CRH/BSPM/BSPOPP AND CoyRH/SEATC Clerical 2024 Fall Holy Days NewsletterMAIN STUDY–AT THE END OF THE TRAILShalom alechem from the Hub City (or as I’ve recently grown to call it–my new Rome!!)!!! Here’s trusting that you and yours are found blessed, well, and whole in EVERY area of your life today as the seasons both outside as well as in our lives once again change and our thoughts once again turns homebound bound towards His holy throne and eternal Kingdom that shall never end and that will be the future home of those who truly love and trust Him.I still gawk in disbelief that it’s already been around six months already since I took the leap of faith by my chinny-chin-chin to formally move from the Malta of two years that I lived at south of Floydada to Lubbock to serve as my new official home city and international headquarters. It hasn’t been easy by any means–and there’s still plenty of struggles I face that are still present as challenges that must be overcome (marginal homelessness and transportation challenges and problems being among them). But considering where I was at this same time last year, I now overall find myself in a similar position to another spiritual traveler that the physician Luke describes this way in the last 20 or so verses of the Book of Acts:Paul Arrives at Rome11 It was three months after the shipwreck that we set sail on another ship that had wintered at the island—an Alexandrian ship with the twin gods[a] as its figurehead. 12 Our first stop was Syracuse,[b] where we stayed three days. 13 From there we sailed across to Rhegium.[c] A day later a south wind began blowing, so the following day we sailed up the coast to Puteoli. 14 There we found some believers,[d] who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome.15 The brothers and sisters[e] in Rome had heard we were coming, and they came to meet us at the Forum[f] on the Appian Way. Others joined us at The Three Taverns.[g] When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and thanked God.16 When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to have his own private lodging, though he was guarded by a soldier.Paul Preaches at Rome under Guard17 Three days after Paul’s arrival, he called together the local Jewish leaders. He said to them, “Brothers, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Roman government, even though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors. 18 The Romans tried me and wanted to release me, because they found no cause for the death sentence. 19 But when the Jewish leaders protested the decision, I felt it necessary to appeal to Caesar, even though I had no desire to press charges against my own people. 20 I asked you to come here today so we could get acquainted and so I could explain to you that I am bound with this chain because I believe that the hope of Israel—the Messiah—has already come.”21 They replied, “We have had no letters from Judea or reports against you from anyone who has come here. 22 But we want to hear what you believe, for the only thing we know about this movement is that it is denounced everywhere.”23 So a time was set, and on that day a large number of people came to Paul’s lodging. He explained and testified about the Kingdom of God and tried to persuade them about Jesus from the Scriptures. Using the law of Moses and the books of the prophets, he spoke to them from morning until evening. 24 Some were persuaded by the things he said, but others did not believe. 25 And after they had argued back and forth among themselves, they left with this final word from Paul: “The Holy Spirit was right when he said to your ancestors through Isaiah the prophet,26 ‘Go and say to this people:When you hear what I say, you will not understand.When you see what I do, you will not comprehend.27 For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand,and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’[h]28 So I want you to know that this salvation from God has also been offered to the Gentiles, and they will accept it.”[i]30 For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense.[j] He welcomed all who visited him, 31 boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.It had been definitely a long journey for the Apostle Paul/Rav Shaul to finally get to the city gates of Rome–and not just in miles neither from his initial starting point in Jerusalem. Of course, his whole life up to that point from when he got struck blind on the road to Damascus and even the years right before that had basically been preparation for what now lied ahead for him in this new city. All you have to do is check out what he himself wrote to the church at Phillippi:Philippians 3:1-10 New Living TranslationThe Priceless Value of Knowing Christ 3 Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters,[a] rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.2 Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. 3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God[b] are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, 4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.[c] For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death,…and also to the Believers at Corinth in his second epistle to them to get the full effect of how Paul/Shaul generally approached life up to that point in time…2 Corinthians 11 New Living TranslationPaul’s Many Trials 16 Again I say, don’t think that I am a fool to talk like this. But even if you do, listen to me, as you would to a foolish person, while I also boast a little. 17 Such boasting is not from the Lord, but I am acting like a fool. 18 And since others boast about their human achievements, I will, too. 19 After all, you think you are so wise, but you enjoy putting up with fools! 20 You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face. 21 I’m ashamed to say that we’ve been too “weak” to do that!But whatever they dare to boast about—I’m talking like a fool again—I dare to boast about it, too. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.[c] 27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?30 If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am. 31 God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is worthy of eternal praise, knows I am not lying. 32 When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas kept guards at the city gates to catch me. 33 I had to be lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall to escape from him.NOW this rockstar rabbi who was a disciple of the great Jewish sage Gamaliel and who would eventually become his Meshiach’s personal emissary to the Gentiles–THIS rabbi who went through so much as he approaches the Rome city limit sign finds THIS sight awaiting him at the city outskirts:Acts 28:11-15 New Living TranslationPaul Arrives at Rome 11 It was three months after the shipwreck that we set sail on another ship that had wintered at the island—an Alexandrian ship with the twin gods[a] as its figurehead. 12 Our first stop was Syracuse,[b] where we stayed three days. 13 From there we sailed across to Rhegium.[c] A day later a south wind began blowing, so the following day we sailed up the coast to Puteoli. 14 There we found some believers,[d] who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome.15 The brothers and sisters[e] in Rome had heard we were coming, and they came to meet us at the Forum[f] on the Appian Way. Others joined us at The Three Taverns.[g] When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and thanked God.ESPECIALLY make sure that you note verse here:Acts 28:11-15 New Living Translation Paul Arrives at Rome 15 The brothers and sisters[e] in Rome had heard we were coming, and they came to meet us at the Forum[f] on the Appian Way. Others joined us at The Three Taverns.[g] When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and thanked God.Those of us who have been on long journeys away from home usually find a sense of excitement, relief, and pleasure in either getting to the final destination we planned to go to and/or seeing the most familiar landmarks of our hometown after being gone from home for a long time. Paul by the longings of the Holy Spirit/Ruach Ha’Kodesh had been anticipating getting to Rome. Now here he was to a place he had never been before. How now would his thoughts and reactions be after so long a journey? And what does that have to do with this year’s Fall Biblical Festivals?If there’s one thing that’s self-evident about this time of years, it is what this same Apostle wrote to the church at Thessalonica:1 Thessalonians 4 New Living TranslationAgain, the Apostle admonished us–The Hope of the Resurrection 13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died[f] so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.[g] 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died[h] will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.Again, the Apostle admonished us–18 So encourage each other with these words. BUT WHAT, pray tell, MIGHT THOSE WORDS BE? And how might he after getting this far to the end of this particular trail be thinking and wanting to write about to the rest of his brethren throughout the known world at that time? In my humble opinion and analysis, here’s a quick short list of things he probably had on his mind upon seeing the city lights of Rome for himself for the first time in his life:(1.) He probably didn’t have it too far from his mind about what all it took just to get here in the first place. All those times he had to constantly run for his life and leave trusted friends and brethren behind suddenly without notice…Oh–he sure didn’t forget those people who whipped his back real good with a cat-of-nine-tails those 40 lashes save one. Times in prison, times he went cold and hungry; persecuted constantly by just about everyone and everything he knew because he dared to believe that Jesus/Y’shua was the Messiah and unashamedly proclaimed Him without compromise to the entire world. I’m sure those things were still pretty fresh on his mind as he looked out in the distance to the dominating Rome city water tower and skyline ahead of him.(2.) He remembered all the people and places he had encountered along the way. You probably wouldn’t blame him if he were still a bit steamed and soreheaded and desperata\ely desiring to give certain people a piece of his mind. BUTINSTEAD you’d probably be just as amazed to find out how easily he probably forgave all of those people who in the past did him wrong, left the judgment and results to his God, and hopefully entreated his God to open their eyes to these wrongs, come to repentance, and be reconciled to God.