berean-bible-ministry

Isaiah 30 - 34

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 03:47:01 GMT

Messages of Judgment and of Hope

In Chapter 30 , Isaiah focuses on Hezekiah’s foolish attempt to make an alliance with Egypt to protect his nation, Judah, from the Assyrians.

Verse 1 , “Woe to the obstinate children...to those who carry out plans that are not mine.” Obstinate? The Israelites? Have we ever heard that description of them before? The Israelites were described by Moses and others as stiff necked, obstinate or difficult to lead in Ex. 33:3; Deut. 9:13; Neh. 9:16 and Acts 7:51 .

Do you remember when Moses was told to return to Egypt to liberate the Israelites from slavery? He declined because he didn’t think he was qualified. I wonder if in the back of his mind he also thought, “Those people are disagreeable, stubborn, argumentative, and I pity anyone who tries to lead them anywhere.”

God warned the Jews that an alliance with Egypt would prove worthless. Verse 7 , “to Egypt, whose help is utterly useless. Therefore, I will call her ‘Rahab the Do-Nothing’.” This expression meant that Egypt had a big mouth when it came to promises but could do little or nothing to really help Judah. The word Rahab comes from Ra’hav , a mythical sea monster, something like a hippopotamus (from the Greek meaning “river horse”). Though it is huge in size, the Rahab was not as dangerous as its size would suggest. So Egypt, like the Rahab, was not as dangerous as a military opponent nor as helpful as an ally as one would hope. But when you are as small a nation as Judah, being confronted by the Assyrian Empire, you make an alliance with whoever you can.

It’s difficult to be too critical of Hezekiah. He was a very good king but in this situation, when many of his fortress cities were destroyed and Jerusalem was threatened, his faith faltered. His faltering faith brings to mind the story told in Mark 9 . Here a father, desperate and afraid for his son’s well-being, brought him to Jesus and asked if he could do anything to help them. Jesus replied, “If you can? Everything is possible for one who believes.” The boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” What the father is saying is, “My faith is far from perfect. I may not have enough faith. If my faith is not enough, please help me to have enough.” “I do have faith! Please help me to have even more.” Jesus was pleased with the fathers’ response and healed the boy. And that year the son bought his dad the best Father’s Day gift he could afford. Well, maybe not.

The point is, Hezekiah was a desperate and fearful king, having seen many of his fortress cities destroyed and with the enemy at the gates of Jerusalem. He was faithful, but his faith wasn’t perfect, and so he stumbled.

So what happened? Did the alliance with Egypt bring Judah success? In 701 B.C. Sennacherib brought his army south along the Phoenician coast. The Egyptians and Assyrians fought in the area of Eltekeh on the Philistine Plain. Do you want to guess who won the battle? Isaiah gives us some details about this battle in Isa. 10:28-32 . God allowed Sennacherib to capture some cities, but not Jerusalem. Now Sennacherib’s version of what happened to Jerusalem was a bit biased, much as our histories are written today. Sennacherib wrote that Jerusalem was “like a caged bird in Jerusalem, his royal city, I shut up.” He is correct in saying he put the city under seige, but he didn’t mention that he was never able to conquer it.

Throughout history, leaders liked to report their accomplishments and ignore their failures. The emperors and kings were the ones with the resources to write the history, build the monuments, and “control the narrative” as we say today. They write memoirs in order to write sanitized versions of the history. When Winston Churchill was asked how he thought he would be remembered in history, he replied, “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.”

Verse 9 , “These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction. They say to the seers (prophets like Isaiah), ‘See no more visions!’ and to the prophets, ‘Give us no more visions of what is right!’ Tell us pleasant things, prophecy illusions. Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel.’”

Have things changed much over the centuries? Do voters and church members like to hear “pleasant things and illusions”? Vice President Walter Mondale was running against Governor Ronald Reagan. Mondale said, “Let’s tell the truth. Mr. Reagan will raise taxes, and so will I. He won’t tell you, I just did.” Can you guess who won the election? Oftentimes, the candidate who promises more for the people at no cost wins the election.

Some pastors have gotten away from teaching and preaching from all the Bible to focus more on the feel good passages. A prominent radio Bible teacher lamented that there is a decline in biblical literacy within churches. He said that expositional preaching has given way to inspirational talks, which gives way to therapeutical endeavors. In other words, inspiration and entertainment has replaced transformational preaching. Consider Rom. 12:2 , “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

I wonder how many subjects some pastors would like to preach on, but they avoid out of fear of offending some of the church members, especially the larger contributors to the church.

Verse 15 tells us that rather than seeking help from an alliance with Egypt, they should have turned back to God. “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” The people of Judah were confident of their security, saying, “No, we will not flee on horses. Therefore, you will flee...your pursuers will be swift. Verse 17 , “A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee away.” They bragged about their security, yet flee at the first sign of a threat. When Jerusalem is invaded by the Babylonians, it won’t take them long to realize that they are in danger and many will flee before their land is invaded, leaving the cities more like ghost towns.

As for the threat from the Assyrians, Hezekiah did survive, Egypt proved to have a “Do-Nothing military and Assyria failed to take Jerusalem and became weaker in the process.

Without any warning, verse 19 moves ahead to the time of restoration of Israel. “O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more… Verse 21 , “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hears a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it.’” One commentator said that this “voice” is the still, small voice of God’s Spirit. And the natural result of this will be the discarding of any images of false gods. Verse 22 , “Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold, you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth.” Now that’s about as graphic a description that I’ve read in some time. If Mrs. Isaiah had proof read this text she might have said, “Now Isaiah, you can’t use that term, this is a Bible study.”

This future return to God will result in physical blessings as seen in verses 23-25 . This idea goes back to Deut. 28 where the Israelites were offered blessings for obedience or curses for disobedience. Have you noticed that when God is telling his people that they are about to endure a difficult time in their history, he will oftentimes end with words of encouragement by telling them of a future time of peace and prosperity?

But what about those enemies of Israel of God’s people? Well, Isaiah addresses them in verses 27-33 . He is going to come from afar with burning anger ( verse 27 ). He shakes the nations in the sieve of destruction ( verse 28 ). Verse 31 , “The voice of the Lord will shatter Assyria. Verse 33 says, “Topeth has long been prepared; it has been make ready for the king. Its fire pit has been made deep and wide.” Let’s unpack this passage and figure out what it means. Notice that God is described as shaking the “nations”, plural. What God will do to the many nations, he would now do to Assyria. The King of Assyria will lose ( verse 31 ).

What is Topeth that has been prepared? It was a place located in the Valley of Hinnom. This was where the people of Jerusalem would burn their garbage. A landfill that was always burning. Hopefully it was located downwind from the city. It was also the place where some kings offered human sacrifices to the god Molech. In Hebrew, the Valley of Hinnom is called Gei Hinnom, from which comes the Greek term Gehenna . This is oftentimes translated “hell” and became a symbol of the Lake of Fire.

One Jewish commentator wrote that Sennacherib’s troops were camped nearby. The fires of Topeth were smoldering when God set it ablaze, this caused poisonous vapors that swept over his troops and poisoned many while others died in the fire. Sennacherib escaped but when he returned home, his sons murdered him.

Chapter 31

Imagine you’ve just been admonished by your boss, spouse or someone else. The storm seems to have passed, but then, a few days later, he says, “Oh, and another thing…!” and adds to his first list of criticisms. Well, Isaiah does a similar thing in chapter 31. He returns to the subject of Judah’s alliance with Egypt, giving more details in this second message or second woe. This returning to the subject has been given a fancy name by theologians, it’s called the law of recurrence. It reminds me of a similar idea in Psychology called rumination. This is where a patient endlessly replays negative images. It’s like playing a broken record in your mind. One psychiatrist had a patient who was a victim of physical and verbal abuse and kept thinking about it. He told her that she is continuing the abuse that others laid on her by ruminating on it. She suggested that the patient “lift the needle off the record.”

The Apostle Paul suggested in Phil. 3:13-14 , “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” The word “forgetting” means to stop focusing on. Paul is telling us to focus on the present and future. It’s easy to live in the past, focusing on either its victories or failures. Our past mistakes and failures can destroy our self-worth and our past accomplishments can inflate our pride. Instead, Paul says, we should focus on our new identity in Christ and our ministries, present and future.

We should refuse to allow past successes to inflate our pride or past failures to deflate our self-worth. We leave it behind and instead adopt our new identity in Christ. Let’s take a look at 2 Cor. 5:17 , “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 1 John 1:9 , “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Rom. 8:1 , “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
There are numerous passages that say that God not only forgives our sins, but he doesn’t even remember them anymore.

Heb. 8:12 , “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.”

Isa. 43:25 says, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.

Do you think that Paul had to deal with forgetting ugly episodes of his past? If he focused his mind on his early years when he was persecuting the church ( Acts 8:1-3 ) or his many episodes of being persecuted for being a leader of that same church ( 2 Cor 6:4 ), would he be effective in any ministry? If God has forgiven us and forgotten our sins in the sense he isn’t going to hold them against us, why do we sometimes insist on holding onto those disturbing memories? Try to replace those thought with a new focus on today and tomorrow.

Now, getting back to Chapter 31:1 , in the first “woe” Isaiah condemned Judah’s alliance with Egypt. With this second woe found here, he returns to the subject of the alliance with Egypt and adds more detail. Verse 1 warns that this alliance is doomed to fail. “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help...but do not look to the Holy One of Israel.”

In verses 4-9 he summarizes what he said in the previous chapter. In verse 5 Isaiah wrote, “Like birds hovering overhead, the Lord Almighty will shield Jerusalem.” God would protect Jerusalem, they didn’t need an alliance with Egypt. Verse 6 , God urges the people to, “return to him you have so greatly revolted against, O Israelites.” Verse 8 , “Assyria will fall by a sword that is not of man.” What was the end result of all this?

Assyria did destroy forty-six of Judah’s fortified cities, but God protected the city of Jerusalem. Sennacherib retreated and was killed soon after he returned to Assyria.

In chapter 32 , we have a parenthetical thought, another jump forward in time. Why? No, not to confuse us, though it does at times, but to give hope to Judah when their nation will be ruled by the Messiah. Verse 1 , “See, a king will reign in righteousness and rules will rule with justice. Verse 2 , “Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm.” The context suggests that because the nation would be ruled by competent and honest leaders, the citizens will feel safe and secure. Verse 3 , “Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed and the ears of those who hear will listen. Verse 5 , “No longer will the fool be called noble nor the scoundrel be highly respected.” Well, I guess many of their appointed officials will be out of a job.

The way Isaiah inserts parenthetical passages and jumps from the near future to the distant future makes his writings more difficult to understand. In verse 9 he does it again, alternating between the Assyrian invasion of his own day and the final invasion by all the nations in the end times. If Isaiah, and other prophets, focused only on their impending captivity and not on their restoration, it would be very discouraging. It would be like a doctor explaining to you all the horrible side effects of a treatment without reminding you that the end results will be a restoration of health and strength.

Verse 9 , “You women who are so complacent, rise up and listen to me; your daughters who feel secure, hear what I have to say!” Here it comes, get ready! Verse 10 , “In little more than a year you who feel secure will tremble.” He goes on to describe failed crops ( verse 10 ), fields will be overgrown with thorns and briers ( verse 13 ), the noisy city will be deserted ( verse 14 ) UNTIL the Spirit is poured upon us from on high ( verse 15 ). Since these events will take place before the Spirit is poured upon them and doesn’t describe the immediate future, we can assume that these events speak of the tribulation.

The expression, the Spirit is poured upon us from on high” is repeated in Joel 2:28-32 , “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions... verse 32 “and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved… there will be deliverance as the Lord has said, among the survivors whom the Lord calls.”

Chapter 33

Verse 1 , “Woe to you, O destroyer, you who have not been destroyed.” Who is he speaking about? It’s Assyria. It goes on to say, “When you stop destroying, you will be destroyed.” As the chapter progresses, it appears to be directed not only to Assyria but to the whole world. It sounds like it is referring to the Antichrist. Sometimes a prophecy has a double meaning. It might be fulfilled in part in the near future, but ultimately it will be fulfilled in the distant future. Zech. 13:8-9 tells us that the Antichrist will be responsible for destroying two thirds of the world’s Jewish population in the tribulation. He is the destroyer, the treacherous one who breaks a covenant with the Jews made at the beginning of the tribulation. Dan. 9:27 tells us, “He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.” The Antichrist will be the first casualty of the second coming. 2 Thess. 2:8 says, “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.”

After hearing this the remnant of believers offer a prayer. Verse 2 , “O Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.”

In verse 3 , it says, “At the thunder of your voice, the peoples flee; when you rise up, the nations scatter.” The fact that the people and nations are plural, suggests that this refers to more than Assyria, and involved a plurality of nations. This tends to point to the tribulation period. Another clue is verse 6, “He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.” None of these things were happening in the Jerusalem of Isaiah’s day. Either way, the point is made that in time, justice will be served. Those who oppress the people of God will themselves be oppressed.

When the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel, the foreign minister and ambassadors, will find themselves weeping to see that their peace agreement has collapsed. Verses 7-9 , “Look, their brave men cry aloud in the streets; the envoys of peace weep bitterly.” It goes on to say that the highways are deserted, the treaty is broken, the land mourns and wastes away. If any of these officials were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, they might as well send it back to Oslo, Norway.

In verse 10 Isaiah turned to the destruction of the invaders, “You conceive chaff, you give birth to straw; our breath is a fire that consumes you.” Now there’s an expression you probably haven’t heard before. It’s another way of saying that the enemy who invades will carry within himself the seeds of his own destruction. It brings to mind when an army invades a country far beyond what the capacity of the logistical chain can provide to maintain its momentum. Think of Germany invading Russia just as winter weather was about to hit.

Verse 14 tells us that the sinners at that time will be terrified and the question is asked, “Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? The answer is found in verse 15 , “He who walks righteously and speaks what is right. The chapter goes on to describe the bright future of the righteous remnant. All those evil people “you will see those arrogant people no more, those people of an obscure speech” ( verse 19 ). The chapter ends with a description of the millennium. There will be peace, led by the Messiah, in a world of abundance and our sins will all be forgiven ( verses 20-24 ).

In Chapter 34 Isaiah focuses on the judgment of the nations, plural. Verse 2 , “The Lord is angry with all nations...He will totally destroy them.” Verse 4 , “All the stars of the heavens will be dissolved.” In verses 5-7 He focuses on his judgment of Edom. It will be overtaken by desert creatures ( verse 14 ) and culminates with the destroyed land being given over to the wild animals ( verse 17 ). Didn’t we read elsewhere that Edom would be destroyed, along with Babylon?

Pentecost 2025

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 03:42:22 GMT

Pentecost: The Birthday of the Church Celebrated June 8, 2025

On April 20, 2025, Christians observed Easter, also known as First Fruits or Resurrection Sunday, to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus. Paul referred to Jesus as the first fruits because he was the first person to be permanently returned to life and that there will others to come, each in their time. “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the first fruits ; then, when he comes (the rapture), those who belong to him (1 Cor. 15:22-23) .

The next holy day is called Pentecost, (known as Shavuot in Judaism) which literally means, “count fifty.” It is fifty days from First Fruits and is also known as the Feast of Weeks. Shavuot was a harvest festival where offerings would be brought to the temple. After the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. the focus shifted from agriculture to commemorating the giving of the Law of Moses on Mt. Sinai.

For many Christians this holy day commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit which is the birth of the church. (Acts 2:1-31) .

In Acts 2 , the apostles were gathered together, when a mighty rushing wind (a symbol of the Holy Spirit) and “tongues as of fire” (a symbol of the presence of God) appeared. The Greek word for spirit is pneuma , which means spirit, wind, or breath. Power tools powered by compressed air are called pneumatic tools. If you

were to take a course to study the Holy Spirit, it would be called pneumatology.

In Acts 2 the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit. I Cor. 12:13 says that Christians are baptized by one Spirit into ONE body. This is the baptism that counts. Water baptism is just a ritual that commemorates what has already taken place.

In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit came temporarily upon selective people (judges and the kings, etc.) to perform a specific act and as a sign of favor. In the New Testament indwelling of the Holy Spirit is permanent. This is the “guarantee of our inheritance” (Eph. 1:13-14) . John 14:17 reminds us, “But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

Why do we call Pentecost the birthday of the church? In Matt. 16:18 , Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not overcome it.” Eph. 1:22-24 says that the church is “his body.” Col. 1:24 refers to his (Christ’s) body, which is the church. Being filled with the Holy Spirit into one body, the church is his body, the church was born on Pentecost.

If you go to church on Pentecost, you might notice many wearing red, which symbolizes the joy and fire of the Holy Spirit. Some churches have a red light in the ceiling to symbolize the coming of the Holy Spirit.

If you are born again, “Happy Birthday” and “Happy Birthday” to the Church.

A Zola Levitt presentation on Pentecost

Isaiah 35 - 39

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 08:30:03 GMT

The Restoration of Israel

My translation of the Bible has the chapter heading The Restoration of Israel. Right away you know that this is speaking of a time in the distant future, the time of the second coming of Jesus. The previous chapter told us about the fate of Edom which will become a continuously burning wasteland. By contrast, Israel will be restored and beautified.

Chapter 35:1 , “The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.” Even today, if you look at a map of Israel, you will find that much of it, especially the southern part, is desert. There is the coastal plain running north to south along the Mediterranean Sea, then you have mountains and hills as you move inland. In the south you have the Negev desert which makes up more than half of the country. Then there is the Jordan Valley where the Jordan River flows from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. Only about 13% of Israel is arable land.

Verse 2 says, “The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord.” What is the glory of Lebanon? It is their trees, especially the cedars. Lebanon was known for their cedar trees which were used to build the temple in Jerusalem. More important than the trees, the “glory of the Lord” will be seen, the Shechinah glory will be visible in the land. How does Isaiah explain what causes this transformation? Verse 4 tells us, “Be strong, do not fear, your God will come.”

And if the transformation of the land isn’t enough to celebrate, Verses 5-6 gives them more good news. “The eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.” The Negev desert has good soil. What prevents it from producing any crops is the lack of water. Verse 7 , “The burning sand will become a pool, the thirty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.”

In the Messianic kingdom there will be a highway built through Israel. It won’t be called the Autobahn or the Interstate or a Parkway, but the Way of Holiness. Verse 8 , “And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness.”

I hope they ban billboard, fast food restaurants, discount stores, and cheap motels along the way. It should be like the Blue Ridge Parkway which is a 470 mile two lane highway that runs north and south along the Ridge of the Blue Ridge mountains. No commercial vehicles are allowed nor are billboards. It is a scenic highway with numerous parking areas where you can get a better view of the valley.

This Way of Holiness “Parkway” will be used by only those who are authorized to do so. Verse 8 continues, “The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it.”

Maybe this will be like the “temple recommend” that Mormons can receive after an interview with their local church leader and regional leader. This “temple recommend” is issued in the form of an identification card is valid for two years. Some of the questions asked are:

Do you have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel in these the latter days? (Mormonism isn’t a reformation church. It is a restoration to what they believe was the gospel that had been lost since the death of the apostles. In their book, Doctrines and Covenants, Joseph Smith-History, chapter 1 verses 18-19, Joseph Smith asks the Personages, which church he should join. He was told, verse 19, “...none of them, for they were all wrong...and that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight.”
Do you sustain the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and as the only person on the earth who possesses and is authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators? Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local authorities of the Church?
Is there anything in your conduct relating to members of your family that is not in harmony with the teachings of the Church?
Do you support, affiliate with, or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? (In other words, don’t spend your time or money working with other charitable or religious organizations. Besides, the more contact you have with the outside world, the more likely you might be led astray from the truth).
Do you strive to keep the covenants you have made, to attend your sacrament and other meetings, and to keep your life in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel?
Are you a full-tithe payer? (I suspect that this might be the most important one in the minds of some leaders)
If you have previously received your temple endowment: 1) Do you keep the covenants that you made in the temple? 2) Do you wear the garment both night and day as instructed in the endowment and in accordance with the covenant you made in the temple?

I bet that in the Kingdom you won’t be able to lie in your “Highway Recommend Interview” if you needed one.

Verse 9 , “No lion will be there nor will any ferocious beast get up on it. But only the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord will return.” Perhaps the parkway will be elevated or have fencing along it, so we won’t need armed guards or pepper spray. “Walk there?” There must be sidewalks for the younger set who like to hike. I hope motorcycles are allowed. Verse 10 , “They will enter Zion with singing.”

The chapter ends with the prophecy that “Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. So, we learned about the bright future for the Israelites, Blue Ridge Parkway and a little about Mormonism.

In chapter 36 Isaiah returns to the subject of Sennacherib of Assyria and his attempt to take over Judah.

Chapters 36-37 describe the Assyrians unsuccessful try to take Jerusalem, Chapter 38 deals with a life threatening illness that Hezekiah survives and chapter 39 deals with Hezekiah and the Babylonians. These chapters show a transition from Assyrian domination to Babylonian. The rest of the book, chapters 40-66 deal with, among other things, Babylon. Assyria is history.

In anticipation of an Assyrian invasion, Hezekiah built an underground tunnel that connected Jerusalem’s main water source, the Gihon Spring, with the Pool of Siloam. The new system was designed to keep the outflow all within the walls of Jerusalem. This meant that the enemy troops outside the walls didn’t have access to the water. You can read about Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah and the seige of Jerusalem in 2 Chron. 32 and 2 kings 18.

Other nations, Edom, Moab and Ammon, located to the east and south of Judah had already surrendered to the Assyrians. Even Egyptian army that had moved in from the south to help Judah had been defeated. Imagine the pressure that was on the shoulders of Hezekiah. The city of Lachish, located about thirty miles southwest of Jerusalem had been taken and was being used as a staging area for the Assyrians. With many of his fortress cities around the perimeter of Judah conquered, and Jerusalem standing alone. He refused to surrender Jerusalem and allow those with him to be deported.

At this point Sennacherib sent an envoy to King Hezekiah.

Isaiah Chapter 36:1 , “In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib, king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.”

Sennacherib sent an envoy to meet with a representative of Hezekiah. He tries to reason with him to give up. Egypt was of no help to them. He then said in verse 7 , “If you say to me, ‘We are depending on the Lord our God”- isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar”? In other words, God would be of no help either. Not understanding the difference between Jewish monotheism and idolatry, he assumed that since the high places and altars were removed, why would God want to help them? He didn’t understand that the removal of these altars was a sign of faithfulness. Not knowing the religion of a military opponent can be dangerous.

The wars in the middle east have less to do with land than it does with religion. Here is a quote from the Ayatollah Khomeini, “We shall export our revolution to the whole world. Until the cry ‘There is no god but Allah’ resounds over the whole world, there will be struggle. Establishing the Islamic state world-wide belongs to the great goals of the revolution.” The west has to understand that the middle eastern wars are not about politics, but religion. Peace won’t come when the status of Israel is settled. Israel is not the only target of this revolution.

Verse 8 “Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses.” At this point, the Jews responded by asking them to speak in Aramaic, which was the diplomatic language of the day. They did that so that other Jews wouldn’t be able to understand the negotiations. The Assyrians refused, knowing that if they could convince the common Israelites, they could put pressure on the leaders to agree, also.

After offering an incentive of thousands of horses, he then gave them a veiled threat. If they didn’t accept this offer, verse 12 , they “will have to eat their own filth and drink their own urine.” In other words, if the city is under a prolonged seige, conditions will become so horrible that they will eat and drink their own waste. He goes on to say, verse 14 “Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you.”

In chapter 37 Isaiah describes Hezekiah’s response. Verse 14 , “Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. Verse 15 , “And Hezekiah prayed. Verse 20 , “Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand.” Hezekiah was at the end of his rope. He had no options open to him. He had to rely on God to save him and his city.

God responds begins in verse 22 . This is addressed to the Assyrian king. The king is accused of pride (verse 23 ); disrespect towards God (verse 24) and in verse 29 he says, “Because you rage against me and because your insolence has reached by ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came.”

God goes on to reassure Hezekiah, verses 30-31 , “This will be the sign for you, O Hezekiah: “This year you will eat what grows by itself, and the second year that springs from that. But in the third year sow and reap, plant vineyards and eat their fruit. Once more a remnant of the house of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above.” In other words, in the third year everything will be back to normal.

God then gives Hezekiah this message, verses 33-34 , “He will not enter the city or shoot an arrow here...by the way he came he will return, he will not enter the city.” Verse 35 , “I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant.”

Wow! Wouldn’t you have liked to have been there to see how it happens? While Sennacherib was getting ready to move against Jerusalem, he had to divert some of his army towards Egypt. Verse 36 , “Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp.” I wonder cleaned up this mess. Oftentimes, when a leader lost a battle, he would send teams out to gather the bodies and equipment, then he would control the narrative as to what happened. In effect, kings would bury their failures, literally.

Then Sennacherib broke camp and withdrew and returned to Nineveh and STAYED THERE.” I imagine he wouldn’t be afraid of stepping out his front door. But he should have been too afraid to even go to the temple to pray because, verse 38 tells us, “While he was worshiping in the temple of his god, Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer cut him down with the sword and they escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king.” Sennacherib died in 681 B.C., twenty years after his failure to take Jerusalem.

Let’s see what we can find out about this god and the his sons. Nisroch is more likely a scribal error and should be the god Nimrod, a god of agriculture. Adrammelech is the name of a pagan god. After the assassination the sons escaped to Ararat, which is in modern-day Turkey. There are no clear answers as to the motive behind the killing of Sennacherib by his sons or why they fled to Ararat.

Chapter 38, Hezekiah’s Illness

Chronologically, the events of Isaiah 38 , his near fatal illness occurred before chapters 36 and 37 .

Verse 1 , “In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’”

Did you know that one of the first things a newly elected president of the U.S. has to do is to make out his funeral plans? You never know when a president might die in office and so plans have to be made before he is even inaugurated. In 1841 President William Harrison, who is known for delivering the longest inaugural address in American history, died after just one month after taking office.

If “putting your house in order” is a task you have been putting off, take comfort in knowing that at least it isn’t as complicated as what the President of the U.S. must do. The president must strictly follow the outline of a 138 page planning document.

As an expression of love for your family, everyone should do as much pre-planning as possible. This means having a will, a living will, power of attorney, a letter of instruction as to who gets what, where documents are kept, who to notify at the time of death, funeral and burial preferences, etc. This will prevent unnecessary stress and conflict when the time comes.

So Hezekiah probably called his attorney to see about updating his will, power of attorney, funeral preferences, etc. He also “turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, ‘O Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.’” Well, you might think that he had a pretty good image of himself. But God thought the same thing. 2 Kings 18:3-8 tells us, “He did what was rights in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it...Hezekiah trusted in the Lord...There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook.” 2 Chron. 31:21 , “In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God ad worked wholehearted. And so he prospered.” That’s quite an epitaph. I wonder if he had any of these comments on his headstone.

Benjamin Franklin wrote his own epitaph:

The body of B. Franklin, Printer,

Like the Cover of an old Book.

Its Contents torn out.

And stripped of its Lettering and Gilding.

Lies here. Food for worms.

But the Work shall not be wholly lost.

For it will as he believ’d

appear once more

In a new and more elegant Edition

Corrected and improved

By the Author.

The actor Peter O’Toole sent a jacket to the dry cleaners. It was returned to him with a note that read, “It distresses us to return work which is not perfect.” He thought that would be a good epitaph for his headstone.

God heard Hezekiah’s prayer (verse 5) and gave him fifteen more years of life. 2 Kings 18-20 shows that Hezekiah was fifty-four years old when he died, so his illness must have stricken him when he was about thirty-nine. If you in your late 70’s would you want to be guaranteed another fifteen years of life? What if you the last five years included having to deal with a degenerative condition such as Alzheimer’s disease? To what degree should Christians seek an extension of their lives by way of modern medicine? Paul tells us that we shouldn’t grieve like those who are without hope (1 Thess. 4:13) . Should we die like those who are without hope, clinging to life for as long as we can?

Besides being given the promise of being healed, God also promised Hezekiah that he would be delivered from Sennacherib. Verse 6 , “And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.” Can you picture the grin on Hezekiah’s face after hearing this?

Being the anxious personality type, God decided to give him a sign to prove his promise. Verse 8 , “I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway.” It is often assumed that the steps refers here to a sundial in the palace courtyard. The next day Hezekiah felt great. He had a good night’s sleep, his favorite breakfast, the sky was clear, with low humidity and then in verses 9-20 he wrote a psalm to commemorate this miracle. Verse 18 says, “For the grave cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise, those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness.” This sounds as if there is no consciousness after death. This idea, called “soul sleep” is taught by the Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses and a few other groups, such as the offshoots of the Worldwide Church of God. But back then, there wasn’t the knowledge that is available today regarding the status of the dead. The story of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31) and the tribulation martyr of Rev. 6:10 are a few passages that show that there is consciousness after death.

Verse 21 says that Isaiah told the king to make a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.” If God healed him, why did he have to use the poultice? I don’t know how anyone could be told that a boil, by itself, would be fatal. He might have had an infection that started with a boil, then he went sepsis, where the body is flooded with pathogens and is overwhelmed by them. And no poultice, made of fig or anything else could cure a patient with this systemic infection. Nor was the poultice necessary for God to heal Hezekiah. He didn’t need the help of this primitive treatment. It was done so that Hezekiah could show his faith by submitting to the treatment. And the treatment would have also served as a placebo, a treatment that would calm his anxiety. We know that placebos can have a powerful effect, on the mind, if not on the body. I dispensed them to patients at the Air Force pharmacy where I worked.

Chapter 39 parallels 2 Kings 20:12-19 and 2 Chron. 32:24-31 . These passages describe the visit of some governmental officials from the Babylonian Empire. They arrived with a nice letter from the emperor as well as a get well gift. Wasn’t that nice of them? I hope they gave him something he wanted. What gift do you buy for a king? Wouldn’t he already have anything he wanted? Royalty, they’re so difficulty to buy for.

Verse 2 , “Hezekiah received the envoys gladly.” Rather than using this occasion to thank God and to declare His greatness to the visitors, the king became arrogant. 2 Chron. 32:25 tells us, “But Hezekiah’s heart was proud.” This led him to show his visitors (spies) what was in his storehouses-the silver, the gold, the spices, the fine oil, his entire armory and everything found among his treasures.”

He may have even showed him his collection of restored antique chariots and stamp collection. Was Hezekiah nuts? Did his illness cause brain damage? That would be like giving the German and Japanese Ambassadors to the U.S. a tour of Ft. Knox, and the War Department back in the 1930’s.

Some rabbis even claim that he allowed the delegation to take a look at the two tablets that Moses put in the Ark of the Covenant. How could he, a non-priest, have access to the Holy of Holiess? Well, the rabbis suggest that they were shown, not the tablets in the ark, but the broken ones (Ex. 32:19) which were supposedly kept in a separate ark outside the Holy of Holies. Isn’t scripture enough? Isn’t it sufficient? Why do some people feel compelled to add their speculations and legends to what God has given them? Do they think that what God chose to give us is inadequate?

After the visitors had gone back home, Isaiah visited the king and asked who were those visitors. Hezekiah explained to him who they were and said, with some degree of pride, (verse 4) “They saw everything in my palace...there is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.” At this point the king may have come to realize the foolishness of his actions. Isaiah then had to tell him that all those things that he was so proud of showing off would be carried off to Babylon.

Verse 6-7 , “The time will surely come when everything in your palace and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon...and some of your descendants will be taken away and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

Those visitors weren’t well-wishers, they were spies. And it may not have been just pride that led to the tour. Perhaps he was hoping to gain their military support against Assyria and he wanted to show them that he had something to offer as a potential ally.

Hezekiah didn’t argue or plead with him. 2 Chron. 32:26 , shows his humbleness, “Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come upon them during the days of Hezekiah.” It would not be until the time of Jeremiah that the nations’ sins would bring them beyond the point of no return, during the time of Hezekiah’s son Manasseh.

Verse 8 , “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good.” He thought that as bad as this news was, it won’t happen in his lifetime. Just as today, when a death sentence is issued, it might not be carried out until years later.

Up until then, Hezekiah didn’t have any children. And we know from history, once he did, he might have wished he hadn’t. It would be his wicked son and successor Manasseh whose behavior would ultimately lead to the Babylonian captivity. 2 Kings 21:11-14 . “The Lord said through his servants the prophets: Manasseh has done more evil than the Amorites and led Judah into sin with his idols. Therefore, I am going to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle...I will wipe out Jerusalem. I will forsake the remnant of my inheritance and hand them over to their enemies. They will be looted and plundered by all their foes.”

Isaiah 23 - 25

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 06:27:32 GMT

Prophecy Against Tyre, and The Little Apocalypse

Chapter 23 gives a message about the future or lack of a future for the city of Tyre, a seaport city in what was known as Phoenicia, it was located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea in what is today the nation of Lebanon. just south of Sidon and 12 miles north of the Israeli border.

Tyre was a bit unique in that part of the city, called New Tyre, was off the coast on small islands. The city is still there, but the gap between New Tyre and the mainland city was filled in by Alexander the Great who turned the island into a peninsula. He created the “road” in order to lay seige to New Tyre.

The island city of New Tyre had not just one sheltered harbor, but two, on opposite sides of the island. This enabled Tyre to import and export huge quantities of goods, making the nation very wealthy.

Why was God angry with Tyre? Joshua was unable to capture Tyre, which was part of the tribal land of Asher (Judges 1:31) . King Ahab married the Phoenician princess Jezebel who aggressively promoted the worship of her pagan gods in Israel (1 Kings 16:31) . Over time, the good relations between Israel and the Phoenicians soured. The prophet Joel accused the people of Tyre and Sidon of plundering the Israelites of their gold and silver. They were also known for being slave traders who sold some of the people of Judah into slavery to the Greeks. Joel 3:5-6 , “For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasure to your temples. You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, that you might send them far from their homeland.”

Here is what Isaiah says, verse 1 , “Wail, O ships of Tarshish! For Tyre is destroyed!”

Where’s Tarshish and why would it be grieving the loss of Tyre? Tarshish is in southern Spain. That’s the city where Jonah fled to when he was called to go to Nineveh. Tarshish seems to have exported to Tyre a large quantity of metal. So they lost one of their bigger customers. Not only would Tarshish wail, so would other places such as Cyprus and Egypt because Tyre was “the marketplace of the nations.” If they had a stock exchange, their markets would plummet when they received the news.

Besides what Isaiah has to say about its future, Ezekiel had a thing or two to add. Ezek. 26:3-5, 14 says, “I am against you O Tyre, and will bring many nations against you…They will destroy the walls of Tyre and pull down her towers; I will scrape away her rubble and make her a bare rock. Out in the sea, she will become a place to spread fishnets. I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt.”

These prophecies did come true. Nebuchadnezzar had taken the mainland city after thirteen years of seige (585-572 BC), but the island city had not been destroyed. The destruction of New Tyre, on the island, would occur 250 years later by Alexander the Great in 322 BC. How did he do that? He took all the rubble from the destruction of Tyre and built a road out to the island, turning an island into a peninsula.

The prophecy says that the city would never be rebuilt. That doesn’t mean that the island would remain desolate, but it would never be rebuilt to the size and glory it once had.

Verses 15-18 speaks of a restoration of Tyre. “… after seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute: “Take up a harp, walk through the city, O prostitute forgotten; play the harp well, sing many a song so that you will be remembered.” A prostitute nation is one which seeks to make as high a profit regardless of the means. It goes on to say, verse 18 , “Her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the Lord.” In other words, there will come a day when Tyre will be able to return to the business that it knew best but some of the wealth it acquires will be sent to Jerusalem. This happened when King Cyrus of Persia paid for the construction of the second temple. Ezra 3:7 , “And they gave money to the masons and carpenters and gave food and drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring Cedar logs by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus King of Persia.”

Tyre was wealthy, and much of their money was hoarded. Can you recall someone in the Gospels who went beyond investing for the future and hoarded his wealth? Luke 12: 16-21 , “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’”

In Chapters 24-27 we have what has been called, The Little Apocalypse. Much of what is here is also found in the Book of Revelation Chapters 8-9 . Between Rev. Chapter 6 , (where we find the seal judgments), and Chapters 8-9 , (where the trumpet judgments are seen), there is a chapter that describes 144,000 Jews preaching the gospel to the entire world.

Chapter 24:1 , “See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it.” WOW! So much for the meek and mild image of Jesus. What brought this on? Verse 5 , “The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statues and broken the everlasting covenant.” He’s not talking about punishing one nation, Judah, he’s talking about the entire world.

And what is this “everlasting covenant”? The Hebrew word olam, translated “everlasting” or “eternal” doesn’t always mean forever, everlasting or permanent, it could mean “for a long time” or “until it expires.” One’s marriage covenant is everlasting in the sense that it is until death. Lev. 16:31 speaks of fasting on the Day of Atonement which is part of an everlasting or permanent ordinance that is in effect forever. Yet, we know that the Law of Moses expired when the Messiah came.

Which covenant is being spoken of in this passage? If the destruction is coming upon the whole world, then the covenant in question must be one that was made not just with Israel but the whole world. Which covenant is that? The Jews will say it is the Noahic Covenant found in Gen. 9:1 and includes the Seven Laws of Noah. These include prohibitions against worshiping idols, cursing God, murder, adultery and sexual immorality, theft, eating flesh torn from a living animal, as well as the obligation to establish courts of justice.

It has been suggested that the custom of eating an amputated limb of a living animal was a way to keep the rest of the meat fresh before there was refrigeration. The obligation to establish a court system, though not listed in Gen 9 , is implied. You can’t have laws with penalties if you don’t have a court system.

According to Jewish law, since the Law of Moses came years later and was for the Jews only. The non-Jews (gentiles) are not obligated to obey the Law of Moses or convert to Judaism, but they are required to observe the Seven Laws of Noah to be assured of a place in the World to Come. The non-Jews who choose to follow the Seven Laws of Noah are regarded as "Righteous Gentiles” or Hasidic Gentiles”. The term “hasidic” means “pious.”

But I have a problem with this explanation. When I read Gen. 9 , I don’t see all seven of these laws. Gen. 9:1-6 , “Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “ Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you . Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it . And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being. Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed ; for in the image of God has God made mankind.”

Verse 7 , “As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.” Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you : Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”

How many of the seven Laws of Noah did you count? Seven? 1. be fruitful and multiply. 2. Eat whatever you want, including any meats. 3. Those who commit premeditated murder are to be executed. 4. The commandment to judge and punish murderers implies the need for a court system. 5. Don’t eat any part of an animal that is still alive. Where are the commandments to not worship idols, curse God, sex crimes, and theft that are part of the Seven Laws of Moses? I don’t find them in the Garden of Eden. There Adam and Eve were told to reproduce and subdue the earth and to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Where are these “missing laws”? Well, as one Jewish website says, “These laws are derived from the Torah and elaborated upon in the Talmud (a commentary on the oral traditions). There you have it! These seven laws come from Scripture and traditions. No wonder I couldn’t find them in Gen. 9 .

An argument can be made that all mankind knows right from wrong, even if they never heard of Noah, Moses, Jesus or Paul. It is what is referred to as Natural Law, a set of universal moral principles which are can be discovered by reason alone and is not dependent on laws enacted by a government or societal norms. The Apostle Paul wrote of this in Rom. 1:18-32 , “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”

So God can punish the whole world even if most of the people never heard of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus or Paul. And this is why you will find in most major religions, common ethical teachings. Do not murder; honor your parents; do not steal, etc. are not teaching unique to Judaism and Christianity.

A good example of this is the Golden Rule, which says, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt. 7:12)

Islam teaches, “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother that which he loves for himself.”

Judaism teaches, “That which is despicable to you, do not do to your fellow, this is the whole Torah, and the rest is commentary, go and learn it.”

Baha’i teaches, “Choose for your neighbor that which you choose for yourself.”

Hinduism teaches, “One should not behave toward others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself.”

Buddhism teaches, “Hurt not others with that which pains yourself.”

Daoism teaches, “Regard your neighbor’s gain as your own gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss.”

Confucianism teaches, “Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.”

Paul makes this clear in Rom. 2:12 , “All who sin apart from the law will also perish...when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves...since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.”

In other words, we are “hard-wired” to know basic ethical truths. We know right from wrong. So based on this, God can punish the whole world. But this doesn’t answer why the word “covenant” is used and which covenant is being referred to here (Isa. 24:5) .

Let’s go back to Isa. 24:6 , Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore the earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left.” God can’t use another flood, since he promised to not do that again. But that doesn’t mean he can’t accomplish his goal with another weapon, such as FIRE! 2 Peter 3:10-12 . “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire , and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.”

Isa. 24:7 , the new wine dries up, and the vine withers. Verse 10 , “the ruined city lies desolate.” Verse 13 , “So will it be on the earth and among the nations.” Verse 20 , “The earth reels like a drunkard.” Verse 21 In that day the Lord will punish the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below.”

This passage concludes with verse 23 , “The moon will be abashed, the sun ashamed; for the Lord Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem.” This means that during the Messianic era, the Shechinah glory of the Messianic King will outshine the moon and the sun. This chapter then leads into Chapter 25 which gives a Song of Praise for the deliverance of the faithful remnant and the destruction of Babylon.

But there’s a purpose behind this destruction? It’s not just to be mean. Chapter 25 begins with verse 1 , “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name.” This will occur at the end of the Tribulation. Who will be praising God at this time? Well, in Rev. 7:9 you will find a “Great multitude” from every nation, in white robes (verse 13) , have come out of the Great Tribulation, are seen before the throne of God and verse 17 , “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” These people are those who were saved during that time.

Verse 4 speaks of the remnant of believers, “You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.”

In verse 6 , it says, “On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all people, a banquet of aged wine-the best of meats and the finest of wines.” Does this sound like anything you may have read in the Book of Revelation? Rev. 19:9 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.”

Now if you are anticipating an invitation, you want to get one for the marriage supper of the Lamb, not for the Great supper of God, found in verse 7 . There you will find scavenger birds midair waiting to eat the flesh of kings, generals and mighty men, horses and all people free and slave, small and great are killed in battle

At the end of the tribulation, Israel as a nation will repent of rejecting Jesus and will be regenerated.

Isaiah 21 - 22

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 06:10:23 GMT

Prophecies Against Babylon and Jerusalem

In Chapter 21 Isaiah focuses on Babylon. Not the Babylon of the tribulation period, but in the near future. It speaks of the rising of this nation which, in time, will attack Judah.

The chapter opens in verse 1 with “An oracle concerning the Desert by the Sea.” A desert by the sea could be any one of several counties in the middle east. The prophecy continues by identifying who is invading this nation. Verse 2 , “Like whirlwinds sweeping through the southland, an invader comes from the desert , from a land of terror. Elam , attack! Media , lay seige! I will bring an end to all the groaning she has caused.”

OK, so we have two invaders who are attacking, Elam and Media. Who are they? Elam is another name for Persia which is around the area of modern-day Iran. Media refers to the area inhabited by the Medes, located south of the Caspian Sea, roughly the northern part of modern-day Iran. Media combined with Persia to form the Medo-Persian Empire which destroyed the Babylonian Empire. Nothing like changing the names of kings and nations to confuse the modern reader.

Now what Isaiah saw troubled him greatly. He described his physical response to what he saw included being racked with pain, bewilderment, heart palpitations, fear and trembling. It sounds like his vision was so real that he was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Verse 4 , “the twilight I longed for has become a horror to me.” Exhausted at the end of the day, longing for a good night sleep, filled him with anxiety knowing that he would probably have nightmares. Imagine both needing and longing for sleep, but dreading it, also.

What he saw in this vision was the Judean military being completely caught off guard. Like the scene in Dan. 5 , which shows the Babylonians feasting when they were attacked by the Medes and the Persians, Isaiah saw the same scene. The Babylonians are seen eating and drinking as if there was no danger (verse 5) their shields were not even oiled. Their shields, which would protect them from arrows, had to be oiled to keep them flexible, able to flex when struck by the arrows.

It appears that their equipment was not being maintained properly, not ready for battle. If the IG (Inspector General) made an unannounced visit, to uncover waste, fraud and abuse, they would have failed their inspection. Their swords and daggers were probably dull, and pitted with rust. Chariots may have been in the shop with broken axles and cracked spokes with repair parts on order. The soldiers may have had a high fail rate on the annual Physical Fitness Test with some failing to meet the weight standards being put on the “fat boy program.” The soldiers and leaders seem to have been complacent, and clueless as to what was about to happen to them. A total lack of leadership may find the commander of the unit relieved of his command, assuming that he survived the battle.

In verse 6 , Isaiah is told to put a watchman on the walls of Jerusalem to look for “teams of horses, riders on donkeys or riders on camels.” Can you imagine an army on donkeys and camel? Camels were more useful than horses in dry climates. Camels were also effective as an anti-cavalry tool because their smell tended to alarm and disorient the horses. No, I’m not making this up. Donkeys were sometimes used because their braying would also throw horses into confusion. Battles are usually a mass of confusion as it is, without animal noises and smells adding to the “fog of war”.

Isaiah then describes men approaching and the announcement, “Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!” (verse 9) . Well, what they have been watching for has occurred. Babylon has fallen and all of their useless gods are shattered and ground into the dirt.

Verse 10 , “O my people, crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the Lord Almighty, from the God of Israel.”

The message that Judah is that although they will soon suffer at the hands of the Babylonians, its enemy is doomed for destruction. Under Babylon, Israel would become a threshing floor, ground to dust, but the one who would do the grinding was already scheduled for destruction.

Verses 11 and 12 will need a bit of explaining. “An oracle concerning Dumah. Someone calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night? The Watchman replies, Morning is coming, but also the night. If you would ask, then ask; and come back yet again.”

What? One commentary said, “The next prophecy comprises only two verses, and its brevity make it obscure.” Another scholar described it as “vague and enigmatic.” That’s an understatement. But since more information is given elsewhere in Scripture, scholars can put together the pieces, like a puzzle and figure it out, sort of. The bottom line is that Seir is an alternate name for Edom. Dumah is a son of Ishmael, the son born to Abraham and his wife’s handmaiden Hagar. They became nomadic tribes in the Arabian Peninsula.

The Old Testament reads much like a soap opera where there is conflict among family members, step-children, children born out of wedlock. What a mess.

So, Dumah are the Edomites, a long-time enemy of Israel. Now if you happen to be a descendant of Dumah, or an Edomite, you might want to change your name, get a new passport and move to some other country, away from the drama and what is about to happen. And you especially don’t want to buy any real estate in Edom.

Isaiah 34 and 63 will give more information concerning the future of the Edomites, and it isn’t pretty. The Edomites was proud of their military might and sense of security. They were living in a part of modern-day Jordan in a city called Petra. Petra is known for its narrow entryway, with high rock cliffs which made it easy to defend. They were long-time enemies of Israel, beginning with their attack upon the Israelite civilians when they left Egypt. In the book of Obadiah, verse 4 , God says, “I will bring you down.” Verse 10 give the reason, “Because of the violence against your brother Jacob... you will be destroyed forever.” Verse 11 , “On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth.” This is referring to the Babylonian captivity. Rather than helping those who escaped the Babylonians, the Edomites waited “at the crossroads to cut down their fugitives” (verse 11) and handed them over to the enemy. Verses 15 and 18 , “As you have done, it will be done to you...There will be no survivors from the house of Esau.”

In the second half of the tribulation the Jews will be seeking refuge in the area of Edom. When the Messiah returns he first stops off at Edom to rescue the Jews before heading to Jerusalem, then Edom, along with Babylon, will become a wasteland during the millennium.

In verses 11-16 there is a prophecy for Kedar, who was Ishmael’s second son. These people lived along a caravan route and were quite wealthy. Verse 16, “within a year...Kedar will come to an end.” Why? Who knows. Perhaps they became wealthy at the expense of others.

Chapter 21 ends with a brief comment about Arabia or the Dedanites, a nomadic tribe. Verse 16 , “Within one year... Kedar will come to an end... survivors will be few.” More is said about these people in Jer. 49:28-33 . Next on Isaiah’s list of nations/cities is Jerusalem. Chapter 22:1 , “An oracle concerning the Valley of Vision”. There’s a word we don’t use much today, “Oracle.” What is an oracle? It usually refers to a message from God. Sometimes these messages are referred to as a “burden.”

Then Isaiah refers to the “Valley of Vision”. If you look at the topography of Jerusalem, it sits on top of a mountain, yet all around are even higher mountains, so it gives the appearance that the city is located in a valley. The Valley of Vision is Jerusalem, the place where Isaiah received his prophecies.

The passage goes on to describe the city under seige. “What troubles you now, that you have all gone up on the roofs. O town full of commotion, O city of tumult and revelry? Your slain were not killed by the sword, nor did the die in battle. Verse 3 , All your leaders have fled together.”

What is being described here is the seige of Jerusalem. Some people were on the roof looking out at the enemy army, others were distancing themselves emotionally by simply getting as drunk as they can. The weak died of starvation and disease, and those leaders who could flee, escaped the city.

This vision was so troubling for Isaiah, he says in verse 4 , “Turn away from me; let me weep bitterly. Do not try to console me over the destruction of my people.”

Verse 5 , “The Lord, the Lord Almighty, has a day of tumult and trampling and terror in the Valley of Vision, a day of battering down walls and of crying out to the mountains.”

The Lord has a day, is another way of saying, The Day of the Lord, a day when God intervenes in the affairs of man. A day such as the invasion of Israel by the Babylonians and the time of the tribulation prior to the return of Jesus.

In verse 6 Isaiah mentions two cities, Elam, who takes up his quiver, and Kir who uncovers the shield. These two cities were located in the region of Media out of which Babylon would arise.

While the vision showed the valley around Jerusalem filled with enemy troops, Isaiah sees the defenses of Judah stripped away (verse 8) . The soldiers went to their armories to grab their weapons “in the Palace of the Forest” and they found that there were not nearly enough arms to protect the city. Verse 9 , “they saw that the City of David had many breaches in its defenses.”

It seem that the people were very complacent, not taking the threat of an invasion seriously. This is in sharp contrast to the time of Nehemiah when he was rebuilding the wall where the builders were armed, ready for battle.

The people hastily tried to store up water, they tore down buildings to strengthen the wall, yet they didn’t bother to turn to God, even in the midst of this crisis (verse 11) .

Instead, some just partied (verse 13) , “there is joy and revelry, slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep, eating of meat and drinking wine! “Let us eat and drink” you say, “for tomorrow we die.”

You would think that as their city was about to be overrun by the enemy that there would be weeping and wailing as the people turn to God in repentance, but instead there is “joy and revelry, slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep, eating of meat and drinking wine! “Let us eat and drink,” you say, “for tomorrow we die.”

The Apostle Paul quotes this line in I Cor. 15:32 where he speaks of the resurrection from the dead. If there is no resurrection, no future life beyond the grave, then the reasonable thing to do is to “eat and drink” to focus on our physical needs and desires.

And in the midst of all this chaos and terror, one government official, second only to the King himself, Shebna, who was in charge of the palace, was focusing on preparing a fancy grave site for himself (verses 15-16) rather than focusing on the needs of the people. This is the only prophecy Isaiah gives against an individual who was not a king.

But God has other plans for Shebna, and for many others. He says in verses 17-18 , “Beware, the Lord is about to take firm hold of you and hurl you away, O you mighty man. He will roll you up tightly like a ball and throw you into a large country. There you will die and there your splendid chariots will remain.” Jewish tradition says that Shebna defected to the Assyrians but was killed by them by having horses drag him by his heels through thorns and bristles. Apparently the Assyrians had no respect for a traitor.

Not only will Shebna go into exile, he will be deposed and replaced by Eliakim. Verse 20 , “In that day I will summon my servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah. I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the people of Judah. I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open” (Isa. 22:20–22) . Being identified as the “father” suggests his caring, compassionate care for his people in contrast to the selfish interests of his predecessor, Shebna, who used his role for personal gain.

Isaiah 17 - 20

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 05:33:36 GMT

Judgments Against the Nations

Which nation or city is next to hear their fate? It’s Damascus. Chapter 17 , verse 1 , “See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruin.” Well, I guess that says it all. How about a little more background on Damascus. We know that it is one of the oldest cities in the world and is today the capital of Syria. It is located about 130 miles from Jerusalem and would take about a week to get there by foot. It sits along a river and the crossroads of two major highways, so it was a transportation hub.

Why would God be angry with Damascus? Over the years it has been at war with Israel off and on. Remember Gen. 12, part of the covenant God made with Abraham? It says that God will bless those who bless his people and curse those who curse them. Damascus chose to do the latter. In 732 B.C. the Assyrians took over Damascus, deported many of the inhabitants of Kir and put King Rezin to death (2 Kings 16:7-9) .

Isaiah shifts the narrative to Israel. Can’t you just imagine the Israelites cringing as Isaiah turns to them and pauses before speaking? Isaiah’s prophecy for Israel begins in verse 4, “in that day” which, again, refers to the time of the tribulation, far in the future rather than a prophecy for the near future. “In that day the glory of Jacob will fade; the fat of his body will waste away.” Yeah, that sounds like something from the tribulation period.

The tribulation period is the means to an end. The goal is to encourage the Israelites to turn from their idols to the one true God. Verse 7 , “In that day, men will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.” Well it’s about time. The passages go on to say that they not only professe their faith in God, they discarded all of their idols and other religious paraphernalia. Verse 8 , “they will not look to the altars, the work of their hands, and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles and the incense altars their fingers have made.” Recycling bins and landfills will be filled with the idols, statues, trinkets, jewelry, plaques, etc. associated with the worship of these false gods. Souvenir shops located near the temples will be boarded up with FOR LEASE signs in their windows. Even amazon.com won’t have any of these idols and trinkets for sale anymore.

This description of Israel’s repentance is also described in Zech. 12:9-10 , “On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem. And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”

Their reaction will be quite different from the first time they met Jesus. When Jesus came the first time, he was rejected. Their rejection is in Luke 19:14 , “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’” In John 19:14-15 we see Pilate and Jesus standing before the people. Pilate says, “Here is your king” But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him Away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar.” the chief priests answered.”

Chapter 18 focuses on the future of Cush. Where is that? Scholars think it’s in northeast Africa, the area of Northern Sudan and southern Egypt. Even when ancient documents identify a nation by the same name that is used today, it may not cover the same area. The boundaries of nations change over time. The United States was once a group of thirteen states mostly along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean before it expanded westward to the Pacific. Years ago, I was in Western Belarus near the Polish border. At one time that area was part of eastern Poland. And the western part of Poland was once part of eastern Germany. National boundaries change (usually after a war) and their names change, also.

Many cities mentioned in the Bible are difficult or impossible to identify. One commentary said, with regards to Moabite towns, “None of the place names in these verses can be identified with certainty.” Some have disappeared altogether and are lost to history. Some English translations of the Bible substitute Ethiopia for Cush. The evangelist Philip gave the gospel to an Ethiopian eunuch, who was the first Ethiopian convert to Christianity (Acts 8:26–39) . During the millennial reign of Christ, Jesus will receive honor from Cush/Ethiopia: “From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, my scattered people, will bring me offerings” (Zeph.3:10) .

The Cushites were related to the Egyptians (Gen. 10:6) . In Isaiah, God denounces the Israelites who trusted in Cush or Egypt to save them from the Assyrians (Isa. 20:5) . God’s judgment against Cush is also seen in Ezekiel’s prophecies, which mentions how its’ wealth and power would be taken away (Ezek. 30:4–5, 9) .

These chapters remind me that God has always known what was going on among the nations, even today. Just because He is silent, doesn’t mean that He is blind, death or indifferent. We’ll see this in the prophetic book of Habakkuk.

Verse 2 of Chapter 18 shows envoys from Ethiopia going to Judah to seek an alliance against Assyria. The message they receive from God is that the population of Ethiopia would be destroyed. Verses 5-6 , “ . . . before the harvest, when he blossom is gone and the flower becomes a ripening grape, he will cut off the shoots with pruning knives. . . they will be left to the mountain birds of prey and to the wild animals.” This doesn’t sound like good news, but in time, there will be a happy ending. Verse 7 says, “At that time gifts will be brought to the Lord Almighty.” This sounds like bad news for the near future, but good news for the distant future message. Unlike the Edomites, the Ethiopians will not be completely destroyed. There will be a remnant who will turn to the one true God.

As Isaiah directs his prophecies to one nation after another, I am reminded of the United Nations when the Ambassadors from all the member nations meet in the General Assembly. Imagine if Isaiah or Jeremiah showed up to give the general assembly a message, one nation after another. What would they say about our country

Hussein’s palace overlooking the ruins of Babylon

They might begin their message by reminding them of God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants from Gen. 12:3 , “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Then the camera scans the faces of some of the ambassadors. Some look relaxed, knowing that they have been supportive of the modern State of Israel. Other have a grim look of concern on their faces.

What nation is next for Isaiah to prophecy for or against? He now moves onto Egypt. Chapter 19:2 . “I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian-brother will fight against brother. Neighbor against neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.”

This sounds like civil war which leads other nations to take advantage of them and invade. The people of Egypt will be so desperate they will consult their idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists (verse 3) .

Praying to those who have died or to spirits of any sort is strictly forbidden in Scripture. There is no biblical evidence that any created being in heaven can pray or intercede for us. Moses can’t. David can’t. Mary can’t. Paul can’t.

Is there anyone who can intercede for us? Yes. Jesus can intercede for us (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25 and 1 Tim. 2:5) . The Holy Spirit can intercede for us (Rom. 8:26) . And we can pray directly to God the Father (Luke 11:13) . We don’t need a human go-between, such as priests as in the Old Testament. Today, all believers have access to the throne of God, we are all priests.

Prior to the work of Christ on the cross, God’s people were represented before God by priests, but today all believers are priests and we have direct access to God (1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 1:6) .

Is there a passage in the New Testament that tells us to pray to God via another human being in heaven? Is there any indication that those in heaven would have any influence on our prayers?

The living are told to intercede for other living people (Eph. 6:18) .

The only dead person in Scripture who made any plea for the living on earth was the rich man who pled that a gospel witness be sent to his family on earth. We note that he made his “intercession” for his brothers while he was in hell and that his petition was denied (Luke 16:27-31) .

Isa. 8:19 condemns the communicating with the dead. “When men tell you to consult mediums and spirits, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?”

Christ has given us many blessings, one of which is the ability to pray to God directly. “Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence” (Eph. 3;12) . With Christ, we need no others to go on our behalf, even those who live in heaven.

Now let’s get back to Isaiah, chapter 19:5 . “The water of the river will dry up” When the Nile dries up, there is a domino effect throughout the Egyptian economy. Verse 6 , where the reeds and rushes will wither. Reeds are tall, slender grasses that grow in wetlands, while rushes are similar but identifiable by their solid, round stems. These wetland grasses are used to make papyrus for writing as well as boats, mats, rope, sandals, and baskets.

Verse 6 , and the fishermen will groan (verse 8) . Verse 7 , “every sown field along the Nile will become parched, will blow away, and be no more.” Verse 8, “The fishermen will groan and lament.” Verse 9 , “Those who work with combed flax will despair, the weavers of fine linen will lose hope.” Textiles made from flax are known in English as linen and are traditionally used for bed sheets, underclothes, and table linen. Verse 10 , “The workers in cloth will be dejected.”

What about the leaders of the nation? Verse 11 says, “The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; the wise counselors of Pharaoh give senseless advice.” Gee, does this sound like some of our government officials? What happened to these “wise men”? Verse 14 , “The Lord has poured into them a spirit of dizziness, they make Egypt stagger in all that she does.” It sounds like He spiked their drinks.

Verse 16 we see the term, “In that day” which speaks of the end times. Here he gives four announcements. Egypt will shake with fear (verse 16) ; five cities will swear allegiance to the Lord (verse 18) ; Egyptians will build an altar and offer sacrifices to the Lord (verse 19-22) ; and Egypt, Assyria and Israel will be united in their economies, religion and blessings (verses 23-25) . So sometime during the tribulation period, Egypt will turn to God. During the millennium there will not be hostility between these nations, but peace and commerce. And there will be a highway extending from Egypt, through Israel up to Assyria. Such a highway is not new, but hostilities between these nations have sometimes limited access to it. This highway was called the Via Maris or the Way of the Sea. Today in Israel it is known as the International Coaster Highway.

Ezekiel chapters 29-32 has much to say about the future of Egypt. Briefly, it says that because of the tribulation, Egypt will undergo a national conversion. But for the first forty years, the population will be dispersed and will be regathered for the remaining 960 years of the Millennium. Why is that, I don’t know.

In chapter 20 Isaiah continues with Egypt as well as Cush. The King of Assyria sent his general to capture the city of Ashdod, a Philistine city where the Ark of the Covenant was taken to and placed in the temple of Dagon many years earlier. This town was a trading hub between Assyria and Egypt. Capturing this town was important for an invasion of Egypt and Ethiopia, their main goal.

This is when Isaiah is told to perform another symbolic act. I’m sure this act got the attention of the public. In verse 2 God tells Isaiah to “Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet. And he did so, going around stripped and barefoot.” He walked around this way for three years. Now, I don’t know if it was continuous, come rain or shine, hot or cold, etc. but he did it for three years. Did he do it continuously? I would rather doubt it. Was he bare naked? I don’t think so. He was trying to get their attention, not get himself arrested. It was a conversation starter. When people asked what the meaning of this was, he would explain that Egypt and Ethiopia would be stripped naked by the Assyrians. What impact would this have on the people of Judah? It meant that any hope that King Hezekiah might have had of getting military assistance from these two nations were dashed. But why was this symbolic act used? Well, back in the day, when prisoners of war were marched into captivity, the victorious military liked to tear open the seat of the enemy’s pants, as a means of humiliating them.

In chapters 13-14 there are prophecies concerning Babylon in the near future. This chapter deals with Babylon in the far distant future, during the time of the Tribulation. And just to make things a bit more confusing, there are more details in chapters 43-48 . Pieces of prophecy puzzles are to be found in several locations, oftentimes in more than one book. What might appear to be contradictory prophecies are really prophecies for two different time periods.

In one passage Jesus is hailed by the people, and in another they cried out “Crucify him.” Was he loved or was he hated? He was both.

Isaiah 11 - 16

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 04:12:50 GMT

Isaiah’s Prophecies

Before we move onto chapter 11, I would like to go back to Isa. 9:6 and comment on how Jesus can be called “Everlasting Father.” The term “father” can be used in many ways. It can mean the male parent of a child, a catholic religious leader, a person who first began something, such as George Washington is the father our country (U.S.A.) or the father of country music. A father figure is someone who has taken on the role that a father usually has, such as mentoring, caring for and protecting someone else. A father can be someone who begins a work, such as the church (Matt. 16:18) or the head of the church family (Col. 1:18) .

So, in what way is Jesus the “Father of Eternity”? Just as a father gives us biological life, protection, food, clothing, housing, toys, education, etc. Jesus has given us the gift of eternal life, redemption, forgiveness, peace, hope, reconciliation, etc.

Now we can move onto Chapter 11 , where we have a prophecy of the coming Messiah.

If you grew up in a city, you probably find it a bit difficult to grasp some of the analogies found in the Bible. Jesus spoke of sowing seeds, told stories about wolves, sheep and shepherds who protect them. Jesus spoke of making his disciples fishers of men.

Isaiah uses a tree stump, shoots and a branch which bears fruit in his next illustration. If you’ve ever cut down an unwanted tree, you might have thought that you “got it all and it will never return. After some months have passed however, you find that it is still alive and it resprouts a skinny shoot that grows into a branch which matures to produce fruit. Just because there is no tree above the ground doesn’t mean that the tree is dead. I once saw a statuette which showed tulip coming up out of the ground with the caption that said, “Just because it’s buried doesn’t mean that it’s dead.” That’s a comforting thought for someone who has lost a loved one.

So, let’s look at Chapter 11 . Verse 1 , “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him-the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord- and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.”

This passage is speaking of Jesus. John 3:34 , “For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.” “Without limit” suggests that Jesus got the full dose.

Once Isaiah writes about the attributes of the Messiah, he moves on to what the Messiah will do with them. Isaiah is looking far ahead in time (In that day). The current news from Judah was very gloomy. The near future of Judah wasn’t looking very bright either. Isaiah is telling them that despite the troubles they have been experiencing and will experience for some time, they should be encouraged about their long-term future prospects. God’s people will not be destroyed, like empire before and after them have been and will be. The Jews will survive and even thrive long after man-made empires have come and gone.

Isaiah is telling the Jews that a descendant of Jesse (father of King David) will usher in a time of justice and peace. Of course, he is referring to the Millennial reign after the second coming of Jesus. Verse 6 , “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together and a little child will lead them.”

Isaiah goes on to say, verse 10 , “In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples.” A banner is like a flag that is used to identify a location. In the military, a banner might be used to identify the location of headquarters. Businesses use banners to attract the attention of customers. In this passage, the banner is a rallying point for the scattered Jews to return to Israel from “the four quarters of the earth” (verse 12) .

The passage goes on to say that all the rivalries and jealousies that were seen between the different tribes of Israel will disappear (verse 13) . These tribes will be united and attack their enemies, the Philistines, Edomites, Moabites and Ammonites (verse 14) .

The purpose of giving the Israelites these distant prophecies of the Kingdom of God is like that of the Book of Revelation. Jesus said that he would “build his church, and the gates of hell would not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18) . Matt. 28:20 says, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” These were encouraging words for his disciples. Yet for the next sixty years the church suffered persecution and all, all the disciples except for John were martyred and he was in prison. During these years no one had heard a word from Jesus. The church felt at risk of destruction and abandoned by Jesus. The church needed a message of encouragement. This is why the Book of Revelation was revealed to John. It was the fifth Gospel, giving the troubled church the good news that Jesus is coming again, that there will be peace and prosperity. Satan would be bound and the curse that was placed on the world in the Garden of Eden, would be removed. The people of Judah needed the same type of message.

Chapter twelve consists of the words to a song of praise to God for what he had done. But many nations do the same thing. The words to the U.S. national anthem were written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 after seeing British ships attacking Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland during the War of 1812. The words were set to music, and the song was officially adopted as our national anthem in 1931.

The chapter begins with “In that day” which suggests a leap in time to the distant future. Verse 1 , “In that day you will say” “I will praise you, O Lord. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.” The “I” in this sentence is nation of Israel.

In Chapter thirteen Isaiah shifts his focus from Judah to Babylon. God is described as mustering his troops for war (verse 4) for the “day of the Lord is near.” The term “day of the Lord” refers to a time when God steps into history. There have been many “days of the Lord” and there will be a mighty, massive, final DAY of the Lord in the end times (Rev. 16:14) . Though the Babylonian empire is going to take many from Judah into captivity, the Babylonians will experience their own “day of the Lord” when they will be conquered by another kingdom, the Persian Empire. Verse 9 , “See, the day of the Lord is coming-a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger.” Isaiah goes on to describe the sun being darkened (verse 10) , men will be scarcer than pure gold (verse 12) . When there is a major war, with a massive mobilization of men for military service, there will be few able-bodied men at home to do the heavy labor. Verse 13 , the earth will shake in its place. This probably describes the thunder of a massive army on horseback. What might be causing this manpower shortage and earth shaking? Verse 17 , “I will stir up against them the Medes.” The Medes were from northwestern Iraq, and they will join with the Persians to form the Medo-Persian Empire which will attack and defeat the Babylonians.

Verse 19 tells of the target of God’s wrath. “Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the Babylonians’ pride, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah.” About this time, if I were living in Babylon, I would be making sure my passport was up to date, and my bug out bag was ready. Many of us had these bags when we were in the military. It was officially known as a Personal Emergency Relocation Kit or (PERK). It contained everything you needed to survive for a few days. Some civilians have a similar bag for use in a natural disaster.

Verse 20 , “She (Babylon) will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations.” It sounds like the destruction will be both complete and permanent. Today, the city of Babylon can be found about 50 miles south of Baghdad, Iraq. It was destroyed in 478 B.C, by the Persians and then by Alexander the Great in 330 B.C.

Sadaam Hussein, President of Iraq from 1979-2003, tried to rebuild it, but that effort ended with his regime. Some scholars say that the Babylon mentioned here refers to a future city that will fall at the end of the Tribulation. Perhaps they are both right.

Hussein’s palace overlooking the ruins of Babylon

Isaiah shifts his attention back to Jacob or Israel. Chapter 14 , Isaiah shifts his attention back to Jacob or Israel. Verse 1 “The Lord will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. Aliens will join them and unite with the house of Jacob.” Verse 7 , “All the lands are at rest and at peace.”

In verses 12-15 , some commentaries say that Isaiah interrupted his prophecies and focused on the one who will be the driving force behind the king of Babylon (Satan).

Verses 12-15 , “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn. You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascent to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthrones on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.””

Satan wanted to usurp God’s authority, take control of the angels (he did control 1/3 of them), rule over Israel and take possession of the world.

Other scholars argue that the context of the passage is speaking of the King of Babylon. He was, like many emperors, was like Satan in that he was arrogant, rose to great heights, was treated as a god, and then was defeated by a greater power.

Scholars also argue that these passages can’t refer to Satan since they describe the death and disposal of the king’s body. The fall of the King of Babylon was so complete that he wasn’t even afforded a proper royal burial. Verse 19 , “But you are cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain.” His body was dumped into a mass grave. “Like a corpse trampled underfoot, you will not join them (your royal predecessors) in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people.” That cannot be referring to Satan.

The future doesn’t look very bright for the king of Babylon. Nor does it look bright for other nations who have attacked Israel or Judah. Isaiah has this to say about the Assyrians. Verse 25 , “I will crush the Assyrian in my land. . . His yoke will be taken from my people.” God promised that he will crush him on the soil of Israel. This prophecy would be fulfilled in Isaiah 36-37 . Isaiah then gave a prophecy to the Philistines. Verse 29 , “Do not rejoice, all you Philistines that the rod that struck you is broken.” They shouldn’t rejoice that the nations that have attacked them have fallen. Why? Because God will destroy the Philistines by famine (verse 30) . One source tells us that by the late fifth century BC, the Philistines “no longer appear as a distinct group.” They disappeared from history, just as it says in verse 31 , “Melt away, all you Philistines.”

What about the Moabites who lived east of the Dead Sea in what is today central Jordan? They too were another long-time enemy of Israel. Chapter 15 tells us that their cities will be ruined. Many residents are described as having their heads shaved and beards cut as signs of mourning (verse 2) . Verse 7 , “the wealth they have acquired and stored up they carry away.” Chapter 16 , verse 7 , “Therefore the Moabites wail, they wail together for Moab, lament and grieve. . .”

Who were the Moabites and why were they so punished? They were the descendants of Lot. You might recall that when Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, Lot survived. One night he got drunk, and his two daughters seduced him, believing that they were the only people left alive. They gave birth to sons named Moab and Ben-Ammi, who became the Ammonites.

The Moabites oppressed Israel for 18 years during the time of the Judges (Judges 3:12–31) . There was a war between the two nations described in 2 Kings 3 . Ruth and Naomi’s story took place in Moab and Psalms 60:8 refers to Moab as an enemy of Israel. One of the cities listed for destruction was Nebo (verse 2) . It was on Mount Nebo that Moses died.

Moab, unlike other groups, was given the chance to submit to the Israelites and live, but they rejected this offer. We see this in Chapter 16 . Verse 1 , “Send lambs as tribute to the ruler of the land. . .” Verse 4 , “the destruction will end; the aggressor will vanish from the land.” In other words, submit to us and live and the Assyrians will be stopped.

But the arrogance of Moab led them to reject this offer (verse 6) . Verse 14 tells us what happened to the Moabites. “Within three years. . . Moab’s splendor (they were known for their vineyards), and all her many people will be despised, and her survivors will be very few and feeble.” Only three to four years after Judah’s fall, the Babylonians conquered Moab. Unlike the Jews, the Moabites largely disappeared from history. The expression “largely disappeared from history” can describe many peoples over the centuries, but one group that has managed to survive are the Jews.

Isaiah 8 - 10

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 03:57:09 GMT

Assyria Will be Used by God and Then Punished by God

After Isaiah’s visit with Ahaz, the anxious king of Judah, Isaiah went “home to the prophetess (his wife) and she conceived and gave birth to a son.” When God got the birth announcement, the Lord told Isaiah that “before the boy knows how to say “My father” or “My mother,” the wealth of Damascus (capital of Syria) and the plunder of Samaria (capital of Israel) will be carried off by the king of Assyria.”

And this happened, Israel and Syria were plundered in 734-732 B.C. see 2 Kings 15:29 and 2 Kings 16:7-9 . So, when these “signs” were given to the King and they all come true, just as Isaiah predicted, his credibility must have skyrocketed. In the eyes of the King, Isaiah could do no wrong. He probably told his secretary or chief of staff that whenever Isaiah called for an appointment, to bring him in as soon as possible. If the king had a smart phone, Isaiah’s number would be on speed dial.

In verses 5-6 , God repeats to Isaiah the reason why Judah was being punished. In these passages Judah is said to have “rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoices over Rezin and the son of Remaliah. Therefore, the Lord is about to bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the River-the king of Assyria.”

Sometimes when the ancient writers are trying to make a point by drawing an analogy or using a figure of speech. It doesn’t always translate very well to modern English.

I learned this lesson on my first trip to Belarus. I couldn’t use figures of speech, cultural references or even try to tell a joke because neither translated very well. I also had to use simple words in short phrases since my interpreters were not professionals.

It reminds me of the book I used in the first grade when learning to read. The book highlighted three characters, Dick, Jane and Sally along with their dog named Spot. The sentences were very simple: “Look Jane, look, look, look. Here comes Spot.” Well, it wasn’t quite that bad in Belarus or Tanzania.

What did it mean when Isaiah wrote, “Because this people have rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah”? This is when a good Bible commentary comes in handy. I’m using the 780-page Ariel’s Bible Commentary: The Book of Isaiah , by Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum. Another favorite commentary of mine is The Expositor’s Bible Commentary , a twelve-volume set by Frank E. Gaebelein.

The word Shiloah has several meanings, one is “peace.” That’s why some churches have the word Shiloh in their name. A church should be a place of peace for members. Isaiah is using this expression to say, “You people have rejected the stable, predictable, peaceful care that God has provided you.”

They rejected God’s care and “rejoiced over Rezin and the son of Remaliah (Pekah).” Rezin and Pekah were the kings of Syria and Israel who went up against Jerusalem in Judah but failed to take the city during the time of Isaiah (2 Kings 16:5) . They both died in 732 B.C. Judah thought that their troubles were over, but that wasn’t true.

The passage goes on to say that since they rejected the rule of God and thought that their problems were behind them when Rezin and Pekah died, God will soon bring a mighty floodwater in the form of the Assyrian army to overwhelm much of Judah (verses 7-8) .

In the rest of the chapter, verses 11-22 , Isaiah is reminded to “not follow the way of this people” (verse 11) , don’t be intimidated when you are accused of conspiracy or treason (verse 12) don’t fear anyone but God (verse 13) , don’t consult with the dead (verse 19) .

In Chapter 9 Isaiah jumps ahead in time. In fact, he speaks of the future in the past tense. This is when he speaks of future events as if the events described had already taken place. Sometimes this is done to express the certainty of the event. For instance, when someone threatens another, he might say, “You’re a dead man.” Of course he isn’t really dead, at least not yet, but his demise is certain.

In the following verses he mentions five areas in Galilee that were humbled by the invading Assyrian army. He then tells them that in spite of their current status, in the future, these areas will become famous. He is referring to places where the Messiah would minister. In other words, in spite of their current troubles from invaders, there will be a bright future for these towns. It would be similar to encouraging the residents of bombed out cities in Japan and Germany following World War II that their cities would soon become modern industrial powerhouses, the envy of the world.

Verse 1 , “Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past (in the time of Isaiah) he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future, he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan.”

How will these areas be honored? Verse 2 , “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.” The honor is derived because of the presence of Jesus who ministered in these areas and was described as a “light to the Gentiles.”

From the Gospel accounts we learn that Nazareth would be the hometown of the Messiah. Capernaum, where Peter lived, would be where he would set up his ministry. The third location is called “by the way of the sea” which refers to the Sea of Galilee, another major area of the Messiah’s ministry. The fourth location is “beyond the Jordan”, the area of Perea. This is the area east of the Jordan where the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh settled. This is also where Jesus was anointed Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus (Matt. 26:6) on his way to Jerusalem. The last area mentioned is “Galilee of the nations”, this refers to the northernmost border of the land of Israel. Being the northernmost area, it was the first part of Israel to be conquered. Despite all the gloom and disgrace that would fall upon this region, it will become a major area of Messiah’s ministry (Matt. 4:12-17) .

Matt. 4:22-17 says, “When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali- to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles-the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Verse 17 , “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’”

Other reasons to rejoice are found in verses 6-7 when Isaiah speaks of the Messiah and his second coming when he will rule the world. Verse 6 , “for to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders (this didn’t happen at his first coming). And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” At his first coming Jesus was called a blasphemer by the Jews and a traitor by the Romans. Verse 7 , “Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” He never did reign over Israel or the world at his first coming. In fact, the people made their wishes clear. In John 19:14 , “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. “But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king? Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar, the chief priests answered.”

Isaiah goes on to show how those who oppressed them (the Assyrians) will be shattered by God just as was done in the past. This prophecy was fulfilled in 701 B.C. when the oppressive Assyrian army was defeated. Isaiah 37:36 describes their destruction, “Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp.”

In time, all Judah’s enemies: Syria, Israel and Assyria, would be defeated. It wouldn’t be until another 120 years had passed that Jerusalem itself would be defeated by the Babylonians in 585 B.C. I think the message is clear. There is someone else in charge of world events and it’s not the feared kings of nations.

Quite often when a prophet brings bad news to their people concerning their future, he will also give them good news about what will happen further down the road. We might ask how giving a distant prophecy is of any comfort to those alive during the time of Isaiah. Perhaps it is because in their collectivist culture people focus more on their long-term national situation, rather than their immediate individual hopes and dreams. We American are more individualistic in our thinking than other cultures, such as those in the far east. We are more concerned about what happens to us here and now than the larger community in the future.

In verse 9 Isaiah turns his attention to the northern Kingdom of Israel. Israel is referred to as Jacob, Ephraim or Samaria. They all mean the same thing. Jacob was the son of Isaac, and his name was changed to Israel. Israel refers to the northern kingdom which was made up of ten tribes or descendants of Jacob. Ephraim was one of the sons of Israel, whose descendants developed into one of the major tribes of Israel. Samaria was the capital city of the northern Kingdom of Israel and was located in the tribal area of Ephraim. These names are used interchangeably. It would be like referring to the United States of American as America, the U.S. or sometimes “Washington” or “the states.”

What message does Isaiah have for the northern kingdom of Israel, Ephraim or Samaria? As you can imagine, it isn’t a positive one.

In Verse 10 , we find the Israelites unconcerned about the destruction of their cities. “The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone. The fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.”

They must have had good insurance coverage without a “War Exclusion Clause” which excludes coverage for acts of war and protects the insurer from catastrophic losses. They think they will not only rebuild their land, but they will also build it better than before, replacing bricks with solid stones and fig trees with cedars.

But it won’t be that easy. God has other plans. Verses 14-16 , “So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day.” This is another opportunity for a good commentary to shed light on a figure of speech. The head refers to the elders and prominent men, the tail refers to the prophets (verse 15) . Those who were responsible for the leadership of the people are under condemnation. Does the expression, “To whom much is given, much is required” come to mind? Verse 16 , “Those who guide this people mislead them, and those who are guided are led astray. But the common citizen was not without guilt. Verse 17 , “For everyone is ungodly and wicked, every mouth speaks vileness.”

The result will be, verse 19 , “By the wrath of the Lord Almighty the land will be scorched, and the people will be fuel for the fire; no one will spare his brother.” Things will get so bad that they will turn to cannibalism. Verse 20 , “On the right they will devour, but still be hungry; on the left they will eat but not be satisfied. Each will feed on the flesh of his own offspring.”

Chapter ten focuses on the unjust and oppressive laws that corrupt leaders impose on their people. Verse 1 , “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless.”

The Law of Moses decreed special protection for these people, those who are poor and powerless. Ex. 22:22-24 , “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.” The apostle James tells us in James 1:26 , “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” These people were not looking after orphans and widows. They weren’t just ignoring their needs; they were oppressing them. And they knew better. James 4:11 says that “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”

Isaiah then goes on to ask the oppressors (verse 3) , “What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches?” I would suggest that they don’t run to those whom they oppressed. They probably wouldn’t get a very warm reception.

Isaiah then turns his attention to the Assyrians, the very people who God will use to punish Israel. Verses 5-6 , “Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger, in whose hand is the club of my wrath. I send him against a godless nation, I dispatch him against a people who anger me, to seize loot and snatch plunder and to trample them down like mud in the streets.”

God can use anyone he chooses to do his will. But sometimes the one he uses to discipline his people has a different motive in mind. Verse 7 , “But this is not what he (the Assyrians) intends, this is not what he has in mind; his purpose is to destroy, to put an end to many nations.”

He used the Assyrians to punish Israel, not destroy it. In time He will use another nation, the Babylonians, to destroy the Assyrians and then He will use the Greeks to destroy the Babylonians. And so it goes, empire after empire.

Verse 12 , “When the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes.”

We see the same thing in the book of Habakkuk. Habakkuk asked God why he hadn’t stepped in to put an end to the evil in Judah. God responded that He had a plan in place and a schedule and would be using the Babylonians to punish Judah. Habakkuk was shocked and asked how He could use such an evil people as the Babylonians to do his work. God said, in effect, that when he was done using the Babylonians he would punish them, also.

There’s an expression that says, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” We saw this in World War II when the U.S. and Britain teamed up with the Soviet Union to fight a common enemy, Nazi Germany.

Verse 16 describes what would happen to the Assyrian army. “Therefore, the Lord, the Lord Almighty, will send a wasting disease upon his sturdy warriors.” This event was recorded in Isa. 37:36 where 185,000 members of the Assyrian army led by King Sennacherib died in 701 B.C. After which the remains of the army broke camp and returned to Nineveh and stayed there. Then, one day while the king was in his temple, his sons came and killed him.

In verses 20-21 we see again Isaiah jumping ahead in time. “In that day the remnant of Israel, the survivors of the house of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down (the Assyrians) but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God.”

The expression, “In that day” put the regeneration of Israel beyond the time of the Assyrian Empire. Isaiah uses the same words in Isa. 28:14-22 to describe the tribulation at the end of the age.

The point is, the Jews will survive. As Israel once leaned upon the Assyrians for help, they will one day, during the tribulation, lean upon the Antichrist. The remnant of Israel refers to the one third of the Jewish population that will survive the tribulation (Zech. 13:7-9) . Those who survive and come to faith in Jesus and will no longer lean upon those who struck them down.

Verses 24-25 , “O my people who live in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrians, who beat you with a rod and lift up a club against you, as Egypt did. Very soon my anger against you will end and my wrath will be directed to their destruction.”

In Verses 28-31 Isaiah describes the approach of the Assyrian army listing the cities from north to south towards Jerusalem, a distance of about 30 miles. Verse 32 , “This day they will halt at Nob; they will shake their fist at the mount of the Daughters of Zion, at the hill of Jerusalem.”

Nob is modern-day Mount Scopus which has been strategically important as a base from which to attack the city of Jerusalem. It’s only about three miles from Jerusalem.

The Assyrians will “shake their fist” in frustration when they are stopped in their tracks, able to see Jerusalem just three miles away but they couldn’t get any closer.

In World War II the German army had a similar experience when they were within a short distance from Moscow. They could see with binoculars the cupolas of St. Basils Cathedral in Red Square but couldn’t go any further. The offensive against Moscow failed because, as German General Heinz Guderian wrote, "We underestimated the enemy's strength, as well as his size and climate.” The winter was the coldest of the 20th century with reported temperatures as low as -49F. One has to wonder if there were outside influences on the weather.

Isaiah 6 - 7

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 08:58:25 GMT

The Call of Isaiah

Before we get to Chapter six, and the call of Isaiah I have to tell you a story.

In 2007 there was a scandal at Walter Reed Army Medical Center where wounded soldiers were being housed in a building with stained carpets, worn mattresses, black mold and no water or heat. These soldiers waited for the government to determine if they were to remain in the military or be medically discharged and what their veteran’s disability status would be.

The Surgeon General of the Army had toured the facility and spoken with the soldiers. He knew of the problems, but he didn’t provide the necessary funding to fix them. He also testified before Congress that there was a toll-free number for any patient to call if there were problems with regards to their care. The only problem was, there was no such number.

The Army scrambled to put together a team to set up the Wounded Soldier and Family Hotline. At Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, where I was stationed at the time, the commander of the health care center was tasked with sending one of her officers to be a part of this team. She called me to her office and explained the situation to me. She asked me if I would be willing to go to Washington to be a part of this team. Of course, I quickly agreed to do so.

Notice that she could have simply told me, without any explanation, that she was ordering me to Washington. But she didn’t. She first told me about the situation in Washington and the need for people to be tasked with fixing the problem to improve patient care.

In the first five chapters of Isaiah, God told Isaiah what the problem was with Judah. Only then did He give Isaiah the opportunity to volunteer to be a prophet. He could have simply ordered Isaiah, but he wanted to give him the chance to volunteer. I think that this is significant. Most of us don’t like being ordered to do something. We would rather be told of a problem and given the opportunity to choose for ourselves whether or not we wanted to help.

In Chapter six we find the call of Isaiah in the year that King Uzziah died. Uzziah was a king who started off well, but he ended rather badly. He was able to extend the borders of Judah but was later stricken with leprosy. His reign was a time of prosperity, but Judah was spiritually corrupt, worshipping both the God of Israel and the pagan gods. There was rampant corruption at all levels, from government officials, judges, and religious leaders.

Verses 1-4 , “I saw the Lord seated on a throne . . . above him were seraphs. . .. and at the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke.”

Now that’s something you don’t experience every day.

Seeing a vision of the Holy God on his throne, surrounded by angelic beings overwhelmed Isaiah. He became more aware of his sinfulness and that of his people when contrasted with God and his angels. Verse 5, “Woe to me” I cried. “I am ruined. For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

“A man of unclean lips” didn’t mean that he was eating a messy sandwich and needed a napkin. It meant that he thought that he was not qualified to be in the presence of the Lord.

Oftentimes, someone who is new to a position might feel inadequate for the task at hand. When the newly elected Senator Harry Truman arrived in Washington, Sen. Hamilton Lewis, the Democratic whip from Illinois, soon relieved him of any feeling of inadequacy. "Mr. Truman, don't start out with an inferiority complex. For the first six months you'll wonder how you got here. After that you'll wonder how the rest of us got here."

I think that Moses, Isaiah and others felt like Harry Truman when he arrived in the Senate. In awe of his surroundings and questioning if he was up to the task at hand.

Isaiah was also concerned for his safety because he knew that one can’t see God and live. Ex. 33:20 , “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” Well, he didn’t actually see God face to face, but it was close enough to scare Isaiah.

To make Isaiah feel better, an angel placed a live coal on his lips as a symbolic act of taking away his sins. Verse 7 , “With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips, your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’” No, he didn’t end up with third degree burns on his mouth. That would have made it even more difficult for him to be a prophet. The message for Isaiah was, “You’re all cleaned up now and authorized to be in the presence of the Lord.”

After being briefed on the sad moral state of the people of Judah, God asked (verse 8) , “Whom shall I send. And who will go for us?” Isaiah was eager to volunteer. “Here I am. Send me!” was Isaiah’s response.

Only after Isaiah volunteered was he told that his prophetic mission would fail. Verses 9-10 , “Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving. Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, heart with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

About this time, I wonder if Isaiah thought, “Is it too late for me to unvolunteer?” Maybe I should tell God that I have to check with my wife first before I volunteer.

Isaiah then asked how long this ministry might be. Verse 11 , “For how long, O Lord?” How long is the assignment? Verses 11-12 , “until the cities lie ruined. . . until the Lord has sent everyone far away.” In other words, “for as long as you are needed. This is no two-year enlistment in the Army.” Wow, I wonder if Isaiah’s enthusiasm for his mission faded just a bit.

In Chapter 7 , we find Isaiah meeting with Ahaz, the evil king of Judah. Ahaz was a compromiser when it came to religion. He combined the worship of God with the worship of Baal and Molech. I guess he didn’t want to offend anyone.

Jerusalem, the capital of Judah, was being threatened by King Rezen of Aram (Syria) and Pekah, the king of Israel (also known as Ephraim). Why did they want to attack Judah? Because the King of Judah refused to join an alliance with them against the even larger kingdom of Assyria.

Verse 2 , “so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.”

Of course, Ahaz was frightened, panic stricken. Judah was a very small country. Some of its cities had already been attacked. There seems to be no barrier that could keep these nations from attacking Jerusalem.

Verse 3 , “Then the Lord said to Isaiah, ‘Go out, you and your sons Shear-Jashub, to meet Ahaz. . . Verse 4 , “Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because these two smoldering stubs of firewood.’” Verse 8 says that within sixty-five years Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people.

Why would Isaiah tell these people what would happen in sixty-five years when most of these people would be dead? For that matter, why does Isaiah write about the first and second coming of the Messiah which is even further in the future? It’s obvious that some of these messages are for another audience, those who would live many years later. This is made clear in the book of Daniel where Daniel was receiving prophetic messages which he didn’t understand. Dan. 12:8-9 , “I heard, but I did not understand. So, I asked, My Lord, what will the outcome of all this be? He replied, ‘Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.’”

There are passages in Revelation that we still don’t fully understand. Perhaps it’s because they too are for a future generation. Just imagine how much of the book of Revelation puzzled the Apostle John. He didn’t even have the vocabulary to describe the images that he saw.

Isaiah then describes the kings of Israel and Syria as smoldering, dying pieces of wood in a fire (verse 4) . In time the Assyrians overtook these nations that were threatening Judah.

Isaiah’s words of encouragement might not have comforted King Ahaz. After all, he has been listening to numerous prophets, both real and false, telling him contradictory messages.

In verse 11 , God told Ahaz to ask for a sign to convince him that what is being prophesied by Isaiah is true. Apparently, God knew that Ahaz wasn’t convinced that his safety was assured. Ahaz declined the offer of a sign, though he really needed one to put his mind at ease.

Isaiah tells him that he is going to give the king a sign, whether he wants one or not. Verse 14 , “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel. . . before the boy knows enough to reject wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.” This happened before the boy was two years old.

Since the purpose of this “sign” was to put King Ahaz’s mind at ease the sign must refer to an event that took place in his lifetime, not hundreds of years later. The sign says, in the time it takes for a virgin to fall in love, get married, give birth to a baby boy whose name will be Immanuel, and he is old enough to know right from wrong, those two kings who you fear will be history.

Immanuel means “God is with us.” This expression can have multiple meanings. It can mean the incarnation of the second member of the Trinity, Jesus. It can also mean God being with the King of Judah to protect him and his people from the armies of Israel and Syria.

Isaiah goes on to say in verses 18-25 that Judah will be invaded by the Assyrians who will “shave your head and the hair on your legs and to take off your beards.” To shave their heads, legs and beards was a great insult to the defeated army. The land will become desolate, but that is for a future time. For the time being, Ahaz needn’t fear this current threat from Syria and Israel.

Lent

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 07:40:08 GMT

What is Lent?

Lent: Latin for “fortieth” commemorates the 40 days Jesus Christ, Moses and Elijah spent fasting. It is observed in many, but not all Christian denominations. This forty-day period of grief begins on Ash Wednesday and ends with the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus on Resurrection Sunday (Easter). In 2025 the period of Len is March 5- April 19 of 2025.

Its’ purpose is to draw people closer to God through self-examination, repentance, almsgiving, and self-denial.

Some of the practices originate in Judaism which has a similar period of reflection in the autumn of the year. The Feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hashanah is a wake up followed by a ten-day period of self-examination and repentance to get right with God. This is followed by the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur when all their sins were forgiven, and their names are written in the Book of Life. In both traditions, one day is preparation for another.

A Jewish tradition is oftentimes performed where prayers are recited near natural flowing water, and one's sins are symbolically cast into the water. This is done by throwing bread or pebbles into the water, symbolizing the casting off of their sins.

Christian Customs Associated with Lent:

Three traditional practices, known as the three pillars of Lent are: prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Many churches collect the previous year's Holy Week palm branches that were distributed during the Palm Sunday liturgies; on Tuesday, churches burn these palms to make the ashes used during the services held on the very next day, Ash Wednesday. In Western traditions, the liturgical color of the season of Lent is purple.

The making of a Lenten sacrifice, in which Christians give up a personal pleasure for the duration of 40 days might include various forms of fasting (food, sex, alcohol, etc.). What if it was required for us to give up the internet or our smart phones for Lent?

Significant Lenten days include:

The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday is known as Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday or “the bender before the benediction.” It was a time of feasting derived from the need to get rid of the food and other restricted items (liquor) during the Lenten fast.

The sixth Sunday in Lent, commonly called Palm Sunday, marks the beginning of Holy Week, the final week of Lent immediately preceding resurrection Sunday.

Wednesday of Holy Week, (also sometimes known as Spy Wednesday) commemorates Judas Iscariot's bargain to betray Jesus.

Thursday of Holy Week is known as Maundy Thursday and is a day Christians commemorate the Last Supper shared by Christ with his disciples.

The next day is Good Friday, which reminds us of Jesus' crucifixion, death, and burial.

The season of Lent ends with Resurrection Sunday, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus when some churches hold sunrise worship services.

If a Christian wishes to observe Lent, he is free to do so. There is no Biblical command to observe any of these traditional practices. Reflection and repentance should be an ongoing process of Christian maturation rather than a seasonal activity.

Isaiah 3 - 5

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 06:54:49 GMT

The Messianic Age and The Song of the Vineyard

In chapter 3 we find Isaiah is looking ahead about 150 years to the time when the Babylonians will invade Jerusalem and take many of the Jews into captivity for seventy years. The situation in the country is not good. Verses 1-2 tells us that its leaders, military, judicial as well as those who are highly skilled will be removed, taken by either death or deportation. The poor, less educated people who are left in Judah will seek someone to lead them, almost anyone. Verse 6 , “A man will seize one of his brothers . . . and say, ‘you have a cloak, you be our leader; take charge of this heap of ruins!” But in that day, he will cry out, ‘I have no remedy.”

All it will take to get chosen to lead is a cloak, in other words, “He looks like a leader, let’s choose him.” Wasn’t Saul chosen as the first King of Israel, in part, because he looked the part? Sometimes a person is elected to public office based more on looks and charisma than on competence.

The people will find it difficult to get someone to take on the leadership role of a defeated nation with its most talented people taken away. Who would want to be the mayor of Berlin in the summer of 1945 or of Hiroshima in September?

No one seems willing to take over the leadership of Judah. The situation seems so hopeless. Have you wondered why some people want to become president or prime minister of some nations? Do they really believe that they can do what no one else has been able to do? Should anyone who seeks elected office in some countries be automatically considered unqualified based on mental illness? What if we chose our leaders based on a lottery? Names could be drawn from a list of the top 100 most accomplished citizens. Imagine a Chief Executive Officer of a major corporation getting a “draft notice” to serve as president or prime minister. And best of all, we won’t have to endure watching campaign commercials for months before an election.

Verses 8-9 give a vivid description of the nation. “Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling; their words and deeds are against the Lord. . . they parade their sin like Sodom.” They parade their sin as if it was a source of pride and a cause for celebration. They have lost the ability to feel ashamed or able to blush.

But not all is lost. Verse 10 mentions that there were some, though not the majority, who remained faithful to God. “Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.” This is much like the time of the Judges where the nation went through repeated cycles of obedience, rebellion, oppression and then liberation. Yet, in spite of the overall sad spiritual state of the nation, there were still godly people like Boaz and Ruth.

Verse 12 , “Youths oppress my people, women rule over them. O my people, your guides lead you astray; they turned you from the path.” The elders and leaders ruined God’s vineyard; “the plunder from the poor is in your houses” (verse 14) .

So many of the experienced, powerful leaders will be taken into captivity that governing will be taken over by young, inexperienced people and women who probably had very little training or experience in leadership.

Verse 16 is a passage that some misuse to condemn the wearing of jewelry. “The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, tripping along with mincing steps, with ornaments jingling on their ankles.”

Another passage that is sometimes misused is 1 Tim. 2:9-10 , “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes , but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.”

Wearing jewelry and nice clothing is not wrong nor is it condemned. But immodest and expensive clothing and jewelry used for the wrong purpose is frowned upon. In Scripture we find both jewelry and nice clothing being used for godly purposes.

In Ex. 28 the high priest wore a breastplate covered with jewels which represented the twelve tribes of Israel.

In Gen. 24 Rebeccah was given jewelry as a symbol of her future status as the wife of Isaac.

In Gen. 41:42 we see Joseph was given a signet ring as a sign of his position and authority.

