Sunday, February 28, 2010

Luke 9: Don’t Miss the Bus!

Presented to Swift Current Corps, 28 February 2010 and Alberni Valley Ministries, 29 January 2024
By Captain (Major) Michael Ramsay

This is the 2010 version, for the 2024 version click here:  https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2024/01/luke-9-math-skills.html 

Doctrine 4 of The Salvation Army: We believe that in the person of Jesus Christ the Divine and human natures are united, so that He is truly and properly God and truly and properly man.

We went to men’s camp as you know last weekend and I thought it was a great time of worship and fellowship and I hope teaching and learning as well. I started most sessions off with a test so I think that today I will share one of these tests with you as well…

(vehicle test)

Now about vehicles and transportation and men at camp I want to share another story with you. We men, as you know, can be fairly organized and very task-orientated and when I was in teacher-training many years ago we learned that while women are generally more skilled at the creative side of things men have a much higher aptitude for math and all that side of things. So here is a math question for you. If you start off with 1 driver and 5 other men from Maple Creek and you add 1 Officer and 4 other men from Swift Current, how many men do you have? (11).

Good. Now if you subtract 1 Alvin and plan to add 1 David (David is Captain Ed’s son and we’re going to add him as we drive through Saskatoon at a later time) how many men should you have on your bus as you leave men’s camp? (10) Do you think we could get that right? With nine men on the bus doing a head count we came up with anywhere from 6– 11 people present and we were quite content with that until someone eventually asked, ‘where’s Tim?’ Sure enough as soon as we pulled out of the camp, down came Tim to where the bus was supposed to be and we were already gone - leaving Tim standing at the path wondering what had happened and why we had left without him.

Now to be fair to all of us in the bus who did leave Tim behind, we did come back as soon as we realized our error. And when we were doing our head counts, just as we were pulling out without Tim, I did ask anyone who wasn’t there before we left to raise their hand and speak up now or we’d leave them behind and Tim – Tim didn’t speak up to let us know that we’d left him behind.

We did get Tim and were joking with him most of the way back – all the way through Saskatoon anyway, through Delisle. We were joking as we were talking about how we could be so ‘out of it’ that someone could be left behind when all of a sudden, Ed pulled the bus over to the side of the highway: “we forgot David”, he said. In all our excitement in mocking ourselves for forgetting Tim, we completely forgot to pick up Ed’s son, David, in Saskatoon. To make a much longer story short, we called Alvin and Betty who were in Saskatoon and they kindly picked up David and brought him to Swift Current where they rendezvoused with Ed and then they continued on home.

In Luke’s account of the Transfiguration, Peter, James and John are surprised by a head count. They find Jesus with some unexpected friends that they don’t necessarily know what to do with: Moses (through whom humanity was given the Law) and Elijah, one of the first among the prophets (cf. Matthew 5:17; Luke 24:25-27, 44-46). It says that Peter offered to put up a booth or a tent for Jesus and the extra people but it says in verse 33, that in making that offer – he really didn’t know what he was talking about. Peter would have fit in quite well on our bus trip.

In our text today, Jesus, the Christ, the Son of Man, the Son of God, is found alongside representatives of the Law and the prophets. This is interesting –of course- because we know that Jesus himself fulfills the Law and the Prophets (cf. Matthew 5:17; Luke 24:25-27, 44-46). And when and where this scene is happening in Luke’s Gospel, people have been asking who actually is Jesus (Luke 8:25; 9:9, 18-20).

It is interesting the way the author of the Gospel of Luke puts this all together too because, as Major Bruce Powers tells us, “From the beginning of Chapter 9 the Greek text does not use the name of Jesus until we reach almost the end of the account of the transfiguration… Where English translations supply the personal name Jesus (NIV; Luke 9:1, 10, 18, 21, 28, 31, 33) the Greek text actually reads only ‘he’ or ‘him’. (In 9:33 where the Greek reads ‘And as the men were leaving, Peter said to Jesus,’ NIV translates ‘As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him …’).”[1] Paralleling the search for the answer to the question of ‘who is Jesus?’ in this chapter, is the question who is this man before us in the text? All of this is revealed –in the Greek- only at the end of verse thirty-three, at the end of the story of the Transfiguration. We are kept in suspense – though not without clues – until that time.

