Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(Exodus 14:3) “For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, ‘They are entangled in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ (4) And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honored upon Pharaoh and upon all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.” And they did so.
In the last study, we learned the Lord was not leading the people by a direct route, because He had said when they met opposition by the Philistines, they would have turned and run back. The Lord told Moses to tell the people exactly where to camp which seemed to hem them in on two sides with the Red Sea in front of them. Now we learn there is another greater motive in this decision. When Pharaoh heard that the people were not in a direct path straight out of Egypt, but appeared to be wondering around in the wilderness, he would assume they were lost and confused, and were now hemmed in with no chance of escape should his army come up behind them. Even after all he had seen and had experienced, Pharaoh, in his pride and hard heart, would see a chance to go after the Israelites. The scripture said that God Himself would harden Pharaoh's heart. As has been discussed before (more completely in the post on Exodus 4, especially verse 21), God would never harden the heart of an otherwise innocent human being, but He did not soften the heart of an unrepentant man such as Pharaoh. He allowed him to have and act on his prideful thoughts that he might overcome the children of Israel after all. The purpose for this, as explored in that previous post, and confirmed here, is that by delivering His people from what appeared to be an impossible escape, His glory and honor would be magnified upon the actions of Pharaoh and his army, and the Egyptians would have no doubt that He alone was the Lord. By knowing the true God, the Egyptians, those enemies and persecutors of the children of God, might actually be spiritually saved by seeing and coming to the truth. How simply God could have swept His people right out of Egypt, but by delivering them miraculously time after time after time, He was patiently teaching those who witnessed the miracles and those of us who would read the history of them centuries later, that He alone was and IS the one true Lord. When the last part of the scripture above said, "And they did so", that referred to Exodus 14:2, which was studied in the last post, when God told the people exactly where to camp. They did as He said.
(5) And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, “Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?”
Pharaoh knew that the people had left, but he might have imagined that they still just intended to go three days' journey into the wilderness to serve their Lord, and would return, as Moses had first asked of Pharaoh. After all that had happened as a result of his refusal, you would think he would know better, but that is part of the hardening of his already proud and obstinate heart. When he knew for certain that the Israelites had fled Egypt with no apparent intention of returning, Pharaoh and his servants questioned why they had ever "let" them go.
(6) And he made ready his chariot and took his people with him. (7) And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
Pharaoh readied his own chariot for the pursuit, and took "his people" with him. It seems he took more than his servants and his army with him. He took 600 chosen chariots which could have been the ones chosen as his personal army, but then it added that he took all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over all of them. Much discussion was made among the old commentators about just who was meant by all these people. Perhaps Pharaoh took all the people along with their chariots and they were made captains over them, or maybe he just took their chariots for his service and his own men captained the use of the chariots. I tend to believe that since the purpose of this hardening of Pharaoh's heart to pursue the Israelites was to show the Egyptians that God alone was Lord, it was certainly a huge number of the Egyptians who did indeed go. For maximum impact and impression on the people who would witness the next miracle, I believe there was a maximum number of Egyptians who went in pursuit.
(8) And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with a high hand. (9) But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon. (10) And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD.
The Lord indeed hardened the heart of Pharaoh, as He had said He would, and Pharaoh indeed pursued after the children of Israel, who had gone out with boldness. However, when Pharaoh and the Egyptians caught up with them at their camp and they saw them approaching, they became afraid and cried out to the Lord.
(11) And they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you
taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us,
to bring us up out of Egypt? (12) Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”
The people cried out to the Lord who was their true help, but then they became bitter and sarcastic toward Moses, and blamed him for bringing them out of Egypt into this wilderness where they felt sure they would die. They even told Moses, in effect, "we told you so", by referring to a time in Egypt when they had told him to leave them alone and just let them serve the Egyptians--possibly a reference to the time Moses asked Pharaoh to let the people go and serve their Lord, and Pharaoh then made it harder on the people by taking away their straw.
(13) And Moses said to the people, “Fear you not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will show to you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall see them again no more forever. (14) The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”
Moses answered the people's gloom and sarcasm with calm and comfort, telling them not to be afraid, to just be still and watch the Lord act on their behalf. Moses spoke in great faith; either God had told him what He would do, or he knew it by spirit of prophecy from the Holy Spirit, or maybe he had even learned to trust the Lord completely. God said he would harden Pharaoh's heart to come after them; Moses surely understood it was not to now let him overtake them after their miraculous departure from Egypt! Moses told them after today they would not see those Egyptians again. Once again, he told the people to be still, be silent, and the Lord would fight for them.
(15) And the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. (16) But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it; and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea."
It would seem that although Moses spoke in faith to the people, he was inwardly crying out to the Lord, as the Lord spoke directly to Moses when He asked why cry to Him? I suppose He could have been asking why do "you" the children of Israel as a whole, cry out to Him. Perhaps this was the voice Moses was hearing when he answered the children in great faith that caused him to know the Lord was about to act in a big way on behalf of the Israelites. God told Moses to tell the children to go forward. Go forward! Toward the sea! Don't stand there crying; keep going forward! The Israelites would be asked to go forward in faith before they saw what God would do! God told Moses to then lift up his rod, stretch it out over the sea, and divide it! As simply as that! The children would then walk through the midst of the sea on dry ground.
(17) “And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them; and I will gain honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. (18) And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gained honor for Myself upon Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
In my attempt to retype the best translation for my study, I almost fell for the simplicity of the NKJV that didn't omit as many words as the NIV, but still would have missed something important. I once did a study of the different Bible translations and saw just how much the NIV, especially, deleted from the original Bible texts (see here), but I sometimes go with the plainer, easier to understand, language of the NKJV, but here it omitted words that seemed redundant, but to Bible scholar Matthew Henry, they were important purposeful words--"And I, behold, I will..." The NKJV would have us believe it should be just, "And I indeed will..." The NIV considered all the words redundant, and just translated, "And I will..." Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, wrote that this phrase was expressly used to show God's sovereignty--"I, see here, I alone will do this thing..." So much of God's sovereignty, and especially the divinity of Jesus Christ, is missed in the NIV and newer translations of the Bible; I can't say enough about that, and strongly encourage a thorough study on the subject. I have many great links in my past blog post entitled, "Which Version of the Truth Will You Use?"
Returning to the scripture above, God alone would harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they would follow the Israelites into the sea. Seeing the children of Israel run through the sea, they would be fearless and thoughtless about the dangers, and run straight through the sea themselves. With this final miraculous act against and over Pharaoh, completely destroying him so that he could not again rise up against the children of Israel, the Egyptians would ultimately know that the Lord of the Israelites was the one true omnipotent and eternal God.
(19) And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face and stood behind them. (20) And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these; so that the one did not come near the other all that night.
