Organized Labor Causes Uproar

     After the Apostle Paul’s conversion experience, he boldly proclaimed the gospel message.

     “Immediately he preached Jesus Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.”  Acts 9:20

     Paul’s preaching had a profound effect on all the people, favorable and unfavorable.  Many embraced this newly revealed truth while many reacted negatively to such preaching.

     “And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way.”  Acts 19:23

     The ‘Way’ was a term describing Christianity which simply meant the way to salvation.

     During the time of Paul’s apostleship there was great idolatry in Asia.  The idolatry focused on the goddess Diana (Artemis) and an image that was said to have fallen from Jupiter.

     Because of the worship of Diana there was a great demand for silver shrines representing their goddess.

     However, owing to the effectiveness of Paul’s message, many were leaving idolatrous worship, therefore, lessening the demand for the silversmith’s product.

     “For a certain man named Demetrious, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen.  He called them together with the workers of similar occupation and said: ‘Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade.  Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands.  So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.’”  Acts 19:24-27

     The threat of losing financial security quickly spread panic among the silversmiths.

     “Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, ‘Great is Diana of the Ephesians!’  So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord…”  Acts 19:28-29a

     A theater in those days was defined as a place where people convened to hear debates or to make a public spectacle.  The uproar was so volatile that Paul’s friends urged him to avoid the gathering at the theater.

     “Some therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together.”  Acts 19:32

     The Jews were afraid that the uproar would be blamed on them so they sent their representative Alexander to argue that they were not to blame for Paul’s message which was the cause of the disruption.  But Alexander was shouted down.

     “And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward.  And Alexander motioned with his hand, and wanted to make his defense to the people. But when they found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours…”  Acts 19:33-34

     Finally a city official of Ephesus was able to subdue the crowd.  He assured them that the goddess Diana would prevail.  

  “And when the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: ‘Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana…”  Acts 19:35

    The city official further argued that Paul’s message was in support of Jesus Christ and not aimed directly at blaspheming Diana.  He urged Demetrius and his fellow guild members to take their arguments to the court of law.

     “For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess.  Therefore, if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a case against anyone, the courts are open…if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly.”  Acts 19:37-39

     The city official then warned the silversmiths that their uproar might arouse the Roman government to investigate the near riotous disturbance and demand justification for such a gathering.

     “For we are in danger of being called in question for today’s uproar, there being no reason which we may give to account for the disorderly gathering.”  Acts 19:40

     “After the uproar had ceased, Paul…departed to go to Macedonia.”  Acts 20:1

     Paul, Paul, see what you started!?

The Seed of the Woman is the Son of God

     During the season known as Christmas there will undoubtedly be many shallow discussions about when Jesus was actually born.  Such discourse only serves to detract from the fact of His incarnation.  His birth and its exact timing was known and planned before the earth ever existed.

     The major aspect of Jesus’ birth was that while He was the Seed of a woman, His Father was God Himself.  That great truth was an absolute necessity.  Only the God/Man Jesus could fulfill the purpose for which He was born.  Jesus’ purpose was to redeem fallen man and impute to him the required righteousness of God so man could, once again, be found acceptable to be in God’s presence.

     The announcement of the future Redeemer was made to Satan in the Garden of Eden after he deceived Eve into disobedience.  God told Satan that his sin of deception would be reckoned with permanently in due time.

     “So the LORD God said to the serpent: ‘Because you have done this…I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.’”  Genesis 3:14-15

     The Hebrew meaning of ‘bruise’ in the above includes crush or break in pieces.

     The work of redemption by Jesus Christ is the scarlet thread that ties all the pages of the Bible together.  It is the most significant doctrinal truth in the Holy Scriptures.

     Several millennia after the original announcement God confirmed to His chosen people, the Jews, the future birth of the promised Redeemer.

     “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”  Isaiah 7:14

     “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called…Prince of Peace.”  Isaiah 9:8

     Other of the Prophets even provided the exact place of birth for the future Prince of peace centuries before the event.

     As the New Testament opened, the virgin chosen by God to conceive and give birth to the Prince was revealed and the angel Gabriel told her of her chosen role.

     “…the virgin’s name was Mary…Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son’…Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’   And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.’”  Luke 1:27-35

     The Apostle John also announced the incarnation.

     “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…as the only begotten of the Father…”  John 1:14

     The Greek base for ‘Word’ means in essence the visible manifestation of the reality of God.

     The Apostle Paul provided more detail about the mission of the God/Man Jesus.

     “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”  Galatians 4:4-5

     “For what the law could not do…through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us…”  Romans 8:3-4

     Jesus succinctly summarized His mission on earth.

     “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law…I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”  Matthew 5:17

     Then Paul closed the loop originally announced in Genesis 3:15 relative to Satan’s future.

     “...And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.”  Romans 16:20

     The Greek for ‘crush’ means the same as the Hebrew, i.e. to bruise, shatter, or break in pieces.

     Another suitable title for this column describing Jesus’ incarnation might have been ‘Born to Die.’

'...all who see it begin to mock him...'

     The title words are taken from a popular parable of Jesus.  Jesus used parables extensively in His teachings.  Parables can be described as analogies of comparable situations where the familiarities of life’s experiences were used to explain the unfamiliar.

