A Christian's Guide to Studying and Applying the Old Testament
Text: Genesis 8:1-19 (NKJV)
1 Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. 2 The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. 3 And the waters receded continually from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters decreased. 4 Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. 5 And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.
6 So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. 7 Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. 8 He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. 9 But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. 10 And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. 11 Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. 12 So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore.
13 And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry. 14 And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried.
15 Then God spoke to Noah, saying, 16 “Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. 19 Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
As the Flood had begun with an act of God, so did it end. Initially, God "remembered" not in the sense that He had forgotten about Noah but that He took action based on the knowledge of Noah's (and the other creatures') plight in the Ark. This is the turning point of the Flood narrative both in literary format and the actual content of the story. God's judgment on the inhabitants of the Earth had come to a close, and now God looks toward the repopulating of Earth by the survivors.
Where is this land feature called the "mountains of Ararat (אֲרָרַט)" that the Ark came to rest upon, and can't we find the Ark to provide conclusive proof of the Biblical story today? It is difficult to put exact locations on the map for ancient locations with proper names. Man made places (such as cities) are easier to pin down since archaeology often finds names carved into walls or in records at archaeological digs, but this is still not easy. The most likely location is in modern Armenia near the center of the country above the plains of Araxes on a roughly 12,000' peak. This fits both with the minimal internal evidence in the Biblical account as well as tradition and logic. That area is an interesting place for the repopulation of mankind on the Earth after the Flood. Because of the location along land and sea routes, it really was the ideal location for mankind to spread out to the continents for repopulation.
As I mentioned in my last post, the flooding actually lasted for 314 days.
The passage closed with God giving a command not only to Noah but to all the inhabitants of the Ark. This command was already embedded within the genetics of all those creatures, but given the rebellion of sinful man, God spelled it out for him to make sure. They were commanded to bear young, to repopulate the Earth. This command was obeyed, and with the longevity of the human lifespan, the Earth repopulated relatively quickly.
An interesting question regards what was eaten after the dispersal from the Ark. Now, it is easy to accept that the animals were fed and supernaturally calmed from the desire to eat each other while on the Ark; however, what happened after they left the Ark? Wouldn't the lions just have eaten the sheep pretty fast? Well, it seems safe to assume that there were a lot of freshly dead sea animals left high and dry. This would have provided some food quickly. However, I guess that the long-term (a couple of years) answer was supernatural intervention. If one accepts the rest of this narrative, that isn't really much of a leap for an omnipotent God, is it?
There is something interesting to note in Genesis 8:19. Though Carolous Linnaeus is credited with the modern biological system of taxonomical classification, Genesis provides some better insight. In Genesis 2:19-20, we see that Adam originally gave the names to the various animal species. Not so much "Great Dane" as "dog," but this is the origin of biological taxonomy. Then, as the animals emerged from the Ark, we see that they went out "according to their families." It would seem that this was a technical classification as much as a parental unit. The animals went out with those of their same kind. This is both logical as we see it happen in flocks and packs every day, but it is also quite an interesting designation. In this case, the term best translated as "families" most closely aligns with our modern classification(s) of "species" and/or "genus."
Applications:
The applications here are again mostly intellectual. Know what the Bible says, believe it, and then apply it to your worldview. What holds the authoritative truth in your mind? Is it God who gave us the revelation of Himself in the Bible or the claims of pseudoscience masquerading as true science?
Other Studies from Genesis
"Herme- what?" How to Understand the Bible
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
4/24/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Genesis... The Flood Cleans Things Out (Genesis 7)
A Christian's Guide to Studying and Applying the Old Testament
Text: Genesis 7 (NKJV)
1 Then the LORD said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. 2 You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; 3 also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made.” 5 And Noah did according to all that the LORD commanded him. 6 Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters were on the earth.
7 So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean animals, of animals that are unclean, of birds, and of everything that creeps on the earth, 9 two by two they went into the ark to Noah, male and female, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the flood were on the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. 12 And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.
13 On the very same day Noah and Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark— 14 they and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. 15 And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life. 16 So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the LORD shut him in.
17 Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered. 20 The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. 22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died. 23 So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive. 24 And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
Here we see the story of the flood. If this is a subject that you are really interested in, I would highly recommend reading The Genesis Flood by Whitcomb and Morris. This is simply not the format to go all the way into depth for an adequate defense of a worldwide flood as recorded in the Bible; however, I will summarize them very briefly. The geologic strata are equally as well or better explained by a catastrophic flood than by millions of years of uniform processes. Many, if not most, of ancient societies had worldwide flood stories much like the one in the Bible, most notably The Epic of Gilgamesh from Babylon. The coherence of that many stories from societies geographically, culturally, chronologically, and linguistically separated (not Babylon and Israel...) lends great credence for the authenticity of the story. If an event more disconnected from Judeo-Christian religion (and thus more palatable to modern "scholars") had this level of coherence in such a breadth of evidence, it would be nearly undisputed as reality; however, in the post-modern attempt to reject anything of God, it is tossed aside as myth. The fossil record and fossil fuels equally well or better fit with a worldwide flood. Well, these are actually only a couple of the reasons and are not really explained, again because of space and time restraints.
Ok, on to the story itself. What does the Bible say? Almost all American children are exposed to the story at a young age. For some reason, it is widely incorporated into infant themes despite our secularized society, probably because it is considered as mythological as Mount Olympus and the Greek gods. Let's examine some of the details of this story.
First off, there are 7 of each clean animal and 2 of each unclean animal to be loaded onto the Ark. Why the differentiation? For that matter, since the Jewish law had not been given at this time, how did Noah know what the clean animals were? Obviously, Genesis 1-5 records only a smidgen of what went on during those thousands of years. Just because we don't have a record of God setting up a clean / unclean animal before Moses doesn't mean that it didn't happen. In fact, I would say that this is evidence that it did happen. It was probably far less structured than the Mosaic Law given on the matter in Leviticus 11:1-47 and Deuteronomy 14:3-21, but there was some valuation system in place for animals, likely in regard to sacrifice. The reason for such differentiation then, was that Noah would be sacrificing clean animals (8:20), and as such they would need more pairs to breed more and faster for the sacrifices and food than for the unused unclean animals. Likely, that 7th animal was sacrificed directly in 8:20, and then there were 3 pairs of clean animals and 1 pair of unclean animals left to breed.
Now, what animals got on the Ark? It was the land animals and birds, but every kind? Well, yes, every species. That is the 14th Century Hebrew word idea being imposed on modern scientific terms, but basically every species. So, for example, you would have had 1 species of dog from which all the subspecies resulted. It was through God's providence that all these animals came to Noah and got on the Ark, so it was also through His providence that they got along on the Ark and survived.
Notice that Noah was a very old man- 600 years old at the Flood. It is apparent from the genealogical records in Genesis that two events significantly impacted the human lifespan- sin in the Garden of Eden caused it to go from infinite to averaging roughly 800 years old and then the Flood which reduced the average lifespan to the low-100s. Most scholars think the reduced lifespan was from the increasing effects of the curse of sin and massive global climate change from the Flood. Of course, the human lifespan continued to taper off over time until modern medicine has caused it to head up slowly.
Most everyone knows that the Flood was 40 days long, right? Well, according to the Biblical evidence, the entire Flood experience from the start of the rain until they finished opening up the Ark was a total of 371 days!1 There were actually 40 days of rain, but there were another 274 days where the Ark floated on the flood waters without more rain. So, Noah's Flood lasted a total of 314 days.
Some people claim that the flood really happened, but it was localized in the Middle East. While a convenient theory to try and avoid scrutiny, this theory does not hold water (pun intended). Why would Noah need such a huge boat for a local flood? How would a local flood accomplish God's purpose of destroying all land-based life not on the Ark as judgment? Verse 20 tells us that the waters covered the highest mountains by at least 22' (probably the draught of the Ark), so that language is not consistent with a localized flood. These are just a few of the reasons, and again, more are explored in the Whitcomb and Morris book.
Ultimately, the Flood accomplished God's purpose of judgment on the Earth for humanity's sin. Only Noah and those with him on the Ark survived (verse 23).
Application(s):
Our task here is to learn the truth from the Bible, believe it, and stand on it against the attacks of the world. Creationism and belief in a worldwide flood are not inconsistent with science, although much of the post-modern scientific world has deviated from its real science roots and takes sides between competing hypotheses that cannot be tested. Stand on what you believe!
Other Studies from Genesis
"Herme- what?" How to Understand the Bible
Text: Genesis 7 (NKJV)
1 Then the LORD said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. 2 You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; 3 also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made.” 5 And Noah did according to all that the LORD commanded him. 6 Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters were on the earth.
7 So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean animals, of animals that are unclean, of birds, and of everything that creeps on the earth, 9 two by two they went into the ark to Noah, male and female, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the flood were on the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. 12 And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.
13 On the very same day Noah and Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark— 14 they and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. 15 And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life. 16 So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the LORD shut him in.
17 Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered. 20 The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. 22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died. 23 So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive. 24 And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
Here we see the story of the flood. If this is a subject that you are really interested in, I would highly recommend reading The Genesis Flood by Whitcomb and Morris. This is simply not the format to go all the way into depth for an adequate defense of a worldwide flood as recorded in the Bible; however, I will summarize them very briefly. The geologic strata are equally as well or better explained by a catastrophic flood than by millions of years of uniform processes. Many, if not most, of ancient societies had worldwide flood stories much like the one in the Bible, most notably The Epic of Gilgamesh from Babylon. The coherence of that many stories from societies geographically, culturally, chronologically, and linguistically separated (not Babylon and Israel...) lends great credence for the authenticity of the story. If an event more disconnected from Judeo-Christian religion (and thus more palatable to modern "scholars") had this level of coherence in such a breadth of evidence, it would be nearly undisputed as reality; however, in the post-modern attempt to reject anything of God, it is tossed aside as myth. The fossil record and fossil fuels equally well or better fit with a worldwide flood. Well, these are actually only a couple of the reasons and are not really explained, again because of space and time restraints.
Ok, on to the story itself. What does the Bible say? Almost all American children are exposed to the story at a young age. For some reason, it is widely incorporated into infant themes despite our secularized society, probably because it is considered as mythological as Mount Olympus and the Greek gods. Let's examine some of the details of this story.
First off, there are 7 of each clean animal and 2 of each unclean animal to be loaded onto the Ark. Why the differentiation? For that matter, since the Jewish law had not been given at this time, how did Noah know what the clean animals were? Obviously, Genesis 1-5 records only a smidgen of what went on during those thousands of years. Just because we don't have a record of God setting up a clean / unclean animal before Moses doesn't mean that it didn't happen. In fact, I would say that this is evidence that it did happen. It was probably far less structured than the Mosaic Law given on the matter in Leviticus 11:1-47 and Deuteronomy 14:3-21, but there was some valuation system in place for animals, likely in regard to sacrifice. The reason for such differentiation then, was that Noah would be sacrificing clean animals (8:20), and as such they would need more pairs to breed more and faster for the sacrifices and food than for the unused unclean animals. Likely, that 7th animal was sacrificed directly in 8:20, and then there were 3 pairs of clean animals and 1 pair of unclean animals left to breed.
Now, what animals got on the Ark? It was the land animals and birds, but every kind? Well, yes, every species. That is the 14th Century Hebrew word idea being imposed on modern scientific terms, but basically every species. So, for example, you would have had 1 species of dog from which all the subspecies resulted. It was through God's providence that all these animals came to Noah and got on the Ark, so it was also through His providence that they got along on the Ark and survived.
Notice that Noah was a very old man- 600 years old at the Flood. It is apparent from the genealogical records in Genesis that two events significantly impacted the human lifespan- sin in the Garden of Eden caused it to go from infinite to averaging roughly 800 years old and then the Flood which reduced the average lifespan to the low-100s. Most scholars think the reduced lifespan was from the increasing effects of the curse of sin and massive global climate change from the Flood. Of course, the human lifespan continued to taper off over time until modern medicine has caused it to head up slowly.
