When you read the word “lamp” in the Scriptures, what comes to mind?  Usually we might think of the kind of ancient oil lamp mentioned by Jesus in his Parable of the Lamp placed on a stand to light a room (Matthew 5:15).  But the word “lamp” occurs frequently in the Bible (some 100 times), and the meaning of the word can be surprisingly varied. 

In cases where a literal lamp is involved, it is most frequently a small saucer or bowl-like holder for oil and a wick that is being discussed (Job 18:62, 2 Kings 4:10), though the large and elaborate seven-branched menorah lamp that illuminated the tabernacle and the temple (Exodus 25:31-37) is simply called a “lamp” in many instances. But we also find a number of figurative or symbolic uses of the word, especially in the Old Testament, as we see in the following scriptures:

Inner Illumination:  “The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord that sheds light on one's inmost being” (Proverbs 20:27).

Instruction: “For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life” (Proverbs 6:23).

These two meanings are fairly obvious ones, but sometimes the connotation of “lamp” is not so obvious unless we look closely at the context in which it appears. For example:

Protection: “How I long for the … days when God watched over me, when his lamp shone on my head and by his light I walked through darkness!” (Job 29:2-3).

Life:  “The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out; the flame of his fire stops burning” (Job 18:5).

Once we think about them, it is not difficult to see how “lamp” is being used in these examples, although the connection between the word and its intended meaning may sometimes be even more symbolic: 

Descendants:  “Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong” (1 Kings 15:4).

Hope:  “But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished” (2 Samuel 21:17).

Once we become aware of these different meanings of “lamp” in the Scriptures, we begin to see that the meaning of the word is often not what it first appears to be. Take for example a passage we find in 1 Samuel: “The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was” (1 Samuel 3:3). We might naturally presume that this verse is speaking of the menorah light in the tabernacle, but the Law of Moses made it clear that that lamp was never to be allowed to burn out and that it had to be kept burning all night  from twilight to the light of the following day (Exodus 27:21, Leviticus 24:3-4). So if this verse is not speaking of a literal lamp, what is the “lamp of God” to which it refers? 

When we look at the possible meanings given above, the answer is that “lamp” in 1 Samuel 3:3 most probably refers figuratively to Israel’s “hope” in God.  Similar expressions are used in 2 Samuel 21:17 (the lamp of Israel), 1 Kings 11:36 (the lamp of David), and 2 Kings 8: 19 (the lamp of David and his descendants). The meaning of “hope” is made even more likely when we look at the immediate context of 1 Samuel 3:3, which tells us:

“One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel” (1 Samuel 3:2-3).

In this case, “lamp” seems to refer to the fact that, despite Eli’s decline, hope was present regarding the boy Samuel whom God was about to call.   Similarly, when Samuel records the words of David: “You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light” (2 Samuel 22:29), it is hope, not literal light, that is in mind.

These are small examples, but in many cases in the Old Testament we should pause to think a moment when we read the word “lamp.”  While context may make it clear that a literal lamp is involved, on the other hand, it may sometimes show that another, more symbolic, meaning is intended. 

​As Christians, we must listen to both the “word” of God – the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and the “Word” of God – Jesus Christ (John 1:1).  In fact, as Jesus himself showed, the one testifies to the other: “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me” (John 5:39, emphasis added). But Jesus’ point in saying this was that we can be studying – even diligently – and still not hearing the One we should be hearing.   

So how do we most effectively listen to the Word and his word?  Read our new article on practical strategies for hearing the Word through Scripture here.

Jesus said his kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36), and the New Testament stresses that his followers are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven (Philippians 3:20).  But does this mean that as Christians we should not love and identify with our individual countries?  Some feel that honoring a physical country is contrary to the understanding of Christian “citizenship” – what does the Bible teach on this?

It is certainly true that every Christian is called to a universal family in which there is no distinction between Jew or Gentile, male or female (Galatians 3:28 ) – or for that matter,  Americans, English, French, Nigerians or citizens of any nation.  But many scriptures show that as members of the family of God, we can still appreciate and celebrate our own individual cultural heritage or nationality. 

A verse often used to help show that our identity with our own nation is acceptable is Jeremiah 29:7, where God’s people were encouraged to pray for their city (which was, at that time, Babylon!) and country.  In a similar manner, we find Psalm 122:6 urging us to “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem”  and many other psalms praying for, or encouraging  others to pray for, the land and people of Israel.

