Christmas Shepherd

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
Jeremiah 23:5

This morning I was reading in Jeremiah 23. It's a great text to help prepare my heart for Christmas. It is fitting for the Advent season because verse 5 is packed with holy anticipation: "the days are coming". In typical prophetic fashion, the "days" unfold across an expanse of time. Although prophetic literature can be a bit mysterious, I feel confident that Jeremiah allows me to see a glimpse of the arrival of the Savior and the reign of His Majesty Jesus. The description of Jesus is powerful. He is a king unlike any other. He will reign in righteousness. he will "deal" wisely and execute justice. What a king! Yet, to separate Jeremiah's prophetic description of the Savior from the desperate context is a tragedy. Jeremiah 23 begins with an ugly indictment: "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter sheep. The shepherds in Jeremiah's day failed to protect the sheep. They failed to "attend" to them. What is a shepherd's primary responsibility? Jesus answered that question centuries later when He told Peter to "tend my sheep". No wonder Jesus Himself revealed that He saw us as "sheep without a shepherd" and His heart was broken because we are lost without Him. As I think about the contrast between shepherds who failed and the King who has succeeded, I cannot help but notice a little bonus in terms of remembering this glorious chapter in Jeremiah. The numbering of the chapter provide a great mental connection. Perhaps the first passage of Scripture that I memorized as a child was Chapter 23 of the Psalms and it begins with a verse that I frequently quote in the morning as I speak to the Lord. ?The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." What kind of Shepherd? He leads me. He heals me. He is "Immanuel", God with me in the valley of the shadow of death. He calms my fears. He restores my soul. Yes, Jeremiah, He is wise and wonderful, He is a righteous Branch and He reigns.

God with us

Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.” (Matthew 1:22-23)

When I open my Bible to begin reading the New Testament, it begins with Matthew. Matthew opens with a description of Jesus as the son of David and son of Abraham. It’s hard to miss the way Matthew connects the Messiah with two of the most prominent persons in the Old Testament. But, Matthew doesn’t end there. After shaking the family tree, some interesting characters fall out. It’s a fascinating genealogical walk through the Old Testament. The family tree is punctuated with an introduction to the supernatural pregnancy of Mary and the angelic message to Joseph about the birth of Jesus. Not surprisingly, Matthew interprets the birth of Jesus through the words of the prophet Isaiah. The prophecy of Isaiah contains the words of Christmas that shatter my deepest fears and overcome my greatest challenges. The Almighty, the Creator of the universe travelled the distance between perfect divinity and mortal existence. God stepped across the expanse created by my disobedience. Jesus came to Bethlehem to find me and to replace my emptiness with His presence. The darkness that had come to eclipse God’s design for my heart has been transformed into a testimony of the purity and brightness of His light. Jesus came and removed all doubts. Jesus is Immanuel. God is with me.

Ancient of Days

As I kept watching, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white like snow, and the hair of His head like whitest wool. His throne was flaming fire; its wheels were blazing fire.

Daniel 7:9

The vision of God found in Daniel 7 is awe-inspiring. The Bible contains many descriptions of God and many “titles”, but this visionary vignette is one of my favorites in all of Scripture. Sometimes it’s tempting to avoid the visionary passages of Daniel because of the diverse views and interpretations of the material. To me that is a tragic loss of the beauty of Scripture that communicates the character of God. God is the “Ancient of Days”. As impossible as it is for us to grasp, it is nonetheless essential that we consider the fact that God’s perspective is eternal. Perhaps the snow-white clothing and the hair that is described as whitest wool is a way to remind us that God’s existence is also perfect and pure. These qualities confirm that God’s reign is a righteous and holy reign. Daniel’s description of God’s throne sounds more like a chariot of fire. It conveys that God is seated as King, Judge and Victorious Commander. In contrast, the vision of Daniel provides an overview of other kings and kingdoms that rise and fall. None will outlast the Ancient of Days. I take comfort in knowing that my faith and my future rests in God. We are more aware of instability in the world around us than ever before. That increases our need for a strong foundation in life and a source of peace in a sea of change. The answer is found in the Ancient of Days.

Don't be afraid of the dark

May the name of God be praised forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him…He knows what is in the darkness and light dwells with Him.

