The Puzzle, April 1, 2010
What Kind of Unity?
I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. John 17:20-23
Jesus prayed for unity between His followers. But what kind? Would His desire be for modern-day believers to all be scrunched into the biggest sanctuary in town, so we could all be “one Church,” instead of meeting in dozens of cross-laden buildings throughout the city, some with no instrumental music, some you can hear from the parking lot?
Does God desire that every church become a mega-church, with a large staff, large facilities, large everything? Is God into large and nothing else, when it comes to church? That seems pretty limiting for a God who made both mosquitoes and blue whales, atoms and galaxies.
So, when Jesus was asking the Father for “unity,” what would the answer to His prayer look like in my neck of the woods?
In the military, there are several branches of the service, each with their own distinctive terminology, traditions and methods, but all with the same purpose—defending the United States, and all with the same commander-in-chief, the president. The Navy Seals do one thing, the Air Force another, but they are not “divided” in their allegiance. They all serve the same country.
It just makes sense to be able to divide forces, assign different missions to different branches, corresponding to their resources, and have an over-all battle plan, rather than assuming that in the interests of “unity,” everybody should be all together, doing exactly the same thing!
It’s unity of purpose, and it’s unity of loyalty that count, in a war. We’re in a war with Satan. If our purpose is to be disciples of Jesus Christ and we recognize Him as Commander-in-Chief, if we know whose side we’re on and that we’re all on the same side, we are probably a lot more united than it seems.
The unity for which Jesus prayed was the unity which results when Christ lives in us and we all have the same God living in us. Differences become irrelevant when we all joyfully serve the same Master. The more diverse we are, the more the true unity shows up. Christ in us, the hope of glory. That’s the unity we need.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, April 5, 2010
What Exalts a Nation
Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people.
Proverbs 14:34
What exalts a nation? It depends on whom we ask. Some would claim that a strong military is most important in exalting a nation. Probably more would argue for the economy as key. “Democracy” and “freedom” would be the cry for many. Minor factions would root for their preferred flavor of political correctness.
When a country is exalted above others, what do they call it? “Superpower.” Since the collapse of the U.S.S.R., the United States of America has regarded herself as the world’s only remaining “superpower.” Military might? Dominant. Economy? Dominant. Influence? Dominant, particularly in all things entertainment. Another indicator of a dominant superpower is the flow of traffic: Are people trying to get into the country or out? No question. They still want in, even to the point of breaking the law in order to come here.
We could add other ingredients to the argument for the U.S. being a great superpower, based on the opinions of generals, economists, politicians and others.
What about God?
Would the Almighty consider the U.S.A. a force with which to be reckoned? Do we intimidate Him with our might or money? When it comes to “exalted” status, which nations might rise to that level in the Lord’s eyes? What impresses Him, if anything? Let’s put it this way: Is America a spiritual superpower?
I don’t like thinking of the answer to that question. There are those who would argue that because we have been a spiritual superpower, it means we still are. Others might say that because we’re still predominately religious, we’re still a spiritual superpower.
Let’s use the Bible as a measuring stick instead of our own opinions: Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
Oh. Is the U.S. becoming more righteous (right with God) or more sinful? Sin is a reproach to any people. I’m pretty sure that would include us.
Which is being exalted more in our land, these days, sin or righteousness? Sin (as defined by God, not us) is a reproach, not a right. Righteousness is how we got to superpower status in the first place. It is the only way we’ll keep it for long.
What is the answer? Let go of the sin which destroys us, as individuals and a people. Embrace the righteousness which only comes from a holy God. That’s what exalts a nation.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, April 6, 2010
Pay Per Prophet
And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there, but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.”
Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ Now therefore hear the word of the LORD. Amos 7:12-16
Starting today, one devotional per week will be from Amos, one of the prophetic books of the Old Testament. The prophets are heavy sledding, even the minor ones, partly because their message has always been difficult to hear. Amos is reputed to have been the first prophet to write down the messages he received from the Lord. As I did a bit of research on his situation, it sounds too much like ours for comfort.
