The Lion and the Lamb

Suddenly a lion has become the star in a movie again. No. Not the movie, The Lion King. That story was about Simba and the circle of life. That movie represents a non-Christian worldview. The new lion star, Aslan, in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, is no tamed circus lion. Actually, he is quite believable as a regal, eloquent, strong, and courageous character. C. S. Lewis’s imaginative story is rich in Christian symbolism. Sin, forgiveness, and redemption lie just beneath the surface of the experiences of Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. Aslan is especially mesmerizing. A lion as a symbol of Christ is not a new idea. In the spectacular conclusion of redemption’s story the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed as “the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David” (Rev. 5:5). The scene in which this announcement is made takes place in the court of heaven. Revelation 4 focuses the reader’s attention on the Creator Lord of the universe who sits on His throne of judgment. Revelation 5 places the spotlight on the seven-sealed scroll and the Son of God who receives it. All of human history culminates in the moment “in which the throne of heaven invests the Lion of the tribe of Judah with the legal authority to establish His dominion over the earth by advent and judgment.”

Heaven searches for someone worthy to open the seven-sealed scroll. Who has the authority to execute judgment on the earth and to bring to pass the kingdom of God on earth? No sinful human being is able to come forward and claim governing authority over the universe. Satan and his demons do not have the right to receive the kingdom of God. There is a holy hush in heaven. This seven-sealed scroll contains the “history” of the future. No one is found worthy to open the title deed to the universe. No political figure, no emperor, no king, no Nobel Peace Prize winner, no scientist, no president, no scholar, no theologian is qualified. No one has the right to attempt to assume the prerogative of global rule other than the Lion of the tribe of Judah. This lion is Christ. He is no “lame duck” administrator seeking to salvage a failed plan. The destiny of all mankind is in His hands.

The Lion of the tribe of Judah is the only one worthy to open the scroll and break its seal (Rev. 5:5-7). The apostle John is told to stop weeping. Things are not as they seem. Judah’s Lion is the glorified Christ in His kingly authority. He is Israel’s king, the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant. The political powers of Jesus’ day mocked both Him and the Jewish people with the sign, “This is Jesus the king of the Jews.” But in their jest they unwittingly told the truth. Jesus is invested with regal authority. The lion is a symbol of power and majesty (Gen. 49:9). As a lion the Son of God is presented as the conquering Messiah who will defeat the enemies of God. His cross-work makes this possible (Rev. 3:21). That is why the lion is also a lamb. The lamb represents Christ as Savior (Rev. 5:6). The thousands of Passover lambs in Israel have found their fulfillment in the Lamb of God who was led to the slaughter to be pierced through for our transgressions. This breathtaking scene in heaven of the Lamb of God coming forward to take what is rightfully His by redemption should play upon our minds with unending delight and anticipation. “He came, and He took it (“the Book of Redemption”) out of the hand of Him who sat on the throne” (Rev. 5:7). Even though ours is a world that refuses to worship the Son of God, the blood-bought church of Christ should be living with the pulsating hope that the kingdom of Christ is coming.

This brings us back to Aslan, the Christ figure, in the land of Narnia. C. S. Lewis, the author of The Chronicles of Narnia, said, “I am sure you understand that Aslan is a divine figure, and anything remotely approaching the comic…would be to me simple blasphemy.” He said further, “I don’t know where the Lion came from or why He came…But once He was there He pulled the whole story together.” It is not our purpose to exegete the thoughts of Lewis, but rather to enjoy the allusions to the person and work of Christ. The perpetual winter of Narnia without Christmas is a useful picture of our sin-cursed world. People all around us are frozen in their sin, unable to enjoy the life that comes from Christ’s saving work on the cross. It took the death of Aslan to make all things new and destroy the works of the White Witch. In the real world of Christ’s atoning death on the cross, the Lion is also a Lamb who “takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29). The scene in heaven’s court prior to judgment on this world draws our eyes upon God’s Lion, Jesus Christ who is fierce and strong. He will one day compel all unbelievers to bow before Him. But before Israel’s Messiah roars in judgment, He offers His forgiveness and presence in the gift of eternal life. He is not safe, but He is good.

