Light in the Darkness -- 12/18/11

December 18, 2011                

LIGHT  IN  THE  DARKNESS

Matt. 4:12-16 / Is. 9:1-2

            This is a map of Israel during the time when Jesus lived on the earth.  Let’s locate a few places…

                        … 3 Roman Provinces:  Judea, Samaria, Galilee

                        … Where was the temple located?  Jerusalem

                        … Where was Jesus born?  Bethlehem

                        … Where was Jesus raised?  Nazareth

                        … Where was the headquarters of His ministry?  Capernaum

            Jesus’ public ministry began with His baptism.  John the Baptist was baptizing in the Jordan River (John 1:28; 3:26; 10:40), apparently out east of Jericho.  After His baptism, Jesus went out in the desert for forty days and was tempted of the devil.  You can follow this easily in the last part of Matthew 3 (verses 13-17) and the first part of chapter 4 (verses 1-11).  It was in this region that John identified Jesus as the Messiah and Jesus then encountered the first of those who would be His apostles (John 1:35-51).  All of this is recorded in the early chapters of John.  Then He turned the water into wine in Cana of Galilee (2:1-122).  After a very brief visit to Capernaum (2:12), Jesus then went “up” to Jerusalem for the Passover, driving the moneychangers out of the temple before the feast (2:13-22).  It was during this visit that Jesus had His famous interview with Nicodemus (2:23-3:21). 

            Now come back to Matthew 4.  This is where we are going to pick up the story this morning.  Let’s read Matt. 4:12-16…

Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; 13.  And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: 14.  That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 15.  The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 16.  The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

            There is a great gap between verse 11 and verse 12.  Those things we just mentioned from the early chapters of John fit into that gap.  It might be wise for you to write yourself a little note there in your Bible, reminding you of the gap between verses 11 and 12.  In verse 12 we read that Jesus departed into Galilee.  John 4 records the journey and how Jesus did that which was highly unusual, going through Samaria.  It was there that He encountered the woman at the well.  The end of John 4 (46-54) tells us that Jesus was at Cana in Galilee, when a certain nobleman from Capernaum begged Jesus to come and heal His son.  Jesus didn’t go to Capernaum, but He did heal the man’s son, simply telling him to go back home and find his son well.  From there, Luke (4:16-31) tells us that Jesus went to his home town of Nazareth and spoke in the synagogue.  After Jesus read from Isaiah 61 and then gave a brief commentary, they ran Him out of His home town.  That’s where we pick up the story in Matthew 4:13, “And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum…”

            At this point, we might ask a simple question:  “Why didn’t Jesus stay in Jerusalem after that first Passover?  Why did He depart into Galilee?”  Part of the answer is in John 4:1,3… “When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John...  He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.”  Jesus didn’t leave because He was afraid.  More likely, He knew it wasn’t time for His popularity to grow in the Jerusalem area.  There would be a time for that later.  But we also find here in Matthew 4 a reason for His departure into Galilee.

            Let’s read again Matt. 4:13-16…

And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: 14.  That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 15.  The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 16.  The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

            You will notice immediately that Matthew quotes from Isaiah (Esaias -- same name).  The quote comes from Isaiah 9:1-2, but I would like to read what comes before it as well.  So let’s read Isaiah 8:17-9:2…

And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. 18.  Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion. 19.  And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? 20.  To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. 21.  And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward. 22.  And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness….  Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. 2.  The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

            Notice that Isaiah, in 9:1, describes a geographical region.  Matthew tells us that Jesus deliberately came to that region, that the scripture written by Isaiah might be fulfilled.

I.  A Look at the Geographical Region

            First of all, what about these terms “Zebulun” and “Naphtali”?  What are they?  Can any of you young ones tell us?  That’s right, they are the names of two of the tribes of Israel (from the names of two of Jacob’s sons).  Remember that the Promsied Land was divided under Joshua among the 12 tribes of Israel.  Only one tribe didn’t receive one of the portions of land.  Which tribe was that?  Yes, Levi, because the Lord Himself was the inheritance of Levi.  Notice on the map the portions given to Zebulun and Naphtali.  We are told that Capernaum is in the borders (KJV) of Zebulun and Naphtali.  Other translations speak of the “region” (NKJV, NASV, Holman) or “territory” (ESV) of Zebulun and Naphtali. 

            Notice in verse 14 that Matthew is getting ready to actually quote from Isaiah.  In Isaiah 9:1 and the quotation in Matt. 4:13 five terms are used -- land of Zubulun, land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, and Galilee of the Gentiles (nations).  There is disagreement concerning exactly how we should view these designations.  There are some who would see these as terms which basically describe the same area, the territory around the Sea of Galilee.  On the other hand, William Hendricksen (New Testament Commentary:  Matthew) makes a good case for viewing each of these as a distinct region. 

            We have already seen the location of the land of Zebulun (removed to the west of the Sea of Galilee) and the land of Naphtali (bordering the Sea of Galilee and extending to the north and west).  The “way of the sea” is seen by many as being the area along the Sea of Galilee, but Hendricksen suggests that it is the land west of Naphtali and Zebulun, stretching along the Mediterranean Sea.  If that is so, it would include the region referred to in Matt. 15:21, “Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.”  “Beyond Jordan” refers to the area east of the Jordan River.  “Galilee of the Gentiles” is an interesting term, likely overlapping some with Naphtali, referring to the region in the far north part of Naphtali.  This is the area that was most exposed to pagan Gentile influence. 

            The area described by Isaiah and Matthew is this territory all around the Sea of Galilee.  This is where Jesus did the bulk of His ministry.  The largest portion of the gospel accounts is devoted to His ministry in Galilee, while another large portion details His ministry beyond the Jordan.  Though the population of these regions was largely Jewish, pagan influences were strong.  As we will see, it was a place of darkness.

            In verse 13 we read that Jesus left Nazareth and lived in Capernaum.  Capernaum was on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee.  It became the headquarters for Jesus’ ministry in Galilee and the surrounding area.  In Mark 2:1-12 we have the story of Jesus forgiving the sins of the paralytic, before healing his body.  Where did that incident take place?  Mark tells us that it was in Capernaum (2:1).  Matthew also tells that same story, but He doesn’t mention it being in Capernaum.  Instead, we read in Matt. 9:1-2, “And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.  And behold, they brought unto him a man sick of the palsy…”  He refers to Capernaum as Jesus’ own city.  Jesus deliberately adopted Capernaum, which was in the territory described by Isaiah, as His own city, as the place from which He ministered to the multitudes.

II.  A Look at the People of the Region

            We don’t have to speculate about the spiritual condition of the people living in that region, because the Word of God tells us their condition.  One word describes it, and it is the word “darkness.”  Matthew, quoting from Isaiah, describes them as the people who walked in darkness (“sat” in darkness in Isaiah 9:2).  They lived in the region and shadow of death.  What a vivid description.  Darkness and death dominated the people of that region.  Certainly, there were a few people who had light and life, but in general it was a region of darkness and death.

            As we read earlier, the last part of Isaiah 8 gives some details of this darkness.  Rather than looking to the Word of God, it was common for these people to look to witches and wizards for their answers.  Occult practices were not uncommon.  When things went bad for the people, they cursed their king and their God.  Oh yes, they still had an outward attachment to the God of Israel, but when He did not bless them in the midst of their idolatrous practices, they cursed Him.  The chapter closes with the words, “they shall be driven into darkness.”  What a gloomy picture. 

