Cloud Gazing

We saw dinosaurs, mountains, faces and many fanciful designs my grandchildren and I. Where were they found? In the fleeting clouds. What a wonderful time we had as we played together. 

Afterwards, I began a trip to the clouds of Scripture courtesy of my concordance. The first mention of clouds in the Gospels is on a mountain according to Matthew 17:1-5. This followed Jesus’ words about the cross in the region of Caesarea Philippi. Rather appropriate as I think about it, first the cross then the glory. Matthew’s gospel says, ‘…a voice from the cloud said, “this is my beloved Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him.” Did Peter, James and John’s minds recall their nation’s history when God spoke to Israel out of the cloud at Mount Sinai?

Later the disciples were in for a shock as the Lord spoke about other clouds. This was in the context of future events affecting Israel and the Gentile nations. (Matthew 24). ‘Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.’ (Matthew 24:29, 30) What a great incentive to be a cloud watcher!

Jesus was accused of blasphemy in the trial leading to His crucifixion. Why" Because, the High Priest of the Jewish religion understood Jesus linked Himself to Daniel 7:13. ‘In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.’ This was a claim to be both God and Messiah.

If Jesus' body had remained in the tomb, the judgement of the High Priest and Sanhedrin would have been correct. The message of the angels is our victory chant at Easter time, “He is not here; He has risen!” 

Forty days later, what an emotional moment it must have been on the Mount of Olives.  Jesus was about to return to Heaven. How would they have felt as Jesus was taken up in a cloud (Acts 1:9)?  I’m sure they never lost the significance of the angel’s words when he said “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11). This is the promise also found in Revelation 1:7.

Fortunately, the Lord gave instructions that motivate His followers to make people aware of His mission and message. The heart must be occupied by Christ Jesus and the clouds, but the mind needs to be focused on service. This is our calling, the former is our hope and longing. Each disciple has their own God given or birth derived gift to exercise and refine for the Lord’s honour. The purpose of having our gifts and abilities is to express in meaningful ways the wonder of God’s transforming and enabling grace. This purpose remains for the Church until it is caught up to meet the Lord in the clouds, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. This is called 'the Rapture'. 

Then, we will see Him face to face. What a thrill, a joy awaits and what a motivation to be faithful.  

©Ray Hawkins

Jerusalem - The City which Fascinates.

Over the next three weeks I will feature some thoughts about Jerusalem. The Islamic world  seeks to deny history and dismiss Israel from ever possessing the land. Only the historically illitterate can speak such nonsense. I want to consider the Jerusalem theme today and next week, Jerusalem the                    poisoned chalice and finally Jerusalem - redeemed and crowned.

Jerusalem – the city which fascinates

 A city built upon a hill cannot be hid. If that city is Jerusalem, neither can it be ignored. This ancient city arouses passion such as no other. Every stone has a story locked within its grains. Secular and sacred history have left their imprint on the landscape of the human heart and mind. However, unseen though signed off in the Bible is the conviction that Jerusalem is where Yahweh’s heart is set. “I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name may be there … 2 Chronicles 6:6.                                                                                                      

It was the Lord of Hosts desire that Jerusalem would be the throne of His King of the lineage of David. When the tabernacle and then the Temple sat on Zion’s hill the glory of God could be seen. His presence was expressed from the Holy of holies through the visible Shekinah cloud. Whilst He dwelt there the city was indestructible. Unfortunately, the leaders and the people took God for granted. They imagined He would not fulfil his threat to express wrath over their sin. Never, no never, not ever imagine God doesn’t call to account. His holiness and justice demand He exercise what His word says.

Though judgement seemed a long time in coming its delay only increased its ferocity. It came in the guise of the Babylonian nation under Nebuchadnezzar. Twice His armies raided and cowered the people but Jerusalem remained. Why? God’s presence was evident in the temple. Then Ezekiel recorded the reluctant God vacating His dwelling. In chapters 8-11 you can read the slow, almost agonising retreat to the Mount of Olives. Now the nation was vulnerable. Now Nebuchadnezzar at his third attempt overran it. The significance of the Lord’s choice moving to the Mount of Olives will become evident in a later chapter.
Psalm 137 depicts the grief experienced by the people of Israel. Asked, probably with a mocking tone, to sing a song of Zion, the song would not come. ‘How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?’(Psalm 137:4). All that could be sung was a lament. Rejection of the Law and the breaking of the Covenant brought upon the Nation defeat and dejection. Since that time the presence of the Lord has never resided in a temple on Mount Zion. The closest time the Temple mount felt the tread of His presence was when Jesus worship and taught there.

