Closer To Heaven
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You can view an in-depth discussion of Waging Peace in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. Click on the image to view:[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irLU7meEsO8?si=KrAYk22FyQyV1a1C&w=560&h=315]
With thanks to
Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.
(0)The post 13: Waging Peace: HopeSS Video Discussion appeared first on Sabbath School Net.
Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/13-waging-peace-hopess-video-discussion/
Image © Phil McKay at Goodsalt.com
In John Bunyan’s devotional classic, The Pilgrim’s Progress, written while he was in jail, Christian is escorted into a palace armory and shown “all manner of furniture [weaponry], which their Lord had provided for pilgrims, as sword, shield, helmet, breastplate, all-prayer, and shoes that would not wear out. And there was here enough of this to harness [fit] out as many men for the service of the Lord, as there be stars in the heaven for multitude.” Before Christian departs, he is again escorted into the armory where “they harnessed [fitted] him from head to foot with what was of proof [impenetrable], lest, perhaps, he should meet with assaults in the way.”
Bunyan’s writing in 1678 recalls a document written some 1,600 years earlier by the apostle Paul, the Epistle to the Ephesians, also composed in prison. In it the great missionary apostle imagines a great army, the church, visiting God’s armory and suiting up in the divine panoplia, the Greek term for full, head-to-toe armor. God’s armory holds enough of the finest weaponry for every soldier in His army to be “clad with northern steel from top to toe,” as they set forth to wage peace in His name.
Victory in Greek and Roman warfare was dependent on the cooperation of the soldiers in a military unit and especially in their support for each other in the heat of battle. Individualism in battle was regarded as a characteristic of barbarian warriors, dooming them to defeat.
There are important reasons to support the idea that Paul, in line with this usual military understanding, is primarily addressing the church’s shared battle against evil in Ephesians 6:10-20: 1. The passage is the climax of a letter that is all about the church. It would be strange for Paul to conclude his letter with a picture of a lone Christian warrior doing battle against the foes of darkness; 2. At the end of the passage, Paul highlights Christian camaraderie in his call to prayer “for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18-20, ESV); 3. Most significant of all, earlier in the letter when Paul discusses the powers of evil, he places them over against the church, not the individual believer: “So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 3:10, ESV).
Thus, Ephesians 6:10-20 does not portray a solitary, lone warrior confronting evil. Instead, Paul as a general addresses the church as an army. He calls us to take up our full armor and, as a unified army, vigorously and unitedly press the battle. Paul chooses to conclude his thoroughgoing emphasis on the church, which has included sustained descriptions of the church as the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 4:1-16), the building/temple of God (Ephesians 2:19-22) and the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:21-33), with a final metaphor, the church as the army of the living God. Since we are approaching “the evil day” (Ephesians 6:13), the final stages of the long-running battle against evil, it is no time to be fuzzy about our commitment to God or our loyalty to one another as fellow soldiers of Christ.
Paul’s warning of an intense battle (Ephesians 6:13) prepares readers for his final call to stand (his fourth, compare Ephesians 6:11, Ephesians 6:13) and is a detailed call to arms (Ephesians 6:14-17). Paul describes the action of “girding up one’s waist” (compare Isaiah 11:5). Ancient, loose-fitting garments needed to be tied up around the waist before work or battle (compare Luke 12:35, Luke 12:37; Luke 17:8). Paul imagines the believer suiting up in armor as would a Roman legionnaire, beginning with the leather military belt with its decorative belt plates and buckle. From the belt hung a number of leather straps covered with metal discs, together forming an “apron” worn as a badge of rank for visual effect. It served the essential function of tying up the garments and holding other items in place.
Truth is not the believers’ own; it is a gift of God (compare salvation in Ephesians 2:8). It is not, though, to remain abstract, a distant asset without any transforming impact on their lives. They are to “put on” God’s truth, to experience and use this divine gift. They do not so much possess God’s truth as God’s truth possesses and protects them.
