The Golden Calf

THE GOLDEN CALF

Hear this word, you cows of Bashan… who oppress the poor, who crush the needy… Amos 4:1

This week we will examine a major theme in the prophetic literature: the day of the Lord. This phrase occurs in nine prophetic books: Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Joel, Obadiah, Zephaniah, Zechariah and Malachi. The first and earliest use of the phrase occurs in the preaching of Amos. Please read Amos 5:18-20.

This day of the Lord has a number of nuances to its meaning, but the overriding emphasis of the term is that of judgment: A day of reckoning with God.

Amos lived and prophesied during the days of Judah’s King Uzziah and Israel’s King Jeroboam II (c. 793-739 B.C.). This was a golden age of prosperity, unknown since the days of Solomon. The Assyrian Empire was unable to continue its rapid expansion and conquest from 780-745 B.C. As a result, a time of peace and prosperity came upon both the northern kingdom (Israel) and the southern kingdom (Judah). This affluence made the Jews both worldly and haughty. They longed for the day of the Lord when God would judge all their enemies, especially Assyria, and usher in an age of Israelite domination over the Gentiles. As a result of this false hope, Israel and Judah failed to see their own sins. As is usual among men, they interpreted economic prosperity as God’s blessings and favor. They were wrong.

Assyria was not in a time of decline but of internal reorganization. It’s zenith as an empire was yet to come. In 754 B.C. a brilliant military leader and governor, Tiglathpileser III, would succeed to the Assyrian throne, and in 722 B.C., he would conquer Israel, scatter its people in the dispersion of his vast empire and subdue Judah to the status of vassal state. The worst was on the horizon, but only Amos could see it.

Amos compares the women of Israel to the “cows of Bashan” (4:1), a rich pasture-land northeast of Galilee. These bovines were well-fed, fat and lazy. Hardly a complimentary comparison to the comfortable, affluent and fashionable women of Israel. This would be like a preacher today referring to his hard-bodied, well-heeled, suburban “alpha moms,” fresh out of the Lady Fitness Center, as “fat cows.” Offensive to say the least; offensive, but true.

What was the sin of the “cows of Bashan?” Their materialism had driven their husbands to unethical, greedy and oppressive practices that hurt the poor. Their wives’ dainties were purchased at the expense of a poor man’s family.

This is nearly impossible for conservative, well-to-do, middle-class Christians to accept. But the facts cannot be argued with: In America, the gap between the rich and the poor widens every year, and the middle class of workers is both shrinking and laden down with taxes and inflation. The “haves” deny this; the ”have-nots” know this for a fact. Truly, this was perhaps the one overarching reason the majority of Americans––white and black, urban and rural––threw out the Republicans and elected President Obama.

The church is not in the business of the redistribution of wealth. The church traffics in truth, and the truth seems painfully obvious to all except “the Israel of God,” the Church (Galatians 6:16). Our prosperity cannot be acquired at the cost of those who work for us being unable to afford medical coverage. Low wages for workers and excessive packages for executives are sin. Second wives cannot join the country club with dues paid for by their husbands’ truancy in paying his first wife her alimony and child support, leaving her and his kids impoverished.

The Bible presents the principles upon which capitalism is based as the path to prosperity. But runaway, irresponsible, consumerist capitalism is our Golden Calf. “What the market can bear” may be the law of Adam Smiths’s “invisible hand” in economics, but it is certainly neither the law nor hand of God. Our economic collapse may well be the day of the Lord for us. A dark day. A day to listen to what the Lord of the Nations has to say about our money.

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

AC: Pray for the members of the Administrative Committee as they meet on June 16th, that they will have wisdom and discernment in the decisions they make, especially relating to the work of the Assembly.

CTS: Pray for energy and faith for Covenant Seminary’s faculty of pastor-scholars as they teach in the classroom, in local churches and around the world, and that the Lord will use their experience, knowledge and wisdom to edify, enrich and encourage their students.

MTW: Ask God to bless the PCA with an increased burden of and love for prayer, including prayer for missions and missionaries. . RUM: Please pray for RUF to effectively serve and provide pastoral care to covenant students on their university campuses. Pray that Reformed University Fellowship’s desire to build Christ’s church will be made manifest through teaching students the importance of belonging to the body of believers. Pray that the RUF graduates will quickly root themselves in a church.

RBI: Patience is a great virtue for the staff at RBI. They often work long hours and serve many people, some of whom are struggling with problems and anxious about life. Please pray for patience for the RBI staff.

The Rising Tide

THE RISING TIDE

Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold toward the east. Ezekiel 47:1

A few years ago, when I was living in Jackson, Mississippi, a friend gave me a book by John Barry, titled Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America. The book records the devastating and revolutionary effect the Mississippi flood of 1927 had on not just the Old South but the nation as well.

First, it crushed once and for all the old Delta plantation society. Second, it altered the balance of economic and political power in the capital city of the Mississippi, New Orleans. Third, it led to the mass exodus of almost a million African Americans to the West and North. Fourth, it reshaped the Democratic Party and ushered in the welfare state approach to racial relations. Finally, it taught America one costly lesson: The mighty Mississippi could never be controlled but, at best, channeled.

In Ezekiel 47, the prophet receives yet another vision from God. Out from under the altar of the heavenly temple, there issues forth a trickling stream of clear, fresh water. As Ezekiel wades in it, this trickle becomes a brook, then a stream, then a canal, and finally a river so deep and broad that it could not be forded by man. Along its banks were trees whose fruit never falls nor leaves ever wither (See Revelation 22:1-5). This river is full of fish and fishermen. And wherever the river flows, two things happen: Life springs forth and what is polluted becomes crystal clear.

Here is another picture of revival and great awakening, much like that of Ezekiel 34:25-31 or 37:1-14. David J. Reimer comments in the footnotes of the English Standard Version Study Bible: “This aspect of the vision coheres with 34:25-31 in affirming that renewal is not just moral and does not just come to people but affects the entire natural world” (p. 1576).

What few people realize is how deep, how powerful and how swift the Mississippi River is at the bottom of its channel. The “Ole Black Water” seems to lazily make its way downstream. As the Broadway song says, “Ole Man River, he just keeps rolling along.” Don’t be fooled. At the bottom of the Mississippi River, no man can stand and very few diving vessels can go. The River moves almost one million cubic feet of silt per second! In the 1927 flood, it pushed 3 million cubic feet of earth along, per second, by means of a 100-foot wall of water. This Rising Tide shows forth the awesome power of its Creator and Guide.

So does the Gospel stream of mission: It appears at the surface to lope along slowly. But where no man can go and no instrument may measure, it carves deep into people groups, cultures, nations and the flow of world history. The rising tide of the Spirit of God is changing the world before our very eyes.

Every so often it overflows its banks––the “normal” way the Spirit chooses to work––and breaks out in a divine flood of grace and a spiritual wall of power. It sweeps everything before it. We call this Revival. No one can manufacture it. No method of man can control it. No time can predict it. But when the tide rises and the waters of grace flow over our normal limits, amazing things happen. The world itself is changed!

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

CEP: Please pray for the youth ministry volunteers around the country. They are the backbone of youth ministry and often work without recognition (if you have ever taught Jr. Boys Sunday School then you know what I mean). Also include the hundreds of PCA churches without paid youth staff, and the men and women who are leading the Sunday School programs, youth groups, discipleship groups, retreats and summer trips on a volunteer basis.

CC: Please pray that the Admissions Office staff will accurately and effectively portray the distinctiveness of a Covenant education to prospective students and their parents.

MNA: Please pray for our PCA Military personnel and the chaplains who minister to them. Pray also for the military families who are making a great sacrifice for our freedom, particularly with the multiple extended deployments.

PCAF: Pray that the PCAF brochures we have distributed to all PCA churches will be effective in communicating to the church members our services and ministry.

RH: Pray for Steve Cobb as he assumes additional responsibility for the day-to-day operations of Ridge Haven during the Executive Director Search process.

THE DAY OF THE LORD

The Valley Of Dry Bones

THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES

Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, “O Lord, God, you know.” Ezekiel 37:3

In a book by the title of Revive Us Again: The Reawakening of American Fundamentalism, Joel A. Carpenter examines the revivalism and hope for national revival that both inspired and changed American Fundamentalism into modern Evangelicalism, under the influence of Billy Graham and the “new evangelicals” in the first half of the 20^th century. Carpenter dismisses the hope for national revival in his conclusion to the book:

Here was a mythic understanding of revival that could never be fulfilled across a vast and variegated modern nation like the mid-century United States. Over the next generation America’s secular pundits would discern one national crisis after another and call repeatedly for national renewal. Perhaps the dream of a great and sweeping revival would continue to elude them. But they had been revived and, to a certain extent, rehabilitated as well.²¹

Many evangelical Christians would be put off by Carpenter’s assessment. I am. The vastness and the variety characterizing the American Church and culture have little to do with the possibility of revival or great awakening. The proof of that is Ezekiel 37:1-14.

This small pericope is certainly the most famous of all the parables, visions and prophecies of Ezekiel. Its popularity must certainly reside in the dramatic picture presented here. God had promised Israel a new land, a new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 36:22-38). In the discouragement and dismay of the exiles in Babylon, Israel would certainly ask, “How can this ever be possible again?” God answers in this vision.

He takes Ezekiel, the one He calls repeatedly “son of man,” in a vision, to the remains of an old battleground. Perhaps this valley of dry bones is the scene of Israel’s cataclysmic defeat at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar’s Chaldean army. You’ve read this story: “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel is non-committal: “O Lord God, you know.”

God tells Ezekiel to preach––three times: “Prophesy over these bones…prophesy to the breath (spirit)…prophesy and say to them…” So Ezekiel preaches. What he preaches we are not told, but he speaks God’s word to the dead as if they were alive. And God’s promise to them is powerful and precise. Please read Ezekiel 37:14.

