Jeff Grisham

There are times in Scripture when God’s reaction to the disobedience of his people seems incredibly harsh. There are three narratives from the Old Testament that come to mind as examples of this.

The first is found in Leviticus 10 in the narrative of Nadab and Abihu. On the heels of Israel constructing the tabernacle and beginning the service of God in this new system, we read of these two sons of Aaron.

“Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.” (Leviticus 10:1-2 ESV)

That leaves us with several questions such as: what exactly is meant by “unauthorized fire,” or why these two who had seen God on Mount Sinai would do such a thing? It may seem to us to be a very strong reaction by God to what might be looked at as a rather minor offense.

The next narrative to examine is found in the book of Joshua and is the narrative of a man named Achan. God had brought Israel safely into the Promised Land and had given them victory over the city of Jericho. Prior to the battle God had commanded that everything in Jericho be devoted to destruction (Joshua 6:16-19). After the battle we read this about Achan:

“But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the LORD burned against the people of Israel.” (Joshua 7:1 ESV)

Achan took some of the things that were not to be taken and he hid them under his tent. When this was discovered Achan and his entire family were stoned to death, burned, and then covered with stones.

Considering all that God had put up with in regard to Israel’s rebellion to that point, and all the rebellion that God would endure from Israel in the generations to come, this seems a rather harsh punishment.

The final one for us to examine happens during the reign of David. After the death of Saul, David as a new king moves the capital to Jerusalem. As a part of this process, he moves the Ark of the Covenant into the city on an oxcart. During the trip, the oxen stumbled and a man named Uzzah reached up to steady the ark.
“And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.” (2 Samuel 6:6-7 ESV)

As Bible students we know the significance of the Ark of the Covenant. This was where God would meet with the people of Israel. It was kept in an area that was only accessible to the High Priest one day per year. We also remember that it was not meant to be transported on a cart, but rather it was to be carried on the shoulders of the Levites. But, all Uzzah did was touch it to steady it and he was killed. That may seem a bit harsh.

When we stop and look at these narratives together, there are some important things to notice.

Obedience is very important. Nadab and Abihu had been instructed on what to do in regards to the fire that was to be used. It seems they decided that they knew best how to carry out the commands of God. They were wrong. Achan, like the rest of the Israelites, knew that he was not to take things from the city of Jericho. It appears that he thought God would be fine with him asserting his own view of right and wrong. God was not ok with it. Uzzah’s actions seem completely harmless if not even somewhat noble. Surely him steadying the ark even if it was being transported in a way that God did not want wouldn’t offend God.

Obedience is important to God.  It is not because God is some sort of tyrant. It is not because God wants to see what he can get us to do. It is an expression of our trust in him. God’s commands are for our good and for his glory. He wants us to trust him enough to obey, even if we think we have a better idea or a better way. Obedience demonstrates our trust in and love for God.

It is also worth noting that our being obedient (or failing to) affects others around us. This is especially evident in the case of Uzzah. The text doesn’t tell us, but it seems reasonable that it wasn’t his idea to transport the ark on a cart. That decision probably came from someone else, yet it is Uzzah who suffers.

We are a relational people. Our lives intersect with others and our actions affect them as well as ourselves. The way others see us respond to the commands of God communicates to them the importance that we place on obedience. It can have far-reaching effects.

The next thing we need to notice is the timing of these various events. Each of these occurs at the beginning of a new time, new situation in the life of Israel. Nadab and Abihu are ministering in this new thing called a tabernacle. This is shortly after Israel’s release from Egypt and they are learning more and more about the God of their fathers. Achan’s sin occurs just as Israel enters this new land, the one that had been promised to Abraham. This is a new place and they are under new leadership with Joshua. The incident with Uzzah and the ark happens as Israel has a new king and his administration is moving to a new location.

I think what we are meant to see is that the circumstances may change for God’s people, but God is still the same. He is just as holy. He is just as powerful. He is just as worthy of honor and respect and awe as ever.

