He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, (Luke 24:6)
Christmas and Easter (I prefer “Resurrection Day”) are the two most important days on the Christian calendar with Resurrection Day being, arguably, the most important of the two. One might argue that we could not have the Resurrection without the Birth, but the Birth without the Resurrection would render both insignificant.
Jesus’ birth came like the birth of any other baby. The Gospel writer Luke records the event taking place in a humble animal shelter visited only by lowly shepherds. However, Luke points out an important fact that is summarily overlooked by most readers. Luke says that, “while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered” (Luke 2:6, emphasis mine). So, apparently, Joseph and Mary had been in Bethlehem a few days before the time of her delivery. Luke does not say, but it seems reasonable that in Bethlehem there were ladies who, seeing a young woman ready to give birth, would have offered their services as midwives. That is the way they did it in those days. Regardless, the birth was no different than any other. The conception nine months prior was the “miracle.” At that time, God planted His seed in Mary’s womb without human aid.
So Jesus came into the world and “dwelt among us”[1] and “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52). He grew up like any other Jewish boy and probably learned carpentry from His earthly father, Joseph. At the age of 30,[2] the age at which priests enter service,[3] Jesus started His three-year earthly ministry. We know from the four Gospel accounts that His ministry ended with His death on the cross. He was buried in a borrowed tomb and rose on the third day.
But what if the resurrection never happened? Paul put it quite succinctly when he said, “if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). If Jesus did not rise from the grave, His death for our sins is of no avail. We have no hope of eternal life, and, worse, our destiny is in hell. That explains why unbelievers live for this life alone because, for them, this life is all there is. They reject the concept of hell and prefer the idea that death ends it all, or that it begins a new cycle through reincarnation.
Many arguments against the resurrection of Jesus exist that have a long history from the very beginning. Some say that Jesus did not die on the cross but only “swooned” and revived in the cool dampness of the tomb, rolled the two-ton stone away, and walked out. That is a silly theory when one considers the beating, torture, and flogging Jesus received before being nailed to the cross. Also, the Roman soldiers who crucified Him were expert executioners and were familiar with death. Had they suspected that He “swooned,” they would have broken His legs like they did with the other two victims.[4] These were professionals; they knew death. Then, to ensure His death, one of the soldiers ran his spear into his side and punctured the pericardium.[5]
Let us say, for argument’s sake, that this one they failed to recognize and Jesus did indeed pass out. Even if He did revive in the cool tomb, the loss of blood from the beatings and flogging, not to mention the puncturing of his heart sac, would have left Him too weak to roll away the heavy stone – one that took several men to move – by Himself.
Another argument suggests that Jesus’ disciples overpowered the Roman guard posted at the tomb.[6] This too is a silly argument. All four Gospels record how the disciples went into hiding at Jesus’ arrest. They feared for their lives. It seems unlikely that these frightened men, most of them fishermen, and at least one un-calloused tax collector, would dare to take on battle-hardened professional Roman soldiers. However, this fabrication spread from the very beginning. Matthew records that an angel came to roll back the stone and the soldiers on watch were scared stiff.[7] The soldiers, knowing the consequence (death) for failing in their responsibility to keep the tomb secure, went to the chief priests, rather than their leaders, hoping to get a sympathetic hearing about the empty tomb. They made a good choice as the Jewish religious leaders paid them off and covered for them as long as they would spread the lie that the disciples had stolen the body.[8]
Still another argument insists that the women who went to the tomb on Sunday morning were so grief-stricken that they failed to recognize Jesus’ tomb and went to the wrong sepulcher which was empty. This argument simply rejects what Scripture clearly reports. Three of the four Gospels record that the women witnessed the tomb where Jesus was laid.[9] John, who was present at the crucifixion along with Jesus’ mother and the other women, does not say, but it stands to reason that he would have accompanied them to the tomb.
Jesus rose from the dead. If that were not true, the Jews, because of their hatred for Him, only needed to exhume the body and present it to the world, but they had no body. Men have tried and failed to show Jesus’ remains, but they cannot.
