Post 26-The Mormon Hymns Book

John First Wrote on January 7, 2017 

Hey Dana

            Did you miss the snow storm today? Our place at the shore is getting dumped on but here in PA, we're on the northern fringe so it is just a couple of inches.

            While we're waiting for our dinner guests, Carol is at the piano playing hymns, A couple of minutes ago, she was belting out "When the Roll is Called Up Yonder."  Think of it Dana, when God calls the roll, since our names are in the Lamb's Book of Life, we'll be there!

            Now she's playing "Saved By Grace," by Frances Jane van Alstyne. (I'll bet I fooled you on that one. It's Fanny Crosby.)  It's been so long since I’ve heard this played in church, I didn't recognize it, but then she read the words,

   But, oh, the joy when I shall wake, within the palace of the King! 

     Refrain::  And I shall see Him face to face, and tell the story—Saved by grace.

            How could someone blind like her write over 8000 hymns and gospel songs! Even with God's help, how is that possible?

            "More About Jesus" is now ringing throughout the house. In the third verse, Eliza E. Hewitt wrote: More about Jesus, in His Word, Holding communion with my Lord; Hearing His voice in every line, Making each faithful saying mine.

            I’m being convicted by the hymn she’s now playing. I can’t think of the last time I spent a personal hour in prayer. What conviction might fall on the Church if, as we are able (the convenient Christian copout)  spent a daily “Sweet Hour of Prayer.”  I am certainly not asking for God to blind me, but here is another hymn, this time by a blind preacher, William W. Walford, From 1845 when this hymn first appeared in print, until five or ten years ago when it was removed from song leaders’ playbooks, it has inspired and encouraged and challenged Christians to turn to Him. I will confess, this blog is convicting me. What would happen if I started spending a sweet hour in prayer????? Could I even do it anymore?

            Then she said, “Did you know that some of the hymns came from the Mormon Hymns book?

            Why am I writing about hymns, and why is the subject line "The Mormon Hymns Book"? Last night pushed me over the edge. The seeds of this post have been germinating for several years.  We were at a Bible study and when the song leader passed out the music for the evening, there was a hymn on it. It was "Take My Life." Both Carol and I looked excitedly at each other. A hymn, we couldn't believe it. Then when he got to it, he said, "I hope no one minds but I've Chris Tominized it." Who the heck is Chris Tomlin, and if he wanted a Chris Tomlin song, why not play one! Why bastardize a good hymn and try and turn it into a contemporary Christian mushym (hymn and music combination)?!

            Several months ago, when the new East Coast Mormon Tabernacle was opening in Philadelphia and they were giving tours. A work associate of Carol's gave us tickets to go.( I missed the opening of the Washington, D.C. Tabernacle back in the 1970s so I didn't want to miss this one.)  On one side of the street they have a meeting house, the inside of which looks like many of the churches you and I would be familiar with, while the greyish stone Tabernacle is across the street. The tour guides, well dressed and polite Mormon volunteers, gathered the visitors in the meeting house and began the tours from there. While we were waiting, we noticed something different from what we usually see in church. Hymnals. Carol and I both picked up a hymnal out of the rack in front of us and began to read it. Quite honestly, we were shocked. Why?

            First, the Mormon meeting house actually had hymn books. I don't know about your church, but of the last 7 or 8 churches that we've attended up here, and in the three that we currently, regularly attend, there are no hymn books. It's all off the wall. I will gladly date myself on this subject, but when I got saved back in 1977, choruses were only then trying to break into church music. If our pastor allowed any, it was three or four or five hymns, and a chorus. The hymn books were used for the hymns, and usually the chorus was up on the wall.

            Got to run. More later.

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Dana Wrote on Thurs, Feb 16, 2017 at 9:37 AM

Hey John

     Ah, hymns!  Now here’s a chance for an old geezer to give all those potential old geezers of tomorrow a piece of my mind about the awful state of their non-hymn musical tastes.  Wait a minute, Dana, didn’t we cover this a while back, with your comparing yourself to your parent’s generation and their disdain for your generation’s music?  Well it’s got to be more than that, doesn’t it?  No dead horse beating allowed here!

     But there, no doubt, is a real disconnect between more traditional congregations who love the “Great Old Hymns of the Church,” and the young people and their contemporary worship choruses.  And let’s face it, if today’s young Christian worshippers live to be old Christian worshippers like us, then they had better watch out, because one truly does reap what one sews, and what on earth will the young worshippers of that day and time be singing and playing, with which they find they will have to deal?  I’m kind of glad I’ll probably be in glory listening to angels sing by that time.