(3.) But even as he thought about those who did him wrong, his thoughts also probably turned towards all the saints and believers he met and got to know in all the places he was blessed to travel to through the years. He probably thought of brethren he remembered such as that Lydia in Thyrtira who took him into her home and graciously spent times of sweet fellowship with him and his traveling colleagues or those Berean brethren who received what he preached, took the time to give him a fair hearing, and examine the Scriptures themselves to see if the things Paul/Shaul told them were truly so.He also most likely thought of his compatriots such as Apollos and maybe even Peter himself that were also doing the exact same things he was doing (and whom Paul even dared to call on the carpet a time or two when Peter got a little offbase theologically on something). He kept in mind other standup folks he knew such as Priscilla and Aquila and also thst guy Epiphroditus who bent over backwards for him to see that Paul while he was in prison got all that he needed thanks in part to the supplies the Believers in Phillippi arranged to send him. Coming to the end of this particular trail was probably for Paul/Shaul not just for his own sake, but also for the sake of his most valued friends and partners who make the necessary sacrifices to help Paul get to his eventual destination. (4.) He would probably remind us of a similar time coming down the road for all of us that he wrote the Thessalonians about13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died[f] so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.[g] 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died[h] will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.He might also like to remind us that this life is not all there is. Just like Paul finally getting to Rome, he’ll probably tell you that there will be a time where we’ll also soon be going to a place that we all have never been before–but that will very much also feel like our final true home and destination. And when we finally get to THAT place, we’ll never have the desire ever again to leave, stray, or wander away …because at that time for us, there will NEVER truly be ANY place like THAT Home.(5.) Then Paul/Shaul would recommend that in the meantime while we wait for that opportunity to go to that final place, we first consider the advice he would have given to these same believers in Rome that he wrote to before he got here:Romans 12 New Living TranslationA Living Sacrifice to God 12 And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.3 Because of the privilege and authority[c] God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.[d] 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection,[e] and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.[f] 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! 17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,“I will take revenge; I will pay them back,”[g] says the Lord.20 Instead,“If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”[h]21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.And then with a wistful smile and twinkle in his eye, he’d probably tell us–”And if you do these things, you will do well in pleasing the Master and in doing all the things He said and commanded us to do before He left us.”(6.) It would be at this juncture that Paul’s traveling companion and official physician Luke might jump in and remind us of something interesting about the way he specifically ended his account of the book of the Acts of the Apostles. “Have you noticed something about the way the Lord had me to END that book?” He’d especially try to point out with his finger the LAST two verses of Chapter 28:0 For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense.[j] He welcomed all who visited him, 31 boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.We’d then clearly see for ourselves one big thing about the particular story about Paul/Shaul and the other Apostles. The book of Acts is written in such a way where there is NO CLEAR-CUT DEFINITIVE ENDING! IN FACT–the story STILL continues WITH ALL OF US…i.e.--the story hasn’t quite finished for us yet. After all of this, I think Paul/Shaul once he met the Roman brethren and entered the city gates for himself wouldn’t say that it was actually the END of his current journey–but only the BEGINNING! Then he’d probably turn around and say to us as he now officially starts his “contending in Rome” era–”Thank you, Lord, that You FINALLY got me here to this place. It’s definitely been worth every mile of the trip. Now, it’s showtime–time for me to get busy and get down to business and to work!”Just like it wasn’t the end of Paul’s story getting to Rome, so it is with our story pertaining to us. While we all await His final Glorious Appearing, let’s all remember during this Fall Feast season that His final overall redemption story for all mankind wil not for now en WITHOUT US involved in some way within it. Let us do our part while we still have time and opportunity to do so to make His Name famous in everything we do. That way, we’ll have no regrets when He finally lets us arrive in that place we’ve never been before…but that will serve as our final Ultimate Home and destination for the most ultimate of wedding suppertimes.Then as Paul gives us one last look before we part ways with him for now so that he can finally get settled here in Rome, he’d one more time reemphasize the following final reminder from our state department of highways:The Hope of the Resurrection13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died[f] so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.[g] 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died[h] will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.May THAT day AND place come speedily–even in our own days…Wishing you all the best to you and yours during this special Fall Festival season in THAT Matchless Name of Him who is now helping me contend in my new Rome….Coy RHSPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:(1.) I’d especially like to ask those led to do so to join me in appropriate intercession and prayer not only for Israel and its people in its current state of war against both Hamas and Hesbollah, but also in particular those in East TN/western NC affected by the foods that were the result of Hurricane Helena. One of my cousins just happens to live in the Asheville area in a town that’s about seven miles north of Asheville proper. When I texted him immediately upon hearing about those floods, he told me that he himself was fine personally save for losing some of the back treeline around his property–but that there were a number of his neighbors and people trapped in their homes and still waiting for water, power, and cell service to come back on. He told me that overall the scene out that way was sheer devastation. I urge people that wish to help in the disaster relief efforts due to road closures still prevalent right now to consider monetary contributions to such organizations such as Samaritan’s Purse, Operation Blessing, and Kenneth copeland Ministries who are usually very active in various relief efforts as these as you might be led to do so.(2,) Here's a friendly reminder from your state department of highways that you can still get your copies of all four of our current releases available through BSPOPP such as “Walking From Lockney to Jerusalem”, “A Message from Siberia”, “sowing In Tears”, and “A’Wise and A’Foolish In Canaan’s Land”. Keep in mind that a portion of the proceeds of the sales of all BSPOPP books after basic expenses are paid goes to help various restorative justice ministries stay financially strong and prepared for futrure ministry. You can get more detailed information on all of our current BSPOP releases at https://coyrhseatcbspm.wixsite.com/walking and also access our Amazon pages through our good friends at texashighplainswriters.com through their “member Books page tab. On the member books page, just simply click on to the picture there of “Walking From Lockney To Jerusalem” to jump immediately to all of our BSPOP book Amazon pages. (And please don’t dforget to consider patronizing some of our distinguished West Texas author colleagues while you’re there on the Texas High Plains Writers site…)(3.) We leave for you two different special Sukkot gifts this time…the first is actually a new song the Lord just happened to get me to write just now about our featured topic of today’s MAIN STUDY. The second is our latest photo just for you courtesy of the good folks at Circle J photography here in lubbock who we happened to recently encounter at the West Texas Small Business Summit that was held here in Lubbock just a few weeks ago. Enjoy and have a great Fall Holy Day season!!!AT THE END OF THE TRAIL Lyrics(Music:) Think Southern Gospel–along the lines of the the style of Jason Crabb and the Crabb Family) (Start the song a cappella on the first verse, then add instrumentation as you go along…)(Verse 1:) It’s been a long hard journey From Jerusalem to here I can’t believe I finally made it After all these many years The Lord so many years ago Said to me loud and clear This was the place I needed to go to To finish my race of years…(Chorus 1:) At the end of the trail In a place they once called Rome Is now where I find myself No longer wanting to roam As the city lights are calling me And summon me towards His throne To a place that I’ve never been But they say is just like home…(Verse 2:) To all the ones who caused me trouble And persecutions galore I say, “Father, please forgive them– They know not what they’ve done…” And for all my friends and partners Who helped me along the way It’s for their sake I got here And by his grace one thing seems clear…(Chorus 2:) At the end of the trail In a place they once called Rome The trials and tests I suffered Are now just memories It’s only by His grace that I survived And by His love He saw me through As I come closer finally Towards a place I might call home…(Bridge:) The city limits sign And the city lights all beckon me I throw down all my burdens And hug my loved ones so dear…(Chorus 3:) At the end of the trail In a place I’ve never been The shooting wars all are over I’m finally safely in His den It’s a feeling I’ve never had Since I don’t know when Here at the end of my trail In a place I now call home.{Final Ending:] It’s here I will finish my course And at this point I’ll stay At what is now the end of my trail At this place I now call home.(Repeat last two lines–then end by singing lines–”Lord, I’m home…I’m finally home…I’m home….I’m finally home…”)© October 3, 2024; music and lyrics originally written by Coy Reece Holley and property of Broken and Shattered Promises Online Publishing and Productions. All rights reserved.