Paul next urges believers to put on “the breastplate of righteousness” (compare 1 Thessalonians 5:8). Like the belt of truth, it is of divine origin, being part of the armor of Yahweh in His role as the divine warrior (Isaiah 59:17). The body armor used by soldiers in Paul’s day was made of mail (small, intertwined iron rings), scale armor (small, overlapping scales of bronze or iron), or bands of overlapping iron fastened together. This body armor or breastplate protected the vital organs from the blows and thrusts of the enemy. In an analogous way, believers are to experience the spiritual protection offered by God’s protective gift of righteousness. In Ephesians, Paul associates righteousness with holiness, goodness, and truth (Ephesians 4:24, Ephesians 5:9), thinking of it as the quality of treating others justly and well, especially fellow church members.
In what ways have you experienced the idea that goodness, holiness, and truth can be a protection?
A Roman soldier, preparing for battle, would tie on a pair of sturdy, military sandals. A multilayered sole featured rugged hobnails, helping the soldier hold his ground and “stand” (Ephesians 6:11, Ephesians 6:13, Ephesians 6:14). Paul explains this military footwear with language from Isaiah 52:7, which celebrates the moment when a messenger brings the news that Yahweh’s battle on behalf of His people is won (Isaiah 52:8-10) and peace now reigns: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace” (Isaiah 52:7, ESV).
Review the eight times Paul highlights peace in Ephesians. Why does he use a detailed military metaphor when he is so interested in peace? Ephesians 1:2; Ephesians 2:14-15, Ephesians 2:17; Ephesians 4:3; Ephesians 6:15, Ephesians 6:23.
Paul celebrates peace as the work of Christ, “our peace,” the One who preaches peace “to you who were far off and peace to those who were near” (Ephesians 2:14-17, ESV), drawing Jew and Gentile together into “one new humanity” (Ephesians 2:15, NIV). By keeping alive the gospel story of Christ’s rescue and His creative work of peace, by celebrating His victory past and looking toward the victory shout in the future, believers shod their feet and stand ready for battle. Like the messenger in Isaiah 52:7, believers are messengers proclaiming the victory of Christ and His peace.
Paul, however, does not wish us to understand his call to arms as a call to take up military weapons against our enemies. That’s why he describes believers as proclaiming “the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). Nor does he wish believers to be combative in their relationships with others, since he has been emphasizing unity, edifying speech, and tenderheartedness (see especially Ephesians 4:25-5:2). The church is to “wage peace” by employing the gospel arsenal of Christian virtues (humility, patience, forgiveness, etc.) and practices (prayer, worship). Such acts are strategic, pointing toward God’s grand plan to unify all things in Christ (Ephesians 1:9-10).
Paul’s shield is the large, rectangular shield of a Roman legionnaire. Made with wood and covered with leather, its edges curved inward to guard against attacks from the side. When soaked in water, shields were “able to
quench . . . fiery darts” (NKJV), extinguishing arrows dipped in pitch and set on fire. Paul’s description of the “shield of faith” reflects the Old Testament use of the shield as a symbol of God, who protects His people (Genesis 15:1, Psalm 3:3). To take up “the shield of faith” (Ephesians 6:16) is to enter the cosmic battle with confidence in God, who fights on behalf of believers (Ephesians 6:10), supplies the finest weaponry (Ephesians 6:11, Ephesians 6:13), and who ensures victory.
At the same time, the Roman battle helmet was made of iron or bronze. To the bowl that protected the head were added a plate at the back to guard the neck, ear guards, a brow ridge, and hinged plates to protect the cheeks. Given the essential protection the helmet provided, “the helmet of salvation” (Ephesians 6:17) symbolizes the present salvation believers experience in solidarity with the resurrected, ascended, and exalted Christ (Ephesians 2:6-10). To put on “the helmet of salvation” means to reject the fear of spiritual powers so common in the time and, instead, to trust in the supreme power of Christ (compare Ephesians 1:15-23, Ephesians 2:1-10).
The final item of armor is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17), referring to the Roman legionnaire’s short, two-edged sword. The usual battle tactic was to throw two javelins (not mentioned by Paul) and then draw the sword and charge, employing the short sword in a thrusting motion. The believers’ sword is “the sword of the Spirit” in that it is supplied by the Spirit, a weapon identified as “the word of God.” Paul steps forward as general and issues a call to arms, speaking promises of hope and victory from the divine Commander in Chief. It is these promises, issued in Ephesians 6:10-20, that constitute “the word of God” as the lead weapon in the battle against evil. The “word of God,” then, refers to the broad promises of the gospel that we find in the Bible.