In Verse 19, we are told a number of possible answers to who this person that the disciples are speaking with could be; who this Jesus could be: John the Baptist, Elijah, the prophets. Let’s take a look at some of these.

Some were saying that Jesus is Elijah (cf. Matthew 17:10-12; Mark 6:15, 8:28; Luke 9:19). This is of course a possible answer for many people at this point in his ministry.[2] After all – even though Jesus claimed that role for John the Baptist (Matthew 11:14 cf. also 9:11-13; Luke 1:17), John himself denies that very claim (John 1:21) so it is not entirely unreasonable that some of the cast of characters here today have thought that the person before them may have been Elijah.[3] But then Elijah appears with him on the mountain; Jesus is not Elijah.

Jesus could be a prophet Jeremiah or like Moses who appears in our text today for instance (Luke 9:18; cf. Matthew 16:14)? Anyone who heard the voice from heaven or saw the dove at Jesus’ baptism may even recognize, as Peter did, that yes, Jesus is God’s son but maybe they just don’t know what that means (Luke 9:20; cf. Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10)? After all aren’t we all the children of God? Weren’t angels in the Genesis account sometimes referred to as ‘sons of God’ (Genesis 6:2-4)? So then what does it mean to be the ‘Son of God’ and who, who is Jesus?[4]

Well this is an important question for us today then too, isn’t it? Who is Jesus? Who do we on this season’s second Lenten Sunday thousands of years later, who do we say that he is? Luke gives us a couple of answers to that question in the rest of what is now referred to as Chapter 9 of his Gospel.

In verses 10-17 is recorded the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5000 with just 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish (cf. Mark 6:30-44). Now this is interesting if we stop and think about it for a moment. The five thousand number was just the men. This total did not include women and children. How many people do we have in swift current? 17000 give or take a few. How many of those people are adult men? Probably not that many more than 5000. This miracle would be similar to if Jesus had fed almost the entire population of Swift Current on much less bread (and other food) than is donated to The Salvation Army every week! Can you imagine having a big meal here and feeding everyone in the city with just 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish? Who is this person in Luke 9? Who is Jesus? Well, he is quite a miracles worker if nothing else but Luke tells us to that he is much more.

In verse 22 it is recorded that Jesus gives us a glimpse of the central piece of the gospel – the resurrection – as part of his answer to this question of who Jesus is “saying, ‘The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised’” (ESV translation, cf. Matthew 16:21-28, Mark 8:31-9:1; cf. also Luke 18:33, 24:7, 46; Matthew 17:12-23, 27:63, Mark 9:30-31, John 2:16).

In Verse 26, it is recorded that he is the Son a Man (a messianic title) and that he will come not only in his glory but also in the glory of God the Father and of the holy angels. Jesus then continues speaking as Luke sets the stage for the transfiguration scene. Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God” (NIV translation, Luke 9:27).[5] Eight days and three verses later, Moses and Elijah appear before Peter, James, and John with Jesus atop the mountain. Peter, James and John do here see the Kingdom of God. Biblical scholar Wayne Grudem says that in the Transfiguration, the question “Who [then] is this?” (8:25; 9:9), which was answered by Peter in v. 20, is now answered decisively by God himself.[6] Let’s see how…

It is a somewhat interesting observation that the Greek word that Luke uses to mean that Jesus’ face ‘was altered’ in Verse 29 would have had some meaning for Gentile readers of / listeners to this letter. The word would bring to their mind the transformation of deities into other forms (for example Proteus by Menelaus).[7] This language would help point the original readers/hearers towards the divinity of Christ. It also – of course – reminds us (and the Jewish readers) of how Moses’ face shone when he met God on the mountain in the Old Testament (Exodus 34:29-35), further connecting this event to the Lord.

There is the cloud here as a further symbol of divine presence as well: We remember of course the cloud pillar through which God led the Israelites out of Egypt and the cloud that filled Solomon’s Temple at its dedication (cf. also Exodus 13:21, 14:19, 16:10, 19:16; 24:12-18, 40:35; 1 Kings 8:10; Psalm 78:14, 104:3; Nehemiah 9:19; Acts 1:9, Revelation 14:14-16). This is very likely another symbol that Luke is using here to point his audience towards the reality of the divinity of the Christ, who is Jesus.

