COME AND SEE May and June 1997 Volume 23 Issue 3
The Minor Prophets - Habakkuk (54)
H. L. Rossier
Chapter 1
Introduction
"The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see" (Hab. 1:1). Everything in Scripture is given for our learning, both in its speaking and in its silence. It tells us nothing about Habakkuk himself, nor about the time of his prophecy. The most careful and precise inquiries by the critics about the time in which the prophet wrote have resulted in conflicting conclusions. When the facts presented in God's Word are sufficiently clear and allow us to place the prophecy in the sphere in which it was produced, we receive much clarity and edification. But when God does not speak, the researches of scholars are of limited value to the Christian, no matter how interesting they might be.
Certain indications, however, make it quite probable that Habakkuk prophesied during the reign of King Josiah. Two circumstances could support this idea: (1) Israel's idolatry is not mentioned in Habakkuk; (2) the Chaldean rather than the Assyrian (who was the adversary during the reign of Hezekiah and Manasseh) is seen as Israel's enemy. Whatever the case, the fact that God's Spirit does not mention the circumstances during the time when the prophecy was given, accentuates the spiritual character of this book. Habakkuk reveals very few prophetic events. He described the character of God's ways in view of the moral condition of the people and the nations. Moreover, this Book shows us the result this revelation had in the prophet's heart. Thus he became a picture of the spiritual condition of the remnant of the last days.
All this is of great importance and significance for us. Because all historical details have been omitted, it is immediately evident that we have to do with the principles which rule us today just as they did the people of Habakkuk's days. These principles prove God's perfect governmental ways and the holiness of His Being. When the Christian meditates on these things, he can only worship the divine perfection found in them.
The spiritual condition in the midst of which Habakkuk lived is as follows. Though he records many misdeeds in Israel, there is no mention of idolatry, as in Zephaniah; among its enemies, the Chaldeans, a coarse kind of idolatry was overshadowed by the glorification of man. The prophet himself displayed an indignant spirit and a sorrowful heart, though enlightened by the divine instruction. He learned to live by faith in anticipation of the coming glory, but he overflowed with songs of praise even before he had received the promise.
We already mentioned that there is a remarkable agreement between the day of Habakkuk and our day. This causes the prophecy to be tremendously significant for us, as confirmed in the New Testament The quotations from Habakkuk support and illustrate Paul's whole doctrine of God's righteousness, of faith, of life, of the resurrection of Christ and His coming, of the wrath of God revealed from heaven, and, finally, of the glory! Only the mystery of the Assembly, which is not revealed in the Old Testament, is lacking from this summary. Thus the harmony between the various parts of God's Word is confirmed, forming one whole. Awareness of this harmony will keep the believer from giving credence to learned critics, enemies of the Word, of whom God Himself declares, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and set aside the understanding of the understanding ones" (1 Cor. 1:19; Isa. 29:14).
God is not Indifferent to the Sins of His People
"Jehovah, how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto thee, Violence! and thou dost not save. Why dost thou cause me to see iniquity, and lookest thou upon grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention riseth up. Therefore the law is powerless, and justice doth never go forth; for the wicked encompasseth the righteous; therefore judgment goeth forth perverted" (Hab. 1:2-4).
Even in these first verses we notice that among the minor prophets the Book of Habakkuk displays a special character. In Micah we see, as it were, a conversation consisting of questions and answers between the Lord, His prophet, and various other speakers. That discourse ends with a court session in which the accused appears before his judges. In Nahum, the Lord alone addresses, in turn, the various persons involved. In Habakkuk we are present during a most intimate talk between the prophet and His God. Habakkuk spoke to the Lord and He answered him. In this respect there is a similarity with Jeremiah. But here this touching event takes place in the heart and conscience of Habakkuk. It is not interrupted by any event of a personal nature as it was during the course of Jeremiah's prophecy. Fear beset him when he saw what was happening, but the events themselves did not seem to affect him personally. They gave rise to questions of such a besetting nature that he felt the need to pour out his heart before the Lord, to be delivered from the deep-seated unrest these events had brought about within him.
Habakkuk was a man of faith and his first word: "Lord, how long..." shows this. However, his faith needed strengthening and enlightenment. It was mixed with weakness. And indeed, it found an answer full of mercy, for God reprimands unbelief, but not the weakness of our human nature. Our weakness is met with the compassion of Him who was "tempted in all things in like manner, sin apart" (Heb. 4:15).
In our case, weakness is always to a greater or lesser degree accompanied by sin. The apostle himself could glory in his weaknesses insofar as these were not mixed with the flesh (2 Cor. 9-10). In his weaknesses the Lord could accomplish His power in His beloved apostle.
A Cry of Faith
The expression "How long" is a cry of faith that we often encounter in the psalms and prophets. It expresses faith in the certainty that God, when the time has come, will answer. In the meantime, it accepts the tribulation as a necessary trial. The faithful remnant of Israel that during the last days will go through the trials of the Great Tribulation will utter this cry too. The remnant, however, will have the assurance that these trials are the last word of God's judgments, being the preparation for the glorious coming of the Messiah, to reign in liberty, righteousness, and peace.
