It has been written, “Nicknames are an inseparable part of our everyday lives in many aspects”.  We give them to people, animals, even inanimate objects.  Why?  Because nicknames are usually much more reflective of the true qualities and characteristics of the nick-named.   Many of the world’s famous cities have nicknames.  Do you know which cities belong to these?  The City of a Hundred Spires, The Pearl of the Adriatic, The Eternal City, Muddy York, The City of Tigers, The Emerald City, The Paris of South America, The Windy City, The City that Never Stops, and the Big D.  I’m sure you recognize some of them, but not all.
            Jerusalem has its share of names.  There are over 70 different poetic and descriptive names for Jerusalem found in the Bible, plus a large handful of names associated with it from different eras in history too.  Hadrian called it Aelia Capitolina (combining his family name with the cult “Capitoline” which involved the veneration of Jupiter and two other gods), and the Muslims call it Al Quds (Holy Town) but it has never been at the heart of any other people group like it has been to the Jews.  Originally a Canaanite city called Salem (Gen. 14:18-20; Heb. 7:12) and Jebus (Jud. 19:11; 1 Chron. 11:4-5, 7-8), Jerusalem was conquered by David (after initially purchasing the threshing floor of Araunah as an altar for the Lord- 2 Sam. 24)  and then made capital of Israel, earning it the name, “The City of David” (2 Sam. 5:7-9; 6:10; 1 Ki. 2:10; 11:27), but it is first and foremost title is Jerusalem, “God’s Peace” being called as such 667 times in the Old Testament Scriptures and 144 times in the New.
            The most used alternative name in the Bible is Zion occurring 152 times (1 Ki. 8:1; Zech. 9:13, etc.) but other names are just as significant.  “Dwelling Place of the Lord” reflects Jerusalem as God’s choice for His abode (Ps. 132:13-18), “The Holy City” (Neh. 11:1, 18; Is. 48: 2: 52:1; Mt. 4: 5; 27:53; Rev. 11:2) carries in its context the sacred nature of the city, The “Walled City” describes its construction (Ps. 107:16; Is. 45:2), whereas “The Mountain of the Lord” describes its geography (Dan. 9:20; Zech. 8:3).  Some of the more poetic names attached to Jerusalem also highlight its unique position among the cities of the world: Ariel (meaning Lion of God; Is. 29:11), City of the Great King (Ps. 48:2; Mt. 5:35), The Gate of My People (Ob. 1:13; Mic. 1:9), City of Joy (Jer. 49:25), The Faithful City (Is. 1:26), and the Perfection of Beauty (Lam. 2:15).  Jerusalem (Yeru-sha-lie-eem in Hebrew) has its own unique attribute too.  While it is singular in name, it is plural in construction, signifying this beautiful city has received a double portion of God’s blessing (Is. 40:1-11) by His presence there.
            While Jerusalem’s ownership is often contended, the Bible offers no room for argument.  Clarence H. Wagner, Jr. in his book Fascinating Facts About the Holy Land wrote, “Because God chose Jerusalem as His own and decided that it would be the capital of Israel and the religious focal point of the Jewish people, nations have both revered and reviled this most unique city throughout history.  It has been fought over by more people from more nations than any other city on earth.  Because it is God’s city (Ps. 46:4; 87:3), Jerusalem has played a role in history out of proportion to its economic importance and size.  No matter what the Muslims say, no matter what the United Nations says, what the Palestinian Authority or any other enemy of Israel says, or any other person purporting themselves to be an expert on Middle East issues says, the Jewish people still own this city.  David bought it, the purchase was recorded for all time, and that deed is still valid.”  Since God chose Jerusalem with an eternal claim for the outworking of His redemptive plan, He called it “My City” (Is. 45:13) and “My Holy Mountain” (Is. 11:9; 56:7; 57:13; Ezek. 20:40; Joel 2:1; 3:17).
            It is almost ironic that the “City of Peace” has been the center of conflict throughout its lengthy history.  According to historical records Jerusalem has changed hands 86 times!  From Melchizedek and Abraham’s day (Gen. 14:17-24) to its present day, Jerusalem has been ruled by the Amorites, Joshua, the Jebusites, David, the Philistines, the Babylonians, Assyrians, Macedonians, Ptolemis, Selucids, Romans, Byzantines, Persians, Arabs, Seljuks, Crusaders, Mongols, Mamelukes, the Turks, the British, the Jordanians, and lastly the Israelites.  But its turbulent history will only come to an end when its rightful King returns to take up His throne (Ps. 102:21-22; Is. 2:2-4; 62:2; Zech. 14:3-4, 9-10, 16; Rev. 21:1-3, 5, 22-27).  As believers we are to look forward to that day, pray for the peace of Jerusalem in the meantime (Ps. 122:6-9) and wait expectantly for Christ’s return (Rom. 8:18-25; Phil. 3:20-21).
