Jubilation for Justice

On May 1, 2011 the world heard of the demise of a long sought after criminal. He was openly responsible for violent acts against the United States of America. He, while living, strategized for and encouraged others who would kill, maim or otherwise harm any American or ally of America. By definition, he was an enemy of the USA.

In the moments, hours and days following, the news of his death brought reaction. Crowds gathered at high profile places. Outside of the White House, at Ground Zero in New York City, at military academies, and elsewhere people assembled and displayed their feelings for the death of one who saw their beloved country as a foe to be taken from its position of power and made subservient to his ends.

The reaction was jubilation. At long last, almost 10 years from the date this man’s hallmark plot to kill came to fruition, the nation could breathe a sigh of relief. Finally, vengeance had taken place. The one who killed had now been slain. The one whose voice was used to mock and taunt his enemy was now silenced. Retribution, to the highest order, had occurred at the hands of the one whom the destroyer sought to unseat. Crowds sang patriotic songs, chanted, ‘USA, USA’ and in other ways showed that they were so happy for this day in America. Justice had been done!

In a recent message from Revelation 19 that was primarily focused on the marriage of the Lamb and His bride, it was pointed out that the word, ‘Alleluia’ was used only four times in the New Testament and they all appear in that chapter. Further, it was shown that the word was used by the Psalmist on multiple occasions, sometimes at the beginning of a Psalm, sometimes at the end and sometimes at both the beginning and the end.

Of particular interest was the reason for the use of the word which means ‘Praise Ye Jah’. In Revelation 19, understanding the time and setting is important. John has been privileged to observe a scene, even yet future, in heaven. It is ‘after these things’ that this particular scene unfolds. The ‘these things’ include the beginnings of the outpourings of the wrath of God. Bowls of wrath have been emptied on the inhabitants of the earth. A mysterious woman whose influence was widespread and mighty (for it affected the ‘kings of the earth’) had been judged by the One whose judgments are ever ‘true and righteous’. Further, this unleashing of God’s judgment was for the cause of ‘aveng[ing] the blood of His servants’, something for which they had long sought. Men, in short, suffered horribly and many died.

The ones who suffered at the hand of God were not innocents. They carried all the marks of, and were in fact, enemies of His. They openly rebelled against the ‘Lord of heaven and earth’. They hated and killed His servants.

The heavenly host reacted to these acts of God. They were acts of justice! The Lord had at long last taken action against those who hate Him and His people. Their reaction was one of jubilation. They praised Him profusely. Multitudes did not contain their joy and exulted with words of highest admiration. It was as if a portion of the Song of Moses was taken to its highest meaning: ‘The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea’.

Make no mistake, the Bible makes it clear that God has enemies and that He will take vengeance on them. Rebellion began in heaven with Satan. It showed up on earth in the first man. By continually resisting God’s place and authority the rebel proves himself to be an enemy of the one in authority. Furthermore, man in his natural state is no innocent in the matter. All men are ‘enemies in their mind by wicked works’. Apart from God’s electing, quickening, saving grace men will remain in that state and find themselves among the number that the Lord will take vengeance upon. This vengeance will take the form of punishment in Hades upon death and permanence of suffering in the lake of fire upon final judgment at the Great White Throne, the Second Death.

Today is a day of grace. The gospel preacher, knowing the terror of the Lord persuades men. They cry for men to repent and offer pardon to rebels. They do not call fire out of heaven to destroy but rather leave the day of vengeance to the Lord.

But, when the time is ripe for judgment, the mindset of the believer will be in unison with his Lord. They will rejoice that the ‘wicked are consumed from the earth’. What seems so foreign to us now, praising God for judging the wicked, will become a source of jubilation to us then. For then, just as with the enemy of state recently killed, justice will have been served. This time, however, the one who doles out justice will be God himself.

2010 Bible Conference

You can click here to get directly to sermons preached in the 2010 Bible Conference at Grace Missionary Baptist Church in Dothan, Alabama.

Who Teacheth My Hands to War and My Fingers to Fight

Below are Spurgeon's thoughts on the above expression in Psalm 144:1. I have emphasized words of particular interest to me with bold. We all have our realm of service and we need strength and training to perform our tasks well:

Which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight. The word rock is the Hebrew way of expressing strength: the grand old language is full of such suggestive symbols. The Psalmist in the second part of the verse sets forth the Lord as teacher in the arts of war. If we have strength we are not much the better unless we have skill also. Untrained force is often an injury to the man who possesses it, and it even becomes a danger to those who are round about him; and therefore the Psalmist blesses the Lord as much for teaching as for strength. Let us also bless Jehovah if he has in anything made us efficient. The tuition mentioned was very practical, it was not so much of the brain as of the hands and fingers; for these were the members most needful for conflict. Men with little scholastic education should be grateful for deftness and skill in their handicrafts. To a fighting man the education of the hands is of far more value than mere book learning could ever be; he who has to use a sling or a bow needs suitable training, quite as much as a scientific man or a classical professor. Men are too apt to fancy that an artisan's efficiency is to be ascribed to himself; but this is a popular fallacy. A clergyman may be supposed to be taught of God, but people do not allow this to be true of weavers or workers in brass; yet these callings are specially mentioned in the Bible as having been taught to holy women and earnest men when the tabernacle was set up at the first. All wisdom and skill are from the Lord, and for them he deserves to be gratefully extolled. This teaching extends to the smallest members of our frame; the Lord teaches fingers as well as hands; indeed, it sometimes happens that if the finger is not well trained the whole hand is incapable.