In our chapter it is a little different. The prophet was a witness who stood separated from the people. Personally he did not suffer under the violence as will be the case with the remnant. He was a spectator and observed the suffering. It was not a case of Israel's idolatry here, but of that which characterized man corrupted by sin ever since the beginning of his history (Gen. 6:11): violence, with its train of injustice, oppression, destruction, discord, and disunity among the people (vv. 2-3).
Today, as in the day of the prophet, every heart that is concerned about the Lord's interests can readily observe these things. They are "before our eyes" just as they were before the eyes of Habakkuk. Our resulting heaviness of heart increases all the more, as did Habakkuk's, when we see how these things take place among those who pretend to be God's people, during a time when the Lord has already forsaken them. Then, if our soul, just as weak as the prophet's, has not yet learned why God allows these evils to continue without bringing them to an end, we call: "Why dost Thou cause me to see iniquity, and lookest Thou upon grievance?"
In speaking thus, we forget two things which the prophet Nahum established (1:3,7): "Jehovah is slow to anger" and "Jehovah is good." We call upon Him: "I cry out unto Thee, Violence! and Thou dost not save." We would like to see God intervening against a spiritual and moral condition which we know He abhors. Actually, although this cry expresses our love for the believers who endure these disastrous times, our weakness manifests a touch of egoism!
"Thou dost not save." The issue here is not a spiritual salvation, but a temporal deliverance. The anxious soul would like to see peace restored, and the violent ones judged and taken away. The violence is there, it occurs under our eyes, and God does not answer! We repeat: this is not a lack of faith, but the cry of alarm uttered by a heart that, while not yet sufficiently established in trusting faith, sees itself confronted with a problem that thus far remains insolvable in his eyes. Why does God allow the evil? How can He seemingly forget His own who are defenseless in the midst of the wicked systems of man? The prophet would soon receive the answer, but a different one than he expected. He had to experience a sorrowful time of training that would become a rich blessing for his soul, before he understood what God would bring about in the hearts of His own in days of trial.
Unrighteousness and Ungodliness
"Therefore the law is powerless." The purpose of the law, earlier given by the Lord Himself, was to break the will of man. "Justice," which man ought to have learned to apply under the protection of the law, "doth never go forth." To the contrary, "the wicked encompasses the righteous." We need to take special note of this phrase: "the righteous." In chapter 2 we will find it again.
The prophet was well aware of his own uprightness. Later, when Israel's remnant will go through the judgments of the last days, it will also be aware of this. But Habakkuk had not yet received an answer and only saw the victory of evil over good. He directed his "why's" to God. He would certainly not have done so without trusting that God would answer him. How can it be that "justice doth never go forth" and that, when it is eventually pronounced, it is "perverted," the opposite of what a God-fearing, righteous soul might have expected? No matter where the faithful believer turns, everywhere he meets injustice and ungodliness.
The Lord would soon answer. Meanwhile, the righteous one can conclude only that which God has observed ever since sin came into the world. Apart from those who have been justified through faith, there is not one righteous person in this world.
Regarding Israel's national character, the Word of God teaches us that during the reign of Rehoboam "in Judah there were good things" (2 Chr. 12:12). And during Hezekiah's time, no matter how guilty Judah might have been, Scripture tells us: "Judah yet walketh with God, and with the holy things of truth" (Hos. 11:12). However, during subsequent reigns this was not so. During that of Josiah we read (in the prophet Zephaniah) God's thoughts about the "nation without shame," about the "rebellious and corrupted... oppressing city," about its princes, judges, prophets, and priests (2:1; 3:1-4). At the end of its history, Israel's moral condition was not better than that of man at the beginning of man's history. This condition, actually, has never changed.
So we see that God caused the blessings for the people to depend on the behaviour of their kings, Israel's responsible leaders. During the reign of some of Judah's kings, the evil was halted, justice was established, piety toward the Lord was acknowledged, and the temple service was restored, but all without any change in the heart of the people as a result. On the other hand, the reign of a godless king aggravated this unhappy spiritual and moral condition of shameless idolatry, to which the corrupted heart of the people immediately abandoned itself.[1]
God's Response
"See ye among the nations, and behold, and wonder marvellously; for I work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be declared to you" (Hab. 1:5).
Here we find the answer to the prophet's question. It is not directed at him, but at the wicked ones about whom he had complained. They better "see among the nations" and observe with amazement how the Lord would recompense their deeds. At that particular moment, the Assyrian had not yet been annihilated; the Lord would, however, raise up the Chaldean. He would subject the other nations to this power but first of all cause His people to become subservient to them. Perhaps Israel expected to be delivered for good from oppression after it was set free from the yoke of the Assyrian. To the contrary, it would fall under an entirely different heavy and cruel yoke. And, what was even a more terrible judgment, the Lord would take the kingdom from Israel and commit it to Babel, to "the golden head" of the Gentile empire. That fate awaited the wicked nation. Simultaneously, the prophet received an answer upon his cry: "I cry out unto Thee, Violence! and Thou dost not save." Thereby the Lord showed His servant that if He did not deliver the righteous from the violence of the wicked ones, it is because they will soon be chastised by Him. Israel would with its land fall under the stroke of Babylonia and be brought into slavery.
