The Flaming Sword

"Then the LORD God said, 'Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever--' therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life." - Genesis 3:22-24 ESV

There are a few mysteries in this passage aren't there? This morning I am thinking about banishment and change. Life is filled with endings and forced beginnings.

We can only tell from the context of the passage but it seems that eating from the tree of life would have been bad for Adam in some way. Living forever doesn't sound bad but it would have been bad for Adam. There is one mystery.

Then there is the flaming sword 'that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life'. How was that manifested?

There is no biblical record of anyone returning to Eden. Adam's children must have known it's location. The world changed after the flood but what about the time before the flood.

We aren't going to get these answers here. I for one am planning on consulting Heaven's library to find some of these things out.

But banishment... perhaps we can all relate to that. Things end and disappear. The way back, if there is one, is guarded by a flaming sword.

Haphak (Strong's H2015) is the word translated 'turned every way' and it could have also been translated 'transformed itself.' Whatever it was... It was an adaptive obstacle.

Excuses are adaptive obstacles aren't they? They stop us from heading down a certain path but then they adapt and turn in a different direction.

"A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit." - Proverbs 15:4 ESV

"Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates." - Revelation 22:14 ESV

"...and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." - Revelation 22:19 ESV

Interesting. Change the book and access is blocked. Clean robes is a qualification for entrance.

"Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." - Isaiah 1:18 ESV

That excuse that blocks your path... Oh, You know the one I'm talking about. The one you don't want to think about. The one that keeps you on the outside. Reason with God about that very thing. Ask Him. Look in the scriptures. If you use the scriptures to support the excuse you alter them in subtle ways and the obstacle is just reinforced.

Is it guilt? Is it fear? God washes us as He reasons with us. In truth if we know Him he has washed us. It is our dirty feet that stop us from passed over the threshold.

Jesus. Here we are. Wash our feet. We surrender to Your process. Change our minds. Give us the way around our well reasoned excuses. Engineer circumstances so that we will not be stuck in our faults. You are the Savior of the world. We trust you to save us from our own thought life and elevate us to know your mind. Give us courage Lord. We know we will need it for what lies ahead. We trust You. We Worship You.

Thank You Jesus.

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The Blessing Of Aaron

"The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,

The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.' " - Numbers 6:22-27 ESV

I'm looking at this amazing passage this morning and marveling. The three phrases in the middle all start with a verb in the Hebrew...

Bless LORD

Make LORD

Lift LORD

Face and countenance are the same Hebrew word. The word is Paniym (Strongs H6440) and it is plural. The many facial expressions of God all shine grace. When His face is lifted toward us we have peace. We sense Him looking at us and we have peace. The LORD who blesses also keeps.

God wants His 'name' to be upon His people.

How do we bless people? Is it by making comparison? Is it by giving? Is it by remembering? Is kindness, as wonderful as it is, the same as blessing?

God told Aaron to say this as a blessing and it is a profound blessing outside of man and his or her doings.

Bless LORD and keep

Make Your divine face to shine in graciousness on us

Lift Your divine face on us and we will have Shalom

Yes.

I worship this morning and pray this is the blessing that would be on your house and mine. That we would know that God's eyes are on us and that his expression is the expression of an all powerful friend.

I seek your face God. It is like sunshine for us. Thank You God. In Your Son Jesus we see Your face shining clearly. In His words we find Your mind. We look to you this morning. Thank You LORD.

Make us a blessing today.

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The Stabilizing Vision

"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer. Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him." - Proverbs 29:18-20 KJV

I also liked the way the ESV translates this passage (mostly verse 19) so I will include that also.

"Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law. By mere words a servant is not disciplined, for though he understands, he will not respond. Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him." - Proverbs 29:18-20 ESV

Proverbs is indeed a book of wisdom. I look at this passage and see a blueprint for pre-planned action. Words and actions that mesh together.

A vision is no pie in the sky kind of thing. There are steps taken one after each other to get to a goal. A prophetic vision describes the plans God has made and often includes a promise of a certain result.