            This is the region in which Jesus chose to spend the bulk of His ministry.  Why?  Because of the heart of God and the direction of scripture.  God has a heart for people in darkness, for people who are down and out.  But is that true if the people have been wicked and deserve what they are getting?  Absolutely.  I’m glad that God didn’t refuse to take pity on me because I was proud, self-centered, and self-sufficient.  God delights in taking people out of darkness and bringing them into the light.  Jesus was imply demonstrating the heart of His Father.  And, as we have seen, He came into this region in order to fulfill scripture, specifically Isaiah 9:1-2.

            Now let’s read all of Matt. 4:14-16,  "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 15.  The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 16.  The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up."  Verse 16 is an example of Hebrew parallelism; the same truth is restated in different words.  People sat in darkness, but they saw great light.  They were living in the shadow of death, but a great light sprung up.

            So what is the great light that came to these people?  It is none other than Jesus.  Isaiah’s prophecy is quoted in the context of Jesus launching His ministry in this dark region.  Perhaps there were mini-fulfillments of Isaiah’s words, but the glorious fulfillment waited for Jesus to come into that region.  Jesus referred to Himself in a number of ways, but don’t forget His words:  “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).  Jesus said that the night is coming when no man can work, “but as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:4-5).

            Did the prophet Isaiah give us any hints that this light would be the Messiah Himself?  Indeed he did, and far more than a hint.  Begin in Isaiah 9:2 and just keep reading…  (Is. 9:2-7)

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. 3.  Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. 4.  For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. 5.  For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. 6.  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7.  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

This child that shall be born is none other than Jesus, the One who will one day establish His glorious kingdom in all its fullness.  Praise God for the truth of His Word!  Praise God for the living Word, Jesus, who is the light of the world!

III.  Is There Any Application for Us?

            As I mentioned before, our God loves to dispel the darkness.  Go all the way back to Gen. 1:1-3…

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2.  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3.  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

            But praise God that is not the end of the story.  The story continues in II Cor. 4:3-6…

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4.  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5.  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6.  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

            What we see here in Matthew 4 is a demonstration that it can happen anywhere.  What a dark region that was, even the shadow of death, but Jesus came.  He healed the sick and gave sight to the blind, but more importantly He brought the light of the gospel.  We read the context in Isaiah 9, but now let’s come to the context that follows in Matthew 4.  4:17, “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  The fuller account is in Mark’s parallel in Mark 1:15, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”  Jesus is the light, but the good news is that He can be our light.  That is the gospel.

            No doubt there were people in this dark region who had given up all hope.  They were buried in their sins and they no longer cared.  They figured that was the way it was going to be, so just make the best of it.  But Jesus called on them to repent, because the kingdom of heaven was at hand.  The kingdom was embodied in the King, Jesus Himself.  Jesus commanded them to change their mind about sin and about righteousness.  Rather than make the best of their sin, they were to hate it and forsake it, for there was hope and life and light in Jesus.

            Does all of this sound as up-to-date as the world around us?  Are we not surrounded by darkness?  And there may be even darker places in this world than what we see.  In our modern world we don’t have to go far to see the domination of darkness and death.  Good news:  In Jesus is life and the life is the light of men (John 1:4).  “The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin, but the Light of the world is Jesus” (hymn:  “The Light of the World Is Jesus,” by Philip Bliss). 

            Brothers and sisters, we who are in Christ are testimonies to the truth that the light can indeed dispel the darkness.  We were once darkness, but now we are light in the Lord (Eph. 5:8).  Jesus has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son (Col. 1:13).  Yes, we shout the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (I Pet. 2:9). 

           

Conclusion

            This is one of my birthday presents.  I love flashlights.  This is a good one.  However, it isn’t very impressive here in this room, is it?  But if you were to come back at midnight and turn off all these lights, you would see a difference.  Why?  Because light shines the brightest in the deepest darkness.  That’s why the Lord’s salvation is so glorious.  If I had been a pretty good person and just needed a few touch-up strokes from the Lord, salvation would not have been very impressive.  But I was a rebel against God.  I had refused His way and gone my own way.  I was not only wicked to the core, but I was dead.  There was no hope for me whatsoever.  I couldn’t do anything for me and you couldn’t either.  But God, who dwells in unapproachable light and who sent His Son as the light of the world, He delivered me from darkness and set me in His light.

            Next week our theme will be “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).  Jesus explained that no one lights a candle and hides it.  No, we set the candle out in the open so that it can give light to everyone.  We who are light in the Lord, let’s not hide the light within us. 

            I remind you that the light shines brightest in the deepest darkness.  It is deception which leads us to want to shine our light in the light.  How wonderful it is to gather together here as the body of Christ, but this isn’t where we shine the Lord’s light.  Are you avoiding some dark places?  I remind you that if you are in Christ, you are the light of the Lord.  Indeed, you are the light of the world.  Let your light shine.

            I am reminded of that little poem from the pen of C. T. Studd…

                        Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell;

                        I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.

            Brothers and sisters, that’s where the light shines brightest for the glory of God.

            If you are here this morning and not a child of God, what a time to look to Jesus, the light of the world.  Repent and believe.  Turn from your own way.  Admit that you have rebelled against God and that there is no goodness in you.  Trust the One who took your place on the cross and bore the wrath of His Father.  He is your only hope.

God Speaks through a Messenger -- 12/4/11

December 4, 2011

GOD SPEAKS THROUGH A MESSENGER

Job 33:23-33

Job complained that God was unfair because He wouldn’t answer him. Job contended that God does not speak. Elihu answered by saying, “God speaks in one way and then in another, but man doesn’t perceive it.” God speaks, but are we listening? Elihu has further informed us that God speaks through dreams and visions and He speaks through pain. In more general terms, God speaks through words and God speaks through circumstances.

Let’s pause a moment to go back to the long dialogue between Job and his three friends -- Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. These friends claimed that God was punishing Job by sending him such severe pain. Job, on the other hand, claimed that he had not committed the great sins of which his friends accused him. This caused great turmoil in Job. “Since I know that God punishes the wicked, and since I know that I have not done such wickedness, how can I account for such painful suffering?” It was this great dilemma that led Job to question God and conclude that God would not answer.

When Elihu began to speak to Job and his friends, he immediately asserted that both Job and his friends were wrong. His friends were wrong in that they accused Job of wickedness he had not done and because they could not answer Job’s great question. Elihu rebuked Job because he was righteous in his own eyes, justifying himself rather than God. He knew Job had not committed the ugly crimes of which his friends accused him, but he wanted to help Job see a more subtle form of sin in his life. Both of the phrases he uses -- “righteous in his own eyes” and “justified himself rather than God” -- speak of pride. Job’s great pain and suffering were revealing the pride in his life.

We need to understand that though Elihu was indeed angry with Job (32:2), his purpose was not to condemn him or crush him. This young man takes great pains to speak to Job and reason with him. As we will see more clearly, God’s purpose in Job’s pain was not to crush him, but to help him. Painful suffering in the life of the believer is not punishment for sin, but refinement of righteousness. As we emphasized last week, pain has a way of getting our attention. When I was in seminary I had a professor who lost his wife during the semester I was in his class. After an absence of a week or two, he returned to class. I can’t remember his exact words, but this is the gist of what he told us: “My life was wrapped up in making sure I kept all my appointments. I had my schedule and routine. But now I see how shallow that life was. Since the Lord took my wife, I have been able to see things more clearly from an eternal perspective.”