     Perhaps the disconnect has to do with theology.  No bones about it, I’m a theology guy. It is of great enjoyment to me, as well as bracing to my faith to read dusty old theology books, written by Godly and scholarly saints of days and years gone by.  Reading John Calvin is to me the theological equivalent of climbing into the ring with Mike Tyson.  There’s no doubt that by the end of the session, I’m going to be knocked flat. Calvin gets a bad rap among Evangelicals.  He is only known (and vilified) by most modern Christians for his writings on pre-destination, which is a pity, because his most prolific writings are on justification by faith, and prayer. And, not to be a prejudicial old fuddy-duddy, I find that as I grow in years, there are a growing number of sharp, younger scholars who are writing some great new theology books as well.  But as long as it is sound, I like it all.

     That said, the reason I so appreciate some of the older hymns is that they are loaded with good theology, and the singing of, or the reflecting upon those songs serve to further underpin my own faith and beliefs. The words of Isaac Watts, Augustus Toplady, Charles Wesley and the likes have been so helpful to me throughout the years, and God has used them to minister to my heart and mind on myriad occasions.  Case in point, once when I was going through a very dark and troubling time, it was really getting to me and I began to feel quite down.  On my way to work, I stopped by a gas station to refuel.  Over the speakers a song began to play. Of all things, it was Kathrina von Schlegel’s “Be Still, My Soul.”  It was tremendously comforting and encouraging, and as the words resonated out of those tinny, cheap speakers, the fog just lifted.    

     While not aiming to be too critical of the more modern worship choruses, I do find that the theological leanings in many of them are on the light side, in favor of what I would consider more of an emotional leaning.  That’s not to say that the modern choruses don’t have any place in Christian worship, and I’m sure that those who love them receive blessings while singing them corporately or contemplating them privately.  So I do not want to be perceived as knocking them.  After all does God disdain young people worshipping Him with a lively, bouncy chorus instead of a more somber theological tome? Most likely not. But I do have to admit that a steady diet of them sort of leaves me feeling a bit short of substance.  That’s just me, however.

     Good theology isn’t just missing from today’s music either.  It is sadly disappearing from our churches and our overall Christian world view.  Once I was visiting a church that was about ready to can their pastor, because they accused him of “preaching over their heads.”  Some related that they couldn’t understand a thing he said.  Let’s just say that there wasn’t an overabundance of Christ’s love in the room. 

     One of the members of this “roast,” complained that the pastor constantly “fed them meat,” and never “fed them milk,” and, a diet of all “meat” and no “milk” just wasn’t healthy. (??????) After inquiring (out of turn, as I wasn’t a member) as to how long the ones doing the most complaining had been Christians, I was absolutely astounded to find that the average person in the room had been a practicing Christian for over 40 years!  They very soon fired their pastor. Well, I guess we can’t hang that one on the young folks, can we?

     If the notion expressed above is in any way endemic of the Church today, then is there any wonder that many of the songs of the young tend to be devoid of theology, and more toward “feel good?” We’ve taught them well, by making sure that their diet was entirely from the dairy.  God help us if that’s true.  (see 1 Cor 3:1-3a and Heb 5:1-4;  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+cor+3%3A1-3&version=NASB  ; https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=heb+5%3A11-14&version=NASB  )

     Along with theology, I enjoy reading the memoirs and biographies of the old circuit riding preachers of a couple of centuries ago and before.  Talk about a tough bunch, these all had “Grit” for a middle name.  One I remember, though which one, I do not remember right off the top of my head, was speaking of the hardships of life on the road (this was before there were paved roads too).  He mentioned how his entire life was carried with him in the two sides of his saddle bags.  One side contained his wardrobe (a change of clothes) and the other his library (which contained his Bible and (in lieu of a systematic theology) a hymnal.  This was early 1800’s or earlier going back into the 1700’s, and even the late 1600’s. 

     If one takes the time to scour old book shops or any of the online used or antique book dealers, there are hymn books of old that can be purchased for a song (pun intended).  The older ones have many old hymns that are no longer even in print, much less sung in our churches today. Some of the hymns do not have a title, only a number. A careful reading of them will present the reader with enough good theology to pass a1st year seminary level theology class.

