Blog changes

After some consideration, I have reorganized my blog pages to improve their target and purpose. Previously, I had a single web address that had a blog that I published articles on various, disparate subjects. This site is now just a landing page to point to the other new pages.

The new sites are:

• Hooked On Light where I publish articles related to photography and the digital darkroom and its RSS feed is here.
• Skylark Software where articles about software development are published; its RSS feed is here.
• The Episodic Author gets everything else and its RSS feed is here.

The old software and photography RSS feeds are now redirected to the new sites; if you subscribed to one of these, you don't need to do anything. The old RSS feed for everything now points to just the miscellaneous articles; if you are subscribed to this and wish to receive articles on software and/or photography, then you need to subscribe to the other feeds too.

All the old articles have been moved to the appropriate new site. Over the course of the next several days, they will be removed from the old site and it will receive some layout changes.

Apologies if a bunch of things showed up in the RSS readers during the reconfiguration. I'm not sure if everyone saw this or just me.

I hope all these changes ultimately make it easier for everyone to get just what they're interested in.

Farsight's cry

Raptor I (Golden Eagle)
Originally uploaded by hpebley3

A friend asked about the meaning of last week's OneLiner posting: "Further up and further in!" attributed to Farsight the Eagle. I felt my answer required a bit more space than I had in a twitter response and a bit more time to compose. So I'm answering it here, but first, a bit of background. The quote is from the last book in C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia The Last Battle and comes towards the end. This volume is about the final days of Narnia as the reader has known it throughout the series. All the inhabitants of the land have left, the sun, moon and stars have fallen from the sky and Father Time has awakened to blow his trumpet, signaling the end.

The heroes of the series find themselves in a new land that has brighter colors, deeper smells, fresher air. After a bit they realize the place they are in is the same as the old Narnia they grew to love only much larger and richer with a more solid feel to it. It's as if the previous land was a shadow of this new one. In the context of exploring this new place, the call goes out "Further up and further in!"

As an allegory, I suppose one could derive many different meanings from the story and this particular phrase. For me, I draw parallels between the land of Narnia, our world and the Kingdom of God. In a similar way that the old Narnia passed away and a new one took its place, I believe this current world will someday meet its end and God will replace it with a new one. Somethings we know now will continue on in a deeper, richer way. Other things will pass away and be burned up. My application of Farsight's exhortation is to remember that the Kingdom of God is at hand and even now to go further up and further into the knowledge of God and work at becoming a closer friend of Jesus.

The Suffering Servant

This Easter I want to look at the last face of Jesus in this series from the Song of Songs: the Suffering Servant.

Song of Songs 4:16 - 5:5 (selected)
Bride: Awake, O north wind; And come, thou south; Blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, And eat his precious fruits.

Groom: I am come into my garden, my sister, my bride: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends; Drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.

Open to me, my sister, For my head is filled with dew, My locks with the drops of the night.

Bride: I rose up to open to my beloved; And my hands droppeth with myrrh, And my fingers with liquid myrrh, Upon the handles of the bolt. I opened to my beloved; But my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone.

I see in this passage quite a few parallels with the last day of Jesus.

In the first part, the bride makes a declaration of commitment. The north wind brings cold, storms and winter hardships. The south wind brings warmth and the growing seasons of spring and summer. Here she's making a statement of dedication that come what may, in the good times and bad, she wants to be pleasing to her beloved. This reminds me of Peter when he says what's on all the disciples’ hearts: 'Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you.'^[1] There's a desire to be wholehearted in the commitment. It may not be something which can be fulfilled, but there is a desire to be unwavering.

Next, the groom says that he's come to his garden and tasted what it has. The sweet. The spicy. He encourages his friends and bride to partake with him. In the same way Jesus came and dwelt among us, enjoying his creation and enduring temptation. On that final night with them, it's not a stretch for me to see Jesus handing out the bread and wine and having this passage in mind when he said 'This is my body, broken for you. This is my blood poured out for you.'^[2] 'Eat O friends. Drink abundantly, O beloved.'

Following this, the groom says, 'open for me because I'm wet with dew and the drops of the night.' I see here the invitation of Jesus to his disciples, and particularly Peter, James and John, to pray with him in the garden. In the night season, when his head was wet with sweat and blood, in a time of anguish, he wanted those he loved near him to encourage his heart.

Finally though, Jesus had to walk the last road alone. Like the groom in the song, he had to withdraw his presence. The sheep had to be scattered. He had to go to a place where they could not follow and accomplish a task they couldn't do. He had to allow his body to be broken and his blood spilled so that we may eat and drink.

1. Matthew 26:35, Mark 14:31

2. 1^st Corinthians 11:23-25

The Consuming Fire

The passage of interest in this article can be viewed from multiple angles. Some interpret it to be the bride speaking, some the bridegroom. Being poetry, I think it's equally valid to see it from either perspective as they both provide useful insights. The line leading up to this passage says 'Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?' The bride and bridegroom are so close that it’s hard to distinguish between them. This may be why this passage is so hard to assign a speaker to. It's like a duet, where they're both singing the same words to express their heart. For the purposes of this essay I'm going to approach it as if the bride is speaking to her groom.

Song of Solomon 8:6-7
Set me like a seal on your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.
No amount of water can quench love;
torrents cannot drown it!
If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love,
it would be utterly scorned.

Herein we see the love of God expressed as a consuming fire. The Shulamite is saying 'Sear my countenance into your heart. Engrave my name on your arm stretched out for me. Your love is a violent flame that cannot be quenched and I want to know its power in my heart.' Rivers of water cannot quench this fire. I think of an underwater crack in the earth's crust where liquid rock flows out from the center of the planet. All the water of the ocean cannot cool the fire deep within.

Just like the Shulamite, it's our heart's cry to love and be loved fervently. But in order to give our hearts over to this, we need to know that the one we're giving ourselves to is worthy of our trust. That person is Jesus.

