The Child of Promise

But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.  You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.  For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.  For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Isaiah 9:1-9 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

The promise

   Isaiah was speaking to Israel. But this was split in two kingdoms. A northern and southern kingdom that fought against one another in civil war. The northern kingdom was falling to the assault of the Assyrians. This is the context that Isaiah was preaching in. The prophet was painting a picture of abundance, peace, and joy against the backdrop of Israel's northern territories being conquered, ransacked, and plundered. God is giving a promise of future peace and perfection written in past tense. In other words, consider it done.

  How will this come about? Through a child, a son, a king filled with wisdom (counselor), God (not just a man), loves the people like a father loves his children, and mighty/strong. We are not given advice, a solution to a problem, but rather God gives us himself. That is what we need and truly want. In Him is where we find all glory, beauty, and satisfaction.

The challenge

   God offers us this gift of his son. And we go, Meh. We are not excited. It is six hundred years between the promise of the prophet and the birth of Jesus. And even now, we still await the fullness of the coming kingdom. We are still awaiting the fulfillment of this future reality.

   Sometimes, our present reality can cloud the present. And often make it impossible to see the perfect and distant future. We lose sight of the heaven we are promised and then we will seek earthly pleasures and glory. We will look for idols rather than God. We chose the immediate tangible pleasures over the perfect joy of Christ in our future. That is the essence of spiritual maturity. All that we have in Christ becomes more tangible than our current reality and circumstances.

The promiser

God loves us. Loves enough to do a crazy foolish thing to come in weakness and frail baby form. To die being mocked and jeered as a fool so that we could have life.

The prince of peace and the Paradise He brings

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.  And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord .  And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord . He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,  but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.  Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.  The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.  The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.  The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.  They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.  In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.- Isaiah 11:1-10 ESV

Rev. Charles Han

How do we summarize the story of the Bible? Four words: Creation, fall, redemption, and restoration.

The Prince of peace

The prophet is telling of the sins of Israel and the coming judgment of Assyria. And then from this transitions to speaking of hope. There is a coming Messiah who comes from Jesse. Why the reference to Jesse rather than King David? Jesse was a man of humble means. He is a sprout of Jesse, yet also the root of Jesse. How can this be? Both sprout and root? Jesus is of God and also God incarnated in flesh. Both before, the source, as well as after, the coming one. One of the Holy Spirit, who does the will of God, which we cannot do.

The Paradise he brings

What does heaven look like? Is this a literal description? I believe this is a figurative description. Describing the peace and contentment of heaven. It is a poetic description. Jesus has come and he is coming back to bring a Paradise of perfect peace. He will bring Shalom. Not just inner serenity, but flourishing & wholeness. Justice and fulfillment. The way things ought to be, restored. Lions represent the enemies of Israel, the dangers and rending of all that they held dear. The weak not being bullied by the weak. The children playing by the nest of snakes... a compete reversal of the child of Eve and the serpent from the fall in the garden of Eden. Jesus is the one who will repair broken relationships, hearts, and lives. He brings hope to the citizens of heaven. Regardless of the troubles of this life, it is tiny in comparison to eternity in heaven. Why are we so focused on the tiny sliver of time before eternity?

Homeward bound

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;  it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord , the majesty of our God.  Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.  Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;  then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;  the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.  And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.  No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.  And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Isaiah 35:1-10 ESV

Pastor Paul Park

Illusiveness of a worldly home

Where are you from? We can answer from many different angles. Cultural background, where we were raised, where we were born, where we live now... Does this change when we get married? Does it change when we've lived in a certain place for awhile?

A home is where we find rest. Verse 7 describes a mirage. A place of water in a desert. But the closer we get to a mirage, the more we find that it is an illusion. Our lives are a long journey are searching for a place of rest and belonging. We go from place to place seeking a home. The prophets were tasked with bringing people from illusions to our real home. The people were content with mirages and the illusion of home. We all do this. When we are anxious or troubled, we turn to the distraction of entertainment, the comfort of financial security, the comfort of relational security, etc. All the things of this world are insufficient to give us a real sense of belonging or security. They are all fleeting and will ultimately disappoint.

Concreteness of our Spiritual home

Where then is our biblical and real home? It is not a place, but rather a person. It is our God. He is our sanctuary. The springs of living water are alluding to the Holy Spirit. God wishes to make His home in us. What then does it mean to be home in this sense? God becomes to us the most important person in our lives. He is the most loved in our mind and in our hearts. As it says in the first commandment... This is how you find home. You will yearn to see His face. You were desire to spend time with Him.

