Author: Charlie Garrett

Used in the Texan Revolution and in the Civil War.

Sunday, 22 May 2022

who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. Acts 7:46

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The previous verse mentioned that the fathers who entered Canaan had received the tabernacle. This continued until the days of David. With that, Stephen now says, “who found favor before God.”

This is referring to David. Saul had dropped out of favor with the Lord and was told that his dynasty would not continue. Instead, David was chosen. Because of his faithful heart, he was promised an everlasting dynasty. It was at this same time that he “asked to find a dwelling.”

The word used is the same as that of the tabernacle. It is a tent for the ark to be brought into. The intention of David was to bring the ark to Jerusalem and to eventually build a permanent house for it. The passage of bringing it to Jerusalem is found in 2 Samuel 6. Eventually, it was his intent to have it taken from the temporary tent to a permanent house.

The tabernacle built at the time of Moses was the central point of worship from Moses until David, but David determined to eventually build a temple for a permanent edifice in which the ark could be housed for the “God of Jacob.”

This is referenced in the words of Psalm 132 –

“Lord, remember David
And all his afflictions;
² How he swore to the Lord,
And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
³ ‘Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house,
Or go up to the comfort of my bed;
⁴ I will not give sleep to my eyes
Or slumber to my eyelids,
⁵ Until I find a place for the Lord,
A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.’” Psalm 132:1-5

Life application: Take time to read 1 Samuel 6 and 7 today.  With Jerusalem subdued and under David’s control, he intended to bring the ark there. When it came, it was placed in another temporary tent while David determined to build a temple. This will not come about in David’s time, but the promise of an everlasting dynasty was made. Also, he was told that a temple for the Lord would come about through his seed.

Stephen’s words are dealing with the matter of blasphemy that he has been accused of. What is the proper means and mode of worship for God’s people? Did it come through the tabernacle constructed in the wilderness? Did it come about through the tabernacle of David? Will it come about through the temple built by Solomon as will be noted in the next verse?

These are edifices produced by the work of man’s hands. What type of worship is God ultimately expecting from His people? Each step of the process, the people thought that what they had was the final piece of the puzzle, or that (as in David’s case) it was leading to the erection of a final temple.

We can get so caught up in our own type and style of worship that we put God into a box and secret Him away, just as the ark was secreted away in a tent or house. But we are being taught through Stephen the same truth that Jesus told to the woman at the well –

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. ²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23, 24

God is not to be limited to our own preconceived notions about Him. Our attention and devotion are to be on Jesus, and our hearts are to be conformed to that. Everything else is simply a temporary form of expression that we have developed in order to, hopefully, help others express that attention and devotion properly. Jesus is the true and final expression of what these Old Testament types and pictures only anticipate. Keep yourself from the legalism that so easily entraps us when we gather together to worship Jesus.

Glorious God Almighty, You have given us the final expression of who You are to us in the Person of Jesus. It is through Him that we will forever worship You. Help us to remember this and to not get caught up in legalistic expressions that take our eyes off of this fact. Help us to remain focused on You, through Jesus, all our days. Amen.

Texas Capitol being worked on, 2010.

Saturday, 21 May 2022

which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David, Acts 7:45

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The previous verse referred to the tabernacle in the wilderness, and that Moses was instructed to make it according to the pattern he had seen. Having seen a pattern, it then conveys to us an obvious truth. If there is a pattern, then the copy is not the actual thing that has been copied. Stephen will explain that in a few verses. For now, he explains more about the earthly tabernacle, beginning with, “which our fathers, having received it in turn.”

The Greek word translated as “having received it in turn,” is found only here in Scripture. It speaks of the succession of the tabernacle. It was fashioned at the time of Moses and it was the central point of worship for those who constructed it. Eventually, that generation died off, and the next generation received it in turn.

This is because the first generation was disobedient and failed to enter into Canaan when it was offered to them. They did not believe the Lord, and they were condemned to die in the wilderness. Only when that generation had died off would the people enter. Two exceptions to this were Joshua and Caleb who believed the Lord. It is this next generation that is being referred to. From there, Stephen continues by saying, “also brought with Joshua.”

