Nehemiah and Work II

When the wall of Jerusalem was finished in spite of the opposition of the surrounding nations. Nehemiah reports this reaction.

And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

Nehemiah 6:16 (ESV)

I have to think about this passage's implications. I tend to doubt people should use this verse to support their building programs.

Nehemiah and work

All the returned exiles were rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. Each tribe was assigned a section. The author of Nehemiah noted this attitude among the Tekoites.

And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.

Nehemiah 3:5 (ESV)

This was a great work, but since it was manual labor, the nobles of the Tekoites would not stoop to serve the Lord. Wow. What arrogance! May we all be willing to stoop to server our Lord.

Edwards and Affections

If the great things of religion are rightly understood, they will affect the heart. The reason why men are not affected by such infinitely great, important, glorious, and wonderful things, as they often hear and read of in the Word of God, is undoubtedly because they are blind; if they were not so, it would be impossible, and utterly inconsistent with human nature, that their hearts should be otherwise than strongly impressed, and greatly moved by such things.

p. 50. Religious Affections

One of the treasures that abound in Edwards's writings.

Uzziah and Prosperity

2 Chronicles 26:3-5

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.

(ESV).

Again, can we really translate what God did for a godly king of Judah to the Church?

Work and Jehoshaphat

2 Chronicles 20:35-37

After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. He acted wickedly in so doing. So he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat saying, "Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works." So the ships were broken and could not go to Tarshish.

(NASB)

Because Jehoshaphat allied himself with Ahaziah and did not trust the Lord, the Lord destroyed his works.

Asa and Work (2 Chronicles).

2 Chronicles 15:1-7.

The Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded, and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. For a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest and without law, but when in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them. In those times there was no peace to him who went out or to him who came in, for great disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands. They were broken in pieces. Nation was crushed by nation and city by city, for God troubled them with every sort of distress. But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded."

Is this promise for us? Asa and his people were in the process of rebuilding the walled cities and fighting the invaders. They sought to restore Judah back to its former glory.

God given Wisdom

And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom which God had put into his mind. (ESV) II Chron. 9:22

God's wisdom can be attractive to the world rulers.

Levites and Work (Numbers 8)

In Numbers 8:11:

When you bring the Levites before the LORD, the people of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites, and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the people of Israel, that they may do the service of the LORD. (ESV)

Aaron presented the Levites as a wave offering to God before the people of Israel so that the Levites can do the "work" or "service" of the Lord. In Leviticus 23:7, the wave offering is defined as what is done with the first sheaf of wheat of the harvest and how it is to be presented to the Lord.

I have to think about how this relates to work and the Lord's work.

Luther on Work

Alister McGrath in First Things.
"In this view, Christians were called to be priests to the world, purifying and sanctifying its everyday life from within. Luther stated this point succinctly when commenting on Genesis 13:13: "What seem to be secular works are actually the praise of God and represent an obedience which is well-pleasing to him." (http://www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id_article=3175)

Hannah and Work

In I Samuel 2:7-8
The LORD makes poor and makes rich;
he brings low and he exalts.
He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s,
and on them he has set the world.

This is part of the prayer that Hannah prayed after she gave birth to Samuel and brought him to the temple for him to serve there. One's economic status is totally dependent on God.

Charles Preuss and Work

I went to a Sarah Vowell talk last night. She spent quite a bit of time on Charles Preuss. Pruess was the cartographer on three Fremont expeditions. His maps were key to the United States's expansion into the West. He was very good at making beautiful maps with side notes that provided useful information for pioneers. He found his calling, Sarah said, but he hated life in the frontier. To do the work he loved, he had to live in a way he hated. For health reasons, he gave up the expeditions at age 50. He committed suicide in 1854.

Moses and the celebration of Work

Deuteronomy 16 13-15

“You shall celebrate the Feast of Booths seven days after you have gathered in from your threshing floor and your wine vat; and you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your towns.

“Seven days you shall celebrate a feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful.

NASB

Celebration, Productivity, God's Blessing, Joy and Work are all tied together in this passage.

I did some research on "altogether joyful." The emphasis was on community according to this one commentator. The celebration was elaborate and each Israelite was responsible to be joyful and to make every one in Israel joyful on this occasion. The celebration was a thanksgivings to God for His bountiful provision and His acts of salvation in the past.

The priests garments in exodus

Exodus 28

28:1 “And you, bring near to you your brother Aaron and his sons with him from among the Israelites, so that they may minister as my priests – Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. 28:2 You must make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for glory and for beauty. 28:3 You are to speak to all who are specially skilled, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, so that they may make Aaron’s garments to set him apart to minister as my priest. 28:4 Now these are the garments that they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a fitted tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make holy garments for your brother Aaron and for his sons, that they may minister as my priests. 28:5 The artisans are to use the gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen.