Amos lived in Israel, the northern half of a divided kingdom comprised of Israel and, to the south, Judah. Under King Solomon, the nation had been at its zenith. Solomon’s arrogant son, Rehoboam, had managed to mismanage the kingdom into a split from which they never recovered. He retained only the tribe of his ancestry, Judah, while ten tribes followed a new rival king named Jeroboam and broke off, never to reunite. The Twelve Tribes of Israel had become two nations, Judah and Israel (also known as Samaria).
Centuries had passed. The Assyrian Empire had been on a tear, but seemed to now be receding. Israel had regained strength and territory under a king whose name, ironically, was again Jeroboam (II). They were enjoying wealth and influence, as well as the expansion of their boundaries to limits unknown since Solomon’s reign. Israel was as strong as she had ever been.
Into a nation once again swelled up with pride, God sent a prophet. His name was Amos. There were professional prophets in those days, but their main responsibility was to keep the king in a good mood, using spiritual-sounding words. Amos’ job had been to herd sheep and pick figs, up to the point when God called him. Considering the messages he had to deliver, it was to his advantage to not be on the payroll. When he spoke, he didn’t offer manmade credentials to back up his words; he simply started out, “Thus says the LORD,” and delivered whatever God had given him. Amaziah, the resident pay-per-prophet of King Jeroboam, didn’t like it. Amos said, “Tough.” Sometimes, it pays to not be on the payroll, especially if God sends us to tell people the truth, instead of what they want to hear.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, April 7, 2010
Chosen, Equipped, Useful
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. John 15:6
Years ago, when I was ordained as a minister, we were instructed to bring our Bibles with us to the church altar where we would be ordained. As other believers affirmed my call to ministry, my Bible was open to this verse. I needed the reminder that I had not chosen myself for this high calling, but God had chosen me, along with the promise that He would do something useful in my life if I were only available to Him. Along with the assignment was the promise from Jesus to supply everything I would need.
It’s been a glorious ride, and it’s not over. I’ve not had a lot of “fruit” over the years, if “church growth” is the standard, but if what we’re talking is the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, there is so much more of that fruit in my life than there was when I first accepted a call to preach! Anything good in my life, God put there. I’d rather not imagine life without Him.
He doesn’t just call ministers, but everyone. All are called to be disciples.
Chosen. That’s who we are—God’s chosen. When we accept His invitation to become a child of God, we’re in the family. We’re not just hirelings on the payroll or slaves in the field; Jesus calls us “friends” and “brothers.” We are all the way in. The privileges (and responsibilities) of family members are ours.
Equipped. We have His name. Repeatedly, Jesus pleads with His disciples to ask in His name for whatever we need, with the promise that He will answer. He wants us to bear fruit, His benchmark for success. We will always have everything we need to complete the assignment given us.
Useful. We have an assignment. Nor is that assignment just to “sit.” God plans to produce real fruit through us, the fruit of His Spirit.
What do we do? Accept our assignment from God. That’s what I did when I finally responded to a call to preach. I accepted my assignment from God. That’s what I did when I resigned from the pastorate, five years ago. I accepted a new assignment from God. The main “fruit” of that assignment seems to have been obedience and availability. Which brings me to the present moment.
What is God’s assignment for me, now? To bear fruit. He has chosen us to bear fruit. He has equipped us for every good work. When we make ourselves available to Him, He makes sure we are useful. Chosen by God! Nothing like it.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, April 12, 2010
The Wrath Whisperer
A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:1
There are many times when a wrath extinguisher would come in handy. Proverbs tells us “a soft answer” does the best job of defusing anger. And in the unlikely event that we would ever need some way to stir things up, one harsh word will generally suffice.
Note the difference in the predicted results of soft answers and harsh words, despite the fact no mention is made as to whether the answers are right or wrong. It’s because it doesn’t matter!
Huh?
When it comes to putting out the fire of an already angry person, “being right” doesn’t get you any farther than being wrong, unless your response is “soft.”
Soft in what way?
Every way.
