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It Ain’t Over Till the Fat Lady Sings

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Luke 1:7, 13, 18 But they had no child, for Elizabeth was barren; and both were far advanced in years….But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zachariah, because your petition was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you must call his name John [God is favorable]….And Zachariah said to the angel, By what shall I know and be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.

A Wikipedia article regarding the colloquialism, It Ain’t Over Till the Fat Lady Sings, states: “This phrase is often used as a proverb. It means that one should not presume to know the outcome of an event which is still in progress. More specifically, the phrase is used when a situation is (or appears to be) nearing its conclusion. It cautions against assuming that the current state of an event is irreversible and clearly determines how or when the event will end. The phrase is generally understood to be a reference to opera sopranos, who were typically heavyset. The imagery of Wagner‘s opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen and its last part, Götterdämmerung, is typically used in depictions accompanying uses of the phrase. The “fat lady” is thus the valkyrie Brünnhilde, who was traditionally presented as a very buxom lady. Her farewell scene lasts almost twenty minutes and leads directly to the finale of the whole Ring Cycle. As Götterdämmerung is about the end of the world (or at least the world of the Norse gods), in a very significant way “it is [all] over when the fat lady sings.”

This colloquialism definitely applies to what transpires between Zachariah and the angel Gabriel. What is truly astounding is Gabriels’ casual comment: your petition was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son. Why is this astounding? Twice, Dr. Luke emphasizes the fact: both were far advanced in years, and Zachariahs belief: For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years. But that is not the astounding part. The astounding part is, your petition was heard! I have a hard time believing Zachariah and Elizabeth were still praying for a child. In fact it is easy to believe that they had probably put this prayer request on the shelf, along with many other seemingly unanswered prayer requests. They had simply learned to accept these things as the way things were going to be. Most likely the future parents of John the Baptist had petitioned the Lord with this repeated, desperate request as they began seeing the window closing to the possibility. Surely, by this time, the “old man” had given up on that hope. What the angel was declaring just couldn’t be true. But how many of you know that the Bible is full of what seemed to be true events, trumped by even greater, truer events? In the beginning God released light, yet in the midst of His light being released there were lesser lights: the Sun, the moon, and stars. Jesus said in Jn. 8:32 And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. Jesus spoke this to Jews who had a revelation of the Truth (truth) in the Law, and the Prophets. Yet, as this was spoken, the Truth, the Greatest of ALL truths, stood before them declaring these things. What are we to make of this? Often we define truth by our perceptions of reality failing to enter into the Light of Truth, Jesus. Our circumstances may seem to be true – but there is a Greater Truth whose Name is Jesus. Now He is not an opera singer but He is a singer nonetheless, and He sings His song in a place of timelessness. What’s truly amazing is He sings His song over you and me. Rabbi’s believe God didn’t simply speak creation into existence, He sung it into existence. Possibly in Zacharias, and Elizabeth’s life the song hadn’t been finished and that’s why the manifestation of a prayer answered hadn’t come to their attention. What have you prayed about and given up on? Maybe it’s time for you to turn your ear to the song of the Singer, and listen for what He has to say. Luke 1:20 in the KJV reads: And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed…Maybe it’s time we confess to the Lord we have been dumb, and we need to learn to be still to know He is God; to listen and wait instead of speaking. Maybe it’s time that we take our place as a new creation and join in the song of the Singer. Chris Tomlin wrote a song by that name: Sing, Sing, Sing. The opening lyrics state: Sing, sing, sing and make music with the heavens. We will sing, sing, sing grateful that You hear us when we shout Your praise lift high the name of Jesus!

Prepare the Way

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Yad Vashem (“a memorial and a name”) is Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. It is dedicated to preserving the memory of the dead; honoring Jews who fought against their Nazi oppressors and Gentiles who selflessly aided Jews in need. The name “Yad Vashem” is taken from a verse in the Book of Isaiah: “[To] them will I give in my house and within my walls a [memorial] and a [name], better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting [name], that shall not be cut off [from memory]. Outside of the Holocaust museum and memorial is a plaque which reads: Let me prepare the way for Thee, remove each stone that might hinder Thee to make Thy coming sure and soon. These words express both the hope and faith of the Jewish people for the coming Messiah. These words were taken from the prophet Isaiah: The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted
and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth; the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”(chapters 40:3-5)

Interestingly enough the Holocaust Museum is found in a village south-west of Jerusalem called Ein Kerem. Traditionally, Christians have longed believe that this was where John the Baptist was born. If the plaque remains at the Second Coming of Jesus, and John the Baptist happens to stroll by there, he will most likely chuckle to himself as he understands the prophetic implications behind these words. You see every stone was removed; the last and most important stone being the one which covered Christ’s Tomb. As Jesus stated at His triumphal entry: “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” (Lk. 19:40) The stone of His empty stone has been crying out for 2000 years up until this present day.

