These jewels were to be placed on the breastpiece of judgement worn by the high priest and be according to the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Reuben Ruby
Simeon Topaz
Gad Beryl
Judah Turquoise
Issachar Sapphire
Zebulun Emerald
Manasseh Jacinth
Ephraim Agate
Benjamin Amethyst
Dan Chrysolite
Asher Onyx
Naphtali Jasper
Saturday 31 March 2007
Friday 23 March 2007
The parenthesis of ,,,(Sin)
In the beginning God…
Had a plan to create the earth and populate it with people who would worship him as their creator and take delight in his creation of the animals and the plants, the trees, the mountains, hills and seas around them, plus the myriad of stars above. Perhaps also to interact with God on a more personal level and to worship alongside his angels, just as he had a relationship with Adam in the beginning.
God placed man in the Garden of Eden where there was a whole variety of species awaiting his delight and there was the tree of life.
(Then came sin…..and seperation of man and a 1/3 of angels from God. Through sin, God had to readjust his plan, and send his son to die so that man could be reconciled to God once more and the pain of seperation and death would be dealt with once and for all, by binding Satan up and evicting him in to the lake of fire. This plan took man through many phases and many generations, from two people (adam & eve) through to today, where 6 billion people are living on the earth, and over time whoever knows how many have lived and died in the earth, perhaps 10 – 12 billion over the generations).
God planned a definitive time for all things to come to a head, to judge and to overcome the sin that caused his creation to go astray. God gave man time to try to overcome sin themselves but instead are destroying the very planet they live on, and creating technological advances which they claim can match those of God (or even transcend them).
The earth will be laid bare. Bare rock. No green grass, trees, plants, animals, people. A new earth. Seedlings will begin, life begins. Lichens and moss. This spreads, young plants will grow and these will spread. Over time the green grass will be renewed and be fresh and pleasing. This will be the new earth. Heaven, where men will dwell to worship God. On the earth there will be a city. The new Jerusalem, where God will dwell amongst man. The tree of life will be there and men will worship God forever. The city will be 12000 stadia long on each of its four sides – 1500 miles long x 1500 miles = 2.25m sq. miles
The people of God in their new bodies will be forever young, forever worshipping the magnificent creator and praising him for his new creations which he will do for us to take delight in once again and never will there be any more sin or death or all of the evil that is associated with it for God in his glory will be the ultimate for whom we run to when he extends his open arms and walks with us upon the lush green grass in the garden.
Had a plan to create the earth and populate it with people who would worship him as their creator and take delight in his creation of the animals and the plants, the trees, the mountains, hills and seas around them, plus the myriad of stars above. Perhaps also to interact with God on a more personal level and to worship alongside his angels, just as he had a relationship with Adam in the beginning.
God placed man in the Garden of Eden where there was a whole variety of species awaiting his delight and there was the tree of life.
(Then came sin…..and seperation of man and a 1/3 of angels from God. Through sin, God had to readjust his plan, and send his son to die so that man could be reconciled to God once more and the pain of seperation and death would be dealt with once and for all, by binding Satan up and evicting him in to the lake of fire. This plan took man through many phases and many generations, from two people (adam & eve) through to today, where 6 billion people are living on the earth, and over time whoever knows how many have lived and died in the earth, perhaps 10 – 12 billion over the generations).
God planned a definitive time for all things to come to a head, to judge and to overcome the sin that caused his creation to go astray. God gave man time to try to overcome sin themselves but instead are destroying the very planet they live on, and creating technological advances which they claim can match those of God (or even transcend them).
The earth will be laid bare. Bare rock. No green grass, trees, plants, animals, people. A new earth. Seedlings will begin, life begins. Lichens and moss. This spreads, young plants will grow and these will spread. Over time the green grass will be renewed and be fresh and pleasing. This will be the new earth. Heaven, where men will dwell to worship God. On the earth there will be a city. The new Jerusalem, where God will dwell amongst man. The tree of life will be there and men will worship God forever. The city will be 12000 stadia long on each of its four sides – 1500 miles long x 1500 miles = 2.25m sq. miles
The people of God in their new bodies will be forever young, forever worshipping the magnificent creator and praising him for his new creations which he will do for us to take delight in once again and never will there be any more sin or death or all of the evil that is associated with it for God in his glory will be the ultimate for whom we run to when he extends his open arms and walks with us upon the lush green grass in the garden.
AN ODE TO CHRISTIAN APATHY
{ANTI-ENVIRONMENTALISM}
2 Kings 22 – 2 Kings 23 v 30
Josiah was King of Judah and whilst King, Hilkiah the Priest of the temple discovered the Book of the Law, which Moses had written (the Torah). He read from the book of the Law and found that many of the practices and the decrees which God wanted them to do were not being carried out. Josiah set out to change that and declared that he and his people would follow the letter of the Law and reconcile themselves and consecrate themselves back to God.
