Christ and Common Sense

Thoughts from a Central Valley Pastor

Month: December 2023

Biblical Sea Creature Discovered in England? 

December 22, 2023 /

I am going to surprise some people this week because my Christmas weekend article is not about Christmas! In fact, it is about a possible discovery of a Biblical Leviathan (If you missed my Christmas article, just look for last week’s post). 

I am always intrigued when people find ancient evidence that is connected to the Biblical account. Sometimes a unique archeological site is uncovered that refers to a specific person or place that is recorded in Scripture (i.e. Tel Dan stele). In other instances, an ancient manuscript is uncovered that confirms one of the authors of Scripture (i.e. Dead Sea Scrolls). Rarely is something discovered from the ancient animal world that is tied to the Bible, but that is exactly what I read about last week! 

The article I read mentioned the discovery of the remains of a huge sea creature in the cliffs of southern England (https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-67650247). The animal is being referred to as a pliosaur, which was a massive marine reptile that used its 130 dagger-like teeth to demolish its prey. In the spring of 2022, the skull of the sea monster was discovered and later removed intact from the black cliffs that line the coast near Dorset, England. 

This particular skull measures 2 meters (6.5 ft) in length and it is believed to have had a biting force of 33,000 newtons which is comparable to that of a Tyrannosaurus Rex (45,000 newtons). Just to put that in context, a crocodile has 16,000 newtons of force and a dog has 1,000 newtons. One of the reasons given for such a strong biting force comes from a paleobiologist named Emily Rayfield. She examined the large circular openings at the back of the skull, which she determined reveal the size of the muscles which were used for “operating the jaws of the pliosaur.” 

Answers in Genesis, the organization that is connected with the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky also wrote an article about the discovery of this marine creature (https://answersingenesis.org/dinosaurs/types/meet-leviathan/). The title of the article is “Meet Leviathan – Was the Skull of an Ancient Leviathan Found in Dorset?” The article draws attention to different aspects of the discovery that link it with the Biblical account of Leviathan. 

The Bible describes a Leviathan in five different places, including the book of Job (3:8, 41:1), Psalms (74:14, 104:26), and Isaiah 27:1. The book of Job contains the most famous description of Leviathan because it includes an entire chapter about the sea creature. Job 41 says, “Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord? Can you put a rope in his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook?” The chapter describes the creatures incredibly tough skin, his terrifying teeth and mouth, and strong neck (18-21). Job 41:22 reads, “In his neck abides strength, and terror dances before him.” Every article I read about the sea creature made reference to its incredible biting force, which would have required massive neck muscles. That is one reason I thought it was interesting that all the research about this creature mentions its incredible neck. The biting force of this creature made it untouchable! 

That is one reason God used the Leviathan as an example when he wanted to humble Job. God used the example of the Leviathan to prove that Job was a weak, finite creature. Job was not to question God. He needed to submit to God and recognize God’s power extended from physical strength to sovereign strength as well. Job’s response to God is a helpful reminder of how we should respond to Him. Job said, “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6)

I am not sure if the pliosaur found in Dorset is the Leviathan of the Bible, but it certainly has characteristics that make me think of the Bible’s account. That is one reason I wanted to write about it today. As Christians, we should not be surprised when discoveries are made that confirm the Biblical account. The Bible is history and thus we will continue to learn of discoveries that line up with what was accurately recorded in God’s holy word. 

Don’t Forget the Second Advent!

December 15, 2023 /

The Christmas season is known as the Advent season because it celebrates the coming of Christ. The word “advent” is from the Latin word adventus and it means “coming, approach, arrival.” Many churches use the four advent Sundays leading up to Christmas to focus on the remarkable events that surround the incarnation, when God took on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ in order to save us from our sins (John 3:16). 

Many Christians place such a strong emphasis on the first coming of Christ that they neglect to reflect on His second coming. This is an honest mistake that this article will hopefully remedy. By looking at some key passages, we will be able to see that the celebration of the first advent is not complete without remembering the importance of the second advent. 

