Making and Maturing

Our Best Days Are Resurrection Days- Daniel 11:36-12:4

July 30, 2018
Take a moment to pray. Ask God to speak to you through his word—for his Spirit to convict you of sin, teach you the truth, and lead you in walking by faith.

Setting the Scene

There are people in the world who read the end of a book before they they read the beginning. Heretics! Blasphemers!

There’s a scientific name for it: it’s called the “second read hermeneutic.” The idea is simple, if you know the end, what happens along the way makes more sense.

There’s something to this. You know what it’s like to watch your favorite movie for the x-teenth time. (Spoiler alert) Star Wars episode IV is very interesting when you know that Darth Vader is Luke’s father.

We need a “second read hermeneutic” for our lives—we need to view what’s happening now in light of what will happen in the end. This is exactly where Daniel’s fourth vision concludes—God gives us a glimpse of the end, and why it matters to us today.

We need to remember that his vision is meant to prepare Israel for future trials. Knowing tough times are coming, they need to cultivate strong faith in God. This vision concludes by affirming faith in God in such times is well founded, because of the hope of the resurrection. Ultimately, our best days will be resurrection days.

Daniel 11:36-45

Dan. 11:36    “Then the king will do whatever he wants. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will say outrageous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, because what has been decreed will be accomplished. 37 He will not show regard for the gods of his fathers, the god desired by women, or for any other god, because he will magnify himself above all. 38 Instead, he will honor a god of fortresses—a god his fathers did not know—with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches. 39 He will deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. He will greatly honor those who acknowledge him, making them rulers over many and distributing land as a reward.

The king in reference here is still Antiochus IV from the previous section of the vision. His pride, arrogance, and downright blasphemy seem unparalleled. After all, this is the guy who minted coins with his nickname “god manifest” on them. Note especially that his time of blasphemy is temporary: God is still sovereign over it.

The vision seems to take this further than just Antiochus IV. The later reference to resurrection and the phrase “the time of the end” in 11:40 point towards a greater significance. It seems like what Daniel describes about Antiochus IV finds its ultimate fulfillment in the antichrist, a figure who in the end times will set himself up as a god.

He is no respecter of true or man-made religion. He will reject the gods and/or goddesses of his people. He will be successful via false worship and bribery. He lives for everything God hates.

Dan. 11:40    “At the time of the end, the king of the South will engage him in battle, but the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, horsemen, and many ships. He will invade countries and sweep through them like a flood. 41 He will also invade the beautiful land, and many will fall. But these will escape from his power: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of the Ammonites. 42 He will extend his power against the countries, and not even the land of Egypt will escape. 43 He will get control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the riches of Egypt. The Libyans and Cushites will also be in submission. 44 But reports from the east and the north will terrify him, and he will go out with great fury to annihilate and completely destroy many. 45 He will pitch his royal tents between the sea and the beautiful holy mountain, but he will meet his end with no one to help him.

The details of this last battle of the blasphemous king aren’t clear. One way or another, the vision pictures a huge battle between the “north” and “south.” The king of the north will have vast military resources and will overwhelm his enemies. Yet even his seemingly endless power is temporary.

He will die, with apparently none to help him (including those who were allied to him). Thus this boastful king finds his end in the land of Israel. Many are tempted to identify the specific referents of this battle, but the details are intentionally left vague. The point is even the most arrogant, anti-god ruler in history will be humbled by death and answer to God.

Daniel 12:1-4

Dan. 12:1    At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress such as never has occurred since nations came into being until that time.

But at that time all your people who are found written in the book will escape.

The angel Michael resurfaces, and once again engages on behalf of Israel (cf. 10:21). As commander of the angelic host he also was responsible for protecting Israel (or perhaps believers). At that time, everyone whose name is written in “the book” will be rescued. This book is the book of life (Ex. 32:33, Ps. 69:28, Mal. 3:16, Phil. 4:3, Rev. 3:5, 20:12). Note that Michael does not stop the suffering, but rescues those whose names are in the book of life out of it.