In Ezek. 16:12 it says, “I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, and I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown upon your head.” Here we have a metaphorical description of God’s care for his people. But Israel misused her beauty. Verse 16 , “But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute.”

In Luke 15:22 , when the prodigal son returned home, his father gave him a robe and a ring to signify his restoration to a position of privilege and authority.

In Isa. 3:18-23 God says that he will strip away the “finery, the bangles, headbands, necklaces, earrings, bracelets. perfume bottles charms, signet rings, nose rings, fine robes, purses and mirrors, linen garments, and shawls.” Does this mean that we shouldn’t use headbands, perfumes, signet rings, robes, purses, mirrors and shawls?

Scripture does not condemn the wearing of jewelry, or nice linen, perfumes, charms or mirrors. But these things, along with alcohol, food, automobiles, or money can be misused.

Chapter 3 ends on a dismal note, verse 25-26 and 4:1 , “Your men will fall by the sword, your warriors in battle. The gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground. Chapter 3 should have continued into chapter 4, verse 1 which reads, “In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, ‘We will eat our own food, and provide our own clothes; only let us be called by your name.’”

So many men will be lost in battle or taken into captivity that women widowed and childless, will be desperate to find a man.

In Chapter 4 the writer jumps ahead in time to the millennium. Verse 2 , “In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors of Israel”. The “Branch of the Lord” is a Messianic term, a ‘family tree’ motif indicating the Messiah’s ancestry. This idea is further developed in Isaiah 11:1 where it says, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him . . .” The passage goes onto to describe the Messiah reigning during the millennium. During that time there will be, “a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy” (verse 5) . This reminds us of Israel’s desert wanderings when God guided and protected his people with his unique GPS and Security System which we know as The Shechinah glory.

After hearing all this, Isaiah thought, “I’ll put this lesson to music and take out my fiddle I’ll sing my newest song entitled The Song of the Vineyard,” which is in chapter 5 .

Chapter 5:1 , “I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard; My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside.” He (God) prepared the soil, planted the best of vines, built a watchtower and a winepress. He invested a lot in this project and had every right to expect great grapes to be harvested. Verse 2 , “Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit.”

Disappointed, God then decided to tear it all down. Verse 5 , “I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed. I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled. I will make it a wasteland.”

Back then, a vineyard had two barriers around it. A stone wall to keep animals out and a hedge of sharp thorns outside or on top of the stone wall to prevent people from climbing over it. It would be the ancient equivalent of a chain linked fence with concertina wire on top.

In case Isaiah’s audience didn’t understand what was being said, he explained the song in verse 7 . “The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of his delight. And he looked for justice (good grapes), but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress (bad grapes).”

Verse 8 lists six “woes” or judgements that will befall the people.

Woe number one : verse 8 deals with selling land. “Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land.” This refers to the practice of the rich who took the land of the poor to repay a debt. But that land was to return to the people on the Jubilee Year when all land was to be returned to its original owners (Lev. 25) . Today you might see the rich moving into an area, rebuilding it, and this leads to higher property taxes for the original, long-term property owners. The rich Israelites didn’t need all this land, and it would lead to individuals becoming isolated from others.

The result of this greedy practice would be the depopulation of the land, mansions will be abandoned, and the cultivated land will revert back to its original natural state (verses 9-10) . This occurred during the seventy years of Babylonian captivity.

Woe number two : verse 11 deals with drunkenness. “Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine. They have harps and lyres at their banquets, tambourines and flutes and wine, but they have no regard for the Lord. Verse 13 , Therefore, they will go into exile.”

Several religious groups will not observe birthdays because there were two such celebrations in Scripture, Egyptian Pharaoh in Joseph’s time (Gen. 40:20) and King Herod in Jesus’ time (Matt. 14:6; Mark 6:21) . In both instances people were killed (the chief baker and John the Baptist). Just because an evil was committed during the celebration doesn’t mean that the celebration of a birthday is wrong. In this passage in Isaiah, we find drunkenness along with the use of musical instruments. Do these groups who ban birthday celebrations also ban the use of musical instruments?

Verse 13 , “. . . their men of rank will die of hunger and their masses will be parched with thirst. Verse 14 , “Therefore the grave enlarges its appetite and opens its mouth without limit; into it will descent their nobles and masses with all their brawlers and revelers.” The party is over for Judah.

Verse 17 , “Then sheep will graze as in their own pastures; lambs will feed among the ruins of the rich.” I picture a land where the neighborhoods of the rich and powerful are ghostly silent, the buildings are in ruins and the animals grazing is the only activity in the area. Meanwhile, the rich and corrupt are willfully disobedient and mock these threats.

Woe number three : Verse 18 , deals with deceitfulness. “Woe to those who “draw sin along with cords of deceit, and wickedness as with cart ropes, to those who say, ‘let God hurry, let him hasten his work so we may see it.’”

Woe number four : verse 20 , deals with evil in general. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.” This sounds like some aspects of our own society.

Woe number five : verse 20 , deals with arrogance. “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.” Perhaps this refers to those who cleverly cheat others or use the legal system to their advantage in a corrupt manner.

Woe number six : Verse 22 , deals with corruption of the legal system. “Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drink, who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent.”

Verses 24b and on give us the cause and consequences of their disobedience. First the cause: “For they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.” Then the consequences. “Therefore, the Lord’s anger burns against his people.” He then describes the swiftly moving army of the Babylonians (verse 26) . Their roar is like a lion as they seize their prey and carry if off with no one to rescue” (verse 29) .

These events in the first five chapters lead to the calling of Isaiah.

Prophets of the Old Testament

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 06:36:37 GMT

Who are the prophets of God in the Old Testament?

In the Old Testament we find both priests and prophets. Priests inherited their positions. Priests performed the routine rituals at the temple, which required more physical strength more than intelligence. Afterall, they had prescribed rituals, they just had to follow the script. Those not working in the temple were to teach the Israelites the Law of Moses, which was only about 15% of what we have in the Bible now.

Prophets, on the other hand, were called by God. Their mission was not as much teaching but exhorting the people to obey the Law that they already knew. They were also spokesmen for God, providing prophetic messages to the people.

Modern day pastors are expected to be both “priests” and “prophets”. They perform the priestly rituals of baptism, the Lord’s Supper, weddings, and funerals as well as the prophetic duties of preaching (teaching) and exhorting.

You might be surprised as to how many prophets are found in the Old Testament. Some wrote books, others didn’t. Some were identified by name, others were unnamed. Some were men, others were women. Some were “royal” prophets, focusing on the kings, while others worked with the common people.

There is one distinction that I would like to see eliminated. Some are referred to as major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel) while the writers of the shorter books were referred to as minor prophets. This gives the reader the impression that the shorter books are of less importance. Do we do that with the epistles found in the New Testament? Is Romans a major epistle while Jude a minor one? No.

Below is a list of over sixty prophets found in the Old Testament.

Noah: Noah was a prophet in that God spoke to him about the future (Gen. 7:1–4; 8:16–17, 21–22; and 9:1–16) .
Abraham: God gave Abraham instructions and glimpses of the future (Gen. 12) .
Jacob: In Gen. 28:10–22 , Jacob had his dream of the stairway to heaven and a reiteration of God’s promise to his father Abraham. In Gen. 49 , Jacob gave an accurate prophecy of the future of his sons’ descendants.
Joseph: In Gen. 37:3–11 , Joseph related two dreams he’d had—prophecies that he would one day rule over his brothers and parents. He interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker (Gen. 40) and then Pharaoh’s own dream (Gen. 41) .
Moses: Much of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy are filled with God’s messages to and through Moses.
Aaron: In Ex.7:1–7 , Aaron began his career as God’s prophet, rebuking and giving warnings to others.
Miriam: In Ex. 15:20 Moses’ sister, Miriam, is identified as a prophet.
The seventy elders of Israel: The Holy Spirit temporarily endowed them with the ability to prophesy (Num. 11:25) .
Balaam: The king of Moab tried to bribe him to curse Israel. Balaam tried, but his fear of God, his integrity as a prophet, and his stubborn donkey overcame his greed (Num. 22–24) .
Elihu: Among Job’s friends was Elihu (Job 32–35) who condemned the other three friends, confronted Job about his lack of trust in God, and reminded them all that God is just.
Joshua: In Joshua 1:1–9 , God gave him encouragement for the hard task ahead and a promise of success. He also gave Joshua a warning to obey the law God had given Moses.
Deborah: Deborah is the only recorded female judge of Israel, and J udges 4:4 indicates she was a prophetess, as well.
Gideon: Throughout Judges 6–8 , God led Gideon to take a small army and destroy the oppressive Midianites and Amalekites.
Samuel: Samuel received his first message from God in 1 Sam. 3:4 when he was a small boy. He spent his life as God’s messenger.
A procession of prophets: Shortly after Saul’s anointing as king, he met with seventy prophets and joined them (1 Sam. 10:10) .
King Saul: Samuel gave Saul specific instructions right after Samuel anointed him to be king. In the process of heeding Samuel’s directions, Saul met with a group of prophets and prophesied with them (1 Sam. 10:10) .
Gad: While being chased by Saul, David and a group of followers hid in a stronghold. Gad the prophet sent him a word from God as to what he was to do next (1 Sam. 22:5) .
Nathan: In 2 Sam. 7:4–17 , Nathan told David that Solomon would build the temple. In 2 Sam.12:1–15 , Nathan rebuked David for committing adultery with Bathsheba and killing her husband.
David: David must have received some kinds of messages from God, as so many of his Psalms prophesy the coming of Jesus (Ps. 8; 22; 110) .
Asaph: Many of the psalms were written either by him or by the guild he inspired. His songs were sung along with David’s at the time of Hezekiah (2 Chron. 29:30) .
Tabernacle musicians: First Chron. 25:1–7 lists the musicians whom David commissioned to perform before the tabernacle and identifies them as prophets.
King Solomon: In 1 Kings 3 , God asked Solomon in a dream if there was anything Solomon would like from Him. Solomon chose wisdom.
Agur: Agur is cited as the author of Prov. 30 .
Ahijah: Ahijah told Jeroboam that he would take command of ten of the tribes of Israel after Solomon died. Several years later, Ahijah told Jeroboam’s wife that, because of Jeroboam’s sin against God, not only would their son die, but Jeroboam’s entire line would be cut off (1 Kings 14:1–18) .
Iddo: Iddo predicted the rise of Jeroboam (2 Chron. 9:29) and wrote a record of Rehoboam (2 Chron. 12:15) and Abijah (2 Chron. 13:17) .
Shemaiah: After the ten northern tribes followed Jeroboam, Rehoboam prepared the southern tribes for battle. God sent Shemaiah to tell them to return home (1 Kings 12:22) .
A man of God from Judah: God sent this unnamed prophet to Bethel to confront the sin of King Jeroboam (1 Kings 13:1–10) .
An old prophet in Bethel: This unnamed prophet intercepted the man of God on his way home to Judah and deceived him into dining at his house (1 Kings 13:11–32) .
Azariah: He gave God’s warning to King Asa, encouraging him to rid the nation of Judah of idols (2 Chron. 15:1–7) .
Hanani: Hanani told Asa that God would have destroyed Syria’s king for him if he’d followed the Lord (2 Chron. 16:7–10) .
Jehu: The prophet Jehu lived in the time of King Baasha and was Hanani’s son. Jehu announced God’s judgment against Baasha, saying that, because of his sin, the dogs and birds would eat his family’s bodies (1 Kings 16:1–7) .
Elijah: Elijah was probably the most significant prophet who didn’t write his own book. It was he who ensured a widow was always supplied with oil and flour (1 Kings 17:8–16) , raised that same widow's son from the dead (1 Kings 17:17–24) , who had a showdown with the priests of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:17–40) , and who was strengthened by God’s still voice in his fatigue and depression (2 Kings 2:1–11) . At the end of his life, a chariot of fire took him to heaven, and his mantle fell to Elisha as his successor (2 Kings 2:1–12) .
Unnamed Prophet: this prophet assured King Ahab that Israel would triumph with God’s help and prophesied against Ahab for not killing Ben-hadad (1 Kings 20) .
Micaiah: Micaiah revealed that God had sent a lying spirit to the four hundred prophets in order to lure Ahab to his death. Ahab went to battle anyway and was struck and killed by a random arrow (1 Kings 22:13–28) .
Jahaziel: Jahaziel prophesied that Judah would destroy its enemies and even gave counsel on how to accomplish the rout (2 Chron. 20:1–23) .
Eliezer: Eliezer confronted Jehoshaphat, saying that, because he had joined with Ahaziah, God would destroy what he had made. The ships were wrecked before they could reach their destination (2 Chron. 20:35–37) .
Unknown prophets: Various prophets lived during the time of Elijah and Elisha, belonging to the school of prophets (2 Kings 2:3-5) .
Elisha: He helped wipe out organized Baal worship (2 Kings 10:28) , brought a widow’s son back to life (2 Kings 4:18–37) , and cured Naaman’s leprosy (2 Kings 5) . And when a dead man was thrown into Elisha’s grave, the man sprang back to life (2 Kings 13:2–21) .
Zechariah the priest: Zechariah confronted Joash and the people; the king ordered him to be stoned (2 Chron. 24:20–22) .
Jonah: God sent Jonah to Jeroboam and led him to restore a border against their enemies (2 Kings 14:23–27) .
Joel: After Judah’s crops were obliterated by a swarm of locusts, Joel compared the devastation to what God would do if the people didn’t return to Him. Joel also predicted the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Joel 2:28; cf. Acts 2:16–21) .
Amos: Amos prophesied against Israel. His warnings were ignored, and Israel was taken into captivity by Assyria.
Hosea: In order to illustrate the unfaithfulness of the northern kingdom of Israel, God had Hosea marry a prostitute who remained unfaithful after they married. To show how God longed to forgive His people, He told Hosea to take Gomer back. In addition to the message to Israel of God’s faithfulness, Hosea includes a prophecy that Gentiles would one day follow God (Hosea 2:23) .
Isaiah: Isaiah is the most quoted prophet in the New Testament. He was an adviser to King Hezekiah of Judah. His book contains prophecies of Jesus and John the Baptist, and Jesus used Isa. 61:1–2 to begin His ministry in Nazareth. It’s possible that Isaiah was also a priest.
Micah: Micah served as a prophet during the time of Isaiah. His message mixed condemnation of sin with the promise of the coming Messiah. His book contains the only mention of Bethlehem as the place of the Messiah’s birth.
Oded: God brought the Syrians to punish Judah. The prophet Oded, on God’s orders, stopped them, telling the invaders they had gone far enough, and they should set the captives free and return the spoils, which they did (2 Chron. 28:1–15) .
Zephaniah: Zephaniah warned Judah about their impending doom and that a remnant would return.
Nahum: Nahum promised that Assyria’s days were numbered, and that Judah would be delivered from their threat.
Huldah: Huldah was consulted by King Josiah concerning how he should respond to finding the Book of the Law.
Jeremiah: Jeremiah was one of the last prophets of the Kingdom of Judah and gave the people a word of hope that they would return from captivity in 70 years.
Uriah: Along with Jeremiah, prophesied against the evil in Judah (Jer. 26:20-23) .
Habakkuk: The Book of Habakkuk prophesied Assyria’s fall, the Babylonian exile, and the future victory of the Persians.
Obadiah: The Book of Obadiah prophesied against Edom, the descendants of Jacob’s brother, Esau. Edom effectively disappeared after their removal from Petra in the fifth century BC.
Daniel: In the visions and angelic encounters of Dan. 7–12 , Daniel revealed more about the end times than any other book besides Revelation.
Ezekiel made several prophesies about the future, including the coming of Jesus, the New Jerusalem (Ezek. 48:30–35) , and the millennial kingdom (Ezek. 44) .
Haggai: Haggai worked with Zechariah and Zerubbabel to get the Jews who had returned from exile back on track to build the temple (Hag.1) .
Zechariah: The Book of Zechariah gave encouragement to the Jews to finish the temple and gave prophecies concerning the Israelites.
Malachi: He was the last prophet to prophecy in Israel until an angel visited Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist.

Below is a chronology of the prophetic books.

Two prophets went to Assyria (Jonah and Nahum).

Two went to the northern Kingdom of Israel (Amos and Hosea).

Six were focused on Judah before they were taken into captivity in Babylon (Joel, Micah, Isaiah, Zephaniah, Habakkuk and Jeremiah).

Two ministered to the Israelites while in captivity (Daniel and Ezekiel).

Three ministered to the Israelites after they returned from captivity (Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi).

Isaiah 1 - 2

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 09:06:51 GMT

The Indictment and Judgment of Judah!

Isaiah doesn’t waste any time getting to the point of his letter. There is no, “Hello, how are you? I’m fine thank you.” He begins in verse 1 , “The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw.”

A vision? A vision is like a dream, but it is when one is awake. Critics might say that a prophetic vision is just a visual hallucination, sometimes seen among schizophrenic patients or in people who smoke marijuana or take LSD. No, I’m not speaking from personal experience. But not all visions or auditory hallucinations are signs of mental illness. God uses such a tool to speak to his prophets:

God used a vision to speak with Balaam (Num. 24:4) .

God used a vision to communicate with Abraham concerning the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 15:1) .

Samuel had his first vision when he was but a child (1 Sam. 3) .

Zacharias, an elderly priest in Jerusalem and the father of John the Baptist had a vision recorded in Luke 1:5-23 .

Ananias was given a vision where he was told to go and visit Paul (Acts 9:10) .

Cornelius, a Roman military officer had a vision where he was told to go and find Peter (Acts 10:1-6) .

Peter had a vision which revealed to him that Christians were not bound by the laws of clean and unclean meats (Acts 10:9-15) .

Paul had several visions in his missionary career. One sent him to preach in Macedonia (Acts 16:9-10 ). Another encouraged him to keep preaching in Corinth (Acts 18:9-11) . God also gave him a vision of heaven (2 Cor.12:1-6) which I think took away his fear of death (Phil. 1:21-24) .

The apostle John was given the book of Revelation in a vision(s) while he was on the island of Patmos (Rev. 1:10) .

With the completion of the Bible, God does not have to use dreams and visions as much as He did before. That is not to say that He cannot or does not. But if you have what you think is a vision, check to see if what you saw is in line with what Scripture says.

I will caution you, there are those who claim that “God spoke to me.” To make such a claim when God didn’t speak to them is one way of “taking the Lord’s name in vain.”

Chapter 1 describes what appears to be an intimidating courtroom scene. Verse 1, “The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.”

Who is the defendant in this trial? Israel.

Who is the plaintiff and judge? God.

Who are the witnesses? Verse 2 , “Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth! For the Lord has spoken.” The heavens and the earth also bore witness to the ratification of the Mosaic Covenant between God and Israel as they were about to enter the Promised Land. Deut. 4:26 , “I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day.” From heaven the Israelites heard God’s voice and on the earth was the visible manifestation of God referred to as the Shechinah glory.

What are the charges against Israel? Chapter 1:2 , “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me.” Verse 4 , They became “a sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.”

Rebellious, sinful, evil, corrupt, deserters of God. Who do you think is going to win this case? Their rebellion and disobedience were symptoms of their rejection of the Holy One of Israel. In 1 Sam 8 the people of Israel asked for a king so that they would be like all the other nations. In verse 7 God told Samuel, “It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.” Despite the people’s outward appearance of religious piety, they were rejecting God by their everyday lives.

The title “ Holy One of Israel ” is used 31 times in the Hebrew Bible. It appears twelve times in chapters 1-40 of Isaiah and 13 times in chapters 40-66 , the part of the book that critics say was written by another author. The title is one of Isaiah’s favorite titles for God and is used throughout the book. This is one of the arguments against the idea that the book was written by two or even three “Isaiahs.”

Then Isaiah asks, “Why should you be beaten anymore?” (verse 5) . They were being punished by their enemies, yet they persisted in their rebellion against God. Verse 7 , “Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire, your fields are being stripped by foreigners.” This brings to mind the cycle of rebellion, followed by punishment, repentance and restoration found in the Book of Judges.

The foreigner who invaded Judah was Sennacherib of Assyria. He destroyed forty-six of Judah’s fortified cities by fire. But the Assyrians were not able to conquer Jerusalem. Still, the people of Judah persisted in their sins.

The Daughter of Zion (refers to Jerusalem) is left like a shelter in a vineyard (verse 8) . In verse 10 the rulers are compared to those who ruled Sodom and Gomorrah. That is not a compliment.

The people continued to perform the required rituals at the temple. They might even have become more “religious” during this crisis, more religious in their observance of rituals, but not more obedient to the law governing their everyday lives. Yet, God wasn’t impressed with their religious devotion. Verse 11 , “The multitude of your sacrifices-what are they to me? . . . I have more than enough of burnt offerings. “I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goat.” Verse 13 , “Stop bringing me meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations- I cannot bear your evil assemblies.” Verse 15 , “When you spread out your hands in prayer , I will hide my eyes from you. . . your hands are full of blood.”

Before entering the temple to pray the people had to wash their hands and feet. But regardless of how clean their hands were when they spread them out in prayer, in God’s eyes, they were bloodstained.

Some of them may be confused at this point. They might be asking, “Why did God tell us to bring him offerings, then tell them to stop them? We are doing all the required rituals in the proper manner. Why doesn’t God hear our prayers?” “Why is mad at us?”

Verse 16 gives us the answer. “Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.”

“Learn to do right.” Where were the teachers of the Law back then? Was anyone teaching ethics to their people? It appears to me that the commandment to “teach your children” (Deut.6:7) hadn’t been followed for a long time. Imagine posters being posted all around town announcing:

MANDATORY REMEDIAL TRAINING ON THE LAW OF MOSES.

 ATTENDANCE WILL BE TAKEN.

At this point they might be asking, “Can’t we just go to the temple and perform the rituals instead? That would be easier (and more profitable) than doing what is right in our everyday life and helping others.” “Can’t we just be outwardly religious one day a week and then resume our life like everyone else does?” The answer is NO! You can’t carve out a few hours a week for God and then live like the non-believer the rest of the week.

A similar message was given to the northern kingdom of Israel by the prophet Amos, an older contemporary of Isaiah. Like Isaiah, Amos condemned the empty worship of the people who were outwardly very religious, but unethical in their everyday behavior. Amos 2:4-7 , “This is what the Lord says. . . they have rejected the law of the Lord and have not kept his decrees, because they have been led astray by false gods, the gods their ancestors followed. . . They sell the innocent for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name.”

It appears that Judah was going the same way as Israel.

Verse 18 , “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

“Come now, let us reason together.” This expression suggests that he wants to avoid bullying people into obedience, but rather to help them to understand the reasonableness of doing what was right. “Let’s think about this for a moment.” Rather than taking an authoritarian approach, where the people are dictated to, he is taking an authoritative one, explaining and guiding the people to want to do what was required.

Isaiah described Israel’s sin as having the color of scarlet and crimson (verse 18) . Scarlet was a colored dye obtained from an insect found in some oak trees. Once stained with scarlet, it was nearly impossible to remove it from a garment.

To color a fabric scarlet, it would be soaked in a scarlet dye. This staining process illustrates how sin had permeated the fabric of society. The people are soaked in sin. Archeologists have recently found a 3,800-year-old piece of scarlet colored fabric. As for crimson, it comes from another insect, the cochineal. The dye that is produced “resists degradation with time.” That sounds like a good description of deeply imbedded, nearly impossible to remove state of sinfulness of God’s people.

Verse 19 , “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”

Notice the word “if” indicating again the conditional nature of the Mosaic Covenant. Blessing come IF you obey me, curses if you do not.

Isaiah then targets the leaders, the influencers in society. Verse 23 , “Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.

Here is Isaiah Judah giving an appraisal as to how they have done in obeying the Law of Moses. This brings to mind the appraisal that Jesus gave to his church in Revelation chapters 2 & 3 . There you find a series of letters written to the churches of Asia minor. There Jesus gives each church an appraisal of how they were doing. Some have strayed from the truth of scriptures, others compromised with the world rather than transforming it.

Have you ever wondered what Jesus would say if he were to give your church an appraisal? How would your congregation be rated as to how they fulfilling the great commission of Matt. 28 (“go into all the world, preach the Gospel, make disciples (students) baptize and teach) or in caring for the needy and keeping yourselves from the corruption of the world (James 1:27) ? Would a modern-day prophet say, “Well done” or would he say that the churches nonessential activities were crowding out the essential ones? What if God sent a prophet to your house with a personal assessment?

As God is speaking to his people through Isaiah, I picture a parent speaking to a teenage son. Imagine that your son, who has always been a compliant, hard-working, conscientious student, just got his driver’s license and his first car. You know where this story is going, don’t you? You noticed that he is spending less time studying his lessons from school and his grades are starting to decline. He’s also starting to hang around with a new set of friends who are not having a good influence on him. He has become more rebellious, disrespectful, lazy etc. So, you sit him down and express your concern for the direction his life seems to be going in. You explain to him the bright future that you envision for him and the hopes and dreams that he once had. You encourage him to rethink how he is living and urge him to get back on track and focus on his bright future. The conversation ends with a hug and later he thinks about what you say. Soon, it is hoped, he cleans up his room, gets a nice haircut, begins to use forgotten words like, “please”, “thank you” or “Yes” and eyerolling disappears almost altogether. Yes, miracles can still happen. This is how I picture God speaking with Judah. Not as a demanding, authoritarian, tyrannical parent, but a reasoning, gentle, authoritative parent. And if that doesn’t work, He can always switch to the authoritarian parent, become more like a Marine drill sergeant who rather than reasoning with someone, plants a size 12 boot in their backside and smacks them on the side of his head.

Israel wasn’t just another nation among many. God had a special plan for these people. God chose Abraham and his descendants, the nation of Israel, to not only bring into the world the Messiah, but to create a nation of priests and prophets; to reintroduce monotheism, and the worship of the one true God. In Deut. 7:6 Moses wrote, “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his “treasured possession.” Amos 3:2 says, “You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore, I will punish you for all your sins.”

He didn’t choose them because they were better than anyone else. Nor did he choose them to give them privileges only. He chose them to give them special responsibility, which, so far, they had failed to carry out.

God is like a parent who looks at his little child and pictures him someday being presented a Nobel Prize as he proudly sits in the audience. Instead, he’s sitting in the back of a conference room as his son appears before a parole board to determine if he is going to remain incarcerated or be let loose on society.

Judah’s disobedience has persisted for so long that God finally had to discipline them.

Verse 24-25 , “Therefore. . . I will turn my hand against you.”

Now that is something you don’t want to hear from God, “I will turn my hand against you.” But He does this not to destroy them, but to restore them. “I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities. I will restore your judges as in days of old, your counselors as at the beginning.” When God is done refining them, “You will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City, Zion will be redeemed with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness.”

But what about those who refuse this reformation effort? Verse 28 , “But rebels and sinners will both be broken, and those who forsake the Lord will perish.” He goes on to say, “You will be ashamed because of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted; you will be disgraced because of the gardens that you have chosen.” The sacred oaks are referring to the locations where offerings were made to pagan gods which included sexual immorality.

In Chapter 2 Isaiah jumps ahead in tome to when Jesus returns to reign which is described in Revelation chapters 19-20 . By doing so God reminds His people of the bright future He has for them. He reminds them of who they are and that they should be acting like God’s chosen people, not like the world. He speaks to them about a time referred to as “the last days.”

When are these “last days” or “end times” that we hear about today? The last days began at the first coming of Christ. The fact that we now are living in the last days is seen in Heb. 1:1-2 , “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”

When we are asked, “Do you think we are living in the last days or the end times?” I would say “yes” if you define “end times” as the time between the birth of Jesus and the rapture of the church.

These terms are like the term “old”. Am I old? It depends on how I define the term “old.” When I was in my twenties, I thought 70 was old. Now that I’m 76 I think that 70 is young. Am I in my personal “end times” or “last days”? I’d have to say yes, based on the average life expectancy. But I am not in terminal decline or in hospice care, yet.

Chapter 2:2-5 describes the millennial reign of Jesus. “In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains. . . and all the nations will stream to it.” There “he will teach us his ways. . . he will judge between the nations. . . They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”

In the millennium or the Kingdom of God, neither London, England nor Washington, D.C. will be the center of the world. It will be Jerusalem. During this time of peace all the militaries of the world will be disbanded, and all the weaponry will be repurposed for peaceful use.

“Beating swords into plowshares” is done after wars. After World War 2 armored fighting vehicles and tanks were converted into bulldozers and tractors for logging and farming. Ships were sunk off shore to create artificial reefs. Uniforms, knapsacks, tents, boots, winter clothing, were sold to Army surplus stores to be sold to campers and hunters. Even poison nitrogen mustard gas, a blistering agent, was reformulated to develop the first chemotherapy drug called Chlormethine.

The Global Positioning System was originally developed to enable more accurate strikes with long-range weapons by the United States. Fuel from nuclear warheads have been used to power nuclear power plants.

When I was in Belarus, I stayed at a former nuclear missile site that is now a Bible camp. Its’ water tank was once part of a nuclear missile, and a military barracks was being renovated into a home for the elderly.

Above is a statue located at the United Nations in New York city created by the Soviet sculptor Evgeniy Vuchetich. It shows a man beating a sword into a plowshare.

Verse 5 , “come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”

Nations will be disarmed; military academies will be shut down. Imagine if all these resources were able to be used for peaceful purposes. Average global military expenditure as a share of government expenditure was 6.9 per cent in 2023. Add to this figure the percentage of the world’s budgets used by their national security agencies and other agencies of government and you can see how much better the world would be.

God gave the people a view of their future and then encouraged them to “walk in the light” (verse 5 ).

In verses 6-8 he continues to describe their current state. Verse 6 , “You have abandoned your people, the house of Jacob. They are full of superstitions from the East; they practice divination. . . their land is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses there is no end to their chariots.” (verse 7) . Weren’t they told in Deut. 17 that the king wasn’t to acquire many horses or much gold?

They abandoned their heritage; they adopted the lifestyle of their neighbors. clasped hands with the pagans. Their land became full of idols, and they bowed down to the work of their hands (verse 8) .

Isaiah again goes on to contrast their present dismal condition with their glorious future. Jerusalem, which at the time was the center of apostacy, will in the future become the center of truth.

Verses 12-19 describe a time when the proud leaders, the king, priests, false prophets, elders, etc. will be humbled. Verse 12 , “The Lord Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted, and they will be humbled.”

Verse 17 , “The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the Lord ALONE will be exalted in that day, and the idols will totally disappear.” Verse 19 , “Men will flee to caves in the rocks and to holes in the ground from dread of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth.” This brings to mind another time when men will seek the safety of caves with troubled times come. In Rev. 6:1-17 it says, “Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand.’”

Verse 20 , In that day men will throw away to the rodents and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship.”

Rather than being a light to the world, Judah adopted the ways of the world. The church has always been at risk of doing the same thing. Paul wrote in Rom. 12:2 , “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Introduction to Isaiah

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 05:43:21 GMT

Introduction to the Book of Isaiah

First, let’s take a look at the historical background leading up to the time of Isaiah. As you might recall, many years earlier God approached Abram with the deal of a lifetime. This is the Abrahamic Covenant, an unconditional contract between God, Abram and his descendants. It includes the promise of land (Gen. 12:1: 15:18-21), children and that through him, all the world would be blessed by the coming of the Messiah.

Gen. 12:1-3 , “Leave your country . . . and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Verse 7 , “To your offspring I will give this land.”

First: He would give him a piece of land. Not just a few acres to graze animals or to grow vegetables, but a piece of land that would be able to house a whole nation. And this land would continue to be owned by his descendants. This land is modern-day Israel and is referred to as the Promised Land. The title deed to the land was given to Abraham and his descendants without any conditions.

Second: He would give him descendants as numerous as the “dust of the earth” (Gen. 15:16) .

Third: Not only that, but among your many descendants there will be a special person who will be known as the Messiah.”

Now we move forward to the time of Moses and the Israelites at Mt. Sinai. In Exodus 19 Moses came down from Mt. Sinai and explained to the Israelites the terms of another covenant, the Mosaic Covenant. Unlike the Abrahamic Covenant, which was unconditional, the Mosaic Covenant promised blessings only if the Israelites obeyed God.

After wandering in the desert for forty years and before the second generation of Israelites entered the promised land Moses gave them a review of the Law of Moses in the Book of Deuteronomy. Keep in mind that this generation never experienced the pagan worship that their parents saw in Egypt. Imagine if you grew up in a sheltered Christian community, attended Christian schools, were very active in your church and pretty much untouched by the world around you. Then, you are about to be sent off to a secular university. You might need a quick course in religion to prepare yourself for what you are about to experience.

Along with the threat that God would evict them from their land temporarily if their disobedience persisted (Deut. 28:36) . And any future kings would have to abide by certain rules. In Deut. 17:16-20 we find that a king wasn’t to acquire a great number of horses (maintaining a large standing army), take on many wives (foreign wives would lead to the worship of pagan gods), or accumulate large amounts of silver and gold (imposing high taxes which would lead to the division of the kingdom). He was also required to write out the Law of Moses and read it throughout his life. The King was to be a student of this covenant so that he doesn’t stray from it.

As for the people themselves, they were to recite twice a day a statement of faith, call the Shema, to remind them not to worship other gods. This is found in Deut. 6:4 it says, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one (the only one). Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Verse 7 , “Impress them on your children . . . Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” The responsibility is the parents. They can delegate to others the authority to teach their children, but they can’t delegate the responsibility. And parents can’t assume that if they send their children to a Bible study, that they are getting properly trained.

To “love the Lord” was understood to mean to “be loyal to.” In other words, never worship other gods. And these teachings were to be passed down through the generations.

Moses presented this contract or covenant to the Israelites. How did they respond to this offer? Ex. 19:7 , “So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set forth before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. “We will do everything the Lord has said.”

After Moses died, Joshua warned the Israelites, (Josh. 23:16) , “If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God. . . you will quickly perish from the good las he has given you.” The privilege to live in the promised land was conditioned on their obedience to the Law of Moses. Their ownership was never to be revoked since that was part of the unconditional promise made by God to Abraham. Joshua then challenged the Israelites to make a commitment (Josh 24:15) , “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the river of the god of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land, and they were governed by a series of judges. Then the people demanded that they be led by a king, like other nations had ( 1 Sam. 8:6-7) .

Saul, David and Solomon were the three kings of Israel before the nations split into two countries, Israel in the north and Judah in the south.

Well, how did the Israelites do? How well did they abide by the covenant that they made at Mt. Sinai? As you recall from reading Judges, Kings and Chronicles, Israel didn’t always live in obedience to the Law of Moses.

In time God would raise up the Assyrian empire which would threaten Israel and Syria. These two kingdoms tried to persuade King Ahaz of Judah to join them in their effort to push back on Assyria. When Ahaz refused to join them, they (Syria and Israel) invaded Judah, forcing Ahaz (King of Judah) to join their alliance against Assyria. As this alliance made their way south towards Jerusalem, Isaiah assured King Ahaz that the alliance would fail to take Jerusalem. Ahaz refused to trust the advice Isaiah gave him and he sought the help of Assyria to fight against Syria and Israel.

2 Chron. 28:22-23 , “In his time of trouble King Ahaz (a contemporary of Isaiah) became even more unfaithful to the Lord. He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel.”

The Assyrians invaded and took Israel captive and were now the dominant power in the area imposing a heavy tribute on Judah.

Hezekiah became the king of Judah after Ahaz and tried to reform the corrupt religious practices. He fortified Jerusalem’s defenses, sought assistance from Egypt and refused to pay tribute to Assyria. This led the Assyrians to make a failed attack on Jerusalem in 701. B.C. Then there is a gap in time between Isa. Chapters 39 and 40 where we see Assyria conquered by the Babylonians who would attack Jerusalem in 587 B.C. and take many in captivity for 70 years. In 539 B.C. King Cyrus would lead the Persians to defeat Babylon and he would allow the Jews to return to Jerusalem where they rebuilt the temple during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. Years later the Romans would take charge, and they would destroy the second temple.

The political situation in the middle east during the time of Isaiah seems as complicated as the one we see today.

During these difficult times was when Isaiah appeared on the scene. The first verse of the Book of Isaiah states that Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of four kings:

Uzziah (or Azariah) reigned for 52 years from about 788-736 B.C. Isaiah was called to ministry towards the end of Uzziah’s reign in 740 B.C.

Jotham reigned for 16 years from 750- 735 B.C.

Ahaz reigned for 16 years from 731-715 B.C. In 721 B.C. Assyria invaded the northern Kingdom of Israel. During the reign of Ahaz, the kingdom of Judah was untouched by the Assyrian power.

Hezekiah reigned for 29 years from 715-687 B.C. Hezekiah was encouraged to rebel against the king of Assyria and entered into an alliance with the king of Egypt. In 701 B.C. the King of Assyria (Sennacherib) brought a large army into Judea and threatened to conquer Jerusalem. Because Hezekiah humbled himself before God and pleaded for help, it was prophesied that Sennacherib would not enter the city and that, when he went home, he would be killed by his own family. The remaining years of Hezekiah's reign were peaceful. Isaiah probably lived to its close, and possibly into the reign of Manasseh. In 587 the Babylonians invaded Judah and took many into captivity for seventy years.

Now that we’ve looked at the setting, let’s look at the man himself, Isaiah. Along with Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, are frequently referred to as major prophets whereas the shorter prophetic books (Amos, Hosea, Zephaniah, etc.) are written by minor prophets. The word “minor” means lesser in importance, seriousness, or significance. This designation apparently began with Augustine. Yet, 2 Tim. 3:16-17 , tells us that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

If all Scripture is inspired and is useful so that we may be thoroughly equipped for every good work, then should some books be designated as minor while others as major? We don’t do that with the epistles. Romans isn’t labeled a major epistle while Jude, Philemon, and those written by Peter and John are not called minor epistles. Why don’t we do away with these designations?

As with several other books of the Bible, there is a controversy as to who wrote the book of Isaiah, or at least who wrote some of it. The traditional view is that one person, Isaiah, wrote this book during the reigns of Jotham and Hezekiah. But some scholars believe that some of the prophetic portions, such as those that refer to the Persian King Cyrus in Isa. 45:1 who lived about 200 years after Isaiah. leading some to believe that this part of the book must have been written much later. These scholars find it difficult to believe that Isaiah could know the future. They have a limited view of what inspiration means. They think that the Bible is inspired only to the degree that a great piece of literature or music is inspired. So prophetic sections of Isaiah must have been written later, after the fact. What was written as prophecy by Isaiah is viewed as history written by a “second Isaiah”.

One of the strongest arguments for accepting Isaiah as the author of the entire book is the fact that Jesus and the apostles refer to him as the author of those prophetic chapters.

Matt. 12:17-18 quotes Isa. 42:1 ; Matt. 3:3 quotes Isa. 40:3 ; Luke 3:4 quotes Isa. Isa 40:3-5 ; Acts 8:28 refers to Isa. 53:7-8 . Rom. 20:20 quotes Isa. 65:1 ; and John 12:38-41 quotes Isa. 53:1 .

The sin that led to the Babylonian captivity was idolatry. If part of this book was written after their captivity, why is idolatry mentioned throughout the book when idolatry was not practiced by those who returned from Babylon?

I think that those who don’t believe that God could provide a prophetic message to his people have a diminished view of God and divine inspiration. Micah 5:2 gives Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah. Surely Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah, wasn’t written after the birth of Jesus.

Isaiah’s ministry ran from the time of Judah's King Uzziah (740 B.C.), through the reigns of Jotham and Ahaz, to the end of King Hezekiah's rule in 687 B.C. His contemporaries included Amos and Hosea, who ministered to the northern Kingdom of Israel, and Micah who ministered in Judah.

Isaiah wasn’t on the government payroll; he wasn’t in an official position such as Religious Advisor to the King. Rather, he was part of an informal circle of trusted advisors who had access to those in power. Many leaders reach out to respected experts in the private sector for guidance. These are people who have easy access to the corridors of power whose advice is given in private.

The Bible records that he was married, though his wife’s name isn’t given. We’ll just refer to her as Mrs. Isaiah. She may have been the more reserved personality who kept a low-profile taking care of their two sons.

Isaiah’s writing is referenced more than 35 times in the New Testament, and he is the most quoted Old Testament writer in the Gospel accounts. And why wouldn’t he be? Apparently, those who know ancient Hebrew say that he was very well educated, and his writings were on the par with Shakespeare. In fact, he has been referred to as the Shakespeare of the Old Testament. I wonder what Shakespeare would have thought. “Nah, he’s not anywhere near as good a writer as I am.”

Besides writing his own book, he wrote a biography of Uzziah, King of Judah. After Uzziah became powerful, his pride led him to his downfall (2 Chron. 26:16 and 22) . This book has been lost to history. But if you happen to come across a copy, it might be worth a fortune. And if someone tries to sell you a copy on Amazon, beware, it is probably a hoax.

Isaiah’s writings are appreciated even to this day. Isaiah 2:4 adorns the wall across the street from the United Nations in New York, “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” For many years this quote was posted without attribution, perhaps out of fear of offending the Communist and Muslim delegations who wouldn’t want a passage from the Hebrew Bible in so prominent a place.

When eloquent words weren’t enough to get Isaiah’s message across, he acted out his prophecies. Isaiah, at one point during his ministry, was commanded to preach “going around stripped and barefooted” to illustrate how the Israelites would be taken prisoner by the Babylonians.

With a ministry lasting over 40 years, Isaiah touched on a wide range of subjects. The first 39 chapters consist of short-term prophecies. The second part, chapters 40-55, contain medium-term prophecies concerning the end of the Babylonian exile in about 539 B.C. The third part, chapters 56-66, deals with the long term, including the second coming of the Messiah and his millennial reign.

The opening chapters focus on the fact that God’s people had forsaken him. They observed rituals while violating ethics. Its rulers were dishonest, greedy and indifferent to the needs of the poor. He writes about the coming of the Messiah, both first and second. And a time of universal peace.

Isaiah gave prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah including being born of a virgin, of the lineage of David and even of his unremarkable appearance. It even refers to his rejection by the people, his trial as a criminal, his torture, death and burial.

There is one passage that is widely misused by prosperity preachers. It is Isa. 53:4-5 says, “He was pierced through for our transgressions. . . by His scourging we are healed.” This doesn’t mean physical healing is promised. The context, mentioning our transgressions and iniquities, tells us that the healing is spiritual, not physical. Both Paul and Timothy had medical issues. Our present bodies are said to be perishable and weak (1 Cor. 15:42-44) and are decaying (2 Cor. 4:16) .

Do we have enough background to begin reading the book itself?

Hanukkah (Festival of Lights)

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:45:06 GMT

December 25, 2024 - January 2, 2025, is Hanukkah (Festival of Lights)

Some people have referred to the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah or Chanukah as a “Jewish Christmas.” It isn’t. It has nothing to do with Christ or Christmas. It is the eight-day Jewish celebration that commemorates the rededication of the second temple in Jerusalem during the Maccabean Revolt against the Greek empire. Often called the Festival of Lights, the holiday is celebrated with the lighting of the menorah, traditional foods, games, and gifts.

Antiochus IV began his reign 174 B.C., and he was a greedy tyrant who took the title, Epiphanes, meaning “the gods’ beloved.” Humility wasn’t one of his strong points. One historian thought that the title, “Epimanes” would be more appropriate. This word means “madman.”

The Greeks were occupying Israel at this time and needed money to pay for their continuing military conquests. Meanwhile, the Jews had quite a bit of wealth stored in the temple. It stored the annual temple tax as well as funds for the needy. The temple served as a place of worship and a bank. Can you guess where the story is going from here?

Antiochus IV (the “god’s beloved” or “madman”) also wanted to unite his empire under one religion. If everyone was of one mind with regards to religion, there would be fewer conflicts among his people. Everyone was to think and worship alike, including the Jews. In 168 B.C. he outlawed the Jewish religion and his troops descended on Jerusalem. They massacred thousands of people and desecrated the Second Temple. They offered a pig to the pagan god Zeus on the altar in the temple, poured broth from the pig onto the sacred scrolls and burnt them. This did not win the hearts and minds of the Jews.

A group of Jews called the Maccabees, led by Judah Maccabee, fought a two-year guerilla war against the occupiers and liberated the temple. They cleaned up the temple, rebuilt its altar and built a new menorah. The original, made of gold, was stolen by the Greeks. The new one had nine branches. Each day of Hanukkah they would light one oil lamp. The oil lamp in the middle was used to light the other eight. So brilliant was Judah Maccabee as a military strategist, there’s a statue of him at the U.S. Army Military Academy at West Point.

The miracle of Hanukkah is that they only had enough sacred oil to last one day, but it lasted eight days. Or maybe it didn’t. In the book of Maccabees, there is no mention of an oil shortage. The story doesn’t appear until six centuries later when Hanukkah is mentioned in the Talmud.

If the miracle didn’t happen, why did the Jews celebrate the rededication of the temple for eight days? Because they had been fighting the Greeks in the autumn and they couldn’t celebrate the eight-day festival of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles).

In 2023 Hanukkah is observed from December 7 to December 15. How do Jews celebrate Hanukkah? By saying some prayers, of course, and eating fried foods such as potato pancakes and jam-filled donuts. Why fried foods? Fried foods remind them of the oil used in the menorah. I guess you could eat French fries, instead. Other customs include playing with a four-sided spinning top called a dreidel and exchanging gifts. Menorahs are oftentimes displayed in windows to remind others of the miracles of the lights.

In recent decades, particularly in North America, Hanukkah has exploded into a major commercial phenomenon, largely because it falls near or overlaps with Christmas. From a religious perspective, however, it remains a relatively minor holiday that places no restrictions on working, attending school or other activities. In sympathy with the Jews, we can go to the local donut shop and enjoy donuts and coffee without any guilt.

Jesus celebrated this holiday, though not necessarily with donuts. John 10:22 says, “And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.” This dedication refers to Hanukkah.

Unlike the temple lamp, the Hanukkah menorah isn’t mentioned in Scripture, so the designs vary considerably, from the whimsical to the more serious.

The candelabra in the temple (below) has seven oil lamps on it, not the nine seen in the Hanukkah lamp. The seven lamps speak of the seven days of creation and the one in the middle represents the Sabbath.

Happy Hanukkah! Merry Christmas!

Song of Solomon

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 08:25:15 GMT

Sex and the Bible

Below are four sentences. Tell me whether they come from the Word of God or from a romance novel.

" For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life "
“ My lover is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts. ”
“ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast. ”
“ Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth-for your love is more delightful than wine. ”

All four are from the Bible. They are John 3:16 , Song of Solomon (SOS) 1:13 , Eph. 2:8-9 and SOS 1:2 .

Can you imagine a pastor beginning his sermon saying, “Our passage for today is Song of Solomon, chapter1, verse 13 .” As he reads, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth-for your love is more delightful than wine.’ the young boys in the pews start to giggle, older women begin to fan themselves as if they are about to faint. Others have puzzled looks on their faces (more so than usual) and some members of the church board are thinking, “Where did he find this pastor, in a seminary or a bordello?”

I think you can see the problem we have with this book of the Bible. It reads more like a romance novel than Scripture.

So what are we to do with this book? Should it be rejected as part of Scripture? Should we read it as an allegory, a work not to be taken literally but one that contains a hidden meaning? Or do we simply ignore it?

But there’s a problem with allegorizing Scripture. It’s the same problem psychotherapists have when they try to seek out hidden meanings in dreams. No two therapists come up with the same interpretation. And the interpretations oftentimes tell more about the therapist than the patient. How would you interpret SOS 1:13 above? What does the sachet of myrrh between her breasts symbolize? Some speculate that the two breasts symbolized the church from which we feed or the two testaments, Old and New. One denomination views the SOS as representing the wedding between their church and Jesus Christ with the bride representing the Virgin Mary.

One church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) specifically rejects the Song of Solomon as inspired scripture. I guess they just gave up on it altogether.

To illustrate how reckless allegorizing Scripture is, the founder of the Christian Science Church, Mary Baker Eddy, interpreted the term the upper room as meaning being in a higher state of consciousness. So imagine when Jesus and his disciples were “in the upper room” and someone knocks on the front door. A servant answers and directs him upstairs. There they find Jesus and his disciples smoking marijuana. They have entered a higher state of consciousness. Was Peter sitting in the lotus position saying, “Wow, this is awesome.” Was Bartholomew having a bad trip lying in the fetal position crying?

There is a basic rule of interpretation that says, “If the plain truth makes sense, don’t look for any other sense or you will end up with nonsense.” The purpose of the Bible is to communicate. We should take what is written in the everyday sense rather than looking for hidden meaning.

Another weakness of the idea that the SOS is an allegory is that it is written as a narrative. It mentions specific people (Solomon) and cities, such as Jerusalem, Lebanon, etc. It’s not written as an allegory.

There is another difficulty in understanding this book. The Hebrew language itself has fewer words than modern English. The same Hebrew word can have more than one meaning. We have to look at the context to determine which meaning is meant. Then there are words used that are found only in the SOS, which also makes understanding the meaning more difficult.

We also have figures of speech we are not familiar with in the modern era. This is when you need a good Jewish commentary to understand expressions such as “a garden locked up,” a “sealed fountain” which, even a modern landscaper or plumber, wouldn’t understand.

Then there is the issue of the overall subject itself, passionate love. Here are two passages which might help us to feel a bit more comfortable with the subjects of love, marriage and sex.

Gen.1:27 , “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” God carefully designed the male and female bodies, including the genitalia and declared in verse 31, “God saw all that he had made, and it was VERY good.”

Gen. 2:24-25 , “For this reason man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.”

Since God designed and created the anatomy and physiology of the human bodies and declared it all to be very good, we should be able to discuss this aspect of His creation without embarrassment or sense of shame.

The subject of love is found elsewhere in Scriptures. One example is Prov. 5:18-19 which says, “Rejoice with the wife of your youth. As a loving deer and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times; and always be enraptured with her love.”

The Song of Solomon is a poem written to extol the virtues of love between a husband (King Solomon) and his wife (the Shulamite) living together and loving each other. It does not view marriage as an inferior state, nor is it a concession to human weakness. Nor does it view physical love as something that is impure.

Solomon’s lover is called the Shunammite, a young maiden from the village of Shunem located in the tribal area of Issachar southeast of the Sea of Galilee. Shunem is about 58 miles or 93 km from Jerusalem. This might have been a retreat for the King where he could be just a regular guy, spending a few days incognito to rest from the duties of being king. The president of the U.S. has such a retreat called Camp David in Maryland, which is about the same distance from the White House (67 miles) as Shunem was from Jerusalem.

This Shunamite woman was not the only Shunammite mentioned in the Bible. In 1 Kings 1:1 , when David was old and could not be kept warm, they found a beautiful young woman named Abishag, a Shunammite to lie with him to keep him warm. Sort of like a living hot water bottle. This practice, called shunamitism or gerocomy, was still practiced into the 18th century. May I suggest that if you are old and ill, don’t ask your doctor for a prescription for shunammite therapy. He probably wouldn’t know what you are talking about. Nor will your insurance pay for it. And, your spouse will certainly not approve of it. Stick with conventional medicine.

The word gerocomy is derived from the same root word from which we get the modern term geriatrics, which is the medical specialty of caring for the elderly.

Another Shunammite woman is see in 2 Kings chapters 4 and 8 where she gives birth to a son who dies and is raised from the dead by Elisha. She extended hospitality to Elisha and he in turn helped her reclaim her property after leaving the area due to a famine. She also baked him his favorite cookies and packed him a sack lunch when he left. Maybe not.

How did the young King of Israel meet this young woman shepherding sheep up by the Sea of Galilee? Solomon may have visited the area on a vacation from the city disguised as a shepherd when he first saw her in an adjacent field.

With nearly four pages of introduction, let’s get into the text.

SOS 1:1 These are reflections on their wedding day.

The poem begins with the woman's expression of her desire for her lover to come to take her to her wedding feast. Verse 1 , “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth-for your love is more delightful than wine. Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes. Verse 4 , “Take me away with you . . . Let the king bring me into his chambers.”

She then describes her sun-tanned skin to the “tents of Kedar” and the "curtains of Solomon". Verse 5 , “Dark am I, yet lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, dark like the tents of Kedar, like the tent curtains of Solomon.” Her skin was dark because she had to work in the vineyard (verse 6) , but her own vineyard (her own beauty) was neglected. She eagerly awaits his coming and says that she doesn’t want to appear to be a “veiled woman” (a prostitute) going out to look for him (verse 7) .

Every culture has its’ own standard for beauty. Some cultures pressure women to be as thin as possible, others see being heavy as a sign of wealth and healthy. Apparently being darker skinned was not thought to be a sign of beauty.

Reflections at the wedding feast

Verses 9-17 , the couple seem to be competing with one another to see who can express praise for the other’s beauty the most. Solomon speaks, “I liken you, my darling, to a mare harnessed to one of the chariots of Pharaoh. Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels.”

She replies, verse 13 , “My lover is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts.” Myrrh is extracted from the Balsam tree and used to make perfumes. The Magi, if you recall, brought some of this to Jesus.

Reflections in the bridal chamber

The setting from Chapter 1:15 moves to the bridal chamber . He describes her eyes as the eyes of doves. She responds by telling him how handsome he is (verse 16) .

She goes on to praise the beauty of the bedroom where the house is compared with cedars and the rafters or fir. Cedar trees were not native to Jerusalem but from the north in Galilee, the area of Shulamite’s home. How thoughtful of him to decorate the bridal chamber in this way. He seems to have done what he could to make her feel comfortable. I wonder if the King used the services of a professional decorator. If left to us guys, the bedroom would look more like a garage or World War 2 style army barracks.

Is there anything we might take away from these passages? Perhaps couples should take a bit more pride in their hygiene and appearance? Women have a greater sense of smell than men. Perhaps some men need to be more aware of this and kick their personal grooming routine up a notch, or two.

In Chapter two they continue to praise one another. Their beauty is compared with plant such as the rose or the lily of the valley, or even an apple tree. Solomon is described as an “apple tree among the trees of the forest.” In ancient times apples were used as an erotic symbol. I guess we should expect these comparisons since this was a culture where farming and ranching were common. If you used these expressions today, they might be viewed as insults.

In verse 7 she again cautions the younger girls not to “arouse or awaken love until it so desires.” In other words, don’t rush into an intimate relationship.

What can we take away from these passages? We should verbalize our love and appreciation of our spouses’ good traits.

Reflections on their courtship period.

There is a flashback beginning in verse 8 where the bride is reflecting on their courtship period. Solomon said to her, “Come with me from Lebanon, my bride . . . verse 9 , “You have stolen my heart.”

In verse 15 there is an expression, “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.” Foxes were destructive to vineyards. As their love is blossoming, potential problems can arise. Here she is urging them to take preventative measures to safeguard their relationship. Samson, if you recall, used foxes to burn down the fields of the Philistines (Judges 15) . In Neh. 4:3 , the evil Tobiah mocks the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall, saying, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!” Jesus referred to King Herod as a fox (Luke 13:32) . A common “fox” that can hurt a relationship are in-laws who interfere with the couple. A job that takes one away from home too often and for too long can be a fox.

A Dream of Separation

Chapter 3 deals with a dream that she had, a dream of separation. She dreams that he has left her and so she goes out to search for him.

Verse 1 , “All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves.”

When she finds him, she (verse 4) “held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the room of the one who conceived me.”

Another reflection on their wedding night

In verse 6 there is a description of Solomon coming for his bride in his fancy royal carriage. “Who is this coming up from the desert . . . perfumed with myrrh and incense.” There were sixty warriors providing security for the king (verse 7) . Verses 9-10 , “King Solomon made for himself the carriage. He made it of wood from Lebanon.” It had posts of silver on a base of gold. Its seats were upholstered with purple, etc. Now I don’t think he literally made it for himself in his wood shop. But he oversaw its design and construction.

By the way, this is the first mention of Solomon by name. It is the royal wedding procession coming for the bride and the daughters of Jerusalem are invited to come and watch.

I get the impression that when they met, he didn’t identify himself as King Solomon. Now that he has returned to marry her, he shows up in his royal carriage as King. Imagine meeting and falling in love with a poor country boy only to find that he was a wealthy king. He knew that he was loved for who he was, not for his wealth or position.

The Wedding Night

Chapter 4 describes their wedding night. As would be expected they go back and forth praising each other’s beauty from head to toe. Eyes are like those of doves, hair is like a flock of goats, teeth like shorn ewes. They made love “until the day breaks.” Verse 12 he says, “You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride; you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.” These expressions refer to her status as a virgin. Verse 15 describes the physiology of her arousal, “You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water streaming down from Lebanon.”

In chapter five we have the consummation of the marriage. Verse 1 , “I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride.”

Adjustments in Marriage

Verse 2 begins another dream sequence. She is in bed when her lover knocks on the door, “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one.”

“My flawless one?” A pastor asked a young couple planning on marriage to describe some of the faults of the other. They both claimed that they saw none. The pastor said, “You don’t know each other well enough to get married.”

The wife responded to him in verse 3 , “I have taken off my robe-must I put it on again? I have washed my feet- must I soil them again?” The guy was rejected and by the time she did go to open the door, he had departed (verse 6) .

1 Cor 7:4-5 where he wrote, “The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent for a time, so that you may devote yourself to prayer.” This is one of those guidelines given in “kosher sex.”

The principle here is that withholding sexual satisfaction from your mate is forbidden in Scripture. In Ex. 21:10 Moses wrote, “he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights.” The Jewish scholars have interpreted the term “marital rights” to mean that he is obliged to engage in regular sexual relations with her. This is part of what some Jews refer to as “Kosher sex.” No, I’m not making this up. Judaism is like many religions, over the years more traditions and rules are added to their sacred texts.

Knowing that she had made a mistake, she went out to look for him. She tells her girlfriends that if they see her love, tell him that “I am faint with love” (verse 8) .

Eventually, she finds him working on his motorcycle in a friends’ garage. No, not really. Chapter 6:2 , finds him in his garden. “My lover has gone down to his garden.”

In verses 4-9 they go back to their praising of one another’s beauty. Verse 7 , “Your temples behind your veil are like the halve of a pomegranate.” Huh? She might be thinking, “What is he talking about? Has he been drinking again?”

I think we can take from this passage that if one desires intimacy, it shouldn’t be denied by the other or one might leave for his garden or into the arms of another.

In verse 12 , the explanatory note in my study Bible describes this verse as “the most obscure verse in the Song.” And that’s saying something.

In this passage the couple heads down to a grove of trees, perhaps a place that lovers might go, and it was there that she would do a “dance of Mahanaim.” Mahanaim is the location to which David fled from his son Absalom (2 Sam. 17:24) , and where Jacob wrestled with God (Gen. 32:24-29) . The “dance of Mahanaim” is thought to be an erotic dance that she performed. As you move onto chapter 7 , they express their love for one another.

In verse 11 , she wants to visit her country home, suggesting to Solomon, “come, my lover, let us go to the countryside, let us spend the night in the villages. . . there I will give you my love” (verse 12) .

Verse 13 mentions the mandrakes, which were thought to be an aphrodisiac. Though from the descriptions of their love making, I don’t think they need any assistance in this area.

The woman has every right to take the initiative in love making. This passage also suggests that a change of scenery can enhance their love making.

Renewal of the Love Covenant

Chapter 8:5-7 , is a renewal of their love commitment.

Verses 4 , a visit to her country home followed by cautioning the younger women to not get romantically involved too soon, “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires”.

Verse 6 , “Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave.”

Again, there are thought concerning the younger girls in verse 8 , “We have a young sister, and her breasts are not yet grown. What shall we do for our sister for the day she is spoken for?” The answer, in poetic language, is that they will protect her purity until she is ready for marriage.

Some closing thoughts. Why is this book even in the Bible?

We know that God created us male and female with the capacity to enjoy sex. He created marriage, where two flawed individuals each with their own strengths, weaknesses, needs, etc. There is going to be conflict and the need to compromise and make adjustments to things that we can’t change. The SOS can help make a marriage more like He would want it to be, more of a source of blessing than regret.

We can learn from this book the need for purity before marriage. The need to praise, rather than criticize each other, look for and express appreciation for each other’s strengths. Paul wrote in Phil. 4:8 , “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

When making love, SOS tells us to take the time necessary to meet the other’s needs in an atmosphere that is conducive to enhancing pleasure. We should “catch the little foxes” or deal with the issues that might slowly tear away at the relationship. We should place a seal over our hearts (be committed to each other) and try to break away from the routine when you are intimate.

Many marriages are not what the couple hoped they would be. Perhaps reflecting on the SOS can help. Below are some passages that deal with marriage that I reviewed in our Marriage Workshop in Tanzania.

MARRIAGE AND THE BIBLE

Gen. 2:24 , "For this reason a man will LEAVE his father and mother and UNITED to his wife, and they shall be one."

Sometimes the in-laws try to interfere and run the lives of their married children. This is unfortunate. It is sometimes better for married couples to not live so close to overbearing in-laws. Once you are married, your primary responsibility is pleasing your spouse, not your parents or in-laws.

Eph. 5:21 , "Submit to one another." Marriage removes our right to think only our own wants; it requires us to become more and more selfless. Submission is mutual; both partners have to give and take to make the relationship work.

Eph. 5:25 , "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."

In Biblical Hebrew, the word love is a verb. It is not always something that you feel, but the way you act towards someone. It also means "to be loyal to."

Notice that this is a command to love your wives, not just when she is lovable and you feel like loving her, but always. Jesus loved the church and gave himself up for her, even when the church was not always lovable. We are to love our wives in spite of our feelings. We are to do what is right, perhaps, in time, our hearts will catch up with our actions. Sometimes we do things because it is the right thing to do, not just because we felt like it. The Bible says, "Love who you marry," the world says "marry who you love." Marriage actually removes the freedom that we had to think and act as an independent person.

Phil 2:4 , "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also the interests of others (including your spouse)."

Ecc. 5:4 , "When you make a vow to God (including your wedding vows) do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow." It is useful to renew your marriage vows to remind you of what you promised.

I Peter 4:8 , "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." Love covers sins, the faults and foibles of your spouse are not to be thrown in his or her face. Forgiveness and forgetfulness are important in any relationship, especially one as close as marriage.

Here are some questions for discussion.

Do you think that Jesus would have been a good husband?

Gal. 5:22-23 lists the “fruit of the Spirit” which includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Do you think Jesus would have an abundance of this fruit in his life? Do you think he would be a terrific husband and father?

If these traits are those found in a mature Christian, then can you say, if you want to be a better husband/wife, become a more mature Christian? Is Christian maturity a key to a better marriage? If so, then if you read Rom.12:2 , “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind.”

How do you transform you mind, or the way you think? You do that, in part by reading the mind of God or the Bible.

There’s a lot to think about here.

Genesis 40

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 02:46:32 GMT

Genesis Chapter 40 The Cupbearer and the Baker

In the last chapter we saw Joseph being falsely accused of sexually assaulting the wife of his boss and he ended up in a prison. Could things get any worse for Joseph? Yes. Chapter forty begins with two government officials, the cupbearer and baker, to the King being imprisoned. These two new inmates were placed under the oversight of Joseph. Apparently, Joseph was a trusted inmate who was given some responsibilities by the prison officials.

We still have bakers today, but what was a “cup bearer”? The title doesn’t sound like a very prestigious position today, but in its day, it really was. He was what you might call today, a butler. It has been said that no man is a hero in the eyes of his butler. This is because the butler knows the real person he is serving. He knows what he is like behind the scenes. The cupbearer had to have the complete trust of the king. Today, he might be required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement, to keep what he sees and hears private.

The Pharaoh’s cupbearer had to make sure that the food and beverages were not only properly prepared, but also safe to eat and drink, free from the poisons of a would-be assassin. Let’s give this cup bearer a better title, one that is more in line with his responsibilities. How about calling him, “Senior Culinary Quality Control Specialist”? Isn’t that more impressive than cup bearer? In the Air Force there was an Air Force Specialty called, “Protective Coating Specialist.” That’s a military title for a painter.

In the supply section of the army we had boxes of what looked like crayons, but they were used to lubricate zippers. Yes, they actually have such things. But the Army didn’t call them lubrication sticks, they called them: “Lubricant: Interlocking Fastening Devices”. The next time you need help with your zipper, ask, “Could you help me close this interlocking fastening device?”

Do you know of any other cup bearers, I’m sorry, I meant Senior Culinary Quality Control Specialist in Scripture? Nehemiah was one. Because he was completely trusted by the king and had frequent close contact with him, that made him a potentially influential person. In Nehemiah’s case the king noticed that he wasn’t his cheerful self and asked him what was wrong. Nehemiah took this opportunity to ask for a leave of absence to travel to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls around the city. Not only did the king grant him a leave of absence, with full pay and benefits, he also provided him with manpower, equipment, supplies and funds to accomplish the task. Access to the people in power does have its advantages. Solomon’s cupbearers are also mentioned in I Kings 10:4-5 and II Chron. 9:4 where the Queen of Sheba expresses her admiration not only for the wisdom of King Solomon but also for his impressive officials, including his cup bearers.

Back to our story in Genesis. The cup bearer and baker offended the king. What did they do wrong? Did they serve the wrong wine or meat at a state dinner? “It’s red wine with meat, white wine with fish! How many times do I have to tell you?” or did one of them burn the kings’ favorite pecan muffins? What great crime could have led to these employees being sent to prison for “offending” the king? Verse 4 , “after they had been in custody for some time,” again, another vague reference to time. Verse 5 , “each of the two men had a dream.” They appeared to be troubled by their dreams and couldn’t understand their meanings.

Can you think of anyone who has had some experience and interest in dreams? Hmm. How about Joseph? Verse 9 the cup bearer describes his dream to Joseph. The cup bearer, I mean the Senior Culinary Quality Control Specialist or SCQCS for short, described to Joseph his dream. It showed three branches of a vine and when the grapes ripened, he took a glass of wine to the Pharaoh. Joseph interpreted the dream saying that in three days he would be restored to his former position. What a relief. The criminal investigation might have shown that the cupbearer was innocent of any suspected wrongdoing. Joseph then asks him to remember him when he is free and try to get him out of prison. Now the baker heard all this and was excited and said, “Joseph, I too had a dream. Can you tell me what it means? Please?” He is all excited, hoping for good news. The dream showed three baskets of baked goods on his head, and they were being eaten by birds. Now verse 18 is very sad. Imagine the look on Joseph’s face when he has to tell the poor baker the bad news. He might have looked like an oncologist who is about to tell the patient that there was nothing more that could be done for him and it was time to arrange for hospice care. “Say, Mr. Baker, are you familiar with the five stages of grief from your psychology course? Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance? Well, you might want to familiarize yourself with the grieving process. Joseph tells him that in three days he would be hanged, and the birds would eat away his flesh. Did he really have to tell him the last part, about the birds eating his flesh? The baker might want to move quickly through those stages of grief if he wanted to die in peace.

The baker’s reaction to the news, might have been:

Denial : How can that be? You must be mistaken. Perhaps you confused his dream with mine. I want a second opinion.

Anger : That no good Pharaoh. I gave him the best years of my life in service to him. I could have made much more money elsewhere. I hate him.

Bargaining : Maybe if I tell the Pharaoh that I’m sorry for offending him he will spare my life. I will work for less pay, and even work on Saturdays.

Depression : Leave me alone, I’m depressed. I wish I were dead.

Acceptance : Oh well, I can accept this. At least I don’t have to worry about saving enough money for retirement or fear living long enough to develop dementia.

I feel bad for the baker, don’t you? Unless, of course, he was guilty of a crime worthy of death. Maybe he was engaged in a conspiracy to overthrow the Pharaoh. Perhaps with his proximity to the Pharaoh and access to his food, he might have accepted a huge sum of money to poison him. I feel better about his death now that I accept this conspiracy theory.

Verse 20 , “Now the third day was the Pharaoh’s birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials.” During the festivities he brought back into service the cup bearer and he hanged the baker.

So, the Pharaoh had a birthday party. Lots of people. Lots of eating, drinking, and laughing. What’s wrong with that? Well, some religious groups forbid such celebrations. The Worldwide Church of God and the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW’s) do not celebrate birthdays, in part because of its’ “pagan roots.” But don’t much of what we do have pagan roots? What does it mean to be “pagan”? The original pagans were followers of an ancient religion that worshiped several gods. So, anything that they did would be called pagan. So what? Pagans have done virtually everything we do, including most of what JWs do day-to-day such as the wearing of neckties and perfume, celebrations with piñatas, flying of kites, and even use of the calendar, which is named after PAGAN Roman gods. Ancient pagans had temples, priests, animal sacrifices, circumcision, prayers, music, etc. Many of our rituals have pagan origins, but we have attached different meanings to them. That’s the key point.

Weddings are laden in paganism, including the ceremony, cake, dress, burning of candles and the wedding ring. For some reason a Jehovah’s Witness is allowed to participate in most wedding practices but forbidden to throw confetti.

Another reason they give for not celebrating birthdays is that early Christians didn’t celebrate them. Even if this is true, a description is not the same as a prescription or a prohibition. I attended a Church of Christ one Sunday and noticed that they didn’t use any musical instruments. They were a non-instrumental Church of Christ. Their reasoning is that they don’t see musical instruments being used in the early church, so they don’t use them in church. I don’t see church buildings, pews, or hymnals in the early church, but they had them at the Church of Christ. Where’s the logic in all of this?

The Jehovah’s Witnesses say that the only commemoration that Christians are required to keep is the Lord’s Supper. Fine, but does that mean that any other commemoration is prohibited? How about wedding anniversaries, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, Father’s Day, and the Fourth of July?

The JW’s also note that the two times that a birthday was celebrated in Scripture, someone was killed. The baker in Genesis 40 and on Herod’s birthday John the Baptist was beheaded.

Celebrating the birth of wicked people is not the same as celebrating the birthday of others. The Bible says that the birthday of John the Baptist would be the cause of “joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth for he will be great in the sight of the Lord” (Lk 1:14-15) . While this passage does not explicitly mention an annual celebration of John the Baptist’s birth, it certainly allows for such an interpretation and at the very least demonstrates that it is good to celebrate the birth of a good person.

If we ban birthday celebrations, should we also ban dogs? What? Well dogs are mentioned in the Bible 40 times, and in every mention, they are described disparagingly. They are said to be lowly and unclean, used as an allegory for sodomites (Deut. 23:17,18) , and said to be no part of the New System (Rev. 22:15) . Yet, the Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t not prohibit dog ownership.

What about women wearing eye makeup? The wearing of eye paint is mentioned twice, once in reference to wicked queen Jezebel (2 Kings 9:30) and secondly to apostate Israel (Jer. 4:30) , yet the JW’s don’t forbid eye makeup.

2 Sam. 4:5-7 contains the only instance where an afternoon nap is mentioned in the Bible, and results in a beheading. So, does that mean we can’t take an afternoon nap? I hope not.

Back to the narrative, in verse 23 , “The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.” Sure, they were best friends in prison, friends for life. Until he was released, and he focuses only on himself and his career. We might think that he was not grateful, but perhaps it wasn’t time for Joseph’s release. Joseph had to wait two more years. Let’s not be too harsh on the cup bearer now. How many times have we’ve been asked to pray for someone, but forgot?

Ecclesiastes 5-12

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 02:34:43 GMT

The Conclusion of the Matter

Chapter five begins several chapters of proverbs, advice on maintaining a good reputation, being careful with what you say, handling money wisely and avoiding meaningless religious practices.

As I read these passages, I sometimes want to ask Solomon, “Sir, would you please elaborate on what you just said? Let’s explore this idea in greater detail.” “What exactly did you mean by this?” The best we can do is to fill in the blanks with passages elsewhere that deal with the same subjects.

Ecc. 5:2 , tells us not to be quick to speak and to let our words be few. The setting of the context is found in verse 1 . It says, “when you go to the house of God.” When we go there, we should be there to listen more than to talk. What God has to say to us is more important than what we might have to say to Him. Sometimes I wish a long-winded pastor would “make his words be few,” also.

Ecc. 5:10 cautions us in the way we view money. “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.” Most of us are familiar with 1 Tim. 6:10 , “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Money itself isn’t the root of evil, but the love of it can be.

1 Tim. 6:17 , “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”

We are cautioned against striving for ever more wealth as an end in itself.

Jesus condemned the man who had so much wealth in the form of grain that he tore down his silos to build even larger ones. Luke 12:16 , And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’”

This farmer’s problem was not that he had savings or investments, but he was hoarding, selfishly acquiring for himself when he should have been doing some good with at least some of his excess.

Ecc. 5:12 , “The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep.”

I’ve known people who owned a lot of things such as a motor home, hot rod, boat, etc. I think they spent more time taking care of them than they did actually enjoying them. And, they had to work longer to pay for them. Their debt made them indentured servants. Rather than them owning things, things owned them.

Jesus warned us about hoarding and urged us to layup treasure in heaven (Matt. 6:20) . Paul tells us that we will be rewarded for our good works, not for our possessions (1 Cor. 3:10) . These works that we do, not our possessions, will follow us to heaven (Rev. 14:13) .

In chapter seven Solomon returns to the subject of death. Imagine this conversation: “I can’t decide what I’m going to do tomorrow. I can go to a luncheon which includes an amusing guest speaker, or I can attend a visitation and funeral. Which should I do?” “Well, what would Solomon suggest?” His answer is found in Chapter 7:1-2 , “A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting , for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.”

We might prefer to attend a luncheon than a funeral, but why would Solomon think it might be better for us to attend a funeral?

Many people are uncomfortable thinking or talking about dying and death. Some do very little to prepare for it. In the U.S. less than half of the adults have a living will where they let their wishes known with regards to end of life care. One fourth of the adults over 65 don’t even have a will. Fewer still have in writing how they want their personal possessions distributed. Not making their wishes known leaves family members responsible for such decisions which can lead to added stress and conflicts.

When we do go to a “house of mourning” we are confronted with the reality of death. For at least a few hours the subject can’t be ignored. And that can be a good thing.

Centuries ago, there was a widely known Latin phrase, “memento mori”, which means, “remember that you must die.” You might see it engraved on old headstones. It’s as if the dead are reminding us that we too will join them in the grave. This expression reminded people that their lives were short and disappeared like a vapor. I think that Solomon knew that we needed reminders of our mortality that we should live a meaningful life with an eye towards eternity.

Verse 16 , “Do not be over righteous, neither be overwise- why destroy yourself?”

When I read this the images that came to my mind were the things some people do to demonstrate their piety or devotion to God. Some people will walk up hundreds of steps on bloody knees to get to a shrine of some kind. Others will live a life of isolation, away from the world, eating a meager diet and sleeping on cold concrete, all to show their devotion. Well, I’m not impressed by any of this. I don’t think God is, either. We’re not told to do such things. We’re told in Matt. 28:19 , “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” James 1:27 tells us that “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Jesus dealt with this issue in Matt. 23:24 . Jesus criticized the religious leaders for “straining a gnat but swallowing a camel.” They were majoring in the minor issues, creating more and more rules for people to follow. Verse 18 , “The man who fears God will avoid all extremes.”

1 Tim 4:1-4 , “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods , which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.”

Acts of devotion should focus on doing what Jesus commanded. Focusing on manmade rituals can distract us from what is essential. To show our devotion to God, we should be a light to the world, preach, teach and care for those in need. We are commanded to do these things. Jesus said, John 14:15 , “If you love me, keep my commands.”

Ecc. 7:21 , “Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you.”

Do we worry too much about what others might think or say about us? I think so. Here’s an expression that I like. “When you are young, you worry about what people think of you. When you are middle-aged, you don’t worry so much about what they think of you. And when you are old, you realize that they weren’t thinking about you in the first place.” Why aren’t people thinking about you as much as you think? Because they are thinking more about themselves. You are not as important to others as you might think.

In Chapter eight , Solomon urges his people to obey the king (no surprise there) but even the king has limited power. Verse 8 , “No man has power over the wind to contain it, so no one has power over the day of his death.” Again, Solomon returns to thoughts of death.

He says in verse 12 , “It will go better with God-fearing men, who are reverent before God. Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them.” Again, he returns to the idea of living today in light of eternity.

Another common theme in this book is repeated in verse 17 , “No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out.” As Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 13:12 , “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”

Life is a puzzle. We have to take the pieces we have even though we don’t have the complete picture of the plan that must be there.

In Chapter nine there is a passage that some churches use to defend their teaching of soul sleep, the idea that when we die, we are unconscious until the resurrection.

Verse 5 , “For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing .”

One of the basic rules of interpretation is to read the verse in context. The context includes verse 6 which shows that the dead know nothing “under the sun” or on the earth. Not knowing what is going on here on earth is not the same as being unconscious.

There are numerous passages that suggest or teach consciousness after death.

Matt. 22:32 says, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”
Luke 23:43 Jesus tells the thief on the cross that he would be with Him in paradise.
Luke 16:19 shows that when Lazarus and the rich man died, they were conscious after death.
2 Cor. 5:8 tells us that when we die, our spirit goes home to be with the Lord.
In Rev. 6:10 those who were martyred during the Tribulation period ask how long will it be until he avenges their deaths.

How can Lazarus, the rich man and the martyred saints in heaven be experiencing soul sleep if they are engaging in conversations with others?

The doctrine of soul sleep is taught by the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Seventh Day Adventists and their offshoots.

Ecc. 9:10 is a verse that we emphasized to our children. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.”

In the grave there is no work to be done. The grave is the ultimate deadline. Have you noticed as you approach a deadline how much work you can get done? I remember when the Surgeon General of the Army was coming to visit our modest medical facility. Boy, we got a lot of work done the week before. If you know that you might be dead in a short period of time, which is a theme of this book, it can focus your attention to getting some things done fast. Verse 12 “No man knows when his hour will come.”

Ecc. 10:19 , “A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.” This is another one of those passages where you want to ask, “Would you please elaborate on what you just said?“ I think it means to focus on making a living before you focus on having a good time. As we would tell our kids, “Work before play, that is the way.” Then they would roll their eyes at us.

Ecc. 11:2 gives some investment advice. “Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.” In other words, diversify your investments. Don’t put all your retirement money into company stock.

Chapter 12:1 , “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them.”

Solomon then goes on to describe what it is like to grow old. You know that you are at your physical best at about age 30. From then on, your strength and senses slowly decline.

These verses which seem to describe the aging process “have met with a variety of interpretations.”

But it seems clear that Solomon is telling young people that they should make the most of life while they can but remember that they are accountable to God for the use of their gifts.

In time, verse 5 , “man goes to his eternal home.” We should “remember him-before the silver cord is severed or the golden bowl is broken . . . and the dust returns to the ground it came from and the spirit returns to God who gave it” (verse 8) ”

Well, there are some euphemisms for dying I hadn’t seen before. We don’t see them in modern obituaries, “Bob Smith’s silver cord was severed” or “Ms. Jones’s golden bowl was broken.”

Ecc. 12:12 tells us “of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.” This verse can’t be used to avoid doing your homework. The context dealt with too much study in areas where there are no clear final or complete answers.

Here are some quotes by C.S. Lewis who seemed to be very familiar with the Book of Ecclesiastes.

“If you live for the next world, you get this one in the deal; but if you live only for this world, you lose them both.”

“If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable: think of it as a place of training and correction and it's not so bad.”

“If nothing in this world satisfies me, perhaps it is because I was made for another world.”

“True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”

“Human history is the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.”

“And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history—money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery—the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.

“All we can do is exist and make the best of what comes though we don’t know where our lives are headed. Only man gives thought to trying to make sense of life and to be aware of some ultimate.”

Solomon wraps things up with a final statement. Verse 13 , “Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments.”

I think Solomon said this because, late in life, with his health in decline, he felt more anxious and insecure. He remembered how things ended for his father, King David, when Absalom rebelled and took over his throne. He knew that when a leader was perceived as being weak and vulnerable, he might be assassinated.

Solomon remembers how he failed to live up to the commands of Deut.17:16-19 where Moses told the Israelites that their kings were not to acquire a large standing army, take many wives or accumulate much wealth for themselves. That they were write out the Law of Moses and study it all their lives. He knew he fell short in some ways.

When all is said and done, Solomon urged us to fear God and keep his commandments . . . for God will bring every deed into judgment.”

Feast of Tabernacles

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 05:43:37 GMT

The Feast of Tabernacles, October 16-23, 2024

In Lev. 23:2 , “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: These are my appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.’”

The annual spring festivals were the Lord’s Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of First fruits, and the Feast of Weeks, (which is called Pentecost in the New Testament). The fall festivals consisted of the Feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hashanah (which is their New Year), the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) or Sukkot.

Five days after the Day of Atonement, Israel celebrated its most joyous appointed time of the year with the fall harvest festival (Sukkot), also known as the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:33–36, 40, 42–43; Num. 29:12–40) or Feast of Booths or the Feast of the Ingathering (Ex. 23:16) . During this week-long celebration, the Jewish people built small, makeshift shelters. Here they lived and ate their meals as a reminder of God’s provision and care during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness when they lived and worshiped in temporary tents. It is a time of remembering God’s blessings.

As with most command, rabbis had to add more rules to dictate not only WHAT must be done, but HOW it was to be done. Since these booths were to be a temporary abode, they had to be built in a somewhat flimsy way. The maximum height could be no more than thirty feet and had to be made from something that grew from the earth, no animal skins, metal, or cloth. The roof had to be open enough to see the stars and even allow the rain to come in. It couldn’t be built indoors or under an overhanging porch, balcony, or tree. It had to be big enough to hold one person and one table, 26 inches by 26 inches. Nothing used to celebrate the feast could be stolen or borrowed.

The seven-day feast ended with an eight day, a solemn assembly. The Bible commands it (Lev. 23:36) but doesn’t give a reason. The Rabbis teach that it is a day of joy, a day of praying for rain and a day of giving to charity.

The Feast of Tabernacles is spoken of more frequently in the Hebrew scriptures than any other feast. In the New Testament it is mentioned in John chapters 7-10 . In the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles Jesus began to preach publicly which led to conflict with the religious authorities. They questioned his source of learning, his claim of deity, his healing of the blind man, and his interpretation of the Law of Moses.

Zech. 14:16-19 tells us that the feast will be fulfilled by the Messianic kingdom, which will be a time of rejoicing following the time of affliction, the tribulation, pictured by the Day of Atonement. Every year each Gentile nation will send a delegation to Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Tabernacles.

The Feast of Tabernacles points to the Lord’s promise that he will again tabernacle or dwell with his people when He returns to reign over the world from Jerusalem (Micah 4:1-7) .

These holy days, feasts, and festivals found their fulfillment in the life of Israel’s Messiah, Jesus Christ. These observances prophetically convey the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and the promise of His second coming.

Passover was fulfilled by the death of the Messiah, the Lamb of God.

Days of Unleavened Bread was fulfilled by the sinlessness of His offering.

First Fruits was fulfilled by the resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah.

Pentecost was fulfilled by the birth of the church.

The four-month interval between the spring feasts and the fall feasts is being fulfilled by the church age.

Feast of Trumpets will be fulfilled by the rapture of the church.

Day of Atonement will be fulfilled by the tribulation, leading to Israel’s salvation and national atonement.

Feast of Tabernacles will be fulfilled by the Messianic kingdom.

Though Christians are not commanded to observe these holy days, we can learn from them.

Genesis 46-47

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 04:07:29 GMT

Genesis Chapters 46 and 47 Jacob Heads to Egypt

Joseph sent his brothers back to Canaan, urging them not to argue along the way. What might they be arguing about? “You were the one who wanted to sell Joseph into slavery.” “Yeah, but you were going to leave him to die. At least I wanted him to live.” Can’t you just imagine the arguing among themselves? The brothers explained to their father Jacob (Israel) that Joseph is not only alive but is a ruler in Egypt. At first Jacob is stunned, speechless, perhaps thinking that this is a cruel joke. “How did this happen?” he might have asked. “Don’t ask, Dad, let’s pack and hit the road.” Jacob agreed to go to Egypt eager to see Joseph and see Joseph before he died.

Chapter 46:1 “So Israel set out with all that was his.” This must have been a logistical challenge. I led an army convoy of trucks from the upper Midwest down to Texas. I still can’t understand how a truck in the convoy could take a wrong turn and get lost, but it happened. I hope all of Israel’s camels, mules, etc. made it to Egypt.

Verse 2 , “And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!” He called him twice. Jacob must be a bit hard of hearing by this time. “Here I am,” he replied. When God spoke to him, I wonder what his first thoughts were. Perhaps, “I hope this is good news this time. I’ve had enough drama for one lifetime.” God didn’t disappoint him. God gave him a message of encouragement. “Don’t be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.” OK, is that it? No bad news to add to this message? Great, now can I go back to sleep?

God had to reassure Jacob because back in Chapter 26:2 God told Isaac to NOT go down to Egypt. This word from God assured Jacob that this move to Egypt was what God wanted him to do.

Did you notice that God said he was going to be in Egypt to make his clan into a great nation. It will be in Egypt that the house of Jacob would become the Nation of Israel. What does this suggest? Increasing the population from a clan to a nation takes time. And where will they be located in Egypt? In a rather isolated place, by themselves, away from the corrupting influence of the neighbors they left. God has big plans for these folks. God also tells Jacob that his favorite son, Joseph, will be the one who will be there at his death and “close his eyes.”

Verse 5 , the convoy is on the move, with the wives, all the kids, livestock, and all their possessions they had acquired in Canaan. Do you think there might have been a few arguments about what was loaded for Egypt? “You’re not going to take THAT thing, are you?” “We have to, it was grand mama’s, and she gave it to me when I was a little girl.” Do you want to see a picture of Jacob in the lead vehicle? Here he is. No, not really.

You have my permission (not that you need it) to skim over the long list of names of all who were in the convoy. It took thirty minutes at least for roll call in the morning. “Where are Benjamins’ kids, Bela and Beker? Has anyone seen Bela and Beker?” “I think they went to look for the dog.” “The dog? I thought we left that worthless creature back in Canaan.”

If you are very conscientious and carefully read the list of children, as some scholars do, you might notice in verse 10 , where it reads, “and the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.” This passage shows that Shaul had a different mother than the other siblings. It also implies, according to a Jewish commentary, that most of the other sons of Jacob were not married to Canaanites. Because there is some intermarriage with the Canaanites shows the need to get out of the Land of Canaan and into the land of Egypt where they would live among themselves, not intermingling with outsiders.

Verse 27 , the total number of family members who went to Egypt were seventy in all. Verse 28 , “Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen.” What happened? Did Jacob get lost and refuse to ask anyone along the way for directions?

Understandably, Joseph was anxious for the arrival of his family. “Have they arrived yet?” must have been a frequent question asked of his aide. When the family arrived, Joseph ordered, “Get me my chariot.” As soon as he met his father, he threw his arms around him and wept for a long time (verse 29) . It had been about twenty-two years since they’d seen each other.

Jacob (Israel) then said to Joseph, “What, you couldn’t write me a letter to say you were alive?” No, he really said, verse 30 , “Now I am ready to die since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.” No, he wasn’t wishing he was dead. Nor was he reaching for a pistol. But seeing Joseph was one thing that he really wanted to do before he died. This was the number one item on his bucket list.

Verse 31 , Joseph was all excited and said that he had to go tell the Pharaoh that his family had arrived. Then he told them, that if the Pharaoh asks you what you do for a living, tell him you raise livestock. Apparently, Egyptians looked down upon such people and wouldn’t want to associate with them. Which is fine with them because the land that Joseph picked out for them was Goshen. It was located in the eastern Delta of the Nile, lower Egypt. They would remain there for 430 years and the small clan of 70 would grow to 600,000 men plus women and children for an estimated population at the time of their exodus under Moses to 2.5 million. Their isolation from the rest of the Egyptians would mean there would be little contact with outsiders and less risk of intermarriage or blending of their religions.

We have a picture here of God not only working through his chosen people, but also working through other nations and their leaders. Just because leaders of nations don’t recognize God doesn’t mean that God can’t use them for His purposes. He got Pharaoh involved in His plan. He got Cyrus working for him, also. In Isaiah 45:1 , “This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor.” Yes, Cyrus is referred to as a messiah or savior. It was the decree of Cyrus that authorized the rebuilding of the temple, which would lead to a restored Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar is similarly called, “my servant.” Whether or not the leaders of this world know it, at any time they could be working for God.

In Chapter 47 we see the Pharaoh being informed of the arrival of Joseph’s family and he really is excited and gets quite involved in this drama. Joseph only took five of his brothers to meet the Pharaoh. I wonder how he made the decision who to invite. “No, not him. He has ADHD and will be distracted and wander off from the rest of us. No, not him either, he might say something stupid and embarrass all of us.” So, they met the Pharaoh, and the brothers gave the Pharaoh the canned presentation Joseph told them to give. “We have come to live here a while because the famine is severe in Canaan. Please let your servants settle in Goshen.” I hope their delivery of the message was smoother than a fourth grader, standing stiffly in front of a class, haltingly trying to recite the Gettysburg Address. The Pharaoh grants them permission to live in Goshen and even has Joseph’s brothers care for his own herd of livestock (verse 6) .

Joseph then asked Jacob, “Would you like to meet the Pharaoh?” “OK, I guess.” So, they are introduced to each other, and Jacob seems to be a depressive personality of sort. When Pharaoh asked him is age, Jacob says in verse 9, that he is 130 years old and “My years have been few and difficult.” Really? You get to meet the most powerful person in the world, and you complain about how difficult your life has been. Did he also tell him about all of his aches and pains, his medical history and surgeries as well as all of the medication he was on? And whatever you do, don’t get him going on his kids. When the Pharaoh asked, “How are you?” It was meant as a pleasantry, not a request for a laundry list of your problems. Keep that in mind when you meet some dignitary. Be brief, courteous, and upbeat. If you want to whine and complain, do what they tell you to do in the Army, “Go tell it to the chaplain.” Translation: “Shut up, I’m not interested.”

The famine deepens in Egypt, verses 13-26 . When people ran out of money to purchase grain from the government, they brought their cattle to exchange for food. When the cattle were all gone, they turned over the deeds to their land. The government ended up with all the money, all the cattle (scrawny as they must have been) and all the dried-up land. The people had nothing more to give than their labor and offered to become servants in exchange for food.

What did Joseph do with all of these assets? Verse 23 , once the rain came, he gave the people seed and told them to go plant crops. In return one fifth of the harvested crops would go to the government. Though not stated, one-fifth would go into storage so that when the next famine comes, they will be prepared for it.

So, the Egyptian people were no longer landowners but sharecroppers. The people were thrilled with this plan. Verse 25 , “You have saved our lives. May we find favor in the eyes of our lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”

Meanwhile, the Israelites settled in Goshen, were fruitful and increased greatly in number. In this verse, Jacob’s descendants are referred to as Israelites for the first time. And it is here that Jacob lives his twilight years, seventeen years in all, in Goshen with all of his family and safe from the threat of starvation. His one last request was that he not be buried in Egypt but taken back to Canaan.

Joseph made a similar request of his children, that his bones be removed from Egypt and taken back to Canaan. Why was this so important to them? The promise of the land, first given to Abraham, was a central element of the Abrahamic Covenant.

Both of these men had plans for their own death. One final act of love we can all do is to make decisions now, in writing, the decisions that family members would otherwise have to make once we die. That means pre-planning our funerals, making a list of people and organizations to call, making your wishes as to who gets what so that there are no conflicts later on, etc. Jesus had an estate plan. It was a last-minute thing, but he did make his wishes known before he died. He made plans for his death and who should take care of Mary. You’ll find it in John 19:26 . I hope he put it in writing beforehand.

A budding nation was saved from famine all because one man, Joseph, had lived such an honorable life. How many people would have starved if a corrupt bureaucrat was placed in charge of this program? You will notice that Joseph, in spite of the weighty responsibilities, took care of his family. Paul tells us in 1 Tim. 5:8 , that if you don’t take care of your own family, you are worse than an unbeliever.

Feast of Trumpets and Day of Atonement

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 05:11:35 GMT

In October of 2024, two Jewish Holy Days will occur. Since one is preparation for the second, I will cover both of them in this lesson. Both are found in the book of Leviticus.

October 2-4, 2024, is the Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Hashanah

This is the Jewish New Year and the traditional anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve and a Sabbath day of rest which includes a day of rest and the blowing of horns. It is also called the Days of Awe. So, we have three names for this Holy Day, which makes it all the more confusing.

It is mentioned in Lev. 23:23-25 , “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the Lord by fire.

In Num. 29:1-6 it says, “It is a day for you to sound trumpets. As an aroma pleasing to the Lord, prepare a burnt offering . . .”

So far, all we know about this holy day is that it is a sabbath day, a day of rest, it is a memorial or a commemoration of something and there are a lot of trumpets blowing. Any questions? I have one. What is it commemorating? What is it a memorial to? Imagine the Jews standing at the temple watching the musicians blowing their trumpets and someone asks, “Why are we here?” The Jews figured, that since that day led up to the Day of Atonement, when all their sins were forgiven, it must be a time of self-examination and the trumpets were a wake-up call for them to get right with God. And since trumpets were blown at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19:5-7) , this day also commemorates the giving of the Law.

So, this Holy Day commemorates the giving of the Law, the Israelites entering into the covenant to obey the law and a wake-up call to prepare for the coming judgment.

Between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) the Jews would reflect on their lives, turn away from their sins and hopefully, according to tradition, get their names in the book of life before the books are closed up on the Day of Atonement.

Rosh Hashanah meals usually include apples dipped in honey to symbolize a sweet new year and pomegranates to symbolize being fruitful. Why pomegranates? Well, they are filled with a large number of seeds.

A ritual is oftentimes performed where prayers are recited near natural flowing water, and one's sins are symbolically cast into the water. This is done by throwing bread or pebbles into the water, symbolizing the casting off of sins as seen in Micah 7:19 , “You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” The feast of Trumpets ushers in a ten-day period of repentance which culminates in the fast day of Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement.

We know that some days in the Old Testament have a special meaning to those in the Church. For instance, the Passover of Exodus 12 , the blood of the lamb over the doorposts led to the Israelites being delivered from slavery. Jesus, the Lamb of God, delivers us from slavery, also, slavery from sin.

Israelites ate only unleavened bread during the Days of Unleavened Bread, symbolizing a holy walk with God. I Cor. 5:7-8 tells us to purge out the old leaven and Jesus is the Bread of Life. Then there is the First Fruits, where a sheaf of the first harvest would be brought to the priest. Paul wrote that in Adam all died, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming (I Cor. 15:23) . Then we have Pentecost, where two wave loafs are used to symbolize the first fruits unto the Lord. God is predicting that the church would have both Jews and Gentiles. It seems more than coincidental that He was crucified on Passover, buried on Unleavened Bread, raised on First fruits and sent the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

How do Christians understand the Feast of Trumpets? There is quite a calendar time gap between Pentecost and Trumpets. The gap in time seems to represent the Church Age. Trumpets represent rapture. Trumpets were the signal for workers to stop harvesting and make their way to the Temple. 1 Thess. 4:16-17 says that the Lord will come “with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” 1 Cor 15:51-52 speaks of trumpets, “We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”

Christians have their own reminder of their relationship with God in the Lord’s Supper. This is like our New Year. We end one year with regrets, and we make resolutions to do better in the coming year. It is also similar to the 40-day season of Lent, a time of reflection for Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran and Methodists as they prepare to remember and celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptists, Evangelicals and Pentecostalists usually do not observe Lent.

October 11, 2024, Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur

The Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur which is the most important Holy Day. Many Jews who do not observe any other Jewish holiday will refrain from work, fast and/or attend synagogue services on this day. Similar to how some Christians attend church only on Easter or Christmas.

During the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), God inscribes the Israelite’s names in either the book of life or death. On the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) the judgment entered in these books was sealed.

Lev.16:29 mandates establishment of this holy day on the 10th day of the 7th month as the day of atonement for sins. It calls it the Sabbath of Sabbaths and a day upon which one must afflict one's soul (fast) and it is a day of rest.

Lev. 16:5-10 describes how two male goats were to be sacrificed on the Day of Atonement, one was a sin offering, the other was the scapegoat. The first one was killed, its blood sprinkled in the Most Holy Place to appease God for another year. The other goat, the scapegoat, was sent away alive and bearing the sins of the nation. This was the only time the high priest entered the Most Holy Place or the Holy of Holies. When the second Temple was destroyed in the year 70 AD., individual Jews would perform the sacrifice “in the temple of his heart.”

Beyond fasting on this day, tradition requires that Jews abstain from washing, applying oils or lotions to the skin, having marital relations, and wearing leather shoes. Huh? What wrong with leather shoes? Well, back in the day, it was a luxury to have leather shoes, so part of “afflicting your body” is doing without leather shoes. Sneakers have become fashionable footwear on the Day of atonement.

During the year Jews focus on food, work, possessions and pleasures. During this one day they are to deny themselves these things. This tends to make them more sensitive to the sufferings of others.

Although Yom Kippur is the most solemn day of the year, there is an undercurrent of joy. Joy is the sense of being forgiven of their sins.

