“Rejoicing – celebrating God speaking and our listening,” from the lesson series, Return from Babylon | scattered & gathered, June 2020

our Scripture

So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 

6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading (English Standard Version)

Nehemiah 8:2-8 NASB, Nehemiah 8:2-8 NIV, Nehemiah 8:2-8 Message, Nehemiah 8:2-8 NLT

our lesson

We like celebrating. The recent coronavirus pandemic has changed how we celebrate the major events and holidays of life. At the outset for many, our weddings, graduations, and birthdays were simply postponed. But soon we have learned to adapt.

A pastor friend was celebrating his thirty-fifth year in the ministry with little fanfare. The church had been streaming services on the internet, but no one had attended worship in the building for weeks. Even without Sunday responsibilities, his office routine followed a rigid schedule and the day was coming to a close at about five o’clock. As he walked out the office door to his car parked in the parking lot, a caravan of horn-honking, streamer-waving congregants drove past the startled and appreciative man. Some handed cards out the car windows. Others offered words of encouragement and thanksgiving.

Amherst County High School, a school between Richmond and Roanoke Virginia, creatively celebrated graduates this year with “Commencement in Cars.” Every senior was given tickets for two cars. Families were encouraged to decorate the cars with inspirational messages and school spirit. A jumbo screen projected senior speeches to the folks in parked cars. At the conclusion of the speeches, cars with the seniors drove down the lane that housed the school, where teachers and school staff were standing ten feet apart, cheering and leading the cars to a stage where the senior got out of the car, walked across the stage and received a diploma. Area businesses donated for pictures to be taken. After the diploma ceremony, a parade of cars through the town was cheered by family and friends.

“Seeing all of these cars celebrating with balloons and markers and stuff, it’s awesome,” said class president Zamire Andrews. “We will go down in history.”

 

The importance of celebrating

It is vital that we celebrate. Tom Volkar, of CoreU Coaching, says, “Celebration is a pivotal stage in the productivity process because it allows us to commemorate all the good that we do.” In a recent post, Volkar talked about the “Authentic Cycle of Probability” – the process in which people are productive. The cycle is illustrated in the figure below.

Authentic Cycle of Probability

Notice where celebration falls in the cycle. We normally celebrate when things are all over – as long as we evaluate and believe that we have been successful. But in this cycle celebrating comes as the third step, providing motivation and encouragement to take better actions throughout bringing the idea to fruition.

Katherine Spinney, life coach with a decade of experience supporting others in their professional journeys, says “We do not take sufficient time to stop and celebrate the good work being done. We think we do not have enough time or money for such recognition.” She wonders over the years, how many different parties, festivals and parades have you been to celebrating one thing or another?

The AARP website says “Ever since early man discovered fire and cheered an end to raw meat, celebrations have united human communities in honoring momentous events, rites of passage, religious observances and more.”

The Psychology Today website ran an article titled, “Why You Should Celebrate Everything.” The article tells us that moments of celebration make us pause and thoughtfully consider life, which boosts our well-being. “According to social psychology researcher Fred Bryant, when we stop to savor the good stuff, we buffer ourselves against the bad and build resilience.” Even small celebrations can boost positive emotions which makes it easier to manage the daily challenges that cause major stress.

The Bible teaches celebrating

Jesus loved to tell stories. You would have been spell-bound to listen to Him because He had a knack for taking the most profound spiritual truths or doctrines and make them as simple as learning to throw seeds in the garden or baking a loaf of bread. A story – an object lesson – used to tell a spiritual truth is called a parable. About a third of His teaching used parables, and depending on how you count, Jesus told about forty different parables.

He speaks in parables because not everyone wants to hear. He used parables so that the hearts of those rejecting His words would not be hardened further. The same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay. The same gospel that humbles the heart of the honest seeker hardens the heart of the one who is clinging to their path of disobedience.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Points to Ponder

1) In what ways has the quarantine changed how you live your life … how you shop, how you travel, how you treat people and how you celebrate?

2) Has the quarantine caused you to realize your need for God? Give some examples to the group. In what ways have you come to appreciate things about God that you took for granted? [/su_pullquote]

William Barclay wrote, “The parable conceals truth from those who are either too lazy or too blinded by prejudice to see. It reveals truth to him who desires truth; it conceals truth from him who does not wish to see the truth.” D.A. Carson states, “the parables spoke to the crowds do not simply convey information nor mask it, but challenge the hearers” to understand it.

 

Understanding parables

The term “parable” is a transliteration of the Greek word parabole (parah-bow-lay). The word means “to throw alongside.” A parable throws one idea alongside another for the purpose of providing a better explanation. The story in a parable illustrates and illuminates basic ideas and is not meant to have an “item-by-item” explanation for each detail, but rather a larger picture painted on the canvas.

The word starts with the Greek preposition “para.” It literally means alongside, but it stresses a nearness, a closeness or a relationship that is often not expressed in translation. It implies an intimate relationship, something that actually changes the nature of the two when separate and individual.

Let me give you an example. I might call your attention to “peanut butter alongside jelly.” We could be picturing a jar of peanut butter and a jar of jelly sitting next to one another on the kitchen cabinet or on the shelf at the grocery. But if the word “para” was used to describe “alongside” we would not think of the peanut butter and the jelly as separate, but instead we would think of them as already intermingled, as in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

We bring the word “para” straight into the English on so many occasions. We often speak of a parachute, paradigm, paragraph, paralegal, paralysis, parameter, or paradox.

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My Two Sons

The fifteenth chapter of Luke describes an interesting point in the earthly ministry of Jesus. In the midst of intense criticism from Jewish religious leaders regarding His practice of eating with characters of ill-repute, Jesus tells three stories. The imagery wrestles your attention away from any other direction.

Do any of you have sheep? There was a woman who had coins. Once a man had sons. Everyone can relate to these stories. Haven’t we all had a pet that got off the leash and wandered away? Is there anyone among us that hasn’t misplaced our keys or our cell phone? Could there be a parent whose child never made a bad decision?

[su_pullquote align=”left”]We will celebrate and praise you, Lord! You are good to us, and your love never fails. No one can praise you enough (Psalm 106:1-2 CEV) [/su_pullquote]

I finally found it! It was in the last place I looked! He came to his senses and it all worked out.

All three of the stories have similar circumstances. The stories all teach similar lessons. And all three stories end the same way: we call friends and neighbors and say, “Let’s celebrate! I found what I lost!”

The title of one of Tony Campolo’s earliest books spoke to this concept: The Kingdom of God is a Party. In the book, Tony tells the story of throwing a birthday celebration. If you have not heard this story, it will be one that you always remember. The gracious spirit of God celebrates when we return to the Father. We need to celebrate our relationships with others in the same way.

 

Support from the Scriptures

The Psalmists remind us to throw all our passions and energies into celebrating the Lord of Hosts.

 

They will celebrate and sing about your matchless mercy and your power to save.

Psalm 145:7 CEV

Our God, you are the one who rides on the clouds, and we praise you. Your name is the Lord, and we celebrate as we worship you.

Psalm 68:4 CEV

We will celebrate and praise you, Lord! You are good to us, and your love never fails. No one can praise you enough for all of the mighty things you have done.

Psalm 106:1-2 CEV

Other Psalms enforcing the same idea include Psalm 150:1-6, Psalm 118:24, Psalm 149:5, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 145:7, Psalm 126:3, Psalm 20:5, Psalm 68:3, and Psalm 118:15. The same concept echo throughout the pages of the New Testament. The gospel writers record the joyful praise idea in John 15:11, John 16:21, Luke 15:7 and Matthew 22:1. The rest of the New Testament continues the idea in the epistles and revelation. Be sure and notice important Scriptures like 1 Corinthians 10:31, 1 Corinthians 5:8, 1 Peter 1:8-9, Colossians 3:14, Romans 12:15 and Revelation 19:1-5.

 

Three Biblical Perspectives for Celebrating

What does it mean to celebrate our God? What makes up the feelings and how do we express them? The New Testament gives us three ingredients to make our celebration genuine and heart-felt.

