Tag: christianity

The Trumpets of Judgment (Revelation 8:6-9:12)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
The seven angels with seven trumpets, and the angel with a censer, c. 1020 C. E.

Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water—the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.

The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.

As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: “Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!”

The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. 

They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.

The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).

The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come. (New International Version)

Angels receiving seven trumpets, c. 1255 C.E.

Woah; this isn’t exactly some light bedtime reading. It has to do with the end of all things, with God’s judgment upon the earth. Seven angels with seven trumpets are about to sound them with disastrous results. The last three trumpets are also referred to as the three woes upon the earth.

The first four trumpets are bad, yet not nearly as terrible as the last three. The first four affect the natural world and one-third of the earth; whereas the last three directly impact the earth’s inhabitants and affect the entire world.

As hard as it may be to accept biblical readings like today’s, God is not only the author of abundant flourishing, but also of devastating destruction. And it’s in direct answer to the prayers of the saints. (Revelation 8:3)

The First Trumpet: Hail, Fire, and Blood

Although hail and blood remind the biblical student of the plagues of judgment in ancient Egypt before the great exodus of Israelites, it’s the fire that does damage to the trees and grass of the earth. A third of the earth’s land resources are completely burned up.

The Second Trumpet: Mountains and Seas

The second angel blowing the second trumpet results in a great mountain being hurled into the sea. This is reminiscent, for those familiar with the Gospels, of Jesus stating that one with a small amount of faith can command a mountain to be thrown into the sea, and it will be done. (Mark 11:23)

Going back into the Old Testament, in the giving of the Law on the mountain, and with the disobedience of the people at the foot of the mountain, Mount Sinai was ablaze with fire and the glory of God. The New Testament scene in Revelation appears to be something of a Mount Sinai taken up and thrown into the sea – signifying that the grace of Christ has supplanted the curse of the law.

As a result of the second trumpet, a third of all the great oceans are destroyed.

The Third Trumpet: A Star from the Sky

Although C.S. Lewis gave the name “Wormwood” to a fictional agent of Satan, the Wormwood here is a messenger of God, a star that falls from the sky as a result of the third trumpet blown. A third of all the earth’s drinkable water becomes bitter because of the star – which seems to be a link to previous times of judgment from God:

“I will make them eat bitter food
    and drink poisoned water,
because from the prophets of Jerusalem
    ungodliness has spread throughout the land.” (Jeremiah 23:15, NIV)

“They have followed the stubbornness of their hearts; they have followed the Baals, as their ancestors taught them.” Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “See, I will make this people eat bitter food and drink poisoned water. (Jeremiah 9:14-15, NIV)

The Fourth Trumpet: Sun, Moon, and Stars

There’s nothing that falls from the sky with the blast of the fourth trumpet. Yet a third of the sun, moon, and stars are dimmed. This is a portent that something worse is about to happen – which is what the “eagle” [vulture] announces against the earth’s inhabitants.

The Fifth Trumpet (The First Woe): The Abyss Is Opened

Another star falls to the earth, but with even more disaster than the previous star – opening a pit in the heart of the earth. Smoke comes billowing out, darkening the sun. Then, locusts with the stinging power of scorpions, come upon the land.

Rather than humans having authority to trample on snakes and scorpions, these demonic insects carry the ability and the authority to harm humanity – much like the great locust horde of judgment during the time of the prophet Joel (Joel 2:1-11). The difference with John’s Apocalypse is that these are a demonic host with Apollyon the Destroyer leading them.

The previous judgments were from above; this first woe is from below – connecting the powers of death, destruction, and the grave together with the force of evil. It’s a time of sheer torture; a traumatic five months of horrendous agony.

Conclusion

None of these terrible scenes of judgment are meant to scare the hell out of anybody and put the fear of heaven into them. Instead, the New Testament book of Revelation (also known as the Apocalypse of John) is meant for devoted believers in Jesus to be encouraged that an end is coming. They can persevere in following Jesus because it will be worth it.

The hardships, difficulties, and persecutions experienced – for following the words and ways of Jesus – will not last; a time is coming soon when God will judge the living and the dead. Evil will be dealt its final blow. And we will enter a realm of unending peace with the God for whom we have given our all.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28-29; Deuteronomy 4:24)

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
    The name of the God of Jacob protect you!
May he send you help from the sanctuary
    and give you support from Zion.
May he remember all your offerings
    and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices. Selah

May he grant you your heart’s desire
    and fulfill all your plans. Amen. (Psalm 20:1-4)

Grateful to God (1 Thessalonians 2:13-20)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
Apostle Paul, by Ivan Filichev

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.

