Ninety-Degrees and Homing Pigeons

Post 307

(Strongly Recommend Reading: Galatians)

Ninety-Degrees:
Do you understand what just happened? Like the Apostles trying to sort out the Messiah’s new mind-bending grace from the long established law of God; we suddenly comprehend the magnitude of the New Testament liberation from the law by a practical ensample we can “sink our teeth into” (*1). God himself has flung open the cage door and the front door too; the bird is truly free, not only to explore the entire permissible parameters of the safe house, but the dangerous great outdoors as well! This is the ninety-degree turn in the highway at Haines Junction (*2) where those solidly cruising on the long familiar and straight highway of well defined law will suddenly find that the road no longer takes them to the intended destination, because living in a cage was never the end goal. At the “Haines Junction Cross” of Christ, Humanity is now liberated from the familiar asphalt between guardrail Rephidim shackles (*3); she is released from her birdcage and free to let her emotional passions take her 4-wheeling wherever her enormous heart wants to go. And frankly, by being released there are suddenly a lot of options to choose from.
But with liberation comes responsibility; Which option is wise? Which one is dangerous? Where do I really want to go? The decisions are now yours… and so are the repercussions. How do you decide now, do you follow your heart against the warnings? (*4), Yes, in effect you do! (Read all of I Peter in this light).
But, Why is that OK now?

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them” Ezekiel 36:26-27.

"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" Galatians 5:25.

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh" Galatians 5:16.

…“But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit…” I Peter 3:4.

Whenever the scriptures present a significant part played by an unnamed servant, we need to be keenly aware of the high probability that this servant represents the Holy Spirit of God, as is so often the case. So in this light we find a very interesting narration:

“And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few. And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart” I Samuel 14:6-7.

We see then that Jonathan’s heart and the will of the Holy Ghost were in one accord by the confirmation of counsel. But notice that Jonathan was in the driver’s seat, and the Holy Ghost let Jonathan’s heart take the lead and “backed him up” in his efforts to which he sought his aid in a mutual venture. This is an accurate OT representation of how the Holy Spirit of God works in man today (*5).
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The Homing Pigeon:
It is odd that of all the many variations of birds, while many can be trained to return home by learning that they will be safe and fed there (Isaiah 2:3); only the Homing Pigeon is incapable of becoming lost (I John 3:9). Send it to the far corners of the earth in dark cages, and, like the Jew, they will endure all manner of unspeakable hardships to eventually find their way home. But while a Jew’s home is the physical land of Israel, where is the Christian’s home? (Matthew 8:20, Hebrews 11:13-16). Their home is the Jerusalem from above (Galatians 4:26), where their bridegroom lives… in his Father’s house (John 14:1-3). And like a Homing Pigeon, the very function of their purpose is to be hauled away for the very designed intent to return home (I Peter 4:12, II Timothy 3:10-12).
Do you ever wonder if the Homing Pigeon begins to wonder if their LORD is trying to get rid of them? Have they been excommunicated and imprisoned in darkness to be later released in the dangerous wilderness far away because they are no longer wanted? It sure seems like it! And to make matters worse they are burdened with a packaged message of additional hardship in their effort (I Corinthians 1:23), which message seems to have purpose only as it relates to the success of their journey. What’s it all for? What’s the point?
In spite of all the unanswered questions and confusions of a bird’s comprehension of his handler’s purposes, a Homing Pigeon has one heart, one passion, one desire: to return home… even though it is completely free in the great outdoors to do anything it wants; rest on a branch, eat a bug, take a bath in a puddle, hang out in a park; there are no shackles, no strings, no demands, nothing to make it come back and lots to make sure it doesn’t. The Lord releases it into the sky to be utterly free. And the very purpose is because he wants it to come home. This is why we have been born on this earth; to find our way home and thereby deliver our important message that otherwise has no value beyond empty words.

A Christian is a Homing Pigeon only because it has the Holy Spirit compass in its breast; the fire of emotional passion and illogical desire to return home in the face of all distraction, obstacle, and opposition. While the liberated Parrot and Pigeon takes great pleasure in the exciting and busy environment of distraction, and freaks out at the terrifying fear of obstacle and opposition, and so in the unguided emotion of the “now” and “it’s all about ME” immediately forgets about home; these circumstances are appealing and frightening to the Homing Pigeon too, but the unique Homing Pigeon has no such danger of forgetfulness upon leaving home and facing the world.

