Connecting the Dots

Berean Baptist on March 27, 2018

 

Psalm 129

I have often mentioned the importance of Bible study so that we may understand how one place in scripture compares and explains other parts of scripture. Often preachers will search through multiple books of illustrations looking for something that will enhance their sermon points and help capture the meaning of a passage. Sometimes the illustrations are the point and the sermon is built on the illustration rather than using the word of God to speak to us.

Instead of looking for multiple illustrations from other sources, I much prefer to let the Bible speak for itself. The Bible is its own best commentary, but to use it as such, a good working knowledge of scripture is necessary. Psalm 129 is a case in point. This is one of the frequent times scripture recounts the history of the Jewish people who have been oppressed since the day God made them a nation. As the psalmist says, Israel was afflicted from its youth.

The nation grew up in Egypt under cruel taskmasters, and then became a people set apart to God through the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. It seems there is barely a chapter from that point when somebody was not trying to destroy them. The reason is not because Jews have some inherent despicability. I think modern Jews often do not understand this themselves. The real reason is the one who hates God’s people hates because of the one particular person Israel would produce.

If I were preaching this passage, the first place I would go for illustration is the book of Revelation. The first thought that came to my mind was the 12th chapter verses 1 and 2: “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.” The woman is Israel. The illustration grows with the imagery of sun and moon under her feet and the crown of twelve stars on her head. This is the same as Joseph’s dream when he saw father and mother and brothers bow to him when he became the vice-regent of Egypt.

The chapter goes on to speak of Israel travailing in birth. The birth pains are the difficulties by which the Saviour was brought into the world. Israel suffered because the Messiah was the fruit of her womb and He is the enemy of Satan. He intends to crush the head of the serpent, an illustration taken from Genesis 3.

This causes reflection on the 129th psalm verse 3 which speaks of plowers plowing her back. This is the deep pains of sorrow continually heaped on Israel because of the child that was to come. He too would have His back plowed by the cat o’ nine tails that left Him ripped apart in a mess of mangled flesh.

From point to point to point—dot to dot to dot, the scriptures weave the story of Christ. From Genesis to Revelation, the story of heaven and earth’s hero is told. Do we see these things in scripture as we read, or do we glance over them not understanding how the 129th psalm is one of the stepping stones in the story? Bible study is the only way this book comes alive. I can tell you it is more exciting to discover it for yourself than to have me simply tell it to you. If you try it and stick with it, you will learn this.

If you want the Bible to be your precious book, make it a part of your everyday life. Don’t let a day go by without reaching into it and gathering another of its nuggets of precious truths. If you do, Jesus will be more real to you than you can possibly imagine.

 

Pastor V. Mark Smith

 

 

Honoring Women

Berean Baptist on March 19, 2018

Psalm 128:3

Sometimes I wonder how people can think the Bible is an old dated book that is irrelevant to the issues of the modern world. The truth is the Bible is amazingly modern and has answers for many of our dilemmas. The problem is we don’t like the answers.

A case in point is this verse in Psalm 128. The first part of verse 3 says, “Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house.” Sit down because you might not like this. The psalmist made one of the most politically incorrect statements he could make. He indirectly affirms that women are weaker constitutionally and require special support. The fruitful vine is a tender plant that cannot stand on its own but requires a superstructure to support it. It grows up the side of the house and only then is it able to bear its plentiful fruit. In this case, the structure is a strong family unit that is anchored by a husband who takes care of his wife and in turn she bears him children that are pleasing and honorable.

Although seeing this in the verse may be difficult, the concept is plainly taught in many places of scripture. None is a clear as Peter says in 1 Peter 3:7 when he calls the woman the “weaker vessel.” He said that men should dwell with their wives in knowledge, understanding his and her God-given roles. It is his job to protect her not only from those who would do her harm physically, but also those who would do her harm spiritually. The serpent beguiled Eve, not Adam, which led to the fall (1 Timothy 2:13-14).

