A Pathway For Others To Follow

As Christians, one of our greatest desires is to lead others to God, to a real salvation experience through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The book of Proverbs is likewise concerned with the very same goal, and so will help us greatly in doing this. 

Proverbs 10:17 ESV “Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.”

A Better Translation

“Whoever heeds instruction.” This is the person who meditates upon the Word of God and deliberately puts it into practice. “Whoever rejects reproof [i.e. correction].” This is the person who abandons the teaching he or she is given.

In this verse the phrase “is on the path to life” is more accurately and better translated from the Hebrew as “is a path to life.” This person who heeds instruction becomes a pathway to life for others to follow there. 

The point of this Proverb is the effect of our obedience on others, not just ourselves. As the apostate actively leads others astray (and gleefully quite often), so also, the faithful follower of God will show others the way to life. This is life both in terms of a quality and spiritually fulfilling life, but also in terms of eternal life with God.

Obedience Affects Everyone

In our culture, we tend to think that our obedience or disobedience only affects ourselves. Many social scientists strongly disagree and write, speak, and teach otherwise. However, it appears few of us listen, because we are so committed to our out of control individualism. Yes, even Christians.

Maybe some people would agree that on occasion our obedience or disobedience to God can have an effect others. Yet, this is usually acknowledged only if there is a direct and immediately observable effect. For example, we bless someone with kind words of spiritual counsel, or we hurt them with our angry words; we might meet some tangible need, or on the contrary commit some abusive act.

Instead, we should consider that obedience has indirect effects that can accumulate weightiness over time. Things like years of faithful time in the Word and prayer and letting the Holy Spirit change our lives. Things like faithful church attendance and simple, even behind the scenes, works of compassion and service. These will change lives and direct people to life often more than we realize.

Furthermore, there are ripple effects from our attitudes and behaviors that spread throughout the fabric of society, and especially within our Christian communities and our local churches. Our character is revealed by our attitudes and behaviors, again positively or negatively. It is especially grievous when we “reject correction” from the Word, the Spirit and fellow Christians, repeatedly refusing to be spiritually transformed and grow in wisdom. This is what “leads others astray.”

A Better Pathway

Perhaps, you have seen the truth and principle of Proverbs 10:17 at work, both positively and negatively? How a person’s, or one’s own, obedience or disobedience affects other people, even groups of people? The examples are limitless.

May we become a better pathway for others to follow and find life with God.

Not Just Any Verse For Every Situation

Pastors deal with complex situations in leading their churches, complex situations in counseling their congregations and complex situations in speaking to their broader communities.

Few troubles are as frustrating for pastors as church members who might be somewhat familiar with a situation, or outsiders with little knowledge of a matter, approaching them with urgent Biblical counsel they have discovered that will help him.

Where Do the Bible Verses Come From?

When Christians read their Bibles, sometimes verses strike them like never before, and they are eager to share them and apply them. Maybe it applies to this situation with which our pastor is dealing, they wonder.

Many Christians have favorite Bible verses they have memorized and find useful in their lives on many occasions. Somehow they made a connection from one of their favorite verses to the pastor’s situation. Maybe it will help, they reason.

Other Christians stay current with cultural trends and Christian trends. They know the Biblical passages under discussion these days. And so, they hope to inform their pastor and help him see how the situation with which he is dealing is addressed by this current discussion.

Yet other Christians believe that all of Christian theology and practice can be encapsulated in key verses. Often these key verses have to do with broad themes such as love, grace and mercy, or authority and submission, or divine sovereignty and human responsibility, and the list goes on.

In each of these examples, people wrongly think they have the secret answer verses providing simple solutions to complex problems. Sincerely motivated as they may be, not just any verse applies in every situation.

3 Unrecognized Problems

When we are excited by our new discoveries in the Bible we see perhaps more connections than are warranted. When we see the world primarily through our favorite verses we can miss a lot of other things in the Bible and in other people’s lives. When we vigilantly stay current, the foundations and the history too quickly fade from view. When we live by broad themes we might feel especially skilled, however, we might fail more often than we realize in specifics of life’s realities.

First, people often miss the point of the text they are referencing. It certainly holds great and godly instruction. It is inspired by God and intended by Him for proper use according to His intention. But such a misuse of the text will not really advance God’s purposes.

Second, people often miss the point of the situation into which they are trying to speak. Likely, they don’t really understand the life situation and the spiritual dynamics of it. As a result, they mismatch it to their selection of Scripture.

Third, people often miss the best and proper texts that could provide the counsel that is needed. Because of a cursory search of Bible passages and only a surface analysis of the situation, they draw hasty and inaccurate conclusions on both fronts.

3 Constructive Solutions

First, as a pastor and leader, make sure to pushback against off-base counsel. Often people are simply too eager to share their point of view without understanding other points of view. They are mistaken about the Bible, the situation and their relationship.

Second, teach people about how to use the Bible, and how to use it well and appropriately in conjunction with its purpose. Assume those who would counsel you are well meaning, even if you suspect they are not.

Third, explain with patience both the situation about which they are concerned and the Bible verse they about which they are excited. We do not have to share all details, and obviously most often we can’t do this. But, we can share what we are doing, our approach to the situation and the Bible, and our seeking of counsel.

Finally, simply thank those who visit you in this manner. Thank them for their concern. Thank them for their love of the Word of God, and eagerness to live by it and please the Lord. Thank them for praying for you and others involve. Then, close by asking for their prayers and praying together with them.

Why Don’t We See More Of Our Missionaries?

A few years ago a fellow pastor and friend of mine asked me, “Why don’t we see more of our missionaries? Is there something wrong with our church?”