Joshua is explicitly noted as being with the next generation. As the leader of the people, but as one of the previous generation, Stephen ensures that this distinction in him is made. He was of faith, and because he was, he led the next generation of Israel into Canaan. It was this generation, with Joshua leading them, that brought the tabernacle “into the land possessed by the Gentiles.”

Here, Stephen uses the same word found in Acts 7:5 where it speaks of promising the land of Canaan to Abraham “for a possession.” This is now its only other use in Scripture. The Greek literally reads, “in the possession of the nations.” Because of this, translations vary. Some see this as the act of possessing the land. But the word “possession” is a noun. It is, therefore, most probably speaking of the land that was possessed by the nations, and who would then be disposed from the land.

Also, it is to be noted that some earlier translations say “Jesus” in this verse instead of “Joshua.” The names of both in the Greek are the same. It is obvious that Joshua brought Israel into the land. But the similarity of the names is still important.

In reading the Greek, the mental connection to both is made. It is certainly historically accurate to translate this as Joshua, but in typology, it is good to know that the Greek names Joshua and Jesus are the same. Joshua brought the tabernacle of the Lord into the land possessed by the Gentiles. Jesus, the Lord, is the one who brought the knowledge of the Lord into the Gentile world.

It is this presence of the Lord as indicated by the tabernacle being brought by the next generation of Israel, and as led by Joshua, that enabled Israel to drive out the nations “before the face of our fathers.”

The Greek actually reads just the opposite, saying “from the face of our fathers.” It is the same expression used in the Greek translation of Deuteronomy 11:23. It is the Lord who does the work, removing the Gentiles from before Israel. Israel participated in the wars, but without the Lord, they could never have succeeded in accomplishing the task.

This process of removing the Gentiles, with the presence of the tabernacle among Israel, is carefully recorded in Joshua, and the battles in the land continue on through Judges. Saul, the first king of Israel dealt with this as well. This continued on, according to Stephen, “until the days of David.”

What this is referring to is not the removing of the Gentiles until the time of David, but of the presence of the tabernacle until the time of David. The removing of the Gentiles is a fact that occurred because of the presence of the tabernacle, but the main subject is the tabernacle itself. That will be seen in the next two verses.

Life application: The tabernacle is noted above as a copy of something else. As such, it is not the real thing, but only a type or shadow of the real thing. It is important to understand this because it was telling Israel that the One who dwelt in that tabernacle was not limited to it.

It is God in Christ that this tabernacle was modeled after. Until one sees this, he cannot fully appreciate that what God is doing is larger than just what is spoken of concerning Israel. To this day, people get excited about events surrounding the coming temple in Jerusalem, such as finding a suitable red heifer for sacrifice.

And, indeed, it is exciting in the sense that prophecy is being fulfilled, but it should not be exciting to think that Israel is going to build a temple for worship. As Jesus is the fulfillment of these things, it means that Israel has not yet learned this lesson. The sacrifice of a red heifer cannot do anything for Israel. Only what that red heifer anticipated, meaning the work of Jesus, can cleanse them.

Let us remember this. It is not good to send money to fund temple projects in Israel. In doing so, we are participating in Israel’s rejection of Christ! Be understanding of these things. We need to get out the word about Jesus, not about Israel’s return to an obsolete law.

Heavenly Father, we pray that Israel’s eyes will be opened to the truth of what You have done through Jesus. May their hearts be turned to You through Him. The law was ineffective in bringing them to a right standing with You. Only in Jesus’ fulfillment of it can that happen. Help them to see this, O God. Amen.

Austin Capitol grounds.

Friday, 20 May 2022

“Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen, Acts 7:44

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

In the previous verse, Stephen completed his citation of Amos 5. In that citation (verse 7:42), he mentioned “the tabernacle of Molech.” Now, he contrasts that with the words of this verse, saying, “Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness.”

This is the edifice detailed in Exodus which was the central part of the sanctuary where the Lord dwelt. The sanctuary was enclosed by hangings forming a courtyard. Within that was kept the brazen altar and the laver. Those led to the tabernacle (also called “tent” when a different word is used) which was a tent where the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place were. It is known by various names in the books of Moses, such as the tabernacle of witness, the tabernacle of the testimony, the tabernacle of the congregation, the tabernacle of meeting, the tabernacle of the Lord, and so on.

