The Great Speckled Bird ~ Dr. Dan Light

The number one musical hit of 1936 sold several thousand copies of sheet music, and had more live performances and broadcasts than any other song that year. Written as a gospel tune by Reverend Guy Smith and unexpectedly popularized, it was the first of many top-selling recordings made by Roy Acuff. The record he cut skyrocketed him to fame as a star and frequent host on the Grand Ol’ Opry. Roy was one of the first to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The name of this country classic is “The Great Speckled Bird”, based on its mention in Jeremiah 12:9, 10:

^“Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.

Every so often, at a bluegrass festival, on radio, or television, you can hear “The Great Speckled Bird” performed as an “oldie but goodie” timeless favorite.

The speckled bird referred to by Jeremiah is not specifically identified among over four-hundred types of birds that are found in Israel so we don’t know if it was a hawk, owl, dove, or several other species with speckles that would qualify. It’s anybody’s guess. What we are certain of is its use as a symbol of the few people in the time of the weeping prophet who remained righteous while the majority chose to do their own thing in neglect or defiance of God and His Word. The lyrics of the song, born out of Jeremiah’s metaphor, put it this way:

“All the other birds are flocking 'round her
And she is despised by the squad
But the great speckled bird in the Bible
Is one with the great church of God.

All the other churches are against her
They envy her glory and fame
They hate her because she is chosen
And has not denied Jesus' name.

Desiring to lower her standard
They watch every move that she makes
They long to find fault with her teachings
But really they find no mistake.”

Stated in the clear and simple manner that is indicative of country music “The Great Speckled Bird” addresses an issue that has always been a challenge to the people of God in every era of history. It is especially the case in today’s society. It is appropriate to use the prophet’s speckled bird as a representation of that remnant of the today’s professing church who have not compromised the standard of God’s revealed truth, in spite of the many forms of ridicule by which the assault rages.

Current indications point to the probability that more than ever before “other birds will flock around her” and that she will, as the lyrics say, increasingly be “despised by the squad” in the attempt to “lower her standard…longing to find fault with her teachings.” Composer-pastor Guy Smith was aware of such an offensive against the authentic church in the 1930s and in the seven decades since the song was first sung the increase of the onslaught has reached a new intensity.

The “speckled bird” verse in Jeremiah 12:9 is immediately followed by verse ten which, in continuation of the thought the prophet is making, states this interesting comment:

“Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.”

The church—God’s assembly—of Jeremiahs day certainly didn’t need the complication of having certain pastors join in with the other birds who were pecking away at her distinctive doctrines and principles. We, today, could preferably do without that impediment as well, but no such luxury is ours. We need to exercise caution concerning clergymen who destructively peck away at the veracity of God’s word and the righteous standards it articulates and boldly call attention to the wolves who lurk in pulpits and parishes wearing sheep’s clothing.

The last four verses of the original eight verse rendition of “The Great Speckled Bird” affirm the expectation that regardless of the hatred and belligerence of her enemies the true church will experience ultimate victory. Such a Bible-based fact is encouraging, of course, but we need to get a firm grip on the imperative summons to stand in and stand for the uncompromising quality of commitment to truth and righteousness to which we are called by way of God’s old time, new time, all the time, any time Word.

FLAT BROKE

by Dr. Dan Light

 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psalm 51:17 

I can still vividly recall the scary shock to my system. There I was in the emergency treatment room at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center where one of my church members was on the table and the doctors were fighting time and trauma to save his life. As I watched the heart monitor the line suddenly went flat and the long beep sounded. For about one minute that seemed like an eternity every effort was made to get back the heartbeat and it seemed as though nothing was going to work. Suddenly, the beep started to alternate and the line began to jump again. I knew, more than ever, what the word “flatline” meant. For a critical moment, just before he was revived, life had come to a halt in my friend’s body.

“Flat” can carry several connotations, some good, some bad. I want the highway to be flat but I don’t want a tire on my car to be flat. We say, “Flat as a pancake” and that’s good for pancakes but not so good for any other kind of cake. To be accused of being a “flat-out liar” or to sing a flat note is not so good, either. To function below one’s ability or to give a poor performance may aptly be described as being flat. One of the most familiar misfortunes for any of us is to ever have been “flat broke”.

In the spiritual realm I suggest that being flat broke is a good thing. When we come to realize that we need to register a flatline on our own pride and experience a brokenness of our own stubborn will before God, flat broke is a condition that He can work with.

The number of times in the Old Testament that God says to His people, “I don’t want your sacrifices” is amazing in light of the fact that He gave them such an elaborate and detailed sacrificial system as a part of His law at Mt. Sinai. God expected his priests and Levites and the whole congregation to observe all of the details and rituals of the altars yet He reminds them over and over again that the ceremonies and offerings of sheep, goats, and bulls means zero if their hearts are not humiliated and repentant because of their flops and failures to measure up to his expectations. Each and every time our Lord promises restoration, renewal, or revival to His people; every passage of scripture in which He tells us what pleases Him, he relates it to a broken and penitent heart.

