17 December 2010

Psalm 40, 54; Isa. 10:5-19; 2 Pet. 2:17-22; Matt. 11:2-15

God’s sovereignty extends to Assyria and its king. He will be used by the Lord to come against Israel, using his anger and his natural inclinations to do the Lord’s bidding. The king, however, will not recognize or believe the Lord is directing him against Israel and will believe that it is he, himself, who has done this thing. He will boast and in his arrogance will fail to give credit where credit is due, to God alone. For this arrogance and pride he will himself be brought low. Not for the destruction of Jerusalem and Israel will he be judged, that is God’s will. It is always for our failing to give honor to our creator that we fall.

Does John’s faith fail him in prison? Contemporary commentators come to that conclusion as the explanation for sending this delegation to ask Jesus if He is indeed the One. The Fathers of the church did not give this explanation, however, their conclusion is that John sends his disciples so that their faith may be strengthened. We tend to psychologize whereas they did not. Jesus leaves out setting the prisoners free from the list of things Messiah will do. If John was hoping for that, Jesus does not give him that hope. Jesus affirms John and condemns the violence that has put him into prison while referring to John as the Elijah whom Malachi promised would come prior to Messiah.

Whatever overcomes a person, to that he will be enslaved. This is a profound statement of the human condition. It is true and yet as we have chosen it we do not recognize our enslavement in many cases. In some things we can know what it means but in others, those things that seem not harmful, we can overlook it. If we work too many hours to the neglect of our spouse and children, we might be workaholics but we might also excuse it on the grounds of being a good provider. If we indulge our hobbies at the expense of our families it might be simply that we are keeping balance in our lives so that we can truly give them quality time. The king of Assyria’s passions were used by God for His purposes though he did not know it or give glory to God, would it not be better to be used willingly and knowingly by God, allowing Him to have our passions to re-configure for His glory?

Blessed is the man who makes
the LORD his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.