Author: John Tillman

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Invading Darkness — Hope of Advent

Scripture Focus: Nahum 1.7-8, 15
7 The Lord is good, 
a refuge in times of trouble. 
He cares for those who trust in him, 
8 but with an overwhelming flood 
he will make an end of Nineveh; 
he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness. 

15 Look, there on the mountains, 
the feet of one who brings good news, 
who proclaims peace! 
Celebrate your festivals, Judah, 
and fulfill your vows. 
No more will the wicked invade you; 
they will be completely destroyed. 

Reflection: Invading Darkness — Hope of Advent
By John Tillman 

Nahum is a contemporary of Jeremiah and Zephaniah. Nahum wrote approximately 150 years after Jonah’s message to Nineveh. 

The repentance of the Assyrian capital of Nineveh after Jonah’s preaching may not have lasted long, but Jonah’s own country of Israel, never repented at all. As a result of Israel’s refusal to repent, 30 years after the repentance of Nineveh, God used the Assyians to conquer Israel in judgment.

After pouring over Israel like a boiling pot, leaving only scattered remnants, the Assyrians remained a terrifying force which darkened the horizons of Judah. Judah had lived under their threats and attacks for many decades.

But Nahum’s message is to Judah and unlike many of the smaller books of prophecy in the Old Testament, Nahum has mostly good news. His message is one of hope and relief from suffering. The Assyrians were a terrifying force which darkened the horizons, threatening Judah. 

Nahum writes to call Judah to rejoice that their great oppressor will soon be overthrown and punished for the excessive violence of the campaign against Israel.

We too, face a dark oppressive world dominated by sin and under the sway of evil spiritual powers. Like Paul, we fight and contend with sin within ourselves and with dark powers of the spiritual realm. With Paul we say, “Who will deliver us from this body of death?” (Romans 7.20-26) And, also, “Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6.12-13)

There is hope for us on the horizon. Light will break the darkness. 

In Advent we anticipate and celebrate Christ’s triumph over the spiritual darkness in the world around us. We also celebrate the triumph of Christ over the spiritual darkness of sins within us that still seek to master us.

Let us pray with the words of Nahum:
The Lord is good.
In trouble he is our refuge.
He will come to overwhelm our oppressors and our accuser, Satan.
He will invade with light the darkness of the world and of our hearts.
Help us to run on the mountains, proclaiming your good news.
May we carry with us the peace he offers freely.
Amen.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence
For God alone my soul in silence waits; truly, my hope is in him. — Psalm 62.6

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle
Today’s Readings
Nahum 1 (Listen – 2:24)
Luke 17 (Listen – 4:22)

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Into His Light — Hope of Advent

Scripture Focus: 
Micah 6.8-12
8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. 
And what does the Lord require of you? 
To act justly and to love mercy 
and to walk humbly with your God. 
9 Listen! The Lord is calling to the city— 
and to fear your name is wisdom— 
“Heed the rod and the One who appointed it. 
10 Am I still to forget your ill-gotten treasures, you wicked house, 
and the short ephah, which is accursed? 
11 Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales, 
with a bag of false weights? 
12 Your rich people are violent; 
your inhabitants are liars 
and their tongues speak deceitfully. 

Reflection: Into His Light — Hope of Advent
By John Tillman

In Advent we celebrate that Christ came, and is coming, as light into darkness. 

The ancient church set Advent and Christmas in its place in the calendar in order to use the astrological as an illustration of the theological. In the Northern Hemisphere at this time there is a literal darkening of the world as days grow shorter and nights longer. Against this darkening sky we set Christ, the Daystar. (2 Peter 1.19; Matthew 2.2; Malachi 4.2) He is the light and hope of the world. In the setting of Advent’s darkening skies, he shines all the brighter.

Yet, the darkness we speak of at Advent goes beyond metaphor. The worst darkness that Jesus dared to enter was not some hovel or cave in Bethlehem, but the darkened hollows of our hearts in which we hide our sins. The corruption of this world deepens the darkness we live in each day and, in sinfulness, we prefer darkness to light.

This is what Micah speaks of in his lament over what will become of Israel.

What is required of us is justice, but we prefer to take any advantage we can get away with. What is required of us is mercy, but we would rather take violent vengeance for any wrongs. What is required of us is humility, but we prefer to pridefully exalt ourselves at nearly every opportunity. 
What is required of us is to walk with our God, but we prefer the company of mockers, bullies, and strong men whom we would rather rely on than God.

When the lights come on we will be exposed with our bag of false weights, which speaks of the unfair advantages we take against others.

