December 31, 2001

"THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO 911"

Americans had just about gotten used to the special meaning of "9-1-1"—the memorable number to use in case of emergencies—when a terrible event gave those three little integers a new meaning. Suicide plane hijackers destroyed two of New York's skyscrapers in just a few minutes on September 11, and that event has become known as "Nine-eleven" after the now-infamous date. Since then, when I hear or read those three numbers, I have to pay close attention to discover which of the two meanings is intended.

I've never been much into the symbolism of numbers, but something mischievous in me made me go through the Bible to see what the "9:11" chapter/verse addresses in various Old and New Testament books might have to say. I found some interesting messages in them. You might call what I write below "The Gospel According to 911."

God created humans and gave clear instructions about what he expected of them. In Deuteronomy 9:11, Moses told the Israelites how God delivered the Law to him on Mount Sinai:

"At the end of forty days and forty nights the Lord gave me the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant."

Of course, the entire race of humans have consistently broken that Law and have fallen out of favor with God.

Judgment is God's response to this infidelity, and several "9:11"s talk about this. In Moses' own experience judgment fell on Pharaoh and his court through the plagues:

"The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils afflicted the magicians as well as all the Egyptians." (Exodus 9:11)

Even God's chosen people were under his judgment because of sin. Jeremiah prophesied this in 9:11:

"I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a lair of jackals; and I will make the towns of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant."

And Daniel a few generations later, mourned that this had actually happened (again in his 9:11):

"All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. So the curse and the oath written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against you."

The ultimate degree of God's judgment in hell is described vividly by the visionary John in Revelation 9:11:

"They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon."

But the story of God's grace and redemption is also told in 9:11s, beginning with his profound promise after the flood judgment, as recorded in Genesis 9:11:
"I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood to destroy the earth."
The Israelites' exodus from Egypt was another great symbol of God's deliverance from evil, as recorded in Nehemiah 9:11:
"And you divided the sea before them, so that they passed through the sea on dry land, but you threw their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into mighty waters."

The prophets in the latter part of the Old Testament more and more saw God's redemption personalized in the coming Messiah, the Son of David. Amos, in his 9:11, foresaw:

"On that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen, and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old."

And Zechariah (9:11) perceived that somehow God's redemption through the Messiah would continue the tradition of forgiveness through blood sacrifices:

"As for you also; because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit."

When Messiah finally came, his name was Jesus. He had a powerful, people oriented, life changing ministry, as described in Luke 9:11:

"When the crowds found out about it, they followed him; and he welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed to be cured."

Some of his methods surprised and scandalized traditional religious leaders:

"When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?'" (Matthew 9:11)

But the common people, like the cured blind man of John 9:11, testified of the practical, personal salvation he brought into their lives:

"He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, "Go to Siloam and wash." Then I went and washed and received my sight.'"

The clash between Jesus and the religious and secular leaders escalated to the point where he was finally crucified on the cross. It was some years later that the author of Hebrews (in 9:11, of course) reflected on the profound ways in which the Messiah fulfilled Old Testament expectations:

When Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect temple . . . he entered once and for all into the Holy Place . . . . with his own blood."
(a little help from verse 12)

That, in short, is "The Gospel According to 9:11." It turns out to be the same Good News that permeates the entire Bible. It is God's emergency response to our spiritual 9-1-1 calls and the only anti-venom for the terror of 9/11.

"Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the skillful, but time and chance happen to them all."

Acts –

"The Lord said to him, ‘Get up and go the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying."

2 Corinthians –

"You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us.")