One day two men were walking down the road. Their hopes and dreams had been crucified with Jesus a few days prior. They were confused, lost and wondering what to do next, like me at times. They had heard rumors of the resurrection, but they didn't know what to make of them. Their world was turned upside down as they traveled.

To this place of despair, in the loving kindness of God, the Lord himself shows up. He patiently takes them through the Old Testament and unfolds to them His identity. He shows them the loving God reaching out to humanity throughout history all the way to the cross. He gives them seeing eyes, hearing ears and understanding hearts. In the same way he does for me and so with them I can say with my first century brothers 'Did not my heart burn within me when He opened the scriptures to me?'^[a]

Jesus comes to us just as he did them. Like Thomas, He shows us the wounds He received on the cross that pierced His side and arms. Out of love, we've been set as a seal upon His body. Within His heart burns a raging, violent fire of love, stronger than death, more unyielding than the grave. Our heart's cry is best met when we're touched by His holy flame and allow ourselves to be kindled by it. It's in this place that Jesus' prayer^[b] that the same love the Father has for Jesus might also be in us is fulfilled. It's from this place that, like Thomas, we can fall at His feet, giving ourselves to Him in adoration and worship.

1. See Luke 24:13-33 for the complete story.
2. Part of Jesus' High Priestly Prayer in John 18:21.

The Magnificent God

In this installment we'll be looking at the bridegroom through the eyes of the bride and then look at how her perspective can also be ours. In chapter 5 of the Song of Solomon, she's going through a crisis, a trial, a dark night of the soul. This time of testing has two aspects to it. First, her bridegroom has withdrawn his presence. He's revealed his heart and captured hers but has distanced himself for time of testing. Second, she's taken some hits by those in authority as she's gone out looking for him.

From this place of desperation, she goes to her companions and tells them if they see her beloved to tell him she is lovesick, she desires his presence. Their response is to ask what is he that she should be so enamored with him. They don't understand how she could be so captured by him. They don't ask who he is. They know this, but they haven't seen anything in him to be so lost in love. So twice they ask 'What is he to you?' This is her magnificent response:

My beloved is dazzling and ruddy,
Outstanding among ten thousand.
His head is like gold, pure gold;
His locks are like clusters of dates
And black as a raven.
His eyes are like doves
Beside streams of water,
Bathed in milk,
And reposed in their setting.
His cheeks are like a bed of balsam,
Banks of sweet-scented herbs;
His lips are lilies
Dripping with liquid myrrh.
His hands are rods of gold
Set with beryl;
His abdomen is carved ivory
Inlaid with sapphires.
His legs are pillars of alabaster
Set on pedestals of pure gold;
His appearance is like Lebanon
Choice as the cedars.
His mouth is full of sweetness.
And he is wholly desirable.

We don't have time now to do a line-by-line exposition of these 10 characteristics,^[1] but what I do want to observe here, is that within the context of her severe trials, the thing that kept her heart secure was in knowing the beautiful characteristics of her beloved. Knowing his strength, vision, emotions, care of his responsibilities, goals and his ability to achieve what he sets out to do, kept her not just secure, but lovesick. The beauty of who he was and what she means to him kept her confidently unwavering in the face of difficulty. He is both able and willing to save.

In the same way, our hearts are best kept in times of trial by being rooted in Jesus’ love for us. It's by knowing what he is, his characteristics, his beauty and his heart, that gives us this same confidence when we face both internal and external difficulties. He may withdraw his manifest presence for a time or we may face physical problems, but in either situation we can seek him and know that he will eventually be found. This is why we're called to worship in spirit and truth. Not because he is some egomaniac that needs to be worshiped, but because as we come before him and he reveals himself to us, we learn what he is and what we mean to him. Discovering the beauty of Jesus is for our benefit, to protect our hearts in the tough times.

This knowledge of Jesus' majestic beauty allowed Paul, facing imprisonment and death, to be able to say to Timothy 'I know in whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep the things I've committed to Him until the day of his glorious return.' (2 Timothy 1:12) Peter, James and John experienced this same reality. Just before the crucifixion, Jesus took them to a mountain and unveiled their eyes. They saw their friend transformed before them, talking with two of the major heroes of the Old Testament. This was unnerving for them at the time. But I think in the long term it served to strengthen them for what was to come. Both for them and us, the revelation of the Lord's beauty serves to anchor our faith in the storms and gives us a glimpse of the joy which will be ours when our faith is finally made complete.

[1] Gary Wiens has a detailed exposition of this passage in a CD series available here.

The Heavenly Husband

How beautiful you are, my love!
How beautiful you are!
Your eyes are doves behind your veil.
...
Everything about you is beautiful, my love,
you are without flaw.
My sister, my bride,
you have carried my heart away!
With just one glance, with one bead of your necklace,
you have carried my heart away.
My sister, my bride,
how sweet is your love!

In this stunning passage, the bridegroom reveals the incredible beauty he sees in the bride and the way his heart is ravished for her. He starts by declaring twice that she is beautiful to him. Starting with her eyes, He then describes eight attributes in detail. He finishes by stating her flawlessness and that she carries away his heart. He's ravished. He's undone.

It's one thing to consider this a nice poetic piece of history but it starts unlocking our hearts when we see it as Jesus heart for His church, for me, for you. This is a dim revelation, written in finite human language, of the love that rages in the eternal heart of Jesus for His bride. It's staggering to think that this is Jesus love for me.

When I read this in the first person and hear Him calling me 'all fair' and 'without flaw,' I stop and reply 'wait, what about that time I did thus and so and what about that failure.' How can this be? Then I remember Ephesians 5:27 where Paul writes that Jesus will cleanse His church with the word and present her to himself 'without spot or wrinkle.' Jesus is relating to me on the basis of the finished product, not the current work in progress. He can make these radical declarations because in His heart, and by His blood, they are already accomplished.

