Meager may still have a measure.

So God created man
   in his own image,
   in the image of God
     created he him;
       male and female
     created he them.    Genesis 1:27 KJV

There was a time many years ago when I would think about God and heaven and try to picture what that reality was really like.  Not being much of a picture thinker (I sometimes get confused trying to understand the icons used for public information or computer programs -- to the degree that I have gone into the incorrect restroom before...), the images that came to me were very nebulous.  Most of the time I would see trees and grass and bright lights in a vague place far away.  Mind you, all of this imagery was my own and not something that was being given to me by the Spirit.  As I look back at these attempts to have a 'closer spiritual connection to God,' I realize that I was shy about giving God a real form to picture.  This shyness was probably a proper response to the 2nd commandment (Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above... KJV) or Isaiah 40:18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? KJV.

I am certainly not advocating that we humans should make attempts at getting a clear picture of God in heaven so that we will recognize Him in some visual way.  I certainly believe that the 2nd commandment has enormous importance and should be well understood as to how it impacts our lives.  However, it seems to me that humans suffer from a shyness that can be well exploited by evil in that their understanding of God is founded on a deliberately nebulous picture.  When God made man in His image, God revealed that, at minimum, He has a presence and physical expression that endures and that can be copied on a minor scale. As C.S. Lewis teaches, the elements of the higher medium being expressed (transposed) into the lower medium.

The point of attack of the enemy is often to leverage the issue of anthropomorphism.  Theologians properly teach that God's descriptions of his activities will use picture language that we should accept with caution.  The caution is that we are not allowed to think that God really has his personal arms around us when we are taught to depend on the "everlasting arms" (Deuteronomy 33:27).  The enemy may use this point of view to teach that God has no arms at all and, by logical extension, should be pictured in heathen or pagan ways: cosmic fireball, infinite nirvana, rotating karma, big bang regurgitation, pre-destined reprobation, etc.  The danger of the logical extension for humans is that they can easily miss the truth that Jesus Christ is God while searching for the other pictures offered.

Jesus is the full expression of God in this lower medium (II Corinthains 4:4, Colossians 2:9, Hebrews 1:3).  Jesus is God.  On the cross at Calvary, Jesus is God.

Come to Jesus.
Come to the Cross.

Last day in the Garden.

And the LORD God said,
Behold, the man is become as one of us,
     to know good and evil:
and now, lest he put forth his hand,
     and take also of the tree of life,
     and eat,
     and live for ever:
Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden,
to till the ground from whence he was taken.    Genesis 3:22-23 KJV

The figs that were the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil had been forbidden to the human couple but they were not prohibited or physically restrained from touching or tasting them.  The restraint was relational, established upon the conditions of authority and responsibility.  The serpent/devil (Revelation 20:2) persuaded the innocent minded woman that she was exempt from the direct command of God ('Surely YOU will not die...' verse 4) and she and Adam set the course of human destiny in a new and fatal direction when they ate the new fruit.

The Tree of Life that stood next to the fig tree was a different story.  Apparently its fruit was not forbidden. However, the new condition that the couple had ingested into themselves might tempt them to grab for the fruit of life that would counteract the death within them. The Lord could not trust them with the relational restraint of authority and removed them from the Garden property, denying them access to the tree and its virtues.

Another garden and another encounter with the Lord is outlined for us in John 20:11-17.  Mary Magdalene is forbidden to touch Jesus after the resurrection.  Having been processed as the fulfillment of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil by His death on the cross, the resurrected Jesus is now the Tree of Life.  As such, He must forbid Mary from touching Him and partaking of the resurrection virtue springing forth from Him.  Apparently humans cannot be directly processed through resurrection without first being processed through the cross (Hebrews 9:27).

The Tree of Life returns to a place of prominence in the lives of humans after God makes all things new (Revelation 22:2 and 14).  Until then, we are under orders to lift up Jesus.  There is no other tree for us to resort in this duty than to the Cross of Calvary.  The promise of Jesus is that He will draw all men to Him as we lift Him up and demonstrate the glory of the cross: Love's megaphone.

Come to Jesus.
Come to the Cross.

Gift of figs.

