Judges: A book study

Judges: The Struggle for Autonomy

This study is extensive—with the bibliography and notes it is 248 pages—so only
the contents and introduction are on this site. The pdf of the complete study can be downloaded here.

Dr. Paul Manuel—2010

Samson Pulls Down the Pillars, James Tissot (c. 1896-1900)

Announcement: Having spent 430 years as aliens in a foreign land and 40 more years as nomads in the wilderness, the descendants of Abraham are ready to settle down in a place of their own. With the Lord’s help, their future prospects are bright, but something goes wrong. After Israel enters Canaan, the nation turns from God and fails to establish its independence in the land. Instead, the people seem to get trapped in a vicious cycle (rebellion, retribution, repentance, restoration; rebellion, retribution, etc.). Why do they keep repeating their past mistakes, and who are those enigmatic figures the Lord keeps appointing, called judges? This study will explore the relationship between Israel’s intermittent devotion to God and the nation’s halting progress in His plan. We will also consider how the people’s experience informs God’s will for Christians today.

Preface: The biblical books of Joshua-2 Kings give a continuous narrative of four major periods in Israel’s history.

• Initial conquest of the land under Joshua (c. 1250)
• Early settlement of the land under the judges
• United monarchy under Saul, David, and Solomon
• Divided monarchy of Israel (north) and Judah (south)

The book of Judges falls in the period after the death of Joshua, Moses’ successor, and before Saul, Israel’s first king.

In Genesis, God made a covenant with Abraham , promising his descendants PLAK, elements essential to God’s plan for establishing a kingdom:

People

Land

Autonomy

King

The book of Judges is where God gives Israel the opportunity to gain the “A” of PLAK: Autonomy. Unfortunately, Israel is not always cooperative, evinced by a recursive, four-part cycle in Judges that marks the changing condition of the nation’s relationship with God:

Rebellion > Retribution > Repentance > Restoration

As with any portion of scripture, we must give careful consideration to the context in order to understand the book. Of particular importance to this study is the historical context, which includes history, proper, as well as geography and archaeology.

Contents

(see the pdf here to download the paper in its entirety)

Preface

Introduction

Excursus: Dating the Book of Judges

I. Prologue Judges 1:1-3:6

Sermon: The Place of His Coming (Mic 5:2)

The Place of His Coming (Mic 5:2)

pdf

Dr. Paul Manuel—2013

If someone were to ask: How do you know the Bible is reliable, how do you justify the prominent role it plays in your life? You could respond in a number of ways.

• You could appeal to the historicity of the Bible, that the evidence of archaeology (e.g., Mesha Stone) and the testimony of other ancient documents (e.g., Lachish Letters) support what the Bible records.
• You could appeal to the stability of the Bible, that the biblical manuscripts have been transmitted for thousands of years with surprisingly few alterations (e.g., in the Dead Sea scrolls).
• You could also appeal to the prophecy of the Bible, that several predictions the authors made have come to pass (e.g., Judah's 70-year exile, the ascension of Cyrus).

One particular aspect of prophecy concerns Old Testament predictions of the messiah, like those we will be examining in our next sermon series, passages that describe his advent before he actually arrives on the scene. These texts all refer to an event that did not occur in the lifetime of the biblical author who first told about it. Some of these events have even yet to occur; they are in our future as well. They all depict an individual whom God will send to deliver His people Israel and, by reason of our being "grafted in" to Israel (Rom 11:17), to deliver us as well.

Unfortunately, passages that refer to events in our future are not very helpful in attesting the Bible's reliability to others...at least, not yet. There are some predictions, however, that have come to pass and to which we can appeal in support of the Bible and of our conviction that Jesus is the messiah. We will consider both kinds in this series of messages, predictions that look back from where we are now and predictions that look forward from where we are now.

These prophecies do not identify the messiah by name, so we must make that determination by comparing what they say about him with what we see in someone's life. We are Christians (or Messianists) because we believe that Jesus is the messiah. There is, indeed, strong evidence for this identification, strong enough for you to base your life on it, but the connection is not without difficulties, which is why most Jews have not made the same identification. Consequently, we must face these difficulties, not ignore them.