Perplexed and Hurt

This seemed strange to him because overseas missionaries who are on home assignment are usually eager to visit their supporting churches and reconnect with many friends in the church. This church considered itself very mission-minded, genuinely devoted in prayer and partners in the work. My friend was somewhat offended and hurt.

I happened to know this church and its approach to missions fairly well. True, it was somewhat of a mission-minded church, but the leadership and the congregation were not as committed to missions as they thought they were. It is safe to say that those outside the church would not describe the church as a mission-minded church.

3 Measurements of Commitment

So, I asked how much the church supported each of its missionaries.  It was a modest sum, probably a little too modest. Then we talked about the travel costs for the missionaries to visit the church. This cost was not reimbursed by the church, either. Their missionaries seemed to visit when their church was an easy add-on to a trip, but they were not the main destination.

Then we talked about what a missionary visit would look like. Were opportunities created for the missionaries to give an in-depth view of their work, and would they have freedom to ask others to become supporters of their ministry? It turns out that the church didn’t take the initiative to create such opportunities, or much else.

Then I asked about recent mission trips taken by the church. The last significant one was over five years ago. Occasionally people still talk about it and reminisce about its value and glory. However, in today’s world of inexpensive travel and easy to organize short-term trips of value, it should be routine practice to have church leaders and others visit a church’s missionaries. This is a wonderful opportunity to encourage them, bless them, learn from them and be of value to them.

Making Necessary Adjustments

My pastor friend agreed that they were really a low mission commitment church. And their missionaries probably didn’t sense great commitment on the church’s part. The relationships had not been nurtured. Gladly, my pastor friend decided to make the necessary changes! 

Since our conversation a few years ago, the church has been steadily increasing their financial support of all their missionaries. The church leadership communicates much more and at a higher level of quality with their missionaries and their congregation. 

There is a new level of engagement that is obvious to all. Missionaries are highlighted and given greater access to people. Slowly, new trips are being organized, well-planned for added value, and they are being seen as a key investment for the advance of the Gospel!

Sermons Are Not Meant To Be Remembered

How many of you remember the sermon from last Sunday?  Don’t worry, you were not supposed to anyway.

Look at and Listen to the Preacher:  Not Obnoxious Learning Devices

The congregation really wanted sermon notes in the bulletin, so I gave in. However, I don’t like people looking down when I am preaching. Much more preferable is to have everyone engaged with me in the amazing biblical text, enjoying it together.

Another bad idea is having people looking to the side at a screen as if this holy event were a business presentation or educational lecture. And yet, the ultimate bad idea is fill-in-the-blank preaching notes, especially when bloated with alliteration.

It is also infuriating to listen to powerful (and often long) illustrations, well-crafted story-telling, creative reconstructions of a Bible story (sometimes even including theatrical garb and voice), because the Bible gets lost, and really fast.

Entertaining, motivating, counseling, providing practical steps, creating artsy set designs—can we just stop it and just preach the Word? This is all for getting people to remember. And we falsely assume that remembering brings about transformation. It doesn’t.

What if we gave up on getting people to remember sermons and just went for the transformation outright?

It is actually easier, less time consuming and much more enjoyable for everyone, trust me. Simply listen to the preachers as they explain and apply the Word for us all. It is a good and beautiful thing. Look at the preacher!

Look at and Listen to the Book:  Preaching is Unique Communication

I have never preached so that people remember outlines, stories, life principles or any other cute Christian slogans or quaint Christian sentiments. I don’t want people to remember my sermon, I want them to know and love God more through the Scriptures, and be able to do so on their own, in their families and with other people.

There is no parallel for preaching, not school teaching, not academic lecturing, not business presenting, not inspiring, not theater, not solving problems. We really need to stop trying to find an analogy, because no analogy exists.  Preaching is a unique event.

If the goal is to rejoice in God and His Word before His People, trusting the Holy Spirit who wrote the Bible and indwells His People to stir their hearts for the glory of God, then what are we doing messing around with inferior methodologies and delivery methods that cannot hold the weight of the message!?

We need to believe more in God and His Word. Our goals of transformation are going to be accomplished through the Biblical text. Each person in the congregation should be able to go back to the text and remember by the Holy Spirit and re-preach it to themselves. They should be able to see God’s transformational truth from the Word themselves without the added baggage of the preacher’s outline obscuring the text and confusing them.

This kind of preaching is what the people of God really hunger for. This kind of preaching is what those without God really want and really need to hear. We preachers need to stop playing games and simply love our people and preach the Word. Look at the book!

( See related blog post: Hijacked Preaching)

I remember when I became a Christian at the age of 17. All I wanted was someone to teach me the Bible, someone who knew the Bible, loved the Bible and simply explained it to me without pulpit antics or goofy gimmicks to get me to like the Bible.

As our Apostle Paul instructed Pastor Timothy (2 Timothy 3:14-4:5):

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

Lest you think I am a complete iconoclast, I will grant that add-ons can be helpful, but they are not preaching, they are add-ons. All I am asking for is a more thoughtful and prayerful reconsideration of what we are doing when we are preaching the Word of God, the Holy Scripture.

Personal Holiness Has Fallen On Hard Times

Maybe it is just me, but it seems like the topic of personal holiness is overlooked these days.

Even though Christian discipleship is a hot topic today, the part about “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” by Jesus Christ is missing from many discussions and from many lives. Do Christians actively pursue personal holiness still, I wonder?

Possible Reasons

There might be a number of reasons for this lack of pursuit.