David was called to be a man of war, and he was eminently successful in his battles; he does not trace this to his good generalship or valour, but to his being taught and strengthened for the war and the fight. If the Lord deigns to have a hand in such unspiritual work as fighting, surely he will help us to proclaim the gospel and win souls; and then we will bless his name with even greater intensity of heart. We will be pupils, and he shall be our Master, and if we ever accomplish anything we will give our Instructor hearty blessing.

This verse is full of personality; it is mercy shown to David himself which is the subject of grateful song. It has also a presence about it; for Jehovah is now his strength, and is still teaching him; we ought to make a point of presenting praise while yet the blessing is on the wing. The verse is also preeminently practical, and full of the actual life of every day; for David's days were spent in camps and conflicts. Some of us who are grievously tormented with rheumatism might cry, "Blessed be the Lord, my Comforter, who teacheth my knees to bear in patience, and my feet to endure in resignation"; others who are on the look out to help young converts might say, "Blessed be God who teaches my eyes to see wounded souls, and my lips to cheer them"; but David has his own peculiar help from God, and praises him accordingly. This tends to make the harmony of heaven perfect when all the singers take their parts; if, we all followed the same score, the music would not be so full and rich.

The Heart of the Saviour

The Lord seems to place in my path at work from time to time people that I need in a special way.

A second shift janitor a few years back would brighten my day as she came by and shared with me her joys and burdens ever so briefly and simply.

Now, I have another friend. I hear the door open close to my office at 2:45pm almost every day that he works. His presence cannot be missed because of his loud booming voice which fits quite proportionately to his tall, slender frame. My life is richer for knowing him. I have learned that we have one common interest: the Saviour. He listens to BBN and absorbs much of what he has heard over the years from sound men. We have had several conversations that went well beyond the surface of spiritual things and delved into a depth of Bible knowledge that only comes by study and a heart that is willing to submit to what it is shown. I consider him 'highly favored'.

Today, this dear man, stopped by my office speaking with a voice tinged with sadness. 'What can you do', he says, 'when people that you love are going to hell?'. He does not hesitate to talk with others of Christ. And, he loves those to whom he talks. My response to his question was really only an observation, not an answer. 'You are showing that you have the heart of the Saviour', I said. Our Lord had compassion for the multitude for they were as sheep without a shepherd. He wept silently at Lazarus' grave. He wept openly over (the inhabitants of) Jerusalem. He loved His own to the uttermost and greatly desired to spend time with them at the last passover He observed before His death.

My friend loves people. My Saviour loves people. Oh, forgiveness I need for my cold, cold indifferent heart.

Guyana 2009

This year another trip to Guyana took place. Traveling together with Dale Wallace, Michael Guy and Vann Sorrells we visited Brother Randy Nagaur. The routine was the about the same and the fellowship was just as sweet as it was in 2007.

Added to our pleasure was meeting and spending time with many of his family. His mother, two sisters, a brother-in-law and two sons were all there in Bloomfield village. At 93 years old it was Brother Randy's mother's first trip to Guyana. She lives in Trinidad as does his two sisters, Pearl and Marilyn.

It was blessing to witness anew the faithfulness to the Lord's work of the few and the interest of the many to attend the annual meetings. Overflow crowds at both Grace and Landmark Baptist churches in Bloomfield and #36 respectively sat and listened to gospel preaching. Seed was sown and we pray that it fell on hearts prepared.

For some our next meeting may be on the other side. This experience gave us something of a taste of what it will be like there, we trust.

Teach Me Lord to Number My Days - J.R. Miller

Thanks, again to Dale Wallace for passing this along. Gracegems.org is a reference for this material.

Lord, teach me to number my days!

(J. R. Miller, "Life's Byways and Waysides")

"Teach us to number our days aright--that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12

We so number our days aright, when we give to each one as it passes, its own measure of faithfulness. Our days come to us 'one by one'. God breaks up His great years, into 'little sections' for us--that we may be able to get along with our work, our burdens, and our struggles. Take the 'single days' as they come to you. He who has learned this secret--has gained a heart of wisdom.

Take the 'one little day', and . . .
do all its duties faithfully;
seize its opportunities;
endure its trials;
meet its temptations victoriously;
bear its burdens;
receive its blessings;
miss not its privileges;
do all the kindness you can;
make it a beautiful day.

Anyone can live 'one single day' sweetly and victoriously. Make today beautiful. Then do the same with tomorrow, and with the next day--and so on, to the end of your life! Thus you will 'number your days' in a way that will make each one profitable. Thus you will write on each day's page--a record of which you will not be ashamed, when it is spread before you on the judgment day.

Our morning prayer each day should be, "Lord, teach me to number my days!" ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A Letter Out of Grief

This is a most humbling account of how a grieving pastor faced the loss of his three dear children. The thought that comes to mind is 'As thy days shall demand, shall thy strength ever be'.