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Genesis 9:12-13, Revelation 4

The First Rainbow

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
September 19, 2024

The Giants mentioned in Genesis chapter 6, were the product of fallen angels who were at war with God. They were referred to as mighty warriors on the earth and wreaked havoc among all mankind. They were the Nephilim – God’s primary enemies. They infiltrated all life on earth. God went to war with them in Noah’s day by sending the flood that destroyed all life on the earth. We read in Genesis 9:12-13, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” The Hebrew word that is translated as “bow” refers to the “battle bow” used in war. God’s battle with mankind has been completed and God hung up his weapon of war in the sky for all to see. The colorful rainbow that appears in the sky after a storm stands as a reminder to all mankind that God will never destroy the earth with a flood again. This was a beautiful site that had never been seen before. Noah and his family were the first humans to see a rainbow. In Genesis 2:5-6, we read that God watered the earth with a mist. It had not rained on the earth before Noah’s flood.

But we don’t need rain to see a rainbow. I remember visiting Niagara Falls and seeing rainbows caused by the spray of water that rises above the falls. I saw a rainbow in the sky over Old Faithful in Yellowstone Park. When we lived in Hawaii we saw rainbows created by the ocean pounding on the lava rocks. I remember standing on the fantail of the Destroyer I served on back in the sixties seeing a rainbow in the wake of the ship. Many other natural occurrences can cause the appearance of a rainbow. But in every case, sunlight produces a rainbow. The canopy referred to as “the water above” collapsed and caused the flood that destroyed all mankind. Rainbows became visible because the earth was now exposed to direct sunlight from the sun for the first time. This may explain the shortening of man’s lifespan on the earth after the flood. If the sun was previously visible, there would have been rainbows seen in a variety of situations on Earth. But this rainbow was the first one. It’s the symbol of God’s grace on sinful mankind.

The book of Revelation is filled with symbols. Some are easy to understand, others are very difficult. We see three symbols in Chapter 4. The first is the door. It was opened by Christ and all who come through that door will have access to God. That door is open now but will one day be closed. The second symbol is a throne. Thrones are symbols of rulers. Many have sat on thrones in this world but God’s son, Jesus reigns from this throne. His reign will be forever and ever. The third symbol in Chapter 4 of the Book of Revelation is the rainbow that surrounds the throne upon which Jesus sits. It is the emblem of God’s grace as seen back in Genesis after the flood. It represented God’s promise to Noah and all the earth.  The rest of the book of Revelation foretells of the great tribulations to fall upon the residents of Earth at the end times. But those who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ need not fear the coming storm that’s recorded in the rest of the book of Revelation. The rainbow reminds us of God’s promise.

 

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Matthew 3:1-2

Repent!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
September 18, 2024

In Matthew 3, we learn all about John the Baptist. He was well known for preaching a consistent message. He said the same thing over and over. His sermon, like any good sermon, contained three significant points. First, he warned his listeners that the Kingdom of Heaven was near. It was an exhortation to take his message seriously. The second part of his message was a promise. He said, “After me will come one who is more powerful than me.” He was, of course, referring to Christ. Thirdly, he gives us the correct response when we take the message seriously and recognize Christ as the coming messiah. It’s more potent than a request; I’d call it a demand. It’s one word: “Repent.” Repent is actually the first word out of John’s mouth.  Verses 1 and 2 of chapter 3 say, “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ‘repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

During the days of Jesus’ ministry, a tower fell in Siloam and killed 18 innocent people. Jesus’ disciples wanted to know why.  But Jesus didn’t tell them why.  Instead, he told them what their response should be.  Surprisingly, He said, “I tell you…unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” We see many tragedies in our lives also. Some years ago, a shooter ran through Westroad’s Mall, and 8 people died. “Why?” we ask.  A hurricane kills thousands in Indonesia. “Why? ” we ask.  A suicide bomber kills 10 in Iraq. “Why?” we ask. An endless number of these pointless events in our experience evoke the “why” question from us. God wants us to realize that the answer to the “why” of pain and suffering in the world is the exclusive domain of God.  This is the explanation he gave Job amidst his innocent suffering. God doesn’t answer our “why” questions. We hope that in the next life, He will make all that clear to us, and this should move us to trust Him accordingly.  But in this life, Jesus would much rather have us deal with the “what.” What is God saying to us through these things?