So identity with and support of one’s nation is certainly found in the Old Testament, but what about the New Testament – did Christ’s teaching and the establishment of the Christian faith do away with love and concern for one’s country?
   
When we remember that Jesus wept over the fate of Jerusalem  (Matthew 23:37-39, Luke 19:41-44) and the apostle Paul wrote that one of his chief desires was for his fellow Jews to be saved (Romans 10:1), we see the expression of a specific attitude.  That attitude does not view the Israelites as being more important than other peoples (John 10:16; 1 Timothy 2:4), but it shows the importance of the welfare of one’s country and fellow citizens for both Jesus and Paul.

At the most basic level,  the question “Is love of country biblical?” revolves around the concept of nations within the Bible.  Are the nations themselves purely human constructs that somehow are in opposition to God’s will?  The Scriptures give overwhelming evidence that this is not so.  Abraham was told by God that all the nations of the world – not just the peoples – would be blessed through him (Genesis 22:18).   Deuteronomy 32:8 tells us that God himself gave the nations their inheritance and set their boundaries, and we see the continuation of the individual nations in God’s plan for humanity throughout the books of the Bible.

Consider the many verses that show this in the Bible’s final book.  The Book of Revelation tells us that those who overcome will rule over the nations (Revelation 2:26), and that all nations will eventually worship before God (Revelation 15:4).  At its conclusion, in its description of the New Earth, Revelation stresses that the nations will walk according to God’s light (Revelation 21:24), that the glory and honor of the nations will be brought into the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:26), and that the tree of life will be there for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22:2).
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So the Bible does not show that human nations are simply part of human government that will be superseded by the government of God – nations are clearly in existence in the Kingdom of God itself.  We should never place our physical nation, like anything else, before our allegiance to God (Acts 5:29), but we are free to appreciate and support our individual nations and, like Jesus and Paul, to love them. 

Something to think about: 

"Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom." – Thomas Jefferson

The Bible shows that honesty is of primary importance in any society. It is represented by many biblical concepts such as truth and faithfulness and is used as the opposite of negative and destructive qualities such as lying, cheating and deceit.

But in today’s world we see dishonesty in every aspect of life – from “fake news” and false claims made in resumes and job applications to failure to report income that would be taxed.  Lack of honesty is so widespread that we have a situation strikingly similar to that described by the Old Testament prophets. The prophet Isaiah wrote “… justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter” (Isaiah 59:14), and Jeremiah affirmed that “Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity” (Jeremiah 9:5).
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It is always easy to find reasons why being dishonest might seem to be advantageous, but Thomas Jefferson’s statement that “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom” is solidly rooted in what the Bible has to say about this vital quality.  The Book of Proverbs – the Bible’s own “book of wisdom” – contains more references to aspects of what we call “honesty” than to any other quality associated with wisdom.  The proverbs reflect the fact that sooner or later dishonesty always brings unhappiness to ourselves and to others, and it is truly wiser to simply make honesty a practice in every aspect of our lives.  Anything less than honesty is not only wrong, it is also a tragic lack of wisdom.  

​Most people tend to think of forgiveness in a somewhat limited way,  as though it were a matter of choice – we either choose to forgive those who wrong us or we do not.

But even as Christians, knowing  that we must forgive if we expect to be forgiven ourselves,  we do not always realize that there are different degrees of forgiveness and that we must be careful not to accept something that feels like forgiveness on our part, but really is not.

The simplest way to understand this is to realize the difference between what we might call active and passive forgiveness. 

Passive Forgiveness

When we find it difficult to forgive someone, we sometimes forgive them passively.  This means that we may stop ourselves from talking and thinking negatively about the person and certainly from considering any kind of revenge or “getting even”  with them.  Yet the level of forgiveness stops there – at a kind of “letter of the law” level.   Ultimately we may settle into a kind of indifference toward the individual. We do not see the  person  who has wronged us as either a friend or an enemy, but we feel  content in not actively being negative about him or her.  Unfortunately, if we fall into this kind of passive attitude, we may never cross over into a more positive attitude of true forgiveness toward the person.
  
How do we know if we are guilty of this kind of minimal, “passive” forgiveness?   We can often determine this by considering how we react to the person.  Do we tend to keep interaction with them to a minimum, or at least to a lesser degree than before they hurt us in some way?  Do we never really say or do anything positive to them?  If someone else says something complimentary about the person, do we simply smile and not comment?  Any of these reactions can indicate that our relationship with them is a passive compromise and not the result of true forgiveness. 

