• In the late sixties in a best-selling book a Stanford professor predicted widespread starvation by 1980, with India highlighted as a basket case that could not be saved.
• Around the same time after a few decades of cooler-than-normal temperatures, some in the media warned of a new ice age.
• More recently the much more widespread view is that humans have caused significant and increasing global warming, which some contend will destroy the planet as we know it.
• The development of nuclear weapons in the 1940s led some scientists to create the “Doomsday Clock,” a metaphor for how close humanity is to “midnight,” when we destroy ourselves. About twenty years ago climate change issues were included in setting the clock. In these last nearly 70 years, the clock has never been set more than 17 minutes from midnight; at present it is 85 seconds from midnight. Such warnings led several high school students in our church in the early 80s to feel like they couldn’t even plan for a future, for there was not going to be one.
• Numerous politicians have claimed that if their opponent is elected, the American experiment in democracy, or the US constitution, or this republic will come to an end.

We could list many more. The development of the internet and social media, with websites’ profitability depending on generating clicks, has incentivized more and more catastrophism.

Given that this country and this planet are still around after decades of such predictions, it is tempting to dismiss all such warnings.

But that would be wrong. It is wrong from a public policy perspective, in that there are genuine issues behind most of these pronouncements. We can pay attention to the issues while ignoring the sensationalism of the loudest voices.

More importantly, to dismiss all catastrophism would be to ignore numerous biblical warnings.

As we saw in Sunday’s sermon, God warned the people of Israel and Judah for hundreds of years that failing to listen to Him would lead to the destruction of their earthly kingdoms and, indeed, of His own temple. With only a few exceptions, the kings, prophets, priests, and people ignored those warnings in Jeremiah’s day. But God did send the Babylonians to carry out His severe judgment.

Indeed, Peter warns us against ignoring predictions of the catastrophic end of the world when Jesus returns:

scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. (2 Peter 3:3-7)

So the scoffers say, “The prophecy of the return of Jesus and the end of the present world is just like the speculation of a new ice age! All such predictions are just sensationalism! Ignore them all!”

But Peter points out: There have been predictions of catastrophe that came about. He cites the flood; he could have cited also the destruction of Jerusalem in Jeremiah’s day. We could add the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70AD, so clearly prophesied by Jesus in Matthew 24.

So Peter assures us:

The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. (2 Peter 3:10)

All will pass away. And, as we saw on Sunday, God will sum up everything in Jesus. He will be all in all. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. And whatever reflects His glory in this world will be perfected in the one to come – including you, if you are in Him.

So use discernment as one prediction of coming catastrophe follows another. Know that most such predictions are exaggerated. Have confidence that God is in control – and, simultaneously, know that we humans do indeed have a responsibility to shepherd this world wisely.

But know most of all that the biblical prophecies of the end of the present age are not exaggerations. Jesus will return. He will put an end to all rebellion against His authority. The kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. And He will reign forever and ever.

That is, as Tolkien wrote, a “eucatastrophe” – a thorough upending of everything that leads to a much better result. That is where this world is headed. Be ready. Watch and pray. And know that that final catastrophe is the greatest good imaginable.

We know these things! We believe these things! We’d amen these truths. But just as, “the proof (test) of the pudding is in the eating,” the test of our reliance on our triune God comes from affliction. In 2 Chronicles chapters 13, 14, and 16 we see three different occasions of affliction, and three separate instances of reliance. But one of these cases is not like the others. One of these cases just doesn’t belong. It turns out, it’s not reliance itself, or faith itself, or trust that ultimately matters. It’s what you’re relying in, or better, Whom you’re relying on that makes all the difference.

So let us briefly turn to these passages with affliction to see how the object of reliance was crucial in the outcome being a triumph or a tragedy.

Chapter 13 finds the once united kingdom under David and Solomon now split and in civil war. King Jeroboam and the northern kingdom of Israel were facing off against Solomon’s grandson, King Abijah and the southern kingdom of Judah. The outlook wasn’t good for Judah in the south. Jeroboam and Israel had not only double the soldiers (800,000 for Israel versus 400,000 for Judah), but the text details the chosen soldiers of Israel were “mighty warriors.” Despite Abijah’s bold and courageous speech of trust and obedience to Yahweh, Jeroboam set up an ambush so that the outnumbered, out-skilled soldiers of Judah were surrounded. Here is how the text chronicled the response of Abijah and Judah to this affliction:

“14 And when Judah looked, behold, the battle was in front of and behind them. And they cried to the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the men of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 The men of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand. 17 Abijah and his people struck them with great force, so there fell slain of Israel 500,000 chosen men.”

Did you catch that? The battle was in front and behind. They cried to the LORD. The priests blew the battle horns. The battle shout was raised. You get some reminisces of the battle of Jericho here. And what happens? Just like with pagan Jericho, God defeated idolatrous Jeroboam and Israel. The round, astounding number of 500,000 men of Israel fell slain by God’s power and decree through Judah. This is the largest numerical military defeat by death toll in all the Bible. Why did God work this great and devastating victory for Judah? Verse 18, “…the men of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers,” (emphasis mine). The word for relied in the Hebrew is “shaw-an”. It means to support oneself on, to lean, to rest on/in. It’s complete trust.

If you’ve ever done repelling, there is a point at the top where you lean all the way back and rest all your weight not on your feet, but on the harness and rope. When you are fully horizontal to the wall or ledge and push off, whether you are enjoying it or not, your reliance is no longer on your feet or grip strength, but on the harness, rope, and what the rope is connected to. It is supporting you. All your weight is leaned against it. You are resting, relying on it to hold – completely. This is shaw-an. This is why Judah triumphed over an enemy twice their size. They actively relied on God, and He brought the victory.

Skip forward now a chapter later to 2 Chronicles 14 to Abijah’s son Asa, now sitting on the throne and facing his own incredible affliction. He’s was not quite outnumbered 2 to 1 as his dad was, but his foe, Zerah the Ethiopian amassed an army of a million men, with 300 chariots to boot. What was Asa’s response? It seems he learned something positive from his father, because as he went to meet Zerah and drew up battle lines v.11 says,

“ 11 And Asa cried to the LORD his God, ‘O LORD, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; let not man prevail against You.’ 12 So the LORD defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.”

In affliction, against the greatest of earthly armies, the “shaw-na” (reliance) on God is on full display.

Not resting on numbers – Verse 8 of chapter 14 tells us Asa has 580,000 mighty men of valor, yet he’s not resting on his numbers, but on Yahweh. He cries out to Him as the One-of-One, the unique, fully set apart, unrivaled Being to help.

Not leaning on personal strength, skillset, gifting, or courage – His army is described as mighty men, strong. They’re described as men of valor – brave. The likely were both highly trained and highly seasoned warriors. Yet, Asa is not leaning on his army’s fighting pedigree or courage, because he’s calling out to God to help his side, referring to them as weak and needing Him.

