Hebrews 4:15

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

People want to feel. It shows in our art and entertainment. We gravitate toward the TV shows, movies, music, poems, novels, and paintings that make us feel something. One reason men love the playoffs (of any sport) is the drama, excitement, and adrenaline. The last second comeback of our team in the championship gets us as ready for next season as does a last second crushing defeat. We will like one outcome more than the other, but the fact that we feel is most important. The heights of delight are much sweeter following the depths of despair.

When our anguish is no longer created by a song or depressing ending of a novel but rather by the circumstances of our life, attitudes change. In those times of torment, one of our greatest fears is being alone. It is bad enough to be sad; it is worse to be sad alone.

Hebrews 4:15 gives us great encouragement when we consider that Christ, as our High Priest or representative to God the Father, can suffer along with us. The phrase be touched is synonymous in English with sympathize which literally means share in suffering. While there are elements of sin and temptation in this verse, it is important to note that Christ’s sympathy is not based on our temptation or our sin, but rather He sympathizes with the “feeling of our infirmities.” As one traces that word asthéneia through the New Testament, the ideas of “incapacity, illness, and timidity” continually spring to the surface. Christ cares that we are weak, and because He cares, we then can:

come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Philippians 3:17

Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

Be Like Mike.

Paul is quite clear in Philippians why we ought to live a life that is worthy of our position in Christ. The quality of our Christian life does not determine if we are a Christian, but it does determine whether or not we will be effective in leading other people to Christ and helping them grow as Christians.

Often times we err to a fault as we disavow role model and leaders. “Don’t follow me; follow Christ.” “Don’t try to be like me; be like Christ.” Paul here is actually stating the opposite. We ought live in such a way that people will be benefited if they emulate our walk. Let’s be clear here. We are not talking about a checklist of actions or a mimicking of behavior but rather modeling a lifestyle (principles, values, priorities, etc.) after a mature Christian.

As believers then, what should we do?

  1. Examine our lives to see if we are following Christ as revealed by the Scriptures.
  2. Build relationships with people so that we can influence them to grow in Christ.
  3. Remember that He is the focus. Follow me as I follow Him.

Revelation 13:1,11; 14:1

13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

13:11 And I beheld _another_ beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

14:1 And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

First Things First

I’m not going to be breaking these two chapters down verse by verse. In fact, this thought from Revelations 13-14 has more to do with the literary effect than it does the careful (and necessary) interpretation of what this passage is referring to. I do not believe in allegorizing the book of Revelation away into some fairy tale or fable. Yet, I cannot be so blind as to not recognize that this passage was written in such a way to create a desired response in the reader. Someday in the future, we may look at the real, as of yet unfulfilled prophecies of these chapters. Today we are going to start simple.

Repetition of Phraseology

In these 2 chapters, we are introduced (or reintroduced) to three of the most important characters of the book. In all three of these instances, John uses very similar words.

And I…saw a beast…
And I beheld another beast…
And I looked, and lo, a Lamb…

I believe that the Holy Spirit inspired these passages like this for two reasons.

  1. This creates clearly defined sections in the reading.
  2. This parallelism invites comparisons between the subjects. God wants us to contrast the beast, the other beast, and the Lamb.

Repetition of Imagery

Also images are repeated. Both the Anti-Christ and the False prophet are described as beasts, while Christ is presented as the Lamb. Another recurrent image is the location from whence they are discovered. The beasts rise from the sea and from the earth. On the other hand, Christ does not appear, rise, descend, or any other thing that conveys motion. (Rev. 14:1) John simply saw Christ standing on Mount Sion.

This is crucial for the same reason as above. God is setting up a comparison.

How can this help me?

These two passages are written in such a way as to create a feeling of despair in the reader. There is at least one verse of comfort (13:10), but the overwhelming theme of chapter 13 is the rise to power of evil. One right after the next. No doubt during this terrible time in the Earth’s future, there will be great temptation for God’s remnant to think that help will never come, that evil is too strong. We know that David dealt with this:

Psalm 28:1

Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

Don’t we at times arrive at this place in our life? It seems like the heavens are dead to us and our prayers can’t make it through the ceiling. Evil is rising out of the sea and out of the earth. What’s the point? Where’s the hope?

It is at these times that we must remember to keep going. In Revelation, it is not until the next chapter that John see the Lamb of God not rising but simply standing on the mount with 144,000 of His people.

The Anti-Christ tries to be a replacement of Christ. The False Prophet mimics in many ways the work of the Holy Spirit in that his “job” is to turn people to his false Anti-Christ. Yet, as we read Revelation, there is no mistaking of when the Real Christ appears. There is no substitute.

Although David seems pretty despondent in Psalm 28:1, it is not too long before he snaps out of it and realizes that “the Lord is my strength and my shield.”