In Psalm 51:17 we find an upfront, outright confession to God from a man who is broken and desperate for God to put the pieces back together so that he can be useful to his Lord once again.  The language of the shattered sinner pleading his weak case before a just God is all altar talk. “Purify me with hyssop”, “wash me”, “deliver me from bloodguiltiness”, “you are not pleased with burnt offering”, are words that seem to reverberate throughout the tabernacle and its altar room where the prayer was probably prayed. The true altar, however, the sacrificial site that really counts, is the heart, and that’s the heart of the matter. What God wants us to place on the altar is the combination of the mind, the emotions, and the will that influences who and what we are. “Broken and contrite” are the descriptive terms that focus clearly on the kind of heart He is looking for. He can work with that kind of man or woman. The literal Hebrew text says “He will not reject those who feel deep sorrow in their hearts.” Permit me to translate it, “He will not hold back from those who are flat broke in their spirit.”

 That’s what I experienced at our recent R3 Summit. I am most deeply moved and as close as I can seem to get to the presence of God when I am in prayer among people who I am joining in the process of brokenness, crying out to God and echoing the old chorus, “Break me, mold me, fill me, use me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.” It is only after such a refreshing visitation of the Spirit of God to our altered hearts that we can make the altar a launching pad to being used by Him to accomplish great things for Him. After his trip to the real altar the broken and restored psalmist was able then to say in verse eighteen, “Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem.” Beginning where we are, at our own Zion, in our own town, or wherever God may send us, He can do his good pleasure and do it miraculously, and do it through His own strength working in those of us who are “flat broke”.

The Theology of the Supreme Court

With the naming of federal appeals judge Sonia Sotomayor as his U.S. Supreme Court nominee to replace the resigning justice Thomas Souter,  President Barack Obama  has ended the widespread speculation of both the news media and the American public.  Other Supreme Court justices will probably be replaced during the present administration and the court will be hearing cases that have serious religious implications. Issues that involve your Christian beliefs will no doubt be affected.

You would probably be interested in the fact that the Supreme Court has a theology. I do not mean the personal faith of the justices themselves, although that can be consequential, but I refer to a precedent that has been set by decisions previously establishing the court’s position. The Supreme Court and its attitude toward your religion is nothing new. It was made clear thirty-seven years ago in a case you should be aware of, Wisconsin v Yoder 406 US 205, 32 L Ed 2d 15, 92 S Ct 1526. If you are ever arrested because of your Christian viewpoint or behavior the decision that resulted from this case could very well make the difference in whether the faith you claim will hold up in court. Are you interested now?

Jonas Yoder, an Amish man from Wisconsin withdrew his children from a public school in order to educate them at home. When he was informed that his actions were against the state law requiring his children to attend public school Mr. Yoder refused t0 comply and the state threatened to arrest him and take custody of his children. He appealed his case, the lower courts ruled against him, and the case wound up in the U.S. Supreme Court. While reaching a decision in the Wisconsin v Yoder case the Supreme Court came up with a test to determine whether a claim to religious faith was a lawful thus acceptable reason for a person’s actions. The court decided in Jonas Yoder’s favor because he passed the test. Are you still interested?

The first thing the court did in defining the test was to say this, "Every single religious belief is one of two types. It doesn't matter what your belief structure is, or who you are, every single religious belief you have is one of two types." They said it is either a conviction or a preference. That is all there is. We don't find that there is any other type of beliefs.”

 Let us define the two for you. Because, bear this in mind, in the United States of America only convictions are protected by the constitution. Preferences are not.

Here is what makes a belief a preference. It is a very strong belief but it is a belief that you will change. If peer pressure, family pressure, a threat of lawsuit or imprisonment for yourself or your wife and children will cause you to change your beliefs it is a preference. If it is a preference, I want to do it but I have the right not to do it if I don't want to do it. The Court says that is not protectable.

 The Court also said is this: "What if a man has to be prepared to die for his belief." Is that belief changeable? "Would you die for your beliefs?" The court said that a conviction is a belief that you will not change. Why? What creates a conviction? The justices said only one thing. A man believes that his God requires it of him. A belief that is God ordered is a conviction. It is a matter of believing with all of your heart that God requires something of you. The court said, "When you believe that your God has required something of you, you will withstand all of the tests about which we have spoken." The court said the first thing would be for you to decide if your belief is a conviction or a preference? Preferences are simply not protected by the constitution, only convictions will stand the test. If your interest will take you a bit further, read on.

The Court said a conviction is not something you discover, but something you purpose. It is not what you accidentally come across, but something you purpose in your heart as a fabric of your belief system. Convictions are not made by a crisis; never. The crisis simply exposes the man for what he already is and that is exactly what the court is looking at. The court said your convictions will be purposed.

     If you study the history of the three Hebrew children in the Book of Daniel you will find that they did a remarkable thing. When taken into captivity, Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego “purposed in their hearts not to defile themselves.” It was something about which they determined with resolve. The court said your convictions must be determined by you or they will not be acceptable. The three Hebrew children were telling the king, “We have resolved that we are not going to bow down to an idol and that is not going to change. This matter of our faith is nonnegotiable." The court said if you can discuss the negotiation of your faith, your faith is a matter of preference and not conviction because convictions are nonnegotiable.

A final point: The court declares that a conviction will always show up in a person's lifestyle. They said, "What is on the inside of a man is always going to show on the outside of a man. You do not have the right to say you have a conviction unless we can somehow see you live that conviction with some element of consistency.

There you have it, the theology of the Supreme Court. Interesting, isn’t it? And here is something just as fascinating. The highest court’s determination of whether your belief is real is the same as what the Bible says about the reality of faith. No wonder 2 Corinthians 13:5 says,

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith;  examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test? (NASB)

~ Dr. Dan Light