It is after all, you see, not the condition of the nation, not the vastness or plurality of the society or the deadness of the culture, church or soul that matters. The essential element in revival of the Church and great awakening of the nation is the Spirit of God.

In 1840, a number of ministers of the Church of Scotland delivered a series of lectures on the subject of the revival of religion. Alexander Moody Stuart, pastor of St. Luke’s Church in Edinburg, spoke of the work of the Holy Spirit in the revival of religion. He opened his message with these words:

In the revival of the work of God there are two effects of the Spirit which we would mention at the outset of our discourse: He enables ministers to preach with far more than ordinary power, and the people to hear with far more than ordinary perception.²²

There is the explanation of the miracle of Ezekiel 37 and the supernatural providence seen in great awakenings. God’s Spirit enables pastors to preach with life-giving power not common to their ministries. At the same time, He enables the spiritually dull and the spiritually dead to hear God’s Word as never before. The result is new life, just as Jesus said it would be: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life” (John 6:63).

Some may give up on the hope of revival in our land and in our time and call it “a mythic understanding of revival.” But even the most dubious Christian cannot dismiss the surprising power of the Holy Spirit to “revive us again” (Psalm 85:6). We hope in the Lord, and “The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17). The power and freedom to revive us again.

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

AC: Rejoice with us in the Lord’s goodness to all the Committees and Agencies for the oversight and leadership provided by the various boards.

CTS: Pray for Bob Burns, Covenant Seminary’s dean of lifelong learning and director of the Center for Ministry Leadership (CML); Anthony Bradley, director of the Francis A. Schaeffer Institute (FSI); and their staffs as they seek to help both experienced pastors and future church leaders grow in their ability to engage the world compassionately but courageously with the Gospel so that our churches and culture might be renewed and transformed.

MTW: A continual need on the field is for teaching elders who can mentor, train and provide theological education in order for new churches to mature and expand. Pray that more of these men will consider God’s call to the mission field.

RUM: Please pray that presbyteries will desire to begin new campus works in the West, the Northeast and the Midwest and that existing works in these frontier regions of the PCA will remain strong. Pray that the process will go smoothly and that churches in these presbyteries will join in providing financial support.

RBI: A Core Value of RBI is service to others, and the RBI staff members work closely with each other in serving PCA churches. Please pray for quality servant hearts in assisting each other.

A Tale Of Two Sisters

A TALE OF TWO SISTERS

Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother. They played the whore. Ezekiel 23:1

In Ezekiel 23:1-49, the prophet presents a parable about two sisters. Their names are Oholah (“my tent”), and she is Israel (the Northern Kingdom), and Oholibah (“my tent is in her”), and she is Judah (the Southern Kingdom). They come from one mother: Judaism. They are presented as two young girls in adolescence who live in Egypt. There they were fondled and lost their virginity in a lifestyle of fornication. God takes them to Himself, marries them both and teaches them a new way of life. But whoredom is deep within their souls. The older sister (Israel) runs off to live with Assyria in spiritual adultery. Little sister (Judah) has an affair with Assyria but then goes and settles into a life of fornication with Babylon. Both lovers abuse, rape and plunder these two sisters. The tale is a sad one; the parable is poignant with implications.

How we transfer the parable to our time may be debatable. Are the two sisters European Christianity and her little sister American Christianity, both enamored and in bed with postmodernity? Or should we think of Roman Catholicism and her sister Protestantism, both given over to neo-orthodoxy in different but similar ways? Or perhaps, if we keep things closer to home in America, Oholah is the mainline church and Oholibah is Evangelicalism, once very distinct and different, but now both violated by worldliness. Even more provocative: Can we see two generations in the Presbyterian Church in America struggling with how to be as much like the culture as possible without getting obviously pregnant with apostasy?

Even to write (or read) of such things seems, well…inappropriate, does it not? But I, for one, cannot see this parable merely as an historical commentary on the decline of the divided monarchy from Solomon to Zedekiah. I’d love to do so, but Paul won’t let me. Please read 1 Cor. 10:11-15.

Sisters have the tendency to dress alike, act alike, date alike, and even marry alike. Therefore, it would be a good exercise to think through who lovely Oholah and her pretty little sister, Oholibah, are for us. They may be headed for a life of heartbreak and shame.

Vince Melamed and Gary Barnhill have written a Country/Western song, sung by Trisha Yearwood, called “Walkaway Joe.” It’s about a 17-year-old girl who, against her mother’s wishes and advice, runs off with a no-good boy, into a life of sadness. Here’s the song, in part:

Momma told her baby, girl take it real slow

Girl told her momma hey I really gotta go

He’s waitin’ in the car Momma said girl you won’t get far

Thus are the dreams of an average Jane

Ninety miles an hour down a lovers lane

On a tank of dreams

Oh if she could’ve only seen

But fate’s got cards that it don’t want to show

And that boy’s just

A walkaway Joe

We’ve seen this sad story a dozen times, it seems, in our neighborhoods. We know of cases like it in our own families. But is it possible that Evangelicalism in America (and maybe the PCA) is flirting with ole Walkaway Joe? Let us pray to God that this not be so.

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

CEP: Pray that the enemy will be thwarted at every point as he tries to steal our covenant children from their purpose in Christ’s Kingdom.

CC: Please pray for students who are struggling with personal issues thatprevent them from functioning at their greatest potential in a rigorous academic program.

MNA: Please pray for continued protection for our deployed military chaplains. We praise God that we have not had any of our chaplains seriously injured or killed. Many of them are ministering in very dangerous places, and we have had several near misses. Pray for Doug Lee as he leads MNA Chaplain Ministries.

PCAF: Pray that as the PCA Foundation cultivates relationships with prospective donors, God will be glorified and He will move them to take advantage of our services.

RH: Pray for Steve Cobb, Guest Services Manager, as he takes, processes and responds to all reservations and assists with camper registrations. Steve also has responsibility for oversight of all of the housekeeping staff and procedures. Pray for continued good health and strength, especially during those times when the housekeeping staff is rushed to provide for hundreds of people with less than eight-hour turnaround times.

The City Of Blood

THE CITY OF BLOOD

And you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Ezekiel 22:2

Ezekiel 22:1-31 is the classic prophetic text. It seems as if all the woes and sins of Israel are summarized and surveyed in this one chapter. All that the other prophets spoke about prior to the exile are summarized once more by Ezekiel: bloodshed, idolatry, ritual impurity, sexual immorality, oppression of the poor, Sabbath-breaking, extortion, profaning of holy things (irreligion or impiety), contempt for authority, false prophecy, corrupted priesthood and incompetent leadership.

This is a picture of the ripple effects of turning away from God; this is the corruption and ruin of the city of man. It begins with personal sins of omission and backsliding. This affects families and communities (vv. 7, 8). Then the religious community (the church) is defiled. Finally, the “City” (society) is torn by anarchy and violence. The basic parameters set forth in Genesis 1 and 2 are deconstructed and “the way of Cain” (Genesis 4) results in human misery.

These realities are not just perceived by the deeply spiritual or the faithful church people in our nation. They form the very bedrock of human society: Our covenant with one another as a people. On January 6, 1941, just two month after his election to the Presidency and one year prior to entrance into World War II by the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered his most famous speech. It was his State of the Union Address before the assembled government. In this address, FDR outlined what has now become part of the American mystique. What he said is now part of the American psyche and has become known as “The Four Freedoms.” Here are his actual words:

In the future days which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression –everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way— everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want, which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants—everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear, which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor —anywhere in the world. That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation. That kind of world is the very antithesis of the so-called “new order” of tyranny which the dictators seek to create with the crash of a bomb. To that new order we oppose the greater conception —the moral order.²⁰

These four freedoms have been immortalized in four paintings by Norman Rockwell. Freedom of speech is depicted by a New England working man standing to speak his mind in a town hall meeting. Freedom of worship is pictured by the busts of four or five people of different faiths all bowed in prayer. Freedom from want is portrayed as a Thanksgiving dinner with grandparents serving three generations assembled around a table of the traditional turkey dinner. And Freedom from Fear is artistically rendered as a mom and dad checking on their children, sound asleep and safely in their bed. They are heart rending, tender and vivid pictures of the common blessings of grace.

Do we stretch the point of Ezekiel 22 by imposing on it a president’s speech and an artist’s imagination? I think not. As the people of God pursue God’s Will and try to apply God’s Word to all of life––community life, commerce, church and family––all of society is blessed. Why else would Jesus refer to us as “salt and light?” Surely not merely for evangelistic purposes! Indeed, the apostle Paul wrote to Titus that such pursuit of God’s Will and Word was good for all men, women and children in society. Please read Titus 3:8.

As the Church goes, so goes the City. Hence the admonition of King Solomon: “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain; unless the Lord watches over the City, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Psalm 127:1). And Jeremiah tells the exiles in Babylon: “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jeremiah 29:7).

If the City becomes “the bloody city” then it is only because the Church has become unclean. As the Church is repentant, revived, and reformed, the City is restored to God’s grace and blessing. As the Church goes so goes the City.

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

AC: Many of our General Assembly Committees and Agencies will be meeting during these days of prayer in preparation for the Assembly. Ask that these committees will accomplish their work with effectiveness and efficiency.

CTS: Pray for students in Covenant Seminary’s Master of Arts in Counseling (MAC) program as they prepare to bring the hope of the Gospel to troubled people and hurting families; may they be a means of grace to the broken-hearted.

MTW: Pray for Paul Kooistra, MTW coordinator. Ask God to give him wisdom, insight and encouragement.

