On this second day of "The 12 Days of Liberty," we're going to look at one of the most misunderstood aspects of Christmas and Liberty: the meaning of the word "salvation."

When the angel announced the meaning of Christmas to Joseph, the angel said Jesus would save us from something. From what?

Most people give the answer: "From hell."

But this is what the angel said

And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins
(Matthew 1:21)

This is actually a very different concept than being saved "from hell."

Imagine a man who needs to be saved from his sins. At one time he was viewed as a success by all who knew him. After college, he earned an MBA and got on the executive fast-track at a Fortune 500 company. He has a nice home, a Lexus and a Hummer. But recently he has developed a compulsion to shoplift. He also can’t control his desire to visit prostitutes. Because of his arrests for shoplifting and prostitution, he has recently lost his job. As a result of the widespread publicity of his compulsions and arrests, he is rapidly losing the respect of his friends, neighbors, and now even his family. His wife is ready to leave him. His children are embarrassed by him, and they have begun “acting out” in school, with grades plummeting and frequent suspensions for discipline problems. He is watching his entire life crumble in front of him. But he can’t stop the shoplifting and the prostitutes. He says “Wal-Mart is a huge multi-billion dollar corporation; what’s a few hundred dollars worth of junk from China?” He also says, “A man has natural desires, and my wife doesn’t respect me anymore.” But in spite of this talk, he’s miserable, and kicks himself whenever he shoplifts, even when he “gets away with it.”

The evangelist on TV tells him that if he accepts Jesus into his heart, he can be saved from hell, and when he dies he will go straight to heaven. “Yeah,” he says to himself, “after living the next 40 years in hell.”

He doesn’t just want to be saved from hell, he wants to be saved from his sins.

How many families experience “hell on earth” because of the drunkenness, infidelity, domestic abuse, and financial anguish caused by “addictions” to drugs, sex, shopping, gambling, and power, while their church pastor drones on about “salvation” and going to heaven?

Must this misery continue till we die?
Why keep on living? Let’s all go to heaven NOW!!

This is wrong. There is an answer to earthly misery. Christmas is the answer.

A previous generation knew these “addictions” were sinful and their painful consequences wrong. Today’s relativist generation is not even sure Adolph Hitler was wrong (“He was acting according to his own standards”), but previous generations knew these things were wrong, and a measure of consolation could be obtained by trusting in God to bring repentance in the life of the adulterer, abuser, or alcoholic, even if repentance never came. Moral standards give hope. But today we have lost touch with God’s standard of holiness, and “dysfunctional” behavior is assumed to be normal, and is sometimes protected by law as an “alternative life style.” Many people today live their entire lives engulfed in a sense of meaninglessness and moral confusion. This weakened state leaves them vulnerable prey for the politically powerful.

The Bible promises more than “heaven.” In fact the Bible says very little about heaven, and far more about being “saved from our sins” in this life. These promises are summed up in the term “sanctification.”

Webster (1828 edition) defined “salvation” as, “The redemption of man from the bondage of sin and liability to eternal death, and the conferring on him everlasting happiness.”

The vast majority of verses in the Bible which talk about "salvation" are talking about a libertarian society, in which people are free from their addictions to sin, and as a result, free from the initiation of force by others -- especially "the government."

When the Angel announced that the Christ (the word means "Messiah") who was to be born on the first Christmas would save us from our sins, and be named JESUS, the angel was being redundant. “Jesus” means “God will save.” The name comes from the Hebrew word yasha. John E. Hartley, in the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament Vol 1, pp. 414-15, says this about “yasha,”

Yasha and its derivatives are used 353 times. The root meaning . . . is “make wide” or make sufficient: this root is in contrast to sarar, “narrow,” which means “be restricted” or “cause distress.” To move from distress to safety requires deliverance. [T]he majority of references to salvation speak of Yahweh granting deliverance from real enemies and out of real catastrophes. That which is wide connotes freedom from distress and the ability to pursue one’s own objectives. Thus salvation is not merely a momentary victory on the battlefield; it is also the safety and security necessary to maintain life unafraid of numerous dangers.

We will be studying this definition during "The 12 Days of Liberty." It is most important to get a truly Biblical definition of “salvation” -- and its connection with Liberty -- into our heads.

Let’s begin with the idea that the Hebrew word for “salvation” means “make wide” or “large.” There are many verses that say this, and yet most Christians are completely unaware of the idea that a fundamental meaning of “salvation” means “being put into a wide open space.”

But let’s not take Prof. Hartley’s word for it. Let’s be like the Bereans, who studied the Scriptures daily to see if these things are so (Acts 17:11). You may want to look at some of these passages in their context in your own Bible.

(Psalm 118:5) I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place.

(2 Samuel 22:20) He brought me forth also into a large place: He delivered me, because He delighted in me.

(Genesis 26:22) He moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he called it Rehoboth, saying, “Now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”

(Hosea 4:16) For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: can now the Lord feed them as a lamb in a large place?

(Psalm 31:8) and hast not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; Thou hast set my feet in a broad place.

(Psalm 18:19) He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

(Psalm 66:12) Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

(Psalm 69:35) For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.

 

In the Bible, people who truly understand the meaning of Christmas are shown to be concerned about living in a “large” land. Of course, in a more agrarian society, “large” is better, as far as land goes. But when God promises to save us by putting us into a “large land,” it’s clear that more is included than going to heaven after living for decades in a narrow land before we up and die. What is the modern equivalent of a “large land?” It varies from person to person, but it includes some form of economic and political prosperity. “Liberty” and “large” are Biblical concepts we are not familiar enough with. Let’s review them and put them in our brains, so that as we read the Bible we will be more aware of them.

Exodus 3:8 So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.

Leviticus 25:10 And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family.

Judges 18:10 When you go, you will come to a secure people and a large land. For God has given it into your hands, a place where there is no lack of anything that is on the earth.”

1 Chronicles 4:40 And they found rich, good pasture, and the land was broad, quiet, and peaceful; for some Hamites formerly lived there.

Nehemiah 7:4 Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few, and the houses were not rebuilt.

Nehemiah 9:35 For they have not served You in their kingdom, Or in the many good things that You gave them, Or in the large and rich land which You set before them; Nor did they turn from their wicked works.

Psalm 119:45 And I will walk at liberty, For I seek Your precepts.

Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Jeremiah 34:8 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem to proclaim liberty to them:

Jeremiah 34:15-17 Then you recently turned and did what was right in My sight—every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor; and you made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name. 16 Then you turned around and profaned My name, and every one of you brought back his male and female slaves, whom you had set at liberty, at their pleasure, and brought them back into subjection, to be your male and female slaves.’
17 “Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor. Behold, I proclaim liberty to you,’ says the LORD—’to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I will deliver you to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth.

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

James 1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

James 2:12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.

For a people to enjoy liberty in a "large place," they must have been "saved from their sins." America's Founding Fathers understood this. In one of the most important addresses in the history of America, George Washington reminded the nation:

Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of man and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity.

It is substantially true, that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government. The rule, indeed, extends with more or less force to every species of free government.

In a very important sense, we no longer have to dream of a "large Christmas," a Christmas of liberty. Throughout the Christmas story, the a decidedly un-libertarian government looms large, crushing the weak with an iron hand, compelling Joseph and the pregnant Mary to hike to Bethlehem from their home town for the imperial census (Luke 2:1-7;), and killing all the babies (Matthew 2:16-18) in an attempt to kill a rival king (Matthew 2:3). The corruption and violence of a government that claimed to be divine would shock us if we could visit that age. We have become accustomed to living under a government that at least professes the ideal of "Liberty Under God."

Adherents of the religion of Secular Humanism want us to believe that everything good about America came from the minds of the Caesars and their court philosophers. But Greece and Rome gave us little -- except bad examples. These ancient empires were dominated by irrationalism and occultism. Karl Popper devoted the first volume of The Open Society and Its Enemies to an analysis of Plato as a mystic and a totalitarian. As many as a third of the residents of Athens were slaves. Most of the rest, while legally "free," knew nothing of liberty as we know it. War was a way of life.

John Lofton has compiled some telling quotations from scholars in a previous -- more Christian -- century. What follows is from his essay:

And make no mistake about it. Regardless of what you’ve heard regarding the alleged greatness of the ancient, Greco-Roman, pre-Christian world, there was no real, true freedom and/or liberty during this era. None. In his book The Ancient City: A Study On The Religion, Laws And Institutions Of Greece And Rome (1889), Fustel de Coulanges spells out in detail the darkness of this Christless world:

The citizen was subordinate in everything, and without any reserve, to the city; he belonged to it body and soul. The [pagan] religion which produced the State, and the State which supported [this] religion, sustained each other; these two powers formed a power almost superhuman, to which the body and soul were equally enslaved. There was nothing independent in man; his body belonged to the State and was devoted to its defense.

For example, Aristotle and Plato incorporated into their ideal codes the command that a deformed baby son was to be put to death. And in his “Laws,” Plato says (and this sounds very familiar today): “Parents ought not to be free to send or not to send their children to the masters to whom the city has chosen [for their education]; for the children belong less to their parents than to the city.” And in ancient Athens, a man could be put on trial and convicted for something called “incivism,” that is being insufficiently affectionate toward the State! Coulanges says (emphasis mine):

The ancients, therefore, knew neither liberty in private life, liberty in education, nor religious liberty. The human person counted for very little against that holy and almost divine authority called the country or the State…. It is a singular error, among all human errors, to believe that in the ancient cities men enjoyed liberty. They had not even the idea of it.

Commenting on our Lord’s God/Caesar distinction, Coulanges says:

It is the first time that God and the state are so clearly distinguished. For Caesar at that period was still the pontifex maximus, the chief and the principal organ of the Roman religion; he was the guardian and the interpreter of beliefs. He held the worship and the dogmas in his hands. Even his person was sacred and divine, for it was a peculiarity of the policy of the emperors that, wishing to recover the attributes of ancient royalty, they were careful not to forget the divine character which antiquity had attached to the king-pontiffs and to the priest-founders. But now Christ breaks the alliance which paganism and the empire wished to renew. He proclaims that religion is no longer the State, and that to obey Caesar is no longer the same thing as to obey God.

Christianity … separates what all antiquity had confounded…. It was the source whence individual liberty flowed…. The first duty no longer consisted in giving one’s time, one’s strength, one’s life to the State … all the virtues were no longer comprised in patriotism, for the soul no longer had a country. Man felt that he had other obligations besides that of living and dying for the city. Christianity … placed God, the family, the human individual above country, the neighbor above the city.

Because of this hideous tyranny, it is no surprise that self-murder (suicide) was so rampant in the ancient world. As Dr. Gerhard Uhlhorn tells us in his The Conflict Of Christianity With Heathenism (1899):

Heathenism ended in barrenness and sheer despair, and at last the only comfort was that men are free to leave this miserable world by suicide. Patet exitus! The way out of this life stands open! That is the last consolation of expiring heathenism.

And he quotes Seneca, who said that “the aim of all philosophy is to despise life,” as saying, concerning the suicide option:

Seest thou yon steep height? Thence is the descent to freedom. Seest thou yon sea, yon river, yon well? Freedom sits there in the depths. Seest thou yon low, withered tree? There freedom hangs. Seest thou thy neck, thy throat, thy heart? They are ways of escape from bondage.

To which Dr. Uhihorn adds:

Can the bankruptcy of Heathenism be more plainly declared than in these words…? With what power then must have come the preaching of this word: "Christ is risen! The wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

And in a little noticed and seldom quoted passage from Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville says:

The most profound and capacious minds of Rome and Greece ... tried to prove that slavery was in the order of nature and that it would always exist. Nay, more, everything shows that those of the ancients who had been slaves before they became free, many of whom have left us excellent writings, themselves regarded servitude in no other light.

All the great writers of antiquity belonged to the aristocracy of masters, or at least they saw that aristocracy established and expanded before their eyes. Their mind, after it had expanded itself in several directions, was barred from further progress in this one; and the advent of Jesus Christ upon earth was required to teach that all members of the human race are by nature equal and alike.

The historian Arnold Toynbee saw, accurately, the great failing of the ancient Greeks, that they “saw in Man, ‘the Lord of Creation,’ and worshipped him as an idol instead of God.” And this rejection of the true God —- which similarly threatens modern Western civilization —- led to Hellenism’s breakdown and disintegration. Rejecting Gibbon, Toynbee says neither Christians nor barbarians destroyed the Roman Empire; they merely walked over a corpse.

And in his book Religious Origins of the American Revolution (Scholars Press, 1976), Page Smith points out:

The American Revolution might thus be said to have started, in a sense, when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door at Wittenberg. It received a substantial part its theological and philosophical underpinnings from John Calvin’s Institutes Of The Christian Religion and much of its social history from the Puritan Revolution of 1640- 1660, and, perhaps, less obviously, from the Glorious Revolution of 1689.

Put another way, the American Revolution is inconceivable in the absence of that context of ideas which have constituted radical Christianity. The leaders of the Revolution in every colony were imbued with the precepts of the Reformed faith.

Indeed, he adds, in early America, the Reformation

left its mark on every aspect of the personal and social life of the faithful. In the family, in education, in business activity, in work, in community and, ultimately, in politics, the consequences of the Reformation were determinative for American history.

As remote or repugnant as Puritanism may be to some, Smith says “it is essential that we understand that the Reformation in its full power was one of the great emancipations of history.” He says the passage in the book of Micah about “every man…under his vine and under his fig tree” was “the most potent expression of the colonist’s determination to be independent whatever the cost,…having substantial control over his own affairs. No theme was more constantly reiterated by writers and speakers in the era of the Revolution.”

* * *

Tomorrow we'll begin looking at this idea of salvation-as-liberty in the prophecy of John the Baptist's father Zacharias.

 

 

On a routine trip to the doctor today I found the front office staff all wearing festive "Happy New Year" party hats. Probably most Americans have already forgotten about Christmas, unless they're still picking tinsel and glitter out of the carpet. Only a handful of people are observing "The 12 Days of Christmas," and nobody is trying to draw parallels between Christmas and libertarianism.

Except us, of course. And instead of using this "Third Day of Christmas" to talk about "three french hens," we're going to talk about an Anarchist King.

Speaking of doctors, we're going to begin looking at a prophecy recorded in Dr. Luke's Gospel, that of John the Baptist's father, Zechariah. Here is how Luke records the announcement of the birth of John:

Luke 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. 8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Zechariah was obviously a devout Jew, even a priest. Six months later, when John was born, Zechariah was filled with the Spirit and prophesied of the new King, Jesus:

Luke 1
68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people,
69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His servant David,
70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
Who have been since the world began,
71 That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
74 To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Zechariah, familiar with the Old Testament Scriptures, sees in that first Christmas the fulfillment of those themes and promises. In the next couple of days we're going to focus on these:
• "The House of David"
• "His Holy Prophets"
• "Saved from our Enemies"
• "His Holy Covenant to Abraham"
• "Serving in Holiness and Righteousness"
• "The Way of Peace"
Together these themes give us a picture of the libertarian Kingdom of Christ, a Kingdom rejected by the religious leaders at the time of the first Christmas, just as their ancestors rejected it in the days of Samuel, and as "premillennialists" of the "Religious Right" reject it today.

This Kingdom is not a purely "spiritual" or "private" Kingdom, as Herod understood, as evidenced by his attempt to assassinate Jesus the Child-King. If King Jesus has His way, it's the end of business-as-usual for all earthly kings. Jesus is not a king like all the other kings. But He claims jurisdiction over the same social, political, military, and economic issues that earthly kings, presidents, prime minsters, and dictators-for-life claim to manage "for the people."

"The House of David"
At the first Christmas, the religious leaders and the people were expecting the arrival of the Messiah, but they were not expecting a Messiah who would also be a “suffering servant.” The concept of Christ’s Kingship was completely misunderstood by the Jews in His day, and is widely misunderstood in our day. Many in our day hold the same anti-Scriptural views that were held by those in Christ’s day, who rejected the Christ of the prophets and desired instead a rival Emperor and an army of armed shock-troops to violently overthrow the Roman Empire and an army of bureaucrats to establish another top-down empire––with themselves at the top, of course. They really didn’t want an end to all injustice and oppression; they hoped that the oppressors (Rome) and the oppressed (Israel) would simply change places. They wanted to do to their conquerors as their conquerors had done to them. And they wanted a king much like those of the demonic empires that had dominated human history up to that time. When they attempted to make Jesus the kind of king that would rule them from an earthly throne, He fled them (John 6:15).

From the beginning, God accommodated the hard hearts of Israel. They never wanted the kind of King God promised to be (Isaiah 33:22). They wanted a king “like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8), and God gave them a better king than they deserved. But when it came time for them to choose the man who would be king, they did not even choose David himself:

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 8 So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.”
1 Samuel 16:7-8

And in the eyes of those living at the first Christmas, Jesus was even less kingly than David:

He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him,
There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
Isaiah 53:2-3

But Jesus was the King promised by God's prophets in the Old Testament. Jesus was the heir of David’s Throne.

