Recognising the Creator.

Creation tantalizes! The creator is unseen yet defined in some-way by what is created. Powerful, majestic, wise and glorious are words which come to mind through such ‘handiwork’. But what nature shows still doesn’t reveal who or what created it. Was it a personal being or something undefinable, perhaps chance?

Neither, microscope or telescope can tell us the character and personality behind the seen and unseen. Does the design come from a he or she or something nebulous such as chance? If a being of some type how could he, she, it be described? Capricious or benevolent? Evil or righteous? Indifferent or merciful? Could we ever know unless the designer was unmasked!

The Judeo-Christian Scriptures proclaim the news “the architect of the universe has made Himself known!” Genesis 1 began the unveiling. The 'How' is stated as coming from the power of the spoken word. In turn this requires omniscience under-pinned by unlimited power. it says little about His character though this comes to the fore later on. Now this births a problem for those who want to discredit the Scriptural timeline from seven literal days into billions of years. Such a belief system changes the Biblical revelation of the essential being of God. The ‘very good’ cannot apply to the evolutionary process because of its trial and error, cruelty and death mixed with deformity and pain. What it says about its maker can never ever be summed up as being ‘good.’ A better term would be ‘malicious.’

The Bible is insistent and consistent in what it reveals about the designer of the universe. His goodness is expressed in numerous ways and most evidently in the keeping of His word. The psalmists repeatedly write about this and their experiences of the goodness of grace. The most expressive testimony comes from Jeremiah following the overthrow of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. The Lord had warned the nation of this impending catastrophe due to their degrading of Yahweh’s worship. Now it had come. Was this the end of God’s promises and purposes? What is written in Lamentations 3:22-25 is the height of trust in the goodness of God to His word. ‘The Lord is good to those who wait for Him…’ Jesus endorsed this view of His Father’s being when speaking to the young ruler in Mark 10:19. ‘No one is good but God alone.’

However, this raises complex problems. What's gone wrong? Goodness seems to be contaminated by varying degrees of evil, heartbreak and tears.  Is it conceivable that He who declared His handiwork as 'good' would be mischievous and malicious by playing the evolutionary game. There is no clever way of manipulating the Biblical account of Creation with the evolutionary process without defaming, dethroning and diluting God of His goodness. In turn, such thinking calls into question the very nature of Christ Jesus who is the person designated as the Creator.

Some Bible passages are here offered for your edification. Job 38-42 Psalms 8, 19, 139,

Next week Getting to know  God beyond the superficial

©Ray Hawkins 

 

Jesus the Weakling.

The Amplified Bible translated 1 Corinthians 1:18, 23 and 25 concerning the crucifixion of Christ with mind hammering words. The cross is viewed and described from a sceptic’s response to what happened. ‘Sheer absurdity’ – folly – a scandal, stumbling block- absurd- utterly unphilosophical nonsense - foolish and weak.’ The believer’s response, ‘the foolish thing that has its source in God is wiser than men, and the weak thing that springs from God is stronger than men.

Last week we considered ‘was Jesus a moron?’ Today’s blog asks the question ‘How weak was Jesus to allow Himself to be crucified?’ I have tried to express it in the following poem.

                                                 My God is weak, so very, very weak!
                                                  He didn’t break away from the soldiers

Who placed the cross upon His shoulders.

My God wore their spittle and their taunts.

He must be weak to let them do such things!

My God is weak, so very, very weak!

He never fought when He was whipped.

Never threatened when He was stripped!

He stumbled, fell and the crowd laughed.

He must be weak to let them do such things!

My God is weak, so very, very weak!

No miracle to stop hammer, nail and spear,

No anger to those who screamed and sneered.

Thirsty, thorn crowned, in pain He died.

He must be weak to let them do such things!

My God is weak, so very, very weak!

I’m overwhelmed by His total weakness

When He put aside His awesome greatness

To bear my shame, judgement and death!

Can He be weak to undertake such things?

My God is weak, so very, very weak!

Lifeless, entombed, salvation’s hope dim,

Could He in weakness overcome sin?

