“Woe is us, Woe is us, We have come to Leviticus.” I don’t remember where I first heard that humorous phrase, but it captures the feelings many of us have as we approach one of the least appreciated books of the Bible. This is really quite unfortunate as Leviticus has much to say to N.T. Christians about living in the presence of a Holy God and offering unto Him a life of sacrifice that pleases Him. Like every other book of the Bible, it is ultimately a book about Jesus and its timeless message points to the necessity of a perfect sacrifice to make it possible for sinners like you and I to gain access to the presence of God.
The book of Leviticus is quoted or alluded to about forty times in the N.T. consider just three that show how important an understanding of this book is to us today.
For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another (Mark 9:49-50).
I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship (Rom. 12:1).
But I have received everything in full, and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God (Phil. 4:18).
We have an altar, from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Hence, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come. Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased (Heb. 13:10-16).
The key to understanding these texts is to be found in understanding the Old Testament sacrifices, as explained in Leviticus. The same can be said of the other portions of the New Testament where concepts are conveyed in Old Testament terminology. If we don’t understand the Old Testament terminology and concepts, we will not grasp the New Testament meaning.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
#20 Mt. Sinai and the Tabernacle
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
#19 Gracious Law
The giving of the law at Sinai marks a tremendous advance for Israel. The preface to the ten commandments marks the context in which the law is to be understood. Exodus 20:2 introduces the ten commandments with these words, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” Contrary to their earlier complaint, God did not bring them out of Egypt to kill them in the wilderness and He did not bring them out in order to enslave them. Instead, he released them from the tyrannical law of a sinful man and gave them the liberating law of a loving God.
The law of God is given so that man might escape the enslaving effects of sin. The worship of false gods, rebellion against parents, neglecting to rest and worship God, stealing, murder and lying are ultimately destructive to personal and societal liberty. Obedience to God’s law liberates. Sin enslaves.
It is true that law itself cannot save sinful men. It doesn’t have redemptive qualities. Salvation from sin is found exclusively in the gospel. Only Christ crucified can free us from the guilt of sin. This does not alter the fact that law is itself graciously given to us from God as guide to teach us how free people are to live in relation to God and each other. So, a heart that receives God’s law in the context of grace will see God’s goodness and love in the law. He will see it as a practical guide to liberty. To use scriptural imagery, he will see the 10 commandments under the mercy seat i.e. law in the context of grace. Others will see the law as a way to earn God’s approval and in the end find it a hangman’s noose.
The law of God is given so that man might escape the enslaving effects of sin. The worship of false gods, rebellion against parents, neglecting to rest and worship God, stealing, murder and lying are ultimately destructive to personal and societal liberty. Obedience to God’s law liberates. Sin enslaves.
It is true that law itself cannot save sinful men. It doesn’t have redemptive qualities. Salvation from sin is found exclusively in the gospel. Only Christ crucified can free us from the guilt of sin. This does not alter the fact that law is itself graciously given to us from God as guide to teach us how free people are to live in relation to God and each other. So, a heart that receives God’s law in the context of grace will see God’s goodness and love in the law. He will see it as a practical guide to liberty. To use scriptural imagery, he will see the 10 commandments under the mercy seat i.e. law in the context of grace. Others will see the law as a way to earn God’s approval and in the end find it a hangman’s noose.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
#18 Yahweh vs. god's of Egypt
The readings are coming at me much faster than I can post. I'll continue to hit some of the high points two or three times a week. Today we will consider the plagues.
The Plagues bring two basic issues to a head (5:1-2). Who does Israel belong to? Pharaoh thinks they are his slaves. But God calls Israel His son (4:22). This is made clear by the conversation between Moses and Pharaoh. Moses tells Pharaoh that Yahweh commands Him to let Israel go that they may celebrate a feast unto Him. Pharaoh then asks a question that will drive the next several chapters of the story, "Who is Yahweh that I should obey Him?" Pharaoh, does not know Yahweh and sees no reason to obey his voice and refuses to let Israel go. This section of the book will answer that question climaxing in chapter fifteen with the Song of Moses which celebrates Yahweh's answer to the question of who Yahweh is.
Just as Moses could only find himself by understanding Yahweh. So Israel and Pharaoh, must understand themselves and each other in terms of Yahweh. Pharaoh believed he was a god w/ a divine claim on Israels Israel seems to believe Yahweh is a god among god’s (Josh 24:14), particularly the god of their forefathers, but they have no idea, as of yet, the scope or depth of His being and power. Consequently they feel conflicted about what they should do. Should the stay and serve Pharaoh peaceably - plenty of food, full employment, secure national defense. Or, should they leave and serve God - who as a Father will require them to mature, which will necessarily involve all kinds of uncomfortable and unknown experiences.
God does not wait passively for them to search Him out. He unilaterally imposes himself. Pharaoh and Israel WILL learn who Yahweh is. Israel WILL leave Egypt as Yahweh’s son. The actions that God takes are designed to reveal Himself to: Egypt – Ex 7:5 "And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them." Israel– Ex 10:2 "That you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son's son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD." The extent to which this is stressed is impossible to overstate:
a. Ex 7:17 By this you shall know that I am the LORD..
b. Ex 8:22 that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the land.
c. Ex 8:10 that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.
d. Ex 9:29-30 that you may know that the earth is the LORD's.
e. Ex 14:4 I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.
f. Ex 14:18 Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD. ael go.
The Plagues As A Whole.
As one views the first 9 plagues as a whole, there is a distinct pattern to them. The 9 plagues can be grouped into 3 groups of 3.
The first plagues (1-3) produce discomfort; the next 3 bring about greater damage (4-6); the last 3 (7-9) produce the added dimension of dread.
The first plague of each series (plagues 1, 4, and 7) begins with the expression “in the morning.” The last plague of each sequence (3, 6, and 9) comes unannounced and without the warnings of the others.
In the first series of plagues (1-3), the staff is stretched out by Aaron. In the second series (4-6), no staff is used. In the third series (7-9) Moses uses his staff.
In the first series of plagues, the Israelites are not distinguished from the Egyptians so far as experiencing the plagues is concerned. From the second series onward, a distinction is made.
The rest of this post consists of some of my teaching notes, thus the outline form:
Consider the plagues and how each of them is Yahweh’s challenge to the god’s of Egypt, culminating in a conquest of Egypt’s incarnate god - the crown prince.
I. The plagues were a judgment upon the “gods” of Egypt.
A. Num 33:3-4 The Israelites set out from Rameses on the fifteenth day of the first month, the day after the Passover. They marched out boldly in full view of all the Egyptians, 4 who were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck down among them; for the LORD had brought judgment on their gods.
B. Ex 18:10-11 He said, "Praise be to the LORD, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly."
C. Ex 12:12 "On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn--both men and animals--and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.
D. The Bible teaches us a strict division between Creator/Creature. There is only One God. The strict monotheism of the Bible does not prevent a comparison of God to all the gods, who are, compared to Him nothing. We should Affirm the existence of principalities, powers, thrones, dominations, angels, archangels, demons, and things that go bump in the night. As Paul put it, they are called gods. They are nothing compared to Yahweh. But they are there. There are gods many and lords many. But for us, there is only one God, the Father of all.
1. If necessary see (cf. 1 Cor. 10:20-21; I Tim. 4:1)
2. Not only did the Egyptians need to renounce their pagan gods, but so did the Israelites, who also worshiped them (cf. Josh. 24:14).
II. The Plagues In Particular
A. Water Turned To Blood (7:14-25). Attack on hapi & khnun god’s of the Nile.
1. Hapi - is in charge of the flooding of the nile
2. Khnun is its source & guardian
3. Moses & Aaron meet Pharaoh in AM. He reviews the demand (let my people go) and reminds Pharaoh of his refusal.
4. Stretches out Aaron’s rod & all water turns to blood.
5. The plague lasted 7 days (perhaps the length of the others is implied)
B. Frogs (8:1-15). Attack on Heqet a frog headed water goddess - fertility.
1. Moses &Aaron meet Pharaoh in Morning w/ command to let Israel go (v.1).
a. Aaron stretches out staff & frogs go wild.
b. Magicians duplicate (v.7)
2. Pharaoh cries “uncle” (v.8)
3. Moses gives him the honor of choosing when the plague will end.
4. Frogs die and are piled up (v. 14)
5. Pharaoh hardens his heart (v. 15).
6. Celebrated in Psalm 78:45; 105:30
C. Lice (8: 16-19) Attack on Geb god of the land.
1. Unannounced plague
2. Strike the dust
3. Magicians could not duplicate. This is the finger of God!
4. Pharaoh’s heart grows hard
D. Flies (8:20-32) Attack on Khephri god of creation
1. Moses goes before Pharaoh early in the morning w/ command to let Isr. go (v. 20).
a. If not flies!
b. Goshen will be set apart (v22-23) & make a difference lit. set a ransom
2. Pharaoh begins to bargain, sacrifice here in the land
a. Moses says no - their sacrifices would be abominable to Egyptians.
b. Counters w/ let us go 3 days journey into wilderness
c. Bargain struck “ok just don’t go very far”
3. Plague lifted & Pharaoh goes back on his agreement (v32).
E. Murrain of the Livestock (9:1-7) Attack on Apis very important cow God chief symbol of fertility and prosperity.
1. Moses warns Pharaoh & Pharaoh refuses to heed.
2. Next day livestock is struck
a. All die (v. 6)? Next Plague more die.