Active Forgiveness

Unlike passive forgiveness, true active forgiveness goes beyond  emotional and spiritual indifference.  That is why true forgiveness is so hard to accomplish when we have been deeply hurt. It’s not human to want to help the person who hurts us – especially if the person who hurt us clearly did so intentionally.  Yet completely forgiving someone means that, regardless of what they have done, we treat them in the same way we did before they hurt us, that we live with a feeling of compassion for the other person.
 
That is the kind of forgiveness demonstrated by Christ in his words on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34),  by Stephen  regarding those who killed him: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”  (Acts 7:60), and by countless Christians who have been wronged since that time.   In fact, these two prayers show us how we can know that our forgiveness is active and not passive.  We do not pray for those we only nominally forgive.  If we can pray for those we need to forgive, we are actively forgiving them.

Active forgiveness does not mean we need to stay in abusive or hurtful relationships or situations. We must certainly forgive endlessly and without restriction (Matthew 18:21-22), but sometimes it is necessary to forgive from a distance in order to stop the wrongful cycle of hurt or harm (Acts 12:17, etc.).

But whether we are able to stay in situations or it is wiser to remove ourselves from them, our forgiveness must always be active and full. Whenever possible our forgiveness should be accompanied with active love: “… Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 26:27-28).  Such a fully active demonstration of forgiveness is not always possible, but as we saw in the prayers of Jesus and Stephen, we can always forgive actively by praying for those who have hurt or offended us.   Anything less is passive forgiveness.
 
* See also our article “The Second Step of Forgiveness.”

 
"Root and branch" is an ancient Hebrew expression, but one that is easily understood today. The “roots and branches” of something represent its entirety, just as the roots and branches of an actual tree represent the whole plant – as when we read in the Book of Job “His roots dry up below and his branches wither above” (Job 18:16), or in Malachi “…Not a root or a branch will be left to them” (Malachi 4:1).

Sometimes the expression can also mean the beginning and end, the past and future, as when it is used metaphorically to represent Christ himself as the “Root and branch” – the one who both lived before and was also the descendant – of David, the son of Jesse (Revelation 22:16).

But let’s go back to the basic meaning of “root and branch” meaning “the whole thing” or “every part.” It’s a simple metaphor for completeness that can remind us of an important lesson in Christian living. When we read how Jesus told his disciples “If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away…” (Matthew 18:8), we understand that this does not mean literally, and that Christ was talking about sin rather than literal body parts.  But we may miss the fact that “hand and foot” was a parallel expression to “root and branch” – it could mean every part of something. Christ’s clear teaching was that we should become perfect (Matthew 5:48), and sin must be cast out of our lives in its entirety – no part of it must remain in us.
 
Now let’s take that understanding back to the idea of “root and branch.”  Most people know that if you cut down a tree you must also dig out the roots or the plant may grow back up from the roots left in the soil. But it is also true that if we cut down a  tree and even dig out the roots, but leave some of the branches lying around on the ground, sometimes the branches may produce roots from which the tree will grow again.

What does all this have to do with Christian living?  Simply that we must always remember that sin must be torn out of our lives “root and branch” or, like a partially cut down tree, it will return again.   Digging out the roots of sin is equivalent to removing the thoughts that initiate the growth of sin in our minds. If we remove the outward visible branches – for example, pornographic materials from our home – the problem will still grow back again if the wrongful thoughts are not completely removed from our minds.  In the opposite way, even if we decide, for example, that we will turn from alcohol dependency, but we leave “branches”  such as wine “for cooking” around our home, it will only be a matter of time before those “branches” take root again as they initiate thoughts – the “roots” of the problem – in our minds. 
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These examples are obvious ones, but the principle applies in many situations. As the apostle Paul wrote: “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough” (Galatians 5:9 and 1 Corinthians 5:6). Leaving either a few roots (thoughts) or a few branches (anything that triggers the thoughts) in our lives will result in the problem growing back again.   There is only one way to fully put a sin out of our lives – it has to be removed “root and branch.”

When we think of prayer, many of our ideas may be more cultural than biblical. For example, different cultures hold their hands in different ways in prayer. But the examples of prayer we find in the Bible rarely speak of how the hands are held –and when they do it is usually to say that the praying person's hands were outstretched to the heavens rather than in the manner with which most of us are familiar.  How we extend our hearts in prayer is clearly more important than how we hold our hands.
    
