New Address for The Imperfect Disciples

Our little blog is in the process of moving and can be found at theimperfectdisciples.com

I’m gonna maintain this site as a mirror backup while I iron out the bugs with the new host, but I would ask all of you to change your bookmarks and links please. I think the newaddress will work nicely and I have gotten some good feedback so far, please drop by and let us know what you think!

Clark

My Conundrum with Grace

I was recently confronted with a problem.  The problem was fundamentally a simple one.  I had an imperfect understanding of Grace.  And to be more specific I had only a theoretical understanding of the subject.  I could explain the theory of grace adequately enough, but had little if any real understanding of it.  I could explain it as a mechanical process from Biblical texts, but couldn’t exposit it in the most useful form application.

This is in part due to several factors.  The most prominent of which being the faith tradition I was fetched up in had little use for grace.  This fundamentalist wing of the Church of Christ was more about a ‘turn or burn’, ‘repent or be sent’, ‘I am a worm-like’ expression of Christianity.  The subject of Grace was all too Baptist for this group.  And as such was glossed over in order to make was for the more meaty parts of their theology.  I don’t say this as some sort of condemnation of them.

I got a very good grounding in my faith from them.  I just wish that they had made more room for Grace is all.  I wish they would have been less a rules based form of Christianity.  I also wish that it had been a more organic form that held Grace in higher regard.  I wish the focus would have given me a better grounding in application of this subject.

Some of my lacking in this area comes from a disconnect that I just recently discovered.  Grace is not a human concept at all.  It is an entirely divine one that the fallen human state of carnality neither has room for or the ability to grasp hold of in any meaningful fashion.  This disconnect leads us away from grace and into places inhabited by things the finite mortal condition more easily and readily assimilates.  The nature of this fundamental disconnect does lead us away from the majestic and amazing side of our creator though.  And we tend to gravitate toward a rules and works based form of faith instead.

Grace at its basic and generic form is unmerited favor.  And in looking at this subject, I had to accept that this is the basal definition, (which any Christian can cite verbatim), but it felt too ambiguous and overly broad.  It felt at first to be so much so that it was functionally meaningless.  Under that definition any act of God could be construed as an act of Grace.

I hit upon a solution to my definitional dilemma not long ago.  I was reading up on a computer programming concept when I had a personal eureka moment.  In reading about polymorphism I discovered something amazing.  This concept in computer science is a fundamental one.  In polymorphism an instance of an object derives the baseline properties, functions, and methods from its parent object.  An example of this is a car.  It is a member of the vehicle class from which it inherits all of its basic principles.

The ‘a-ha’ part happened when I realized that the definition wasn’t too broad at all.  Grace is a super-type from which everything else is derived.  Nearly every act of God flows from the Grace super-type into the appropriate polymorphic sub-type.  A good example of this would be God’s grace flowing through the forgiveness sub-type into the individual instance.  In this fashion it obviates sin and reconciles the individual to God.

In real terms, this means that it is all about Grace.  The Bible from Genesis to maps is about Grace.  The polymorphic sub-types change, but the purpose, focus, and definition remains Grace.  That realization sent me spinning for awhile.  It means that provision is a form of Grace.  It means that forgiveness is a form of Grace.  It means revelation is a form of Grace.  In truth, I had to accept that there wasn’t an aspect of God in the spectrum that an individual interfaces with directly or otherwise, that doesn’t bear the imprint of the Grace super-type.

Sorting through this it began to dawn on me, that Grace was the central theme of a life of faith.  How we interact with it, how we deal with it, what we do with it, defines the full measure of the Christian walk.  If we accept grace as just the sales hook that God is obligated to provide as a method of providing entrance into Christianity and have no other functional use for it after that, then we have failed to grasp the most crucial element of the life of faith.  Then we have failed to take hold of the item provided by God to sustain us in our earthly journey.

The Perspective Problem

A problem that I faced and many Christians face on the grace question relates directly to perspective.  The modern framework that man has imposed upon all aspects of Christianity has a particularly negative imprint on our understanding of Grace.  This framework includes a mechanistic mindset that tries to reduce everything it encounters to a dry recitation of principles and concepts.  The application of this framework upon the subject of Grace has a particularly pernicious outcome.