RUM: Please pray for the Coordinator for Reformed University Ministries, Rod Mays. Pray for wisdom and direction in his leadership of RUM as he seeks to assist the presbyteries and churches in providing college ministry for the PCA.

RBI: Please pray for the spiritual growth of RBI staff members as they are challenged in their faith while serving in their various jobs.

The Soul Who Sins Shall Die

THE SOUL WHO SINS SHALL DIE

Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die. Ezekiel 18:4

People often argue with God about justice and mercy. Israel did, and they had a proverb that God said was wrong: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge” (v. 2). In other words, the father’s sin and the children are unjustly punished.

We can understand Israel’s confusion. God had said elsewhere in Scripture that the sins of the parents would cause the children to suffer:

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

(Exodus 20:4-6)

Please note carefully what God said. First, the dire consequences of our sins affect others, especially our children, who are shaped by our sinful patterns and harmed by our sinful lifestyles. Second, this applies to people who hate God––who reject Him in unbelief. They leave their children only a legacy of Christlessness. Third, the bad results are mercifully limited by God––three or four generations; whereas righteousness goes on for “thousands” who follow after. The gist: our godless ways harm our descendants.

There is no contradiction between Exodus 20:4-6 and Ezekiel 18. Here is why: Sin has its dire consequences, but every person––fathers and sons––is judged on the basis of his own conduct. Israel did not like this principle.

They said to God: “If a man sins, he and his family should be punished.” God responded, “No. Only the soul (individual) who sins will die. The Father dies for his sins; the son dies for his sins, but no one dies for another’s sins…except Christ.”

Israel then said, “What if a man starts out good and ends up bad?” Answer: The man dies for how he ends his life. And so do his children. Conversely, if he starts out bad, repents and ends up good, he will be spared. Israel said, “Lord, you’re being duplicitous; you’re not just.” God countered, “No! You are the ones who are not just. I give people a second chance––a chance to repent, an opportunity to break a parent’s sinful pattern, a lifetime to finish well. It would be unmerciful never to factor in repentance, and it would be unjust to punish junior for Dad’s sins.” It’s hard to argue with God’s logic.

The things God says in Ezekiel 18 bear out in real life. Compare, if you will, two families. In 1677, an immoral man married a fornicating woman. From them came 1,900 descendents. Of these, 771 were criminals, 250 were arrested for various crimes, 60 were thieves, and 39 were murderers. They spent a total of 1,300 years behind bars and cost the state of New York $3 million!

In the same era, in 1728, a godly young pastor married the daughter of a pastor. Her father was the founder of Yale University and his father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all Puritan ministers. This young couple produced 1,344 descendants. Of these, 186 became ministers, 86 were state senators, 3 were congressmen, 30 were judges, a number were either college professors or presidents, and one (Aaron Burr) became Vice President of the United States. I write, of course, about the descendents of Jonathan and Sarah Edwards.

Underlying this great reality of fathers and sons is the great power of grace. Twice in this passage, God says: “Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? ... For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live” (vv. 23, 32). God’s grace, through repentance, can change one man’s legacy into that of another man’s blessing. All it takes is for the Gospel to penetrate one life––one son, one granddaughter, one descendent of a broken family. The results can be revolutionary––to thousands who follow after. Such is the power of God’s grace to fathers and sons.

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

CEP: Pray for our children. Pray that they will become leaders in a revival in Jesus’ church, in our culture and in the world.

CC: Please pray for all of our students and especially thosestudents undecided on a major and/or vocational direction to pursue. Pray that God will provide wise counsel to examine God’s calling in their life, and to encourage students to investigate majors and vocations that complement that calling.

MNA: Mapping out an itinerary for the summer months is always a huge and exciting challenge for MNA Native American/First Nations Ministries. Pray that God will give clear direction and open doors to serve and to expand and develop the ministry.

PCAF: Ask God to bring to the PCA Foundation new individuals and families who would benefit from our ministry and services.

RH: Pray for Larry Kramer, the Ridge Haven Accounting Manager, as he gives special direction to the management of Ridge Haven finances. Much wisdom and careful stewardship is needed both to honor the Lord and to provide an appropriate accountability of Ridge Haven to many people.

Jackals Among Ruins

JACKALS AMONG RUINS

Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel. Ezekiel 13:4

On August 26, 2008, Dr. Mike Milton, President of Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) in Charlotte, North Carolina, delivered a message at the Convocation of RTS to start this academic year. His message was taken from Ezekiel 13:1-5; it was titled “Jackals Among Ruins.” Dr. Milton spoke of a “quiet killer” that was taking the lives of millions of Americans: false preachers.

These preachers are like those of Ezekiel’s day who taught what was in their own spirit rather than that which is in God’s Word. My friend, Mike Milton, describes these failing preachers this way:

The quiet killer of ministry is preaching and teaching the things that are not of God and His Word. The quiet killer of ministry is putting our efforts into causes and movements that do not promote what saves people. When we have neglected the ordinary means of grace, then our churches are weakened, the unconverted neglected and the Great Commission ignored. In short, our people will fall into ruin. The leaders of such churches will become like jackals among those ruins. Few would deny that Western secularized Europe, Britain and—sadly we must add—the United States, look like the spiritual ruins of a bygone faith. Today we know of scandals and scandalous spiritual leaders who are jackals among the ruins.¹⁹

Why was God so concerned about these bogus prophets? Well, besides dishonoring God and lying in His name, they had not prepared the people for “the day of the Lord” (v. 5). Later in his prophecy, Ezekiel would define what this “day of the Lord” would be. Please read Ezekiel 30:1-4.

God would say: “On that day, messengers shall go out from me in ships to terrify the unsuspecting people.” (Ezekiel 30:9).

Let’s be candid: Who wants a ministry like that? We are told today that “the Gospel” needs to be preached, not fire ’n brimstone! By that, pundits mean only a message of personal forgiveness and assurance in Christ. It seems that we are told by some that grace that justifies us is enough; we need not expect to be sanctified. I may be odd, but I am neither comforted nor encouraged by that message. That, to me, is not good news.

What if the Gospel were about the Kingdom of God? What if the good news was about something far, far beyond me and more significant than my little life? What if the Gospel were about something larger than life, greater than self and lasting forever? What if the Gospel taught me to worry less about self and more about “the day of the Lord”?

What if the Gospel actually set me free (Galatians 5:1, 13) to ignore myself and focus my life on the Great Cause of Christ?

Herein lies the glory of our witness: We are called to lift up the hearts and heads of bowed and bewildered sinners and help them gaze upon the horizon where they might catch a glimpse of the City of God––their ultimate destiny and eternal home.

If I preach only what is in my own heart and spirit, then I preach a psychological version of the Gospel that devolves into an evangelical self-help message. Instead of using techniques of positive thinking, I merely turn grace into a baptized method to cope with the reality that the world is dying and the “day of the Lord” is nearer than it was yesterday, while I remain unchanged. This is not the Gospel of Jesus, the Gospel of the Kingdom.

And if I preach that way, Mike Milton and Ezekiel are correct, I become a jackal among ruins. I live like a scavenger among the fallen glory of a once-great civilization, a churlish coyote of a man, unequal to the heroic task of calling God’s people away from Babylon to the City of God.

Prophets were never popular. Preachers of the Kingdom are not much better received. Pastors who stroke the sheep while the world collapses around them are usually well-liked. But in the end, they whimper and growl among the ruins of the world (1 John 2:15-17). How much more noble and necessary it is for us to have men who will prepare us for that inevitable Day of the Lord.

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

AC: Pray for wisdom for each of the members of the Nominating Committee, that they will be sensitive to the needs of each Committee and Agency as they work to propose a slate of names for election by the General Assembly.

CTS: Pray for staff members who work behind the scenes to assist with the mission of Covenant Seminary—especially for those in the Admissions, Financial Aid and Registration offices—that they will serve students with respect, wisdom and a clear love for Christ.

MTW: Pray God will use MTW’s church resourcing team to serve PCA churches and help strengthen their missions ministries.

RUM: Please pray for the Atlanta-based office staff of Reformed University Ministries as they provide administrative support to the 117 campuses across the country. Pray that they will have fresh encounters with Jesus as they serve behind the scenes.

RBI: Please pray for all RBI staff members as they pursue continuing education, enhancing insurance products, plan administration, counseling, communication and financial skills in order to serve the PCA.

The Glory Has Departed

THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED

Then the glory of the Lord went out from the threshold of the house. Ezekiel 10:18

Do you think if God was suddenly missing anyone would notice? I mean, if God just left us, was not around anymore, couldn’t be found in our world, do you think people would recognize His absence? Sounds silly, doesn’t it? But that is precisely what happened to Israel in the Old Testament: God’s presence left the Temple and no one noticed for quite awhile!

Think of it. In the wilderness the “Presence” always went before Israel. We call it the Shekinah Glory––that theophany of God in which the preincarnate Son of God was present with Israel in the wilderness. He was a pillar of fire by night and of smoke by day (Exodus 13:21-22). Later, when Moses constructed the Tabernacle, that Shekinah Glory filled the tent of meeting, coming eventually to rest, like a small tornado-shaped pillar of fire and smoke on the Ark of the Covenant, in the Holy of Holies (Exodus 40:34-38). When Solomon built his magnificent Temple, that Glory of the Presence of God came to rest upon the Ark of the Covenant once more (1 Kings 8:10-11).

For over eight centuries, the Presence of God would abide with His people, in His Temple. But when Israel and Judah had backslidden to such an abominable state that idol worship, temple prostitution and infant sacrifice were incorporated into the religion of Israel, God decided to leave.

