Thursday 19 February 2015

POWER OR NAME (1)




POWER OR NAME (1)
The craving and craze for power in our generation is unprecedented. There is a mad rush for power that is outside of the ordinary. Everybody definitely has inkling that there is a mix of supernatural in many circumstances and situations we find ourselves in. So, they seek for power by all means. Some as a prophylactic [preventive] measure, some as a curative. Mention must also be made of those in the extreme who seek power for mischief and the presumptuous who are just all out for adventure.
In Christendom, the quest for spiritual power is also on all time high. The reason is not far-fetched. Power encounter is very precise and spectacular in putting a stop to the proliferating works of darkness in our age. So, everybody is looking for ‘highly anointed’ men of God to solve their problems and some of the ‘men of God’ are also ready to do anything to get the power-anointing.
Let me not belabour a point that is already obvious in our society. I want to quickly take you to a scene in the Bible. The venue was somewhere in Galilee. The seventy disciples of Jesus were just returning from their missionary journey

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name,
And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you
Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Luke 10:17-20
The apostles and disciples were celebrating the power-anointing that has come on them. But Jesus cautioned them by telling them the more important thing: REJOICE, BECAUSE YOUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN.
Brethren, as we seek spiritual power, either for the wrong motive or right motive, we need to pause and ask ourselves, ‘Is my name written in heaven?’
Of what benefit will it be for us if we are delivered from the forces of hell in this world only to be delivered into the fire of hell in the world to come:
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire
Rev. 20:10
The above scripture called that book which your name must be written in heaven to escape the fire of hell the book of life. You know what that means? The book only keeps the record of those who presently have [eternal] life in them:
As thou [God] hast given him [Jesus] power over all flesh, that he [Jesus] should give eternal life…
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent
John 17:2, 3
Have you gotten the eternal life [God’s kind of life] inside of you? If not it is not too late:
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man [Jesus] be lifted up:
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son [Jesus], that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life
John 3:14 – 16
Shalom!

Wednesday 11 February 2015

SEEING GOD THROUGH NATURE (HOUR of INTENSIVE STUDY [H.I.S.] 1.0)

CHAPTER ONE

Vision Seed for the Book

The seed of the vision for this book was sown sometimes November of 2014 while I was taking some select youth through a course I called BSC (Bible Student Course). I was using The Shepherd’s Staff as the instructional material. As I expounded a topic on the revelation of God through nature and the challenges therein, my interest got deeper. Lo and behold, the fruit is the book in your hand.
I pray God will use this book to open our eyes to the abundant light that abounds in nature to highlight the biblical truths so as to bring the message down to earth. Amen.

What is Nature?

Nature is an English word that has its root from Latin. It is derived from the Latin word natura, a noun formed from the past participle of the verb nasci (= to be born). That is, nature can be defined as “the earth as it is born from the womb of God.”
 Let’s consider three dictionaries’ views on the definition of nature.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines nature as,
The physical world and everything in it (such as plants, animals, mountains, oceans, stars, etc.) that is not made by people.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English has this to say,
Everything in the physical world that is not controlled by humans, such as wild plants and animals, earth and rocks, and the weather
Let’s also consult Wiktionary, the third dictionary application on my mobile device,
The natural world; consisting of all things unaffected by or predating human technology, production and design. E.g. the ecosystem, the natural environment, virgin ground, unmodified species, laws of nature.
I think we should give all these lexicographers a rousing ovation. Indeed they deserved it for they have gone to great lengths to define nature for us.
With the benefits of these insights, let me come up with a personal working definition that will guide me throughout this book:
Nature is every physical thing in the world considered in the state God has made it.
So just like the lexicographers have said it, these will make my list of nature’s composition: unmodified species of plants and animals, the natural environment of mountains, oceans, virgin ground, earth, rocks and the ecosystem, the weather, the firmament including stars, moon, clouds and the sun, and the laws of nature.
I submit that in all these we can find witnesses of God’s attributes (Acts 14:17). This is seeing God through the light of nature.

