Have a Blessed New Year!
May God bless you as we bring 2016 to a close and prepare to begin 2017. It is always easy to for the negative things of the year gone by to dwarf the good things that took place, but overall, this past year was the most challenging we have had to face. With my teenage son’s stroke this past February, our family life and routine was turned on its ear and spun every which way. Yet, in times of crisis, God provides strength, often through others around us.
Many are saying that the church is irrelevant in today’s modern age and that faith is an individual walk and not something that we do in connection with a larger body. Apart from being an unBiblical notion, it is clear to me that anyone who would desire to live apart from the Christian church is a fool. They have strengthened and surrounded us with grace over this past year…something for which we will be eternally grateful.
Thus, having learned a great deal, having been tried, and having been sobered, we look toward a new year. And while we do not know what it is that it will bring, what we do know is that our God holds that year (and every year!) in his divine hand and he will use the events of life to conform us into the image of his Son, Jesus Christ.
God Bless You and May You have a Blessed New Year.
‘Preacher’ Win Groseclose
Masada
“And the hand of the Midianites was strong against Israel; from before the face of Midian, the Sons of Israel made for themselves the caves which are in the mountains — the caves and the fortified places.”
(Judges 6:2)
The presence of the definite article before “caves” is significant. It implies that these are not just random, natural caves that were found in the mountains, but a network of caves for soldiers to hide in (reference to them being fortified) of which later readers would have been aware. Similarly, the word choice here emphasizes that these caves were either created by the Israelites or perhaps (as some scholars suggest), these were natural caves that were enlarged and adapted to the soldier’s needs. In any sense, the soldiers were creating a place of refuge where they could hide until God raised up a Judge to lead them into battle.
An interesting point of note is that the term we translate as “fortified places” is dDxVm (metsad), which is the root word behind the term Masada, the fortress destroyed by the Romans in 73 AD due to the resistance of the Zealots and the Sicarii. Like these fortified places in the book of Judges, Masada was a nearly impregnable fortress at the top of a great hill where soldiers dug in waiting for the Messiah to lead them into glorious battle against their Roman rulers. Things change very little over the years.
While I do not mean to undermine the military importance of these strongholds, it raises the question: when the soldiers flee to the mountains, what happens to the people of the land? Well, the answer can be found in the verses that follow — they were overrun and the Midianites consumed all of their resources, leaving them to starve. Had people been obedient in the first place, how much suffering could have been avoided. Were the soldiers to have remained amongst the people, to lead and protect them from the marauding Midianites, how much better off people would be. When the strong go into hiding, the people suffer. When men of faith get busy with the things of this world, the church suffers as well.
Again?
“And the people of Israel did the Evil in the eyes of Yahweh. Thus, he gave them into the hand of Midian for seven years.”
(Judges 6:1)
As much as this sounds like a soap opera to many of our ears, this is the story not only of ancient Israel but of peoples, nations, and churches throughout the ages — even today. We would think, having been given the Scriptures, that we would learn from the errors of those who have gone before us, but we do not. Even as individuals, we fall repeatedly into patterns of sin rather than pursuing righteousness.
Midian is to the southeast of Israel and lest we forget, the Midianites too descended from Abraham (Genesis 25:2) and it was to Midian that Moses fled when he was fleeing Egypt (Exodus 2:15). Yet, it was the Midianites who allied with the Moabites to destroy Israel as they crossed the wilderness for the Promised Land, first, by hiring Balam to curse them (Numbers 22:4) and then by enticing the men to defile themselves with Moabite and Midianite woman in Baal worship (Numbers 25:1-6). Finally, Israel defeated them in battle (Numbers 31). Thus, while there is a historical connection between these two peoples (Abraham), there is no love lost between them as tribes and nations.
More sadly, because of the sin of God’s people, those they had once conquered now become the conquerors. Such is the importance of knowing your past and being rooted firmly on the Rock of Jesus Christ. It should stand as a reminder to us today of the importance of remaining ever vigilant against those who would usurp the freedom of God’s people.
Yet, society today seems to have neglected it’s past and forsaken its foundation in Christ. The Christian church still faces challenges to orthodoxy from within as false teachers and cults try and seduce those who do not understand what the scriptures teach about the character of the Triune God. Many protestants are turning their back on hundreds of years of sacrifice for the Truth and are returning to Rome as well. The Muslim hordes who were stopped first at the Battle of Tours and then outside the walls of Vienna. And as a result of us forgetting the wondrous things that our God has done, like the ancient Israelites, our society and culture is being dominated by liberalism, idolatry, atheism, Islam, and cultism in numerous shapes and sizes — and such is being found even in the church.
Praise Forever
“Under your fathers will be your sons; you will male them princes in all the earth. I will cause your name to be remembered in all the generations forever. Therefore their people will praise you forever and ever.”
(Psalm 45:17-18 {verses 16-17 in English})
Psalm 117 calls the nations to praise God because God has been faithful to his own people (a contrast to the faithlessness of idols!). Here we see a similar notion. Here the bride has made herself ready, is presented to the Son — who is the King of all Kings — and there is promise and blessing that there will be many who will follow in the line of the Lord, seated alongside the king ruling over creation. Indeed, our Messiah is the firstborn amongst many. And the world will remember God’s goodness to his own forever.
Yet, as we close this wedding song…this song of praise that anticipates the wedding of the Lamb. Let us also not forget the goodness of God towards us in the here and now. Let us not forget that we too are called to rule beside Christ as princes in the Father’s house, as we take dominion of this world through the proclamation of the Gospel. Let us not forget to sing praise to our God for His goodness and praise Him forever.
