DNA is God’s Signature

 

During the OJ Simpson trial in 1994 many of us learned about a three-letter sequence that would eventually change forensic science-DNA. Although the State of California did a poor job in explaining this relatively new science to the public, we have since come to understand it in a much better way. A person’s DNA is their own unique code, the blueprint that maps out a person’s physical appearance. Any DNA left at a crime scene today will almost certainly lead to that person’s conviction. Even still, many of us might not know some of the finer details of what DNA actually is. 

 

Deoxyribonucleic acid is basically a molecule that is composed of two polynucleotide chains that wrap around each other to form a double helix. Does that help? Under a microscope we can see that, in layman’s terms, DNA looks like a spring, or two strings coiled up with bridges in between them. Dr. Yeshayahu Rubinstein studied DNA and found a pattern in the bridges that run between the chains. He noted that there are ten acids and then a bridge; then five acids and a bridge; then six acids and a bridge; then five acids and a bridge. This pattern repeats indefinitely in all DNA. 

 

Dr. Rubinstein, who is Jewish, knew that every letter in the Hebrew alphabet has a numerical value, so he transposed the numbers ten, five, six, and five into Hebrew. This produced yod, he, waw, he, or YHWH. That is the Hebrew name for the God of heaven, what we commonly pronounce as Yahweh. It was by this name that God first introduced Himself to Moses at the burning bush as His way of distinguishing Himself from the generic word god: Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, ‘YHWH…(Exodus 3:13-14)’

 

This is remarkable. The Creator of the universe has slipped His holy name into every strand of DNA, the blueprints for life. All good artists place their signature into their work, and now we have found God’s signature in His piece de resistance. 

 

What is also remarkable about DNA is that it is present at the second of conception. A fertilized egg, called a zygote, is genetically complete, meaning the baby’s DNA is already locked in place. Some use terms to de-humanize the unborn, calling them a fetus (which just means “little one” in Latin) or a product of conception, as if they are a dime a dozen. But God has given each not-yet-born baby her own unique DNA the second He formed her in the womb.

 

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well (Psalm 139:14).”

 

Rowing the Ship

The Apostles were pretty important people, weren’t they? What words would you use to describe the faithful ministers who first preached Jesus and founded the early churches—remarkable, significant, maybe vital? Think about it: where would we be without those original missionaries who passed on what they had seen and heard when they walked with Jesus?

 

As much as we might elevate that group, the New Testament writers chose to undersell them. Consider what Luke said to Theophilus in the introduction to his Gospel: “…just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us (1:2)…” It doesn’t jump out at us in English, but that word ministers is interesting in Greek. The word literally means “under rowers,” and it referred to the people who sat in the lowest part of the ship and paddled the oars. That was not exactly a glamours job. In fact, most people that boarded the ship had no idea who was doing the rowing; that was not their concern, and they just took it for granted. 

 

The role of under rower was such a menial job that it was often reserved for the lowest servants that could do little else. These galley slaves, as they were called, had no rank. They were coequal, and they were equally last. No young Jewish boy hoped to become an under rower when he grew up. This job was filled by the lowest of the low. Yet that is the word that Luke chose to describe the eyewitnesses that passed on their testimony of the life of Jesus. Is Luke insulting the Apostles? Hardly; that is the same word that the Apostle Paul used to describe himself in I Corinthians 4:1 (translated as servants in that verse). 

 

That is the reality of all believers. We should view ourselves as galley slaves for Christ. He is in charge, and we just follow orders. Among the slaves there is no rank. The senior pastor is no more important than the youth pastor, and neither are more important than those not in vocational ministry. We do not want people to know our name, we want them to know the name Jesus. 

 

The under rowers move the ship from point A to point B. Passengers relied on those rowers, even if they didn’t realize it. In the same way, the unsaved rely on Christians to keep faithfully passing on the gospel message until the whole world hears. For some that happens in the pulpit, but for most it is conversations at work, the grocery store, or the classroom. Don’t think for a second that what you do is not as important as what Charles Stanley does. He is an under rower, and so are you and I. Together we will keep rowing this ship, moving the gospel from point A to point B, telling the world that Jesus saves.  

   

Honoring an Artist

When you think about a famous artist, do you think about their work? For example, when someone mentions the name Van Gogh, you might think of his painting Starry Night. When someone mentions Michelangelo, you might think of his sculpture of David. When someone mentions Beethoven, you might think of his Fifth Symphony. When someone mentions Shakespeare, you might think of his Twenty-third Sonnet. 

 

The best way to honor an artist is by appreciating their work. They want you to admire their paintings, to take in their sculptures, to hum their compositions, and memorize lines from their poetry. Over the years I have seen people applaud these artists, but they do so by emphasizing their work, not their tools. 

 

In school we read Shakespeare, but the textbooks never had a picture of his pen. I don’t think I have ever seen Beethoven’s piano, Michelangelo’s chisel, or Van Gogh’s paintbrush. If you want to honor the artist, you highlight their work, not their utensil. 