Relying on Yahweh’s character – It is in Yahweh’s name – His character, His essence, His glory and strength that he dares come against a million-man army.

Personal reliance on God – The king of Judah is calling out to his people’s God, to his God. His reliance is personal.

Relying on Yahweh’s passion for His glory – How does he end the prayer? He ends it by calling on God to act for His glory and fame. “Let not man prevail against You”. This is no selfish prayer by Asa. This is a prayer recognizing that Judah belongs to Yahweh. A defeat for His people relying on Him is a defeat for Yahweh. He must win the battle because He must be seen as ultimate, as the mightiest, as the eternal creator who takes His weak people and triumphs through them. He must not be defeated by His own creation made of dust! God’s passion for His glory is another reason to rely on Him to fight and win Your battles because in that scenario He always receives the rightful glory and you always experience joy and gladness in Him.

In all of this, Yahweh defeated the Ethiopian horde and sent them fleeing. His people followed, triumphing and taking the spoils.

And then comes 2 Chronicles 16, 36 years into Asa’s reign. A new enemy king is mentioned in Israel (Baasha) and he’s building a city barrier, blocking people from defecting to Judah or having any movement outside of Judah. So what does Asa, the man who knows his father’s great victory over Israel and experienced himself God’s triumph over the Ethiopians do? He goes and buys a victory through a bribe. He breaks up the holy symbols of the beauty, majesty, and worth of God’s presence with His people in the temple by stealing gold and silver from its storehouses (and his own) to covenant with king Ben-hadad of Syria. He took the politically strategic move to befriend the bigger bully and it seems to work. Chapter 16 verses 4-6,

“ 4 And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. 5 And when Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah and let his work cease. 6 Then King Asa took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Romah and its timber, with which Baasha had been building, and with them he built Geba and Mizpah.”

But the Lord of glory, the God of all creation, our covenant keeping God, knows when we’ve turned to something else beside Him. Verse 7 through 9 read,

“ 7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, ‘Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. 8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the LORD, He gave them into your hand. 9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward Him.”

It seems after many years of faithfully seeking the LORD (2 Chronicles 14:4; 15:12-15), tearing down idols and high places (14:3,5; 15:8), and even removing idolatrous family members from office (15:16), that the affliction of war after years of peace causes Asa to shift his reliance from the King of kings to the king of Syria.

This is a cautionary tale for us as Christ followers and one where the Gospel gives us hope. Asa worked under the promise he once heard from Azariah’s prophecy, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you,” (2 Chronicles 15:2). As chosen sons and daughters of God by His grace through faith in Christ we were once those people who had forsaken God. Yet, the Son of God, did stay true to His father, always seeking Him and yet took our sin at the cross and experienced the forsakenness of God our wickedness deserved (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46), so that in Christ we can be assured that God says to us, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” (Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5c). Yet the warnings throughout Hebrews and even earlier in 13:4-5 are for us as a Gospel means to keep us strong in the faith. We’re to hold marriage in high honor, to flee from any and all sexual sin, to keep our lives free from the love of money, and be content with what we have. These are means to keep us with our hearts and hopes set on God, fully relying on Him, no matter the affliction that comes. Hebrews 13:6 follows up the great promise that God will never leave or forsake us with, “So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’”

Loved ones, no matter our affliction, let’s continue to meet and remind each other to rely fully on the God who didn’t spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us, so we can trust Him to graciously give us all things (Romans 8:32). Let us rely on the One who will supply our every need according to His riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). Who has told us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all the things we truly need will be supplied (Matthew 6:33). Who has told us that His eyes run to and fro throughout the earth to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward Him (2 Chronicles 16:9). May Christ’s blameless heart towards God be more formed in us, as we lean our weight and hopes fully on God.

“Here is one of the marvelous bits of the gospel. In Jesus, being back home with god starts right now,

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him (John 14:23).

By the Holy Spirit God makes his home, his dwelling place with you right now (Ephesians 2:22). Spiritually in Christ you rest your head in the bosom of the Father. You are home.”

In short, to be united to Jesus, to have Jesus dwelling in you by the Holy Spirit, is to be home. Jesus is your home in this sense. And yet, I also pointed out that you still await the fullness of home with God in the new heavens and new earth. I want to marry this reality with another one I recently pointed out in a past Home Series blog post: you are a sojourner.

You are at once home and sojourning onward towards home still. You are home because Jesus is with you. And you are sojourning because this earth is not your final home. You are on pilgrimage to your God and Father’s eschatological home, the new heavens and new earth.

We just learned to sing Psalm 23 in our “Psalms of Summer” class with our elementary children. I was reminded in singing it and teaching it that it is one of the places to see this dual reality of being home with Jesus now while still journeying to our final home most clearly,

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23).

Behold the journey of your life in Psalm 23.[1]

In your sojourn, you will find tranquil havens, like safe, nourishing fields of green where you can enjoy rest for a season. Yes, in your pilgrimage, you will know times of peaceful refreshing like an oasis of still waters. You hunger? You have a blanket of nourishment before you. You thirst? A bracing stream lies close at hand to satisfy you.

At other times in your sojourn, you will walk through valleys of deep darkness. Instead of a nourishing field in which to lie down and rest under the warm sun, you will find yourself in an unfamiliar, lifeless, barren wasteland of shadow where there isn’t so much as a crumb to stave off the pangs. Instead of a calm, crystal stream to cool you, you will know dry and weary paths where every step hazards dangers. In that valley, you will ford fiery rivers of sulfur while the hot breath of death breathes down your neck.

Moreover, there will be times in your sojourn that enemies seem to surround you on all sides. Sleep will elude you because the light from the campfires of the enemy, which flicker against the night air on all sides of the path that lay before you, invade your troubled eyes. The rattle of spears, the clack of blades, the knocking of arrows, the war cries of adversaries greet every step you take.

And yet, in each of these legs of your journey, you will know home. This is because you do not make this journey alone. You are the sheep and your shepherd leads you every step.

It is your shepherd who leads you to the green, nourishing pastures and peaceful refreshing pools and springs. It is your shepherd’s ever-watching, ever-guarding, sleepless eye that ensures your rest and peace in these places. With the nourishment and safety he provides, he restores your soul. He is your home.

And he knows the way to go. He cut the path of righteousness himself because no one else was ever able. So when he leads you, your confidence rests not in your knowledge or sense of direction, but in his. He made this path, and he will lead you in it. He is your home.

It is your shepherd who takes the point in the valley of darkness and death. In him, you find courage and comfort. For he wields his rod and staff to guard and keep you from succumbing to the evils of that valley, which he fends off before you. Again, he has walked through this valley before. He tasted death. And he overcame it. He is your home.

