SOAP 10/03/2015; Ezra 5:5

Today's reading: Ezra 5, 6; Psalm 138; Luke 16

S) " ⁵ But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until a report could come to Darius, and then a written reply be returned concerning it."

Ezra 5:5 (NASB)

O) In this part of history, the remnant that returned to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem had been stopped, previously. But, through the prophetic encouragements they received (v.2), the rebuilding project was starting again. Like the initial rebuilding, they would face opposition again, but this time it plays out a little differently. Indeed, the sovereign God was with them that they would continue building at this point. In this chapter, their opponents wrote a letter to Darius, asking him to, basically do some research into the annals of history. They asked the king to verify if the Jews actually had a commission to rebuild the temple.

A) The fact that God is sovereign is not really something I've ever questioned, but sometimes I think I forget all the ways He can exercise His sovereignty. In this verse, we see God is going to move on behalf of these leaders, but we don't see exactly how it unfolds until chapter 6. "Spoiler Alert:" In this case, God protects His plan through, what is essentially, the legal system of Babylon (see chapter 6). The old adage, "The Lord works in mysterious ways." is true. Sometimes God does seem to work things together in unforeseen, inexplicable ways. However, sometimes His providence is fairly explicable. Reading the history of Cyrus' ordinance (see 2 Chronicles 36 and Ezra 1), I can see God had the pieces in place, so that when Darius did do his research, he would easily decide to rule in favor of the Jews. When I think about this in my own life, there are parallels with the founding of my country, and how things have unfolded in the centuries since. To be sure, while the U.S. was never officially a "Christian country," the vast majority of .citizens here were Christians at the start. In the present day, Christianity has never faced as much opposition here, as it does right now. Even still, there are a great many laws that have already been put in place, laws that God Himself may have ordained directly, that protect my freedoms as a Christian. So, while the culture is taking a definitive turn away from Christianity, I still have confidence that, at least for a while longer, God's sovereignty will continue to protect my freedom of religion, in a sort of already-established-law sort of way.

P) Father, You are holy and just. You are sovereign and wise. Whatever comes, my prayer will continue to be, that Your will is done. I trust in Your providence, security, and plans. Thank You for giving me the freedom to worship You how You deserve to be worshiped. Thank You for giving me the freedom to read my Bible in public, to share my study openly on the internet. But, even if all of those freedoms are stripped away, even if being a disciple of Christ was eventually outlawed, I am still committed to doing exactly that. You are worth serving at all costs. Be glorified in my life, and may Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 10/02/2015; Zechariah 14:6-7

Today's reading: Zechariah 13, 14; Psalm 147; Luke 15

S) "⁶ In that day there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle. ⁷ For it will be a unique day which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light."

Zechariah 14:_ (NASB)

O) This is Zechariah's final chapter, and it has a very conclusive feel. God fights a decisive battle for His people, and then He reigns in Jerusalem. Every nation that would go to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, would receive a drought and plagues to smite them. The fact that there is the presence of an Old Covenant ordinance, and the fact that enemies of God persist, make it doubtful that this is a literal period at the end of time. I highlighted the two verses above because it seems to indicate exactly the kind of symbolism to reveal these are symbolic events. In the ancient world, people realized that light meant life. This is why so many cultures worshiped the sun. In these two verses, God is showing Himself to be sovereign and omnipotent. By this act, He shows Himself as the real giver of life (which is supported further by v.8). These verses are about establishing His holiness among all the would-be gods and the idols (see v.9), which were the source of so much contention with Israel.

A) In the modern world, I personally have little use for the sun. Don't get me wrong, as advanced as we are with electricity and technology, I know we fully need the sun (global warmth and inhabitability, agriculture, etc.), but for me personally, I can turn on light switches and my furnace. Still, since this is a symbolic passage, I find value in reassigning parts of it to my current life. If it said something like, "You will live at your job and work at your home," it would have a similar effect, The point is for me to realize God's sovereignty. I need to realize that my wellbeing is not dependent on my job, or relationships, or agriculture, or economy, or family. God could turn all of those things upside down or inside out. As long as I persist in seeking security anywhere else but with the LORD, then I will be contending with God as an enemy in that way. I cannot survive that, and I don't want to try.