This love however is not a love that is blind. He knows the cost of cleansing. Right in the middle of this declaration of the bride's beauty, He says:

When the day's cool breeze comes up
and the shadows lengthen
I will get myself to the mountain of myrrh
to the hills of frankincense.

The mountain of myrrh and hills of frankincense can refer to Jesus' trials while on earth and the suffering of the cross. This is the cost he paid on my behalf for the cleansing I receive. These declarations of love are the truthful assessments of a ravished-hearted God who's willing to do whatever is necessary to produce the desired result in the object of His affection. He embraced the needed sacrifice before the foundation of the world. He knows that in actuality the work stands accomplished. He doesn't see according to the natural, but according to the spirit and declares truth from His perspective.

This allowed Jesus to see a ragtag group of uneducated men and call them apostles. It's how He could forgive sin and heal the sick. He didn't see them in the ugliness of evil but in the beauty of holiness. He spoke redemptive truth into their lives and called for change. John, one of the sons of thunder, understood this truth. Throughout his gospel, he calls himself 'the disciple Jesus loved.' This is only the epitome of arrogance if it's not true. But it is true. This is how Jesus related to John. When I begin to understand it's how he relates to both me and those around me, things change.

When I stand in the place of prayer, ministering to Him and beholding His beauty, I'm compelled to believe Him and receive His ministry to me. I'm can begin to receive His report, His declaration over me, and agree with Him. I stand in the truth of what He's declaring over me and allow Him to call forth His reality over my life. He calls me beautiful and His heart is ravished over me.

And He declares the same thing over you.

The Glorious Bridegroom

Let's now look at the Bridegroom coming in glorious splendor for his bride.

Song of Solomon 3:6-11
What is this coming up from the wilderness
Like columns of smoke,
Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
With all scented powders of the merchant?

Behold, it is the traveling couch of Solomon;
Sixty mighty men around it,
Of the mighty men of Israel.
All of them are wielders of the sword,
Expert in war;
Each man has his sword at his side,
Guarding against the terrors of the night.

King Solomon has made for himself a sedan chair
From the timber of Lebanon.
He made its posts of silver,
Its back of gold
And its seat of purple fabric,
With its interior lovingly fitted out
By the daughters of Jerusalem.

Go forth, O daughters of Zion,
And gaze on King Solomon with the crown
With which his mother has crowned him
On the day of his wedding,
And on the day of his gladness of heart.

In this passage, the king's wedding day is at hand and he's coming to claim his bride. He's visible from a distance because of the dust that his procession is stirring up. As he gets closer, details start coming into view. The king is on a throne surrounded by a mighty guard. It's made of timber from Lebanon which was known for its strength and beauty. It contains silver representing righteousness and gold representing divine character. He is full of joy, wearing a crown that his mother has given him.

I think this contains a two-fold picture of Jesus.

There is yet to come a day when Jesus returns in a glorious appearing. I think this passage is a foreshadowing of his future return. Revelation tells us of many things that will happen prior to his return. There will be signs in society, government and the physical world. Dust will be stirred up to let us know something momentous is about to occur. When He does return, it will be to rule and reign as king on the earth. He will come commanding a mighty army to wage war against His enemies. He will judge in righteousness with strength and according to the Father's perspective. His people will be made fully mature and will co-rule by His side; they will be His wedding crown (Isaiah 62:3). There will be joyous singing and feasting when this day is finally fulfilled.

In addition to this future day, I think this passage also points to His first coming. Angels proclaimed his coming birth to both Mary and Joseph. Angels proclaimed His birth to those nearby while stars moved to proclaimed his birth to those far away. As an infant, Simeon and Anna recognized Him and told others that God was among them. Thirty years later, John went before Him, announcing His imminent ministry. There was lots of dust before His arrival. The gifts of myrrh and frankincense, given at His birth, are burial spices, speaking of his death. When He finally went to Calvary he was escorted by Roman soldiers carrying swords. He carried his own instrument upon which He was lifted up for all to see. He was crowned with thorns by the nation that gave him birth. And finally, he was anointed with gladness over all his brothers as he looked past the cross to the joy that its endurance would bring. It is because of the cross that the four living creatures and 24 elders could sing the new song 'Worthy are you to break the seals', precipitating his next return in unrestrained glory.

The Challenging Leader

Is Jesus a safe God?
Is it safe to obey Him 100%?
Is it safer in the boat or on the water?

Song of Songs 2:8-9a
Listen! My beloved!
Behold, he is coming,
Climbing on the mountains,
Leaping on the hills!
My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.

There is a time when the Holy Spirit reveals to us that the Lover of our Souls, the One who has placed His banner of love over us and fed us raisin cakes and apples, is also the sovereign King of the universe. In this passage, a new side of the Groom's personality is revealed: His ability to leap over the mountainous problems and hilly adversities found in life. The things that seem large, intimidating and unmovable are nothing under Him. He walks effortlessly over them with grace and authority.

Song of Songs 2:10, 11, 13
My beloved responded and said to me,
Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,
And come along.
For behold, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone.
The fig tree has ripened its figs,
And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance.
Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,
And come along!

Here the Groom comes to his Beloved and calls for her to join Him. There's a new season upon them and He wants her with Him. The cold winter rains are past. The hard work of summer and harvest of autumn are still ahead. But now, the flowers are blooming and there's preparation to be done for the work ahead; it's time to be started. The exhilarating dance of victory over difficulties is to begin.

Song of Songs 2:14
O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,
In the secret place of the steep pathway,
Let me see your form,
Let me hear your voice;
For your voice is sweet,
And your form is lovely.

In the rocky cliffs, He has a secret cleft for her. He desires her presence. He wants to see her lovely form and hear her sweet voice as they leap and dance over the mountains and hills in her life.