Psalm 28:6

Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplication.

Loneliness, depression, and doubt may all grip our flesh in the midnight hour, but let us remember that just as real as our troubles may be, so is Christ. He may not seem to be there, but He is. He may not seem to be hearing our pleas, but He is.

Psalm 11:1ff

In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?

For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

The 3rd verse of this Psalm is constantly and consistently used to strike fear in the hearts of God’s people. I know; I’ve done it before, but I was wrong. Verse 3 is the end of an accusation and temptation that is hurled at King David. Psalm 11 is David dealing with those giving him advice.

Here’s the short version.

David: “I’m trusting the LORD. Why are you advising me with this?”

Advice: “Run away, because the evil peope are going to kill you.”

Fear amongst God’s People

Verse 3 explains why the advisors were so worried. They viewed King David as part of “the foundations”. His life was in danger and so was his reign as king. If both he and his reign ended, they worried about what would happen to the righteous. They came to the conclusion that they would be helpless.

David’s Answer

Psalm 11:4

The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

David continues his argument against fleeing (remember that he began it in verse 1: “In the LORD put I my trust.”) by leveling a startling blow against the very heart of their contention: that his godly reign as king was essential. David argues that the true “foundations” cannot be destroyed. Why? “The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven.” As long as God is still King and still reigning from heaven, Israel will be fine. If David dies, God will raise up another. If that king is killed, God will do it again, and no one is going to remove God from His throne.

What it means to me?

Yes, I am concerned by the cultural changes occurring in my country. Yes, I am bothered to see that dictionaries are changing their definition of marriage. Yes, I don’t like seeing apostasy creep or sometimes storm into our churches. BUT…

The foundations of my faith will not be destroyed. God’s word is still true, God still reigns from heaven, and the Gospel of Christ is just as powerful to save as it ever has been. Furthermore, because the foundation of my life is my faith in the God of the Bible (vs. 1), the foundations of my life are secure as well.

Do not let the Devil or the preacher or anyone in between convince you that there is no hope. My faith is not in a godly president. My hope is not in a Christian society. My faith and hope are in the Lord, and the foundations will not be destroyed.

Psalm 11:1ff

In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?

For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

David’s Discouragements

I don’t know when this incident in David’s life happened. Some commentators state that it was when Saul was turning against David. Others indicate the days or hours before Absalom’s rebellion. I do know that it was a pretty bad time in David’s life. It was so bad, in fact, that David’s advisers and friends started telling him these types of things.

“Run away!”

Flee as a bird to your mountain…

When the trying times come, we often are pushed both from within and from without just to run away, be quiet, and don’t make a fuss. The easiest way to deal with our problems is not to, or so it seems.

“They’re gonna get you!”

For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

The advisers went on to explain why he needed to run. The enemy were not preparing to attack the upright in heart. They were perfected (in the grammatical sense), or ready to rumble. They have already finished their preparation and are now waiting.

I do not doubt this in the least. We know that God’s enemies don’t play fair and they are smart about doing evil. I Peter 5:8 teaches us to:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

David’s Decision

David rejected this advice to run, and so should you. Before ever being confronted with this turbulence in his life, he had already determined that “in the Lord put I my trust.” David is making a play on words here. It is nothing but discouraging to hear your closest advisers that you should flee to mountain. David, however, turns it around and uses the term “put my trust” which means literally “to seek refuge or flee for protection.” He has no need to run to a mountain to be safe, because He has sought refuge with the Lord.

This is true of the Christian in many ways. When it comes to heaven or hell for example, the only thing that matters is Christ. It does not matter what I have done or said, where I have been, or who I’ve associated with. The question is whether or not I have placed my trust in Christ dying for my sins. John 3:36 says this:

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Circumstances in my life should not cause me to doubt that I am going to heaven, because whether or not I am going to heaven has nothing to do with circumstances. It has everything to do with Christ.

The same true of other struggles that a Christians faces. Finances, relationships, temptations, and even just big decisions can sometimes force us into a position where we just want to run away and make it all go away, because everyone is out to get us.

The first thing to realize is that fleeing never makes things go away. Problems may be out of sight, they may be out of mind, but they always hang around until resolved.

Second, everyone probably isn’t out to get you, but they might be. It really doesn’t change the advice. As a child of God, my security does not come from what I do for Him. It comes from Him. My peace does not flow from my goodness but His.

“For all of the questions of life, the answer is Christ.”

Psalm 11:1a

In the LORD put I my trust:

*Just as a brief note: If you would prefer to hear this rather than read it, Psalm 11 will be the focus of my first new podcast this week. This will not be my regular routine (writing and recording the same material), but Psalm 11 is just too good not to preach.