Soft in volume. Soft in approach. Soft in body language. A good friend of mine pastors a church where their bulletin urges people to respond to one another with “soft eyes.” I’ve never heard the term elsewhere, but I like it. It’s self-explanatory. And it works.
Soft speech. Soft approach. Soft body language. Soft eyes. Anger deflected or defused. Maybe not immediately, but wrath doesn’t stand up well to a soft answer. Meanwhile, returning harshness for harshness may keep the thing going for a generation or two, even if the responder is “right”!
Soft answers divert anger, while the least bit of harshness provokes it, even if the message is accurate, logically sound and all that. “Harsh” drowns out all logic. When we’re already upset, it’s all we hear.
Praise God for “wrath whisperers,” those souls who have a way with angry people. When folks are yowling mad, the wrath whisperer doesn’t outyell anyone into submission or mount an impassioned logical counter-offensive. Mostly, they listen. If they say anything at all, it’s soft—in every way. Someone has been dishing out anger at volume ten. They look into soft eyes which refuse to condemn, or even reflect anger. They feel their anger being absorbed by someone strong enough to stay vulnerable. No matter what comes their way, the wrath whisperer responds softly, gently, calmly. Anger dies down with the volume. Rage is reduced. A little logic returns. Good job, wrath whisperer. The Father is proud of you.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, April 13, 2010
Secrets from God
For the Lord GOD does nothing
without revealing his secret
to his servants the prophets.
Amos 3:7
Nature has been getting weird. Earthquakes in places which don’t get earthquakes. Global warming conferences conducted in blizzards. Winters to remember—or try to forget. I saw on the news tonight that the number of major earthquakes this year is actually about average, so far—it’s just that usually they hit in thinly populated areas (like the ocean) and are scarcely noticed. There’s a big difference in damage caused between a 7.0 quake out in the Pacific and one in a nation as unprepared as Haiti.
Are events like Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti earthquake God’s judgment on people, or “natural events”? Our sinful world deserves judgment no matter where we put our finger on the globe, but if disasters like this were indeed direct expressions of God’s wrath, I think He would have done something, first. I think He would have warned us. For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.
If a parent hauls off and hits a child at random—no warning, no reason—just a swipe to the side of the head of a bewildered kid, the only lesson learned is to duck quicker when that parent is around. For correction to mean anything constructive, it needs to be controlled and suitable to the offense. It also needs to be predicted: “If you continue to act this way, this is what will happen.” Punishment without warning is non-productive and will probably just be considered abusive. Judgment falling upon offenders thoroughly warned still isn’t welcomed by them, but at least it makes sense. They knew they had it coming. Sure enough, the promised punishment arrives.
God disciplines His children. He even disciplines nations. But unlike the unpredictable false gods of legend, the one true God acts like a good Father. Clear expectations, promised rewards and punishments based upon the actions of His children—that’s the way our God operates. Before punishment is applied, there comes plenty of warning and plenty of opportunity for repentance. The instruments He most often uses to deliver warnings and promises are the prophets. The prophets are a gift from a kind and fair Father. When prophets truly sent from God speak, we are hearing from God. We would do really well to listen. There’s a lesson in there, somewhere.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, April 14, 2010
Pop-up Commandment
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. John 15:12-17
The commandment is as persistent as internet pop-up ads. Just about the time we think we’re safely past the reminder, here it comes again—the pop-up commandment. Love one another. We can’t sneak very far through the New Testament without being confronted by Jesus’ favorite commandment. In books like 1 John it shows up in nearly every paragraph, just so we won’t forget.
How could such a great commandment feel so confrontational? I guess it’s meant to be. The commandment to love one another is not like Weight Watchers, where you can substitute some other commandments in place of this one, if you don’t like it. It’s the glaring dividing line between light and darkness. In 1 John, the apostle explains it bluntly, in way too many ways to miss: If you don’t love your brother, you don’t love God, either. You’re fooling yourself. Case closed.