You shall not eat of the fruit
 of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
For the day you eat that fruit,
 you will certainly die.  Genesis 2:17

Apparently there are many people who have no capacity to read and understand or recall what their eyes have brought into their minds through the brain.  I dare say that most folks who have any awareness of the story of man's fall in the garden of Eden would think that Adam and Eve ate apples from the Tree of Knowledge.  The idea that there were apples involved is a corruption that comes from Greek mythology. The fruit in question was obviously a fig.  The tree was not associated with generic knowledge.  The tree's fruity function was to bring a new condition into the entire constitution of any human that ate it.  In the same way as the bread and wine of Christian communion provide a relational condition with Jesus and all of His body, the fig juice became a permanent part of the human capacity to recognize evil from good.

When Adam and Eve, our original parents, ate the fatal figs, mankind that followed was separated from their direct fellowship with God; death.  Millions of words and hundreds of sermons have discussed this aspect of "The Fall."  Very little attention has been paid to the gift that God embedded in the figs.  The miraculous gift He provided was that humans would be able to continue to distinguish the truth of Romans 8:28: "All things work together for good..."  Distinguishing the truth does not mean that humans always act on the truth.  However, to be able to know what is good in a world where evil constantly overlaps what is in view is a built in spiritual perception that cannot be traced to a time before the foundation of the world; it happened in historical time.

There are people who argue that this event made man totally incapable of anything good in any part of human capability since they were overwhelmed by evil and sin.  It is easily proven that the first couple were still able to distinguish the voice of God when they heard it.  The fact that their response to His voice was altered is no evidence that they looked at each other and said, "Was that God or the devil calling...I couldn't tell?"  They were not good because they understood good or could respond to good.  But neither were they (or we, their progeny) overwhelmed by evil to the degree that good was meaningless to them.  The gift of fig juice made it impossible for the devil to have an automatic inroad into the hearts of humans.  Humans must fight against the very fig juice truth within them to surrender to ultimate evil.

Another way of saying all of this is to point out the fact that, through the gift of figs, Jesus has embedded a powerful recognition of the validity of the cross into every human.  The cross is able to say to mankind, "Here is my offer of love, sacrifice and servanthood.  This is the way, walk in it!" (Isaiah 30:21).  Humans recognize this message because the cross is the victory of God over evil in this realm; the convergence of human and divine good at the right time to crush evil.  The gift of figs must always work so long as a person is alive.  The cross is a promise to remain the way home to Jesus. All anyone must do is turn to it and acknowledge its place in his/her heart.

Come to Jesus.
Come to the Cross.

Burden of Champions

How is it that the faithful city hath become an harlot?

   Once upon a time, it was full of judgment;

                                 righteousness lodged in it;

   But now it hath become the home of murderers. 

Thy silver is become dross,

Thy wine mixed with water: 

Thy rulers are rebellious,

                  and companions of thieves:

Every one loveth gifts,

                  and followeth after rewards:

They judge not the fatherless,

                  neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.  Isaiah 1:21-23 (KJV…enhanced)

The prophet’s question in the first line is answered in the lines that follow.  How in the world could such a thing happen? How could the place where the True and Living God had chosen to place His powerful name become a spiritual brothel?  How could the people of God come to understand their religious duty as being nice and tolerant and learning to COEXIST?  Silver and tin flow together easily at a certain temperature and eventually, if one is unscrupulous, the tin can become a substitute that only an expert can distinguish. Everyone thinks that the new doctrine (or an old sixteenth century remake) sounds like what was being preached all along.  The wine is mixed with water after the drunkenness sets in and the drinkers cannot tell the difference.  (Peter is being literal to millions of drunken and drugged believers when he warns that they should “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 1 Peter 5:8-9 KJV)

The operation of Hebrew poetic parallelism is obvious in most of this passage.  Rebellious rulers love thieves in the same way as those to whom they provide leadership become fixated on rewards and money…”what difference does it make if other people think it is fraud – I got mine!”  Prosperity doctrine.  As noted, slow substitutes must be tolerated and renamed to maintain the “new” way of thinking.  The result is that a place that was once known for its champions has become the butt of jokes to the army of occupation.  “Whatever happened to that boy David y’all had as king: the giant-killer?  Where is this Messiah that’s supposed to be his blood?  We have Caesar – we ain’t afraid of no ghosts!”  The end result of Hebrew nationalism mixed with Greek rationalism = rebellious rulers; “we have no king but Caesar.”

