Did you know that the words for vain and vanity both come from the Latin word “vanus” meaning “empty” or “without substance.” We could also use words like “void” or “pointless” or “vacant.” Each of these definitions convey a similar meaning—that something has been wasted. It could be a waste of time, a waste of resources, or even a waste of effort. In any case, there is certainly a negative connotation that comes with the term.

I’m sure that nobody has the desire to be wasteful—not with our time, not with our resources, not with our efforts, and particularly, not with our lives. I’m certain that at the end of my life, I could not imagine a worse fate than having it end with regret. All the things I’d wished I’d have done differently, all the people I’d wished I’d have treated differently, and all the time that I’d wished I’d have spent differently.

You would think that with two thousand years of technological advancements, scientific discoveries, and groundbreaking human accomplishments we’d be able to figure out how to make the most of our lives. It would be great if someone could just create a mathematical formula to determine the best way to live my life. Something like if I spent X amount of my time with my friends and family and Y many people knew who I was and made Z amount of money in my lifetime then we could calculate my total life satisfaction using an equation like 3X + 2Y + Z. But we all know that is a fool’s errand—lives are not meant to be calculated on a spreadsheet.

What we’ll find though is that the questions we are pondering today are the same questions that people found themselves pondering those two thousand years ago. They asked the same question as us today—how can I make the most of my life?

For Paul the apostle, the answer to this question hinged on one thing and one thing only—the matter of whether Jesus Christ rose from the dead two thousand years ago. Because if he did not, everything means nothing and we should just do to our hearts’ content. In the words of the writer of Ecclesiastes:

And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 8:15

If living is simply for the sake of living then it is a regretless life, why grieve over what is pointless? why grieve over what is vanity? why grieve over a life that is lived in vain if all is in vain?

Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,
    vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 1:2

If all is truly vanity, what difference is there to whether I wake up tomorrow or the next day? What difference is there to live or to die? What difference is there to do good or to do evil? The answer is that is there none.

Paul himself says in 1 Corinthians 15:

If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

1 Corinthians 15:19

If we believe and follow Christ without a hope for resurrection then Christians must be the biggest fools in the world. Imagine wasting your time going to church, reading the Bible, serving and loving others. If Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, even Paul himself would concede that the Christian life is a life that is lived in vain.

If Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, the Christian life is synonymous with a wasted life.

And that is all the more reason that Paul makes such a big emphasis in 1 Corinthians 15 on the insistence that Jesus Christ rose from the dead:

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

1 Corinthians 15:12-17

Because if Jesus really did resurrect two thousand years ago, then it changes everything. Because if God is real and Jesus really is who He says He is, then everything means something and we are challenged to live a life that looks radically different—one that is worthy of the calling of God.

When we read the words of Jesus, we’ll find that the Christianity that Jesus demands is not one of just sunshine and rainbows but one that demands surrender. He demands everything from us—our relationships, our comforts, our joys, and our lives.

Because if Jesus really did resurrect two thousand years ago, then I’m sort of inclined to trust his words. After all, how many other people in history have performed such a spectacle? How many other real people have made the claim to have died and come back to life?

Who would have a better take on making the most of our lives than someone who gave it up and got it back?

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells us the cost of following Him:

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 

Luke 9:23-25

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:26-27

What is the cost of following Jesus? It isn’t giving up swearing or trying to be nicer to your co-workers and classmates or going to church every Sunday—don’t get me wrong, those aren’t bad things. But those also don’t do justice or fully encapsulate what Jesus demands of his followers, which is their lives.

In the first passage, Jesus tells us to deny ourselves and take up our cross. If you aren’t familiar with crucifixion, it’s when your arms and feet are nailed to a cross that is set upright. You will slowly start to bleed out but it’s not the bleeding out that kills you, it’s the gasping for breath as your body hangs from your nail-pierced hands. You push down on the nails to briefly get a single breath in and just a moment of relief before your arms give and you are left hanging once again. This scene repeats itself until your body finally gives way and with no more strength to push yourself up, you suffocate under your body’s own weight.

That is the image of the cross that Jesus tells us to bear.

In the second passage, Jesus once gives another difficult proposal. To follow him, one must give up their father, their mother, their wife, their children, their brothers, their sisters, and even their own lives.

Everything, including our loved ones, Jesus says. Our whole lives. It’s not a compromise.

In another passage from Matthew, Jesus tells of a parable of what the Kingdom of God is like.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Matthew 13:45-46

The Kingdom of God is like a pearl that is so great, a man would give everything he has to get it. There is this image and attitude of no holding back. Everything.

Do we have that attitude?

What have you given up to follow Him? What is the cross you are bearing? If your answer is “nothing” then maybe it’s time to reconsider if you have been following the same man who said these following words:

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

---

If Jesus did not resurrect two thousand years ago then everything means nothing and there is no better way to live than to our heart’s content.

But if Jesus really did resurrect two thousand years ago then everything means something and there is no better way to live than to live a life that is worthy of the calling of God—one of surrender, of sacrifice, of laying down one’s life.

Paul finishes the end of the chapter of 1 Corinthians 15 with this:

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:58

If we are confident in the hope of Jesus’ resurrection, these sacrifices and hardships and the act of “taking up our cross daily” are neither in vain nor in vanity.

On the contrary, a life wasted would be one that ignores the revelation provided by a man who had died and risen again.

After all, who would have a better take on making the most of their life than someone who gave it up and got it back?

Stay cool,

Jason

Hello everyone,

Recently, I read through Isaiah and really enjoyed it. So I just wanted to share some of the things I read!

On another note, this is my first post in a while that is going directly into a text head-on instead of a topical piece so I am going back a bit to the roots of why this site was started (hence the title of the website).

Sometimes referred to as “the fifth gospel” due to the richness of messianic references, the book of Isaiah gives us deep insight into the role of the Messiah and the role that Jesus plays in God’s plan of salvation. By understanding what Isaiah has to say about God’s anointed, we can come to a fuller and more complete knowledge of who Jesus is and what he’s come on earth to do.

Today, I will be going through a couple of verses that point to God’s plan of salvation in Isaiah and show exactly how Isaiah “preaches the gospel” before the New Testament gospels do. To the Israelites who read it, Isaiah IS the good news. It tells us of a savior who will come and bring healing, restoration, and peace to a people who are suffering and oppressed. What better news is there than that?

I’ve divided the following passages into 5 sections/motifs: the servant, healing/freedom, water, new Eden, and the nations. Each passage will point either directly to Jesus or to what Jesus will accomplish through his work on the cross. (for each of the sections, I’ve created a link in the heading for all the verses I’ve used for the section if you’d like to go through just the passages on their own!)

The Servant

The book of Isaiah speaks of a savior who will come and redeem God’s people. Many different names are used for this individual. He is called the branch, the servant, and is described as someone who will walk in the ways of the Lord. As we go through the different passages about this prophesied savior, it will also become seemingly more and more clear that Jesus is that prophesied savior.

In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.5 Then the Lord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.

Isaiah 4:2-6

In this first passage regarding the redemption of Israel, Isaiah talks about how there will be a day when “the branch” (God’s Messiah) will “wash clean” His people. Additionally, at this time, God will be present with his people (cloud/fire are clear analogies to Exodus where God led his people as a pillar of fire/cloud by day/night—Exodus 13:21-22). These are later fulfilled by Jesus “washing clean” the people of their sin through his death on the cross as well as Jesus physically being present and leading His people on his time on earth (and additionally through the Holy Spirit).

quick note: for those who are not familiar with the “gospel” or good news of Jesus: basically, because of mankind’s evil or ‘sin,’ man is separated from God. This is because God is the embodiment of goodness or ‘holiness’ and cannot be with sin. Being that embodiment of holiness, God must also be just and punish sin. Because humans cannot save themselves, God came down as the person of Jesus to save us himself. He took our place in that punishment. Whoever believes this to be true will find eternal life (John 3:16)

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.

Isaiah 7:14-15

This next passage follows an interaction between King Ahaz and Isaiah. After Ahaz becomes king, he is approached by two other foreign kings who desire to form a coalition with him in order to combat the oncoming Assyrian threat. God, in turn, tells Ahaz to reject their proposal. Isaiah instead tells Ahaz to trust in the Lord alone for deliverance and God gives him a sign: that a virgin would give birth to a child, that he would be named Immanuel (God with us), and that he would know right from wrong.

Ultimately, Ahaz would end up allying with the Assyrians and eventually being enslaved by them. But God’s promise would not be in vain. While He did raise up kings who would know right from wrong (Hezekiah and later Josiah), they could never bring true freedom and liberty to God’s people. It is only later when we encounter Jesus, conceived of a virgin, who knew right from wrong, and was quite literally ‘God with us’ that salvation could come through his work on the cross.

But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”

Isaiah 8:13-15

In this passage, in light of the upcoming Assyrian invasion, Isaiah warns the people: do not be afraid of the Assyrians. Instead, be afraid of God and trust in Him. But to those who fail to do so, they would stumble upon Him and be destroyed. This passage had a present connotation as well as a future one. In the time of Isaiah, Israel’s failure to trust in God led to their downfall. As we saw with Ahaz in Isaiah 7, Israel had a habit of conspiring with foreign nations which God had forbade. They would also inquire with necromancers and mediums which was also forbidden (Isaiah 8:19).

The future connotation of this passage is understood through Jesus. Jesus is the aforementioned “stone of offense” and “rock of stumbling” to the people of Israel. In Matthew 21:44, Jesus refers to himself as this rock that the people would have trouble believing in. In the same way that Israelites had failed to trust God to deliver them from Assyria, many will, would, and continue to fail to trust that Jesus would be the one to deliver them from their sins.