The Wedding Feast of the Lamb
“All glorious is the daughter of the King within, her robes with gold filigree. In colorfully embroidered robes she is led to the king with her virgin companions after her — coming to you. They are brought with jubilation and rejoicing as they enter the palace of the King.”
(Psalm 45:14-16 {verses 13-15 in English})
This language of the bride being presented to the king anticipates language that we will once again see in the Bible at the consummation of all things…
“And I heard the voice of a great crowd of people which had the voice of many waters and the voice of mighty thunder, saying, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God reigns! The Almighty! Let us rejoice and let us be glad and let us give glory to Him! For the marriage of the Lamb has come and his bride has prepared herself. And it was given to her to dress herself in clothes of radiant pure linen — for the linen is the righteous works of the saints.”
(Revelation 19:6-8)
So here again we see a picture of eternal things foreshadowed by glorious earthly events. Even in modern times, there is little that is more captivating than a royal wedding when it comes to the pomp and circumstance. The sound of songs; the sound of cheers; the gathering of thousands to catch a glimpse of the Prince or the Princess as she is paraded through the streets to the church for the ceremony. Even in our modern age of cellular data and sound bytes, the royal weddings transport us back to a different age and gives us a reminder that perhaps life isn’t so different after all. And, from a Christian perspective, it gives us a hope of better days to come.
One of my professors used to say, “the reason I love the New Testament is that it reminds me so much of the Old Testament.” This is one of those spots where the connection between the pre-cross and post-cross ages could not be clearer. Everything in the New Testament finds itself grounded in the Old and everything in the Old anticipates the New. And all of it revolves around Christ to his glory!
As we read this psalm, though, I want it to remind us of that which is to come. It is easy to get caught up in the events and busyness of this life and think that this life is all that there is. Such could not be further from the truth. This life is merely a pale shadow of another life to come. The glories of this life — the glorious wedding of the King of Kings — give us but the smallest foretaste of the glories of God’s presence to come for the Christian. The terrors of this life are a reminder and just the smallest foretaste of the terrors to come in Hell for those who do not flee to Christ. Which will you face?
The Glory of Christ and the glory of Man
“Hear, daughter, and see for yourself; incline your ear. Forget your people and the house of your father. The king will desire your beauty. Because he is your Lord, worship him. The daughter of Tyre will offer gifts before you; the wealthy people will appease you.”
(Psalm 45:11-13 {verses 10-12 in English})
The language of these verses sounds a little like some of the language in the Song of Solomon, reflecting, too, the beauty and grandeur of Solomon’s kingdom. Of course, at the hight of its glory, Solomon’s kingdom was only a shadow of the splendor of the kingdom of Christ to come. So, as Jesus makes clear, he came with a sword, not to bring peace to the earth. Thus, we must never fall into the trap of loving our family more than we love the King of all Kings, lest we not be counted worthy of the name of Christ (Matthew 10:34-39).
So, pursue the King who is our Lord and worship Him, for he is worthy of your worship and of all praise. Leave everything behind for His glory and seek His ends and not your own. It is better and more glorious to pursue a life that is dedicated to Christ alone…but how often we choose the lesser and pursue the things of this earth.
Tyre is sometimes used in the Bible as an illustration of a people dedicated to the things of this world rather than the things of God. They were a wealthy trading people (2 Chronicles 2:14; Isaiah 23:9), but a people who, for much of Israel’s history, stood as enemies of God and facing eternal judgment (Amos 1:9), a place forever laid low and prevented from returning to its former glory (Ezekiel 26:14; 27:36). Such is the end of those who pursue the things of this world and not the things of God — for God (and his church) are not impressed by the wealth of men, for it pales before God.
The Fragrance of Christ
“Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cinnamon; from palaces of ivory, stringed instruments continually rejoice you. The daughters of kings are amongst your nobles; your queen stands at your right hand in gold from Ophir.”
(Psalm 45:9-10 {verses 8-9 in English})
Here we have the King, the Messiah — we have Jesus, being portrayed in all of his glory before the great and final wedding feast of the Lamb presented in his glory. The smells are both smells of royalty and peace as well as being reminders of priestly incense for indeed, not only is Christ the glorious King and Great Prophet, but he is the High Priest as well. Everything about him is meant to be something that causes us to anticipate the glory of his presence.
One of the points of a fragrant incense is that not only does it give off a distinct smell, but the smell remains in the air long after the incense is removed from the room. Here we have even another aspect of the glory of our Savior. His presence changes everything about a situation and about a life. And long after that change has taken place, the glory of God remains on the life of the one who has been so touched. So it is with the church…the queen who is being made ready.
The question that remains with us is does the fragrance of the glory of God reside upon our lives? Does that glory remind us of His presence when we go through trials and does our work in this world remind a world that is drowning in its own filth that there is one of glory working in us and through his Church. If not, it ought.
Joy and Jubulation
“You love righteousness and hate wickedness, thus God — your God — anointed you with the oil of jubilation over your attendants.”
(Psalm 45:8 {verse 7 in English})
If there were any doubt as to whether this psalm were about the Messiah, this verse ought to put those doubts to rest, for the writer of Hebrews cites this passage and applies it to the Son of God (Hebrews 1:9). And indeed, Jesus Christ is the one who truly loves righteousness and hates wickedness, now and forever.