In the same way, when we think of prayer we may think of closing our eyes, but this is not necessary or  biblical.  We can certainly pray with our eyes closed just as well as with them open, but the reverse is also just as true.  In some parts of the world, where Christianity is outlawed and punishable by severe penalties, believers routinely pray with their eyes open to avoid unnecessary arrest and punishment.

In fact, praying with open eyes was probably the norm in biblical times.  On two occasions when Jesus prayed to the Father, we are told that he looked up to heaven.  In the first instance he was giving thanks: “Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me’” (John 11:41), and in the second he was making a request: “After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father … Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you” (John 17:1). Interestingly, the only other time a praying person’s eyes are mentioned in the New Testament is in the story of the repentant tax collector who was so distraught that when he prayed “… He would not even look up to heaven” (Luke 18:13), indicating that looking up to heaven would have been the normal way to pray.

There is a great deal of corroborating evidence to show that prayer in the Bible and in the early Church usually involved praying with open eyes, but acceptable prayer has nothing to do with whether our eyes are open or closed – any more than how we hold our hands.  Sometimes we may wish to close our eyes in order to not be distracted by things happening around us, but often we may prefer to keep our eyes open to see that for which we are giving thanks or to feel a closer connection with the One who is "near to all who call on him" (Psalm 145:18).

​​You know the situations.  As you walk out of a shopping center you are approached by someone who asks: "Could you spare a few dollars? – I need help.”  We have seen the signs many people carry - pulling at heart strings from every possible direction -  “Homeless,” “Veteran,” “Injured,”  “Hungry,” “Please help – God bless.”

Some of these cases may reflect genuine need, of course, but police officers and social welfare agents know that this is just a business for a good number of people and that they are not destitute at all.  You know this, too, but how are we to judge a given case? What is the Christian's right response when asked for help in such circumstances – should you always give?   Our article "The Savvy Samaritan" published on this website today provides some answers that may be helpful.  You can read the article here. 

Scripture in Focus:  “There were giants on the earth in those days, and also after that…” (Genesis 6:4 KJV).

Many of us are familiar with children’s books illustrating the biblical story of David and the giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4–7) – with pictures showing the young David overshadowed by a huge figure perhaps twice as tall as himself.

​Giants are first mentioned in the Old Testament as early as Genesis 6, where we are told “There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward…”  But are these stories of giants just “tall tales” as many presume –  or, if they are based in fact, what exactly are the stories talking about?
  
The word in Genesis 6:4 translated “giant” in the King James Version and some other versions of the Bible is the Hebrew word nephilim, and the actual meaning of the word is unknown – which is why it is simply left untranslated in most modern versions such as the  NIV, ESV, HCSB, etc. 

The “Nephilim” are also mentioned later in the Scriptures.  When the Israelite spies returned from their reconnaissance in the Promised Land, they reported: “We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them” (Numbers 13:33). This description does make the Nephilim sound like giants. 

But in the book of Ezekiel the Nephilim are spoken of simply as great warriors: “But they do not lie with the fallen warriors of old [Hebrew Nephilim], who went down to the realm of the dead with their weapons of war – their swords placed under their heads and their shields resting on their bones – though these warriors also had terrorized the land of the living” (Ezekiel 32:27).

So the exact meaning of Nephilim is uncertain – possibly the word refers to giants, or it may mean only something like mighty warriors.   It is clear, however, that some of the descendants of the Nephilim exhibited the characteristic of great height.   We are told the size of some warriors of this group, but there are still uncertainties.

Goliath, for example, is said to have been “six cubits and a span” tall (approximately 9 ft. 9 in.) according to the traditional Masoretic Hebrew text, but the Septuagint and an ancient Hebrew manuscript found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, designated 4QSama, list Goliath’s height as four cubits and a span (approximately 6 ft. 9 in.).

Yet even the great heights recorded for “giants” like Goliath are not outside of possibility.  Today, in 2017, the tallest man living is Sultan Kösen  of Turkey who was officially measured at 8 ft. 2.8 in. (251 cm.) in Ankara, Turkey, on 08 February 2011; but  Robert Wadlow, who lived in the United States 1918–1940, was measured at 8 ft. 11.1 in. (272 cm. – just a little under 9 ft. and almost as tall as even the greatest measurement found in biblical manuscripts for Goliath.
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Even today, some human populations are much taller than others, though gigantism of the kind recorded in the Bible is usually the result of an over-production of growth hormone in the pituitary gland.  We can conclude, therefore, that it remains uncertain whether the “Nephilim” of the biblical accounts were all extremely tall or simply mighty warriors among whom some were “giants,” but the recorded heights of the tallest of these individuals are certainly within the realm of actual possibility.  

