Thursday, September 28, 2017

September 28

Isaiah 54:1-57:13; Ephesians 6:1-24; Psalms 70:1-5; Proverbs 24:8

I love the insight Paul brings out from the Old Testament in his teaching to children. Now that I’m in my late 30s (gasp!), I read these verses from the perspective of a parent. (I still need to honor my parents, but I now think of myself primarily as a parent rather than as a child.) I want my children to obey me and I appreciate that Paul draws out the promise that God gave to the Israelites if they were obedient to their parents – the commandment says, “Honor your father and mother that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land” (Ex. 20:12). This is the promise – if you honor, if you obey, things will go well for you.

We’ve talked about obedience a lot in this blog (because, as we always say, the Bible talks a lot about obedience) and today’s passage is another good reminder. Children are to obey their parents “for this is right” (Eph. 6:1); slaves are to obey their earthly masters “with a sincere heart” (vs. 5). Obviously, slavery in our nation has been abolished but the principle of obeying not “by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ” (vs. 6) is still such a call for us in all our work. When we’re doing a task for our employer, or even as a volunteer, we don’t do a good job only when the boss is looking; rather we work as servants of Christ.

Of course, I have to talk about the “whole armor of God” (Eph. 6:11) that Paul details in the final portion of our Ephesians passage. There’s been much discussion about the six items that Paul chooses to write about, some people looking to the Roman solider and his gear. But in one of the commentaries I was reading, the author made an amazing connection to Isaiah, which I thought was so interesting given that we’re also reading in Isaiah in our OYB. Here’s a quick breakdown (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, 337):

Image                                   Reference                                           Spiritual Weapon
Belt                                       Is. 11:5                                                Truth
Breastplate                          Is. 59:17                                             Righteousness
Feet fitted                            Is. 52:7                                               Gospel of peace
Shield                                   Is. 21:5                                                Faith
Helmet                                 Is. 59:17                                              Salvation
Sword                                   Is. 49:2                                               Spirit/Word of God
                                                                                                           Prayer

The real point, though, isn’t the exact metaphors, but rather Paul’s call to us to be prepared, to be aware of the spiritual warfare that we face, and to join with other believers in praying against it. I will readily confess that I’m not as faithful as I should be in preparing myself, either in prayer or in mental steadiness, and I can go weeks without thinking about the “rulers, authorities, the cosmic powers over this present darkness, the spiritual forces of evil” (Eph. 6:12) that are at work against us. I don’t know if that’s because my life in the US is easy and comfortable, or if the effects of these powers are subtler and I falsely attribute them to “bad luck” or “coincidence” or some other such thing. Either way, I am challenged afresh by this reading today and hope something in it also struck a chord with you.

Help us, Jesus, to be prepared, to arm ourselves with your truth, righteousness, gospel, faith, salvation and spirit, so that we “may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Eph. 6:13). We want to stand firm, Jesus. Amen.


- Esther McCurry


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