Song of Songs 2:16, 17
My beloved is mine, and I am his;
...
Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle
Or a young stag on the mountains of separation.

And in the first struggle in their relationship she declines the invitation. Fear stops her. She sees the mountains with their lions and tigers and bears and decides to stay in the comfortable place under the apple tree. But even in this denial, she recognizes that they still belong to each other. This isn't a case of rejection out of rebellion, but rather fear overcoming her in her immaturity. She's telling Him to go. She's unable to join Him, but she'll watch from afar with wonder and delight at His grace and majesty. Restoration will come later, but for now they'll be separated.

I think this serves as a prophetic background for the events found starting in Matthew 14:22. In this familiar story, the disciples are in a boat on the Sea of Galilee in the middle of the night in a storm. They had left Jesus on shore many hours earlier and had been struggling all night against the wind. Suddenly, in the dark hours before dawn, the disciples see the figure of someone walking on the water and they're terrified. They cry out and Jesus answers that it's OK, it's Him and there's no reason to be afraid. Peter says if it's really Jesus, for Him to call for him to walk on the water with Him. Jesus calls him and Peter climbs out of the boat. He walks for a ways and then sees where he is, panics, and begins to sink. Jesus takes a hold of him and they walk together through the storm back to the boat.

I think this is a wonderful example of our Groom's sovereign authority. Here the real flesh and blood man, Jesus, is dancing on the waves of a lake in a storm. Walking on water is nothing to Him. The storm doesn't bother Him. And from this place of apparent uncertainty, He calls for His friend to join Him. The question for Peter was: is it safer in the comfortable place without Jesus or out in the middle of the storm on the water with him? I can't imagine what was going on in Peter's mind, the turmoil that must have been going through him, as he puts first one leg and then the other over the side of the boat. But he dared to and succeeds in walking on the water for a bit. But in his inexperience and immaturity, he sees the storm, is overwhelmed and begins to sink. Even though he lost his focus, Jesus was there. And that's the point. When the King calls us out of the comfortable place, we can presume upon His power and strength to save.

The Passionate Suitor

One of our deepest human desires is to give and receive love. I think this is a reflection of being created in God's image. For eternity, love has flowed between members of the Trinity. When He created, He gave us this gift. This desire is met in part as it's expressed in our relationships with others. However, I think the real reason for its existence is to drive us to intimacy with Him. The ultimate fulfillment of this longing is only met by the touch of the infinite Lover of our souls and our fervent response to Him.

In Song of Songs 1:12, we find the maiden sitting at dinner with the shepherd, having accepted his earlier invitation to follow. It's in the context of this desire for a loving relationship that the young maiden says to herself:

While the king is at his table, my perfume fills the air with its fragrance.

She's sitting at the table and notices him noticing her. She's thinking of what he means to her, hoping for some response. And respond he does. In verse 15 he says to her:

Look at you! You are beautiful, my true love!
Look at you! You are so beautiful!

Here she is, still the 'dark but lovely' immature maiden of a few verses earlier. She has weakness and sin in her, but she also has desire for him. When he looks at her, he sees, not only the young shepherdess that has brought her flocks following after his, but also the mature bride which will emerge. He's looking at her through the corridor of time, seeing the effect of his love lavished on her, and the changes it brings. With this vision, from the beginning he relates to her as if she's complete and calls her beautiful.

Remember the Banquet of Wine I talked about ealier? (See the articles here.) This is where, as part of the betrothal process, the groom pours out a glass of wine for his intended. This represents his pouring out of himself for her.

I see this same thing happening in the relationship between Jesus and the disciples. At the last supper, Jesus took the cup and passed it among them saying 'Drink. This is Me, poured out for you.' Further, in the context of the same meal, He told them he was going away to prepare a place in His Father's house and would return for them so they could live with Him. This is more imagery taken directly from Jewish wedding customs.

Yet while He was saying and doing these things, He knew what was going to happen later that very night. He knew the betrayal of Peter. He knew that the rest would forsake Him during the crucifixion. The disciples were very dark, but He saw them as lovely. He too looked through time, past that night's failings, saw their future intimacy and called them to a position of authority.

And by proxy, we were there with them in that room. In love He calls us to a journey wherein we'll be changed by a passionate relationship with Him. He meets us as immature people, dark with sin. He loves us first. Having poured his life out for us, He forgives our sins and calls us before we're cleaned up. It's only then that He starts the cleansing, knowing that eventually, in spite of failings along the way, we will eventually be the mature, radiant bride, lovely in His sight.

The Inviting Shepherd

The first several verses of Song of Songs open with the bride's declaration of her delight in and desire for her betrothed. She has decided that she desires his presence. She doesn't want to be away from him and so asks in verse 7 of chapter 1:

Tell me, O you whom my soul loves,
Where do you pasture your flock,
Where do you make it lie down at noon?
For why should I be like one who veils herself
Beside the flocks of your companions?

She's asking here where she can predictably find him. She wants to know his routine so she can follow it to him. She doesn't want to be veiled next to strangers but unveiled in his presence. To her inquiry the groom responds in verse 8:

If you yourself do not know,
Most beautiful among women,
Go forth on the trail of the flock,
And pasture your young goats
By the tents of the shepherds.

He enjoys her presence. He finds her the most beautiful of women, and so he invites her: if you don't know the way, there are other's who do, follow along after them and the flock, and you'll find me.

One warm afternoon, Jesus was walking along the river bank, enjoying the cool air blowing off the water, when he passed his cousin John, standing in the shade of a tree with two of his disciples. John proclaimed 'Behold, the Lamb of God!' and the two disciples of John started following Jesus. Jesus turned and asked 'What do you seek?' And they said 'Where are you staying?' This is the same heart cry for intimacy which prompted the Shulammite to ask 'where do you pasture your flock?'. They're both questions expressing a desire for closeness. Jesus responded with a simple 'Come and see.' This too parallels the SoS passage with the same inviting response to come to that place of pasture and rest.

