Peace in the Middle East

Last week, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire. Depending on where you get you news, there are assorted speculations why there was conflict to start with. I read an article saying the hostilities are over territory and ultimately Jerusalem, and this has been going on for decades. This is true, if by decades they meant millennia, at least according to the Old Testament and all recorded history. Others, have a still yet more juvenile opinion and blame religion as the source of the clash because if you got rid of the religion in the region, the fighting would cease. Other neo-Nazis and anti-Semites blame the Jews, because of course they do.

There will always be unrest in Israel and it won't be solved by treaties or proclamations. Every promise to bring peace will fail because of the underlying reason of the hatred – Jesus Christ. To paraphrase H.A. Ironside, this tiny insignificant strip of land is, for God, the center of the earth. The Lord gave this land and defined its borders in the covenant He made with Abraham and gave to his descendants. It is there, in the City of David, God promised the throne would be established forever. It is in this strip of land the Lord Jesus was born, lived, and died. It was here the Lord Jesus was baptized, preached, healed the sick, and saved the lost, where He rose from the dead, then ascended to Heaven. It is to this land, He will someday return and establish His earthly kingdom.

Jesus is why there has been and continues to be conflict in the region. It's not religion, it's reality – Jehovah gave this land to Abraham and his children and the natural heart and mind is enmity against God. There is unrest in Israel because the nation of Israel also will not submit to her King.

Jesus will return to the Earth, as promised. When He does, He will rule this world, from Jerusalem, as Her King (Psalm 2; 2 Samuel 7:1-17). He came the first time, as the Lamb of God, to give Himself as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of His people. He will return as the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 19:11-21). One of my favorite passages on this topic is found in the book of Zechariah chapter 8. When the Lord returns, Jerusalem will be a city of truth, a holy mountain, a peaceful mountain. In verse 5 it says, "And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof." During the Earthly reign of Jesus Jerusalem will be a city of peace, safety, comfort, and joy. Righteousness will be regulated from the throne, and the wickedness that puts children in danger will be put down. When there is conflict (any conflict, not just nations), there is sin, and there cannot be peace without Christ. The Prince of Peace is the only hope for peace in Israel. Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Risky Business

I recently had a minor surgical procedure (minor to the doctor, but not so minor from my perspective). My doctor told me it was quick and easy, but said anytime you have surgery there are risks. He proceeded to do an impression of  a drug commercial, telling all the possible side effects and things that could go wrong – complications with anesthesia, infections, heart issues, stroke, blood clots and probably more, but I zoned out. After agreeing that I should have the surgery, he scheduled the pre-op tests. I had the blood work and the EKG to make sure the ticker was up to it and look for other possible maladies.  And, of course, the COVID test  I went to the drive through, got, what I can only assume was the ramrod from a black powder rifle shoved up the nostril then I was warned of the danger of COVID and possible outcomes if I contracted the virus.

The surgery went off without a hitch. On the way home we stopped to pick up my medicine (complete with warnings of possible side effects). The traffic was heavy and we had to cross both lanes.  It's a wonder how the traffic often seems to be synchronized as to never let people join them on the road. We saw an opportunity, only three cars coming our way and the other lanes were clear. But, to our disappointment, one member of the trio was out for a leisurely jaunt and their lack of urgency caused us to miss our chance. Not wanting to set up camp at Walgreens and stay the night, we waited until it passed, and quickly pulled out in the median. I saw a box truck and a semi rolling down the road and got in behind them. Finally, on the road. We turned the curve, and saw a wreck. The driver of the semi jumped out to take a picture of the scene. The box truck collided with a car that pulled out into traffic seconds before.

 

After all the tests, and warnings about the surgery, the prayers made on my behalf for the surgery, I could have been killed in a car wreck on the way home. That, I hadn't considered. The doctors told me about all the risks from the surgery, but not all the risks. There are always risks and dangers (James 4:13-15). On the other hand, God is sovereign and has set my time of death just as sure as He has appointed the time of my birth. That's not making light of dangers or ignoring my responsibility and casting aside common sense. But it's looking at things as they really are. God is sovereign and He rules this world from the smallest germ to the traffic in West Virginia. How few people think about what happens AFTER death. Many warnings of the dangers in this life, few warnings of  death without Christ. You are going to die. Then what?  I trust Jesus with my soul, and I trust him with my life. 