But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way.For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy. (New International Version)

Reception and Acceptance of God’s Word

The Apostle Paul, in all of his letters to the churches, was attentive to affirming those things which are good amongst the believers; and not only the aspects of church life that needed change and/or repentance.

For the Thessalonians, Paul was profoundly grateful to God for the people’s receiving of the Word and their accepting it as from God. Perhaps there is no greater affirmation than this for the Christian.

In order to receive and accept God’s Word, people must know it. And people cannot know God’s Word unless they take the time and effort to read it and discover it for themselves.

Scripture reading is a foundational spiritual practice for Christians everywhere, and for all of Christ’s Church throughout the earth. Church worship liturgies, as well as individual Christians’ daily disciplines of faith, ought to be thoroughly saturated with Holy Scripture. Yet, many churches are believers, sadly, are not.

I am specifically calling out the conservative evangelical church on this. Although they claim to be Bible-centered, with an extended time for the sermon, there is a paucity of actual Scripture contained within those gathered times.

Too much of the preaching fails to truly explain Scripture, and there are virtually no Scripture readings or references outside the sermon and in the worship service. This is a travesty, and also a testament to the biblical ignorance of so many evangelicals.

What’s more, the evangelical impulse for a “personal quiet time with the Lord” is, in reality, practiced by precious few believers – and usually consists of little more than a daily crumb of the Bible.

I perhaps sound cranky and crotchety. Yet in a previous life, I was an evangelical Pastor for many years, and know the frustrations and challenges of attempting to bring biblical literacy to such churches and Christians. There’s a better way, but alas, that is a topic for another time and another post.

Imitators and Sufferers with God’s Churches

The true muster of a Christian and any Christian Church is the desire, speech, and action of actually following the words and ways of Jesus. It was the Lord Jesus himself who said:

“Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” (John 15:20, NIV)

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Jesus (John 16:33, NIV)

Paul was thankful for the Thessalonians because of their solidarity with the other churches; and their willingness to suffer as Jesus did. What’s more, they did not try to reinvent the wheel, but affirmed the sound practices they saw in the original churches of Judea and imitated those good things.

This was not a matter of pragmatism, that is, just doing something that worked somewhere else and adopting it for yourself. Instead, Paul was talking about following the example of the first and earliest of churches. Those churches were made up of Jewish Christians who received a lot of persecution from their fellow Jews.

The Thessalonians, too, received grief and belligerence from the same sort of people, trying to bully them around and tell them what to do. But the believers held fast to the pattern of teaching and living they observed from both Paul and the churches who endured suffering in Judea.

It’s one thing to express belief. It’s quite another thing to suffer for those beliefs and experience persecution for them. God will handle the persecutors on Judgment Day, not us. It’s our job to remain faithful and persevere in the Christian life until that Day comes.

Glory and Joy in God’s Presence

For the Apostle Paul, glory and joy was not found in his great intellect and persuading many people, or his many accomplishments of planting churches and defending the faith. Paul’s highest joy was found in people coming to know Christ and living for Jesus.

His glory was in the hundreds of relationships established with people, and all the believers he mentored. In other words, Paul’s glory and joy was the real names and faces of people he encountered and gathered into the one Church, for whom Christ died and sacrificed himself.

It wasn’t even a thought in the Apostle’s big old head to gain glory for himself, or to pursue joy for it’s own sake. Rather, Paul discovered that real joy and glory comes in fulfilling the mission give to him by Christ:

To make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to receive and accept God’s Word, to become imitators and sufferers with God, and to glory and joy in God’s presence.

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made.

We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.

And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

Remember… (1 Thessalonians 2:9-13)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
St. Paul writing to the Thessalonians, by Jan Lievens, c.1629

Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. (New International Version)

The Christian believers in Thessalonica were becoming discouraged. The church sincerely believed that Jesus was coming soon… any day he could show up!

But as time went on, and Jesus was still nowhere to be seen…

the Thessalonians began losing their spiritual resolve…

started wondering if they had missed out on something…

began doubting if it was all real…

started slipping spiritually.

Missed expectations can be difficult to deal with. Maybe we have been praying for someone or something for so long that we wonder if it will really happen; or secretly question if something is wrong with us. Yet, maybe God simply wants us to wait… to be patient and to persevere… maybe the answer is closer than we think.

Since the church was becoming discouraged, the Apostle Paul reminisced with them. He wanted them to remember and not forget about what God had done in their lives. The Thessalonians desperately needed a faith for the long haul.

Remembering is a prominent theme in Scripture. Well over a hundred times we are told to remember:

  • God’s covenant and actions on behalf of people
  • Those less fortunate than us
  • Important people in our lives who influenced us in our journey of faith

In order to steel the church for a faith that lasts a lifetime, Paul reminded them of his own example, his own character, his ministry among them, and how they initially came to faith.