The mechanistic modern perspective is the equivalent of food preservation through dehydration.  This helpful if you are talking about peaches or apricots, but if you are talking about Grace not so much.  You see this mindset removes everything that isn’t vital to the equation in order to preserve it or make it palatable for mass consumption.  With Grace the whole thing is essential and no reduction is realistically possible.  Largely as grace is a divine concept and any reduction conceptually is a process that removes God.  Did this stop the modern reductionists?  Of course not, they carried out their modern reduction on grace and left humanity in a sad shape.

The process left us with an unconnected and disjointed understanding of Grace.  It removed the polymorphic nature of Grace.  Essentially all that was left was an overly broad definition.  The definition only then becomes useful in attempting to convert people into Christianity as its broader implications, import, and conceptualizations are lost.  The rich tapestry woven throughout the Bible that is grace is lost, and concepts that are fundamentally an aspect of grace, become independent structures.

Forgiveness, providence, revelation all appear to be individual components of God’s character when in reality they are plants that grow from the fertile soil of grace.  They each produce a different type of fruit when their work comes to fruition.  In reality, without their connection to grace and subsequently to the heart of God, they simply wouldn’t exist.

Another problem with the mechanistic perspective occurs when we read Biblical examples of grace.  This framework attempts to in outline form graph the equation of grace.  And that only works for the elements of the equation that are observable from the text.  These events in narration end up capturing the who, what, when, and where effectively.  Rarely are these graphs able to explain the why.  Rarely if ever are they able to capture the divine side of the equation.  This leads to a place that I found myself in where I could describe the event in vivid detail, but couldn’t make an adequate application of it.

This feeds out incomplete understanding of Grace.  This conundrum forces us into the rules and works perspective that I discussed earlier.  It robs us of the beauty, the majesty, and the pageantry of God working upon the creation through the tool of grace.  To some degree, it becomes necessary to embrace the mystery of God to embrace an organic perspective of Grace.  This is because so much of the equation is shrouded from view in the heart, mind, and body of God.

An outsider looking upon this sees a fickle and capricious child.  God moves and acts where he chooses, and when he chooses.  In some cases mercy and love are abundant and in others it is totally absent.  This whimsy of action by God leads many to be left with a gnawingly fearful response to God.  Will God act in the manner I need in the circumstance in question is a difficult question for anyone to answer.

Rather than probe this whimsy, rather than embrace, (or be embraced by) the mystery of God, the reductionists have reduced grace to a sub-one sentence sound byte.  The sound byte is devoid of problem areas.  It has no thorny edges to it.  There are no advanced theological concepts in it.  It is soft pabulum for a soft society.

In doing so Grace fundamentally loses its meaning.  If Grace isn’t tied to the mystery of God, if we make no effort to explain what looks to the outsider as capricious whimsy topped off with a petty vengeful streak, then we as a community of faith have failed.  If grace remains a sound byte for us, then it will never become real.  If grace remains a concept that is only applicable to use as a sales pitch at conversion, then we have fundamentally missed the nature of grace.

The real conundrum for me has been in unpacking grace.  It has been in moving beyond the sound byte understanding of it.  It has been in laying hold of Grace as a central tenet / theme of the Bible.  And it revolved around a single question which has nagged me for sometime.  It is a question that an arbitrator or mediator might pose.  It is:

More Questions

“If Grace is more than unmerited favor, if it is more than reductionist pabulum, if it is the central mechanism by which God interfaces with his creation, then how do I make it real?”

Many questions flowed out of this one.  Ultimately though this question is what pre-occupied my consciousness.  What does a grace like this look like, act like, smell like, taste like?  How does it feel?  What is its impact?  Is the import of this grace the same as the reductionist view only that it is properly categorized?

I was left with a single answer to all my questioning; experience.  God calls us to come and taste and see that the fruit of his vineyard is good.  It boiled down to putting myself in a position to experience his Grace.  In doing so I have found that all of the other questions were answered.  I experienced the present reality of a living God.  This happened through a plethora of ways, forms, and manners.

The primary linkage to all of these forms was found in understanding two things.

1. It isn’t about me.
2. It is about God.

I was forced to accept that God’s grace while packaged for individualized application isn’t necessarily about the individual. By that I mean that God’s grace was tailored to my needs at the moment of experience.  It was however not about me per say.  It was about God being God.  It was about God being true to his nature.  It was about the divine creator being omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.  I probably could spend the rest of my life unpacking the last sentence.  Let me say that God’s grace is always sufficient.  It is always on time.  And it always takes the form needed at the moment it’s applied.  God being God knows what is needed, when it is needed most, and what form it will need to take on in application.

