Are you ready for this week's reflections? Take a deep breath, we are going to journey into the wilderness. But today we'll keep things light, just a quiz and a homework assignment.
I have spent several hours researching an old hymn entitled "Forty Days and Forty Nights", originally written by Reverend George Hunt Smyttan. The revised lyrics were written by Francis Pott, and beyond that there have been many updates to the text to "modernize" the language. I have yet to find a copy of the original nine verses created by Reverend Smyttan.
Though I recall singing a version of this hymn a couple of years ago that referenced the Flood in relation to the temptation of Christ, I have not been able to find that particular version online- nor is it in any of the sixteen(!!!) hymnals my husband & I have here at home. But I have one more chapel to check this Wednesday, so if I do find that version I'll certainly share the text with you later this week.
For today's quiz, we'll use the version of the hymn from the Christadelphian Hymn Book. Here is your quiz question: What's wrong with this song?
Forty days and forty nights Thou wast fasting in the wild;
Forty days and forty nights tempted, and yet undefiled.
When in hunger, Thou didst say "It is written, man shall live"-
(Putting fleshly lust away)- "By the word that God did give".
When the world would make Thee king in the way men ever trod,
Spurnedst Thou the unclean thing: "It is written, Worship God".
When the devil tempted Thee with the Scripture wrested sore,
From his toils Thou didst break free, with the Scripture honored more.
Lust of flesh, and lust of eyes, pride of life- those dreaded three!
Lord, Thou didst antagonize by the Word, made flesh in Thee.
Father, by that holy Word which did strengthen Thy dear Son,
Strengthen us, that with our Lord we at last may be made one.
Quiz Answer:
You'll notice that the song text does not completely line up with the Matthew 4 passage. The song is missing the second temptation... and the third verse attributes the act of temptation to the world, while the Scripture makes it clear that this particular temptation was direct from Satan... oh, and the first verse implies that the temptation occurred during the forty days, but Scripture tells us that the temptation began after the forty day fast had been completed.
I hope this will encourage you to not sing blindly, but to follow Paul's counsel to sing with the Spirit, even with understanding (see First Corinthians 14:15). Because there's nothing more dangerous than error set to a catchy tune.
Homework:
You would do well to read the following Scripture passages mentioned (or alluded to) by Pastor Sam during the introduction to the sermon- these all relate to instances of the number 40 in Scripture. You know, it would have been so cool if Pastor Sam could have had the time to really dive deep into these passages. I have fantasies of being able to experience a four-hour sermon...and perhaps someday I'll be part of a church where the pastor can spend four or five hours teaching the word of God... sort of a twenty-first century revival of the Antioch church in Acts...
But that is not where we are today. So, for now, here is your homework. READ:
Genesis 7:11-24
Exodus 24:12-18
Numbers 13
Numbers 14:20-35
First Kings 19:1-8
Matthew 4:1-11
Acts 1:1-5
Yes, it's lots of reading... but if you would just turn off the television, shut down the computer, and silence your phone, you can do these readings in one evening and I promise it won't take you all night.
Tomorrow we'll consider the sacrificial nature of the Lenten season.
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