Most everyone knows that the Flood was 40 days long, right? Well, according to the Biblical evidence, the entire Flood experience from the start of the rain until they finished opening up the Ark was a total of 371 days!1 There were actually 40 days of rain, but there were another 274 days where the Ark floated on the flood waters without more rain. So, Noah's Flood lasted a total of 314 days.
Some people claim that the flood really happened, but it was localized in the Middle East. While a convenient theory to try and avoid scrutiny, this theory does not hold water (pun intended). Why would Noah need such a huge boat for a local flood? How would a local flood accomplish God's purpose of destroying all land-based life not on the Ark as judgment? Verse 20 tells us that the waters covered the highest mountains by at least 22' (probably the draught of the Ark), so that language is not consistent with a localized flood. These are just a few of the reasons, and again, more are explored in the Whitcomb and Morris book.
Ultimately, the Flood accomplished God's purpose of judgment on the Earth for humanity's sin. Only Noah and those with him on the Ark survived (verse 23).
- The Genesis Flood by Whitcomb and Morris, 3.
Application(s):
Our task here is to learn the truth from the Bible, believe it, and stand on it against the attacks of the world. Creationism and belief in a worldwide flood are not inconsistent with science, although much of the post-modern scientific world has deviated from its real science roots and takes sides between competing hypotheses that cannot be tested. Stand on what you believe!
Other Studies from Genesis
"Herme- what?" How to Understand the Bible
4/23/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Genesis... Obeying God in What Seems Ridiculous (Genesis 6:13-22)
A Christian's Guide to Studying and Applying the Old Testament
Text: Genesis 6:13-22 (NKJV)
13 And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. 15 And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. 21 And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them.” 22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
Without establishing this right now, imagine a situation where you did not know what rain was. Every morning there was a very heavy dew, but no rain. Now, some guy shows up shouting about a dew that comes down all day so heavily that all the land will get covered with water. Ok, maybe not understanding rain or floods is a little incomprehensible for us today. Imagine you are in the middle of a desert and it isn't even the part of the year where there is a little rain. A guy is shouting about how a huge flood is coming. How silly he must seem! In Noah's day, they didn't understand the idea of rain, let alone a worldwide flood. For that matter, he was preaching about living righteously and God's coming judgment for at least decades and up to 120 years (2 Peter 2:5, "preacher of righteousness"). At first, some may have wondered if there was something to it, but after 50 years of nothing happening, he must have seemed ludicrous. Building and building. And building. And building. Noah was, to his contemporaries, a lunatic. They didn't need the God he kept talking about and there certainly wasn't any "flood" coming that needed such a huge boat, or so they thought.
God tells Noah that the end to the human race as it existed at that time ("all flesh" was idiomatic for the human race), except as provided in verses 18-21.In order for righteous Noah and his family to escape such destruction, they had to be obedient to the specifics of what God had commanded. The theoretical questions arises about what would have happened if Noah had decided to make it a little bigger, thus disobeying God. I don't know, but I suspect that God found Noah righteous knowing that he would obey. Thankfully, Noah did obey the details of what God commanded, despite the long years of ridicule and hard work.
According to the scholars Whitcomb and Morris, the dimensions of the ark were 437.5' x 72.92' x 43.75' for a total deck area of 95,700 sq. ft. and a volume of 1,396,000 cu. ft. The sheer size of this and gathering of animals is a very strong argument against what many claim must have been a local flood (theory to be examined more in depth in later posts). This boat is roughly the size of the huge oceanic transport ships used today.1 The literally translated "gopherwood" was most likely what we would call cypress today.
Note verses 17 and 18. God promises destruction on the living things of Earth when one of my favorite Bible words makes its appearance- "but." Despite our human failures, there is a "But I" or "But God" to fall back on. He is merciful. He is longsuffering. He made a covenant with Noah to preserve humanity when He was under no obligation to do so. Praise the Lord!
Then, as God finished speaking, we see in verse 22 that Noah obeys. This is immediately and a direct response. No negotiating, no complaining, and no arguing. I think this is an excellent model of obedience for us to follow.
Obey God like Noah- immediately and without question. Today, we don't have the voice of God speaking to us audibly out of the heavens, but we do have the Bible (the Word of God). Every time we encounter the Word of God, we either move closer to God by reacting rightly toward it in obedience (of thought or action) or we move further away from Him by reacting wrongly, again in thought or action. The challenge is to react rightly when you see something in God's Word to obey it. Sometimes things in it seem ridiculous or too much, but remember what was expected of Noah here and consider Jesus as in Hebrews 12:1-3.
Take some time in prayer today to praise God for His mercy (not giving us the judgment we deserve) and longsuffering. He would be upright in annihilating each of us anytime we sin, but He doesn't. In fact, He forgives us freely based on the personal sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf.
Other Studies from Genesis
"Herme- what?" How to Understand the Bible
Text: Genesis 6:13-22 (NKJV)
13 And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. 15 And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. 21 And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them.” 22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
Without establishing this right now, imagine a situation where you did not know what rain was. Every morning there was a very heavy dew, but no rain. Now, some guy shows up shouting about a dew that comes down all day so heavily that all the land will get covered with water. Ok, maybe not understanding rain or floods is a little incomprehensible for us today. Imagine you are in the middle of a desert and it isn't even the part of the year where there is a little rain. A guy is shouting about how a huge flood is coming. How silly he must seem! In Noah's day, they didn't understand the idea of rain, let alone a worldwide flood. For that matter, he was preaching about living righteously and God's coming judgment for at least decades and up to 120 years (2 Peter 2:5, "preacher of righteousness"). At first, some may have wondered if there was something to it, but after 50 years of nothing happening, he must have seemed ludicrous. Building and building. And building. And building. Noah was, to his contemporaries, a lunatic. They didn't need the God he kept talking about and there certainly wasn't any "flood" coming that needed such a huge boat, or so they thought.
God tells Noah that the end to the human race as it existed at that time ("all flesh" was idiomatic for the human race), except as provided in verses 18-21.In order for righteous Noah and his family to escape such destruction, they had to be obedient to the specifics of what God had commanded. The theoretical questions arises about what would have happened if Noah had decided to make it a little bigger, thus disobeying God. I don't know, but I suspect that God found Noah righteous knowing that he would obey. Thankfully, Noah did obey the details of what God commanded, despite the long years of ridicule and hard work.
According to the scholars Whitcomb and Morris, the dimensions of the ark were 437.5' x 72.92' x 43.75' for a total deck area of 95,700 sq. ft. and a volume of 1,396,000 cu. ft. The sheer size of this and gathering of animals is a very strong argument against what many claim must have been a local flood (theory to be examined more in depth in later posts). This boat is roughly the size of the huge oceanic transport ships used today.1 The literally translated "gopherwood" was most likely what we would call cypress today.
Note verses 17 and 18. God promises destruction on the living things of Earth when one of my favorite Bible words makes its appearance- "but." Despite our human failures, there is a "But I" or "But God" to fall back on. He is merciful. He is longsuffering. He made a covenant with Noah to preserve humanity when He was under no obligation to do so. Praise the Lord!
Then, as God finished speaking, we see in verse 22 that Noah obeys. This is immediately and a direct response. No negotiating, no complaining, and no arguing. I think this is an excellent model of obedience for us to follow.
- The Genesis Flood by Whitcomb and Morris, 10.
Obey God like Noah- immediately and without question. Today, we don't have the voice of God speaking to us audibly out of the heavens, but we do have the Bible (the Word of God). Every time we encounter the Word of God, we either move closer to God by reacting rightly toward it in obedience (of thought or action) or we move further away from Him by reacting wrongly, again in thought or action. The challenge is to react rightly when you see something in God's Word to obey it. Sometimes things in it seem ridiculous or too much, but remember what was expected of Noah here and consider Jesus as in Hebrews 12:1-3.
Take some time in prayer today to praise God for His mercy (not giving us the judgment we deserve) and longsuffering. He would be upright in annihilating each of us anytime we sin, but He doesn't. In fact, He forgives us freely based on the personal sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf.
Other Studies from Genesis
"Herme- what?" How to Understand the Bible
Friday, April 22, 2011
4/22/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Genesis... The Toledoth of Noah (Genesis 6:9-12)
A Christian's Guide to Studying and Applying the Old Testament
Text: Genesis 6:9-12 (NKJV)
9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
"This is the toledoth of Noah..." This is how this section of Genesis is introduced. Unfortunately, the majority of scholars today erroneously believe Wellhausen's Documentary Hypothesis regarding the authorship and authenticity of Genesis, and they write off these four verses as a later and aberrant insertion after the previous eight. Let me provide you with an extended quote that will far better answer this than I could:
Now, moving from the integrity of the text to actually gleaning information from it, let's look at the content of this passage. Verse 9 says, "Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations" (see also 7:1). What exactly does this mean? Jewish rabbis have debated the question since before Christianity existed as a religion. Many of them interpret this passage to mean that Noah was righteous compared to his generation of people (which was the most wicked ever in human history), but he was not actually righteous as compared to, say, Jacob or Abraham. The New Testament does provide some illumination. In 2 Peter 2:5 (NKJV), the Bible states that Noah was a "preacher of righteousness." Hebrews 11:7 (NKJV) lists Noah with other faithful saints of the Old Testament right before Abraham, saying, "By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." I suppose that I would say Noah was a righteous man, both compared to his generation and other saints of other times. He withstood what had to be some of the greatest pressure, being the only Godly person really left on Earth. He faithfully preached the truth of God in the face of mockery and built a boat for a flood when no one had ever even really seen rain before. He is listed in the New Testament among that Hall of Fame in Faith (Hebrews 11). However, it really comes back to Romans 3:23 (NKJV), which tells us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." No one but Jesus Christ is perfect, and when compared to God, everyone else falls short.
Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The traditional view, based on largely on genealogies and their related tales elsewhere in Genesis and the Old Testament, holds that these three men led their families out from the Ark to repopulate in three different directions- Shem toward Asia, Ham toward Africa, and Japheth toward Europe. It was then from these men that the races originated.
Verses 11-12 continue to paint a very bad picture of humanity at this time. The term translated as "corrupt" carries the connotation that mankind had ruined or destroyed what God had originally created. Clearly, the Earth was not actually broken apart in some sort of nuclear holocaust, but humanity had ruined the goodness of Creation. The wickedness of humanity had "became so conspicuous to God, that He could not refrain from punishment."3 The sin was so bad that God could no longer allow it to exist. This toledoth of Noah shows us to the story of the judgment and salvation of humanity through one Godly man. 1 Peter 3:18-22 teaches us that the physical salvation of the righteous few in Noah's ark prefigured the salvation of the righteous, believing few (by percentage, see Matthew 7:13-14) through spiritual baptism given for the righteous answer of a heart and mind toward and through Jesus Christ.
Again, the normal interpretation of the Bible is the best. Don't be dissuaded by those who want to detract from it. Believing the Bible requires belief, but it is not baseless- ours is a credible faith.
As Noah's Ark was the only hope of physical salvation for humanity then, so is Jesus Christ the only hope for spiritual salvation of humanity now. Believe in Him and accept Him as your Savior at once if you have not already!
Other Studies from Genesis
"Herme- what?" How to Understand the Bible
Text: Genesis 6:9-12 (NKJV)
9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
"This is the toledoth of Noah..." This is how this section of Genesis is introduced. Unfortunately, the majority of scholars today erroneously believe Wellhausen's Documentary Hypothesis regarding the authorship and authenticity of Genesis, and they write off these four verses as a later and aberrant insertion after the previous eight. Let me provide you with an extended quote that will far better answer this than I could:
Verses 9-12, far from being an alien intrusion on this narrative actually represent a culmination of verbal motifs developed in the first eight verses. "When man began to multiply on the face of the ground"- the first clause of the first verse sets up a verbal play on the relationship of "man" ('adam) and "ground" ('adamah). This play emphasizes man as a creature, and as a creature he is obeying God's will to be fruitful and multiply... However, the good that was multiplying (rbb) in verse 1 has become evil that was becoming great (rbb) by verse 5. "Man" ('adam) is now in this verse presented in connection with a broader term than "ground" ('adamah). Now evil is multiplying in the "earth" ('eres). In the supposedly alien verse 12 this progression is completed. "Earth" is repeated, but now "man" is replaced with the more general term "all flesh". And so the man/soil motif has been developed in three steps: man/ground: man/earth: all flesh/earth... Far from being two different accounts, Genesis 6:1-12 could scarcely be more tightly unified.1In the last ellipsis there, the authors provided roughly another page worth of even more technical arguments for the unity. Again, great book to read about Genesis. Moses wrote this book "with such complete mastery over his materials (whatever their source) that it makes no literary sense to speak of him as an editor."2 While Moses compiled information from his resources, he was accurate and a master of the information. Really though, the thread that holds this together is the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (God) revealing His truth through Moses.