(1) all from Heb kol – “all kinds of” or “from all over” or “all over the place”
(2) w/ reference to “all Israel” means representatives from the whole nation, not every individual Israelite.
b. None in Goshen
3. Pharaoh hardens
F. Boils (9:8-12) Attack on Thoth God of knowledge & medicine - A healer.
1. Unannounced - take ashes from a furnace and throw into the air
a. Caused boils on man and beast.
b. Magicians unable to stand before Moses
(1) either to make more boils
(2) or take them away from themselves or others
2. Pharaoh unyielding.
G. Hail (9:13-35) Attack on Nut sky goddess of wind and rain & Horus sky god
1. Early in Morning w/ demand for release.
2. Intensification - at your very heart vv. 14-16
a. Could have already utterly destroyed you.
b. Building up the drama to reveal ultimacy
3. Warning to bring in people and livestock from field v. 19
a. Some believe and obey
b. Some do not
4. Destroys everything except in Goshen
5. Pharaoh repents v. 27-28
6. Pharaoh hardens v. 35
H. Locusts (10:1-20) Attack on Anubis dog headed god of the dead & protector of the field.
1. Moses goes in before Pharaoh & his words are bolder (vv 3-4)
2. Pharaoh’s advisors talk sense (v. 7)
a. Let the men go
b. Pharaoh asks who will go with you - Moses says EVERYONE v. 9
c. Pharaoh refuses.
3. East wind blows in locusts who devour whatever remained after the hail. (V. 15).
a. Pharaoh repents
b. & hardens
I. Darkness (10:21-29) Attack on Isis protector of fields.
1. Unannounced
2. 3 days of darkness
a. So dense they had to “feel” their way around.
b. Darkness to ancient people
c. Natural world suspended
d. Sense of depression and doom by third day
3. Pharaoh sends word GO, but leave livestock behind (v. 24).
a. Moses says No - we take everything with us
b. And YOU must give us sacrifices
c. Pharaoh hardens
4. Moses warned not to come before Pharaoh again
III. The Point of the Plagues:
A. The plagues were a demonstration of God’s existence and power.
1. To Pharaoh & Israel
2. To the Canaanite tribes who would hear of it.
3. Empires of men are like gargoyles on a cathedral: ugly, high, hard to knock off, but God raises them up to reveal His greater power.
B. The plagues were a judgment on Pharaoh and the Egyptians for their cruelty and harshness.
1. Gen. 15:14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.
2. They had shed innocent blood. Been repressive and arrogant.
IV. So then, Who Is YHWY?
A. Sovereign God whose purposes in the world cannot be thwarted.
1. Everything Pharaoh does is for the purpose of preventing God.
2. Everything Pharaoh does fall into the plan of God to:
a. deliver His people.
b. glorify His name among the nations.
B. He is the god who throws down all pretenders to the divine nature.
1. He defeats all the god’s of Egypt.
2. He defeats Pharaoh “the divine son”.
C. He is the God who gives Justice to some, by hardening them in their rebellion and gives undeserved mercy to others by leading them out of their bondage to sin.
1. The exodus is not a story of some really good people (Israel) who were oppressed by some really bad people. (true in a relative sense, but both were idolatrous and sinful)
2. Not about the irrepressible will of the Jewish people, but the irrepressible will of a gracious and merciful God (cf. Deut 9:4-6).
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
# 17 Moses, The First Forty Years
Exodus begins with a description of God’s blessing on the children of Israel. An echo of Genesis two is found in Exodus 1:7 where we are told that they were fruitful and multiplied and filled the land. This blessing of fruitfulness sets the stage for the drama that follows. Time has elapsed since Joseph proved such a valuable ruler in Egypt and as men will do, Joseph and all he did was forgotten. The new Pharaoh was what we would call today, a practical politician. He rightly recognizes Israel as a threat to Egyptian national security. Having a sizable foreign people living inside the boarders of your country could certainly prove disastrous if an enemy should attack from without, and they were to attack from within. Pharaoh’s conceives a “shrewd plan” for dealing with the problem. Here is a man who is worldly wise. A man of action. A man determined to protect his nation from disaster.The plan was simple enough. All the male babies were to be killed by the midwives at birth. When this plan fails because the midwives feared God more than Pharaoh, the king was not deterred. He passed down a law through the appropriate channels and the order went out that all the male Hebrew babies were to be thrown into the Nile. Undoubtedly, a religious significance was attached to this as the god of the Nile was an important deity to the Egyptians and such a sacrifice could be thought of as an expression of piety and necessary to insure the proper flooding and receding of the Nile, which was essential to Egyptian agriculture. In addition to the infanticide, the Hebrews were made slaves and forced to build cities for the Egyptians.
When Moses was born, his parents hid him until they could no longer keep him from being discovered. In faith, they placed him in an ark (do not let the imagery of Noah’s ark escape you). The baby floated by the place where Pharaoh’s daughter (just happened) to be bathing. She took pity on the child and decided to keep him. Moses' older sister (just happened) to walk by at that moment and offer to bring a wet nurse in to care for the child. The offer was accepted and Pharaoh’s daughter paid Moses' mother to be his nurse.
Moses grew up in the royal family and received a royal education. Stephen tells us that he was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. This wisdom was considerable and would certainly prove valuable in governing the children of Israel. Forty years pass until the day that Moses, who knew his Hebrew heritage, came out to visit (the word may imply deliver) his Hebrew brethren. He killed an Egyptian for beating a Hebrew slave. The next day, Moses came out to the Hebrews again and intervened in a squabble between to slaves. One of the slaves asked sarcastically if Moses would kill him like he had the Egyptian the day before. My understanding of this is that Moses had wanted to deliver the Hebrews, but this comment revealed that they were not interested in having him do so. With his slaying of the Egyptian exposed and his rejection by the Hebrews as their deliverer, Moses was suddenly a man without a land or people and so he fled to Midian.
The usual view is that Moses was a hotheaded young man who needed forty years in the desert to learn humility. I think there is something to this. Moses was certainly humble by the time he reached eighty, but there is probably another factor that we should consider. The Jews were being brutally treated by the Egyptians and Moses comes and offers them relief from their oppressors. Because they rejected him, they are forced to continue as slaves for another forty years. Perhaps the judgment is not so much on Moses as it is on the Hebrew slaves.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
# 16 Joseph
Rather than over viewing the life of Joseph, I will interact with some of the instances that stand out in my mind. The first is that Joseph is envied by his brothers. He is the youngest and yet he is set over them in a position of authority. This was because of an unrighteous favoritism on the part of their father, but as the story unfolds, it is also apparent that he is over them because he is better than them and has been chosen by God to be their savior. This is foreshadowed early in the story by the visions of sheaves and heavenly bodies bowing down to him. It is worth interjecting at this point that this is the first time that the sun, moon and stars are used symbolically of earthly authorities. This is a symbol that will be picked up and regularly used by the writers of scripture.
Envy is a cancer that has killed innumerable people, families, offices, and churches. Unlike covetousness, which wants what belongs to another, envy wants what the other person has to be taken from them. In other words, Joseph’s brothers are not concerned with having his colorful coat for themselves, they just want Joseph to be coatless. They want him stripped. They want him, not up above them but down in a well, not ruling over them, but sold as a slave. In their minds they were thinking, “this arrogant little punk needs to be taken down several notches.” Now, I do not believe the common view that Joseph was an arrogant youth. Like Cain, they saw that their works were evil and that they were inferior to their little brother and so they laid hands on him. In this same way, Jesus was delivered up to pilate by the envious priests and elders of the people. The fact that a person is genuinely humble and godly, does not disarm the envious, but only works them into a greater frenzy.
Americans understand that everyone deserves equal opportunity and equal rights and equal protection under the law because we are all created equal. Many misunderstand this important truth and think the founders were saying that everyone has equal ability. But this is not the case. Everyone has equal worth before God. Everyone citizen deserves equal rights. But we are most certainly not all equal in ability. Joseph was a great man. Jesus was a perfect man. Paul was a highly intelligent man with an unstoppable drive. In every family, workplace and church are people with widely differing abilities and skills. We can either choose to accept this diversity and appreciate what God has given to others and be content with what He has given to us, or we will be forever trying to tear down those who rise above us. The corollary is equally important. Those with great talent, must understand that they have nothing to boast about. It is God who has made them excel. Joseph understood this and told Pharaoh that it was God who gave him his great abilities.