2 Many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to disgrace and eternal contempt. 3 Those who have insight will shine like the bright expanse of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

The phrase “many” here refers to all humanity. This is a rare but clear Old Testament reference to bodily resurrection of the dead. The wise here are the righteous, and those who lead others to righteousness via teaching (the gospel). Their shining like stars is probably a reference to the resurrected state, not turning into angels. Don’t miss the hope here: even if Israelites died under the reign of Antiochus IV (or any other wicked ruler), their hope was eternal because of the resurrection.

Dan. 12:4    “But you, Daniel, keep these words secret and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will roam about, and knowledge will increase.”

Closing and sealing the message is for safekeeping, not secrecy. Who are the many running to and from? What knowledge shall increase? This either refers to time after the message is once again opened or while it is shut. It might be a reference to progressive revelation, that over time God has revealed more to his people than at the time of Daniel.

The Big Picture

In the grand story of the Bible there are many references to a climactic time of tribulation and the suffering of people (Matt. 24, 25; Rev. 13, 2 Thess. 2:1-10). But that is not the end of the story. The Bible makes clear that there will be a literal, physical resurrection of the dead (2 These. 4:16-17, Rev. 20:5-6, 12-15). This resurrection grants hope to believers, and guarantees judgment for the wicked.

How can we know this will happen? How do we know those who have put their faith in Jesus will be resurrected to life and peace forever? Because Jesus himself rose from the dead. In 1 Corinthians 15:20 the Apostle Paul writes, “But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Jesus is the firstfruits of resurrection life for all who put their faith in him.

Taking It Home

In the meantime, we deal with the antichrist. The antichrist is described in the New Testament as the “man of sin” in 2 Thess. 2:1-10. He will perform miracles, set himself up in the temple as a god, and will be killed by Jesus himself. He is the last in a series of “antichrists” referenced by John in 1 John 2:18 (also 4:3), “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.”

So we deal with the spirit of antichrist in little antichrists. An antichrist is simply someone who reject the deity of Jesus Christ and refuses to put their faith in him. Antichrist attitudes are marked by blasphemy, self-worship, power-worship, money-worship. These attitudes are already have central place in our culture.

There’s probably an antichrist in your extended family. There’s probably several at your workplace. There are many in the world’s governments. We face the spirit of the antichrist every day. Most importantly: the Antichrist loses. What seems like the overwhelming majority will ultimately be defeated by Jesus Christ.

So what? Resist the spirit of the antichrist. Be skeptical of the world. Most of all, remain openly, unashamedly committed to Jesus Christ. There will be trouble. Will you persevere? There will be mocking. Will you cave in? There will be jail sentences, beatings, church bombings… will you endure?

We can because of the resurrection… the sure hope that we have of everlasting life versus everlasting judgment. The wicked will be judged, believers will be redeemed. All that remains for us is to endure.

We’ve got to think resurrection when our boss belittles our God. When our teacher mocks Jesus. When our friends laugh at youth group. When our family members scoff at our faith. We can endure by faith, because we know resurrection days are our best days.

Pray
- Pray for strong faith in the midst of suffering and especially potential persecution. Pray that God will give you wisdom to know how to respond when you encounter the spirit of the antichrist.
- Pray for the persecuted church across the world. Consider their blight, and plead for God’s mercy for them. Ask God to grant them strong faith.
- Praise Jesus for conquering death in resurrection. Thank him that because of his resurrection, you know your future is secure.
Read to the End (or Why Are We Preaching Through Hosea?)

July 23, 2018

There are parts of the Bible that are tough to read. Sometimes there are places where sin is described in unfortunately accurate detail. Sometimes there are places where our our sin is clearly exposed. Sometimes there are places where brutal announcements of judgment offend our Western sentimentality.

Big chunks of Hosea fall into the latter two categories. As we have been walking through Hosea these last months, we have read some very uncomfortable verses. At times these announcements of judgment seem wearying. Again? More judgment? Where is God’s grace?

It’s there, we just have to keep reading. In fact, I think Hosea is a great example of the need for the “read to the end” hermeneutic. You can’t judge a novel by just reading part of it. How do the characters develop? How is the plot resolved? We need to interpret books of the Bible in the same way. The parts must be understood in light of the whole.

Yes, Hosea includes some of the most stern words of judgment in the Bible, like Hosea 9:17, “My God will reject them because they have not listened to him; they will become wanderers among the nations.” Ouch.