The Lord God however was still angry and burning with fury for their previous practices and the way they had been living and ignoring him, and making him jealous, therefore, despite this turnaround, He still declared that Judah will be overtaken and destroyed.
2 Ki 22 v 15 – 20.
King Josiah however hears the word of the Lord, YET despite knowing what is going to befall Jerusalem and Judah, he still sets out to renew the covenant with God and the people and removed all of the articles made for Baal and Asherah from the temple of the Lord, from the high places around the country and destroyed them all. He also defiled them by burning dead bones on them and ground all of the statues to powder which he scattered over graves (2 Ki 23 v 6).
He slaughtered all of the priests who served Baal and Asherah.
He then declared the words of the Law and covenant over the people and celebrated passover with them, (which had not been celebrated for a long time, perhaps since King David’s time).
Despite all of this the Lord did not turn away the heat of his anger against the people of Judah (2 Ki 23 v 26)
King Josiah knew this, yet still went ahead to destroy the worship of the other gods and destroy the connection to these other gods and slaughtered everything and anything which were connected to these other gods.
He did not waver from this task. He did not say to himself, what is the point, if the Lord is going to destroy Judah anyway. No. He carried on to reconcile his people for the Lord.
Today, we know for a fact that the earth will be destroyed
Will we just sit back and wait for it to happen and not care about how our actions are destroying the environment? (“ it doesn’t matter because the earth will be destroyed anyway, so why should I do anything to help it? What can I do? It’s nature. God is in control of it, so I can’t do anything to help”)
Josiah didn’t think like that. He carried on regardless of what was to happen. He knew that Judah will be destroyed. He knew that the Lord was angry, yet he carried on.
We should carry on doing whatever we can to help save the environment around us, and lobby governments to alter their thinking on environmental issues.
We should carry on looking after the homeless, the sick, the poor and the elderly, because God sees our hearts and knows that what we do is right in his eyes, yet the process and plans to destroy the earth are already in motion. Like an express train, we cannot stop it, yet should do what we can whilst on board to prepare for the great crash, and keep it tidy and clean. Who knows we may even survive it and live on the new earth in full glory, worshipping God.
2 Kings 22 – 2 Kings 23 v 30
Josiah was King of Judah and whilst King, Hilkiah the Priest of the temple discovered the Book of the Law, which Moses had written (the Torah). He read from the book of the Law and found that many of the practices and the decrees which God wanted them to do were not being carried out. Josiah set out to change that and declared that he and his people would follow the letter of the Law and reconcile themselves and consecrate themselves back to God.
The Lord God however was still angry and burning with fury for their previous practices and the way they had been living and ignoring him, and making him jealous, therefore, despite this turnaround, He still declared that Judah will be overtaken and destroyed.
2 Ki 22 v 15 – 20.
King Josiah however hears the word of the Lord, YET despite knowing what is going to befall Jerusalem and Judah, he still sets out to renew the covenant with God and the people and removed all of the articles made for Baal and Asherah from the temple of the Lord, from the high places around the country and destroyed them all. He also defiled them by burning dead bones on them and ground all of the statues to powder which he scattered over graves (2 Ki 23 v 6).
He slaughtered all of the priests who served Baal and Asherah.
He then declared the words of the Law and covenant over the people and celebrated passover with them, (which had not been celebrated for a long time, perhaps since King David’s time).
Despite all of this the Lord did not turn away the heat of his anger against the people of Judah (2 Ki 23 v 26)
King Josiah knew this, yet still went ahead to destroy the worship of the other gods and destroy the connection to these other gods and slaughtered everything and anything which were connected to these other gods.
He did not waver from this task. He did not say to himself, what is the point, if the Lord is going to destroy Judah anyway. No. He carried on to reconcile his people for the Lord.
Today, we know for a fact that the earth will be destroyed
Will we just sit back and wait for it to happen and not care about how our actions are destroying the environment? (“ it doesn’t matter because the earth will be destroyed anyway, so why should I do anything to help it? What can I do? It’s nature. God is in control of it, so I can’t do anything to help”)
Josiah didn’t think like that. He carried on regardless of what was to happen. He knew that Judah will be destroyed. He knew that the Lord was angry, yet he carried on.
We should carry on doing whatever we can to help save the environment around us, and lobby governments to alter their thinking on environmental issues.
