David Bahn – Reflections

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

These reflections grow out of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Today’s readings are Job 8-10; Psalm 16.

Psalm 16:5-11

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
    you hold my lot.
⁶ The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

⁷ I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
    in the night also my heart instructs me.
⁸ I have set the Lord always before me;
    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
    my flesh also dwells secure.
¹⁰ For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
    or let your holy one see corruption.

¹¹ You make known to me the path of life;
    in your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Job – at this point in the story – would have a difficult time speaking the words of Psalm 16. That is not only because of his suffering, but also because Job lived long before the psalms of David were written. He could not yet say, “The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.” Those words would ring hollow in his ears.

Job is in dire straits. By God’s permission, he has lost his property, his children, and now even his health. The limits God has set for Satan still leave ample room for affliction. His wife urges him to curse God and die. His friends are convinced that he must have committed some great sin to deserve such calamity.

Psalm 16 stands in stark contrast to Job’s lament. David praises God for the blessings he is experiencing and acknowledges God’s goodness, faithfulness, and love at that moment in his life.

Most biblical scholars believe this psalm was written early in David’s life – when he was vulnerable and dependent, not yet secure in power, and consciously choosing trust in the Lord over alternative forms of protection.

David says, “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup… The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places” (vv. 5–6). This is striking because David has no land, no throne, and no inheritance – except God’s promise. Yet he praises God in faith.

David will one day face great trouble. He will fall into grave sin. The lines will not always fall for him in pleasant places. In that way, he is like Job. And like Job, David will at times rail against God. But God remains the center of their lives. Neither of them defines his “portion” apart from the Lord.

Job could not yet say the words of Psalm 16. David could say them – but only for a season. Ultimately, those words belong fully to one man alone: Jesus Christ. Only he could say without qualification that the lines fell for him according to the Father’s will. Only he could trust the Lord as his portion all the way through suffering, death, and the grave. And because he was not abandoned to the tomb, we now learn to speak words of trust – sometimes through tears – knowing that our lines, however painful they may seem now, are held in the hands of a faithful God.

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

These reflections grow out of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Today’s readings are Job 5-7; Psalm 15.

Job 5:8-16

“As for me, I would seek God,
    and to God would I commit my cause,
⁹ who does great things and unsearchable,
    marvelous things without number:
¹⁰ he gives rain on the earth
    and sends waters on the fields;
¹¹ he sets on high those who are lowly,
    and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
¹² He frustrates the devices of the crafty,
    so that their hands achieve no success.
¹³ He catches the wise in their own craftiness,
    and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.
¹⁴ They meet with darkness in the daytime
    and grope at noonday as in the night.
¹⁵ But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth
    and from the hand of the mighty.
¹⁶ So the poor have hope,
    and injustice shuts her mouth.

Job’s friends finally speak – after sitting in silence with him for 7 days. Job laments even being born, and Eliphaz answers Job. His message is simple, at least partly true, but will not help. As the dialogue continues between Job and his friends, it becomes more of an argument than a discussion. Job’s friends conclude that Job must have done something wrong, and that’s why Job is suffering so. Job maintains his innocence even though he is suffering. They are both wrong, although Job’s contention that he has done nothing wrong is closer to truth than his friends accusatory comments.

Eliphaz’ comments here are true. As he says, God gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields; he sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. In other words, God is good. He does good things. He thwarts the designs of the wicked. He hears our prayers and answers them.

There is a time to contend for the goodness of God. And Eliphaz believes this is the right moment. His and his friends comments rise out of a conviction that God governs the world by a moral principle of retribution: the righteous prosper, the wicked suffer. They presume that because Job is suffering he must have done something wrong.

We know from Job 1-2 that Job is righteous. His suffering is not punitive. God himself has declared Job blameless. Job’s friends speak many true things about God, but they speak them at the wrong time, in the wrong way, and to the wrong purpose. Their theology is correct in principle but cruel in application. They defend God by abandoning Job — and in doing so, they misrepresent them both.

The friends operate by law without gospel. They speak truth without grace. They offer explanation instead of promise. And we need all of these things: Law and Gospel; truth and grace; explanation and promise.

Those are hallmarks of the true Christian faith, and are perfectly found and embodies by our Lord Jesus, the Word made flesh full of grace and truth. Next time you have the opportunity to speak to someone who is hurting, don’t just say the true thing. Say the graciously-true things about God’s love, grace, mercy, and faithfulness. Those are true words rightly spoken.

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

These reflections grow out of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Today’s readings are Job 3-4; Psalm 14.