Although the presence of God departed from the temple, His mission continued. He had promised that a descendent of David was to come and claim the throne. To this all the prophets attest. But woven within the mission was a more majestic, marvellous and mystifying purpose. Before the promised king can reign, the Suffering servant of Isaiah 53 must take centre stage. Would this person be able to fulfil both functions? This was the dilemma the leaders faced when evaluating the person of Jesus. Their verdict dismissed Jesus from both categories. To them He was the carpenter from Nazareth, a roving Rabbi who disturbed the people with His message of “Repent for the Kingdom of God” is near. With the help of the Roman dictatorship the Jewish leadership succeeded in having Jesus crucified. Unwittingly they had assisted in fulfilling Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22.

Israel still cannot sing the songs of Zion although resident in part of their promised land. Jerusalem must wait for a promised day when songs of joy will resound from Zion again. ‘Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord has taken away your judgements’ (Zephaniah 3:14). When that happens the Lord, as their King, will dwell in their midst once again.

Until then, Jerusalem will fascinate and capture our attention. As next week's blog  points out, Israel's capital is a cause of concern, a battle ground and will be a poisoned chalice to the Nations.

Agony in the Garden.

A garden on Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, East of the Temple mount was a favourite place for Jesus. There He could look at the temple adorned by King Herod but empty of the presence of God’s glory. This is still called Gethsemane and is a favourite place for pilgrims. It was to this garden Jesus and His disciples went to after the Passover meal in the upper room. It was night. The account of this evening is recorded in the Gospels and when put together is full of pathos, intrigue and mystery. In the presence of weary men who fell asleep Jesus wrestled in prayer knowing the cross was waiting for Him on the morrow.

We will never plumb the depths of Gethsemane and Jesus’ prayer battle. He who is called the Son of God/Son of Man was about to become the Passover Lamb. He would also fulfil the meaning of the bronze serpent mentioned in John 3. The Son who said He and the Father were one was on the verge of knowing a separation. The Son of Man who had come to do the Father’s will was about to be made sin and cursed! Not for anything He had done or thought. Jesus became such a hideous spectacle in the sight of Heaven on our behalf. He was about to take our place in God the Father’s judgement of our treason, rebellion, indifference and arrogance towards God and His commands.

I don’t believe Jesus’ agony in the garden was about a fear of failure. It was much, much more than that. The cry on the cross says it all: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!” It was at that moment when the Father and the Holy Spirit turned away from beholding Jesus that the horror Jesus wrestled with in the garden took place.

Gethsemane is the preparation and the battleground of the cross. Many are the accounts of brave men and women enduring inhumane treatment and death. Jesus was a brave man but more than that. He endured the wrath of the Father. That was when Jesus became our sin bearer. He endured the taunts of kinsmen, betrayal of friends and the glee of the demonic as He suffered. Jesus became the scum of the universe. No one will ever be beneath Him in this. The One we call Lord became the lowest form of life in all of eternity at that moment for us. This is so important. It means that the lowest of the low can still find hope, forgiveness and understanding from and with Jesus as the risen Lord. No one can say that they are too wicked for Jesus to forgive and make into a new person. Jesus can lift all of us out of our rottenness and being enemies of God and take us up to the Heavenly places!

Gethsemane became the culmination of Jesus commitment to doing the Father’s will (John 5:30). We should be humbled by the words of Jesus ‘”Not my will but yours be done.” It came from the Man Jesus whose body was soaked in sweat and blood, and who would have been weary and aware of what was waiting for Him.

I find it remarkable that in this garden, as the soldiers came to arrest Him, Jesus with a word caused them to fall back in disarray. (John 18:6) What were the words? I AM! There are more than 7 ‘I AM’s’ in John. In Gethsemane is the final one. Our Lord in placing Himself into the bonds of the soldiers did so confessing His eternal deity. This was repeated in a different manner before the High Priest under oath.

It was in Gethsemane that the battle for your salvation and mine was won. As we grow older in our faith and understanding may we become more and more grateful and committed to Him whom we call Lord!

As the festival of Passover draws near and the Easter celebration is linked with it, remember Jesus fulfilled it for you. What is our response to His act of redeeming grace?

Poking the 'Eye' of God.

How do you poke God in the ‘eye?’‘Truly, one who touches you (nation of Israel) touches the apple of my eye.’ (Zechariah 2:8).

How do you make God jealous?‘Thus says the Lord of Hosts; I am jealous for her (Jerusalem) with great wrath.’ (Zechariah 8:2)

Some will say that was long ago and not relevant to today. Think again. ‘Thus says the Lord; I will return to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city and the mountain of the Lord of hosts shall be called the holy mountain. (Zechariah 8:3). That hasn’t happened. Will it? Islamic nations hope not. In league with anti–Semitic Gentile nations they are doing everything in their power to prevent it. Will they succeed? Are the United Nations plus the World Council of Churches, whose decrees we know, stronger than the Word of God, which calls us to trust it? This is ultimately the choices before us.

