Fascinating, researching OT links on Luke 1:78.
The Dayspring (NKJV), or rising sun (NIV), is the Greek word anatole. Same word used to name the Messiah "Branch" in Jeremiah 23:5, Zechariah 3:8 and 6:12. And the glory of Yahweh that rises upon you, in Isaiah 60:1-2? Anatole. This is Jesus: the rising sun bringing light to a dark world; the branch that springs up with life and nourishment (Isa 11:1; 60:19-22).
It doesn't come through in the English very well - just a loose connection of risings and comings up.
Now I have another good example for why some people (ministers, hopefully?) need to know and use Hebrew and Greek.
Historical sidenote: I'm pretty sure that one word for the modern country Turkey, Anatolia, comes from the same roots, although I'd have to research that one some more...
11.29.2005
Advent sermon
Here's the conclusion to an upcoming sermon from Luke 1:59-80 (especially vss 74-79).
John has come. Jesus is coming soon. Serve the Lord without fear, knowing the Messiah will take care of all enemies of peace, within ourselves and out there. Worship Him with joy. Worship with amazement, remembering that the victory began with a baby in a manger. In all the bustle, don’t lose sight of the knowledge of salvation, the forgiveness of your sins. That was the whole point of all of this. To forget that, to take our rescue from sin lightly or disregard it, is to kick over the manger; it’s worse than trying to take down the public nativity scene. No, instead come as the shepherds and wise men did and offer him yourself. Cling to the manger, the cross and the empty tomb, for there is your peace. Worship Him in hope of the fulfilled peace yet to come.
John has come. Jesus is coming soon. Serve the Lord without fear, knowing the Messiah will take care of all enemies of peace, within ourselves and out there. Worship Him with joy. Worship with amazement, remembering that the victory began with a baby in a manger. In all the bustle, don’t lose sight of the knowledge of salvation, the forgiveness of your sins. That was the whole point of all of this. To forget that, to take our rescue from sin lightly or disregard it, is to kick over the manger; it’s worse than trying to take down the public nativity scene. No, instead come as the shepherds and wise men did and offer him yourself. Cling to the manger, the cross and the empty tomb, for there is your peace. Worship Him in hope of the fulfilled peace yet to come.
11.28.2005
Baxter
Excellent work. An obvious classic. But the saints immemorial didn't need me to tell them that.
Acts 20:28, 20 is the theme, Paul's exhortation to the Ephesian elders:
"Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepher the church of God.... I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly from house to house..."
Preaching is more than just 30 minutes on a Sunday. The minister's work is more than that day's work. Pastors must seek out occasions to preach the Gospel to the congregation one-on-one, preferably "house to house." To convert those you thought already were, to better know the congregation, so you will know how to preach on Sunday, and for myriad other reasons.
Acts 20:28, 20 is the theme, Paul's exhortation to the Ephesian elders:
"Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepher the church of God.... I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly from house to house..."
Preaching is more than just 30 minutes on a Sunday. The minister's work is more than that day's work. Pastors must seek out occasions to preach the Gospel to the congregation one-on-one, preferably "house to house." To convert those you thought already were, to better know the congregation, so you will know how to preach on Sunday, and for myriad other reasons.
Relativism redux
Some good Doug Wilson lines from catch-up reading on his blog -
On homosexuality and worldly philosophy:
"When it comes to issues like homosexuality, give me a Nigerian bishop who has read his Bible instead of a former English teacher turned pastor who has read his Derrida. Any day."
On postmodernism:
"My point is that we are in a situation that is almost exactly comparable to what Machen faced in the early part of the twentieth century. Christianity and Liberalism represented two different faiths. The fact that Liberalism used a bunch of the same words as the orthodox did not exonerate anybody; the point of using the same words was to deceive and lead people astray. Which it did, by the truckload.... the Church has been here before. If the devil were a football coach, and that old liberalism play flattened our left tackle, what do you think he would do? He would run the play again. And that is exactly what he is doing in this emergent foolishness, and it appears that our left tackle has not really learned anything since then. Our left tackle is still a pencil neck.