BSPM 2015 Fall Festivals Newsletter Main Study
(FULL Newsletter WITH ANNOUNCEMENTS is available for FREE download by clicking on to the attachment below...
MAIN STUDY: KING DAVID’S CASTOR OIL ELIXIR--GOOD FOR THE STUPIDITY AND FOOLISHNESS THAT AILS YOU!
OK--now back to this castor oil thing... I wouldn’t be too surprized if you’re not as much of a fan of that stuff as I am. BLECHH!! Just the thought of swallowing that stuff makes me want to go to the nearest toilet and do you-know-what...how about you?
I don’t necessarily recall my mother giving me that stuff in my youth...but I do remember having a similar experience with medicine that for that time in my life was at times equally unpleasant to swallow. I had a ton of problems with allergies and asthma when I was a kid (and being forced to live near cotton gins during ginning season never helped much neither). From the least the time in my earliest personal memory (around three months old or so), I recall my mother having to take me to doctors galore in Plainview and even once every three months or so to a dermatologist in Lubbock (ironically in an office building that was eventually torn down and replaced with a CVS Pharmacy store). And as far as working out in the fields like the rest of my peers in Lockney, forget it...due to my allergies to agricultural chemicals.
I remember even a time or two when I wound up in the emergency room of the Plainview hospital for asthma attacks and such. One of those times involved a dog bite from a Chihuahua where I first found out how deadly my allergy to tetanus medication could be if I wound up taking it. (Thankfully, I never received that medication from those doctors and was simply bandaged back up and sent back home.)
While kids my age were running, jumping, and playing, I sometimes had to use inhalers and medicine from the school nurse. At home, I had to also take some medicines that sometimes weren’t palatable to a young boy’s taste buds. One of those in particular was a type of cough syrup that I was prescribed that looked like an icky shade of green and tasted even worse than that. It wasn’t quite on the level of what most people have said about the taste of castor oil--but I think after having taken that icky-green stuff, I’m still to this day not necessarily enthused about partaking of the actual castor oil neither.
Over this past summer, though--I wound up in a sort of situation of my own making that now makes me wish the cure-all for it WAS castor oil itself--for something the Lord required me to do to attempt to make things right to resolve that situation was just about distasteful and undesirable for me to even contemplate. But His indication and direction (plus what seemed to be a personal temporary financial drought I was going through at the time) made it painfully clear to me that I would continue to have a much harder row to hoe UNLESS AND UNTIL I took this unpalatable action.
I won’t go too much into the gory details of the specifics because they are personal in nature and not necessarily relevant to the overall discussion here. But maybe a portion of a letter I was forced by Him to send to certain people will give you the gist and essence of what I might mean by what things will be discussed throughout the remainder of this particular lesson--
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I am today first forced to write you a sort of heart-to-heart letter that will frankly be one of the hardest letters I have ever had to write in my lifetime. Writing what I’m about to say here, to be honest with you, is about the equivalent to me of having to consume tons of castor oil down my throat all at once with a garden hose running full blast down my throat. But the conviction of the Lord is so strong in my doing this that He has made it clear that my failure in NOT doing this will be a MAJOR hindrance to any further possibility of receiving any additional blessings from Him UNLESS AND UNTIL this particular piece of business is first taken care of. But in contrast, if I will only lay this particular Isaac on the altar, then I will no matter what may happen from here at least feel that I have cleared my conscience of the matters concerned here. I will only ask that you respectfully read this letter all the way through prayerfully and with an open mind and heart about what I’m about to say here.
Please allow me to provide an initial example and Scripture to start with. Numbers 30:2 in the NIV (which has now become one of the most important Scriptures in the ministry that I now know He is leading towards) tells us that “...whatever a man shall vow, he shall do exactly as he has said.” I learned the true in-depth meaning of this many years too late after my months that I lived in Albuquerque.
I first came to Albuquerque around this time of the year over 20 years ago (in retrospect--in impatience and trying to get ahead of what His will for my life might be) to try to finish my required internship and one more Finance course necessary to finish my Bachelor’s from Eastern New Mexico University. I was literally in the last few days before I finished my final classes in Portales the previous spring still trying to find a place ANYWHERE that I could get that internship requirement fulfilled. I then had to go back home to Lockney for that summer working to continue that quest--but without any success. I finally through a job doing telemarketing for a carpet cleaning company in Plainview managed to get enough to pay for an ad in the Albuquerque Journal to find an apartment close to the University of New Mexico that would have all bills paid as a part of it. I then also worked to try to get another student loan required that would cover my expenses of my internship and the retake of a Corporate Finance course (which would later prove to be ironic in itself) via a sort of cooperative agreement between ENMU and UNM.
To say that I was anxiously itching to get out of Lockney fast was a major understatement. So in August immediately before school at UNM started, I inauspiciously arrived to my new Albuquerque home in the middle of the night--first picking up the keys to my new apartment, then hauling all of the stuff I had just taken out of the taxi cab from the office a couple of blocks back and forth to my second-floor apartment where I would call home for the next eight months that would eventually prove to be the absolute roughest time of my life at that point in time.
Let me fast-forward to the most critical point of my ABQ tenure. Things financially while I was there went so far downhill fast that I made some of the worst financial mistakes I ever made. For one, (due in part to religious factors at the time--but also with my stubborn pride being a major contributing factor), I wound up getting so many eviction notices from my apartment that I could have literally used them for wallpaper. I also foolishly bought a car from one of my supervisors at a janitorial cleaning company that I worked at for a couple of months (who, FYI, hardly spoke a lick of English) for $350 (which should have been instead used to pay off those same eviction notices) in which the title had not changed in at least several owners and which I only got to drive twice--the first time in which I got pulled over by a city cop for having no license or registration that eventually forced me to spend a couple of days doing community service picking up trash on the side of the road to pay those tickets off.