Read those two sentences again. They are truly momentous. Quite possibly, a majority of Christians today don’t believe this to be the true message of Christmas.

The Angel told Mary:

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
Luke 1:32-33

This is a reference to many prophecies in the Old Testament. One of the most important issues in Christian thought today is whether Jesus fulfilled these promises. Stated another way, Did the Jews correctly interpret the Old Testament prophets when they rejected Christ as their King? They expected a certain type of king. Were their expectations Scriptural? Millions of Christians today have these same expectations.

Christ’s Kingship Foretold
King David was told that his was not true Kingship; rather, one of his descendants would be established as the True King:

11 And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. 14 And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever.
1 Chronicles 17:11-14; see also 2 Samuel 7:12,13

The Psalmist sang,

The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David; He will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.
Psalm 132:11

This descendant is also called the Branch, a stem out of the root of Jesse (David’s father):

5 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“ That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness;
A King shall reign and prosper,
And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
6 In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell safely;
Now this is His name by which He will be called:
The Lord Our Righteousness.
Jeremiah 23:5-6

“For thus says the Lord: ‘David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; 18 nor shall the priests, the Levites, lack a man to offer burnt offerings before Me, to kindle grain offerings, and to sacrifice continually.’” Jeremiah 33:17-18

That last prophecy is very important. The Protestant Reformation emphasized a neglected Scriptural doctrine called “The Priesthood of All Believers.” In contrast to the Roman Catholic Church, with its sacerdotal priesthood and sacraments, the Reformation returned to the New Testament declaration that all believers are a new priesthood, building a new House, that is, a new Temple:

4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
”The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,”
8 and
“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”
They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:4-10)

This whole concept was rejected by the guardians of the old temple, those who carried out the old sacrifices. They preferred “The Priesthood of Some Believers.”

Here’s the million-dollar Christmas question (and it really is worth millions of dollars, if only because best-selling fiction is based on the wrong answer): Is Jesus the final High Priest, are believers a “House,” a spiritual temple, and was Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary the final shedding of propitiatory blood in human history? Millions of Christians have bought millions of copies of books on prophecy which suggest that God is going to re-build the Old Testament temple and re-establish Levitical animal sacrifices. What does this say about the sufficiency of Christ’s work?

Obviously these are “leading questions,” and if you’re uncomfortable with where they lead, that’s understandable. But please accept the challenge to rethink your answers like the Bereans did, searching the Scriptures daily to find out the most Biblical answer (Acts 17:11).

The Protestant Reformers and the authors of the Westminster Confession believed that the Babe born in Bethlehem was this prophesied King. The most famous of all Christmas Carols and oratorios proclaim the Kingship of Jesus.

6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Isaiah 9:6-7

which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,
Romans 1:2-32

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
Revelation 22:16

Most of the New Testament was written by Jewish writers to a Jewish audience, and all this talk about "the House of David" is driving home the claim that Jesus is the promised New King David.

"His Holy Prophets"
We have two very different views of the Kingdom of God in conflict. The Jewish majority always had a distorted view of the Kingdom. But there was always a remnant that was faithful. The prophets spoke for this remnant, looking forward to Christmas in Jesus’ day (John 8:56; Matt 13:17; Heb 11:13). Again, this is not how the Jews of Jesus’ day saw it. They rejected a Kingdom which made progress by suffering and peace-without-strength,

which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days.
Acts 3:21,24

The New Testament quotes the Old Testament prophets over and over again. Nothing could be clearer than the attempt by the writers of the New Testament to claim that Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about Davidic Kingship.
The most frequently-quoted prophecy in the New Testament is Psalm 110:

1 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 4 The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus is not only the Christmas King, but also Priest. How can Christians believe that Christ is their Priest without also believing that He is their King? In fact, the very word “Christ” means “anointed King.” "Jesus Christ" is not a name like "Bob Smith." It's a title: Jesus the King. Is Jesus really the Christ, the Messiah, the world-ruler? According to the New Testament writers, yes.

“But Jesus is not on David’s throne in Jerusalem,” some will say. “And what about His enemies, like Osama bin Laden? Surely it’s obvious that Jesus will not really be the Christ until He comes again in great glory.”

This question is huge. It is not only an important theological question, but it has significant impact on our nation’s foreign policy, which has been influenced by tens of millions of voters who hold certain ideas about prophecy and the Middle East. Billions of dollars and billions of lives, literally, are at stake in understanding the Biblical answer to these questions.

Let’s first look at how the New Testament answers these questions. If nothing else, the New Testament answer is consistent, but not necessarily clear to those who have been raised hearing another answer.

Jesus is everywhere in the New Testament spoken of as the Christ, that is, the King spoken of by the prophets. This is the central theme of Christmas.
The Wise Men from the east knew this:

saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
Matthew 2:2

The Angel told Mary,

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
Luke 1:32

Zecharias, filled with the Holy Spirit, said:

And has raised up a horn [symbol of a powerful ruler] of salvation for us In the house of His servant David,
Luke 1:69

The shepherds were told

For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:11

His disciples believed that Jesus was the One foretold by the Prophets, and Jesus did not tell them they were wrong:

Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
John 1:49

In fact, Jesus often criticized the disciples for not believing everything that was said about Him:

50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Jesus was willing to ride into Jerusalem and perpetuate this belief:

saying: “‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Luke 19:38

“Tell the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your King is coming to you,
Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
Matthew 21:5, Zechariah 9:9

took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:
“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
The King of Israel!”
John 12:13

Blessed is the kingdom of our father David That comes in the name of the Lord!Hosanna in the highest!”
Mark 11:10

Jesus outraged the Jewish leadership with His Kingly claims to being the Christ, which they saw as blasphemous:

And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” 64 Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. And I say to you, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! 66 What do you think?” They answered and said, “He is deserving of death.”
Matthew 26:63-66, and Mark 14:62, Luke 22:69

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
John 18:37

Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.”
Acts 17:7

For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.
1 Corinthians 15:25

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
1 Timothy 1:17

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
Hebrews 8:1

But His Kingdom does not derive its power from the political machinery of the old world, He does not administer justice from any earthly throne in the capitol of any nation, nor does He claim any one nation as “His nation” (John 18:35-36). This is probably what confuses many people. They believe that if Jesus is going to “rule,” He must be physically located in Washington, D.C., or on a literal throne in Jerusalem. That's where real power is wielded, after all.

It should have been obvious to everyone who had read the Old Testament that Christ’s Kingship would be very very different from the kingship that began in 1 Samuel 8, and in fact, it was obvious, but the politically-minded, unspiritual, power-hungry Jewish hierarchy suppressed this knowledge and eventually assassinated the Christmas Child. Because of this self-deception, the people of Jesus’ day did not understand how kingship could be exercised without resorting to intimidation, violence, and coercion, and it was necessary to repeat continually that this Jesus, born of a peasant virgin, was indeed the Christ, the Son of David, the Promised King (Matthew 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30-32; 21:9,15; Matthew 22:42-45 + Mark 12:35-37; Mark 10:47-48; 11:10; Luke 1:32,69; 18:38-39; 20:41-47; John 7:41-42; Acts 13:23; 15:15-16; Romans 1:3-4; 2 Timothy 2:8; Hebrews 12:2; Revelation 3:7; 5:5; 22:16).

Christ’s accession to the Davidic throne is at the heart of the Christmas message, and was at the heart of Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost. When David prophesied of the coming King Who would sit on his throne, he had in mind the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ to the heavenly throne, which is called “the right hand of power” (Mark 14:62), and not to any finite, earthly throne in Jerusalem –– or in Washington D.C. As Peter explained:

Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; he seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ. . . . This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself,
“The LORD said unto my Lord,
sit thou on my right hand
until I make thy foes thy footstool.”
Therefore, let all the House of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Acts 2:29-36

The writers of the New Testament wanted to make sure it was clear to their readers that Jesus was the Christ foretold by the Old Testament prophets.

That the Messiah now sits at the right hand of God (the position of True Power and Might) is claimed of Jesus again and again in the New Testament (Matthew 26:64; Mark 16:19; Luke 22:69; Acts 7:55-56; Romans 8:34; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3-13; 8:1; 10:22; 12:2). This is clearly the fulfillment of Psalm 110, and is said to be so in Peter’s sermon on Pentecost.
The very term “Christ” means “Anointed King,” and for His co-conspirators to claim that Jesus was the Christ was a dangerous political act (Acts 17:7). Can any true Christian claim that Jesus is not the Christ, the Anointed King?

“But what about Osama and the commies?” you ask, still unconvinced. “Isn’t the ‘millennial reign of Christ’ a time without troubles, responsibilities, challenges, or enemies of any kind?”

We’ll look at that question on the 4th day of "The 12 Days of Liberty." We’ll also look at these other themes from Zechariah's prophecy:
• "His Holy Covenant to Abraham"
• "The Way of Peace"
• “Serving in Holiness and Righteousness.”
We'll see that Christmas means working today for a global libertarianism.

 

Wait a minute . . . isn't that supposed to be "calling birds?" I'd better stick to the program -- "The 12 Days of Liberty: How Christmas brought Liberty to the Modern World." We're on Day 4.

We’ve been learning that the meaning of “salvation” in the Christmas story means more than "going to heaven when you die." Jesus’ name comes from the Hebrew word for “salvation,” yasha, as the angel announced:

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins.
Matthew 1:21

Scholars give us this definition of the Hebrew word for "salvation":

Yasha and its derivatives are used 353 times. The root meaning . . . is “make wide” or make sufficient: this root is in contrast to sarar, “narrow,” which means “be restricted” or “cause distress.” To move from distress to safety requires deliverance. [T]he majority of references to salvation speak of Yahweh granting deliverance from real enemies and out of real catastrophes. That which is wide connotes freedom from distress and the ability to pursue one’s own objectives. Thus salvation is not merely a momentary victory on the battlefield; it is also the safety and security necessary to maintain life unafraid of numerous dangers.
John E. Hartley, “yasha,” Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Vol 1, pp. 414-15

Yesterday we started looking at the prophecy of John the Baptist’s father, Zacharias, in Luke 1, who was filled with the Holy Spirit after John was born, and prophesied, saying:

68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people,
69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His servant David,
70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
Who have been since the world began,
71 That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
74 To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

We’re looking at several themes in Zechariah’s prophecy. We looked at the first two yesterday:
• The House of David
• His Holy Prophets
Today we’ll continue with:
• Saved from our Enemies
• His Holy Covenant to Abraham
In coming days we'll get to:
• Serving in Holiness and Righteousness
• The Way of Peace

“Saved from our Enemies”
Zecharias’ prophecy is a major stumbling block for many Christians. It seems like Jesus the Messiah did not do what Zecharias (and other Old Testament prophets) said the Messiah would do. Certainly the unbelieving Jews of Jesus’ day would agree that Jesus failed as a Messiah.

 

It seems very likely that Zecharias, like most Jews of his day, considered the Roman occupation forces to be the “enemies” of Israel. Zecharias seems to be prophesying an end to the Roman occupation. He says one of the effects of Christmas––the birth of the Messiah––is

That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,
To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
Luke 1:71,74

The idea of Israelites not being under foreign occupation goes back hundreds of years, to previous occupations, and is a major theme of the Old Testament, beginning at least back in Deuteronomy 28. Not just a “major theme,” it is at the heart of the Biblical word for “salvation,” as we have seen.

Let’s look at some of the references to “salvation” (yasha) as “being delivered from enemies”:

Numbers 10:9
“When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.

Deuteronomy 20:4
for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’

Deuteronomy 33:29
Happy are you, O Israel!
Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord,
The shield of your help
And the sword of your majesty!
Your enemies shall submit to you,
And you shall tread down their high places.”

Judges 2:16,18
Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.
And when the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed them and harassed them.

1 Samuel 2:1
And Hannah prayed and said:
”My heart rejoices in the Lord;
My horn is exalted in the Lord.
I smile at my enemies,
Because I rejoice in Your salvation.

1 Samuel 4:3
And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies.”

1 Samuel 25:26
Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, since the Lord has held you back from coming to bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now then, let your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be as Nabal.

2 Samuel 3:18
Now then, do it! For the Lord has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David, I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and the hand of all their enemies.’”

2 Samuel 22:4
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.

Psalm 3:7
Arise, O Lord;
Save me, O my God!
For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;
You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.

Psalm 18:3
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.

Psalm 106:10
He saved them from the hand of him who hated them,
And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

Psalm 138:7
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.

Being "saved from our enemies" is surely a part of the salvation (yasha) that Jesus (yeshua) was to bring.

But Jesus told Zecharias’ countrymen to love their Roman enemies.
This was a stunning shift in thinking.
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addressed this thinking head on:

38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: 41 If a Roman soldier forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two miles.[1]
43 You have heard people say, “Love your neighbors and hate your enemies.” 44 But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. 45 Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. 46 If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for that? Even tax collectors [2] love their friends. 47 If you greet only your friends, what’s so great about that? Don’t even unbelievers do that? 48 But you must always act like your Father in heaven.
Notes:
[1] Under Roman occupation law, a Roman soldier had the right to force an Israelite to carry the soldier's military pack as far as one mile.
[2] These were usually Jewish people who paid the Romans for the right to collect taxes. These "tax farmers" were hated by other Jews who thought of them as traitors to their country and to their religion. See chap. 7 in TREASURE AND DOMINION: An Economic Commentary on Luke by Gary North.

These were shocking statements to Jews in Roman-occupied Palestine. Rome’s military occupation of Israel was constantly in the minds of that generation. Loving these enemies rather than seeking vengeance against them was a big leap. Statements like this dashed the hopes of many disciples that Jesus might be the Messianic King (John 6:66).

But there was an even greater shift in Jesus’ teaching as He approached the hour of His execution: Zecharias’ countrymen -- not the Romans oppressors -- became the “enemies” and Jesus said their enemies would triumph over them! This was in fact part of the Old Covenant which wasn’t emphasized as much as the good part about being "saved from our enemies." But it was there all along: Israel would not be saved from her enemies:

Deuteronomy 28
15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
29 And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.
31 Your ox shall be slaughtered before your eyes, but you shall not eat of it; your donkey shall be violently taken away from before you, and shall not be restored to you; your sheep shall be given to your enemies, and you shall have no one to rescue (yasha) them.
45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:
52 And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the Lord thy God hath given thee.
53 And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the Lord thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee:[3]
[3] The Jewish historian Josephus records that during the 42-month siege by the Romans, some Israelites, cut off from trade, resorted to cannibalism before they were destroyed. (Wars, 6.3.4)

Jesus said that these prophecies were going to be fulfilled against “this generation”:

Matthew 23
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

Luke 19:41-44
41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city [Jerusalem] and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Jesus was prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem when Roman armies put the city under a siege that would take place shortly before the year A.D. 70.

Luke 21
20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Revelation 11:1-2
1 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. 2 But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.

These are the months from A.D. 67-70, when Israel was destroyed by Roman armies (see Matthew 24, Luke 21, Mark 13).

So what about Zecharias’ prophecy? What happened to the angels' announcement to the shepherds: "Peace on Earth"? Why is it Israel was not saved from her enemies? All of this is a far cry from the salvation that Yeshua the Messiah was supposed to bring.

Here’s another incredible shift: Not only would Israel not be saved from her enemies, Israel herself became the “enemies.” Israel rejected her Messiah, and became the real enemy of the faithful. In numerous parables and sermons, Jesus indicted faithless Israel:

Luke 19
11 Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. 12 Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’ 14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’
24 “And he said to those who stood by, 26 ‘I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 27 But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.’”

Matthew 21
33 “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35 And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”
41 They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
’The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the LORD’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.

True Israel, it turns out, was the remnant that believed in Jesus as the Messiah. And soon this remnant would grow to include believing Gentiles who would be grafted into True Israel, while unbelieving Israel would be cut off as the enemies of God:

Romans 11:28
Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.

Matthew 10:36
and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’

Philippians 3:18
For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

Jesus created a New Israel, suitable for a New Covenant:

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Galatians 6:15
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.

Ephesians 2:15
having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,

1 Corinthians 5:7
Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

Galatians 6:16
And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

Romans 9:6,8
But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

So believers in Jesus, both Jew and Gentile, are the New Israel, under the New Covenant.

You’re still asking, “So who are the enemies of the New Israel, and how does Jesus save us from our enemies? When's armageddon when all the bad guys get fried?”

Before answering this question, let’s look at this idea of the old and new Israel.

