First Sunday after Christmas (31 December 2017)

Long Live The King

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.  And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.  And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.  Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.  Isaiah 11:1-5

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Now when the king lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent."  And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you."  But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan,  "Go and tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in?  I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling.  In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?"'  Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel.  And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.  And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly,  from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house.  When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.  He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.  I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.  And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.'"  2 Samuel 7:1-16

(A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.) I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.  For I said, "Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness."  You have said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: 'I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.'" Selah  Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!  For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD, a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him?  O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O LORD, with your faithfulness all around you?  Psalm 89: 1-8

I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father.  In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.  But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.  And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"  So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.  Galatians 4:1-7

[And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."  Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.  And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel."]  And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.  And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."  And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.  And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.  And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.  And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.  Luke 2:(22-32) 33-40

Its the last day of the year.  People become quite introspective are "big" dates like this.  Especially a change in the calendar, since it represents a dawning of a new era.  Many will make resolutions for improvement in the upcoming months.  They will reflect on the events of the year.  All the changes, both in the world and themselves.

David, after finally securing his kingdom, took the time to reflect.  God had been good to him.  Exceptionally good.  The once lowly shepherd now lived in a palace, ruling the Twelve Tribes, having defeated many of their historic enemies and taking the city of Jerusalem.  Yet God still was living in a tent.  How could the God and Creator of the Universe dwell in a simple tabernacle?

So, in part to thank God, David wanted to build a temple for God.  But God had other plans.  He wasn't going to allow David to build a house, rather He would make David into the ancestor of the Temple.  Not the one that would be raised by Solomon and rebuilt by Herod, but the One that would be destroyed and restored in three days.

This Temple, this shoot of Jesse, this Son of David would be given the throne.  Not David's temporal throne, which even in its security would be at risk of loss, but the throne of the Most High.  David believed, knowing that God was promising more than a dynasty that would rule a dusty strip of land.  It was this promise that Isaiah prophesied about, and that Simeon and Anna recognized when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple.

But David, Isaiah, and all the faithful had to wait until the right time.  Simeon and Anna were waiting, patiently, for the Messiah.  They weren't waiting for a restored kingdom, but a returning King.

In the readings, though, this King is not yet ready to take His throne.  He is the Heir, but while still a child is under the same law and authority that we, the servants, are bound by.  Only He is not shackled by it.  His death would be His ascent to the throne.  And now we, who are servants adopted by our Lord's Father, await His return to bring us into the inheritance promised to Him through David and Abraham.

Christmas Day (25 December, 2017)

The Word Made Flesh

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns."  The voice of your watchmen--they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the LORD to Zion.  Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem.  The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.  Isaiah 52:7-10

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, "Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us."  He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.  Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, "As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill."  I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you.  Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.  You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."  Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.  Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.  Psalm 2

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.  He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.  For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you"? Or again, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son"?  And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."  [Of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire."  But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.  You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions."  And, "You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end."]  Hebrews 1:1-6 (7-12)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.  He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.  The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.  He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. [(John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'")  For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.]  John 1:1-14 (15-18)

And so our waiting is done.  The promised Savior that God spoke of to Adam and Eve has now come to us, not as we expected, but as was planned.

This is no mere Child.  This is the very Living Word of God, the Word which was spoken and brought forth Light on the first day of all time!  The Word of God that breathed life into a lump of dust.  The Word of God that split oceans, moved mountains, fed and healed thousands, raised the dead, brought mighty empires to their knees.

And now lies as an infant, lowly and in a manger.

His life on this Earth does not end with Him seated in a palace, though He will be tried there as a criminal.  His life does not see Him lead an army of soldiers, but He will have legions of believers who will stand against all enemies both in season and out.  His life does not have Him scaling mountains to prove His might, but He will be led to His death upon one.

God's great plan, this Child, was born for but one purpose: to die.

To die the death that we earned with out rebellion.  To die the death that would conquer Death.  To die the death of a sacrifice, in such a way that no sacrifice could ever satisfy.

But death was not to be the end.  Christ was sent to die... and to rise again.

So marvel at this Child, who dies for you, so that you too may one day rise from death.

Christmas Dawn (25 December, 2017)

Behold!

Go through, go through the gates; prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway; clear it of stones; lift up a signal over the peoples.  Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, "Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him."  And they shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.  Isaiah 62:10-12

(A Psalm.) Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.  The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.  He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.  Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!  Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody!  With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!  Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it!  Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.  Psalm 98

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.  Titus 3:4-7

[In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.  This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  And all went to be registered, each to his own town.  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.  And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.  And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"]  When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."  And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.  And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.  And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.  But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.  And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.  Luke 2:(1-14) 15-20

Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done marvelous things!

Marvelous indeed.

And yet we still are in awe and puzzlement at why God would do not only such a thing in the first place, but why He would do it in this manner.

Why would God choose lowly shepherds to be the first to visit His newborn King of Kings?

Because God likes shepherds.

God accepted the sacrifice of Abel, the shepherd.  God chose Abram to take his family, possessions, workers, and flocks to a new land that one day would belong to his descendants.  God graciously showed favor on Jacob, making him prosperous while tending his father-in-law flocks.  God called Moses from his tending of sheep while in the land of Sinai so that he might tend a new flock.  God selected David as the man after His own heart, elevating him to be shepherd of the Children of Israel.

And it was in those days that God sent His angels to call shepherds to view a most wondrous sight: the birth of a new shepherd; the True Shepherd.  A Shepherd who would lay down His life for His wayward sheep, even as they would seek to kill Him.

What wondrous love is this, that God would dare to humble Himself in such a way?

Because Christ Jesus is the Shepherd.

Christmas Midnight (24-25 December, 2017)

For To Us...