Sermon: The Discipline of Decision (Jer 42)

The Discipline of Decision (Jer 42)

pdf

Dr. Paul Manuel—2013

We make numerous decisions every day. Some of them allow for careful reflection, while others confront us suddenly and require an immediate response, allowing us little or no opportunity for reflection.

An elderly woman wanted to visit England, the home of her ancestors. It would be her first trip abroad, and she went to the Passport Office to get the necessary travel document. "You must declare your loyalty first," the clerk said. "Raise your right hand." Unaware of this prerequisite for a passport, she raised her hand as the clerk asked, "Do you swear to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, domestic or foreign?" The woman's face paled. This was not what she expected, yet she needed the passport. "Well, I guess so," she replied, trembling a bit, "but...will I have help, or will I have to do it all by myself?"

Some decisions confront us suddenly and require an immediate response, allowing little or no opportunity for reflection. In the sixth century B.C., among the many decisions the residents of Judah had to make, was one that confronted God's people suddenly but that should not have required much reflection, especially given the guidance they received from the prophet Jeremiah.

Jeremiah ministered in the Southern Kingdom of Judah from the time of Josiah to the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. Josiah was the last Judean king who did "what was right in the eyes of the LORD" (2 Kgs 22:2). After Josiah's death, the political and spiritual condition of God's people deteriorated drastically,¹ and they did not appreciate Jeremiah's repeated warnings of impending judgment.²

Sermon: Serving God — A Household Affair (Josh 24:14-15)

Serving God — A Household Affair (Josh 24:14-15)

pdf

Dr. Paul Manuel—2013

What does it mean to serve someone? A common setting for service is in a marriage relationship, as one spouse serves the needs of the other. It is an opportunity to demonstrate one party's love and devotion.

A woman accompanied her husband to the doctor's office for his checkup. Afterwards, the doctor took the man's wife aside and said, "Unless you do the following things, your husband will surely die." The doctor went on to say, "Every morning make sure you serve him a good, healthy breakfast. Pack a lunch for him each day that is a well balanced meal. When he arrives home at night, feed him a good, hot supper. Don't overburden him with any stressful conversation, and don't ask him to perform any chores. Keep the house spotless and clean, so he doesn't get exposed to any threatening germs." On the way home, the husband asked his wife what the doctor had said. She replied, "He said...you're going to die."

A common setting for service is in a marriage relationship, as one spouse serves the needs of the other. Another common setting is in a person's relationship with the Lord, such as Joshua describes in the book that bears his name, where Serving God [is] A Household Affair.

Sermon: The Freedom of God's Laws (Deut 6:1-9)

The Freedom of God's Laws (Deut 6:1-9)

pdf

Dr. Paul Manuel—2003

One of the hallmarks of this great nation is its legal system, which has some important yet little known provisions. For example, were you aware that according to Pennsylvania law...

• Dynamite may not to be used to catch fish.
• A person is ineligible to become Governor if he has participated in a duel.
• Ministers may not perform a marriage when either the bride or groom is drunk.

These laws are apparently common statewide. There are also laws for specific communities.

• In Connellsville, pants may be worn no lower than five inches below the waist. This is an old law that has assumed renewed relevance in light of current trends.
• In Danville, fire hydrants must be checked one hour before any fire.
• In Morrisville, a woman must have a permit to wear cosmetics.
• In Pittsburgh, it is illegal to sleep on top of a refrigerator outdoors.

Such laws as these prove the greatness of our legal system and safeguard the freedom we enjoy here. There is another legal system, though, far greater than ours, displayed in The Freedom of God's Laws.

The Israelites, as they get ready to enter Canaan, may be asking about the many laws God gave to their parents, regulations He expects each succeeding generation to obey. But is that realistic? Their parents are dead, casualties of some past indiscretion, and the current generation will soon be living in the midst of a people whose standard of behavior is quite different. Would it not be better to set aside the old ways and try to fit in? Is there some advantage to keeping God's laws?