When the lights come on, we will be shown to be guilty dragons with ill-gotten treasures. Like poor Eustace, hoarding our gold, yet longing for the slice of a lion’s claws to release us.

In Advent, the Lord is calling to all wicked cities. The Lord is calling to us. He is ready to bring the light. He will cut us free from our greed and pride and sin. May we anticipate his coming and repent, laying down all the sin that he gives us light to see.

If we let him, he will save us from our own darkest dark by bringing us into his light.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence
Show us the light of your countenance, O God, and come to us. — Psalm 67.1

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle
Today’s Readings
Micah 6 (Listen – 2:28)
Luke 15 (Listen – 4:19)

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Unto Us, He Comes — Hope of Advent

Scripture Focus: Micah 5.2-5
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, 
though you are small among the clans of Judah, 
out of you will come for me 
one who will be ruler over Israel, 
whose origins are from of old, 
from ancient times.” 
3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned 
until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, 
and the rest of his brothers return 
to join the Israelites. 
4 He will stand and shepherd his flock 
in the strength of the Lord, 
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. 
And they will live securely, for then his greatness 
will reach to the ends of the earth. 
5 And he will be our peace 

Reflection: Unto Us, He Comes — Hope of Advent
By John Tillman

Confronted by Magi seeking one “born king of the Jews,” Herod commands scholars and experts to give him an answer about the location of the birth of the Messiah. The scholar’s respond by referencing today’s passage. Herod passes this information on to the Magi.

We don’t know exactly where the Magi were from. Scripture simply says, “the East.” Symbolically, the Magi represent the entire unbelieving Gentile world but most scholars think they were probably Zorastrian priests of Persia and Media (Modern day Iran). The term “magi” would have applied to Daniel in his service to the kings of Babylon and Persia. This priestly class were advisors and counselors of kings.

If scholars are correct about the Magi’s origin, it may be the gleams of knowledge they had about this “king of the Jews” trickled down to them from the writings or influence of exiled Jews such as Daniel or Esther. 

Regardless of what light they had when they started their journey, God revealed more and more to them until they beheld the light of Christ directly, face to face. 

Advent is a time when all the world is seeking, waiting, for light. The sinking of the world into dark and the return of the light after the darkest point are common to all humanity.

The Bible tells us that God makes himself known to all people through the creation he has made. (Psalm 19.1-6) Paul goes so far as to say this revelation is sufficient to leave them “without excuse” in rejecting God. (Romans 1.19-20) To those who seek the light, more light is given. 

We celebrate Christmas at this season not for historical reasons but for pedagogical reasons. The movements of the heavens tell a Heavenly story in which Christ comes in at our darkest point to turn the world back to the light.

Micah, in telling us where Christ comes from, also tells us who he comes to:
He comes to the small, discounted for their weakness, bringing strength.
He comes to those who have been dominated, lifting their heads and standing with them.
He comes to the abandoned, bringing reconciliation.
He comes to the exiled, pointing the way to a new home.
He comes to the leaderless, bringing guidance.
He comes to the insecure, bringing protection.
He comes to the victims and perpetrators of war and conflict, bringing them peace.

Unto us, he comes.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Cry of the Church
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle

Today’s Readings
Micah 5 (Listen – 2:21)
Luke 14 (Listen – 4:36)

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Prophets We Want, Prophets We Need

Scripture Focus: Micah 2.6, 11
6 “Do not prophesy,” their prophets say. 
“Do not prophesy about these things; 
disgrace will not overtake us.” 

11 If a liar and deceiver comes and says, 
‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ 
that would be just the prophet for this people! 

Luke 11.29-32
29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.

Reflection: Prophets We Want, Prophets We Need
By John Tillman

In his commentary on Micah, James Limburg described the people’s objections to Micah as grounded in “a theology which assured them of the Lord’s perpetual blessing, of his long-suffering and patience, and of his mighty acts on behalf of his people.”

Micah’s opponents had a theological concept that God’s nature and promises trapped him into perpetually improving their circumstances. In other words, God loved them too much for anything bad to happen. This misreading of the scriptures provided them a bulletproof feeling of invulnerability. To them, it was scandalous and inappropriate to proclaim guilt or catastrophic consequences. 

Certainly, the Lord’s nature is long-suffering and patient. God’s first description of himself in the Bible is that he is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. (Exodus 33.19-23, 34.5-7) But God will also have justice. In this same passage, he declares that he will not leave the guilty unpunished. 

Certainly, the Lord made promises regarding Abraham’s descendants. But as John the Baptist later warned, “out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.” (Luke 3.7-9) Any person or group thinking God’s plans would be thwarted if they experienced suffering, defeat, imprisonment, or even death is foolish and prideful.