This might be a frustrating, sometimes annoying commandment, but it’s not an optional one. Loving our brother is not in the list of spiritual gifts; it’s in the list of requirements to even be a disciple. We can’t beg off on this commandment because “it’s harder for us than it is for some people.” God isn’t accepting excuses of why we “can’t” love one another. It’s expected of all disciples. Trying to get through the New Testament without being confronted by the requirement is futile. It’s everywhere, and God is not kidding.
The best approach to the pop-up commandment is to not waste time trying to avoid it, but to obey it. When we once set our sights on loving God through loving the people He has placed in our lives, the whole Gospel begins to make sense, not to mention becoming immeasurably more fun. I’m glad God cares so much about helping us “get” this commandment. If we don’t learn another thing in this life, He wants us to learn to love. It’s what the Gospel is all about. There’s no use hiding from the commandment. There’s no use missing out on all the fun, either.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, April 19, 2010
The Pursuit of Righteousness
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
but he loves him who pursues righteousness.
Proverbs 15:8-9
It’s not just the “sacrifice” that counts; it’s the heart. Going through the motions without any real interest in righteousness is an abomination to God. Everything the wicked do is detestable to Him. Why? Because of the heart. He doesn’t detest them; He detests what they do. God loves us, but He doesn’t necessarily love everything we do. And until there is a change of heart, even our sacrifices are rejected.
There is a lot of the philosophy going around that it doesn’t particularly matter about the heart, so long as people contribute. And the religion of tolerance has such a grip on our country that some consider righteousness to be whatever they jolly well want it to be, in total rejection of any kind of higher authority than themselves. It’s not hard to see where that would be detestable to God!
The prayers of the wicked aren’t getting through—unless they are prayers
of repentance. Their “sacrifices” don’t matter. They may help in keeping the church organization running, but they don’t impress God in the least. On the contrary, they are counted an “abomination” to Him. The way of the wicked is disgusting to Him. A little money or service thrown His way doesn’t change His mind.
What I think we’re missing is the pursuit of righteousness. We have “the pursuit of happiness”—usually a fruitless pursuit when that’s the main goal—but where is the pursuit of righteousness?
The pursuit of righteousness indicates a willingness to allow God to do anything He wants in our lives, in order that we might be free from sin and in a right relationship with Him. That means everything surrendered to Him, nothing held back. How many Christians do we know who are living with this mindset?
He loves the people who pursue righteousness. Why not be those people? Pursue righteousness. Pray. He would use us to change the world. We could live under the favor of God. Or we could pretend He doesn’t care about our heart, so long as He gets the cash. We would be so wrong.
We could place “the pursuit of happiness” as first place in our lives—and be miserable. Or we could pursue righteousness—and be happy.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, April 20, 2010
Bovine Alert
Seek good, and not evil,
that you may live;
and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you,
as you have said.
Hate evil, and love good,
and establish justice in the gate;
it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts,
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
Amos 5:14-15
Amos had one tough job. (Prophets have never been too popular). Amos got to tell his countrymen they were headed for disaster or repentance.
God holds His own people to a higher standard, just as families apply corrective measures to themselves, not wandering strangers, as a rule. There are exceptions: I clearly remember the worst spanking of my life, which came from a woman who had just disciplined her child, my cousin, then heard his accomplice state, “You can’t spank me! I’m company!” I was wrong about that.
The nation of Israel had convinced themselves they were beyond any kind of discipline from God. After all, they were His “chosen people.” Amos blew past their pedigree and addressed the upperclass women of Samaria as “cows of Bashan.” (Amos 4:1) I’m sure they were flattered! He pronounced judgment on them for their oppression of the poor, telling them they would be led out by fishhooks through the breaches in the city wall. Sure enough, later Assyrian illustrations seem to show prisoners being led away by rings in their noses, like cattle. No wonder the prophets weren’t popular.
Not only did Amos give warnings from God; he also pointed out warnings already given, ranging from drought and famine to defeat in war. Nothing yet had moved them toward repentance. Those were warnings from God? Guess so.
God always sends warnings. He sends trembling prophets to tell us the bad news ahead of time, and He sends disasters in stages, hoping we’ll get the hint and come to our senses before it’s too late. If we reject the prophets and ignore all the warnings, then eventually we’ll get the whole thing—because we asked for it and refused to repent. It doesn’t have to be that way. We could repent, while there’s still time and grace.
