GIDEON'S SIGN OF THE FLEECE - THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

"So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said—  look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.”  And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water.  Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.” And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground." (Judges 6:36-40)

Continuing on with my talks and visits to old Baptist churches in Georgia, today I visited the Fishing Creek Baptist Church in Wilkes County. Founded in 1782, it is the fourth oldest Baptist church in Georgia, and was instrumental in founding the Georgia Baptist Association.What a wonderful man of God they have as pastor! Bro. Roy Cates at 86 years old, is still going strong preaching the Gospel. He has been pastor of Fishing Creek for 46 years and is the longest serving pastor in the church's history.

In talking with someone, I of course always want to know where they stand theologically, especially if the church has some history to it. When I asked Bro. Roy if he was a Calvinist, he immediately said, "Well what do you mean by that?" I said well do you believe in ________." He said "Then yes, I am a Calvinist.", Then I asked "Well do you believe in ________." He said "Then no I am not a Calvinist." I laughed so hard, as he is such a jovial, smiling man, that the way he answers questions, though serious, he has a way of putting the questioner at ease. The reason for the blanks, is because this article is not about theology, but about faithfulness.

I asked Bro. Roy about how he came to be pastor. He told me he was working for the state of Georgia when he was 40 years old, he had been preaching here and there for a few months. Fishing Creek invited him to preach for a few Sundays, while they were looking for a pastor. After a few weeks, the church approached him about being pastor. He said, "Nope, don't want it." After he said that, his mind kept going back to the needs of the church.The church had some divisive issues about a fellowship hall they were building. Bro. Roy felt God may be calling him to be pastor, but he wasn't sure, on top of the fact that he really had a good job, a young family, and did not want the responsibility. Yet he felt pulled somehow. So he told God he would ask for the "sign of the fleece", and issue two demands upon the church, and if they responded in the affirmative, he would take on the job. The first condition he imposed was that the vote to call him must be unanimous. So the church voted and it was unanimous. The next conditon, was the church must finish the fellowship hall, which had been left untouched for over a year, because of contention. To his astonishment, the church agreed! "Now" Bro. Roy said, "I was in a pickle. It was the most sour pickle I ever tasted, I just was not interested, and thought the church would never meet my conditions, but I promised the Lord, if He would give me the sign of the fleece, I would obey." So he obeyed and has been there ever since. Though the congregation is a small one at about 120 members, that is not bad for the extremely rural area they are in! Bro. Roy said the finances of the church have never been better and that just recently, he had gone to the church office, for no reason, but something kept telling him he needed to be there that day. A lady was driving by, saw his car at the church, and stopped and gave him a check for $40,000.00! She had sold some land, and wanted to give God a portion, even though she wasn't a church goer! God provides does He not?

Bro. Roy told me about a few years ago, when at an auction, a man he had been praying for came and sat beside him. During the auction, the man collapsed, and an ambulance was called. While waiting, Bro. Roy dropped to his knees praying for God's healing, as this man was lost and had been talking to Roy about the condition of his soul. The man later recovered and the doctors said they had no idea how he made it through. But I know! Once better, the man called on Roy, and he believed Christ for his salvation, and has been faithful ever since. Bro. Roy has had his hard times as he lost a son to suicide, leaving a wife and baby behind. He could hardly contain the tears as he told me about it. That baby is now a high school football coach in Jackson county, serving the Lord. God is faithful.

In closing, let me say, we are not exempt from pain or heartache because we are God's children. Let me also say that, when something is heavy on our heart about a decision we need to make, God is patient and not angry when we ask Him for the "sign of the fleece". In fact, He may be proud that we want to make sure it is of Him. On the other hand, we must be prepared for God's will, and be willing to accept His call, whatever it may be. How about you? Are you living out God's call for your life? Is He pulling your heart towards something and you really don't want to go there? Oh the happiest place to be, is where HE wants you to be! As the old song says "Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, BUT TO TRUST AND OBEY!"

These pictures capture the beautiful spirit of Bro. Roy. That pulpit he is preaching from is over 200 years old! The photo of him baptizing a young boy and embracing a young woman in the name of Jesus is what he lives for. The photo of Fishing Creek Baptist church with the rainbow pointing to God's ark of salvation says it all! Notice the fellowship hall that he required to be finished before accepting the pastorate.

