The Hanukkah Message of Jesus

Today we are halfway through the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah, or “The Festival of Lights.” It is a time when Jews commemorate the re-dedication of the temple in 165 BC following the Maccabean revolt.  Though the story of Hanukkah is not found in the Bible, we do find reference to it in John 10 and we see that it was on such an occasion that Jesus made most plain His claim to be God in the flesh.

First some history: Following the death of Alexander the Great, the Kingdom of Greece was divided among four princes. The nation of Israel lay on disputed territory between the Ptolemys (Egypt) and the Seleucids (Syria). The land exchanged hands a time or two and I the 2^nd Century BC was under the rule of the Seleucids.

Antiochus IV was ruler at the time, and he sought to expand he kingdom by attacking Egypt. After suffering as humiliating defeat, Antiochus IV stopped off in Jerusalem.  He blamed the Jews and their worship of Yahweh for his defeat, and thus he looted the temple, massacred the Jews, and outlawed Judaism. A year later, 167 BC, Antiochus IV had an altar to Zeus erected in the temple.  This triggered the revolt, the eventual overthrow of the Seleucids, and the establishment of a Jewish state that lasted until 66 BC.

In 165 BC the Maccabees had recaptured the temple and sought to restore temple worship. The candlestick (menorah) in the temple was supposed to burn non-stop.  As the story goes, when they went to relight the menorah they discovered they only had one day supply of oil, and it would be several days before more oil would be ready. The decided to light the menorah anyway, and the oil lasted not one, not two, not three, but eight days and night until the new oil was ready.  This event took place on the 25^th day of the month of Kislev.  To this day the Jews celebrate this miracle in a celebration known as The Festival of Lights.

Now, what does the Scripture say?

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 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. I and the Father are one.”

The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”    John 10:22-33

It was at the Feast of Dedication that Jesus delivered the clear message, “I and the Father are one.”  The Jews knew just what he meant by that, as they prepared to stone him for what they said was blasphemy as he was making himself out to be God.

At that time they sought to arrest Him and execute Him, but His hour had not yet come. Before long the Jews would have their way a Christ would lay down His life for His sheep. 

But what is the significant of this revelation at this time?  Well, Antiochus IV went by another name. He called himself, “Antiochus Epiphanes.”  This literally means, “Antiochus, God Made Manifest.”  Antiochus, a man, made himself out to be God.  It was at the celebration of the overthrow of the man who claimed to be God that Jesus declared Himself to be God. In fact, “very God of very God.” 

There was, of course, a difference between Antiochus and Jesus, for Jesus was indeed God Made Manifest, and he had the works and the words to prove it. Antiochus, however, was no more than a madman. In fact, his subjects did not refer to him as “Antiochus Epiphanes”, but as “Antiochus Epimenes,” which means, “Antiochus the mad (crazed).”

While Christians do not commemorate Hanukkah by lighting the menorah, when we see our Jewish friends commemorating the overthrow of a madman, we should pause to remember and celebrate the truth that the Word truly became flesh, dwelt among us, and we can behold his glory, full of grace and truth.

Not "The Most Wonderful Time of Year" for the Bible!

The Christmas season is upon us. Sunday, December 2^nd, is the first day of Advent and many churches will be conducting series of messages on the Christmas story.

Sadly, many of these messages will include embellishments of the Christmas story that are not found in Scripture, and do not fit the historical and cultural context of the time.

Careful consideration of “What Does the Scripture Say?” speaks to the following truths: 

1. Mary did not necessarily ride into Bethlehem on a donkey. The Bible does not say how they traveled.
2. Mary did not give birth the night she arrived. Luke 2:6 states, “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.” They may have been in Bethlehem for several days or weeks before Mary went into labor.
3. There was no innkeeper who turned Joseph away because there was “no vacancy” in the inn.  There is no mention of an “innkeeper.” There is some question as to whether or not there would have been a commercial inn (Gr. pandoxeion cp. Lk. 10:34) in Bethlehem at that time.
4. Jesus was not born in a barn or stable. The word translated “inn” is ketaluma which speaks of a guest room. The guest room where Joseph and Mary were lodging was full, so Jesus was born in the main family room of the house, where the animals were kept during the night.  A manger, typically found in the family room of a Palestinian home, served as a makeshift crib. This is in line with what we know about the historical and cultural context of the time.
5. Jesus was not necessarily born on a cold winter’s night.  The Bible doesn’t say when Jesus was born. Some question it being winter due to the shepherds watching over their flocks by night. The Bible doesn’t even say the time of day when Jesus was born, only that the announcement was made to the shepherds at night.