Different Versions of the Golden Text

Next is picking the anchor verse for the book. We need a verse that talks about nature, about the attributes of God and about how nature can show such attributes.
That seems a herculean task. But we need not worry ourselves any further. God has provided himself a lamb, I mean a verse. Romans 1: 19-20 fits the perfect picture of what we are looking for:
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
(Rom 1:19-20 KJV)
Dear reader, I want to crave your indulgence that we break the alabaster box to reveal the deep aroma of this verse by considering it in seven other Bible translations and versions. Thank you in advance for your patience.
For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them. For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification],
(Rom 1:19-20 AMP)
But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse.
(Rom 1:19-20 MSG)
God punishes them, because what can be known about God is plain to them, for God himself made it plain. Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made. So those people have no excuse at all!
(Rom 1:19-20 GNB)
…because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.
(Rom 1:19-20 NET)
For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.
(Rom 1:19-20 NLT)
They know everything that can be known about God, because God has shown it all to them. God's eternal power and character cannot be seen. But from the beginning of creation, God has shown what these are like by all he has made. That's why those people don't have any excuse.
(Rom 1:19-20 CEV)
…since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities eternal power and divine nature been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
 (Rom 1:19-20 NIV)

Back in the Days

 I remember that favourite song we used to sing from the SOP (Songs of Praise) on our secondary school assembly then
All things bright and beautiful
All creatures great and small
All things wise and wonderful
The Lord God made them all
In fact I still have the first stanza clearly in my memory,
Each little flower that opens
Each little bird that sings
He made their glowing colour
He made their tiny wings
And the song moves from the little details of God’s creation to the more prominent ones. I’m sure we loved the song not just because of its smooth musicality. The strong connection with nature must have made it our favourite of all times.
Deep inside of us we all yearn to reconnect with nature. It might be in form of simple desires for clean air and good sleep or in form of a complex yeaning for an unadulterated rustic environment. It just must be. For the declaration of God on what will be the end of our human nature is glaring…
…for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return

Nature: Its Appreciation and Creator

The truth of the order and beauty of nature is that they are not just to be appreciated. They should bring us to being more intimate with and appreciative of the creator. Romans 1:19-20, our golden text for this discourse, corroborates it,
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; … being understood by the things that are made…
This will be better appreciated if we asked the question: what revealed God back in the days when men had not the Gospel, the law of Moses or the theophanies of the Patriarchs. Theologians have described those days in two dispensations: the dispensation of conscience and the dispensation of human government. One thing is sure. God would never leave himself without a witness even at such times. And that witness is nature. So, it will not be enough for those that traverse the world to just appreciate nature then. They must seek to understand God through it.
But then, even in this our dispensation, there are some people whose special case demands great attention to nature matter…

Those Who Never Heard the Gospel

Some have asked me this question, “What will happen to those who never heard the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ before they died?” This same Romans 1:19-20 is the key to the answer. They will be judged based on how they responded to the light of nature about God.
Going a chapter deeper into the Romans’ Epistle we find the resolution of this matter even more glaring,
For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law… In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
(Rom 2:12, 16 KJV)
But then, we need to ask? Who are those without the law and what will be used to judge them if they don’t have the law. The answer lies in the verses between v.12 and v.16 (vv.13 – 15). These three in-between verses were actually put in parentheses to depict they are really further explanatory notes. Let’s have them, and invariably our answers,
(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
(Rom 2:13-15 KJV)
 “Those without the law” then means unbelievers who are without the law of God, initiated through Moses but perfected in Jesus. And what will be used to judge them is the law of nature. But mark it, those among them who had had the offer of salvation through Jesus but spurned it are already condemned (Joh 3:18).

Law of Nature – A Needle’s Eye

But I doubt the number of them that will make it through to heaven by the law of nature, because knowing God through nature has its challenges which we shall explore in this book.
Nature serves better in corroborating the perfect revelation of God already in the Bible. So, it will be a worthwhile venture for someone who has already become a child of God to appreciate, and expatiate on, the Biblical revelations through nature.



