Friday, May 23, 2014

General Assembly: the ruin of the sheep, but the promise of God

One might ask how the story of Jonathan's victory against the Philistines, aided only by his servant, fits with chapter thirty-four of Ezekiel, a warning to the shepherds who did not care for their sheep. And how the two texts might be applied to the orthodox, those going to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly and those waiting and listening at home.

After going to bed at midnight and awaking at four in the morning I decided that Scripture study from my devotional was an option. Amazingly, I discovered that both chapters spoke about bad leadership. 1 Samuel 14 demonstrates, without saying so, bad leadership on the part of king Saul, Jonathan's father. Ezekiel 34 describes, with very graphic metaphor, the ruin of the sheep because of the callousness of their leaders, who, among other evils, muddied their water, dominated them and caused them to scatter.

Jonathan, after winning his battle, returned to the other soldiers and found honey on the ground which he ate not knowing that his father had commanded the people to fast all day. The story ends with Saul demanding death for the person who ate, but the people instead demanding that Jonathan be saved because of his great victory. But, as they say, there is more to the story.

Saul in his arrogance demanded the fasting so that he could be avenged of his enemies. As the text states "Cursed be the man who eats food before evening, and until I have avenged myself of my enemies." Not only did he place his son's life in jeopardy, he caused the people to sin, because in their hunger when they had beaten back the Philistines they took the Philistine's cattle killing them on the ground in the midst of their blood and eating the bloody meat, something the food laws of Israel condemned. Going beyond this he seemingly missed God's blessings on his son's bravery.

Saul was constantly, arrogantly,  disobeying the word of God and in doing so he lost his kingdom, his family and his future. More importantly he lost the blessings and fellowship of God.

Ezekiel 34 is God's warning to those leaders in Judah who disobeyed the word of God because they were totally absorbed in their own desires. This is the verse that stands out (to me) so clearly in its application to matters in the denomination today: 

Thus says the Lord God, Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought the lost, but with force and with severity dominated them. (2b-4)

Too many of those in leadership in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are failing to teach and proclaim the pure word of God. They do not feed the sheep. Instead they constantly twist and tear apart the text in order allow for sin without repentance.

The denomination is full of broken and diseased people who are being told that they are fine just as they are. At the same time, many, including whole churches, are scattering, in various directions. Add to that the many in the denomination, and outside, who are disconnected from the Lord of the church, Jesus Christ. The old fashioned word for this is 'lost.' They are lost. And the denomination seeks for communities of diverse people but they do not seek for the lost.

But God has the solution. He replaced the arrogant and disobedient Saul with David. And he promised David that a Son of his would rule on his throne forever. That the Son would rule with righteousness.

The same is true in Ezekiel. God's promise to the suffering sheep is of his own care. Here the metaphor of the evil shepherd is turned to unruly and dominating sheep, goats and rams:

Therefore, says the Lord God to them, "Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you push with side and with shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns until you have scattered them abroad, therefore, I will deliver my flock, and they will no longer be a prey; and I will judge between one sheep and another.

And then the promise:

"Then I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David and he will feed them himself and be their shepherd."

I am aware that many of the orthodox both going to GA and staying at home are full of grief, with joy, it is true, but still grief. There is the sadness of knowing that many that need healing and transformation are and will be misled by their own leaders. There is the sadness of knowing that many in leadership, rather than repenting are attempting to find ways to send away hurting congregations with empty hands. There is the deeper grief of seeing in various places in leadership the Lord of the Church placed at the level of one among many options.

This is all deeply painful, and yet there is the promise which came first to Israel but is now like a shining diamond in our midst, God will, and did, deliver his flock by and through his messiah. Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of the Father, who will feed his flock. There is sweetness, the found honey, the goodness and righteousness of Christ and his word.

15 comments:

Dan McMillan said...

The word of scripture speaks to those who have ears to hear. Leadership must have ears to hear the Master if the sheep are to be truly fed and protected. I guess the matter is left to the Lord Himself with regards to mainline Christianity, pcusa in particular. He must regather His scattered sheep. Thanks, Viola, for listening to the Word. Dan McMillan

Linda Lee said...

Everything we need for guidance is in our Bible,
but they abuse the Bible and the Holy Spirit.
The leaders, coming out of PUP, were miss led and
then miss led the waiting people to think there can be unity with theological diversity. Now they are in disbelief at the out come. As an evangelical I am feeing the grief but also a loss of zeal for the spiritual battle this GA needs. It is as if God has lifted our vision else where to the harvest. I think our grief now is nothing compared to the grief the denomination will face soon because of the disobedience we will see at this GA.
unless your warnings are heeded!

Linda Lee said...