"Reading the emergents is like reading people who apologize for taking up space and breathing; they reject certainty about the truth, and make certain clear teachings of Scripture murky (the wrath of God, homosexuality, idolatry). Assuming we pay them the dignity of actually reading their books, examining what they have to say, and taking it at face value, I have to conclude that their sorry approach to "knowing" cannot be separated from 'knowing Christ...'
"Postmodernists don't necessarily deny the factuality of Christ's resurrection. They deny, in effect, the factuality of anything. What does it mean to assert the factuality of Christ's resurrection in a world without factuality? And does postmodernism give us a world without factuality? A bunch of them, the hard postmodernists, believe that it does. The soft postmodernists want to salvage something objective "out there," but I believe, given their assumptions, they cannot do it for very long. Emergents have more in common with the soft pomos than the hard pomos but this is simply because they are trying to make the sale to conservative evangelicals."
On homosexuality and worldly philosophy:
"When it comes to issues like homosexuality, give me a Nigerian bishop who has read his Bible instead of a former English teacher turned pastor who has read his Derrida. Any day."
On postmodernism:
"My point is that we are in a situation that is almost exactly comparable to what Machen faced in the early part of the twentieth century. Christianity and Liberalism represented two different faiths. The fact that Liberalism used a bunch of the same words as the orthodox did not exonerate anybody; the point of using the same words was to deceive and lead people astray. Which it did, by the truckload.... the Church has been here before. If the devil were a football coach, and that old liberalism play flattened our left tackle, what do you think he would do? He would run the play again. And that is exactly what he is doing in this emergent foolishness, and it appears that our left tackle has not really learned anything since then. Our left tackle is still a pencil neck.
"Reading the emergents is like reading people who apologize for taking up space and breathing; they reject certainty about the truth, and make certain clear teachings of Scripture murky (the wrath of God, homosexuality, idolatry). Assuming we pay them the dignity of actually reading their books, examining what they have to say, and taking it at face value, I have to conclude that their sorry approach to "knowing" cannot be separated from 'knowing Christ...'
"Postmodernists don't necessarily deny the factuality of Christ's resurrection. They deny, in effect, the factuality of anything. What does it mean to assert the factuality of Christ's resurrection in a world without factuality? And does postmodernism give us a world without factuality? A bunch of them, the hard postmodernists, believe that it does. The soft postmodernists want to salvage something objective "out there," but I believe, given their assumptions, they cannot do it for very long. Emergents have more in common with the soft pomos than the hard pomos but this is simply because they are trying to make the sale to conservative evangelicals."
11.26.2005
OT and Advent, part 7
Daniel 9:20-24.
Gabriel shows up in the Bible two times.
1) He comes to Daniel as he prays for Israel, as an answer to that prayer, and tells him it will be 490 years before it is completely answered.
2) He comes to Zacharias as he prays for Israel, as an answer to that prayer, and tells him 460 of the 490 years are up, it's almost time, and you'll have a son who will get Israel ready for the end.
Sidenote - lots of intepretations on the Daniel 9, 70 weeks/sevens, I realize. I think I go with the literal one, in this case. It fits very well with the dates.
Gabriel shows up in the Bible two times.
1) He comes to Daniel as he prays for Israel, as an answer to that prayer, and tells him it will be 490 years before it is completely answered.
2) He comes to Zacharias as he prays for Israel, as an answer to that prayer, and tells him 460 of the 490 years are up, it's almost time, and you'll have a son who will get Israel ready for the end.
Sidenote - lots of intepretations on the Daniel 9, 70 weeks/sevens, I realize. I think I go with the literal one, in this case. It fits very well with the dates.