It is your shepherd who, when enemies surround you on every side, provides and serves a sumptuous repast. No scanty, hastily eaten supper with your shepherd. He himself provides refuge enough for a slowly savored banquet. He himself provides and serves a feast that strengthens your weary body. And he himself provides and pours oil upon your head to cleanse and calm your troubled. He himself provides and overflows your cup with rich wine, as if to say, “Sit longer. Enjoy. Your enemies won’t touch you.” He is your home.

Nourishment. Refreshment. Restoration. Direction. Protection. Comfort. Feasting. These are the mile markers you see when you look back on your journey. Indeed, what you see is that because of your Shepherd, goodness and mercy followed you and will follow you (Psalm 23:6). “Follow” here doesn’t quite do the Hebrew word justice. The Hebrew word the ESV renders “follow” conveys the idea of pursuing. Indeed, most often in the Old Testament, it describes an enemy “pursuing” an enemy, and the ESV indeed renders the majority uses of the Hebrew word as “pursue” or “chase.” So David wants you to see something here with his word choice. He wants you to see that in your journey, you don’t just passively happen upon goodness and mercy by accident. Rather, goodness and mercy were chasing you down, hot on your heels every step.[2]

 So, when you look back on your journey, you don’t just see random places of rest you were lucky enough to find. You don’t just see valleys of darkness that came upon you suddenly or that you happened to stumble into—valleys in which you were fortunate enough to find a measure of comfort and an exit. You don’t just see enemy camps that cut you off or that you mistakenly wondered into by a wrong turn. You don’t just see fluky feasts that you managed to sneak in when the enemy wasn’t looking. What you see is that goodness and mercy actively pursued you, caught you, and blessed you with the kindness of God in every leg of your journey. And you know without a doubt that they will continue to follow you all your days, because your Shepherd is with you, and he is your home.

And, important to note here, your journey is not aimless. Your Shepherd does not lead you on this winding pilgrimage full of ups and downs, chased by goodness and mercy, just for the exercise. He leads you somewhere. He has a destination in mind,

[You] shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23:6).

Your Shepherd who is your mobile home as it were, leads you to your permanent home—the house of the Lord. Ultimately, this home will be the new heavens and new earth, eternity with God.

Author and theologian David Gibson points to the words of Scottish author and minister George MacDonald to illustrate this stunning promise that this world is not our final home. Our final home with God lies on the horizon of this long, often hard journey.

“We are in a house with windows on all sides. On one side the sweet garden is trampled and torn, the beeches blown down, the fountain broken; you sit and look out, and it is all very miserable. Shut the window. I do not mean forget the garden as it was, but do not brood on it as it is. Open the window on the other side, where the great mountains shoot heavenward, and the stars rising and setting, crown their peaks. Down those stairs look for the descending feet of the Son of Man coming to comfort you. This world, if it were alone, would not be worth much—1 should be miserable already; but it is the porch to the Father’s home, and he does not expect us to be quite happy, and knows we must sometimes be very unhappy till we get there: we are getting nearer.”[3]

Your Shepherd who is your home now, who makes it so that goodness and mercy do pursue you even in the dark valleys and enemy fields, leads you to your eternal home with God. With every step now, you get closer and closer.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.[4]

[1] I have not read David Gibson’s The Lord of Psalm 23 though I employ here in this article a quote from Gibson’s book, which (within a larger excerpt) was brought to my attention and proved fitting. Many of the themes and observations of this article may overlap or share similarities with Gibson’s book. This is purely coincidental. See David Gibson, The Lord of Psalm 23: Jesus Our Shepherd, Companion, and Host, (Wheaton: Crossway, 2023).

[2] Gibson provides a discussion on understanding “follow” as the more active “pursue” as well. See, Gibson, “What He Sends” in The Lord of Psalm 23, 121–134. I have not read this chapter or the book.

[3] Cited in Gibson, The Lord of Psalm 23, 143. Originally cited in Glenn Edward Sadler, “Defining Death as ‘More Life’: Unpublished Letters by George MacDonald,” North Wind: A Journal of George MacDonald Studies 3 (1984): 13–14.

[4] “Gloia Patri” by Anonymous (1179). My use of “Gloria Patri” here was inspired by the larger excerpt from Gibson’s book mentioned in Footnote 1. That excerpt included a prayer from Daily Prayer, ed. Eric Milner-White and G. W. Briggs (Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin, 1959), http://assets.newscriptorium.com/collects-and-prayers/daily_prayer.htm. Which Gibson notes “[build] on the words of John Donne, sermon 146, on Acts 7:60, preached at Whitehall, February 29, 1967. This prayer ends with “in the habitations of thy glory and dominion, world without end.” See Gibson, The Lord of Psalm 23, 143–44.

Leading into these verses, Jesus has done many profound and powerful things. He has preached the sermon mount, astonishing many with his unscribelike, authoritative teaching. He has cleansed a leper. He has healed a centurion’s servant by his word alone without even seeing him. He has healed an entire town. Impressive, to say the least. It is safe to say the buzz around Jesus and his ministry abounds at this point. Little wonder, then, when a scribe comes to Jesus in Matthew 8:18 and expresses his desire to “follow [him] wherever [he goes].” Jesus then proceeds to utter some pretty memorable words,

And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20).

In his sermon, Michael rightly pointed out to us that what Jesus says here isn’t so much meant to impress upon us how hard it is to follow Jesus. Rather what we’re meant to see here is the worth of Jesus. This scene should arouse in us the question of whether or not we see Jesus as worth such a life.

Now, Jesus shines in various arrays of multifaceted beauty, like a diamond. One of the breathtaking arrays of Jesus’ beauty that this passage points us to is the fact that in his gospel ministry, Jesus essentially chose a homeless lifestyle. Not only that but as the Son of God, he also chose to leave the bosom of his Father, his heavenly home, to walk the earth to his death as the incarnate man, Jesus Christ. And he did all this for the purpose of bringing us back home to God,

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18).

This refracted beam of Jesus’ beauty is worth gazing at a bit longer.

In the Beginning, the Son Was Home with the Father
Before time, Jesus Christ, the living, breathing Word of God on earth was with God the Father in perfect harmonious, joyous relationship.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God (John 1:1).

In fact, John describes the closeness that Jesus enjoyed with the Father in the most affectionate of language,

No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known (John 1:18).

The relative clause “who is at the Father’s side” is much more intimate in the original Greek. It reads something like this: “who is in the bosom of the Father.” When John reflects on leaning upon Jesus at the table of the last supper meal in John 13, he uses the same language: “One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table in the bosom of Jesus” (John 13:22, my translation).

Here is a picture of the Son at home with the Father, resting in the loving bosom of his Father’s embrace. And Jesus would leave that for the sake of the gospel.

The Father Sent the Son
The Father sent the Son from his side, from his heavenly home to earth as the man Jesus. And the Son did not disobey the Father.

John tells us, Jesus the Son of God is from the Father,

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 1:14).

