June 2003 chaplain's corner

The Chaplain's Corner is a monthly message for chaplains.

Chaplain's Corner - June, 2003

Rev. Rich Hines

This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior, and are serving as correctional or rescue mission chaplains within the United States.

Recently, a friend e-mailed me a copy of an article describing how some State firefighters in California are lobbying and filing suit with the State Court to get rid of their Fire Department Chaplaincy all together. The article said the lobbyists complaint was that the current chaplaincy is simply too Christian, and too Bible based. Praise God for those chaplains!

The most recent edition of the Christian periodical, "Israel My Glory," was devoted to exposing the current trend in society and the media, to put the faith of the followers of Jesus Christ in the worst possible light. The media is seemingly giving themselves to a campaign called, "Smearing Christianity." That was the cover of the magazine edition.

This kind of thing is really nothing new. Most of us that have been following Christ for some time remember the 60's and 70's when society was much more tolerant of Christianity and our evangelistic efforts. These things go in cycles. What has been called by theologians "The long war against God," really began in the Garden of Eden and will continue until Jesus reigns on earth!

At times it is more like a cold war, and only in certain areas like public education for example, is the opposition and animosity felt. As leadership of more of society's institutions changes for the worse, things heat up. Over all each time things heat up, they intensify and get worse.

It is an historical fact that more believers in, and followers of Jesus Christ were martyred for their faith in the 20th century than in all the centuries leading up to that century put together!

At the beginning of this century, we know that the persecution against Christianity continues to grow. Beyond murdering Christians, the opponents of our faith are also involved in the enslaving of multitudes of Christians in the Sudan and elsewhere around the globe. Personally, I believe the 9/11 attacks, and the continued terrorists attacks is really fueled by an inherent hatred of the Biblical gospel of Jesus Christ.

I take it that you are a true follower of Christ, attempting to be light in your present morally dark surroundings in jail, prison, or on skid row. As you deal with people and philosophies in the "public sector," you sense the hostility against the faith that says Jesus Christ is the ONE AND ONLY WAY of forgiveness of sin and the ONLY Door to heaven.

The worst thing any of us could do would be to back off and compromise "the faith once for all delivered to the saints." Some in correctional chaplaincy tragically have done just that. True Christian chaplains need to accept their lot along with those who have suffered in one form or another throughout the centuries for the truth of God.

But, dear chaplain, God does give His own people great encouragement in all this. One of my favorite places to see this is in Psalm 2. So for this month, I want to bring this Psalm's truths back to you, so that you will be reminded that you are on the right side , the ultimate victory is God's - not sinful man's. If you're following Christ and standing up for His truth in this God rejecting, Christ hating society of ours, ultimately you're on the winning side.

Psalm 2 has twelve verses divided into four sections, three verses in each section.

In the first three verses, the Psalmist (David was the human writer, compare Acts 4:25) speaks - David gives his perspective:

1 Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot (devise) a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, (take their stand) and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed (His Christ), saying,

3 "Let us break Their bonds in pieces, and cast away Their cords from us."

Meaning "They can't control us, we're going to rebel and go our own way!"

Note the following comment on verses 1,2 from Charles Spurgeon: "O that men were half as careful in God's service to serve Him wisely, as His enemies are to attack His kingdom craftily. Sinners have their wits about them, and yet saints are dull." It really does seem their must be meetings and planning sessions on how to defeat Christianity.

Partial fulfillment of vv1,2 is seen in Acts 4:24-28 as the early church proclaimed - when they had heard the threats from the religious rulers of ancient Israel:

"Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father, Your servant David have said: 'WHY DID THE NATIONS RAGE, AND THE PEOPLES PLOT VAIN THINGS? THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND, AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.' For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done."

In the plot against Jesus that ended with His crucifixion, Psalm 2:1,2 was only partly fulfilled. Today, the unbelievers still plan to get rid of the "Jesus" thing. They can't hurt Him anymore because He's raised from the dead and ascended back to heaven. So, they go after those that represent Him.

In the next section (verses 4-6) we can see the Father's point of view.

In verses 4,5 we are given the reaction of God the Father to man's rebellion.

4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the LORD shall hold them in derision. (He is not alarmed or concerned about the rebellion of little men, kings or rulers; rather, the LORD scoffs at them.)