John the Baptist’s message was to repent. Jesus’ message in the light of unexplained suffering was the same. I believe He is telling us precisely what he told his disciples when they asked why. He’s telling us exactly what John the Baptist told his listeners.  Both Jesus and John called for repentance.  John made it clear that repentance should be immediate because of the imminence of the Kingdom of God.  In other words, we should repent now because, as someone said, “You can’t repent too soon, for you know not how soon it may be too late.” One might ask what does it mean to repent. Merriam-Webster says it means “To turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one’s life.” The Greek word, however, includes the idea of a change of mind. One major part of John the Baptist’s message was there was one coming after him who was more powerful than him. He was pointing his finger at Jesus and saying, “Behold, the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.” An accurate understanding of John’s message must include the acknowledgment of Jesus as the Messiah. We can be sorry for our sin and pledge to change our ways all the time, but the sin is not atoned for until we bring them to Jesus. Like Job, all suffering calls for faith. Faith is believing in God. Not just that he exists, but believing he is positively disposed towards us and he has our best interest foremost in mind regardless of the circumstances.

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Matthew 6:34, Luke 12:40

No Reason To Fear Tomorrow

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
September 17, 2024

We live in scary times! Things are deteriorating around the world. There are wars, rumors of wars, and all kinds of horrors taking place. As things get worse, there are many who predict the end of the world. There have always been many who have suggested a time or even date for the End Times. I remember when one prediction failed in May, so was changed to October 21, 2011. Today, some argue that global warming will bring the end of all life by 2030. I don’t know! If we learn anything from Jesus’ words, we learn that only the Father knows when the end will come. I’ve often dealt with this question over my many years as a pastor. I remember when the Y2K scare brought panic to some people.  In the Gospels, Jesus tells of great calamities that will fall upon “This generation” (Mark 13, Matthew 24). Many solid commentators argue that these events were adequately fulfilled with the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple in 70.  Since in the very following passage, Jesus says he does not know when the end times will be, many accept this interpretation. Some argue that it refers to the ultimate end times. Others see a dual fulfillment. Those signs of the end are pre-figuring the great end times as well. I have gone back and forth in my understanding of this. Thus, I am left with the same confusion the disciples had regarding the end times.

The bottom line regarding this issue concerns the practical conclusion that Jesus draws regarding the subject. We know it’s coming! But we do not know when. We all live with the shadow of the end looming over us, personally and corporately. Even if the world doesn’t end tomorrow, next year, or in 2030, we know that the end could come for any of us personally at any time. We never know when it will fall. In Luke 12:40, Jesus warns us, “You also must be ready. The Son of Man will come at an hour when you don’t expect him.” But he also tells us not to worry about tomorrow. In Matthew 6:34, Jesus says, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Our impending end is no reason to be fearful or hysterical over that expectation. Yet, at the same time, we know that to forget about God and to become consumed with the things of earth is a very foolish way to live.

The scriptures clearly teach us that the wise man never forgets his mortal state and knows he must be ready when the summons comes. It should motivate us to consider that each day we have life, we have something to be thankful for and grateful for. We have good work to do, which is not a chore but a privilege. It means that we must live our lives in such a way that it doesn’t matter when He comes. Let’s make every day of our lives fit for Him to see. Let’s live in such a way that we’re ready to meet him face-to-face at any moment. If we live like this, the end will not be a terror but an eternal joy.