Dr. Howard E. Dial
Berachah Bible Church

Have You Ever Been Lonely? Part II

There is a difference between being alone and loneliness. Being alone may be necessary, but loneliness is not good. Jesus was alone during His forty days of testing in the wilderness. Paul was alone in the desert as time of preparation for serving God. John was alone on the island of Patmos as an exile for Christ’s sake. It is possible to be alone, but not be lonely. Are you afraid to be alone? Do you need people around all the time? We need times of solitude. It has been said that “Loneliness is inner emptiness. Solitude is inner fulfillment.” Times alone with God are necessary to be more effective with people. Jesus modeled this for us in His intentional withdrawal from His disciples and the crowds that pursued Him (Mk. 1:35). He sought solitude and time with His heavenly Father before He chose His disciples (Lk. 6:12). The shadow of His approaching crucifixion found Jesus in the solitude of the garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36-46). We must accept the fact that some “aloneness” is unavoidable and even required. Trials will come. Disappointments will come as unwanted guests. The loss of a spouse can leave us aching with grief. The loneliness can haunt us, but it can be a blessing in disguise as we draw near to God and commune with Him in the soul-bearing prayer.

Loneliness is the opportunity to evaluate our relationship with God. If you have not come to know the presence of God through faith in Jesus Christ, then abandon the futility of your unbelief. Alienation from God because of sin is at the root of all our ills. “Come unto Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). These tender words of the Savior are an invitation to experience His everlasting presence. You don’t want to die without God and not have Him waiting for you in all His goodness. How awful to step out of time into eternity without God. Eternal loneliness. What a terrifying thought. But if you are Christ’s and know the sweetness of forgiveness, eternal life, and His joyful presence, there is comfort. Yes, the child of God can experience loneliness, but there is hope. We can lay hold of God in prayer; seek His help, and the needed wisdom for the darkness that surrounds us. Fellowship with God is a cherished reality for every believer. Companionship with the Lord. What a refuge! God the Son, our sympathetic High Priest, understands our weaknesses (Heb. 4:15). Jesus on the cross was abandoned by all, even the Father (“My God, My God, Why hast Thou forsaken Me?”). No one who has ever lived has tasted that kind of loneliness. When forsaken by all, we still have God. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us.

We must turn those times of a sense of forsakenness and abandonment into the occasion for self-examination. We will need to judge ourselves (Matt. 7:1, 2). Are we reaping what we have sown? If we have a pattern of staying by ourselves, running to the car immediately after church, never inviting anyone over for a meal, or becoming lost in our electronic world of television and the internet, we are slowly creating our own desert island. Get off of that island by applying the promises of God. Force feed your mind on such nutrient-rich truth as, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me, Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me” (Psa. 23:4); “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age’ (Matt. 28:20); “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you…He shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever” (Jn. 14:18). Let your loneliness encourage meditation and reflection. The Psalms of the Old Testament lend themselves to the warmth of the reassurance of God’s presence and care (e.g. Psa. 31; Psa. 142:4-6).

As God ministers to us, so we can assist others in their loneliness. Be sensitive to those who are lonely. We will need to identify and eliminate those qualities, actions, practices, and attitudes that promote loneliness (e.g. fear, selfishness, rigidity, perfectionism, pushiness, critical spirit). God’s school of affliction can teach us to have greater compassion and understanding of others (2 Cor. 1:3-6). Reach out to other people. Serve someone else. There are people who are dying on the inside, longing for someone to listen and care. The local church must not be a by-stander. A church ought to be a family where it is easy to build relationships. There are a host of passages in the New Testament that offer loneliness-relieving “one-anothering” (“love one another,” “encourage one another,” “build up one another,” “admonish one another,” “be kind to one another”).

The cold winds of winter tend to drive us indoors. The elderly can be left alone to live out their last years. The single person may more often than not, dine alone. The teenager can be imprisoned by self-doubt and immaturity. The cashier in the checkout line can feel cut-off from caring people. The neighbor can drive in and out of his garage isolated from the community. Our neighborhoods, schools, work places, and churches are filled with lonely people. Our debt of love to all people can be paid by caring words and deeds. Loneliness is banished by belonging, presence, and being understood. Jesus Christ does all that.

Dr. Howard E. Dial
Berachah Bible Church

Quiet, Please!

Over the next month, most of us will have some time off of work and school—time to spend at our own leisure with friends and family. By default and without intentionality, many will “rest” by spending hours watching television and movies, mastering the newest video games, surfing all over the World Wide Web, or listening to newly downloaded music on their I-pods. Not one of these activities is inherently wrong, assuming the content is acceptable. Technology is amoral—neither good nor bad in itself. We have liberty to enjoy or abstain from these forms of entertainment. However, this is not to say we should be careless in our use of “free time” and in our entertainment choices. We are to be “filled with (or, ‘controlled by’) the Spirit” and must consider how we can wisely live to the glory of God in this modern electronic-era.

