The Two Towers

Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake [ them ] thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top [ is ] in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
Genesis 11:1-4

J.R.R. Tolkien reportedly and repeatedly made the claim that his most famous work, 'The Lord of the Rings' was not based on or biased by his study of Scripture, but it is not difficult to recognize its influence in this  fantastic work. Though this work has recently increased in popularity among the masses because of Peter Jackson's recent movies based on the book, it is eclipsed in importance by his less well-known and often laborious earlier history of the 'world' known as 'Middle Earth', 'The Simarillion'. In this work of art, Tolkien chronicles for us the the first several 'ages' of this fantastic 'world', from its conception and subsequent corruption, to the fullness of time when all would be set to rights again. Even after 'The Return of the King', though, Tolkien's 'world' still had its 'evils'; the 'Evil One' had been vanquished, but bad things still happened to good people, and vice-versa. Men still lost their mortal bodies to the ravages of time, and though it was in all respects better through the king's beneficent and benevolent rule, life was still life, and therefore no utopia and wrought with a degree of danger!

'The Silmarillion' gives us a most important background to 'The Lord of the Rings', though the latter very arguably stands on its own, and much as a passable knowledge and understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures is necessary to a right understanding of the Greek, or New Testament Scriptures, so Tolkien leads us into a better knowledge and understanding of the background of his more famous work!

The fabled Tower of Babel, much as the fantastic towers of Tolkien's Middle Earth, was built at the height of man's arrogance and self-sufficiency. This Tower, while built primarily, maybe, as a defense against the forces of Nature and Nature's God, was at the same time, and more importantly, the mighty cry from natural humanity that it could reach perfection, or 'Heaven', on its own strength, and by its own volition. Reading both the account in Genesis 11 and Tolkien's in 'The Silmarillion' and 'The Lord of the Rings', we can see how this may seem to have worked out for a time, but ultimately proved to be but vanity, though age-long vanity!

Most important to remember, as well, when reading Tolkien's writings and the Gospel of Jesus the Christ, is that these things are in the past. As for Tolkien, of course, it is easy to disregard his writings as pure fantasy, but as for the history we receive in the Scriptures, the message that we read is a lesson on how God has dealt with His errant covenant people in the past, and thus what we can expect in the present from the 'towers' we have erected against His beneficence, and what we might look forward to in the future should we continue to vaunt ourselves against Him!

J.R.R. Tolkien, as a good Roman Catholic, was avowedly a Christian, and as one can see from an informed and judicious reading of his tales, as we mentioned earlier, it is clear that they were influenced, to some extent, at least, by his reading and understanding of Scripture. His tale, though by no means a perfect representation of the history we read in the Scriptures, is, on its own, a fairly accurate, though fantastic and metaphorical account of our history. Our own history has been plagued by many evils, not unlike those of Middle Earth, and like the ultimate eschatological victory won by those hardy individuals in Tolkien's most famous tale, the victory won by the Christ in the first century and continued throughout by His brethren was an everlasting one and eternal in its finality!

In opposition to that first Tower, the people of God, as the New Temple, have become, through the power of the Holy Spirit, a 'tower' that serves the same purpose as was hoped for in that first Tower. As our bodies are 'the temple of the Holy Spirit', we are 'a tower whose top [ is ] in the heavens'; we have, as it were, reached heaven's joys! Through being 'scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth', we have, not ourselves, but through the power of the Son of God, made 'a name for ourselves', and become a Tower, not only in opposition to the 'towers' that men have set up, but a Tower to ensure that the people of God will never ( again ) fall out of touch with their Creator!

As the True Tower, then, as the New Temple; let us live our lives as the gateway to the joys of 'Heaven' ( the Presence of God' ) that we have become through the power of the Holy Spirit; let us be that shining 'Tower" that men ( and women ) may flee to when their man-made 'towers' crumble!

Only in the strength of the Holy Spirit, and because of the all-consuming sacrifice of 'The Finger of God', we are a 'tower of strength' to a world whose own 'towers' ( 9-11 ) have crumbled and continue to crumble!

The question is; 'how will we present that Tower, and hence, our Power, to a world full of crumbling idols?'

Charles Haddon Shank

The Gathering of Israel; the Imperial City of God

 Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, 

and let the dry [ land ] appear.

Genesis 1:9

For you have not come to the mountain that  may be touched and that burned with fire.......................

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn....................................to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,  

to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant...............................

Hebrews 12:18-24a 

Jesus comforted His disciples, in Matthew 24:31, promising that He would 'send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.' This gathering, as we shall see, was not a 'gathering', as we are used to thinking of it, as a collection of objects or people together, in a physical sense, though Jesus used this terminology when He promised that 'where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them' ( Matthew 18:20 ). Rather, this gathering was and is a spiritual one, a 'gathering' of the people of God through the ages, into the Body of His Son!

 The City of God as opposed to the city of man is not a matter of one geographical City or Kingdom in competition with another; it is one religious and militant lifestyle set in opposition to another. The City of God, though typified under the Old Covenant in the city of David ( 'Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, [ is ] Mount Zion [ on ] the sides of the north, the city of the great King' ) was not to be just one certain city, but would become 'a kingdom which shall never be destroyed', 'and it shall stand forever' ( Daniel 2 ), because it is based on the Rock that is the Christ ( I Corinthians 10:4 )! This Kingdom has been established 'on the top of the mountains' ( Isaiah 2:2 ), metaphorically speaking, and in opposition to the idolatry of man, in the highest places in their hearts, wherever they might be gathered, universally!