Job 3:1-2, 20-26

After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. ² And Job said:

²⁰ “Why is light given to him who is in misery,
    and life to the bitter in soul,
²¹ who long for death, but it comes not,
    and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,
²² who rejoice exceedingly
    and are glad when they find the grave?
²³ Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,
    whom God has hedged in?
²⁴ For my sighing comes instead of my bread,
    and my groanings are poured out like water.
²⁵ For the thing that I fear comes upon me,
    and what I dread befalls me.
²⁶ I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;
    I have no rest, but trouble comes.”

Job is asking a question that my mother asked for the last 3 years of her life. She was not alone. Nor would she be alone today. As people age and find themselves isolated from family and see the deaths of friend after friend, they wonder, “Why doesn’t the Lord just take me? There is no purpose to my life. I have no reason to go on living.”

Their struggle is not apparently the same as Job’s. He had suffered great loss, and even more: he has been struck with terrible physical torment. He is in agony. He is experiencing great physical suffering. And with that physical suffering come great emotional and spiritual pains.

No wonder he is so despondent. No wonder he wishes he could just die. His wife has already said, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” He has only the comfort of his friends – who for seven day have just sat with him saying nothing. While I have often said that the best things Job’s friends said, they said during the first seven days, I do wonder whether their silence actually comforted Job.

When people are suffering, moralizing, trying to tell them that it isn’t that bad, or dismissing their pain is right out. But we can be with them in their suffering and there may come a time when we can speak a word of comfort to them.

Scripture consistently assures us that God sees the suffering of his people, hears their cries, and remembers their prayers — even when his answers come later than we hope or in ways we do not yet understand.

After we’ve listened to them, sought to understand their plight, we might offer a Bible verse such as Psalm 34:17, “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.” These and other Bible verses may speak to the suffering soul. And we can be sure that they need God’s truth more than easy answer we might offer.

Here’s a list of Bible verses for those who are suffering:

1. Psalm 34:18

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

God’s nearness is not abstract — he draws close precisely where hearts are breaking.

2. Exodus 3:7

“Then the Lord said, ‘I have surely seen the affliction of my people… I have heard their cry… I know their sufferings.’”

3. Isaiah 43:2

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you… When you walk through fire you shall not be burned.”

4. Psalm 56:8

“You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?”

5. Matthew 11:28

Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

6. Romans 8:18

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

7. Revelation 21:4

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more…”

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

These reflections grow out of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Today’s readings are Job 1-2; Psalm 13.

Job 1:1-12

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. ² There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. ³ He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. ⁴ His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵ And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

⁶ Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. ⁷ The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” ⁸ And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” ⁹ Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? ¹⁰ Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ¹¹ But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” ¹² And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

I’ve quoted Martin Luther many times in regard to this section of Job, “The devil is always God’s devil.” Some people don’t like to think of such an apparent close relationship between God and the devil. And according to ChatGTP, Luther didn’t say those exact words. But it appears that in his Table Talks, Luther did say, “For, where God built a church, there the devil would also build a chapel… In such sort is the devil always God’s ape.” I like that, “God’s ape!”

Jesus said, “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I have come that they may have life to the full.” (John 10:10) We see how Satan seeks to do just that right here in the opening words of Job. It’s good to remember that Satan is real and dangerous, but he is not autonomous. Satan operates only within limits God allows – see verse 12. God ultimately uses even the devil’s work to serve his purposes.

But that “ultimately” is an important and far-reaching word. In the case of Job it took some time for the ultimately to become clear. God had set a boundary for Satan’s influence in Job’s life. Although Satan’s influence in Job’s life was brutal, it lasted only for a time. And in the end we (who have already read the book) know that he will be fully restored – and more.

It’s hard to imagine God actually inciting Satan against Job. But that’s exactly what he did. Perhaps Job needed the lesson; and we’ll see how that is dealt with later in the book. He will learn his lesson (so too will his friends).

For us today, we need to remember the lesson of Job and James: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) As we face temptation from the world, our flesh, or the devil, we can rely on God’s word, the Holy Spirit, and God’s protection to help us resist. And when we fall, we can thank God that when we repent he will receive us graciously, forgive our sins, and point us back toward the cross and the abundant life Jesus came to bring.

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

These reflections grow out of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Today’s readings are Job 1-2; Psalm 13.

Job 1:1-12

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. ² There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. ³ He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. ⁴ His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵ And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

⁶ Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. ⁷ The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” ⁸ And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” ⁹ Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? ¹⁰ Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ¹¹ But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” ¹² And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

I’ve quoted Martin Luther many times in regard to this section of Job, “The devil is always God’s devil.” Some people don’t like to think of such an apparent close relationship between God and the devil. And according to ChatGTP, Luther didn’t say those exact words. But it appears that in his Table Talks, Luther did say, “For, where God built a church, there the devil would also build a chapel… In such sort is the devil always God’s ape.” I like that, “God’s ape!”