The Holy Spirit gives to this prophecy a much wider application, as we see in Acts 13. When Paul with Barnabas arrived in Antioch in Pisidia, he gave a message in the synagogue. The careful reader will note that it dealt precisely with Habakkuk 1:5. When there was no salvation, and the prophet said: "Thou dost not save," God raised up a Saviour to Israel who had died and who was risen. "The "word of this salvation" was sent specifically to those who had rejected Christ. They all heard this word and they who feared God were called to accept it (Acts. 13:23, 26).
The nation had neither known the Lord Jesus nor understood the voice of the prophets who had announced Him. Worse: it had condemned its Messiah and in so doing had fulfilled what Habakkuk had said of them: "Judgment goeth forth perverted" (1:4). Therefore the apostle applied the word "of the prophets" to them, and in particular that of Habakkuk. He quoted and declared it in connection with the condition of those to whom he was speaking: "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which ye will in no wise believe if one declare it to you" (Acts 13:41). They did no longer have to "see among the nations." Long since, the Chaldeans had been replaced by other powers, finally by Rome, the last of all.
Since the days of Habakkuk the nation had lain under the yoke of the Gentiles. At the time of Paul's preaching, Israel was subject to the fourth Gentile power. Therefore the apostle did not say, like Habakkuk: "I will work a work in your days" (1:5 KJV). God did the work, and it was not judgment. The great salvation was announced, first to the Jews, and if they despised it, and therefore proved to be despisers, the apostle would turn to the Gentiles. Then these would see among the Jews and observe the judgment over this nation because it had rejected the grace that had come to them in the Lord Jesus Christ. This took place in the same city of Antioch, where the Jews, because they thrust God's salvation in Christ from them, did not judge themselves to be worthy of eternal life.
The apostles "having shaken off the dust of their feet against them, came to Iconium" (Acts 13:46,51).
According to Paul, the gospel was the answer to the prophet's complaint: "Thou dost not save." It was salvation when the nation deserved judgment. But when the Jews despised grace, a much more terrible judgment than the Babylonian exile, yes, than the yoke of the Romans, would remain for them. The destruction of Jerusalem and their definitive scattering among the nations stood at the door. Here we have an example of the way in which God uses His own Word, and we will find other examples of this during the course of this exposition.
Again and again, God brings truths to light that announce grace, whereas the world could only expect judgment. How terrible then will be the judgment if man firmly rejects this grace! It is important to observe here, as it is with the exposition of every prophecy, that the imminent judgment by means of the Chaldeans foreshadowed a future judgment.
A Wicked Power
"For behold, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and impetuous nation, which marcheth through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling-places that are not theirs. They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves" (Hab. 1:6-7).
The Lord took care that the prophet would learn another lesson. When He raised up the Chaldeans it was not because He had discovered any spiritual or moral good in them. Rather the contrary; they were a cruel nation. How could God ever appreciate this? They were impetuous, taking the initiative in attack, advancing over the breadth of the earth, conquering the countries of the world, and taking possession of inhabited regions not belonging to them.
This zeal to take possession of the territory of others and to annex it differs in no respect to what we see happening in our day. But the Chaldeans were the rod in God's hand to chasten Israel as well as the nations. The Lord had said, "See ye among the nations." This all-overflowing stream, racing through the world, this flood wave of God's judgments had to fall on Israel. Prior to swallowing it, though, it would in its violence and terror swipe away everything it encountered in its path. That was surely well-suited to fill hearts with anxiety.
"Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves." His own will determined what the Chaldean called his right. So it was also with his dignity. He did not take other's dignity into account. He felt that his own dignity exalted him above others. High-handedness and boundless pride led him. Don't we know similar examples in our day? The believer might wish that this pride were put down, but God says to him: Don't you see that these judgments come from Me, and that they, though they begin with the nations surrounding you, are meant for you?
Then follows the lively and terrible description of the Chaldean power: "Their horses are swifter than the leopards, and are more agile than the evening wolves; and their horsemen prance proudly, and their horsemen come from afar: they fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour. They come all of them for violence: the crowd of their faces is forwards, and they gather captives as the sand. Yea, he scoffeth at kings, and princes are a scorn unto him; he derideth every stronghold: for he heapeth up dust, and taketh it" (Hab. 1:8-10). More than once Jeremiah uses the same expressions (Jer. 4:13; 5:6; etc.). The Assyrian and the Chaldean showed common characteristics, but the Assyrian does not use such an organized way of conquering and slaughtering. The swiftness and agility of the Chaldeans were like those of a pack of hungry wolves rushing on silently. With gleaming eyes glowing in the dark, they were sure to reach their prey. Just at the right moment the horsemen came storming on, swift as eagles.
It was an attack filled with rage, just as we found in the prophecy of Nahum (ch. 2:3-4; 3:1-3). "They come all of them for violence." The prophet, terrified about the condition of the people, calls to the Lord: "Violence!" God showed him that this violence would find its just retribution in the violent behaviour of Babel. "They gather captives as the sand... he derideth every stronghold." History repeats itself, people say with resignation. Doubtless, but that is only so since the characteristics of sinful man repeat themselves, challenging God's holiness, daring Him. When in turn, however, Babel's power begins to fall, its kings and rulers will be the laughingstock of others, just as the kings of the nations had been previously.
