Category Archives: kingdom of heaven

Babylonia dreaming

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You remember the story. Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, a troubling dream, a dream that he couldn’t remember. God told the prophet Daniel not only the dream but its interpretation.
Here was the dream: “You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.” (Daniel 2:31-35)
Daniel then explained the dream, how the Babylonian empire was the head of gold, to be followed by three lesser kingdoms. Then would come a kingdom that wouldn’t just coexist with the other kingdoms, it would blow away every trace of them. This would be the eternal kingdom, as Daniel explained: “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” (Daniel 2:44)
Then what? Did the rock join itself to a new statue? Did it become part of the Holy Roman empire or the Spanish empire? Did it join itself to Gran Colombia or to the United States? No, the rock stands alone. God’s kingdom crushes the kingdoms of the world and endures alone. Forever.
Why didn’t God reveal more? Why not show Nebuchadnezzar the fall of the Romans and ensuing history? Because for us, the story ends there. God’s kingdom is established. Everything else is nothing more than a footnote.

David Lipscomb on voting

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As election day nears, this might be a good time to hear a voice from the past. David Lipscomb was a well-known editor, educator and minister in the last 18th and early 19th century. Here are some of his thoughts on Christians and the electoral process:

To the claim that a Christian is bound to vote, when he has the privilege, for that which promotes morality, and to fail to vote for the restriction and suppression of evil is to vote for it, we have determined that, to vote or use the civil power is to use force and carnal weapons. Christians cannot use these. To do so is to do evil that good may come. This is specially forbidden to Christians. To do so is to fight God’s battles with the weapons of the evil one. To do so is to distrust God. The effective way for Christians to promote morality in a community, is, to stand aloof from the political strifes and conflicts, and maintain a pure and true faith in God, which is the only basis of true morality, and is as a leaven in society, to keep alive an active sense of right. To go into political strife is to admit the leaven of evil into the church. For the church to remain in the world and yet keep itself free from the spirit of the world, is to keep alive an active leaven of morality in the world. If that leaven loses its leaven, wherewith shall the world be leavened? or if the salt lose its savor wherewith shall the earth be salted or saved? God has told his children to use the spiritual weapons, has warned them against appealing to the sword or force to maintain his kingdom or to promote the honor of God and the good of man. When they do as he directs them, and use his appointments, he is with them to fight their battles for them and to give them the victory. When they turn from his appointments to the human kingdoms and their weapons, they turn from God, reject his help, drive him out of the conflict and fight the battles for man’s deliverance with their own strength and by their own wisdom. Human government is the sum of human wisdom and the aggregation of human strength. God’s kingdom is the consummation of Divine wisdom and in it dwells the power of God.” Quoted from: THE ORIGIN, MISSION, AND DESTINY OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT, AND THE CHRISTIAN’S RELATION TO IT by David Lipscomb

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Also consider these words from the preface:

“While I failed to see then as I now see, that religion embraced every duty and every relation of man and moulds every thought, purpose and action of his being, the feeling would creep into my mind that even in political affairs man should do only what God commanded him. Finally the years of sectional strife, war, bloodshed, destruction and desolation swept over our land, and the spectacle was presented, of disciples of the Prince of Peace, with murderous weapons seeking the lives of their fellowmen. Brethren for whom Christ died, children of him who came to heal the broken-hearted, to be a father to the fatherless and a husband to the widow, were found imbruing their hands in the blood of their own brethren in Christ, making their sisters widows and their sisters’ children orphans. It took but little thought to see that this course is abhorrent to the principles of the religion of the Savior, who died that even his enemies might live. He had plainly declared that his children could not fight with carnal weapons even for the establishment of his own Kingdom. Much less could they slay and destroy one another in the contentions and strivings of the kingdoms of this world. It took but little thought to see that Christians cannot fight, cannot slay one another or their fellowmen, at the behest of any earthly ruler, or to establish or maintain any human government. But if he cannot fight himself, can he vote to make another fight? What I lead or influence another to do, I do through that other. The man who votes to put another in a place or position, is in honor, bound to maintain him in that position, and is responsible for all the actions, courses or results that logically and necessarily flow from the occupancy and maintenance of that position. A man who votes to bring about a war, or that votes for that which logically and necessarily brings about war is responsible for that war and for all the necessary and usual attendants and results of that war.” Quoted from: THE ORIGIN, MISSION, AND DESTINY OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT, AND THE CHRISTIAN’S RELATION TO IT by David Lipscomb