 

 

WHEN THE LAW RUNS INTO JESUS -- THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

    For the past couple of weeks (with more to come), I have been visiting and speaking with churches from the Georgia Baptist Association, the first association in Georgia, and a sister association, the Kilpatrick Baptist Association. Both have many churches founded in the late 1700's and early 1800's. All of these churches are descendants of or directly founded by Daniel Marshall, brother-in-law of Shubal Stearns from the Sandy Creek Association, or his associates. 

   One of the churches, is Damascus Baptist Church, founded July 29, 1820. What a wonderful story of the church's first pastor! Does this not show that the same Jesus who saved the Phillipian jailer, was the same Jesus at work in 1820? Does this not also show that women are not exempt from proclaiming the Gospel?

   The first pastor, Samuel Cartledge, served from 1820 to 1839. He was the officer who arrested Daniel Marshall, founder of the Kiokee Church in 1772, who was haled into court in Augusta for “holding religious services not in accord with the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England.” Cartledge was so so impressed by the exhortation of Mrs. Marshall upon the arrest of her husband that he was converted, baptized by Rev. Marshall, served as a deacon for several years and was ordained in 1789. He preached for the rest of his long life. Damascus Baptist is still a very vibrant, growing, church, and still preaching that old Gospel, that JESUS SAVES!

   Who is "arresting" you today? What force tries to put out your light? What enemy of Christ and His Church is hauling you into Satan's court? Be of GOOD CHEER, for Samuel Cartledge thought he could stamp out the preaching of Daniel Marshall, little did he know that a woman of God would over power him and his might of the law, and drag HIM into another court in front of another JUDGE, would be found guilty, and set free that very day!

Gospel In The Genealogy Addendum

In a follow up to my last post "Gospel In The Genealogy" I wish to share some things I wrote and cited several years ago when I was writing mainly in The Baptist Gadfly blog. 

The following citations are to be found (here).

The Hebrew Alphabet and the Gospel

The names of the first two Hebrew Letters, Aleph and Beth, are the origin of the English word Alphabet.

The Hebrew Alphabet is an incomparably rich and self-coherent symbolic system. Each Letter has a broad set of associated meanings based on its name, its position in the Alphabet, its role in Hebrew grammar, and its use in the Alphabetic Verses.

The Hebrew Alphabet ends with the sign of the cross in precise analogy with the Gospel Message that declares Christ completed His Work of redemption on His Cross with the words "It is finished" (John 19:30).

Rolleston wrote:

"Somewhat of a symbolical and even a sacred character seems given to the alphabet by the use made of the allusion to Alpha and Omega in the Apocalypse. Alpha is plainly the Aleph of the original alphabet, as in the ancient Oriental alphabets, the leader, chief, first, the beginning. The Omega of the Greeks supplied the place of Thau, the last letter of the ancient series, originally figures as a cross, like our modern T, t. The word Thau means in those dialects a mark, as in Ezekiel 9:4; a boundary, as in Genesis 49:26. By dropping the prefix Th, it gives the sound of Omega. The Arabic sense of the word Thau is a mark in the form of a cross, with which the Arabs marked their animals.

The first and last letters being thus used symbolically in Scripture, it seems probable that every intermediate letter had some similar purport, agreeing with that of the constellation to which they belong."

The Alphabet And The Stars - The Hebrew Alphabet

In ancient Hebrew, like Chinese and ancient Egyptian, every word was formed by adding pictures together to paint or illustrate the meaning of a word.

Aleph - A way, or a beginning - An Ox or Bullock, a sacrifice or at-one-ment. Its numerical value is ONE. The literal meaning of aleph is ox or bull. The symbolic meaning of this letter is: God, strength, strong leader. It shows God's mastery and oneness.

In the ancient Hebrew, it was drawn like the head of an ox which is part of the original meaning of the letter. The literal meaning is "strong leader, strength, master."

Beth - A house - A House or Tent, a dwelling or tabernacle, in, among, within, etc.