If you read the prophecies about Christ’s first coming you will quickly realize that they emphasize a time when the Messiah will reign on the earth. This was foreshadowed with Christ’s first coming, but it will actually be realized when he returns. This is incredibly important for us to consider as Christians because it helps ensure that we don’t forget the reason for the Christmas season. We are supposed to be amazed that God’s plan is not over. We are supposed to be amazed that Jesus Christ is coming back, and we need to make sure we are ready for his return! 

The books of Isaiah and Micah contain two of the most famous prophecies about the coming of Christ. We often focus on how they predict his first coming, but it is important to see that the context actually emphasizes his second coming. Isaiah 9:6-7 says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” (English Standard Version)

Did you notice that only the beginning of Isaiah’s prophecy relates to Christ’s birth? Most of the prophecy predicts a future fulfillment. Isaiah promised that this child would grow up to become a king who would have a physical kingdom. This government will have no end. This king will sit on the throne of David and he will reign forever! Isaiah was referring to the Millennial reign of Christ, which he will establish once the church age has come to an end. It is easy to emphasize the birth of Christ so much that we forget that Christ’s birth is a stepping stone to his future reign. 

Micah’s Christmas prophecy is fascinating because it actually predicts the birthplace of Jesus seven hundred years before the event occurred. Micah 5:2 reads, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” Once again, the prophecy of Christ’s birth is placed in the context of his reign. It is so easy to think of Christmas out of context. The birth of Christ points to the cross, but it also points past that to a throne! This is what Micah’s prophecy emphasizes. Jesus Christ is going to be a ruler in Israel. We never saw this fulfilled during his ministry on the earth because God is waiting to fulfill this prophecy when Christ returns! 

And what a return it will be. Paul wrote about it in 1 Thessalonians, “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Th. 4:16-18) These words are supposed to be an encouragement to believers. We are not supposed to spend Christmas only looking back at what God did two-thousand years ago. We are supposed to spend Christmas looking forward to his glorious return! 

Understanding Christmas in the context of Scripture will force us to look past all the distractions that our society has added in its never-ending commercialization campaign. We must remember that the first advent of Christ points us to the second advent. We must remember that Christ’s spiritual reign in the hearts of the redeemed will be fulfilled in a physical reign in the future. We need to ask ourselves “Are we living in light of Christ’s return?” He could come back today, are we ready? He could come back today, are your friends and family ready?

The book of Revelation ends with these words, “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” May that be our focus this Christmas season. Merry Christmas & Maranatha! 

Amazed by Christmas

December 9, 2023 /

Do you find yourself distracted by all the lights and decorations of the modern Christmas season? I know I do. It takes a concerted effort to cut through the barrage of jingling bells and roasting chestnuts to get to the Biblical account of the virgin birth and the incarnation. Our family has had to come up with different ways to make sure that we remember the true reason for the season. 

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is reading through our customized advent calendar. Sixteen years ago, Lydia and I bought an advent calendar with little boxes that are pulled out and turned around to complete a Christmas picture. The picture has nothing to do with the Biblical account, but the verses inside the boxes certainly do. 

Each box has a piece of paper with a verse written on it. The first day is titled “Light – #1” and it has Isaiah 9:2, “The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Inside the box there is also a little object that connects with the verse. The first box has a little light bulb from a string of Christmas lights. The kids always enjoy passing around the object as we discuss what the verse means. 

Every day our family reads from the advent calendar it helps us turn our minds to the fascinating details of Jesus’ birth. We read about the Roman census that forced Mary and Joseph to travel to Bethlehem (Luke 2:1). We talk about the prophecy of Isaiah that predicted the coming of Christ (Isaiah 9:6). We also read passages that point to the reason why Jesus Christ came to earth. One of my favorites is day twenty-three because it describes Jesus as the Good Shepherd who “lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11). We have found it is important to always talk about the cross when we talk about Christmas because if Jesus had not died on the cross and risen from the dead, then there would be no reason to celebrate Christmas.

This year I added a few verses to one of the days. I added Luke 2:8-20 which describes the shepherds seeing the host of angels outside of Bethlehem. After they rushed to the city, they found Joseph and Mary and they told them what they had heard from the angels. Verse eighteen says, “And all who heard it marveled at the things which were told them by the shepherds.” I looked up the original Greek word for “marveled” and I discovered that it means “to give careful thought to, consider, ponder.” 