Jesus himself says, God the Father gave his only Son,

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

And Jesus says that he came from the Father,

I came from the Father and have come into the world (John 16:28).

Furthermore, Jesus says the Father sent him into the world,

As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world (John 17:18)

And again, John says the Father sent the Son,

And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14).

Admittedly, the mystery of the incarnation is thick. Nothing tears the Holy Trinity asunder, not even the incarnation. The persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit remain in their subsisting relations. The Son is always with the Father and yet the Father truly sent the Son, and he truly left the Father’s side in the incarnation. And the incarnate Son would again choose to leave home, his earthly home, for the sake of the gospel.

The Incarnate Son Chose Homelessness
Then of course we come to the passage at hand, Matthew 8:20. We see that not only did the Son of God truly leave his heavenly home in the incarnation, but once he began his ministry, Jesus the Son of God chose a lifestyle of homelessness for the sake of the gospel.

And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20).

Jesus left his house. Jesus left his mom, Mary. Jesus left Nazareth. Jesus left the synagogue he knew. Jesus left his business. Jesus left home. And for three years, Jesus slept not in his own bed but wherever his Father gave him to sleep.

Why?

The Son Left Home and Became Homeless in Order to Bring You Back Home
Jesus the Son of God did all of this home leaving in order to bring you back home. Where is that exactly? His home. The home he left. God the Father.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18).

This is Jesus’ hope and prayer at the end of his earthly life, that you and I might see him and be with him where he was before time begin—in glorious bosom of the Father,

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world (John 17:24).

This is your home. And Jesus left his twice to get you back to it. And in him, you have a taste of home right now.

Home with God Starts Now
Here is one of the marvelous bits of the gospel. In Jesus, being back home with God starts right now.

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him (John 14:23).

By the Holy Spirit God makes his home, his dwelling place, with you right now (Ephesians 2:22). Spiritually in Christ right now you rest your head in the bosom of the Father. You are home. But there is more to come.

The Fullness of Home with God Is Coming
Though you are home now, the fullness of your home with God still sits on the horizon. Not idly, though. No, your heavenly home charges ever closer, ever nearer to you. Jesus your King eyes the day when he will pierce the sky and bring your heavenly home down to you here on earth. Then you will dwell in the house of God tasting of the full satisfaction of his goodness forever,

Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple! (Psalm 65:4)

Enjoy your home with God now as a foretaste of the feast to come, and long for that future home,

How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah (Psalm 84:1–4).

Make that future home your hearts one desire and request,

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple (Psalm 27:4).

God is your home. And he will bring you home by bring your home to you: God dwelling with you forever.

“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God (Revelation 21:3).

Jesus the Son of God brought you home and will ultimately bring you home. All this, by leaving his.

Asking such questions can be either positive or negative. Positive, if the unmet desires lead to your working hard to improve yourself, to become a better friend, to grow as a valued worker, to fulfill who God has made you to be.

But often these questions lead us in a negative direction. We develop a sense of entitlement that easily morphs into self-pity: “I should have all these blessings! I’m missing out on so much! Poor me!”

Indeed, our cup can be overflowing with the wine of goodness and mercy, but we are annoyed because it’s not Coca-Cola.

That attitude transforms us into miserable people. For no matter how much good is in our lives, we focus much more on what we lack. And we become adept at coming up with a long list every day.

I’ve often had to fight this tendency in my own life. For example: one day 25 years ago while serving at a seminary in Cameroon, I was scheduled to preach in the morning chapel service. Having finished the manuscript after rising early, I hit “print.” Nothing happened. I fiddled with the printer for a while but couldn’t get it to work. With time to the service rapidly diminishing, I trudged to the office carrying my laptop, hoping the printer there would connect. Along the way I was grumbling, complaining to God: “I’ve worked hard to prepare a good sermon, and now I may not even have a manuscript. How can You expect me to preach well when so much goes wrong right before the service? Why can’t I have a decent and reliable printer?”

Mercifully, God stopped me in my tracks, showing me the foolishness of my attitude. It was as if He said, “Stop and think. In the history of the church, how many preachers have had a printer? How many have had a laptop? And these students to whom you are preaching: How many will ever have a laptop or a printer? I have given you the great privilege of opening up My Word to pastors who are eager to hear. What do you have to grumble about?”

I actually don’t remember whether the office printer worked or not. But by God’s grace I was able to preach to His glory.

Instead of living with that sense of entitlement, Scripture encourages us to consider ourselves as undeserving, and every good we encounter or obtain as a token of grace – from God and from others. With that attitude, we naturally are grateful for each token:

• [Give] thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20).
• Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:18, emphasis added).
• What do you have that you did not receive? (1 Corinthians 4:7).

Remind yourself of that last question regularly. Where does life and breath and sun and sleep and health and strength and work and love and family and friendship come from? All are among the good and perfect gifts that come down from the Father of lights (James 1:17) – and since He never changes, such goodness and mercy will follow those united to Jesus all the days of our lives, and we will dwell in His house forever (Psalm 23:6).

Rather than being miserable day after day, we then become thankful and joyous. For our eyes are open to see gifts all around us.

Yes, we will continue to have unmet desires. Channel them positively into growing as a person and as a worker. But remind yourself daily: “I deserve nothing but God’s wrath. By God’s good grace, I receive His gifts today and can live to His glory. Thank You, Lord! I praise You!”

Every generation seems to believe it is living through the invention that will permanently reshape humanity. Today, that invention is artificial intelligence and the predictions about how it will impact our world are often very extreme.

On one end are techno-optimists like Elon Musk, who recently predicted that within 10 to 20 years, “work will be optional,” with AI and robotics creating such abundance that working will become more like a hobby than a necessity. Similarly, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, paints a optimistic picture where AI dramatically expands scientific discovery, creativity, and prosperity, making intelligence itself an abundant resource available to everyone. On the other end are voices predicting mass unemployment, economic collapse, and social upheaval. Many fear AI will simply replace people, leaving millions with little purpose or a means to provide for themselves.

More than two centuries ago, the English economist Thomas Robert Malthus looked at the future with equal confidence—but in the opposite direction. In An Essay on the Principle of Population (1798), Malthus argued that population would grow faster than food production. His conclusion was grim: famine, poverty, and misery were inevitable because humanity would eventually outrun its resources. In this case Malthus underestimated human innovation. New farming methods, mechanization, fertilizers, irrigation, and later the Green Revolution increased agricultural productivity far beyond what he could imagine at the time.

The creation mandate is not merely that God gives us work, it is that God accomplishes his work through our work.

At first glance the competing visions seem to stand at opposite ends of optimism and history. They both have underlying assumptions that ignore the Gods role in provision and productivity. The ultimate source of provision has never been the soil, and the ultimate purpose of work has never been merely the grain it produces. God is both the source of provision and the purpose of our labor.