But Hosea also includes some of the most grace-filled, hope-giving words in the Bible. Consider Hosea 11:9, “I will not vent the full fury of my anger; I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim. For I am God and not man, the Holy One among you; I will not come in rage.” Or Hosea 14:4, “I will heal their apostasy; I will freely love them, for my anger will have turned from him.” These are sweet words of grace.

So why not just skip the hard words? Here’s why: We can’t fully grasp the power of God’s forgiveness and the depth of his love without understanding the depth of judgment our sin deserves. We can’t feel the relief of God turning his anger from us until we see just how hot his anger burns.

As I’ve been wrestling with these truths during our journey through Hosea, it dawned on me that this is why expository preaching is so important. To walk through Hosea as a church helps us not only understand how bad sin is, it also reveals just how glorious the gospel is.

So when you hit the hard passages of Scripture don’t despair, keep reading. The end is worth it.
Sustaining Faith During Suffering- Daniel 11:2-35

July 23, 2018
Take a moment to pray. Ask God to speak to you through his word—for his Spirit to convict you of sin, teach you the truth, and lead you in walking by faith.

Setting the Scene

Daniel was prepared to receive bad news in his 4th vision (Dan. 10:1-11:1). God was going to send Israel another set of trials, but that didn’t mean he didn’t love them. In fact, his love is seen in the way he graciously prepared Israel to trust him through this next trial.

The first main part of the 4th vision proper is a detailed prophecy of the rise of Greece under Alexander the Great and then the Ptolemy and Seleucid kingdoms in the 4th century BC. If you absolutely love history you can look up the details of the various rulers and battles referenced. I’m not going to trace them all here for the sake of space, but know that this prophecy is entirely accurate.

In this vision, Israel is a pawn in the struggle between the Ptolemy and Seleucid kingdoms of the 3rd century BC. The vision reveals that Israel will not become a strong, independent nation. On the contrary, they will essentially be a geo-political ping pong ball.

The main point of this vision is to get the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV. His wickedness and defiling of the temple are the low point, and presented Israel with their greatest spiritual trial since the destruction of the temple hundreds of years before.

Here’s the question: would they trust God in the midst of such political uncertainty? Would they trust God when wicked men reigned? Would they trust God when evil seemed to be winning? This vision is designed to prepare them to do just that.

Daniel 11:2-35

Dan. 11:2 Now I will tell you the truth. “Three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth will be far richer than the others. By the power he gains through his riches, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.

This refers to Xerxes’ campaign against Greece from 481-479 BC. He used 100-150k men and hundreds of ships. Xerxes sought revenge for the defeat of Darius I at Marathon (490 BC). Although Xerxes did eventually defeat those 300 Spartans at Thermopylae in 480 BC, he was later defeated in 479 BC at Pataea north of Athens.

3 Then a warrior king will arise; he will rule a vast realm and do whatever he wants. 4 But as soon as he is established, his kingdom will be broken up and divided to the four winds of heaven, but not to his descendants; it will not be the same kingdom that he ruled, because his kingdom will be uprooted and will go to others besides them.

This mighty king was Alexander the great. Upon his death in 323 BC his half brother, son, and illegitimate son were all eventually murdered. The kingdom was then split into 4 parts. The rest of the vision focuses on the power struggle between two of those kingdoms: the Seleucids and the Ptolemies.

Dan. 11:5    “The king of the South will grow powerful, but one of his commanders will grow more powerful and will rule a kingdom greater than his. 6 After some years they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to seal the agreement. She will not retain power, and his strength will not endure. She will be given up, together with her entourage, her father, and the one who supported her during those times. 7 In the place of the king of the South, one from her family will rise up, come against the army, and enter the fortress of the king of the North. He will take action against them and triumph. 8 He will take even their gods captive to Egypt, with their metal images and their precious articles of silver and gold. For some years he will stay away from the king of the North, 9 who will enter the kingdom of the king of the South and then return to his own land.

Ptolemy I (Soter) was surpassed by Seleucus I (Nicator). Seleucus was originally a general under Ptolemy, but he defected and essentially claimed his own kingdom, which was much larger than Ptolemy’s. The vision goes on to describe the intrigues, marriages, betrayals, and wars that followed between the Ptolemy and Seleucid kingdoms. Note specifically that Israel kept changing hands.