     Once I remember hearing that in the 1700’s and 1800’s, an average farmer who regularly attended church, knew as much theology as many ministers graduating from seminary today (not including those graduates who majored in theology.)  It was not only accepted, but expected that the preacher would deliver theologically sound messages, and the people would understand them.  One need only read the works of Jonathan Edwards and then compare them to the waste of oxygen that many of our most popular and wealthiest pop-TV preachers take up spewing their almost, if not actual heretical nonsense.

     Have we switched from substance to nothingness, and found it easier to digest?  Have we sent back a perfectly grilled 18 oz. Porterhouse steak, and asked the waitress to bring us a plate of chopped cardboard instead…with a nice glass of “milk” to wash it down?  Do we have the audacity to go on our merry way thinking that God is going to rapture us out of this world so that nothing harmful comes our way, when He didn’t rapture our 1^st century predecessors, who were being fed to lions and set ablaze to light Nero’s garden parties?  If God does rapture the church before the 2^nd coming of Jesus, you can bet your boots it won’t be the one in our generation. 

     And why should He?  Jesus is described by John as being the Word. The living incarnate Word of God. The Word made flesh.  If we only want “milk,” both from our preaching and from our music, is that saying we only want Jesus-lite?  We only want the parts of Jesus that we like?  Gentle Jesus, meek and mild—yes? Jesus the Lord and King, who when He says “Jump!” we say “how high”—no?

     Can we really fuss about the lack of hymns in our worship services?  Maybe we don’t deserve the “Great Old Hymns of the Church,” because we’re guilty of loving not the truth…and, sadly, we’ve gotten just what we’ve paid for.      

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Later On Thursday February 16, 2017 John Added

            Today I was talking with my Evangelical Lutheran minister friend and he said that some of the hymns in the Lutheran hymnal go back to the early church fathers.  Then he went on to tell me about his recent message and how it dealt with the nails that held Jesus to the cross. He felt that it really wasn’t the nails, but love that held Jesus there. Which then caused me to think back to that Sunday morning in the fall of 1977 when I got saved. That led my thinking to an Issac Watts hymn, Alas And Did My Savior Bleed. Watts published that in 1707. In 1885 Ralph Hudson set it to music. The entire hymn follows:

1. Alas, and did my Savior bleed,
And did my Sov'reign die?
Would he devote that sacred head
For sinners such as I?

    At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!

2. Was it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity, grace unknown,
And love beyond degree!

    At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!

3. Well might the sun in darkness hide,
And shut his glories in,
When Christ the mighty Maker died
For man, the creature's sin.

    At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!

4. Thus might I hide my blushing face
While Calv'ry's cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt mine eyes to tears.

    At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!

5. But drops of grief can ne'er repay
The debt of love I owe;
Here, Lord, I give myself away,
'Tis all that I can do.

    At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!

            I’m taking a lot of space to post the entire hymn. Think of this Dana. In 1707, America was just a bunch of wild British colonies. We weren’t US yet. Late in 1885 the Statue of Liberty was sent from France, in pieces, to later be assembled in New York Harbor. I have no idea who or where my Father’s parents were at that time, or if they were even born yet. But God knew at all those times, that the year and the day would come when the son of Harriet and John would kneel at the altar in the fall of 1977 and because of Jesus going to the cross for my sins over 2000 years ago I would see the light, and the burdens of my heart would be rolled away. Then by faith I would receive true sight to see and know my Saviour bled and died for a sinner such as I. What amazing pity, grace and love beyond degree.

            You just wrote about an old geezer giving future old geezers a piece of your mind. But I would go even farther and mention a recent Pete Brisco radio message where, among other things, he was talking about the young people who are turning away from church. If someone is  still reading this old timer’s philippic, I would even  postulate that young people today have no idea, because they hear “7-11”music in church (7 words repeated 11 times), why they are in church or why God would even want them in church. What light do they see or what burdens of their heart are rolled away? Why should they be happy all day when they’ve got nothing but noisy upbeat fluff to hold on to rather than the substance of a solid hymn?

            Here I will make two concessions One concerns contemporary Christian music (CCM). I was talking today to a local CCM  writer and musician who is on our blog mailing list. While I wasn’t surprised at this young person’s honest and understandable answer (The person doesn’t read it and, I’ll paraphrase the answer, “I don’t even read my relatives’ blogs.”). In what I consider the proper place—your car, your house or apartment, at a party, etc—I’ll concede there is a place for CCM. But not in church. And two, speaking of the church, there are some oasis concerning churches that still recognize the value and importance of hymns, but like oasis in a desert, they seem to be few and far between.

