Headlines are all over stating that this or that tornado was the worst ever or the worst in so many years. We also had the false prophecy of Christ's return on May 21 in the news this week. The U.S. President goes further than any president before him to illegitimize Israel. Can there be any doubt we are in the last days? I don't mean days literally as in a few days. I don't want to be mistaken as making a false prophecy! The Bible says we will not know the exact day; that is why it is so idiotic for someone to claim to know the exact day. But when the disciples asked Jesus specifically what the signs were for the end of the world and for His coming, He said:
..."you will hear of wars and rumors of wars"...
..."there will be earthquakes in various places and...famines and troubles"...
..."you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake"...
..."because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall grow cold"...
..."there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets"...
..."if any man says to you...'here is Christ' or...'He is there', believe him not"...
Wow, it's a recap of this week's news! We're involved in at least three wars ourselves, I do believe; we have terrible storms and troubles; Israel (and Christians) are hated worldwide; immorality and sin abound and we hear too often now of parents torturing their own children; and a false prophet gave a false prophecy of the date of Christ's return. In light of all these events, I couldn't help but think of the scripture that says not to believe when any man says "There is the Christ", when that pastor proclaimed that Christ would be there returning to earth on May 21.
The false prophecy plays a big part in the growing hatred of Christianity in this country. It sets Christians up for ridicule. The world is watching and it looks for any reason to ridicule and not believe. While true Christians are not shaken, and see it for what it was, a false prophecy, it can shake the "faith" of those who do not know the truth. It will also be used to advance immoral laws. When Christians are seen totally as jokes and as bigoted white hooded creatures standing in the way of progress, that is when the likes of homosexual marriage, complete removal of God from the public square and public speech, and population control for Mother Earth can advance.
How can anyone doubt we are in the end times? Oh, I hear the arguments, "Things have always been bad" and "People have always thought the world was coming to an end". True, and the scriptures of the Bible are there for our learning and to turn us from those ways that will eventually lead us to the end, but we no longer seem to be listening and learning.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Job Wishes He Had Never Been Born
(Job 2:1) Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. (2) And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" And Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down in it."
As in the last study of the first chapter of Job, once again we have a rather matter-of-fact conversation between God and Satan, as Satan has been given power over the world, and walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, as we see here.
(3) And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a pious and an upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you moved Me against him, to destroy him without cause."
Note here that although it was Satan who was given permission to destroy all that Job had, God takes full responsibility for it, as Satan could do nothing without the consent of God.
(4) And Satan answered the LORD, and said, "Skin for skin, yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. (5) But put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse You to Your face!"
Satan seeks to do more to Job in an effort to turn him from God, but can only do what God allows him to do.
(6) And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life."
God allows Satan to do whatever he wants to Job's body, but he cannot kill him.
(7) So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. (8) And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself and he sat down among the ashes. (9) Then his wife said to him, "Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die!" (10) But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. What? Shall we receive good from the hand of God, and shall we not accept evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Note that Satan did not kill Job's wife, even though he had been allowed to. There is probably a very good reason and a very good lesson in that. Often Satan uses those who are close to us to tempt us. Job's wife was surely a good woman as Job points out she is talking like a foolish woman, indicating she probably knows better.
(11) Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, each one came from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. (12) And when they lifted up their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted up their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. (13) So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.
There are other scriptures that indicate that seven days may have been a usual time of mourning. Job's friends sat in silent mourning with him and allowed him to be the first to speak.
(Job 3:1) After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. (2) And Job spoke, and said, (3) "Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night on which it was said, 'A male child is conceived.' (4) Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it."
"Perish the day I was born! Let that day be blotted out of history." Job laments that he was ever born.
(5) "Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it. (6) As for that night, let darkness seize it; let it not be joined to the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months."
Job wishes the day he was born had never happened.
(7) "Lo, let that night be desolate; let no joyful voice come into it."
This is a good time to point out that I generally use just the King James Version of the Bible in my transcription notes. There is good reason for that, as I have written before in Which Version of the Truth Will You Use? I guess you could say I also use a little of the New King James version to replace some of the "thee's" and "thou's" of the 1600's Old English with more modern easier-to-understand language. However, I also make it a point to look at the original meaning of the words in the Hebrew and Greek. Sometimes, as I did above, I use a different word, based on the original meaning of the word, than either the KJV or the NKJV. My transcriptions of Bible scriptures are not meant to be a new version of the Bible; they are simply my notes of scriptures rewritten to help me best understand them, and I share these notes on this blog.
I say all that to explain that I have used the word "desolate" in verse 7. It was translated as "solitary" in the KJV, and "barren" in the NKJV. The original word "galmud" can mean sterile, desolate, or solitary. KJV translated it correctly, but that word didn't exactly express the idea well to me, and as I sometimes do, I felt the NKJV may have changed the meaning a little with their word. "Desolate" gave me a better impression of the meaning of Job's statement.
(8) "Let them curse it who curse the day, those who are ready to raise up Leviathan."
The last word was translated as "mourning" in the KJV. The original word is actually "livyathan", or our English "leviathan", and since that word is used in other places in the Bible where it is not translated as "mourning", I saw no reason to try to interpret it as that here. However, as with all the Leviathan scriptures, it's a little difficult to know exactly what Job means here. Leviathan seems to have been a big and terrible and formidable creature, so perhaps the meaning here is to equate the day with some mark of infamy.
(9) "Let the stars of its twilight be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day; (10) Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hide sorrow from my eyes. (11) Why did I not die from the womb? Why did I not perish when I came out of the belly? (12) Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse? (13) For now I should have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept; then I would have been at rest,"
Death in scripture is often called sleep. If Job had died at birth, he imagines that he would now be at rest and not suffering so.