One of the two disciples that followed Jesus that day was Andrew. He went and got his brother Peter who also responded to the invitation. Later, many cried out to Peter on the day of Pentecost 'where do we go for this relationship'. Three thousand responded that day to the invitation. Through the centuries, this longing cry for intimacy still reverberates. And likewise, we're still invited to follow all those who've gone before on this path of extravagant, passionate pursuit of the One who loves us.

The Faces of Jesus in the Song of Songs

I recently finished a series of devotional glimpses into the heart of God through the Bridal Paradigm. In that series, I made one glaring, although intentional, omission: I skipped over the Song of Songs. I felt this book is too vast to do it justice in a one-entry, introductory way and so just ignored it. Now, I want to go back and pull a few things from this book.

This isn't a study of the book, but rather it's going to be patterned similarly to the previous series. In each article I'm going to take a small section from the book and use it as a jumping off point to reveal a specific quality of God's heart.

I believe the Songs can be interpreted several ways, all of which are valid. However, for the purposes of this series, I'm going to be looking at it as an allegory for the relationship between believers as the bride and Jesus as the groom.

Practice listening

I really liked this morning's sermon. The Pastor is doing a series on prayer and today's topic was about spending time building intimacy with Jesus by listening to Him through the written word. One point that he raised was that we typically tend to listen to Him more in the hard times than in times of ease. This prompted a thought that I want to explore a bit here: It's much easier to hear his voice in the hard times if we've practiced listening to it during the easy times.

To start, I want to look the following parable:

Matthew 25: 1-13 Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps.

Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those virgins rose, and trimmed their lamps.

And the foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the prudent answered, saying, 'No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.'

And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. And later the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, lord, open up for us.'

But he answered and said, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you.' Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

Within context, Jesus is talking about the big trouble that's coming just before His next advent. This parable is of course applicable to that time, but I think it's equally applicable to any troublesome times that come into our lives.

First, I want to notice that this is about wise and foolish believers, not about saved and unsaved people. All these individuals had lamps, symbolizing ministries. All had oil, symbolizing Holy Spirit anointing. They were all doing anointed ministry.

Secondly, I want to notice that some had just enough oil for the ministry they were involved with whereas others had an abundance of oil. I believe the foolish were spending time in prayer, bible study and fasting in order to be prepared for the ministry they were pursuing. Conversely, the wise were spending time in these same disciplines in order to have an intimate relationship with Jesus and ministering out the overflow of the resulting anointing. Both were doing the stuff, but the motivations were different. Up to this point, there is no noticeable difference between the wise and foolish virgins.

Thirdly, I want to notice that sometimes God introduces a strategic delay. He doesn't operate on our time table. Sometimes the heavens are as brass because of our disobedience and God is waiting for us to repent. Other times it's because, for His own purposes, He chooses to delay. It's at the end of this delay that we see the difference between the wise and foolish.

Fourthly, I want to notice that we can't live off another's relationship of intimacy. When the foolish realized they were in trouble, they went to the wise and asked to borrow some of their anointing. Their response, while at first sounding harsh, is actually just a reflection of the reality that their individual histories in God were their own. While others can be told of them as encouragement to pursue the same, the existential lessons can't be acquired second hand, only experienced first hand. I love music and am taking guitar lessons. I would love to be able to play like my instructor, but all he can do is teach me principles and ways of learning. If I want to be able to play like him, I need to invest time doing the practice, day-in, day-out, over an extended period, to gain the experience. Just like my instructor, the wise can communicate what they do, but they can't transfer the actual experience.

Finally, I want to notice that those with a surplus were ready to minister. I don't interpret the end of this parable to be a statement of the virgins' status regarding salvation. I understand it to be a statement as to their preparedness to minister during the time of trouble. I think of Paul's statement in 1st Corinthians 3:14,15 which says 'If any man's work which he has built on [the foundation of Christ] remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.' Whether it's the big trouble at the end of the age or the little troubles that come into our lives, trouble will come. When it does, the wise will have a history in God that allows them to minister to the Lord and others through that time and receive a reward. The foolish will come through that time being saved but suffering loss, not being able to participate in the glory of what God's doing in that time.

Current reality

In this final article in the series on the Bridal Paradigm, I'm going to transition from Old Testament foreshadowings to New Testament realities.

In Jewish custom there were several stages leading up to a marriage.

The first was the betrothal. This was where a young man and his father prepared a covenant and presented it to the intended girl and her family. Involved in this was the payment of a bride price where the young man paid the family for the cost of raising a daughter. It also indicated the importance she held to him and his commitment to her. In addition to the bride price, which went to the family, the young man brought gifts for his intended.

The betrothal was formalized by the Banquet of Wine. As discussed in a previous article, this is a celebration of the coming marriage where the groom-to-be pours out a glass of wine for his intended. This symbolizes the terms of the covenant wherein he commits himself and all he has to her. She then drinks this, symbolizing her acceptance of his provision on her behalf.

At the end of the betrothal ceremony, the young man announces that he's going to prepare their wedding chamber but as soon as it's prepared, he'll return to get her. They will not see each other again until he finishes this work. It might take a year or more to complete this bridal chamber, and since the young man's in a hurry, he might be tempted to cut corners. Hence, his father has the responsibility to decide when it's ready, not the young man.

While the young man is preparing the wedding chamber, the bride-to-be prepares herself. This involves a ceremonial cleansing. She prepares herself physically and emotionally to leave her father's house and join her betrothed in his. She uses the gifts he's given her to make herself ready. She's not sure when he will return, it could be at any time of the day or night; she just needs to be ready. It was customary for the bride to keep an oil lamp beside her bed, along with her veil and other belongings.

