Romans 1:1,2 – “Ancient Hope”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

¹Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, set apart into the Gospel of God, ²which He promised beforehand through His prophets in [the] holy Scriptures …

I love studying the Bible. At first glance, these verses seem like just routine introductory remarks; however, each phrase is pregnant with profoundly important and encouraging truth! After introducing himself, Paul goes directly to the centrality of the Gospel.

To begin with, we note it is the Gospel of God. It is “of God.” And what is it? The Gospel. The Good News. I think it worthwhile to observe that the Greek word translated “Gospel” was actually a common word which was used most often in the case of “good news” from the battlefield. It was a message of victory, of enemies defeated, of a city or nation delivered – but this is, in particular, the Gospel of God. This is God’s good news and it is all of the above – a message of victory, of the enemy defeated, of souls and lives of people delivered.

And this is not new news. It is the Gospel of God which was promised beforehand. And when was this “beforehand?” This Gospel is nothing less than God’s promise in the very Garden of Eden, of the “Seed of the woman” who would “crush the head of the serpent” (Gen 3:15). This is nothing less than God’s promise to Abraham some 4,000 years ago, “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen 12:3). It is seriously ancient. In fact, between I Peter 1:19,20 and Rev 13:8, we learn that the promise even antedates Creation itself. Jesus is the Lamb “chosen” and “slain before the foundation of the world!”

What Paul is about to tell the Roman believers was no novelty. It wasn’t what the Ephesian philosophers liked to discuss – “new teaching,” “strange ideas,” “the latest ideas” (Acts 17:19-21). Our Gospel is Truth, literally with a capital “T.” It is ancient truth which antedates even human history itself. It was true before there was a man to believe it. It’s been true ever since the Garden of Eden. It is still true today, and its truth is our hope for all eternity. It is the Good News of God that Jesus is the Conquering King, the Rider on the white horse, who has in fact crushed the head of the serpent, and who has delivered us from the dominion of Satan and into His marvelous kingdom of light. Even as you and I live our lives here in this world still awaiting Jesus’ arrival, we live in the hope that our King has already won. Our enemy is a defeated enemy.

That hope means you and I can go out today into a scary world where the very air we breathe would kill us and yet go bravely and confidently, knowing that love will win, because He who is love has crushed the head of that evil serpent, the dragon, our ancient adversary Satan. That adversary is still the roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. He is still the murderer from the beginning, the liar and the father of lies, deceiving the nations, who reigns as the prince of the power of the air, but our Jesus slays him with the breath of His lips. It is tremendously encouraging me to remember that, although evil seems very, very powerful in our world, all our God has to do is “huff” a little breath and He blows it all away. That is how big a challenge it is to Him! “Hoosh,” He breathes and all the most powerful designs of evil cease to exist. Right now in America, it seems like evil has literally risen up on its hind legs and is breathing out “threats and murder” to overwhelm any last remnants of good left in our country, and perhaps it will; but above it all reigns Him who can blow it all away with the breath of His lips. Perhaps evil will win, but I don’t think so. Not this time. I believe the Lord will rise up and deliver to the forces of evil a crushing blow. I can only pray that He will not only defeat them but crush them and let the good people of America be encouraged, let our America go on at least for a time to be a place where good is honored, where the Bible is respected, and where the nation of Israel supported. I don’t know how things will fall out, but I know the forecast for our lives is God’s kindness.

That is God’s Good News. Our King wins.

God help us to be people of hope. We live because of an ancient hope, because of an ancient message of hope, the Gospel of God.

Romans 1:1 – “Servants”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

¹Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, set apart into the Gospel of God …

And so it begins. I want to embark on a study of the book of Romans. I may not live long enough to finish it, but I want to have at least started. I don’t like the fact that I have been reading, enjoying, and nursing on this book for all these years but never spent the time actually studying it to be careful that I really did understand it. Also, I have always found with the Bible there are diamonds and jewels to be had when I settle down and just mine slowly and carefully through any book or passage. I expect the book of Romans to be a literal goldmine. And so it begins.