As I think about how our family celebrates Christmas I want to make sure we take the time to marvel at the Christmas story. We need to reflect on the Biblical account so that we understand what took place, but we also need to meditate on it so that we realize how it has impacted our lives. My prayer for our family is that we would take the time to marvel at Christmas and I hope you and your family will do the same. 

Suiting up for Spiritual Battle pt. 1

December 1, 2023 /

Imagine a fireman rushing off to fight a fire without his suit and helmet. Imagine a policeman going on duty without a bulletproof vest or a fighter pilot taking off without any weapons. You would call them back. You would tell them, “You forgot something! You can’t leave without being ready to defend yourself!” 

We can all understand the need for these people to defend themselves, but how often do Christians forget the need to defend themselves against our enemy? How often do believers start the day without reading God’s word? How often do followers of Christ forget to put on the spiritual armor of God? 

There are many reasons Christians live without adequate spiritual protection. Some don’t realize how strong the enemy is. Others think they can get by without being burned. Many Christians are living life so fast, they forget to suit up each and every day. In reality, the believer who doesn’t put on the armor of God is asking for trouble. He or she is heading off to battle without realizing how much they have left behind. 

The book of Ephesians has a powerful chapter on spiritual warfare. It starts by calling the Christian to find their strength in the Lord and not themselves, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the might of His strength.” (Ephesians 6:10, Legacy Standard Bible) The next command is to put on the full armor of God, “So that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” The next verse gives a sobering explanation of the enemy. He is not limited to the physical realm, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood.” The Christian’s battle is a spiritual one. It is against, “The rulers, against the authorities, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” 

The spiritual reality of the Christian’s battle is one of the reasons it is so difficult to fight. As humans we are used to looking for cause and effect in the physical world. We are not used to looking out for spiritual cause and effect. We have to learn to look for how the world and the system of the world is being used by the enemy as a spiritual battlefield. The devil wants to tempt Christians to sin in any way possible. He wants them to question their faith (Gen. 3:1). He wants them to give into physical and spiritual temptation (Mt. 4:1-11). He wants them to forget that they are being tempted (2 Cor. 11:14).

Once a Christian realizes how dangerous the enemy is, he or she will be motivated to put on the armor of God. Ephesians 6:13 says, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” (LSB) The idea of standing firm is taken from the Roman military. Before I explain the pieces of armor, it is important to remember that the soldier was never supposed to go into battle alone. Imagine a regiment of soldiers standing next to each other in a rectangular pattern, with shields guarding them on all sides. The Christian is not to think of themselves as a lone soldier, taking on the enemy themselves. No, that would be foolish because the enemy is so large. The wise Christian recognizes their own weakness and stands firm with other believers. 

The wise Christian knows their armor and they know how to use it. Ephesians 6:14 starts the list of defensive armor with the belt of truth. This is a core piece of armor that is based upon the truth of God. The believer does not look to the world for truth, he or she looks to God and His word. The next piece of armor is the breastplate of righteousness. This is a reference to the actions of the believer. He or she can defend themselves against temptation by living a holy life. They should not place themselves in compromising situations, that would be going into battle without the breastplate. There are many Christians who think they can handle more than others. In reality, they have already started losing the battle because they have let their guard down. It is only a matter of time until they will be spiritually wounded. 

One reason we know this armor is supposed to be defensive is because of the next item in the list. Ephesians 6:15 says, “as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.” (ESV) The idea here is of the boots used by Roman soldiers. These shoes often had nails at the bottom to help the solider stand their ground. The spiritual meaning refers to the saving message of the gospel. A believer can not hope to resist the enemy if he has not committed his life to Christ. Once he has done so, the Christian will find immense strength knowing that his sins have been paid for. If the devil tries to make him doubt God, the Christian can be strengthened by trusting in the saving work of Christ! 

There are three other important parts of the armor of God, but they will have to wait until the next part of this series of articles. I trust that this short analysis of the armor of God will help believers be encouraged to get dressed for battle every day. Christians need to recognize that reading God’s word, prayer, and fellowship with other believers are all a necessary part of being prepared for each day. It would be foolish for a soldier to leave the barracks without armor. It would be even more foolish for a Christian to leave his home without being armed for spiritual battle. 

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