Therein lays the most root problem.  It is God’s tool, it is God’s vehicle, and it is God’s mechanism.  This side of heaven we know so little of God, the merest fraction of the creator really.  Our lack of knowledge and understanding hampers our ability to functionally grasp grace.  This lacking doesn’t mean that we don’t need to, and it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try.  It means that as humans we can only use what little faith we have been given to trust in our creator’s ability to be the creator, and to have hope that grace will show up when we need it.  We just have to be looking for it.

I stand now at what seems to be a conclusion of a process of self-discovery.  More accurately put, it is the conclusion of the beginning phase of this process.  I am forced to admit that there is still much that I don’t understand.  There is still much that remains mysterious to me.  I find myself at a place of grasping the following statement:

God is always about the business of interacting with his creation through the vehicle of Grace.  And it is always about Grace!

Please Welcome Todd French

I would like to extend a heartfelt welcome to my friend Todd French. Todd will be joining The Imperfect Disciples as a contributor and I look forward to reading his posts and interacting with him. It should be fun. His first post, The Grace Conundrum will be out shortly. It is an extensive look at the concept of Grace. I hope you all enjoy it!

Clark

Why Does God Allow Suffering?: Part 2

One of the most read posts on this blog is one I wrote that addressed the question of why God allows suffering. Since I was studying the Book of Job this week, I thought it would be a good time to write a follow up to that first post. Most of you will know that Job is an Old Testament book that deals with questions regarding the nature of suffering. In Job, Satan plays his familiar role of accuser and cynic. In essence, Satan accuses Job of loving God only because it is to his benefit.  Satan argued that Job only lived a Godly life because doing so had made him prosperous. In response to the enemy’s accusations, God allows Satan to test Job twice. Many have asked why God would allow a faithful servant such as Job to be tested. According to James 1:1-18, God allows us to be tested so we may develop perseverance. Perseverance is necessary for us to mature in our faith and for us “to be complete.” James teaches that we should consider ourselves blessed when we are suffering because if we persevere, God will reward us with the crown of life that he has promised us. That promise alone should be enough to offer help to believers who are wondering why God is allowing us to suffer.

Let’s get back to the story of Job.

Job suffers terribly under the attacks from Satan. In addition to being afflicted phyically,  he loses his children, his wealth, his social status, and his reputation. Satan strips everything from Job that he can. Because Job’s condition has left him “unclean,” he has to take up residence at the city dump with the beggers and other social outcasts. Throughout it all, Job refused to sin against God by cursing Him. He remains loyal to his creator even though he can’t understand why terrible things have befallen him. By doing so, Job is able to prove Satan wrong. As a result, he is rewarded with a new, more humble spirit along with, I am sure, the “Crown of Life” that James speaks of.

The part of the story I want to discuss now comes amid the theories Job’s friends offer to explain his suffering. Their theories are common even today. Job’s friends suggest that perhaps his suffering is a direct result of his own sin. They submit that Job is actually the victim of some form of Karma …  his obvious past sins are causing God to punish him. In the midst of Job’s heartache, questions, and his friends theories; God speaks. Below is God’s lengthy discourse taken from The Message translation. It is a long passage, but I encourage you to read it and imagine God is speaking to you.

Job 38

¹ And now, finally, God answered Job from the eye of a violent storm. He said:

^2-11 “Why do you confuse the issue?
Why do you talk without knowing what you’re talking about?
Pull yourself together, Job!
Up on your feet! Stand tall!
I have some questions for you,
and I want some straight answers.
Where were you when I created the earth?
Tell me, since you know so much!
Who decided on its size? Certainly you’ll know that!
Who came up with the blueprints and measurements?
How was its foundation poured,
and who set the cornerstone,
While the morning stars sang in chorus
and all the angels shouted praise?
And who took charge of the ocean
when it gushed forth like a baby from the womb?
That was me! I wrapped it in soft clouds,
and tucked it in safely at night.
Then I made a playpen for it,
a strong playpen so it couldn’t run loose,
And said, ‘Stay here, this is your place.
Your wild tantrums are confined to this place.’