P) Father, You are sovereign in every way. The universe is Yours alone to alter. Help me to humbly remember that. You are worthy of worship, simply because of who You are. My devotion to You should be about You and what You've done, not me and my needs. Give me the discipline to faithfully seek You alone, to be the only sovereign God in my heart. If I am erecting idols, seeking provision or comfort or security elsewhere, turn my world upside down and inside out. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 10/01/2015; Zechariah 11:16

Today's reading: Zechariah 10, 11, 12; Psalm 126; Luke 14

S) "¹⁶ For behold, I am going to raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for the perishing, seek the scattered, heal the broken, or sustain the one standing, but will devour the flesh of the fat sheep and tear off their hoofs."

Zechariah 11:16 (NASB)

O) Zechariah was told to shepherd a doomed flock, which had unfit shepherds previously. However, while in his care, unity and favor were broken. This symbolized the breaking of Judah and Israel, that God's people would never be unified again (as a single kingdom under God, as in David's time). The favor, the Old Covenant, also was broken (vv.7-11). The verse above shows us a contrast against Jesus. The verse above describes the leadership the people suffered, all the way until Messiah came. When we look forward to the opening of the gospels, we see Jesus condemning the scribes, lawyers, Pharisees, and Sadducees for all of these same things. But, then Jesus describes Himself as the good Shepherd. It is important to see that the break of the old covenant, and the old unity, was necessary in order for their to be new unity among all people, through Jesus Christ, and a New Covenent through the work on the cross and in the grave.

A) Growth is hard. It is important to remember that God disciplines. In His sovereignty, He will elect for me to go through trials, rather than around them (avoiding them). He needs me to understand my own needs. Not my external needs, because He can easily give me such prosperity that I'd never know physical need. But, He wants me to know the need of my heart. I must recognize that He came to save me from myself. I was shepherding myself with evil. In my sins, I deserved destruction, and annihilation (like Zechariah described in v.9). But Jesus isn't the Shepherd I deserve, but He is the Shepherd I need.

P) Father, I need Your shepherding guidance. In Your wisdom and grace, You took me out of a poisonous and deadly flock. Even now, there are painful lessons I am still learning, but I pray that I am at least learning the lessons Your teaching. Open my eyes and ears, because I don't want to miss what You're doing in my life. Have Your way with me, but keep me close, Shepherd. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 09/30/2015; Zechariah 8:23

Today's reading: Zechariah 7, 8, 9; Luke 13

S) "²³ Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."'"

Zechariah 8:23 (NASB)

O) God was telling about blessings to come for Zion and Jerusalem. It seems most likely, that these things are also fulfilled in Christ, and the Kingdom of God as we know it through the New Testament. But, for the sake of this particular verse, we can really set aside the discussion of the (partial) preterist view of this chapter. In this last verse, we see a description, a working definition, of holiness. God is, in His very nature, completely different than any other being. He is the only non-created being. He is the only sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent being. Those are basic traits which make Him holy. Because He is the only being with these qualities, His character is alluring and intriguing. When God says we are to be holy, as He is holy, it is because we are to honor His name, and because we are supposed to be drawing people to Him. This verse is an illustration of just that. Whether or not "a Jew" is symbolic of "God's person" (i.e., a Christian), or literally talking only about a person of Judah, the point is the same. People of every language will notice when a person is holy, as the Lord is holy, and it will allure and intrigue them.

