Author: Jason Smith

What Is the Kingdom of God?

On By Jason SmithIn Theology for Life2 Comments

If someone was to ask you what the main theme of Jesus Christ’s teaching was during His earthly ministry, how would you respond? Would you talk about His call to love our neighbors – even our enemies (Matthew 5:44)? Would you share His repeated message about His sacrificial death as a substitute for us (Mark 10:45)? No doubt these two themes are primary in Jesus’s teaching, not secondary. But the most prominent theme that Jesus spoke on was the kingdom of God.

This surprises many who grew up hearing about Jesus dying on the cross for their sin and rising again but don’t recall learning much about the kingdom of God. But it is pretty hard to dispute such a claim when you consider what Jesus actually said in the Gospels.

In the Gospel of Mark, the message Jesus first preached was:

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15, ESV)

Likewise, in Matthew and Luke, we see Jesus constantly talking about the kingdom of God. He shares parables about the kingdom (Matthew 13). He tells His followers to pray “Your kingdom come” (6:10). He alluded to Himself in kingly terms, saying things like “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.” (Luke 19:12). He often prompted His listeners to consider, “What is the kingdom of God like?” (13:18-21). He said things like, “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (11:20).

His famous Sermon on the Mount was all about what life in the kingdom of God looks like (Matthew 5-7). Jesus said, “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (5:20).[1] Rather than being anxious about their daily needs, Jesus taught His followers to orient their lives around the coming kingdom: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (6:33). Matthew summed up Jesus’s earthly ministry like this: “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction” (9:35).

As you read through the Gospels, you can’t help noticing that Jesus loved to talk about the kingdom of God. The arrival of the kingdom was at the core of everything He did. It is no exaggeration to say that Jesus was either talking about the kingdom or showing the power of the kingdom.[2]

So what exactly is the kingdom of God? And why couldn’t Jesus quit talking about it?

God the King

In America, we often struggle with the concepts of king and kingdom. After all, we are a nation birthed through rejection of a king’s authority. The idea of a king reigning over us often sounds either quaint or tyrannical. We might resonate more with the peasant in the Monty Python film Holy Grail. When King Arthur tells him he should show deference to his king, the peasant responds, “Well, I didn’t vote for you.” To which the frustrated Arthur replies, “You don’t vote for kings!”

And yet, there’s just no getting around the fact that the kingdom theme is prominent in Scripture. I think Graeme Goldsworthy summed it up well when he said the kingdom is God’s people, in God’s place, under God’s rule.[3] When we talk about the kingdom of God, we are talking about God’s right and power to reign over His world.

The faithful Jew of the first century would recognize immediately what Jesus meant by “the kingdom of God is at hand.” The Hebrew Scriptures frequently refer to God as the King reigning over the earth (Exodus 15:18; Psalm 93:1; 103:19).

“Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord of hosts,
    he is the King of glory!” (Psalm 24:10)

As Creator, God is the rightful King over His creation. He alone is perfectly righteous and capable of executing justice on the earth.

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness.” (Psalm 45:6)

Despite the privilege of having God as their just and loving monarch, the people of Israel continually pursued false gods and failed to submit to the Lord. When the people demanded a human king like the surrounding nations, God tells the prophet Samuel, “They have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them” (1 Samuel 8:7). While there are flickers of hope throughout, the Old Testament can be summarized as the story of Israel rejecting God as her true king. At its core, sin is rebellion against the kingly reign of God (Romans 1:18-21).

In the words of R. C. Sproul, “Every sin is an act of cosmic treason, a futile attempt to dethrone God in His sovereign authority.”[4]

Israel’s greatest human king, David, is said to be “a man after God’s own heart” who reigned in the power of the Lord (1 Samuel 13:14; 2 Samuel 5:10). God even promises David that one of his offspring shall build a temple and sit on the throne forever, saying, “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16).

David was understandably overwhelmed by this promise, often called “the Davidic Covenant.” While David’s son, Solomon does build the temple, he eventually dies. So the promise is not fully realized. From this point forward, the Jewish people look forward to the arrival of this messianic figure in the line of David. Through the prophets, God reassures the people that this son of David will come: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land” (Jeremiah 23:5). For justice to be executed and righteousness to fill the land, God would somehow have to deal with sin, putting down the rebellion that naturally springs from the human heart (17:9).

Over the centuries, we see a long line of kings descending from David who fail to be this “righteous Branch.” In fact, most of these men do not walk with the Lord. Eventually, God judges Judah (David’s tribe) by allowing the people to be conquered by Babylon and taken as subjects to live under the pagan king, Nebuchadnezzar. Things look pretty bleak now. Whereas before they were in the right land but didn’t have the right man, now they weren’t even in the right land!

And yet, God’s promise stood firm. The prophet Jeremiah assured them that his fellow Jews would only be in exile in Babylon for 70 years, at which point a godly remnant would return to land of Israel (Jeremiah 29:10). Hope remained!

A Kingdom that Fills the Earth

Not only that, but in Babylon, God showed His power to fulfill promises through Daniel, a young man who found himself standing before the mighty Nebuchadnezzar. The pagan king had threatened to kill all the “wise men” of Babylon unless someone could interpret a dream that deeply troubled him. So God used Daniel to deliver a prophetic message through the dream’s interpretation.

Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar that in his dream he saw a terrifyingly massive statue. He then interprets the dream, explaining that the various portions of the statute (head, chest, middle and thighs, and legs and feet) symbolized Babylon and the three successive kingdoms (or empires) that will dominate the world scene in the future. These kingdom predictions align with what we know of the Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman Empires.

In the dream, however, Nebuchadnezzar saw

“…a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” (Daniel 2:34-35)

Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar that during the fourth kingdom “the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever” (Daniel 2:44).

In the following centuries, the Jews remembered this prophetic dream and eagerly anticipated the kingdom of God that would be established during that fourth kingdom (Roman Empire). They also anticipated the arrival of a “son of David” who would bring in this kingdom as the Messiah, who will deal justly with the poor, destroy the wicked, and bring in an era of righteousness and peace (Isaiah 11:1-5).

The Now and Not Yet of the Kingdom

The kingdom of God, then, is about God coming to reign as King over His people in His world. We cannot abstract the kingdom of God from the person of Jesus. To be in the kingdom and seek first the kingdom is to live for King Jesus. When Jesus announced that the kingdom was at hand, He was saying that the kingdom of God was arriving in and through Him. More specifically, it was in Jesus’s death and resurrection from the dead that the kingdom of God was inaugurated on earth, because in these events Jesus defeated sin (rebellion against the reign of God) and broke the power of death (the result of rebellion). The kingdom would not yet arrive in full until the end of the age when He returns, but His resurrection was the first installment of the powers of the age to come breaking into this age.

It is important for us to understand both the present and future reality of the kingdom of God – what theologians have termed the “already” and the “not yet” of the kingdom. In one sense, the kingdom is already present because all who repent of their sin and trust in Christ are born again and enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 18:4; 19:14).

Paul can say that already Christ has “rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14, NASB). Because of Christ’s resurrection, the kingdom truly is present on earth today as men and women surrender to the reign of Jesus and experience new spiritual life and forgiveness of sins. Like the nation of Israel, believers are called a “kingdom of priests” (cf. Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9).

On the other hand, Jesus also spoke of the kingdom’s future arrival as something we should pray for (Matthew 6:10). The fullness of the kingdom has “not yet” arrived in its final form. He also used parables that express both the growth of the kingdom from small beginnings and its future consummation on earth at “the close of this age” when evildoers will be cast into the fiery furnace while the righteous “will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:24-43).

The Apostle Paul explains it this way:

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-26)

On Earth as It Is in Heaven

The kingdom of God is an essential theme of the story of Scripture. You could even say that the story of the Bible is the story of God’s kingdom coming in and through the redemptive reign of Jesus Christ. From all we’ve seen, one thing should be made clear in our minds. Jesus spoke of the kingdom’s arrival – here on earth. He said it is close “at hand.” Daniel said the stone that shattered the great image “became a great mountain and filled the earth” (Daniel 2:35). In describing the Messiah’s kingdom, Isaiah spoke of creation being restored to its original design, with animals living in perfect harmony under the kingly reign of the Messiah.

“The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
    and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
    and a little child shall lead them.” (Isaiah 11:6)

It will be Eden restored: “for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (v. 9).

When Jesus said “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God,” Peter asked about the disciples’ payoff for leaving all for the sake of Jesus (Matthew 19:24-27). Jesus responded that “in the renewal of all things” (v. 28), they would be more than rewarded for their sacrifices. This same Peter would later write that “we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).

It is no wonder that, in the Beatitudes, Jesus spoke of His people inheriting both “the kingdom of heaven” and “the earth” (Matthew 5:3, 5). In God’s great plan of redemption, His kingdom will be on earth, when all of creation is restored and rightly ordered under the reign of our Lord.

In that day, God’s people will be comforted because God Himself will be with them and wipe every tear from their eye. And death will be no more. “For… the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:20-21). Christ the King will reclaim His entire creation. As Abraham Kuyper put it, there is not one square inch of the universe, over which Christ does not exclaim, “Mine!”

Therefore, we shouldn’t think of God’s future kingdom as an otherworldly existence in a realm of pure spirit. Rather, followers of the risen King are now called to pray for the kingdom’s full arrival “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

“Joy to the world! The Lord is come.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground.
He comes to make His blessings flow,
far as the curse is found.”
– Charles Wesley

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

[1] Many scholars have noted that since “kingdom of heaven” is synonymous with “kingdom of God.” Matthew wrote his Gospel primarily to a Jewish audience, so his tendency to use “the kingdom of heaven” is explained by the reticence of Jews to use God’s name for fear of committing blasphemy.