(14) "With kings and counselors of the earth, who built desolate places for themselves;"
I believe Job means here that he would have been laid at rest with kings and counselors and people of like great distinction, in great sepulchres built for themselves. I don't think he's referring to the vanity of building things that do not last, for he seems to continue with the thought that it would be a good thing if he were at rest with all the others who would be at rest, too.
(15) "Or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver; (16) Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like infants who never saw light? (17) There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest. (18) There the prisoners rest together; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor. (19) The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master."
Even the prisoners and the servants may rest there, small and great alike may rest, and that sounds good to Job in his misery.
(20) "Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, (21) Who long for death, but it does not come, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures; (22) Who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the grave? (23) Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?"
Why are light and life given to those in misery, those hedged in with no way of escape, those whom Job supposes just want to die?
(24) "For my sighing comes before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters. (25) For the thing which I greatly feared has come upon me, and that which I was afraid of has come upon me. (26) I was not in safety, neither had I rest, nor was I quiet; yet trouble came."
This could be a small interesting insight into the life of Job. Job was a good and pious man, but did he have an inner fear? There is a slight indication of this when he worried that his children might have sinned and therefore offered burnt offerings for them. We are told repeatedly in scripture to "fear not". Fearing not in the face of adversity is having faith in God, and even in this terrible tragedy of Job's, God is in complete control. Perhaps a better explanation for so pious a man is that this is part of the reverential fear that Job had for God. He knew that everything he had was in God's hands and could be taken away at any time: "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away."
As in the last study of the first chapter of Job, once again we have a rather matter-of-fact conversation between God and Satan, as Satan has been given power over the world, and walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, as we see here.
(3) And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a pious and an upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you moved Me against him, to destroy him without cause."
Note here that although it was Satan who was given permission to destroy all that Job had, God takes full responsibility for it, as Satan could do nothing without the consent of God.
(4) And Satan answered the LORD, and said, "Skin for skin, yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. (5) But put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse You to Your face!"
Satan seeks to do more to Job in an effort to turn him from God, but can only do what God allows him to do.
(6) And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life."
God allows Satan to do whatever he wants to Job's body, but he cannot kill him.
(7) So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. (8) And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself and he sat down among the ashes. (9) Then his wife said to him, "Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die!" (10) But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. What? Shall we receive good from the hand of God, and shall we not accept evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Note that Satan did not kill Job's wife, even though he had been allowed to. There is probably a very good reason and a very good lesson in that. Often Satan uses those who are close to us to tempt us. Job's wife was surely a good woman as Job points out she is talking like a foolish woman, indicating she probably knows better.
(11) Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, each one came from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. (12) And when they lifted up their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted up their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. (13) So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.
There are other scriptures that indicate that seven days may have been a usual time of mourning. Job's friends sat in silent mourning with him and allowed him to be the first to speak.
(Job 3:1) After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. (2) And Job spoke, and said, (3) "Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night on which it was said, 'A male child is conceived.' (4) Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it."
"Perish the day I was born! Let that day be blotted out of history." Job laments that he was ever born.
(5) "Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it. (6) As for that night, let darkness seize it; let it not be joined to the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months."
Job wishes the day he was born had never happened.
(7) "Lo, let that night be desolate; let no joyful voice come into it."
This is a good time to point out that I generally use just the King James Version of the Bible in my transcription notes. There is good reason for that, as I have written before in Which Version of the Truth Will You Use? I guess you could say I also use a little of the New King James version to replace some of the "thee's" and "thou's" of the 1600's Old English with more modern easier-to-understand language. However, I also make it a point to look at the original meaning of the words in the Hebrew and Greek. Sometimes, as I did above, I use a different word, based on the original meaning of the word, than either the KJV or the NKJV. My transcriptions of Bible scriptures are not meant to be a new version of the Bible; they are simply my notes of scriptures rewritten to help me best understand them, and I share these notes on this blog.
I say all that to explain that I have used the word "desolate" in verse 7. It was translated as "solitary" in the KJV, and "barren" in the NKJV. The original word "galmud" can mean sterile, desolate, or solitary. KJV translated it correctly, but that word didn't exactly express the idea well to me, and as I sometimes do, I felt the NKJV may have changed the meaning a little with their word. "Desolate" gave me a better impression of the meaning of Job's statement.
(8) "Let them curse it who curse the day, those who are ready to raise up Leviathan."
The last word was translated as "mourning" in the KJV. The original word is actually "livyathan", or our English "leviathan", and since that word is used in other places in the Bible where it is not translated as "mourning", I saw no reason to try to interpret it as that here. However, as with all the Leviathan scriptures, it's a little difficult to know exactly what Job means here. Leviathan seems to have been a big and terrible and formidable creature, so perhaps the meaning here is to equate the day with some mark of infamy.
(9) "Let the stars of its twilight be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day; (10) Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hide sorrow from my eyes. (11) Why did I not die from the womb? Why did I not perish when I came out of the belly? (12) Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse? (13) For now I should have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept; then I would have been at rest,"
Death in scripture is often called sleep. If Job had died at birth, he imagines that he would now be at rest and not suffering so.
(14) "With kings and counselors of the earth, who built desolate places for themselves;"
I believe Job means here that he would have been laid at rest with kings and counselors and people of like great distinction, in great sepulchres built for themselves. I don't think he's referring to the vanity of building things that do not last, for he seems to continue with the thought that it would be a good thing if he were at rest with all the others who would be at rest, too.
(15) "Or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver; (16) Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like infants who never saw light? (17) There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest. (18) There the prisoners rest together; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor. (19) The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master."