In a previous article, we saw how the scattering of Israel from the Land ( of Promise ) was for a greater Purpose, and that Purpose, which had been Yahweh's purpose all along, was to spread His Kingdom, His true religion, to the four corners of the earth, and not just in one geographic area. The Scattering of His people, then, was not primarily for their sin, though there is no doubt that was in view ( 'your iniquities have separated you from your God' ( Isaiah 59:2 ); Yahweh's Purpose in scattering His people was to Gather them, not into one certain geographic area, as Israel under that first covenant, but to expand beyond the borders of the Land to set up a Kingdom without borders, a City without walls ( Ezekiel 38:11 ). This, as Jesus later proclaimed ( Luke 17:20 & 21 ), this Kingdom was not to be like a kingdom of man, that one could set his eyes on, but rather, this Kingdom would be one that would overwhelm the hearts, minds and actions of its inhabitants. In other words, this Kingdom would be qualitative rather than quantitative!

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones.

Ecclesiastes 3:5a

You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood,  

to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 

I Peter 2:5

The words of the Preacher, in Ecclesiastes 3, have been immortalized, not only in Scripture, but in a famous ( more or less ) song by The Byrds, but I wander if many people think about their prophetic quality. Solomon was prophesying of a time to come when the people of God would be scattered afar for the purpose of being gathered into a greater and more glorious Kingdom! The 'building stones' of Israel were 'cast away' from the physical ( Promised ) Land that they might be gathered ( together ) in Spirit, and be built into 'a spiritual house,', a spiritual City, if you will, 'the great city, the holy^[h] Jerusalem' which John saw descending out of heaven ( Revelation 21:10 ), a City which the writer to the Hebrews had noted earlier, 'the heavenly Jerusalem', 'the spirits of just men made perfect'.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines the word 'gather' as meaning;

1: to bring together : collect, gather a crowd; gathered firewood;

2 a : pick, harvest; gather flowers;

   b : to pick up or amass as if by harvesting; gathering ideas for the project;

   c : to scoop up or take up from a resting place; gathered the child up in his arms; 

 

This is a good definition of the term, and as you can see, it employs some biblical terminology and ideology, but rather than applying to physicality, as in 'to scoop up or take up from a resting place', the people of God are being gathered, in the spiritual sense, TO their resting place, in Christ!

He prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

John 11:51c & 52 

That in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.

Ephesians 1:10 

When the Gospel writers spoke of Yahweh gathering His people together in one ( pictured by marriage-Genesis 2:24 ( Ephesians 5:31 ), it was not a physical gathering, as we are used to thinking of, but rather a spiritual gathering, a gathering of the hearts, minds and actions of men ( and women ) into one unified Body, His imperial Kingdom, in Christ! 

As the people of God continue to be gathered by the Spirit of God, and become one in heart, mind and action, let us forever be reminded that unity does not mean uniformity; we are all part of the same Body, but we are all different parts of that Body, we all have different functions, different gifts!

In Christ Jesus,
Charles Haddon Shank

The Gift of the Spirit, and the Washing of Water by the Word

I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! Do [ you ] suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. 

Luke 12:49-51 

There can really be no argument that the first century church, the church in transition, if you will, taught and practiced water baptism. The phrase, 'for the remission of sins' ( Matthew 26:28, Mark 1:4, Luke 3:3, Acts 2:38 ), I don't need to tell you, in other words, anyway, comes straight out of the Hebrew Scriptures. Like all the symbolic acts under the Old Covenant, of course, this outward physical sign only pointed to the Reality, which, until the latter days of the Old Covenant regime, or era, had not yet been fully revealed. For whatever reason, the practice of water baptism has been carried on by the Church ( or is that 'church' ) up to this day. Even though the orthodox Church has carried on this tradition, there have been naysayers throughout the centuries who have dared to question 'the traditions of the fathers'!

Much discussion has been taking place recently ( mainly on Facebook ) on this most controversial of subjects. One comment that was made recently was along the lines that when baptism is mentioned in Scripture, it is not always referring to water baptism. No argument there, I should think! However, there are certain places that are pretty obviously referring to baptism by water. Interestingly enough, one of the most-used texts referring to water baptism does not appear ( in those words ) in the most ancient manuscripts. This is not to say that water baptism was not in practice in the 1st century, or even that Philip, in the passage in question ( Acts 8:26-40 ) did not confer water baptism on the Ethiopian eunuch; there can be no doubt that this man was overwhelmed ( with water )! Jesus was certainly symbolically washed in water by John, before entering into His earthly ministry ( officially speaking, that is )! He even told John why He, the Son of God Himself, must be baptized; 'for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness'. Note that the term 'fulfill' does NOT mean in itself that water baptism must necessarily cease after the Christ's baptism, though this could no doubt be argued, and well, at that!!

 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

Ephesians 5:25-27 

As THE Federal Husband, Jesus shed His own blood for His Bride, something that not a lot of husbands would do for their wives; that much is abundantly clear! It is when we come to the next notable phrase 'the washing of water by the word' that things might seem to cloud up a bit. Why or how, would Jesus purify and perfect His Bride for Himself with 'the washing of water by the word'? It just doesn't seem to make much sense, does it?! Ritual cleansing was commonly practiced under the Old Covenant, for this was a covenant of shadows, shadows which, as we've seen, pointed to the Reality which came in the Christ. 