Now, moving from the integrity of the text to actually gleaning information from it, let's look at the content of this passage. Verse 9 says, "Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations" (see also 7:1). What exactly does this mean? Jewish rabbis have debated the question since before Christianity existed as a religion. Many of them interpret this passage to mean that Noah was righteous compared to his generation of people (which was the most wicked ever in human history), but he was not actually righteous as compared to, say, Jacob or Abraham. The New Testament does provide some illumination. In 2 Peter 2:5 (NKJV), the Bible states that Noah was a "preacher of righteousness." Hebrews 11:7 (NKJV) lists Noah with other faithful saints of the Old Testament right before Abraham, saying, "By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." I suppose that I would say Noah was a righteous man, both compared to his generation and other saints of other times. He withstood what had to be some of the greatest pressure, being the only Godly person really left on Earth. He faithfully preached the truth of God in the face of mockery and built a boat for a flood when no one had ever even really seen rain before. He is listed in the New Testament among that Hall of Fame in Faith (Hebrews 11). However, it really comes back to Romans 3:23 (NKJV), which tells us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." No one but Jesus Christ is perfect, and when compared to God, everyone else falls short.
Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The traditional view, based on largely on genealogies and their related tales elsewhere in Genesis and the Old Testament, holds that these three men led their families out from the Ark to repopulate in three different directions- Shem toward Asia, Ham toward Africa, and Japheth toward Europe. It was then from these men that the races originated.
Verses 11-12 continue to paint a very bad picture of humanity at this time. The term translated as "corrupt" carries the connotation that mankind had ruined or destroyed what God had originally created. Clearly, the Earth was not actually broken apart in some sort of nuclear holocaust, but humanity had ruined the goodness of Creation. The wickedness of humanity had "became so conspicuous to God, that He could not refrain from punishment."3 The sin was so bad that God could no longer allow it to exist. This toledoth of Noah shows us to the story of the judgment and salvation of humanity through one Godly man. 1 Peter 3:18-22 teaches us that the physical salvation of the righteous few in Noah's ark prefigured the salvation of the righteous, believing few (by percentage, see Matthew 7:13-14) through spiritual baptism given for the righteous answer of a heart and mind toward and through Jesus Christ.
- Before Abraham Was by Kikawada and Quinn, 85-87.
- Ibid., 83.
- Keil, C. F., & Delitzsch, F. (2002). Commentary on the Old Testament. (Ge 6:10–12). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.
Again, the normal interpretation of the Bible is the best. Don't be dissuaded by those who want to detract from it. Believing the Bible requires belief, but it is not baseless- ours is a credible faith.
As Noah's Ark was the only hope of physical salvation for humanity then, so is Jesus Christ the only hope for spiritual salvation of humanity now. Believe in Him and accept Him as your Savior at once if you have not already!
Other Studies from Genesis
"Herme- what?" How to Understand the Bible
Sunday, April 17, 2011
4/18/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Genesis... The Cultural Context for Noah (Genesis 6:1-8)
A Christian's Guide to Studying and Applying the Old Testament
Text: Genesis 6:1-8 (NKJV)
1 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
3 And the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
This brief passage sets the stage for the toledoth of Noah, and it lets the reader get an idea of just how bad things had gotten on Earth since Creation. What had started as a perfect setting of mankind communing directly with God in the Garden of Eden had been ravaged by sin, resulting in a downward spiral into oblivion. The near universality of totally wicked behavior and rejection of God brought a divine hand of judgment; however, God promised to spare righteous Noah (will get to a technical but interesting tidbit on Noah and righteousness in the next post) and anyone who would obediently enter the ark. Only Noah and his immediate family entered the ark, of course also containing representatives of the world's animal species.
Now, let's dive into the text at hand. The meaning of verses 1-4 is hotly contested among Biblical scholars, and there must be some challenging questions that arise. Who were these "sons of God"? If they were angels as many believe, how did they produce offspring since angels do not reproduce? Is this proof of a different race of similar-to-but-not-human beings? Some have suggested that the were fallen angels (demons), aliens, human rulers, or the sons of Seth as the Godly lineage from Adam. Let's examine the views on who the "sons of God" are below:
Looking into verses 5-7, a very sad picture is painted. The sin of humanity, primarily in rejecting God, was so pervasive and heinous that God is grieved to the point of changing course in His relationship with mankind. In the Garden, God was a close God, portrayed like an older friend. With the sin of Adam and Eve, that relationship changed as sin put distance between man and God. Then, men were condemned to certain physical death and spiritual death if apart from faith in God. By the days of Noah, the rejection of God in the sins of humanity was so great that God declares a new stage in the relationship- appropriate judgment. God declared that He would wipe out the human population and all the living creatures.
Thankfully, there is a verse 8. Of course, omniscient God knew that Noah would exist eternally before this moment in time; however from a human perspective, humanity's existence hung by a thread. Only one human being on the face of the Earth found favor in the sight of God, due to his faith in God and righteous behavior. It is Noah's toledoth that we will see in the next verse (in the next blog) and will be studying for the next three chapters.
Application(s):
Our world is becoming a place where, when compared with the standards of the Bible, there is great wickedness on the Earth and most people spend their time thinking Biblically wicked thoughts. Jesus taught in Matthew 24:37-39 that such wickedness as in Noah's day would describe the Earth right before the Tribulation judgments and the end of time. I am not making some claim that Jesus is returning on May 14, 2012, nor am I necessitating that He will return in my lifetime. However, judgment is coming on the unbelieving, as in and actually even worse than in Noah's flood. Reflect on your eternal destiny. Do you know for sure where you are going? If you know it is Heaven, what are you doing to preach the truth for others as Noah did faithfully?
Although you are hopefully a Christian, we need to live righteous lives. They serve as testimonies to show Christ to a world that does not believe in Him, they glorify God, and they are an act of obedience to God. Read Romans 6:1-14 if you are struggling with the idea of needing to live obediently to God.
Other Studies from Genesis
"Herme- what?" How to Understand the Bible
Text: Genesis 6:1-8 (NKJV)
1 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
3 And the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
This brief passage sets the stage for the toledoth of Noah, and it lets the reader get an idea of just how bad things had gotten on Earth since Creation. What had started as a perfect setting of mankind communing directly with God in the Garden of Eden had been ravaged by sin, resulting in a downward spiral into oblivion. The near universality of totally wicked behavior and rejection of God brought a divine hand of judgment; however, God promised to spare righteous Noah (will get to a technical but interesting tidbit on Noah and righteousness in the next post) and anyone who would obediently enter the ark. Only Noah and his immediate family entered the ark, of course also containing representatives of the world's animal species.
Now, let's dive into the text at hand. The meaning of verses 1-4 is hotly contested among Biblical scholars, and there must be some challenging questions that arise. Who were these "sons of God"? If they were angels as many believe, how did they produce offspring since angels do not reproduce? Is this proof of a different race of similar-to-but-not-human beings? Some have suggested that the were fallen angels (demons), aliens, human rulers, or the sons of Seth as the Godly lineage from Adam. Let's examine the views on who the "sons of God" are below:
- Angelic Beings: It would seem that Jesus taught that angels do not reproduce in Matthew 22:30. The expressions there are idiomatic and indicative to that end, but they really don't totally preclude the ability of angelic beings to reproduce, just that the good angels in Heaven do not marry (thus, reproduce). Additionally, angels are described as God's messengers and ministering spirits, but they are not portrayed in the role as His sons elsewhere in Scripture. That being said, this would best account among these ideas for the nephilim ("giants") in 6:4. This theory also fits well with the theme of this introduction- sin, as this was outside the system established by God. I am going to describe the theory that fallen angels are the "sons of God" as possible.
- Aliens: There is no evidence in the earlier chapters of Genesis or the entire Bible to reflect the existence of any other physical beings outside of Earth. We'll leave this theory for the loonies.
- Human Rulers: I think this one is possible; however, I don't really think it is a good one. Certainly those with power could be seen through the higher ascription "of God" than "of men", but that really isn't very consistent with the narrative. If this were the case, it would be more a condemnation of inter-class marriage than fitting with the theme of sin in this passage.
- Sons of Adam's Son Seth: Of these four theories, I think this is one of the two most likely. In it, the Godly lineage of Seth was allegedly intermarrying with the wicked lineage of Cain. This would represent the universal pervasiveness of sin at that time best, but it doesn't really make sense of the nephilim.
Looking into verses 5-7, a very sad picture is painted. The sin of humanity, primarily in rejecting God, was so pervasive and heinous that God is grieved to the point of changing course in His relationship with mankind. In the Garden, God was a close God, portrayed like an older friend. With the sin of Adam and Eve, that relationship changed as sin put distance between man and God. Then, men were condemned to certain physical death and spiritual death if apart from faith in God. By the days of Noah, the rejection of God in the sins of humanity was so great that God declares a new stage in the relationship- appropriate judgment. God declared that He would wipe out the human population and all the living creatures.
Thankfully, there is a verse 8. Of course, omniscient God knew that Noah would exist eternally before this moment in time; however from a human perspective, humanity's existence hung by a thread. Only one human being on the face of the Earth found favor in the sight of God, due to his faith in God and righteous behavior. It is Noah's toledoth that we will see in the next verse (in the next blog) and will be studying for the next three chapters.
Application(s):
Our world is becoming a place where, when compared with the standards of the Bible, there is great wickedness on the Earth and most people spend their time thinking Biblically wicked thoughts. Jesus taught in Matthew 24:37-39 that such wickedness as in Noah's day would describe the Earth right before the Tribulation judgments and the end of time. I am not making some claim that Jesus is returning on May 14, 2012, nor am I necessitating that He will return in my lifetime. However, judgment is coming on the unbelieving, as in and actually even worse than in Noah's flood. Reflect on your eternal destiny. Do you know for sure where you are going? If you know it is Heaven, what are you doing to preach the truth for others as Noah did faithfully?
Although you are hopefully a Christian, we need to live righteous lives. They serve as testimonies to show Christ to a world that does not believe in Him, they glorify God, and they are an act of obedience to God. Read Romans 6:1-14 if you are struggling with the idea of needing to live obediently to God.
Other Studies from Genesis
"Herme- what?" How to Understand the Bible
Thursday, April 14, 2011
"Herme- what?" How to Understand the Bible
There are many ways to interpret (understand the meaning of, not translate) Scripture; however, the first place one must start is an evaluation of exactly what it is. Is the Bible a revelation from God or is it a collection of stories by various authors? Is it fact or fiction? Is it accurate or faulty? Where one stands on questions like that will have great impact on how the Bible is understood.
I believe that the Bible is the revelation of God by God through man (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). This was accomplished as God-breathed it to human authors (the meaning of the underlying Greek word in 2 Tim. 3:16). The mechanics of exactly how this happened were not revealed, but the Holy Spirit used human authors, not as robots, to record the Word of God to be preserved for mankind. The Bible is totally without error and is positively true in all aspects as originally written. It has been preserved as a manuscript better than any other in history through thousands of fragments, complete books, and translations. If one does not understand the Bible as God's accurate revelation, there is little basis for faith or religion. At that point, it has become at best a collection of human moral teachings mixed with some crazy ones. Why put your hope for eternal destiny in a flawed book or one that is just an allegory? How could you?