28:6 “They are to make the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen, the work of an artistic designer. 28:7 It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be joined together. 28:8 The artistically woven waistband of the ephod that is on it is to be like it, of one piece with the ephod, 18 of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen.

28:9 “You are to take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, 28:10 six of their names on one stone, and the six remaining names on the second stone, according to the order of their birth. 28:11 You are to engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel with the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a seal; you are to have them set in gold filigree settings. 28:12 You are to put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod, stones of memorial for the sons of Israel, and Aaron will bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders for a memorial. 28:13 You are to make filigree settings of gold 28:14 and two braided chains of pure gold, like a cord, and attach the chains to the settings.

28:15 “You are to make a breastpiece for use in making decisions, the work of an artistic designer; you are to make it in the same fashion as the ephod; you are to make it of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen. 28:16 It is to be square when doubled, nine inches long and nine inches wide. 28:17 You are to set in it a setting for stones, four rows of stones, a row with a ruby, a topaz, and a beryl – the first row; 28:18 and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald; 28:19 and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 28:20 and the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They are to be enclosed in gold in their filigree settings. 28:21 The stones are to be for the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to the number of their names. Each name according to the twelve tribes is to be like the engravings of a seal.

28:22 “You are to make for the breastpiece braided chains like cords of pure gold, 28:23 and you are to make for the breastpiece two gold rings and attach the two rings to the upper two ends of the breastpiece. 28:24 You are to attach the two gold chains to the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece; 28:25 the other two ends of the two chains you will attach to the two settings and then attach them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front of it. 28:26 You are to make two rings of gold and put them on the other two ends of the breastpiece, on its edge that is on the inner side of the ephod. 28:27 You are to make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the two shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the juncture above the waistband of the ephod. 28:28 They are to tie the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod by blue cord, so that it may be above the waistband of the ephod, and so that the breastpiece will not be loose from the ephod. 28:29 Aaron will bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of decision over his heart when he goes into the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually.

28:30 “You are to put the Urim and the Thummim into the breastpiece of decision; and they are to be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord. Aaron is to bear the decisions of the Israelites over his heart before the Lord continually.

28:31 “You are to make the robe of the ephod completely blue. 28:32 There is to be an opening in its top in the center of it, with an edge all around the opening, the work of a weaver, like the opening of a collar, so that it cannot be torn. 28:33 You are to make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet all around its hem and bells of gold between them all around. 28:34 The pattern is to be a gold bell and a pomegranate, a gold bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe. 28:35 The robe is to be on Aaron as he ministers, and his sound will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord and when he leaves, so that he does not die.

28:36 “You are to make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it the way a seal is engraved: “Holiness to the Lord.” 28:37 You are to attach to it a blue cord so that it will be on the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban, 28:38 It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron will bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the Israelites are to sanctify by all their holy gifts; it will always be on his forehead, for their acceptance 61 before the Lord. 28:39 You are to weave the tunic of fine linen and make the turban of fine linen, and make the sash the work of an embroiderer.

I've been reading through the Bible fairly consistently. My wife encourages me to read aloud to her. Last night I was reading the above passage aloud to my wife rather quickly. I didn't think I would get anything from this passage. However, notice the picture of the priestly garments. The names of the tribes of Israel are over the priests' hearts. In front of the priests' head is inscribed on a plate, "Holiness to the Lord." This is obviously worth more study. The judgement of the sons of Israel is over the priest's heart. The "Holiness of God" is at the forefront of his head. Oh, what a picture of Christ.

Never take any passage of scripture for granted.

Moses and Rest

Exodus 31:12-25

The Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep my Sabbaths, 14 for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. So you must keep the Sabbath, for it is holy for you. Everyone who defiles it must surely be put to death; indeed, if anyone does any work on it, then that person will be cut off from among his people. Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord; anyone who does work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death. The Israelites must keep the Sabbath by observing the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”

Notice the polymorphism. I'm not sure how God is refreshed, but His example on the pace of work is very interesting.

Standing before Kings and Work

Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will serve before kings;
he will not serve before obscure men.

Proverbs 22:29

I always thought "standing before kings" would be a good thing and it is. However, the movie Chariots of Fire brought forth a different slant on this proverb for me. Eric Liddell was a very skilled runner, but I am sure he did not enjoy standing before the crowned prince of England. The prince was encouraging Eric to run on Sunday in the Olympics. This task Liddell would not do and had to say no. This standing before kings may be an honor, but it may be that you will have to honor God before the princes of this world and only receive honor from God in eternity.

Lewis on Old Books

A quote from C. S. Lewis from his introduction to "On The Incarnation" by Athanasius.

It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to every three new ones.

He was arguing on how to prevent chronological snobbery in oneself.