We should carry on looking after the homeless, the sick, the poor and the elderly, because God sees our hearts and knows that what we do is right in his eyes, yet the process and plans to destroy the earth are already in motion. Like an express train, we cannot stop it, yet should do what we can whilst on board to prepare for the great crash, and keep it tidy and clean. Who knows we may even survive it and live on the new earth in full glory, worshipping God.
Sunday 18 March 2007
The Treasure Hunters
The suitcases are on a conveyor belt which is moving continually but surely towards its end where the suitcases drop off into a furnace. Every suitcase has unique characteristics and contains a variety of treasure; of fine gold and silver cups, plates, pans, bowls and other articles.
As the suitcases move along on the conveyor belt, they become subject to the elements of weather. Sun, rain, dust, stones, hail, snow, frost, ice, cold, heat and wind all take their toll on them. The clasps and locks become rusty, and blocked with dirt. Creatures crawl over them and make their way inside. The treasure of gold and silver become tarnished and would eventually crack and crumble. The creatures live amongst them and cover the treasure in webs and dirt. Outside the suitcases, leaves and dirt pack around the case. Vines entwine around some of the suitcases closing them in even tighter.
Further on along the conveyor belt stands a man. He looks powerful yet acts gently. He holds a set of keys and attempts to open each suitcase in turn. He struggles with many of the cases but does not use force. If they cannot be opened then he would let them go by. He smiles when he finds a suitcase he can open. The man takes delight at the amount of treasure he finds inside. Although tarnished he can see how beautiful it all would be when polished. He grabs his cloth and one by one begins to polish the cups, plates, pans, bowls and other pieces. It takes time but that does not matter. The man walks along beside the suitcase as the conveyor belt glides by, polishing each article, taking delight in the gleaming beauty they each become. Finally, he removes all the creatures and cobwebs out of the case, and shuts the lid but does not lock it so that he is able to look inside the case at any time he wants to.
At the end of the conveyor belt stands another man. This man commands authority. He holds a hammer and chisel and checks each suitcase in turn by opening the locks and lifting the lids. The man uses the hammer and chisel on those suitcases which are rusted shut and entwined. Every suitcase has to be opened. He would often find blackened and tarnished cups or bowls. Plates and other articles may be cracked and broken or even crumbled. Some would be full of creatures and dirt. The man is saddened as he watches these suitcases tumble over the edge. As their contents spill out into the furnace, he reflects on what could have been and looks at the empty spaces on his shelves.
Some of the suitcases which reach the end of the conveyor belt look cleaner. The man opens them easily as the locks and clasps have been well oiled by the man who polished the treasure. He gasps as the gleaming gold and silver dazzle and laughs in delight at the treasure he finds. He picks them out of the case and carefully places them on the shelf where they catch the strong sunlight, which makes them shine and glimmer even more brightly. The empty cases tumble over the edge of the conveyor belt but God is not worried. God beholds the far more important, gleaming cups, plates, pans bowls and arranges them to shine from every angle.
What does your treasure look like? Is it tarnished or gleaming? Will you allow Jesus to make you clean again?
As the suitcases move along on the conveyor belt, they become subject to the elements of weather. Sun, rain, dust, stones, hail, snow, frost, ice, cold, heat and wind all take their toll on them. The clasps and locks become rusty, and blocked with dirt. Creatures crawl over them and make their way inside. The treasure of gold and silver become tarnished and would eventually crack and crumble. The creatures live amongst them and cover the treasure in webs and dirt. Outside the suitcases, leaves and dirt pack around the case. Vines entwine around some of the suitcases closing them in even tighter.
Further on along the conveyor belt stands a man. He looks powerful yet acts gently. He holds a set of keys and attempts to open each suitcase in turn. He struggles with many of the cases but does not use force. If they cannot be opened then he would let them go by. He smiles when he finds a suitcase he can open. The man takes delight at the amount of treasure he finds inside. Although tarnished he can see how beautiful it all would be when polished. He grabs his cloth and one by one begins to polish the cups, plates, pans, bowls and other pieces. It takes time but that does not matter. The man walks along beside the suitcase as the conveyor belt glides by, polishing each article, taking delight in the gleaming beauty they each become. Finally, he removes all the creatures and cobwebs out of the case, and shuts the lid but does not lock it so that he is able to look inside the case at any time he wants to.
At the end of the conveyor belt stands another man. This man commands authority. He holds a hammer and chisel and checks each suitcase in turn by opening the locks and lifting the lids. The man uses the hammer and chisel on those suitcases which are rusted shut and entwined. Every suitcase has to be opened. He would often find blackened and tarnished cups or bowls. Plates and other articles may be cracked and broken or even crumbled. Some would be full of creatures and dirt. The man is saddened as he watches these suitcases tumble over the edge. As their contents spill out into the furnace, he reflects on what could have been and looks at the empty spaces on his shelves.