A) This is a measuring line, of sorts. In many respects, everyone wants to be different, but we also want to be the same. Growing up, I struggled with that a lot. I wanted to be different, it just seemed to me that I was different for all the wrong reasons. I wanted people to notice me, but only in the right way. Well, as I grew up, I set aside some of those insecurities, yet some remain. Now, I enjoy being... memorable... and I am much more comfortable with who I am as a person (naturally). Still, when I stop to consider what I want people to remember, in my "memorable" character, it changes my perspective on being different. I still want people to notice, but if I am being humble, then I want people to notice Him. If my life is all about honoring and glorifying my Savior, then when people meet me, or get to know me better, it should be apparent that there is something different about me. When I notice them notice me, those are my opportunities to share the gospel. They don't have to grab me by the shirt, for me to share how I worship.

P) Father, You are worthy of all worship, adoration, and praise. Let me be humble, about how I am different. I confess that I seek attention for myself sometimes. Help me to stop that. I don't want that kind of attention. That's being noticed for the wrong reasons. Humble me if You must, that I may be noticed because of Your fingerprint on my life. Give me opportunities to share what You have done to me, and in me, and through me. Let me boldly proclaim Your goodness to anyone who wonders about my joy, peace, and love. For that matter, help me start by living out a joy, peace, and love that brings honor to Your name. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 09/29/2015; Zechariah 5:5-6a

Today's reading: Zechariah 4, 5, 6; Luke 12

S) "⁵ Then the angel who was speaking with me went out and said to me, 'Lift up now your eyes and see what this is going forth.' ⁶ I said, 'What is it?'"

Zechariah 5:5-6a (NASB)

O) There are a few things to draw from this short vision (vv.5-11). For one thing, it is fairly esoteric. Zechariah asked for an explanation, and he recorded it for us, but even the definitions he was given seem like they need more definition. Just from that interaction (which is why I highlighted what I did), we see the value in asking God questions. When God gives an answer, we also need to remember that He reveals everything we need to live a righteous life (see 2 Peter 1:3). Now, within the answer, there are those mysteriously defined details. There is a woman cast into an ephah, representing wickedness. The ephah is covered with a lead lid on its top, and two winged women fly away with it to a city called Shinar, where the woman will be on a pedestal. Well, given the nature of such prophetic visions, it's hard to know that Shanir refers to a literal, particular city. What is clear, though, is that wickedness will be idolized (which is reinforced throughout Scripture). It is also clear, that the LORD is not pleased with this particular wickedness (since it was thrown down into this ephah). Perhaps this represents stealing and swearing falsely by the LORD'S name (see vv.1-4).

A) The LORD always hates being misrepresented, and certainly swearing falsely by His name would misrepresent Him. He always hates stealing. There is no form of wickedness which pleases Him. So, that much of this vision should be no surprise, and it's not particularly applicable, or at least, there are a great many other verses which convict me of my sins, convince me of my guilt, and remind me that I am not perfected and I still need sanctification. The real point of action, I think, is in Zechariah's response to seeing things that He did not understand. It is a simple, but powerful position to take, to ask the LORD, "what is it?" I do not ask that of God nearly enough. Most of my prayers tend to be praise, worship, and supplication. As important as it is, to devote time to prayer in order for me to surrender control (that I would humbly ask Him to act, acknowledging my impotence), I also need to make time to ask the LORD for direction and definition. I need to ask God what it is that I'm seeing.

P) Father, You are perfect in Your knowledge, and unfailing in Your faithfulness. All day, everyday, I experience a world of information and I interpret things. I confess that I am relying on my own wisdom, knowledge, and experience far too often. I am not relying on You enough, Lord. Please forgive me for that. Let me depend on You more and more. Holy Spirit, lead me in the way I should go, including in drawing me to pray and ask for more clarity and definition. Your thoughts are not my thoughts, Your ways are not my ways. Your thoughts and ways are as far above mine, as the heavens are above the earth. You are God and I am not. Let me fully depend on You, to define what I see. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 09/28/2015; Zechariah 1:4

Today's reading: Zechariah 1, 2, 3; Luke 11

S) "⁴ 'Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, "Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.'" But they did not listen or give heed to Me,' declares the Lord."