On one of the father's inspections of the bridal chamber, he announces to his son that it's finished and he may fetch his bride. The son gathers his close friends and sets out for her house. When the wedding party gets close, they give a shout and blow the shofar to let the bride know her groom is on his way. He comes in and carries her away to the wedding chamber where they celebrate for seven days.

Each of these stages can be seen in the New Testament.

Matthew writes, starting in chapter 26, verse 26: 'While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body.' And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.' This is the bride price he was willing to pay: his own blood. Peter says in chapter 1, verses 18 and 19: 'knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold ... but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.'

In addition, he gave gifts. First while he was here in the form of healing, wine, food and teaching. And second, after he left, he gave the gift of the Holy Spirit and His empowerment.

When we partake of the Lord's Supper, we are accepting his offer of marriage. We are drinking the cup of wine from the betrothal feast.

After the Lord's Supper, Jesus proclaimed in John 14:3: 'If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.' He's announcing his intent to build a wedding chamber and he's promising to return for us. When asked when he'd be returning, he replied that 'of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.' (Matthew 24:36)

In this time of separation, we are to prepare ourselves. Just as the bride partook in a ceremonial washing, we partake in baptism. We use the gifts he's given us to His glory and preparation of the bride. John writes 'His bride has made herself ready. It was given to her to clothe herself in ... the righteous acts of the saints.' (Revelation 19:7) We are not to love the world or the things in the world. (1 John 2:15) We are to be holy as He is holy. (1 Peter 1:15-16) We are to keep ourselves for Him for He is jealous over us. (James 4:5) Having been washed with the water of the word, we are to be holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:27)

And finally, there will be a day when the wedding chamber will be finished, the Father will say it's time and 'the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.' (1 Thessalonians 4:16) 'Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. ... Blessed are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb.' (Revelation 19:7-9)

Hosea and Gomer

In the previous articles in this series on the Bridal Paradigm, I've written about God's heart in creation and it's reflection in the stories of Adam and Eve, Isaac and Rebekah, Ruth and Boaz, Esther and Xerxes. In these historical accounts, we've looked his desire for an equal companion, one with a servant's heart, who keeps herself from lesser loves and intercedes from a position of intimacy. I've looked at these as foreshadowings, types or models of the relationship God desires with us. In all these, I've given an implied interpretation; it has not been explicit in the scriptural account. Here, I want to look at a story that, like the others, is a model of the relationship God's seeking, but the interpretation is included explicitly.

God commanded a young prophet to find and love a wife whose heart was not wholly committed to him; one whose heart would be enticed by other lovers. So, Hosea married Gomer. In time they had two boys and a girl. At some point, Gomer decided she'd had enough of family life and left, sought out a glamorous, promiscuous lifestyle, and eventually fell into slavery. At this point God again commanded Hosea to love her, seek her out and bring her out of her fallen state into one of restoration as his wife.

All this was orchestrated by God to be a prophetic picture for his people, Israel. They had been loved by God and brought to a land flowing with milk and honey. They'd left Him while seeking after lesser gods and fallen into the depths of depravity, eventually becoming slaves to others. While in this state, God had compassion on them and paid the price to restore them to Himself.

Hosea chapter 1 is a narrative of God's call on Hosea's life. Chapter 2 and most of the rest of the book, contains prophetic poetry about Israel's rejection of God as they pursued idolatry, His hemming them in and allowing judgment to fall. There are several sections throughout the book where God balances the gloominess of judgment with promises of restoration. The first is an arresting series of statements in chapter 2. I'm starting at the end of judgments in verse 13 to give context for the change in verse 14.

'I will punish her for the days of the Baals
When she used to offer sacrifices to them
And adorn herself with her earrings and jewelry,
And follow her lovers, so that she forgot Me,'
...
'Therefore, I will allure her,
...
And speak kindly to her.
...
'It will come about in that day,' declares the LORD,
'That you will call me 'My husband'
And will no longer call me 'My master'.'
...
'I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice,
In loving kindness and in compassion,
And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness.
Then you will know the LORD.'

This is the first time in scripture that God explicitly reveals the depth of intimacy He desires. Deuteronomy 6:5 indicates that we're to love God with our all. David had a good understanding of God's forgiveness and loving-kindness, echoed in his life and writings. But it's Hosea to whom God first indicates the heart of a husband. Jesus leans over and whispers in Hosea's ear: 'The way you love Gomer, even in the place she's at right now, well that's the same way I love my people. I will pay the price; I will give my all. I will woo them and bring them out of the place they're in now so we can live together in righteousness.' He doesn't want a master/slave relationship. He wants a love relationship. We're to be betrothed to him. He wants us to know him and be known by him.

Xerxes and Esther

King Xerxes threw a six-month party for all his nobles. At the end of this he threw a huge, seven day, bash for everyone in the capital city. During this finale, he wanted to show off the greatest treasure of the kingdom, his queen. But she insulted him by refusing his summons and was removed from her position of privilege.

Some would say this request was lewd and inappropriate and should have been denied. However, I don't think this was the nature of the request. Isaiah 62 talks about the church's glory being made evident as a crown of beauty in God's hand. 1 Corinthians 11 tells us that the glory of a man is his wife and man is the glory of God. Ephesians 3 tells us that the work that God is doing in the church to bring her to glory is to reveal His wisdom to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places. I think this indicates that Jesus is going to do with his bride what Xerxes was trying to do with Vashti: demonstrate his glory by the way in which his queen is dressed.

In time, a search was made for a new queen. One of those included in this search was Esther, a Jewish captive whose family was taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. After 12 months of preparatory treatments, it was Esther's turn to go before the king. She asked the king's adviser, Hegai, to dress her to please the king.