 

We are blessed

The 119th Psalm begins, “Our Lord, you bless everyone who lives right” – using the same word “bless” that Jesus uses when He begins the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1). The first verses of this sermon are typically called “The Beatitudes.” It describes the blessed life of the faithful.

The word “beatitude” does not appear anywhere in Scripture. It is a word that tries to explain the concept behind the word אֶ֫שֶׁר RASHA, the blessing of God. It rests upon those who give themselves to living as a wise individual. We struggle with that, don’t we? The wise are people of integrity – blameless, pure, sincere (Genesis 18:1; Proverbs 11:20; 13:6). They walk on God’s path.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew counts nine “blessings” for those who follow Jesus. In these verses, Jesus was not describing separate types of Christian character, but instead is painting qualities and experiences that are to be found in the one who follows God.

There were three general kinds of blessings developed in the Scriptures.  The first was the blessing that God would offer the people for their faithful obedience. The next was the blessing offered within the family. Finally the Old Testament spoke of God’s faithfulness to his people as a blessing.  Blessing spoke to the understanding that God’s faithfulness, in good times and bad, was a source of strength, security and peace. 

What kind of person will find this blessing, this favor of God? By the world’s standards, not the extra-ordinary person, but the ordinary one. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, they are ever praising you (Psalm 84:4 NIV).

The one who understands that he is blessed, celebrates.

 

We are content

Paul tells the Philippians that he has learned the secret of contentment. The concept supports Jewish peace – being at peace with the circumstance. Listen to Paul’s words:

11 I am not complaining about having too little. I have learned to be satisfied with whatever I have. 12 I know what it is to be poor or to have plenty, and I have lived under all kinds of conditions. I know what it means to be full or to be hungry, to have too much or too little. 13 Christ gives me the strength to face anything (Philippians 4:11-13 CEV).

There is contentment in believing that Christ gives you the strength to face all things. It puts the amazing promise of Philippians 4:19 in its proper perspective: “My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

The Hebrew writer – which quite probably is the apostle Paul – says the same thing. He argues that freedom from the love of money, the idea of having contentment, is based on a promise that God will always be there. “Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5 ESV).

We spend most of our lives concerned that we will lose what we have – loved ones, material things, confidence, our possessions. Wasn’t that the real cause of people hording toilet paper at the start of the pandemic? We are even concerned about losing our relationship with God. If I mess up often enough or bad enough, God will get fed up with me and leave me.

When we accept and believe that enough to celebrate it, we will have begun to master contentment.

 

We rejoice

Paul tells those same Philippians to rejoice in the Lord always. He repeats the encouragement and the words “rejoice” and “joy” sixteen times in the small epistle. Paul is not dependent upon his circumstances for his joyfulness. He has been imprisoned almost four years (Philippians 1:12-18). Even if he were to be sentences to death, he would still be joyful (Philippians 2:17-18).

Instead Paul found his joy in people. His life and well-being were always tied to those he had touched in the faith. Self-centered people don’t have that kind of feeling for others. They also do not have much joy.

Joy and celebration go hand-in-hand, don’t they?

What if our understanding of rejoicing were more akin to celebrating? How would that change your connotation of the command, “Rejoice in the Lord always”? We are to celebrate the Lord.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Words to Wrangle

We tend to celebrate when we are successful. The Scripture tells us to celebrate when we are weak, because it is then we realize God is strong. Read Psalm 106:1-5, 44-48. The verses in-between give an account of the times when Israel was unfaithful, yet God continued to support Israel, steadfastly faithful, even when they didn’t realize it. Such is cause to celebrate!

1) Can you give examples of times that God was faithful, even when you were less than obedient, less than confident in God’s presence?

2) Does the recent pandemic fit into this need? How has the virus proven God to be faithful? In what ways can we celebrate? [/su_pullquote]

Let’s look at a handful of lessons about celebrating from Nehemiah’s story.

People Celebrated

By the eighth chapter of Nehemiah, the walls of the city and the temple were near completion. The phrase “all the people gathered as one man” into the square is identical to Ezra 3:1, which also refers to an assembly on the first day of the seventh month. The object of the meeting in Ezra was to restore the altar of burnt offerings and sacrificial worship. This was key to the entire structure of Jewish worship, from daily activities to annual festivals. Consider the energy that was present the first Sunday when worship was returned to buildings instead of online. Imagine what would happen if we went for seventy years without celebrating Christmas or Easter. There must have been tears shed, shouts of joy offered, and people embracing one another.

Assemblies were held by the city gates, this one being convened in the square by the Water Gate. It may be the same place as mentioned in Ezra 10:9; see also Judges 19:15, 2 Chronicles 32:6). The people were gathered as one. Social distancing was certainly not a factor, but the implication touches “with one accord.” There were no minds wandering. There was a focused purpose among the people.

There is absolutely no reason that all of the people in verses four and seven are mentioned by name and included in the Scripture. The lesson being taught is vital. Individual people need to be celebrated. No doubt each of these individuals played an important role in the rebuilding or in the ceremonies that were being held. We clearly need to give honor to those for whom honor is due.

Worshipers participated with the Word

Notice the place that the Word occupied in this celebration. The people reacted and participated with the Word. It is difficult in today’s worship for individuals to participate – a factor that we probably should work on correcting. Ezra the scribe is told to bring the Book of the Law of Moses before the people. Such scrolls would have been kept in regal containers, treated with the same reverence that was once given to the Ark of the Covenant. When the Torah was brought before the people, there must have been shouts of praise and extended applause.

The men and women who were gathered were people “who could understand what they heard” when the Torah was read. This would be people who retained their knowledge of Hebrew even through the exile. There was no attempt to make the reading of God’s Word “user-friendly.” If you want to be a part of this, you need to know the language.

Ezra read the Law while standing on a raised platform that had been constructed for the event. Pomp and circumstance were a part of the ceremony. It is quite possible that the books read were not only the Torah, but also the Prophets and the other Writings. This would be practically the entire Old Testament which we know today. The reading lasted from early morning until midday.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Conclusions to Consider

1) A primary truth in this lesson is that God is to celebrate the fact that God has spoken and that we have the opportunity to listen. Can you make a list of the essential truths of the Message that God has spoken to us? What are essentials and what are simply matters of opinion?

2) During the past week, how have you listened to what God is saying to you, your church and our country during this pandemic? How will you celebrate in the coming week? [/su_pullquote]

The impression of this passage is that the people insisted upon the reading of Scripture. While not spontaneous, the attentive listening and heart-searching that followed is evidence this was not imposed upon the people by leadership.

The faithful listened

Throughout the passage, Ezra is seen as reading the Torah to the people. Verse six indicates that Ezra blessed the Lord and all the people answered, “Amen! Amen!” Don’t think of this as a one-time moment. Through the ceremonies of worship or festivals, several blessings were offered. Compare this idea to the Seder service for the Passover. Ezra may have done this at the end of a chapter, a book or a scroll.

We don’t think of listening as being a part of celebration, but it is a vital part of the dynamic that takes place between the people, the leadership and the Father. It certainly makes sense that when we care deeply enough about the subject or the speaker, we will care enough to listen. Celebrating the moment means to pay attention to it.

Also notice that several people mentioned in verse seven helped people understand the Law. Some commentators assume this was translating it from the Hebrew into Aramaic, but Nehemiah and Ezra both seem to place value upon the people knowing the Hebrew language. Think instead of the readers working through a passage and then explaining what it meant. This could be the meaning of the phrase “they gave the sense” that is mentioned in verse eight so that the people understood the reading.

The people bowed their heads as the Scripture was read and placed their faces on the ground. Verse nine tells us that the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.

But Nehemiah and Ezra told the people not to mourn or weep, for this day was holy to the Lord. Instead the people were told to go, to eat, drink and celebrate for “the joy of the Lord in your strength” (verse ten).

They read from the book clearly … and the people went their way to eat, drink and make great rejoicing.

“Rebuilding the Walls,” from the lesson series, Return from Babylon | scattered & gathered, June 2020

our Scripture

Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” 18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” 20 Then I replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem”(English Standard Version)

(Nehemiah 2:17-20 NASB, Nehemiah 2:17-20 NIV, Nehemiah 2:17-20 MESSAGE, Nehemiah 2:17-20 NLT).

our lesson

“You see the trouble we are in.” Could Nehemiah’s words be any more pointed? Could there be any words that would ring this true, generation after generation? Are there any better words to describe our lives right now?

