2 posts from June 2008

I was reading through Revelation today (don't worry, I am not saving up any canned goods and I don't have a chart showing exactly when Jesus is coming back to take the elect back...), and I came to the message from God to the church of Laodicea.  Each of the letters has a different introduction and description of who Jesus is.  This description was "The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation."  It intrigued me that Jesus would be called "the AMEN," because it is such a rich word.  Turns out, thanks to my free bible software (shameless plug you can get it with the journaling ESV bible from crossway), 2 Corinthians 1:20 has a similar description of Jesus, saying, "For ^all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our ^Amen to God for his glory."  This letter was written to the church at Laodicea, a church that verses later will be called to account for being neither hot nor cold.  And why were they lukewarm?  Because they didn't understand fully who Jesus was.  And so God sends this description of Jesus to them: the AMEN.  The fulfillment of all of the promises of God.  Every promise made in the Old Testament is fulfilled by Jesus.  That the promises God makes find their Yes, their Amen, their accomplishment in Jesus.  Paul writes to the Romans that Jesus became a servant "in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs."

J.I. Packer, in "God Has Spoken," defined faith as taking hold of the promises of God, believing that he will deliver on his promises.  In order for this to happen, for us to receive this kind of faith, we must comprehend that Jesus is the AMEN of God.  Through Jesus all things are accomplished.  While God elected some for salvation, it was Jesus who accomplished this, purchasing the elect on the cross.  While God spoke the worlds into being, it was Jesus who accomplished this as well, as we are told in John 1.

And so let us declare Jesus to be the AMEN of God.  Whenever we pray, let us utter AMEN knowing that Jesus is our AMEN, and that he is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask, think or even imagine.

AMEN.  God help us.  AMEN

Since it is the summer and all I am doing is research and reading, I have more time to blog, which will hopefully happen more than once a month.  I wanted to share a couple book recommendations for "summer reading."  (Not light reading, but hearty reading for sure).

The first is Run with Horses by Eugene Peterson.  His writing style is captivating and also very convicting.  The book focuses on the life of the prophet Jeremiah, and gains its title from Jeremiah 12, when God rebukes Jeremiah, saying, "If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?"  All in all an amazing book, deep with insight from an amazing scholar and devotionalist.

Run With the Horses

Eugene H. Peterson

Another good read is God Has Spoken by J.I Packer.  J.I. Packer is an amazing academic, and sits on the chair of the translation committee that oversees the translation of the English Standard Version (ESV).  This book is a sequel of sorts to Knowing God, which is his most well-known book.  God Has Spoken, from beginning to end, calls us to get into the Scriptures, knowing that what they say, God says, and to learn about the sweetness of them, as the psalmist says.  Steeped in the Anglican tradition, Packer continually looks to the teaching of the Anglican Church on the Bible (as well as all of Reformed Christianity), and addresses some of the well known attacks on biblical inerrancy, infallibilty, and the sufficiency of Scripture.  It is truly amazing, and he keeps Christ at the center throughout the book.  If you are having trouble seeking the Scriptures, this book will call you to account and grow in you a love for the Word of God.  Altogether amazing.

God Has Spoken

J.I. Packer

I'm sure more of these to come.  I am also reading through the Narnia series (for the first time ironically) and I am about to start The Sovereignty of God by AW Pink, who is a truly amazing author as well.  Hope all two of you have an amazing summer, and that you relax in the rest of the Almighty.

For from Him and to him and through him are all things forever and ever amen. (Romans 11:36)