But what broke the camel’s back on that deal was the second and last time I drove it to a mechanic that a fellow church member recommended. My failure to pay that mechanic eventually exposed to the pastors of my church at the time and that church member (in which I seemed to be always constantly asking for financial assistance to help with my rent, etc.) the true depth of what I was really facing (even though I put on a good happy face front and show otherwise).
It led to a sort of AA-type intervention by the assistant pastor and fellow church member that would be one of the biggest wakeup calls of my life. That church member made a statement to me that has always haunted me since and heavily influenced some of the things I do (especially in the financial realm)--”...Ifcomes don’t work in Satan’s world.” (In “Walking From Lockney To Jerusalem”, you can read the rest of the story in Chapter 8...or as I like to call it, “the Albuquerque chapter”...) The long and short of that story was that things really went into freefall for me after that and forced me to move back home to Lockney and to one of the worst personal times of my life afterwards as a result.
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Apparently, I’m not the only one who’s made a stupid mistake or two in all of the rodeos I’ve faced in my life so far. According to the report in First Chronicles, King David also made a pretty stupid blunder that didn’t just cost him personally, but also had a negative impact on a lot of people as well in the process. Here’s how the King James Version and how several other translations view this unique pickle that King David got himself unnecessarily into:
[KING JAMES VERSION:]
Ch 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
1Ch 21:2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.
1Ch 21:3 And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?
1Ch 21:4 Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.
1Ch 21:5 And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.
1Ch 21:6 But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
1Ch 21:7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.
1Ch 21:8 And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
1Ch 21:9 And the LORD spake unto Gad, David's seer, saying,
1Ch 21:10 Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
1Ch 21:11 So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee
1Ch 21:12 Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.
1Ch 21:13 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.
1Ch 21:14 So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.
1Ch 21:15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
1Ch 21:16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
1Ch 21:17 And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.
1Ch 21:18 Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
1Ch 21:19 And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of the LORD.
1Ch 21:20 And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.
1Ch 21:21 And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.
1Ch 21:22 Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.
1Ch 21:23 And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all.
1Ch 21:24 And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.
1Ch 21:25 So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.
1Ch 21:26 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.
1Ch 21:27 And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.
1Ch 21:28 At that time when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.
1Ch 21:29 For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.
1Ch 21:30 But David could not go before it to enquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
[COMPLETE JEWISH BIBLE VERSION:]
1Ch 21:1 The Adversary [Hebrew: Satan] now rose up against Isra'el and incited David to take a census of Isra'el.
1Ch 21:2 David said to Yo'av and the leaders of the people, "Go, take a census of Isra'el from Be'er-Sheva to Dan; then report to me, so that I can know how many of them there are."
1Ch 21:3 Yo'av said, "May Adonai make his people a hundred times as many as they are now! But, my lord the king, aren't they all my lord's servants in any case? Why does my lord the king require this? Why should he bring guilt upon Isra'el?"
1Ch 21:4 Nevertheless, the king's word prevailed against Yo'av. So Yo'av left and went through all Isra'el, after which he came to Yerushalayim.
1Ch 21:5 Yo'av reported the results of the census to David: in Isra'el were 1,100,000 men who could handle a sword, while Y'hudah had 470,000 men who could handle a sword.
1Ch 21:6 But he didn't count Levi and Binyamin among them, because the king's order was hateful to Yo'av.
1Ch 21:7 God was displeased with this and therefore punished Isra'el.
1Ch 21:8 David said to God, "I have greatly sinned by doing this. But now, please! Put aside your servant's sin, for I have done a very foolish thing."
1Ch 21:9 Adonai spoke to Gad, David's seer:
1Ch 21:10 "Go and tell David that Adonai says, 'I am offering you a choice of three punishments: choose one of them, and I will execute it against you.' "
1Ch 21:11 Gad came to David and said to him, "Take your choice:
1Ch 21:12 three years of famine; or three months of being swept away by your enemies, while your enemies' sword overwhelms you; or three days of Adonai's sword — plague in the land, with the angel of Adonai destroying everywhere in Isra'el's territory. Now think about what answer I should give to the one who sent me."
1Ch 21:13 David said to Gad, "This is very hard for me. Let me fall into the hand of Adonai, because his mercies are very great, rather than have me fall into the hand of man."
1Ch 21:14 So Adonai sent a plague on Isra'el; 70,000 of the people of Isra'el died.
1Ch 21:15 God also sent an angel to destroy Yerushalayim, but when he was about to carry out the destruction, Adonai saw it and changed his mind about causing such distress; so he said to the destroying angel, "Enough! Now withdraw your hand." The angel of Adonai was standing at the threshing-floor of Ornan the Y'vusi.
1Ch 21:16 David raised his eyes and saw the angel of Adonai standing between the earth and the sky, and in his hand was a drawn sword stretched out over Yerushalayim. Then David and the leaders, wearing sackcloth, fell on their faces.
1Ch 21:17 David said to God, "Wasn't it I who ordered the census of the people? Yes, I am the one who has sinned and done something very wicked. But these sheep, what have they done? Please! Let your hand be against me and my father's family, but not against your people, striking them with this plague!"
1Ch 21:18 Then the angel of Adonai ordered Gad to tell David to go and set up an altar to Adonai on the threshing-floor of Ornan the Y'vusi.
1Ch 21:19 David went up at Gad's word, spoken in Adonai's name.
1Ch 21:20 Ornan turned back and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. As Ornan was threshing wheat,
1Ch 21:21 David approached Ornan. When Ornan looked and saw David, he went out from the threshing-floor and prostrated himself before David with his face to the ground.
1Ch 21:22 Then David said to Ornan, "Let me have the parcel with this threshing-floor, so that I can build on it an altar to Adonai — I will pay you its full value — so that the plague will be lifted from the people."
1Ch 21:23 Ornan said to David, "Take it for yourself, and let my lord the king do what seems good to him. I'm giving you the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing-sledges for firewood and the wheat for the grain offering — I'm giving it all."
1Ch 21:24 But King David said to Ornan, "No; I insist on buying it from you at the full price. I refuse to take what is yours for Adonai or offer a burnt offering that costs me nothing."
1Ch 21:25 So David bought the place from Ornan for 600 shekels of gold by weight [fifteen pounds].
1Ch 21:26 Then David built an altar to Adonai there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. He called on Adonai, who answered him from heaven by fire on the altar for burnt offerings.
1Ch 21:27 Adonai gave an order to the angel, and he put his sword back in its sheath.
1Ch 21:28 When David saw that Adonai had answered him at the threshing-floor of Ornan the Y'vusi, he sacrificed there.
1Ch 21:29 For at that time the tabernacle of Adonai, which Moshe had made in the desert, together with the altar for burnt offerings, were in the high place at Giv`on.
1Ch 21:30 But David could not go into its presence to consult God, because the sword of the angel of Adonai had struck him with terror.
[JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY TANAKH VERSION:]
1Ch 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.
1Ch 21:2 And David said to Joab and to the princes of the people: 'Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring me word, that I may know the sum of them.'
1Ch 21:3 And Joab said: 'The LORD make His people a hundred times so many more as they are; but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of guilt unto Israel?'
1Ch 21:4 Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.