How dramatic this must have been! The Angel of God, who may have well been Jesus Christ Himself, as touched on in the last blog post (especially Exodus 13:21), in the pillar of cloud, moved from His location as leader in front of the Israelites, to go to the rear of the congregation. The Lord in the cloud was now positioned to protect the Israelites from the Egyptians who were behind them. The same cloud was darkness to the Egyptians, but was light to the Israelites by night, so that neither camp came near to the other all that night.
(21) And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
It appears that Moses must have stretched his rod out over the sea that night, and the Lord caused an east wind all that night that divided the waters of the sea and made a path of dry land in the midst.
(22) And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
The children of Israel went through the midst of the sea probably in the very early morning, as will be confirmed a couple of verses later. For all the naysayers who through the years have tried to explain the natural phenomenon that created a way through the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross, the verse above stated that the Israelites specifically went through on dry ground with the waters as walls on either side of them. No natural occurrence could have managed that! Besides, God had already stated that He, behold, He alone would accomplish this.
(23) And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. (24) And it came to pass that in the morning watch the LORD looked upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and troubled the army of the Egyptians. (25) And took off their chariot wheels, that they drove them with difficulty; so that the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.”
Since neither camp came near to the other during the night, it can be assumed this is indeed in the early morning that the Israelites crossed through the Red Sea, and now the Egyptians began to pursue them. In the morning watch, probably the last night watch right before dawn, which I assume is the time when all this activity began, the Lord looked upon the Egyptians now pursuing the Israelites, and "troubled" them. The original word, "hamam", meant "to put into commotion" or "confuse". The Lord created chaos for the Egyptians. He caused the wheels of their chariots to come off, and this must have been so dramatic and impressive, that they knew it was the Lord Himself doing it. They understood that the Lord fought for the Israelites against them and they desired to turn away and flee from them.
(26) And the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come
back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” (27) And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it, and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. (28) And the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
After confusing the Egyptians, probably both to slow them in their pursuit of the Israelites and to keep them in the midst of the sea longer when they tried to retreat, the Lord told Moses to stretch his hand out over the sea so that the waters that stood as walls would now return as they were and would come down upon the Egyptians. Moses did so, and as dawn broke and morning appeared, the sea returned as it had been before, and the Egyptians were caught trying to flee against it, which was, of course, futile, and they were covered by the waters of the Red Sea. All the chariots, which most assuredly included the chariot of Pharaoh himself, all the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh, who had gone into the sea after the Israelites, were drowned. Not a single one of them remained. In keeping with the possibility that the Lord may have used this great miracle to save even some of the Egyptians who would come to know Him as Lord and Savior (as discussed in the post on Exodus 4, especially verse 21), I don't believe the scripture necessarily meant that every last Egyptian was drowned, but only those who had followed the Israelites into the sea. I believe it is possible that some not in the midst of the sea remained to tell of this awesome miracle. Now the sea kept them from pursuing even if they wanted to, but I believe it is possible that there were Egyptians who now knew the true Lord (verse 4) because of what they had just witnessed, and lived to tell about it.
(29) But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. (30) Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. (31) And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians; and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses.
The Lord had drowned every last Egyptian who had gone into the sea after the Israelites, but all the children of Israel had walked upon dry land in the midst of the Red Sea, with walls of water on each side of them. In this way, the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, for up to that point, He had delivered them out of Egypt, yes, but now they had been completely saved from their enemy when the Egyptians were totally destroyed. The Israelites saw the dead Egyptians on the shore, meaning the tides of the sea must have deposited them all on the shore. Many of the old Bible commentaries point to this as the time when the Israelites, by the spoils of the Egyptians, were probably furnished with riches, clothing, and arms, that were later used in their wars on the way to the promised land. Even the historian Josephus wrote that the arms of the Egyptians were cast upon the shore where the Israelites camped, and Moses gathered them up and armed the Hebrews with them. This was how they came to have arms, since it was not likely they came out of Egypt with arms; and it was how they were able to fight battles as they did in the wilderness and when they came into the land of Canaan.
The children of Israel saw what a great work the Lord did in completely delivering them from the Egyptians and destroying their enemy, that they now feared and revered their Lord, and they believed and trusted Him and Moses as His servant, now that they had seen Him so mightily fulfill all His promises that He had made through Moses.
The chronological Bible study I follow set forth by Skip Andrews, now takes me to Hebrews, chapter 11:
(Hebrews 11:27) By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
Hebrews, chapter 11, told of the great Biblical heroes of faith. Hebrews 11:23 began telling of the life of Moses, and it continued here in verse 27. By faith, Moses left Egypt behind, not fearing the wrath of the king, as he did fear him many years before when he fled to Midian (Exodus 2:15). Moses patiently persevered through all the many appearances before the king, through all the trials and difficulties, to lead the people out of Egypt. He was able to endure because he had great faith in God as if he personally saw Him before him leading him all the way.
(28) Through faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
"Kept" is a weak translation of the original word, "poieo", which literally meant "to make". Through faith in God, Moses instituted the Passover, beginning with the very first Passover when the children of Israel sprinkled blood on their door posts so that the destroying angel who struck all the firstborn in Egypt would pass over their houses.
(29) By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, which the Egyptians attempting to do were drowned.
Finally, by faith in God, Moses led the people right through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, which it actually was, but it was as if there had been no sea blocking their escape, at least not in their path between the walls of sea on either side. When you imagine such a sight, it must have taken tremendous faith in God to walk through those huge walls of water that were a seeming impossibility to the natural mind. They passed through, but when the Egyptians attempted to follow them the same way, they were drowned. Although Moses was the real hero of faith who first led them through the Red Sea, the scripture above said, "By faith, they..." It would seem it would take faith to trust that one could pass through walls of water and not have them pour back down on them and drown them. When the Egyptians attempted to follow just because they had seen the Israelites do it, they were drowned. I don't know that this means it was by faith alone that they were saved, and that all who were allowed passage had saving faith. I believe God planned to save His people Israel, at any rate, but it did prove to the children of Israel that this passage way was made by God alone, confirming that they should place their faith only in the One who could save them. The drowning of the Egyptians by the return of the waters was in accordance with natural laws, and showed the Israelites that they, too, would have been destroyed if God had not made the way for them.
By way of conclusion to this post about the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, I refer back to the last verse in Exodus, chapter 14, where the people "saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians; and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses." Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, wrote, that after reading that, we would "have been led to conclude that this people would have gone on their way rejoicing, trusting in God with their whole heart, and never leaning to their own understanding; but alas! we find that as soon as any new difficulty occurred, they murmured against God and their leaders, despised the pleasant land, and gave no credence to his word. Their case is not a solitary one: most of those who are called Christians are not more remarkable for faith and patience. Every reverse will necessarily pain and discompose the people who are seeking their portion in this life. And it is a sure mark of a worldly mind, when we trust the God of Providence and grace no farther than we see the operations of his hand in our immediate supply; and murmur and repine when the hand of his bounty seems closed, and the influences of his Spirit restrained, though our unthankful and unholy carriage has been the cause of this change. Those alone who humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, shall be lifted up in due season. Reader, thou canst never be deceived in trusting thy all, the concerns of thy body and soul, to Him who divided the sea, saved the Hebrews, and destroyed the Egyptians."