Advent and my own, personal (ministerial) conviction, part 6
Ryle again, on John being filled with the Spirit and turning hearts (Luke 1:15-16):
"The character of a really great and successful minister... is one who will 'turn hearts,' - turn them from ignorance to knowledge, from carelessness to thoughtfulness, from sin to God.... Without such men, learning, titles, endowments, and splendid buildings, will keep no Church alive. Souls will not be saved, good will not be done, Christ will not be glorified, except by men full of the Holy Ghost."
"The character of a really great and successful minister... is one who will 'turn hearts,' - turn them from ignorance to knowledge, from carelessness to thoughtfulness, from sin to God.... Without such men, learning, titles, endowments, and splendid buildings, will keep no Church alive. Souls will not be saved, good will not be done, Christ will not be glorified, except by men full of the Holy Ghost."
Federal Vision and Advent
Federal Vision?
JC Ryle, in his Luke commentary, on Zach and Liz's righteousness (Lk 1:6):
"It matters little whether we interpret this 'righteousness' as that which is imputed to all believers for thier justification, or that which is wrought inwardly in believers by the operation of the Holy Ghost, for their sanctification. The two sorts of righteousness are never disjoined. There are none justified who are not sanctified, and there are none sanctified who are not justified."
JC Ryle, in his Luke commentary, on Zach and Liz's righteousness (Lk 1:6):
"It matters little whether we interpret this 'righteousness' as that which is imputed to all believers for thier justification, or that which is wrought inwardly in believers by the operation of the Holy Ghost, for their sanctification. The two sorts of righteousness are never disjoined. There are none justified who are not sanctified, and there are none sanctified who are not justified."
OT and Advent, part 5
Luke 1:20: "You shall be mute and not able to speak."
To use Yoda's great line: There is another.
There was another who was mute and unable to speak, by God's decree. Ezekiel.
Ezek 3:26 - God makes Ezekiel mute, because God doesn't want him to prophesy to the rebellious house of Israel. Then in 24:27, on the day the city and temple of Jerusalem are razed to the ground, Ezekiel is given his voice again.
There is another.
Zacharias finds his voice when he names John (Luke 1:64), the forerunner of the one who said: Tear down this temple and I'll build it again in 3 days.
When the temple came down, the voice came back. When the temple veil was torn, it was done. And God foretold it through Ezekiel's and Zacharias' mute-ness.
To use Yoda's great line: There is another.
There was another who was mute and unable to speak, by God's decree. Ezekiel.
Ezek 3:26 - God makes Ezekiel mute, because God doesn't want him to prophesy to the rebellious house of Israel. Then in 24:27, on the day the city and temple of Jerusalem are razed to the ground, Ezekiel is given his voice again.
There is another.
Zacharias finds his voice when he names John (Luke 1:64), the forerunner of the one who said: Tear down this temple and I'll build it again in 3 days.
When the temple came down, the voice came back. When the temple veil was torn, it was done. And God foretold it through Ezekiel's and Zacharias' mute-ness.
OT and Advent, part 4
Zach and Liz (Luke 1:5) were old and well advanced in years (1:7). So was another couple from long ago: Abraham and Sarah (Gen 18:11). Sarah laughed when she heard the promise: can I bear a child at my age? Zach is also skeptical, and for the same reason (1:18).
"Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed" (Rom 4:18) this promise, and so did Zach, since he named him John, against the custom.
As it was through Isaac that Abraham's offspring is reckoned, so it is through John that Abraham's Offspring (Gal 3:16) is reckoned (John 1:29-36).
"Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed" (Rom 4:18) this promise, and so did Zach, since he named him John, against the custom.
As it was through Isaac that Abraham's offspring is reckoned, so it is through John that Abraham's Offspring (Gal 3:16) is reckoned (John 1:29-36).
OT and Advent, part 3
Only 2 Bible characters were set apart from the womb as Nazaritish (no wine and keep ritually clean): Samson and John the Baptizer. Although Samson was arguably the most successful of the judges in restoring the kingdom to Israel, he failed to complete it. Now John comes, least in the kingdom coming. He will not fail.