The not so obvious operation of Hebrew poetic parallelism has already been mentioned.  The best rendering of the KJV term, “judgment” in verse 21 is “champions,” e.g., not only David but David and his mighty men; 40 in all. 2 Samuel 23.  The amazing thing about Hebrew translation is that, quite often, it is necessary to discover the meaning of a word from within the context and not plow through by trying to give a one word equivalent.  It is easy to say that mishpat = judgment and move on.  It is ridiculous to ignore the context that shouts the interpretative environment that has been carefully crafted by the Holy Spirit to provide understanding.  Immediately before the verses above is the simple instruction to wayward people:

(You shall) Learn to do well (if you);

seek judgment,

relieve the oppressed,

judge the fatherless,

plead for the widow.  Isaiah 1:17 

No one with any sense would think that the prophet is advocating a comprehensive legal approach to the issue of orphan concerns along with a well crafted court system to manage their affairs.  In a modern society such as ours, these things may be good.  In any society, the prophet is saying that people with a heart filled with the joy of the Lord will champion the cause of those who cannot help themselves: orphans, widows, the oppressed, etc.

Jesus pointed out to the enemies he had in his own country that they had become murderers and fools by reinventing the rules about taking care of their widowed mothers (Matthew 23:14, Mark 7:9-13!).  Jesus fulfilled the conditions to restore the place where the Father in Heaven would place His great name in order to make champions.  That place is no longer some building made of stone (or any other church house material) but is no less a venue than any human heart (Romans 10:10).  Champions look for opportunities to care for the weak, disregarding their own advantage or profit.  Champions lay down their lives for children, knowing that it is God’s will for their lives.  Champions know that their success lies in the one piece of equipment with which the Holy Spirit wants to equip them daily; the cross of Jesus.  There is no other cross for believers to bear.

Come to Jesus.

Come to the Cross.

He needs you!

 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.  Genesis 3:15

Enemies go to war.  Enmity between the woman and the serpent was not merely a prediction, it was a covenant made between man and God.  The Lord God proclaimed this covenant of enmity with full knowledge that He would fulfill it Himself.  The contract made between God and man was sealed by the shedding of blood (3:21).  The Lord made it possible that His precious people could be wrapped in love.

Meanwhile, human destiny is worked out in the presence of the serpent.  Heel bruising and head crushing war is part of God’s promise to us as those who choose to side with Him.  Jesus sees the trajectory of the falling star of Lucifer/satan when His disciples report victory over evil (Luke 10:17-18  And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils [demons] are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld satan as lightning fall from heaven).  Humans experience the good will of Jesus because the good thing He wants for us is victory over evil that is subject to His blood and His command. 

The startling thing to consider is that the overwhelming assault on the enemy’s primary position in this realm of time was not a display of power, but a display of weakness.  How much more vulnerable could God be than to become the seed that made a willing virgin woman great with child?  How else could God fulfill the promise to truly be one of us so that, in death, He could be one with us?  Naked, He came, vulnerable and dependent upon the stout heart and strong hands of that unsung hero of the Nativity, Joseph, Son of David.  Chosen by God because His father, David, before Him would risk his life for a lamb or a cringing army, Joseph is the warrior prince who will raise the King of kings.  Jesus became a man and won the greatest of all victories in war. The war of human nature.  The war to rebuke the devil.  The war to gain freedom for slaves.

Come to Jesus.

Come to the Cross.

Who is He looking for?

And the LORD God
   called unto Adam,
   and said unto him,
      Where art thou?   Genesis 3:9 KJV

Many things can be killed with analysis and classification.  To regard the words in Chapter 3 of Genesis as "The Fall" or the outcome as "Original Sin" may make it impossible to read the story for what it really says.  When something becomes the property of the experts, then ordinary people are excluded from having the right to see it in a different light; they may have flashlights but are not provided with batteries.  Instead of looking only at the story of "The Fall," why not ask about the story of the Lord God, Himself?

