Author: John Tillman

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Watch Salvation Grow

Links for today’s readings:

Jun 12  Read: Isaiah 8-9.7 Listen: (7:02) Read: Psalm 104 Listen: (3:37)

Links for this weekend’s readings:

Jun 13  Read: Isaiah 9.8-10.4 Listen: (8:50) Read: Psalm  105 Listen: (4:02)
Jun 14  Read: Isaiah 10.5-34 Listen: (5:14) Read: Psalm 106 Listen: (4:52)

Scripture Focus: Isaiah 8.17-18

17 I will wait for the Lord, 

who is hiding his face from the descendants of Jacob. 

I will put my trust in him. 

18 Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.

Reflection: Watch Salvation Grow

By John Tillman

Two mysterious children appear in today’s Isaiah passage.

Isaiah and his wife, the prophetess, conceive a child named Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, which means “quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil.”

Then part of Isaiah’s poetic vision from God is addressed to Immanuel, which means “God with us.” Immanuel, previously introduced in chapter 7, was conceived by a young woman or virgin, but the parents are not named (Isaiah 7.14-16).

These births, and the children’s growth, are connected to promises regarding Assyria. God promised that before specific growth milestones, Assyria would wipe out Judah’s feared enemies. Before Immanuel knew right from wrong (Isaiah 7.15) and before Isaiah’s child knew how to say, “Dada” or “Mama,” (Isaiah 8.4) Judah would be saved.

Any teacher or parent can tell you how long and grinding days can seem when raising or teaching children. Each day is a slog. It feels impossible and never-ending. Those same people can tell you how fast children grow and how quickly their bodies, language, and abilities develop.

The children I taught in theater classes and in children’s ministry rooms are grown adults with children of their own. Many friends a few years younger than I am have children learning to drive this year. It seems an impossible milestone. How can that child be a grown human, behind the wheel of a car or holding their own baby?

The children Isaiah mentioned were born into a time of fear, division, struggle, economic crisis, and war. It was an awful time that seemed like it would never end. The children were signs that change was coming. Isaiah said he and his children were signs and symbols for Israel. The writer of Hebrews identified these words as the words of Jesus and identified us as God’s children (Hebrews 2.11-13).

In times of fear, division, struggle, economic crisis, and war, or times of sin, temptation, persecution, and doubts, our salvation is coming. Things we fear will not last as long as we think. In the time a child matures, mighty kings, dangerous enemies, and entire nations can fall and people be saved. When we mature spiritually, sinful patterns can be broken, traumas can heal, and bright hopes can grow.

Salvation is spiritual and physical—small at first, like a mustard seed or a child. But it grows. And when salvation is full-grown, it will only seem to have been a short time.

Have hope. Wait for the Lord. Watch salvation grow.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Come now and see the works of God, how wonderful he is in his doing toward all people. — Psalm 66.4

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Proof-Texting Prophets

Links for today’s readings:

Jun 11  Read: Isaiah 7 Listen: (3:51) Read: Psalm 103 Listen: (2:07)

Scripture Focus: Isaiah 7.10-13

10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11 “Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.” 13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also?

Reflection: Proof-Texting Prophets

By John Tillman

Trouble was brewing. Enemies were rising. The nation of Judah, Jerusalem, and David’s throne were under threat. While Ahaz was sending out feelers to earthly allies, Isaiah came to the wicked king with a word from the Lord. The first part was encouraging. “…don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart.” (Isaiah 7.4) The second part was a warning. “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” (Isaiah 7.9)

Even bad kings, like Ahaz, get a chance to turn to God.

The prophet asked the king to select a sign to prove his words true. Ahaz refused. To excuse himself, Ahaz used a “proof text,” quoting Deuteronomy 6.16, “I will not put God to the test.” Isaiah was not impressed with Ahaz’s “proof-texting.” He considered it insulting to him and to God.

Instead of “O King” or using Ahaz’s name, Isaiah calls him the “house of David,” prophesying that his political machinations would fail. A plague of flies would come from Egypt to Judah. (Isaiah 7.18) The plagues that humbled Pharaoh would humble Ahaz. Pharaoh refused to repent and the plagues escalated to destruction. Ahaz refused to repent, moving David’s house one step closer to exile.

God’s Word may be misquoted, taken out of context, or twisted. Many, like Ahaz, twist it to excuse themselves from doing as God commands. Proof-texting is a bad way to build a faith. It’s also a bad way to deconstruct one. It is still true for us today that if we do not stand firm in our faith, we will not stand at all. Understanding the Bible holistically, within the community of believers, can help us avoid most errors but we still need to be humble and teachable, receptive to human critique and the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

The Bible is true whether we believe it or not and whether we obey it or not. Human errors do not mean God’s Word is in error. Sin is still sin, regardless of whether we use scripture to justify it. God is God regardless of how prideful or arrogant we become.