Within the Most Holy Place was the ark of the covenant where the presence of the Lord dwelt. This was “in the wilderness.” This edifice was constructed at Sinai and was carried from there to the doorstep of Canaan where the people rebelled. When they were turned back because of their faithlessness, it was carried throughout the wilderness wanderings, and it was eventually taken across the Jordan and into Canaan. This was a temporary, mobile edifice that was constructed “as He appointed.”

The Lord gave Moses explicit and detailed instructions concerning exactly what materials to use, what colors the fabrics were to be, how much certain implements would weigh, how long things would be, and so on. Everything was according to His word and was presented to Moses. The Lord was “instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen.”

This was first said to Moses in Exodus –

“And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. ⁹ According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.” Exodus 25:8, 9

This is further explained in Hebrews where it says –

“For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. ⁴ For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; ⁵ who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, ‘See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’ ⁶ But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.” Hebrews 8:3-6

The author of Hebrews says that this sanctuary was a “copy and shadow of the heavenly things.” In every detail and in every respect, it anticipated the Person and work of Jesus. As such, it was only a shadow of the good things to come in Christ. As an explicit example of this, the author of Hebrews says of the veil that hangs between the holy and the most holy place pictured the flesh of Jesus –

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.” Hebrews 10:19, 20

As this is so, and it is fully confirmed in the gospels through typology that it is, it tells us that their rejection of the law that was given to them, and which detailed those things concerning the tabernacle, was a rejection of what those things only anticipated, the coming Messiah. When He came, it was no wonder that they rejected Him. The same spirit of disobedience worked in them all along.

Life application: A proper study of the Bible takes a lifetime, and even then, we won’t know all that is contained there. But in order to rightly know what is said, one has to have a right translation. Otherwise, a misunderstanding of important concepts will come about. Therefore, it is important to weed out mistranslations, errors, and contradictions that come about through faulty translational work.

As an example of this, notice the difference between these three sets of verses from the KJV and the NKJV. To make it simple, the error is highlighted. Which version is in error and why? See if you can identify and explain it –

KJV:

According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it. Exodus 25:9

“Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.” Hebrews 8:5

“It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” Hebrews 9:23

NKJV:

“According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.” Exodus 25:9

“who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, ‘See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’” Hebrews 8:5

“Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” Hebrews 9:23

Now that you have thought it through, you can see that the KJV botched up its translation of Hebrews 9:23, forming a contradiction in the text. The exact opposite of what the Bible says is what they have said. It is the earthly things are COPIES of the heavenly things, which are the pattern.

By translating this as PATTERNS, they have brought error into their translation. As such, don’t just rush through your reading of Scripture, but think about what is said. Mull it over. When such an obvious error is identified, do a thorough study. Read various translations, study the original Hebrew or Greek, if available, and find out what is correct. In this, you will not be left thinking the Bible has an error.

Instead, you can place the blame for such a botched-up job right where it belongs, meaning with the human translators of God’s infallible word. When such an error is identified, make sure to then make a margin note correcting the error. When the Bible transfers to someone else, they won’t have to go through all the pains of checking that you did.

Lord God, Your word is too precious to just rush through. Help us to carefully contemplate it and to revel in its perfection all the days of our lives. Thank You for Your wondrous word! Amen.

Memorial to the 36th Infantry Division

Thursday, 19 May 2022

You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch,
And the star of your god Remphan,
Images which you made to worship;
And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.’ Acts 7:43

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

Stephen had just begun to quote Amos 5 in the previous verse. He now continues with that here. His citation does not completely match the Hebrew, which says –

“‘You also carried Sikkuth your king
And Chiun, your idols,
The star of your gods,
Which you made for yourselves.
²⁷ Therefore I will send you into captivity beyond Damascus,’
Says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts.”

Noting these differences, Stephen begins with, “You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch.” A tabernacle is a tent in which an entity dwells. This would have been carried by the people in a procession as was common among the pagans, and which is seen even in parts of the world today. Moloch is the god of the Ammonites. In the Old Testament, he is noted as Molech.