This morning we come to a third way that God speaks. As we will see when we read our text, Elihu speaks of a messenger. While this messenger is tied closely to the pain through which God has been speaking, I believe it is appropriate for us to see this as a third way in which God speaks to us. Before we read, let me give one word of explanation. In verse 23, you will see either the term “messenger” or “angel,” depending upon the translation you read (“angel” in ESV, NASV, NIV, Holman; Amplified has both). The reason for the difference is the simple fact that the Hebrew term can refer to either a heavenly messenger (an angel) or an earthly messenger.

Let’s read our text, beginning back in verse 14 to pick up the context. Job 33:14-33…

For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it. 15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds, 16 Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction. 17 In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man, 18 He keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword. 19 "Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with strong pain in many of his bones,20 So that his life abhors bread, And his soul succulent food. 21 His flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones stick out which once were not seen. 22 Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, And his life to the executioners. 23 "If there is a messenger for him, A mediator, one among a thousand, To show man His uprightness, 24 Then He is gracious to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom'; 25 His flesh shall be young like a child's, He shall return to the days of his youth. 26 He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, For He restores to man His righteousness. 27 Then he looks at men and says, 'I have sinned, and perverted what was right, And it did not profit me.' 28 He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, And his life shall see the light. 29 "Behold, God works all these things, Twice, in fact, three times with a man, 30 To bring back his soul from the Pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of life. 31 "Give ear, Job, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will speak. 32 If you have anything to say, answer me; Speak, for I desire to justify you. 33 If not, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.

I. Praise for the Messenger

I must say at the outset that this sudden appearance of the messenger is in the context of Job’s pain and suffering. We see this in Job’s own experience. As he listens to Elihu, Job is continuing to experience the pain that he has endured for months (7:3). It is also true in the context of this passage. In verses 19-22, Elihu has said that God speaks through pain. The pain is so severe that “his soul draws near the Pit, and his life to the executioners” (vs. 22). He is drawing near to death. It is in that gloomy prospect that Elihu suddenly refers to the possibility that a messenger might come forth on his behalf. Verse 23, “If there is a messenger for him, a mediatior, one among a thousand, to show man His uprightenss.”

Have you ever longed for a messenger? Perhaps you got bad news from your doctor. You longed for a messenger who will come and tell you that there’s been a mistake. Or that one whom you love so dearly is lying on his death bed. How you long for a heavenly messenger to come and tell you that it’s going to be okay; he’s going to make it after all. Or maybe you have been facing a gut-wrenching decision. How you wish a wise messenger would lay his hand on your shoulder and then tell you what to do.

Let’s read again verse 23, “If there is a messenger for him, a mediator, one among a thousand, to show man His uprightness.” Job desperately needed a messenger. He was suffering deeply and he felt that God didn’t hear. Some-times he even regarded God as his enemy. In his own eyes, he was approaching the Pit. Could there be a messenger for Job, a mediator who would plead his case before the Almighty?

Now before we begin to unravel this passage, I must tell you that there are some difficulties. The biggest problem is knowing who “he” and “his” refers to throughout these verses. To see this, simply compare translations of verse 23. The NKJV uses capital letters for pronouns that refer to God. So when we read at the end of verse 23, “to show man His uprightness,” we understand that this messenger will reveal to the sufferer God’s righteousness. However, that is not what we understand from the ESV, which reads, “If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him.” We find the same ambiguity in verse 26, “He shall pray to God…” Who shall pray to God -- the messenger, or the man who is in pain?

So who is this messenger, of whom our author speaks? He is one of a thousand. There is a sense in which “thousand” was a much larger number in Job’s day than it is today. Today we speak of millions, billions, and trillions all the time. Not so in Job’s day. That is understandable. Consider the stars in the heavens. The naked eye can only distinguish a few thousand. When Job and his friends looked into the sky, they could use “thousands” to speak of all the stars. Today we get so tired of writing zeros that we have to use exponents to describe that number. To use another example, I doubt seriously that any of the biblical characters were concerned about a national debt that ran into the trillions of dollars. Simply put, “thousand” was the largest number they dealt with. It is true that the number 100 million occurs in the scripture. Do you know where it is? Most of you have read it many times. It is in Rev. 5:11, but the word million is not used. John simply speaks of ten thousand times ten thousand. So when we read here of one of a thousand, we understand that our author is speaking of a rare possibility. The chances are one in a million.

To simplify our interpretation of these verses, I want to tell you up front how I see it. Everyone does not agree, but I believe the messenger Elihu is talking about is himself. Elihu is the messenger, the mediator, who will come and show Job what is right for him. Though he has been angry with Job, he will graciously pray for him, asking God to deliver him from doing down into the Pit, death itself. While Job’s friends had written him off without hope, because he would not confess to something he hadn’t done, Elihu is willing to intercede for Job. He will say to God, “I have found a ransom.” I don’t know exactly what that means. It may mean that somehow Elihu wants to stand in Job’s place, even as Moses offered to stand in place of the sinful Israelites. Or he may be simply saying that he will urge Job to repent of his pride, and that will be the key to his deliverance.

We might also note the word “mediator,” as in most translations. The most literal translation of that word is “interpreter,” as the KJV has it. Part of Elihu’s task was to interpret God’s purposes for Job, who was finding it impossible to discern God’s ways. Listen again to all of verse 23, “If there is a messenger for him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show man His (God’s) uprightness.” If we take this as God’s righteousness, then we can see that Elihu was a faithful messenger in helping Job to understand that God was perfectly righteousness in allowing such painful suffering.

Verse 25, “His flesh shall be young like a child’s; he shall return to the days of his youth.” Elihu states that after he has prayed for Job and God has answered, Job’s health will return to him. The ESV is a bit different. Rather than this restoration being a statement of a future occurrence, it makes it a part of Elihu’s prayer: “Let his flesh become fresh with youth; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor.” Either way, Elihu has confidence that the Lord will answer his prayer.

As I mentioned earlier, the “He” of verse 26 is rather ambiguous. Elihu may be referring to himself as the one who prays to God. Or, he may be saying that now Job will also pray to God. Whichever way you take it, the end result is that the Lord will restore to man (Job, in this case) His righteousness. That is, either the righteousness he had before, or the righteousness of God Himself. Ultimately, it comes out at the same place, because we have no righteousness except that which comes from God.

As a result of this intercession and God’s answer, Job will then give testimony. Verse 27, “Then he looks at men and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right, and it did not profit me.’” The NIV may capture the idea of the last part of 27, when it has Job saying, “I sinned, and perverted what was right, but I did not get what I deserved.” While the KJV and NKJV render verse 28 as a statement from our author, the ESV includes it as a part of Job’s testimony. The Hebrew could be translated either way, but I think the ESV captures the idea: “He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.” Job had been in the darkness for a long time, but now he testifies that God has brought him out into the light.

Praise God for the messenger. How Job needed a faithful man who would speak the truth without destroying him in the process. Now let’s move from praise for the messenger, to…

II. Purpose in the Revelation

So we find Elihu telling us that God speaks in various ways, including these three -- through words, through circumstances (even painful ones), and through a messenger. Of course, the first and the last overlap in that a messenger brings words. In addition, the messenger in this case uses his words to help the afflicted man make sense out of his suffering.