^12-15 “And have you ever ordered Morning, ‘Get up!’
told Dawn, ‘Get to work!’
So you could seize Earth like a blanket
and shake out the wicked like cockroaches?
As the sun brings everything to light,
brings out all the colors and shapes,
The cover of darkness is snatched from the wicked—
they’re caught in the very act!

^16-18 “Have you ever gotten to the true bottom of things,
explored the labyrinthine caves of deep ocean?
Do you know the first thing about death?
Do you have one clue regarding death’s dark mysteries?
And do you have any idea how large this earth is?
Speak up if you have even the beginning of an answer.

^19-21 “Do you know where Light comes from
and where Darkness lives
So you can take them by the hand
and lead them home when they get lost?
Why, of course you know that.
You’ve known them all your life,
grown up in the same neighborhood with them!

^22-30 “Have you ever traveled to where snow is made,
seen the vault where hail is stockpiled,
The arsenals of hail and snow that I keep in readiness
for times of trouble and battle and war?
Can you find your way to where lightning is launched,
or to the place from which the wind blows?
Who do you suppose carves canyons
for the downpours of rain, and charts
the route of thunderstorms
That bring water to unvisited fields,
deserts no one ever lays eyes on,
Drenching the useless wastelands
so they’re carpeted with wildflowers and grass?
And who do you think is the father of rain and dew,
the mother of ice and frost?
You don’t for a minute imagine
these marvels of weather just happen, do you?

^31-33 “Can you catch the eye of the beautiful Pleiades sisters,
or distract Orion from his hunt?
Can you get Venus to look your way,
or get the Great Bear and her cubs to come out and play?
Do you know the first thing about the sky’s constellations
and how they affect things on Earth?

^34-35 “Can you get the attention of the clouds,
and commission a shower of rain?
Can you take charge of the lightning bolts
and have them report to you for orders?

^36-38 “Who do you think gave weather-wisdom to the ibis,
and storm-savvy to the rooster?
Does anyone know enough to number all the clouds
or tip over the rain barrels of heaven
When the earth is cracked and dry,
the ground baked hard as a brick?

^39-41 “Can you teach the lioness to stalk her prey
and satisfy the appetite of her cubs
As they crouch in their den,
waiting hungrily in their cave?
And who sets out food for the ravens
when their young cry to God,
fluttering about because they have no food?”

Job 39

^1-4 “Do you know the month when mountain goats give birth? Have you ever watched a doe bear her fawn?
Do you know how many months she is pregnant?
Do you know the season of her delivery,
when she crouches down and drops her offspring?
Her young ones flourish and are soon on their own;
they leave and don’t come back.

^5-8 “Who do you think set the wild donkey free,
opened the corral gates and let him go?
I gave him the whole wilderness to roam in,
the rolling plains and wide-open places.
He laughs at his city cousins, who are harnessed and harried.
He’s oblivious to the cries of teamsters.
He grazes freely through the hills,
nibbling anything that’s green.

^9-12 “Will the wild buffalo condescend to serve you,
volunteer to spend the night in your barn?
Can you imagine hitching your plow to a buffalo
and getting him to till your fields?
He’s hugely strong, yes, but could you trust him,
would you dare turn the job over to him?
You wouldn’t for a minute depend on him, would you,
to do what you said when you said it?

^13-18 “The ostrich flaps her wings futilely—
all those beautiful feathers, but useless!
She lays her eggs on the hard ground,
leaves them there in the dirt, exposed to the weather,
Not caring that they might get stepped on and cracked
or trampled by some wild animal.
She’s negligent with her young, as if they weren’t even hers.
She cares nothing about anything.
She wasn’t created very smart, that’s for sure,
wasn’t given her share of good sense.
But when she runs, oh, how she runs,
laughing, leaving horse and rider in the dust.

^19-25 “Are you the one who gave the horse his prowess
and adorned him with a shimmering mane?
Did you create him to prance proudly
and strike terror with his royal snorts?
He paws the ground fiercely, eager and spirited,
then charges into the fray.
He laughs at danger, fearless,
doesn’t shy away from the sword.
The banging and clanging
of quiver and lance don’t faze him.
He quivers with excitement, and at the trumpet blast
races off at a gallop.
At the sound of the trumpet he neighs mightily,
smelling the excitement of battle from a long way off,
catching the rolling thunder of the war cries.