1. Christians don’t see it as that important, beyond the basics of acceptable morality.
2. Christians have adopted the best of current cultural standards as their own standards.
3. Christians don’t really know the biblical standards, and there is significant self-doubt about the ones they think they might know.
4. Christians are living outside of God’s moral will, they know it and they feel it.
5. Christians are fearful that they will become self-righteous, or will be viewed that way.

Of course, the biggest category these days has to do with all views, practices and proprieties in the area of human sexuality. It is astounding how difficult it is to have a biblically honest conversation around matters that have historically been clear for millennia even up to about 10-15 years ago.

Preferred Conversations

Instead, Christians prefer to talk about transformation. This is a large theological term, a good term, but it has been co-opted for speaking in general terms about many things. It sounds much more comprehensive; though it provides an excellent opportunity to hide. By focusing on others and on matters of community and social justice it is easy to avoid our own shortcomings whether minor blemishes or even serious sins.

Supposedly getting into morality specifics could be offensive, so we leave it up to the individual brother or sister and their personal relationship with God. This only seems more noble because we are either ignorant of God’s Scriptural commands, or we are afraid of them, or both. But we miss that true transformation, both at the personal level and for the greater good, is rooted in personal character.

1 John 2:15–17 ESV “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

Push the Envelope

It is possible to go beyond current acceptable norms in Christianity. How odd it is to use the phrase--but we can “push the envelope” on Christian personal holiness. We need to speak honestly and spiritually with our closest friends.

Ephesians 5:3–17 ESV “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

The goal is to please the Lord, at least it ought to be! Three books that have been helpful to me:  The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges, The Holiness of God by R. C. Sproul and Holiness by J. C. Ryle.

So then, my friends, “Since we have these promises [in the Gospel], beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1)

The Eradication Of Sin

We long for the day when sin will be finally and fully eradicated. At that time we will live in perfection in all our relationships—with God, ourselves, one another and the world. This Day is the Day when Our Lord Jesus Christ Returns. This will be the Day when God will triumph over sin in His People and in His Creation.

Romans 8:18–25 ESV “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

Our Glorification in the Resurrection

Glorification is the final step in the application of our redemption, including the redemption of our bodies as well as our souls.

Romans 8:29–30 ESV “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

The Old Testament promises our resurrection and generates hope. It prepares us for the full revelation of its reality in the New Testament with Our Lord Jesus Christ. Such passages as these: Job 19:25-26; Psalm 16:11; 49:15; 73:24-25; and others.

Isaiah 26:19 ESV “Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.” 

Daniel 12:2 ESV “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

The New Testament brings clarity to this long standing testimony of hope from the Old Testament. Jesus Christ’s teachings on this topic are abundant in the Gospel accounts. His own Resurrection of course being the greatest testimony and hope ever! As a result, the New Testament is filed with encouragement to look to this hope at the final Day. Such passages as these: John 11:23-24; Acts 24:15; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17; Hebrews 11:16-19; and others.

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 ESV “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”

This teaching of the reality of the resurrection is one of great hope and comfort, and for encouragement to persevere and please God. We will be like Christ in glory, fully renewed in strength, beauty and spirituality. We will be recognizable, being same person in body and soul. All of this is a celebration of God’s triumph over sin

Colossians 1:19–20 ESV “For in him [Christ Jesus] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

We are not fully capable of explaining how this will work with our limited scientific minds. This will be a different type of existence, in full righteousness. There will be a renewal of the creation in perfect harmony. We will be embodied, enjoy society and work, all in an endless perfection of God-centeredness.

Jonathan Edward’s Meditations

Heaven, as Jonathan Edward’s taught, is God’s “fixed abode of manifestation” along with His angels and His saints. We cannot exaggerate its glory, and there we will “swim in an ocean of love and be swallowed up by the bright light of infinity.” 

In 1740, Edwards preached a famous sermon on heaven entitled “The Portion of the Righteous.” It is a captivating sermon. John Gerstner referred to Edwards as “the rhapsodic seer” of this beatific vision and summarizes the sermon in this way:

In his sermon, Edwards describes how Christians will behold God with their souls’ eyes, as an experience of their whole being, in the beatific vision of pure love. They will continually grow in perfection with ever new discoveries of God and one another as His saints, like lovers. And they will enjoy blessed fellowship in perfect love together in perfection and perpetual youth.  

Even now, those glorified in heaven are interested in the saints still on earth, for there is One Church of God. But in glory, all the saints of God will be rewarded for their works in Christ according to their capacities, each being full, and yet our blessedness will increase forevermore as we delight in one another’s blessedness. As the stars vary in degrees of brightness we will differ in glory but each being satisfied, according to 1 Corinthians 15:41.

Five Applications

Here are five ways we can apply the coming reality of our glorification and the eradication of sin that will impact our lives today.

1. Actively anticipating heaven and glorification will build up our hope. John Calvin said, “Meditation on the future life is a primary mark of a Christian.”
2. Reflect on the deaths of Christians, especially those you know. Consider their present existence and experience, and let joy of glory fill your soul!
3. Truly hoping for the Day of Christ will have observable effects in our lives. It will actually work to change us and make us more like Christ! (1 John 3:2-3)
4. We are to live out the future we know is secure. We need to keep renewing our minds in thinking this way so that we live this way. (Colossians 3:1-3)
5. Read Jonathan Edwards’ sermon “The Portion of the Righteous.” It will thrill your soul like nothing else you have probably ever read about heaven! It will take you to new heights of praise, delight, and worship!