Happiness is something we all want, many strive for, but few feel they get.  Could it be that we make finding happiness more difficult than it need be?   For example, when we talk of “keys” of happiness, our minds tend to jump immediately to things like health, perhaps wealth, and other things we feel happiness is dependent upon.

​But psychologists have known for a long time that there are even more basic things than those that might first come to mind – things that actually offer ongoing happiness and contentment. Numerous studies have found that to be lastingly happy we need three things above all else:  someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to. 

The strange thing is, you can tell people that the correlation between these three things and happiness has been repeatedly documented, that there is good science behind these three “keys,” and they will still often ignore them. It’s as if the answer is too easy to take seriously.

Surely, many people think, you could have those three things, but without good health … or without enough money … or without whatever, you wouldn’t really be very happy. But that’s where the studies come in. Psychologists have verified that even without the things we tend to presume are necessary for happiness, we can still find that elusive condition if we do have the three “keys.”

For the Christian this is a particularly interesting fact. When we look closely at the life of Christ himself, we see that despite not having many of the things people usually equate with happiness and in spite of undergoing great suffering, Jesus was still able to seek and find great happiness and joy (Hebrews 12:2). In the same way, the apostle Paul wrote “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11), and although we may presume this just means being “OK” about how things are, there is no doubt, when we read Paul’s writings, that he lived a life of true contentment despite the hardships he endured.

It is true that happiness – joy – is one of the fruits of the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:22), but the reason Christ and Paul experienced joy in their lives need not be entirely attributed to that reason.  We have only to read the Gospel accounts of the life of Christ and to study the writings of the apostle Paul to see that both of them – and doubtless many others in the early Church – based their lives on the very things we have called the keys of happiness.

Christ calls his disciples to follow in his footsteps in constantly loving God and not just one person, but every person (John 13:34).  Christians are called to a work which is of worldwide scale and in which anyone can find a truly meaningful role (Matthew 28:18-20). Followers of Jesus Christ also have more to look forward to than anyone else – the return of the One they follow and an eternal life in his service (Revelation 20:6-7, 22:12-13).  These opportunities do not just “meet the requirements” of the keys of happiness – they fulfill them incredibly!
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Yet if we take away any one of these keys – if our outgoing love is limited, if we are not truly involved in the great work to which we were called, or if we do not keep the hope of our calling firmly in mind – we will not experience deep and lasting happiness and will always feel some degree of emptiness.  It’s a little like having a safe with three keys – even having two out of three keys still will not open the safe. It is only as we use all three of the keys in our lives that we find happiness that doesn’t need more money or possessions, that doesn’t even require good health, but that is true and lasting happiness nothing can take away.

​Luke 24 tells the story, set shortly after the death of Jesus,  of the two disciples walking on the road to the village of Emmaus several miles from Jerusalem.  As they walked they were joined by a third individual (vv. 15-16).

The stranger asked them what they were talking about and they replied:  “About Jesus of Nazareth  …. He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.  The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him;  but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel ...” (vv. 19-21).

The stranger joined the conversation, and the three individuals talked until they came to Emmaus.  Once there the two disciples urged the stranger to stay the evening with them and join their meal.  So, Luke tells us the stranger accepted and: “When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.  Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight” (vv. 31-32).

Reading the story from our perspective, with hindsight, we realize immediately that the stranger was, of course, Jesus, but something that we often neglect to think much about in this story is the fact that the two disciples were unaware that the One of whom they spoke was in fact the person with whom they spoke.  The two disciples had actually been talking about the person who was with them.  If that had happened to us, that we discovered someone we talked about had been the person involved – would we have wondered afterwards what we had said, wondered about any negative or critical things that might have been part of our conversation?
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If we believe the simple Christian truth that Christ lives his life in each called and committed individual, does the principle not apply that whenever we talk to a fellow believer – or about a fellow believer – we are talking with Christ whether we realize it or not? It is the principle behind the related situation Jesus described in saying “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20). It is something to remember.  In that small way, we are all walking the road to Emmaus.

Of all the prophecies found in the Bible, perhaps the most amazing are those found in the twenty-second psalm.  The clearly prophetic details of the death of the individual spoken of in Psalm 22 match the New Testament accounts of the crucifixion of Christ found in the four Gospels to such a degree that they remain a central part of Christian faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Skeptics have certainly attempted to negate the prophetic aspects of this psalm, which was composed approximately 1,000 years before the life of Christ, but the reality of its foretelling cannot be ascribed to sheer coincidence. 