Christians have a better sacrifice for their sins than the goats provided on the annual Day of Atonement. The blood of goats could only cover up our sins (Heb. 9:8-14) . Jesus removed our sins (Heb. 9:28) . Goats had to be sacrificed every year. Christ’s single sacrifice was permanent (1 Peter 3:18) “once and for all.”

We have peace because we know that we have been reconciled with God. That’s past tense, not a future hope. His crucifixion paid for the sins of all who would trust in Him (Heb. 4:15; 2 Cor. 5:21) , and His resurrection guarantees our justification before God (Rom. 4:25) . Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1) . Peace with God means that our great sin debt has been paid and God sees us as righteous (Col. 2:14; Rom. 3:22) . We are no longer enemies but beloved children (1 John 3:2) . We have been reconciled. We have peace.

Don’t religions love to add to what is required by God? If you stripped away all man-made traditions, both Judaism and Christianity would be unrecognizable and a lot simpler. I wonder how many of our traditions, good as they may be, are sometimes a distraction from what is essential.

Here is some trivia about Yom Kippur. In 1973, Egypt and Syria attacked Israel on Yom Kippur, when many military personnel were at home observing the holy day and weakened by hunger. Israel won.

In 1965, Sandy Koufax, the Los Angeles Dodger Hall of Fame pitcher, decided not to pitch Game 1 of the World Series because it fell on Yom Kippur.

In 1934, Hall of Fame first baseman Hank Greenberg refused to play baseball on Yom Kippur, even though the Detroit Tigers were in the middle of a pennant race, and he was leading the league in RBIs. When Greenberg arrived in synagogue on Yom Kippur, the service stopped suddenly, and the congregation gave an embarrassed Greenberg a standing ovation.

There you have it, two holy days. The first to wake you up and the second to clean you up. The next holy day that Jews will be acknowledging is later in this month, called the Feast of Tabernacles.

Christians are not under any obligation to observe these days since they were given to Israel as part of the Old Covenant, which expired with the coming of the Messiah (Gal. 3:25) .

The Jewish National Day of Mourning

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 13:32:50 GMT

Each year on the 9th of Av, the saddest day in Jewish history, the Jews observe a day of mourning for the destruction of the two temples in Jerusalem. The first temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. and the second temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. In 2024 the day of remembrance will occur on August 12.

Tradition holds that other calamities struck the Israelites on that same date. It was when the children of Israel were denied entrance into the Promised Land; when the last stronghold of the Bar Kokhba war was captured in 135 A.D. When a year later the Roman emperor established a heathen temple on the site of the Jewish temple. And it was the day the Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492.

It also brings into remembrance other calamites such as the expulsion of Jews from England and France, the Crusades and the holocaust. The 9th of Av thus became a symbol for all the persecutions and misfortunes of the Jewish people.

Today, many Jews will observe the mourning rites for the death of a family member. This might include fasting, abstaining from bathing or the use of oils and perfumes. Sitting on the ground or on a low stool and not working. Readings would include the Book of Job and Lamentations (which describes the grieving over destroyed temple in the day of Jeremiah).

At the synagogues the lights might be dimmed and only a few candles would be lit, as symbols of the darkness which has befallen Israel. The curtain of the Ark, which contains the Torah scroll, is removed. This is the curtain in the Holy of Holies in the Temple which, according to legend, was stabbed and desecrated by the Roman emperor Titus. Public places of entertainment and restaurants are closed on the eve of the 9th of Av.

Why might this day of remembrance be of special significance in 2024? It is often times on such special days when many Israelites are preoccupied with religious observances and fasting that the enemies of Israel have attacked them. Most notably in 1973 when a coalition of Arab nations attacked Israel on Yom Kippur, a day of fasting for many of the Jewish people.

Today, Iran is threatening to attack Israel in retaliation for the deaths of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut. Some commentators suggest that this attack on Israel might occur on this day of mourning, the 9th of Av or August 12, 2024.

Ecclesiastes 1 - 2

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 13:17:56 GMT

The Preacher or “the one who speaks to the assembled”

Before we get into the text of Ecclesiastes, (the title comes from the Greek translation meaning preacher or teacher). I’m going to talk about a child psychoanalyst, a well-known painter and the lyrics of a couple of songs. So, stay with me, it will make some sense when we get into the text. I hope.

The psychoanalyst is Erik Erikson (1902 – 1994) who was a German born American child psychoanalyst (no, not a child who is a psychoanalyst, but an adult who analyses children). He is well known for the development of an eight-stage theory of development. He is the one who coined the term identity crisis which many of us are familiar with. This is the time in life (late teens) when many people wrestle with the questions: Who am I? What do I believe? What should I do with my life?

This is a time in life characterized by exploration and experimentation. They might explore different religions, different political viewpoints, join the Communist party one month and become fascinated with it the next. They might explore Buddhism the next month before coloring their hair green, blue and red or become a vegetarian. It’s a difficult time for young people (and their parents).

When we get into the text of Ecclesiastes, we will focus on the final stage of development which occurs when we are 65 years old or older. It isn’t a time of experimentation, but one of reflection. It is the time when one evaluates their lives. It’s when one makes a judgement as to whether they lived a useful, productive life, leading to a sense of peace or determine that we have wasted too many opportunities and accumulated far too many regrets leading to a sense of despair.

Whether one spends their twilight years with feelings of despair and regret, or contentment and peace would depend largely on how they define “success” in life, and what values they live by.

I knew a person who believed that “you live, you die, that’s it.” It’s a very secular view with no hope of rewards or fear of punishment after death. This led him to live a life seeking after pleasures and avoiding responsibilities, caring little for the needs of others.

After quitting high school, he pursued a life of pleasure seeking by gambling at the racetracks, (be they dog races, harness racing or horse racing). He spent hours honing his skills at the local pool hall, striving to make some quick money gambling. He worked as little as possible, collected unemployment whenever he could. He was supported by his wife until she divorced him and finally, he ended up living in the single garage of his mother’s home at age 50. At this time, he told me, “if I died today, I’ve had a wonderful life.” Obviously, his definition of success was very different from most people.

Let’s get back to Erik Erikson. Besides advancing his theory of development Erikson had a clinical practice at a psychiatric facility in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, an art community with a population of about 2,200. Do you recognize the name of this town? One of Erikson’s friends was the famous illustrator/painter of covers known for painting the covers of the Saturday Evening Post and Boy’s Life magazines. His name was Norman Rockwell.

Rockwell was more than a friend; he was also one of Erikson’s patients. Rockwell moved from Arlington, Vermont to be closer to his therapist. Rockwell battled depression, anxiety and insecurity. His wife Mary struggled with depression and alcoholism. Their lives were a far cry from the idealistic small-town scenes that he painted.

Erikson also worked with one of the most famous pediatricians of his day, Dr. Benjamin Spock. He was the author of Child and Baby Care.

He also worked with another well-known public figure who had an interest in childhood development. He was a Presbyterian minister who developed a children’s program where he would, for 33 years, welcome children into his neighborhood. Yes, that was Fred Rogers of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood fame.

With that background, I need to introduce you to the author of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon. He was the son of David. He lived a rather pampered life early on. King David was able to subdue the enemies of Israel and turned the kingdom over to Solomon who enjoy a Golden Age of peace and prosperity.

Moses told the Israelites that when they chose a king, he must abide by the following guidelines.

Deut. 17:16-20 , “The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold... he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law , taken from that of the Levitical priests... and he is to read it all the days of his life and not... turn from the law to the right or to the left.

The many horses might refer to having a large standing army, which is very expensive to maintain. The accumulation of large amounts of gold refers to a very high tax rate, which would later lead to a revolt against his successor Rehoboam and the division of the kingdom.

So, how did he do? How did he assess his life as he entered the twilight years? Would he find himself in a state of despair or peace?

Did he have many horses?

1 Kings 10:26-11:13 , “Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price. They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans.”

Did he take many wives?

1 Kings 11:3 , “He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.”

Did his wives lead him away from God?

1 Kings 11:5-9 , “He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done. On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods. The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.

Did Solomon accumulate much gold?

2 Chron. 9:20 All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s day.

1 Kings 9:15, “Here is the account of the forced labor King Solomon conscripted to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the terraces, the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer.”

It would appear to me that Solomon may have slacked off on his Bible study. He didn’t study Torah or if he did, he ignored the teachings he didn’t like, such as the restrictions on accumulating wealth and women. He should have highlighted Deut. 17:16-20. Perhaps he should have had posters around the palace saying:

DO NOT BUY LOTS OF HORSES!

DO NOT HOARD GOLD!

DO NOT MANY WOMEN, ESPECIALLY FOREIGN ONES!

HAVE YOU REVIEWED DEUTERONOMY THIS WEEK?

A world-weary Solomon wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes around 935 B.C., when the glory of his kingdom was already beginning to fade and he himself was entering his later years, (the eight stage of development according to Erik Erikson). Here he is reviewing the values that he lived by and questioning the long-term contribution he hoped to have made to the world. He hoped to help others to avoid the despair that comes from regret, bitterness, and disappointment with one’s life and fear of impending death. Perhaps his disappointment came from remembering more clearly his later years when he drifted away from God than his earlier years when he was known for great wisdom and massive construction projects such as the temple and palace.

This theme of late life reflections, the brevity and sometimes futility of some our lives has been expressed in many songs. Here are the lyrics of two. Notice the wording in bold print.

Is That All There Is?

(made famous by the singer Peggy Lee)

I remember when I was a little girl

Our house caught on fire

I'll never forget the look on my father's face as he

Gathered me up in his arms and

Faced through the burning building out on the pavement

And I stood there

Shivering in my pajamas and

Watched the whole world go up in flames

And when it was all over

I said to myself

Is that all there is to a fire?

Is that all there is

Is that all there is?

If that's all there is my friends

Then let's keep dancing

Let's break out the booze and have a ball

If that's all there is

And when I was twelve years old

My daddy took me to the circus

The greatest show on Earth

There were clowns and elephants, dancing bears

And a beautiful lady in pink

Tights flew high above our heads

And as I sat there watching

I had the feeling that something was missing

I don't know what, but when it was over

I said to myself

Is that all there is to the circus?

Is that all there is

Is that all there is?

If that's all there is my friends

Then let's keep dancing

Let's break out the booze and have a ball

If that's all there is

And then I fell in love

With the most wonderful boy in the world

We'd take long walks by the river or

Just sit for hours gazing into each other's eyes

We were so very much in love

Then one day, He went away

And I thought I'd die, but I didn't

And when I didn't, I said to myself

Is that all there is to love?

Is that all there is

Is that all there is?

If that's all there is, my friends

Then let's keep

I know what you must be saying to yourselves

If that's the way she feels about it

Why doesn't she just end it all?

Oh, no, not me

I'm not ready for that final disappointment

Because I know

Just as well as I'm standing here talking to you

That when that final moment comes

And I'm breathing my last breath

I'll be saying to myself

Is that all there is

Is that all there is?

If that's all there is my friend

Then let's keep dancing

Let's break out the booze and have a ball

If that's all there is

The lyrics of this song are written from the point of view of a person who is disillusioned with events in life (a house fire, going to a circus, a failed love, imagined death). After each event, good or bad, she expresses her disappointment in the experience. She suggests that we "break out the booze and have a ball—if that's all there is," instead of worrying about life.

The next song is:

He Went to Paris

(by Jimmy Buffet)

He went to Paris looking for answers

To questions that bothered him so

He was impressive, young and aggressive

Saving the world on his own

But the warm summer breezes

The French wines and cheeses

Put his ambition at bay

Summers and winters scattered like splinters

And four or five years slipped away

Then he went to England, played the piano

And married an actress named Kim

They had a fine life, she was a good wife

And bore him a young son named Jim

And all of the answers and all of the questions

He locked in his attic one day

'Cause he liked the quiet, clean country living

And 20 more years slipped away

Well, the war took his baby, the bombs killed his lady

And left him with only one eye

His body was battered, his world was shattered

And all he could do was just cry

While the tears were falling, he was recalling

Answers he never found

So he hopped on a freighter, skidded the ocean

And left England without a sound

Now he lives in the islands, fishes the pilin's

And drinks his green label each day

Writing his memoirs, losing his hearing

But he don't care what most people say

Through 86 years of perpetual motion

If he likes you he'll smile, then he'll say

"Jimmy, some of it's magic, some of it's tragic

But I had a good life all the way "

And he went to Paris looking for answers

To questions that bother him so

He is healthy and energetic with an idealistic if not unrealistic view of life, wanting very much to make a big difference in the world.

In time he gets distracted by the pleasures of life, settles down with a wife and son, putting aside his unanswered questions and unfulfilled dreams.

He endures a degree of success and endures several tragedies but as he looks back at his life, he says he had a good life all the way.

With that background, let’s get into the text of Ecclesiastes:

Ecc. 1:1 , “The words of the Teacher, son of David, king of Jerusalem.” The author identifies himself as the son of David. Son can mean grandson or a more distant relative. But he is described as having great wisdom (1:16) , wealth (2:8) , many servants (2:7) , opportunities for carnal pleasures (2:3) , and very extensive building projects including the temple and his palace. You don’t have to be a detective to figure out it’s Solomon who is writing this book.

Ecc. 1:2 , “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”

He gets right to the point, the bottom line. This is like a medical journal article which has an “executive summary” at the beginning to give you the “bottom line” of his research findings. Or, like a military briefing where the commander wants the “bottom line up front.” If you want to know more, you can read the entire article, or the commander can ask questions.

I would think Solomon might have opened with an introduction, much like the Apostle Paul did. Paul would usually introduce himself, greet his audience before jumping into the subject at hand, let alone the conclusion. Here’s an example of one such introduction by Paul. “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, by the command of god our Savor and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy my true son in the faith.”

If Solomon had used a format similar to that of the Apostle Paul, it might sound more like this. “Solomon, son of David and King of Israel, to the chosen people of God. As I’ve grown older, I’ve become more aware that my time left is dwindling like sand in an hourglass. This has led me to reflect on my life and how I’ve spent my time, energy, and money. I’d like to share with you my conclusions and how I arrived at them.”

Since I wasn’t Solomon’s source of inspiration nor his editor, I’ll accepts what he wrote, as he wrote it.

In the second verse of the very first chapter Solomon uses the word meaningless four times. It’s obvious he feels very strongly about this point that he is making.

Verse 3 , “What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun.” He goes on to describe how the earth remains long after a man is dead. The rivers continue to flow to the sea, etc.

You will see the term “under the sun” several times in this book. It means “on the earth” or “apart from God.” If this life is, as the song lyrics claim, is all there is, then there is cause for despair. Another similar term used in this book is “under heaven.” Again, these terms refer to a secular viewpoint that this life is all that there is, a godless view with no hope or fear of an afterlife.

In the movie Shadowland, the story of C.S. Lewis’s later years, his wife, who was dying of bone cancer, said, “Jack, you’ve always said that our real lives haven’t begun yet. You’d better be right.”

A secularist would claim that Lewis was wrong. He would claim that you live, you die, and that’s it. If the King of Israel, with his wealth and power can’t find satisfaction, what hope is there for those who are born with serious handicaps or live a life of pain and poverty? Solomon experienced everything he desired. He said, “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.”

1:10 , “Is there anything of which one can say, ‘Look! This is something new”? He then goes on to say how quickly we are forgotten (verse 11) .

Isn’t that the truth? Solomon built great structures and acquired huge quantities of gold, etc. yet this was nothing new. Pharaohs, kings, czars, dictators, presidents and prime ministers have been doing this for years.

When we die, we are forgotten within a few generations. Hopefully, the influence that we have had on others (the good influences) travels down through the generations, but we ourselves are soon forgotten.

Solomon had wealth, wisdom and time to explore every area of study that interested him. He then made a study of wisdom.

In Ecc. 1:12-13 he speaks of his study of wisdom all “that is done under heaven.” Verse 17 , “I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom . . . but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.” Verse 18 , “for with much wisdom comes much sorrow, the more knowledge, the more grief.” None of Solomon’s “under the sun” studies brought him lasting satisfaction.

Secular wisdom brings sorrow and frustration. There are hundreds of “isms” out there to study, each one having their own apostles declaring that they are correct and everyone else is in error. In the scientific realm, the more you know, the more you know how little you know. The more astronomers study the heavens, the more questions they have. The more a biologist studies living creatures, the more he realizes he doesn’t know.

Solomon then moved into other areas to pursue pleasures. He tried laughter (today he would be going to comedy clubs). He tried wine (2:1-3) , which is a commonly taken road to happiness. He then he moved onto creating great projects: home construction, planting vineyards, fruit trees. He amassed huge numbers of slaves, herds of animals, gold and silver. He’s doing what he was told NOT to do in Deut. 17 . Perhaps today he would have had mansions, both summer and winter, a classic car collection, art collection, a huge wine cellar, etc. He goes on to say in 2:10 , “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.” Yet, even this didn’t bring him lasting pleasure. Verse 1 1, “Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.”

Whether one accomplishes much or little, he came to realize verse 14 , “that the same fate overtakes them both (the wise and the fool). Verse 16 , “For the wise man, like the fool, will not be long remembered; in days to come both will be forgotten. Like the fool, the wise man too must die.”

Solomon was so frustrated that he says, verses 17-18 , “I hated life, because the work that is sone under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind . . . I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to one who comes after me.”

Building and accumulating things that would end up being inherited by someone who probably wouldn’t appreciate them took the pleasure away from his efforts. Verse 19 , Solomon goes on to say, “Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool.”

Imagine if you have amassed a collection of some items of great value and your son is an irresponsible fool who might sell off these items and squander the money. That would take some of the pleasure out of your hobby.

Verse 22-23 , “What does a man get from all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.”

I knew a man who always had to have expensive man toys. He owned a motorhome, a boat, a motorcycle, and always had a new car which he made payments on. Though he had earned three pensions, he couldn’t retire because of the monthly payments he had to make for these items. He was an indentured servant, a slave to the debt that he accumulated. And even if he had everything paid off, he would still be concerned about protecting and maintaining these items. Even at night “his mind does not rest.”

Chapter 2:24 , “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment. To this man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness.” God wants us to enjoy this life, but to live it in the light of the next one.

Proverbs

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 09:10:03 GMT

THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON (AND A FEW OTHERS) ON

HOW TO LIVE SUCCESSFULLY

These proverbs are general principles of successful living, which allow for individual exceptions. It’s the type of advice that an older person would give to a younger one in the hope that he won’t make the same mistakes that he made. “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” (Ps. 32:8) . It’s a good idea, but too often the younger one might not be very interested in such advice and will go one to make his own share of mistakes.

Every culture seems to have their own proverbs. In the U.S. Benjamin Franklin, one of our founding fathers, wrote many proverbs. One is: "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." Another one is: “Search others for their virtues, yourself for your vices.”

Here are a few more proverbs, some are found in the Bible, others are of a secular origin, and some are misquoted or misinterpreted:

“A fool and his money are soon parted.” This brings to mind how young professional athletes sign a huge contract worth millions of dollars. They may have never had money to manage before and so they spend it wildly. A decade later, when their short professional career is over, they are broke. I imagine someone close to them may have said, “Son, don’t spend that money too fast, the high income won’t last forever.”

Another commonly used expression or proverb is: “Money can’t buy happiness.” Well, that is only partially true. If you are hungry, cold, homeless and sick, it’s difficult to be happy. Money to buy the basics of life can make you very happy, but once our basic needs are met, more money doesn’t create more happiness.

Some proverbs are misquoted or outright wrong. “Money is the root of all evil.” This comes from a 1 Tim. 6:10 which actually says, "For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil…" Money is not good or bad, and being wealthy is not a sin. Job was wealthy and was described as a man who was "blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil" (Job 1:1). Loving money, which in the Greek is "avarice" and implies an emotional affection, is the root of all sorts of evil as the desire to accumulate wealth is placed above God and others. Luke 12:16-20 tells the story of a man who had much, but he wanted more. “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

Another “proverb” that sounds as if it is from the Bible but isn’t. “If God closes one door, He’ll open a window.” Maybe God is closing a door because you are going in the wrong direction. If so, he’s not going to open a window. Another commonly used expression or proverb is, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” Do you remember the story of Mary and Martha found in Luke 10:38-42 ? Martha was the sister who was doing all the work and was irritated that Mary had left her to do all the work. Mary was more interested in what Jesus had to say. I wonder if Martha was the sister who had to have everything neat and clean while Mary was the one more interested in reading and thinking.

Here is another expression that sounds right but isn’t. “God doesn’t give us more than we are able to handle.” I think this is an overstatement and perhaps a misunderstanding of 1 Cor. 10:13 , “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

Then there are expressions that are from the Bible, which are taken out of context and misapplied. Phil. 4:13 , says, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” We tell our kids this to encourage them to continue in their effort to accomplish something. But it’s not true that anyone can do anything. The context of the passage deals with being content in every situation. If your child is under five feet tall and has club foot, you can’t tell them that someday he can be on his favorite professional basketball team.

Proverbs are not laws of nature which give us absolute guarantees that if we do something it will result in something else. Sure, if we follow the guidelines for healthy living, avoid tobacco, drink alcohol in moderation (if at all), eat a well-balanced diet, get the required exercise and sleep, you are more likely to live a longer life with fewer chronic diseases. But there is no guarantee. We probably know people who lived a healthy lifestyle, but they died young, perhaps due to a genetic predisposition towards heart disease. So, proverbs are generalizations, not guarantees.

Here are a few examples. Prov. 12:21 says, “No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.” Prov. 16:7 says, “When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.” Well, how did this work out in the life of Paul? Acts 14:19 says, “Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.” And we can’t forget 2 Cor. 11:23-25 , “I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I have spent a night and a day in the open sea.” Jesus predicted John 16:33 that in this world we would have tribulation.

When “no harm” is promised, it means no permanent or ultimate evil will befall people. Any evil that besets us, God can bring ultimate good, just ask Joseph (Gen. 50:2) or Paul (Rom 8:28) . And sometimes, the “good” that is promised might not even occur in this lifetime.

The Book of Proverbs opens with an explanation as to why we should study proverbs and why these proverbs were written. Prov. 1:1-2, 7 “The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for

understanding words of insight . . . The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

If you do not have “fear” or respect for God, you will not heed His teachings. It starts with your attitude. Prov. 3:1 “My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.” Young people tend to think that they are invincible. They sometimes take unnecessary risks. Our brains mature from the back to the front and the frontal lobe is the last part to mature at about 25 years of age. The frontal lobe is responsible for decision making. The reason why automobile insurance rates drop at age 25 is because there are fewer accidents from that age on. So, if you are under 25 years of age and your parents yell at you, “What were you thinking?” You can use the excuse, “I can’t help it Dad, it’s my immature frontal lobe.”

Prov. 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”

Prov. 6:10 , “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.” In general, if someone is lazy, they’re not going to end up financially secure. Of course, there are always exceptions to these rules. Sometimes a lazy person gets lucky at gambling, but they soon lose whatever winning they may have received.

Prov. 10:12 “Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.” Prov. 17:9 says much the same. Why would the writer or editor repeat a proverb? Perhaps because it is either of greater importance or they are most likely to be ignored and so they need to be repeated.

Prov. 11:1 “The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight.” The Book of Amos has much to say about ethical living. God is not impressed with worship on one day followed by unethical living the rest of the

week. For believers to live unethically is to be poor ambassadors or representatives of their religion and it gives God a bad name. Amos told the Israelites, if you aren’t going to live like godly people during the week, don’t

bother to sing hymns and utter prayers on your day of worship. Today he might tell us, live what you teach or close the churches and don’t let anyone know you are a Christian. To not live what we teach is to give God a bad name and embarrasses him.

Prov. 11:14 “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.” Too often people in power surround themselves with “yes men” who will tell the leaders what they want to hear rather than what they need to hear. Every leader should create an atmosphere that avoids group think, where everyone thinks alike, and conflicting opinions are discouraged. Leaders should have someone around them who will challenge their decision making when necessary.

Prov. 12:10 , “A righteous man cares for the needs of his animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.” Jews teach that one should feed their animals before they themselves eat. The reason is the animals don’t understand the concept of waiting and it is cruel to eat in front of them while they are hungry.

Prov. 12:16 , “A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.” Jesus taught this when he said, if someone offends you, “turn the other cheek.” In other words, let it go. Don’t make an issue about every perceived insult.

Prov. 13:20 , “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” We always told our kids to be careful who they choose for friends, because they become like them.

Prov. 13:24 , “He who spares the rod hates his son.” Some commentators suggest that the term “rod” refers to setting standards of behavior, rather than a stick with which to administer physical punishment. See Prov 29:15 .

Prov. 15:22 , “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” We just read this in Prov. 11:14. I guess He wants us to really understand this point.

Prov. 16:7 , “When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.” Maybe his enemies are at peace with him because they don’t feel threatened by him. Again, this is not a universal law, but a generalization. After all, Paul pleased God, and yet his enemies stoned him (Acts 4:19) . What God does promise is that no permanent or ultimate evil will befall him.

Prov. 21:3 , “To do what is right is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” This is a theme of the Book of Amos. Ethical living is more important than sacrifices.

Prov. 22:6 , “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not turn from it.” This can be viewed in several ways. One view is if you teach your children right from wrong, they might rebel when they become adults, but in time they are more inclined to return to the teachings of their youth than to continue in the direction they were going. Another way of looking at this is if you guide your children into certain vocations based on their talents and interests, they will find it satisfying and stay with it throughout their working lives.

Prov. 22:15 , “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.” Some commentaries understand the “rod of discipline” to mean discipline of most any kind, not necessarily corporeal punishment (any type of punishment that inflicts pain). See also Prov. 13:24 and 23:13-14 .

Prov. 23:4 , “Do not wear yourself out to get rich.”

Prov. 23:20 , “Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.” Prov. 29 continues on this theme of drinking wine in excess. Verses 23-33 , “Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things.”

The last sentence sounds like the symptoms of delirium tremens (DTs). This is seen when people who drink excessively then stop, for whatever reason. About three days after not drinking symptoms can be experienced very rapidly. They can include confusion, shaking, shivering, irregular heart rate, and sweating. People may also hallucinate and experience seizures. It can even result in death.

Jesus turned water into wine (Luke 2:1-12) . Paul advised Timothy to drink wine for his health (1 Tim. 5:23) . Throughout scripture there is wine drinking, and it wasn’t condemned. It is only the overindulgence of wine that was condemned.

Prov. 24:24 , “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared.”

Prov. 24:26 , “Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay your very bed will be snatched from under you.”

Prov. 24:27 , “Finish your outdoor work and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.” In an agrarian society, your first priority should be to plant your crops, which is your source of money. In a modern society this proverb has been understood to mean, “Get your education or vocational training and start to earn a living before you get married and buy a house.” In other words, secure your income before committing to a mortgage.

Prov. 25:14 , “Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give.” Have you known people like this? All talk, no action.

Prov. 30:5 , “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.” When people elevate traditions to the level of Scripture you are denigrating Scripture, viewing it as “not quite enough.” Paul tells us that we should not go beyond what is written. 1 Cor. 4:61 Paul tells the church that its leaders are not to teach anything that goes beyond the laws and principles expressed in the Word of God. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would lead his apostles into ALL truth (John 16:13) . Paul goes on to say in 2 Tim. 3:16-17 , “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Paul said, don’t go beyond what is WRITTEN and that what is written can thoroughly equip us for EVERY good work. To give traditions the same importance as Scripture is to denigrate Scripture, it is saying that it is NOT enough.

Jesus had the same issue with the Jews of his day. Mark 7:7-9 , “They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions. And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!”

Prov. 31:4-7 gives more advice concerning the use of wine. “It is not for kings, O Lemuel-not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, les they drink and forget what the law decrees, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights. Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.”

If you are a commander on duty or just “on call” which means you have to be available for duty in an emergency, you obviously shouldn’t be drinking.

Prov. 31:10-31 describes the wife of noble character. There is one verse that stands out for me. Notice verse 16. “She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.” This sounds like a modern woman who can buy and sell real estate with her own money.

Well, that’s your “taste” of the Book of Proverbs. I hope you found it “good” and will encourage you to dig deeper into its wisdom.

Psalms

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 06:53:25 GMT

HYMNAL AND PRAYER BOOK OF ISRAEL

The Book of Psalms has 150 psalms which are songs and prayers. The book is much like our church hymnals with hymns, prayers, readings, etc. In these psalms we see a wide range of human emotions being expressed. Here you will find the writer’s expressions of anger, fear, doubt, joy, anguish, etc. Do these emotions sound familiar to you? Mankind has always had to deal with the stresses and joys of life which manifest themselves in a wide range of emotions. Some of these Psalms, those who express anguish, confusion and grief, sound as if they could have been written by Job or Habakkuk. Both were troubled by the fact that bad things were happening to good people while evil people appeared to coast through life without problems.

Some Psalms are identified as being written by David when he was being pursued by Saul or later as king when he was being pursued by his son Absalom. Many were written by unknown writers for unknown reasons.

The traditional Hebrew title for this book is Tehillim, meaning “praises,” though most of them are prayers. Expressions of praise are what today we call doxologies. “Doxology” literally means a saying of praise or glory.

There are doxologies found elsewhere in Scriptures. In the New Testament some doxologies are used to praise God for His blessings (Eph. 1:3) , ascribing to Him all glory (Rom. 11:36; Eph. 3:21) , and affirming the Trinity (Matt. 28:19) .

A well-known doxology is found in Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” Another one that is common in churches is called the Common Doxology, written in 1674 by Thomas Ken, an Anglican priest:

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Some of the Psalms have what are called superscriptions at the beginning of them. These are comments which tell us who wrote it, or the type of Psalm it is. Some have musical notations much as we have today where the composer tells the musician to play the music softly (pianissimo), or at an increasingly fast pace (accelerando), or loudly (fortissimo). It might also tell the occasion that led to the composition, such as a holy day.

In some you will come across the term “Selah.” It’s seen in nearly 40 Psalms. Scholars are still trying to figure out what that term means.

Let’s take a look at a few of the Psalms to give you a feel for them.

Ps. 1:1 “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.” The word “blessed” can be translated to mean “happy.” This sounds much like what you would find in the book of Proverbs. It’s also similar to the beatitudes of Matt. 5 , “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

Ps. 3-4 , were both written by King David when his son Absalom seized the throne (2 Sam. 15-17) . David speaks of his confidence that God would restore him to his rightful position.

Ps. 6:6 , “I am worn out from groaning all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.” Here it seems that David is having a “Job moment.” Like Job, he is in both physical and mental distress and wonders if he is being punished for something he has done. He also expresses his confidence in God, verse 10 “All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.”

Does this sound like you at times? Are you a worrier? Have you ever stayed up most of the night worrying about what might happen tomorrow? Mark Twain once said, “I have known many troubles in my life. Most of which never occurred.” I wish there was a switch that I could flip to turn off worry.

Ps. 8:3 “Then I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him?”

David had time to sit and look up at the stars and think. Today, there is so much light and noise pollution; you can hardly see the stars anymore or be alone with your thoughts.

Ps. 10 This passage reminds me of Habakkuk where he asked God, “Why do you allow the evil to continue? Why don’t you answer our prayers? I think we can all relate to this passage and the concerns of Habakkuk when we read the world news each day.

Ps. 12 is another Psalm of David. Verses 1-2 , “Help, Lord, for the godly are no more, the faithful have vanished from among men. Everyone lies to his neighbor; flattering lips speak with deceptions. This one reminds me of the time Elijah fled Queen Jezebel in I Kings 19 and became despondent, thinking that he was the only one left who really worshipped God and wished that he was dead. Fatigue will do that to us. He was suffering from what we called in the military Battle Fatigue or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A little R & R (rest and recuperation) helped Elijah and helps our soldiers today. And when we are stressed out and in despair, helps us, also.

Ps. 13 is another Psalm of David when he felt forgotten by God. Verses 1-2 , “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide our face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?”

Ps. 14:1 “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” Christians and Jews have many holidays such as Christmas and Passover. Now atheists have one, also. It’s April Fool’s Day.

Ps. 15 gives the attributes of a righteous man. They include living without blame, doing righteous acts, speaking the truth, not slandering others, keeping his word, lending money without interest and not accepting bribes. This is a check list for women looking to find a man. Being good looking, wealthy or a great dancer is not listed. Proverbs 31 gives a description of the ideal women.

Ps. 22:14 “I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint.” The Apostle Paul used a similar expression in 2 Tim. 4:6-7 as he was nearing death. Paul wrote, “for I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Did you notice that as he reviewed his life, he didn’t wring his hands in regret. We should live our lives so that when we die even the undertaker will be sorry.

Ps. 23 is so familiar widely known by Christians that many Jews assumed that it is in the New Testament. There is a tradition that teaches that Moses’ behavior towards his flock convinced God to appoint him as Isrrael’s leader. Tradition claims that Moses would allow the smaller sheep to graze on the tender grass before the larger sheep were let loose to eat the tougher grass.

This Psalm speaks of our lives as preparatory to our eternal life with God, (verse 6) , “and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever,” this Psalm is frequently recited at funerals.

Let’s spend more time on this Psalm. It has been described as a Psalm of trust and confidence, probably written by a king, perhaps David during the time when he was fleeing Absalom, his son.

Let’s read the 23rd Psalm :

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

You can draw many analogies between the shepherd and Jesus. The Gospel teaches us that our Lord is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) . He is pictured as a shepherd who is interested in each sheep, and he is like a host who has prepared a lavish banquet.

The image of a shepherd arouses emotions of care, provision, and protection. Like a good shepherd God leads, protects, provides for and cares for us in this life and in the world to come.

The shepherd carried a rod and a staff. The rod was like a club to throw at wild animals that threatened the sheep, and the staff was used to keep the sheep under his control. The green pastures were a seasonal phenomenon. The quiet or still waters were wells and springs where the sheep could drink without being rushed.

Leading in the path of righteousness can be understood, “the paths that bring the sheep most directly to their destination.” The idiom “the shadow of death” “has stirred up some discussion.” The imagery of death is consistent with the idea that the shepherd leads the flock through ravines and wadis where the steep slopes keep out the light. In spite of this, the shepherd (God) is still with them. The presence and guidance of the Lord go together. The underlying etymology of Yahweh is the promise, “I will be present with my people” (Ex. 3:12) .

The Lord is the host at a banquet prepared for his people. Before entering the banquet hall, the host would anoint the honored guest with oil which was olive oil with perfumes added. The banquet here brings to mind the marriage supper of the Lamb found in Rev. 19:9 , “Then the angel said to me, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’” This supper occurs between the rapture and the second coming (during the tribulation on earth).

Attending the wedding feast will be not only for the Church, which is the Bride of Christ, but others as well. The “others” include the Old Testament saints—they will not have been resurrected yet, but their souls/spirits will be in heaven with us.

Ps. 28:2 “Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.” Lifting one’s hands in prayer is also mentioned in I Tim. 2:8 . But keep in mind; this is a description, not a prescription.

Ps. 30:4 , “Sing to the Lord, you saints of his.” The term “sing” refers more to a chant than singing. It is more like reciting the words, called “talk singing.” This is good, since chanting requires less musical talent. In the movie My Fair Lady, one of its stars, Rex Harrison played the role of Professor Henry Higgins. He wasn’t a singer, but he had to sound as if he could sing. Perhaps that was what “singing” was like in times past.

Ps. 34:8 , “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Accepting an invitation to a worship service is sometimes too big a step for many. Sometimes people need to simply get a taste of what Christianity is like. Perhaps inviting someone to join a church group in some project helping others or the community as a whole would be a way of giving some a taste of Christian fellowship. Some people have a negative view of Christians so offering a “taste” might be more positively received than a full meal.

Ps. 35 Gossip and slander were used to destroy King David. Scripture has much to say in condemnation of gossip and slander. Deut. 27:24 , Moses wrote, "Cursed is the man who kills his neighbor secretly." Now how can someone kill another "secretly"? The answer is gossip and slander. It destroys people, their reputation, their ministry, their relationships.

Lev. 19:16 "Do not go about spreading slander among your people."

Ps 101:5 , "Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I put to silence."

In 2 Cor. 12:20 Paul wrote, "I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder." Paul is speaking of the church in Corinth, which he described as a group of immature Christians. What about your church?

Ps 37:1 “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither.” Sure, they will wither, but not soon enough for most of us.

Ps. 44 addresses the plight experienced by Job who thought that “God hid his face from him.” The writer reviews the times of old when God was with his people, but verse 9 , “But now you have rejected and humbled us; you no longer go out with our armies.” Verses 23-24 , “Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression.”

Ps. 45 is a wedding song sung for a king. Do you remember what music you had at your wedding? In this wedding song both the king and queen are described in extravagant terms with regards to their appearance as well as the decorations and the wedding ceremony itself. And, as is seen in other Psalms, this description can be applied to the King of Kings (Heb. 1:8-9 and Rev. 19:6-9) .

Ps. 51:16-17 is David’s expression of repentance after his adultery with Bathsheba (2 Sam 11) . He makes no excuses for his behavior and fears most being separated from God. He asks that he be forgiven (verse 7) and that he would be given a “pure heart.” Verse 16 , “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

Ps. 53:1 , “The fool says in his heart ’there is no God.’” This was said in Ps. 14:1 .

Ps. 60:8 “Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I toss my sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.” To call someone a “washbasin” was one of many insulting terms. The washbasin was the lowly vessel in which a servant washed someone’s feet. In the middle east, to toss a shoe at someone is to insult them. Some years ago, the president of the U.S. held a press conference in a middle eastern country. One of the reporters threw a show at him. This was an insulting gesture that many in the west may not have understood.

Ps. 105:15 “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.” I heard a prosperity preacher misuse this verse to teach that no one should even question his teachings. But these prosperity prophets are not anointed of God nor are they true prophets. Rather than accepting what they teach without question, we are to examine Scripture and question what is being taught (Acts 17:11) .

Ps. 126:1-3 , “When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.” This psalm was written when the Jews returned from Babylonian captivity to Jerusalem. This psalm could be read or sung as four Israeli hostages who were kidnapped from the Nova music festival on Oct. 7th, 2023 were rescued after 245 days in captivity.

Ps. 137:1 , “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. Verse 5 , “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.” This was written by the Jews who were taken to Babylon. To help remember what happened to them and their temple a ritual developed where even during what is the happiest hours of a couple’s life, their wedding, a glass is shattered to remind the celebrants that the Jerusalem Temple has still not been rebuilt.

Ps. 139:16 “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” How are we to understand this verse? It seems to me that we all have a genetic potential for longevity which we can experience if we don’t live a lifestyle that shortens it. I’ve known people who lived a very healthy life only to die young because they inherited a predisposition to early heart disease.

Ps. 145:18 “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.”

In Ps. 34:8 mentioned earlier, it says, “Taste, see that the Lord is good.” This brief survey of the Book of Psalms is a way for you to “taste and see that the Book of Psalms is good.” Perhaps by tasting it, you feel more comfortable with it and will dig deeper into these passages.

Proverbs

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 06:30:23 GMT

WISDOM OF SOLOMON ON HOW TO LIVE SUCCESSFULLY IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD

These proverbs are general principles of living, not laws of nature. If you follow them, you are more likely to succeed in life, but there are no guarantees. Most were written by Solomon. They are easy to understand and need little comment.

Prov 1:1-2, 7 “The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight . . . The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

If you do not have “fear” or respect for God, you will not heed His teachings. It starts with your attitude.

Prov 3:1 “My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.”

Prov 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”

Prov 10:12 “Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.” Prov 17:9 says much the same.

Prov 11:1 “The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight.”

Prov 11:14 “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.”

Prov 12:10 “A righteous man cares for the needs of his animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.” Jews teach that one should feed their animals before they themselves eat. The reason is the animals don’t understand the concept of waiting and it is cruel to not feed them first.

Prov 12:16 “A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.”

Prov 13:20 “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”

We always told our kids to be careful who they choose for friends, because they become like them.

Prov 13:24 “He who spares the rod hates his son.” Some commentators suggest that the term “rod” refers to setting standards of behavior, rather than a stick with which to administer physical punishment. See Prov 29:15.

Prov 15:22 “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” We just read this in Prov 11. I guess He wants us to really understand this point.

Prov 21:3 “To do what is right is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice."

Prov 22:6 “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”

Prov 24:10 “Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

Proverbs 31:10-31 describes the wife of noble character. There is one verse that stands out for me. Notice verse 16 . “She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.” This sounds like a rather modern woman who can buy and sell real estate with her own money.

Job 10 - 42

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 03:07:56 GMT

In chapter 10 we find Job’s emotional turmoil such that it has begun to distort his thinking. He wonders why God makes us suffer yet at the same time blesses the wicked. Verse 1 , “I loathe my very life.” Verse 3 , “Does it please you to oppress me, to spurn the work of your hands, while you smile on the schemes of the wicked?” Again, he expresses his wish that he had died at birth. Verse 18 , “Why then did you bring me out of the womb? I wish I had died before any eye saw me. If only I had never come into being or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave.”

Another friend, Zophar, speaks up, perhaps he will help provide the comfort and sympathy Job desired. No, he didn’t.

In chapter 11 , Zophar declares that Job deserved even worse than what he got. Isn’t that a comforting thought for Job. In Job 11:6 , he says, “God has even forgiven your sin.” Another translation reads, “God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.” In other words, “you deserved even more punishment than you received.”

He goes on to say that Job shouldn’t expect to understand the ways of God. Verses 7, 10 , “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? Verse 10 , “Can you oppose him?”

Chapter 11:5 , “You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless, and I am pure in your sight.’” Job never claimed to be pure. Zophar goes on to say that if Job repented, his life “will be brighter than the noonday and darkness will become like morning” (verse 17) . And that’s not true either. God doesn’t guarantee sunshine and lollipops for his people.

Job responded with a bit of sarcasm. Chapter 12:2 , “Doubtless you are the people, and wisdom will die with you.” In other words, “You guys are so wise that when you die the world will be without wisdom.” Chapter 13 Job continues to maintain his innocence. Job 13:18 , “Now that I prepared my case, I know I will be vindicated.”

Job uses sarcasm again in 13:5 , “If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom.” The wisest thing that his friends could do would be to shut up. They should have continued with the silence of Shiva for the duration of their visit.

Job wants God to stop punishing him and to explain to him what he did wrong. Job 13:21-24 , “Withdraw your hand far from me, and stop frightening me with your terrors. Then summon me and I will answer or let me speak, and you reply. How many wrongs and sins have I committed? Show me my offense and my sin. Why do you hide your face and consider me your enemy?” Stop punishing me and tell me what I did wrong.”

Job continues to reflect on the shortness and futility of life. Chapter 14 reads, “Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble (verse 1) . Man’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed” (verse 5) . One positive comment that Job makes is his belief in something in the world to come. Verse 14 , “If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come.”

Now it’s time for Eliphaz to step in (Chapter 15) . He basically repeats his earlier remarks and criticized Job for being angry with them when they were trying to help him.

Just as Eliphaz seems to be losing patience with Job, Job is doing the same with his friends. Chapter 16:1 , Job replied, “I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all!” Job then goes on to describe again his horrible condition. Verse 10 , “Men open their mouths to jeer at me. Verse 12 , “All was well with me, but he shattered me; he seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target.” Verse 16 , “My face is red with weeping, deep shadows ring my eyes; yet my hands have been free of violence and my prayer is pure.” His friends were of no real comfort. Job appears to be mired in hopelessness.

At this point Bildad joins in the conversation. Chapter 18 . Verse 1 , “When will you end these speeches? Be sensible, and then we can talk.” Here Bildad repeats his earlier argument that punishment justly falls on the wicked. His logic is that, since Job is being punished, he must have done something wrong.

Job asks for his friends’ pity (verse 21) and declares that his God is alive and knows all things. God would be the one to judge him fairly, and Job puts his trust in Him (verses 25–27) .

Job replies in chapter 19 . Verse 1 , “How long will you torment me and crush me with words? Ten times now you have reproached me; shamelessly you attack me.” Verses 20-21 , “I am nothing but skin and bones; I have escaped with only the skin of my teeth. Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.” He feels helpless, abandoned by family and acquaintances and his three friends were the only ones who stayed with him.

In spite of his suffering, he knows that there is something better in the world to come. Verse 25-26 , “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.” But in the meantime, Job is hurt, angry, frustrated and depressed.

Zophar’s second speech, (Job Chapter 20) focuses on the theme that the one who commits wickedness will suffer for it. In his words, verses 27-29 , “The heavens will expose his guilt; the earth will rise up against him. A flood will carry off his house, rushing waters on the day of God’s wrath. Such is the fate God allots the wicked, the heritage appointed for them by God.”

Thanks a lot Zophar, for those comforting words.

Job responds in chapter 21 , saying in effect, “That’s not true!” Verses 7 and 9 , “Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power? Their homes are safe and free from fear; the rod of God is not upon them. Verse 13 , They spend their years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace.” Job ends his comments with, verse 34 , “So how can you console me with your nonsense? Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!”

Round three of the debate begins with Eliphaz in chapter 22 . He suggests that Job is being punished because he must have gotten rich by taking advantage of others. Verses 5-9 , “Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless? You demanded security from your brothers . . . you gave no water to the weary and withheld food from the hungry. . . You sent widows away empty-handed.”

Chapter 23 , Job continues to lament his situation again defends himself, saying, verses 12 , “I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.” In chapter 24 he asks, “Why does the Almighty not set times for judgment? Why must those who know him look in vain for such days?” He goes on to describe how the corrupt move boundary stones, take advantage of the weak, the widows and orphans. Verse 12 , "the groans of the dying rise from the city, and the souls of the wounded cry out for help. But God charges no one with wrongdoing."

This sound much like the prophet Habakkuk who asked God, in Hab. 1:1-3 , “How long, O Lord must I call for help, but you do not listen? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong?”

In Chapters 25 and 26 Bildad speaks again, and Job responds with sarcasm, thanking him for his “sympathetic understanding and congratulates him for his outstanding knowledge. Chapter 26:1-3 , “How you have helped the powerless! How you have saved the arm that is feeble! What advice you have offered to one without wisdom! And what great insight you have displayed.”

In chapter 27 Job’s lament continues. Verse 2 , “As surely as God lives, who had denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made me taste bitterness of soul, as long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils, my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will utter no deceit.”

Job’s friends failed to provide him with any wise counsel. In chapter 28 he inserts a poem on the pricelessness of wisdom.

In Chapter 29 he looked back at the “good old days” when life was good. Verse 2 , “How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me. Oh, for the days when I was in my prime when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house (verse 4) . He goes on to describe the time when men spoke well of him (verse 11) , when he cared for those in need ( verses 12-16) .

Chapter 30:1 , “But now they mock me.” Verse 15 , “Terrors overwhelm me, as my dignity is driven away as by the wind.” “And now my life ebbs away; days of suffering grip me.” “I cry out to you, O God, but you do not answer” (verse 20) .

In chapter 31 Job challenges anyone to find any obvious sin in his life that would justify his suffering. He asks, “Did I cheat my workers? Did I lust after other women? Did I not share my food with those in need? Did I ignore the needs of the orphan and widow? Was I greedy for wealth? Did I rejoice over the misfortune of my enemies? It is as if he was a lawyer giving his closing argument in defense of his client.

A fourth man, Elihu, speaks up (Job chapter 32) . Elihu’s two concerns are expressed in Job 32:2–3 . He became very angry with job for justifying himself rather than God. He was also angry with the three friends because they had no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.

In Chapter 33 , Elihu says that Job claimed to be without sin. Verse 8 , “But you have said in my hearing-I heard the very words- “I am pure and without sin.” No, he didn’t! Elihu is misquoting Job. He never claimed to be sinless, only blameless.

Job rejects Elihu’s comments. He says, “I am innocent, but God denies me justice.” Elihu says that God is not unjust, as Job might think. And no one can compel God to explain why he acts or why he keeps quiet (chapter 35:29) .

After several rounds of discussions between Job and his friends, we finally get a simple statement of explanation. Chapter 36, verse 26 says it all. “How great is God-beyond our understanding.” Chapter 37 goes on to describe how God controls everything, and his knowledge is perfect. He closes with the thought that God is (verses 23-24) “beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress. Therefore, men revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?

God has heard enough of this. It’s now his turn to speak (Chapter 38) . He begins by asking Job questions. Rather than Job demanding answers of God, God demands answers from Job. Verse 4 , “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?”

Verse 12 , “Have you ever given orders to the morning?” Verse 17 , “Have the gates of death been shown to you?” Verse 45 , “Do you send lightning bolts on their way?” “Do you know how to use all the apps on your smartphone?” I made up that last one. The point God is making is that he is the one who is all knowing and all powerful. Being God, you have to give him the benefit of the doubt that he does things or allows things to be done for a reason that we couldn’t understand even if it was explained to us.

Then God asks (Chapter 40:2) , “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!”

Then Job answers the Lord (40:3-4) , “I am unworthy-how can I reply to you? Then God asks, verse 8 , “Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?” God goes on to describe his what he has done and his power, compared with a mere human. In this chapter he describes the behemoth that we described earlier in this lesson. In Chapter 41 he returns to the other massive creature, the leviathan. God then says, “Who then is able to stand against me? Who has a claim against me that I must pay” (verses 10-11) . In other words, “I’m God and you’re not. I don’t have to answer to anyone.”

In chapter 42 we see the attitude of Job changed dramatically. Verse 1 , “Then Job replied to the Lord, ‘I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, thing too wonderful for me to know.” Again, we see that there are things that are far beyond our understanding. Job said the same thing in Job 36:26 “How great is God-beyond our understanding.”

Verse 6 , “therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Translation: “I’m sorry for getting so angry and demand that you explain your actions, especially when I wouldn’t be able to understand it.”

God then turned to Eliphaz and said, “I am angry with you and your two friends; because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” God then told them to make a burnt offering and Job graciously prayed for his friends. (verses 8-10) .

Verse 11 , “All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.” Yeah, but where were they when he was sitting on the ash pile scraping his sores with pieces of broken pottery?

The Lord then made Job prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before (verse 12) and Job lived for 140 years.

Afterthoughts on the Book of Job

“Why has such evil befallen me” was the question posed by Job. His friends blamed him for his troubles, claiming that he was being punished for some hidden sin. But why would God punish his children and servants? Ezek. 18:17-18 says, “He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people. And we know from John 9:3 that sin isn’t the cause of all suffering. “. . . he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.’”

Isa. 55:8 , “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.”

Deut. 29:29 , “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.”

My understanding is that man cannot understand the ways of God. Why does he do this or allow that in this world is beyond our understanding. Not only that, but we really don’t have a NEED to know. Paul wrote in 2 Tim. 3:16-17 , “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

We have what we need to know. The rest, those things that we want to know, are beyond our comprehension and unnecessary for us.

Another question that is asked deals with angels.

Ps. 91:11 , “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” But they are also used as escorts when we die. Luke 16:22 , “The time came when the beggar died, and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.” So, angels can protect us and escort us when we die.

The mystery is, “Why would God send an angel to escort us to Him when he could have sent him to protect us from an accidental death?”

I’ve come to believe more and more that God must view death quite differently than we do. From our perspective, death is a tragedy. I don’t think that the apostle Paul saw it that way either. Paul tells us in 2 Cor. 12:2-4 , “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know-god knows. And I know that this man-whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows- was caught up to paradise. He heard expressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.”

This experience that Paul had, the chance to “peek behind the curtain” and to see what lies beyond the grave, took away all fear of death. He expresses his view in Phil 1:21-24 , “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am turn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; for it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.”

He knew that death wasn’t the end, but a doorway to something much better, something “far better.”

There is a passage, again, written by Paul, I Cor 2:9 , which says, “However, as it is written: 'What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived'—the things God has prepared for those who love him." This reminds me of a joke about an elderly couple who died together and went to heaven. They were being shown around and were overwhelmed by what they saw. It got to the point where the man glared at his wife and said, “If it wasn’t for all your foolish health food, vitamins, exercise programs and medical care, we could have gotten here years ago.” Perhaps death for God’s people, from God’s perspective, isn’t the tragedy that we might view it to be.

Habakkuk struggled with another “Why” question. Why did God allow evil to continue in Judah (Hab. 1:3) . Unlike Job, God did give him an answer. He told him that he had a plan to use the Babylonians to punish Judah (Hab. 1:6) and he had a timetable (Hab. 2:3) . He then told Habakkuk (Hab. 2:4) , “the just shall live by faith.” Living by faith is repeated in the New Testament. Heb. 10:38-39 , “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”

Perhaps we shouldn’t be asking, “WHY?” when tragedy strikes. For there are no clear answers on this side of eternity. We don’t need to know “Why” and if God tried to explain it to us, we probably wouldn’t understand. I think we need to ask a different question when tragedy strikes. “What do I do now?”

And those who come to “comfort” the grieving shouldn’t add guilt to the already crushing burden on those who are suffering loss. Just be there for them, and let the grieving direct the conversation.

Job 1 - 9

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 02:48:09 GMT

"Why Has Such Evil Befallen Me?"

Job is the story of a wealthy, healthy and godly man with a large family who lost

everything and searched for answers as to “Why?”

Was Job a real person?

Making a bet with Satan that led to the suffering of a good man doesn’t sound like something a wise and loving God would do. Because of this, some scholars want to believe that Job was not a real person and that the Book of Job was a parable, a simple tale to teach a universal truth, rather than an historical narrative.

There are several reasons to view Job as a real person and that the story is true. A parable is usually written without giving specifics with regards to people, times, place, etc. For instance, it might start with, “In a faraway country, a long time ago, lived a man with his many sons.” The Book of Job is very specific. The main character was named Job, he lived in Uz, he had seven sons. He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He rode a red Honda 750 motorcycle (I made up this last item). The point is, the story is written as history, not a parable.

Another argument in favor of Job being real is the fact that he is mentioned in Scripture along with known historical figures such as Noah and Daniel. In Ezek. 14:14 & 20 , God says that if he sent a famine to the land, verse 14 , “even if these three men-Noah, Daniel and Job-were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness.” If you question the historicity of Job, then you also have to question the historicity of Noah and Daniel.

In the New Testament, The Apostle James also speaks of Job as an historical figure. James 5:11 , “You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”

Every other figure mentioned in the book of James is an actual, historical person, including Abraham, Rahab, and Elijah. As with Ezekiel’s reference to Job, James’ allusion makes the most sense if Job is an actual person whom we are to emulate.

Another clue that Job was a real person is the way in which he was introduced. He is introduced as other historical figures were.

Job 1:1 “In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job.” He lived in Uz, (not to be confused with OZ, as in the fantasy movie The Wizard of Oz).

1 Sam. 1:1 , “There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah.”

Luke 1:5 , “In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah.”

So as much as some might want to view the Book of Job as fiction, in part to defend the character of God, evidence points to it being an historical account.

When did Job live?

Many scholars believe that he lived nearer the time of Abraham than Moses. There is no reference to the priesthood, tabernacle or temple, or the Law of Moses, etc. His wealth was measured by livestock and servants rather than real estate, gold, or automobile collection. He also lived to be 142 years of age (Job 42:16) . You have to go far back in time to find people living such long lives.

The Book of Job is classified as “wisdom” literature, which would also include Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. There are certain portions of other books, such as Psalms which could be thus classified, also.

Those who wrote wisdom literature didn’t claim to have received new revelation as might a prophet, but they were known for being able to give wise advice in the application of what they already knew.

Wisdom, such as is found in the book of Proverbs, gives us general principles, such as how to succeed in life, manage money, etc. If you work hard you will succeed. If we live a healthy lifestyle, we will live longer and with a shorter period of illness before we die. Live beneath your means and you can gain some degree of wealth. But these are just general rules, it doesn’t mean that everyone who follows them will benefit as expected. Wisdom gives us general principles, but as we see in Job and Ecclesiastes, there are exceptions. In Job’s case, he played by the rules and should have been blessed, but instead he lost nearly everything. Life isn’t always fair.

Sometimes contradictory proverbs are given to show that one rule doesn’t always fit every situation. Prov. 26:4-6 tells us, “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.”

What is the theme of the Book of Job?

Job is seeking an answer to the question: “Why does a loving and all-powerful God allow suffering, especially among the righteous?” It’s an honest questions that many of us have asked.

Let’s get into the text.

Job 1:1 introduces us to Job who is described as “blameless”. It doesn’t mean he was sinless before God, but before man, he was blameless. In other words, a law abiding, decent fellow who didn’t cheat his customers in business and was a good neighbor. The passage goes on to say that he was a man of wealth with a large family and huge herds of animals. Verse 3, “He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.” A little hyperbolic, perhaps, but we get the point. He felt blessed by God and when it all came to an abrupt end, he wanted to know why.

Job was quite devout, it seems. When his adult children held their frequent feasts in their homes, Job would “sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them” just in case anyone of them might have sinned during their parties (verse 5) .

The setting then shifts to heaven where angels present themselves before the Lord (like a staff meeting in the Commander’s Conference Room) (verse 6) and guess who shows up among them? Yes, it’s Satan himself. How did he get in there? Rev. 12:7-12 says that Satan has been banished from God’s presence. How could he be in His presence in this story? Apparently, his banishment wasn’t complete. He did have limited access to accuse the brethren (Eph. 2:2, Zech. 3:1) . In hospitals and other secure buildings, a person might be issued a security badge which is programmed to give him access to certain areas only. For instance, someone who works in logistics won’t be able to access the patient care units. Only those who have a need for access can get into the Information Technology section. To gain access to these restricted areas one must be escorted by someone. Satan might have had his Unlimited Security Badge revoked and been issued a downgraded badge which required him to make an appointment first and be escorted when he visits the VIP or Command Suite in heaven.

When God sees him, he asks (verse 7) , “Where have you come from?” I wonder what his tone of voice was. Was he surprised, exclaiming, “How did you get in here? Where’s our security personnel.” Or was it a more friendly, casual, “Well, where have you been, what have you been up to?” Being God and being all-knowing, He really already know where Satan was and what he was up to.

Satan gave a vague answer, much like a teenager who returns from a date when asked, “Where did you go last night and what did you do?” Satan says, verse 7, “... roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”

Verse 8 , “Have you considered my servant Job?” Have you bumped into my friend job, he’s a really swell fellow.

Job 1:9 Satan says to God, “Does Job fear God for nothing?”

Satan is up to his old tricks. Here he is trying to alienate Job from God and God from Job. Sadly, we sometimes do the same thing at work or in church, when we live a life that turns people away from God. In this case, Satan is trying to frame Job’s righteousness as something evil. His godly life was lived for selfish, materialistic reasons. Perhaps not much different from the people who follow a prosperity preacher just because they think they will get rich.

I wonder if the prosperity preachers have a large turnover of church members. I suspect that some people might attend and give money to the ministry in the hope that they too will become rich. After a few months or years of giving and not getting rich they might start to drift away from the church angry, bitter, and disillusioned. The sad thing is they might equate what they experienced with true Christianity. If they can’t come to distinguish the false teachings of the prosperity preachers with true Christianity, they might turn their backs on God.

To silence Satan, God allows him to test Job to prove that Job is truly a righteous man. But doesn’t God already know that Job is a righteous person. He doesn’t need proof. This reminds me of the time Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac. God knew the faith of Abraham. God didn’t benefit from his test of faith. Who did? I think it was Abraham.

This test reminds me of the last challenge military recruits must successfully complete during basic military training. In the army you must go through the Obstacle Course. In the Air Force it is called the Confidence Course. “Confidence” is a more positive term than “obstacle”. The Air Force tends to use “softer” language to describe things. For instance, in the Army, the soldiers eat in a mess hall while in the Air Force they eat in a “dining facility.” The army kills the enemy, while the air force neutralizes them. So, the confidence (obstacle) course is to prove to the soldier/airman that they can do more than they thought they could. The drill instructor knows already what they can do. He’s spent weeks preparing the young recruits to succeed. Abraham’s and Job’s task of making it successfully through their confidence course of suffering was to prove to themselves, not to God, their faith.

C.S. Lewis expressed it this way: “God has not been trying an experiment on my faith or love in order to find out their quality. He knew it already. It was I who didn't. In this trial He makes us occupy the dock, the witness box, and the bench all at once. He always knew that my temple was a house of cards. His only way of making me realize the fact was to knock it down.” C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

Satan issues a challenge. Job 1:11-12 Satan says, “But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

This is where I would have hoped that God would tell Satan to take a walk. But instead, he said, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Many would think that a more appropriate response would have been, “Get OUT of here and don’t you ever come back again!” With that, he might press a button on his desk which would signal several huge, bulky security angels to rush into the office from all sides, grab Satan by his collar and throw him out of the building.

Job’s life soon began to fall apart. Soon messengers arrived at Job’s home to tell him that his livestock was stolen and carried off (verses 14-15) , then lightning struck and killed his sheep and servants (verse 16) , then the camels were stolen, and more servants were killed (verse 17) and then a tornado came and struck the house Job’s adult children were in and they were all killed (verse 19) .

Not only were animals killed, but so were his servants. All to win a bet with Satan. Really?

When Job heard what had happened, he responded rather philosophically as he lost nearly everyone and everything dear to him, verse 21 , “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

How do you explain his bland, unemotional response? Was Job in shock? Had the magnitude of his losses not yet set in? Many people would exhibit more emotions if they were to lose their smartphones.

“The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.” Well, that’s not exactly correct. The Lord “gave” but it was Satan who “has taken away.” It was Satan who afflicted him, as we will see in verse seven of chapter two. Satan was the primary cause of his afflictions; God was a secondary cause. He allowed it to happen but didn’t cause it to happen.

To the great disappointment of Satan, Job didn’t sin by charging God with wrongdoing. He didn’t curse God as Satan predicted. In fact, he worshipped him instead.

Imagine the look of disappointment on the face of Satan. Satan then shows up again at the office of the Creator of the Universe.

In Job, chapter two , Satan again shows up at the office of the Creator. When asked by God, “Where have you come from?” Satan replies, (verse 2) , “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.” Another vague and incomplete answer. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us what he was doing. “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

Having failed in his effort to get Job to curse God, he then says, verse 4 , “A man will give all he has for his own life... strike his flesh and bones and he will surely curse you to your face.”

Again, God took him up on this bet. Job 2:7-9 finds Satan afflicting Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Verse 8 , “Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.”

If you bring together all of the symptoms of his affliction found throughout the book, you will find that he had black, disfiguring boils over all of his body, he was emaciated, had a high fever, his breath smelled, and he was in constant pain. I imagine that doctors have tried to figure out what disease he had. Perhaps it was an infectious disease that we are familiar with (smallpox?) or a one-of-a-kind disease, something unique.

Where was Job? Not in his comfortable tent. Where would he find broken pottery and ashes (verse 8) ? It sounds as if he was in isolation, sitting in the local land fill, where broken pottery was discarded and trash was burnt. So along with the physical suffering he was in isolation, sitting in the local dump.

His wife came to visit him. Perhaps she brought him some soup and bread, maybe another blanket and some water. What she may have brought might have been comforting, but her words weren’t. She suggested, (verse 9) , “Curse God and die!” It’s a good thing she didn’t bring him a pistol or rope to hang himself. But, depending on her tone of voice, her advice might have been out of compassion, not wanting him to suffer any longer. Job replied, (verse 10) , “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” And Satan was disappointed again, and even more frustrated.

But at least he had some friends to come and visit him. Surely, they would bring him comfort. Well, maybe not as we will see.

Have you ever looked forward to someone visiting you and once they arrived you wished they hadn’t come? As the saying goes, “All our visitors bring us joy, some in coming, some in going.” Well, Job’s friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar came to visit (verse 11) , “to sympathize with him and comfort him.” Well, isn’t that nice? A guy in Job’s situation certainly could use sympathy and comfort. Perhaps they brought him some treats and a few magazines to read. His friends must have been shocked by Job’s appearance. He probably looked like “death warmed over.” They wept aloud, tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word.”

In the military we have chaplains who seek to meet the spiritual needs of the soldiers, regardless of their religion. One aspect of their ministry is what is known as a “ministry of presence.” Just being there is a comfort for some of the soldiers. They are there if a soldier wants to talk to them, but they don’t force themselves on them. For seven days Job’s friends ministered to him by their presence.

Weeping aloud, tearing their clothes and sprinkling dust on their heads was and still is a customary way of expressing grief. More recently some cultures wear black arm bands to signify mourning. Some might even wear the black armband on their wedding anniversary.

Today, Jews have a custom taken from this story, it is called sitting Shiva (shiva means “seven” in Hebrew). After the burial of the deceased, people visit the home of the grieving where others have prepared food for the visitors. Then, for seven days, during certain hours of the day, there is an “open house” where people can come and go to visit the family.

Here is what the Jewish Virtual Library says about this custom.

Shiva is observed by parents, children, spouses, and siblings of the deceased, preferably all together in the deceased's home. Shiva begins on the day of burial and continues until the morning of the seventh day after burial. Mourners sit on low stools or the floor instead of chairs, do not wear leather shoes, do not shave or cut their hair, do not wear cosmetics, do not work, and do not do things for comfort or pleasure, such as bathe, have sex, put on fresh clothing, or study Torah (except Torah related to mourning and grief). Mourners wear the clothes that they tore at the time of learning of the death or at the funeral. Mirrors in the house are covered. Prayer services are held where the shiva is held, with friends, neighbors and relatives making up the minyan (10 people required for certain prayers).

So, Job’s friends sat silent for seven days. As we will see, they should have kept quiet because when they opened their mouths, they weren’t very comforting.

His friends found Job in a very depressed state of mind. The first thing that Job said was (Job 3:3) , “May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, ‘A boy is born!”” He goes on to say in verse 8 , “May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan .” This was an expression that this creature would swallow the day and night of his birth.

I can think of two other people in the Bible who wished they were dead or never born. Both Moses and Elijah felt so overwhelmed and exhausted that they too wish they were dead.

The Leviathan is mentioned six times in Scriptures. Now, lets switch from Theology to Zoology and take a look at this creature and his counterpart, the Behemoth, which is also found in the Book of Job.

The Leviathan, (why is it capitalized in verse 8 , but not in other passages)? It’s not like it is his first name.

I did a little research and found that Leviathan was (or is) a female dragon of the sea and the Behemoth found in chapter 40 is the male counterpart, a monster of the land.

The Old Testament nowhere identifies the Leviathan with the devil, but there is a seven-headed dragon in the Book of Revelation.

Most passages describe the leviathan as a real creature, familiar to people. Psalm 104:25–26 , says, “There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.” This verse tells us that God formed this creature, so we’re not talking about a mythological creature.

In Isa. 27:1 the leviathan is used as a symbol for the wicked kings of the earth. “Leviathan the gliding serpent, Leviathan the coiling serpent; he (God) will slay the monster of the sea.” We’ve had many “monsters” leading nations throughout history. Depending on your political views, you can probably identify Leviathans ruling nations today.

Job 41 gives the most detail about Leviathan as an actual sea creature. The leviathan cannot be tied down or tamed (Job 41:1, 5) ; it is frightening to even look at (verse 9) ; it is best left alone (verses 8, 10) . The leviathan has a graceful form (verse 12) but is incredibly well protected with scales (verses 13, 15–17) . Its chest is as impenetrable as its back (verses 15, 24) . It has fearsome teeth (verse 14) , and death awaits anyone who approaches its mouth (verses 18–21) . Even mighty men are terrified of the leviathan (verse 25) . No sword, spear, dart, javelin, arrow, stone, club, or lance can defeat it (verses 26, 28–29) . It cannot be caged because it breaks iron like straw (verse 27) . On land, the leviathan leaves a trail of ruts; in the water, it produces a deep, churning wake (verses 30–32) . God’s description of the leviathan concludes with a statement that it is the true king of the beasts: “Nothing on earth is its equal—a creature without fear” (verse 33) .

After reading this, I’m never going to the beach or in the ocean again. This is scarier than the movie JAWS or Godzilla (see photo).

Some commentators believe Leviathan is a crocodile, on steroids with an anger management problem. Maybe there is a Loch Ness creature after all. Or, it might be a now extinct creature.

The other creature mentioned in scripture is the Behemoth. Most of what is known of the Behemoth comes to us from Job 40:15-24 , “Look at Behemoth which I (God) made along with you.” So, it too appears to be a created creature, not a mythological one. He goes on to describe it as a creature that feeds on grass, is very strong, with a huge tail, with a strong skeleton and limbs like iron. He is well hidden and is seldom seen. Perhaps he is a nocturnal creature. It lives near the water and ranks first among the works of God who alone can master it. Except for the description of the tail it appears to be something like a gorilla, elephant, rhinoceros or hippopotamus. Or, like the Leviathan, it might be an extinct creature. Is there a counterpart to the Behemoth today? Might the closest creature be Bigfoot, also commonly referred to as Sasquatch, a large and hairy human-like mythical creature alleged by some to inhabit forests in North America, particularly in the Pacific Northwest.

That’s it, now I’m not only staying out of the ocean, away from rivers, I’m never going back into the woods either.

That’s the end of our Zoology lesson for today. Let’s get back to the text of Job. Here we find Job expressing his despair and desire to die. Job 3:11 . “Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?” Verse 16 , “Or why was I not hidden in the ground like a stillborn child, like an infant who never saw the light of day?”

This guy needs to be on suicide watch. It’s very disturbing to see someone so depressed. But at least he has friends here to comfort him. Well, maybe not.

After seven days of silence, “sitting Shiva”, his friends must have been bursting at the seams with words of wisdom and comfort. Eliphaz speaks first, offering praise for this troubled man. Job 4:3 , “Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands.” This sounds like a scene in the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life where an angel by the name of Clarence tells a despondent George Bailey that he really has had a wonderful life. In his modest life he helped many people in his community. And like Job, George Bailey endured an emotional crisis, but you will have to watch the movie to find out what it was.

Eliphaz should have stopped talking after praising him through verse 6 . Beginning in verse 7 , he tells Job that, despite his outward appearance of piety, he must have some serious hidden sins to deserve such hardships. Verse 7, “Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Where were the upright ever destroyed? “Those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it.” In other words, “You reap what you sow.” Job is told that he must have done something very bad to end up like this.

“Who, being innocent, has ever perished?” Well, I can certainly name quite a few of very good people who have suffered greatly and died prematurely. Did the children who died in the holocaust deserve to die as they did? Are the children being treated for leukemia at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital deserving of their illnesses? What about children born with serious birth defects? The idea that we live in a just world, that people get what deserve, is discredited in Scripture.

When Jesus healed a blind man, his disciples, believing that bad things only happen to bad people, asked Jesus, John 9:2-3 , “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind? Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”

What horrible sin could an unborn baby have committed that God would punish him with blindness? And if his parents sinned, why wouldn’t they have been punished rather than their baby? Ezek. 18:20 tells us that, “The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.”

To give credibility to his view Eliphaz refers to a dream that he had. Verse 13 , “Amid disquieting dreams in the night, when deep sleep falls on men . . . (verse 15) , A spirit glided past my face. . . (verse 16) and I heard a hushed voice, ‘Can a mortal man be more righteous than God?” Verse 18 , “if he charges his angels with error, now much more than those who live in houses of clay.” The point of these comments is that all men are sinners and God has a right to punish them.

I’m always suspicious when someone takes his dreams seriously or claims, “God told me . . .” or “God has revealed to me . . .” Too often such claims are used as a tool to manipulate others and to make one look more pious. A “prophetess” of one church has been accused of weaponizing “visions” against those who disagreed or who failed to be absolutely loyal to her. Afterall, how can you argue with someone who is recognized by many as a prophetess when she says, “God told me.” That ends the discussion fast.

But God can use dreams and visions (waking dreams) to communicate with us. Joseph had several dreams (Gen. 37:1-11) . Num. 24:4 says, “When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him, and he uttered his oracle.” Zechariah had a series of eight visions in one night.” Jacob (Gen. 28:10-17) had a dream of a ladder reaching to heaven on which angels ascended and descended. Joseph was told in a dream to not divorce Mary (Matt. 1:20; 2:13) . Zacharias (Luke 1:5-23) was told in a vision that he would soon give birth to a son (John the Baptist). Peter and Cornelius had visions in Acts 10 .

God doesn’t seem to use these tools so much now since we have his written revelation that is our final authority. We should be very skeptical of anyone today who claims, “God told me. . .” either in a vision, a dream or a “tiny voice.”

Eliphaz goes on to say, Job 4:18 , “If God places no trust in his servants, if he charges his angels with error, How much more those who live in houses of clay. . .”

In other words, if God can charge angels with sins, he can do so with man. He goes on to suggest that Job should be grateful to God for being disciplined by him. In J ob 5:17 he says, “Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” Job is told to put aside his resentment towards God and humbly accept the discipline God is giving him.

In chapter 6 Job continues to express his pain and anguish. He says that if his anguish could be weighed it would outweigh the sand of the sea (verse 3) . He again wishes that God would just let him die (verses 8-9) . And he expresses disappointment that his “friends” weren’t of any comfort to him (verse 15) .

In chapter 7 Job continues to describe his situation. He can’t sleep (verse 4) , his body is covered with worms and scabs (verse 5) . His days come and go without hope (verse 6) . Verse 16 , “Let me alone, my days have no meaning. Verse 20 , “If I have sinned, what have I done to you” and verse 21 , “Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins.”? So Job is physically, emotionally and spiritually spent. Job refuses Eliphaz’s indictment. Then his second friend, Bildad speaks up. He tells Job that he should plead for mercy. He believes that Job is something of a hypocrite.

Chapter 8:2-4 , Bildad even condemned Job’s children, saying “Does God pervert justice? If your sons sinned against Him, He dispatched them for their transgression”.

Chapter 8:5-6 , Bildad goes on to say, “But if you will look to God and plead with the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place.”

Imagine, a week earlier his friends came to console him, now they were condemning him.

Job responds by agreeing that God is just, but he goes on to express his desire to talk to God as one would speak to a defendant in a court of law, but he knows he wouldn’t get any answers. Chapter 9:3 , “Though one wished to dispute with him, he could not answer him one time out of a thousand.” How many times have we prayed and received nothing more than silence from God? C.S. Lewis expressed it this way, “But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and the sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence.”

Job Introduction

Thu, 30 May 2024 05:36:01 GMT

Job: “Why has such evil befallen me?”

Job is the story of a wealthy, healthy and godly man with a large family who lost everything and searched for answers as to “Why?”

Was Job a real person?

Making a bet with Satan that led to the suffering of a good man doesn’t sound like something a wise and loving God would do. Because of this, some scholars want to believe that Job was not a real person and that the Book of Job was a parable, a simple tale to teach a universal truth, rather than an historical narrative.

There are several reasons to view Job as a real person and that the story is true. A parable is usually written without giving specifics with regards to people, times, place, etc. For instance, it might start with, “In a far away country, a long time ago, lived a man with his many sons.” The Book of Job is very specific. The main character was named Job, he lived in a Uz, he had seven sons. He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He rode a red Honda 750

motorcycle (I made up this last item). The point is, the story is written as history, not a parable.

Another argument in favor of Job being real is the fact that he is mentioned in Scripture along with known historical figures such as Noah and Daniel. In Ezek. 14:14 & 20 , God says that if he sent a famine to the land, verse 14 , “even if these three men-Noah, Daniel and Job-were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness.” If you question the historicity of Job, then you also have to question the historicity of Noah and Daniel.

In the New Testament, James also speaks of Job as an historical figure. James 5:11 , “You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”

Every other figure mentioned in the book of James is an actual, historical person, including Abraham, Rahab, and Elijah. As with Ezekiel’s reference to Job, James’ allusion makes the most sense if Job is an actual person whom we are to emulate.

Another clue that Job was a real person is the way in which he was introduced. He is introduced as other historical figures were.

Pentecost

Thu, 30 May 2024 05:29:20 GMT

Pentecost: The Birthday of the Church Celebrated May 19, 2024

On March 31, 2024, Christians observed Easter, also known as First Fruits or Resurrection Sunday, to commemorates the resurrection of Jesus. Paul referred to Jesus as the first fruits because he was the first person to be permanently returned to life and that there will others to come, each in their time. “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the first fruits; then, when he comes (the rapture), those who belong to him (1 Cor. 15:22-23) .

The next holy day is called Pentecost, which literally means, “count fifty.” It is fifty days from First Fruits and is also known as the Feast of Weeks. This holy day commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit which is the birth of the church. (Acts 2:1-31) .

In Acts 2 , the apostles were gathered together, when a mighty rushing wind (a symbol of the Holy Spirit) and “tongues as of fire” (a symbol of the presence of God) appeared. The Greek word for spirit is pneuma, which means spirit, wind, or breath. Power tools powered by compressed air are called pneumatic tools. If you

were to take a course to study the Holy Spirit, it would be called pneumatology.

In Acts 2 the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit. I Cor. 12:13 says that Christians are baptized by one Spirit into ONE body. This is the baptism that counts. Water baptism is just a ritual that commemorates what has already taken place. Pentecost is the spiritual birthday of the individual who has been “born again” (John 3:3) .

In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit came temporarily upon selective people (judges and the kings, etc.) to perform a specific act and as a sign of favor. In the New Testament indwelling of the Holy Spirit is permanent. This is the “guarantee of our inheritance” (Eph. 1:13-14) . John 14:17 reminds us, “But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

Why do we call Pentecost the birthday of the church? In Matt. 16:18 , Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not overcome it.” Eph. 1:22-24 says that the church is “his body.” Col. 1:24 refers to his (Christ’s) body, which is the church. Being filled with the Holy Spirit into one body, the church is his body, the church was born on Pentecost.

If you go to church on Pentecost, you might notice many wearing red, which symbolizes the joy and fire of the Holy Spirit. Some churches have a red light in the ceiling to symbolize the coming of the Holy Spirit.

If you are born again, “Happy Birthday” and “Happy Birthday” to the Church.

A Zola Levitt presentation on Pentecost

Nehemiah Introduction

Wed, 29 May 2024 04:42:13 GMT

NEHEMIAH

THE REBUILDING OF THE WALL AROUND JERUSLAEM, JOINED EZRA IN LEADING A REVIVAL

In this book we find Nehemiah returning from Persia to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls around the city and join Ezra in leading the people in a revival.

Nehemiah is serving the king of Persia as his cupbearer, a servant who is in charge of serving the King his wine or whatever. It sounds like he was the royal bartender. This position may not appear to be a very prestigious one, but I would suggest that it is similar to a title of someone in the service of King David who has the title of being the kings’ “friend.” In I Chron 27 we see a list of King Davids’ overseers, one was in charge of the herds, others were in charge of government property, vines, olives, farmland, etc. Then in verse 34 we see, “Hushai the Arkite was the king’s friend.” Hushai and David go back a long way together. If you recall, in II Sam 15-18 Davids’ son Absalom rebelled against him and tried to take over the throne. Hushai sought to join David's company. David, however, persuaded Hushai to return to Absalom and offer him his allegiance. So he goes to Absalom and offers to serve him. In chapter, Absalom has to decide whether to attack David, while he is weak and weary (which is the advice of Ahithophel) or to take the advice of Hushai, which was to gather a larger army before he attacks Davids’ more experienced soldiers. Absalom took the advice of Hushai which gave David and his army time to rest and regroup. Ahithophel was so upset that his advice wasn’t taken that he went home and killed himself.

So, Hushai was the kind of friend that David trusted completely. He could say things to the King that others on his staff could not. Every leader needs to have someone on his staff who can speak openly and freely, to tell the leader what he needs to hear. This reminds me of the relationship that John F. Kennedy had with his brother, Robert Kennedy. There has to be someone near the king or president who can say in private what others would be afraid to say. If you recall the Bay of Pigs disaster early in the Kennedy administration, you can see the danger of what is called Groupthink. Group think is when there is subtle pressure to all agree and to not express any criticism. Imagine if a General expresses an opinion and then askes his staff what they think about a subject. I know that I’m digressing here, but group think can led our government into the Bay of Pigs disaster and it could have led the early church into a disastrous decision in Acts 15. You might recall that the church had to come together to discuss whether or not Gentiles Christians had to obey the Law of Moses. The early believers were Jewish and kept the Law of Moses. Once the church expanded into Gentile areas, some were convinced that the Gentile Christians had to follow the Law of Moses. There was a group discussion where everyone could have their say on the subject before Peter stood up and gave his opinion. If Peter had gotten up first to express his strong opinion that the Gentiles had to obey the Law of Moses, which would have shut off all discussion, everyone would feel compelled to agree. The bottom line is that leaders should create an atmosphere where others are able to express their thoughts without fear of destroying their careers.

Before I move on from the subject of Hushai, I want to show you something that I came across about Hushai from, of all places, the CIA website. Yes, the CIA, the Central Intelligence Agency.

Here is what it says:

The Tale of Hushai the Archite

APPROVED FOR RELEASE 1994

CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM 2 JULY 96 SECRET

No Foreign Dissem

The influence agent in Biblical times.

THE TALE OF HUSHAI THE ARCHITE

C. N. Geschwind

Since the publication of the Studies article, "Wanted: An Integrated Counterintelligence" in the summer of 1963, there has been an increase of community interest and concern about that most dangerous and least publicized of all agents, the "agent of influence."

Accordingly, it seems appropriate to review the story of the first influence agent operation on record. This operation was set up by King David and is recounted in II Samuel, 15-18. This account is a good deal more circumstantial and detailed than the frequently cited cases of Rahab the Safe House Keeper (Joshua 2: 1), and Delilah the Penetration Agent (Judges 16: 5). Futhermore, besides its historical and human interest, this operation reminds us of the efficacy of simplicity, audacity, speed, and the exploitation of human frailties in this kind of enterprise. Here is what happened, when King David played for time to counter his son Absalom's surprise attack.

The Situation

Davids’ handsome and popular son, Absalom, having waited many years in vain for his father to go the way of all kings, formed a conspiracy to kill him and usurp the throne. King David soon became aware that Absalom had assembled a large revolutionary force from among the men of Israel, and that the King's best privy counsellor, Ahithophel the Gilonite, had defected to Absalom. Upon hearing of this counsellor's defection, King David prayed that the "counsel of Ahithophel might be turned to

foolishness" but he also gathered his loyal generals and bureaucrats and fled. Absalom thereupon occupied the royal palace.

Mounting the Operation

When David stopped to pray in the course of his flight, Hushai the Archite, an aged counsellor, came to him with his coat rent and earth upon his head, professing grief and loyalty which the King evidently knew to be sincere. King David said to Hushai, "If thou return to the city and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, oh King, as I have been thy father's servant hitherto'. ... then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel ... and what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the Palace, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, who have with them their two sons, and by them ye shall send unto me everything that ye can hear."

Capturing the Dupe

When Hushai the Archite had made his way to the palace, he approached Absalom, who knew him well, and said, "God save the King!" Absalom asked, "Is this thy kindness to thy friend, David. Why wentest thou not with thy friend?" Hushai replied, "Nay, but whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel choose, his will I be and with him will I abide ... as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence." And so Hushai the Archite was accepted as a defector and reestablished as a counsellor.

The Influence Operation

At the council of war which Absalom called, Ahithophel advised Absalom as follows: "Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night and will come upon him while he is weary and weakhanded and will make him afraid. All the people that are with him shall flee, and I will smite the king only. I will bring back all the people unto thee." This proposal reportedly pleased Absalom and all the elders well, but they must have had some doubts and second thoughts as to where the glory would land, for Absalom said: "Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith."

Hushai lost no time in exploiting the distrust, jealousy, fear, and guilt complexes inherent in the situation, saying: "Thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war and will not lodge with the people. Behold, he is hid now in some pit or in some other place and it will come to pass when some of (our men) be overthrown at the first that whosoever heareth it will say, `There is slaughter among the people that follow Absalom!' And even he that is valiant shall utterly melt, for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man. Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee from Dan even to Beersheba as the sand is by the sea for multitude and that thou go to battle in thine own person. So shall we come upon him in some place . . . as the dew falleth on the ground and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one. Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city and we will draw it into the river until there be not one small stone found there."

Now, Absalom and "all the men of Israel" thought this advice was better than the advice of Ahithophel, no doubt in part because it gave everybody a piece of the action, and when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was rejected, he went home, "put his household in order and hanged himself' rather than get into a stenching contest with a skunk. While this demonstrated Ahithophel's foresight, it also put Hushai the Archite fully in the driver's seat. A little effective counterintelligence work on Ahithophel's part might have yielded bigger dividends.

The Espionage Action

Like Alger Hiss millennia later, Hushai the Archite was not content to stick to the relatively safe business of influence operations, but had also to dabble in espionage. Hushai immediately called on Zadok and Abiathar the priests and told them: "Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and thus I have counselled. Now therefore send quickly and tell David not to lodge in the wilderness but speedily pass over (the Jordan)." The sons of these priests, the couriers Jonathan and Ahimaaz, were staying under cover outside the royal city, and received this message via "a wench," not otherwise identified. An informer observed this contact and reported it to Absalom, who sent out an investigative force. The couriers were aware of the leak and sought help from a village woman who hid them in a well. When the investigators queried the woman she said, "They went that-away," or words to that effect, and the search went astray. The couriers then hastened to King David, who promptly crossed the Jordan and mobilized a desperate army.

The Pay-off

Eventually Absalom brought a large, but inexperienced force into battle against the tightly organized forces of the King in terrain in which the King's professionals had every advantage, producing twenty thousand corpses: "The wood devoured more people that day than the sword ... " Among the casualties in the woods was Absalom himself, who appears to have been something of a beatnik, for he had long golden tresses of which he was very proud, and by which he got caught in a tree. There General Joab found and killed him, ending the insurrection. Since Hushai's accomplices subsequently prospered, it is reasonable to assume that he also retained an honored place in the restored administration and ultimately retired with a large pension. General Joab, however, did not fare so well, for King David bore him a lethal grudge for killing Prince Absalom. Perhaps the King saw his renegade counsellor Ahithophel as the real villain in the piece.

Isn’t this something? We have people within the CIA studying the Bible to learn about spying and espionage.

The CIA website also has a story entitled A Bible Lesson on Spying by John M. Cardwell.

In this paper it tells the story of Rahab in Jericho.

Now, let’s get back to Nehemiah. I think a kings’ friend and his cup bearer, were in very powerful positions for two reasons. One, the king trusted them completely and second, both of them had access to the king. If you wanted to get a message to the king, you could contact either of these two men. These two men had access and in capitals, access is power. Joseph used the cupbearer to get a message to the Pharaoh in Genesis 40:1.

Nehemiah 1:3 finds Nehemiah receiving a report of the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem. He is told that the people are in trouble and disgraced because they haven’t even built a wall around the city. Back in those days, if you didn’t have a wall around the city you were very vulnerable to an attack and were not considered a real city.

This report troubled Nehemiah. In chapter 2 Nehemiah is taking a glass of wine to the king and the king asked him in verses 1-2, “What’s wrong, you look depressed?” What does this comment say about the king? I get the impression that he is a sensitive person who is not always thinking about himself. He notices that something is bothering Nehemiah and expresses concern. Before Nehemiah answers he says a quick, silent prayer and tells the king what he wants (verses 4-5). In verse 7 Nehemiah goes for broke. Besides asking for a leave of absence to go to Jerusalem to rebuild he asks for letters from the king giving him safe passage and, while he was at it, some building material to do the job.

When Nehemiah was done, do you think there was a bit of tension in the air? How do you think theking would react? How long did the King take to make his decision? Would he flatly turn down the request? Would Nehemiah’s job be at risk? If this was a television series, this would be a good time to end the episode and keep everyone waiting until next week. Well, because “the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my request.” Not only did he give Nehemiah what he wanted, he authorized his military to provide him with an escort. This is because he had been appointed governor of the province (5:14).

I have to interrupt to tell you a quick story. When I worked for Dow Chemical they had a program that paid for anyone to go back to school and earn a graduate degree. I enrolled in the program to work on my Doctor of Ministry degree. After a few courses the program administrator said that they can no longer pay for my program since the degree was not business related. But, they said, if your district supervisor wants to allow you to write it off on your expense account that is for him todecide. Well, I must have caught my manager in a good mood, because he authorized me to write off all of my expenses for my degree. Perhaps “the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king (district manager) granted my request.” If I recall, it amounted to about $15,000.

So, Nehemiah makes it to Jerusalem and at night he inspects the walls (2:15). In verse 17 he says to the people, “We’re in trouble . . . we have no gates to protect us.” The people replied, “Let’s start rebuilding.” This is a great example of leadership. When I was in the Army, one of my positions was teaching leadership to incoming officers. The army had a very simple definition of leadership. It was, “influencing others to accomplish a mission.” This is what Nehemiah did. If only we could get our political “leaders” to do the same.

It didn’t take long for critics to come along and try to discourage them. They came to mock and ridicule them and accuse them of having evil motives, of rebelling against the king. The ridicule continues in chapter four. Nehemiah and the people did two things. They prayed for safety and posted guards to protect themselves. They held a weapon in one hand and a tool in the other. It sometimes bothers me when there is a need, there are those who say, “We’ll pray for you” but they do nothing to help. It reminds me of the pastor who visited a member of the church in the hospital and he said, “We will pray for you.” The patient replied, “I can pray for myself, go to my home and mow my lawn.”

Nehemiah had to deal with another issue, that of hunger and the abusive treatment by wealthy landowners. Apparently the landowners were charging interest on loans and keeping the poor impoverished. Nehemiah gathers the landowners together and tells them that what they are doing is not right (5:9-11). If you recall, Moses taught that you are to loan to your brothers but you are not to charge interest on the loan. Why? Because the only time someone would borrow back then was to purchase the necessities for life itself. To charge interest was taking advantage of the very poor.

In verse 14 Nehemiah tells them that even though he was appointed to be the governor, he didn’t act like previous governors by being heavy handed in his leadership or even taking advantage of the perks that were allowed. He was not going to be a burden for his people, but a servant. We find more opposition to Nehemiah in chapter 6. The enemies suggested, “Hey, let’s meet somewhere for coffee and talk about this project.” His reply is classic. He knew that they had set a trap for him. He responded by saying, “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down.” In other words, “I’m too busy to waste my time with critics like you.” The enemies sent out this “invitation” numerous times and got the same reply.

Nehemiah and his workers kept at the task and in only 52 days, the wall was completed (6:15). This must have been a great accomplishment because when their neighboring nations heard about it, they realized that it must have been done “with the help of our God” (v 16). So, unlike many government projects, this project was completed ahead of schedule and probably under budget.

In chapter 8 we find Ezra reading to the people the Law. He stood on a high platform (v 4) and all the people stood up (v 5). In some churches the congregation still stands when the Bible is read. Not only did Ezra read to them the Law, he explained it to them so that everyone could understand what it meant (v 8). I’ve been to the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, an Orthodox Church in Minsk, Belarus and noticed that there are no pews there. Everyone stood. There were pictures (icons) on all of the walls and pillars. It appeared more like an art gallery than a church.

In chapter 10 Nehemiah has to deal with the issue of intermarriage and buying and selling on the Sabbath (v 30-31). They also instituted a temple tax or sorts, organized the rotation of service in the temple and collecting of the tithes of their crops.

In chapter 13 there is another reform. Tobiah, one of the enemies of Nehemiah, was actually allowed to live in a storage room of the temple. In verse 8 it says, “I was greatly displeased (an understatement) and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.” I would love to see this on YouTube. It reminds me of the time Jesus cleared out the temple of the money changers. Nehemiah also learned that the Levites were not being paid so they simply walked off the job and returned to heir homes. The Sabbath was not being honored as it should have been and there were problems of intermarriage.

I mentioned earlier that the CIA has used the Bible to learn some lessons about spying and counterespionage. I think that this book could be used to teach leadership. Nehemiah certainly was very effective in “influencing others to accomplish a mission.”

Nehemiah

Wed, 29 May 2024 04:33:19 GMT

Nehemiah Rebuilds the Walls around Jerusalem and Leads a Revival with Ezra

Engraved on the outer wall of Jerusalem’s Old City, not far from the Jaffa Gate is a Hebrew inscription. An English translation of it reads: “On the 20th day of the month of Tevet, 5730, the restoration of the Old City walls was completed.” The Jewish year 5730 was, on our calendar, 1969. But this wasn’t the first time the walls were restored. Nehemiah was the person responsible for the first restoration of the wall, completed a little over half a century after the temple, destroyed by the Babylonians, was rebuilt.

Nehemiah, the subject of the second half of what used to be one book, Ezra- Nehemiah, not only protected his people from invasion by building a wall, but he also helped protect his people from disappearing from history by prohibiting intermarriage with non-Israelites. But wait, didn’t Ezra already do that? Well, sort of. But sadly, his reforms were rather short-lived. Should we be surprised? Don’t feel smug. Haven’t most of us fallen short of our intentions to “change our ways” also?

What did Nehemiah do before he became a civil engineer, (building walls in Jerusalem) and a social reformer? Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the king of Persia. The Persians were the ones who took over the known world from the Babylonians. A cupbearer had to sample the wine before giving it to the king because there was the fear that someone might try to poison him. Poisoning your enemies was a rather popular form of assassination back then. Afterall, they didn’t have forensic laboratories to detect poisons in the blood of their victims.

Today, it is alleged that poisoning is still the method of choice for Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia. Vladimir Putin’s enemies appear to be at risk of dying under mysterious circumstances, oftentimes involving exotic, difficult to detect poisons. Georgi Markov was poisoned by the chemical ricin which comes from a castor oil plant. Ukrainian presidential candidate Victor Yushenko was poisoned with dioxin. He survived but was left with a heavily scarred face. Alexander Litvineko was poisoned with the radioactive element polonium. Several other enemies of President Putin have been sickened or died from exposure to nerve agents. Dioxin, polonium, and nerve agents are not exactly items that are easily found at your local retailer.

Now, back to Nehemiah. Being a cupbearer or “royal bartender” might not sound like a powerful position, but it was. I would suggest that Nehemiah was appointed cupbearer because he was not associated with any party involved in palace intrigue to depose the king. Bottom line, he was trusted by many and not thought to be a

threat to anyone. Trust was essential, especially considering that the father of King Artaxerxes was murdered by Artabanus, the commander of the royal bodyguard. The Talmud asserts that the plot involved, can you guess . . . yes, the king’s food was poisoned.

The cupbearer’s power didn’t come by way of armies that he commanded but by trust which gained him access to the king. And access meant influence. Everyone wanted face time with the king, and a cupbearer had it.

Other sources, such as the apocryphal Book of Tobit, went a step further in describing the power or influence of the cupbearer. More than a butler, valet, or bartender, he was also the keeper of the royal seal and calculator of the accounts. The royal seal was the “stamp” that authenticated all documents issued by the king. This made him second-in-command to the king. His position was like that of Joseph who was second only to Pharaoh. Another powerful person who had the “royal seal” was Haman, the evil antisemitic prime minister of Persia who is highlighted in the Book of Esther.

Everyone in power needs someone close to him who he can trust. King David had a man on his staff whose name was Hushai, the Arkite. His title was “the king’s friend” (2 Chron. 27:26) . He had a shared history with David and was trusted implicitly. In the world of power politics, trust is a valuable commodity.

This book could be used in a course teaching leadership. The U.S. Army knows something about leadership. It defines leadership as “influencing others to accomplish a mission.” Perhaps we can learn from Nehemiah that power hungry people make themselves a target of others. Better to spend time gaining the trust of others than trying to take power away from them. Let’s make this Leadership Lesson One .

Nehemiah begins with a report he received on the status of the people who returned to Jerusalem. Sadly, the report wasn’t good. Neh. 1:3 “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates have been burned with fire.”

Nehemiah is troubled by this report. Back in those days, if you didn’t have a wall around the city, you were very vulnerable to an attack and were not considered a real city. Walls provided protection for the people in the area, much like castles.

When an enemy army approached the area, the people in the surrounding countryside would head for safety behind the city walls. What was the point of returning to Jerusalem if they were attacked and wiped out by the surrounding hostile powers? If attacked, the people would probably complain like the Israelites did when they left Egypt. Ex. 14:11-12 , “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt (Persia) that you brought us to the desert (Jerusalem) to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt (Persia).” Without a wall the people could easily be pushed out of the area.

For several days Nehemiah wept, mourned, fasted, and prayed, not knowing what to do. Then, when Nehemiah brought King Artaxerxes his wine, the king noticed that Nehemiah wasn’t his upbeat, positive self. He looked rather depressed.

The King asked him (verse 2) , “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”

What’s wrong, you look depressed?” What does this comment say about the king? I get the impression that he was a sensitive person who is not always thinking about himself. He notices that something was bothering Nehemiah and expressed concern for him. So, not all leaders tend to be narcissistic personalities. Here’s Leadership Lesson Two : Know what is going on with your people. Prov. 27:23 , tells us, “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds.” All leaders need to get out from behind their desks and walk around, making themselves accessible to others and observing what is going on.

Nehemiah replies to the king’s concern, verse 3 , “the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.” Here Nehemiah is playing upon the sympathy and respect for his ancestors’ graves. Such respect was universal in the Middle East at the time.