The book of course is written by Paul. It is interesting to note that his real name was Saul, Saul of Tarsus, but when he expanded his ministry out into the Gentile world, he changed it to Paul. Actually, in the Greek language, he changed it to Paulos. In our English tongue, we shorten it to Paul, but in the language of the day, it was Paulos. For some reason, Greek speaking people (and Latin too, I think), liked to add the “os” to the end of names. Of course we like to add “y” or “ie,” so that Ruth becomes Ruthie or Bill becomes Billy, but they like “os.” In Greek, it wasn’t just Christ but Christos. Timothy’s actual Greek name was Timothaios.

All of this said, one would think his Greek name would have become Saulos. There is a lot of debate about why that is not the case, but I personally think the best explanation is that “saulos” is actually a word in Greek, but it’s not good. It meant “conceited, affected, effeminate.” …And so it became Paulos.

It is encouraging to stop and ponder even what seems to be the routine opening words of the book. “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ…” Modern commentators like to make a big deal about the fact the word translated “servant” can mean “slave.” That can get great mileage with preaching but I think it better to moderate our translation to “servant.” I certainly am very happy to be the Lord’s slave, particularly with Him being the very kindest of masters, but I think, in our modern world, “slave” carries too many negative images which I doubt are in Paul’s mind as he uses this word. Throughout the Old Testament, people were called “the servant of the Lord,” including Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, the prophets, and more. I believe Paul is expressing in Greek those same ideas from Hebrew.

It is a wonderful thing to be a “servant of Jesus Christ.” In reality this is the highest title a person could possibly be given. What a privilege to be counted a servant of Him who is the King of kings and Lord of lords, to be servants of the Most High God. I enjoy going to work every day, knowing I go as a servant of the Most High God. I go realizing this is His world, that He today intends to do great good to His world, and that He is allowing me to go being His representative, doing His work, and reflecting Him to everyone I work with and for. All is His – every phone call, every work assignment, every problem that comes up, it’s all His work and I get to be part of it. I get to be His servant!

Paul in particular was called [to be] an apostle and set apart for the Gospel. I insert the […] only to show that those words are not present in the Greek. It literally says he was a "called apostle," as in my literal translation above. The problem is that isn’t how we probably would say it in English. That literal translation is just a little awkward in our English tongue. Regardless, the point we see is that Paul’s calling in particular was to be an apostle and that meant very specifically that he was set apart to spend his life in Gospel ministry.

Like each of us, he was a servant of Jesus Christ. However, one aspect of being a servant is that we don’t get to pick for ourselves our calling, our assignment under the Master. Each of us needs to accept his or her calling and then go about that service with all our hearts. Paul’s calling was specifically to be an apostle. That, of course, was a full-time ministry position which included specific responsibilities. In Eph. 4:11 we learn that this same Jesus “gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers …” In I Cor. 7:17,20,&24, Paul advised, “each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him … Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him … Each man should remain in the situation God called him to.” For the vast majority of believers, we’re called to simply live our lives for Him, as in Col. 3:23,24: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Being servants, what matters is that we do whatever the Master calls us to do, whether Paul to be an apostle or one of us to be a candlestick maker.

As we read Romans 1:1, we can all be very thankful that Paul accepted his calling and, in fact, worked at it with all his heart. We have the book of Romans to study and ponder and nurse on, specifically because the Lord called this one man to be an apostle, set him apart to the Gospel, and he embraced his Master’s will and was faithful in it. Your calling and mine may not seem so glorious, like just being a good parent, a good neighbor, a good candlestick maker, but we can rest assured, the Master can and will use us just as mightily, if we are but faithful to our calling. As a servant, I don’t necessarily need to understand the Master’s plan, I just need to live out my part, then leave it to Him to weave the tapestry according to His great wisdom.

Paul was set apart “unto the Gospel” and this very book – the book of Romans – is a fruit of his faithfulness. My prayer as I study through it is that, in many ways, the Lord will take this work of Paul’s and write it on my heart. May He make us living epistles, known and read by all men, not just engraved on tablets of stone, but written on the fleshy tablets of our hearts, so that whatever we do, wherever we go, we spread the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ. As we would go about our lives humbly serving the King of kings, may His presence adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things and may He grant to some repentance, so that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil and become themselves servants of this wonderful Most High God!