Maybe it bears the familiar name of “Christian” but without the unique guiding Holy Spirit in its breast it is not a Homing Christian, it’s as simple as that (*6). The heart of a quasi Jew (*7) is not God; it’s either Zion or Jerusalem, and the heart of a quasi Christian is not Christ; it’s world peace (we will discuss this in detail later, but for now see Post 194 “Peace” http://when-did-reason-die.blogspot.com/2011/05/peace.html). The very purpose of New Testament liberation, and, the dispersal of the Old Testament minded Jews-- while we might think it’s freedom from the oppression of God’s regimented laws-- is to separate the Pigeon from the Homing Pigeon by seeing who, when released, will come home through the distractions and hardships seemingly designed intentionally to hinder their success. It has nothing to do with Parrots:

“And cast ye the unprofitable servant (Pigeon) into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth… And before him(; The Son of man) shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep (Homing Pigeon) from the goats (Pigeon): and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left…” Matthew 25:30-34.

Note that there are no “Beasts” (Parrots) in this entire tri-parable progressive description of the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 25. All of these are self-admitted servants of the LORD; the parables are about the end success of their missions. But don’t miss the rabbit-trailing important progression of reach that makes distinctions between the three parables: virgin brides< servants< nations: (v.1 “went forth to meet,” v.14 “called his own servants,” v.32&44 “before him shall be gathered all nations…saying, LORD”).

“Then shall he say also unto them (goats; Pigeon) on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” Matthew 25:41 (*8).

The very purpose of the Old Testament law is to pre-train the Pigeon where home is. Without the law the liberated Homing Pigeon is just a pigeon and no practical difference from a parrot; It wanders around in a harsh climate until it dies, aimless, purposeless, meaningless, hopeless.
The transition between the cage of OT law and the open-door of NT liberty is a nail biting experience for Dad and Mom as their young daughter leaves home for her first year at college; Will she remember where home is? Will she be steadfast in confidently remembering whose daughter she is, or will she take pleasure in flinging off her heritage as a long born unwanted burden?
But perhaps even more scary to them than that is; “Will she be unknowingly beguiled by sweet-talking predators?”
Those decisions and events are now up to her alone… but there is no end in the number of advisers hungry to guide her in exploring her liberation from Dad’s laws.

I think now, with this understanding, we are finally ready to rightly analyze five foolish pigeon... for reasons far larger than making accusations.
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(*1) Something you can “sink your teeth into” is American slang for something personally tangible in an environment of vagueness, something intellectually real that makes practical sense to you, something that wets your appetite to committing your full efforts toward; bite down hard on it with enthusiasm; something that you can actually get nourishment by digesting it, as opposed to a concept that, while pretty, has no useful or practical substance, such as plastic fruit - My own definition.

(*2) Post 129 “All Roads” (http://when-did-reason-die.blogspot.com/2010/11/all-roads.html).

(*3) Refidim: Post 242 "Developing the Path" (http://when-did-reason-die.blogspot.com/2012/04/developing-path.html) The Uncommon Christians Walk p.136-137 (https://www.createspace.com/3832282)

(*4) Post 168 “The Heart” (http://when-did-reason-die.blogspot.com/2011/02/heart.html).
Post 229 “Slow of Heart” (http://when-did-reason-die.blogspot.com/2012/01/slow-of-heart.html).

(*5) This is an accurate OT representation of how the Holy Spirit of God works in man today, rather than dominate a man to act in a flamboyant way beyond the control of himself, such as we see in today’s “Charismatic Christian” demonic practices of abominable worship before God (read Strange Fire by John MacArthur for more on this topic. http://www.gty.org/products/books/451178/Strange-Fire-Hardcover).

(*6) Post 227 “On Tongues and the Simonized Christian” (http://when-did-reason-die.blogspot.com/2011/12/on-tongues.html).

(*7) Quasi: [L.] As if; as though, as it were; in a manner; in a certain sense or degree; seeming; seemingly;-- used as an adjective or an adverb, or as a prefix; as, a quasi argument, that which resembles, or is used as, an argument; quasi-historical, apparently historical.

