Paul in his letter to the Romans.

At this, Habakkuk realizes that God is, indeed, the sovereign ruler of the universe, and that he is just in all he does. Thus, he prays the prayer found in chapter 3 of his book.

 

The Prayer:

I have heard the report of you (v. 2): It is as if Habakkuk answers God’s question to Isaiah, “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1). God had spoken in answer to Habakkuk’s complaint, and Habakkuk had heard.

and your work, O Lord, do I fear (v. 2): Not only did Habakkuk hear the word of the Lord, He knew what it meant for the people of Judah. He knew that punishment was coming for all their sins against God, and he knew that it was to be a harsh punishment. The people would be overrun by heathen foreigners and carried into captivity, away from the land which the Lord had given them. When he thought of the Lord’s punishment, he was filled with fear.

In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy (v. 2): Habakkuk was fearful of the people suffering for a great number of years. Was he told how long the captivity would last? Was he afraid of their suffering for seventy years? What he asks is that God would rescue and revive his people (his work) before the end came. Interestingly he asks the Lord to do it because it is his work. In other words, rescue and revive the people, because they are God’s people, not because of anything they had done. He calls for God to reveal himself in the midst of their trouble and to have mercy, even in the midst of his wrath. Of course, this is the very thing God does, as is so evident from Isaiah.

Habakkuk now begins to recount the history of God’s bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt and giving them the law at Mount Sinai.

God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran (v. 3): Teman was the eldest son of Eliphaz, the first-born son of Esau. His tribe settled in the area south of Judah, and the name of the land soon came to mean “south.” Paran was a mountain in the area, closely associated with Mount Seir and Mount Sinai. Here Habakkuk speaks of God’s descending on the mountain when he gave the law to the people through Moses. Thus he speaks of God’s “splendor covering the heavens,” the earth full of his praise,” “his brightness like the light,” and “rays flashing from his hand.” This is the same language used by Moses in Deuteronomy 33:2-4.

before him went pestilence (v. 5): This section tells of God bringing the plagues upon Egypt. Pestilence went before him, and the plagues followed at his heels. Thus, his power and might were exhibited against the Egyptians who refused to release his people.

he stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations (v. 6): After delivering the children of Israel from Egypt, the Lord brought them, eventually, into the Land of Promise. There he forced out the nations already in the land and divided it among the tribes of his people. God is sovereign. He does what he says he will do. He had told Abraham that he would deliver his descendants from their slave masters and bring them back to the Land of Promise. He had told the Israelites that they would be disobedient, and he would punish them for their disobedience. Now the time of their judgment had come.

Was your anger against the rivers; or your indignation against the sea (v. 8); the sun and moon stood still in their place (v. 11): In bringing the people out of Egypt and to the land, God parted the waters of the Red Sea and the Jordan River. In a day of battle, he caused the sun to stand still in the sky, so that the Israelites could conquer their enemies.

you went out for the salvation of your people (v. 13): God cared for his people. Even in the midst of forty years in the wilderness and battles to take the land which he had promised to their forefathers, God cared for his people.

I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us (v. 16): Again, the words of the Lord bring fear and trembling to Habakkuk. When he considers all that the people will have to suffer as punishment for their disobedience and turning from God, it causes his knees to go weak and his lips to quiver. Yet, as he remembers the history of God’s dealing with his people, and God’s work for the salvation of his people, he is content to wait for the full term of the punishment to come, and for God to then punish those whom he used to invade Judah. In the end, God will save his people.

Habakkuk then completes his journey from frustration, to comfort, to worship. Though the fig tree does not blossom, there is no fruit on the vine, the olive trees fail, God is sovereign. Though the fields yield no food, there are no longer flocks of goats and sheep, and there are not cattle in the stall, God is sovereign. Though everything the people might hope in is completely decimated, yet the prophet will rejoice in the Lord. Though circumstances are dire, yet he will praise the Lord who is his strength, for he gives him sure feet in times of trouble, and he raises him from the depths of despair to the high places of divine security.

 

Relevance:

God is sovereign, and he works all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). Even in the midst of discipline, God is still a merciful God, and he cares for his people. So, with Paul, we can rejoice in our sufferings (Romans 5:3), and we give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

The Prayer of Jonah

I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’ The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God. When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord! (Jonah 2:2-9)

 

Background:

The story of Jonah is one of the most familiar in the Bible. God was aware of the evil of the people of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire from 705 to 612 B.C. The word of the Lord came to Jonah, sending him to Nineveh to call the people to repentance.