I recently read the following article from columnist Erik Lokkesmoe on the townhall.com website, entitled “A Kingdom of Noise: A Screwtape Letter for the Media Age.” He makes an addendum to C.S. Lewis’ classic work, The Screwtape Letters, to speak to our world of mass communication. In 1942, Lewis wrote The Screwtape Letters as an ironic book of letters between a senior devil (Screwtape) and his undisciplined pupil (Wormwood) on the techniques and tactics for pestering the Enemy (God) and beguiling his followers. It is a novel approach to showing the creativity the devil employs to trip up God’s people and would be an excellent follow-up read for those who studied Precious Remedies for Satan’s Devices (Thomas Brooks) with us this past summer.

My Dear Despicable Wormwood,

Good news! The latest commendations have arrived from the Council of the Pit. You impress the lower-downs, my zealous Wormwood. They have heard of your schemes on the Noise Proliferation Committee (NPC). Indeed, places of solitude and moments of silence grow ever more scarce in the Enemy's vast and vulgar dominion. Oh, what euphoria to see his insufferable creatures rush to fill the dead air with a cacophony of cell phones and music, leaf blowers and manipulated car exhaust pipes, 24-hour news and I-Pods. Those nauseating humans cannot escape their self-made dungeon of din!

My pride bubbles like brimstone, Wormwood. It is down-wrong delicious that you are able to entice your assignments into believing that quiet and solitude are a waste of time, even harmful to their pursuits. We must be the demon in the whirlwind, invading their private space, cluttering their innermost being with commotion.

Make them feel empty without a Blackberry on their hip or a television blaring in the background. Tune their alarm clock to a raucous station with bombastic DJs. Call their cell phone on their way to work or during a meal. Put TV screens in banks and hotel lobbies, gas stations and airplanes - anywhere humans might have time to reflect. Offer deals to Walt Disney World and casinos, and make a weekend in the Catskills appear unexciting or at least unaffordable. Over time the humans will grow unaware of the high-pitched ringing in their ears.

But oh, how dreadful it is if they do notice and, worse yet, begin to reject the delightful opiates we offer. An hour’s walk or an evening alone can be hazardous. Even a drive with a broken radio carries risk. Peace and quietude, after all, are the Enemy's handiwork. He waits patiently for them in the stillness, whispering for them to rest or ponder or, dare I say that repulsive word, meditate.

I trust you understand what is at stake. If allowed to contemplate the empty pursuits and hollow activity that often fill their days, there is no telling what horrific changes they may make in their lives. As long as the volume is high and the lights are flashing, there is little danger of this. But when allowed to face things as they really are, stripped of the comfort provided by our dizzying distractions, our subjects often choose against our ways.

This kind of activity, or rather inactivity, is a breeding ground for all manner of destructive outcomes. Rest gives them refreshed bodies and clear minds. Clarity draws them to that which we most hate: truth. In such moments their vision grows strong and purpose is rekindled. For Hell’s sake, do not let this happen!

Some devils say it is of lesser importance, but I would advise you to keep all thoughts of old friendships, childhood dreams, or yearnings for simple delights far from them. These are the noxious things of the kingdom of peace; we are the kingdom of noise.

So hurry! Cue the fire engine, the beeping pager, the woman calling for a cab. Cause the head to turn, the eyes to wander, and the mind to work overtime. Even in times of silence, cause their minds to fill and spin like a tornado. If necessary, you may even need to bring forward some of the Enemy’s tools to achieve our ends. Use a good cause to keep the schedule jam-packed. Beautiful music, grating as it is to our ears, chases the silence away same as any other sound.

Given the stakes, you must do whatever it takes to keep quietude at bay. Remember, do not grow weary in doing bad.

Your affectionate uncle,
Screwtape

I do not want to be a scrooge and condemn the enjoyment of all forms of entertainment and technology. I hope you are able to take pleasure in watching a good movie, seeing “your” football team play in a big game, or listening to great music at a concert. But as Christians we must consider how we might do “all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31)—that includes making the most of every bit of leisure time God allows us. Please do not squander away those rare moments to be still and enjoy quietude. I am not suggesting that you become a monastic navel-gazer, but that you creatively look for opportunities to have quiet conversations with family, read by the fire, take a walk outside in the cool air, or put pen to paper and write in a journal. Read the 4th-6th resolutions of Jonathan Edwards and consider how you might exercise similar tenacity in your devotion to God over this holiday.

