The World Cup Vs. The Cup of Christ

I must say that I am somewhat relieved that Korea got out of the World Cup. There is a very unhealthy sense of nationalistic pride that surges during such events. There is a strong difference between a healthy sense of patriotism and an overzealous nationalism. The saddest thing is seeing people who claim to be followers of Christ get mixed up in the worldly idol worship of nation and man. I was greatly disappointed to hear that they played one of the matches in our school chapel. Is there really a difference in a group of people screaming "Dae-Han-Min-Gook" for 2 hours (actually for more than 5 hours the night they played one team at 4am as people throughout Korea gathered at midnight...) and a group of people screaming "Great is Diana of the Ephesians" (Acts 19:34) for 2 hours?!
Many religious groups have focused on the problem with the name "Red Devils" but it goes FAR beyond that. Idolatry of soccer and focusing on the "gory of man" rather than the "glory of God" is more at the heart of the issue. Simply changing the name of the team to "white Angels" or whatever does not address South Korea's (and other nations of course!) obsession with what man can do with a ball! (All those grown men fighting over one ball!!! Really!)
A 44-year old Korean man was even arrested for making threatening calls (bomb threat) to the Swiss Embassy after Korea lost to their team 2-0. You can say, "That's just one weirdo!" but it's not the only case. Onno, the American who won the gold medal in speed-skating constantly receives death threats from South Koreans who believe he "stole it" unfairly from South Korea. He was not able to come to Korea, as planned, due to such threats...
Lord, may you become the one and only true passion of my Korean brothers and sisters in Christ and may you remind them that their hope is not in national sporting events but in the Living God!
"Before him all the nations are as nothing: they are regarded by Him as worthless and less than nothing." (Isaiah 40:17)
"His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, NOR HIS DELIGHT IN THE LEGS OF A MAN." (Psalm 147:10)
"Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils, Of what account is he?" (Isaiah 2:22)

The Doctrine of Christ - Purification of Heaven

"Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood He entered in once into the Most Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." (Hebrews 9:12)
The most holy place in existence is in the presence of God or in heaven. The primary purpose of the blood of Christ was to propritiate (satisfy) the wrath of God and pay the price of redemption. But also, as the earthly high priest used the blood of bulls and goats to cleanse the Holy of Holies, so Christ, the Eternal High Priest, entered heaven to purify it "by his own blood".
Illustration: Although heaven is a perfect place, Satan also had access to it (Job 1:6). The purification of heaven probably entailed the casting out of Satan.
Application: Purity ought also to characterize the earthly dwelling place of God, that is, the Christian, whom Christ indwells (Gal. 2:20). The Christian is therefore called the temple of God (1 Cor. 6:19).