There is also an anti-type which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I Peter 3:21 

Something we might note, before launching into discussion here, is that this passage, as Paul's words earlier, from his letter to the Ephesians, is in direct conjunction with the  suffering of the Christ for His Bride. While this passage is most often read as referring to water baptism, it it quite a bit less than clear that the referent is water baptism; much the opposite, in fact, unless one is stymied by presuppositional 'wranglings'. My father often said, in other words maybe, and in defense of sprinkling or pouring, rather than immersion/submersion, that the ones who died in the Crossing of the Red Sea ( or Sea of Reeds ), were immersed/submersed ( -merged ) in the water, while those who were only sprinkled, while passing through on dry ground, were the ones who were saved. Speculation at best, maybe, but it is not hard to imagine that those towering walls of water would have sprinkled the children of Israel just a bit. In fact, Paul even wrote along these lines, saying, 'Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.' ( I Corinthians 10:1-4 ) In Peter's word above, one may, with a certain bias, assume that the baptism spoken of is water baptism, but that is by no means clear, and is certainly not as evident as some would have you believe!

Prior to the verse in question; Peter recounts the days of Noah in which just a few were 'saved through water'. Note that while 'they' were saved, quite literally, in the Ark ( typical of the Christ ) through the waters of baptism ( there again, sprinkling, not immersion/submersion ), it was by the 'anti-type' that God's people ( New Covenant ) were truly and really saved, and by which they were cleansed in their 'heart of hearts' ( somewhere water would never, could never reach ); the baptism of the Holy Spirit of God Himself ( Ezekiel 36:25-27 )!

Getting back to 'the washing of water by the word'; it is plainly, abundantly clear that Paul's referent in his letter to the Ephesians is the ritual cleansing, both of priests and sacrifices, practiced religiously under the Old Covenant. What may not be so clear, is that Paul's phraseology was also inextricably linked to the early Christian practice of water baptism! These Christians, most fresh from the chains of Judaism, and thus quite familiar with the concept of ritual and symbolic cleansing in water ( always running, as in poured, never immersed/dipped ), must have necessarily realized what these symbolic acts were significant of!

As with Jesus' baptism, these ritual washings continued for a time, throughout the transition period between the Cross and the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, to comfort them until the Revelation of Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, who came in the clouds of judgment on His Old Covenant people who had apostatized.

It was through the very Word of God that salvation came to His people, and though Paul stated that it was through 'the washing of water by the word', it must be clearly understood, and should be plain that, although he was referring back to the rituals practiced under the Old Covenant, he was, in all reality, speaking of the incarnate Word to which those 'baptisms' pointed. 

It was by the baptism of the Spirit, the Spirit which was 'poured out.............on the house of Israel' ( Ezekiel 39:29 ) in the last days ( Joel 2:28 ), that the people of God throughout the ages received the greatest Gift ever given, the restoration to blessed communion with their Creator and Father!

In Jesus' name, Amen!

Charles Haddon Shank

Whom Do You Serve?

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. 

But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

I John 4:18 

Aside from the latent contextual issues behind this statement, like audience relevance, etc., these words should give us pause, if not stir us to even greater action. The apostle Paul wrote this to the Christians in Rome, 'I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord' ( Romans 8: 38 & 39 ). With this kind of Love, Love personified, we should be without fear, yet fear seems to lurk around every corner, even sometimes, for the most seasoned believer!

G. K. Chesterton wrote, 'Jesus promised his disciples three things—that they would be completely fearless, absurdly happy, and in constant trouble', and while this may seem a quite absurd statement, it is quite true. Jesus did tell them, as we read above, from John's 1st letter that we should be fearless; He promised, in Matthew 6:33 that if we seek first His Kingdom, and His Righteousness, that 'all these things shall be added to you'. Reading the context of 'all', we can see that this 'all' includes 'all' things necessary for life, breath, and happiness. In John 16:33, we read where He said to them, 'In the world you will^[d] have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.' With the historical context, especially in mind, the apostle Peter confirmed His words, saying, 'We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God'. These words are true and faithful! We urge you to be good Bereans and search out these matters for yourself, and when you find them to be true, implement them in your own lives, if they do not already rule your conversation.

When we're not completely fearless, absurdly happy, and in constant trouble, 

then we're serving the wrong master!

Fear seems to lurk around every corner, there is much that happens in our everyday lives that we find it very difficult to be happy about, and damn it all, can't we have just ONE day go by without stirring up some kind of trouble?!

If you don't see a problem with this statement, then you're part of the problem! First of all, it only seems that fear lurks around every corner. A wise man once said, rightly, that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself'. Fear, spine-tingling, numbing fear is all in our heads; we have no real cause for it, especially for the believer. If we fear, which we all do, we should wonder who we are serving. Please don't get me wrong; I am not saying that if one is ever afraid that one has not reached perfection in love!  Just to clarify; even the strongest, most mature of Christians has moments of fear, but the point is, that  fear should not rule his/her life!

Happy, happy, joy joy! It's all good, especially for the believer, but whether we want to admit it or not, it just doesn't feel like 'happy, happy, joy joy' all the time! Should we be happy all the time? You bet we should; living in God's Kingdom where everything happens for our good and His glory, where we are living in communion with our Creator, our Father, 24/7! What a blessed Life we have! Yet there are still things that happen in our blessed life that leave us feeling unhappy, even unfulfilled, empty, almost! And trouble; don't even get me started on trouble! Do you realize the kind of trouble one can get in just for thinking outside the box? Sometimes I feel like Jeremiah or one of the prophets must have felt! The Christian, though, is not being true to his faith if he, or she, is not stirring the pot. Many of those to whom we preach the Gospel ( using words if necessary ) are not going to appreciate our witness, and depending on their reaction; we may often be made to feel fear, we might be unhappy, or we may just give up in hopes of establishing peaceful relations.