Before sin entered the world, God gave Adam the Creation Mandate.“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” (Genesis 2:15). So work is not a consequence of the Fall, instead meaningful labor is part of what it means to bear God’s image. So work is more than earning a paycheck. It is participating in God’s ordering, developing, and stewarding of His world.

Technology has always changed how we fulfill that calling but it does not change the fact that the calling to work comes from God himself. And this is where the optimists get it wrong, changing work is not the same as ending work. Similarly, the pessimistic vision wrongly assumes AI can somehow frustrate God’s purposes for humanity. But if God commissioned mankind to cultivate His creation, no technology can revoke that commission.

Why should we assume God will run out of things for humanity to cultivate? The Creator who designed an entire universe is not going to run out of meaningful work for image bearers to manage for his glory. And because he is an infinite Creator, God is an infinite source of provision and purpose for his creation.

Yet behind every faithful vocation stands the God who gives strength, wisdom, opportunity, rain, sunlight, and increase. The human worker is the visible mask; God is the unseen Provider.

The creation mandate is not merely that God gives us work, it is that God accomplishes his work through our work. The Protestant Reformer Martin Luther often described ordinary vocations as the “masks of God.” He did not mean that He is hidden or absent, but because God ordinarily carries out His work through human beings. When a farmer grows wheat, a truck driver transports it, a baker makes bread, and a cashier receive payment, we naturally thank those people for their work. Yet behind every faithful vocation stands the God who gives strength, wisdom, opportunity, rain, sunlight, and the increase. The human worker is the visible mask; God is the unseen Provider.

This perspective transforms how Christians think about technology. AI is not the provider of our daily bread any more than the plow, the tractor, or the computer was. It is simply another instrument that God may choose to use through human hands. The danger is believing that the tool has become the source or to fear the tool more than trusting the tool’s Creator.

Scripture consistently reminds us that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). God remains the One who feeds, sustains, and governs His creation, even though He ordinarily does so through countless ordinary vocations. If God works behind the mask of the teacher, engineer, nurse, preacher, and software developer he will also work through (and at times in spite of) technology. Moreover, His primary work is not to provide bread but to reconcile us to himself through the finished work of Christ. The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus came to destroy the work of the devil (1 John 3:8), paid the penalty for the wages of our sin (Romans 6:23), and through his perfect sacrifice restores us to the God who created all things. Only then can work become what it is meant to be — not simply a means to provision or status or identity — an act of worship to one who first worked for us in Christ.

“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia…” (Acts 20:18).

The implicit message to the Ephesian elders is, “You know how I lived. How then will you live?” Well how did Paul live? In short, he did not shrink back from testifying to the gospel of the grace of God in Jesus Christ (Acts 20:20–21, 24, 26–27). That’s his implicit call to action here. Don’t shrink back from testifying to the gospel of the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Well, how exactly did Paul not shrink back? What was the manner of this action? If we can identify the manner by which he did not shrink back, then we can identify some helpful applications for ourselves. And yes, you should apply this to yourself even though you are not Paul and even though you may not be an elder. Paul isn’t exhorting the Ephesian elders or us to replicate his apostolic ministry in all its specific, unique, divinely ordained detail. Rather the principle in play here is simply the imitation of Christlike men (1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1),

“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).

So, Paul’s question to the Ephesians is the same question we must ask ourselves: How, then, will we live? Will we shrink back? And if we won’t, what will a life that does not shrink back look like? To answer that, look at Paul.

Paul did not shrink back from testifying to the gospel in two ways: (1) with his voice and (2) with his life. First he points to how he testified to the gospel with his life,

“You yourselves know how I lived (by) serving the Lord…(Acts 20:18–19).

Second, Paul describes how he testified to the gospel by pointing to how he used his voice,

“You yourselves know how I lived…how I did not shrink from declaring…(Acts 20:18, 20).

And Paul goes on to describes both his use of his life, and his use of his voice, which will consider. Let’s consider first Paul’s voice and apply what we discover to ourselves. Then we will do the same with Paul’s life.

Paul’s Voice and Your Voice

1. Declare and teach the gospel (Acts 20:20–21, 26–27). In vv. 20–21 Paul says that he declared, that is, he told, he proclaimed, he announced the gospel, and he taught the gospel. Christians declare the gospel to one another. This is just what we do. The gospel is our native tongue. Christian, disciple out in the world or in the home or in the proper contexts given your role, declare the gospel and teach it. Fathers and mothers, you must declare and teach the gospel to your children (the highest privilege). Christian man or woman, declare the gospel to your unbelieving friends and neighbors or if God calls you to it, out in the mission field. Men, declare and teach the gospel to your brothers in the church and the younger men, or the church body if the church calls you to it. Women in the church, declare and teach the gospel to the younger women (Titus 2). Christians testify to the gospel with their voices by declaring and teaching it.
2. Testify with your voice in public (Acts 20:20). Paul says he testified to the gospel in public (Acts 20:20). Oh boy, now we’re nervous. The fear of man can hit a little different in public than in the context of the church or your church family. But Peter himself addresses this very reality to the saints,”Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:14–15).You must be ready, Christian. You must anticipate and prepare yourself for testifying to the gospel in public with your voice. Such public declaration and defense of the gospel builds up the church (Acts 18:27–28). Christians testify to the gospel with their voices in public.
3. Testify with your voice in private (Acts 20:20). Paul also says in v. 20 that he went house to house testifying of the gospel. You must also testify to the gospel with your voice in your personal and most intimate relationships. Church member to church member. Believer to believer. Friend to friend. Believer to unbeliever. Husband to wife. Wife to husband. Sibling to sibling. We must practice testifying of the gospel to one another to grow in our gospel fluency. That is, you will find the more you talk about it and ponder it together, the more your affections for the gospel and Jesus increase, and, as a result, the more fluent you are in talking about it. Fan the flame of gospel fluency by speaking of Christ to one another. Christians testify to the gospel with their voices in private.
4. Testify with your voice by warning other believers (Acts: 20:28–31). In Acts 20:28–31, Paul warns the Ephesian elders twice! In verse 28 he says “Pay careful attention!” and in verse 31 he says, “Be Alert!” or “Stay Awake!” And, he tells them to recall that he admonished, that is, he warned or instructively rebuked, every one of them. The rest of the address will make clear that Paul is concerned for their life and doctrine—their personal holiness and their accurate knowledge of the faith. Christians, we should do the same. Christians warn one another regarding our personal holiness and orthodox doctrine. We must give one another license to do this! Christians testify to the gospel with their voices by warning other believers.
5. Testify to the gospel by pointing to promises (Acts 20:32). In Acts 20:32 Paul commends the Ephesian elders to God. That is, he commits them to, he sets them before, he entrusts them to God. And then with his voice, he articulates the promise of the gospel that makes this trust possible: “God and…the word of grace…is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32).Christian, you may testify to the gospel with your voice by warning and admonishing but you also must always testify to the gospel by pointing to the promises. God has made you holy—sanctified (Acts 20:32). God and the gospel will build you up into his holy temple, perfectly conformed to the image of the Son (Acts 20:32; Ephesians 2:21; Romans 8:29). And, God by the gospel will give you the inheritance, eternal life and joy with God and your King Jesus together with all the saints (Ephesians 1:18; Hebrews 9:15; 1 Peter 1:4). That promise is what makes the warning mentioned above so potent. Christians testify to the gospel with their voices by pointing to the promises.