     When Jesus was explaining the cost of being His disciple he compared that cost with a familiar experience, i.e. beginning a project for which the person had not given adequate thought to the cost of completion.

     “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it – lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’”  Luke 14:28-30

     This parable was brought to life recently when Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner put forth President Obama’s plan to solve the fiscal challenge facing this nation.  Reaction from Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was spontaneous laughter. 

     Senator McConnell’s response might have been prompted by the fact that there were insufficient funds to complete the proposal resulting in debt which would require borrowing.  And to be a borrowing nation is a sign of failure according to the Bible.

     President Obama’s leadership style continues to unwittingly remind Americans of Israel’s first king, Saul.

     Recall that Israel demanded to be ruled by a king instead of being ruled by judges.  God told the Israelites in explicit terms via the prophet Samuel what it would be like to be ruled by a king.

     “So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked him for a king…He will take…and appoint…He will appoint…He will take…he will take…He will take…and give…he will take…He will take…”  1 Samuel 8:10-17

     The Hebrew base for ‘take’ is to seize.

     The Israelites would subsequently be sorry for their demands, however, despite Samuel’s warnings, they still insisted on a king and God granted their desires.

     “And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not hear you…”  1 Samuel 8:18

     “So the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Heed their voice, and make them a king.’”  1 Samuel 8:22

     One of the reasons Israel wanted a king was so that they could be ‘like all the nations’. 

     And so it is with America.  This nation is becoming alarmingly like the nations of Europe where Christianity is being systematically diminished.  Europe is also suffering from failed multicultural policies, and is drowning in debt. 

     The Bible notes that after the decision for Israel to have a king, there was a very significant mission to accomplish.  The appointed king was sent to locate and recover lost donkeys that had strayed.

   “Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost.  And Kish said to his son Saul, ‘Please take one of the servants…and arise, go and look for the donkeys.’”  1 Samuel 9:3

     Fortunately, the donkeys were found and the anointing could take place.

     “But as for your donkeys that were lost…do not be anxious about them for they have been found…” 1 Samuel 9:20

          Well, Old King Saul was crowned and began his kingship.  Many were elated.

     “So all the people shouted and said, ‘Long live the king!’”  1 Samuel 10:24b

     Not everyone, however, was happy about Saul’s kingship.

     “But some rebels said, ‘How can this man save us?’ So they despised him…” 1 Samuel 10:27

     Well, as this familiar story turned out Saul was subsequently deposed of his kingship because he disobeyed God’s instructions.  His priority focused on pleasing people rather than God.

     “Then Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.’”  1 Samuel 15:24

     And Saul went down in shame.

     “…Samuel said to Saul…‘for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.’”  1 Samuel 15:26

    The Biblical account of the leader of Israel’s government, i.e. King Saul appears to dispel the imaginary barrier between ‘church’ and ‘state’.

The Present World War

     The Bible reveals that life for members of the Christian brotherhood began in heaven.  Their origin is termed ‘from the foundation of the world.

 

     “… And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world…”  Revelation 17:8b

     ‘Those’ in the above verse are earth dwellers without saving faith, i.e. their names have not been written in the Book of Life.

     Inasmuch as life for the Christian began in heaven, their citizenship is likewise in heaven and the time the Christian spends on earth is as a sojourn, where the earth is but a temporary dwelling place.

     “…For many…whose end is destruction…who set their mind on earthly things.  For (however) our citizenship is in heaven…”  Philippians 3:18-20

     “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul…”  I Peter 2:11

    “…conduct yourselves throughout the time of your sojourning, dwelling as resident aliens in fear…”  I Peter 1:17

     “These…confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”  Hebrews 11:13

     Due to the difference in origin of the Christian and those who are not, there is tremendous conflict between those whose citizenship is in heaven and just passing through, and those who claim the earth as their permanent residence.  The latter category is classified as being in and of the world.

     The authority over those of the world is substantially different than the authority over those with heavenly citizenship.  There will be no reconciliation between the two and there will be war until the last days.

    “I (Jesus) have given them (disciples) Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world…I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world…As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world…”  John 17:14-18

     Jesus confirmed that the disciples were aliens in the world.  He asked His Father to keep (preserve) and protect them from the ruler of the world, i.e. Satan while they went about the Father’s business of sharing the gospel message.  The ruler of the world will be defeated in God’s timing.

     “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.”  John 12:31

     The ruler of the world has been given his authority from God.  He can only do as allowed by his Creator.  He does, however, cause much trouble for the Christian aliens while they are on earth, but his time is marked and his destruction sure.  Christians are reminded of the enemy’s limited power.

     “You are of God... and have overcome them (false teachers), because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.  They are of the world…We are of God…”  I John 4:4-6a

     Therefore, there is great conflict between those of heavenly origin and those of the world.  Christians are told to obey their heavenly Father, sojourn on the earth for a time, but not conform to the world’s norms.

     “Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”  I John 2:15-17

     Note the similarity of the above with the temptation Eve had in the Garden, i.e. ‘So when the woman saw…that it was pleasant to the eyes…’

     Thus according to the Bible, those whose names were written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, and those who were not, once again define the two categories of all mankind.

     The present world war will continue to the end of the age at the final separation of the warring parties.