Judica Saturday 2020 – Devotion in Exile
Judica Saturday 2020 – Devotion in Exile
Mark 16:1-20
My devotion for today is not mine. What I mean is that it was written by someone other than myself. It was written by The Rev’d. David E. Ukpong, Tutor at J.E.M. Lutheran Seminary—Obot Idim, Nigeria, and an STM Student at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne—IN.
Rev'd. Ukpong, and two fellow pastors from Nigeria (Rev'd. Elijah Essang and Rev'd. Kufre-Abasi Etim) whom I met when I was there to teach last fall, came to our home for spring break from their classes at CTS-FW. COVID-19 has kept them here, and they are now constrained to take classes online. It is a joy to have them in our home.
This devotion is an adaptation of a paper Rev'd Ukpong wrote for one of his classes this semester. As you read it, it will be come clearly evident why I asked his permission to use it in this space, and in this time. Thank you Pastor Ukpong!
The Lutheran Service Book has in its Companion to the Hymns, but not in the Pew Edition, hymn 986 titled: “The Song of Habakkuk.” This is a word-for-word adaptation of Habakkuk 3:2-19 in the English Standard Version (ESV, 2001), with a very slight difference in the Refrain which is based on verse 18 of the same chapter.
According to the Companion to the Hymns, this “Prayer” of Habakkuk (as even the ESV titles it) should really be called a “song,” citing the characteristics such as תֹ נוֹ יְ ג ִׁש) shigyonoth)—in the superscription of the chapter— a word Brown-Driver-Briggs Dictionary gives the meaning as “wild, passionate song, with rapid changes of rhythm.” Other features such as “choirmaster” and “Selah,” according to the LSB Companion to the Hymns, indicates that this text was probably used in the liturgy of the temple.
This text, considered as prayer by the ESV, shows Prophet Habakkuk’s request to God for the future, end-time judgment and deliverance of God’s people. The grounds for the prophet’s prayer, the LSB Companion to the Hymns says, is the report he has been well furnished with regarding the deeds of Yahweh: His coming at Teman and Paran—districts surrounding Sinai—after the exodus from Egypt.
The Song of Habakkuk, the LSB Companion to the Hymns notes, testifies that the Lord has been a warrior for the salvation of His people in the past, and as the Companion suggests, is appropriate for the deliverance of the Word accomplished in Jesus—who is the Lord incarnate.
There is no time in history more apt for this canticle to be used in service than now! Apart from the fact that this canticle is said to be traditionally sung at Tenebrae on Good Friday, but specifically considering the Corona Virus pandemic currently ravaging nations of the world—causing a tearing apart of relationships and ties especially forcing church doors to be closed in the most reverent season of the Church year: the Lent/Easter—which could easily cause many to lose hope of any deliverance.
Thus, this canticle will aptly remind believers in Christ of the great deeds of God in the past with the children of Israel and His deliverance of the world from sin in the death and resurrection of the Jesus Christ, assuring us that God is ever near to deliver from eternal damnation even if we lose loved ones or even our lives to the virus. It could also be used to call God’s people to repentance and give comfort to the repentant of God’s intervention at the proper time.
So, in this time where all we hear from the news reports are deaths, virus and pandemic, God’s Word brings us reports—reports of life, of forgiveness, of hope, of peace and of salvation. As we approach the Holy Week, the situations around us and the restrictions on church services may cause us not to assemble as customary, but we should never forget that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8); also that where two or three are gathered in His name, He is surely there (Matthew 18:19).
Jesus was nailed to the cross just for us. By His crucifixion He bequeaths life, and life eternal to us. Life that can never be threatened by virus, pandemics, death, sin or satan. This is what we celebrate, not just another report, but a report that brings life—now in time, and in the coming ages. Christ’s peace be with you all. Amen.
Mark 16:1-20
My devotion for today is not mine. What I mean is that it was written by someone other than myself. It was written by The Rev’d. David E. Ukpong, Tutor at J.E.M. Lutheran Seminary—Obot Idim, Nigeria, and an STM Student at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne—IN.
Rev'd. Ukpong, and two fellow pastors from Nigeria (Rev'd. Elijah Essang and Rev'd. Kufre-Abasi Etim) whom I met when I was there to teach last fall, came to our home for spring break from their classes at CTS-FW. COVID-19 has kept them here, and they are now constrained to take classes online. It is a joy to have them in our home.
This devotion is an adaptation of a paper Rev'd Ukpong wrote for one of his classes this semester. As you read it, it will be come clearly evident why I asked his permission to use it in this space, and in this time. Thank you Pastor Ukpong!
The Lutheran Service Book has in its Companion to the Hymns, but not in the Pew Edition, hymn 986 titled: “The Song of Habakkuk.” This is a word-for-word adaptation of Habakkuk 3:2-19 in the English Standard Version (ESV, 2001), with a very slight difference in the Refrain which is based on verse 18 of the same chapter.
According to the Companion to the Hymns, this “Prayer” of Habakkuk (as even the ESV titles it) should really be called a “song,” citing the characteristics such as תֹ נוֹ יְ ג ִׁש) shigyonoth)—in the superscription of the chapter— a word Brown-Driver-Briggs Dictionary gives the meaning as “wild, passionate song, with rapid changes of rhythm.” Other features such as “choirmaster” and “Selah,” according to the LSB Companion to the Hymns, indicates that this text was probably used in the liturgy of the temple.
This text, considered as prayer by the ESV, shows Prophet Habakkuk’s request to God for the future, end-time judgment and deliverance of God’s people. The grounds for the prophet’s prayer, the LSB Companion to the Hymns says, is the report he has been well furnished with regarding the deeds of Yahweh: His coming at Teman and Paran—districts surrounding Sinai—after the exodus from Egypt.
The Song of Habakkuk, the LSB Companion to the Hymns notes, testifies that the Lord has been a warrior for the salvation of His people in the past, and as the Companion suggests, is appropriate for the deliverance of the Word accomplished in Jesus—who is the Lord incarnate.
There is no time in history more apt for this canticle to be used in service than now! Apart from the fact that this canticle is said to be traditionally sung at Tenebrae on Good Friday, but specifically considering the Corona Virus pandemic currently ravaging nations of the world—causing a tearing apart of relationships and ties especially forcing church doors to be closed in the most reverent season of the Church year: the Lent/Easter—which could easily cause many to lose hope of any deliverance.
Thus, this canticle will aptly remind believers in Christ of the great deeds of God in the past with the children of Israel and His deliverance of the world from sin in the death and resurrection of the Jesus Christ, assuring us that God is ever near to deliver from eternal damnation even if we lose loved ones or even our lives to the virus. It could also be used to call God’s people to repentance and give comfort to the repentant of God’s intervention at the proper time.
So, in this time where all we hear from the news reports are deaths, virus and pandemic, God’s Word brings us reports—reports of life, of forgiveness, of hope, of peace and of salvation. As we approach the Holy Week, the situations around us and the restrictions on church services may cause us not to assemble as customary, but we should never forget that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8); also that where two or three are gathered in His name, He is surely there (Matthew 18:19).
Jesus was nailed to the cross just for us. By His crucifixion He bequeaths life, and life eternal to us. Life that can never be threatened by virus, pandemics, death, sin or satan. This is what we celebrate, not just another report, but a report that brings life—now in time, and in the coming ages. Christ’s peace be with you all. Amen.
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