Jesus rose from the dead. He conquered death, and because He conquered death, we have the assurance that our sins are covered and we have eternal life with him. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept [died]. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:19-22, emphasis mine). “For if by one man’s [Adam] offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one [Adam] judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [Jesus] the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s [Adam] disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [Jesus] shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:17-19, emphasis mine).
Because Jesus conquered death, we can have the assurance of eternal life with Him. That is why the resurrection matters. If you are not sure where you stand before Jesus, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”
And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? (Numbers 22:28)
My daily Bible reading brings me to the Book of Numbers, and as the name suggests, there are many long, detailed lists of names and numbers, which make for very dry reading. The minutiae serve as an important resource for deep study, but for casual reading, it can be a little boring. It is easy to forget that it is, after all, God’s Word, and God included everything in it for a reason. That said, Numbers does include some interesting accounts that play out later in Scripture.
There is the account in Chapter 11 where the children of Israel complained because all they had to eat was the manna that God sent from heaven every morning. They were tired of the heavenly bread and wanted meat to eat. (Someone rightly questioned, “With all the herds of sheep, goats, and cattle they had with them, how is it they had no meat to eat?” Good question. I do not know the answer.) Their complaining angered God and He sent them quail to eat for a whole month until it was coming out of their nostrils![1] The lesson – don’t complain about what you don’t have, but be thankful for what you do have.
In Chapter 12, Moses’ siblings, Aaron and Miriam, speak against Moses for his marriage to an Ethiopian woman.
Presumably this woman was Zipporah (Ex. 2:21; 4:25), the daughter of Jethro, since there is no other indication that Moses had more than one wife. However she is also called a Midianite (Ex 2:16), and this leaves her identity somewhat uncertain. Ethiopia is Cush in Hebrew, and the Cushites originally settled on the western shores of Arabia before moving across the Red Sea to Ethiopia, being gradually replaced by the Midianites. Thus, the Cushites and the Midianites probably experienced considerable intermingling and intermarriage in the process. Habakkuk 3:7 indicates that Cushan and Midian were sometimes considered equivalent.[2]
Evidently, they felt they were not getting their share of the limelight. “And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it” (Numbers 12:2). The LORD called a meeting of the three. “And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” (Numbers 12:6-8, emphasis mine). God struck Miriam with leprosy for only seven days because Moses interceded on her behalf. Aaron, being the high priest, was not stricken, but the sight of his sister’s punishment was lesson enough for him. The lesson – do not speak out against the Lord’s anointed.
In Chapters 13 and 14, we have the account of the 12 spies sent out to spy out the Promised Land. Ten returned with a good news/bad news report. Yes, the land was rich and fruitful as God had promised, but it was also full of giants against whom they felt powerless. Their negative report caused the people to become fearful. Only two, Caleb and Joshua encouraged the people saying that God would fight for them to give them the land. However, the people listened to the ten negative reports rather than the two positive ones. They were ready to choose a new leader and return to their life of slavery in Egypt. This too angered the LORD, and He was ready to smite them all with plague and start all over with just Moses. But Moses interceded for the people and assuaged God’s wrath, but not without consequences for the people. For forty years they would wander in the desert until the last of the fearful died out in the desert, except for Caleb and Joshua. Hearing the LORD’s decree, the people repented and took it upon themselves to go fight against the Amalekites on their own. That did not work out well for them and the Amalekites whooped up on them! The lesson – when you trust in your own strength and abilities, you will certainly fail. It always works out better when you trust God to fight your battles.
There is also the account of the sons of Korah, Levites, who rebelled against Moses and Aaron, Chapter 16. These were swallowed up by the ground. Again, don’t mess with God’s anointed. The fate of Korah’s sons failed to penetrate the brains of those that remained, so they continued to “murmur,” and they came against Moses and Aaron. Once more, God was ready to wipe them all out, but Moses and Aaron interceded for the people.
Even so, God sent a plague that killed 14,700 of them.[3]Chapter 17 records another strange event. Following the rebellion, God had Moses gather the heads of the 12 tribes with their staffs (walking sticks) to lay before the Testimony (i.e., the Ark of the Covenant). Each staff bore the name of its respective tribe. Aaron’s staff was also placed among them. To settle who God selected as leader, that man’s staff would blossom. Keep in mind, these staffs were made of hard, dead wood completely devoid of life and completely incapable of producing fruit. All staffs were laid before the Ark that resided in the Holy of Holies. The following morning, Aaron’s staff blossomed and produced almonds.[4] “And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not” (Numbers 17:10).