Certainly parts of Psalm 22 may have had a preliminary application to events in the life of David himself, but many of its details – such as the dividing of the individual's clothes and the casting lots for them, and the piercing of his hands and feet – obviously did not. 

In the same way, it is clear that the crucifixion of Jesus was witnessed by a great many individuals, and it is unrealistic in the extreme to suggest that the early Christians simply said that all the details mentioned in Psalm 22 occurred at the death of Jesus when so many could have contradicted them if that were not the case.

Here are just some of the statements found in Psalm 22 alongside their parallels in the Gospel accounts of Jesus' crucifixion.  A number of other correspondences can be seen by reading the psalm in its entirety, but consider the following selected examples:
 
Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Matthew 27:46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried…“My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?”
 
Psalm 22:7 All who see me mock me;
Matthew 27:41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him
 
Psalm 22:7 they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
Matthew 27:39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads
 
Psalm 22:8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say, “let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him …”
Matthew 27:43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him …
 
Psalm 22:14 I am poured out like water,
John 19:34 ... pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.
 
Psalm 22:15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
John 19:28 Later… so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty"...
 
Psalm 22:16 … they pierce my hands and my feet.
John 19:23a … the soldiers crucified Jesus
 
Psalm 22:18  They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment…
John 19:23-24a When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining … “Let’s not tear it,” they said, “Let’s decide by lot who gets it.”
 
Psalm 22 does not end with the death of the one it describes, however.  The psalm continues by speaking of a time beyond the death of that clearly messianic individual:

All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
for dominion belongs to the Lord
and he rules over the nations.
All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him –
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it! (Psalm 22:27-31).
 
Notice especially the closing words of the psalm: “He has done it!”  These words, referring to the future culmination of the purposes of God beyond the suffering and death of the promised Messiah, were also closely echoed in the final words of Jesus on the cross:  “It is finished!” (John 19:30) – words of victory marking not the end, but the beginning. 

“Only the lonely …. know the way I feel tonight…” 

So began Roy Orbison’s 1960 rock ballad which propelled the previously unknown singer to sudden fame.  Orbison’s song struck a psychological note with many people, although it referred only to a limited kind of loneliness – that experienced by someone cut off from a romantic relationship.  Ultimate loneliness, of course, is experienced by those who have lost most or even all of their friendships and relationships. For many people, that kind of loneliness can be psychologically devastating.

Interestingly, the Bible has something to say about the lonely of this world – but far less than you probably expect.   The word “lonely” only appears a few times in the Old Testament and does not appear in the New Testament at all relative to people – only “lonely” places!  This is probably because in the society of biblical times people lived in more tightly knit extended families, and loneliness was far less common.  We can see this in one of the few scriptures in the Bible that does mention loneliness.  When King David wrote “God sets the lonely in families …” (Psalm 68:6), he does not say that God gives the lonely new friends, but sets them back in a family setting where loneliness is not an issue.

Today, especially in the Western world, where children commonly move away from their homes as they get older, individuals of both the younger and older generations are much more likely to experience loneliness.  Psychological and medical studies have shown that under these circumstances loneliness can become a severe psychological discomfort affecting not only happiness, but also health and even life expectancy. 

The problem is compounded because loneliness is often difficult to diagnose or for others to recognize.  We soon become aware if our neighbors are injured or ill, but even extreme loneliness may not be noticed by others, especially because lonely people often keep to themselves and may even hide their loneliness because of pride or other factors.

As Christians, we have a responsibility to reach out to the lonely just as we have a responsibility toward those who are hurting in any other way.  The psalmist’s comment that “God sets the lonely in families…” needs individuals and families who are willing to make that possible.  We can be the family that God wishes to use by inviting a lonely neighbor to dinner occasionally, stopping by to see if an aged neighbor needs help with anything, including widowed neighbors in home Bible study invitations, or in many other ways.

But we should also remember that any lonely neighbors we may have are only the tip of the iceberg of loneliness. Many of our Christian brothers and sisters around the world suffer loneliness because they are rejected and cut off from their own families because of their faith. Others suffer extreme loneliness in situations where they are imprisoned for their beliefs and cut off from all meaningful fellowship or friendship. 
 
It is probably true that only the lonely can fully understand the extent of the problem of loneliness, but through any action we can accomplish and through prayer we can set the lonely in families they otherwise would not have.

