Monday, April 1, 2024

Just as Jesus said


Matthew 28:5-6 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.  Come and see the place where he lay.”

   After studying Matthew for years, I reflect on an import fact.  In the midst of His ministry work, within a short period of time, Jesus foretold of His death and resurrection three times!
   These occasions are recorded in:
Matthew 16:21
Matthew 17:9
Matthew 17:22-23
   Then soon before going to Jerusalem for His final Passover, Jesus foretold of His death and resurrection yet again.
   That occasion is recorded in Matthew 20:17-19.

   Here during this epic dawn, an angel rolled back the stone which covered the tomb.
   The appearance of that angel struck fear into the Roman guards, and they ended up fleeing their post.

   Then the women arrived.  Piecing together the details from the witnesses of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we learn there were at least five women.  Their encounters with the angels were quite overwhelming to them.  Yet though they were overwhelmed, and though Mary Magdalene remained out of it until her direct encounter with Jesus, even in the midst of their amazement they remembered that Jesus had foretold of His death, as is stated in Luke 24:8.  (Mary Magdalene probably being the exception.)
   They did continue to be overwhelmed.  The first angel who spoke to them said, “Do not be afraid…” (28:5).  Yet soon thereafter Matthew states: “So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples” (28:8).  (And note Mary Magdalene separated from the other women either before they started running or while they were running.)

   I understand that this divine miracle would be overwhelming.  Yet Jesus foretold of His resurrection!  Jesus is God the Son, and He knew what was going to happen.
   Why did He not keep it a big surprise?  That would have only added to the excitement for everyone.
   The answer is that Jesus was on a mission, and He wanted His followers to know that His atoning death and resurrection was His plan.  His purpose in dying: The atonement for sins so that we people can be forgiven of our sins.

   Jesus died on a cross for the forgiveness of sins of anyone.  Jesus was the atoning sacrifice for the consequence of sins, which is spiritual death.  Then Jesus was resurrected.

   If you believe in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, then you will have eternal life.

   Jesus loves you!

Hunter

I add, in case you are interested, a link to the sermon I offered on April 7th as a guest preacher at McClave Community Christian Church, which is on the same subject as the piece above.  Enjoy!

Friday, March 29, 2024

The Atonement


   Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jewish people celebrated the Passover Feast in their homes one particular evening.  The Hebrew day always started at sundown, thus the Passover took place at the start of a new day.  And the Passover was the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  That first day of the Feast was commonly termed Preparation day.  All that was permitted to be done during the sunlight hours on this day according to the Mosaic Law was a “sacred assembly,” and the preparation of food, as is stated in Exodus 12:16.

   If a Jewish person went out on his or her roof after eating the lamb feast that special night, in order to think, or to pray, or to look out into the night sky, he or she would have seen the full moon.  Israelites had a lunar calendar, and the Passover was in the middle of the moon cycle when it was “full.”  (That is why the Passover is on a different day in different years.)  The moon had the appearance of any average full moon I suspect.

   Yet under that shinning moon, outside of the Jerusalem city wall to the east, at some point Jesus was praying.  Being in agony, fully knowing that He was about to experience suffering beyond description, there in the middle of the night He was sweating.
   Hours later, at the “third hour,” which would be 9:00 am modern western time, Jesus was crucified, pierced with nails.

   Matthew records: “From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land” (27:45).
   Luke adds: “for the sun stopped shining…” (23:45).
   Shortly after the ninth hour, 3:00 pm modern western time, Jesus died, physically and spiritually.

   Three times, Joel foretold of events when the sun would be darkened, as I discussed in one piece during the intense study and pondering of the book of Joel here during Lent of 2024.  However, the sun being darkened when Jesus was dying on the cross apparently is not one of Joel’s prophecies.  Joel does not even give a prophecy regarding the atonement of Jesus.  Yet Joel did foretell of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  And that historic event was only possible because of the sacrificial atonement made by Jesus.
   And Joel does tell the result of the atonement made by Jesus: “And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved…” (Joel 2:32).

