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

These last couple of months have been wild. I’ve graduated from university, started a new full-time position, and am once again in another season of major transitions. And yet, coming this fall, even more, is about to change. People are moving away, friends are starting new jobs, and once again the question of what my relationships and community will look like in this next season? Who will I spend my time with? Who will I share my life with? Who will I do spontaneous activities with?

And looking even further forward, what will those relationships look like five years from now? twenty? How many of these current people will I still keep in touch with? Will I still see them? Or will they be too busy with their jobs, relationships, and other responsibilities? And where will I be? Seeing my friends’ kids grow up while I’m still single probably.

And in all these things I’ve found there is much anxiousness and worry. There is so much uncertainty at stake and so little that I have control over. Yet, I’ve been challenged to not see these anxieties as something to fear but as an invitation. An invitation to trust God and to be open to the work that he is doing in my life. It is when we face these fears and anxieties head-on that we are truly able to see the Lord’s hand at work.

For instance, take James 1:2-4 and Romans 5:3-5. These two passages teach us of the refining element that trials have in our faith. It is through hardship that our trust in the Lord flourishes.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:2-4

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Romans 5:3-5

God uses difficult circumstances to polish and perfect our faith in Him and I believe that our anxieties and worries are no exception to this.

The first oh-so-relevant passage that comes to mind in this invitation is Matthew 6:33-34 where God quite literally invites us to trust Him and cast aside our anxieties by “seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.”

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 6:33-4

And although these verses are so relevant for the topic at hand, especially in dealing with the future and the uncertainty that comes with that, I’d like to propose that this invitation can be expanded into so much more than what is explicitly written in the few lines above. This invitation to seek Him is not just a one-dimensional call to prayer or read the Bible but to really know Him and to do so deeply. To know His character and His promises. His faithfulness and His graciousness.

We are invited to:

• Recount his past faithfulness: Isaiah 63:7, Psalm 9:1
• Rest in him and be STILL: Matthew 11:28-30, Psalm 46:10
• Seek him: Matthew 6:33
• Grieve and lament: Matthew 5:4, Ecclesiastes 3:4
• Find comfort in him: 2 Corinthians 1:3-7
• See our weakness: 2 Corinthians 12:5-10
• Humble ourselves before him: James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:5-6
• Open our eyes to the bigger picture: Revelation 21, Hebrews 13:14
• And ultimately: know He is the LORD

And while this list is not comprehensive, it gives us an idea of how we can respond to difficult situations, uncertainties, and anxieties. It’s a demonstration of ways we can respond to God’s invitation to know him deeper.

For me, one practice that has been really fruitful in times of uncertainty, especially with regard to community, is recounting the ways that God has provided in the past. Despite so many seasons of transitions and changing relationships, God has always remained faithful in his provision. And in recalling these past circumstances, I’m given confidence that God will continue to provide in this next season. He is the same in every season (Hebrews 13:8) and he remains faithful regardless of the role that I play (2 Timothy 2:13).

As I look back on my four years at university, I’m able to see God’s hand and faithfulness at work in providing community.

1st year: Heading into a completely new environment, God provides me with a completely new community of people I’d never met before. I’m able to find a place where I feel welcomed, cared for, and seen.

2nd year: Despite many of the close friends I had met the year before graduating and moving on, I’m able to make new really close friends that I didn’t even know the year before! Along with that, continuing to build up some of the friendships from the year prior.

3rd year: A difficult year due to COVID, I really struggled with finding community online. A couple more of my friends graduating. But at the same time, I was able to connect with some guys who I hadn’t seen since high school! And while I may not have noticed it as much at the time, I was surrounded by friends who reached out and cared for me despite my absence.

4th year: A year with more uncertainty than ever. With in-person classes starting up again, all my closest/upper year friends now graduated, and the one close friend I had in my year dealing with health complications and not being able to be around as much, I had no idea what was going to happen. Yet, during these last few months, in-person church has gone better than ever and I was able to befriend two girls at school that I had barely known the year prior. Our first hang was a hiking trip just under a year ago and the same group chat we had from that day we still use today. We went Treetop Trekking a week ago. Lol.

However, the last couple of weeks, I’ve been unable to attend church because of my new job.

In a couple of weeks, one of those two girls will be moving away for school while the other is job-hunting and will end up God-knows-where. And for the fourth time in four years, I’m dealing with the uncertainty of what community will look like this following season.

There is anxiety and worry that comes with that—but at the same time, it has been an invitation for me to be reminded of who God is. To recount his past deeds and faithfulness and to know him deeper. He is the God who has provided over and over and over and over. He’s given me every reason to trust that he will do so again. And while I know I won’t always be perfect in that and have moments where I doubt, I also know that he is gracious in my weakness. And in all of these areas, there’s an invitation to truly and fully learn what it means to “know he is the LORD.”

