THE DIFFERENCE IN RIGHT AND WRONG SACRIFICES

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ISAIAH 1:10-18—THE DIFFERENCE IN RIGHT AND WRONG SACRIFICES ACT OF WORSHIP PERSONAL BLOG 11/02/2025

The book of Isaiah holds sharp warnings for the people of God—not only the ancient people of God but the church today.

587 BC was a disastrous time for the people of Jerusalem and Judah. More than a century earlier the northern tribes of Israel were conquered and carried away by the Assyrians. Now the Babylonians laid waste the southern territories and a seventy-year exile uprooted the nation. Shameful idolatry had caused the undoing of the people. Innumerable warnings incited only an unresponsive disdainfulness; the prophets were considered fools (Hos 9:7). God, who never threatens in vain, allowed the axe to fall (Isa 1:7).^[1]

Isaiah 1:10-18 begins the Prophet’s message, and while seemingly hopeless, a reminder of the Lord’s mercy is assuredly present, for in amazing love, God never abandons his people, though they falter.

Isaiah 1:10-18

¹⁰ Hear the word of the Lord,
    you rulers of Sodom!
Give ear to the teaching of our God,
    you people of Gomorrah!
¹¹ “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
    says the Lord;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
    and the fat of well-fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
    or of lambs, or of goats.

¹² “When you come to appear before me,
    who has required of you
    this trampling of my courts?
¹³ Bring no more vain offerings;
    incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—
    I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
¹⁴ Your new moons and your appointed feasts
    my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me;
    I am weary of bearing them.
¹⁵ When you spread out your hands,
    I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
    I will not listen;
    your hands are full of blood.
¹⁶ Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
    remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
¹⁷     learn to do good;
seek justice,
    correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
    plead the widow's cause.

¹⁸ “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
    they shall become like wool.[2]

The waning people of God hear the words of the Lord through the Prophet Isaiah who calls them to return—return to the Lord and return to worship. In a similar manner, the message subsists today and transcends generations, as the people of God are not called to mere sacrifices but to purity of heart, for without such a condition, God’s people may not rightfully worship and, therefore, may not worship in sincerity. There are three essentials which must be observed from the text.

God’s Hatred of Empty Sacrifices (vv. 10-15)

While God surely commands and even elicits sacrifices from his chosen people, those which are empty are not only futile but anger the Almighty, as he is certain to respond with vomiting those sinners from his mouth (Rev 3:16). The Prophet Isaiah offers the people of God a stark warning from the Lord: “I’m fed up to the teeth with your worship [or lack thereof so repent or else].”^[3]

The standing error of the ritualist is that if all depends on performing the ceremonial act, then the more you do it the better. Says is a continuous tense: ‘keeps saying’—as something he presses home upon us. Apart from Psalm 12:6 only Isaiah (1:18; 33:10; 40:1, 25; 41:21; 66:9) uses this verbal form referring to divine speech. To the Lord the ritual act means nothing…, adds nothing…, and does nothing…”^[4]

The people of Israel sought to worship God without repentance, which is impossible, as worship always produces repentance—not perfection but a turning and changing of ways. Without repentance, one has not worshiped God. “The problem was the disparity between what they meant in their hearts as they worshiped and what they did in their lives outside the context of worship. He likens them to the rulers and people of Sodom and Gomorrah, because they’re about as responsive to Yahweh as those two cities were.”^[5]

Through Isaiah’s prophecy, the word of the Lord came in no uncertain terms: God hates empty sacrifices, which is precisely what the chosen people of God were propounding. God says, “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats” (v. 11). Such acts of irreverence and vile filth are considered the trampling of the Lord’s courts (v. 12). Thus, God commands his people to bring no more vain offerings before him (v. 13). The Lord even suggests that he hates the appointed feasts, in which he has commanded his people to partake, for they were a burden to him (v. 14).

No sacrifice may substitute for the unrighteous acts performed by a heart that is unpure. No matter how many prayers offered, songs sung, or hands lifted, God despises an unclean heart that makes a feeble attempt at a holy sacrifice, for without purity of heart, pride is what is offered. Without purity of heart, people risk angering the Holy and Almighty one and, therefore, enticing his discipline.[6] Through Isaiah, God’s message is clear: because of unclean hearts and insincerity, toward the rituals offered by his own people he holds disdain.

When God’s people live in blatant disobedience (sin), it does not go unnoticed. God, in fact, says to such people, “When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood” (1:15). How many times does God need to warn us before we listen? How much sin will be endured before God responds with discipline or even punishment? How many babies must be sacrificed on the altar of convenience before God counters with justice and judgment? Even God’s patience terminates. A time is coming when it will terminate for the world in which we live, for the Lord hates empty sacrifices.