We all have moments of grace and opportunities for repentance. So consider soberly…

Have you adopted Ahaz’s habits? Are you marshaling earthly resources for spiritual battles? Are you using scriptures as excuses for not obeying God’s clear commands? Are you proof-texting prophets? Are you trying the patience of humans or God? Or both?

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek you be disgraced because of me. — Psalm 69.7

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Calling Darkness Light

Links for today’s readings:

Jun 9  Read: Isaiah 5 Listen: (4:48) Read: Psalms 99-101 Listen: (2:42)

Scripture Focus: Isaiah 5.7, 20-23

7 The vineyard of the Lord Almighty 

is the nation of Israel, 

and the people of Judah 

are the vines he delighted in. 

And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; 

for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.

20 Woe to those who call evil good 

and good evil, 

who put darkness for light 

and light for darkness, 

who put bitter for sweet 

and sweet for bitter. 

21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes 

and clever in their own sight. 

22 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine 

and champions at mixing drinks, 

23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe, 

but deny justice to the innocent.

Reflection: Calling Darkness Light

By John Tillman

God compared his people to flocks of sheep and vineyards. Leaders were compared to shepherds over flocks and servants in charge of vineyards.

We are less familiar with agricultural metaphors than Isaiah’s readers. Have you harvested a vineyard or overseen a flock? Can you tell which grapes are good or bad for wine or which sheep are healthy or unhealthy? Can you prune vines or shear sheep? Most of us can’t.

We don’t have to understand agriculture to know what God is saying. When God looked at the vines, he didn’t see subtle hints that the juice was bitter, he saw injustice and bloodshed. When God looked at the sheep, he didn’t notice telltale signs on hoofs or teeth that indicated a bad diet, he saw abuse and neglect.

We should be able to tell justice from bloodshed, sweetness from bitterness, good from evil, and light from dark. But do we?

Failing to notice wicked things that anger God is bad. A greater danger is seeing what God calls wicked and calling it good. We might look at bloodshed and call it justified. We might look at abuse and call it “tough love” or “strong leadership.” We might look at neglect and call it a matter of “personal responsibility.”

In a famous Star Trek episode,  the Cardassians capture Captain Picard and repeatedly show him four lights, asking how many there were. When he answered, “four,” they tortured him and insisted there were five. When finally released, Picard turned defiantly and yelled one final time, “There are four lights!” Later, he told Counselor Troi that the torture had caused his mind to actually think he saw five.

Sinful forces push us to hallucinate and justify violence, abuse, and sin. Those “wise in their own eyes” encourage bitterness toward enemies. They say cruelty shows strength and kindness is weak and dark means are justified by noble ends. They say bloodshed is the only way to deal with those labeled “dangerous.”

Don’t give in. For us, there is one light—Jesus. Don’t let selfishness and fear define good and bad. Let Jesus define it. He is both the true vine and the vinedresser. He is both the lamb of God and the good shepherd. It is good to answer the distressed, help the weak, and oppose the proud. The example of Jesus leads to light. Every other path leads to darkness.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

May God be merciful to us and bless us, show us the light of his countenance and come to us. — Psalm 67.1

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Pillars of Society

Links for today’s readings:

Jun 8  Read: Isaiah 3-4 Listen: (4:34) Read: Psalms 97-98 Listen: (2:19)

Scripture Focus: Isaiah 3.4-8

1 See now, the Lord, 

the Lord Almighty, 

is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah 

both supply and support: 

all supplies of food and all supplies of water, 

2 the hero and the warrior, 

the judge and the prophet, 

the diviner and the elder, 

3 the captain of fifty and the man of rank, 

the counselor, skilled craftsman and clever enchanter. 

4 “I will make mere youths their officials; 

children will rule over them.” 

5 People will oppress each other— 

man against man, neighbor against neighbor. 

The young will rise up against the old, 

the nobody against the honored. 

6 A man will seize one of his brothers 

in his father’s house, and say, 

“You have a cloak, you be our leader; 

take charge of this heap of ruins!” 

Reflection: Pillars of Society

By John Tillman

When a person is praised as “a pillar of society,” it should mean that they do good that supplies and supports the community. But when I hear this term, I’m usually reminded of crime and courtroom dramas.

When someone is described as a “pillar of society” on a police procedural show, they are usually the villain, using the term to deflect suspicion of criminal activity. “How dare you make such charges against a pillar of society!”

Isaiah wrote at a time when people would say to him and other prophets, “How dare you make such charges against the pillars of society!” Jerusalem and Judah saw themselves as God’s nation and God intended them to be pillars of wisdom and righteousness. Their kings claimed to be heroes and warriors. Their judges and prophets promised peace and safety. Their leaders declared a golden age. But it was all a smokescreen for corruption, greed, and wickedness.