[2][2] While John’s Gospel favors the phrase “eternal life,” he nevertheless includes Jesus saying, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

[3] Grame Goldsworthy, Gospel and Kingdom (Homebush West, N.S.W., Australia: Anzea, 1992), 47.

[4] R. C. Sproul, The Holiness of God.

The Transformed Life that Pleases God

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional2 Comments

How exactly do good works fit in with the life of a Christian? Many have wrestled with this concept, oftentimes setting faith and works at odds, as if the two are somehow in opposition. Unfortunately, I’ve heard some pastors imply that, because we are saved by grace through faith, no effort is required for living the Christian life. We have only to “let go and let God.”[1]

The 19th century Anglican bishop J. C. Ryle can help us here:

“Is it wise to proclaim in so bald, naked, and unqualified a way as many do, that the holiness of converted people is by faith only, and not at all by personal exertion? Is it according to the proportion of God’s Word? I doubt it. That faith in Christ is the root of all holiness… no well-instructed Christian will ever think of denying. But surely the Scriptures teach us that in following holiness the true Christian needs personal exertion and work as well as faith.”[2]

When we read Scripture, we find Paul making statements like, “I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10). But how does this work out practically? Elsewhere, Paul discusses living out the faith with the Philippians.

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12-13)

The Philippians were a faithful group of Jesus-followers. Paul didn’t have much correction for them, as he did with other churches. But he tells them to keep working out their salvation, and to do so with “fear and trembling” – as if there was a profound gravity to how we live our lives.

People today understand the importance of working out. If you want to be fit, you join a gym. If you want to excel as an athlete, you have to put time into working out your muscles. But what does it mean “to work out your salvation”? Isn’t the whole message of Christianity that we are saved by grace, not works? Isn’t the righteousness we need a gift of God’s grace through Christ, not our own righteousness? Yes, that’s all true.

Saved for Good Works

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Contrary to what every other religion teaches, the Bible says that salvation is not attained by our moral effort or achievement. It’s something that comes to us by sheer grace, as a free gift.

However, we often stop there without reading the next verse: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (v. 10). In other words, we are not saved by our good works, but we are saved for good works. This is what many people miss when it comes to the Christian life. While salvation is a free and unearned gift, God both expects and empowers us to live a new transformed life of obedience.

This is Paul’s point when he tells the Philippians to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (vv. 12b-13). The basis for all our good works and new living is our identity as new creations in Christ.

If you have come to Christ, God is doing a mighty work in you through the Holy Spirit, and your responsibility is to live that out. You do work, but what you work out is the inner renewal that God “works in you” (v. 13). To work out your salvation is to pursue the holiness for which God has saved you.

Pursuing Holiness in God’s Power

Paul’s basic idea is this: You have been set apart for Christ, so now live like it by His power. You weren’t saved so you could go back to living like the world. Christians are to live together as a transformed community. We are not called to mirror the world. We are called to be distinct from the world.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, ESV)

Not only are we called to holiness, but the world around us needs Christians to live like new creations. The great Christian abolitionist, William Wilberforce, took a stand against the British enslaving their fellow human beings, not because he wanted to look like the decadent culture around him, but because he wanted the voice of God to be heard in England. God had already said that all human beings are made in God’s image, and thus have sacred value.

The problem with so many Christians today is that they think the way to win the world to Christ is to look like the world in every way imaginable – that is, except for believing the gospel. But here’s why that doesn’t work. The message of the gospel is a message designed to transform every aspect of our lives. When we reject conformity with the world and choose to live in the newness of the Spirit, the gospel will actually be compelling!

If we forget that the strength to live in holiness comes from God, we won’t depend on Him in prayer or seek the wisdom found in His Word. But when we know God is the one who empowers this new life, it will be our joy to actively pursue it.

Lights Piercing the Darkness

When the Susan B. Anthony coin was first introduced to American currency as an alternative to the dollar, there was tremendous resistance to it. The reason? The coin was so close in shape and size to the quarter that people often got it confused. In other words, at first glance, it lacked enough distinction from the quarter, and so it became more of a nuisance than a convenience. In the same way, when Christians become indistinguishable from the world, we will not make the impact that God intends for us.

This is why Paul is earnest to say, “Work out all that God has worked in you.” Don’t settle for drifting along with the world, thinking the same way as the world. No! Live out Christ before your neighbor. Show the greatness of His love, shine the light of truth, and make it clear that you’re committed to live for Jesus rather than the paltry acceptance of the world.

As a child of God, you are to live “without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15). When the shroud of deception and corruption closes in, those who live for Jesus will shine like bright stars piercing the darkness of night.

Pleasing God

It is at those precise points where worldviews collide that Christians have the most to offer the world. If we remain true to our convictions, we will give others a reason to reconsider Jesus. And notice how verse 13 ends: “For it is God who works in you, both to will and work for His good pleasure.”

When you live a transformed life, God is pleased. He’s pleased because you’re now yielding to His greater plan for your life – a life beyond merely following the status quo. The status quo is for those who just want to remain safely unnoticed. It is for those whose lives are “conformed to the pattern of this world” (Romans 12:2).

But who really wants to spend their whole life living in the fear of man? The reason Paul can say that he’s more than happy to pour out his life for the faith of others is that he knows that God is the ultimate source of joy (Philippians 2:17; 4:4). When our lives are spent lifting up Christ, others will grow in their faith, and God will be pleased. And what could possibly matter more for the Christian than pleasing God?

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

[1] See Jared C. Wilson, “The Devilishness of ‘Let Go and Let God Theology.” https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/devilishness-let-go-let-god-theology/. If the phrase “Let go and let God” is meant to suggest one must surrender control of one’s life to God, then I’m in hearty agreement. However, this phrase is often used to suggest that no effort is required in living as a Christian but rather that our only duty is to trust God, which leads to a host of other problems, such as passivity, as Wilson’s article helpfully articulates. Also, how can someone live by this phrase, when it conflicts with many biblical passages such as: “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14, NIV).

[2] J. C. Ryle, Holiness (1952 edition, London: James Clarke & Co.), viii.

The Quest for Happiness

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for Life, Why I Believe2 Comments

There are some pretty funny TV commercials out there. I’m sometimes amazed by the creativity of those marketing gurus. In one Kia car commercial from several years ago, a couple leaving a hotel is greeted by Morpheus from The Matrix at the valet desk. Morpheus tells them, “The world of luxury has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.” He then offers them a choice. Take the blue keys, and they can go back to their delusion of luxury. Or, take the red keys and experience greater luxury than they ever imagined. Of course, they choose the red keys. The commercial ends with them astonished by their Kia experience, complete with surrounding explosions and Morpheus singing opera. The final tagline reads: “Challenge the luxury you know.”

This memorable commercial captures the essence of nearly every commercial out there. The message is simple: “There is greater satisfaction out there, if only you try our product.” The message remains the same because it speaks to the longing of our hearts. We are all on a quest for happiness.

Here’s how the famous French philosopher Blaise Pascal explained it:

“All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they use, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going to war, and of others avoiding it, is the same desire in both – to be happy. This is the motive of every action of every man, even of those who hang themselves.”[1]

We all want to be happy. Pascal says this is the driving motive behind our every action. With a little reflection, you can see this desire behind every pursuit in life – earning a living, finding a spouse, raising good kids, having fun, keeping fit. All of it is because we want to be happy.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon says he chased after happiness, too. And he went about it every way he could. He says, “I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven… to find out what is good” (Ecclesiastes 1:13, 2:1, ESV).

Like a lion going after his prey, he was on the hunt for true satisfaction in life. He then takes us through some of his endeavors to discover true happiness.

And he starts by giving us the summary of his findings: “I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:14, ESV). Solomon says, “Wherever you have searched for satisfaction in this life, I promise you I’ve already tried it. It’s all just a striving after wind.”

Happiness through Knowledge?

Solomon started at the university. He went there like a sponge ready to soak up every ounce of knowledge he could. He wanted to know everything about everything. He went to all the greatest minds of his time and learned what he could learn from them. Today, if you want to become an expert in a field, it’s truly amazing how much you can learn about science, history, math, the legal system, sports, crafts, cooking, and nature. God’s world is filled with fascinating bits of knowledge. Augustine said, “All truth is God’s truth.”

But the questions is, How far can such knowledge take us? Does it help us overcome death? Does it lead to everlasting life?

People can become brilliant scholars in any and all fields of knowledge, but Solomon concludes that this can’t give you true and lasting satisfaction. No matter how much you know, none of it ultimately matters apart from knowing Christ. We need God’s wisdom, found in His Book.

At the end of Ecclesiastes, he even warns us: “Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body” (12:12). And to that, every college and high school student says, “Amen!” “For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief” (v. 18).

All that hitting the books never brought the satisfaction that Solomon longed for. The more he knew, the more miserable life seemed. Knowledge alone could never satisfy. That reminds me of the teacher who wrote on the boy’s report card: “If ignorance is bliss, then this student is going to be the happiest person in the world.”