Alien life

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The New Testament repeatedly tells us that we are aliens on this earth, part of the Diaspora, the scattering of God’s people. What does it mean to live like an alien?
“And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.” (Hebrews 11:13)
I was an alien in Argentina for 15 years. I know what that was like. It was hard to not to want to fit in, to be just like everyone else. I never fully lost my accent, never fully lost my foreign ways. I never stopped hearing that question, “Where are you from?” There was something about me that told people that I wasn’t like them.
“People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.” (Hebrews 11:14)
I wish my spiritual accent were as strong as my Texan accent. I wish that people could tell from hearing me speak that I’m not satisfied to be here, that I’m looking for a country, a heavenly one. I want to live in such a way that people will say “Where are you from?” I don’t want to fit in, don’t want to just be one of the gang.
When I lived in Argentina, I was a responsible neighbor, obeying laws and paying taxes. I tried to do what was right by those around me (even those guys that would sit on the sidewalk and play music full blast for 48 hours straight). Yet I wasn’t Argentine. I couldn’t hold office. I couldn’t vote. I wasn’t from there.
“If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.” (Hebrews 11:15-16)
Do you suppose that Abraham wore a t-shirt that said “Native of Ur and proud”? Did Ruth flaunt her “Moabite University” in her neighbors’ faces? Would Paul have taught all of his converts of the wonders of Tarsus? Do you think the apostles tried to get elected to the Sanhedrin?
There was a time when God’s people had a physical territory here on earth. They could speak lovingly of Zion, where the temple stood, of lovely Jerusalem, the capital of the Israelite kingdom. This was not mere nationalism, at least when correctly understood. This was about the Promised Land, the covenant land. It was a sign of their relationship with God. It was the center of their worship to God, at least the temple was. It didn’t just happen to be their homeland.
The New Testament compares the Promised Land not to a place in this world, but to the land of rest, our eternal sabbath with God. We don’t put down roots here; we let people know that we long for a better country. We are on our way to a heavenly country.
“Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:16)
The city that God has prepared for us isn’t Washington D.C. It’s not New York. It’s not even Abilene. God has called us to be citizens of heaven, to inhabit the kingdom of heaven. When people live with that awareness and show it to the people around them, God is not ashamed to be called their God.
That’s my kingdom. That’s where my citizenship lies. That’s why I’m not as concerned about this election as many are. Certainly I recognize that what happens with the kingdoms of this world can affect my kingdom. I’m told to pray for the government, not for the welfare of any earthly kingdom, but in order for there to be peace that we may spread the gospel. It’s quite possible that we may face what the Israelites faced in Egypt, when a pharaoh arose “that did not know Joseph.” God’s kingdom prospers under adversity more than it does under peaceful conditions. I don’t pray for persecution, but I recognize that it is part of my discipleship. Politics and politicians will never determine my spiritual well-being.
I want to regain my spiritual accent. I want people to understand that no, I’m not from here. I want to live a life that looks forward to a heavenly country, not backwards to an earthly one. I want to live in such a way that God will not be ashamed to be called my God.

Politics, the Lamb’s way

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I find myself time and again going back to Revelation 5. I wrote a post about this chapter a while back, but I’d like to look at it again, this time seeing what the passage tells us about politics. If you remember, that passage is key to understanding Revelation, and I think gives insight on the whole New Testament. The apostle John is in the throne room of God, looking at a sealed scroll that no one has sufficient security clearance to open (my paraphrase). Then he is told that the conquering Lion of Judah, the Root of David, can open the scroll. This is kingly language. Lion of Judah. Root of David. Triumph. That sounds like a hero to stand up to the persecuting Roman empire. That’s what these suffering Christians need. That’s how they can overcome Rome. Power!

Then John turns and sees a lamb. Not just a lamb, but a lamb with its throat slit. A sacrificed lamb. What happened to the lion? Where’s the king? Where’s the power? The Lamb has seven horns, sign of perfect power in biblical terms. Still, this lamb was slain. Then we are told the unthinkable, as the inhabitants of heaven sing to the Lamb: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain…” Because you were slain. The Lamb conquered by dying. By being sacrificed.

And so John introduces us to the politics of the Lamb. How was the church going to overcome Rome? Not by meeting sword with sword but by meeting sword with bared neck. They would conquer by being faithful unto death, that is, by laying down their lives. They would triumph with blood, not ballots nor bullets. They were to stand up to the Roman empire, but not with violence, social agitation or noisy protests. They were to faithfully proclaim the Word of God, being faithful witnesses, following in the footsteps of the One who testified to Pilate and Herod by letting them nail Him to a cross. “It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master.” (Matthew 10:25)

How would we today have dealt with the Roman empire? Maybe we could get Christians into influential positions at a local, national and international level. Work through the political system. Let influential members speak with their friends in high places. Or we could imitate the Jewish sicarii and let our weapons do the talking. It’s an evil empire, so armed resistance is justified. Everyone knows all that stuff in the Sermon on the Mount wasn’t really meant to be put into practice.

But that’s not what we see in Revelation Chapter 5. The Lion is a Lamb. Triumph comes through sacrifice, power expresses itself in meekness. The Lamb’s chosen way is not easy. We’d rather be called to overcome through military strength, to wield political power, to use society’s tools to change society. We want the Lion, not the Lamb. But victory comes not through wielding the sword but through yielding to the sword.

How do we live out the way of the Lamb in the 21st century?