As Samson came before Samuel the prophet, who anointed Israel's king David, so John comes before the anointing of Jesus, Israel's new David.
As Samson came before Samuel the prophet, who anointed Israel's king David, so John comes before the anointing of Jesus, Israel's new David.
Talmud and Advent, part 2
Gabriel tells Zach that his son John can't drink wine or strong drink (Luke 1:15).
This may or may not make John a Nazarite (Numbers 6:3), but I found Lightfoot amusing here:
"There was, as the doctors [Jewish scribes] call it, 'the wine of command (yayin mitzvah)' which they were bound by precept to drink. Such was 'that wine of the tithes,' Deut. 12:17-18, that was commanded to be drunk at Jerusalem, and the cup of wine to be drunk at the Passover. What must the Nazarite do in this case? If he drink, he violates the command of his order; if he do not drink, he breaks the command about tithes and the laws of his fathers. [Jewish scribes quote]: 'Let Elijah untie this knot then he comes.' "
So John came fasting and ranting and they didn't accept him. Jesus came eating and drinking with sinners and they called Him a glutton and drunkard (Matt 11:19). Turns out, you can't win, with some people.
This may or may not make John a Nazarite (Numbers 6:3), but I found Lightfoot amusing here:
"There was, as the doctors [Jewish scribes] call it, 'the wine of command (yayin mitzvah)' which they were bound by precept to drink. Such was 'that wine of the tithes,' Deut. 12:17-18, that was commanded to be drunk at Jerusalem, and the cup of wine to be drunk at the Passover. What must the Nazarite do in this case? If he drink, he violates the command of his order; if he do not drink, he breaks the command about tithes and the laws of his fathers. [Jewish scribes quote]: 'Let Elijah untie this knot then he comes.' "
So John came fasting and ranting and they didn't accept him. Jesus came eating and drinking with sinners and they called Him a glutton and drunkard (Matt 11:19). Turns out, you can't win, with some people.
Talmud and Advent, part 1
Lightfoot's New Testament commentary using Jewish sources is fascinating. A couple doosies follow. (How do you spell "doozy"?)
In Luke 1, Zacharias burns incense in the temple while the people wait outside, praying silently. After all the busy-ness of other temple service - sweeping out altar ashes, laying on new wood, etc. - the other priests would withdraw, while the one chosen by lot would go right up to the Holy of Holies, by the altar of incense, and burn the incense. Outside, they would pray silently, which was unusual, since they usually spoke their prayers in a normal voice. An angel shows up, saying the prayers are heard, and "Elijah" will be born to Zach and Liz.
Now fast forward to Revelation 8. Sure enough, an angel standing by the altar with a censer is given incense to burn, the prayers of the saints. And while he does that, there is silence (verses 1-3).
Then the angel throws fire down to the earth. Huh. Who called fire down from heaven? You guessed it. Elijah. He proclaims judgment on the earth, just as the following 7 trumpets bring judgment on the earth, in Rev 8-9.
In Luke 1, Zacharias burns incense in the temple while the people wait outside, praying silently. After all the busy-ness of other temple service - sweeping out altar ashes, laying on new wood, etc. - the other priests would withdraw, while the one chosen by lot would go right up to the Holy of Holies, by the altar of incense, and burn the incense. Outside, they would pray silently, which was unusual, since they usually spoke their prayers in a normal voice. An angel shows up, saying the prayers are heard, and "Elijah" will be born to Zach and Liz.
Now fast forward to Revelation 8. Sure enough, an angel standing by the altar with a censer is given incense to burn, the prayers of the saints. And while he does that, there is silence (verses 1-3).
Then the angel throws fire down to the earth. Huh. Who called fire down from heaven? You guessed it. Elijah. He proclaims judgment on the earth, just as the following 7 trumpets bring judgment on the earth, in Rev 8-9.
11.24.2005
Christmastime Begins!
