TCN's Biblical Journey July 10 - Called to fail?

Today's reading is Isaiah 2-6

"Isaiah, after your done this is it!"

Isaiah 6 is my favorite chapter in the Bible. It recalls Isaiah's vision at the time of King Uzziah's death.

Though some see this as the beginning of Isaiah's call, I disagree. The first chapter says that the times of Isaiah's prophecy was "during the reigns of Uzziah, ..."(1:1). What I see here is a reaffirmation of the call of God and something more a strengthening of Isaiah's constitution for the hard day's ahead. This call isn't something most people would want when looked at in total. This is why, I believe, God gave Isaiah such a dramatic vision.

I could go on for some time about everything I see in Isaiah 6 but first I have to point something out. Often in the west, we look at ministry as a hard but safe profession. We think that if you go into the ministry that everything will grow and prosper after all this is the good news we are preaching. This is not always true. Yes, the church is booming in the third world, but this is after decades, even centuries of mission work where little growth took place (as % of the population). Even Paul's ministry, though growing works all across Asia Minor didn't have a majority. No, I am not saying we should have a defeatist mentality and accept that we can't make a difference, but we do need to be honest. Most of our ministries don't end up turning into megachurches. However, Isaiah was given something much less than we can hope for.

What I want to highlight isn't the vision but the promise God gave to the acceptance of the call. After Isaiah accepts the call, God promises him that he will serve until everything in his country which he loves is destroyed. God promises a tenth, a stump will remain when his ministry is over. Even that bit, though it will grow, will not be seen by Isaiah. This is in Star Trek terms, "The Kobayashi Maru" a no-win scenario (at least from man's perspective).

I just returned from district assembly for my denomination. There was much encouragement on growth (and I believe there should be). The district superintendent made it clear he didn't want to serve if it meant he was serving over the death of the district. I can't blame him neither would I. I have served on two churches that were dying and nothing could be done to save them as they were. I have made a commitment to myself never to be in that place again. Yet, this is exactly what Isaiah is being called to do. Stay until the turn the lights out. Stay until all you know and love is gone.
Stand and watch it burn to the ground. It is no wonder God gave him this vision, he would need it in the years ahead. It is though, a beautiful reminder that God gives us what we need to finish the task he has set before us.

I have called Isaiah's call a no-win scenario but in the eyes of eternity, what God did through the work of Isaiah and his associates has changed the world. The book of Isaiah has given so much to the world, I can't imagine the canon of scripture without it. Yes, during his day he saw no reward, but like many artists, years later the world can't be imagined without them.

On a side note: If you regret not having a vision like Isaiah, maybe you should be glad you haven't. I sure wouldn't want his ministry, though who could argue with the eternal outcome.

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TCN's Biblical Journey July 9th

Today's reading is Song of Solomon 5-8 and Isaiah 1


The Song of Song or the Song of Solomon is not an easy book to comment on if you're a father of a teenager whom might read what you are writing. I blush at some of the very sensual connotation found in its words. However, love and sex are God's creation and in the proper context a beautiful thing. However, sin and abuse have changed that for too many. The other side is those who see this as a very private activity which embarrasses then when it is discussed openly.  I, therefore, will jump over it into Isaiah 1

Looking at an overview of Isaiah shows it is unique in that it contains story (narrative), teachings, and prophecy. Though there is some argument over the authorship, it doesn’t negate the power of this book or its prophetic voice especially in regard to the coming Messiah.
The Kingdom of Judah has been watched over by God as a parent looks after a child (see verse 2-4). However, they are soon to discover like the child who has been forced to live without their parent just how much the parent has been doing. The results of their sins are about to come upon them. They had been living like God wasn’t in charge and they will soon see what will come.
Side note: Isaiah’s use of the terms Sodom and Gomorrah in this chapter has little to do with sexual sin and everything to do with a people who are destined to be destroyed. Like Sodom and Gomorrah, Judah’s destruction is certain.

TCN's Biblical Journey July 6th

Today's reading is Ecclesiastes 12 and Son of Solomon 1-4



The depressing book of Ecclesiastes ends with the voice of its author the person who has collected all of these sayings. In a sense it is the conclusion of both Proverbs and Ecclesiastes is Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 "The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil."

There is a pattern to life but the world is broken and sometimes the principles that God has put into place don't work as they should. Yet, this doesn't change the plan of God. We are to obey and serve him and he will make it all right in the end.

To the atheistic critic, this sounds like wishful dreaming. They, after all, deny the Proverbs (God's order) and see only the meaninglessness of life. It is a sad way to live, but those who see the whole picture the pattern and the chaos know this wasn't the way it was meant to be and it won't be this way forever. It will be made right. Our job is to live right and to trust God.