What is this language of the oil of jubilation (or gladness as many English translations render the word NØwcDc (sason)? Most commonly this term is used in the context of the worship of God’s people as a result of God’s redemptive work that culminates in the Messiah. As the prophet, Isaiah, writes:
“And the redeemed of Yahweh shall return and enter Zion with a cry of Jubilation and an everlasting display of joy upon their head. Jubilation and Jubilation will overtake them and grief and groaning will flee.”
(Isaiah 35:10)
The oil, of course, referring to the anointing of the High Priest and the King…rightly laid upon the head of the Messiah…whose very title means, “Anointed One.”
There is one more thing that we need to draw from this passage and that is the expectation of God that those who follow the Christ seek to imitate the Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1; Ephesians 5:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:6). Yet, do we do so? Do we take joy in loving righteousness? Do we recognize that we cannot love both righteousness and wickedness at the same time? To love the one, we must hate the other. Why is it that as Christians we pour out such affection upon sin? And, when it comes to living a life that is obedient to God’s word, we describe it as dull and restricting rather than as one marked by the oil of jubilation? The answer, of course, is sin — and sin is that which robs us of the joy of the wonderful salvation that our Lord has worked.
And thus, we turn back to scripture to set us upon a right path…a path that leads to joy and jubilation — a path that leads to honoring God. As is written in Jeremiah 15:16.
“Your words were found and I ate them and your words became to me joy and the display of joy to my heart, for your name is proclaimed over me, Yahweh, God of Armies.”
My God Reigns
“Your throne, God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom.”
(Psalm 45:7 {verse 6 in English})
Indeed, God rules forever and ever and his throne is eternal. As Isaiah writes:
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet who brings good news, making peace heard — good news, making salvation heard; saying to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
(Isaiah 52:7)
What is interesting, and what we may not expect, is that the most frequent use of the idea of an everlasting throne speaks of the Messianic throne of David. God promises that his throne will last forever (2 Samuel 7:16). This promise continues through Solomon (1 Kings 2:45) and is fulfilled in Christ Jesus (Isaiah 9:7).
And what marks the eternal throne of the Messiah is righteousness — the righteousness of Christ, which is the righteousness of God. As I am reflecting on this, I am inundated with the words of politicians as we prepare for this election. Yet, I must ask, are there any who will govern with righteousness? Are there any who seek justice as their primary motive for running for office? Are we going to the polls and voting with that question burning on our hearts? Sadly, I fear, that righteousness in American politics is something that has been trampled by personal agendas in American politics.
Thus, in the midst of the mud-slinging, may we look to the true and righteous King of Heaven for hope and stability during days of trouble. May we call upon him as a people, repenting of our sins and crying out to Him for deliverance. And may it truly be good news to us that the world would know that our God reigns.
Sharp Arrows of God
“Your arrows are sharp in the peoples; before you they fall in the heart of your enemies and their kings.”
(Psalm 45:6 {verse 5 in English})
The arrows of God’s anointed ones strike deadly blows upon those who stand against his almighty. Indeed, God scoffs at the kings of the earth and those who would stand against his anointed (Psalm 2). This language of the arrows of God is not uncommon to the words of Scripture…Deuteronomy 32:23,42; Habakkuk 3:11; Zechariah 9:14; Job 6:4; Psalm 7:14; 38:3; and 77:18 are just a few examples of such usage.
What is fascinating to me is that with all of the military usage that we find in the Bible, people remain reluctant to use it, largely in favor of presenting a picture of a rather cuddly and pathetic God who hopes that we choose him. But why would we choose to follow a God who was mushy, weak, and allowed his people to do pretty much anything they wanted to do? Even apart from the gross distortion of the Bible and of the definition of love that such a view presents, such is not even a view that is appealing to the humanistic world around us. Leaders have the strength to lead their followers into and through difficult times and are strong enough to lead their followers to victory on the other side of whatever happens to be faced. Mush cannot penetrate the armor of death, but Jesus, our Messiah crushed death and destroyed its power. Why then do we not celebrate and rejoice in such language of our God’s might? How often it is that believers have been deceived by Satan into embracing that which is comfortable and not that which is True.
What is also fascinating to me is how many people do embrace such language of God’s might but then who fear men and what men may do. How often even Biblical Christians do not take a stand for Truth in the face of the world’s opposition out of fear. Will our God falter? Will our God not avenge? Will our God not bring wrath against his enemies? Even if our person is crushed, will our God fail? Surely we do not believe this. If not, then why do we so often act so timidly when it comes to the Gospel?
Weilding the Word in Victory
“In your majesty, mount your steed and charge with the word of truth, humility, and righteousness and your right hand instruct you in fearful things.”
(Psalm 45:5 {verse 4 in English})
The word picture that is being portrayed here is that of the Messiah riding victoriously into battle with his sword held high. This is the imagery that we will find again in John’s apocalypse, the book we know in English as “Revelation.” There we again see the Messiah riding out to destroy the wicked in judgement…one who is called “Faithful” and “True” and who has the name “King of kings and Lord of lords” upon his robe and thigh (Revelation 19:11-16).
And with what weapon does he charge into battle? He does so with the mighty of all weapons…his Word, which is truth, humility, and righteousness. The author of Hebrews reminds us that:
“The Word of God is living and effective and more sharp than any two-edged sword; it is able to penetrate until it divides the life from the spirit and the joints from the marrow, and it discerns the innate thoughts from the intents of the heart.”
(Hebrews 4:12)
In judgment, the wicked will find that they would prefer to face a literal sword, for the truth will cut them to the core. One cannot avoid the power of God’s word. You can ignore it, reject it, deny it, and rage against it, but in time all men will stand before it and no secrets will be able to be hid and all intentions will be revealed. As Jesus said, “Your word is truth” (John 17:17b).