Even the prisoners and the servants may rest there, small and great alike may rest, and that sounds good to Job in his misery.
(20) "Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, (21) Who long for death, but it does not come, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures; (22) Who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the grave? (23) Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?"
Why are light and life given to those in misery, those hedged in with no way of escape, those whom Job supposes just want to die?
(24) "For my sighing comes before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters. (25) For the thing which I greatly feared has come upon me, and that which I was afraid of has come upon me. (26) I was not in safety, neither had I rest, nor was I quiet; yet trouble came."
This could be a small interesting insight into the life of Job. Job was a good and pious man, but did he have an inner fear? There is a slight indication of this when he worried that his children might have sinned and therefore offered burnt offerings for them. We are told repeatedly in scripture to "fear not". Fearing not in the face of adversity is having faith in God, and even in this terrible tragedy of Job's, God is in complete control. Perhaps a better explanation for so pious a man is that this is part of the reverential fear that Job had for God. He knew that everything he had was in God's hands and could be taken away at any time: "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away."
Monday, May 16, 2011
Why Does God Allow Bad Things to Happen?
The genealogical introduction to Abraham in the last study, chronologically ordered by a Skip Andrews study, brought us to about 2000 BC. Job probably lived about the same time.
(Job 1:1) There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. (2) And there were born to him seven sons and three daughters. (3) His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. (4) And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day, and sent and called their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
Most of the early commentaries suggest feasting "every one his day" probably meant on their appointed days, perhaps birthdays, and the fact that they always invited all their sisters indicate much family harmony and good will. It should not be reasoned that these were drunken rebel-rousing type parties because they would have never invited their sisters to such events.
(5) And so it was, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all, for Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.
There was no indication that his children did anything wrong in their celebrations, but when the cycle of feasts were done, Job, being the pious man that he was, did these things just in case they had sinned or blasphemed God in their festivity.
(6) Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
The sons of God here are generally understood to mean angels by all the early commentaries.
(7) And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down in it."
Notice that this seems to be a rather matter-of-fact question and answer, as God does not become angry with Satan, but continues the discourse. Remember that Satan is the god of this world and that he continually walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, as Peter tells us in the New Testament.
(8) And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a pious and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" (9) Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? (10) Have You not made a hedge around him, around his house, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. (11) But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has, and he will curse You to Your face." (12) And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
There are people who believe this was either the act of a cruel God, or must be only a story because how could a loving God allow Satan to destroy such a good man? The old taunt of Satan's to get us to question God, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Once again Satan is the god of this world. When God told Satan that all that Job had was in his, Satan's, power, once again he was stating a matter of fact. But Satan can only do what God allows him to do, and in this instance, He did not allow Satan to touch Job's body.
Why has Satan been allowed to do all that he wants to do to us? Therein lies our choice. Do we willingly CHOOSE God or do we choose the world, and therefore Satan? If God never allowed evil and therefore evil choices, if we all lived in the Garden of Eden with no serpent ever tempting us with anything, what choice is there? We would merely be God's dolls and robots.
(13) And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house; (14) And a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, (15) When the Sabeans descended upon them and took them away; indeed, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you." (16) While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you." (17) While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you." (18) While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, (19) And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you." (20) Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and fell down on the ground and worshiped.
These were actions of grief, but he did not blame God, but instead worshiped Him.
(21) And he said, "Naked I came out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
I believe this is my favorite memory scripture in all the Bible. The Lord is still the Lord and He has given us salvation, true eternal life; anything else is just frill that comes and goes. The true blessing of the Lord still stands, and He is to be blessed INDEED!
(22) In all this Job did not sin, nor charge God foolishly.
Once again the question might be asked, why did Job have to suffer so much loss in so short a time? Once again the answer lies in the fact that Satan is the god of this world. Some times more bad may happen to good people because Satan thinks it takes more to drive them away from God. With some, it doesn't take much. Satan is all about keeping us from the Truth and our salvation. But why does God allow Satan to do so much? I already said I believe giving us a true choice is one reason. Another thing to remember is that God sees a much bigger picture than we do. He wants us ALL to be saved. If by allowing an example to be made of Job, more people are brought to salvation, then that is a good thing in God's eyes. And we should be willing to do God's will. Think of a parent who would willingly give his life to save his child's life. We like to think of it as being the parent's choice, like standing in the line of bullet fire to protect the child. But what if it is not the parent's choice, but it is his or her faith through a trial like death by cancer? Suppose through that child's witness of that faith or by their own grief bringing them back to the Lord, the child is saved as a result of that parent's death. Is that not a good and wonderful thing? We humans have a very different idea of what good and evil are. Although Satan does bring the evil things in our lives, God allows them because He uses them for good as we are told in the following scriptures:
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. - Romans 8:28
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. - Genesis 50:20
Blessed be the name of the LORD!
(Job 1:1) There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. (2) And there were born to him seven sons and three daughters. (3) His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. (4) And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day, and sent and called their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
Most of the early commentaries suggest feasting "every one his day" probably meant on their appointed days, perhaps birthdays, and the fact that they always invited all their sisters indicate much family harmony and good will. It should not be reasoned that these were drunken rebel-rousing type parties because they would have never invited their sisters to such events.
(5) And so it was, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all, for Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.
There was no indication that his children did anything wrong in their celebrations, but when the cycle of feasts were done, Job, being the pious man that he was, did these things just in case they had sinned or blasphemed God in their festivity.
(6) Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
The sons of God here are generally understood to mean angels by all the early commentaries.
(7) And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down in it."