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.  You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.  For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.  For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.  Isaiah 92-7

Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!  Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.  Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!  For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.  For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.  Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.  Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!  Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!  Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!  Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity."  Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.  Psalm 96

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.  Titus 2:11-14

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town.  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.  And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.  And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" [When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."  And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.  And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.  And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.  But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.  And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.]  Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

This is not how it was to happen!

There is no way that this was God's actual plan!  That the Savior of all Creation, the Everlasting Word, the Prince of Peace and King of Kings, would be born in a podunk town in a backwater province.  And worse, He wasn't born in a mansion surrounded by servants, ready to wait on His every need.  He wasn't even born in a house, but in a stall designed for livestock.  He wasn't even afforded a bed, but had to make due with a feeding trough for sheep.

But that was the plan.  It was always the plan.

For to us was born the Good Shepherd and Bread of Life in such humility.  He wasn't here to conquer by means of war and might, as we had long expected.  No.  His strength is in the meekness of His appearance.  The eternal Mighty God came down and dwelt among us.

He had done so before.  He walked with the man and the woman in the Garden.  He dined and cut a covenant with Abraham that would set forth the promise that the Savior would come from his line.  He led the Children of Israel out of Egypt, baptizing them in the Red Sea, setting up His tent in the center of their tents.  He permitted the son of David to build a house of cedar for Him upon the mountain.  God had dwelt with His people before.  But this time He was not shrouded in glory and light, but meager human flesh was His home.

But that was the plan.  He wasn't sent to just conquer, but to substitute.  His birth in a stable is the proper place, since He is the true and only Lamb worthy of sacrifice.  The only sacrifice that atones for our sin.

Christmas Eve (24 December, 2017)

Promises Kept

Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, "Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven."  But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test."  And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also?  Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.  Isaiah 7:10-14

(A Psalm of David.) The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."  The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies!  Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours.  The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."  Psalm 111:1-4

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.  In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.  In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.  By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.  1 John 4:7-16

[The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. ...] and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.  So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.  Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.  And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.  But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."  All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:  "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).  When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.  Matthew 1:(1) 16-25

If there is any one thing that we can guarantee that God does, based on these readings at first glance, is that God keeps His word.  Think back to the proclamation He made in the Garden; that He would send someone to redeem people.  The entire narrative of Scripture is about tracking that promise from Eden to Bethlehem.

Ahaz, a king in the Davidic line, is given a reiterated promise of this redeemer.  God gave the king an opportunity for a sign as "proof" that the promise made to David was still in play.  I honestly don't know if Ahaz had forgotten the promise, or if he had just abandoned it.  David knew this promise, and wrote about saying that "the Lord said to my lord."  David knew that his ultimate successor would be truthfully greater.

Maybe Ahaz thought that each successor was to be greater than the previous king and was feeling upset with God for not making Ahaz's kingdom greater than his father's, grandfather's, and great-grandfather's.

We have the benefit of hindsight, true, but everyone should have seen it.  That's why we're given a list of the lineage of the kingly line, from Abraham to David, David to the exile, and the exile to Jesus.  This child, born in such humble states, is King.  But David only called him Lord, not king, and notes that this ultimate descendant is a priest.  And not just any priest, like Aaron's line, but a priest who rules.  That was who Melchizedek was.

And so the time came for that child, the King of all Creation, to be born as a humble servant.  Born to the no-name descendants of a former royal line that was founded by the last and least of a collection of sons.  Born at just the right time when the displaced people of God had no homeland, no ruler, no law, no hope, no power whatsoever to right what was made wrong.  Born to bear the unstoppable judgmental glare of a righteous and just God who's law had not just been broken but shattered.  Born to redeem all children of God from the shackles that they had put upon themselves by flaunting their sins in the face of their Creator, spitting on His just and proper Law.

Born to do the last thing anyone would be willing to do: die for another's wrong.

But He could not stay dead.  The grave would not hold Him.  Even Hell itself was powerless against His invasion.  That ultimate conquering Savior who defeated Death by death was born in lowly circumstances to a meek virgin pledged to be the wife of a son of David.

No pomp, no parades, no celebrations.  The beauty of God's plan for salvation is in its simplicity.  It makes no sense to us, who expected a conquering warlord, riding on a charging stallion at the head of a vast army.

Instead we joyfully receive a humble child as our Lord and Savior.

4th Sunday of Advent (24 December, 2017)

He Is Here, Open The Gates

"The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers-- it is to him you shall listen--  just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, 'Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.'  And the LORD said to me, 'They are right in what they have spoken.  I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.  And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.  Deuteronomy 18:15-19

Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.  Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.  Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.  He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful.  He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.  He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations.  The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy; they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.  He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name!  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!  Psalm 111

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:4-7

And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"  He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."  And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No."  So they said to him, "Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"  He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said."  (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.)  They asked him, "Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"  John answered them, "I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know,  even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."  These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.  John 1:19-28 

(or) 

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.  And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!  And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.  And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."  And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.  And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.  He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.  He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever."  And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.  Luke 1:39-56

There are two Gospel readings for this Sunday in Advent.  Why?  (Snarky answer is "Because they could.")  Notice who both texts are about, and who the Deuteronomy text is about.  The Epistle lesson and the Psalm can apply too, though they may not appear as direct.

We stand at the gate.  We're so close.  He's almost here.  But, wait, what's that shouting?  Its the watchman atop the gatehouse, telling everyone that the King is near.

That's John.

In Luke's account, we are treated with the first encounter of John the Baptist and his Lord.  Even while in the womb John knew who Jesus was, and why He was sent here.  Even Elijah couldn't claim such a thing.

In John's gospel (and, no, not John the Baptist), we see John the Baptist in his element, preaching and baptizing.  The Baptizer is adamant that he is not Elijah.  Nor the Christ.  But he does confirm that he's the one Isaiah spoke of.

We're almost there, and I don't just mean almost to Christmas.  Rather, the King is now closer to returning and taking us from this veil of tears.  Which makes Paul's words to the church in Philippi all the more encouraging.  Rejoice!