Ok, I think we might have another leadership lesson. He didn’t rush into making any decision, he thought and prayed about what was going on and what he thought might be a workable solution. When asked by the king, like a good staff officer, he was well prepared to brief him on his proposals. Leadership Lesson Three : don’t be rash, take the time needed to think not only about the problem, but reflect on possible solutions. Be ready when asked for proposals.

The King asked, (verse 4) “What is it you want?” Before Nehemiah answers he says a quick, silent prayer and tells the king what he wants (verses 4-5) . In verse 7 Nehemiah goes for broke. Besides asking for a leave of absence (with full pay and benefits?) to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall, he asks for letters of transit from the king giving him safe passage and, while he was at it, (verse 8) purchase agreements to buy whatever building materials and tools he might need. The king was in a generous mood and authorized, without even being asked, army officers and calvary (verse 9) . Why the military convoy? Probably because Nehemiah was not only given what he wanted; he was promoted, appointed governor of the province (5:14) . This meant that among his benefits, he had a security detail.

As Nehemiah was walking out of the palace, with a huge grin on his face, I wonder if he thought to himself, “Well, that was easy. Maybe I should have asked for something more.” What else would you have asked for?

Why was the king so eager to help and so generous? Was there something in this for the King? It’s been suggested that he knew what kind of leader Nehemiah was. He knew that he could be of greater use to him as a governor than as a cupbearer. If so, then we have another Leadership Lesson Four . Don’t just look at what someone is, look beyond this to his potential. When Samuel went to anoint the next king of Israel, he identified David, the least likely candidate among the sons of Jesse. 1 Samuel 16:7 , “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his

appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” The king saw more than a cupbearer in Nehemiah, he saw a strong leader.

The king may have wanted a trustworthy, strong leader, like Nehemiah, in place as governor to help the Persians maintain order in what could become an unruly province. Wasn’t Jerusalem described as “a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place of rebellion” (Ezra 4:15) ? There was a concern that the returnees would seek greater independence from Persia.

Nehemiah was having a great day. In the morning, he was depressed over the situation in Jerusalem. By the end of the day, he had gotten a huge promotion and government support to go and rebuild the wall. Leadership Lesson Five : Don’t fall into hopelessness, things can change quickly, hopefully for the better. When we’re having a bad day, like Nehemiah started out having, we too should remember the good ones and how quickly things can turn around for us.

As good a day as Nehemiah had, Sanballat, Tobiah and other enemies of the Jews, were having an equally bad one when they heard that Nehemiah had arrived. Verse 10 , “They were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.” And not just anyone, but someone with authority, resources, and a strong personal relationship with the king himself. I don’t know how many governors there were of the many provinces in Persia, but I imagine that Nehemiah was one of the governors who was closest to the king. This made him even more powerful than other governors. Leadership Lesson Six : Personal relationships matter. Cultivate them when you can. Some of the top American army generals during World War 2 had known each other for decades. Generals Marshall, Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley, etc. had a long history together. This helped everyone’s careers.

Sanballat felt threatened, and who could blame him? He ruled Samaria, just to the north and Nehemiah, being governor of Judah meant Judah was no longer incorporated as part of Samaria. And Sanballat wasn’t the only one who felt threatened. Nehemiah knew that the nobles and priests probably felt that their position, privileges, and power were at risk, and they too wanted to maintain the status quo. People in power feel comfortable. For them, the political system worked just fine. Any change can be viewed as a threat.

In the corporate world, when there is talk about merging with another company, those in power feel threatened. A merger can mean massive layoffs. Those in power don’t want their positions placed in jeopardy.

Knowing all this, Nehemiah makes it to Jerusalem and waits three days before going on an inspection tour of the walls (verse 11) . No, he wasn’t suffering from jet lag. He took a few days to get his bearings and to observe the people, trying to decide who he could trust and how he would inspect the walls, which was his first priority. His inspection tour was done with just a few men and was done at night (2:15) . He didn’t want the officials in the city to take him on this inspection tour to see only what they wanted him to see. This was more like an unannounced visit to your military unit by an inspection team. They want to get an honest look at how the unit operated, not a staged and guided tour like you might get when you visit North Korea. Leadership Lesson Seven : Seek out firsthand, objective data rather than relying on others to tell you what you “need to know.”

This reminds me of an old movie entitled, The Devil and Miss Jone s. It’s the story of the president of a department store who was having labor issues. He disguised himself as a shoe salesman to determine where the labor problems were coming from. He wanted to see for himself rather than rely on the views of others.

In verse 17 Nehemiah gave the people his official report on the status of the wall. To paraphrase the executive summary, found in the first paragraph of the official report it read: “We’re in trouble . . . we have no gates to protect us. This is an utter disgrace!” That was the bad news. Then, after a dramatic pause, Nehemiah reported the good news. “The king has given me a huge budget to take whatever measures are necessary to make things right!” And the people replied, “HUAH! Let’s do it!!!!!” “HUAH” sometimes spelt HOOAH, is a military expression that means. I heard (H), I understand (U), I acknowledge or agree (A). It is like what we say in church after someone says a prayer, “AMEN”.

Again, everyone was happy and excited, except for, you guessed it, Sanballat, the governor of Samaria, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab. These three tried to undermine Nehemiah’s efforts using several methods. They started off by mocking the Jews and accusing them of rebelling against the king. Verse, 19 , “What is this you are doing?” they asked, “Are you rebelling against the king?” I would have liked to have seen the look on his face when Nehemiah shows him the documents authorizing him to do what he is doing.

Nehemiah’s group responded, (verse 20) , “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start building, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”

Chapter 3

Nehemiah gives us a detailed roster of those who participated in the wall’s reconstruction. Everyone got involved including the priests and nobles whose support Nehemiah needed. People from all ranks of society were involved and they were assigned portions of the wall that they had the greatest interest in. Nehemiah manipulated the assignments to appeal to the self-interest of those being recruited for the construction project. For instance, the High Priest and his colleagues were tasked with rebuilding the area of the Sheep Gate, the gate nearest to the temple. Other gates were reserved for prominent citizens to rebuild. Nehemiah knew that it you had to rebuild your city roads, you would take a greater interest in repairing the road in front of your house than one located elsewhere.

I wonder if Nehemiah was a born leader or whether he attended some sort of leadership school while in the Persian army. Leadership Lesson Six: Assign duties to people who have a vested interest or passion for getting the task done rather than making assignments randomly. In today’s churches we should get people involved where they can use their gifts rather than just look for a warm body to fill a slot.

Chapter 4

When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, said, ‘What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall?” Then Tobiah the Ammonite had to open his big mouth and mock them, also.

Did you notice that not only was Sanballat there, but also his army, to intimidate and mock the Jews. He couldn’t do much more than criticize and mock knowing that Nehemiah was a royal official. Sanballat had to remain in the good graces of the king. This was not a happy period in his career. Do you think his wife found him easy to live with during this time? I can imagine her greeting him at home, “Hello dear, how was your day at work today?” as he scurried over to the liquor cabinet.

Nehemiah was surrounded on all sides by enemies. The Samaritans to the north, the Arabs to the south, the Ammonites to the east and the Philistines in the province of Ashdod to the west. What was Nehemiah’s response? “ Verse 9 , “But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.” Nehemiah was not going to allow his people to develop a false sense of security like Israel developed before the Yom Kippur War in 1973, He took the threat of invasion seriously. He was prepared to fight, if need be. Leadership Lesson Eight : Don’t be complacent, always be prepared for the worst-case scenario and pray for guidance.

Verse 11 tells us that the Sanballat had plans to kill the Jews, but Nehemiah had spies among his enemies. Verse 12 , “the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over wherever you turn, they will attack us.” Jews who lived outside areas under Nehemiah’s immediate authority were forced to serve in his enemies’ armies. They were able to provide Nehemiah with intelligence to help him organize his defenses in the most efficient manner.

This reminds me of what Jesus told his disciples when they were preparing to travel in Matt. 10:16 , “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” Nehemiah wasn’t naïve. He didn’t ignore the dangers that he faced, he prepared himself for them. Then he stood up and gave a rousing speech to encourage the troops. Verse 14 , “don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” A great leader knows the value of words of encouragement spoken at the right time. Remember Winston Churchill, who stood alone against Germany, he gave those rousing speeches to his people saying, “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; We shall never surrender." Another great quote was, “"We shall not fail or falter; we shall not weaken or tire. Neither the sudden shock of battle, nor the long-drawn trials of vigilance and exertion will wear us down. Give us the tools and we will finish the job." Leadership Lesson Nine : Know how to use words to inspire people. Words are a force multiplier, which is something that makes a military of equal size more effective, such as technology, training, morale, etc.

Verse 16 , “From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor.” Yes, he armed his construction workers. He didn’t just tell his people, “We’ll pray for protection.” He led his people to do what they could to assure their own security. God can fill in the gaps between what they could do for themselves and what they needed to get done.

Even Jesus promoted self-defense measures. In Matt. 26:50-54 , “Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”

Jesus wasn’t shocked to see Peter in possession of a sword. He didn’t say, “Peter, what are you doing with a sword, don’t you know that we are pacifists?” Nor did he tell him to get rid of it. But he did know that that was not the time to resist his arrest. A small group of untrained disciples couldn’t succeed in fighting off a squad of trained, armed soldiers. Peter put everyone at risk by drawing his sword at that time.

Using a weapon or any form of deadly force to defend yourself is perfectly ethical. Ex. 22:2 , “If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed.”

In Luke 22:36 , Jesus told his disciples that if they didn’t have a sword, to go out and buy one. He wasn’t using the word sword metaphorically. The use of the word sword is not a metaphor, Jesus knew that Peter had a sword when he cut off the soldiers ear. A good leader, like Nehemiah, would make sure that his people had the tools and weapons to do their job and to be kept safe. Leadership Lesson Ten : Provide your people with the tools to do the job.

Notice also that Nehemiah and other officials worked alongside the workers/soldiers. Verse 16 “The officials posed themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Verse 23 , “Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.” Leadership Lesson Eleven : Lead by example.

Chapter 5

Nehemiah then has to deal with another issue. Some poor people were going hungry and being taken advantage of by wealthy landowners. How did the few become wealthy at the expense of others?

If you go back to the Law of Moses, the land of Israel was “leased” to all the people of Israel, not just to a few. To prevent a minority of people ending up owning the majority of the land, land could not be sold in perpetuity. Lev. 25:23-24 , “The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants. Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.”

Not only was it unlawful for a few to own the majority of land, the lending laws were designed to prevent the poor from remaining poor by having to pay interest on the loans. Money was loaned to fellow Israelites interest-free. Ex. 22:25 says, “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him NO interest.”

The only time money was loaned to others was to help them get out of poverty. We’re not talking about loans for mortgages or starting a business. These loans were small amounts of money. To charge their fellow Israelites interest would lead to a cycle of never-ending poverty.

Apparently, the landowners were charging interest on loans and keeping the poor impoverished, even leading to them having to sell their children into slavery.

When Nehemiah heard about this, he was very angry (verse 6) and said to the nobles, “You are exacting usury from your own countrymen! Verse 9 , “What you are doing is not right.”

Verse 10 , “I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let the exacting of usury stop! Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses, and also the usury you are charging them.

Surprisingly, the nobles agreed (verse 12) . They may have had a guilty conscience. And why not, they probably already made a lot of money on those loans, etc. Not entirely trusting the promise of these so-called “nobles” and officials, Nehemiah summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised (verse 12) . Just like with a nuclear arms treaty, “trust but verify.”

How did the people respond to this proposal by Nehemiah? The whole assembly said, “AMEN!” or “HUAH!” and praised the Lord. And the people (the nobles and officials) “did as they had promised” (verse 13) .

In verses 14-15 Nehemiah tells them that even though he was appointed to be the governor, he didn’t act like previous governors who placed a heavy burden on the people, took financial advantage of his position or treated the people harshly. “But out of reverence for God, I did not act like that.” Verse 16 , “Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land.”

Nehemiah told the nobles that they should have been dispensing charity to the poor, not extracting interest on loans and foreclosing mortgages that should not have been made in the first place.

He also set for them an example by rolling up his sleeves, and with his staff and working on the wall (verse 16) and even paid the cost of entertaining dignitaries out of his own pocket rather than placing the burden on the taxpayers. He wrote, verses 17-18 , “I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.”

Like all great leaders, Nehemiah was setting an example. Like I said, Leadership Lesson Eleven : Lead by example. We were taught this in the military. The officers who are willing to get out from behind their desks and work with the soldiers are the ones who are respected the most by their soldiers. Get out there and work side by side with the soldiers. You will gain their respect, and loyalty.

Chapter 6

New threats emerge for Nehemiah. The enemies of Nehemiah, (you know them by now, Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem), invited Nehemiah to meet with them in a village on the plain of Ono (verse 2) . Why Ono? No, it wasn’t an upscale resort area. It was both a remote location and had a non-Jewish population who would not be very sympathetic to Nehemiah if something “unfortunate” happened to him.

Nehemiah was no fool. He wasn’t naïve, either. He knew that assassinations were not unheard of in Israel and Persia. King Joash of Judah was assassinated by his own servants (2 Kings 12:19-21) . Joab assassinated Absalom, King David's son (2 Sam. 3:26-28) and King Sennacherib of Assyria was assassinated by his own sons (2 Chron. 32:21) .

His response to this invitation was, verse 3 , “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” There are always going to be critics who want to “discuss” an issue with you. All they want is to distract you from completing your mission. Nehemiah didn’t give them the time of day. Leadership Lesson Twelve : Don’t let others distract you from your mission. A leader can’t always respond to his critics, nor should he allow himself to be distracted from the mission by them.

Sanballat was persistent and not to be denied, he sent the invitation for a meeting five times. The last invitation came with the accusation that Nehemiah and the Jews were planning on revolting against the king, making Nehemiah the King of the Jews. He then threatened Nehemiah that if he didn’t come to meet with him that he would send a letter accusing him of treason to the king of Persian (verses 6-7) . This was a serious threat. Treachery on the part of governors was commonplace in the Persian empire. This was a charge that the Persian king would take very seriously.

Nehemiah replied, verse 8 , “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.” I imagine that Nehemiah’s first draft of his response was a bit more colorful.

Nehemiah knew what his enemies were up to. “They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, ‘Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.’” But then, he said, “I prayed, ‘Now strengthen my hands” (verse 9) .

Sanballat is certainly persistent. His next move was to have a priest by the name of Shemaiah urge Nehemiah to seek safety in the temple. Shemaiah tells Nehemiah, “Let us meet in the house of God. . . because men are coming to kill you” (verse 10) .

Nehemiah responded to this invitation, (verse 11) , “Should a man like me run away?” If someone wants to kill me, they’ll know where to find me.” Nehemiah wasn’t going to be killed in some back alley or secret place. If someone wanted to assassinate him, they are going to have to do it in public, in daylight.

How could Sanballat get any real work done? It seems to me as if he spent most of his time plotting against Nehemiah.

How many invitations had Nehemiah refused thus far? He wasn’t being antisocial, but selectively social. He wasn’t going to meet with people he had no interest in meeting with or with those who were trying to harm him. He didn't let others distract him from his mission.

Meanwhile, construction on the wall continued uninterrupted. Nehemiah and his workers kept at the task and in only 52 days, the wall was completed (verse 15) . This must have been a great accomplishment because when their neighboring nations heard about it, they realized that it must have been done “with the help of our God” (verse 16) . So, unlike many government projects, this project was completed ahead of schedule and probably under budget.

Chapter 7

As chapter seven begins we find that the walls have been rebuilt, gates were in place, external enemies seem to be in disarray and internal opposition, at least for the time being, was under control. It seems that the goals that he had in mind were accomplished. But rather than returning to the Persian capital, he saw that he had more work to accomplish if the impact that he has had is to have any permanence. He had to diminish the power of those who were not supportive of his reforms and increase the power of those who were. He could not rely on the loyalty of the priests since some of them had ties through marriage with his enemies. He couldn’t remove the priests from power because their jobs were inherited. But he could dilute their power and influence. He did this by elevating the role of the Levites.

He restored the Levites to their traditional role as singers and security guards at the temple. Their duties would be enlarged, and they would be armed.

He also limited the time of day the city gates would be opened. Verse 3 , “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot.” Normally the gates would be open at dawn, but now they were opened later in the morning when most of the people would be up and about.

And, just as workers who rebuilt the walls were assigned parts where they had a vested interest, so the guards were to guard that portion of the wall that was closest to their residences.

Let’s make this Leadership Lesson Thirteen : If you can’t remove personnel, change their job descriptions.

Chapter 8

In this chapter we find the physical structures, the temple, walls and gates, have been restored, and the people were settled in their towns, now it was time to work on the people themselves. Verse 2 , “On the first day of the seventh month all the people assembled.” This would be the Feast of Trumpets. They needed a refresher course in the Law of Moses. And who better to lead this huge bible study than Ezra, the priest/scribe. The crowd gathered in the square near the Water Gate, (no, not Watergate, this is Jerusalem, not Washington). Ezra brought out the Book of the Law of Moses and verse 3 , “He read aloud from daybreak till noon. . . in the presence of those who “could understand.” How did they choose those who could understand? Did the visitors have to show their transcripts of grades in school, or high school diploma? And since they didn’t have microphones and speakers, “Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion.” And as he stood to read the Law, “the people all stood up (verse 5) .

In some churches the congregation still stands when the Bible is read. I’ve been to the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, an Orthodox Church in Minsk, Belarus and noticed that there are no pews there. Everyone stood. There were pictures (icons) on the walls and pillars. It appeared more like an art gallery than a church. The Jews stood for the reading. I wonder if they brought blankets to sit on.

Ezra didn’t just read the law, he explained it, what we would call expository preaching (verse 8) . He read the law, explained to them what it meant and then told them how they were to apply it in their lives.

Let’s make this point Leadership Lesson Fourteen : Give people the reasons why things are to be done, not just what must be done.

How did the people respond to the messages? Verse 9 , “All the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.”

My students at the university don’t usually weep when they listen to my words, perhaps when they get their test scores, but not in class. Why were the Israelites weeping? Perhaps it was because they realized, as never before, the gravity of their sins in disobeying God.

Nehemiah, being the sensitive leader, knew what they needed after an emotionally draining morning of Bible study. “Nehemiah said, (verse 10) , ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared.” Verse 12 , “then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.” This was followed celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles (verse 14) . The Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated with GREAT joy not seen since their ancestors entered the land in the days of Joshua (verse 17) , For seven days they read from the Law and celebrated the feast for seven days. Then, “on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly” (verse 18) . What was that last assembly like? After seven days of intense study and celebration do you think they were exhausted and bleary eyed? Perhaps they gave the people a safety briefing, urging them to be careful on their return trip home. Then had them line up at the wall and walk through town to police up the area of all the trash and garbage, then they had a closing prayer, and they went home. What do you think? I think we found another Leadership Lesson Fifteen : Know the emotional state of your people and how much they can tolerate.

This was very much like what the righteous king Josiah did in 2 Kings 23 . He stood and read the Law, and this led the people to renew their covenant with God. This suggests that if you want a renewal of passion in the church, begin by getting them into serious study of the Word of God.

Chapter 9-10

Verses 5-37 consists of a long prayer where God is recognized as the one true God. How important as it for them to focus on the ONE true God? Well, it goes back to the time of Moses where the Israelites were told to recite a prayer or statement affirming that there is but one God. Neh. 9:6 begins, “You alone are the Lord.” The prayer goes on to praise God for his creation and choosing Abraham with whom he “made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, . . .” (verses 7-8) . “Who sent miraculous signs and wonders against Pharaoh” (verse 9) . “Who led them with a pillar of cloud by day. . . (verse 12) . “You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven (verse 13) . Verse 15 , “In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst, you brought them water from the rock.” “But they became stiff-necked, and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore, you did not desert them, even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your god. . .” (verses 16-18) . “Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers did not follow you law” (verse 34) . After all this talk, do you think God might have glanced at his watch and wondered, “When is he going to get to the point?”

In Verse 38 , he gets to the point. “In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing.” I hope Ezra was there because he was a scribe, just the man who could put this in writing. Then there is a list of those who signed off on this agreement/covenant.

Chapter 10:1-29 lists those who signed the agreement, followed by some of the provisions of the agreement. If you look at the list, you might notice one prominent name is missing. Ezra’s didn’t sign it. The reason might be because this was a civil not a religious document. Another explanation given is that by this time Ezra was old and pretty much out of the picture.

Verse 30 , “We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us.

Wasn’t intermarriage dealt with by Ezra about 12 years earlier by Ezra? Well, yeah, but Nehemiah found that some of these families were reunited. Nehemiah also realized that the dissolution of families was more destructive to the community than the results of intermarriage. In other words, the cure was worse than the disease. Nehemiah decided to focus on the future, not the present, a more practical approach. With this compromise, one that the people were willing to adhere to, intermarriage would come to an end, not immediately, but in the next generation. So, he would use a different method to combat men’s tendency to marry outside the faith. He would not break up families but prevent future marriages outside their faith.

Verse 31 , they also agreed to not do business on the Sabbath, to observe the land Sabbath and cancel all debt every 7 years.

Verse 32 , they agreed to pay their dues to cover the expenses of the temple and in other ways, we will not neglect the house of our God (verse 39) .

Chapter 11-12

In Chapter 11 we find Nehemiah dealing with another issue. Imagine a visitor from the capital of Persia came to visit. Nehemiah would give him a grand tour of the new wall, the temple, etc. But there might be one thing missing. The city was sparsely populated. A nearly empty city would pose a security problem for them. Also, Nehemiah didn’t want the city to become a “gated community” for the elites, the government and temple officials.

So, Nehemiah instituted a relocation program to move some of the country dwellers into the city. The first group to move in would be the “leaders of the people”. But Nehemiah needed more people to move, so the people cast lots to bring 10% of the population into Jerusalem. They couldn’t rely on volunteers. They had to “draft” more families.

Why wouldn’t people want to live in the city? Unlike the rural areas, cities are usually more crowded, smelly, noisy, and more expensive since food had to be transported in. On the other hand, some sought city life because they perceived that that was where the seat of power and influence was. Perhaps there was the ancient equivalent of professional football teams, opera, art galleries, etc. By choosing by lot, no one could accuse Nehemiah of favoritism. Verse 2 , “The people commended all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.” I wonder how they were commended. Maybe a Welcoming Committee gave them nice gift baskets filled with bottles of wine and cheeses, and gift certificates from local merchants. Maybe they were given tax breaks.

Chapter 13

In chapter 13 we find that the corrupt high priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He provided Tobiah with one of these rooms which was used to store grain offerings, incense and temple articles, and tithes of grain and wine (verse 5) .

How did Nehemiah respond to this? He wasn’t happy. Verse 8 , “I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.” I’d love to have been there to see that. There is no video of this on YOUTUBE. Nehemiah turned into the Incredible Hulk. This reminds me of the time Jesus was “greatly displeased” and turned over the tables of the money changers at the temple.

Nehemiah then gave orders to purity the rooms and then he put back into them the equipment of the House of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.

I bet you Tobiah kept a very low profile in the days that followed.

Why would these storerooms be empty? The people had stopped tithing. All those who were dependent upon these tithes left their jobs and returned to their fields (verse 10) .

Nehemiah put an end to the neglect of tithing. Would you be surprised to hear that the people were also violating the Sabbath? Of course not. On the Sabbath, it was business as usual. Verse 17 , “I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing desecrating the Sabbath day?” He reminded them that it was for this sin, among others, that God brought calamity upon them (verse 18) .

Every year, everyone in the Army had to sit through a series of briefings to retrain them on issues such as communication security, the laws of war, how to deal with prisoners of war, etc. Here we have another Leadership Lesson Sixteen : People can quickly forget what they have been taught. Retraining on key issues sends a message of its importance.

But at least they hadn’t returned to the practice of marring outsiders. No, they did that, also. Verse 23 , “I saw men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab.” There was no prohibition against marrying women from these areas during the first temple period, so long as they converted to Judaism. The implication is that these women had not done so. Intermarriage posed a threat to their religion as well as the nation’s cohesion.

Verse 25 , he “rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God’s name and said, “You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves”.

One commentator wrote that “there is some ambiguity regarding the precise nature of the flogging.” Was it typical flogging as with a whip or a slap on the side of their heads. And then there is the pulling out of their hair. Did he grab them by the hair as he slapped one or two who talked back to him or was it something more severe? Either way, the people got the message.

The book ends abruptly. Sort of like the Book of Jonah where the people of Ninevah were saved from destruction after hearing the message from Jonah. One of the few prophets to have been successful in turning the hearts of men back to god. He was (verse 9) , “angry enough to die.” Well, he was successful, but never described as being compassionate. Then God says to the pouting prophet, (verse 11) , “Should I not be concerned about that great city”? That’s where the book ends. There’s no verse 12, there’s no chapter 5.

At the very end Nehemiah says, (verse 31) , “Remember me with favor, O my God.” There is nothing said of his later years. That’s because the book is not about him, it’s about the people and their return to their homeland.

Throughout his years of service, his motive was to please God. He was a man of many roles. He was a senior government official, governor, statesman, legislator, religious enforcer, and social reformer by providing a social safety net for the poor. But he was a visionary without being a prophet, a man who was able to revive in his people the sense of religious and national commitment that was lost while in captivity. He made a backwater town in a desolate provincial province into the heartbeat of a nation. And he could sing like a bird and do card tricks. I made up that last part.

Leadership is defined by the Army as influencing others to accomplish a mission. This book could be used in any leadership class. Though we might want to leave out the beating of some of the men and pulling out their hair.

Purim - Book of Esther

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 10:18:26 GMT

Purim is a Jewish celebration, more like the Fourth of July or Mother’s Day, than a religious holiday like Passover. Purin is usually observed in February or March of each year. The word Purim means, “lots” as in a lottery, which was the means that the villainous Haman, an Amalekite, used to set the date for the massacre of Jews in Persia (previously Babylon).

These events in the Book of Esther take place between chapters six and seven of the Book of Ezra. The setting is Persia, seventy years after they were taken into captivity by the Babylonians.

Israel spent 70 years in captivity in Babylon, which was later taken over by the Persians in 539 B.C. Just a year later, the Persian King Cyrus decreed throughout his empire that any captive Jews in Babylonia who desired could return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Cyrus even allowed the vessels of gold and silver stolen by Nebuchadnezzar’s troops to be returned. As we will read in Isaiah 48 , they all should have left, but some stayed behind.

Let’s look at the cast of characters in this drama. The villain in the story was Haman, an Amalekite. The Amalekites were descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother. You might recall that these siblings had a long-standing conflict that revolved around the birthright. Esau, the firstborn, sold his birthright to his brother Jacob. The hostility that Jacob and Esau had for one another carried on through the generations like a bad gene.

Esau had a grandson named Amalek, from which we get the name Amalekites. These cousins of the Israelites attacked them whenever they had the chance. When the Jews were led out of Egypt by Moses, the Amalekites attacked them in Rephidim, in the Sinai Desert. This unprovoked attack led God to promise to blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven (Ex. 17:8-14) . Forty years later, in his last major speech to his people, Moses reminded the Jews of the command to go after Amalek (Deut. 25:17-19) .

Saul, the first King of Israel, was commanded to wipe out the Amalekites (I Sam. 15:2-3) . But Saul disobeyed and spared the life of King Agag (I Sam 15:9) . This led to the premature end of the reign of Saul (I Sam. 15:23) . Saul, realizing his mistake, subsequently did kill Agag, but one of his sons survived. So not only was he disobedient, but he was also incompetent. Some 500 years later, one of his descendants was Haman.

Others in the cast of characters included the royal couple, King Xerxes (some think it was King Ahasuerus or perhaps both names refer to the same person), and Queen Vashti. Then there was Esther, the Jewish maiden, and her uncle Mordecai. And so, with the setting in place, the cast of characters on stage, let the drama that led to Purim begin.

Chapter 1

In chapter one of the book of Esther we find King Xerxes hosting a great leadership conference for all the nobles and officials of the kingdom. It culminated with a seven-day banquet (for men only) where “the royal wine was abundant.” When the king was “in high spirits,” King Xerxes commanded his wife, Queen Vashti, to come out and “entertain” the drunken guests. By entertain, it meant to engage in a degrading, erotic dance. She refused. Her refusal, in front of those leaders, put the king in a difficult position. He couldn’t let his wife refuse his order. That would make him look weak and would encourage other wives to disobey their husbands, also. The king had to show her and his guests who was in charge. King Xerxes removed her from her position as queen. Tradition says that he also had her head removed from her shoulders. Not entirely surprising behavior on the part of a king who was known for “vacillating moods.” Being governed by a bipolar dictator who is prone to bouts of drunkenness is not the type of leadership any of us would want.

Chapter 2

In chapter two , the king holds a beauty contest to find a new (and younger) queen (trophy wife) and Esther, a Jewish girl, was chosen. Meanwhile, her uncle Mordecai uncovers a plot to assassinate the King and he reports it to the authorities. The conspirators are caught and executed. But somehow Mordecai wasn’t rewarded for his role in saving the king. He wasn’t even given a Certificate of Appreciation, let alone a medal or cash award. Maybe the paperwork got lost in the bureaucracy or perhaps Haman, the antisemite, misplaced the paperwork.

Chapter 3

In chapter three , Haman (the villain), is elevated to the rank of prime minister and is offended when Mordecai, the Jew, would not kneel or pay him the honor he felt he deserved. To bow out of respect was not forbidden by Jewish Law, but it is thought by some scholars that Haman’s robe may have been decorated with images of idols. Haman, being a raving anti-Semite, is enraged by Mordecai’s disrespectful actions and decides to kill not only him, but all the Jews. I think he might have an “anger management” problem.

Haman goes to the king and tells him that these Jews were strange people who didn’t live like normal people or obey our laws. They should not be tolerated and “something should be done about them.” Haman suggests that a decree be issued to destroy them (verse 9) . The King responds, “Do with the people as you please.” We’ll see later that the king had no recollection of giving Haman approval to do what he wanted with these Jews. Perhaps Haman approached him when he was distracted by some other crisis. However it happened, an order was issued that allowed the people to kill any Jews they wanted and as an incentive, they could plunder their property. Sort of a “KILL A JEW AND GET RICH” campaign. This sounds like Germany in the 1930’s.

About two hundred years earlier, the prophet Isaiah predicted trouble for those who remained in what would become known as Persia. He urged the Israelites to flee Babylon. Isa. 48:18-20 , “If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sand. . . Leave Babylon, flee from the Babylonians!”

Chapter 4

In chapter four , Queen Esther’s Uncle Mordecai pleads with her to go to the king uninvited (which could lead to her death) and plead for mercy for her people. She hesitates. He then suggests (verse 14) , “and who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this.” OK, perhaps that’s true, but maybe not. But she does the right thing and says, “I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish,” (verse 16) . She probably figured that she would die either way, so why not give this idea a try.

Chapter 5

In chapter five , Esther invited the King and Haman for dinner at her house. Haman added (verse 12) , “I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she is giving. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.” Seems as if Haman’s love of power is matched only by his hate for the Jews.

Chapter 6

In chapter six , King Xerxes was having some difficulty sleeping. He could have read the genealogies found in the Book of Deuteronomy, or a technical manual for an Abrams tank, but instead he chose to read some government report on that thwarted assassination attempt mentioned in chapter two. He wondered if the person who exposed the conspirators (Mordecai) was rewarded for his actions. He asks Haman what he thought would be an appropriate way to honor someone very special. Well, of course, Haman thought the king was referring to him. So Haman suggested something that was a bit over the top, in keeping with his huge ego. It included a royal robe, a horse from the royal stable, being led through the streets by someone declaring (verse 9) , “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”

The King responded to these suggestions by saying, (verse 10) , “Go at once. Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew.” Are there any photos of Haman’s facial expression when he is told this?

Esther 6:11 , “So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!’” Do you think Haman gave a convincing performance as he led Mordecai on the royal horse?

Needless to say, this didn’t help the relationship between Haman and Mordecai. Haman’s hate for Mordecai only increased. Haman rushed home “covered in grief.” His wife told him that since Mordecai was Jewish, (verse 13) , “you cannot stand against him-you will surely come to ruin!”

Chapter 7

In chapter seven , the King, with Haman in tow, attends a dinner hosted by Queen Esther. Esther used this social gathering to explain the edict that was issued in the name of the King to exterminate the Jews. The King was shocked and asked, “Who is he? Where is the man who has dared to do such a thing?” If you recall, the King gave Haman a blank check, saying in Esther 3:11 , “Do with the people as you please.” Esther glares and points her finger at Haman and says, “The adversary and enemy is this vile Haman” (Esther 7:6) . The king was apoplectic with rage. He steps out onto the patio to regain his composure, before he has a massive stroke. Meanwhile, Haman was in a panic, knowing that an enraged king, prone to mood swings, can be quite dangerous. To make matters worse, as he approaches Queen Esther to ask for mercy, Haman stumbles over an ottoman, coffee table or something and falls onto the queen who is on a couch. And he falls on her right as the King was returning to the room. The king goes into another rage and accuses Haman of assaulting his Queen right in front of him (verse 8) .

Very conveniently there was one of the king’s eunuch’s in attendance who leaned over and whispered in the King’s ear, “A gallows seventy-five feet high stands by Haman’s house. He had it made for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king” (verse 9) . The king needed little convincing. He said, “Hang him on it!” Haman was hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.

Chapter 8

In chapter eight , the king gave the estate of Haman to Queen Esther and the position held by Haman was given to Mordecai. The “KILL A JEW AND GET RICH” campaign had inadvertently turned into “SAVE THE JEWS AND GET PROMOTED” campaign. Or, as we will see, “CURSE A JEW AND GET CURSED” campaign turned into a “BLESS THE JEWS AND BE BLESSED” campaign. The edict to kill the Jews was in effect nullified by the issuance of another decree that authorized the Jews to use deadly force to protect themselves. and the Jews held a celebration, which we call Purim. And that is what Purim is about, it’s a celebration of God’s deliverance from a vicious enemy.

This story is an example of the principle found in the Abrahamic Covenant. This unconditional covenant that God gave to Abraham and his descendants, “go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; will make your name great and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Gen 12:2-3) . Haman chose to curse the Jews rather than bless them. A very bad, career and life ending choice.

To celebrate their deliverance from genocide by the Amalekite Haman, Purim was inaugurated. It is not considered a religious holy day. It is more of a national holiday, like our 4th of July. Purim’s main activity is feasting and rejoicing, a Jewish Mardi Gras of sorts. It includes the custom of reading the Book of Esther and whenever Haman’s name is mentioned, everyone boos, hisses, and stomps their feet. They also give gifts to the poor, usually food items.

Strangely, the name of God does not appear in this book. But God was at work in ways that were not immediately apparent, in ways that might appear to be coincidence or just good luck.

The Israelites have faced many Amalekites like Haman over the centuries. Some consider Nazi war criminals as modern-day Amalekites. One such war criminal who was tried and sentenced to death at the Nuremburg Trial was Julius Streicher. He was the publisher of Der Sturmer (The Attacker), the Nazi weekly newspaper. Every issue contained stories about how Jews had attacked and stolen from Germans, killed Jesus, and raped young girls. As Streicher was about to be hanged on October 16, 1946, he shouted out the words "Heil Hitler" and "Purim fest 1946." Why would he shout “Purim fest 1946” as he was about to be executed? In May of 1924 Streicher wrote and published an article on Purim. He must have been aware of the striking parallels between the hanging of Haman and his own execution by hanging.

Both men, Haman and Streicher, were anti-Semites and planned on killing all the Jews. Both men promoted hatred for the Jews. Both men were executed by hanging.

Did Jesus celebrate Purim?

In John 5:1,9 we find him in Jerusalem for an unnamed feast. He did observe Hanukkah, another minor feast (John 10:22) so perhaps he celebrated Purim in John 5:9 .

Are there modern-day Amalekites intent on destroying the Jews?

Before dying of a stroke, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin was planning another genocide of Jews. This time his target would be Jewish doctors. Other philosophical Amalekites might include middle eastern leaders who call for the destruction of the State of Israel.

If you want to be blessed, don’t be like an Amalekite. Remember Gen. 12:2-3 , “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse.”

Job

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 09:31:04 GMT

JOB SUFFERS AND DEMANDS FROM GOD AN EXPLANATION AS TO “WHY?”

I have to tell you, I have a problem with this book. It appears to me that God (who we all know is just and loving) seems to have allowed a good and decent man to suffer horribly simply to win a bet with Satan. Does this seem to you to be out of character for God? When God heard the accusation from Satan, why didn’t God simply tell Satan to take a walk? He didn’t give Job an answer as to why he suffered, why would he have to answer Satan’s challenge?

Here is the charge that Satan made concerning Job.

Job 1:9 Satan says to God, “Does Job fear God for nothing?”

Satan accuses Job of only worshipping God because God has blessed him. There are many who follow the “prosperity preachers” in the hope that if they “pray and pay” they too will become wealthy. I imagine that in time many will leave these groups disappointed and disillusioned and never attend Christian activities again. I wonder what the turnover rate is among these groups. My guess is that it is higher than other churches and the leaders must have to constantly recruit new members.

Job 1:12 Satan says, “But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

This is where I would have hoped that God would tell Satan to take a walk.

Job 2:7-9 Satan afflicted Job with painful sores . . . His wife said to him, “. . . curse God and die.”

Thanks a lot. Why not just kick him when he is down. Do you think the marriage survived?

Job 2:13 Have you ever looked forward to someone visiting you and once they arrived were disappointed? Well, Job’s friends came to visit him and for seven days they just sat there, saying nothing. Today, Jews who visit those who are grieving, sit silently. They do not speak unless the grieved initiate a conversation. This is called sitting shiva (seven, because it lasts seven days). Here is what the Jewish Virtual Library says about this period.

Shiva is observed by parents, children, spouses and siblings of the deceased, preferably all together in the deceased's home. Shiva begins on the day of burial and continues until the morning of the seventh day after burial. Mourners sit on low stools or the floor instead of chairs, do not wear leather shoes, do not shave or cut their hair, do not wear cosmetics, do not work, and do not do things for comfort or pleasure, such as bathe, have sex, put on fresh clothing, or study Torah (except Torah related to mourning and grief). Mourners wear the clothes that they tore at the time of learning of the death or at the funeral. Mirrors in the house are covered. Prayer services are held where the shiva is held, with friends, neighbors and relatives making up the minyan (10 people required for certain prayers).

So sitting Shiva comes from Job’s friends. The problem with Job’s friends is that they should have remained silent. The friends told Job that he MUST have done something terribly wrong in order to have deserved these terrible tragedies. They believed in what is known as the Just World theory. This theory says that the world is just and fair and if you had bad things happen to you, you must have done something wrong.

The theory popularly appears in the English language in various figures of speech that imply guaranteed negative reprisal, such as: "You got what was coming to you", "What goes around comes around", "chickens come home to roost", and "You reap what you sow".

Bad things do happen to good people. The world, if you hadn’t noticed by now, is not JUST. Life is not always FAIR. I suggest that you go to the Question and Answer section and read the article: Why do bad things happen to us?

Even the disciples of Jesus believed in this theory. In John 9:1-3 Jesus healed a blind man and the disciples asked, “Who sinned, this man or his parents?” Jesus said, “Neither.”

Job 3:11 Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?

Scripture who was so frustrated, angry and scared that he wished he was dead. Moses and Elijah were also in such an emotional state.

Job demands two things in Job 13:21-22 . He says, “Withdraw your hand from me,” (stop beating up on me); and “Let me speak and you reply.” Job wanted relief from his suffering and an audience with God to discuss this situation.

Job 19:25 “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.”

Job is certain that death is not the end for us.

In chapter 29 Job defends his life, telling how he has always done good, caring for the blind, the hungry, and the fatherless.

Job 36:26 “How great is God-beyond our understanding.”

This sounds as if Job is withdrawing his question. This idea is repeated in 42:3 where he says, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.”

Job 38 finds God stepping into the conversation. He asks, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation” (v 4) .

He goes on to mention many natural occurrences which man cannot understand. The point being made is just as the natural world is not understandable by man, neither is God.

Job 40:2, 8 The Lord said to Job: “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?

God is challenging Job. “Who are you, to question me?”

In the end Job did receive double of what he lost. I find it offensive when people try to defend God by citing Job 42:12 “The Lord blessed the latter part of job’s life more than the first.” Job was given more than he lost, double the animals and double the children. But you can’t replace one child with another. Imagine if someone murdered one of your children and then said, “Here, I brought you these two homeless children to replace the one I murdered. Is that OK? Are we even now?” Job never got an answer to his question. Rather than a theological explanation he got a spiritual experience. Don’t we all have unanswered questions? Is it all right if God knows something that you don't?

The Resurrection of Jesus

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 09:14:04 GMT

Did it Really Happen? Does it Really Matter?

Come Resurrection Sunday, or Easter as most people call it, Christians around the

world celebrate the bodily resurrection of Jesus. They sing those familiar hymns,

with lines such as “Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! Earth and heaven in

chorus say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!” But really, not

everyone believes that Jesus, let alone anyone else, could come back from the

dead. Even some pastors don’t take these verses literally. They might teach it

because it is a tradition, that it is based on a myth or that it brings some comfort to

parishioners. Certainly, skeptics don’t believe it. They might refer to the story of

the resurrection of Jesus as a myth, an example of wishful thinking, a product of

hallucinations, or a pious fraud on the part of the disciples.

But did the resurrection of Jesus really happen? Does it really matter? 1 Peter 15-

16 tells us, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to

give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and

respect.” We should be able to explain, using reason, not feelings, what we believe

and why we believe it. So, why should we believe that Jesus rose from the dead?

There are some things, such as one-time historical events, that can’t be proven

scientifically. You can repeat the incident. But you can make a reasonable

argument for the resurrection of Jesus. And this argument is more reasonable than

any alternative explanation.

Some skeptics might suggest that the resurrection was not a historical fact, but a

legend, a story that developed over the years. This is a very weak argument.

Legends can’t develop overnight. They develop years after the event. And the

record of the events (The Gospels) were written within a decade or two of the

events, far too early for such legends to develop.

Another argument against the resurrection of Jesus was that the story was

fabricated by his disciples. This argument doesn’t make much sense either. People

will lie if the lie will benefit them in some way. They lie to get rich or to gain

power. But all of the disciples suffered for what they were teaching and all but

John died as martyrs. Would you suffer and die for what you knew was a lie? I

doubt it.

Then there is the idea that the disciples stole the body of Jesus and claimed that

Jesus rose from the dead. This is unlikely considering the disciples were not the

heroic types who would steal a body from a grave that was guarded by Roman

soldiers. The disciples abandoned Jesus and scattered when Jesus was arrested.

They were in hiding, thinking that perhaps they were next to be arrested. Peter was

ready to move on with his life saying that he was going back to the fishing

business (John 21:3) . Imagine what might have been going through the minds of

the disciples at that time. “We really thought he was the one, the Messiah. But then

John the Baptist was killed, and then Jesus. Now the authorities are probably going

to come after us. And that loudmouth Peter who cut off that soldiers’ ear is

probably at the top of the authorities list of their most wanted criminals.” I don’t

think this was the time for them to plan and execute a commando raid on a heavily

guarded tomb to steal a body. They probably were more likely to be planning an

escape from Jerusalem altogether. No, the disciples weren’t going to try to steal the

body and claim that Jesus rose from the dead and then suffer and die for what they

knew was a lie.

What about the enemies of Jesus? Could the Jews have stolen the body of Jesus?

No, because when Peter preached his sermon on Pentecost and spoke of the risen

Christ, all the Jews would have had to do was to produce the body of Jesus and

debunk Peter’s claim of a resurrection. If that happened, we would never have

heard of Jesus or any of his disciples. The Christian message would have died

before it spread beyond the walls of Jerusalem.

What about the women who were the first to discover the empty tomb? Could the

women, on their way to the tomb to prepare Jesus for permanent burial gotten lost

in the early morning fog and gone to the wrong tomb, an empty one? Unlikely,

since there was an angel at the tomb who announced that Jesus wasn’t in his tomb,

that he had risen. You would have to think that the angel got lost in the fog, also.

Besides, when the women reported to the disciples what they saw, the disciples ran

to investigate their claim. You would have to believe that they too got disorientated

and went to the wrong tomb, which just happened to have an empty burial shroud

inside.

Then there is the theory that Jesus never died in the first place. Claimants argue

that Jesus was only unconscious when he was placed in the tomb, not dead. People

have been buried alive. With no stethoscopes, electrocardiograms to measure heart

rhythms, no electroencephalograms to measure brain waves, he might have been

alive when he was placed in the tomb. And once in the cool, quiet tomb, he was

able to rest, and regain consciousness. Then he might have unwrapped himself and

moved the stone away and escaped the guard under the cover of darkness. This

might be a good story line for an adventure movie but doesn’t make much sense.

Before his crucifixion Jesus had to endure a horrible beating, a scourging. This

included being whipped with a whip that had metal pieces bone fragments in it so

that his flesh would be torn from his body. Some condemned prisoners didn’t

survive the scourging. Jesus was in such terrible shape that he couldn’t even carry

his cross to his crucifixion. Besides this scourging, he wasn’t executed by amateurs

but by professional soldiers. They had seen death many times and knew it when

they saw it, and just to be sure he was dead, they thrust a spear into his side. If your

military specialty was “executioner”, you wanted to do a thorough job so that your

annual performance evaluation looked good, and you get that promotion you want.

There was no doubt that he was dead when he was wrapped up and placed in a

sealed and guarded tomb.

When skeptics are desperate for arguments to disprove the resurrection of Jesus,

they resort to most any idea. The twin theory argues that Jesus may not have been

the one who was crucified, but a twin. But Jesus was guarded by Roman soldiers

from the time he was taken into custody until his death and afterwards. There was

no chance for a twin or anyone else to sneak in and take his place. Nor could a

“twin” steal his body and claim to be the risen Lord.

Then there is the question about spices and body wrapping of Jesus after his death.

Could a person who had been badly beaten and wrapped in cloth have unwrapped

himself? Houdini couldn’t have escaped this tomb. When his disciples entered the

empty tomb and found it empty, the spices and wrappings were still there. And the

wrappings were in the same shape as if the body had passed through it, as if by a

miracle. Would a thief take the time to unwrap the body? Most thieves want to get

in and out as quickly as possible. And why would they leave behind the spices that

were quite valuable?

If the resurrection story was nothing more than a conspiracy of lies, isn’t it unlikely

that not a single conspirator divulged their secret?

Then you have the multiple testimonies of those who saw the risen Christ. How

can a skeptic reasonably explain the testimonies of so many people? Jesus was

seen by more than 500 people on at least eight occasions over a forty-day period.

He appeared to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11) , the “other woman” (Matt. 28:9-

10) , to Peter (Luke 24:34) , to two disciples (Luke 24:13-32) , to ten

apostles (Luke 24:33-49) , to doubting Thomas (John 20:26-30) , to seven

apostles (John 21) , to all the apostles (Matt. 28:16-20) , to all the apostles

again (Acts 1:4-9) , to 500 brethren (I Cor 15:6) , to James (I Cor 15:6), and to

Paul (I Cor 15:7) . Paul said that there were people still alive in his day who could

attest to the fact that Jesus rose from the dead.

But could these eye-witness testimonies have been nothing more than

hallucinations? Not many people are subject to hallucinations, and hallucinations

are very individualistic. Groups of people don’t have the same hallucinations.

Groups of people don’t have the same hallucination in different times and places.

Besides, hallucinations oftentimes occur when there is an expected, long-desired

event. People will sometimes see what they strongly desire to see. But the disciples

and others weren’t expecting these appearances. They were ready to move on with

their lives.

Then one must ask, if Jesus never rose from the dead, why did the disciples gather

for worship on Sunday rather than the Sabbath? The early church members were

mostly Jewish who observed the 7th day Sabbath. Something must have led them

to change the day of worship to the first day of the week.

If Jesus never rose from the dead, how else can you explain the early growth of the

church and even the large number of priests who “became obedient to the

faith” (Acts 6:7) ? And these priests were not “friendly” to Jesus or his message

when he was alive. Something very dramatic must have happened for them to

change their views about Jesus.

If Jesus never rose from the dead, what else can explain how a small group of timid

men could dramatically change to the point of turning the world upside down (Acts

17:6) ? What changed Peter who denied his Lord before a servant girl’s

questionings, into a man who could preach the Gospel before the powerful

Sanhedrin (Acts 4:7) ?

What changed James, the Lord’s brother into a believer and later the leader of the

Jerusalem church? And what changed Paul the persecutor of the church into its

apostle to the Gentiles?

Why would apostles pray, Maranatha, “Our Lord, Come,” (I Cor. 16:22) if he was

still in the grave?

The only reasonable explanation as to what happened to Jesus is that he was

severely beaten and executed by professional executioners, and that he rose again

from the dead, just as Scripture says.

But is it so important that he rose from the dead, as Scripture says? Yes. If he

hadn’t then we can’t trust the Bible. If we can’t believe what it says about the death

and resurrection of Jesus, how can we believe the rest of it?

If Jesus didn’t die and didn’t rise from the dead, then our faith is in vain, and the

religion of Christianity is a hoax (I Cor. 15:15) . If the resurrection story is myth,

then millions of people have been duped over the centuries. We might as well shut

down all the churches, Bible colleges, and seminaries. The Vatican would have to

have a large yard sale in St. Peters’ Square to sell all of the artwork, sculptures,

ancient documents, etc. Todays’ Christians, anticipating the second coming of the

Messiah, would probably convert to Judaism and wait for his first coming. Some

Jews might mock us, saying, “We told you so.”

If Jesus did not die and rise from the dead, then our view of Jesus must change.

Like a scandalized televangelist who is exposed for being a fraud, we must

conclude that Jesus himself was a fraud. Jesus told us that he would lay down his

life and raise it up again (John 2:19) . He gave us the sign of Jonah, saying that he

would be in the grave for three days, then rise up again (Matt. 12:40) . He said that

he must suffer, die and rise again (Mark 8:31) . He said that he had the power to

lay down his life and to take it up again (John 10:18) . If he didn’t do these things,

as he said he would, then he was a pathological liar, not God in the flesh. Jesus

would be just one of many false Messiahs to have come along.

As C.S. Lewis said, Jesus was either a lunatic, a liar, or the LORD. This

Resurrection Sunday, you can sing songs of his resurrection with greater

confidence knowing that the only reasonable explanation as to what really

happened was exactly what is in the Bible. It is not a belief that has to be accepted

with blind faith. If someone expresses doubt in the resurrection of Jesus, ask him if

there is a more reasonable explanation as to what happened than what is in the

Bible. I don’t think there is one.

He is Risen . . . Maranatha.

Ezra 6 - 10

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 08:44:43 GMT

Ezra Comes to Jerusalem and Teaches the People

Ezra Chapter 6:

Chapter 6 explains how King Darius found the initial decree written by King Cyrus which authorized the rebuilding of the temple. He then authorized the resumption of the building of the Temple saying, (verse 7) , “Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God.” Not only was the reconstruction to be resumed, but “the expenses of these men are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury” (verse 8) .

Verse 14 , “So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah.”

They finished the temple, and everyone celebrated the dedication of this house of God (verse 17) followed by the celebration of the Passover (verse 19) .

Ezra Chapter 7

Guess who is introduced in chapter seven ! It’s Ezra, the man the book is named after. Well, it’s about time. So, who was this man called Ezra? He was a priest and a scribe. Verse 6 , “Ezra was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses. . . Devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel” (verse 10) .

Ezra’s goal is not to rebuild the temple or the wall around Jerusalem. Those tasks were led by Joshua, Zerubbabel, and Nehemiah. Ezra’s mission was, in a sense, to rebuild or reeducate the people. And who better to do this task than a scribe, a well-educated teacher.

We know what a priest was, but what is a scribe? The Hebrew word comes from a root that means “to count” and can mean a “recorder” or “to write.” Scribes were on the staff of government departments and larger businesses. The most prestigious position would be a “royal scribe.”

What would a scribe do? As you might imagine, back then, there wasn’t much reading material. There weren’t any books as we know them today nor electronic readers. No billboards, road signs, newspapers, or magazines to read. Most people probably didn’t know how to read. But there was a need to write official documents for the government, maintain temple tithe records, businesses correspondences and real estate documents. The scribes were the well-educated people who could read and write. The highest scribal post was that of royal scribe. In this role he might have been an advisor to the King or in charge of financial affairs, or an auditor overseeing the collection of taxes. Jeremiah had a scribe by the name of Baruch, son of Neriah. In the Persian Empire each governor was assisted by his own scribe (Ezra 4:8, 9, 17, 23) . Scribes were scholars who acted as secretaries. They were addressed as “rabbi” in the New Testament. So, Ezra was an important person in the Persian culture and highly respected. Perhaps, not the easiest person to live or work with.

I imagine that the better scribes had to be analytical personality types. These people love numbers, precision, and are perfectionists. It was expensive and time consuming to make a copy of a document. Here are some of the rules that the scribes had to follow when making a copy of the Scriptures on animal skins:

Each column of writing could have no less than forty-eight and no more than sixty lines.

The ink was made using a special recipe and had to be black.

The scribe had to say each word aloud as they were writing it. I imagine this helped them to stay focused. No televisions, radios, smartphones, or crying babies were allowed in his workspace.

If there were any errors on three pages, then entire document had to be discarded.

The letters, words and paragraphs had to be counted. The middle paragraph, word and letter must correspond to those of the original document.

This process helped ensure the accuracy of the copies. This was demonstrated when the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1948. These were 900 years older than the next oldest copies and proved to be accurate and consistent with one another.

Ezra received a letter from King Artaxerxes to take charge of the ecclesiastical and civil affairs of the Jewish nation. The letter begins, verse 13 , “Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom. . . who wish to go to Jerusalem with you, may go.” About 1500 people were in this convoy. As we will see in the Book of Esther, more of them should have gone. Isaiah said as much in his prophecy, Isa. 48:18-20 , “If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sand. . . Leave Babylon, flee from the Babylonians!”

Verse 14 , “You are sent by the king and his seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.” The bottom line was, he was to set up a theocratic state, much like what was intended when the Israelites entered the country the first time under the leadership of Joshua. Do you think that these Israelites will do much better than their ancestors?

You will notice that the people of God are referred to as “the Israelites” though those who were taken into captivity were of the southern tribe of Judah. The Israelites (the northern kingdom) which was invaded by the Assyrians, had only some of their people taken into captivity in 721 B.C. Many of them headed south to Judah (2 Chron. 34:6-9) . Because the population of the two nations became mixed, the distinction between Israel and Judah had disappeared. Today, as in the Book of Acts, the terms Judea and Israel are used interchangeably.

In the king’s letter authorizing his return, along with gold and silver that was collected, he prohibited the imposition of taxes, tribute, or duty on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God” (verse 24) . So all those engaged in the work of God were given tax-exempt status. Ezra was also to teach the “Laws of God to those who don’t know them” (verse 25) . Did Ezra give them a pre-test first? If they passed the test, would they get a certificate of some sort showing that they were exempt from attending classes? I attended a seminary where they gave incoming student a test on a Survey of the Bible and if you passed it you could move onto more advanced courses.

Because of his education, devotion to the law, and his mandate to teach his people the Law of Moses, Jewish tradition often regards Ezra as “the second Moses.” That’s quite a title. That’s better than being called the “second Haman” or the “second Judas.”

Ezra Chapter 9

In Chapter 9 Ezra discovered that Jewish men had been marrying non-Jewish women. Verse 2 , “They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”

Ezra was appalled by what he saw. He tore his garments in despair and confessed the sins of Israel before God, then braved the opposition of some of his own countrymen to purify the community by enforcing the dissolution of the sinful marriages.

Why did the Israelites intermarry with neighboring people? Perhaps because so few Israelite women in Persia wanted to return to Jerusalem. In verse 11 the women that the Israelite men married are called “foreign women,” suggesting that they were not only of a different ethnic group, but adhered to a foreign religion, which was prohibited by Mosaic Law.

These marriages with women of other nations were forbidden in the Law of Moses (Deut. 7:3–4) because it would lead to apostasy (Ex. 34:10-16) . Just ask Solomon. Idolatry was one of the sins that had resulted in Judah being conquered by Babylon and taken into captivity. Now, upon their return to the Promised Land, Judah was again toying with the same sin. Ezra’s heart was grieved. He really freaked out when he saw what they had done. He tore his tunic and cloak, pulled hair from his head and beard, “and sat down appalled” (Ezra 9:3) .

The issue was not race nor ethnicity, but religion. Ezra 9:14 , “Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor?” The detestable practices included worship of idols which included, in the worship of Molech, child sacrifices.

Ezra Chapter 10

In Ezra 10:2–3 , as Ezra was praying, a large group of Israelites came to him in repentance. They, the people, made a proposal to rectify the situation: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law” (verses 3-17) . The purpose of this covenant would be to once again set apart the Jewish people as fully devoted to the Lord and remove all connections with those who worshiped other gods. The agreement required the men of Judah to divorce their pagan wives.

Ezra agreed that this covenant was the proper course of action. He commanded, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. Now honor the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives” (Ezra 10:10–11) .

We know that God hates divorce (Mal. 2:16) , and some have asked how this event is related to the issue of divorce in today’s society. A couple of relevant points can be considered. First, this event took place during a previous dispensation, in a time when God’s chosen people were to live according to the Law of Moses. The Law of Moses was part of the Old Covenant that expired at the coming of the Messiah. It was made between God and Israel, not God and the “church” (which didn’t exist then) or any other group of people.

Also, 1 Cor.7:15–16 gives the principle for today’s believers married to unbelievers. Paul wrote, “If the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?” In other words, a believer is called to stay with an unbelieving spouse whenever possible. However, if the unbelieving spouse abandons the relationship, the believing spouse is not to dispute the matter.

Fortunately, only about 110 men were guilty of marrying pagan wives. Did some of the wives abandon their pagan religions to save their marriages? Did the men provide for their divorced wives? We don’t know. But one thing was for sure, the Israelites had to remove the pagan influences in their communities. And without these drastic measures, the Jewish community would likely have assimilated and adopted the lifestyles of their pagan neighbors. And given that the Jews were the only people who were monotheistic in their beliefs, that would have been the end of that, also.

The story continues in the Book of Nehemiah, which at one time was part of the Book of Ezra. There you will see both Ezra and Nehemiah teaching the Lar of Moses (The Torah) and rededicating themselves to the covenant they made with God. This resulted in the observance of the holy days such as the Festival of Booths (Sukkot) with fervor and piety not seen since the days of Joshua. They also embraced the complete observance of Shabbat, the Sabbath.

Although Ezra was a strong spiritual leader and experienced marked success in influencing the populace to strengthen their connection to God, his sincere devotion did not lead to an improved economic and military state. Over the next 12 years the situation worsened. The walls of Jerusalem were crumbling, and enemies routinely looted the area. A sense of resignation pervaded the people. They accepted the status quo, unwilling to work to change it. This brings us to the book of Nehemiah.

The Miracle of the Passover

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 08:11:09 GMT

The Miracle of Passover: Zola Levitt

I invite you to watch the video on YOUTUBE entitled, THE MIRACLE OF PASSOVER with Zola Levitt (1938-2006), a Jewish believer in Christianity who founded Zola Levitt Ministries, in Dallas, Texas, in 1979.

Matt. 26:17-29 Passover with Jesus and his Disciples
Below are notes that I have used in the past when we observed the Lords’ Supper together.

THE BREAD:

The bread is unleavened, symbolizing the purity of Jesus.
It has holes in it, reminding us of Zech. 12:10 which predicted that Jesus’ side would be pierced.
It has “bruise” marks and stripes on it referring to Isa. 53:5 where we are told that “he was bruised for our iniquities … and with his stripes we are healed.”

Matt. 26:26 , “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’”

The bread doesn’t turn into the body of Jesus. No self-respecting Jew would ever eat human flesh (Gen. 9:2-4 and Lev. 11 and 26:27-29) .

EAT THE BREAD

THE WINE:

During the Passover supper, there were 4 cups of wine served; 1 for each of the promises given to the enslaved Israelites in Ex. 6:6.

“I will take you out of Egypt, out from under the yoke of bondage ( This is the cup of sanctification ).
“I will save you from slavery. ( This is the cup of deliverance ).
“I will redeem you from the penalty of sin. ( This is the cup of redemption ) that he offered the disciples.
“I will take you as a nation to the land I promised Abraham.” ( This is the cup of hope ).

Matt. 26:27 , “Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’”

It is the 3rd cup, the cup of redemption, that Jesus offered to his disciples to drink. It was a symbol of the blood that was to be shed by Jesus and a marriage proposal.

DRINK THE WINE

A better understanding of these passages can be gained by knowing about the Jewish customs of the day.

When a young man wanted to propose to a young lady, he would bring her a cup of wine, some money (the Bride’s Price) and a marriage contract (a covenant). Paul says that we (the Bride of Christ, and the Church) were bought with a price (Cor. 7:23) .
The young lady reads the contract, counts the money and if she agrees to the marriage, she drinks the cup of wine.
After the lady drinks the wine, the groom (Jesus) then goes to his father’s house to prepare a place for his bride. Jesus said, “In my father’s house are many mansions (rooms). I go to prepare a place for you, and I will come again and take you to myself” (John 14:2-4) .
No one knew when the groom would be able to return for his bride. Nor do we know when Jesus will return (the rapture) for his bride, the church. Only the groom’s father knows. (Matt. 24:36) .
No groom is going to pay for the bride and not come back for her. Meanwhile, the bride (the church) is to wear a veil (a symbol of her engagement, remain chaste and keep an oil lamp burning in anticipation of the grooms return. The oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, and some might find themselves without oil for their lamps when the groom comes for his bride. These are the ones who were church members but not really Christians.
When the groom comes for his bride, someone in the wedding party has to give her some warning as they approach her house by giving out a loud shout. Matt. 24:31 says, “And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call and they will gather his elect from all the four winds.”

The cup of wine that we drink at the Lord’s Supper is the 3rd cup of Passover, the cup of Redemption. It is a renewal of our wedding vow. If you accept this cup, then you agree again to remain chaste and wait in anticipation of the groom’s return. Drink it and when the bridegroom, Jesus, comes for his bride he will stop at your house.

Jesus didn’t drink of the 4th cup, the cup of hope, at his last Passover. After drinking the cup of redemption, he said “I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Fathers’ Kingdom” (Matt. 26:29) . He will drink it when we are united with him in the Kingdom at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-10) .

While we are waiting for Jesus to come for his bride may I suggest we focus on fulfilling The Great Commission of Matt. 28:19 “ Go into all the world, Preach the Gospel, make Disciples (students) and Teach .

We are also told to practice a true religion that is acceptable to God in James 1:27 , “True religion that God finds acceptable is taking care of those in need and keeping ourselves from the corruption of the world.”

Preaching, teaching, caring, and setting an example to the world are what we encourage everyone to do in our local communities and anywhere God may lead us.

Ezra 1 - 5

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 04:58:25 GMT

The Jews Journey to Jerusalem

Ezra Chapter 1:

The Edict is Issued for the Jews to return to their homeland.

Verse 1 , “In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah , the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing .”

There’s a lot to unpack in this one verse. Let’s begin with what Jeremiah said. Jer. 29:10 says, “This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.”

This isn’t the first time that God “moved the heart” of a king or a people. 1 Chron. 5:26 says that He “stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria and in 2 Chron. 21:16 , “The Lord aroused against Jehoram the hostility of the Philistines and of the Arabs.” And God has been “moving the hearts of people” throughout history. Yours and mine included.

Few in the ancient world could read or write, so what was written had to be proclaimed, verbally, also. I imagine that as couriers went from village to village to proclaim the news, they might have anticipated some questions that the people might have. A “Question and Answer” section to the proclamation might have looked something like this:

Question : When can we leave?

Answer : As soon as arrangements can be made. Bulletins will be issued each Friday to keep everyone posted on the plans.

Question : Will there be a chaplain coming along with us?

Answer : Yes, Joshua, the high priest will accompany you.

Question : Will the government provide transportation and security for the trip?

Answer : Yes, the military, experienced in such movements, will provide you with transportation assets and escort you.

Question : Who will be in charge of the convoy?

Answer : Zerubbabel and a senior military commander

Question : Will the government purchase our homes and business at fair market value?

Answer : To be determined (TBD), we’ll talk about that.

Question : What can we expect to find when we arrive in Jerusalem?

Answer : An awful lot of hard work and conflicts with your neighbors.

Question : Can we leave our dead-beat relatives behind?

Answer : Everyone gets to decide for themselves. The government doesn’t provide family counseling.

Question : Can we purchase travel insurance?

Answer : No: Insurance hasn’t been invented yet.

Question : If someone turns back, like John Mark did on Paul’s first missionary journey, can he get his homes and business back?

Answer : John Mark? What are you talking about? Check with your attorney about a 90-day right-to-cancel clause in your sales contract.

Question : How long should the trip take and how far will we travel?

Answer : The trip will take approximately 3 months and cover 900 miles.

What else do we know about King Cyrus? One hundred fifty years before Cyrus lived, the prophet Isaiah called him by name and gives details of Cyrus’ benevolence to the Jews. Isa. 44:28 who says of Cyrus, “He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please. . .”

Isa. 45:1 , “This is what the Lord says to his anointed , to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him . . . ‘I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me.’”

In the Old Testament anointing with oil was an outward symbol that God had chosen and set apart the person (or object) for a specific holy purpose. God can choose or anoint anyone, even atheist, to whatever task he desires.

Not only does Cyrus issue a proclamation that invites any of the Jews who wish to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, he provides for the funding of the trip. Cyrus asks those who choose to not go to Jerusalem to “provide him (those who choose to go) with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem” (verse 4) .

“And everyone whose heart God had moved/prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem” (verse 5) . And “all their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings” (verse 6) .

Even the King got involved. Verse 7 , as he “brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god.” Cyrus gave these items to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah” (verse 8) . It seems to me that King Cyrus has taken a special interest in this project.

Why did Cyrus do this? He could have simply told those who wanted to go, to go. He didn’t have to assist them, to make it easier for them to go. One motive had to be political. Many kings would adopt the religions of conquered peoples and pretend to act in the name of their local divinities. Cyrus may have thought he was using God, but in reality, God was using him. Even today, politicians will rally religious leaders or give speeches at religious schools and refer to God in their speeches, when they themselves are agnostic or atheists.

Now there were no excuses or roadblocks in their way. Their hearts were prepared, and the resources needed were provided. No one had to worry, “How could we possibly afford such a trip?” Or “How would we ever be able to make such a journey?” Or “Do we have the legal authority to leave Persia?”

King Cyrus gave all of the temple furnishings to Sheshbazzar, the Prince of Judah. Who was this Sheshbazzar? Later, in Ezra 5:14 he is described as the governor of Judah. He is mentioned in the Bible only four times. He would lead the people to Jerusalem and return the gold and silver vessels taken from the temple by the Babylonians and build the foundation for the new Temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 5:14-16) . Then he sort of disappears from history. Or did he?

An inventory of all the temple items was made (verses 9-10) which included 1,000 silver dishes, 30 gold bowls, etc. There was to be accountability for these valuables. In the military there are period inventories done of all non-expendable items to make sure none of it gets stolen. I imagine an inventory was taken again when they arrived in Jerusalem.

I wonder why the Babylonians didn’t melt all this gold and silver into ingots. Maybe they were planning to have a yard sale someday to pay for another war or something. Perhaps before they could do it, the Persians took over. Or, more likely, like some of the stuff we have in our attics, basements, and garages, they were simply stored away and forgotten.

Ezra Chapter 2

Chapter 2 has the roll call of those who signed up for the journey to Jerusalem. Verse 64 says, “The whole company numbered 42,360.” Then, before you know it, verse 68 speaks of their arrival in Jerusalem. Nothing is said about the trip. Wouldn’t you think someone would have kept a journal of their 3-month, 900-mile journey of a lifetime?

The government of Persia provided for their transportation and security. They had to have a motor pool of supplies and mechanics, veterinarians, and harness makers for the horses, and kitchens and supply wagons to provide for meals. Maybe even an “ambulance” wagon with medical personnel. The logistics of such a trip must have been enormous. I wonder if any of them turned back when the journey got rough, like within half an hour of leaving. Didn’t people die along the way? What did they do with their dead? There must have been conflicts along the way. Maybe someone should write a novel about this adventure. He might call it, “On the Road to Jerusalem. How we Regained our Homeland Without Losing our Minds.”

Once everyone got pretty much settled, about three months after their arrival, the people assembled in Jerusalem (Ezra 3:1) . Verse 2 finds Jeshua and Zerubbabel began to build the altar, despite their fear of the people around them (verse 3) , and they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles (verse 4) . That’s good timing. After a long journey, they needed a time of rest and celebration. Though no titles are given to Jeshua (Joshua) and Zerubbabel, in Haggai 1:1 , Jeshua is referred to as the high priest and Zerubbabel as the governor of Judah.

The next task on their “to do” list was to rebuild the temple. They placed an order for cedar logs from the towns of Sidon and Tyre (verse 7) . Zerubbabel assigned the Levites the task of supervising the construction of the foundation (verse 8) . As soon as they got the foundation laid, they called out the priests and the musicians and they broke out in songs of praise (verse 11) . These Israelites don’t seem to need much of an excuse to party. OK, I know it was a worship service, but it seems to me to be somewhat of a celebration, also. But some of the older members of the group, those who remembered the even more impressive temple built by Solomon, were not quite as impressed (verse 12) . They were the ones in the back, somberly watching the others celebrate.

Ezra Chapter 4

Verses 1-23 tells us of some of the opposition to the rebuilding of the temple. Verses 1-5 is an early opposition, verses 6-23 was during a later period, in the reigns of Xerxes and Artaxerxes. In verse 24 the narrative returns to the reign of Darius under whose rule the temple was completed. This is why the timeline I gave you earlier isn’t always in synch with the narrative in chapter four. It’s as if all the stories of the opposition were told together for greater impact, and perhaps to confuse us.

Who were these enemies trying to prevent the rebuilding of the temple? And what were their motives? Primarily, they were from Samaria along with those who came from surrounding countries such as Moab and Amon. The Samaritans, originally the northern tribes of Israel, had intermarried with people from Mesopotamia and Syria after the Assyrians invaded them and took some of them into exile in 721 B.C. The others were from areas to the south and southeast of Israel. They were people who have had conflict with Israel years earlier. Why did they oppose the return of the Israelites? They probably felt threatened to see these people returning to their homeland.

The opponents began by offering to help them build the temple. Chapter 4:2 , “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”

“Thanks, but no thanks”, was the reply from Zerubbabel and the other leaders. Verse 3 , “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”

The returnees didn’t need outside help and were rightly suspicious of their motive in offering their assistance. When their offer to help was rejected, their next tactic was to discourage their efforts and try to instill fear in them (verse 4) . They hired counselors to work against them (verse 5) . Today they would hire lawyers to file lawsuits and hire building inspectors to find violations of the building codes. Protestors would be hired to march against “animal cruelty” associated with the sacrifices. Then they might have environmentalists protesting the impact the sacrifices would have on air pollution and insist that waste disposal systems be built to deal with the animal waste, etc.

In verse 6 we jump ahead in time. Verse 6 , “At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes (Ahasuerus), King of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes.” In this letter, one of several sent to successive kings to stop this project, they charged that the Israelites were (verse 12) rebuilding that “rebellious and wicked city.” They warned them that if the work continued, “no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid” (verse 13) and this would dishonor the king (verse 14) . The Jews used the temple storerooms to collect agricultural tithes. The Persian used temples to collect tribute and taxes. So, a place of worship doubled as a bank, much like a church with an ATM machine in the lobby.

The king sent a “cease and desist” order justifying his decision by reviewing the history of these people and their history of “revolt against kings” and Jerusalem having been a place of “rebellion and sedition” (verse 19) .

Verse 24 , “Thus The work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius King of Persia.”

So there the temple worksite sat, with weeds growing up through the stones. Imagine a large sign in the front of the construction site saying, “Coming Soon: New Temple of God.” The paint is fading on the sign and birds use it for a perch, so it is all quite messy.

Chapter 5 finds the prophet Haggai appearing to encourage the Jews to resume the reconstruction of the temple. If you turn to the book of Haggai, you will find that the people were able, but not willing to resume construction of the temple. Hag. 1:2 , “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come for the Lord’s house to be built. . . Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin”?

Apparently, the Jews were spending their time and money on their own houses, even paneled houses, which would indicate a certain level of elegance. But they couldn’t find the time or money to rebuild the Temple. This brings to mind what Jesus said in Matt. 6:21 , “Where your treasure is, there you heart will be also.” If you want to know what people really value, look at how they spend their time and money (their treasure). These folks didn’t really value the temple as much as they might have professed. It’s like when church people express their value for ministries in the church, but never seem to be able to find the time and money to support any of them. Yet, they always seem to find the time and money for newer cars, vacations, etc.

Haggai goes on to challenge them to think about what they are doing. Hag. 1: 5-6 , “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much but have harvested little.” It all goes back to Deut. 28 , the conditions of the Mosaic Covenant, with its blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.

His sermon had the impact that many pastors today with they could get from their messages. This led the people to return to work on the reconstruction of the temple. Hag. 1:14 , “They came and began to work on the house of the Lord.”

Then another group of people, led by the Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, the area west of the Euphrates River, questioned the Jew’s authority to build the temple. They asked the Jews, Ezra 5:3 , “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?”

Another letter was sent to the king, this time it went to Darius. It requested that the King search the archives to see if Cyrus really did issue a decree to rebuild the temple (verse 17) .

Ezra, Nehemiah Introduction

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 08:04:45 GMT

The Israelites Head for Jerusalem and Rebuild their Temple.

Before we get into these books, which were at one time a single book, we should look at the setting and the cast of characters involved.

As we read in 2 Kings , the Babylonian Empire invaded Judah, destroyed the temple in Jerusalem and took the more influential people into captivity where they remained for 70 years. Over time, the Babylonian Empire declined in power and was overtaken by the Persian Empire.

The Persians, unlike the Babylonians, didn’t usually take conquered people into captivity. They usually allowed their conquered enemies to remain in place under local leadership. They even allowed them to retain their religion rather than ransack and destroy their temples. They didn’t try to convert them to their religion or culture. They were more benign in their domination. Perhaps they were more interested in keeping the peace so they could extract resources and taxes than killing people and destroying their land. It would also be less costly for the Persians if they didn’t have to have a large military presence in these lands to keep the peace.

After their seventy years of captivity, and now under Persian control, the Jews were told by King Cyrus of Persia that they could return to their homeland. Not only that, but the government of Persia even funded their return to Jerusalem, and provided a military escort and transportation assets.

But not all the Jews wanted to “return” and most of them didn’t. Many had never been to Jerusalem. They were born and grew up in Babylon/Persia. The only home many had ever known was where they were. Some were too old or frail to make the journey. Others felt too settled and comfortable to endure the hardships of the journey and the arduous task of rebuilding their ancestral homeland. Perhaps the most eager to go were the young, the strong, the adventure seekers who were attracted to the challenge. Or maybe they just wanted to get away from Mom and Dad or to get away from relatives they never got along with.

Can you imagine the family discussions (argument) that took place when this life-changing decision had to be made? “I can’t move, I’d have to find a new hairdresser.” “I want to go because my sweetheart’s family is going.” “We can’t leave Grandpa here alone?” Or “This is a good time to get rid of Grandpa.” Perhaps the people were offered assistance in deciding, sort of an ancient version of a 1-800 hotline for help.

Not only did they not all return, but they also didn’t return all at once. Those who did make the trek to Jerusalem did so in three waves.

The first wave was led by Sheshbazzar and Joshua who restored the altar and laid the foundation for the rebuilding of the temple.

A second wave was led by Ezra, a priest and scribe. He led the spiritual rebuilding of the Jewish community (Ezra chapters 7-10) .

A third wave was led by Nehemiah who was in charge of rebuilding the walls around the city of Jerusalem (Nehemiah chapters 1-6) .

With that background information and overview, now we can take a look at the cast of characters.

Here is the cast of characters:

Among the Persian kings were:

Cyrus was the one who issued the initial edict that allowed the Israelites, led by Zerubbabel, to return to Jerusalem.

Artaxerxes placed a temporary halt to the construction of the temple until legal challenges could be resolved.

Darius gave the order to resume construction and complete the temple after a legal dispute put a halt to it.

Xerxes , also known as Ahasuerus , succeeded Darius and was the king featured in the book of Esther.

Some scholars believe that Sheshbazzar was another name for Zerubbabel. And why not? Both men were called a prince of Judah and governor (Hag. 1:1) and both were recognized for restoring the temple’s foundation (Ezra 3:8-11) .

Name changes were quite common, back in the day, and even now. Abram became Abraham. Sarai became Sarah. Jacob became Israel. We find in the book of Daniel that when and his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, were taken to Babylon, they were given new names. Daniel became known as Belteshazzar, and his friends became known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These new names indicated that they were now under the authority of the Babylonians.

People still change their names today for any number of reasons. How seriously could you take a tough guy movie star named Marion Morrison? Doesn’t John Wayne sound better? And does a debonair, handsome movie star named Cary Grant sound better than his birth name of Archibald Leach.

Even members of the British royal family changed their names when they received a promotion to King. Prince Charles became King George. Children who are adopted from a foreign land might get a new name. Criminals who enter the Witness Protection Program get new identities. Children of infamous people, such as Nazi war criminals, might change their name, also. I imagine many children named after Adolf Hitler in the 1930’s also changed their names after the war.

Judas, son of James, was also known as Thaddeus. Simon was also called Peter. Barnabus was a nickname, his birth name was Joseph. Thomas was also known as Didymus.

During periods of anti-German sentiments, such as WWI and WWII, people not only changed their names, (Prince Louis of Battenberg changed his name to Mountbatten). Even animals were renamed. The German Shepherd was renamed “Alsatian” and reverted to German Shepherd in 1977.

These new names reflected a change in a person’s character and life. And we might all be given new names. In Rev. 2:17 it says, “To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.”

Among the Jews were:

Sheshbazzar, also known as Zerubbabel by some scholars, was the “Prince of Judah” who led the first group to Jerusalem. He provided secular leadership for the group.

There is much confusion concerning the names of some of these Persian kings. Several kings went by the same name. Some kings were identified by one name in the Bible, but by other names in secular histories. I’ve given up trying to keep track of who is who.

Joshua was the high priest who accompanied Zerubbabel who served as the religious leader of the group. Today, we might call these two the commander and chaplain of the unit.

Ezra was a priest and a scribe who led the second wave of returnees. He oversaw the civil and religious affairs when the Jews returned to their homeland.

Haggai was a prophet who encouraged the Jews to resume the building of the temple when construction was halted.

Zechariah was another prophet who was a contemporary of Haggai. He provided encouragement to the people to resume the construction of the temple.

Malachi was the last of the prophets, about 85 years later, who admonished the Jews when their worship of God became lax, tithes weren’t being paid and diseased animals were being offered as sacrifices in the temple.

Nehemiah was a cup bearer to the king of Persia who was given a leave of absence so he could rebuild the walls surrounding the city of Jerusalem.

Among the enemies of Israel were:

Sanballat , Tobiah , and Geshem used lies, intimidation, threats of violence, legal actions, etc. to disrupt the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

Tabeel was a Persian official in Samaria who joined with other officials in sending a letter to Artaxerxes for the purpose of hindering the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem (Ezra 4:13) .

Eliashib was the high priest who was the son-in-law of Sanballat. He allowed Tobiah to take over the storerooms of the temple for his own use.

Here is a timeline of what happens during this period. It includes the drama found in the Book of Esther which will be the next book that we will study.

Meanwhile, back in Persia, the drama found in the Book of Esther is taking place.

Meanwhile, back in Jerusalem:

Why am I including Malachi in this timeline when he wouldn’t appear on the scene until 85 years after the second temple had been dedicated? The Israelites were back to their old pre-captivity ways. Their 70 years of captivity cured them of idolatry but didn’t cure them of becoming lukewarm in their spiritual lives. Malachi would accuse them of robbing God by not paying tithes, ignoring the Sabbath, intermarrying with non-believers and tolerating a corrupt priesthood where diseased animals were offered to God.

1 & 2 Chronicles

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 04:23:18 GMT

How Israelites Should Behave When They Return Home

Chronicles (both books) provide us with a sanitized history of the good kings of Israel, (David, Solomon) and of Judah, (Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah and Josiah). You read of their great accomplishments, their devotion to God, and their efforts to turn the hearts of their people back to God. You will read very little or nothing about their personal and professional failures or character flaws. This abridged and sanitized history was used to inspire the Israelites to live a godly life as they returned to their homeland.

The purpose for writing the Books of Kings was to answer the question, “Why has this disaster come upon us, God’s favorite, chosen people?” The answer was that they were evicted from their land because of their chronic disobedience and failure to live by the Law of Moses. Apparently, many didn’t read the fine print of that covenant. Deut. 28:36 , says, “The Lord will drive you and the king you set over you to a nation unknown to you or your fathers.” The ownership of the land was never taken away from them. The land was promised to Abraham and his descendants without any conditions attached. This covenant was unconditional. The right to live in the land was conditional, based upon their obedience.

Just as the Israelites were threatened with expulsion from the land if they disobeyed the covenant, they were also promised to be returned to it. Deut. 30:2-3 , “When you and your children return to the Lord. . . then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.”

So, the Book of Kings answered the question of “WHY?” to those heading into captivity; Chronicles answers the question, “NOW WHAT?” to those returning to their land. The answer is that they should behave like the righteous kings of Israel and Judah. This is why the wicked kings, those who followed in the footsteps of Jeroboam, are not the focus of Chronicles books. This is also why the less flattering traits and actions of the righteous kings are also largely ignored in these two books. These flattering portrayals of the righteous kings are meant to encourage and inspire the Israelites.

Historians do the same today. If you wanted to write a biography of Winston Churchill, and the purpose was to inspire the reader, you would focus on his successes, rather than failures. You would mention his prophetic insight during the 30’s when he warned the nation against the growing danger of the Third Reich and the folly of appeasing Hitler. You would highlight his inspirational speeches during the Battle of Britain when British cities were being bombed. And you would mention his ability to develop a relationship with President Roosevelt and gain support from the U.S. before it entered the war.

You would leave out his disastrous failure in WWI at the Battle of Gallipoli, and the failed attempt to defend northern Norway during WWII. You would also not mention his opposition to India self-rule based on his view of Indian racial inferiority, and his personal weaknesses of poor money management and drinking in excess.

Tradition credits Ezra as the main author of Chronicles, with some additions being made by Nehemiah. This makes sense since both books were at one time one volume.

There are a few details in Chronicles that were left out in Kings, though I did mention many of them when we went through Kings. Because of this, I won’t go through these books, verse by verse. One commentator wrote, “It seems clear that the writer of Chronicles assumes that his readers have already read the books of Samuel and Kings.” I will do the same so rather than going over the same record of history, I will just comment here and there. Besides, when I taught Samuel and Kings, I oftentimes would bring into the study passages from Chronicles.

The Israelites who left Babylon had a lot of challenges ahead of them. Most of them had never even been to Israel. They were born in Babylon, now Persia. Many of them who were taken into captivity or had grown old in captivity chose not to make the trek to Israel. Probably the great majority of the Israelites chose not to return to Israel (Isa. 6:13) . About 42,000 or 10% did. Most of them knew little about the temple or proper worship of the one true God.

Who do you think chose to remain in Persia? Perhaps the elderly would find the return trip too difficult. Some middle-aged people might have remained behind to care for their elderly relatives. Many had created businesses and would lose too much to return. Besides, what would they find in Jerusalem besides rubble and a lot of work? Perhaps those who left in larger numbers were the younger population who were strong and looked forward to the adventure and the challenge.

The return to Israel was made possible by a decree from Cyrus, the king of Persia whose kingdom took over the Babylonian kingdom. Cyrus was a rather benign ruler. Cyrus is the only pagan king mentioned positively in the Old Testament and he is even referred to by the title Messiah (Isa. 45:1) . Messiah means “anointed one.” This is someone who has been set apart for a special purpose, such as a priest, prophet, king, or liberator such as King Cyrus. It can also refer to God’s chosen people, the Israelites. And of course, the ultimate savior or liberator would be Jesus (Dan. 9:26) .

Persians didn’t usually deport the people that they conquered like the Babylonians did. They usually allowed locals to rule and gave their conquered people greater independence than other empires. Nor did they impose their religion on them. I guess it was cheaper for them to treat their conquered people kindly than to be oppressive have to have a large army stationed there to suppress an uprising.

The first nine chapters of the book of 1 Chronicles consists largely of genealogies. This might not be of much importance to us today, but for them, back then, it was necessary to determine who among the Israelites would do certain jobs. Who would carry out the religious duties as priests and Levites, the gatekeepers (security), the musicians and the singers? Who would carry out the royal duties? Many of these positions were inherited, so they needed these genealogies.

Starting in chapter 11 is a sanitized account of the reign and life of King David. David is portrayed as the ideal king; the kind of hero that people could emulate and be encouraged by as they rebuilt their temple, city and nation. There is nothing said about Bathsheba and Uriah nor is there anything about his son Absalom’s rebellion, etc. If you just read Chronicles and not 2 Samuel , you might think that David could have been nominated for “Husband or Father of the Year.”

We see David portrayed as a great warrior and a devout man. David conquered Jerusalem (chapter 11) , defeated the Philistines (chapter 14) , and he brought the ark to Jerusalem (chapter 15) .

How was David described in one statement? 1 Chron. 18:14 says, “David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people.” It says he was just and did what was right, it doesn’t say that he was perfect.

David also made preparations for the temple that his son Solomon would build. David even got involved in the plans for administration and worship and organizing the Levites (chapter 23) . I imagine David delegated many of these duties, rather than being a micro-manager.

The duties of the Levites had to be defined. They were to assist Aaron’s descendants in the service of the temple. They were in charge of caring for the building and grounds, side rooms, and basically doing everything except the priestly duties. They were also the singers (chapter 25) and the gatekeepers (for security) in chapter 26 . The Levites were there to support the priests much like the support staff at a hospital who are involved in everything except direct patient care. David could add “Human Resource Manager” to his resume.

The book goes on to list many of David’s administrators in his government. It included Hushai the Arkite (1 Chron. 27:33) . He is described as the king's friend. Everyone in a leadership position needs a friend who can encourage him in times of conflict and stress, which is most of the time. A friend can also “speak truth to power” without fear of losing his job. David needed someone who he could trust, someone who put the king’s wellbeing first, rather than their own personal gain. President Harry Truman didn’t have many people in Washington who he could trust, like an old friend. He has been quoted as saying, “If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.”

Chapter 28 describes David’s planning for the temple that Solomon would build. This was followed by the inauguration of Solomon as his successor. This was followed by a warning to follow the commandments of God and it ended with a big party, where “they ate and drank with great joy” (1 Chron 29:22) . Then David died (1 Chron. 29:28) .

2 Chronicles deals with the reigns of Solomon and other commendable kings.

2 Chronicles begins with the reign of Solomon and his construction of the temple, which took seven years (2 Chron. 2) . Do you think there were cost overruns and delays like modern government construction projects? The ark was brought to the temple (2 Chron. 5) , then the celebrations began (2 Chron. 6-7) . It seems like they loved to party back then. The Queen of Sheba came for her famous visit (2 Chron. 9) then, in time, like all of us, Solomon died (2 Chron. 9:31) .

Chapter 10 describes the rebellion of Jeroboam who, if you recall, broke away from Judah to form the northern kingdom of Israel. Unlike the writer of Kings (who calls the southern kingdom Judah and the northern kingdom Israel), the writer of Chronicles calls the southern kingdom either Judah or Israel. For the writer of Chronicles, Judah is the only true kingdom, and the Davidic kings are the only legitimate kings. He sometimes refers to the northern Kingdom as Ephraim.

The rest of the book deals with the reformer kings of Judah. In chapter 14 we find Asa being described as having done “what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord.” In verse 17 he is praised because his “heart was fully committed to the Lord, all his life.” There’s an expression that would never have been said about any of the kings of the Northern kingdom of Israel. The next righteous king mentioned was Jehoshaphat, who is commended with these words, “His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord” (2 Chron. 17:6) . Then we have Joash (Chapter 24) who, if you recall, was a good king while he was under the guidance of Jehoiada. Then we have Hezekiah, another reformer king. He rededicated the temple and held the Passover Feast, even inviting the people from the northern kingdom of Israel (Chapters 29-30) . Josiah, another reformer, is described in chapter 34 .

Chronicles spent quite a bit of time describing the reforms of Hezekiah and Josiah. With the death of Josiah, the nation returned to its old ways and turned their backs on God, again. This led to the destruction of Jerusalem, its temple, and their captivity in Babylon.

The details of the conquest were given to the Kings. The purpose of these writings was to remind the people of the good kings and to encourage them to follow in their paths so that they wouldn’t be cast out of their land again.

Again, Kings explained to the people why they were being taken away. Chronicles explain what they should do to remain in their land upon their return.

2 Kings 22 - 23

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 08:24:02 GMT

Chapter 22:

The Book of the Law was Found, Josiah leads a Return to God

Josiah, son of the evil king Amon, was a good king, in fact, he was described in even more flattering terms than King David. He became king at age eight and reigned for 39 years. Verse 2 , “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walking in all the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.”

Josiah ordered his officials to repair the temple of the Lord (verse 6) . It must have been in a serious state of disrepair because it needed carpenters, builders and masons to do the job. It must have needed more than a cleaning and a fresh coat of paint. Probably looked more like this church in Gary, Indiana.

While the temple was being restored, the high priest, Hilkiah, found the “Book of the Law (verse 8) . He gave it to Shaphan, the secretary, who took it to the king.

Shaphan informed the king saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king” (verse 10) . When Shaphan referred to the document as “a book” perhaps he didn’t recognize what it was. When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes and ordered that his officials enquire of the Lord what is written in this book” (verse 13) . Josiah understood the importance of the book, even if others didn’t.

What was this “book”? Scholars are in general agreement that it was the Book of Deuteronomy. Josiah knew that his people had ignored the Law. “Great is the Lord’s anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book” (verse 13) . He knew the importance of this long-neglected book and the consequences for this neglect. Are some churches today equally guilty?

There was great fear that God would “bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book” (verse 16) . The king was quite aware of chapter 28 of Deuteronomy, which lists the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience.

Josiah consulted the prophetess Huldah, who assured him that the evil foretold in the document for non-observance of its instructions, would come, but not in his day. Verses 16, 19, 20 , “I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people. . Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself . . . Therefore, I will gather you to your fathers and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place”.

In the Southern Wall of the Temple Mount is a gate named after the prophetess Huldah, The Huldah Gate.

Why would the king go to Huldah rather than Jeremiah? Perhaps he was on a fishing trip and didn’t have any cell phone coverage. But, according to traditions, (speculation) it was because he believed that women are more easily stirred to pity than men and that she would be more likely than would Jeremiah to intercede with God on his behalf. But wasn’t Jeremiah known as “the weeping prophet” a highly emotional, sensitive individual?

Other traditions claim that Huldah was a relative of Jeremiah, both being descendants of Rahab by her marriage with Joshua. It is also taught that while Jeremiah admonished and preached repentance to the men, Huldah did the same to the women and she also taught publicly in the school. But, like all traditions, we shouldn’t take it all that seriously. What we have been given in scripture is and should be enough.

Maybe if Jeremiah was fishing, he might have come back with another tradition about the huge fish that he caught. But you just can’t trust fishermen, can you? Or traditions.

Chapter 23:

Josiah Renews the Covenant

Verse 1 , all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem . . . went up to the temple with the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, the priests, and the prophets.” All the people of influence gathered in Jerusalem. I wonder if they knew what was on the agenda. It must have been really important for everyone who was anyone to come. They came to hear verse 2 , “all the words of the Book of the covenant.” When the reading was completed, the king led the people in renewing the covenant. And “all the people pledged themselves to the covenant” (verse 5) . Yeah, we heard that before.

The next step was to remove and destroy all the vestiges of pagan worship. From the descriptions given, it appears that everyone, when they returned home and even on their way home, went on a rampage of destruction. Like General Sherman’s march through Georgia during the civil war, leaving a path of destruction in his wake. They destroyed anything associated with the worship of other gods. Altars, Asherah poles, barracks used by the male shrine prostitutes, local sanctuaries, and high places were destroyed. All the priests of Baal were killed. He even had the bones of the dead priests of Bethel exhumed and burnt on their altars. Then he went back to Jerusalem (verse 20) .

Josiah also reinstituted the Passover celebrations (verse 21) . Oh, he also got rid of all the mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols and all the other detestable things (verse 24) .

God was very pleased with Josiah. 2 Kings 23:25 , “Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did - with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength , in accordance with all the Law of Moses.”

One commentator said that by echoing the words of the Shema found in Deut. 6:4-5 , “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God “ with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength ” places Josiah in a category all by himself.

By the time of Josiah, the power of Assyria had weakened. Assyria’s capital was Nineveh, the city that the reluctant prophet Jonah preached in. After they turned to God, they slipped back into their old ways. The Book of Nahum provides a follow up prophecy to the capital of Nineveh, telling them that the city and the nation was going to fall (Nahum 1:1-2;2:8) . Assyria’s weakened condition allowed Josiah to take action to bring the people of Judah back to God. Chapter 23 he led the people in renewing their covenant with God.

2 Chronicles shed more light on the reign of Josiah. At Bethel he burnt the bones of the false prophets and destroyed their altar. Another prophet who lived during this time was Jeremiah (2 Chron. 34:3, 8) . He was from a priestly family. Despite the reforms of Josiah, Jeremiah warned that they would go into captivity. The reforms were probably superficial and perhaps too little, too late. Meanwhile, as the power of Assyria was in decline, the strength of Babylon was on the rise.

Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry began in the reign of Josiah. Another prominent spiritual leader was the prophetess Hulda and the teacher Zephaniah. Each had their own area of responsibility. Hulda spoke to the women and Jeremiah to the men in the street, while Zephaniah preached in the synagogue.

After the reforms were made, Neco, king of Egypt, headed north to assist the Assyrians in their battle with the Babylonians (2 Kings 23:29: Chron. 35:21) . Josiah joined the king of Egypt as they battled on the plain of Megiddo. In the mix Josiah got involved blocking the Egyptians at Megiddo, in the Jezreel Valley. This would give the Babylonians an advantage. Perhaps he wanted to assist the Babylonians because he knew that they would become the next great world power. It was there that Josiah was wounded in battle by Neco of Egypt and he died. (verse 29) . Josiah’s servants brought his body in a chariot from Megiddo to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. 2 Chron. 35:21-23 says that he died in Jerusalem, not Megiddo. Where did he die? Apparently, the Hebrew term translated “dead” could mean “dying or in a dying state.” He might have been mortally wounded in Megiddo but died in Jerusalem. Or, he might have died in Megiddo, but his death wasn’t “official” until he was declared dead in Jerusalem. It is like a modern obituary that states that a person died at the local hospital. The person may have died at home but was officially declared dead at the hospital.

Bible writers often recorded their material topically or climactically, and not necessarily chronologically. If you asked someone, “How was your day?” their recounting of events might not be in chronological order.

The people of the land took Jehoahaz, son of Josiah, and anointed him and made him king in place of his father (verse 30) . But his kingship lasted a mere three months before the Pharaoh put him in chains and replaced him with his brother, Eliakim. The Egyptian Pharaoh changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim and shipped his brother, Jehoahaz to Egypt where he died. The Pharaoh also imposed heavy levy upon the Jews (verse 33) . Jehoiakim reigned for eleven years. Though from here on the kings of Judah had little power.

The defeat of Josiah at Megiddo was the end of Judah’s independence. His successors were short-lived and controlled by Egypt.

So, Josiah was the best king ever and reigned for 31 years. He died at the rather early age of about 39 years. Perhaps his death was an act of mercy. He was spared the distress of the coming Babylonian invasion.

2 Kings 24 - 25

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 04:25:42 GMT

Chapter 24:

Judah is Taken into Captivity

During the eleven-year reign of Jehoiakim, a second son of Josiah, the king of Babylon invaded the land of Judah. Jehoiakim became a vassal (puppet) of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Neo-Babylonian Empire (modern day Iraq). After three years of being controlled by Nebuchadnezzar, Jehoiakim decided to rebel (2 Kings 24:1) .

The Prophet Habakkuk wondered why God wasn’t acting to punish Judah sooner. God told him that he had a plan to use Babylon to be his instrument to punish Judah.

2 Kings 24:2 , “The Lord sent Babylonian, Aramean, Moabite and Ammonite raiders against him. He sent them to destroy Judah, in accordance with the word of the Lord the proclaimed by his servants the prophets.”

Why did this happen? Verse 3 , “because of the sins of Manasseh and all he had done, including the shedding of innocent blood.” What were these sins? Chapter 21 lists some of them: He “did evil in the eyes of the Lord”, he rebuilt the high places, erected altars to Baal, made an Asherah pole, bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshipped them, he sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spirits. He placed an Asherah pole in the temple. He led his people astray so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.”