Much, if not all of our problem lies in our self. We feel a certain emotion, and depending on how we react (or not ) to that emotion determines whether we live as we should! Not to say that emotions are necessarily a bad thing, but too often we allow our emotions ( fear, unhappiness, unrest ) to rule our lives. Even Christians have their moments when emotions seem to take over! Many others, though, those who do not have the peace of Christ have let emotions overrun their lives; they live by how they feel at any given moment. These serve their own wants and lusts, and this is why fear, unhappiness and unrest have taken over their lives.

The Christian, however, if he is truly following Christ's example, will exhibit fearlessness, true happiness, and will always be at peace, though he always seems to be in hot water with somebody. The true Christian will not be overruled by his affections, or emotions, because he does not serve himself. Rather, he serves his Lord, Christ, and His Body, which is the Church, not any institutionalized organism, but those who belong to Christ.

It all comes down, then, to the question, 'whom do you serve?'

Will you serve our God and Father, and be fearless and happy, even in the midst of tribulation; or will you serve yourself, and remain subject to the emotions of fear, unhappiness, and unrest?!

The choice is yours; choose wisely!

Charles Haddon Shank

The Validity of Religion - Rightly Practiced

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, [ and ] to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

There are some today who claim to spurn 'religion', and indeed there are some of these who have failed to practice true and right religion, but I believe that most of those who treat the term spuriously have forgotten the true meaning of the term, and/or have swallowed 'hook, line, and sinker' the teaching of certain men who claim that 'religion' is a man-made thing, or even put it on the same level as a cult!

Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, in its secondary definition very simply defines religion as 'a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices'. This definition, while very simple, will not satisfy most people, especially those who in some form or another, and for whatever reason, have distanced themselves, if not from the practice of the true religion, at least from use of the term itself. Also online, dictionary.com defines the term primarily as 'a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.' Though varying somewhat ( and these are only two of those available ), there is a basic and fundamental agreement in these two, if not elsewhere, that one's religion is his (or her ) core set of beliefs, those they live by. Everybody believes something, and if they truly live as they believe ( 'practice what you preach' ), then they can be truly called 'religious'!

Now, don't get me wrong, there are bad religions as well as good religions, wrong beliefs as well as right beliefs. There are people who do right and people who do wrong, and those who do wrong have given 'religion' a bad name, especially for those who practice the true religion. There are those too, that may claim to believe certain things, whether right or wrong, but do not live the way they claim to believe. These people only deceive themselves! Either their actions are right and good, while what they claim to believe is wrong, or their religion is false and useless; while claiming to believe what is right and good, they end up acting wrongly!

Again; looking at Merriam-Webster's secondary definition of what constitutes a cult ( 'a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents' ), we see that it can resemble a religion. Indeed, a cult IS a religion, but a false, or wrong one. On the contrary though, a religion is NOT ( necessarily ) a cult. Wrongly applied, even a right set of beliefs can actually become cultish, in fact that is very likely why many have abandoned the notion altogether. A cult is never a good thing thing, but a religion is not always a good thing either! Cultish beliefs though, when not applied, can end in right actions, just as right beliefs, when not applied, can end in wrong actions.

Religion, true religion, the religion described by James above, unlike a cult, is NOT a man-made idea!

According to the dictionary definitions above, that I have provided, religion is simply what a man believes, but is this biblically or scripturally sound? James, the brother of our Lord, seems to tell us that rather than being a set of beliefs, true religion is a 'set' of actions. We must, however grudgingly, admit that according to our modern dictionary definitions, religion is man-made. If what one man ( or woman ) or a group of people ( body politic ) believes is what constitutes a religion, then religion is, by definition, in the mind of man!

As Scripture defines religion, then, it is 'to visit orphans and widows in their trouble', in essence to love them, to share the love of God with them. Now, to be honest, many Christians out there, for whatever reason, do not seem to be doing this. We must understand, first of all, the original intent that James had for those words when he wrote them to their original audience. The political situation that the Church was facing was somewhat different than ours today, though ours has some strikingly familiar aromas about it! Secondly, one need not take James' words literally, just as one must not take Jesus' command to wash each others feet literally in order to be a servant. To 'visit orphans and widows in their trouble' could just as easily entail helping a little old lady across the street, lifting a homeless person to their feet, or conducting a nursing home ministry ( as my father does ).

Religion is not a bad thing in and of itself; as we have seen with many other 'things', it can be rightly or wrongly applied. Wrongly applied, it can be a very wrong and harmful notion, but rightly applied, as our Lord's brother speaks of, religion can be a very good thing! Though one will not always do the right thing just because he believes rightly, and one will not always do wrongly because he believes wrongly; true, or 'pure and undefiled religion' is to love as He loved. Right beliefs lead, at some point, to right actions!

The sad thing is, many Christians seem to have forgotten how to love, how to practice their true, pure and undefiled religion, and many, who do not claim the name of Christ, and whose motives may not be pure and undefiled, have been practicing the true religion, sharing the love of God, though they do not admit to His love themselves. May we, as the Body of Christ, right this wrong and begin once more to live in the Love of God, and practice His true religion!

Religiously prayerful.
Charles Haddon Shank

The Scattering of Israel, the Son of God

When Israel [ was ] a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.