Where's The Bible Verse, Max (or) Stop Writing "Me" Into Scripture

I'm going to provide a couple definitions before even starting on this one.  Why?  Because everyone needs to know these words and what they mean.  (And one person in particular needs to pick the right one to use.)

Eisegesis - "the interpretation of a text (as of the Bible) by reading into it one's own ideas."

Exegesis - "an explanation or critical interpretation of a text."
(definitions provided by Merriam-Webster dictionary website)

The prefixes "eis-" and "ex-" are Greek, meaning "into" and "out of" respectively.  Eisegesis reads meaning into a text, while exegesis reads meaning out of a text.

So, its Christmas time, which means adorable Christmas pageants.  And it seems Mr. Max Lucado thinks that the traditional convention of these pageants accurately reflect the birth of Christ.  Or, at least he thinks that he can use a visual from these pageants to teach something we need to know.

Here's an article he wrote a couple days ago: The incredible lesson we should learn from the Christmas donkey.

The what, Max?

To quote from the article:

But somebody needs to be the donkey. I’m thinking a donkey at Christmas is a good thing to be.

The Christmas donkey did his work. He delivered Jesus so Jesus could be delivered.

He plodded. He didn’t gallop or giddy-up. He did what donkeys do. He steadily stepped in the direction the master directed.

And, upon arrival, he stepped to the side. He demanded no recognition, expected no compensation. He isn’t even mentioned in the Bible.

At least he recognized that the donkey isn't mentioned.  Most likely because Mary and Joseph did not own one.  And even if they did, the donkey was not used as frequently people carrier by most people.  Only rich people owned animals for transportation, and these would either be horses, or the animals would pull a cart.

Donkeys are beasts of burden.  Pack animals.  They carry stuff.  So if Joseph had a donkey for that journey, it is extremely likely that the donkey carried their clothings and other such items they would need for the journey and their stay in Bethlehem.

And, yes, that's conjecture.  However, at least its not conjecture that says "hey, here's this moralistic lesson you need to learn from this passage in Scripture that no one has ever taught."

Again, the article:

So here’s to the donkeys of the story. May your ride be faithful and your rest be fruitful. And we will do our best to follow your example.

Why would we follow the example of a barnyard animal?  Even if the donkey was there, why would it be our example?  Why not the pagan wise men who recognized someone special was born in a backwater town?  (And yes, I do realize the wise men weren't there yet.)  Or the dumb caretakers of dumb livestock?  Or the angelic choir that show up out of nowhere to sing the biggest musical number this side of a NYC street theater?  Or the foster dad of a future carpenter?  Or the young first-time mother of the most talented, most interesting, and most extraordinary person in the universe?

Or how about, you know, using Jesus Himself as the example?

I get it.  The point about "steadily stepping in the direction the master directed" isn't bad advice and encouragement.  But it ain't Biblical either.

There is a donkey in the Bible worth noting.  And only because her job was prophesied by Zechariah.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!  Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!  Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.  Zechariah 9:9

That beast of burden bore the Lord as He made His way to the Cross.  The Cross which is the real Christmas tree.  The "reason for the season" is Jesus Christ's death on the Cross and His resurrection from Death and Hell.  That should be our focus at Christmas: the salvation that was born to us that day for the purpose of being sacrificed to pay for our sinful nature.

That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

I've got nothing against using a metaphor to provide an object lesson that encourages.  Just don't drag my Lord's into it and use Him as nothing more than a mechanism to get to your point.  Friends don't let friends eisegete.

The Real Reason For the Season (or) The Original Christmas Tree

He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.  By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?  And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.  Isaiah 53:3-12

By now everyone has decorated their Christmas tree, wrapped all the presents, hung enough lights to qualify as an electrician, and gradually grown sick of "its the most wonderful time of the year" and the rest of the music loop played since Thanksgiving.

But what of that Christmas tree?  You know the one.  The little one Charlie Brown fretted over.  The aluminum one that kids these days don't understand.  The live one that may or may not have a woodland creature still inhabiting.  The pre-lit plastic-y one that lives in a box in the attic from New Years day to Thanksgiving.  The giant one next to a famed ice skating rink in the Big Apple.

How about the real one?  The only one that matters?

This is why Jesus Christ was born.  To die.  For you and all of creation.  To pay for your sin, the sins of all mankind, and the sin that brought death.  And to rise again from the dead so that you may rise also on the Last Day.

So think on the real reason for the season as you sip hot chocolate and watch Rudolf for the fiftieth time.

Glory to God in the highest.

3rd Sunday of Advent (17 December, 2017)

Be Prepared

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.  A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."  A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.  The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass.  The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.  Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"  Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.  He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.  Isaiah 40:1-11

(To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.) LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.  You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. Selah  You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger.  Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us!  Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations?  Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?  Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.  Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly.  Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.  Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.  Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky.  Yes, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.  Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way.  Psalm 85

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.  But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.  For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.  Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.  1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples  and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"  And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.  And blessed is the one who is not offended by me."  As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?  What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.  What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.  This is he of whom it is written, "'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'  Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  Matthew 11:2-11

Indulge my silliness for but a moment.  Everyone knows the best song from Disney movies are the villain songs.  And everyone knows Scar's is the best.  "Be Prepared" indeed.

In all seriousness, though, that is what the season of Advent is all about.  Being prepared.  The last three weeks readings have all been about the coming King.

One of my favorite Greek words is "kerux."  It's the noun version of the verb "kerusso," meaning "I proclaim.  The priesthood of all believers is called to be composed of "kerux," of proclaimers.

John the Baptist was the first of these proclaimers.  He was the "voice crying in the wilderness."  Jesus described him as the "messenger... who will prepare your way."  John was the royal herald proclaiming the joyous message of the arrival of the King of Kings.  Which, incidentally, is why this Sunday often is colored rose instead of the blue or purple that marks the season of Advent.