Let’s take the COVID-19 situation as an example.

Can you add to that the tensions and struggles that divide our country? It is easy to center on ethnicity and race because they are in the news, but those certainly are not the only points of division. Is it reasonable to have faith? Here are a handful of the “polar opposites” that separate America today. Can you think of others?

We know that stress has physical effects on us. The website of the Mayo Clinic tells us that stress symptoms “may be affecting your health, even though you may not realize it.” It says that illness is to blame for the irritating headache, your frequent insomnia or your decreased energy at work. Stress may in fact be the cause.

Walls of life in shambles

Stress that is left unchecked can contribute to health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. The Clinic lists this chart of the common effects of stress.

 

Body Mood Behavior
Muscle tension or pain Restlessness Overeating or under-eating
Chest pain Lack of motivation or focus Drug or alcohol misuse
Fatigue Feeling overwhelmed Tobacco use
Change in habits Irritability or anger Social withdrawal
Stomach upset Sadness or depression Exercising less often

 

Could stress have similar spiritual effects on us as well? Do we need to have a column for the spiritual effects? Think for a moment. If you are depressed, what does that do to your spiritual life? Does it keep you from praying? Does it take you away from your Bible reading? If you are feeling overwhelmed and anxious? Does it make you worry to the point of trusting God less? Does it make you question God more?

 

shelters from the stress

To shelter us against the stresses, we build walls to protect us. Christian counselors, Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend call these walls “boundaries.” A wall is something you build to make the further progress of an activity impossible. A wall keeps intrusions out while giving you a place to recover and restore.

Walls can be physical, but they may also be spiritual. Solomon warns us to protect our hearts (Proverbs 4:23 ESV). Walls keep the good in and the bad out. We build our walls with several things that we will talk about, but a vital one is the ability to respond clearly. God wants your “no” and your “yes” to be straight-forward (Matthew 5:37, James 5:12).

Our bodies intertwine the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical. If we are concerned about the spiritual, we have to make sure the other areas are protected and healthy by strong walls because they have an impact on the spiritual.

Let’s turn to the Old Testament prophet Nehemiah for a lesson on rebuilding walls.

 

Jerusalem lies in ruins

Depending on who you listen to, life as we know it lies in ruins. We are in desperation and tragedy. The “normal” that had become comfortable and convenient has vanished. The structure that provided the boundaries and walls of life are laying in shambles. We want things to go back to the way they were.

But the way things were didn’t protect, didn’t provide and they didn’t promote hope.

The walls – the structure, the protection around our lives – needs to be rebuilt – better, wiser, more ready to acknowledge the presence of God.

Nehemiah comes to Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:11) and stayed there three days. We are not specifically told what Nehemiah did during that time, but let’s speculate for a moment. He may have first rested there like Ezra did (Ezra 8:32). Rest should be an important part of the schedule of the servant of God. Jesus once told the disciples to come with Him to a quiet place and get some rest (Mark 6:31). If the spiritual body is going to be sharp, the physical body needs to be well-rested and prepared.

 

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Points to Ponder

1) Let’s get them out on the table. Describe some of the troubles that are facing our nation today. Identify the troubles that are facing the church. What troubles sit on your personal doorstep?

2) Psalm 127 reminds us that when the Lord watches over the city, He will give sleep to his beloved. What does that say to us when our times are enough to keep us awake at night? [/su_pullquote]

The presence of a prophet

Nehemiah probably met with the leaders of the Jewish community. He needed to receive their “buy-in” for the project that he intended to fulfill, but it was also important to get their take on what was needed and what opposition would oppose his efforts. Most likely the prophet wandered through the streets of the city, getting an idea of hits flavor and witnessing first hand where the greatest problems were developing.

Nehemiah wanted his project to be the right work at the right time. Success of this nature takes planning. Nehemiah had to assess the circumstance and craft a proposal based on his perception of the problem. There is an interesting phrase in verse twelve of the context of our passage (Nehemiah 2:11-20 ESV). “I had not told anyone what my God has put on my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on” (Nehemiah 2:12 NIV).  He used only one horse so as not to draw attention to what he was doing. He did not want opposition before he started his work. Wise leadership knows when to publicize work and ministry, and when to quietly clarify the need and develop the plan.

 

Rebuilding: the task at hand

Nehemiah was to face many who opposed his work and direction. He perceived his mission as rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem so that an environment could be established for the people where there was freedom and safety to worship their God. Nehemiah wanted to build a location that would be pleasing to God. The walls would serve not only as physical protection, but would nurture a culture that would symbolize boundaries of religious belief. The walls are made complete later with the reading of the Torah – the first five books of Moses.

[su_pullquote]Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall (Nehemiah 2:17a ESV). [/su_pullquote]

Psalm 126 is one of the handfuls of psalms that were “sung” at the people would travel up to the city of Jerusalem to commemorate one of the feasts. This particular psalm speaks to the exiles return to Jerusalem. These psalms (Psalm 120-134) form a collection known as the “Songs of Ascents.” The Mishnah links these fifteen psalms with the fifteen steps of the temple where the Levites sang these songs upon entering the temple. It is more likely that the songs were sung in the three annual festival processions when Jewish males were required to return to Jerusalem. The pilgrims sang the song as they “ascended” up to Jerusalem (Exodus 23:14-18, Deuteronomy 16:16).

The ascent to Jerusalem was not just literal, it was also a metaphor of life. The trip to Jerusalem represented a life lived moving purposely toward God, the goal of the believer. Paul would later describe the believer’s life as one that “presses on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

 

A word from the Psalms

The Message begins Psalm 126 by proclaiming, “It seemed like a dream, too good to be true” (Psalm 126:1-6 MSG).

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
    and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
    “The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
    we are glad.

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
    like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
    shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
    bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
    bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126:1-7 ESV)

 

reflecting on its words

In this psalm, the people of faith reflect with humility and thanksgiving upon the things that God has done in the past, while at the same time praying for His continued goodness. While the date is not completely agreed upon, the form and content reflect upon a time when they were taken out of the Promised Land and then led by God to return. This could have been any number of times throughout their history. Placing it after the return from the Babylonian exile tends to be the most popular position.

The psalm reflects the sentiment and gratitude expressed in the prayer of Psalm 85:1-7.

Verses two and three give us a glimpse into the Hebrew poetry structure of parallel phrases repeating the same concept. Notice the value of the idea: the Lord has done great things for us. Before any petitions or requests, the psalmist reflects on the idea that the Lord has provided. This is not to appease the senses of God before requests are made. Prayer is much more for our benefit than it is for God’s. Reflecting before we ask places things in their proper perspective.

 

The Lord blesses His work

As we understand God’s involvement in our particular place in history, it is important for us to reflect upon God’s blessings in the past. Whatever our task – the restructuring of our congregations because of circumstances of life or the restructuring of our lives in order to better worship – the people of the Lord reach to Him for guidance, favor and blessings. Notice a couple of important concepts in these two passages of the Psalms.

So teach us to number our days
    that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O Lord! How long?
    Have pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
    that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
    and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your work be shown to your servants,
    and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
    and establish the work of our hands upon us;
    yes, establish the work of our hands (Psalm 90:12-17 ESV)!

Numbering the days in the Old Testament is far deeper than trying to figure out just how long we will live. It involves putting structure in the day so that priorities can be set, that God’s purposes can be seen, and the proper acknowledgment can be given to God for His involvement, guidance and blessing. When we align our days in such a way, we receive a heart of wisdom. How much better our lives would be, were we able to maintain perspective on life’s events.

The 29th Psalm, a psalm of David, points us to place the greatest value upon keeping our priorities straight, noticing God’s involvement.

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name (Psalm 29:1-2 ESV);

 

Giving God glory

We are presented with a tough theological concept. How do we give God glory? We usually assume that it means to give God praise, and that certainly is a part of the picture. The concept may be much bigger than just that. Giving God glory is to recognize God’s involvement in the activities of our life. It is giving Him the credit He deserves.