Zechariah 1:4 (NASB)

O) The message here is pretty simple, to learn from the mistakes of others. Early in history, Israel was told to be holy. They were told not to conform to the practices of their neighboring lands. They were told to not to live like the previous inhabitants of their Promised Land. They were warned with very severe, very clearly defined consequences for turning their backs on the commands of God (see Deuteronomy 28). Still, that's exactly what the people did. They were told directly, but their example was external (namely, the Canaanites who lived there before Israel). But, as we fast-forward several hundred years, and now Israel had experienced their own exile from God's land, and then they had an internal example to heed. That's essentially the message of this verse, "Believe, when God's messenger warns, because now you have seen that it will happen, even against God's people."

A) I have two older brothers. Growing up, I saw them each make some mistakes (some more serious than others). I was careful to observe them, and I tried my best to learn from their mistakes. I had varying degrees of success. Even so, I found my own ways to be wayward. Still, their example, being so close to home (even though they'd both moved out well before 18), was a more powerful example. It was a lot harder for me to separate myself from their example, by reason of some unjustified arrogance. My thinking was that, as brothers, we shared many of the same traits. They were smart like me, came from the same childhood, had seen the same hardships, had many of the same skills or attributes, and yet they made mistakes and errors. So, the warnings of their experiences hit home a lot more than, say, a D.A.R.E. program. Spiritually speaking, all of this translates very well. I think this is why it is so important for me to be transparent with my children. Obviously, there are some details they won't need to know, or not until they are at an understanding age. However, it would be hypocritical of my to pretend like I had a spotless history (or even a spotless current life). But, even more than that, it would be a missed opportunity. My own testimony is an opportunity for them to learn from my mistakes. For them to see that, as faithfully as I was serving God in my teenage years, I still wandered away foolishly. It's important for them to see that, as smart as I was, I was still fooled about smoking cigarettes. It's important for them to see that these things happened close to their own generation, within their own family history. I need to give my children an opportunity to learn from my mistakes, but they can't do that unless they hear about my mistakes. As for myself, I must be humble enough to realize that, without Christ, I am as helpless to mistakes as any man. If I am not fully committed to following my Lord, then it is only a matter of time before I ruin my life. If I am not a disciple of Jesus, then I am a disciple of the world, and that will cost me gravely.

P) Father, Your grace is written all over my life. You are holy, and You call me to be holy. I must live a life that is different, in order to glorify Your name. Let me remain forever faithful, to following my Lord Jesus Christ, as His disciple. Continue to work within me, that I may resemble Your Son more and more each day. Let my light shine first to my own children. Help me to be honest and humble, to magnify Your work of the gospel in my own life. Let them see my failures as warnings, and let them heed those warnings. Open their eyes and ears, that they would learn from my mistakes. Let Your will be done in me, and in my family, and in the world. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 09/27/2015; Haggai 2:3-4

Today's reading: Haggai 1, 2; Psalm 129; Luke 10

S) "³ 'Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison? ⁴ But now take courage, Zerubbabel,' declares the LORD, 'take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,' declares the LORD, 'and work; for I am with you,' declares the LORD of hosts."

Haggai 2:3-4 (NASB)

O) It seems reasonable to think that there would have been some romanticizing of the glory days, of Solomon's temple in its splendor (even though, as you read through both Kings books, and Chronicles, it is apparent that much of the adornment that was stripped away over the years, was never replaced). Still, these men were starting a new foundation from quite humbling means. God does go on from this verse, to describe what would be blessings of a more financial nature (mention of silver and gold, for example), but even from just these two verses, we see a glimpse of the greatest blessing. The whole point of the temple, was to have a meeting place, where God would dwell. He promised this generation the same thing He promised to David for his son. If the people would build Him a house, and would be faithful to Him, then He would abide with them. The splendor of the house does not matter. It's not how the house is made, but who lives in the house.