CHAPTER TWO

Purpose of the Book – To Spur, Not to Chronicle

Permit me to seize the moment to state categorically the intention of this book. The book is not to tell you about all the voices of nature that exist. But rather, it is to spur you, through the few examples space will afford it, into making a lifelong exercise and lifetime commitment of listening to nature through long and thoughtful look so as to understand the hows and whys of biblical eternal truths more deeply and more practically.
Hold that thought. Let me corroborate it from a point in case from no mean person than Apostle Paul himself. Paul had argued it out that the women in Corinth should cover their head when in church. At a point in the discourse (in fact, the concluding part of the discourse) he had no option but to draw from the rich Mother Nature in that environment to drive home his conviction,
Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
(1Co 11:13-15 KJV)
In essence, if they had listened to the teaching of nature in the first place, there would not have been any need for his homily.
No single correct teaching of nature can contradict the eternal Biblical truths. In the actual fact, nature teachings will always seek to confirm them. So, it is a plus to those that give long thoughtful attention to such nature sermons.
This chapter, the longest, will seek to explore some biblical and personal examples of messages from nature, lacing them with the fabric of the benefits and limitations of nature’s message and interpretation.

Ploughing Nature

Every beauty of nature is to be appreciated. Yes. But more so, it is to be explored, or ploughed, to discover, according to Romans 1:20, two invisible qualities of God – his eternal power and his divine nature.
The psalmists of Psalm 19 and Psalm 104 did exceedingly well in this aspect. Let’s take an excerpt from them,

Heavens’ Voice, Nature’s Voices – Psalm 19’s Story

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world…
(Psa 19:1-4 KJV)
Let’s try to appreciate this better in a thought-for-thought translation,
    The heavens tell of the glory of God.
        The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship.
    Day after day they continue to speak;
        night after night they make him known.
    They speak without a sound or a word;
        their voice is silent in the skies;
     Yet their message has gone out to all the earth,
        and their words to all the world…
(Psa 19:1-4 NLT)

Hearing Nature’s Voices

Whaoh! The heavens tell of an attribute of God, God’s glory, to all the earth, and yet they say it without a sound or a word. Unspoken truth spoken everywhere, a la The Message, what an oxymoron! Come to think of it, speaking loud mutely!
I feel we are bound to ask some questions. It is pertinent because this our cartilaginous natural ear definitely cannot be involved in this. That is obvious, it cannot hear without sound involvement. So what part of us is expected to hear this loud soundless speech? And to add, as a matter of clarification, how is it to hear it?
Let’s make the two questions into one sentence: where and how do we hear the day-to-day, and night-after-night, voices of nature?  Amplified Bible answers the where, “in our inner consciousness” and the Message answers the how, “by taking a long thoughtful look”. To put it in a clear and unambiguous sentence: when we take a long and thoughtful look at nature our inner consciousness begins to hear the voice of God’s eternal power and divinity in it. That’s the secret of hearing nature’s voices. Glory be to God!

Psalm 104’s Many Voices

Psalm 104 will present a peculiar problem. It is too much loaded with the voices of nature. I think what we can do is to just take an excerpt from it. I will leave you to do justice to the others in your own private study. Remember, the book is not about chronicling all nature cases but rather using some select few to spur you into action.

God’s Housing-for-All Policy – Psalm 104’s Revelation

Welcome back to Psalm 104. Among its many nature messages, I love one above: God’s providence secures accommodation for all His creatures. This is worthy of my extraction from this beautiful world of nature’s imagery called Psalm 104,
The trees … Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house. The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.
(Psa 104:16-18 KJV)
One of the basic necessities of life is accommodation. And God has made that available free of charge for all these inferior creatures. How much more me, a creature made in His image. Invariably, if I can trust him enough, like these birds and quadrupeds, what he has built for me will come to me on a platter of grace. What do you think?

Personal Nature’s Voices

For the time being, let’s drop the psalmists’ imageries. And let me share with you personal messages from observing nature.
As I was taking the BSC course I earlier mentioned on God’s revelation from nature, I personally began hearing the voices of nature. Permit me to take you through some.

Voice of Grain and Resurrected Body

For example, I heard the voice of the resurrected body in a sown grain of maize bringing out a new body. I was not actually the first to see that, Paul had seen it,
But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body…
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
(1Co 15:35-38, 42-44 KJV)

Nature’s Voice: Answer to Hows and Whys

Hope somebody is getting this. Many of your questions of how and why about eternal truths can be answered by taking a long and thoughtful look at nature. And once you get it, it settles down permanently with you.