In concluding his battle exhortation, Paul urges believers as soldiers to participate in crucial, continuing prayer “for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18, NKJV) and for himself as imprisoned ambassador (Ephesians 6:19-20). This call to prayer can be seen as an extension of the military imagery, since calling out to God (or to the gods) in prayer was a common practice on the ancient battlefield. To cite a biblical example: following the battle exhortation of Jahaziel, Jehoshaphat leads “all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem” in falling down “before the LORD, worshiping the LORD” (2 Chronicles 20:18, ESV). While prayer is not a seventh piece of armor, it is an integral part of Paul’s battle exhortation and military metaphor.
In the first of two prayer requests, Paul asks the addressees to participate in fervent, urgent, and perseverant prayer “for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18, NKJV). If the church is to be successful in its battle against the powers of evil, it will need to practice dependence on God through Spirit-inspired prayer.
Paul’s second prayer request is for himself: “and also for me” (Ephesians 6:19, ESV). He asks for prayer that God might grant him the right message (“that words may be given to me”), at the right time (“in opening my mouth”), delivered in the right way (“boldly to proclaim”), and addressing a most important theme, “the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:19, ESV). This last phrase refers to what we might call the “open secret” of God’s intervention in Christ to redeem Gentiles along with Jews (see Ephesians 3:1-13), creating “one new humanity” (Ephesians 2:15, NIV; see also Ephesians 2:11-22) as a signal of the overarching plan “to unite all things” in Christ (Ephesians 1:10, ESV).
Why are believers so often urged to participate in earnest, persevering prayer? Paul’s military metaphor suggests two answers: (1) the threat of spiritual battle against an array of supernatural enemies is dire and real; (2) God’s promises of spiritual strength and victory are illustrated through Paul’s military imagery (Ephesians 6:10-17). Earnest, persevering prayer provides opportunity for us to listen carefully to these promises, to celebrate them, and to thank God for the resources of His grace.
“An army in battle would become confused and weakened unless all worked in concert. If the soldiers should act out their own impulsive ideas, without reference to each other’s positions and work, they would be a collection of independent atoms; they could not do the work of an organized body. So the soldiers of Christ must act in harmony. They alone must not be cherished. If they do this, the Lord’s people in the place of being in perfect harmony, of one mind, one purpose, and consecrated to one grand object, will find efforts fruitless, their time and capabilities wasted. Union is strength. A few converted souls acting in harmony, acting for one grand purpose, under one head, will achieve victories at every encounter.”—Ellen G. White, Spalding and Magan Collection, p. 121.
What is the significance of Paul’s labeling himself “an ambassador in chains” (Ephesians 6:20, ESV)?
Ambassadors often played challenging roles during wartime, so Paul’s self-description fits the context of his military metaphor. Ambassadors were to be treated with the respect due the person or country that sent them. So there is stark contrast between Paul’s status as ambassador for the Supreme Ruler of the cosmos and the utter disrespect signaled by his chains (literally, “chain”). However, since ambassadors would wear a “chain of office,” Paul’s mention of a “chain” may be “spiced with irony,” in which he sees his chain as “a decoration to be worn with distinction.”—David J. Williams, Paul’s Metaphors: Their Context and Character (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1999), p. 152.
1. In your corner of a world divided and at war, what does it mean for you and your congregation to “wage peace”? How can we be agents of peace in a world so increasingly characterized by aggression and violence?
2. What particular “fiery darts” are being hurled in your direction? How can you ensure that the “shield of faith” is in place to extinguish them?
3. We sometimes speak of “prayer warriors.” How might we conduct “prayer ministry” based on Ephesians 6:18-20?
4. How should we treat those who are wounded on the battlefield of the great controversy? How should we treat the Christian believer who, in the heat of the battle, flees out of fear or openly capitulates to the other side?
