The Who: "Too Much of Anything"

This is one song which wasn't originally on the Who's Next album. It's about sensory overload. Unlike machinery, we need variety to help us stay sane. Listen to this previously-unreleased track here.

Agur, the son of Jakeh, certainly knew about the danger of having abundance or lack. Proverbs 30:8 and 9 (Bible in Basic English) says, "Put far from me all false and foolish things: do not give me great wealth or let me be in need, but give me only enough food: For fear that if I am full, I may be false to you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' or if I am poor, I may become a thief, using the name of my God wrongly."

The Apostle Paul warned his prodigy, Timothy, about the dangers of greed in 1 Timothy 6:9 (BBE). "But those who have a desire for wealth are falling into danger, and are taken as in a net by a number of foolish and damaging desires, through which men are overtaken by death and destruction."

Likewise, too much food and slumber, rather than labour, impoverishes people. Proverbs 23:21 (BBE) warns us, "For those who take delight in drink and feasting will come to be in need; and through love of sleep a man will be poorly clothed."

Punishing somebody too much, even if that person deserved it, is also wrong. As Paul penned in 2 Corinthians 2:6 and 7 (BBE) about a certain church member, "Let it be enough for such a man to have undergone the punishment which the church put on him; So that now, on the other hand, it is right for him to have forgiveness and comfort from you, for fear that his sorrow may be over-great."

And as Hannah prayed in 2 Samuel 2:3 (BBE), talking proudly is foolish. "Say no more words of pride; let not uncontrolled sayings come out of your mouths: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, by him acts are judged."

Fortunately for us who believe in Christ, the happiness we'll feel when God lives with us will never be too much. Revelation 21:3 and 4 (BBE) is so encouraging to us in this age. "And there came to my ears a great voice out of the high seat, saying, 'See, the Tent of God is with men, and he will make his living-place with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them, and be their God. And he will put an end to all their weeping; and there will be no more death, or sorrow, or crying, or pain; for the first things have come to an end.'"

If that ecstatic time hasn't arrived by Saturday, I hope I can post about a song inspired by a dystopian novel.

Devo, "Beautiful World

For some folks, the world is a beautiful place. These people have plenty of friends and good families. They go where they want to and do whatever they please. Neither are they short of money or have to count their pennies.

It isn't that way for everybody. As this song by the New Wave band, Devo, says, not everybody agrees that it's a beautiful world. Listen to the song here:

Solomon, declared in the Bible to be the wisest man, also saw the reality of this broken world. People think wealth will satisfy them but Ecclesiastes 4:8 (Bible in Basic English) says of those who crave wealth, "It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work."

We also live on a planet troubled by famine. The Middle East had many during the time the books of the Bible were written. Warned by God, Joseph interpreted pharaoh's two dreams. In Genesis 41:29-31 (BBE) he told him just how severe it would be. "Seven years are coming in which there will be great wealth of grain in Egypt; And after that will come seven years when there will not be enough food; and the memory of the good years will go from men's minds; and the land will be made waste by the bad years; And men will have no memory of the good time because of the need which will come after, for it will be very bitter."

When we have plenty to eat and drink, and plenty of comforts, we tend not to depend on God as much as we ought. Solomon prayed about this in 1 Kings 8:37-39 (BBE) when he dedicated the temple. "If there is no food in the land, or if there is disease, or if the fruits of the earth are damaged through heat or water, locust or worm; if their towns are shut in by their attackers; whatever trouble, whatever disease there may be: Whatever prayer or request for your grace is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, whatever his trouble may be, whose hands are stretched out to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, acting in mercy; and give to every man whose secret heart is open to you, the reward of all his ways; for you, and you only, have knowledge of the hearts of all the children of men:"

We live in hope that a time will come when the new earth will replace this broken world. Revelation 21:3 and 4 (BBE) encourages us with this great announcement. "And there came to my ears a great voice out of the high seat, saying, 'See, the Tent of God is with men, and he will make his living-place with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them, and be their God. And he will put an end to all their weeping; and there will be no more death, or sorrow, or crying, or pain; for the first things have come to an end.'"