Behold The Glory Of Christ

The night before His death, Our Lord Christ prayed to the Father and prayed for us as His followers. He prayed that we would behold His glory. This is the greatest blessing for us from Christ, to see Him.

John 17:4–5, 24 ESV “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. . . . Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”

This summer my two teenage sons and I are reading and discussing together The Glory of Christ by John Owen. This short book encourages us to behold the glory of Christ now by faith, with the assurance that later we will behold His glory by sight. 

John Owen opens his series of teachings and meditations by saying, “The glory of Christ is the glory of the person of Christ.” He encourages us to consider three aspects of this.

Person of Christ

Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, the second person of the One Triune God, who became man. He is fully God and fully human. This mystery of His one person in two natures is glorious. Beholding this glory by Bible reading, prayer and meditation brings joy and amazement, satisfying our souls over and over again.

Character of Christ

Jesus Christ is the perfect revelation of God. Through Him we know God and what God is like. His earthly life and ministry recorded in the Gospels show us the true character of the true God. We see His love, mercy, grace, as well as His truth, righteousness and just judgment. Beholding this glory revealed and recorded in Scripture by prayer and meditation fills up our souls.

Work of Christ

Jesus Christ died on the Cross for our sins, rose from the dead for our justification, and ascended to glory. He accomplished redemption and brings the full blessings of salvation into our lives through the Holy Spirit. Soon He will return with the fullness of the Kingdom. Beholding this glory which is beyond all human strivings and hopes, written from the beginning to the end of Scripture, is yet again seen by faith through prayer and meditation.

Regularly beholding the glory of Christ by faith will transform your life and your ministry. I often give out The Glory of Christ by John Owen as a gift to ministers around the world, and they later testify to this reality. 

Take time daily to truly behold, to see and enjoy, the glory of Christ in the person of Christ. Do this by faith now, and know that soon we will behold Him with our very eyes!

When you read the Word of God, what do you discover and see about who Christ is? Stop reading and praise Him for who He is in the glory of His being. What do you see highlighted about what He is like as a person? Again, stop and behold His glory in adoration and enjoyment. What blessings are described as a result from Christ’s work on the Cross and in His Resurrection? Yet again, pause and use the very Words of Scripture in your worship of the Glorious One.

All The Bible Verses On Fasting

A number of years ago our church studied the Christian spiritual discipline of fasting. Over the course of 12 weeks we learned about the value of fasting and its many purposes. We practiced fasting, and even fasted together at times. 

As a result, we all grew closer to God through prayer and fasting. We enjoyed Christ and our salvation more deeply. And we developed a new pattern of Biblical spirituality that many of us previously lacked.

In one of the first lessons we took a look at the Biblical basis of fasting. In doing so, we examined all the passages in the Bible about fasting. Below is the list I compiled.

Biblical Terms

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew terms are tsûm/tsôm, or ‘innâh nephesh, meaning “to fast; a fast/fasting,” or “humble one’s soul.”

In the New Testament, the Greek terms are nesteuo (v.) and nesteia (n.), meaning “to fast” and “a fast/fasting.” Also nestis and asitos are used.

Searching for terms will find most of the references, but it will not reveal all of them. There are other ways of referring to fasting than just using the term itself, such as using a descriptive phrase like "not eating or drinking."

Selected Scripture Passages: An Overview

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.’  So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.” (Exodus 34:27-28; see Deuteronomy 9:9, 18)

“‘And this shall be a permanent statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble your souls, and not do any work, whether the native, or the alien who sojourns among you; for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you shall be clean from all your sins before the LORD.   It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a permanent statute.” (Leviticus 16:29-31; see Leviticus 23:14, 26-32; 29:7)

“Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions.  For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to protect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, ‘The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him.’  So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listened to our entreaty.” (Ezra 8:21-23)

“‘Cry loudly, do not hold back; Raise your voice like a trumpet, And declare to My people their transgression, And to the house of Jacob their sins.  Yet they seek Me day by day, and delight to know My ways, As a nation that has done righteousness, And has not forsaken the ordinance of their God. They ask Me for just decisions, They delight in the nearness of God.  “Why have we fasted and Thou dost not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and Thou dost not notice?”  ‘Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire, And drive hard all your workers.  Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist. You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high.  Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one's head like a reed, And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the LORD?  Is this not the fast which I choose, To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free, And break every yoke?  Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry, And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?  Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.  Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; You will cry, and He will say, “Here I am.”  If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,  And if you give yourself to the hungry, And satisfy the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness, And your gloom will become like midday.  And the LORD will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.  And those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up the age-old foundations; And you will be called the repairer of the breach, The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.’” (Isaiah 58:1-12)

“So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.” (Daniel 9:3)

“‘Yet even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping, and mourning; And rend your heart and not your garments.’  Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness, And relenting of evil.  Who knows whether He will not turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him, Even a grain offering and a libation For the LORD your God?  Blow a trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly,  Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out of his room And the bride out of her bridal chamber.  Let the priests, the LORD'S ministers, Weep between the porch and the altar, And let them say, ‘Spare Thy people, O LORD, And do not make Thine inheritance a reproach, A byword among the nations. Why should they among the peoples say, “Where is their God?”’” (Joel 2:12-17)

“Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them.  When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat on the ashes.  And he issued a proclamation and it said, ‘In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water.  But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands.  Who knows, God may turn and relent, and withdraw His burning anger so that we shall not perish?’” (Jonah 3:5-9)

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.” (Matthew 4:1-2; parallel Luke 4:1-2)

“‘And whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance in order to be seen fasting by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.  But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face so that you may not be seen fasting by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” (Matthew 6:16-18)

“Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?’  And Jesus said to them, ‘The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.  But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results.  Nor do men put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out, and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.’” (Matthew 9:14-17; parallel Mark 2:18-22 and Luke 5:33-39)

“And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’  Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” (Acts 13:2-3)

“And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” (Acts 14:23)

The Rest of the Scripture Passages on Fasting

Genesis 24:33
Numbers 6:3-4; 29:7
Judges 20:26
1 Samuel 1:7-8; 7:5-6; 14:24-30; 20:34; 30:11-12; 31:11-13
2 Samuel 1:11-12; 3:35; 11:11; 12:15-23
1 Kings 13:8-25; 17:6, 14-16; 19:8; 21:4-16, 27
1 Chronicles 10:11-12
2 Chronicles 20:3
Ezra 9:5; 10:6
Nehemiah 1:4; 9:1-4
Esther 4:3, 15-17; 9:29-32
Job 33:19-20
Psalm 35:13; 42:3; 69:10-11; 102:4; 107:17-18; 109:21-25
Jeremiah 14:10-12; 36:6-7, 9-10
Daniel 1:12-16; 6:16-18; 10:1-3
Joel 1:14
Zechariah 7:3-5; 8:18-19
Matthew 11:18; 15:32; 17:21?
Mark 8:2-3; 9:29?
Luke 2:37; 7:33; 18:12
John 4:31-34
Acts 9:9, 19; 10:30?; 23:12-21; 27:9, 21, 33-36
Romans 14:21
1 Corinthians 7:5?; 8:13
2 Corinthians 6:5; 11:27
1 Timothy 4:3

Daniel’s Seventy Sevens

Daniel 9:24-27 is one of the most fascinating paragraphs in the Bible. It promises a great and final hope for salvation from sin, while at the same time leaves us wondering about many details.

The purpose of Daniel 9 is not to provide a detailed eschatological chronology, but to provide certain hope in the restoration of Jerusalem during the post-exilic period and to link this hope to the unknown details at the time of the future triumphs of God’s Kingdom to come. (See my earlier blog: Stay On Track When Preaching Daniel.)

Seventy Sevens

Daniel 9:24 NASB, “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.”

The very first words, literally “seventy sevens,” create an enormous interpretive difficulty. What are these? Is this referring to a chronological or chronographic presentation? They could be a literal or approximate 490 years or 490 days (70 weeks), or 70 unknown prophetic units of seven or some sort of apocalyptic symbolism.

Regardless of one’s viewpoint, the people of God had received judgment from God for 70 years under Babylon, but now they would experience seven times this, i.e. “seventy sevens,” in mercy from God. The unmeasured mercy of God would be revealed in the redemptive work of His Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Six Most Important Things

In verse 24, six things are noted to take place in reference to the people of God and Jerusalem.  They relate most pointedly to Daniel’s concern over sin expressed in his prayer since the beginning of chapter 9.  

First, the decree of Seventy Sevens is to: (1) finish/restrain/conceal sin; (2) put an end to/seal/remove sin and (3) make atonement for/cover sin. All three of these speak of God’s dealing with sin in a uniquely decisive way. They speak of the atonement of Christ Jesus, forgiveness for sin, and freedom from sin. As it says in Hebrews 9:26 ESV “. . . he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

Second, the decree of Seventy Sevens is to: (4) bring in everlasting righteousness (its origin and duration); (5) seal up vision and prophet (fulfill and finalize) and (6) anoint the most holy (Messiah). All three of these speak of specific events that point to a unique time in redemptive history. They speak of the righteousness of Christ and His people, His fulfillment of the prophets and their messages and His multi-faceted role as Messiah.

Almost all interpreters assign the accomplishment of these things to the first advent of Christ and see in them a telescoping of history until the final Day of Redemption. The differences occur in working out the details of this history and seeing them in relation to verses 25-27.

More Difficult Details 

My understanding of the Seventy Sevens of Daniel is that they find their fulfillment in the time of Jesus. So then, here is an interpretive reading of how verses 25-27 might best be understood:

25 "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree [Cyrus in 538 BC] to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince [Jesus] there will be seven weeks [time of rebuilding] and sixty-two weeks [until Jesus]; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 

26 "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah [Jesus] will be cut off [crucified] and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come [Romans under Titus] will destroy the city and the sanctuary [Jerusalem and Temple]. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war [history]; desolations are determined. 

27 "And he will make a firm covenant [Jesus will put in effect the New Covenant] with the many [people of God] for one week [the final period], but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering [make it obsolete by His sacrifice]; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate [Titus in AD 70], even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate."

Regardless of one’s detailed understanding of the Seventy Sevens of Daniel, the integrity of the book of Daniel and its message must be maintained. Daniel does not fill in the detail because that is not his purpose, or perhaps even within his ability. Rather, we are to observe the triumph of the Kingdom of God in the restoration of His people and their nation in the post-exilic era. This is the first stage of redemptive history in the New Covenant era. This is God’s gracious and merciful dealing with His people after His chastisement of them in the Exile.

Consider Other Options

But, there are many other ways to interpret Daniel 9:24-27. Here are some basic options, with my selections above noted with an asterisk (*).

24 "Seventy weeks¹ have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy² place.

1. a. Chronology: 490 years

b. Chronography*: stylized history, a lengthy period composed of several parts

2. a. Temple

b. People of God

c. Messiah*

d. Something holy

25 "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree³ to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah⁴ the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 

3. a. Jeremiah’s word (29:10), 605 BC, or 594 BC

b. Fall of Jerusalem, 587/6 BC

c. Cyrus*, 538 BC

d. Darius, 521 BC

e. Artaxerxes, 458/7 or 446/5 BC

4. a. Cyrus

b. Jesus*

26 "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah⁵ will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 

5. a. Onias III, displaced in 175 BC

b. Jesus*

c. Antichrist

d. Another one

27 "And he will make a firm covenant⁶ with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate⁷, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate."