Joseph dealt with the temptation he encountered in Potiphar’s house in a most remarkable way. As his master’s lewd wife continually sought to seduce him, he resisted her for two reasons. She was not his wife and he would not trade his relationship with God for a few moments pleasure with her. In an age when sexual morality, even among God’s people, was confused to say the least, Joseph stands as an example to all people of all time as to how and why we should remain sexually pure.
After his cloak was stripped away a second time and used as a means to deceive others, Joseph finally emerges from prison to be placed in great authority over the world’s superpower. Undoubtedly, he was dressed in a robe that would represent the greatness he had attained. However, the greatest demonstration of Joseph’s valor is seen not in his sexual restraint, nor in his visions and interpretation of dreams nor his wisdom to rule, but in his decision to forgive his brothers of their treachery.
Throughout his painful journey, Joseph must have felt alone and abandoned by God. It is to his credit that he did not let those feelings guide his decisions. Throughout the course of his hardships he maintained the belief that God was with him, guiding him. In the end God’s gracious purpose was made clear. Many wicked people had sought to destroy Joseph, but God made every sinful act of man a means of bringing about the salvation of His people from the famine.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
#15 Gen 29-35
The fruitfulness of Jacob’s wives, whether directly or through their servants, in chapter twenty-nine is paralleled with the fruitfulness of Jacob’s flocks in chapter thirty. In the story of the flocks and herds we see the scheming of men and the overruling providence of God. Laban is pleased with the deal he makes with Jacob, because his flocks were predominantly black and brown with only an occasional spotted or streaked lamb or goat. Jacob thinks he is a shrewd fellow because he puts poles in the ground that are streaked and spotted. He thinks that the offspring of the mating sheep will be influenced by the spotted poles they visualize at the time of conception. This, of course, had nothing to do with the high proportion of streaked and spotted offspring and in chapter thirty-one we learn that the real reason was that God had caused the males who were mating with the flock to be spotted and streaked. As it says in Proverbs 16:33, The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD.
Though we might find fault with Jacob over a number of things, it is clear that Laban was more deceitful and selfish than Jacob. He was a shrewd business man who constantly changed the rules of the game to his own advantage. Ten times he tried to do this, but it backfired every time. As promised at Bethel, God is with Jacob and is blessing him during his time of exile. Like Abram in Egypt and like his descendants in Egypt, God will spoil and plague those who try to take advantage of Jacob.
When Jacob flees from Laban, Rachel steals her father’s household gods. These were likely gold or silver figurines that were used as objects of worship. When Laban catches up with the fleeing company he demands that Jacob give the idols back. Jacob knows nothing about it and swears that anyone who is found with them in their possession will be killed. The whole camp is searched and when Laban comes to Rachel she is hiding them under her skirt. She succeeds in her theft by telling her father that she is on her period and therefore unable to rise. The gods of Laban are powerless and defiled.
After escaping from the wrath of Laban, Jacob must now face his brother Esau. Again, he devises a two fold plan. First he will try to placate his brother by a great gift and second, he will divide the women and children into two groups so that if one is attacked the other can escape. Most importantly Jacob prays for God to protect and deliver him from Esau. As they prepare to meet, Jacob is left alone at the crossing where he wrestles with a (man/angel/God) all through the night. Jacob refused to let him go until he blessed him. This is Jacob’s life in miniature. He is a man who struggles, who wrestles, who refuses to let go. His name is changed from Jacob to Israel which means, struggles with God.
After settling in the land and avenging the rape of Dina, Israel is called to fulfill his vow at Bethel. Jacob tells his household to put away their false gods, purify themselves and change their clothing. He returns to Bethel and builds an alter there to the God of his fathers.
Though we might find fault with Jacob over a number of things, it is clear that Laban was more deceitful and selfish than Jacob. He was a shrewd business man who constantly changed the rules of the game to his own advantage. Ten times he tried to do this, but it backfired every time. As promised at Bethel, God is with Jacob and is blessing him during his time of exile. Like Abram in Egypt and like his descendants in Egypt, God will spoil and plague those who try to take advantage of Jacob.
When Jacob flees from Laban, Rachel steals her father’s household gods. These were likely gold or silver figurines that were used as objects of worship. When Laban catches up with the fleeing company he demands that Jacob give the idols back. Jacob knows nothing about it and swears that anyone who is found with them in their possession will be killed. The whole camp is searched and when Laban comes to Rachel she is hiding them under her skirt. She succeeds in her theft by telling her father that she is on her period and therefore unable to rise. The gods of Laban are powerless and defiled.
After escaping from the wrath of Laban, Jacob must now face his brother Esau. Again, he devises a two fold plan. First he will try to placate his brother by a great gift and second, he will divide the women and children into two groups so that if one is attacked the other can escape. Most importantly Jacob prays for God to protect and deliver him from Esau. As they prepare to meet, Jacob is left alone at the crossing where he wrestles with a (man/angel/God) all through the night. Jacob refused to let him go until he blessed him. This is Jacob’s life in miniature. He is a man who struggles, who wrestles, who refuses to let go. His name is changed from Jacob to Israel which means, struggles with God.
After settling in the land and avenging the rape of Dina, Israel is called to fulfill his vow at Bethel. Jacob tells his household to put away their false gods, purify themselves and change their clothing. He returns to Bethel and builds an alter there to the God of his fathers.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
#14 Genesis 24-30
Though Isaac is the son of promise. His life gets less ink in the story than his sons Jacob and Esau. Great emphasis is placed on the fact that his wife was not taken from among the Canaanites, but from the relatives of Abraham. God providentially leads Abraham’s servant to a virgin named Rebeckah the daughter of Bethuel and the granddaughter of Nahor, who was Abraham’s brother. Presumably, she and her people either worshiped or were at least familiar with the God of Abraham since they had gone with Terra and Abraham when they left Ur in obedience to God’s call. This would explain why Abraham was so concerned that Isaac marry a woman from among these people and not the Canaanites among whom they dwelt. As is always the case in scripture, the issue was not one of racial purity, but one of faith.
Chapter twenty five records the death of Abraham and tells us of his numerous descendants from his second wife Keturah. It also mentions in passing that Abraham had other unnamed sons born to him by concubines. While Abraham gave gifts to all of these while he was living, the entirety of his inheritance went to Isaac at his death.
The matter of polygamy and concubinage is a difficult one for us to get a grip on. Clearly, it was never God’s intention that it should be so as Jesus reminds us that from the beginning God’s design was for one man and one woman. The main reason given for this is that marriage is intended to be a figure of Christ and the church (Eph 5:31-32). Great evils came into the world through the practice of multiple marriages. They were a trouble to the men, and undoubtedly a sorrow to the wives. They became the source of bitterest sibling rivalries. The fact that God tolerated it from his faithful servants is a tribute to His longsuffering and patience as He worked in history to bring about the salvation mankind so obviously needed.
Another key development in the story of the patriarchs is the bareness of their wives. Of course Sarah was barren and now we learn that Rebeckah was as well. This serves to highlight that the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham, would not come as a consequence of their “natural fertility” but through God’s faithfulness to His word. He is the God that keeps promises. It is His delight to fulfill his promises in ways that test us and reveal that He is the one bringing them to pass.
When Rebeckah finally does conceive, they are twins. The oldest was Esau, but when he came forth, the younger one had hold of his heel, which signified his grasping and conniving nature which would later be realized in his taking for himself the rights and blessings reserved for his firstborn brother.
While the favoritism of Isaac and Rebeckah are instances of bad parenting, we need to see how God can even use the sins of His people to accomplish His purposes. Isaac favored his firstborn Esau and wanted God’s promises to be fulfilled through him. But, God had determined, even before they were born, that the older would serve the younger (Gen 25:23). Without approving of it, God over ruled Isaac’s plan to bless Esau through Rebeckah’s deception.
As a consequence of their deception Jacob is forced to flee from the face of Esau who was ready to kill him. Like his father, he will now find a wife, not from among the pagan Canaanites, but from among the people of Abraham. As Jacob runs, a most amazing even occurs at Bethel. As Jacob sleeps he has a vision of a ladder that reaches from earth to heaven and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. When he awakens he calls the place awesome and names it Bethel, meaning the gate of heaven. In John 1:51 Jesus alludes to this event and describes Himself as the ladder in Jacob’s dream. He is the true portal connecting God and man and by Him alone can men and angels traffic between heaven and earth.
While in exile, Jacob meets his match in Laban, who knows as many tricks as he does himself. In the end, Jacob prevails with the blessing of God and returns home with Leah and Rachel, the daughters of Laban.
Chapter twenty five records the death of Abraham and tells us of his numerous descendants from his second wife Keturah. It also mentions in passing that Abraham had other unnamed sons born to him by concubines. While Abraham gave gifts to all of these while he was living, the entirety of his inheritance went to Isaac at his death.