Worship of Molech was expressly forbidden five times in the book of Leviticus. Solomon made a high place to Molech in 1 Kings 11:7. Also, in Jeremiah 32:35, it says –

“And they built the high places of Baal which are in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.”

Despite the differences in the English, the translation of the Hebrew is exceedingly close to Stephen’s words. The name Sikkuth is spelled similarly to Succoth, or “tabernacle.” And the words “your king” are closely associated with Molech, which comes from the Hebrew word meaning “king.”

The reason for saying “tabernacle” here is certainly because he is making a play on words, connecting the thought to what is coming in verse 44. There, he will refer to the “tabernacle in the wilderness,” showing a contrast between this tabernacle and that one.

Stephen next says, “And the star of your god Remphan.” This clause can be seen to be quite different from the Hebrew. The explanation for the difference is provided by the Pulpit Commentary –

“Rephan, or Raiphan, or Remphan, as it is variously written, is the LXX. translation of the Hebrew Chiun in Amos 5:26. The best explanation of this is that Rephan is the Coptic name of the planet Saturn, well-known of course to the LXX., and that Chiun is the Hebrew and Arabic name of the same star, which they therefore translated by Rephan.”

Stephen next says, “Images which you made to worship.” Stephen returns to the thought of verse 7:41 which referred to the golden calf and which said, “and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.” Israel had a proclivity to fashioning gods instead of trusting in the uncreated God. In this, they were completely disobedient to Moses, and thus to the Lord.

Stephen finishes with, “And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.” Although this seems completely contradictory to the Hebrew that reads “Damascus,” it is evident that if one is carried beyond Babylon, he has been carried beyond Damascus. John Gill provides a thorough account of this –

“…in Amos it is beyond Damascus, and so some copies read here, which was in Babylon; and explains the sense of the prophet more fully, that they should not only be carried for their idolatry beyond Damascus, and into the furthermost parts of Babylon, but beyond it, even into the cities of the Medea, Halah, and Habor, by the river Gozan; and here is no contradiction: how far beyond Damascus, the prophet does not say; and if they were carried beyond Babylon, they must be carried beyond Damascus, and so the words of the prophet were fulfilled; and Stephen living after the fulfilment of the prophecy, by which it appeared that they were carried into Media, could say how far they were carried; wherefore the Jew (i) has no reason to cavil at Stephen, as if he misrepresented the words of the prophet, and related things otherwise than they were.”

Life application: Stephen is talking to the lead council of Israel, and he is citing things that are a part of their history. Though the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament do not appear to match, the differences are settled by including both the Greek Old Testament and analysis of the customs, cultures, and languages of the surrounding countries that the people of Israel were fully aware of.

Throughout Acts 7, the council is not seen to stop Stephen and correct him. This would have occurred if what he said was not considered acceptable. Luke is simply chronicling what was said and what happened. And more, if the record of what Luke had said was not compatible with what was considered a reasonable understanding of the citation of the Old Testament, such as that found here, there would have been countless critiques of it throughout the years, starting immediately after Acts was published.

On the other hand, scholars have analyzed every word of the book of Acts and have been able to reasonably settle any difficulties. As this is so, we can be content that we have a reliable record of what was said, and that it is fully in accord with an acceptable interpretation of the passages set before the council.

When people attempt to disparage your faith by disparaging the Bible – and they will – be ready to defend it. There are difficulties in it, but there are reasonable explanations for each of them if you are willing to put in the time and effort to understand them. Don’t be shy about this. Stand up for the word. It is the basis for our faith in the Lord. As Paul says, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Lord God, thank You for those scholars who have come before us, and who have carefully analyzed the Bible, seeking out its mysteries and finding reasonable solutions to very difficult passages that arise at times. Their work helps us to have greater confidence when we speak to others, and it helps us to want to go further in opening up the treasures that are still awaiting us in Your word. We are surely blessed as this stream of effort continues, even to this day. Amen.

Wednesday, 18 May 2022

Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets:
‘Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness,
O house of Israel? Acts 7:42

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The previous verse said, “And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.” Now Stephen continues to describe the conduct of Israel, saying, “Then God turned.”