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.  
Week of 4/2/2017
Prague, Czech Republic; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Rome, Italy; Toronto, Canada; Oslo, Norway; Seattle Washington, USA; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Chicago Illinois, USA; Tel Aviv, Israel; Dallas Texas, USA.  See http://list25.com/25-cities-with-awesome-nicknames for more!

            Visiting Israel is a powerful experience.  Music is also a powerful memory trigger.  If you’ve been to Israel, some songs will instantly bring to mind a specific time or place that you visited there.  That was certainly the case for Jeff and I when we returned from our visit to Israel in 2005.  One Sunday the worship team was leading the congregation in singing the song “Be Unto Your Name” by Robin Mark as a video with pictures and lyrics were playing on the screen.  At one point an image of international flags flashed behind the words with the Israeli flag blowing in the midst of them.  Our hearts quickened as we sang, praying that one day the people of Israel would truly recognize their Messiah and bring glory to His Name.  The song and image of the Israeli flag still bring those memories to light whenever I hear it.
            We often think of the Bible as an instruction manual for our walk of faith, and that it is, but the Bible also contains a fair amount of songs.  The Book of Psalms has often been called Israel’s Song Book, but the psalms are not the only songs within Scripture.  Judges 5 contains what is considered to be one of the oldest poem-songs in the Bible, the Song of Deborah Israel’s fourth judge.  Composed after a victory over Sisera, King Jabin’s military leader (Jud. 4), the song recalls some of the battle details, the roles of Deborah (vv. 6-12) and Barak- Israel’s military leader (vv. 12-15), and celebrates Jael’s gruesome elimination of Sisera (vv. 24-27) concluding with the desire that all of Israel’s enemies should perish and those who love the Lord would “be like the sun” (v. 31).
            One author wrote, “Music and singing were a cherished part of Israel’s culture”.  The Song of Deborah shares this status with several other songs in the Old Testament: Ex. 15:1-18 (The Song of Moses after passing through the Red Sea), Deut. 32:1-43 (Moses’ final words to Israel), Is. 38:10-20 (A song of thanksgiving by King Hezekiah), and Jon. 2:2-9 (Jonah’s prayer from the belly of the fish) to name a few.  Deborah’s song highlights carefully chosen scenes using lyrical and rhythmic imagery and on its own would be sorely lacking in the detail we demand in our documents today.  But for the people who heard it as they gathered around their campfires and watering places, those details were unnecessary since they were living it.
            Deborah’s song can be divided into 8 sections.  The first one states the occasion for singing: there has been an enthusiastic response to the call to arms as leaders and people willingly offer to follow the Lord into battle (vv. 2-5).  The second section reflects on what life was like before Deborah served as a judge over Israel (vv. 6-9).  The third section depicts the call to arms (vv. 10-13) and the fourth section covers the roll call afterwards (vv. 14-18).  The battle is finally described in the fifth section (vv. 19-23) ending abruptly with a curse upon the village of Meroz (in the Galilee region) whose inhabitants apparently failed to come to the battle (v.23).  The sixth section moves from a curse to a blessing as Jael’s quick thinking and bravery become weapons in God’s hands to bring down Sisera.  While chapter 4 brings out more details of this exchange, the bowl of milk and the hammer become central details in Deborah’s song (vv.  24-27) highlighting the unexpected ways in which God works to deliver His people.  The seventh section shifts from the “blessed Jael” to the cursed mother of Sisera who is waiting by the window and wondering where her son is.  Lest we feel too badly for her the scene ends with “Mother” and her maidens imagining the spoil coming from the battle and the subsequent rape of Israeli women by the conquering soldiers (vv. 28-30).  Nice Mom!  In comparison, the final section is a prayer which contrasts Israel’s enemies and those who “love the Lord” (v.31).  Cheryl Brown noted in her commentary on Judges that this prayer summarizes one of the book’s main points- those who are faithful to keep God’s covenant receive His blessings, but for those who disregard it, the opposite is certain.