Today, though, we are not waiting for the King to come in conquest, to claim His throne and defeat the usurper.  Now we wait for His return.  Yet the task before us is the same as the one the Lord gave to John and later to the Apostles: proclaim the Gospel.

In a way, we are to be like the messenger from the legend of the Battle of Marathon.  One young soldier was tasked with carrying the message of victory back to the people.  He sprinted 26 miles to proclaim a single word.  Victory!

That is the race we run, and that is the message we carry.

As The Kids Say "Ya Mad, Bro" (or) Getting Really Tired Of The "Only Two Choices" Stances

Aaaand Twitter exploded with people opposing the removal of "net neutrality."  Or in support.  Or maybe just posting lolcats.

Whatever.

I'd completely ignore all this if not for noticing a particular comment from the more animated of the two original Mythbusters.

Now, I'm all for free access to communication methods, with as little "control" as possible.  Notice, I don't mean no oversight at all, especially within said methods.  Ham radio operators have to get certified and registered.  Cellphones operate through a tower system, the access of which is via a contract.  Even letters require proper documentation and payment.  Are there limits to who can do these things?  No, and there really shouldn't be.

(And, yes, there are age limits, which there should be, for things like cellphones.  Its a safety think, like driving.)

What has been said that I'm interested in is the notion that internet usage is a "civil right."  That I disagree with.  I know, I know, everyone automatically thinks its a "free speech" issue.  Yes, but is that all there is to this?  No.  There is safety.

Anyone can walk into a grocery store and purchase things.  However, if you want to buy alcohol, you will need to be of proper age.  This is fair.

But doesn't that infringe on "civil rights" since it is limiting access to products?  No.

Does that answer the issue of should/should not "net neutrality" remain?  I've no idea, since I'm not very well informed regarding the actual content of the regulations.  I'm all for reducing regulations that are not in place to defend users from harm.

If removing "net neutrality" means getting access to porn is much more difficult, I'm all for it.

If removing "net neutrality" means getting access to Grumpy Cat is much more difficult, then I'm not for it.

Is there a middle ground?  Of course.  And without any actual idea what what being done before and after, I can't say more.  This all is just a "gut reaction" to a handful of quick comments.

That and its been a while since I wrote about nothing "serious."  Granted, limiting of communications is a serious issue, especially when I want to use various platforms to speak the Truth.  So, I guess I'm going to have to do a little research.

As if I don't have enough, what with an ongoing attempt to establish a podcast on Christian history.  More on that when and if I get closer to a launch date.

2nd Sunday of Advent (10 December, 2017)

The End Is Near

"For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.  But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.  And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts.  "Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.  "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.  And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction." Malachi 4:1-6 

(A Psalm of Asaph.) The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.  Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.  Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest.  He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people:  "Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!"  The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! Selah "Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God.  Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me.  I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds.  For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.  I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.  "If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.  Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?  Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me." Psalm 50:1-15 

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.  May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,  that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.  For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,  and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name."  And again it is said, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people."  And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him."  And again Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope."  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:4-13 

"And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."  And he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near.  So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.  Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.  But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.  For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." Luke 21:25-36

Its the end of the world as we know it... and, according to the song now likely stuck in your head, apparently I'm supposed to feel fine.

But should we feel "fine?"

The end is near.  Jesus even says "heaven and earth will pass away."  Sounds like He's talking about the destruction of the world.  In other passages we get detailed accounts of the "birth pains" of the end of the world: wars, famine, earthquakes, and worse.  How can anyone feel "fine" in the face of that future?

Of course, because our redemption is drawing near.  In fact, it already has.  Christ has completed the task.  We rejoice and leap in celebration because we have been saved.  But there is still a sobering fact we must contend with.

Not all have yet heard.

This is part of the orders to "keep watch" which our King gives us.  We are not only to watch for our own sake, but for those who we can still help while there is time.  That is the only reason Christ has given any warnings for the end.  It will come suddenly, and for everyone, but we have a bit of inside information.  We know it will be soon, we know there is limited time remaining.

So we keep watch, and proclaim the good news of the King's victory and swift and soon return.

1st Sunday of Advent (3 December, 2017)

The King Approaches

"Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.  In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: 'The LORD is our righteousness.'  "Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when they shall no longer say, 'As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,' but 'As the LORD lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.' Then they shall dwell in their own land."  Jeremiah 23:5-8

(A Psalm of David) The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.  Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.  He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation.  Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah  Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.  Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!  Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.  Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah  Psalm 24:1-10

(Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.  For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.)  Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.  The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.  Romans 13:(8-10) 11-14

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.  If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once."  This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'"  The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.  They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them.  Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"  Matthew 21:1-9

It may seem odd to start the new Church year at the "end" of the story.  So why do it?

Focus.

The season of Advent is one of preparation.  But what, exactly is it we are preparing for?  That depends on your point of view.

From the Garden of Eden through the census of Augustus, the people of God were preparing for the Messiah.  They were promised He would come and redeem them.  Regardless of any symbol used to get the image across, the idea that He would deliver them from enslavement was common.  The Children of Israel had known such burden, numerous times.  It was such experiences that led them to hope for a messiah who would literally restore David's throne and kingdom.  They wanted to be a world power, with Jerusalem usurping Rome as the primary city of the civilized world.

What they did not understand was that the throne David was promised his descendant would sit on was not in Jerusalem.  Or any other city.  Nor was the kingdom going to control the parcel of land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  At no point were the people of Israel told that God would restore the kingdom of David.  No, David was merely a steward, a shepherd, of the kingdom until the King arrived.

And that King arrived in the City of David swaddled and laid to rest by His virgin mother.  The season of Advent is, in part, our remembering of that promise God made in the Garden, and all the history that led to that silent night.