When this catastrophic event took place, we do not know. Ezekiel 8-11 is a vision or a dream. Yet it portrays an actual event: The exit of the Shekinah Glory from the Temple of the Lord, probably just prior to 605 B.C. and the fall of Jerusalem. I say this because in 605 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar carried off some of the Temple vessels, something he could never have done had the Son of God still been present in the Holy of Holies.

Can you imagine the horror and sense of loss Israel felt when this happened? As Nebuchadnezzar’s army surrounded Jerusalem, King Jehoiakim would have ordered the priests to go and fetch the Ark. God would fight for them. As the High Priest pulled back the curtain and as the priests prepared to insert the poles into the Ark of the Covenant and carry God to another victory…no presence! No Shekinah Glory! No pillar of fire and smoke! Gone! God was gone and no one had noticed!

Strange as it may seem, this happens again and again in churches in America. The Holy Spirit, Christ’s presence with us, departs. Why? Oh, it could be due to theological apostasy, incessant grieving and quenching the Spirit through disunity and unholiness, or simply because He is no longer preeminent in our lives. We have slowly, subtly come to worship the gods of our culture. Or, worse yet, we have invented a new Christ who is much, much easier to live with. The church (denomination) now operates in its own power, with its own stock of resources, and by its own wisdom. God simply withdraws…quietly, unnoticed, deeply grieved. He warned us: “I will not share my glory with another.” We just didn’t believe Him.

Patrick Morley warns us that there are always two Christs out there on the religious landscape: The Jesus we’d like to exist and the Jesus of the Bible. Tell me, which Jesus is at your church? Really? You say, “Oh, the second, of course; the real Jesus!” And I ask you, “Have you checked recently to see if He’s still there?” Maybe you’d better go peek behind the veil.

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

CEP: Pray that CEP through all of its training and resources will strategically assist local churches in teaching and modeling a biblically Reformed world and life view that will result in members being intentionally missional in all of life.

CC: Pray that God will prepare the hearts and minds of the incoming new students as theyprepare to begin the college experience and that God will protect the incoming students from the temptations that come with the new freedoms of being away from home. Pray that He will enable them to use their time wisely during this first year and that He will help them grow to new depths in their relationship with Him in the context of new acquaintances, greater independence as the body of Christ and living obediently to the Word of God.

MNA: Pray for MNA Native American/First Nations Ministries, led by Bruce Farrant. Pray that we in the PCA will seek a deeper awareness of the vast differences between Native culture and mainstream American thinking.

PCAF: Ask God to continue to bless current donors to the PCA Foundation and help them in their stewardship of His resources.

RH: Please pray for the Ridge Haven search for a new Operations Director and Development Director. Pray that that the Lord will give success, enabling these individuals to move into positions and responsibilities quickly.

The Fast That God Chooses

THE FAST THAT GOD CHOOSES

Is this not the fast that I choose? Isaiah 58:6

Fasting is a strange thing. It is a lost discipline in a gluttonous age of self-consump-tion. But according to God, it is a mark of true religion. Of course, it must be the right kind of fasting––the kind God chooses. Isaiah 58:1-14 sets forth in clear, even confrontational, language what kind of fasting God likes. It involves two things.

First, it is a fast that benefits the poor and starves the flesh from the consumption of goods and services (Isaiah 58:1-12). To be deeply religious while we ignore issues of justice, mercy and benevolence is offensive to our God. The Church that can live comfortably in the American brand of capitalism, where the gap between rich and poor is ever widening, where the working class and middle class bear increasing tax burdens but see less and less relief, where common folks can’t afford health care or health insurance, where Social Security and retirement funds are consumed by overpaid, dishonest financial executives and squandered by government raids on public savings, is not the religion with which God is comfortable. Somewhere along the line, the Christian must ask, “How much is enough, and how can I help to change the system and provide for the poor?” Sound radical? It is. Sound un-American? It once was not.

Second, this fast God chooses is a fast from busyness and recreation through the observance of the Sabbath Day (Sunday; Isaiah 58:13-14). Life is made up of two precious but limited commodities—money and time, and the latter may well be most in short supply. To rob God of His day of worship and your soul of its day of rest is as sinful as to rob the poor of their daily bread. Isaiah 58:13-14 calls us to do three things with every Sunday we have in the brevity of our lives:

• To honor the day as sacred and set it aside for the corporate and public worship of God
• To delight in the Lord’s Day and see it as a happy blessing, not a burdensome duty
• To refrain from our work and from worldly recreations that pull our souls back into the world and away from the Kingdom of God

I must be frank: I am deeply troubled by the way the majority of our PCA Churches no longer have Sunday evening worship services, and all the ministers who declare Chapter 21 of The Westminster Confession of Faith (“Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath”) as an exception in their views. Whatever happened to fasting from sports, restaurants, shopping malls and yard work on the Lord’s Day?

Perhaps the consumption of time, which ravages our souls, is rooted in the same sin that causes us to consume goods and services to everyone’s detriment. Could it be greed? The coveting of more things (even the poor man’s things) and more time (even God’s one day a week) is the double-root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Think about it.

I believe that Isaiah is unpacking what James summarizes as “pure and undefiled religion:”

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and

widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. (James 1:27)

When we give to the poor, spend less and tithe more, save rather than consume and fast from feeding the greedy soul with more stuff, we are able to “visit (care for) widows and orphans (the poor) in their affliction.” And when we take a genuine day off, attend worship at church morning and evening, and fast from feeding the busy soul with more activities, we are able to “keep oneself unstained by the world.”

God promises us wonderful things if we fast from consumption: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). And He promises us greater things still if we fast from busyness and rest in Him: “I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob, your father” (Isaiah 58:14). And the implications are wonderful. Giving and Sabbath keeping restore the foundations of a good and noble society. That is God’s promise.

And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;

you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;

you shall be called the repairer of the breach,

the restorer of streets to dwell in. (Isaiah 58:12)

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

AC: Pray that the Lord will guard his servants against mistakes in handling the large volume of paperwork necessary to facilitate the Assembly and the other business meetings taking place during the week. Pray also that the technology and equipment used to enhance the flow of business will serve us well!

CTS: Pray for Jimmy Agan, Covenant Seminary’s dean of faculty, as he continues to facilitate deep and rich relationships among the members of the faculty. Pray that each professor will serve the seminary community and the broader church with a humble heart, a spirit of grace and an infectious love for Jesus Christ.

MTW: Pray for MTW’s short-term teams, that their work will be fruitful, and that many short-term workers will respond to the call to long-term missions.

RUM: Please pray for the Interns who are returning to serve for another year on the campus as RUF staff. Pray that they will have a heart for serving others and that they will seek the Lord’s direction as they attend training during the coming months. Please pray for these young men and women, that Jesus and his work will sustain them as they pour themselves out for the sake of the Kingdom.

RBI: RBI employees talk with many PCA pastors and staff who are struggling personally with family and church problems. Pray for the staff to have opportunities to advise and assist.

The Strange Ways Of God

THE STRANGE WAYS OF GOD

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:1-13

When I was a freshman at The Ohio State University, back in 1967-1968, I took as general electives Philosophy 101 and 102. In the second of these two courses our final exam was a unique one. The professor posed to us a dilemma. Here it was: An ocean-liner hit an iceberg and sank. Only five people found their way to a lifeboat: The Pope, a scientist who had just discovered a cure for cancer (not yet revealed), an escaped murderer from a prison and a mother with her newborn infant. Radio contact confirmed that they could not be rescued for five days. But the lifeboat carried only enough water for (1) either five people for three days, or (2) four people for five days. The dilemma was clear. Someone had to go overboard in order to save the rest. Who would it be: Pope? Scientist? Criminal? Mother? Baby? We were to write out our answers with ethical and philosophical reasoning. Our whole quarter grade depended on that one 3,000 word essay.

Isaiah’s message of 55:1-13 places us in the same sort of dilemma. We are faced with thirst, hunger, danger and (eternal) life and death issues. From where shall we gain the answers and reasoning for our life-changing decisions? Isaiah is clear: God’s Word. Indeed, God’s Word will not always seem logical to us; sometimes it will seem even wrong, and always it will stretch our minds and souls. In the end, though, it will always lead to our joy and enrichment.

In 1967, I was still a young Roman Catholic. So the answer to my essay was easy and the rationale was clear. The Pope should volunteer to sacrifice his life for the others. I said, “He should hear the criminal’s confession, baptize the baby, pray for the mother and write his last decree funding the scientist’s published cure for cancer. Then he should say, “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Then pray, slip overboard and die.

The rest of the class came, almost unanimously, to another conclusion: the Pope should absolve the murderer of his sins and then the group should throw him overboard because he was the least “useful” member of society. Only one student in the class got an

A: the Roman Catholic boy.

But my black composition booklet came back with a strange note at the end. It had an F crossed out, then an A beside it, with a note, “See me in my office…ASAP!” When I went to the professor’s office, he told me how much my essay had troubled his soul. Then he said to me, “Why, Sir, are you wasting your life in business school? You should be in Philosophy, Theology or Ethics, not in the business of making money. I loved your answer; I hated your reasoning; I am angry over your choice of careers. I gave you an A…well…because I had to; not because I wanted to.”

He then asked, “Where did you get your ideas?” I said to him, “I think they’re from Jesus Christ.” And he said, “Ahhh, Jesus! That man bothers me, but I can’t help but like him.” I knew not the Gospel then and so I said nothing, took the A grade, and went to get a pizza with my buddies.

Would that I could meet that professor just one more time. He’s likely deceased by now. How wonderful it would have been to read him Isaiah 55:1-13 and then discuss the Gospel with him. To this day, that professor troubles me, but I can’t help but like him. It is my prayer that God’s strange ways found him out and gave him the gift of eternal life: “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace” (Isaiah 55:12).