A) Every aspect of temple worship changed with the New Testament. We now know that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, both as individuals with the indwelling Holy Spirit, but also as the church, as the body of Christ. So, the real consideration then, is how I am doing as a dwelling place for the LORD  How is the church doing, and how have I been doing. When I consider what would make me an inferior house, it is sin that comes to mind. But, because of the gospel, in repentance there is forgiveness of sins. Even still, it is easy for me to look at my temple, and realize there is obvious lack. This says nothing of my physical wellbeing. So, like Zerubbabel and Joshua, I need to remember the reason I am a temple. God dwells within me, not because He's homeless, but because I am. He's within me because I can't go to His heavenly home. As long as that purpose is fulfilled, that communion, then no weight gain, no sinful stumbling, no illness, no temptation, no wrinkles, will ever make the difference. Living a flawless life, inside and out, doesn't mean that more of God lives within me. None of that is to say that I want my house, our house, to go to pot. On the contrary, because I love my Lord so much, my heart's desire is to give Him a beautiful, pleasing home. There are lots of things I regret, but dwelling on regrets is not honoring God dwelling within me.

P) Father, it is humbling to remember that You dwell within me. You are holy, and I am struggling to keep myself holy for You. But, realizing Your grace, that You choose to commune with imperfect people like me, is a revelation of Your love. I want to have a righteous life to honor Your name. I want to remain righteous, to walk in the righteousness I have in Christ, so You might be more pleased to dwell within me. Help me focus on how I may honor You in obedience, instead of obsessing about the ways I have trashed Your house. Make my heart Your home, and clean it how You see fit. Be glorified in my life. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 09/26/2015; Ezra 4:13

Today's reading: Ezra 4; Psalms 113, 127; Luke 9

S) "¹³ Now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, custom or toll, and it will damage the revenue of the kings."

Ezra 4:13 (NASB)

O) In the first opposition that the remnant faced, their enemies appealed to Artaxerxes, warning him about the returned Jews. For their defense, they urged the king to search the records about Jerusalem, which was a historically formidable citadel. Now these men, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and nameless others, their motives are not exactly clear. They appealed to their king, claiming nothing more than a will to serve the crown. Maybe that's true. But, their words were not really about loyalty or faithfulness, but about greed. Maybe they were simply racist, or jealous, or genuinely afraid of history repeating itself. But they didn't approach their king with those things. They approached Artexerxes regarding lost profits.

A) There are a lot of moral reasons to do things. There are a lot of legal reasons for doing things. Still, it seems that nothing motivates the actions of men, quite like money does. It is no wonder that Jesus compared wealth to an idol god (see Luke 16:13). It's also no wonder, then, that "prosperity gospels" are so attractive, from both ends. People hearing the message must be drawn to a Christianity that conforms to their perceptions of need, value, and even purpose. People who preach it must realize how much people are concerned about money, and will give their ear to hear lengthy messages, if it is even suggested that they might profit from hearing. The solution, the real truth of the matter, is that in Christ, the wealth of man is devalued. The inheritance from Christ Jesus is invaluable. In view of eternity, no one should be able to motivate me with money. However, despite knowing that truth, I still find myself preoccupied with financial concerns. Hearing this story of Artexerxes, I am reminded of how much money can blind us. He wasn't considering what was right. He certainly wasn't concerned with what the LORD wanted. I don't want to be like Artexerxes. Instead of considering the financial impact of my decisions, I should really, only be considering what God says about situations I face. Maybe God would bless me financially, but I know there are a great many ways He will bless, that have nothing to do with money. Maybe God-given wisdom leads me to make a financially reasoned decision, still. But, that should never be my starting point. My starting point should always be to seek the LORD, and His will, and His way.

P) Father, You are enough. I don't want to be divided in my attention, between You and money. I don't want to be double minded. I don't want people to be able to sway me, based on financial implications. You are holy, and I want to be holy. When other people see how little value I put on money, I want that to reflect Your goodness to Your servant. I want people to realize that I am different because my Lord calls me differently. I fully depend on You for provision. Be glorified in how I spend, save, and view money. Let me never be deceived by the allure of wealth. I know that is a false god, who could never be who You already are. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.