Now having established this, the way to interpret the Bible is a field called "hermeneutics." There are many means of interpreting it, from the allegorical hermeneutic that takes everything as an allegory to be used for moral living to the normal, literal hermeneutic that accepts what the Bible says in the most literal way as intended for the original/intended audience unless the text itself says otherwise. Because of my belief in the Bible as the Word of God, I feel compelled to go with a normal, literal hermeneutic.
Let's look at how that fleshes out in practice. Prophecy and parables are introduced as such within their context and often contain figurative language. Figurative language is interpreted figuratively and as it would have meant to the intended, original audience in their culture. Idioms are expressions that mean more than the sum of their words ("tongue in cheek," "smell a rat," etc.), and so one has to understand what they meant to the author and original audience within their historical, cultural setting. Basically, I interpret the Bible like it was meant to be given my belief that it is the Word of God. If Jesus told His 1st Century Jewish disciples to look at a group of spiritually hungry people as being "white unto harvest," I need to understand 1st Century agriculture in Palestine to get a really accurate picture of what He meant. Genesis tells us that the world was created by an omnipotent God in 6 consecutive days, so I interpret that as 6 literal, consecutive days, unlike others who see them as representative of epochs of time or separated by millions of years. Am I making this picture clear here?
To interpret the Bible fully and properly, one has to look at individual words, context, writing style, genre, linguistic history, culture, geography, science, political history, philosophy, and really everything that went into writing and understanding it with the original author and original audience. Isn't that exactly what we do whenever we read something written today? While we probably don't do it consciously, all these things happen. That is why this hermeneutic is called a "normal" hermeneutic, because it interprets the Bible as it would normally be interpreted. Sounds like a daunting task? It is, but that shouldn't discourage anyone from just reading it and thinking it through. There are study aids, pastors, and the most importantly the Holy Spirit to help you understand. Also, it is a lifelong learning progression, so that doesn't happen overnight.
This post is only intended to be an introduction to the topic, and by no means does it explain things to their end. If you would like to study some more about how to interpret the Bible, I would suggest reading Basic Bible Interpretation by Roy Zuck.
I believe that the Bible is the revelation of God by God through man (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). This was accomplished as God-breathed it to human authors (the meaning of the underlying Greek word in 2 Tim. 3:16). The mechanics of exactly how this happened were not revealed, but the Holy Spirit used human authors, not as robots, to record the Word of God to be preserved for mankind. The Bible is totally without error and is positively true in all aspects as originally written. It has been preserved as a manuscript better than any other in history through thousands of fragments, complete books, and translations. If one does not understand the Bible as God's accurate revelation, there is little basis for faith or religion. At that point, it has become at best a collection of human moral teachings mixed with some crazy ones. Why put your hope for eternal destiny in a flawed book or one that is just an allegory? How could you?
Now having established this, the way to interpret the Bible is a field called "hermeneutics." There are many means of interpreting it, from the allegorical hermeneutic that takes everything as an allegory to be used for moral living to the normal, literal hermeneutic that accepts what the Bible says in the most literal way as intended for the original/intended audience unless the text itself says otherwise. Because of my belief in the Bible as the Word of God, I feel compelled to go with a normal, literal hermeneutic.
Let's look at how that fleshes out in practice. Prophecy and parables are introduced as such within their context and often contain figurative language. Figurative language is interpreted figuratively and as it would have meant to the intended, original audience in their culture. Idioms are expressions that mean more than the sum of their words ("tongue in cheek," "smell a rat," etc.), and so one has to understand what they meant to the author and original audience within their historical, cultural setting. Basically, I interpret the Bible like it was meant to be given my belief that it is the Word of God. If Jesus told His 1st Century Jewish disciples to look at a group of spiritually hungry people as being "white unto harvest," I need to understand 1st Century agriculture in Palestine to get a really accurate picture of what He meant. Genesis tells us that the world was created by an omnipotent God in 6 consecutive days, so I interpret that as 6 literal, consecutive days, unlike others who see them as representative of epochs of time or separated by millions of years. Am I making this picture clear here?
To interpret the Bible fully and properly, one has to look at individual words, context, writing style, genre, linguistic history, culture, geography, science, political history, philosophy, and really everything that went into writing and understanding it with the original author and original audience. Isn't that exactly what we do whenever we read something written today? While we probably don't do it consciously, all these things happen. That is why this hermeneutic is called a "normal" hermeneutic, because it interprets the Bible as it would normally be interpreted. Sounds like a daunting task? It is, but that shouldn't discourage anyone from just reading it and thinking it through. There are study aids, pastors, and the most importantly the Holy Spirit to help you understand. Also, it is a lifelong learning progression, so that doesn't happen overnight.
This post is only intended to be an introduction to the topic, and by no means does it explain things to their end. If you would like to study some more about how to interpret the Bible, I would suggest reading Basic Bible Interpretation by Roy Zuck.
An Apologetic Introduction to Genesis
The Book of Genesis has probably faced the most scrutiny from every angle of any portion of the Bible. It has been challenged as being in conflict with science and history. The authorship of Moses is now denied by many scholars. With so many challenges to the book, I think it is important to write this introduction to address them, at least superficially. Genesis is the first book of the Bible, and if there are problems with it, then there are problems with the Bible as a whole. What we will see is that the book is written consistent with would be expected of literature of its time, the stories it contains are historically and scientifically accurate as far as is possible to prove within the limits of both fields, and the historical Moses from the 1400s B.C. was its author.
Genesis covers an amazingly broad time period. Biblical scholars place the beginning of human history between 7000 and 4000 B.C. and the book ends with Joseph's death in 1804 B.C. That is quite a huge span of time! Now the author accepted by both Judaism, Christianity, the New Testament authors, and Jesus is Moses. The historical Moses lived in the 1400s B.C.
"How," one might ask, "did a man write an accurate book about events that long before him?" That is an excellent question and it is the first one that we will address here. One must remember 2 Peter 1:20-21, which tells us that men wrote the Bible as the Holy Spirit (God) moved them to. That means that Moses was writing because of the Holy Spirit and writing the Word of God for the Holy Spirit, so he doesn't necessarily have to have experienced the things he is writing to be 100% accurate- God knew. However, Moses was likely basing what he was writing on written and oral records of history available to him. Today, oral transmission is not considered accurate in Western culture, but it was so important to many societies pre-writing (and many even after the invention of writing) that it was very accurate. Look at many of the Native American tribes whose history was passed on orally. It was a way of life, culture, and often even profession. The structure of the book is actually a major argument for the accuracy and even genre of the book. The term "generations (or "genealogy" depending on your translation)"- well, actually the underlying Hebrew term תולדה (toledoth)- occurs 13 times in Genesis. Each time it introduces the story of a family genealogy (except 2:4, where it is the toledoth of the universe not a family); thus here, "toledoth is a technical term for a method of keeping family and clan records."1 Under the inspiration of God, Moses was collating the family records of different important clans/families. In some areas this is obvious, such as the birth and death records (genealogies). In other places, these take the form of family stories that are accurately preserved. This was an important legal, historical, and religious document for Israel to have- an accurate record of their families dating back to the beginning. Seen in this light, it is a history book- a secondary source closely connected to the original events- from as close to the beginning as we could get with the system of writing. It is a highly reliable and time honored method of preserving accurate historical records.
Another common concern about the book, at least from critical scholars is this- "Did Moses really write this book? Nah, it is just a collection of writings by various authors of a much more recent date." Julius Wellhausen, a German Bible scholar, published a hypothesis in 1878 that has laid the groundwork for the philosophy most theologically liberal scholars approach the Bible today. In it, he focused on the first five books of the Old Testament, theorizing that there were actually 4 authors (J, E, D, and P) much later that the historical Moses based on the tone and which Hebrew term for God was used in certain places. This theory, when examined in detail, borders on absurd. It requires the material from these authors to have been spliced literally thousands of times in those books, usually even in the middle of sentences. He required there to have been many editors even in addition to the 4 authors. If this were the case, the editors should have been shot with how the 4 sets of material were so badly spliced! Of course, a far more simplistic approach is to accept the view held for thousands of years that a single man, named Moses wrote the book in the 1400s B.C. An absolutely fabulous work has been writing by secular scholars at the University of California Berkeley that refutes this view using literary criticism. Though at times technical, I highly recommend reading Before Abraham Was by Kikawada and Quinn. Though the do not argue for the historical Moses as author (nor do they dispute it), they prove that Genesis had one consistent author. The only exception to the Mosaic authorship of the first five books of the Old Testament is in Deuteronomy 34, which was likely written by Joshua who followed him in leadership. Its style and tone are unique from the rest of these books. I will finish my answer to this question with a quote from them: "The evidence commonly used to show that Genesis 1-11 is a literary patchwork does in our opinion- when closely examined and put in its proper context- support the view that Genesis 1-11 is a literary masterpiece by an author of extraordinary skill and subtlety. So much so, that when we think we find this author napping we had better proceed carefully."2
"What about Creation and Noah's worldwide flood- aren't those ideas in conflict with science?" The director for the human genome decoding project, Dr. Francis Collins, does not think so. At least within the realm of living beings, he argues for intelligent design in our DNA. In The Language of God, he does not go so far as to support the Biblical teaching, but he does lend scientific support for an intelligent creator rather than evolutionary chance. Evolution is a scientific hypothesis. The Bible is an historical record. The realm of human/universal origins really doesn't fit with the field of science (not testable, observable, or repeatable), and should be addressed through history, archaeology, and religion. There are many, many stories from human cultures worldwide of both a divine creation and worldwide flood that parallel the Biblical record (such as the Epic of Gilgamesh). If one were to approach this like an historian looking for the truth about, say, a battle between Egypt and Babylon, the conclusion that would be come to is that these sources describe real events with some details different between cultures due to transcription. Try looking here for an interesting site with more information on the topic. Regarding the flood, The Genesis Flood by Whitcomb is an absolute classic on the matter and is a comprehensive analysis, although it is both long and technical. My answer here is only the tiniest scratch on the surface of what could be said on the matter. If you would like more reading recommendations on the topic, please email me.
There are certainly many more things to be answered and said about the Book of Genesis, but this is just a brief introduction to one of our most important historical records. Feel free to contact me or comment with questions, but I hope this kind of lays the foundation for where we are going. Also, if you have not read my post on how to interpret what the Bible means, I would highly, highly suggest it.
Recommended Reads on the Topic:
Genesis covers an amazingly broad time period. Biblical scholars place the beginning of human history between 7000 and 4000 B.C. and the book ends with Joseph's death in 1804 B.C. That is quite a huge span of time! Now the author accepted by both Judaism, Christianity, the New Testament authors, and Jesus is Moses. The historical Moses lived in the 1400s B.C.
"How," one might ask, "did a man write an accurate book about events that long before him?" That is an excellent question and it is the first one that we will address here. One must remember 2 Peter 1:20-21, which tells us that men wrote the Bible as the Holy Spirit (God) moved them to. That means that Moses was writing because of the Holy Spirit and writing the Word of God for the Holy Spirit, so he doesn't necessarily have to have experienced the things he is writing to be 100% accurate- God knew. However, Moses was likely basing what he was writing on written and oral records of history available to him. Today, oral transmission is not considered accurate in Western culture, but it was so important to many societies pre-writing (and many even after the invention of writing) that it was very accurate. Look at many of the Native American tribes whose history was passed on orally. It was a way of life, culture, and often even profession. The structure of the book is actually a major argument for the accuracy and even genre of the book. The term "generations (or "genealogy" depending on your translation)"- well, actually the underlying Hebrew term תולדה (toledoth)- occurs 13 times in Genesis. Each time it introduces the story of a family genealogy (except 2:4, where it is the toledoth of the universe not a family); thus here, "toledoth is a technical term for a method of keeping family and clan records."1 Under the inspiration of God, Moses was collating the family records of different important clans/families. In some areas this is obvious, such as the birth and death records (genealogies). In other places, these take the form of family stories that are accurately preserved. This was an important legal, historical, and religious document for Israel to have- an accurate record of their families dating back to the beginning. Seen in this light, it is a history book- a secondary source closely connected to the original events- from as close to the beginning as we could get with the system of writing. It is a highly reliable and time honored method of preserving accurate historical records.