            So back to the Mormon hymnal. You should buy one. I agree with you that the Mormon Church is eating our lunch when it comes to singing hymns and the positive spiritual, theological, and familial reasons for this. In the First Presidency Preface (or introduction) to the hymnal I have (Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1985 published in Salt Lake City, Utah by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) they write, “Some of the greatest sermons are preached by the singing of hymns.”

            In their hymnal they encourage music in our homes saying, “ Music has boundless powers for moving families toward greater spirituality and devotion to the gospel.” It appears they have borrowed from God’s admonition to the Israelites in Deu 6:6 and 7, “ These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. “ when they encourage families to use hymns to do the same with their children.

            And finally,  the LDS leadership, through their hymnal, challenge the individual to see what music can do for them personally, “Hymns can lift our spirits, give us courage, and move us to righteous action.”  The only thing mindlessly repeated choruses and noisy modern church music does for me is it, tragically, causes me to by-pass the “morning worship” time and come in only for the message.

            This is from an email I wrote to you earlier in the year. I couldn’t have said it better myself, “I don't understand the explosion of choruses. Mindlessly repeating the same sentence or two over, and over, and over, and over, ad nauseam. While conversely, when singing a hymn the writer's experiences penetrate to the depth of the  Christian experience and meaning and that ministers to the depth of your soul. The words, often in conjunction with the music, and not repetitious, raucous noise (i.e. music) unlock the deep rooms of your spirit to minister, cleanse, lift, or delight as is needed in your life at the moment.  So it was that the last verse of It Is Well With My Soul stuck me yesterday, for me and for you.”

            Can you believe this? We attended a church a couple of times where the music was so loud, it actually vibrated our internal organs while we in were still the parking lot a long way from the front door. (Then we walked into a blackened auditorium--I can’t call it a sanctuary—where the ushers and usherettes used flash lights and pushed us down a dark corridor to invisible seats.) At another church, the noise was so loud, Carol got a headache long before the message was given and the scenes on the big screen at the front of the church looked like a 1960’s lava lamp that jumped around in accompaniment to the noise of the band. (Whatever happened to peaceful and contemplative scenes of nature, lakes, flowers, sunrises, or crosses on hillsides projected onto the screens?) And at a church near where we live, I’ve heard, they even give out ear plugs to people who want/need them.

            I won’t even get into beat in much of CCM and choruses and how I believe it can have a negative impact on the listeners.

Can you imagine, I used to lead the hymn sing in our neighborhood. On short notice, the usual pianist was going to be away and got a substitute. He was a Bible school, music major graduate (not from VFCC) and he could not read music notes in our hymnal and could only play cords, if they were in his cord books.

            I’ll close with this. A former pastor at the church in which we were married, once tried to excite the congregation during worship by saying, “If Jesus were here now, you’d be jumping up and down with excitement.” Carol’s response then and now, when we think about his comment, was and is, “No, we wouldn’t. We’d be on our faces before Him.”

            We should do as the Mormon hymnal says and “...use the hymns to invite the Spirit of the Lord into our congregations, our homes, and our personal lives.”

            While I know this isn’t the only reason, but is it any wonder that the Church is in the state of decline that it’s in?

Frustrated

John

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PS  A note to song leaders--mix hymns with your selection of other music.

 



 

 

Post 25-Why Read the Old Testament?

John Wrote on Sun, Jan 15, 2017 at 9:47 AM 

Dana

            I've been re-reading the forth coming post on Jeremiah 8 and I got the idea we should do something in the future on why it is important to also read the Old Testament. Too many church people don't, for one reason or another. Let's keep this toward the top of our future posts. For many people in the past, their only exposure to the Old Testament was through a verse in the Our Daily Bread booklet. (This is not to disparage this long time ministry, but a sporadic verse a day does not a meal make, although it is better than nothing.) I have found it very unusual if a today’s Christian reads his or her Bible daily, let alone the Old Testament.

            Studies on Christians and Bible reading are not encouraging. This is from a Barna study released in May 2016, about Bible reading in general, let alone reading the Old Testament. “Today, about one-third of all American adults report reading the Bible once a week or more. The percentage is highest among Elders (49%) and lowest among Millennials (24%).” Other research agrees with the Barna Group that Christian reading the Bible is declining. So far, I haven’t been able to find a study on those reading the Old Testament.