The matter of polygamy and concubinage is a difficult one for us to get a grip on. Clearly, it was never God’s intention that it should be so as Jesus reminds us that from the beginning God’s design was for one man and one woman. The main reason given for this is that marriage is intended to be a figure of Christ and the church (Eph 5:31-32). Great evils came into the world through the practice of multiple marriages. They were a trouble to the men, and undoubtedly a sorrow to the wives. They became the source of bitterest sibling rivalries. The fact that God tolerated it from his faithful servants is a tribute to His longsuffering and patience as He worked in history to bring about the salvation mankind so obviously needed.
Another key development in the story of the patriarchs is the bareness of their wives. Of course Sarah was barren and now we learn that Rebeckah was as well. This serves to highlight that the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham, would not come as a consequence of their “natural fertility” but through God’s faithfulness to His word. He is the God that keeps promises. It is His delight to fulfill his promises in ways that test us and reveal that He is the one bringing them to pass.
When Rebeckah finally does conceive, they are twins. The oldest was Esau, but when he came forth, the younger one had hold of his heel, which signified his grasping and conniving nature which would later be realized in his taking for himself the rights and blessings reserved for his firstborn brother.
While the favoritism of Isaac and Rebeckah are instances of bad parenting, we need to see how God can even use the sins of His people to accomplish His purposes. Isaac favored his firstborn Esau and wanted God’s promises to be fulfilled through him. But, God had determined, even before they were born, that the older would serve the younger (Gen 25:23). Without approving of it, God over ruled Isaac’s plan to bless Esau through Rebeckah’s deception.
As a consequence of their deception Jacob is forced to flee from the face of Esau who was ready to kill him. Like his father, he will now find a wife, not from among the pagan Canaanites, but from among the people of Abraham. As Jacob runs, a most amazing even occurs at Bethel. As Jacob sleeps he has a vision of a ladder that reaches from earth to heaven and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. When he awakens he calls the place awesome and names it Bethel, meaning the gate of heaven. In John 1:51 Jesus alludes to this event and describes Himself as the ladder in Jacob’s dream. He is the true portal connecting God and man and by Him alone can men and angels traffic between heaven and earth.
While in exile, Jacob meets his match in Laban, who knows as many tricks as he does himself. In the end, Jacob prevails with the blessing of God and returns home with Leah and Rachel, the daughters of Laban.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
#13 Genesis 18-21
The three angels who visit Abraham move on toward Sodom. God reveals to Abraham His intentions for the wicked cities on the plain. Abraham intercedes in behalf of the cities, no doubt with the well being of Lot in mind. God promises to save the city for the sake of only ten righteous souls, if they can be found. The fact that they were destroyed tells us how vile the city had become.
When the angels arrive in Sodom, Lot compels them to come under the protection of his roof and to not remain out in the city square as they were intending. When evening came, word of the three “men’s” arrival had spread about and men from every part of the city came to Lot’s house demanding that the visitors be sent out that they might have sex with them. Lot weakly resists and tries, astonishingly, to buy them off with his two daughters. The men of the city tell Lot that he is out of place in trying to judge them and threaten to punish him if he doesn’t comply with their demands.
This story exposes the modern myth of neutrality. People today want to pretend that a societies rules and regulations can be “value neutral,” but this is not possible. Morality will always be enforced in a society. The only question is whose morality will it be. By passing a judgement on the sexual advances of the men of Sodom, Job was treading dangerously close to a hate crime and was threatened with violence if he didn’t stop it.
In America today the “rights” of homosexuals are used to restrict the liberties of those who believe the practice to be wrong. Landlords, for instance, can be fined if they refuse to rent a property to a practicing homosexual. As Christians we should be prepared to suffer at the hands of a government whose morality and legal code departs more and more from the Biblical mores upon which it was based.
When the angels arrive in Sodom, Lot compels them to come under the protection of his roof and to not remain out in the city square as they were intending. When evening came, word of the three “men’s” arrival had spread about and men from every part of the city came to Lot’s house demanding that the visitors be sent out that they might have sex with them. Lot weakly resists and tries, astonishingly, to buy them off with his two daughters. The men of the city tell Lot that he is out of place in trying to judge them and threaten to punish him if he doesn’t comply with their demands.
This story exposes the modern myth of neutrality. People today want to pretend that a societies rules and regulations can be “value neutral,” but this is not possible. Morality will always be enforced in a society. The only question is whose morality will it be. By passing a judgement on the sexual advances of the men of Sodom, Job was treading dangerously close to a hate crime and was threatened with violence if he didn’t stop it.
In America today the “rights” of homosexuals are used to restrict the liberties of those who believe the practice to be wrong. Landlords, for instance, can be fined if they refuse to rent a property to a practicing homosexual. As Christians we should be prepared to suffer at the hands of a government whose morality and legal code departs more and more from the Biblical mores upon which it was based.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
#12 Genesis 11:27-15:21
After the confusion of languages at Babel men fell into crass idolatry. One of the idolatrous cultures that developed was found in Ur of the Chaldees. Situated in modern Iraq, the people there worshiped the god Nannar. Among the inhabitants of Ur was a man named Terah who was the father of one of the most significant characters in the entire Bible and his name was Abram.
God promised Abram a new land, to make a great nation of Abram, to bless him and make him a blessing to others. God Himself will curse those who curse Abram and bless those who bless him. Most important, God promised to bless all nations that had been scattered across the face of the earth through Abram.
It would be easy to assume that when God appeared to Abram that he and his family were worshipers of the true God and that they were vexed by the idolatry surrounding them, but Joshua makes it clear that this was not the case. Josh 24:2 And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel:'Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods.
But God who is rich in mercy revealed Himself to Abram and called Him out of the land of his Fathers. The first stage of the journey took them to Haran where Abram was accompanied by his father. After Terah died Abram completed his journey from Haran and entered the land of Canaan.
Abram enters Canaan from the north, living as a nomadic pilgrim. Yet we should not think of him as having only a handful with him. In 14:14 we learn that there were 318 trained warriors that had been born in his household. Based on the number of warriors some scholars have projected that the entire company was around three thousand souls.
The first thing Abram does upon entering the promised land is establish alters at Shechem and Bethel. Later he will build a third at Negev. These alters are very meaningful. They were constructed at areas of religious significance to the Canaanites. They were located at strategic places from a geographic point of view. They were revisited by Joshua during the conquest of the land. It seems clear to me, that Abram’s alter building should be understood as a symbolic conquest of Canaan. In other words, Abram was claiming Canaan as God’s. He did this by establishing right worship. These were not just places where Abram would get off to have quiet time with God. They were public centers of worship that expressed Abram’s faith in the God who promised to give him the land.
Not only does Genesis give us a preview of the conquest of Joshua, but it also prefigures the sojourn of Israel in Egypt. When a famine arose in Canaan, Abram temporarily moved his household to Egypt where he represented Sarai as his sister. This occurs multiple times in the story and its repetition is clearly important. We typically refer to this partial deception as an instance of Abram’s lack of faith. This may be true, but it is clearly not the point the author wants us to take away. Nothing is said of God’s being angry with Abram. Instead, God blesses Abram and sends plagues on Pharaoh. The episode ends with Abram and Sarai being sent away from Egypt loaded down with spoil. Just as Abrams establishing alters in Canaan symbolizes the conquest. Abram’s spoiling of Egypt prefigures Israel’s deliverance. Upon his return to Canaan, Abram returned to Bethel and worship the Lord There.
Next there is tension with the house of Lot. Abram was very rich, both with gold & silver and with herds. His nephew Lot had also prospered and the situation got to the point where the herdsmen of the two houses began striving with each other. Abram continues to demonstrate his patience and offers Lot any portion of the land he wanted. Lot chose the well watered plain of Jordan. We should understand that all of Canaan was a good land then and yet some parts more desirable than others. The plain of Jordan was so lush it was compared to the garden of Eden. Immediately after lot grasps after the best land God promised Abram that the entire land would be his. He invited Abram to walk through the whole land. All of it would belong to his descendants who would be like the dust of the earth. To this promise Abram responds by building another alter in Mamre. Each time God promises the land Abram responds by establishing a place of worship in the land.
Chedorlaomer was the king of Elam, which was a regional power. The kings of Sodom, Gomorrah and three other cities had to pay tribute to him, but at last they revolted resulting in a war. Chedorlaomer came and soundly defeated the cities of the plain and took away all the spoil and took many of the people captive including Lot & his household. Abram took 318 men who were warriors who grew up in his household and along with some allies attacked Chedorlaomer at night. Here we see that Abram was a competent military man who quickly yet decisively defeated a superior army. Abram was a man of faith who patiently waited for God to fulfill his promise, but he reveals here that faith knows how to act when called upon. As Abram returns from the battle He is met by Melchizedek the king of Salem called a priest of God most high with bread, wine and blessing. Abram responds to by presenting him with a tithe of the spoils (Heb 7:4). Melchizedek is a priest of God most High and king of Salem. He is declared in Hebrews to be a type of Christ. The king of Sodom then tells Abram to return the people, but to keep all the spoils for himself. But Abram refuses to keep any of it lest it should be said that the king of Sodom made Abram great. He would inherit the land and all its fullness as a gift of God, and none of it as a gift of Sodom.