We talk about 'the finished work' of the cross and rejoice that God sent His Son to die for our sins. Sin has been paid for and God's vision is still unfolding for us. God has plans and because of that humanity will not perish.

God didn't just tell me to do something. Words would never had corrected me. He did something. The cross has corrected me and will correct me. God's act of mercy wasn't just mere instruction. I had to make a decision about what to do with this spectacle of love.

God has plans and so do we. Planning is a fundamental part of life.

If you want to get into a good school there might be a waiting list or certain deadlines. Submitting the papers before the deadlines action long before the first day of school. It requires things to happen in advance.

If we are wise we plan in accordance with God's plans.

What will it be like when we stand before God? The thief on the cross next to Jesus had little time to make any plans. His strategy was simple. He asked Jesus to remember Him.

"And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he said to him, 'Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.' " - Luke 23:42-43 ESV

It was this thief's last heist and he stole Heaven. This man asked Jesus to include him is His 'vision' and Jesus reassured the man that because of His faith recognition he was going to be included.

Without a vision I will perish. Without a plan my Bema seat (the time when we stand before God and He hands out rewards) will not be what it could be. I'm not going to strive but I am also not going to be passive and let life take me where ever it wants to all the time.

God is God and He can change my plans. I understand that dynamic. I don't want to be so attached that I can't let go and adjust.

Let's walk in a redemptive vision that has 'the finished work' of the cross as the cornerstone of the structure of our actions. That means we don't just talk about things. We submit the paperwork and start putting the resources aside. We pray that God would move but we act by faith as though He is going to move.

The faith vision will have sustaining and stabilizing power. Moving in it will provide momentum.

God... We get glimpses of Your vision in the scriptures and we are in awe. You set the sun, moon and stars in the sky and they move with clockwork precision. You sent your Son and He did a marvelous work in paying for our sins. We want to plan according to your plan. Give us a vision that 'glorifies Your Name' if we don't have one. Keep us functioning in plans that line up with Your plans. We want to keep taking steps for the rest of our lives so that those around us will have a stabilizing vision to step into. We are little and often shortsighted. Help us God. Guide us. We trust that you will. Thank You Lord.

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He Is Our Abba

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself bears witness that we are children of God" Romans 8:15-16 ESV

You see a special side of a man when you see them with their young children. He speaks in simplicity and kindness. If he has a softer side that is when it is seen.

The Spirit shows us this side of God. He is our, 'Abba'

Today is Monday but you are no slave. The Spirit will say something different. God is your, 'Abba' today. Children with an affectionate compassionate father are blessed children... We are blessed children.

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Flee Youthful Lusts

"So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. 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." - 2 Timothy 2:22-26 ESV

If you don't sound a retreat from certain situations then 'the slanderer' will have certain latitude to affect you. It is that simple.

In a way it is a good picture of repentance... turning away from one thing to pursue another. A young bachelor who likes having one pretty young thing on his arm after another until such a time as when he decides to settle down is a wrecking ball for young female souls. Youthful lust destroys things and then leaves room for the slanderer because (figuratively speaking) He get a whole notepad full of material for accusation to use and reuse later.

But then when that same young person has a new identity in Christ they heed a different voice... this mature voice talks about value and not escape... It highlights full grown ideas... it isn't looking to set fire with matches or with ideas just to watch something burn... that is what little boys do... peace becomes important because death is no longer abstract.

"...along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart." - 2 Timothy 2:22b ESV

This kind of pursuit requires companions who are doing the same thing. Iron sharpens iron. The womanizer's conquests are solitary fleeting satisfactions but the one who pursues righteousness is like an Olympic athlete. The whole country rejoices with each win. Even competitive teammates rejoice that their team took home a medal even if they weren't the ones to do it.

Do we know how to retreat? Can we say, 'I'm out of here.' in certain charged situations. If we don't then it is very very profitable to learn. Youthful lust is just a few clicks away in an internet browser. It is an isolated conversation away with a needy vulnerable person.

Don't do it! Run away.