No doubt many more items can be added to this list. 

“So what?” Some may say. “Is it really a bad thing to add drama to the story to make a point?”

At issue are two things: (1) The sufficiency of Scripture.  When we start to use imagination to embellish the story we are basically telling God that He did not give us enough information. (2) We are not very careful when it comes to reading the Bible and separating what the Scripture says from what we think the Scripture says.

Remember God’s Word to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2-4: “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”  Let’s  not confuse people by inserting fables into the Scripture.

For more on the topic of what belongs and does not belong in The Christmas Story see The Manger and The Inn

The Bible, the Believer, and The Governors of State

Following “Decision 2012” Facebook and Twitter have been ablaze with comments, criticisms, and concerns over the outcome. There was a lot at stake in this election, and not just the usual economic and foreign policy issues.  Though there is no party out there that could be labeled “Christian,” there was a party who built a platform on decidedly anti-Christian principles. Many believers, like me, are deeply grieved over the outcome, and have passionately addressed their concerns over things to come for a nation that has rejected God’s Word.

Many well-meaning Christians have stepped in to the fray, sharing Bible verses about our need to submit to and honor the governing authorities.  But what does that really mean?  Should Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego have bowed down to the king’s statue? Should Daniel have taken a month off from praying?  Was it wrong for Elijah to stand up to Ahab? What about Amos, Jeremiah, and the rest of the profits who spoke out against Israel’s Kings and the rulers of surrounding nations? 

Adolph Hitler, Idi Amin, and Pol-Pot were all governing authorities. Did God expect believers to submit to them and carry out their atrocities? Of course not. We would say, “There is a higher law.” And there is a higher law we follow today that declares homosexuality is sin, abortion is murder, coerced wealth redistribution is robbery, and rewarding irresponsibility is unjust.  Can we resist these things and still be in submission to governing authorities?  Does submission mean we can never speak out against transgressors of God’s law?

Let’s consider the Bible texts being used to speak on the matter and see what a Christ-followers response should be.

Romans 13:1-7

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. ² Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. ³ For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, ⁴ for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. ⁵ Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. ⁶ For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. ⁷ Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

This exhortation is made based on the understanding that the governing authorities are fulfilling their responsibility to punish bad conduct and act as “God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.”  But what about the case where the governing authorities are promoting what is evil in the sight of the Lord? Do we submit to and accept a government doing just the opposite? We have plenty of Biblical examples (some cited above) of those who did not subject themselves to governing authorities when they did not fulfill their God given role. When we see a government in rebellion against Biblical principles, we may be filled with righteous indignation, speak out against its evil ways, and take advantage of our freedoms and rights to initiate change.

Titus 3:1-11

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, ² to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. ³ For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. ⁴ But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. ⁸ The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. ⁹ But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. ¹⁰ As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, ¹¹ knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Paul had sent Titus to the island of Crete to appoint elders in every town. There was a need for men who could rebuke the “insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers” who were bringing false teaching (1:10-11). Tutus was instructed to teach them sound doctrine (2:1-10) and then in the verse preceding the situation above he was told to “Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you” (2:15). In 3:9-10 he brings up the foolish controversies and disruptive people addressed in chapter 1.  Contextually, the “rulers and authorities” in this passage are church authorities. This is not an instruction concerning governmental authorities.

1 Peter 3:13-17

¹³ Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, ¹⁴ or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. ¹⁵ For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. ¹⁶ Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. ¹⁷ Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Peter writes these words to Jewish Christians scattered throughout Asia Minor. The Jews already had a reputation for being “anti-government” as a result of their frequent uprisings in Palestine. Now, these Jews had come to faith in Christ as Lord, Messiah and King. This was a king other than Caesar, and these believers were accused of insubordination against the state.  Peter prefaced these words by saying, “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”  He is instructing them not to do anything that would give credibility to the false accusations of their opponents.  This theme carries on in 3:13-17 and 4:12-19 where they are told they may well suffer for doing what is good and right, but they should not suffer as a “murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.”

This passage, like Romans 13, comes under the assumption that governors are “punishing those who do evil” and “praise those who do good.” 

Of course, believers do need to subject themselves to zoning laws, speed limits, and health codes. A church cannot declare a building code or health code violation “persecution” less they are guilty of suffering as a law breaker.