In a similar way, the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit purifies believers and makes them ready for the heavenly groom. The things we go through, the ways we respond, the decisions we make under His guidance, all make us ready for that last day. We are to be washed and without spot or wrinkle when we're presented to Christ (Ephesians 5:27). We are to be diligent in our pursuit of righteousness in order to be blameless in His sight (2 Peter 3:14). We are to repent under his reproof and so acquire garments of white (Revelation 3:22).

That night Esther captured the king's heart and was made queen. In celebration, the king threw another party. Traditionally this was called a Banquet of Wine, which was the betrothal feast in Middle Eastern cultures. During the party, the groom would pour a glass of wine and set it on the table. This symbolized the pouring out of himself for the bride; offering all he had for her. Later, she would go to the table and drink it, symbolically saying 'Yes, I accept. My life is sustained by you. We are one.'

Some years later, Haman, an enemy of the Jews, rose to a place of prominence in the court. Through this position of authority, with the king's ascent, he was able to pass a law to kill all the Jews in the land.

Similarly, Satan seeks to destroy God's people, and does it in the bounds of God's authority. Remember the stories of Job, Peter and Jesus, who all were harassed by Satan, with God's permission. I believe God allows strategic threats of the enemy to force the queen into her place of intercession before the king.

Esther learned of Haman's plan, prepared herself to meet the king and went to stand in his presence. When the king saw her, his heart was moved. He raised his scepter to her, granting her an audience. He watched her as she approached the throne, stunned by her loveliness. By the time she reached him, he was ruined. He was a man in love. The king invited her to presume upon her positional authority: what is your request? Up to half the kingdom. Rather than responding with her intercessory burden, Esther invited him, along with Haman, to a Banquet of Wine.

It is here that the idea of bridal intercession begins to be revealed. Outside, the Jews are distressed. They're going around in sackcloth and ashes. They're weeping and fasting. However inside, near the heart of the king, the bride is reminding him of their romance. She's reminding him of that first Banquet of Wine, the intimacy they share and renewing her commitment to him. Standing opposite to Vashti's refusal to be seen as his bride, Esther is actively creating an environment, in the presence of his nobles, in which she can be seen as his and his alone.

After the feast, the king again asked her what she needed. Esther does a remarkable thing. Once again, rather than interceding, she invited the king and Haman to another Banquet of Wine the next night. She took full advantage of her prerogative to stir the king's heart. Her request is secondary, for she's coming to grips with the fact that the king's heart is ravished for her. He will take care of the issues as they present themselves. So plans are made for the next night, where she promises to let the king know what is on her heart.

The king knows that there is something on her mind, but he's pleased with her approach. The next night, he again invited her to presume upon her standing and offers up to half the kingdom. This time Esther responds by telling him of the plan to destroy her and her people. She's careful not to reveal too much or say who it is. She just lets the reality sink in and let the king's anger build. The king is outraged. Who would dare to threaten his bride? Haman.

It's here that the wisdom of including Haman in the celebration becomes evident. He's had two nights to observe first hand the romance and affection between the king and queen. The previous night he went home and bragged to his friends and family of his position near them. All of a sudden the tables have been turned and he realizes the serious trouble he's in. The king is so distraught, he leaves the party to think. Haman is terrified and pleads with the queen for his life. On his return, the king immediately orders Haman's execution.

I believe all this is a prophetic story of our relationship with God. First, He's a joyful God who enjoys throwing parties. He's looking for a bride who will prepare herself to stand before him in the glory that He's bestowed upon her. He gave himself and poured himself out for us, to bring us into a relationship with him. Finally, He strategically allows problems into our lives. In the words of Psalm 23: 'You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.' This gives us an opportunity to grow in our understanding of our position before him. Also, it provides Satan an opportunity to see the mutual love between us and be terrified.

Boaz and Ruth

There was a famine in the land. And so the man packed up his wife and two sons and went to a neighboring country. In due time, the two sons married local girls. But tragedy shortly struck, killing the father and sons, leaving the three women alone. In the mean time, the famine in the mother-in-law's country ended, so she decided to return. One daughter-in-law stayed in her home country, but the other committed herself to her mother-in-law and threw her lot in with her.

So, Naomi and Ruth arrived back in Bethlehem at harvest time. In order to eat, Ruth went into the fields to glean what the harvesters missed. While doing this, she met the field's owner, Boaz, who encouraged her to stay with the servant girls in his field and told his harvesters not to harass her. In doing so, she was able to gather more than she would have otherwise.

Upon returning home that evening and reporting to her mother-in-law, Naomi realized there may be a deeper relationship possible between these two. So she instructed Ruth in how to present herself to Boaz to see what would happen. His heart was touched and the next day he proceeded to pay the price to bring Naomi and Ruth into his household.

There are a couple points in this story that I want to focus on as prophetic pictures of God's dealing with us.

First, there's Naomi. In this story, I see her as a picture of the Holy Spirit. Through her relationship with Ruth, Ruth came to love her and be committed to both her and her people. As the story unfolds, Naomi also guides Ruth into a loving relationship with Boaz. In a similar way, the Holy Spirit draws our hearts and opens our eyes to things spiritual. He brings us first to repentance from our old life and commitment to a new one and then prepares us as a bride for the Son.

Second, there's Ruth, a Moabitess, a stranger to the covenant and promises. She's a great picture of Gentile believers. We're born in a foreign country, with no inheritance. But our hearts are ignited by love and we commit ourselves to God, without really knowing what that means. We are welcomed into His family and become inheritors of the promise. As the relationship progresses, we move from the role of child to that of bride. I think this is a clear picture that from the beginning, God had in his heart to include all humanity in redemption.

Finally, there's Boaz. He starts out as a father figure, providing for and protecting Ruth and Naomi. As Ruth's heart is revealed by her service to Naomi and keeping herself from other lovers, Boaz's heart is moved. He pays the price for them and the relationship moves to one of intimacy and marriage. Similarly, we tend to start our Christian walk understanding our relationship with God as a child of His, he protects us, provides for us, meets our needs. But as we mature and spend time with Him, we get a better understanding of the price he paid for us and our relationship grows, deepens, intimacy forms. Our hearts are knitted together; we become friends.