Apparently, the Lord God had grown accustomed to taking walks in the garden that He had planted and into which He had placed the man.  Perhaps He went there after countless hours of painful spiritual warfare and the ugliness it presented.  Whatever had been happening in God's life before He arrived, He was about to encounter the new sinners and would have to adjust to the emptiness of the garden in the near future.  The interesting thing to notice is that He did not enter the garden in the pomposity of omniscience.  Instead, the Lord began His walk and, eventually, had to search for His customary companions.  Adam and Eve were hiding and God was seeking.  They had invented a game that God would be compelled to participate in for many years to come.

Many years later, Jesus (Jesus is God) is worn out from a long ordeal of spiritual warfare and sits down at a well near the town of Sychar (John 4:5).  A woman comes to get water at the well and Jesus asks her for water to drink.  The amazing conversation that follows invigorates the Lord God because He has won through at the game of spiritual "hide and seek."  Having told Jesus deep painful truths and revealed that, in spite of being a sinner, she still wanted to worship God, Jesus acquaints her with the garden variety style of the Living God:
But the hour cometh, and now is,
when the true worshippers
shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth:
for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (John 4:23 KJV)

Amazing! After all these years, God is still looking for and calling out to people who will trust Him. Obviously, it is a foolish human invention that views God as relying upon His omniscience to get the job done in advance.  Instead, the Bible clearly points out that the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are at work in time to bring an end to spiritual warfare in the finality of new creation (Revelation 20:10-21:1).  The blessing of the good news that has been spreading for hundreds of years is that the place for enlisting on the winning side is always open for those who long for a walk with God that will never end.  The cross of Calvary is the victory of God.  The blood of Jesus cannot be cut off from humans who are sinners.

Come to Jesus.
Come to the Cross.

Tree huggers...

And they heard the voice of the LORD God

   walking in the garden in the cool of the day:

And Adam and his wife hid themselves

from the presence of the LORD God

      amongst the trees of the garden.   Genesis 3:8 KJV

Adam and Eve sought shelter from the singing voice of the Lord God among the trees to which they were now trying to conform themselves.  Wearing fig leaves and trying to appear nonchalant about their new alliance with the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the loving presence of the Lord was painful to their newly awakened consciences.  But, like it or not, there He was; walking, talking, singing and enjoying life as only God can live it. 

The devil’s plan for Eve and Adam was to reconstitute the life that the Lord God had given them into something they could live on their own terms.  He wanted them to share his distorted condition that rejected the boundaries that God had creatively set for them…Satan’s as a bloodless angelic creature and the humans’ as blood-filled biological spirits.  The Lord had prescribed certain by-products from other plant “biologics” as sustaining life while others were unhealthy, dangerous or deadly.  The fig was designed to provide a spiritual death: all the ramifications of which are still being explored to this day.

It is high time that humans revisit this moment in our history with our hearts.  Admittedly, we men need to be led humbly back to this place where our mother was deceived (1 Timothy 2:14) and our father’s love for her compelled him to throw himself into the fray of spiritual warfare by wrapping himself in the death that she had died.  Too long has humanity had to endure the foolishness of cerebral men who work out logical systems and inflict them upon philosophy and theology.  “Original sin” did not make humans that followed by procreation into spiritual filth any more than it did so for the original sinners.  All of humanity is still qualified to participate in spiritual warfare just as all of humanity is subject to spiritual attack.  The devil takes seriously that humans are worth something to God, even if many human philosophies scream loudly that it is not so.

The place that the Lord God prescribed as His rallying point for humans in the war against evil is the Cross of Calvary (1 Peter 1:19-20).  Christianity demands that believers be tree huggers of a different sort than Adam and Eve attempted.  We must meet Jesus in the place where His shed blood became available to all humans.  We must not depart from the cross since it is prescribed for us to take it with us (Luke 9:23).  It is the only tree that has value and the only one from which the onslaught of the enemy tries to separate us.

Come to Jesus.

Come to the Cross.