God’s Pleasure in Substantial Sacrifices (vv. 16-17)

The opposition (and surely the answer) to empty sacrifices are substantial sacrifices. After pronouncing coming judgment and warning the people of Israel of the impurities in their sacrifices, Isaiah demands repentance. Through the Prophet, God says, “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause” (vv. 16-17).

The astonishment of those who would ponder what God wants people (even individuals) to do is that he has given such commands in his word. “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Mic 6:8). Said another way, God’s will (with the per view of action) is plain; it is clear; God has contended his will in his word. God loves justice and requires it of his people. When injustice is employed, especially among his own people, judgment is sure to follow. Moreover, the church may simplify the commands of God to three items.

1.      Do justice

2.      Love kindness

3.      Walk humbly with God

If the church’s actions do not accomplish one or all the preceding elements, they should be abolished. When God’s people hold the position of justice in their hearts, the King is honored, and it is vital that Christians honor God in such a manner because justice reflects the heart of God (i.e., believers, found in the likeness of Christ, are not merely employing additional requirements from their lives when justice is shown; rather, they are employing the heart of God). God is a just and kind God and demands the same of his people.

God’s Mercy After His Declaration of Judgment (v. 18)

The third (and final) element that protrudes from the text here is God’s mercy. Isaiah has already warned and pronounced judgment on the people of God (and rightfully so); the Prophet has already advanced the answer to the problem (namely repentance); now Isaiah maintains the mercy of the Lord. God is merciful to his people even in times of discipline, for without discipline, there subsists no evidence that one belongs to God. For such a reason, God’s people should be eternally grateful for his discipline.

Isaiah beckons the people of God to come and reason (v. 18a). “When a declaration of judgment is expected, the Lord issues a gracious offer of mediation. The language has legal overtones of attempting to resolve a dispute.”[7] Despite the unfaithfulness of God’s people, despite their sin, and despite their unpure hearts, God offers forgiveness. That is why the love of God is matchless and greater than any force in the universe, for nothing may separate the chosen people of God from his love, as the Apostle Paul contends. Isaiah declares such a message before the people of God. “…though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (1:18b). Although judgment is certain for those who have lived in blatant unrepentance and although justice should be executed by a just God, grace is still available.

Consequences surely exist as the price for sin, although God ultimately gives humanity the chance to receive greater than what they deserve (mercy) and even the unearned and undeserved blessing of eternal life (grace). The message of Isaiah rings clear and true. People of God, you have lived in disobedience and dishonored your first love. God’s wrath burns against you, but repent, for in repentance, you will find love and grace. No one is too far gone; no one is beyond the reach of God irrespective of past, present, or future decisions. People of God, be thankful for unearned and undeserved grace, for any action of attempt at earning God’s love is futile—apart from Christ, God’s people would not encounter the love of God, but because of the cross, the church enters eternal rest with him. Thus, the actions of God’s people should reflect his heart—namely that is justice, love, and worship. Without such elements, worship has not happened.

“Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift that your faithful people offer you true and laudable service: Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.”[8]

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^[1] Stuart D. Sacks, Revealing Jesus as Messiah: Identifying Isaiah’s Servant of the Lord (Fearn, UK: Christian Focus Publications, 1998), 16.

[2] Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Bible.

^[3] John Goldingay, Isaiah for Everyone, Old Testament for Everyone (Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press; Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2015), 5.

God does not offer warnings without fulfilling them in cases of continued unrepentance. Moreover, God always offers people (often multiple) opportunities to repent leaving the responsibility on humanity (i.e., God’s sovereignty and human responsibility are compatible).

^[4] J. Alec Motyer, Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), 53.

^[5] John Goldingay, Isaiah for Everyone, Old Testament for Everyone (Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press; Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2015), 7.

[6] While God will not cease loving his people (Rom 8:38), out of love, he disciplines them.

[7] R.C. Sproul, ed., ESV Reformation Study Bible (Sanford, FL: Ligonier and Crossway, 2019, 2001), 6518, Kindle edition.

[8] “Sunday Closest to November 2,” The Lectionary Page, October 21, 2025, https://www.lectionarypage.net/YearC_RCL/Pentecost/CProp26_RCL.html.

THREE CHARACTERS TO WHOM EVERYONE MAY RELATE

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LUKE 18:9-14—THREE CHARACTERS TO WHOM EVERYONE MAY RELATE ACT OF WORSHIP PERSONAL BLOG 10/26/2025

Jesus’ usage of parables is prominent in the gospel accounts as his primary manner to deliver lessons to his followers. Moreover, Jesus employs parables in such a sufficient manner that even modern times may not negate their efficiency. One of the more familiar parables taught by Jesus is that of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Rare are times when Jesus utilized such a specific person or group of people in his teachings, but if he does so, it seems to be done with Pharisees.[1] The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector grasps nearly every believer’s heart with a reality that everyone fits into at least one category of the characters within the narrative. A read through the short parable and an analysis of the characters within its text beckons the reader to examine his or her own heart in response to condition and what is required to worship the Lord in spirit and truth.