Notice that this seems to be a rather matter-of-fact question and answer, as God does not become angry with Satan, but continues the discourse. Remember that Satan is the god of this world and that he continually walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, as Peter tells us in the New Testament.
(8) And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a pious and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" (9) Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? (10) Have You not made a hedge around him, around his house, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. (11) But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has, and he will curse You to Your face." (12) And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
There are people who believe this was either the act of a cruel God, or must be only a story because how could a loving God allow Satan to destroy such a good man? The old taunt of Satan's to get us to question God, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Once again Satan is the god of this world. When God told Satan that all that Job had was in his, Satan's, power, once again he was stating a matter of fact. But Satan can only do what God allows him to do, and in this instance, He did not allow Satan to touch Job's body.
Why has Satan been allowed to do all that he wants to do to us? Therein lies our choice. Do we willingly CHOOSE God or do we choose the world, and therefore Satan? If God never allowed evil and therefore evil choices, if we all lived in the Garden of Eden with no serpent ever tempting us with anything, what choice is there? We would merely be God's dolls and robots.
(13) And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house; (14) And a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, (15) When the Sabeans descended upon them and took them away; indeed, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you." (16) While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you." (17) While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you." (18) While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, (19) And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you." (20) Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and fell down on the ground and worshiped.
These were actions of grief, but he did not blame God, but instead worshiped Him.
(21) And he said, "Naked I came out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
I believe this is my favorite memory scripture in all the Bible. The Lord is still the Lord and He has given us salvation, true eternal life; anything else is just frill that comes and goes. The true blessing of the Lord still stands, and He is to be blessed INDEED!
(22) In all this Job did not sin, nor charge God foolishly.
Once again the question might be asked, why did Job have to suffer so much loss in so short a time? Once again the answer lies in the fact that Satan is the god of this world. Some times more bad may happen to good people because Satan thinks it takes more to drive them away from God. With some, it doesn't take much. Satan is all about keeping us from the Truth and our salvation. But why does God allow Satan to do so much? I already said I believe giving us a true choice is one reason. Another thing to remember is that God sees a much bigger picture than we do. He wants us ALL to be saved. If by allowing an example to be made of Job, more people are brought to salvation, then that is a good thing in God's eyes. And we should be willing to do God's will. Think of a parent who would willingly give his life to save his child's life. We like to think of it as being the parent's choice, like standing in the line of bullet fire to protect the child. But what if it is not the parent's choice, but it is his or her faith through a trial like death by cancer? Suppose through that child's witness of that faith or by their own grief bringing them back to the Lord, the child is saved as a result of that parent's death. Is that not a good and wonderful thing? We humans have a very different idea of what good and evil are. Although Satan does bring the evil things in our lives, God allows them because He uses them for good as we are told in the following scriptures:
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. - Romans 8:28
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. - Genesis 50:20
Blessed be the name of the LORD!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Genesis 11:10-32
Following a chronologically ordered Bible study by Skip Andrews, we'll now continue with a genealogical descendancy record:
(10) These are the generations of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood. (11) And after he begat Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. (12) And Arphaxad lived thirty-five years, and begat Salah. (13) And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. (14) And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber. (15) And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. (16) And Eber lived thirty-four years, and begat Peleg. (17) And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters. (18) And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu. (19) And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters. (20) And Reu lived thirty-two years, and begat Serug. (21) And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters. (22) And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor. (23) And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. (24) And Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and begat Terah. (25) And Nahor lived after he begat Terah a hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters. (26) And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran. (27) Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. (28) And Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans. (29) And Abram and Nahor took wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. (30) But Sarai was barren; she had no child. (31) And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot, his grandson, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans, to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. (32) And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.
This genealogy brings us to Abraham, but before we read about his life, we will turn next time to the story of Job, who probably lived at about the same time.
(10) These are the generations of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood. (11) And after he begat Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. (12) And Arphaxad lived thirty-five years, and begat Salah. (13) And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. (14) And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber. (15) And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. (16) And Eber lived thirty-four years, and begat Peleg. (17) And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters. (18) And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu. (19) And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters. (20) And Reu lived thirty-two years, and begat Serug. (21) And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters. (22) And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor. (23) And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. (24) And Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and begat Terah. (25) And Nahor lived after he begat Terah a hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters. (26) And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran. (27) Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. (28) And Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans. (29) And Abram and Nahor took wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. (30) But Sarai was barren; she had no child. (31) And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot, his grandson, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans, to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. (32) And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.
This genealogy brings us to Abraham, but before we read about his life, we will turn next time to the story of Job, who probably lived at about the same time.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
The Tower of Babel, Then and Now
I've been following a chronologically ordered Bible study by Skip Andrews. The last post was about the descendancy of Noah, those who populated the earth after the flood. In reality, I'm not sure that should have been chronologically placed before this chapter of Genesis because it spoke of families in their own countries and after their own languages. The separation of families by languages had to have happened after the confusion of the languages at the time of the tower of Babel which begins in Genesis 11. In defense of the order chosen by Mr. Andrews, a genealogy or descendancy list is hard to place chronologically because it begins at one time and ends in quite another.
(Genesis 11:1) And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. (2) And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. (3) And they said one to another, "Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly." And they had brick for stone, and they had slime for mortar. (4) And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top may reach to heaven; and let us make us a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad on the face of the whole earth."
But being scattered abroad is exactly what the Lord had instructed them to do! There are varied ideas on what the men were trying to do with their city and their tower. Were they trying to be as gods with a tower to heaven? They were obviously trying to make a name for themselves. Was it in defiance to God? Or was it to be a protection for them, united as they were and all in one fortified city with a tower to heaven? God had told them he would never again destroy them by flood. God had also told them to go forth and populate the whole earth.