He arrived in peace.

But that is not what we wait for this season.

After the ascension, the people of God are preparing for the Messiah's return.  His coronation, and the final and climactic clash of good and evil followed another coming.  This time, the Messiah entered the royal city to claim His throne.  What they gave Him was a cross and a borrowed tomb.  A tomb which could not contain Him, and death which could not hold Him.

The Son of God entered Jerusalem riding a beast of burden, proclaiming peace and an end to the enslavement, though bearing no weapons and without leading an army.  The season of Advent starts with the looking back to the triumphant entry of the King of Glory.

He arrived in conquest.

And now, the people of God wait again.  This time, though, we wait for our King to return.  Not in peace, or conquest.  For, you see, the victory has been won.  Death was conquered in death.  Christ bound the strong man and entered his domain, taking what belonged to Him.  No power of hell or scheme of mankind could stop Him.  And, against all efforts to resist, He will come again.  Until then, we, His people, keep watch and proclaim His impending return.

He will arrive in victory.

Hosanna!

The Forge - Lesson 2.1: The Metaphor

Now that I've got everyone sufficiently up to speed, at least regarding the historical background, lets start taking apart the metaphor.

But before I get into that, let's review the text first:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.  Eph 6:10-20 (ESV)

Ready?  Let's go.

There should be no doubt (especially after everything we've gone through) that the image St. Paul is using is of the classic Roman soldier, though pared down.  Why?  Well, lets look at why I think he listed what he did.

And, yes, this is just opinion.  I've really got nothing other than my overactive imagination and a healthy dose of military history to back up my hypothesis.

What do we have in the kit of the "Christian soldier?"

• Belt of truth
• Breastplate of righteousness
• Readiness given by the gospel of peace (as shoes)
• Shield of faith
• Helmet of salvation
• Sword of the Spirit (the word of God)

Its a pretty light kit, as I've noted before.  More appropriate for a skirmisher or scout, not a line infantryman.  In American football, the guy described by Paul is most likely a receiver, not a linebacker.

But why would the illustrious writer of half the New Testament not advocate for greater armaments and armor in spiritual warfare.  After all, this is the guy who wrote "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." v. 12

The answer is simple: the war is over.

The war, which began in the Garden at the roots of a tree, ended on the branches of a tree placed on a hill just outside Jerusalem.

When Jesus received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished," and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.  John 19:30

But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here, for he has risen, as he said."  Matthew 28:5-6a

And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven?  This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven."  Acts 1:10-11

So, then, the war is over.  Why then do we need armor?  The war may have ended, but the enemy still prowls about.  What we have is an odd mix of "stay-behind" operations, collaborators, and occupation force.

We live in occupied territory.  Since the fall, the "prince of this world" has held sway over us, with collaboration from our own nature.  But the enemy was defeated, yet still holds control over at least this small territory.  Which means we, who know the rightful king, are not members of the regular military, but resistance fighters.

(Its kinda like that, except the enemy is hyper-competent, and none of the guards can be bribed with pastries.)

Now, I'm not saying we are to be performing combat against the enemy.  We are not that well armed or armored.  A better parallel would be the White Rose, a non-violent anti-Nazi protest in Germany during WW2.  They "fought" with words, images, publications, and even graffiti.

The Greek word κῆρυξ - "proclaimer, herald" - fits our duties better than soldier.  We are not to be liberators, combat engineers, or warriors.  Instead, our duty is to run town-to-town with news of the victory.  Think the first marathon runner, just without the pass-out-dead ending.

Consider the final verse of the song "In Christ Alone," especially the second to last line.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—

This is the pow’r of Christ in me;

From life’s first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny.

No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand;

Till He returns or calls me home—

Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.

Our duty is to stand firm, at all times, as St. Paul extols in his letter to Timothy.

Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.  For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.  As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.  2 Timothy 4:2-5

As a side note, Paul is telling young pastor Timothy that he is to (1) preach the Gospel at any and all times, (2) keep from bending to society's whims, (3) keep from telling people what they want to hear, (4) stand firm in the truth taught in Scripture.

Back to the metaphor, and more specifically why St. Paul chose the pieces he did to represent the aspects listed.

We'll start passively, with defensive gear and work up to the "fun stuff."  And, since the order Paul used basically follows that, I'll stick to it.

The "Belt of Truth" is first.  We've looked at the leather belt-like device worn by the Romans and Greeks, as well as the "lower extremity" armor from the Middle Ages.  The purpose and concept of this piece of kit in part falls under the same sort as, to be blunt, the jock strap and the cup worn by male athletes.  The other major purpose is mobility.  Remember, most people wore floor-length tunics in St. Paul's time.  When going into battle, soldiers would "gird their loins:" pulling the extra material up to create shorts.  The Art of Manliness has a short little blurb on it, along with a decent step-by-step image on how.

So why is "truth" protecting a soldier's soft bits?  Consider.  As a Christian, we are to adhere to the Truth.  By turning from said Truth, we risk our most vulnerable assets taking control: our Emotions.

(Okay, enough giggling, lets move on.)

Next in the kit is the "Breastplate of Righteousness."  This is the only piece of armor Paul allows us (unless you count the helmet and shield, and I'll get to why I'm not).  And nothing says its a full torso armor, the cuirass.  Which means we only have armor protecting our front half from the waist up.  That's not a lot of protection.  How does Paul expect us to fight like that?  Oh, that right, we're not the ones fighting.

("I mean, sure, its a bit boilerplate, but the darn thing works like a charm.  Gonna split the royalties with Marty once we get the patent." - Dr. E. Brown, 1885)

So the breastplate is only for defense, and passive at that.  And what does it protect?  Our heart.  Now, we are not saved by our righteousness, but it works in conjunction with the Law to keep us "in line."  That would be the Third Use: the curb.  As a Christian we are now free to be able to follow God's Law, though due to our sin we will continue to fail.  And that is where the righteousness comes in.  It isn't our's that we wear, but Christ's.