   Salvation is available because of the sacrifice which Jesus made on the cross.
   Consider the fact that the entire righteous wrath of God, wrath for the terribly hurtful consequences of the sins of all people, including the wrath discussed in the book of Joel, was taken by Jesus in His heart on the cross.  Jesus was the substitute for the sins of people.  The result was that He physically and spiritually died.
   And then Jesus was resurrected.

   Jesus took that punishment for the sins of everyone of all time, because Jesus loves everyone.

   Because of the atonement made by Jesus, if you believe in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you will be saved from spiritual death, and you will have eternal life!

   I invite you this day to give your heart to Jesus, the One who loves you.

Hunter Irvine

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Joel 3:16-21 God is faithful


   The definition of a Mosaic covenant prophet is a person who spoke for God.  In order to do so, he or she had to listen to God.  Joel did.

   And Joel the writer was quite descriptive, with vivid imagery.  We were shown God’s righteous judgment through his creative metaphors.
   God is just.

   God is merciful.
   The last passage of this book displays the beautiful restoration carried out by God.  Joel’s keen writing gives descriptive phrases which create an emotional picture of prosperity:
“…hills will flow with milk;
all the ravines of Judah will run with water” (3:18).

   How interesting that the description by Joel of that restoration includes these two staples of life.  Water and milk were scarce after the locust invasion.  For the original readers of this book, the Hebrew people in the midst of a famine, this promise of an abundance of water and milk would have made a big impression.

   This restoration is a result of God’s faithfulness.
   At the base of Mount Sinai, in the 1400’s B.C., a covenant was established between God and the Hebrew people, with Moses as the mediator.  That covenant was grounded in God’s promise that if the Israelites obeyed His commandments, they would have a long life and prosperity in the land He was going to give them.
   In the history of the Israelites which followed, the Hebrew people often failed to obey the commandments of God, which was their duty under the covenant.  Disaster always resulted.  Such was the case in the time of Joel.  And such will be the case in the ‘end times.’  Yet judgment is not the end of the story for Israel.

   When shifting to talking about restoration after the disastrous locust invasion, Joel stated God is “abounding in love” (2:13).  And in love, God stated at the start of this chapter: “In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem…” (Joel 3:1).
   God is going to rescue the Jewish people from the attack of wicked warriors from all nations.  And God is going to secure the land of Judah and Jerusalem for the Hebrews forever more.
   “…never again will foreigners invade her” (Joel 3:17).
   Tragedies and triumphs have both been a part of the Israelite’s history, yet because of God’s faithfulness, the end result will be final restoration for Israel.

   This special book by Joel ends with the subject of a pardon being given to the Jewish people.
   Here at the conclusion of this intense study, I will refrain from carefully examining the nature of the word “pardon.”  I will say the term “pardon” often has the definition of being an act of releasing someone from the punishment which was due to them, without any redeeming payment.
   Throughout the centuries, the Hebrew people have encountered tragic suffering.  Though being in a blessed position as people who were a part of the Mosaic covenant with God, the Hebrew people have also been a people who were in an extremely vulnerable position by being in the Mosaic covenant.  Thus this seems to be a unique pardon by our God at the close of the history of Israel in the fallen world in the ‘end times.’

   Yet personal redemption is still needed by every individual before our just God.  After the epic rescue on the Mount of Olives, Jesus will give the Israelites a grand opportunity to turn to Himself, the true Messiah.
   Even though Joel ends his book on the restoration of Israel, the ultimate “day of the LORD” will be after this.  ‘Judgment Day’ will involve permanent judgment and permanent mercy from our Holy God.
   Salvation was the pinnacle message of the book of Joel in 2:28-32.  And though Joel did not elaborate on the “day of the LORD” which will be the final judgment as revealed in the book of Revelation, Joel did give the key point: “And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved…” (2:32).