But if that awesome day hasn't arrived by Thursday, I hope to post about those unfortunate children who were born out of wedlock.

New Heavens and New Earth

Throughout Jewish and Christian history, people looked forward to paradise regained. Many biblical passages speak of a time when sin and suffering will be no more. Justice will be done and the wicked will be sent out of God's benevolent presence.

Our Lord promised a repentant thief on the cross next to his that he'd be with him there. Luke 22:43 (BBE) reads, "And he said to him, 'Truly I say to you, Today you will be with me in Paradise.'"

We need new heavens and a new earth because the universe we have now is cursed by the fall. After Peter wrote of the destruction of the old creation, he explained in 2 Peter 3:13 (BBE), "But having faith in his word, we are looking for a new heaven and a new earth, which will be the resting-place of righteousness."

What a joy it will be when we will be free from sin and temptation. As Isaiah 66:22 (BBE) predicts, "For as the new heaven and the new earth which I will make will be for ever before me, says the Lord, so will your seed and your name be for ever."

How wonderful too that the nasty things of this world won't even be remembered in the one to come. Isaiah 65:17 (BBE) tells us, "For see, I am making a new heaven and a new earth: and the past things will be gone completely out of mind."

Better still, we'll have new bodies which won't grow old and die. As the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:53 and 54 (BBE), "For this body which comes to destruction will be made free from the power of death, and the man who is under the power of death will put on eternal life. But when this has taken place, then that which was said in the Writings will come true, 'Death is overcome by life.'"

Best of all, God will be with us forever. Never will sin be a barrier between him and us. Revelation 21:3 and 4 (BBE) assures us, "And there came to my ears a great voice out of the high seat, saying, 'See, the Tent of God is with men, and he will make his living-place with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them, and be their God. And he will put an end to all their weeping; and there will be no more death, or sorrow, or crying, or pain; for the first things have come to an end.'" Amen!

If Christ doesn't return by Thursday, I hope to post about Who's responsible for COVID-19.

Saturday Song: Harry Chapin, "Thirty-Thousand Pounds of Bananas"

This song about a real event sounds comical but it was no laughing matter for a certain truck driver. He descended the hill going into Scranton, Pennsylvania when his brakes failed.

Ever the storyteller, Harry Chapin immortalized this hapless driver in a song. Listen to it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGldNpngDws

Death is the most-feared event for people, generally speaking. It ranks even higher than public speaking. In fact, most folks would rather not think about their impending demise.

Even so, death stalks us all. As James 4:13 and 14 (BBE) reminds us, "How foolish it is to say, Today or tomorrow we will go into this town, and be there for a year and do business there and get wealth: When you are not certain what will take place tomorrow. What is your life? It is a mist, which is seen for a little time and then is gone."

The reason we are all headed for death is because of Adam and Eve's disobedience of God's single prohibition for them. Genesis 2:16 and 17 (BBE) states, "And the Lord God gave the man orders, saying, 'You may freely take of the fruit of every tree of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you may not take; for on the day when you take of it, death will certainly come to you.'"

From that terrible day of disobedience onward, we all dwindle and eventually die. Death is also the payment for the work of sin. As Paul noted in Romans 6:23 (KJV) "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

A day will come when death will be no more. Revelation 21:3 and 4 (BBE) reminds us who have placed our faith in Christ, "And there came to my ears a great voice out of the high seat, saying, 'See, the Tent of God is with men, and he will make his living-place with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them, and be their God.' And he will put an end to all their weeping; and there will be no more death, or sorrow, or crying, or pain; for the first things have come to an end."

But those who resist God to their deaths will suffer a terrible fate. Revelation 20:14 (BBE) warns, "And death and Hell were put into the sea of fire. This is the second death, even the sea of fire."

On Monday, I hope to publish a post about why Christ is called the Lion of Judah.