Luke 18:9-14

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

⁹ He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: ¹⁰ “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ ¹³ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”[2]

“Like some other parables (15:11–32; 16:19–31; Matt 21:28–32), this one contrasts the behavior of two characters, a Pharisee who is conscious of his own righteousness which went beyond the requirements of the Old Testament law, and knew that he was better than other men; and a tax-collector who was conscious of his sin and could only plead for divine mercy.”^[3] In the text, there are three characters (and characteristics) to whom every person may relate and should scrutinize for which one is evident in their own lives. From contextual evidences, Jesus speaks to his disciples in the Parable of the Persistent Widow (18:1-8) and doubtlessly to Pharisees in the Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector (18:9-14).^[4] A proper analysis of the text in verses 9-14, however, should yield the realization that all believers fit the qualities of at least one of the characters in the parable and perhaps all. Therefore, it is vital to approach all characters in the narrative with humility, readiness, and a desire to be molded by the Holy Spirit.

The Pharisee (vv. 11-12)

The Pharisee is often approached in negativity because he is full of pride and seemingly devoid of humility. In fact, his prayer focuses on himself and his own good deeds.

“If the preceding parable [of the persistent widow] taught the necessity of persistence in prayer, this parable teaches that prayer is not automatically acceptable to God.”[5] A few commonalities subsist between the two primary characters—the protagonist (tax collector) and antagonist (Pharisee) if you will. Both characters employ prayers in a public space of worship. “In the temple public prayers were offered, but people might also pray there privately, and this was evidently the case in the parable.”^[6] It is, in fact, good and right to pray in the church and certainly a practice of which the church could use more.

The heart of the two characters here, nonetheless, are vastly different. Though the Pharisee is often considered in negative highlights (throughout the New Testament), what he does truly is rooted in zeal for the Lord. He seeks to honor God and live by his good law. Why then is the Pharisee criticized so often even by Jesus Christ himself? His heart is far from God, for he trusts in himself (v. 9). No matter how good someone is, it is not possible to be good enough to achieve God’s standards, for it is not sin that separates humankind from the Almighty but the condition of people’s hearts (i.e., sinful). Christians should not think of sin in terms of an action but rather a condition that dishonors God. What might appear zealous externally is truly prideful and, therefore, despicable to God internally, for God examines the heart rather than the appearance (1 Sam 16:7).

The Pharisee provides two elements of his prayer that reveal the hidden evil in his heart and an evil that is assuredly in all human hearts by nature: 1) a feeble attempt to compare self to other people rather than to the Lord and 2) trust in self-merit.

First, the Pharisee prays with a nearly shocking focus on the deeds of others.[7] Luke says that the Pharisee was standing during his prayer. Although a normal posture for prayer^[8] and should not be considered a sign of a pompous attitude alone, standing certainly indicates such in this parable, for beginning with the Pharisee’s stance, he proceeds to thank God that he is not like other people (e.g., extortioners, the unjust, adulterers, and even tax collectors—v. 11). The Pharisee’s comparison is not to God (against whom no one may stand in righteousness) but to other people. In a cyclic manner, when Christians compare themselves to other Christians, they merely compare themselves to other people who compare themselves to other people.

I contend that one of the most misinterpreted, misunderstood, and misused scriptures is Matthew 7. Ironically, however, only one verse of the chapter is used most often. Jesus’ command is surely not to judge, but his instructions extend beyond a single phrase. Jesus says, “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you” (Matt 7:2). Said another way, Christians are expected to judge; people make judgments every day in small matters. In the same chapter, Jesus speaks of bearing fruit and ironically the dismissal of those who would profess Jesus as Lord but whose lives are indicative of not knowing Christ (Matt 7:21). Thus, the command transcends a lack of judgment, for Christians are to judge by the Lord’s standard. The Pharisee is making comparisons in the text to other people who likely compare themselves to other people. When we make such a feeble and shallow mistake, our lives never measure to the holy standard set by the Lord.

Second, the Pharisee exposes a Godless trust in self-sufficiency and self-merit (i.e., his trust was not in the righteousness of Christ but in his own supposed good works). The Pharisee seemingly boasts about his fasting twice a week and giving tithes. Neither of such actions are negative. Rather, God is honored by such actions, but the heart of the one presenting them should be pure—the Pharisee’s is not pure. One’s merit will never be enough to earn salvation. A common question asked by many who would challenge the holiness and justice of God is, “When happens to the morally good man in an indigenous area who has never heard the Gospel and dies without receiving its message?” The appropriate response is that such a person does not exist, for if anyone was truly good, there would be no need for the Gospel, but everyone needs the Gospel; everyone needs grace; everyone needs mercy. May we never grow so full of pride that we forget our desperate and dire need of God’s mercy.