Pursue righteousness. I would say, 'No one ever regretted pursuing righteousness.' but I'm sure some have because of deception. I will say that when a person stands before God any regret is going to flee because He loves it every time we seek Him or His priorities. He is blessed beyond measure by the smallest expressions of faith. When we are finally in His presence we will see just how much it means to Him in a much fuller way.

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A Way To Process Pain

God doesn't ignore or discount blame. Pain should be processed. If we don't process pain then we just repress it. He provides a scapegoat as a healthy means to deal with blame.

"Then he shall take the two goats and set them before the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for Azazel. And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the LORD and use it as a sin offering, but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel... And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat. And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness.

Then Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting and shall take off the linen garments that he put on when he went into the Holy Place and shall leave them there. And he shall bathe his body in water in a holy place and put on his garments and come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people and make atonement for himself and for the people." - Leviticus 16:7-10, 20-24 ESV

Jesus is my scapegoat and it is because of Him that I can minister.

There are two goats in this sacrifice. Which one is He? First He satisfied what justice demanded and then He took on the role of removing iniquity from our consciousness.

We might say, 'The goats didn't do anything... how can they be a substitute.' They are a perfect example really because Jesus didn't do anything either. He was spotless but we can lay our blame on Him and send that blame away into death where it belongs.

Unlike those goats... Jesus rose from the grave because of His innocence.

If we don't put the blame on Him we will blame someone else. We can process our pain with self blame and grow sick because of it. We can blame others. We all know about that. Lastly, we can blame God but where does that deception get us?

Jesus is God's scapegoat. He took on the role willingly. He wants to be that for us also. Can we take Him up on His offer? Send your iniquities (the source of bad emotions) away on Jesus so they can get lost in the wilderness. They will stay out where He went when He died. They will be as far away as the east is from the west. Then you can bath, be clean and minister.

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Possibilities

This morning I am thinking of the desires people have and the scripture is speaking to me. I know it is a long passage of scripture but please look at it with me and let it speak to you.

There are three people involved with different needs and desires. The rich young ruler, Peter and Jesus.

"When Jesus heard this, he said to him, 'One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.' But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, 'How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.' Those who heard it said, 'Then who can be saved?' But he said, 'What is impossible with man is possible with God.'

And Peter said, 'See, we have left our homes and followed you.' And he said to them, 'Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.'

And taking the twelve, he said to them, 'See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.' But they understood none of these things.

This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said." - Luke 18:22-34 ESV

Do we grasp what Jesus is saying? We look in hindsight and see the cross but Jesus is speaking about more than that historical event isn't He?

Rich young rulers have a wide range of possibilities open to them. Perhaps of all the groups in humanity they seem to have the best options but human satisfaction in a tricky thing.

I identify strongly with Peter here. Perhaps I was a rich young ruler for a few minutes a long time ago but now I am much more like Peter. I have gone in the faith direction. Peter sees in part and understands in part. He sees benefits but he also sees that he does not have anymore to give. He has given all... up until this point.

Then there is Jesus. Wow. Jesus. He is looking to the cross. Nobody understands his direction. They all want something. But Jesus has something. He has a life to give. He sees his mission as a scriptural mission.

{I go back and read the scripture a few more times.}

The rich young ruler says, 'What should I do?, and Peter says, 'Look at what we have done.' but Jesus is the only one moving with hope into the future knowing death awaits Him but that life will triumph over death.

"Those who heard it said, 'Then who can be saved?' But he said, 'What is impossible with man is possible with God.' " - Luke 18:26-27 ESV

The world exalts rich young rulers.

Looking at Jesus this morning I am saved from myself. Man couldn't do that for me.

Grace.

Not what was. Not even what is. I have hope for what will be starting right now. I shake off the dust of my expectations, regrets and personal evaluations and venture down the road to an empty cross. Jesus died there but now He sits at the right hand of the Father.

Where He goes I follow. His satisfaction can be my satisfaction.

Jesus felt sorry for the rich young ruler.

We have choices today. We can live wanting or regretting or we can shake those things off and follow Jesus into the future with hope.

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