After this the Lord came to Abram in a vision. This time promising him that his descendants would be as the stars of heaven and that his heir would not be Lot, nor Eliazar, but one born from his own body. Abram believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. God then confirmed all His promises by taking a self-maladictory oath. Animals were cut in two and while Abram Slept and was overcome by horror and great darkness he saw a burning torch pass between the slain animals. Some scholars believe that this is God saying that He will be cut in two and die, before He will fail to keep His promises to Abram.
God promised Abram a new land, to make a great nation of Abram, to bless him and make him a blessing to others. God Himself will curse those who curse Abram and bless those who bless him. Most important, God promised to bless all nations that had been scattered across the face of the earth through Abram.
It would be easy to assume that when God appeared to Abram that he and his family were worshipers of the true God and that they were vexed by the idolatry surrounding them, but Joshua makes it clear that this was not the case. Josh 24:2 And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel:'Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods.
But God who is rich in mercy revealed Himself to Abram and called Him out of the land of his Fathers. The first stage of the journey took them to Haran where Abram was accompanied by his father. After Terah died Abram completed his journey from Haran and entered the land of Canaan.
Abram enters Canaan from the north, living as a nomadic pilgrim. Yet we should not think of him as having only a handful with him. In 14:14 we learn that there were 318 trained warriors that had been born in his household. Based on the number of warriors some scholars have projected that the entire company was around three thousand souls.
The first thing Abram does upon entering the promised land is establish alters at Shechem and Bethel. Later he will build a third at Negev. These alters are very meaningful. They were constructed at areas of religious significance to the Canaanites. They were located at strategic places from a geographic point of view. They were revisited by Joshua during the conquest of the land. It seems clear to me, that Abram’s alter building should be understood as a symbolic conquest of Canaan. In other words, Abram was claiming Canaan as God’s. He did this by establishing right worship. These were not just places where Abram would get off to have quiet time with God. They were public centers of worship that expressed Abram’s faith in the God who promised to give him the land.
Not only does Genesis give us a preview of the conquest of Joshua, but it also prefigures the sojourn of Israel in Egypt. When a famine arose in Canaan, Abram temporarily moved his household to Egypt where he represented Sarai as his sister. This occurs multiple times in the story and its repetition is clearly important. We typically refer to this partial deception as an instance of Abram’s lack of faith. This may be true, but it is clearly not the point the author wants us to take away. Nothing is said of God’s being angry with Abram. Instead, God blesses Abram and sends plagues on Pharaoh. The episode ends with Abram and Sarai being sent away from Egypt loaded down with spoil. Just as Abrams establishing alters in Canaan symbolizes the conquest. Abram’s spoiling of Egypt prefigures Israel’s deliverance. Upon his return to Canaan, Abram returned to Bethel and worship the Lord There.
Next there is tension with the house of Lot. Abram was very rich, both with gold & silver and with herds. His nephew Lot had also prospered and the situation got to the point where the herdsmen of the two houses began striving with each other. Abram continues to demonstrate his patience and offers Lot any portion of the land he wanted. Lot chose the well watered plain of Jordan. We should understand that all of Canaan was a good land then and yet some parts more desirable than others. The plain of Jordan was so lush it was compared to the garden of Eden. Immediately after lot grasps after the best land God promised Abram that the entire land would be his. He invited Abram to walk through the whole land. All of it would belong to his descendants who would be like the dust of the earth. To this promise Abram responds by building another alter in Mamre. Each time God promises the land Abram responds by establishing a place of worship in the land.
Chedorlaomer was the king of Elam, which was a regional power. The kings of Sodom, Gomorrah and three other cities had to pay tribute to him, but at last they revolted resulting in a war. Chedorlaomer came and soundly defeated the cities of the plain and took away all the spoil and took many of the people captive including Lot & his household. Abram took 318 men who were warriors who grew up in his household and along with some allies attacked Chedorlaomer at night. Here we see that Abram was a competent military man who quickly yet decisively defeated a superior army. Abram was a man of faith who patiently waited for God to fulfill his promise, but he reveals here that faith knows how to act when called upon. As Abram returns from the battle He is met by Melchizedek the king of Salem called a priest of God most high with bread, wine and blessing. Abram responds to by presenting him with a tithe of the spoils (Heb 7:4). Melchizedek is a priest of God most High and king of Salem. He is declared in Hebrews to be a type of Christ. The king of Sodom then tells Abram to return the people, but to keep all the spoils for himself. But Abram refuses to keep any of it lest it should be said that the king of Sodom made Abram great. He would inherit the land and all its fullness as a gift of God, and none of it as a gift of Sodom.
After this the Lord came to Abram in a vision. This time promising him that his descendants would be as the stars of heaven and that his heir would not be Lot, nor Eliazar, but one born from his own body. Abram believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. God then confirmed all His promises by taking a self-maladictory oath. Animals were cut in two and while Abram Slept and was overcome by horror and great darkness he saw a burning torch pass between the slain animals. Some scholars believe that this is God saying that He will be cut in two and die, before He will fail to keep His promises to Abram.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
#11 Job Concluded
Posting will not be possible for the next three days as I’ll be away at camp for the weekend. So, here are my final thoughts on Job.
God has been patiently waiting off stage while the smartest men of the age put their minds to work on solving the great mystery of human suffering. He has let them have their say and now He moves in and addresses them.
He addresses them, but interestingly, He doesn’t address the problem of suffering. He doesn’t explain why this has happened to Job. He doesn’t tell the characters in this drama the back story of His wager with Satan. Instead, He declares His glory and defends His position as the loving, wise and all powerful Creator. In the end, Job is put to silence. He does not fill his mouth with arguments as he said he would, but puts his hands over his mouth and confesses that he has already said too much.
The friends of Job are told that they have said that about God which is not true and Job is obliged to offer prayers on their behalf. In the end. The problem of pain and suffering boils down to this. We either trust God or we don’t. In the midst of our deepest pain and unanswered grief we will either believe that God is both wise and good or we will not. This is the test of faith. It is the test that Jesus has shown us how to pass. May we follow in His footsteps through the garden of Gethsemane all the way to Calvary and in the end commit ourselves into the Father’s loving and capable hands.
God has been patiently waiting off stage while the smartest men of the age put their minds to work on solving the great mystery of human suffering. He has let them have their say and now He moves in and addresses them.
He addresses them, but interestingly, He doesn’t address the problem of suffering. He doesn’t explain why this has happened to Job. He doesn’t tell the characters in this drama the back story of His wager with Satan. Instead, He declares His glory and defends His position as the loving, wise and all powerful Creator. In the end, Job is put to silence. He does not fill his mouth with arguments as he said he would, but puts his hands over his mouth and confesses that he has already said too much.
The friends of Job are told that they have said that about God which is not true and Job is obliged to offer prayers on their behalf. In the end. The problem of pain and suffering boils down to this. We either trust God or we don’t. In the midst of our deepest pain and unanswered grief we will either believe that God is both wise and good or we will not. This is the test of faith. It is the test that Jesus has shown us how to pass. May we follow in His footsteps through the garden of Gethsemane all the way to Calvary and in the end commit ourselves into the Father’s loving and capable hands.
# 10 Job Continued
I’m still struck by the self-description of Job in chapter thirty-one. It is an oath of innocence that Job swears to. He has put himself on the witness stand and is asking God to answer. Though Job is barking up the wrong tree in thinking that God has wrongfully punished Him, it is nevertheless an astonishing description of personal character.
a) Job Has Not Lusted: 31:1-4
b) Job Has Not Lied or Deceived: comparatively-8
c) Job Has Not Committed Adultery: 31:9-12
d) Job Has Not Failed to Help His Slaves: 31:13-15
e) Job Has Not Failed to Help the Poor and Needy: 31:16-23
f) Job Has Not Trusted in His Wealth: 31:24-25
g) Job Has Not Turned to Idolatry: 31:26-28
h) Job Has Not Treated His Enemies Unfairly: 31:29-30
i) Job Has Not Been Stingy: 31:31-32
j) Job Has Not Hidden His Sins: 31:33-34
k) Job Wishes God Would Hear Him: 31:35-37
l) Job Has Not Been Unfair to His Farm-workers 31:38-40
After Job’s final speech we are introduced to the intriguing commentary of one Elihu. A comparatively young man, he is confident that he alone has the answer to Job’s problem. Scholars differ as to the significance of this speech in the debate. Some suggest that Elihu’s answer is the correct one and that he alone gets it right. This position is bolstered by the fact that when God corrects the speeches of Job’s three older friends, he does not correct Elihu. The problem for me, is that I don’t see Elihu saying anything much different than what they said. He doesn’t seem to introduce anything new to the discussion.