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

CEP: Pray for the local church, that ministry to our children will be focused on raising a generation of Kingdom disciples. Pray for the repentance of our generation as we have given priority to so many other things before this.

CC: Pray that God will give strength and discernment to the Student Development Team as they seek to create an environment that will assist students in developing life skills and enhance their ability to take personal responsibility for their spiritual growth as intentional learners. Pray that they will have wisdom as they assign roommates, design and implement a vibrant Orientation week and train Resident Directors and Resident Assistants to mentor students and create hall identities.

MNA: Please pray for God to continue to open hearts in the PCA to support MNA Special Needs Ministries financially, prayerfully and personally in their local congregations.

PCAF: Pray that God will work through the PCA Foundation more and more to benefit the other PCA Committees and Agencies.

RH: Pray for the Ridge Haven Board of Directors as they move through the search process for a new Executive Director, and for the Executive Committee as they oversee operations during the process.

A Voice In The Wilderness

A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS

A voice cries: In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord. Isaiah 40:3

Isaiah’s prophecy is divided into three volumes: the Book of the Sovereign (1-39), the Book of the Servant (40-55) and the Book of the Spirit (56-66); three books––Father, Son and Spirit. Isaiah 40:1-11 is the introduction to Isaiah’s second book. This wonderful passage has been likened to an overture to a great symphony. It introduces all the themes yet to follow in Chapters 40-55: comfort, revelation, incarnation, redemption, the Way of the Lord, the Glory of Christ, the City of God, the Power of the Spirit and the Wonder of Zion’s Savior––the Suffering Servant.

The Evangelists use this text to identify and explain John the Baptist and his ministry (Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:2-3; Luke 3:4-6). Its message could be summarized in Isaiah’s own words: “Behold your God!” (v. 9). In Isaiah “Behold” is a big word. The prophet uses it over 106 times in his three books. What Isaiah wants us to “Behold!” is this:

First, we are to behold the great comfort of God in His redeeming love. Isaiah is “the Gospel prophet” above all others. For this reason, he is quoted by Jesus and the Apostles in the New Testament more than anyone else in the Old Testament, except for David and his Psalms. The wonder of redemption is a great theme of Isaiah, especially in Book Two (chapters 40-55).

Second, we are to behold our great God and all His marvelous works. Isaiah asks us again and again: To whom can you compare God? The answer is obvious: No one! Isaiah repeatedly calls Israel to compare and contrast: “Behold your idols…behold your God!” Only the irrational man who is blind would choose the works of wood, stone and metal over the Living God.

Third, Isaiah calls us to behold God’s servant, the special Suffering Servant, whom the Gospels identify as Jesus Christ. Indeed, and most surprisingly, this is the theme of Isaiah: Servanthood. John Oswalt says this about Isaiah:

It is my conviction that the overarching theme of the book of Isaiah is servanthood. Of course this point of view is explicit in chs. 40-55, but I am convinced that it is implicit in all the others and forms the thread which binds the book together. God has called all people, but particularly his own people, to lay down their self-exaltation and be dependent upon him, to become evidence of his character and deliverance in order that the world might know him as he is and thus be delivered from their own destruction.¹⁸

Thus, fourth, Isaiah makes us behold ourselves. The people of Israel were anything but the servants of Jehovah––worshiping idols, given to sin, focused on self, proud, rebellious and worldly. Since men are made in the image of God, once they behold their God, catch a vision of the Servant-Savior, and see the marvel of the divine word and work, they will see themselves as they really are: the servants of God.

God calls Israel “My servant” 14 times in Isaiah. A servant God expects a servant people. Jesus said as much: “Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leaders as the one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at the table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves” (Luke 22:26-27).

There, you see, is the voice of one crying in the wilderness; there is the prophetic message, the word of John: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). The prophet’s song is not really “Thus says the Lord,” or even essentially “Repent for judgment is nigh!” The real voice of God through a prophetic preacher sounds like this: “I stand among you as One who serves. The servant is not greater than the Master. I, your Master, serve you; therefore, you must serve one another. Only in this way will you be able to behold your God!”

Maybe this is really the key that unlocks those wonderful but mysterious Beatitudes. Only the servant of the Kingdom will be blessed, happy, fulfilled. Blessed is the servant of God. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).

Now that is a radical message for a society of consumers and a culture of the self. There is the voice of God in the wilderness: “Behold your Servant God! Behold, then, yourself!”

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

AC: Ask the Lord to grant traveling mercies and security and safety to the Commissioners and their families before, during and after the Assembly.

CTS: Pray for Sean Lucas, Covenant Seminary’s vice president for academics, as he oversees many aspects of the Seminary’s educational mission, including the continuing enhancement of library and other campus resources, and the strengthening of the Seminary’s various outreach ministries.

MTW: Pray for strong relationships on missionary teams and with their national partners in ministry.

RUM: Please pray for all of the RUF Campus Ministers to grow in their personal devotion to Christ. Pray for the wives that support these men. Pray that these families will be rooted in the Gospel and encouraged and strengthened as they give their lives to minister at universities.

RBI: Please pray for the leadership of RBI as they implement the Strategic Plan developed during 2007. The Core Values, Vision Statement and Mission Statement provide a foundation for this plan, so pray RBI will be true to these values and statements as the Strategic Plan are put into practice with the end result of glorifying God and serving His Church.

What God Waits For

WHAT GOD WAITS FOR

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you. Isaiah 30:18

Years ago, I sat in the sanctuary of the historic Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. Jim Boice walked up to the pulpit, put his hands in his suit coat pockets, and rocked back and forth on his heels in his inimitable way. He began in his deep baritone voice, boyish face lit with a smile: “Well, we’ve come tonight to talk about preaching. And young ministers say to me, all the time, ‘Jim, preaching just isn’t popular anymore!’ And I say, ‘Well, when has it ever been so? People resent and resist the Word at first. Isn’t that the glory of it all?’” And then he delivered a marvelous message on God’s grace in God’s Word.

That’s what Isaiah preaches in Isaiah 30:1-18. He speaks of politics, government, preaching and grace––all in one neat package. We seldom hear the likes of this in our Day. Barry G. Webb comments:

It may be strange to modern ears to hear politics and religion so intimately connected, but for the people of God in Old Testament times life was not compartmentalized into the sacred and the secular as it all too often is with us. The one Lord was Lord of all, and whether or not you respected his lordship was inevitably reflected in the way you made political decisions, just as in any other sphere.¹⁷

Israel, it appears, was just plain “stubborn” (v. 1) and “rebellious” (v. 9). They were like recalcitrant children who said to Isaiah, the prophets and God: “Do not see…Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel” (vv. 10-11). In other words, “Give us a different god with a different message. We don’t like a Holy God with His message about holiness. Tell us what tickles our ears” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

God’s response is amazingly surprising. He neither shouts nor reacts in anger. Instead He does three things. First, he warns them of the dire consequences of their stubborn rebellion and refusal to hear the Word of the Lord––their collapse and captivity (vv. 12-14). Second, He shows them the way back to salvation and strength. They are to quiet their souls and trust in God’s Word (vv. 15-17). They may run from God, even on swift horses, but they will end up alone and desolate. Third, He shows them His heart: He longs to be gracious to them, and He glories in blessing them. Their rejection of Him cannot kill His love for them. God will wear them down, work His way and win them back with His grace (v. 18)!

If there was ever a message for today’s preachers it is Isaiah 30:1-18. God has something to say, from the pulpit, about all of life: political elections, public policy, private decisions and personal lifestyles. If people don’t like that, too bad! God is not asking permission to speak into our lives. When the pew says to the pulpit, “Stay out of politics! Keep your opinions to yourself! Don’t cram your religion down our throats! Give us something positive! Enough about sin, salvation, holiness! Tell us about health, wealth and personal happiness!” preachers should respond. Please read Isaiah 30:15a and Isaiah

30:18.

Will they like it? No, not at first. Do they need it? Yes, every Sunday. Will they ever respond in both gratitude and obedience? Yes, in time God’s grace will break through, overpower and win their hearts. In the meantime we “preach the word, in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 2:2). We do so not because the people love us, but because God loves them. And we wait, with God, until that Gospel truth changes their lives for good and forever.

And that, as Dr. Boice would say, “Is the glory of it all!”

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

CEP: Pray for the parents of the children in our churches today, that they will seek to honor God in the nurture and training of their children.

CC: Pray for safety for the Advancement (fundraising and marketing arms of the college) team as they meet with donors and friends of the college. Pray that the Office for Advancement will continue to present the distinctive of a Covenant College education that promotes Christ’s Kingdom first and foremost, bringing glory to His name rather than our own.

MNA: Please pray for MNA Special Needs Ministries Director Steph Hubach’s work on developing educational materials for PCA churches so that we might reach out as a denomination to people with disabilities and their families more effectively.

PCAF: Pray that PCA churches will respond to efforts made by the PCA Foundation to communicate its ministry, and that churches will understand the value of its ministry as well as the benefit of telling their congregations about what we do.

RH: Pray for the “Youth Ops” leadership training week to be held in conjunction with the summer camp program. This special leadership training opportunity, especially for youth pastors, leaders and workers, will explore philosophy of ministry, student characteristics, generational cultures and creation as an environment for evangelism and growth.

The Fall Of Lucifer

THE FALL OF LUCIFER

How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! Isaiah 14:12

This portion of Isaiah 14 is one of the most intriguing passages in all of the prophetic literature. Isaiah 14:12-21 begs the question “To whom does Isaiah refer?” Commentators have differed widely over the years as to the identity of this one called “Day Star” and the “Son of Dawn.” Some say this refers to Lucifer, the devil; others point to the king of Babylon; and still others see an allusion to the reality of evil in general. I would suggest that all three are true and all included in this poem.