God made it perfectly clear who He had selected to lead the congregation. Yet with all of his qualities, Moses was not perfect. Chapter 20 records what was arguably Moses’ greatest failure. Their wanderings in the desert brought the children of Israel to Kadesh where they found themselves without water once again. As was their pattern, they started whining to Moses about their lack of water and accusing him of having brought them out to the desert to die. Understandably, Moses was more than a little angry with the people, but he took their complaint before the LORD. God told Moses to gather the people around a large rock that was there. He told Moses to “speak” to the rock and that it would bring forth water. “And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them” (Numbers 20:9-12, emphasis mine). Moses’ failure was not that he struck the rock, but that he did not speak to it as instructed. His failure was that he took the credit for bringing water out of the rock rather than attributing the credit to God. His punishment was that he would not lead the people into the Promised Land. The lesson – when God tells you to do something, do it the way He says to do it and not like you think it ought to be done.
The next chapter records an account repeated in the New Testament making the previous lesson clear. In Chapter 21, the Canaanite king, Arad, made an unprovoked attack on the Israelite camp and took some captive. Israel made a vow to God to utterly destroy all the cities of the Canaanites if He would deliver them into their hands. God granted their request, but along the way, they started complaining “because of the way.”[5] God must have thought, “You think this is tough, I’ll show you tough,” so He sent fiery serpents to bite them and many were dying. It did not take long for them to repent and cry out to Moses to save them. So, God instructed Moses to make a brass serpent and put it atop a pole. Then, when anyone was bitten, all they needed to do was look up at the serpent on the pole and they would not die from the snake bite. Jesus referred to this event when He spoke to Nicodemus. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15). There is no other cure for the sting of sin. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6, emphasis mine). The lesson – God has provided only one way to survive the sting of death; there is no other way.
I now arrive at the subject of my provocative title. The children of Israel were nearing the end of their wanderings in the wilderness. They were approaching the borders of Moab. The Moabites were the descendants of one of Lot’s daughters.[6]Numbers 22-24 records the encounter between Moab and Israel. Balak, the king of Moab, heard about the approach of the Israelites, and God’s reputation preceded them. “And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel” (Numbers 22:3). Balak got the great idea to hire Balaam to curse Israel, “for,” he said, “I [know] that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed” (Numbers 22:6). However, Balaam assured him that he could only speak as the LORD directed him, so he turned down the job. Balak would not be deterred. He sent a second delegation with a greater offer. When Balaam consulted with God about the matter, God instructed him to return with the delegation, but that he should only speak the words He gave him. So, the next day, Balaam saddled his donkey (ass) and went to see Balak. Along the way, “the Angel of the Lord with sword drawn” confronted him. Balaam did not see Him, but the donkey did, and she veered off the main road. That angered Balaam and he beat the donkey and tried to force her back on the main road. There was a stone wall along one side of the road, and when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she went up against the wall and knocked Balaam off her back. That really made Balaam angry, and he beat her again. The Angel of the Lord moved further down the road again to a place where the donkey could not get around, so she just dropped down. Balaam got off and started beating her again. Then the most remarkable thing happened. “And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?” (Numbers 22:28). What is even more remarkable is that Balaam was not taken aback because the donkey talked. Instead, he engaged her in conversation. “And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee” (Numbers 22:29). The donkey then laid a guilt trip on Balaam. “And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay” (Numbers 22:30).
At that point, God opened Balaam’s eyes so that he could see what the donkey saw. Balaam saw the pre-incarnate Christ with a sword drawn. “And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive. And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again. And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak” (Numbers 22:32-35, emphasis mine).
Balaam did go to Balak, and three different times, instead of cursing Israel, to Balak’s chagrin, all Balaam could utter was a blessing upon the children of Israel. In one of those blessings, he foretold the coming of the Messiah. “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth” (Numbers 24:17, emphasis mine).