Because if we do and there is no God then we have lost nothing but have lived with purpose. The atheist lives, though, without real purpose.  However, God is real and we both have a purpose and a future. The atheist has neither. 

It's something to think about. 

Now move on to some really unusual (for the modern reader) love poetry, The Song of Solomon. 

TCN's Biblical Journey July 5th

Today's reading is Ecclesiastes 7-11

Is death better?

I have always found it depressing when I hear people, inevitably at a funeral, say it is better to die than to be born. (Side note: This isn’t comforting to the family, so if you say it at funerals quit!) To me, it seemed an admission that life is meaningless which is what the preacher in Ecclesiastes keeps repeating. However, that doesn’t seem to me what the rest of the Bible teaches.

So how do we reconcile the wonder of birth and the seemingly “goodness” of death?

I found the answer in the Pulpit Commentary. “If a man's life is such that he leaves a good name behind him, then the day of his departure is better than that of his birth, because in the latter he had nothing before him but labor, and trouble, and fear, and uncertainty; and in the former all these anxieties are past, the storms are successfully battled with, the haven is won.”[1] 

This says to me that if you have lived your life well then death isn’t anything to fear. Tie this back into the idea that there are different seasons in life and we can see that if you have a good name then the season of life know as death is glorious.

It is like a race. Winning the race is better than beginning the race, but you can’t win if you don’t start. One seems better, but both are important, in another way you can never win if you don’t begin so though death may seem better, without birth there isn’t anything to celebrate. So, I’m still going to celebrate births as the potential for greatness.

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[1] Pulpit Commentary. Accessed July 4, 2018. http://biblehub.com/commentaries/ecclesiastes/7-1.htm

TCN's Biblical Journey July 4th

Today’s reading is Ecclesiastes 2-6.

Flowers in Winter.

In Ecclesiastes 3, we are reminded that there is a time and a season for everything. The important thing to see here is to remember that there is a season in our lives. Too often people want to stay in the season they are in and this brings difficulty.

People want to stay teenagers, or stay young adults, or behind the wheel of a car not wanting to accept the truth that this time in their life has passed. Often this results in missing out on new joys of this new season of life or in accidents which hurt themselves and others.

I can’t help wondering if our desire for fresh fruits and vegetables out of season is a good thing, but that is a discussion for another day and another forum.    

We need to be willing to admit that the seasons in our lives change and to adjust to them. Buying baby toys for your twelve-year-old doesn’t keep them a baby it just creates issues. Even so failing to admit things have changed creates denial or a yearning for the past. This causes a person to miss the blessing of the present or saps the strength needed to face current trials.

The first step to going anywhere is to admit where you are. So look around, what season of life are you in and go from there. This is true if you’re a 25-year-old person or a hundred-year-old organization. Denying where you are will only lead to trouble. Setting out flowers in winter doesn’t change the season, it only kills the flowers. 

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TCN's Biblical Journey - July 3 - Everything is Meaningless!?

 Today's readings are Proverbs 28-31 and Ecclesiastes 1.

Everything is Meaningless!?

  I must admit that I am not a fan of Ecclesiastes. It is one of the most depressing books in the Bible. The reason for this is found in the phrase “under the sun,” which shows the perspective from which this book is written. The perspective is from a man without God and it is pitiable.

So, what does this depressing book do for us?

I believe it gives us insight into the lie: “if I only had more, did more, if I was smarter, if I had no unfulfilled dreams then I would be happy and content.” Solomon had everything a person could want, and this is his writing. Solomon had it all and in this first chapter he sums it up in the term, Meaningless (or vanity).

So why is this book even in the Bible?  

One thing we find in the Bible is honesty. It is honest about its heroes and the people who are supposed to be serving God. It was honest in Proverbs about the way creation was intended to run, and here it is honest about how life actually looks. Without God and God’s heavenly perspective, life is meaningless. 

I wish I could be encouraging about what you are going to read, but I doubt you will be. However, it will give you the truth of what the world looks like without God. It may even give you insight into why people who seem to have it all kill themselves or do wicked things. 

I can't leave you on a downer. Life isn't just what we see. There is a God and a heavenly perspective. There is hope for life is more than what we see. 

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TCN's Biblical Journey July 2

Today's reading is Proverbs 23-27

In moderation?

In verses 20-21 of Proverbs 23, there is a warning not to be a drunkard or a glutton. Though these two things lead to the same end they may seem to have little in common on the surface. However, they both are based in the desire for excess. It is the desire for more than what is proper, then what is good and prudent. Food is a good thing, alochol has it's proper place but the excess leads to destruction. It isn't wrong to have them in their proper place, but like sex outside of those bounds, it is wrong.


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