But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
    on them has light shone.
You have multiplied the nation;
    you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
    as with joy at the harvest,
    as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
For the yoke of his burden,
    and the staff for his shoulder,
    the rod of his oppressor,
    you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
    and every garment rolled in blood
    will be burned as fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Isaiah 9:1-7

This passage has two pieces of significant information. That in God’s restoration, people would find (1) a great light in the darkness and (2) a child ‘with the government on his shoulder’ would be named ‘wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace’ and that ‘the throne of David’ would be established and upheld by him.

In John 8:12, Jesus tells the people, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” He is the light in the darkness that has shone in a time of great darkness and has broken the staff of Israel’s oppressors. While many of his disciples were concerned about the rule of Rome (Acts 1:6), God’s concern was for sin’s rule over his people’s hearts. He desired to give them a new heart, replacing His people’s hearts of stone with hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26).

The second part of the passage (6-7) speaks of a coming child who would be the fulfillment of God’s covenant with David—he would establish and uphold the throne of David forevermore. But there’s a question that comes up there. How could that person be referred to as “mighty God” and “everlasting Father?” Are those not titles reserved for God? In Matthew 22:42-46, Jesus asks a similar question, not about this passage, but one from Psalm 110:1. How is it that David, the father of the Messiah’s lineage, would be calling his own offspring, “Lord?” The implications of these passages are clear. Jesus is no ordinary man, but he is also God.

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
    and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
    the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and might,
    the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
    or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
    and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
    and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
    and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

Isaiah 11:1-5

In this passage, we once encounter “the branch.” This branch is referred to as coming from the stump of Jesse. So it must be an allusion to God’s covenant with David (Jesse was the father of David). We are told that this Messiah would have the spirit of the Lord: a spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. He would judge righteously, not by human standards, and be full of faithfulness. We see this prophecy fulfilled by Jesus, who would have the Spirit of the Lord (Luke 3:21–22) and the fear of the Lord. He would also be one who judges not by human limitations through “what his eyes see and ears hear” but through people’s hearts and their faith. Examples: Mark 2:1-12: Jesus and the paralyzed man or Mark 10:46-52: Jesus and the Bartimaeus.

Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
    my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my Spirit upon him;
    he will bring forth justice to the nations.
He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,
    or make it heard in the street;
a bruised reed he will not break,
    and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
    he will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow faint or be discouraged
    till he has established justice in the earth;
    and the coastlands wait for his law.

Thus says God, the Lord,
    who created the heavens and stretched them out,
    who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people on it
    and spirit to those who walk in it:
“I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;
    I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people,
    a light for the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
    from the prison those who sit in darkness.

Isaiah 42:1-7

In this next passage, we encounter “the servant” title. This servant will bring forth justice to the nations, have God’s spirit in him, and be of gentle nature. We are also told he will given as a ‘covenant for the people’ and a ‘light for the nations.’ He will open the eyes of the blind and bring out the prisoners.

These are prophesies clearly fulfilled by Jesus. Jesus had God’s spirit, brought forth justice to the Gentiles by becoming their atoning sacrifice, and was gentle in heart (Matthew 11:29).

Jesus also becomes the mediator of the new covenant (Hebrews 9:15) and the light for not only Israel but the whole world (John 8:12). I will expand on the healing motifs (Isaiah 42:7) as a whole more in the next section, but for now, just make a note here that Isaiah does link the coming of God’s Messiah/His servant with healing and freedom that will come.

And he said to me, “You are my servant,
    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
But I said, “I have labored in vain;
    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my right is with the Lord,
    and my recompense with my God.”

And now the Lord says,
    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him;
    and that Israel might be gathered to him—
for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord,
    and my God has become my strength—
he says:
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
    to raise up the tribes of Jacob
    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;
I will make you as a light for the nations,
    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:3-6

This next passage is once again about the servant. This servant will descend from Jacob and heal Israel. But not just Israel. This servant will also become a ‘light for the nations’ and have God’s salvation reach to the ‘ends of the earth.’

Once again, all things that we have covered—”the servant” is clearly the Messiah. He will bring healing not only to Israel but be a light for the whole world and for all the nations.

Behold, my servant shall act wisely;
    he shall be high and lifted up,
    and shall be exalted.
As many were astonished at you—
    his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
    and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
so shall he sprinkle many nations.
    Kings shall shut their mouths because of him,
for that which has not been told them they see,
    and that which they have not heard they understand.

Isaiah 52:13-15

This passage talks about how the servant would be lifted up and exalted but also how he would be marred and beyond recognition, leaving kings silent.

Jesus is lifted up and exalted but not in a way we’d expect. While many read this and think that the Messiah would come in power and strength, Jesus came in humility and weakness. Jesus was exalted and lifted up not on a throne but on a cross. And on that cross, he was left ‘marred, beyond human semblance,’ treated as less than human. But it was also through that same cross that he would bring salvation to the nations, becoming the atonement for man and God, defeating sin on the cross, and leaving kings speechless by the unconventional nature of his power.

Who has believed what he has heard from us?
    And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
    and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
    and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
    a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief
and as one from whom men hide their faces
    he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs
    and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
    smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
    and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
    we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
    yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
    and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
    so he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
    and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
    stricken for the transgression of my people?
And they made his grave with the wicked
    and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
    and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
    he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
    he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
    make many to be accounted righteous,
    and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
    and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
    and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
    and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 53

In this passage, we are told more about the servant: that he would not be of any special form or majesty from human eyes, that he would be rejected by man and despised, that he would bear the grief of the people, that he would be pierced for their transgressions, that through his wounds there would be healing, that he would be like a lamb in silence led to his slaughter, that his grave would be with the wicked AND the rich, that he would be without violence or deceit, and that through him, many would be counted as righteous.

Since there’s a lot here, I’m just going to list them out:

• Jesus would not come from any royal or special family but from a poor one at that (2 Corinthians 8:9)
• Jesus would be rejected by the people and his own people at that (Luke 4:14-30)
• Jesus would bear the sins of the people and be punished on their behalf (Hebrews 9:28)
• Through Jesus’ wounds, healing would be brought (Hebrews 10:10)
• Like a lamb, he would be silent being led to his crucifixion (1 Peter 2:23)
• His grave would be with the wicked (on the cross, Luke 23:39-43) and the rich (in Joseph’s tomb, Luke 23:50-53)
• He would be sinless, without deceit or violence (Hebrews 7:26-27)
• Through Jesus, many would be counted as righteous (Romans 4:24)

He saw that there was no man,
    and wondered that there was no one to intercede;
then his own arm brought him salvation,
    and his righteousness upheld him.
He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
    and a helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
    and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.

Isaiah 59:16-17

This passage talks about how God looked upon the earth and that there was ‘no man to intercede.’ No one could do God’s work of salvation on earth because all had gone astray. In response to that, God decided he would do it himself. So he came down as Jesus, lived a life as a man, and became the intercessor for the people that could not intercede for themselves.

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor
    he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
    and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Isaiah 61:1

This passage talks about how “the branch” will bring good news to the poor, freedom to the captives, and bind up the brokenhearted.

In the Gospels, Jesus shows great compassion for the poor, telling them that everyone, especially them, are invited into the kingdom of God (Luke 14:15-24, Luke 16:19-31). He reassures those who feel defeated or weak or powerless in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) that there is hope and that God sees them.

Healing/Freedom

Another motif that the book of Isaiah uses is the ‘healing’ motif. The forthcoming Messiah is one that will heal the people. And we’ll see that this healing is not just physical healing but a spiritual one as well. With that, we will also see how the freedom motifs that Isaiah uses also ties into that. It is not just a physical freedom that the Messiah will bring but a spiritual one as well.

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
    they shall become like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
    you shall eat the good of the land;
but if you refuse and rebel,
    you shall be eaten by the sword;
    for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Isaiah 1:18-20

In this passage, Isaiah talks about how one day, the people’s sins will be healed and they will be ‘white as snow,’ denoting purity. In the previous section, we covered extensively how through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, sin has been forgiven.

In that day the deaf shall hear
    the words of a book,
and out of their gloom and darkness
    the eyes of the blind shall see.
The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord,
    and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.
For the ruthless shall come to nothing
    and the scoffer cease,
    and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off,
who by a word make a man out to be an offender,
    and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate,
    and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right.

Isaiah 29:18-21

In this next passage, we are told of something really interesting. When the Messiah comes, the deaf shall hear, the blind shall see, and the poor shall show great joy in the Lord.

This is super significant because those passages where Jesus heals people aren’t just random, they are a fulfillment of God’s prophesied Messiah. I will go through examples in the discourse in the next passage since it covers all of the above and a bit more as well.

it shall blossom abundantly
    and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
    the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
    the majesty of our God.

Strengthen the weak hands,
    and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who have an anxious heart,
   “Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
    will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
    He will come and save you.”

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
    and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
    and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
For waters break forth in the wilderness,
    and streams in the desert;

Isaiah 35:2-6

In this passage, Isaiah links the coming of the Lord (“they shall see the glory of the Lord”) with his salvation. God will come and bring salvation. And on that day, the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will walk, the mute will sing, and there will be water in the desert.

In the gospels, we see various occurrences of Jesus healing the blind (John 9:1-12), the deaf/mute (Mark 7:31-37), and the lame (John 5:1-15). These healings are not just a coincidence. Yes, God is a healer but these specific occurrences are supposed to draw us towards the prophesied Messiah. When these specific things happen, it means the Lord has come. His salvation has come. I’m sure that the people who saw this firsthand must’ve been filled with great hope.

There must’ve been so much going on in their minds: was this the Messiah they had been waiting for? Was the Lord finally here? Was salvation finally here?