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2 Peter 3:9, John 3:16

God Loves Everyone

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
September 16, 2024

I once read a church sign that asked, “What is hell like?” Immediately following that question was the invitation, “Come hear our pastor this Sunday.”  As clever as that is and as unpleasant as many sermons are, I don’t think any can truly compare to a biblical description of hell. I like the humor in that sign, but I’d like to make a serious attempt to explain what Hell is like from a biblical perspective. Many verses give us imagery to help us imagine what Hell is like. All of them speak of it as a horrifying reality. It’s like being left outside in the dark forever.  It’s like a wandering star, a waterless cloud, a perpetually burning dump, a bottomless pit, an everlasting prison. Hell is a place of anguish and regret. (Matt. 8:12; Jude 13; Jude 12; Mark 9:44–48; Rev. 20:1, 3; 1 Peter 3:19; Luke 16:28). But Hell is most often visualized as a place with fire.

I don’t think these images are literal descriptions. Instead, they are images that help us understand that it is a place of torment. If taken literally, the images contradict each other. There’s fire but total darkness. It’s a burning dump, yet a bottomless pit. I don’t believe the “fire” is necessarily a physical fire. Those in hell have imperishable bodies, so normal fire won’t affect them.  C. S. Lewis pictures it as eternal separation from God in his book, “The Great Divorce.” The Bible teaches us that “with God, there are pleasures forever.” Outside of God, away from God is gnashing of teeth and deep regret over the loss of what might have been. Jesus says there is “a great gulf” between heaven and hell, and no one can transit that gulf.  The torment of hell might be described as the torment of having “to live with the consequences of our own decisions.”

Hell is often depicted by those who wish to paint God as a cruel, sadistic madman in a torture chamber, with God wielding the whip with some crazed laughter. The scriptures never present Hell to us in this way. People will not be forced against their will to experience unbearable pain inflicted upon them by another. The torment of hell is self-inflicted.  The great torment of hell comes from realizing we used our freedom to choose wrongly and that there is now nothing we can do to change those decisions. That’s why there is much weeping and gnashing of teeth. The most frequent description of Hell is that it’s a place where people “perish.” It may mean different things to different people, but everyone there will know that they are there by their own will. 2 Peter 3:9 clarifies that God “wants no one to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” God loves everyone and tells us so. “God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.”

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John 16:33, Various

The Last Laugh

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
September 15, 2024

I expect we’ve all heard the saying, “he who laughs last laughs best.” Jesus will always get the last laugh. Do you remember Jairus’ 12-year-old daughter? She was near death, and Jairus pleaded with Jesus to come to her and heal her. But Jesus was interrupted on His way by a woman who had suffered many years with a particular illness. Jesus postponed His meeting with Jairus’ daughter to take care of this woman. A messenger arrived, telling Jesus not to bother because the little girl had died in the interim. Jesus ignored the messenger and continued to Jairus’ house. When Jesus arrived at Jairus’ house, it was filled with mourners.  Jesus told them not to weep because the girl wasn’t dead but just sleeping. Luke 8:53 records their response: “And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.” But Jesus went into the house and raised her and returned her to her father, and everyone marveled. I think Jesus might have laughed! I know I would have! He who laughs last laughs best.

Abraham, the great man of faith, was promised a son. He then lived for 25 more years, approaching 100 years, and still hadn’t had a son. God renewed His promise to Abraham, and Abraham laughed. No! Genesis 17:17 tells us, “Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed…” it sounded so hilarious to Abraham that he lost control and fell to the ground with laughter. I need not remind you that Sarah also laughed. After all, she was 90 years old and way beyond menopause! My wife and I are in our seventies (as of this writing), and if God or anyone suggested we were going to have a baby, I would have great difficulty keeping a straight face. Wouldn’t you? But God got the last laugh. A baby boy was born to Sarah, Just as predicted! He directed Abraham to name the boy Isaac, which means laughter!

Isaac was the son of promise through whom another son would be born who would bring God’s blessing upon the whole world. For several millenniums, “Laughter’s” descendants awaited the fulfillment of that promise. Then, another child was miraculously conceived by a virgin who brought forth her firstborn son and named Him Jesus. He brought healing, freedom, joy, and laughter to all who received Him.  In response, the religious community arrested Him, tried Him, convicted Him, abused Him, and hung Him on a cross to die. While suffering, they spit at Him, mocked Him, and laughed at Him! But Jesus, once again, gets the last laugh! After three days in the tomb, Jesus rose from the dead! If at no other time, at Easter, every believer should be laughing their heads off. It’s the celebration of the last laugh. It is our last laugh also. In John 16:33, Jesus says, “I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you have tribulation, but be of good cheer (be happy! Laugh!), I have overcome the world.”