Then King Jehoiakim died (verse 6) . His death brought little sorrow to the people of Judah. He was a proud, cruel, oppressive leader whose body was thrown on the garbage dump outside Jerusalem (Jer. 22:18-19; 36:30) . Meanwhile, the Babylonians subdued the King of Egypt (verse 7) and Jehoiakim was succeeded by Jehoiachin (verse 8) . Jehoiachin’s reign didn’t last very long (three months), barely enough time to get unpacked in the palace. And yes, like his predecessor, “he did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (verse 9) .

Verse 10 , “At that time the officers of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon advanced on Jerusalem.” This was in 597 B.C. The king was taken captive to Babylon (verse 12) , along with about 10,000 others, perhaps including Daniel and his friends (verse 14) . Only the poorest people of the land were left. Nebuchadnezzar also took all the valuables he could find in the temple, and palace. He also took into captivity many prisoners of war (POW’s) (verse 16) .

Nebuchadnezzar placed Jehoiachin’s uncle on the throne of Judah and changed his name to Zedekiah (verse 17) .

Chapter 25:

The Fall of Jerusalem

Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 2 Chron. 36:12 tells us that, “He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the Lord. He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath in God’s name.”

Verse 1 , “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army” The city was kept under siege for over a year. Verse 4, “Then the city wall was broken through and the whole army fled at night.”

Jeremiah predicted this siege in Jer. 38:2 , “Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague, but whoever goes over to the Babylonians will live.” Jeremiah knew what was going to happen, it was part of God’s plan. He told the Jews to submit to the invaders and for that he was considered to be a traitor to his people.

Zedekiah and his entourage were captured on the plains of Jericho (verse 6) . His sons were executed in front of him, then he himself was blinded, shackled, and taken off to Babylon (verse 7) .

Ezekiah predicted Zedekiah’s blindness, exile and death, (Ezek. 12:13) , “I will bring him to Babylonia, the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it, and there he will die.”

Nebuchadnezzar then set fire to the temple, palace and all the houses of Jerusalem (verse 9) . They took the valuables from the temple, including the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze sea, all the pots, shovels, etc. (verses 13-17) . Anything of value was taken.

The destruction of God’s temple was unthinkable, but 1 Kings 9:7 tells us that God’s presence would be in the temple unless there was disobedience, and idol worship. We see the presence of God departing the temple in Ezek. 10: 4 , “Then the glory of the Lord rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple.” Verse 18, “Then the glory of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple.” Without the presence of God, the temple became just another building which would be destroyed by the Babylonians.

1 Kings 25:18-21 lists the many officials who were also taken into captivity. Verse 21 , “So Judah went into captivity, away from her land.” Many of these POW’s were executed (verse 21) .

God warned them of the possibility of being driven out of the land. Deut. 28:26 , “The Lord will drive you and the king you set over you to a nation unknown to you or your fathers. Verse 47 , “Because you did not serve the Lord your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the Lord sends against you.”

Verse 22 , Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah to govern over those who remained in Judah. The events of his reign as governor (not king), are described in detail in Jer. 40:7-41. It included setting up a new capital in Mizpah.

Gedaliah advised his people, verse 24 , “Do not be afraid of the Babylonian officials. Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.” Jeremiah gave the same advice in Jer. 27:17 , “serve the king of Babylon and you will live.”

Well, not everyone was happy with Gedaliah’s advice. Verse 25 , “Ishmael . . . came with ten men and assassinated Gedaliah. At this (verse 26) all the people from the least to the greatest, together with the army officers, fled to Egypt for fear of the Babylonians.” Who did they take with them? A protesting Jeremiah, who died in Egypt. Tradition has it that Jeremiah died by stoning, stoned by his fellow Judeans.

2 Kings 25:27 tells us that in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, was released from prison and was given a “seat of honor” at the king’s table. This appears to have been a part of a general amnesty given to former enemies.

Not everyone was sad about the fall of Jerusalem. The Edomites were a part of the attack and rejoiced at the opportunity to enrich themselves (Ps. 137:7) . The prophet Obadiah announced God’s judgement on them for their hostility towards their brother nation (they were descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob (Israel).

Among those taken into captivity was a priest by the name of Ezekiel. In his early writings he condemned the sins of the people of Jerusalem but also gave them a message of hope that one day they will be cleansed of their sins and will worship God in spirit and in truth.

Daniel outlived the Babylonian empire and was still alive in the third year of the Persian king Cyrus (Dan. 10:1) . He lived to see the first Jews return to Jerusalem to rebuild the nation (2 Chron. 36:22-23) .

There are stories of celebrities who rose from poverty to great wealth only to lose it all and return to poverty. Even more sad is when a people are chosen for great blessing, acquire it, only to lose it all. After centuries, God’s chosen people were back in Babylon where it all began with Abraham given an unconditional promise of land, descendants and “blessings” others were back in Egypt where they once had been liberated from slavery. This must be one of the saddest rags to riches, back to rags story in history.

The Future History of Man

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 03:59:26 GMT

What’s Next in the History of Man!

Whenever there’s a war in the middle east people run off to the bookstores and buy books on Bible prophecy. Some people might ask, “Do you believe we are living in the end times?” Yes, if you define the end times as the period of time from the cross to the end of time. How close are we to the next event in Bible prophecy, the rapture? No one knows. Matt. 24:36 , “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

Does the church go through the tribulation? No. 1 Thess. 5:9 says, “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Rev. 3:10 “I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.” There is no mention of the church on earth after Rev. 3 when the tribulation is described.

Here is what my understand is of the coming events in Bible prophecy:

1. The rapture of the church . Christ comes in the clouds to “snatch away” all those who trust in Him. He is coming FOR his church. 1 Thess. 4:17-18 , “After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

1 Cor.15:52 . At this same time, the “dead in Christ” will be resurrected and taken to heaven, too. From our perspective today, this is the next event in the eschatological timeline. The rapture is imminent; no other biblical prophecy needs to be fulfilled before the rapture happens.

2. The rise of the Antichrist (2 Thess. 2:7–8) . A world leader who promises peace (Rev.13:1; Dan. 9:27) . He will be aided by the false prophet, a world religious leader who worships the Antichrist (Rev. 19:20) .

3. The tribulation . A seven-year period of judgement, called a time of Jacob’s (not the church’s) Trouble (Jer. 30: 7) poured out on sinful man (Rev. 6–16) . The church is kept from going through this period by way of the rapture. In heaven there is a Judgment Seat of Christ where the works of Christians will be rewarded, then a Marriage Supper of the Lamb occurs. (2 Cor. 5:10; Rev.19:6–10) . The church doesn’t go through the tribulation. The church is not mentioned during the tribulation period. The Gospel will be preached through all the world, even by angels, and many will come to saving faith in Jesus during the tribulation.

4. The Battle of Gog and Magog . Israel will be attacked by many nations. God will intervene and save the Jews (Ezek.38–39) .

5. The abomination of desolation . At the midway point of the seven-year tribulation, the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel and shows his true colors. The Jews are scattered, and many of them turn to the Lord, realizing that Jesus is their Savior. A great persecution breaks out against all those who believe in Christ (Dan. 12:11; Mark 13:14; Rev.12:17) .

6. T he return of Jesus and the Battle of Armageddon . At the end of the tribulation, Jesus returns WITH the armies of heaven, which includes the church which was raptured earlier (Rev. 19:11-16; Mark 14:62) . He defeats the armies of the Antichrist (Rev.19:17–21) . The Antichrist and the false prophet are captured and thrown alive into the lake of fire (Rev.19:20) .

7. The judgment of the nations. Christ will judge the survivors of the tribulation, separating the righteous from the wicked as “sheep” and “goats” (Matt. 25:31–46) . (It is thought that at this time the Old Testament saints will be raised from the dead.) The righteous will enter the Millennial Kingdom; the wicked will be cast into hell.

8. The binding of Satan . Satan will be bound and held in a bottomless pit for the next 1,000 years (Rev. 20:1–3) .

9. The Millennial Kingdom . Jesus Himself will rule the world, and Jerusalem will be the capital. This will be a 1,000-year period of peace and prosperity on earth (Rev. 20:4-6; Isa. 60–62) . Memorial sacrifices will be offered in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem (Ezek. 40–48) .

10. The last battle . At the end of the 1,000 years, Satan will be released from his prison for a short time. He will deceive the nations once again, and there will be a rebellion against the Lord that will be quickly defeated (Rev. 20:7–10) . Satan will be cast into the lake of fire, never to reappear.

11. The Great White Throne Judgment . All those in hell will be brought forth, and all the wicked from all eras of history will be resurrected to stand before God in a final judgment (Rev. 20:11–15) . The verdicts are read, and sinful humanity is cast into the lake of fire.

12. The new creation. God completely remakes the heavens and the earth. It is at this time that God wipes away all tears and there will be no more pain, death, or sorrow. The New Jerusalem descends from heaven, and the children of God will enjoy eternity with Him (Rev. 21–22) .

The Book of Revelation is scary to some, but it can be considered the Fifth Gospel (Good News). In the four Gospels we find:

Good news that Jesus came into the world.

Good news that Jesus healed the sick.

Good news that Jesus died for our sins.

Good news that Jesus rose from the dead.

In the Book of Revelation, we find:

Good news that Jesus is still on his throne and knows what is going on.

Good news that he will protect his bride, the church, from the tribulation.

Good news that he will come again with his church to rule the world in peace and prosperity.

Good news that Satan and his demons will be cast into a bottomless pit.

Good news that there will be a new heaven and a new earth.

Good news that the curse on the world will be lifted and that there will be no more tears, no more death.

Revelation is filled with good news, it’s the Fifth Gospel. It was written to encourage a persecuted church.

What should the church be doing in light of the plan of God? Matt. 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

2 Kings 20 - 21

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 04:32:19 GMT

Chapter 20:

Hezekiah becomes Critically Ill, but Survives

About the time Sennacherib was attacking Judah, King Hezekiah became sick. What a time to not be at one’s best. Perhaps the illness was stress related. Maybe a visitor might make him feel better. Here comes Isaiah, maybe he will help brighten the king’s mood. “Good morning, Your Royal Highness, how’re you doing?” After a few comments back and forth Isaiah gave him some less than welcome news. Verse 2 , “Put your house in order because you are going to die.” What a shock! If he didn’t have a plan for his funeral, he needed one.

In the U.S. each president is expected to have funeral plans in place on becoming president. The Military District of Washington (MDW) has responsibility in overseeing state funerals and in all cases, must strictly follow the outline of a 138-page planning document.

He probably thought that being a righteous good king, and a religious reformer, he would be blessed with a longer life. He may have thought that his life-threatening illness was a sign that he had done something wrong. The idea that illness or other misfortune was caused by sin alone was a common idea back then, and even today. Job’s friends believed it. They told Job that he must have some hidden sins for all those bad things to have happened to him. Job protested. The disciples of Jesus believed it. Regarding the blind man, they asked, “who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind” (John 9:3) . Jesus said, “neither of them sinned.” Sometimes bad things happen to good people for reasons we won’t know this side of eternity.

Isaiah left the room and Hezekiah wept and prayed, “O Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes” (verse 2) .”

Before Isaiah had even left the building he was told to go back to the king with another message. This message was more welcome than the first. Verses 5-6, “I heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. . . I will add fifteen years to your life.”

Not only would he be healed and be given 15 more years, “And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the King of Assyria” (verse 6) .

James 5:16 , “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

Verse 7 indicates that his fatal illness was a boil. A boil is a collection of thick liquid consisting of dead tissue, cells, and bacteria, produced in infected tissue. Apparently, a boil can lead to life-threatening complications. The infection can enter the bloodstream which can take the infection to the heart or bones and that’s not a good thing. Aren’t you glad I only gave you a definition didn’t go so far as to post a picture?

Dr. Isaiah recommended a poultice made of figs to help draw out the infection (verse 7) . God chose to work through the accepted medical standards of the day. Today you might be advised to use a warm compress to relieve pain and promote drainage rather than a fig poultice. If needed, your doctor might cut it to drain it and give you some antibiotics. Now, let’s move from the field of medicine back to theology.

We don’t know if Hezekiah lived to regret having been given these extra fifteen years. Especially if the last five of the extra fifteen years were plagued by some catastrophic disease. God did promise him fifteen years of life, he didn’t promise him good health, also. Nor did he promise him welcomed visitors from other nations, peace, prosperity or a son who would prove to be godly.

Speaking of visitors from other nations, some visitors from Babylon arrived (verses 12-21) . These visitors weren’t there just to wish the king good health, though their gifts of candy and motorcycle magazines, etc. (verse 12) for the ailing monarch which were much appreciated, I’m sure. Their real goal was to convince King Hezekiah to join them, along with the Egyptians in an alliance against the Assyrians. During their visit, wanting to be a gracious host, Hezekiah showed them around the palace, then the recently renovated temple. Then he showed them the treasury (Verse 16) . “Look, this is where we store all of our gold.” I can’t imagine a president of the U.S. taking foreigners to the Ft. Knox Gold Bullion Depository at Ft. Knox, KY to show them the 147.3 million ounces of gold, worth around 190 billion dollars. “Now, let me show you our new high tech security system.” BTW, did you know that Ft. Knox also stores a large quantity of morphine? We wouldn’t want to run out of that in the event of a war or natural disaster.

I think Hezekiah let his pride get the best of him. He seems to have distracted them from the glory of God to impress them with his own wealth and grandeur (2 Chron. 32:31) .

After the foreign dignitaries left, Isaiah came by to see how things were going. He asked the king what the visitors wanted and what they saw. “They saw everything in my palace, there is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them” (verse 15) .

Isaiah was shocked and informed him that a time will come when all of the wealth will be carried off to Babylon” (verse 17) . And if that’s not bad enough, verse 18 , says, “some of your descendant, your own flesh and blood, that will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

Hezekiah accepted what Isaiah said and asked in verse 19 , “Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?”

The chapter ends with a mention of a large tunnel that could bring water into the city. Very important in case there is a siege. And then he died. He was followed by his son Manasseh (verse 21) .

Twenty years after Israel was attacked, Hezekiah built a tunnel 1700 feet (533 meters) long to provide underground access to the waters of the Gihon Spring, which lay outside the city (2 Chron. 32:2-4) . This tunnel was from two different directions in order to speed up the work in the face of the advancing enemy. There you can see the "Siloam inscription," which commemorates the meeting of the two teams. At the same time, a wall was built around the Siloam Pool, into which the spring waters were channeled; the wall continued westward and surrounded the city. Isa. 22:11 You built a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the Old Pool, but you did not look to the One who made it or have regard for the One who planned it long ago.

Chapter 21:

Manasseh, King of Judah

Manasseh, son of Hezekiah, became king of Judah. He had the longest reign of any king in either Israel or Judah. He was also one of the evilest kings (verse 2) . He rebuilt all the high places that his dad, King Hezekiah had destroyed, erected altars to Baal, sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery (using power of evil spirits) and divination, consulted mediums and spirits and even put a carved Asherah pole in the temple (verses 3-7) . It seems to me that he did everything he could to offend God and destroy the legacy of his father.

Deut. 18:10-11 “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.”

Let’s take a look at some of these words.

Divination: seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown from supernatural sources.

Practicing divination is listed as one of the reasons for Israel’s exile (2 Kings 17:17) . Jer.14:14 spoke of the false prophets of the time, saying, “They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.” So, compared to God’s truth, divination is false, deceitful, and worthless.

Paul and Silas encountered a diviner: “We were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling” (Acts 16:16). The girl’s ability to penetrate mysteries was due to a demon that controlled her.

Sorcery: Sorcery is using the power from an evil source.

The apostle Paul lists sorcery as one of many sinful practices that mark the lives of unbelievers: “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife . . . and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21) .

Omen: An omen is a sign with prophetic significance. Omens are closely tied with fortune-telling and divination, as the omen must be “read” or “divined” by someone who knows how. There can be good ones and bad ones. God made Isaiah walk naked and barefoot as “a sign and omen against Egypt and Cush” (Isaiah 20:3) . This omen was clear confirmations of God’s plan.

Witchcraft: the use of evil supernatural powers to harm or help someone.

Today there are witchdoctors in Tanzania who use the body parts of albinos to bring wealth and good luck. A full set of albino body parts can cost over $75,000.

Necromancy: summoning and communicating with the dead.

Why are these practices condemned? There are only two sources of spiritual power: God and Satan. To seek power from an evil spirit is a form of idolatry. Satan can counterfeit God’s power. When Moses performed miracles before Pharaoh, the magicians did the same things through demonic power (Ex. 8:7) . Our desire to know more than we should has its roots in Satan’s first temptation to Eve: “You can be like God” (Gen. 3:5) . Deut. 29:29 says. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.”

We shouldn’t seek t knowledge or power that we are not authorized to have from sources that are forbidden. The Bible is our source for spiritual insight (2 Peter 1:19–21) .

A summary of Manasseh’s reign is found in verse 9 , “Manasseh led them astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.”

The result of this disobedience led to verses 12-14 , “I am going to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. . . I will forsake the remnant of my inheritance and hand them over to their enemies.”

More details of Manasseh’s reign are given in 2 Chron. 33:10-12 . It says, “The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. So the Lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.” Then God brought him back to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem Manasseh (verse 15) . “He got rid of the foreign gods and removed the image from the temple of the Lord.” He tried to undo the damage he had done earlier and then he died, and his son Amon succeeded him as king (verse 20) . And, as you might be able to guess, Amon was also an evil king and was assassinated by some of his officials (verse 23) . Then, (verse 24) the people of the land killed all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place.” The good news, after all of this national trauma and violence, is that Josiah was an excellent king, another reformer, turning his people back to the one true God.

Manasseh reigned for 55 years, but the long length of his reign was not a sign of blessing. 2 Chron. 33:10-20 , God allowed Babylon to take him captive where he repented. Upon returning to Jerusalem, he destroyed the idolatrous temples and urged his subjects to return to God (2 Chron. 33:14,16) . But his repentance had no impact on his son Amon who succeeded him (verse 20) . Much of the damage Manasseh did was irreversible.

2 Kings 18 - 19

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 03:40:04 GMT

Chapter 18-19:

Hezekiah Becomes King of Judah, Isaiah is his Advisor.

Here’s a quick overview of what we will read about in the following chapters. Hezekiah witnessed the destruction of the northern Kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians in 722 BCE and was king of Judah during the siege of Jerusalem by Assyrian King Sennacherib in 701 BCE. Hezekiah was a religious reformer and is listed in the genealogy of Jesus. Both Isaiah and Micah prophesied during his reign as did Hosea and Micah.

Hezekiah purified and repaired the Temple, purged its idols, and reformed the priesthood. He destroyed the high places and the "bronze serpent", recorded as being made by Moses, which had become objects of idolatrous worship. He centralized the worship of God at the Temple in Jerusalem (2 Chron. 29:1-31) . Hezekiah also defeated the Philistines, and invited the northern tribes of Israel to take part in a Passover festival in Jerusalem.

WOW! What a GREAT king. He and Josiah are the only two kings who receive unqualified praise from God.

Meanwhile, Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, ruled a massive area that stretched from Iran to Egypt. But ruling over such a vast territory wasn’t without its challenges. Two notable rebellions were the Babylonians and the Jews where he carried off 200,000 Jews.

I mentioned the Prophet Isaiah. We should learn something about him before we get into the narrative. Jewish tradition has it that Isaiah was the son of a prophet and nephew of king Amaziah. This explains why he was unintimidated by royalty and able to criticize them when necessary. Also, again, according to tradition, Hezekiah married Isaiah’s daughter and he was killed by Hezekiah’s son, Manasseh. Allegedly, Manasseh had Isaiah tied inside a sack, placed him inside the hollow of a tree trunk, and then sawed it in two. Why do religions add these ideas to Scripture? Shouldn’t what we have been given be enough? More on that idea later.

Isaiah’s prophecies carry a short message of impending destruction of the Temple, a time of captivity as well as a positive message which included their return to their land, the coming of the Messiah and the Kingdom of God.

Let’s get into the text.

2 Kings 18:1-2 tells us that Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king and reigned for twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah, daughter of Zechariah.

Why would we be told his mother’s name? I tried to find out something about her, but all I found was something in “rabbinical literature” which means “oral law and tradition.” Some traditions are very bizarre and not to be trusted. Here is one about the mother of Hezekiah. She saved the life of her son whom her godless husband, Ahaz had prepared him to be offered to the pagan king Molech. She anointed him with the blood of the salamander which enabled him to pass through the fire of Moloch unscathed.

The blood of the salamander protects one from fire. Where did this idea come from? There was this idea that when glassmakers leave a furnace continuously alight for seven days and seven nights, out of the fire there emerges a salamander, which is impervious to fire. So, the idea was that if you cover your arm or any limb with its blood, it becomes impervious to fire. Perhaps more believable would be the suggestion that whoever was monitoring the fire was drinking too much wine at the time.

It might be more believable to simply assume that she was a godly mother who taught her son well even though her husband, Ahaz was a very evil king.

I wonder what our descendants will think about some of our “modern” ideas that we hold today. “Modern medicine” thought it would be a good idea to take an icepick and hammer it through the orbital cavity, wiggle it back and forth to destroy brain tissue. This was called a trans-orbital lobotomy and was thought to be an effective treatment for some forms of mental illness.

Hezekiah was a very good king. A short list of his accomplishments is found in verses 3-8, and included: removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles (2 Chron. 29:1-31). He broke into pieces the bronze snake that the people turned into an object of worship. That is one of the dangers of having relics, they can turn into an object of worship. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and defeated the Philistines. In summary, verses 5-6, “He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses.”

In verses 9-12 there’s a summary of what happened to the northern kingdom of Israel, which we just covered in chapter 17 . Now Sennacherib, king of Assyria is going to come after Judah (verse 13) . So, Hezekiah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish. Lachish was a well-fortified military city in the foothills of the Judean mountains, southwest of Jerusalem located along a travel route. It was second only to Jerusalem during the reign of Rehoboam.

What was the message that he sent? Verse 14, “Withdraw from me and I will pay whatever you demand.” Hezekiah gave him everything, including the gold that covered the doors and doorposts of the temple (verse 16) .

Much of what follows is also recorded in Isaiah chapters 36-39 .

Not satisfied, Sennacherib then threatened Jerusalem. The king of Assyria sent his representatives from Lachish to meet with representatives of Hezekiah to “negotiate” some sort of peaceful settlement. When Assyrians came to negotiate with Hezekiah’s father, Ahaz personally went out to meet with them. Hezekiah, on the other hand, send representatives. The spokesperson for the Assyrian delegation suggested that Hezekiah shouldn’t rely on his treaty with Egypt for protection (verse 21) nor should they depend on (verse 22) , the Lord their God. In other words, you guys are all alone and far inferior to our army, so why not surrender now. He goes on to say that the God of Israel had told them to march against this country and destroy it (verse 25) .

This conversation was taking place outside the city gates. There were civilians on the wall who could overhear the negotiations. The Jews asked the Assyrian team to speak in the diplomatic language of the day, Aramaic, rather than Hebrew so that the people on the wall couldn’t understand the discussion (verse 26) . They didn’t want the people to know what was being said and perhaps interfere with them. There might have been some “anti-Hezekiah” people who opposed his reforms among the people on the wall.

The Assyrian “foreign minister” then addressed the people on the wall in Hebrew. He said, (verses 29-31) , “Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you from my hand. . . Make peace with me and come out to me.”

He then promised the Jews something that sounds very much like God’s promise to them if they obeyed Him. Verses 31-32 , “Then everyone of you will eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern. . . a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey. Choose life and not death!”

The negotiations continued but the Jews did not respond to their offer. Perhaps because they didn’t have the authority to decide, all they could do was relay their offer to the king. The Jewish delegation then returned to the palace to report to the king (verse 37) .

Chapter 19:1 Hezekiah was shocked and terrified by the report he received. He sent his key administrators to the prophet Isaiah to seek his advice (verse 2) . Isaiah received their briefing and told them, “Do not be afraid (2 Chron. 32:1-8) of what you have heard . . . I am going to put a spirit in him (Sennacherib) that when he hears a certain report he will return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword” (verses 6-7) .

As these negotiations were going on, Sennacherib was out and about defeating other cities, which only added to the tension back in Jerusalem (verses 8-13) .

Hezekiah prepared for such a siege. He improved the water supply (2 Chron. 32:5) and strengthened the city’s defenses. He also made a treaty with Egypt to gain their support (against the wishes and advise of Isaiah).

And he prayed (verses 14-19) , the bottom line of the prayer was (verse 19) , “Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O Lord, are God.” Then Hezekiah received a most welcomed letter from Isaiah (verses 20-34) . I’ll summarize and paraphrase this message from God to Sennacherib. “The people of Judah despise you and mock you. You’re an arrogant king who blasphemed me (God). I’ll put a hook in your nose and a bit in your mouth and make you return to where you came from. You will NOT enter this city (Jerusalem). I will defend this city and save it. You attack my people, I attack you.

So, what happened? Sennacherib’s troops surrounded and besieged the city of Jerusalem, but their attack was halted by a mysterious plague. Verse 35 , “That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies! So, Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there” (II Kings 19:35-36) . The death of many of his soldiers was much like the plaque that destroyed the Egyptians during the first Passover.

Sennacherib returned to Nineveh. This was the city where Jonah and Nahum prophesied, and was located where the modern-day city of Mosul in northern Iraq is today. It was, for fifty years, the largest city in the world. Sennacherib built an enormous new palace for himself. For decoration, he ordered his workmen to build huge panels, from floor to ceiling that depicted, in detail, all the tortures that his army heaped upon his victims.

The mysterious plague that struck the Assyrian soldiers was also recorded by Herodotus, a Greek historian of the ancient world: “As the two armies lay here opposite one another, there came in the night, a multitude of fieldmice, which devoured all the quivers and bowstrings of the enemy and ate the thongs by which they managed their shields. Next morning, they commenced their fight, and great multitudes fell, as they had no arms with which to defend themselves…” ( Herodotus, The Histories, Book 2, Chapter 141 ).

Did Sennacherib spend his later years in comfortable retirement on the banks of Lake Nineveh (if there was such a lake)? No. Verse 37 , “One day, while he was worshipping in the temple of his god Nisroch (their god of agriculture), his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer cut him down with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king.” In spite of being plagued by paranoia, depression and illnesses, Esarhaddon was recognized as one of the greatest and most successful Assyrian kings.

Let’s talk about these traditions or legends concerning heroes of the Bible. In 1 Cor. 4:6 , Paul describes the nature and work of true apostleship. In verse 6 he says, “Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, ‘Do not go beyond what is written.’ Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.”

To “not go beyond what is written” refers to the general principle that everything a believer does should be based on biblical truth.

Paul wants his readers to understand that the words and teachings of Scripture are ultimately sufficient and true. The Corinthians were listening to the words of their preferred leader more than they were to the words of Scripture itself. Paul challenged this mindset among the Corinthians by stating his desire among them was to know nothing “except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2) . Others were eager to know the opinions of certain leaders and to elevate them to Scripture.

The Bible has what we need to live a holy and pleasing life before God. In the very last chapter of the Bible, we are warned not to add or take away from the inspired words of God (Rev. 22:18–19) . 2 Tim. 3:16-17 , “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Every time someone says, “Speaking in tongues is the proof of salvation” or “Christians shouldn’t own a television” or “Mary is the mother of God,” or we must say “the sinners prayer” (which isn’t in the Bible) that someone is going beyond what is written.

But we also must be able to tell where the Bible is descriptive versus where it is prescriptive. If we confuse description with instruction, we usually run into error. The Bible must be the final and ultimate authority for believers rather than the latest book, the newest cultural trend, or the most popular Christian speaker. It diminishes the Scripture when we think it isn’t enough, that we need “sacred traditions” to add to it. By adding to the word of God, we can distract ourselves from what is essential.

2 Kings 15 - 17

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 08:27:54 GMT

Chapter 15:

Another GOOD King Reigns in Judah

So, how did Azariah do as king? Quite well. “He did what was RIGHT in the eyes of the Lord” (verse 3) . But “the high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.” To make things a bit more confusing, Azariah was also known as Uzziah.

Azariah is going to end up with leprosy for disobeying God, his son Jotham will have to step in and rule for a while until he recovered. Uzziah was struck with leprosy for disobeying God (2 Kings 15:5, 2 Chron. 26:19–21) .

He reigned for 52 prosperous years. In his early years he was influenced by the prophet Zechariah. There were technological advances in weaponry made during this time. He made machines designed to shoot arrows and hurl large stones from towers. According to 2 Chron. 26 , Uzziah conquered the Philistines and the Arabians and received tribute from the Ammonites. He fortified the country, organized and equipped the army, and personally engaged in agricultural pursuits.

Then his pride led to his downfall. He entered the Temple to burn incense on the altar of incense. Azariah the high priest saw this as an attempt to usurp the prerogatives of the priests and confronted him with a band of eighty priests, saying, "It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense." (2 Chron. 26:18) . Does this sound like what Saul did? In 1 Sam. 13:12 we find Samuel being rebuked for offering a sacrifice, which he was not authorized to do.

In the meantime, a great earthquake shook the ground, and a rent was made in the temple, and the bright rays of the sun shone through it and fell upon the king's face. Uzziah was suddenly struck with leprosy before he had offered the incense (2 Chron. 26:19) , and he was driven from the Temple and compelled to reside in "a separate house" until his death (2 Kings 15:5, 27; 2 Chron. 26:3) . The government was turned over to his son Jotham (2 Kings 15:5) , a coregency that lasted for the last 11 years of Uzziah's life. When he died, his son Jotham succeeded him (verse 7) .

A major earthquake is referred to in the book of the prophet Amos. Amos dates his prophecy to "two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel" (Amos 1:1) . Over 200 years later, the prophet Zechariah predicted a future earthquake from which the people would flee as they fled in the days of Uzziah (Zech. 14:5) . Geologists believe they have found evidence of this major earthquake in sites throughout Israel and Jordan.

Meanwhile, in the northern kingdom, Zechariah, son of Jeroboam, became king of Israel. He reigned only 6 months (verse 8) , which is good since he was like his predecessors in Israel, an evil king. He was assassinated by someone by the name of Shallum, who succeeded him as king. How long did Shallum reign as King of Israel? Barely long enough to get his regal uniforms tailored to fit him, ONE month. Do you want to guess how he died? He was assassinated by Menahem, who reigned for ten years. During his reign the king of Assyria invaded (verse 19) . Menahem gave the invading king a load of silver and the king withdrew. He died and was succeeded by Pekahiah, who reigned for two years. He too was assassinated, this time by Pekah (verse 25) . Pekah reigned for twenty years. During his reign Assyria invaded again and deported some people to Assyria (verse 29) . Then Hoshea conspired against Pekah and assassinated him and succeeded him as king (verse 30) .

Meanwhile, down south in Judah, Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah began to reign. He reigned for 16 years, and he did what was right in the eyes of God (verse 34) . When he died, his son Ahaz succeeded him.

Chapter 1 6

The story now moves to the southern kingdom of Judah where there is a new king, his name was Ahaz. He was only twenty years old when he began his reign and ruled for sixteen years. And, as you might have guessed, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God. “He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire” (verse 3) .

Then the king of Aram, by the name of Rezin, along with Pekah, the king of Israel, invaded Jerusalem (verse 5) . Ahaz called upon the Assyrians for help (verse 7) . To seal the deal, he took what valuables were left in the temple and sent this “gift” to Tiglath-Pileser, the king of Assyria (verse 8) . The king of Assyria complied and attacked Damascus, found King Rezin and executed him (verse 9) . Ahaz then went to Damascus to meet with the King of Assyria. While sightseeing in Damascus, Ahaz saw an altar, liked it, drew a sketch of it, sent it back home to have one built for himself.

When King Ahaz returned from Damascus, he was shown a “welcome home” present, a copy of the altar that he saw in Damascus. Someone is in for a promotion after this feat. The king offered up a bunch of different offerings. Notice verse 15 , “I will use the bronze altar for seeking guidance.” He was following the pagan practice of divination. Imagine a priest vacationing in India and then on his return, remodeling the church to look more like a Hindu temple. I guess in time he got bored with Judaism because in 2 Chron. 28:24 it says, “Ahaz gathered together the furnishings from the temple of God and took them away. He shut the doors of the Lord’s temple and set up altars at every street corner in Jerusalem. In every town in Judah, he built high places to burn sacrifices to other gods and provoked the Lord, the God of his fathers, to anger.”

When Ahaz died, he too was not buried with the other kings in Jerusalem. Jehoram and Joash were two other kings who were not buried among the other kings. His son Hezekiah succeeded him. Good News! Hezekiah was a good king, in fact, a very good king.

Chapter 17:

The Last king of Israel

Meanwhile, back up north in Israel, Hoshea became the Last King of Israel, he reigned for nine years and “did evil” in the eyes of the Lord, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him. How did he get the job as king? He was a captain in Pekah’s army, and he assassinated him.

Then the king of Assyria, Shalmaneser, attacked Hoshea “who had been Shalmaneser’s vassal” (verse 3) . Hoshea got tired of paying tribute to Assyria, so he rebelled.

Hoshea got tired of paying Shalmaneser tribute, so he stopped the payments. Rather than sending a debt collector to Samaria, Shalmaneser invaded Israel, arrested Hoshea (verse 4) , laid siege to Samaria for three years (verse 5) and DEPORTED THE ISRAELITES to Assyria (verse 6) . But not everyone was taken to Assyria. According to the records of the Assyrians, about 28,000 were taken. Then Sargon 11 of Assyria settled other captured people in the vacated towns of Israel.

What happened to Hoshea following the end of the kingdom of Israel, and when or where he died, is unknown.

The deportation of a defeated enemy is oftentimes done, but not everyone is taken. Only those with the skills and education that the victorious nation needed were taken. The U.S. did this in Germany at the end of WW 2. The United States did allow former Nazi rocket scientist, Wernher von Braun, along with about 1,600 other German scientists, engineers, and technicians to come to America. They developed the Saturn V super heavy-lift launch vehicle that propelled the Apollo spacecraft to the Moon. We didn’t depopulate Germany nor did Assyria depopulate Israel.

There’s an interesting story behind this event. In 1945 von Braun chose to surrender to the Western Allied, rather than the Russians because he wanted to share his technology with people who followed the Bible. In 1946 he underwent a religious conversion to Evangelical Christianity. He stated:

One day in Fort Bliss, a neighbor called and asked if I would like to go to church with him. I accepted, because I wanted to see if the American church was just a country club as I'd been led to expect. Instead, I found a small, white frame building...in the hot Texas sun on a browned-grass lot...Together, these people make a live, vibrant community. This was the first time I really understood that religion was not a cathedral inherited from the past, or a quick prayer at the last minute. To be effective, a religion has to be backed up by discipline and effort.

Later in life, he joined an Episcopal congregation, and became increasingly religious. He publicly spoke and wrote about the complementarity of science and religion, the afterlife of the soul, and his belief in God. He stated, "Through science man strives to learn more of the mysteries of creation. Through religion he seeks to know the Creator." He stated that "The farther we probe into space, the greater my faith."

OK, back to 2 Kings 17:24 , “So the people of Israel were taken from their homeland into exile in Assyria, and they are still there.”

There is a theory among some religious groups that claims that the Israelites, when they were taken to Assyria, migrated to other nations, such as northwestern Europe, England, and the U.S. This theory is called British Israelism (BI). Other nationalities also claim to be descendants of the lost tribes of Israel. BI became popular in the 1800’s to mid-1900’s.

But there are big problems with this theory. The first is the fact that these so-called lost tribes of Israel were never lost in the first place. Most of them remained in Israel. Those taken were those who would pose a threat to the Assyrians if they had remained. Israel wasn’t depopulated, only about 30,000 were taken into captivity. 2 Chron. 30:1-11 tells us that many were spared deportation. King Hezekiah of Judah sent invitations throughout Israel inviting them to come down to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover together. Just as many Jews left Germany prior to World War 2 and some Americans leave one state for another for political reasons, some Israelites relocated to Judah prior to the Assyrian invasion according to 2 Chron. 15:9 .

Most of the exiles were settled in the towns of “Halah and in the towns of the Medes” (verse 6) . The Assyrians were called the Nazis of their day. Many died of harsh treatment. But some did survive and returned to Israel (Isa. 10:22) . Ezra 1:1-4 tells us that Persian King Cyrus II, released many of his Hebrew captives. Ezra compiled a list of the events, and he talks specifically of "Israelite people" returning (Ezra 2:70, 3:1, 11) . 1 Chron. 9:2 tells us that, "the people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants.” Verse 3 , lists the names of “those from Judah, from Benjamin, and from Ephraim and Manasseh who lived in Jerusalem.” These people returned to their homeland; they didn’t move to Europe.

After the captivity, Judah and Israel were again united and were referred to as “all Israel” (Ezra 2:70; 8:35; 10:5; Neh.12:47) . For this reason, at Pentecost, Peter could address the Hebrews as "Men of Judea", and as "Fellow Israelites" (Acts 2:14, 29) . The apostle Paul is referred to as a “Jew” (Acts 21:29) , an Israelite (2 Cor. 11:22) and a “Hebrew" in Phil. 3:5 . Paul wasn’t confused as to his identity. The term Israel and Jew became synonymous.

The Anglo-Saxons are not a Semitic race. The Human Genome Project DNA disproves the theory of BI.

The English language is not Semitic, nor does it contain any hints of having a Hebrew heritage.

There are no ancient records that indicate Britain has an Israelite history.

Matt. 15:24 says that Jesus was sent to the lost sheep of Israel. How could this be if he never made it to NW Europe?

How could the tribes be lost if James refers to the twelve tribes of Israel?

How could the prophetess Anna be from the tribe of Asher (Luke 2:36) , one of the supposed ten lost tribes.

2 Chron. 34:5-9 says that the Levites collected money from Manasseh, Ephraim and the remnant of Israel, ninety years after the fall of the northern Kingdom. Did they go to Assyria or NW Europe to collect this money?

Why would Assyria, or later Babylon, or later Persia allow the Israelites to migrate outside of their territories? Further, if the Israelites had the ability to migrate, why wouldn’t they return to their ancestral homeland?

If the northern kingdom of Israel was taken to Assyria, then migrated to Europe, how could they have been with those who returned during the time of Ezra and Nehemia after the Babylonian captivity.

How could the U.S. be descendants of Manasseh when it is such a melting pot of nationalities?

Finally, God’s covenants with Israel always involved the specific land of Israel. How could these promises of the land apply to England or the U.S.?

Assyria wanted to solve their problem with Israel, not relocate it. They only took about 20% of the population, the elites, the leadership, etc. Some Israelites headed south to Judah before and after the Assyrian invasion. The Lost Tribes of Israel were never lost, they just merged with Judah, and some were absorbed in Assyria.

Now, let’s get back to 2 Kings 17 .

Why would God allow this to happen to his chosen people? Verse 7 , “All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God. . . They worshipped other gods and followed the practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced.” Verse 13 , “The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers.” Among the prophets who warned Israel were Elijah, Elisha, Amos and Hosea. But they “would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who did not trust in the Lord their God” (verse 14) . Verse 17 , “They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sorcery and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, provoking him to anger.” Finally, verse 23 , “So the people of Israel were taken from their homeland into exile in Assyria, and they are still there.” Verse 24 , “The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites.”

These immigrants from the outside didn’t worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but their own gods (verse 25) . So, the Lord sent lions to attack them. So, they sent word back to Assyria as to what was happening so the king of Assyria ordered that some of the priests that were taken captive should go back to Israel to teach them how to worship God (verse 28) . The newcomers to Israel ended up worshiping “the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought (verse 33) . Verse 41 , “Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols.”

The Samaritans were avoided by the Jews. Because they intermarried with these gentiles. Also, they worshipped a mix of Judaism and paganism (2 Kings 17:26-28) introduced to them by Jeroboam.

Because the Israelite inhabitants of Samaria had intermarried with the foreigners and adopted their idolatrous religion, Samaritans were universally despised by the Jews. Animosity grew between the groups when the Samaritans tried to prevent Nehemiah from rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem (Neh. 6:1-14) . The Samaritans built a temple on Mount Gerizim to compete with the one in Jerusalem. Samaria also became a refuge for outlaws in Judea (Joshua 20:6-7; 21:21) .

And finally, the Samaritans received only the five books of Moses and rejected the writings of the prophets and all the Jewish traditions.

The Jews came to regard the Samaritans as the worst of humanity (John 8:48) and had no dealings with them (John 4:9) . Despite this animosity, Jesus preached the gospel to the Samaritans (John 4:6-26) , and the apostles later followed His example (Acts 8:25) .

The story of Israel is a story of tragedy. Go back to Deut. 28 and read what might have been, if only they had obeyed God. Israel would have been set high above all the nations on earth. They would be blessed with great fertility, of the people and the land. Its enemies would be defeated. The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. Instead of blessings, the people of Israel suffered through droughts, diseases, famines, invasions, became a debtor nation and, verse 36 , “The Lord will drive you and the king you set over you to a nation unknown to you or your fathers.” taken into exile.

2 Kings 13 - 14

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 08:06:03 GMT

Chapter 13:

Jehoahaz king of Israel

Back in Israel, we have King Jehoahaz was the son of Jehu. He reigned for 17 years (verse 1) and, yes, he too was an evil king (verse 2) .

For many years God kept Israel under “the power of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad, his son.” In time, Jehoahaz, Israel’s king, got tired of this oppression and called out to God for help. Verse 5 , “And the Lord provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram.” But believe it or not, “they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam” (verse 6) .

Are we also so slow to learn as the Israelites were? And you know where to find more history of the life of Jehoahaz, don’t you? He died and his son Jehoash succeeded him. Need I tell you what kind of king he turned out to be? He did evil for 16 years (verse 11) , including going to war with Amaziah, king of Judah (verse 12) . He reigned, did evil, died and his son Jeroboam succeeded him. No, the first Jeroboam wasn’t reincarnated, this evil king could be referred to as Jeroboam II. I think it says something about Jehoash if he named his son after Jeroboam, a very evil king. That would be like a German family named Mueller naming their son Adolf Hiter Mueller. But obviously, Jehoash didn’t view Jeroboam as an evil king who brought to Israel idol worship and golden calves. He probably referred to him as a “progressive innovator of religion.” Isn’t that nicer than “sinful idol worshipper”?

About this time Elisha was getting up in years. But before he died, King Jehoash went down to see him (verse 14) . What was his motive? I remember a story about U.S. President Woodrow Wilson who had suffered a stroke. One of his political opponents visited him and reassured the president that he was praying for him. Wilson asked, “Which way?” Likewise, Jehoash might have had mixed motives in visiting Elisha.

Verse 14 , “Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. ‘My father! My father!’ he cried. ‘The chariots and horsemen of Israel!”

What’s that all about? He was grieving the loss of Elisha, but also concerned about the tiny army he was left with and the future of the kingdom. He appears to have recognized that his successes in military campaigns were more dependent upon Elisha than on his military prowess and equipping and training of his army.

Elisha reassured him that even if he died, God, the real source of his victories, not the prophet, will still be available. Elisha told him to get a bow and arrows, and he placed his hand on the hands of the king. He then told the king to shoot an arrow out the window to the east (verse 17) . Elisha explained that this symbolic act meant that he would have victory over the Arameans, even without Elisha’s help. Then he told the king to strike the ground with the arrows, which he did, three times. Elisha said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times.” But since he only did it three times, though he had five or six, he will defeat Aram only three times (verse 19) . He may have demonstrated a lack of zeal on his part to go to war or to completely defeat the Arameans.

With that last visit, “Elisha died and was buried.” That doesn’t sound like much of an obituary for such a great man of God. I think we can do much better. Let’s write up a better obituary, one worthy of such a great man:

Elisha the great Prophet of God , protégé and successor of Elijah, miracle worker and friend of the downtrodden, died today after a sixty-year ministry to the people of Israel and spanning the reigns of kings Jehoram, Jehu, Jehoahaz, and Joash.

In his ministry Elisha traveled widely and served as an adviser to kings, a companion of the common people, and a friend of both Israelites and foreigners. He was known for his many miracles of kindness such as healing the waters of Jericho, multiplying a widow’s oil, resurrecting a child, removing poison from the pot at a homeless encampment, multiplied barley loaves to feed one hundred men, curing a man with leprosy and making a borrowed ax head float. His many miracles were acts of helpfulness, encouragement to many, both Israelites and foreigners.

In one notable incident, when Israel was threatened by the Arameans, Elisha prayed for the Arameans to be struck with blindness. Elisha led them to Samaria where they were taken prisoners of war. An army was captured without firing a single shot. His kind treatment of the captured enemies endeared him to the Arameans.

Elisha was buried by his disciples in the town of Dothan, Israel.

Meanwhile, bands of Moabites were raiding Israel at the beginning of the harvest season. On one such occasion there was a burial procession. The undertaker hastily placed the body in the closest safe place they could find, it was the tomb of Elisha. As soon as the deceased body touched that of Elisha’s, it came back to life (verse 21) . What was the meaning of this? Commentators have suggested that this incident occurred to increase the reverence of the Israelites for the memory of Elisha, to lend force to his teaching, and especially to add weight to his unfulfilled prophecies. Others claim that this miracle may have been needed to encourage and reassure the the Israelites. Elisha may have been encouraging people in death much as he did in his life.

A few churches use this passage to support the veneration of relics, a practice that most churches frown upon since veneration is too close to worship. The distinction between veneration and worship is extremely slim. They both include showing respect and awe for something or someone.

A church that does venerate relics explained their position. “ We do not worship , we do not adore, for fear that we should bow down to the creature rather than to the Creator, but we venerate the relics of the martyrs in order the better to adore Him whose martyrs they are."

The fear that veneration can turn to worship is very real. This is exactly what happened in ancient Israel. God told Moses to make a bronze serpent to save the Hebrews from a plague of poisonous snakes (Num. 21:8–9) . That bronze serpent was kept by the Israelites as a reminder of God’s goodness and salvation; however, by the time of King Hezekiah, the “relic” had become an object of worship. Hezekiah’s reforms included breaking “into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it” (2 Kings 18:4) .

Because of man’s tendency to worship the creation rather than the creator, he saw to it that when Moses died, no one would know where he was buried (Deut. 34:5) . Sometimes when a notorious person is executed, he is buried in an unmarked grave, lest his followers turn his grave into a shrine.

But notice that in the case of Elisha’s body, there were no prayers said, and no religious ceremony. Nowhere in Scriptures do we see Elisha’s bones being venerated. The ancient Israelites and early church did not practice the veneration of objects. Reverence for religious relics finds no support in the Bible. Physical aids to faith, if not commanded by God, are unnecessary and can easily lead to superstition and idolatry. So, for these reasons, most churches discourage the “veneration of relics.”

Chapter 14:

Amaziah King of Judah

It’s exhausting reading about all these evil kings, assassinations, betrayals, warfare, etc. In this chapter we get something of a break, we get to read about a GOOD king. And if he is a good king than you know he must be from Judah, rather than from Israel. This good king was named Amaziah. His publicist might have referred to him as Amazing Amaziah. The king was crowned at the age of twenty-five and he reigned for twenty-nine years. Verse 3 , “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but NOT as his father David had done.” He did not serve God “wholeheartedly” (2 Chron. 25:2) . So, he wasn’t a Really Great King, but only a Pretty Good King. More like Joash rather than David. Amazing Amaziah was probably Commendable Amaziah, but that doesn’t have the same ring to it as amazing.

During the reign of Amaziah he was successful in a battle with Edom (2 Chron 25:14) , but he brought back the gods of the people of Seir. Continuing in 2 Chron. 25 , He set them up as his own gods, bowed down to them and burned sacrifices to them (verse 14) . A prophet of God was sent to him who asked, “Why do you consult this people’s gods, which could not save their own people from your hand?” (verse 15) . He should have chosen other souvenirs, rather than objects of pagan worship. He should have brought back daggers, swords, shields, jewelry, etc. instead.

Flush with victory, Amazing Amaziah was starting to think of himself as the press releases promoted him as amazing and unconquerable. Amaziah, thinking himself to be unbeatable, challenged Jehoash, king of Israel (verse 17) . Jehoash told Amaziah that his victory over Edom had made him arrogant. “. . .now you are arrogant and proud. But stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall, and that of Judah, also?” (verse 19) . But did he listen? No!

To make a long story short, Amaziah didn’t listen, and God used this incident to turn Amaziah over to Jehoash. Verse 23 , Amaziah was captured by Jehoash. Jehoash moved onto to attack Jerusalem and took the valuable items in the temple (verse 24) . How many times have we read that temple valuables were taken by one army or another. Was there much of anything left by now?

Amaziah was a pretty good king who did his share of killing, but he didn’t go overboard. He killed those officials who murdered his father, but he didn’t kill their children (2 Kings 14:5-6) . As Deut. 24:16 says, “Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.”

In the U.S. some people are calling for the payment of reparations to the descendants groups who were once oppressed by slavery, segregation, seizure of land, etc. The descendants of past oppressors would pay the descendants of the oppressed. Is it ethical to force innocent people to pay for the injustices of past generations? Is it even possible to determine who are the descendants of the oppressed? Many who could afford slaves purchased them. Some blacks owned slaves. Many white people today had no ancestors who owned slaves. Many living in the U.S. today immigrated to this country long after slavery and segregation were abolished. Maybe this is one reason why we have a statute of limitations which sets the maximum time after an event within which legal proceedings may be initiated. The reason for this statute is a defendant might have lost evidence necessary to disprove the claim. Litigation of a long-dormant claim may result in more cruelty than justice.

Not only was Amaziah captured, but part of the wall of Jerusalem was knocked down and all the gold and silver in the temple and in the treasuries in the palace were taken (verse 14) .

Then, in time, Jehoash “rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria” (verse 16) and his son Jeroboam succeeded him.

Fifteen years later Amaziah died. But his wasn’t a peaceful death while on a fishing trip on a placid lake. Instead, there was a conspiracy against him, he fled to Lachish where he, like his father, was assassinated for bringing about such disasters to Judah. His son, Azariah (a good king) succeeded him (verse 21) . No, I don’t know if he accepted the position willingly or not. With both his father and grandfather assassinated, I imagine he strengthened his personal security. Perhaps he should also have called for allowing a No Confidence Vote to remove a king rather than the usual way of removing a king, thrusting a dagger between his ribs.

Meanwhile, back in Israel, Jeroboam II reigned for 41 years and, you guessed it, did evil in the eyes of the Lord (verse 24) . We were already introduced to Jeroboam II, but he is reintroduced here because now he is no longer ruling alongside his father, Jehoash. During this time the entire land was suffering because of the Arameans and the Ammonites. The Lord stepped in and used Jeroboam II, yes, the evil king, to push back on their enemies and to relieve the people of Israel from their oppression. God can use anyone to serve his purposes. He was being very patient with Israel.

2 Kings 11 - 12

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 05:35:44 GMT

The Temple Gets a Renovation

Do you remember the warrior Jehu who drove his chariot like a madman? The one who drove like someone you know? He was ordered to kill the entire house of Ahab, including Israel’s current King Joram and Ahab’s widow, Jezebel. Well, the killing got a bit out of control and ultimately the victims included the Ahaziah, king of Judah, along with a lot of government officials, and the priests of Baal, and probably anyone he disliked, like a bully from grammar school or the barber who gave him a bad haircut the month before.

Well, Athaliah, the mother of one of his victims, Ahaziah, the king of Judah, grieved in a peculiar way. She didn’t seclude herself in the palace for years nor did she wear black clothing until the day she died or refuse to eat or play bridge with her lady friends. Instead, she went on a killing spree, killed her own children and made herself Queen of Judah. She was worse than Magda Goebbels, the wife of Nazi Germany's Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. Who, as WW 2 was coming to an end in Europe, murdered her six children before committing suicide with her husband. Neither Athaliah nor Magda would ever receive the MOTHER OF THE YEAR Award.

Chapter 11:1 , “When Athaliah (sometimes spelt Athalya) the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family.” Now if you are going to kill the entire family (no, I am not recommending that you do) be sure to take a head count so you don’t miss someone, like Athaliah did.

Jehosheba, the sister of the late king of Judah, Ahaziah, was also the wife of the high priest Jehoiada. She took the sole surviving grandchild of Athaliah, Prince Joash, and hid him in the temple for six years (verse 3) . He survived the massacre, and his absence wasn’t even noticed. Perhaps Jehoiada reported to her that the mission was completed and all the descendants of Amaziah who could make a claim for the throne of Judah have been eliminated.

With her position as queen secure, she surrounded herself with friends from Phoenicia and ruled with an iron hand, spreading a reign of terror in the land.

During all this time, Jehoiada, the wise and pious High Priest, made many friends and followers, who, like himself, had remained faithful to God and hoped for the day when the House of David reinstated on the throne of Judah.

When little Joash was seven years old, Jehoida decided that the time had come to liberate Judea from the foreign woman who had desecrated the throne of David.

The next big news story is a coup to eliminate Athaliah and to put the young prince Joash onto the throne of Judah.

2 Kings 11:4 , In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred. . . and brought them to the temple, made a covenant with them, then showed them the king’s son, Joash.

Having secured the allegiance of the military and religious leaders, he had the temple personnel seal off the temple area (verse 11) . Security was very tight.

Verse 12 , “Jehoiada brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, ‘Long live the king.’”

When Athaliah heard all the shouting of “Long live the king” she was at first puzzled, then she went next door to the temple to see what was going on. Puzzlement turned to shock, which turned to anger as she saw that child standing by the pillar and everyone shouting their approval and blowing trumpets. She “tore her robes and called out, (verse 14) , ‘Treason! Treason!’”

Treason was the least of her worries. She wasn’t given the option of moving to the country for a quiet retirement with a pension and paid staff to care for her. Nor could she go into exile, perhaps back to her family’s homeland.

Jehoiada commanded the captains of the guard to take Queen Athaliah out of the temple and put her to death, along with anyone who followed her (verse 15) . The guards obeyed, and Athaliah was executed by the Horse Gate on the palace grounds (2 Chron. 23:15) . The most infamous queen of Judah died much as did her mother, Jezebel, the infamous queen of Israel.

Serving now as the king’s proxy, Jehoiada made a covenant between the king and the people (2 Chron. 23:16) that they would be the Lord’s people and no longer worship Baal as the queen mother had encouraged (verse 17) . The people stormed the temple of Baal and killed the idolatrous chief priest (verse 18) . The Baal priest Mattan was killed in the temple and the altar was pulverized (2 Chron. 23:17) .

Then they marched over to the palace, placed King Joash on the throne (with a booster chair I imagine) and all the people of the land rejoiced (verses 19-20) . Then it was probably time for the little guy to take a nap with his favorite stuffed animal as the adults found other ways to celebrate.

Chapter 12

King Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord “all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him.” Oh, oh. Is this a hint of bad things to come once Joash was on his own? I’m afraid so, but for now, after a good night’s sleep, the next chore was to repair the temple.

A fund-raising campaign was conducted to pay for the costs of repairing the long-neglected temple. Verses 4-5 , “Collect all the money that is brought as sacred offerings to the temple of the Lord. . . .and let it be used to repair whatever damage is found in the temple.”

With the money collected, (verse 12) , “they purchased timber and dressed stone for the repair of the temple. . . and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.”

The purchased timber and dressed the stone? How badly damaged was the temple? It apparently needed more than a good scrubbing and a coat of paint. I would like to be able to see before and after pictures of the temple. Maybe it looked as bad as this church.

Verse 15 , “They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty.” How would they know that they were honest unless they did forensic accounting?

There seems to be a time gap between the restoration of the temple and the next passage which describes an attack from Hazael, the King of Aram.

Hazael attacked Gath (hometown of the giant Goliath) located west of Judah and was heading towards Jerusalem (verse 17) . Joash took all the treasures of the temple and palace and gave them to King Hazael (verse 18) . I guess that Hazael wasn’t motivated by hate as much as by greed. Once the bribe was paid, he returned home, with a big grin on his face.

After the high priest Jehoiada died, King Joash began listening to wicked advisers, and Baal and Asherah worship revived in Judah (2 Chron. 24:17–19) . And when God’s patience ran out, he allowed the king of Aram to attack, looting the nation.

The people of Israel turned against him and when he fell ill his servants assassinated him. He was succeeded by his son Amaziah. Though he was interred in Jerusalem, he was excluded from burial in the royal sepulcher (2 Chron. 24:25) .

Why was he excluded from the royal sepulcher? The U.S. has military cemeteries in several European countries where our fallen are buried. But if a soldier was executed for rape or murder, they would still be buried at the military cemetery, but not with the other soldiers. There is a section hidden from view by shrubbery where criminals in the military are buried. Their graves are identified by numbers, not their names. Perhaps not being buried in the sepulcher was a way of diminishing the degree of honor he was to have received. I wonder where other kings were buried.

Of course, if you want to learn more about his reign, you know where to go. Find a copy of the annals of the kings of Judah. Good luck with that.

What can we say about Joash? 2 Kings 12:1–3 , says that Joash “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him.” As long as he surrounded himself with wise, good people, he was more likely to do what was right in the eyes of the Lord.

Joash did make religious reforms, but they were mostly superficial. Under the influence of evil advisors Joash revived the Canaanite religion that they had earlier suppressed. Apostasy is like cancer; you have to get it all out or it will come back. As one writer wrote, the fire of a spiritual reform can burn brightly, for a time, but the winds of apostasy can snuff out the flame.

Be careful who you listen to and be open to wise counsel, even if it isn’t always what you want to hear.

2 Kings 2 - 3

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 12:22:34 GMT

Moab Revolts and Elisha Ministers to Others

Ahab’s son, Joram reigned in Israel for twelve years, and like his father, (verse 2) , “did evil in the eyes of the Lord, but NOT as his father and mother had done.” So, he wasn’t quite so bad. He did get rid of the sacred stone of Baal, nevertheless, he did cling to the “sins of Jeroboam.” Jeroboam was, if you recall, the first king of the northern Kingdom of Israel and he was the one who set up the golden bulls, worship sites in Dan and Bethel, appointed unqualified priests and promoted the worship of other gods.

Verse 4 , Now Mesha king of Moab raised sheep and he had to supply the king of Israel with thousands of them in tribute each year. When Ahab died, the king of Moab decided to rebel (verse 5) . Hostile powers will oftentimes test a new leader, thinking that the adversary is weakened during the transition or that the successor to the throne is a weaker ruler.

So, King Joram of Israel sought the assistance of King Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to join him in subduing the rebellion. Jehoshaphat agreed, saying, “I am as you are, my people are your people, my horses as your horses” (verse 7) . That sounds a bit like what Ruth said to Naomi, (Ruth 1:16) , “Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, where I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” The events in the Book of Ruth took place during the time of the Judges. I wonder if Jehoshaphat, who reigned 300 years later, was studying that book when he was asked to join Joram in battle. If so, do you think Joram might have noticed the similarities also? I doubt it.

Why would Jehoshaphat of Judah choose to ally himself with Joram of Israel when he was already criticized for his earlier alliance with Ahab in 1 Kings 22 . They also took with them some troops from Edom, which was located to the south of Moab who were also under the control of Israel. A map might help. Moab is roughly where Jordan is today.

So, what we have here are three kings, who really don’t like one another and whose nations have not always been on the best of terms. But they all felt threatened to some extent by the growing power of Moab. As the old saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

The three armies decided to take a route through the desert of Edom. What could possibly go wrong with this plan? Well, after seven days, their armies ran out of water (verse 9) . Who was the officer in charge of Logistics? Who was the officer in charge of calculating, acquiring, and organizing the food, water, weapons, etc. needed to maintain the fighting force? Someone was in big trouble. It will all come out in the After-Action Review.

At their next staff meeting, Joram asked, (verse 10) , “Has the Lord called up three kings together only to hand us over to Moab?” Jehoshaphat asked, (verse 11) , “Is there no prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of the Lord through him?” The answer was “No”, because Jezebel had them killed or they are in hiding. But an officer of the king of Israel, perhaps a quiet staff officer in the back of the conference room said, “Elisha is here.” “That’s right!” “Jehoshaphat said with wide eye excitement, “the word of the Lord is with him.” So, the three kings got on their horses or camels or into their jeeps or HUMVEEs (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle for you civilian types) and headed out to see Elisha. When their plans have gone awry and they have run out of options, only then did they decide to seek the counsel of God. Another after action review point to make note of.

Verse 13 , with just a hint of sarcasm, “Elisha said to the king of Israel, ‘What do we have to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.’” In other words, “What are you guys doing working together. You can’t stand each other, and you certainly can’t trust each other? Why don’t you go to your own prophets for advice.” Awkward silence.

Then Elisha says that if he hadn’t had any respect for Jehoshaphat, he wouldn’t give the three of them the time of day (verse 14) . Ouch, that hurt. These “kings” have been humiliated by their failures to even get to the battle, then the prophet they needed more than they liked used his sharp tongue to cut them down to size.

Now these three kings are desperate. Their armies are out of water, and they are about to go into battle. That would be like starting a battle with mechanized vehicles and someone forgot to bring any fuel.

Before Elisha would tell them anything, he said, “But now bring me a harpist.” Was Elisha toying with these desperate kings? Do you think Elisha might have asked for other things, also? “Boy, I would really like a glass of wine, some French bread and an assortment of cheeses.” Or maybe, “My feet hurt; would someone massage my aching feet?” The kings might have looked at each and then the two kings would glare at the king of Edom, the lowest ranking official, and motioned him to massage Elisha’s feet.” Prophets can have a sense of humor, can’t they? By the way, where would they get a harpist? Was it standard operating procedure to bring a harpist into battle? A trumpeter I could see, but a harpist wouldn’t be of any help in signaling the troops. Imagine the commander ordering the harpist to sound “ATTACK.” No one would hear the signal. Did they have to send a messenger back to find a harpist?

After a good foot massage, a tasty snack and relaxing music, Elisha gives the three kings a message from God. Of course, he may have gotten the message from God earlier in the day, but he may have wanted to play with these high and mighty kings. Elisha tells the kings to dig ditches and that without any rain, the ditches will become filled with water for their men and their animals (verse 17) . Oh, one more thing, (verse 18) , “He (God) will also hand Moab over to you.”

Elisha reading and Ahab receiving the message.

Then the king of Edom might have turned away and squeezed a huge amount of hand sanitizer into the palm of his hand after massaging Elisha’s calloused feet with those disgusting thick yellow toenails. Would you like for me to find an image of that on the internet? No? I didn’t think so. And my editor (Linda) wouldn’t allow it.

Elisha goes on to tell them that their armies will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs and ruin every good field with stones (verse 19) . Isn’t that against the laws of war that Moses gave the Israelites? Deut. 20:19 says, “When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down.” Some scholars say that the prohibition is against cutting fruit trees, which provide food, not other trees. The prohibition might be limited to the trees in Canaan which they were about to enter. It would be foolish to destroy property that you would soon be inheriting. But these armies weren’t going to occupy Moab, just beat them down to quell the rebellion.

The next morning (verse 20) about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was-water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water. And it hadn’t even rained. It’s a good thing they dug those ditches to collect the water. Perhaps it came from an underground spring.

When the Moabites got up the next morning, the sun was shining on the water. To them the water looked like blood (verse 23) . They interpreted this to mean that the three armies, Israel, Judah, and Edom, had turned on each other and were slaughtering each other. The Moabite leader called out, “Now to the plunder, Moab!” Imagine Adolf Hitler getting word that Franklin Roosevelt, Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill (The Big Three) turned on each other while at Tehran Conference in 1943.

Moab’s spy network and their intelligence analysis were as inaccurate as the U.S. intelligence agencies were leading up to the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in an attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro.

Verses 24-26 describe how the “Big Three Armies” slaughtered the Moabites, destroyed the towns, covered the fields with stones, stopped up the springs and cut down trees. Just as Elisha predicted.

In desperation, the King of Moab even sacrificed his first-born son on the city wall (verse 27) . Despite his sacrifice, the Moabite god Chemosh didn’t come to his aid.

But it wasn’t a total victory of Israel. The Moabites fought with such fury that the Israelites withdrew and returned to their own land. Why didn’t the three armies go all the way to Dibon, its capital? Why didn’t they kill or capture Mesha, the king of Moab?

After the Persian Gulf War in 1991 when the allied nations kicked Saddam Hussein’s military out of Kuwait, they too stopped the war without moving onto Baghdad, Iraq’s capital or removing Saddam Hussein from power. This gave Hussein the opportunity to claim victory to his people. Yes, his army was removed from Kuwait, but he himself was still in power.

The Moabite king, like King Hussein, could also claim victory because the Israelites retreated, Moab survived the war and its king, Mesha, remained in power.

Why wasn’t this a more complete victory for Israel? One commentator suggested that God was not very happy with Ahab’s dynasty and wanted to limit its success.

In Chapter four we see a few more miracles performed through Elisha. A widow who owed money was about to have her sons sold off as slaves if the debt wasn’t paid off soon (verse 1) . Elisha asked her to gather as many pots and jars as she could from her neighbors. Then she was to pour what little oil she had into the pots and jars (verse 4) . Her little jar of oil kept filling jar after jar, pot after pot until she ran out of items to fill. She sold the oil to pay off her debt and was able to keep her sons. And she probably wished she had found a few more pots, jars, washtubs, water troughs or even a tanker truck so she could go into business as an olive oil dealer: WIDOW AND SONS OLIVE OIL COMPANY . This miracle sounds very much like the miracle Elijah performed for the widow of Zarephath in 1 Kings 17:7-24 .

The next miracle was another restoration of a dead son. Sound familiar? This older woman and her husband offered Elisha hospitality whenever he was in town (verse 10) . They were childless, but Elisha told her that she would have a son within a year (verse 16) . She found this prophecy as difficult to believe as Sarah did when she was told she would have a child (Gen. 18) . Well, she did have a child, but then tragedy struck. Verse 18 , The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers. “My head! My head!” he said to his father. The child was carried into the house where he died sitting on his mother’s lap. No, I don’t know if he had suffered a head injury or had a brain tumor.

The mother laid the child on his bed, then went off with a servant to find Elisha (verse 25) . They found Elisha at Mt. Carmel, where his mentor Elijah had that run in with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18) . Elisha went with her to the son’s bedside. I bet you can guess where this story is heading. He stretched himself onto the boy’s body and soon the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes (verse 35) . Why the sneezing? Did he not like Elisha’s after-shave lotion or something?

The next miracle deals with a pot of food prepared during a famine. While Elisha was meeting with the company of the prophets, he said to his servant, “put on the large pot and cook some stew for these men” (verse 38) . One of the servants came across a wild vine with gourds. He cut them up and put them in the big pot of water, not knowing what these plants were. As the prophets began to eat, one of them exclaimed, “O man of God, there is death in the pot!” and they could not eat it (verse 40) . Elisha, who may have enjoyed cooking, knew what to do. Verse 41 , “Get some flour.” He put it into the pot and said, “Serve it to the people to eat. And there was nothing harmful in the pot.” Who was the first one to eat it?

The next miracle involved food also. Elisha was able to feed 100 men with only twenty loafs of bread (verses 42-44) . Hmm. This sounds like something Jesus did, twice. Jesus fed 5,000 with five loafs and two fish and is the only miracle—aside from the resurrection—recorded in all four gospels. His second mass feeding had 4,000 guests with only seven loaves and a few fish.

In 2 Kings , chapter five we find the next miracle performed through Elisha. It was the healing of a soldier suffering from leprosy. The patient’s name was Naaman who was described in verse 1 as “commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded. . . he was a valiant soldier.”

Verse 5 , Naaman took some gold, silver and several sets of clothing. When Naaman arrived at Elisha’s door, Elisha didn’t even come to the door to greet him. Verse 10 , “Elisha sent a messenger to advise him to, ‘Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be cleansed.” Well, Naaman felt insulted that he was greeted by a mere servant. After all, he was willing to come all that way, plus bring a load of valuable gifts. Protocol dictated better treatment than that and he was angry. In Army Regulations 600-25, Salutes, Honors and Courtesy, chapter 5 discusses courtesy visits within the army. Naaman expected to be greeted by the prophet himself, not a mere servant. And it wouldn’t hurt if he also had a small band or at least had someone there to blow a Shofar. And why would he be told to wash in the Jordan River? Naaman thought that there were better and bigger rivers in Damascus, and he went off in a rage (verse 12) . But one of his servants reasoned with him suggesting that he just do what he was told, perhaps it would work, and it certainly wouldn’t do any harm, unless there were crocodiles and hippos in the water.

The commander’s anger dissipated, and he did dip himself seven times in the Jordan River. He might have felt a bit silly and might have lost count and had to do it again, but he was healed. As you might expect, his mood improved dramatically and he declared, (verse 15) “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.” Then he tried to hand out those gifts of gold, silver and clothing to Elisha.

Is this Naaman just before dipping himself in the water? He’s not smiling, so it must be the before photo.

But Elisha wouldn’t accept any gifts. Elisha didn’t accept anything in payment because he didn’t want anyone to think that he was doing this for money or that people could purchase blessing from God, such as when churches were selling indulgences.

Naaman then asked if he could take some soil from Israel back home (verse 17) . What was that all about? Naaman probably wanted the soil as a reminder of his healing and his conversion. Naaman didn’t have a camera to take before and after pictures of his diseased skin or a selfie with Elisha, so the soil would serve as a reminder.

Today Jews outside of Israel are sometimes buried with a sample of soil from Israel. This tradition goes back to the time when Jacob asked his son Joseph to take his bones back to Israel when they left Egypt. Today, many Jews from around the world would like to be buried in Israel, especially on the Mount of Olives, just beyond the eastern wall of Jerusalem’s Old City. They want to be there when the Messiah comes, and the dead are resurrected. They want to be first in line. For those who can’t be buried in Israel, they like to be buried with a small amount of soil from Israel. Funeral homes who service Jewish clientele might even have a bag of soil from Israel so they can place a small amount of it in the coffins.

Christians have a similar tradition. They like to be baptized in the Jordan River and bring back a small vial of the water. And we sometimes bury our dead with symbolic items.

Then Naaman asked if it would be acceptable in God’s eyes, that when he accompanies the king to the temple of Rimmon, and the king bows down , leaning on my arm and I bow down, also, it that acceptable? It sounds as if he is asking the question, “Would it be ok for me to be there and bow down as long as I am there as an observer than a worshipper? It would be as if your handicapped neighbor needed a ride to a Hindu shrine or Muslim Mosque and you helped him through the worship service, knowing in your heart that you are there as a friend or medical assistant and not a worshipper. If a Church member can go to church and recite prayers, but in his heart, he is a non-believer, then the prayer means little or nothing. So would the opposite as in the case of Naaman. Elisha answers, “Go in peace.” In other words, “Don’t worry about that.”

What does it mean to “bow down to”? One source on the meaning of expressions said that the phrase to bow (down) in the house of Rimmon can mean to pay lip service to some principle which one does not accept. It would be like giving the Hitler salute in Germany when you really aren’t a supporter of Nazi ideology.

And who is Rimmon? I hadn’t heard of him before. Rimmon, was the chief Aramean god, Baal-Hadad, the god of weather. That’s the same god we see throughout that part of the world, same god, different country, different name.

Now, do you remember all that gold, silver and clothing that Naaman offered to Elisha? Well, Elisha’s servant Gehazi, wished that he had accepted at least some of the gifts. Afterall, you wouldn’t want to insult the Commander of the Army of Aram. He decided to hurry after Naaman (verse 21) . He meets with Naaman and tells him that Elisha told him to come and ask for some of the treasures he offered to him earlier. Naaman, being a great mood, admiring his lovely skin, free of leprosy, asked his servant to carry bags of gifts for the servant. When they got to a hill near home, Gehazi hid the items in a house. Now why would he hide them if he didn’t feel some guilt about this.

Later on, Elisha asked Gehazi, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” Imagine the guilty look on Gehazi’s face. Well, Elisha was disappointed with his servant and told him that Naaman’s leprosy would (verse 27 ) cling to him and to his descendants forever. Does this bring to mind another person who got a bit greedy and took some war trophies? Back in Joshua 7 , Achan stole a beautiful robe and some gold and silver after God warned that no one should take any of the spoils from Jericho. Achan’s sin defiled the other members of the community, as well as himself, and for that, he was killed. At least Elisha’s servant wasn’t killed.

In 2 Kings 6 we find the prophets moving to a new location. They borrowed an ax to cut down some trees and the head of it fell off, flew through the air into a body of water where it quickly sank. The prophets panicked and called out to Elisha. Elisha cut a stick and threw it into the water and the ax head floated to the surface. Now this might seem like an insignificant loss, the head of an ax. But they couldn’t go down to Home Depot and buy whoever loaned them his ax a new Fiskar X27 Super Splitting Axe with a 36-inch shock absorbing handle.

To lose such an ax would be more like one of us losing a new Apple iPhone 13Pro (128GB) which sells for nearly $1,000.

Some of the miracles described in the Bible were spectacular and had a huge impact on many people. The parting of the Red Sea, the feeding of the multitudes, the raising of the dead, etc. But some of these miracles seem less important than others. Removing a toxin from a pot of stew, retrieving an axe head, or Jesus walking on water. The walking on the water was entertaining, but not quite so important as some of his other miracles like healing the blind. But maybe not. These seemingly “minor” miracles may have had a greater impact than we might think.

The miracles done for the benefit of the prophets (retrieving the axe head, purifying the stew) may have had a huge impact on them. Many of their peers had been killed by Jezebel. Others were hiding in caves, protected, and fed by Obadiah and other supporters. They were being hunted, constantly under threat of being arrested and killed and living off the land as best they could. Life was not easy for these people. Fear, fatigue, hunger and cold, wears on people, wears them down. To get a hot meal or have an axe head salvaged was a tremendous encouragement for those who are living on the edge. It reminded them that they weren’t forgotten by God.

Sometimes, when people are desperate, on the edge, about to give up on life, a simple act of kindness, an act of generosity, or a kind word of encouragement might be enough to pull them back from destruction. We might think that these small acts of kindness are not very important, but they can be. This brings to mind a character in the New Testament who was very encouraging to others. So much so, that we don’t even call him by his real name, which was Joseph. We know him by his nickname, Barnabas , which means “son of encouragement.” His small acts of encouragement helped many to step back from the edge of despair, to continue in ministry, etc. In Acts 4:33-37 he sold a piece of land so that the apostles could purchase for new believers the basics needed to survive when their families disowned them. Without this assistance they might have returned to Judaism. In Acts 9:26 when no one in the church in Jerusalem would welcome Paul, the former persecutor of the church, it was Barnabas who greeted him and accepted him into the fellowship of the church. And in Acts 15:37-38 it was Barnabas who gave John Mark a second chance for mission work after he had failed them on his first attempt. It was a chance that Barnabas was willing to give him, but Paul was not. Yet, when Paul was in prison, old, worn out, and about to be executed, who did he ask to come and visit him (2 Tim. 4:6) ? Yes, it was John Mark.

Where would all those new believers be if Barnabas hadn’t given them practical assistance? Where would John Mark be if Barnabas hadn’t given him a second chance? Where would Paul be if Barnabas hadn’t accepted him into the church? Where would the church be without Barnabas, John Mark, and Paul? By the way, tradition has it that John Mark later became the bishop of Alexandria, Egypt. If he could, I imagine he would have had a photo of Barnabas on his desk.

Where would the prophets be if they weren’t encouraged by the “small” miracles of Elisha? And the widow? And the Army commander who might have become a lay evangelist for the God of Israel. What we do doesn’t have to be flashy, colorful and big to have a big impact on others.

And if you are a pastor, might my story about Barnabas make a good sermon subject for your church. We can all be like Barnabas. And we can all use some encouragement.

2 Kings

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 05:10:39 GMT

Introduction

2 Kings continues with the history of the kings of Israel and Judah. It isn’t a comprehensive history, but a very narrow one. Its’ primary focus is not how well the kings managed their economies or whether they were builders of great structures or possessed great military prowess. What God was interested in was whether they led their people to a closer walk with God or did they lead them away from observing the 613 laws embodied in the Mosaic Covenant which their ancestors agreed to at Mt. Sinai.

The book of Kings rated each monarch. If they set a good example for their people and led them to follow the one true God, then he was said to have done that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, like King David did. If they didn’t, then it was said that they did evil in the sight of the Lord, like their father Jeroboam did.

How do these kings rank? Not well for the kings of Israel. All of them were judged as doing evil, leading their people further from the Lord. The kings of the southern Kingdom did a bit better. There were a few who followed David’s example.

The purpose for writing Kings was to answer the question that many Israelites may have been asking as they were going into exile. “Why has this disaster come upon us?” “Didn’t God give is this land? Aren’t we his chosen people, his favorite children?” They must not have been paying attention to their “Sabbath lessons”, especially the ones that dealt with the promises of “blessings and curses.” These promises, part of the Mosaic Covenant that their ancestors agreed to, included the threat of eviction from the land if they were disobedient. Continued disobedience would lead to what is described in Deut. 28:36 , “The Lord will drive you and the king you set over you to a nation unknown to you or your fathers.” The ownership or title to the land would not be lost, that was part of the Abrahamic covenant and was an unconditional agreement. But the privilege of living in the land was conditional, based on their obedience to God.

When some of our presidents ended an important speech, they sometimes say, “May God bless American.” No one can take the blessings of God for granted. It might be better if the president said, “May we be ever more worthy of the blessings of God.”

2 Kings 1 - 2

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 02:53:32 GMT

2 Kings Chapter 1:

Elijah Goes for a Ride in the Sky

After King Ahab died in battle, the king of Moab decided to go to war with Israel. Moabites, you might recall, were descendants of Lot who lived east of the Dead Sea. At one time they oppressed Israel for 18 years, later David subdued them. Let’s just say that they weren’t the best of neighbors to each other. With Ahab dead and a new, perhaps untested king in place, the King of Moab may have thought that Israel was vulnerable, so he decided to go to war.

Additionally, Ahaziah, the new king of Israel, had a bit of a mishap while he was in his upper room, a rooftop patio. News reports claim that he fell through the lattice and plummeted to the ground (verse 2) . Rumors may have suggested that there was a bit too much drinking involved. There might also have been an investigation into the construction of the lattice work to determine whether the building codes were adhered to.

The young king wanted to know if he would recover from this mishap. Should he have called a doctor? Had a CAT scan or X Rays? Does he go to the prophet Elijah, who his dad hated, but always seemed to be right. No! He seeks the opinion of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron. Perhaps he was taking the advice of his mom, Jezebel. She’s still around and still pulling the strings.

Who is this Baal-Zebub? Opinions differ on what the name means. Some scholars say that he was the “Fly-lord,” the god of the Philistines, believed to be able to avert the plague of flies which feed on excrement. Some Jewish scholars have interpreted the title of "Lord of the Flies" as the Hebrew way of calling Ba'al a pile of excrement, and comparing Ba'al followers to flies. In Luke 11:14-20 , some people accused Jesus Christ of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons.

The messengers of Ahab found a man who told him to say to the king, (verse 5 ), “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending men to consult Baal-Zebus, the god of Ekron? Therefore, you will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!”

When the king heard this harsh and unwelcomed message, he asked, (verse 7) , “What kind of a man was it who came to meet you and told you this?” Didn’t Elijah even introduce himself to the messengers?

“They replied, ‘He was a man with a garment of hair and with a leather belt around his waist.’” The king recognized the man as Elijah. I guess only prophets wore a garment of hair with a leather belt (verse 8) . It might have been the uniform of the prophet like Buddhist monks who wear orange robes. After this incident, I wonder if the school of the prophets issued a new uniform regulation that said all prophets must wear a name tag over their left chest pocket.

Not pleased with Elijah’s message, the king sent out a captain, not just a messenger with a company of fifty men. When the captain found Elijah sitting on a mountain, he ordered him to “come down” (verse 9) . The whole unit was roasted, (verse 10) “fire came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his men.”

So, the king sent a second captain with fifty more men. When they approached Elijah, the captain commanded, “Come down, AT ONCE.” The first captain simply said, “come down.” This one said, “Come down AT ONCE.” Neither one of them said, “Elijah, Sir, would you be so kind as to come down, please.” I wonder if the second captain knew what happened to the first. When he approached the mountain, did he see the smoldering remains of charred bodies all over the place?

The second captain and his men were also turned into crispy critters. Then the King sent a third group. Do you think that these soldiers knew what had happened to the first two? Do you think they volunteered for this mission? Do you think they were as bold and arrogant as the first two groups of soldiers?

The third captain, as he approached the mountain, fell on his knees, and addressed Elijah by his true title (verse 13) , “Man of God, please have respect for my life and the lives of these fifty men, your servants.”

An angel of the Lord said to Elijah, (verse 15) , “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” This, “do not be afraid of him” suggests that the earlier soldiers may have had some plans to do violence against Elijah.

Here’s a lesson we can learn from this incident: Always be polite to your adversaries. If the first two captains had addressed Elijah as they should have and asked gently for him to come down, maybe even offered him a cold beverage and some snacks, they might have lived.

For the king, the result of all of this is, verse 17 , “So he died, according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken.” And since he didn’t have any children, his brother, Joram succeeded him.

And of course, if you want to learn more about the reign of Ahaziah, where do you go? That’s right, “the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.”

2 Kings Chapter 2:

Elijah Goes for a Ride

Chapter two is the dramatic story of Elijah being taken “to heaven in a whirlwind.” But before his departure he paid a visit to Bethel, Jericho, and Gilgal where there were groups of prophets. It was sort of a farewell tour like aging rock stars make. With each visit the prophets would say, (verses 3 & 5) “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” Yes, I know, but do not speak of it.” It sounds to me that as he visited each school of the prophets, he didn’t want any long-winded speeches (you know how prophets can be), ceremonial bestowing of certificates of appreciation for his work, no gifts, no cakes, etc. He just wanted to encourage everyone to continue with their duties and not allow his visit to interrupt them.

Then, when Elijah was about to leave, Elisha asked for a favor. Perhaps he didn’t feel quite qualified to follow in the footsteps of Elijah, and who could blame him? He asked for a “double portion of your spirit” (verse 9) . He wanted, somehow, to have the ability to do the job as well as Elijah did. How would you like to have to follow in the footsteps of the great prophet Elijah, the Hero of Mt. Carmel? Elisha might have felt like Harry Truman when Franklin Roosevelt died, unprepared, and unqualified. Here’s one of my favorite quotes from Harry Truman. When he was elected to the U.S. Senate, he felt totally unqualified and inadequate for the task at hand. An older senator went up to him and said, “Harry, for the first six months you’ll wonder how you got here. After that, you will wonder how the rest of us got here.” Harry grew into the job and so did Elisha. And so can you and I, usually.

In Tanzania and Kenya, I like to ask the pastors questions that they might get from their church members. After they give me their answers, we look at some passages, then I ask them the same questions again. Usually, they’ve changed their answers after we discussed the passages.

Here is a question: What happened to Elijah when we read in verse 11, “Suddenly, a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.”

There are so few details in this story. When Lazarus died (Luke 16), an angel came and escorted him to paradise. So, when the chariot came, was there a safety briefing given to Elijah before they took off?

RULES FOR CHARIOT PASSENGERS

Always keep your hands and arms inside the chariot.
Always hold onto the safety bar in front of you.
Keep your helmet and safety strap on for the duration of the trip.
Don’t scream like a frightened girl, it irritates the chariot pilot.
No alcoholic beverages will be served in flight.
Air sickness bags are available
All Passengers Must Sign a RELEASE OF LIABILITY STATEMENT.

With the safety briefing over and the legal forms signed, Elijah is strapped, in and off they went to heaven, the throne of God. Is that what happened? And why do you need horses or a chariot in the first place? Did Lazarus ride in a chariot?

First, let’s look at the term “heaven.” There are three heavens mentioned in Scripture.

The first heaven, in terms of distance from us, is the earth’s atmosphere. It’s where clouds form and from where rain falls. It’s where we all go when we are in an aircraft.

Luke 4:25 , “But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land.”

Luke 17:24 , “For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.”

The second heaven, in terms of distance from us, is outer space. It’s where the stars are. And unless you are an astronaut, you haven’t been there.

Matt. 24:29 , “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

2 Peter 3:10 , “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”

The third heaven, in terms of distance from us, is the throne of God. It’s where God is.

Matt. 5:34 , “But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven , for it is God’s throne .”

Acts 7:49 , “ Heaven is My throne , and earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the LORD, or what is the place of My rest?”

2 Cor. 12:2 , “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago; whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows; such a one was caught up to the third heaven .”

As to the third heaven, where God is, no one has made it there except the one who came from there, Jesus.

John 3:13 tells us that no one has made it there, the third heaven, except for Jesus. “No one has ever gone into heaven (God’s throne) except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.”

Which of these three heavens was Elijah taken to? Did Elijah go to third heaven? If he did, then is John 3:13 mistaken in saying that no one has gone into the third heaven except the one who came down (Jesus)?

What did the prophets on the ground, who witnessed Elijah’s departure think happened to him? The prophets who said good-bye to Elijah believed that he was taken to another location, not to third heaven. Why would they think this? Perhaps the trajectory of Elijah’s flight was not straight up like a rocket but more like a low-level flight over the ground. 2 Kings 2:16 , “Look, they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has picked him up and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.”

When Jesus ascended into the third heaven, he went straight up. Elijah’s trajectory must have been in a direction that other than straight up otherwise the prophets wouldn’t know which way to go to search for him.

Heb. 9:27 says, “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”

If Elijah didn’t die first, does that contradict the above passage? If he went to the third heave, does that contradict John 3:13 ?

There is more than one heaven. Is there more than one death? There is a first and a second death. The first death is the death of our physical body. The second death is synonymous with the lake of fire. It is a “death” in that it is a separation from God. Rev. 21:8 , “The cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters, and all liars – their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death .”

Rev. 2:11 , “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death .”

Another person who experienced a similar event was Enoch. Gen. 5: 21-24 , “Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more because God took him away.”

Heb. 11:5 , “By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”

Where was Enoch taken? Which death did Enoch not experience?

John 8:51 , “Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”

So, we have three heavens and two deaths to consider in these passages. Enoch and Elijah experienced one of three heavens and one of two deaths. Which ones make the most sense?

Some translation of the Bible uses the word “translate,” which means to put or place in another place, to transfer. The same word is used in Acts 7:16 where Jacob’s body was “translated” or “transferred” to the place of burial.

Col. 1:13 , “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought (translated) us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” Even though we are still alive.”

Heb. 13, 39 , “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised ; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.”

Elijah might not have been the only person who appears to have taken a ride in the sky. Philip may have had a similar experience.

Acts 8 tells the story of the Ethiopian who was struggling to understand what he was reading in the Book of Isaiah. Philip approaches him and explains the passage. The Ethiopian was then baptized and when they came up out of the water, “the Spirit of the Lord (verse 39) suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again.” Where did Philip go? To Azotus (verse 40) . Does this mean that he was “raptured” like Elijah was? Or could the passage mean that the Spirit showed him that he had to leave, and he then traveled by normal means. If so, then Paul had a similar experience when the Holy Spirit directed Paul to travel to Macedonia instead of to Asia and Bithynia (Acts 16:6-10) . In Paul’s case, they “got ready at once to leave for Macedonia.”

How did Philip get from one place to another? Science fiction novels portray matter being transported from one place to another without traversing the physical space between them. This is called teleportation. It defies all the laws of physics which only God, the one who created those laws can overrule, when necessary. Teleportation seems to be the fastest and cheapest form of transportation. Highly desirable for those who are in the middle of a 25-hour flight in economy class with obese passengers on either side of you and crying babies both in front and behind.

Let’s look at another passage.

2 Chron. 21:12 , “Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet, which said: “This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: ‘You have not followed the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or of Asa king of Judah.”

If Elijah was taken to the third heaven, how did he send a letter to Jehoram from heaven? What did it cost in postage? Did the king save the stamp? How much was the stamp worth to other collectors? If you are a stamp collector and someone tries to sell you an Elijah Stamp from Heaven, it is a scam. Don’t buy it.

If we follow the chronology based on the order the events as presented in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles, here is what led up to Elijah’s letter to Jehoram:

1. Elijah is translated to heaven (2 Kings 2:1–18) .

2. Jehoshaphat, advised by Elisha, teams with the king of Israel in a fight against Moab (2 Kings 3) .

3. Jehoshaphat dies, leaving Jehoram to rule alone (2 Chron. 21:1) .

4. Jehoram murders all his brothers (2 Chron. 21:4) and builds idolatrous high places in Judah (verse 11) . All these events take time.

5. Jehoram receives a letter from Elijah that details his judgment (2 Chron. 21:12–15) .

How was Elijah’s letter delivered to King Jehoram seemingly after Elijah’s translation to heaven?

Option 1: It was common for the historical accounts to not be in chronological order. Another possibility is that Elijah wrote the letter to Jehoram before his departure to heaven and left it for Elisha or someone else to deliver it at a particular time. God could easily have given him the words to write ahead of time.

Option 2: Before his translation to heaven, Elijah told Elisha what Jehoram would do and what God’s judgment would be. When the time came, Elisha wrote out Elijah’s prophecy and delivered it to King Jehoram.

Option 3: Elijah was not translated to heaven but was whisked away to another location, much like Philip was in Acts 8:39–40 . Elijah then was able to write the letter personally at the time of Jehoram’s sin and have it delivered through a courier. According to this theory, after the whirlwind experience of 2 Kings 2 , Elijah lived out the remainder of his days in a secret location.

As for what happened to Enoch, did God take him away and bury him so as not to be found, just as he did with the body of Moses (Deut. 34:6) ?

Another question is, “Why was there all of these theatrics with whirlwinds, chariots of fire, etc.?” I think it was for the benefit of Elisha and the members of the school of prophets left behind with the departure of Elijah. Elisha requested a “double portion” of Elijah’s power and this spectacle reassured him that he was the rightful successor to Elijah and that God was with him.

Now, to get back to the questions I asked the pastors. What happened to Elijah? There are three heavens and two deaths. Which scenario makes the most sense? Which explanation has the fewest problems? Which one doesn’t contradict other passages?

Whatever view you take, whether Enoch and Elijah experienced the first death and went to the third heaven or whether they didn’t die and were just relocated and died later, does not take away from the fact that God performed a miracle of some sort with Enoch, Elijah and Philip.

Elijah has stepped from the scene and Elisha is the ranking prophet. Let’s call him the Chief Prophet. When you have a new commander, supervisor or pastor, some of the people don’t quickly accept them until they’ve proven themselves. In time, the new leader proves himself and he is accepted. In the next passages I think Elisha get’s to do just that.

In verse 19 a city was having difficulty with their water supply. So Elijah look into the Prophet’s Manual to determine what steps should be taken, or maybe not, and he put a new bowl with salt in it and tossed it into the water and make it pure. Although it isn’t stated, some commentators say that this city is the city of Jericho. What message was being sent to the people? Perhaps that the curse that was once on the city had been lifted. Jericho thrived as a fertile, spring-fed oasis. In the Old Testament, it was often called the “City of Palms” for its abundance of palm trees and many water springs (Deut. 34:3; Judges 1:16; 3:13; 2 Chron. 28:15) . Today, Jericho, with a population of about 14,000. Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of more than 20 successive settlements in Jericho.

As Elisha was traveling to Bethel (verse 23) , “some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. ‘Go on up, you baldhead!’” Elisha didn’t care for their disrespectful behavior and called down a curse on them. “Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths” (verse 24) .

Did Elisha overreact to an insult by children? These “youths” weren’t children making faces at him and calling him names. They were young adults, more like a street gang looking for trouble than children looking for play. “Go on up” might have meant, “drop dead.” They might have meant to hurt or even kill Elisha. Also, Elisha was God’s mouthpiece, to insult him was to insult God. Finally, it wasn’t Elisha who took their lives, it was God who chose to do it. So, however we might understand what happened, a just God understood it clearly and punished them fairly. Or as one commentator wrote, “The story lacks enough detail for us to tell exactly what was going on.” I like that line. I’ll try to remember it when I’m asked a tough question.

I Kings 18 - 19

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 04:57:46 GMT

I Kings 18:

Ahab and Elijah have a Showdown in the Sun

Verse 1 says that after three years of drought, God sent Elijah back to Samaria to “present” himself to King Ahab. God says, “I will send rain to the land.” I don’t know what prompted this act of mercy on God’s part. Why three years? Had anything changed back home or with King Ahab?

The famine was still severe (verse 2) . Ahab summoned his servant, Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. He was a devout believer and had saved hundreds of true prophets by hiding them in caves and feeding them (verse 4) . He might be called the Oscar Schindler of ancient Israel. Or maybe, when we refer to Oscar Schindler, we should refer to him as the Obadiah of the Third Reich. Then, when someone asks, “What are you talking about?” You can tell them a story from the Bible. Why did he have to hide the prophets? Because Jezebel was doing whatever she could to kill them. How did he get food during a long drought in the midst of a famine? Was he stealing from the palace storehouses? He must have had accomplices, faithful believers in the God of Israel. Feeding hundreds of people was a lot of work, and dangerous to his career and his life.

Ahab’s heart hadn’t changed. Three years of drought didn’t soften his heart, it seems to have hardened it. He sent Obadiah on a mission to gather up all the grass to keep the horses and mules alive (verse 5) . It sounds as if he put military readiness high on his list of priorities. While Obadiah was making is way throughout the land “gleaning” the fields and warehouses he met Elijah. What are the chances of that happening? Obadiah recognized Elijah on sight (verse 7) . They probably met during earlier visits between Ahab and Elijah. If not, he may have recognized his image on wanted posters.

Above is a statue of Elijah at the Saint Elias Cathedral, Aleppo, Syria. Perhaps they took the image from a statue and placed it on a wanted poster. Wanted! Elijah the Prophet for the killing of the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel.

In verse 16 it says that “Ahab went to meet Elijah.” I think that this is very unusual. Protocol states that the people went to the King, not the other way around. When Elijah met Ahab, Ahab said (verse 17) , “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” Ah, yes, always blame the messenger for the problem of the drought. It seems as if Ahab is still clueless as to his role in the drought and famine.

Elijah challenged Ahab to bring representatives from all over Israel to Mount Carmel, along with hundreds of prophets of Baal and Asherah (verse 19) . They were going to have a showdown. A competition of sorts to prove once and for all whose God is the real one. This was bigger than any Super Bowl or World Cup event.

Elijah asks the leaders and prophets, (verse 21) “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord’s God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” Does this sound similar to the challenge Joshua gave the Israelites many years earlier? Joshua 24:15 , “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

The response from the people was blank stares, verse 21 , “But the people said nothing.” Why? Perhaps because the King was there, and they didn’t want to reveal their true feelings. Then Elijah challenged them. The prophets of Baal and Elijah will each take a bull to offer as a sacrifice to each of their gods. Both the prophets of Baal and the God of Elijah will call upon their gods and whoever answers, then he’s the one true God. Finally, the prophets of Baal responded, (verse 24) “What you say is good.” Bets were probably being made and vendors were set up to sell beverages and snacks.

The prophets of Baal went first. They cried out to their god all morning (no response). Then they shouted, as a sign of desperation (again, no response). Then they started to dance around the altar (again, no response). Elijah must have thought this was funny, so he started to mock them. Verse 27 , “Shout louder, perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling or sleeping.” Today we might suggest, “Maybe his internet connection was lost.” The prophets shouted even louder and then things got really ugly. They started to slash themselves (verse 28) .

Pagan prayers oftentimes rely on repetition, ritual and drama to get their god’s attention. Jesus, on the other hand, said, “When you pray, do not keep on babbling like the pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words” (Matt. 6:7) . God doesn’t like to be nagged. He’s also very busy, so state your business and move on.

I imagine that during the middle of the afternoon the prophets were emotionally and physically exhausted. Medics were probably on hand to bandage the prophets’ self-inflicted wounds and to treat cases of heat exhaustion and sunstroke. There never was a response from their god.

By now the altar, which had been neglected for years, was in shambles. Elijah stepped forward and put it all back together for his turn at getting his God to respond (verse 30) . There were twelve stones, one representing each of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Then, just to make the competition more interesting, he had the altar doused with water, three times. And no, the conspiracy theories that it was really gasoline that he poured on it are without any basis in fact.

Then it was his time to pray. No theatrics. No shouting. No dancing. No slashing. He said a simple prayer, (verse 36-37) , “O lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so that these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

Then the real fireworks began. Verse 38 , “Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil and also licked up the water in the trench.” God loves to put on a big show.

How did the people respond to this dramatic display of power? Verse 39 , “When all the people (not the prophets) saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, ‘The Lord-he is God! The Lord-he is God!’” In other words, “We’re done with this Baal fellow, he’s worthless.” The people professed, but not the prophets of Baal.