If we look at the world around us and come to the conclusion that it was not made by God, but rather the result of a random chance process we call “evolution,” we are doing the opposite of giving God glory.

Notice how David ends the psalm. God is given credit for ruling over the events of nature (“the flood”) and over the activities of men (“enthroned as king”).

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
    the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the Lord give strength to his people!
    May the Lord bless his people with peace (Psalm 29:10-11 ESV)!

If we accomplish anything on earth, whether it be rebuilding walls or enduring a coronavirus, we are able to do so because of the blessing and strength of God. Even if we live at peace with other nations and people, it is because the hand of the Lord is upon us.

Consider for a moment Psalm 112. Albert Barnes says that the author of this psalm is unknown, but it carries the same structure as the previous psalm, also unknown. Both psalms have phrases and clauses that begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 112 also begins where the other needs – the happiness or blessedness of fearing God.

Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
    who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 His offspring will be mighty in the land;
    the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
    and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
    he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
    who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved;
    he will be remembered forever.
7 He is not afraid of bad news;
    his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
    until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
9 He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
    his righteousness endures forever;
    his horn is exalted in honor.
10 The wicked man sees it and is angry;
    he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
    the desire of the wicked will perish (Psalm 112:1-10 ESV)!

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord. He will not be moved. Troubles and turmoil may approach life, but the man of God takes it in stride because God works in circumstances to bless us.

 

They jeered at us and despised us

Even though Nehemiah was aware of the blessings that God offered, he was pestered by the ways and the words of people outside of the faith. Does that sound like it could have been written today? Just when it feels like we understand what God is doing and why, our thoughts are disrupted by the words and deeds of the wicked.

On Nehemiah 2:10 Old Testament scholar Derek Kidner writes, “These two men will throw a long shadow over the story.” We know a little bit about the two names mentioned in the verse. A document dated around 407BC (about 38 years after the events of this chapter) refers to Sanballat as the “governor of Samaria.” This would put him as a Jewish leader of the people who was still very loyal to the people of Persia. Their loyalty remained fierce so that by the time of Jesus, a faithful Jew from either Galilee or Judea would not walk through the area of Samaria.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Words to Wrangle

The purposes of walls are to provide strength and protection for the inhabitants of the city. Most cities employed a watchman to patrol and warn the people when danger was approaching. Are the church and the Christian supposed to serve as a watchman for the world? Read Psalms 122 and 127. If so, what does it mean to be a watchman on the wall?

1) Solomon writes “Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain” (Psalm 127:1 NIV). How have you seen this true in the cases of the COVID-19 pandemic and the racial tensions and protests?

2) In Psalm 122, David describes Jerusalem as a city that is bound firmly together. How does the unity of the people help the watchman? How does unity help make the walls secure? What is the meaning of verse nine: “For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.” [/su_pullquote]

Tobiah is a Jewish name of a powerful family in Ammon that would provide leadership for centuries to come. The label or title “servant” no doubt refers to being the king’s servant, one of the highest positions in the country of Persia.

The Bible understates the problem: it displeased these two men greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel. Verse nineteen places the period at the end of Nehemiah’s sentence. “They jeered at us and despised us.”

How do you feel despised for your faith today? How is God despised by people?

 

So they strengthened their hands for the good work

“Do you see the trouble we are in?”

Isn’t Nehemiah speaking to the church today? We are getting back to worshiping again, but the way we “do church” needs to be different today. Worship needs to be better. The experience needs to be more personal. Our approach to God must meet the needs of a changing culture and society. The walls should be different. Are you up for the task?

The last part of verse eighteen is incredibly important. The English Standard Version translates the phrase, “So they strengthened their hands for the good work.” Look at how it is rendered in some of the other versions: Nehemiah 2:18 MSG, Nehemiah 2:18 HCSB, Nehemiah 2:18 NET, Nehemiah 2:18 NRSV.

The walls and the gates of Jerusalem had lain in ruins since Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonians had come through to plunder and conquer some 130 years earlier. The leaders and people had just become complacent to the sad state of affairs. This is just the way things are, and the way things will always be.

The church tends to be the same way. There are problems with injustice but there really isn’t anything that the church can do about it. The government wants us to stay out of politics. We tend to want to see things positively. Nehemiah uses the word “disgrace” to describe the conditions of the city, its walls and the temple (Nehemiah 2:17, Nehemiah 1:3, Nehemiah 4:4, Nehemiah 5:9).

 

Rebuilding starts with assessment

It took someone from outside to correctly assess the circumstance, rally the people together and lead them with a plan toward action. How can the church strengthen itself for the task at hand? Let’s look at a handful of opportunities.

  • Recognize your need to depend upon God. We have such a desire to be independent and self-sufficient. Depending on God is basic to the Christian life, the concept of grace and our ability to reach heaven. We depend on God for our salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). We depend on God for wisdom to apply truth to daily circumstances (James 1:5). In fact, we depend on God for everything (Psalm 104:27) and in everything (Proverbs 3:5-6). Begin each day with a prayer acknowledging God and leaning on Him.
  • Identify your priorities and structure of your life. We all have responsibilities and challenges. Prioritize the people and projects of your circumstances. Place God at the top of the list, followed by the people in your immediate family, ordered by their priority and need. An ailing and elderly father may require more of my time and attention at this point in my life than a fairly independent adult son. Order the tasks needed to do long term, short term and daily. Be flexible and adaptable. Nothing in life stays the same, so your planning needs to be flexible to adapt, rather than frustrating to stop.
  • Build daily routines and traditions that will work for you. The life of the faithful Israelite in the Old Testament was built around structure and tradition. The keeping of the Law and the celebrating of special occasions helped teach the faithful, but it also provided stability and confidence. Mental health professionals and life coaches agree there both mental and physical benefits in having daily routines. In addition to counting the daily tasks, factor in time to build a time with God and a connection to your family and your past.
  • Make time for your own self. As you build a workable routine, plan for time for yourself. Jesus often set aside time for Himself to be with the Father, and for the disciples to be with just Him. Condense some of the tasks of the day (order online instead of going to a store) and pencil that time in for yourself and God. Do it with another task and pencil that time in to be with the most significant person in your life.
  • Regularly review your priorities and adjust. We have hinted at it before, but it is worth repeating. If the schedule is too rigid, when the unexpected occurs (and it will), you will simply scrap the structure because it is too frustrating to adapt. Build flexibility into the schedule. Don’t put things so crammed back-to-back that you cannot breathe – or adapt.

 

We, His servants, will arise, rebuilding

When Nehemiah was able to paint the correct picture to the people, and mapped out a plan for them to follow and rebuild, the people responded positively. The time is now. The culture is in despair. The walls and structures of society are in shambles.

Come. Let’s start rebuilding. The Lord will give us success.

Building walls is taking responsibility for who you are and who God is calling you to be. Do you see the difference? There are parts of who we are that are not who God wants us to be. We are to take responsibility for our sins. That is difficult and humbling. We want to blame someone or something else for who we are. It’s my parent’s fault. I am the product of my culture. I need to take responsibility for my sins and I need to repent of them.

 

Images from Scripture

But there is also the person that God is building in us. Listen to some of the images of God doing the building that the Bible paints.

from Paul

9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple (1 Corinthians 3:9-17 ESV).

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it (Luke 14:28 ESV)?

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing (1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV).

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit (Ephesians 2:19-22 ESV).

 

from Peter

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do (1 Peter 2:4-8 ESV).

 

from the gospels

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it (Luke 14:28 ESV)?

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18 ESV).

 

What God is building

God is in the process of building, building a new way. The early church were known as followers of the Way, often shortened to just “The Way.” It wasn’t a name claimed by their own; it was a name bestowed upon them by others.  These followers of Christ were first called “Christians” by the leaders of the community in Antioch (Acts 11:26).

The interesting – and quite unusual – thing about this is that sects of the Jewish faith usually did not get a distinctive name among the Gentile population. The Jewish faith had Pharisees and Sadducees and Essenes but to the outside world they were all Jews. So why weren’t Christians simply lumped in with all the other variants of the Jewish faith?

