December 6, 2013
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Immanuel as set in historical concrete in the manger at Bethlehem?
Please read Judges 5. Here's Dale Ralph Davis writing on Deborah's song found there:
It is difficult to know whether Yahweh's going forth from Seir and marching from Edom refer to his contemporary coming to the conflict with Sisera or whether the reference is to his ancient coming to his people in Egypt and his meeting with them at Sinai. In any case, there is a clear hint of Yahweh's delivering Israel from Egypt and preserving them in the desert when Deborah refers to Yahweh as 'the One of Sinai.' There he came and met with them; there he had placed them under his law at liberty. But Yahweh – and this is Deborah's point – is not stuck at Sinai. Rather, the God who decisively came to Israel at Sinai comes again and again to the aid of his people in their present troubles. Yahweh is not set in historical concrete at Sinai; rather the One of Sinai is mobile marching forth again and again to rescue his flock....
Times were so bad folks couldn't even travel safely – they had to take the back roads, because thieves and thugs freeloaded on the main highways. Israel was totally defenseless, having neither warriors (v. 71) nor weapons (v. 8b; cf. the later situation under the Philistines in 1 Sam. 13:5-7, 19-22). Sometimes it is only when God's people see how hopeless they are (the picture of vv. 6-8) that they can appreciate how mighty Yahweh is (the picture of vv. 4-5). Desperate people (vv. 6-8) and sufficient God (vv. 4-5) are placed side by side that the former might rest in the latter. The apostle makes the same point in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9. Surely God's afflicted people should derive great comfort from knowing that the God who came to Sinai (or Golgotha) is the God who comes repeatedly to his people in distress. Omnipotence delights in encores.
from Dale Ralph Davis’ “Judges: Such a Great Salvation” (Christian Focus: Fearn, Ross-shire: 2000, reprinted 2003, 2006), 83-84.
Over the past few years, there's been what seems to be an exponential proliferation of Advent devotionals available online. Now, don't get me wrong: some of these may indeed be good and helpful. However, it's all too easy for us to become nostalgic about these things... we begin to look back at Christ's first coming with a sickly sentimentality. And, before we know it, we may be lulled into seeing Immanuel as set in historical concrete in the manger at Bethlehem and the Holy Spirit as set in historical concrete in the upper room in Jerusalem! When we do so, for all intents and purposes – dare I put it this way – are we not in grave danger of emasculating the Holy One of Israel?! (See Psalm 78, especially verses 40-43ff.)
How many Christians are looking at the current condition of the Church (as well as that of society at large), and looking unto Jesus - our Hope, and pleading day and night with the LORD, that He might have mercy upon us and send the Holy Spirit once again in reviving power to His Church? O, my brothers and sisters in Christ, our God is a God who "delights in encores" – He is a God who delights in mercy and relishes to show Himself strong on behalf of those who hearts are loyal to Him ~ to those who rely upon Him! (Micah 7:14-20; II Chronicles 16:7-10)
Sadly, too many of us forget that "omnipotence delights in encores." We are happy to read about the manger, and we are content to read about the upper room – but these glorious movements of Yahweh do not captivate our minds and stir up our hearts to plead with Him to awake and arise and come down once again as He did at Sinai, Kishon, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem – and as He did countless other times throughout the Bible, as well as throughout Church history. Has He changed? Is the LORD still not good, does His steadfast love not endure forever, does His faithfulness not endure to all generations (Psalm 100:5) - including to His blood-bought flock here in the 21st century?
Isaiah 51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength,
O arm of the LORD;
awake, as in days of old,
the generations of long ago.
Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,
that pierced the dragon?
10 Was it not you who dried up the sea,
the waters of the great deep,
who made the depths of the sea a way
for the redeemed to pass over?
11 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain gladness and joy,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.And tragically, we don't even have eyes to see that our situation is desperate. And, because we don't see our situation is desperate, we don't see any need to cry out to Almighty God to come again to us in Pentecostal power.
And yet – are we not yet in the last days, and have we not been promised?
Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
As I was looking up a hymn online, I came across an old hymnal, "The Psalmody: A Collection of Hymns for Public and Social Worship" (Freewill Baptist Printing Establishment, Dover, N.H., 1853). (You can access the hymnal by clicking here.) In this hymnal, two sections caught my eye: "Dedication" and "Revival." Lord willing, I'm hoping to present a few of these hymns throughout the Advent season. My prayer is that as you read and reflect upon these hymns, our God might impart to you a clearer sight of our current condition and fuel within you the spirit of unceasing prayer to the LORD to rend the heavens and come down.
Prayer for a Revival
# 818 in "The Psalmody..."
by John NewtonSavior, visit thy plantation;
Grant us, Lord, a gracious rain;
All will come to desolation,
Unless thou return again:
Lord, revive us;
All our help must come from thee.Surely once thy garden flourished;
Every part looked gay and green
All its plants by thee were nourished
Then how cheering was the scene!
Lord, revive us;
All our help must come from thee.Keep no longer at a distance;
Shine upon us from on high,
Lest, for want of thine assistance,
Every plant should droop and die.
Lord, revive us;
All our help must come from thee.Dearest Savior, hasten hither;
Thou canst make them bloom again;
O, permit them not to wither;
Let not all our hopes be vain:
Lord, revive us;
All our help must come from thee.Let our mutual love be fervent;
Make us prevalent in prayers;
Let each one, esteemed thy servant,
Shun the world's bewitching snares
Lord, revive us;
All our help must come from thee.Break the tempter's fatal power,
Turn the stony heart to flesh,
And begin, from this good hour,
To revive thy work afresh:
Lord, revive us;
All our help must come from thee.* * * * * * *
Psalm 44:23 Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!24 Why do you hide your face?Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust;our belly clings to the ground.26 Rise up; come to our help!Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.
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