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Luke 6:21-25, Various

A Kingdom Of Laughter

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
September 14, 2024

There is a pair of verses in the New Testament in which Jesus Himself speaks about laughter.  He validates the teaching of Solomon regarding the extremes of life: a time to weep and a time to laugh. There is a time for every purpose under heaven. They will come to us all. But Jesus speaks to us about a future event when God’s kingdom will come on earth. We all walk through the valley of the shadow of death. We all suffer. We all lose loved ones. As the King of God’s Kingdom, Jesus makes us a promise. In Luke 6:21, He says, “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.” Luke 6:25 reverses the promise. It says, “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.”

The woe pronounced upon those who laugh is not directed at having a sense of humor or an innocent kind of laugh. Referring to the laughter that is said will be turned into mourning, Darrell Bock says the Greek word used there, “…is often tied to laughter that is boastful, self-satisfied, condescending, or rejoicing in the harm that others experience. For example, Lamentations 1:7 uses the term of how the enemies laughed or gloated at Jerusalem’s destruction.  Thus, the picture is of a person of worldly ease who is indifferent because of self-satisfaction.” That kind of laughter will be turned into mourning. The prosperous, powerful, and popular often look at the poor, the weak, and the simple with derision.  But in the Kingdom of God, absolute joy and genuine laughter belong only to the poor, the weak, and the simple of this life who understand their state and turn to God for salvation.

Laughter is part of God’s plan for us in the mystery form of God’s kingdom, the Church, and ultimately in the realized form of God’s kingdom in the eternal future.  I like the way Martin Luther translated 2 Corinthians 4:17; “…After brief weeping comes eternal laughter; after a small sorrow comes eternal joy.” When Jesus taught in the synagogue at Nazareth, He read from Isaiah 61:1-4. Then he said that this passage was being fulfilled as they watched His ministry of healing, setting prisoners free, and preaching good news to the poor. Another thing He does in this passage is give us “the oil of gladness instead of mourning.” We still view the mark of faith to be a serious and sober expression. But as Oswald Sanders said, “Should we not see that lines of laughter about the eyes are just as much marks of faith as are the lines of care and seriousness? Is laughter pagan? We have already allowed too much that is good to be lost to the church and cast many pearls before swine. A church is in a bad way when it banishes laughter from the sanctuary and leaves it to the lounge, the nightclub, and the toastmasters.” Absolutely! Abraham Lincoln said, “If I did not laugh, I would die.”

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Proverbs 17:22

Laugh It Off!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
September 13, 2024

Solomon taught us in Proverbs 17:22 that “Laughter is a good medicine.” When you study the biblical kinds of sicknesses, you will find that not all illnesses are physical. Some of the diseases referred to in Scripture are emotional and spiritual. When Solomon talks about laughter being good medicine, he’s suggesting it’s good for healing all kinds of sicknesses. One kind of healing that laughter encourages is healing from addictive sins.  Some of us have had huge battles with addictive behavior, and although we’ve had some victories over them, we continually feel oppressed by these temptations.  The addictions still dominate our lives. Instead of focusing all our attention on addiction itself, we focus all of our attention on abstaining from the addiction. But no matter how you look at it, the addiction still dominates our thinking. It still controls us. It’s not unusual for an alcoholic to quit drinking but then focus his entire life on “not” drinking alcohol. He’s still controlled by his addiction to alcohol even though he’s sober.