Sermon: Worshiping God in the Light of His Holiness (2 Sam 6)

Worshiping God in the Light of His Holiness (2 Sam 6)

pdf

Dr. Paul Manuel—2003

We all have a particular understanding of God that is a composite of everything we have read or heard, and that is further shaped by our experiences.

A little girl was working hard on a drawing, and her father asked her what she was doing so intently. "I'm making a picture of God," she replied. "You can't do that," he said. "Nobody knows what God looks like." Completely undeterred, she kept right on drawing. "They will when I'm done."

We may not be able to draw a picture of God, but if we continue to study about Him and experience life with Him, our understanding of Him grows and becomes clearer. Occasionally, we encounter something that does not fit with what we know about Him and that even seems contradictory. The text of this morning's message may contain such information. It is certainly disturbing, because God appears to act in a cruel and capricious way toward someone who had the best of intentions. The events show a side of God's character we have encountered before, yet one whose implications we tend to avoid. Nevertheless, coming to grips with it here may answer some questions that relate to other events also difficult to understand.

The two books of Samuel contain a continuous narrative from the birth of Samuel, the last of the judges, through the events of King David's reign. The First Book of Chronicles contains another account of this same period. In 1 Sam, the Philistines captured the ark of the covenant. In so doing, they got much more than they expected, as a plague swept through the community.

1 Sam 5:7 ...The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy upon us and upon Dagon our god.

Christmas 2013

[Dr. Manuel recently provided me with the Christmas letters he and his wife Linda have sent each year since 2001.
One of the annual letters has been posted each day over the last two weeks.]

Dr. and Mrs. Paul Manuel

Christmas 20013

Dear Friends and Family,

Sometimes the ordinary things we experience can help us appreciate the extraordinary things God does. Over the summer, for example, Linda started feeding a stray female cat that appeared in our yard. As far as we could tell, she did not belong to anyone, and we assumed she sought shelter at night in a nearby barn. When fall came and the temperature dropped, Linda was concerned the cat might not survive the winter (succumbing either to the cold or to the coyotes), so she prevailed upon me to adopt the cat and bring her inside. After making that decision, we learned that she came with two kittens. (It was, I discovered, a package deal.) The three of them have since made several trips to the vet for their obligatory checkup and vaccinations. It has become an expensive investment, one that, to protect, requires they now remain inside, away from predators and contagious feline diseases.

We have noticed that adopting them is similar to what God did in adopting us, albeit on a far grander scale, by sending His son at Christmas.

• Similar to but more significant than the situation with the cats, God has taken us in and given us hope for a future better than any we would have on our own.

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.... I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. (John 10:10, 28)

• Similar to but more significant than the situation with the cats, God has paid a considerable price for us, one we could not afford on our own.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10)

• Similar to but more significant than the situation with the cats, God has done for us what we could not do for ourselves.

The Son of Man [came] to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matt 20:28)

• Similar to but more significant than the situation with the cats, God has intervened in our lives for good in ways we do not know.

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. (1 Cor 2:9)

Sometimes the ordinary things we experience can remind us about the extraordinary things God did for us when He sent Jesus that first Christmas.

The cats are providing us with hours of entertainment since we made them part of our family. I do not know if God finds us entertaining since He as made us part of His family. In any case, He does not ask that we entertain Him, only that we serve Him. As Jesus also said, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only" (Matt 4:10). May God find you faithful as you worship and serve Him this season and throughout the New Year. Merry Christmas!

Pastor and Linda

Christmas, 2012

[Dr. Manuel recently provided me with the Christmas letters he and his wife Linda have sent each year since 2001.
One of the annual letters has been posted each day over the last two weeks.]