Gimel - Retribution - A Camel, like a camel's hump, heap, collect, high.

Daleth - A door - A Door or Gate, lid, valve.

He - Demonstration - Lo, see, behold, (therefore) a lattice or window for that purpose

Vau - A nail bent back - A Peg, Nail or Hook, therefore, wherefore, then, that, in order that, so that, etc.

Zain - Armour - A Weapon, a shining sword, brightness, light.

Heth or Cheth - Terror - An Enclosure, fenced in, ark, refuge.

Teth - Declination - A Serpent, like a serpent, rolled, twisted, entwined.

Yod - Confession of praise - The Hand, the right hand, to strike or pierce, a stroke, a blow.

Caph - Hollow hand - The Hollow or Palm of the Hand, curved, concave, a valley or basin.

Lamed - Doctrine - A Goad, towards, into, unto, until, upon, even to, besides, etc.

Mem - Water, waves, a flood.

Nun - Filiation - A Fish, to sprout, to put forth (as one from whom all are propagated).

Samech - Opposition - A Fulcrum, prop, lever, to help, to sustain, to uphold, the hinge of a mason's apron, a ladder or line connecting the lower with the higher, the Holy Ghost.

Ayin - An eye - The Eye, to flow, to flow out, a fountain.

Pe - A mouth - The Mouth, to breathe, to blow, a side or quarter of the heavens, region, part, quarter.

Tzaddi - Sides - A Scythe or Reaping-hook, just, pertains to the harvest or retribution. Tsadok is Jupiter or justice (in Sanscrit, karma).

Koph - A circuit - Occiput, back of the head, to move in a circle.

Resh - Poverty - Head, first, foremost, beginning, front.

Rosh means a foremost or most northern nation.

Shin - A tooth - Tooth, a sharp rock, cliff, crag.

Thau - A sign - A Sign or Mark, cross, a symbol, a token.

If one puts these names and their meanings together, they tell the story of Christ and the gospel.

I also wrote a whole series on the Gospel in the Zodiac (Mazzaroth) or twelve constellations. I also taught a seminary class for one semester on it. Here was the syllabus:

Syllabus

First Class - The Gospel before Moses I
Second Class - The Gospel before Moses II
Third Class - The Gospel before Moses III
Fourth Class - The Sign of Virgo
Fifth Class - The Sign of Libra
Sixth Class - The Sign of Scorpio
Seventh Class - The Sign of Sagittarius
Eighth Class - The Sign of Capricorn
Ninth Class - The Sign of Aquarius
Tenth Class - The Sign of Pisces
Eleventh Class - The Sign of Aries
Twelfth Class - The Sign of Taurus
Thirteenth Class - The Sign of Gemini
Fourteenth Class - The Sign of Cancer
Fifteenth Class - The Sign of Leo
Sixteenth Class - The Lunar Zodiac

Possible Other Topics

1. Gospel in the Pyramid
2. Other Witnesses

Ancient Witnesses to the Gospel Story

1. The 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet
2. Mazzaroth or the ancient Zodiac (gospel in the stars)
3. Names of Adam's first descendents
4. The names of the twelve tribes of Israel
5. The names of the Sabbath Week
6. Tabernacle and Temple

Some others believe that the gospel story was also written in

1. The pyramids of Egypt, especially those of Giza.
2. The Sphinx

You can see it with other information (here)

The following are taken from my post (here)

"The Hebrew name for the zodiac is the Mazzaroth. Amazingly, is it possible that the twelve constellations in the Hebrew Zodiac (Mazzaroth) tell a fascinating story of God's plan for mankind's redemption?

1. Virgo – The virgin holding a branch and an ear of corn; the promised seed of the woman.

2. Libra – The scales; the price deficient balanced by the price that covers.

3. Scorpio – The scorpion; the attack of the enemy; the redeemer's conflict.

4. Sagittarius – The archer; the gracious one; the redeemer's triumph.

5. Capricornus – The sea goat; the goat of atonement slain for the redeemed.

6. Aquarius – The water bearer; the living waters of blessing poured forth for the redeemed.

7. Pisces – The fishes; the multitudes who will follow; the blessings of the redeemed.

8. Aries – The ram or lamb; wounded and slain, the blessings of the redeemed consummated.

9. Taurus – The bull; the congregation of the judge; the coming judge of all the earth.

10. Gemini – The twins; two natures; the reign of the prince of peace.

11. Cancer – The crab; assembled together; the redeemer's possessions held fast.

12. Leo – The Lion of the tribe of Judah; the consummated triumph of the redeemer in the end."

Also, see my posting "How Old Is The Gospel?" (here) There are several postings in this series.