Showing posts with label Hebrews 11. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hebrews 11. Show all posts
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
What Does It Mean to Have the Faith of Abraham in Our Day?
I chose to do a chronological Bible study this time. I enjoy it because I get to see when something happened in relation to something else. I get to read a psalm in context when it was written or sung as opposed to as just one in a huge chapter of many psalms. If there are more than one telling of an incident, as in the gospels, I get the full picture of it with each writer's slightly different details. Rather than reading a chronological Bible, I chose this time to use a chronological guide by Skip Andrews. It is this guide that leads me from the story of Abraham to this commentary of it in the New Testament:
(Romans 4:1) What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, has found?
The fourth chapter of Romans begins with the Apostle Paul asking the question about Abraham. Abraham is the Jews' ancestral father, the founder of their nation, and being the father of all believers, what he has found would be of extreme importance and relevance to the readers of Paul's letter. "As pertaining to the flesh" may mean simply that Abraham was their natural father, but it may be that Paul is asking the question about what Abraham has found with respect to the flesh, as opposed to the spiritual. Because this chronological guide has us beginning in the middle of Paul's thought, we don't get the best understanding. In the strictest chronological sense, Paul's letter didn't occur at the same time as the events in Abraham's life, so for that reason, this has not been my favorite chronological study, but it's different, and different gives a different perspective!
(2) For if Abraham were justified by works, he has something of which to glory, but not before God.
So what has Abraham found? We return to Paul's answer to his question. IF Abraham were justified by his own works, he would have something to boast about, as he was certainly a very faithful and obedient follower of God. But as all men sin and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23), he would have no room to boast before God; therefore he is not justified by his own good works.
(3) For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness."
Paul refers back to scripture to answer his question. Genesis 15:6 says, "And he believed in the LORD, and He counted it to him for righteousness." Because Abraham believed God, and all that goes with that belief, faithfulness and obedience, therefore God counted it as righteousness, although the actions of themselves were not altogether righteous. We certainly read of many cases where Abraham was not altogether righteous, truthful, or completely trusting of God, as no sinful man can be. It is a gift from God that He counted Abraham's belief in Him as righteousness.
(4) Now to him who works, the reward is not reckoned as grace but as debt.
If all we had were our own good works to make us righteous before God, then our reward would not be as a gift from God, but would be in payment of a debt. We would be constantly working to keep ourselves out of hell, and we would be sometimes failing.
(5) But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
It must be pointed out that this doesn't mean that the believer does not work at all, but he is not working for his salvation. James will later show in his writing that the believer will naturally do good works because of his salvation in Christ, but he does not do them to be justified before God. The man who does not work for his salvation, but believes in the One who through His grace justifies ungodly sinful men, his faith will be counted as though he was completely righteous before God. What a much easier path God has provided for us! Jesus said that His yoke was easy and His burden light, and that if all who labored and were heavily laden, would come to Him, He would give them rest (Matt. 11:28-30). What a hard and hopeless life it would be to be constantly working, working, working to please God, and knowing that you sometimes failed. However, God provided a way that we could be righteous and justified before Him, by believing in the only One Who can do that for us.
(6) Even as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness without works, (7) Saying, "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; (8) Blessed is the man to whom the LORD will not impute sin."
Paul uses an example of David, again someone the reader would greatly esteem as someone to emulate, who said in Psalm 32, which Paul quotes, that a man is blessed to be seen as righteous without working for that righteousness. He is blessed to have the sins which would have prevented him from being seen as righteous, covered and not counted against him.
(9) Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
Paul asks the reader to then examine whether this blessedness of God comes only to the circumcised Jews, or to the uncircumcised Gentiles, as well. Paul points out that it has been established that Abraham's faith is what made him righteous.
(10) How then was it reckoned? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
Paul asks and then answers that the blessing of righteousness actually came to Abraham while he was uncircumcised.
(11) And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had still being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all them who believe, though they are not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also,
Abraham was justified first and then as an outward sign and a seal of that righteousness, he was circumcised. It was a seal of the covenant between God and Abraham that Abraham would be the father of all believers, even though they were not circumcised, that righteousness might be counted to them, as well. God had said that all nations would be blessed in Abraham's seed. Abraham was the physical ancestral father of the Jews, but he was the spiritual father of the Gentiles, because in his seed, specifically in Jesus Christ, the Gentiles could come to be considered righteous children of God.
(12) And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
Thus is Abraham the father of that seal of that covenant to not only the circumcised Jews, but also to those who have the faith that Abraham had, even before he was circumcised.
(13) For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
The heir of the world is the same, in essence, as the father of many nations, which is what God had promised to Abraham and to his seed. Paul says this was not promised based on Abraham's score of how well he adhered to the law, but was promised through the righteousness counted to him for his faith.
(14) For if they who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, (15) Because the law works wrath, for where no law is there is no transgression.
Paul goes on to explain why it is that the promise could not have been made to Abraham according to the law. If those who work to adhere to the law are the ones who are the heirs, then faith would be of no use, and a promise of God would be unnecessary, because if people achieved the "proper score", they'd achieve their salvation with no special promise of God needed. The law works wrath because its very purpose is to define right and wrong. If a person breaks the law, he is found to be wrong, and judged accordingly. If there is no law, then there is no breaking of the law and no crime to be judged harshly.
(16) Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
Therefore it, the promise, is of faith, not by obedience to the law, that it, the promise, is by the grace of God, a merciful gift from God, not as a result of a score on the works card. And this is so that the promise is guaranteed to all, not only to those who adhere to the law (the Jews), but also to those who are heirs because of their faith like Abraham's (the Gentiles). That is not to say that true believers would be lawless, but the law that Paul refers to in these passages is that of circumcision, and he makes it clear that it is not circumcision, or adherence to any law, for that matter, that makes one heir to the promise. It is by faith that he is given this gracious gift of God.
(17) As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations" in the presence of Him whom he believed, God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which are not as though they were;
Paul goes on to qualify what makes Abraham the father of us all from the scripture before this one, and that is because God said it to Abraham. God, who gives life to the dead, gave life to a dead womb. God, who calls things that are not, called someone a father who had no children and whose wife was past the age of possibly having children, as though he already was a father. Abraham believed God who said these impossible things because he knew, or had faith, that He could do the impossible
(18) Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, "So shall your seed be."
Abraham, against all probability, against all apparent and usual grounds for hope, believed in the hope of, or rather, was very hopeful for what was promised him, specifically because that is what God told him.