We are unclean. So we must get new hearts. We must be redeemed and cleaned. This was purchased through the cross by Jesus. We are promised a new home because of the blood of Christ. A place to belong and of ultimate security.

The ramifications?

Our future is with God. We are to love God and that means that we will have a growing desire of holiness. Why? Because God is holy. We will grow in repentance for sin, in turning towards God away from things of this world. We can be generous because God has given us everything for eternity.

We are to grow in our yearning to see God's face. To wish to be with God, is the proper reaction to God's sacrifice upon the cross. It is not a simple ritual of prayer and Bible study. But a genuine desire within our hearts for God and the place He has prepared for us.

Gospel Hospitality

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of Lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
Deuteronomy 10:17-19 ESV

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:11-13 ESV

Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Hebrews 13:1-2 ESV

Rev Dwight Yoo

As a church, we are not just a church in a city, but rather a church for the city. To be for it's prosperity, growth, and good.

This value will grow the church both in depth and breadth. It is hospitality. This is not just Martha Stewart. It is broader than that. Hospitality means showing love to strangers. But it is not a single action, it is a mindset. A hospitable person doesn't just care for friends and family; they also show kindness to strangers so they become friends and family. How important is this? It is one of the qualifications of a church elder.

It is easy to ignore strangers in a city church. How can we get to know everyone in this church with so many people? And all these people who come and go. It is hard to invest time and energy in people and have them leave in a couple of years.

So why? Why should we be hospitable? Because while we were strangers, God reached out to us. He gave us a home, His enemies. We were foreigners and God gave us a place in His city. We serve a hospitable God. So we must portray His values to the world.

Jesus became a stranger and sojourner in this world. He was marginalized and rejected so that we would not be rejected by God. The faith that saves will give us a heart of hospitality. We cannot be callous because it is at the heart of the gospel.

Christine Pohl, who wrote Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition (Eerdmans, 1999), tells us “Strangers are people without a place, disconnected from life-giving relationships and networks.”

We can help strangers both in the church and outside the church. There is a fundamental desire for connection. Our day and age is filled with broken families and relationships. People have to move for work and they end up disconnected.

Towards the City God Built

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.  These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.- Hebrews 11:8-16 ESV

Dr. Kyuboem Lee

Missions is so often something we support and other people do "out there." But I want to bring to light that we have been molded and shaped to work as missionaries here in the city.

Abraham is an immigrant. He is a foreigner in a new homeland. The people of faith have always been pilgrims, aliens, and strangers. They do not belong wherever they are. But God promises that the people of faith have a home. God has prepared a place for us. As immigrants and children of immigrants, we can innately sense this alienation.

Even if we find success, we will still live in this sense of dislocation. We are still not home. This world will still give us this sense of alienation. Success will not fulfill this longing. We are called to follow in Abraham's footsteps. He was an immigrant who owned no land and was promised that he would bless the nations. He lived in tents and owned no place in the promised land.

We do not have to be successful first to serve as missionaries. We can reach out to people who feel alienated and be the presence of Christ. We may think that we can outsource missions, but that is not how it works. It is not the professional missionaries who spread the gospel. It is poor everyday Christians who spread the faith. The Christians fleeing persecution spread the faith.

Our heavenly home will find us neighbors with people of every tribe, tongue, and nation. They will be of a wide variety of experiences, socio-economic classes, and identities. We will not be separated but we will be one people of God. That is the reality we pray from and work towards when we say "on earth as it is in heaven."

Esther: The Great Reversal

Esther 5-10

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Premature celebration can sometimes bring about our downfall. Haman thinks he is about to have his revenge on Mordecai and the Jews.

Reversal of glory and humiliation

Haman expects that the king wished to honor him. He was the king's right hand man. Instead, he is humiliated. And his enemy, Mordecai, is glorified.

Reversal of life and death

The day where the Jews were to be killed becomes a day of joy. The Jews are delivered from the sword. A new edict is written that allows them to defend themselves against their enemies. This has become commemorated as Purim.

The greatest reversal is Jesus dying on the cross, to bring sinners life. Resurrection and life comes from the death of an innocent man upon the cross.

Application

We can persevere knowing that Christ will reverse all these things. Even though good deeds are punished and evil men prosper, at the end, it will all be reversed.

We are to live in tune with the reversal that is to come. We will be out of tune with the world, but in tune with the kingdom of God. We are to grow in humility and serving others, not self promotion nor making demands.