6. a. God, in His faithfulness to the Jews during the Antiochene crisis

b. Antiochus, in a deceitful covenant with the Jews

c. Jesus,* in effectual confirmation of the New Covenant

d. Antichrist, in a deceitful covenant with God’s people

7. a. Antiochus

b. Titus* and the Roman destruction in AD 70

c. Antichrist

Remember the Central Focus

Nevertheless, this period of vindication moves us to consider greater events that would transpire in the fulfillment of the New Covenant through the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. Six of these things were mentioned in verse 24. And we especially, as members of the New Covenant community, glory in the reception of the blessings of the Cross and in the Spirit, while we await the return and presence of Christ Jesus and the full manifestation of His Kingdom.

Keep perspective on the six items related to the Messiah and the Gospel from verse 24, regardless of your interpretive position on the Seventy Sevens. In Christ, your sins are forgiven and your righteousness has come! This is the glory of the vision!

Our Messiah is a Messiah of two Comings. Keep up your hope of final and full redemption at the return of Christ, based upon the redeeming work of Christ on the Cross. Keep up your hope of final and full expression of the triumphant Kingdom of God at the return of Christ, based upon the inauguration of the Kingdom at the first coming of Christ.

The central focus of the 70 Weeks is Messianic. It is about Jesus Christ. It is the proclamation that the Lord God mercifully forgives the sin of His Covenant people through His Messiah!

3 Repentance Misconceptions

Repentance involves the acknowledgment of sin, sorrow for sin, and turning from sin with resolve to follow Christ. Yet, three common misconceptions of repentance are those that focus on each element as the whole of repentance. This leads to repenting by saying, “I was wrong,” “I am very sorry” or “I will never do it again.” 

Reassessment: I was Wrong

The first misconception is that repentance in simply changing one’s mind about a sin. Whereas earlier it wasn’t considered sinful, now having reconsidered matters and seen the truth, one revises one’s option and agrees with God and His Word that it is indeed a sin.

However, we all know how shallow and disingenuous this kind of repentance can be. Even in rethinking, we don’t understand enough. Simply changing our mind will not bring about lasting change of action. We do not feel deeply enough that we have offended God and His holiness, or that we have wronged others. Our hope cannot be placed in the power of our reasoning. Repentance is more than a change of mind.

Matthew 3:8 ESV [John the Baptizer proclaimed] “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” 

Acts 26:20 ESV [The Apostle Paul explained his mission] “[I] declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.”

Remorse: I am Very Very Sorry

The second misconception is similar to the first but it involves the emotions more than the mind. It is feeling bad about sin, really bad. Often there are tears and pleading with God and others for forgiveness.

However, we have all known how fleeting this kind of repentance can be. Again, no real plans are made to change the course of one’s thoughts and behaviors. As long as we remember how sin made us feel before God and others, we hope to stay clean. Our hope cannot be placed in the power of our emotions. Repentance is more than extreme sorrow.

Hebrews 12:17 ESV “For you know that afterward, when he [Esau] desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.”

Resolve: I Will Never Do That Again

The third misconception is the most dangerous of the three. We can be overwhelmed with remorse for our sin, and see and agree with what Scripture says about our sin, and then make the mistake of vowing never to do it again.

However, we all know that this is not possible; we are not this strong. We will succumb to the flesh and the trick of the devil in the future, certainly. Denying this reality may sound super spiritual, but in it is super stupid. Our hope cannot be placed in ourselves and the power of our will. Repentance is itself a grace gift of God.

Acts 11:18 ESV [The Apostle Peter reported to the church leaders what God did in Caesarea] “When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”” 

2 Timothy 2:25–26 ESV [The Apostle Paul on dealing with opponents] “. . . God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”

True Repentance Realizes that Christ is Our Only Hope

Don’t get tripped up by these three common misconceptions about repentance. And don’t be led astray into yet another misconception that combining all three of these leads to true repentance. A simple combination doesn’t work if we are relying upon ourselves for the transformation desired in repentance.

Even if all three elements are combined, without faith in Christ and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, such repentance will be insufficient and powerless. True repentance is always connected with faith in the Crucified and Risen Christ; when we attempt to repent without faith, it doesn’t work.

True repentance begins by apprehending in our soul that we really are much more sinful people than we originally thought, and then that we really have no other hope than in Christ! Then, we turn from sin by the power of the Holy Spirit, and in faith embrace Christ, our Lord and Savior, as our only hope. 

1 John 1:9 ESV “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

It takes our whole lifetime of faith in Christ, and under the power of the Holy Spirit, to completely renew our minds, emotions and wills. We rejoice in this encouragement for real transformation in our lives here and now, while we anticipate the final Day of Christ and the fulness of our salvation!

Pentecost For The Rest Of Us

One particular annual celebration in the Church calendar holds special meaning for me. It is Pentecost. This is because I was converted on Pentecost Sunday in 1984. And so, as a pastor I would preach on it every year and promote its celebration to those who have forgotten it.

Three main feasts in the historical Christian Calendar relate directly to Jesus Christ. Christmas celebrates the Incarnation of the Son of God.  Easter celebrates the redemption He accomplished for us in His Cross and Resurrection. And Pentecost celebrates His exaltation and giving the Holy Spirit to His Church.