At the end of the chapter, it appears that Balak and Balaam part ways in defeat. In the following chapter, we learn that the children of Israel started fornicating with the Moabite women. The fornication involved more than just illicit sex. The act was part of Baal worship in violation of the first two of the Ten Commandments. God had all the violators hanged or killed by the non-participants.
When we read further, we learn that Balaam had something to do with Israel’s sin. “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people” (Numbers 31:1-2). This event took place just prior to Israel entering the Promised Land. “And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males. And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword” (Numbers 31:7-8, emphasis mine). The Midianite women they took captive for which Moses reprimanded them. “And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD” (Numbers 31:15-16, emphasis mine). So, Balaam did not just give up in defeat. He counseled Balak to seduce the men of Israel to fornicate in worship to Baal.
Evidently, Balaam was paid for his advice to Balak. The Apostle Peter writes, “… cursed children Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness” (2 Peter 2:14-15, emphasis mine). Jude adds, “Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core” (Jude 1:11, emphasis mine). Jesus Himself affirmed as much. “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication” (Revelation 2:14, emphasis mine). At least Balaam’s donkey was smart enough not to try to circumvent the Lord’s will. The lesson – you need to be at least as smart as Balaam’s donkey and not try to find a way around God’s will. In the end, you lose.
However, the greater lesson I learned through my reading in Numbers is that even though Israel is constantly obstinate against God (even today – their majority is secular), God is consistently faithful to His promise to Abraham, and He will bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel. Would that our government would learn that lesson. Our puppet president is making all the wrong decisions in opposition to Israel – cursing Israel. That will only result in God cursing our country. And, if you are paying attention, God has already removed His hand of blessing from our nation. Do not be fooled. Israel will survive without the US, but the US will fade from its former place of greatness. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).
(For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth. (Deuteronomy 6:15)
This year I have been following a chronological reading plan for reading the Bible through in the year, and currently, I am trudging through the book of Leviticus. Beginning with Exodus 20 when God speaks the Ten Commandments in the hearing of the children of Israel, Scripture goes into tedious detail for the proper worship of God by the Israelites.
Not only do the Scriptures detail the “thou shalt not” commandments, but every minute detail of the construction of the Tabernacle with all of its implements, and the garments of the priests, especially that of the high priest. The methods and occasions for the offering of sacrifices follows that in great detail. Reading the monotonous minutia might make the reader skip over all of those pages to get to more interesting reading, like Numbers. One is tempted to wonder why God would put all of that boring stuff in the Bible and actually expect readers to take it seriously.
For Christians, who are under grace and not under the Law, the reading may seem non-applicable, and to some degree, that is true. We who are born-again, Spirit-filled, children of God ARE the Temple of God[1] and priests unto God.[2] That being the case, where is the value in reading monotonous tedium? Much indeed.
The sacrificial system prescribed by God to Moses made clear God’s view of sin. To God, ALL sin is repulsive. That was true then and it is true today. When one considers the amount of blood shed for every manner of sin, one wonders how their herds were never depleted. To our animal-loving Western minds, the slaughter of innocent animals and the method (the throat was slit to drain blood while the heart continues to pump) for the holocaust is grotesque – it had to be. The revolting procedure dramatically illustrated how abhorrent sin is to God.
God specifies in great detail exactly how the priests were to handle the sacrifice. God gives precise descriptions on how to make the oil for the lampstand, the bread for the showbread, the incense for the altar of incense, and how to maintain all these things on a perpetual basis. Even if one scans quickly through these pages, it becomes readily apparent that God is very particular about how He is to be worshiped. However, this is not a new revelation.
From the beginning, God shed the blood of innocent animals to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve after the Fall.[3] Apparently, the practice of sacrificing animals for sin in worship to God continued because later we find Cain and Abel sacrificing to God. However, Cain did not offer his sacrifice in the prescribed manner, so his offering was rejected by God.[4] The practice continued until the time of Noah and afterward with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel). However, the practice was not codified until God gave the Law to Moses. Not long after the Tabernacle was dedicated and the form of worship was implemented, the first infraction took place. Two of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu (priests), took fire for the incense altar from somewhere other than from the altar of sacrifice (outside the tent) as prescribed. For their disobedience, God rained fire from heaven and incinerated them instantly.[5] God made His point clear. He is particular about the way He is worshipped.