Esther: Inconspicuous Providence

Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him, while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days. And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. There were white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rods and marble pillars, and also couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and precious stones. Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king. And drinking was according to this edict: “There is no compulsion.” For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired. Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Ahasuerus.  On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.  Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for this was the king’s procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment, the men next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom): “According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?” Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, “Not only against the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also against all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. For the queen’s behavior will be made known to all women, causing them to look at their husbands with contempt, since they will say, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.’ This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s behavior will say the same to all the king’s officials, and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty. If it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.” This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, that every man be master in his own household and speak according to the language of his people.

After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. Then the king’s young men who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the citadel, under custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women. Let their cosmetics be given them. And let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.  Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away. He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. So when the king’s order and his edict were proclaimed, and when many young women were gathered in Susa the citadel in custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king’s palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women. And the young woman pleased him and won his favor. And he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her portion of food, and with seven chosen young women from the king’s palace, and advanced her and her young women to the best place in the harem. Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known. And every day Mordecai walked in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.  Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their beautifying, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and ointments for women— when the young woman went in to the king in this way, she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second harem in custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.  When the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what Hegai the king’s eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her. And when Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign, the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther’s feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity.- Esther 1-2:18 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

The real king

Ahasuerus was king. He is also known as Xerseus. He is the king over the Medes-Persian empire. He is throwing a party. Not just any party, this is a six month long party. This is not a formal party. He issues an edict that people can drink as much as they want. He had furniture made of gold. He is trying to impress. But this is a satirical portrayal. The author is trying to poke fun at them. The king is drunk and he calls for his wife, his trophy wife. She is refuses and he's angry. So he gets his advisors together to figure out a solution. Who gets an advisory board together to address a personal family issue? The king of this empire cannot control his wife. The book of Esther is the only book in the Bible that makes no direct mention of God. But even though he is not mentioned, he is at work and in control.

Esther acts in contrast to Daniel. She sleeps with a pagan king as an unmarried woman. She eats unclean food. There is no indication that she tried to follow God or stay Jewish. She was trying to be like the Persians around her. She hid that she was Jewish as prompted by her uncle. We may admire Daniel, but we are probably more like Esther.

The salvation

God still uses Esther and her position as queen to save the Jewish people from genocide. She was beautiful on the outside, but God makes her beautiful on the inside. She is confronted with a deadly conspiracy and commanded to risk her life. She steps out in bold faith with risk of death. From a comfortable lifestyle, she becomes a tool of God to save the people of God. This is not an encouragement to disobey or compromise our Christian principles. Rather it is that when we disobey, God will not abandon us. God can work though our mistakes.

Daniel's prayer: Books prayer for a helpless people

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.  Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. To us, O Lord , belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him. He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem. As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly.  “O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us. Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”  While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision. Daniel 9:1-23 ESV

Rev. Dan Whang

This prayer is during the first reign of Darius. Daniel is an old man. He's praying after reading Jeremiah. He has determined that the people's time of exile was drawing to a close.

Urgency of intercessory prayer

Daniel knows that the exile was drawing to a close. The people will return to their place. Their own cities, their temple... This was a done deal. But instead of kicking back, he throws on a sackcloth and prays. Why? It is like he doesn't believe it will come to pass... But he does believe. He sees himself as an intercessor. He prays for those around him. He is not okay with the spiritual deafness and slumber of those around him. There is concern for those around him. He is concerned for his people and their eternal destination.

Content of intercessory prayer

Invocation: call and declare who God is

Confession: declare shortcomings and failings

Appeal: throw ourselves upon the grace and mercy of God (rather than any personal righteousness)

Petition: Ask (for the glory of God)

Power of intercessory prayer

After Daniel prayed, Gabriel came. Before Daniel had finished praying, God has already called for an response. There is no delay, no lag. God hears our prayer and responds. God gives the ability to understand scripture. He tells Daniel that He loves him. God does not treat His people like employees. We may not get the same response as Daniel, but we will understand the scripture more and be more secure in God's love.

Ending thoughts

If you find it hard to pray or you doubt your faith, look for God's promises and pray for that which God had already promised.

How to engage non Christians

Six aspects of engaging the non Christian works

Learn the vocabulary of this world

You need to learn vocabulary that is used in the real world. Don't talk like you are at seminary. Listen to people. What are they familiar with?

Learn people's authorities

What are the sources of authority for the world? The Bible is not seen as authority by the world. For instance, popular music is an authority to those of the world. This allows you to engage them easier.