A part of Jesus’ identity is revealed here through his company atop this mountain as well. We know Elijah, don’t we (Malachi 4:5; cf. also 1 Kings 17-2 Kings 10; 1 Chronicles 8:27; 2 Chronicles 21:12; Luke 4:25; James 5:15)? He is the famous prophet who was used by God to begin and end a drought throughout the Promised Land (1 Kings 17-18; cf. James 5:15). He is the one who God used to prove His power on top of Mt. Carmel over the false prophets and the pretend god, Baal (1 Kings 18). This was Elijah on top of Mt. Carmel - he was an instrument to show the power and glory of God.

We know who Moses is as well. Moses is known as the great lawgiver. He was the one God used to deliver the people out of slavery in Egypt (Exodus). He is the one through whom God delivered the Law, and the Ten Commandments atop Mt. Sinai / Mt. Horeb (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5). God used Moses on Mt. Sinai as an instrument to show the power and the glory of God.

Now here they are – fully recognisable to the disciples[8] – Moses, the representative of the Law, and Elijah, the representative of the prophets, being used as instruments of God on top of the mountain to show the power and the glory of God to Peter, James, and John and to all of us who will read this passage later (Luke 9:18-24).

Here in our text before us today we have the representatives of the Law and the prophets as well as the symbolism of the cloud and all the other things that we have mentioned pointing to the divinity of Christ who is the completion of the Law – the final sacrifice. It is finished. It has served its purpose: praise the Lord. The cloud envelops the people on the mountain and when it raises only Jesus remains – Christ alone. Where the law and the prophets once stood now there is only Jesus (verse 36). “And a voice came from out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen One; Listen to him!’” (ESV, Luke 9:35) As we obey the voice when all else has passed away and when we look up seeking our Lord – like Peter, James and John on the mountain – surely we shall see Jesus (cf. Matthew 6:33).

Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the prophets. I encourage us to turn our eyes upon Jesus who is standing in our midst. When we do truly I say unto you that we will find Him not only sitting on the heavenly bus of our salvation but we will find that indeed He is our driver and He is taking us home. And as we remain with Him, He will neither leave us behind nor forsake us (cf. John 15; Romans 3:3,4).

Let us pray.

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[1] Major Bruce Power, ‘The Transfiguration – Lent: Second Sunday Sermon’ in Journey to the Cross: Seven Lenten Sermon Outlines, Seven Small Group Studies, (The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory, 2009), p. 7.
[2] Cf. D.A. Carson, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM: Matthew/Exposition of Matthew/IV. Book Version: 4.0.2. re: Schweitzer.
[3] Hans F. Bayer, Note on Mark 6:14b-15 in ESV Study Bible. (Crossway Bibles: Wheaton, Illinois: 2007), page 1904. Available on-line: http://www.esvstudybible.org/search?q=Mark+6%3A14-15: The list of popular beliefs (see also 8:27–28) about Jesus includes that he is (1) the revived John the Baptist, (2) the expected Elijah (from Mal. 4:5), or (3) one of the prophets. The first belief, held by Herod Antipas (see Mark 6:16), is clearly false. The second opinion reflects the widespread expectation in Judaism (Mal. 3:1–2; 4:5–6) that Elijah, who was caught up to heaven without dying (2 Kings 2:11), would return at the end of time. Contrary to popular speculation that Jesus might be the expected Elijah, Jesus himself describes John the Baptist as having come “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17; cf. Mark 9:11–13). The third proposal—“a prophet, like one of the prophets of old”—might have arisen from Deut. 18:15, 18. Jesus was far greater than any of these theories, something that Peter's confession at Caesarea Philippi will show (cf. Mark 8:27–30).
[4] Cf. for a detailed discussion of this question, Captain Michael Ramsay, ‘Luke 23: Who do you say He is?’ presented to the Community Good Friday Service in Nipawin, Saskatchewan at the Apostolic Church (April 10, 2009). Available on-line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/04/luke-23-who-do-you-say-he-is.html
[5] Leon Morris Luke: An Introduction and Commentary, (TNTC3: Downers Grove, Il.: InterVarsity Press, 1988). Disc: Tyndale Old and New Testament Commentaries (US) (3.0f) version 2009-10-09T22:50:34Z: “The paragraph is rounded off with a mysterious saying. …But there are many ways in which the kingdom comes and there is much also to be said for the view that Jesus is referring to the critical time of the crucifixion, resurrection and the coming of the Spirit. The saying is complex, and without further information it is impossible to be sure of the precise meaning intended.”
[6] Wayne Grudem, see notes on Luke 9:28 and Luke 9:28-36 in ESV Study Bible. (Crossway Bibles: Wheaton, Illinois: 2007), p. 1973, available on-line at http://www.esvstudybible.org/search?q=luke+9.
[7] Marvin R. Vincent, ‘Was Altered’ in Word Studies in the New Testament Vol. I, (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2009), pp. 343-344.
[8] Cf. for a good discussion of this, William Hendriksen, Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke (NTC: Baker Academic: Grand Rapids Michigan, 2007), 506.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Numbers 6: 1-21: Nazirites, the OT Salvationists?

