Vacation Day Two

Today I discovered another great to add to my life. Next to steak, sweet tea, power steering, and wireless internet, I have fallen in love with "boogie boarding." This morning my brother in-law, Ryan, and I spent several hours riding waves. I think it waqs divine intervention that I discovered this great art. Two boogie boards just happened to be in our house when we got here, so Ryan and I decided to give it a try. My only regret is that I have not discovered the boogie board earlier. I have always wanted to try surfing, but for now this will do. Addie is having a blast playing in the ocean. She has no fear which gives me great fear for an ever present eye must be with her.

Today we managed to get 3 of 4 kids down at the same time for a nap. I waited all day for that moment only to fall asleep myself. Taking naps in a bed are far better than my office chair. My chair is rather slick and I tend to slide out of it.

Savannah has a really neat river walk area. You can watch giant ships come in, take in a random sax player, and enjoy some fine dining. Tonight we chose the Pirate House an authentic, really old building near downtown. The seafood was delicious.

I have learned that I am probably more exhausted from my first day of vacation than weeks of work. But I don't get to visit the ocean very often. We have had several cuts and sunburns among the group. Ryan even got stung by a jellyfish but it is all part of the price we pay for time away. This is Andy Walker, 10-4 and out.

Vacation Day One

Andy Walker reporting from beautiful Tybee Island, Georgia. This is day one of my first ever vacation (I grew up on a farm and we couldn't leave animals unfed). Our internet service is a little sporadic but I will try and post when I can.

Check out the picture view from my bedroom balcony. Beyond the trees is where the Savannah River meets the Atlantic Ocean. I am on vacation with my in-laws. There are 4 children, age 2 and under; that should be fun! We began today by worshipping with the Central Church of Christ in Savannah, Ga. They are looking for a preacher at the present time (Dale Jenkins take note) and my brother in-law and I got immediate job offers when they learned we were in the ministry.

This afternoon we swam in the ocean and played on the beach. After attending services again at 6 p.m. we enjoyed a fine cuisine from Taco Bell. Tonight I plan to watch the ESPY’s since my childhood buddy Ty Rogers wins an award for his last second shot in the NCAA tournament. My connection is fading. Until tomorrow (if the internet connection allows) blessings to all.

Review of Recently Read Books

First, I will be on vacation next week in Savannah, Ga. I have never been on vacation so I plan to blog everyday on how the vacation is going, what books I have read, etc.

Second, I have been to several luncheons lately and amazingly, the topic has been "what are some of the books you have read in the last few months." I will give some good, bad, interesting, etc. Here goes:

Commentaries:

• Isaiah by John Oswalt (really good)
• The NT use of the OT commentary edited by Greg Beale (a must have)
• Handbook on the Prophets by Robert Chisholm

Political:

• Rules for Radicals (survey of Saul Alinsky's plan for advancing socialism) (good to learn how radicals think, bad for practice)
• Power to the People by Laura Ingraham (good)
• An Inconvenient Book by Glenn Beck

Preaching:

• From Exegesis to Exposition by Robert Chisholm (great book)
• Preaching and Teaching from the OT by Walter Kaiser (good recommendations)

Other religious books:

• What does the Bible really say? (this is a guide to Jehovah's Witness doctrine that I have been reading through as I study with one of their people) (I learned that Jesus became king in Heaven in 1914 as Daniel 7.13-14 taught ha ha!)
• The Free Church and the Early Church by Williams (not one of my favorites)
• Evangelicals and Tradition by Williams (again not a favorite)
• Walking with those who weep by Ron and Don Williams (very helpful book)

This is all for now. Look forward to hearing others' suggestions of good books. I will try to have another post from the beach by Monday.

Jacob’s dream (Genesis 28)

Dreams are often vehicles for revelation in the OT (Gen. 15.1, 12; 1 Sam. 28.6). This leads us to ask, what is being revealed in Jacob’s dream. First, it is possible to be linked to God. Jacob sees a ladder that is being used by angels as a path between heaven and earth. For Jacob, this path leads to God who renews the Abrahamic covenant with Jacob. Second, God desires to have a relationship with man. He renewed his status as Jacob’s God, he promised possession of the land and innumerable descendants, and he promised security. Thirdly, God is not removed from man. Jacob went to sleep thinking he had the place all to himself but he awoke realizing that he was in the presence of God. He understood two things about “that place:” it is Bethel (“house of God”) and if it is the house of God, it is also the entrance point (gate) of heaven (28.17).

Perhaps Jacob’s dream can give us more insight into Jesus. In John 1.45-51, Jesus references Jacob’s dream in his discussion with Nathanael. Jesus convinces Nathanael that he is the Son of God. Recognizing his divine omniscience, Nathanael confesses belief in Jesus. Jesus promises to display greater things this. "Yes indeed! I tell you that you will see heaven opened and the angels of God going up and coming down on the Son of Man!" (1.51). Jesus is the place of much greater revelation, such revelation of which Jacob could only dream about.

Using Jacob’s dream, Jesus asserts: First, it is possible to be linked to God. Jesus is the ladder. He is the means by which heavenly realities will be brought to earth. Just as Abraham and Jacob mediated God’s blessing to the earth, Jesus will be the seat of blessings to mankind. Second, God desires to have a relationship with man. As Jacob’s dream revealed God’s plan to renew the covenant with Abraham, so God would bring a new covenant with man through Jesus, based also on faith. Finally, God is not removed from man. Jesus is the link between heaven and earth, the gate to heaven, the new Bethel (“house of God”) (John 2.19), and the new Israel. Not only is it possible to have access to God through Jesus, it is possible to see God through Jesus. The best part of it all is that it’s no dream!