Dr. and Mrs. Paul Manuel

Christmas 2012

Dear Friends and Family,

Are you ready? ...Normally, such a question would refer to Christmas-related activities, like decorating or shopping. This year, though, it implies something dire not festive, an event that will overshadow even the impending, national fiscal cliff and one that is more imminent. It is nothing less than the end of the world.

If one believes the hype, the Mayan calendar has supposedly marked December 21, 2012 when a global catastrophe will destroy life on earth. Actually, most Mayan scholars assert that is not a proper interpretation of the documents, but doomsday is a more sensational story, even if it is not a credible one. This scenario is the latest prediction but is probably not the last. (Previously, the world was to end on October 21, 2011, but that day passed without incident.)

So, as the world will likely continue, even if we do go over the fiscal cliff, what does the Christmas holiday hold? It is an annual reminder, this year as in years past, that God has expressed His concern for us and has demonstrated that concern in a most personal way, by sending His son to live among us and, eventually, to give his life for us.

To be sure, there will be other significant events, including the end of the world. But they will not occur until God's program has run its course, and that program includes an encore appearance of Jesus. As we await that appearance, Jesus' admonition to his followers is "be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him" (Matt 24:44).

The difference between the supposed end of the world and the return of Jesus is that one has a specific date; the other does not, which makes preparing a different process in each case. When there is a specific date, you may wish for more time, but at least you can manage what time remains to your liking, such as eating excessive amounts of ice cream and chocolate cake without concern for cholesterol or weight gain. An unspecified date makes preparing more difficult (and dieting more practical). It means you must be on constant alert, with no opportunity to cram in the final hours.

Jesus' first advent was like his second advent will be, with little advance warning. He entered the world "when the time had fully come" (Gal 4:4). That may be God's preference in such matters. He does not want people rushing around at the last minute to prepare. He does not want them to get ready; He wants them to be ready. (The need for constant preparedness is also Jesus' point in several of his parables.)

As Christmas approaches and as we fall into the routine of decorating and shopping, we should not confuse routine with readiness. Although we do many of the same things this year that we did last year, we must be attentive to whatever role God may have for us to advance His plan. We observe Christmas in appreciation of what God did for us in the past, but it is also an affirmation that we believe He is still involved with us in the present as well as an anticipation that He has more in store for us in the future.

While we do not believe the latest date for the end of the world, it should underscore the difference in what we do believe, that God's plan for history is still on track and that the best is yet to come. May this season of celebration bring you joy as you contemplate what God did by sending His son and what He will yet do by sending him again.

Pastor and Linda

Christmas, 2011

[Dr. Manuel recently provided me with the Christmas letters he and his wife Linda have sent each year since 2001.
One of the annual letters will be posted each day over a two week period.]

Dr. and Mrs. Paul Manuel

Christmas 2011

Dear Friends and Family,

When Linda and I bought a house, we made some minor renovations in keeping with our preferences, mostly simple changes. As time passed, the list of changes we wanted to make grew shorter. One item, though, continued to present a challenge. The family room, where we spent much of our time, was very dark, despite various attempts to introduce more light. We painted the brown paneled walls a brighter color, changed the fireplace façade from dark stones to white wood, hung a large mirror on one wall, added a couple of floor lamps and some track lighting. While such changes improved the situation, the room still felt dark.

Linda wanted to cut a hole in the wall that separated the family room from the living room, which had a large bay window facing the morning sun. She was certain such an alteration would bring natural light into the family room. I was dubious. Besides, having a gaping hole in the wall did not strike me as particularly attractive. (Perhaps we could cover it with a curtain at night.) Then she explained that she wanted to install a window in the wall to allow natural light from the living room into the family room. I was relieved.

My sister and brother-in-law gave us a leaded-glass window they found at an estate sale, just the size Linda wanted. We had it installed before Thanksgiving, and the improvement was remarkable. The family room is now much brighter. Natural light from the sun is far better than artificial light from a lamp.

The theme of light is prominent in scripture, especially as it relates to the advent of Jesus, because he provided a clearer view of God than was available before, a window on His personality and priorities. The author of Hebrews states..,

The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being. (Heb 1:3)

There are many potential sources of information about God, some more helpful than others. The best source, however, is the one who represented Him and said....