Prophetic Names - 12 Tribes

Rolleston, under title "NAMES OF THE SONS OF JACOB ACCORDING TO THEIR BIRTH," gives the name and their significance in the following citation from her works.

Reuben, behold a son, the son, arising, pouring out blessings
Simeon, heard, characteristic of the Church
Levi, bound, united, characteristic of the Church
Judah, praise to the Lord, for the coming Messiah
Dan, judging, ruling, his people
Naphtali, wrestling, sufferings at the first coming
Gad, good fortune, blessings at the second coming, (Arab. use.)
Asher, happy, the going forth of the Gospel
Issachar, recompense, or reward, of the Messiah's sufferings
Zebulon, dwelling, as the promised seed at his first coming
Joseph, adding.
Ephraim, fruitful, Gen 41:52; gathering in the Gentiles
Benjamin, son of the right hand, called by his mother, Ben-oni, son of sorrow, the suffering and triumphant Messiah

From http://www.philologos.org/

Also, the names of the seven days of the week may well tell the story of the gospel. (See my posting here)

Sunday, think of Him who rose,
Who comes again even as He goes;
Monday, think how in His light
His faithful Church is calm and bright;
Tuesday, of His pierced side,
Wounded for His sister-bride;
Wednesday, of His sure return,
Soon may we that day discern;
Thursday, of His truth and love
Shining on us from above;
Friday, of His hour of anguish,
Lest our love of Him should languish;
Saturday, His silent grave,
Dying those He loved to save.

More people have had access to the gospel than most surmise. In the postings referred to I go into more depth on each of these primitive gospel witnesses. 

Gospel In The Genealogy

Just like "totem poles" and family staffs both record and tell history, so too do the genealogical names of the line between Adam and Noah tell the story of the Messiah. 

Here is how we ought to read it:

Mankind has been appointed to death and sorrow - > The Blessed God shall come down to teach mankind and his death will bring the despairing comfort and rest. 

Is that not the essence of the gospel concerning the Messiah and salvation?

Sulking People of God

The Prophet Jonah Sulking

(Jonah 4)

Is "sulking" (the gerund or present participle) a good or bad thing? What is it? According to the dictionaries it means to "be silent, morose, and bad-tempered out of annoyance or disappointment." This happens to nearly all children when they are whipped, chastened, or otherwise punished by parents for misbehavior. It also involves, say the dictionaries, "self-pity that causes us to sulk and obsess over our hurts." 

For myself I can say that I sometimes sulked after a whipping when I was a child. But, adults can also sulk though not from parental whippings as such. I again confess that I have sulked at times in my married life when I thought my wife was not showing me proper attention. Can God's people react that way? Do they sometimes sulk when God spanks them? Recently, I was made to see what I had previously only seen in a limited way. I saw how most sulking is not the right reaction that pleases our God and Father. Yet, not to throw out the baby with the bathwater and go to extremes, I will say that I believe it can be good and not a bad thing. The case of Job shows that, doesn't it? So too the case of the prophet Jonah. If I ask those who know the story of Job - "did Job sulk?" What would most say? Yes, Job was a sulker, most would say. I agree. However, I don't think his sulking was ungodly. So, was his (or our) sulking, sinful behavior, displeasing to God? 

In looking into this I found an article titled "Sulking May Be Common, But It's Not Godly" (here) and I want to cite from it and add some comments and observations.

The author says:

"Have you ever sulked or pouted because you didn't get your way? I have. I'm not proud of it either. I wish I could say it's happened in my life only once or twice, but that wouldn't be honest.

Sulking is selfish. It's self-centered. It is not Christ-like. Jesus tells us that if we want to follow Him we have to take up our crosses and deny self. Unfortunately our culture is self-consumed and self-centered. When we pout we are more like the world than Jesus."