It's Good!

During the creation narrative of Genesis chapters one through three, it is expressed several times that God described his work as (tov) "good" (1.4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25). Following the sixth day, God reflects on his creation and it was "very good" or "perfect" (1.31).

God looks down on his creation in 2.18 and notes something that is "not good." It is not good that man be alone. So God decided to create for him a helper. Perhaps there are a couple of things to reflect upon God's declaration that something is not good.

First, we see that man was in need of something to complete him and give him function. The sky had it luminaries and birds, the sea had its fish, the earth had man and the animals, even the animals had their counterparts, but man had none. God made woman as a "helper" (ezer) for man. When Samuel led Israel to return to the Lord, the people repented at Mizpah by pouring water and fasting (1 Sam. 7.4-6). During the midst of this ritual the Philistines tried to attack them but God intervened and defeated their ranks. Samuel set up a stone and named it "Ebenezer" ("stone of help") because the Lord helped us. The Lord was Israel's "helper" (ezer). God is Israel's creator and helper, woman is man's helper; made for him and from him. God helped Israel by delivering them from the Philistines whereas woman helps man by delivering him from being alone.
Second, we can clearly see the sanctity of marriage. On their own, man or woman is only half of the equation but when they intend on marriage they become one.
Finally, any union that is not man and woman is also "not good." My great uncle Ed was a plumber and philosopher at heart. He used to take two male pipe fittings and try to join them, then he would do the same with female fittings, to no avail. In all of his wisdom he would say, "If it don't work in plumbing, it sure ain't gonna work in life!" Notice that God decides what a suitable helper is (2.18, 20), not man! As creator, God knows what is perfect and what is not. When a man and woman decide to commit and consummate in a lifetime of love, there is only way one to describe it; "it is good."

Either way God is looking

It's that time of the year when I spend several weeks at the local church camp. I am sorry for the delay in posts but here is a small morsel to satisfy the hungry soul.

Hosea is a wonderful, yet often overlooked book of the OT. The primary message is centered around the marriage metaphor and Israel's spiritual adultery against God. The book has 5 sections each beginning with a warning of judgment and each ending with a promise of salvation. I want to focus on a wordplay in 13.7 (judgment section) and 14.8 (salvation).
So now I have become like a lion to them; like a leopard I will lurk by the road (13.7)

O Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? I will answer him and care for him. I am like a green pine tree; your fruitfulness comes from me (14.8)

The bold words in each text are highlighted because they are the same Hebrew word (shur). The first is a threat to unpenitent Israel that God's judgment is like a lurking lion or leopard waiting for ambush while the second is a promise that God will take care of Israel if they repent and turn back to him. A sinful Israel will experience God as a lurking predator while a penitent Israel would experience God as a caring protector. Either way God is looking, it depends on us as to what kind of looking he does!

Putting your prayer into Practice

Boaz is one example of a Biblical character who unknowingly answered his own petition. After Ruth and Naomi returned to Bethlehem from Moab, they were in a desperate situation being poor widows. Ruth proved her devotion and love for Naomi by taking on the responsibility of gleaning in Israelite fields for grain. The author of Ruth applies a tongue-in-cheek commentary on Ruth’s territorial selection: “It just so happened that she came to the field of Boaz” (2.3), who is a relative of Elimelech (2.1). Boaz asked one of his foremen about Ruth (2.5). The foreman knows her background; she is from Moab. He knows her situation; she has returned with Naomi (2.6). He knows what she wants; she has asked to glean. He knows her dedication; she has only rested for a short while (2.7).

Boaz not only grants Ruth permission, he demands that she only glean in his fields. Ruth is overwhelmed by Boaz’s generosity and asks, why are you paying attention to me, a foreigner? He acknowledges what she has done for Naomi and offers a blessing in the form of a petition (Hebrew jussive) to the Lord: “May Adonai reward you for what you've done; may you be rewarded in full by Adonai, the God of Israel, under whose wings (kanaph) you have come for refuge." Boaz portrays the Lord as a mother hen caring and securing her young.

Naomi devises a plan by which Ruth will persuade Boaz to take on the role of kinsman redeemer and marry her. Ruth is to go to the threshing floor as Boaz is sleeping and uncover his feet. Ruth is to lay by them waiting for Boaz’s reaction. Boaz woke up and asked, “Who are you?”

Ruth insists that Boaz “Spread your cover (kanaph) over your handmaid (which also symbolized taking a wife), because you are a redeeming kinsman." This is the very same word from 2.12 where Boaz says, May Adonai reward you…under whose wings (kanaph) you have come for refuge." Ruth asks Boaz to answer his own prayer and be a wing of refuge. Boaz accepts and the rest of narrative reveals that Boaz became Ruth and Naomi’s kinsman redeemer. Boaz was a man of means. It just so happened that Ruth chose his fields to glean in. Boaz prays that Ruth will find refuge under the wings of God, but little did he know that he was the one who would spread open those wings of refuge for Ruth. Boaz is the very one who will provide care and security by marrying Ruth. Lesson: When you pray, don’t be surprised if God uses you to answer your own prayer!