The idea here is that in forsaking the Lord, the Lord will forsake them. It is the warning Joshua gave to the people –

“But Joshua said to the people, ‘You cannot serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. ²⁰ If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good.’” Joshua 24:19, 20

In God’s turning, Stephen next says, “and gave them up.” Instead of continuing to appeal to Israel to do what is right and to worship Him, the Lord essentially says, “Ok. Have it your way. If you will not worship me, we’ll see if the gods you do serve will help you.” That is the same thought found in the Song of Moses –

“He will say: ‘Where are their gods,
The rock in which they sought refuge?
³⁸ Who ate the fat of their sacrifices,
And drank the wine of their drink offering?
Let them rise and help you,
And be your refuge.’” Deuteronomy 32:37, 38

The Lord allowed Israel to follow their own gods, and when times of trouble came, they had no one to turn to. The gods they trusted in were out “having a party” and too busy to help apparently. In actuality, they didn’t exist because they were not gods at all. Stephen next says that God gave them up “to worship the host of heaven.”

It is a term describing the sun, moon, planets, and stars. The word “host” signifies an army. Their regular movements and the way they are set in the heavens is as if they are arrayed for battle. The worship of this host is seen, for example, in 2 Chronicles –

“Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. ² But he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. ³ For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; he raised up altars for the Baals, and made wooden images; and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. ⁴ He also built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, ‘In Jerusalem shall My name be forever.’ ⁵ And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.” 2 Chronicles 33:1-5

These and other such verses refer to Israel serving and worshipping the created “host of heaven” rather than the Creator of those hosts. To support his words to the council, Stephen next quotes Scripture, saying, “as it is written in the book of the Prophets.”

The Hebrew Bible of today is divided into three sections, commonly referred to as the Tanakh. It is an acronym combining the first letters of those sections, the Torah (the books of Moses also known as the Pentateuch or simply “the Law”); the Nevi’im (the Prophets); and the Ketuvim (the Writings). A similar division is referred to by Jesus in Luke 24 –

“Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.’” Luke 24:44

As for Stephen’s words noting the book of the Prophets, he specifically cites the book of Amos, saying –

“Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness,
O house of Israel?”

The words are specifically being remembered from Amos 5:25 –

“Did you offer Me sacrifices and offerings
In the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?”

The words of Stephen will continue to cite Amos, but the question of Amos 5:25 begs a negative answer. Israel was out worshipping other gods, failing to give the Creator of the heavenly host credit for His handiwork. But right in the same chapter of Amos, the Lord is directly credited with the creation of these things –

“He made the Pleiades and Orion;
He turns the shadow of death into morning
And makes the day dark as night;
He calls for the waters of the sea
And pours them out on the face of the earth;
The Lord is His name.” Amos 5:8

The Pleiades and Orion were, and still are, known constellations. It is He who made them. Their structure and placement are according to His wisdom alone. Why worship the lesser? The Lord is the Creator.

Life application: The Bible does not deny that there is structure and order in the alignment of the stars. On the contrary, it acknowledges it. These heavenly bodies tell their own stories. This is acknowledged in several places in both testaments. An example of this is found in Jacob’s blessing upon his son, Judah –

“The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes;
And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.” Genesis 49:10

The words here are believed to be the heavenly sign that the Magi understood to refer to the coming of the Messiah. When Leo, Regulus, and the moon were in a particular alignment, the coming of Messiah was known to have occurred. Likewise, Peter has already spoken in Acts 2 of the moon turning to blood. That refers to an eclipse. Such events are placed or timed according to God’s purposes.

Having said that, there is no reason why we should try to predict the future based on such events. This is as common as holes in a donut shop, but it is not a sound way of determining the future. Only after the event takes place should we expect to understand that it has been fulfilled. Eclipses come and go, the movement of the planets and stars continue to take place with their set precision, and we are to be about worshipping the Creator of those things. His wisdom in how such things align is up to Him and we will understand it after those things are revealed.

Heavenly Father, You have truly displayed wisdom in how You have structured all things. We can see it in the movement of the sun, moon, planets, and stars. And yet, we err when we look to them to reveal to us our destinies. Rather, we should look to You, the Creator of them, for our hope, our joy, and our delight. May we never substitute that which is less for the joy that is found in You alone. Amen.