Presented to Nipawin Corps, 15 March 2009
and Prairie Division Men's Camp, 21 February 2010
By Captain Michael Ramsay


Click HERE to read the sermon: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/03/numbers-6-1-21-nazirites-ot.html

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Isaiah 12:2: Surely God is my Salvation

Presented to Swift Current Corps on February 14, 2010 and February 23, 2014 by Captain Michael Ramsay

To read the more recent version, click here: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2014/02/isaiah-122-surely-god-is-my-salvation.html

Isaiah 12:2 “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (see Exod. 15:2).[1]

You’ve seen the old American movies about the ‘old west’ where the so-called heroes get into trouble and it looks like all is lost and then the cavalry shows up. In Canadian history – this weekend we are celebrating Louis Riel Day. Louis Riel is an interesting character depending on when and where you live in Canadian history he has been cast as everything as an expectant messiah to the devil himself. Certainly for some in his lifetime he seems to have embodied attributes of both.[2]

Similar to the US Cavalry for the settlers whom the North West Rebellion affected was (of course) our RCMP, the Mounties. And – well – Canada being mush more efficient that our Southern neighbours, instead of sending the RCMP all the way west on horseback to save the day, they took the train. There was a certain irony to this as well as one of the reasons for the rebellion was that its supporters did not want the railroad to come through the Canadian prairies and of course the rebellion was put down with the help of the newly-built CPR.[3] For Louis Riel’s rebels the CPR spelt destruction but for the settlers in the area the Mounties on the train had become their salvation.[4]

Now we know of course that this is only a temporal salvation and we know as well that not everyone was saved. While the Canadian Anglophones celebrated the end of this rebellion as a victory for Canadians, the Francophones protested fiercely the hanging of Louie Riel and the First Nations suffered the loss of much of their leadership. Did you know that Louie Riel’s Northwest Rebellion resulted in the largest mass hanging in Canadian history? Most of the victims were not Métis. Most of the victims were First Nations.

The salvation brought by the Mounties on the CPR did deliver the settlers of what would be Saskatchewan and Alberta but – of course – it did not and could not possibly benefit all. There is only one who has brought that kind of salvation and that one is God. That one is Jesus Christ. Isaiah 12:2 “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (see Exod. 15:2).

I think we in Canada forget this sometimes in our lives: that God is our salvation. I think we in the churches forget this sometimes. I think that often here even in the churches instead of looking to God for our salvation we look to our contemporary equivalent of the Mounties riding in on the train.

These comics illustrate some of the ways that I think we look for salvation from our problems instead of turning to the Lord…[5]

Just relying on others…
or money… or legal loopholes…
or cheating…
or –worst of all, sometimes- just relying on our own judgement…


These are all ways that sometimes we try to solve a problem or look for salvation in the face of a crisis other than relying on God and as the cartoonist (Bill Watterson) points out, the results of this can be quite amusing.[6]

Isaiah 12:2 “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (see Exod. 15:2).

Sadly, even in the churches instead of looking to God for our salvation we look to our contemporary equivalent of the Mounties riding in on the train. Some of the false Mounties, false messiahs that we look to are self, pride, money…

I have heard prosperity gospel proponents speak as if they think that capitalism; the service of money is the salvation of the world. When of course we know that neither a person nor a country can serve both God and money (cf. James 3:6-10; Hebrews 13:5; 1 Peter 5:2). The Bible says that if we try to do this we will wind up hating one master and serving another (Matthew 6:24; Luke 6:13). Nonetheless some who call themselves Christian tend to put their faith in their money. How many people in this country put their faith in their investments or retirement plans (cf. Luke 12:13-21)? If we have learned nothing from our 20th century history and the Great depression, surely the current global economic downtown should wake at least us Christians up to the fact that money is not where our salvation comes from.