Now I want us to go back through this passage and notice the purposes for which God speaks to us, whether it be through words, circumstances, or a messenger. Let’s go back and read verses 14-18…

For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it. 15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds, 16 Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction. 17 In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man, 18 He keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.

The Lord speaks to man in order that he may be turned from his deed that pride may be concealed from him. Wow! That covers a lot of territory, doesn’t it? People need to be turned from their deeds. Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord tells us that all our righteous deeds are like filthy rags (Is. 64:6). Man left to himself will not do the things that please God, nor the things that will ultimately be in his best interest. But in His grace and mercy, God is willing to speak to us and turn us from our selfish deeds. ________, you cannot lie to your mother and feel okay about it. Why not? Because God has told you through His Word that you are not only not to lie, but that you must honor your mother. Lying to her is not honoring her. So God has spoken to you to turn you away from your deeds.

Even greater in scope is God’s effort to turn people away from pride. Let’s be crystal clear on what the Word of God says about pride. In a number of ways, the Bible makes it clear that God hates pride. Some of you know the Proverb, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18). Notice here in Job 33:18 that God warns a man in order to turn him back from destruction. Both James (4:7) and Peter (I Pet. 5:5), quoting from the Proverbs, tell us that God resists the proud. If a person is proud, then God stands against him, but He gives grace to the humble. Who were the people that were most opposed by Jesus? The Pharisees. And why was that? While there were a number of reasons, none is bigger than the fact that they were proud. Praise God that He is willing to come right out and tell us how wicked pride is and that we need Him to give us humility. Aren’t you glad that God’s Word leads us away from the pride’s path of destruction?

Please hear me. Ultimately, there is no greater purpose for the revelation of God. Pride has been called “the breeder sin” because it gives birth to thousands of other sins. If a person’s pride is not dealt with, he will follow the way of destruction to its end -- the lake of fire, which he will endure indescribable suffering forever and ever. Too often people treat pride as if it is a small thing, or as if it is inevitable that people will be proud. Those are lies. Pride is not a small thing, and no person has to remain in the clutches of pride. There is freedom in the Lord Jesus, who modeled perfect humility and never ever acted out of pride. Can a Christian struggle with pride? Yes, but he is not mastered by it. He was a slave to pride, but “if a man be in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (II Cor. 5:17).

Now come down to verses 29-30, “Behold, God works all these things twice, in fact, three times with a man, to bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life.” It is basically the same message. I take “all these things” to refer to all the ways that God speaks to us. He speaks to us in all these ways in order to bring back our souls from the Pit, to deliver us from darkness and into His light. While the reference here may well be to Job’s deliverance from physical death, we know well that there is a greater pit to be avoided. It is that pit to which I just referred, to Hell itself. Once a person is there, he will have no opportunity for deliverance. Listen to what John said about Jesus in John 1:4, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” And don’t forget those beautiful words from 1 Pet. 2:9, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:" Or Col. 1:13, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:"

Did you notice those words “twice, in fact, three times.” Praise God that He is patient with us. God didn’t just speak to Job once, or even twice. So it is with us. Most of us could testify that God spoke to us repeatedly before we repented and put our faith in His Son. And even as His children, He repeatedly speaks to us. Yes, He warns us again and again. He even gives us stern warnings. Matt. 5:29-30, "And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." No, Jesus did not mean for us to take those words literally, but He did mean for us to take them seriously. If there is sin in my life, I am deal with it drastically. No matter what the sacrifice, by the grace of God, I am to root it out. But sometimes I don’t seem to hear the Lord the first time He speaks to about my sin, whether it be through His Word, through circumstances, or through a messenger. Praise His name that He graciously deals with me twice, three times, and even more.

We moved from Praise for the Messenger to Purpose in the Revelation, and now we come to…

III. Proclamation of the Gospel

Consider again the messenger of which Elihu speaks. As I shared, I believe Elihu is referring to himself as the messenger who graciously is coming alongside Job and interceding for him. However, let’s think beyond the time of Elihu. I don’t think it takes much imagination to find in these words a far greater messenger and more perfect mediator than Elihu. As I said before, I’m not sure exactly what Elihu meant when he said “I have found a ransom,” but that term “ransom” sends my mind racing forward. When the one who is rescued from the pit says in verse 28, “He has redeemed my soul…” (ESV), I find it impossible not to think of a greater Redeemer.

Please understand me. I am not saying that Elihu was consciously talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, but who can deny that these words give a beautiful description of what Jesus would do? He was both the messenger and the message. How was Jesus the message? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we behold His glory…” (John 1:1,14). ”God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son…” (Heb. 1:1-2). Jesus didn’t just find a ransom, He was the ransom. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). And look at verse 26, “He shall pray to God and He will delight in him…” After a person has been redeemed by the blood of Christ, he will pray to God and God Himself will delight in that man. How can it be? Because he is a new creature in Christ, ever precious in the sight of his heavenly Father.

Ray Stedman comments on this passage with these words…

So Elihu’s message could be paraphrased this way: “Let’s say a man is suffering and sorrowing. Suppose a special, unique, one-of-a-kind messenger comes alongside him. Suppose this messenger tells this suffering man how to live an upright life. What’s more, suppose this messenger acts as a mediator between the suffering man and God. And suppose this messenger brings good news to this suffering man and says to Go, ‘Spare this man from eternal punishment; I have found a ransom for his soul.’ What would be the result in that man’s life? He would feel young, strengthened, and renewed like a child, like a youth. I would be as if he had been born again!”

Isn’t that amazing? Elihu is describing exactly what happened when Jesus came into the world. Jesus is the unique messenger of the good news of the kingdom of heaven. He came to us and told us what is right for us and how to live an upright life. He acted as a mediator between a lost humanity and a righteous God. He stepped into our place and said, “Spare them from eternal punishment; I have a found a ransom for them, and the ransom is my own blood.” And the result? We are born again.

Praise God for the gospel, for the good news of Jesus Christ. Though the message may be a bit veiled here in Job 33, Christ cannot be totally concealed even here. But for you and me, the message has been shouted from the rooftops. We look back and read the message clearly. “Christ has also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God” (I Pet. 3:18). “God made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (II Cor. 5:21). Jesus gave Himself a ransom for all (I Tim. 2:6). “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly… But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:6,8).

Conclusion

God speaks in many ways, but the clearest message He has ever given is the good news of Jesus Christ. When God sent His own Son into this world, it was good news for everyone. It’s good news for you. Have you ever felt like David, when he cried out, “No one cared for my soul” (Ps. 142:4)? Do you feel like no one else in this world understands you? Hear me. God knows you perfectly, better than you know yourself, for He created you. He understands you completely. That is the God who loved you and sent His Son to die in your place. You didn’t deserve it any way. You have defied God and rebelled against Him. Instead of requiring you to pay the penalty, He sent His Son to bear your sins on the cross. Will you not fall down before Him, repent, and trust yourself to Him completely?

Job 33 ends with these words in verses 31-33…"Give ear, Job, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will speak. 32 If you have anything to say, answer me; Speak, for I desire to justify you. 33 If not, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.” Elihu gives Job a chance to respond, but Job has nothing to say. Apparently, Job had respect to Elihu’s wisdom and was willing to continue to listen.

What do you have to say to the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ? How can we say anything except, “Yes, Lord”? Surely no one would say, “But Lord, you don’t understand my situation?” Would you say, “But Lord, my sins are not really that bad. I think I can handle what’s coming”? Would you be so foolish to tell God that you don’t need a Savior?

