I stupidly posted a comment on a blog today where I was the decided minority, holding the unpopular hated view. It’s bothering me that I did that. And I’m still wincing from the comments I received in response.
Then I think of the comment I replied to a commentor on yesterday’s post and I wonder if I was just as ungracious as I felt those who responded to me were. I’m now wincing for a different reason.
This new world is an ugly place sometimes – I am speaking of both our increasingly polarized country and the social media world we often inhabit.
So with my stomach churning and mind whirling, I shall attempt to address a couple of points from Acts 1 that interested me.
Who were those guys in white?
Mary Magdalene encountered two angels in white at the empty tomb (see my post two days ago). They asked, “Woman, why are you weeping?” (John 20: 13 ESV)
Shortly thereafter, as Jesus was disappearing in the clouds, two men wearing white robes appeared.
They asked the disciples, “why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1: 11)
So who were these curious men in white?
Well, apparently white robes signify angels in human form (according to the ESV Study Bible which offers Ezekiel 9:2, Dan 10:5-6, Rev 15: 6, Matthew 28:3, Luke 24: 4 and the Mary Magdalene passage as proofs).
The New Geneva Study Bible says white robes also indicate glorified beings or saints.
Why two?
Apparently, angels often appeared in pairs (Acts 1:10).
That was easy.
Other than that, there’s no clear connection between the John and Acts passages. Oh, well. I was sort of hoping the angels were Michael and Gabriel!
An interesting point on lots
The apostles decided to select a replacement for Judas who had walked with Jesus and witnessed the resurrection. They narrowed it down to two men, then “ they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.” Acts 1: 26
Did you know that this was the last time lots were mentioned in the Bible as a way of discerning God’s will?
Yes. It’s true. My pastor pointed this out on Sunday.
Why no more lots?
Because soon the Holy Spirit would come down, enter believers’ hearts, and give us the inside scoop on God’s will.
The still small voice replaced the squarish little lots.
A great improvement!
Today’s Readings: 2 Kings 17:1-18:3, Psalm 74:1-11, Proverbs 18:22-24, Acts 1:1-26. See About for what I’m up to with these daily posts. Your daily blogger, Holiday Longing (Reproduce with permission only).
I’m sorry for the pain and verbal abuse that was directed @ you. You are a good person…may have stuck your finger in an electrical socket you should have left alone (I always think of that passage in Proverbs about putting our treasures before you know what’s)…if you’ve ever seen what that particular animal will do when they smell blood..it isn’t pretty. they (those animals I’m talking about) will literally eat their fellow pen mates alive…reminds me of a feeding frenzy of sharks. anyway, sending some virtual peace and love your way. DM
Thanks DM for the encouragement. I totally shouldn’t have left a message. This particular blogger purports to be a Christian and yet takes views that are aBiblical – and pushes them and wants to “fix” Christianity for its bigoted stances. He has a huge following of folks who’s lifestyles are validated by his blogging and books.
He made some comments on his blog that just weren’t Biblically justified and I took the bait. I understand that many of the folks that follow him have been beaten up by and abused by the Scriptural truths I shared, and so have not only inoculated themselves from the truth, but have found novel ways to reinterpret Scripture. While I was accused of taking a passage out of its immediate context, these folks take the passage out of the entire Bible’s context!!
I think this blogger is an otherwise reasonable person. If he and I were at a restaurant together, I think we could have civil discourse on the subject. But not in front of his rabid followers. Rule of thumb: never leave a message that you wouldn’t say out loud in front of the same crowd. And anyway, leave God to clean up the messes we make in the church – unless He calls us to help Him with the mess. And I am not sure He called me to do so!
I don’t have a .wordpress account, I can’t click “Like,” so just wanted to say that here…
Like! =D
Thank you for sharing!