Since its inception in 2014 the radical militant group commonly known as Islamic State (IS or ISIS)  has perpetrated continuous, systemic and widespread atrocities against multiple thousands of Christians and individuals of other targeted minorities in the many countries in which it is present. 

The massacres of civilians, beheading of prisoners and hostages, and the rape, sexual enslavement and merchandising of captured women has been constant throughout the existence of IS. Despite its recent loss of some of its territory,  the crimes against humanity continue unabated, although incidences are less frequently mentioned in the media as much of the Western public has tired of the stories and they are no longer viewed as being “newsworthy.”

Some effort has been made by world governments to  curb IS, of course, but the results have been relatively small and slow in coming.   However, the new U.S. government administration has declared Islamic State atrocities to be clear “genocide” and has committed to stopping the scourge of this group.

The United States will host a meeting of ministers from some 68 countries this week to assess the current situation and to discuss strategies to defeat IS completely.  According to the news agency Reuters, the meeting, to be led by new U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, will be held in Washington on Wednesday, March 22 and Thursday, March 23.  

This will be the largest gathering of nations opposing the terror group to have occurred to date and an official has stated that the U.S. administration will discuss increased military as well as diplomatic and humanitarian efforts to curb the problem of the existence of IS.
As Christians we are hopefully well aware of the inhuman predations of IS on Christian and other populations within their territory and we are already praying about this situation.  The upcoming meetings give us a new opportunity to renew those prayers, however, and to fervently ask for the success of what may well be the most serious effort to destroy the evil of IS to date. 

We can pray for the success of the military, diplomatic, and humanitarian efforts that result from the meetings and we can pray also that the eyes of many of the IS extremists will be opened to understand the evil that they are committing.   Recent IS attacks in Europe show that as the group begins to lose territory, it is increasingly inciting terrorist activities elsewhere; we can pray for the failure of its attempts to influence more individuals to this kind of activity.
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Many have prayed for the protection of Christians and others persecuted by IS, and the international meetings planned for this coming week may come as close to a potential answer to the problem as has yet occurred.  Now is a perhaps a particularly good time to renew our efforts in urging our governments to act decisively in this situation, to support Christian and other humanitarian groups that are helping those affected by the ravages of IS, and to be fervent in prayers for the end of this unmitigated evil.  ​

We all want happiness. We all want joy.  Or, to be more precise, we all want lasting happiness and joy.  As we go through life we realize that some things can bring us a seeming happiness, but when these sources of happiness are not based on the right foundation, they turn into shallow pleasures that do not last (Proverbs 20:17).  
 
So what is the foundation of lasting joy in our lives? The Scriptures give us a strategy for finding that kind of happiness in an unexpected place.  But first, understand a little background.  In the ancient Near Eastern world where the events described in the Bible occurred, the most common symbol of happiness and joy was the grape vine.   We see this fact in the psalmist’s comment regarding “wine that gladdens human hearts” (Psalm 104:15) and in many other scriptures such as this one: “The vine is dried up … Surely the people’s joy is withered away” (Joel 1:12).

Of course, this connection was based on the temporary physical feeling of pleasure obtained from drinking wine, so what does the symbolism of happiness connected with the vine have to do with true, deeper, and lasting happiness?   We find the answer in the words of Jesus himself when he told his disciples “I am the true vine …” (John 15:1).    Of course, these words were spoken in the direct context of our abiding in him like branches staying firmly attached to the vine (John 15:2-8),  but we should not forget that the most common symbolic use of the vine in religious and philosophical teaching of that time was one of its connection with happiness and joy.

When we remember this background fact, the next words of Jesus suddenly become much more alive to us: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (vs. 11, emphasis added).    When we keep the basic symbolic meaning of the vine in mind it seems more than coincidence that Jesus points to himself as the true vine and then tells us he makes this connection so we may have true happiness or joy.

But Jesus did not just tell us these things as abstract principles – he explained his words in terms of a direct strategy for happiness that we can and should apply in our lives.  Notice that the setting for his statement on our complete happiness gives us that strategy:
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“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:9-12).

Do you see it?  The strategy we are given for happiness is as clear as any strategy given anywhere in the words of Christ – our happiness will be like his if our love is like his.  The profound thing about this strategy is that it is not based on chasing happiness or on trying to achieve joy through things we get or receive – it is based on the degree to which we reverse that process and work in the other direction through outgoing love.  Love, Christ tells us, is not just the fulfilling of the law (Matthew 22:36-40), it is also the cause of happiness – in our lives and in the lives of others.  