Pray

God Speaks through Pain -- 11/27/11

Sunday, November 27, 2011

GOD SPEAKS THROUGH PAIN

Job 33:19-22

I have a very simple question to ask this morning. How many of you enjoy pain? Is there anyone here who would confess openly, “I just love pain; I delight in it”? Even if that describes you, you would not likely admit it, because everyone would think you are strange, and you would be strange. We are not made to enjoy pain. When we get close to a hot stove, if we have any mind at all, we shrink back. We do not joyfully lay our hand on that stove.

So why do we live in a world that is so full of pain? Not only have all of us experienced physical pain to some extent, but we have also had to deal with the kind of pain that goes beyond bodily aches. Some of you have experienced indescribable emotional pain in your lives.

I want to read you a simple, little quote from C. S. Lewis: “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains” (cited by Steven Lawson in his commentary on Job, p. 279). Think about that. “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains.” Could God speak to one of His children through pain? Could He communicate a message through physical, emotional, or spiritual pain?

I. Elihu’s Words to Job (Job 33:19-22)

Those questions bring us back to the 33^rd chapter of Job, where Elihu is responding to Job’s complaint that God will not answer Him. Let’s read some of Elihu’s response to Job’s complaint, beginning in Job 33:13 (ESV), “Why do you contend against him, saying, ‘He will answer none of man’s words’?” Elihu continues in 33:14-16 (NKJV), “For God may speak in one way, or in another, yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds, then He opens the ears of men and seals their instruction.” As we saw before, Job acknowledged that God had given him dreams. Let’s read again Job’s earlier words from Job 7:13-14, “When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me; my couch will ease my complaint,’ then You scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions.” Job sees his dreams only as scary things in the night, but Elihu suggests that God speaks to man through dreams and visions.

Now let’s come back to Job 33 and skip down to 33:19-22…

Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with strong pain in many of his bones, 20 So that his life abhors bread, And his soul succulent food. 21 His flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones stick out which once were not seen. 22 Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, And his life to the executioners.

The ESV translation of verse 19 is perhaps a bit stronger: “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed…” Don’t miss the point. God speaks to people in different ways. On the one hand, He may speak through a dream. On the other hand, He may speak through pain. There can be no mistaking the fact that Elihu is talking directly to Job, because Job had been enduring intense physical pain for months.

Let’s stop and think about this for a moment. Job is complaining that God is silent, that He refuses to answer Him. To put it in simple terms that we might use, “I pray and pray, but God doesn’t answer.” Elihu responds by telling Job that God is speaking loudly and clearly. The very bed of pain upon which he was lying was God’s mouthpiece, but Job didn’t perceive it.

When we looked at verses 14-16, I suggested that when God speaks through dreams, He is speaking through words. All through the scripture we find God speaking clear and specific messages through dreams. Even when the dreams did not come in the form of words, as with Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar, the interpretation of those dreams came in the form of definite words. But now we see that God can also speak apart from words. As Elihu puts it, “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed.” That pain was not in the form of words, but there is a sense in which its voice was stronger than words. We could summarize Elihu’s message by saying that God speaks through words and God speaks through circumstances, and there is no circumstance which grabs our attention more fully than our pain.

What does God say through a person’s pain? In this case, Elihu tells us that God chastens, disciplines, rebukes a man through his pain. God may deliver other messages through pain and suffering, but here it is the message of chastisement, reproof, discipline. Does that mean that every time you suffer pain God is chastising you? No. We have to be careful here. Jesus endured great suffering, but it was never because the Father was rebuking Him. Paul was beaten and stoned, but it was not chastisement from God. Down through the centuries Christians have been killed because of their testimony, but their pain was not a rebuke from God. Nevertheless, we have to be careful that we don’t take that truth and negate completely what Elihu is saying. God does rebuke through pain and suffering.

Consider a simple illustration. When I was a kid, we had a couple of cows and my dad kept them in the field with a fence. Actually it wasn’t much of fence. It was two strands of smooth wire that ran all the way around the field. Surely any cow of normal strength and average bovine intelligence could figure out that this little fence was not strong enough to contain her. But the first time that cow decided to test the fence, she was in for a big surprise. There was an unexpected element within the wire, and that element was PAIN. The electric current that flowed through those wires delivered a shock directly to the pain center of any offending cow. The cow responded as expected -- touch the fence, recoil at the intense pain, stay away from the fence. Those two little wires effectively conveyed the message to the cow that she must stay away from the fence to avoid the pain.

So what do you do when you experience great pain, whether it be physical or non-physical? Are you able to determine whether God is rebuking you? No, you cannot make that determination. Then what do you do? You stop! That’s right, stop. Stop what? Stop everything. And then do what? Look up. Wait on God. Ask Him what He is intending to communicate to you.

Most of us are open to the fact that God can speak through circumstances. We are careful not to label all occurrences as coincidence, because we know that our God is in control of everything and nothing happens by accident. Joe Saladin shared with us a few weeks ago that when he left his house to come to a service here at this church for the first time, he was humming “Holy, Holy, Holy.” When he walked in the door back there, we were singing that song. He sensed this was more than coincidence. Was not the Lord confirming that he was indeed supposed to be here, that the Lord was guiding him? We could give hundreds of such illustrations.

Isn’t it interesting that most of us do not tend to view physical pain in those terms? When was the last time you experienced pain and turned to God to ask if He was chastising you for sin? We are likely to say, “Just because a person is sick or in pain, that doesn’t mean that God is rebuking him.” You are right, but we must understand that it may mean exactly that. Do we not quote Rom. 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”? But for some reason, we often delete pain from the “all things.” When we experience pain, would we not be wise to stop, look up, and ask God what He is trying to tell us through our pain?

Most of us are much more likely to stop and look to God as a result of emotional pain than physical pain. That is certainly understandable, because these physical bodies are only our temporary dwelling places. Nevertheless, Elihu is here clearly speaking of physical pain. Job had endured tremendous emotional pain, especially when he lost his children. Don’t you know it caused great pain when his wife suggested that he curse God and die. But listen again to Elihu’s words in verse 19, “Man is also chastened with pain on his bed and with strong pain in many of his bones.” He goes on in verse 21 to speak of his bones sticking out. Best we can tell, Job was in the prime of life, but now this is strong physical affliction, and Elihu says that God is speaking through it. If we want to be sensitive to the voice of God, let’s not rule out the possibility that God can chasten us through pain and suffering of all kinds.

II. Scriptural Examples of God Speaking through Pain

Now let’s take time to look at some other scriptural examples of God speaking through pain, whether physical or otherwise. Consider Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus and good friends of Jesus. When Lazarus became very sick, they sent word to Jesus. Though Jesus understood the serious nature of the illness, He did nothing for two days. By the time He arrived at the home of Mary and Martha, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Not only were Mary and Martha grieving because they had lost their brother, but also because Jesus hadn’t come. In their minds, his death was not necessary; Jesus could have come and healed them. That’s what Martha said as soon as Jesus arrived, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother would not have died.” And she was exactly right. Jesus could have come and healed Lazarus. Instead, He remained where He was. Jesus deliberately allowed Mary and Martha to go through this intense and painful suffering. Was He speaking to them through their pain? Yes. What did He want them to do? Stop, and look to Him. When He first got the message that Lazarus was sick, Jesus said to His disciples, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby” (John 11:4). Jesus wanted to teach these precious friends a lesson that went beyond His ability to heal the sick. Ultimately, He wanted them to understand the truth He spoke to Martha: “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (John 11:25). To get their undivided attention, He brought painful suffering to them.