My prayer is that we remember this as we begin this new year. 2023 will bring changes. It will bring its own set of challenges and successes. Our contexts may change, the culture around us may change, leadership may change, but God remains the same. That is good news! The God who has seen us thru in the past is the same God who walks with us in the present. He is the same God with whom we exist in a covenant relationship. He is just as holy, just as gracious, and just as desirous to be with us as ever before. The same God who leads and shepherds us as his people has not changed. Our response to him, his holiness and graciousness, should not change either.

It really is a great time of year. We all have various activities and traditions around Christmas. There are parades, programs, and all kinds of decorations that are scattered all around our various areas. When the kids were smaller, one of our favorite things to do was to drive around and look at all the Christmas lights. Among the Santas and sleighs, the lights and trees, we would see nativity scenes displayed. We would often drive past and comment about how nice it looked, or admire the way it was set up, without paying much attention to what is actually communicated in that scene. What if we stopped and looked?

We see a couple with a newborn baby. We see a group of shepherds. We see what appear to be wealthy kings. We see three very different and disparate groups of people with little if anything in common. Yet, these are three groups of people that we find in the accounts of the birth of Jesus recorded in Matthew and in Luke.

Mary and Joseph, the young couple from Nazareth were ordinary people on a their way to a life that was probably quite predictable. The shepherds were people who were just going about their lives in one of the least honored vocations of their day. Then there were the kings from the East, wealthy and educated who studied and watched for the fulfillment of prophecy. Three groups of people that we see in various scenes all around us at this time of year, all brought together by a singular event.

That singular event was one that had been in the works for centuries, ever since the fall in Genesis 3. That singular event consisted of an angelic messenger, an imperial edict, a miraculous conception and birth, communication to various people via dreams, the appearance of a star, and a chorus of angels making the grand announcement. All of this, plus many more acts of God of which we read throughout the Old Testament, brings together people from all walks of life with God in their midst. There are several things we need to notice as we look at that first nativity scene.

We see the importance of stepping out in faith, trusting in what God can do. When Gabriel shows up to make the announcement to Mary, she really doesn’t know what to make of all this. Who would? She was just told that she would conceive and give birth to God’s son, that he would sit on the throne of his father David, and that his Kingdom would never end (Luke 1:26-33). After asking how this could be possible and hearing the explanation of Gabriel, Mary replied, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) She had no idea where this would lead. She simply said, “I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”

Joseph is another example of this kind of faith. Imagine being told by your fiancé that she is pregnant and that her child was the result of a miracle. It’s no wonder that Matthew tells us that he wanted to “put her away.” But when God communicated with him, confirming what Mary had said, “he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.” (Matthew 1:24-25)

We see the importance of being watchful. “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1) We know little of these men. How far did they travel? Who exactly were they? We can tell that they were people who were expecting God to do something. They had been watching and waiting for the promise of God to come. As a result of this, they were able to witness a marvelous event.

We see that this event was good news for everyone; no one was to be excluded. “And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-12) The shepherds, the least of society, were the first to hear of this news and to be invited to the celebration. It wasn’t just for the rich, the respectable, the religious, or even just the Jews. God sending his son is good news for all.

We see that God does all of this in order to be with us. The divide between us and God due to sin was something we could not resolve. God wants to be with us badly enough to show up as a vulnerable infant, born in a stable. I pray that this is what we see as we stop and look at a nativity scene. I pray that this is something that we remember every single day of the year.

It seems that everywhere we look, we see images of the joy of the season. Television commercials, billboards, newspaper ads all have pictures of those coming home for the holidays. We are shown images of a large table, beautifully set and decorated with all the family home for this great holiday. These are great images and they do evoke feelings of joy, togetherness, and many great memories of holidays of the past.

These also evoke feelings of grief, loss, and pain as we may look around and notice that there is an empty place at the table. We may be reminded of last year’s holiday season and realize that this year’s will be much different because of the death of one that we held so dear to us. Our memories of those wonderful exciting days that we once experienced may now be tainted with images of declining health and poor prognoses.

