The Shadow Strikes!

Note: This post is rather long and there are many different thoughts in it, so if you want to comment on a section I'd suggest you open the comments box in another window and write up comments as you read. If you want to that is :) In Firefox you can hold down ctrl+click the "comments" or in Internet Explorer *shudder* you can hold down ctrl+shift+click the link. It just seems that when I do a long post, there are few comments except on the last paragraph, not that I expect any comments..... but just making a helpful suggestion? *digging hole*

Finally! Another update. I was meaning to do it much earlier but things always come up, an e-mail that I really need to respond to (and these e-mails more often than not are as long as a blog post) or someone who contacts me online or some studying or homework or just contacting team members (even during finals week). It's always very busy!

So to respond to some comments, Yes F.B., the report was 97 pages and then with the slides and drawings included, it was about 120 pages, not to mention all of the records in my notebook which came to about 25. And that's partially what I was complaining about, I was doing more than my share by writing the entire report, yet my partners weren't coming through with the little stuff I had assigned them that I needed to put in the report. They complained about the class being hard yet I was doing all the work. Ah well, it's over and yes Spectre, no more teams = no more complaints. Well, let's have another one while I'm at it. I'd forgotten how much I disliked taking finals with a large group of people. There was always someone who was sniffling every 10 seconds, or this one guy behind me who gave a gun-shot cough (just one) about every 30 seconds or so. He must do that while he's thinking because he didn't do it after he'd handed the test in and was going out, just while taking the test. Or perhaps he hopes it's graded on the curve and he'll drive everyone insane and make his own score look better, I don't know. But it certainly drove me crazy. Imagine sitting there for two hours during a Physics exam with a cough sounding at regular intervals over 100 times during the exam. GAAAAH!!!! I was about ready to turn around and strangle him! Okay, not really, but I was close to snapping. Funny how little things can bother a person sometimes. Perhaps that's a natural outcome of living by myself in peaceful and quiet solitude.

So anyway, to recount this week. I think all of my exams went well, I did do better on the Final exam for Computer Science than any of the other ones but I'm still very certain I'm getting a B. In celebration I posted on the class forum (which had been very active during the semester) but received no response. Not that I deserved a response since my post went along the lines of:

I check back. No one post. Everybody gone. I go.

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Random as Daisy you say? Perhaps, says I.
I am glad it's all over but at the same time, it's just unreal. This has been my life for the past three and a half months. And the three and a half months before that nearly. Now there is a long break for the summer. I don't know if everyone heard this or not, most likely so, but I stopped by Kicker on Thursday afternoon to leave my parents phone number (since I'd be down there for a little while) and the guy at the desk said "Oh, well that position was already filled." I don't know how long it's been but I had hoped I would be told whether I got it or not instead of hanging in limbo. I'll be working with my dad over the summer, which should be nice. Making a little money and spending time with my family. And hopefully getting a lot of reading done. I'm seriously behind because of the work load I had.

Speaking of reading... that's pretty much the "important" stuff I wanted to get to.

I did finish reading the Luke study we've been going through in the Wednesday night study, since I won't be here for the two final weeks. And I also did finish "Christ of the Covenants."

There were a couple thoughts that came out of that. I appreciated the cohesiveness that the author presented between the Old and New Testaments, because while no one ever really said so, I always did have the impression that people believed God related differently in the different eras. The God of the Old Testament had rules and restrictions and was wrathful on those who broke them. The God of the New Testament was loving and sent His own Son. Going back to Genesis and looking at how the Seed was promised to the woman from the very beginning, was refreshing, as was the grace shown toward David, and the promises made to Moses, to Abraham, that God would be their God and they would be His people, His children, and He Himself their inheritance. No, God didn't change, we just aren't looking at the entire picture.

The stress on being a God to them and to their children also was very refreshing, and it made me think quite a bit and here is some thoughts I have to share:
Looking at Genesis 3:15 about the offspring and then thinking later about 1 Timothy 2:15 that speaks of "she shall be saved through child-bearing" and yet again about 127:3-4 which speaks about children being as arrows in the hand of a mighty man and the fruit of the womb a reward, it just seemed to really bring home the fact that yes, children are a blessing and yet a responsibility. They are a responsibility because the parents have the requirements of bringing them up properly, of instructing them in the path which they should follow (Prov 22:6) and bringing them up to be godly young men and women.
A blessing because once trained, they can be mighty men and women for God, going out into the world as shining beacons and bringing Christ honour. What better reward is this? With the analogy of the "arrows in the hands of a warrior" they are darts which can be used by God to pierce to men's souls, this godly seed is such a blessing and something to be greatly desired from the Lord, and the raising up of children, that is such a wonderful thing! In contrast to today's world which sees them more as a nuisance, or something to have fun with (people talk of having kids because babies are cute, which is true but not the supreme reason for them!), or something to be despised and cast away. On the contrary, the Christian sees his own children as a reward, an investment for the future, which can potentially bring far greater interest and returns than he could have himself! Oh that godly seed would fill the earth and bring glory to Christ's name and be His witnesses to the nations!