Daniel 3:30 – “Our God Wins!”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

³⁰Then the king caused to prosper Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babel.

As usual, I’ve come to the end of this particular study, Daniel 3, and I’m loathe to leave. It’s so pleasant to keep coming back to this passage and once again see the amazing greatness and goodness of our God. I’ll scratch down a few more thoughts before I have to say goodbye to my friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

I want to note that, as is often the case, I see in this chapter what looks to me like ancient literary ordering. What jumps off the page at me is how the chapter begins and ends with the phrase “in the province of Babel.” In v1, Nebuchadnezzar sets up his idol “in the province of Babel.” In the last verse, v30, he promotes Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego “in the province of Babel.” In my own studies, I’ve noticed that ancient peoples liked to create what I’d call “bookends.” I’m not at all surprised to see the phrase repeated like this, one at the beginning and the other at the end. Usually too, it seems like these bookends aren’t arbitrary, but often make some important point. In this case, it seems like, yes, it is very important to note that all of this takes place in Babel, which today we call Babylon.

What do I mean? In Daniel chapter 3, we’re not in Jerusalem. We’re in Babel. As I noted earlier, I think it true that spiritually all of human history has been in effect, “The tale of two cities” – Jerusalem and Babel, the City of God vs. the City of Satan. From the very beginning, Babel itself represented rebellion against God. We see the city through God’s eyes in Revelation 17,18. He calls her “the great prostitute dressed in purple and scarlet, glittering with gold, precious stones, and pearls, with a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.” In Babel we see this world’s wickedness. We see a world dressed on the outside in scarlet and glittering with gold, yet on the inside filled with abominable wickedness.

I can’t help but noting how, in America, Hollywood sure fits this bill. There are gathered the most beautiful people in the world, wealthy beyond imagination, living in palatial mansions, driving prohibitively expensive cars, yet sadly we see that too many of them are almost unbelievably wicked. Like Babel, with their beauty and wealth, they draw the whole world after them, yet where do they lead them to? Only down their own path of abominable evil, of immorality, of drunkenness and drug addiction, of broken marriages, and of broken lives. Hollywood is simply an American expression of the ancient evil city, the anti-God world system, the “other” city – Babel.

It’s in that world this chapter takes place. It’s in that world that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have to live their lives and live their faith. I suspect, the “bookends” of “in the province of Babel” are there to make that very point. The Lord wants us to notice that everything in this chapter happens not in some quiet Christian village but in the very pits of this world’s wickedness. And of course practically speaking, that is very important to you and me, since that is very often exactly the world we find ourselves living in. And, once again, our hope is not that we can somehow hide from that world but rather, even if that’s where we find ourselves, our God will be with us there. Our Jesus will walk with us in the fire.

I mention the order I see – I also notice that the chapter begins and ends with Nebuchadnezzar making decrees. Then we see his advisors at first accusing the Jews, then being the exact group that serves as witnesses of God’s great delivery of those same Jews. Then we see Nebuchadnezzar summoning Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to threaten them with the fire, only then we see him call them “Come out! Come here” out of the fire. In the very middle we see Jesus walking with the guys in the fire. Just so I record it, that looks like a big chiasm, but I can’t exactly say that’s what it is. I just smell chiasm as I look it all over.

Then there is (to me) the strange repetition of terms. Even in English, it seems like a waste of ink as the text repeats the list, “the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other provincial officials,” then repeats over and over the “sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music.” The chapter would be quite a bit shorter just to say, “all the government officials” and “all the instruments.” Even the names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego” get repeated thirteen times in 30 verses. In English, most of the time, we’d be saying “they.”  But then what also intrigues me is that the repeated lists and names aren’t always the same. As I noted in my studies earlier, some of the lists have an instrument or two more, others less. In addition, they’re not always spelled the same. In v.26, when Nebuchadnezzar calls the guys out of the fire, in Aramaic, Abednego isn’t spelled the same as every other occurrence in the chapter. Abednego is usually spelled in Aramaic as “Abed Nego” with an open space in between. For some reason, in this one place, it is spelled with a thing called a “makkeph” which is like our hyphen, so that it could be literally translated “Abed-Nego” rather than “Abed Nego.” Why is his name repeated 13 times and in only one it is hyphenated?