(5) And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men built. (6) And the LORD said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; and now nothing that they have imagined to do will be withheld from them."
Nothing earthly, that is. They were in one accord to work together to do something that was against God's will, and nothing on earth was going to stop them.
(7) "Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." (8) So the LORD scattered them abroad from there on the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.
God scattered them all over the earth Himself and then they would populate the whole earth as was His will. It was actually a merciful act, as I will point out later.
(9) Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad on the face of all the earth.
Interestingly, men are still trying to build the tower of Babel today. The EU building was modeled after the tower of Babel. Purposely! The world is going toward a one-world order which can never work to bring peace as being touted, because it calls for compromise of one's core beliefs. How can Muslims who believe the infidels must convert or die live in a one-world system of religion and laws with Christians who believe Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation? One of them must compromise, and it always seems to be the Christian who is asked to do so. God did not compromise. Jesus did not compromise. There is only one truth, only one plan of salvation, and to say there are many paths to God is to deny Jesus Christ! From the beginning and throughout the Bible, God has called His people to be a separate people from the world and its worldly values. The god of this world is Satan and if we conform to a one-world system, it will be Satan's system. That is a fact that cannot be denied; God has told us that in His Word. In His mercy, God prevented men's attempt to make a one-world city and tower in Babel, and scattered His people. Amazingly, people in modern times believe that the model that God rejected back then is the thing to do now, even though Bible prophecy clearly tells us it will only lead to the anti-Christ. It amazes me that people either just don't believe God and His Word or they reject it, almost shaking their fists in defiance, it appears.
(Genesis 11:1) And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. (2) And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. (3) And they said one to another, "Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly." And they had brick for stone, and they had slime for mortar. (4) And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top may reach to heaven; and let us make us a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad on the face of the whole earth."
But being scattered abroad is exactly what the Lord had instructed them to do! There are varied ideas on what the men were trying to do with their city and their tower. Were they trying to be as gods with a tower to heaven? They were obviously trying to make a name for themselves. Was it in defiance to God? Or was it to be a protection for them, united as they were and all in one fortified city with a tower to heaven? God had told them he would never again destroy them by flood. God had also told them to go forth and populate the whole earth.
(5) And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men built. (6) And the LORD said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; and now nothing that they have imagined to do will be withheld from them."
Nothing earthly, that is. They were in one accord to work together to do something that was against God's will, and nothing on earth was going to stop them.
(7) "Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." (8) So the LORD scattered them abroad from there on the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.
God scattered them all over the earth Himself and then they would populate the whole earth as was His will. It was actually a merciful act, as I will point out later.
(9) Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad on the face of all the earth.
Interestingly, men are still trying to build the tower of Babel today. The EU building was modeled after the tower of Babel. Purposely! The world is going toward a one-world order which can never work to bring peace as being touted, because it calls for compromise of one's core beliefs. How can Muslims who believe the infidels must convert or die live in a one-world system of religion and laws with Christians who believe Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation? One of them must compromise, and it always seems to be the Christian who is asked to do so. God did not compromise. Jesus did not compromise. There is only one truth, only one plan of salvation, and to say there are many paths to God is to deny Jesus Christ! From the beginning and throughout the Bible, God has called His people to be a separate people from the world and its worldly values. The god of this world is Satan and if we conform to a one-world system, it will be Satan's system. That is a fact that cannot be denied; God has told us that in His Word. In His mercy, God prevented men's attempt to make a one-world city and tower in Babel, and scattered His people. Amazingly, people in modern times believe that the model that God rejected back then is the thing to do now, even though Bible prophecy clearly tells us it will only lead to the anti-Christ. It amazes me that people either just don't believe God and His Word or they reject it, almost shaking their fists in defiance, it appears.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
The Sons of Noah Populate the Earth
In my Bible study, I am using a chronologically ordered study by Skip Andrews, and following the life of Noah is this genealogy of Noah's sons found in 1 Chronicles:
(1 Chronicles 1:5) The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. (6) And the sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. (7) And the sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. (8) The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. (9) And the sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. (10) And Cush begat Nimrod; he began to be mighty on the earth. (11) And Mizraim begat Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, (12) Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines and the Caphtorim). (13) And Canaan begat Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth; (14) The Jebusite also, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite; (15) And the Hivite, the Arkite, and the Sinite; (16) And the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. (17) The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech. (18) And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber. (19) And to Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. (20) And Joktan begat Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, (21) Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, (22) Ebal, Abimael, Sheba, (23) Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.
Now we return to Shem and the direct line from him to Abraham:
(24) Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah, (25) Eber, Peleg, Reu, (26) Serug, Nahor, Terah, (27) and Abram, who is Abraham. (28) The sons of Abraham were Isaac and Ishmael. (29) These are their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael was Nebajoth; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, (30) Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, (31) Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael. (32) Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine, were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan were Sheba and Dedan. (33) And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. (34) And Abraham begat Isaac. The sons of Isaac were Esau and Israel.
Now we return to Genesis 10:
(Genesis 10:1) Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and to them were sons born after the flood. (2) The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. (3) And the sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. (4) And the sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. (5) By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided into their lands; everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.
The isles of the Gentiles were not really islands, but those lands that were accessible to the Hebrews from the sea; they had to go by sea to reach these lands. They are generally thought of to be the countries of Europe and Asia Minor.