A note should be made about the language of humility in this context. Certainly this is not an attribute of Christ that ought to surprise us, but it seems a bit out of place in this context. The word in question is the Hebrew term: hÎw◊nAo (‘anwah). This word is only used once in the Hebrew Old Testament, but scholars tend to connect the term with the word hÎwÎnSo (‘anawah — the consonants are the same, though the vowel pointing is somewhat different), meaning “humility” as is found in Proverbs 15:33. The most significant thing to remember is that humility is an attribute of God and of His Messiah and thus is part of the standard by which humans are measured and will be judged.
The final clause may also sound awkward to us. If the Messiah is God himself in the flesh, then how can it be said that he is learning? Yet, we should be reminded of Luke 2:52:
“And Jesus grew in wisdom and maturity and favor with God and man.”
Though Jesus is and always was fully God, he also had a fully human nature (apart from the sin nature we inherit from Adam). Thus, it can be said that Jesus grew in his humanity and human nature while remaining eternal and infinite in his divine nature.
Splendor and Majesty
“Put your sword upon your thigh, great warrior — in your splendor and in your majesty.”
(Psalm 45:4 {verse 3 in English})
The phrase, “the splendor and majesty” is a common one when referring to God. Thus, when David is bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, he presents the Sons of Asaph with the words of a hymn of thanksgiving to be sung — words that will form much of psalms 105, 96, and 106 (in that order)…verse 27 proclaiming:
“Splendor and majesty are before Him;
strength and joy are in his presence.”
Similarly, it is the language of Psalm 21:5; 96:6; 104:1; and 111:3. And, when God confronts Job, challenging him to try and rival the glory of the God of creation, God uses the same language:
“Clothe yourself with majesty and dignity;
put on splendor and majesty.”
(Job 40:10)
As we read the psalms, we attribute this language to God. If we use the psalms as guides for our prayer life (a practice I would commend to you), we attribute this language to God. If we use the psalms as a songbook for worship (something the Bible commands of us — Colossians 3:16), then we attribute this language to God. Yet, when we live out our daily life, do we really attribute this language to God? Do we really live like our God is filled with splendor and majesty? And do we recognize that these glorious attributes of God are spoken of in the same context of his sword of justice? He is God and has the right to demand our obedience, but do we obey?
And, if our actions do not follow our words, does that make our words hollow and lifeless? And what, then, does that hollowness say about our faith? Friends, take God’s attributes seriously and live like you really believe what it is that to which the Scriptures attest. Jesus said that if we love him we will obey his commandments (John 14:15) — that means living in a way that is consistent with the teachings of the Bible, not living on the basis of personal preference.
Magnificence
“You are more magnificent than the Sons of Adam; grace pours from your lips. Therefore, God has blessed you forever.”
(Psalm 45:3 {verse 2 in English})
Many English Bibles translate the first Hebrew word in this verse as “beautiful” or “fair,” though it should be noted that the NIV chooses the better term, “excellent,” here. In Hebrew, the word in question is hApÎy (yaphah), and literally means, “to adorn, to decorate, or to beautify.” Yet, we ought to pose the question as to what engenders a sense of beauty within us. Sadly, for many in our culture today, beauty is only measured by the lusts and is considered as fickle as the eye of the beholder.
But what really is at the heart of beauty? Is it truly in the eye of the beholder or is there something that transcends the surface and appearance? Is not the beauty of a person something that resides in the character of the individual? And is not the beauty of a sunset found in the magnificence of the event — something that moves and inspires us. And here, as we sing a song of praise to our Messiah — one whom men did not esteem (Isaiah 53:3) — he is one whose magnificence we sing.
And what of grace? It comes from His lips. It comes from His word. It comes from His work. It comes from His sacrifice. Therefore grace, true grace, comes from Christ Jesus alone and he speaks of it in his Word (by which we may know Him), thus, it pours like water from his lips. And as the royal Messiah — the speaker of grace and truth — God has blessed him forever. And if God has blessed him, ought we not also bless our mighty and magnificent redeemer? How sad it is that all too often we do not, taking for granted that which he has offered to us in grace. Let us repent of our carelessness and flee to Christ our Lord for refuge.
Poetry of a Moved Heart
“My heart is moved; with a good word I speak this work to the king — my tongue as a pen and a skillful scribe.”
(Psalm 45:2 {45:1 in English})
Recognizing that in Jewish thought, the heart deals with the seat of the personality and intellect and not the seat of the passions, we should see the beginning of this psalm as the Sons of Korah being caught up with what later writers would call the “creative muse,” and we should not attribute what follows as a flight of emotional fancy. The poem is filled with language that engages the passions (as do most great poems), but it is also detailed and structured carefully to communicate exactly what the poet — the psalmist — intends to write under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Too often, people today assume that great works of poetry flow out of a moment of spontaneous inspiration, when truthfully the words of the poet come about with the same care and precision as the woodworker or the sculptor brings about his art. Every word and phrase is skillfully prepared and then delivered by a tongue, which acts as a skillful scribe.
Isn’t it interesting how skewed our ideas about writing poetry have become? Everything has got to come easily to the craftsman today, yet we wonder at the same time why we are not producing the works of art that were once produced in ages past. We proclaim our art to be “new” in style, but I wonder, will the works we produce today survive the scrutiny of time or will the future generations describe our own as a creative dark ages…a time where creativity was lost or otherwise squandered on pointless pursuits.