Stay cool,

Jason

Hello everyone!

I was reading Psalm 30 today and recognised verse 11 as one of the lines used in the song ‘Graves into Gardens’ by Elevation Worship. It’s a song I’ve been enjoying lately and had also noticed quite a few Biblical references in the song. Thought it would be fun to do a post looking into some of the Biblical references used and their contexts! This won’t be a comprehensive review but just a few of the lines that are drawn directly from verses. Some of the info from the post are from here and here. Otherwise, it is original content. Additionally, if you’d like to review or look through the lyrics, feel free to click on the first link.

That being said, let’s begin.

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“And you still call me friend”

Graves into Gardens: Verse 2, line 5

This first line is a reference John 15:13-15 where Jesus calls his disciples his friends because he “all that [he has] heard from my Father [he has] made known” to his apostles. However, it is worth noting that the song uses this in the context of God seeing the artist’s ‘failures and flaws’ yet still calling them a friend—a statement on God’s mercy and grace. Although John 15:13-15 does demonstrate God’s mercy and grace through the revelation of Jesus, the meaning behind the title of ‘friend’ clearly differs.

“Cause the God of the mountain is the God of the valley”

Graves Into Gardens: Verse 2, Line 6-7

This line is in reference to 1 Kings 20:28. This passage takes place during King Ahab’s war against Syria. The Syrians claim that the Lord is only a god of the hills but not the valleys and God responds to this by giving the Syrians into Ahab’s hand. It is worth noting that in the context of the Bible, the mountains and valleys are referring to physical locations. In the case of the Syrian claim, they suggest that the Lord is god over only the geographical area of the mountains but not the valleys. God proves this wrong by allowing Ahab to defeat them in the valleys, proving that he is god over all land (and by extension, the world and everything in it). It is a statement regarding God’s ownership over the physical world. In the context of the song, however, with the surrounding context of ‘failures and flaws’ and his ‘mercy and grace’ finding the artist once again, the ‘mountains and valleys’ seem to be referring to metaphorical ones representing the highs and lows of the artist.

“You turn mourning to dancing”

Graves Into Gardens: Bridge, Line 1

This line is in reference to Psalm 30:11. In this Psalm, the Psalmist writes from a position of gratitude, thanking God for restoring him and rescuing him. In this Psalm, there is a constant theme of suffering but for a moment, only to be rescued by the Lord. Although there is weeping, joy comes in the morning (v. 5). Although there is mourning, God turns it into dancing (v. 11). He is a God who hears our cries and heals us (v.2).

“You give beauty for ashes”

Graves Into Gardens: Bridge, Line 2

This line is in reference to Isaiah 61:3. In Isaiah 61, it speaks about “the year of the Lord’s favor” (v. 2) where good news will be brought to the poor, the brokenhearted will be bound up, freedom will be proclaimed for the captives, and the blind will be free from darkness (v. 1). For those who are mourning, they will be given crowns of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a faint spirit (v. 3). We are told of a day where there will be no more broken hearts or mourning. Jesus later tells us that he is the one who is the fulfillment of these things (Luke 4:17-21). He brings good news to the poor (Luke 6:20), binds up the brokenhearted (Matthew 11:28), proclaims freedom for the captives (Galatians 5:1), and frees the blind from the darkness (Luke 18:35-43).

“You turn shame into glory”

Graves Into Gardens: Bridge, Line 3

This line is in reference to Zephaniah 3:19. In Zephaniah 3, God speaks of the destruction of Jerusalem that is to come due to their unrepentant hearts. However, from verses 9 to 20, God speaks of a day that he will restore the remnant of Israel and they will be able to freely worship the Lord once more. It is in those verses we receive the promise that God will change the shame of Israel into praise and renown, demonstrating his mercy and faithfulness to his covenant.

“You turn bones into armies”

Graves Into Gardens: Bridge, Line 10

This line is in reference to Ezekiel 37:1-10. It refers to the vision given to the prophet Ezekiel where God turns a valley of bones into an ‘exceedingly great army’ (v. 10). Using this vision, God demonstrates how he will restore the people of Israel, bringing them out of their graves and back into the land. He also tells Ezekiel that he will put his Spirit in them and that they will live (v. 14). This is later fulfilled (or partially fulfilled) through Jesus’ death on the cross through the raising of the dead and their return to Jerusalem (Matthew 27:52-3)

“You turn seas into highways”

Graves Into Gardens: Bridge, Line 11

This line is in reference to Exodus 14:21-22. It refers to the crossing of the Red Sea during Israel’s escape from Egypt led by Moses. In this Exodus scene, God quite literally turns the sea into a ‘highway’ of sorts, allowing people to cross through it. Through this act, God demonstrates his power and the salvation he brings to his people.

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Okay, that’s all for today.

Stay cool,

Jason