Leonard Woolf, a man known for his countless scholarly achievements, had this to say after a lifetime’s pursuit of academic study:

“I see clearly that I have achieved practically nothing. The world today and the history of the human anthill during the past five to seven years would be exactly the same as it is if I had played Ping-Pong instead of sitting on committees and writing books and memoranda. I have therefore to make a rather ignominious confession that I must have, in a long life, ground through between 150,000 and 200,000 hours of perfectly useless work.”[2]

This is a shocking admission. Woolf was known for his brilliant commentary on economics, education, and politics. He wrote stacks and stacks of books and articles on many different subjects. And yet his own assessment of his life’s achievement was that it amounted to “practically nothing” – a chasing after the wind.

Happiness through Pleasure and Success?

Next, Solomon tries pursuing pleasure. He leaves the university and heads out on the town for some entertainment. He buys tickets to the greatest comedians, buys drinks for himself and everyone around him, and does his best to have a good time. He indulges in every form of entertainment you can imagine, getting drunk night after night with the finest of wines.

He is like “The Wanderer” in the song based on Ecclesiastes that U2 wrote, featuring Johnny Cash as lead vocals:

“I went out there/ In search of experience/ To taste and to touch and to feel as much / As a man can before he repents.”

Solomon says:

“I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees… I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire!” (Ecclesiastes 2:5-6, 8, NLT)

He plants spectacular gardens and parks, then invites all the A-list celebrities over to his house for one pool party after another. He orders the most delicious foods imaginable. He hires Grammy-winning bands to come play music. And, of course, many beautiful women are there. Like Hugh Hefner, he lives the playboy lifestyle and denies himself nothing. He looks for pleasure wherever it may be found, leaving no stone unturned.

But once again, he sees where this pursuit of pleasure comes up short.

I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” (Ecclesiastes 2:2-3, ESV)

Have you ever read the biography of a comedian? They often live the loneliest and saddest of lives. Solomon discovered that no matter what entertainment or pleasure he indulged in, it always left a gaping hole in his heart. He realized that it was really just a distraction from the pain and brevity of life.

In the end, even the most enjoyable earthly pleasures will leave us empty apart from God.

In our secular culture, it’s becoming more and more common to view human beings as merely material creatures. If Darwin was right and we’re just the product of unguided nature, then we are all just bags of molecules. And if you think we have no spiritual side to us – no immortal soul – but are instead just material creatures, then you’ll conclude that only material things could satisfy us.

But I think we all know deep down that there’s more to us than meets the eye. When you think about the choices you make every day — what to wear, what to eat, and what to do — that’s not just neural circuitry in your brain. That’s the freedom of choice coming from your inner self. When you think about a mother pouring out her blood, sweat, and tears to raise her children well, or a husband sacrificing career aspirations to care for his bedridden wife, that’s not just chemical reactions in the brain. That’s love.

The Big Tease

And since we are more than matter, material solutions will never fully satisfy. Happiness isn’t found where we so often look.

"The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the same event happens to all of them. Then I said in my heart, 'What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?' And I said in my heart that this also is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 2:14-15, ESV)

No matter how much fame, fortune, or fun he had, Solomon recognized that none of it lasts forever. It doesn’t matter how brilliant you are, the same event happens to us all. We all have an appointment with death.

"How the wise dies just like the fool! So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind." (Ecclesiastes 2:17, ESV)

Solomon feels cheated. It’s like life is one big tease promising him the happiness he craves, but never fulfilling that desire. Why? Because life is still cut short by death. He says, “How pointless to work hard and have so much when eventually I’ll be gone and it will be left to someone else!”

It’s because of death that many have wondered, Can we really say that life has meaning?

Even atheists long for meaning in life. They too have been made in God’s image so they can’t escape this hunger for significance. They just talk about creating their own meaning. And in a sense, that’s what Solomon set out to do: create his own meaning under the sun.

But when we leave God out of the picture, we’re left with a pretty bleak picture of ourselves. The search for meaning and happiness becomes a chasing after the wind. Biology professor William Provine once bluntly stated: “Let me summarize my views… There are no gods… There is no ultimate foundation for ethics, no ultimate meaning in life.”[3]

That’s what Solomon is trying to show us: Life minus God is meaningless. That’s because apart from God, we cannot have lasting happiness (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25). When you receive all the joys of this life as gifts from our Maker, you can actually enjoy them more because you’re not seeking them as ends in themselves. They are meant to lead you to God Himself.

Joy Complete

Is it possible that we overlook the simple pleasures of life, like the beauty of a sunset or a delicious meal because we aren’t seeing them as gifts from our Father’s hand?

When Jesus came, He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” and “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love… I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 11:25; 15:10-11, NIV).

For those who belong to Jesus, death is not the end of all joy. When we surrender our lives to Him, death becomes the door to the greatest of all joys: the glory of God’s presence in Heaven for all eternity.

We search for happiness in this life, but Jesus tells us, “In Me, you will have joy everlasting.”

Where is your search for happiness taking you? Are you ready to find it in Jesus?

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

[1] Blaise Pascal, Pensees (Loc. 2049).

[2] Leonard Woolf, quoted in Wireless Age (September/November 1998).

[3] Phillip Johnson & William Provine, “Darwinism: Science or Naturalistic Philosophy? Philip Johnson vs William Provine,” IDquest, debate, 41:10, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7dG9U1vQ_U , emphasis added.

The Hardening of Pharaoh’s Heart

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for Life2 Comments

God clearly cares about our hearts. Throughout the Bible, we read about the significance of the heart. The heart is the seat of all human thought, emotion, and activity (Proverbs 4:23). God knows us so well, because His gaze pierces all the way through to our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7). The heart is often portrayed as the secret inner storehouse or the deep well of a person’s soul (Proverbs 20:5; Matthew 12:35; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Hebrews 4:12).

The words on our lips are usually good indicators of what’s brewing within. Jesus wisely said, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).

King Solomon urges us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5, ESV).

A heart that is right with God is a heart that gladly leans on Him as a child leans on her father’s chest. It is not too proud to trust in His grace.

Pharaoh’s Hard Heart

The Bible records God telling Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go” (Exodus 4:22, ESV).

This is the first time Pharaoh’s hard heart is mentioned. The Hebrew word chazaq literally means “to strengthen,” as in God strengthened Pharaoh’s heart in his rebellion. In 11 cases, chazaq is used to speak of God hardening Pharaoh’s heart (4:21; 9:2; 10:20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 8) or more generally that Pharaoh’s heart “was hardened” (7:13, 22; 8:19; 9:35).

However, another word is also used to speak of Pharaoh’s hard heart – the Hebrew word kabad’, which literally means “to make heavy.” Three times, this word is used to speak of Pharaoh hardening his own heart (8:15, 32; 9:34), once with the general phrase “was hardened” (9:7), and twice to speak of God hardening Pharaoh’s heart (10:1; 14:4). It is a similar word to chazaq, but it has a special nuance worth noting.

Ancient Egyptians believed that in the afterlife a special ceremony took place called The Weighing of the Heart (pictured above). In this ceremony, overseen by the god Anubis, the heart of the deceased was placed on one side of a great scale and was weighed against the feather of truth. If someone had committed many sins, their heart would be weighed down, and they would be condemned to eternal restlessness. However, if they’d lived a virtuous life, one’s heart would be lighter than the feather. In this case, they would be granted safe passage to the Egyptian paradise, the fields of Aaru.

Because of this belief about one’s heart determining one’s eternal destiny, Egyptians would remove all the organs except the heart when burying their dead. Moses may be alluding to this ancient belief when he writes that Pharaoh’s heart was “made heavy” (Exodus 8:15, 32; 9:7, 34; 10:1; 14:4).

This is a reminder that in nearly every age and culture, people have been religious. God has given humanity a universal sense of right and wrong, and because of this, we all know we are supposed to be good. And we all sense the scales of justice by which our lives will be weighed.

Our Hard Hearts

It is interesting how often Scripture connects salvation to the state of one’s heart. The Bible says that we need to be saved from sin, and Jesus said that all sin ultimately springs from a defiled heart (Matthew 15:18-20). When He saw the prideful religiosity of the Pharisees, Jesus asked them, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?” (9:4). Mark tells us He was “grieved at their hardness of heart” (Mark 5:3). Sometimes, even His disciples didn’t understand because “their hearts were hardened” (6:52). But Jesus also said the greatest commandment was, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37).

It’s popular today for people to say, “Just follow your heart.” It’s cliché and catchy. But in the Bible, that sounds like generally bad advice, like something the devil would urge you to do. Instead, we are warned about the inherent dangers of following one’s heart, which is so prone to self-deception. A heart that is not directed toward God is foolish and darkened (Genesis 3:1-6; Ephesians 4:22; Romans 1:21). The prophet Jeremiah quoted God on the matter:

“The heart is deceitful above all things
    and beyond cure.
    Who can understand it?
I the Lord search the heart
    and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
    according to what their deeds deserve.” (Jeremiah 17:9-10, NIV)

It’s good to know that God is just and will reward people according to what they deserve, but what hope of reward do we have? The Bible also says, “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God” (Romans 3:10-11, NIV). This sounds pretty bleak. Thankfully, this isn’t Scripture’s last word on the matter.

The New Heart We All Need

The prophet Ezekiel records a divine promise about those who would receive a new heart:

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness.” (Ezekiel 36:26-29, NIV)

This means there is hope for those who have hard hearts like Pharaoh. But it’s not a matter of having a new commitment to live a good life; it’s a matter of becoming a new creation in Christ. This can only happen through faith in His finished work on the cross and subsequent resurrection. Speaking of that time when Jesus was on the cross, the prophet Isaiah says, “he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5, NIV).