(6) The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. (7) And the sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabtechah; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. (8) And Cush begat Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one in the earth. (9) He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD". (10) And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. (11) Out of that land he went forth to Asshur, and built Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, (12) And Resen between Nineveh and Calah (that is a great city). (13) And Mizraim begat Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, (14) And Pathrusim, and Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines and Caphtorim). (15) And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, (16) And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, (17) And the Hivite, the Arkite, and the Sinite; (18) And the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. And afterward the families of the Canaanites were spread abroad. (19) And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, to Gaza; then as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. (20) These were the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands and in their nations. (21) And children were born also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder. (22) The children of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. (23) And the children of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. (24) And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. (25) And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. (26) And Joktan begat Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, (27) And Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, (28) And Obal, Abimael, Sheba, (29) Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. (30) And their dwelling place was from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, a mountain of the east. (31) These were the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands, according to their nations. (32) These were the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood.
(1 Chronicles 1:5) The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. (6) And the sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. (7) And the sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. (8) The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. (9) And the sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. (10) And Cush begat Nimrod; he began to be mighty on the earth. (11) And Mizraim begat Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, (12) Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines and the Caphtorim). (13) And Canaan begat Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth; (14) The Jebusite also, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite; (15) And the Hivite, the Arkite, and the Sinite; (16) And the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. (17) The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech. (18) And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber. (19) And to Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. (20) And Joktan begat Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, (21) Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, (22) Ebal, Abimael, Sheba, (23) Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.
Now we return to Shem and the direct line from him to Abraham:
(24) Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah, (25) Eber, Peleg, Reu, (26) Serug, Nahor, Terah, (27) and Abram, who is Abraham. (28) The sons of Abraham were Isaac and Ishmael. (29) These are their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael was Nebajoth; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, (30) Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, (31) Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael. (32) Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine, were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan were Sheba and Dedan. (33) And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. (34) And Abraham begat Isaac. The sons of Isaac were Esau and Israel.
Now we return to Genesis 10:
(Genesis 10:1) Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and to them were sons born after the flood. (2) The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. (3) And the sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. (4) And the sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. (5) By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided into their lands; everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.
The isles of the Gentiles were not really islands, but those lands that were accessible to the Hebrews from the sea; they had to go by sea to reach these lands. They are generally thought of to be the countries of Europe and Asia Minor.
(6) The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. (7) And the sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabtechah; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. (8) And Cush begat Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one in the earth. (9) He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD". (10) And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. (11) Out of that land he went forth to Asshur, and built Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, (12) And Resen between Nineveh and Calah (that is a great city). (13) And Mizraim begat Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, (14) And Pathrusim, and Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines and Caphtorim). (15) And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, (16) And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, (17) And the Hivite, the Arkite, and the Sinite; (18) And the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. And afterward the families of the Canaanites were spread abroad. (19) And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, to Gaza; then as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. (20) These were the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands and in their nations. (21) And children were born also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder. (22) The children of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. (23) And the children of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. (24) And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. (25) And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. (26) And Joktan begat Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, (27) And Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, (28) And Obal, Abimael, Sheba, (29) Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. (30) And their dwelling place was from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, a mountain of the east. (31) These were the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands, according to their nations. (32) These were the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
The Symbol of God's Promise Hijacked by Satan
Continuing a chronologically ordered Bible study:
(Genesis 9:1) And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth. (2) And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, and on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. (3) Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. (4) But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.
Even as the herbs were food, so animals would be, but only when properly killed with the blood let out. They were not to be devoured alive as by a beast of prey. More importantly, blood made atonement for a sinner, and should not be considered an unimportant thing. The life of a sacrifice was accepted for the life of the sinner. The life or blood of an animal had a special significance to the Lord and was not to be eaten with its flesh.
(5) And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.
This scripture is a little difficult to understand. Whether your life is required if you take the life of another beast (life) or another man, or whether God requires the life of the beast or man who kills you, either way it demonstrates that God will avenge the blood of the murdered. The word translated as beast in the scripture above also means "life".
(6) Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.
Wow! Really take in that scripture for a moment. If a man kills, by man he should be killed...because man is made in the image of God! We are created by God in His image, each person on this earth special to God, and for that reason, not a life for man to take upon himself to dispose of. Think of that scripture in the context of abortion. Life is so precious to God; each one is conceived in the image of God, and not a life to be snuffed out by man, especially when you consider it is to the idol of convenience!
(7) And you, you be fruitful and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply in it." (8) And God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, (9) "And I, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your seed after you, (10) And with every living creature that is with you, of the birds, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you, from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. (11) And I will establish my covenant with you; never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." (12) And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: (13) I do set my rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. (14) And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; (15) And I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. (16) And the rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." (17) And God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth."
How atrocious and blasphemous that God's rainbow should now be a symbol for homosexuality, what God called an abomination! But Satan is the king of counterfeits. What he offers is worthless and usually just the opposite of what God offers. In this case, he led homosexuals to use a symbol of God's to promote the exact opposite of what God used it for - life. It was a symbol of God's promise that He would not destroy life as He had done with the flood, but homosexuals destroy their own lives with their behavior. Not only can homosexuals not be fruitful and multiply, and would therefore die out as a race if left to their own devices, but the average lifespan of a homosexual male is something like 42 years, and that is EXCLUDING DEATH FROM AIDS! The lifestyle is so destructive and dangerous, that they literally kill themselves. Throw AIDS into the mix and you have deaths at an average age of 35! IMAGINE THAT THIS IS THE DIVERSITY THEY WANT TAUGHT IN OUR SCHOOLS!! Think of the insanity of teaching that such a destructive lifestyle is normal, a lifestyle that could kill our kids in their 30's, but then they preach about unhealthy foods! That is one way you can tell that these political battles are not really about our health and welfare, but only about control and destruction.