Relying on One's Own Strength
"Then will his mind change, and he will pass on, and become guilty: this his power is become his god" (Hab. 1:11).
A moment came at which the head of the Chaldean nation, which the Lord held to be the person responsible for the task that God had entrusted to him, changed his mind. Instead of seeing himself as an instrument, he went beyond what he had been charged with and sinned thereby. It isn't as if he had not sinned a thousand times by his cruelties, pride, and idolatry. But the time came when his own strength assumed the place of God. The power that God had laid into his hands became his god. He worshipped that power: his power. He trusted in it, he honoured it.
The head of the Chaldean empire was not alone in this. During the events of the last days Babylon's successor, the Roman beast, healed of its deadly wound, will have no other religion. It is the religion propagated by the philosophy of Nietzsche [the άbermensch exalted by the military powers during the author's days]. During the events of mankind's last days there will be much less mention of raw idolatry than of the worship of man, whom the world will make its idol. The idolaters of bygone days worshipped an unknown god in his characteristics of power, goodness, and righteousness. In their imagination they gave this god the form of a man or a beast. The future object of worship will be man. The tendency to this was evident already early in the history of the world empires (Dan. 3:67,11) and in days past it reached its peak in the deifying of the Roman emperors. But the deified man himself cannot do without a god. The Antichrist, who will demand that he be worshipped as a god, will himself become a worshipper of the powers that Satan will have subjected to him (Dan. 11:38).
God Cannot Behold Evil
"Art thou not from everlasting, Jehovah my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. Jehovah, Thou hast ordained him for judgment; and Thou, O Rock, hast appointed him for correction. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on mischief" (vv. 12-13).
Although God's Word announced only judgments (vv. 5-10), the prophet's heart overflowed with thankfulness to the Lord. The fellowship with God gave him the assurance that God, his God, was his Holy One, a God who maintained a connection with him, a weak, failing, and ignorant man, who, though a prophet, was scarcely acquainted with His thoughts. That God is "from everlasting" and therefore the God of the promises given to Israel. He took Habakkuk, the representative of His people, in protection. He had given Himself to His prophet, and the prophet belonged to Him. What a privilege when the soul may speak so intimately with God!
How much greater it is for us, who know God as He has revealed Himself fully in Christ, who can say: "My Father, My Lord, My Saviour!
"We shall not die." How can one doubt any longer that life, eternal life, is our part when one knows such a God personally? Because Habakkuk didn't have, as we do, the full revelation of "the Word of life," he could not go as far as we. He knew, however, that God's people would not die, that the divine chastening that had come over Israel would not end with its annihilation. He had received the answer on his first "Why?" and understood what was a mystery for him: The Chaldean had been "ordained" and "appointed" for judgment and chastisement due because of the violence and unrighteousness of the people. For that reason he had been raised up. But this proved that the Rock of ages, "the Rock of Israel," had not deserted His people for good. When a father chastises his child, it is not to kill it, but to form it according to his own character. This is how God deals with us too, "that we may become partakers of His holiness" (Heb. 12:10). This is a comforting thought. God acknowledges us as His children when He chastens us. He chastens us precisely because we are His children.
It is however, impossible for Him to see evil without occupying Himself with it. He must reject it; His eyes are too pure to behold it. In verse 3 the prophet had said: "Why dost Thou cause me to see iniquity, and lookest Thou upon grievance?" Now he had learned that, though God had caused him to see unrighteousness (and how else would he learn to judge it?) God cannot tolerate it in His presence. His eyes can only satisfy themselves with what is perfect and pure and rest on that which is purely good. In the midst of the darkest circumstances, sin, and uncleanness He sees a most humbled Man, Christ, who in the midst of His humiliation was the perfect Man. And in Him His love has found all its pleasure. The prophet also learned in answer to his quest: "Why dost Thou look upon grievance?" that God cannot "look on mischief" (v. 13). What blindness had laid hold on even a prophet that he was unfit to understand this riddle when he had to do with God's government?
How is it that one must know God to understand this? Looking upon evil never leads us to the true knowledge of God, but knowledge of God teaches us about the true character of evil.
Indifference about the Wickedness of the Enemy?
That which the prophet had just learned awakened within him a warm affection for his people. At first he had only been occupied with the terrible condition into which Israel had sunk. Later he understood the interest God had for Israel, and simultaneously he was instructed in the principles of God's governmental ways towards His people. While he enjoyed the fellowship with his God, as we saw in verse 12, he took courage to pose another question: "Wherefore lookest Thou upon them that deal treacherously, and keepest silence when the wicked swalloweth up a man more righteous than he?" (v. 13). Thou art not able to look upon the misery, the oppression, yet it seems that Thou remainest unmoved toward those who act unfaithfully. Instead of intervening, Thou seemest to be indifferent towards the evil that comes over Thy people, that, though ever so guilty, is more righteous than its enemies.