Then Elijah called for the prophets of Baal to be slaughtered (verse 40) . Now that the people finally confessed that the Lord alone is God, Elijah prayed for rain, and it came. Elijah then went up to the top of Mt. Carmel and prayed, looking for rain clouds. Before long there was a sighting of clouds forming (verse 44) . Elijah said, “go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’” Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain came on and Ahab rode off to Jezreel” (verse 45) . If they hadn’t rushed off to Jezreel, the roads would have become flooded, and chariots don’t do very well in the mud. There wasn’t room in the chariot for Elijah, so he had to run to avoid the storm. “He ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.”

1 Kings Chapter 19:

Jezebel Wasn’t Happy with Elijah

Verse 1 , “Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done.” Wouldn’t you love to hear this conversation? “How did the spiritual Olympic games go, dear, did our prophets win the gold?” She wasn’t happy at all with the news. She sent a memo to the Prophet Elijah, verse 2 , “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them (her prophets of Baal).”

Translation: “I am going to do whatever I can to kill you, ASAP.” Even after Elijah’s victory over the prophets of Baal Elijah is frightened and heads south to avoid the wrath of Jezebel. He even left the country, to the very southernmost city of Beersheba in Judah (verse 3) . There he leaves his servant in town and then heads out into the desert. He left Israel for Judah, head to the very most southern city in Judah, then heads into the desert. Could he go any further?

What was Elijah’s state of mind? He prayed that he might die! Verse 4 , “I have had enough, Lord, take my life.” He then collapsed in exhaustion and fell asleep. Can you identify two other Old Testament individuals who also wished that they had never been born or that they were dead? Job and Moses.

For days now Elijah had been under extreme stress with his confrontation with King Ahab and the hundreds of priests of Baal. Sleeplessness, hunger, stress, physical and emotional exhaustion had led to depression. He is suffering from what soldiers experience when they’ve been in combat for too long. The condition has been identified as shell shock, battle fatigue and more recently, post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD).

What’s the treatment for PTSD? Get the soldier out of the battle, give him a hot shower, hot meal, a clean bunk and let them rest for a few days.

After a good long sleep, an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He ate, then went back to bed to sleep some more (verses 5-6) . After more sleeping, eating and being cared for by an angel, he headed for Horeb, or Mt. Sinai, which was a forty-day hike. There he found a cave to spend the night (verses 8-9) .

At Mt. Horeb, God asks Elijah, “What are you doing here?” There is no indication in Scripture that God told him to go to Horeb as he had sent him to other towns. He probably thought that if he could go to where Moses met God, on Mt. Sinai (Horeb) he would do the same. It’s not much different than when people feel that they have to go to a church to pray to be heard by God. People might say, “I feel closer to God in church building.” This feeling might be more a product of conditioning and teaching than anything else. God isn’t a local God who is more available to us in one location than another. God is omnipresent, he is everywhere. He is in all of creation at any given time. Jer. 23:24 says, “Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord.” declares the Lord?” Besides, didn’t God hear his prayers on Mt. Carmel?

Now Elijah pours out his heart claiming that he had been zealous for God, but the Israelites have rejected him and killed his prophets and that he was the only one left and am being hunted down like an animal (verse 10) . It sounds like he is feeling sorry for himself. It seemed to Elijah that for all the work of God’s people since the time of Moses has come to nothing. “Our team is losing the battle” he might have thought.

What does Elijah need? He needs the same type of message that the church needed at around 90 A.D. Jesus said that he would never leave his church. He said that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. By 90 A.D. all of the apostles except John were dead. John found himself in prison on the Island of Patmos. And no one has heard a word from Jesus in over 60 years. The church, like Elijah, needed encouragement. So, John got the message that Jesus knew exactly what was going on in the churches (Rev. Chapters 2-3) . And he revealed to John that he was among the churches and gave him a look into the future which revealed the ultimate victory of good over evil.

Elijah needed a message of encouragement. God caused a powerful wind, then an earthquake, and a fire, yet God wasn’t in these events. This is very similar to the experience Moses had when God appeared to him on Mt. Sinai. Ex.19:16, “On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled.” “Then Moses spoke, and god answered him” (verse 19) .

The wind, earthquake and fire were attention getters to prepare Moses and Elijah for what was to come, a message from God. In the case of Elijah, when the wind, earthquake and fire settled down, he heard God whisper, so he went out to the mouth of the cave to listen (verse 13) .

Elijah reminds God of his zeal and his discouragement that he was the only prophet left alive. God tells him to go back and anoint Hazael king over Aram and Jesu king over Israel and Elisha as his successor (verses 15-16) . He also encourages Elijah by telling him that even when Hazael and Jehu are done killing Israelites, verse 18 , “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel-all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.” God is encouraging Elijah by telling him that he isn’t the only true believer in Israel. God’s plan is working, though it may not be as obvious to us at times. Even Obadiah secretly protected many prophets.

Elisha doesn’t anoint the two kings, Hazael (King of Syria) and Jehu (King of Israel). The anointing was actually done by Elisha. What Elijah did was to designate or identify them as successors to Ahab.

I don’t see Elisha being designated as Elijah’s successor as a criticism of him. Being a prophet on that day was tough work and very demanding, physically, and emotionally. Just as many professions have mandatory retirement ages, it was time for Elijah to step off the stage. Priests in ancient Israel served until they were fifty years of age (Num. 8:25) .

In the military, if a soldier has been in a very demanding, high stress environment for some time, and has served admirably in that role, the Army Personnel Division might reward him with a less stressful assignment at a location more to his and his family’s liking. I think this is what God is doing with Elijah. He’s going to reward Elijah with a less stressful duty assignment as a reward for his years of faithful service.

Many professions have a mandatory retirement age. Today, airline pilots retire at age 65, air traffic controllers retire at age 56. Foreign Service employees at the Department of State: retire at 65, with very narrow exceptions. National Park Rangers and firefighters retire at age 57. Many judges retire at age 70. If you want to be able to work in your profession for life, become a Cardinal or Pope, those positions have no retirement age.

Elijah heads to the Desert of Damascus and anoints (designates) Hazael and Jehu and anoints Elisha as his successor. Here’s how that came about. Elisha was plowing a field when Elijah approached him and “threw his cloak around him” which was a signal that he would be his successor. Elisha accepted the position and “took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they are. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant (verse 21) .”

Elijah killed the oxen and burnt his farming equipment. I wonder how that conversation went back home. “Hi Dad. I think I’m going to give up farming and become a prophet, or an assistant to the prophet Elijah. Perhaps you heard of him.” “Yeah, really. I met him today and he gave me this cloak.”

“Where are the oxen and the cart, son?” His father asked. “Well, it’s sort of like this. In my enthusiasm I killed the oxen and burnt the plowing equipment.” “Not my new John Deere X 300 Super Plow that I haven’t even paid for yet?” asks the father. Well, we can only imagine. I hope his parents were understanding and supportive, and that the John Deere equipment was fully insured.

So, Elisha, the former farmer with calloused hands now becomes Elijah’s assistant, much like Joshua was to Moses. I hope they got along well, and that Elijah was a caring and effective mentor to Elisha.

I Kings 16 - 17

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 02:17:50 GMT

I Kings 16:

Ahab Becomes King of Israel

Chapter 16 opens with the appraisal of Baasha given by Jehu, a prophet. Jehu said, verses 3-6 , “So I am about to consume Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam. . . Dogs will eat those belonging to Baasha who die in the city, and the birds of the air will feed on those who die in the country. . . .and Elah his son succeeded him as king.” This prophecy is similar to that which was spoken against Jeroboam.

Baasha died and his son Elah, became king of Israel, but he only reigned for two years (verse 8) . His reign was cut short when Zimri, one of his officials, assassinated him when Elah was drunk. And, as you might guess, Zimri went on a killing spree, wiping out all of Baasha’s family.

When the people of Israel heard what Zimri had done, they refused to accept him as king and so proclaimed Omri, the head of the army, as their king (verse 16) . Omri laid siege to Tirzah. Zimri fled into the citadel of the royal palace and set the palace on fire around him (verse 18) , choosing suicide over capture.

Omri solidified his reign only after four years of war with Tibni, another claimant to the throne (verse 21) .

One commentator noticed that the elevation of both kings, Zimri and Omri gives no hint that God’s hand was in these events. No prophet was involved. No divine intervention is mentioned nor was there any hint of divine approval of what was happening.

Omri reigned for twelve years, six of them in Tirzah, the remaining six were in the new capital of Samaria (verses 23-24) .

How was Omri’s reign characterized? Was he a good king who brought his people closer to God, or an evil one? Being a king of the northern Kingdom of Israel, you know that he, like all the others, followed in the footsteps of Jeroboam. Verse 25-26 , “But Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord and sinned more than all those before him. He walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit, so that they provoked the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their worthless idols.”

Verse 28 , “He rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria.

There is so little that we know for sure about Omri. We don’t know which tribe he was from. We don’t know the meaning, if any, of his name. What we do know is that he was a military commander before becoming the worse king of Israel up to his time and that he purchased land to make Samaria the new capital.

But Omri didn’t remain “The Worse King Ever” for long. He was succeeded by an even more evil king, his son Ahab (verse 28) .

What kind of king was Ahab? From a secular perspective, Ahab was the first king of the Ten Tribes who was able to maintain a strong and stable government. Ahab established a closer relationship with Judah which put an end to the rivalry that had existed between them since the days of the great schism. This allowed him to better defend himself against other nations such as Syria.

This was also a time of prosperity, indicated by the fact that Ahab’s palace had inlays of ivory. (I Kings 22:39) . Israel gained access to the Phoenician ports; Phoenicia gained passage through Israel’s central hill country to Transjordan and especially to the King’s Highway, the heavily traveled inland route connecting the Gulf of Aqaba in the south with Damascus in the north.

But from a spiritual perspective, he was among the worse kings. I Kings 16:30-31 “He did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians and began to serve Baal.”

He went even further. Verses 32-33 , “He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. He also made an Asherah pole.” So defiant in his apostasy was he that Jewish tradition says that he inscribed on all the doors of the city of Samaria the words, "Ahab hath abjured (rejected) the living God of Israel." It’s as if Ahab tried to make Baal worship the new state religion.

Israel’s topography, customs and religion would certainly be very different from those of Jezebel’s native land. Instead of the lushness of the moist seacoast, she would find Israel to be an arid, desert nation. Perhaps she was very unhappy to have been sent off to this strange country. The least Ahab could do would be to provide her with a chapel to worship her gods in.

It appears to me that Ahab had little or no feelings of guilt when he sinned. He “considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam.” It’s as if his conscience was getting duller over time.

Paul refers several times to the conscience. As for his own conscience, unlike Ahab’s, he described it as “good” or “clear” (Acts 23:1; 24:16; 1 Cor. 4:4) . This meant that his words and deeds were in line with God. He also recognized that Gentiles, who didn’t have the written Law of Moses have a conscience or the Law written on their hearts (Rom. 2:14-15) . In other words, it’s as if all mankind is hardwired to know right from wrong.

One illustration of how all mankind has the law of God written on their hearts is found in the commonly held ethical teachings of the major religions. All the major religions, regardless of their time and place of origin teach the golden rule, love thy neighbor, honor your father and mother, speak the truth, it is more blessed to give than to receive. The common ethical teaching of religions such as Christianity (Israel), Judaism (Middle East), Islam (Saudi Arabia), Buddhism (India), Taoism (China), Jainism (India), Sikhism (India), and Confucianism (China), Shintoism (Japan), etc. indicates that all mankind has the law of God “written on their hearts.”

The Apostle Paul spoke of the possibility that the conscience can be hardened, “seared” or rendered insensitive as though it had been cauterized with a hot iron (1 Tim. 4:1-2) .

We call people with seared consciences psychopaths. These people lack empathy towards others, are often pathological liars, arrogant, deceitful, have no feelings of guilt, are inclined to violence and morally depraved. Serial killers are often labeled as psychopaths.

How does this happen? Usually, it’s a gradual process. A career criminal might feel pangs of guilt when he first started to break the law. But over time, the conscience gets dulled or seared.

“He also married Jezebel daughter of the king of the Sidonians and began to serve Baal and worship him.” What do we know about Jezebel? She was from Sidon, a Phoenician city known for its opulence and wickedness along with the worship of Baal. Sidon is oftentimes mentioned with the twin city of Tyre. Sidon was the source of some of the building material for the temple (1 Chron. 22:4) . Their people helped build the second temple in the time of Ezra (Ezra 3:7) . Near Sidon was the city of Zarephath where a widow took care of Elijah, and the Lord provided her with oil and flour during a time of famine and where Elijah raised her dead son back to life (I Kings 17:8-24) . In the New Testament crowds from these two cities came to hear Jesus (Mark 3:7-8) and Paul’s ship anchored there on his way to Rome (Acts 27:3) .

During Ahab’s time, a man by the name of Hiel rebuilt Jericho (verse 34) . But he paid a high price for his actions. He suffered a curse pronounced in Josh. 6:26 , “At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “Cursed before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho: “At the cost of his firstborn son (Abiram) he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest (Segub) he will set up its gates.”

Hiel’s sons may have died by “accident” because of the curse or as has been documented, deliberately sacrificed when foundations were laid. Did Hiel know about the curse? Did he volunteer for this project or was conscripted to do it? If the sons were sacrificed, were they killed at the same time?

Why would there be a curse placed to prevent the reconstruction of permanently fortified city? Perhaps God wanted the walls and gates of Jericho to remain in ruins as a reminder that Israel had received the land of Canaan from God.

In Hiroshima Japan, the sight of the first atomic bomb explosion towards the end of WW 11, there is a building (picture below) which remains unbuilt. It’s part of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Like the walls of Jericho, it serves as a reminder of what happened there.

1 Kings 17:
The Evil King meets the Angry Prophet

God’s patience must have run out by the time he sent for his prophet Elijah to go to work on King Ahab. Elijah told Ahab that “there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word (1 Kings 17:1) .” This drought would last for three and one-half years.

It’s interesting that he would hold back the dew and rain considering the fact that the false god of Baal is the god of fertility and lord of the rain clouds. This drought will show Ahab how powerless Baal was and who was really in charge of the weather.

Once the message of the coming drought was given, God told Elijah to head east of the Jordan river where “I have ordered the ravens to feed you there” (verse 4) .

Some commentators suggest that the word translated “raven” could have been better translated “merchants” or “Bedouins.” This is because there were ancient Hebrew words that were so similar in spelling to others that the slightest error in copying could result in the wrong word being spelled.

We saw this in Ex. 34:29 where the face of Moses “shone” because he had been talking with God. The Hebrew word used to mean either “radiant” or “shining” is qaran . It shares the same root (qrn) of the word used for “horns,” qeren. When the Hebrew scriptures were translated into Latin Vulgate, the word was translated “horns” which were symbols of power and wisdom (not Satan).

Above is Michelangelo’s Moses (with horns) in the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli, Rome.

It seems to me that it is more likely that either merchants or Bedouins, all non-Israelites, were the ones who fed Elijah. You will see a pattern here where non-Israelites treated Elijah better than his own people. Either understanding doesn’t take away from the fact that God intervened to care for Elijah.

So, Elijah moved to the Kerith Ravine east of the Jordan. But in time the brook that he drank from dried up (verse 6) . This must have indicated to him that the situation back in Israel was looking bleaker. Did Ahab begin to be alarmed as the reservoirs dried up in Israel? Was he given a daily briefing on the water levels by one of his staff officers?

God then tells Elijah to relocate to Zarephath of Sidon and to lodge at the home of a widow, “I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food” (verse 9) . Hmm, a non-Israelite was given a message from the God of Israel to feed one of his prophets. I wonder how that happened. Certainly not by text-messaging her. Does his meeting with the widow remind you of Eliezer’s meeting with Rebecca? He also asked for a drink of water, as if to test her degree of kindness (Gen. 24:17) .

Elijah arrives at the front gate of the city of Zarephath, and he sees a widow there gathering sticks. He asks her for a jar of water and some bread (verse 10) . One commentator said that this was a test of her kindness to determine if she might be “the one” God commanded to supply you with food. Why didn’t he just ask her? “Excuse me, but are you waiting for a visit from a prophet from Israel?”

She replied, (verse 12) , “As surely as the Lord your God lives, I don’t have any bread-only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it-and die.” Was she serious? What was she planning for dessert, a murder-suicide?

She must have recognized him as an Israelite, perhaps because of his prophet uniform, as she said, “the Lord your God,” not “our God.” If he wasn’t her God, why did she obey his command to feed Elijah?

Elijah then tells her to first make something for him to eat, then make something for herself. This sounds selfish since it appears that if she made him something to eat there wouldn’t be anything left for her and her child (verse 13) . Then he explains, “The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.” This was a real test of faith for this widow. She may have been a skeptic, but she might be moving away from skepticism to belief.

She did what she was asked to do and every time she went to the flour pot or oil jug, there was always some left. She had what could be marketed as “Elijah jugs” or “Elijah pots.” Wouldn’t it be great if every time you opened your wallet there was always money in it? I’d like to have an “Elijah wallet.”

In verse 17 the widow’s son got sick and the first thing the widow though was, “I must have sinned in some way.” That was a very common belief back then. Even today people think that when bad things happen to someone, they must have sinned. Job’s friends thought that he must have sinned for all those bad things to have happened to him. Even the disciples of Jesus thought this way. In John 9:2-3 , “His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

Elijah took the boy upstairs and prayed over him, saying (verse 21) , “O Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!” There was no theatrics, no screaming, pleading, wailing, etc. Just a simple, short prayer. The Lord answered his prayer, Elijah carried him back down to his mother saying, (verse 23) , “Look, your son is alive!” Then the woman replied, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth” (verse 34) . There, her faith was reinforced.

Though the Israelites were God’s chosen people, he was not unconcerned about others. The God of Israel was God to all who believed. Jonah had to learn that lesson the hard way.

The widowed lady was so overjoyed that she brought out from under a dresser a dust-covered bottle of brandy that her late husband had hidden. She uncorked that bottle and she and Elijah, and maybe even the son, celebrated long into the night until the police arrived to quiet them down. Or maybe not. Hey, if the Jews can make up traditions, why can’t the Christians?

I Kings 14 - 15

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 09:05:20 GMT

I Kings 14:

More Kings come and go.

Most are evil, but a few are good.

Jeroboam, the king of the northern Kingdom of Israel, found himself in a real crisis. One of his sons got very sick. Perhaps as a last resort, after praying to his pagan gods, he decided to seek the help of a real prophet, the Prophet from Shiloh, Ahijah. This is how chapter 14 begins.

Verse 1 , when King Jeroboams’ son becomes ill, he sends his wife (in disguise) to visit the prophet Ahijah over in Shiloh (verse 2) . She packs a nice gift box for the prophet consisting of cakes, honey, and bread (verse 3) . Was this a custom of the day or might she have been hoping that it might influence the prophet to give her a good report?

Ahijah wasn’t the kind of prophet the king was used to dealing with. Usually, the false prophets, like some modern pastors, would tell the kings and the people only what they wanted to hear. Isaiah makes this point in Isa. 30:9-11 , “these are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction. They say to the seers, ‘See no more visions! And to the prophets, “Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions... stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel.’” Prophets and pastors who tell the king and congregation what they want to hear get rewarded and have greater job security.

The Prophet Ahijah, who, if you recall was the prophet who told Jeroboam that he would become king over the northern tribes (1 Kings 11:29-31) , would always tell the king what he NEEDED to hear rather than what he WANTED to hear.

What if pastors were given an employment contract which protected them from being fired for unbiblical reasons? Would the subjects of their sermons be different if they knew that their job and income were secure?

What did Ahijah do when he wasn’t giving messages from God to the king? He must have been an historian and writer. In 2 Chron. 9:29 it says that he was the author of a book described as the "Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite," which contained information about Solomon's reign. This book goes by another title, also, The Acts of Solomon (1 Kings 11:41) . No, don’t look for that book on Amazon.com. It was lost to history many years ago.

Jeroboam was hopeful for good news from Ahijah. Afterall, he did bring him good news when he was told that he would inherit the northern tribes of Israel. Perhaps he was thinking that he would bring him good news again. Too bad Jeroboam didn’t listen to his counsel when he was corrupting the religion of Israel with the golden calves, unqualified priests, etc.

When Jeroboam’s wife arrived at the front door of the home or office of the prophet, Ahijah said (verse 6) , “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why this pretense?” She must have been shocked that he knew her identity, especially since by this time the elderly prophet was blind. Knowing her identity would probably give credibility to any message he might give her. If she was a skeptic or reluctant to take on this role, she probably wasn’t a skeptic any longer.

Ahijah tells her to tell Jeroboam, (verses 8-10) , “I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, but you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what is right in my eyes. You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have provoked me to anger and thrust me behind your back. Because of this, I am going to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam, I will cut off from Jeroboam every last male in Israel.”

Ahijah then tells her to go back home. He says, (verse 12) “when you set foot in your city the boy will die.” What should she do? Should she stay out of town? Relocate? Imagine the guilt she might have felt if her son died as she entered the city.

Why aren’t we told more? The purpose of the book of Kings is to explain to the people why they are being invaded and taken into captivity. It is not a comprehensive history of these nations. It is more of a spiritual history, how the kings either led their people away from God or closer to God. As for the more comprehensive history of their reigns, when the death of these kings is announced you will oftentimes find this type of statement, “As for the other events of the reign of _________ are they not written in the books of the annals of the kings of Israel.”

Ahijah continues with his message for Jeroboam. Verse 14, “The Lord will raise up for himself a king over Israel who will cut off the family of Jeroboam.” The cutting off of the family of Jeroboam meant that his entire family would be massacred. This mass murderer turned out to be Baasha who we will meet in chapter 15. There’s something to look forward to. “Verse 15, “And the Lord will strike Israel, so that it will be like a reed swaying in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land that he gave to their forefathers and scatter them beyond the River.” More bad news. Not only would Jeroboam’s family come to an end, but the nation would be scattered. What might Ahijah be referring to? Well, in time, the Assyrians will invade Israel and take many into captivity.

If Jeroboam had paid attention to the covenant rules given by Moses and agreed to by all of Israel, he would know that Deut. 28 speaks of these curses if the nation disobeyed God. Verse 25 , “the Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies.” Verse 36 , “the Lord will drive you and the king you set over you to a nation unknown to you or your fathers.” Verse 47 , “Because you did not serve the Lord your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, therefore in hunger and thirst, in naked ness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the Lord sends against you. Verses 63-64 , “You will be uprooted from the land you are entering to possess. The Lord will scatter you among all nations from one end of the earth to the other.”

Apparently, he didn’t pay attention to Deut. 17:18-19 either. It says, “When he (the king) takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law . . . and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees.” I don’t think these kings did their homework, do you?

Well, the baby died and so did Jeroboam after a twenty-two-year reign (1 Kings 14:20) . Jeroboam was told that if he followed the Lord and was faithful to the Law, then he would have God’s promise: “I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you” (1 Kings 11:38) . But Jeroboam didn’t, there was no dynasty for him. He died and was succeeded by his son Nadab (verse 20) .

Now the narrative switches over to Rehoboam and what is going on in the southern kingdom of Judah. He was 41 years old when he became king and ruled for 17 years (verse 21) . How did he do as king? Was he a more righteous king than Jeroboam? We know that a few of the kings of Judah were good kings, but Rehoboam wasn’t one of them. Verses 22-24 , “Judah did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” They also “set up for themselves high places, sacred stones and Asherah poles. . . there were even male shrine prostitutes in the land.” It sounds as if Jeroboam and Rehoboam are competing with one another as to who can lead their people further away from God.

Five years into Rehoboam’s reign, the King of Egypt invaded Jerusalem and carried off the treasures of the temple and the palace (verses 25-26) . Poor Rehoboam had to replace all those gold shields with cheaper copies, made of bronze (1 Kings 14:27) . What a comedown. Going from gold shields to bronze. It would be like giving up your luxury automobile for 1980 oil-burning, rusted out station wagon whose fender is covered with duct tape. The kind of car your kids are embarrassed to be seen in by their peers.

If Rehoboam was puzzled as to why God hadn’t protected him from these invaders, Shemaiah the prophet helped him to understand why. “This is what the Lord says, ‘You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak” (2 Chron.12:5) .

To his credit though, Rehoboam and his subordinate leaders didn’t rationalize their behavior or argue with the wisdom and justice of God. 2 Chron. 12:6 , “The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, ‘The Lord is just.’” God’s responded with mercy. Verse 12 , “Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the Lord’s anger turned from him, and he was not totally destroyed.”

Yet even after the Egyptian invaders left the land, Rehoboam refused to turn back to God and destroy all the pagan worship sites. Rather, his efforts went to rebuilding the fortifications and cities, and reorganization of his army. From this point on the nation of Judah never recovered its original strength, wealth, and political influence.

Rehoboam ended his reign with ongoing conflict with Israel. He died and was succeeded by his son Abijah. And again, a more comprehensive history of his reign is written “in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah” (verse 29) .

I Kings Chapter 15:

Abijah has a short reign and was followed by Asa, a Good King with a long reign.

Abijah, successor to Rehoboam, didn’t make much of an impact on the history of Judah. His reign was short, only three years. Which was good, because he was another lousy king, just like his father Rehoboam. Verse 3 , “He committed all the sins his father had done before him.” Verse 4 , “Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his “God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong.” This person would be named Asa.

Fortunately, the next king of Judah, Asa , (verse 8) was a good king with a long reign. He is one of only a few kings who was described as doing (I Kings 15:11-12) , “what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done.”

Besides Ahijah there was another true prophet by the name of Azariah. Azariah urged Asa (2 Chron. 15:1-3) to lead the nation in the long-neglected observances of the Law of Moses. Asa agreed and purged the land of foreign religions and false idols; all the sites of Baal and Asherah worship were destroyed. Asa even removed his grandmother from her position as the Queen Mother, because she made an Asherah pole. These poles were thought to have been made of wood and were set up next to an altar to Baal. Later, King Manasseh of Judah would place an Asherah pole in the Holy Temple (2 Kings 21:7) .

Asa took her Asherah pole and burnt it in the Kidron Valley. Then the nation renewed its covenant with God and a great feast was held in Jerusalem at Solomon's Temple (2 Chron. 15:10–11) . This was like a “Back to Torah” movement or a Great Awakening for Israel.

How did Asa manage to avoid becoming a devotee to the pagan religion practiced by so many others? When did he come to realize that they were all wrong? Did he keep his doubts secret until he had the power as king to do something about it? How did others respond to his reforms? Was there a large minority of others who agreed with him? Did he need a couple of extra layers of security around him to protect him from his religious opponents? What did his reforms do to his family relationships? Imagine the Queen Mother glaring at him at family gatherings after he destroyed her Asherah pole. Some of these questions were probably addressed in the book of the annals of the kings.

During this time of reformation many northerners migrated to the Kingdom of Judah to escape the chaos and idolatry. This and other migrations south led to a blurring of the distinction between Israel and Judah.

In his later years Asa developed some sort of foot disease. He did seek medical treatment, but he never sought help from the Lord (2 Chron. 16:12) . Why would we be told this?

I wonder why Asa, the reformist, didn’t seek healing from God. There was no danger in seeking healing from God, but there was danger in seeking healing from doctors. In fact, it wasn’t until the late 1800s that doctors could do more good than harm for their patients. President Garfield was a good example. After he was shot, doctors probed Garfield's wound with unsterilized fingers and instruments, attempting to find the bullet. In the process, Garfield's liver was punctured, and an infection set in, killing him 79 days after being shot.

Most historians and medical experts believe that Garfield probably would have survived his wound had the doctors just left him alone. An assassin shot him, but his doctors killed him.

We will return to Asa’s foot disease shortly, but we have to get back to the narrative.

In verse 16 we return to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Judah. Asa decided to seek a treaty with the King of Aram in Damascus (I Kings 15:18) to protect himself from Baasha, the king of Israel. The only problem was the King of Aram, Ben-Hadad, already had a treaty with Baasha king of Israel. But Asa had a gift for Ben-Hadad, silver and gold that the Egyptian army didn’t get their hands on. Asa asks, (verse 19) “Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.” Ben-Hadad took the gold and silver, broke his treaty with Baasha, and sent his army to fight Baasha’s troops in Israel (verse 20) . How can you trust a king who breaks an earlier treaty with another nation?

And after a reign of over forty years Asa died and was buried in Jerusalem (2 Chron. 16-14) , “They buried him in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bier covered with spices and various blended perfumes.” Why all the spices and perfumes? Was that a tradition of that day or were his feet diseased in such a way as to give off an offensive odor that had to be masked by the flowers and perfumes? What medical issue might he have suffered from? Perhaps he suffered from a blood circulation disorder such as might be brought on by diabetes which caused the tissue on the toes to die which smelt bad.

I Kings 15:14 says, “Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.” Perhaps the reason why he didn’t make even more reforms was due to ongoing health problems which weakened him.

His son Jehoshaphat succeeded him as king (verse 24) .

Meanwhile, what’s been going on in Israel to the north? After Jeroboam died his son Nadab succeeded him. But he only lasted two years (verse 25) on the throne. No, he didn’t die of a heart attack or a chariot accident. He was assassinated by one of his own officers, one named Baasha. Yes, the same Baasha mentioned above.

This happened when they were fighting, you guessed it, the Philistines (I Kings 15:27) . Maybe Baasha was hoping that Nadab would have died in battle, (like Uriah) but the Philistines just weren’t getting the job done for him. The official report of the kings death may have said that he died a heroic death leading his troops in battle against the Philistines. When in reality Baasha assassinated him. Baasha then killed Jeroboam’s entire family so none of them would retaliate against him. All this was predicted in I Kings 14:10 , “I am going to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam. I will cut off from Jeroboam every last male in Israel.”

The duration of Baasha's reign over Israel was twenty-four years (I Kings 15:33) . His job approval rating was very low. Verse 34 , “He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, walking in the ways of Jeroboam and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit.”

I Kings 12 - 13

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 09:25:11 GMT

The Northern Tribes secede from Israel

In chapter 11 we read that Solomon has died. How was his death perceived by the people of Israel? Was he viewed as the spoiled prince who became king? Was he the king who started off with high hopes and best wishes of the people only to disappoint them later in his reign? Was he the wise king who didn’t always practice what he preached? Will he be remembered for reigning during a time of peace and prosperity but who ended his reign as leading his people away from the one true God and the nation burdened with huge governmental expenses?

As with any leader, Solomon left behind a mixed legacy. The books that he wrote reflected the man. A man of passion, wisdom, and flaws who late in life drifted away from his devotion to God.

Solomon was succeeded by his son Rehoboam. Let’s take a quick look at Rehoboam and the southern Kingdom of Judah. Rehoboam was the fourth and last king of the United Kingdom of Israel. He became king at the age of 41 and ruled for 17 years. He had eighteen wives and sixty concubines.

His mother was the only wife of Solomon who is mentioned by name. She was Naamah, an Ammonite. Ammonites were descendants of Lot and were located east of Israel in what is modern day Jordan. The Ammonites worshiped the god Molech which included child sacrifices. God commanded the Israelites not to marry these pagans, because intermarriage would lead the Israelites to worship false gods. Solomon ignored this command.

Naamah was the one who introduced her religious practices to Israel. I Kings 11:4-6 , “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites.” Once the leaders moved away from God, the people followed.

The ultimate cause of the split of Solomon’s kingdom is found in 1 Kings 11:11-13 , “since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates (Jeroboam). Nevertheless, for the sake of David, your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. . . Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him but will give him one tribe for the sake of David.”

The immediate cause of the spit in the country was Rehoboam’s unwise decision to refuse to lower the tax burden on his people.

The United Kingdom of Israel split into the Northern Kingdom of Israel, led by Jeroboam and the much smaller, Southern Kingdom of Judah, led by Rehoboam.

Most of the kings of the southern Kingdom of Judah were evil, but there were several who were good and tried to turn the people back to God. But in 585 B.C. Judah would be invaded by the Babylonians, the temple destroyed and many of the people would be taken into captivity for seventy years.

Let’s take a quick look at what would become the northern Kingdom of Israel. It’s first king was Jeroboam who had been one of Solomon’s officials in charge of the labor force (I Kings 11:26-28) . Jeroboam was told by the prophet Ahijah that the nation of Israel would be taken away from Rehoboam and ten tribes would be given to Jeroboam (verses 35-36) .

Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but he flees to Egypt until Solomon dies.

Rehoboam succeeded his father Solomon as the king of Israel, and Jeroboam returns to Israel and askes that Rehoboam lower the heavy tax burden that his father Solomon placed on his people. Rehoboam refused and the northern tribes seceded from the union and appointed Jeroboam as their first king.

Jeroboam reigned for 22 years and introduced a wide range of “worship innovations” which included Golden Calves, appointing unqualified priests, created new sites for sacrifices within their borders and male temple prostitutes. Jeroboam became the standard for evil among the kings of Israel. There was not a single righteous king among all who followed Jeroboam. Finally, in 721 B.C. the nation was invaded by the Assyrians who took some people into captivity. These people disappeared from history. Assyrians moved in and intermarried with the Israelites.

With this background, let’s get back to the text.

In 1 Kings 12:1 we find Rehoboam being crowned as the new king of the still United Kingdom of Israel and Jeroboam returning from Egypt. Jeroboam, along with a group of representatives from the northern tribes visits Rehoboam, Solomon’s successor. Jeroboam says (verse 4) , “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us and we will serve you.”

This seems to me to be a reasonable request. All Rehoboam had to do was to provide them with some tax breaks and he would probably gain their support for life. An act of generosity on his part might have solidified the people’s support for him much as Solomons’ demonstration of wisdom and David’s military victories had done for them.

Rehoboam asked for three days to give this request some thought. He then asked his older advisors, and they too thought it would be a good idea to lessen the burden on the people (verse 6) .

Apparently, Rehoboam didn’t get the advice he wanted so he asked a group of younger advisors. They told him what he wanted to hear. This is what many subordinates do when a powerful person asks for advice. Nations have gone to war over faulty intelligence, but the leaders “signaled” what they hoped the intelligence agencies would find and so they were told what they wanted to hear.

Rehoboam’s advisors probably told the boss what they thought he wanted to hear. The younger advisors suggested that Rehoboam demonstrate that he was in charge, that he would not give the people any tax relief for fear that they would come back and ask for more.

Jeroboam returned to the palace to get the decision of King Rehoboam. As you can imagine, he was shocked and disappointed with the decision of Rehoboam. His disappointment quickly turned to anger. Angry words were exchanged, and Jeroboam ended the meeting with (verse 16) , “What share do we have in David, what part in Jesse’s son? To your tents, O Israel! Look after your own house, O David.”

To “Look after your own house” meant to look after your own tribe. It can also suggest that they viewed the house or temple in Jerusalem as the temple or house of the tribe of Judah rather than the temple of all of Israel.

Things got even uglier for Rehoboam. Rehoboam accompanied Adoniram, the head of the unpopular forced labor program on a visit. Adoniram was welcomed by the crowds, not with cheers and confetti, but with jeers and a hail of rocks. Adoniram was killed and Rehoboam barely escaped with his life. This triggered the people of the northern tribes to turn to Jeroboam and make him King of the northern tribes of Israel.

This infuriated Rehoboam. He had already had a very ugly confrontation with Jeroboam over tax relief. Adoniram was killed, he was assaulted and now Jeroboam was crowned king of the northern tribes. He gathered an army (verse 21) and was ready to go to war with the northern tribes when a prophet of God by the name of Shemaiah told him, “Do not go up to fight against your brothers” (verse 24) . Shemaiah averted a bloody civil war. The U.S. could have used his services back in April of 1861. I wonder if Shemaiah received the equivalent of the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. He probably deserved it.

Now Jeroboam had another concern to deal with. How was he going to keep the northern tribes united and prevent people from migrating south to Judah? The Israelites were required to go to Jerusalem three times a year to observe the pilgrimage festivals (Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles).

Not only were they required to make these pilgrimages, but they also took a lot of money with them to fill the coffers of those in Judah. “They shall not appear empty handed. Each shall bring his own gift, appropriate to the blessing which the Lord your God has given you” (Deut.16:16) . The Israelites had to pay their first tithe to the Levites in Judah. They also used their second tithe to pay for their trip and living expenses while in Jerusalem. All that money from the ten northern tribes being spent in Judah may have been an economic boost to Judah but may not have done much for the northern tribes. Naturally he would want to keep that wealth in his own country.

Jeroboam was also concerned that if the people continued to observe these festivals in Jerusalem they might, at the very least, become less loyal to him. And these festivals were a community-building experience. The last thing Jeroboam wanted was for there to be stronger emotional ties between the north and the south. They might even relocate to Judah. He wanted to prevent this from happening.

To keep the Israelites closer to home, Jeroboam created his own worship and sacrifice sites in Israel. Jeroboam built two state approved temples, one in the town of Bethel (about 22 miles from Jerusalem) along the southern border and the other near the northern border in the town of Dan. Jeroboam also hired his own priests and designated new dates for religious festivals. His advisors may have also suggested that water slides, chariot races and casinos be built to attract visitors, but there is no historical record of such ideas being made.

But Jeroboam did agree to bring back that old-time favorite idol, the Golden Calf. No, it wasn’t a carnival ride, it was an object of worship.

I can imagine the promotional posters for the new pilgrimage sites. Which promotional slogan do you like best?

“Worship Locally and Save Money.”

“Less Travel Plus Golden Calves”

“Worship in Israel, it’s the Patriotic Thing to Do”

Verse 28 , “After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He (Jeroboam) said to the people, ‘It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”

Bethel was about twenty-two miles from Jerusalem and 120 miles from Dan in the north. The idea of shortening travel time, saving money, and having more fun with the Golden Calves, must have been very attractive.

The golden calves were symbols of strength and fertility so you can imagine what their worship or festival celebrations were like. They might have been a cross between a fitness center and a brothel. Do you think worship attendance rates increased at this time? It’d probably be difficult for competing religions who had little more to offer than contemporary music, coffee, and donuts.

Many of the righteous Levites shook their heads in disgust with these innovations of worship and headed south to Jerusalem. Jeroboam had to appoint new priests (verse 31) “from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites.” 2 Chron. 11:14 tells us that those Levites who disapproved of these actions by Jeroboam and who didn’t leave voluntarily, were expelled from the country. In a sense, the Israelites experienced a split in the nation and the “denomination.” Not so much different than what some nations and churches experience today.

In Chapter 13 we find a “man of God came from Judah to Bethel,” to visit the new worship site at Bethel. Do you think he was pleased with what he saw? He wasn’t there to worship but to give a message to Jeroboam, the man who was responsible for these “liturgical innovations.” Jeroboam was there for worship services and was about to offer a sacrifice when he was interrupted by this “man of God” (verse 1) . Did you notice that this “man of God” was not a local, but came from Judah? Couldn’t God find an honest prophet left in Israel? Probably not.

Why was he unnamed? I hope his feelings weren’t hurt. Maybe he wanted to remain anonymous, for security reasons. Well, he told Jeroboam that a future king of Judah, a righteous one by the name of Josiah would sacrifice on this pagan altar the bones of Jeroboam’s phony priests (verses 2-3) .

Many years later, another prophet would come from the south to deliver another painful message to the Israelites. His name was Amos. And his message wasn’t any more positive than this “man of God.” And he wasn’t any more welcomed, either.

These prophecies were fulfilled and are recorded in 2 Kings 23 . There the good King Josiah ordered that the long-ignored temple be renovated and cleaned up and placed back in service. In the process the workmen found the Book of the Law, which had been lost for years. When it was taken to the king, he asked that it be read to him. He was shocked by what he heard and ordered that the Law be read to the people (2 Kings 23:2) . He realized how far the people had strayed from the true worship of God and renewed the covenant between his people and God.

He then pulled down the altars to the pagan gods that were built by Jeroboam (2 Kings 23:12-15) , burnt the Asherah pole, removed the bones from the nearby tombs of the priests appointed by Jeroboam and burnt them on the altar. Why would he do that? The understanding back then was if you burnt human bones on the altar, it would be so desecrated that it could never be used again for sacrifices.

King Jeroboam, like many in power, did not take kindly to what the man of God had to say. I imagine he wasn’t very pleased with his security detail, either, for allowing someone to interrupt him in worship. The king outstretched his hand and ordered, (verse 4) “seize him!” But just then, his hand shriveled up so that he could not pull it back. Also, the altar that the king was using to offer a sacrifice to a pagan god, split in half. This put the king in a panic, and he cried out to the man of God, “Intercede with the Lord your God and pray for me that my hand many be restored” (verse 6) . Notice that he referred to God as “your God” not “our God.” The prophet did, and the kings’ hand was restored. He was so grateful he invited the man of God over for lunch, though the offer was declined (verse 7) . He explained to the king that he was told to not eat or drink anything until his mission was complete and to take a different route home (verse 9) . Why a different route home? Perhaps he was concerned that the King might send someone to go after him. The man of God was there on official business and to have had lunch with the king would have diminished the seriousness of the mission and the message. But, like a good soldier, he was going to obey his orders until his mission is completed.

Can you think of other times when people were given similar instructions to stay focused on the mission and avoid any unnecessary distractions? Elisha sent his servant with instructions to not speak or greet anyone on the way (2 Kings 4:29) . Jesus said much the same in Luke 10:4 . That didn’t mean that they couldn’t say “Hello” as they passed by someone, but in that day, “greetings” were more elaborate and time consuming.

On his way home the man of God was resting under a tree, probably hungry and wishing he had something to eat, when the sons of an “old prophet” came by and invited him to eat with them (verses 11-15) . The man of God declined the offer. When his sons returned home, the old prophet himself came by to invite the man of God for dinner, saying, “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the Lord: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water” (verse 18) . Ah, but the old prophet was probably lying.

But the man of God did go with the lying old prophet and ate with him. While having lunch the old prophet got a real message from God, telling him that the man of God, the true prophet who was his lunch guest would be punished for disobeying God and that when he died his body would not be buried in the tomb of his fathers (verse 22) . I wonder how God gave him this message. Was it when he went into the other room? Did he tell the man of God what the message was? Can you imagine what the old prophet may have said when he returned to the table? “Is there something wrong? You look troubled?” “Oh, it’s nothing. Would you like more desert?”

When the man of God left, he was attacked by a lion and killed (verse 24) . But strangely, the lion didn’t maul or eat the man, he just killed him. This was understood to mean that his death was divine judgment. When the old prophet heard what happened, he retrieved his body and laid his body in his family tomb. He was probably racked with guilt for his role in the man’s death. Did he know what name to put on his tombstone? Perhaps it read like the inscription on the tomb of the unknown soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, “Here Lies a True Prophet, Known unto God.”

Was his death a signal to King Jeroboam? I think it was a warning that what happened to the man of God might happen to the king, if he continued to disobey God.

I do feel bad for the man of God. He had the courage to confront the King, yet his name isn’t even given. He died for what appears to have been a rather minor mistake in judgement. But maybe there is more to the story than we are being told. Perhaps he was starting to suffer from the early symptoms of a debilitating neurological disease which would have slowly and painfully killed him, so maybe his quick death wasn’t so bad.

What about Jeroboam, the man the prophet confronted and whose hand became all shriveled up? Did the warning from the man of God have any lasting effect? Did the frightening immobilization of his arm convince him that he should change his ways? Did the splitting of the altar bring him to his senses? Did the death of the man of God turn his heart back to God? No. No. No and No. Verse 33-34 , “Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high places from all sorts of people. Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated for the high places. This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth.” I would guess that the only real qualification to become a priest was a hefty bribe.

Today there are religious leaders who like to give themselves titles such as Apostle or Prophet. Others like to say, “God told me . . .” or “God appeared to me in a vision.” We should always be skeptical of such claims. The man of God was deceived by the old prophet because his invitation was phrased in religious language. He sounded so sincere and pious. The Apostle Paul warned us in Gal. 1:8-9 , “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!”

Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) believed that he had a vision where God the Father and his son Jesus Christ appeared to him and instructed him to join none of the existing churches because they were all wrong. (Joseph Smith History 1:18-19 Doctrines and Covenants).

Even today people claim to have received messages from God or angels.

John also warned is 1 John 4:1 , “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

Paul tells us in 2 Tim. 3:16-17 , that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” All of it is inspired, all of it is useful and it is all that we need. No need to listen to those who claim to have “new” revelation from God which contradicts Scriptures.

We should follow the example of the Bereans who were commended because they “received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts. 17:11)

Pentecost 2023

Tue, 23 May 2023 04:27:13 GMT

In 2023, Christians observed First Fruits or Resurrection Sunday 9 April. First Fruits commemorates the resurrection of Jesus. Paul referred to Jesus as the first fruits because he was the first person to be permanently returned to life and that there will others to come, each in their time. “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the first fruits ; then, when he comes (the rapture), those who belong to him (1 Cor. 15:22-23) .

At the time of the rapture, those who have died will be raised before living believers. “According to the Lord’s word. . .the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” (1 Thess. 4:15-18) . Each in his order, Jesus, the first fruit, then those who are dead in Christ, followed by those who are alive.

Coming up shortly is the next holy day, which is another pilgrimage or harvest festival. It’s called Pentecost, which literally means, “count fifty.” It is fifty days from First Fruits and is also known as the Feast of Weeks. This holy day commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit which is the birth of the church. (Acts 2:1-31) .

In Acts 2 , the apostles were gathered together, when a mighty rushing wind (a symbol of the Holy Spirit) and “tongues as of fire” appeared. The Greek word for spirit is pneuma, which means spirit, wind or breath. Power tools powered by compressed air are called pneumatic tools. A course that focuses on the Holy Spirit is called pneumatology.

If you go to church on Pentecost, you might notice many wearing red, which symbolizes the joy and fire of the Holy Spirit. Some churches have a red light in the ceiling to symbolize the coming of the Holy Spirit.

In Acts 2 the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit. I Cor. 12:13 says that Christians are baptized by one Spirit into ONE body. Eph. 1:22-24 says that the church is “his body.” Col. 1:24 refers to his (Christ’s) body, which is the church. Being filled with the Holy Spirit into one body, the church is his body, the church was born on Pentecost.

In 2023 Pentecost is on 28 May. Here is a video of the Zola Levitt presentation on Pentecost.

Gay Marriages in the Church

Tue, 09 May 2023 10:31:52 GMT

While on a trip to Tanzania, an American pastor of a mainstream denomination, said that he wished his denomination would allow him to perform gay marriages and to ask God’s blessing on the couple’s relationship.

One church website which offers gay marriage ceremonies wrote, “We can’t be certain what Jesus would have us do regarding offering marriage to all couples, as there is no record of his thoughts.” The statement continued, “the primary message throughout Christianity is unconditional love for all.” It goes on to say, “we feel it is better to choose love and inclusiveness rather than to close our doors to some of His flock.”

It is my understanding that the Bible is inspired by God, all of it. Paul wrote in 2 Tim. 3:16-18 , “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” So whether Jesus spoke on the subject of gay marriage or not, if any part of the Bible speaks on the subject, then it is authoritative. The Bible is authoritative whether the passages were written by Paul, James, John, Moses or Jesus.

If you can’t trust part of the Bible, can you trust any of it? Of course, the Bible has to be correctly interpreted. Paul tells us in 2 Tim. 2:15 , “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” Some leaders have misinterpreted the Bible to justify slavery and other sins.

The Bible declares that stealing, murder, kidnapping, drunkenness, etc. are sins and should not be tolerated, let alone encouraged or celebrated. Homosexual behavior is listed among these sins (Gen.19:1–13; Lev.18:22; 20:13; Rom. 1:26–27; 1 Cor. 6:9; 1 Tim.1:10) .

Let’s take a look at the New Testament passages that deal with homosexuality.

Romans 1:26-27 , “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another .

I Cor. 6:9-11 “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God ? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men , nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were . But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

I Tim. 1:9-10 , “We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful , the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality , for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine.”

Unless we are misinterpreting these passages, or the Apostle Paul was “mistaken” in what he wrote, should a pastor ask God to bless a lifestyle that he has already condemned along with idol worshipping, stealing, drunkenness, slandering, murdering, slave trading and perjury?

If a pastor wishes to ask God to bless a gay relationship, should he also be able to ask God to bless the relationship between a married man and his mistress? Should a pastor be willing to ask God to bless the “ministry” of a prostitute who brings comfort and pleasure to her lonely, middle-aged customers whose wives don’t understand them? Should the pastor ask God to bless a gang of thieves who sell stolen merchandise to the poor claiming that it is a ministry? I can imagine their ad campaign, “We Steal, You Save.”

On the other hand, should Christians insult or attack those who live a private lifestyle that Scripture frowns upon? No. Should we expect or demand that non-Christians live a Christian life? No.

Imagine that your neighbor is an observant Jew who keeps kosher and observes the seventh day sabbath. Should he condemn you for mowing your lawn on Saturday or for eating pork? No, because he doesn’t expect you, a non-Jew, to live like a Jew. But if you did convert to Judaism, should you try to get the congregation to accept your lifestyle of eating pork, working on the Sabbath, and ignoring the holy days observances? If they tried to discipline you, would you call them narrow-minded, hateful, or “porkphobic”?

The Apostle Paul urged the leadership of the church in Corinth to discipline a member of the Corinthian Church because he was in an open relationship with his fathers’ wife (I Cor. 5:12-13) . He concluded his comments with, “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside.”

Paul didn’t have any authority to discipline those outside the church. Nor did he expect non-Christians to live by the same standards as Christians. The statement, “Are you not to judge those inside?” suggests to me that church members were to be disciplined, in love, rather than claiming that love requires them to ignore blatant sins in the church.

Paul didn’t hate the sinful church member. He didn’t choose to close the doors to some of His flock. He didn’t discipline anyone to hurt them. He did it to protect the rest of the church from his influence and to bring him to repentance, which apparently is what happened. “Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him” (2 Cor. 2:7-9) . Disciplining a fellow Christian living in sin is not a hateful act, condoning the sinful lifestyle can be. God disciplines his children because he loves them. Heb. 12:6-7 “because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.”

Paul preached the Gospel to non-believers. Only when they became Christians did he have the authority to hold them to Biblical standards of behavior. He kept his criticism of sinful behavior focused on members of the church, not society at large.

When Jesus met with the woman caught in adultery, in John 8:10-11 , he asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin .”

Jesus didn’t close the door to anyone. He offered unconditional love to all, but out of his love for them, he judged their behavior and disciplined them.

The Apostle Peter wrote, (I Peter 3:15) , “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect .”

Since our views should come from Scripture, we should refer to Scripture, when explaining our beliefs. Rather than saying, “Well, I feel that. . .” you might say, “It is my understanding that in every passage in Scripture that mentions homosexual behavior, it is not condoned or celebrated, it is condemned.

This explanation is not an attack on the individual himself, but on the behavior.” And most people would agree that there are some forms of behavior, such as murder, rape, stealing, domestic abuse and drunkenness that are wrong.

Some people may have a predisposition towards gay attraction, much as others have a predisposition towards violence, greed, or drunkenness. But predisposition doesn’t excuse the behavior. Some people just have to work harder than others to be patient, non-violent, honest or sober. Shouldn’t the church be helping them to live a godly life rather than encouraging them to do otherwise? Isn’t that how they would respond to those who are abusing their spouses, killing themselves with illegal drugs and alcoholism, hurting others with their stealing and slandering?

To discourage a homosexual lifestyle is not being homophobic any more than not supporting murder, criminal or drunkenness makes one “murder phobic” or “crime phobic”, or “alcohol phobic.” Nor does it make one narrow-minded or hateful.

The church is told to go into all the world, preach the Gospel, make disciples, baptize, and teach. The focus of our message to non-believers is the presentation of the Gospel, not the imposition of church discipline. But once a person becomes a Christian, he is to mature and live a more Christian life, rather than insist that the church accept the lifestyle of the world.

Paul wrote in Rom. 12:1 , “Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The mind is renewed by studying the Bible to come to think as God thinks. The church should be changing the people rather than the people changing the church.

Either scripture is inspired by God and our understanding of it is correct in teaching that unrepentant homosexual practice is among the sins that keeps people out of the Kingdom of God, or gay activists are correct that disapproval of their lifestyles is unjust. These positions are mutually exclusive.

Judgement in the Church

Tue, 09 May 2023 09:50:02 GMT

One commentator wrote that the United Methodist Church offered “a safe affiliation for politicians of all stripes because it provided a vague respectability without offering much of a clue about what they actually believed. UMC leaders at all levels have been extraordinarily skittish about drawing even minimal boundaries of doctrine and discipline. UMC culture has placed a high priority on not offending people within or beyond our congregations.”

Statements of belief are oftentimes very vague, much like a politician who is evading a question from a member of the press. An example of this view is a statement by a UMC which described itself as “a safe, non-judgmental community. . . committed to loving and being in ministry with all people.” What exactly does this mean? Is being “judgmental” wrong? Is it unloving? Unchristian?

In John Wesley’s sermon entitled The Great Assize (judgment), which he considered to be his best sermon, he called on those court officials in attendance who pass and execute judgment on others to “consider carefully that God the Son, at the second coming, was going to pass judgment on them! They would hear the joyful words, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world’ (Matt. 25:34), or they would hear the dreadful words, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’ (v. 41). And Wesley encouraged those officials to live in fearful anticipation of that future judgment so that they might be properly motivated to live holy lives. Heaven, hell, judgment, and the second coming were all recurring themes in much of John Wesley’s preaching. “The Great Assize” was simply his best.”

One Methodist pastor found himself growing more aware that his responsibility to preach the whole counsel of God and not simply what he or his congregation was comfortable hearing. Then God whispered to him, “You need to be more afraid of me than your people.”

While that message of judgment may not be heard very much these days, it is neither ignored in the Bible, nor in the ecumenical creeds.

Judgements that have already occurred:

The judgment of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:14-24) . God banished the first couple from the Garden of Eden.

The judgment of the antediluvian world (Genesis 7:17-24) . God sent a worldwide flood in judgment of mankind’s sin in Noah’s time.

The judgment at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:5-9) . Noah’s post-flood descendants remained in one location in defiance of God’s command, so God confused their language, causing them to disperse over the earth.

The Judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19) . Besides homosexuality, the people were arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned about the poor among them (Ezek.16:49–50) .

The judgment of Egypt and their gods (Exodus 7-12) . The ten plagues against Egypt at the time of the exodus were “mighty acts of judgment” (Exodus 7:4) against a stubborn, cruel king.

The judgment of believers’ sins (Isa. 53:4-8) . Jesus took this judgment upon Himself by His crucifixion and death. Because our sin was judged at the cross, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1)

Judgments occurring now in the church age:

Self-evaluation (1 Cor.11:28) . Self-judgment requires each believer to be spiritually discerning, with a goal of being more like Christ (Eph. 4:21–23) .

Divine discipline (Heb.12:5–11) . The Lord disciplines His own; that is, He brings His followers to a place of repentance and restoration when they sin. In so doing, He makes a distinction between us and the world: “When we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:32) . Whom Christ loves, He chastens (Rev.3:19) .

Judgments to occur in the future:

The judgments of the tribulation period (Rev. 6-16) . God’s judgment against the wicked leaves no doubt as to His wrath against sin. Besides punishing sin, these judgments will have the effect of bringing the nation of Israel to repentance.

The judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10) . Resurrected (and raptured) believers in heaven will be judged for their works (1 Cor. 3:12) . Works of lasting value to the Lord will survive (the “gold, silver, and precious stones”). Rewards, which the Bible calls “crowns” (Rev. 3:11) will be given by the One who is “not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him” (Heb. 6:10) .

The judgment of the nations (Matt. 25:31–46) . After the tribulation, the Lord Jesus will sit in judgment over the Gentile nations. They will be judged according to their treatment of Israel during the tribulation. This judgment is also called the judgment of the sheep and the goats because of the imagery Jesus uses in the Olivet Discourse. Those who showed faith in God by treating Israel favorably (giving them aid and comfort during the tribulation) are the “sheep” who will enter into the Millennial Kingdom. Those who followed the Antichrist’s lead and persecuted Israel are the “goats” who will be consigned to hell.

The judgment of angels (1 Cor. 6:2–3) . Satan’s hordes of demons will be judged by the redeemed ones of the Lamb. Some of these demons are already imprisoned in darkness and awaiting judgment, according to Jude 1:6 , due to their leaving their proper dwelling place.

The Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11–15) . This final judgment of unbelievers for their sins occurs at the end of the Millennium. The unbelievers of all the ages are judged for their sins and consigned to the lake of fire.

Specific sins that Jesus condemned included:

1. Hypocrisy : Jesus pronounced a curse on hypocrites seven times in Matt. 23:13-29 . Jesus told the Pharisees that their inner life was “full of self-indulgence” (Matt. 23:25) . They judged others for sins that they were guilty of themselves (Matt. 7:1-5) .

2. Spiritual Pride : there is the parable of the self-righteous Pharisee who despised others even in his prayer (Luke 18:9-14) ! It is spiritual pride that makes believers constantly judge other believers.

3. Impurity : Impurity enters into our hearts mainly through our eyes and our ears. This impurity then comes OUT from our hearts and expresses itself through the various members of our bodies – primarily through our tongues and our eyes. Jesus hated impurity so much that He told His disciples that they should be willing to pluck out their right eye and cut off their right hand rather than sin with those members (Matt.5:27-29) .

4. Indifference to Human Need : Jesus was angry when the leaders of the synagogue did not want Him to heal a man, just because it was the Sabbath day (Mark 3:5) . The rich man went to hell because he did not care for his brother Lazarus. The priest and the Levite in the parable of the good Samaritan, were condemned because they did not show compassion on their fellow-brother-Jew who was lying on the roadside wounded.

5. Greed : Hoarding riches and serving money rather than God (Matt. 6:24)

6. Immorality : The woman at the well caught in adultery was told to go and sin no more (John 8:11)

How should the church deal with outward sins in the church?

Gal. 6:1 “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.”

2 Thess. 3:14-15 , “If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy but warn him as a brother.”

Gal. 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

1 Cor. 5:11 “But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.”

1 Tim. 5:20 “As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.”

James 4:4 “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

With the above passages in mine, how should the church handle domestic abuse, embezzlement of church funds, drunkenness at church picnics, identity theft, bank fraud, adultery, drug trafficking, arson, prostitution, homosexual behavior, assault, or kidnapping by member of the congregation?

A. Celebrate it

B. Tolerated it

C. Ignore it

D. Censure it

I Kings 10 - 11

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 02:49:21 GMT

The Queen of Sheba comes for a visit

The Queen of Sheba is an unnamed queen from the land of Sheba who travels to

Jerusalem to meet King Solomon (2 Chron. 9) . According to Josephus, she was

the queen of Egypt and Ethiopia. But if you feel more comfortable relying on more

recent archaeological and historical sources, then the Kingdom of Saba (Sheba) is

modern-day Yemen in southern Arabia.

What we do know is that she was from a wealthy kingdom. Perhaps Saba was like

present day microstate of Monaco on the French Riviera. Monaco is less than one

square mile in size with about 40,000 residents. According to the CIA World

Factbook, Monaco has the world's lowest poverty rate and the highest number of

millionaires and billionaires per capita in the world.

If Sabo was Monaco-like in size and wealth, this would explain why there isn’t any

archeological evidence of its existence and how she could take such wealth to

Jerusalem.

I Kings 10:1 , “When the queen of Sheba (no, we really don’t know her name)

heard about the fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the Lord, she

came to test him with hard questions.”

She also brought Solomon (verse 2) “spices, LARGE quantities of gold, and

precious stones-she came to Solomon and talked with him.”

Impressed by Solomon’s wisdom, and by the riches of his kingdom, she

proclaimed, “Your wisdom and prosperity far surpass the report that I had heard”

(verse 7) . The queen’s visit was a success, she was “overwhelmed” by what she

saw and heard. Verse 9 , “Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in

you and placed you on the throne of Israel.”

The queen gives King Solomon 120 talents of gold, precious stones and the largest

quantity of spices ever brought to Jerusalem (verse 10) . In return King Solomon

gives her gifts and “every desire that she expressed” (verse 13) . After receiving

these gifts, the queen returns to the land of Sheba with her retinue.

The Biblical account of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon ends there, but that

doesn’t stop people from puffing up the story with pious traditions and myths.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church identifies the Queen of Sheba as Queen Makeda

and identifies the land of Sheba as ancient Ethiopia. One story has it that the Queen

traveled to Jerusalem and had a love affair with King Solomon. Makeda then

returned to the land of Sheba and gave birth to a son, Menelik. It seems that

tradition has it that when Solomon gave her “everything she desired” (verse 13)

she got more than she bargained for. Menelik was raised in Ethiopia, but when he

turned 22, he traveled to Jerusalem to meet his father. King Solomon is delighted

with his firstborn son and tries in vain to convince Menelik to remain in Israel and

succeed him as king. However, Menelik chose to return to the land of Sheba.

Solomon sent him back to Ethiopia, taking the Ark of the Covenant with him. To

this day, many Ethiopians believe that the Ark of the Covenant resides within the

Chapel of the Tablet next to the Church of Maryam Tsion in Aksum, Ethiopia.

The claim that the ark is in Ethiopia must be accepted on faith since no one can

visit it. Only one living person has seen it, he is the “Guardian of the Covenant,” a

monk who can never leave the grounds. He serves as a security guard (and

perhaps caretaker).

Chapel of the Tablet

Solomon, being a young man, then appears to have gone on a spending binge, taxing and spending in a way that would make a modern-day politician envious. Verses 14-29 he collected wealth from merchants and traders, made hundreds of gold shields, a great throne inlaid with ivory and fine gold on a platform six steps high with lions on the ends of each step. Here is what it might have looked like:

His goblets were made of gold (none of that cheap silver for Solomon).

He built a fleet of merchant ships and year after year, “everyone who came brought gift-articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules” (verse 25) . In verse 26 is says, “Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses.”

There is one item I would suggest that he have over his throne. In large letters, the passage from Deut. 17:16-17 , “The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you. ‘You are not to go back that way again.’ He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.” As we will see, the wise King Solomon found it difficult to follow the wisdom he possessed. Just like Solomon, we know better than we do.

I Kings 11:1-4 , “King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women.” These women turned his heart “after their gods. . . his wives led him astray” (verse 3) “As he grew old, his wives turned his heart from after other gods, and his heart was not FULLY devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.”

In verse 11 we find Solomon building “a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab and for Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites. He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.” This act by Solomon was probably motivated by politics as well as a desire to please his wives.

The result of his apostasy is seen in verse 11 , “I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates.” But God would not do this until after Solomon dies and he would keep one tribe, Judah will be retained, “for the sake of David my servant” (verse 13) . Solomon was standing on the shoulders of David. The momentum and goodwill that David earned has been squandered by Solomon.

Do you remember the Edomites? They were the descendants of Esau, brother of Jacob. They had that conflict over the birthright, with Esau selling his birthright for a bowl of stew. Well, the Edomites were longtime enemies of Jacob’s descendants, Israel, and they started to give Solomon some trouble. Later in Israel’s history we find King Herod, who was an Edomite, also.

In I Kings 11:14 we find a couple of Edomites being used by God to punish Israel. “Then the Lord raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom.” Saul fought the Edomites and David subdued them. In one battle Hadad was taken to Egypt by some of his father’s officials. The Pharaoh was pleased with his “house guest” and even gave Hadad the sister of his wife as his bride. Whether he was happy with this gift or whether he was hoping for a flashy red chariot convertible, is not known. But, when you are a guest and the Pharaoh gives you a gift, you smile, say thank you and pretend you are thrilled with it. But you probably can’t regift a bride as you would a painting you don’t like.

When Hadad heard that David and Joab had both died, he asked for permission to return to his homeland. It doesn’t say whether he took his wife. But what we see here is God working behind the scenes to use this man as a tool to punish his people, Israel.

Verse 23 , we see another man being raised up against Solomon, Rezon, who also gathered a group of men around him and his people settled near Damascus. You can see that God is moving the chess pieces on the board, without either of these men knowing that they are being used by God to do his will. This reminds me of the Book of Esther.

Not only were there enemies coming together from outside of Israel, but there were also enemies rising up from within. Verse 26 , Also, Jeroboam, son of Nebat rebelled against the king. Jeroboam was one of Solomon’s officials.” In fact, he was in charge of the labor force, so he must have known a lot of people. It always hurts when trusted insiders turn on a leader.

While leaving Jerusalem Jeroboam met with a prophet by the name of Ahijah. Ahijah had a way of making his message in a memorable and dramatic manner. Verse 30 , he grabbed hold of his new cloak and tore it into twelve pieces and handed ten pieces of it to Jeroboam. Scripture says it was new, but maybe his wife bought it for him, and he never liked the color, style or fit, so destroying it was no loss to him. Later that day, his wife may have asked, “Honey, where’s the lovely cloak I bought for you?” “Ah, God told me to tear it into pieces to send Jeroboam a message.”

What was the message behind this cloak tearing? Verse 31 , “See, I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes.” What was the reason for doing this? Verse 33 , “I will do this because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molech the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked in my ways not done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my statues and laws as David, Solomon’s father, did.”

Who were these foreign gods?

Ashtoreth , also known as Astarte, was the goddess of war, sex and fertility, the chief female deity usually mentioned in connection with Baal. She was worshipped in Syria, Phoenicia, and Canaan. She might be the queen of heaven mentioned in Jer. 7:18

Chemosh may have been related to or even identical with the Ammonite god Moloch. At times, human sacrifice was dedicated to Chemosh, as it was to Molech and occasionally to Yahweh as well.

On desperate times a human sacrifice was considered necessary to secure the favor of Chemosh. Joram, a king of Moab is described as sacrificing his son (2 Kings 3:27) in order to gain the upper hand when he was in a dire military situation.

Molech was the God of the Phoenicians. In addition to sexual rituals, Moloch worship included child sacrifice.

Despite occasional efforts by godly kings, it wasn’t until King Josiah, 400 years later, that the pagan sanctuary was permanently destroyed. And worship of Moloch wasn’t abolished until the Babylonian captivity. Babylonian religion was pantheistic but did not include human sacrifice.

Child sacrifices to these pagan gods were done in the Hinnom Valley (2 Chron. 28:3; 33:6; Jer. 32:35) . Jer. 31:40 calls this valley, “the valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes.” Jeremiah referred to it as the Valley of Slaughter (Jer. 7:32; 19:6) .

From the Old to the New Testament the Hinnom Valley came to stand even more as a figure of final punishment in unquenchable fire. When Jesus spoke of eternal punishment, He used the term gehenna as the name of this place (Matt. 5:22, 29-30) . Gehenna is the Greek transliteration of the name for the Hinnom Valley. The New Testament teaches this as a place that one will be “cast into” (Matt. 5:29-30) . There both body and soul will be destroyed (Matt. 10:28) .

In modern times the Hinnom Valley holds the ruins of ancient tombs. In New Testament times this was a place of fire, ashes, uncleanness, and (at times) dead bodies. It sat outside the gate known as “the dung gate” (Neh. 3:13-14) .

When the Jews returned to their land, they rededicated themselves to God, and the Valley of Hinnom was turned into a place for burning garbage and the bodies of executed criminals.

Back to the text of 1 Kings. Bu t this transition of leadership, from Solomon to Jeroboam, will not take place until after Solomon dies (verse 34) . And one tribe, the tribe of Judah, will be ruled over by Solomon’s son. God then promises to be with Jeroboam if he does what God commands him (verse 38) , just as he did with David and Solomon. But Jeroboam doesn’t do what God commanded and so God withdraws his blessings from him, also. These kings don’t learn from the mistakes of others.

In verse 40 , it says that Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled to Egypt until Solomon died, which he did, after reigning for 40 years (verse 42) and he was succeeded by his son, Rehoboam (verse 43) .

How would you assess the reign of Solomon? When a new leader takes office, we are optimistic and hopeful for a better future. The president might start off with the goodwill of the people, and enjoy some successes, but all too often, their last years in office are oftentimes a disappointment.

But we shouldn’t be too harsh in our assessment of Solomon. Sure, he was a wise man who didn’t always live by the wisdom he possessed. But don’t we all do the same thing, to some extent? Don’t we all know what we should do to remain healthy (avoid tobacco, use alcohol moderately, if at all, exercise, get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet, avoid unnecessary stress). But how many of us do it? Knowing what to do is easier than doing it. We know better than we do.

The Resurrection of Jesus

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 10:44:18 GMT

Did it Really Happen? Does it Really Matter?

Come Resurrection Sunday, or Easter as most people call it, Christians around the world celebrate the bodily resurrection of Jesus. They sing those familiar hymns, with lines such as “Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!” But really, not everyone believes that Jesus, let alone anyone else, could come back from the dead. Even some pastors don’t take these verses literally. They might teach it because it is a tradition, that it is based on a myth or that it brings some comfort to parishioners. Certainly, skeptics don’t believe it. They might refer to the story of the resurrection of Jesus as a myth, an example of wishful thinking, a product of hallucinations, or a pious fraud on the part of the disciples.

But did the resurrection of Jesus really happen? Does it really matter? 1 Peter 15-16 tells us, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” We should be able to explain, using reason, not feelings, what we believe and why we believe it. So, why should we believe that Jesus rose from the dead?

There are some things, such as one-time historical events, that can’t be proven scientifically. You can repeat the incident. But you can make a reasonable argument for the resurrection of Jesus. And this argument is more reasonable than any alternative explanation.

Some skeptics might suggest that the resurrection was not a historical fact, but a legend, a story that developed over the years. This is a very weak argument. Legends can’t develop overnight. They develop years after the event. And the record of the events (The Gospels) were written within a decade or two of the events, far too early for such legends to develop.

Another argument against the resurrection of Jesus was that the story was fabricated by his disciples. This argument doesn’t make much sense either. People will lie if the lie will benefit them in some way. They lie to get rich or to gain power. But all of the disciples suffered for what they were teaching and all but John died as martyrs. Would you suffer and die for what you knew was a lie? I doubt it.

Then there is the idea that the disciples stole the body of Jesus and claimed that Jesus rose from the dead. This is unlikely considering the disciples were not the heroic types who would steal a body from a grave that was guarded by Roman soldiers. The disciples abandoned Jesus and scattered when Jesus was arrested. They were in hiding, thinking that perhaps they were next to be arrested. Peter was ready to move on with his life saying that he was going back to the fishing business (John 21:3) . Imagine what might have been going through the minds of the disciples at that time. “We really thought he was the one, the Messiah. But then John the Baptist was killed, and then Jesus. Now the authorities are probably going to come after us. And that loudmouth Peter who cut off that soldiers’ ear is probably at the top of the authorities list of their most wanted criminals.” I don’t think this was the time for them to plan and execute a commando raid on a heavily guarded tomb to steal a body. They probably were more likely to be planning an escape from Jerusalem altogether. No, the disciples weren’t going to try to steal the body and claim that Jesus rose from the dead and then suffer and die for what they knew was a lie.

What about the enemies of Jesus? Could the Jews have stolen the body of Jesus? No, because when Peter preached his sermon on Pentecost and spoke of the risen Christ, all the Jews would have had to do was to produce the body of Jesus and debunk Peter’s claim of a resurrection. If that happened, we would never have heard of Jesus or any of his disciples. The Christian message would have died before it spread beyond the walls of Jerusalem.

What about the women who were the first to discover the empty tomb? Could the women, on their way to the tomb to prepare Jesus for permanent burial gotten lost in the early morning fog and gone to the wrong tomb, an empty one? Unlikely, since there was an angel at the tomb who announced that Jesus wasn’t in his tomb, that he had risen. You would have to think that the angel got lost in the fog, also. Besides, when the women reported to the disciples what they saw, the disciples ran to investigate their claim. You would have to believe that they too got disorientated and went to the wrong tomb, which just happened to have an empty burial shroud inside.

Then there is the theory that Jesus never died in the first place. Claimants argue that Jesus was only unconscious when he was placed in the tomb, not dead. People have been buried alive. With no stethoscopes, electrocardiograms to measure heart rhythms, no electroencephalograms to measure brain waves, he might have been alive when he was placed in the tomb. And once in the cool, quiet tomb, he was able to rest, and regain consciousness. Then he might have unwrapped himself and moved the stone away and escaped the guard under the cover of darkness. This might be a good story line for an adventure movie but doesn’t make much sense. Before his crucifixion Jesus had to endure a horrible beating, a scourging. This included being whipped with a whip that had metal pieces bone fragments in it so that his flesh would be torn from his body. Some condemned prisoners didn’t survive the scourging. Jesus was in such terrible shape that he couldn’t even carry his cross to his crucifixion. Besides this scourging, he wasn’t executed by amateurs but by professional soldiers. They had seen death many times and knew it when they saw it, and just to be sure he was dead, they thrust a spear into his side. If your military specialty was “executioner”, you wanted to do a thorough job so that your annual performance evaluation looked good, and you get that promotion you want. There was no doubt that he was dead when he was wrapped up and placed in a sealed and guarded tomb.

When skeptics are desperate for arguments to disprove the resurrection of Jesus, they resort to most any idea. The twin theory argues that Jesus may not have been the one who was crucified, but a twin. But Jesus was guarded by Roman soldiers from the time he was taken into custody until his death and afterwards. There was no chance for a twin or anyone else to sneak in and take his place. Nor could a “twin” steal his body and claim to be the risen Lord.

Then there is the question about spices and body wrapping of Jesus after his death. Could a person who had been badly beaten and wrapped in cloth have unwrapped himself? Houdini couldn’t have escaped this tomb. When his disciples entered the empty tomb and found it empty, the spices and wrappings were still there. And the wrappings were in the same shape as if the body had passed through it, as if by a miracle. Would a thief take the time to unwrap the body? Most thieves want to get in and out as quickly as possible. And why would they leave behind the spices that were quite valuable?

If the resurrection story was nothing more than a conspiracy of lies, isn’t it unlikely that not a single conspirator divulged their secret?

Then you have the multiple testimonies of those who saw the risen Christ. How can a skeptic reasonably explain the testimonies of so many people? Jesus was seen by more than 500 people on at least eight occasions over a forty-day period. He appeared to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11) , the “other woman” (Matt. 28:9-10) , to Peter (Luke 24:34) , to two disciples (Luke 24:13-32) , to ten apostles (Luke 24:33-49) , to doubting Thomas (John 20:26-30) , to seven apostles (John 21) , to all the apostles (Matt. 28:16-20) , to all the apostles again (Acts 1:4-9) , to 500 brethren (I Cor 15:6) , to James, (I Cor 15:6) and to Paul, (I Cor 15:7) . Paul said that there were people still alive in his day who could attest to the fact that Jesus rose from the dead.

But could these eye-witness testimonies have been nothing more than hallucinations? Not many people are subject to hallucinations, and hallucinations are very individualistic. Groups of people don’t have the same hallucinations. Groups of people don’t have the same hallucination in different times and places. Besides, hallucinations oftentimes occur when there is an expected, long desired event. People will sometimes see what they strongly desire to see. But the disciples and others weren’t expecting these appearances. They were ready to move on with their lives.

Then one must ask, if Jesus never rose from the dead, why did the disciples gather for worship on Sunday rather than the Sabbath? The early church members were mostly Jewish who observed the 7th day Sabbath. Something must have led them to change the day of worship to the first day of the week.

If Jesus never rose from the dead, how else can you explain the early growth of the church and even the large number of priests who “became obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7) ? And these priests were not “friendly” to Jesus or his message when he was alive. Something very dramatic must have happened for them to change their views about Jesus.

If Jesus never rose from the dead, what else can explain how a small group of timid men could dramatically change to the point of turning the world upside down (Acts 17:6) ? What changed Peter who denied his Lord before a servant girl’s questionings, into a man who could preach the Gospel before the powerful Sanhedrin (Acts 4:7) ?

What changed James, the Lord’s brother into a believer and later the leader of the Jerusalem church? And what changed Paul the persecutor of the church into its apostle to the Gentiles?

Why would apostles pray, Maranatha, “Our Lord, Come,” (I Cor. 16;22) if he was still in the grave?

The only reasonable explanation as to what happened to Jesus is that he was severely beaten and executed by professional executioners, and that he rose again from the dead, just as Scripture says.

But is it so important that he rose from the dead, as Scripture says? Yes. If he hadn’t then we can’t trust the Bible. If we can’t believe what it says about the death and resurrection of Jesus, how can we believe the rest of it?

If Jesus didn’t die and didn’t rise from the dead, then our faith is in vain, and the religion of Christianity is a hoax (I Cor. 15:15) . If the resurrection story is myth, then millions of people have been duped over the centuries. We might as well shut down all the churches, Bible colleges, and seminaries. The Vatican would have to have a large yard sale in St. Peters’ Square to sell all of the artwork, sculptures, ancient documents, etc. Todays’ Christians, anticipating the second coming of the Messiah, would probably convert to Judaism and wait for his first coming. Some Jews might mock us, saying, “We told you so.”

If Jesus did not die and rise from the dead, then our view of Jesus must change. Like a scandalized televangelist who is exposed for being a fraud, we must conclude that Jesus himself was a fraud. Jesus told us that he would lay down his life and raise it up again (John 2:19) . He gave us the sign of Jonah, saying that he would be in the grave for three days, then rise up again (Matt. 12:40) . He said that he must suffer, die and rise again (Mark 8:31) . He said that he had the power to lay down his life and to take it up again (John 10:18) . If he didn’t do these things, as he said he would, then he was a pathological liar, not God in the flesh. Jesus would be just one of many false Messiahs to have come along.

As C.S. Lewis said, Jesus was either a lunatic, a liar, or the LORD. This Resurrection Sunday, you can sing songs of his resurrection with greater confidence knowing that the only reasonable explanation as to what really happened was exactly what is in the Bible. It is not a belief that has to be accepted with blind faith. If someone expresses doubt in the resurrection of Jesus, ask him if there is a more reasonable explanation as to what happened than what is in the Bible. I don’t think there is one.

He is Risen . . . Maranatha.

Genesis 50

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 04:02:16 GMT

Genesis Chapter 50 The burial of Jacob and death of Joseph

When Jacob died, his death was described as “he yielded up the ghost” literally in Hebrew, “He expired.” I’ve seen medical records where doctors use the same expression, “Patient expired.” They don’t like to use the term “died” I guess. Perhaps because it means that the treatments failed. It’s an odd term to use, I think. Cottage cheese left in the back of the refrigerator expires. Memberships expire. Driver’s Licenses expire. Perhaps it is because our culture has been described as “death deniers” that we avoid the word died or even like to think about planning for it. Jacob died. Now, I am sure you want to know what came next for the deceased. Well, they were embalmed, and the process is described by Greek historian, Herodotus, who visited Egypt. My editor suggested that I not describe the process. I’ll just say that the purpose of embalming was to preserve the body by rapidly drying it out.

The Pharaoh had taken a real, personal interest in Joseph and his family, and it was no different for this funeral. Joseph, his family, many government dignitaries were in the procession back to Jacob’s homeland. Pharaoh even provided a security detail to safeguard their journey (verse 9) . This was more than a simple family funeral; it was more like a state funeral like the one for President John Kennedy in November 1963.

Once they all returned to Egypt, the brothers became worried. Now that Jacob was dead, they feared that Joseph would seek revenge for the way treated him. Verse 15 , “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” This is not an unreasonable fear. Didn’t Esau plan on killing Jacob, AFTER Isaac died? So, they went to Joseph and said that their dad told them to tell Joseph to forgive the brothers. They even offered themselves as slaves to Joseph. But Joseph said, verse 19 , “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? Jacob uses the same expression in Gen 30:2 when Rachel couldn’t have any children. She said, “Give me children or I shall die.” Jacob says in return, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?”

Joseph goes on to say, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what his now being done, the saving of many lives.” How many of you anticipated that line soon after you started to read about Joseph?

It isn’t for Joseph to take revenge against his brothers. So often some of the things that happen to us are blessings in disguise. The problem is that many disguised blessings are very well disguised. You probably experienced the same thing. As you look back, you might think, “Thank God for unanswered prayer.” Does the idea that “God intended it for good” bring to mind a passage in Romans? How about Romans 8:28 , “In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” The problem is that we don’t always see the possible “good” and maybe the “good” is not in this lifetime. Just look at the difficult lives so many Christians have lived. And how do we define “good” compared to how God defines it? What may not be “good” in our eyes might be “very good” in His.

Joseph goes on to say in verse 21 , “So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.”

Then Joseph died at the age of 110, about fifty-four years after Jacob’s death. And like Jacob he wanted his remains taken back home, also.

Here are a few thoughts on Joseph. He never had a direct revelation from God where God spoke to him directly as He did with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He only experienced dreams. Yet, Joseph had faith, because he believed in the Word of God as it was passed down to him. Someone, a parent, or teacher, was doing a good job of passing onto him the Word of God. His story, which highlights the proper attitude toward difficulty and misfortune is mentioned in the New Testament in Stephen’s speech in Acts 7:9-16 and was mentioned in the narrative of Joseph the husband of Mary who received a revelation in a dream, also.

So, we come to the end of Genesis. I imagine there are parts of Genesis that most of us are familiar with, but each time we read it, we learn something new, hopefully. What new insights have you gained through this time through Genesis? What might we keep in mind as we move forward? God created the heavens and the earth. He doesn’t explain to us how or when. If you were an astrophysicist, astronomer, or geologist you might want to know a lot more about creation. Why doesn’t he tell us more? I would suggest that if He did try to explain more to us, even the brightest, best educated scientists wouldn’t be able to understand his explanation. Also, we don’t have a “need to know.” The purpose of the creation narrative is not to give a detailed scientific explanation but to make the point that God created it and since He did, he can do what he wants with it, including giving a small piece of it to a special group of people. And having created man, He is the “boss” and sovereign ruler of the universe. Genesis also explains to us why the world is the mess that it is with earthquakes, viruses, poisonous plants, and diseases. Is this the best He could do as a creator? The Fall of Man explains why the world is as it is, and the book continues to explain the early stages of his plan to redeem the earth and man. He is in the process of healing the world, as the Jews like to say, and we have a small part in that plan. Part of the plan involves an unconditional covenant with a special family and a conditional covenant with a special nation, which we will get into in the next book, Exodus.

The book also reminds us how flawed we all are and how God can still use all of us, in some way or another. Flawed people are all he has to choose from. As we are more aware of our own flaws, it allows us to be more understanding of others and hopefully, more accepting and tolerant. When we get angry when someone drives through a four way stop, we realize that we have done similar careless things, also. Lastly, this study reminded me how important it is to not carry a grudge or being unforgiving. We are admonished to forgive one another, be patient with one another, love one another. We realize that to do so not only benefits the other person, but it also benefits us. Angry, bitter, resentful, critical people are not happy people. What insights did you gain as you read through this Book?

Genesis 48-49

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 03:59:29 GMT

Genesis Chapter 48- 49 Jacob “Blesses” his Sons and Dies

Jacob and the family are all comfortably settled in Egypt, waiting out the famine. In time Jacob’s health began to fail and so he called together his family to say “Good-bye.”

Chapter 48 , verse 1 Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So, he takes his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim and visits Jacob. Jacob sees the young men (they were in their late teens by now) and he basically adopts them so that his “estate” will go to them, just as part of it would go to Joseph and his brothers. Jacob says, in verse 5 , “Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.” I hope he at least discussed this with Joseph before he said this. When a child is adopted, they have all the same legal rights as the children born to the couple. What is happening here is the land that would be given to Joseph would go to his two sons. We refer to these territories as the TWELVE tribes of Israel, not the THIRTEEN tribes because one of the brothers, Levi, would not inherit a territory. This gets a bit confusing, but we’ll see how it end up shortly.

Of the two sons, Manasseh was the oldest and the one you might expect to be given the birthright, but when Jacob places his hands on them to bless them, (this was the first blessing with the laying on of hands) he crosses his arms so that Ephraim, the youngest, would have Jacob’s right hand placed on him, giving him the birthright (verse 14) . Joseph saw this and tried to correct his father (verse 18) , but Jacob says, in effect, “Back off, son, I know what I’m doing.” He then says that the younger son would become greater than the older and his descendants will become a group of nations. You might recall that in an earlier lesson I mentioned the discredited theory of British Israelism. This is the idea that the “lost tribes of Israel” migrated to Europe and that the U.S. and British Commonwealth are really modern-day Israel. The term, “a group of nations” used in this passage was given as “proof” by Herbert Armstrong to “prove” that Ephraim was modern day Great Britain because, after all, it did become a group of nations, the British Commonwealth. But so were Rome and Persia made up of a group of nations. Weren’t all colonial powers “groups of nations”? So much for his scholarship skills.

Back to the lesson, the descendants of Ephraim became more powerful than any of the other tribes in the north and was often used to refer to the northern kingdom of Israel as a whole. They weren’t always the largest in population, but they were in status, in influence.

In verse 21 Jacob prophecies their return to their homeland, “God will be with you, and take you back to the land of your fathers.” He knew that this trip to Egypt was temporary, it was not their real home.

Chapter 49 Jacob moves onto blessing the other sons. The term “blessing:” is used, but in most cases, it is more like a prophecy. Imagine calling into your room each of the children to provide each of them a word of wisdom. “You know Bob, if you don’t change your ways you’re going to end up in prison.” Or maybe, “Son, I want you to have my fishing pole and Rolex watch.” Jacob is sitting up in bed and the kids are sitting there in anxious anticipation as to what will happen. Rather than waiting until after he is dead, Jacob makes his views known up front, while he is still alive so that there are no misunderstandings between siblings. Jacob begins with his firstborn, Reuben. There he sits, alert, eager to hear what Dad has to say, hoping for nothing but good news. He is in for a disappointment.

Verse 3 , “Reuben, you are my first-born, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.” Hey, so far, so good. Reuben feels pretty confident at this point. But then, verse 4 , “Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel for you went up onto your father’s bed and defiled it.” You might recall this incident in Chapter 35:22 . Rueben doesn’t have the proper temperament to be a leader of men, in fact, he can’t even control himself. Imagine if your father started a business and it grew into a huge enterprise. If his firstborn is an undisciplined (turbulent as water), lazy person who is careless and wasteful with money, he should not be in any position of authority at the business, let alone inherit it. So, Reuben was disappointed. His descendants never produced a judge, a prophet or leader and Reuben himself played only a minor role in Israel’s subsequent history. Rueben sits there the rest of the session with his arms crossed and pouting.

Who’s next on his list? Yes, it’s Simeon and Levi. You remember them from chapter 34 . Their sister Diana was “violated” and then the father of the guilty man came by and suggested to Jacob that the two get married. One of the sons deceitfully agreed if all the men of his village are circumcised. While the men were healing Simeon and Levi went into their camp and killed all the males. Let’s see what Jacob has to say about these two sons. Verse 5 , “Simeon and Levi are brothers-their swords are weapons of violence. They have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel.”

Simeon and Levi were not engaged in a “just war” but committed an act of vengeance. Not only that, but their anger was so fierce, they were cruel to innocent animals. They cut the tendons of the oxen so that they could no longer continue working. This was totally unnecessary; it would be considered a war crime today. Because of their temperament and cruelty, they would not inherit any land for themselves. Their territory was within another brother’s territory. This would be like each of the brothers getting a state, but all Simeon got was a county in someone else’s state. Simeon’s descendants were small in number. And as for Levi, though they did side with Moses in the sin of the Golden Calf (Ex. 32:26-29) they were scattered in forty-eight different Levitical Cities scattered throughout Israel. This is like the Amish. They don’t have a state of their own, Amishland, but they are scattered among the states in small communities.

So far Jacob has spoken of three sons, and rather than giving them blessings, they were given curses. Who’s next in line? Judah. Judah may have been worried at this point, trying to remember all the things that he did that might bring upon him a curse, but that doesn’t happen. The mood changes, and Judah is praised and blessed. Verse 8 , “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the necks of your enemies.” Verse 10 , “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs, and the obedience of the nations is his.” This means that the kings will be from Judah until the Messiah comes to take over and rule the earth. Continuing with Judah we read some strange expression. This is where I bring in my Jewish scholars for explanations. In verses 11-12 , “He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garment in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.” I told you there were strange expressions. Normally, you wouldn’t tie up a donkey to a skinny vine. The donkey would just back up, pull the vine out of the ground and walk away. But these vines would be so big, so thick and heavy, you could do that. We would normally wash clothing in water, not wine. This is saying that wine will be as plentiful as water. It would be like saying someone is so rich, the sandbox his kids play in is filled with gold.

What about Zebulun, in verse 13 ? “He will live by the seashore.” Actually, Zebulun was land-locked, but it was near enough to the coast and near enough to the Phoenician City of Sidon to be enriched because of the sea-borne trade. A major highway called the Via Maris passed through the Tribe of Zebulun. Jonah the reluctant prophet was from Zebulun. Maybe today, as you enter this area is might say, WELCOME TO ZEBULUN, HOME OF THE PROPHET JONAH! Or, “Visit the Jonah Museum, second exit.”

Verse 14 , “Issachar is a rawboned donkey lying down between two saddlebags. When he sees how good is his resting place and how pleasant is his land, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and submit to forced labor.” If I were Issachar, I would be puzzled. Is this an insult, connecting him with a beast of burden? This tribe was devoted to agriculture, not to political or military power. These people weren’t particularly ambitious and preferred a life of ease, submitting to others, a rather passive group. Could we say they were the Midwesterners of their day? Living a peaceful life raising their crops, caring for their livestock, and not getting involved in the political power struggles of the day.

Verse 16 addresses the tribe of Dan. “Dan will provide justice for his people. Dan will be a serpent by the roadside a viper along the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider rumbles backward.” This tribe will be known as warriors. Samson was one of the judges from this tribe.

Gad is mentioned in verse 19 , “Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels.” Gad will be located on the east side of the Jordan River, the first to be attacked by enemies from the east. These guys were warriors, out of the eastern border where desert raiders would most likely attack.

Verse 20 , “Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king.” This tribe will settle in very rich territory, along the Mediterranean coast where olive trees are grown. What luck. If I were assigned to the desert area of the east, I would want to transfer to Asherville. “Entering the State of Asherville, Where Life is Good.” Imagine living along the coast growing olives, shipping out lovely gift baskets to wealthy families, including the king.

Naphtali gets only one sentence, verse 21 , “Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.” What? Translation, please. The territory of Naphtali is mountainous land, and the people are pictured as free, mountain people with great ability in warfare as portrayed in Judges 4:1-24 . This brings to mind the people who live in the Appalachian Mountains. People who are free, independent, self-sufficient, and able to take care of themselves, and defend themselves. How would we promote this territory, how about, “Welcome to Naphtali, Home of the Best Moonshine Ever.”

Now we come to Joseph. Verse 22 , “Joseph is a fruitful vine. . . with bitterness archers attacked him, but his bow remained steady.” Joseph prospered in all that he did and when he was attacked by outsiders (his brothers, Potiphar, and his wife) he remained faithful.

Finally, a word about Benjamin, the youngest. Verse 27 , “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.” The tribe of Benjamin did provide some famous fighters, including Ehud (Judges 3) , Saul (I Sam 9) and his son Jonathan (I Sam 14) . Mordecai and Esther were of this tribe and in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul.

Next, we see the death and burial of Jacob. In verse 29 , it says, “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite.” Notice the expressions that he used. “Gathered to my people” is an expression of faith in the afterlife. He then says, “Bury me with my fathers.” The distinction shows that being gathered to his people is distinct from being buried with the fathers.

What can we learn from these chapters? I would suggest that Jacob was a realist concerning death and he planned for it. In America, we have been called death deniers. We don’t like to talk about it and we do little preplanning concerning our end of life care, funeral, and the adjustments that survivors have to make. May I suggest that to avoid conflict among family members when difficult decisions have to be made, that you make them now, in writing, so that there are no misunderstandings and conflicts among family members and less stress for the survivors?

Here are some things to consider:

Living Will to express the level of health care you desire at the end of life.
Do Not Resuscitate Order, if desired.
Funeral plans, including casket, clothing, visitation times, funeral service, songs, eulogy, message, draft of obituary etc.
A Letter of Instruction telling the survivor of where all the assets are: life insurance policies, policy numbers, company phone number; pensions plans, investments, savings, checking accounts, Social Security Number, office number, funeral home number, cell phone company to cancel phone service.
And a letter of instructions which gives the survivors directions as to who gets what. Too often family conflicts arise when two siblings argue over who gets what with regards to sentimental items. Avoid all of this by spelling it out in writing. Then put together a list of businesses that you call when you need help.
Make a list of the people who you normally rely on for repairs, such as the plumber, electrician, air conditioning contractor, appliance repair shop. Every decision that can be made now, is an act of love for those left behind. This frees them to deal with grieving and not having to deal with all of the other decisions that need to be made while under duress. Jacob prepared for his death and we should do the same.

Genesis 44 - 45

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 03:46:57 GMT

Genesis Chapter 44-45 A Practical Joke or a Test?

In chapter 43 we find Joseph hosting a luncheon for his brothers where the youngest brother, Benjamin, is given a much larger portion of food than the others. This was a test to see if the brothers were still the jealous types. Do you think they passed a test of table manners in this setting or did the servants privately roll their eyes when they saw these recently released prisoners from the country wolfing down food. Napkins? “We don’t need napkins; we have our shirt-sleeves and under shirts.”

Now they are ready for Test Number Two. Verse 2 , Joseph tells his servant to fill his brother’s sacks with grain and put the silver they brought with them in there also. Oh, one more thing, take this silver cup of mine and put it in the young guys’ sack. The one at the end of the table with food piled sky high on his plate. So, off the brothers go, back home with sacks of grain. “Won’t dad be proud of us now, for a change? Now we’ll get the acceptance we crave.” What do they see in their rear-view mirrors? Looks like someone was coming after them. You know the feeling, when a police car is coming up behind you and you look down at your speedometer and hope he’s going after someone else? “Oh NO! He’s coming after us.” The authorities search their cargo (no search warrant needed back then) and they found the cup, the very cup that Joseph uses. For divination? Really, Joseph? We’re all a bit disappointed in you. But Joseph now had an Egyptian name and was married to the daughter of an Egyptian priest and so we shouldn’t be surprised if he may have adopted some Egyptian practices. Divination is condemned in Lev 19:26 because it reflects a world controlled by evil forces rather than by God. But this condemnation would come about 400 years later. But, on the other hand, the cup was first described as simply a “my cup” by Joseph. Only later was it referred to by a soldier as the one Joseph divines, and Joseph claims to be able to see the future through divination. So, was he into divination or did he simply say this to make the crime of theft appear more serious?

One of the brothers speaks up and says, “Why would we steal from Pharaoh’s assistant? Didn’t we bring back to him the silver that we found in our luggage? If any of us stole from, then let him die and the rest of will become your slaves.” Have you ever said something and as soon as the words left your mouth you thought, “Oops, I shouldn’t have said that.” Imagine the looks on the brother’s faces. “Become slaves? Speak for yourself, man.” Maybe we shouldn’t be so confident in matter we can’t be 100% sure of.

Verse 11 , the brothers sacks were searched, starting from the oldest to the youngest. Can you just feel the tension building as they moved from one brother to another? Guess whose sack they found Joseph’s cup? Everyone is standing there, stunned, and confused. Some thinking, “Benjamin, how could you have done such a thing?” They loaded up their gear and slowly made their way back to the city. The atmosphere has changed completely from a few hours ago. Again, how are we ever going to explain this to Dad?

If we didn’t know better, this whole event sounds like a prank carried out by a middle schooler. What’s he going to do next, toilet paper the Pharaoh’s palace or bubble wrap his statue? But this wasn’t a prank, it was a way to discover their attitude to Benjamin. Had the brothers changed? Had they matured?

The brothers are marched into Joseph’s presence like third graders being marched into the principal’s office, heads down, slowly shuffling in, scared to death. Verse 15 , Joseph says (more likely SHOUTS), “What is this you have done?” He puts on quite a show. Then Judah speaks for the group. “We are now my lord’s slaves-we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.”

Joseph gives the brothers a break and says that only the person who was found to have the cup needs to stay, the rest of them can go home. The brothers are on this emotional roller coaster just as Joseph was earlier. Now Judah speaks up, repeats the family background (verses 18-32) , and then makes a very surprising offer to Joseph. Verse 33 , “Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy (Benjamin) and let the boy return with his brothers.” Atta boy, Judah. You rose to the occasion. Judah believed that Benjamin was guilty, yet he was willing to bear the penalty he thought Benjamin deserved. He did this because he cared about his father and wanted to spare him the loss of Benjamin. They could have simply said good-bye to Benjamin and headed back home, abandon Benjamin as they did Joseph. But no, not this time. Judah, the brother who suggested Joseph be sold as a slave was now willing to become a slave to rescue Benjamin. Judah’s intercession on Benjamin’s behalf shows passed Joseph’s test.

Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio Texas is the headquarters of the Army Medical Department. They have a medical museum there with a statue of a medic kneeling over a wounded soldier.

The work was sculpted by Terrance Patterson. On the base of the statue is the passage from John 15:13 , “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.” Of course, the passage refers directly to Jesus, but it also can be applied to others. In this chapter, I would put Judah in this category. Great love for his father and for his little brother led him to sacrifice himself for their benefit.