Some of the suitcases which reach the end of the conveyor belt look cleaner. The man opens them easily as the locks and clasps have been well oiled by the man who polished the treasure. He gasps as the gleaming gold and silver dazzle and laughs in delight at the treasure he finds. He picks them out of the case and carefully places them on the shelf where they catch the strong sunlight, which makes them shine and glimmer even more brightly. The empty cases tumble over the edge of the conveyor belt but God is not worried. God beholds the far more important, gleaming cups, plates, pans bowls and arranges them to shine from every angle.
What does your treasure look like? Is it tarnished or gleaming? Will you allow Jesus to make you clean again?
Thursday 8 March 2007
The Rock
Another large stone flew through the air and crashed against the stones already piled up causing stone splinters and dust to fly. It rolled down the pile to stop halfway down. I looked at it and at the others raining down in an incessant non-stop assault. The air was becoming thicker, blocking out the weak sunlight, as stones, boulders and pebbles rained down from all directions. I checked the time. Two hours forty minutes to go. Only twenty minutes have gone by. The pile of stones was now enormous. At least as big as two houses put together. Thousands were joining in and throwing their stones out of the old leathery bags they were all carrying. I held on to mine, reluctant to even think about it. I looked around at the people. Different faces, different colours, small and tall, large and men,women and children of all ages. From all over the world they came, arriving by the hundreds every minute. I had been one of the first to witess this incredible event, but now I didn't want to stay.
I couldn't stay. Racked by guilt and fear, i wanted to run away. Anywhere but here, however the crowd drew closer and was thousands thick. I never even realised there were so many people in the world let alone all being in one place at the same time. Stones were being thrown from far away and crashing against the man made mountain. I took a breath, turned to face the crowd, saw a small gap and ran as fast as i could, but the gap was closing. Almost at the same a boulder, hurled by a giant of a man, bounded towards me at great speed through the same gap. I stopped just short of being injured by the full force of the boulder which rolled past my feet to stop at the edge of the growing mountain.
A man stood close by who was fumbling with the tie of his sack, yet i saw it was clearly open. He was embarrassed to want to reach in and grab a stone. As i watched him, he spotted me. I walked towards him.
'you having difficulty with your sack?'
'none of your business' he replied.
He was dressed in a nicely tailored business suit and his mannerisms suggested an affluent upbringing, yet here he stood with a dirty leather sack, full to bursting with rocks and stones.
'it's already open' i said, looking inside, spying the contents. I was intrigued. Some of the stones were rocks, rough hewn with sharp edges, yet some glistened like jewels.
'what are these?' i ask in surprise.
The man looked sheepishly into his bag.
'I've carried them for years. They're my favourite stones. I've worked on them a bit each day and now, see how they shine. They are like diamonds and costly jewels. They are all precious.'
I nodded in agreement with him, then asked 'what about the rough rocks?'
'leave them alone', the man shouted defensively, 'i've only just put them in my bag. They're mine. I need to work on them so they shine like the others.'
I looked at him. He was glad of his burden.
'are you proud of your achievements and how you have acquired your stones.'
'yes' the man shouted above the din of the crashing stones on the mountain. 'what about yours?' he asked.
I felt myself turn red with embarrassment and contemplated the bulky rocks jutting through my own sack. The sack is heavy and ideally I wanted to throw the whole lot at the mountain, but i have carried it all my life and now i couldn't even consider the thought of losing it.
The stones in my sack are precious. They are mine and I have earned them. They hold precious memories, some I don't even wish to recall any longer, yet they hold the very fabric of my life, all of them have interconnected meanings; gained from perfecting the previous ones. As a child my sack was small, containing nothing more than a few pebbles, yet they were not enough. I wanted what my parents had, what the others in my village were carrying. I didn't know the weight or the colour of the stones, yet their sacks were larger and everyone carried them with pride. To gain more pebbles, I would learn to fight. I quickly realised that life was easier if I told a few white lies and hid a few truths. As I grew, I developed my character out of learning from others how they told lies, stole food and tools and were dishonest with their neighbours for their own personal gain. I copied them, wanting to be like them. I found that each time I told a lie a pebble would slip into my bag. Each time I stole food from my neigbour a large pebble chinked down onto the others. My parents would clip my ear, but I would walk away proud, for my bag was filling with pebbles and becoming larger. Growing older into my teens, I found a gem of a stone. Rough hewn at first, I learned to work on it until it shone, yet the stone also grew in size as I polished it. I had fun polishing the stone; a devious trick which shocked my parents to the core when they eventually discovered my callousness.