True enough, there were in Israel not only many wicked things but also some "good things" that the surrounding nations lacked. During the reign of Josiah these good things were present. In fact, Israel was more righteous than its adversaries. The prophet wanted to know the answer to this problem as well. If God observed something good with those who were oppressed by the wicked one, why did He then favour them in their undertakings? There was, however, one thing that the prophet did understand before he received the divine answer: "Thou makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them" (v. 14).
When God has entrusted a government to men, He has the right to take it entirely away from them and to deliver them as prey to those in whose hands He gives the power. Thus it would soon go with the nations conquered by Babel. The same fate would fall upon Israel, that once stood as one whole under God's government. It had deserted the Lord and would be abandoned without king, without prince, and without help against the enemy (Isa. 63:19; Hos. 3:4).
"He taketh up all of them with the hook, he catcheth them in his net, and gathereth them into his drag; therefore he rejoiceth and is glad: therefore he sacrificeth unto his net, and burneth incense unto his drag; for by them his portion is become fat, and his meat dainty" (vv. 15-16).
The prophet began to understand a little of what was about to happen. He was of one mind with God's thoughts expressed in verse 11: "Whose power is his god." He saw that the enemy made use of the power that had been entrusted to him to make an idol of his "net" and his "drag." Well may we ask ourselves whether, though under a different form, things are really different today. And if things are so, "Shall he therefore empty his net, and not spare to slay the nations continually?" (v. 17). The prophet's two great questions concerned therefore God's governmental ways with his people and with the world. In the New Testament the First and the Second Epistles of Peter give an answer to these questions.
The questions of the prophet betray a great confidence toward God. Simultaneously they contain an acknowledgment of ignorance and a strong desire to be taught by Him. He had felt it already before, but would soon fully realize that to know God's ways it is sufficient to know God Himself. Without this knowledge of His Person all that happens in the world will forever remain an unsolvable mystery to us.
To be cont'd
Paul's Prayer for the Colossians
A. E. Bouter
Introduction
The believers in Colosse had received the good news of God's grace and had become disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ through the faithful service of Epaphras (Col. 1:7). Paul, who did not know those Christians personally, recommended them, in many ways, as they were bearing fruit and growing (v. 6).[2] What an example these believers are for us!
Yet it was obvious to Paul that serious dangers were at the horizon for the Colossian believers. This caused him to pray for them. However, before he began to pray, he gave thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus (v. 3) for them, referring to their faith, love, and hope (v. 4-5). Paul cast himself and the believers on God, the Source of all blessing. It is important to note this, because we have the tendency to look for help elsewhere: in ourselves, in each other, in human organizations, or whatever human resources there may be.
Besides Epaphras there were apparently several other teachers in Colosse who influenced those early Christians in different ways (cf. the warnings in 2:4,8,16,18,20). That is why Paul emphasized their special relationship to Christ (1:28). Meanwhile he fervently prayed for them (1:29; 2:1-3), so that they might really lay hold of the all-sufficiency of Christ (2:9f).
Filled with the Full Knowledge of His Will
Paul prayed that the believers would be filled with nothing but the knowledge of God's will, so that they might be controlled by it alone (1:9). What a contrast with the aim of some other teachers who sought to impose rules and ordinances (2:16-23)! Paul also prayed for the right spiritual condition, because this is a prerequisite for proper understanding and spiritual intelligence. The right condition before God allows for growth (1:10f), causing the person and work of Christ to become more and more precious.[3] Notice also that right from the beginning, Paul mentioned the grace of God (v. 6), the source of both our salvation and our walk. It is through that same grace that we experience spiritual growth.
Putting knowledge into practice
The Lord told His disciples that those who do the things they have been taught are blessed, rather than those who merely know them (Jn. 13:17). James, who is always concerned about good practice as the result of good teaching, stresses the same point (cf. Jas. 1:22). Paul brought the same issue before his readers by instructing them to "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Col. 1:10 NASB).
Knowledge of God's will increases responsibility, not merely as a burden, but also as a privilege (cf. Lk. 12:47f). The magnificent Person presented in the Epistle to the Colossians is our Lord! Is it not a great privilege to have Him as Master and Lord and to follow Him? Or would we merely listen, even with delight, but without any desire or intention to practice the truth?
This is why Paul prayed that the Colossian believers might walk in a worthy manner, namely in accord with the glorious Person they served and represented. It is not enough to be aware of the dignity we believers possess by having our position in Christ: we should act accordingly; this is what the Christian walk is all about. The walk of the believer ought to be in submission to the Lord's authority. Moreover, we should follow His example with the energy that faith receives from our glorified Lord. We cannot do this in our own strength, but only in the power of the Holy Spirit. In this way only can we be followers of Christ and walk together as believers.
Unto All Pleasing
It was the desire and practice of the Lord to do God's will. He could say "I do always those things that please Him" (Jn. 8:29 KJV). Now it is up to us to follow the Lord in a worthy manner. This implies submission to Him out of love for Him. We ought to follow His steps in such a way that what is true in Him may be true in us (cf. 1 Jn. 2:8).