The Church has long believed in the three great enemies of the soul: the world, the flesh and the devil. Isaiah 14:12-21 speaks of the fall of the world (Babylon and the godless world order; Revelation 17-18), of the evil residing in every human soul (“the flesh”) and of the father of all sin and evil; the prince of this world, the devil. Satan’s fall from heaven to earth, his corruption of humanity through sin, and his mastery over the world are well accounted for in Scripture. Read Revelation 12:7-13:18 for a clear synopsis of this fall.

J. Alec Motyer sets forth the idea that behind Isaiah 14:12-21 lies the old Canaanite myth of the “fall of Helel.” In Canaanite mythology, one named Helel (“shining one”) revolted against Baal, the chief god, and when his attempted coup failed, he was cast to earth, among men, with the loss of his divine status.¹⁶ We see in this pagan myth a glimmer of divine revelation. For just as in pagan creation stories or flood narratives there remains the kernel of truth from Genesis, passed down orally and with corruption through the centuries, so in this Canaanite myth the reality of Revelation 12-13 faintly shines through.

Satan fell––“I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven,” Jesus said in Luke 10:18. He fell like a shooting star––the “Morning Star” or “Day Star.” His fall was caused by his unimaginable pride, vocalized in his five famous “I will’s”:

• I will ascend to heaven; above the stars (i.e., angels) of God––I will become “the Lord of Hosts in heaven”.
• I will set my throne on high––my throne will be preeminent over all, even God’s.
• I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north––in old Canaanite and in Israelite poetry God always sat in the “far north” where the angels (gods) assembled together (similar to Mount Olympus in Greek mythology).
• I will ascend above the heights of the clouds––above the limits of creaturely habitation, where only God may go.
• I will make myself like the Most High––I will become God and I will replace Him!

Sound familiar? It should. This same fallen star said to our first parents, “You will be like God,” if you only eat the forbidden fruit! (Genesis 3:5). Such has been the LIE that has corrupted human nature (the flesh) and reordered human society (the world) ever since.

The king of Babylon bought into this lie. So do all the kings and kingdoms of this world (read Psalm 2). And every sinful soul harbors in its center a deeply-rooted desire to be its own god. Such is the essence of sin. So, you see, Isaiah speaks of the fall of all that is evil…the Devil, its prince; the world, its domain; the flesh, its accomplice. Who brings this triumvirate of evil crashing down around itself? Jesus Christ does. He is the true “bright morning star” (Revelation 22:16). He is the king of this world, and of all God’s creation (Revelation 11:15). And he alone possesses the perfection of human nature (Colossians 2:9 and Hebrews 4:15). Christ alone has the right to ascend above the angels, share the divine glory and sit at the Father’s right hand, in the assembly of the far north. For Jesus alone is like God, equal to God, is God. And this is why the Son of God became incarnate––took on human flesh, entered the world, crushed the devil: “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). And so He has!

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

AC: Pray for the AC/SC office staff in these days remaining before the Assembly, that as they face the myriad of details involved, nothing will be overlooked and all will go smoothly.

CTS: Pray for students pursuing Master of Divinity (MDiv) degrees at Covenant Seminary, that their studies will spark fire in their hearts for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and inspire revived faith in the congregations to which the Spirit will one day lead them.

MTW: Pray for the continued growth and development of church-planting centers throughout the Muslim world, that our workers will help train and resource hundreds of indigenous church planters who will bring the light of the Gospel to needy areas.

RUM: Please pray for the Assistant Coordinators for Reformed University Ministries: John Stone, Assistant Coordinator for Pastoral Care and Training, and Clif Wilcox, Assistant Coordinator for Administration and Interns. Pray that they will oversee their areas of responsibility with wisdom and commitment to the Gospel.

RBI: The staff of RBI converse with many pastors, church staff and missionaries concerning benefits by informing, counseling and encouraging; please pray for wisdom and good advice in these conversations.

World Transformation

WORLD TRANSFORMATION

For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:9

Isaiah 11 is one of the hallmark chapters of this chief of all prophets. It speaks of the fulfillment of Christ’s mission at His second coming. It pictures the final answer to Christ’s prayer: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” It presents three glorious Truths about the Kingdom of God yet to come.

First, the ideal king has already come and will come again, a second and last time (11:1-5). This King, Jesus Christ, is the prophesied “son of David,” “the shoot from the stump of Jesse.” And He is also the anointed One; the One full of the Holy Spirit. He possesses what the Church has traditionally called “the seven-fold gift of the Spirit.” In other words, he possesses the fullness of the Spirit. (Seven is a symbolic number of God’s complete work.) His is the Spirit (1) of the Lord, (2) of wisdom, (3) of understanding, (4) of counsel, (5) of might, (6) of knowledge, and (7) of the fear of the Lord. The medieval Church saw these as “the gifts of the Holy Spirit bestowed at the believer’s confirmation:”

Q. Which are the effects of Confirmation?

A. The effects of Confirmation are an increase of sanctifying grace, the strengthening of our faith, and the gifts of the Holy Ghost.

Q. Which are the gifts of the Holy Ghost?

A. The gifts of the Holy Ghost are Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.¹⁴

We understand them better as a symbolic picture of the fullness of God’s anointing, through the Spirit, on Christ’s life. This is what every people, nation and Kingdom desire: a king anointed with all the gifts and graces a leader needs. Jesus has them all.

Second, this ideal king brings with Him a perfect Kingdom (11:6-9). The imagery here is so marvelous that it arrests the soul and mind in visions of an almost surreal world. This world knows no conflict or animosity: wolves nap with lambs, bears and cattle graze together and infant toddlers play with venomous serpents like our kids play with puppies. Nothing hurts or destroys in this City of God. Even better is this truth: the entire creation possesses a fullness of the knowledge of the Lord. Eden is restored. “It is the picture of the whole creation put back into joint.”¹⁵ This is what the poet John Milton called “Paradise Regained.”

Third, this ideal king conquers all the nations in the warfare of His Gospel mission (11:10-16). Isaiah speaks of a “signal” being raised up––a banner, an ensign, a battle flag emblazoned with God’s coat of arms. His weapons in this warfare are His words: “He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked” (v. 4). His Gospel will divide and conquer. First, it will gather and save His chosen people (depicted here as Israel). Second, it will judge and condemn the unbeliev-ers––“the nations”––who war against Christ and the true knowledge of God. This victorious King builds a “highway” (one of Isaiah’s favorite images of eschatological restoration). This highway leads people homeward to the Kingdom of God and to the “city of the great King” (Psalm 48). That highway is the Gospel way of salvation.

What a glorious picture! What a powerful promise of things to come! Recently, as I returned from lunch with a staff member, he said to me, “Mike, it seems that every day I discover some new thing about the depth and devastation of mankind’s fall into sin.” I reminded him that such will be the glory of the City of God: Each day we will say to Jesus, “Lord, I never imagined your world and our lives could be so wonderful!” And Christ will answer us, “This is how my Father, the Spirit and I always intended it to be. This is our life. This is how the three Persons of the Godhead have always lived. This is what I meant by the Kingdom of God!” And this is why the last words of Jesus in the Bible are so wonderful: “Behold, I am making all things new” (Revelation 21:5).

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

CEP: Pray for regional conferences that are being held around the country to equip and encourage those who work in children’s ministry.

CC: Pray for our in-hall, live-in staff of Resident Directors and Resident Assistants as they care for our students throughout the year.

MNA: Pray for all of our staff, for growth in God leading volunteers and additional staff into the vision for what God is doing in all MNA ministries. Thank God for the significant additions of new ministries for MNA in both church planting and outreach ministries over the past few years.

PCAF: Pray that God will allow the PCAF to serve more PCA churches and their members.

RH: Pray for Al Bennett, Ministry Director, as he completes preparations for summer camps, including counselor training and speakers, musician and director-communications for the 18 separate camps to be held this summer.

Come Let Us Reason

COME LET US REASON

Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Isaiah 1:18

In one of the most tender and touching passages in the prophetic literature, God invites His people to join Him in a rational discussion about sin. Not a debate. And not a discourse. But a discussion. “Come, let us reason together” about your sin, God says. God appeals here to that moral compass within each of us: the conscience. He awakens that conscience with His prophetic word, and He mobilizes the human conscience to war against sin.

In his address to the Pacifist Society of Oxford, “Why I am Not a Pacifist,” delivered in 1940, C. S. Lewis reminds us of the limits of reason and the working of the conscience. Lewis insightfully said:

Every teacher knows that people are constantly protesting that they “can’t see” some self-evident inference, but the supposed inability is usually a refusal to see, resulting either from some passion which wants not to see the truth in question or else from sloth which does not want to think at all. But when the inability is real, argument is at an end. You cannot produce rational intuition by argument, because argument depends upon rational intuition. Proof rests upon the unprovable which has to be just “seen.” Hence faulty intuition is incorrigible. It does not follow that it cannot be trained by practice in attention and in the mortification of disturbing passions, or corrupted by the opposite habits. But it is not amenable to correction by argument.¹²

The Oxford professor went on to say that all of our reason and the workings of the conscience have four elements at work in the human mind at any one time: the facts gathered from experience, pure intuitions about right or wrong, a process of argumentation by which we arrange our intuitions logically, and some authority which comments upon this moral process and informs us of right and wrong.

We see God following this very process of enlivening the conscience in Isaiah 1:1-20. First, God reviews the “facts of life” that are undeniable from mere observation. The difficulty of life in 8^th Century B.C. Israel was undeniable. God then calls upon Israel’s pure intuition. Did they not know good from evil? Could they not see the bad all around them and the good they’d forsaken? Of course, they could. Thirdly, God helps them “connect the dots.” He takes them through an airtight and logical process of both argumentation and arrangement. He argues His case and He arranges the issues of life to point to one irrefutable conclusion. Finally, He appeals to authority: His own authority spoken through the prophetic Word. In the end, the issue is not about interpretation of data, rationality of intuition or agreement with argument. No, the issue is authority. Please read Isaiah 1:19-20.