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. (John 14:9b)

The apostle Paul also noted this about Jesus.

He is the image of the invisible God. (Col 1:15a)

If we want to know what the Father is like, we need only look at the Son. Moreover, his instruction provides the illumination we need along life's path. Again, Jesus said...

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12b)

Jesus said that illumination was one of the main reasons for his incarnation.

I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. (John 12:46)

Natural light from the Son is far better than artificial light from a lamp.

The theme of light is prominent in scripture, especially as it relates to the advent of Jesus. While you celebrate Christmas, rejoice that he provided a clearer view of God than was available before. May that light illuminate your path this coming year.

Pastor and Linda

Christmas, 2010

[Dr. Manuel recently provided me with the Christmas letters he and his wife Linda have sent each year since 2001.
One of the annual letters will be posted each day over a two week period.]

Dr. and Mrs. Paul Manuel

Christmas 2010

Dear Friends and Family,

As you think back over the past year, much of what you did was probably familiar. You worked at the same job, interacted with the same people, watched the same TV shows. Nevertheless, you may also have rediscovered something you appreciated earlier in life but allowed to lapse at some point. That is, in part, what this past year has held for me. I renewed in earnest an activity that occupied much of my youth but that fell by the wayside during my extended time in graduate school—playing the trombone. While recovering the tone and control I once had has been challenging, it has been well worth the effort. (To my surprise, some in church have actually had positive things to say after I have played, although I suspect their compliments were more for my accompanist, Katrina, than for me.) There can be great satisfaction in reviewing and retrieving the past.

The same may be true for Christmas. Much of what you do is probably familiar. You shop at the same stores, put up the same decorations, eat the same foods. Nevertheless, you may also rediscover something about the holiday you appreciated earlier in life but allowed to lapse at some point, perhaps a favorite recipe or a childhood tradition. Whatever it might be, there can be great satisfaction in reviewing and retrieving the past.

The apostle Paul, writing to believers at Ephesus, reviews for them something about Jesus' advent they may have allowed to fade from their thinking. While not involved in holiday preparation, these Christians might have been preoccupied by the regular activity that attends a major cultural and commercial center like Ephesus. For whatever reason, Paul considers it necessary to remind them about something they appreciated more earlier in life but allowed to lapse at some point, and he brings it to the fore.

Remember that...you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. (Eph 2:12-13)

Whatever else may be happening in their lives at this time, the apostle does not want his readers to forget the fundamental event that changed their lives. Jesus' advent and his eventual sacrifice brought hope to their otherwise hopeless situation, and that is certainly worth remembering.

Because of the familiar things you may be doing this Christmas—shopping, decorating, eating—the fundamental reason for the holiday might lapse from your thinking, something you appreciated more earlier in life. Bring it to the fore: Remember how Jesus' advent and his eventual sacrifice brought hope to your otherwise hopeless situation. There can be great satisfaction in reviewing and retrieving the past. We pray that this season will renew your hope in the great God we serve.

Pastor and Linda

Christmas, 2009

[Dr. Manuel recently provided me with the Christmas letters he and his wife Linda have sent each year since 2001.
One of the annual letters will be posted each day over a two week period.]

Dr. and Mrs. Paul Manuel

Christmas 2009

Dear Friends and Family,

As Christmas approaches and you reflect again upon the savior's birth, the familiarity of the story may cause you to gloss over some of the details. One such element is how the machinations of man in no way hinder the program of God. Several events in Jesus' life followed a divinely appointed schedule and, on various occasions, he referred to that schedule (Matt 26:18; Mark 1:15; John 7:6, 8, 30). The Apostle Paul was also acutely aware of God's timetable (Rom 5:6; 1 Tim 2:6; 6:15; Titus 1:3), and he made specific mention of how Jesus' birth was part of that plan.