Chapter 45 , Joseph’s emotions were rising up inside of him. It is becoming increasingly difficult for him to contain himself and to keep his identity a secret. He asks all his staff to leave the room. Before he can say another word, he bursts into tears. The brothers look at one another. Is this guy having a nervous breakdown? This is weird and a bit scary. He sobbed so loud that even his staff in the other room heard him. “I told him he needed a vacation, that the stress of the job was starting to get to him, but he wouldn’t listen to me.”

Verse 4 , Joseph says to his brothers, between sobs and blowing his nose, “Come close to me.” They shuffle a few steps forward, and Joseph leans towards them and whispers, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt.”

Their first reaction? Might they have thought, “This guy is bonkers, derailed, has flipped out, gone haywire, is loco, mad, has gone round the bend, has become unglued or unzipped?” I wonder what terms they used back then to say that someone has suffered a nervous breakdown. But wait, they look closer at him, he does look a bit like Joseph. Look at his ears. Look at the eyes. It slowly dawns on them that this guy really is Joseph. This is like a Road to Emmaus experience where those walking with Jesus only gradually came to recognize who he was.

Joseph goes onto reassure them, “Don’t be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.” He may have also thought, “It certainly would have made my life a bit easier if He had told me ahead of time what He was doing.” Notice that he didn’t try to shame them or frighten them. He absolved his brothers from guilt. And he says that they should not be angry with themselves. Sometimes we are harsher on ourselves than others might be. Sometimes forgiveness needs to be from us to ourselves. Perhaps there are some people who you need to absolve of guilt, if not for their sake, for your own. It’s been said that hating someone or being unforgiving is like drinking poison and waiting for your enemy to die. We’re told to forgive others. Sometimes we are reluctant to do that. But it’s not just for their sake, but for our own.

Then he tells the brothers to head back home and bring Dad back with them before he has a stroke or falls and breaks a hip. He says that he will set aside a large parcel of land in the region of Goshen where the family can sit out the famine.

He must have thought that maybe the brothers still didn’t really believe it was him, that he was really Joseph. Verse 12 , “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you.”

The Pharaoh heard about all of this and was thrilled and moved by this story. He wants to be a part of the story, also. He tells them, verse 17 , go get your father and bring him here to “enjoy the fat of the land.” I imagine that the Pharaoh was so pleased by this story in part because so much of the news that he was hearing was negative. Is there much good news for the leadership in the midst of a famine? If this happened today, the leader would want to call Steven Spielberg and ask him to make a heart-warming movie about this story. This is what the public needs to hear and see, something uplifting. Sort of like a Frank Capra movie, such as It’s a Wonderful Life.

Pharaoh went even further. He’s going to help cover the costs of the trip and provide transportation for them. He tells an aid, “Call the motor pool. Tell them to provide vehicles and drivers, whatever is needed and be ready to leave within 24 hours.” Verse 19 , “Take some carts from Egypt for your children and your wives and get your father and come. Never mind about your belongings because the best of all Egypt will be yours.” And besides, there is a Walmart down the road you can buy all new stuff.

A caravan of government vehicles, a government credit card, a security detail, mechanics, and vehicle with spare parts and probably a kitchen vehicle all headed towards Canaan. Verse 22 , each was given new clothing. Then, he gave Benjamin a special gift, a fistful of silver not just one set of clothes, but five. And let’s not forget about something nice for Dad. How about some nice farm animals?

Then Joseph sent them all off, again, this time with the admonition, “No fighting.” Really? What would they fight about; the silver given to Benjamin? Who got the best new clothes? Who gets to sit up front? What are they, eight-year-olds in the back of the station wagon heading off to a national park, arguing over who is sitting where?

Verse 25 , they made it back home and told Jacob, “Joseph is still alive, in fact, he is the ruler of all Egypt.” Jacob was stunned and did not believe them.” He must have thought, “Have you boys been drinking?” They explained to him all that had happened, and Israel said, “I am convinced. . . I will go and see him before I die.”

I don’t think the brothers told him EVERYTHING that happened, especially the details of how Joseph ended up in Egypt. If Israel had asked, “So how did Joseph end up in Egypt in the first place?” the brothers may have said, “Later dad, let’s just focus on getting to Egypt before you have a stroke, ok?”

Do you think that one person can’t make a difference in this world? Joseph’s character blessed the entire nation and those surrounding it. He did what was right, even if he seemed to be the only one doing so. Perhaps God is looking for that one person who He can work through to bring about great change in a certain area in our world today.

Genesis 42 - 43

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 01:38:05 GMT

Genesis Chapter 42-43 Joseph’s Brothers go to Egypt, TWICE!

In the last chapter we saw Joseph riding high as the number two man in the nation of Egypt, preparing the people for the upcoming famine. He has to pinch himself to be sure he isn’t dreaming this. Just a few days ago he was in prison. The Pharaoh is pleased because he has complete confidence in Joseph and, if he fails in his duties, he has someone to blame.

Verse 1 , “When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, ‘Why do you just keep looking at each other?’”

Does this sound like everyone seems to be depressed and resigned to their fate, just waiting to die? Or were they passive, unimaginative, waiting for someone else to come rescue them from the famine? Does the dad sound a bit disappointed in his sons? Imagine the tone of voice he might have had. “Why do you bums just sit there waiting to die. There’s food in Egypt, why don’t you get off your back sides and go get some? If Joseph was here, he would have thought of something.”

Verse 3 , “Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain.” Jacob wouldn’t allow Benjamin, the youngest, to go. He feared for his safety and besides, he probably wasn’t needed. Why would so many of the brothers have to go? Did they really need ten? Weren’t there employees who could have gone or were they all laid off because of the famine? Maybe they needed all ten to haul enough food to last for some time.

Guess who they had to deal with then they arrived in Egypt? Yes, that little brother who they sold off as a slave years ago. Verse 6 , “So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.” This was just as he predicted years ago from the dream that he had recorded in chapter 37 .

What would Joseph’s natural reaction be to seeing his brothers? He must have been startled and perhaps had to control the urge to approach them. He recognized them, but they didn’t recognize him. Why not? We’re talking about twenty years passing from the time they last saw each other. Have you seen photos of yourself in your high school or college yearbook? Do you even recognize yourself after twenty years? What do you think of the hair styles back then? Yikes. Beehive hair dos for the ladies, for the men maybe a full head of thick hair in long hippie style. And the clothing . . . bell bottom trousers, platform shoes and miniskirts. And we thought we looked great, then. Joseph’s voice may not be recognizable by this time. His teenage voice has deepened and whatever accent he may have had has faded or disappeared. Besides, he was probably speaking through an interpreter. And it’s not as if they were looking for and expecting to see Joseph there. As a slave, if he was still alive, they probably thought he would be working in some field harvesting the grain that they have come to purchase.

Joseph begins to test them by accusing them of being spies. This must have put the brothers into a panic. How can they prove that they are not? They explain that they came from Canaan and that their dad is with their youngest brother and another brother had died. Joseph tells them that he doesn’t believe them and tells them they will not leave this place; they will be imprisoned unless their youngest brother comes here. This was to prove that their story of not being spies was true. The brothers had three days in prison to think about their fate when Joseph comes and says, in verse 18 , let one of you stay here in prison while the others take food back to your home and return with the little brother you claim that you have. Do this and you will live.

In verse 21 the brothers acknowledged to each other their guilt in selling Joseph into slavery. “They said to one another, ‘Surely we are being punished because of our brother.” And of course, though they didn’t know it, Joseph could understand what they were saying.

Joseph had one of the brothers, Simeon, bound (verse 24) and then had their animals loaded up with grain for their return trip to Canaan. Why was Simeon left behind? Why not the oldest one, Rueben? Perhaps it was because Rueben was the one who saved Joseph back in chapter 37 . Whose shoes would you rather be in? Simeon would be in a prison, but the others would have to return home and break the news to Jacob that his youngest son, the last son his beloved late wife Rachel gave birth to, must be taken to Egypt. I think I’d volunteer to take Simeon’s place.

Verse 26 , they loaded up their grain on their donkeys and left. What was the atmosphere like on the way back? How are they going to explain all of this to Jacob? “I’ve got an idea,” one of them may have said, “We say, ‘Hi Dad, we’re home. Good news! We’ve got grain! We’re all going to live!’” Jacob is probably blind by now and wouldn’t even noticed that one brother is missing. After they’ve eaten, someone (the one who drew the short straw) had to tell Jacob the rest of the story. “Oh, by the way, did we mention that we have to go back to get Simeon? Yeah, he’s in prison, being held hostage by the Egyptians. And one more thing, we have to take Benjamin with us? So, what’s for dessert?”

I don’t know which part of this trip was the most uncomfortable. Heading off to Egypt in hope of getting some food or returning home without Simeon and having to explain it all to Jacob. In verse 28 , as they were unpacking for the night on their journey home, they noticed that in each person’s sack was the money that they had given to purchase the grain. How do they understand this? Verse 28 , “This is what God has done to us.” This is the hand of God. He’s using the Egyptians to punish us for what we have done to Joseph.

They made it back home with the food and told Jacob all about their trip (verses 29-34) and what that Egyptian leader said about them being spies. They then told him that the Egyptian gave them food but held Simeon as a hostage to prove that we weren’t spies. Oh, one more thing, we have to take Benjamin back with us.

Who steps up to assure Jacob that all will be well? It’s Reuben, again. You remember Reuben. Reuben is the one who had sex with his father’s concubine. He is the one that Jacob will say “will no longer excel” and lost the birthright to Joseph. It is Reuben who persuades the others not to kill Joseph, tries to rescue him, and who later concludes that the trouble the brothers run into in Egypt was divine punishment for the plot.

Rueben says in verse 37 , “You may put both my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you.” What if his sons were there, listening to this talk? “Hey Dad, what are you doing?” This reminds me of Lot’s offer to the men who came to his door wanting to have sex with his visitors. Lot says, “Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them” (Gen 19:8). The kids must think, “Thanks a lot, Dad. You’ll never get another Father’s Day card from me again.”

Jacob dismisses Reuben’s idea saying, in verse 38 , “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in sorrow.” Translation: I’ve already lost two sons and I will not risk losing another to a bunch of morons like you guys. If I lost Benjamin, it would never be able to recover from the grief.

In time, the food they purchased was all gone and the famine continued. Now what do we do?

Chapter 43:2 with the food running out, Jacob has a change of heart. “Go back and buy us a little more food.”

Do you feel bad for Jacob? I do. I see him shuffling around the house in a tattered robe, stoop shouldered, head down. He’s old, and worn out by the famine, age and all the struggles of life. Time is running out for him and for everyone. Someone has to convince Jacob that they must go back to Egypt and they must take Benjamin with them.

Judah steps forward and tells Jacob the unvarnished truth that he doesn’t want to hear, that is, if they return for food, they MUST take Benjamin with them. He quotes Joseph’s demand saying, “You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.” Now Judah is the one who guarantees the safety of Benjamin in verse 9 , “I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame.” In Hebrew it reads, “I shall have sinned against you forever,” which carries with it the consequence to be cut off from any and all inheritance. It was Judah who saved Joseph from death by talking them into selling him. Now he is willing to become a guarantee for Benjamin, knowing that the affection Jacob had for Joseph was not directed towards Benjamin. He then goes on to say that if they had gone back to Egypt when they wanted to, they would have already been back with the food by now.

The sons had to give their dad some time to accept the idea of them taking Benjamin with them back to Egypt. It’s like having to tell Dad that he shouldn’t be driving anymore. “Dad, you ran over three mailboxes today and sideswiped a van yesterday. I think you need to give up your keys to the car.” “What? I’ve been driving for 65 years; I’m not giving up driving.” Well, after a while Dad shuffles his way into the kitchen his places his keys and drivers’ license onto the counter, slowly turns and walks away. Sometimes, it just takes time to get used to an idea and to accept the inevitable. But having said that, “No, I am not giving up my motorcycle and moving into that nursing home. Don’t bring the subject up ever again!”

Finally, Jacob, or Israel as he is called here, agrees. Verse 11 , “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift.” So, they packed honey, pistachios, almonds, spices, a couple of nice DVDs of movies like The African Queen and Casablanca. Maybe a video game or two. Hey, Jacob is really getting excited about this trip. Once he accepted the fact that the trip has to be made, he gets involved in the planning.

They made their way back to Egypt, with Benjamin constantly asking, “Are we there yet?” And what a welcome they received. When Joseph saw them, he told his assistant to take these guys to his house, make a nice meal and I will join them for lunch. Oh, and get them a nice shower, also. There are extra towels in the hall closet.

Now the brothers were getting suspicious and scared. Why would this official have us taken to his house. I bet it’s a trap. Yeah, I bet they are going to enslave us or something. The worriers in the group are catastrophizing everything, coming up with the most outlandish scenarios. “I bet these guys are really aliens and they are going to experiment with us and eat our brains. One fella said that he was there to serve us. Maybe that means he is going to serve us for dinner.”

They tried to explain to the servant that they had brought back the silver that they found in their bags and that they really weren’t spies. Verse 23 , the steward says, “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.” Why would an Egyptian be referring to the God of Israel? Had Joseph been evangelizing while he was in prison and in his position of authority? Didn’t the Apostle Paul evangelize while he was under house arrest or in prison, also?

Then they had a great surprise. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (another great movie)? The brothers look up and into the living room comes SIMEON. Smiles and hugs everywhere, fist bumps for the more reserved.

Joseph arrives for lunch and the brothers bow down to him (again) as they greet him. Joseph asks about their aged father ( verse 26 on) and then his eyes turn to Benjamin. That did it. The emotions grew too strong and he had to leave the room for a moment to regain his composure. After a few minutes he returned and asked the waiter to serve the guests their food. Joseph ate in a separate room. In fact, they ate in three groups. Joseph sat by himself, because of his rank. The brothers sat by themselves and the Egyptians ate by themselves. And so, the brothers were enjoying a wonderful feast, especially the youngest guy at the end of the table, Benjamin. They gave him five times as much as anyone else. He must have been a teenager because we know how much they can eat. But what must the other brothers have thought when they say the huge mounds of good on his plate? And why would they be given this feast in the first place? This isn’t how they treat all prisoners, is it? This was a test. Joseph wanted to know if the brothers had matured. Joseph wanted to know if the brothers would be jealous of Benjamin as they were of him when favoritism was shown to him years ago. The last verse of the chapter tells us the answer, “So they feasted and drank freely with him.” Another translation reads, “And they drank, and were merry with him.” So, no, they were not jealous. And I’m sure Joseph was pleased to see this trait in his brothers. Joseph knew all along that they weren’t spies. Now he knows that they weren’t the same people that they were twenty years ago. Do we sometimes have images of people that are also outdated? Do we still think of someone as who they were years ago, not able to see who they have become? Did some people still think of Paul as the blasphemer, persecutor, and a violent man that he used to be (I Tim 1:13) ? Or John Mark as the young man who deserted the mission team on their first missionary journey? Perhaps we need to reexamine our assessment of people who have stumbled or failed in the past and give them some credit for maturing, as Joseph did with his brothers.

Genesis 41

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 01:31:52 GMT

Genesis Chapter 41 The Pharaoh has a Dream

In the last chapter we saw the cup bearer had been released from prison and the baker was hanged. Meanwhile, Joseph is still in prison for two full years. Do you think Joseph prayed for his release? Do you think he pleaded with God and wondered why God hadn’t answered his prayer to undo this gross injustice? Did he wonder, “How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, ‘violence,’ but you do not save?” Have you had similar thoughts? The above quote is from another Biblical character recorded in the first verse of the Book of Habakkuk. Like Joseph must have thought, Habakkuk wondered why God didn’t answer his prayers. What was God’s response to Habakkuk? He told Habakkuk, verse 5 , “I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” God goes on to say to Habakkuk that he must live by faith (verse 4) . The expression, “the just shall live by faith” is repeated in Rom. 1:27 , Gal 3:11 and Heb 10:37-38 . Joseph, like Habakkuk and all of us, had to live by faith that God is still on his throne and knows what is happening to him. And, that He has a plan and a timetable. And, He didn’t have to tell Joseph what His plan or timetable were. Nor did he have to reveal these things to Habakkuk nor to us. We have to live by faith. We have to accept the fact that it is all right if God knows things that we don’t.

Verse 1-2 “When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream.” Pharaoh isn’t a personal name, it’s a title, like Czar, King, President or Christ. These are titles. Jesus didn’t have on his birth certificate: First Name: Jesus. Last Name: Christ. More correctly we could say, “Jesus the Christ” or “Jesus the Messiah.” I don’t think scholars know which Pharaoh this one was.

What did the Pharaoh see in his dream? Verse 1-2 , He saw seven fat, well fed cows came up out of the Nile to graze along the banks. This reminds me of the hippos we saw in Tanzania where early in the morning they would mosey back from grazing all night to return the Great Ruaha River. It was in the water that they lazily lounged around most of day to protect their delicate skin from sunburn.

Back to the story, then the Pharaoh saw seven scrawny, starving cows coming up and stood beside the others, ugly and gaunt and they ate the seven fat cows. This dream must have been disturbing enough to wake him up. He fell back to sleep and had a second dream, using different symbols to make the same point. But what was the point? What did this mean? If you asked five psychiatrists to interpret your dreams, they would come up with five different interpretations. Dream interpretation is dangerous. Oftentimes the interpretation says more about the therapist than the patient. But these dreams were different. They didn’t originate from a man’s troubled imagination, but from God. And it was from God that Joseph would come to understand their meanings. And Joseph recognized this and didn’t use this opportunity to promote himself.

What’s a Pharaoh to do? Verse 8 , he calls for a summit of ALL the magicians and wise men of Egypt. They must have filled a full wing of the Hampton Inn. Observers may have wondered what was going on. Why were all of these magicians and wise men (not wise guys) brought to the capital? And not a single one could tell Pharaoh what his dreams meant. Really? “I’m paying you fools retaining fees to be available whenever I need your advice and you all just sit here like a group of idiots with nothing to say? I ought to fire the lot of you.”

It seems that leaders have always had some difficulties with their wise men. In 1965 President Johnson, convened a group of nine former presidential advisors to ask their opinion on whether the U.S. should escalate our involvement in Vietnam. This group became known as the Wise Men.” They urged him then to take decisive action and so our involvement in Vietnam kicked into high gear. In 1968, when the war appeared to be unwinnable, Johnson again consulted with these Wise Men, they advised against any further troop increases and recommended that the administration seek a negotiated peace. So, it seems that the wise men aren’t always that wise after all, either in ancient times or today.

Finally, the cupbearer who met Joseph in prison remembers something. Verse 9 , the cupbearer, you remember, the one with a poor memory for people who helped him in the past, finally spoke up. He tells the Pharaoh that when he was in prison, he met this Hebrew guy who was able to interpret dreams. And unlike many self-professing prophets today, his interpretation was very accurate in every detail. For instance, from 1997 to 2003 there was a popular psychic who advertised her services on television called Miss Cleo. She claimed to be a mystical shaman from Jamaica, though she was born in Los Angeles. She offered a free service, but the callers, without their knowledge, were charged by the minute for the phone call. Their goal was to keep the caller on the line for as long as possible to make more money. Victims were billed $1 billion for her services and the lawsuits led to the network’s bankruptcy. She also died of colon cancer at the age of 53. Now, if she was a real psychic, wouldn’t she be able to see the bankruptcy and cancer in her future and do something to prevent them? Other psychics like to give very vague predictions, then when something happens, they fit it back into their prediction. They also conveniently forget all their false prophecies.

But Joseph had a great track record with dream interpretation. Verse 14 , so Pharaoh sent for Joseph. But first, he needed a good shower, haircut, new clothes and maybe even a manicure. He also got a shave since Egyptian men shaved and did not approve of beards. All cleaned up and ready for his audience with the Pharaoh he heads off to the palace.

If you’re going to visit the Pharaoh, would you be a bit anxious and have some questions for the person escorting you down the halls of the palace? Questions like, “What do I do when I approach him?” “How should I address him? “Do I offer to shake his hand?” “Do I salute him?” “Do I call him, “Sir” or “Your Honor” or “Pharaoh Bob”? I hope Joseph was properly briefed on these matters of protocol by his escort.

On the other hand, how do you think he was greeted by the Pharaoh? Was he still showing the anger and irritation from his disappointing visit with his so-called wisemen? I imagine that he felt a bit desperate for answers, like when we go to the doctor. We want to believe that he has the answers that we need. After all that Joseph has been through, I hope the Pharaoh was gracious and hospitable. “Hello, Joseph, so nice to see you. Please, have a seat. Would you like some coffee? A cold beer or a cigar, perhaps?” And I hope the cupbearer apologized for not remembering him to the Pharaoh.

When asked if he could interpret the dream, Joseph said “NO, . . . . . . but God will give you the answers.” He isn’t there to grandstand or to promote himself.

Pharaoh explains the dreams to Joseph (verses 17-24) and then Joseph explains it to him. Do you think Joseph paused before explaining the dream? Stroked his chin, had a very serious, thoughtful look on his face, getting a bit dramatic for the Pharaoh? Nah, he’s not that kind of guy.

Verse 28 , God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. God is going to bring seven years of great abundance to Egypt, followed by seven years of famine. If you don’t manage this properly people will be starving, and a rebellion could take place to topple your regime. There will be people protesting and rioting with bricks being thrown through windows, chariots overturned, statues of the Pharaoh toppled, and government buildings set afire. They will be carrying signs saying EGYPTIAN LIVES MATTER. Mr. Pharaoh, you’ve got to do something to prevent this famine. If you fail, you will be killed and strung up like Mussolini!” (Mussolini, the fascist dictator of Italy, was shot dead, hung upside down at a service station and then beaten, shot at, and hit with hammers). Pharaoh wouldn’t understand this last reference.

Pharaoh cries out, “What should I do? What should I do?” Verse 33 , “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.” Oh, also, give him an administrative assistant, a pretty-young woman, to handle the paperwork. And, Oh, also, a government chariot, a driver and an expense account. A big expense account along with a new uniform and the latest Apple Phone with unlimited calls and text. Oh, one more thing, a big title, something that will impress the people and of course some rubber stamps. You know how government workers love rubber stamps. And a letter from you that says, in effect, “Introducing so and so, who is visiting you on my behalf. Please cooperate fully with him, as you would with me. He has my full authority and backing. Oh, and the chariot should be the sports model, red convertible. You know how young men like convertibles.”

Great ideas, Joseph. Verse 38 , “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?” A better translation, according to my Jewish sources, would be, “the spirit of the gods,” after all, the Pharaoh was a pagan. “Joseph, you’ve got the job, kid! Here, take this signet ring (sort of a rubber stamp, but rubber stamps hadn’t been invented yet), and a chariot (the sporty model in red), a new name for yourself. Why was Joseph given a new name? This was a wise political move. It would make Joseph more acceptable to the Egyptians. He was now “one of them” and not a Hebrew foreigner who is bossing people around. He was also given a wife. How many promotions are there where you get a wife as one of your perks? As strange as it seems to us, it was customary for the owner of a slave to provide a wife for him. He was his matchmaker as well as his owner. I hope Joseph had some say in this matter. “Joseph, you need a wife. Do you have any young lady in mind, or would you like me to choose one for you?”

Joseph was only thirty years old at this time (verse 46) . In nine years, he will meet with his brothers and it will be a total of twenty years from the time he last saw his family. Why did it take so long for Joseph to be placed in this position?

When you get a promotion in the military, the ceremony says something like, “Because of your demonstrated potential for increased responsibilities, you are hereby promoted to the rank of ________.” Joseph had to learn to take on increasingly more demanding responsibilities from the household level, to the institution level to the national level. This takes time. It took time for God to teach Joseph to prepare him for these new responsibilities, to save not only Egypt but much of the middle east, and of course, his own family.

Before he headed off to save the nation from famine, do you think he stopped off at Potiphar’s house. “Hi Joseph. Sorry about that prison thing. I’m really glad it worked out so well for you. I knew you weren’t guilty of assaulting my wife.” “That’s OK, Potiphar. I appreciate that you purchased me from the slave market and gave me a chance. How’s your wife doing?” “Oh, she ran off with the pool boy. I knew she was that type of women. So long, Joseph. Be safe.” Joseph rides off in his chariot, driven by his driver and Potiphar is standing in the foreground waving goodbye to Joseph.

So, Joseph traveled throughout Egypt. I imagine that he was leasing grain silos and issuing contracts for the construction of new ones. He appointed people in each district to oversee the collection and storage of grain, provided security to prevent theft and destruction by rodents. Storage facilities were located where no population of Egyptians would be more than so many miles away from a source of grain.

Verse 50 , Before the years of famine came two sons were born to Joseph, they were named Manasseh and Ephraim. These are Hebrew names. Why not name them Egyptian names? Perhaps because he never considered himself to be an Egyptian. He never adopted their religion. He was, in his mind, still a Hebrew.

I have to comment on the names of these two sons. There is a discredited theory called British Israelism, which was popular when the British Empire ruled much of the world. The theory says that when the Assyrians invaded the northern kingdom of Israel in 721 A.D. and took many of the people into captivity, these tribes ended up migrating north and west to what is now Europe and the U.S. These are oftentimes referred to as The Lost Tribes of Israel. It teaches that the people of the British Isles are "genetically, racially, and linguistically the direct descendants" of the Ten Lost Tribes of ancient Israel. This means that when the Bible speaks of end-time prophecies about Israel, it really means the U.S. and British Commonwealth since Ephraim was thought to be modern day Britain and Manasseh the United States. I am familiar with this theory because it was taught by Herbert W. Armstrong, of the Worldwide Church of God. Armstrong believed that the teaching was a key to understanding biblical prophecy. The theory is based on wild speculation and wishful thinking, not history or Scripture.

In time, disaster hits Egypt and the entire middle east. FAMINE! People cried out to Pharaoh for food. Verse 55 , “Pharaoh told the Egyptians, (in a nationally televised broadcast from the Pharaoh’s Office in the Palace), ‘go to Joseph and do what he tells you.’” This was a wise political move on his part. The nice thing about this arrangement is, if Joseph fails, Pharaoh doesn’t get blamed. “I did all that I could, but that Hebrew ex-convict misled me and failed us all.”

Verse 57 , “And all the countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the world.”

When Joseph got his new job, with authority second only the Pharaoh, wouldn’t you think he would have contacted his dad with the news, especially on Father’s Day?

“Hello Dad, it me, Joseph. No really, it is me. Guess what? I’ve got a great job in Egypt, I’m number two, just below the Pharaoh.”

“What kind of a cruel hoax is this? My son is dead. If you really are Joseph, you need to start taking your anti-psychotic medication. You’re having delusions again. Don’t call here again or I will call the police.”

Here are two suggestions. Joseph had two dreams. In the first dream, his brothers bowed down to him. In the second, his father does the same thing. Had Joseph sent a message to Jacob, he would have come to Egypt immediately. He may have waited until the first dream was fulfilled before having his father come to fulfill the second. Or Joseph may have been concerned that God would punish his brothers for selling him. Joseph had to know that his brothers had repented. He came to know this when they fought for Benjamin’s release, which we will see in chapter 43 .

What can we conclude from this chapter? God has a plan and a timetable to carry it out. Wise men don’t always have the answers and neither do we so the only option is that we must live by faith.

Genesis 39

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 01:23:46 GMT

Genesis Chapter 39 Joseph is in Egypt

Verse 1 , “Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of the Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.”

Notice it says he was “taken” to Egypt. He did not go of his own free will. Can you imagine what he must have felt when he was taken away from family, friends, country, culture, etc.? This must have been a lot scarier than heading off to Basic Military Training or to a distant mission field in, oh, I don’t know, how about Africa?

You might have noticed that in chapter 37:28 , the Midianite merchants bought Joseph from his brothers, but here it says that Potiphar bought him from the Ishmaelites. The Midianites and Ishmaelites were two different groups. Joseph was sold to one, who then sold him to another who sold him to Potiphar. Why didn’t the Midianites hold onto him until they got to Egypt? Maybe because they got tired of hearing Joseph whining and crying all the time. Maybe not.

Who was this Potiphar, the captain of the guard? He is probably a court official or military officer. Either way, he is a man of power and influence. Nothing, however, of this office is definitely known from Egyptian sources. Some sources say that "Potiphar" is probably an abbreviation of "Potiphera" an Egyptian priest whose daughter, Asenath, marries Joseph.

So why did Potiphar purchase Joseph rather than some other slave? Let’s imagine that you are Potiphar at the slave market. You see Joseph there. How would you describe Joseph?

Do you remember the quiz show TO TELL THE TRUTH? Three people all claim to be someone, the panelist ask each of them questions and try to guess who is telling the truth. Let’s read two descriptions of Joseph. You decide which one is the real Joseph.

Contestant one: Is a muscular young man who is used to hard labor with callouses on his hands. He is an uneducated person who uses poor grammar, has a hardened look on his face, the look of someone who was uncared for growing up and who cares little for others today. He looks scary, intimidating. His clothes are cheaply made, dirty, ragged and he needs a lot of dental work.

Contestant two: Is a softer bodied young man who doesn’t look as if he had to do a hard day’s labor in his life. No callouses on his hands. He appears to have been one who was a bit spoiled, pampered, if you will, who looks scared. His clothes were not from a second-hand shop, but were expensive name brand clothes, the Calvin Kline clothes of his day. His speech was that of an educated person, not a drop out of elementary school.

Which contestant do you think is the real Joseph? As the host of the show used to say, “Will the real Joseph please stand up?” Which description do you think best describes who Joseph was. I go with the second one.

Why did Potiphar purchase Joseph? I don’t think Joseph was like most of the other slaves for sale. Potiphar may have seen something in Joseph that was different from the rest of the slaves at the slave market. Joseph was an educated person with an upper-class background. Whether Potiphar had the chance to interview Joseph first, I don’t know. But he took a chance and if Joseph didn’t work out, Joseph would probably find himself back on the auction block in a couple of weeks.

Verse 2 , “The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered.” How many slaves can say that they “prospered”? And, he lived in the house of the boss, not out in some shack on the back forty. How was it that he prospered? The master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did. Interesting, Potiphar, a non-Israelite, recognized that God was with him and the source of his success. How many believers today don’t give God credit for their success? Verse 5 , Potiphar put Joseph in charge of everything he owned. Seems as if Joseph moved up very quickly and had the complete trust of Potiphar. Hopefully Joseph managed his assets better than some business managers have done for their clients such as Willie Nelson. Nelson’s assets were seized by the IRS due to a claim that he owed the government $32 million.

Verse 5 , “the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lords was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.” What was the reason for this? Remember the Abrahamic Covenant and the promise given in Gen 12:3 , “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you?” Now go and do a good deed to a Jewish person and be blessed.

Verse 6 , Potiphar’s trust in Joseph was so complete that it says, “he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.” It sounds like when he came home, he didn’t have to check up on his business interests, he just asked, “What’s for dinner?” Or that he was concerned that his food might be poisoned. But that’s not the case. It was an Egyptian custom that they did not eat with foreigners nor allow foreigners to eat their food. Eating alone and not sharing food was just the custom, not an issue of trust.

Let’s see, has it been a whole chapter since we’ve had a scandal? Here’s one, verse 7 , “Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” And she was a persistent person, verse 10 , “and though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused.” What might that have been like with daily coaxing and threats, “If you don’t sleep with me, I will tell Potiphar that you did.” “I could have you back on the slave market in a minute.”

Joseph did the right thing, he fled, going so fast that he left his cloak in her hand. He behaved better than Samson, who gave in under similar pressure in Judges 14-16 . Notice in verse 14 , it says that Potiphar’s wife said to her servants, “Look, this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us.” Notice that she brought her servants in on what happened and turned the servants against Joseph, also. Isn’t this the way it oftentimes is when someone is in conflict? They go to a third party, tell them their side of the story (which isn’t always accurate) to turn others against their opponent. Imagine the stories that marriage counselors, pastors, divorce lawyers and other hear from their clients and their friends.

When Potiphar heard the false accusation of his wife against Joseph, verse 19 , “he burned with anger” and put him in prison. According to one commentary, Potiphar was the Captain of the Executioners, so he could have had Joseph executed, which would have been common in such cases and so the story implies that Potiphar had doubts about his wife's account. He probably knew that such an act was out of character for Joseph, but not for his wife to have made the advances.

So, Joseph loses his great job and is in prison. What is he to think of his predicament? In a sermon I’ve told the story of an impoverished old man who had a beautiful white stallion and a young boy. Many people wanted to buy this beautiful horse, but he always refused their offers. One day the horse was gone. It just seemed to have disappeared. The towns people came out and said, “What a terrible curse for you, to have lost your greatest asset.” The old man said, “You can’t say that. We don’t know if an event is a blessing or a curse. We only see one page of the story, not the whole book.” A few weeks later the stallion returned and with it, a number of wild horses. The people came out and said, “What a blessing for you. A week ago, you had lost your beautiful, valuable horse, now he is back and with more horses.” The old man said, “You can’t say whether this is a blessing or a curse. You only see one page of the story, not the whole book.” One day his little boy got up on one of the wild horses and tried to break it. The wild horse threw the boy to the ground and he broke his leg. He suffered a compound fracture that would never properly heal. He would have to live with a limp for the rest of his life. The people came out and said, “Oh my, what a curse. Your only son is not able to walk properly.” The old man said, “You can’t say that my boy’s injury is a curse. You have only read one paragraph of this story, not the whole book.” Then one day a large army came through the countryside and attacked the villages. All the young men were conscripted into the Army to fight a winless war against the larger, better trained military. Most all the young men would die. But the son of the old man was exempt from military service and survived.

Was what Joseph experiencing blessings or curses? Joseph was sold into slavery. Was that a blessing or a curse? He was then purchased by Potiphar. Was that a blessing or a curse? He was then falsely accused by his wife and sent off to prison. Were these blessings or curses? If some of these events were blessings in disguise, they certainly were very well disguised.

Joseph has been on an emotional roller coaster these past months. We know how this story ends, but Joseph didn’t. It’s not as if God winked at him and whispered to him what follows in chapter 50 . We also have our ups and downs. We don’t know what might be next, but ultimately, we do know how all this ends. It doesn’t end at the grave. Dying isn’t like walking down a hallway only to hit a wall. We know that the wall is really a door, a door to something so much better. I try to keep this in mind when I’m on the downward plunge on an emotional roller coaster ride.

The false accusation by Potiphar's wife plays an important role in Joseph's narrative. As difficult it was to be accused this way, along with being in prison, he would not have met the fellow prisoner who introduced him to Pharaoh.

While he was in prison, verse 21 says, “the Lord was with him, he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.” What kind of prison do you think Potiphar had him confined to? A crowded, dirty, run down maximum-security prison where the most hardened criminals are kept? Or a minimum-security prison with cable television, wi-fi, tennis courts and a hot tub much the prisons we send our corrupt politicians, crooked CEOs of investment houses and other white-collar criminals? I think he was in the latter type.

In verse 22 it says, “So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.” Notice also that just as Potiphar came to see Joseph’s skills and character, the prison warden saw the same positive traits in Joseph and made him responsible for all that was done in the prison. Again, it says, “because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.” Yeah, fine, but did Joseph know all of this? Did he recognize the hand of God in control of events?

In chapter 40:2-4 it says that the chief cupbearer and chief baker were put in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. His name is not given here, but this captain of the guard was none other than Potiphar. Not only had Joseph gain the trust of the prison warden, he also regained the trust from Potiphar.

Are you on a roller coaster ride, having dealt with COVID-19, family and work issues, etc.? The Lord is with you and we do know how the story ends.

Genesis 38

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 01:17:43 GMT

Genesis Chapter 38 Judah and Tamar

In chapter 37 we saw Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son, being sold into slavery and carted off to Egypt. The brothers first planned to kill him, but then Reuben suggested that they simply put him into an empty cistern in the hope of rescuing him later on. It was Judah who suggested that they sell him as a slave, rather than kill him. Joseph is sold and they tell their father, Jacob, that Joseph was killed by a wild animal. Jacob goes into a period of mourning.

Can you imagine what the atmosphere might have been at home? The brothers come home from work and ask, “How’s Dad doing?”

“Not well! He isn’t eating right, and I think he has been drinking to much.”

“Why don’t we tell dad what really happened to Joseph?”

“Are you kidding? Haven’t we disappointed him enough already?”

Jacob was not doing well. When you lose a child, you lose more than a child, you lose the hopes and dreams that went with him, the plans that Jacob and Joseph shared. There was much for Jacob to grieve. This was not a happy household.

Some people join the military, enter into a marriage, or simply hit the road just to escape a troubled home life. Maybe this is why Judah left. “Keep the family business, I’ve had enough of this stress. I’m heading out.” Or, perhaps, like Esau, he may have been moving away from the faith of his fathers.

Chapter 38 opens with Judah leaving home and moves to the town of Adullam, which was a city of the Canaanites. It is here that he marries his first wife. Was he planning on going to Canaan or was he just passing through until he saw this woman who he married? Who knows. But we do know that Judah has three sons by her, Er, Onan and Shelah. His firstborn son, Er, married a woman named Tamar. Er wasn’t a very good person, in fact, he was “wicked in the Lord’s sight,” so God stuck him dead before he could father a child. Imagine if you knew in advance what we know about Er. “Hey Er, guess what? You are going to be immortalized in the Word of God, you will be mentioned by name in the Bible.” “Really, WOW! What will be said of me for people to read throughout history?” “It will say that you were wicked, and the Lord put you to death” (Gen 38:7) . “That’s it? Couldn’t he have said anything nice about me, like I was a great dancer or could do card tricks or something?” “Why couldn’t he had just said that Judah had a son who was wicked? Why did he have to use my name?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he used your name as a warning for others, I don’t know.”

The firstborn son is dead. Now what? As was the custom of the day, when a widow was without a child, the younger brother of the deceased was expected to marry the widow. Why? Perhaps for the same reason polygamy was tolerated. What options did a widow have in that day to provide for her safety and for her own well-being? There was no safety net, such as Social Security Survivor Benefits. Job opportunities? Forget it. By entering in what was called a levirate marriage, this allowed the family line to continue and the widow to be cared for. The term levirate is from the Latin word meaning, “husband’s brother.” This is one of those practices that we find a bit bizarre, but it was common among many groups who discouraged marriage outside the clan or group.

Among the Hebrews marriage with a brother's widow was forbidden as a general rule (Lev. 18:16) , but was regarded as obligatory (Deut. 25:5-6) when there was no male born, and when the two brothers had been dwelling on the same family estate. This practice was extended to the nearest living relative, referred to as the kinsman-redeemer, as seen in the book of Ruth. In Onan’s situation, if he did father a child via his brother’s widow, that child would legally not be his. That child would also receive whatever his father would have received from his father’s estate, meaning the younger brothers’ share of inheritance would be reduced. If your parents adopted a child, your inheritance would be divided into more pieces and your share would be less than before.

The younger brothers name was Onan. Can you imagine Onan being notified of his brother’s death? “Onan, I have some very sad news for you. (Or maybe it was good news, since he was so evil). Your brother, Er, has died. Oh, by the way, Onan, have you ever heard of the concept of a levirate marriage? CONDOLENCES FOR YOUR LOSS AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR UPCOMING WEDDING. MAZEL TOV.” There’s going to be a wedding. Bereans, let’s all practice the bottle dance from Fiddler on the Roof.

So now it was up to Onan to provide his sister in law with a son to carry on the family and inherit part of their father’s estate. But Onan would rather not share his estate in this way. But he did have relations with the widow but withdrew early to prevent a pregnancy. God wasn’t pleased with this guy either, so he was stuck down. Two brothers struck down. How do you think the rest of the family felt? Perhaps paranoid, wondering who’s next.

Why was God so harsh with Onan? I Tim 5:8 says, “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” To not care for his brother’s widow would have left her destitute. Onan was greedy for more inheritance and callous towards the needs of a family member. That is what I believe angered God. And it wasn’t like the family of Jacob was poor. Each generation seems to have been quite well off.

Judah has now lost two sons and there is only one more left. Judah may have thought that Tamar was bad luck. Judah was afraid that God might strike down the youngest son, but he was too young to engage in relations with the widow. Judah suggested that Tamar go back and live with her father. He didn’t want his youngest son to grow up and marry this woman, she’s bad luck.

Then, on top of the grief of losing two sons, Judah’s wife died (v 12) . Judah goes on a business trip passing by where his first son’s widow Tamar lived. Desperate for a child, she takes off her widow clothing, covers her face and sits down at the entrance to the village. Judah thought she was a prostitute and slept with her. She became pregnant. In payment, since he didn’t bring a goat with him, and she didn’t take credit cards, he left as collateral a seal that was worn on a cord around his neck. It was sort of a notary stamp of his signature. He also left his staff or walking stick (v 13-19) . Say what you will about Judah’s personal life, he did pay his debt to Tamar. He sent his friend to deliver the goat he owed her and to get back his personal belongings held as collateral, however, his friend could not find her, so he returned home.

A few months pass and Judah is horrified to hear that Tamar, the grieving widow, is pregnant. His response? In verse 24 , “Judah said, “Bring her out and have her burned to death!” But before she could be killed, she sends the staff and seal to him and says that the man who impregnated her is the owner of these items (verse 25) . Would you like to see a photo of the look on his face when he sees this? Ironic, isn’t it? Judah had earlier deceived Jacob, initiating the selling of Joseph, now is himself deceived.

Have you noticed how we are so able to recognize the sins in others, but be almost blind to our own? And if we don’t like somebody, we can more readily see their sins and not their strengths? We have a self-serving bias. We tend to be more generous in our assessment of ourselves, not so much others, especially if we don’t like someone. We tend to take the credit for positive events or outcomes, while blaming outside factors for negative events. For instance, when you get a good grade on a test, you might attribute it to your intelligence and preparation. But, when you failed the other test, you tended to blame the teacher, the classroom setting, or anything or anyone but ourselves. Perhaps this is why we are told to love our neighbors as ourselves. What if we were as understanding towards others as we are with ourselves?

To Judah’s credit, rather than denying his sin or blaming Tamar, he acknowledged it. He says in verse 26 , “She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.” He realized that her actions were in part due to his refusal to give his third son to her. In spite of the sins and poor judgment on the part of Judah (and us), God can bring some good out of our actions. Romans 8:28 , “All things work together for good.” Perhaps not always in this life, but in time. God brought some good out of this sordid mess. When Tamar gave birth to twins, one of them, Perez, becomes one of the ancestors of Jesus Christ.

Some churches use the death of Onan to support the idea that artificial means of contraception is wrong. Onan’s sin was not the practice of artificial contraception. Rather, it was the fact that he was not willing to fulfill his obligation to his dead brother. To have done so would have meant sharing some of his inheritance with another heir. He was simply an uncaring, greedy person.

I have often wondered why this story is plugged in here, right after the introduction of Joseph and his involuntary trip to Egypt. J. Vernon McGee, the teacher on Thru the Bible broadcast suggests an answer. McGee, if you aren’t familiar with him, worked as a bank teller before going college. He graduated from Columbia Theological Seminary and earned a Master of Theology and Doctor of Theology degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary. The bank manager for whom McGee had earlier worked paid for his education through seminary. McGee's ordination into the ministry occurred in 1933. He pastored several Presbyterian churches and then left when the denomination began to adopt more liberal views. He then started the non-denominational Church of the Open Door in Los Angeles. From 1970 to around 1988 he devoted himself to teaching on Thru the Bible radio program. In this program he teaches us through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation in a folksy manner with a distinctive accent. You can learn more about him and the resources available on this website: https://www.ttb.org/.

McGee suggests that the reason for inserting this story about Judah and Tamar is to show why God allowed Joseph to be sold into slavery. He shows us the corrupting influence that his people were being exposed to and so he had to isolate them by first sending Joseph into Egypt, to be followed by his family. In Egypt, you might recall, the Israelites lived in a rather isolated portion of the country, away from the culture and corruption of other groups. So, there was a reason for allowing this to happen to Joseph. Too bad he didn’t let Joseph in on his plan.

We will return to the story of Joseph shortly. But first, imagine Jacob’s youngest son, Benjamin, is dating a nice young lady. Let’s call her Deborah. The relationship is getting serious and so Benjamin invites her to come to his house and meet the family. First, the introductions:

“Deborah, these are my older brothers, Simeon and Levi, they are mass murderers. Here is my brother Judah, he sold my other brother, Joseph, into slavery. Joseph was always having dreams and visions. We think he was schizophrenic, and we tried to get him to a psychiatrist, but he refused any help. Say hello to Reuben. He slept with our father’s concubines and tried to take over the clan. Here is my brother Judah, he slept with his daughter in law and got her pregnant.”

Imagine the look on Deborah’s face? She excuses herself for a moment. The boys realize that she has left, and they never see her again.

One of the brothers asks, “Hey Benjamin, what happened to Deborah? Why is it that none of your girlfriends stick around after they meet the family?”

Any wonder, indeed? Jacob’s family makes ours seem quite normal by comparison.

Genesis 37

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 01:10:48 GMT

Chapter 37 The Story of Joseph continues:

Let’s talk about dreams and visions. God used dreams and visions (visions are “waking dreams” to communicate with his people.

What’s the difference between the two? A dream occurs while you are asleep. There are vivid dreams that some people experience when they are in the process of falling sleep or waking up. These can appear to be very real, as when someone claims to have been abducted by aliens and taken onto their spaceship. These are called hypnogogic hallucinations.

Visions occur while you are wide awake. Now if you were to go to your doctor and say, “Hey Doc, I had this vision and I heard this voice that identified itself as God and he told me do so such and such . .” what would he do next? He would quickly reach for his prescription pad and write a prescription for an antipsychotic medication. He would then make a note in your chart that you are suffering from auditory and visual hallucinations and might diagnose you with schizophrenia. If you want to see a ten minute video of a street person with schizophrenia, who experiences hallucinations and has delusions, you can watch this YouTube video: In it you will see a person who claims that his “Scriptures” are so much better than what is in the Bible. He has claimed to be God, Jesus, and Buddha. Some in his neighborhood think he has almost become a holy man or sorts.

Just because hallucinations can be a sign of mental illness, does not mean that all visions are a symptom of mental illness. They can be from God. Visions seem to have been common enough in the Old Testament that their lack was sorely noted. An absence of visions was due at times to a shortage of prophets (1 Samuel 3:1) and other times due to the disobedience of God’s people (1 Samuel 28:6 ).

How many dreams/visions can you remember from the Bible? Here’s a partial list:

Abraham (Genesis 15:1) : God used a vision to restate the Abrahamic Covenant.

Abimelech (Genesis 20:1-7) : Abimelech took Sarah into his harem, but God sent him a dream telling him not to touch Sarah because she was Abraham’s wife. The king returned Sarah to her husband the next morning.

Jacob (Genesis 28:10-17) : Jacob fled Esau’s anger, and on his journey, he had his famous dream of a ladder reaching to heaven on which angels ascended and descended.

Joseph (Genesis 37:1-11) : Joseph dreamed that his family would one day bow to him in respect.

Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker (Genesis 40) : While in prison Joseph interpreted some dreams of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker.

Pharaoh (Genesis 41) : Two years later, Pharaoh himself had a dream which Joseph interpreted.

Samuel (1 Samuel 3) : Samuel had a vision that judgment was coming upon the sons of Samuel’s mentor, Eli.

The Midianite and Amalekite armies (Judges 7:12-15) : The pagan enemies of Israel had a divinely inspired dream. God told Gideon to sneak into the enemy camp at night, and there in the outposts of the camp, Gideon overheard an enemy soldier relate a dream he had just had.

Solomon (1 Kings 3:5) : It was in a dream that God gave Solomon the famous offer: "Ask what you wish Me to give you." Solomon chose wisdom.

Daniel (Daniel 2; 4) : As He had done for Joseph, God placed Daniel in a position of power and influence by allowing him to interpret a foreign ruler’s dream. This is consistent with God’s propensity to use miracles to identify His messengers. Daniel himself had many dreams and visions, mostly related to future kingdoms of the world and the nation of Israel.

The Book of Zechariah is a series of visions used to rebuke the people of Judah.

God used visions and dreams to identify Jesus and to establish His church.

Zacharias (Luke 1:5-23) : God used a vision to tell Zacharias, that he would soon have an important son, John the Baptist.

Joseph (Matthew 1:20; 2:13) : God sent an angel to him in a dream, convincing him that Mary’s pregnancy was of God.

Pilate’s wife (Matthew 27:19) : During Jesus’ trial, Pilate’s wife sent an urgent message, prompted by a dream, to the governor encouraging him to free Jesus.

Ananias (Acts 9:10) : A vision from God led Ananias to visit Paul.

Cornelius (Acts 10:1-6) : Cornelius saw an angel who told him where to find Simon Peter and to send for him and listen to his message.

Peter (Acts 10:9-15) : While Peter was praying on the rooftop of a house in Joppa, God gave him a vision of animals lowered in something like a sheet. A voice from heaven told Peter to kill the animals (some of which were unclean) and eat them.

Paul : Paul had several visions in his missionary career. One sent him to preach in Macedonia (Acts 16:9-10) . Another encouraged him to keep preaching in Corinth (Acts 18:9-11) . God also gave him a vision of heaven (2 Corinthians 12:1-6) .

John (Revelation) : Nearly the entire book of Revelation is a vision John had while exiled on the island of Patmos. John’s vision explains in more detail some of the events that God had shown Daniel.

Are you surprised as to how many there were?

With the completion of the Bible, God does not have to use dreams and visions as much as He did before. That is not to say that He cannot or does not; God can communicate with us however He chooses. In Hebrews 1:1-2 it says, “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways (such as dreams and visions), but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” These “last days” has been defined as the time since the death of Jesus to his return. We are living in the “last days,” though we don’t know how close to the very end we are at today. But when we have a decision to make, our first stop should always be the Bible, not a dream or the claims of someone who has had a vision.

In Catholic tradition, there are many reported occurrences of visions or apparitions of Mary, angels, and/or saints appearing and delivering a message from God. It is possible that, at least in some of these cases, the people were genuinely seeing something supernatural. While some of what is seen in various places is perhaps the work of charlatans, or as they are sometimes called, “pious frauds.” This is a hoax perpetrated on the public for what is thought to be a noble cause. A lie that is told for a good purpose, such as strengthening one’s faith. However, an apparition, even an authentic one, does not mean it is a message from God or a genuine appearance of Mary, an angel, or a saint. Scripture declares that Satan and his demons masquerade as angels of light (2 Corinthians 11:14-15) . I John 4:1 tells us, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

We should be discerning when people make claims of visions, etc. The only way to determine whether a vision is from God is to compare the message with Scripture.

A famous vision was experienced by three girls in 1917 in Fatima, Portugal. We know that children oftentimes have vivid imaginations and can be led to believe they perceived something by way of the power of suggestion, just as false memories are implanted in children by adults.

Skeptics of these visions say that the messages of Fatima have some unbiblical aspects to them and should be viewed with caution. Among the questionable aspects is the fact that Mary is referred to as having an "Immaculate Heart." By this Catholics believe she was saved from sin in every form through having been conceived in her mother’s womb without the stain of original sin. But the Bible never refers to Mary as being sinless or having an immaculate heart. Rather, Mary refers to God as her Savior (Luke 1:47) . This places her with the rest of humanity, as a sinner needing a Savior. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom 3:10, 3:23) .

In this apparition Mary is referred to as the “Mother of God” and are told that we should pray the rosary to bring salvation to people. Praying the rosary includes the statement, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.” But scripture teaches that there is only one mediator between man and God, that is Jesus, not Mary. And never do we see in Scripture anyone asking Mary or a saint to pray for us. Rather, Scripture directs us to pray to God (Luke 11:1-2; Matthew 6:6-9; Philippians 4:6; Acts 8:22; Luke 10:2, etc.) . God entreats us to come boldly unto the throne of grace (His throne) that we may find grace and help in time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16) . God promised us that the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us (Romans 8:26) . Concerning prayer, we have the repeated example of two things in Scripture:

a) Prayer is made to God alone (2 Corinthians 13:7; Romans 10:1; 15:30; Acts 12:5; Acts 10:2; Acts 8:24; Acts 1:24; Zechariah 8:21-22; Jonah 2:7; 4:2, etc. )

b) Requests for prayer are made only to the living (1 Thessalonians 5:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:1; Hebrews 13:18, etc. )

Then there are the televangelists and faith healers who make claims of having visions or visiting heaven. Television evangelist and faith healer Ernest Angley of Akron, Ohio claimed, “Today, the Lord lets me see the cloud of His glory. It comes down, and I preach in it; and I can see His glory with my eyes open or closed. ... An angel stands by my side and directs me in every miracle service, and he even tells me things that are going to happen ahead of time.” Here’s a video of Ernest Angley explaining one of his visions: The Ernest Angley Hour c. 1981 show open:

Ellen G. White, who was part of a group who formed what would become the Seventh Day Adventist Church claimed to have received over 2,000 dreams and visions from God.

Then there was the book about Alex Malarkey, The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven. In it he claimed that he visited heaven after being injured in a bad car crash. Alex later said that the story was all made up. He said that he did it to get attention.

A South African preacher is now making the claim that he went to heaven and even took pictures using his smartphone. Really! The things you can do with a smartphone.

Many of us remember the visions of Oral Roberts. In 1977 Oral claimed to have had a vision of a 900-foot-tall Jesus who told him to build the City of Faith Hospital and Medical School. In 1983 Jesus had appeared to him in person and commissioned him to find a cure for cancer. The medical complex opened in 1981 and closed in 1989 and he never did find a cure for cancer.

Then there is Arthur Ferdig, former managing editor of Herbert W. Armstrong’s magazine, The Plain Truth. He wrote two books, one was titled, Taught by Angels, the other was Spirits of Light. His angel friends, including Angel Metatron, refer to him as "The Bridge" and "Banner.” They became his teachers and guides that made him into a messenger of truth and light. You can still find his books on Amazon.com. I see that Ferdig was not as good at understanding the IRS tax code as he was being a messenger of truth and light. He was sentenced to prison for 18 months for tax evasion.

So, when it comes to dreams and visions, be like the Bereans, who searched the Scriptures daily to see if what others said was true.

Genesis 28 - 29

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 10:22:39 GMT

In Chapter 27 we saw that Isaac’s desire to bless Esau, rather than the younger, Jacob, was a clear violation of the revelation given to Rebekah in chapter 25 , where it says, “the older (Esau) will serve the younger (Jacob).” Rebecca hatches a plot to get her favorite son, Jacob, to receive the blessing, rather than Esau, Isaac’s favorite son. When Jacob questions her about this plan, she says that she will take the blame (which she doesn’t do). There was deception here, but the birthright was not stolen nor was the blessing that went along with it. It was God’s will that the birthright goes to Jacob, not Esau. And, Esau had earlier sold it to Jacob for a meal. So, there was no theft involved, only deception. Esau, though, was not happy. In Chapter 27:14 , it says, “Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill by brother Jacob.”

So, Rebecca sent Jacob, her favorite son, to her brother Laban until Esau cools off. Laban had two daughters, Leah and Rachel. These are the women that Jacob will marry. Are you confused yet? If not, this will do it: Laban was Abraham's great-nephew, Isaac's cousin and brother-in-law, and Jacob's uncle and father-in-law. There, all cleared up, right?

Laban did not live in the Promised Land. He lived in the city of Haran in Mesopotamia and was the one who welcomed Eliezer when he came to find a bride for Isaac. If you were looking for a bride, you went to Brides R US in Haran.

After the deception of Isaac, the giving of the blessing to Jacob, can you imagine the screaming, door slamming, glassware smashing, finger pointing scene that may have taken place when Rebekah’s conspiracy was exposed? As depressing as this is, I will tell you now that relationships between the brothers, Jacob who got the blessing and Esau who threatened to kill him, did heal, but you will have to wait until chapter 33 to see this. This gives all of us with strained relationships in our families some hope. Now we move onto the next chapter.

Chapter 28:10 - Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. One source says that the straight-line distance between these towns is over 500 miles. Moving along at a walking pace, 4 mph, for about 10 hours a day, we’re talking about a minimum of 13 days of traveling. With no radio, smartphone, books, etc. you have a lot of time to think about things while on such a trip. To think about things like, “Why did I listen to Mom?” “What lies ahead for me?” “What does my future hold for me?” He probably dealt with a jumble of emotions. Will he ever see Mom again? What a bone headed thing to do! What a failure. Self-esteem rating: in the basement.

Verse 11 , stopping for the night it says, “Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep.” Really? He didn’t think about using a couple of blankets for a pillow? Did he feel guilty for his role in the conspiracy and wanted to punish himself in some way? What would Sigmund Freud say about this? Is he stupid? Not quite. The Hebrew literally means that the stone was “at his head,” not “under his head.” We see the same expression in 1 Sam 26 it says that Saul had a spear “at his head,” not under his head. Why would he put a stone by his head? Perhaps for security, like some might have a baseball bat or a firearm nearby. He could use the stone to scare away animals or bandits.

Verse 12 , He had a dream in which he saw a ladder (stairway) resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the Lord, and He said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying . . . all the people on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. . . I will watch over you and will bring you back to this land.”

In some translations it reads a ladder, rather than a stairway. The Hebrew word is more accurately translated, staircase. A staircase to heaven. Seems like a long hike to me. Maybe by now they have escalators. They’ll need a lot of rest stops along the way for me, and, oxygen tanks, and snack bars. Will there be others on the staircase? I hope I’m not in line with a bunch of over tired kids whining, “Are we there yet?”

Notice what God told Jacob. Did you notice that it doesn’t say, “I was the God of Abraham, but now he’s dead.” It says, “I am the God of Abraham,” present tense. This suggest that there is life after death. He is still the God of Abraham. The passage also refers to Jacob’s descendants, which reassures Jacob that he will be successful in finding a wife and that he will have children.

This is a message of reassurance, that God will fulfill the promise made earlier to Abraham and Isaac. Do you think he needed a message of reassurance at this time, having to leave his family and everything that was familiar to him? In verse 15 it says, “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land.” Just in case he may have thought that something that he did had invalidated the promise given to Abraham, Isaac and now repeated to Jacob, God reassures him.

In verse 20 , it says, “If God will be with me and will watch over me. .” The word translated “if” can be better rendered, “since”, which makes more sense in the context. He goes on to say, “then the Lord will be my God.” What does this sound like to you? Like Paul’s Road to Damascus experience, might this be a Road to Haran” experience for Jacob? Is this similar to a young person who is part of a church going family who, at some point in time, accepts Christianity for himself? Jacob now knows experientially who God is and he will be committed to Him. God was described as the God of Abraham and Isaac, now He is the God of Jacob, also. Jacob then promises to give (voluntary donation) a tenth of “all that you give me.” Now this is not the tithe that is mandatory for Israel under the Mosaic Covenant. The mandatory tithe was for the Israelites to compensate the Levites for their work in the tabernacle/temple. Here there is no Levitical Priesthood or temple. This voluntary donation was more in line with the voluntary giving of a tenth to Melchizedek by Abraham.

In chapter 29 Jacob went on his way, literally the Hebrew says, “Jacob lifted up his feet.” There was now a spring in his step and, I imagine, a smile on his face, off he goes to Laban’s House. He gets to Haran, stops at a well and waits for someone to come by for water so he can ask about Laban. Just then, Rachel comes along with sheep to get water from the well (sound familiar)? Jacob moves the stone from the top of the well and Laban’s sheep get watered. Verse 11 , “then Jacob kissed Rachel. Rachel pulled back and slapped him across his face saying, “How dare you.” Not really. I just made that last part up. He told her who he was, why he was there, etc. Laban comes out to meet him and they all head back to the house (tent) for a celebration.

Now for one of my digressions. Have you noticed how important it was for people to eat together? When a covenant was made, they had a big dinner together. There was the fellowship offering at the tabernacle/temple where the family who brought the sacrifice ate along with the priests. When the early church came together, they shared a meal. When the prodigal son returned, what did the father do? That’s right, they had a celebration dinner. Jesus said to his disciples, “come and have breakfast” in John 21:12 . When Peter was reinstated, they ate together. In Revelation 3:20 Jesus says that if someone accepts me, I will come in and eat with them and then there is the wedding supper of the lamb in Revelation 19:9 . There is an intimacy involved in eating with others. Eating together brings people together (unless they start to talk about politics). Do you think that there might be fewer conflicts among those church congregations that have potluck dinners together? Eating together brings people into a closer relationship. This is one reason why the Jews had to abide by dietary laws, it was a means of reducing contact with other people who might corrupt their religious practices. Now that the church is in place and we are told to go into all the world, these dietary laws are obsolete. The Jews were to stay away from others and eat by themselves. Christians are to go and eat with non-Christians, and let your light shine.

After staying with Laban for a month, Laban suggested that if he is going to work for him, he should get some compensation (v 14) . What type of compensation does Jacob suggest? How about the second born daughter, Rachel, the one he met at the well? By the way, Rachel had an older sister, her name was Leah. She didn’t go to the well. Why not? Maybe it was the job of the younger sister. Or, maybe she always got lost when she went to the well because she is described as having “weak eyes”, sort of the Mr. MaGoo of the day. For you younger readers who never heard of Mr. MaGoo, he was a cartoon character who was an elderly, wealthy, extremely near-sighted man. Imagine Laban saying, “Rachel, where’s your sister Leah? She went to the well to water the sheep Papa. She probably got lost again. You’d better o out and find her. Maybe we should tie a bell around her neck so we can find here.”

Jacob agrees to work for seven years for the hand of Rachel. You see, he didn’t have any bride price, he came empty handed. So, for compensation he would work for seven years for her hand. The seven years passed quickly for Jacob and then there was the seven-day wedding feast. And you thought your daughter’s wedding was expensive?

The morning after the wedding. Surprise! Guess who Jacob slept with? Yes, Leah, the older girl, the one with “weak eyes.” Ironic, isn’t it? This sounds a lot like Jacob’s own deception of Isaac. Isaac was blind and deceived by Jacob, now Jacob was “blind” by the darkness of night and was deceived by Laban, with the full cooperation of Leah. Where was Rachel all this time? On what was to be her wedding night, didn’t she wonder, “Where’s my husband?” How could this deception have happened? Well, the bride wore a veil until the wedding night, and by then it was dark. The drinking of wine might have also contributed to the deception. So that this type of deception doesn’t take place again, when the Jewish bride is ready to come under the chuppah (canopy), she has to sit and wait for her bridegroom to come. He lifts and replaces the veil her father gave her and gives her a new one. This changing of the veils symbolizes the transfer of authority from the father to the husband and also assures everyone that he isn’t marrying the wrong woman. You may have seen a traditional Jewish wedding under the canopy in the movie, Fiddler on the Roof. Now, everybody, let’s sing, Sunrise, Sunset. No? OK, let’s have Eddie Fisher sing it for us.

This song was sung at our wedding. Not by Eddie Fisher, but some nice lady in the church. Let’s move on.

Jacob enters into an agreement with Laban to work another seven years to acquire Rachel as his wife. Why would he enter into another contract with this crook? Wouldn’t you just grab Rachel and leave? Maybe, both men thought they could outsmart the other. Or, maybe he didn’t have any money for his return trip to the Promised Land. A week later he marries Rachel and has to work off his debt by staying on with Laban for seven years. Just think where Jacob was a few months ago. He was living at home with Mom and Dad. Now he is in a foreign land, married with two wives and an uncle he works for but doesn’t trust. Who would have guessed.

Verse 31 says that Leah was not loved. Other translations say that “Leah was hated.” That sound awfully harsh to us today. But what is meant is Rachel was Jacob’s choice, not Leah. Leah was hated only in the sense of not being chosen. When Jesus said that we have to hate our parents to love Him, it just means if push comes to shove, we have to choose Jesus over our parents. As a consolation of sorts, it was Leah who was fertile and able to give Jacob children, whereas Rachel was not. Does this sound like Sarah and Hagar? Can you see where this might be going? Can you sense some tension in the Jacob household? Hmm?

Leah’s and Jacob’s firstborn was Reuben. To celebrate, they named a sandwich after him. Maybe not. With the birth of their son Leah had hoped that Jacob’s affection for her would grow, but it didn’t. Then she had another son, named Simeon. Then another, this one was named Levi. And another, Judah. Still, his affection for her didn’t grow. Levi and Judah, the founders, if you will, of two key institutions for Israel, the priesthood and the royal line. Both priesthood and royalty came from an unplanned and unwanted marriage. But this was of little comfort to Leah.

When Rebekah sent Jacob off to protect him from Esau, she thought that the trip would be “for a few days.” Why he would travel so far for just a few days, might mean that “a few days” was for a short period of time. These few short days has turned into 14 years. Do you know of someone else who went off to a foreign country for what was to be a few short days and ended up being gone for much longer? Hmm?

Genesis 23

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 10:21:05 GMT

Genesis 23 The Death of Sarah

Sarah, loving wife of Abraham, died at the age of 127 in Hebron.

She was born in 1803 B.C. in Ur of the Chaldees (present day Iraq).

She was the daughter of Haran and the granddaughter of Terah.

She married Abraham, a half-brother who became very wealthy in the cattle business and traveled widely, spending some time in Egypt.

She gave birth at the age of 90 to now 39-year-old Isaac.

Burial will be in the cave of Machpelah.

Chapter 23 opens with the news that Sarah had died. It appears that when she died in Hebron, Abraham was in Beersheba, about 26 miles away. Why were the two of them apart? Was she shopping? Visiting friends? Or did she hear that Abraham almost killed her son and decided that she needed to get away from her crazy husband?

Anyway, Abraham had not done any pre-planning for a burial, perhaps because his life was so nomadic, so he heads off to find a nice place for Sarah to be laid to rest. Her resting place will become a family tomb that will be the final resting place also for Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob.

As was the custom of the day, when Abraham told a Hittite that he wanted to buy land to bury Sarah, the bargaining began. It was the custom that the seller would offer a very generous deal to the buyer, which was to be turned down, it was meant to set a friendly tone for the negotiations. The Hittite offered Abraham any plot of burial land that he wanted, for FREE. Abraham, as was expected, refused this generous offer. He then asked to be able to purchase the cave at Machpelah, which in Hebrew means, double cave. This was to become a family plot.

A grave plot at Shiloh Cemetery in Ireland, Indiana costs $500. A plot at the pet cemetery across the street is only $150. One woman, after hearing the price difference, asked if she could bury her husband in the pet cemetery. No, you cannot. Today, in Jerusalem, a single plot in the largest cemetery costs $30,000. Burial space is so limited that they have built underground burial tunnels. Some have seven floors and look like underground malls. An option being considered by authorities is the ancient bone-gathering method where the dead are buried temporarily for a year, then the bones would be gathered and placed in an ossuary or bone box. These ossuaries are small limestone boxes approximately 20 inches long, 10 inches wide and 12 inches high. Usually they have a flat, gabled, or rounded lid. This secondary burial would allow the original graves to be recycled.

Let us get back to the negotiations. The Hittite then asked a ridiculously high price for the cave. It was then expected that Abraham would negotiate downward, but he did not. He accepted the first price. Along with the cave came a field of land with some trees, and perhaps a well. Why did he buy the whole package? Abraham was a herdsman, not one who would settle down. This was not a retirement community he was buying into. The seller wanted to sell the package because he did not want the feudal responsibilities that went with land ownership. Buying this land, which was the only land he ever owned in the Promised Land, was a way of renouncing other communities as his home. He is saying, in effect, “This is now my home.” The seller is saying, “It’s a package deal. I do not want to have any feudal responsibility to the king. Take it or leave it.”

Say, wouldn’t this be a good time to have a homework assignment of getting your funeral paperwork and plans to make it easier for your loved ones? Do you have a will? Living will? Medical Power of Attorney? Funeral plans? Letter of Instructions? Does someone know what you own and where the important documents are kept? Have you written a draft of your obituary? The more you do now, the easier it will be for your family at a very difficult time. It is one last act of loving kindness that you can do for them.

Genesis 36 - 37

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 10:05:23 GMT

Genesis 36 Esau’s Descendants

In chapter 36 we see the names of Esau’s wives. Not that many would notice, but some of Esau’s wives are given a different names than what is recorded in Genesis 26:34 and 28:9 . This might be due to the fact that people sometimes had more than one name. Take Jacob, for instance. Did Esau have two brothers, Jacob and Israel? No. How many names did Peter have? Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, and Cephas. No, he didn’t suffer from multiple personality disorder. Then there was Mathew or Levi; Nathanial or Bartholomew and Jude or Thaddeus.

And, the fact that Esau married Canaanite wives suggests that he didn’t care much about his relationship with God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This must have been a great disappointment for his parents.

Imagine you are in a class and the instructor asks you to read aloud the names listed in the rest of chapter 36 .

Here are some of the names in the list: Oholibamah, Nebaioth, and who can forget, Bilhan and Zaavan. If you ever hear someone read a list of names and are impressed that they can pronounce them without stumbling, there is a secret to their success. Yes, my friends, there is a secret. By revealing this secret, I hope I am not putting my safety at risk. I have in my hands a small book, less than 90 pages. I purchased it at a seminary, so its existence is probably not to be revealed to the layperson. It is called, Pronouncing Bible Names. All you have to do is look up the name and it shows you how to pronounce it. Try to pronounce Oholibamah. Let’s see the correct pronunciation: Oholibamah is pronounced, oh HAHL ih BAY muh. Want to try it again? Go ahead, no one can hear you. Very good, for an amateur.

There are a couple of names you might recognize in this list, if you actually read them. In verse 11 is Eliphaz . Does his name sound familiar? He was one of Job’s friends, Eliphaz the Temanite. Another name to take note of is in verse 12 , you find Amalek. You will read a lot about Amalek and his descendants in the Bible.

Amalek was the son of Eliphaz (himself the son of Esau, ancestor of the Edomites). The Amalekites lived a nomadic or seminomadic lifestyle along the fringes of southern Canaan's agricultural zone. As a people, the Amalekites were identified as a recurrent enemy of the Israelites. This role appears in several stories you are probably already familiar with.

Exodus 17:8–16 , Amalek makes war against Israel in the wilderness. Joshua is ordered by Moses to lead Israel in battle, and Moses watches from a hillside. When Moses' hand is raised, Israel prevails, but when it is lowered, Israel falters.

Number 20:14 Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom asking for permission to pass through their country. The king of Edom, named Hadar in verse 39 refused to give them permission and sent out an army to prevent them from traveling on their highway. Isn’t that nice? And they were cousins, the Edomites and Israelites, descendants of brothers Jacob and Esau.

1 Samuel 30:1–2 , the Amalekites invaded the Negev and Ziklag in the Judean/Philistine border area towards the end of the reign of King Saul, burning Ziklag and taking its citizens away into captivity. The future king David led a successful mission against the Amalekites to recover "all that the Amalekites had carried away.

I Samuel 15:1-9 , Samuel identifies Amalek as the enemy of the Israelites, saying "Thus says the Lord of hosts: I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. He then commands Saul to kill the Amalekites.

1 Samuel 15:33 , Samuel identifies King Agag of Amalek as an enemy and killer, saying "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.”

2 Samuel 1:5–10 , an Amalekite tells David that he found Saul leaning on his spear after the battle of Gilboa. The Amalekite claims he killed Saul, at Saul's request, and removed his crown. The intention behind the removal of the crown was for the Amalekite to present it to David, presumably to earn some kind of reward from him. David, however, condemns the Amalekite for killing the anointed king, using his own testimony as reference, and orders his men to execute him.

Guess who else was an Amalekite? Haman, the villain in the book of Esther. Haman was a descendant of Agag, the king of the Amalekites mentioned above in I Sam 15:33 . He was the one who built the gallows to have Mordecai hanged and got the king to issue a proclamation to have all the Jews killed. Who ended up swinging from the gallows? Haman himself.

Moses had some parting words concerning the Amalekites. Deut. 25:17 – Remember what Amalek did to the Israelites. Deut. 25:19 – Wipe out the descendants of Amalek. Deut. 25:19 – Not to forget Amalek's atrocities and ambush on our journey from Egypt in the desert. The tribe of Simeon finally exterminated them in the days of King Hezekiah (I Chron. 4:42-43) .

So, watch out for those Amalekites. When I check the doors at night, I oftentimes tell Linda that I’m checking to see if there are any Amalekites out there. So far, we’ve been safe and secure from them.

Verse 43 , “This was Esau, the father of the Edomites.” The shortest book in the Old Testament deals with descendants of Esau, the Edomites. This is the book of Obadiah, about one- and one-half pages long. It has a brief and simple message to them. God says, “I will bring you down. . . because of the violence against your brother, Jacob.”

Esau is mentioned once in the New Testament. Hebrews 12:16 says, “See that no one is sexually immoral or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.” So, better he didn’t get the birthright after all. But you know, though he did wander away from God, God didn’t abandon him altogether. God did give him great wealth and many descendants.

The next time your family members are arguing among themselves, like Jacob and Esau and their descendants, you might say, “Let’s not be like those Amalekites. There shouldn’t be any fighting among family members.”

Chapter 37: The Story of Joseph

Let’s set the stage for this story. Jacob is an old man, about 107 years old, most of his children are pretty-well grown and then there is Joseph. Jacob felt very close to Joseph who was 17 years old. Verse 3 says, “Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons.” Perhaps his facial features, hair, personality or laugh reminded him of his late wife, Rachel. This isn’t uncommon. We might feel closer to one member of our family than we do another. The problem here is that Jacob may have made it so obvious that the other kids felt slighted. Was Jesus closer to some disciples more than to others? John was his favorite. He may have had a T shirt that read, JESUS LOVES YOU. BUT I’M HIS FAVORITE. It was with John that he sat with at the Last Supper. It was John who he entrusted the care of his mother Mary. In John 13:23 John is described as the disciple who Jesus loved. Peter and James were close to him also. It is alright if we have a closer relationship with some, more than others, but as long as you don’t slight the others, you can avoid some of the problems seen in Jacobs’ family.

Verse 3 , “He made a richly ornamented robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.”

This is what has become known as the “coat of many colors.” It literally means, a long coat with full sleeves, which is a coat of royalty (II Sam 13:18-19) . Most “coats” back then were little more than ponchos, a blanket with a hole in the middle for the head, without any sleeves. The tradition of “many colors” comes from the Septuagint, which reads, “a multicolored frock.” This was more than a gift. This action by Jacob gives Joseph the right of the firstborn. Though Joseph was the eleventh child born, he was the first born of his favorite wife, Rachel. This right would normally have gone to Reuben, but he forfeited it because of his sin with Jacob’s concubines (35:22) . This resulted in the siblings of Joseph feeling that Jacob “loved him more than all his brethren.” The term, loving him more, used elsewhere simply means he was chosen above the others. The giving to Joseph of the coat was symbolic of the transfer of power, rather than an expression of affection.

Now we see Joseph telling everyone about the dream that he had. Verse 5 tells us that the dream symbolized the older brothers bowing down to Joseph. Do you think he should have kept this dream to himself? In verse 4 is says that the brothers hated him because of the coat. Here it says, “they hated him all the more.” But wait, there is another dream and Joseph just can’t his mouth shut. In this dream, verse 9 , shows his parents also bowing down to him, along with the brothers.

In the second dream (verse 9) , we see the sun, moon and twelve stars. The sun represents Jacob, the moon, Rachel, and the twelve stars are the twelve sons of Jacob. Since the Book of Revelation must be interpreted by the background of the Old Testament, this Woman of Revelation 12 represents Israel, not the Church and not the Virgin Mary. The figure of a woman is appropriate because Israel is the Wife of Jehovah. Let’s take a look at Revelation 12:1-6:

“A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman (Israel) clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head (twelve tribes of Israel). She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth (to the Messiah). Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth (fallen angels). The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne (resurrection and ascension). The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she (Israel) might be taken care of for 1,260 days (3 ½ years, during the tribulation).”

We will talk about dream and visions in our next lesson. Until then, let’s not be like the Amalekites.

Genesis 35

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 08:58:50 GMT

Genesis Chapter 35: Jacob Returns to Bethel

Here is the cast of characters for this chapter. Jacob had two wives, Leah and Rachel. Leah had a daughter named Dinah. She gets raped by a non-Israelite named Shechem. Dinah’s two brothers, Simeon and Levi, seek revenge by massacring Shechem and all the other men of the village. Then the other brothers pillaged the village and kidnapped all the women and children. Other than that, it’s just another peaceful month in the life of Abraham’s descendants.

Verse 1 , Dinah, the daughter of Leah . . . and Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land . . took her and lay with her. . . and he loved the damsel. And Shechem said to his father says to his father, “Get me this girl as my wife.”

First, who were the Hivites? The word Hivites means “villagers.” They were among the Canaanites, the descendants of Ham, the son of Noah. You might recall Ham was the one who disrespected Noah in Genesis 9 , where we hear Noah say, “Cursed be Canaan!”.

Shechem the rapist was the son of Hamor, the prince of this village. Being a prince was not quite the same as being Prince of Wales today. It just meant that his father was probably the village chief.

Does the statement made by Shechem, “Get me this damsel” sound a bit familiar? Didn’t Samson make the same demand of his parents? Judges 14:2 “I have seen a Philistine woman (another non-Israelite) in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.” Do these young men sound a bit like spoiled brats who have permissive parents who gave their sons everything they wanted and not what they needed, like self-discipline, character, etc.?

Hamor, the father of the spoiled prince went to visit Jacob with a marriage proposal between his son and Jacob’s daughter, Dinah (verse 6) . You will notice that Dinah isn’t even a part of the discussion. She is being held hostage by Shechem. Hamor tells Jacob that his people can settle in the land, trade in it, and have all the rights of citizenship. This was a highly valued privilege. They were being offered the chance to move to the front of the immigration line and to have all the rights and privileges of natural born citizens.

Should Jacob even be having this type of conversation with Hamor? “Hi Jacob. My son just raped and kidnapped your daughter. Do you want to do business with us, join our “team”?

Verse 8 , “My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife. Intermarry with us; give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves.”

The Israelites were prohibited from intermarrying with these people. Imagine if Charles Manson invited Roman Polanski, husband of Sharon Tate, murder victim of the Manson family, to marry one of his girls involved in Sharon’s murder.

The son speaks up and tells Jacob and Dinah’s brothers to name their price for Dinah, “I will give you whatever you ask. I’ll pay whatever you ask me. Only give me the girl as my wife.”

Verse 13 , “Jacob’s sons replied deceitfully as they spoke to Shechem.” Really? Deceitfulness? Aren’t we all shocked? The sons say that the only way they would agree to the marriage if all Hivites got circumcised. To sell the idea to his own people, Hamor tells them that if they agree to the Israelites’ demands, their livestock and property will be theirs.

Do you see the deceitfulness on both sides? The Israelites had no intentions of intermarrying with these people. But, of course, there is deceitfulness in most courtships, even today. Everyone gets dressed up nicely and is on their best behavior, as if they are going for a job interview. I tell my students if you want to know what someone is like in real life, you need to go with them on a mission trip. You want to see the other person when they are tired, hungry, have to eat strange food, work hard, and worse of all, do without their smartphone and internet connection. Under these pressures, you will see who is lazy, who is a complainer, who maintains a sense of humor, etc. Maybe we should start a dating service and take people to an impoverished part of the U.S. or elsewhere for a “test of character” to reveal the real person.

Hamor is agreeable to the terms proposed by Jacob and his sons. Now he has to convince the men of his village to go along with it. Notice in verse 20 how Hamor and his son Shechem spoke to his fellow townsmen to tell them of the proposal. First, they told them the benefits they would derive by allowing them into the country. They will provide us with more business, trade and we can intermarry with them. These people will bring into our area the business we need, skills, women to marry, and they won’t be a burden in anyway. And in verse 23 , he says that their livestock, their property and all their other animals will become ours. Was he saying this to get them to agree or was he lying? How would he obtain all of the wealth of the Israelites? Would you want to do business with such a person?

Notice that the village chief, the person in authority, gives his views first and the benefits of the proposal. Only after they are supportive of the plan, or pretend to be, does he reveal the one requirement imposed upon them.

Notice also who is joining who? The Canaanites were not joining the offspring of Abraham; rather, the descendants of Abraham would be joining with the Canaanites. This is counter to Abraham’s command to his servant to NOT get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites (Gen 24:3) and Rebekah in the case of Jacob and to Isaac’s command, “Do not marry a Canaanite woman” (Gen 28:1) .

The condition of marriage was circumcision. Keep in mind, this was before the availability of local anesthetics such as cocaine used in the late 1800’s, then amylocaine in 1903 and the commonly used lidocaine of today wasn’t invented until after WW II. Nor were there sharp surgical scalpels like we use today. So, for these people to agree to the group circumcision, well, they must have had a lot of wine on hand.

Do you see Hamor manipulating these people into agreeing? Notice how these people were manipulated into making their decision. First, the person in authority gave his view first. Imagine if the president or a military commander or a manufacturer gave his view first, then asked, “What do you think?” It’s clear that expressing his view first manipulated the thinking of the group. This leads to Groupthink, where there is pressure for everyone to think alike. Notice also that Hamor gave the benefits of the proposal first, to get them excited about the plan. Only then did he tell them of the condition. One church leader who I’m familiar with used a similar technique to manipulate people into giving money. He would start his fundraising letter with good news, perhaps that a large radio station was offering airtime for their radio broadcasts. He says, “This is probably the MOST IMPORTANT announcement I have ever made to our Co-Workers.” Everyone gets excited. Then he tells them that the only roadblock to success is raising enough MONEY to pay for the airtime. There is then an urgent plea for funds with a hefty dose of guilt thrown in for those who are hesitant to jump on board with the rest of the members. Fear is also used, “We have to redouble our efforts! A miracle is now needed to keep the work going.” In other words, if this fails, it is all your fault and you will have to answer to God Almighty for not giving more money. Then the checkbooks open wide and the money flows in.

How do you avoid Groupthink? You should create an atmosphere where minority opinions are welcomed. Notice in Acts 15 , when the church got together to discuss whether the gentiles had to observe the Law of Moses. Verse 5 , some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and spoke, then Verse 7 , after much discussion (not one person in authority lecturing) lecturing a passive audience), Peter got up and addressed them. Peter wasn’t the first to express his views. Later, verse 12 , Paul and Barnabas spoke, then in verse 13 James spoke. Everyone had the chance to express their views and only at the end did James wrap it up with a summary of the arguments and his view, verse 19 , “It is my judgment, therefore . . .”

Imagine if you are a member of Hamor’s village. Everyone is nodding their heads in approval of the proposal. You have your doubts, but there is subtle pressure for everyone to go along with it. Groupthink is taking hold. All agreed and were circumcised.

Three days later, (verse 15) when the pain of the procedure is greatest, Simeon and Levi attacked the men and killed them, all of them, took Dinah from Shechem’s house, where she was held hostage and left. Then the rest of the brothers arrived and looted the village, carried off all the wealth as well as the women and children. You will oftentimes see that the whole town is held responsible for the sin of a few because they didn’t act responsibly. Perhaps the people should have confronted Hamor and Shechem concerning the original crime of rape. This is collective responsibility.

Meanwhile, back at the home of Jacob, it’s dinner time. Jacob asks, “Well boys, what did you do today?” “Not much, Dad, we just slaughtered all the men of the village and plundered everything. You know, the usual, genocide and plundering. How was your day?”

Jacob was not pleased, at all. Verse 30 , he says to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites. We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.” But, they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?” Here the sons may have thought that Jacob was too willing to compromise with Hamor. There was to be NO intermarriage between the Israelites and their neighbors. Any discussion of the subject should never have taken place.

In Exodus 21:24 is speak of “eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot”, which means, in a court of law, the penalty should fit the crime. In this case, mass slaughter and looting were not an eye for an eye. The punishment should not be disproportionate to the crime.

Jacob was very disappointed in Simeon and Levi and he will keep their poor judgement in mind when, in chapter 49 of Genesis he allocates land to his children. In Genesis 49:5 Jacob says to these two sons, “their swords of weapons of violence. . . they have killed men in their anger . . cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them among Jacob and disperse them in Israel.” The descendants of these two violent men will not have their own territory in the land of Israel. They will be scattered among the other tribes. This way, they won’t be able, as a group, to endanger other people.

What do you do with people who have poor judgement yet are very ambitious, as we see with Simeon and Levi? There was a German general who categorized his officers this way: The intelligent and lazy officers were made commanders. Commanders had to make sound decisions; but didn’t do a lot of the planning work.

The intelligent and hard working were made staff officers. The staff does all the detailed planning for personnel, supplies, transportation, medical care, etc.

The stupid and lazy couldn’t do any damage so they were simply plugged into a slot somewhere.

But, the stupid and hard-working, these guys were dangerous to have around and you had to get them out of the system. I think that Jacob would have placed Simeon and Levi in this category. He had to disperse them among the other tribes, otherwise, as a group, they could cause a lot of trouble.

Jacob said that this Manson Family like slaughter made them “a stench” to the neighboring people. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that we are Christ’s Ambassadors (II Cor 5:20) . We represent Christ. An American Ambassador might be the only American that others see. Our everyday lives send a message to others. We can attract people to Christianity by our lives or we can repel them. I bet you can make a sermon out of this one thought.

So, we touched on German generals, local anesthetics, group think, Charlie Manson and manipulative fund raising by cult leaders, all in a Bible study about Jacob and his dysfunctional family. Who would have guessed?

Genesis 34

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 08:50:07 GMT

Genesis Chapter 34: A Rape and a Massacre

Here is the cast of characters for this chapter. Jacob had two wives, Leah and Rachel. Leah had a daughter named Dinah. She gets raped by a non-Israelite named Shechem. Dinah’s two brothers, Simeon and Levi, seek revenge by massacring Shechem and all the other men of the village. Then the other brothers pillaged the village and kidnapped all the women and children. Other than that, it’s just another peaceful month in the life of Abraham’s descendants.

Verse 1 , Dinah, the daughter of Leah . . . and Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land . . took her and lay with her. . . and he loved the damsel. And Shechem said to his father says to his father, “Get me this girl as my wife.”

First, who were the Hivites? The word Hivites means “villagers.” They were among the Canaanites, the descendants of Ham, the son of Noah. You might recall Ham was the one who disrespected Noah in Genesis 9 , where we hear Noah say, “Cursed be Canaan!”.

Shechem the rapist was the son of Hamor, the prince of this village. Being a prince was not quite the same as being Prince of Wales today. It just meant that his father was probably the village chief.

Does the statement made by Shechem, “Get me this damsel” sound a bit familiar? Didn’t Samson make the same demand of his parents? Judges 14:2 “I have seen a Philistine woman (another non-Israelite) in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.” Do these young men sound a bit like spoiled brats who have permissive parents who gave their sons everything they wanted and not what they needed, like self-discipline, character, etc.?

Hamor, the father of the spoiled prince went to visit Jacob with a marriage proposal between his son and Jacob’s daughter, Dinah (verse 6) . You will notice that Dinah isn’t even a part of the discussion. She is being held hostage by Shechem. Hamor tells Jacob that his people can settle in the land, trade in it, and have all the rights of citizenship. This was a highly valued privilege. They were being offered the chance to move to the front of the immigration line and to have all the rights and privileges of natural born citizens.

Should Jacob even be having this type of conversation with Hamor? “Hi Jacob. My son just raped and kidnapped your daughter. Do you want to do business with us, join our “team”?

Verse 8 , “My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife. Intermarry with us; give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves.”

The Israelites were prohibited from intermarrying with these people. Imagine if Charles Manson invited Roman Polanski, husband of Sharon Tate, murder victim of the Manson family, to marry one of his girls involved in Sharon’s murder.

The son speaks up and tells Jacob and Dinah’s brothers to name their price for Dinah, “I will give you whatever you ask. I’ll pay whatever you ask me. Only give me the girl as my wife.”

Verse 13 , “Jacob’s sons replied deceitfully as they spoke to Shechem.” Really? Deceitfulness? Aren’t we all shocked? The sons say that the only way they would agree to the marriage if all Hivites got circumcised. To sell the idea to his own people, Hamor tells them that if they agree to the Israelites’ demands, their livestock and property will be theirs.

Do you see the deceitfulness on both sides? The Israelites had no intentions of intermarrying with these people. But, of course, there is deceitfulness in most courtships, even today. Everyone gets dressed up nicely and is on their best behavior, as if they are going for a job interview. I tell my students if you want to know what someone is like in real life, you need to go with them on a mission trip. You want to see the other person when they are tired, hungry, have to eat strange food, work hard, and worse of all, do without their smartphone and internet connection. Under these pressures, you will see who is lazy, who is a complainer, who maintains a sense of humor, etc. Maybe we should start a dating service and take people to an impoverished part of the U.S. or elsewhere for a “test of character” to reveal the real person.

Hamor is agreeable to the terms proposed by Jacob and his sons. Now he has to convince the men of his village to go along with it. Notice in verse 20 how Hamor and his son Shechem spoke to his fellow townsmen to tell them of the proposal. First, they told them the benefits they would derive by allowing them into the country. They will provide us with more business, trade and we can intermarry with them. These people will bring into our area the business we need, skills, women to marry, and they won’t be a burden in anyway. And in verse 23 , he says that their livestock, their property and all their other animals will become ours. Was he saying this to get them to agree or was he lying? How would he obtain all of the wealth of the Israelites? Would you want to do business with such a person?

Notice that the village chief, the person in authority, gives his views first and the benefits of the proposal. Only after they are supportive of the plan, or pretend to be, does he reveal the one requirement imposed upon them.

Notice also who is joining who? The Canaanites were not joining the offspring of Abraham; rather, the descendants of Abraham would be joining with the Canaanites. This is counter to Abraham’s command to his servant to NOT get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites (Gen 24:3) and Rebekah in the case of Jacob and to Isaac’s command, “Do not marry a Canaanite woman” (Gen 28:1) .

The condition of marriage was circumcision. Keep in mind, this was before the availability of local anesthetics such as cocaine used in the late 1800’s, then amylocaine in 1903 and the commonly used lidocaine of today wasn’t invented until after WW II. Nor were there sharp surgical scalpels like we use today. So, for these people to agree to the group circumcision, well, they must have had a lot of wine on hand.

Do you see Hamor manipulating these people into agreeing? Notice how these people were manipulated into making their decision. First, the person in authority gave his view first. Imagine if the president or a military commander or a manufacturer gave his view first, then asked, “What do you think?” It’s clear that expressing his view first manipulated the thinking of the group. This leads to Groupthink, where there is pressure for everyone to think alike. Notice also that Hamor gave the benefits of the proposal first, to get them excited about the plan. Only then did he tell them of the condition. One church leader who I’m familiar with used a similar technique to manipulate people into giving money. He would start his fundraising letter with good news, perhaps that a large radio station was offering airtime for their radio broadcasts. He says, “This is probably the MOST IMPORTANT announcement I have ever made to our Co-Workers.” Everyone gets excited. Then he tells them that the only roadblock to success is raising enough MONEY to pay for the airtime. There is then an urgent plea for funds with a hefty dose of guilt thrown in for those who are hesitant to jump on board with the rest of the members. Fear is also used, “We have to redouble our efforts! A miracle is now needed to keep the work going.” In other words, if this fails, it is all your fault and you will have to answer to God Almighty for not giving more money. Then the checkbooks open wide and the money flows in.

How do you avoid Groupthink? You should create an atmosphere where minority opinions are welcomed. Notice in Acts 15 , when the church got together to discuss whether the gentiles had to observe the Law of Moses. Verse 5 , some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and spoke, then Verse 7 , after much discussion (not one person in authority lecturing) lecturing a passive audience), Peter got up and addressed them. Peter wasn’t the first to express his views. Later, verse 12 , Paul and Barnabas spoke, then in verse 13 James spoke. Everyone had the chance to express their views and only at the end did James wrap it up with a summary of the arguments and his view, verse 19 , “It is my judgment, therefore . . .”

Imagine if you are a member of Hamor’s village. Everyone is nodding their heads in approval of the proposal. You have your doubts, but there is subtle pressure for everyone to go along with it. Groupthink is taking hold. All agreed and were circumcised.

Three days later, (verse 15) when the pain of the procedure is greatest, Simeon and Levi attacked the men and killed them, all of them, took Dinah from Shechem’s house, where she was held hostage and left. Then the rest of the brothers arrived and looted the village, carried off all the wealth as well as the women and children. You will oftentimes see that the whole town is held responsible for the sin of a few because they didn’t act responsibly. Perhaps the people should have confronted Hamor and Shechem concerning the original crime of rape. This is collective responsibility.

Meanwhile, back at the home of Jacob, it’s dinner time. Jacob asks, “Well boys, what did you do today?” “Not much, Dad, we just slaughtered all the men of the village and plundered everything. You know, the usual, genocide and plundering. How was your day?”

Jacob was not pleased, at all. Verse 30 , he says to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites. We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.” But, they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?” Here the sons may have thought that Jacob was too willing to compromise with Hamor. There was to be NO intermarriage between the Israelites and their neighbors. Any discussion of the subject should never have taken place.

In Exodus 21:24 is speak of “eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot”, which means, in a court of law, the penalty should fit the crime. In this case, mass slaughter and looting were not an eye for an eye. The punishment should not be disproportionate to the crime.

Jacob was very disappointed in Simeon and Levi and he will keep their poor judgement in mind when, in chapter 49 of Genesis he allocates land to his children. In Genesis 49:5 Jacob says to these two sons, “their swords of weapons of violence. . . they have killed men in their anger . . cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them among Jacob and disperse them in Israel.” The descendants of these two violent men will not have their own territory in the land of Israel. They will be scattered among the other tribes. This way, they won’t be able, as a group, to endanger other people.

What do you do with people who have poor judgement yet are very ambitious, as we see with Simeon and Levi? There was a German general who categorized his officers this way: The intelligent and lazy officers were made commanders. Commanders had to make sound decisions; but didn’t do a lot of the planning work.

The intelligent and hard working were made staff officers. The staff does all the detailed planning for personnel, supplies, transportation, medical care, etc.

The stupid and lazy couldn’t do any damage so they were simply plugged into a slot somewhere.

But, the stupid and hard-working, these guys were dangerous to have around and you had to get them out of the system. I think that Jacob would have placed Simeon and Levi in this category. He had to disperse them among the other tribes, otherwise, as a group, they could cause a lot of trouble.

Jacob said that this Manson Family like slaughter made them “a stench” to the neighboring people. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that we are Christ’s Ambassadors (II Cor 5:20) . We represent Christ. An American Ambassador might be the only American that others see. Our everyday lives send a message to others. We can attract people to Christianity by our lives or we can repel them. I bet you can make a sermon out of this one thought.

So, we touched on German generals, local anesthetics, group think, Charlie Manson and manipulative fund raising by cult leaders, all in a Bible study about Jacob and his dysfunctional family. Who would have guessed?

Genesis 33

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 08:42:18 GMT

Genesis 33 High Noon for Jacob and Esau

Here is a man who is heading home after living in another country for twenty years. It will be a sad reunion because there will be one empty seat at the table. His mother has died while he was gone. And he was particularly close to her. To make matters worse, his brother had threatened to kill him as soon as their father died. This is not the Waltons and his hometown is not called Mayberry.

Verse 1 “Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him. And Jacob said when he saw them, ‘This is the camp of God,” and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.”

Imagine what this experience was like. You’re relieved to be getting away from Laban. You might be reflecting on how you left the promised land years earlier, broke, without enough money to even purchase a bride. Now, God has blessed you with wives, children, servants, livestock etc. But then you might be thinking, “I wonder if Esau is still angry?” Oh, look, a traffic stop up ahead. Are they collecting tolls? Might they be bandits? Maybe they are Welcome Wagon people greeting new arrivals. No, they are angels. When he saw them, he decided to give the place a name. It reminds of the historical markers along our highways. “Historical Marker One Mile Ahead.” You get there and the marker might say, “On this spot in 1883, nothing of importance happened.” Jacob named the spot Mahanaim. The word means “camp.” So, this spot was God’s camp and Jacob’s camp. I don’t pay much attention to geographic names in the Bible, but the commentary says that this spot became a border town between the tribes of Manasseh and Gad, then a capital of Israel, and the city to which David fled from Absalom and a district capital under Solomon. What were these angels doing? How long did they stay with Jacob’s party? Did others see them or was it just Jacob? Were they directing traffic? Protecting them? That’s it? No more story? Why were we told that he met some angels along the way and tell us nothing more? So, what were these angels doing here? The promised land was guarded at the borders by angels. Have you read of this occurring anywhere else? Remember when Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden? Angels were sent to provide security. I hope they do a better job than the security people at the airports. With their passports and visa stamped, they entered the Promised Land. Now what?

Verse 3 , “Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau . . . say unto my master Esau . “Your servant Jacob says. . . I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, men servants and maidservants. Now I am sending this message to my lord that I may find favor in your eyes.”