(19) And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, now dead (since he was about a hundred years old), nor the deadness of Sarah's womb; (20) He did not stagger at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; (21) And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform.
This passage pretty well sums up the scripture before it. The reason Abraham was able to believe in hope against hope, was because he had strong faith, and did not look at his personal circumstances, but rather looked to God, giving Him glory, knowing full well that God could do whatever He said He would do.
(22) And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Because of this great faith in God, this faith of Abraham was accounted to him for righteousness, before there was any circumcision law by which he could be "justified".
(23) Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, (24) But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed if we believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, (25) Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Verse 22 is actually a quote from Genesis 15:6, "And he believed in the LORD, and He counted it to him for righteousness." That was not written for Abraham's sake alone, that he alone might be found righteous before God, but for all of us who believe...... Believe exactly what? This is the important part--what we believe is essential, and Paul sums it up beautifully for us. We believe in God, knowing that He raised Jesus Christ, our Lord, from the dead, knowing that He was delivered up to death as a sacrifice for our sins, not for any of His own, as He was sinless, and that God raised Jesus from the dead that we sinful humans may be justified before God. This is the only belief and faith that makes us justified before God; this is the specific faith that lets us be counted as righteous before God. People today say so casually, "Oh, I believe in God", and "I believe in Jesus." Well, so does Satan!! Believing that either exists is not the specific belief that saves us. We must have the specific faith of Abraham! That God will do what He said and save us, but just as Abraham had to pass the faithfulness test, so must we, in order to be found righteous and given this gift of salvation. Specifically, we must believe and have faith and trust in the One who provided the only one Way through Jesus Christ that we might be found righteous before Him. We must believe that God sacrificed Jesus Christ for our individual sins, and that God raised Jesus from the dead, and that He was raised for us, and as a perfect illustration that we might also be raised, even though we are sinful. We are justified because of Christ.
Abraham believed God; he believed what He said. So must we believe what God says, not what we feel must be right. To believe in a god of our convenience, who does what we think he ought to do, is to believe in a false god. There is only one true God and there is only One Way to Him, whether it is convenient or comfortable to all or not! In this day and age many choose to believe that there are many paths to God; this is absolutely false and DEADLY! To true Christians, believers and followers in the One true Jesus Christ, they see these people as headed for certain eternal death! It IS certain death! So what an unsaved world sees as Christians "pushing their faith" on others is really their maybe-often-sloppy attempt to save the lost people of that world. Because the lost world does not understand what a true Christian knows, its people cannot see the truth of why Christians do what they do. They apply their own worldly feelings and actions, and decide they must be judgmental and bigoted or living in fairy-land.
I know that Christians do not always act in the most loving manner, but for the most part, I believe they are just misunderstood. Let's face it, we know that the largest part of our government is Godless. How else could we allow abortion and sexual immorality, including homosexuality, to be considered right? How could a true follower of Christ really believe that the taking of innocent human life is okay for the convenience of the mother? Some may say that once it was the law of the land, then leaders must uphold the law. But those same leaders do not uphold the laws they don't like, like the Defense of Marriage Act. If true followers of Christ were running this country, there is no way they would be voting to take God out of their political platform and trying to erase Him from the public square. It is very obvious we let Godless people run our country and then we wonder what is going wrong!
It's also obvious that the majority of media, at least what we consider the mainstream media, is Godless. Why else would they glory more in the immorality and violence, and be so biased toward the Godless views of man? Yes, I know they are supposed to be reporting news, and they report what they see, but who could truthfully argue that they don't report the news with a bias? It used to make me so angry about how blatantly biased the media were, but I am beginning to understand that they can't help themselves. They truly cannot understand a Godly perspective, so they attempt to report what they do not understand through their corrupt worldly views. I suppose the same is to be said of our leaders; they honestly don't know any better. After all, the Bible tells us over and over again, there is no wisdom but God's, so Godless leaders are incapable of making Godly moral laws! Godless news people are incapable of reporting the truth of those Godless laws. And the people who vote for Godless leaders likewise can't really know what they are doing. Why would a true follower of Christ intentionally vote for a man who voted on three separate occasions to KILL by neglect fully born ALIVE babies who happened to survive botched abortions? There are so many more reasons for a true Christian to flee from such a leader as the president we as a country have chosen, but to me that one reason is so black and white and blatantly illustrative of just how far we have let ourselves go if we can justify the killing of people!
I'll never forget a call-in listener on ACLJ (American Center for Law and Justice) with Jay Sekulow when he was fighting against partial birth abortion. The woman used her liberal talking point about how she didn't believe the government had the right to tell a woman what to do with her body. Jay asked her then if she believed the abortion procedure was okay, and proceeded to tell her what they did in a partial birth abortion. She was terribly indignant, and said well, if he was going to put it THAT way, they just couldn't discuss it! THAT was the truth!! But it was too uncomfortable for her to hear. Many times the truth is too difficult, but we are doing a disservice to ourselves and to our country, and certainly in this case, to the millions of lives that could be saved, if we do not take responsibility to simply vote against it, if we did nothing more. But to turn our backs and pretend it's something that it's not... Just think of how Godless leaders take moral issues and give them names the very opposite of what they are. Killing babies becomes "freedom of choice" and homosexual marriage, something God called an abomination, becomes "marriage equality". "Separation of church and state" is an absolute myth, but repeating that mantra over and over again has certainly worked, as people think it is fine and lawful to remove God completely from the public square, and then we wonder why there are so many problems in our schools. If people really understood what "freedom of choice" meant, if it were called the "Brutal Murder of Innocent Babies Act", how many people would then go along with it? Bad laws are purposely given names to make them more palatable. Why hide what you are doing behind deceptive names? If there was nothing wrong with abortion, there would be no reason we couldn't call it what it was and describe it!
Wicked leaders do lead the people to do wicked things. That was stated over and over again with the kings in the Old Testament:
"Inasmuch as I lifted you out of the dust and made you ruler over My people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam, and have made My people Israel sin, to provoke Me to anger with their sins," - 1 Kings 16:2
The media helps to perpetuate wickedness. Sex and violence and all kinds of sinful behaviors are glorified, and there is a definite liberal bias, as bad laws are usually reported as good, and attempts to change them to more Biblical laws are seen as bad, hateful, and bigoted, because they simply do not understand the Truth. Although leaders and media do help to cause people to sin, the people have no excuse. The Bible tells us they are "without excuse". They know better, but they choose to ignore the truth:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. - Romans 1:18-25 (NKJV)
How is it people cannot see this truth? Because they choose not to see it. God will reveal Himself and His truth to all who seek Him first, but in this day and age, people seek personal pleasure first and seek the things that they want to hear, regardless of truth:
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own lusts, because they have itching ears, they will heap to themselves teachers, and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and will be turned to fables. - 2 Timothy 4:3-4
How true and sad it is that people are willing to read other spiritual books, listen to Oprah, listen to what other people have to say, but resist reading the only true Word of God!