Indeed it had, Jesus, God in human form, had come not only to bring physical healing to the people but a spiritual healing. Not only would he cure them of their physical afflictions but their spiritual ones as well. He would not only open their eyes to see the grass and ears to hear the birds but he would open their eyes to see the things of God and open their ears to hear the things of God. He would heal the people of their sins and bring them into a right relationship with God. This was the salvation that Jesus had brought.

Thus says the Lord:
“In a time of favor I have answered you;
    in a day of salvation I have helped you;
I will keep you and give you
    as a covenant to the people,
to establish the land,
    to apportion the desolate heritages,
saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’
    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’
They shall feed along the ways;
    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;
they shall not hunger or thirst,
    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,
for he who has pity on them will lead them,
    and by springs of water will guide them.
And I will make all my mountains a road,
    and my highways shall be raised up.

Isaiah 49:8-11

In this passage, Isaiah talks about how when the Lord comes and on His day of salvation, the people imprisoned would find freedom.

Jesus has fulfilled that and set free those who are in Him, free from shame (Romans 1:16), free from God’s wrath (Romans 5:9), free from condemnation (Romans 8:1), free from the bondage of the law (Galatians 5:1), free from the bondage of sin (Romans 6:6-7), and so much more.

Those who follow him are no longer bound by the world and its brokenness but has given us a Spirit of “power, love, and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7).

If you want to read more about the contrast of this freedom, being ‘ruled over by sin,’ feel free to read this post on anger!

Water

Next off, we will do a dive (get it) into the water motif in Isaiah. The water motif is significant because water is significant in being alive and people need to drink water to live. This is especially true for the people of the Bible since they live in the desert. We are told in Isaiah that God will provide this water even in this desert. Later, in the Gospels, Jesus will tell us of a water we can drink that we will never be thirsty again (John 4:13-14).

We will see that although in these passages, they use water as a physical need, there is a spiritual connotation to it as well. God is referred to as the “fountain of living waters” (Jeremiah 2:13). He quenches the spiritual needs of the people. In John, Jesus tells us that whoever believes in Him will have that “living water” (John 7:38).

When the poor and needy seek water,
    and there is none,
    and their tongue is parched with thirst,
I the Lord will answer them;
    I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
I will open rivers on the bare heights,
    and fountains in the midst of the valleys.
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
    and the dry land springs of water.

Isaiah 41:17-18

In this passage, God says he will provide the thirsty with water even in the dry desert.

Behold, I am doing a new thing;
    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
    and rivers in the desert.
The wild beasts will honor me,
    the jackals and the ostriches,
for I give water in the wilderness,
    rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,

Isaiah 43:19-20

In this passage, God says that he is ‘doing a new thing’ making a way in the wilderness that His chosen people will be given drink.

This is fulfilled through Jesus as through him, a new covenant is the ‘new thing’ that is being done. After countless failures by his people being unable to remain faithful to him. He sends Jesus to do it on our behalf and gives us the Holy Spirit to give us new hearts.

For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
    and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring,
    and my blessing on your descendants.
They shall spring up among the grass
    like willows by flowing streams.
This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s,’
    another will call on the name of Jacob,
and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’
    and name himself by the name of Israel.”

Isaiah 44:3-5

In this spirit, God talks about pouring water on the land while simultaneously saying that he will pour his Spirit upon Israel’s offspring. It is after that, the people will call on the Lord.

We see this clearly fulfilled in John 7:38-39 where we’re told that those who believe would receive the Holy Spirit and in their hearts would flow “rivers of living water.” Ezekiel 36:24-28 says that after the people receive a new heart and Spirit, they will be able to walk in God’s law and keep his commandments.

They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;
    he made water flow for them from the rock;
    he split the rock and the water gushed out.

Isaiah 48:21

This passage is actually about God providing water to the Israelites when they were wandering in the desert in Exodus 17:5-7 but it is significant in light of these other passages. (1) it is a physical example of God providing water to his people. (2) In 1 Corinthians 10:4, Paul identifies the rock in the desert as Christ.

Jesus is the one who provides both physical water in the OT to the Israelites as well as the one who provides spiritual water and the Holy Spirit in the NT to all who believe in Him.

“Come, everyone who thirsts,
    come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
    and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
    and delight yourselves in rich food.

Isaiah 55:1-2

In this passage, we are told that everyone who comes will have water to drink.

The New Eden

The next motif we will look into is the ‘New Eden’ motif. You could alternatively name this the Revelation motif or The New Heaven and Earth motif since they are all sort of related but the imagery most prominently used in these verses will make us think of the Garden of Eden. The understanding is that a right relationship with God will bring us back to the garden—where there was no separation between God and man.

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
    and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
    and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze;
    their young shall lie down together;
    and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
    and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.
They shall not hurt or destroy
    in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 11:6-9

In this passage, we’re told that once the Messiah comes, there will be a time of great peace. In this utopia, even predators like leopards, lions, and bears would be at peace with their prey without violence or fighting.

The sun shall be no more
    your light by day,
nor for brightness shall the moon
    give you light;
but the Lord will be your everlasting light,
    and your God will be your glory.
Your sun shall no more go down,
    nor your moon withdraw itself;
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,
    and your days of mourning shall be ended.

Isaiah 60:19-20

In this next passage, we’re told that when the Lord comes, there will be no more sun and moon because God will be the light. This is used to describe the New Heaven and Earth in Revelation (Revelation 21:23).

“See, I will create
    new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
    nor will they come to mind.
But be glad and rejoice forever
    in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight
    and its people a joy.
I will rejoice over Jerusalem
    and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying
    will be heard in it no more.

Isaiah 65:19

This passage talks about how there would be no more weeping in the New Heaven and Earth. We also see this in Revelation when God says that ‘every tear will be wiped away’ (Revelation 21:4).

This section is sort of interesting because while it says these things will happen when the Lord/Messiah comes, it is clear that they have not happened yet. While some believe that since these things have not yet happened, the Messiah has not yet come. But for us who are Christians, it simply means that there will be a second coming of Jesus where these things will be fulfilled that the book of Revelation talks about.

The Nations

Finally, the final motif I wanted to explore is God’s desire for the nations to worship him. The reason this is a big deal is because it’s easy to be misconstrued by the idea that God only desired for the nations to worship him after Jesus. While it is true it was only by Jesus and a new covenant that the Gentiles could be welcomed into God’s kingdom, God’s heart for the Gentiles has always existed. It existed back in Abram’s call to bless the nations and it exists prominently in the book of Isaiah.

It is ultimately fulfilled through Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit that the inclusion of Gentiles happens. In the Pentecost in Acts 2:1-12, we see a ‘reversal’ of Babel where instead of people being scattered and having different languages, they come together and are able to communicate through the Spirit.

It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be lifted up above the hills;
and all the nations shall flow to it,
and many peoples shall come, and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall decide disputes for many peoples;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore.

Isaiah 2:2-4

In this passage, God talks about how in the latter days, many nations will come to God to learn from him and walk in his ways. They will no longer be at violence at one another but at peace.

In that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord of hosts. One of these will be called the City of Destruction.

In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border. It will be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to the Lord because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and deliver them. And the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day and worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make vows to the Lord and perform them. And the Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the Lord, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them.

In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.”

Isaiah 19:18-22, 24-25

In this passage, it talks about how even one day even the enemies of Israel in Egypt and Assyria, will come to worship the Lord and make offerings and sacrifices to Him.

On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
    a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
    of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
And he will swallow up on this mountain
    the covering that is cast over all peoples,
    the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
    and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
    for the Lord has spoken.
It will be said on that day,
    “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
    This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
    let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

Isaiah 25:6-9

This passage talks about how God will save all peoples and all nations.

Thus says the Lord:
“Keep justice, and do righteousness,
for soon my salvation will come,
    and my righteousness be revealed.
Blessed is the man who does this,
    and the son of man who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it,
    and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,
    “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”;
and let not the eunuch say,
    “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
For thus says the Lord:
“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose the things that please me
    and hold fast my covenant,
I will give in my house and within my walls
    a monument and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
    that shall not be cut off.

“And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
    to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,
    and holds fast my covenant—
these I will bring to my holy mountain,
    and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
    for all peoples.”
The Lord God,
    who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,
“I will gather yet others to him
    besides those already gathered.”

Isaiah 56:1-8

This passage talks about how for Gentiles who are faithful to God, He will not only give them salvation but a name better than even sons and daughters! He will turn his house into a house of prayer for all peoples.

This is seen in Romans 10, where Paul uses an analogy of a tree with grafted branches. Gentiles are welcomed into the family of God.

For I the Lord love justice;
    I hate robbery and wrong;
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
    and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their offspring shall be known among the nations,
    and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge them,
    that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
    my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
    he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
    and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
    to sprout up before all the nations.

Isaiah 61:8-11

In this passage, it talks about how God will reward his people and make a covenant with them, and that those people would be known among the nations and acknowledged by the world—the people would see them and see how they are blessed by God. This is a bit reminiscent of Jesus telling his followers they are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14-16).

I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me;
    I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me.
I said, “Here I am, here I am,”
    to a nation that was not called by my name.

Isaiah 65:1

In this passage, God talks about how He will be found by those that were not called, that did not ask for him, and did not seek him. Aka the Gentiles

“For I know their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and shall see my glory, and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations. And they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, on horses and in chariots and in litters and on mules and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, just as the Israelites bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the Lord.

“For as the new heavens and the new earth
    that I make
shall remain before me, says the Lord,
    so shall your offspring and your name remain.
From new moon to new moon,
    and from Sabbath to Sabbath,
all flesh shall come to worship before me,
declares the Lord.

Isaiah 66:18-23

In this passage, God talks about how He will do a gathering of all nations and tongues to worship Him and see His glory. God’s people would go out and declare his name among the nations to people who do not know him and they would gather to worship the Lord. And for some of those people that come, he would make them him priests and Levites even!