Grief intrudes on our lives in various ways and at various times. But it may be brought into sharper focus at this particular time of year. We see the joy and wonder portrayed in the images that confront us. We see others enjoying themselves and it only reminds us of how much we have lost. How can we make our way through this particular time of year?

Allow ourselves space to grieve. Denying the grief that we feel doesn’t solve the issue. Grief is an emotion given to us by God. It is an emotion that God himself experiences. As Jesus made his way to Bethany after the death of his friend Lazarus, he was met by two grieving sisters, devastated by the loss of their brother. As Jesus and the mourners made their way to the tomb of Lazarus, John tells us, “Jesus wept.” What a statement! Jesus, who knew that Lazarus was about to walk out of that tomb, still grieved with those who were suffering. We don’t have to always put on happy face and fake our way through the holidays. It’s ok to let ourselves grieve for the loss.

Lean on others. Family can be a wonderful blessing. God created us as relational beings, and as such he placed us in family groups. We need each other. We are to encourage one another, love one another, forgive one another, and bear one another’s burdens. Paul in Romans 12 in speaking of the church family says, ”Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit,serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:9-15) We may get the feeling that our grief will get in the way of other people’s enjoyment of the holidays. The truth is that it will remind others of loss and suffering, but those who love and care about us will be sensitive to the pain that we feel. There are those that care deeply about us and can help us through. Whether it is our physical family or the family of God brought together by the blood of Jesus, reach out to them.

All of us need to be sensitive to the needs of others. That’s what it means to be family, to be the family of God. The command that we have from Jesus is to “love one another: just as I have loved you, you are to love one another.” (John 13:34) Loving like Jesus means being aware of the needs of others. It means remembering that this time of year may bring pain instead of joy and tears instead of laughter to those who have lost loved ones.

Remember that God knows the loss we have experienced. God knows what it is like to lose a son. He hurts with us. He weeps with us. He loves us deeply in the middle of our grief. In fact, as we celebrate the coming of Jesus and are reminded of the beauty of the incarnation, we should remember that the reason God sent his son is so that death and sin, our grief and loss don’t get the last word. The gift of God, his only son, was to bring an end to the rule of death, and to give us life and hope. May God bless each of us as we make our way through the joys and the heartaches that this season brings.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27)

These words spoken by Jesus to those who had followed him for a period of about three years come just hours away from the cross. In a very short time, Jesus would be arrested, tried, beaten, mocked, humiliated, and condemned to die on a Roman cross. As we continue reading through the accounts of the crucifixion, we notice the peace that Jesus seems to possess through the whole ordeal. We watch as he walks out to meet the mob sent to arrest him. We hear him tell Peter to put away the sword and remind him that this is the purpose for which he came. We listen to his conversations with Pilate, confident of his identity and certain that the Father would set things right. We notice the peace that Jesus has.

This peace is what Jesus offered his followers in these words from John 14. This small band that had walked with Jesus was about to face life without him physically present with them. I have no doubt that Jesus knew the difficulties they would face, not only in the days that followed, but also in continuing to carry out the mission on which they would be sent. They would face difficult situations, determined opposition, uncertainty, and difficult decisions. Following Jesus did not exempt them from trouble. In fact, it would often lead to trouble and conflict with the world around them. Jesus knew they needed the peace he offered.

Following Jesus does not exempt us from trouble. It does not make us immune to the troubles, pains, sorrows, and difficulties of this life. We face opposition and often find ourselves at odds with the world around us. We deal with difficult decisions, tensions, and conflict. It can all seem overwhelming and what we want is peace.