Jesus took all that defiles our hearts onto Himself so that we could be redeemed from the sin that had enslaved us. Salvation is about God cleansing our hearts by grace through faith (see Acts 15:9; Hebrews 10:22; 13:9). A new heart is a forgiven heart, a liberated heart.

Through faith in Christ, the burden of guilt is lifted, and our hearts become lighter than a feather. Jesus comforted His disciples when He was about to die for them, saying, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me” (John 14:1). A heart cleansed by the shed blood of Jesus is a heart reconciled to God. “For with the heart one believes and is justified” (Romans 10:10, ESV).

A new heart is soft and fleshy (Ezekiel 36:26). It wants more of God, not less. It desires His name to be famous, not our own. It craves to be filled with His love and His Spirit, not the fleeting pleasures of sin. It seeks His leading and direction, rather than wanting its own way. Though the battle of opposing desires still rages today (Romans 7:15-25), only the fruit produced in the new heart will last into eternity (1 Corinthians 3:12-15)).

And finally, Paul’s prayers for the church were continually about the state of their hearts, showing that the heart is a subject we should not neglect.

“May the Lord direct your hearts to God’s love and Christ’s endurance.” (2 Thessalonians 3:5, HCSB)

That is my prayer for you as well.

Father of mercies, my heart is so prone to wander after worthless pursuits that seem so urgent or attractive today. Give me fresh desires from Your heart of love, that I might live the life You’ve called me to. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

Is There Evidence for the Exodus? (Part 2)

On By Jason SmithIn Why I Believe2 Comments 
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Exodus 20:2, ESV)

In my last post (Part 1), we considered the archaeological evidence for Hebrew slaves in Egypt before the time of the Exodus. That is significant, but what kind of evidence supports the Exodus event itself?

According to the biblical book of Exodus, when God commissioned Moses for the task of delivering His people out of bondage, Moses was told that Pharaoh would refuse to let the people go, but that there was a purpose to this.

The Lord instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, make sure you do all the wonders before Pharaoh that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he won’t let the people go.” (Exodus 4:21, HCSB)

Sin always grieves God, and a hard heart stands in opposition to His holy ways. However, the God who works all things together for good (Romans 8:28) wisely used Pharaoh’s stubborn hardheartedness as an occasion to show His glory over the false gods of Egypt. And so God sent ten mighty plagues on the land of Egypt, beginning with Yahweh turning the Nile River into blood. From then on, each plague (frogs, gnats, hail wiping out grain, skin disease, etc.) escalates in magnitude of national devastation. And each time God spares His chosen people from these disasters.

The Ipuwer Papyrus

The Ipuwer Papyrus

While many scholars have tried to come up with natural explanations for the plagues, the sequence and severity of these plagues demonstrate that these were directly from the hand of God. No natural cause would explain why the Egyptians were utterly devastated by these plagues while the Hebrews in neighboring Goshen remained safely untouched, both man and beast (Exodus 8:22; 9:26).

We also have a clue from the only surviving copy of an Egyptian text that has striking parallels to the Exodus account called The Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage, more often known as the Ipuwer Papyrus. Many scholars agree that this is a very early document, some placing it in the 18th Dynasty, the very time of the Exodus (ca. 15th century BC) because of certain linguistic features. The Ipuwer is basically a lengthy poem or prayer to the sun god Ra, written by an Egyptian sage lamenting a series of disasters in the land. I mentioned in my last post that the pharaoh would never let a defeat be recorded in the royal annals. But Ipuwer, the author, seems to be a sage reflecting on the state of the empire he once loved, not a court scribe, because he’s even critical of the pharaoh: “the king has been deposed by the rabble.”[1]

Ipuwer says “pestilence is throughout the land, blood is everywhere, death is not lacking, and the mummy-cloth speaks even before one comes near it.” He writes, “Indeed, the river is blood, yet men drink of it.”

Titus Kennedy neatly sums up the significance of the Ipuwer Papyrus:

“Passages in the poem, such as the river being blood, blood everywhere, plague and pestilence throughout the land, the grain being destroyed, disease causing physical disfigurement, the prevalence of death, mourning throughout the land, rebellion against Ra the sun god, the death of children, the authority of the pharaoh being lost, the gods of Egypt being ineffective and losing a battle, and jewelry now being in the possession of the slaves, are all occurrences in common with the Exodus story.”[2]

To read the Ipuwer Papyrus alongside the Book of Exodus is fascinating. The parallels are simply too clear to downplay. Many scholars have, of course, noted the similarities. However, most have asserted that this reflects a certain genre of “national disaster” folklore at the time rather than concluding that both could be referring to the same historical events. As Hoffmeier observed in the last post, your philosophical presuppositions determine what you will see. The problem with this easy dismissal is that if Ipuwer really was lamenting actual events in history, the above presupposition prevents someone from ever knowing it. One might dare to ask, What would Ipuwer need to say to demonstrate he really was referring to events he witnessed? After all, Ipuwer seems to be talking about a truly devastating time standing in contrast to Egypt’s glorious past.

The Date of the Exodus

There is considerable debate between biblical scholars as to when the Exodus actually took place. Most would place it in either the 15th, 13th, or 12th century BC. Because I take the Bible to be both the authoritative and understandable Word of God, I have no problem accepting the biblical timelines.

One of the clearest statements for dating the Exodus is 1 Kings 6:1: “In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the Lord.”

Scholars almost universally agree that Solomon began building the temple in 966 BC. We can then take the 480 years given here, do a little math, and come up with an approximate date of 1446 BC for the Exodus. Scholars who come up with a 12th or 13th century date have to say that the 480 years is a nice round number based on the number of idealized generations, allegedly 40 years each.[3] That strikes me as very strange since there is no indication from the text itself that this is what is going on.[4]

The Pharaoh of the Exodus

Once we have determined the date for the Exodus we can know the most probable pharaoh at this time based on Egyptian chronological records. And we can see if we have any supporting evidence for our dating of the Exodus, too.

According to Exodus, Moses was forced to flee from Egypt after killing an Egyptian guard. Moses spent the next 40 years in the Midianite desert, settling down with his wife Zipporah and becoming a nomadic shepherd.

The Bible says, “After a long time, the king of Egypt died” (Exodus 2:23, HCSB). Later, God tells Moses not to fear returning to Egypt “for all the men who were seeking your life are dead” (Exodus 4:19, ESV). Based on these verses, the pharaoh when Moses fled from Egypt must have been king for a long time, possibly at least forty years.

This is a crucial piece of evidence because most pharaohs did not reign for a very long time. Many didn’t even last ten years. There is, however, one and only one pharaoh in either the 18th or 19th dynasties (the possible eras for the Exodus) who reigned more than forty years, and his name was Thutmose III. According to Egyptian chronologies, that would mean his son, Amenhotep II was the king of Egypt when Moses returned for the Exodus. This is another factor supporting the early date of 1446 BC. The long reign of Thutmose III followed by Amenhotep II reigning at the time of the Exodus in 1446 BC fits together nicely.[5] However, no king during the 13th or 12th centuries reigned 40 years.

Since there are clues pointing to Amenhotep II being pharaoh at this time, it’s worth considering what we know about him from archaeology. Here’s what’s really intriguing. Amenhotep II was known for unrestrained arrogance of biblical proportions. Archaeologists have found inscriptions and monuments built in his honor where he claimed to be the greatest pharaoh in history. His boasts included rowing a ship faster than 200 Egyptian sailors, shooting an arrow through a copper target as thick as a palm, slaying 7 of the greatest warriors of Kadesh, and capturing more slaves than any other pharaoh in Egyptian history.

This was the pharaoh’s way of saying, “I’m kind of a big deal.” Does this align with what we know about the pharaoh of the Exodus? Well, let’s see. When Moses announced that Yahweh demanded he let the Hebrews go, the pharaoh proudly scoffed, “Who is Yahweh that I should obey Him by letting Israel go? I do not know anything about Yahweh, and besides I will not let Israel go” (Exodus 5:1, HCSB).

Throughout the Exodus narrative (Exodus 5-14), the pharaoh strikes us as arrogant, stubborn, and foolish – almost like someone who was compensating for some major insecurities. Such a psychological profile directly matches everything we know about Amenhotep II.

Evidence for a Crippled Army and Missing Slaves

In addition to his megalomaniacal boasts, Amenhotep II also completed only two military campaigns during the span of his whole reign. This seems strange when you compare it to all his predecessors, who averaged far more military campaigns. Thutmose III, by comparison, led at least 17 campaigns. What would lead the hotheaded Amenhotep II to drastically reduce the number of Egypt’s armed invasions?

Could it be that his once unstoppable army was drastically crippled – even annihilated – in an event at the Red Sea? This circumstantial evidence certainly fits the narrative given in Exodus 14, which says that after the Hebrews left Egypt, Pharaoh changed his mind and sent his entire army in pursuit, including “all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen and his army” (Exodus 14:9, ESV). We then read that after Israel had made it safely across the parted Red Sea,

“…the Lord threw them [the Egyptian army] into the sea. The waters came back and covered the chariots and horsemen, the entire army of Pharaoh, that had gone after them into the sea. None of them survived.” (Exodus 14:27-28, HCSB)

It’s worth noting that Scripture never says that Pharaoh himself drowned in the Red Sea, only that his entire army perished. No wonder Amenhotep II had only one campaign after the Exodus.