This is pretty reminiscent of Jesus’ commands to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20) as well as God’s desire to make His people a “kingdom of priests” (1 Peter 2:9) who would declare his name.

Conclusion

When you read through Isaiah, God’s plan of salvation is revealed. God’s desire to restore, heal, and bring the nations to Him is made clear. And nothing becomes more noticeable than Jesus’ role in all of it. I can only imagine the look on the first disciples’ faces when they saw the man in front of them perform miracles and healings that they had only read about in their scriptures.

Was this the Messiah they had been waiting for?

Stay cool,
Jason

Some of you may be surprised to hear this but despite my often relaxed demeanor, something that I do occasionally struggle with is being quick to anger. I am not always the most patient person and when it things such as long wait times, slow drivers, dysfunctional technology, video games, and unhelpful support lines, my frustration can often quickly boil up. And while I’ve certainly gotten better at dealing with my anger towards people face-to-face, I surprisingly still have a long way to go in managing my anger towards non-sentient objects.

I wanted to write about anger because I think it is such an interesting emotion. While happiness or sadness have obvious connotations, our source of anger isn’t necessarily always good or bad. Anger can come from a good place, such as from a desire to see justice. At the same time, anger can just as easily come from a bad place, such as being the fruit of jealousy or impatience. Yet, anger that comes from a righteous place is at no less risk than a selfish one with regard to sin. While anger itself is not necessarily a sin, the Bible warns us many times that anger, if not reined in, can rule over us.

The main and most telling example of this happens in the story of Cain and Abel which occurs in Genesis 4. In this chapter, due to God’s preference for Abel’s offerings to Cain’s, Cain becomes very angry.

In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.

Genesis 4:4-5

God confronts Cain in his anger and warns him that if he does not rule over it, “sin is crouching at the door.” If he does not rule over his anger, sin will rule over him.

The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

Genesis 4:6-7

And while Cain ultimately was unable to do what was right, there is still a lot to be learned from his example. Yes, we learn what not to do with our anger, but we also learn how in times of anger, God will confront his people.

God Confronts Us in Our Anger

The book of Jonah is about a very angry guy and a far too merciful God. Despite Jonah’s adamant refusal of God calling him to the city of Nineveh, he somehow ends up there anyway through a one-way trip in the belly of a fish. Once there, he proclaims a short and not very particularly thought-out message to the people of Nineveh:

“Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

Jonah 3:4b

Yet, that short 8-word proclamation was more than enough, leading the entire city of Nineveh to repent in the hope that God would relent of his anger:

The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”

Jonah 3:6-9

God, in his mercy, relents and spares the people of Nineveh (Jonah 3:10). Jonah, however, is not so happy about this situation. He is angry that God has wasted his time bringing him here. Why make him come all the way here if He was just going to spare the people anyway? Jonah is so angry he could die (Jonah 4:3). God confronts Jonah, asking him,

But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

Jonah 4:4 NIV

God then proceeds to grow a leafy plant to provide shade for Jonah under the beating sun. Overnight, God sends a worm to eat up the plant until it withers. The following morning, Jonah wakes up once again to the scorching heat and angrier than ever, tells God it would be better for him to die than to live (Jonah 4:8). God confronts Jonah once again, asking him the same question he did the day prior,

But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”

Jonah 4:9a NIV

Jonah, more furious than ever, once again says that he is angry enough to die (Jonah 4:9b). God, however, doesn’t let it slide this time. He tells Jonah, that if Jonah is allowed to be concerned for a plant that he did not even tend or make grow, then should not God be allowed to be concerned for the city of Nineveh? For its 120,000 people and the many animals there? (Jonah 4:10-11).

Of course, the Bible doesn’t tell us how Jonah responds. Because the question God asks is not only targeted toward Jonah but is also targeted toward us, the readers. God is asking us “is it right for YOU to be angry?” When we find ourselves in situations of frustration and anger, God challenges us to confront our anger. Do we have the right to be angry?

If God is willing to relent his anger towards me, what right do I have to continue to be angry towards the brother or sister in front of me, whom God has also relented His anger against? If God is willing to relent his anger towards me, surely I can relent my anger against the support line person who is probably trying their best on the other side. Even when I find myself angry at a washing machine, is not the machine, the water, electricity, and everything else solely a gift from God? What have I contributed?

When we are willing to confront our anger, we are able to experience and encounter God and his grace more fully. It is far easier to relent against someone who has relented against us. But it is far more Christ-like to relent against someone who is angry with you. In the same way that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8), let us kill the anger inside of us for the sake of others, regardless of whether we believe they deserve it or not.

Not Giving The Devil a Foothold

The next passage I’d like to take a look at appears in Ephesians:

‭‭Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

Ephesians 4:26-27

In this passage, Paul tells the people of Ephesus, be angry and do not sin. He does not necessarily condemn anger but he does condemn the sin that can result from it. Like it was mentioned earlier, feelings of anger can come from a good place. But living as broken people in a broken world, we are susceptible to doing evil even in our desire for good. It is one thing to desire justice, it is another to take it into our own hands.

He continues, do not let the sun go down on your anger. Why? do not give the devil a foothold (Ephesians 4:27 NIV). Paul warns them of the danger of leaving anger unattended. Anger, if not dealt with, can give opportunity for the devil to exploit us. When we are angry, we can lose control of our inhibitions and act rashly—making us susceptible to temptation that leads to sin.

The prime Biblical example of this is once again in the story of Cain and Abel.

Cain, in his desire for justice, whether justified or not, lets his anger overtake him. In doing so, he gives the devil a foothold. He takes his notion of justice into his own hands and becomes the sole judge, jury, and executioner for his brother. However, we know that this role is not for us to play. God is the judge. And vengeance is not ours to repay but God’s.

‭‭Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Romans 12:19

And maybe you are reading this and are thinking to yourself, “I have done no such thing! I have never murdered anyone. I have my anger under control.” And if your understanding of the law is solely based on the word of the law you’d be right. But Jesus holds His people to a higher standard.

‭“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

Matthew 5:21-22

Jesus says that anyone who is angry at their brother or sister has already committed murder in their hearts. Anyone who has said in their hearts, “I’m so angry at this person I could kill them” has already done so. They are already subject to judgment and the law.

This is because God knows what starts in our hearts doesn’t end there. Our actions are a reflection of what goes on in our hearts. If in our hearts is anger and a desire for vengeance, then the fruit of that will be demonstrated in the way we treat our neighbor.

‭‭Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

Matthew 15:17-20

Therefore, as Paul warns, do not leave your anger unattended and do not let the sun set while you are still angry. Doing so only puts us at greater risk of sin.

We Are More Than Our Anger

In Genesis 1, when God creates man, He makes him unlike any other beast. He makes man in Imago Dei, the “image of God.”

‭‭Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:26-27

This means many things. It means that man has intrinsic value, it means that man has creativity, it means that man can reason, and it also means that man has the freedom to choose. We, made in the image of God, are not bound by our instincts in the same way that animals are. We, made in the image of God, are more than the emotions that we feel. We, made in the image of God, are more than the anger that we experience.

Yes, it is true that we live in a fallen world. Yes, it is true that our nature has been corrupted and that our choices are not entirely our own. But to say we have absolutely no autonomy is untrue.

Once again we look at the interaction between God and Cain.

The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

Genesis 4:6-7

God gives Cain a choice. If he does what is right, he will be accepted. And if he does not, sin is ready to devour him.

Even when in anger, we have a choice. We can choose to trust the word of God—that vengeance is his:

‭‭Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Romans 12:19

Or we can choose to take it into our own hands like Cain does.

We can choose to crucify and forgo our anger, knowing we have no right,

But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

Jonah 4:4 NIV

Or we can choose to be like Jonah, stubborn and ready to die for a cause we have no part in.

When God confronts us in our anger, how will we respond?

Will we harden our hearts like the Israelites in the desert?

‭‭Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness

Hebrews 3:7

Or will we entrust to God all our heart, soul, strength, and mind?

Stay cool,

Jason

Over this last season, one thing that I’ve found myself occasionally struggling with is the sin of comparison. And while comparison in itself may not necessarily be a sin, I’ve found that the dangers of it are unmistakable. In this social-media-driven era, it is so easy to be swayed by others’ highlights and perceive them as the norm. We notice the extravagant parties, expensive dinners, vibrant relationships, distinguished work positions, and booming salaries while not being presented with the full picture.

Yet, despite being someone who has grown up in this era and knowing this, I, and I’m sure many others as well, can still find ourselves in a state of jealousy. It’s true that all these things have their own individual costs to them and that they aren’t just a ‘free add-on’ to people’s lives but I’m sure for many of us, it doesn’t necessarily take away the feelings of wanting those things.

It’s a dangerous mindset to have because such a path can lead us to find resentment towards others or even God. When we want what others have, it can lead us to treat them as less than stellar. When we don’t believe that God is giving us His best, we may respond to Him with anger, indifference, or even entitlement. That is why from the very beginning, as the tenth and final of the 10 commandments, God commands his people, ‘do not covet.’

Do Not Covet

As I stated earlier, our feelings of jealousy ultimately make the statement in our hearts that we do not trust God. God knows this and he makes many warnings in His Word to take heed of it. Take James 4 for example.

You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

James 4:2-3

The jealousy in our hearts, unattended, can cause us to do great harm. To get what we want, we will harm others, lie to others, and cheat others because we feel that we are deserving of what others have.

In the story of Cain and Abel (Genesis 4), Cain and Abel both make sacrifices to God. However, because Abel gave “the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions,” God found his sacrifices particularly pleasing. In Cain’s jealousy, he falls to sin and kills his brother. Another example takes place in the story of Joseph, because of Jacob’s preferential treatment to his son Joseph, his brothers, in their jealousy, plot to kill him. And although they do not kill him, they end up selling him to some slave traders (Genesis 37).