Although all of this may seem trivial to someone else, it isn’t to me. Our God is a God of order and I’m studying His Word. I have to believe there is some reason why He repeats all these lists, but then makes them slightly different, and even why He would spell Abednego’s name differently in that one place.

Frankly, I don’t know why. I’d like to know for one thing because sometimes, when you see the order, it helps in understanding the passage. I’d also like to know simply because if I don’t, that means there is something about the passage that I don’t understand – and the whole point of studying is to understand.

Hmmmm. One of the challenges for me has been working with the Aramaic. It is very similar to Hebrew but then not – the same only different! Because of that I’ve actually found it a little unpleasant to work with. Although I hate to leave my friends, I am just a little bit looking forward to getting back to Greek or Hebrew. What I’m saying is that it’s possible part of why I don’t understand is just the struggle with the language. Sometimes in order to see the order you need to be able to “step back” and look at the passage as a whole. I can barely deal with it word by word, so I don’t have that ability.

Certainly another handicap is not having even a basic understanding of the Babylonian culture. It might be that the repetition and even the variations in spelling are some expression of their culture. Although the Holy Spirit inspired Daniel to write these words, the plain simple fact is that he wrote them about 2600 years ago to be read by a people who lived 2600 years ago in an ancient culture halfway around the world from us. At some point, we have to be humble enough to admit there may be things about it we simply will not understand. What really matters is that faith tells us we can understand everything the Lord wants us to – if we’ll take the time to read and study.

One other thing I want to note before I leave – I think in a lot of ways this passage is a fractal of the end times. We know from Revelation that somehow, in the end, the literal city of Babylon (Babel) does rise again. Right now it lies in ruins in the deserts of Iraq but it will be rebuilt and re-populated. Like Nebuchadnezzar, the AntiChrist and his False Prophet will build an image “in honor of the Beast” and “…cause all who refuse to worship the image to be killed” (Rev.13:14,15). Right now, I don’t know if there is something we should take from the similarities or just note it as a fractal of what is, in reality, the pattern of our fallen world. The good news is, in both stories (as in all stories), God wins!

I guess that is the big takeaway I want to gain from this passage – a stronger, deeper belief that, no matter what, our God will win. I’ve never before seen so clearly how I can not only trust God with the future, but actually look forward to it. He will be there. The forecast is kindness. Even in suffering, I can expect to know God’s kindness. I can look forward to watching and seeing how His wise, good, and kind plan works out, all day, every day, for as long as I live and work here in this world – even if I find myself living (and suffering) in Babel.

Lord, keep before my mind my three friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. May their faith help me live in a greater, more constant confidence in You and the assurance of Your kindness. May that faith make me brave when I need to be. May it make me more faithful. You certainly deserve it. You deserve servants who totally trust You, who “for the joy set before them, despise their crosses, lay aside every weight that hinders, and, looking unto Jesus, run with endurance the race You set before them.”

Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we are servants of the Most High God.

And our God wins!

Daniel 3:30 – “The Forecast”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

³⁰Then the king caused to prosper Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babel.

What an amazing conclusion to this frightful day in the lives of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! What was supposed to be the day of their brutal executions instead turns into a day of honor and promotion.

As I have translated above, the Aramaic is literally something like “Then the king caused to prosper Shadrach, …” The “caused to prosper” gets translated often as “promoted,” which would be a reasonable choice to convey the idea. As I ponder it, I suppose the “caused to prosper” could have simply been a huge raise, or maybe he gave them a palatial mansion to live in, or perhaps a really hot chariot to ride around in. But then, I don’t think “promoted” is a bad choice. Even if it was just a huge raise, it’s still the boss showing them unusual favor. I will use “promoted” as it definitely expresses the general idea of the word in our modern way of thinking (especially if we’ll allow the word to include all the other unusual expressions of a boss’s approval).