Another common concern about the book, at least from critical scholars is this- "Did Moses really write this book? Nah, it is just a collection of writings by various authors of a much more recent date." Julius Wellhausen, a German Bible scholar, published a hypothesis in 1878 that has laid the groundwork for the philosophy most theologically liberal scholars approach the Bible today. In it, he focused on the first five books of the Old Testament, theorizing that there were actually 4 authors (J, E, D, and P) much later that the historical Moses based on the tone and which Hebrew term for God was used in certain places. This theory, when examined in detail, borders on absurd. It requires the material from these authors to have been spliced literally thousands of times in those books, usually even in the middle of sentences. He required there to have been many editors even in addition to the 4 authors. If this were the case, the editors should have been shot with how the 4 sets of material were so badly spliced! Of course, a far more simplistic approach is to accept the view held for thousands of years that a single man, named Moses wrote the book in the 1400s B.C. An absolutely fabulous work has been writing by secular scholars at the University of California Berkeley that refutes this view using literary criticism. Though at times technical, I highly recommend reading Before Abraham Was by Kikawada and Quinn. Though the do not argue for the historical Moses as author (nor do they dispute it), they prove that Genesis had one consistent author. The only exception to the Mosaic authorship of the first five books of the Old Testament is in Deuteronomy 34, which was likely written by Joshua who followed him in leadership. Its style and tone are unique from the rest of these books. I will finish my answer to this question with a quote from them: "The evidence commonly used to show that Genesis 1-11 is a literary patchwork does in our opinion- when closely examined and put in its proper context- support the view that Genesis 1-11 is a literary masterpiece by an author of extraordinary skill and subtlety. So much so, that when we think we find this author napping we had better proceed carefully."2
"What about Creation and Noah's worldwide flood- aren't those ideas in conflict with science?" The director for the human genome decoding project, Dr. Francis Collins, does not think so. At least within the realm of living beings, he argues for intelligent design in our DNA. In The Language of God, he does not go so far as to support the Biblical teaching, but he does lend scientific support for an intelligent creator rather than evolutionary chance. Evolution is a scientific hypothesis. The Bible is an historical record. The realm of human/universal origins really doesn't fit with the field of science (not testable, observable, or repeatable), and should be addressed through history, archaeology, and religion. There are many, many stories from human cultures worldwide of both a divine creation and worldwide flood that parallel the Biblical record (such as the Epic of Gilgamesh). If one were to approach this like an historian looking for the truth about, say, a battle between Egypt and Babylon, the conclusion that would be come to is that these sources describe real events with some details different between cultures due to transcription. Try looking here for an interesting site with more information on the topic. Regarding the flood, The Genesis Flood by Whitcomb is an absolute classic on the matter and is a comprehensive analysis, although it is both long and technical. My answer here is only the tiniest scratch on the surface of what could be said on the matter. If you would like more reading recommendations on the topic, please email me.
There are certainly many more things to be answered and said about the Book of Genesis, but this is just a brief introduction to one of our most important historical records. Feel free to contact me or comment with questions, but I hope this kind of lays the foundation for where we are going. Also, if you have not read my post on how to interpret what the Bible means, I would highly, highly suggest it.
- Rethinking Genesis: The Sources and Authorship of the First Book of the Pentateuch by Duane Garrett, 93.
- Before Abraham Was by Kikawada and Quinn, 83.
Recommended Reads on the Topic:
- THE BIBLE
- Before Abraham Was by Kikawada and Quinn
- Actually quite readable while conveying detailed and often technical information. Focuses on a literary analysis that also ends up being a defense of the traditional authorship of the book.
- Rethinking Genesis: The Sources and Authorship of the First Book of the Pentateuch by Garrett
- Another great book for understanding Genesis. Examines historicity, structure, and authorship. Refutes the alleged scholarly JEDP Hypothesis.
- The Genesis Flood by Whitcomb and Morris
- An absolute classic on the topic. Readable and interesting, it is a comprehensive analysis of the Flood Narrative. in Genesis.
- The Language of God by Collins
- Interesting perspective from a famous scientist responsible for decoding the human genome about the origin of man being an intelligent creator rather than evolutionary chance.
Devotional Thoughts on Genesis
- An Apologetic Introduction to Genesis
- 4/18/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Genesis... The Cultural Context for Noah (Genesis 6:1-8)
- 4/22/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Genesis... The Toledoth of Noah (Genesis 6:9-12)
- 4/23/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Genesis... Obeying God in What Seems Ridiculous (Genesis 6:13-22)
- 4/24/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Genesis... The Flood Cleans Things Out (Genesis 7)
- 4/28/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Genesis... The Flood Cleans Things Out, Part 2 (Genesis 8:1-19)
- 5/2/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Genesis... God Takes the Initiative in Restoring Wicked Humanity to Himself (Genesis 8:20-9:17)
- 5/11/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Genesis... Sin Just Won't Go Away (Genesis 9:18-29)
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
4/12/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Colossians... Reminiscing and Remembrances (Colossians 4:2-18)
Text: Colossians 4:2-18 (NKJV)
2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
7 Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. 8 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts, 9 with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all things which are happening here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you. 15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church that is in his house.
16 Now when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”
18 This salutation by my own hand—Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
Paul here commands the Colossian Christians to persevere in prayer, and he shares a prayer request with them. Though imprisoned, Paul is not bemoaning the rough situation that he is in; rather, he requests prayer for an opportunity to preach the good news of Jesus Christ where people would hear it. He was imprisoned because of his service for Jesus, and the normal human reaction would probably be to become bitter. Not so with Paul- he takes it as an opportunity to catch up on his reading and writing and to look for opportunities to preach.
In verses 5 and 6, he cautioned the believers to be careful what they say and do around believers. God always sees, yes. They shouldn't act ungodly toward other Christians, true. However, one's testimony among the unbelievers ("those who are outside") only needs one slip-up to be ruined forever. I once had a youth pastor who had lost his previous pastoral position because of a testimony lost to the community when someone he had never met saw him driving home while drinking an IBC Creme Soda. He didn't even do anything wrong, yet his testimony was so marred that he had to leave ministry in that community! Furthermore, they were instructed to redeem the time, especially with unbelievers. Any one of them could die at any moment and go to eternity in Hell, so we should make the most of our time with them to show and share the good news of Jesus's salvation.
I am not going to go through every person mentioned in this personal note at the end, but I think we should not that it is so important to take time to thank people that God took space in His inspired Word to record it.
In the final verse here, one might be taken aback. "Hold on, Paul only wrote these little personal things at the end? What? How is this 'book' even in the Bible?!?" Paul normally used an amanuesis (or, scribe) to take dictation to write his letters. Many people think this was because the thorn in his flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) might have been bad eyesight, making handwriting very difficult. This does not take away from his authorship of this or other books nor does it take away from their weight in Scripture. See also 1 Corinthians 16:21 and 2 Thessalonians 3:17 for other such examples.
Applications:
Take time to pray, or, take extra time to pray. It is probably the most neglected spiritual disciple among Christians, but it is also one of the most important.
Make the most of your time with unbelievers! They may not know it, but their eternal destiny might be locked into Hell at any moment.
Remember to thank people, and I don't just mean a courtesy "Thank You." Praise isn't just for our children, so hand it out when appropriate. In fact, publicly thank and praise people whenever possible and appropriate.
Other Studies from Colossians
2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
7 Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. 8 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts, 9 with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all things which are happening here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you. 15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church that is in his house.
16 Now when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”
18 This salutation by my own hand—Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
Paul here commands the Colossian Christians to persevere in prayer, and he shares a prayer request with them. Though imprisoned, Paul is not bemoaning the rough situation that he is in; rather, he requests prayer for an opportunity to preach the good news of Jesus Christ where people would hear it. He was imprisoned because of his service for Jesus, and the normal human reaction would probably be to become bitter. Not so with Paul- he takes it as an opportunity to catch up on his reading and writing and to look for opportunities to preach.
In verses 5 and 6, he cautioned the believers to be careful what they say and do around believers. God always sees, yes. They shouldn't act ungodly toward other Christians, true. However, one's testimony among the unbelievers ("those who are outside") only needs one slip-up to be ruined forever. I once had a youth pastor who had lost his previous pastoral position because of a testimony lost to the community when someone he had never met saw him driving home while drinking an IBC Creme Soda. He didn't even do anything wrong, yet his testimony was so marred that he had to leave ministry in that community! Furthermore, they were instructed to redeem the time, especially with unbelievers. Any one of them could die at any moment and go to eternity in Hell, so we should make the most of our time with them to show and share the good news of Jesus's salvation.
I am not going to go through every person mentioned in this personal note at the end, but I think we should not that it is so important to take time to thank people that God took space in His inspired Word to record it.
In the final verse here, one might be taken aback. "Hold on, Paul only wrote these little personal things at the end? What? How is this 'book' even in the Bible?!?" Paul normally used an amanuesis (or, scribe) to take dictation to write his letters. Many people think this was because the thorn in his flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) might have been bad eyesight, making handwriting very difficult. This does not take away from his authorship of this or other books nor does it take away from their weight in Scripture. See also 1 Corinthians 16:21 and 2 Thessalonians 3:17 for other such examples.
Applications:
Take time to pray, or, take extra time to pray. It is probably the most neglected spiritual disciple among Christians, but it is also one of the most important.
Make the most of your time with unbelievers! They may not know it, but their eternal destiny might be locked into Hell at any moment.
Remember to thank people, and I don't just mean a courtesy "Thank You." Praise isn't just for our children, so hand it out when appropriate. In fact, publicly thank and praise people whenever possible and appropriate.
Other Studies from Colossians
Monday, April 11, 2011
Discipleship Bible Reading Guide: Week 11a
Sunday (Day 197): Hebrews 10
Monday (Day 198): Hebrews 11
Tuesday (Day 199): Hebrews 12
Wednesday (Day 200): Hebrews 13
Thursday (Day 201): James 1
Friday (Day 202): James 2
Saturday (Day 203): James 3-4
Monday (Day 198): Hebrews 11
Tuesday (Day 199): Hebrews 12
Wednesday (Day 200): Hebrews 13
Thursday (Day 201): James 1
Friday (Day 202): James 2
Saturday (Day 203): James 3-4
Discipleship Bible Reading Guide: Week 10a
Sunday (Day 190): Philemon
Monday (Day 191): Hebrews 1-2
Tuesday (Day 192): Hebrews 3-4
Wednesday (Day 193): Hebrews 5-6
Thursday (Day 194): Hebrews 7
Friday (Day 195): Hebrews 8
Saturday (Day 196): Hebrews 9
Monday (Day 191): Hebrews 1-2
Tuesday (Day 192): Hebrews 3-4
Wednesday (Day 193): Hebrews 5-6
Thursday (Day 194): Hebrews 7
Friday (Day 195): Hebrews 8
Saturday (Day 196): Hebrews 9
Discipleship Bible Reading Guide: Week 9a
Sunday (Day 183): 1 Timothy 5
Monday (Day 184): 1 Timothy 6
Tuesday (Day 185): 2 Timothy 1
Wednesday (Day 186): 2 Timothy 2
Thursday (Day 187): 2 Timothy 3-4
Friday (Day 188): Titus 1-2
Saturday (Day 189): Titus 3
Monday (Day 184): 1 Timothy 6
Tuesday (Day 185): 2 Timothy 1
Wednesday (Day 186): 2 Timothy 2
Thursday (Day 187): 2 Timothy 3-4
Friday (Day 188): Titus 1-2
Saturday (Day 189): Titus 3
Discipleship Bible Reading Guide: Week 8a
Sunday (Day 176): 1 Thessalonians 1-2
Monday (Day 177): 1 Thessalonians 3-4
Tuesday (Day 178): 1 Thessalonians 5
Wednesday (Day 179): 2 Thessalonians 1-2
Thursday (Day 180): 2 Thessalonians 3
Friday (Day 181): 1 Timothy 1-2
Saturday (Day 182): 1 Timothy 3-4
Monday (Day 177): 1 Thessalonians 3-4
Tuesday (Day 178): 1 Thessalonians 5
Wednesday (Day 179): 2 Thessalonians 1-2
Thursday (Day 180): 2 Thessalonians 3
Friday (Day 181): 1 Timothy 1-2
Saturday (Day 182): 1 Timothy 3-4
Sunday, April 10, 2011
April 10, 2011: Week 3 Service- Praising the Lord!