I find it staggering to think that this is just a model of the eternal heart of Jesus. He loves me enough to pay for my protection and provision. His heart is made glad by me. He considers it a kindness to Him when I keep my affections for Him alone, not turning to lesser loves, gazing on Him with singleness of focus and desire. And as I spend time sitting in His presence, He burns this into my heart, convinces my innermost being and transforms me by the knowledge of his extravagant love.

Isaac and Rebekah

In the last two postings, I wrote a bit about the delight in the heart of God over mankind, his rejoicing over creation as he prepared a place to meet with us, the longing He placed in Adam to mirror His heart and finally the way Eve was created as a foreshadowing of the Son's death and the church's redemption.

Now, I'd like to consider the story of Isaac and Rebekah. The story is familiar, so I won't include it all here. For reference it's found in Genesis 24.

In synopsis, it begins with Abraham wanting a bride for Isaac. But this bride had to be special, someone from their country and relatives. He wanted someone with the same background, values and beliefs. So, Abraham commissions his head servant, probably Eliezer, to the task. A caravan of gifts is loaded and Eliezer sets off to the old country. Upon arriving he meets Rebekah and finds her willing to water, not only himself, but the camels too. He woos her in Isaac's name and she consents. Finally, the story concludes with Rebekah returning back through the wilderness with Eliezer. Scripture doesn't say, but I suspect much of this time was spent with Eliezer telling family stories of Abraham, Sarah and Isaac, preparing her to meet and marry Isaac.

I want to focus on two parts of this story: The first part is Eliezer going, meeting and wooing. This is a foreshadowing of the incarnation. The Father sends the Servant to humanity with sufficient gifts to reveal his heart and intentions, but not so many as to overwhelm and coerce. The Servant looks for another servant, not because he has need of servants, but because his heart is to serve and he's looking for one with a heart like his.

The second part is the return trip. This is a picture of our journey with the Holy Spirit guiding us through the paths in this wilderness here on earth which will conclude with the wedding feast of the Lamb.

We probably all remember the story of Isaac's birth and that his name means 'son of laughter'. What may not be quite so well known is that Eliezer means 'God is help' and Rebekah means 'snared by beauty'. So, even in the names of the historical characters, we see the New Testament story of the Helper/Comforter capturing the hearts of the redeemed with the beauty of the one who was anointed with joy/laughter over all others.

Adam and Eve

Consider the story of Adam and Eve.

God created Adam from the dust of the ground, along with all the other pairs of animals, and he brought them before him to see what he'd call them. When it was all done, there was no companion found for Adam, even though all the others came in pairs.

Ever thought about why? Why didn't God create Eve at the same time as Adam? I think it's because he wanted Adam to experience a bit of the same longing in his heart that Jesus had in his. C.S. Lewis noted that hunger, regardless of whether or not it's satisfied, is an indication that food exists. The fact that Adam knew he was incomplete demanded a fulfilling reality somewhere. This did not come from Adam's experience for he had no prior experience of having had this completion. Rather, this ache in Adam was a reflection of God's chosen longing to have a counter-part for his Son.

Once Adam had fully experienced this longing, God put Adam to sleep, took a rib from his side and fashioned Eve. This is a bit odd, compared to the previous way of creating creatures. Why not create Eve the same way? I think it's as a foreshadowing of the church and Christ, where the last Eve also comes forth from the riven side of the last Adam. The blood and water which spilled from Jesus side symbolizes redemption and cleansing. He went through this in order to have a bride, without spot or wrinkle, holy and blameless, a partner with a heart like his.

In the beginning...

In looking at the Bridal Paradigm, a good place to start is at the beginning, before time began.

Proverbs 8:22-31
The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.

From everlasting I was established,
From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.

When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no springs abounding with water.

Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills I was brought forth;
While He had not yet made the earth and the fields,
Nor the first dust of the world.

When He established the heavens, I was there,
When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
When He made firm the skies above,
When the springs of the deep became fixed,
When He set for the sea its boundary
So that the water would not transgress His command,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth;
Then I was beside Him, as a master workman;
And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
Rejoicing in the world, His earth,
And having my delight in the sons of men.

In Proverbs, the 'I' here is wisdom personified. The attributes are: eternal, being with God since before anything else was, and a master craftsman at creation. Given the New Testament, I think it's easy to interpret this as Jesus. We know Him as eternal and the agent of creation:

John 1:1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

Colossians 1:15-17
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

Hebrews 1:2b His Son ... through whom ... He made the world.

In the Proverbs passage, we see the Father taking delight in the Son and the Son rejoicing before the Father; a mutual glad-hearted, joyful relationship existing in the trinity. The word 'rejoicing' has the connotation of amusement, celebration, joking, laughing, making merry, playing. It's the same word David used to describe his entry into Jerusalem with the ark. (2 Samuel 6:5, 12; 1 Chronicles 13:8, 15:29) It's the same word used to describe people in the streets of Jerusalem when the Lord reigns there. (Zechariah 8:5)

We also see the Son taking delight in the sons of men. This is echoed in 'He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him (Ephesians 1:4).' Before creation, He knew us, loved us and chose us.

Later Paul writes 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:31)' It's not that our relationship with Jesus is sort of like a marriage, but the other way around. Marriage is given to us as a shadow of the relationship that Jesus wants with his people.

The Bridal Paradigm

In this series of devotionals, I look at the concept of the Bridal Paradigm, wherein the primary way God relates to us is as a groom to his bride. For me personally, intimacy with God has grown as I've come to understand to a greater degree the passionate love He has for me and this idea of Christ as bridegroom has been foundational in this growth.