Hey Everyone. I haven't chatted with you for a while, and I wanted to share with you a sermon I preached recently on the reality of eternal life. Its amazing to think about how many decisions in life are influenced by the "timetable" we assume. Here's my take on what God would like that timetable to be. Enjoy!
If you have any questions or comments I'd love to hear them. (Just click the corresponding links below this post).
'And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.’ (Deut 11:13-14)
When you think about it, this is an incredible list of blessings God is promising His people. In particular, the promise of rain – a fullness of rain – early rain and the latter rain. In Old Testament times, rain was a precious commodity. Because of the land, people would endure famine consistently, rejoicing at even a glimmer of hope that rain would restore their crop – indeed their lives.
Clarke’s Bible Commentary describes the circumstance of rain and the appearance of its governance by God this way: “The rain-in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain.” By the first or former rain we are to understand that which fell in Judea about November, when they sowed their seed, and this served to moisten and prepare the ground for the vegetation of the seed. The latter rain fell about April, when the corn was well grown up, and served to fill the ears, and render them plump and perfect. Rain rarely fell in Judea at any other seasons than these. If the former rain were withheld, or not sent in due season, there could be no vegetation: if the latter rain were withheld, or not sent in its due season, there could be no full corn in the ear, and consequently no harvest. Of what consequence then was it that they should have their rain in due season!” (Clarke’s Comm. Deut 11:14)
Looking at just the physical reality, it makes sense that there would be this much rejoicing about rain. It was a marker of the Lord’s providence, and evidence of His relationship to His people. He was in charge, and their obedience determined the degree of their fulfillment in life, even down to ultimates. Because their reception of God (or lack thereof) necessitated a more external linking, the appearance to the children of Israel was that they were under an “obey and get rewarded”, “disobey get punished” style of governance. The fact was, through their unwillingness to raise their sight above the cares of the world, they “rained” punishment upon themselves. The moment they were willing to lift their sight, even a little, they were allowed a window into the operation of Providence that is the full expression of the Lord’s love.
Rain is powerful. It is meaningful not just because of what it did for the land, but because it stands for an energy that’s spiritually potent in our lives. In the work Divine Providence, we’re told:
Jesus said that we can do nothing apart from Him (JN 15:5), that we can acquire nothing unless it is given us from heaven (JN 3:27), and that the Father in heaven makes His sun rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45). Here as elsewhere in the Word, the sun in its spiritual sense means the divine good of divine love, and the rain means the divine truth of divine wisdom. These are given to evil people and good people, to just people and unjust people, because otherwise no one would have either sensation or thought. (DP 173)
Divine truth of Divine wisdom. Sounds pretty abstract, eh? Not really though, when you think about it. If taking true ideas and connecting them to the choices we make is what makes us wise, then they are intrinsically linked. They belong to each other. What’s true is only true to the extent that it conveys love. What’s wise is only wise if it manifests that love. So, sending “rain on the just and on the unjust” is just another way of saying that God’s an “equal opportunity” Creator. We all have the same opportunity to approach the Lord Jesus Christ, educate ourselves about Him, through repentance and prayer - have two way dialog with Him, and live for Him. Remember the passage: “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.” (Ps 145:18)
That 'rain' signifies Divine Truth out of heaven is established from these passages:- My doctrine shall drop as the rain, My speech shall distil as the dew Deut 32:2. If you shall serve other gods, the Lord shall shut heaven, so that there may be no rain Deut 11:11, 14, 16, 17. For as the rain comes down out of heaven, so shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth Isa 55:10, 11. O sons of Zion, rejoice and be glad in Jehovah, for He shall give you seasonable rain in justice. Joe 2:23. Thou, O God, did cause to drop a rain of kindnesses Ps 68:9 [H.B. 10]. He shall come down like rain upon the herb of the meadow, in his days shall the just flourish [Ps 72:6, 7. Jehovah who prepares rain for the land, who makes the mountains to grow grass, who gives to the beast his food*] Ps 147:8, 9. Jehovah shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain He shall water the land. Hosea vi 3. My word shall drop upon them, and they shall wait for Me as the rain, and he shall open his mouth to the latter rain Job xxix 22, 23. (AR 496)
In Pittsburgh, we see a lot of rain. A lot of rain. And its funny isn’t that our reaction most days is: “Eh, not again!” But there’s another way to look at rain. We may disparage it coming when we have other plans, but the fact is we NEED it. The land NEEDS it. The air NEEDS it, in order to be cleaned. Its easy to say: “Why does something this yucky have such a wonderful correspondence?”