Zecharias said that one of the reasons Jesus came that first Christmas was so

71 That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to
our father Abraham:
74 To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,

We need to learn more about

His Holy Covenant to Abraham
The Scofield Bible says that God’s promise to Abraham was “unconditional,” and no matter how evil unbelieving Israel became, even if they murder their own Messiah, they would still be entitled to be saved from their enemies and possess the land of Palestine. This is why the formation of Israel in 1948 by Great Britain and “The Anglo-American Establishment" is important to Scofield and his theological descendants.

 

Jesus and the prophets disagree with Scofield, and Israel was repeatedly warned that if Israel did not repent, they would be “cut off” and dispossessed of the land. Matthew 23-24 is a terrifying indictment of unbelieving Israel.

The old Israel under the Old Covenant was a failure.

Hebrews 8:8
Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel” (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

The salvation promised to Abraham, like all of God’s promises, beginning in the Garden of Eden, was conditioned on Israel's obedience to God. God’s promise to Abraham died, as it were, with old faithless Israel, and was resurrected in the New Covenant with a New Israel. The perfect obedience of Christ is imputed (credited) to the accounts of those who believe in Him, and they become the true spiritual descendants of Abraham, the true Israel.

Galatians 3:7
Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.

Galatians 3:9
So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

Galatians 3:14
. . . that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Galatians 3:28-29
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. {29} And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 4:28
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.

Romans 4:13
Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.

Romans 9:8
That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

1 Peter 1:23
having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,

Galatians 6:16
And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

The promise to the New Israel is not just the land between the Tigris and Euphrates, but the entire planet:

Psalm 2:8
Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. (Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5; Hebrews 5:5)

Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Acts 1:8
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Romans 4:16
For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

 

There are some Christians, believing the “dispensational” truths of the Scofield Bible, who say that Gentiles are not a part of the New Covenant. That covenant is reserved for the genetic descendants of Abraham only, and the New Covenant with Israel will not come into effect until a future restoration of genetic Abrahamites into the land of Palestine.

If you believe the Christmas Child is the promised Messiah, then you are a part of the New Covenant spoken of in the Bible, and you have no need to wait for a restoration of unbelieving Israelites to a plot of land in the Middle East. Christians are the seed of Abraham, and our inheritance is the entire world.

The question now is, how do we, the True Israel, take possession of the entire world? And further, why do we still have "enemies" to contend with?

We’ll answer those questions in more detail tomorrow. (We're only on Day 4!) But think about what we've already seen. The Jews alive at the first Christmas focused on the Roman occupation of Palestine. They wanted to be delivered from these enemies by a Messiah riding on a white horse who would blast all the Romans and give Israel control of the land. But being delivered from enemies is a by-product of submission to God's Commandments. And the promise of "salvation" is not just deliverance from temporary enemies. It's broader and more long term. Remember the definition of "salvation" includes these ideas:

That which is wide connotes freedom from distress and the ability to pursue one’s own objectives. Thus salvation is not merely a momentary victory on the battlefield; it is also the safety and security necessary to maintain life unafraid of numerous dangers.

When the angel announced the message of Christmas:

“Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
Luke 2:14

much more was intended than a momentary respite from Roman oppression. The idea -- as we'll see over the next 8 days -- is an enduring libertarian civilization.

 

 

On the Fifth Day of Christmas we continue to look at the connections between Christmas and Liberty. We're focusing on the prophecy of Zecharias made at the birth of John the Baptist, who heralded the coming of the Messiah. That prophecy is found here. The name "Jesus" comes from the Hebrew word yasha, which means much more than "going to heaven when I die." We started exploring some of the depth of the concept on the Second Day of Christmas.

We’ve looked at the first several themes in Zechariah’s prophecy.

 

• The House of David
• His Holy Prophets
• Saved from our Enemies
• His Holy Covenant to Abraham

We’re trying to understand exactly how Jesus is the Messiah prophesied by the Old Testament prophets and by Zacharias. Jesus certainly did not meet the expectations of many Jews in his day. They expected a conquering emperor who would overthrow the occupation forces of the Roman Empire, and leave Israel standing safely as an independent nation. Instead, Jesus said the Jews themselves were the enemies of God’s Kingdom, and that the Roman army would destroy Israel in judgment. This was definitely not what Israel expected on that first Christmas morning!

So were the prophets wrong, or was Israel mistaken in their expectations? Zacharias and the Old Testament prophets were not wrong to say that Christmas would mean that God’s people would be

• Delivered from our enemies
• Serving in Holiness and Righteousness
• Liberated from sin
• Guided in the Way of Peace

Consider this claim: If Zacharias, Joseph, and Mary, were to join you right now, where you are, and if you were to describe the progress of Christianity throughout the world, and compare our world today with the world under the Roman Caesars, Zacharias and all believing Jews of the first century would say that all the promises of Christmas have come to pass. Nobody alive on the first Christmas could have imagined the addition of 6 billion people to the planet without causing widespread violence, war, chaos, and conflict as all these people attempted to survive on what was being produced in the world when B.C. became A.D.

The influence of Christianity and the way of peace now pervades the globe, with hundreds of millions of people claiming to be Christians. The loaf has been leavened, and is still rising.

A History of Force by James L. Payne shows how a greater percentage of human beings died a violent death before the birth of Christ than after. Other writers have noted the same thing.

When Mary gave birth to Jesus, every third baby died before reaching age five. Today less than one out of a hundred does not reach that age. Up until the century in which the Westminster Confession was written, the vast majority of all human beings lived on less than one dollar a day. Today, in countries where the governments acknowledge themselves to be “under God,” hundreds of millions of people live without fear of foreign invasion.

A typical concern of people living in Christian nations today –– who would passionately deny any claim that Christ will bring "peace on earth" in this age, before His second coming –– is something like, “Will I have enough money to make the mortgage payment on my 3 bedroom home with central climate control that heats my home without my having to chop wood and appliances that cook my food in just a few minutes and also make the payments on an automobile that can transport me and a week’s worth of food 50 miles in just one hour, instead of one whole day?” This kind of “financial precarity” is called a “crisis.” Earlier generations would love to face such a “crisis.”

The range of “problems” we have today would utterly astonish every human being alive at the first Christmas––even the most wealthy handful of individuals on the entire planet at that time would find the level of wealth enjoyed by average citizens today to be breathtaking.

Jesus’ command to “go with him a second mile” is almost meaningless in our day, as we are not under military occupation by ruthless thugs who serve a totalitarian Caesar. Before Christ most human beings were conquered.

America is the most powerful nation on earth. That means 300 million Americans are the most powerful people on earth. At least 200 million out of 300 million Americans claim to be Christian, and they have the power to end most wars that still exist today.

And yet most of us worry incessantly about our material standard of living, forgetting that Zacharias’ concern was that God would

grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
Luke 1:74-75

Serving in Holiness and Righteousness
We have a tremendous opportunity to serve the Lord without fear. Do we take effective advantage of these opportunities?

It is in fact the presence of those who are salt and light in a culture that raises the standard of living in that culture. They continually remind us all of the higher standard that God holds us to. Not everyone wants to actually live in Calcutta with the poor like Mother Teresa, but the presence of people who are more committed to serving God has a way of tempering the temptation to use fraud or violence against our neighbor to get what we want. When we come in contact with people who remind us of God’s standard of holiness and righteousness, we pause. “Oh yeah,” we say; “I better not do that.” This is how, historically and culturally, we are delivered from our enemies: they see the prosperity that exists in Christian nations and they pretend to be Christian. Notice these verses from Young’s Literal Translation, with King David reflecting on his influence over unbelievers:

2 Samuel 22:45
Sons of a stranger feign obedience to me,
At the hearing of the ear they hearken to me.

Psalm 18:44
At the hearing of the ear they hearken to me,
Sons of a stranger feign obedience to me,

Psalm 66:3
Say to God, `How fearful [are] Thy works,
By the abundance of Thy strength,
Thine enemies feign obedience to Thee.

Psalm 81:15
Those hating Jehovah feign obedience to Him,
But their time is –– to the age.

Deuteronomy 33:29
O thy happiness, O Israel! who is like thee?
A people saved by Jehovah,
The shield of thy help,
And He who [is] the sword of thine excellency:
And thine enemies are subdued for thee,
And thou on their high places dost tread.’

Proverbs 14:19
The evil have bowed down before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

This was in the Old Testament, before the Advent of the Messiah.
Atheists cower, not Christians. Compared with those who are truly converted,
however, these cowards will be a minority,[2] for genuine conversion is the Lord’s will[3] and His will shall be done.[4]
[2] Revelation 7:9; Matthew 8:11; Zephaniah 3:9; Acts 14:27; 15:9; Romans 11:12,25; 15:12; Ephesians 3:6; Matthew 13:32
[3] Psalm 17:1; 1 Timothy 1:5; 2:5
[4] Matthew 6:10; Isaiah 44:21-28; Malachi 1:11; Mark 10:42-45; Matthew 9:9-13.

This is why our goal is to serve God by observing His commandments, the standard of holiness and righteousness. It is by following in Christ’s footsteps that we fulfill the terms of the Covenant, and God brings peace.

Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Remission of Sins
Who are our “enemies?” How can we best be delivered from them?

 

“Enemies” are those who do not serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness. “Enemies” are those who are willing to use violence against us to get what they want. They are willing to steal and kill to advance their agenda. “Enemies” are socialists of every stripe.

On a deeper level, our enemies are our enemies because they are the enemies of God.

John 7:7
The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.

John 15:18
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.

1 John 3:13
Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.

If we reflect the Image of God, or are more and more achieving “the stature of Christ,” (Eph. 4:13), those who hate Christ will hate us.

But those who hate Christ hate everybody, not just Christians. Here’s why.

True peace in the deepest, spiritual sense, eternal peace, it should go without saying, is only a result of the justification which Christ secured on the Cross. Ultimately, horizontal peace between men can be built only on the vertical peace we must have with God.

Colossians 1:20-22
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. {21} And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled {22} In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Those who do not have peace with God attempt to create peace in two ways:

• masochism, or self-atonement, punishing oneself for one’s sins, or
• sadism, trying to punish others to bring about a sense of atonement.

If everyone makes his neighbor a scapegoat for his own sins or for sin in general, you do not have a cooperative society. See the studies in R.J. Rushdoony, Politics of Guilt and Pity. The opening paragraph sums up a volume with many profound insights:

The fact of guilt is one of the major realities of man’s existence. Both personally and socially, it is a vast drain on human energies and a mainspring of human action.
The human race, in apostasy from God, is deeply involved in a rebellious claim to autonomy and in the guilt which follows that claim. As a result of this omnipresent sense of guilt, there is an omnipresent demand for justification. A sense of guilt leaves a man feeling like a leaky, sinking ship: the energies must all be resolved to the repair of that breach.

Social and cultural peace, harmony, and cooperation are rooted in (1) justification by imputed righteousness (2) the influence of God’s Law. Very few historical or sociological studies have been done to show the connection between evangelism and capitalism, between justification and social harmony. A Christian should have no doubt that capitalism arose in societies that had already dealt with the sin question: countries influenced by the Protestant Reformation and the Protestant Work Ethic. This question is not studied because of the myth of the “separation of church and state.” Modern scholarship wants to obliterate from the collective memory the fact that Western Civilization is Christian Civilization, and America in particular was a distinctly Christian nation. Let’s remind ourselves of this again with a paragraph from the Journals of the Continental Congress ––Saturday, November 1, 1777, pulled out at random from the website of the Library of Congress by searching for “Jesus Christ.”

The committee appointed to prepare a recommendation to these states, to set apart a day of thanksgiving, brought in a report; which was agreed to as follows:

Forasmuch as it is the indispensable duty of all men to adore the superintending providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with gratitude their obligation to him for benefits received, and to implore such farther blessings as they stand in need of; and it having pleased him in his abundant mercy not only to continue to us the innumerable bounties of his common providence, but also to smile upon us in the prosecution of a just and necessary war, for the defence and establishment of our unalienable rights and liberties; particularly in that he hath been pleased in so great a measure to prosper the means used for the support of our troops and to crown our arms with most signal success: It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive powers of these United States, to set apart Thursday, the eighteenth day of December next, for solemn thanksgiving and praise; that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts, and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor; and that together with their sincere acknowledgments and offerings, they may join the penitent confession of their manifold sins, whereby they had forfeited every favour, and their humble and earnest supplication that it may please God, through the merits of Jesus Christ, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of remembrance; that it may please him graciously to afford his blessing on the governments of these states respectively, and prosper the public council of the whole; to inspire our commanders both by land and sea, and all under them, with that wisdom and fortitude which may render them fit instruments, under the providence of Almighty God, to secure for these United States the greatest of all human blessings, independence and peace; that it may please him to prosper the trade and manufactures of the people and the labour of the husbandman, that our land may yet yield its increase; to take schools and seminaries of education, so necessary for cultivating the principles of true liberty, virtue and piety, under his nurturing hand, and to prosper the means of religion for the promotion and enlargement of that kingdom which consisteth “in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” [Romans 14:17]

And it is further recommended, that servile labour, and such recreation as, though at other times innocent, may be unbecoming the purpose of this appointment, be omitted on so solemn an occasion.

Societies that lack this Christian perspective tend toward socialism, because they do not believe that Christ is our Deliverer, who brings comprehensive salvation. All of the promises made in the opening chapters of the Gospels on that first Christmas are promises of peace and freedom from violence and theft and are rooted in justification through Christ.

The transition from military socialism under Caesar to “Liberty Under God” (capitalism) is summarized in a verse from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians:

Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. (Ephesians 4:28)

It is not the way of vengeance and “military supremacy” that brings salvation from our enemies. It is the “Way of Peace” that Zacharias spoke of.

The Way of Peace
“Peace” is not a popular word in some circles today. To say you’re for “peace” is to risk being branded as a “hippie” or an impractical “pacifist.”

One of the most important issues we face today is the conflict between the Prince of Peace and “prophets” of Jihad. Christian capitalist nations are peaceful, Jihadist nations are arming for war. (Atheistic nations are socialist, and are selling arms to Islamic nations to raise the money needed to keep up with Christian capitalist nations.)

We need to saturate our minds with the Biblical imperative of peace. We need to become Biblical “peaceniks.” We live in a world where billions of dollars’ worth of arms trade hands every single day. That’s “billion” with a “B.” That’s every single day. There are two reasons for this (beyond the obvious fact that people aren’t reconciled to God). First, we don’t fully appreciate capitalism as “the way of peace.” We think socialism is OK to some degree. Second, we poo-poo peace as “unrealistic,” “impractical,” or “idealistic.” Nothing could more clearly prove how “impractical” and “unworkable” peace is than the figure of Jesus Christ. Unwilling to allow His disciples to exercise their Second Amendment rights (Matthew 26:52), He died on the Cross at a very young age, just as He was beginning to have some impact on society. What a waste.

We need to get all traces of that kind of thinking out of our minds. The New Testament tells us we are to follow in Christ’s steps (1 Peter 2:21). We can’t do that confidently if we think the world is right, that arms trades are right, and that peace is just a fantasy.

We do well to read a few verses on PEACE. The angels announced the ideal of “Peace on Earth” as the message of Christmas (Luke 2:14). We need to get used to it. We need to be willing to walk on “the path of peace,” as Zecharias prophesied. The paths of “peace” are the paths of “justice.” These verses create an unbridgeable gap between Christianity and false religions, and between Christianity and the religion of Secular Humanism (socialism).

Psalm 85:10-13
10 Mercy and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed.
11 Truth shall spring out of the earth,
And righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good;
And our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before Him,
And shall make His footsteps our pathway.

Proverbs 3:17
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.

Proverbs 8:20
20 I traverse the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,

Isaiah 48:17-18
17 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
The Holy One of Israel:
“ I am the Lord your God,
Who teaches you to profit,
Who leads you by the way you should go.
18 Oh, that you had heeded My commandments!
Then your peace would have been like a river,
And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

Isaiah 48:22
22 “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”

Isaiah 57:19-21
19 “I create the fruit of the lips:
Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,”
Says the Lord,
“And I will heal him.”
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea,
When it cannot rest,
Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 “There is no peace,”
Says my God, “for the wicked.”

Isaiah 59:8
8 The way of peace they have not known,
And there is no justice in their ways;
They have made themselves crooked paths;
Whoever takes that way shall not know peace. quoted Romans 3:17

Jeremiah 6:16
16 Thus says the Lord:
“Stand in the ways and see,
And ask for the old paths, where the good way is,
And walk in it;
Then you will find rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Luke 6:27-28
But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, {28} Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

Luke 1:77-79
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, {78} Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, {79} To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Luke 2:14
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Hebrews 12:14
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

1 Peter 3:9
Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called––that you might inherit a blessing.

1 Peter 2:21-23
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: {22} Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: {23} Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously:

Romans 12:17-20
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. {18} If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. {19} Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. {20} Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink:

Psalm 34:14
Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

Psalm 35:20
For they do not speak peace, but they conceive deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.

Psalm 37:11
But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

Psalm 37:37
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

Psalm 72:7
In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.