Creativity, friends, is part of the image of God that we bear and thus, as we develop creativity to the glory of Christ, we are growing in our sanctification. And perhaps, as we indeed do so, our hearts (personalities) may indeed be moved so that we may speak a good word to the King.
Mockery of the Wicked
“Out from the window, she gazed from above, and the mother of Sisera lamented from behind the lattice, ‘What is the reason for his chariot being so long in coming? Why do the hoofbeats of his chariots delay?’ Her wise noblewomen answered — she likewise returned her answer to herself: ‘Maybe they haven’t found and divided up the booty — two slave-women for every man, a booty of dyed cloth for Sisera — a booty of dyed and embroidered cloth; dyed cloth that is embroidered around the neck as booty!’”
(Judges 5:28-30)
The indignity of Sisera’s death is not complete with the account of Jael, but Baraq and Deborah now mock Sisera’s mother as she laments the absence of her son. As we mentioned above, it is often uncomfortable for us to mock like this in today’s world where we are taught to be polite rather than true, but God is not concerned about the ways of men. And thus, the Spirit inspired our singers with these words that celebrate the lament of the wicked.
So, how do we reconcile these words with Jesus’ statement that we are to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44)? The key word, of course, is “your.” There comes a point of discernment to determine whether this enemy is your personal enemy or he or she is an enemy of God. The former group, we are to love and pray for — one day we may call them brother or sister in Christ even! But those who are enemies of God not only may be mocked, but should be. Could we be wrong in that point of discernment? Yes, but perhaps God will use your mocking words to shake up those who are acting wickedly. So, if one who seemed an enemy of God comes to faith, you seek forgiveness for the mockery and celebrate the mighty power of God, for that which is impossible for man (the conversion of a sinner) is possible for God (Matthew 19:26).
Whose Hoofbeats?
“Then beat the hoofs of the horses, from galloping — the galloping of his mighty ones!”
(Judges 5:22)
And in come the steeds! The loud noise of the horse hooves, thundering as they beat the ground like a drum in full gallop. The question is, whose steeds? Who is the “his” that is being spoken of in this context?
In most of our English Bibles, the inference that is made is that ryI;bAa (abiyr) refers to a mighty steed, though the term simply refers to “a mighty one” which might be a warrior, a commander, or even (in some cases) to the alpha-horse that leads the charge in battle. And that is a legitimate translation of the text, yet the “his” is still a bit vague to us. We know that the Israelite troops generally did not fight with cavalry. We know that Sisera had 900 chariots (Judges 4:3), so one might make the argument is that the galloping that is mentioned here is in reference to the flight of Sisera’s troops as they fled broken. Were this the case, the “his” would refer to Sisera.
Where I struggle with this interpretation has to do with the context of this verse. The “beat of the hoofs” reflects the sound of an army in good order and advancing, densely packed as they charge into battle — not the scattered hoofs of horses fleeing from their broken chariots. Further, the lines that lead up to this verse speak of God mustering the stars and the natural order to go to war against Sisera and his soldiers. Sisera, indeed, was not routed by the might of Baraq’s army; he was routed by the hand of God. God is the warrior of Israel (Exodus 15:3; Zephaniah 3:17). Thus, it mighty be suggested that these “mighty ones” are God’s angelic host — attacking alongside of the natural order — charging down upon God’s enemies…the “His” then referring to God himself as he is the Lord of hosts.
Either interpretation can be substantiated exegetically and contextually (as in verse 24, we read of Sisera’s defeat at the hands of Jael), the question that also must be asked is which also fits the spirit of the song that Baraq and Deborah are singing. Since the emphasis is on the triumphal nature of God mustering the universe to stand against the army of Sisera, I lean toward this latter interpretation. In the end, though, with either interpretation, God is gloriously victorious.
Press On!
“The kings came and they came to blows; then came to blows the kings of Canaan. At Ta’anak, at the waters of Meggido. They took no silver plunder. From heaven they came to blows; the stars in their fixed movement came to blows with Sisera. The river Qishon washed them away; the ancient river, the river Qishon. Press on my soul with strength.”
(Judges 5:19-21)
As the song moves on, we find Deborah and Baraq painting us a picture of the whole natural order being mustered to fight against Sisera and his troops. Given that sometimes the angels are referred to as stars (Revelation 1:20), some might be tempted to suggest that this is a reference to the angels themselves fighting alongside of the troops of Israel, but given the context, which speaks of other elements of the natural order also raising up in Israel’s defense, such a view would be a bit of a stretch. Thus, we see the natural order being described as animating itself and going to war.
Though this section is poetic in nature, and thus highly stylized and filled with imagery, we need to be clear as to the principle that the natural order acts in obedience to the will of its maker. Does that mean that every tornado, flood, hurricane, tsunami, earthquake, or wildfire is God waging war against wicked man? No. Not in a direct sense at least (see John 9:1-3). At the same time, we do live in a fallen world and such calamities and crises are meant to remind us that this world is not the way it should be and that we are not to find our contentment here.
Thus, whether we are facing the enemies of God in physical battle or intellectual debate or whether we are burdened under the weight of care, grief, worry, loss, or trials of life, the answer is the same as is found here in the words of Deborah and Baraq. “Press on my soul with strength!” …recognizing too, that true strength to carry on comes from God through his Holy Spirit.
On Christ’s One Sacrifice
I’ve not posted here of late as I have been finishing two books, one, on pastoral theology that is now out, and the other on the Atonement. Here is an excerpt on Hebrews 10:11-15.