I think that is true in most cases, but I think that there are exceptions. I believe that the sulking of Job was not ungodly.

Says the article further:

"Sulking is a great way to refuse to accept personal responsibility for decisions, actions, or attitudes that we don't want to admit, or think about in constructive ways that promote personal growth."

Again, I believe that is true and is why I must fight all inclinations to sulk when troubles come in waves and when I am being chastened of the Lord.

Says the article further:

"...churches are often fertile breeding ground for the pouter. In 24+ years of pastoral ministry I've seen some of the best sulkers the church has to offer. Nearly every one of them had unresolved family of origin, anger, or spoiled child issues. And I can count on one hand the number of people in all those years and churches who actually faced their sin of sulking and dealt with it in a mature, biblical manner that honored God. Most pouted their way to the exit and took their wheelbarrow full of self pity to the next church where it inevitably spilled over again." 

"The best way to handle a sulker is to let them soak in their own stew and don't let it affect your attitude and outlook."

Brethren, let us not sulk as the ungodly when we are chastened of the Lord or suffer insults and other harms from others.

Let me cite the following important text that is related to our subject. I will put the word "sulking" (which includes the idea of pouting) in the text.  

"8For even if I made you sorry (to sulk) with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry (to sulk), though only for a while. 9Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry (sulked), but that your sorrow(sulking) led to repentance. For you were made sorry (sulked) in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10For godly sorrow (sulking) produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow (sulking) of the world produces death. 11For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed (sulked) in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication!" (II Cor. 7: 8-11)

I recall that I often, as a child, when spanked by my parents, went through a sulking period, and then, when I had reflected and calmed down, I would come around to mom and dad and say "I am sorry for the way I acted." My sulking led me to get by myself and allow my flesh and soul to battle one another and thankfully it has many times led to my confession and repentance and restoration of fellowship with parents, spouses, or friends.  So, let us sulk to repentance. Let us not be angry with God because he chastises us or does not give us all that we ask for. We don't want the Lord to spoil his children till they are ready, right?

Spurgeon's Complaint To God

The great Baptist preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, of nineteenth century London, suffered from several infirmities that caused him pain, such as his recurring gout. But, though he sometimes wrote of it, he never overly complained. He did struggle in prayer with God about "why is this happening Lord?" and "Lord, why do you not heal me of this? If my child suffered in such pain and I could heal him, I surely would." "How is this working together for my good?" Well, he is not alone for others, including myself, have also wrestled with God in prayer. Have you? 

Here is what Spurgeon wrote about one of his times of wrestling with God in prayer (emphasis mine):

"A few months later he described in a sermon one experience during this period of affliction: 

“When I was racked some months ago with pain, to an extreme degree, so that I could no longer bear it without crying out, I asked all to go from the room, and leave me alone; and then I had nothing I could say to God but this, ‘Thou art my Father, and I am thy child; and thou, as a Father, art tender and full of mercy. I could not bear to see my child suffer as thou makest me suffer, and if I saw him tormented as I am now, I would do what I could to help him, and put my arms under him to sustain him. Wilt thou hide thy face from me, my Father? Wilt thou still lay on a heavy hand, and not give me a smile from thy countenance?’ . . . so I pleaded, and I ventured to say, when I was quiet, and they came back who watched me: ‘I shall never have such pain again from this moment, for God has heard my prayer.’ I bless God that ease came and the racking pain never returned.” 

He regularly referred to this incident, although it is impossible to determine whether his gout was never as excruciating as it was during that episode." (as cited here)

Such times are these bring us into the same situation in which Job found himself, though often of less degree of suffering as he. He wondered why God was allowing such bad things to happen to him. That is when "the Satan" whispers to us "see, God does not care about you." But, if our faith is rooted and grounded in Christ, we will also say as Job "though he slay me yet will I trust him." (Job 13: 15) He continues to trust God even though he does not do things that we think he should do for us. It calls for both faith and patience, the kind we see in Job. We do not always know the reason why. But, we will "understand it better by and by" when we reach the land of perfect day.