Zechariah calls Jerusalem a ‘cup of reeling’ for all the peoples surrounding the land and city. Their insane craving to consume this place will ultimately make them devoid of reason and inflame acts of violence. We live in an era where we have witnessed small scale acts of the ‘reeling power’ of this city. According to scripture it will get worse. So what are the implications of the opening statements? The Lord God unveiled in the bible is dismissed as a non–event and the people who are His ‘eye’ are expendable. Because it appears God is silent and has forgotten Israel (He hasn’t) the anti–Semitic nations feel invincible. However the Lord has set aside a time of vengeance; of judgement; of deliverance when He will honour to His Name and word.

This is the era of grace. How long it will last is known only to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. When His patience ends judgement begins. So as to leave no doubt in anyone’s mind about its architect God has had it recorded. His enemies have tried to obliterate His book since day one. Why? It’s not simply because they don’t like their destiny, they want to make God a liar. They will never succeed! Zechariah speaks about this time in his 12th and 14th chapters. The nations fight against Jerusalem and seem to win. However the Lord of hosts says “Enough!” No more poking of His eye by arrogant unbelieving nations. No more being scoffed at. No more the city of His heart being trodden under foot.

The prophet foresaw this event and described it as the Lord touching down on the Mount of Olives. He strides into His city to reclaim it and establish the promised reign of righteousness and justice. On that day ‘the Lord will become King over all the earth; on that day the Lord will be one and his name one.’ (Zechariah 14:9) What about Jerusalem? ‘It shall be inhabited, for never again shall it be doomed to destruction; Jerusalem shall abide in security.’ (Zechariah 14:11) Notice those two words ‘never again!’ Well worth a study where they are used.

The bible has so many references to the history and the future of Jerusalem it would take many articles to explore. Why did Jesus weep over it? (Matthew 23:37) He saw their unbelief. He saw the Gentile nations’ hatred. He felt the Gentile’s collective ‘finger in His eye’. He knew their destructive intent and the terror they would inflict upon the city of His heart.  

However the Lord Jesus did not despair. He also knew the future and looked to the day beautifully described in Isaiah 62. Please read the whole passage. Suffice it now to quote verse 4: ‘You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married.’ The word ‘Delight in Her’ in Hebrew is ‘Hephzibah.’ Therefore any person, any nation, and any Church group should be careful about their actions and their attitudes are levelled against this city. Why? ‘You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.’ (Isaiah 62:3).

Consider the clouds #6. The Chariot Ride Home.

The Chariot Cloud Ride Home

It was going home time. The conquest by Christ and the cross was complete. Satan’s kingdom had been shattered and plundered. After spending time with the disciples Jesus was going to His heavenly realm. A victory parade was waiting. There was a new role to undertake. Preparation for the promised return was now to be put into operation.

When a Roman general returned victorious from a campaign he rode on a chariot to the cheers of the populace. The army would march behind displaying the booty. Then would come the prisoners. Acts 1:9 ‘As they (the disciples) were watching, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight.’ Psalm 104: tells us that the Lord has made the clouds His chariot.  The inference is clear. Jesus was returning home as the conqueror.

When Jesus returned home notice what was in His train. ‘When He ascended on high He made captivity itself a captive; He gave gifts to His people.’ (Ephesians 4:8) In the Greek the word for captive means ‘to take by the spear.’ Do you see the grace of Christ in that? What [pierced His side on the cross? The Roman soldiers spear!  When that happened Jesus had won. He had taken captivity captive. Now it was possible for men and women to know freedom from the bondage of sin, Satan and death.

The heavenly messengers broke into the awe struck gaze of the disciples. They declared ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.’ Take stock of their words.

‘This Jesus…’ Not  one similar to Him. It will be the same Jesus who  was born in Bethlehem, crucified and rose again.

‘Will come in the same way as you saw Him go…’ How was that? Visibly. No invisible coming is implied. Tangible. He isn’t a ghost. With the clouds. His chariots will bring Him back. It is a warrior description. From what site did Jesus ascend? From the Mount. of Olives. (Acts 1:12) This is important.

Zechariah 14:3 ‘The Lord will go forth and fight against those nations as when He fights on a day of battle. On that day His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives…’ Can you tie the two passages together? They are saying the Lord of the Old Testament is the Jesus of the New.

The testimony of the clouds has many facets. Here we perceive Jesus as the Lord God of Hosts returning as conqueror with the promise to return and establish His rule.

Next week. The chariot clouds of wrath.

Ray (glad to belong to Jesus) Hawkins