Through school and wanting to please my friends, I told them I was rich and was due to inherit a large fortune. I would bring in items of wealth claiming I had bought them with my share of the fortune whereas I had stolen them from another town and had hidden them in a hole until I needed to impress my friends. I stole a large cache of money and went on spending sprees with my friends, ,showering them with gifts. I had girls following me thinking I was in love with them and they with me, yet all they wanted was more gifts of money and jewellry.
The stone in my bag glinted with colours depending on the light of the day. The rough hewn stone of a lie became a gem of a lifestyle, and this stone attracted other stones and the whole fabric of my character was built up.
The man in the crowd looked at me expectantly.
'Are you going to accuse me of not throwing my stones?' he asked
'no' I repled. 'I don't want to throw mine away either. I want to leave and hide' I said, eyeing the crowds, trying to find an escape route.
As I looked at people, they looked at me, their faces sad and lifeless. Some others still held on to their sacks. Perhaps we should get together, form a group and in solidarity declare a rebellion for not wanting to lose our precious gems, but time was fast diminishing. I glanced at the time. Forty minutes to go.
'You need to cast your stones upon the mountain' The voice came from inside. I turned around looking for someone who may have uttered those words but there was no one sincere in their gaze. The man next to me also heard the voice.
'I'm not throwing my stones away. Never.'
'Why are you here?' the voice asked
I had no explanation. I couldn't remember purposely travelling here.
'Where are we?' I asked
'Golgotha' came the reply
Golgotha. The name conjures up images surreal to the present and haunting of the past, just as Armageddon portrays images of a future, yet may have been in the past, for now time was fast approaching its end and I stood on the very brink of existence surrounded by the population of the world watching a growing mountain, as heavy rocks still filled the air and the sounds of smashing rocks still reverberated around the site
The man next to me relented a little. Grabbing two stones out of his sack he threw them. I watched them carreen into the pile and were lost amongst the others.
'Those two were a token gesture. They were valuable to me, yet look, I can no longer see them. They are insignificant amongst all the others' he cried.
'I didn't realise how people had so many stones. How corrupt they all must be. Everyone. Not just a few, but everyone on the entire planet had stones and stories and life experiences all tied into their sacks.
I dug through mine looking for some stones I didn't like. Finding two, I held them in my hands. 'Should I throw them?'
'It's up to you, but you know it's inevitable'
'It's not'. They were heavy. I dropped them to the ground. There. That will do. As I let them go, a force of unexplained power lifted them and shot them fast high into the mountain, causing them to split into myriad pieces as they hit.
'go on. You can let them all go now.' The voice said.
I stood still. I didn't need to throw them. I just needed to let them out of my hand. Simply, give them up in my mind and the power of the mountain would draw them away.
I became frustrated. I wanted to leave the stones on the ground in front of me, yet each time i let one drop, it would fly fast into the mountain. I shouted out in anger.
Out of the corner of my eye i noticed people watching me for a response. The sky was suddenly lighter and the sound of crashing rocks has diminished. Less than one minute to go.
'Cast your stone' the voice called out, 'obey me, just as you used to. You need to trust me once again. I've always been true to you'.
I looked into my sack, now light and empty except for one last rock, highly polished into a multi-coloured layered gem. I could never let this stone go. I couldn't surrender. I couldn't trust, yet i knew, even as time and life ebbed away, that i would have to. This is my life, my secret, my character and ego. It seemed everyone is staring at me, urging me to let the rock fly, yet i closed the sack and held the neck tightly in my hands.
Seconds raced by, counting down to zero. Voices raised and shouting. The whole world beckoning to me to let go. I have the very last stone. If they have cast all of their stones onto the mountain, surely there is no problem with me letting go of mine, yet pride stood strong. Everyone would see my secret. Did it matter any longer. My sack became suddenly heavy, weighted down as if by a thousand stones. I opened the sack. Holding the polished gem in my hand, i contemplated its design. Uniquely formed, i am glad to have made it, yet now perhaps it is time to let it go, for time was now no more.
Raising my arm, i drew my hand back and flung the gem as hard as i could. Everyone watched as the stone flew in an arc high and straight. It landed directly on top of the high mountain and the collision reverberated around the world.
Time stood still. No one moved. Darkness covered the sun; snuffed out as in a candle. I stared straight ahead at the invisible form of the mountain. I knew it was there yet all was hidden and silent. Was this the end? The end of life itself? Would i simply die along with everyone else, glued to their spot in the darkness?
The ground beneath my feet began to shake. A tremor. An earthquake. The shaking became worse and the rumbling sound became louder. People started screaming in fear and shock.