Pillars of society should lift and hold things up. Instead, they pushed things down. Rather than supplying and supporting the community, they despoiled and degraded the vulnerable. Instead of elevating others, they crushed them. Instead of maintaining justice, they manipulated it. They plundered the poor to enrich themselves. (v 14) They were “grinding the faces of the poor.” (v 15)

Do we not see ourselves, our communities, our cities, and our nation in this passage? Don’t we see the poor being ground down? Corrupt leaders declaring their righteousness? Wealth accumulating in the houses of those who oppress the poor? Brazen parading of such sins? These are the sounds of pillars cracking.

God promised to knock down false “pillars of society” in Isaiah’s day. May he do it in ours. There is a courtroom where God sits as judge. There, corrupt pillars will crumble. What kind of pillars are you celebrating or leaning on? What pillars will be left?

When God knocks down false pillars, there will be widespread panic and instability. We cannot completely avoid these natural consequences, but God promised that the righteous would “enjoy the fruit of their deeds.” (v 10) We must stand ready to be true and virtuous pillars in the house of God as he intends, regardless of what happens around us (Rev 3.12; Gal 2.9; 1 Tim 3.15). We must be pillars of wisdom and righteousness, that uplift instead of crush and supply instead of steal.

Take care what kind of pillars you are celebrating and what kind of pillars you are becoming.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

You strengthen me more and more; you enfold me and comfort me. — Psalm 71.21

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Break the Silence

Links for today’s readings:

Jun 5  Read: Malachi 4 Listen: (1:06) Read: Psalms 92-93 Listen: (2:09)

Links for this weekend’s readings:

Jun 6  Read: Isaiah 1 Listen: (4:36) Read: Psalm 94 Listen: (2:08)
Jun 7  Read: Isaiah 2 Listen: (3:00) Read: Psalms 95-96 Listen: (2:37)

Scripture Focus: Malachi 4.1-6

1 “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them. 2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. 3 Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty.

4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. 5 “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”

Reflection: Break the Silence

By John Tillman

Christians and Jews agree on some writings that we both call “scripture” or “God’s Word.”

The Jewish arrangement of these texts, which we call the Old Testament, is different. We close with the shorter prophetic books, ending with Malachi. They close with Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah (as one united book), and Chronicles. However, Christian and Jewish sources agree that Malachi was the last prophet chronologically. They also agree that prophecy fell silent following Malachi.

No prophets saw dramatic visions. No one said confidently, “Thus saith the Lord.” However, the silence wasn’t total.

People still prayed and God still answered. Wise teachers, scholars, and scribes still wrote new books. But no one held the intertestamental books with the same reverence as Malachi and his predecessors. 

God’s people, living between the testaments, recognized a difference in what they and we call “God’s Word” and the other spiritual and religious writings. The scriptures from which God had spoken become all the more important during this period of silence. 

Some silences of God might be him politely allowing us to speak first. Some silences of God are him waiting patiently for us to pass on what we already heard. Some silences of God are him asking us to spend the silence by deepening our understanding of his scriptures.

God promised on Malachi’s final page that it would not be the last page of prophecy to his people. God promised to break the silence. Jesus said John the Baptizer was, if we will accept it, the “Elijah” that Malachi promised (Luke 1.17; Matthew 11.14; 17:12). But John didn’t end the silence alone. Through Joel, God promised to pour out his Holy Spirit, not on just one man or even twelve apostles, but on a multitude of sons and daughters who would prophesy (Acts 2.16-21; Joel 2.28-32).

All God’s children are part of breaking the silence.

Are you fulfilling the promises God made through Malachi and Joel? Are you fulfilling the promises made through John the Baptizer and Jesus? Are you participating in God’s promise to break the silence?

Here’s some quick guidance as to how.

Devote yourself to prayer and God’s word. (Acts 2.42-47) Eat this book. (Eze 3.1-4; Rev 10.8-9) Open your mouth. God will fill it. (Psalm 81.10; Eze 2.7-10) Open your mind. God will transform it. (Rom 12.2;  1 Cor 2.13-16; 2 Cor 3.18)

Adjust your life to scripture, not scripture to your life. Trim your life like the wick of a lamp, (Luke 12.35; Matt 25.7-9) then watch the Holy Spirit ignite it, shining the light of truth and salvation.

Break the silence.

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading

The Song of Zechariah

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he has visited his people, he has set them free, and he has established for us a saving power in the house of his servant David, just as he proclaimed by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times, that he would save us from our enemies, and from the hands of all those who hate us, and show faithful love to our ancestors and so keep in mind his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, that he would grant us, free from fear, to be delivered from the hands of our enemies, to serve him in holiness and uprightness in his presence all our days. And you, little child, you shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare a way for him, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the faithful love of our God in which the rising Sun has come from on high to visit us, to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow dark as death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace. — Luke 1:68-79

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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