            What’s in your song?  I was curious to see what passages in the Bible talked about songs and what was sung in them.  A quick run through the concordance yielded some results!  Ps. 28:7; 33:1-3; 40:1-3; 69:30; 96:1-6; 98:1-6; Is. 42:10-11; Eph. 5:18-20; Col. 3:16; Rev. 5: 9-10; 15:1-4 all listed three similar themes: thankfulness to God for what He has done in the individual’s life (or in Israel), praise to God for His character and attributes, and a direct focus on what God has done throughout history, what He is doing and what He is going to do.  Do you “sing” about these things in the way you live?  Are they a part of the music of your day to day?  Deborah’s song has been called one of the finest literary works in any language, but more importantly, Deborah’s spirited and confident lyrics are composed to feature the Lord’s role in the battle, not hers.  Does your life song draw attention to the Lord or is it all about you?
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
Week of 3/26/2017

            We camped on the plain with the city in view.  The warm climate, supply of water and leafy palms must have made life within those walls quite pleasant.  But those thoughts would have to be forgotten as this place was to be destroyed.  I had to shake my head.  Destroyed?  How was this to be done by a fairly new army that wandered for the last 40 years?  Did not the Lord see the double wall?!  And what was this battle plan that Joshua relayed to us?  Shofar blowing and circular marching?  If we were to take Jericho, it would truly be an act of God with that plan!  Still, the Lord did bring us through the Jordan at flood stage and I would not want to repeat the mistake of my parent’s generation which was made at Kadesh-Barnea.  I resolved to obey the Lord, in spite of what my logic considered impossible.
            The ancient city of Jericho had a long-standing history by the time the people of Israel began the conquest of the Promised Land.  Archaeological studies have uncovered several layers of occupancy; the oldest showing that Jericho was originally settled sometime before 9600 B. C.  Walls were added to the city by 8000 B. C.  Due to its strategic location, this walled city was destroyed and rebuilt several times before Joshua and his army set eyes on it.  By Joshua’s time the “wall” was actually a double wall.  The outer wall was an earthen embankment stabilized by a 15 foot stone wall topped off by a retaining wall which was about 6 feet thick.  A similar wall encircled the city itself and housed businesses and homes on the inside.  You can still see the remains of this massive defense system when you visit Israel today. 
            The Book of Joshua opens with the transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua.  Joshua was the perfect candidate.  He had already forayed into the land once before (Num. 13:1-33) and in spite of the negative report of 10 others from his reconnaissance mission, he believed the Lord would fulfill His promises and give the land over to them.  He was also a skillful warrior and served as Moses’ right-hand man throughout the wilderness wanderings.  As any good leader would do, Joshua sends out spies to get a better assessment of Jericho and its fortification.  The spies are able to enter the city undetected but their presence is discovered and they seek refuge from an unlikely source, Rahab, an innkeeper with a questionable reputation (Jos. 2:1-21).  Once the danger has passed the spies return to Joshua, but not before promising Rahab protection from the destruction that will follow after the city falls.
            After diligent scouting and the observation that Jericho was sufficiently fortified, one would expect a different battle plan than the one Joshua receives from the Lord.  In fact, one would expect another episode like the one at Kadesh Barnea where the size and prowess of the “natives” overwhelmed the attraction of abundant food and a pleasant land on which to live (Num. 14:1-38).  But this time there is no mention of insurrection or complaint.  Instead, men prepare themselves for battle- or shall we say the “battle that never was”!  I’m sure there were question marks on both sides.  The Israelites must have wondered how the circular march and blowing of shofars was going to topple a massive earthen wall, and a double one at that.  I’m sure the occupants of Jericho must have wondered what this crazy army thought it was accomplishing by marching around the city and playing “music”.  But archaeology proves what the Bible claims- the wall came down.  It really came down!  Interestingly, one section remained intact.  Now I wondered why that happened?!  (Jos. 6:1-27)
             There have been times in my life where I have felt like I am facing the walls of Jericho.  Has that ever happened to you?  Sometimes an issue will arise, such as a financial crisis, a serious illness, a desperate situation, which seems insurmountable and impossible to conquer.  Those are the times when we feel driven to pray and call out to the Lord for an answer.  The Lord does answer but sometimes those answers are a little surprising and we doubt they will work.