1Ch 21:5 And Joab gave up the sum of the numbering of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand men that drew sword; and Judah was four hundred three-score and ten thousand men that drew sword.
1Ch 21:6 But Levi and Benjamin he did not number among them; for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
1Ch 21:7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore He smote Israel.
1Ch 21:8 And David said unto God: 'I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing; but now, put away, I beseech Thee, the iniquity of Thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.'
1Ch 21:9 And the LORD spoke unto Gad, David's seer, saying:
1Ch 21:10 'Go and speak unto David, saying: Thus saith the LORD: I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.'
1Ch 21:11 So Gad came to David, and said unto him: 'Thus saith the LORD: Take which thou wilt:
1Ch 21:12 either three years of famine; or three months to be swept away before thy foes, while the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore consider what answer I shall return to Him that sent me.'
1Ch 21:13 And David said unto Gad: 'I am in a great strait; let me fall now into the hand of the LORD, for very great are His mercies; and let me not fall into the hand of man.'
1Ch 21:14 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel; and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.
1Ch 21:15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it; and as he was about to destroy, the LORD beheld, and He repented Him of the evil, and said to the destroying angel: 'It is enough; now stay thy hand.' And the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
1Ch 21:16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD standing between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
1Ch 21:17 And David said unto God: 'Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done very wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? let Thy hand, I pray Thee, O LORD my God, be against me, and against my father's house; but not against Thy people, that they should be plagued.'
1Ch 21:18 Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
1Ch 21:19 And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spoke in the name of the LORD.
1Ch 21:20 And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons that were with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.
1Ch 21:21 And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshing-floor, and bowed down to David with his face to the ground.
1Ch 21:22 Then David said to Ornan: 'Give me the place of this threshing-floor, that I may build thereon an altar unto the LORD; for the full price shalt thou give it me; that the plague may be stayed from the people.'
1Ch 21:23 And Ornan said unto David: 'Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes; lo, I give thee the oxen for burnt-offerings, and the threshing-instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meal-offering; I give it all'
1Ch 21:24 And king David said to Ornan: 'Nay, but I will verily buy it for the full price; for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer a burnt-offering without cost.'
1Ch 21:25 So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.
1Ch 21:26 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and called upon the LORD; and He answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt-offering.
1Ch 21:27 And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword back into the sheath thereof.
1Ch 21:28 At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.
1Ch 21:29 For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt-offering, were at that time in the high place at Gibeon.
1Ch 21:30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God; for he was terrified because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
[BIBLE IN BASIC ENGLISH VERSION]
1Ch 21:1 Now Satan, designing evil against Israel, put into David's mind the impulse to take the number of Israel.
1Ch 21:2 And David said to Joab and the captains of the people, Now let all Israel, from Beer-sheba to Dan, be numbered; and give me word so that I may be certain of their number.
1Ch 21:3 And Joab said, May the Lord make his people a hundred times more in number than they are; but, my lord king, are they not all my lord's servants? why would my lord have this done? why will he become a cause of sin to Israel?
1Ch 21:4 But the king's word was stronger than Joab's. So Joab went out and went through all Israel and came to Jerusalem.
1Ch 21:5 And Joab gave David the number of all the people; all the men of Israel, able to take up arms, were one million, one hundred thousand men; and those of Judah were four hundred and seventy thousand men, able to take up arms.
1Ch 21:6 But Levi and Benjamin were not numbered among them, for Joab was disgusted with the king's order.
1Ch 21:7 And God was not pleased with this thing; so he sent punishment on Israel.
1Ch 21:8 Then David said to God, Great has been my sin in doing this; but now, be pleased to take away the sin of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.
1Ch 21:9 Then the word of the Lord came to Gad, David's seer, saying,
1Ch 21:10 Go and say to David, The Lord says, Three things are offered to you: say which of them you will have, so that I may do it to you.
1Ch 21:11 So Gad came to David and said to him, The Lord says, Take whichever you will:
1Ch 21:12 Three years when there will not be enough food; or three months of war, when you will go in flight before your haters, being in great danger of the sword; or three days of the sword of the Lord, disease in the land, and the angel of the Lord taking destruction through all the land of Israel. Now give thought to the answer I am to take back to him who sent me.
1Ch 21:13 And David said to Gad, This is a hard decision for me to make: let me come into the hands of the Lord, for great are his mercies: let me not come into the hands of men.
1Ch 21:14 So the Lord sent disease on Israel, causing the death of seventy thousand men.
1Ch 21:15 And God sent an angel to Jerusalem for its destruction: and when he was about to do so, the Lord saw, and had regret for the evil, and said to the angel of destruction, It is enough; do no more. Now the angel of the Lord was by the grain-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
1Ch 21:16 And David, lifting up his eyes, saw the angel of the Lord there between earth and heaven, with an uncovered sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the responsible men, clothed in haircloth, went down on their faces.
1Ch 21:17 And David said to God, Was it not I who gave the order for the people to be numbered? It is I who have done the sin and the great wrong; but these are only sheep; what have they done? let your hand, O Lord God, be lifted up against me and against my family, but not against your people to send disease on them.
1Ch 21:18 Then the angel of the Lord gave orders to Gad to say to David that he was to go and put up an altar to the Lord on the grain-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
1Ch 21:19 And David went up, as Gad had said in the name of the Lord.
1Ch 21:20 And Ornan, turning back, saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him went to a secret place. Now Ornan was crushing his grain.
1Ch 21:21 And when David came, Ornan, looking, saw him, and came out from the grain-floor and went down on his face to the earth before him.
1Ch 21:22 Then David said to Ornan, Give me the place where this grain-floor is, so that I may put up an altar here to the Lord: let me have it for its full price; so that this disease may be stopped among the people.
1Ch 21:23 And Ornan said to David, Take it, and let my lord the king do what seems right to him. See, I give you the oxen for burned offerings and the grain-cleaning instruments for fire-wood, and the grain for the meal offering; I give it all.
1Ch 21:24 And King David said to Ornan, No; I will certainly give you the full price for it, because I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or give a burned offering without payment.
1Ch 21:25 So David gave Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the place.
1Ch 21:26 And David put up an altar there to the Lord, offering burned offerings and peace-offerings with prayers to the Lord; and he gave him an answer from heaven, sending fire on the altar of burned offering.
1Ch 21:27 Then the Lord gave orders to the angel, and he put back his sword into its cover.
1Ch 21:28 At that time, when David saw that the Lord had given him an answer on the grain-floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he made an offering there.
1Ch 21:29 For the House of the Lord, which Moses had made in the waste land, and the altar of burned offerings, were at that time in the high place at Gibeon.
1Ch 21:30 But David was not able to go before it to get directions from the Lord, so great was his fear of the sword of the angel of the Lord.
But I personally think the “piece de resistance” to this puppy is really said best by the way the CEV describes what took place...
[CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH VERSION:]
1Ch 21:1 Satan decided to cause trouble for Israel by making David think it was a good idea to find out how many people there were in Israel and Judah.
1Ch 21:2 David told Joab and the army commanders, "Count everyone in Israel, from the town of Beersheba in the south all the way north to Dan. Then I will know how many people can serve in my army."
1Ch 21:3 Joab answered, "Your Majesty, even if the LORD made your kingdom a hundred times larger, you would still rule everyone in it. Why do you need to know how many soldiers there are? Don't you think that would make the whole nation angry?"