Elephantine Stele of Amenhotep II

According to the Elephantine Stele of Amenhotep II inscription, this last campaign was more of a massive slave raid than a conquest of land. Amenhotep II claimed to have captured 101,128 slaves on this raid. If accurate, this would be about 20 times larger than the next largest slave raid in Egyptian history. How interesting that this pharaoh known for ridiculous exaggeration now says he’s also better at bringing in slaves than anyone else! Kennedy observes, “Because this happened right after the Exodus, perhaps it is indicative of an urgent need to replace the lost slave population in Egypt.”[6]

One thing most Exodus scholars agree upon is that future excavations in Egypt will likely shed more light on the timing and details of this central event in Israel’s history. After all, satellite imagery suggests that less than 1 percent of ancient Egypt has actually been excavated to date.[7] The Bible-believing Christian should rejoice in this fact. Once again, archaeological excavations have only strengthened the case for Scripture’s accuracy. We have only examined a portion of the incredible circumstantial evidence that has already been discovered in support of the biblical Exodus.

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

[1] “The Admonitions of Ipuwer,” https://www.worldhistory.org/article/981/the-admonitions-of-ipuwer/

[2] Titus Kennedy, Unearthing the Bible, 55.

[3] This number of 40 years comes from the 40 years of wandering in the desert when a whole generation perished, but that was a specific case not a hard rule that 40 years must always equal one generation in biblical timelines. It’s also worth noting that only those who refused to believe God’s promises perished in the wilderness (Hebrews 3:17), and that the 40 years corresponded with the 40 days they spied out the land (Numbers 14:34). Ironically, supporters of the late view have to take the 40 years mentioned in Numbers 14:34 and Deuteronomy 34:7 literally to make their case, even while they do not take the 480 years given in 1 Kings 6:1 literally.

[4] Other passages supporting the early date of 1446 BC include Judges 11:26.

[5] The problem with the later 13th century or 12th century dates for the Exodus is that in both cases, the pharaoh at those times (Ramesses II or Ramesses III respectively), does not succeed a pharaoh who reigned a long time, which seems to contradict Exodus 2:23.

[6] Kennedy, 57.

[7] Mark Janzen, Five Views on The Exodus, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2021, 16.

Is There Evidence for the Exodus? (Part 1)

On By Jason SmithIn Why I Believe1 Comment

Modern scholars often assume the massive migration of Hebrew slaves out of Egypt recorded in the biblical book of Exodus never happened. The Exodus is thought to be nothing more than religious folklore, and that there is no hard evidence for such an event in the ruins of Ancient Egypt.

For example, critical scholars Israel Finkelstein and Neil Silberman claim, “The saga of Israel’s Exodus from Egypt is neither historical truth nor literary fiction… to pin this biblical image down to a single date is to betray the story’s deepest meaning. Passover proves to be not a single event but a continuing experience of national resistance against the powers that be.”[1]

But is this really the case? What can we learn from the actual evidence?

Biblical scholar and archaeologist James K. Hoffmeier has found undue skepticism among many of his peers. He observes, “If it were not still Scripture to Jews and Christians, the Bible probably would not be treated in such a condescending and dismissive manner.”[2]

Egyptologists concede that ancient Egyptians almost never recorded embarrassing losses. The pharaohs always made sure they looked like stellar leaders in the history books. Are we at all surprised? We are, after all, talking about the same human nature that craves approval from peers and longs for affirmation wherever it can get it. Even today, politicians will trumpet their successes but rarely begin a speech discussing their failures. But in Ancient Egypt, the pharaoh controlled the press. That being the case, we really shouldn’t expect to find positive evidence for the biblical Exodus in Egypt’s royal annals.

The remarkable thing, however, is that there is a truckload of circumstantial evidence for the biblical Exodus. I say “circumstantial” because while there may not be much in the way of direct evidence outside of Scripture, the evidence we do have strongly supports the circumstances that would have to be true if such an event were indeed historical.

Another point worth mentioning is that the Bible itself must be properly viewed as crucial evidence for the Exodus event. This may sound obvious, but the scholarly consensus often presupposes the Bible is a book full of myths. This is unwarranted, because an unbiased reading of Exodus reveals a text written as history. Furthermore, outside the Exodus narrative itself (Exodus 1-15), this redemptive event is referenced more than 120 times in the Old Testament. And in every case, the author seems to believe the Exodus really happened and that Moses was the historical man at the helm. In fact, it is the event that explains why Israel is a nation in the first place, and why Israel must serve the Creator-God Yahweh.

Circumstantial Evidence: Hebrews Lived in Egypt

So what is the circumstantial evidence supporting the historicity of the Exodus? One argument used by field archaeologist Titus Kennedy is called “The Point A to Point B argument.” Simply put, if there is good evidence for Hebrews living in Egypt (Point A) before the Exodus on the biblical timeline, and there is also good evidence for Hebrews living in Canaan (Point B) after that time, this would suggest that some kind of mass migration occurred.

Papyrus Brooklyn

Egyptologists have discovered a list of Semitic servant or slave names on papyrus dated from about the 17th century BC.[3] This list, called Papyrus Brooklyn, gives both the Semitic name of the servant and the Egyptian name they were given. But here’s what’s fascinating. Nine of the servants listed have specifically Hebrew names that can be aligned very closely with other Hebrew names in the Bible. For example, one of the servants is named Shiphrah, the name of one of the Hebrew midwives mentioned in Exodus 1:15. Another servant is even named “Hebrew”!

This papyrus is powerful evidence not only that Semitic people (sometimes called Asiatics) lived in Egypt, but more specifically that Hebrews lived as servants or slaves in Egypt before the biblical Exodus. Interestingly, even critical scholars admit that the evidence points to Semitic people living in Egypt before the date of the Exodus (see Part 2 for a discussion of the Exodus date).[4]

Bricks without Straw

In the Book of Exodus, we read that when Moses first came to Pharaoh demanding he let God’s people go, Pharaoh was insulted. He said that such a demand to be released proved that the Hebrew slaves must be getting lazy. So he commanded his taskmasters to no longer give straw – a necessary ingredient for making bricks – to the slaves, adding that their brick quota would not be reduced. This led to the Hebrew foremen angrily blaming Moses and Aaron for coming to Egypt only to make their hard labor worse (Exodus 5:1-21).  

Mural at Tomb of Thutmose III

Interestingly, there is a mural on the tomb of Thutmose III, a pharaoh near the time of the Exodus, showing Semitic slaves making bricks. There is also a hieroglyphic text about an Egyptian taskmaster reminding slaves not to be idle or they’ll receive a beating. We also have a wall mural depicting this very thing, lending support to the biblical story of Moses killing a taskmaster who ruthlessly beat a slave (Exodus 2:11-12).

Mural at Tomb of Mennah, with Hebrew slave being beaten.

On top of all this, there is also an Egyptian text called the Louvre Leather Roll. Kennedy notes that this text “describes a situation similar to what is recorded in Exodus – that in this time period quotas of bricks were imposed on slaves, but when they did not have the necessary materials to complete all of the bricks, such as a lack of straw, the slaves were punished.”[5]

Did Hebrew Slaves Build the Pyramids?

Some have wondered if the Hebrews had any part in building the pyramids. First, it’s worth noting how much mystery surrounds the building of these massive ancient structures. The largest of the Great Pyramids, called Cheops, consists of 2.3 million stone blocks. These blocks weigh an average of 2.5 tons, with some of the blocks weighing as much as eighty tons! For comparison, the typical 18-wheeler truck can pull up to 24 tons. So, the question is: How in the world did they do it?

The Greek historian Herodotus (484-425 BC) said that when he visited Egypt, he learned that a work force of 100,000 slaves built the pyramids.[6] The Jewish historian Josephus (AD 37-100) said the Egyptian taskmasters “set them [the Hebrews] also to build pyramids.”[7] The consensus of modern scholars, however, is that slaves were not used because there is evidence of a workforce having their own settlement, with their own homes and provisions for all the food they could want.[8] So who is right?

I think it’s impossible to say for sure that Hebrews built the pyramids. But here are some things we do know. Based on the Bible, the Hebrew slaves were used for many massive state projects involving mortar and brick (Exodus 1:10-14). We even have archaeological evidence of a Hebrew slave force in Egypt.[9] There is also a wall mural showing men using ropes to pull massive stones for building the pyramids. One mural seems to depict men using wet sand to help move massive structures.

Mural of slaves pulling large stone structure with ropes.

Again, none of this is conclusive evidence. Most Egyptologists would even date the construction of most of the pyramids to before the Hebrews were even in Egypt. Still, dating methods aren’t infallible; so we can’t rule it out. Scripture never actually claims that the Hebrews built the pyramids, so we shouldn’t be dogmatic on this point. What we can conclude is that a large Hebrew population did live in Egypt prior to the Exodus.

Continue reading in the next post “Is There Evidence for the Exodus? (Part 2)”

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

[1] Finkelstein and Silberman, The Bible Unearthed, 70-71.

[2] James K. Hoffmeier, “The Exodus and Wilderness Narratives,” in Ancient Israel’s History: An Introduction to Issues and Sources, edited by Bill Arnold and Richard Hess, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2014, 48.

[3] Titus Kennedy, Unearthing the Bible: 101 Archaeological Discoveries that Bring the Bible to Life, 48-49.

[4] Mark Janzen writes, “Egyptologists agree that excavations in the delta reveal a strong Semitic presence during the Hyksos era (ca. 1650-1540 BC), continuing into the New Kingdom.” Janzen, “The Exodus: Sources, Methodology, and Scholarship,” Five Views on The Exodus, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2021, 19.

[5] Kennedy, Unearthing the Bible, 51.