Hosea 11:1

When Israel was banished from the land during the Babylonian Exile ( or destroyed if they refused ), this was viewed, no doubt, as an adverse judgement. Most Christians today, in fact see this period of Exile as the punishment of disobedient and rebellious old covenant Israel, and indeed it was a disciplinary action on the part of Yahweh. However, I believe that the primary purpose of Yahweh in the scattering of His people which is often missed or glossed over was the spread of the good news of His Covenant of peace!

Israel had been established as a nation of priests, a special people of God, by the receiving of the Law at Sinai, and by the sign of baptism as they entered the Wilderness ( the Red Sea, or Sea of Reeds ), then the Promised Land ( the Jordan River ). They were to serve as God's priests within the Land, to establish His religion, and then to spread that religion throughout the boundaries of the known world, to the four corners of the earth. Although they did, to some degree, practice this true religion in the Land; when they began to observe the pagan ( heathen ) nations around them, rather then affecting these other cultures with this true religion, or at least some semblance of it, they found themselves conforming to these foreign practices, and lost almost all semblance to the true religion which Yahweh had established!

There are several shining examples in the Scripture that we may note where men or women of God become glorious examples of the fulfillment of God's purpose in establishing Israel as His priest to the nations! Joseph ( Genesis 30-50 ), long before the Exodus, was a good example of how God spread His true religion to other nations and used these nations to protect and nurture His special people, Israel. Fast-forward many centuries, and during the the most notable Exile of the people of God, the Babylonian Captivity, to Daniel, who faithfully fulfilled his duty, along with three friends, in moving the king of Babylon towards an acknowledgement of the true religion and true God. 

Through these men, and others like them, Yahweh's true religion began to gain a foothold throughout the entire world, and it continues even today, as Daniel prophesied ( Daniel 2:44b ), 'the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed'. This passage, though in context it refers to the establishment of this Kingdom by the first century A.D., it also prophesies a 'rolling stone' which brings into submission and under its dominion every 'kingdom' of man. 

Even for those that did not shine as brightly in the 'heavens', though it was to many of them a dreary and dark time, this Exile served God's purpose in exposing these nations to His One true religion. Because of the shining example, to whatever extent, of His people in Exile, foreign kings were brought to their knees, whether figuratively or actually, whether willingly or not, in acknowledgment of the One true God!

In conclusion, then, we may note that this same principle holds true today, in our own lives. My dad, for example, has ministered to those who are in prison, to whatever extent, and in whatever form, for many years. I remember hearing him remark to someone ( in other words ) who had recently been incarcerated ( neverminding what had placed him there ) that God had placed a glorious opportunity before him. He was now able to witness to a whole new crowd of people that he likely never would have, had he not been imprisoned; a 'captive audience', so to speak!

As we go through struggles like these every day, and some more than others, we should look at 'scatterings' like this as opportunities to further the Gospel of Peace which our loving God and Father has entrusted to us and take them as just the next step in the Journey as we fulfill God's anointing!

Joyfully yet sadly,

Charles Haddon Shank

Kingdom Life in a Dark and Dreary World

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Matthew 5:14

Please do not take these words out of the context in which they were written, to whom or when they were spoken! 

When Jesus spoke these words, according to Matthew's Gospel, or his relation of the Good News of Jesus the Christ, He was near the beginning of what is called 'The Sermon on the Mount'. In this sermon, Jesus told those gathered basically what His followers would look like and what they would do. Because of the Light that would burn within them, they would be lights themselves, to brighten every dark place, and to bring to light the hidden things of darkness.

To begin with; we should examine the historical and grammatical context of the phrase in question.

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying,  

I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.

John 8:12 

Although doubtless, Jesus ( God ) is the Light, not just of the World, but of the Universe; the historical and grammatical context of Jesus' words above demand that 'the world' of which He spoke was 'the world' which He specifically came to save, the covenant world of His people Israel. He even said in another place, 'I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel'. Now, don't get me wrong; this is referring, in the covenantal context, to the 'Israel of God' that the apostle Paul mentions in Galatians 6:16, but when read according to 'audience relevance', or in historical context, you may see that this 'world' was the same 'world' that God so loved, in the oft-quoted John 3:16, and the subsequent 'world' that He came to save, and not to condemn!

This point, that Jesus came to save His covenant people, is often missed by some who claim that Jesus was  the Messiah, or Savior, only of the physical seed of Abraham, or Israel ( Jacob ). At another point of the spectrum are those who claim that all mankind comprises the 'world' which Jesus came to save. Several obvious problems arise here, though, in a 'universalistic view such as this; it makes God ( Jesus ) a failure, for there have obviously been some who have died in their sins ( Hitler, for example ). Either that, or we have utter chaos, every man doing what is right in his own eyes, because they are all 'saved' and 'on their way to heaven'! Well, enough of that, 'we've been there, done that' ( in previous articles )!

Shining the Light

The full ramifications of Christ in us are often missed by modern Christianity, indeed Christianity in general throughout the ages, though the lack of understanding has been heightened somewhat in modern times. We should understand that, since the Godhead has taken up residence within us ( John 14:23 ), although we do not become God, we are the Temple of God, and with His Power within us, are able to shine His Light into the darkest corners, and bring the Love of Jesus ( God ) into the dingiest areas of this world, which is His.

Jesus came to 'save His people from their sins' ( Matthew 1:21 ), and as we saw above; He later on said 'I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel'. How do we reconcile these statements with passages like John 3:16; are we not part of 'the world' that He came to save?