The sense that women need protection is not a strange tenet of Bible thumpers. It turns out to be one of those pieces of inherent knowledge that God put into the human heart just like knowledge of His existence, of heaven, and of hell. Though there are some societies in which women are dominant as matriarchs, I know of none in which women are charged with protection of men. We know instinctively to shelter women and to risk dying for them should it be a choice between the man’s life or theirs.

This brings me to one of today’s hot topics. Should women be allowed to serve in the military in combat roles? No one mistakes there are times when women have been forced to defend and they have afforded themselves well. This is not about whether women should be excluded because they are never courageous. The problem is putting women in the position to protect men and to take the fall for them when this is against what God put instinctively in the heart.

Political correctness says that anyone who does not see women in all ways equal to men is a misogynist. However, there is no use lying to ourselves on this front. Women are not the same as men physically and are not suited for the same rigors of wars that men fight. They are not the same and neither is there a need to be. There is no inferiority in being different. Men and women are equal in worth to God, but He made us different to perform distinct functions.

Put yourself into a foxhole with your daughter. Who gets shielded from bullets? What man lets her be killed to protect him? What man lets any woman take a bullet for him? We aren’t wired this way and if there is anything a woman should cherish it is to be so revered by a man that he would give his life for her without ever thinking their roles should be reversed.

The Bible simply has a better way of doing things. The God who made us knows how to use us. If the world has a problem with this, we understand. The world has forever tried to suppress innate knowledge. What we do not understand is why any Christian would argue with it. We do not need a political debate on this. The Bible has already settled the debate.

 

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Children and Confusion

Berean Baptist on March 5, 2018

Psalm 127

In the 127th Psalm, the first verse is a pithy comment on the futility of what we do unless God is in our plans. Spurgeon made an interesting comment on this verse by noting how those who built the tower of Babel said, “Go to, let us build a city and a tower,” to which God promptly replied, “Go to, let us go down and confound their language.” We would surely save much frustration and wasted time if we made sure God is in our plans before we proceed. This works on a personal level and certainly on the corporate church level.

The first verse, however, is not what caught my eye. Verses 3-5 speak of the blessing of children—not just children but lots of them. According to the psalmist, the more you have the better it is. I suppose some would say he was not a mother! I also suppose this is true of grandchildren because you get the love and affection from them and when that part is through you can send them home. Obviously, the parent does not have this luxury.

When visiting our daughter Clarissa in San Diego, I wonder how she makes it work with six children. She doesn’t get any relief since seven days per week they are home. They are home-schooled which means there must be a strict regimen to make sure everything gets done decently and in order. Without observing how her home runs, you may think she wonders how verse 2 fits with the rest. She rises very early in order to have some time for Bible reading, study and prayer. Early bedtime is neither usually an option.

Does God understand these things? He does. He never steers wrongly with bad advice. Most people cannot understand what is going on with God. When visiting the market, there are many stares from those who are thinking, “What in the world is wrong with that woman? What was she thinking?” But that’s not just the world’s reaction. It’s also the same in the church. Initially it was the same from us. “Are you crazy? What could possess you to have six kids?” as if such a preposterous thought must be from the underworld. Here it is—it is biblical. It is as much a part of the word of God as John 3:16. If you can believe one part, can’t you believe it all?

The truth is she likes being a mom. She is fulfilled by motherhood which is eminently biblical. God made the woman for motherhood not corporate boardrooms (or president…). This is the rub in our society. Being parents is not as fulfilling as it should be. The more selfish you are the less time you will want to spend on the hard stuff of building a family. Most of our planning stages do not end with being fifty years old and with young children. Get them grown, get them out, and get it over.

Perhaps we need to take a step back to see if God knows what He is talking about. But don’t forget verse 1. The Lord must be in it which rules out the unconverted and the unfaithful. For members of the church, the Lord does not want many children from those who don’t care to raise them to serve Him. God is never in a plan that does not put Him at the head of every list.

Thankfully, this is what I see in my daughter. She rises early to start her day with the Lord. God is in this plan and it will not fail. Whatever you seek to build just pray you have included God so that He doesn’t say, “Let us go down and confuse them.” You will know the difference. The outcome without Him is chaos and confusion.

 

Pastor V. Mark Smith