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Monday, 2nd February (Day 33)
Today's Readings
Mon, 02/02/2009 - 00:00
The immanence and transcendence of God
Theologians use these two words, immanence and transcendence, to describe and contrast the almost paradoxical nature of our relationship with God. On the one hand, he is immanent, ie it is possible to experience his immediate presence. So, for example, Job speaks of having experienced in the past ‘God’s intimate friendship’ (Job 29:4). However, the passages for today remind us that there is another side, ie the transcendence of God. God exists 'apart from, and is not subject to the limitations of, the material universe'. He is 'above and beyond, surpassing and excelling, greatly superior' to us (The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary).
1. ‘The brightness of his presence’ (v.12)
Psalm 18:7-15
The psalmist speaks of the awesome presence of God. Indeed, he even speaks of his anger (v.7). God’s anger is his personal (though never malicious or, in a bad sense, emotional) reaction against sin. Indignation against evil is an essential element of goodness. If we look at injustice or the sexual abuse of children without anger, it is a failure of love. In this psalm we see that God’s anger is the reverse side of his love.
2. 'Come to the wedding banquet' (22:4)
New Testament
Matthew 21:33-22:14
Jesus describes the kingdom of God as being like a vineyard and as being like a wedding banquet. Both of these pictures speak again of God’s amazing love for us. But God’s love is not just sentimental. Again, we see the reverse side which is his judgment on those who reject his love and do evil (21:35 onwards). When the tenant seized his servants; beat one, killed another, and stoned a third’ (21:35) there is a judgment.
Likewise, in the case of the wedding banquet when God issues the invitation, some ‘paid no attention went off – one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, ill-treated them and killed them’ (22:5-6). Jesus says, ‘The king was enraged’ (22:7). God’s invitation is not something we should take lightly or flippantly. It is an amazing and wonderful invitation. It is a huge privilege that a transcendent God invites us to have an intimate friendship with him.
3. ‘The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom’ (28:28)
Old Testament
Job 25:1-29:25
The ‘fear of the Lord’ means respect for God. It is in this respectful relationship with God that true wisdom is to be found. We will never begin to really understand until you are in a relationship with God. This is where true wisdom is found. Job points out it cannot be bought (28:15, v.16, and v.19). It is far more valuable than gold or rubies: ‘the price of wisdom is beyond rubies… it cannot be bought with pure gold’ (28:18-19)… ‘God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells’ (28:23).
What kind of life will this lead to? It will lead to shunning evil (28:28) and serving the poor. Job describes a truly righteous life ‘I rescued the poor… the fatherless… dying… the widow… the blind… the lame… the needy… the stranger’ (29:12-16).
It is only when we begin to understand the character of God – his love and justice, his immanence and transcendence, his love for the poor and his anger at sin – it is only when we begin to understand all these things, that we can begin to understand the cross and what Paul means when he speaks of the ‘righteousness from God [that] comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe… all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement… he did this to demonstrate his justice… so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.’ (Romans 3:22-26).
This is the only way in which we can have an intimate friendship with a transcendent God.
Pippa Adds:
We all want to comfort our friends when they are in need and at least Job’s friends went to him. Sometimes in our desperation to try and understand their suffering or to help, we say things that aren’t at all helpful! Maybe the best thing we can do is pray! It is very difficult to help someone when they are facing so much.
Available now from the HTB and St Paul Onslow Square Bookshops.
People's thoughts
Full Gospel Assembly, Kuala Lumpur
I am struck by Job's response to Bildad, when he says, "I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity. I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live." (Job 27:5-6).
Job must search his heart constantly, to know with such certainty his integrity before God. Job knows he cannot lie to God; he cannot hide anything from Him. Job has a deep sense of honesty that remains unshaken when his friends surmise that he must have done something wrong to anger God. I would like to have that sort of daily encounter with God that Job had, where all my faults are revealed and confessed on a daily basis, where God shows me clearly the state of my heart. Knowing the depth of my integrity with Him is scary, but liberating.
When I read the responses of Job's friends, I am surprised because they sound so 'right'. They say words I would easily say to a suffering friend. And yet God rebukes them later on, saying he is angry with them because they had "not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has" (42:7).
It is so easy for us to speak like Job's friends - saying words that sound right (religious speak) but which do not communicate the heart the God; do not express the truth of who He is.
Father, teach us to know the difference between what Job's friends said and what he said, so that we shine the light of Christ when we try to help our friends who suffer. Let us draw them closer to You rather than away from You. Teach us to know who You are, so that we know what is 'right' to say of You in difficult times. Let our words be gracious and merciful as You are to us.