A little context to the culture might help. The city of Antioch was often referred to as “all the world in one city.” You could see the riches and diversity of the entire world located in one city. Antioch was designed like most cities of the day – a circular wall surrounding the boundaries of the city and inner marketplace at the center of the city, serving as its hub. From the hub of the city were inner walls, sometimes constructed, sometimes natural barriers that served as spokes reaching from the hub to the outer wall. The spokes marked ways that divided different people groups from one another. Jews from Gentiles. Rich from poor. Color from color.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Conclusions to Consider

1) One of the important truths in this lesson is our need for walls – hedges – which provide us strength and protection. What are the walls in your life that ensure your well-being and safety? How have God and others worked to rebuild what our circumstances have destroyed?

2) What encouragement do you see from the church being able to meet again? How can you build upon that strength? What can you do if you are still unable to attend services and studies? [/su_pullquote]

Until the Christians came here. Remember Antioch was one of the first cities outside Judea where Christianity spread.

 

God is rebuilding His people

The term “Christian” comes from the world realizing that something new and unheard of was happening. Remember what Paul used to write? In Christ there was no male nor female, no Jew nor Greek.

After Acts 11:26 the word “Christian” is only found two other times in the New Testament. King Agrippa used the word in Acts 26:28 – an unbelieving king applied the name that he knew as an outsider. The apostle Peter uses the word the only other time in 1 Peter 4:16 to speak of being oppressed in a wider society because of the label of that name.

I wonder if Peter used it because of how aware he was that the spokes of the city needed to be gone. For a while Peter struggled because he was afraid of unity when he was around some conservative Jewish brothers (Galatians 2:11-17). God nudged him once before in a dream (Acts 10). This time Paul scolded him publicly to his face (Acts 15:1-2).

Christians defied categories. They lived like they didn’t exist. Are we able to show the world a vision of a community in which there is no social, economic, racial or gender divisions (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:10-11)?

Billy Graham’s website carries an article written by Graham about ten years ago. He begins the lesson by asking, “Have you ever thought about what the word ‘Christian’ means? It comes from a Latin word. It means ‘partisan for Christ.’ When you come to Christ, you take sides. You take sides with Christ.

Partisans are never neutral. They never play it safe. They never sit on the fence. They’re never spectators of the struggle of their times. They commit themselves.”

The time for rebuilding is now.

 

rays of hope

When we look at God providing autumn refreshing for His people, our thoughts must eventually turn to autumn praise.

11 Our Lord and our God,
you are like the sun
and also like a shield.
You treat us with kindness
and with honor,
never denying any good thing
to those who live right.

12 Lord God All-Powerful,
you bless everyone
who trusts you (Psalm 84:11-12 CEV).

As I write these words, it is barely the beginning of the holiday season. Halloween is still a handful of days away. Christmas trees have adorned the aisles of several retail outlets for weeks, though many will be more elaborately displayed as we move closer to the weekend of Black Friday. Christmas candy has begun to fill the backroom stock shelves of Kroger grocery stores. As the words of a Francesca Battistelli song remind us, “I hear the bells a ringing loud and clear, you can’t help but love this time of year.”

Holiday expectations

Today is October 25, 2019 and the Hallmark and Lifetime networks want us to know that Christmas is descending upon us with the speed and impact of a Swiss Alps avalanche. Hallmark is going all out this year for their Christmas movie season, the tenth anniversary of their “Countdown to Christmas.” They will be premiering forty all new Hallmark movies. Not to be outdone, Lifetime will be delivering a more star-packed lineup.

The snow is manufactured. The mistletoe was purposely placed. The filming took place in July. Is it any wonder that we can’t meet our expectations for the holidays?

I am just as guilty. In order to get into the mood for writing seasonal lessons, I pulled up iTunes on my computer and began playing holiday music. For most of my music today, I use a streaming service. But when I used to save MP3 formatted music on the computer, Christmas music dominated the hard disk space. I have 445 Christmas songs saved, from Chuck Berry’s “Run Run Rudolph” and the Royal Guardsmen’s “Snoopy’s Christmas” to Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” and Nat King Cole’s “Christmas Song” and everything in between. The songs take up 2 gigabytes of space and would take over 24 hours to play through.

Perspective needed

Is there a way to keep things from spinning out of control? Can we cling to a perspective – not just for the holidays – but for the flow of life? Our psalm provides an answer: offer praises and thanksgiving for the things that God has done.

Harvard Health Publishing, the communication arm of the Harvard Medical School, captured my attention with the story’s headline, “Giving Thanks Can Make You Happier.” According to their research, gratitude is a “thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible. With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives.”

The benefits of gratitude are affirmed by Forbes, Psychology Today, Huffington Post, and a website called HappierHuman.com. Gratitude improves physical and psychological health. It enhances empathy and reduces aggression.

Solomon reminds us of the importance of the words that come out of our mouths.

Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body (Proverbs 16:24 ESV).

The NASB renders the last phrase more literally, “healing to the bones.” Good words provide deep healing to both the one speaking and the one hearing.

Verses of Praise

Praise is a word that is used often in the Bible. The answer to that question depends on the translation that you are using. There is no single correct way to render the words of the ancient Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek into English. The chart below will give you a little indication of how many times the English word “praise” occurs in different versions of the Bible.

How many times is the word “praise” used in the Bible?
KJV NASB NIV NRSV
OT NT OT NT OT NT OT NT
222 26 179 28 299 41 182 22

We are never told an exact way to offer praise to God. Like the word “prayer” the Bible writers tell us to do so, and simply assume that we know how. We are not given a specific definition for either praise or prayer.

Here are a half dozen verses that paint a picture of what praising God should be in our lives and speech.

Sing to Him; sing praise to Him; tell about all His wonderful works (1 Chronicles 16:9 HCSB)!

Two important verses

Two important verbs are found in this verse. The first is the word “sing.” We are told this often by praise and worship leaders: lift your voices to the Lord in praise. There are a couple of important concepts hidden in the command to sing. Our praises are not always contained in a bubbly, joyful song. Some of the most powerful psalms of praise are couched in the form of a dirge. Read through Jeremiah’s painful expressions in the book of Lamentations. Our praise does not have to be jumping up and down. Sometimes our circumstances don’t support jumping.

The other concept in the word “sing” is volume. We do not have to be making a noise of sound to be making a “joyful noise.” Inside my head, my voice is really, really good. The noise that comes out of my mouth is rarely on pitch, but the one inside my head puts angels to shame. Let that voice sing!

The second important verb is the word “tell.” We are to tell about the wonderful, wondrous works of God. It certainly would include talking about His creation, or His work of salvation on the cross of Christ. But telling His works would also be describing how God has worked in your life. Go! Tell it on a mountain.

Hebrew poetic wisdom

Although I don’t show it here in verse or structure, this passage is written in the form of Hebrew poetry. Our two words, sing and tell, are paired in the Hebrew structure. Hebrew poetry can be contrasting – singing as opposed to telling. But it can be describing the same act, the same direction of traffic but different roads. Use your words – whether you sing them or tell them – to describe the wonderful activities of the Father.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever (1 Chronicles 16:34 HCSB).

There are three important concepts in verse 34 of 1 Chronicles 16: thanks, good and forever. A part of praise is giving thanks to God. Let’s look at each for a moment.

Thankfulness in our hearts is elusive, isn’t it? Thanksgiving sets aside some time to be thankful. It is a time to reflect, to consider how we have been blessed. We think about the way that God has been involved in our lives. The day is spent away from work, unless we are in retail. Boxes of holiday decorations are explored for the Christmas holiday. We do a chunk of our Christmas shopping on the day afterwards.

Thankfulness

Even in the midst of preparing a Thanksgiving meal for out-of-town guests, we have at least four days that run at a different pace. We are probably off work, unless our work is retail. We are engulfed in family. Different things are important to us. Somewhere in the quiet, we become thankful.

We ought to be thankful every day, in and out throughout the day, 365 days a year. But if you are like me, you fail miserably. Why is it so hard to be thankful? Isn’t it even harder to express the thankfulness to others? Let me share a couple of potential reasons.

We are too busy.