The Tax Collector (v. 13)

The second character in the parable is the tax collector. Often viewed with disdain and anonymity (and rightfully so), the tax collector takes a disparate approach. Unlike the Pharisee, the tax collector approaches God in humility and a realization that he needs forgiveness. The tax collector even beats his breast in pity and cries, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (v. 13). A person cannot comprehend and certainly experience God’s forgiveness without first understanding the gravity of sin in humanity and taking personal ownership of such a condition. The issue is not only that people have sinned but that humanity has never done anything but sin, for humankind’s weakness is a sickness and the stain of Adam. The tax collector begs God for forgiveness in humility and a stark realization that he needs grace. A vastly different approach from the Pharisee, such an attitude is obligatory to approaching God in prayer. The tax collector, as vile as he is, holds the proper attitude. God’s mercy is amazing, for there will be martyrs welcoming the people who took their earthly lives into heaven when they are called home. That is the grace of God. It is matchless and intended even for the vilest offender who truly believes.

Those to Whom Pride Compares (v. 11)

There is additionally but one more character (or group of characters) left in the parable. That is those to whom pride compares. The Pharisee continues an evil cycle of comparison to other people, although the one to whom he should compare himself (God) would uncover his sinful heart. How often do Christians believe the lie that says, “I am okay because I am not as bad as person A or person B?” Such a comparison is not only futile but rooted in evil and trusts not in God but in self. Every believer fits into one of three categories: the Pharisee, the tax collector, or those to whom the self-righteous compare themselves. Perhaps, some people fit into two categories. God’s people must stop the cycle of evil thinking by ceasing to compare themselves to other Christians who compare themselves to other Christians.

God’s People Must Rid Themselves of Pharisee Pride

To hold the proper attitude in God’s kingdom, all pride must be demolished. Jesus Christ must increase and his people must decrease (John 3:30). The Pharisee, seemingly holy and righteous, approaches God with pride; yet, God opposes the proud and embraces the humble (Jas 4:6). The tax collector, however, understands his desperate need for God’s mercy and cries out with such an attitude and realization. He does not compare himself to others as does the Pharisee but rather exudes a humble mindset. For God to work in and among his people, the church must rid themselves of selfishness and pride and approach the Lord in humility (i.e., the stance of the tax collector rather than the Pharisee). The proper approach is not the one of the trained and studied religious leader but of the sinful and humble sinner. Such a posture must be that of the church, for only in humility will God respond with mercy.

“Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”[9]

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[1] I am certain Jesus did not hold judgment, impartiality, or disdain for Pharisees (or any other group) in and of themselves and surely not based on their racial, ethnic, or external qualities but rather for the condition of their hearts.

[2] Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Bible.

^[3] I. Howard Marshall, The Gospel of Luke: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Exeter: Paternoster Press, 1978), 677.

^[4] Michael Wilcock, The Savior of the World: The Message of Luke’s Gospel, The Bible Speaks Today (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979), 165.

[5] R.C. Sproul, ed., The Reformation Study Bible (Sanford, FL: 2019), 10066, Kindle.

^[6] Leon Morris, Luke: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 3, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 281.

[7] Such is shocking because when reasoned, it is clear that his own heart is at least equally as evil if not more.

^[8] I. Howard Marshall, The Gospel of Luke: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Exeter: Paternoster Press, 1978), 679.

[9] “Sunday Closest to October 26,” The Lectionary Page, October 13, 2025, https://www.lectionarypage.net/YearC_RCL/Pentecost/CProp25_RCL.html.

BEING A JUDAH IN A JOSEPH WORLD

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BEING A JUDAH IN A JOSEPH WORLD

My brother and I received a call to ministry at a young age. I remember once speaking with him about what we envisioned for our lives in ministry. We both discussed our hopes and dreams (e.g., playing music in front of hundreds and even thousands of people, preaching before large crowds and seeing God move mightily through the work to which he called us, and living within the context of a successful occupation). We both agreed that we desired to be used of God tremendously and we would go anywhere the Lord sent us; we were willing to do anything, but it became clear that it was not acceptable to us to do so unseen.

Paul teaches that the gifts and callings of God are without repentance or irrevocable (Rom 11:29). Nonetheless, human nature holds a propensity to forget or even neglect such truth, especially when one’s call from the Lord goes unseen. Christians should take care in approaching tasks to which God has called them, for his plans are higher than the plans of humankind and his ways are unsearchable (Isa 55:8-9). The narrative in the final third of Genesis presents an often unseen and (assuredly) misunderstood focus, for the primary character, Joseph, does not hold the most important role. The aim here is for believers to perceive and understand their own task and calling as 1) for the glory of God alone rather than self and 2) meaningful despite the possibility of being unseen, rewarded, or praised.