Tim Keller of Redeemer PCA Church in New York City concludes his argument for faith in Christ in his book, The Reason for God, in this manner:

I believe that Christianity makes the most sense out of our individual life stories and out of what we see in the world’s history. The Christian understanding of where we came from, what’s wrong with us, and how it can be fixed has greater power to explain what we see and experience than does any other competing account. It is time to draw together the various threads of the narrative we have been examining and view the story line of Christianity as a whole. The Bible has often been summed up as a drama in four acts––cre-ation, fall, redemption, and restoration.¹³

There it is: recognize the facts of creation; reason through the intuitions of a fallen world; review the arguments for redemption; respond to the authority of the Gospel of restoration. In the end, fact will lead to faith…if you follow the trail of the rational mind. In the end, reason will be informed by revelation…if you hear the call of God on your heart. And argument will bow to authority…if you respond to the Word of the Lord in your soul.

This we love about God: He is reasonable. He knows that our problem is not that we can’t see and understand the Truth; it’s that we don’t want to see it and obey. Yet with tender mercy He relentlessly calls us through Christ: “Come, let us reason together. Let us talk and think as friends. Let Me help you see, understand, repent and obey. Then life will be good to you.” Who can resist such a reasonable invitation and such a warm welcome to grace? This is God’s invitation to you as you attend Church this Sunday. God is waiting there to reason with you.

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

AC: Pray that the peace, purity and progress of the Presbyterian Church in America will be in the forefront of the Commissioners’ minds as they prepare for the Assembly.

CTS: Pray for Mark Dalbey, Covenant Seminary’s vice president for student services, as he and his staff seek to provide ongoing opportunities for community worship, family nurture and Christian fellowship for all those who are part of the Seminary community.

MTW: Thank God for the development and growth of specific ministry partnerships between MTW, PCA churches and leaders, and national church leaders. Pray God will use these new working relationships to give fresh vision and energy for ministry.

RUM: Please pray for the applicants for Intern positions with RUF for fall 2009. Pray for them as they transition from being students or from other jobs. Pray for wisdom as these applicants are interviewed and placed on campus. Pray that they will grow in faith as they raise the necessary funds for their ministry on campus.

RBI: RBI provides term life insurance and long term disability insurance for full time PCA employees. Pray these insurance plans will continue to be quality products for the needs of participants.

Consider Your Ways

CONSIDER YOUR WAYS

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. Haggai 1:5, 1:7, 2:15, 2:18

Haggai was an old prophet who accompanied the Jews back to the promised land when Cyrus of Persia allowed them to return to Jerusalem in 539 B.C. His companion and colleague in those days of prophetic ministry was a younger prophet, a priest named Zechariah. In 520 B.C., between August and December, Haggai spoke to the people of God on five occasions (from August 29 to December 18) about finishing the task of rebuilding the second temple.

Repeatedly he asks the Israelites to consider the values, their lifestyles and their sins. He calls their attention to five realities of their lives:

• Their prosperity has been hindered because they have not put God as their top priority (1:1-11).
• God was with the people to empower and encourage them in their great building project (1:12-15).
• God has greater plans for His Kingdom in the future than He had for the past; do not get stuck in “the old glory days.” This dishonors God (2:1-9).
• Holiness affects all of life. God blesses holiness and disciplines unholiness. Unholiness spreads naturally, like a virus. Holiness is something we must work at (2:10-19).
• God’s master plan has never changed: He will judge the nations and establish His Kingdom. His covenant people lie at the center of this plan (2:20-23).

American people are not very reflective. Oh, we are plenty introspective! We are psychoanalyzed to death and awash with a myriad of “syndromes,” “disorders” and “deficiencies.” (I recently read that basic shyness is now a psychological disorder. It’s called SAD— “social anxiety disorder.” Seems it affects most children under the age of six whenever they are around adult strangers!) But introspection is not the same as self-examination. Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones––both a medical doctor and a pastor––once noted:

Those two terms remind us that the fundamental trouble with these people is that they are not always careful to draw the line of demarcation between self-exam-ination and introspection. We all agree that we should examine ourselves, but we also agree that introspection and morbidity are bad. But what is the difference between examining oneself and becoming introspective? I suggest that we cross the line from self-examination to introspection when, in a sense, we do nothing but examine ourselves, and when such self-examination becomes the main and chief end in our life. We are meant to examine ourselves periodically, but if we are always doing it, always, as it were, putting our soul on a plate and dissecting it, that is introspection. And if we are always talking to people about ourselves and our problems and troubles, and if we are forever going to them with that kind of frown upon our face and saying: I am in great difficulty—it probably means that we are all the time centered upon ourselves. That is introspection, and that in turn leads to the condition known as morbidity.¹¹

Haggai will have nothing to do with introspection. He calls the people of God to “consider your ways.” Introspection would have led to excuses about bad finances, melancholy about their difficulties, bitterness about the past, discouragement about the temple and resentment toward God. Haggai, in each of his five messages, calls the people of God to look at God Himself: His covenant, His promises, His plan, His law and His character. And in lifting up their eyes from selves to God, they lifted up their spirits. What a great message for the Church facing the uncertainties of our faltering economy and troubled society!

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

CEP: Pray for CEP as we develop more study and training resources. We are also working on a curriculum that will help churches understand how to disciple people from a pre-Christian state all the way to being mature believers capable of discipling others and doing the work of the ministry.

CC: Please pray for the members of the support staff who work diligently to serve the community and provide learning opportunities for the students.

MNA: Pray for Jim Hatch as he is in contact with scores of seminary students, assistant pastors and others who show interest in starting a church. Pray for wisdom, effective ministry and that many will hear God’s call to church planting.

PCAF: Pray for the PCA churches who are working with the PCA Foundation, that God will continue to meet their needs and that our service and assistance will glorify God and edify the church.

RH: Pray for the ATA (Appalachian Trail Adventure) camps. The “phase one” ATA is a four-day, three-night introduction to the Appalachian Trail. The “phase two” ATA is for advanced hikers up for an even greater adventure. Pray that the Lord will keep all participants safe and receptive to the discovery of the attributes of God and His saving grace through all that is experienced on the trail.

When God Makes No Sense

WHEN GOD MAKES NO SENSE

But the righteous shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:4

Love for one’s country is a manifestation of God’s common grace. Patriotism is not wrong. Ethnocentrism is quite normal. And blind support of one’s nation is to be expected, though not wise. God has created peoples and given them both places (homelands) and characteristics (cultures) that are unique to them (Acts 17:26). Therefore, it is extremely difficult to accept two theological truths that often seem to conflict: God is sovereign and God always does what is right (Genesis 18:25).

The trouble comes when God chooses to turn against our nation (the good guys, our boys) in apparent favor of another nation (the bad guys, our enemies). Sure, America may be increasingly secular, but we’re not as godless as those Russian or Chinese Communists! Sure, the American Church is wordly, even in places apostate, but at least we don’t worship a false god and terrorize the earth like the Muslims! The thought of the Red flag flowing over Washington, D. C. or America becoming a nation under Shariah law is appalling. This is the stuff of nightmares.

Put yourself in the place of Habakkuk. He lived in a time when Israel and Judah had been afflicted by the pagan, violent and extremely cruel Assyrians. No doubt he lived to see the fall of Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, in 612 B.C. And he would have experienced the death of godly King Josiah at the battle of Haran in 609 B.C., as well as the world-chang-ing battle of Carchemish in 605 B.C., when Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian Army crushed, for good, the Assyrian Empire. How shocking would be the news God would give him: Babylon’s next victim would be Judah and Jerusalem!

Habakkuk can’t believe it! Prophets, like people, do not always like God’s revelation; the difference is that they submit to it rather than resist it. But that is not to say they don’t argue with God. Habakkuk does. He presents to God a question: “Will God really let the wicked crush the righteous? Babylon capture Israel? Or, at the worst, the crass pagan victimize the backslidden saints?” God answers his heart-broken prophet: “Yep! That is exactly what I intend to do” (1:1-11).

So Habakkuk sets forth a second complaint: “Are you not the holy, righteous, covenant-keeping God and yet you intend to let the wicked slay the righteous and not punish the wicked for their evil?” God answers again: “In due time, I will punish all the wicked—the wickedness of My own people first and then the wickedness of the evil nations most severely” (1:12-2:5).

God calls Habakkuk to faith––“the righteous shall live by his faith” (2:4). At first things seem to be wrong (God using evil to punish the good?), but faith allows us to see things as they really are (God cannot confront the world about evil if He tolerates the same in His Church). Habakkuk’s message is stated more succinctly and more simply by the Apostle Peter. Please read 1 Peter 4:12-19.

What Habakkuk chose to ignore, out of love for his people, were these facts: Israel worshiped the Canaanite god Baal; they sacrificed their infant children to the god, Molech; they dedicated their horses to the sun god; their women prostituted themselves for the goddess Asherah; they broke the Sabbath; they ignored the law of God; and they violated the covenant codes of holiness in the Levitical system. They were saints who lived like pagans.

God had to clean house. Why? For the sake of Israel’s salvation and that of the whole world. Ultimately, their discipline was for Christ’s sake. Had God not judged Israel, then the baby Jesus would have been born into a system that may well have polluted Him as the Messiah of the nations. God preserved a monotheistic and scriptural incubator into which the Christ could be born, nurtured and developed into the Savior of the world. God knew what He was doing. What He did was right, holy and good. Men with eyes of faith can see this, as our friend, Habakkuk, came to see. Please read Hab. 3:17-18.