Holy Trinity Brompton with St Paul, Onslow Square
Psalm reading - King David reminds us that the battle is the Lord's. Whenever we are crestfallen and all seems to the be lost lets us remember that he who mounts the cherubim will part the heavens and come down. His enemies will scatter and the name of Jesus will be glorified.
Job reading - How could Job have possibly known that the earth was suspended over nothing? Job 26:7. Little nuggets like this point to divine influence.
Matthew reading - Jesus was concerned about bearing fruit - the religious leaders were not, like the parable of the talents what had been given to them was going to be taken away and given to those who would bear fruit. And Jesus tells us in John's gospel only those who abide in him will bear fruit - Its all about Jesus. His completed work,His words, His spirit and His glory.
OT thoughts for today
Job 26: God’s transcendence is described clearly by Job to great detail (vs 6 – 14)
Rahab is mentioned again (Job 26:12), and then I remembered Richard’s query in reference to Rahab. Google investigation on ‘Rahab’ reveals:
1.In Hebrew tradition, Rahab is or was the angel of insolence and pride, responsible for shaking the waters and producing big waves; he is also responsible for the roaring of the sea. According to some sources, he was the guardian angel of Egypt, a position often designated to other angels such as Belial, Mastema, Samael, and Uzza. Rahab represents Chaos in ancient texts such as the Bible.
2.In Psalm 89:9-10 God's triumph over Rahab is made clear. The Psalmist praises God saying, "You rule the raging of the sea and still the surging of its waves. You have crushed Rahab of the deep with a deadly wound."
3.The difference between Rahab and Tannin is unclear in Jewish literature
Job 27: 2 Job confirms he is righteous and is sure there is injustice.
Job 27: 11 Job wants to teach us about God’s power
Job 28: 20 – 23, 28 explains the source of wisdom and what wisdom and understanding is.
Job 29 is fantastic tool for those “wish-to-be-righteous” folks out there, including MOI :-)
1. Job 29: 1-6 Job had a blessed relationship with God.
2. Job 29:11 People spoke well of Job
3. Job 29:12 -17 Rescue the poor, fatherless, helpless, widow, blind, lame, needy who had none to assist and broke the fangs of the wicked, snatching victims from their teeth (all seems in line with Isaiah 58:6-9)
NT thoughts:
The two parables signify God’s plan for blessing the human race – sending his prophets, and ultimately his son first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles in an effort to give salvation to all of mankind. Indeed many are called, but few listen and are chosen. (Mathew 22:14)
Holy Trinity Brompton with St Paul, Onslow Square
Hello HTB
Grace and peace
Intercessor Character
Last week we started the book of Job. This is one of the most wonderfull books I've been reading about intercession.
(Job 1:5)
"So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them all, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts."... ."
Who ever has called by God to be an Intercessor, has to know that is going to face the anger of the devil, the evil paths of this world and the unholiness of his/her own nature.
The Intercessor has to live with God grace to confront, grace to be a worrier, to be humble, grace to accept rejection, emptiness, loneliness, grace to be honest and search holiness and grace to worship Him watching his Mighty hand.
I will not encourage every single person to be an Intercessor, but I will urged every single person on the planet to received and pray for themselves and others at all times.
Now. I will not trying to understand suffering, but I will trying to understand the person who is suffering. At the age of six I got an infection that almost kill me. At the age of ten my clothes were in flames. At the age of fourteen my parenths separated. At the age of eighteen I was a play-boy and in my earlies twenties I was tied of being a good student/son/friend, I was tied of beeing a good dancer/lover. The problem with me was that nobody talk me that when you achieve something. you need to have convictions and values, otherwise a big hole is waiting for you.
But one day I found Jesus Christ the beloved son of God; and He gave me Redention, Reconciliation and Restauration. That is topic for the next week.
For now I can say what Job said in 12:3
The love of God be upon us. God bless you.
Cornerstone Bible Fellowship, Bermuda
Jose - I love what you said in your comment above - "I will not try to understand suffering, but I will try to understand the person who is suffering". That is a true lesson to me from reading about how Job's friends dealt with the matter of consoling Job. It is so like us to think that the sufferer wants an immediate explanation for his suffering. NO. The sufferer wants above all for his suffering to end quickly but he also wants consolation and comfort in the midst of the suffering.