It was Paul's consuming desire to please his Master (2 Cor. 5:9). Is it strange that he would desire the same thing for us? (cf. Eph. 5:10; Rom. 12:2). If we walk in real dependence upon our glorified Lord (2:6), we will walk in wisdom (4:5) and please our Master. This kind of "walk" will be accompanied by "good works" not to earn salvation, but as an expression of our close communion with Christ in the glory!
Fruit-bearing and growing in the knowledge of God (v. 10) is an ongoing process (see also 2:7 and John 15). This wonderful experience can be a reality for every believer, from young to old! But the enemy hates it. Why? Because he hates God and does not want God to receive something for His glory from people who although they have been delivered from the devil's power are still living on this earth, in Satan's domain. If he, Satan, cannot prevent people from getting saved, he wants them to stay babes, so that he can influence them. Thereby he seeks to rob God of something, for then God will not receive the worship and praise due to Him. Thus Satan in opposition to God, tries to prevent Him from receiving His portion through the walk and worship of believers.
Strengthened
However, Paul keeps on praying! He prays and desires that according to Christ's glorious power ("up there") working in the believer ("down here"), Christians may carry on in His strength and power (cf. Paul's own experience in 2 Cor. 12:9!). The word translated by patience in the KJV means endurance, steadfastness, or perseverance. It implies that one continues despite a burden. Then Paul adds: "with longsuffering" not giving up. Still, this is not all: we should do this with joy and thankfulness!
Think of the Lord's example (Heb. 12:2); how the joy of what was before Him not only sustained Him during the sufferings of a difficult pathway, but even strengthened Him while enduring the cross. Now we, following His example, may be filled with His joy. God the Father will receive His portion, when we, passing through difficult circumstances and enduring opposition, are still giving thanks unto the Father, who "made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." Is it not true that believers who go through difficult times learn to praise and thank God more? This is God's triumph over Satan's attacks, but it is our business to really give thanks in the midst of adversity. Is it not remarkable to see that Paul's prayer was based on thanksgiving (v. 3), and that it brought him to worship (v. 13)? What an example for us!
From Teaching to Transformation: the Result of Paul's Prayer
Paul's letters contain another beautiful aspect. They show that Paul was not satisfied with merely presenting the doctrine God had entrusted to him. No, after having taught, he prayed for a work of God to take place in the hearts and lives of those who had listened (cf. his prayers in Eph. 1:18-23 and 3:14-21). These very prayers summarize his teaching. When believers take this teaching to heart, reflecting the contents of these prayers in their own walk, God is going to work. This is such a blessed mystery: when, through the teaching we receive, we as believers do what God wants us to do, God will accomplish a work in us that we ourselves cannot achieve. Who of us can produce fruit? Who of us can transform himself? By looking steadfastly upon the Lord, by imitating His walk of commitment to God's will, by a walk of obedience... the impossible will take place! Thus Christ worked in Paul's life, and so He works in ours (1:29).
Another point I want to emphasize: Paul did not bring a philosophy, a doctrine, or a religion: he preached Christ (1:28; Rom. 16:25; 2 Cor. 1:19; 4:5). Thus, he elaborated upon Christ's greatness in creation, in redemption, and in resurrection, and now also as Head of the Church in the glory. Then he summarized the Lord's greatness by saying (in 2:3) that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him, in Christ in the glory. Meanwhile He dwells in the believers and is their life (1:27).
Christ, as the Unique Treasure, Who is All-sufficient
Paul's ministry is characterized by the blessed Person of our Lord. Christ as He is now in the glory meant everything to Paul. In this, Paul is an example for us. On his way to Damascus, Saul (the desired one) had fallen down before the Lord of glory (Acts 9:5), before the One who rightly merited his surrender, commitment, and service. Out of love for his Master, who had given Himself for him (Gal. 2:20), Paul (the little one) began his service continuing in it till the end (2 Tim. 4) conscious of his own nothingness, but relying on the all-sufficiency of Christ.
Who would be as alert as Paul to notice that the enemy started to rob the believers in Colosse of their impression of the all-sufficiency of Christ? The "teachers" did neither deny Christ's accomplished work, nor His wonderful Person, but they suggested that the believers needed to do something or to be (or become) something, in addition to what Christ had done and is. This was a very subtle attack! The pedagogues or teachers Paul unmasked in this epistle were not saying that Christ was not great, that His work was not wonderful. No, the essence of their teaching was that the believers needed something besides Christ and His work. Therefore Paul assured his readers that all treasures are in Christ (2:3). He exhorted the Christians to walk, to grow, and to be built up in Him (2:5-7). Further, he set before them that in Him, who is now the glorified Man in heaven, all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in bodily form (2:9). Paul also attested that the believers are complete in Christ, who is the Head of all principality and power (2:10). No, nothing can be added! By placing something beside Christ, or by adding to His work, we rob Him of His unique greatness and sufficiency.
Conclusion
Paul's appreciation of the tremendous treasure he possessed in Christ only increased as time passed. The longer the former rabbi of Tarsus followed Jesus of Nazareth the more impressed he became by the greatness of His glorious Person. This is the desire expressed in Paul's prayer for the believers, both then and now, that Christ might become the all-controlling influence in their lives too. No room for the flesh, no room for self, no room for "man," but "Christ all and in all" (3:11 KJV).