 

Because God is the Creator (Genesis 1:1, John 1:1), we can rightly call Him an artist. His works cause all others to pale in comparison, and Christians should want to honor His work. Like a professor of literature joyously reciting lines from Hamlet, we should jump at the chance to brag about God’s handiwork. But to quote John MacArthur, “If an artist is to be honored, you do not make a statue of his brush or his palette. It makes no more sense for Christians to glorify men…” 

 

We have a tendency to over-elevate people, whether they be “rockstar” pastors, musicians, authors, or conference speakers. There is nothing wrong with fame, and there is nothing wrong with admiring people for using their spiritual gifts, but we must remember that they are the utensils, the instruments in the hands of the Great Artist. Max Lucado has written great books, but he is like God’s typewriter. Bill Gather has written beautiful praise music, but he is like God’s piano. Billy Graham has preached wonderful sermons, but he is like God’s microphone. 

 

There are people in your life who have done generous deeds or acts of kindness. They are God’s hands and feet. We should all strive to use our gifts to do God’s work on earth, but at the end of the day all the praise goes to our God. We are all tools in His hands, and He uses us according to His own desires. We join the sons of Korah in singing, “In God we boast all day long, and praise your name forever (Psalm 44:8).” Let’s honor the Artist by pointing to His works, not the tools He uses.       

Ten Days

 

The book of Revelation is most commonly known for its graphic descriptions of end times prophecy, but in the second and third chapters, there are letters written to seven churches that existed in the first century. While each of the seven churches were real congregations, they represent the church at large. 

 

In the letter to the church at Smyrna we read, “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life (2:10).” The fact that the tribulation for these Christians will last “ten days” has led to debate over the years. Will their tribulation last for exactly ten days, or is the number ten symbolic, using a short, round number? 

 

Dr. Henry Morris sees a connection to the book of Daniel. This makes sense because John clearly relied on Daniel’s writings for Revelation. Remember when Daniel and his three friends (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) refused to eat the king’s meat and drink his wine? Daniel said to the steward, “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink (1:12).” 

 

The believers in Smyrna were tested for ten days, just as the four obedient young men were tested in Babylonian captivity. What happened in Babylon? “And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies (v.15),” and “As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams (v.17).”

 

What happened in Smyrna during their ten days? That we do not know. But what we can gather by comparing Revelation 2 to Daniel 1 is that what we might consider to be tribulation may just be a test in the mind of God. Tribulation can often be viewed as just torture; nothing good comes from it, and we can’t wait for it to be over. Instead, we should try to view our trials as a test the way Daniel and company did. Try to view your trials as an opportunity to prove something good about yourself and your God. 

 

If you are going through a hard time, determine that at the end of your ten days you are going to be a better person, and somehow God is going to be glorified. If God is trying to teach you a character trait, commit to learn it. If God is trying to fine tune your patience, allow Him to do it. If there is an opportunity to point people to God, commit to making that happen. Please don’t think I am trying to minimize tribulations in life, but neither do I want to waste them. Daniel’s ten days of testing were used to prove the sovereignty of God in a pagan world, and maybe yours will do the same. 

 

 

 

Where Isn’t God?

 

Have you ever heard someone begin a question with the words “where is God”? When someone is sick and it doesn’t seem like their healing is going to happen, some scoffer might look at you and say, “Where is your God? You always pray to Him. Well where is He?” After a tragedy like a hurricane or tornado, critics will loudly ponder, “Where was God when this storm destroyed everything?”

 

As Christians, we realize that God is everywhere. We refer to this as God’s omnipresence. Nobody expressed this doctrine better than David when he rhetorically asked, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me (Psalm 139:7-10).”

 

Did you notice how David covered all his bases? If David could somehow ascend to the highest heights, or descend to the deepest hell, he would find God in either location. Not only did David find God by going north and south, he also found Him by going east and west. The “wings of the morning” is a reference to the sun, which rises in the east, and unless “the sea” is otherwise designated in the Old Covenant, it always refers to the Mediterranean Sea, which was west of Israel. North, south, east, or west, David placed God at the four points of the compass. This is a poetic way of saying that God isn’t just in those four places, but He is everywhere in between. 

 

People like to ask where is God, but a better question would be where isn’t God? If God is truly everywhere at once, then He was present when the storm hit, and when our loved ones didn’t recover. Those things may be hard for us to understand, or even to accept, but we must rule out the option of God not being there. He has a perfect plan, and sometimes we are not going to like it, but God is right there with us, whether we are on a mountain top, or making our bed in the depths. 

 

This fact of God’s omnipresence is both comforting and convicting. It is comforting to know that God is always with us, even on days when it might not feel like He is. It is comforting to pray to the God of heaven, realizing He is also on earth. It is comforting to know the eyes of the Lord are in every place, and nothing escapes His notice. His eye is on the sparrow, and I’m glad He watches me. 

 

But it is also convicting to the one who hopes to keep secrets from God. It is convicting to the person who is trying to successfully live a double life. It is convicting to the person who says all the right things on Sundays, then lives like the devil on every other day that ends in y. 

 

Where isn’t God? He is in your Sunday school class and sanctuary on Sunday morning, but He is also in your car and at your office. He sees what you watch, He hears what you listen to, and He observes your conduct. Does that thought comfort you or convict you?