I am in awe at Job's comments in Job 28. In spite of the lengths and depths that man may go through in uncovering the treasures of the deep, yet, man is unable to discover wisdom or uncover understanding. We may search the heights and depths of the universe, or as Captain Kirk could say, bravely go where no man has gone before, yet Wisdom remains elusive and transcendent until we return to the Lord. Indeed, the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and to shun evil is understanding.
Holy Trinity Brompton with St Paul, Onslow Square
Psalm 18:16-17 speaks of God rescuing David from his troubles, and verse 18 (slightly outside today's reading) talks of God's support to David. My Bible commentary highlighted that though we wish that God would quickly rescue us from our troubles, it's good to remember that He can either deliver us or be our support as we go through them. I don't know about you but I tend to always want the former (rescuing)! Good to be reminded that God doesn't always rescue us, sometimes for reasons He chooses not to reveal, but He is always with us in whatever we face.
Also in reading the Psalm today I read on to v19, which was particularly special for me, as it says "He brought me out into a spacious place." This was an encouragement I had recently received during a hard time (the "bad news" mentioned in yesterday's post in fact) and I felt it was something God was saying he would do for me in the future. At the time I didn't know it was from the Bible, but it encouraged me and it's been something I've held on to and look forward to seeing unfold. So coming across it as a verse in these readings was quite something!
Holy Trinity Brompton with St Paul, Onslow Square
Here I am jumping in at just before midnight - will type fast so I can get it in before Cinderella Hour. Obviously the Wedding Banquet parable is spiritual, i.e. that we should approach God's banquet with the right spiritual mindframe (if spirit/mind isn't an anomaly or whatever - can't stop to think what, as midnight approaching when entries aren't included any more). However, it's always got me that Jesus says how the king first of all is so expansive, inviting beggars on street corners to come in; then, when they're in, he orders some of them to be "tied hand and foot, thrust outside into the darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth" etc. when he'd ASKED them in and presumably because they're beggars they can't buy or quickly borrow wedding clothes. Not only that, he asked them, "How did you get in here?" when actually I think he should have asked his guards that question if question there were. I'm quite sure that if I were listening to Jesus telling that parable, he'd say it in a way that I and the crowd would totally go along with. I feel there must be a verse missing along the lines that they would have been offered wedding clothes but couldn't be bothered to change into them, something like that. At the moment, though, it looks extremely harsh and very unhospitable, to say the least!!! MIDNIGHT IS NOW UPON ME, cried the Lady of Shalott - I'm pressing Send! Lucy x
Holy Trinity Brompton with St Paul, Onslow Square
The Pharisees are a cause of much warning for us today I think. Unfortunately, often the church (in history and today) behaves in the same manner. Here in Matthew they are pictured as unfaithful tenants. If we try to picture the story as from the tenants perspective - what's going on in their minds? How did they ever reach the point of thinking that by killing the master's Son they would get their way? Ultimately, this is how religiosity works: how can I use the master's resources to achieve my own means? What dishonesty and lack of respect to God.
We can use this story to find out when our way of thinking is dangerously close to religiosity. When do i find myself thinking in a similar, destructive thoughts like these men? How often do I put my own agendas in front of God's yet claim or appear to do it in His name?
Holy Trinity Brompton with St Paul, Onslow Square
Wedding clothes
Lucy - my NIV study note has this comment about the wedding clothes which may help:
"It was customary for wedding guests to be given garments to wear to the banquet. It was unthinkable to refuse to wear these garments. That would insult the host, who could only assume that the guest was arrogant and thought he didn't need these garments, or that he did not want to take part in the wedding celebration. The wedding clothes picture the righteousness needed to enter God's kingdom - the total acceptance in God's eyes that Christ gives every believer. Christ has provided this garment of righteousness for everyone, but each person must choose to put it on in order to enter the King's banquet (eternal life). There is an open invitation, but we must be ready. For more on the imagery of clothes of righteousness and salvation, see Psalm 132:16; Isaiah 61:10; Zecheriah 3:3-5; Revelation 3:4, 5; 19:7, 8."
I'm not sure why there were not guards instructed to stop this man coming in without wedding clothes. Maybe it was a final chance for the man, who once he came in and saw he was inappropriately dressed, could have still even then asked the host to clothe him? Thoughts welcome on this....
Holy Trinity Brompton with St Paul, Onslow Square
Thanks so much, Sarah, that's very helpful indeed! Had been thinking of the worship song, "Come, just as you are, to worship" and thinking how it sat very oddly with this parable! I'm so glad that there was a perfectly good explanation and I don't need to feel indignant any more! Lucy x