Psalm 85:10
Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Psalm 119:165
Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

Psalm 120:2-7
Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.{5} Woe is me, {6} My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. {7} I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.

Psalm 122:6-8
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. {7} peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. {8} For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, peace be within thee.

Proverbs 3:17
The ways of Wisdom are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

Proverbs 12:20
Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.

Proverbs 16:7
When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Isaiah 9:6-7
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of peace. {7} Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Isaiah 26:12
O Lord, you will ordain peace for us, for indeed, all that we have done, you have done for us.

Isaiah 32:17-18
And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. {18} And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;

Isaiah 48:22
There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.

Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

Isaiah 54:13
And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord;
and great shall be the peace of thy children.

Isaiah 55:12
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Ephesians 2:14-17
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; {15} Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; {16} And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: {17} And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

Isaiah 59:8
The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

Isaiah 60:17
For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.

Isaiah 66:12
For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.

Ezekiel 34:25
And I will make with them a covenant of peace

Ezekiel 37:26
Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.

Daniel 4:1
Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; peace be multiplied unto you.

Daniel 6:25
Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; peace be multiplied unto you.

Nahum 1:15
Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace!
O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.

Haggai 2:9
The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord
of hosts.

Zechariah 6:13
Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

Zechariah 8:16
These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:

Zechariah 8:19
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.

Zechariah 9:10
And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

Malachi 2:5-6
My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. {6} The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.

Malachi 2:6
The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.

Romans 1:7
To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 2:10
But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

Romans 3:10-18
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: {11} There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. {12} They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. {13} Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: {14} Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: {15} Their feet are swift to shed blood: {16} Destruction and misery are in their ways: {17} And the way of peace have they not known: {18} There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Romans 8:6
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Romans 10:15
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Romans 14:17-19
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. {18} For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. {19} Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Romans 15:33
Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Romans 16:20
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

1 Corinthians 1:3
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 14:33
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

2 Corinthians 1:2
Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: {4} (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) {5} Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind,live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Galatians 1:3
Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Galatians 6:16
And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

Ephesians 1:2
Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 4:3
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 6:15
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Ephesians 6:23
peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:2
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:9
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Colossians 1:2
To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:20
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Colossians 3:15
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

1 Thessalonians 1:1
Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:23
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:2
Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 3:16
Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

1 Timothy 1:2
Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Timothy 2:2
For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

2 Timothy 1:2
To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Timothy 2:22
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Titus 1:4
To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Philemon 1:3
Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

James 3:17-18
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. {18} And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Hebrews 13:20
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

1 Peter 1:2
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

1 Peter 3:11
Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

1 Peter 5:14
Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

2 Peter 1:2
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

2 Peter 3:14
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

2 John 1:3
Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

3 John 1:14
But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

Jude 1:2
Mercy unto you, and peace and love, be multiplied.

Revelation 1:4
John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

What would the world think of us if we were more like the Bible in our thirst for peace?

The way of peace is the way of God’s Commandments. If we are unwilling to steal, even by majority vote, and unwilling to kill, even if ordered to by “the government,” we will be closer to the way of peace than most of the world.

It is the way of peace, not the way of vengeance or military occupation that has created the unimaginably high standard of living we enjoy today.

Capitalism is the way of peace.

That statement strikes most people as rather odd. Such people are not able to defend the peace and prosperity which has marked the shift from B.C. to A.D. People who don’t understand that Capitalism is the way of peace tend to often to be recruited by the forces of war, violence, vengeance and military coercion. They become the “enemies” from which Christ came to save us, according to Zacharias’ prophecy.

But horizontal peace, social peace, is not magically brought to us on a silver platter, poof!, there it is. This was the expectation of the religious leaders of Jesus' day, and the "rapture"-oriented televangelists of our day. The Bible says peace comes about after generations of evangelism and education in the “way of peace.” It comes about only when there are people who are continually raising the bar, bringing light into the darkness.

Tomorrow we will find out why capitalism is the way of peace.

 

 

We're halfway through "The 12 Days of Liberty." We could have called it "The 12 Days of Capitalism." Today we'll explain why capitalism is the path of peace, and why the angel announced to the shepherds, “Peace on Earth, Goodwill Toward Capitalists.”

When people think of a “capitalist” they think of an unethical, rich exploiter of others. But if the opposite of a “capitalist” is a “socialist,” then a Christian must be a “capitalist,” because a Christian cannot be a socialist. (See 1 Corinthians 6:10 – “thieves,” and “extortioners” “cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.”)

Let’s run through Zacharias’ prophecy in Luke 1 one more time (I don’t see how anyone can read this prophecy too many times!). After John the Baptist was born,

⁶⁷ his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
⁶⁸ “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people,
⁶⁹ And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His servant David,

We saw that the New Testament repeatedly claims that Jesus is this "horn of salvation," resurrected into the throne of David (Acts 2:29-36)

⁷⁰ As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
Who have been since the world began,
⁷¹ That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,

We saw that the reference here (“enemies”) was not only to the occupation forces of the Roman Empire (which was historically supplanted by Christendom), but––to the surprise of the Jews who put Jesus to death––those Jews themselves, who became the enemies of those with the faith of Abraham.

⁷² To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
⁷³ The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:

Even before apostate Israel was destroyed in A.D. 70, the New Testament writers made clear that it was the Body of Christ, the “new man” created out of believing Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 2) who were the rightful heirs of the promises made “to Abraham and his seed.”

⁷⁴ To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,

Again, it turns out that the final reference here is to Christ’s enemies, those who murdered Him and persecuted His Church. The two references to “enemies” should not be interpreted the way the religious leaders of Jesus' day smugly interpreted them (destruction/suppression of non-Jews).

There is a much bigger picture here and throughout Scripture, and we’ll look at it today.

⁷⁵ In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
⁷⁶ “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
⁷⁷ To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
⁷⁸ Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
⁷⁹ To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

We’ve been looking at the meaning of “salvation” in the Christmas narratives. Jesus’ name comes from the Hebrew word for “salvation,” yasha. We looked at a scholarly definition of the Hebrew word for salvation and compared it with the more popular definition of "I go to heaven when I die":

Yasha and its derivatives are used 353 times. The root meaning . . . is “make wide” or make sufficient: this root is in contrast to sarar, “narrow,” which means “be restricted” or “cause distress.” To move from distress to safety requires deliverance. [T]he majority of references to salvation speak of Yahweh granting deliverance from real enemies and outof real catastrophes. That which is wide connotes freedom from distress and the ability to pursue one’s own objectives. Thus salvation is not merely a momentary victory on the battlefield; it is also the safety and security necessary to maintain life unafraid of numerous dangers.
John E. Hartley, “yasha,” Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Vol 1, pp. 414-15

The Biblical definition of “salvation” is much bigger than that of the televangelists. Perhaps you’ve noticed that in the Christmas narratives (the first 2 chapters of Matthew and Luke) there is almost no mention whatsoever about "justification by faith" and going to heaven after death. The narratives are almost entirely political. And there is no indication that the political language of Christmas was meant to be interpreted “figuratively” or metaphorically. “Salvation” in the Christmas story (and as expounded in the New Testament history of the early church) turns out mainly to be salvation from those who persecuted the Christians. Zacharias’ son John the Baptist began his ministry with that theme:

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath about to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3)

The fiery “wrath about to come” came in A.D. 70 when Jerusalem was burned to the ground. But as Prof. Hartley notes in the definition of yasha above,

salvation is not merely a momentary victory on the battlefield; it is also the safety and security necessary to maintain life unafraid of numerous dangers.

In the Bible, Salvation is thus social and cultural more than individual. It is in fact global. It is not just “momentary victory,” but long-term stability. This point is often grasped, but not accurately. There are many passages in the New Testament which describe a momentary deliverance from persecution, but which are inaccurately placed in the category of long-term salvation in the afterlife, while many verses (particularly in the Old Testament) which do speak of long-term salvation (in this life) are ignored.

Let’s look at some more evidence that the first-century Christians experienced momentary deliverance from the tribulations and persecutions inflicted on her by her enemies. Paul reminded the Thessalonians:

14 For ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus: for ye also suffered the same things of your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews; 15 who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove out us, and pleased not God, and are contrary to all men; 16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always: but the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. (1 Thessalonians 2, referring to Jesus’ indictment in Matthew 23:31-32: Wherefore ye witness to yourselves, that ye are sons of them that slew the prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers!)

Paul sent Timothy to Thessolonica,

our brother and God’s minister in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith; 3 that no man be moved by these afflictions; for yourselves know that hereunto we are appointed. 4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

Paul had told the Thessalonians about the persecution and tribulation that was about to come, and it was already coming to pass. In his next letter, Paul promised them deliverance from their enemies:

we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, 5 which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; 6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

 

“That Day” is the Day spoken of by Malachi (3-4), which spoke of and was inaugurated by John the Baptist, and was happening just as Jesus said it would: in their lifetime:

27 For the Son of Man is about to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 28 Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” (Matthew 16)

This was a momentary deliverance promised to those who were then suffering, not a promise for the yet unborn thousands of years later, a promise which would have been no comfort to those who were then suffering.

The enemies of the Church were identified––as they had always been––as “wolves”:

Ezekiel 22:27
Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain.

Zephaniah 3:3
Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; Her judges are evening wolves That leave not a bone till morning.

Matthew 7:15
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

Matthew 10:16
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

Luke 10:3
Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.

Acts 20:29
For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

But the wolves were destroyed and the Church delivered from these enemies.

The New Testament emphasizes this momentary deliverance, but the rest of the Bible also speaks of a long-term cultural salvation, beginning in the Garden of Eden. “Capitalism,” the absence of the initiation of force, is the natural state of unfallen humanity. The Bible repeatedly states that the human ideal is to dwell “safely,” without fear of the initiation of force by others. This long-term salvation is “capitalism.” Long-term salvation is the state of being able to “exercise dominion over the earth” (Gen. 1:26-28) and “serve the Lord without fear in holiness and righteousness” (Luke 1:74-75).

Prof. Hartley’s definition of “salvation” above is pretty much the definition of “capitalism” as propounded by advocates of capitalism. Of course, opponents of capitalism define the word as something quite different.

The name “capitalism” was coined by Karl Marx, a Satanic opponent of long-term social salvation on Christ's terms. Capitalists have adopted Marx’s term as their own (without accepting Marx’s content, of course). One of the most comprehensive defenses of "capitalism" is George Reisman’s treatise on Capitalism. It is a huge book, but easy reading, and full of insights. (Reisman studied with Ayn Rand and Ludwig von Mises, and translated some of Mises’ works into English.)

Here is how capitalism is defined by the greatest defenders of capitalism:

This definition will surprise many who attack capitalism. Ask a critic of capitalism to define “capitalism” and the critic’s definition will not even be close to this definition. Most definitions in mainstream economics texts or encyclopedias are not only inconsistent with this definition, they are nearly incomprehensible. They usually have something to do with corporations using the power of the State to gain an advantage over consumers and workers which could not be obtained by persuasion alone. In her essay “What is Capitalism?” Ayn Rand dissects these definitions, notably the entry from the Encyclopedia Britannica, and shows how they are not only self-contradictory, but subtly designed to advance a socialist agenda. They are not “neutral” or “objective.” I do not know a single self-described defender of capitalism who would disagree with the definition above. In fact, most would agree it gets to the very heart and soul of the dispute between capitalism and socialism. For the benefit of those who doubt, I would be happy to supply the quotations and footnotes from the writings of self-conscious defenders of capitalism to buttress my claim. The quotes would be many and lengthy. I would quote Ayn Rand,[1] George Reisman, Milton Friedman,[2] Ludwig von Mises,[3] F.A. Hayek,[4] and many other defenders of capitalism.
[1] Ayn Rand, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, with additional articles by Nathaniel Branden, Alan Greenspan, and Robert Hessen, New York: Signet Books, 1967
[2] Milton Friedman, Capitalism and Freedom, University of Chicago Press, 1962. Friedman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1976.
[3] Ludwig von Mises, Human Action, Yale University Press, 1949. See also the Mises Institute, http://www.mises.org/
[4] Friedrich A. Hayek, The Constitution of Liberty, University of Chicago Press, 1960. Hayek was a student of Mises, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in economics in 1974.
As an example, the Libertarian Party, a Party formed by a group of pro-capitalists, and unquestionably the political party most vigorously committed to capitalism, requires its members to sign this pledge in order to join the party:

I do not believe in or advocate the initiation of force as a means of achieving political or social goals.

That is the full extent of the Libertarian Party membership pledge. It is widely viewed as the sine qua non of capitalism.[5] It is often referred to by defenders of capitalism as “the principle of non-aggression.”[6]
[5] “Sine qua non” is Latin for “without which not,” meaning here, according to defenders of capitalism, without this commitment to non-aggression, you do not have capitalism. Period.
[6] A google.com search for “capitalism” and “non-aggression” will bring up hundreds of relevant pages.

To live in a “capitalist” society is therefore to live in a state of being “saved from our enemies” (Luke 1:71) and

⁷⁴ that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,

“Enemies” (in this broader sense of “being placed in a wide open space”) are those who seek to violate God’s commandments against us. “Enemies” are those who seek to steal our property, our liberty, or our life.

We have seen this several times in our quotation of Micah 4, the promise of living safely under your “Vine & Fig Tree.” Keep Prof. Hartley's definition of long-term salvation in mind:

That which is wide connotes freedom from distress and the ability to pursue one’s own objectives. Thus salvation is not merely a momentary victory on the battlefield; it is also the safety and security necessary to maintain life unafraid of numerous dangers.

There’s more:

Leviticus 25:18-19 Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety. And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety.

Leviticus 26:5 And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.

Deuteronomy 12:10 But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety;

Deuteronomy 33:12 And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.

Deuteronomy 33:28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.

1 Samuel 12:11 And the Lord sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.

Job 11:18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

Psalm 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

Psalm 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

Psalm 78:53 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

Proverbs 1:33 But whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Proverbs 3:23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

Proverbs 3:29 Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.

Proverbs 10:9 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.

Isaiah 14:30 And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant.

Isaiah 32:17-18 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;

Jeremiah 23:6 In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His Name whereby He shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness.

Jeremiah 32:37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in Mine anger, and in My fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:

Jeremiah 33:16 In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness.

Ezekiel 28:26 And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the Lord their God.

Ezekiel 34:25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.

Ezekiel 34:27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.

Ezekiel 34:28 And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.

Ezekiel 38:8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.

Ezekiel 39:26 After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.

Hosea 2:18 And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.

Zechariah 14:11 And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.

The opposite of “salvation,” of dwelling “safely,” is living under socialism:

Ezekiel 12:19 And say to the people of the land, “Thus says the Lord God to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the land of Israel: ‘They shall eat their bread with anxiety, and drink their water with dread, so that her land may be emptied of all who are in it, because of the violence of all those who dwell in it.’”

The socialist, who rejects the core principle of capitalism––non-aggression–– says,

“I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates’— 12 to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land.” 13 Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, “Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?” Ezekiel 38:11-13

In order to establish a capitalist society, we must first desire a capitalist society. In order to be saved, we must want to be saved. Many people do not want holistic Biblical “salvation.” They prefer socialism. Most of us have been trained to prefer socialism, and most of us are ignorant about the very existence or possibility of a Biblical capitalist society.

“Socialism” used to be defined by economists of all stripes as “a command economy.” Economic decisions under socialism are not made voluntarily by free people, but by the commands of government, enforced by the police or military. The “free market” becomes “the black market,” and capitalists are sentenced to the Prison Camps. We don’t hear the phrase “command society” that often any more. Instead, we are being brainwashed. We are being held in darkness, deprived of the light, diverted away from the paths of peace (Luke 1:79). Here’s an example:

A website called “InvestorWords.com” defines “command economy” like this:

Not a bad definition.

Let’s see how “InvestorWords.com” defines “capitalism.” Let’s see if there is an appropriate emphasis on “non-aggression” or, in Biblical terms, "the way of peace." Let’s see if it says anything about a society where we have been delivered from those who would confiscate our property, our liberty or our life:

Even where the dry, academic language is accurate, this is a completely amoral definition. It is therefore unethical and unChristian. The conflict between socialism and capitalism is the biggest moral/social issue of our day, involving the theft of trillions, the liberty of billions and the murder of millions. A truly educational definition is evangelistic, in the sense that it leads us out of darkness and into the paths of peace. The definition above is dry and “neutral.” It does not fulfill its Godly responsibility. This is why nobody is energized and passionate about spreading “capitalism.”

Now let’s compare the dry, “neutral,” definition of capitalism with the evangelistic definition of “socialism”:

“Cooperation.” Isn’t that adorable.

This is pure socialist propaganda. The author is an evangelist for socialism (though he would never think of himself that way). If words like “Gestapo,” “Gulag,” “KGB,” and “prison camp” are your idea of “cooperation,” then this definition is perfectly accurate.