            Why do I think reading the Old Testament is important? Simply put, first, God ordained the Bible to have two parts. Therefore, we must presume that the two parts make a whole and only reading one part is like trying to make cookies without adding baking soda. And second, which is critical for me is that in the Old Testament, I learn not only who God is, but how He operates. A highlighted quote in the Radio Bible Class Publication, How Can I know God Through His Book? Bible: Knowing God, “What is important about the story of Joseph is what it tells us about the strategies and tactics of a God who will stand by while His servant is wished dead, thrown into a pit, and sold into slavery.” On the surface these don’t seem like the actions of a loving God, but this is what the Old Testament tells me. So when my life goes south, I’ll have an idea, what is happening just might be from God and just might be a part of a bigger picture.

            In Psalm 103:7, He tells us, “He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel.” Yes, I want to see His miracles in my own life. Yes, I am holding Him to His promises about provision and protection, among other things. Yes, I want the cloud by day and the fire by night and the parting of the Red Sea and even a burning bush once-in-awhile. (Have I had any of these things yet? No, but I continue to look to Him.) But as much as I’m wanting those miracles and expecting them to happen,  I    w a n t   t o    k n o w   H i m.  And I know Him through reading the Old Testament and believing by faith that He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8) or as He tells us in Malachi 3:6, “For I the Lord do not change...” (ESV)

            One final thought. If the Old Testament were not important in God’s eyes, why would He point us to the Old Testament with this from Heb 12:16 NIV, See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. To understand the significance of this verse, and why it is important for us today, requires the reader to go back to Genesis and not just read a verse, but spend time in a Biblical account that spans nine chapters, 25 through 33.

            On our way to church.

            The Lord bless you both today.

 John

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Dana Responded on Wed, Feb 1, 2017 at 3:03 PM

Hi John,

     So, the question has been posed as to whether or not we or anyone else should read the Old Testament?  Hmmm, I just sort of assumed that believers would do so readily, and non-believers most likely wouldn’t.  It would be my hope that this wouldn’t even be a topic for discussion among committed believers, but what do I know?  If indeed it is a serious topic for discussion among Christians, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, as the older I get, the less many things make any sense to me.

     Not wanting to paint the entire denomination with a prejudicial brush, I did have a conversation with someone who actively belonged to the Disciples of Christ Church, or as it used to be popularly known, the Christian Church, which I always thought a bit presumptuous, as if the rest of us somehow were not Christian.  To the point, I have seen “First Christian Church” on a sign in front of a Disciples of Christ church building.  If I’m wrong, I stand to be corrected, and will receive such correction gladly.

     Anyway, this person with whom I spoke, who should not be construed to be an official spokesperson for the denomination at large, was quite adamant that they (the Disciples of Christ) only adhered to the New Testament.  To them the Old Testament was sort of a parenthetical appendage, much like the Apocrypha, which is sometimes found printed in between the Old and New Testaments in some versions of the Bible. If this is indeed the belief of the Disciples of Christ, then, to each his own, but it is a stance with which I whole-heartedly disagree.

     Jesus’, Paul’s, and the other New Testament writer’s reliance upon and use of the Old Testament certainly give some pretty heavy weight credence to it being inspired, Holy Scripture.  To me, that’s the “smoking gun” evidence that closes the case for me.  But evidently, it’s not evidentiary to all.

     Alistair Begg says it best, “The Bible is a book, or a library full of books about Jesus.”  Begg again, you might ask?  Why do you quote him so much?  Well, all I can say is that he has an excellent track record of just absolutely nailing it every time when it comes to expounding Biblical truth, and if I could say it any better, I most certainly would. Until then….

     With the idea in mind that the Bible (the entire Bible) is a book about Jesus, I’ll quote another of my favorites, Dr. Michael Heiser, who describes the New Testament as an “inspired commentary on the Old Testament.” There is a lot in that statement, and the more I study both Testaments, the more I agree with it.

     A couple of examples illustrating that idea can be found in John’s Gospel, where he writes of Jesus’ role in the creation narrative of Genesis (see John 1:1-3).  Paul  echoes that in Colossians 1:15-17 and following.  Both men knew their Old Testament, which wasn’t called the Old Testament back then, but it was their Scripture/Bible. 

     John was not formally educated that we know of, but from his writings, and especially in the book of Revelation, he reveals a deep knowledge and understanding of the Old Testament, as there are numerous references to it.  Paul, on the other hand, was quite well educated in the Old Testament Scriptures, as he was a Pharisee, which required what we might term as “graduate level” training in the Scriptures.  Formal education or not, the Old Testament was monumentally relevant in both illustrating and providing much of the foundation for New Testament teachings about Jesus, indeed showing that it really was a book all about Him.