I also appreciated the contrast in "Christ of the Covenants" between the seed of the serpent and the godly seed. Seth was the line of the godly seed and Cain was of the serpent's and there is always enmity between the two. This really brings home what Jesus told the Pharisees: "You brood of vipers!" "You are of your father, the devil." He placed them, though Israelits and one of the "chosen people" of that nation, they were not truly of Israel (Rom. 9:6). There is enmity between those who are of the ungodly seed and those who are of the godly. They hate us, they despise us, and will do everything they can to ridicule us. But our heavenly Father knows our hearts and cares for us and it is He who sustains us. Those who are of their father, the Devil, shall not prevail in the end though it may seem so for a season. At the same time, remembering that I was of the serpent's seed before, yet I have been adopted into God's family and have been made one of His seed, and an heir of Himself. Put into this light, it just seems far more real and amazing than it ever did before. Adoption! Me, who was of the serpent's seed! And how undeserving I am of that. That Christ would give up of Himself to make me an heir along with Himself (Rom 8:17).

One last thing gathered from that book that I desire to share, and that is the realization or the clearer understanding of the covenant. When a covenant is established, it is established with blood. As in the example of Abraham, the animals were cut in half and then God alone (because only He could establish an everlasting covenant) walked through the pieces. In ancient times, when two parties made an agreement or covenant, they would walk thorugh the halves of the animals as though to say "So may I be cut in half if I do not keep my part of this agreement." Well God made a covenant with man in the garden, that they should be fruitful, and fill the earth (and work is a blessing!) and the only command to not do something, was to abstain from eating of the tree. We broke our end of the covenant, and it was such an easy one to keep! How more so will we break the difficult ones. We broke the Mosaic covenant, we could not keep the law. As lawbreakers, as covenant breakers, we deserved to die, we were to be like those animals that were to be torn in two and destroyed forever, we failed and we deserved our punishment.

Yet Christ, in His amazing love said "You broke the covenant I made with you, my holy covenant. I have fully kept my end of the bargain yet you failed in yours, yet I shall die in your stead. I shall be broken for your transgressions, I shall be treated of God as a covenant breaker instead of you." (my words)

That just really, really hit home seeing it in that light. That God perfectly upheld His end of the covenant. We didn't even deserve any of the blessings He gave us in the beginning, the earth and all its goodness. Yet when we broke our end of the bargain and rebelled against Him, He still shows mercy in DYING IN OUR PLACE! Like the animal that signified what would happen to the offending party, God freely gave of Himself and sent His Son to die as a covenant breaker to fill the place of a covenant breaker. I broke my end of the bargain, He died, though He had kept His end perfectly.

I've also been reading some of Spurgeon's sermons at night for something of a devotional, they only take 20-25 minutes to read and are very good. I'm reading through the parables and miracles of Jesus right now. I also picked up a book on Ebay that I thought was from a Christian perspective, but it turns out it's from a Jewish perspective and is the "Laws and Customs of Israel" as writtin in 1957 I believe. I was shocked quite frankly. Listen to this for example:

"Laws Concerning the Time when Mourning Should Begin
1. Mourning begins as soon as the grave has been filled up with earth when the mourner should remove his boots at the cemetery, but if he be obliged to go home, and it is not possible for him to go without boots, he should place a little earth in them."

WHY?! I don't remember reading this in Deuteronomy!

"For a child who had died within thirty days from its birth, even on the thirtieth day, even if its hair and nails were grown, one need neither rend one's garments, nor mourn as an Onan, for it is regarded as an abortion."

That is terrible, it makes it seems as though it's not really a human being and seems to say that abortion isn't terrible at all!

"The mourner is forbidden to bathe his entire body, even in cold water, moreover washing the face, hands, and feet with warm water is prohibited, but with cold water it is permitted. Bathing in warm water is forbidden the entire thirty days. Bathing the entire body even in cold water is forbidden in the thirdy days, if done (only) for the sake of pleasure. A woman who must bathe before immersion is permidded to bath in warm water afer her seven days of mourning."

Or this one really is the most ridiculous perhaps of all:
"The mourner is forbidden to study the Bible, the Mishnah, the Talmud, the Halakhoth and Haggadoth, but he is permitted to read Job, Lamentations, the mournful parts of Jeremiah, and all the distressing themes found in the Bible. One is permitted to study the laws of mourning in the Jewish codes. One is forbidden to consider too critically the aforementioned subjects which are permitted to be read."

That is just horribly sad, that when a person is the most down he is not allowed to read the Psalms for example, or joyful parts that will cause his soul to feel lighter. Who can forbid the reading of any of Scripture at any time? They have heaped up laws for themselves in abundance and tie burdens on men that they will not live a finger to bear. Things haven't really changed much have they? It was really surprising to me to look at some of these things and just be amazed at how far men can twist or add to the ordinances of God.

One other thing to add at this point and I think I'll give up for the day. That is that I am also reading "Revival and Revivalism" by Iain Murray and enjoying it very much. I find it fascinating. I didn't know that the altar call originated with the Methodists in about 1800 for example, or I knew next to nothing about Finney (in fact, I had his "Systematic Theology" on my computer before I knew who he was, I didn't read it though). Here was a man who could have been very powerful for God and yet went the wrong direction. His arrogance and unwillingness to listen to older pastors made him think he was infallible and he pretty much created a new type of religion, that of feeling, where any visible, physical motion (such as standing up in church when asked to) was equated with salvation. He claimed that others were killing revival in the Church and he was promoting it, but he was promoting emotions or revivalism and nearly everyone who rises in response to emotions raging at the time, falls quickly away, withering as the seed sown on the rocky soil, that springs up joyfully but has no root. This is a book that I really appreciate and would recommend.

Well, I'd better close from now, there is much more to be done today. I think I'm going to try to stop by the Alterra Assisted Living center today, let the ladies know how the project went, and see if Freddie is there, I liked her.