In both these examples, the fruit of jealousy is clearly shown. It can result in us committing great acts of evil. This jealousy can make us believe that God is withholding something from us. But do we have the right to decide how God distributes his gifts?

In Matthew 20, Jesus tells a parable in which he compares the kingdom of Heaven to some workers in a vineyard. In this parable, a landowner hires some men to work in his vineyard for the day with the promise of paying them a denarius. Near the end of the day, the landowner notices another group of idle men standing around and offers to pay them as well if they work in the vineyard. Finally, when the end of the day came, he paid everyone in the order that they were hired, beginning with those who came in the morning followed by the ones who came in the afternoon.

However, when all the workers received the same wage of one denarius, the workers who came in the morning were enraged. They complained that despite only working for an hour, the ones who came later received the same pay.

The landowner then reiterated the contract that he had with them—that they in the morning, just like the ones in the afternoon, had agreed to work for one denarius.

But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?‘

Matthew 20:13-15

Our jealousy can lead us to even want others to be ‘punished’ for the grace that God has given them. Why should that person be allowed to have even more than what they’ve already been given? They’ve already been given so much! But should we not instead be celebrating the gifts that others have gotten? and be rejoicing and celebrating with them?

Our jealousy can cause us to become spiritually blind and unable to see the work that God is already doing in our lives. To combat jealousy, we should practice gratitude, recognising that every good gift comes from God.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

James 1:16-17

Every Good Gift

But what does it mean to believe that every good gift comes from above? It means believing when the Bible tells us that God is the perfect provider who wants the best for us. Take Romans 8:28 for example:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

In this passage, we’re told that for those who love God, all things will be worked together for our good. Not some things. But all things.

In Matthew 7, Jesus uses the example of asking one’s parents for a gift. He says that if our flawed human parents will not give us a stone when we ask for bread, how much more great will the gifts that our Father in heaven give us when we ask?

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Matthew 7:1-11

Another great parable that addresses jealousy is the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). In this parable, a father has two sons. The older son who is the ‘ideal’ son that stays home, works hard for the family business, and sticks with the family through thick and thin. The younger one is a ‘deadbeat’ son of sorts. He asks for his share of his father’s inheritance, goes off on his own to party, and only comes back after he has finished wasting all his money away.

With nothing to his name, the younger son has this idea of returning to his father’s household to become one of his father’s hired servants—at least they had food to eat.

However, upon his return, his father welcomes him, dresses him in the finest clothes, slaughters the fattened calf, and throws a party to celebrate his return. The older brother, seeing this, is appalled. He asks his father what the meaning of this is. For all these years, he has slaved away for his father and followed all of his commands, and yet not once, has his father done anything like this for him.

His father responds to him:

 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Luke 15:31-32

When we are burdened by our jealousy, we are unable to love others and love God with the whole of our hearts. It makes us forget that we ourselves have been thoroughly blessed by God. Sure, I could come up with an enormous list of things that I’ve asked God for that He has yet to give or He has decided not to give. Inversely, I could also come up with an enormous list of things that he has given me, things that I haven’t even asked for or imagined that I would’ve needed.

And trust me, the greatest gift of all, he’s already given us:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

For every physical blessing we think that we lack, God has given us an abundance of spiritual blessings that are worth more than we could ever imagine.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

Ephesians 1:3

While physical blessings in the moment may seem more valuable than spiritual blessings, we must remind ourselves that they will one day pass away. Spiritual blessings, on the other hand, have eternity on their side. What really matters, we already have.

Stay cool,

Jason

Hello everyone,

Now that I’ve gotten COVID-19. It’s given me an opportunity to have some time to write about some of the recent reflections I’ve had over the past few days. In this post, I will be writing about some thoughts that I’ve had on patience (regarding the verse in 2 Timothy 2:13) and also on oaths & God’s sovereignty (regarding the passages in Matthew 5:33-37 and Luke 12:13-21).

Patience

For this reflection on patience, I thought up an analogy.

Imagine you have someone who waits on you for many many years because they wanted to be your friend.

Let’s say for example this person waited 19 years to be your friend and up to that point, every time that they had asked you, you’d declined, had told them no thanks, and that your life was going fine without their friendship.

However, after those 19 years were up, you decided that you finally would give them a chance. You decide to be their friend. But you end up becoming a really terrible friend. You end up bailing on appointments, leaving their messages on read, and disappearing for days, weeks, and even months on end.

But for some reason…that person still wants to be your friend?

That’s the story of my friendship with God—that even after 19 years of His waiting, it’s a relationship where I fall short day by day and fail to live up to what he deserves. Yet we know by his word that he remains faithful:

if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.

2 Timothy 2:13

If God can have that kind of patience with me then surely I can have a bit more patience with the people around me—whether it is wanting my friends and family to know Christ deeper or forgiving my brothers and sisters who wrong me or even being more patient with the help desk guy who doesn’t understand my problem.

If God can wait 19 whole years for me to follow him, only for me to end up disappointing him day by day, surely I can wait a bit longer for others.

How long has been waiting for you?

Oaths

As I said at the beginning of this post, I recently just contracted COVID-19. While unfortunately, has been a lesson in trusting in God’s sovereignty. As of now, my birthday plans are probably cancelled. Yet, God is good.

It is a lesson in God’s sovereignty and the reason we should be careful to make oaths. As Jesus said, “for you cannot even make even one hair white or black” (Matthew 5:36b). And it’s true. We like to plan and make ourselves a name for what we’d like to accomplish and the things we’d like to do. Ultimately, though, nothing is in our control. There’s a Yiddish proverb that goes like this: “Man plans and God laughs.” I have no doubt in my mind that God lets out a hearty chuckle every time he sees us deciding to plan out our entire lives, knowing that it is not going to go the way we think.

In the gospel of Luke, there’s this parable of a farmer. This farmer has an abundant yield of crops for the year. He thinks to himself, with this yield, I’m going to build an even bigger and better farm and have an even bigger and better harvest next year. But guess what happens next:

But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

Luke 12:20

That farmer is told that very night, that would be it. There would be no more farms and no more harvest. For all that the farmer planned, God was the only one who knew what would happen next.

The other day, I lined up at a restaurant because I wanted to try out this new burger spot that I hadn’t been to before. But for some reason, right as I got to the front of the line, the lady at the counter suddenly stopped taking orders! She started helping with the online orders and didn’t say a word to those of us in the line. For 30 minutes we waited without an update of what was going on while the people who ordered online got their food first. Eventually, I got fed up, left, and left a bad review on their Google Maps page. I ended up getting some food at another location. But by sharing this story, there’s a realization that even the food I think I will have for lunch is out of my control.

And ultimately, nothing is. And that can be a scary thing. But at the same time, it can be a comforting thing. Not only do I not have to worry every time something doesn’t go the way I expect it to, but I can rejoice knowing that the God of the universe who loves me so much that he would send his one and only son down to earth to die on my behalf is the one calling the shots.

So yes, nothing is in my control.

But no, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

Because God is in control. And He’s good. So I’ll be good.

Stay cool,

Jason

Have you ever complained to someone without a desire to even receive counsel or to solve the problem? You just want to get it off your chest and vent. You just want someone to affirm to you that your life is so hard. You want to be pitied, to be validated, to prove to yourself that whatever poor attitude you’ve conjured up at this point is ‘justified.’

I have.

And it’s a very dangerous path to walk down. It stems from a place of insecurity, hopelessness, and is an attempt to relieve yourself from responsibility.

Most of all, I’d argue that such an attitude ultimately fails to glorify God. The complaining for the sake of it encapsulates fully what Paul warns against in Philippians 2:14, the insecurity demonstrates a failure to acknowledge our identity in Him, the hopelessness exhibits our lack of faith in His power, and the attempt to relieve ourselves from responsibility puts on display an unrepentant heart.

1. The dangers of complaint

The first thing I wanted to examine was Paul’s teaching in Philippians 2:14-15.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world

Philippians 2:14-15

Here, Paul tells the Philippians to “do all things without grumbling or disputing.” Rather, he tells them to be “blameless and innocent” in the “midst of a crooked and twisted generation,” being “lights in the world.”

The command to not grumble is clear—and so is his reasoning behind it. It is a callback to the ‘grumbling’ that was occurring with Israel back in Exodus. A callback to the ‘crooked and twisted generation’ that turned their backs on God and were rewarded with an inability to enter the land that was promised.

And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness

Exodus 16:2

They have dealt corruptly with him;
    they are no longer his children because they are blemished;
    they are a crooked and twisted generation.

Deuteronomy 32:5

Ultimately, it is a callback to the unbelief that resided in their hearts. And a cautioning for the unbelief that resides in our hearts as well.

As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

Hebrews 3:15

When we grumble, we fail to acknowledge the blessings that God has given us—how much worse is it, then, when we grumble with a desire for others to validate our perceived misery? Not only have we failed to be grateful for the gifts we’ve been given, but we long for others to share that same outlook. We have, contrary to Paul’s hopes in verse 15, become but a dimmed light, hidden under a basket.

2. Our insecurities Speak

The second thing I wanted to emphasize in having such an attitude is that it reeks of our insecurities. It demonstrates a failure to acknowledge our identity in him and shows what we truly desire—the acceptance, the validation, the approval from others.

When we desire for others to feel sorry for us, we do so because we believe their acknowledgement of us is proof that we are valuable. We matter because others care. However, this goes against why God says people are valuable. People are valuable not because others get to decide whether or not it’s true, people are valuable because they are made in the image of God. You are valuable because of your God-given ability to think, to rationalize, to have free will, and make your own decisions.