This salvation is possible because of all that Jesus did, which includes:
Jesus fulfilled the Mosaic Covenant.
Jesus died as the substitute for all human beings, taking upon Himself the judgment and punishment we deserved, when He died on the cross at Golgotha.

And now:
Jesus offers the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus offers the Jewish people a New Covenant.
Jesus offers anyone the New Covenant.

   Over 800 years later, an apostle of Jesus named Paul wrote:
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God, for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile” (Romans 1:16).

   Jesus made atonement for all sins on the cross.
   Any person who believes in Jesus has eternal life.
To truly believe in Jesus is to receive Jesus into your heart.

   God has been faithful to the Hebrew people all along.  And our loving God offers forgiveness to us all.

Hunter Irvine

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Joel 3:1-15 God is just


God is just.  God is merciful.
Chapter three continues with the subjects of judgment and restoration, yet there is a big shift.  The locust attack was a judgment of God on the Israelites since they had turned away from Him.  In the future, judgment will come upon people against God from all the nations.
   Yet for Israel, permanent restoration by God will take place.  This “day of the LORD” will be the resolution to the tribulation.

   A key phrase to gain the context of this passage: “I will gather all nations…” (Joel 3:2).  A confederation of all nations is something which has never happened, to say the least.  Since Joel spoke of this extraordinary event here, it is a sensible deduction this is the same “day of the LORD” as is foretold by the prophet Zechariah in chapter 14 of his book.  And from Zechariah we can learn what will happen just prior to this judgment and restoration, so we can more fully grasp both.

   Zechariah foretold there will be an attack against the Israelites involving warriors from every nation.  Such a multi-national army attacking Israel sounds fictional.  Yet consider the events which will lead to this “day of the LORD.”

First, all Christians in the world will be ushered away by Jesus.  The Second Coming of Christ will take place in stages.  The first stage is what is commonly termed “the rapture.”  This is the event prophesied by Jesus, (recorded in Matthew 24:29-31), and told of by Paul, (recorded in I Thessalonians 4:16-18).  Not a quiet event, thrilled Christians will be brought to heaven in a supernatural way.
   Thus, the countless Christians of the world will be gone.

Second, chaos is going to break out.  Termed by many Christians as the ‘tribulation,’ circumstances worldwide will quickly become horrible.  (A number of people say it will be a seven year period according to an interpretation they make of a passage within the book of Daniel.)
   Now there will still be an opportunity for people to turn to the Messiah.  I have long recognized this period to be an overtime opportunity for people to be saved.
   However, the summary is: It will be a horrible time.
   And all it will take is one evil world leader, who will blame Israel for the chaos, to convince many people to attack them.

Third, a multi-national army will attack Jerusalem.  Zechariah foretells this with sad details, including the fact that half of the Israelites will be captured and sent into exile.

Fourth, praise be to God, the LORD is going to rescue the nation of Israel in an epic manner!  The multi-national army will not overtake the Jewish people.  The Jewish people will be rescued by the Messiah, as both Zechariah and Joel prophesied.

Fifth, there is going to be judgment and punishment against the nations.  Joel, being the creative writer he was, uses a metaphor of harvesting and preparing grapes to describe the punishment of the guilty.
   Note there is a turn of fortune.  The book of Joel started off with the Hebrews farmers, the common occupation of people in Judah, being the ones who were at the forefront of the judgment of God.
   Yet now, as God sits as judge, Joel’s metaphor has the role of farmers as the individuals who carry out the punishment for God against the wicked warriors who rebelled against Him.  Literally, I understand this to be angels of God, the “holy ones” mentioned in Zechariah 12:5.

   The punishment of the wicked warriors will be death.

   Praise be to God, the story does not end there.

Hunter Irvine

Friday, March 22, 2024

Joel - The sun and moon will be darkened


   Three times Joel speaks of the phenomenon of the sun being darkened. With a little variation, the moon and the stars are also a part of this astronomy wonder.
   On the doorstep of the third and final chapter of Joel, where this phrase will be used for the third time, I briefly address all three as a review, and also so we are ready to soak in the final prophecy of Joel.