'what if the mountain slips. All those rocks will bury us.' said a woman close by.
Would that be how the end will happen? Buried by our guilt? The tremors became stronger. The darkness making it worse since we couldn't see what was happening. Suddenly the mountain appeared to split. Strong sharp light filtered through fissures in the rock. i held my breath, thinking quickly through the implications of the scene enfolding in front of me. Then, with an almighty noise, like a shout, the mountain broke apart, the light became stronger than the midday sun, and appearing above was a figure emblazoned in light, a sword in his hand, fire in his eyes. Songs of glory surrounded the standing crowds as angels in their thousands praised the risen, living Lord.
I fell on my face on the ground. 'i am guilty, my Lord' i cry in the din.
A hand grabs my shoulder,and pulls me up.
'fear not, my Son, you are forgiven.'
I stand in his glory, fear gone, and praise the mighty risen Lord.
K S WHITE
20 June 2004
I couldn't stay. Racked by guilt and fear, i wanted to run away. Anywhere but here, however the crowd drew closer and was thousands thick. I never even realised there were so many people in the world let alone all being in one place at the same time. Stones were being thrown from far away and crashing against the man made mountain. I took a breath, turned to face the crowd, saw a small gap and ran as fast as i could, but the gap was closing. Almost at the same a boulder, hurled by a giant of a man, bounded towards me at great speed through the same gap. I stopped just short of being injured by the full force of the boulder which rolled past my feet to stop at the edge of the growing mountain.
A man stood close by who was fumbling with the tie of his sack, yet i saw it was clearly open. He was embarrassed to want to reach in and grab a stone. As i watched him, he spotted me. I walked towards him.
'you having difficulty with your sack?'
'none of your business' he replied.
He was dressed in a nicely tailored business suit and his mannerisms suggested an affluent upbringing, yet here he stood with a dirty leather sack, full to bursting with rocks and stones.
'it's already open' i said, looking inside, spying the contents. I was intrigued. Some of the stones were rocks, rough hewn with sharp edges, yet some glistened like jewels.
'what are these?' i ask in surprise.
The man looked sheepishly into his bag.
'I've carried them for years. They're my favourite stones. I've worked on them a bit each day and now, see how they shine. They are like diamonds and costly jewels. They are all precious.'
I nodded in agreement with him, then asked 'what about the rough rocks?'
'leave them alone', the man shouted defensively, 'i've only just put them in my bag. They're mine. I need to work on them so they shine like the others.'
I looked at him. He was glad of his burden.
'are you proud of your achievements and how you have acquired your stones.'
'yes' the man shouted above the din of the crashing stones on the mountain. 'what about yours?' he asked.
I felt myself turn red with embarrassment and contemplated the bulky rocks jutting through my own sack. The sack is heavy and ideally I wanted to throw the whole lot at the mountain, but i have carried it all my life and now i couldn't even consider the thought of losing it.
The stones in my sack are precious. They are mine and I have earned them. They hold precious memories, some I don't even wish to recall any longer, yet they hold the very fabric of my life, all of them have interconnected meanings; gained from perfecting the previous ones. As a child my sack was small, containing nothing more than a few pebbles, yet they were not enough. I wanted what my parents had, what the others in my village were carrying. I didn't know the weight or the colour of the stones, yet their sacks were larger and everyone carried them with pride. To gain more pebbles, I would learn to fight. I quickly realised that life was easier if I told a few white lies and hid a few truths. As I grew, I developed my character out of learning from others how they told lies, stole food and tools and were dishonest with their neighbours for their own personal gain. I copied them, wanting to be like them. I found that each time I told a lie a pebble would slip into my bag. Each time I stole food from my neigbour a large pebble chinked down onto the others. My parents would clip my ear, but I would walk away proud, for my bag was filling with pebbles and becoming larger. Growing older into my teens, I found a gem of a stone. Rough hewn at first, I learned to work on it until it shone, yet the stone also grew in size as I polished it. I had fun polishing the stone; a devious trick which shocked my parents to the core when they eventually discovered my callousness.
Through school and wanting to please my friends, I told them I was rich and was due to inherit a large fortune. I would bring in items of wealth claiming I had bought them with my share of the fortune whereas I had stolen them from another town and had hidden them in a hole until I needed to impress my friends. I stole a large cache of money and went on spending sprees with my friends, ,showering them with gifts. I had girls following me thinking I was in love with them and they with me, yet all they wanted was more gifts of money and jewellry.
The stone in my bag glinted with colours depending on the light of the day. The rough hewn stone of a lie became a gem of a lifestyle, and this stone attracted other stones and the whole fabric of my character was built up.