Remember my example among you

Paul was trying to inspire the believers with his own model of faithfulness, so that they would persevere in their Christian lives and not give up. He reminded them of his hard work in order to preach the gospel to them. The picture that Paul painted for them is having done whatever it took to make the good news of Jesus Christ known to the Thessalonians. 

Who were the people in your life that went out of their way to communicate the gospel to you both with words and with actions? 

Who were those persons who labored behind the scenes in prayer so that you and others would know Jesus? 

If any of those persons are still around, and you know where they are, remember them. Drop them a note. Express to them a simple thank you for their influence in your life. In doing so, you will not only encourage that person, but it will help you remember and re-engage with something in your life that you may have forgotten or taken for granted.

Remember my character with you

Paul was not shy about reminding the Thessalonians concerning the way in which he interacted with them. He did this not because he was trying to illicit some praise for himself, but because he wanted the church to emulate his character. 

That particular character is described as holy, righteous, and blameless. And we are to emulate Paul in these character qualities. These three words refer to the full range of relationships we encounter on a daily basis: with God, the church, and the community. 

Holiness in our relationship with God means that we have been set apart completely in Christ, so that we say and do nothing impure. 

Righteousness in our interactions with fellow believers in Jesus means we are in right relationship with them, so that there is nothing that hinders or stands between us. 

Blamelessness in our relations with the world means that the ways we live and work among outsiders are ethical and consistent with being a Christian.

Remember my ministry among you 

Paul described his ministry as one of encouraging, comforting, and urging the believers to live lives worthy of God. He expected the Thessalonians to live into their callings as believers in Jesus. 

Encouragement refers to the ministry of coming alongside others and telling them what they need to do both in teaching and by example. Comfort refers to consoling others with the gospel. The word “urge” in the NIV is the word for “witnessing” which is a reference to the reality that Paul was constantly living his life in such a way that proclaimed Jesus to others.

Remember what God has done for you 

The Thessalonians had received the Word of God; and this was an occasion to thank God for it. Each time we recall and remember what God has done for us through others and through God’s Word, we need to offer thanks. God’s Word is implanted within us, then takes root, grows, and produces a harvest of righteousness for those who have been disciplined by it.

We must remember those who brought us the Word of God; and to remember how they treated us, and what they did for us. Then, we must be obedient to what we learn. 

There are several needs we have as followers of Christ: 

  • intimate relationships in the church
  • to be mentored, and mentor others, in the faith
  • the power of God’s Word
  • our callings as Christians 

We forget these needs too easily – which is why repetition is a good thing. For example, each time we celebrate a baptism, it causes us to remember our own baptisms, and to live into our callings as Christians. Or when we move through the worship liturgy, we remember our sinfulness, God’s forgiveness, and our responsibility to live according to God’s Word. 

Our lives, our work, and our worship might seem plain and ordinary. However, the majority of life is lived in the mundane. The tangible reminders we can put in front of us are important, so that we never forget the spiritual experiences God has given us. (i.e. Deuteronomy 27:2-3)

We are meant to live our Christian lives in a vital connection with Christ and other believers. We will continue to persevere and thrive in the faith, when we remember those who have gone before us, and allow those here in the present to journey with us along this road of faith.

Blessed God, continue the good work begun in me; that increasing daily in wholeness and strength, I may rejoice in your goodness; and so order my life always to think and do that which pleases you, through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen.

All Saints Day (Psalm 34:1-10, 22)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment

I will praise the Lord at all times;
my mouth will continually praise him.
I will boast in the Lord;
let the oppressed hear and rejoice.
Magnify the Lord with me.
Let us praise his name together.
I sought the Lord’s help and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him and be radiant;
do not let your faces be ashamed.
This oppressed man cried out and the Lord heard;
he saved him from all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord camps around
the Lord’s loyal followers and delivers them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
How blessed is the one who takes shelter in him.
Fear the Lord, you chosen people of his,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
Even young lions sometimes lack food and are hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing…

The Lord rescues his servants;
all who take shelter in him escape punishment. (New English Translation)

In all times and every place throughout history God has specialized in taking imperfect and broken people and transforming their lives. On the Christian Calendar, November 1 is the day each year to remember the saints who have gone before us. This day is meant to be an intentional way of not forgetting the people, friends, and family – as well as long-dead historical saints – who made a significant impact in our spiritual lives.

All Saints Day is more than a focus on extraordinary persons; it highlights the work of ordinary Christians who faithfully lived their lives. We give thanks for the gift of how they lived their faith every day. We also remember that all believers in Jesus are united and connected through the cross.