The modern-day Christian might ask, “What does this have to do with us?” I asked myself the same question. However, as I browsed the minutia, which is not minutia to God, the broad understanding I gleaned is that God is particular about how His people approach Him in worship. We, Christians, are far removed from the sacrificial system and are not bound by the Levitical laws. Jesus is our once-and-for-all sacrifice. “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:11-12, emphasis mine).
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he [the Lord Jesus Christ] cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I [Jesus speaking], Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man [Jesus], after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. (Hebrews 10:1-13, emphasis mine)
So, Jesus, by His sacrifice on the cross, ended the sacrificial system prescribed by the Law. As He breathed out His final breath, He proclaimed, “It is finished”[6] – paid in full. For those who are “born again,” who have placed their faith and trust in Christ, the rigors of the Levitical system of worship have been done away. Does that mean that God no longer cares about how we approach Him in worship? Is He less worthy of awe and reverence now than when He struck down Aaron’s sons for bringing “strange fire” before Him? I think not.
How one comes before God is a matter of one’s personal attitude, so I cannot judge the condition of an individual’s heart. However, as I observe many public gatherings called “worship services,” the focus of the activities seems designed to stir the emotions of the “worshipers,” and even though Christian lingo is randomly repeated, the direction of the “worship” is horizontal (i.e., human to human) rather than vertical.
I follow several well-known pastors who I consider to be very biblically sound and who preach the Gospel without reservation, yet, before they stand to preach, their “band” comes out to warm up the congregation in preparation for the sermon. As the cameras scan the crowd, some stand there unmoved while others raise their hands and sway to the music as if they are at a rock concert. I wonder how God, Who was so particular in the OT about how He was to be worshipped, feels about the “worship” offered up these days. Indeed, far too often that worship is man-centered, not God-centered; it is not even directed to God. It is all about us and how we feel. Again, I cannot judge the heart of individual worshipers; only God can see into the heart, but what I observe on the surface comes across more as entertainment than worship.
So, regardless of the “atmosphere” of the “worship service” in which we participate, we need to remove all distractions from our minds and focus our thoughts, our minds, and our hearts on the greatness and majesty of our awesome, all-mighty, Creator God. Let Him be the object of our worship, not the performers on the stage.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable [act of worship]. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).
Dr. Henry M. Morris III checking on the progress of the Life of Christ Diorama. The beautiful bald head belongs to the author.
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
The previous year, a wealthy donor presented to ICR his extensive collection of biblical figurines depicting the life of Christ. The collection included thousands of figurines, buildings, and miscellaneous accent pieces. The leadership of ICR decided that they wanted to take what was given and create a “Life of Christ” diorama which would be displayed at the end of the DC exhibit hall. The diorama would be across from the Empty Tomb display and occupy the corner leading to the “Return of the King” theater.
Because space would be limited, the entire collection of figurines and buildings could not be used, so the decision was made to limit the display to 16 significant scenes of the life of Christ. Once the scenes were determined, Dr. Henry M. Morris III, CEO of ICR at that time, tasked me with finding artisans who could create the diorama.
I got to work immediately and started contacting all the railroad modeling clubs around the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Because these clubs are experienced in creating scenery for their railroad displays, I naturally assumed that they would jump at the chance to create something significant and make some serious money for their clubs. ICR would naturally pay a fair wage for their work. However, after several months of making contacts, I did not get a single nibble.
In the process, I located a man who was willing to do the work, but he was a “one-man-band.” He said he could certainly do the work, but he could not possibly complete the task in time for the opening of the DC. Another man was recommended to me by one of my co-workers, but this man looked at our collection and determined that the project was beneath his artistic talents. Finally, I stumbled across a company in Dallas that specialized in these kinds of displays. Their representative came and looked at our collection and after a couple of weeks came back with an estimate to do the job. This company employed a large team of artisans. Even with their large crew, they could not promise completion before the middle of August – two weeks before opening day. Their estimate for the job was a shocking $175,000! ICR is an NPO that exists through the generosity of its donors, so the price was completely unacceptable to Dr. Morris.