[6] Miroslav Verner. The Pyramids: The Mystery, Culture, and Science of Egypt’s Great Monuments. New York: Grove Press, 2001.

[7] Josephus, Antiquities, 11:9.1.

[8] This shouldn’t be used as evidence against the pyramid builders being slaves. The Bible describes the Hebrew slaves as having their own settlement in Goshen (Genesis 47:27; Exodus 8:22; 9:26), having their own homes (Exodus 12:1-13) and eating plenty of delicious food (Numbers 11:5). Perhaps this is one of the ways the pharaohs compensated the Hebrews for their backbreaking work in hopes of preventing an uprising.

[9] James K. Hoffmeier, Israel in Egypt: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition.

First Love Forsaken

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for Life4 Comments
Library of Celsus, Ephesus, Turkey

Perhaps one of the saddest things to witness is when one spouse says to another, “I just don’t love you anymore.” It’s especially heartbreaking because we know that at one time – perhaps many years ago – the couple shared an intimacy too deep and mysterious for words. Just being near one another would quicken the pulse. And merely hearing the other’s voice would cause the heart to flutter.

Upon hearing that such a love is now dormant, the question we all want to ask is: What happened? We know that such affection is not quickly extinguished. And in fact, when asked why they no longer love their spouse, they will usually say they have gradually, over time, simply drifted apart.

The Love You Had at First

In the last book of the Bible, Revelation, Jesus addresses the church in Ephesus, a church known for enduring persecution for Christ. Jesus had a lot of good things to say about this church. But after commending them for their faithfulness, Jesus delivers these piercing words:

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” (Revelation 2:4-5, ESV)

How hard it must have been for the Ephesian Christians to hear the Lord say this. “You have forsaken the love you had at first.” It wasn’t as though they’d merely “lost that loving feeling,” as The Righteous Brothers crooned in 1965. Literally, the original Greek says “You have left your first love.” In one sense, they had “drifted” out of love. But Jesus puts it even more starkly. They had actually abandoned their love for Him.

So, what exactly did that first love look like for the Ephesian Christians? From what kind of love had they fallen so far? We read about this in the book of Acts.

A Church on Fire for Jesus

When the Apostle Paul first arrived in the commercial port of Ephesus around AD 53, he went straight to the synagogue to show his fellow Jews and God-fearers from the Hebrew Scriptures that Jesus is their long-awaited Messiah. After preaching boldly there for three months, Paul’s message was roundly denounced by his own kinsmen.[1]

Was it the message where Paul emphasized the Messiah’s sacrificial death for sinners that led to his dismissal? Or maybe it was Paul’s clear teaching on Jesus being not merely a man but the divine Savior from Heaven that led to the Jews’ collective response of “Thanks, but no thanks.” It’s often been said that when God closes one door, He is opening another. And in that very sense, the Jewish Paul found a new opportunity to preach the gospel in a secular setting known as “the lecture hall of Tyrannus” (Acts 19:9). When I visited Turkey (called “Asia” in the Bible) recently, our guide led us to a small theater in Ephesus that is thought to perhaps be this very hall of Tyrannus.

Odeion Theater, possibly the Hall of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9).

It was here that, for two solid years, the apostle’s ministry was so fruitful that the historian Luke could say that “all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord” and that “the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor” (Acts 19:10, 17).[2] In fact, many of the Ephesians who formerly practiced sorcery decided to hold an open bonfire where they burned all their incantation scrolls out of their newfound devotion to Christ. These former magicians had found something in Jesus that magic could never deliver. Eternal hope. Total forgiveness. Unconditional love. Peace with God.

These Ephesian Christians were passionately in love with Jesus.

With such a soul harvest, it’s no wonder Paul stayed there for over two years. Luke goes on to tell us something truly remarkable. So many Ephesians had turned from mute idols to the living Lord that a local silversmith named Demetrius complained to his fellow tradesmen that his idol business was tanking. Most notably, these craftsmen’s livelihood was based on selling silver shrines to the Greek goddess Artemis.

  • Statue of Artemis in Ephesus
  • Temple of Artemis ruins today
  • Theater of Ephesus
  • Depiction of ancient Temple of Artemis

The Temple of Artemis stood proudly just outside the city center of Ephesus. Today, it is little more than a heap of rubble, but in the first century, it was one impressive spectacle – one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, no less.[3] For nearly 400 years, Artemis and her temple were the Ephesians’ pride and joy, and they viewed themselves as the guardians protecting her honor.

So volatile was the opposition to the gospel Paul preached that a riot broke out in the city’s massive arena (still standing today). The crowd mindlessly chanted for two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” Luke humorously records: “The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there” (v. 32). So much for the wisdom of crowds.

That the message of a crucified and risen Messiah could provoke such a startling reaction in a major city like Ephesus is astounding. It signals the transforming power of the gospel. Hearts once enslaved to idolatry now burned hot for Jesus.

Reigniting Your Love for Jesus

When Jesus addressed this same Ephesian church some 40 years later, that love had grown cold. It’s worth noting that they had sound theology, were quick to spot false teachers, and lived moral lives (Revelation 2:2-3). Outwardly, this church seemed to have it all together, even in the midst of the cultural pushback they’d known since the church’s inception.

Despite all this, their love for Jesus had cooled from a glowing blaze to dying embers. This is a reminder to us that Jesus cares about more than outward performance. “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). While Jesus commends faithfulness, our Lord is far more concerned with our relationship with Him.

Perhaps you can relate to the Ephesian church. You’ve stayed the course in so many areas of your life. You haven’t indulged in gross immorality. You could stand up to any test of biblical orthodoxy and right beliefs. But there’s something vital missing.

The passion for Christ you once felt so keenly has slowly ebbed away. You serve faithfully in your church, but you often wonder why more aren’t like you. The joy you once had at knowing your sins were forgiven has been replaced by an undercurrent of bitterness and jealousy toward others.

I want to suggest that the way to rekindle the love you once felt so deeply for Jesus is to come back to the simple message of the cross. Jesus tells the Ephesians, “Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place” (Revelation 2:5). Repentance is not just for unbelievers. Christians need to repent, too. 

Repentance is about acknowledging how you have offended the Lord and then turning to His shed blood on the cross as your only hope. Remember how just the thought of Jesus choosing to love you in spite of your great sinfulness used to ignite your love for Him? In the same way, contemplating His deep love for you will reignite your love for Him.

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins… We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:10, 19, NIV)

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

[1] See Acts 19:8-9

[2] Though not explicitly named as the author in Acts, “the beloved physician Luke” (Colossians 4:14) is widely regarded by scholars as the author of both the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts.

[3] When listing the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Antipater of Sidon had this to say about the Temple of Artemis: “I have set eyes on the wall of lofty Babylon on which is a road for chariots, and the statue of Zeus by the Alpheus, and the hanging gardens, and the colossus of the Sun, and the huge labour of the high pyramids, and the vast tomb of Mausolus; but when I saw the house of Artemis that mounted to the clouds, those other marvels lost their brilliancy, and I said, ‘Lo, apart from Olympus, the Sun never looked on aught so grand.’” Antipater, Greek Anthology IX.58.

Are Science and Christianity Friends or Foes?

On By Jason SmithIn Why I Believe5 Comments 
“Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.” (Psalm 111:2)

Many today take it for granted that biblical faith is incompatible with scientific findings. The assumption is that science has provided all the knowledge we need about our origins and the origin of our universe. This idea that science and Christianity are at odds has been so widely promoted in our culture by popular science communicators – including Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson – that many have taken for granted that this is true.

Christianity and Cosmic Order

Before one can undertake any scientific endeavor, such as calculating the growth rate of fertilized plants versus that of unfertilized plants, one must hold some basic working assumptions. One such assumption is the regularity of nature.  In other words, you must assume that certain physical laws will remain in place each time you observe and measure the plants. Such an assumption might seem incredibly obvious. We think, Of course, there is regularity in nature!

But on an atheistic worldview, why assume any kind of law-like structure to the universe? Laws don’t form by chance; they come from a Lawgiver. If the universe is the result of an undirected chaotic explosion rather than the ordered creation of an infinite Mind, why would we expect consistency in nature?

No one would believe that the Eiffel Tower formed as a result of an iron mine explosion. In the same way, we shouldn’t expect any kind of orderliness in a universe that formed by an unguided explosion.

Paul Davies is a physicist who is certainly not religious. And yet he comments:

“Just because the sun has risen every day of your life, there is no guarantee that it will rise tomorrow. The belief that it will, that there are indeed dependable regularities of nature, is an act of faith, but one which is indispensable to the progress of science.”[1]

The Bible not only says that “all things were created through [Christ] and for [Christ],” but also that “in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-17). It is because the Son of God “upholds the universe by the word of His power” that we can have confidence in the regularity of nature (Hebrews 1:3).

Physicist Michael Guillen says, “The Christian worldview best squares with the scientific worldview. It’s easy for me to be both a scientist and a Christian. Do science and Christianity have disagreements? Oh, you bet! And a few of them get the bulk of the publicity. But when it comes to the fundamentals, the two worldviews are very much in line. They are like my wife and me. We have our disagreements. And some of them are real doozies. But when it comes to core principles, we see eye to eye.”[2]

This is why modern science first began in the West, where the backdrop of the culture was the Christian worldview. This also explains why the vast majority of the founders of modern science were theists – and many were Christian theists.[3]

For instance, Galileo – often falsely portrayed as an opponent of biblical faith – was a Bible-believing Christian who argued that “the laws of nature are written by the hand of God in the language of mathematics” and that the “human mind is a work of God and one of the most excellent.”[4]

While many want to argue that faith and science are at odds, the scientific method itself is based on certain faith assumptions. Without these assumptions – which most scientists simply take for granted – science could never get off the ground. These include the orderly character of nature, the regularity of physical laws, the rational intelligibility of the universe, and the fact that our minds are equipped to understand certain truths about the universe.