And the opposite of (socialist) "cooperation" is (capitalist) "competition," a misleading contrast. Under the non-aggression axiom of capitalism, the way of peace, "competition" means the freedom for me to shop at the store of my choice. "Competition" is rooted in peaceful, voluntary, persuasion. Socialist "cooperation" is forced at the barrel of a gun.
This definition is designed in a subtle way to encourage support for socialism, and the definition of “capitalism” has been stripped of anything that might encourage emotional support for capitalism. And this, in a nutshell, is America’s entire educational system, as well as the mainstream media (TV, magazines, radio, Hollywood, music, etc.).

 

To say “I am not a capitalist” is to say “I support the use of government violence to get what I want.”

It is capitalism, not socialism, that is consistent with the Christmas promise, “Peace on earth.” Ayn Rand writes:

The overwhelming majority of mankind – the people who die on the battlefields or starve and perish among the ruins – do not want war. They never wanted it. Yet wars have kept erupting throughout the centuries, like a long trail of blood underscoring mankind’s history.

Men are afraid that war might come because they know, consciously or subconsciously, that they have never rejected the doctrine which causes wars, which has caused the wars of the past and can do it again – the doctrine that it is right or practical or necessary for men to achieve their goals by means of physical force (by initiating the use of force against other men) and that some sort of “good” can justify it. It is the doctrine that force is a proper or unavoidable part of human existence and human societies.

Observe one of the ugliest characteristics of today’s world: the mixture of frantic war preparations with hysterical peace propaganda, and the fact that both come from the same source—from the same political philosophy. The bankrupt, yet still dominant, political philosophy of our age is statism.

Observe the nature of today’s alleged peace movements. Professing love and concern for the survival of mankind, they keep screaming that the nuclear-weapons race should be stopped, that armed force should be abolished as a means of settling disputes among nations, and that war should be outlawed in the name of humanity. Yet these same peace movements do not oppose dictatorships; the political views of their members range through all shades of the statist spectrum, from welfare statism to socialism and fascism to communism. This means that they are opposed to the use of coercion by one nation against another, but not by the government of a nation against its own citizens; it means that they are opposed to the use of force against armed adversaries, but not against the disarmed.

Consider the plunder, the destruction, the starvation, the brutality, the slave-labor camps, the torture chambers, the wholesale slaughter perpetrated by dictatorships. Yet this is what today’s alleged peace-lovers are willing to advocate or tolerate . . . .

Ayn Rand, “The Roots of War,” in Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, pp. 35-36

Capitalists are a force for life and peace; socialists are a force for slavery and violence. During the 20th century, on average, non-capitalist governments killed more than 10,000 people per day. [This does not include abortions. There are approximately 137,000 babies killed each and every day, worldwide.] War makes up only about a third of that total. The rest are killed by pogroms, gulags, “the rule of law,” etc.

The Welfare State is far more deadly than The Warfare State.

Recall the questions found in the New England Primer, a school text book that completely dominated American schools around the time the U.S. Constitution was ratified:

“What offices does Christ execute as our Redeemer?”

“How does Christ execute the office of a prophet?”

“How does Christ execute the office of a priest?”

“How does Christ execute the office of a king?”

Tomorrow:

How Christ executes the office of a King, and orchestrates

The Christmas Conspiracy for Global Capitalism.

 

 

On the Seventh Day of Christmas . . . let's consider a conflict of power.

Imagine the Republicans come to their collective sanity and nominate Ron Paul, who faces Hillary Clinton in November. The clash is between Republicans who want liberty, and Democrats who want dependence ("security"); between Americans who want peace and those who profit from war; between candidates like Ron Paul who really don't want to be President, and those like Hillary, who really, really do.

Now imagine that the U.S. Supreme Court declares Hillary to be the President, after a 2000-like election debacle.

Now imagine that all Americans who voted for Ron Paul refuse to acknowledge that Hillary is legally the President. Hillary gives the orders, but half the nation refuses to obey them (except conventional things like stopping for stop signs, even if the stop sign was personally installed by a relative of Hillary).

Hillary goes ballistic. She starts throwing things at cabinet members and Supreme Court justices, accusing them of not taking sufficient steps to protect her authority. Even Democrats are embarrassed, and her popularity plummets. Impeachment proceedings begin, but just like in her husband's case, the old-guard elite of the Republican Party comes to her defense and prevents her from being removed from office.

In 2009, an immensely popular rock star writes a book explaining why he (or she) is a libertarian. It becomes a huge best-seller. The rock star goes on tour, promoting the book and singing about the libertarian philosophy. A national sensation becomes a national phenomenon, and a political movement emerges. There is no doubt that this rock star is going to run against Hillary in 2012, and will probably win.

Hillary attempts to have the rock star assassinated. The attempt fails, and the rock star flees to China, where the growing libertarian movement shelters the prospective candidate from the Clinton machine. The time comes for the rock star to return to officially become a candidate. Travelling incognito, the exact airplane carrying the star is not disclosed. Hillary orders the Clinton machine to use surface-to-air missiles to take out every plane arriving at U.S. airports from the far East, blaming "terrroists" for the attacks. Dozens of planes are downed, killing thousands of innocent people.

Sound crazy? It's insane.

But so are many emperors.

King Herod was insane at that first Christmas, when he ordered all infant boys Jesus' age to be killed. The insane acts of politicians should never surprise us.

Because politicians are really quite logical:

Herod's goal was to retain power.
Jesus threatened Herod's power.
Jesus must die.
Q.E.D.

Jesus is the only legitimate King. "Christ" is a title, not a name. "Jesus Christ" is not like "John Smith." "Christ Jesus" means "King Jesus."

Politicians (if logical) will kill Christians (if consistent) for this belief.

There have always been theologians who say that Christians are no threat to any government. Unfortunately, they have too often been correct.

But Christians should "threaten" power not with violence, but with conversion. When people "convert" from one king to another King, this threatens the power of the abandoned king.

"The Great Commission" is the label given by many to Christ's final words:

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
Matthew 28:18-20

It's more than a commission given to the disciples. It's also a statement of authority on Christ's part. If Jesus has all authority, than anyone claiming authority which is not delegated by Jesus is deluded or a liar. Jesus did not delegate to me or anyone else the authority to draw an arbitrary line in the sand and say to you, "If you cross this line, I have the divine right to confiscate your property or kill you." If someone who is delusional tells you to stop your car at his "STOP" sign or he will confiscate your car, it might be prudent to stop, even if no lives or property would be threatened by not doing so. (If lives are threatened, then Jesus says to STOP to preserve the life and the property of others.) If Osama bin Laden and ten million jihadists invade America, nuke all U.S. military bases and police stations, and declare America to be under "sharia law" with Osama the supreme leader, consistent Christians will "obey" Osama's law not to steal, but will not admit the moral legitimacy of Osama's cutting off of offenders' hands.

A consistent Christian will not believe that Osama has legitimate authority. Even if his invasion of America should be ratified by majority vote of Americans, his authority is still morally illegitimate by Christian standards. It has no more moral legitimacy than the Roman Caesar's occupation of Israel at the first Christmas. Jesus said we are to go along with Caesar's centurions and Hitler's Gestapo. King Jesus said we are not to resist evil in a vengeful sense, but we are to resist in the spiritual sense of not accepting their evil deeds as normal or acceptable.

Caesar, Hitler, the CFR, Bush-Clinton: The Christmas King stands in opposition to their works of death. Whatever social benefits they provide, or whatever monuments remain for archaeologists to admire, do not legitimize their authority or get them off the hook as far as their duty to acknowledge King Jesus goes.

Those who truly celebrate Christmas deny the moral legitimacy of Herod's pretended authority.

But they also affirm something, working positively for a goal beyond simply eliminating tyranny and darkness.

Q: If every nation were Christianized, and everyone were observing Christ’s commandments, what kind of world would we have?

A: A capitalist world.

As we have seen, capitalism is the social system based on the absence of the initiation of force or violence. If everyone were obeying the commandments of the Prince of Peace, nobody would be initiating force or violence against others. And that would be a state of global capitalism.

The next question is, How does this come to pass? How is the Great Commission fulfilled? How does Christ turn a world of socialists, thieves and extortioners, into a world of productive capitalists?

If America's Puritan forefathers could travel through time to 2008, the first thing that would notice about the people they meet is how uneducated and contemptuous they are. The authority of parents and elders in local schools and businesses is not respected, but the authority of atheistic tyrants in Washington D.C. is. The men who signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were schooled under the Puritan educational philosophy exemplified by "The New England Primer." The children's catechism questions could not be comprehended, much less answered, by today's functionally illiterate secular Americans.

Q. 23. What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer ?
A. Christ as our Redeemer executes the office of a prophet, of a priest, & of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation.

When elementary-aged children finished the New England Primer, they went on to the Larger Catechism, a catechism which 90% of today's seminary graduates and televangelists could not pass. That catechism asks,

Q. 43. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?
A. Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in his revealing to the church, in all ages, by his Spirit and Word, in divers ways of administration, the whole will of God, in all things concerning their edification and salvation.


Q. 44. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
A. Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering himself a sacrifice without spot to God, to be reconciliation for the sins of his people; and in making continual intercession for them.

Most Christians agree (in a vague, uneducated sense) that Christ is already a prophet and a priest. The Hebrews at the time of the first Christmas were told:

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the Heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. (Hebrews 1:1-2)

"Speaking" is the prophetic function. And of course the rest of the book of Hebrews tells about Christ’s priestly work.

There is a sense in which all of the promises of Christmas have already been inaugurated, and are now blossoming like a flower. The Book of Hebrews makes clear that many events and figures of the Old Testament were types and foreshadows of events that would later take place. They in fact took place during the period of time recorded in the New Testament. For example, the work of the high priest in the holy of holies in the tabernacle prefigured the work of Christ, the great High Priest. That work has been done; Christ has already finished His sacrificial work and has already been to the true Holy of Holies (Hebrews 9:12). Another promise of Christmas was to extend to all nations the promises made to Abraham. This invitation was made in the first century.

So Christ executes the office of a Prophet and Priest in our day. But is Christ a King? Today? Or will Jesus only be the Christ (the Messiah, the King) tomorrow, after His future Second Coming? Remember the warning of 1 John 2:22 : “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.” The next question in the Catechism completes the discussion of the work Christ has completed.

Q. 45. How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
A. Christ executeth the office of a king, in calling out of the world a people to himself,[174] and giving them officers,[175] laws,[176] and censures, by which he visibly governs them;[177] in bestowing saving grace upon his elect,[178] rewarding their obedience,[179] and correcting them for their sins,[180] preserving and supporting them under all their temptations and sufferings,[181] restraining and overcoming all their enemies,[182] and powerfully ordering all things for his own glory,[183] and their good;[184] and also in taking vengeance on the rest, who know not God, and obey not the gospel.[185]

On the Ninth Day of Christmas, we'll break this answer down and learn more about the true meaning of Christmas.

Tomorrow: "Let's Keep Christmas Commercialized!"

 

America used to be a Christian nation.

Christmas used to be a religious holiday. But atheists and others who don't like Christianity began a "war on Christmas" to remove religious references from public view. For decades, the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island annually displayed a nativity scene on the property of a local non-profit organization. In 1983 local grinches filed a lawsuit asking the Christmas symbols to be removed. The grinches claimed that Americans in 1789 had adopted a constitution which gave the federal government power to order a local town to remove religion from private property.

Go figure.

At that time, the Supreme Court did not have the guts to say "Christmas is unconstitutional." It ruled that the Nativity Scene was constitutional -- but for all the wrong reasons.

The reasoning was similar to an earlier federal appeals court which heard the challenge of an atheist to the phrases "In God We Trust" and "so help me,God." The court ruled "against" the atheist by saying that the word "God" has no religious meaning, but is purely "secular" and "patriotic." Of course, if it had been shown to be religious, it would be "unconstitutional." The same reasoning is used in the Ten Commandments cases: if the display of the Ten Commandments presents the commandments as the Word of God, or something that viewers should actually obey, then the display is "unconstitutional." But if the display presents the Ten Commandments as an out-dated historical relic that doesn't in any way cast contemporary aspersions on the moral character of thieves, liars, adulterers, murderers, or anyone else in Washington D.C., then the display is all-American and "constitutional."

So the Supreme Court in the 1984 Pawtucket case ruled that the Nativity Scene ("creche") was "Constitutional" because there was also

a Santa Claus house, reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh, candy-striped poles, a Christmas tree, carolers, cutout figures representing such characters as a clown, an elephant, and a teddy bear, hundreds of colored lights, a large banner that reads "SEASONS GREETINGS," and the creche at issue here.
Lynch v. Donnelly, 465 U.S. 668, at 671.

All these secular goodies diluted the religious impact of the creche enough that the display as a whole was sufficiently secular and commercial to withstand the challenge by the atheists.

So there! Take that, you atheists you!

In 1989, a similar case returned Christmas to the Supreme Court, and this time the Court said the Nativity Scene was "unconstitutional" because it was obviously trying to imply something naughty, like that Jesus Christ was a "Lord" and "Savior." (The Menorah was OK though.)

One might think that the "War on Christmas" would be over once the Nativity Scenes are all gone. Nope. Now those candy-canes, reindeer, and even the colors red and green spark distant memories of a religious holiday of some sort, and so even these once-secular but now vaguely-religious things must be excluded in the name of "inclusiveness," and freedom suppressed in the name of "religious liberty" and "the first amendment." Threats of lawsuits by well-funded ACLU-types clearly have many school administrators in terror. "Christmas vacation" is now "winter holidays." Etc., etc.

Some people doubt that there is a war on Christmas at all; they say it's just the creation of the rumor-mills at FoxNews. But when presented with the evidence, they retreat to "well, you don't have to be Christian to find this more than a little silly," as if modern church-state doctrine is not horrifyingly contrary to the religious outlook of America's Founding Fathers, but just something "silly" and inconsequential that people who believe in "Liberty Under God" shouldn't worry about.

The "war on Christmas" is just a superficial symptom of the larger war on Christianity led by Washington D.C.

David Chilton (1951–1997) wrote a great essay for the Chalcedon Report years ago entitled "Let's Keep Christmas Commercialized." I reprinted it on my website in 2003 and was going to post it again here, but I just discovered that American Vision has put out a nice version with prettier graphics than I can come up with, so please read it here.

No, really; you're not done reading yet. Click the link.

 

It's the Ninth Day of Christmas, and if I hadn't attended schools run by the government, I'd be able to tell you if we were three-fourths or two-thirds of the way through the 12 Days of Christmas. On this blog we're observing "The 12 Days of Liberty," and so far we've seen how Christmas marked a change from "B.C." (before capitalism) to "A.D." (I can't think of anything as clever as "before capitalism" -- you're invited to submit your idea in the comment box).

We looked at the Christmas fact that "Christ" means "King," and the Advent of the Christ was rightly seen as a threat to the political power of the kings of that day.

On Day 7 we mentioned that the men who signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were schooled under the Puritan educational philosophy exemplified by "The New England Primer." The children's catechism questions included

Q. 23. What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer ?
A. Christ as our Redeemer executes the office of a prophet, of a priest, & of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation.

When elementary-aged children finished the New England Primer, they went on to the Larger Catechism, a catechism which 90% of today's seminary graduates and televangelists could not pass. That catechism asks,

Q. 45. How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
A. Christ executeth the office of a king, in calling out of the world a people to himself,[174] and giving them officers,[175] laws,[176] and censures, by which he visibly governs them;[177] in bestowing saving grace upon his elect,[178] rewarding their obedience,[179] and correcting them for their sins,[180] preserving and supporting them under all their temptations and sufferings,[181] restraining and overcoming all their enemies,[182] and powerfully ordering all things for his own glory,[183] and their good;[184] and also in taking vengeance on the rest, who know not God, and obey not the gospel.[185]

The bracketed numbers are Scripture "prooftexts" appended to the answer by the eminent theologians in Westminster who drafted the Catechism in the 1640's. "Christmas" is the advent of a King who does not use the machinery of an earthly State to accomplish his purposes. Christmas strikes out at the pretended "divine right of kings" of past centuries and the "unitary executive" of today.

Let's pretend for a moment that we are teenagers in colonial America, learning our Catechism. The Scripture prooftexts tell us many interesting things about the coming of the Christmas King in the first century, as well as how Christmas capitalism can shape the 21st century. The first feature of the Christmas King is

"calling out of the world a people to himself"
[174] Acts 15:14-16. Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written [Amos 9:11-12], After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up.

The New Testament says that these Old Testament prophecies have been fulfilled. The Gentiles have been called. The wall has been broken down, and the Jews and Gentiles have become one new man (Ephesians 2:11-19). A New Temple has been established on the foundation of Christ and the Apostles (Ephesians 2:20-22; 1 Corin­thians 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16; Revelation 21:22).