1Ch 21:4 But David would not change his mind. And so Joab went everywhere in Israel and Judah and counted the people. He returned to Jerusalem
1Ch 21:5 and told David that the total number of men who could serve in the army was one million one hundred thousand in Israel and four hundred seventy thousand in Judah.
1Ch 21:6 Joab refused to include anyone from the tribes of Levi and Benjamin, because he still disagreed with David's orders.
1Ch 21:7 David's order to count the people made God angry, and he punished Israel.
1Ch 21:8 David prayed, "I am your servant. But what I did was stupid and terribly wrong. Please forgive me."
1Ch 21:9 The LORD said to Gad, one of David's prophets,
1Ch 21:10 "Tell David that I will punish him in one of three ways. But he will have to choose which one it will be."
1Ch 21:11 Gad went to David and told him: You must choose how the LORD will punish you:
1Ch 21:12 Will there be three years when the land won't grow enough food for its people? Or will your enemies constantly defeat you for three months? Or will the LORD send a horrible disease to strike your land for three days? Think about it and decide, because I have to give your answer to God who sent me.
1Ch 21:13 David was miserable and said, "It's a terrible choice to make! But the LORD is kind, and I'd rather have him punish me than for anyone else to do it."
1Ch 21:14 So the LORD sent a horrible disease on Israel, and seventy thousand Israelites died.
1Ch 21:15 Then he sent an angel to destroy the city of Jerusalem. But just as the angel was about to do that, the LORD felt sorry for all the suffering he had caused the people, and he told the angel, "Stop! They have suffered enough." This happened at the threshing place that belonged to Araunah the Jebusite.
1Ch 21:16 David saw the LORD's angel in the air, holding a sword over Jerusalem. He and the leaders of Israel, who were all wearing sackcloth, bowed with their faces to the ground,
1Ch 21:17 and David prayed, "It's my fault! I sinned by ordering the people to be counted. They have done nothing wrong--they are innocent sheep. LORD God, please punish me and my family. Don't let the disease wipe out your people."
1Ch 21:18 The LORD's angel told the prophet Gad to tell David that he must go to Araunah's threshing place and build an altar in honor of the LORD.
1Ch 21:19 David followed the LORD's instructions.
1Ch 21:20 Araunah and his four sons were threshing wheat at the time, and when they saw the angel, the four sons ran to hide.
1Ch 21:21 Just then, David arrived, and when Araunah saw him, he stopped his work and bowed down.
1Ch 21:22 David said, "Would you sell me your threshing place, so I can build an altar on it to the LORD? Then this disease will stop killing the people. I'm willing to pay whatever you say it's worth."
1Ch 21:23 Araunah answered, "Take it, Your Majesty, and do whatever you want with it. I'll even give you the oxen for the sacrifice and the wheat for the grain sacrifice. And you can use the threshing-boards for the fire. It's all yours!"
1Ch 21:24 But David replied, "No! I want to pay you what they're worth. I can't just take something from you and then offer the LORD a sacrifice that cost me nothing."
1Ch 21:25 So David paid Araunah six hundred gold coins for his threshing place.
1Ch 21:26 David built an altar and offered sacrifices to please the LORD and sacrifices to ask his blessing. David prayed, and the LORD answered him by sending fire down on the altar.
1Ch 21:27 Then the LORD commanded the angel to put the sword away.
1Ch 21:28 When David saw that the LORD had answered his prayer, he offered more sacrifices there at the threshing place,
1Ch 21:29 because he was afraid of the angel's sword and did not want to go all the way to Gibeon. That's where the sacred tent that Moses had made in the desert was kept, as well as the altar where sacrifices were offered to the LORD.
What might have been at the root of this entire dumb so-called “bright idea” that King David had? Maybe a brief outline from “The Biblical Illustrator” can shed a little further light into this mystery here...
[THE BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATOR COMMENTARY VIA E-SWORD:]
David’s sin and repentance
I. David’s sin.
1. Its occasion: pride and vainglory—“that I may know it.”
2. Its unseen but real source: Satan (1Sa_24:1).
II. The Lord’s displeasure because of his sin (1Ch_21:9-17).
III. The atonement for his sin, made on the site of the Lord’s house (chap. 20:1-2; 1Ki_6:1-38; 1Ki_7:1-51; 1Ki_8:1-66); as the foundation of the spiritual house (2Co_6:16-17; 1Pe_2:4-5; Eph_2:21-22). The temple therefore rests as it were on—
1. An atonement for sin (Rom_5:11).
2. Sin put away, 1Ch_21:17 (Dan_9:24).
3. Wrath averted by sacrifice (verse 16:26-27; 2Sa_24:16; Isa_42:21; 1Pe_1:18-19; 1Pe_2:24; Col_1:20; Col_2:14-15). (Clergyman’s Magazine.)
David’s self-confidence
I. The sin of David in numbering the people was self-confidence, pride in his own strength, and forgetfulness of the source of all his strength, even of God. It was the greater sin in him because he had had such marvellous, such visible, witnesses of God’s love, and care, and guidance. Past experience might and should have taught him that his strength was not in himself, but in his God.
II. The sins of pride, and self-confidence, and forgetfulness of God are only too common amongst ourselves. When men dwell securely, in full peace and health, they grow careless in religion. God is not much present with them; they seem sufficient of themselves to keep themselves and to make themselves happy. (R. D. B. Rawnsley.)
And I thought that I did something stupid in which I needed a good swift kick in the posterior... (Hey, this isn’t pleasant letting you in on this for me, either...all this revealing these things to you does for me on my end is just give me a BIGGER reminder of how senseless the whole thing was and that I had no one else to blame for it but me, myself, and I...) Good people that shouldn’t have had to pay the price for David’s mistakes wound up dying anyway...and THIS was the same guy that God Himself anointed and called him “a man after my own heart”?
Let’s look at this now from another perspective. In one of the church fellowships I go to actively, the Bible study sessions have been primarily focused on both of Peter’s epistles. Maybe from the viewpoint of this particular apostle of our Lord who definitely made his own share of stupid mistakes and statements in his time (but who also at the end was finally able to finish his own race before his Master well), we can grasp this topic a little better. The God’s Word translation of part of Peter’s first letter to the Church keenly describes the difference between suffering for the stupid mistakes you make and what the Word would consider TRUE persecution for His name’s sake--
1Pe 2:12 Live decent lives among unbelievers. Then, although they ridicule you as if you were doing wrong while they are watching you do good things, they will praise God on the day he comes to help you.
1Pe 2:13 Place yourselves under the authority of human governments to please the Lord. Obey the emperor. He holds the highest position of authority.
1Pe 2:14 Also obey governors. They are people the emperor has sent to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.
1Pe 2:15 God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing what is right.
1Pe 2:16 Live as free people, but don't hide behind your freedom when you do evil. Instead, use your freedom to serve God.
1Pe 2:17 Honor everyone. Love your brothers and sisters in the faith. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
1Pe 2:18 Slaves, place yourselves under the authority of your owners and show them complete respect. Obey not only those owners who are good and kind, but also those who are unfair.
NOW--here’s the big asterisks (*********) that we especially need to pay attention to here...