It may be Thanksgiving Day, but all this blowing and snowing has us in the mood for Christmas! (Nothing like below zero wind chills and white outs to kill any feelings of thankfulness.) So, having one party postponed due to weather conditions, we declared the start of "Christmastime" in the Hemmeke household. At 6:00 pm when Steve's watch alarm went off ("new day!") the kids got to FINALLY play with their nativity sets that have been stashed away for a year. Christmas tunes danced out of the CD player, and our book on the Pilgrims was cast aside by the kids. So much for Squanto!
The thought behind "Christmastime" is to deflate all the excitement and expectations that can build up into a big pressure cooker for December 25. One snow storm or sickness and that pot can burst! We still recognize the 25th as "the day", but extending the Christmas celebration to include Advent and Epiphany spreads out the pressure to create a "perfect" day.
So what's in store for this month+ long celebration? We'll be celebrating Advent with devotions based around Jesse Tree felt magnets (engineered by yours truly to withstand a 1 year old and not pose a choking hazard!). Each of the 25 magnets represents part of Christ's geneology, starting with God and the creation of Adam to Mary/Joseph and Jesus. The only drawback to this is that I only have made 13 magnets during the past 2 years. Time to get cracking and complete the set!
Grace and I will attend her cousin's dance performance retelling the Christmas story through song and movement. Grace loves anything ballet/Angelina Ballerina/music, so we're pumped to attend.
Owen is excited to saw down his first Christmas tree (previous two of his life were delivered to our home). He plans on bringing his plastic hacksaw to help Dad. And of course we'll have a special tree decorating night where I put "my" ornaments on the top half of the tree and the kids put theirs *anywhere* on the bottom half. Each year I give them an ornament to represent the past year of their lives. I'm kind of a stickler about my Christmas trees.... I don't let them hang all the ornaments on one branch. And I can't get enough lights. Am I crazy, or does anyone else out there think 700 lights is the bare minimum for a 6' tree? Steve and I have a wonderful system worked out when it comes to the tree: he sets it up in the base, I decorate it, and we "ooh" and "ahh" at it together. :)
Plans are still in the works for Christmas day (we have NO GET TOGETHERS PLANNED!) and I'm still dreaming up something for Epiphany to do with the 12 Days of Christmas. But not the cheesy song version. Oh no, I must be creative. If you have any ideas, let me know!
And of course, Steve's 30th birthday is in December, so I can't miss that!
The thought behind "Christmastime" is to deflate all the excitement and expectations that can build up into a big pressure cooker for December 25. One snow storm or sickness and that pot can burst! We still recognize the 25th as "the day", but extending the Christmas celebration to include Advent and Epiphany spreads out the pressure to create a "perfect" day.
So what's in store for this month+ long celebration? We'll be celebrating Advent with devotions based around Jesse Tree felt magnets (engineered by yours truly to withstand a 1 year old and not pose a choking hazard!). Each of the 25 magnets represents part of Christ's geneology, starting with God and the creation of Adam to Mary/Joseph and Jesus. The only drawback to this is that I only have made 13 magnets during the past 2 years. Time to get cracking and complete the set!
Grace and I will attend her cousin's dance performance retelling the Christmas story through song and movement. Grace loves anything ballet/Angelina Ballerina/music, so we're pumped to attend.
Owen is excited to saw down his first Christmas tree (previous two of his life were delivered to our home). He plans on bringing his plastic hacksaw to help Dad. And of course we'll have a special tree decorating night where I put "my" ornaments on the top half of the tree and the kids put theirs *anywhere* on the bottom half. Each year I give them an ornament to represent the past year of their lives. I'm kind of a stickler about my Christmas trees.... I don't let them hang all the ornaments on one branch. And I can't get enough lights. Am I crazy, or does anyone else out there think 700 lights is the bare minimum for a 6' tree? Steve and I have a wonderful system worked out when it comes to the tree: he sets it up in the base, I decorate it, and we "ooh" and "ahh" at it together. :)
Plans are still in the works for Christmas day (we have NO GET TOGETHERS PLANNED!) and I'm still dreaming up something for Epiphany to do with the 12 Days of Christmas. But not the cheesy song version. Oh no, I must be creative. If you have any ideas, let me know!