Dan. 11:10    “His sons will mobilize for war and assemble a large number of armed forces. They will advance, sweeping through like a flood, and will again wage war as far as his fortress. 11 Infuriated, the king of the South will march out to fight with the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but they will be handed over to his enemy. 12 When the army is carried off, he will become arrogant and cause tens of thousands to fall, but he will not triumph. 13 The king of the North will again raise a multitude larger than the first. After some years he will advance with a great army and many supplies.

In 219-218 BC the Seleucid ruler Antiochus III tried to take Palestine from Ptolemy IV. Ptolemy IV defeated Antiochus III at Raphia in 219/18 BC, and Antiochus III was forced to give Palestine and Phoenicia back to the Ptolemy IV.

In 203 BC Antiochus III again would attack the Ptolemies, trying to take advantage of the death of Ptolemy IV and the fact that Ptolemy V (Epiphanes) was only 4 years old. In this new campaign he made it as far south as Gaza, once again with Israel being caught in between.

Dan. 11:14    “In those times many will rise up against the king of the South. Violent ones among your own people will assert themselves to fulfill a vision, but they will fail. 15 Then the king of the North will come, build up a siege ramp, and capture a well-fortified city. The forces of the South will not stand; even their select troops will not be able to resist. 16 The king of the North who comes against him will do whatever he wants, and no one can oppose him. He will establish himself in the beautiful land with total destruction in his hand. 17 He will resolve to come with the force of his whole kingdom and will reach an agreement with him. He will give him a daughter in marriage to destroy it, but she will not stand with him or support him. 18 Then he will turn his attention to the coasts and islands and capture many. But a commander will put an end to his taunting; instead, he will turn his taunts against him. 19 He will turn his attention back to the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble, fall, and be no more.

Ptolemy V’s youth simply encouraged enemies of the Ptolemies to attack, including pro-Seleucid Jews (“violent among your own people”). The Egyptian general Scopas abused the pro-Seleucid element in Jerusalem. He would lose at Banias (near Philippi) in 200 BC, retreating down the Phoenician coast.

As Scopas retreated, he sought refuge at Sidon. Antiochus III besieged Sidon, and Scopas capitulated. Thus Israel was finally secure in the hands of the Seleucids by 200 BC. Antiochus III had undisputed sovereignty over Israel, and in 198 BC was received as a benefactor (pro-Ptolemy Jews having been dealt with).

Dan. 11:20    “In his place one will arise who will send out a tax collector for the glory of the kingdom; but within a few days he will be broken, though not in anger or in battle.

Antiochus III’s first son was Seleucus IV Philopater. He sent Heliodorus to rob the temple at Jerusalem (again to pay tribute). Heliodorus never went through with it, and poisoned Antiochus III in 175 BC.

The whole point here is to get to Antiochus IV…

Dan. 11:21    “In his place a despised person will arise; royal honors will not be given to him, but he will come during a time of peace and seize the kingdom by intrigue. 22 A flood of forces will be swept away before him; they will be broken, as well as the covenant prince. 23 After an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully. He will rise to power with a small nation. 24 During a time of peace, he will come into the richest parts of the province and do what his fathers and predecessors never did. He will lavish plunder, loot, and wealth on his followers, and he will make plans against fortified cities, but only for a time.

Dan. 11:25    “With a large army he will stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will prepare for battle with an extremely large and powerful army, but he will not succeed, because plots will be made against him. 26 Those who eat his provisions will destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall slain. 27 The two kings, whose hearts are bent on evil, will speak lies at the same table but to no avail, for still the end will come at the appointed time. 28 The king of the North will return to his land with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant; he will take action, then return to his own land.

Antiochus IV, former hostage in Rome, took the throne of the Seleucid empire in 175 BC from Seleucus IV (Demetrius I), the son of his murdered brother (cf. note on 11:20). He is described here as “despised.” He bribed governors to ignore Demetrius’ claim to the throne. Hence the throne was not his, but he claimed it by flattery.