 

 

Christian Baptism

Charles Spurgeon:

"Still you say, “You do not regard it as essential to salvation and therefore why do you make this the ground of separation from your Brethren?” My dear Friend, are you a Congregationalist? You do not believe that your Congregational polity is essential to salvation–why then do you not join the Episcopal communion? Are you a Methodist? You do not think the Conference is to save your soul–why do you not return to the bosom of the Established Church? Are you a Free Church of Scotland man? You will admit that people can be saved in the old Church yet. Then why did you make such a fuss about that Disruption business? I do not blame you for the Disruption, not by any means–perhaps you did what was perfectly right. 

A thing may not be essential and yet it may be very far from unimportant. We cannot but regard infant Baptism as the main root of the superstitious and destructive dogma of baptismal regeneration, to which as Protestants we are opposed. We cannot but regard infant baptism as the chief cornerstone of State Church, to which as Dissenters we are opposed. We cannot but regard infant Baptism as unscriptural and to everything that is unscriptural we, as disciples of Jesus Christ, must be opposed. And we do trust that all who differ from us and however widely they may differ, will still admit that we are only doing what is right in maintaining what we believe to be the Truth of God with reference to this matter. 

Up to now it has been in disgrace and scorn and ridicule and oftentimes in persecution that these principles have been held. Up to now we have been a sect everywhere spoken against. Probably the first martyr burnt in England for religion and certainly the last, was a Baptist. And others had trials of cruel mocking and scourging, yes and of bonds and imprisonments–and became destitute, afflicted and tormented. We cannot glory in our numbers, we cannot glory in our power, we cannot glory in our wealth. But we can glory in the faith and constancy by which those who went before us were enabled by Divine grace to sustain the infliction of the most grievous wrongs–wrongs which were all the more keenly felt because they were received at the hands of fellow-Christians, fellow-Protestants and even fellow-Puritans. 

Up to now we have been few in number and have been oftentimes violently and bitterly opposed–nor do I think that there is now any very brilliant prospect of our rising to denominational greatness and basking in the sunshine of popular applause. And indeed, when I see what the effect of such greatness and applause has been upon some Christian churches, I am disposed to say, “God defend us from power and popularity, for these are more dangerous foes than all the contumely and persecution and straitened circumstances with which we have had to struggle in the times gone by.” 

I do hope and verily believe that we have a far purer object in view than mere denominational aggrandizement and that we shall be content, as heretofore we have been content, come evil report or good, to have the testimony of a clear conscience that according to the best of our knowledge and to the utmost of our power we have faithfully tried to maintain God’s Truth against the commandments and traditions of men."

Church Umpire

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, Colossians 3:15. When I played Little League, we had an umpire that was one of a kind. After all these years, I can hear his long and rather ridiculous third strike call. He loved baseball and loved making much of his position as umpire. After decades of umpiring, he had his dance-like moves down to an art. Mention his name to anyone who ever played a game where he umpired, and they'll have a story and probably an impression. People loved to watch him, but hated to play when he was in charge because an umpire's job isn't to be the center of attention, his job is to judge. He has to know the rules to the game so well that he can see something happen in an instant and be able to quickly and accurately and apply the rules to the situation. When fans are booing him and managers are screaming, when the right call will break a kids heart or make his day, a good umpire will deal with the facts and apply the rules to make sure the game is played the right way.

Colossians 3 is dealing with church members. Born again, baptized, members of a local church, who have the peace of God. The Lord will give peace to His people (Psalm 29:11) and Romans 5:1 tells us believers are justified by faith and currently have the peace with God through Jesus Christ. Sometimes, rather than considering that our Father in Heaven supplies all our needs and knows what we have need of before we ask, we let our troubles dictate our actions. We consider our lack more than we consider the lilies (Luke 12:27-28). We think more how our sorrows will overtake us than we do how the sparrows are cared for (Matthew 10:29-31). When we forget the Lord's promises or focus all our heart on our trials the peace of God is not ruling.

The Greek word translated "rule" here is what they called umpires in the Olympic games. God's peace should be an arbiter in our hearts, discerning and ruling. All God's people, regardless of what we look like or where we came from are one in Christ and so, as one of God's elect, called into the one body of Christ, church members are to be merciful, kind, humble, and meek toward each other. God's people put up with each other, we should be longsuffering with each other, and forgive one another when someone does us wrong, forgiving as Christ forgave us. Love in a church is the glue that binds us together in unity. So when trouble comes to church, let the peace of God rule. When conflicts arise, let God's peace judge. When someone sins against us, let the peace of God be the umpire in the conflict, not our emotions or our pride. When we are unsettled, anxious, or confused by hard providences, let the peace of God rule.