Or consider the apostle Paul. In II Cor. 12 we learn that he suffered greatly because of some problem, which he refers to as a thorn in the flesh and the messenger of Satan. Some will argue that it was not a physical affliction, though most would contend that it was. Whatever it was, Paul saw this thorn in the flesh as a hindrance to his ministry. Three times he asked the Lord to remove it, but it continued with him. Was the Lord speaking to Paul through his pain? He certainly was. As a matter of fact, He very clearly told Paul its purpose. “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (II Cor. 12:9). And praise God that he heard the message that came to him through suffering and then was clarified through the Lord’s words. Paul responded thus: “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (12:9-10).

So we see that suffering from the Lord was not a rebuke in these cases. There is no indication that Mary and Martha, nor Paul, had disobeyed the Lord in any way. Nevertheless, He used painful suffering to refine them, to help them to better understand Him and His ways.

On the other hand, we have the situation of I Corinthians 11. Paul was instructing (even rebuking) the Corinthian Christians concerning the Lord’s Supper. Let me read the last part in I Cor. 11:27-33…

Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 33. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

Paul has been rebuking them for the way they have treated one another at this special observance. Since a person who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, everyone should examine himself. Then, after he has done so, confessing his sin when appropriate, he should eat and drink. But apparently some had failed to listen to this counsel. As a result, they were weak and sick. Some of them had actually died. In this case, the physical suffering was a rebuke from the Lord. Their sickness was intended to wake them up to the fact of what they were doing. If they would judge themselves in these matters, it would not be necessary for the Lord to judge them.

Consider one other example. His name is Jonah. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and deliver a message of judgment. God spoke directly to Jonah; there was no question about what He was saying. But Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh, so he boarded a ship and headed in the opposite direction. What happened? A great storm arose and Jonah realized that it was a result of God’s anger at his disobedience. The next scene finds Jonah deep in the sea. Why wasn’t he drowned? Because he was in the belly of a whale. These were not pleasant circumstances. His life was in danger, to say the least. What do you think God was saying to Jonah through his pain and suffering? Surely the Lord was rebuking Jonah for his disobedience.

III. Are You Listening?

Remember where we are. Job complained that God was silent, that He did not speak, that God refused to answer his prayers. Elihu is trying to teach Job that God does indeed speak, but man isn’t always listening. So far Elihu is emphasizing that God speaks through dreams and visions, as well as through pain and suffering. As a matter of fact, the Lord was speaking to Job in both these ways. God had spoken through words and God had spoken through circumstances.

The Lord still speaks in both those ways. The great question is this: Are you listening? Am I listening? Do we believe that the Lord is speaking? Do we long to hear Him speak to us? Just last week we emphasized the truth that the Spirit of God has been poured out on all kinds of people, yes, on all people who have repented and trusted Jesus as Lord and Messiah. We who have the life of Jesus through the Spirit can expect our Lord to speak to us.

Pause with me for a moment. It is important that we have some idea of what God is going to say. My physical hearing isn’t what it used to be. But even when I don’t hear perfectly, I am enabled by the context of what I have heard in the past. Let me give you a funny little example. When the boys were young, we were all at the table eating a meal. Part of that meal was pork ‘n’ beans. At one point, I heard Mark say, “Where’s the pork?” I responded, “I ate it.” From Mark’s point of view, that was hilarious, because he had said, “Where’s the fork.” When I said, “I ate it,” Mark didn’t suggest I be rushed to the hospital to remove the fork. Whether or not he knew exactly what I thought he said, he was pretty sure I had misunderstood him. He was quite certain that I had not eaten the fork. How did he know? Because he knew me and he knew the situation. Because of that, he was quite sure that I hadn’t eaten a fork, but had misunderstood what he said. On the other hand, if I had been suicidal and there wasn’t anything else around, he might have suspected me of doing such a thing.

I don’t expect God to speak to me in an audible voice, but let’s suppose He did. I hear the voice and its seems like I hear Him say, “Go to hell.” Because I know God and have heard Him speak to me in various ways in the past, I’m pretty sure that isn’t what He said. Perhaps it was, “Go, tell.” When I try to discern what He said, I am going to lean in the direction of “Go, tell” rather than “Go to hell.”

Is it possible for us to have some idea of what God will say to us? Absolutely. How can that be? Because He has already told us so much through His Word. Remember that we are not living in the days of Job. We are living on the other side of the cross. Jesus, the Messiah, the very Son of God, has walked on this earth, died, and ascended back to the right hand of His Father. And this precious written Word points to Jesus. We have been blessed with great revelation from God and the revelation we have received governs what we expect to hear from God day by day. If God speaks through circumstances, what do we expect Him to say?

That brings us to a text that we know very well, but let’s review it again this morning. Rom. 8:28-29, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." For those of us who love God and have been called according to His purpose, Almighty God is able to arrange our circumstances in such a way that they work for our good. And what is good for us? Verse 29 -- to be conformed to the image of His Son. God is working all things together to make us like Jesus. Since that is true, we can expect all of His communication to line up with that overall purpose. So when we listen for the Lord to speak to us through circumstances, we are not looking for Him to make us better than other people. Nor do we look for Him to make life easy and comfortable. No, we expect Him to speak to us along the lines of making us like Jesus. Because we already have much revelation through the Word, we know that following Jesus consists of denying self, taking up our cross, and actually following Him. Therefore we will not be surprised, if His message to us seems to take us into difficult situations, as we serve others in His name.

Let’s suppose that you sense the Lord leading you to minister to young people who have problems with drugs. But you have hardly gotten started, when certain unexpected difficulties come your way. A couple of these wayward youth are calling you in the middle of the night. How are you going to serve the Lord effectively, if you can’t get any sleep? And besides that, some of your family do not understand. They are warning you that what you are doing could be very dangerous, that these drug addicts are extremely unpredictable. Now you are praying, trying to determine what the Lord is saying to you through these circumstances, through this newfound pain and suffering. You come to the conclusion that surely the Lord would not want you to put yourself in danger and deprive yourself of sleep night after night.

So what do you think of that? Here’s the problem. What makes us think that the Lord would shield us from great discomfort and even danger? Did the Father put a shield around His Son, so that He didn’t have to suffer, so that He was never in danger? Obviously, not. But surely we can’t expect to face the same things that Jesus faced. Then we remember what Jesus said, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). God’s Word tells us what we can expect in this world. “My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various trials” (James 1:2). Jesus Himself said, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). As we think on the things the Lord has already revealed through His Word, we begin to see that such discomfort and danger are the very things that we can expect, as we follow Jesus in this messed-up world. Instead of interpreting pain and suffering to mean that we are doing something that isn’t God’s will, we might more accurately interpret it as God blessing us with the opportunity to share in the suffering of our Lord, to identify with Paul, who longed to “know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings” (Phil. 3:10).

God can and does speak through circumstances, even through pain and suffering, but if we are going to hear Him speak and understand what He is saying, our filter must be His Word and a wholehearted desire to follow Him. In short, we must be consumed with the truth that His goal is to make us like His Son and that He wants us to be broken and spilled out for His glory, just as Jesus was.