Display sympathy for non-Christians

Why does a gay person desire marriage?
They deeply desire intimacy and don't want to be alone. This is something both homosexuals and heterosexuals can understand.

Affirm what is good

If there is something good, we should commend it. It is not only believers who do worthwhile things.

Expose what is mistaken

You need to unravel what their worldview looks like. Not just focus on the positive, but show them what is irrational about their views.

How does the gospel address them?

For each individual, speak to their fears and desires.

Is Jesus Lord?

Redemptive historical (gospel) worldview

Normative (objective truth)

More than how Jesus makes you feel, is Jesus Lord?

Is Jesus who he claimed to be?

This is the central pivotal point that the entirety of Christianity stands on. Everything else is secondary. Gay marriage, drunken lifestyles, etc. Jesus is Lord. Not just savior.

This starts a domino effect. His Lordship changes everything in your life. If not, you don't really understand who Jesus is. You might not be saved.

Existential (personal)

The truth of Jesus' Lordship will affect our lives. The objective truth will make us change how we handle finances, relationships, etc. It will impact us personally. This is the biblical worldview.

Subjective (situational)

Creation, fall, redemption, and consummation. This is the right view of history from the biblical point of view. Not only that, but this changes how we will read the Bible. We often read moralistically, rather than with a biblical worldview. But moralism only breeds either pride or defeatism. Biblical reading makes you consider Jesus as the center. That makes us approach things differently.

Is Jesus Lord?
If so, how should I live?
If so, how does it change how I perceive things?

Defend the faith, apologetics

Defend the Faith.

Dr. Paul Jeon

Apologetics is a direction, not a ten step program of making people into Christians. It is about you, the person, the lifestyle. It is not about what you know, but how much you understand the gospel.

To be equipped, you never need to know more than the gospel

But you do need to be aware of your current culture.

We live in a post Christian age. We no longer have unified Christian categories.

Your worldview affects how you perceive reality. In the USA, we think that belief in the supernatural is old fashioned and backwards. But this view is narrow and may not be the way the majority of the world thinks. Supernatural activity and demons are considered an everyday occurrence.

What is the biblical worldview?

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,1 Peter 3:13-14 ESV

Salvation belongs to the Lord. God is sovereign. You cannot save people. Sovereignty frees you to share the gospel regardless of how someone looks.

When you are blessed, then you will be a good witness. Blessed is based on our identity. 1 Peter is in the context of suffering. You are dying and going through horrible times, but you are blessed. This blessing is through our identity in Christ. Even though we are broken or suffering, we are blessed as a child of God.

All those around us desire redemption

Bold Faith in a Hostile World: The visions of Daniel

Daniel 7-12

Rev. Dwight Yoo

The first half of Daniel is narrative. The chapters here deal with prophetic visions. They speak of the coming victory of God. There is too much detail to cover, so I'll be summarizing and distilling things down to some applicable points. When approaching apocalyptic passages, we need to be aware that there is a lot of metaphor and symbolism. So we need to be careful in taking it too literally.

For the believer, suffering and struggle is the norm

Daniel has visions, but he is deeply disturbed. He's had visions before, but these affect him. His color changes, he felt sick, and he is emotionally troubled. God wins at the end, but the people of God will suffer throughout history. They will be trampled. Daniel sees God's plan through history and he sees how believers and followers of God will continue to go through hard times. The grass is not greener on the other side. Life continues to be difficult for the believer. It is the norm. You can do everything right, like Daniel, and still suffer and experience trouble. He was exiled... Lived and died in a foreign land under a foreign king... Never to see his homeland again.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
Hebrews 2:10 ESV

We are to live life expecting tough times. That is the Christian way and path. Jesus suffered, even though he lived a sinless life. We are to share in Christ's suffering and to suffer well.

There is more to our suffering and struggles than our eye can see.

There are angelic brings named in the visions. There is a fight unseen that is raging. God's kingdom is opposed. There is an enemy and he is in a spiritual battle. There is a demonic opposition looking to restrict the growth of God's kingdom. Do not underestimate the enemy.

We must not overestimate the enemy.

We need to stay in God's word and in prayer. Daniel's prayer is answered by an angel. 

Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.
Daniel 10:12 ESV

We are not fighting a physical battle. This is a spiritual battle. As you share with your friends about Christ, pray. As you serve the small group, pray just as hard. Prayer works. Prayer matters.

It is through suffering and trouble that victory comes.

Under the final Prince, the Antichrist, things will go from bad to ridiculously worse. We don't know all the details, but we know enough that we are to live faithfully.