It was mid-March 2019 by this time, and I was all out of options. Dr. Morris previously mentioned that he wanted each scene in the diorama to stand alone so that each was distinct and easily identifiable. Having no other options, I went to Dr. Henry and made one final suggestion. Since the room where the diorama would reside was painted black and the platform on which it would sit was black, I suggested that we arrange boxes of varying heights and sizes to accommodate the 16 scenes and cover the whole thing with black cloth. The scenes could then be arranged on the boxes and all spotlighted. This way, each scene would be isolated without distracting one from another. It was not a great idea, but it seemed that we had no other choice, so Dr. Henry accepted my lame idea.
The following week, I left for California for a conference. When I returned a week later, Dr. Henry called me into the office and informed me that the box idea was out and that I would be creating the diorama.
“I can’t do that!” I complained. “I’ve never worked with that material. I wouldn’t know where to begin!” I whined.
“You can do it,” Dr. Henry assured me. “You built the Ark!” (Which is on display in the DC.)
“Yes,” I reminded him, “but that took me five years! And we only have four months to get this done. Even the professionals said they can’t get it done in that time.”
“You will do it,” Dr. Herny reassured me, “but it needs to be completed by the end of June when we will begin giving previews to our donors.”
I was not so sure, but Dr. Henry assured me that I could recruit all the help I needed to get the job done. I learned that one of my co-workers (JK) had dabbled in railroad modeling and had built several railroad dioramas. He knew how to use the materials for building dioramas. I recruited him as my primary helper. His supervisor objected severely to me taking him away from his primary responsibility, but Dr. Herny overruled his objection. JK not only knew exactly what to do, but he taught me many of the skills needed to get the job done.
One of the challenges we faced was making the figurines appear to be standing on solid ground. The figurines were made to stand on a tabletop, so they were all molded standing on pedestals. That, of course, would be distracting when they were to be placed on “turf.” We built the landscape by stacking Styrofoam insulation of varying thicknesses to sculpt the Judean topography. So, we carved holes into the foam of the size and depth of the figurine pedestals and set the figurines into the carved-out spaces so that their feet were at “ground level” with the topography. Once the turf material was applied, the pedestals disappeared. (See below.)
One other big challenge I faced was that the collection came with a “Temple” that was clearly of Greco-Roman architecture. It was totally incompatible with the Jewish Temple, so I cast that aside and built a Temple replica that, at least visually, looked more like the Jewish Temple. Once the diorama was completed and in place, I discovered that the graphics created for kiosks in front of the diorama contained images of the Temple that looked almost exactly like the replica I built. That was totally a God thing!
I had a lot of help in building the diorama, so I cannot take full credit for it. JK possessed excellent skills and had a good eye for detail. One lady (KM) was very artistic and re-painted many of the figurines to make them look more Middle Eastern (they were all very European-looking figurines). She also painted the Temple and many of the buildings to look like Jerusalem limestone. She painted a lot of exposed rock formations as well. KM did terrific work! Another lady (RB) was very good at following directions and did not mind getting her hands dirty. She was great at staging the figurines in the proper position for the scene. However, the One who did the greatest work was God. We started the work about mid-April, completed the entire project, and installed it in place by the middle of June. That was a miracle only God could perform. The professionals with a team of professional artists could not promise the completion in time for opening day, and here, a bunch of amateurs got it done with time to spare. That is a God thing!
After the DC opened, I retired from ICR at the end of the year. In my retirement, I had the opportunity to volunteer as a docent from time to time. It always gave me a great sense of satisfaction to observe visitors as they scrutinized the diorama. They took in every detail!
I live far from DC now, so I do not have the opportunity to visit anymore. But as I remember the work we did there to get the DC up and running, I am reminded of what God can do through us when we place our trust in Him for the outcome. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
I received the picture at the beginning of this post this week from Dr. Henry’s son, H-4. It revived a lot of good memories.
Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough … (Isaiah 56:11)
Columbus, Nebraska experienced bitter cold, biting northerly winds, and blowing snow this past week (January 7-13, 2024), and the forecast calls for more of the same in the following week. On days like this, I thank God for a nice, warm, well-insulated home that shelters us from the elements. Columbus won dubious notoriety for the greatest snowfall amount in the area with 13 inches of snow on Monday. More snow followed on Tuesday with strong winds creating deep snow drifts. Some of the drifts around my house were more than three feet deep. Then again on Thursday and into Friday (as I write this article) more snow and wind continued making the snow drifts deeper and covering all the areas I had cleared on Wednesday.