The Battle of Conquerors (7)
G. H. Elbers
Chapter 7
"For the rest, brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the might of His strength. Put on the panoply of God, that ye may be able to stand against the artifices of the devil: because our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against principalities, against authorities, against the universal lords of this darkness, against spiritual power of wickedness in the heavenlies" (Eph. 6:10-12).
Artifices Wiles
Do you know the principle of angling? It is tempting a fish! Try to imagine what happens there below the water surface. A fish swims around and sees only a worm or some other edible thing no hook, no fishing line, no fishing rod, no knife, no frying pan. Everything that lies behind the bait is not visible to the fish. That's why he takes a bite and plays with his life. The fish can't resist the temptation.
Ephesians 6:11 speaks of the 'artifices (or wiles KJV) of the devil.' Immediately following are the words: "because our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against principalities, against authorities, against the universal lords of this darkness, against spiritual power of wickedness in the heavenlies." Just think about it. What lies behind the bait of temptation? An array of great powers who are against us and against our battle. The opposition is immeasurably greater than we can fathom. Maybe you smiled about the example of the frying pan; it never entered the fish's mind when he saw the bait. But have you ever stopped to think about what lies behind the devil's temptations? The whole array of powers mentioned in Ephesians 6:12!
Murderer and Father of Lies!
The Lord said of Satan: He is "a murderer from the beginning... he is a liar and its father" (Jn. 8:44). Let's put it this way: Do you see who sits there angling? Do you see who is behind the temptation? In case it's not yet clear, think about Eve, Lot, Jacob, Achan, Samson, the sons of Eli, David and Bathsheba, Ahab, Judas, Saul of Tarsus, Ananias and Sapphira. Do we need any more examples? All these people fell for Satan's temptations! They didn't consider who sat there 'holding the fishing rod!' Yet, they were not senseless fish, but people who could reason and knew the difference between good and evil! Whoever understands the Bible a little will have to admit that God has given us sufficient directions to know what is good and what is evil!
Solomon asked God for an understanding heart in order to be able to distinguish between good and evil (1 Ki. 3:9). In Psalm 119:11, the psalmist says: "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee." By the way, this verse needs a little attention. It means to say that the taking in of, and thinking about, God's Word protects us against sinning! It means that God's Spirit can cause us to recall the Word whenever temptations press upon us. For example, if we are about to lie, God's Word will remind us that it is against God's will; if impure thoughts plague us, we will remember God's Words and be aware that God wants things to be different. That happens if we have God's Word hidden in our hearts. These are just some examples which throw some light upon the meaning of this verse. If we don't read the Bible, it can't be of help to us at such important moments.
Wicked Powers
As we have already seen, the struggle is not against flesh and blood. Therefore we are up against a spiritual struggle. In the Epistles to the Ephesians (1:21; 3:10; and 6:12) and to the Colossians (2:15) we come across the expressions 'powers', 'dominions', and such. These can apply to angels as well as to evil powers. In every case (except for Eph. 6:12) the context deals with a comparison between principalities. The Lord Jesus is of course by far the greatest of them all!
The fact remains that we must realize that the powers and principalities are much stronger and mightier than we humans! So if, on top of that, these powers are presented as 'the rulers of the darkness of this world' and as 'spiritual wickedness,' we must realize that we are not talking about something trivial. In other words, the enemy that we have to deal with is enormously strong and clever. It is his intention to make us fall through his snares and temptations, just as Eve fell because she wanted to be like God, and just as Lot fell for the temptations of wealth and prosperity. Jacob tripped up over his own 'I,' and Achan lost everything because he wanted to have everything! Samson thought that he could use the strength he had received from God in his own way. The sons of Eli acted as if they had no further responsibility than to follow the lusts of the flesh (literally and figuratively). The wiles and temptations of Satan brought David to adultery and caused Ahab to dishonour the name of the Lord more than any other king. Judas was a thief, Saul thought that by being religious he could please God, but he did just the opposite! Ananias and Sapphira may have had the best of intentions when they wanted to give something to the Lord, but the love of money destroyed their lives.
People Just Like Us!
We can find all these examples in the Bible. The people we mentioned here by name were people who were exactly like us! Let's not forget this if we think that we are able to resist Satan's temptations. That is what these people, and many others, thought too. Christians today must also be watchful, that is to say, be alert to the sin that lies in wait for us, and whose desire is toward us (Gen. 4:7). We can never say, "That will never happen to me." Paul (the converted Saul) wrote to the believers in Corinth, after he had drawn attention to the sin of the people of Israel: "So that let him that thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12). Let's not forget that pride ("I am not as bad as the others") was the trap the devil set for many persons.
The little word 'wherefore'
Now we've arrived at Ephesians 6:13. I hope that verses 11 and 12 have managed to shake us awake. And someone who has been warned once ought to be twice shy! Now, one very important point in conflict is: know your enemy. Know what his techniques and tactics are. Only then you can react effectively. In 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 Paul, when admonishing us that Satan mustn't be able to get an advantage over us, adds "for we are not ignorant of his devices" (KJV).