He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. ...
But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”
Daniel 12:9, 13 ESV

Jesus died. How dark a time that must have been. But his death (and resurrection) has bought Christians victory.

In this day and age, many bemoan the loss of Christian morals in this country. But Christianity seems to do best when Christians are marginalized. This day and age are an opportunity. Perhaps the greatest revival will come when following Christ is no longer mainstream.

Suffering is not just about us. It is also a way that God demonstrates the gospel. Our suffering shows how Christ anchors and keeps us.

Bold faith in a hostile world: In and Out of the Lions' Den

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”  Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction.  When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”  Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”  Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his Lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.  Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.  Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end.  He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.”  So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. - Daniel 6:1-28 ESV

Rev. Charles Han

Daniel is an old man. He has outlived two kings and their empires. Daniel is an example of model faithfulness to God. Most followers of God are found in both faithful and sinful situations. But Daniel is only portrayed in faithful obedience to God.

The Danger of the Lions' Den

Daniel was an exile in a foreign land. He was seeking the good of this land and people as God commanded:

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.- Jeremiah 29:7 ESV

He was so skilled at his job that the king wished to make him the prime minister. The other officials were jealous and wished to bring him down. But Daniel had impeccable skills and integrity. So they conspired to entrap him based on his faith to the living God.

They have the king make an intractable decree that all prayers and petitions will go through king Darius. This makes the king the living mediator to all the gods and consolidates the king's power.

1. Living as engaged exiles entails being the very best servants we can be for our "Babylon."

How are you representing your work and your studies as a representative of God in these secular places? Are you striving to be the best student, employee, or boss? Are you lazy? Disengaged? Just looking for a paycheck?

2. Living as engaged exiles entrails being perpetually persecuted for our Christian faith.

As a competent servant of God, Daniel finds persecution. This is the expectation. Following God can put you into harm's way. For Daniel, this happens time and again. He is tormented for his faith in God. The world will reject us because we are not of it. Expect ridicule and rejection because that is how the world will react. The world is not our home.

Defying the Lions' Den

After this edict was made, Daniel continued in his usual way and prays. Knowing that this was illegal. But this isn't flaunting authority or pretentious prayer, it is just an eighty year old man going on his usual routine of meeting God three times a day.

1. It is daily faithfulness to God in the mundane moments that prepare us for bold acts of faith in the hardest moments.

It is the daily walk with God that matters. Where will praying three times a day get you in a month? Where will how you are living you now get you in a month?

2. Genuine faith unconditionally trusts and obeys in the face of the lions' den regardless of outcome

Faith will let God be god regardless of outcome. Even if suffering and hard times come, faith will still trust and hope in God.

Delivered from the Lions' Den

King Darius finds that Daniel has been entrapped by this edict. But this king cannot repeal his own edict, he must turn over Daniel to be thrown into the lions' den. This earthly king, who was supposed to be the living representative of the gods, could not save Daniel. The king could not save.

This points to another injustice, Christ on the cross. Daniel comes out unscathed from a sealed lion den. Like Jesus coming out of the sealed tomb. Jesus represents victory over sin. We are not supposed to be like Daniel, but rather to believe in Christ. Because we are not like Daniel, we are not brave, faithful, or have integrity. But Jesus is our victory.

Bold faith in a hostile world: "The writing on the wall"

King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his Lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.  Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his Lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his Lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.  Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his Lords were perplexed.  The queen, because of the words of the king and his Lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, “O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you or your color change. There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”  Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”  Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your Lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.  “Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene , Mene , Tekel , and Parsin . This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene , God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; Tekel , you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; Peres , your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”  Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.  That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.- Daniel 5:1-31 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Since the last passage, the last king has passed and there is a new king. Daniel is around eighty years old. There are new people, but the situation still looks the same.

So what is this about? It illuminates the Christian's main problem, forgetfulness. We don't live Monday through Saturday in light of the gospel.

The party

The king throws a crazy party. Thousands of thousands dining and drinking. The king brings out the vessels used in the house of God and drinks from these holy vessels. But not fifty miles away, the Babylonian army had been defeated. So why a party? These was an army running at the capital city unimpeded. But this was no ordinary city. It had walls a hundred feet tall and storehouses of food that would last twenty years. This party was trying to portray his confidence in the city defenses and show that his people did not need to be afraid.

King Belshazzar reflects the unbelieving worldview. Proud and dismissive of any need for God. They feel self-sufficient. They don't need saving. The greatest minds of Babylon could not interpret the writing on the wall. The wisdom of the world is insufficient.