Remembering is a prominent theme in Holy Scripture. Over one-hundred times we are told to remember God’s covenant and actions on behalf of people; to remember the needy and those less fortunate; and to remember the important people who influenced us in our journey of faith.

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you.  Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. (Hebrews 13:7, NIV)

We are to be inspired now in the present with the actions of faithful saints of the past. They serve as a model of faithfulness, so that we will persevere in our Christian lives and not give up. Through biblical stories of very human persons being used of God, as well as reading biographies of godly people, we can gain motivation for patience and perseverance until Jesus returns.

Who were the people in your life that went out of their way to communicate God’s love to you with both words and actions? Who were those persons who labored behind the scenes in prayer so that you and others would know Jesus? 

If any of those persons are still around, and you know where they are, remember them. Drop them a note. Express to them a simple thank you for their influence in your life. You will not only encourage that person – it will help you remember and re-engage with something in your life you may have forgotten or have just taken for granted for too long.

We are not to live our Christian lives in isolation from others, as if we do not need them. You and I are here today because someone influenced us in the way of Jesus. And we will continue to persevere and thrive in the faith when we remember those who have gone before us and allow those here in the present to journey with us along this road of faith.

Today is all about remembrance. We remember answered prayer and salvation. We recollect the people who gave us the life-giving gospel message in both word and deed. We remember the death of Christ and recall that he said he is coming back.

The psalmist recalled his rescue and pulled it forward into the present so that all God’s worshipers could taste and see that the Lord is good. This is exactly what the Apostle Peter did for a church which needed to recall and remember the mighty acts of God:

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:2-5, NIV)

Our memories are accessed through symbols and with taste and sight. God uses symbols to reveal himself to us.  For example, when God wanted to show us the ugliness of sin and the cost of forgiveness, the Lord told the Israelites to kill an animal and sprinkle its blood on their clothing and on the altar.

That sounds awful. Yet, worshipers never walked away from the experience scratching their heads and wondering what it was all about. That’s because they encountered and tasted the drama of sin and redemption. Their senses saw it, felt it, smelled it, and tasted the meat from it. 

Symbols have power. We cannot know God with only our minds; we’re more than brains on a stick. People need ordinary events, like shared meals, that include symbols and rituals. 

Every year faithful Jews gather to remember and re-enact the Passover – the story of how they were enslaved in Egypt, oppressed by Pharaoh, and set free by God.  To this day pious Jews still remember the Passover by eating and drinking together and telling stories.

We need both words and sacraments. Therefore, holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas involve both verbal expressions of gratitude and love, and particular actions of love in giving gifts and sharing food. Together, it all connects us to God, to one another, and to a history of God’s people. 

Jesus met his disciples in the Upper Room to celebrate Passover together. Jesus energized their time together by filling it with words and symbols of love and redemption. Christ told the disciples about his upcoming death and acted symbolically. “Take and eat – this is my body….  Take this cup – drink from it, all of you.” (Luke 22:7-20)

Rather than sitting around, analyzing the bread, and discussing the wine’s vintage, the disciples ate and drank.  They tasted real food and drink. They also tasted real spiritual food. It’s one thing to speak of God’s presence, and it’s another thing to experience that presence through an ordinary shared ritual of bread and cup.

God is good. Jesus is our Emmanuel, God with us. Christ is present with us through our ritual of fellowship and food. When the sixteenth-century Reformer John Calvin was asked how Jesus is present to us at the Lord’s Supper he explained: “Now if anyone asks me how this takes place I shall not be ashamed to confess that it is a secret too lofty for either the mind to comprehend or my words to declare….  I rather experience it than understand it.”

The taste of bread reminds us of the incarnation of Christ, and Christ’s humiliation and death. The taste of drinking the cup reminds us of the sacrifice of Christ, the drops of blood which Jesus sweated in Gethsemane, and the beatings, floggings, nails, and crown of thorns that caused the bleeding.

Tasting the bread and cup when we celebrate communion reminds us that our sins are forgiven, we are united to Christ, and we are united together. 

There are historical events which are just that. Then, there are past actions which linger with continual results into the present. The incarnation, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and glorification of the Lord Jesus are past redemptive events which continue to exert powerful force into the here and now.

Saints throughout church history have moved the message of Christ along and demonstrated for us that the past lives in the person of Jesus Christ.

Along with them, we proclaim that Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ is coming again. And God has something planned for those who have gone before us, along with us, so that together we will experience the perfect righteousness of Christ forever. (Hebrews 11:39-40)

We are encouraged through word and sacrament to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ until he comes again. Let us respond to God’s wooing invitation to eat and drink, to taste and see that the Lord is good through faith, hope, and love. Let us find in God our refuge and strength, our ever-present help.

Soli Deo Gloria