Instead of going to Nineveh, Jonah ran from God and his command. He went to Joppa and caught a ship to Tarshish. While he was asleep below deck, God sent a terrible storm upon the sea. The sailors cried out to their respective gods and cast the cargo overboard, but the storm did not lessen in strength. Finally they awakened Jonah and commanded him to cry out to his god as they were doing to theirs.

They cast lots to see who was accountable for the trouble they were in, and the lot fell to Jonah. He told them he was a Hebrew and a worshiper of the Lord, God of heaven. He told them the storm was sent for him, and they must throw him into the sea. The men rowed harder, trying to escape the storm, but they finally relented. Jonah was thrown overboard, and the storm stopped.

As he sank into the sea, God sent a great fish to swallow Jonah, so that he did not drown. He was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights. From inside the belly of the fish, Jonah prayed this prayer.

 

The Prayer:

I called out to the Lord, out of my distress (v. 2):  This was not a gentle prayer offered up to God from a believer who was sitting in comfort in his house. This was the desperate cry of a man who was greatly distressed. Everything had gone wrong for Jonah. Just as Job cried out in his despair; just as David cried out as he was hunted by Saul; so Jonah cried out to the One who could save him. Through Isaiah God declared, “Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24).

and he answered me (v. 2):  This is what all the people of God want to acknowledge about their prayers and about God. God is a God who answers prayer.

out of the belly of Sheol I cried (v. 2):  Sheol is Hebrew for grave or pit. It is considered to be the place of the dead, and was usually considered to be under the earth, possibly at the roots of the mountains. The word is used several times in Scripture. When Jacob is falsely informed of the death of Joseph, he cries, “I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning” (Genesis 37:35). In her prayer of rejoicing after the birth of Samuel, Hannah speaks of God’s greatness, saying, “The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up” (1 Samuel 2:6). David, speaking prophetically of the Messiah, wrote, “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption” (Psalm 16:10). Jonah acknowledges that he is in the pit. He is separated from God.

and you heard my voice (v. 2):  Yet, even in the pit of death and hell, God heard his servant.

you cast me into the deep (v. 3):  Although the sailors had thrown Jonah into the sea, he knows that God is ultimately in control of all things. It was God who had cast him into the deep. It was God who had sent the great fish to swallow him. It was God who had put him where he was. The is no escaping God.

I am driven away from your sight (v. 4):  From the beginning of this story, Jonah had sought to run from the presence of God. He did not want to do what God had commanded, and he sought to hide himself from the Lord. Now he was in the pit of hell, and he did not like the prospects. It now appears that running from God was not the proper course of action. How sad that Jonah did not truly appreciate being in the presence of God until he thought that he was out of God’s sight – away from his presence.

yet I shall again look upon your holy temple (v. 4):  But, Jonah realizes that he is not completely out of God’s sight. In the words of David, “If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there” (Psalm 139:8). Again, the beloved of God cannot escape his gaze. And, so, Jonah knows that he will live again. He will again go to the holy temple of God for worship. The God who sees is the God who is worthy of all worship and praise.

Jonah then recounts a number of things that happened to discourage him.

The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; (vv. 5-6)

yet you brought up my life from the pit (v. 6):  Yet, despite all these things, God was still with him. God saved him and brought him up from the pit of death and hell.

when my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord (v. 7):  Jonah’s life was passing away. He was dying, he thought, away from the presence of the Lord. When all seemed lost, Jonah remember God. As is often the case, the people of God must be stripped of all other things in which they might place their trust before they remember the Lord. And, interestingly, God is not averse to placing his beloved ones in such situations, to do that very thing, thus driving them back to himself and the communion for which they were created and called.

Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love (v. 8):  God is a God of steadfast love for his people (Exodus 20:6; 34:6-7; Numbers 14:18-19; Psalm 17:7; 25:10; 33:5; Isaiah 63:7; Lamentations 3:22). Yet, man-made idols have no love or compassion. Those who worship such vain idols have no hope of love, as Jonah and the people of God do.

Salvation belongs to the Lord! (v. 9):  “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

 

Relevance:

Even from the depths of the pit of death and hell, God heard the cries of Jonah. Even though he sought to run from the presence of the Lord, Jonah could not escape his sight. Even though we may feel despair and wonder if the Lord still cares for us, he is ever present. He will never leave us or forsake us. “If God is for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31).