When the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman... (Gal 4:4)

God was not the only one on a schedule. At the same time, the emperor of Rome was advancing his own agenda, and on a much larger scale.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (Luke 2:1)

His decree, a prelude to greater taxation, affected everyone. It also required some, like Mary and Joseph, to register in a different part of the country. This massive government program probably made them (and others) feel inconsequential. All they could do was comply.

What is particularly striking is how God was in no way hindered by Caesar's decision. In fact, God used that decision to advance His own program, ensuring that His people were in the right place at the right time, It is doubtful that Mary and Joseph would have left Galilee if not required by the imperial edict. Doing so, however, placed them in Bethlehem at the moment of Jesus' birth, thereby fulfilling the prophet's prediction.

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. (Mic 5:2)

We do not know if Jesus' parents saw the providential hand of God in the emperor's decree. Nevertheless, because they were attentive to God's leading (Matt 1:24; Luke 1:38), He did not allow them to miss this important step in His plan, a plan greater and more comprehensive than that of any human government.

Our national leaders seem to be advancing their own agenda, with spending on a scale larger than any previously, a likely prelude to greater taxation, and you too may feel inconsequential. Whatever the outcome of their deliberations, all you may be able to do is comply. Yet, God is still in no way hindered by men's decisions. In fact, God can use those decisions to advance His own program. Moreover, like Mary and Joseph, if you are attentive to God's leading, He will not allow you to miss an important step in His plan, a plan greater and more comprehensive than that of any human government.

As Christmas approaches and you reflect again upon the savior's birth, remember how it followed a divinely appointed schedule. Keep in mind also that this schedule has more to come.

...to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. (Eph 1:10)

May this Christmas remind you how the machinations of man in no way hinder the program of God. May you enter the New Year with a steadfast commitment to and a renewed confidence in the One who is moving all of history, including your own.

Pastor and Linda

Christmas, 2008

[Dr. Manuel recently provided me with the Christmas letters he and his wife Linda have sent each year since 2001.
One of the annual letters will be posted each day over a two week period.]

Dr. and Mrs. Paul Manuel

Christmas 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

One of the hallmarks of our democracy is the way we determine our leaders, not by military coup but by national referendum. That process can be long and, at times, contentious, but the result is a peaceful and orderly transfer of power from one political administration to the next. The method we use to effect that change is called election, where people choose those who will govern them. It is not a unanimous decision, and debate can be spirited as the factions vying for position attempt to win people's vote. Having just completed another cycle of this process, many are glad to see it settled, at least for four more years. Nevertheless, it is cause to celebrate the freedoms we enjoy.

God employs a similar process, which the Bible also calls election. Like the custom here, God uses election to determine the ruler of His kingdom, yet with some significant differences.

• In the secular process, people make the choice and, because we do not know what the future holds, we cannot be certain how our decision will fare. In the sacred process, God makes the choice and, because He holds the future, we can be certain how His decision will fare, that it will be for our good.

• In the secular process, the choice recurs regularly (every few years), because a fallible electorate can make a poor decision and need to change direction. In the sacred process, the choice occurs once, because an infallible God will not make a poor decision or need to change direction.

Unlike the custom here, God also uses election to determine the residents in His kingdom, and with other significant differences.

• In the secular process, the choice is who will be administrators of the country, which often appeals to those wanting to promote their own agenda. In the sacred process, the choice is who will be admitted to the kingdom, which only appeals to those wanting to promote the Lord's agenda.

• In the secular process, the choice is competitive, because the openings for leadership are limited. In the sacred process, the choice is non-competitive, because the openings for citizenship are unlimited.

As important as the secular process is for our national future, it pales in comparison to the sacred process and its importance for our personal future.

One other difference that characterizes God's election is the timing. We decide who will lead the country on Election Day, just two months before that individual takes office. God decided who will rule the kingdom long before that individual takes office. An angel announced it when the messiah was born.

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)

Isaiah predicted it 700 years earlier.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. (Isa 9:6)

God's original selection came earlier still.