As we wrap up the readings on the speeches it seems that we have heard the wisest men of the age, addressing the problem of human suffering and though they are very confident in their positions, they are wrong. They are wrong at least as far as it concerns the peculiar case of Job. This alone should, make us aware of the weakness of human reasoning.
A final thought on the speeches. I’ve wondered about why these men were so adamant in maintaining Job’s sinfulness as the cause of his misfortune. Could it be that there is some psychological mechanism that produces this line of argument? In other words, nobody wants to think that such a horrible calamity could befall them. Even the thought of losing one’s children, possessions and health is overwhelming. It is comforting to build up a theology that says, “that kind of tragedy only happens to those who do deeds of great wickedness, therefore I am safe from the threat of it happening to me.” Just a thought.
a) Job Has Not Lusted: 31:1-4
b) Job Has Not Lied or Deceived: comparatively-8
c) Job Has Not Committed Adultery: 31:9-12
d) Job Has Not Failed to Help His Slaves: 31:13-15
e) Job Has Not Failed to Help the Poor and Needy: 31:16-23
f) Job Has Not Trusted in His Wealth: 31:24-25
g) Job Has Not Turned to Idolatry: 31:26-28
h) Job Has Not Treated His Enemies Unfairly: 31:29-30
i) Job Has Not Been Stingy: 31:31-32
j) Job Has Not Hidden His Sins: 31:33-34
k) Job Wishes God Would Hear Him: 31:35-37
l) Job Has Not Been Unfair to His Farm-workers 31:38-40
After Job’s final speech we are introduced to the intriguing commentary of one Elihu. A comparatively young man, he is confident that he alone has the answer to Job’s problem. Scholars differ as to the significance of this speech in the debate. Some suggest that Elihu’s answer is the correct one and that he alone gets it right. This position is bolstered by the fact that when God corrects the speeches of Job’s three older friends, he does not correct Elihu. The problem for me, is that I don’t see Elihu saying anything much different than what they said. He doesn’t seem to introduce anything new to the discussion.
As we wrap up the readings on the speeches it seems that we have heard the wisest men of the age, addressing the problem of human suffering and though they are very confident in their positions, they are wrong. They are wrong at least as far as it concerns the peculiar case of Job. This alone should, make us aware of the weakness of human reasoning.
A final thought on the speeches. I’ve wondered about why these men were so adamant in maintaining Job’s sinfulness as the cause of his misfortune. Could it be that there is some psychological mechanism that produces this line of argument? In other words, nobody wants to think that such a horrible calamity could befall them. Even the thought of losing one’s children, possessions and health is overwhelming. It is comforting to build up a theology that says, “that kind of tragedy only happens to those who do deeds of great wickedness, therefore I am safe from the threat of it happening to me.” Just a thought.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
#9 Job Continued
In Chapter thirty one Job concludes his last speech. In this chapter we have the masculine counterpart to Proverbs thirty one - a description of the ideal man. Undoubtedly this was an accurate description of the man Job and should be laid along side God’s description of him in chapter one. Here he is put forward as one who reverences God and loves his fellow man. Yet, in the closing verses of the chapter we see Job falter in his analysis of the situation. He refers to God as his accuser. Of course, we know that it was Satan that accused and that was the immediate cause of his suffering. God allowed it in order to demonstrate the true greatness of Job.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
#8 Job Continued
Job knows that his redeemer lives and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh will I see God (19:25). This is a remarkable statement that may suggest not only that Job was aware of life after death, but of a bodily resurrection to follow at some point in the future.
The argument between Job and his friends continue and grow more extreme and acrimonious as they go. New thoughts are introduced as they go. For instance in chapter twenty, Zophar admits that the wicked may at times prosper, but only for a little while before God destroys them. This is what he thinks has happened to Job. Job replies in the next speech that he knows of evil men who spend all their earthly years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace (21:13). For Job, this observation is sufficient to explode Zophar’s argument. He concludes by saying, So how can you console me with your nonsense? Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!
In Chapter twenty two Eliphaz makes terrible accusations against Job. He charges him with stealing from the poor and from abusing widows and orphans. Job doesn’t even answer this. Instead he returns to making direct address to God. He wishes he knew where to find God. He wants to approach him and fill his mouth with arguments for the Almighty and see what God would have to say for Himself. This is one of the times where Job has clearly crossed the line. Though it is not the line of blasphemy or cursing God, but it is a line of presumption. When God does reveal Himself to Job at the end of the book, we will find Job far less prepared to fill his mouth with arguments than he thought.
Bildad makes a short speech in chapter twenty five that doesn’t address Job. It seems by this point that communication has completely broken down. They are all speaking past each other and making no attempt to listen or respond to one another’s points. This is what often happens in arguments and as a side point, we should avoid this error when discussing controversial matters with each other.
In Chapter twenty six Job launches into his longest speech which continues through chapter thirty one. In it Job makes some excellent observations. He seeks after wisdom and acknowledges that it is the gift of God and that no man has discovered it’s fullness. There are mysteries that lie beyond the edge of the map of human reckoning. Neither Job, nor his three friends have been able to discover what is going on with Job. The wisest men of that age, applying themselves to problem of Job’s suffering were utterly unable to provide a right explanation of the problem. We would do well to understand that there is much we do not understand and the simple explanations we often resort to are often not the whole of the matter.
The argument between Job and his friends continue and grow more extreme and acrimonious as they go. New thoughts are introduced as they go. For instance in chapter twenty, Zophar admits that the wicked may at times prosper, but only for a little while before God destroys them. This is what he thinks has happened to Job. Job replies in the next speech that he knows of evil men who spend all their earthly years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace (21:13). For Job, this observation is sufficient to explode Zophar’s argument. He concludes by saying, So how can you console me with your nonsense? Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!
In Chapter twenty two Eliphaz makes terrible accusations against Job. He charges him with stealing from the poor and from abusing widows and orphans. Job doesn’t even answer this. Instead he returns to making direct address to God. He wishes he knew where to find God. He wants to approach him and fill his mouth with arguments for the Almighty and see what God would have to say for Himself. This is one of the times where Job has clearly crossed the line. Though it is not the line of blasphemy or cursing God, but it is a line of presumption. When God does reveal Himself to Job at the end of the book, we will find Job far less prepared to fill his mouth with arguments than he thought.
Bildad makes a short speech in chapter twenty five that doesn’t address Job. It seems by this point that communication has completely broken down. They are all speaking past each other and making no attempt to listen or respond to one another’s points. This is what often happens in arguments and as a side point, we should avoid this error when discussing controversial matters with each other.
In Chapter twenty six Job launches into his longest speech which continues through chapter thirty one. In it Job makes some excellent observations. He seeks after wisdom and acknowledges that it is the gift of God and that no man has discovered it’s fullness. There are mysteries that lie beyond the edge of the map of human reckoning. Neither Job, nor his three friends have been able to discover what is going on with Job. The wisest men of that age, applying themselves to problem of Job’s suffering were utterly unable to provide a right explanation of the problem. We would do well to understand that there is much we do not understand and the simple explanations we often resort to are often not the whole of the matter.
Friday, September 11, 2009
#7 Job continued
Job’s suffering continues unabated. It is heartbreaking to read his descriptions of sorrow and pain. As his friends continue their relentless assault on his character, Job continues to insist on his innocence.
Job thinks he is going to die soon and has no thought of surviving his illness. As he thinks about death, he seems to have mixed notions of what awaits him there. At times he sees it as a shadowy place of unconsciousness.
At other moments he holds out hope that after death there will be a conscious life and that there will even be a resurrection of the body.
Another interesting feature of this section is in 16:19-21, “Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend.” This remark is profoundly Christian and reveals the deep longing in a hurting and accused man’s soul for someone who stand beside him as his advocate before God. How blessed we are to live in the age when we know with perfect confidence that such and advocate exists in Heaven!
Job thinks he is going to die soon and has no thought of surviving his illness. As he thinks about death, he seems to have mixed notions of what awaits him there. At times he sees it as a shadowy place of unconsciousness.
If the only home I hope for is the grave, if I spread out my bed in darkness,
if I say to corruption, 'You are my father,'
and to the worm, 'My mother' or 'My sister,'
where then is my hope?
Who can see any hope for me?
Will it go down to the gates of death?
Will we descend together into the dust? (Job 17:13-16).
if I say to corruption, 'You are my father,'
and to the worm, 'My mother' or 'My sister,'
where then is my hope?
Who can see any hope for me?
Will it go down to the gates of death?
Will we descend together into the dust? (Job 17:13-16).