This week, we remembered how grateful we are for God doing the work building his church. A lot of our "regulars" (people that have been coming and are very interested/excited) were unable to be with us today for various reasons, and that brought our attendance count down to 48. From an historical perspective in church planting, that is pretty much expected, as is the growth that follows. Call it the end of the honeymoon period or the culling of those just curious, but Weeks 2-4 see a pretty steep drop in attendance. However, if we factor in the people that we fully expect to come back, that attendance number was actually pretty close to last week.
Also, we saw again the servant's heart in some as they chose to help our launch team setup and tear down. Praise the Lord!
Since the raw number of people present was lower, it allowed us to have a more focused approach with people, and we again had several first time attenders. Our follow-up this week was almost immediate, and that allows for a more personal touch to it. God is building His church in the ideal way, and we are thankful that we don't have to come up with what would be an inevitably worse plan.
We are also excited because the first implementation phase of Inquirer's Bible studies** is starting this week! This Bible study simply walks through the Gospel, allowing us to assess a person's condition and either see them come to a point of decision about salvation or make sure the saved person is on the same page as we are. Claudia has 2 studies scheduled this week with single women, and Pastor V has 1 with a couple. The more focused, in-depth follow-up this week will hopefully see more fruit in this way.
Regarding prayer requests, please continue on as mentioned in last week's update; however, please focus on those follow-ups. This is where people will again be confronted with the Gospel as they have been in the sermons, but there will be a person right along side them to guide them through the decision and answer questions.
**Now published as The Exchange, linked for review/purchase through Amazon in the box at the top, right of the blog
Also, we saw again the servant's heart in some as they chose to help our launch team setup and tear down. Praise the Lord!
Since the raw number of people present was lower, it allowed us to have a more focused approach with people, and we again had several first time attenders. Our follow-up this week was almost immediate, and that allows for a more personal touch to it. God is building His church in the ideal way, and we are thankful that we don't have to come up with what would be an inevitably worse plan.
We are also excited because the first implementation phase of Inquirer's Bible studies** is starting this week! This Bible study simply walks through the Gospel, allowing us to assess a person's condition and either see them come to a point of decision about salvation or make sure the saved person is on the same page as we are. Claudia has 2 studies scheduled this week with single women, and Pastor V has 1 with a couple. The more focused, in-depth follow-up this week will hopefully see more fruit in this way.
Regarding prayer requests, please continue on as mentioned in last week's update; however, please focus on those follow-ups. This is where people will again be confronted with the Gospel as they have been in the sermons, but there will be a person right along side them to guide them through the decision and answer questions.
**Now published as The Exchange, linked for review/purchase through Amazon in the box at the top, right of the blog
Discipleship Bible Reading Guide: Week 7a
Sunday (Day 169): Philippians 2
Monday (Day 170): Philippians 3-4
Tuesday (Day 171): Colossians 1 (insert: Colossians 1:1-23 and Colossians 1:24-29)
Wednesday (Day 172): Colossians 2
Thursday (Day 173): Colossians 3:1-17 (insert: Colossians 3:1-11 and Colossians 3:12-17)
Friday (Day 174): Colossians 3:18-4:1
Saturday (Day 175): Colossians 4:2-18
Monday (Day 170): Philippians 3-4
Tuesday (Day 171): Colossians 1 (insert: Colossians 1:1-23 and Colossians 1:24-29)
Wednesday (Day 172): Colossians 2
Thursday (Day 173): Colossians 3:1-17 (insert: Colossians 3:1-11 and Colossians 3:12-17)
Friday (Day 174): Colossians 3:18-4:1
Saturday (Day 175): Colossians 4:2-18
Discipleship Bible Reading Guide: Week 6a
Sunday (Day 162): Galatians 5-6
Monday (Day 163): Ephesians 1
Tuesday (Day 164): Ephesians 2-3
Wednesday (Day 165): Ephesians 4
Thursday (Day 166): Ephesians 5
Friday (Day 167): Ephesians 6
Saturday (Day 168): Philippians 1
Monday (Day 163): Ephesians 1
Tuesday (Day 164): Ephesians 2-3
Wednesday (Day 165): Ephesians 4
Thursday (Day 166): Ephesians 5
Friday (Day 167): Ephesians 6
Saturday (Day 168): Philippians 1
Discipleship Bible Reading Guide: Week 5a
Sunday (Day 155): Luke 22
Monday (Day 156): Luke 23
Tuesday (Day 157): Luke 24
Wednesday (Day 158): Galatians 1
Thursday (Day 159): Galatians 2
Friday (Day 160): Galatians 3
Saturday (Day 161): Galatians 4
Monday (Day 156): Luke 23
Tuesday (Day 157): Luke 24
Wednesday (Day 158): Galatians 1
Thursday (Day 159): Galatians 2
Friday (Day 160): Galatians 3
Saturday (Day 161): Galatians 4
Discipleship Bible Reading Guide: Week 4a
Sunday (Day 148): Luke 15
Monday (Day 149): Luke 16
Tuesday (Day 150): Luke 17
Wednesday (Day 151): Luke 18
Thursday (Day 152): Luke 19
Friday (Day 153): Luke 20
Saturday (Day 154): Luke 21
Monday (Day 149): Luke 16
Tuesday (Day 150): Luke 17
Wednesday (Day 151): Luke 18
Thursday (Day 152): Luke 19
Friday (Day 153): Luke 20
Saturday (Day 154): Luke 21
Discipleship Bible Reading Guide: Week 3a
Sunday (Day 141): Luke 8
Monday (Day 142): Luke 9
Tuesday (Day 143): Luke 10
Wednesday (Day 144): Luke 11
Thursday (Day 145): Luke 12
Friday (Day 146): Luke 13
Saturday (Day 147): Luke 14
Monday (Day 142): Luke 9
Tuesday (Day 143): Luke 10
Wednesday (Day 144): Luke 11
Thursday (Day 145): Luke 12
Friday (Day 146): Luke 13
Saturday (Day 147): Luke 14
Discipleship Bible Reading Guide: Week 2a
Sunday (Day 134): Luke 1
Monday (Day 135): Luke 2
Tuesday (Day 136): Luke 3
Wednesday (Day 137): Luke 4
Thursday (Day 138): Luke 5
Friday (Day 139): Luke 6
Saturday (Day 140): Luke 7
Monday (Day 135): Luke 2
Tuesday (Day 136): Luke 3
Wednesday (Day 137): Luke 4
Thursday (Day 138): Luke 5
Friday (Day 139): Luke 6
Saturday (Day 140): Luke 7
Discipleship Bible Reading Guide: Week 1a
Sunday (Day 127): 2 Corinthians 3-4
Monday (Day 128): 2 Corinthians 5
Tuesday (Day 129): 2 Corinthians 6-7
Wednesday (Day 130): 2 Corinthians 8
Thursday (Day 131): 2 Corinthians 9-10
Friday (Day 132): 2 Corinthians 11
Saturday (Day 133): 2 Corinthians 12-13
Monday (Day 128): 2 Corinthians 5
Tuesday (Day 129): 2 Corinthians 6-7
Wednesday (Day 130): 2 Corinthians 8
Thursday (Day 131): 2 Corinthians 9-10
Friday (Day 132): 2 Corinthians 11
Saturday (Day 133): 2 Corinthians 12-13
Saturday, April 9, 2011
4/9/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Colossians... The Bible's Plan for Proper Relationships (Colossians 3:18-4:1)
Text: Colossians 3:18-4:1 (NKJV)
18 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. 20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
22 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. 23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality. 4:1 Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
In our post-modern Western society, the roles of men and women have become heavily politicized. In the quest for equality and political correctness, all gender distinctions have supposedly been thrown aside (although it has created a new sexism, really). Any group that sees distinctions in role is seen as backward and oppressive toward women; in fact, this is one of the leading arguments against Christianity as a religion for today among liberal theologians. If one is to accept the Bible as God's Word (thus, authoritative) and accurate, then it must be interpreted literally for its intended audience and purpose. We cannot deny the fact that the Bible, specifically the New Testament here, talks about such differentiation. Sadly, this has resulted in Christians being embarrassed (see Romans 1:16 and 2 Timothy 2:15) about the topic and doing their best to avoid it. Anything God's Word has said is never something which we are to be embarrassed about, and all topics in it are healthy for discussion. What has happened is a politicizing of God's Word that has failed to properly interpret and understand what it says on this touchy topic. I hope for us to explore what God's Word actually says about it here and how that teaching applies to today.
Verses 18-19 are often taken with a grain of salt, but they should not be. "CHAUVINISM!!!" you might cry. I, however, disagree. Life is about balance, and this area is no different. Straightforward, wives are commanded to submit to their husbands, and husbands are commanded to love their wives. This is often seen as a skewed relationship proposed by God that results in the oppression of women. I do agree that it has been used to justify such oppression by errant individuals, but that is not what God is teaching. A parallel passage in Ephesians 5:22-30 echoes these same sentiments. So, how does this teaching fit into our cosmopolitan society? Well, within the context of a marriage, God has here given each partner assignments that are in general uniquely difficult to the assigned party. For a wife to submit does not mean that she has to walk around in a burqa; to stay at home all day cooking, cleaning, and raising kids; nor does it void her free will, right to free speech, or make her wants/opinions worthless. Rather, the idea of submission means that she defers to her husband's authority to make decisions. God has placed men as an authority over women for His reasons and by His choice (Ephesians 5:23 and 1 Timothy 2:12-14). This action on the behalf of a wife requires total trust and opens up all her vulnerabilities. THAT is why the husband is commanded to love his wife. This love must go so far as Jesus's love went for His church - total and complete (Ephesians 5:25). This results in deferment to the wife. "So, both sides are deferring to each other?" you think. Yes- exactly. Wives defer to the authority of their husband, and husbands defer to wives out of love. Both sides open themselves up for abuse from the other, but abuse is not the expectation from God- a balanced, loving relationship is. Let me explain how this might flesh out in real life decisions. A husband has the authority to decide where he will take his family to eat for dinner, but he defers to his wife's taste for seafood even though he doesn't really care for it. He is actually bound to express his love for her in this way. In every single decision, he doesn't have to do what she wants, but he must put her ahead of himself. Next, consider a couple that is having a disagreement over where to go to church. They "argue," or let's call it sharing their thoughts with each other, and have come to an impasse. It is the husband's responsibility as the God-appointed leader to make that decision. He doesn't not lord it over his wife, and he considers her wants and needs in the decision; however, it is ultimately his decision. Now, having the authority still sounds like the favorable of the two positions in such a balanced relationship, but consider that the head of the house is going to be held responsible by God for the decisions made (Hebrews 13:17).
Moving on, children need to obey their parents. FYI, this doesn't come naturally. As Pastor Jeremy Van Delinder puts it, all children are born pagans. It is true, because we are all born sinners.
This passage is often at the center of controversy over masters and slaves. I am not going to go over the topic again here, but you can read about it as was discussed in Philemon.
Ultimately, the principle in the passage is this- no matter what your position in a relationship, remember that your actions in that are first service to the Lord Jesus and He is the one from whom we are rewarded for righteous behavior.
Application(s):
Foster Godly, balanced relationships in your life according to what God has said. This might require some MAJOR life changes, but there is no time like the present to start living for the Lord. I also understand that relationships go two ways. Talk it over with the other side of your relationship, but remember that their unwillingness to obey God does not negate your responsibility.