^26-30 “Was it through your know-how that the hawk learned to fly,
soaring effortlessly on thermal updrafts?
Did you command the eagle’s flight,
and teach her to build her nest in the heights,
Perfectly at home on the high cliff face,
invulnerable on pinnacle and crag?
From her perch she searches for prey,
spies it at a great distance.
Her young gorge themselves on carrion;
wherever there’s a roadkill, you’ll see her circling.”

Job 40

^1-2God then confronted Job directly: “Now what do you have to say for yourself?
Are you going to haul me, the Mighty One, into court and press charges?”

Job Answers God

^3-5 Job answered:

“I’m speechless, in awe—words fail me.
I should never have opened my mouth!
I’ve talked too much, way too much.
I’m ready to shut up and listen.”

^6-7 God addressed Job next from the eye of the storm, and this is what he said:

“I have some more questions for you,
and I want straight answers.

^8-14 “Do you presume to tell me what I’m doing wrong?
Are you calling me a sinner so you can be a saint?
Do you have an arm like my arm?
Can you shout in thunder the way I can?
Go ahead, show your stuff.
Let’s see what you’re made of, what you can do.
Unleash your outrage.
Target the arrogant and lay them flat.
Target the arrogant and bring them to their knees.
Stop the wicked in their tracks—make mincemeat of them!
Dig a mass grave and dump them in it—
faceless corpses in an unmarked grave.
I’ll gladly step aside and hand things over to you—
you can surely save yourself with no help from me!

^15-24 “Look at the land beast, Behemoth. I created him as well as you.
Grazing on grass, docile as a cow—
Just look at the strength of his back,
the powerful muscles of his belly.
His tail sways like a cedar in the wind;
his huge legs are like beech trees.
His skeleton is made of steel,
every bone in his body hard as steel.
Most magnificent of all my creatures,
but I still lead him around like a lamb!
The grass-covered hills serve him meals,
while field mice frolic in his shadow.
He takes afternoon naps under shade trees,
cools himself in the reedy swamps,
Lazily cool in the leafy shadows
as the breeze moves through the willows.
And when the river rages he doesn’t budge,
stolid and unperturbed even when the Jordan goes wild.
But you’d never want him for a pet—
you’d never be able to housebreak him!”

Job 41

^1-11“Or can you pull in the sea beast, Leviathan, with a fly rod and stuff him in your creel?
Can you lasso him with a rope,
or snag him with an anchor?
Will he beg you over and over for mercy,
or flatter you with flowery speech?
Will he apply for a job with you
to run errands and serve you the rest of your life?
Will you play with him as if he were a pet goldfish?
Will you make him the mascot of the neighborhood children?
Will you put him on display in the market
and have shoppers haggle over the price?
Could you shoot him full of arrows like a pin cushion,
or drive harpoons into his huge head?
If you so much as lay a hand on him,
you won’t live to tell the story.
What hope would you have with such a creature?
Why, one look at him would do you in!
If you can’t hold your own against his glowering visage,
how, then, do you expect to stand up to me?
Who could confront me and get by with it?
I’m in charge of all this—I run this universe!

^12-17 “But I’ve more to say about Leviathan, the sea beast,
his enormous bulk, his beautiful shape.
Who would even dream of piercing that tough skin
or putting those jaws into bit and bridle?
And who would dare knock at the door of his mouth
filled with row upon row of fierce teeth?
His pride is invincible;
nothing can make a dent in that pride.
Nothing can get through that proud skin—
impervious to weapons and weather,
The thickest and toughest of hides,
impenetrable!

^18-34 “He snorts and the world lights up with fire,
he blinks and the dawn breaks.
Comets pour out of his mouth,
fireworks arc and branch.
Smoke erupts from his nostrils
like steam from a boiling pot.
He blows and fires blaze;
flames of fire stream from his mouth.
All muscle he is—sheer and seamless muscle.
To meet him is to dance with death.
Sinewy and lithe,
there’s not a soft spot in his entire body—
As tough inside as out,
rock-hard, invulnerable.
Even angels run for cover when he surfaces,
cowering before his tail-thrashing turbulence.
Javelins bounce harmlessly off his hide,
harpoons ricochet wildly.
Iron bars are so much straw to him,
bronze weapons beneath notice.
Arrows don’t even make him blink;
bullets make no more impression than raindrops.
A battle ax is nothing but a splinter of kindling;
he treats a brandished harpoon as a joke.
His belly is armor-plated, inexorable—
unstoppable as a barge.
He roils deep ocean the way you’d boil water,
he whips the sea like you’d whip an egg into batter.
With a luminous trail stretching out behind him,
you might think Ocean had grown a gray beard!
There’s nothing on this earth quite like him,
not an ounce of fear in that creature!
He surveys all the high and mighty—
king of the ocean, king of the deep!”