Continuing this chronological study, the author of Hebrews, who may have also been Paul, said this about the faith of Abraham:
(Hebrews 11:17) By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
I believe the point here is to emphasize that Abraham was promised numerous posterity, too numerous to count, and yet when God told him to, Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only begotten son, the only one through whom the promise seemed possible.
(18) Of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called",
Indeed, the author of Hebrews quotes Genesis 21:12, showing that it was through Isaac himself that the promise would be fulfilled, and yet Abraham willingly obeyed God and was going to sacrifice Isaac.
(19) Concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
The author of Hebrews answers the question about how Abraham was able to do what he did, which I have pondered a great deal in my lifetime. Here we see that if God was to use Isaac, there really seemed to be no other way for God to fulfill His promise other than to raise Isaac from the dead. So great was Abraham's faith in God, that he did what seemed absolutely contrary to what would have seemed humanly "right"! What a lesson there is to be learned in this! As it was already pointed out above in Romans 4:17, God gives life to the dead and calls those things which are not as though they are; the things of God are often opposite of what our sinful human nature may feel is "right".
The second part of the scripture above actually reads in the old KJV, "...from whence also he received him in a figure." I try to stay true to the KJV, as, after much study (see this), I believe it to be the most accurate, but in my personal study, I sometimes use the NKJV for more modern terminology that I can better understand if I feel it agrees with the original meaning. "From whence", meaning "from which", would mean from the thing just previously spoken of, that is, from death. It can also mean "whereby" or "for which reason", but the general idea is the same. In "receiving him", Abraham received Isaac back from the dead in a "figure", the original word being "parabole", meaning "parable". This was meant to be an example of faith and obedience for a parable. The same way in which Jesus used parables to explain the supernatural plan of God for His death and resurrection and salvation of the world, God used this incident in Abraham's life as a parable that was to be purposely recorded for the benefit of all generations to come.
Finally, in this particular chronological study, we have the words of James, the brother of Jesus:
(James 2:20) But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
"Will you know", meaning "are you willing to know" that faith without works is dead? James goes on to use Abraham as an illustration of his point.
(21) Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?
At first glance, this appears to be a contradiction to Paul's assertion that Abraham was justified by faith, but James continues to explain his point:
(22) Do you see how faith worked with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
Abraham had the faith first, and because of his great faith, he was able to do what he did, with regard to being able to offer Isaac as a sacrifice to God. As much as I enjoy a good chronological study, this particular study fails a little in that we don't get the benefit of reading what James had said up to this point, which more fully explains the point he was trying to make:
What does it profit, my brethren, though a man says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them those things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? So also faith alone, if it does not have works, is dead. A man may say "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God, you do well; the devils also believe, and tremble. - James 2:14-19
Wow! This should give lukewarm Christians great pause! People who believe that just believing in God, just believing in that "salvation" moment when they went down the aisle and accepted Jesus into their hearts, and yet do not live as Christians, and continue to live worldly lives contrary to the word of God, are given a rude awakening by the brother of Jesus. So-called Christians today may say they believe, but James says that by a Christian's works, you will see his true faith. Indeed, Jesus said, "By their fruit you will know them."
(23) And the scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God.
The scripture being referenced above is Genesis 15:6 which says, "And he believed in the Lord, and He counted it to him for righteousness." Later in scripture, 2 Chronicles 20:7 refers to Abraham, God's friend.
(24) You see then how a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
James concludes, at least, he concludes in this chronological study (he goes on with another example in his letter), that a man is justified by his works and not by only his faith. Paul had concluded that a man was justified by faith without the works of the law. This is why it is so essential to know the entire word of God in context! Both are correct and are not at all contradictory! It is a person's faith in Jesus Christ that justifies him/her before God, but you will know that a person is truly a follower of Christ by his/her works! Anything less than that, taking only one part of that out of context, is to distort the whole meaning, as Satan, who also believes in God and Jesus Christ, does, as evidenced by his deceptive temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4:6 and Luke 4:10-11.
In my conclusion, I have to now admit that this was a good chronological order after all, as it sums up what true faith in Jesus Christ really means in its entirety!
(Romans 4:1) What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, has found?
The fourth chapter of Romans begins with the Apostle Paul asking the question about Abraham. Abraham is the Jews' ancestral father, the founder of their nation, and being the father of all believers, what he has found would be of extreme importance and relevance to the readers of Paul's letter. "As pertaining to the flesh" may mean simply that Abraham was their natural father, but it may be that Paul is asking the question about what Abraham has found with respect to the flesh, as opposed to the spiritual. Because this chronological guide has us beginning in the middle of Paul's thought, we don't get the best understanding. In the strictest chronological sense, Paul's letter didn't occur at the same time as the events in Abraham's life, so for that reason, this has not been my favorite chronological study, but it's different, and different gives a different perspective!
(2) For if Abraham were justified by works, he has something of which to glory, but not before God.
So what has Abraham found? We return to Paul's answer to his question. IF Abraham were justified by his own works, he would have something to boast about, as he was certainly a very faithful and obedient follower of God. But as all men sin and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23), he would have no room to boast before God; therefore he is not justified by his own good works.
(3) For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness."
Paul refers back to scripture to answer his question. Genesis 15:6 says, "And he believed in the LORD, and He counted it to him for righteousness." Because Abraham believed God, and all that goes with that belief, faithfulness and obedience, therefore God counted it as righteousness, although the actions of themselves were not altogether righteous. We certainly read of many cases where Abraham was not altogether righteous, truthful, or completely trusting of God, as no sinful man can be. It is a gift from God that He counted Abraham's belief in Him as righteousness.
(4) Now to him who works, the reward is not reckoned as grace but as debt.
If all we had were our own good works to make us righteous before God, then our reward would not be as a gift from God, but would be in payment of a debt. We would be constantly working to keep ourselves out of hell, and we would be sometimes failing.
(5) But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
It must be pointed out that this doesn't mean that the believer does not work at all, but he is not working for his salvation. James will later show in his writing that the believer will naturally do good works because of his salvation in Christ, but he does not do them to be justified before God. The man who does not work for his salvation, but believes in the One who through His grace justifies ungodly sinful men, his faith will be counted as though he was completely righteous before God. What a much easier path God has provided for us! Jesus said that His yoke was easy and His burden light, and that if all who labored and were heavily laden, would come to Him, He would give them rest (Matt. 11:28-30). What a hard and hopeless life it would be to be constantly working, working, working to please God, and knowing that you sometimes failed. However, God provided a way that we could be righteous and justified before Him, by believing in the only One Who can do that for us.