To properly comprehend Genesis 45, background of the book to such a point must be conveyed. Mindful of the fact that Joseph seemingly satiates the final fourteen chapters of the book of Genesis (chapters 37-50), a reader could straightforwardly miss the point of the story, which is precisely what occurs when believers make feeble attempts to turn the Bible into compartmentalized individual stories with the aim of moralistic therapeutic deism. One, for example, might interpret the story of Daniel refusing to eat anything but fruits and vegetables as a comprehensive approach to diet rather than a purpose for a specific time and a specific people and then proceed to imitate Daniel’s diet with a belief that it is the only appropriate diet for the people of God when such a viewpoint would be a gross misinterpretation. In the book of Genesis, Joseph takes considerable space because he is a tool to preserve the chosen seed, which ultimately would be Jesus.

The Apostle Paul referred to Adam as a type of the one to come (Rom 5:14). The doctrine of original sin infers that through Adam, the human race has been infected with the disease of sin; we are, therefore, sinners by nature. Just as humankind is dead in sin through Adam, so also are we, the church, made alive through Jesus Christ. Adam then was a type of what was to come, but the abundantly apparent truth is that Jesus is better than original sin. The gospel centers around Christ and his fulfillment of the law and of the covenant God made with his people. From the beginning of the Bible, God told the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heal” (Gen 3:15). This tells of the miraculous virgin birth that was to come, for Jesus had to be born of the Holy Spirit so as not to be conceived in sin. From the beginning of time, a promised seed was established to save God’s people in the covenant, and while Satan continued to try to thwart the line of seed, God continued it. Cain killed Abel, but the covenant continued because then Seth was born. Then in Genesis 5, there is a genealogy of ten generations from Seth to Noah so that the promised seed is preserved. Seth and Noah are both promised seeds but not the ultimate promised seed; they would preserve the promised seed that is to come. Noah has three sons (Shem, Ham, and Japheth), and while the world is judged in a flood, they preserved the seed. Shem then preserves the seed later through Zerah who has a son named Abraham, the next link in the seed of promise. The problem, however, is that Abraham’s wife, Sarah, is beyond childbearing years so Abraham tries to manipulate the situation by having a child with his servant and Ishmael is born. However, Ishmael is not the promised seed and eventually Isaac is born and then Jacob and Esau. Esau, the older, would seem to be the promised seed, but it is, in fact, Jacob, the younger. Jacob then has twelve sons. We might think Jacob’s son, Joseph, is the promised seed, but the promised seed is Judah; Joseph merely preserves the seed. From Judah’s line eventually comes Jesse who bears a great son named David who is again a promised seed but not the ultimate promised seed. The covenant is then renewed with David in that his lineage will sit on the throne forever. Even David’s son, Solomon, is not the promised seed, but eventually through David’s line, the ultimate Savior of the world was born of a virgin to save his people in the covenant.[1]

Thus, Joseph is merely a tool for the Lord to use in preserving the life of Judah, for without Joseph’s high position in the land of Egypt, his brothers might have perished in famine. Christians should understand that God’s plans involve the entirety of his people and there is no job or calling too small or insignificant for him. The primary character of the story (at least in relation to the covenant of the Lord)—the protagonist if you will—then is Judah, for Judah preserves the promised seed in Jesus Christ. Therefore, after nine chapters of focusing on Joseph, the account is brought to chapter 45 of Genesis.

Genesis 45:4-8

⁴ So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵ And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. ⁶ For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. ⁷ And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. ⁸ So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.[2]

The narrative of Genesis crests at the point of 45:4-8 and obliges one to recognize four imperatives.

Do Not Miss Your Call for a Distraction

The narrative here emphasizes a character who does not fill the majority of the text but is the point of the story: namely Judah (i.e., Joseph was the focus, but Judah was the point, for without the protection of Joseph, the preplanned lineage to the Messiah could not be fulfilled). God’s plan could have included Judah doing spectacular things, performing miracles, and leading tens of thousands of people, but it did not. In fact, God’s plan for Judah was found in the background with Joseph in the foreground.

Christians should not miss their individual and unique call for distractions; yet, distractions are that which are sought so often. How many times do God’s people find themselves asking:

“Why am I not the one speaking before thousands of people?”

“Why cannot God use me by writing inspirational books that are sold worldwide?”

“Why am I not the one blessed with the talent?”