Next, consider how Paul testified to the gospel with his life and how it applies to you.

Paul’s Life and Your Life

1. Testify to the gospel with your life by living as a slave of Jesus (Acts 20:19). Paul began by saying “You know how I lived among you…serving the Lord” (Acts 20:18–19). Paul says he lived as a slave to the Lord (Τhe original Greek is stronger than the ESV render “servant” gets at. δουλεύω: be a slave; δουλος: slave). You will always shrink back from testifying to the gospel with your life (and your voice) if you do not see yourself as a slave to Jesus. The image is meant to be striking. Think of the slave. The master says go here, he goes there. The master says do this task, the slave does it. The master says give this message, the slave gives it. The slave does whatever the master says. Now, what you have to do to ensure the you have the correct image in mind is not import the image of an abusive, unjust, evil master into the illustration. What’s the imagery? Paul says, “being a slave to the Lord.” Put Jesus into the picture. We obey because Jesus is our master and we are his slave. Christian, you must add this mentality into all the images Scripture gives us regarding our relationship with God—God is our Father and we are his adopted children. God is our shepherd, we are his sheep. Jesus is our heroic deliverer, savior, and champion, we are his ransomed and rescued people. Jesus is our King and we are the people of his kingdom. Jesus is our brother. Jesus calls us his friends. Jesus is our husband, and we are his bride…Jesus is our master and we are his slave. And our master says cease this sin, so you cease. He says honor, respect, submit to your husband, so you do so. He says love your wife as I, Christ, loved the church, giving myself up for her. So you do. He says speak here, so you speak. He says be silent here, so you hold your tongue. He says lift your hands in praise, so you lift them. He says kneel before me in repentance so you kneel and repent. He says love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so you love and pray. Trust and obey him because of who he is, and you heart will follow. Testify to the gospel by living as a slave of Jesus.
2. Testify to the gospel with your life by living a life marked by humility (Acts 20:19). Paul says in Acts 20:19 that he served the Lord with all humility. Christian, you don’t testify to the gospel by seeking to gain glory from men. You testify to the gospel by humbling yourself before the Lord to obey him and by humbling yourself before your fellow man to point them to the truth in love. This is reflective of Jesus. Paul writes to the Ephesians, “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility…” (Ephesians 4:2). God hates pride, but he gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 16:5; Luke 16:15; James 4:6). Testify to the gospel by living a life marked by humility.
3. Testify to the gospel with your life amidst tears and trials (Acts 20:19). Paul says twice, once in Acts 20:19 and again in Acts 20:31, that his ministry among the Ephesians was marked with tears. Living a life that testifies to the gospel will include tears. Christian, you will testify to the gospel to those you love and (1) they may continue to not get it, (2) they may completely reject it, (3) they may walk away from it, or, (4) by God’s grace, they may finally come ’round. Expect to expend many tears no matter what. And know that your tears themselves testify to the gospel. They will be tears that are a sign of judgment on those who reject the gospel and tears that are a sign leading to the salvation of others who accept it. Furthermore, these tears will often be tied to trials. Paul says also in Acts 20:19 that he testified to the gospel with trials. Christian, you testify to the gospel when you walk through trials. The fiery trial is, as Peter says, the crucible that reveals the faith of pure gold that God has placed in you which leads to glory (1 Peter 1:6–7). And, the watching world will see your life in the midst of trials. They will see both your own weakness and yet wonder at the strength the Lord supplies. They will see a life testifying to the worth of the gospel as you cling to Christ and nothing else. And when you suffer through trials for the sake of the gospel itself, you will be a picture of Christ’s suffering for the gospel. Testify to the gospel with your life amidst tears and trials.
4. Testify to the gospel with your life by following the Spirit’s lead (Acts 20:22–23). Paul notes in Acts 20:22–23 that he is constrained by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, who testifies to him that wherever he goes there are afflictions and imprisonment awaiting him. What is astonishing here is not that the Spirit reveals this inevitable affliction to Paul. What is astonishing is that Paul still goes when the Spirit says go, in spite of it. Paul testifies to the gospel by his obedience to the Spirit. And so you. Christian, you testify to the gospel when you follow the Spirit’s lead. Now we read this and automatically our minds ask: “Where’s the Holy Spirit leading me?” in the most broad sense. Okay, but let’s make it simple. The Holy Spirit, Jesus tells us in John, comes (1) to lead you into all truth and thus sanctify you (John 16:13; 17:19), (2) to bear witness about Jesus (John 15:26), (3) to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). This is where the Holy Spirit is leading you, into the truth of Jesus unto your personal holiness. Start there. The Holy Spirit is leading you to Jesus and holiness. The rest are the details that he will work out. Testify to the gospel with your life by following the Spirit’s lead.
5. Testify to the gospel with your life by not taking but by giving (Acts 20:33–35). Look at Paul’s words in Acts 20:33–35. How did Paul live among them? Like this—”I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ ” (Acts 20:33–35). Paul did not live among the Ephesians like their hometown silversmiths and priests of Artemus who profited off their worship. Paul lived by Jesus’ economic philosophy in order to testify to the gospel by his hard work and caring for the weak. In so doing, he was a living illustration to the Ephesians of hard gospel work that aims not to take but to give to the weak who cannot provide for themselves. And that’s what the gospel is. Jesus did the hard work of the gospel in order to give to you, the weak, who could do nothing to save yourself. This is the way of the gospel life. Christian, do not live a life of consumption and taking and hoarding. Show Christ by working hard in order to give. Testify to the gospel with your life by not taking but by giving.

Christian, imitate Paul. Do not shrink back from testifying to the gospel with your voice and your life. In doing so, you won’t just imitate Paul, but you will imitate the one who never shrunk from testifying to the gospel with his voice and his life, our King, Jesus. And because he did not shrink back, you live now and will live for eternity. Therefore, in that knowledge, testify to the gospel now with your voice and your life. Imitate Paul as he imitated Christ. Don’t shrink back.

You might recall the answer from Pastor I’John’s sermon in 2 Chronicles a few months ago: Roots. The Chronicler is writing to God’s people recently returned from exile, in the land of promise with no temple and no king. Naturally, they are a people wondering if God’s gracious promises to them are still in effect: “What about the kingdom of God? Are we still God’s people? Is God still going to dwell in our midst? Is God still going to reign over us through his promised son of David king forever?” So the Chronicler aims to remind them of their roots as God’s chosen people who have been given a precious promise—the gracious sure promise of the promised messiah, the offspring of the woman would come through them and reign as their king forever.