     Or, how about Matthew’s writing about Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament Scriptures?  And might you reckon that writer of the book of Hebrews certainly knew and relied upon the Old Testament, and applied it to all things concerning Jesus?  

     Then there’s James’ application of Amos 9:11-12 at the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15. The examples could go on and on and on.  It is undeniably clear that the Old Testament Scriptures were of supreme importance to those who lived and wrote the New Testament.  If those who gave us the New Testament put so much stock in the Old Testament, dare we ignore it or relegate it to antiquity, as having no value today?

     We cannot ignore the Old Testament prophetic writings either, especially those pointing to Jesus as the Messiah, which were fulfilled in His birth, life, ministry and sacrificial death in regards to sin.  In them we have the inspired “previews of coming attractions” as it were.  Jesus’ very fulfillment of prophecy should be validation enough for the inspiration of the Old Testament. And since it is inspired, then it is the Word of God, and therefore, as has been said before in previous post (s), to quote Paul, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)

     Notice that Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit begins the above verse with “ALL SCRIPTURE?” And at that time, the Old Testament was the Scripture to which he was referring, as there was no mention in Paul’s writings of any of the Gospels or Epistles by other writers.

     And, from Romans 15:4, Paul writes concerning the Old Testament Scriptures:

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”  (ESV)

     So, we should just skip the Old Testament?  That would be like saying, “I love the second half of God’s Word, but I dislike the first half.” Or, “The Old Testament isn’t as important as the New Testament.” Could those statements not be taken as treading perilously close to blasphemy? Isn’t that kind of thinking implying that God somehow messed up in the first half of the Bible; that perhaps He didn’t get it right? To make or imply such an assertion is to deny the entire book, as the entire Bible is a book about Jesus.  To those who may hold that view, I seriously recommend your rethinking that position and making it a matter of urgent prayer.

     So far, I’ve tried to make the case for reading the Old Testament by using the Bible itself to provide the proof of its validity.  From a more personal standpoint and not discounting any of my previous argument, I enjoy the Old Testament as an exceptional record of ancient history; a wonderful and generous glimpse into the times, places and characters that so enhance my faith. There is a mountain of meticulous record keeping displayed therein.  Sure, some of the genealogies, the records of Kingly rule, the myriad laws covering every aspect of life, minute descriptions of the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, and prolific details of Temple architecture aren’t real page turners, designed to keep you up at night in anticipation of what will come next, but it is that very attention to detail which, to me, adds its own validity to its veracity and usefulness. 

     Dr. R.C. Sproul of Ligonier Ministries once said, and I paraphrase, as I cannot lay my hands on the exact quote, “One of the great proofs that the Bible is true is…the Jews.”  They’ve been a force with which to be reckoned, both religiously, ethnically, and politically for a very l-o-n-g time, like going way back in the Old Testament. 

     The people of Iraq are no longer called Assyrians or Babylonians.  Iranians no longer refer to themselves officially as the Medes and the Persians, nor does most of the world citizenry. And whatever became of all those “ite” peoples of the Old Testament (Hittites, Moabites, Amorites, Ammonites, Jebusites, to name a few)? Haven’t heard of them in a while, but there’s still an Israel, and its inhabitants (for the overwhelming most part) are…the Jews.  And wherever one might go in this world, one could probably find a Synagogue.  Well maybe not in the Muslim world, but I believe Dr. Sproul’s point is made.

     Literarily speaking, the Old Testament is full of engaging stories, with enough action, heroism, romance, treachery, vengeance, and redemption to satisfy the most discriminating of readers. Its characters are real human beings with real human faults and weaknesses, many of whom did extraordinary things under God’s empowerment and direction. It never fails to entertain me and capture my attention. 

     And while I might be an army of one on that last point, as entertainment probably wasn’t God’s foremost aim when He gave the Old Testament, but for those with eyes to see and ears to hear (and a mind to think) God did lay out His plans and purposes from the beginning, and for all of history in those books.  Sleep comes easier for me at night because I know from whence I came, and to where I’ll be going, all spelled out on scrolls written ages ago by inspired prophets, poets, priests and potentates.  Hey, how about that, four “P’s.”  Feel free, anyone so inclined, to use those as bullet points in an expository sermon.