Voice of Growing Tree and Growing Faith

What of another example here. I appreciate the power of a growing faith in God by studying the strength of a growing tree. That observation is not new too. Jesus actually used it,
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
(Mat 17:20 KJV)

 Voice of Nature in Jesus’ Parables

In fact, Jesus’ parables were replete in the use of nature to highlight eternal truths about God.

Sermon of Fowls and Lilies

When talking about God’s unlimited supplies, he says,
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
(Mat 6:25-30 KJV)
So, permit me to call that powerful message, which calls us to shun anxiety and trust in the unlimited supplies of God, the message of fowls and lilies.

Material Mind - Need for Nature’s Message

If it were not made the message of fowls and lilies, getting it registered into our material mind may be a bit difficult. No wonder Jesus mildly rebuked Nicodemus for still finding it difficult to understand a message he relayed in the language of nature.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things…If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
(Joh 3:7-12 KJV)

Mental K-leg to Ploughing through Nature

How can Nicodemus still be asking for how when the how has been relayed to him in the language of nature. That is one of the limitations of language of nature; it needs an already enlightened mind for correct interpretation. The mind of an unbeliever has a k-leg, to render it in Nigerian local parlance. The k-leg is this,
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
(Eph 4:17-18 KJV)
Amplified Bible, please, give me the length and breadth of the unbeliever’s darkened mind,
So this I say and solemnly testify in [the name of] the Lord [as in His presence], that you must no longer live as the heathen (the Gentiles) do in their perverseness [in the folly, vanity, and emptiness of their souls and the futility] of their minds. Their moral understanding is darkened and their reasoning is beclouded. [They are] alienated (estranged, self-banished) from the life of God [with no share in it; this is] because of the ignorance (the want of knowledge and perception, the willful blindness) that is deep-seated in them, due to their hardness of heart [to the insensitiveness of their moral nature].
(Eph 4:17-18 AMP)

Derailed Interpretation from a Depraved Mind

This is too much corrupt a condition for a mind to get it right about the revelation of God in nature. No wonder those who attempt it in this grossly defaced and devalued mind end up with this:
Because when they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and godless in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools [professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves]. And by them the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God were exchanged for and represented by images, resembling mortal man and birds and beasts and reptiles.
(Rom 1:21-23 AMP)
Oh my God! They ended up being an idolater. That was not what nature was meant to lead them to. No thanks to the corrupt nature in them that corrupted the message. The virus of sin must be gotten out of them if anything meaningful about God will come to them from the message of nature.
Paul could not help but lament how some men had misinterpreted the message of this witness God left of himself in nature in his full glare,
Men, why are you doing this? We also are [only] human beings, of nature like your own, and we bring you the good news (Gospel) that you should turn away from these foolish and vain things to the living God, Who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything that they contain. In generations past He permitted all the nations to walk in their own ways; Yet He did not neglect to leave some witness of Himself, for He did you good and [showed you] kindness and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with nourishment and happiness.
(Act 14:15-17 AMP)
God’s goodness and kindness in which nature echoes so loud is a witness of Him. Making images and figures, either tangible or intangible, to take the appreciation, honour and worship due to Him is a derailment.

Best of Unregenerate Mind, Cultured Mind

What of cultured minds, though unregenerate? Someone may ask. The best an unregenerate cultured mind can get from nature is the existence of, and the appreciation of, the Supreme Being as being generally good. That will create in them a hunger for a relationship with the Supreme Being. If this eventually helps them yield to the constant appeal of the Holy Spirit to give Jesus a chance, that is excellent. But often times, it makes them look for alternatives to satisfy the inner consciousness to draw close to the Supreme Being.

Perfect Revelation of God, not in Nature

I wish to state categorically at this point, dear reader, you need Jesus. He is the perfect and total revelation of the Supreme Being nature has been pointing you to,
For in [Jesus Christ] the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature].
(Col 2:9 AMP)
For the full content of divine nature lives in Christ, in his humanity,
(Col 2:9 GNB)
Everything of God gets expressed in [Jesus Christ], so you can see and hear [God] clearly. You don't need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him.
(Col 2:9 MSG)
What more evidence do you need! The full content of divine nature, which nature seeks to reveal in part, lives in Christ. Invariably, he is…
…the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the [Supreme Being] except by (through) [him].
(Joh 14:6 AMP)
So, case closed. Jesus is the only way.