My Thoughts

I am amazed by God’s answer in the above passage. On the surface, it may seem to miss its mark. After all, God never reveals to Job the purpose behind his suffering. Job is left with no answers. The lesson the God provides; however, is more important. He is reminding Job of his place in the universe. Only God is the creator and the ruler of the universe. Job may ask all the questions he wants and form theory upon theory, but in the end, he will never understand the nature of God and suffering in full. More important than the question of “why God allows suffering” is the reminder that God is always in control and with us … even in the midst of suffering!

Notice that God doesn’t tell Job he should never ask why. I believe there are times when we suffer as a direct result from our own actions, in these moments deciphering the “why” can help us learn from our mistakes. I also believe that God is saying that there are some moments of suffering we will never understand. It is in these moments that we should be reminded that there is a bigger power that controls the universe. We should take comfort in the fact that God is in charge. We should rest in Him. We should know that no matter how big our problems may seem … our God is bigger.

In moments of suffering, it is to our benefit to approach God with a humble spirit. The enemy will do everything he can to trick us into blaming God, but we must embrace the lesson that Job learned. We must believe that God is with us and in control. We must also agree with James that perseverance through suffering can serve to strengthen our faith.

If you haven’t read the Book of Job recently, I would encourage you to do so. It is a beautifully written piece of literature!

Clark

Introduction to the Book of Job

Author(s)

Although the exact author of Job is unknown, there are several theories that attempt to decipher an answer. Many ascribe authorship to Moses.[i] This theory was advanced in part due to a lack of reference to the Law within Job. Since the Law isn’t mentioned, it is reasoned that Job predates the Law and was written by Moses. Another possibility is that Job predates even Moses. Others believe that Job himself wrote the book; [ii]however, this theory seems flawed as Job himself would not have been privy to the interactions between God and Satan.

Date of Writing

The date Job was written is also up to wide debate. While some date the writing at 450 B.C., others insist it dates back to 950 B.C. during the golden age of Biblical wisdom literature.[iii] Those that believe Job was written before Moses date the writing to the second Millennium B.C. in the Patriarchal Era.[iv] Most likely, Job was preserved as an oral tradition and then put in written form at a later date.[v]

Historical Background and Theme

The Book of Job deals with the age old question of suffering. It acknowledges that this topic often defies human understanding and uses poetry to impart wisdom. Job teaches that God often allows suffering as a means to strengthen the humans that he loves. It also demonstrates that God is worthy of praise even when we don’t understand the trials we are facing.[vi]

---

[i] Protestant Apologetics and Theology Page – http://www.ovrlnd.com/outlinesofbooks/Job.html

[ii] Ibid.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Bible.org – http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=903

[v] Protestant Apologetics and Theology Page – http://www.ovrlnd.com/outlinesofbooks/Job.html

[vi] Bible.org – http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=903

Introduction to the Song of Solomon

Author(s)

Chapter 1, verse 1 of the Song of Solomon makes the claim that Solomon is the author of this book. This view is widely accepted with little debate; however, it is a stumbling block for some that a man reputed to having 700 wives and 300 concubines could have written a book espousing the benefits of a love between a man and a woman.[i] This apparent conflict of interests can be reconciled; however, if one considers the possibility that Solomon wrote this song in his youth before acquiring his other wives and concubines.[ii] Solomon’s apparent failure to remain true to his first love does not negate the beauty and truth of this song.

Date of Writing

Since it can be assumed that this book was written before Solomon became polygamous, it was probably written early in his reign as king. While the histories recorded in the books of Kings and Chronicles are not presented in strict chronological order,[iii] it is safe to assume that this book was written around 965 B.C.[iv]

Historical Background and Theme

The Song of Solomon is one of over a thousand songs written by Solomon. Its title suggests that it is the most important song that Solomon ever wrote. The song is written to extol the benefits of the love-relationship between a man and his wife and stands in contrast to the practices of hedonism (the pursuit of only pleasure) and asceticism (the denial of pleasure).[v] Many readers of this book see it as an allegory of either God’s love for Israel or Christ’s love for the church.[vi] Regardless of how much of this book was intended to be allegory, there is no doubt that it is a song rich in meaning and relevance to the even modern readers.