The empty tomb declares He ‘did’ win!

Can He be weak to conquer such things?

My God is weak, so very, very weak!

Yet in His weakness I find forgiveness

In His weakness I can enjoy newness.

 My God’s weakness is true love’s greatness.

Can He be weak to achieve us such things?

My God is weak, so very, very weak!

His weakness is my celebration.

His suffering is my Salvation'

His victory is my jubilation!

Can He be weak to be all those things!

My God was ‘weak,’

For me and you

And I love Him for it!

Do you?

From my devotional ‘Captured by Calvary’ ©Ray Hawkins. Available from Christian bookshops  and as an Ebook.

The Worm of God.

Pilgrim cross, Glendalough
Ireland

Worms play an important role in the story of the Judeo-Christian faith. The blood of the coccus worm gave its purple colour to various items, such as linen, in the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle is a portrait of the person, ministry and sacrifice of Christ Jesus. Therefore, the worm and its blood must have some prophetic and symbolic link with Jesus.

The first Biblical mention of the coccus worm in Job 25:5-6 is foundational for our understanding. ‘If even the moon is not bright and the stars are not pure in his (God’s) sight, how much less a mortal, who is a maggot, and a human being, who is a worm!’ This comment from Bildad might seem over the top and uncomplimentary to our self-esteem. I believe it is very insightful, if not prophetic.

Centuries later King David of Israel penned Psalm 22. The background to this awesome psalm is not clear. What is undeniable is its portrayal of a future event featuring Jesus. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is the cry from the cross. (Read the whole passage and behold the crucifixion of Christ foretold a thousand years before the event).

What has that to do with ‘the worm’? Everything! ‘I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people’ (Psalm 22:6). The events of the Passover crucifixion major on Jesus being the Lamb of God whose life and death provided our place of safety from God’s judgement. The symbolism of Jesus being ‘the worm of God’ seems a little bit tasteless. Yet, it actually deals with Bildad’s problem, and often, our unasked but perceived assessment, if not of ourselves, of others.

It is hard to imagine a creature weaker than a worm. Also, by inference, its dwelling place is in earth’s dirt. That is a fit Biblical description of the human condition morally and spiritually. When we come to grips with the symbolic and prophetic magnitude of the cross of Christ, we cannot but be stunned. Writers of the New Testament say many things about the cross.  One of the most revealing, for me, is Paul’s: ‘We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles … For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength’ (1 Corinthians 1:23-25).

Why do you think Jesus became ‘the worm of God?’ I understand it this way. He became the weakest of the weak so that no one has an excuse by saying Christ’s offer of saving grace wouldn’t reach down to his/her depth. The Bible insists that there isn’t anyone beneath what Christ became. We are also informed that as ‘the worm’ Jesus lived in the midst of Humanity’s filth but was uncontaminated. However, He absorbed all the rottenest of this world and was crushed under its weight and judgement by God the Father. Was the weakness of ‘the worm of God’ strong enough to die so as to rise again? Was His uncontaminated life verified?  Was Bildad’s description able to be reversed? That was answered on the third day of entombment. The angel sounded the victory song ‘He is risen!’ God the Father had accepted the identity with, the substitution for, and the victory over the wrath accrued on behalf of ‘Earth’s worms.’

What does this mean for we who believe in and commit ourselves to Jesus as the risen Lord and Saviour? Many things. However, to conclude the theme of ‘the Worm of God’, recall the fact that the coccus worm gave its blood to colour the Tabernacle. When Jesus poured out His life in the shedding of his blood, it made something eternally wonderful for you and me.  It includes being redeemed, purchased, justified, sanctified, washed and at peace with God. The blood of the coccus worm stained the Tabernacle linen purple. The blood of the Lord Jesus did what Isaiah wrote about as a promise of God: ‘Come now, let us argue it out, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool’ (Isaiah 1:18).

There are many titles given to Jesus Christ such as The Lamb of God, Lion of Judah, Bridegroom, Prince of Peace and Alpha and Omega. For me there is something awesome, special and precious knowing He is also the Worm of God on my behalf.