Everything we need for guidance is in our Bible,
but they abuse the Bible and the Holy Spirit.
The leaders, coming out of PUP, were miss led and
then miss led the waiting people to think there can be unity with theological diversity. Now they are in disbelief at the out come. As an evangelical I am feeing the grief but also a loss of zeal for the spiritual battle this GA needs. It is as if God has lifted our vision else where to the harvest. I think our grief now is nothing compared to the grief the denomination will face soon because of the disobedience we will see at this GA.
unless your warnings are heeded!

Anonymous said...

I've always thought of those passages as condemning the social injustice and inequity of the rich and powerful feeding themselves even more, while the poor were left to starve. And this as a consequence of the people of God asking for a King, like all the other peoples of the World, instead of letting God be their ruler. Not passages we often hear quoted by law-and-order conservatives who look sideways at matters of social justice. But again we are living in times of rising social inequalities where the rich and powerful look out only for themselves and refuse more and more to help the week, or feed the hungry, or heal the sick.

I agree that it stems from abandoning the Scriptures, and lack of Godly leadership in the Church. It is impossible to submit to the Lordship of Christ and not have ones heart broken for the poor, the sick, the week, the lost. To leave the healthy sheep unattended and risk everything for the sake of the one. Foolish as it may seem.

I would love to see the Church return to the process of planting God's Word in the hearts and minds of all of God's people.

Jodie Gallo
Los Angeles, CA

Viola Larson said...

Jodie, rarely does one see the oppression of the poor in the OT without also seeing disobedience on such things worshiping false gods and sexual immorality.

If you want another more contemporary example my presbytery will do. When Roseville Presbyterian left they were made to pay close to a million dollars by the synod which the presbytery insisted on keeping. That church at the time was feeding hungry school children breakfast and giving help to poor seminary students. They helped the poor in many ways; I am sure they still do. None of this matters to the presbytery. Advocacy for sexual immorality and greed often go together. And biblically that is always so.

Anonymous said...

I am reminded of Galatians 5:14-16:

"For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh."

Jodie

Viola Larson said...

Linda Lee, I am feeling that loss also, let us pray for each other.

Viola Larson said...

Dan it is, it seems, left to the Lord himself. I believe there is more real unity among the orthodox because the unity is founded on the Lord Jesus Christ and his word.

Jeff Winter said...

I believe there are many in the PCUSA that believe that God has mellowed a bit over the years when it comes to our sin. Maybe he has chilled out and will overlook some of the things he didn't overlook in the past. However, our increasing ability to take sin seriously has not lessened God's hatred of it. He still hates human greed, injustice, racism, misused sexuality (heterosexual sin as well as homosexual expression). Our leadership doesn't talk about our sin before a Holy God. And so the sheep have fallen asleep and will be held accountable for their sins. As it says in Scripture, on the day of judgement our sins done in darknesss will be shouted from the rooftops. What a horrible day this will be unless one's sins are covered by the blood of our Savior.

Jeff Winter said...

I believe there are many in the PCUSA that believe that God has mellowed a bit over the years when it comes to our sin. Maybe he has chilled out and will overlook some of the things he didn't overlook in the past. However, our increasing ability to take sin seriously has not lessened God's hatred of it. He still hates human greed, injustice, racism, misused sexuality (heterosexual sin as well as homosexual expression). Our leadership doesn't talk about our sin before a Holy God. And so the sheep have fallen asleep and will be held accountable for their sins. As it says in Scripture, on the day of judgement our sins done in darknesss will be shouted from the rooftops. What a horrible day this will be unless one's sins are covered by the blood of our Savior.

Anonymous said...

Viola,

It is notable that for the first time in my memory, there is no conservative nominee for Moderator or Vice Moderator. Now, in the past conservatives rarely won, but there was always someone to stand for that part of the church. Not this year. I wonder if that means evangelicals are basically throwing in the towel at the GA level.

John Erthein
DeFuniak Springs, FL

Viola Larson said...

Jeff I think you meant our increasing inability to take sin seriously. Yes, it will be a horrible day.

John I have no problem with those Evangelicals who have thrown in the towel because I believe they have gone on to work in God's harvest. I believe that is their gift. Besides it is so discouraging to keep trying to make a difference in the PCUSA.

Greg Scandlen said...

Thanks, Viola. As one who has left the PCUSA I cannot express the joy that I feel now that I can concentrate on the Word of God and service to others instead of arguing with Sophists all the time.

I admire you and all the others who find their calling in trying to save the denomination, but for me, I say let them have their buildings and endowments, empty shells all. On the final day, when God asks what they did for His people they can answer "We painted the steeple, vacuumed the carpet, and circulated a petition to raise the minimum wage."

Greg Scandlen
Waynesboro, PA

Viola Larson said...

Greg, I think it is no longer trying to save the denomination, only God can do that anyway. It is simply standing in place, witnessing to the redemptive mercy of Jesus Christ. The time will come when God will say that is enough.

Anonymous said...

Viola,

I agree.

John Erthein
DFS, FL