A covenantal understanding of this, and other like passages should reveal to us that we who partake of the Faith of Christ, those who have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit ( God ) ARE the 'Israel of God'! The apostle Paul wrote, in his letter to the Church ( Body of Christ ) in Rome ( Romans 9:6-9 ), 'But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they [ are ] not all Israel who [ are ] of Israel, nor [ are they ] all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, In Isaac your seed shall be called. That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. For this [ is ] the word of promise: At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.' We should understand that, as Paul also wrote, 'those who are of faith are sons of Abraham' ( Galatians 3:7 ); so we, as part of the Body of Christ, and of His Faith, are possessors of the blessings of the Covenant!

As we saw above, and can plainly see all around us every day, we ( individually ) are NOT perfect; the light that we shine pales in comparison to the Light that Jesus shone in His 'world'! As the corporate and covenant Body of Christ, however, we can shine the full strength of that Light into a dark and dreary world! Jesus said, in the Gospel according to John ( 14:12 ), 'Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater [ works ] than these he will do, because I go to My Father'. This seems impossible, and almost laughable, and as individuals, it IS impossible, but as the corporate, covenanted Body of Christ, with the Power of God in His New Temple, it is more than possible, it is REALITY! Every day, in some small and seemingly insignificant way, small miracles take place all over this world of His! Many or most of these miracles escape the notice of the mainstream media, and thus are relegated to their own 'world', but whether we notice them or not, believe it or not, they do happen, for this IS our Father's world; 'resistance is futile, you will be assimilated'!

In conclusion then, though we may not see the effect that we have, though it seems that the Light we are shining is not doing much to lighten even our own sometimes dark and dreary path; let us always remember that we ARE the light of the world, and we DO have the Power of the True Light ( and Creator ) of the World within us!

As we go forth into our 'world' then, whether it be in the workplace or wherever the Spirit leads us, we can have the utmost confidence that the 'seeds' we plant WILL have their effect, and the Light we shine WILL lighten the darkest pathway; We have His word on it!

Hallelujah!

Charles Haddon Shank

'To Be or Not To Be, That is the Question'!

Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

Acts 4:19 

America, like it or not, has a history of rebellion! 

A little over 150 years from the colonization of what is now now known as 'these United States', the 13 original colonies were full of seditious up-starts! Because Great Britain, and in particular, it's king, had begun to take on a god-like stance, our forefathers decided to take a stand, much like the apostles, and remind the king of England that it WAS better to obey the One true God, the King of the Universe, rather than to bow to his petty dictatorship!

As Christians in America today, we must deal with such a government, in some ways, that is even more insidiously god-like then the one our forefathers had to deal with! As Christians, then, we must choose for ourselves whom we will serve; 'who WILL be our 'God', will it be the one true God, or will it be the 'Messianic State', who has usurped, with the willing help of the majority of Christianity, the authority and power that belongs to our Creator, God and Father Alone?!

'You 'Gotta Serve Somebody'!'

Whether or not you agree with Bob Dylan's theology ( everybody has a theology ); he had this right; you WILL serve someone, whether it be your own selfish lusts, the 'Messianic State' or the One true and living God, through serving His people! We have to choose, as Christians especially, whom we will serve. As followers of Jesus, we have necessarily made that choice, and to be true to that choice, we must rebel against any form of government that endeavors to take the place of God, or His Church! If we do not do this at every opportunity, can we call ourselves true followers of Jesus?!

choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve

.........................

as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord

Joshua 24:15 b & d

There is a choice before all men, as we've seen, but, as we've also seen, to the true follower of Jesus, there is but one option. Jesus told His followers ( audience ), 'No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon' ( Luke 16:13 ) It goes without saying that to serve yourself or the 'Messianic State ( government ) would be antithetical to serving God and others, yet we see 'Christians' doing this right alongside those who do not claim this relationship with their Creator. We see many 'Christians' looking to the federal or even state government for their salvation; we see many Christians looking to the political machine as means of getting out of the mess we've created! 

To paraphrase Albert Einstein, though, 'you can't solve your problems using the same system that caused them'! Too many Christians, whether because of bad eschatology or just bad theology, seem to believe that they can serve their own interests through the political machine, or even that they should serve the 'Messianic State', all the while serving Jesus and His Kingdom as well, but as is becoming more and more apparent; we cannot do both. It's one or the other; we either serve God and His Kingdom, or we serve our own interests, and look to ( serve ) the 'Messianic State'! There is no other choice, especially for the Christian!

Charles Haddon Shank

The Enemy at the Gates?

And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head, 
And you shall bruise His heel.

 Genesis 3:15 

'But, didn't Jesus destroy the enmity?'

Yes, indeed He did; He came to destroy 'him who had the power of death', and 'having abolished in His flesh the enmity', 'so as to create in Himself one new man [ from ] the two', He 'came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near'. ( I should just quote the whole passage here! ) For those who are aware of the important and covenantal context of these words from the apostle Paul, these words, though comforting still, report that the purpose for which God sent His Son was fulfilled in the first century. He has made us 'a new creation', making One from the two, having 'broken down the middle wall of separation'!

'So why', one might ask, 'are there still wars; why are there still evils like abortion, murder, rape, etc., in the world?' These are a very present evil; no argument, but there is a very simple answer for us in James 4. 

'Where do wars and fights [ come ] from among you? 'Do [ they ] not [ come ] from your [ desires for ] pleasure that war in your members?'

Quoting this verse as I do, you may note that the words in brackets are not in the original Greek, and that the general context of this rhetorical question demands that they held a slightly different meaning for their original audience. With that said, I believe that they apply as well today as they did yesterday! From even a very superficial study of human nature, we may ascertain the eternal truth of these words of warning! Even in followers of Jesus Christ, this nature presents itself, whether we want to admit it or not, whether we reveal it or not, every day!