Once again, it’s time to ponder the unimaginable kindness of our God. He knew it all along. He knew what He was going to do. He knew in the morning when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego got up. He knew while Nebuchadnezzar was raging at them. He knew as they were being carried up the ramp and thrown over the edge. He knew all along that rather than this being the day of their deaths, it would be a day that ended with them being promoted!

I suspect Satan always thinks he’s winning. He thought he was winning when he moved the wicked to crucify Jesus. It even looked like he was winning! But the fact is God always wins. Just like through the Cross, all day every day, God is winning. Our God is winning. It says in Eph 2:6,7 that “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” Notice the “the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” “Kindness.” What God is doing in my life and yours all day every day is displaying “for the ages to come” His kindness to us. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had to go through an awful trial of their faith, but it was all a kindness!

I personally think that is worth pondering. I know it is true of myself (and I suspect everyone else) that we tend to fear the future. There are a hundred million ways “tomorrow” can turn into a complete disaster  ... “and it probably will,” we tell ourselves. The basic forecast, we think, is negative. But wait a minute! Our God runs this universe and He says the plan is all day every day for Him to display to the world in our lives “the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness toward us.” The truth is, no matter what our future holds, it will be God’s kindness – just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego found out. Nebuchadnezzar was possibly the most powerful king in all of human history. The idol was ninety feet tall. The fire was “seven times” hotter than normal. But none of that could stop our God from showing His kindness to and through Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And though Satan and all the forces of evil should marshal themselves against you and me, and though we may suffer, and though they may even appear to be winning, there is one truth they cannot change: our God is kind.

It’s crazy to think that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego could have actually gotten up that morning excited to see what the Lord would be up to that day. They could have even been thrilled to be carried up the ramp and thrown in the fire! If they could have totally trusted in the riches of our God’s kindness, they could have actually enjoyed it all! I don’t know if any of us live long enough or learn to trust the Lord enough to actually anticipate His kindness all day every day, to actually look at life with a totally positive forecast. We could and we should. He deserves it. I hope having studied Daniel 3, I can do a better job of giving Him that kind of trust. I want to. Kindness – that’s the forecast!

I also want to note the paradox expressed in the words, “… in the province of Babylon.” Where were they promoted? “… in the province of Babylon.” Note, as I translated above it is literally, “the province of Babel.” Babylon is none other than that ancient city, the enemy of God. In a sense, all of human history has been a “Tale of two cities” – Jerusalem vs. Babel. The City of God vs. the city of Satan. And where do our friends live? In the city of Satan. They live in the very place that symbolizes rebellion against God. And how do they fare there? Well, they get thrown in a furnace (not surprisingly), but in the end they get promoted. They get honored! Isn’t it crazy that even in the very city of Babel itself, it’s still true, “Them that honor Me, I will honor.” Even when believers find themselves having to live in Babel itself, Jesus still says, “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life.”

As parents we often fear for our children, knowing that they live in Babel. We try to shelter them in our homes but as they walk out the door, whether to school or to work, or even just to a friend’s house, we know they live in Babel. Babel surrounds them and allures them with its golden cup and unfortunately too many fall for its lies. But the fact is it can be done. Believers can live in Babel, be faithful to their God, and still prosper. One can only imagine the grief of our guys’ parents, knowing that their young sons were being carried to perhaps the most wicked place on the face of the earth. But little could they have known those very boys would rise up to show the world the greatness of our God … and actually prosper! I hope somehow the story of the boys’ faith got back to their parents! How proud they would have been!

You or I may feel like the place we live or the place where we work is Babel itself. But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego teach us it can be done. We can trust our God and be faithful to Him. Our hope is not that somehow we can shelter ourselves from it. Sometimes people want to work in a “Christian” business hoping somehow to shelter themselves from a lot this world’s evil … and maybe sometimes they can. But that actually is not our hope. Our hope is that, even if we seem to have no choice but to live and work in Babel itself, we can still be faithful to God and we can still prosper! Jesus clearly said, “My prayer is not that You would take them out of the world but that You protect them from evil” (John 17:15). That is the hope for each of us and it is the hope for our children. It can be done.

Even if we have no choice but to live and work in Babel itself, the forecast is still kindness.

Lord, give us grace to trust in Your kindness. May our faith in Your kindness make us faithful.