The Historical Event


Pentecost is the annual celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Church, and the initial 3000 conversions at the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Originally a harvest festival under the Old Covenant, the first New Covenant celebration was the harvest of conversions.

Luke records the historical event of Pentecost in Acts 2 to encourage us with one of the basics of the Christian Faith. The Spirit’s role in the Church is to empower the Church for witness to Christ Jesus. This is what we see throughout the Book of Acts (i.e. Ac 8, 10-11, 15, 19). This is what we see throughout Church History. The Holy Spirit began a new ministry in and through the people of God in the New Covenant. The Holy Spirit indwells all the People of God.


The Holy Spirit empowers the Gospel, and He empowers the Church to preach the Gospel. Luke is telling us that we all as Christians are Pentecostal Christians. Forget the Pentecostal connotations and embrace Biblical language, or post-Pentecostal Christians, if you prefer. We are a Church empowered by the Holy Spirit to preach the Gospel of Salvation.

An Unrepeatable Historical Event

Pentecost is an unrepeatable historical event. It is a climactic point in the History of Redemption, fulfilling many Old Testament prophecies of the time of the Messiah and the New Covenant.

It is not a paradigm for personal experience, as some have mistakenly interpreted it. Some use the event to promote various forms of Second Blessing spirituality. Others use it to raise expectations for large scale conversions. And other use it to mark out the parameters of their vision for communal living. And the list goes on.

The question is often asked, “what prevents us from being just like the early Church at Pentecost?” The answer is simple: Pentecost is an historically significant event in History of Redemption. It is non-repeatable, as much as the Incarnation, Cross and Resurrection are unrepeatable, to which Pentecost is itself is tied.

It is the wrong question to be asking. The better question to ask is, “in what ways are we to be like the early Church at Pentecost?” To answer this questions requires more thorough Biblical understanding, deeper theological reasoning and practical reflection on Christian living.

Today, we proclaim the same empowered Apostolic Gospel as those empowered by the Holy Spirit. We urge people to forsake this evil generation and believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We welcome them into the Church as the Holy Spirit convicts and converts them. Together, we enjoy the blessings of God as a forgiven people and as people possessing the Holy Spirit.

The Repeatable Part is The Mission Part

Pentecost is about the Mission, which leads to the ultimate goal: the worship of God among all the nations. Missions is about God, who through the Gospel is gathering His elect from all people groups to worship Him in glorious joy forever and ever.

This is why we celebrate Pentecost annually, to remind us of our identity as the Church and our purpose as the Church. Let us pray continually for the outpouring of Pentecostal power of the Holy Spirit upon us. Let us do so for the empowerment of our Gospel witness for the expansion of the Church.

This is Pentecost for the rest of us, ever since that great day long ago, 50 days after Jesus’ Resurrection, and until the Day of His Glorious Return and His Kingdom. This is why I would preach a special sermon every Pentecost. Some of the passages are: Acts 2:1-47; Jn 3:1-15; Joel 2:18-32; Matthew 12:22-37; Galatians 5:16-26; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Romans 8:8-11; and Hebrews 8:1-13. There are many many passages to preach and teach the People of God about their great and full salvation!

5 Short Stories of Competing Visions

Leaders have their reasons why they believe that more than one vision is best for their church or organization and how it really sets them apart. But, they are wrong.

When meeting with them, after listening to some of their success stories and current ministry struggles, we as a group of leaders start exploring how and why things work the way they do. We talk about core ministry passions, opportunities and resources. We talk about what more could be done, and what could be better.

Then, at a strategic time in the conversation I ask them how having multiple visions within their organization is really working for them, for the advance of the ministry.

They start to see that having more than one vision is not helpful. It never works out well. There can only ever be one vision per organization. Following are five short stories.

Starting a New Church Well

Recently I was asked about the possibility of a church planter and an associate working together on a church plant with slightly differing visions. Would this be okay?

Why would leaders think this was a good idea? Is it because there would be two pastors working as partners? They could reach different groups of people. And resources could be pooled. Nevertheless, this is a terrible idea.

Differences will become irreconcilable, and this will probably happen sooner than expected. Philosophy of ministry underlies every vision and is a core part of who we are as pastors. Trying to manage two of them will hinder the church plant’s development. Also, different ministry activities seen as critically important will compete for time, volunteers and other resources. A better solution would be to plant two churches.

A Vision in Waiting

Another conversation took place with the leadership team of a growing and healthy church. However, they sensed that there were three separate competing visions within their church. This really wasn’t the case. They actually identified three closely related ministry passions that could easily be brought together under one vision.

Their challenge was to work together on writing out this common vision and writing a fuller description of what it would look like as they accomplished it. They also needed to come back together in their personal relationships as one team and as one church.

We talked about where vision comes from, who shapes it, keeps it and promotes it. We discussed the role of the senior pastor and the leadership team. This was an encouraging and energizing conversation looking toward the future.

The Seditious Staff Member

In another church, a staff pastor was leading a vision revolt, using his ministry team as the place to begin fomenting unrest. Leadership meetings revealed the fraction with the senior pastor. He would frustrate the board by regular dissent or he would agree but then carry out his own agenda.

This staff pastor needed to submit to the larger vision of the senior pastor and the other board members. He needed to humble himself and know his place in the organization, or he needed to leave for the sake of the congregation. Those people he was stirring up needed to be reconnected to the true vision of the church and reassured of the rightful leadership.