1Pe 2:19 God is pleased if a person is aware of him while enduring the pains of unjust suffering.
1Pe 2:20 What credit do you deserve if you endure a beating for doing something wrong? But if you endure suffering for doing something good, God is pleased with you.
1Pe 2:21 God called you to endure suffering because Christ suffered for you. He left you an example so that you could follow in his footsteps.
1Pe 2:22 Christ never committed any sin. He never spoke deceitfully.
1Pe 2:23 Christ never verbally abused those who verbally abused him. When he suffered, he didn't make any threats but left everything to the one who judges fairly.
1Pe 2:24 Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so that freed from our sins, we could live a life that has God's approval. His wounds have healed you.
1Pe 2:25 You were like lost sheep. Now you have come back to the shepherd and bishop of your lives.
How might all of this relate to the upcoming Holy Day season ahead? Remember the major context involved with the Day of Atonement/Yom Kippur--as in repentance and reconciliation? If you have a chance to go on YouTube sometime, I’d recommend doing a search on the CBS series “Northern Exposure” typing in the search words “Season 6”. The reason is this...Forever in my memory burned in my mind about that particular series was Episode 3 of that show’s last season called “Shofar, So Good” in which one of the major characters (Dr. Joel Fleishmann) is seen observing as a nominal Jew the festival of Yom Kippur and how others around him in the town of Cicely, Alaska actually seem to act out things during that episode that reflect some of the very prominent things about Yom Kippur. That to me is a classic example of how true at times the traditional saying about the month of Elul and the “Days of Awe”where according to Jewish tradition, it is said, “...The gates of heaven are open on Rosh HaShanah--and they are closed on Yom Kippur.”
Several specific things the Jewish people do as a part of the observance of Yom Kippur are also interesting examples for all of us to observe and do any time of the year. One is the emphasis of asking others for forgiveness for the wrongs and stupid things you’ve done against them and working to make restitution for those you have offended in any way. The second is prominent in one of the initial services of the High Day called the “Kol Nidre” when those in the congregation renounce any vows they may have foolishly made throughout the year just past and ask forgiveness from God for making such stupid vows.
But the third custom amongst some Jews that takes place during the daytime part of Yom Kippur is an even more fascinating one. It’s based on this passage in Ecclesiastes--
Ecc 11:1 Throw your bread on the surface of the water, because you will find it again after many days.
Ecc 11:2 Divide what you have into seven parts, or even into eight, because you don't know what disaster may happen on earth.
Ecc 11:3 If the clouds are full of rain, they will let it pour down on the earth. If a tree falls north or south, the tree will remain where it fell.
Ecc 11:4 Whoever watches the wind will never plant. Whoever looks at the clouds will never harvest.
Ecc 11:5 Just as you don't know how the breath of life enters the limbs of a child within its mother's womb, you also don't understand how God, who made everything, works.
Ecc 11:6 Plant your seed in the morning, and don't let your hands rest until evening. You don't know whether this field or that field will be profitable or whether both of them will turn out equally well.
Ecc 11:7 Light is sweet, and it is good for one's eyes to see the sun.
Ecc 11:8 Even though people may live for many years, they should enjoy every one of them. But they should also remember there will be many dark days. Everything that is coming is pointless.
Ecc 11:9 You young people should enjoy yourselves while you're young. You should let your hearts make you happy when you're young. Follow wherever your heart leads you and whatever your eyes see. But realize that God will make you give an account for all these things when he judges everyone.
Ecc 11:10 Get rid of what troubles you or wears down your body, because childhood and youth are pointless.
The custom performed is this...that the individual Jew goes out to a nearby lake or body of water, takes some bread crumbs to represent the sin and wrong done in their lives, and (as the first verse of that chapter literally notes)...”...cast their bread upon the waters” as an outward sign of faith that their sins which they have confessed unto God on that day are forgiven and forgotten for another year.
My good friend--if you find yourself today in a similar pickle that I and King David have found ourselves in, let’s take some hope and comfort from what the prophet Jeremiah said many years ago about the Lord’s compassion and mercy to use...even if we find ourselves going a bit stupid---
Lam 3:21 "The reason I can still find hope is that I keep this one thing in mind:
Lam 3:22 the LORD'S mercy. We were not completely wiped out. His compassion is never limited.
Lam 3:23 It is new every morning. His faithfulness is great.
Lam 3:24 My soul can say, 'The LORD is my lot in life. That is why I find hope in him.'
Lam 3:25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to anyone who seeks help from him.
Lam 3:26 "It is good to continue to hope and wait silently for the LORD to save us.
Lam 3:27 It is good for people to endure burdens when they're young.
Lam 3:28 They should sit alone and remain silent because the LORD has laid these burdens on them.
Lam 3:29 They should put their mouths in the dust. Maybe a reason to hope exists.
Lam 3:30 They should turn their cheeks to the one who strikes them and take their fill of insults.
Lam 3:31 "The Lord will not reject such people forever.
Lam 3:32 Even if he makes us suffer, he will have compassion in keeping with the richness of his mercy.
Lam 3:33 He does not willingly bring suffering or grief to anyone,
Lam 3:34 crush any prisoner on earth underfoot,
Lam 3:35 deny people their rights in the presence of the Most High God,
Lam 3:36 or deprive people of justice in court. The Lord isn't happy to see these things.
Lam 3:37 Who was it who spoke and it came into being? It was the Lord who gave the order.
Lam 3:38 Both good and bad come from the mouth of the Most High God.
Lam 3:39 "Why should any living mortal (any person) complain about being punished for sin?
Lam 3:40 Let us look closely at our ways and examine them and then return to the LORD.
A few quick observations about King David’s particular circumstance (and also mine by extension) that I might offer you as a bit of hope to all of us for encouragement and exhortation before I close--
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) The whole thing could have been a LOT more worse! Now I can hear you sarcastically saying, “Thanks a lot, Coy...how much worse can it get than THIS?” Well, for starters, did you notice the way Joab didn’t quite follow his boss’s order to the exact letter and detail? He left the Levites (i.e.--the priests) out of the count and probably also (as you might later notice throughout what’s left in 2nd Chronicles) tried to look out for his folks at home by not counting them as well.
Also, did you notice that God actually ALLOWED David to CHOOSE what punishment he should be given? Talk about picking your poison--makes that castor oil taste real good right now, doesn’t it? What if God HADN’T allowed David to choose how he should be spanked and sent to his room without supper? Think about that, eh? And then even AFTER God gave David a choice of preferred punishment, what if David had chosen one of the OTHER choices? I don’t think any of us would want to go down any of those roads either.
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) It’s NEVER too late to repent and ask forgiveness of Him--for He is VERY rich in mercy! It doesn’t by any means that you will be able to completely avoid the negative consequences of your actions or keep from reaping the whirlwind of the bad seeds you’ve sown (despite your petitions to Him otherwise for crop failure). But He does promise you that He’ll at least see you THROUGH them and at the same time help you to learn valuable lessons from that stupid choice experience so that you can work on making better choices in the future.
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) Another reported tradition was that a major reason for God’s displeasure for David doing the census in the first place wasn’t necessarily as much the fact that he did it in the first place--but in the very way it was done. According to the Torah in the book of Exodus, THIS was the way ANY census was to be done in Israel--
Exo 30:11 Then the LORD said to Moses,
Exo 30:12 "When you take a census of the Israelites, each person must pay the LORD a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will happen to them when they are counted.