Modern Christians, welcome messages of blessing or victory or power, but, like Micah’s objectors, reject convicting messages. We are sometimes guilty of falsely claiming biblical promises (such as the Abrahamic promises or promises regarding our righteousness in Christ) as a cloak of invulnerability against suffering or guilt. Some today are scandalized by “prophets” who speak like Micah and Amos, especially if they speak on similar topics. 

“Don’t say such things!” 
“Don’t talk about justice.” 
“Don’t hold us responsible for prior generations.” (God regularly holds entire nations responsible for the deeds of prior generations. — Amos 1; Joel 3.19; Ezekiel 25, 35)

Pointing out unrighteousness or the need for justice should not be scandalous.

We wrongly interpret God’s promises to us through Christ if we only see them as guarantees of blessings in this life. We are ignoring Christ’s lived example if we do not think it likely that suffering, mistreatment, or even death might be part of God’s plan or purpose for our lives.

If the only prophets we listen to promise “plenty of wine and beer,” and the “signs” we want from God are all blessings for ourselves, we may be in the same boat as Micah’s hearers.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
O God, you know my foolishness, and my faults are not hidden from you. — Psalm 69.6– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle

Today’s Readings
Micah 2 (Listen – 2:11)
Luke 11 (Listen – 7:33)

This Weekend’s Readings
Micah 3 (Listen – 1:51) Luke 12 (Listen – 7:42)
Micah 4 (Listen – 2:33) Luke 13 (Listen – 5:02)

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The Maddest Prophet, The Saddest Prophet

Scripture Focus: Jonah 4.1-4, 9-11 
1 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 But the LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” 

9 …“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.” 
10 But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?” 

Reflection: The Maddest Prophet, The Saddest Prophet
By John Tillman

In some ways, Jonah is the maddest prophet. He is madder than the angriest and most vitriolic of scripture’s prophets. However, his anger is directed at God because of God’s mercy. 

In some ways, Jonah is also the saddest prophet. He is sadder than even Jeremiah the weeping prophet. Unlike Jeremiah, Jonah is alone in his emotional trap of hate. He doesn’t experience any of the hope God has to offer, because the only hope he is interested in is the destruction of his enemies.

He doesn’t want a savior. He wants a weapon. God will not be made into a tool for us to destroy our enemies.

The Maddest, Saddest Prophet
God’s word, Jonah didn’t care for
The people he hated, therefore
He started out with a detour
Down the road to the seashore
Sailors didn’t know they were in for
Finding what God had in store
He had mercy.

In the storm, Jonah’s waking
To a mess of his making
On a flight of his taking
In a ship that was shaking
Sailors knees they were quaking
Very soon they’d be sinking
They were desperate.

Jonah’s crimes he confessed
Sailors reacted, distressed
To save him they do their best
Nautical skill and finesse
But couldn’t escape unless…
Jonah’s God they addressed,
“Please forgive us.”

They toss him in. Jonah’s sinking
Gulped down by a fish, stinking
Of God’s temple, he’s thinking
God’s mission he is accepting
Rebellion he is rejecting
Out of the depths, he is getting
Resurrected

He sets out upon his trek
His obedience is correct
The message he won’t neglect
But doesn’t want its effect
to blossom. He wants a wreck.
God’s love he doesn’t respect
He is bitter.

He should have railed against sin
For Nineveh’s violence to end
But he knew God might give in
If repentance were to begin
He thought mercy might kick in
He thought God’s love was a sin
He was angry

It didn’t sit right with him
Forgiveness was just for him
Not for the Assyrians
That’s why he sailed on the wind
He thought God’s purpose to bend
Hoped they would die in their sin
He was vengeful.

He hates that wrath was undone
He longed to see destruction
He didn’t want grace to come
He’s mad that God’s will is done
God leaves him there in the sun
He doesn’t get a “well done”
He is alone.

May we promote repentance
Rather than long for vengeance
May we be love and joy-filled
Not revengeful and rage-filled
May we reshape our preference
Increasing love and acceptance.
For the gospel

Divine Hours Prayer: The Morning Psalm
I will exalt you, O Lord, because you have lifted me up and have not let my enemies triumph over me.
O Lord my God, I cried out to you, and you restored me to health.
You brought me up, O Lord, from the dead; you restored my life as I was going down to the grave.
Sing to the Lord, you servants of his; give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness.
For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye, his favor for a lifetime. — Psalm 30.1-5
– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle

Today’s Readings
Jonah 4 (Listen – 1:56)
Luke 9 (Listen – 8:05)

Thursday’s Readings
Micah 1 (Listen – 2:46)
Luke 10 (Listen – 5:40)

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