Consider Jesus, Get God’s Revelation Right

 To consider Jesus, why not pray this prayer wholeheartedly:
Lord Jesus, I have seen that you are the complete expression of the Supreme Being I have been seeking to know through nature, and that I cannot come to Him except through you. This day, I accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Use your shed blood on the cross to wash my sins away and crucify the nature of sin in me. I receive the power to become a son of God. Thank you for saving me. Amen.
Prayer over, as Pastor Femi Emmanuel is wont to say, let’s explore more of Jesus’ use of nature in his parable.

Voice of Tare and Wheat vs. Form and Fruit in Jesus’ Parable

Just like farmer will use fruit, but not form, to separate between wheat and tare, so God will consider the fruits of righteousness, and not forms of righteousness, on the last day,
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn…As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
(Mat 13:30, 40-43 KJV)
The message therein for the enlightened mind is to always strive to cultivate fruits of righteousness and win God’s approval rather than putting on forms of righteousness to win man’s approval.

Voice of Universal Rain and Sun, and God’s mercy

The eternal mercies of God is displayed in the way he shines his sun and releases his rain both on the good and the wicked
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
(Mat 5:44-45 KJV)
The message is explicit enough; a believer should have a heart large enough to accommodate love and general care for even his avowed enemy.

More Personal Nature’s Voices

Permit me to discontinue the examples of references to nature in Jesus’ parables so that the book will not look like a catalogue of the things which you can even find out for yourself at your own convenience.

Covenant of Day and Night, and God’s Faithfulness

Another example of the light of nature I find out was the consistency and constancy of day following night and night following day. Since I was born, or have come of age, I have never seen the darkness of the night holding sway till 11am or the light of the sun radiating till 11pm. When it is morning, it is light, and when it is night, it is dark. That is the sacred order. And you know the nature of God it reminds me of? His eternal faithfulness. God will forever remain faithful to His promises and covenants. He Himself made reference to it when He was revisiting His covenant with David,
Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.
(Jer 33:20-21 KJV)
That should leave a lasting impression on our consciousness as we sleep in the night and wake in the morning that God who has remained faithful to his covenant of day and night will fulfill all his promises for our lives in their season.

Voice of Firmament’s Unpropped Hanging and God’s Self-Existence

I look up to the sky and I was overwhelmed. What awes me is not the expanse of its firmament par se. But that it has remained suspended since the earth was made, without any prop or support.
In the expanse I see eternal greatness, for only a great God can do such a great work! But more so, in the suspension without any support, I see the self existent nature of God. He is God that does not need the support of anyone to be who He is. He is I am who I am and I will be what I will be. He is complete in Himself. My God! I feel like rapping on about this one and only living God whose personal name is YAHWEH. Even if the whole earth is void of men and the whole of heaven is void of angels, He remains God, the sovereign Lord God Almighty. Their existence or non-existence doesn’t change His glory or reduce His honour. Glory be to God!
I tell you, that is how nature can cause your heart to brew with praise to God when you look long and thoughtful enough.
I am not alone in this hanging firmament matter, Job’s friend, Elihu, is with me
Can you explain … how he hangs the clouds in empty space?
(Job 37:15-16 CEV)

Job’s Rendition: Spreading Skies, Hanging Earth and Holding Clouds

Job himself had earlier introduced a dimension of thoughtful look at this firmament that even takes God’s awesomeness a bit further,
He it is Who spreads out the northern skies over emptiness and hangs the earth upon or over nothing. He holds the waters bound in His clouds [which otherwise would spill on earth all at once], and the cloud is not rent under them.
(Job 26:7-8 AMP)
This is too much a revelation of God’s awesomeness, excellency and greatness. Whaoh! Skies spreading over emptiness. Earth hanging over nothingness. Clouds holding Earth-wide-flood-causing water without bursting. Ah! Permit me to sing to His awesomeness in my language,
Eru re n ba mi o [I’m overawed by Your awesomeness]
Eru re n ba mi o [I’m overawed by Your awesomeness]
Apa nla to so ‘le aye ro [Mighty hand that balances the earth]
Eru re n ba mi o [I’m overawed by Your awesomeness]
Erujeje leti okun pupa [Mighty Terrible One by the Red Sea]
Eru re n ba mi o [I’m overawed by Your awesomeness]
Oba to f’idi aye so ‘le o [The All-Sovereign that established the earth]
Eru re n ba mi o [I’m overawed by Your awesomeness]

Exploring Nature’s Voices – Profitable Venture

Men and brethren, it pays to give ourselves often to this exercise of exploring the voice of nature about God’s eternal power and divine nature. Heartfelt gratitude, unending adoration and renewed dedication will flow from our heart.