1 Timothy 2:1-2

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, ² for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Paul is writing to Timothy whom he has left in Ephesus to take care of some difficult matters in the church. He exhorts Timothy of the need to offer prayer for all people, and makes special mention of “kings and all who are in high positions” and tells why to pray: that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.  His is an especially fitting prayer for Ephesus, for when Paul brought the Gospel to Ephesus in Acts 19 a riot broke out, and it was the town clerk who stepped in and brought an end to the uproar.  During the Roman Empire the primary duty of local officials was to keep the peace. The prayer here is for believers to be allowed to live out a peaceful and quiet life, so that they may freely spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Frequently the statement is made that instead of criticizing our public leaders we should be praying for them. Who says we can’t do both?  We is it assumed by so many that speaking out against the sin of the administration means that we are not also praying about it?

Philippians 3:20

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ

Ultimately we are citizens of the heavenly kingdom with Christ as our King regardless of what earthly rulers may come. Nevertheless, we are blessed to live in a land where we may exercise free speech and call out our government when it does wrong.  Paul stands out as an example of a man who was never afraid to exercise his rights as a Roman citizen (Acts 16:35-40; 22:22-29; 25:11). Likewise, we should never be afraid to exercise our rights as U.S. citizens.

Romans 12:17-21

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with go

Bible believing followers of Christ should be angry at what has come to pass in our nation over the past 50+ years. But there is a reason why Christian’s don’t riot like some other religions when they are offended.  We know that in the end God will make all things right.  Being as we are “simultaneously sinners and saints” we don’t always respond in a saintly manner, and may come to regret things said and done in the heat of the moment.  Yet, when things settle down, it is the Christian who can recognize the need to get on with the mission of the church: to preach repentance and faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.

The struggles that no doubt lie ahead for Christians in the U.S. will separate the false professors from the true possessors and make way for genuine revival among God’s people. 

For now we say with Habakkuk:

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.

Be Alert for Old School Liberalism

Following the election, the Huffington Post published an article entitled Goodbye Christian America, Hello True Christianity". I anticipated an article that would either discuss the need for the church to get out of the business of politics and back to preaching the true gospel, or the need for the church to get out of the entertainment and self-help industry and speak of repentance and faith.

After reading the article, I was disappointed.

The article was about Life Center Church and their "Global Neighbor Project" helping orphans and others in HIV-ravaged Lesotho.This is indeed an excellent work, and it's great that the church is now known as the one that helps Aids Orphans and not the one with the big Christmas Pageant.

But the article also raised some concerns.

The primary concern is what the author, Richard Stearns, of World Vision, stated about the mission of the church. He said the mission Jesus gave us was "to show the world a different way to live -- a way that demonstrates the great character of God: his love, his justice, his compassion, his forgiveness and his reconciliation."

Really? The mission is to show the world a different way to live? This is old school, social gospel liberalism at its very best (or worst). But what does the Scripture say?

The mission of Jesus was to atone for the sin of a lost human race by sacrificing his life to satisfy God's wrath and make it possible for man to return to fellowship with Him.  The mission of the church is to preach the gospel of repentance and faith. Along the way we do care for widows and orphans in their need, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, bring health care the sick, but if it stops there then we have really failed in our mission. According to Operation World, the people of Lesotho "were Christianized generations ago, but most were never fully converted." The work to provide care for the needs of Lesotho is a worthy one, but if it is not accompanied by a clear call to repentance and faith then it is not fulfilling the mission of Christ and His church.

A second concern in the article is the different groups who have partnered with the church in this endeavor.  Again, on first glance, this may seem like a good thing. But what does the Scripture say?  

"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God."  2 Cor. 6:14-16

The article indicates that partners with the church include the Jewish and gay communities, as well as agencies and organizations that have never been known for their commitment to Biblical Gospel principles. Operation World indicates that a problem in the Lesotho Church is syncretization and compromise. The strange bedfellows involved in this project certainly will not help the church in its pursuit of purity.

James 1:27 tells us "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."  One should  not focus on the first half and ignore the second.

I'm sure many may find these comments to be too critical. Yet, we really can't be too careful when the purity of the gospel and the mission of the church is at stake. Our nation today is reaping the fruits of the failure of the church to preach the true gospel and whole counsel of God.  We need to be discerning about what we see, read and hear, and always measure it against ":What does the Scripture say?"