Although not a remarkable leader, Antiochus IV is the most important “king” in this prophecy due to his blasphemy of God and desecration of the temple.

Thus Antiochus IV would return to Antioch, but with a posture hostile to the holy covenant of Israel with their God. This is a reference to the religion of the Jewish people- faith in Yahweh.

Dan. 11:29    “At the appointed time he will come again to the South, but this time will not be like the first. 30 Ships of Kittim will come against him, and being intimidated, he will withdraw. Then he will rage against the holy covenant and take action. On his return, he will favor those who abandon the holy covenant. 31 His forces will rise up and desecrate the temple fortress. They will abolish the regular sacrifice and set up the abomination of desolation. 32 With flattery he will corrupt those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will be strong and take action. 33 Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to many, yet they will fall by the sword and flame, and be captured and plundered for a time. 34 When they fall, they will be helped by some, but many others will join them insincerely. 35 Some of those who have insight will fall so that they may be refined, purified, and cleansed until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

Antiochus IV was later defeated in Egypt. Bitter from his defeat, he returned home through Palestine in 168 BC. He camped near Jerusalem. The High Priest Jason had taken the city in an attempt to oust Menelaus. Antiochus IV suppressed this coup, and decided to punish those who would revolt against those whom he had placed in authority (Menelaus).

According to 2Macc. 5:11-14 Antiochus IV killed 80,000 men, women, and children. He profaned the temple, and robbed it. This was Dec. 16, 168 BC. He tried to rename the temple of God in Jerusalem for Zeus (cf. 2Macc. 6:2), and had a statue of Zeus erected. This was the abomination of desolation.

“Those who violate the covenant” refers to the pro-Antiochus Menelaus and those loyal to him. Yet there were those loyal to God, faithful believers who would respond.

In the town of Modein the priest Mattathias Maccabee and his three sons started a rebellion. Initially this was a passive revolt, but it turned military by 166 BC. Judas led the faithful in guerrilla style warfare. This would culminated in the rededication of the temple in Dec. 164 BC.

The emphasis of the prophecy is not on the Maccabees, but on those who were faithful even at the cost of their lives.

These “wise” men would not all survive. Judas “the Hammer” was killed in 161 BC at the battle of Mt. Azotus. He had lost practical support due to Antiochus V’s revised policies. In 1Macc. 9:1-19 the story is related how he died honorably in battle rather than retreat.

The back and forth with the Seleucids continued until John Hyrcanus was able to establish a strong kingdom in 135 BC (although he was a wicked man). Even then, however, the Messiah had not yet come. Rome took over in 65 BC.

The Big Picture

This grand tour of hundreds of years of history to come for Israel assumes one key truth: God is sovereign over all of the events described—the wars, plots, assassinations, marriages—all of it. The repeated phrase “appointed time” drives this home. Who appoints the times? Who is sovereign? It is the God of Israel.

The entire set of circumstances prophesied here pushes Israel to realize that their ultimate hope can’t be in becoming a strong nation state. Rather, their ultimate hope is in the Lord and in the coming Messiah. God is still trustworthy even though the temple would be blasphemed.

Jesus actually quotes this vision in Matthew 24:15. His quotation reveals that Antiochus IV’s violation of the temple was just the first. He refers to a future time when Israel would see another abomination of desolation. This is most likely a reference to the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 to Rome. Some believe it refers to a still future judgment. Either way, Jesus prepared his followers to face significant trials, and to proclaim the gospel in the midst of them.

Taking It Home

We can apply the paradigm of this vision to all trials: God’s sovereignty sustains our faith when we suffer. Yes, we will face difficulties. Wars will come and go. Only faith in Jesus can sustain us.

Yes, God is sovereign over these huge events… and the small ones too. There is a purpose in the suffering: refinement, purification.

Satan wants you to worship comfort and thus curse God when you suffer. Satan wants you to reject the truth that God is in control of the universe (macro and micro). Satan wants you believe that God isn’t there. But not only is God there, he is working.

When we remind ourselves of God’s sovereign reign (context of Daniel), we prepare our hearts to walk through trials with faith, rather than with fear or anxiety or hopelessness.

Visions like this obliterate the lie of the “prosperity gospel”- believers will be rich and comfortable and attractive. What about when you’re not rich? What about when you’re suffering. God is still sovereign and trustworthy.