“And every priest stands daily serving and over and over again he brings sacrifices to offer which can never have the potential to take away sins. But this one, offering a sacrifice for sins, sits down without interruption at the right hand of God, from that time on waiting until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet. For by one offering he perfected, always, the ones who have been consecrated.”
Note the contrast we find here between the ongoing ritual of the temple priesthood and the once and for all time sacrifice of the Son of God. The first is neither efficacious nor has the potential to be efficacious for the people. It is simply an ordinance that is practiced that has no power to atone. They are lifeless acts of the walking dead; zombies who claim to live, but are lifeless. Their works, rather than being a pleasing aroma to God, are rancid and foul before the Lord. Yet, like maggots, many are drawn to the dead forms, finding comfort in the decay, because they fear the demands of the Lord of Life.
God Keeps the Gates Secure
“When they chose new gods, then there was war in the gates; if only a shield or a spear could be seen among forty-thousand in Israel. My heart is toward those who make decrees for Israel who enlisted themselves with the people. Bless Yahweh.”
(Judges 5:8-9)
There is a simple principle at work here…it is God who keeps the gates secure. When one turns away from God, then God lifts his hands of protection and you will find war at your gates. Such applies to our churches today and it applies to our homes. Dear friends, do not turn to other gods, they cannot protect you or defend your home from strife. Pursuing them will only bring misery.
The language of spear and shield is language that reminds us that the people were wholly unprepared for war (remember, the reason that the pagans have been left in the land is to teach the people warfare — Judges 3:2. Thus the people stand unprepared to make a defense…just as are many people in our congregations. Yet, we are called to always be ready to make a reasoned defense of the hope we have (1 Peter 3:15).
So, like Deborah, as a pastor, my heart goes out to those who willingly seek to do what is the right thing, yet have not been equipped as they ought. Some of our Bibles will translate the term “commanders,” but I think that the picture that Deborah is painting is that of those civil leaders in the community taking a stand and enlisting even though they are possibly the least qualified to do so…doing the right thing, though, because it is the right thing to do. And again, we close this verse with the refrain, “Bless Yahweh.” Indeed, may all we do, bless the Lord.
No Leaders or No Villagers?
“The leaders ceased in Israel — they ceased! Until I arose — Deborah arose — a mother in Israel.”
(Judges 5:7)
The translation of the second word of the Hebrew text (leaders) is debated. The Hebrew term in question is NØwz∂rVÚp (perazon). In technical terms, this word is a “hapax legomenon,” which means, it only shows up once in the Hebrew Old Testament. What makes it even more challenging is that the Septuagint (LXX) — the Greek translation of the Old Testament done by Rabbis between the 3rd and 4th centuries BC — simply transliterates the Hebrew into Greek.
The question that must then be asked is if there are similar words in Hebrew that might share the same root word, which then could assist in determining meaning. There are limited words to work with (at least in terms of Biblical usage), but we find in Esther 9:19 and 1 Samuel 6:18 the term yˆz∂rVÚp (peraziy), which refers to an unwalled village in the countryside (used in 1 Samuel to stand in opposition to walled and fortified cities). On this, many of our modern translations render NØwz∂rVÚp (perazon) as “villagers.”
The American Standard Version, along with its modern revision, the World English Bible, have chosen the word, “leaders.” This translation is rooted in the argument of the renown Hebraicist, William Gesenius, and his position that NØwz∂rVÚp (perazon) is derived from the Hebrew word, z∂rDÚp (paraz), as found in Habakkuk 3:14. This would tie the word to an old Arabic root, which means, “to divide” (implying the way a commander would separate troops into divisions). And while z∂rDÚp (paraz) is also a hapax legomenon, the Greek Septuagint offers a translation: duna/sthß (dunastas), which refers to a king, a ruler, or someone in a position of authority over others.
So, as we shift then, from the range of meanings possible for NØwz∂rVÚp (perazon), we then look to see which best fits the context, and that should be obvious. While some may suggest this word ties back to the previous verse about roads and pathways not taken, the location of the Sof pasuq (a cantillation mark, dating back to early Talmudic use, marking the Hebrew division between what we would call verses today), indicates clearly that this is part of the verse that speaks of Deborah rising up. That means, the most natural meaning of NØwz∂rVÚp (perazon) in the context is that of “leaders.” Thus, there were no leaders in the land — men rising up to do that which God has called them to do — and thus God raises up Deborah.
And what we see here is an exchange take place, when we look at the language used here…a male leader is not being replaced by another leader who happens to be female…for Deborah is introduced here as a “mother.” So, as Baraq and the other men of Israel are acting like fearful little children, God raises up a mother to chastise them and set them on their path — ironic justice. God had previously sent a command to Baraq to raise an army against the Canaanites…because of Baraq’s indecision, he ends up needing to bring his mommy along.
How sad it is that so many Christian churches in America are appealing to Deborah as part of their reasoning behind raising up women in leadership roles in the church — even as pastors. Yet, as one spends time looking at the text, Deborah is not only seen as an exception to the rule; she is seen as one raised up to shame the people into repenting of their sins…in particular, that of men rising up to the task.
God’s Ways or Man’s Paths
“In the days of Shamgar, the son of Anat, in the days of Jael, the way ceased to be; and those who walked, walked by paths.”
(Judges 5:6)
As we see so often in Hebrew poetry, there is double meaning within these words if we look closely. The most obvious and surface meaning is a reference to the notion that during the time of Canaanite oppression, the people could not travel the main roads and had to stick with smaller pathways. And that is how many of our English translations render the text.