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More on Dreams & Visions -- 11/20/11

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Dreams and Visions

Acts 2:14-21

We are continuing with our study of the book of Job. We have come to chapters 32-37, where a young man named Elihu speaks. We have good reason to believe that though he was young, Elihu had wisdom that Job’s friends did not possess. Neither Job nor the Lord Himself have anything negative to say about Elihu’s comments. So we are listening carefully to what this young man has to say in chapters 32-37.

Two weeks ago we looked at Job 33:8-18. Job’s basic complaint has been that God is not fair in that he won’t answer. In verse 13 Elihu basically says, “Why do you complain that God will not answer you?” Then Elihu replies that God does indeed speak, but man does not always hear what He says. He goes on to say that God speaks in one way and then in another. Elihu gives two specific ways in which God speaks. We looked at the first of those two -- in visions and dreams.

It is not good that I didn’t even mention Acts 2:14-21 in our consideration of dreams and visions. It wasn’t intentional oversight, but it is regrettable. If there is any passage in the New Testament that directly tells us something about the place of dreams and visions, it is this passage. Why do I say that? The other passages we read (the Acts passages) are examples, but they give no instructions. Acts 2:14-21, however, is a passage that deals with the nature of new covenant believers, and dreams and visions are mentioned. So I think we will do well to take some time to look at this passage. We began with a study of Job. We turned specifically to the words of Elihu. We then took some time to consider dreams and visions. Having begun with Job, we will today be dealing with our Lord Jesus and the sending of the Holy Spirit. Praise God! Now let’s turn to Acts 2:14-21…

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15. For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17. And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18. And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19. And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

I believe most of us are very familiar with the context. The Holy Spirit has descended on the group of 120 disciples who were gathered to wait for the coming of the Spirit, just as Jesus had told them to do. When the Spirit came, they began to tell of the wonderful works of God in many different languages, which enabled all those who had come to the feast of Pentecost to understand what they were saying. The crowd found it highly unusual, as they realized that these disciples were from Galilee. How were they able to speak in so many different languages? The conclusion reached by some of them was that these people were drunk.

The passage we read (Acts 2:14-21) is the beginning of Peter’s response. No, they were not drunk, as it was only 9:00 in the morning. Furthermore, they were gathered together for a special feast of the Lord. So what was the explanation? Peter began to explain it in terms of what the prophet Joel said. Peter could have simply told them what was happening, but he appealed to the words of the prophet. This was good practice. This was a Jewish feast, and the Jews had received the oracles of God. They were familiar with the Lord’s Word.

He begins by saying, “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel…” With some minor variations, he quotes from Joel 2:28-32…

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 30. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. 32. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered…

If you had to boil it down, the key statement from Joel that Peter latches on to is “I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.” When? “In the last days.” Joel simply says “afterward,” but Peter adapts it to “in the last days.” Later, in verse 31, Joel speaks of the great and terrible day of the Lord that is coming. Peter will quote that part too in Acts 2:20. So when are the last days? The last days began right here at Pentecost, the day when the Father and the Son poured out the Holy Spirit. That’s exactly what Peter is saying. The last days will not end until Jesus comes back again. While the Old Testament saints looked for Christ to come and set everything right, we, looking from the other side of the cross, understand that there are two comings of Christ. He came, but He is coming back again. The time in between is viewed by the New Testament writers as the last days. We see this in Heb. 1:1-2; I Pet. 1:20; Heb. 9:26; I Cor. 10:11; and others.

In the last days God will pour out His Spirit on all flesh. Consider the phrase “all flesh.” What does that mean? If it is referring to Pentecost, it can’t mean every human being, because there were many there that day upon whom the Spirit would never be poured out. Because of that, some believe that this couldn’t be the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy. However, “all” does not always refer to every person. Surely Peter is using this prophecy to say that the Spirit was being poured out on all kinds of people. The following words make this very clear: “and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, an your old men shall dream dreams. And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit…” “All” refers to all kinds of people, regardless of age and gender and station in life. In Old Testament times, the Spirit usually came upon prophets and kings, but now God will pour out His Spirit on all kinds of people. As a matter of fact, it is this kind of activity of the Spirit that will mark all the sons and daughters of God. This is exactly what Peter is explaining. “You see all these disciples -- men and women, young and old -- proclaiming the wonderful works of God. That is because the Spirit of God has been poured out upon them.

At this time “all flesh” is restricted to Jews and Jewish proselytes. That’s who came to the feast of Passover. But we know that soon the Spirit would be poured out on Gentiles as well. Though Peter himself did not yet understand that fact, his use of this prophecy proclaims that very truth.

Notice that the Lord will pour out His Spirit. We see the work of the Spirit in the Old Testament, but it is going to be much more pronounced at and after Pentecost. That’s what Peter is explaining. “What you see here is the great outpouring of the Spirit, as prophesied by Joel.”

So this is the focus of the passage. Whatever we make of the rest of it, we must understand that this is why Peter chose Joel’s prophecy. He uses it to explain to the people present at Pentecost what God was doing. To get a better grasp on that fact, we need to look at the whole passage. Briefly stated, Peter will go on to tell them that the reason the Spirit is being poured out with such power upon all kinds of people is because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, that One whom God has made both Lord and Messiah, but whom they have crucified. In doing so, Peter will use the Psalms to make his point. It’s all about the resurrected Jesus sending His Spirit with great power, as evidenced by the 120 proclaiming the wonderful works of God.

The prophecy goes on to say that both men and women will prophesy and young and old will experience visions and dreams. It isn’t real clear whether the male servants and female servants (literally “slaves”) refer to literal slaves or to those who are slaves of the Lord. Peter may be using the prophecy to say that all of God’s people (as His slaves) will have the Spirit poured out upon them and will prophesy, both men and women. One reason for that interpretation is Peter’s addition of the word “my.” In Joel’s prophecy it is “the male and female servants,” but Peter says “my male and female servants.”

So what about this prophesying? Of course, in the Old Testament numerous prophets prophesied. Often they foretold the future. Even more often they simply spoke to the people what the Lord told them to say. In the New Testament we see a gift of prophecy, particularly in I Corinthians. The Spirit so worked in a believer that he was able to speak truth that God’s people needed to hear. It was not of the same inspired nature as the Old Testament prophets, but it was from the Lord and used in the church.

The use of prophecy here may not fit neatly into either category. While it is possible that this refers to the gift of prophecy, it is likely broader than that. Again, remember that these words of Joel are explaining what was happened right there on the day of Pentecost. All of the disciples were proclaiming the wonderful works of God. In a sense, they were all prophesying. They had a special knowledge, and it was the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In that sense, all of God’s people prophesy, as they proclaim this knowledge that is hidden from the world. Peter’s own proclamation on the day of Pentecost is a wonderful example of this prophesying. Note also how the quotation ends in verse 21, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Is this not the aim of the prophesying, that lost people will call upon the name of the Lord and be saved?

We might find a parallel in the concept of teaching in the New Testament. There is a gift of teaching, but the writer of Hebrews chastises his readers by telling them that they should all be teachers by this time (Heb. 5:12-14). All Christian do not have the gift of teaching, but all teach. It may be the same with this idea of prophesying. I believe it fits with the context of what Peter is explaining.

That brings us to the dreams and visions. Again, as far as I can tell, the only difference between dreams and visions is that dreams occur at night during sleep, where visions are not so restricted. At noon God gave Peter a vision of the sheet coming down from heaven, but He told Joseph in a dream to take His family to Egypt. The Macedonian call came to Paul during a vision of the night. Nevertheless, dreams and visions served the same purpose in God’s plan.