Exo 30:13 As each person is counted, he must give one-fifth of an ounce of silver using the standard weight of the holy place. This one-fifth of an ounce of silver is a contribution to the LORD.
Exo 30:14 Everyone counted who is at least 20 years old must give this contribution to the LORD.
Exo 30:15 The rich must not give more than one-fifth of an ounce of silver, and the poor must not give less. This contribution is given to make peace with the LORD and make your lives acceptable to the LORD.
Exo 30:16 Take the money the Israelites give to make peace with the LORD, and use it to pay the expenses of the tent of meeting. It will be a reminder for the Israelites in the LORD'S presence that the sins in their lives are removed."
Pay VERY special attention to verse 15:
Exo 30:15 The rich must not give more than one-fifth of an ounce of silver, and the poor must not give less. This contribution is given to make peace with the LORD and make your lives acceptable to the LORD.
In otherwards, EVERYONE was counted as having EQUAL value to God in His sight. This eliminated the extremes of pride and arrogance in each person on one ditch and unnecessary feelings of guilt, shame, and unworthiness on the other. All equal to God and the same in His sight...BUT YET...
[GOD’S WORD TRANSLATION:]
Exo 20:22 The LORD said to Moses, "This is what you must say to the Israelites: You've seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven.
Exo 20:23 Never make any gods of silver or gold for yourselves. Never worship them.
Exo 20:24 "You must build an altar for me made out of dirt. Sacrifice your burnt offerings and your fellowship offerings, your sheep, goats, and cattle on it. Wherever I choose to have my name remembered, I will come to you and bless you.
Exo 20:25 If you build an altar for me made out of stones, never make it with cut stone blocks. If you use a chisel on it, you will make it unacceptable to me.
Exo 20:26 Never use stairs to go up to my altar. Otherwise, people will be able to see under your clothes."
[KING JAMES VERSION:]
Gen 11:1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
Gen 11:2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
Gen 11:3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.
Gen 11:4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
Why would I dare put these two chapters side by side like this--and what does this have to do with a census of King David in the first place? Look very closely AGAIN at both of the following verses--
Gen 11:3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.
Exo 20:25 If you build an altar for me made out of stones, never make it with cut stone blocks. If you use a chisel on it, you will make it unacceptable to me.
WHY is this significant? According to the Jewish sages, the folks involved with the building of the tower of Babel when they built it with BRICKS were in essence emphasizing unity via UNIFORMITY (i.e.--everyone being EXACTLY the same--and just as equally expendable). For instance, even if someone fell off the tower and died, the building didn’t stop or miss a beat. The individual life was disregarded as nothing so that the building effort would continue.
BUT if you look at the way the walls of Jerusalem are built, you will see that each stone is DIFFERENT and is NOT the same length. The Sages regard this as the Lord’s recognition of the concept of unity through DIVERSITY--with each human life having unique and distinct qualities and abilities equal in value of life to others, YET with each one being different.
How this relates to David’s foolish census effort was that he was after the total NUMBERS of people equivalent to what you might see on an accounting balance sheet RATHER than directly recognizing the EQUAL, BUT YET distinct and unique value of each of his subjects that the Lord put him in charge of! Whenever the census was done in exactly the way prescribed in the Torah, the count was made with the COINS used in the temple RATHER than a direct head count of the people themselves so as to not demean or overvalue the worth of one person to another within the nation of Israel.
But I will say in his defense that King David did at least one GOOD thing in the situation he was in--that (as was later written in one of the Psalms) in essence, he “sowed in tears” to the Lord by refusing to put an Isaac on the altar that didn’t cost him nothing. He put his focus on making things right with the Lord and others around him and working to be a blessing to others in the process by turning what could have been a devastating situation to the nation of Israel into a Biblical lesson worthy of our attention even in these trying times we face now. (P.S.--Rumor has it according to tradition that the very threshing floor David purchased would later be the same site where the Temple would eventually be built.).
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) Lastly, there’s the chorus of a current praise song called “Your Grace Is Enough” by Chris Tomlin/Matthew Maher that describes our Lord’s love for us in spite of the stupid and foolish things that we do--and NO...it doesn’t require us to swallow castor oil as part of the cure, neither....
Great is Your faithfulness, oh God
You wrestle with the sinner's heart
You lead us by still waters and to mercy
And nothing can keep us apart
So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise, oh God
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me
Great is Your love and justice, God
You use the weak to lead the strong
You lead us in the song of Your salvation
And all Your people sing along
So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise, oh God
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me
Yeah, Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me
So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise, oh God
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me
Yeah, Your grace is enough
Heaven reaching down to us
Your grace is enough for me
God, I see Your grace is enough
I'm covered in Your love
Your grace is enough for me, for me
No--there isn’t a magic “snake oil” cure that will overcome our foolishness and stupidity...but there is truly an Abba Father who even when He may need to correct us and take us down a notch from our own pride and arrogance still loves us just as we are. And even if we wind up reaching for the honey without smoking the hive first, that same God will more than do His part to make those same bee stings a little less painful than they could be otherwise. Afterwards, we can even then turn around and (as James wrote) realize for ourselves--
[GOD’S WORD TRANSLATION:]
Jas 1:2 My brothers and sisters, be very happy when you are tested in different ways.
Jas 1:3 You know that such testing of your faith produces endurance.
Jas 1:4 Endure until your testing is over. Then you will be mature and complete, and you won't need anything.
Jas 1:5 If any of you needs wisdom to know what you should do, you should ask God, and he will give it to you. God is generous to everyone and doesn't find fault with them.
Jas 1:6 When you ask for something, don't have any doubts. A person who has doubts is like a wave that is blown by the wind and tossed by the sea.
Jas 1:7 A person who has doubts shouldn't expect to receive anything from the Lord.
Jas 1:8 A person who has doubts is thinking about two different things at the same time and can't make up his mind about anything.
Jas 1:9 Humble believers should be proud because being humble makes them important.
Jas 1:10 Rich believers should be proud because being rich should make them humble. Rich people will wither like flowers.
Jas 1:11 The sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up plants. The flowers drop off, and the beauty is gone. The same thing will happen to rich people. While they are busy, they will die.
Jas 1:12 Blessed are those who endure when they are tested. When they pass the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Jas 1:13 When someone is tempted, he shouldn't say that God is tempting him. God can't be tempted by evil, and God doesn't tempt anyone.
Jas 1:14 Everyone is tempted by his own desires as they lure him away and trap him.
Jas 1:15 Then desire becomes pregnant and gives birth to sin. When sin grows up, it gives birth to death.
Jas 1:16 My dear brothers and sisters, don't be fooled.
Jas 1:17 Every good present and every perfect gift comes from above, from the Father who made the sun, moon, and stars. The Father doesn't change like the shifting shadows produced by the sun and the moon.
Jas 1:18 God decided to give us life through the word of truth to make us his most important creatures.
Just one personal request that I’d like to ask of you--please don’t take any unnecessary U.S. Census Survey counts or antagonize any mountain lions or bears or anything just as risky and stupid...will you? I would like for you to be around a little while longer if possible to read even more of these newsletters, after all....
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