The man in the crowd looked at me expectantly.
'Are you going to accuse me of not throwing my stones?' he asked
'no' I repled. 'I don't want to throw mine away either. I want to leave and hide' I said, eyeing the crowds, trying to find an escape route.
As I looked at people, they looked at me, their faces sad and lifeless. Some others still held on to their sacks. Perhaps we should get together, form a group and in solidarity declare a rebellion for not wanting to lose our precious gems, but time was fast diminishing. I glanced at the time. Forty minutes to go.
'You need to cast your stones upon the mountain' The voice came from inside. I turned around looking for someone who may have uttered those words but there was no one sincere in their gaze. The man next to me also heard the voice.
'I'm not throwing my stones away. Never.'
'Why are you here?' the voice asked
I had no explanation. I couldn't remember purposely travelling here.
'Where are we?' I asked
'Golgotha' came the reply
Golgotha. The name conjures up images surreal to the present and haunting of the past, just as Armageddon portrays images of a future, yet may have been in the past, for now time was fast approaching its end and I stood on the very brink of existence surrounded by the population of the world watching a growing mountain, as heavy rocks still filled the air and the sounds of smashing rocks still reverberated around the site
The man next to me relented a little. Grabbing two stones out of his sack he threw them. I watched them carreen into the pile and were lost amongst the others.
'Those two were a token gesture. They were valuable to me, yet look, I can no longer see them. They are insignificant amongst all the others' he cried.
'I didn't realise how people had so many stones. How corrupt they all must be. Everyone. Not just a few, but everyone on the entire planet had stones and stories and life experiences all tied into their sacks.
I dug through mine looking for some stones I didn't like. Finding two, I held them in my hands. 'Should I throw them?'
'It's up to you, but you know it's inevitable'
'It's not'. They were heavy. I dropped them to the ground. There. That will do. As I let them go, a force of unexplained power lifted them and shot them fast high into the mountain, causing them to split into myriad pieces as they hit.
'go on. You can let them all go now.' The voice said.
I stood still. I didn't need to throw them. I just needed to let them out of my hand. Simply, give them up in my mind and the power of the mountain would draw them away.
I became frustrated. I wanted to leave the stones on the ground in front of me, yet each time i let one drop, it would fly fast into the mountain. I shouted out in anger.
Out of the corner of my eye i noticed people watching me for a response. The sky was suddenly lighter and the sound of crashing rocks has diminished. Less than one minute to go.
'Cast your stone' the voice called out, 'obey me, just as you used to. You need to trust me once again. I've always been true to you'.
I looked into my sack, now light and empty except for one last rock, highly polished into a multi-coloured layered gem. I could never let this stone go. I couldn't surrender. I couldn't trust, yet i knew, even as time and life ebbed away, that i would have to. This is my life, my secret, my character and ego. It seemed everyone is staring at me, urging me to let the rock fly, yet i closed the sack and held the neck tightly in my hands.
Seconds raced by, counting down to zero. Voices raised and shouting. The whole world beckoning to me to let go. I have the very last stone. If they have cast all of their stones onto the mountain, surely there is no problem with me letting go of mine, yet pride stood strong. Everyone would see my secret. Did it matter any longer. My sack became suddenly heavy, weighted down as if by a thousand stones. I opened the sack. Holding the polished gem in my hand, i contemplated its design. Uniquely formed, i am glad to have made it, yet now perhaps it is time to let it go, for time was now no more.
Raising my arm, i drew my hand back and flung the gem as hard as i could. Everyone watched as the stone flew in an arc high and straight. It landed directly on top of the high mountain and the collision reverberated around the world.
Time stood still. No one moved. Darkness covered the sun; snuffed out as in a candle. I stared straight ahead at the invisible form of the mountain. I knew it was there yet all was hidden and silent. Was this the end? The end of life itself? Would i simply die along with everyone else, glued to their spot in the darkness?
The ground beneath my feet began to shake. A tremor. An earthquake. The shaking became worse and the rumbling sound became louder. People started screaming in fear and shock.
'what if the mountain slips. All those rocks will bury us.' said a woman close by.
Would that be how the end will happen? Buried by our guilt? The tremors became stronger. The darkness making it worse since we couldn't see what was happening. Suddenly the mountain appeared to split. Strong sharp light filtered through fissures in the rock. i held my breath, thinking quickly through the implications of the scene enfolding in front of me. Then, with an almighty noise, like a shout, the mountain broke apart, the light became stronger than the midday sun, and appearing above was a figure emblazoned in light, a sword in his hand, fire in his eyes. Songs of glory surrounded the standing crowds as angels in their thousands praised the risen, living Lord.