Which raises some interesting questions: What stone(s) need to be removed in your life? How can you prepare the way of the Lord? What stone is hindering the coming of Jesus into your place of hiddenness? Keep praying and praising Him till the rocks roll away.

Confession & Declaration 30

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John 15:15 I do not call you servants (slaves) any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing (working out). But I have called you My friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father. [I have revealed to you everything that I have learned from Him.]

The term used for “friend” in the Greek simply means an associate. That term is typically associated with someone in business. Yet this word actually implies a partner, companion, and someone you keep company with. John the Baptist shines some light on the meaning of the word in John 3:28-29 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.

The phrase, “friend of the Bridegroom” is known simply as one word in the Hebrew, and that word is “shoshben.” I love this word for it describes not only John the Baptist’s association with Jesus but one that we are called to as well. What’s a shoshben? Ellicott’s Commentary for English Reader’s gives us the following explanation: The “friend of the bridegroom”—called by the Hebrews “Shōshbēn,” and by the Greeks “Paranymph”—was charged with the preliminaries of the marriage. He arranged the contract, acted for the bridegroom during the betrothal, and arranged for, and presided at, the festivities of the wedding-day itself. It was a position of honour, in proportion to the position of the bridegroom himself, and was given to his chief friend. That friend then joyed in his joy, and there was none brighter on that day than he. This in John’s thought is an illustration of his own position.

The 11 Disciples of Jesus (Judas had left the room to betray Him) were promoted from servants – who didn’t know what their Master was doing – to friends. Friends of the Bridegroom Jesus. What an honor and a privilege. What you need to understand though – is that this calling is available to all who choose to be true Disciples of Jesus. You are given the privilege to arrange for others to come into a contract or covenant with Jesus. And your responsibilities don’t stop there. You are given the joy of acting on behalf of the Bridegroom, arranging the betrothal, and overseeing the festivities at the wedding day itself. Far greater than all that, though, is that you are invited to be His chief friend. In the terminology of today – you are invited to be Jesus’ “best man.” Now I don’t mean for you to view that term through the modern understanding of that term. No, not at all. What I want you to do is to see it as literal. You literally are called to be His “bestest” of men – His “bestest” of friends.

Let that sink in. Now process what it’s like to be Jesus. People using, accusing, attacking, and ignoring you. Others acting like they know you, but haven’t a clue what you are like. Familiar faces that talk about you, and around you, yet treat you like you aren’t even in the room. Week after week they throw a celebration in your honor – but you’re not invited. The only time they talk to you is when they want something. Once they get it, they walk away, forgetting you were there. In truth most do not welcome you or want you around. They say they love you – yet when you really show up they do not really like you. That’s Jesus heart-breaking life. His life is a lonely life. He has many acquaintances but very few friends. Yet this Lover of your soul invites you to be His friend. What greater privilege and honor can there be? A friend of Jesus.

What does being a friend of God have to do with overcoming the accuser of the brothers? Think about that for a second. You are a friend of Jesus. Let me say it another way, you are friends with the Most High God. He not only loves you, but likes you and wants to be with you – for eternity. He’s crazy about you, and wants His Heaven filled with you. Think of the authority that has over satan. You have been called a friend of Jesus. Let’s take this time to thank Him. And may this challenge you, as it has challenged me.

Declaration 30: Precious Jesus, my friend. I confess to You that I am humbled by the invitation and the designation. By Your Grace and Holy Spirit I humbly receive your invitation. By Your Blood You have declared that I am Your friend. I have overcome satan the accuser by that simple fact. By the Blood of Jesus Christ of Nazareth – I am a friend of God. Jesus has called me friend. What can any foe do to me? I am His chief friend, His best man, his favorite. He loves me, and likes being with me. He loves my company and I His. I am His “go to” man, His “go between” – from Heaven to earth, from Bridegroom to Bride, from the Lover of Souls to those yet to be betrothed – I am His best friend, and He is mine. You got a problem with me? Take it up with my Friend. You want to attack me? You got to go through my Jesus. Oh, and one more thing: when you come looking for me – look under His Blood – because that’s where you will find me.

Who’s Your One? Day 27, Saturday, February 8