            I have found that the book of Joshua has several principles which help me to get through those challenges.  First, it is beneficial to remember what God has done in my life in the past (Jos. 24:1-13).  Secondly, just as the Lord challenged Joshua to be “strong and courageous”, He is asking the same of me (Jos. 1:6, 7, 9).  Thirdly, when God commanded His people to obey, the command came with a promise.  If they remained obedient, God would reward their faith by going before them and driving out their enemies (Jos. 3:10).  And lastly, the Bible is filled with people who saw God do amazing things in the face of insurmountable obstacles.  Here are just a few:  Ex. 14:5-31; 2 Ki. 6:8-23; Mt. 14: 13-21; 17:24-27; Lk. 7:11-17; Jn. 11:1-44.  There was no greater obstacle than the one Jesus faced in conquering sin and death.  But the Resurrection proves He was able to overcome what seemed to be impossible (Jn. 20:1-18).  There is no Jericho that God cannot break through.  If you are facing “a wall” in your life right now, take heart!  Thanks to Jesus, that wall is going down!
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div. 
Week of 3/12/2017

            The atmosphere is joyful and animated.  Children are dressed up as queens and nobles with an occasional villain or king.  The aroma of delicious sweets fills the air.  A gentleman approaches the platform and unrolls an ornately decorated scroll.  He begins to read, “Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was at the citadel in Susa, in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants, the army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles and the princes of his provinces being in his presence” (Est. 1:1-3).  When he reads the name of the king, applause breaks out and as the story continues different responses are issued for the names of Queen Esther, Mordecai her uncle and the evil Haman (whose name gets blotted out with boos, hisses, noisemakers and stamping feet every time).  It is Purim and the congregation has gathered at the synagogue to celebrate the heroic Esther, whose humble boldness was used of God to preserve the Jewish people when their enemies threatened to annihilate them.
            The world in which Esther and Mordecai lived was both stable and shaky.  King Ahasuerus (who is better known by his Greek name Xerxes) inherited the reign of leadership from his highly successful father, Darius the Great.  A military man, Xerxes spent the beginning years of his rule regaining control of Egypt and putting down an uprising in Babylon.  The Book of Esther opens with Xerxes’ return to the prominent city of Susa after winning both campaigns.  The king throws a lavish banquet (the Persians were known for them!) for his military leaders.  But the festivities also allowed time to plan out a strategy against the Greeks who had humiliated Darius in 490 B. C. at Marathon.  While Xerxes may have been calm and methodically collected on the battlefield, he was known to be volatile and impetuous off of it.  Several ancient histories (such as the one by Herodotus) make note of this.  So it is not surprising that when Xerxes’ queen refuses to come and entertain the guests during the banquet that he automatically dethrones her.  The search for a replacement begins and eventually a young Jewish woman gains a position she probably never imagined having in her wildest dreams when she is selected to take Vashti’s place.
            Esther has grown up in a pluralistic situation.  She understands her ethnicity (as seen in her heroism at the climax of the story) but functions naturally in a pagan culture (as noted by the fact that her Hebrew name is Hadassah (Est. 2:7), but she goes by her Persian name, a tribute to the pagan god Ishtar!).  She seems to accept being taken into the king’s harem without protest, follows the beauty regimen and diet prescribed for her by her caretakers while in training for her “royal duties” and the Hebrew is quite clear in pointing out that Xerxes selects her above the others because of her looks (Est. 2:17).  Her situation and response to it makes the scenario a little uncomfortable.  Shouldn’t she make some sort of protest over being a mere sex object for the king?  Aren’t Biblical heroes and heroines supposed to stand up and stand out because they only do things God’s way?  And isn’t God supposed to rescue them out of that mire and keep them pure because they are altruistic and faithful?  These things do not happen in Esther much to our surprise.
            Esther is not the first person of God’s people to be thrown into a pagan court.  Joseph, Moses and Daniel have all preceded her.  But she is the first woman to gain such prominence.  (While Sarah spent time in the household of another man upon the advice of her husband she never gained the status that Esther did, nor was the relationship consummated.  See Gen. 20:1-8 and the similar story of Rebecca in Gen. 26:1-11.)  We may squirm a bit with the circumstances and the incongruities of the moral implications but they point to the overall lesson of the book- God is at work within culture and while He may not be openly visible, He is always working behind the scenes.  Much has been written about how God is hidden but present in Esther, especially concerning the acrostic puzzle of Est. 5:4 but it is good to remind ourselves that as strange as it may seem, God sent this young, unassuming Jewish woman into the decadent and opulent Persian court for a specific purpose- to protect the Jewish people from utter destruction (Est. 4:13-14; 7:1-10; 8:1-14).
            It is important to remember that the Book of Esther is not promoting compromise or suggesting that God will turn His head while we blithely do whatever the culture deems is good especially if it is obviously against what God desires and we can remain obedient to Him.  However, it does teach us that God places us in a sphere of influence where we can make a difference when we do stand up for Him.  Have you, like Esther, entered into a position where God can use you?  If so, I encourage you to be bold for Him.  You will be surprised at what He will do through you no matter what the circumstances (Phil. 1:12-20)!