   The sun and moon being darkened indicate an aspect of an event where there is judgment, followed by a grand blessing of God.

1.)   “Before them the earth shakes, the sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine” (Joel 2:10).

   Recall this passage was a prophecy of the Assyrian army overtaking the ten tribes of Israel as they did in 722 to 721 B.C.  Joel’s prophecy happened.
   “The king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege to it for three years.  In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria…” (2 Kings 17:5-6).  (Note that Samaria was the capital of Israel.)
   The author of 2 Kings was not focused on the military details, rather he was focused on explaining the reason for the collapse of Israel.  A long explanation starts with the sentence: “All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.…” (2 Kings 17:7).

   Indeed it is a sad story.  “The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: ‘Turn from your evil ways.  Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.’  But they would not listen…” (2 Kings 17:13-14).

   The three year siege surely was devastating, and I speculate the king of Assyria had some record made of his victory, which was a common Ancient Near East practice.  (And usually those same countries would not record their defeats.)
   However, there is no record that I know of explaining a miraculous astronomy event occurring during the Assyrian attack on Israel.
   No, this was not an eclipse considering Joel always states the phenomenon involving both the sun and moon, and sometimes the stars.
   And I do not think this is a metaphor, since it clicks with other “day of the LORD” prophecies which likewise use this phrase in a physical context.

   Key: Such a phenomenon was foretold by Jesus Himself!  He foretold the sun and moon will be darkened at the time of the first stage of the Second Coming of Christ, as recorded in Matthew 24:29-30.  So we know such an astronomy miracle fits God’s intentions.
   Thus, I think there was an astronomy miracle.

   Joel stated judgment would take place, and it did, due to the sins of the leaders and people of Israel.
   The grand blessing from God was that He thwarted the attempt by the Assyrian army to conquer Judah, even though they tried.

2.) “The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD” (Joel 2:31).

   Considering the context of this passage after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, it is likely a literal occurrence during an event in the future after Pentecost.
   And considering the context within the prophecy of salvation being offered to everyone, and the blood moon, which is a different detail than Joel’s other statements about the moon, I think this prophecy is for the final judgment which is prophesied in the book of Revelation.

   Permanent judgment will take place against all those who are guilty of sin.
   The grand blessing from God will be the eternal salvation of all those who believe in Jesus, and thus have been forgiven of their sins.

3.) “The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine” (Joel 3:15).

   This literal occurrence happens at the second stage of the Second Coming of Christ.
   Zechariah 14:6 states: “On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost.  It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime – a day known to the LORD.  When evening comes, there will be light.”

   Judgment will take place against all of the people from all nations who rebelled against God during the ‘tribulation.’
   The grand blessing from God is that the Jewish people will be rescued by God and will have their homeland preserved by the Messiah for evermore.
Hunter Irvine

Monday, March 18, 2024

Joel 2:28-32 Salvation


   Wild enough, this passage is the pinnacle in the book of Joel.  So far in the book, the tragedy and the triumph have been epic, but they also have been temporary.  The ruin by the locust invasion was temporary.  But so was the restoration and prosperity for the people of Judah.  In the centuries which followed, more tragedy and triumph came.  And through it all, people only had so many years in this world, like us all.

   Whereas this passage gives a prophecy of a key event in the history of people which had a permanent result:  The pouring out of the Holy Spirit, which happened at Pentecost after the ascension of Jesus.
   Thanks to the apostle Peter, we do not have to debate this prophecy.  Peter made it clear that this prophecy was fulfilled then and there!  Peter quotes this passage, as is recorded in Acts 2:16-21.

   Believers were permanently indwelled with the Holy Spirit, because Jesus made the atonement on the cross.  His atonement made it possible for any person to have eternal life.
   Eternal life!