Conduct yourself in every way and every situation as if you were relating to Jesus Christ before any other. This will revolutionize the way you interact with people.
Friday, April 8, 2011
4/8/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Colossians... Positively Stated, What a Christian Should Be Doing (Colossians 3:12-17)
Text: Colossians 3:12-17 (NKJV)
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
In this section, Paul describes what a Christian should be doing. The set of characteristics described in verse 12 are things that the Christian is to "put on" or begin doing to incorporate into our way of life. Notice in verse 13 that we are commanded to forgive our fellow Christians "as Christ forgave you." He bore all of our sins, though great in number and the most grievous things possible, so we should willingly and joyfully forgive our fellow Christians no matter what they have done to us (assuming they actually ask forgiveness). There is no limit to this.
I think verse 14 is one of the clearest articulations of a crucial New Testament principle- love, as in Matthew 22:37-39 (the greatest commandments according to Jesus). Love toward others is overarching. If one always acts in love towards others, that person really doesn't have to worry about following the nitty gritty rules of behavior. Rather than the system of the law in the Old Testament, the New Testament generally lays down broad principles of behavior. Certainly there are details and specifics in what Christians are and are not supposed to do; however, the purpose is to show us how to please God in our lives. How could we properly show our love for God if we don't know what He wants? Love is that which holds together and completes all of the other virtues ("bond of perfection").
Literally from verse 15, let the peace that comes from knowing Jesus Christ as one's Savior be the umpire of our lives. If we let this peace surround everything in our heart and mind, nothing can dissuade our joy or spiritual walk.
I am not going to go deep into Christian music here, but the idea conveyed is that a primary purpose for it is to teach or remind us of truth from the Bible. If the lyrics to our songs don't accomplish this, then we need to find some that do because this is a command.
Echoing 1 Corinthians 10:31, the Christian is again reminded in verse 17 to live every aspect of their life for God's glory and in a way that reflects Jesus Christ.
Application(s):
Don't delay and make an active choice to start putting on the Christian virtues commanded here.
Focus on loving other Christians. This guiding attitude will govern our actions such that they generally conform to what God expects in our relationships.
Let the peace of God rule in your heart and mind. If you are already a true Christian, then you have the peace there right now. However, you need to relax through studying God's Word, meditating on His promises, and praying so that you can have this peace.
Live every aspect of your life for God's glory and in a way that reflects Jesus Christ.
Other Studies from Colossians
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
In this section, Paul describes what a Christian should be doing. The set of characteristics described in verse 12 are things that the Christian is to "put on" or begin doing to incorporate into our way of life. Notice in verse 13 that we are commanded to forgive our fellow Christians "as Christ forgave you." He bore all of our sins, though great in number and the most grievous things possible, so we should willingly and joyfully forgive our fellow Christians no matter what they have done to us (assuming they actually ask forgiveness). There is no limit to this.
I think verse 14 is one of the clearest articulations of a crucial New Testament principle- love, as in Matthew 22:37-39 (the greatest commandments according to Jesus). Love toward others is overarching. If one always acts in love towards others, that person really doesn't have to worry about following the nitty gritty rules of behavior. Rather than the system of the law in the Old Testament, the New Testament generally lays down broad principles of behavior. Certainly there are details and specifics in what Christians are and are not supposed to do; however, the purpose is to show us how to please God in our lives. How could we properly show our love for God if we don't know what He wants? Love is that which holds together and completes all of the other virtues ("bond of perfection").
Literally from verse 15, let the peace that comes from knowing Jesus Christ as one's Savior be the umpire of our lives. If we let this peace surround everything in our heart and mind, nothing can dissuade our joy or spiritual walk.
I am not going to go deep into Christian music here, but the idea conveyed is that a primary purpose for it is to teach or remind us of truth from the Bible. If the lyrics to our songs don't accomplish this, then we need to find some that do because this is a command.
Echoing 1 Corinthians 10:31, the Christian is again reminded in verse 17 to live every aspect of their life for God's glory and in a way that reflects Jesus Christ.
Application(s):
Don't delay and make an active choice to start putting on the Christian virtues commanded here.
Focus on loving other Christians. This guiding attitude will govern our actions such that they generally conform to what God expects in our relationships.
Let the peace of God rule in your heart and mind. If you are already a true Christian, then you have the peace there right now. However, you need to relax through studying God's Word, meditating on His promises, and praying so that you can have this peace.
Live every aspect of your life for God's glory and in a way that reflects Jesus Christ.
Other Studies from Colossians
Discipleship Bible Reading Guide: Week 18
Sunday (Day 120): 1 Corinthians 10
Monday (Day 121): 1 Corinthians 11
Tuesday (Day 122): 1 Corinthians 12-13
Wednesday (Day 123): 1 Corinthians 14
Thursday (Day 124): 1 Corinthians 15
Friday (Day 125): 1 Corinthians 16
Saturday (Day 126): 2 Corinthians 1-2
Monday (Day 121): 1 Corinthians 11
Tuesday (Day 122): 1 Corinthians 12-13
Wednesday (Day 123): 1 Corinthians 14
Thursday (Day 124): 1 Corinthians 15
Friday (Day 125): 1 Corinthians 16
Saturday (Day 126): 2 Corinthians 1-2
Discipleship Bible Reading Guide: Week 17
Sunday (Day 113): Mark 16
Monday (Day 114): 1 Corinthians 1
Tuesday (Day 115): 1 Corinthians 2-3
Wednesday (Day 116): 1 Corinthians 4-5
Thursday (Day 117): 1 Corinthians 6
Friday (Day 118): 1 Corinthians 7
Saturday (Day 119): 1 Corinthians 8-9
Monday (Day 114): 1 Corinthians 1
Tuesday (Day 115): 1 Corinthians 2-3
Wednesday (Day 116): 1 Corinthians 4-5
Thursday (Day 117): 1 Corinthians 6
Friday (Day 118): 1 Corinthians 7
Saturday (Day 119): 1 Corinthians 8-9
Discipleship Bible Reading Guide: Week 16
Sunday (Day 106): Mark 9
Monday (Day 107): Mark 10
Tuesday (Day 108): Mark 11
Wednesday (Day 109): Mark 12
Thursday (Day 110): Mark 13
Friday (Day 111): Mark 14
Saturday (Day 112): Mark 15
Monday (Day 107): Mark 10
Tuesday (Day 108): Mark 11
Wednesday (Day 109): Mark 12
Thursday (Day 110): Mark 13
Friday (Day 111): Mark 14
Saturday (Day 112): Mark 15
Discipleship Bible Reading Guide: Week 15
Sunday (Day 99): Mark 2
Monday (Day 100): Mark 3
Tuesday (Day 101): Mark 4
Wednesday (Day 102): Mark 5
Thursday (Day 103): Mark 6
Friday (Day 104): Mark 7
Saturday (Day 105): Mark 8
Monday (Day 100): Mark 3
Tuesday (Day 101): Mark 4
Wednesday (Day 102): Mark 5
Thursday (Day 103): Mark 6
Friday (Day 104): Mark 7
Saturday (Day 105): Mark 8
Monday, April 4, 2011
4/4/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Colossians... The Total Supremacy of Christ, Part 2 (Colossians 3:1-11)
Text: Colossians 3:1-11 (NKJV)
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
This section represents the third focus in the letter of how Jesus Christ is totally superior in every way to all things. Here Jesus is identified as superior compared to the things of this world system.
The first section of verses (1-4) consists of a logical plea from Paul for the Colossian Christians to not focus on the things of this world but on the eternal things of Heaven. Life on Earth is short, but we have the hope (promise) of eternal life in Heaven with Jesus. Since that is the case, there should be no reason to be preoccupied with worry or get focused on the affairs of this life.
Next, Paul turned his attention to commanding the believers to, quite literally, put to death the parts of their lives listed immediately following. Lustful passions and a general lust in our mind are condemned. I want to focus briefly on the idea here of covetousness. The underlying term (πλεονεξιαν) here is very strong and set off from the rest of the list by an article, transcending our normal understanding of this English word. The idea is that, in desiring things for ourselves, we set ourselves up as deity, deserving of all good things. Notice in verse 7 that Paul assumes that, as Christians, these Colossian readers had stopped doing these sins (see also: verses 9-10 and 2 Corinthians 5:17).
There now follows a list, pictured in the Greek as filthy rags, that the Christians are supposed to stop. Apparently, these are actions that permeated the Colossian church but must be stopped. The first several are pretty straightforward, but I want to take a moment to focus on what is translated here as "filthy language." The Greek word αἰσχρολογιαν occurs only here in the New Testament. When it comes to what words are "naughty words" in the Bible, the two major focuses are that one is not to take God's name in vain or curse another person. Communication is supposed to be pure. However, how does one know what English words in 2011 America are OK and which ones are not? Well, let's look at the purity thing. Basically, your communication is to be above reproach, so if your conscience tells you that it is questionable, you should just avoid it. That being said, I don't think it is good to judge the specific words of others with the criteria of our conscience. For some, saying "shoot" as an interjection or in anger is just short for a widely accepted cuss word; however, others may not see it that way. I would mostly suggest in this area to focus on our own speech and train our children after our convictions but not to be harsh towards others without that specific conviction. Anyway, back to our passage. The term used here is probably the most sound argument against cuss words that do not misuse God's name or not used to curse another person. The term reflects low, filthy language with a connotation of being abusive. Exactly where this line is drawn within different languages, cultures, generations, and situations will vary, but what is constant is that our speech should be pure and above reproach.
Verses 10-11 provide an awesome passage of hope. People throughout history have been born into situations beyond their control. Some are born slaves in abysmal conditions, whereas others are born into royalty. Some were born into the chosen race of Hebrews, but most were not. One of the great things about Christianity is that none of that matters, since all are equally welcome. Furthermore, if one sets their mind on things above as dictated at the start of the chapter, their life situation is seen as temporary. Nothing is hopeless or without escape. You might have to be a slave for 60 years, but that will be insignificant 1,000,000,000,000 years into freedom in Heaven with God.
Application(s):
Focus your mind on the spiritual situation, not the immediate physical one. See things in the light of God and eternity. Take hope in eternity in Heaven!
Cut off the sins mentioned in this passage. I specifically focused on covetous (self-idolizing) and filthy speech, but there were many others listed.
Consider your communication. Is it pure? Is it above reproach? Set your standards high, but be careful not to judge others on matters of conscience.
Other Studies from Colossians
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
This section represents the third focus in the letter of how Jesus Christ is totally superior in every way to all things. Here Jesus is identified as superior compared to the things of this world system.
The first section of verses (1-4) consists of a logical plea from Paul for the Colossian Christians to not focus on the things of this world but on the eternal things of Heaven. Life on Earth is short, but we have the hope (promise) of eternal life in Heaven with Jesus. Since that is the case, there should be no reason to be preoccupied with worry or get focused on the affairs of this life.
Next, Paul turned his attention to commanding the believers to, quite literally, put to death the parts of their lives listed immediately following. Lustful passions and a general lust in our mind are condemned. I want to focus briefly on the idea here of covetousness. The underlying term (πλεονεξιαν) here is very strong and set off from the rest of the list by an article, transcending our normal understanding of this English word. The idea is that, in desiring things for ourselves, we set ourselves up as deity, deserving of all good things. Notice in verse 7 that Paul assumes that, as Christians, these Colossian readers had stopped doing these sins (see also: verses 9-10 and 2 Corinthians 5:17).
There now follows a list, pictured in the Greek as filthy rags, that the Christians are supposed to stop. Apparently, these are actions that permeated the Colossian church but must be stopped. The first several are pretty straightforward, but I want to take a moment to focus on what is translated here as "filthy language." The Greek word αἰσχρολογιαν occurs only here in the New Testament. When it comes to what words are "naughty words" in the Bible, the two major focuses are that one is not to take God's name in vain or curse another person. Communication is supposed to be pure. However, how does one know what English words in 2011 America are OK and which ones are not? Well, let's look at the purity thing. Basically, your communication is to be above reproach, so if your conscience tells you that it is questionable, you should just avoid it. That being said, I don't think it is good to judge the specific words of others with the criteria of our conscience. For some, saying "shoot" as an interjection or in anger is just short for a widely accepted cuss word; however, others may not see it that way. I would mostly suggest in this area to focus on our own speech and train our children after our convictions but not to be harsh towards others without that specific conviction. Anyway, back to our passage. The term used here is probably the most sound argument against cuss words that do not misuse God's name or not used to curse another person. The term reflects low, filthy language with a connotation of being abusive. Exactly where this line is drawn within different languages, cultures, generations, and situations will vary, but what is constant is that our speech should be pure and above reproach.