At other moments he holds out hope that after death there will be a conscious life and that there will even be a resurrection of the body.
If a man dies, will he live again?
All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come.
You will call and I will answer you;
you will long for the creature you have made (Job 14:14).
All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come.
You will call and I will answer you;
you will long for the creature you have made (Job 14:14).
Another interesting feature of this section is in 16:19-21, “Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend.” This remark is profoundly Christian and reveals the deep longing in a hurting and accused man’s soul for someone who stand beside him as his advocate before God. How blessed we are to live in the age when we know with perfect confidence that such and advocate exists in Heaven!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
#6 Job 3:1-10:22
Summary:
Job breaks the silence with his first speech. He wishes he had never been born or that he had died in childbirth. Eliphaz responds to this by laying out the basic argument that he and his friends will employ throughout the book. In 4:7 he asks, “who, being innocent has ever perished?” The idea that an innocent man could be destroyed like Job was being destroyed was inconceivable to these men. The argument can be laid out in the form of a syllogism:
Major Premise: Only great sinners suffer calamity.
Minor Premise: Job has suffered calamity.
Conclusion: Job is a great sinner.
Job denies that he has committed any great evil and reproves his friends for their accusation. He also asks that God would take his life from him before he should be so overwhelmed by his suffering that he deny the Holy One (6:8-10). Why should he continue living, when all prospects for recovery and success are gone.
Bildad is next to speak. He chastises Job for falsely accusing God of perverting justice. His words must have cut deeply. He tells Job that his children were killed, because of their sin and that if only Job would see that his life can be recovered if only he will confess his great transgression and repent.
Job’s response includes a plea for a mediator to stand between himself and God. He longs for someone who could relate to both and stand up for him in the court of heaven. How blessed we are to live in the age when that great mediator between God and man has come. The God-Man, Jesus, our great High Priest who ever lives to intercede in our behalf.
Thought Questions:
- Is there any truth to the arguments of Job’s friends? Would God allow such suffering to come upon the perfectly innocent?
- To what extent is the argument that God is doing this to Job, which seems to be the view of Job and his friends, correct? Are there any other agents involved?
- Though the arguments that are being made are inaccurate, are they stupid or illogical?
Monday, September 7, 2009
#5 Job 1:1-7:21
Overview:
Job is described as a great and godly man who has been greatly blessed by God. He is a man of feeling who loves his family and serves as their patriarch and priest.
Satan appears in the courtroom of heaven when God brings up the subject of Job. Satan is not impressed. Job only serves God for the stuff he gets out of the relationship. He is accusing Job. He is saying that Job’s religion is entirely and mercenary affair and that if the blessings are removed, Job will cease serving God.
In order to prove that Job’s faith is real, he allows Satan to take away his earthly blessings. Job passes the test when upon hearing of the loss of all of his children and livestock, he blesses the name of God.
Satan tells God to take of the gloves and let him strike Job’s body and he will curse God to His face. Once more, God reveals his trust in Job and allows the accuser to afflict Job with horrible sores all over his body. Job’s wife tells him to curse God and die, but Job holds fast to his integrity and asks rhetorically, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”
Job’s three friends arrive. Though they will say things in the days to come that are rather disturbing. It is worth pointing out that they began very well. They came to him when others were leaving him. They came out of the desire to comfort their friend. When they saw him they wept with him. And, when they did say some hard things, they said it to his face, not behind his back.
Questions to Ponder:
Job is described as a great and godly man who has been greatly blessed by God. He is a man of feeling who loves his family and serves as their patriarch and priest.
Satan appears in the courtroom of heaven when God brings up the subject of Job. Satan is not impressed. Job only serves God for the stuff he gets out of the relationship. He is accusing Job. He is saying that Job’s religion is entirely and mercenary affair and that if the blessings are removed, Job will cease serving God.
In order to prove that Job’s faith is real, he allows Satan to take away his earthly blessings. Job passes the test when upon hearing of the loss of all of his children and livestock, he blesses the name of God.
Satan tells God to take of the gloves and let him strike Job’s body and he will curse God to His face. Once more, God reveals his trust in Job and allows the accuser to afflict Job with horrible sores all over his body. Job’s wife tells him to curse God and die, but Job holds fast to his integrity and asks rhetorically, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”
Job’s three friends arrive. Though they will say things in the days to come that are rather disturbing. It is worth pointing out that they began very well. They came to him when others were leaving him. They came out of the desire to comfort their friend. When they saw him they wept with him. And, when they did say some hard things, they said it to his face, not behind his back.
Questions to Ponder:
- Can material blessings be a sign of God’s favor?
- Does the loss of material well being indicate God’s disfavor?
- What does the word Satan mean?
- How does this story show the significance of the name Satan?
- What was Satan doing on earth?
- What was Satan doing in Heaven?
Friday, September 4, 2009
#4 Gen 10:1-11:26; 1Chron 1:5-27
Summary:
Chapter ten concerns itself with the offspring of Noah’s three sons and the seventy ancient nations that sprang from them. In Chapter eleven we encounter another “fall” of man at the tower of Babel. The story of Babel is structured chaistically, which means that the second half of the story corresponds to the first half, in reverse order. This is a common literary structure in the Bible.
A. The whole earth has one language (v.1)
B. Settled there (v.2)
C. Said to one another (v. 3)
D. Come, let us build a city and tower (v.4)
E. Lord Came Down (v. 5)
D’. City and tower that man had built (v. 5)
C’. Confuse their speech (v.7)
B’. Scattered from there (v.8)
A’. Confused the language of the whole earth (v. 9).
The whole story turns on the Lord coming down. This teaches us that God is the decisive actor in the history of the world. Man proposes, but God disposes. The men who settled in Babylon (meaning the Gate of God) aspired to build a mountain that would reach the heavens. This would not only make them famous and earn them a reputation for greatness throughout the world, but would also be a point of contact between heaven and earth.
There is humor in this story because the men who thought they were building a tower into the heavens. God responds by saying, let us go down and see what they are doing. Their ambitious plans were no where close to accomplishing their objective. God puts a stop to the building by confusing their language and so Babylon (the gate of God) becomes Babel (confusion) and the people are scattered. Later we will learn that a true point of contact between heaven and earth will be established in dramatic fashion. However, it will not be built from earth to heaven, but will be a ladder let down from heaven to earth. Jesus is the true and living way and no one comes to the Father except by Him.
Questions to ponder:
Chapter ten concerns itself with the offspring of Noah’s three sons and the seventy ancient nations that sprang from them. In Chapter eleven we encounter another “fall” of man at the tower of Babel. The story of Babel is structured chaistically, which means that the second half of the story corresponds to the first half, in reverse order. This is a common literary structure in the Bible.
A. The whole earth has one language (v.1)
B. Settled there (v.2)
C. Said to one another (v. 3)
D. Come, let us build a city and tower (v.4)
E. Lord Came Down (v. 5)
D’. City and tower that man had built (v. 5)
C’. Confuse their speech (v.7)
B’. Scattered from there (v.8)
A’. Confused the language of the whole earth (v. 9).
The whole story turns on the Lord coming down. This teaches us that God is the decisive actor in the history of the world. Man proposes, but God disposes. The men who settled in Babylon (meaning the Gate of God) aspired to build a mountain that would reach the heavens. This would not only make them famous and earn them a reputation for greatness throughout the world, but would also be a point of contact between heaven and earth.
There is humor in this story because the men who thought they were building a tower into the heavens. God responds by saying, let us go down and see what they are doing. Their ambitious plans were no where close to accomplishing their objective. God puts a stop to the building by confusing their language and so Babylon (the gate of God) becomes Babel (confusion) and the people are scattered. Later we will learn that a true point of contact between heaven and earth will be established in dramatic fashion. However, it will not be built from earth to heaven, but will be a ladder let down from heaven to earth. Jesus is the true and living way and no one comes to the Father except by Him.
Questions to ponder:
- Where was the tower of Babel being built and does this explain why they built a tower instead of climbing a mountain?
- Which of Noah’s sons did Abram descend from?
Thursday, September 3, 2009
#3 Gen 7:1-9:29
Summary:
Noah obeyed all that the Lord commanded him regarding the construction of the ark. God brought to him seven pair of clean animals, and two pair of unclean animals. Noah and the seven family members with him were shut up in the ark as the Lord closed the door Himself. Then the great catastrophe of salvation began. For forty days and nights the rains fell and the fountains opened till the entire globe was inundated with water. The waters began receding and God sent a wind over the earth. The word for wind here is the same word used for Spirit in 1:2 where the Spirit or Wind of God was hovering over the deep at creation. This means that God is remaking the post-diluvian world. We will see this concept later in the story of the Bible. At last the Ark came to rest in the mountains of Ararat. After a total of one year and ten days, Noah and all his host disembarked.