Christians can look forward to a life without any suffering, but not in this life. We look forward to the new heavens and new earth. Until then, we must prepare for the storms to come.

Pray
- Pray that God would prepare you to walk the trials he has ordained for your life. Ask him to help you learn to trust him in the small challenges and the big ones.
- Praise Jesus that he suffered to secure our future. Because of his death and resurrection, we have a living hope in the hardest of times.
- Ask God to help you trust him. Ask him to make his sovereignty and goodness clear to you.
Our Marriage Is Officially an Adult

July 22, 2018

A house and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a wise wife is from the LORD.

-Proverbs 19:14

Eighteen years ago Lindsay and I tied the knot, which is an English euphemism for getting married (incidentally, I like the phrase because it implies permanence in the marriage union). In our culture when a person turns eighteen it’s a rite of passage. They are now legally considered an adult, and are able to vote. There’s nothing special about eighteen years, other than the experience and education a person receives over that time has, in theory, prepared them to be a productive member of society. Results vary.

So what can I say about our marriage after eighteen years of experience and education?

Lindsay is far more amazing than I realized eighteen years ago. We had known each other for just about three years when we got married. I was convinced Lindsay was amazing, but I didn’t know the half of it. Over these last eighteen years the Lord has shown me in a myriad of ways just how blessed I am to be her husband. A wise wife is from the Lord indeed.

I am not as amazing as I thought I was. This one is self explanatory. God is pleased to use marriage to expose sinful motivations: self-centeredness, impatience, laziness, being quick to speak, etc. I am thankful for this, because we need our sin exposed so that we can grow. Which leads me to…

Lindsay is super gracious. Like, eighteen years of putting-up-with-me gracious. Everyone loves Lindsay because she has a gracious demeanor. She doesn’t expect you to be perfect, and she’s willing to work with you as you are. She has a servant’s heart, and her willingness to serve is unconditional. She’s just solid.

Marriage gets better over time. It seems to me that our marriage is like slow-curing cement. After eighteen years of walking through life together I never doubt Lindsay’s love for me, her willingness to sacrificially love our children, her commitment to our marriage, and most importantly her faith in Jesus. Over eighteen years we’ve benefited from slow and steady spiritual growth. Our relationship is truly a joy, and I often find myself saying how thankful I am to be married to her.

I could go on, but I’m not supposed to write these posts. Oh well. Happy anniversary, Lindsay.
Your Kids Will Destroy You (and That’s a Good Thing)

July 18, 2018

The New York Times recently ran an article on why fewer Americans are choosing to have children. Citing a Morning Consult Survey, they announced that some of the main reasons people are hesitating to have children are the cost of childcare, not having a partner yet, and wanting more free time.

The responses to this study are helpful as a window into the hearts of potential parents in our culture. Here’s the bottom line: we care more about careers, money, and free time than we care about having and investing in children. As a culture, we’d rather have careers and be wealthy than marry young and have kids. This is plain and simple selfishness, and we don’t even blink at it.

I’d like to point out the obvious: these sacrifices are just the tip of the iceberg. Children will destroy you. They devour your time. They consume your money. They deplete your energy reserves. They speed up your aging. They rob you of sleep. They turn your hair grey. And all of this is good for you.

God’s mandate to humanity to be fruitful and multiply carries with it an implicit call to humility and selfless sacrifice. If our children will survive after birth, parents must make sacrifices. If our children will thrive, parents must make significant, long term sacrifices to invest in them.

Parenthood forces us to love ourselves less, and love other human beings more. It forces us to question our priorities—is having a career or climbing to the top of our corporate ladder more important than this little soul? Is being comfortably wealthy more important than discipling those little hearts in your home?

The Apostle Paul’s instruction to fathers is especially relevant here:

Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

-Ephesians 6:4

Put another way, God calls us as parents to primarily invest in the spiritual growth of our children. There’s no way to do this while you remain your number one priority.

We know that God doesn’t call every person to marriage, and he doesn’t bless every marriage with children. That said, here’s a word to potential parents in our world:

If God blesses you with a spouse and the ability to have children, know that those children will destroy you, and that’s a good thing.