In that sense, the “fruit of the vine” Christ commanded us to receive on the last evening of his life is not only symbolic of his shed blood (Matthew 26:28) – which is its primary symbolism in the context of the Lord's Supper, of course – but also, in a smaller yet no less real way, the fruit of the vine is symbolically the “fruit” of living the way Christ lived.  That “fruit” is happiness, and the strategy to produce it is love.

A number of ancient historians recorded the famous words of Julius Caesar “Veni, vidi, vici” – “I came, I saw, I conquered” –  which typified the great Roman general’s career and life as the individual whose achievements  ultimately formed the foundation of the Roman Empire. 

If we look at the life of Jesus of Nazareth – who instituted a far greater  kingdom: the Kingdom of God –  do we find any parallel saying or expression that typifies the life and achievements of the Messiah in his human life?  The answer is perhaps clearer than you may have realized.

​Time and again during his ministry Jesus told his disciples and those who heard him “I have come to ….” And then he added a specific task that he would accomplish. Notice an example from each of the Gospels where Jesus said he had come to do certain things:  “I have come …

… to fulfil the law” (Matthew 5:17)
... so I can preach” (Mark 1:38)
… to call sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32)
… to bear witness to the truth” (John 18:37).

When we look at these and other “I have come to …” statements of Christ, we see something regarding the range of tasks he would accomplish.  All of these things involved action and are a far cry from the passive person Jesus is often believed to have been. This active involvement is particularly clear in the metaphorical reasons he stated for his coming: “I have come …

… to send a sword, and to set men at variance” (Matthew 10:34-35)
… to send fire on the earth” (Luke 12:49).

Whenever Jesus spoke literally of his purposes and what he would achieve, we find the same active approach.  But Christ’s accomplishments were not simply actions that would elevate himself – they were, of course, for the good of others: “I have come …

... to save men’s lives” (Luke 9:56)
…that they may have life, and may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Ultimately, these purposes and accomplishments can be seen in Jesus’ statement:  “I have come down from heaven to do the will of Him that sent Me” (John 6:38-39).  That will can be summarized in only two words: “I have come …

… to serve” (Matthew 20:28)

Caesar’s self-elevating “I came, I saw, I conquered” pales into insignificance compared to the future coming of Christ the King (Revelation 11:15). But even at the time of his first coming, under the shadow of self-glorying emperors, the Son of God showed that true glory is not to be found in self-elevation and self-service, but in the elevation of God’s purposes and the service of others.  Caesar’s so-called immortal summary “I came, I saw, I conquered” is surpassed in the eternal significance of what would be a fitting summary for the life of Christ:  “I came, I saw, I served.” 

                        “Give without remembering and receive without forgetting.”
 
The old saying that we should give without remembering and receive without forgetting contains a world of wisdom in its few short words.  While it is not actually a biblical proverb, the principles represented in this old maxim are certainly found in the Scriptures.  

We may not be able to find a specific biblical verse saying “forget your acts of giving,” but the apostle Paul covered the principle when he wrote: “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead” (Philippians 3:13).  What Paul says here can be applied in many ways – such as forgetting our past sins and failures – but it applies equally to forgetting or not dwelling on any good we may have done and concentrating on what good we may still do.  

The Scriptures are even more explicit about the need for us to remember the things we ourselves receive.  Paul shows exactly this continuing thankfulness when he wrote to the Church at Ephesus: “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers” (Ephesians 1:16).  Paul clearly remembered to give ongoing thanks not only for things he himself received, but also for others, too.

So we can certainly find a worthwhile reminder of biblical principles in the old saying regarding forgetting what we give and remembering what we have been given.  The way to which we are called is one of gratefully remembering the gifts we receive and actively looking not at things we have given, but looking for new ways to give. 

We all get hurt  at some point in our lives and as Christians we know we have to forgive those who sin against us.   Christ said that we must forgive or we ourselves will not be forgiven. But how do you know if you have truly forgiven someone?     

Our new article "Four Tests of Forgiveness" takes you through four questions you can ask yourself to see if you truly have forgiven as you must.  If thoughts of some past hurt that you received still  trouble you, or if memories of a hurt come to mind whenever you think of the person who was involved, perhaps you should read this article – it could be one of the most important things you read this year.    

You can read the new "Four Tests of Forgiveness" in our Tactical Living section, here.