(6) Even as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness without works, (7) Saying, "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; (8) Blessed is the man to whom the LORD will not impute sin."
Paul uses an example of David, again someone the reader would greatly esteem as someone to emulate, who said in Psalm 32, which Paul quotes, that a man is blessed to be seen as righteous without working for that righteousness. He is blessed to have the sins which would have prevented him from being seen as righteous, covered and not counted against him.
(9) Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
Paul asks the reader to then examine whether this blessedness of God comes only to the circumcised Jews, or to the uncircumcised Gentiles, as well. Paul points out that it has been established that Abraham's faith is what made him righteous.
(10) How then was it reckoned? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
Paul asks and then answers that the blessing of righteousness actually came to Abraham while he was uncircumcised.
(11) And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had still being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all them who believe, though they are not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also,
Abraham was justified first and then as an outward sign and a seal of that righteousness, he was circumcised. It was a seal of the covenant between God and Abraham that Abraham would be the father of all believers, even though they were not circumcised, that righteousness might be counted to them, as well. God had said that all nations would be blessed in Abraham's seed. Abraham was the physical ancestral father of the Jews, but he was the spiritual father of the Gentiles, because in his seed, specifically in Jesus Christ, the Gentiles could come to be considered righteous children of God.
(12) And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
Thus is Abraham the father of that seal of that covenant to not only the circumcised Jews, but also to those who have the faith that Abraham had, even before he was circumcised.
(13) For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
The heir of the world is the same, in essence, as the father of many nations, which is what God had promised to Abraham and to his seed. Paul says this was not promised based on Abraham's score of how well he adhered to the law, but was promised through the righteousness counted to him for his faith.
(14) For if they who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, (15) Because the law works wrath, for where no law is there is no transgression.
Paul goes on to explain why it is that the promise could not have been made to Abraham according to the law. If those who work to adhere to the law are the ones who are the heirs, then faith would be of no use, and a promise of God would be unnecessary, because if people achieved the "proper score", they'd achieve their salvation with no special promise of God needed. The law works wrath because its very purpose is to define right and wrong. If a person breaks the law, he is found to be wrong, and judged accordingly. If there is no law, then there is no breaking of the law and no crime to be judged harshly.
(16) Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
Therefore it, the promise, is of faith, not by obedience to the law, that it, the promise, is by the grace of God, a merciful gift from God, not as a result of a score on the works card. And this is so that the promise is guaranteed to all, not only to those who adhere to the law (the Jews), but also to those who are heirs because of their faith like Abraham's (the Gentiles). That is not to say that true believers would be lawless, but the law that Paul refers to in these passages is that of circumcision, and he makes it clear that it is not circumcision, or adherence to any law, for that matter, that makes one heir to the promise. It is by faith that he is given this gracious gift of God.
(17) As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations" in the presence of Him whom he believed, God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which are not as though they were;
Paul goes on to qualify what makes Abraham the father of us all from the scripture before this one, and that is because God said it to Abraham. God, who gives life to the dead, gave life to a dead womb. God, who calls things that are not, called someone a father who had no children and whose wife was past the age of possibly having children, as though he already was a father. Abraham believed God who said these impossible things because he knew, or had faith, that He could do the impossible
(18) Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, "So shall your seed be."
Abraham, against all probability, against all apparent and usual grounds for hope, believed in the hope of, or rather, was very hopeful for what was promised him, specifically because that is what God told him.
(19) And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, now dead (since he was about a hundred years old), nor the deadness of Sarah's womb; (20) He did not stagger at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; (21) And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform.
This passage pretty well sums up the scripture before it. The reason Abraham was able to believe in hope against hope, was because he had strong faith, and did not look at his personal circumstances, but rather looked to God, giving Him glory, knowing full well that God could do whatever He said He would do.
(22) And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Because of this great faith in God, this faith of Abraham was accounted to him for righteousness, before there was any circumcision law by which he could be "justified".
(23) Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, (24) But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed if we believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, (25) Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Verse 22 is actually a quote from Genesis 15:6, "And he believed in the LORD, and He counted it to him for righteousness." That was not written for Abraham's sake alone, that he alone might be found righteous before God, but for all of us who believe...... Believe exactly what? This is the important part--what we believe is essential, and Paul sums it up beautifully for us. We believe in God, knowing that He raised Jesus Christ, our Lord, from the dead, knowing that He was delivered up to death as a sacrifice for our sins, not for any of His own, as He was sinless, and that God raised Jesus from the dead that we sinful humans may be justified before God. This is the only belief and faith that makes us justified before God; this is the specific faith that lets us be counted as righteous before God. People today say so casually, "Oh, I believe in God", and "I believe in Jesus." Well, so does Satan!! Believing that either exists is not the specific belief that saves us. We must have the specific faith of Abraham! That God will do what He said and save us, but just as Abraham had to pass the faithfulness test, so must we, in order to be found righteous and given this gift of salvation. Specifically, we must believe and have faith and trust in the One who provided the only one Way through Jesus Christ that we might be found righteous before Him. We must believe that God sacrificed Jesus Christ for our individual sins, and that God raised Jesus from the dead, and that He was raised for us, and as a perfect illustration that we might also be raised, even though we are sinful. We are justified because of Christ.
Abraham believed God; he believed what He said. So must we believe what God says, not what we feel must be right. To believe in a god of our convenience, who does what we think he ought to do, is to believe in a false god. There is only one true God and there is only One Way to Him, whether it is convenient or comfortable to all or not! In this day and age many choose to believe that there are many paths to God; this is absolutely false and DEADLY! To true Christians, believers and followers in the One true Jesus Christ, they see these people as headed for certain eternal death! It IS certain death! So what an unsaved world sees as Christians "pushing their faith" on others is really their maybe-often-sloppy attempt to save the lost people of that world. Because the lost world does not understand what a true Christian knows, its people cannot see the truth of why Christians do what they do. They apply their own worldly feelings and actions, and decide they must be judgmental and bigoted or living in fairy-land.
I know that Christians do not always act in the most loving manner, but for the most part, I believe they are just misunderstood. Let's face it, we know that the largest part of our government is Godless. How else could we allow abortion and sexual immorality, including homosexuality, to be considered right? How could a true follower of Christ really believe that the taking of innocent human life is okay for the convenience of the mother? Some may say that once it was the law of the land, then leaders must uphold the law. But those same leaders do not uphold the laws they don't like, like the Defense of Marriage Act. If true followers of Christ were running this country, there is no way they would be voting to take God out of their political platform and trying to erase Him from the public square. It is very obvious we let Godless people run our country and then we wonder what is going wrong!