Another Message from the Firmament – God and His Promises All the Way

Before we leave this firmament sermon, permit me to quickly add that the hanging wonder of the firmament, which all the man-made seven wonders of the world put together cannot match, also has a salient message to the saints. God doesn’t need anyone’s support, approval or agreement to fulfill all those exceeding great and precious promises (2 Pet 1:4 KJV) he has made for us. He is sufficient in Himself to fulfil them all. Can I hear somebody say Amen?

Notice: Nature’s Voices, Multi-directional

At this point, we may have to observe though, that the lessons from nature may be in many directions. But the ones we are focusing on are those that can redirect us back to the appreciation of the attributes of the Creator in His creation.
Just one more personal nature sermon, please. I crave your indulgence.

One More Personal Nature’s Voice – On Palm Tree

One of the trees of nature that make a very impressive appearance in the Bible is the palm tree. The tree stands out in many qualities. In fact, I have once read a commentary that claims the Mediterranean people can put it to 365 uses. Unbelievable you may say. Well, I have no means of affirming it or disproving it. But then, we put it to many uses too in this part of the world. Permit me to quickly isolate two attributes of the tree to illustrate God’s dealing with his saints.
The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree…They shall still bring forth fruit in old age
(Psa 92:12-14 KJV)

The Flourishing Palm and the Righteous

The first attribute is flourishing. How do palm trees flourish? John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible has a mouthful of descriptions about it. Let’s offer him a space,
…palm trees…are firm and strong…of a long continuance…grow upright, and under the greatest pressures, and rise upwards against the greatest weight upon them…whose force and vigour is on the top of them, which being cut off, they die…which delight in hot climates and sunny places, bear a delicious fruit, are ever green, are very durable, and their branches used in token of joy and victory
(Dr. John Gill, 1690-1771)
What a succinct elicitation of images around the flourishing palm tree. Now what are the messages it portrays of the righteous? John Gill is not done yet,
…so truly righteous persons are upright ones in heart and life, grow up into their head, Christ, and rise up heavenwards in their desires and affections; and, like the Israelites, the more they are pressed with the weight of afflictions, the more they grow; their grace and strength, their life and rigour, lie in their head, Christ; from whom was it possible they could be separated, as it is not, they would instantly die; they flourish under him, the sun of righteousness, and his warming beams of love, and bring forth the fruits of righteousness by him, to the glory of God; their leaf of profession does not wither, but is always green; the grace of God, which is in them, being an incorruptible and never dying seed: hence, in the issue, they make that palm, bearing company in Rev 7:9 who are more than conquerors through Christ, that has loved them.
(Dr. John Gill, 1690-1771)
Halleluiah! May you and I be counted among the white-clad righteous multitude that will hold palms in their hands before the throne and the Lamb singing,
Salvation to our God who sitteth on the throne
And to the Lamb forevermore
Can I hear a big Amen!

Palm’s Old-Age Fruitfulness and the Righteous

Quickly, the second attribute. Palms will still bear fruits in their old age. This is so true for the righteous that even the deadness of Sarah’s womb and of Abraham’s body could not stop their biological fruit of Isaac. Even when their human nature is decaying, grace is delivering fruits, spiritual, biological, mental, ministerial, financial, health, in the life of the righteous. No wonder the scripture says,
They go from strength to strength [increasing in victorious power]; each of them appears before God in Zion.
(Psa 84:7 AMP)
So tell me, why will their path not be as a shining light…
… the longer they live, the brighter they shine.
(Pro 4:18 MSG)
Yah! This is a good place to draw the curtain on the repertoire of personal and biblical examples of nature’s message. Indeed, I hope I have not contradicted myself by earlier calling them select few. Please bear with me.
Before we go, let’s do one more thing. Can we touch on few (few again!) of the abundant nature-images used in describing various spiritual entities in the Bible? If it’s Ok by you, it’s Ok by me too. Shall we?