Yet, recognizing the context, there are some plays on words that are taking place. First of all, the broader context of the book of Judges is that people are doing what is right in their own eyes and not what is right in the eyes of God. In particular, in the account of Deborah, the men have yielded to fear before the Canaanite armies and are thus not rising to the call to defend the people from this wicked king or to lead their families in obedience to God’s Word. Even Baraq, we find, had to be prodded by Deborah to do what God had already commanded him to do.
With that in mind, we need to remember that the word we translate as “way,” jårOa (‘orach), is commonly used to refer to the way that the believer must walk (see, for example, Psalm 119:9,101,104,128). Psalm 44:18 makes this notion quite clear that there is a way that believers should walk and that way has been laid out for us by God on high. As David also writes in Psalm 25:4:
“Make me to know your approach, Yahweh;
Your way, teach me.”
Note even the chiastic structure of this language, reversing the word order to add emphasis to the parallelism.
As the song of Deborah and Baraq lays this verse out, the idea of “the way” is contrasted (again as a chiasm) with the notion of those who walked, choosing to walk by paths…or perhaps, in context, by paths of their own making. They were blazing their own trails literally to avoid the Canaanite guards and figuratively to avoid walking in the way — living our lives — in the way that God commands. So indeed, people were walking pathways, but their idolatry was a far more dangerous threat than the Canaanites.
Little has changed. Fallen man despises the way of God. There is no way around that notion. Most of the abuse and even persecution that comes in the direction of believers is due to the notion that we represent something — a principle even — that fallen man resents: God is…. And being that God is, he has the right to place demands on our lives as to the way we live, we act, and we treat one another. It also means that he is rightfully worshipped, and again, fallen man recoils at the notion of worshipping anything other than the works of his own hand (which he can control).
Further, when the church allows believers to walk in their own ways and does not direct Christians back to the ways of God, then the church falls into the same morass as the society is bogged down by. Sad.
The World in Submission
“Hear, O kings! Listen, O dignitaries! I, to Yahweh, I will sing and sing praise to Yahweh, the God of Israel. Yahweh, in your going out from Siyr, in your confident stride from the field of Edom, the ground shook and also the heavens flowed down — also the clouds flowed with water. The mountains even flowed before the face of Yahweh — even Sinai before the face of Yahweh.”
(Judges 5:3-5)
And thus the song begins. Notice again that the emphasis in this song of praise is not on man or even on just how much we love God. The emphasis is on God and all he is and all he has done. His greatness far surpasses anything we might feel or do, yet how often are our modern hymns and praise songs focused on the “I” and not on the “He.”
As one moves into the song, notice the kind of language that is employed…the earth trembles as God is on the move, the heavens above are shaken and rain falls down from the clouds…even the mountains — even mount Sinai trembles and pours forth water. Notice also, how often this kind of language is employed in the scriptures (see Psalm 68, for example). It is language that is figurative in nature, though it describes a historic event. God is on the move and there is nothing in the natural order that does not submit to the presence of the almighty God. That said, how odd it is, that when one gets to the book of Revelation, so many professing Christians (in the pre-millennial school of thought) turn this language into something that can only be understood in a literal sense when throughout the rest of the Bible it is used figuratively when found in this kind of construction.
Deborah and Baraq are indeed looking back to God leading the people through the wilderness and through their enemies, whether on the fields of Edom or from the mountains of Seir (just northeast of the Gulf of Aqaba) and they portray the natural world as moving along with Him — making straight the paths for the Lord of Glory! And since we cannot grasp the might of our God, given our finite limitations, Deborah and Baraq use figurative language to describe the mightiest things that they can think of (the earth, the mountains, the clouds, the sky) as shaking in submission before God. All that is, all that could ever be, must bow before the Lord of Creation. Yet, how sad it is that man shakes his fist in rebellion. Jesus states that the mark of our Love for God is found in our obedience to his command; that simple principle should shake the ground below the feet of most professing Christians, and drive us all to our knees, begging forgiveness and the faith to obey.
When Leaders Lead
“With the leaders wholly dedicated in Israel, the people volunteered; bless Yahweh!”
(Judges 5:2)
The first part of this verse is cryptic and is the subject of a good deal of debate. The word in question is oårDp (para’) and it is used twice (back to back) at the beginning of this verse, initially as an infinitive construct of the verb and then as a noun. The common meaning of the term is “to let go” or “to neglect” (see Exodus 32:25; Numbers 5:18; 6:5; Ezekiel 44:20; Proverbs 4:15), and it is most commonly found in connection with hair being allowed to hang loose and in an unkempt way. It is an odd way to begin this song of praise. When the Hebrews translated this into Greek, though, they chose to use the term a¡rcw (archo), which means to govern, which adds an additional level of curiosity to the text.
The argument is that this is a figure of speech that the Hebrew translators were rendering into Greek…that to allow one’s hair to hang loose (as a man) is a reference to being wholly committed to a plan of action. The Nazirites, in Old Testament law, took a vow which set them apart from the rest of society as being wholly committed to God. Part of their vow was to allow their hair to grow out and be uncut (see Numbers 6:1-21 for the rules of the Nazirite). Thus, for one to be “let go” in terms of their hair, was to have been fully committed, in this case, to leading (something that the men of Israel had been remiss in doing) — hence the translation in the Greek Septuagint, that the “leaders lead” (a translation that our English translations have chosen to follow).