Look again at that list of names. These people were certainly not planning to sin. They fell into sin, the one after the other. Satan sought for the weak point in each. That's what he'll do with us as well, because he wants to dishonour God. His greatest intent is to cause Christians, the children of God, to fall into sin and because of sin. For this reason we must put on the whole armour of God, in order to be able to resist and to stand firm!
Chapter 8
"For this reason take to you the panoply of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having accomplished all things, to stand. Stand therefore..." (Eph. 6:13-14).
Pillow Fight
Ephesians 6:13 is the conclusion to verse 12. Now that we have seen how dangerous our opponent is, we are once again called to take up the whole armour of God. What is the purpose of this? This is also clearly outlined, and not without any reason! It is to be able to withstand and to be able to stand firm in the evil day. You withstand when you are at the place where you intend to stay. You stand firm in order to be able to hold or keep the place you already have.
All this makes me think of a game the purpose of which is to knock one of the participants, who is standing on a box, off his pedestal by hitting him with pillows or sticks. The other participants must skillfully, with well-placed blows, try to cause him to lose his balance. The one on the box must withstand their attacks and stand firm! In the spiritual battle, however, we are naturally not talking about a game, but about a most serious issue. Yet, in the spiritual battle it is Satan's goal, too, to get the believer to fall off his pedestal, or, to put it better, to drive him from his obtained position.
The Position of the Believer.
Just to make sure, let's go back to Ephesians 2:6. There we read that the believer is placed with, and in, Christ in heavenly places. That is a very special and wonderful position. Heaven is his destination and his home. The heavenly blessings are meant for him and there will come a moment that he will be able to enjoy them fully. Satan and his evil powers want to force us out of this wonderful position. At a minimum they want us to live in doubt, sin, and unfaithfulness, so that we can't enjoy this position, and the name of the Lord is slandered. This is no game!
So...
'Withstand!' and 'Stand!' is what Paul calls to us who believe. And this we can do because God has made it possible. Only...with the weapons that He has in mind. Yes, you can be sure that for each of us such an 'evil day,' such a moment of bait and temptation, will come. At that moment the (whole) armour will prove its worth.
'Withstanding' demands action, but be careful, that does not mean we must attack! If we are doing so, we take on more than we can handle. James 4:7 says that first we must 'submit' ourselves to God in order to be able to resist or withstand Satan observe carefully the biblical order then he will flee from us. In practical language, withstanding the devil means turning the TV-knob when a filthy program comes on, or saying No to an invitation to an event that the Lord would never attend. Withstanding can mean breaking off a wrong friendship, throwing out certain books, or canceling subscriptions to wrong magazines, and many other such things. Yes, indeed! Even in everyday affairs the devil will slowly try to pull us away from the Lord. Let's never forget this. He has no other goal than this!
Accomplishing All Things
In verse 13 we find another remarkable thing: 'And, having accomplished all things, to stand.' Which things is Paul actually talking about here? I think he is pointing back to several matters, for example to those he wrote about earlier in Ephesians 5:21 till 6:9. Didn't we see already that the armour doesn't stand by itself, but that it is the conclusion of a whole series of instructions for the Christian life? Remember how we talked about that little word 'finally'?
The things that were mentioned before are just as important as the armour in the following verses submission to each other, the place of the woman, the man, and the children; the attitude of employers and employees these are matters of great importance for the Christian. If we don't pay attention to these, we won't be able to stand firm even with the whole armour!
If there ever is a task being neglected, it is that of dealing with marital and family abuse! It's bad enough to have to observe that even in Christian families arguments and tensions arise. It is much worse, however, that these are not confessed to the Lord and to each other. Husbands using harsh words against their wives (the weaker vessel-1 Pet 3:7), wives who will not concede, children who remain headstrong...!
They who know this and allow it to go on are not yet ready for the armour. First they better set their own house in order. Read in Matthew 5:23 about this. Peace and love in the assembly, but also in the family, in the social associations of Christians with others, and among Christians themselves, all are essential parts of it. Things that are not in order must first be set right. Only then we are able to withstand and stand firm with God's armour.
To Stand, But How?
Then we come to verse 14. Maybe you expected that now we would start describing the armour. But you must have just a little more patience. If we want to study this Bible section thoroughly, we will have to go from word to word, from verse to verse. Then we will learn most from the details. For example, take that little word 'stand.' It has the significance of 'take up your position.' So there must be preparation.
Let's once more imagine a duel. Both fighters prepare themselves with the purpose of winning obviously! A good fighter will ask himself which weapons would be best suited both for attack and for defense. I'm sure you have seen old pictures showing both a sword (for attack) and a shield (for defense). The good fighter is trained and motivated; why else would he risk his life? When he takes up a position, he has thought of everything (at least if all is as it ought to be). He has already considered who his opponent is and how strong he may be. He takes that into account while getting ready. Beforehand! Before the fight begins, he has everything in order, so that he is really ready.
Can this be any different in the spiritual battle? No, not at all! Only, if we want to fight in the power of God, we'll have to use God's weapons as well as His strategy. These are a little different than those of man! In the next chapter we will take a look at what is (reverently spoken) God's strategy, His thoughts.
To be cont'd