The writing on the wall

The king was using the worship items of the living God to worship idols. Unbelievers turn from God who saves to look for meaning and salvation from created things. The king offers a great reward and Daniel declines/dismisses it. Why? Daniel knew that the king's reign and life was at an end. The king's life was measured and found wanting.

The real party

What does that mean to us? It tells us that at the final judgment, we to will be measured and found wanting and deserving to have the kingdom of God taken from us.

Jesus' first miracle was turning water to wine. Jesus is trying to tell us that the real party is with God. Daniel appears as the major party pooper in this passage. But really, he's trying to inform then that there was a greater party. The world's party will end in death, but God's party is greater... And will never end.

Bold faith in a hostile world: The humbled king

King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.  How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.  I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream, saying, “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.  “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him. The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’ This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”  Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My Lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies! The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’ this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my Lord the king, that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”  All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.  At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;  all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”  At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my Lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble. - Daniel 4:1-37 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

The pervasiveness of our pride

Daniel interprets the dream and tells the king that God is in control. The kingdom comes from God. The king was a megalomaniac and God was going to humble him. As sinners, we all struggle with this. We are all desiring to be self-sufficient and independent of God. From Adam & Eve, down to now. We are concerned with our own glory and reputation. Pride is easy to see in others and so hard to detect in yourself.

Jonathan Edwards (on detecting pride)
- faultfinding
- harsh spirit
- putting on pretense

God humbles the proud

After the king speaks of his own glory, God humbles him. We have such a distorted view of ourselves. We have this illusion of such control. But we do not have control, God controls it all. All these things are given by the grace of God. Intelligence, parenting, education, career/job, wealth, power, etc. We did not choose to have them; They are God-given. Pride is the only sin that can keep one from the kingdom of God. Redemptive shame is when God knocks you off your pedestal to restore you.

God blesses the humble

After the king is humbled and realizes that God is in control, he is completely restored to his kingdom. Not only that, but God adds to the king's glory.

Those who are humbled, will be restored. But we may not receive more earthly glory, instead we receive the glory of God. An unsurpassable glory that comes from Christ. And not only that, but Jesus takes on our shame.

"True humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less." - C.S. Lewis

Bold faith in a hostile world: In the furnace

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.  Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”  Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”  Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.  Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”  Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. - Daniel 3:1-30 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

The Jews were living in the midst if a culture that was hostile to their faith. We need wisdom to relate to the mainstream culture of this day and age. The book of Daniel contains wisdom on this topic.

Parallels between current times and their situation

Daniel had interpreted the king's dream earlier and these three men were promoted. The dream foretold of his kingdom, represented by a head of gold, to pass away. So king Nebuchadnezzar makes this idol of gold and commands everyone to bow down to this idol. Notice that they were not commanded to give up their gods.

We have redefined tolerance in this day and age. Holding belief as an absolute truth is now considered intolerance. Tolerance is defined as the acceptance of the existence of opposing views. But now, we have to accept the other perspective as truth to be seen as tolerant. To see other views as wrong is now seen as intolerant. Rejection of a viewpoint is now seen as rejection of a people group. We need to move toward those unlike us in lifestyles, beliefs, and/or perspectives.

Faithfulness of these men

To bow down to the idol was against the command of God. This is clear. Perhaps they were not even there for the ceremony. But they were outed by other jealous officials. They tell the king that they refuse to bow regardless of the cost. They have no doubt that God has the power to save. They say that they will follow through even if God decides not to save.

The encouragement to followers

God saves. How? The fire was not put out. They were thrown into the fire. There was another person on the fire. We can't be sure whether this was Jesus or an angel. But the end of it is this, God comes to us in there midst of the fire. Jesus took the cross for us. He saves us from the fires of hell.

He uses our suffering. We are not saved from the flames, but he uses this suffering for our good. And not only for our good, but also for the good of others and the kingdom.

The dream that stumbles or strengthens

In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.” They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm— if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.” The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king’s demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”  Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. He declared to Arioch, the king’s captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.  Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might.  He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;  he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.  To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”  Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.”  Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation.” The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.  “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.  “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”  Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court. - Daniel 2:1-49 ESV

Nebuchadnezzar's Response to the Dream

The king was greatly shaken by this dream. How can we tell? Because he calls up all his advisors and threatens them with death. He is paranoid and suspicious of his own advisors. He is a megalomaniac, obsessed with building his kingdom, his image, and his reputation. And anything that threatens this desire, this idol, this personal glory... is immensely threatening.