“God would never discipline us—we’re America!” Wrong. But a little repentance and a little righteousness could make an incredibly big difference.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, April 21, 2010
Gone Fishing
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. John 21:3
When we don’t know what else to do, we instinctively resort to what we think we’re good at, to the familiar. Peter announced, “I’m going fishing.” Six others went with him. The result was a fruitless night. Jesus appeared on shore, and with simply a word, repeated His original miracle among the disciples. They caught 153 fish, and all they had to do was follow Jesus’ instructions to put the net down on the right side of the boat.
In the Church, we’re always going back to what we think we’re good at, especially if Jesus doesn’t seem to be anywhere near. If we’ve always relied on programs or business sense or talent or determination, we go back to those things. Often, it’s fruitless, and we don’t even know why. Then Jesus shows up, gives us new instructions, and miracles occur.
Did Jesus scold the disciples for going fishing and catching nothing? No. He helped them, He fed them, He reinstated Peter.
So, what’s the lesson for us?
Jesus already told us earlier in John, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” (Jn 15:5) He meant it. Without Jesus, we won’t really be successful in anything. That includes things we think we’re good at. Without Jesus, there is no fruit. We might as well wait for His instructions, rather than just drumming up a program or borrowing a business technique, and hoping she’ll go.
For Peter, the lesson on the water was followed by two more on the beach.
The first was a painful reinstatement, where each time Peter affirmed his love for Jesus, he was given the command: “Feed my sheep.” That’s the way we show our love for Christ—by loving one another, by caring for the weak, in Jesus’ name.
The final lesson was one caused by Peter’s propensity to worry over the affairs of others. “What about him?” was the question tossed out concerning John. The Lord gently refocused Peter’s attention on minding his own business. Our job is not to police our brothers. Our job is, “Follow me.” We need to follow Jesus, and quit worrying about what others are doing, or what others are getting. It will save us much grief and even more bitterness.
Peter thought he was going fishing, but really, he was going to school. The end result was another Jesus encounter, 153 fish and three lessons: Apart from me you can do nothing. Feed my sheep. Follow me. Not a bad night at all.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, April 22, 2010 (Originally written 3-21-06)
White-water pastor
I’ve never been on one of those white-water rafting trips, but it looks like fun, particularly if you don’t die.
When I look at pastoring, I see some similarities. The white-water raft guide would be the pastor. It’s his job to safely get a boatload of people through the rapids on the way to heaven, without dumping everyone out.
It’s important that he prepare himself and these people for the rapids. (There doesn’t look to be much time for instruction during the actual white-water experience. That’s not to say that while everyone else is paddling for their lives, there won’t be someone patiently raising their hand in the air with a question.)
Preparation, skill—it takes that and a lot more to get a group through the rapids and safely over to the calm water. While in the rapids, this is not a good time to be thinking about other rafts, or even about what one is going to do once back on dry land; this looks to me like a focus time, where keeping your own boat right side up is pretty much at the top of the list.
Guiding through the white-water is not the only part of the job, though. There is this thing of recruiting—giving off an air of warmth, competence and quiet confidence which would entice people to sign their life off into your hands for a few hours, plus pay you for the privilege of scaring them half to death, confident that it’ll in fact only be “halfway,” and not the real deal that activates wills and stuff.
Sound political? Yeah, maybe. But every pastor knows that “being right” or having a diploma on your wall doesn’t mean people will come flocking toward you like mosquitos in a nudist colony. If those folks don’t like being in your raft, they’ll find themselves another raft, or stay home with the people who prefer their excitement to come with commercial breaks and a remote. You have to be able to convince people they can entrust to you what’s important to them (their lives, the lives of their loved ones), and the only way to consistently do that is to be that—trustworthy, disciplined, calm, competent. Most of those things come through experience, and experience comes through...experience. You have to be willing to float with a pretty much empty boat, especially at first. The happy survivors will be your best recruiters for future trips.