Daniel 2:20,22

God gave Daniel a special gift. He was able to interpret King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. It was an ability that God gave to Daniel and when the time came for Daniel to use the gift he was faithful to offer praise to God. Daniel 2:20-23 contains his expression of praise. As part of Daniel’s praise, he offers a description of God’s wisdom and power. Specifically, Daniel mentions that God “knows what is in the darkness.” Certainly, this has relevance to the fact that God allowed Daniel to interpret the king’s dream and in so doing, God enabled Daniel to “see” the meaning of the dream that was “hidden” to others. But, beyond the immediate context, Daniel’s description of God is accurate and encouraging. How often do we fear what we cannot see or know? How often do we struggle to “walk by faith and not by sight”? Sometimes life is such that we feel as though we are “in the dark”. We can’t see the way forward and we fear what lies ahead. Here’s where Daniel’s praise provides some practical insight. What we need most when we are in the dark is light. Daniel reminds us that light dwells with God and so should we.

Daniel's choice

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank

Daniel 1:8

Life is filled with choices. It’s a mixture of gifts and challenges. The book of Daniel is a great primer on how to successfully navigate significant challenges in life. Usually, Daniel is most remembered for surviving a trip to a lion’s den. By the way, that’s not a bad way to be remembered. But, there’s much more to Daniel than one event. Chapter one begins with an explanation of how Daniel is selected to serve the King of Babylon. He is chosen and carried away because of his appearance, intellect and potential to serve the Babylonian empire. It’s a pretty strong intro for a youngster. But, there’s more to Daniel than his leadership potential. At an early age, Daniel learned that character matters. Imagine the pressure of being in a strange place, receiving a new name and engaging in an intentional Babylonian enculturation process. In the midst of this new world, Daniel had the courage to say “no”. He based his decision on the conviction of his heart. It’s a defining moment in Daniel’s life and it’s an exemplary lesson for us today. Integrity rests on the congruence between conviction and behavior. Integrity requires us to possess enough resolve to be willing and able to say  “yes” and “no”. We respond to culture according to a heart that has been redeemed for God’s purposes and a mind that has been transformed by His Spirit rather than the pressures of the world around us. We have the benefit of watching how Daniel’s early choice helped him develop strong character that was required to face significant challenges later in his life. Regardless of our age, our godly choices contribute to the development of our character in the future.

Change of Heart

I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 

Ezekiel 36:26

In the context of the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel, this is a glimpse forward. Ezekiel contains words spoken by God to a group of people who have been exiled. Not surprisingly, there is a great deal of uncertainty about their present and their future. God’s judgment is fresh on their minds. The evidence of the judgment is visible on a daily basis. Yet, God promises restoration; a better day. It is a multi-faceted transformation, which according to God includes a new heart and a new spirit.  According to God's promise, a heart of flesh will replace a heart of stone. An obedient spirit will replace a disobedient one. Think about the change and the future orientation of God’s promise. If I describe a person's heart as cold or hard, what am I saying? If I describe someone as having a soft heart, what do I mean? It's not difficult for me to shift to a personal application. On this day, is my heart open to God or closed? Is my spirit contrary or contrite? Appropriately, God’s transformational power is described as “inside-out”. It begins with a heart transplant and becomes operational in our daily lives. My obedience is the evidence.

Unfair

“But you say, ‘The Lord’s way isn’t fair.’ Now listen, house of Israel: Is it My way that is unfair? Instead, isn’t it your ways that are unfair?”

Ezekiel 18:25

As I continue to move through the Old Testament, I am thankful for my decision to take time in each book. The reason? Otherwise, I might decide to skip Ezekiel and move on toward Daniel. After all, the first half of Daniel is much easier to read. But, it would be a shame to skip Ezekiel. Ezekiel has such a relevant message for today. Ezekiel exposes a widespread tendency. Why consider personal responsibility when it’s so easy to blame others? In Ezekiel’s day, the “house of Israel” accused God of being unfair. Things really haven’t changed much in the last two or three thousand years. Whether I am reading authors who argue against the existence of God or listening to complaints from believers, this tendency crops up. If God doesn’t behave the way I think He should, then I am not obligated to believe or trust. God’s response is worth considering. God tells Israel to take a look in the mirror. How does your perspective measure up? If I am bold enough to accuse God of being unjust, is it because my perspective is so much better? The God I believe in knows the future. I do not. The God I believe in sees into the hearts of all who live. I cannot. The God I believe in has gifted me with the very consciousness that allows me to consider fairness. Unfair? Let me think about it.