The Meaning of the Dream

There is dispute over which kingdoms are represented in the dream. Most scholars think it was the Maldians, the Persians, and the Romans. But this doesn't matter, the final kingdom is the kingdom of God.

The Implications of the Dream

The society is increasingly against Christians. We are seen as backwards and against progress in America. People do not see us as good for this society. The dream tells us that this stone was not cut by human hands. God made this kingdom. Regardless of what circumstances, God will prevail and His kingdom will never end. But we cannot further His kingdom with our own ways. Daniel's friends prayed, and this was how God unleashed his power. And it continues today, God still works through prayer. Our own scheming, planning, striving, and eloquence is woefully insufficient.

We are to witness, but not by ourselves. The church witnesses together to our friends, family, coworkers, and classmates. It takes a team to testify to a hostile culture. Be patient with the small stone in building this mountain. Pray big, but expect small. It's small stones that grow a mountain.

The surprising growth of the kingdom

And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.  He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.  The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.  But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”  And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?  It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth,  yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” - Mark 4:26-32 ESV

Pastor Won Ho Kim

The audience, first century Jews, is expecting a kingdom. Jesus' disciples were expecting a kingdom as well. But they were expecting to see a new political, physical kingdom. When Judas betrays Jesus, they draw their swords. But Jesus tells them to put away their swords. This kingdom does not come from force, power, influence, or numbers. It is a different kind of kingdom.

Who grows the kingdom

Jesus talks about a farmer sowing seeds. He emphasizes certain things in His story. Jesus says that this farmer sows and goes to bed. This farmer sleeps night and day. He says the farmer does not make the seed grow. The farmer only sows the seed. The power that causes germination and growth is in the seed, not the farmer. The power of the kingdom is not in the farmer. God establishes and builds the kingdom.

How the kingdom grows

The kingdom only needs the word. Our work is relatively unimportant. The farmer sleeps. We are not supposed to be lazy, but for all of our labors, only God gives fruit to our labors.

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. - Psalm 127:1 ESV

We do very ordinary work along with providing the Word of God. Somehow, the Word works without the need of eloquence or charisma.

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,  so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. - Isaiah 55:10-11 ESV

How big the kingdom grows

Jesus talks about the mustard seed as an analogy of the kingdom of God. The seed is small, but it grows pretty big. Big enough for a bird to perch and to provide shade.

The emphasis is on the growth. Jesus is saying that from this small group of disciples with come something impossibly enormous. From humble beginnings, there will come something of a humbling scale.

The radical call of the ordinary Christian

While they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”  To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”  Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”- Luke 9:57-62 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Our generation wants to do extraordinary and radical things. We often diminish ordinary things and lives. But God works through ordinary church life and the ordinary everyday tasks in our lives.

The other side of things is those who are lazy and comfortable. They are on the other extreme, looking to take the easy way.

But the life that God calls is to is radical and challenging. It may often not look that way; it is pretty normal looking from the outside in. We are called to radical devotion and sacrifice.

What kind of life does Christ call us to?

Great cost and sacrifice

Jesus tells a man that the Son of Man has no place to lay His head. This is the equivalent of leaving a high five hanging in the air. A man says he will follow Jesus. Jesus tells the man that there would be no worldly home for him. That we could lose out on riches, promotions, and comfortable lifestyles. Following Jesus will ostracize you from close friends and family because you are changed when you follow Him. They will be struck by the fact that you are no longer the same person they once knew.

"I had motives for not wanting the world to have a meaning; consequently assumed that it had none, and was able without any difficulty to find satisfying reasons for this assumption. The philosopher who finds no meaning in the world is not concerned exclusively with a problem in metaphysics, he is also concerned to prove that there is no valid reason why he personally should not do as he wants to do, or why his friends should not seize political power and govern in the way that they find most advantegous to themselves... For myself, the philosophy of meaningless was essentially an instrument of liberation, sexual and political." -- Aldous Huxley in Ends and Means

Jesus has first priority in your life period.

Jesus calls a man to follow Him. And then tells the man to proclaim to kingdom rather than bury his father. There is question about whether this man's father is dead or dying. We are not to take this as abolishing our command to honor our parents, but rather we are to obey Jesus far and above any other call in our lives.

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.- Luke 14:26 ESV

By putting God first, we find satisfaction and contentment in Him alone. Then in that state, we can more fully love and serve those close to us. We can love and serve without need of their affirmation and reciprocation. Unconditional love because God's love fills us.

Keeping kingdom focused, even at the cost of your life

You cannot plow a straight lines if you keep looking in various directions. Saying goodbye to friends and family is not a problem, being distracted from being kingdom focused is. We are called to live lives focused on kingdom growth and proclamation.