Jesus said, “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I have come that they may have life to the full.” (John 10:10) We see how Satan seeks to do just that right here in the opening words of Job. It’s good to remember that Satan is real and dangerous, but he is not autonomous. Satan operates only within limits God allows – see verse 12. God ultimately uses even the devil’s work to serve his purposes.

But that “ultimately” is an important and far-reaching word. In the case of Job it took some time for the ultimately to become clear. God had set a boundary for Satan’s influence in Job’s life. Although Satan’s influence in Job’s life was brutal, it lasted only for a time. And in the end we (who have already read the book) know that he will be fully restored – and more.

It’s hard to imagine God actually inciting Satan against Job. But that’s exactly what he did. Perhaps Job needed the lesson; and we’ll see how that is dealt with later in the book. He will learn his lesson (so too will his friends).

For us today, we need to remember the lesson of Job and James: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) As we face temptation from the world, our flesh, or the devil, we can rely on God’s word, the Holy Spirit, and God’s protection to help us resist. And when we fall, we can thank God that when we repent he will receive us graciously, forgive our sins, and point us back toward the cross and the abundant life Jesus came to bring.

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

These reflections grow out of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Today’s readings are Genesis 10-11; Psalm 12.

Genesis 11:1-9

Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. ² And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. ³ And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. ⁴ Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” ⁵ And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. ⁶ And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. ⁷ Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” ⁸ So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. ⁹ Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.

Throughout the Bible: Babylon is a symbol of human pride, self-exaltation, rebellion against God, and oppressive worldly power. And Babylon is the location of the Tower of Babel.

The act of building a tower isn’t evil in itself. I’m thinking of the the KFVS TV tower in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Built in 1960 it was the tallest manmade structure in the world. It gave us Cape folks something to brag about. And it allowed the TV station to be viewed in six states. That lasted two years when a taller tower was built in Blanchard, North Dakota. Such fame is fleeting to be sure.

But there is a greater danger than losing the claim to have the tallest manmade structure in the world. The Tower of Babel was built to “reach the heavens.” The purpose was not to broadcast a TV signal. It was to make a name for themselves and to reach God – but not the true God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – or Noah for that matter. The famous Etemenanki ziggurat in Babylon, for example, was dedicated to Marduk, Babylon’s chief god.

Genesis 11 is not criticizing architecture; it is critiquing false worship and human pride. And you don’t have to build a tower to celebrate either one. Pride can be far more subtle than a self-important strut, and false worship more nuanced than bowing before a carved image. It can take the form of quiet self-reliance, moral comparison, or the assumption that we stand before God on better footing than others.

At its core, the great pride of Babel is the belief that we can reach God on our own terms. Any confidence that rests in something other than God coming to us in Jesus Christ is a form of self-worship. And thinking we are somehow better before God than others is a temptation as old as Babel itself – and just as destructive.

Let us, instead, build towers of praise to God – giving thanks for his grace in coming to us. And let us humble ourselves before a very different tower: the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. He humbled himself for our sake and has the name above every name. Let his name be praised.

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

These reflections grow out of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey

Today’s readings are Genesis 1-3; Psalm 9.

Genesis 1:1-10

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. ² The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

³ And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ⁴ And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. ⁵ God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

⁶ And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” ⁷ And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. ⁸ And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

⁹ And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. ¹⁰ God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.d.

It’s the Bible verse I use on my personal correspondence: And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. (Genesis 1:3-4) Let’s reflect on that for a few moments.

God spoke light and the world and the universe into being. When he said, “Let there be light,” there was light. God’s word has power – not just authority, but power. When a police officer stops you, he has authority. But his word has no power to make your car stop. He can record your license plate number and your violation. He has authority to write a citation charging you with speeding or any other traffic violation. But he cannot – just by speaking – exert any restraint or cause any action.

God, on the other hand, has both authority and power. When he speaks light into existence it comes into existence – so too the land, waters, plants and stars and planets, and living creatures of all kinds. He did it by speaking. It is interesting to note that when the Lord God made man, he formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. The act was far more intimate and personal.

Because God created the heavens and the earth, and made man in his image, he also has authority over all things. Some people don’t like that idea. They don’t want to be under God’s authority. They want to be their own God. They will have their day in court. It won’t go well for them. We who recognize not only God’s power but also his authority submit to him, fear, love, and trust in him. We recognize that God has the final word and rejoice that God’s final word was spoken to us in his Son. This shapes our true identity and destiny.