Perhaps, God’s plan for some believers (or even most) is not set in the spotlight but as a part of the backdrop without praises and accolades, as it was for Judah. Judah, however, held arguably a greater responsibility in God’s plan than did Joseph, for through the lineage of Judah would come Jesus Christ. Thus, Joseph’s purpose in the narrative is merely to preserve Judah. Certainly, Joseph was able to be in a position of authority but solely for God’s plan to preserve the chosen seed. While their purposes are no more or less significant, they are disparate but a part of the orchestration God designed. Believer, do not spend substantial time in your feelings of inadequacy, for you serve a purpose, and God’s purpose is always greater than your own whether it seems and feels like it externally or not. Do not miss your call for a distraction because God’s plan for your life is superior to your own.

Do Not Mistake Visibility for Purpose

Visibility does not equate to certainty. Joseph holds prominence in the narrative of Genesis; Judah did not. Nonetheless, they both fulfill purposes unique to their individual lives and callings. It may be easy to believe the lie that because one does not hold prominence in life (e.g., importance, financial standing, position, or influence), such a person is not fulfilling their purpose to which the Lord has called him or her. Joseph makes clear that he came to his authoritative position because of God’s plan, not his own or that of his brothers’ when he clarifies, “…it was not you who sent me here, but God” (v. 8a).

“Not you…but God expresses the fact of Providence…in a typically sweeping biblical idiom.”^[3] God is provident—it is who he is in his character (i.e., God cannot be anything but provident).[4] God’s provident plan in the Genesis narrative is to provide for Judah and his family through Joseph’s position of power. Essentially second to none other than Pharaoh, Joseph refers to himself as a “father to Pharaoh,” (v. 8b), virtually the king’s advisor.[5] Joseph, however, did not have such a plan for himself in mind when his brothers sold him into slavery out of jealousy (Gen 37). In fact, Joseph has such a stark realization of God’s providence, that toward the end of Genesis, he attests, “…you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Gen 50:20).

Unquestionably, God’s plan for the life of Joseph was placing him in a position of authority (a visible position), but that is often not God’s plan for his children. In fact, by most observations, God’s plan is not for his people to be in a visible position or role but rather to serve him regardless of visibility, power, money, or applause. God’s people must realize the joy that comes from serving God simply for the sake of the call and nothing else (i.e., without the applause of men or the accolades of position). If God is truly the source of strength and motivation for service, one should not find discouragement in the circumstances of the call. Moreover, the assurance of God’s call is not found in making sense. How often does God’s call make sense in Scripture? Moses, strike the rock and water will come. Abraham, go to a land I will show you. Noah, build a boat despite not even knowing what rain is. Do not allow human sensibilities to control your choices of direction. Simply obey and trust. That is what Joseph does and how the life of Judah is preserved in Genesis. Joseph’s purpose is inarguably visible. Judah’s, however, is not, but Judah’s purpose is vital to the eternal plan of God. Visibility does not equate to purpose. Trust and obey.

God Makes the Insignificant Significant

Insignificance is irrelevant in the kingdom and economy of God, for truly, no one and no one’s purpose is insignificant. God can use whomever he desires in whatever way he desires. He can even use a donkey (Num 22).[6] Therefore, any role to which God calls his people should not be diminished in importance or ignored out of feelings of inadequacy or insignificance. Judah’s role might seem insignificant in Genesis, but it is truly perhaps the most significant role in the account of Joseph. Judah perhaps did not comprehend his function as a chosen seed, but God takes his insignificance and makes it significant.

It has been said that God does not call the qualified but qualifies the called. The chronicle of Joseph agrees with such a truth. Believers, therefore, should obey and trust the Lord in life’s directions and challenges whether external qualifications seem to align or not (e.g., seminary and training, talent, influence, etc.), for it is not by the power of humankind that God’s plan is executed but by God alone. In fact, without God, all endeavors are futile and hopeless. Solomon writes, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Ps 127:1). God’s people must realize that he alone is the source of all sustenance and provision. Nothing good or provisional exists apart from God, and the only reason his people live is because of his sovereign purposes. Scientifically, food sustains humankind, but if God decides it will not, then it will not—food is only sustainable because God says it is. Judah’s job in the Biblical narrative seems unimportant, but it could be argued as the most important in the account of Joseph. Trust and obey, for God makes the seemingly insignificant to be significant.

In a World That Demands Josephs, Strive to Be a Judah

It is difficult to be a Judah in a world full of Josephs and those who desire to be a Joseph, it could be contended that Judahs are what the world needs more than Josephs. Believers should seek God, trust him, and obey in going where he leads. As the prophet Isaiah demonstrates, the cry of God’s people should be, “Here I am! Send me” (Is 6:8). Disregard the tributes, honors, and awards; rather, embrace the call God offers you. Do not recoil or hesitate at the thought of serving God without humankind’s praises, for the pleasure of God is far greater than the applause of men. Judah held a miraculous and great purpose, although it is not realized till centuries later with the coming of the Messiah. If the Bible is viewed as individual stories with moral lessons rather than a metanarrative, it could be easy to miss the point of the story and mistake Joseph to be the primary character. A proper understanding of God’s plan, however, yields a comprehension of Judah’s part. If God calls one to preach before thousands of people, wonderful, but if God’s plan involves serving him without complaint and without visibility, how many will balk at the leading? If life is for the glory of God alone, for believers to worship him in spirit and truth, many Christians must accept their call to be a Judah rather than a Joseph. Worship is service, and service is employed with no thought of return but for the pleasure and glory of the Lord.