So God created man in his own image,
    in the image of God he created him;
    male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27

And as Christians specifically, our insecurities should have no hold over us. Because our identity does not rest in the hands of others but rather in the hands of God. Our worth is not determined by what others think of us but by how God thinks of us.

And God thinks of us as His children whom he loves, so much so that he gave His son for us so that we could be saved.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

3. Hopeful in a hopeless world

Next off, an attitude of ‘being pitied’ is synonymous with an attitude of hopelessness. And this hopelessness exhibits a lack of faith in God’s power. If God is unwilling or unable to change the circumstances of our suffering, then our attitude of hopelessness is justified, right? Wrong.

Let’s take a look at this passage from Paul’s letter to the Romans:

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Romans 5:3-5

In this passage, Paul actually says that suffering should not lead to hopelessness but hopefulness. It is by recognizing God’s power through suffering that we can understand more fully the work that Jesus did on the cross. Power is not ruling and controlling but servanthood and sacrifice.

When we have an attitude of hopelessness and are unable to see God’s glory in suffering because of our focus on ourselves and our desires to complain, we fail to see the bigger picture that God has in mind.

4. A repentant heart

Lastly, I want to illustrate how this attempt to relieve ourselves from responsibility may be an indication of an unrepentant heart.

First and foremost, someone who wants to complain for the sake of being pitied does not want change. How would it even come by? Everything is so far out of their control and they’re simply a victim of the poor circumstances they’ve been put in. Such an attitude can be a ‘comfort’ in some ways as it absolves the person from any accountability. However, somebody has to take the blame and in this scenario it becomes God.

Rather than accepting that part of the circumstances we’re in are a result of our own actions, we redirect the fault. How can we, with such an attitude, ever have a repentant heart? If repentance is recognizing our own faults and inability and taking action against our sin, how can we do so if we can’t even recognize we have a part to play in it?

The only way this can be done is if we allow ourselves to be humbled, take responsibility for our failures, and ask earnestly for God’s forgiveness.

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

Stay cool,

Jason

In ancient Israel, those who were the firstborns were given special privileges. They would be given the ‘birthright,’ meaning that they’d inherit their father’s position as head of the household and also receive a double portion of their father’s inheritance (Deut 21:17).

However, while looking at the people that God selects to be his chosen instruments, he rarely chooses those who seem highly regarded by human standards. One of the most explicit examples of this occurs in 1 Samuel when God selects David, the youngest of his 7 brothers, to be his next king. While Samuel is astounded by God’s decision, God assures him:

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7

All throughout the Bible, God chooses those who others deem as unpickable. With regards to the recipients of His birthright, His selection once again differs from human standards. Rather than the birthright going to the firstborn, God’s birthright goes to whomever He deems faithful.

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The very first example of God not selecting the firstborn to receive His birthright begins in Genesis 25. Isaac’s wife Rebekah is given a prophecy by God:

The Lord said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb,
    and two peoples from within you will be separated;
one people will be stronger than the other,
    and the older will serve the younger.”

Genesis 25:23

In this verse, we’re told “the older will serve the younger.” The younger (Jacob) over the older (Esau) will become the recipient of God’s birthright and become the heir to fulfil God’s promise to Abraham and then Isaac. This prophecy becomes reality as Jacob’s twelve sons eventually become the founding tribes of the nation of Israel. Now the question becomes, “why does God pick Jacob over Esau?”

As we continue reading the story of Jacob and Esau throughout chapters 25-28, we’ll learn quite a few things about Esau.

1. Esau did not value his birthright

In the story following the birth of Jacob and Esau, we are presented with a story where Esau does not value his birthright:

²⁹ Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. ³⁰ He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.)

³¹ Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”

³² “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”

³³ But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.

³⁴ Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.

So Esau despised his birthright.

Genesis 25:29-34

Out of hunger, Esau sells his birthright for some stew. We are told that Esau ‘despised his birthright.’ He did not value his birthright and thus gave it away.

2. Esau blatantly disobeyed his father

Along with not valuing his birthright, Esau also seemed to have a knack for displeasing his parents. This first happens in Genesis 26:34-35 where Esau takes two Hittite wives. We’re told that “they were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 26:34-35). Knowing the story of Solomon, marrying foreign women who served other gods was not a good idea. However, this is not Esau’s only offense. After Jacob is told to flee to his uncle Laban and is told to not marry a Canaanite woman (which he doesn’t), Esau intentionally marries a Canaanite woman in direct opposition to his father Isaac, adding to his collection of wives (Genesis 28:8-9).

While Jacob himself was far from perfect, all these things considered make Esau seem like an unsuitable candidate to take on the birthright to be the face of God’s chosen people. His despising of his birthright and love for foreign women surely put an obstacle in the way. Jacob, on the other hand, obeys his parents’ command to not marry foreign women. And with regard to the birthright, Jacob was someone who really valued and desired it. This is seen in the way he convinces his brother to give him his birthright and also in his stealing of Isaac’s blessing from Esau. While Jacob himself was not necessarily a good person either, his obedience and chutzpah were some things that God could work with. The rest is history.

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The next example I want to take a look at is the case of Judah. In Genesis 49, Jacob gives the birthright to Judah. Judah is told that “[his] brothers will praise [him]” and that “[his] father’s sons will bow down to [him]” (Genesis 49:8). Additionally, he also gets a promise that “the scepter will not depart from Judah” (Genesis 49:10).

What’s interesting though is that Judah is not the firstborn in the family. He is actually the fourth oldest in his household. He is preceded by Reuben, Simeon, and Levi. Once again, we’ll take a look at why Judah is selected over all his elder brothers.

1. In the case of Reuben

In Genesis 49, Jacob has this to say about Reuben:

³ “Reuben, you are my firstborn,
    my might, the first sign of my strength,
    excelling in honor, excelling in power.
⁴ Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel,
    for you went up onto your father’s bed,
    onto my couch and defiled it.

Genesis 49:3-4

Reuben is told that even though he is the firstborn, “[he] shall not have preeminence because he went up to [his] father’s bed; then [he] defiled it” (Genesis 49:4). The context for this verse appears in Genesis 35, where we’re told:

While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it.

Genesis 35:22

Because Reuben displays disobedience to his father, his birthright is taken away and given to another.

2. In the case of Simeon and Levi

In Genesis 49, Jacob has this to say about Simeon and Levi:

⁵ “Simeon and Levi are brothers—
    their swords are weapons of violence.
⁶ Let me not enter their council,
    let me not join their assembly,
for they have killed men in their anger
    and hamstrung oxen as they pleased.
⁷ Cursed be their anger, so fierce,
    and their fury, so cruel!
I will scatter them in Jacob
    and disperse them in Israel.

Genesis 49:5-7

Because of their anger and violence, they also do not receive the birthright. The background for this verse appears in Genesis 34, where Simeon and Levi retaliate on behalf of their sister for the acts of Shechem the Hivite, wiping out their city (Genesis 34:25-28). Jacob tells his two sons:

Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me obnoxious to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.”

Genesis 34:30

Because they are disobedient to Jacob, he takes away their birthright.

The conclusion of this is that Jacob’s fourth eldest son, Judah, inherits the birthright. Although Judah is far from perfect (Genesis 38), he showed himself to be someone of remorse (Genesis 38:26) and played a large role during Jacob’s family’s settlement in Egypt. He was the one who convinced his brothers to spare Joseph (albeit by selling him to slave traders in Genesis 37:26-27), the one who pledged his own life so that they could take Benjamin to Egypt and save their family (Genesis 43:9) (while Reuben only offered the lives of his sons – Genesis 42:37), and the one to act as spokesperson on behalf of his brothers to both his father (Genesis 43:3-5) and Joseph (Genesis 44:18-34).

While far from perfect, Judah was willing to admit his faults, took lead in saving the lives of his family, and even put his own life on the line to do so.

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Something that is both important and interesting to acknowledge, is that while Judah the person inherited the birthright of the scepter not departing from him, the tribe of Judah gave up their birthright when they chose to worship the golden calf in Exodus 32. While God honored that initial promise to the person Judah, the tribe of Judah was no longer regarded as God’s firstborn.

Instead, the Levites took that role (Numbers 3:11-12) when they were the single tribe that refused to worship the golden calf:

²⁶ So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.

²⁷ Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’” ²⁸ The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. ²⁹ Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”

Exodus 32:26-29

Due to their faithfulness, they were chosen to be the ministers of the tabernacle:

⁵ The Lord said to Moses, ⁶ “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. ⁷ They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community at the tent of meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle. ⁸ They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle.

Numbers 3:5-8

And some of the Levites (the priests) would even receive the Lord as their inheritance:

The Lord said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.

Numbers 18:20

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Before heading into how this theme becomes essential in New Testament doctrine and theology, I would like to first take a look at Isaiah 56:1-8. This chapter is particularly interesting and foreshadows much of what will be discussed in the rest of this post.

In this passage, God specifically speaks of the blessings that will go toward the foreigners and eunuchs who “hold fast to his covenant” (Isaiah 56:4). He tells them that:

For this is what the Lord says:

“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose what pleases me
    and hold fast to my covenant—

Isaiah 56:4

and

these I will bring to my holy mountain
    and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
    a house of prayer for all nations.”

Isaiah 56:7

This concept of faithfulness being rewarded and taking precedence over the order of birth is especially clear in verse 4. Eunuchs who are faithful to God will have “a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters.” If these Eunuchs remain obedient to him, their reward will be greater than these firstborn sons and daughters aka Israel.