We spend most of our lives running at a hectic pace. Juggling many activities at once becomes a skill. Even when we sit down to relax, we are probably doing more than one thing. A Nielsen survey discovered how much time Americans are spending on consuming video, online content, streaming services and other media. They found that consumers spend about 10 hours and 24 minutes a day interacting with media. The survey covered a period of time from April to June 2018.

About 81 percent of Americans use a digital device while watching television. More than 7 of 10 look up information about what they are watching. What else did this actor star in? When was this movie in the theaters? More than four out of ten send emails, texts, messages or posts about the content they are watching.

We don’t intend to not be thankful, we just haven’t figured out how to be thankful through media.

We are lulled into taking things for granted.

I am not sure why this is true. Some speculate that we takes things for granted because of the “entitlement” mentality in society. Others

Have you ever watched little children tear into opening presents at a Christmas or birthday celebration? Wrapping paper demolished. Lids popped open. Box tossed aside. Next! Unless the parents are forceful, the child may not even say, “Thank you.” They just are ready for more.

In many ways, I am like a child in my relationship with God. His blessings come in wonderful wrappings. I tear it open and am ready for the next one.

Satan does not want us to praise God.

Thanking God is worship in its purest sense. There is power in praise and worship. There is an incredibly interesting thought in the 8th Psalm:

With praises from children and from tiny infants, you have built a fortress. It makes your enemies silent, and all who turn against you
are left speechless (Psalm 8:2 CEV).

Praise changes our perspective. It puts Satan in his place. It takes away his power of deception and confusion. We are no longer uncertain about purpose and direction. Satan is thwarted.

Let’s get back to the passage in 1 Chronicles and to several verses of praise.

35 And say: “Save us, God of our salvation; gather us and rescue us from the nations
so that we may give thanks to Your holy name and rejoice in Your praise. 36 May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be praised from everlasting to everlasting.”

Then all the people said, “Amen” and “Praise the Lord” (1 Chronicles 16:35-36 HCSB)!

Praise from the Psalms

I appreciate that the writer of 1 Chronicles included these two verses in the passage. He gives us an example of what the 34th verse sounds like in real life. These are the words you use to express thanks to God. You start with salvation. Then speak about His holiness. Conclude by rejoicing in who God is. Your praise goes from everlasting to everlasting.

When you offer praise, everyone else will say “Amen!”

Serve the Lord with reverential awe and rejoice with trembling (Psalm 2:11 HCSB).

The word translated “serve” here is translated “worship” by the Amplified Bible, New American Standard Bible and the Message. Several others use the word “obey” instead. It involves service, but is dependent upon the context for the complete meaning. I wonder whether “praise” would be a better meaning in this context.

Praise the Lord with reverential awe. Rejoice, but do so with trembling. Don’t take the ability to serve or worship for granted. Above all, don’t take the Lord for granted.

Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds (Psalm 9:11 ESV)!

Two of the concepts of this verse have been discussed – singing and telling. But notice the additional information here. God sits enthroned in Zion. For the Hebrew in the Old Testament, Zion was another name for Jerusalem, the home of God’s people. Although even the rocks can cry out, it is imperative that God be praised among His people.

Great is His name

I will praise You in the great congregation; I will exalt You among many people (Psalm 35:18 HCSB).

The Psalmist here reminds us that we are not to be shy about our praise. We are to do so in front of great crowds – the great congregation, or among many people. The congregation would be pointing to God’s people. Do not be afraid to offer praise in front of other believers. Among many people stretches the circle to include the non-believers. Do not be ashamed of the gospel in the presence of others.

Let them praise Your great and awe-inspiring name. He is holy (Psalm 99:3 HCSB).

Let everyone praise the name of our God. Great and holy is His name. He inspires awe.

Audrey Assad is an American singer-songwriter and contemporary Christian musician. She has released a handful of albums since July of 2010. Her first album, The House You’re Building,  went on to be named Christian Album of 2010 on Amazon and the Christian Breakthrough Album of the Year on iTunes. She has toured with other Christian musicians including Chris Tomlin, Tenth Avenue North and Jars of Clay.

On every album she includes a couple of hymns, accompanied by a more contemporary arrangement. On the album Inheritance she reminds us

Holy, holy, holy

Lord God Almighty

Early in the morning

Our songs shall rise to Thee

Holy, holy, holy

Merciful and mighty

God in three persons,

Blessed Trinity.

A perspective on praise

Here are another 138 verses which give us an indication of the nature of our praise and the worthiness of our God. The thread of praise literally runs throughout Scripture.

Exodus 15:2 Exodus 15:11 Deuteronomy 10:21 Judges 5:3
2 Samuel 22:4 2 Samuel 22:50 1 Chronicles 16:25 1 Chronicles 16:29
1 Chronicles 29:13 2 Chronicles 5:13 2 Chronicles 7:3 Ezra 3:11
Nehemiah 9:5 Psalm 7:17 Psalm 9:2 Psalm 18:3
Psalm 18:49 Psalm 21:13 Psalm 22:22-23 Psalm 22:25-26
Psalm 29:2 Psalm 30:4 Psalm 30:11-12 Psalm 33:1-3
Psalm 34:1-3 Psalm 35:28 Psalm 40:3 Psalm 42:5
Psalm 42:11 Psalm 43:4 Psalm 47:6 Psalm 48:1
Psalm 48:10 Psalm 51:15 Psalm 56:4 Psalm 57:7
Psalm 57:9 Psalm 59:17 Psalm 61:8 Psalm 63:3
Psalm 63:5 Psalm 66:1-2 Psalm 66:4 Psalm 66:8
Psalm 67:1-3 Psalm 68:4 Psalm 68:32 Psalm 69:30
Psalm 69:34 Psalm 71:5-6 Psalm 71:8 Psalm 71:14
Psalm 71:22-23 Psalm 74:21 Psalm 75:9 Psalm 78:4
Psalm 79:13 Psalm 86:9 Psalm 89:5 Psalm 92:1
Psalm 95:1 Psalm 95:6 Psalm 96:1 Psalm 96:4
Psalm 96:9 Psalm 98:1 Psalm 98:4-5 Psalm 99:1
Psalm 99:5 Psalm 99:9 Psalm 100:1-5 Psalm 101:1
Psalm 102:18 Psalm 103:1 Psalm 104:33 Psalm 104:35
Psalm 105:2 Psalm 106:1 Psalm 106:47-48 Psalm 107:32
Psalm 108:1 Psalm 108:3 Psalm 109:30 Psalm 111:1
Psalm 111:10 Psalm 112:1 Psalm 113:1 Psalm 113:3
Psalm 115:17-18 Psalm 116:19 Psalm 117:1-2 Psalm 119:164
Psalm 119:171 Psalm 119:175 Psalm 132:7 Psalm 135:1-3
Psalm 135:21 Psalm 138:1 Psalm 144:9 Psalm 145:1-4
Psalm 145:21 Psalm 146:1-2 Psalm 14:10 Psalm 147:1
Psalm 147:7-8 Psalm 147:12 Psalm 148:1-5 Psalm 148:7
Psalm 148:13-14 Psalm 149:1 Psalm 149:3 Psalm 149:6
Psalm 150:1-6 Isaiah 12:5 Isaiah 25:1 Isaiah 42:8
Isaiah 42:10, 12 Isaiah 43:21 Jeremiah 20:13 Jeremiah 31:7
Daniel 2:23 Daniel 4:34 Daniel 4:37 Joel 2:26
Luke 19:37-38 Acts 16:25-26 Romans 14:11 Romans 15:8-10
Ephesians 1:3 Hebrews 2:12 Hebrews 13:15 James 5:13
1 Peter 1:7 Revelation 5:12 Revelation 7:12 Revelation 19:5-6

Ten Scriptural Reasons to be Thankful

We are enamored with lists today. Top ten lists abound, especially as we approach the end of the year. In a really succinct way, here is a list of why the Scriptures tell us to be thankful.