   The unlimited sacrificial atonement made by Jesus on the cross gave all people the opportunity to be saved.
   Yes, Joel says “…everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved…” (2:32).

   And because of the teachings of Jesus, we know the specifics: a person who believes in Jesus is saved!
   “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40).

   Joel mentions again in this passage that there is going to be a “day of the LORD.”  The one he is referring to is commonly called “judgment day,” which is prophesied in the book of Revelation.  Peter likewise wrote about this day in 2 Peter 3:10-13.
   “Judgment Day” will be the final action by God in this world of His justice and mercy.  God will judge the living and the dead in an ultimate and final manner.

   All believers in Jesus will be saved from spiritual death, since all believers are redeemed by the atonement of Jesus!
   We followers of Jesus can know that the ultimate “day of the LORD” will be utterly glorious for all followers of Jesus, since we will share in the glory of Christ.
   To God be the glory!

Hunter Irvine

Friday, March 15, 2024

Joel 2:18-27 Restoration


   This passage of Scripture reveals that God honors the repentance of people.  There is the foretelling that He will restore the land.
   Joel states: The LORD will reply to them: “I am sending you grain, new wine, and oil, enough to satisfy you fully…” (2:19).
   Joel also states: “The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil” (2:24).
   God replies to the people’s remorse.

   Dr. Eric Welch, a professor at the University of Kentucky, and an archaeologist, spoke at Colorado Christian University in the winter of 2016.  His seminar talk was on the subject of olive oil in the Ancient Near East, and it was fascinating.
   Stating that agriculture was the mode of life in the ANE, Dr. Welch noted how the Bible often lists together the three staples of grain, grapes, and olive oil.  He said such a phrase is often used in the Bible as a literary expression to indicate prosperity.

   And the bottom line is stated in Joel 2:26 – “You will have plenty to eat, until you are full…”

   Picture the arid region of ancient Judah with stripped and burnt fields.  Yet then picture autumn and spring rains provided by God.  I speculate it rained more than usual.
   “…for the open pastures are becoming green.  The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches” (Joel 2:22).

   And Joel records God’s statement that He will drive back the Assyrian army from Judah.  This was the response to the people’s repentance by our loving God.

   One big challenge in this passage: Joel states, “…never again will I make you an object of scorn to the nations” (Joel 2:19).
   Later in this passage Joel states, “…never again will my people be shamed” (Joel 2:26).
   Then he repeats that: “…never again will my people be shamed” (Joel 2:27).
   Since this specific restoration took place before the Babylonian exile, how can this be the case?  In knowing what took place in the history of the Israelites for many centuries after this, and in knowing what will take place in the ‘end times’ thanks to prophecies from Zechariah and Joel, this statement does not seem to fit.
   In fact, to take this as a general statement, this passage would be a prophecy which would take place after the Second Coming of Christ.
   Is the day of YHWH, which Joel speaks of five times, as I discussed in the last piece, actually the “day of the LORD” from Zechariah?
   No.  Remember that the "day of the LORD" is found in two different contexts in the book of Joel.  In fact, when we get to the next passage, Joel 2:28 states: “And afterward….”  There is a chronological progression here.
   Thus this statement about God’s people being preserved from shame by other nations needs to be taken as a statement made solely to that generation.
   However, I do think there is continued foreshadowing here for all generations of Jewish people.  The day of their glory is coming as Zechariah foretold as is recorded in Zechariah 14:11 and 14:16.
   Not a double entendre, which is a risky literary tool, there is indeed foreshadowing of the second stage of the Second Coming of Christ.

   Yet back to the subject Joel is addressing: How awesome it must have been for the Hebrew people to go from a stripped and charred land to blossoming fields.
   After the trauma of the locust invasion, it may have taken some time for them to truly grasp their livelihood was being restored.  Yet when they did, as was foretold, many Israelites praised the LORD!
Hunter Irvine