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[1] Jonathan Michael Jones, “Using the Psalms to Develop Corporate Prayer in the First Baptist Church of Slaton, TX” (DWS thesis Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies, 2018), 101-102.

[2] Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Bible.

^[3] Derek Kidner, Genesis: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 1, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1967), 218.

[4] Christians often seemingly allude to God’s providence in times of miraculous provision. While such instances are assuredly provident, God is also provident in times of difficulty (e.g., when a loved one passes, when sickness arises, and when finances are not met). God is provident irrespective of human circumstances.

[5] Kidner, 218.

[6] This statement alludes to Balaam’s donkey.

THE GODLY LAMENT

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THE GODLY LAMENT

The Apostle Paul instructs believers not to complain about anything (Phil 2:14-16). Nevertheless, an entire book, Lamentations, is devoted to the people of God complaining and for just reasons. Although no author is mentioned in the book, Lamentations is often attributed to the Prophet Jeremiah considering the dire struggles he encountered in captivity. Lamentations subsists in the context of God’s chosen people being disciplined for their own sin and rebellion.[1] It appeared as if God had abandoned the people of the promise when the reality was that his own people had abandoned him, for God does not move; people move.

Lamentations 3:19-26 highlights the characteristics of a Godly form of lament so while complaining for the sake of complaining and with a focus on self is wrong, a lament rooted in a desire for justice and with a focus on the Lord’s goodness is not only allowed but right. Here, a model of prayer (and indeed Christian worship) is expended by a man on behalf of God’s people.

Lamentations 3:19-26

¹⁹ Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
    the wormwood and the gall!
²⁰ My soul continually remembers it
    and is bowed down within me.
²¹ But this I call to mind,
    and therefore I have hope:

²² The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
²³ they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
    “therefore I will hope in him.”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him.
²⁶ It is good that one should wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.[2]

In this prayer, several elements exist, which cause it to be a Godly and upright lament and surely the model God’s people should employ in lamenting.

The Prayer (vv. 19-20)

The lament here first offers a complaint or a prayer. The specific request is for the Lord to remember the servant’s affliction, for he is in distress (v. 20).[3] Christian prayer should be honest with God. He already knows the troubles of humanity because God the Son has certainly faced them (Heb 4:15). Thus, when believers pray, the conversation is mediated to the Father by the Son who already understands struggles, grief, and pain. Not only then does God already know what people face, but he empathizes with human weakness. Christians pray, therefore, on a twofold basis: 1) God already knows and 2) God already understands.

God already knows that with which people struggle. Human weakness is no surprise to God. Therefore, it is not only acceptable to be honest with God in prayer, but it is right. Jeremiah was honest with God in Lamentations. After 18 verses of complaining about his situation, he asks the Lord to remember his afflictions. God can handle honesty. The Bible is replete with honest cries to God for healing and deliverance, and he loves acting in such a manner. Since God already knows, it is right to communicate those laments to the Almighty.

God also already understands humanity’s struggles because Jesus himself faced them but without sin. Jeremiah, after lamenting, turns his prayer for God for the answer. The complaint is offered; now the focus is on God, for he is the one who is requested to remember (i.e., the prophet is in affliction and bids the Lord to come to his rescue). It is right for God’s people to offer their complaints to the Lord, but a moment must arrive when it is realized that Jesus is the answer. For relationship struggles, Jesus is the answer; for financial struggles, Jesus is the answer; when a job is lost, Jesus is the answer; when sickness hits, Jesus is the answer; and when it seems there is no answer, Jesus is the answer so it is right to be honest in prayer because Jesus knows and he is the irrefutable answer.

The Pivot (v. 21)

After an expression of sorrow and complaint, the author then pivots. Mindful of God’s unfailing faithfulness, he says, “But this I call to mind”—likely the “lovely words of consolation that follow, in which case Jeremiah’s ‘hope’ is inspired by the Lord’s mercies.”^[4] A Godly complaint does not focus on the lament (for such is self-focused) but the God who is the answer to all problems and still worthy to be served and praised regardless of circumstances. Thus, the pivot comes with a comprehension of the Lord’s mercies. The Prophet is soon to recall the countless mercies of his God who has been faithful to his people so he pivots with an understanding of the matchless hope he possesses. A Godly lament, therefore, includes not only an honest complaint but more a confession of the Lord’s mercies and goodness. Otherwise, it is merely a complaint, which is the antithesis of Godliness.