5 Then He will speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure: (and terrify them in His fury:)

Finally, in verse 6 the Father speaks -

6 "Yet I have set (installed) My King on My holy hill of Zion."

Notice the verb tense, "I have set My King on My holy hill..." Not "I WILL" in the future tense, but rather the thing is already as good as done! God is eternal and at one time sees all in the past, present, and future. The installment of Jesus as King over the earth is already done in the Father's eternal view!

Isaac Watts, who gave the church so many great hymns, wrote in 1719 -

"Jesus shall reign where"er the sun does his successive journeys run, His kingdom spread from shore to shore till moons shall wax and wane no more. From north to south the princes meet to pay their homage at His feet, while western empires own their Lord and savage tribes attend His word."

In 1862, 5,000 primitive South Seas Islanders sang these words as their king abolished their native laws and established a Christian constitution. But that is just a small thing in comparison to what will really happen when Jesus returns to rule and reign on earth from Jerusalem's Mount Zion.

Moving on, in verses 7-9 the Son, Jesus Christ speaks -

7 "I will declare the decree: The LORD (referring to God, the Father) has said to Me, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You.

8 Ask of Me and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.

9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.(shatter them like earthenware.)'"

Verse 7 is quoted twice in the New Testament. In Hebrews 1:5,6 it is linked to his nativity as He entered the world as a human being to accomplish the Father's plan of redeeming God's people from their sins. In Acts 13:33,34 it connects to the day of His victorious resurrection, once and for all declaring Him to be very God (compare Romans 1:4). According to the flow of the Psalm, their also must be a connection between the Father's begetting or bringing forth The Son to the time of His visible rule and judgment over the earth!

Here Jesus declares that His very enemies are His inheritance! To their faces He declares this decree of the Father.

On this section Charles Spurgeon commented:

"'Lo!, Here,' cries the Anointed One, (the Christ) as He holds aloft in that once pierced hand the scepter of His power, 'He has given Me this, not only the right to be King, but to conquer.' Yes! Jehovah has given to His Anointed a rod of iron with which He shall break rebellious nations and peoples in pieces. Despite their imperial strength, they shall be as potters vessels, easily dashed into shivers, when this rod of iron is in the hand of the Omnipotent Son of God. Those who will not bend must break."

In the final section (verses 10-12) the Psalmist David speaks and gives strong warning and advice -

10 Now therefore be wise, O kings; be instructed, (or, take warning) you judges of the earth.

11 Serve (worship) the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss (do homage to) the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little.

In the ancient world, this kissing pictures kissing the feet or the ground before the feet of the One to be worshiped.

No one would worship the Son but those who have repented from their false gods, especially self, and turned in faith to the true Lord.

We must always remember and then be faithful to explain to others that to Jesus, the Son, God the Father has committed all judgement. When God judges sinners it will be through the Son! Read the Scripture!

Revelation 19:11-15

11 Now I saw heaven (meaning the sky) opened, and behold, a white horse. (In imagery, a conqueror, for ancient conquering kings rode into the capital on a huge white stallion) And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.

13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood (a symbolic reference to His death on the cross), and His name is called The Word of God. (This is Jesus Christ)

14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean (or, "pure white") - (this is a symbolic reference to their acquired purity) followed Him on white horses.

15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, (a huge broadsword), that with it He should strike the nations. (One word from the ultimate Conquerors mouth, and it's all over for the rebels of the earth). And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Not also in John, Chapter 5 - Jesus said the following:

John 5:21,22

21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.

22 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son.

John 5:25-29

25 Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.

26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,

27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. (A reference to being the Christ)

28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice

29 and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation (judgment).

On verse 29 note the only good that men can do is to repent and in faith follow Christ. The evil that men do is ultimately connected to their rejection and unbelief in Jesus.

David closed the final verse of this great Psalm with a word of hope and encouragement from the Holy Spirit:

"Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him." That is, in the Son, Jesus Christ!

No matter how stiff the opposition, go ever forward in boldness for the Biblical gospel chaplain. It's the only thing you can do that really matters for eternity. Aurora ministries is committed to helping you do just that.

Rev. Rich Hines

Minister To Chaplains - Aurora Ministries