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Now with this in mind, we can finally take a look at the New Testament significance of birthright and birth order. The most relevant passages for this discussion appear in Romans 9-11

At the beginning of Romans 9, Paul speaks of Israel as God’s chosen people. He mentions how they have the adoption to sonship, the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship, the promises, the patriarchs, and the very ancestry of the Messiah (Romans 9:4-5). In a very real sense, the nation of Israel is the ‘true firstborn’ of God. They are the very people whom he has raised in order that they may receive the birthright and carry on His legacy. Yet, there is a problem. This very nation that he has raised has no interest in His son. This very nation, like Esau, has ‘despised his birthright.’ Of course, the logical conclusion from this is that God must pick another child to carry on the birthright. Paul’s argument is that God’s birthright is no longer given to the physical descendants of Abraham (Romans 9:8) but to his spiritual ones (Galatians 3:7) aka those who are faithful.

Of course, such a statement would cause much controversy. How can it be fair for God to take away the birthright from the firstborn? Thus, Paul makes the argument:

¹⁴ What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! ¹⁵ For he says to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
    and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

Romans 9:14-15

In Paul’s eyes, God’s decision to rescue the Gentiles (or not rescue the Jews) is a decision that is completely up to God himself. Paul, quoting Jeremiah,

¹⁹ One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” ²⁰ But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” ²¹ Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

Romans 9:19-21

⁵ Then the word of the Lord came to me. ⁶ He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. ⁷ If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, ⁸ and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. ⁹ And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, ¹⁰ and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.

Jeremiah 18:5-10

argues that God has every right to do with those who are faithless towards him. He has the right to relent destruction from a nation that repents and he has the right to relent mercy from a nation that does not.

Thus, the birthright is given to those who have faith:

³⁰ What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; ³¹ but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. ³² Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.

Romans 9:30-32

However, Paul’s discourse does not end there. Following from the argument that God has the right to relent mercy for the Jews and judgment for the Gentiles, God also has the right to reconsider both his mercy for the Gentiles and his judgment for the Jews, given that they repent. He tells his readers the Jews are not beyond saving:

Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.

Romans 11:11

While the Gentiles are not beyond destruction:

¹⁷ If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, ¹⁸ do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. ¹⁹ You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ²⁰ Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

Romans 11:17-21

Therefore, he warns and encourages his readers to remain faithful:

²² Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. ²³ And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

Romans 11:22-23

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Ultimately, the birthrights that God gives His people have nothing to do with the order of birth. While Esau was born first, Jacob was the one whom Abraham’s promise was fulfilled. While Judah was born fourth, he became the one whom the ‘scepter would not depart from. While the tribe of Levi had no special order of birth, they became the ministers of the tabernacle.

And lastly, while Israel had the adoption to sonship, the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship, the promises, the patriarchs, and the very ancestry of the Messiah, it was through the Gentiles that God’s initial promise to Abraham that he would become a ‘father of many nations’ (Genesis 17:5) would finally be fulfilled.

Instead, what God cares about is whether or not those who follow Him remain faithful. It is by faithfulness He distributes His birthright and it is by lack of it that he takes it away.

42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

Matthew 24:42-44

Stay cool,

Jason

In a world where there are so many clashing and contrasting opinions, knowing God’s word has become something of utmost importance. How can we possibly engage with the world and be confident in our faith if we aren’t even sure ourselves what we believe? That’s why today, I’d like to take a look at two passages highlighting the importance of knowing God’s word. Firstly, we’ll take a look at Genesis and then skip over to Matthew.

In Genesis 2, after God creates Adam, he is given one command:

And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Gen 2:16-17 NIV

(Fun fact 1: this actually isn’t the first command in the Bible or to man. That happens in Gen 1 account where mankind is told to “be fruitful and multiply (Gen 1:28))

In Genesis 3, this is broken by Adam and Eve when they are deceived by the serpent:

¹Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

² The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

⁴ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Genesis 3:1-7 NIV

There are a couple of interesting things going on here (other than the fact that there’s a talking serpent).

The serpent first asks Eve if God really did command her to not eat from any of the trees from the garden. Now, having just read Genesis 2:16-17, we clearly know that this is incorrect. God said they could eat from any tree except the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

(Fun fact 2: Eve is not actually named Eve until after the fall in Genesis 3:20, prior to that she is just referred to as “the woman”)

Eve responds by saying ““We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

She gets a few things right: they are permitted to eat from the trees of the garden but they are not to eat from the “tree that is in the middle of the garden” aka the tree of knowledge of good and evil. However, she adds a spin to it. She also claims that God said they “must not touch it” either, regarding the special tree. Having just read Genesis 2:16-17, we know that this is not what God commanded. Here, Eve does not know the word of God.

(Fun fact 3: if you read Genesis 2:16-17, it is actually followed by the creation of Eve in verses 18-25. So Eve was not actually there for the initial commandment which was given to Adam)

Next, the serpent deceives Eve, telling her that “you will certainly not die” and that she would “be like God, knowing good and evil.” Why I’ve chosen to use the word “deceive” rather than “lie” is important. Because throughout this whole interaction, the serpent never actually says anything to Eve that is completely untrue. His first statement towards her is a question meant to mislead her. But he does not lie. In his second statement, he claims that they will not die and that they’d be like God, knowing good and evil. Both of these claims aren’t completely untrue either, as after eating the fruit, they gain the “knowledge of good and evil” and neither Adam nor Eve die (rather, their death is a result of the curse of sin and their banishment from the garden). As we know, Eve ends up taking the fruit and commits the first sin in the Bible.

Seeing the interaction between the serpent and Eve, it’s clear that her lack of knowledge regarding God’s word played a role in her eventual downfall. When asked about God’s word on the tree, she clearly does not know what he commanded. And it is our gaps and cracks in knowledge regarding God’s word that allow for the serpent to creep in and mislead us. Sometimes that will result in us creating heavier burdens than necessary (i.e. not even being allowed to touch the fruit) while other times it results in us being easily swayed (i.e. the serpent seems to have a pretty convincing offer). In either case, a confident and firm knowledge of what God has said and commanded protects us from stumbling. Jesus serves as an example.

In Matthew 4, Jesus retreats to the desert to fast for 40 days and nights. During this time, he is encountered by the tempter. Once again, this tempter is knowledgeable of God’s word and he uses his knowledge in order to deceive. In contrast to Eve, however, we also witness Jesus using his own knowledge of the word of God in order to battle back against the swaying of Satan. Because he knows God’s word, he is confident and firm in where he stands.

The first thing Satan says to Jesus is “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread” (Matthew 4:3). Jesus responds to this by quoting scripture.

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Matthew 4:4

It is by knowing God’s word that Jesus can overcome Satan’s deception.

We see the same thing in the second test:

⁵Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    and they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Matthew 4:5-7

Jesus uses scripture to fight against (misused) scripture.

Even in Satan’s final attempt, Jesus once again wards him off through the use of scripture:

⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

Matthew 4:8-10

In all three attempts, Jesus’ knowledge and foundation in scripture allow him to overcome Satan’s deception. Because he knows God’s word, he knows where he stands. He knows what is expected of him and what is promised to him. And it is sufficient for him to overcome any temptation.

Through all the challenges, you’ll notice that not once does Satan make any completely untrue claims. In the first test, Satan simply gives Jesus an “if” statement. In the second test, Satan simply quotes scripture. In the third test, he simply promises worldly power which he is able to give (refer to Revelation). Once again, none of what he says is a lie, yet his statements are powerful and misleading.

Another interesting passage to look at is Proverbs 9. In this chapter, we see the calls of wisdom and of folly:

¹Wisdom has built her house;
    she has set up its seven pillars.
² She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;
    she has also set her table.
³ She has sent out her servants, and she calls
    from the highest point of the city,
⁴ “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense she says,
⁵ “Come, eat my food
    and drink the wine I have mixed.
⁶ Leave your simple ways and you will live;
    walk in the way of insight.”

Proverbs 9:1-6

¹³ Folly is an unruly woman;
    she is simple and knows nothing.
¹⁴ She sits at the door of her house,
    on a seat at the highest point of the city,
¹⁵ calling out to those who pass by,
    who go straight on their way,
¹⁶ “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense she says,
¹⁷ “Stolen water is sweet;
    food eaten in secret is delicious!”
¹⁸ But little do they know that the dead are there,
    that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.

Proverbs 9:13-18

What you’ll notice here is that they sound oddly familiar. Both of them are trying to draw in those “who are simple” and “have no sense.” And that is what deception will often look like by Satan. It isn’t always clear and easy to discern. And sometimes the enemy will even use scripture to deceive. And because of that, it is all the more important we know God’s word, His commands, and His promises in order that we not be misled.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

Ephesians 4:14

Stay cool,
Jason

If you’re familiar with the book of Proverbs, one thing you’ll notice is the ‘self-destructive nature’ of sin. What the writer of Proverbs wants you to know is that while others will be negatively affected by your sin, you will be the one who will bear the greatest consequence—the destruction of yourself.

Note: this won’t be a comprehensive list of all the verses that show this theme in Proverbs but I’ve taken a few verses to highlight the prominence that it has in the book.

The most common (and western) take on sin that I hear is in relation to (divine) punishment. Under this worldview, sin is understood in the context of guilt and innocence and the primary problem with sin is that it must be accounted for. For justice to be enacted, the crimes of sin must be paid for and thus, it was necessary for Jesus to die on the cross in our place. And while I have no problems or disputes with such a theology, Proverbs has a different focus. While the themes of guilt/innocence and (divine) punishment are still present (Prov 5:21 as an example), there is a greater emphasis on how sin corrupts, destroys, and causes us to lose ourselves in the process.

The malignant power of sin lies not in the punishment that God gives us but in the punishment that we give ourselves when choose to do evil.

In the very first chapter of Proverbs, this is made clear:

but these men lie in wait for their own blood;
they set an ambush for their own lives.
Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain;
it takes away the life of its possessors.