Philosopher Richard Swinburne writes:

“The very success of science in showing us how deeply ordered the natural world is provides strong grounds for believing that there is an even deeper cause for that order.”[5]

The Limits of Science

Many have bought into the ideology of scientism, which says that science alone is the key to answering all our questions about the universe. But this ignores the many areas where science is limited. For example, science can teach us how to build an atomic bomb, but it cannot tell us whether it is right to use it.

Science cannot even tell us why there is a universe to study in the first place. Science is a wonderful tool, but it cannot give us a grand explanation of everything. Instead, science points us to a greater explanation beyond its analytical reach.

Scientific observations showing that our universe is expanding indicate that our universe had a beginning. But if the universe had a beginning, there must have been a cause. Things don’t just burst into existence without a prior cause. A timeless and all-powerful God who transcends nature would be a reasonable explanation for the origin of our universe.

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:19-20, ESV)

Atheism and Its Illogical View of the Beginning

In his book The Grand Design, the late Stephen Hawking argued that we don’t need God to explain the origin of the universe. Instead, the universe’s physical laws can explain why there is a universe.

Hawking wrote: “Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing.”[6]

Interestingly, when I shared this idea with my 7-year-old son, Logan, he laughed and said, “That’s impossible for something to make itself.” He recognized that Hawking’s statement is logically flawed. For something to create itself, it would have to be in existence already. His statement is incoherent.

Why would a scientist as accomplished as Stephen Hawking make such an obvious logical blunder and claim that the universe brought itself into existence?

Scripture provides insight here. The Book of Romans says that when you reject the one true God who created nature, you will end up worshiping various aspects of nature itself (Romans 1:21-23). Interestingly, there is a parallel to this ancient form of nature worship among many scientists today. They attribute creative power, eternality, and even design to the cosmos instead of the Creator of the cosmos.

Oxford scientist John Lennox observes:

“Perhaps there is a subtle danger today that, in their desire to eliminate the concept of a Creator completely, some scientists and philosophers have been led, albeit unwittingly, to re-deify the universe by endowing matter and energy with creative powers that they cannot be convincingly shown to possess.”[7]

Can Irrationality Produce Rationality?

If nature is all there is, that would mean there is no divine mind outside the universe responsible for our existence. But that would mean that our brains are the result of blind and irrational natural processes. Now, if that is where atheistic science takes us, then why in the world would we trust our brains can grasp the truth? In fact, why think we could ever do science in the first place?

Consider a scenario where I told you about a computer that was not designed by a human mind but came about purely by the blind forces of nature. Would you expect such a machine to function well, let alone assemble naturally in the first place? Such an idea sounds preposterous. In the same way, we could only trust our brains to grasp scientific truth if they have been designed by an intelligent Creator who transcends the blind processes of nature. The great irony is that, in their eagerness to eliminate God from the scientific enterprise, atheists have actually removed any reason whatsoever for trusting our rational faculties.

Some atheists have recognized this and are haunted by the logical outcome of their godless worldview.

The chemist J. B. S. Haldane said, “It seems to me immensely unlikely that mind is a mere by-product of matter. For if my mental processes are determined wholly by the motions of atoms in my brain I have no reason to suppose that my beliefs are true.”[8]

Atheist John Gray has put this problem more bluntly: “Modern humanism is the faith that through science humankind can know the truth and so be free. But if Darwin’s theory of natural selection is true this is impossible. The human mind serves evolutionary success, not truth.”[9]

Gray’s point is that on Darwinism, there’s no real basis for thinking we have adapted the ability to know the truth. After all, the Darwinian worldview says that there is no ultimate design and purpose to organic life and that humans are the result of unguided chance.

Christian apologist C. S. Lewis similarly asked, “If thought is the undesigned and irrelevant product of cerebral motions, what reason have we to trust it?”[10]

If atheists want to go on believing that their brain is the product of blind chance, they are welcome to do so, but I’m going to stick with the hypothesis that the only wise God designed my brain. Praise God, we are not mere accidents. Instead, we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God with loving design and intention (Psalm 139:14).

According to the Bible, we have every reason to believe our brains can grasp certain truths about the natural world. In fact, the Bible says that God created us in His own image – meaning our rational minds are a reflection of His rational mind (Genesis 1:27-28). Thus, on the Christian worldview, we have good reasons to think we can learn about the world through the scientific endeavor.

Science and biblical faith are not at war. They complement and reinforce one another.

Feel free to comment below!

[1] Paul Davies, The Mind of God, 81.

[2] Michael Guillen, Seeing Is Believing.

[3] Such theistic scientists include Roger Bacon, Gregor Mendel, Blaise Pascal, Johannes Kepler, Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton, and Michael Faraday.

[4] Galileo quoted in John C. Lennox, Cosmic Chemistry, 43.

[5] Richard Swinburne, Is There a God? (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996), 68.

[6] Hawking and Mlodinow, The Grand Design, 180.

[7] John C. Lennox, Cosmic Chemistry, 113.

[8] J. B. S. Haldane, Possible Worlds and Other Essays (reprint ed.) London, UK: Chatto and Windus, 1932.

[9] John Gray, Straw Dogs, London, Granta Books, 2002, 26.

[10] C. S. Lewis, Miracles.

Photo Courtesy of NASA, M. Livio, and the Hubble Heritage Team.

Called to Be Distinct

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for LifeLeave a comment

The Bible describes Christians as citizens of Heaven who are called to live as exiles in the world. To belong to Jesus is to belong to another world. This world – in its fallen state – is not our home. To live as an exile means you’re living between two worlds – the world you are currently enmeshed in and the world to come, where you truly belong. At its heart, this world is hostile to God.

One of the ways the world expresses its hostility is trying to squeeze us into its mold. That is why believers continually face the pressure to adopt the values, beliefs, and lifestyles of this world. Jesus said He wanted His followers to be set apart in the truth of His Word (John 17:17), but a full-orbed biblical worldview is increasingly scorned in our culture.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2, ESV)

Christians must choose daily to either live for this world, adopting its values and belief structure, or live for the glory of God, which will one day be fully known on this planet.

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14, ESV)

So we ask the question: How do you follow God in a world that is at odds with Him?

Know the Truth

Daniel knew what it means to be an exile. Imagine being dragged from your home while your city is under assault, and then taken to a faraway land where you are far from your family, your place of worship, and everything you have ever known. That is what happened to the young man named Daniel, and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, when they were rounded up in Jerusalem and taken to the great city of Babylon.[1] These teenagers were handpicked because they were handsome and intelligent, fit to serve in the king’s court.

King Nebuchadnezzar commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, “to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians” (Daniel 1:4, NIV). Although their given names reflected Yahweh, the God of Israel and Creator of the world, Ashpenaz gave them new names that reflected the gods of Babylon. All of this was done to indoctrinate these young men in the worldview of Babylon. If they were going to serve in the palace, they needed to think like Babylonians.

But throughout this book, the author continues to refer to himself as Daniel, which means “God is my judge.” That is significant. It tells us that, despite being educated and enmeshed in the Babylonian culture, Daniel recognized from the beginning that he is accountable to only one God: Yahweh. The Babylonian gods didn’t own him, so he refused to identify with them. While he would be a loyal subject of the king, he ultimately served the God of Israel – even as an exile hundreds of miles from Israel.

Daniel knew the truth about who was really in charge of this world, and he based his entire life on that. After all, what could matter more than serving the very One who gave you life, breath, and everything else (Acts 17:25)?

Resolve to Be Different

Along with being educated in the Babylonian culture, Daniel and his friends were given plates filled with the sumptuous food and fine wine of the king. However, they refused to eat it. I can imagine the four teenagers sitting at the table with the delicious aroma wafting into their nostrils. But then they gave each other a knowing look and set their forks back on the table.

“But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank.” (Daniel 1:8, ESV)

These young men knew the truth of their Scriptures, which under the old covenant at that time included certain dietary restrictions. While we don’t know for sure what made the food defiling, it’s reasonable to conclude that eating it would violate their scriptural convictions.

I’m sure many objections arose in their minds. Why should we refuse the food they give us here? After all, it’s just food. What’s the big deal anyway? We’re not in Israel anymore. And do we really want to insult the king who generously offered this delicious food?

Perhaps they had an Eve moment when they looked at the forbidden food and weighed all the advantages of taking one bite of the delicious morsels (see Genesis 3:6). We should appreciate how difficult this decision must have been for them; they were prone to temptation like the rest of us. And taking a stand here could be costly.

But these were young men of conviction – a trait all too rare in the church today. They had already decided they were not going to cut corners or compromise their beliefs. They were firmly rooted in the Bible, and they knew in their hearts they were called to be distinct from the world around them.

What about you? What are some convictions you hold that no amount of cultural pressure can squeeze out of you? Have you already resolved to be different from the world?

Peacefully Resist Conformity

When Daniel politely refuses to eat the king’s food, the chief eunuch Ashpenaz is agitated. He knows that if those under his tutelage reject their assigned portions, he could lose his head (Daniel 1:10)!

But I love Daniel’s response. Rather than belittle Ashpenaz or the king, he seeks a peaceful and reasonable solution.