Chariots of Fire and Work

In one of my all time favorite movies, Eric Liddell was debating about whether to continue running or go to the overseas mission in China. His counselors advised him:

"run in God's name and let the world stand back in wonder."

Of course, there is the famous quote where Liddell is trying to convince his sister that he should compete in races,

"But I've got a lot of running to do first. Jennie... Jennie... you've got to understand. I believe that God made me for a purpose... for China. But He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure.... To win is to honor Him."

John Carter of Mars and Vocation

In the Warlord of Mars, Edgar Rice Burroughs describes pride in vocation in this way:

If I sometimes seem to take too great pride in my fighting ability, it must be remembered that fighting is my vocation. If your vocation be shoeing horses, or painting pictures, and you can do one or the other better than your fellows, then you are a fool if you are not proud of your ability. And so I am very proud that upon two planets no greater fighter has evet lived than John Carter, Prince of Helium.

p. 551, The Martian Tales Trilogy by Edgar Rice Burroughs. (Barnes and Noble)

John Carter was bestowed this fighting skill by being born on earth and living on Mars. Since he was used to the heavier gravity and thinner atmosphere of Earth, he was naturally quicker and stronger than any three martians. I think Burroughs is indicating a false pride here. Although, I am not positive. However, we are the same way. We have success in work, but God gave us our gifts, created the circumstances, and guided us. Do we have room for boasting? Or rather shall we boast only in Christ?

APTAT

I was listening to a John Piper MP3 on vacation. He has a 5 step Acronym to help people to walk by the spirit: APTAT

Admit (Acknowledge).
Prayer
Trust
Act
Thanksgiving

This is not the link I heard, but it describes the process except he said "Admit" and not "acknowledge" in the talk I heard.

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/1981/286_Let_Us_Walk_by_the_Spirit/

School of Tyrannus (Acts 19)

I haven't really study the cell church movement or the Emerging church movement. Both groups stress good works in the community and meeting non-Christians where they live. This is very good. However, these movements seem to downplay teaching and doctrine. The model of forming small groups, which reach out, grow and split into other small groups is a fine model. The weakness of this strategy is that if the small groups grow quickly, these leaders have very minimal training in doctrine. If we look at Paul's methodology, we read at least at one point, he stayed put and taught theology for over two years to disciples in Ephesus. Paul wrote Romans and Ephesians. These letters are not user friendly. The training of these leaders need to be addressed. We must guard the deposit of faith and pass it on.

Acts 19:8-10 (ESV)
8And he [Paul] entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.[c] 10This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. (brackets mine)

Was Jesus a Carpenter

At a Promise Keepers (Des Moines 2006) the organizers ran a film clip. In the film I heard it argued that Jesus did not grow up as a carpenter. The assertion is that he was not a carpenter, but was trained from a young age as a Rabbi. They asserted that someone who was called "Rabbi" and who taught in the manner as Jesus did, had to be a Rabbi. Promising boys were sent to Rabbinic school at a young age. Therefore, Jesus was trained as a Rabbi and could not be a carpenter. It is a quaint concept, we are told, to think a simple carpenter confounded the spiritual leaders of the age, but it simply wasn't so. A rabbi confounded other rabbis.

I haven't studied the Jewish custom of someone being addressed as Rabbi. I don't know if it can be a term like how we use "Pastor" today to refer to seminary graduates and self-taught teachers. However, I do think two passages contradict the theory that Jesus was a "trained" rabbi and not a carpenter.

Mark 6:2-3

And on the Sabbbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did ths man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such might works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?

Notice that menial labor is not being denigrated, but rather the people of the audience were saying that they know Jesus. He was not trained as a Rabbi. We know him. He was a carpenter. He is not special. Why should we pay attention to him?

If he went to rabbinical school the audience would know where he has gotten his wisdom. If he was trained by a great Rabbi, they would have treated him with more respect.

John 7:14=15 (ESV)

14About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. 15The Jews therefore marveled, saying, "How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?

Again, people who knew the Rabbinical schools knew that Jesus did not go to Rabbinical schools. He did not have formal training. I don't know how much clearer scripture can get on this issue.

So in conclusion, what do we make of this? The teaching that Jesus was not a carpenter, but a Rabbi seems to be prevalent among the emergant churches. However, I would believe writers who lived with Jesus before I would believe a strange little guy on a video telling me he researched Jewish culture for years and assuring that knows what he is talking about.

Post script: Nooma produced the Video and Rob Bell was teaching the false doctrine in the video.

In His Name.

G. K. Chesterton and Church

G. K. Chesterton is quoted,
"We do not want, as the newspapers say, a church that will move with the world. We want a church that will move the world."