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. - Luke 9:23-24 ESV

We are to give up those worldly things that drew us before Christ. And when time passes, as we go to work in the kingdom of God, to give them up again and again.

“The kingdom of heaven  is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy  he goes and sells all that he has and  buys that field.
Matthew 13:44 ESV

In doing this, in all the demands on our lives, we will find joy and life everlasting. But more than that, this is intensely personal for Jesus, for He gave everything up for us first. We will gladly give up all these things for what God will give us is worth much more than these things.

Enter into the joy of our Master

“For  it will be like a man  going on a journey, who called his servants  and entrusted to them his property.  To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.  He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.  So also he who had the two talents made two talents more.  But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.  Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’  His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’  And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’  His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’  He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed,  so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’  But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?  Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.  So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.  For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.  And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Matthew 25:14-30 ESV

http://bible.com/59/mat.25.14-30.ESV

Pastor Paul Park

This parable is located between the parable of the ten virgins and the sheep & the goats. These two talk of salvation and readiness of the coming salvation.

The parable of the talents tells us that we are not our own masters. God is our master. We own nothing, we are caretakers and stewards. Perhaps it would be better to be called a slave. We, as Christians, are bought at a price, the blood of Christ. Do you see your life as purchased by Christ and not your own? Grace means that we owe everything to God. We desire to be our own masters, but we are not.

Talents are not innate talent, but rather large sums of money. 5 talents is worth 75 years of wages. 2 talents is 30 years and 1 talent is 15 years of wages. All of then were given large sums of money. They were all given an opportunity to invest in the kingdom. The Master gave them all an opportunity and then He left. Do you feel the opportunity and the duty? To be able to serve the church? To have relationships that can build up the kingdom?

To those who feel insufficient, everyone in the parable was given some money to invest. But we are all given the opportunity, whether big or small. Each of us is given something with which to serve. Do not look at the one with five talents with envy, just take the gift you have been given and use it. We are given different gifts with which to serve.

The attitude of the servants is one of eager faithfulness. The first servant runs off to make more and so does the second. The last servant was fearful, but not the reverent fear. This was a bad kind of fear. He didn't seem to do anything wrong, but yet he is not commended. He was concerned with not doing anything wrong. He is the picture of the Church goer/pew-warmer. They come to church service and try to avoid sin, but they do not serve or build the kingdom. This is the heart of one who does not know God intimately and one who does not and is not saved.

So which of the servants are you? Are we eagerly ready to serve Him? Do we share in the joy of the Master? Are we saved or not? If we are, then we should be eager to serve Christ and grow His kingdom. Conversely, if we are not eager, do we know the Master?

Ordinary: Decision making - Just do something

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 ESV

Rev. Dan Whang

We have so many choices today. Food, people to date/meet/marry, where to live, what career/job, etc. But for the Christian there is not just trying to make the best choice, but also trying to glorify God. We are not just about trying to make ourselves happy.

God's will is good, acceptable, and perfect.

Two prerequisites to discerning God's will

Present our bodies as living sacrifices
Be renewed by the renewing of our minds

Practical steps of decision making

1 Believe God's word

Is it sinful? Does it glorify God? Does it damage ourselves, our witness, or those around us?

A. Remember the Gospel (our security is in God, not the consequences of this decision)

B. Remember God's sovereignty (God's purpose will come to fruition/completion)

C. Remember God's mission (we are His witnesses.)

2 Listen to godly counsel (advisors)

A. Those who are around you the most

B. Those who are godly and experienced

C. Your spiritual leaders

Are you already decided before God had chimed in on your life? How do you react to counsel that does not sound pleasing or goes against your inclination?

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. Proverbs 12:15 ESV

3 Make a decision, do what you want

God has used His word and godly counsel to supply you with sufficient wisdom to make sounds, biblical decisions that glorify God and fulfill His good purposes for you.

We aren't looking for some sort of sign from God. This is not how we are to discern His will. God normally leads us thorough biblical wisdom and godly counsel.

Follow thorough on your decision. Don't make yourself crazy by asking what-if. Focus on the path that you have chosen.

4 Ask for faith

We are not promised tomorrow. We are not called to an easy life. But rather to take up our cross. Our lives are a mist.

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15 ESV

The Principle of Love (Romans 14)

The kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking... but it is about righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

We should abstain when it becomes a stumbling block to our brothers and sisters in Christ. We should seek to love first above our own enjoyment.