CHAPTER THREE

Nature: Symbols for Spiritual Entities

Welcome to the shortest chapter of this book. It will be short for I intend to ration my words while I simply show, by scriptural references and concise annotations, the various nature-images which are used to describe the following spiritual entities and personalities: word of God, children of God, God the Father, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit and the kingdom of God. Permit me to cut a template for myself here. I shall restrict the nature-images per entity to only three and no more.

Word of God

Let’s start with the word of God. Many nature-symbols were conjured up to represent the various qualities of God’s word. Let’s have three of them,
…The seed is the word of God
(Luk 8:11 KJV)
So, it is alive and produces fruits when sown into the soil of man’s heart
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
(Eph 5:26 KJV)
As water, its effect is glaring from the verse; it cleanses and sanctifies
 Thy word is … a light unto my path
(Psa 119:105 KJV)
This light dispels spiritual and demonic darkness and illuminates the inner and outer paths of man

Children of God

The next stop will be the children of God. They have been described variously as…
.. the good seed…
(Mat 13:38 KJV)
…yielding fruits serviceable to God and men…
…the salt of the earth…
(Mat 5:13 KJV)
…flavouring the earth and stemming corruption therein, and…
…the light of the world…
(Mat 5:14 KJV)
…luminaries, showing the world the way of, and to, God through their good works.

God The Father

The first person of the Godhead, the Father, allowed Himself to be described in nature-images too,
As an eagle …So the LORD…
(Deu 32:11-12 KJV)
He bears his own on his everlasting wings to high places of heavenly bliss and earthly blessings
The LORD is my rock…
(Psa 18:2 KJV)
He is the unmovable nourisher, supporter, defender and deliverer
For the LORD God is a sun…
(Psa 84:11 KJV)
Under God’s warming beam of love, the leaf of faith profession will not wither and the fruits of righteousness will be produced (credit to John Gill)

Jesus Christ

Having picked the First Person of the Godhead, it becomes automatic to pick the Second Person of the Godhead and explore three of His nature images, not touching again those mentioned which He shared with the First Person,
… Jesus …the Lamb of God…
(Joh 1:29 KJV)
…without any resistance he conceded to be slaughtered for the sins of the whole world…
…the good shepherd..
(Joh 10:11 KJV)
...giving his life to save and to sustain his sheep, and…
… the bright and morning star…
(Rev 22:16 KJV)
…having the glory the Father and the saints delight in, and the influence from which the blessings of all grace, life and righteousness flows from.

Holy Spirit

Welcome to the section of the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Holy Spirit. We shall explore three nature-metaphors as usual.
… the Spirit of God descending like a dove…
(Mat 3:16 KJV)
…typifying meekness, simplicity, peace and reconciliation as doves were known to have no gall of bitterness…
… with the Holy Ghost, and with fire…
(Mat 3:11 KJV)
…for His refining power and his power of burning and judgment as in Isaiah 4:4…
…The wind bloweth…so is every one that is born of the Spirit…
(Joh 3:8 KJV)
…because of his powerful, comfortable, and quickening influences in their lives (says Gill)...

Kingdom of God

As my way of signing out, I need to pick nature images about the kingdom of God which Jesus used abundantly in his popular Kingdom parables. Why save the Kingdom of God for the last? I earnestly desire the Kingdom matters make the most lasting impression on us we wind down the book. And that is in order. Has Christ not said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His Righteousness?”
Now, images of the Kingdom of God,
… The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed…
(Mat 13:31 KJV)
…accepting Jesus looks like an ordinary, simple thing but its effects and influences, beginning from the declarant, reaches far and wide…
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field...
(Mat 13:44 KJV)
…it must take your all, heart, mind, strength, potentials and resources, to possess it…
The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven…
(Mat 13:33 KJV)
And when you have possessed it, you must absorb all its vital force till the influence permeates your whole thought-process and heart-purpose and your entire words and deeds.