The fact is, we have to seek the beauty. We live in a world of appearances that all the time is cloaking the reality and power of the other world. And beyond that, we are procrastinators, especially about our spiritual lives. The last things we’re thinking about doing in life should so often come first. That family gathering that you really don’t want to go to. Its just an obligation. You’re tired. Yet, once you drag your feet out the door you discover its exactly what you needed. That yard work you need to tackle that’s be nagging at the back of your mind, but seems so overwhelming. Yet, once you’re out in the sun its amazing how manageable it seems – and how much fun you’re having. Sharing your hopes, or dreams, or fears, or even the resolve you’re looking for in an argument you’ve face with your spouse. It seems easier to switch on the TV at night – but if you can just reach for the power button, turn and look each other in the eye, and start talking – you feel lifted. Don’t you?
Do you know where your Bible is? How many books of the Heavenly Doctrine (www.heavenlydoctrines.org) have you tried reading? How much of the message have you actually absorbed? Because now’s the time. And you may find in your tired moments at the end of the day, as you reach up on that shelf and pull down that passage you’ve been meaning to look at – that its not such a chore after all. You feel washed, refreshed, renewed by the falling rain – rather than depressed. And that’s the other thing. Don’t feel depressed at what you don’t know, feel empowered by what you have yet to know, to discover. In Divine Providence it says that the real beginning of true spiritual development is when you realize that what you know is just a “drop in the lake” next to what you don’t. And humbly and sincerely, you seek a new perspective. You may not find what you’re looking for right away, but be patient. Let the rain wash over you. You may be surprised at what you find.
When you think about it, we have such a short time here in the scope of eternity. The Writings tell us there is no ratio of comparison that hacks it when you try to compare the time we spend here to the time we’ll spend in the spiritual world. So God says: “Make it count.” Use what I’ve given you. Do your homework, so that your time here lays the foundation for you, your neighbor, your family, and ultimately your world. Get outside yourself and seek a new perspective. Lift your head up, and see what the Lord’s been waiting to show you. A picture of heaven. "Let him who wishes to be eternally happy know and believe that he will live after death. Let him think of this and keep it in mind, for it is the truth." (AC 8939)
AMEN.
If you have any questions or comments I'd love to hear them. (Just click the corresponding links below this post).
'And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.’ (Deut 11:13-14)
When you think about it, this is an incredible list of blessings God is promising His people. In particular, the promise of rain – a fullness of rain – early rain and the latter rain. In Old Testament times, rain was a precious commodity. Because of the land, people would endure famine consistently, rejoicing at even a glimmer of hope that rain would restore their crop – indeed their lives.
Clarke’s Bible Commentary describes the circumstance of rain and the appearance of its governance by God this way: “The rain-in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain.” By the first or former rain we are to understand that which fell in Judea about November, when they sowed their seed, and this served to moisten and prepare the ground for the vegetation of the seed. The latter rain fell about April, when the corn was well grown up, and served to fill the ears, and render them plump and perfect. Rain rarely fell in Judea at any other seasons than these. If the former rain were withheld, or not sent in due season, there could be no vegetation: if the latter rain were withheld, or not sent in its due season, there could be no full corn in the ear, and consequently no harvest. Of what consequence then was it that they should have their rain in due season!” (Clarke’s Comm. Deut 11:14)
Looking at just the physical reality, it makes sense that there would be this much rejoicing about rain. It was a marker of the Lord’s providence, and evidence of His relationship to His people. He was in charge, and their obedience determined the degree of their fulfillment in life, even down to ultimates. Because their reception of God (or lack thereof) necessitated a more external linking, the appearance to the children of Israel was that they were under an “obey and get rewarded”, “disobey get punished” style of governance. The fact was, through their unwillingness to raise their sight above the cares of the world, they “rained” punishment upon themselves. The moment they were willing to lift their sight, even a little, they were allowed a window into the operation of Providence that is the full expression of the Lord’s love.