If God chooses to deal harshly with us, it will be for His good purposes and for the blessing of His world. He does what He does for the salvation of the nations. As he lived by faith, Habakkuk came to acknowledge this truth. May we do the same as we grow in faith as those righteous in Christ.

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

AC: Pray that the Holy Spirit will move powerfully through the men chosen to preach His Word in each of the three evening worship services of the Assembly: Paul D. Kooistra, W. Gregory Thompson; Martin Richard Ban. The focus of the worship services is around the theme of “Renewal.” Pray that every participant will worship the Most High God in spirit and in truth.

CTS: Pray for people around the world who are now considering training for ministry at Covenant Seminary, and that the Seminary’s Admissions staff will continue to minister effectively to prospective students and their families.

MTW: Thank God for those who support the missionaries and ministries of MTW, often sacrificially. Pray He will bless their stewardship and meet the needs of their own families.

RUM: Please pray for the new Campus Ministers who will begin working with RUF groups this fall. Pray that they will have a smooth transition from seminary or ministry positions to their campus work and for encouragement as they raise support over the summer months. Pray for their wives and young children as they transition to new lives.

RBI: The PCA Retirement Plan is one of the benefit plans available to PCA employees. Please pray for this plan to succeed in its purpose of providing retirement income for participants. Pray the financial markets will improve through 2009.

Let Justice Roll Down

LET JUSTICE ROLL DOWN

Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amos 5:24

During this past year’s general election, the topic of God and Government came up for discussion, as it always does when elections are upon us. I noticed especially that the younger folks were troubled by the mixing of the two kingdoms––Church (religion) and State (government). The questions from these young people drove me to thinking. Was their reaction against the involvement of the Church in the Moral Majority, the Republican Party and in issues of elections, appointment of judges and legislation justified?

As I mused on these things, I came to two conclusions. First, the Evangelical Church’s unqualified support of the Republican Party was neither wise nor always justifiable. The Church of Christ is above party politics, for it represents the Kingdom of God––something larger than life, greater than self and lasting forever. Much of politics is both partisan and prejudiced, representing the coalition of strange bedfellows to foster personal (and selfish) agendas. This is true of both Republican and Democratic politics. The Church loses its prophetic voice when it is co-opted by any political party.

Second, it is truly impossible for God and politics not to interface. Both Church and State were ordained by God as His servants in pursuit of what is good (Romans 13:1-6). Both have the same goal in mind, from two complementary perspectives: temporal and eternal (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Both, by necessity, deal in the realm of morality: Law and ethics for the State, and Theology and religion for the Church. Hence, both are rightly concerned about marriages, homosexuality, life in the womb, poverty, racism, war, free speech and the like. God in politics is just as necessary as the State in morality.

Amos reminds us of this. In our passage for today (Amos 5:18-24), the prophet warns us not to be in a hurry for the Day of the Lord. This expression, found also in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Zephaniah, Zechariah and Malachi, refers to God’s day of recompense and judgment––a prefiguring of the second coming of Christ and His final judgment (Revelation 20:11-14).

Amos has a simple message: “Do not attempt to please God with religion alone. Your faith has a place in the public square. Justice and righteousness have a way of both transforming the church and correcting the State. God will be heard in the public square. Church and State are His right hand and left hand. God in politics is a reality of the Kingdom of God.”

John Perkins of Mississippi is a Christian leader, a civil rights advocate and the founder of Voice of Calvary Ministries. His biography, depicting the squalor, prejudice, violence, pain and shame of a black man’s life in the rural South in the 1940s and 1950s, is titled Let Justice Roll Down. When I was a pastor in Jackson, Mississippi, I came to know and respect John Perkins. I once spoke with him about the challenge of racism and the Christian Church. I’ll never forget what he told me. He said, “Go read Amos 5:24. Here’s what you’ll find. ‘Justice’ is the Hebrew word mishpat. It has to do with doin’ right in public things. ‘Righteousness’ is the Hebrew word tsedaqah. It has to do with doin’ what’s right in personal things. You can’t be personally for God and publically for the world. You can’t be privately a Christian but publically a Republican. You can’t be half a man, and you don’t look to me like half a preacher. Go be all God called you to be. Let justice roll down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Go and do what the Gospel freed us to do…all of it!”

You know, I never knew if John Perkins was a Democrat or a Republican. He never talked about the elections. But John was used by God in both Church and State. He understood the prophets. He was one…is one to this day, and I have been both challenged and privileged to know him. He taught me that God in politics is really not the issue. The real issue is how we live for God in the affairs of men and work for what the Gospel brings. Please read Psalm 85:8-13.

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

CEP: Pray for the development of a system of training that will allow us to offer live two-way training through the Internet. This will allow us to help small and large churches alike and keep the costs low. While it is not as personal as being there, it will allow us to be in many places at one time.

CC: Pray for the extension of our BUILD capital campaign. Pray that God will send thosewho have the heart and the ability to partner with us in this endeavor. Pray that all the gifts and talents to support the campaign will be provided.

MNA: Pray that the economic challenges facing the people of North America will bring revival in His Church. Pray that the PCA will find new ways to reach out to people in our communities who are hurting in ways not experienced in more comfortable days.

PCAF: Pray for the PCA Foundation’s grant recipients, that more people will be moved to support them with prayer, their time and their financial resources.

RH: Please pray for the outpouring of God’s Spirit on the unique “Brave Heart” camp for children who have lost a parent, sibling or close friend. Pray that the God of all comfort will comfort these grieving children, give them hope for eternity and courage to pursue life in the Lord Jesus Christ.

What God Requires

WHAT GOD REQUIRES

…to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

We have mentioned that Willem Van Gemeren and other Old Testament scholars consider the prophets God’s covenant prosecutors. That being the case, Micah sets forth God’s covenant lawsuit in Micah 6:1-8. Micah calls God’s message “an indictment against His people” (6:2). I once served six months on a grand jury. I learned that an indictment was not the same as a conviction. The indictment simply determined if an accused was to be arraigned in court for trial.

In each indictment four things were to happen: The Attorney General called witnesses, interrogated the accused, recounted the facts of the case before the jury and reviewed the demands of the law. These four things are exactly what Micah does to Israel. First, he summons all creation to serve as witnesses and to verify both the justice and mercy of God as well as the sin of God’s people (6:1-2). He then interrogates Israel: What has God done wrong to cause Israel to forsake Him for other gods? (6:3). He gives the people an opportunity to respond and defend their actions. Next, he recounts for them God’s faithfulness to Israel––the facts of history (6:4-5). Finally, he reviews the demands of the Law (the Covenant) and what the Covenant required (6:6-8). His summary statement is found in what may be the most famous verse in the Minor Prophets. Please read Micah 6:8.

When Jimmy Carter was inaugurated as President of the United States on January 20, 1977, he referenced this verse in his inaugural address. The 39^th President reminded Americans of the core of our national covenant:

Within us, the people of the United States, there is evident a serious and purposeful rekindling of confidence. And I join in the hope that when my time as your President has ended, people might say this about our Nation: that we had remembered the words of Micah and renewed our search for humility, mercy, and justice.¹⁰

What are these three pillars of a godly life, a Gospel church and a good nation? “Do Justice.” The Hebrew word is mishpat. It points to the proper, fair and equitable use of power and authority, especially in the protection of the helpless and the care for the poor. “Love kindness.” The word hesed in Hebrew is usually rendered “lovingkindness” or “steadfast love.” It literally means Covenant love and loyalty. Here God commands us not only to be merciful to the needy but to be loyal to others. This has to do with fulfilling our duties to both God (Commandments 1-4) and to our neighbor (Commandments 5-10). “Walk humbly with your God.” In the prophetic literature, the humble are those who listen to God’s Word and obey. Humility is directly related to Truth. The humble person responds to truth; the proud argues, resists and resents the Truth.

Of course, Micah wrote to a theocratic nation, a people (Hebrews) whose nation (Israel) was one with their religion (Judaism). America is different. Nation and Church are independent of one another. But then, Micah uses precise words in his indictment: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you?” Micah speaks to “man”––mankind, humanity, all people in every state, in every place, in every time. This is what is “good” for all: Justice, Mercy and Truth. These are the three parameters of a good life, a godly church and a gracious society. Please read 1 Timothy 2:1-4.

What God requires begins with you as an individual. It becomes the core curriculum of your school of Christ––your family. It constitutes the official duties of your church: The Presbyterian Church in America and your local congregation. And it forms the basis for public life, common discourse and civic virtue in the State. This is not just the American Dream. This is more; it is the Prophetic Vision, and beyond that, it is God’s will for His creation. The indictment lies open before us. How then do we plead: Guilty or Not Guilty?

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

AC: The theme for the 2009 General Assembly is “Connecting PCA People, Churches and ministries. May all aspects of General Assembly serve to remind us of the privilege, responsibility and blessing of being “connected” to one another and the Body of Christ.

CTS: Pray that God will grant insight and discernment to Covenant Seminary’s Board of Trustees as they make plans for the future of the Seminary, and that He will continually renew their energy and enthusiasm for the Seminary’s mission.

MTW: MTW is developing a site in Qunajuato, Mexico, to serve as a hub for church planting, training and theological education, as well as a short-term ministry site. Please pray for relationship building in the community and for the ministry of short-term teams beginning spring 2009.

RUM: Pray that the university administrations where RUF chapters are located will be receptive and fair to the ministries’ presence on their campus. Pray that as political issues arise, campus ministers will have wisdom and discretion in dealing with the administration and more than anything that the truth of the Gospel will begin to impact the university from the top down.

RBI: Pray for RBI as an agency of the PCA General Assembly, as it shares a common vision with the other committees and agencies and fulfills a unique role in the denomination.