(18) And the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth; and Ham was the father of Canaan. (19) These are the three sons of Noah, and from them was the whole earth populated. (20) And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. (21) And he drank of the wine and was drunk, and he was uncovered in his tent. (22) And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.
The word translated "outside" can mean "out in the street", so that gives us a little more insight to Ham's behavior. He probably didn't just accidentally see his father and privately tell his brothers, but he broadcast it in the streets, bringing shame to his father.
(23) But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they did not see their father's nakedness.
With great respect for their father, and possibly because of their own modesty and piety, Shem and Japheth covered their father in his embarrassment without seeing him themselves.
(24) And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. (25) And he said: "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants he shall be to his brethren."
It is interesting to note here that descendants of Ham were the Canaanites, who were destroyed by the Israelites, and also the Egyptians, and African slaves.
(26) And he said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. (27) God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant." (28) And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. (29) And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years, and he died.
To recap the blessing of Noah by God, He blessed life and promised no more destruction by flood. Satan has twisted that blessing to convince us that abortion and homosexuality are God-given rights. Incredible, isn't it? And truly incredible and sad, that so many so-called Christians cannot see through these lies of Satan to God's truth.
(Genesis 9:1) And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth. (2) And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, and on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. (3) Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. (4) But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.
Even as the herbs were food, so animals would be, but only when properly killed with the blood let out. They were not to be devoured alive as by a beast of prey. More importantly, blood made atonement for a sinner, and should not be considered an unimportant thing. The life of a sacrifice was accepted for the life of the sinner. The life or blood of an animal had a special significance to the Lord and was not to be eaten with its flesh.
(5) And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.
This scripture is a little difficult to understand. Whether your life is required if you take the life of another beast (life) or another man, or whether God requires the life of the beast or man who kills you, either way it demonstrates that God will avenge the blood of the murdered. The word translated as beast in the scripture above also means "life".
(6) Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.
Wow! Really take in that scripture for a moment. If a man kills, by man he should be killed...because man is made in the image of God! We are created by God in His image, each person on this earth special to God, and for that reason, not a life for man to take upon himself to dispose of. Think of that scripture in the context of abortion. Life is so precious to God; each one is conceived in the image of God, and not a life to be snuffed out by man, especially when you consider it is to the idol of convenience!
(7) And you, you be fruitful and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply in it." (8) And God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, (9) "And I, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your seed after you, (10) And with every living creature that is with you, of the birds, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you, from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. (11) And I will establish my covenant with you; never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." (12) And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: (13) I do set my rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. (14) And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; (15) And I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. (16) And the rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." (17) And God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth."
How atrocious and blasphemous that God's rainbow should now be a symbol for homosexuality, what God called an abomination! But Satan is the king of counterfeits. What he offers is worthless and usually just the opposite of what God offers. In this case, he led homosexuals to use a symbol of God's to promote the exact opposite of what God used it for - life. It was a symbol of God's promise that He would not destroy life as He had done with the flood, but homosexuals destroy their own lives with their behavior. Not only can homosexuals not be fruitful and multiply, and would therefore die out as a race if left to their own devices, but the average lifespan of a homosexual male is something like 42 years, and that is EXCLUDING DEATH FROM AIDS! The lifestyle is so destructive and dangerous, that they literally kill themselves. Throw AIDS into the mix and you have deaths at an average age of 35! IMAGINE THAT THIS IS THE DIVERSITY THEY WANT TAUGHT IN OUR SCHOOLS!! Think of the insanity of teaching that such a destructive lifestyle is normal, a lifestyle that could kill our kids in their 30's, but then they preach about unhealthy foods! That is one way you can tell that these political battles are not really about our health and welfare, but only about control and destruction.
(18) And the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth; and Ham was the father of Canaan. (19) These are the three sons of Noah, and from them was the whole earth populated. (20) And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. (21) And he drank of the wine and was drunk, and he was uncovered in his tent. (22) And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.
The word translated "outside" can mean "out in the street", so that gives us a little more insight to Ham's behavior. He probably didn't just accidentally see his father and privately tell his brothers, but he broadcast it in the streets, bringing shame to his father.
(23) But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they did not see their father's nakedness.
With great respect for their father, and possibly because of their own modesty and piety, Shem and Japheth covered their father in his embarrassment without seeing him themselves.
(24) And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. (25) And he said: "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants he shall be to his brethren."
It is interesting to note here that descendants of Ham were the Canaanites, who were destroyed by the Israelites, and also the Egyptians, and African slaves.
(26) And he said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. (27) God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant." (28) And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. (29) And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years, and he died.
To recap the blessing of Noah by God, He blessed life and promised no more destruction by flood. Satan has twisted that blessing to convince us that abortion and homosexuality are God-given rights. Incredible, isn't it? And truly incredible and sad, that so many so-called Christians cannot see through these lies of Satan to God's truth.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Our Country's Current Flood
My last Bible study was on Noah and the flood. God said He never again would destroy the earth because of man's wickedness, as He had done in Noah's time. However, He still sends us warnings to turn us back to Him. Some people have viewed "the God of the Old Testament" as a cruel punishing God. They felt the message of the Old Testament was "Do as God says, or else!" and in their rebellion, have rejected that message. I think that is another lie of Satan to try to get us away from the truth of God's love. In recent years my study of the Old Testament has shown me God's love and mercy even then. Through His judgments, He was constantly trying to turn the people back to Him where the blessings were. What so many people don't understand is that punishments are not always a direct action taken against an evil deed, but sometimes the result of the deed itself. You reap what you sow. Consider this:
A country that kills future generations through abortion finds it doesn't have enough workers and therefore money in the Social Security fund to pay all the promises it has made to the people. Now it takes over healthcare so that it can ration it which means death panels will decide who lives and who dies. Actually, there is only one Author of life, but death panels will take it upon themselves to try to make those decisions because they believe population control is needed for the salvation of the planet. As if they can really save the planet!