Isaiah 12:2 “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (see Exod. 15:2).

As far as other things that people in the Canadian churches look to for their salvation, I have read published comments by professing Christians declaring that it justifiable to invade a foreign country and kill however many women and children and other collateral damage as may happen in order to ‘save’ these people by bringing democracy to them. As if any political system can save anyone, let alone one that is based on no more than a glorified popularity contest every couple of years (cf. Genesis 3; Numbers 11:5, 14:1-4; Judges 21:25).

This really frustrates me actually. I don’t know how many conversations I have listened to where people talk about the Conservatives, NDP or (not so much here) the Liberals as if they are our salvation, as if when one of them wins a majority in our seemingly annual Parliament Hill Idol completions that that will actually change the world for the better. It won’t. Whoever we elect in the next election, won’t give sight to the blind, won’t walk on water, and won’t stamp out poverty. This is not where our salvation comes from. Don’t look to politics or politicians to help us, they won’t. They can’t.

Isaiah 12:2 “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (see Exod. 15:2).

How about in our own hard work? How many of us believe that we will be okay so long as we work really hard. I have heard people say that the only reason that people go to a food bank is because they are lazy. People who say these things seem to believe that our salvation comes from our works alone. Scriptures tell us of course that this is not the case: the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong (Ecclesiastes 9:11). Scriptures tell us that even the best, most altruistic, works on the face of this planet without faith in our God, yields nothing but death. Don’t listen to the secular humanists, the atheists: no matter what we tell ourselves, we can’t save ourselves.

Isaiah 12:2 “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (see Exod. 15:2).

In the time of the prophet Isaiah we remember that he rebuked King Ahaz of Israel because King Ahaz refused to seek confirmation from the Lord that his salvation was secured by the Lord (Isaiah 7:1-2).

In the time of Isaiah of course, we remember that there was a rebellion in the works as well. We remember that Egypt was trying to whip of the Palestinian states into a disastrous state of rebellion, just like some of the Métis (Alexandre Dumas & co.) were trying to whip up the First Nations and headed south looking to Louis Riel as a false saviour (indeed he himself thought he was either a prophet or the messiah). And just like the Northwest Rebellion resulted in the largest mass hanging in Canadian history and the destruction of so many lives so too the rebellion in Palestine at the time of Isaiah resulted in the destruction of Syria and of Israel (See Isaiah 7:1-2, 37:1-7, 37-38; see 2 Kings 15:38 - 16:20; 19:1-7, 36-37).

We remember from Bible study on Tuesdays the trouble that Israel got into under Joshua because they acted on their own and made a covenant without first consulting God (Joshua 9; Judges 2:1-5; Cf. also 2 Samuel 21 and Deuteronomy 7:1-4).

We also remember from Bible study what happened when Moses struck the rock, disobeying God, instead of talking to the rock. What happened? What happened when Moses didn’t give God the honour for God’s miracles? With others possibly tempted to look to Moses instead of God for their Salvation, he died. Because of this he dies outside of the Promised Land (Numbers 20:6-10; Deuteronomy 34).

We also remember from our study of the book of Numbers that the Israelites when they refused to follow the Lord into the Promised Land but tried to invade it on their own initiation, what happened? What happened when they relied on themselves for their salvation? They died outside of the promise.

What about Abraham? What about David? What about the Kings? What about ancient Israel? What about us in 21st Century Swift Current, Saskatchewan? What will happen to us if we look to our salvation from people, politicians, systems or our own ability? What will happen? Death.

We know that Jesus died because of our sins and we know that Jesus rose from the dead again defeating sin and death in the process and we know that Jesus is coming back.

Chapters 5-11 of Isaiah talk about the disobedience of Judah and its resultant destruction. Even in light of the consequences of humanity’s sin, God still loves us and is offering us salvation if we will just take Him up on it.[7]

Isaiah 12:2 “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (see Exod. 15:2).