Verses 10-11 provide an awesome passage of hope. People throughout history have been born into situations beyond their control. Some are born slaves in abysmal conditions, whereas others are born into royalty. Some were born into the chosen race of Hebrews, but most were not. One of the great things about Christianity is that none of that matters, since all are equally welcome. Furthermore, if one sets their mind on things above as dictated at the start of the chapter, their life situation is seen as temporary. Nothing is hopeless or without escape. You might have to be a slave for 60 years, but that will be insignificant 1,000,000,000,000 years into freedom in Heaven with God.
Application(s):
Focus your mind on the spiritual situation, not the immediate physical one. See things in the light of God and eternity. Take hope in eternity in Heaven!
Cut off the sins mentioned in this passage. I specifically focused on covetous (self-idolizing) and filthy speech, but there were many others listed.
Consider your communication. Is it pure? Is it above reproach? Set your standards high, but be careful not to judge others on matters of conscience.
Other Studies from Colossians
Sunday, April 3, 2011
April 3, 2011: Week 2 Service- Will anyone come back?
The Grand Opening Service last week was great. There were 157 people there, and we had literally dozens of helpers. This week, it was up to the local team to do the work of the ministry. Oh, and there was a TON of outreach for the Grand Opening Service, and none specifically for this week. The question on our minds was- would anyone be there today?
We would have praised God no matter how many people showed up. Even if it was Pastor V and I alone, we would have praised Him. He knows best. He builds His church. The Lord saw fit to bring 96 souls into the service at North Hills Baptist Church today, and we praise Him for that! The response we have had is actually overwhelming. Again this week, our chair setup was inadequate, and we had to scramble. That is the kind of "problem" I like to have though. The spiritual response beyond attendance has been great too, though. There are literally dozens of families that have either requested to have a personal/family Bible study, had someone make a profession of faith that needs to be followed up on, or have expressed interest in actively serving in our church.
Today, we had 1 couple we met at the service last week come an hour early to help with setup. We were already 90% done, but what a blessing to see people that excited about serving! Then, after the service, they and 2 other families from last week stayed behind to help take down. Again, what a blessing!
God is doing great things already here in Round Rock, Texas. If you are praying for us, here are some specific items to pray for:
We would have praised God no matter how many people showed up. Even if it was Pastor V and I alone, we would have praised Him. He knows best. He builds His church. The Lord saw fit to bring 96 souls into the service at North Hills Baptist Church today, and we praise Him for that! The response we have had is actually overwhelming. Again this week, our chair setup was inadequate, and we had to scramble. That is the kind of "problem" I like to have though. The spiritual response beyond attendance has been great too, though. There are literally dozens of families that have either requested to have a personal/family Bible study, had someone make a profession of faith that needs to be followed up on, or have expressed interest in actively serving in our church.
Today, we had 1 couple we met at the service last week come an hour early to help with setup. We were already 90% done, but what a blessing to see people that excited about serving! Then, after the service, they and 2 other families from last week stayed behind to help take down. Again, what a blessing!
God is doing great things already here in Round Rock, Texas. If you are praying for us, here are some specific items to pray for:
- The Pastoral staff. We have a LOT of follow-up to do with people in this infant church. Pray for strength to endure, wisdom as we counsel, and God to raise up an abundance of helpers.
- Those who have come alongside us already to help. What a praise!
- Those who are ripe for the Gospel. They have heard it, and some have made professions of faith. Some want to take part in an evangelistic Bible study. These are people who need follow-up, so pray specifically for the condition of the souls of these people. I would say there are roughly 20-25 people in this category.
- Those who are saved and considering joining with us. There are quite a few people excited about being here. We are planning for exponential growth, taking the willingness of those in our church to work through an evangelistic Bible study with family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. There has to be some screening (actually saved themselves, serious sin problems, etc.) and a lot of discipleship, so pray for both wisdom in the Pastoral staff and servants to continue coming forward. There are probably 20-30 of those in this category also.
4/3/2011 Devotional Thoughts from Colossians... The Total Supremacy of Christ, Part 1 (Colossians 2)
Text: Colossians 2 (NKJV)
1 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— 21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using— according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
The main point of the Apostle Paul in this letter to the Colossians is that Jesus Christ is totally superior to any other system of belief or practice. Colossae was a crossroads, and so the church there suffered from the incursion of numerous heresies into their church. In this chapter, Jesus is exalted over philosophy (in this case, Greek philosophy) and legalism (here, imposing the Jewish law on Christians).
Verses 1-10 focus on the supremacy of Jesus over philosophy. Paul encourages the believers there not to add to the things which they have learned correctly (verses 6-7) as a positive way to address the problem. Often in our lives, we find ourselves asking "Is this ok?", "Can I do this?", or simply trying to justify our actions after the fact. A far better and more Biblical approach would be to positively obey what the Bible tells us to do. As Paul tells the Colossian church to do that here, so should we in all aspects of our spiritual life. Where would we find what God wants us to do? As he says in verse 7- in the Bible ("as you have been taught"). Paul then addressed the Colossian philosophical heresy. From the definite article used, it is apparent that he was addressing a specific philosophical heresy; however, we don't know exactly what it was. Based on verses 9-10 though, it is logical to surmise that it had something to do with Jesus Christ. They were asserting natural, human thought over what God had said. I believe that it was likely a heresy related to imposing philosophy on the nature of Jesus Christ. They were probably claiming something to the effect of Jesus being an illusion and not actually physically ever on Earth, or trying to explain the nature of Jesus with Platonic Dualism. Regardless of speculation on specifically what the heresy was, Paul asserted the full divinity and power of Jesus Christ to complete Christians spiritually, and really in every way.
Verses 11-23 provide a rebuttal to Jewish legalism. This was probably the greatest problem for the 1st Century Christian church. The Romans, at this time, were just beginning to distinguish Christianity as a distinct religion from just another sect of Judaism. The church was effectively centered in Jerusalem. Most Christians worldwide were Jewish. It seemed natural for many of them to want to keep up Jewish traditional laws found in the Old Testament and manuals of their religious scholars. Many, many times in the New Testament, this is addressed, and in every situation, the answer is consistent- the Christian (regardless of being Jewish or not) does not have to obey the Old Testament Law. The central point of contention was circumcision. For Jews, it was the identifying mark. All males had to be circumcised. The question arose then for new, Gentile (non-Jewish) Christians if they needed to get circumcised. The answer was "no," but that didn't stop many from trying to coerce them into doing it. Verses 13-14 really boil it down and give a direct answer- it is Jesus alone who saves us and He has removed all the requirements of the Old Testament Law from our lives. Verses 20-23 are very important verses to our church today. And more specifically, to my church (North Hills Baptist). Our approach is to try and be solely Biblical. The context for this is that the Jews had taken the already large number of laws from the Old Testament and magnified them to prevent a breach of the actual Old Testament Law. For example, the Old Testament prohibition against working on the Sabbath day was modified to put in place strict regulations, to include maximum allowable walking distances. Those, according to Paul here, are useless, and the attempt to do such things with Christianity is also useless. Simply do what the Bible says. As Christians not subject to the Old Testament Law (see: A Christian's Guide to Studying and Applying the Old Testament), the New Testament is the priority for doctrine and practice.
Application(s):
Don't try to justify your actions with the Bible. Change your living from this to the opposite, whereby you are actively doing what the Bible says.
Study the Bible! It is our source of truth, and it is totally sufficient for the Christian to be complete (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
Simply obey the Bible. Things that are traditions you do with regard to religion aren't necessarily bad, but they are useless. Do what the Bible says, and don't get too caught up in anything else. Many people impose things on the church (specific translation, women having to wear skirts/dresses in church, not using certain technology, etc.) that are not necessarily wrong to do but are certainly not points to be divisive over.
Other Studies from Colossians
1 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— 21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using— according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Devotional Thoughts and Commentary:
The main point of the Apostle Paul in this letter to the Colossians is that Jesus Christ is totally superior to any other system of belief or practice. Colossae was a crossroads, and so the church there suffered from the incursion of numerous heresies into their church. In this chapter, Jesus is exalted over philosophy (in this case, Greek philosophy) and legalism (here, imposing the Jewish law on Christians).
Verses 1-10 focus on the supremacy of Jesus over philosophy. Paul encourages the believers there not to add to the things which they have learned correctly (verses 6-7) as a positive way to address the problem. Often in our lives, we find ourselves asking "Is this ok?", "Can I do this?", or simply trying to justify our actions after the fact. A far better and more Biblical approach would be to positively obey what the Bible tells us to do. As Paul tells the Colossian church to do that here, so should we in all aspects of our spiritual life. Where would we find what God wants us to do? As he says in verse 7- in the Bible ("as you have been taught"). Paul then addressed the Colossian philosophical heresy. From the definite article used, it is apparent that he was addressing a specific philosophical heresy; however, we don't know exactly what it was. Based on verses 9-10 though, it is logical to surmise that it had something to do with Jesus Christ. They were asserting natural, human thought over what God had said. I believe that it was likely a heresy related to imposing philosophy on the nature of Jesus Christ. They were probably claiming something to the effect of Jesus being an illusion and not actually physically ever on Earth, or trying to explain the nature of Jesus with Platonic Dualism. Regardless of speculation on specifically what the heresy was, Paul asserted the full divinity and power of Jesus Christ to complete Christians spiritually, and really in every way.
Verses 11-23 provide a rebuttal to Jewish legalism. This was probably the greatest problem for the 1st Century Christian church. The Romans, at this time, were just beginning to distinguish Christianity as a distinct religion from just another sect of Judaism. The church was effectively centered in Jerusalem. Most Christians worldwide were Jewish. It seemed natural for many of them to want to keep up Jewish traditional laws found in the Old Testament and manuals of their religious scholars. Many, many times in the New Testament, this is addressed, and in every situation, the answer is consistent- the Christian (regardless of being Jewish or not) does not have to obey the Old Testament Law. The central point of contention was circumcision. For Jews, it was the identifying mark. All males had to be circumcised. The question arose then for new, Gentile (non-Jewish) Christians if they needed to get circumcised. The answer was "no," but that didn't stop many from trying to coerce them into doing it. Verses 13-14 really boil it down and give a direct answer- it is Jesus alone who saves us and He has removed all the requirements of the Old Testament Law from our lives. Verses 20-23 are very important verses to our church today. And more specifically, to my church (North Hills Baptist). Our approach is to try and be solely Biblical. The context for this is that the Jews had taken the already large number of laws from the Old Testament and magnified them to prevent a breach of the actual Old Testament Law. For example, the Old Testament prohibition against working on the Sabbath day was modified to put in place strict regulations, to include maximum allowable walking distances. Those, according to Paul here, are useless, and the attempt to do such things with Christianity is also useless. Simply do what the Bible says. As Christians not subject to the Old Testament Law (see: A Christian's Guide to Studying and Applying the Old Testament), the New Testament is the priority for doctrine and practice.
Application(s):
Don't try to justify your actions with the Bible. Change your living from this to the opposite, whereby you are actively doing what the Bible says.
Study the Bible! It is our source of truth, and it is totally sufficient for the Christian to be complete (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
Simply obey the Bible. Things that are traditions you do with regard to religion aren't necessarily bad, but they are useless. Do what the Bible says, and don't get too caught up in anything else. Many people impose things on the church (specific translation, women having to wear skirts/dresses in church, not using certain technology, etc.) that are not necessarily wrong to do but are certainly not points to be divisive over.
Other Studies from Colossians
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