The Patience of the Lord (vv. 22-23)

The author first focuses on the patience of the Lord with an affirmation that his love and mercy are unending (v. 21). Even in humankind’s failure, God’s mercies are new every morning (v. 22). God is patient: slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (Ps 34:6, 86:15, 103:8, 145:8). The most patient being in all the universe is the Almighty God, and he loves to forgive. He is good by nature (even to those who have eternally rejected him). While even God’s patience is capable of ending (for individuals), the Lord is longsuffering and steadfast; therefore, seeing the end of God’s patience is rare. If God’s people would consider how good he has been to them individually, the patience of the Lord would be evident in manifold ways. How many times has God protected his people from harm? How many times has God responded to his people in faithfulness, though they have been unfaithful? Throughout church history, how many times has God’s covenant been manifested among the people of God, though they remain rebellious? God’s patience in matchless, and the people of God should rejoice that their Maker is not only the God of one more chance but the God of another chance and another and another and another. Where would the church be if not for the patience of God?

The Provision of the Lord (v. 24)

The provision of the Lord is then recounted. The writer understands that God is the source of all strength and sustenance, for he declares boldly that the Lord is his portion; thus, his hope lies in God (v. 24). God’s people must see the Lord as the provider. Jesus says, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt 4:4). The provision of the Lord, therefore, does not depend on what God gives but on him alone (i.e., life’s sustaining elements are irrelevant and refuse without God, for he is the one who gives and makes sustainable elements sustainable and nourishing). Even in a time a great distress, the author laments but turns his focus to hope in the Lord because he knows that even if food is given, even if protection is offered, and even if difficulties are ameliorated, it is worthless without God, for irrespective of realization, he alone is the provision people seek, and the author here places his hope not in government and not in leaders but in God alone.

The Promise of the Lord (vv. 25-26)

The lamenter then confesses the promise of the Lord—indeed a promise given to his chosen people from before time. The goodness of the Lord is mentioned but with a caveat: namely waiting on and seeking the Lord (v. 25). To those who falsely claim they have never experienced the goodness of the Lord, wait on him; to those who claim to have never seen God’s goodness, wait on him, for he is not finished, which is why a Godly lament requires patience. Trials that are faced with hastiness are faced in a Godless manner and misunderstood, for those who would encounter trials in such a way may see only the trial itself and not the redeeming qualities thereof. The promise of the Lord transcends generations, for the bride of Christ has been grafted into the family of God and Abraham’s blessing (Rom 11:17-24); the promise of God transcends difficulties, for there exists a reward greater than the present sufferings of this life (Rom 8:18); and the promise of God never fails, for no power subsists that may separate God’s people from his love (Rom 8:38-39), of which there is none greater. Praise God for his overarching promise of redemption and his countless blessing toward his people!

Approached with God at the Center, Lament Is Right

Strains and exertions are assuredly a part of human life even according to the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:33) and especially for the one who desires to live a Godly life (2 Tim 3:12). Nonetheless, believers are commanded to do everything with complaint (Phil 2:14-16).[5] How then does one rightfully lament (i.e., in a Godly manner)? As presented here in Lamentations by the Prophet Jeremmiah, a Godly lament is dependent upon its focus (i.e., on the Lord, his purpose, his goodness, and his mercy rather than the situation from which stems the complaint). A grumble solely focused on the circumstances of self does not conform to the model presented in Lamentations. Had an injustice occurred? Yes. Was there reason to lament? Yes. Does the lament offer a reason for rescue that is based upon the discomfort of people? No. Rather, the lament indeed offers a cry from the depths of despair, but it does not stop there and instead shifts to a focus on the Almighty and his mercy. Such a lament is an illustration of a Godly lament. Lament should be employed as a legitimate and common part of Christian worship,[6] but there is a right and wrong way to lament. Lamentations 3 proposes a right way to lament, which believers should seek to exemplify in worship and in prayer.

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[1] It should be noted that although God is patient and understanding, he does not let rebellion go unpunished.

[2] Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Bible.

[3] Lamentations 3 begins by a drastic complaint of longsuffering, and although the third chapter is set in the context of the entire Israelite community, the writer (likely Jeremiah) makes his grievance personal, as he feels abandoned along with the rest of God’s chosen people.

^[4] J. G. S. S. Thomson, “Lamentations,” in Job–Malachi, ed. Carl F. H. Henry, vol. 2, The Biblical Expositor (A. J. Holman Company, 1960), 219.

[5] Such a command comes from the Apostle Paul who certainly had sufficient reason to complain if anyone ever did.

[6] Lament is too often not utilized, although it is certainly Biblical and right.