Here is the central question I want to ask: Does Peter’s use of Joel’s prophecy mean that dreams and visions are going to be greatly multiplied during the days in which we live, during these last days between the first and second coming of Christ? On the surface, it certainly would seem so. After all, has not the Spirit been poured out upon all believers? 1 Cor. 12:13, "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." There we find the same emphasis -- the Spirit has come upon all flesh, including the Gentiles.

There are some who would restrict these dreams and visions to the end of the last days. We haven’t focused on verses 19-20, because that isn’t our purpose. Those verses speak of signs in the natural world. Some would say that these took place at the crucifixion, and there is some basis for that. However, even if there was some fulfillment in that sense, most people believe that the greater fulfillment will take place in the end before that great and terrible day of the Lord (the last of the last days). Rev. 6:12, set during the time of the tribulation, would support this contention. Rev. 6:12 , "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood." There are those who would push the time of multiplied prophecies, dreams, and visions to those last days of the last days. I’m not sure that’s valid, as this passage seems to be speaking of what will happen throughout the times of the new covenant.

I am going to share where I am at this point, as I have tried to go back through this passage honestly and prayerfully. Basically, I want to stress the same things I stressed two weeks ago. God is more than capable of giving dreams and visions whenever He wants to do so. He might choose to give you a dream tonight and speak to you through that dream. If He does, test it by His Word. If you believe it is from Him and it lines up with the Word, live accordingly and move on. Don’t glorify the dream; be thankful for it and glorify the Lord.

Having said that, I must say that I am not at all sure that Peter is saying there will be a great multiplication of dreams and visions during these last days. Why do I say that? Because Peter is using a passage from the Old Testament. But isn’t the Old Testament as true as the New? It certainly is. However, Peter uses it for his own particular purpose. His primary purpose is to explain to the people what was happening, that God was pouring out His Spirit on all flesh. God’s communication to His people would no longer be restricted to a few privileged leaders, but now He would pour out His Spirit upon all His people. His purpose is not to use every detail of the Joel passage to explain how God would communicate to and through His people.

Let me ask you a question: Does the Joel passage say anything about speaking in tongues? Absolutely not. Yet that is exactly what was happening and why the people were so amazed. Peter chose the Old Testament passage that would best suit the situation, but it didn’t fit every detail. Tongues were not present in the Joel passage, yet these believers were speaking in tongues. On the other hand, Joel spoke of dreams and visions, but they were not occurring at Pentecost, even though Peter was using this passage to describe the current events.

While the Lord is certainly free to use any means He chooses to speak to His people, it may not be best for us to press the point that dreams and visions will be a primary part of His communication. Again, Peter freely adapts the Joel passage for His own purposes. Notice that Peter does not use the normal formula for introducing a prophecy that is being fulfilled. For example, we read in Matt. 1:22-23, "Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." We find the New Testament writers using this and similar citations to call attention to the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. Peter himself uses the words “it is written” in 1 Pet. 1:16, "Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." But here in Acts 2 he simply says, “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.” He points to the happenings at Pentecost as an example of Joel’s prophecy rather than an exact fulfillment. Rather than following Joel’s exact concept of “afterward,” Peter adapts it by putting it into the context of “the last days.”

I would say that while Peter is focusing on the fact that one of the characteristics of new covenant life is hearing from the Lord and speaking on His behalf, he is not emphasizing visions and dreams as the primary means of communication (which is the case, if we take the Joel passage at face value). As we saw before, while there are a number of examples of dreams and visions in the book of Acts, we don’t find that in the New Testament letters, with II Cor. 12:1 being the one exception.

But someone might ask this question: “Then what was Joel talking about, when he said ‘your young men shall see visions and your old men will dream dreams’?” That is a very good question. And that is why we can’t be dogmatic at this point. The Spirit of God had something in mind when he spoke through Joel. We cannot say with authority that this phenomenon does not take place in our times. However, whether it does or not, on this one thing we must be clear. Peter’s use of the passage is in the context of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The prophesying that took place on that day was servant to the central message that Jesus died, rose, and ascended on high. The speaking in tongues was focused on declaring the wonderful works of God, the climax of which was the death and resurrection of His Son. When there is a multiplication of dreams and visions from God, we can be sure that the focus will be upon that same glorious gospel. The focus will not be upon the dreamers and visionaries, but upon the gospel. When dreams and visions are from God, we will see Christ. When dreams and visions draw our attention away from Christ to anything else, then something is desperately wrong. We must never read Acts 2:14-21 apart from the context of all of Acts 2. When God speaks, His revelation points to His Son.

Conclusion

Now let me make something clear. We don’t want to focus on what Peter is not saying, but upon what he is saying. Peter was clearly stating that God was indeed pouring out His Spirit on all flesh, that all of His people would know God and would proclaim His wonderful works. This is the birthright of God’s sons and daughters. This is what Moses longed for. Let’s read that passage from Num. 11:25-29…

And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. 26. But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp. 27. And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. 28. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. 29. And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!

Moses’ desire became a reality on the day of Pentecost. This is exactly what was happening. All of God’s people were prophesying, because the Lord had poured out His Spirit upon them. But that was only the beginning. That was the pattern for all believers. No, all believers will not proclaim the good news in various languages on the spot, as those 120 believers did. On that day there was a particular need and the Spirit met the need. While the specific need may vary, the supply is available through the outpouring of the Spirit.

Too often we view the presence of the Spirit only as the guarantee of final redemption. Praise God! He is that. But He is much more. The Lord did not send the Spirit only to seal us as His own, but He also sent Him in order that we might powerfully proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is what Jesus said shortly before He ascended back to heaven. Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." The power for witnessing is found in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit who comes as a guarantee of our inheritance is the same Spirit who empowers us to speak and live the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Over 50 years ago A. W. Tozer wrote, “I think there can be no doubt that the need above all other needs in the Church of God at this moment is the power of the Holy Spirit” (Best of A. W. Tozer; Book Two, page 61; from The Divine Conquest). Who can argue? He goes on to say that our need is not “more education, better organization, finer equipment, more advanced methods.” Too often we have tried to make our knowledge, our sophistication, our technology a substitute for the power of the Spirit. Most of us do not need to know more; we need to tell what we know! But it isn’t a matter of determination; it must be the power of the Spirit.

Yes, I know… we could spend another hour and not even scratch the surface of such a wide and broad subject. So let’s boil it down to a truth we know. We know it, but oh that we might practice it. Let’s conclude this morning with those well-known words from our Lord Jesus. John 7:37-38, "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” Then John, the writer of this account, gives us a short explanation: “(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" (39).

Whether or not a believer has dreams and visions is not of great consequence in comparison with the need to drink from Jesus until rivers of water are gushing forth from him for the glory of God! Please hear me this morning. If you are a believer, this is your birthright. This is who we are as children of God. Even the apostles could not practice this until Jesus was glorified, until He died and rose, but after He died for their sins, rose for their justification, and ascended to send His Spirit, they proclaimed the good news with power. Nor can we live this life in our own determination, but when we continually abide in Jesus, eagerly drinking in His life, all the schemes of the devil himself cannot dam up those rivers of living water. Sons and daughters of God, this is what God will do in us. Let’s be on our knees, crying out to the Father, begging Him to make us thirsty for Jesus.