When we face chaotic, challenging times we can be guilty of distracting ourselves with the ‘facts of the moment.’ Look at the tragedy of genocide, for example, rampant abortion rates, and even legislation that completely violates everything we believe as followers of Jesus. These facts are real and true and, as such, they cannot be disputed. The ‘facts of the moment’ are in our face, shouting in defiance, “The world is going to hell in a handbag!”
This leads me to ask a serious question; is God confused or even in control?
As I read the scriptures I find plenty of evidence of the ‘facts of the moment’ that (might) prove the management of Project Earth is misaligned, misappropriated and muddled. Case in point; the house of God is overrun, decimated in destruction, and God’s precious children are captured and made to be slaves (2 Kings 25:1-6). Worse, they are not allowed to worship their God, but must bow in worship to their pagan ruling captor (Dan 3:6). Does this not prove through the ‘facts of the moment’ that the world is out of control?
I’ll present my case here, not as a complete thesis, but surely to prove that we should have no hope that there is a bigger plan afoot. Even as believers and followers of Jesus, there are just too many horrid events happening to disrupt our faith in the failure of the world. Yes, Jesus is our Saviour. However, our actions do not give any confirmation that we believe Jesus is Lord of all. When we rage against the machine, row against the tide, rebel against authority, are we not demonstrating our belief that Jesus is not Lord of all?
Perhaps our actions do not give any confirmation that we believe Jesus is Lord of all.
Spoiler Alert: this dissertation is written to provoke.
To narrow my focus I’ve reduced my evidence to the beginning of the gospel of Matthew, the beginning of the record of the new covenant— initiated by God and confirmed by God, fulfilled by God without limit (Jer 31:31-34, Heb 9:15, Heb 10:15-18). However, in this record we find significant evidence that points to ‘facts of the moment’ which become evidence. What outcome will be proven?
In Matthew chapter 1 we read the detailed genealogy of Jesus from Abraham to Joseph. The author, divinely inspired, takes special measure to record the three-fold account of 14 generations, but surely this detail is coincidental and not proof that a Sovereign High Power is orchestrating events. I did note in a quick assessment of the details provided that early in the lineage is Jacob, the deceiver (Gen 27:35-36). Perez is also prominent in the early list, the son of trickery and justification (Gen 38:26). Confused yet? Boaz was born to an unclean foreigner (Matt 1:5) with a history of split loyalty and ‘hosting travellers for comfort’, (that’s prostitution folks.) Obed was born to Ruth, pagan by birth and redeemed as a promise to an opposing kingdom (Ruth 4:18-22). The first verse of the New Testament confirms Jesus as the Son of David, whom we well know to be a murdering adulterer (2 Sam 11:4-5).
How could a pure and holy God construct such a chequered, unclean lineage within the first 14 generations presented?
Our narrator, Matthew, then exposes an explicit detail that we must not be accepting, as the facts violate our rules; “the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son.” Emmanuel, God With Us, to be born outside of sanctimonious wedded bliss, surely not? More-so, we find in the footnote this proclamation was made by Isaiah (Is 7:14) some 750 years earlier! Talk about rocking the boat. Imagine someone telling you today that God was coming to earth as the ‘anointed one, saviour of the world’ as an illegitimate child. Would you not cry heresy and think the world had fallen beyond hope?
Our author, Matthew, has the audacity to state this was conceived in order that the Word of God be fulfilled. Ridiculous!
We enjoy singing the birthplace of Jesus, the Lamb of the World born in a stable. Fitting, and yet not fitting. The King of the Jews predicted to be born in a place not befitting any king, the least among the rulers of Judah, according to Micah (Mic 5:2), a contemporary of Isaiah over 700 years before the Lamb’s birth. While unbecoming, it fits with the geographical requirement of Jesus being of the tribe of Judah, (David’s tribe).
Contradiction and confusion are about to meddle with our minds.
Matthew, our scribe, makes sure we don’t miss the irony.
An angel sends Joseph, Mary and their new babe into hiding in Egypt. But wait, I skipped the tragedy. Readers should not miss the calamitous killing of all young boys in the hill country surrounding Bethlehem. King Herod was intent on retaining his throne and conceding it to none. If news of that genocide appeared on your social feed, I’m sure you’d weep and wail, and you should. You may even comment how out of control the times had become. The prophet Jeremiah had predicted the wailing lament of mothers some six centuries earlier (Jer 31:15). Matthew, our scribe, makes sure we don’t miss the irony: God has forewarned of this tragedy and allows the massacre to take place, intent on sparing only one.
Joseph, Mary and Jesus escape and enjoy the Egyptian climate for two years. In this place of isolation they are excluded from their traditional Jewish feasts, priestly sacrifice and fellowship with brethren. They are unclean by definition of the Law. What a blatant disregard for their individual rights! And yet, Hosea had declared the words of the Lord almost 800 years prior (Hos 11:1).
We have the facts, contradicting and confirming. It appears the Lord has said His Son would come from Judah and Egypt. Surely this is confusion as it does not make sense to the minds of those who hear the words. We must not accept that which we cannot understand.
Angelic messengers ensure the family return to Israel, but they do not return home. Joseph, adept at interpreting prophetic dreams delivered by heaven-sent ministering spirits, establishes his family business in Galilee, Nazareth to be geo-accurate. While the sources cannot be confirmed, Matthew ensures we are clear that multiple prophets proclaimed Jesus would be “of Nazareth.” (Matt 2:23)
So now we have Jesus of Judah, out of Egypt, the Nazarene. I don’t know about you, but many struggle to comprehend the God of Truth (Ps 31:5, Is 65:16) as One Who has more layers to His narrative than we can understand. And yet, our author is consistent. Again, stating this was to fulfil (read “prove”) that God is True to His Word.
It seems understanding is not essential to affirm God’s Truth.
Jesus is raised in the woodshed, so others tell us, and enters his ministry via the water of the Jordan and sand of temptation. Upon graduation, he moves to Capernaum “so that what was spoken by the prophet would be fulfilled.” (Matt 4:13-14, Is 9:1)
If you were a scribe or teacher reading the scroll of the Lord, over the 150 year period of the major prophets, you would no doubt be struggling with internal conflict. The God you want to trust is confirming the Promise by the strength of His Name (Faithful – Deut 7:9) and your mind cannot comprehend how. Virgin? Bethlehem? Egypt? Wailing? Nazareth? Capernaum? It’s a little too much to bear.
When the world is in such disarray and circumstances well outside our personal space of comfort, we must settle our fear by lowering our beliefs. Our confession of faith is in the destruction of Eden instead of the promise of glory.
If our government is not legislating in our favour they cannot be of the will of God. Seriously? Did you read the story of Nebuchadnezzar? Or Herod the Great? If sickness is rampant and millions die, God must be absent. Ummmmm, remember the locusts, the frogs and the blood-Nile?
I propose to you, dear reader, that in fact it is not God Who is confused, but man. Our lack of comprehension does not diminish the Greatness of the One Who holds the world in His hand (Ps 95:4), Who spread the heavens before all of creation (Is 42:5), and Who stoops down to caress each of His children (Ps 33:22).
We must prepare ourselves to be asked, as wavering reeds in the wind:
“How long are you going to be paralysed by indecision?”
(1 Kings 18:21)
If God be God, then worship Him.