Christmas 2020

I hear a lot of whining about what a rough year 2020 has been. Imagine a year when the government has banned public meetings of your church. Violations of the ban are likely to get you fined or imprisoned. Speaking the truth of the gospel has been outlawed. Personal expressions of your faith are being criminalized. Society as a whole is not just ignorant of the Bible; they are belligerent to its message of salvation. Those who attempt to spread the Good News are often persecuted and sometimes even martyred. There has never been such a troubled year.

Except that what I just described was the situation facing the first generation of the church. And it grew explosively. When the Roman Catholic church took the place of secular government in the Middle Ages, it again became dangerous to express beliefs that were contrary to the controlling powers. The Roman church viciously persecuted biblically patterned groups like the Waldenses and Albigenses; men like Wycliffe and Hus were persecuted or martyred for telling the truth as they believed it.

Although the Reformation brought some relief for truth-tellers, even Calvin was known for harsh judgments against those who disagreed with his particular brand of reform. When a group of people attempted to escape persecution for their beliefs in Europe in the Seventeenth century, they founded Plymouth colony in the New World, only to carry on the exclusiveness and bigotry they were leaving behind. Folks who wanted to practice a private version of the faith outside the community were shunned or worse. “Papists” were banned outright, a feeling that carried all the way to the presidency of John F. Kennedy in the 1960’s.

Everyone is familiar with the “under God” controversy surrounding the Pledge of Allegiance and the battle to remove the Ten Commandments from public spaces. I heard yesterday that an HOA somewhere won’t let a homeowner put a cross on his own property. Despite the promise of the First Amendment, religious speech is criminalized being branded “hate speech” when it criticizes a protected group. 2020 has been a tough year, but it’s really nothing new.

I have been introduced to a new way of looking at the situation facing Christians by Dr. Michael S. Heiser. I discovered Heiser’s enlightened view when I read The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible a few years ago. (See “Understanding the Book of Job: The Heiser Effect”) Since then, besides a couple re-reads of Unseen Realm, I have followed more of what he has written. Heiser is a scholar of ancient Mideastern languages, particularly biblical Hebrew. His work has opened my eyes to the supernatural worldview of the biblical writers and their audience.

This matters at Christmas because of what Christmas means in the supernatural world. As the word came to the Apostle John from heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.” Heiser opens our eyes to the fact that bringing a new King into the world upsets those who have claimed rulership of that world for millennia. Jesus’ dialogue with Satan during His temptation proves that the dark lord assumed ownership of the kingdoms he offered to the King. (Mt. 4:9-10) The King said He was bringing a sword (Mt. 10:34) and the kingdom would come by force. (Mt. 11:12)

The baby that shepherds worshipped in the manger would grow to become the divine/human representative of God charged with the retaking of the kingdom. The Savior had to live in the flesh so that He could die to save all flesh. His physical death was required to regain the lost kingdom and to purchase life for Himself and all who believe on Him. The marvel is that the Messiah didn’t stay dead; He was raised from death to reign over the earth, first in a spiritual victory; then He will ultimately return to reign physically with His faithful followers.

In 2020 we are in the same place as our brothers in 120 and 1220 and 1620: we are in the midst of a cosmic battle for control of the earth. The word John heard from the 24 elders was, “We give thanks to you, Lord God All-Powerful, the one who is and the one who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.  And the nations were angry.” (Revelation 11:17-18) The reign has “begun,” but the spiritual powers have not yet been put fully in subjection. “The nations” are angry because they see their power being drained away.

Heiser paints a clear picture of how the “nations” are associated with the powerful beings that populate the spiritual realm. Even before the Messiah came, the Psalmist noted that, “the nations rage.” (Psalm 2:1) Psalm 2 ends with a warning for the “kings” who rule the earth: “So then, O kings, be wise. Be warned, O rulers of the earth.  Serve Yahweh with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son lest he be angry, and you perish on the way, for his anger burns quickly. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”

Heiser makes it abundantly clear that these “kings” are the spirit beings that God, the King of spirits, placed in charge of the nations while He took Israel for His own. (Deuteronomy 32:8)) The nations were set aside temporarily while God worked out the redemption plan through Israel. The fulfillment of that plan began in a manger in Bethlehem. It continued through the agony of Messiah on the Roman cross where a victory was won over death. It continues in 2020 with the struggle of Christ’s followers who attempt to bring the Kingdom of light against the kingdom of darkness. ((See “Bringing the Kingdom”)

If this seems like a dark message to share at Christmas, remember that when Simeon prophesied over Mary at her baby boy’s temple presentation, he told her a sword would pierce her heart. The New Testament is full of warnings that tribulations and trials will come. We are in a war; expect trouble. The thing that makes this a happy message is that we know who wins – who has won really. We cannot be surprised that things are tough; it was promised. The good news is that persevering produces strong faith (James 1:2-4) and suffering is the “evident token” of our salvation. (Philippians 1:28)

Smile and sigh at the wonder of the manger. Marvel at the angels’ announcement to the shepherds. Then grit your teeth and take a deep breath so that you can stand firm when “the nations rage.” Remember Who stands by your side. Remember the closing line of Psalm 2: “Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”