The "readiness provided us by the Gospel" rounds out the apparel side of the kit.  Boots can be argued to be the most important piece of a soldier's uniform.  Being able to protect your feet is spectacularly important, especially to infantry.  Think about it.  Marching, running, standing patrol.  You feet take a beating, and need protecting.  Not just from combat, but terrain, injury, and disease.  And you need the right footgear for different scenarios.  Flip-flops are for the coast of Hawaii, not the coast of Norway, for example.

(Having breathable clothing makes sense in the desert, but not so much a few miles away from Siberia.)

This is the one that connects back into the legendary founding of the marathon.  Think about it.  To prepare for the race, you need good running gear.  The whole story of the first man to run 26.1 miles was to deliver a message of hope and victory.  Likewise, we are equipped by the Gospel to go out into the world and proclaim the news that Christ is risen, victorious over death.

Next up: the "Helmet of salvation."  As anyone who's ever worked in construction can tell you, wearing protective gear on your head is more than just a good idea or fashion statement.  Cowboys wear stetsons to keep from getting sunburn on their squinted eyes.  Bikers wear helmet to keep from looking like they're in South Dakota.  NFL players wear helmets so you don't see their dumb haircuts.  (Seriously, why do football players have hair that would make Rapunzel jealous?)  Clearly headgear is important.  Why?  Because it protects your brain-box from getting squished.

(Especially is your friends ever elect to use you as a battering ram in a rescue attempt.)

I feel like this one should be really obvious as to why Paul picked it.  The helmet protects the mind.  Salvation is what we need after relying on our reason and strength.  Remember, it was a human mind that thought the idea of being smarter than God was a good idea.  Hence our need for Christ to come.

You may have noticed I skipped the "Shield of Faith" in the line-up order.  Why?

Because its important.

The "Shield of Faith" is the actual defense.  Remember, St. Paul is using a metaphor, based on the military of his time.  How did the armies of Rome enter battle?  In a line, shoulder to shoulder, with shields up.  Our faith is not just a individual, but corporate (group) as well.  Hence why we confess the Apostles' or Nicene Creeds at each worship service.

(You!  Shall not!  Pass!)

Think about it.  How powerful a defense is a single shield?  Quite a bit, especially in the hands of a trained warrior.  But how powerful is a wall of such shields?  No horde will be breaking through that line when someone calls "red rover."

And finally we come to the only offensive weapon in our arsenal (or rather, Christ's arsenal, since we are His servants): the "Sword of the Spirit."  You probably already noticed this one is explained by Paul as the Word of God.  So its the Bible.

Or is it...

The "Word of God," or, as is clearly expressed in the first chapter of John's Gospel, Christ Jesus, is the Sword of the Spirit.  Wait, Jesus is the sword?  But doesn't the Bible describe Him wielding a double edge sword (which may or may not be in His mouth)?

Well, yes.  Because the words are the weapon.  And if Indiana Jones has taught us anything, its that the pen is mightier than the sword.  Or at least mightier than Nazi eyes when you spray ink in their faces.

(Things Indy hates: 1- being called "Junior" 2- Grammar Nazis 3- Regular Nazis 4- Snakes)

But, remember, Jesus is the Living Word of God, so, Jesus is the Sword.  And since the Word of God is Scripture, the Bible is the Sword.

So the only weapon is Scripture.  Now that doesn't mean there are not other "weapons" in the Christian's arsenal, but that's for my metaphor, which is not inspired and inerrant, like St. Paul's is.  And I'll delve more into that later.  Be aware, it's my teaching tool, not official doctrine of any particular denomination, not necessarily guaranteed to be 100% in line with Scripture.  I hope it is, but I'll concede ahead of time a screw up is likely.

And there's my take/understanding on St. Paul's "Armor of God."  My spin on it soon to come.

(And, yes, it'll be multi-part, so I can focus on some aspects I think are of particular importance to the Christian Knight serving his King in this modern and depraved age.)

Just Testing Out Something (or) I Repeat, This Is Only A Test, Carry On

Just testing to see if I can upload unmodified audio files to the blog.  If necessary I'll have to pair this with an image or video, so as to appease the Google machine, but I'll jump off that bridge if I get there.

If this works, enjoy.  If it doesn't, I'll try again with a "video" version.  If that doesn't work, it'll get pulled before the end of the day, and never spoken of again.

[edit]  Oh, look, it works.

The Forge - Lesson 1.3: A Knights Tale

So I finally got those pesky Romans out of the way, only to trade them for the Holy Roman Empire.  Up next we're going Medieval.

But before I get into that, let's review the text first:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.  Eph 6:10-20 (ESV)

Now, on to the historic reality.

Granted, I am skipping some historic examples, such as the heritage of Japan, and the Renaissance-era.  That's in part for simplicity and in part because I'm sticking to the iconic and stereotypical image for later use.  And even then, I'm aiming for a narrow portion of the Middle Ages, since this is a thousand years (give or take) of dynamic history and if I don't I'll end up writing a doorstopper.  (Not that I'm opposed to that, but I've got other stuff to tackle too, and no one wants a "tl;dr" situation.)

Then again, I could just toss you over to the work of Mike Loades (among others) who researches this era almost exclusively. (Link to his special, Going Medieval, is here.)  His series on weapons will be used as resource later on as we dissect the image.  But enough of that, let's do this.