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
Week of 3/12/2017

           Have you ever wondered what some of the early churches’ websites might have looked like on the internet today?  What kind of mission statements would they have?  What would snapshots of their worship time look like?  What would they list as their statement of belief?  How would their “church history” read?  Some of them, like the church at Corinth, might read more like the latest episode of “Days of Our Lives” or this year’s top TV drama.  But I know one church that would look very attractive.  It’s one of the early churches that we have a rather complete picture of- the church at Philippi (Acts 16).
            How’s this for an imaginary webpage?  Welcome to the Church at Philippi~ where the breadth of the Gospel lives!  Our history: we began as a small gathering of believers who met by the Krenides River to pray.  Our fellowship grew tremendously after a traveling evangelist named Paul and his entourage arrived.  We then moved to the home of Lydia the dye-maker for weekly study and prayer.  No matter what walk of life you find yourself in- from slave to civil employee to wealthy business owner, you are welcome to join us!   Our statement of faith:  We strive to have the same attitude as Christ, who although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as a thing to be held tightly and instead emptied Himself, taking on the likeness of humankind.  As a man He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  We believe that for His faithfulness to God the Father, God has now highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name.  So at the name of Jesus every knee, in every place, will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father!  (Phil. 2:5-11)  Our Ministries:  We are actively proclaiming the Gospel in the forum and market place and also have a vibrant prison ministry.  We believe everyone, male and female is called to serve in the cause of the Gospel.  See our ministry leaders Epaphroditus, Clement, Euodia or Syntyche for further details (Phil. 2: 25-30; 4:2-3) or join us for our weekly gathering at Lydia’s Place on the Via Egnatia (Acts 16:15, 40).*
            In its earliest days, the community of believers was basically comprised of Jews who’d come to recognize Jesus as the Messiah.  As devout Jews they continued their association with the Temple and the practice of Jewish prayer.   But that changed with persecution which drove these believers out of the Temple and the spread of the Gospel to the Gentiles.  We can see in passages such as Acts 2:42; 5:42; 11:26 and 13:1 that the first generation believers gathered to remember and discuss Jesus’ sayings as well as to reflect on the Scriptures and what they meant in light of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus (Lk. 24:25-27, 44-45; Acts 8:32; 17:2-3, 11).  Prayer played an important role in these gatherings too with the Lord’s Prayer holding a prominent place (Mt. 6:9-13; Lk. 11:2-4).  Matthew’s version is found in one of the earliest Christian non-Biblical writings we have, the Didache (teachings).  Expressions like “Father”, “Maranatha” and “Amen” were part of formalized prayer (Rom. 8:15; 1 Cor. 14:16; Gal. 4:6).  Besides fixed forms of prayer, there were also heartfelt, spontaneous prayers as well (Acts 4:24-30; 12; 5; 13; 3).  Along with prayer, rites such as baptism and community building activities such as breaking bread together served to define the fledging church as an entity in the world they lived in.  Against incredible odds due to cultural pressure, the church grew just as Jesus said it would (Mt. 16:17-18).
            The church at Philippi is a great example of how the early believers drew from their culture and interacted with it.  For example, while many purport that there is (shall we say) a “pecking order” of sorts within the church (men, women, then children), Scripture and early church writings prove otherwise.  Even within the Roman culture women were able to attain positions of prominence and authority.  While it’s true it was not as common as we might say it is today, it was more common than some are willing to admit!  Women in Philippi were responsible for the initial gathering of believers (Acts 16:13), spreading the Gospel (Phil.4:2-3) and for providing a home where the believers could meet to hear Paul teach (Acts 16:15, 40). 
            The benchmark of the Philippian church was its attitude of love.  It was demonstrated in a number of ways, but most significantly in the sacrificial gift that was sent to minister to Paul while he was imprisoned in Ephesus (Phil. 1: 8-9; 4:10-19).  How are you participating in the ministry (ministries) of your church?  Does your church have an attitude of love like that of the Philippian church when it comes to supporting those who proclaim the Gospel?  Does your congregation illustrate the breadth of the Gospel and welcome people from a wide variety of backgrounds?  If so, great!  If not, what is the Lord telling you to do to change it (Phil. 1: 3-6; 2: 12-16; 3: 8-17; 4: 4-9)?
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.   
Week of 3/5/2017

* Pictures of Ancient Philippi can be viewed here:     http://www.bibleplaces.com/philippi/