With good self-government, the Christian, and even some who would not be called Christian by most, manage to squelch their selfish desire and, for the sake of others with a greater and more pressing need, act in a Christ-like and self-sacrificing  way. ( Now, don't get me wrong, I believe that self-sacrifice can only go so far: one must take care of oneself, sometimes, in order to take care of others! ) Although many manage to do this, there is abundant evidence that there are those that do not! Men and women still kill and abuse each other, and there are plenty of 'evil' enterprises out there that could be named; where should we start?!

There is no question; though God defeated ( destroyed ) the 'enemy' He came to annihilate, there are still enemies of Jesus Christ, and of His Gospel out there! One doesn't usually have to look very far to find evidences of this 'evil'. Where men and women live in rebellion, whether active ( militant ) or not, against the Laws of their Creator, you will find this 'evil' present and very active!

 But outside [ are ] dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

Revelation 22:15

It has been questioned, I believe, since 'the end of all things' came and went in the first century AD, whether this statement still holds true today. I believe it does, though again, maybe, not to the extent, or with the same intent with which John wrote those words. There are those who have not yet received, or will not accept, for whatever reason, the love that the Father extends through His people, and though much if not all of the respons'a'bility lies with them, this responsibility can be spread evenly throughout His Church as well! Again, don't get me wrong; I am NOT slandering the Bride ( Wife ) of Christ, as some would accuse me of! I am simply saying that, whether based on a wrong eschatology or just bad theology, the Church has made some bad and hurtful decisions throughout her long and storied marriage!

So, doubtless the statement that there are still enemies at the gate is a true one, but as John 'saw' in The Revelation of Jesus the Christ, concerning the New Jerusalem, which IS the Church; 'Its gates shall not be shut at all by day'! Although they may be outside the 'gates'; all are welcomed, and indeed, all are invited!'

And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

Revelation 22:17

You may read Scriptures like Matthew 22:1-14, about the wedding supper, and the man who was cast out because he was not wearing a fit garment, and the woman caught in adultery, whom Jesus refused to condemn, though He did tell her, 'go and^[k] sin no more' ( note- this story is not related in the most ancient manuscripts ). Both of these stories, or parables, should be understood in the historical and covenantal context in which they were given, but we can also understand, from these and other stories, that it is sin, or the lack of the righteousness which only the Spirit of God can apply, which keeps these people ( who are 'outside' ) from entering the City, and enjoying the blessings of the Presence of God!

May we, as inhabitants of the City, not refuse entrance to any who would enter, but sharing the love of God with ALL, let us continually voice the cry of the Spirit and the Bride, and just say, 'COME'!

In His love,
Charles Haddon Shank
                                   ^'

The Return of the King

There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: 

there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.

Book 6, Chapter 2 of 'The Lord of the Rings' by J.R.R. Tolkien

In this seemingly God-less world that we have inherited, there is a tendency for us to look at all the 'evil' around us and to despair, even of life at times. However, as we read in the quote above, it is when we lift our vision above the trials, tribulations and struggles of this thing we call 'Life' that we realize that there is a Power greater than the 'evil' that surrounds us! It is this Power which is at work in us; this Power enables us, through the strength He has given us, to deal with this 'evil', with these trials, tribulations and struggles, and to overcome and overturn them. It is this Power which enables us to rise above and to take hope in the fact that we have been made 'a new creation', 'the leaves of the Tree', that were 'for the healing of the nations'.

This Power, which resides in us is none other than the Almighty King, the Creator, and our Father!

As Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin ( can't forget Smeagol/Gollum ) awaited 'The Return of the King', and labored through much toil, hardship and oppression to destroy the one thing that stood in his way, so those first-century followers of Jesus the Christ awaited His return, while they labored through much toil, hardship and oppression and hardship to destroy the one thing that stood in the way of the advancement of His Kingdom, and the spread of His Gospel!

Much as the characters in J.R.R. Tolkien's inspired work; followers of the Son of God have found that, when necessary, they can do great deeds, many beyond their own imagined strength! Because of 'The Return of the King', and the final defeat of those who held the powers of sin and death, God's people no longer live under the threat of the Law, and are free to follow in His footsteps, in His strength, without worrying that one misstep could condemn them forever!

Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, 

 and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, 

and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven 

with power and great glory.

Matthew 24:30 

When those first-century followers asked Jesus when He would return, He answered them with this statement. All those who rejected His inclusive Gospel would be suffer His adverse, but just judgment at His return! With Aragorn's return to the stage of ( middle-earth ) history, the force's of evil found themselves losing ground, and finally suffered defeat at the edge of his sword! Yet it was not without the aid of some very courageous followers that the battle was won! So it was in the first century, that the followers of Jesus the Christ overcame, through His strength, the forces of evil that threatened the spread of His Gospel!

Since our King has returned ( since the first century ) and taken up His Dwelling in the midst of His people, what effect should this have on and in their lives? How should we then live? Should we not live according to the freedom we have been given, like the fictional characters in J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece lived ( and fought ), as knowing that the power of evil had been crushed ( destroyed ); that though evil still happened, it had no 'fangs'! Because He has crushed the head of the 'serpent' forever, and now dwells in His New Temple, we can go forth 'conquering, and to conquer', knowing that His salvation is complete, and the battle has been won: we fight mere skirmishes!