Daniel says, “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see” (v. 12).

In essence, Daniel is saying, “Let’s see if we can find a solution that works in both our favors. You need us to be strong and healthy, and we need to live by our convictions. Let’s put our convictions to the test and see if they hold up.”

Instead of acting in self-righteous anger or defiance, Daniel humbly asks Ashpenaz to weigh the evidence. Daniel’s working assumption is that it’s always better to obey God than disobey, despite how foolish it may appear to others. Ashpenaz agrees to his terms, and God honors their obedience by giving them greater health than the other youths (v. 15).

In reading this passage, I have wondered why it only mentions Daniel and his three friends taking a stand. What about all the other young Jews enlisted to serve in the palace? Did they all fold under pressure? It seems likely they did.

This is supported by Daniel’s statement: “As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams” (v. 17, my emphasis).

How interesting that God honored the faithful obedience of these four young men in ways they hadn’t imagined. They were faithful over something seemingly small here, but God took notice. It is no accident that Daniel and his friends are given opportunities to stand for Yahweh in far more prominent ways later. As it turns out, faithfulness in the small things matters because it’s a reflection of your faithfulness in the big things.

Let’s ask God to give us the courage of conviction to refuse to compromise in either the small or big things in life. Christians are called to be distinct.

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below

[1] This true story is recounted in the biblical Book of Daniel, chapter 1.

Photo courtesy of kadingirra.com

How Do I Know if I’m Struggling with Pride?

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for LifeLeave a comment 
“To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” (Proverbs 8:13, NIV)

Pride. It never looks good on anyone. If you trace every sin back to its root, you almost certainly will find pride lurking in the shadows. In the biblical sense, pride is an inflated view of oneself, especially with respect to God or others. Scripture urges us, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you” (Romans 12:3, NIV).

The biblical Book of Daniel has much to teach us on the problem of pride: why it is an affront to God, and how we can both identify it and avoid it in our lives. Daniel provides three indications that you are struggling with pride:

  1. When you don’t have time to pray.
  2. When you have a low view of divine providence.
  3. When you think lightly of sin.

The Deception of Pride

Pride is subtle, because it is so hard to notice in ourselves. We have no problem noticing it in others. Sometimes, it can even seem glaringly obvious in someone else. By its very nature, pride convinces us that we don’t struggle with it.

C. S. Lewis calls pride “the great sin” and “the utmost evil.” Lewis stresses how deceptive pride can be:

“There is no fault which makes a man more unpopular, and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it ourselves, the more we dislike it in others.”[1]

In the book of Daniel, we learn about the proud King Nebuchadnezzar, who was repeatedly warned about the limitations of his kingdom. Throughout this fascinating book, the looming question is “Who’s really in charge here – Nebuchadnezzar or the God of Israel?”

At the beginning of the book, Nebuchadnezzar has just begun his conquest of Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, God’s chosen nation. To the Babylonian king, his victory over Israel might have been all the proof needed that Yahweh, the God of Israel, was defeated. But Daniel provides a theological understanding to what really happened when Jerusalem fell to Nebuchadnezzar: “And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God” (Daniel 1:2, ESV).

While Nebuchadnezzar might have supposed that Jerusalem fell simply because of his great might and military strategy, Daniel is cluing us in to what’s really going on. God gave Jerusalem into Nebuchadnezzar’s hand, because He was judging the nation for their unrepentant sin and idolatry (Jeremiah 20:3-18; 21:1-11; 22:11-30).

One of the lessons of Daniel is that pride blinds us to our own insecurities. We see this when Nebuchadnezzar compels his officials to bow down to a golden image soon after being told in a dream that his great empire will not last forever (Daniel 3).

Toward the end of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar looks across his mighty empire and boasts, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my might power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30). In that very moment, God humbles this proud man by making him insane and driving him away from his palace to live among beasts for seven years.

Nebuchadnezzar experienced the hard truth of Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

When You Don’t Have Time to Pray

Daniel is the polar opposite of King Nebuchadnezzar in almost every way. Rather than having an inflated view of himself, Daniel consistently exhibits an exalted view of the one true God and a sober view of himself. Rather than claiming he possesses wisdom and power, Daniel says, “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his” (Daniel 2:20, NIV).

With such a high view of God, Daniel cannot afford not to pray. In fact, Daniel is repeatedly found on his knees throughout this book. In one famous passage, King Darius is inveigled into signing a decree forbidding anyone to pray to anyone but him; those who violate this injunction will have to spend the night with some hungry lions. Of course, this decree is part of a ploy by some jealous officials bent on annihilating Daniel, who now outranks them.

Ironically, the only so-called “flaw” they can find in Daniel is that he consistently and without fail was found on his knees in prayer (Daniel 6:5).

When God grants Daniel the ability to interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams, he doesn’t take credit for this gift. “But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king” (2:30).

In one of his prayers, Daniel recognizes that God “removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” (2:21).

It’s no accident that a humble man like Daniel had a well-honed prayer life. It’s hard to be proud when you’re on your knees before God. One sure sign that you are struggling with pride is that you rarely express dependence on God through prayer.

Like Daniel, we live in a culture that is hostile to faith in God. Since we are surrounded by secularism, it’s very easy for us to forget the power of prayer or wonder if it’s worth our time. After all, life is busy. But we can learn something from this man who lived some 26 centuries ago. Even when Daniel was a busy executive, he made sure to carve out three times each day for prayer (6:10).

When You Have a Low View of Divine Providence

The Book of Daniel especially highlights the way pride flies in the face of divine providence. Coupled with the need for communion with God through prayer is a high view of God’s sovereign direction of history.

What is tragically lacking among many moderns is a radically God-centered view of all reality. By “God-centered view” I mean a recognition that all reality is in the palm of God’s hand. His purpose in the world is what will ultimately hold sway.

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21, ESV)

Christians need to reclaim the truth that all things exist by God’s creative power and are sustained in existence for His glory alone (Romans 11:36).

After being forced to live like a beast for seven years, Nebuchadnezzar finally lifts his eyes to heaven and only then does his reason return to him (Daniel 4:34). Nebuchadnezzar had previously grown proud, looking down on everyone else. To humble him, God gave him the mind of a beast (4:16), as if to demonstrate that a failure to acknowledge God makes you like a beast. It’s only when he lifts his face from the grass he’s been eating to gaze at the heavens above that a sound mind returns.

Nebuchadnezzar had to learn the hard way that God is the one in charge of history. He sets up kings and kingdoms. He determines where and when you live (Acts 17:26). We only have breath in our lungs as long as God supplies it, and He foreordained the date of our death (Acts 17:25; Psalm 139:16).

“A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.” (Job 14:5, NIV)

When King Nebuchadnezzar recognized the folly of his former boasting, he now chose to praise the one true God who is sovereign over all:

His dominion is an eternal dominion;
    his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
All the peoples of the earth
    are regarded as nothing.
He does as he pleases
    with the powers of heaven
    and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand
    or say to him: “What have you done?” (Daniel 4:34-35, NIV)

Having learned this lesson well, the king declared to all his kingdom: “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble” (v. 37).

When You Think Lightly of Sin

In addition to not having time for prayer or having a small view of God’s providence, the Book of Daniel teaches us that pride manifests itself when we think lightly of sin. The Bible teaches that sin is rebellion against the King of heaven that Nebuchadnezzar spoke about. It’s choosing our own way and opposing God’s way.

Sin is so grievous because we were made for fellowship with our Creator, but sin separates us from His holy presence. When we tell ourselves that sin is not a big deal, we are sowing lies that will reap destruction. Small thoughts of God and His holiness are the devil’s playground. When we think lightly of sin, we play right into his hands.

That’s what happened to Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar’s successor. Although he had learned about how his predecessor needed to be humbled, he chose to not heed the warning (Daniel 4:22-23). He too lifted himself “against the Lord of heaven” and threw a party where he, his friends, his wives, and his concubines all drank from the sacred vessels that Nebuchadnezzar took from the Jerusalem Temple. Not only did they defile the vessels intended for worship of God, but they began worshiping the Babylonian gods in their drunkenness.

It was some party, I’m sure. That is, until God showed up. The music stopped when a massive hand suddenly appeared, writing a message on the wall of the palace: “Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin” (Daniel 5:25). Daniel gives us a humorous picture of Belshazzar’s reaction.

“His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking.” (Daniel 5:6, NIV)

When Daniel is summoned, he interprets the message to mean that the king’s days had been numbered, he had been weighed and found wanting, and his kingdom would soon be taken away and given to the Medes and Persians. Sure enough, this is precisely what happened, and Belshazzar was killed that very night (v. 30).

This passage is a good reminder for us today. Sin is still a big deal, and God still judges sin. God weighs the heart and we can be sure that no sin escapes His notice (Hebrews 4:13).

While Belshazzar thought lightly of the sin he committed, we again see the godly contrast in Daniel. When Daniel humbly prays to God in Daniel 9, he begins by acknowledging God’s greatness and love. He then confesses his sin.

“…we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.” (Daniel 9:5, NIV)

Although Daniel lived a faithful life, he doesn’t pretend he doesn’t have his own sin to confess. Rather than merely talking about Israel’s sin, he includes himself among those who have more obviously turned from God.

That’s the attitude we need to have before our holy God. Not merely, “Lord, this nation has sinned,” but, “Lord, we have sinned.”

When we confess the sin of pride, we are sure to find grace and forgiveness through the saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, ESV)

That gives great hope for those of us who struggle with the sin of pride.

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below.

[1] C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, 121.