We are thankful for what God has given us:

  1. God’s unfailing love (Psalm 107 HCSB).
  2. God’s grace “give to us through Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 1:4 HCSB)
  3. Victory “through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57
  4. God’s righteous laws (Psalm 119:62 HCSB)
  5. The faith of others to sustain and encourage us (Philemon 1:4 HCSB)

We are thankful for what God has done for us:

  1. God has “answered me … and become my salvation (Psalm 118:21 ESV)
  2. God has redeemed us “while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8 ESV)
  3. God has quailed us to “share in the inheritance of the saints (Colossians 1:12 ESV)

We are thankful for who God is:

  1. God is good. “His love endures forever” (1 Chronicles 16:34 ESV)
  2. God is faithful and just (1 John 1:9 ESV)

It is impossible to read these Scriptures, to sing these songs, to reflect on the goodness of God without applying it to my life. Confronted with the awe-inspiring wonder of God, I must fall on my face and cry out with Isaiah, “Woe is me, I am undone.”

So what about you? Has the abundance of these Scriptures weighed upon your shoulders? The time has come to be thankful. Name five things for which you are thankful. Limit the list to five. It will make you focus. Your priorities will become obvious. I am leaving the list wide open. You may want to narrow it even further by making the list only include people.

Five Things for which I am Thankful

The psalmist said, “That is why I can never stop praising you; I declare your glory all day long” (Psalm 71:8 NLT).

So the Scriptures must take root in my life. They must alter and mold my perspective. I would be hypocritical if I asked you to do something that I was not willing to do myself. Here is my list.

1. I am grateful for the family that raised me

My gratitude explodes for the family that raised me. I remember sitting in a class at Seminary and the professor had each of us take our turn giving our testimony of faith. Some came from families of abuse. Others had stories of dramatic conversion experiences. One young man was delivered from a life of drug abuse and alcohol when he became a Christian. I was more than a little concerned because my life was more than a little dull.

My earliest memories place me in a church building. The congregation was Dean Avenue Christian Church in Terre Haute, Indiana. The only thing that I remember of my home in Terre Haute is a wooden door that led to an upstairs that I don’t think I ever went up. I remember walking to first grade elementary school, but I don’t remember the classroom or the building.

But I can describe in detail the basement of the church. The concrete blocks that made up the walls of the basement. The accordion-like curtain over the serving window in the kitchen. The larger-than-life framed picture of Sallman’s Head of Christ hanging on the steps to the basement.

And I can remember that after almost every Sunday’s church, my sister and I would go home and “play” church. We had a little piano, a little Bible and a little pulpit.

I am thankful for parents and grandparents that wanted to make sure that I was in the Lord’s House every time the doors were opened. We did lots of things as a family, had lots of fun, enjoyed vacations and quirky memories. We bickered and irritated each other, like any other family. My parents were involved in my interests: sports, band, school activities.

But church was such an embedded thread in the tapestry of our lives that you could not remove it and still have a woven piece of art.

Come to find out, most wished they had my testimony.

2. I am grateful for the people who taught me sound doctrine.

I am grateful that people bothered to teach me the sound doctrine of Scripture. The list of men that cared to teach me Scripture is almost endless: Al Mitchell, my first “preacher” at Dean Avenue; Warren Robbins, the minister who baptized me; Tom Meneely, my first youth minister; Bud Cadwell, the first Sunday School teacher that invested time and energy into his students; Jim Bush, the first teen that I knew that was a Christian; Bill Strafford, who coached and mentored the Bible Bowl team; and Ron Hallock, the youth minister who tried so hard to get me to go to Lincoln.

The men and women at the Cincinnati Christian University – Cincinnati Bible College and Seminary when I was there – were the potters molding the clay of my theology and my life. I have thanked so many in so many other places, but I cannot express thanks without mentioning Tom Friskney and Dr. Lewis Foster. My theology would not be as sound, were it not for them. Their teaching style shaped and molded who I am as a teacher and a writer.

3. I am grateful for my wife.

I am most grateful for my wife. There are not enough words in my vocabulary to speak to the impact of the character of my wife Elizabeth. She is a tapestry of integrity, compassion, a drive for perfectionism and a tree-full of the Spirit’s fruit. Her example of a godly woman is set quietly. A balanced life as a spouse, a wise parent and grandparent, and leader is present every day.

She either finds the best in people or a way around the worst. She is my life’s companion and friend and the one I want to be like when I grow up.

To be honest, there is no earthly way that we should have ever met. I was years away from Cincinnati. My life was heading in a completely different direction. Yet God wove the threads of our lives to cross paths at the most opportune moment. “In the fullness of time” – it seems to be one of His specialties.

4. I am grateful for my children.

I am grateful for my children. Each child has brought a new flavor to life’s salsa; each has taught me different lessons and principles. My oldest daughter Sarah cares more deeply than most anyone I know. She gasps if she has to swat a fly, desperately desires for the world to be a better place, erupts with a lava of sincerity, and strengthens those who are around her.

Perhaps I have learned the most from the two children in the middle. Stephanie has taught me a side of people that I understand the least while showing me the drive and persistence that I admire the most. She is an overcomer, finding ways through life’s toughest challenges. She adores our two grandchildren, and more importantly she has committed to molding and shaping their lives.

Rob is fiercely loyal. In today’s throw-away world, few employees weather the storms of business. When things get tough, most just jump ship. A college graduate today will have 18 different jobs in their lifetime. Since moving into full time work, Rob has had one. Rob is tenacious to a fault to his system of justice and fairness. He is impassioned toward those ideals.

In our blended family, the youngest daughter Rachel is the glue that holds the vessel together. She has never been the biggest fish in the waters that she has sailed. But time and time again, she rises to the top of the water, shows that she has the skill to swim masterfully and sets a pace that others wish to follow. She is the owner of a treasure chest of talents. She uses each with selfless sacrifice and a godly Spirit.

5. I am grateful for Eastside Christian Church.

I am grateful for my church family. The church has always been important to me. Every congregation in which we have served holds a special place in my heart. Each group of believers has played a role in shaping who I am and how I behave. But none hold the same revered place in my heart as my family at Eastside Christian Church in Jeffersonville, Indiana. We moved to southern Indiana in 1993 and began attending Eastside the next year.

Twenty-five years of life together with the same group of believers. We have never stayed at one congregation so long. It is at Eastside that I have history. Twenty-five years of koinonia, of Biblical fellowship. We have seen the births of children, and the deaths of beloved saints. We have witnessed the miracle of God’s physical healing, even of the world’s most despised cancer. Shaking our heads, we try to understand when His choice was not our choice. Our prayers have ascended to God’s throne together; some filled with laughter, others with tears.

Eastside is not a perfect church. In an imperfect world, with sinners as her members, a perfect church simply does not exist. Eastside has made decisions that I would not have made. That would be true of every organization, wouldn’t it? But beyond the brick and mortar, past the symbolic ideal image of the church, Eastside is my family. I count on seeing my family and being with them every Sunday. Encouragement comes by your lives and your presence.

Without you, I am not the same person today.

Everything else in my life – good and bad, joyous and sorrowful, victories and defeats – are subservient to that list. Without those things, nothing else that matters matters.

And as Paul told the Philippian Christians:

Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God’s Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears (Philippians 1:3-5 MSG).

Our God reigns.

8 Lord God All-Powerful,
the God of Jacob,
please answer my prayer!
9 You are the shield
that protects your people,
and I am your chosen one.
Won’t you smile on me?

10 One day in your temple
is better
than a thousand
anywhere else.
I would rather serve
in your house,
than live in the homes
of the wicked (Psalm 84:8-10 CEV).

Not long ago the marquee sign in front of a small country church announced the topic for the coming Sunday’s message. An over-zealous attendant was excited to proclaim the sermon for next Sunday would shout, “Our God Resigns!”

Many times we act that way, don’t we?

Nothing could be further from the truth. Our God reigns! Let it be heard in the words from our lips. May it be seen in the works of our hands. It needs to be shouted in the steps of our feet. Our God reigns!

We sing about it in our praise songs. We understand it from our lessons and our sermons. We realize that accepting the reign of God today is a voluntary surrender of our will – our desire and right to reign. But one day – at just the very name of Jesus – every knee will bow; every tongue confess that our God reigns.

When we say that He reigns, it implies that He has a kingdom – something over which He exercises authority and dominion. Of course He reigns in the hearts of His followers, a territory that spans the face of the globe. But His kingdom is much bigger than that.