I fell on my face on the ground. 'i am guilty, my Lord' i cry in the din.
A hand grabs my shoulder,and pulls me up.
'fear not, my Son, you are forgiven.'
I stand in his glory, fear gone, and praise the mighty risen Lord.
K S WHITE
20 June 2004
Friday 2 March 2007
The Temptation of Jesus
Miracle, Mystery, Authority
The Devil tempts Jesus under the three categories below. The Devil never changes his ploy. These categories have been his ‘M.O.’ from the beginning of time.
This temptation occurred during a time when Jesus was physically weak after being 40 days in the desert without food.
I began also to think of the Israelites while they were in the desert, during those 40 years and the way they were kept from entering the promised land because of their unbelief and disobedience. They had been tempted by the Devil, who deceived them as a people into thinking that God had led them out in to the desert to die, that God was not really interested in them any longer.
During those years, something of the ‘M.O.’ of the Devil came through the accounts in Exodus.
Miracle
Jesus
Luke 4:3 “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread”
Adam & Eve
Genesis 3:4 “You will not surely die!”
Israelites
Exodus 16 & 17
Manna, Quail and Water. The Israelites accused Moses of letting them starve. They were tempted to give up and turn back to Egypt.
Mystery
Jesus
Luke 4:9 “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone’”
Adam & Eve
Genesis 3:5 “For God knows that when you eat of the fruit your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Israelites
Exodus 32. The golden Calf.
The Israelites whilst waiting for Moses to return from visting with the Lord on the top of Mt Sinai, became restless and were tempted into creating a golden calf in order to worship a tangible god, so they could focus on something as being representative of the Lord, rather than believing him without seeing him. The mystery of the Lord without a tangible presence other than the cloud and the pillar of fire, was what the devil played upon their minds to think that without an icon there would be no God.
Authority
Jesus
Luke 4:5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in a instant all the Kingdoms of the world. And he said to him “I will give you all their authority and splendour, for it has been given to me and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.”
Adam & Eve
Genesis 3:1 “ Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’”
Israelites
Numbers 22- 24
Balak, King of Moab wanted Balaam, known as a sorceror, to place a curse on the Israelites. Balaam however, was open to the word of the Lord and the Spirit of the Lord was upon him.
The Lord told him not to curse the Israelites because they are a blessed people.
Balaam was tempted in everyway to curse the people of Israel.
The Devil wanted his authority to be placed over the Israelites through the curses from Moab, but the Lord intervened. There was a spiritual battle.
The Devil tempts Jesus under the three categories below. The Devil never changes his ploy. These categories have been his ‘M.O.’ from the beginning of time.
This temptation occurred during a time when Jesus was physically weak after being 40 days in the desert without food.
I began also to think of the Israelites while they were in the desert, during those 40 years and the way they were kept from entering the promised land because of their unbelief and disobedience. They had been tempted by the Devil, who deceived them as a people into thinking that God had led them out in to the desert to die, that God was not really interested in them any longer.
During those years, something of the ‘M.O.’ of the Devil came through the accounts in Exodus.
Miracle
Jesus
Luke 4:3 “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread”
Adam & Eve
Genesis 3:4 “You will not surely die!”
Israelites
Exodus 16 & 17
Manna, Quail and Water. The Israelites accused Moses of letting them starve. They were tempted to give up and turn back to Egypt.
Mystery
Jesus
Luke 4:9 “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone’”
Adam & Eve
Genesis 3:5 “For God knows that when you eat of the fruit your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Israelites
Exodus 32. The golden Calf.
The Israelites whilst waiting for Moses to return from visting with the Lord on the top of Mt Sinai, became restless and were tempted into creating a golden calf in order to worship a tangible god, so they could focus on something as being representative of the Lord, rather than believing him without seeing him. The mystery of the Lord without a tangible presence other than the cloud and the pillar of fire, was what the devil played upon their minds to think that without an icon there would be no God.
Authority
Jesus
Luke 4:5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in a instant all the Kingdoms of the world. And he said to him “I will give you all their authority and splendour, for it has been given to me and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.”
Adam & Eve
Genesis 3:1 “ Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’”
Israelites
Numbers 22- 24
Balak, King of Moab wanted Balaam, known as a sorceror, to place a curse on the Israelites. Balaam however, was open to the word of the Lord and the Spirit of the Lord was upon him.
The Lord told him not to curse the Israelites because they are a blessed people.
Balaam was tempted in everyway to curse the people of Israel.
The Devil wanted his authority to be placed over the Israelites through the curses from Moab, but the Lord intervened. There was a spiritual battle.
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