4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.
5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.

May we exercise godly wisdom in the use of our precious spare time over the Christmas holiday.

Justin Culbertson
Berachah Bible Church

Have You Ever Been Lonely?

Songs abound expressing a universal experience of loneliness: “All by Myself”, “Lonely Street”, “I Ain’t Got Nobody”, “The Last Word in Lonesome Is Me.” The list is almost endless. Some are of the opinion that loneliness is the number one problem in America today. Surveys have revealed vast numbers of the population who confess to chronic loneliness. In one poll 25% of those questioned said they felt lonely or cut off from other people at some time during the preceding few weeks. Almost half of widows over fifty living in one large metropolitan area said that loneliness was their worst problem. The loneliest, researchers find, are elderly men who live alone and are infirmed. This is not surprising considering the fact that so many men enter their later years without any male friends. Singles’ bars, clubs, societies, and internet chat rooms are some of the reminders of the cold presence of loneliness.

What is loneliness? We all know the feeling. It is a sense of being cut off from others. It is not primarily a matter of geography. Some of the loneliest moments can be experienced in the midst of a crowd. The feeling of isolation can actually be increased when around other people who are perceived to be happy and enjoying themselves. If they were to confess it, singles would acknowledge that feeling of “aloneness” when being in church and around married couples. Christians are not exempt from problems of loneliness. The old gospel song says, “On life’s pathway I am never lonely. No longer lonely, no longer lonely, for Jesus is a friend of friends to me.” Few people can honestly sing that song. We are more apt to identify with the psalmist, “Look to the right and see; For there is no one who regards me; There is no escape for me; No one cares for my soul” (Psa. 142:4). Elijah was a man who knew the exhilaration of standing strong for God and the depths of loneliness and discouragement (1 Kgs. 19:4). No less a soldier of the cross than the apostle Paul had to cope with being deserted and left alone (2 Tim. 4:10, 16).

Loneliness is a painful experience, emotionally, mentally, and physically (“an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach”). Ironically, the Christmas season, traditionally a time of family reunions and festivity, can be emotionally the darkest month of the year for some. Alcohol and drugs offer empty promises of consolation through the dark seasons of isolation. Loneliness seldom visits by itself. It is often accompanied by depression, self-pity, grief, restlessness, temptation, anger, doubts about God, guilt, and anxiety. If loneliness is not seen for what it is, it can be a very destructive experience. But what really causes loneliness? It arises out of a deficient relationship with God. This can be one of two kinds. One may have no relationship with God (“But the wicked are like the tossing sea, for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up refuse and mud. ‘There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘for the wicked’” Isa. 57:20, 21). Loneliness is basically the result of alienation from God. We were made for companionship with Him. It was Augustine who said, “Thou has formed us for Thyself and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.” It is also possible for the Christian to have an underdeveloped relationship with God. Those who are not growing in their knowledge of God will find loneliness to be frequently an uninvited guest. To keep oneself in the love of God through obedience to Him brings comfort and a special sense of His companionship (Jude 21; Jn. 15:9).

But loneliness arises from other circumstances in life. It was Paul Tournier who said, “Loneliness results from the spirit of our age.” Our modern way of life fosters isolated people who fail to have close contact with each other. Rapid mobility, unknown to previous generations, has unintended consequences. People move, get job transfers, and leave churches in short periods of time. Death takes family and friends away. Technology gives and takes away. It can make the business environment impersonal. We talk to machines. We sit in front of a television screen, work at our computers, and sit in our cars in traffic, more often than not, cut-off from people. Even our responsibilities and commitments can contribute to a kind of loneliness. Following Jesus Christ and having strong biblical convictions can result in ridicule and rejection. It was the Master Himself who said, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you” (Jn. 15:18). The willingness to stand alone when necessary for the sake of the Savior is part of the Christian’s cross-bearing journey (Matt. 16:24).

The good news is that Christ’s servants are not left alone. This was the kind of encouragement Jesus gave to His disciples as He prepared them for His ascension to the Father and coming of the Holy Spirit (“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” Jn. 14:18). The resurrected Christ is the only one who can free us from the self-made prison of isolation.

To be continued...

Dr. Howard E. Dial
Berachah Bible Church