---

[i] Soniclight.com – http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/song.pdf

[ii] Ibid.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Gotquestions?org – http://www.gotquestions.org/Song-of-Solomon.html

[v] Ibid.

[vi] Soniclight.com – http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/song.pdf

Introduction to the Book of Proverbs

Author(s)

The book of Proverbs introduces itself as being written by Solomon, the son of David in verse one. While some people hold to the belief that this attribution is honorific[i], the text makes it clear that Solomon himself wrote the vast majority of the Proverbs. It is obvious; however, that Solomon is not the only author. Large sections of Proverbs are attributed to wise men named Agur and Lemuel. There are also references within the text that sections of Proverbs may have been written by a group of wise men.[ii]

Date of Writing

As the majority of the text seems to have been written by Solomon, the writing of the Book of Proverbs would date back to the tenth century B.C.[iii] There are several similarities in Proverbs to a piece of Egyptian literature named, “The Wisdom of Amenemope,” that would also date Proverbs to the tenth century B.C.[iv] It seems obvious, however, that sections of Proverbs have been edited and written at a later date. Verse 1 of Chapter 25 indicates that a section of the book was copied by the “men of Hezekiah, King of Judah.” This section can be dated to approximately 700 B.C.[v]

Historical Background and Theme

If Solomon is considered the primary author of Proverbs, than the book was written during a time of peace and prosperity in Israel’s history. It was a time in Israel’s history when one would expect a reflective piece of wisdom literature to have been written.[vi]Later additions were added during a time of spiritual renewal led by King Hezekiah.[vii] The Book of Proverbs presents itself as a guide for a young man to attain wisdom, discipline, and a prudent life. Most of the book offers short, concise statements about the human condition that are generally true.[viii] Proverbs are meant to be interpreted as a guide to the best way of life, not as literal statements that are true under every condition. There is also a large section of couplets contained within Proverbs that provide contrasting statements. It is important that this book not be interpreted as a book of prophecies or promises.[ix]

---

[i] The Book of Proverbs in Social and Theological Context  – http://www.cup.es/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780511222696&ss=exc

[ii] International Bible Society – http://www.ibsstl.org/niv/studybible/proverbs.php

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Ibid.

[v] Ibid.

[vi] Ibid.

[vii] Ibid.

[viii] Ibid.

[ix] Ibid.

Book Review of The Cure For a Troubled Heart by Ron Mehl

Book Review of The Cure for A Broken Heart: Meditations on Psalm 37 by Ron Mehl

Rating: 10 out of 10

An assignment for a class I am taking at BBC calls for me to write a research paper on the Psalm of my choice. While I’ve read the Psalms several times over, I must admit that I was at a loss over what Psalm to choose. That’s when Stefanie informed me, rather quickly, that her favorite Psalm was Psalm 37. As I began looking for sources, I found this little book on Amazon for only 70 cents (used). I had never heard of the author, Ron Mehl, but the reviews were positive and the price was right.

I can list on one hand the authors that I have truly felt blessed to read. A few names come to mind; Dallas Willard, Mike Yaconelli, and David Jeremiah all have touched me in a way other writers haven’t. I can now add Ron Mehl to the list. As you read his words, you can actually sense the closeness of Mehl’s relationship with God. It is hard to explain, but having read his book, I actually felt closer to God myself. Stefanie compared it to the feeling she got when reading The Imitation of Christ.

The beauty of this book is its simplicity. Written for anyone to understand, each chapter begins with a verse of two from Psalm 37. The author then offers reflections from his life, experience, and other Scripture to drive home the powerful nessage of the Psalm. The focus of this book is not on Theology or doctrine, but rather on Jesus Christ. It is a humble effort by a humble author.

If I have any complaint at all, it is that the book is too short. Mehl could of held my attention for another 100 pages easily. I am sure that this is a title I will go back to time and time again. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants insight into Psalm 37 or, as the title suggests, anyone who has a troubled heart.