God is a God of miracles. He is real and He is really active in this world. I have met people that God has healed of Cancer. I have met people that God has healed of AIDS. I have met people that God has cured of diabetes. I have met people that God has delivered from demonic attack. God is real. God has already defeated sin and death so when we are faced with life’s problems let us grab onto this good news.

Isaiah 12:2 “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (see Exod. 15:2).

If the economy is bad, if we are out of work, if we have lots of money or if we have no money in the bank, more money, freer capitalism, or even conversely secular communism is not going to save us.

Isaiah 12:2 “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (see Exod. 15:2).

And as the government of the day here in Canada wipes out more and more of our social programmes and raises the cost of living across this country by reckless tax cuts or even if it conversely reduces our potential access to frivolity through tax increases - when the government of the day continues to curtail our religious freedoms in this country let us not be tricked into believing that a particular political party or person will be our saviour. They won’t. This is a lot of Obama’s problem in the States. He is not any better or any worse than all those who have gone before him in his job but people set him up as if he is the messiah. They are figuring out now that he isn’t and his popularity is taking a nosedive. No politician or political party can save us.[8]

Isaiah 12:2 “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (see Exod. 15:2).

Likewise we in The Salvation Army here are administering food banks, now hosting pro bono law clinics, we counsel people in need and provide Christian social services in this city. These are all wonderful ways to worship and serve our Lord by helping our brothers and sisters but we can’t put our faith in our ministries and ourselves. The Salvation Army on its own never saved anyone.

Isaiah 12:2 “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (see Exod. 15:2).

We need to realise this. We need to stop turning to people and parties and institutions and hard work and good deeds and everything else for our salvation. Today is Valentine’s Day. Today we just need to accept God’s love present to us “for God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him need not perish but has eternal life” (John 3:16). For, “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2; see Exod. 15:2).

Let us pray.

http://www.sheepspeak.com/

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[1] Cf. Christopher R. Seitz, Isaiah 1-39 (Interpretation: Louisville, Kentucky: John Knox Press, 1993), 112-113 for an interesting discussion about the term used for Salvation here and the prophet’s own name. It is significant in light of Isaiah 8:18 where Isaiah tells us “I and the children whom the LORD has given me are signs.”
[2] There are many good sources on this topic from many different perspectives. A good starting point for easy access to researched information is from The Centre for Canadian Studies at Mount Allison University. ‘Louis Riel and The North-West Rebellion’ (Mount Allison University: 1999). Available on-line at http://www.mta.ca/about_canada/multimedia/riel/index.html
[3] W. Stewart Wallace, ed., The Encyclopedia of Canada , Vol. V, Toronto, University Associates of Canada, 1948, 401p., pp. 19-22. Available on-line at http://faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/quebechistory/encyclopedia/North-WestRebellion-CanadianHistory.htm
[4] Geoffrey W. Grogan, Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:Isaiah/Exposition of Isaiah/I. Oracles Concerning Judah and Jerusalem (1:1-12:6)/S. A Song of Joyous Praise (12:1-6), Book Version: 4.0.2 : “In view of the contiguity of v.1-2, it would be attractive to interpret the salvation declared in v.2 in spiritual terms, so that it would become a virtual synonym of the forgiveness seen in v.1. This would bring it into line with the normal use of the word "salvation" in the NT instead of with the physical connotation it usually possesses in the Old. The physical and spiritual could be combined here, but there can be little doubt that the prophet had chiefly in mind the deliverance of the people from all their enemies that was to be a consequence of God's forgiving grace.”
[5] Cf. Captain Michael Ramsay, ‘2 Kings 1:6: Is it because there is no God in this place?’ Presented to Nipawin Corps 31 May 2009. Available on-line at: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/05/2-kings-16-is-it-because-there-is-no.html
[6] Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes cited from: http://www.marcellosendos.ch/comics/ch/ Disclaimer: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml . If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
[7] Cf. Geoffrey W. Grogan, Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:Isaiah/Exposition of Isaiah/I. Oracles Concerning Judah and Jerusalem (1:1-12:6)/S. A Song of Joyous Praise (12:1-6), Book Version: 4.0.2
[8] Cf. Captain Michael Ramsay, ‘Vote for Jesus’, Journal of Aggressive Christianity, Issue 57, October 2008 – November 2008, pp. 27-30. Available on-line: http://www.armybarmy.com/pdf/JAC_Issue_052.pdf