And of course, Steve's 30th birthday is in December, so I can't miss that!
11.23.2005
Book crazy
Due to lack of self-discipline, I've gone bonkers starting several new books, while also currently reading Baxter (very good). See sidebar for more...
Pharisees and Me
Posted by Douglas Wilson - 11/20/2005
www.dougwils.com
"The Pharisees are the principal bad guys in the New Testament, and they are caricatured as such by the Lord Jesus Himself. But we frequently miss the spiritual lessons involved because we don’t understand polemical satire and caricature. We look at the portrait Jesus draws and we take it with a wooden literalism, and we therefore see the Pharisees as orcs and Nazis, and we think their temptations are not ours. But the Pharisees are not as bad as we think (they are not cartoon villains), and contemporary evangelicalism is therefore in far worse shape than we think. Almost all the condemnations that apply to them apply to us as well.
"What are the marks of a Pharisee? In Scripture, there are four basic marks. The first is contempt for others (Luke 18:9). The Pharisee loves to feel superior, loves to look down his nose. The second is superficial views of the need for forgiveness (Luke 7:47). The one who is forgiven little, loves little. The third is an overblown and heightened sense of fairness and unfairness (Luke 15:11-32; Matt. 20:1-16). The Pharisee loves to glance sideways at what is being done for others, or is being done by others. And the fourth is an unteachable spirit (Matt. 21:33-46). When confronted with the undeniable sinfulness of what he is doing, the Pharisee chooses to brazen it out, to argue the point, to make it a matter of "interpretation."
"When Jesus painted His caricature of them, He did so in a way that enabled us to see what was going on. And because it was two thousand years ago, we can see it—in them.
"We do not widen our phylacteries; we have floppy Bibles with ribbons in them. We do not offer lengthy prayers in the synagogues; we do in the churches. We do not look at the woman caught in adultery with contempt; we look at the immodestly-dressed college girl with contempt. And in a basic display of a censorious and religious bookkeeping system, our hearts (and sometimes our mouths) are full of phrases that rhyme with 'that’s not fair!' May God deliver us."
www.dougwils.com
"The Pharisees are the principal bad guys in the New Testament, and they are caricatured as such by the Lord Jesus Himself. But we frequently miss the spiritual lessons involved because we don’t understand polemical satire and caricature. We look at the portrait Jesus draws and we take it with a wooden literalism, and we therefore see the Pharisees as orcs and Nazis, and we think their temptations are not ours. But the Pharisees are not as bad as we think (they are not cartoon villains), and contemporary evangelicalism is therefore in far worse shape than we think. Almost all the condemnations that apply to them apply to us as well.
"What are the marks of a Pharisee? In Scripture, there are four basic marks. The first is contempt for others (Luke 18:9). The Pharisee loves to feel superior, loves to look down his nose. The second is superficial views of the need for forgiveness (Luke 7:47). The one who is forgiven little, loves little. The third is an overblown and heightened sense of fairness and unfairness (Luke 15:11-32; Matt. 20:1-16). The Pharisee loves to glance sideways at what is being done for others, or is being done by others. And the fourth is an unteachable spirit (Matt. 21:33-46). When confronted with the undeniable sinfulness of what he is doing, the Pharisee chooses to brazen it out, to argue the point, to make it a matter of "interpretation."
"When Jesus painted His caricature of them, He did so in a way that enabled us to see what was going on. And because it was two thousand years ago, we can see it—in them.
"We do not widen our phylacteries; we have floppy Bibles with ribbons in them. We do not offer lengthy prayers in the synagogues; we do in the churches. We do not look at the woman caught in adultery with contempt; we look at the immodestly-dressed college girl with contempt. And in a basic display of a censorious and religious bookkeeping system, our hearts (and sometimes our mouths) are full of phrases that rhyme with 'that’s not fair!' May God deliver us."
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