(0)The post Lesson Helps 13: Waging Peace appeared first on Sabbath School Net.
Paul’s warning of an intense battle (Ephesians 6:13) prepares readers for his final call to stand (his fourth, compare Ephesians 6:11, Ephesians 6:13) and is a detailed call to arms (Ephesians 6:14-17). Paul describes the action of “girding up one’s waist” (compare Isaiah 11:5).
Image © Jim Howard at Goodsalt.com
Ancient, loose-fitting garments needed to be tied up around the waist before work or battle (compare Luke 12:35, Luke 12:37; Luke 17:8). Paul imagines the believer suiting up in armor as would a Roman legionnaire, beginning with the leather military belt with its decorative belt plates and buckle. From the belt hung a number of leather straps covered with metal discs, together forming an “apron” worn as a badge of rank for visual effect. It served the essential function of tying up the garments and holding other items in place.
Truth is not the believers’ own; it is a gift of God (compare salvation in Ephesians 2:8). It is not, though, to remain abstract, a distant asset without any transforming impact on their lives. They are to “put on” God’s truth, to experience and use this divine gift. They do not so much possess God’s truth as God’s truth possesses and protects them.
Paul next urges believers to put on “the breastplate of righteousness” (compare 1 Thessalonians 5:8). Like the belt of truth, it is of divine origin, being part of the armor of Yahweh in His role as the divine warrior (Isaiah 59:17). The body armor used by soldiers in Paul’s day was made of mail (small, intertwined iron rings), scale armor (small, overlapping scales of bronze or iron), or bands of overlapping iron fastened together. This body armor or breastplate protected the vital organs from the blows and thrusts of the enemy. In an analogous way, believers are to experience the spiritual protection offered by God’s protective gift of righteousness. In Ephesians, Paul associates righteousness with holiness, goodness, and truth (Ephesians 4:24, Ephesians 5:9), thinking of it as the quality of treating others justly and well, especially fellow church members.
| In what ways have you experienced the idea that goodness, holiness, and truth can be a protection? |
(0)The post Monday: Belt and Breastplate appeared first on Sabbath School Net.
The book of Ephesians does show us “How to Follow Jesus in Trying Times”:
Hymn 623 – I Will Follow Thee, My Saviour so that our actions will always speak louder than our words.
For the peace that is so needed in our poor, old world now, we find this in 
Hymn 463 – Peace, Perfect Peace and
Hymn 466 – Wonderful Peace.
As we all rally and work together as God’s army in the church, we are encouraged by
Hymn 614 – Sound The Battle Cry.
Paul teaches us to
Stand Up! Stand Up For Jesus – Hymn 618,
Stand Like The Brave – Hymn 610 because we are
Standing On The Promises – Hymn 518.
It is with this letter from Paul that we know
Faith Is The Victory – Hymn 608 (Tuesday).
The “sword of the Spirit”, the word of God, (Wednesday) has us asking
Lord, Bless Thy Word To Every Heart – Hymn 667.
With prayer being such a special event on the battlefield, we ask
Heavenly Father, Hear Our Prayer – Hymn 658, and
Hear Our Prayer, O Lord – Hymn 684.
So, dear people, be encouraged to go forward and
“Lift up the trumpet and loud let it ring, Jesus IS coming again” – Hymn 213.
To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/
Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/Search and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.
2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
(3)The post 13: Waging Peace – Singing with Inspiration appeared first on Sabbath School Net.
Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/13-waging-peace-singing-with-inspiration/
Key Thought: The spiritual battle is based on God’s offering to fight for our salvation. When we accept Christ, we join in His army and His offer of peace.
September 23, 2023
1. Have a volunteer read Ephesians 6:14, I Peter 4:1, 5:8.
2. Have a volunteer read Ephesians 1:2, 2:14,15,17.
3. Have a volunteer read Ephesians 6:16,17.
4. Have a volunteer read Philippians 4:6, Colossians 4:2, I Thessalonians 5:16-18.
(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148)
(0)The post 13: Waging Peace – Teaching Plan appeared first on Sabbath School Net.
Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/13-waging-peace-teaching-plan/
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