That said, occasional excursions into the blast chiller are necessary even for brief moments. So it was on Friday morning. As routine demands, our dogs, Chico and Lizzie, woke me for their morning potty run. When I opened the back door (which faces north and directly into the wind), I found that all the paths, which I had cleared earlier in the week, were completely covered up with deep snow. However, it was not as deep along the north side of our house, so the dogs could take the easier path in the direction (east) of my shed. The shed is situated behind our garage with about a three-foot concrete walkway between the two buildings. The space provides partial protection against the blowing snow, so the dogs have learned to take advantage of the clearing to get them to their favorite potty place.
The dogs quickly found the easy path and took it. Chico, being older and wiser, quickly took care of business and wasted no time returning to the warmth of the den. Lizzie, on the other hand, went around the shed (out of my sight) to her usual potty spot on the north and east sides of the shed. While there, she spotted a squirrel up in the giant Linden tree that towers over our backyard. The squirrel probably spotted Lizzie first and started chattering at her – squirrel smack talk.
Seeing the squirrel, Lizzie forgot all about her business and went after the insulting tree rat securely perched in its towering fortress. Lizzy, totally oblivious to the three-foot snowdrift between her quarry, charged headlong into the mountain of snow. Lizzie is about 10 inches tall at the shoulders, so the snowdrift is way over her head. However, that did not stop her.
Having successfully navigated the frosty obstacle, she arrived at the base of the tree. Remarkably, the ground around the base of the tree was mostly bare of snow, giving Lizzie a clear path for circling her prey. The squirrel, secure in its lofty perch above continued to hurl insults to the barking dog. Undeterred and oblivious to the bitter elements, Lizzie continued her assault. I called her several times, but she ignored me; she had a higher calling. At one point, she looked back at the path she blazed earlier and decided it was more effort than the effort she was exerting on the squirrel. I continued to call, and she continued to ignore me.
Seeing I was getting nowhere with her, I decided to go after her. That meant I would have to bundle up, get the show shovel, and dig my way over to her. After about 15 minutes of digging into the stiff north wind, I arrived at the base of the tree and my crazy dog. Thankfully, she did come when I called. I picked her up and took her into the garage where June, my wife, was waiting to do the deicing. Lizzie was covered with tightly packed snow from head to tail, which June had to comb out of her hair. Apparently, the cold finally hit her and she shivered like I had never seen before. June wrapped her up in a warm blanket and held her until she finally warmed up. June said that her belly was pink indicating that it was close to frostbite.
Since that time, we have made several more trips outside, but the excursions have been brief and down-to-business. At least for now, she seems to have learned her lesson.
This experience brought to mind our sinful condition. The squirrel represents the strong temptations that we often face. Like Lizzie, we chase after those distractions to the point that we become blind to the danger that surrounds us. God calls out to us, but we ignore Him. Then, when we find ourselves trapped and running around in circles with no apparent way out, God comes to the rescue to dig us out of our trap.
While God does rescue us from our troubles, sometimes He will leave us in our trap to teach us a lesson. Of course, that is provided that we are one of His children. We need to take care that we do not presume on God’s love for His children thinking that He will surely dig us out of the mess into which we get ourselves. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). However, if you unwittingly dig yourself into a pit, He will dig you out if you will call out to Him.
P.S.
Saturday morning when I let the dogs out for their morning run, and Lizzie once again plowed through the deep snowdrifts to get to the tree where the squirrels reside. However, the squirrels, who may be a little smarter than Lizzie, were in their nest high up in the tree trying to survive the bitter cold not caring at all about the dog below. Overnight, the wind had blown snow over the path I blazed the day before. It was as if there had never been a path there before. I called her to come, but she ignored me and kept circling the tree and looking up as if offering an invitation to the squirrels to come down and play. Once again, I had to dig my way over to rescue her before she got frostbite. Some people just never learn!
Ernie's Musings 