God reigns over a kingdom of the world that includes more than just people. Paul tells us that all of God’s creation longs for the day when He is exalted as Lord. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. The disciples marveled that even the winds and the rain obeyed the Master.

God’s kingdom does not know the ticking of the second hand of a watch. It includes all of mankind since the creation of Adam and continues through the birth of the last one in the maternity ward before the incredible return of His Son Jesus.

The people of Israel understood a king and a kingdom. They had a history that remembered a time when the kingdom of Israel spanned the borders of the known-world. Kings like David and Solomon commanded the respect of the kingdom’s citizens and the submission and admiration of the inhabitants of the world. They understood God blessing faithfulness, but they also understood the consequences of unfaithful followers and wayward kings.

When Jesus started His earthly ministry, His ministry was heralded by the message of John the Baptist to “Repent because the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 3:1-3 HCSB)! Following His temptations in the wilderness, Jesus began teaching in Galilee.

12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he went to Galilee. 13 But instead of staying in Nazareth, Jesus moved to Capernaum. This town was beside Lake Galilee in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 So God’s promise came true, just as the prophet Isaiah had said,

15 “Listen, lands of Zebulun
and Naphtali,
lands along the road
to the sea
and east
of the Jordan!
Listen Galilee,
land of the Gentiles!
16 Although your people
live in darkness,
they will see
a bright light.
Although they live
in the shadow of death,
a light will shine
on them.”

17 Then Jesus started preaching, “Turn back to God! The kingdom of heaven will soon be here” (Matthew 4:12-17 CEV).

The teaching of Jesus featured a sermon on the mount that taught what Kingdom followers should be like. His parables made comparisons between familiar basic concepts and the profound truths of heaven.

This is the kingdom of God.

The God who Reigns

We do not know the circumstances under which our psalm was written. But the substance of the psalm gives us some hints about the events that may be affecting the thoughts of the writer. The longing to be in the presence of the Lord – at the Lord’s house – gives the idea that he is away from home, either spiritually or physically.

But notice the words that he uses to describe God. These words give an indication of the things that he is counting on God to provide.

He begins in verse three by addressing the “I am.” This is the personal name for God, the God who is, the God of being. It is the word that we transliterate into English, “Jehovah.” The Hebrew did not pronounce this word, but instead substituted the word “ADONAI” – “Lord.” The word is used over 6500 times in the Old Testament. Israel counted this word as God’s “proper name.” This word designates the relationship that God has with His people.

From the personal name for God, the psalmist describes God as “Almighty.” This is the Hebrew word  צָבָא (tsabah) a word that is found 485 times in the Old Testament. The KJV translates it as “Lord of Hosts.” It is a military term, one used within the ranks of the military service. It is the commander in charge.

The psalmist is addressing the Winston Churchill or Dwight Eisenhower in the World War. He is addressing the Norman Schwarzkopf during the Gulf War. This is a psalm to the Napoleons, the Pattons, the Alexander the Great, and the Julius Caesar. This is the one with the power to send the troops to war.

Do you see what the psalmist is saying about God? You are the Lord of Hosts. You can send and deploy myriads of troops of angels. They are at your beckon call. They respond to your word and your thoughts. You can handle whatever problem comes in front of me. My strength is found in you.

He next describes God as his king. Israel knew the benefits of a good king, but most of the time they languished under less than faithful kings. As such, they experienced the negative consequences. No longer does the faithful have to depend upon the heroics of a man.

This is the only place in the Bible where God is explicitly called “a sun.” He shines upon us, giving light to our days, brightness to our paths. It foreshadows the day when our God will send the Light of the world into a darkness. The last phrase “no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless” is very similar to Paul’s words to the Romans, “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.”

Isaiah echoes the sentiments of our psalm in the 52nd chapter of his book.

What a beautiful sight!
On the mountains a messenger
announces to Jerusalem,
“Good news! You’re saved.
There will be peace.
Your God is now King” (Isaiah 52:7 CEV).

The Lord says:
My servant will succeed!
He will be given great praise
and the highest honors.
14 Many were horrified
at what happened to him.
But everyone who saw him
was even more horrified
because he suffered until
he no longer looked human.
15 My servant will make
nations worthy to worship me;
kings will be silent
as they bow in wonder.
They will see and think about
things
they have never seen
or thought about before (Isaiah 52:13-15 CEV).

God is now the King. Notice what Isaiah says about the coming Messiah. In His presence kings of the world will be silent and will bow. Two incredible images come to mind. The wise men – the magi and kings from the East bowed in the presence of the baby Jesus.

But the day is coming when every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. King of kings. Lord of Lords. Forever.

One Day in Your Temple

There is an obscure passage of Scripture in the book of 1 Chronicles that relates to the eighty-fourth psalm. The verses contain a word that lends itself to difficult translation. But the context of the verse is vital for understanding how the Temple was to be maintained. It also gives us a hidden insight into our psalm. The chapter in 1 Chronicles is a record of the assigning of the sons of Levi to various places of service in the Lord’s house.

Aaron was a member of this tribe. His sons were divided into twenty-four groups, each being given specific tasks to perform. Some were in charge of the altar and maintaining order for the sacrifices (1 Chronicles 24). The descendants of Aaron’s cousins – Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun – were gathered in similar groups in charge of the music. They were to lead and conduct the singing and the music “accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals” (1 Chronicles 25:1).

A third branch of the family of Levi included the sons of Kore (Korah) who were called Korahites. Does that name sound familiar from the opening introduction to our psalm? The Scripture describes these particular men. The Bible calls them “mighty men of valour” (1 Chronicles 26:6 KJV) and “able men of strength for the service” (1 Chronicles 26:8 KJV). The chapter then goes on to tell where each would serve. Their task must be significant and of great value.

It is at this point where the difficulty in translation occurs.

The word “parbar” is a Hebrew word. It is uncommon. This is the only place in all of the Old Testament where the word appears. When the translators of the King James Bible came to this word they had no way of figuring out what English word could be used for an explanation. Parbar was a Hebrew word that at the time had never been found in any other literature. So the translators, not wanting to mislead, simply transliterated the word, putting it straight into the English language.

At Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar (1 Chronicles 26:18 KJV).

Over the years, with the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, we have found other usages of the word. It turns out that Parbar was the name for the temple’s western colonnade. Newer versions of the Bible, like the New International Version, offer a rendering that reflects the knowledge of the word. “As for the court to the west, there were four at the road and two at the court itself.”

The chapter shows us that God picked talented, strong men to be the gatekeepers at the temple. The gatekeeper did more than just stand at the door. They were soldiers meant to protect the temple from being desecrated by unclean individuals. They were to maintain the area, making repairs when needed, not only of the gates but of anywhere in the temple.

God chose the bravest and most talented men to be janitors. He cares about the simplest of jobs. He gives incredibly detailed attention to the most basic of tasks. If God cares this much about who is keeping the gates, doesn’t it make sense that He knows you and has a plan and purpose for your service to Him?

Understand what these sons of Korah are saying. Better is one day in Your house – better is one day in Your presence – even if all I do is change the lightbulbs and scrub the floors.

Better than a Thousand Elsewhere

The contrast is stunning. It would be better to serve as a janitor in the house of the Lord than to be the lord over the parties of the wicked.

It is better to be in the lowest position in the house of the Lord than to be in charge of anything that the world has to offer.

My studies for this lesson crossed my path with the website of the ministry of evangelist Billy Graham. The name of a famed singer passed by my eyes.

George Beverly Shea (1909 – 2013) has been described as “America’s beloved gospel singer. His solos in the Billy Graham Crusades and his exposure on the Graham radio broadcasts have made many believe that Shea sang in front of more people than anyone else in history. His most famous songs were “The Wonder of It All” and “How Great Thou Art.”

Shea composed another tune in 1932 that became a signature song for him as well. He wrote the music and helped with the words as he auditioned for a recording contract with RCA Victor recording studio. The title of his song was “I’d Rather Have Jesus.” The words to the first verse and chorus speak to our hearts today.

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold
I’d rather be His than have riches untold
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or land
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand

Than to be the king of a vast domain or be held in sins dread sway
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today

Better than thousands elsewhere.