The idea that the Messiah came at Christmas not only for the Jews, but also for the Gentiles (Luke 2:32; Matthew 4:13-16; Isaiah 9:1-2,6-7;), and incorporated them both into a single new Body, adopting believing Gentiles into the "household of faith," making them adopted sons of Abraham, and heirs to a promise not just of Palestine, but the entire world, has tremendous implications for U.S. foreign policy. It destroys the idea that western nations should use the power of the State to forcibly displace arabs to make room for a secular state of Israel in Palestine, rather than allow individual Jews and Arabs to voluntarily negotiate trades for land; it destroys the idea of keeping Jews separate from Gentiles and encouraging them to return to a separate homeland until they're wiped out in a nuclear holocaust. And it destroys the idea of paying for all this with taxpayer "contributions."

Some Christians believe that another physical tabernacle is going to be built. But if the New Testament is correct in saying that these Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in the first century when the Gentiles became the building-blocks of a New Temple, why would a literal old-style tabernacle be (a) necessary and (b) delayed for thousands of years after this New Temple in Christ was established?

[174 con't] Genesis 49:10. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

The gathering of the Gentiles into the household of faith was a work of Christ at His first coming.

(Luke 2:25-32) And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. {26} And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. {27} And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, {28} Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, {29} Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: {30} For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, {31} Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; {32} A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

If the natural sons of Abraham choose not to follow Abraham (John 8:56), the adopted sons of Abraham need not subsidize their departure.

Psalm 110:3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: Thou hast the dew of Thy youth.

The power of the Christmas King is that of changing hearts, and making people willing. This is the key to the great question of social order. This is why capitalism succeeds. This is why there is no obstacle to fulfilling the Great Commission. Psalm 110 is the most frequently-quoted Old Testament passage in the New Testament.

The next feature of the Christmas King is

"giving them officers"
[175] Ephesians 4:11-12. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

There are two ways to understand these passages. One interpretation holds that these Apostolic gifts were for “the last days” of the Old Covenant, and do not operate today. The Apostles lived in a transitional era. Once the transition was made from the types and shadows of the Old Covenant into the full reality of the New Covenant, Apostles and their gifts were no longer needed.

[175 con't] 1 Corinthians 12:28. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

The other interpretation is that we do indeed have legitimate Apostles, healers, tongue-speakers, and miracle workers in our age. Over the last 2,000 years, this position is a minority view. Both Pentecostals and the Roman Catholic Church believe in Apostles or their successors in our day, and in continuing miraculous gifts (though most Pentecostals, unlike Roman Catholics, do not believe in miracles through relics; see the article in the Catholic Encyclopedia on miracle-workers: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10350a.htm )

We have discussed elsewhere how the “officers” in the Old Testament were created by Pharaoh in Egypt, and used by God during the exodus, but Moses expressed the goal of the Spirit to have all the Hebrews become Godly patriarchs like Abraham. “Officers” are temporary.

The next gift of the Christmas King is

"giving them laws"
[176] Isaiah 33:22. For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us.

Notice that the offices ascribed by Isaiah to Jehovah are ascribed by the Westminster Assembly to Jesus Christ.

We don't need "the State" to make laws. God has given us laws.

Nor do we need "the State" to enforce laws. This is one of the most amazing connections between Christmas and Liberty:

"giving them censures, by which He visibly governs them"
[177] Matthew 18:17-18. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Notice that Christ gives His church (the new body of Jews and Gentiles) "censures," but the Westminster Assembly denies that Christ gives to the church the powers that have been claimed by Popes in the past, namely, the power of the sword, or civil government. Virtually all Protestants have agreed that the only power possessed by the Church is that of censure, specifically, excommunication.

[177 con't] 1 Corinthians 5:4-5. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

This is a major issue, hotly debated throughout the history of the church. Does the church have the power of the sword; the power to execute people, or to prosecute a war? All Protestants except anarchists (such as the Anabaptists) agree that “the State” has the right to execute (capital punishment) and to use the sword in a “just war.” If the Church does not have this right, do Christians have the right to execute people by “voting” for other people to do so (while calling themselves “the State”)? If not, is there a way to maintain social order without killing or threatening to kill other people? Consider this scenario:

Suppose Smith steals from Jones, and Jones follows the procedure in Matthew 18 above. Smith is "excommunicated." Smith’s ex-church now shuns Smith. Suppose everyone in the nation is a member of Smith’s ex-church, and none of them will sell Smith groceries, water, electricity, or do any business with Smith until he repents of his crime and makes full restitution to Jones. Would Smith be willing to live as a complete social outcast, utterly self-dependent, unable to participate in commerce or social activities? Or will he repent––or, more cynically, “feign obedience” (see the verses on Day 5)? What is a more persuasive sanction against Smith’s crime: spending 6 months in a human warehouse where all his material needs (food, clothing, shelter) are met at taxpayer expense, or having to grow his own food, generate his own power, and spin his own clothes, without benefitting from the division of labor and being a social outcast for the rest of his life (which may not be that long, if he’s been turned over “to Satan for the destruction of the flesh”). How does King Jesus want His Church to maintain social order? “Censure” or coercion and violence?

What are the implications of this scenario for the “Great Capitalist Commission?” If we made thorough disciples of all nations, and taught everyone to obey the commands of Christ, who would initiate socialism?

Another more popular word for "censure" is "nag." Social order is a human necessity. Can it be maintained by nagging alone, rather than by force and threats of violence? This is the question that Christmas poses. "Liberty" is freedom from the initiation of force by others. But liberty cannot exist without social reminders of "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God." Our conscience is not enough. We need parents, schools, bosses, neighbors, investigative reporters in media, consumer reports, the UL label, the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, boycotts, "discrimination," competition and freedom to shop elsewhere. All of these things are firm reminders of our duties.

The idea of a nagging-based society (rather than a guillotine- or gas chamber-based social order) is explored at this not-ready-for-primetime website:


Surprising to many, most commercial disputes today are settled without recourse to state violence, but through arbitration agreed upon by contract. This was standard procedure through the Christian middle ages, and became known as the "Law of Merchants," or Lex Mercatoria. This is the history of the development of capitalism and commerce based on "censure." This is how the Prince of Peace governs the world. Christian libertarians must discard dispensational fundamentalism and recapture this vision of global capitalism.

More from the Larger Catechism tomorrow.

 

The 12 Days of Christmas end on Sunday the 6th, so we're almost done with our "12 Days of Liberty." Here's what we've seen so far:

Day 1: Incarnation and Liberty
Christmas means the Advent of God; Jesus Christ is God incarnate.
Jesus demoted all emperors: the emperor is not a divine link between God and Man.

Day 2: I'm Dreaming of a Large Christmas:
Salvation means more than going to heaven when you die.
The American Dream of everyone dwelling safely under his “Vine & Fig Tree” was not invented by ancient Rome and Greece, but was revealed to the Hebrews centuries before.

Day 3: The Birth of the Anti-King:
Jesus was of "The House of David," and inherited the "throne of David."
"Christ" = "King." Jesus was King at the first Christmas, not to wait for a "second coming."
But not a 1 Samuel 8-type king "like all the nations."

Day 4: Defeating the Enemies:
Those who worshipped the King were "saved from our enemies" not by armed resistance, but by loving our enemies, and inviting them to repent of imperialism and violence and become libertarian capitalists.
Unbelieving Israel at the first Christmas was not "saved."
A new Israel was created to inherit the promises made to Abraham.
The promised land is not just Palestine, but the entire world.

Day 5: Peace on Earth:
Greater obedience to God’s Law -- even by unbelievers who hate Christ -- is the movement of history in the "A.D." years.
If Christ is not our nation’s deliverer, then the State steps in to be our savior

Day 6: Peace on Earth, Goodwill Toward Capitalists:
"The way of peace" = capitalism
Contrasted with socialism
Don't believe what socialists say about "capitalism."

Day 7: Kingmas: Christ = King:
Christ = the only legitimate King
Herod is not legitimate. Neither is Bush.
Christians are not to resist illegitimate kings with vengeance, but we are to deny their moral legitimacy.

Day 8: Let's Keep Christmas Commercialized:
Christmas is a public holiday that impacts government and society, not a "private" sentimentalism.
The Supreme Court's "war on Christmas"

Day 9: A Christmas Nagocracy:
How Christ exercises Kingship while in heaven at the Right Hand of God:
"Nagocracy" – censures, "judgmental intolerance"
Reminding each other of "The Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" and continually raising the social standard.

Today, on the Tenth Day of Christmas, we continue learning about how Christ exercises the office of King, following the Wesminster Larger Catechism.

Q. 45. How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
A. Christ executeth the office of a king, in calling out of the world a people to himself,[174] and giving them officers,[175] laws,[176] and censures, by which he visibly governs them;[177] in bestowing saving grace upon his elect,[178] rewarding their obedience,[179] and correcting them for their sins,[180] preserving and supporting them under all their temptations and sufferings,[181] restraining and overcoming all their enemies,[182] and powerfully ordering all things for his own glory,[183] and their good;[184] and also in taking vengeance on the rest, who know not God, and obey not the gospel.[185]

The meaning of Christmas is not that Christ came as a King, the Wise Men worshipped Him, He was executed, but He rose and went to heaven, and now we send each other Hallmark cards at Christmas, buy lots of stuff, think about religious things in private, but our public and commercial lives are based on violence and vengeance and controlled by kings "like all the nations."

The meaning of Christmas is that Jesus is now King, and is crushing all rival empires to powder.

"bestowing saving grace upon His elect"
[178] Acts 5:31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

There is no higher position of authority in the universe than at the right hand of God, where Christ is. He offered repentance and forgiveness to His own people, but they said "We have no king but Caesar!" (John 19:15) They rejected Christ and trusted Caesar to save them (John 11:48), but their savior destroyed their nation (Luke 21:20-24). Putting our trust in earthly kings is a recipe for destruction.

The next two ways Christ exercises the office of King, according to the Catechism, are "rewarding their obedience" and "correcting them for their sins." Another word for this is "Providence." The opposite view is "deism," the view that God created the universe and then stepped back, never to become miraculously or supernaturally involved in everyday affairs in history. Not a single person who signed the U.S. Constitution was a "deist" in this sense. They all believed that God actively intervened in history in response to prayer, obedience, and disobedience. Benjamin Franklin eloquently affirmed this belief during the Constitutional Convention. Regarding the injustice of slavery, Jefferson said, "Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever."

The direct involvement of God in history was seen during the first century, when the Christmas King was rejected by His subjects.

[179] Revelation 22:12. And, behold, I am coming quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Compare Matthew 16:27-28:

`For, the Son of Man is about to come in the glory of his Father, with his messengers, and then he will reward each, according to his work.
Verily I say to you, there are certain of those standing here who shall not taste of death till they may see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.’

This was not the Christmas gift Israel was expecting.

[179 con't] Revelation 2:10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

The Westminster Assembly used two passages to prove the point that God rewards obedience, and both are speaking of rewards to first century Christians who endure persecution. Most Christians have believed there are other passages that prove the point. For "correcting them for their sins," the Catechsim uses

[180] Revelation 3:19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

As with the passages above, this verse has its direct and immediate fulfillment in the first century church – in this case, the church at Laodicea. Some have suggested that the messages to the seven churches in Revelation are representative of successive periods of history, or different on-going spiritual conditions, and so forth. But this imaginative interpretation is not needed to establish the doctrine that Christ the King corrects His people for their sins. See Hebrews 12. It would also be instructive to note how the Catechism uses such passages as Deuteronomy 28. Politicians in the past had the Bible upon which they took their oath of office opened to this chapter. It speaks in dramatic and concrete ways about the blessings God sends on the obedient, and the curses that fall upon covenant-breakers.

But what about when Christians are thrown in the Gulag? What about pastors of home churches in China who are imprisoned and tortured? How can Christmas be true with these things happening? One way mentioned by the Catechism is:

preserving and supporting them under all their temptations and sufferings
[181] Isaiah 63:9. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

But there's more. Christ exercises His office of King by

restraining and overcoming all their enemies
[182] 1 Corinthians 15:25. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
Psalm 110:1-2. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

As we saw on Day 4, the immediate and direct reference to “enemies” in the New Testament is the apostate Jews who rejected Jesus as the Lord’s Christ. The Apostolic church prayed that the enemies of the Gospel would be restrained and overcome, and doors opened to spread the Kingdom (Colossians 4:2-4). We have different enemies today. But the same Christmas King promises "salvation" if we resist the temptation to resort to vengeance and violence; He is

powerfully ordering all things for his own glory
[183] Romans 14:10-11. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

and He is

powerfully ordering all things for their good
[184] Romans 8:28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

If we don't perceive these benefits, it may well be because we are trusting in Caesar to be our savior. (But remember the account of Job.)

The final way Christmas manifests in our lives is when Christ the King is

taking vengeance on the rest, who know not God, and obey not the gospel
[185] 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.

As we have seen, the direct and immediate application of this passage was to the Apostolic church, troubled victims of persecution and tribulation, against whose persecutors God promised vengeance and delivered in A.D. 70.

Psalm 2:8-9. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

Christians in the first century believed that Psalm 2 applied to them, notably after John and Peter were detained and then released by the religious authorities:

And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:
. ‘Why did the nations rage,
. And the people 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. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” Acts 4:32-30

Psalm 2 is the second most frequently quoted Old Testament passage in the New.

"Dashing in pieces like a potter's vessel" is a common visualization:

Isaiah 30:14
Whose collapse is like the smashing of a potter’s jar,
So ruthlessly shattered
That a sherd will not be found among its pieces
To take fire from a hearth
Or to scoop water from a cistern.”

Jeremiah 19:11
and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Just so will I break this people and this city, even as one breaks a potter’s vessel, which cannot again be repaired; and they will bury in Topheth because there is no other place for burial.

But those who trusted in Caesar and rejected the Christmas King were the ones who were dashed into pieces.

But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
. ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
. They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—
as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.
Revelation 2:25-28

Contrary to the views of the popular "dispensational" teachers, at both the beginning (Revelation 1:1; 1:3; 2:25; 3:10,11) and the end (Rev. 22:6; 22:7; 22:10; Compare Dan. 8:26; Rev. 22:12; 22:20) of the book, Revelation speaks of things which are "shortly going to pass." The terrifying destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Romans symbolized in that book was a vindication of those who obeyed the Christmas King rather than Ceasar.

They were "lowly," and it was to them the promises of Christmas were made. The Biblical definition of the Salvation Christ came to bring included “deliverance from our enemies.”
But this salvation is also described as God’s promise to “exalt the lowly.” This was particularly clear in Mary’s “Magnificat”:

Luke 1:51-53
He has shown strength with His arm;
. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
. He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
. And exalted the lowly.
. He has filled the hungry with good things,
. And the rich He has sent away empty.

Mary speaks in the present tense about the things that her Child would soon do.

There is a paradox here. How would a truly “lowly” person want to be "exalted?" Would a Christ-like person want to be "exalted" to the office of Caesar, Führer, Pharaoh, Big Brother, or “archist?” Jesus answered this question:

Mark 10:42-45
But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. {43} Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. {44} And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. {45} “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

The word translated “rulers” comes from the Greek word from which we derive our word “anarchist.” Jesus clearly says His followers are not to be “archists.” Christians are to be servants.

When God promises to exalt the lowly, He promises to save them from their enemies, and bless their works of service. This is another aspect of "salvation" in the holistic Biblical sense.

When people think of the word “capitalism” they often think of ultra-rich and powerful CEO's, paid millions of times more than the lowliest worker in the corporation. "Captialism" also brings to mind the term “competition.” Sometimes they use the phrase “cut-throat competition.” The picture here is of a “robber baron” like John D. Rockefeller, crushing his competitors, putting “the little guy” out of business. The modern example is the allegation that Wal-Mart puts “mom and pop stores” out of business.

Surprisingly, in both cases, the lowly are exalted. In both cases the Christmas King is rewarding the lowly and dashing the proud to pieces. This is the wonder of capitalism.

There is a great deal of mythology surrounding Rockefeller and Wal-Mart. The actual facts are seldom discussed. Neither Rockefeller nor Wal-Mart can be accused of doing anything un-Christian. Most of what they do is even exemplary, a model of what Christians should be like.

Rockefeller began working at age 16 as an assistant bookkeeper for less than $10 a day (adjusted for inflation). He was fastidious about working and saving, and by age 23 had saved enough to invest in an oil refinery in Cleveland, Ohio, along with a fellow church member, Samuel Andrews.

Rockefeller paid meticulous attention to every detail of his business, constantly striving to cut his costs, improve his product, and develop new products. He sometimes joined in with the manual laborers to gain a more through understanding of the way his business worked. His work habits inspired his business partners and managers, which helped his business become more successful. The firm of Rockefeller, Andrews and Flagler became Standard Oil.