Charles Haddon Shank

The Church in ( Realized ) Transition; The Moon IS no More

No, this is not to be yet another article espousing the transition period of the first century AD! This article will not be about trying to prove that this transition period transpired from the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of the Son of God till His return in judgment on His old covenant people, or whether this transition period was from His first advent till His second. I am not going to try to prove that the term 'thousand' ( actually, it's myriads, I believe ) can be 40 'short' years! I've even heard that the transition period may have begun as early as the command to 'go forth and rebuild Jerusalem', or even before! In this article; I will not be going back to that first century transition period, except perhaps in theory, or for instance. What this article is about, primarily, is 'perception'!

For many years ( 150-200, give or take ), the Church has been infested with the notion, in varying degrees, that we are still waiting for the end of that transition period! Here's where we might run into that most familiar, but annoying phrase, 'already, not yet'. Even though Christ has not returned to dwell with His people ( except in Spirit ), some will tell you, we have fully entered into the New Covenant Era. How can we be in the New Covenant, if He has not yet returned to complete the renewal of that Covenant? We, as Christians, have already made the transition from the old to the new, 'from death to life', but, because Christ has not returned yet, we do not yet see the complete redemption of His covenant creation, according to this paradigm!

The transition in focus here is not unlike the effects of that first-century transition period: it is powered by the same Creator, although maybe not with quite the same impetus and end as that one did! This is more of a realization of the true transition, not as an 'already, not yet' proposition, but as a 'NOW' reality! More and more Christians, even those outside the visible, organized 'church', are beginning to make this transition from varying degrees of 'already, not yet' to realizing that we have all the promises in Christ 'NOW'

'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him'.

John 14:23 

The verse above has become one of my favorite verses to quote, recently, because although most Christians would agree that the verse plainly states that the Godhead dwells with us ( Jesus is in our 'hearts' ), I believe that most do not realize the fullness of what that means! If the Godhead dwells with us, having made Their home with us, as we are the new Temple, then that must mean that 'Heaven' DID 'come down', 'and Glory filled my soul, when', as the old hymn states, 'at the cross, the Savior made me whole'.

At this juncture, we could get into all the speculative argumentation about how, if Jesus ( in the flesh ) is still sequestered in some 'pie in the sky 'Heaven' ( up there ), then how is He dwelling with us now? Oh, right; He is a Spirit, He dwells everywhere at once! But ifd the Godhead, as per the statement above, dwells with us, who's in 'Heaven'? Oh, right; same answer! This could go on and on if it was allowed, but the simple truth is; when Jesus made this promise to those believing in, covenanting with Him, He meant it, and it wasn't contingent on believing that we already have all these things 'NOW'!

So, what does all this have to do with the moon? 

In His days the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.

Psalm 72:7

 Whether you read statements like this in the Bible and think immediately of that cold, hard orb ( 'that rules the night' ) hanging out there in space, or whether you realize, as many are beginning to, that the creation of this colossal rock was simply as a representation of God's old covenant people, and the way that they were to reflect His glory into their dark and dreary world; it is clear that, even after this 'moon' has been done away with, God's people still flourish!

Together with the revelation, above, from the Gospel according to John, we should be able to begin to piece together what the inspired psalmist meant when he penned those words. No longer do the righteous followers of Jesus, the children of God, merely reflect the justice and mercy of God into a dark and dreary world; the love of God in Jesus now shines out FROM us! Maybe this is what Daniel ( 12:3 ) and then Jesus ( Matthew 13:43 ) meant when they said, 'Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father'. There is a tendency, when using language in this way however, to be construed as saying that we are divinity, that we are God! Although I have toyed with the idea that we ARE divine, being indwelt by the Godhead and thus being incapable of the sin ( I John 3:9 ); I will NOT entertain the notion that we are the One who created all things! 

We are, on our own account, through the power of Him who indwells us, creators ourselves, though on a much smaller scale. It IS through us, the 'leaves of the tree', after all, that He is healing the nations ( some would take issue here, saying that this too, being fulfilled, is complete; no more 'healing' )! Jesus even told His disciples, in this same passage ( John 14:12 ) that 'he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater [ works ] than these he will do, because I go to My Father'. You might interpret that to suit your 'fancy' or pet doctrine. but really; how ELSE can you understand it?!

So, in conclusion, before we get too far off the subject; because of the one final sacrifice of the Son of God, and His subsequent resurrection and ascension; He has redeemed His people from the power of sin and death, and we have made ( speaking corporately here, of course ) the transition from the old to the new, from 'death to life': as Jesus Himself put it, from simply being 'moons', reflectors of His glory, to shining that Light ourselves ( through the Power that dwells in us ) wherever we go, and in whatever we do!

Now THAT, if nothing else, should give us great pause!

Are we shining that Light if we live our lives as though it's 'already, not yet'; even if we are occupying till He comes, and doing our part to be 'the light of the world' ( Matthew 5:14 ); are we really doing what Jesus said we would in places like John 14:12, without realizing the full Truth that we ARE the Light of the world?

However you answer these questions, I think the consensus would have to be a resounding 'YES'!

Even though many Christians, both inside and outside of the organized, institutional church have not realized the fullness of this truth, whether out of ignorance or fear; it is clear to this blogger that God is still using our feeble efforts to advance His Kingdom on earth! May we all realize that we no longer sit in our little corner ( or pew ), or even stand as a beacon ( 'a flag to follow'? ) for the beleaguered of this fallen world to flock to for refuge; we are Shining Lights ( corporately, again ) to let this world know that the One who created them cares about them and wants to have a closer, more intimate relationship with them!

Let's go out and shine that Light on all that we see!

Glorying in His fulness,
Charles Haddon Shank