I don’t like to think of these addictions as demons. I don’t think there is a demon of alcohol. I don’t think there is a demon of tobacco. I don’t think there is a demon of pornography. But I believe that Satan uses all of these things against us. His very name is the “adversary.” He uses everything he can to hold us back, keep us down, and destroy our Christian joy. Laughter helps do battle. It can often bring healing of this disease and victory over our enemy. In 1940, the entire world trembled at one European country that had nearly conquered the entire continent. Although he was only 5’ 8” tall, his war machine was second to none and threatened the safety of the entire world.  Then, a 5’ 5” comedian named Charlie Chaplin made a movie called “The Great Dictator.” Chaplin mocked Hitler, made fun of him and the Nazi movement, and moved the whole world to laugh at this menace. All of a sudden, Hitler didn’t seem that powerful! Through laughter, this little comedian convinced the world that Hitler was beatable. The Allies rallied their forces and did just that – defeated Hitler and destroyed the Great War machine.

I can’t tell you how many times men have come to me for help with drugs, alcohol, and pornography addictions. Many times, they would break down in tears. I would weep with them. We’d get on our knees and pray for deliverance. I remember one man spread-eagle on my office floor. During The Promise Keeper’s movement of the late 1990s, I had little time for anything else.  Yet, many of these men never experienced freedom from these sins. Whether they abstained or not, they remained obsessed with the sickness. Like the world in 1940, we attributed way too much power to the little evil dictators in our lives. Comedy disarms the culprit! Ephesians 5:11 teaches us, “Have nothing to do with the worthless things that people do, things that belong to the darkness. Instead, bring them out to the light.” Nothing shines the light on the dictators in life more than laughter.  Nerenberg, a self-proclaimed “Laughologist,” leads a six-week recovery workshop where he teaches addicts to laugh. His success has been remarkable. He says, “Laughter therapy is proving to be a powerful salve for addicts who may otherwise feel themselves to be in a very dark place.” I guess there may be more than I imagined in the advice to “just laugh it off.”

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Ecclesiastes 8:15, Various

Laughing Out Loud!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
September 12, 2024

In Ecclesiastes 8:15, Solomon exhorts us to live life with joy. He says, “I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.” Many commentators point out the differences between joy and laughter. Laughter is often referred to in a negative way, while joy is seen as more profound and more spiritual. But I’m convinced that the right kind of laughter is divine. The right kind of laughter might even be described as exuberant or radical joy.  God created us with the emotions we have, and amongst them is the capacity to laugh. In the comedy-central world we live in, I will admit most of the sexually laced humor we are exposed to is inappropriate. Paul says in Ephesians 5:4, “Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you.” Solomon is not affirming this kind of humor when he tells us in Ecclesiastes 3:4 that “there is a time to laugh.” But he is commending a light-hearted lifestyle that teaches us not to take things too seriously and how to laugh at ourselves and the situations we encounter in life.

Laughter can be the physical explosion of radical joy. Whatever the settled, more spiritual joy we might find in our lives, it’s good when it works its way from the inside to the outside. Solomon said in Proverbs 15:13. “A glad heart makes a cheerful face…” Joy, radical Joy, shows itself on our faces. Unfortunately, many Christians have been brainwashed into believing all laughter is bad and go about life with somber attitudes and sober expressions all the time. They look like they need some medicine. Doctor Solomon has written us all a prescription for this sickness. In Proverbs 17:22, he says that “…laughter is good medicine.” Looking at Ecclesiastes 8:15 again, we see Doctor Solomon’s reason for prescribing joy. He says, “…, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.”

You know very well that there are many trials in life. A study on humor in the Women’s Study Bible puts it this way: “Life can become taxing at times, and moments come when we desperately need a change. Laughter is one way the Creator gave us to switch gears and punctuate monotony with joy. Humor is an exit from the mundane ‘road of life.’ Laughter is a simple yet reasonable prescription for some of life’s ills and most of its tedium (Prov. 17:22). Physicians have assigned healing properties to humor, especially in cases of mental illness, such as depression. Certainly, humor defuses tensions and helps put you at ease. With so much tragedy in life, choosing humor instead of despair is good scriptural advice. Humor generally involves an acceptance of the ups and downs of life and the determination not to take ourselves too seriously. To combat stress, to relieve tension, and even to provide delightful diversion in the midst of trials and sufferings, laughter and a keen sense of humor may prove to be precious possessions.”[1] Let your face show some joy; laugh!

[1] Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1995. The Woman’s Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

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