Proverbs 1:18-19 NIV

For context, Proverbs 1:10-19 is a warning from a father to a son to avoid being enticed by ‘sinful men’ (v. 10). It describes a hypothetical scenario where these ‘sinful men’ invite the son into their robbery and bloodshed of ‘innocent blood’ (v. 11). However, at the conclusion of the hypothetical invitation, the father warns the son of the consequences of such a sin (v. 18-19, above). The father’s attempt at deterring his son from evil lies not in sympathy for the wronged nor punishment from above, but the punishment that is inflicted on the self. To shed the blood of others is to shed the blood of one’s self, to ambush another is to set an ambush on one’s life, and all of them results in the loss of the life of the one doing so.

While the verse does not rule out the possibility of punishment as a consequence, divine or otherwise, that clearly is not the focus of the writer. What they’re concerned about is the way that sin ‘takes away the life’ of those who commit evil.

Another sin addressed where this destruction of self takes place is adultery. Proverbs makes a big deal about the dangers associated with adultery. While it does warn about the consequences in relation to both God (5:21) and man (6:34-5), Proverbs is also concerned with the destruction of self that takes place.

lest you lose your honor to others
and your dignity* to one who is cruel

Proverbs 5:9

*or years

He who commits adultery lacks sense;
    he who does it destroys himself.

Proverbs 6:32

  till an arrow pierces its liver;
as a bird rushes into a snare;
    he does not know that it will cost him his life.

Proverbs 7:23

In the cases above, rather than being concerned with the punishment for adultery after death, the writer is more interested in how committing such a sin affects the person today. They are at risk of losing their honor and dignity and are compared to a clueless bird wandering into a trap. In other cases, these damaging effects of sin could manifest itself in the form of shame, personal guilt, hollow or empty feelings, polluted thinking, or even a constant worry associated with being found out. In a way, someone who is enslaved under these things is someone to be pitied. That is not to say they are not responsible for their sins and shouldn’t be held accountable for them but the damaging effects of sin affect more than just the people who were wronged. The criminals too are victims of their crimes.

To close off this section, here are some other verses you can take a look at (you’ll notice I only read up to chapter 12 for this): Proverbs 1:32, 2:16-19, 5:22, 6:12-15, 7:27, 9:18, 11:3, 5, 17, 12:13

Fortunately, while sin corrupts, destroys, and causes us to lose ourselves, that’s not all there is to the story. On the other hand, we’re told that through wisdom, we can find healing, guidance, and life.

For they are life to those who find them,
    and healing to all their flesh.

Proverbs 4:22

for wisdom will come into your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
discretion will watch over you,
    understanding will guard you

Proverbs 2:10-11

For whoever finds me finds life
    and obtains favor from the Lord

Proverbs 8:35

And while there is a significance in how Jesus is the wisdom portrayed in Proverbs (compare Proverbs 8:22-31 with 1 Cor 1:24 and Col 1:15-17), the primary thing I’d like to focus on is how Proverbs contrasts the effects of sin (which derives from folly, prov 9:13-18 ) and wisdom (which leads to righteousness, prov 2:9-10).

The integrity of the upright guides them,
    but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.

Proverbs 11:3

The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight,
    but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.

Proverbs 11:5

In both verses, there is a contrast between the two. In the first passage, wisdom/righteousness acts as a guide for those who follow her. However, the same passage also speaks about how the crookedness of those who follow folly/sin leads to their destruction. The second passage does something similar. While the righteous are provided guidance, the wicked are left to the consequences of their own actions.

Once again, neither of these passages is focused on a punishment/reward to come scenario. They are concerned with now. And what we are told is if now and today, you choose to live a life of folly and sin, your punishment will not just be in the life to come but will also take place here and today. You will experience the corrupting and destroying effects of sin and lose yourself in the process today. Alternatively, if now and today you choose to live a life of wisdom and righteousness, your rewards will not just be in the life to come but will also take place here and today. You will experience the healing, guidance, and life of living such a life today.

Just because our sins are forgiven does not mean we are free to sin. Not just for the sake of those who we wrong and for the sake of Christ who shed his blood for us but our sakes as well. Sin is dangerous and malignant and is not something to be taken lightly. If we allow ourselves to dwell it in, we might find ourselves losing our lives in it. Not just in the life to come but our lives today.

Stay cool,

Jason

So lately, I’ve been hearing from a lot of friends on the topics of breakups, rejections, and other circumstances which just haven’t really worked out, in one way or another. As someone who is single, has faced quite a bit of rejection, and hasn’t always dealt with it well, it’s actually kind of sobering. Fun fact: some of the posts I’ve written briefly after or in responses to my own heartbreak. Amidst all the weddings, new relationships, and ones on their way to marriage, it’s a reminder that while there can be joy in companionship, it’s not always easy. Equally, there is hurt, disappointment, and shattered expectations. It is just a result of the broken world we live in. At the same time, I believe that the Bible has much to say about breakups, rejections, and other similar situations that involve heartbreak. As Psalm 34:18 says;

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18

And as we’ll see, we are not alone in our heartbreak and unmet expectations. We serve a God who not only promises to never leave or forsake his people (Joshua 1:5) but knows firsthand what it is like to experience. rejection, heartbreak and be in an “it’s complicated” relationship.

God has experienced rejection of His own

Rejection is a feeling that we’ve all faced. We’ve all been turned down at some point. Not always necessarily by a person but sometimes it’s that job we did an interview s for or a school/program we applied for. It’s definitely not fun. And sometimes it even leaves us thinking less of ourselves. What if I did things differently? What if I spoke out more? Was more confident? Said X instead of Y? I’ll never know.

What I do know, however, is even in our feelings that follow rejection, God sympathizes with us.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 4:15

In the person of Jesus, He has faced a tremendous amount of rejection. Rejection by His people (Matthew 27:23-3), by His hometown (Luke 4:24), and even His family (Mark 3:21). And yet, not for a moment does Jesus’ faithfulness falter. Even as He is in Gethsemane awaiting his betrayal, He prays, “not as I will but as you will” (Matthew 26:39) and acts obediently “to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8).

Through Jesus, God knows rejection in a way that is real and authentic to us. He has not just experienced rejection while in His throne room overlooking us from above but He has come down in human form and experienced rejection in a human way. He was despised and rejected (Isaiah 53:3), pierced and crushed so that we could be healed (Isaiah 53:5). There is the healing that comes with being seen and understood in our hardship (Hebrews 4:15) but also healing in the knowledge that God has not only not rejected us, but has Himself been rejected so that we could be chosen (2 Corinthians 5:21). In turn, He has made us “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession” (1 Peter 2:9).

God has His own kind of “it’s complicated” relationship

In the book of Exodus, God frees the people of Israel from their captivity in Egypt. Afterwards, He makes a covenant with them. If they remain faithful to God, they will be to Him a “treasured possession…a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5-6). Sound familiar? The very first command of the covenant is this:

You shall have no other gods before me.

Exodus 20:3

And if we’re familiar with the rest of the Bible, we’ll know that this particular command becomes a very difficult one for the people of Israel to follow. Whether it’s in the desert, the days of the Judges, the kings, or the prophets, we witness a people who fail to provide exclusivity to a God who commands it. While His people are faithless, He remains faithful. The most explicit imagery of this appears in the book of Hosea.

In the book of Hosea, Hosea is asked to take a wife who is a promiscuous woman (Hosea 1:1-3). She leaves him for another man but is told by the Lord to redeem her (Hosea 3:1-3). Through this depiction, we are to understand God’s unwavering love for Israel despite their adultery and worship of other gods (Hosea 2). Even when Israel betrays the Lord and breaks His covenant (Hosea 2:1-7, 11-13), God has mercy on them (Hosea 3:14-23).

In many ways, God has His own kind of “it’s complicated” relationship. He has a people He loves and pursues. Sometimes it goes well (Exodus 19:8) and sometimes with certain individuals (Genesis 6:9, 15:6, 1 Samuel 16:7) but generally, it’s been a pretty rocky relationship. In that way, God has experienced ‘heartbreak’ of His own. Relationships aren’t easy and sometimes they just don’t work out the way we want them to. The timing isn’t right or there are just too many obstacles to make it work. And God understands that. And yet, to this day, He has yet to give up His pursuit of Israel:

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
“and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”

As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

Romans 11:25-32

God will never break up with us

One of the greatest difficulties we face in our earthly relationships is uncertainty. And I’m not just talking about romantic relationships, but it is just as true with platonic or familial ones. There are people who we wish we had more time with or even done things differently with. And in many circumstances, we aren’t always given a chance to “right our wrongs.” Breakups happen, people move into other stages of life, and sometimes the transience of life can even be a factor. However, as I stated at the beginning of this post, our relationship with Him is one that differs. He is a God who promises to never leave or forsake his people (Josh 1:5). In fact, He promises to never break up with us. As we’re told in His word:

if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.

2 Timothy 2:13

Rather than leaving us heartbroken, He promises to be the one that heals our broken hearts:

He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.

Psalm 147:3

Instead, He comforts us (2 Cor 1:3-7), is with us in our mourning (Matthew 5:4), and even speaks of a day where heartbreak will be no more:

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Revelation 21:4

But as we wait for that day to come, we nevertheless have a God who is present with us even in our broken hearts. He knows firsthand the hurts that we’ve faced and continue to face. He’s had His share of heartbreak, rejection, and lack of reciprocation. And despite it all, He remains unwavering, faithful, and committed to the promises He has made. In Him, there is a certainty, peace, and level of understanding no other relationship, thing, or person can offer. That is what it means for the Lord to be “near to the brokenhearted.”

And while I’m not currently in a season of heartbreak, don’t be too surprised if you see me sharing this again in 3 months (but hopefully not). Thanks for reading.

Stay cool,
Jason