What message is being sent? What can we read “between the lines?” Obviously, Jacob is anxious. In fact, he is scared to death (v. 7) for his safety and the safety of his family and servants. Did you notice that he refers to Esau as “my Lord?” and he refers to himself as “your servant?” This is the reverse of the birthright blessing where Jacob is the “lord” and Esau is the “servant.” Jacob says that he is sending this messenger, “that I may find favor in your eyes.” Translation: “I hope you’re not still angry with me.”

The messenger returns and the news is not good. He tells Jacob, V. 6 “He is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” Oh, oh! Four hundred men coming with Esau? This doesn’t appear to be an escort or entourage. This is an entire army. Jacob might have thought, “I think I’m in trouble.” Or, maybe Esau thought that Jacob was returning to conquer him! Verse 7 , “In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups” in the hope that at least half of his people might escape.”

Jacob gets ready, preparing for the worse and hoping for the best. His second response was to pray. He reminds God of his earlier promise where He promised Jacob to “do you good.” “Hey Lord, remember what you promised me, that you’d take care of me. Now would be a good time for you step in and help me out. . . please?” Verse 11 , “Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’”

Then he put together a nice gift package for his brother. V. 20 , “I will pacify him with these gifts I am sending on ahead; later, when I see him, perhaps he will receive me.” He uses the word “appease” in this passage which has the same Hebrew root as “atonement.” This means that he was seeking Esau’s forgiveness.

He prepared for the worse, prayed, prepared gifts to appease his brother and hoped for the best. What else could he do?

Jacob sends his family across the stream to protect them from what might happen and there he is all alone. Now things get weird, more weird than usual. Verse 24 , “and Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” Jacob says, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name? Then he blessed him there.

Should I move on since I’m sure you have no questions at all concerning this passage? Or do you feel like one scholar who wrote, “There are many unanswered questions in this brief narrative of Jacob’s wrestling with an angel.” No kidding. I have a few questions: If it’s an angel, why couldn’t he overpower Jacob? Why did he ask Jacob his name? Did he think that perhaps he went after the wrong guy? “Oh, you’re Fred? I’m sorry I have the wrong person. Never mind.” Why did Jacob want the angel’s name, was he going to call the Dubois County Herald with a story? “Hello, is this the Dubois County Herald? This is Jacob. Last night I ran into an angel named Bob and we wrestled all night.” Click. . . . “Hello, are you still there? Do you know a good orthopedic surgeon, my hip hurts?”

Jacob, for all the blessings he enjoyed, had a lot of struggles. The angels said he struggled with God, with men (your brother, his father, his father-in-law, Laban, etc.) and in this wrestling match, struggling for a blessing, yet he succeeded.

This may have not been an ordinary angel, but actually the second person of the Godhead. Hence the naming of the location where this wrestling match took place. He named it, Peniel, meaning, “the face of God.” Why couldn’t the “angel” prevail over Jacob? Perhaps he didn’t want to end the struggle, Jacob wasn’t ready for the blessing. Perhaps he was being tested. Like a father wresting with his young son, not using his full strength until he wanted the match to end, then he pinned him.

Did you notice that the “angel” said in verse 26 , “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” What is this guy, a vampire? And why did he injure Jacob’s hip? Perhaps it was to be a constant reminder of the encounter with God. As if Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome wouldn’t be reminder enough for him. Why did God not heal Paul of his thorn in the flesh? Perhaps to keep Paul humble. After all, he was a brilliant scholar and he might have had the tendency to talk down to others and get a bit arrogant.

The angel also changed Jacob’s name. Jacob means “take the place of (another), as through force, scheming, strategy, or the like. His name was changed to Israel, meaning, “champion of God.” Might this wresting match and name change sound like God giving Jacob his approval? When Jacob left the promised Land, he was a schemer. But through hardships and struggles, has become a champion for God or will become one in the future. If you recall, sometimes God gives someone a name as a prophecy of who that person will become in the future. In other words, Jacob was once a schemer, relying on his cleverness, but he will become a champion for God. And this transformation was made by was of his struggles with others.

How are we to understand this story? All we have is a brief sketch of what happened, we don’t have a transcript of the complete conversations. We don’t have a video of the “wrestling match.” The story was given in the Hebrew language and translated into English, so there can be somethings lost in translation.

I don’t know what it is, but there has to be more to the story than what is being told. Let’s think about the setting. This occurred the evening before his meeting with Esau. Was it meant to prepare him for the encounter? He struggled in this encounter and won. Was it a signal that he would win tomorrow in his struggle with Esau? Was it a way of telling Jacob that Esau was not coming to kill him? If so, why didn’t he just say it, rather than act it out in a bizarre wrestling match, hoping Jacob would get the meaning of it?

I was invited by a friend to go to a harness racing track. He had been gambling for over thirty years. He explained to me how he analyzed the statistics on the horse, the jockey’s track record and weight, the track conditions, etc. to pick the horse he was going to bet on. Most gamblers have a “system” that they follow. And they appear to be confident that they can win. They think they can outsmart the system. This reminds me of Jacob. For years he has relied on his wits, his cleverness, he was a schemer. But now, as he is about to meet up with Esau, he is very scared. He knows that he needs more than his cleverness. He is in over his head this time. He has met his match this time. This time he has more to lose, two wives, children and great wealth in the form of servants and cattle. He prepares for the worse and prays. By praying for help he acknowledges his weaknesses. His cleverness is not going to save him this time. In his mind and with his body he is wrestling with God. This is not a Road to Damascus moment, a time of conversion, that happened earlier. What this dramatic change in his life is a moment of maturity. It was one thing to come to believe in God, another to thing altogether to trust in God. He is returning to his homeland a more mature person. Jacob is not the same person who left twenty years earlier. He left as Jacob; but returns as Israel. He left as a schemer, returning as a champion. That’s the best I can do at this time. Like the commentary said, “There are many unanswered questions in this brief narrative of Jacob’s wrestling with an angel.” I looked in a Jewish commentary, an African Bible Commentary and an expository Bible commentary, and there is very little more to add to this. We’re all scratching our heads over this passage.

Next, in chapter 33, we will see the dramatic meeting of the two estranged brothers. Will it be like the Straight brothers with a reconciliation or a blood bath?

Genesis 32

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 08:36:01 GMT

Genesis Chapter 32 Jacob Returns to the Promise Land

Have you ever gone to the Bible Bookstore and tried to find a new Bible? There are so many choices today. There are many Bible translations available to us today. There’s the King James Version, American Standard Version, English Standard Version, New International Version, Revised Standard and many others. There is the study Bible, to help you understand what you are reading. There is the life application Bible, to help you apply what you are reading. Reading through Genesis I wish there was one called, The Interactive Bible, where with modern technology you could actually pause and ask the characters questions as you go along. “Abraham, did you ever tell Sarah what almost happened on the mountain with the binding of Isaac? “Why was Sarah out of town when she died? Had she moved away from you or was she just visiting friends and shopping? Did Isaac try to get away when you were trying to bind him? Did you have to drug him or knock him out with a rock? All we have is a skeleton of a story, with little flesh, few facts, many unanswered questions.

Let’s go back to this idea of a human sacrifice. We know that in Leviticus 20:4-5 it says, “If the people of the community close their eyes when that man gives one of his children to Molech and they fail to put him to death, I will set my face against that man and his family and will cut off from their people both him and all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molech.” Molech was an Ammonite god who required child sacrifices. Children would be burnt on a metal idol of Molech and this was supposed to ensure financial prosperity for the family and future children. I guess the Prosperity Gospel preached today is just the same old lie that goes back to at least Abraham’s day. So, how would a just and loving God order Abraham to perform this heinous act? Obviously, He never intended Abraham to go through with it. What if he refused to even go up to the mountain? God had already made an unconditional promise to Abraham and so the promise was not at risk.

There is no evidence that Isaac resisted Abraham. Why would he passively go along with this “crazy stunt?” Jewish commentaries say that Isaac’s binding was not only a meritorious act of Abraham, but one of Isaac as well. The father was willing to sacrifice his son to do God’s bidding, and the son was likewise prepared to give up his own life. Why? Because he knew his Father’s righteousness and trusted him completely. I guess you could say that they were both tests and both passed the test of faith.

As we have read, God entered into an unconditional covenant with Abraham and his descendants. This agreement meant a certain piece of land, many descendants and through one of them, all the world would be blessed. The last promise refers to the coming of the Messiah. Now just because God chose Abraham does not mean that all areas of his life would be blessed. The covenant did not guarantee that he would have a peaceful personal life, a happy marriage, wonderfully close and caring children, etc. As we continue to read Genesis, we see the makings of a soap opera. From the outside, people may have been envious of Abraham and his extended family because of the wealth that they had acquired. In fact, in this lesson we will see that the wealth of Isaac led to envy and hostility on the part of his neighbors. But, behind closed doors, all was not well in the Abraham household. The lives of the patriarchs remind me of the poem, Richard Cory by Edwin Robinson:

Whenever Richard Cory went downtown,

We people on the pavement looked at him:

He was a gentleman from sole to crown,

Clean favored, and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,

And he was always human when he talked;

But still he fluttered pulses when he said,

"Good-morning," and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich—yes, richer than a king—

And admirably schooled in every grace:

In fine, we thought that he was everything

To make us wish that we were in his place.

So, on we worked, and waited for the light,

And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;

And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,

Went home and put a bullet through his head.

Yes, everyone wished they were Richard Cory, but he was not at peace, in spite of his outward appearance. Abraham was blessed, rich, a faithful man of God. Yes, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Sampson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, were all great people of faith and are mentioned by name in the Faith Hall of Fame in Hebrews 11 , yet they all had personal problems. Being faithful is not a guarantee that you will live a life of smooth sailing without any drama, troubles or heartaches. This makes our own families appear to be pretty normal, or at least, typical.

Let’s move ahead with the narrative in chapter 26 . Here we see God reaffirming the Abrahamic Covenant to Isaac, just in case he forgot or wasn’t paying attention earlier when God promised Abraham.

Many of our presidents, Polk, Coolidge, Hayes, etc. were all effective presidents, but they governed during a period of time when little was required of them. Lincoln, Roosevelt (notice I have one Republican and one Democrat) were president during very trying times and they were presidents of great consequence.

Isaac, like many of our presidents, was a rather passive person, a caretaker patriarch, if you like. Here he comes out from the shadow of Abraham, and he did live longer than Abraham or Jacob, yet there isn’t much to write about concerning his accomplishments.

In verse 1 of chapter 26 we find that there’s another famine in the land (sound familiar). So, Isaac goes to Abimelech, who is identified as king of the Philistines. But the Philistines weren’t living there, not yet. Why would the people be referred to as Philistines if there weren’t any there yet? That would be like me saying that I am living in Indiana before I had moved here from Iowa. Sometimes, we find in Scripture, something spoken of in the present tense when it is, in reality, in the future. This is referred to as speaking proleptically, which means in anticipation or in the future. The Philistines weren’t there, but it would be their future home. It is speaking of something that is future as if it is current. Here’s another example, in Judges 6 we find Gideon threshing wheat in a winepress to keep the crop from being stolen by the Midianites. Imagine him cowering in a wine press, threshing wheat. Verse 12 , the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” The angel is not mocking Gideon, hiding from the enemy. Gideon was no mighty warrior, but he will become one, in time. The angel is speaking proleptically, of what he will become. If a mobster threatens you and says, “You’re a dead man!” he is speaking proleptically and you are in big trouble.

The Lord tells Isaac to remain in the land, rather than consider going to Egypt like his father did. God tells him to remain in the land and that He would bless him. Then God repeats the blessing that he gave to Abraham, beginning in verse 4 , “I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.”

Like father, like son. When neighbors started to ask about his lovely wife, Rebekah, he told them that she was his sister. Then, one day, Abimelech, the king was looking out his window and saw Isaac was “sporting with Rebekah, his wife.” Now there’s a term you don’t hear very often, “sporting.” This is the American Standard Version 1902 translation. The NIV uses the term, “caressing.” There are many words for this affectionate touching; patting, canoodling, cuddling, embracing, hugging, nuzzling, necking, coddling, cosseting (never hear of that one), toying, tickling, snuggling and snoozling. My favorite on this list is canoodling. I hadn’t heard that term in years. I’d better stop there. I’m getting distracted.

Back to the king. He admonished Isaac and issued an order that no one was to bother Isaac or his wife, under penalty of DEATH. So, I guess some good came from this incident, the couple had security from others bothering them.

Notice how Isaac made his living in verse 12 . Rather than being a nomadic rancher, he took up farming. And why not? He was in the promised land and he was to stay there, so he took up farming. He did quite well, with God’s promised blessing. His crop reaped a hundredfold and he became rich, then he became very wealthy. Not just rich, but very wealthy. This sounds like Jeff Bezo and Bill Gates level of riches. The kind of wealth that poor Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof could only dream of having. It got to the point that his neighbors became envious and started to sabotage his operation by stopping up the water wells his father had dug (verse 15) . Doesn’t that sound juvenile? Maybe if they spent as much effort earning a living as they did sabotaging Isaac; they would be better off. If they had known that in Gen. 12:3 God promised, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you,” they wouldn’t have plugged up those wells. What did the earlier Abimelech do when he recognized God was blessing Abraham? He made a peace treaty with him. He wanted to be Abraham’s friend.

The peace-loving, passive, easy going Isaac submitted patiently to these persecutions until Abimelech encouraged him to relocate, Gen. 26:16 , “move away from us, you have become too powerful for us.” In spite of the fact that he had become “too powerful for us” Isaac moved over to Beersheba rather than fighting over the wells. Do you think Abraham would have just moved away? Or would he have put together an army, as he did when he rescued Lot, and fought for his wells?

At Beer-sheba, God appeared to him and said, “Fear not, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.” This is the second reaffirmation of the Abrahamic Covenant to Isaac.

All settled in at Beer-Sheba, he has a visitor, Abimelech, the king who suggested that he relocate. “Now what?” Isaac must have thought. He didn’t come to ask Isaac to relocate, again, but to seek peace with him. People could see that Abraham and Isaac were somehow blessed by God. They didn’t want to be on the wrong side of either of them. Verse 28 , “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you, so we said, “There ought to be a sworn agreement between us. . that you will do us no harm, just as we did not molest you but always treated you well and sent you away in peace. And now you are blessed by the Lord.” Is that an accurate account of what happened? “Just as we did not molest you but always treated you well”? Really? I think Abimelech was a bit anxious. Isaac, I think, had the upper hand in these negotiations.

Meanwhile, let’s see what his brother Esau is up to. Oh, verse 34 , he got married, to two Hittite women. Mom and Dad did not approve, verse 35 , “they were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.” His marriage to these women is another example of his unfaithfulness. Does Esau appear to be a very angry person, doing some of these things just to irritate his parents? Not that our kids would ever do anything like that.

Next, in chapter 27 , we’ll see Isaac bless Jacob, creating more problems in the family, leading Jacob to flee.

Genesis 30 -31

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 08:29:58 GMT

Here’s the setting as we move onto chapter 30 . We have Jacob and his two wives, Rachel and Leah. Leah has given birth to several children, but Rachel, his favorite wife, has not been able to get pregnant. This led to jealousies and conflict between the wives.

Verse 1 , “Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister, so that she said to Jacob, “Give me children or I’ll die.”

It’s not like he wasn’t being intimate with her, after all, she was his favorite wife. The irony of her is that she claimed that she would die if she didn’t have any children, yet how did she die? She died giving birth to her son Benjamin.

In desperation, much like Sarah, Rachel tells Jacob to have a child through her maid, Bilhah. You’ll recall that Abraham had a child with Sarah’s servant, Hagar. How did that work out? Did that solve their problems or add to them? This practice seems strange to us today, but it was in keeping with the law of the day. And just as it was in the time of Sarah and Abraham, the child born would legally be that of Rachel, not Bilhah and it would be Rachel who get to name the child.

When Bilhah got pregnant and gave birth to a son, Rachel says, in verse 6, “God has vindicated me.” Some translations say that God “judged” her. She named the boy Dan, which is a word play with the Hebrew word for judge.

Pleased with the results, Bilhah has another baby with Jacob and Rachel named him Naphtali. His name means, “my wresting” referring to the fact that she has been struggling with her sister “and won.” Can you just imagine the looks these women may have given each other when they saw each other with their babies?

But the battle of the sister-wives is not over. Leah, Rachels older sister and Jacob’s less favorite wife, who had stopped having babies, took her handmaid, Zilpah to Jacob to have a baby with him. Zilpah gave birth to a baby that was named Gad, meaning “good fortune and then a third, named Asher, meaning happy. Good fortune and happy. So, I guess all the family problems disappeared and everyone was happy. Right? Not quite.

Now you are going to get a lesson in Botany. Trust me, there’s a reason for this. Let me tell you about a plant called the Mandrake, which is mentioned in verses 14-16 and the Song of Solomon. Its Biblical use is generally attributed to its supposed fertility power. Scripture connects the fragrance of mandrake with sexuality. Over the years it was thought to be able to cure practically everything from infertility and insomnia and being able to foretell the future and shield soldiers in battle. But of course, you had to harvest it correctly. It was believed that the mandrake could be safely uprooted only in the moonlight, after appropriate prayer and ritual, by a black dog attached to the plant by a cord. Human hands were not to come in contact with the plant. In medieval times it was thought that as the mandrake was pulled from the ground, it uttered a shriek that killed or drove mad those who did not block their ears against it. Before you try to brew some Mandrake tea, keep in mind that it is a powerful narcotic, emetic, sedative, and hallucinogen and its poisons can easily lead to death.

Back to the text, in verse 14 we read, “During the harvest, Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. In case you lost track of who is who, Leah is the one who stopped having babies. Rachel said to Leah, ‘Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.’ But she said to her, ‘Wasn’t it enough at you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?” Can you sense the tension between these women? “Very well,” Rachel said, he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.” People seem to be very casual about passing their maids and spouses around to other people. Rachel, in a sense, prostitutes Jacob by offering him to Leah for the desired fruit. They are bartering for relational and sexual intimacy. Do you think Jacob looked forward to going home each evening? I wonder if he found all kinds of excuses not to go home to all of this drama and tension.

Jacob comes home and is told that he is to sleep with Leah that night. God listened to Leah (her prayer) and she got pregnant . . . again. That son was named Issachar. But wait, she wasn’t done yet, she conceived and gave birth to Jacob, a sixth son. Then another, named Zebulun and finally a daughter, Dinah. Ironically, in this case What does this tell us about the Mandrakes? The superstitious beliefs are worthless. The competition between Leah and Rachel continues as Rachel gives birth to Joseph. At Joseph’s birth she said, “May the Lord add to me another son.” Be careful what you wish for, Rachel. It is with the birth of her next son, Benjamin, that Rachel dies. Rachel is the one who said she would die if she didn’t have a baby, yet she died giving birth to the baby Benjamin.

With conflicts and drama at home, how are things going at work for Jacob? Let’s look in as Jacob says to Laban, “Send me on my way so I can go back to my own homeland.” Jacob had been working for Laban for about fourteen years.

Well, Laban didn’t want to see Jacob go. He recognized the fact that the blessings of Jacob by God overflowed into his life and he wanted to continue riding the gravy train. He says to Jacob, in verse 27 “I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you.” Divination is relying on supposed supernatural powers which excludes God to foretell the future. Though it is expressly forbidden later, in Deut. 18:10 , it hadn’t been announced at this time. This is an example of a description of what was practiced, not an endorsement or prescription for us to do the same. As for the reason why Jacob was blessed, this goes back to the promise God made to him at Bethel in Gen 28:14 . Laban recognized that the blessings of Jacob spilled over onto him and he wanted it to continue. Laban tells Jacob in verse 28 , “name your wages, and I will pay them.” How many of us are such valuable employees that our employer would make us such an offer? Paul tells us that we should view ourselves as “working for the Lord, not men” in Col. 3:23 .

Jacob had worked long and hard for Laban. He could have been bitter and done the bare minimum, but he did have a strong work ethic. Jacob takes Laban up on his offer and for compensation he asked for the sheep with dark markings and goat with white markings on the face of it. This would leave Laban with the pure white sheep and all black goats. Confusing? Yes, it is. I read this several times and basically, it says that just as Abraham rejected the wealth offered to him by the King of Sodom, Jacob refused to take anything from Laban. He just wanted to build his own flocks and take that wealth, which he earns himself, with him.

In verse 37 we see another practice that is neither endorsed nor prescribed to us. Jacob engages in a superstitious practice that included the use of fresh cut tree branches with markings placed in front of watering troughs that supposedly led to an increase in the number of speckled animals born to his flock, thus increasing his wealth.

Superstitions are still believed today. For instance, in Africa it is believed that when a pregnant woman looks at an unpleasant or ugly animal, her baby will take on a resemblance of that animal. If you reveal a pregnancy too early your enemies may bewitch you and have a curse placed on you. I wonder if Leah or Rachel believed this and tried to have a curse placed on the other? Another belief is that you shouldn’t accept gifts before the birth of a child because the gift might come with a curse or might invite the anger of the gods or the ancestors, who may curse the pregnant mother and her baby with death, illness or bad luck. Also, they believe that pregnant women shouldn’t attend a funeral or worse, look at the deceased while pregnant since this may pass on the “death spirit” to you or the unborn baby. So, we have mandrakes used by Leah and Rachel, striped branches used by Jacob and divination used by Laban.

The result: verse 43 , “In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys.” Even though he used this superstition, he knew what was really behind his wealth building. In 31:9 he acknowledges, “So God has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me.” The blessings came from God, not his superstitious practices. Following superstitions might provide you with some comfort, but God can still act to accomplish his will. God can still bless us even if we act manipulatively to get our way, either by lying, or using unproven, forbidden practices.

As we move onto chapter 31 , we find that the relationship between Jacob and Laban and his family has really deteriorated. The sons of Laban have come to believe that Jacob had somehow cheated Laban. But it was Laban who was the cheater in this case. He changed Jacob’s wages ten times. Have you ever worked for a Laban? An employer who promised you something but didn’t deliver? Jacob had had enough of dealing with Laban. By now he had acquired great wealth and decided to head back to the Promised Land. Here’s the plan. He got all of his herds together, brought his wives and family out to the field and told them that they were going back “home.” How did the women respond to this? They ask Jacob, in verse 14 , “Do we have any share in the inheritance of our father’s estate? Not only has he sold us. . . he has used up what was paid for us. Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children.” It doesn’t sound like Laban is in very good financial shape to me. Notice that Jacob, in planning to return to his homeland, was doing what God told him to do and had the support of his wives. Did you notice that, guys? Everyone is on board with the plan so off they went.

It was three days before Laban learned that they had left. And the hunt is on . . . Laban puts together a group and goes after Jacob. He’s after his family and the pagan god statuette that Rachel stole from him. This sounds like a B movie western with Jacob, his wives, children and flocks having a three-day head start and Laban and his “army” in pursuit. Can you imagine the sound effects and the dramatic music in the background?

Who is going to come to the rescue of Jacob? No, not the Lone Ranger. God comes to Laban in a dream. In 31:24 God says, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.” This prohibition must have been for the day he meets up with Jacob, when his anger is high. He needed some time to cool off before confronting Jacob and his daughters. This is like never mailing an angry letter the day you write it. Better to let the letter sit for a day and then see if you still want to send it.

Now what about this statuette of a pagan god? Why would Rachel steal a portable idol of a pagan god? Just as we have “comfort foods” we also have comfort objects. Our comfort foods are usually high sugar and high carbohydrates, not necessarily the healthiest of foods. So, it is with some objects that bring us comfort. Have you heard of The Scapular? It is a devotional garment that looks like a necklace made of string with 2 postage size images of religious figures on woolen squares. You place one of the woolen squares with the image on your chest, rest the cords on each shoulder and the second square on your back. According to the one I have, for educational purposes only, it is described as: “For lay people, it promises benefits and indulgences for those who wear it faithfully in honor of Our Lady.”

Now if you grew up a devout Catholic family and later left Catholicism, you might still cling to wearing the Scapular or other practices because it brings you comfort in some way. Tanzanian pastors don’t discard all of their pagan practices and beliefs as soon as they become Christians. It takes time to unlearn false belief and to learn true beliefs. I imagine that Rachel believed that, like the Scapular, the idol would bring her some comfort, protection or blessing.

Laban confronts Jacob and has the nerve to say, “What have you done? You deceived me” (v 26) . He’s sounds shocked, shocked that someone would deceive him. I’m sorry, but I can’t feel very sorry for Laban.

Laban tells him that he would have liked to have a going away celebration with music, tambourines, and harps. Do you believe him? I don’t. I think Laban is lucky that Jacob didn’t strangle him in his sleep. Laban then asks, “Why did you steal my god?” Well, if he worships something that is so helpless that it can be stolen, it really isn’t worth worshipping in the first place. What do you think?

Then Jacob says something stupid. In verse 32 he says that if you find anyone with the idol, “he shall not live.” Notice that he says, “he shall not live.” He is assuming that the thief was a male servant, not his wife Rachel. Laban starts to search the tents, etc. and find nothing. Where was the idol? Rachel, clever woman that she is, was sitting on in on the camel. I hope she had plenty of padding. She could not stand up from the camel, she says, because she was having her period.

Jacob has had it with Laban. In verse 36 he blows his top. He has been with Laban for twenty years by this time. That long? When Rebekah sent him off, it was to have been “for a while until your brother’s fury subsides” (27:44) . He goes on to say, in verse 42 , “If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.”

Well, this took the wind out of Laban’s sails. Verse 44 , he says, “Come now, let’s make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.” Would you sign off on another covenant with Laban? Laban prays, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.” And how did they conclude the making of the covenant? With a big meal, of course. Verse 54 , They offered a sacrifice. Then they ate together and spent the night there. Do you think Jacob felt secure that night? I wonder if he posted a guard that night. Early the next morning Laban kissed his family and blessed them. Then he left and returned home. What could have been a nasty, even violent confrontation between Laban and Jacob ended pleasantly thanks to the intervention of God.

Do these events in the life of Jacob remind you of the Israelites in Egypt? Both groups were blessed in a foreign land, which bred resentments on the part of the locals. Both Jacob and the Israelites left the land with great wealth. On his return trip, Jacob crossed the Euphrates River and the Israelites crossed the Reed or Red Sea. Both Laban and the Pharaoh pursued them, and both were protected in their journey by God.

There’s a lot of deception in these stories. Jacob and Rebekah lie to get Isaac to bless Jacob. Rebekah tricked Isaac as to why Jacob had to leave for Paddan Aram so that Isaac would bless his journey. Rachel lies to Laban about why she couldn’t get up off the saddle. Isaac and Abraham lied to avoid being killed for their beautiful wives. Yet, these are the people God chose to work with concerning the blessing and covenant. Do you think there were times when God may have thought, “Perhaps I should have chosen someone else?” These people can not be an example for us in all that they did, but they were faithful. Flawed but faithful, like the rest of us. They were like some of our elected officials. Flawed, but elected for what we think they can do for our country despite their personal flaws. Some of our greatest presidents were not the best husbands or fathers. Besides, the Patriarchs were mere toddlers with regards to the level of knowledge and understanding compared to what we know and understand. So maybe we shouldn’t be so harsh in our assessment of their private lives.

Have you ever heard of a movie called The Straight Story? Alvin Straight was 73 years old, living in Iowa when he heard that his brother Lyle, who lived in Wisconsin had a stroke. They had been estranged from each other for years. Alvin wanted to visit his brother before he died. He had bad eyesight so he couldn’t drive, so he decided to ride the 240 miles on his thirty-year old John Deere 110 lawn tractor to reconcile with his brother before he dies. When he arrived at his brother’s house and saw him again, it was as if they had never quarreled.

Why did I tell you about this? Well, you will see in our next lesson, chapter 32. Let’s call it, The Patriarchs, the Reconciliation of Jacob and Esau.

Genesis 27

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 07:16:52 GMT

In the last chapter, we saw God reaffirm the Abrahamic Covenant to Isaac. Then Abimelech came by and knowing that God had blessed Isaac, initiated a peace treaty with him. Meanwhile, Isaac’s son, Esau, married Hittite women which brought great grief to Isaac and Rebekah. This week we start with the Patriarchal Blessing being passed down from Isaac to Esau’s brother, Jacob, rather than Esau, who was the older of the two. I find it very confusing, trying to keep track of who is who. I keep asking myself, “Which one is he? Is he the son or so and so?” If there are too many characters in a movie or a novel, I get lost quickly and lose interest.

Before we move onto the “passing of the baton” the blessing, we have to go back to Genesis 25:23 , where God says to Rebekah (Isaac’s wife, mother of Jacob and Esau), during her pregnancy with Jacob and Esau, “Two nations are in your womb. . . . and the older (Esau) will serve the younger (Jacob).” God chose the younger Jacob, to lead the older, Esau. What you will see in this chapter is a conspiracy on the part of Rebekah and her favorite son, Jacob, for God’s will to take place. They were doing wrong for the right reasons. This reminds me of when Abraham went to Hagar to father a child. He wanted to fulfill the promise of God, but he did it in his own way, on his own schedule. And we know how that worked out for the family. Can you guess how this conspiracy is going to work out for everyone involved?

Chapter 27 , verse one , Isaac was old and blind. How old? One hundred thirty-seven years. But he wasn’t on his death bed, though his half-brother, Ishmael had died fourteen years earlier. Perhaps he was in a reflective mood and was thinking about his own death. He thought that this would be a good time to pass onto his son the patriarchal blessing. So, he calls for Esau, his oldest son (Esau and Jacob were seventy-seven years old) and tells him to go hunting for his favorite venison meal and then he would bless him before he dies. But he would live another forty-three years, dying at age one hundred and eighty.

Isaac’s desire to bless Esau, rather than the younger, Jacob, was a clear violation of the revelation given to Rebekah in chapter 25, “the older will serve the younger.” Hadn’t they talked about this over the years? The blessing belongs to Jacob. God made that decision and Esau., by this time, had already sold his birthright to Jacob. The blessing goes with the birthright. Jacob didn’t steal the birthright from Esau, as some have taught, rather Esau is now trying to steal it from Jacob. What Esau sold for a bowl of soup; Isaac was willing to misdirect for a meal of venison. Have you noticed how food is so often associated with any sort of agreement? A treaty is signed, “Lets have a banquet.” A marriage is arranged, “Let’s have a banquet.” A blessing is bestowed, “Let’s have a meal.”

Verse 5 , Rebekah overhears this conversation between Isaac and Esau. “Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. . . and Rebekah spoke unto Jacob her son.” Esau is referred to as Isaac’s son and Jacob is referred to Rebekah’s son. Weren’t both of them their sons? Yes, but Esau was closer to Isaac and Jacob was closer to Rebekah. Each had their favorite. Why would that be? Perhaps common interests, similar personalities, etc. Are we not sometimes closer to one person than another? Who was Jesus closest to? John was his favorite. Next would be Peter and James.

Rebekah is the one who comes up with this conspiracy to be sure that Jacob gets the blessing and then she manipulates Jacob to go along with it. She tells Jacob to, “Obey my voice according to that which I command you.” “Obey” and “I command you”. It sounds like she is the authority figure here and Jacob is rather passive. Jacob raises some doubts concerning her plan to have him disguise himself to pretend he is Esau, verse 12 , “What if my father touches me? I would appear to be tricking him and would bring down a curse on myself rather than a blessing.”

Translation: “This sounds like a real crazy idea.” Mom responds, “My son, let the curse fall on me. Just do what I say.” Translation: “I will take the blame, if we get caught.” As so often happens, she didn’t take the blame.

So, Jacob had his doubts, but he did what he was told. There was a lot of deception going on here. If you recall from biology, we have five physical senses: seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling and tasting. Isaac was blind, so recognizing Jacob was not a risk. Goatskins worn by Jacob took care of the sense of touch; the sense of smell of taken care of by the wearing of Esau’s clothing. The sense of taste was taken care of by seasoning goat to taste more like venison. The only weakness in this deception was the sense of hearing. Isaac had somehow overcome this one obstacle, unless of course Isaac had also lost much of his hearing. Did you know that physiologically, we peak at about age thirty? That’s right, at thirty, you are at your physiological peak and begin the slow downhill slide. Isn’t that depressing? Thankfully, this is a very gradual process, so you won’t notice it right away. Then, one day, you might look in the mirror and think, “Oh my, I’m starting to look like my mother.” And if you are a guy, you have a real problem.

Jacob is wearing his costume, Rebekah hands him a tray of food and motions him to go to Isaac. Can you just imagine their faces? Isaac, reluctant and doubtful of his acting ability. Mom, pushing him through the doorway with the food tray. Isaac asks, “Who are you?” “I am Esau, your first-born. . .. I have done as you have told me.”

Now this took some nerve. Imagine Jacob saying this, then pausing, to see if Isaac believes him. In a television drama, this would be where they cut for a commercial. Jacob may have felt guilty about this, lying to his dad, then he lies again and brings God into it. Jacob lies again when he says in verse 20 that the reason he was so quick in getting the venison is because “your God gave me success.” Great, not only does he lie again, but he uses God’s name in the process. Did you notice he didn’t say, “Our God” but “your God.” Can we read anything into this? Was Jacob a true believer or just the son of a believer? If Jacob believed in the same God, wouldn’t he have said, “our God”?

Isaac is suspicious and remarks in verse 22 , “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” He then asks, “Are you really my son Esau” “I am,” replied Jacob. Another lie. Isaac was satisfied with these answers, and by now was very hungry and could smell the meal in front of him. So, he ate a lovely meal complimented with a nice wine. Perhaps Rebekah should have served him wine before the interaction, it might have made it easier to deceive him.

After the meal he calls Jacob over to receive the blessing. Starting in verse 28 , the blessing reads, in part, “May God give you of heaven’s dew and of earth’s richness . . . may nations serve you . . . Be lord over your brothers . . . may those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.”

The last statement connects this blessing with the Abrahamic Covenant of chapter 12:3 . What is going on here is, contrary to Isaac’s hope, the covenant was to be continued through Jacob, not through his favorite son, Esau. Isaac blessed Jacob against his own will, much as Balaam will bless Israel against his own will in Num. 22 .

Just as Jacob left his father’s bedside, feeling relieved and almost giddy, Esau shows up, all excited and ready for his blessing (verse 30) . Isaac asked who he is and Esau answers, “I am your firstborn, Esau.” Isaac “trembled very exceedingly.” He tells Esau that he already ate and that he blessed Jacob. In verse 36 Esau says, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob. He has deceived me these two times. He took my birthright, and now he’s taken my blessing. Haven’t you reserved a blessing for me?” he asks Isaac.

Why did Isaac tremble? He was probably angry at the lying and deception of Jacob, but he probably trembled because he realized what he almost did, he tried to disrupt the will of God.

Esau accused Jacob of stealing his birthright. But he didn’t. Esau had already sold the birthright to Jacob and the blessing goes with the birthright. There was deception on Jacob’s part, but no stealing took place.

Esau is distraught and asks, “Do you have only one blessing?” It sounds as if he is asking for at least some sort of blessing, perhaps a smaller one, a consolation prize or some small crumbs left over from the big blessing that Jacob got.

Be careful what you ask for. In verse 39 , Isaac does give Esau a blessing, of sorts. It says, “Your dwelling will be AWAY from the earth’s richness . . . you will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless you will throw his yoke from off your neck.”

Thanks a lot, Dad. Is this the best you could do for you favorite son?

It is obvious that Esau will not inherit the “promised land.” Esau is told, “You will live by the sword”, meaning a life of plundering other groups. An example of this is found in Numbers 20:14-21 . This is when the Edomites, descendants of Esau, denied Israel passage on their way to the promised land.

The “blessing” goes on to say, “And you will serve your brother” is seen when Saul defeated Edom. But there will come a time when, “you will throw his yoke from off your neck.” This occurred in under King Joram (II Chron. 21:8-10) and then under Ahaz (II Kings 16:6) . Later, the Edomites became known as Idumeans, which produced the dynastic rule of the House of Herod.

As you read this chapter, you will find words of condemnation of Jacob, but not by God, but from Esau and Laban, not exactly the most honest people. Yes, there was deception, but the birthright was not stolen nor was the blessing that went along with it.

Verse 41 , “Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill by brother Jacob.”

Once Isaac dies, he plans on hunting Jacob down and killing him. Years would pass to either nurse a grudge or to allow the anger and resentment to subside.

Rebekah sends Jacob off to her brother Laban in Haran, until Esau’s anger subsided and “forgets what you did to him” (verse 45) .

Leaving town for a while turned out to be twenty years. Did you notice that she describes this deception as what “you have done to him.” She makes it sound like she had nothing to do with this scheme. Sadly, she never saw her favorite son again. She then goes on to say in verse 45 , “Why should I lose both of you in one day.” She is referring to the murder of Jacob that would most likely lead to the execution of Esau for committing the murder (Gen 9:6) .

This is a very sad day for her. She sent Jacob, her favorite son, away because she does not want him might marry a Hittite woman, like Esau had done. If she had only waited for God to work things out, there would be no need for deception and no fractured family relationships.

Genesis 26

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 06:42:08 GMT

Genesis 26 Isaac and Abimelech

Have you ever gone to the Bible Bookstore and tried to find a new Bible? There are so many choices today. There are many Bible translations available to us today. There’s the King James Version, American Standard Version, English Standard Version, New International Version, Revised Standard and many others. There is the study Bible, to help you understand what you are reading. There is the life application Bible, to help you apply what you are reading. Reading through Genesis I wish there was one called, The Interactive Bible, where with modern technology you could actually pause and ask the characters questions as you go along. “Abraham, did you ever tell Sarah what almost happened on the mountain with the binding of Isaac? “Why was Sarah out of town when she died? Had she moved away from you or was she just visiting friends and shopping? Did Isaac try to get away when you were trying to bind him? Did you have to drug him or knock him out with a rock? All we have is a skeleton of a story, with little flesh, few facts, many unanswered questions.

Let’s go back to this idea of a human sacrifice. We know that in Leviticus 20:4-5 it says, “If the people of the community close their eyes when that man gives one of his children to Molech and they fail to put him to death, I will set my face against that man and his family and will cut off from their people both him and all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molech.” Molech was an Ammonite god who required child sacrifices. Children would be burnt on a metal idol of Molech and this was supposed to ensure financial prosperity for the family and future children. I guess the Prosperity Gospel preached today is just the same old lie that goes back to at least Abraham’s day. So, how would a just and loving God order Abraham to perform this heinous act? Obviously, He never intended Abraham to go through with it. What if he refused to even go up to the mountain? God had already made an unconditional promise to Abraham and so the promise was not at risk.

There is no evidence that Isaac resisted Abraham. Why would he passively go along with this “crazy stunt?” Jewish commentaries say that Isaac’s binding was not only a meritorious act of Abraham, but one of Isaac as well. The father was willing to sacrifice his son to do God’s bidding, and the son was likewise prepared to give up his own life. Why? Because he knew his Father’s righteousness and trusted him completely. I guess you could say that they were both tests and both passed the test of faith.

As we have read, God entered into an unconditional covenant with Abraham and his descendants. This agreement meant a certain piece of land, many descendants and through one of them, all the world would be blessed. The last promise refers to the coming of the Messiah. Now just because God chose Abraham does not mean that all areas of his life would be blessed. The covenant did not guarantee that he would have a peaceful personal life, a happy marriage, wonderfully close and caring children, etc. As we continue to read Genesis, we see the makings of a soap opera. From the outside, people may have been envious of Abraham and his extended family because of the wealth that they had acquired. In fact, in this lesson we will see that the wealth of Isaac led to envy and hostility on the part of his neighbors. But, behind closed doors, all was not well in the Abraham household. The lives of the patriarchs remind me of the poem, Richard Cory by Edwin Robinson:

Whenever Richard Cory went downtown,

We people on the pavement looked at him:

He was a gentleman from sole to crown,

Clean favored, and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,

And he was always human when he talked;

But still he fluttered pulses when he said,

"Good-morning," and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich—yes, richer than a king—

And admirably schooled in every grace:

In fine, we thought that he was everything

To make us wish that we were in his place.

So, on we worked, and waited for the light,

And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;

And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,

Went home and put a bullet through his head.

Yes, everyone wished they were Richard Cory, but he was not at peace, in spite of his outward appearance. Abraham was blessed, rich, a faithful man of God. Yes, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Sampson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, were all great people of faith and are mentioned by name in the Faith Hall of Fame in Hebrews 11 , yet they all had personal problems. Being faithful is not a guarantee that you will live a life of smooth sailing without any drama, troubles or heartaches. This makes our own families appear to be pretty normal, or at least, typical.

Let’s move ahead with the narrative in chapter 26 . Here we see God reaffirming the Abrahamic Covenant to Isaac, just in case he forgot or wasn’t paying attention earlier when God promised Abraham.

Many of our presidents, Polk, Coolidge, Hayes, etc. were all effective presidents, but they governed during a period of time when little was required of them. Lincoln, Roosevelt (notice I have one Republican and one Democrat) were president during very trying times and they were presidents of great consequence.

Isaac, like many of our presidents, was a rather passive person, a caretaker patriarch, if you like. Here he comes out from the shadow of Abraham, and he did live longer than Abraham or Jacob, yet there isn’t much to write about concerning his accomplishments.

In verse 1 of chapter 26 we find that there’s another famine in the land (sound familiar). So, Isaac goes to Abimelech, who is identified as king of the Philistines. But the Philistines weren’t living there, not yet. Why would the people be referred to as Philistines if there weren’t any there yet? That would be like me saying that I am living in Indiana before I had moved here from Iowa. Sometimes, we find in Scripture, something spoken of in the present tense when it is, in reality, in the future. This is referred to as speaking proleptically, which means in anticipation or in the future. The Philistines weren’t there, but it would be their future home. It is speaking of something that is future as if it is current. Here’s another example, in Judges 6 we find Gideon threshing wheat in a winepress to keep the crop from being stolen by the Midianites. Imagine him cowering in a wine press, threshing wheat. Verse 12 , the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” The angel is not mocking Gideon, hiding from the enemy. Gideon was no mighty warrior, but he will become one, in time. The angel is speaking proleptically, of what he will become. If a mobster threatens you and says, “You’re a dead man!” he is speaking proleptically and you are in big trouble.

The Lord tells Isaac to remain in the land, rather than consider going to Egypt like his father did. God tells him to remain in the land and that He would bless him. Then God repeats the blessing that he gave to Abraham, beginning in verse 4 , “I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.”

Like father, like son. When neighbors started to ask about his lovely wife, Rebekah, he told them that she was his sister. Then, one day, Abimelech, the king was looking out his window and saw Isaac was “sporting with Rebekah, his wife.” Now there’s a term you don’t hear very often, “sporting.” This is the American Standard Version 1902 translation. The NIV uses the term, “caressing.” There are many words for this affectionate touching; patting, canoodling, cuddling, embracing, hugging, nuzzling, necking, coddling, cosseting (never hear of that one), toying, tickling, snuggling and snoozling. My favorite on this list is canoodling. I hadn’t heard that term in years. I’d better stop there. I’m getting distracted.

Back to the king. He admonished Isaac and issued an order that no one was to bother Isaac or his wife, under penalty of DEATH. So, I guess some good came from this incident, the couple had security from others bothering them.

Notice how Isaac made his living in verse 12 . Rather than being a nomadic rancher, he took up farming. And why not? He was in the promised land and he was to stay there, so he took up farming. He did quite well, with God’s promised blessing. His crop reaped a hundredfold and he became rich, then he became very wealthy. Not just rich, but very wealthy. This sounds like Jeff Bezo and Bill Gates level of riches. The kind of wealth that poor Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof could only dream of having. It got to the point that his neighbors became envious and started to sabotage his operation by stopping up the water wells his father had dug (verse 15) . Doesn’t that sound juvenile? Maybe if they spent as much effort earning a living as they did sabotaging Isaac; they would be better off. If they had known that in Gen. 12:3 God promised, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you,” they wouldn’t have plugged up those wells. What did the earlier Abimelech do when he recognized God was blessing Abraham? He made a peace treaty with him. He wanted to be Abraham’s friend.

The peace-loving, passive, easy going Isaac submitted patiently to these persecutions until Abimelech encouraged him to relocate, Gen. 26:16 , “move away from us, you have become too powerful for us.” In spite of the fact that he had become “too powerful for us” Isaac moved over to Beersheba rather than fighting over the wells. Do you think Abraham would have just moved away? Or would he have put together an army, as he did when he rescued Lot, and fought for his wells?

At Beer-sheba, God appeared to him and said, “Fear not, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.” This is the second reaffirmation of the Abrahamic Covenant to Isaac.

All settled in at Beer-Sheba, he has a visitor, Abimelech, the king who suggested that he relocate. “Now what?” Isaac must have thought. He didn’t come to ask Isaac to relocate, again, but to seek peace with him. People could see that Abraham and Isaac were somehow blessed by God. They didn’t want to be on the wrong side of either of them. Verse 28 , “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you, so we said, “There ought to be a sworn agreement between us. . that you will do us no harm, just as we did not molest you but always treated you well and sent you away in peace. And now you are blessed by the Lord.” Is that an accurate account of what happened? “Just as we did not molest you but always treated you well”? Really? I think Abimelech was a bit anxious. Isaac, I think, had the upper hand in these negotiations.

Meanwhile, let’s see what his brother Esau is up to. Oh, verse 34 , he got married, to two Hittite women. Mom and Dad did not approve, verse 35 , “they were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.” His marriage to these women is another example of his unfaithfulness. Does Esau appear to be a very angry person, doing some of these things just to irritate his parents? Not that our kids would ever do anything like that.

Next, in chapter 27 , we’ll see Isaac bless Jacob, creating more problems in the family, leading Jacob to flee.

Genesis 25

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 05:30:31 GMT

Genesis 25 Remarriage of Abraham and his death

Sarah has passed-away, and Isaac has gotten married. Isn’t Rebekah a nice girl for Isaac? I’m sure they will be very happy together. Abraham sure didn’t spend much money on the wedding. If your kids want an expensive wedding with reception, just tell them that you are going to pay for a Biblical wedding. Transportation to their new home, a night in a nice hotel and perhaps the marriage license. If it was good enough for a Patriarch, it is good enough for our kids.

So, what does Abraham up and do? He gets married. The bride’s name was Keturah. And there were more kids. When God restored Abraham’s vitality, it was not a temporary fix. This guy was downright frisky. His wife gave birth to six kids with Abraham. God did say that he would become the father of MANY nations. His kids could have formed their own version of the United Nations.

Isaac could have gone around with a T shirt that says, “Dad loves all his kids, but I’m his favorite.” In verse 5 it says that Abraham left everything he owned to his one and only favorite son, Isaac. But, lest you think he was being mean, he gave to all of the other sons, including those born from concubines (plural, notice) many gifts before he died. Concubines were “secondary wives” and polygamy was very common. Perhaps because of wars there were more women than men. If they weren’t allowed to marry more than one wife, the only other option would be for the women to turn to prostitution.

So, he took care of everyone. By giving gifts to all the children while he was still alive was a way of preventing disputes after his death. He gave them their inheritance and sent them away. Why? Because they were not to become children of the promise, only Isaac was the child of the promise, the Abrahamic Covenant.

Abraham dies at the age of 175. In verse 8 it says, “Then Abraham breathed his last, at a good old age, an old man full of years; and he was gathered to his people.” Breathed his last, gathered to his people. Jacob’s death would not be characterized as at a good old age. In Genesis 47:9 it says that his years were “few and difficult. We sure do love to use euphemisms for death. Doctors sometimes use the term “expired,” like a quart of milk or an old bottle of aspirin you found in a drawer. Shakespeare used the term, “Shuffled off this mortal coil.” We pass away, take a dirt nap. We like to use euphemisms to discuss subjects that are uncomfortable. Even being old is difficult for some to talk about. Abraham was an old man who died. But here it says he was at a good old age and full of years. I’ve heard old people referred to as “ninety years young.” Can’t we even admit that people who are ninety are old?

Being gathered to his people does not mean that his body was taken back to his original homeland in Mesopotamia. Here it is referring to the immaterial portion of all of us, indicating faith in the afterlife. The chronology here is: breathing his last, dying, being gathered to his ancestors, and being buried.

Abraham was buried in the family plot, you remember, the cave with some land around it that he bought initially for Sarah.

In verse 11 it says, “God blessed his son Isaac, who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi.” Now God has blessed him in his own right, not just because he was part of Abraham’s household, showing him that the covenant given to Abraham has been transferred to Isaac.

Say, whatever happened to that son of Hagar? What was his name again? Oh, yes, Ishmael. In verse 13 it gives an update. He got married and had quite a few kids himself. He had twelve sons, and these became “tribal rulers” (verse 16) . This fulfills the promise made in Genesis 17:20 , where God told Hagar that there would be many descendants from Hagar, but there was no promise of LAND to the descendants of Hagar. The land promise was to Isaac.

Ishmael lived for 137 years near the border of Egypt and “they lived in hostility towards all their brothers.” Two different family lines and they can’t get along with one another.

Meanwhile, let’s get caught up with what is going on in the Isaac/Rebekah household. Poor Rebekah, she couldn’t have any children, even after twenty-years of marriage. Isaac prayed for his wife and then she got pregnant. He did not resort to concubinage as Abraham did.

Are you familiar with the Lamaze Method of childbirth? It is one of several ways to conserve energy and reduce fear and discomfort in pregnancy and delivery. Knowing what is going on, what is normal, helps ease fear and pain. Well, Rebekah was feeling some strange movements and asked, “Why is this happening to me?” Kind of scary for a first-time mother. The Lord told here that “two nations are in your womb.” Not literally, there were only two babies, twins in her womb, but they would grow up to become two nations. “And the older will serve the younger.” God can choose whoever He wants to accomplish his purpose. Abel, Seth, Isaac, Rachel, Joseph, Judah were all younger than their siblings and used by God. The blessing was not a natural right, as a right of the firstborn son would be.

Are you the firstborn? The firstborn would usually get a “double portion” of an inheritance and be the new leader of the family. This means, if you are the first-born, you can tell your parents that they should add one to the number of kids they have, divide the estate that many ways, and give you two portions. If there are four siblings, divide by 5, the firstborn gets 40%. Did I do the math correctly? Why wait to damage sibling relationships after Mom and Dad die, let’s set in motion the wheels of family destruction early. Tell them it’s the way it was done in the Bible.

Come time for delivery, the first born came out a redhead and very hairy. They named him Esau. The second baby came out holding onto his older brother’s heel. “Hey, don’t leave me in here in the dark, get me out of here.” They called the second born, Jacob. And they were very different personalities.

Did you know that Herman Goring, the Nazi war criminal, had a brother, who was the opposite of him? Albert Goring, who was an anti-Nazi, a Holocaust hero who devoted himself to saving hundreds of Jews persecuted by the very regime his brother had helped to forge.

Here we have two brothers who are quite different, though I am not suggesting that one could have become a psychopathic war criminal today. Esau was an outdoorsman, a hunter, a man of action. Jacob was a quiet person, more of an intellectual than a sportsman. Isaac was closer to Esau than he was with Jacob. Rebekah was closer to Jacob than she was with Esau. The term translated, “quiet” is translated elsewhere as “perfect” or “upright” and was used to describe Noah.

One day Jacob was cooking, and Esau came in from a hunt, very hungry, and asked for some of what Jacob was cooking. Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” Look, I am about to die. What good is it to me.” He was not going to die, he could have gone to the tent next door and grabbed something to eat. He was willing to sell his birthright because he didn’t value it. “Esau despised his birthright.” In other words, he had no spiritual sensitivity to the things of God. And selling a birthright was perfectly legal. Jacob did not take advantage of Esau in any way.

I imagine that this isn’t the first time the subject of birthright came up in the family. Imagine if a dad started a business and it grew to become a huge enterprise. He plans on having his son, his namesake, his firstborn, become his successor and take over the business when he dies. But the son doesn’t have a good work ethic, cuts corners with regards to business ethics and will probably drain the company of money and loose most of it gambling and paying off ex-wives. A younger son, one better suited for the responsibilities, can legally step in, and make the older son an offer to take over the business.

Next time we will see God reconfirming the Abrahamic Covenant. He made the covenant with Abraham; it will be reconfirmed to Isaac. He may have heard about it earlier, but sometimes we need to be reminded. And then there is that strange struggle at the well.

Genesis 24

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 05:22:59 GMT

Chapter 24 A Wife for Isaac

Sarah, loving wife of Abraham, died at the age of 127 in Hebron.

She was born in 1803 B.C. in Ur of the Chaldees (present day Iraq).

She was the daughter of Haran and the granddaughter of Terah.

She married Abraham, a half-brother who became very wealthy in the cattle business and traveled widely, spending some time in Egypt.

She gave birth at the age of 90 to now 39-year-old Isaac.

Burial will be in the cave of Machpelah.

Chapter 23 opens with the news that Sarah had died. It appears that when she died in Hebron, Abraham was in Beersheba, about 26 miles away. Why were the two of them apart? Was she shopping? Visiting friends? Or did she hear that Abraham almost killed her son and decided that she needed to get away from her crazy husband?

Anyway, Abraham had not done any pre-planning for a burial, perhaps because his life was so nomadic, so he heads off to find a nice place for Sarah to be laid to rest. Her resting place will become a family tomb that will be the final resting place also for Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob.

As was the custom of the day, when Abraham told a Hittite that he wanted to buy land to bury Sarah, the bargaining began. It was the custom that the seller would offer a very generous deal to the buyer, which was to be turned down, it was meant to set a friendly tone for the negotiations. The Hittite offered Abraham any plot of burial land that he wanted, for FREE. Abraham, as was expected, refused this generous offer. He then asked to be able to purchase the cave at Machpelah, which in Hebrew means, double cave. This was to become a family plot.

A grave plot at Shiloh Cemetery in Ireland, Indiana costs $500. A plot at the pet cemetery across the street is only $150. One woman, after hearing the price difference, asked if she could bury her husband in the pet cemetery. No, you cannot. Today, in Jerusalem, a single plot in the largest cemetery costs $30,000. Burial space is so limited that they have built underground burial tunnels. Some have seven floors and look like underground malls. An option being considered by authorities is the ancient bone-gathering method where the dead are buried temporarily for a year, then the bones would be gathered and placed in an ossuary or bone box. These ossuaries are small limestone boxes approximately 20 inches long, 10 inches wide and 12 inches high. Usually they have a flat, gabled, or rounded lid. This secondary burial would allow the original graves to be recycled.

Let us get back to the negotiations. The Hittite then asked a ridiculously high price for the cave. It was then expected that Abraham would negotiate downward, but he did not. He accepted the first price. Along with the cave came a field of land with some trees, and perhaps a well. Why did he buy the whole package? Abraham was a herdsman, not one who would settle down. This was not a retirement community he was buying into. The seller wanted to sell the package because he did not want the feudal responsibilities that went with land ownership. Buying this land, which was the only land he ever owned in the Promised Land, was a way of renouncing other communities as his home. He is saying, in effect, “This is now my home.” The seller is saying, “It’s a package deal. I do not want to have any feudal responsibility to the king. Take it or leave it.”

Say, wouldn’t this be a good time to have a homework assignment of getting your funeral paperwork and plans to make it easier for your loved ones? Do you have a will? Living will? Medical Power of Attorney? Funeral plans? Letter of Instructions? Does someone know what you own and where the important documents are kept? Have you written a draft of your obituary? The more you do now, the easier it will be for your family at a very difficult time. It is one last act of loving kindness that you can do for them.

Genesis 22

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 05:09:33 GMT

Genesis 22 The Binding of Isaac

Let’s imagine that John and I are back in Nairobi, Kenya. I ask John if I can use his phone to call Linda. Linda answers and I say, “Linda, John and I have been kidnapped by some angry sounding people. I think they might be Boka Horan or whatever they call themselves. Oh, got to go, bye.” John looks at me in amazement and asks, “What on earth was that all about?” I say to him, “Oh, I’m just testing Linda to see how she would handle this. I’m sure she’d be OK with this.” Three days later our garage door goes up and I walk into the house. Linda is shocked to see me and she asked, “What was that call all about? I have been frantic?” I say, “I was just testing you. I knew you’d be OK.” She then reaches for the largest frying pan she can hoist over her head and says, “This is a test of how much physical pain you can handle. I’m sure you can handle it.” Now wouldn’t that be a cruel thing to do to Linda? Getting her hopes up and then showing up again. Well, that’s the way I think about this story in Genesis 22. This is the story of Abraham being tested by God. It is a story that leaves me with many unanswered questions. Maybe you can answer some of them for me.

Here is a quick summary of the events. God commands Abraham to go to Mt. Moriah and sacrifice his son, Isaac. Abraham, Isaac and two servants make the three-day trek up the mountain. As Abraham is about to sacrifice his son, God intervenes to stop the test, saying in verse 12 , “For now I KNOW that you fear God.” Gee, what would have happened if God had been distracted by a cell phone call right at the last moment? Poor Isaac.

Let’s take a closer look at the text. Verse 2 , God says, “take now your son, your only son.” Didn’t he have another son, one a bit older? The one by the Egyptian servant? Wasn’t his name Ishmael? If you were Ishmael and you overheard this conversation, wouldn’t you feel a bit insulted? Yes, there were two sons, but Isaac was the ONLY son of “the promise”, you remember, the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant. He was the ONLY son of the covenant promise.

Some Rabbis (You knew I would bring up something about Jewish interpretation, didn’t you?) say that this passage gives evidence of an argument or discussion between God and Abraham. If you recall, Abraham and God had a discussion (Genesis 12) concerning the destruction of Sodom. “Would you kill all if there were 50 righteous people there?” Remember that?

This conversation/discussion, argument, may have sounded like this:

God: Take your son.

Abraham: Which son?

God: Your only son.

Abraham: No, I have two sons, Isaac, and Ishmael.

God: The son you love.

Abraham: What man loves only one son? I love them both.

God: Isaac

God tells Abraham to go and sacrifice Isaac. Later on, in Leviticus 18:21 and Deut. 18:10 , human sacrifices were prohibited. If it was illegal to kill innocent people, wouldn’t it be wrong to do it in Abraham’s time? Don’t we study that God is a loving God and a just God? Where’s the justice in killing (murdering) an innocent person?

Abraham doesn’t argue with God. He gets up early, loads his donkey, takes two servants (tradition has them as Ishmael and Eliezar of Damascus), takes Isaac, loaded the wood and headed out. Before they arrived at their destination Abraham says to the servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then WE will come back to you.”

I’m not good with Math, but “I and the boy,” means TWO people. Two people are to go sacrifice and then he says, “we will come back to you.” Who are the “we”? Again, it’s just Abraham and Isaac. Did he say this to pacify the others? In the three days it took to arrive at this spot, Abraham had a lot of time to think about this. The “we” showed that Abraham had faith in God’s power in resurrection to fulfill His covenantal promises. If you look at Heb 11:17 , it says, “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice, He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned (see Gen 21:12 ). Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from the dead.”

As the two of them head up the mountain, Isaac asks, “Where’s the animal for the sacrifice?” Abraham replies, God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Now in the Hebrew language, there are no vowels or punctuation marks. And you thought English was difficult. In this verse, there would be no comma between offering and my son. The line could be read with something of a dash: “a sacrifice-my son.” If he had said that, then Isaac’s facial expression would change quickly. Isaac might have run for his life. He wouldn’t have had to run very fast, just a bit faster than a 100 year-old plus man waving a knife over his head.

Verse 9 , “He bound his son and laid him on the altar.” What kind of kid was Isaac? Was he a strong- willed kid who resisted Abraham? What if you left one of your grandchildren with “Pops” and he got a little crazy. Would he have complied with the old man’s demands? “Here Bobby, let’s play a little game. First, I will tie you up, then……” Can imagine Isaac being chased by an old man and Isaac shouting, “You’re crazy.” Did Abraham have to knock him in the head before binding him? Was Isaac distracted by his smartphone when Abraham grabbed him? Did Isaac go willingly, thinking, “He won’t really do this to me.” In your mind, how old did you picture Isaac to be at this time? I always thought of him as a youngster. But he wasn’t. By this time, he was about 37 years old.

As Abraham was about to kill his son, God says, “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God.”

I have many questions about this whole story. First of all, why was there a test in the first place? Doesn’t God already know everything? Isn’t he omniscient? As A.W. Tozer wrote, “God knows all things perfectly. He never discovers anything, he is never surprised, never amazed.” For God to be sovereign over His creation of all things, whether visible or invisible, He has to be all-knowing. Doesn’t he know when a sparrow falls or when we lose a single hair on our heads (Matt 10:29) . God knows everything (1 John 3:20) . Not only does God know everything that will occur until the end of history itself (Isaiah 46:9-10) , but He also knows our very thoughts, even before we speak forth (Psalm 139:4) . He knows our hearts from afar; He even saw us in the womb (Psalm 139:1-3, 15-16) . Solomon expresses this truth perfectly when he says, “For you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind” (1 Kings 8:39) .

I give my students tests to prove to me what they understand. I have to do this because I am not omniscient. If God taught my class, He wouldn’t have to give tests. So, what was the purpose of the test if God is omniscient?

Perhaps, when God said, “Now I know,” it didn’t mean that He didn’t know beforehand. Didn’t he have to ask where Adam was in the Garden? Didn’t he ask Cain where Abel was? Didn’t he come down from heaven to see what was going on in the tower-building of Babel?” Perhaps, the “where are you?” question isn’t a question but a way of saying, “I’m coming to see you” in the case of Adam or an accusation in the case of Cain. The “Now I know” in this story might mean something other than gaining knowledge in this passage.

Was the test not so much for the benefit of God knowing, but for Abraham to know? If you recall, there were several times when Abraham believed, but he also had a dose of unbelief in him. He was not his most faithful when he told the Egyptian Pharaoh that Sara was his sister or when he had a child with Hagar. God had Abraham look up at the sky at night to reassure him that his descendants would be as many as the stars. Let me draw an analogy here. When a young civilian arrives at Basic Military Training School, he is scared to death. Over the weeks of training he gets in better physical shape, learns a lot about how to be a soldier and then undergoes the greatest challenge of the training, the obstacle course. Or, as they call it in the Air Force, the Confidence Course. As the soldier/airman moves from one obstacle to another and completes the course, he has proven to himself that he can do much more than he may have ever thought he could just a few weeks earlier. Come graduation from Basic Training, with graduates marching in step, flags waving, parents in the bleachers, you feel as if you can do anything that might be required of you. HUAH! Perhaps this sacrifice challenge was Abraham’s “Obstacle or Confidence Course.”

What if Abraham refused to obey God? What if he had said, “No way! I went along with that circumcision thing, but this is too much!” God couldn’t revoke the covenant that He made with Abraham. That was an unconditional covenant. The contract was already in place. You can’t add to it any conditions. I guess He could have stricken Abraham dead since Isaac was already in place to continue the family line.

Preachers have used this story to show commonalities between Jesus and Isaac. Both were miraculously conceived. Both were beloved sons. Both carried wood for their sacrifices. The journey to Moriah took three days. The “journey to resurrection” took three days. OK, that last one might be a stretch. But you can see some parallels.

God then says to Abraham, in verse 16 , “because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. . . .” But wasn’t this already part of the covenant already finalized?

What kind of conversation did the two of them have on the way down? “Hey dad, you weren’t REALLY going to kill me, were you?” Or, “What kind of crazy father are you? Social services will take me away and you are going to be put into a home, if not jail.” “What are we going to tell Mom about this?” Did Abraham say, “Isaac, let’s just keep this episode between the two of us.”

Was this a father-son bonding experience or was Isaac in therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for the next decade. Later, did he write a book about his crazy family life?

The chapter ends with a somewhat odd insertion about the family line of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. He had eight kids with his wife and with his concubine he had four more. The first boy born was named Uz. Does this name ring a bell? It was the town that Job lived in. It is also mentioned in Jeremiah. The passage goes onto say that “Bethuel begat Rebekah.” Mentioning these people sets the stage for the events in Chapter 24 . Bethuel is the father of Laban, who was Rebekah’s brother.

I told you ahead of time that there are more questions than answers with this story. Do you have any answers for me?

Genesis 21

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 05:02:46 GMT

In chapter 21 we finally see Abraham and Sarah having a child, and they named him Isaac, which means “laughter.” Now people can laugh with joy for her and Abraham, not laugh in mockery as when she was childless. How old was Abraham at this time? He was one hundred years old. Do you think Abraham and Sarah were oftentimes mistaken for Isaac’s grandparents, especially at teacher-parent conferences? What type of personality was Isaac? What if he was a strong-willed, difficult child to raise? Imagine Abraham asking God, “Is this the best you could do? I waited all these years and you give me a child like this? You know there aren’t any boarding schools or military academies out here to send him off to, don’t you?”

How long did he have to wait for the promise of a child to be fulfilled? Twenty-five years. God did promise a son, but He didn’t tell him when. How long have we prayed for something and wondered, “Did God say “NO”? Maybe He said “Yes, but not right away.” We pray, “Your will be done,” we might add, “on Your schedule, also.”

The Jews have been praying for the Messiah to come for centuries. In Galatians 4:4 , we read, “When the time had fully come, God sent his Son.” We pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.” When might that be? I n Romans 9:9 it says, “At the appointed time, I will return.” God has his timetable, we have ours. So, an unanswered prayer might not be a “NO!” It might be, “OK, but not now.”

Some of our religious legends are a bit strange, to say the least. According to the Rabbis, when Isaac was born at that hour the sick were restored to health, the blind recovered their sight, and the deaf their hearing; the brightness of the sun and of the moon was intensified. I have a suggestion. There should be a rule that no rabbi can write commentary if they have been drinking. Nor should they shop online. Here is another legend. In chapter 21:8 , as was the custom of the day, the parents held a celebration on the day Isaac was weaned. There were those who did not believe that Sarah had given birth to Isaac. Some thought that he may have been the son of Hagar or an orphan. To silence these slanderers Abraham prepared a great feast on the occasion of the weaning of Isaac, and, by a miracle, Sarah was enabled to nurse all the babies that had been brought by the women invited to the feast. As there was no longer any doubt as to Sarah's maternity, the slanderers questioned Abraham's paternity. Then God imprinted on the face of Isaac the features of Abraham, and the likeness between father and son became so great that one was often mistaken for the other. No, I’m not making this stuff up. This is why Scripture says to us, Do not add to or take away from what is commanded (Deut. 4:2; 12;32, Rev. 22:18,19) , or do not go beyond what is written (I Cor 4:6) . Imagine if you are little Isaac and you looked into a mirror and saw the image of a 100-year-old man. Yikes! He hadn’t even made it to puberty, and he is already an old man.

So, was everybody happy for Abraham and Sarah? Did everyone love to see the attention being given to little Isaac? Of course not. This wasn’t The Waltons and they weren’t living in Mayberry. Sulking over in the corner was Ishmael. OK, you caught me, he may not have been sulking in the corner. That would be adding to the word of God. But verse 9 says he was mocking. He had been the center of attention, an only child, for years. He was now 17 to 20 years old, mocking a 3-5 years old. Teenagers can be difficult enough to live with. Now this kid comes along and is prized more highly than he was. He is getting all the attention. I think you can see that this isn’t going to end well. In Galatians 4:29 it says that Ishmael, “persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit.” According to one tradition, Ishmael would take Isaac to the fields and there casting at him arrows and balls under the pretext of play, but in reality, to get rid of him. “Hey, let’s take the kid out for target practice. We’ll have him hold up the targets for us. It will be fun.” Maybe Ishmael was the one who invented Lawn Darts. Do you remember that game? Who came up with that idea? “Let’s give the kids pointed dart to throw around in the yard while the adults are drinking. What could possibly go wrong?”

Sarah has had it with that woman and her kid. She says to Abraham, get rid of them. Poor Abraham. He had grown to love both kids, and to keep peace he has to send Ishmael and Hagar away. In that day, the father was forbidden to expel the son of the handmaid when the son of the wife had been born. Ishmael could be disinherited, but he was not to be sent away. God says to him, “Listen to whatever Sarah tell you.” Now ladies, pay attention to this passage. Men preachers sometimes love to take Eph 5:22 out of context where it says, “wives, submit to your husbands.” They don’t always spend as much time on verse 25 , “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” So now, the wives can do the same, tell your husbands, “God says that you should do what I say! Now take me to the Mall.”

God reassures Abraham that Ishmael will not be without a promise. He reiterates his promise to make of him a great nation. He will not receive the Abrahamic Covenant, but he will benefit from the blessing aspect of it. Of course, he doesn’t tell him that this nation would continue the sibling rivalry for generations to come.

The next day Abraham gave Hagar provisions and sent them on their way. The word that is translated “sent her away” is not a hostile word, as when Sarah told Abraham to send her away. The word is a neutral word, meaning, “a friendly release.” There was no hostility here, just sadness.

In verse 14 it says that they wandered in the desert. In other words, she got lost. If you are in the desert, there aren’t many landmarks to guide you. A map wouldn’t be of much help. Everywhere you turned, the terrain looked the same. She had enough provisions to get to the next oasis, but her food and water had run out. So, she helped her son find a bit of shade under a bush and she herself move away from him so she wouldn’t have to see him succumb to the heat. Verse 16, “and as she sat there nearby, she began to sob.”

Then the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar?” Really? He has to ask? Well, you can see in the text that her eyes were opened, and she saw a well and she was reassured that her son will become a great nation.

Why does God wait so long to intervene? It’s difficult enough to leave the only family you’ve known without having to nearly die in the process. Couldn’t Abraham have given her a couple of servants, how about a guide, to make sure they had a safe and comfortable trip and only stayed at Five Star Hotels?

God was with the young boy. He became an archer. Was that a hobby, sort of like the rich playing polo or was it a job he went to every day? I like the way this ends, “While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.” What was that like? Ishmael comes home from “archering” and Mom says, “Guess what I bought for you from Egypt? Ta Dah. How do you like her? Isn’t she pretty?”

The chapter ends with Abimelech making a peace treaty with Abraham. Why? Well, they recognized that God was with Abraham, blessing him. They noticed that he seems to have won all the battles he fought, he was very wealthy, sort of had the Midas Touch. He may not have known exactly what was going on, but he did know that he didn’t want to be on the wrong side of Abraham. It all goes back to the unconditional covenant God made with Abraham in Gen. 12:3 , which included, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse.” Abimelech says, “Show to me and the country where you are living as an alien the same kindness, I have shown you.” Abraham then told him about some ruffians who took a water well from his men. Abimelech said, “I don’t know anything about that. This is the first that I’ve heard of it.” So, they made a peace treaty and, for the time being, everyone lived in peace. They called the location where this was made Beer-Sheva. Sheva means seven. Seven was the number of lambs Abraham gave to Abimelech. You will see the word Sheva again, in the book of Job. In the Jewish religion, when someone dies, the family has their home open for visitors for seven days. People can come, pay their respects for a period of seven days. Why seven? Because when Job was grieving over the death of his children, he sat for seven days and his friends came to be with him. They silently sat there. They call this sitting Shiva.

He then planted a Tamarisk tree and stayed put for a long time. If you are interested in plants and trees, here is what I found on the Tamarisk tree. Tamarisks are very common trees and shrubs in the Middle East, especially in soils with high salt concentration and are therefore the only trees found on the shores of the Dead Sea. The tamarisk has small scale like leaves and small branches which give the tree a pine-like appearance. During the heat of the day the tamarisk secretes salt, a process very wasteful of water. The salt dries. During the night, the salt absorbs water from the air. In the morning, the water evaporates creating a sort of natural air-conditioning. This cooling effect is another reason for its popularity as a shade tree. Attractive pink or white flowers are produced during the winter, although a tree may flower any time during the year. The fruits are wind dispersed but the tamarisk is easily propagated by cuttings.

Two plants are mentioned in Genesis 21 . The first is the shrub under which Hagar placed Ishmael (verse 15). The second is the tamarisk planted by Abraham (verse 33) . The shrub could also easily be a tamarisk as this is one of the most common shrubs and trees in the vicinity of Beersheba or it could be the white broom.

Why did Abraham plant a tamarisk? Trees were often used as memorials for great men. It is therefore appropriate that Abraham should honor God by planting the tamarisk. It would be a permanent memorial of the covenant between the two.

Saul held court under a tamarisk in Gibeah (I Samuel 22:6) . This dark green tree would be evident from the hilltop and provide a sort of "address" for visitors and could probably be seen for miles.

Genesis 20

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 04:56:56 GMT

Genesis 20 Abraham and Abimelech

Here we find Abraham and Sarah on the border of Philistine territory where Abimelech is the King of Gerar. There are several men named Abimelech in the Bible and different translations have a different spelling of it. You see this name quite often in Scripture which led some scholars to believe that among some groups, Abimelech is not a name, but a title, sort of like Pharaoh, or king.

Examples of where it is used as a name, and not a title would be one of Gideon’s sons and a priest during David’s reign.

Let’s get back to our story of Abraham and Sarah. There they are in an area at the edge of Philistine territory and he runs into Abimelech, king of Gerar. He tells people that Sarah is his sister. Does this sound familiar? The King took Sarah. That’s it, he sent for her and took her. But God came to Abimelech in a dream.

Verse 3 , God came to Abimelech in a dream. Before we get into dreams and visions, let me say that there are five pagans who God communicated to through dreams, and all were WARNINGS. The other four were Laban (Gen 31:24) , the butler and the baker (Gen 40:5) , and Pharaoh (Gen 41:1) .

Let’s talk about dreams and visions. They are basically the same, but visons are waking dreams. Just because God has used dreams to communicate with man, doesn’t mean that all dreams are communications from God. Sometimes it’s the product of stress, anxiety, or something you ate the night before. Likewise, visions can be from God, but they can also be a symptom of schizophrenia (hallucinations) or you’ve been smoking marijuana (yes, of course, for medicinal purposes only).

How many examples are there of dreams and visions in the Bible? Go ahead, take a guess. Here’s a list of those that are recorded.

Abraham (Genesis 15:1) : God used a vision to restate the Abrahamic Covenant, reminding Abram that he would have a son and be the father of many nations.

Abimelech (Genesis 20:1-7) : God sent him a dream telling him not to touch Sarah because she was Abraham’s wife.

Jacob (Genesis 28:10-17) : Jacob, stole Esau’s firstborn inheritance. Jacob fled Esau’s anger, and on his journey he had his famous dream of a ladder reaching to heaven on which angels ascended and descended.

Joseph (Genesis 37:1-11) : Joseph had dreams and could interpret dreams of others. One showed him that his family would one day bow to him in respect.

Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker (Genesis 40) : While in prison Joseph interpreted some dreams of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker.

Pharaoh (Genesis 41) : Two years later, Pharaoh himself had a dream which Joseph interpreted. God’s purpose was to raise Joseph to second-in-command over Egypt and to save the Egyptians and the Israelites from a horrible famine.

Samuel (1 Samuel 3) : Samuel had his first vision as a young boy. God told him that judgment was coming upon the sons of Samuel’s mentor, Eli.

The Midianite and Amalekite armies (Judges 7:12-15) : The pagan enemies of Israel had a divinely inspired dream . God told Gideon to sneak into the enemy camp at night, and there in the outposts of the camp, Gideon overheard an enemy soldier relate a dream he had just had. The interpretation, from another enemy soldier, mentioned Gideon by name and predicted that Israel would win the battle. Gideon was greatly encouraged by this revelation.

Solomon (1 Kings 3:5) : It was in a dream that God gave Solomon the famous offer: "Ask what you wish Me to give you." Solomon chose wisdom.

Daniel (Daniel 2; 4) : Daniel interpreted a foreign ruler’s dream. Daniel himself had many dreams and visions , mostly related to future kingdoms of the world and the nation of Israel.

Isaiah had a vision when he was called to be a prophet (Isa.6) .

Ezekiel had visions where he saw the fall of Jerusalem (Ezek 1-3 and 8-11) .

Amos had a vision in Amos 7-9.

New Testament Dreams and Visions

Zacharias (Luke 1:5-23) : God used a vision to tell Zacharias, an old priest, that he would soon have an important son. Not long after, Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, had John the Baptist.

Joseph (Matthew 1:20; 2:13) : Joseph would have divorced Mary when he found out she was pregnant, but God sent an angel to him in a dream , convincing him that the pregnancy was of God. Joseph went ahead with the marriage. After Jesus was born, God sent two more dreams, one to tell Joseph to take his family to Egypt so Herod could not kill Jesus and another to tell him Herod was dead and that he could return home.

Pilate’s wife (Matthew 27:19) : During Jesus’ trial, Pilate’s wife sent an urgent message to the governor encouraging him to free Jesus. Her message was prompted by a dream she had—a nightmare, really—that convinced her that Jesus was innocent, and that Pilate should have nothing to do with His case.

Ananias (Acts 9:10) : It would have taken nothing less than a vision from God to convince Ananias, a Christian in Damascus, to visit Paul, the persecutor of Christians. But because Ananias was obedient to God’s leading, Paul regained his sight and found the truth about those he was trying to kill.

Cornelius (Acts 10:1-6) : God spoke to an Italian centurion named Cornelius who feared the God of the Jews. In his vision , Cornelius saw an angel who told him where to find Simon Peter and to send for him and listen to his message. Cornelius obeyed the vision, Peter came and preached, and Cornelius and his household full of Gentiles were saved by the grace of God.

Peter (Acts 10:9-15) : While Peter was praying on the rooftop of a house in Joppa, God gave him a vision of animals lowered in something like a sheet. A voice from heaven told Peter to kill the animals (some of which were unclean) and eat them. The vision served to show that Christians are not bound by kosher law and that God had pronounced Gentiles “clean”; that is, heaven is open to all who follow Jesus.

Paul had several visions in his missionary career. One sent him to preach in Macedonia (Acts 16:9-10) . Another encouraged him to keep preaching in Corinth (Acts 18:9-11) . God also gave him a vision of heaven (2 Corinthians 12:1-6) .

John (Revelation): Nearly the entire book of Revelation is a vision John had while exiled on the island of Patmos.

That’s at least twenty-one. And these are only those that were recorded in Scripture. Did you ever imagine that there were so many dreams/visions in the Bible?

With the completion of the Bible, God does not have to use dreams and visions as much as He did before. That is not to say that He cannot or does not; God can communicate with us however He chooses. How do you know if a dream is from God? Well, if the message contradicts Scripture, it obviously is not from God. If it contradicts Scripture, you may have forgotten to take your anti-psychotic medication.

While we are on this subject of communications from God, let’s look at the other ways God has communicated with man. There is the theophany, which we talked about last week. Then there are miracles, which reveal the presence and power of God. Then we have direct communication, such as Moses on Mt. Sinai, dreams and visions, the Urim and Thummim, the casting of lots, an audible voice such as Moses at the burning bush. Then we have angels as when the birth of Jesus was announced, the incarnation and finally, by Scripture. With all of these communication tools, why are there so many misunderstandings? It’s like today, we have many more ways of communicating, but we don’t seem to be listening very well. Everyone is talking, no one is listening.

Let’s get back to the narrative and Abimelech’s dream. Now this is not the type of dream I would want to have. God doesn’t say, “Hi Abim, how are you? Say, did you know that this woman, Sarah, is a married woman?” No, God gets right to the point and says, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.” This sounds more like a threat from a mobster than a message from God.

The king defends himself by saying that both Abraham and Sarah said that she was his sister. God says that he knows this and that He has kept him from sinning against ‘me.” Against me? Didn’t David use a similar expression after his sin with Bathsheba in Ps. 51:4 , “Against you, you only, have I sinned.” One commentary says that the expression means, no one knew of the sin but God. It also carries the idea that when we sin, it is “against God” as well as other victims. God then tells him, “Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet.” I hadn’t noticed this before, but God refers to Abraham as a prophet and he is the first person to be so identified. In what way was he a prophet? He is someone who has received revelation from God.

At first, I thought, why didn’t Abimelech get up right away and straighten this mess out before he was struck dead by God? Well, I don’t think he woke up during the night. Have you ever had a dream that was so realistic you wondered, “Did I dream that, or did it really happen?” I don’t think this was a common experience for the king. I think he was puzzled by this, as well as scared. What does he do in the morning? Verse 8 , he summons all of his officials. Why? Perhaps he shared with them his experience and asked, “What do you make of this dream that I had?” They responded with FEAR and said, in effect, “Boss, you’d better take care of this just in case it really was God who came to you in that dream and get wacked.” So, he called in Abraham and read him the riot act.

Abraham’s response was almost an insult to the King and his people, saying that he thought this country was a moral wasteland. He said that he believed, “There is surely no fear of God in this place.” Abraham goes on to explain to Abimelech that whenever He and Sarah traveled together and people asked who Sarah was, she was identified as his sister (verse 13) . This has been his long-standing practice of Abraham. They’ve been doing this for years.

As when he was caught in his deceptions by the Pharaoh, the incident made Abraham richer. Abimelech gave Abraham sheep and cattle and told Sarah that he gave Abraham a thousand pieces of silver and told him that they could settle anywhere in the country that he wanted. The last time this happened, the Pharaoh ordered Abraham out of the country. I’m starting to wonder if Abraham had a bit of the con artist in him. Could he have been the Bernie Madoff of his day? Do you think he learned his lesson? The chapter ends with Abraham praying to God to heal Abimelech and his household so that they could have children. This suggests that some time had passed since the couple arrived. Enough time for it to become noticeable that no births had taken place while Sarah was in Abimelech’s household. They were being cursed. Remember, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.”?

Keep in mind that the covenant that God made with Abraham was unconditional. His behavior here didn’t do anything to endanger the promise of land, seed and blessing for Abraham and his descendants. He would bless Abraham, in spite of his disobedience. And, he would curse those who hurt him in any way.

Next, there will be some wonderful news for Abraham and Sarah. Finally, they will have a baby.

Genesis 18 - 19

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 04:30:55 GMT

Genesis 18 - 19: The Doom of Sodom and Gomorrah

THE DOOM OF SODOM. Sounds like the title of a black and white horror movie from the 1950’s.

As Abraham’s special guests get up to leave, they looked off into the distance to the city of Sodom. What were they thinking, knowing what is about to happen? Perhaps they were feeling like a parent sitting in a courtroom where their wayward son is about to be sentenced for a foolish, impulsive crime. “He had so much potential. He was such a nice little boy. This is very sad, for all families involved.”

Abraham, being a gracious host, walked with them to the street corner (sort of). The Lord then says to himself, “I wonder if I should share my plans for Sodom with my friend Abraham? Does he have a need to know? Does he have a top-secret security clearance? Can he keep a secret, or would he warn the people of Sodom via Twitter?” God did have a special relationship with Abraham. In James 2:23 , “And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.” And this was years before FACEBOOK. Did Jesus have someone who we might think of as a special friend? Was there one person who Jesus was closest to? The Apostle John is called the disciple who Jesus loved in John 20:2. John 13:23 we see Jesus sitting (or reclining) beside John during the Passover meal. In John 19:26-27 He entrusts the care of Mary to John, not to any other disciple or his half- brothers. And in John 21:20 Jesus hints that John might not die the same way as Peter will die. Being the Messiah’s best friend has its advantages.

The next raises a few questions. The Lord says that Abraham will become a great nation, etc. Why is he repeating the promise here? He then explains why He is going to share his plan with Abraham. What He is saying is, I will tell Abraham my plan of judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah in the hope that his descendants will remember what happened to Sodom and live an upright life. That’s a nice thought, as long as the schools or parents teach their kids history.

God speaks to Abraham and says in verse 20 , that He has heard so many horrible things about Sodom, that He is going there to do a little undercover investigation on his own. Why would He do that? Isn’t God all knowing? Does He really need to go down there to see for himself? Did He come to earth on an inspection tour in the time of Noah before He brought on the flood? Did He appear to Noah as He did to Abraham? Perhaps He did. He doesn’t have to record everything He did. Maybe He is visiting us now and not telling anyone about it? Turn your head slowly. Look around. Do you see anyone? He might be here on an inspection tour so look busy. God then visits the city so that no one could say to Him, with their dying breath, “You don’t even know what is going on here. This is unfair. I’m going to call my lawyer.”

In verse 22 we find the angels heading off and Abraham is alone with God for a few minutes. Abraham askes, “Will you destroy the righteous along with the wicked?”

Here comes one of my digressions. When you watch a movie about Basic Military Training School (BTMS) you see the recruits doing a lot of marching, physical training, firing of weapons, struggling through the obstacle course and drill instructors screaming like psychopaths. But what you don’t see is all the time spent in a classroom. There you learn about customs and courtesies, the military pay system, the personnel system and your 201 file, communications security, and the rules of war. Yes, just like a late-night game of cards in the dining room of IOP, there are RULES in war. You see, our leaders have recognized that we aren’t very good at preventing wars. And, we do know that in time, wars come to an end and we need to be able to live in peace. So, let’s do what we can to reduce unnecessary destruction and suffering. This is especially important in recent wars where more civilians died than military personnel in WW II. So, the rules of war were adopted and say that you can’t destroy non-military targets such as hospitals, schools, orphanages, historical structures, museums, etc. And you can’t torture or kill prisoners of war. If you do, you might end up in a place like Nuremburg, Germany where Nazi war criminals were tried for war crimes and many were hanged.

Back to Abraham. Abraham asks, “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” In other words, “Are you going to become a war criminal?” This would be so out of character for a just and loving God. “Far be it from you to do such a thing.”

But God never said that He was going to kill every living person. Abraham just assumed this. The Lord said, “If I find fifty people, I will spare the whole place.” This isn’t a change in plans, based on the conversation he had with Abraham. But a clarification of the plan He had in place, to reassure Abraham.

Why would Abraham be so concerned and why would he keep asking if God would destroy if there were as few as ten righteous people left in the city (verse 32) ? Why did he stop with ten, why not go down to 1? Abraham stopped at ten because the size of Lot’s family was ten. There was Lot and his wife, Mrs. Lot, two sons, two married daughters and their husbands, and two single daughters. That’s ten. Trust me or do the Math yourself. These ten were the major concern of Abraham. Do you think there might have been a few people he might have been glad to see destroyed? “I can’t wait to see Old what’s his name get fried. I never like that guy. Besides, he cheated me in a business deal a few years ago.”

Abraham was concerned about the ten. Did all of these ten people deserve to be saved? Of these ten, not all of them were righteous. In fact, perhaps only Lot was “worthy” of being saved, but the others were saved for his and Abraham’s sake.

The scene changes now to the city of Sodom and the front gate in chapter 19 . The two angels arrive at the gate and Lot is sitting there. You may not have noticed, but at one time Lot was living in a tent outside the city. Then he moved into the city and lived in a house and now we find him sitting at the front gate. This shows that he had some authority in the city. The front gate was like our city hall in Jasper. This is where governmental business was transacted. This was where the power players hanged out. How did Lot move up so quickly from a nobody to someone important enough to have a place at the city gate? The reason may have been that Abraham rescued the city because of his relationship with Lot. “We gotta take care of dat boy, his uncle Abraham saved our skin in the last war” (imagine that being said by a big bellied sheriff from Alabama with a wad of chewing tobacco in his cheek).

Lot gets up to greet the guests and invites them to stay at his house. It was getting late in the day and you really don’t want to be on the streets of Sodom after dark. So, Lot prepares for them a meal which included unleavened bread. This is the first-time unleavened bread is mentioned in the Scriptures. At this the men looked at each other and thought, “Maybe we should have stayed at the Holiday Inn.”

Verse 4, as they were getting ready for bed, ALL the men of the city came and surrounded the house. One of them shouted, “Where are the men you took home? Bring them out so we can have sex with them.” This had to be scary. The house was surrounded, the mob screaming for the men to gang rape them. Lot might be thinking, “Maybe my guests should have stayed at the Holiday Inn.”

Lot steps outside the front door, closes the door behind him and faces the crowd. This took courage. He says, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, you can do what you like with them.”

I don’t think this was a real offer. Can you imagine his daughters hearing this suggestion? “Thanks a lot, dad. You’ll get nothing from us on Father’s Day.” I think he was trying to reduce the hostility of the crowd. He addresses them as “friends.” Like saying, “Hey, how are you folks? Good to see you. You don’t want to do this awful thing. How about some girls, instead.” Now, these boys had no interest in girls, so it was an empty offer. This was probably a liquored up, angry mob and he wanted to lower the temperature a bit in the hope they lose interest and go search out an easier target. Wouldn’t this be a good time to have a snarling, angry, foaming at the mouth Doberman Pincher dog beside him? Even better, a shotgun.

In verse 9 the crown turns on Lot, saying, in effect, this guy was a nobody, a nomad and now he wants to judge us? They get angrier and threaten to do worse to Lot than what they plan on doing to his guests. Maybe he should have stayed at a Holiday Inn, also.

At this point, a hand reaches from inside the door and grabs Lot by the shoulder and drags him into the house. Then, the visitors struck the mob with blindness so they couldn’t even find the door. This is the second time Lot has been rescued. The Hebrew word for blindness is not the usual word used. It refers to partial blindness and mental confusion. Yet even then, they continued to try to get through the door until they were just exhausted and went away. Can you recall another time someone was blinded, and confused? How about Paul on the road to Damascus?

Then the house guests say in verse 12 , do you have any other relatives here? We have to get out of town, quick. This town is going to go up in flames. In verse 14 Lot went to get his daughters and their husbands and urged them to leave town with them. But they thought he was joking and ignored his plea. So, Lot lost his two married daughters and their husbands. They were “left behind”, they missed the “rapture.”

In verse 16 it’s Lot himself who hesitates to leave. Would you hesitate? Perhaps he was reluctant to leave without all his family members. Perhaps he was in a state of shock. Unable to move, standing there with his mouth hanging open. The men grasped his hand and the hands of others and dragged them out of town. They told them to flee, run, don’t walk and don’t look back, flee to the mountains. Then Lot starts to argue with them. He starts to whine like a 13-year-old, “I don’t want to go to the mountains. I might get altitude sickness. I didn’t bring my inhaler. There is no WIFI in the mountains, my phone needs charging. Why can’t I just go to the nearby town of Zoar, please?” OK, go to that small town. Then, morning came. Wow, what a night. “So, how did you sleep last night, Lot?”

With the morning sunrise, the fireworks began. Verse 24 , “the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah-from the Lord out of the heavens. But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”

You’ve heard the term “fire and brimstone.” Brimstone is an old term for burning sulfur. It says that it came down from heaven. Perhaps it was something that originated in heaven, or it might have been some volcanic material, spewed into the air and then raining down upon them “from heaven.”

Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt. A pillar of salt was an expression which simply means that she died. Why did she die for simply turning around to see what has happened or to see if she was out of danger from the “fallout?” This suggests that she was not among the righteous and the only reason she was able to have the chance to escape was her relationship with Lot.

The next morning Abraham wakes up and takes his coffee out to the porch and looked off into the distance and he saw huge clouds of smoke rising from the destroyed cities. He knew then that God hadn’t found ten righteous people in the city. Ten had an opportunity to escape, only three of the ten survived.

After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot did head for the mountains. Perhaps he wasn’t welcomed in Zoar. The people may have thought that he would bring destruction to them, also. And why would he want to hang around this desolate area? It would be like staying in Chernobyl after the power plant blew up. Lot’s new home was a cave (verse 30) . He went from being a wealthy nomad, to a city dweller, to becoming a cave man.

Imagine the emotions experienced by Lot and his daughters. No sleep. Escaping the violent mob, death of family members, destruction of their town, now grieving and homeless, just Lot and his two unmarried daughters. What’s next? Lot’s firstborn daughter thought she had a good idea. Verse 31 , she says, “there is no man around here to lie with us, as is the custom all over the earth. Let’s get our father to drink wine (lots of wine) and lie with him and preserve our family line through our father.” Now some commentators say that the daughter thought that all mankind was wiped out, like in the flood. But there were men in Zoar, but none wanted anything to do with these women. They must have been evil, coming from Sodom or just bad luck. This is the second calamity to hit Sodom and Lot and his family were involved. These ladies couldn’t get a date to save their lives. This also suggests that although they were taken out of Sodom, Sodom was not taken out of the daughters. So, both daughters got pregnant and had babies. The descendants of these babies are Ammon, which is Northern Jordan and Moab, Central Jordan just east of Israel. Moses died in Moab as the Israelites were about to enter the promised land. Ruth was a Moabite. Throughout the Bible, the Ammonites and Israelites are portrayed as mutual antagonists. During the Exodus, the Israelites were prohibited by the Ammonites from passing through their lands. And with this story, Lot disappears from the biblical record.

There are several references to Sodom in the New Testament. In Matthew 11:23 Jesus said that it will be more tolerable for Sodom in the day of judgment than for Capernaum where they were confronted with spiritual truth and rejected it. In II Peter 2:6-9 it mentions the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah for their ungodliness. The last passage is in Jude 7 which says that the cities were destroyed because of their sexual immorality, having gone after “strange flesh.” It was not for lack of hospitality that they were destroyed, as some people argue.

berean-bible-ministry

Isaiah 30 - 34

Messages of Judgment and of Hope

Pentecost 2025

Pentecost: The Birthday of the Church Celebrated June 8, 2025

For many Christians this holy day commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit which is the birth of the church. (Acts 2:1-31) .

were to take a course to study the Holy Spirit, it would be called pneumatology.

In Acts 2 the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit. I Cor. 12:13 says that Christians are baptized by one Spirit into ONE body. This is the baptism that counts. Water baptism is just a ritual that commemorates what has already taken place.

If you go to church on Pentecost, you might notice many wearing red, which symbolizes the joy and fire of the Holy Spirit. Some churches have a red light in the ceiling to symbolize the coming of the Holy Spirit.

If you are born again, “Happy Birthday” and “Happy Birthday” to the Church.

Isaiah 35 - 39

The Restoration of Israel

In the Messianic kingdom there will be a highway built through Israel. It won’t be called the Autobahn or the Interstate or a Parkway, but the Way of Holiness. Verse 8 , “And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness.”

This Way of Holiness “Parkway” will be used by only those who are authorized to do so. Verse 8 continues, “The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it.”

Maybe this will be like the “temple recommend” that Mormons can receive after an interview with their local church leader and regional leader. This “temple recommend” is issued in the form of an identification card is valid for two years. Some of the questions asked are:

I bet that in the Kingdom you won’t be able to lie in your “Highway Recommend Interview” if you needed one.

The chapter ends with the prophecy that “Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. So, we learned about the bright future for the Israelites, Blue Ridge Parkway and a little about Mormonism.

In chapter 36 Isaiah returns to the subject of Sennacherib of Assyria and his attempt to take over Judah.

At this point Sennacherib sent an envoy to King Hezekiah.

Isaiah Chapter 36:1 , “In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib, king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.”

God then gives Hezekiah this message, verses 33-34 , “He will not enter the city or shoot an arrow here...by the way he came he will return, he will not enter the city.” Verse 35 , “I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant.”

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Chapter 38, Hezekiah’s Illness

Chronologically, the events of Isaiah 38 , his near fatal illness occurred before chapters 36 and 37 .

Verse 1 , “In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’”

If “putting your house in order” is a task you have been putting off, take comfort in knowing that at least it isn’t as complicated as what the President of the U.S. must do. The president must strictly follow the outline of a 138 page planning document.

Benjamin Franklin wrote his own epitaph:

The body of B. Franklin, Printer,

Like the Cover of an old Book.

Its Contents torn out.

And stripped of its Lettering and Gilding.

Lies here. Food for worms.

But the Work shall not be wholly lost.

For it will as he believ’d

appear once more

In a new and more elegant Edition

Corrected and improved

By the Author.

The actor Peter O’Toole sent a jacket to the dry cleaners. It was returned to him with a note that read, “It distresses us to return work which is not perfect.” He thought that would be a good epitaph for his headstone.

He may have even showed him his collection of restored antique chariots and stamp collection. Was Hezekiah nuts? Did his illness cause brain damage? That would be like giving the German and Japanese Ambassadors to the U.S. a tour of Ft. Knox, and the War Department back in the 1930’s.

Verse 6-7 , “The time will surely come when everything in your palace and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon...and some of your descendants will be taken away and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

Those visitors weren’t well-wishers, they were spies. And it may not have been just pride that led to the tour. Perhaps he was hoping to gain their military support against Assyria and he wanted to show them that he had something to offer as a potential ally.

Verse 8 , “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good.” He thought that as bad as this news was, it won’t happen in his lifetime. Just as today, when a death sentence is issued, it might not be carried out until years later.

Isaiah 23 - 25

Prophecy Against Tyre, and The Little Apocalypse

Chapter 23 gives a message about the future or lack of a future for the city of Tyre, a seaport city in what was known as Phoenicia, it was located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea in what is today the nation of Lebanon. just south of Sidon and 12 miles north of the Israeli border.

The island city of New Tyre had not just one sheltered harbor, but two, on opposite sides of the island. This enabled Tyre to import and export huge quantities of goods, making the nation very wealthy.

Here is what Isaiah says, verse 1 , “Wail, O ships of Tarshish! For Tyre is destroyed!”

The prophecy says that the city would never be rebuilt. That doesn’t mean that the island would remain desolate, but it would never be rebuilt to the size and glory it once had.