POSTED 04 MARCH, 2008

Boasting in the Lord

by Mark Huey
mark@outreachisrael.net

reproduced from the McHuey Blog

The other day I was bombarded by one of the many e-mail postings that keep me informed on various subjects of interest. In this particular message, its author noted that according to NASA scientists who calculate future solar and lunar eclipses, there will be a total of four total lunar eclipses between the years 2014 and 2015 (at Passover and Sukkot both years). These determinable astronomical occurrences result occasionally in what could be referred to as a “blood red” moon, because of the refraction of light through Earth’s atmosphere landing on the full moon. Interestingly, this past February 20 when another predictable lunar eclipse took place, I was intrigued to read a number of articles about how Christopher Columbus actually used his knowledge of astronomy to literally scare natives in Jamaica to feed his forlorn crew in 1504. See the following link for details:

<http://www.space.com/spacewatch/080208-ns-lunar-eclipse-columbus.html>

Now barely a fortnight from this recent lunar occurrence, we find people already attempting to speculate about what is going to happen in the next seven or so years with regard to Israel, Palestine, and the peace process—despite a caveat that dispels this notion. Note the following excerpt (from an e-mail source that likes to hype its readers), and remember how words communicate certain things, even if we take them off the proverbial table:

Could there be a peace deal in Israel this year? If, so 2008 to 2015 would be seven years. We certainly aren’t setting dates, but the heavenly phenomena are exciting to say the least.

Personally, I find this fascinating because back in 1996-1997, I was witness to three “blood red moons” that occurred on Passover 1996, Sukkot 1996, and Purim 1997. Coincidentally, from approximately September 1996 to March 1997, many of us were also marveling over the nightly visible witness of the Hale-Bopp Comet, as it set in the western skies a few hours after dusk. As a result of these notable astronomical events and my search for understanding about what the Holy One of Israel was perhaps communicating to His people scattered around the globe, I eventually wrote an article and produced an audio message entitled “The Punishment is Over.” From my limited perspective, as the Holy Spirit had led our family into a Messianic lifestyle in the previous year, we were searching for answers. These “signs” were, in many regards, instrumental in confirming for me that our pursuit of the Lord was on track.

Now from the vantage point of nearly twelve years of intensely following events in Israel vis-à-vis Palestine and the peace process, and the wisdom accumulated with twelve more years of pursuing God from a Messianic point of view—I have a different attitude about “blood red moons” and just what they mean or do not mean when it comes to what the Father is doing with His Creation and with Israel. Perhaps my thoughts are influenced by the understanding that the Columbus story was certainly known in 1996, but back then, the proliferation of access to information was not nearly what it is today. Or perhaps it is the attainment of wisdom and experience that has balanced my understanding of celestial events. Whatever it is, I hope that I am approaching these phenomena with an appropriate balance.

How will the world handle these “signs,” if they even are signs? Perhaps we need to step back and consider some of the Apostle Paul’s words to the Corinthians:

“For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Messiah crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Messiah the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Messiah Yeshua, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord’ [Jeremiah 9:24]” (1 Corinthians 1:21-31).

If you read and meditate upon this passage of Scripture, perhaps you will discover that for the Apostle Paul, despite sign noting or wisdom seeking, what was most important to him was preaching about the crucified Messiah and the redemption that He provides. Far more is to be attained by declaring the gospel to whomever will listen, than all of the speculation about signs, including lunar events, peace processes, or for that matter, searching for wisdom from whatever “sources” you deem appropriate.

Ultimately, for every Believer it is of paramount importance to let our lives literally “preach the gospel and if necessary use words” to all that we come into contact with, be it our family, friends, neighbors, fellow workers, or even the acquaintances that cross our paths. Perhaps we should each be thankful that we are not wise according to the flesh, or mighty, or noble, but rather simply “fools for the Messiah” chosen by His grace that we might boast in Him and in Him alone!

When you are overwhelmed by information overload and have to consider much of the new knowledge that comes into your mind via the various media outlets or the Internet, pause and ask the Holy Spirit to sort through what is being presented to you. Ask for wisdom so that fear does not arrest you—as it did the Jamaican natives who were awestruck by a lunar eclipse—even though if they had thought about it, they had probably witnessed many such moons in the years and decades before without God being angered by their actions.

As the saying goes, “ignorance is bliss,” but fear plays upon lack of knowledge. However, as God’s chosen people, we have more than human wisdom to call upon. Whether the punishment of the Northern Kingdom of Israel is over, as I speculated years ago, is unknown. Preaching the good news of the Messiah’s work at Golgotha (Calvary) and His defeat over evil trumps all! May we all be called to make these declarations so that in the end, we may all boast in the Lord and the work that He has accomplished for us.

Mark Huey (B.A., Vanderbilt University in History and Graduate Studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) is the Director of Outreach Israel Ministries (www.outreachisrael.net). He is the author of several books, including: TorahScope, Volumes I & II, and Counting the Omer: A Daily Devotional Toward Shavuot. He is also co-author of Hebraic Roots: An Introductory Study.