A country that embraces homosexuality, what God called an abomination, is a country saying, "We really don't care what you think, God!" God doesn't have to strike us dead because of it. We'll do it to ourselves! How do we be fruitful and multiply and have blessings on the earth when we practice the thing that will bring the exact opposite result?
Because people love "Mother Earth" more than their Creator God, they do stupid things that actually endanger the earth! In times past, God's nature could take care of itself. The occasional forest fires created natural breaks that would protect residential areas from the next fire. Now "protected" forests provide fuel for fires that cannot be stopped! The terrible fires of late may not be a striking punishment of God, but a result of our own actions.
Mother Earthers have kept us from drilling for oil in our own country which would provide jobs and a release from dependence on countries that hate us and want to destroy us. Therefore we have constant wars with those countries. We have so much regulation because of the EPA that it kills small businesses and forces them to go overseas for cheap labor and cheap parts that further destroys our economy because we can longer afford to produce here or hire here.
We turned our backs on God and decided that it really didn't matter if we had a president who killed babies and promoted what God called an abomination and purposely eliminated Him from his quotes of our founding documents and even covered up symbols of Him where he had to make a speech. That didn't matter because this man was bringing us HOPE and CHANGE! And we needed hope and change! So we turned away from our only Hope and the source of our REAL change! And God let us have what we wanted. And it is destroying us.
One quick look at today's headlines and you can see the flood of disasters we are currently experiencing. The storms and tornadoes are devastating, and may be the only thing that is not purely of our doing. Many "enlightened souls" will say we have caused global warming that is causing increased storms and earthquakes, but they will only look for more regulation, government control, and even population control, that will obviously destroy us further. There is so much more unrest and fighting in the Middle East that I believe is completely attributable to Obama's weakness that emboldens our enemies. He tells them constantly that the US is not a country they need fear. Latin America is a place we didn't have to worry about nearly as much as we have since Obama took office and threw our Latin allies under the bus, so that no one is really fighting the drug cartels anymore. Then there have been the fires in Texas. There's news they want to breach a levee on the Mississippi to ease flooding in Illinois, but it will flood fertile farms in Missouri. What might that do?
We are destroying ourselves because of our own choices! God doesn't have to do it! But He tells us He will heal our country if we turn back to Him on our knees, repenting and changing from our evil ways. How is it that we cannot recognize that the God of the universe holds our lives and blessings in His hands? How is it we can still be so flippant about the things of our Lord? May the dear Lord have mercy on our country and not give us what we deserve!
A country that kills future generations through abortion finds it doesn't have enough workers and therefore money in the Social Security fund to pay all the promises it has made to the people. Now it takes over healthcare so that it can ration it which means death panels will decide who lives and who dies. Actually, there is only one Author of life, but death panels will take it upon themselves to try to make those decisions because they believe population control is needed for the salvation of the planet. As if they can really save the planet!
A country that embraces homosexuality, what God called an abomination, is a country saying, "We really don't care what you think, God!" God doesn't have to strike us dead because of it. We'll do it to ourselves! How do we be fruitful and multiply and have blessings on the earth when we practice the thing that will bring the exact opposite result?
Because people love "Mother Earth" more than their Creator God, they do stupid things that actually endanger the earth! In times past, God's nature could take care of itself. The occasional forest fires created natural breaks that would protect residential areas from the next fire. Now "protected" forests provide fuel for fires that cannot be stopped! The terrible fires of late may not be a striking punishment of God, but a result of our own actions.
Mother Earthers have kept us from drilling for oil in our own country which would provide jobs and a release from dependence on countries that hate us and want to destroy us. Therefore we have constant wars with those countries. We have so much regulation because of the EPA that it kills small businesses and forces them to go overseas for cheap labor and cheap parts that further destroys our economy because we can longer afford to produce here or hire here.
We turned our backs on God and decided that it really didn't matter if we had a president who killed babies and promoted what God called an abomination and purposely eliminated Him from his quotes of our founding documents and even covered up symbols of Him where he had to make a speech. That didn't matter because this man was bringing us HOPE and CHANGE! And we needed hope and change! So we turned away from our only Hope and the source of our REAL change! And God let us have what we wanted. And it is destroying us.
One quick look at today's headlines and you can see the flood of disasters we are currently experiencing. The storms and tornadoes are devastating, and may be the only thing that is not purely of our doing. Many "enlightened souls" will say we have caused global warming that is causing increased storms and earthquakes, but they will only look for more regulation, government control, and even population control, that will obviously destroy us further. There is so much more unrest and fighting in the Middle East that I believe is completely attributable to Obama's weakness that emboldens our enemies. He tells them constantly that the US is not a country they need fear. Latin America is a place we didn't have to worry about nearly as much as we have since Obama took office and threw our Latin allies under the bus, so that no one is really fighting the drug cartels anymore. Then there have been the fires in Texas. There's news they want to breach a levee on the Mississippi to ease flooding in Illinois, but it will flood fertile farms in Missouri. What might that do?
We are destroying ourselves because of our own choices! God doesn't have to do it! But He tells us He will heal our country if we turn back to Him on our knees, repenting and changing from our evil ways. How is it that we cannot recognize that the God of the universe holds our lives and blessings in His hands? How is it we can still be so flippant about the things of our Lord? May the dear Lord have mercy on our country and not give us what we deserve!
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