He was chosen before the creation of the world. (1 Pet 1:20)

This difference in timing indicates the forethought God gives to His election process. Unlike some people, who postponed their decision about which presidential candidate to support until the week before Election Day, God did not wait to determine the ruler of His kingdom. Likewise, God did not wait to determine the residents of His kingdom.

For he chose us...before the creation of the world (Eph 1:4)

Here is certainly cause for wonder and gratitude, that God chose us when He chose Jesus.

May this Christmas bring you new appreciation for God's election, and may you enter the New Year with renewed confidence in His commitment to provide for you, as He determined so long ago.

Pastor and Linda

Christmas, 2007

[Dr. Manuel recently provided me with the Christmas letters he and his wife Linda have sent each year since 2001.
One of the annual letters will be posted each day over a two week period.]

Dr. and Mrs. Paul Manuel

Christmas 2007

Dear Friends and Family,

What continues to amaze me is the way God oversees events in our lives for good, especially as He takes seemingly small things and arranges them to our advantage. There are probably many more instances than those of which I am aware, but occasionally, when I am paying attention, I notice His sovereign and benevolent hand in what other people might consider random occurrences.

Most of us want life to proceed in a particular direction and at a predictable pace. We have a notion about how events should unfold, and we try to arrange circumstances to ensure the best outcome. Unfortunately, life is not easy to manage. There are many variables, many bumps in the road and unexpected detours that force us to change our plans. Try as we might, we cannot always make arrangements that will benefit us most.

Thankfully, God is willing to help us. He consistently makes good choices, and He is never surprised by how events unfold. He alone is able to ensure the best outcome, He never has to change His plans, and His timing is impeccable. The Apostle Paul mentions two examples of God's perfect timing. One example He demonstrated at Jesus' first advent.

When the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman...that we might receive the full rights of sons. (Gal 4:4-8)

At a specific moment in history, and in a seemingly small thing when very few were paying attention, God took a deliberate and dramatic step to advance His plan. We are not sure what made that moment the right one, but it has worked to our advantage more than anything we might plan, yielding a bevy of amazing benefits:

• While we were once the object of God's wrath and estranged from Him, we have since become the object of His love and enjoy fellowship with Him.

• While we once charted the course of life alone, a course ultimately destined for destruction, we now have His assurance of guidance and His promise of success.

The apostle notes another example of God's perfect timing is what He will demonstrate at Jesus' second advent.

God made known to us the mystery of his will...to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things...under one head, even Christ. (Eph 1:9-10)

This is the point toward which history, including our history, is moving, an event to which everyone will be paying attention. Again, it will work to our advantage more than anything we might plan, yielding other amazing benefits:

• While we were once destined to spend eternity apart from God and in a most unpleasant state, we now look forward to being with Him forever and in a state more delightful than any we have known.

• While we once faced only His condemnation and His terrible wrath, we now have the prospect of His commendation and His unparalleled reward.

Christmas is about God's timing in the past and about how that one event has shaped our lives in wonderful ways. God is not finished, though, for with a similar demonstration of timing in the future, another event will shape our lives in yet more wonderful ways. These are not random occurrences, however they may appear to others. They are evidence of God's sovereign and benevolent hand. May that evidence confirm your faith in Him and inspire your service to Him. May it give you hope and joy this Christmas and throughout the New Year.

Pastor and Linda

Christmas, 2006

[Dr. Manuel recently provided me with the Christmas letters he and his wife Linda have sent each year since 2001.
One of the annual letters will be posted each day over a two week period.]

Dr. and Mrs. Paul Manuel

Christmas 2006

Dear Friends and Family,

For the past few months, Linda and I have been watching Tim, a contractor from the church, replace an aluminum screened porch with a permanent room on the back of our house. While I have neither the time nor the expertise for such a task, I have found the process very interesting, and I have appreciated Tim's workmanship as well as his willingness to explain things along the way. Seeing him lay the foundation, for example, was especially educational. A few cinder blocks on the surface of the ground had supported the original porch floor. For the new room, Tim dug down several feet, poured a concrete footer, laid several rows of block, then used foot-long lag bolts to secure the seal plates, to which the floor joists connect. It is quite an impressive system. He said this provides a solid foundation and prevents the rest of the structure (which is similarly interconnected) from shifting in a heavy wind.