God repronounces a blessing upon creation and commands the animals and man to be fruitful and multiply. Though man’s sin and the flood had greatly complicated things, God’s original mandate for the world continues to be the same. God promises to never bring such a devastating curse upon the earth again. In Chapter nine the Lord introduces new developments that would make such a wholesale destruction unnecessary. One of the new developments is the institution of capitol punishment for murderers. This is a means of restraining wicked men from doing whatever they want. God hangs His bow in the sky as a sign of His covenant with all the earth never to bring this kind of destruction upon it again.
The story ends with the sad episode of Ham looking upon the nakedness of his father Noah. Because of this his descendants through Canaan were cursed to be inferior to the children of Shem and Japheth.
Thought Questions:
Noah obeyed all that the Lord commanded him regarding the construction of the ark. God brought to him seven pair of clean animals, and two pair of unclean animals. Noah and the seven family members with him were shut up in the ark as the Lord closed the door Himself. Then the great catastrophe of salvation began. For forty days and nights the rains fell and the fountains opened till the entire globe was inundated with water. The waters began receding and God sent a wind over the earth. The word for wind here is the same word used for Spirit in 1:2 where the Spirit or Wind of God was hovering over the deep at creation. This means that God is remaking the post-diluvian world. We will see this concept later in the story of the Bible. At last the Ark came to rest in the mountains of Ararat. After a total of one year and ten days, Noah and all his host disembarked.
God repronounces a blessing upon creation and commands the animals and man to be fruitful and multiply. Though man’s sin and the flood had greatly complicated things, God’s original mandate for the world continues to be the same. God promises to never bring such a devastating curse upon the earth again. In Chapter nine the Lord introduces new developments that would make such a wholesale destruction unnecessary. One of the new developments is the institution of capitol punishment for murderers. This is a means of restraining wicked men from doing whatever they want. God hangs His bow in the sky as a sign of His covenant with all the earth never to bring this kind of destruction upon it again.
The story ends with the sad episode of Ham looking upon the nakedness of his father Noah. Because of this his descendants through Canaan were cursed to be inferior to the children of Shem and Japheth.
Thought Questions:
- What do you think went through Noah’s mind as the flood waters began to fall? What do you think went through the minds of those outside?
- The first thing we are told that Noah did when coming out of the ark was offer sacrifice. What significance do we see in this?
- What reasons are given for capitol punishment?
- What does God promise to do when He sees the rainbow?
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
#2 Gen 3:1-6:22; 1Chron 1:1-4
The story of man’s sinfulness grows darker as the sin of envy takes root in the heart of Cain. The first man born of woman takes the life of his good brother in a brutal premeditated murder. As a consequence he is driven even further from the presence of God and from the good land of Eden into the eastern land of Nod.
The evil and corruption continues in the line of Cain as his descendant Lamech becomes the first polygamist. This wicked man also commits murder, but unlike Cain, shows absolutely no remorse, but instead writes a song to boast of his sin (4:23-24). We also see the development of civilization taking place. Music, husbandry and various forms of craftsmanship develop. We should not think of early man as a knuckle dragging cave dweller. The first generations of mankind were intelligent and immediately began developing culture and civilization.
Coterminous with Cain’s descendants were the descendants of Seth. These men were more godly and called upon the Lord. We are given the lineage of Adam to Noah through Seth in chapter five. The emphasis here seems to be the fact that man bears God’s image through the fruitfulness of having children. God has a son (Adam) and Adam and his offspring also have sons. We also see that no matter how long a man may live, he still dies.
The wickedness of man came to a head when the sons of God began to marry the daughters of men. This is a difficult passage with two basic interpretations possible. Most commentators have taken the sons of God to mean angels of one sort or another and the daughters of men to be human women. Others believe the sons of God simply refer to the line of Seth and the daughters of men the line of Cain. In either case the wickedness of mankind became deep and broad. God looked at the mess and declared it incorrigible. One hundred and twenty years later God destroyed the world and everything in it. The only thing spared was Noah, his family and the animals with him.
Thought Questions:
The evil and corruption continues in the line of Cain as his descendant Lamech becomes the first polygamist. This wicked man also commits murder, but unlike Cain, shows absolutely no remorse, but instead writes a song to boast of his sin (4:23-24). We also see the development of civilization taking place. Music, husbandry and various forms of craftsmanship develop. We should not think of early man as a knuckle dragging cave dweller. The first generations of mankind were intelligent and immediately began developing culture and civilization.
Coterminous with Cain’s descendants were the descendants of Seth. These men were more godly and called upon the Lord. We are given the lineage of Adam to Noah through Seth in chapter five. The emphasis here seems to be the fact that man bears God’s image through the fruitfulness of having children. God has a son (Adam) and Adam and his offspring also have sons. We also see that no matter how long a man may live, he still dies.
The wickedness of man came to a head when the sons of God began to marry the daughters of men. This is a difficult passage with two basic interpretations possible. Most commentators have taken the sons of God to mean angels of one sort or another and the daughters of men to be human women. Others believe the sons of God simply refer to the line of Seth and the daughters of men the line of Cain. In either case the wickedness of mankind became deep and broad. God looked at the mess and declared it incorrigible. One hundred and twenty years later God destroyed the world and everything in it. The only thing spared was Noah, his family and the animals with him.
Thought Questions:
- Why Did Cain Kill Abel (1John 3:12)?
- What would be the punishment on anyone who killed Cain ?
- What did Lamech boastfully claim would come upon anyone who avenged him ?
- Who were the sons of God and who are the daughters of men?
- How many of each kind of animal did Noah put on the ark?
- Was the ark big enough to house this many animals?
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
#1 Gen 1:1-3:24
Introduction:
These three chapters form the basis of the entire Bible. Without some knowledge of the creation and the fall, the rest of scripture cannot be understood.
Here we are introduced to our Creator God. We have a factual and, I believe, literal explanation of creation, but it is also an extremely abbreviated account that is arranged, not so much to satisfy our modern scientific curiosities, but to reveal important truths about God, man and the creation we are a part of.
Summary & Observations:
It is clear that the object of creation was to provide God's image bearer with a home. Mankind is the focal point of God's creation.
Man and woman together bear the image of God.
Mankind's primary tasks as God's image bearer were to tend and keep the garden, to exercise dominion over all creation, and to fill the earth with God's image bearers.
The whole earth in its wonder and bounty is set before the man and woman. The only prohibition is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
A serpent enters the garden and deceives the woman. She eats the forbidden fruit and gives it to her husband who follows her in disobedience to God.
Questions To Consider:
These three chapters form the basis of the entire Bible. Without some knowledge of the creation and the fall, the rest of scripture cannot be understood.
Here we are introduced to our Creator God. We have a factual and, I believe, literal explanation of creation, but it is also an extremely abbreviated account that is arranged, not so much to satisfy our modern scientific curiosities, but to reveal important truths about God, man and the creation we are a part of.
Summary & Observations:
It is clear that the object of creation was to provide God's image bearer with a home. Mankind is the focal point of God's creation.
Man and woman together bear the image of God.
Mankind's primary tasks as God's image bearer were to tend and keep the garden, to exercise dominion over all creation, and to fill the earth with God's image bearers.
The whole earth in its wonder and bounty is set before the man and woman. The only prohibition is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
A serpent enters the garden and deceives the woman. She eats the forbidden fruit and gives it to her husband who follows her in disobedience to God.
Questions To Consider:
- Cid God use pre-existing materials to make the world (Gen 1:1; Col 1:16,17) ?
- Can you think of other instances in which God's Spirit "hovers" (Gen 8:1; Matt 3:16)?
- Do you see any significance in the order in which things are created?
- What is God's evaluation of the creation?
- How does mankind bear God's image? (think not only in terms of nouns, but verbs)
- What does it mean to rule or exercise dominion over the creation?
- What is involved in tending and keeping the garden?
- What is the serpent's line of attack. What thoughts and feelings is he trying to illicit?
- Where was Adam while Eve talked with the serpent?
- What was immediate the result of their sin?
- Who does God confront first, second and last?
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Welcome And Intro
Pleased you've stopped by. This blog is intended to help extend discussion time for those who are in our Through The Bible discussion group that meets each Thursday from 11:00 to 12:00 at the Lost River church building. It is also a way for those who cannot attend at that time to still interact with others who are doing the readings.
If you want to join in, all you need to do is become a follower of this blog and get a "google account" if you don't already have one. It is free and easy. The best way is to submit a comment at the bottom of a post and google will tell you what you need to do to join.
Finally, we request that you follow the house rules when you comment. They are listed below on the left hand side of the comments.
God bless and happy reading.
If you want to join in, all you need to do is become a follower of this blog and get a "google account" if you don't already have one. It is free and easy. The best way is to submit a comment at the bottom of a post and google will tell you what you need to do to join.
Finally, we request that you follow the house rules when you comment. They are listed below on the left hand side of the comments.
God bless and happy reading.
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