Sociologists have long spoken of this way of life as “the Protestant work ethic.” Because of it, Standard Oil

prospered quickly in the intensely competitive industry due to the economic excellence of its entire operations. Instead of buying oil from jobbers, they made the jobbers’ profit by sending their own purchasing men into the oil region. They also made their own sulfuric acid, barrels, lumber, wagons, and glue. They kept minute and accurate records of every item from rivets to barrel bungs. They built elaborate storage facilities near their refineries. Rockefeller bargained as shrewdly for crude as anyone has before or since; and Sam Andrews coaxed more kerosene from a barrel of crude than the competition could. In addition, the Rockefeller firm put out the cleanest burning kerosene and managed to profitably dispose of most of the residues, in the form of lubricating oil, paraffin wax, and Vaseline.[1]

Rockefeller’s chemists developed about three hundred other products from petroleum. And in every product line, Rockefeller purged all waste and inefficiency. Profits soared because consumers valued Rockefeller products.

Then Rockefeller began buying smaller firms which were not as efficient, and transformed those inefficient firms into effective servants of the consumers, using resources less wastefully than before.

Prices of petroleum products dropped dramatically during these years. Kerosene replaced whale oil as the primary source for fuel for light in America. This may seem trivial today, but it revolutionized America. Prices fell so low that working class people could afford what only the rich could afford a few years earlier.

Working and reading became after-dark activities new to most Americans in the 1870’s.[2]

The lowly had been exalted. New products and greater demand for old products at a lower price meant thousands upon thousands of new jobs created by Rockefeller. Lower prices brought about by greater efficiency raised the standard of living for millions of lowly Americans.

And yet Rockefeller the businessman and entrepreneur is almost universally vilified by economics textbooks in government schools. Back in his day, some competitors began spreading lies about Rockefeller. They asked the government to use its coercive powers against Rockefeller so that their inefficient firms could stay in business. They put their own firms ahead of efficient service to the consumers.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld lower court rulings that because Standard Oil was big, it was bad. Rockefeller’s competitors, who sought to use the government for business advantage, won, while consumers lost. The very “bigness” that made Standard Oil efficient was broken up, and oil production became less efficient. But many businessmen learned a lesson: pay less attention to serving consumers and pay more attention to lobbying government for protection against competition. Pay less attention to working efficiently and creatively, and pay more attention to working risk-free, with government protection.

Genuine capitalists, whose genius and energy fueled extraordinary economic achievement and also brought tremendous benefits to Americans, should be recognized for their achievements rather than demonized, as they so often are. Men like James J. Hill, John D. Rockefeller, and Cornelius Vanderbilt were heroes who improved the lives of millions of consumers; employed thousands and enabled them to support their families and educate their children; pioneered efficient management tech­niques that are still employed today; and donated hundreds of mil­lions of dollars to charities and nonprofit organizations of all kinds, from libraries to hospitals to symphonies, public parks, and zoos. It is absolutely perverse that historians usually look at these men as crooks or cheaters while praising and advocating “business/government partnerships,” which can only lead to corruption and economic decline.[3]

Let’s remember the Biblical definition of salvation:

Yasha and its derivatives are used 353 times. The root meaning . . . is “make wide” or make sufficient: this root is in contrast to sarar, “narrow,” which means “be restricted” or “cause distress.” To move from distress to safety requires deliverance. [T]he majority of references to salvation speak of Yahweh granting deliverance from real enemies and out of real catastrophes. That which is wide connotes freedom from distress and the ability to pursue one’s own objectives. Thus salvation is not merely a momentary victory on the battlefield; it is also the safety and security necessary to maintain life unafraid of numerous dangers. [4]

Americans live in large homes. They enjoy safety.[5] But more than momentary victories on the battlefield, America has enjoyed a salvation which is “the safety and security necessary to maintain life unafraid of numerous dangers.” Capitalists like Rockefeller have made us safe from disease, safe from the cold, safe from the dark, safe from malaria,[6] safe from everything the authors of the verses we’ve read wanted to be safe from.

And yet this salvation––this “safety and security necessary to maintain life unafraid of numerous dangers,” came in an unexpected way. The prophets lived under empires that promised salvation by conquering and plundering weaker nations around them. But looking at America during her first 300 years, we see an explicitly Christian nation exercising dominion by working and building industries, creating and producing rather than confiscating from others. We see hundreds of millions of ordinary Christians and non-Christians around the world, benefitting from the division of labor under capitalism, who enjoy the benefits of Christian dominion –– and see the salvation promised by the prophets when the Messiah would come. Those prophets would say that we experience the salvation promised on the first Christmas. Studying Christmas in this light helps give us Some Fundamental Insights Into the Benevolent Nature of Capitalism.

The Godly servant, a man of a lowly and humble heart, need not fear the Empire, need not fear oppression. Jesus is not on the side of the one who is a destroyer or a conqueror. He does not reward those who initiate force or violence against others. He rewards the lowly.

Zechariah 9:9 9
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
. Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
. Behold, your King is coming to you;
. He is just and having salvation,
. Lowly and riding on a donkey,
. A colt, the foal of a donkey.

Job 5:11
He sets on high those who are lowly,
. And those who mourn are lifted to safety.

Psalm 116:66
The Lord preserves the simple;
. I was brought low, and He saved me.

Job 5:15 15
But He saves the needy from the sword,
. From the mouth of the mighty,
. And from their hand.

Psalm 12:5
5 “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy,
. Now I will arise,” says the Lord;
. ”I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.”

Psalm 34:6
6 This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.

Psalm 69:29
29 But I am poor and sorrowful;
Let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high.

Psalm 72:4
He will bring justice to the poor of the people;
He will save the children of the needy,
And will break in pieces the oppressor.

Psalm 72:13
He will spare the poor and needy,
And will save the souls of the needy.

Psalm 109:31
For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor,
To save him from those who condemn him.

1 Samuel 2:1
1 And Hannah prayed and said:
”My heart rejoices in the Lord;
My horn is exalted in the Lord.
I smile at my enemies,
Because I rejoice in Your salvation.

The story of Christmas shatters all the vain pretensions of Emperors and Empires, Presidents and Republics, Dictators and Tyrannies. All these rulers claim to bring salvation, deliverance, and health through the initiation of force, conquest, compulsion, extortion, and redistribution of wealth. But the Christ of Christmas rejects these illusions, and has brought about a salvation that the prophets could barely imagine, without raising a sword, but by lowly service. Ironically, many of the most powerful and highest-paid CEO's and those who fit the stereotype of the "greedy capitalist" are often slaves to the corporation and serve the lowly masses, whose standards of living are raised by the CEO's unemancipated lifestyle. (Proverbs 13:22)

Everything about the Christmas story and the provision of the salvation promised by the prophets turns the myth of Empire on its head.

[1] Dominick Armentano, Antitrust and Monopoly: Anatomy of a Policy Failure (New York: Wiley, 1982), p. 58.
[2] Burton W. Folsom, Jr., Entrepreneurs vs. the State: A New Look at the Rise of Big Business in America, 1840-1920 (Herndon, VA: Young America’s Foundation, 1987), p. 22.
[3] Most of the preceding was plagiarized from Thomas J. DiLorenzo, How Capitalism Saved America: The Untold History of Our Country, from the Pilgrims to the Present, (New York, Crown Forum, 2004). Every Christian should read this book.
[4] John E. Hartley, “yasha,” Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament . Vol. 1, pp. 414-15.
[5] The architects of war will take credit for making us safe from terrorism, but there were no more terrorist attacks in the five years before 9-11 than there have been since. Before 9-11, the odds of any given individual being attacked by a terrorist were less than being struck by lightning. We were safe.
[6] DDT is a petroleum product. In the 1940’s malaria killed hundreds of millions of people. By the 1960’s DDT had reduced that number to hundreds. The environmentalists’ war against DDT is responsible for the deaths of millions, as malaria has again become a threat.

 

When "The 12 Days of Christmas" is sung, each verse adds the next day, and then all previous days are sung again. I started off yesterday's post (Day 10) with a short summary of the previous 9 days, and I refuse to sing them all again! (Which one of us is more grateful?) But Dorothy Day said of Peter Maurin, whom she credited as being the founder of the Catholic Worker movement, "He was the kind of teacher who believed in repetition, restatement, and the continual return to first principles." So permit me to repeat and restate a couple of first principles of Christmas.

Jesus came that first Christmas, according to the angel, "to save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). This means leading people from darkness to light, from slavery to freedom, not just letting them in the pearly gates after a life of addiction to sin. And not just individuals, but nations (see the nations become a part of Zion in Psalm 87 and Micah 4:1-4). The very name Jesus comes from the Hebrew word yasha, a word which speaks throughout the Bible of a holistic, cultural, social and political peace and wholeness which is called (on this blog) "capitalism." The opposite is "socialism," a system of violence, poverty, and mass death. Christmas meant the end of the oppressive and debauched Roman Empire and eventually America, which the U.S. Supreme Court called "a Christian nation" in 1892. America's "experiment in liberty" made America the most prosperous nation in human history, while communism's 20th century experiment in central planning led to the deaths of hundreds of millions of human beings, and starvation and slavery for those left alive. America currently seems to want to abandon salvation and exchange it for socialism and a false savior-state. But as we will see in the next two days, God's people are streaming to zions in other hemispheres, and global Christmas is earth's future.

When John the Baptist appeared, he confirmed the message given by the Holy Spirit to Mary, Joseph, Zacharias, and Simeon, that the Lord was making His salvation known.

Luke 3:1-6
the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.
And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
‘make ready the way of the lord,
make his paths straight.
‘every ravine will be filled,
and every mountain and hill will be brought low;
the crooked will become straight,
and the rough roads smooth;
and all flesh will see the salvation of god.’”

Luke says John fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy of the “one crying in the wilderness,” and Isaiah’s prophecy that “all flesh would see the salvation of God” was also fulfilled. Most Christians today believe that Luke got it wrong: John could not possibly have fulfilled that prophecy, because “all flesh” did not see God’s Salvation. Luke should have stopped quoting Isaiah after the word “smooth.” Perhaps we should bring our interpretation of Isaiah in line with Luke’s.

If Mary, Joseph, Zacharias, Simeon, and other New Testament figures were to see our world, they would confess that they were seeing the salvation of the Lord.

We would correct those New Testament saints as they sang praises for what the Lord has done, telling them that things really aren’t that great, because we can see much room for improvement. But that’s because we’ve climbed up the mountain further than they had, and we can see more than they could see. They would see the end to the imperial brutality of an occupation army; we’re used to that. They would see an end to diseases that plagued mankind, and killed a majority of all infants; we’re used to that. We want to see problems solved that they couldn’t even see, because much greater problems were in their way.

How is it that the Lord’s Salvation has spread so far and been seen by so many? The answer can be seen in the Westminster Standards. Compared to creeds that were written a thousand years before, the Westminster Confession and Catechisms are richer, more mature, more detailed, more comprehensive. There is a greater display of the Righteousness of God in this modern creed compared with the more ancient creeds. And as mankind is exposed to the righteousness of God, we see the salvation of the Lord. Reflect on how America made the Westminster standards required reading in schools from the earliest grades to Yale and Harvard, and how they were made the official statement of belief for the colonies. When the righteousness of God is made public, society sees the Lord’s salvation. The removal of God’s Righteousness from schools has been unjustifiable.

DEMONSTRATIO EVANGELICA
“The Proof of the Gospel”

Around A.D. 315, Eusebius, called the Bishop of Caesarea, wrote a work on the Gospels, proving that they fulfilled the Old Testament. Book Nine begins with these words:

It remains for me now to redeem my promise to go on to expound the dispensation connected with the Incarnation of the very Word of God. My previous labours in the eight books already completed have been concerned with Him. I have now devoted myself to tracing the Theology of His Person, now to considering His Descent to us from heaven, now His Character, His Name, and the time of His Advent. As the treatment of these subjects is complete, it is now time to consider the matters connected with His Coming, and to shew how these also were predicted among the Hebrews. And the fulfillment of the predictions shall be confirmed by the witness of the Holy Evangelists, and their historical account of the actual events

In chapter 5 of this book, Eusebius explains how John the Baptist fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

CHAPTER 5
From Isaiah.
Of the Preaching of John in the Wilderness.

¹ “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!”
Says your God.
² “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,
That her warfare is ended,
That her iniquity is pardoned;
For she has received from the Lord’s hand
Double for all her sins.”
³ The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make straight in the desert
A highway for our God.
⁴ Every valley shall be exalted
And every mountain and hill brought low;
The crooked places shall be made straight
And the rough places smooth;
⁵ The glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Isaiah 40
This prophecy too was necessarily to be fulfilled in the times of our Saviour. And according to the Evangelist Luke, in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judaea, and those numbered with him, the Word of God came to John, the son of Zachariah, in the wilderness, “And he went into all the country around Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” To this the evangelist adds the witness, saying, “As it is written in the books of the words of Isaiah the prophet, ‘The Voice of One crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord,’” and that which follows. What then did John’s voice shout in its preaching in the wilderness, but an invitation to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, as to reptiles of the wilderness, akin to his “generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? “And he changed too the crooked souls into straight, and the rough roads into smooth by saying to them, “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.” And this was fulfilled when John had prepared them to behold the glory of the Lord, and what is called “the salvation of our God,” which is the Christ, as he bore witness, saying:

 

But why did John go forth to preach in the wilderness, and not in cities, or in Jerusalem itself? It might be answered that he did so in fulfillment of the prophecy. But a critical questioner will at once inquire, what this prophecy meant to teach when it spoke of the wilderness and the things to do with it. And I should reply to him that it is a symbol of the destruction of Jerusalem, and the Altar there, and of the Mosaic worship, because the forgiveness of sins was no longer extended to them by the legal sacrifices, but by the cleansing and washing delivered to her that was before thirsty and deserted; I mean the Gentile Church, in which also the prophetic voice bids to prepare the way of the Lord, foretelling that the souls which are lying deep in sin as in a valley will be raised up, and that the old heights of Jerusalem, and of her rulers and kings, called “mountains and hills,” shall be laid low, which being completed, he says, “All flesh shall see the salvation of God,” meaning every soul united with a body, both Greek and Barbarian, of every nation without exception, and this is seen to have been fulfilled according to the prophecy.

The reason why “all flesh” (that is, all nations) could see the Salvation of God is because Christmas meant that the nations were no longer under Satan’s dominion. In the Old Testament, Israel was God’s chosen people. But in the New Testament, every nation under heaven (which should be understood in terms of the original 70 nations in Genesis 10 from which all humanity has descended) is chosen to see the Salvation of the Lord. There are now Christians in every nation. Christianity, beginning with a handful of disciples, now has a truly global reach. The promises of Christmas have been fulfilled, and our task today is to live in terms of that reality. Though generally the world’s knowledge of Christianity has increased over the centuries, every individual and every family passes through seasons of temptation and must continue to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18), and this knowledge needs to be handed down to each new human being who is born. This on-going responsibility is a different task than that which confronted the first disciples.

The Old Testament describes how all nations were overseen by demonic “guardians.” But the New Testament shows Christ being given authority over all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). The promises of Christmas came to pass because Christ bound the strong man. This was one of the first prophecies of Christmas in the Bible: in the Garden of Eden the Lord had promised that the Christmas Messiah would crush the serpent.

Genesis 3
¹⁴ So the Lord God said to the serpent:
“Because you have done this,
You are cursed more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly you shall go,
And you shall eat dust
All the days of your life.
¹⁵ And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”

The New Testament emphatically declares that Jesus of Nazareth dealt Satan a death-blow, terminating his power over the nations. The saints are even now tightening the chains. This is how we know the Kingdom was established: we see the binding of Satan. Let’s look at it:

Christ’s Victory Over the Serpent
Even during Christ’s life on earth, Satan and his henchmen knew that the jig was up, and relished every last minute of freedom. Some particularly fierce demons (Matthew 8:29) even hoped to persuade Jesus that He had come too soon:

And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

Some of the people who saw Jesus’ power over the demons were going to accuse Him of casting out the demons by the power of Satan:

And Jesus knew their thoughts and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
Matthew 12:25-29

Since this was obviously an exhibition of the power of the Holy Spirit, not of Satan, then according to verse 28 the Kingdom of Christ had at that time come. Indeed, for Satan and his thugs, the time had come: the strong man was being bound and his house readied for spoiling:

Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.” This He said, signifying what death He should die
John 12:31-33

That through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.
Hebrews 2:14

All people can now reign with Christ because Jesus in His triumph over death has rendered Satan impotent to deceive the nations; those demons and powers that held sway over the empires, nations, and kingdoms of the Old World Order have been spoiled, making room for the Kingdom of Christ:

And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them.
Colossians 2:15

In His victory over the Principalities and Powers, Christ inaugurated His messianic reign, in which the saints are personally victorious in Him. We now press for open, public acknowledgement of the success Christmas, and official repudiation of the Old Regime. Violent and selfish habits die hard.