For the critical times of life—the rapids, it’s good to have a white-water pastor on board, trained in the Word and prayer, devoted to God and the people. It’s nice if they’ve seen white-water and survived, nicer if they have developed grace and not lost the thrill.
“If it’s you, Lord, tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come.”
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, April 26, 2010
Bleacher Calls
Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD;
how much more the hearts of the children of man!
Proverbs 15:11
Nobody knows hearts like God. Our God, who sees and knows all, is never fooled by the sales pitch or the spin. He sees through talented actors playing “sincere.” His gaze penetrates to the core of man’s being. He sees the things of which even the person himself is not aware.
That’s why it’s a waste of time and attitude to be dragging things before God’s attention. When we tattle on folks to God, it’s better than tattling on them to other humans, but it’s pretty pointless in the end, since we’re not telling God anything He doesn’t already know. The good part of telling God instead of telling others is that when we tell God, He doesn’t pass it along to others, so at least the gossip chain is dead-ended with the Lord.
But there’s an aspect of even telling God that I haven’t considered much, before. For those of us who are parents, how much do we enjoy having people tell us how bad our children have been? If there’s correction which needs to be made, yes, we need to be made aware of the offense, so sometimes the information is helpful. But what about those times when someone is basically just telling us they don’t like our kid? They might justify it with petty little things, or even big ones, but the bottom line is, they don’t like our kid. How does it make us feel? Not warm and fuzzy, anyway. More like Mother Bear.
We’re all God’s children, right? So, what is God’s response to us going to be if we are constantly griping to Him about His children, tattling on them incessantly when He already knows their hearts better than they themselves know them, whining about their faults and peculiarities as if we wanted Him to rid the earth of them? God’s grace and patience are great, but I think one thing that ticks Him off is when we attack His children. (It makes me feel better to know He doesn’t like people attacking me, either. He’s a really good Defender.)
He knows our hearts! Really knows them! That disqualifies us for the position of judge, just as the person in the nosebleed section of the auditorium really shouldn’t be reprimanding the ref on those close calls he got wrong. God can see it all; we’re lucky if we see even a small portion of the total picture. He will make the right calls. God sees the heart. Mine, too. Unless He gives me a striped shirt and a whistle, there are a lot of things I see which I need to keep to myself, and leave to the One who sees everything.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, April 27, 2010
Calling Shots
“And on that day,” declares the LORD GOD,
I will make the sun go down at noon
and darken the earth in broad daylight.
I will turn your feasts into mourning
and all your songs into lamentation;
I will bring sackcloth on every waist
and baldness on every head;
I will make it like the mourning for an only son
and the end of it like a bitter day.
Amos 8:9-10
Amos was prophesying. Prior to God calling him to be the first of the writing prophets, Amos had occupied himself picking figs and herding sheep. Nobody taught him to write a sermon. So, where is he getting all this?
God. God told Amos what to say; Amos said it. Then he wrote it down. Why would God tell Amos these things? So people would know—not just Amos’ generation who would see much of the fulfillment in their lifetime, but later generations as well, including ours.
An example is the scripture above. Read it again. Remind you of anyone?
Fastforward several hundred years to an eyewitness account of the day the only-begotten Son of God died: Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. (Mt 27:45)
The sixth hour? Noon. Oh. “And on that day,” declares the LORD GOD,I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.
There wasn’t even a solar eclipse to help out. Solar eclipses only occur during a new moon, and commentators point out that Passover feast is always at the full moon. God made it dark, just like He made it light in the first place. Passover feasting became mourning on the day they buried God’s only Son.
Why did Amos write this prophecy, one of so many meticulously fulfilled hundreds of years after its writing? Because God told him to. It needed to be written down, it needed to be impossible for man to predict.
God calls His shots. From over 700 years out, He predicts darkness at noon on the day His only Son will die. Though it will be during a feast, people will mourn, bitterly. That’s merely one of the dozens of prophecies about Jesus’ death and resurrection, made from hundreds of years out, fulfilled precisely. When God calls His shots, we’d better believe.
Dave Ness
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