The Medieval period.  The Middle Ages.  The Dark Ages.  Whatever you call it, it was anything but boring.  This era saw:

• the chaos of the fallen Roman Empire in the west,
• the legends of the King of the Britons: Arthur,
• the histories (both real and mythical) of Charlemagne,
• the schism of the Eastern and Western church,
• the "game of thrones" as the Holy Roman Empire coalesced in Germany,
• the campaigns to conquer and reconquer the Holy Lands,
• the attacks of the "northmen:" the Vikings,
• the threat of the Mongols to the far east,
• the incursion of the caliphate in Spain, Italy, and the Near East,
• the War of the Roses,
• the "duel of fates" that the English and French were locked in for centuries,
• the joust,
• the might of the castle,
• the beauty of the cathedral,
• the feudal system of government and agriculture,
• the rise of Shakespeare,
• the dark legacy of tyrants like Vlad III: the "Impaler," 
• the voyages of Marco Polo,
•  the legacy and riches of the Silk Road,
• the power and prestige of the Church,
• and most ominous of all, the Black Death.

Now, that's a lot of history.  I can count no less than three classes I took in college on this era, and they barely scraped the surface.  I'll see if I can at least pare it down to the basics of the politics (both church and government) and the military of the "High Middle Ages" (11th, 12th, 13th centuries) through the Renaissance in the 1500s.

(The cheeky grin may not be historically accurate, but "A Knight's Tale" is still a good movie.)

In spite of being relegated (unfairly) to the trash bin of history as a backward and unintelligent age, the Medieval period still conjures up images of chivalric heroes fighting insurmountable odds to save the honor of a young maiden.  Our sense of honor, romance, and adventure lead us back to this time, at least in fiction.  Guided by giants like Tolkien, we see the lone knight on horseback as the apex of what a hero is.  And it is for this reason that I'm using it as a metaphor overall.  (If Fisk can have ninjas, and Rosebrough can have pirate, I can have knights.)

But before I dive into that, lets see if I can give y'all an explanation of 500-800 years of history.

Conventionally and classically speaking, the Middle Ages focuses on the so called "western world."  This means all the stuff from the border of the old Soviet Union to Spain, Sicily up to Sweden.  It it was once owned by France, Spain, Britain, Germany, Denmark, or Italy it is part of the "western world."

(Now that's not to say the "western world" doesn't encompass more area.  Poland, Ukraine, Greece, even Russia are the "western world," as opposed to the Middle East, the New World, Africa, or the Orient.  However, since the classic knight didn't live in these areas, we'll ignore them for today.)

With the fall of Rome in 476 to the Ostrogoths, everything east of the Oder river fell into tribal warfare and chaos.  The only unifying feature at that time, and the only authority that most were willing to follow was the Church.  The Christian world was divided into bishoprics, much like the Roman Catholic church today has diocese.  Above all the bishops (around 350 in the 4th century) were five archbishops in the five largest cities: Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, Jerusalem, and Rome.  Four of these were in the "Eastern Roman Empire" (caused by Constantine's administrative decision to divide the empire).  The bishop in Rome was in charge of the churches in Italy, Germany, Gaul (France), Iberia (Spain), and some of North Africa.  With this much power (for good or ill), it was clear that whoever wanted to control the western Roman world would need the bishop of Rome to be supportive.

The man who ultimately found that support was Charles the Great - Charlemagne.

(Yes, he's on your playing cards.  That's how influential he was.)

Now, before I get to Chuck, who gets his start in the 800s (ish), let me briefly set up a pair of substantial influences of the era: Islam and monasticism.

Islam was founded in the 600s by a failed and illiterate merchant in present day Saudi Arabia.  By the 800s the Umayyad caliphate controlled everything from Morocco to Pakistan.  All of North Africa and the whole Middle East except for Turkey.  This would put pressure on the Christian world in places like Spain, Sicily, and the Empire Formerly Known As The Eastern Roman Empire (the Byzantines, in Greece).  This international threat would culminate in the Crusades.  But that mess is after Charlemagne, so be patient.

Monasticism should be a little familiar: monks living in austere conditions teaching secret and mystical things.

(I'm not sure if you are serious... or if you are trolling me.)

Okay, so what I described was a more "eastern" style of monasticism (which did influence the Star Wars universe).  In Christendom the idea of monasticism was fairly early, with Anthony being the "founder."  Certain people saw fit to remove themselves from society to spend time studying, praying, and providing works of service.  Quickly, though, this became a form of works-righteousness.  People began seeing monks (and nuns) as holier than thou, because they spent their whole lives praying and fasting.  A number of orders would be founded: Augustinians, Benedictines, Cistercians, Dominicans,  Franciscans, Hospitallers, Jesuits, Templars.  Some set up schools, while others worked hospitals.  Some would preach on street corners, while a few would fight pagans.  People would even "donate" children to the monastery.  The church became an industry and a world power thought this build-up.

This is the world of Charlemagne.

Gaul had been divided into three kingdoms, with plenty of in-fighting, back-stabbing, and horse-trading/stealing.  Princes, dukes, earls, counts, and other petty nobility ruled territories within.  The world was divided into manors, and each little town, territory, and county was as if its own small nation-state.  This is a very complex game of thrones that ends on Christmas Day, 800 AD, with the coronation of Charles the Great as the first Holy Roman Emperor.  He is seen as the father of Europe, and this is the turning point of the Medieval era.  Europe was united (mostly) and a renaissance of art and learning occurred.

(Charlemagne owned the orange stuff.)

The Carolingian empire would last until 888, when Europe was divided again, essentially into France and Germany.

In the British isles the Angles and the Saxons fought with the Picts and Celts, only to be fought off by the Norse, and later the Normans.  A lot of what is thought of as "knight classic" in England and America comes from the histories of the British isles (coconuts not included).

The Norse (better known by us as Vikings) played quite a role, and were very influential on history.  I'll probably do just a history post on them, since it is very interesting, and much less barbaric than we've been led to believe.  (They were still very barbaric, though, but they did have a reasonably sophisticated society.)

