Notes from Easter 2020 – “Once and for All’

Who needs help? Who needs hope? Who needs a second chance? Where can I get answers?

All are questions that have been with man since the beginning. It’s the deeper things of God that sustain us. So then why don’t we spend more time studying the deep word of God?

There might be no more New Testament book in the Old Testmanet book than Levicicus. It’s two themes are atonement and holiness. Those words are ignored as we try to live our lives the way we want to live them. Yet, our lives are not our own.

The world pays little attention to God, until He makes us pay attention. 

The Bible is the written word, and Jesus is the living word. 

Atonement is a most gracious word that every human being needs to understand.

God takes life seriously, an the life of man is found in the blood. Atonement is taken from a word that means ransom. It means to cover our sins. It means to forgive, to forgive our sins. It means everything Jesus did for us on the cross. 

There are only two religions. One which is figs leaves – the religion of works. The second one is Jesus’ perfect provision. A beautiful gift from God. 

The sinner takes this blood, this life, in His hands, and presents it to God as his plea.

God knew the real price for our sin. The sacrifices in the Old Testament did not actually remove sin. The Levitical offerings covered sins until Christ came as the perfect sacrifice to remove all the sins of the world. It was just a cover up until Jesus paid the price for real. Yet, people handly think twice before they sin. When is the last time you thought before you sinned “This is an offense before God.” 

We don’t have anywhere to go. We have no excuse to not stop, and think about what we are doing. COVID-19 is a chance for us to evaluate what really matters. The atonement teaches, that God has you covered. This should be great news to us.

Then there is holiness. God wants this from us. He wants the world to see His people. “Be holy’ is found at least twenty times in Leviticus. He wants us to “be holy, as I am holy”

Holiness when applied to God denotes Ewing separated from every worldly and wrong thing. Holiness when applied to man points to a life of purity ad obedience to God. Those who we redeemed by his precious blood are to live a holy life. What can we do about it? Read the word. Put it in us, so that it can pop out. 

Live like you take God seriously. Live like you know what He rescued you from!

It is by your faith that you have hope in God; and this is a hope that does not disappoint.

Master Chef (2 Kings 4)

I remember teaching this chapter of 2 Kings when I was a fourth grade instructor at a Christian classical school. It was a my first professional job and I was eager to do a good job. I wanted the kids to love coming to class and learning. This was especially true when I was teaching the Bible, which of course was the most important subject to me, and the administration.

I got really into teaching this chapter. I’d have the kids act out the different people Elisha interacted with. We’d talk play memory games. We’d write out the story as a narrative in our own words. We even drew some of the scenes. Yet, I wonder if I ever did a good job covering the why of the material.

For example, there is a point where Elisha puts some flour into a stew. The implication was that the stew was poisonous, but from the the original text makes it unclear if it was dangerous or just nasty. Either way God fixes the problem through Elisha. The kids I taught always laughed at this part of the chapter because I would pretend to be Emeril Lagasse and “Bam!” the imaginary stew. They never stopped and pondered why this story is included, and neither did I.

God cared about this stew. The unnamed sons of prophets were hungry due to the ongoing famine at the time. This was not just a regular can of Campbell’s Chunky Beef Stew. This was their dinner that would have to hold them for who knows how long. So God, being the God who cares about big things and small things, gives Elisha the wisdom to fix this nasty stew.

In another part of the chapter, Elisha miraculously gives an unnamed rich woman a child. Like many other women in the bible she was in a position (barren in her case) where she could not have a child under normal circumstances. Now, in other stories (see Mary, Elizabeth, Hannah, Rachel) god provided women with children because they were needed for God’s story to continue. Not so with this woman. Her son is never given a name in the Bible. He does not great acts. He is not a part of Jesus’s lineage. God gave this woman the same miracle, simply because He is a good God who delights in blessing those who are obedient.

Let’s remember that in times of trial and blessings. He might not always give us what we want, but He is always concerned with what we need. He loves us and wants to bless us. Turn to Him, and cast your desires upon Him.

Going Back for Seconds (2 Kings 2: 1-12)

Elijah had a whirlwind ministry, so it makes sense that he goes out in a whirlwind. I love that the text spoils the ending before he even gets there. This is the grand finale for arguably the greatest prophet story this side of AD. Yet, the finale is not really about him. It’s about Elisha, and his decision to commit his life fully to God.

Elisha had been traveling around with Elijah for 18 years. That is a long time to train under someone, so we know that they are tight. I can not imagine losing a mentor I’ve had that long. It is no wonder that Elisha wants to soak up all the time he has left with his teacher. He refuses to leave his side as Elijah travels to Bethel and Jericho to encourage the prophets there one last time. They would need it as they were ministering in pagan places.

What must the ticking clock have felt like to Elisha? To know his best friend is leaving him so soon, must have caused some form of anxiety. He must have had some form of doubt. He must have heard whispers, like “Are you good enough to follow in his steps?” We can see he was clearly trying to not think about the dwindling time as kept telling the prophets to shut up every time they brought it up.

Finally the moment arrives. His teacher parts the Jordan river in a scene that invokes Moses. They continue to talk when all of a sudden a chariot of fire comes to sweep Elijah up (a fitting ride for God’s champion during this dark time in Israel’s history). Before he leaves, Elijah asks his student what he wants from him. What will Elisha’s inheritance be?

He asks for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. His desire is to continue on the work Elijah has been doing. Elisha is deciding to commit to God with everything he has. He isn’t just asking for double the miracles. That’s going to come for sure, but he is asking for double the trials. Remember Elijah’s persecution and his resulting depression. All of these are burdens Elisha is picking up. Why?

Sure, part of him wants to carry on the legacy of his friend, but that is not enough to push any person into a life of struggle. No, Elisha wants to be like his spiritual forefather because he knows that there is no life worth living that does not include God. He has weighed the cost, and found that the trial is worth the reward.

I think of the spiritual teachers I’ve had in my life. Some of them are still around. Some of them have moved on to new ministries. However, no matter where they are, their impact lives on in me. Whenever I feel the cost is too high, I think of the example they set for me. I remember that all of them would point me to the cross. There I will find all the strength I need.