David’s Declaration

David, the writer of this Psalm (under inspiration of course), was in a difficult time in his life. It is in these difficult times that some of the most troubling temptations arise. They are not necessarily the temptations of something “grossly immoral,” but rather a more diabolical temptation–faithlessness. While it seems to pale when compared to murder, adultery, and the like, yet in God’s eyes, you could do nothing quicker to put yourself in a position not to please God (Heb. 11:6) and to be unable to effectively serve Him. (Mark 9:19,23)

The difficult situation that you find yourself in could be one of a dozen different types. Money, friends, jobs, relationships, wives, children, neighbors, and health problems can all put pressure on us to give up hope and faith. I know it my life that it is normally two or three at the same time that “press [me] out of measure.” It is in these times we must declare just what David did:

In the LORD put I my trust.

I am not trusting, or finding refuge, in a pastor, church, work, or tradition. My refuge is not those things which I have done or not done. My hiding place, the object of my faith is the LORD. Our English Bible has Lord in all caps is to signify that this is the Hebrew Jehovah. While I am no Hebrew scholar, and I will make no attempt at becoming one in this post, I can’t help but to point out two of the many implications of Jehovah.

  1. Scofield summarizes Jehovah as “the self-existent One who reveals Himself.” Where else should my faith be but in the One who needs nothing and no one? I may fail you for many reasons, and sometimes it wouldn’t even be my fault. I have to rely on others. I depend on 100 different things and people to make it through my day, yet the God in whom I trust is not bothered by a dead car battery. He can’t be stopped by a court decision. The economy cannot prevent His will. He is the “I AM THAT I AM.” GLORY! Greater than Him being the self-sufficient One is that He reveals Himself as such. He is not hidden, but rather He is declared implicitly by nature (Ps. 19:1) and explicitly in the Written Word. (II Pet. 1:19)
  2. Jehovah is also used many times in the Old Testament to testify of God’s supply to our need. Psalm 23 is a great example of this. “All we like sheep have astray,” (Is. 52:6) and thus we needed a shepherd: “The LORD [Jehovah] is my shepherd.” Genesis 22:14 illustrates another with the compound name Jehovah-jireh–the Lord will see, or provide. Abraham needed a sacrifice, and the LORD saw to it.

It is clear that regardless of our circumstance or trouble (and we have yet to get to David’s trouble) we need to have our faith or trust placed in God. As Bible believers, we understand that trusting in what Christ did on the cross for us is the only way to be spared Hell and given eternal life. Unfortunately, we forget as Christians living our lives from one day to the next that we need to be living lives of faith–not in Oprah, Dr. Phil, Bill O’Reilly, our church, pastor, works, standards, or convictions, but in Christ and Him alone.

We need faith…in Christ.

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Psalm 138:1-2

I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

All people have faith. Everyone bases their lives on things that they trust without seeing or proving empirically. For example, I trust that BB&T, my local bank, will keep my money safe. I trust that if BB&T were to collapse, the FDIC insure my balance. That “trust” is faith by the Bible standards.

We live in an age, at least in America, where there is a great divide regarding faith. We have a strong secular-progressive movement that is against traditional morality, religion, and culture. Yet those same people still have great faith! They trust that God is not the God of the Bible—if He exists at all. They trust, or exercise faith, that the Bible is not God’s Word. They trust that 15 billion years ago there was a _Big Bang_—even though no one was there to see it and it can’t be recreated. They have faith that man evolved from one-celled life forms that somehow spontaneously became alive—even though macroevolution has yet to be demonstrated. They have great faith, just in the wrong things.

On the other side of this divide is a group that contends that faith is great. It doesn’t matter what you believe or how you connect with God, just do. We have had the angel craze of the 80’s and 90’s, Oprah’s new age religion, and the ecumenism that has engulfed Gospel preaching churches over the last 50 years. Spirituality is the key they say.

What is the truth then about faith?

Faith: we all have it. The question is what is the basis, or foundation, of our faith. The secular-progressive trusts science, philosophers, and political leaders. If their science is wrong, their philosopher is wrong, or their political leader is wrong, then their life is built on a shaky foundation.

This is true of the “spiritual” person as well. If their guru, pastor, author, or TV icon is wrong, then their life is built on error.

Now Psalm 138 makes perfect sense. Why would God magnify His Word above even His own name? I’m sure there are multiple reasons, but simple logic dictates the first. How would we even know of God—let alone His name—without His Word. The Bible then is the basis of our faith. This is what separates Bible-believing groups all through history from the other segments of Christianity and the rest of the world.

What I believe (or put my faith or trust) in and on is not dependent on what I think. It is dependent on what the Bible says. Romans 10:17 describes how we get faith that will work.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

If I am going to trust my soul and eternity to something, it had better be more than my reasoning, my logic, and my church. The basis of my faith ought be God’s declaration to man—the Bible.