     Another feature of the Old Testament which I find fascinating is what is termed “Theophanies” or “Christophanies,” that is the physical appearances of God or the pre-incarnate Christ in the Old Testament.  A couple of better known ones would be the accounts found in Genesis 18, and Joshua 5.  There’s just so much neat material one encounters in the Old Testament, and my meager insights merely scratch the surface of all that is there.

     For the fence straddler, on whether or not to read the Old Testament, let me unreservedly recommend your so doing. If you haven’t read it, or you don’t read it, you’re missing a wealth of goodness that God has given.  If you get bogged down by the genealogies, jump ahead a few pages, because soon enough you’ll encounter giant killers, love stories, apocalyptic visions, and mind blowing miracles galore.  It’s God’s Word, and it’s for His people. 

     Come on in; the water is warm.

Dana

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John Notes

                We invited one of our regular readers, and someone who has commented on the blog over the months, to add his wisdom to this post. He is retired Professor Malcolm Brubaker, PhD,  is an adjunct professor at the University of Valley Forge after 33 years of full-time teaching biblical studies there.  His masters work was primarily in the Old Testament and doctoral work in pentecostal and charismatic studies at Regent University. We are thankful for his willingness to contribute and what he adds

Professor Brubaker Contributes

        Why should New Testament believers pay any attention to the Old Testament? First and foremost is that it is God’s Word. 2 Timothy 3:16 in its teaching about divine inspiration was primarily talking about the Hebrew Scriptures; they are fully inspired and useful to achieving a healthy, robust Christian life. To neglect more than two-thirds of God’s special revelation to us is to put our understanding of the world, human nature, and God Himself in jeopardy.  For example: Jesus, when confronted by Satan’s temptations, quoted three times from the book of Deuteronomy. Therefore if our Lord knew and used the OT in His spiritual life, how much more must we?

          Second, the Old Testament strengthens our understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ. After the resurrection Jesus in Luke 24:P44-47 told the disciples that the OT had spoken about Him. The Pentateuch, historical books, poetical books, and prophetic books all contain the story of God’s plan of redemption as He raised a people, the Hebrews, from whom the Savior of the world would come. For example: who can reach Isaiah 53 and not see a prophetic understanding of Christ’s vicarious atonement for fallen humanity?

          Third, God’s revelation in the Old Testament comes to us in various literary forms. Each form has an unique literary “voice” that speaks to us in different ways. The “thou shalt” and “thou shalt not” commands of the Law shout out clear direction for living a godly life. The OT history of saints and sinners bring personal and national narratives of spiritual victories and failures of human interaction with the Lord. The wisdom teachings and praises of God in the poetic books provide invaluable resources for understanding human nature lived before that righteous God. The prophetic books detail a just God giving warning to Israel to follow His way or suffer consequences. They point the way to Christ as the obedient Servant and Son of God in contrast to the disobedient and rebellious people of God.

          Why should NT believers pay any attention to the Old Testament? We need the full armor of God to fight the spiritual battles within our souls and in the world around us. Yes, we do need to read our Bibles “backward.” That is, the Christian reads the Old Testament from the advantage of knowing about Christ found in the New Testament. Or as Michael Williams put it, we read the OT thorough the “Jesus lens.”  ( https://www.amazon.com/Read-Bible-through-Jesus-Lens-ebook/dp/B005ES46TO ) In doing so, we will have a fuller understanding of what God wants us to be and do. 

    

    

      

 

 

Post 24-Bowery Mission Stain Glass Windows

                                                                                    

 On January 30, 2016, John Reflects

            Several years ago, I got the idea for us to write an article for a Salvation Army (SA) publication. For it to be appropriate, it needed a Salvation Army tie in. General William Booth, founder of the SA lived right next door to the Bowery Mission, in the Borough of Manhattan, New York City. The Mission has served the homeless and hungry since 1879. Some say the term “skid row” came from this area. The Mission Statement from their web site says, “The Bowery Mission is called to minister in New York City to men, women, and children caught in the cycles of poverty, hopelessness and dependencies of many kinds, and to see their lives transformed to hope, joy, lasting productivity and eternal life through the power of Jesus Christ.” https://www.bowery.org/

            While at Christian college, Dana did an internship at the Bowery Mission. One weekend I went up to visit him. I remember the stain glass windows. They were dynamic, and portrayed the account of the Prodigal Son. While all of us who call Jesus Christ our Saviour have a coming to Christ story, some of us have salvation stories that make it easier to relate to the Prodigal than others. While it doesn’t matter how we got saved or what caused us to turn to Jesus, when the scripture tells us that the Prodigal was so burdened by life and down in the pit that he would have eaten the food of pigs if he could, some of us can more easily relate than others. And then to see this Biblical account come alive in stained glass, is to make one weep. (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+15%3A11-24&version=NASB ) 