(*8) Are they in Hell?
It’s pretty hard to miss the clear statement; “Yes, they are in hell.” So how does this reconcile with Post 247 “Are They In Hell?” (http://when-did-reason-die.blogspot.com/2012/05/are-they-in-hell.html) which tends to confirm that they are not in Hell. This is the seeming paradox of Law and Grace, Old Testament and New Testament, Jews as God’s people and Christians as God’s people. This is a seeming paradox that does indeed have an answer, but the math is not a simple calculation.
Like explaining quantum mechanics, we’re still working up to the skill to comprehend it. But hold on, we’re getting there. Just remember the answer is in the details. Don’t ever assume that “similar” means “identical.” Three parables; three distinctly different but similar servant types with three distinctly different but similar ends… all within the kingdom of heaven exclusive of what’s not in the kingdom of heaven (Hebrews 3:17).
Exclusive of Parrots-- which are nothing like Homing Pidgins and cannot be mistaken for Homing Pigeons-- all Pigeon are not equal. But that distinction is only proven by the results at the end of the mission:

“…The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn” Matthew 13:28-30.

“When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity” Luke 13:25-27.

“I know you not whence ye are” What an odd phrase. Why word it like that? Why not say; “I know not from whence ye are”? Is this just King James eloquence?
No.
Jesus is not declaring that he doesn’t know them because of where they came from, as in; “I do not know you because our origins are not the same,” Of course they are not the same; Jesus came to give us the life that none of us had. He is rather declaring that he doesn’t know them because of how they ended up where they are now!

Whence: 4159 pothen; from the base of 4213 with enclitic adverb of origin; from which (as interrogative) or what (as relative) place, state, source or cause:-- whence.
4213 posis; from the alternate of 4095; a drinking (the act), i.e. (concretely) a draught:-- drink.
4095 pino; a prolonged form of pio; which (together with another form poo) occurs only as an alternate in certain tenses; to imbibe (literally or figuratively):-- drink.

Enclitic: [Late Latin encliticus, from Greek enkitikos, from enklinein to incline, from en in + klinein to bend.] Grammatical: Leaning or dependent (with reference to accent); - used of a word which, losing its own accent, is attached in pronunciation to a preceding word, as thee in prithee, not in cannot.

“I know you not, as evidenced by the fact that you are out there and not in here after the gate has been closed; I know you not because of where you now stand and how you came to be so,” “I don’t know you because of where you stand as opposed to where you would be standing if I knew you.” “There’s no Homing in your Pigeon.”
This is VITAL to identifying our true relationship with Christ as opposed to the relationship our deceitful heart imagines we have with him.

While God is already "stuck" with the Jews because he married them when they crossed the Jordan and he set them up in their Promised land, not so with Jesus; the wedding won't take place until we make it to the alter in the heavenly wedding chapel (Matthew 22:1-).

But even with all the extra time allotted to complete their mission, some Homing Pigeon don’t make it home in time to count. Their internal spirit was simply not singular enough in their motivation to keep them moving towards home. In the end, they were functionally just Pigeon.

“And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” Luke 9:62.

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" Matthew 7:21.

Remember Lot’s wife? She made it out of the city, safe from the destruction of Sodom and on her way to a new life free from the wickedness of Sodom’s society, but she paused longingly in her journey and looked back to the home that was hers with all her Parrot friends now burning. She was so close to successfully completing her mission! But her heart was not the heart of a Homing Pigeon focused on a place she never knew, it couldn’t be. A homing Pigeon must first be bound to the right home before it can long to be there. She never was the Lord’s as evidenced by the fact that although she was at least willing to go along, she didn’t long to be where she was going. It takes more than a passive tolerance of being led if there is no one leading you.
So while it is wonderfully liberating to be liberated, the burden of finding your way home must now come from inside your own desire as planted by the Holy Spirit via a love of and devotion to Christ Jesus
(Ephesians 1:13-14, Matthew 6:22-23,24, Colossians 3:22 [transliterate servants with employees to get the intended meaning, and then remember you are the employee-girlfriend of the Lord in the same concept of Type]).

Be a worthy employee with the genuine enthusiasm of making the success of your fiancé’s business your passion as if it were your business, this is what the Holy Spirit offers you but which Parrots and Pigeons are uninterested in; “Flying home sounds like a lot of work, I think I’ll rest a while in this nice park and-- hey what’s that?...”
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