When the light of God and his word fall on us, we see how good and gracious God truly is. We see how his final word is not only a word of power (which it surely is), but also a word of grace and love. Even when Adam and Eve sinned and hid themselves from God, he comes searching for them to bring them back to himself and restore them and all of creation. The seed of the woman will strike the heel of Satan and although Satan will inflict a mortal wound, the seed of the woman (Jesus) will destroy the works of the devil.

I cannot create light by speaking, but I can pray, “Let your light fall on us, Lord God, and point us to your final word, your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

These reflections grow out of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. You are warmly invited to join us on this journey

Today’s readings are Mark 15-16, Psalm 8.

Mark 16:1-8

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. ² And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. ³ And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” ⁴ And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. ⁵ And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. ⁶ And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” ⁸ And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Mark’s Gospel ends abruptly — and uncharacteristically — with fear, silence, and an unsettling lack of resolution. The women leave the tomb afraid and say nothing to anyone. It feels unfinished. And perhaps that is exactly the point.

There are additional verses following Mark 16:8, but as most modern Bible translations note, “Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9–20.” It is widely recognized that Mark’s original account likely ended at verse 8, with later scribes supplying a more conventional conclusion.

That said, Mark leaves us with two clear and vital truths after many long chapters recounting Jesus’ betrayal, suffering, and death. Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane, his betrayal by Judas, the accusations of the religious leaders, the mocking and scourging by the soldiers, and his encounter with Pilate all lead to the stark reality of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial.

And then comes this: Jesus’ body is no longer in the tomb.
The women are the first to hear the words, “He has risen; he is not here.”

They come to the tomb worried about the stone sealing the entrance, only to find it already rolled away. They bring spices to anoint Jesus’ body — but there is no body to anoint. Instead, they encounter a young man dressed in a white robe who tells them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here.” They are instructed to go, to tell the disciples — and Peter — that Jesus is going ahead of them to Galilee.

Luke records several encounters between angels and people early in his Gospel. Zechariah questions the message. Mary receives it in faith. The shepherds respond with wonder and obedience. But Mark tells us something more raw and unsettling: at least at first, the women flee in fear and say nothing to anyone.

Yet Mark’s Gospel is not the only testimony to what followed Jesus’ death and resurrection. The story does not end with silence. For nearly two thousand years, the message has gone out — the story of Jesus’ life, teaching, suffering, death, and resurrection. And it continues to be told.

Mark begins his Gospel with the words, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” He ends with fear and unfinished sentences. But the end is not The End.

The risen Jesus still sends his people. Until he comes again to gather us to himself, there is a message to tell — and now it is our turn to continue the story, wherever and whenever we can.

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

Today’s readings are Mark 13-14, Psalm 7. I hope you will join me in reading these passages.

Mark 13:24-27

[Jesus says,] “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, ²⁵ and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. ²⁶ And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷ And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

There is a fascination among some Christians with the End Times. Some of that fascination is healthy. Some of it is not.

The unhealthy fascination tends to revolve around speculation — about the nation of Israel, the red heifer, timelines, and tribulation charts. When such speculation overshadows Jesus’ clear and urgent call, “Repent and believe the Good News!”, something has gone badly wrong. At times, I fear that it has.

At the same time, there are faithful teachers — including a former seminary classmate of mine and now a retired professor — who rightly insist that the End Times do matter. Not because they invite speculation, but because they are bound up with the resurrection of the body and the promise of eternal life. The End Times are not about escaping creation, but about its renewal — the new heaven and the new earth — where we will be fully human, body and soul, without sin.

When I read passages like Mark 13:24–27, I am reminded how often these words are pressed into service to support a particular end-times scheme. But if we fail to hear these words against their Old Testament background, we will miss Jesus’ point altogether.

The image of the Son of Man coming in the clouds sounds, at first glance, like a description of Jesus’ second coming to the earth. But in the Old Testament — especially Daniel 7 — the Son of Man comes to the Ancient of Days to receive dominion, glory, and authority. This is not descent, but exaltation. It echoes Jesus’ own words after the resurrection: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

And when Jesus speaks of sending out his angels to gather the elect, we need not imagine a distant future only. Think of Pentecost. Think of Acts, where persecution scatters believers — and everywhere they go, they preach the Word. God gathers his people not by fear, but by the Gospel. Not by threats of judgment, but by the promise of forgiveness and life in Christ.

God is indeed to be feared — but he is also to be loved and trusted above all things. And Jesus is describing events that have, in fact, brought blessing upon blessing to countless people through the ages.

For the message of repentance and faith has gone out. And by the power of the Holy Spirit, we have been brought to faith, gathered to Christ, and saved.