            To this day, we both have a soft spot in our hearts for Rescue Missions. Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago. The Atlantic City Rescue. The Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission in Philadelphia. And the list goes on. Many of those helped by rescue missions only need a temporary helping hand (like I did for several weeks back in the 1980s when I was homeless and stayed at a Salvation Army shelter for a couple of weeks). Food. Shelter. Sometimes medical care. Refuge from abuse. And of course the Gospel are given without cost to those in need. And speaking of need, most Rescue Missions can always use a volunteer helping hand or a cash offering.  

            For background reading on Rescue Missions, here is the web site http://www.agrm.org/agrm/default.asp  for the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions. This is a quote from their opening page, “Since the late 1800s, rescue missions have been offering radical hospitality in Jesus’ name to people who are dealing with hunger, homelessness, abuse, and addiction.”  How often do we hear the word “radical” today in our churches in this context, where the minister/pastor/teacher/reverend/priest/messianic rabbi challenges us to “radical” anything for Christ?

            While we’re told that it is the preaching of the Word that leads to repentance (Rom 10:8-13), sometimes the Word might come packaged in a different wrapper, like stain glass. But when it’s opened, it can be just as powerful.

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Dana emailed on April 7, 2012

Hey John,

     Talk about a "blast from the past!" From what I hear, what used to be skid row is now a trendy, semi-Bohemian section, with its dingy flop houses having been turned into expensive loft apartments and studios and exclusive shops????????????? I guess that is the way of things, but where do the Ruby's of the world and her male counterparts go now?

     I've heard that the mission is still open and is sustaining the feeding and clothing of indigents, and also has programs for homeless men and women, but every photo of the area I've seen recently, looks much more "sanitized" than when I was stationed there. Up and coming yuppies just don't like the sight and smell of the less fortunate, so I'm sure the authorities are "routing" them to a more "appropriate" area, where "nice people" do not have to be confronted by them. There were times I might have bet money that the words of C.T. Studd could be heard echoing in the icy winds which blew down the Bowery in winter:

     "Some may wish to live within the sound of a church or chapel bell...I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell."

     I wonder if those words can still be heard blowing around there? Or, is there a government program that takes care of that now? Maybe Christians aren't supposed to get dirty any more. Not a lot of Christians understand me when I tell them that sometimes I miss the smell of urine. It was the scent of job security.

     The Bowery Mission was a door or two up from Booth House #2, named for General William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army. It's been a while since I heard someone say with the conviction of General Booth (who said):

     "While women weep, as they do now, I'll fight; while children go hungry, as they do now I'll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I'll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight, I'll fight to the very end!"

     The spirit of "rescue" used to be thick, and one often caught oneself remembering the words of Fanny Crosby, "Rescue the perishing, care for the dying...." I wonder if anyone walking the Bowery hums that song anymore? Unto God, may it be so, and God forgive me for not humming it as often as I used to.

     The stained glass windows above the famous double "Red Doors" were, as you mentioned a depiction of the parable of the Prodigal son. At night when the lights were on inside, the soft glow illuminated the four panes which made up the scene, often reminded me in a way of a lighthouse--a beacon for those adrift and in danger of crashing into the rocks.

     Standing down on the street looking up the first of the four windows on the left, the wayward son is shown looking downcast while tending the pigs. Below the picture it says, "And when he came to himself he said."

     Looking right, the next two windows which are in the middle, while separately framed, the two center panes make up one picture of the Prodigal on his knees approaching his father, with the saying below "I will arise and go to my father," and the adjoining window shows the father reaching out to his son, on his knees in the window before, with the saying "He saw him and had compassion."

     The last window on the far right shows the father embracing the son with the caption below, "My son was dead and is alive again."

     Only God knows how many "saw the light" through those beautifully touching panes. For those who were lost, separated from loved ones, maimed and crippled by sin and dissipation, for the ugly, the dirty, the forgotten, the lonely, the sick, the demented, the dying, and the damned, that soft, warm glow shining through that scene was the proverbial "candle in the window," signaling "home." Forgiveness lives here. Mercy lives here. Acceptance lives here. Love lives here. Jesus lives here, and you may live here too.

     Thanks for giving me the opportunity to remember. May I never forget.

     Love you, Brother,

 

     Dana