Mission in the Slough

A mission organization that touted itself as an expert in vision development and strategic planning somehow could never seem to clarify its own vision. They struggled to see strategic plans through to fruition. This was largely because they changed the vision at almost every leadership meeting, so in reality many visions existed, not one.

Obviously, the lower level leaders and staff lacked confidence and did not trust the top leadership. Worse yet, those arrogant leaders were oblivious to the quality of leaders and people they had in their own organization.

It was a missed opportunity to create one vision with an organization willing to embrace one vision. Organizations need top leaders who can lead, who can lead other leaders, who can lead real people and genuinely value, honor and trust other leaders than just themselves.

Laity Leading Loosely

Another church has as many visions competing as lay leaders in the congregation.  Since there is no clear vision from the pastor or the board, everyone just does things, good things. Each person promotes his or her ministry to attract people and gain resources.

They try to package everything together and present it as one really broad vision. They convince themselves that this is true and good. They find themselves floundering and having to rejoice in very minor successes. Were they to unite behind a common vision, and then align themselves and work as a team, their success would be amazing!

Many more stories could be told, both short and long, about churches and organizations experiencing problems because of not understanding the role that vision plays, actually having a vision and only one organizational vision.

The Great Pilgrimage

When I lose a good friend who has fought the good fight and finished well and has entered the joy and glory of the Lord, I find great peace and hope in the Psalms. Here is one of my Scriptural lessons for funerals and memorial services based upon Psalm 84.

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah  

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah  

Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!”

More of God

Psalms 84:1–4 ESV “How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah”

This Psalm is one of the sweetest of all the Psalms, and a favorite of many. It is a Psalm of pilgrimage, of a blessed pilgrimage. The Psalmist has in mind an actual pilgrimage experience to Jerusalem during one of three annual feasts, and then also its serving as a picture for us living as the People of God.

It is about the desire within the soul of every believer for more of God Himself. The Psalmist wants us to see that we are one in heart with these ancient pilgrims of faith. Together, we are the People of God who share a glorious eternal destiny. We long for the joy and blessing of worship in the presence of God. And we persevere until we arrive at heaven.

We do long for God. We pine for Him so much in our soul that at times even our body feels it. We know that where God dwells is the most lovely of places because of His Presence. This is what inspires our joyful worship here on earth—the hope of eternal and full joy in heaven. This becomes more a reality in our lives as we mature in the faith and as we approach the end of our earthly lives in the body.

The Psalmist envies the sparrow and swallow in the Temple area. They are so near to God, and perfectly at home in His Presence. The Psalmist considers how blessed the priests are who serve in the Temple daily. The pilgrims only worship there occasionally, and at some proper distance. But, he is so thankful for the opportunity to fellowship with His God. One day, the experience of the birds and the priests would be his.

In the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, worship and fellowship with God has been transformed—taken to a whole new level of joy. We have an even better taste in this life of what is promised us in the life to come. As we feed our appetite for God, it is true that we become even more hungry for Him.

More of Blessing

Psalms 84:5–8 ESV “Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah”

Next, we observe the soul-satisfying blessing of being a pilgrim at heart. It is not just something the faithful do a few times a year, but is the very disposition of the heart. Blessings then come into the heart year-round by placing confidence in the Lord God and drawing strength from Him by faith.

This pilgrimage route is called a “highway” because many travel on it—many in the past, many currently, and many will in the future. We all are an encouragement to one another to keep going. No one travels on a pilgrimage alone.

There are many trials to face along the way. But there is no other way to get to mount Zion, except through certain valleys at times. Yet, even there God will honor our faith and make us drink from springs of water, yes even in the desert. We had no idea He could give such blessing, and provide so miraculously—and always at just the right time!

Pilgrimage is an intense adventure. It is an adventure requiring faith and hope. It is rewarded with joy and immeasurable blessings. As we continually move forward, our strength grows. Our hope increases as we are intent on reaching God’s glory.

This is Jesus’ desire for his followers to be with Him and to behold His glory. Upon arrival, gladness and joy overtake us, and all sorrow and sadness flee away! May we be resolute in our pilgrimage and our visionary goal of seeing God as our friend has attained.

More of Joy

Psalms 84:9–12 ESV “Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!”

The Psalmist cries out in prayer for blessing and a display of God’s covenant love. And then he breaks forth in song over the joy that awaits him in the very presence of God. Christians anticipate their arrival; may we follow our friend’s lead. This hymn of praise celebrates the superiority of being with God. The Psalmist declares that just one day of this special fellowship on the pilgrimage is better than three whole years spent anywhere else. He considers that even being a doorkeeper at the Temple is a greater blessing than all the fame, wealth, and power of the world. May we see how ravished the Psalmist is with the love of God?

In drawing close to God, God becomes to us like the sun—bringing light, restoration to the soul, and hope for the future. He becomes like a shield—demonstrating His power, defending from evil, and giving security. He bestows grace and glory—giving power and strength, showing His favor, and granting honor. He withholds no good thing—pouring out His goodness, revealing it in all things to the upright.

You see, being in God’s Presence will transform everything!  This is the point: the blessing of pilgrimage is that the adventure and all you have seen and experienced will stay with you when you return home.

Finally, the Psalmist concludes with a blessing for all of us. He looks up to God and praises Him for blessing all who trust Him. The Psalm opened with the Psalmist deeply longing for God and the Psalm ends with an invitation and encouragement to everyone to put their trust in Him.

Put your trust in God, in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Stay vibrant in your longing for the Final Day of Glory. As you do, your resolve in the Great Pilgrimage to the Heavenly Zion will grow, and you will find perseverance to be a joy.

2 Corinthians 5:6–9 ESV “So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.”