There are only a few places in the OT that the phrase “These are the generations” and variations of it occur in Scripture. The clause serves as a formula for introducing genealogies. In the original Hebrew, it is even easier to identify because it is actually a verbless clause. So it would read woodenly as, “These the generations…” The Hebrew word we render generations is toledot. Because of the rarity of these verbless toledot clauses, we do well to take note when they do show up.

The highest concentration of these formulaic verbless toledot clauses occurs in Genesis. For example,

“These are the generations of the heavens and the earth…” (Genesis 2:4).

“This is the book of the generations of Adam…” (Genesis 5:1).

“These are the generations of Noah…” (Genesis 6:9).

And, starting in Genesis 10, the pattern of this formula introducing lengthy genealogies emerges,

“These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth…” (Genesis 10:1, And it keeps going, son after son, for the whole chapter).

Then in Genesis 11, we see where these genealogies were headed. They were driving toward and culminating in Abraham and God’s call of and covenant with him,

“These are the generations of Shem. When Shem was 100 years old, he fathered Arpachshad…(All the way down to Terah, Abraham’s father)…When Terah had lived 70 years, he fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Now these are the generations of Terah. Terah fathered Abram…The days of Terah were 205 years, and Terah died in Haran. Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 11:10, 26–27, 32–12:1).

Abraham, the recipient of God’s covenant promises is the focal point of Genesis’ verbless toledot clauses. Now back to Chronicles.

The author of Chronicles begins with an extended genealogy, yes, but it isn’t until he arrives at Abraham’s line that he employs the all powerful verbless toledot clause pattern,

“The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael. These are their genealogies…” (1 Chronicles 1:28–29).

Why does the Chronicler wait until here to use such a well-known and handy tool for introducing genealogies? Because he wants to remind his wondering, doubting, post-exilic audience of their God-given roots and their God-given promise.

It isn’t until Abraham steps onto the scene that YHWH localizes the promised offspring of the woman (Genesis 3:15; 9:9) in a particular son—Isaac (Genesis 12:7; 13:15–16; 15:3–6, 18; 17:7–14, 15–21). And the last place we see the verbless toledot clause occur in Genesis applying directly to the line of the people of God (which is its very last occurrence in Genesis) is in Genesis 37:9, “These are the generations of Jacob…”. This connects us back to the promised son, Isaac in Genesis 25:19, “These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son…”. Isaac prayed for a child from the Lord and was given two of whom the Lord said, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” Jacob himself, like Isaac, was a child carrying on the promise of God that he would establish a people through a promised offspring.

So with this little grammatical tool, the Chronicler abruptly, without apology, inserts his post-exilic audience—and us—back into the story of redemption at this particular point as if to say, “Remember, God made a promise to Abraham? Isaac is the child of that promise. And God made a promise to Isaac. And Jacob is the child of that promise. God has promised to make you a people. Look how he faithfully did that. And God has promised to bring through you, the promised offspring of the woman that Isaac prefigured. God will do it.”

And so, it’s no surprise that the Chronicler, after reminding us of the roots and the promise, immediately does some chronological gymnastics and fronts the genealogy of David (1 Chronicles 2:1–15) next before ever introducing the tribes of Israel and their respective genealogies. By doing this, like with Abraham and Isaac, the Chronicler puts the promised offspring into sharp focus again.

If Abraham and Isaac pointed to the promised offspring who was localized in them, then David, in whom the promised offspring is further localized points to the promised offspring even more. Because in David, the promise offspring reemerges with kingly contours. In other words, the promise of a seed in Abraham and Isaac blossoms into the promised messiah in David (1 Chr 17:10–14). Thus, from the very beginning with all his genealogies, the Chronicler casts the eyes of his audience back to the past, to the roots, to remind them that they are God’s people, who have been given a promise. They’ve been given the promise of an offspring, like Abraham, like Isaac. A promised offspring, who was pictured by and would ultimately come through King David. So by having his readers look back at the roots and the promise, the Chronicler ultimately encourages his readers to look forward in hope to the coming of the promised messiah.

Chronicles is actually the very last book in the Hebrew ordering of the OT. It’s no wonder then why Matthew, the first book of the NT, chose to start his book this way,

The book of the genealogy (i.e. generations) of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1).

“Home. The story of the Bible is the story of God getting us back home with him. This is enchanting in its own right. Whether a warm home life has been your experience or the elusive dream you’ve wished for but never had, we have all experienced homesickness.”

For this entry, I want to double-click on one half of the qualifying statement before the premise: “Whether a warm home life has been your experience or the elusive dream you’ve wished for but never had. What if you don’t have a home? Some go through this life without ever really having the experience of home. They may even struggle with the concept of “home” because they have never truly had a home to which they felt they truly belonged due to different life circumstances such as constant moving from place to place, being a foreigner in a foreign land, etc. That one might read “the elusive dream you’ve wished for (a warm home life) but never had” and say, “I don’t even understand that idea. I’ve never had a home; therefore, I don’t actually know what to dream or imagine. I just know I want it, I’ve looked for it, but I have yet to find it.” If you are one whose life story has unfolded in such a way that a perpetual feeling of homelessness pervades, then, in God’s mysterious and gracious providence, you’re actually in prime position to cherish the promise of your future home with God as it should be cherished. You are a sojourner and you know it. And you are in good company with other sojourners in redemption history.

In Psalm 119:54, the psalmist writes, “Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning.” This is striking. Why? Well, before we answer that, just consider this word sojourning. Who were some sojourners in Scripture?

Abraham was a sojourner. He was a man sojourning in a place that was not yet his home and that would never truly be his home, but it would be the home of his offspring, so the promise goes,

“And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God” (Genesis 17:8)

Therefore, Abraham was a sojourner his whole life with God, though the promise was his, he never really had a permanent home.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise (Hebrews 11:8–9).

Abraham was not the only sojourner, though. Jacob also saw his life, along with his father Isaac’s life, as lives of sojourning,

And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojourning are 130 years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojourning” (Genesis 47:9).

Just as Abraham sojourned, so too, according to Jacob, did Isaac and Jacob himself. They did not know a permanent homeland.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all sojourners. They were literal foreigners in a literal foreign land that they never fully owned except for a family burial site, a prophetic plot of the fulfillment to come (Genesis 23:16; 25:9–11; 50:13).

So back to Psalm 119:54. It is striking when we read Psalm 119:54 and the psalmist describes himself as a sojourner. Why? Well, the author of Psalm 119 is anonymous, but there are candidates. David could be the author around the height of Israel’s kingdom (I’m partial to Davidic authorship). Or, it could have been written pre or post Babylonian exile with Daniel, Jeremiah, or Ezra as possible candidates. Keeping these candidates in mind, let’s consider their circumstances.