It's also obvious that the majority of media, at least what we consider the mainstream media, is Godless. Why else would they glory more in the immorality and violence, and be so biased toward the Godless views of man? Yes, I know they are supposed to be reporting news, and they report what they see, but who could truthfully argue that they don't report the news with a bias? It used to make me so angry about how blatantly biased the media were, but I am beginning to understand that they can't help themselves. They truly cannot understand a Godly perspective, so they attempt to report what they do not understand through their corrupt worldly views. I suppose the same is to be said of our leaders; they honestly don't know any better. After all, the Bible tells us over and over again, there is no wisdom but God's, so Godless leaders are incapable of making Godly moral laws! Godless news people are incapable of reporting the truth of those Godless laws. And the people who vote for Godless leaders likewise can't really know what they are doing. Why would a true follower of Christ intentionally vote for a man who voted on three separate occasions to KILL by neglect fully born ALIVE babies who happened to survive botched abortions? There are so many more reasons for a true Christian to flee from such a leader as the president we as a country have chosen, but to me that one reason is so black and white and blatantly illustrative of just how far we have let ourselves go if we can justify the killing of people!
I'll never forget a call-in listener on ACLJ (American Center for Law and Justice) with Jay Sekulow when he was fighting against partial birth abortion. The woman used her liberal talking point about how she didn't believe the government had the right to tell a woman what to do with her body. Jay asked her then if she believed the abortion procedure was okay, and proceeded to tell her what they did in a partial birth abortion. She was terribly indignant, and said well, if he was going to put it THAT way, they just couldn't discuss it! THAT was the truth!! But it was too uncomfortable for her to hear. Many times the truth is too difficult, but we are doing a disservice to ourselves and to our country, and certainly in this case, to the millions of lives that could be saved, if we do not take responsibility to simply vote against it, if we did nothing more. But to turn our backs and pretend it's something that it's not... Just think of how Godless leaders take moral issues and give them names the very opposite of what they are. Killing babies becomes "freedom of choice" and homosexual marriage, something God called an abomination, becomes "marriage equality". "Separation of church and state" is an absolute myth, but repeating that mantra over and over again has certainly worked, as people think it is fine and lawful to remove God completely from the public square, and then we wonder why there are so many problems in our schools. If people really understood what "freedom of choice" meant, if it were called the "Brutal Murder of Innocent Babies Act", how many people would then go along with it? Bad laws are purposely given names to make them more palatable. Why hide what you are doing behind deceptive names? If there was nothing wrong with abortion, there would be no reason we couldn't call it what it was and describe it!
Wicked leaders do lead the people to do wicked things. That was stated over and over again with the kings in the Old Testament:
"Inasmuch as I lifted you out of the dust and made you ruler over My people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam, and have made My people Israel sin, to provoke Me to anger with their sins," - 1 Kings 16:2
The media helps to perpetuate wickedness. Sex and violence and all kinds of sinful behaviors are glorified, and there is a definite liberal bias, as bad laws are usually reported as good, and attempts to change them to more Biblical laws are seen as bad, hateful, and bigoted, because they simply do not understand the Truth. Although leaders and media do help to cause people to sin, the people have no excuse. The Bible tells us they are "without excuse". They know better, but they choose to ignore the truth:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. - Romans 1:18-25 (NKJV)
How is it people cannot see this truth? Because they choose not to see it. God will reveal Himself and His truth to all who seek Him first, but in this day and age, people seek personal pleasure first and seek the things that they want to hear, regardless of truth:
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own lusts, because they have itching ears, they will heap to themselves teachers, and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and will be turned to fables. - 2 Timothy 4:3-4
How true and sad it is that people are willing to read other spiritual books, listen to Oprah, listen to what other people have to say, but resist reading the only true Word of God!
Continuing this chronological study, the author of Hebrews, who may have also been Paul, said this about the faith of Abraham:
(Hebrews 11:17) By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
I believe the point here is to emphasize that Abraham was promised numerous posterity, too numerous to count, and yet when God told him to, Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only begotten son, the only one through whom the promise seemed possible.
(18) Of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called",
Indeed, the author of Hebrews quotes Genesis 21:12, showing that it was through Isaac himself that the promise would be fulfilled, and yet Abraham willingly obeyed God and was going to sacrifice Isaac.
(19) Concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
The author of Hebrews answers the question about how Abraham was able to do what he did, which I have pondered a great deal in my lifetime. Here we see that if God was to use Isaac, there really seemed to be no other way for God to fulfill His promise other than to raise Isaac from the dead. So great was Abraham's faith in God, that he did what seemed absolutely contrary to what would have seemed humanly "right"! What a lesson there is to be learned in this! As it was already pointed out above in Romans 4:17, God gives life to the dead and calls those things which are not as though they are; the things of God are often opposite of what our sinful human nature may feel is "right".
The second part of the scripture above actually reads in the old KJV, "...from whence also he received him in a figure." I try to stay true to the KJV, as, after much study (see this), I believe it to be the most accurate, but in my personal study, I sometimes use the NKJV for more modern terminology that I can better understand if I feel it agrees with the original meaning. "From whence", meaning "from which", would mean from the thing just previously spoken of, that is, from death. It can also mean "whereby" or "for which reason", but the general idea is the same. In "receiving him", Abraham received Isaac back from the dead in a "figure", the original word being "parabole", meaning "parable". This was meant to be an example of faith and obedience for a parable. The same way in which Jesus used parables to explain the supernatural plan of God for His death and resurrection and salvation of the world, God used this incident in Abraham's life as a parable that was to be purposely recorded for the benefit of all generations to come.
Finally, in this particular chronological study, we have the words of James, the brother of Jesus:
(James 2:20) But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
"Will you know", meaning "are you willing to know" that faith without works is dead? James goes on to use Abraham as an illustration of his point.
(21) Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?
At first glance, this appears to be a contradiction to Paul's assertion that Abraham was justified by faith, but James continues to explain his point:
(22) Do you see how faith worked with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
Abraham had the faith first, and because of his great faith, he was able to do what he did, with regard to being able to offer Isaac as a sacrifice to God. As much as I enjoy a good chronological study, this particular study fails a little in that we don't get the benefit of reading what James had said up to this point, which more fully explains the point he was trying to make:
What does it profit, my brethren, though a man says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them those things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? So also faith alone, if it does not have works, is dead. A man may say "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God, you do well; the devils also believe, and tremble. - James 2:14-19
Wow! This should give lukewarm Christians great pause! People who believe that just believing in God, just believing in that "salvation" moment when they went down the aisle and accepted Jesus into their hearts, and yet do not live as Christians, and continue to live worldly lives contrary to the word of God, are given a rude awakening by the brother of Jesus. So-called Christians today may say they believe, but James says that by a Christian's works, you will see his true faith. Indeed, Jesus said, "By their fruit you will know them."
(23) And the scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God.
The scripture being referenced above is Genesis 15:6 which says, "And he believed in the Lord, and He counted it to him for righteousness." Later in scripture, 2 Chronicles 20:7 refers to Abraham, God's friend.