Book Review: How to Read the Proverbs by Tremper Longman III

Book Review of How to read the Proverbs by Tremper Longman III

Rating: 8 out of 10

This short book is highly readable and well worth the time. Long,an does a fantastic job of illustrating the various poetic elements that are incorporated in the Proverbs. The reader of the book will come to appreciate the rich depth of the Proverbs.Early in the book, Longman reveals the dangers in reading the Book of Proverbs with a strictly literal interpretation. The Proverbs are poetic literature and contain all the elements one would expect to find in poetry; such as, inagery and hyperbole. A literal interpretation of the Proverbs robs them of their depth. Longman also explains the Biblical Proverbs amongst other Near Eastern wisdom literature. The reader will discover while there are striking similarities between the Proverbs and other wisdom literature, there is one striking difference that sets the Biblical Proverbs apart.

I highly enjoyed reading this little book and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to study Old Testament poetry. I will be adding this book to my recommended reading list.

When the Enemy Attacks

I’ve talked to several people in the past who insist that Hell isn’t a real place. They have convinced themselves that Satan is the figment of some fundamentalist Christian’s imagination. They live in a world where they like to believe the Prince of Lies is a myth … a legend. My typical response to this notion is that if I were Satan, I wouldn’t want you to believe in me either. If I were Satan, and you failed to acknowledge my presence as a real, living entity; it would make it that much easier for me to meet my goals. I could manipulate you, decieve you, mislead you, hurt you, punish you, and damage your relationship with God while you continued to deny my existence. You would blame everything but me. It is the perfect setup for Satan.

On the other side of the spectrum, are those people that see Satan in their cereal. They blame everything that is wrong in their lives on The Devil. They fail to step up and take responsibility for any mistakes they have ever made because it was really just Satan’s fault. These people seem to think that Satan is responsible for any act, person, or event in their life that doesn’t bend to their own will.

In reality, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Satan does exist, Jesus confirmed this, but he isn’t responsible for everything that is wrong in our lives. Human beings are more than capable of screwing things up without the enemy leading the way.

It has been my experience, however, that Satan does attack me directly at times. Normally, it is when I am on the cusp of some spiritual awakening or when I am growing closer to God. It seems as if Satan is right there trying to sabotage me at times. It makes sense really. Satan doesn’t really need to attack those who don’t believe in Christ … he already has them. But he does have an interest in separating a believer from Christ, and I believe he tries hard to do this.

Take my experience from yesterday (if you don’t believe in Satan, you may want to check out here … this will seem very weird to you). I was under the gun yesterday for getting enrolled in the Baptist Bible College. It has long been my desire to study Theology and this school is a great fit for me. My deadline for getting enrolled and signed up for class was yesterday and everything seemed to be working against me. Most of this can be attributed to good, old-fashioned bad luck rather than Satan, but there was a moment yesterday when I could actually feel the enemy working against me. When I shut my eyes, I could actually feel myself being rended … I could see and hear the gnashing of teeth. I have never experienced anything like this in my life. It was actually quite frightening. All I could do was pray the name of Jesus Christ … it wasn’t long before the sensation of being attacked subsided. I couldn’t figure out why I was being attacked, but as I look back on it now, I believe it was directly related with my decision to attend the Baptist Bible College. The enemy was trying his best to intimidate me. Thankfully, it didn’t work.

I honestly believe that Christians need to be ready for spiritual attack. Satan will do his best to scare us, tempt us, and intimidate us … especially if we are on the verge of doing something for God. I once read that if Satan was bold enough to tempt Christ, we can be sure he will attack us as well. Ironically, it was when the enemy attacked me yesterday that I became certain I was making the right move. When I realized making a commitment to studying the word of God upset Satan so much, it convinced me I was doing what God wanted me to do.

There may be some rules of thumb to learn from all of this.

1. When we are on the verge of growing closer to God, we should expect the enemy to try and bring us down.

2. It is at these moments that we need to remember who it is we belong to. Christ provided a model for how we should stand up to these attacks … prayer and Scripture are our weapons and we need to wield them wisely.

3. When we can feel Satan working against us, it should give us a clue that we are the right track to finding God’s will.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving me a model to follow in Jesus Christ. Thank you for providing Scriptures to teach and inspire me. Lord, help me to learn from experiences such as these. Help me to expect spiritual attack when I least suspect it. Give me the wisdom and discernment to recognize when Satan is butting into my life and to know when I have to man up take responsibility for my own mistakes.

Amen.

Clark