If David wrote this psalm, then it staggers us to read David refer to “the house of my sojourning” because David is the king reigning over God’s kingdom in the promise land. The land that God promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the land they longed for. David is not a sojourner, and yet he describes himself as one. However, he does have experience. Perhaps he wrote this during his time or reflecting on his time on the lam from Saul (ie Psalm 57). David knows what sojourning is all about.

If this was written during or after the exile, then it staggers us to recall the loss of Judah’s kingdom “home” and their “sojourn” in exile. If this was the land that God promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, what does it mean that God’s people are now exiles and sojourners once again after having received it? They had their home. They had their country. But it didn’t last. Even if they have returned, their home bears little resemblance to its former glory. God’s people were once again sojourners. Will God keep his promises?

The takeaway is this: God’s people have always been, in the big scheme, sojourners and have experienced acutely the life of a sojourner. The land of promise itself is simply a picture of the true homeland, the better country that God’s people await. God’s people are sojourners, like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, on the way to and awaiting their promised land-home with God. God’s people are sojourners like David remembering the house of his sojourning even while sitting in the house of his kingdom, longing for a better home with God. God’s people are like those of Judah exiled to a foreign country or even the returned exiles living in their dilapidated homeland, who recognize that no matter where they are, they are still sojourners and exiles on this earth.

What kept these OT sojourners going even when they did not know home here? The promise of the home to come with God. Consider the archetype of such faith, Abraham. What sustained Abraham in such a “homeless” sojourn? Looking to and longing for his future home with God,

For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God (Hebrews 11:10).

What Abraham modeled by his faith, the saints of old replicated,

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city (Hebrews 11:13–16)

As Christians, we should indeed consider ourselves sojourners on this earth. And if your life story has made that sense of homelessness and sojourning even more pronounced, then consider the blessing in that. Your lack of home here should give you an even stronger desire for your true home. To trust God with making good on that future promise requires great faith and humility. Great faith and humility in order to quash every prideful desire that would tempt you to not endure in your sojourn but to cease your pilgrimage. Throw in the towel. Make home here. But you are an Abraham in an even more particular way than others and God’s promise to you is that there is home awaiting you. Moreover Jesus’ promise to you is that he will actually take this earth you feel so foreign in, and transform it into your inheritance, your heavenly home, where you will reign with him (Matthew 5:5; 2 Timothy 2:12).

So, sojourner who has no home here, count yourself blessed. For you have been providentially given the grace to know with a little more certainty what many of us can so easily forget in our comforts. What you know with rock solid conviction is this,

For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come (Hebrews 13:14).

And Jesus will deliver that city, that better country, your true home, to you. Come, Lord Jesus.

by Coty Pinckney

[A few weeks ago I mentioned Solomon’s son Rehoboam as an example of someone who rightly sought counsel but, receiving both good and bad advice, chose to follow the latter. The following devotion from 2010 examines what was behind his choice: he did not set his heart to seek the Lord – Coty]

2 Chronicles 12:14: And [Rehoboam] did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the LORD.

Why do we do evil?

Rehoboam should have been a godly king. He was the grandson of King David, a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). He was the son of King Solomon, whose wisdom Scripture extols (1 Kings 4:29). His father and grandfather wrote a significant proportion of the Old Testament Scriptures.

And yet, 2 Chronicles 12:14 tells us Rehoboam did evil.

What evil did he do?

The most obvious evil he did was to split the kingdom. 2 Chronicles 10 tells us of his pride and stubbornness. Representatives from the northern tribes ask him to lighten the burdens his father had put on them. Rehoboam instead tries to act tough – and the northern tribes secede.

But Rehoboam is guilty of a greater evil than splitting the kingdom. Splitting the kingdom is a secondary evil, an evil that results from something more fundamental.  2 Chronicles 12:1 tells us of that more fundamental evil: Rehoboam “abandoned the law of the LORD.” His grandfather had written that “the law of the LORD is perfect” (Psalm 19:7), but he abandoned that law.

Recall that the word “law” in the Old Testament frequently translates the Hebrew word “torah,” which has a broader meaning than our English word. The “torah” includes instruction: teaching about who God is, who we are, and how we can have a relationship with Him. Rehoboam turned his back on the instruction that had been handed down to him. Though God had created him for His glory, though God had exalted him to be king over His own people, though God had given him a father and grandfather who instructed others in God’s “torah”, Rehoboam rejected God’s instruction.

This is his greatest evil.

Why did he do this evil?

Our text tells us why: “He did not set his heart to seek the LORD.”

Jesus tells us to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). He promises that if we seek we will find (Matthew 7:7).

Yet Paul tells us that “no one seeks for God” (Romans 3:11). That is, in and of ourselves, we are all like Rehoboam. Though many aspects of God’s nature are clear from the world around us (Romans 1:20) – “the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1) – and though many of us have access to His Word and have heard His Gospel, we, like Rehoboam, turn our backs on that revelation. We act as if He doesn’t exist, or as if He is irrelevant. We seek our good as we perceive it, and ignore the purpose for which He made us. We may believe we are doing good, but we, like Rehoboam, do evil unless we seek God.

So Rehoboam did not seek God. And he did evil.

Furthermore, our text tells us that Rehoboam did not set his heart to seek God. Truly seeking God is a matter of the heart. We don’t seek God by outward actions alone – doing religious activities, bowing our heads in prayer, attending worship services, reading the Bible. Someone may look externally to be seeking the Lord, and yet not be doing so. Indeed, this probably was the case with Rehoboam. As King of Judah, he most certainly participated in public worship. He undoubtedly gave large gifts to the priests. Like his father, he may well have offered long prayers in front of the people. But Rehoboam “did not set his heart to seek the LORD.” And therefore he did evil.

What about you? Where is your heart?

We must all confess that apart from God’s work we have hard, stony hearts. Apart from God’s transforming power, we will not seek Him. Apart from His grace, we are rightly condemned.

But God sent His Son to die on our behalf, paying the penalty we deserve, so that all who simply trust Him might receive His pardon and become His beloved children.

So we need to pray, “O Lord, take my stony heart and replace it by Your grace with a soft and tender heart (Ezekiel 36:26). Incline my heart to Your Word, so that I might joyfully seek You (Psalm 119:36). Don’t let me be like Rehoboam – outwardly appearing to follow You, but inwardly having a heart that longs for so much else other than You. Enable me to treasure You above all, to delight in You above all; enable me to set my heart to seek You!”

Will you do this?

God’s promises us: If you truly seek Him, you will find Him. If you humble yourself, He will exalt you. If you look to Jesus, He will save you.

So set your heart to seek Him. And then continue to do so, day by day. This is life. This is joy. This is peace.