(24) You see then how a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
James concludes, at least, he concludes in this chronological study (he goes on with another example in his letter), that a man is justified by his works and not by only his faith. Paul had concluded that a man was justified by faith without the works of the law. This is why it is so essential to know the entire word of God in context! Both are correct and are not at all contradictory! It is a person's faith in Jesus Christ that justifies him/her before God, but you will know that a person is truly a follower of Christ by his/her works! Anything less than that, taking only one part of that out of context, is to distort the whole meaning, as Satan, who also believes in God and Jesus Christ, does, as evidenced by his deceptive temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4:6 and Luke 4:10-11.
In my conclusion, I have to now admit that this was a good chronological order after all, as it sums up what true faith in Jesus Christ really means in its entirety!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
God Planned for Our Salvation Through Jesus Christ Before Creation
I begin my chronological Bible study using A Chronological Bible Reading Schedule by Skip Andrews. I love how this schedule begins! I don't believe I have read these scriptures at the beginning of any chronological Bible I have ever read, but Mr. Andrews shows us that God had planned for salvation through Jesus Christ before the creation of the world!
Please note that in my transcription of the scriptures that follow, I have used a combination of the King James Version and the New King James Version. As I have written before in Which Version of the Truth Will You Use?, I believe the KJV is the most authentic. However, for better understanding I have replaced the "thee's" and "thou's" of the Old English of the KJV with the newer easier to understand language of the NKJV. Occasionally, when the KJV word made no sense, but the NKJV seemed to have changed the meaning, I went back to the original meaning of the word and used that. Please understand this is not intended to be my own new translation, but my own personal study notes, restating the scriptures in a way that I more fully understand. I hope you will find this study interesting in this particular order, in this particular version, and with these particular commentaries and notes, although it's just one Bible study among thousands. I would welcome and enjoy any comments. On with the study!
God planned for our salvation through Jesus Christ before creation:
(1 Peter 1:18) For you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your vain conduct received by tradition from your fathers; (19) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (20) Who indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
(Ephesians 3:10) To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, (11) According to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Psalm 40:6) Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required. (7) Then I said, "Behold, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me. (8) I delight to do Your will, O my God; yea, Your law is within my heart."
(Hebrews 10:5) Therefore, when He came into the world, He said, "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. (6) In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have had no pleasure. (7) Then I said, 'Behold, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me) to do Your will, O God.'" (8) Above when He said, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the law), (9) Then He said, "Behold, I come to do Your will, O God". He takes away the first that He may establish the second. (10) By that will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
The following scriptures show that Jesus Christ was in existence before Genesis 1:
(John 1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.
The Word mentioned above is clearly Jesus Christ as a few scriptures later in John 1:14, it is written: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
(1 Corinthians 8:6) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.
(Colossians 1:16) For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created by Him and for Him. (17) And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.
(Acts 17:24) God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. (25) Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. (26) And He has made from one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, (27) That they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from every one of us; (28) For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also certain of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' (29) Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's device.
I love these scriptures! They are some of my memory scriptures. Imagine that each and every one of us was planned for this particular time and for this particular place! It brings to mind Esther and the words that Mordecai said to her that she had come to the kingdom for such a time as this. Have we all been born at this time and in this place "for such a time as this"? It was a question that hit me like a ton of bricks when I first wondered it about me, especially when it really seems we are nearing the end times.
The following scriptures offer a preview of the Genesis account:
(Hebrews 11:1) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (2) For by it the elders obtained a good report. (3) Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. (4) By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it he being dead still speaks. (5) By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (6) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (7) By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not yet seen, moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (8) By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out into a place which he would afterward receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. (9) By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; (10) For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (11) Through faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. (12) Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. (13) These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (14) For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. (15) And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from which they had come out, they might have had opportunity to return. (16) But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country, where God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. (17) By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, (18) Of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," (19) Concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. (20) By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. (21) By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. (22) By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
That's it for the prequel! Next time I'll start at the beginning, Genesis 1:1.
Please note that in my transcription of the scriptures that follow, I have used a combination of the King James Version and the New King James Version. As I have written before in Which Version of the Truth Will You Use?, I believe the KJV is the most authentic. However, for better understanding I have replaced the "thee's" and "thou's" of the Old English of the KJV with the newer easier to understand language of the NKJV. Occasionally, when the KJV word made no sense, but the NKJV seemed to have changed the meaning, I went back to the original meaning of the word and used that. Please understand this is not intended to be my own new translation, but my own personal study notes, restating the scriptures in a way that I more fully understand. I hope you will find this study interesting in this particular order, in this particular version, and with these particular commentaries and notes, although it's just one Bible study among thousands. I would welcome and enjoy any comments. On with the study!
God planned for our salvation through Jesus Christ before creation:
(1 Peter 1:18) For you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your vain conduct received by tradition from your fathers; (19) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (20) Who indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
(Ephesians 3:10) To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, (11) According to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Psalm 40:6) Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required. (7) Then I said, "Behold, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me. (8) I delight to do Your will, O my God; yea, Your law is within my heart."
(Hebrews 10:5) Therefore, when He came into the world, He said, "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. (6) In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have had no pleasure. (7) Then I said, 'Behold, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me) to do Your will, O God.'" (8) Above when He said, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the law), (9) Then He said, "Behold, I come to do Your will, O God". He takes away the first that He may establish the second. (10) By that will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
The following scriptures show that Jesus Christ was in existence before Genesis 1:
(John 1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.
The Word mentioned above is clearly Jesus Christ as a few scriptures later in John 1:14, it is written: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
(1 Corinthians 8:6) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.
(Colossians 1:16) For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created by Him and for Him. (17) And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.
(Acts 17:24) God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. (25) Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. (26) And He has made from one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, (27) That they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from every one of us; (28) For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also certain of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' (29) Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's device.
I love these scriptures! They are some of my memory scriptures. Imagine that each and every one of us was planned for this particular time and for this particular place! It brings to mind Esther and the words that Mordecai said to her that she had come to the kingdom for such a time as this. Have we all been born at this time and in this place "for such a time as this"? It was a question that hit me like a ton of bricks when I first wondered it about me, especially when it really seems we are nearing the end times.
The following scriptures offer a preview of the Genesis account:
(Hebrews 11:1) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (2) For by it the elders obtained a good report. (3) Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. (4) By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it he being dead still speaks. (5) By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (6) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (7) By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not yet seen, moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (8) By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out into a place which he would afterward receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. (9) By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; (10) For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (11) Through faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. (12) Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. (13) These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (14) For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. (15) And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from which they had come out, they might have had opportunity to return. (16) But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country, where God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. (17) By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, (18) Of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," (19) Concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. (20) By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. (21) By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. (22) By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
That's it for the prequel! Next time I'll start at the beginning, Genesis 1:1.
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