The world around us tries to convince us that it has the answers to our need for peace. It continually places these offers in front of us in various ways. It suggests that if we will just buy the right car, or the right house in the right neighborhood then we will have what we need and all will be well. It leads us to think that if we just find the right partner, pick the right hobby, find the right people who agree with us on everything, then peace and happiness will naturally follow. It tells us that maybe the conflict we are experiencing is the resistance to our own nature, and if we would just do whatever makes us happy then we would be at peace. Just last week millions of people lined up in various places across this country to vote for political candidates, each of whom claims to offer peace, a better life for people. The problem with any of these offers is that they will ultimately fail. The world promises peace, but is not able to make good on that promise. The world cannot provide what it doesn’t have. Peace is not found in the externals, but is a heart condition.

The promise Jesus makes to give peace is not like the promises of the world. He can provide what he promises. It is Jesus who has the ability to change the heart. We were created for relationship. We were created for closeness with God and when we are separated from him, peace is missing. It’s not that God has moved; it is our sin, our rebellion that has moved us away from him and our quest for peace is a cry for reconciliation. Jesus makes that possible. Because of what God has done in Jesus we can be reconciled to God. We can be confident of our identity as his children, and have peace of mind that God will make everything right.

I wonder how often the words of Jesus from John 14:27 were remembered and recited by the early Christians as they faced all kinds of opposition and trouble. I wonder if when they were arrested, threatened, or watched as others were beaten or even executed, they reminded themselves and each other of the peace that Jesus provided.

I wonder if it might help us as we encounter difficulties, sorrows, pains, and tensions. Could it serve as a way to still the anxiousness, worry, and fear that we experience? Could we remember these words of Jesus and be reminded of our identity and the One who holds us in his hands?

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. (Matthew 23:1-7)

As we follow the life and ministry of Jesus throughout the Gospels and listen in as he interacts with the people of his day, we hear words of hope, words of blessing, words of comfort, challenging words, and even some harsh criticism. Jesus did have some harsh criticism directed at some people. The harshest criticism we hear from him was directed at the most religious people of his day, the Pharisees.

It is a bit confusing when we stop and think about it. The Pharisees were not a bunch of hedonistic rebels; just the opposite in fact. They were outstanding students of Scripture. There were incredibly conscientious about obeying the law. They were serious about their giving. They were serious about being the people of God.

As we look at this list, we might wonder which of these characteristics would warrant such stinging rebukes from the lips of Jesus? Weren’t they supposed to be obedient, ethical, generous, and knowledgeable? The truth is that it wasn’t any of these characteristics in particular that earned them such pointed criticism. It was actually a characteristic that they lacked, namely humility.

But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:8-12)

Jesus was not critical of them because they were obedient, morally pure, generous, and hungry to learn. He was not pleased with these things because their service to God was a source of pride for them, and they had forgotten what had been done for them. They lacked humility and it is something that is desperately needed.

Humility is fertile ground for empathy and service. Jesus tells his followers that the Pharisees bind heavy burdens on others, but do nothing to help carry them. Humility allows us to recognize that without what God has done in Jesus, we were in a helpless condition. Remembering that should move us to love, serve, and be patient and kind with those who struggle. We are called to bear one another’s burdens, love one another, serve one another, and forgive one another. We are called to do that because Jesus has borne our burdens, loved us, served as a sacrifice for our sins, and forgiven us. In short, humility was a defining characteristic of Jesus.

Humility calls for us to see our complete dependence on God. The Pharisees seemed to believe diligently keeping the Law was what made them God’s people. In other words, they were obedient so that they could be God’s people. What they were actually called to do was to be obedient because God had rescued them and made called them to be his people. It may sound like there’s little or no difference in those two views, but the difference is actually huge. Over and over the Israelites were reminded that it was God who delivered them from Egypt and made them a nation. Their obedience to his commands was to be in response to his grace.

It is the same with the people of God today. We are certainly called to be obedient. God is holy and calls us to be holy as well. That obedience is to be our response, and they way in which we show our love for and trust in him. We don’t do the things that Jesus commands so that he will save us; we do the things he commands because of what he has done to save us.

Jesus still calls his followers to be obedient, morally pure, generous, and hungry to learn. Those are still desperately needed. But, those things are to be done in a spirit of humility which enables us to be people who love and serve the way he did.