Things get complicated between 900 and 1100.  The number of kingdoms is greater, the Muslims (sometimes called Saracens or Mohammedans in older resources) had taken control of Spain and Sicily, the Viking threat was diminished but had damaged northern Europe (not to mention they'd explored all the way to Vinland).  The Byzantine empire was in dire straights, and sought help, even though the Great Schism had occurred in 1054 (which I alluded to earlier).  To aid fellow Christians, and defend the holy city of Jerusalem, not to mention get those knights doing something useful instead of pillaging like a bunch of gang members in a low-riding Cadillac, the papacy supported and even sanctioned crusades.

(He belongs in a museum.)

Now, I'm gonna take the lazy way out regarding the Crusades.  Not because it isn't an interesting and important topic, but because if I don't we'll never get to the kit of the classic knight.  So I'll defer to one of my old professors, Dr. Matthew Phillips, one of the history professors at Concordia University in Seward, NE (my school).  He was on Issues ETC discussing the Crusades and gave a very good primer covering them.  (It should be good, he teaches an entire course on the topic.)  So, if you've got the time or desire, give them a listen.  The Crusades (five parts)

The Middle Ages after the Crusades was dominated by the French, the British, and the Holy Roman Empire.  The French and British spent a lot of time fighting over what is now west France, which is why you see a bunch of Brits wandering around France in "A Knight's Tale."  This is the Hundred Years War.  It is this era, and the dynamic and rapid changes in technology, society, and even language, that brought about the Renaissance and Reformation.  If you've seen a Renaissance fair, or watched any of Mike Loades work, then you've at least a decent visual of what the era looked like.  Things like "The Tournament."

The Black Death was probably the "last straw" in the transition from the Middle Ages to the "modern era."  At that point things weren't going back.  The plague was brought into Europe due to the influx of trade, which had become the next "big thing."  Marco Polo is the most commonly seen instigator of the Age of Discovery, which ended up with a lost Italian in the Caribbean starting the Spanish conquest of the New World.

And in the midsts of all this was war.

Castles, archers, sieges, trebuchets ("which can launch 90kg projectiles over 300m"), jousts, and, most of all, knights.

So, I'm just gonna get right to it and skip all the other fun stuff.  (Don't worry, I'll probably revisit it later.  Or you can just do some digging yourself.)

(An example of a knight hospitaller from the Crusades.)

Where to start?  Weapons or armor?  Weapons or armor?  Well, being germanic of heritage, I'm nothing if not consistent.  So I'll let my compulsive Italian side lead the way.  Weapons it is.

The sword.

Oh, you wanted more?  Okay, then.

There are swords and knives (like the seax, dirk, dagger, longsword, short sword, claymore, arming sword, bastard sword, saber, falchion, and viking sword), pole arms (like the spear, halberd, pike, lance, glaive, and scythe), melee weapons (mace, morning star, flail, battle axe, quarter staff, maul, and war hammer), and ranged weapons (like the longbow, recurve bow, Mongol bow, crossbow, sling, francisca, javelin, and musket).  This doesn't include siege weapons (like trebuchets), warships (like carracks), and fortifications (like castles).  And that's just from Europe.  There's still all sorts of unique and interesting arms from every other continent (things like the katana, the atlatl, and the leiomano).

Since swords are the iconic weapon of a knight, I could (and probably should) go into great detail about them now, but I'll save that for later.  Same with shields, even though they took on a variety of roles in this era (heraldry, anyone?).

But the armor is where its at.  I will be going into greater detail as I dissect the metaphor (and take my own spin on it), but how about some "bird's eye view" history?  Ya know, since suits of armor haven't been in style since the 17th century.  (Unless you're a frequenter of Renaissance fairs.)

(The basic components of a classic suit of armor.)

Plate armor, specifically steel plate, wasn't easy to build early on.  Mail (worn over a gambeson or aketon) and scale armor shirts (called a brigandine or jack of plates) were the "cheap" version.  Padded shirts, like aketons, would be worn under later plate armor as well.  If you've watched "The Two Towers," specifically when Aragorn is getting ready for the battle, the way he dresses and the armor he wears is actually petty accurate, especially for the 10th-11th centuries.

Mail and scale were not defense against pierces, but blunt force and shrapnel.  Plate armor was developed to halt arrows, spears, and swords.  Late versions were designed to halt bullets as well.  In fact armorers would take practice shots against armor, then mark where the armor was proof against bullets.  (Bulletproof... get it?)

Not all plate armor was the same.  The armor on the chest and head was stouter than on the arms and lower legs.  The shoulders, elbows, and hands had multiple joints and bends to allow for movement, but these were also weak points.  And armor was heavy, but not so heavy as to make the knight immobile if knocked down.  Not more than the average total carried by the average American soldier (about 75 lb), though the weight was better distributed, instead of being primarily in a rucksack.

But, like past armors, this stuff was costly.  In the high Middle Ages (late 1200s until 1600s-ish) there were two types: Gothic and Italian.  The Gothic style was much more detailed, with Maximilian style being the most intricate and artistic.  Italian was simpler, thus a little less expensive.  Despite this, and the advancements made in metallurgy, the only people who could afford such military kit were the nobility.  Most soldiers would be lucky to have mail.  Few would have had swords, at least if the were peasants.  That's not to say all knights were of great wealth.  Many were what we would today call "upper middle class."  They can afford the new iPhone and a mortgage and go out of a fancy restaurant a couple times a month, but they don't drive Aston Martins to their third home in Beverly Hills.  Some knights would go on to become the nouveau riche who would provide substantial influence in the Age of Discovery, the Age of Enlightenment, and the Victorian Era.

I could go on, but then I'd just repeat myself when I over-analyze this stuff later.  And I will, since I'm taking the metaphor of "the Armor of God" and running with it.  So explaining the various parts of the kit, in detail, will be in the future.  Near future?  Maybe.