 

The Saints’ Victory over the Serpent
The reign of Christ in His Kingdom and the power of Christ over Satan and his pseudo-kingdom is extended by His saints. The battle between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent (Genesis 3:15-16) is more than just a battle between the Person of Christ and the person of Satan. It is a battle between their descendants. Just as Satan would “lick the dust,” so would his descendants:

And the nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lick the dust like a serpent. . . .
Micah 7:17

And just as the seed of the woman would bind the serpent so would those who are in Christ and reign with Him:

And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:29

And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.
Romans 16:20

The saints of God should therefore be aware of their power over the Devil:

And the seventy returned again with great joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy Name. And He said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from the sky. Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luke 10:17-20

Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
1 John 4:4; cf. Ephesians 2:2

The saints should thus be active in extending Christ’s reign, replacing the so-called “New World Order” with Micah's "Vine & Fig Tree" vision, dethroning the prince of the Old World’s powers. Yet when the task is completed, all the glory will be His, not ours:

Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and authority and power. For He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet.
1 Corinthians 15:24-25

The honor which the saints have of executing Christ’s judgment (cf. Psalm 149:4-9) is the work of the Holy Spirit:

Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment . . . because the prince of this world is judged.
John 16:7-8,11

Thus is Satan bound, and thus “the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).

Although the disciples were all stunned when Jesus was executed by the Empire, we should not be. The prophets foretold it. Everything in Jesus’ life went exactly as planned. All the Christmas prophecies were fulfilled.

By His Power over demons, Jesus indicated that Satan was being bound. This binding was a first-century event:

Matthew 12:29
Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

Luke 10:18
And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Luke 11:17-22
But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. 18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. 22 But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.

Mark 1:24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

Revelation 12:10-12 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

Revelation 20:1-4 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for the thousand years.

Through the death (execution) of Christ, Satan was judged in the first century.

John 12:31-33
Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

John 14:30
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

John 16:11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

In His Resurrection and Ascension, Christ was enthroned, and the power which Satan and his host formerly held over the nations has been transferred to Christ.

Matthew 28:18-20 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Luke 10:18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Luke 11:17-22

Colossians 2:15
Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Psalm 68:18
You have ascended on high,
You have led captivity captive;
You have received gifts among men,
Even from the rebellious,
That the Lord God might dwell there.

Ephesians 4:8
Therefore He says:
“When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.”

Hebrews 2:14
Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

1 John 3:8
He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 4:4
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”

Romans 16:20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.

Thus, at the first Christmas, the world changed from darkness to light. We are now to be the light of the world.

Tomorrow: Just as Jesus was anointed King, we are anointed to serve as kings and priests under Christ. We are used by Christ to bring salvation to the world: global capitalism.

 

 

Tonight is the "Twelfth Night" (as I understand it -- as I admitted on the first day of this series, my family has never observed "The 12 Days of Christmas" or paid much attention to "Epiphany," which is observed by some Christians on January 6). In this final post in a series called "The 12 Days of Liberty," we're going to see the contrast between a world of liberty -- the world inaugurated by Christ the King at the first Christmas -- and the world far too many Christians believe in, a world of nuclear annihilation and a thousand-year Christian Reich.

These Christians believe that the fulfillment of Micah's "Vine & Fig Tree" prophecy -- a prophecy which inspired America's Founding Fathers and "the American Dream" -- is impossible until Christ's Second Coming in the future.

The age when Micah's prophecy (along with others like it) comes to fruition is wrongly called "the millennium" -- in reference to a period in the Book of Revelation lasting "a thousand years." Christ is said to return before this millennium begins, hence the theory is called "pre-millennialism."

But even when Christ returns, the "millennium" of modern fundamentalists is nothing like Micah's libertarian "Vine & Fig Tree" prophecy. The televangelists' millennium is a heavy-handed top-down police state administered by Jesus on a throne in Jerusalem, with his bureaucrat-minions around the world imposing law and order on the unbelieving with a "rod of iron."

Gary North has written about Premillennialism's Faith in A Police State. That link is critical reading here. Micah's vision of the future and John Hagee's vision are very different, even though they might use the same Bible verses, such as

Revelation 1:6
and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 5:10
And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

The question to ask on this 12th Day of Christmas is, how are Christians supposed to "reign on the earth?" How are "millennial" conditions brought about and sustained? Our answer, as you should handily guess if you've read the last 11 Days' worth of posts on this blog, is "libertarianism," "the Free Market," or "capitalism." Christians are not literally supposed to wield a "rod of iron" and impose physical punishments on the unbelievers. Our "millennium" is a non-aggressive decentralized "NAGocracy."

Most premillennial Christians have never heard of the idea I'm about to advance, so I can't fault them for not believing it. There are lots of inconsistencies and un-thought-through ideas floating around in evangelical circles today. Let's take about 5 minutes to look at a couple.

True or False: In order for Christ's millennial “thousand-year” reign of the saints as priests and kings to begin, Satan must first be cast into the Lake of Fire.

Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

False: Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire after the “thousand years.” During the “millennium” Satan’s power is arguably unrestricted except for the one thing that is actually mentioned in the text:

that he should deceive the Gentiles no more till the thousand years were finished (Rev. 20:3)

During this period, Satan is still alive and well, because believers reigning with Christ need their rods of iron to physically undo Satan's spiritual deceptions.

After the “millennium” (in which the Gentiles were no longer deceived), Satan is released from his “prison” for the purpose of raising up an army:

Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, (v. 7)

This is a "little season" of total chaos, rebellion, conflict, and global war between the forces of Christ and the forces of Satan. If we're to believe the best-selling fiction on the matter, it's a mess. So great is Satan's warfare, that Christ is unable to prevail, and He takes His cosmic football and goes home. Popular dispensational writer Dave Hunt says,

In fact, dominion – taking dominion and setting up the kingdom of Christ – is an impossibility, even for God. The millennial reign of Christ, far from being the kingdom, is actually the final proof of the incorrigible nature of the human heart, because Christ Himself can’t do it.

Here’s what Revelation says about the “thousand years.”

Revelation 20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished.

We have seen that Satan was bound by Jesus Christ at His First Coming, by His powerful ministry on earth, by His Death, Resurrection and Ascension. During the time Satan was “bound” (figuratively; not in literal chains, with a literal "seal") the gospel went out to every nation under heaven. Despite intense persecution and tribulation inflicted on Christian evangelists by the religious establishment of the day, every nation under heaven heard the Gospel. The seeds of the Empire's destruction were planted. Then Satan was “released” to organize the Gentiles (the Roman army) to battle, and to destroy Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

Satan was Bound in the 1^st Century

The New Testament gives powerful evidence that Satan was judged and bound by Christ during the first century. That is, his attempts to "deceive the natoins" failed, and the Gentiles were incorporated into the "household of faith," and made sons of Abraham. The New Testament, taken as a whole, was not written to foretell of a binding of Satan thousands of years after the Scriptures were written, but the Scriptures tell of events that were taking place during that generation, the generation to whom the words were written. It was something that applied to the events they were facing in the first century, something they needed to know to help them persevere through their tribulations. The authors of the words you are about to read were not writing them to imperiled Christian communities to tell them about events several thousand years in the future.

By His Power over Satan, Jesus demonstrated that the Kingdom was not “postponed” but rather “at hand.”

Matthew 12:28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

By His Power over demons, Jesus indicated that Satan was being bound.

Matthew 12:29 Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

Luke 10:18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Luke 11:20-22 But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.

Mark 1:24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

Revelation 12:10-12 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

Through the death (execution) and resurrection of Christ, Satan was judged.

John 12:31-33 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” [cf. Micah 4:1-2] This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

John 14:30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

John 16:11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

In His Resurrection and Ascension, Christ was enthroned, and the power which Satan and his host formerly held over the nations was transferred to Christ.

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Luke 10:18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Luke 11:17-22 But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.

Colossians 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Psalm 68:18
You have ascended on high,
You have led captivity captive;
You have received gifts among men,
Even from the rebellious,
That the Lord God might dwell there.

Ephesians 4:8 Therefore He says:
“When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.”

Hebrews 2:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

1 John 3:8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”

Romans 16:20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

What was the message the Scriptures brought to those to whom it was written (in the 1st century)? The message was one of hope, to continue faithfully to preach the gospel, and to be assured of victory even amidst persecution, establishing the reign of Christ and the dethronement of Emperor worship in the midst of persecution and tribulation.

Revelation 1:9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Premillennialists believe the "tribulation" comes before "the Kingdom." John said they were happening back then, at the same time.

The Gospel was preached to every nation under heaven:

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached to all the nations throughout the Empire unto martyrdom, and then the end will come.

Acts 2:5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.

Colossians 1:23 the gospel which you heard, was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Colossians 1:5-6 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, and growing as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;

Romans 16:26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith—

Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

This proves that Satan was bound and unable to deceive the nations. The power to make all nations disciples of Christ was exercised and Satan was overcome (Matthew 28:19-20).

The New Testament also says that believers were anointed as priests and kings. Back then -- not "someday," thousands of years in the future.

 

Christmas means the coming of the Messiah, and when the Old Testament prophets looked forward to the coming of the Messiah, they also looked forward to a day when believers would be anointed to reign with the Messiah in His Kingdom. That messianic age began on the first Christmas.

That the saints are anointed for the task of reigning is of special significance. Anointing was the way the prophet (Isaiah 61:1), the priest (Numbers 3:3), and the king were consecrated.

Anointing was particularly the marking-out of the king. A quick glance at the occurrences of the word “anointed” in the books of Samuel makes this abundantly clear: over and over the king is called “the Lord’s anointed.”

The New Testament makes abundantly clear the fact that Christmas means the coming of the anointed Prophet (Luke 4:18), anointed Priest (Hebrews 10:21) and Christ (that is, Anointed King; Hebrews 1:8-9; Acts 4:25-27, quoting Psalm 2:2).

The anointing of the prophet, priest, and king with oil was symbolic of the bestowal of the Holy Spirit, and it was with the Spirit that Christ was anointed (Acts 10:38). If there is one verb the Scriptures associate with the Holy Spirit is it the word “pour” or “sprinkle.” When God pours out the Spirit, He pours it upon His saints, anointing them priests and kings under Christ. We have been anointed, and we are now priests and kings:

But ye have an anointing from the Holy One, and ye know all things. But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him.
1 John 2:20,27

Now He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God.
2 Corinthians 1:21

And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father.
Revelation 1:6

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him Who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9

The amazing thing about the Old Testament prophecies of the coming reign of Christ’s and His royal priests is not just that His people would be put into a position of true authority in Christ, but that they would be seen carrying out His will. The new commonwealth in Christ (Ephesians 2:12-19; 1 Peter 2:9) is quite unlike the old nation of Israel, who continually rebelled and forsook the LORD. And it is the anointing of the Spirit which we have that enables us to keep His Law and to “walk in His paths” (Micah 4:2; Romans 8:1-4). That was the message that first Christmas: that the Babe would

give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Luke 1:79

"The Last Days"
Micah’s prophecy begins with the words, “And it will come about in the last days. . . .” The prophet Joel began one of his prophecies in the same way, and the Apostle Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, declared that Joel’s prophecy was seeing its fulfillment on that great Day of Pentecost (literally "fiftieth," the Jewish harvest festival of Shavuot, the 50th day after passover, when the Lamb of God was sacrificed) . What did Joel predict, and what was then happening? It was the first stage of the anointing of believers as priests and kings to reign in obedience to Christ. Acts 2 describes the day when believers

. . . were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. And they were all amazed and marvelled saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Others mocked, saying, these men are full of new wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my word: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose. . . . But this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel:

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy . . . .”
Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:1-21

When Joel looked into the future and saw this great outpouring of the Spirit of God upon all peoples, he saw the miraculous anointing that inaugurated that glorious age of human history foretold by the prophets.

The prophet Ezekiel had also spoken of the triumph of The Christmas Messiah:

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new Spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them.
Ezekiel 36:25-32

It would indeed be a miraculous day when God’s people would reign with Him, rather than against Him, obeying Him from the heart, rather than rebelling, departing to the left and to the right, as Israel did so consistently. (Some have suggested that the Old Testament is one of the most "anti-semitic" books in history, because it paints such an unflattering picture of "the chosen people" as being egregiously faithless and idolatrous.)

The description given by the prophet Jeremiah began the same way, and was also fulfilled by Christ according to the writer to the Hebrews:

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the LORD. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the LORD; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
Jeremiah 31:31-34, in Hebrews 8:8-12

In the Old Testament it was difficult to imagine God getting anything accomplished through His people; with this remarkable change in the hearts of the saints, it is easier to understand how the Messiah would exercise His Kingship through the people of God and carry out all that the prophets foretold. Now the people of God can be entrusted with the Kingly rule of Christ, as spoken of by the Prophets:

He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.
Psalm 47:3; cf. Psalm 118:10, Isaiah 14:2

For the LORD taketh pleasure in His people: He will beautify the meek with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute this judgment written; this honor have all His saints. Praise ye the LORD!
Psalm 149:4-9; cf. Isaiah. 11:1-5

Armed with the two-edged sword of the LORD, which is the Scriptures (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12 -- not a literal sword), we who are saints are called to administer the Kingly reign of Christ, calling all people and all nations to repentance from socialist violence, even as King Jesus executes His judgments through us, by His powerful Word (Isaiah 11:4; Isaiah 49:2; Hosea 6:5; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 19:15).

Armed with the Scriptures and the Spirit, we exercise the prophetic role of Christ, in denouncing the institutionalized selfishness which characterizes the empires -- the outposts -- of the old world order. We must help its victims overcome their oppression, just as Christ was sent to do:

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me; because the LORD hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, To give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified.
Isaiah 61:1-3; cf. Luke 4:18-22

The dominion of sin and death has been put to an end. Living in fear of Satan’s minions and being in bondage to their televised lies and half-truths, waiting mournfully for the death of the cosmic Saddam, living in a spiritual and cultural underground, waiting for a rapturous rescue from the terminated reign of a now-disarmed dictator, can finally come to an end. Christ is King, and as His ambassadors we spread this Good News to those who are crippled by disinformation from the Old World Order. Armed with the two-edged sword of the LORD, we extend Christ’s reign by preaching the good news of reconciliation to God, until all His enemies have become His friends (1 Corinthians 15:25; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; John 15:14) even as Christ put down all those enemies of His who opposed His work that first Christmas.

The Word of God is clear: “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal.” In fact, violence is repudiated by the saints, employed against them by the pagans, and backfires to destroy Christ’s enemies.

Our fight against islamic extremism and jihadism is the same fight the Apostles fought, and they fought without military bases in Iraq and 130 other nations. False religions are a spiritual problem, not a military problem

Our fight against drugs does not require the DEA, the BATF, the FBI, or SWAT teams. Drug addiction is a spiritual problem, not a military problem.

The State's "war on poverty" is being fought with the wrong weapons. The poverty of the ancient world was caused by their kings and empires. It was caused by spiritual darkness. Poverty has been all but eliminated in America thanks to the idea of "liberty under God," not thanks to compulsory taxation and fraudulent "social security" ponzi schemes. Charity and welfare are concerns of the "church," not the "state."

In one area of human action and social order after another, violence and the initiation of force have been proven to be inadequate (at best) and counter-productive ways to deal with social and personal problems. The Prince of Peace has shown us that the "way of peace" works. If libertarianism isn't true, then Christmas isn't true.

I hope in these "12 Days of Liberty" you've come to see the Bible in an entirely different way, different from the way you hear about it in best-selling prophecy fiction and quite unlike what you hear from the televangelists. In the 2,008 years since that first Christmas, we have never been lacking in kooky cults and weird ideas about the Bible. True enough, the Bible was not written by dull, secular bureaucrats, but by farmers, tax collectors, doctors, kings, and converted Jews who saw the answer to oppressive empires that had dominated human history to that point, and erupted in enthusiasm and passionate literary expressions. If those authors and the people they wrote about in their day could travel through time and visit us today, and see the wealth and peace that hundreds of millions of human beings enjoy today, they would drop to their knees in utter astonishment and gratitude to God for what the Christmas King has done in history. We are not very grateful for the truly remarkable changes that have taken place as "liberty under God" has replaced tyranny under man.

That was the promise of the prophets, and the message of Christmas. It has been remarkably fulfilled, and yet the work of dominion still remains to be done. Life would be boring without a challenge.

Each generation is tempted to detour off Christ's "way of peace" and return to ancient Rome, where an elite few ruled over the enslaved masses. This desire for control over others has to be put to death.

Thanks for joining me in this unique observance of "the 12 Days of Christmas." I hope you won't forget about Christmas during the coming year. Don't reduce its public promises to a sentimental or commercial season at the end of the year.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!