Isaiah: Work in Eternity

Isaiah65

17"For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.
18"But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing
And her people for gladness.
19"I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people;
And there will no longer be heard in her
The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.
20"No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days,
Or an old man who does not live out his days;
For the youth will die at the age of one hundred
And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred
Will be thought accursed.
21"They will build houses and inhabit them;
They will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22"They will not build and another inhabit,
They will not plant and another eat;
For as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people,
And My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands.
23"They will not labor in vain,
Or bear children for calamity;
For they are the offspring of those blessed by the LORD,
And their descendants with them.
NASB

Work in heaven. Interesting concept. Would anything be more enjoyable is that one will work with great efficacy and be able to enjoy the work of our hands. Without taxes or entropy.

Psalm 78 -- Led with skillful hands

Greg Gilbaugh preaching at North Liberty Church April 22nd, 2007 referenced this passage:

70 He chose David his servant
and took him from the sheep pens;

71 from tending the sheep he brought him
to be the shepherd of his people Jacob,
of Israel his inheritance.

72 And David shepherded them with integrity of heart;
with skillful hands he led them.

A NetBible (www.bible.org) footnotes 98 for Psalms 78 reads that the literal translation is:

98 tn Heb “and with the understanding of his hands he led them.”

From "How the Irish Save Civilization"

Caelum non animum mutant qui trans mare current

"They change their sky but not their soul those who cross the ocean." Horace

p. 196. Thomas Cahill

How the Irish Saved Civilization

Funeral

I attended two funerals lately. Both "deceased" were strong Christians. One funeral, the preacher stressed what an interesting and diverse life this 105-year-old woman lived. The second funeral stressed that although she died young (40 years) she will be missed by many.

The first funeral, the pastor didn't want to explain the gospel. The second funeral stressed the impact this woman had other people. Neither funeral preached the Gospel directly. I understand their reticence. It was a time of mourning.

However, at my funeral, I encourage any speaker at my funeral, please stress this is a man who loves God and here is how you can enter into a relationship with God. Please explain the gospel carefully. So at least in death, I can still reach my loved ones and may accomplish what I did so poorly in life: share the gospel. If people get angry with you, feel free to share this note with them.

God Work

In Psalm 24:5 David writes:

Because they do not regard the works of the Lord or the work of his hands, he will tear them down and build them up no more.

God wants people to regard his works and not regard their own. God is the boss of man, not man.

Trembles at my words

Isaiah 66:2 reads:

All these things my hand has made
and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord.
But this is the one to whom I will look:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

I have no comments. God looks for this in a person, if you don't have this. Do a soul search. Piper just lists this verse to prove his point in The Pleasures of God

Why was Jesus a carpenter?

I was thinking about God as a worker. He created universe. He created because creating brought Him glory and it was His good pleasure. God enjoyed creating. God enjoys His works of creation. God enjoys work.

God chose to become incarnate in the family of a poor carpenter. Jesus was most likely trained to be a carpenter. God is omnipotent; He could have chose any profession and He chose carpentry. Why? Why did the profession of carpentry bring Him the most pleasure as a young man? Things to ponder.

Piper on Faith and Reason

John Piper spoke on the relationship of faith and reason at the Ligioner National Conference 2007. He spoke on 2 Corinthians 4:4-6.

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Our job is to present the gospel and the hope that is within us. To communicate the beauty of Christ to the unbeliever. It is God's responsibility to rip the veil over the unbelievers' hearts, to shine the light of the glory of God in the face of Christ in their hearts so that they may believe.

Conversion has its result the love of Christ emanating from the believer.

David having a bad day

David was having a bad day. He couldn't go home to Israel because King Saul was trying to kill him. Philistines had rejected his services three days previous. He just journeyed three days to return to his base camp at Ziklag. He found out the Amalekites had raided his camp; they found the city of Ziklag burned to the ground; and they found out his wives and children were kidnapped. His protection job of protecting Ziklag had just burned up with his possessions. The people who had supported him were now talking about stoning him. He had no where to go. He had no family around, no friends, and no place to live. I Samuel 30 reads that he was greatly distessed. How should David respond? Did David run away from his problems?

The answer is a resounding no. The verse, I Samuel 30:6c reads, "But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God."

David then picked up the pieces of his army and chased after the band of Amalekites who took his family. David did not have a self pity party. He strengthened himself in the Lord his God and acted. Amazing.

G. K. Chesterton on Drinking

I heard this on "G. K. Chesterton" on EWTN. I thought this very good.

Drink because you are happy, but never because you are miserable. Never drink when you are wretched without it, or you will be like the grey-faced gin-drinker in the slum; but drink when you would be happy without it, and you will be like the laughing peasant of Italy. Never drink because you need it, for this is rational drinking, and the way to death and hell. But drink because you do not need it, for this is irrational drinking, and the ancient health of the world.

—G.K. Chesterton, Heretics (1905), in The Collected Works of G.K. Chesterton, Volume I (1986), p. 92