The practical application is simply that we are in much the same boat. We have leaders, but the majority of them (it seems) don’t lead, but serve themselves. And then, people wonder why the people of the nation do not follow the lead of the leaders. When leaders lead in a Godly way — an office of service — then people will rally and follow. This applies to the church as well. How often it is that leadership is more or less a meaningless title and those elected to lead Christ’s church sit back and allow people to do “whatever seems right in their own eyes”! How often leaders assume that the pastor will just do everything…(He’s the one that gets paid, after all!). How often strong individuals or influential families tend to lead and do so to suit their own agendas. How often pastors, even, use the church for their own agendas, not for the glory of Christ! How often our churches seem like the majority of the churches given letters in Revelation 2 and 3, filled with problems and rebuke!
When the leaders lead…when those whom God has called to lead, lead in a way that is wholly dedicated to the design and plan of God…when they lead sacrificially and to the glory of Christ, then God’s people will follow. And when God’s people follow God’s leaders, He changes the world around them. The primary testimony of the church’s failure in America to have leaders lead in this way is seen in the fact that we have lost the “culture war” (though I am not entirely sure that the church even really engaged in the war in a Biblical way in the first place).
This verse ends with the words, “bless Yahweh!” They become a kind of refrain that is repeated throughout, but the principle is clear…when God’s people live for God’s glory and faithfully do what God has set before them, then we bless our God. May we do so.
A Theology of Song
“And so Deborah and Baraq, the son of Abinoam, sang on that day, saying:”
(Judges 5:1)
With the defeat of Sisera and Jabin, we find Deborah and Baraq leading the people in singing a song of celebration with just as much text dedicated to the song as is dedicated to recording the historical narrative, demonstrating the significance given to this song of Deborah and Baraq.
In today’s day and age of sound that governs most every hour of the day, we often take music for granted. We often listen to music on the car radio when driving from place to place, there are musical soundtracks that play behind our favorite movies and television shows, we go to concerts and are entertained by musicians, many of our alarm clocks use music to wake us from sleep and some even go to sleep with music on in the background. Today, music is also no longer limited to a bulky stereo system at home or to the radio, but today our music is compressed, digitized, and loaded onto tiny devices which we can take with us anywhere. It’s no wonder we often take the gift of music for granted.
Yet, music is not something to take for granted, nor is it something to be looked down upon as commonplace (though it could be argued that some music is commonplace). Music is part of our human heritage. It transcends culture and language and it draws people together from all walks of life. If we allow it to do so, music can move us, and move us more deeply than most (if not all) other forms of art. In fact, I would argue that music is part of what it means to be human and to be made in the image of God.
The Bible is filled with song. Even Adam, when presented with Eve for the first time, breaks out into song. The house of God’s worship was also a place filled with song while God also saw fit to teach songs to David and to several other psalmists. So, God is intimately involved in the music of his people. He has given us voices to sing and instruments within our bodies (we can whistle, use our bodies as percussion instruments, and keep rhythm with our feet!).
And this is why Deborah and Baraq’s song is so important. It is also why the singing of God’s people in worship is also important. No, it does not take precedence over the preaching of the Word, but it is lifted to a place of prominence. And thus, we ought to sing and sing with a whole heart when the congregation is gathered. We ought to sing of God’s greatness and of his glory, we ought to sing of our thanksgiving to Him for who he is and what he has done, and we ought to sing our laments even — our great sorrow for our fallen state and for our sin. There is a theology of song found within the scriptures, pay attention to it, it will help make you whole.
She is Hard-Core!
“Thus, Jael, the wife of Heber, went and seized a wooden stake for the tent and she took a mallet in her hand and went to him stealthily and drove the wooden stake into his temple and it went down into the earth. He was stunned, lost consciousness, and died.”
(Judges 4:21)
Nearly a decade ago, when I first taught the book of Judges to a group of High School students, one of the girls in the class, upon reading this account for the first time, exclaimed, “She is hard-core!” Yes, Jael is. But in another sense, aren’t we all supposed to be hard core — at least with our faith and not necessarily with mallets and tent pegs? Are we not to trust in God, do the right thing because it is the right thing to do while also having the faith that he will work the outcome to his glory?
And so, in the tent of Jael, wife of Heber, the man who was an ally of Jabin, Sisera, the wicked commander of Jabin’s hordes, was struck down. There indeed is irony in the retelling. Further, as Deborah foretold, the victory went into the hand of a woman — a woman who would otherwise have been utterly obscure, but whom God used to his glory. Even those who are obscure in the eyes of men, when used by the hand of God, move mountains.
The final sentence to this verse is worded somewhat differently than is found in many of our English Bibles. After the athnak (a Hebrew accent mark that divides the sentence conceptually), there are basically 3 verbal ideas expressed: He was in a deep sleep or otherwise incapacitated, he was unconscious, and he was dead. Our English Bibles tend to translate this clause as having to do with the way Sisera was while Jael snuck up on him under the coverings (he was exhausted from fleeing so fell asleep right away. Yet the LXX (the Greek translation of the Old Testament made about 300 years before the birth of Christ) renders this as a description of the way in which Sisera died. As the LXX is an early Hebrew interpretation of the text, I have favored a translation closer to their rendering than to the rendering of our modern English Bibles, though either conception can be sustained by the text.
One might argue that the translation above lends more drama to the text as it implies that Sisera might still have been awake when she drove the tent stake through his temple. He just was unaware as he was hiding under the coverings. Either way, Sisera, the enemy of God’s people, lay dead by the deliberate hand of Jael. She is indeed, “hard-core.”
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