That explanation reminded me of Jesus' parable about two other building projects, one a foolish homeowner erected on sandy soil, the other a wise homeowner built on rock. What I had not realized before, and what any contractor would know, is that both houses, if they were merely resting on sand or stone, would be vulnerable to high winds. The advantage of the second house was that it was connected to the stone, anchored in place, and would not be moved ("dug down deep" Luke 6:48).

Soon after Tim finished the basic structure, there was a storm with such heavy wind that the rain was moving sideways. It was a good test of the roof, yet it also confirmed how securely the building was attached to the foundation.

While Jesus' parable illustrates good building methods, there is a spiritual point as well.

Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (Matt 7:24)

The wise man had heard about the proper way to build a house. He knew it required a solid foundation, but that information would have done little good if he did not also apply it to his own building project.

As Christmas draws near, and we hear again the familiar rendition of Jesus' birth, we should look beyond the babe in a manger to the teacher he became and to the instruction he left. It is instruction that can make us wise and provide a solid foundation for the decisions we face.

May God grant you peace and joy this season, and may the wisdom of the savior's teaching guide you through the coming New Year.

Pastor and Linda

Christmas, 2005

[Dr. Manuel recently provided me with the Christmas letters he and his wife Linda have sent each year since 2001.
One of the annual letters will be posted each day over the next two weeks.]

Dr. and Mrs. Paul Manuel

Christmas 2005

Dear friends and family,

Having to meet a deadline can be stressful, but it can also be helpful. When Linda decided in January to host the Christmas Tea for the ladies of the church, there was plenty of time to make the necessary preparations, including some repainting of the dining room. What neither she nor I anticipated was that, in addition to repainting, we would have to undertake some major remodeling in the adjoining family room. The heavy stone fireplace facing, which, we discovered was exerting undue stress on the floor joists, had begun to separate from the wall and lean precariously into the room, We decided to remove it and to replace it with a lighter, smaller, wood facade. Like most home improvement projects, this one entailed more work and more time than either of us anticipated. Although we began the renovation in May, it seemed to proceed at a glacially-slow pace. As the date for the Tea drew nearer, we made a determined effort to complete the work on both rooms. Linda wanted the place to look its best for the ladies, and the deadline encouraged us to meet that goal. The night before the event, we put the finishing touches on the project and were pleased with the result.

While we occasionally push to complete a task, hoping to meet a particular deadline, whether with home renovating or Christmas shopping, God is never in a hurry, and He is still always on schedule. The apostle Paul writes,

When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman...that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Gal 4:4-5)

What Old Testament prophets predicted and early saints longed to see, God brought about at just the right moment in history. We do not know why He chose that particular moment—"his ways [are] past finding out" (Rom 11:33)—but it was somehow critical to His plan. Some years later, another event occurred at just the right time, and it was just what we needed.

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Rom 5:6)

Since then, God's plan has continued to move forward on schedule, and there is more to come. The one whose birth we celebrate will return, and not a moment too late,

For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. (Heb 10:37)

We may be concerned when a project takes more time than we planned, perhaps wondering if we will actually complete the task, but God gives no thought to delays. He does not need a deadline to encourage Him to meet His goals. As we contemplate the wonder of Christmas this season and, perhaps, wonder at what He has in store for our future, we can be confident that it will happen on schedule, that it will turn out for our best, and that we will be pleased—very pleased—with the result.

May the joy of Christmas bring you joy this season as you contemplate Jesus' advent and your adoption into God's family. May you also find encouragement in knowing that the God who controls history, who ensures that right things happen at the right moments, will bring other things to pass for your benefit as well.

Pastor and Linda