Rain is powerful. It is meaningful not just because of what it did for the land, but because it stands for an energy that’s spiritually potent in our lives. In the work Divine Providence, we’re told:
Jesus said that we can do nothing apart from Him (JN 15:5), that we can acquire nothing unless it is given us from heaven (JN 3:27), and that the Father in heaven makes His sun rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45). Here as elsewhere in the Word, the sun in its spiritual sense means the divine good of divine love, and the rain means the divine truth of divine wisdom. These are given to evil people and good people, to just people and unjust people, because otherwise no one would have either sensation or thought. (DP 173)
Divine truth of Divine wisdom. Sounds pretty abstract, eh? Not really though, when you think about it. If taking true ideas and connecting them to the choices we make is what makes us wise, then they are intrinsically linked. They belong to each other. What’s true is only true to the extent that it conveys love. What’s wise is only wise if it manifests that love. So, sending “rain on the just and on the unjust” is just another way of saying that God’s an “equal opportunity” Creator. We all have the same opportunity to approach the Lord Jesus Christ, educate ourselves about Him, through repentance and prayer - have two way dialog with Him, and live for Him. Remember the passage: “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.” (Ps 145:18)
That 'rain' signifies Divine Truth out of heaven is established from these passages:- My doctrine shall drop as the rain, My speech shall distil as the dew Deut 32:2. If you shall serve other gods, the Lord shall shut heaven, so that there may be no rain Deut 11:11, 14, 16, 17. For as the rain comes down out of heaven, so shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth Isa 55:10, 11. O sons of Zion, rejoice and be glad in Jehovah, for He shall give you seasonable rain in justice. Joe 2:23. Thou, O God, did cause to drop a rain of kindnesses Ps 68:9 [H.B. 10]. He shall come down like rain upon the herb of the meadow, in his days shall the just flourish [Ps 72:6, 7. Jehovah who prepares rain for the land, who makes the mountains to grow grass, who gives to the beast his food*] Ps 147:8, 9. Jehovah shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain He shall water the land. Hosea vi 3. My word shall drop upon them, and they shall wait for Me as the rain, and he shall open his mouth to the latter rain Job xxix 22, 23. (AR 496)
In Pittsburgh, we see a lot of rain. A lot of rain. And its funny isn’t that our reaction most days is: “Eh, not again!” But there’s another way to look at rain. We may disparage it coming when we have other plans, but the fact is we NEED it. The land NEEDS it. The air NEEDS it, in order to be cleaned. Its easy to say: “Why does something this yucky have such a wonderful correspondence?”
The fact is, we have to seek the beauty. We live in a world of appearances that all the time is cloaking the reality and power of the other world. And beyond that, we are procrastinators, especially about our spiritual lives. The last things we’re thinking about doing in life should so often come first. That family gathering that you really don’t want to go to. Its just an obligation. You’re tired. Yet, once you drag your feet out the door you discover its exactly what you needed. That yard work you need to tackle that’s be nagging at the back of your mind, but seems so overwhelming. Yet, once you’re out in the sun its amazing how manageable it seems – and how much fun you’re having. Sharing your hopes, or dreams, or fears, or even the resolve you’re looking for in an argument you’ve face with your spouse. It seems easier to switch on the TV at night – but if you can just reach for the power button, turn and look each other in the eye, and start talking – you feel lifted. Don’t you?
Do you know where your Bible is? How many books of the Heavenly Doctrine (www.heavenlydoctrines.org) have you tried reading? How much of the message have you actually absorbed? Because now’s the time. And you may find in your tired moments at the end of the day, as you reach up on that shelf and pull down that passage you’ve been meaning to look at – that its not such a chore after all. You feel washed, refreshed, renewed by the falling rain – rather than depressed. And that’s the other thing. Don’t feel depressed at what you don’t know, feel empowered by what you have yet to know, to discover. In Divine Providence it says that the real beginning of true spiritual development is when you realize that what you know is just a “drop in the lake” next to what you don’t. And humbly and sincerely, you seek a new perspective. You may not find what you’re looking for right away, but be patient. Let the rain wash over you. You may be surprised at what you find.
When you think about it, we have such a short time here in the scope of eternity. The Writings tell us there is no ratio of comparison that hacks it when you try to compare the time we spend here to the time we’ll spend in the spiritual world. So God says: “Make it count.” Use what I’ve given you. Do your homework, so that your time here lays the foundation for you, your neighbor, your family, and ultimately your world. Get outside yourself and seek a new perspective. Lift your head up, and see what the Lord’s been waiting to show you. A picture of heaven. "Let him who wishes to be eternally happy know and believe that he will live after death. Let him think of this and keep it in mind, for it is the truth." (AC 8939)
AMEN.
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