God is not finished with the nation Israel, and to show Israel’s future is as secure as God’s promises, here are the top 13 Bible verses about Israel’s future from both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

02/05/2021 DAB Transcript

Exodus 21:22-23:13, Matthew 24:1-28, Psalms 29:1-11, Proverbs 7:6-23

Today is the 5th day of February welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I'm Brian it is awesome to be here with you today as we continue our journey forward through the Scriptures. And in the Old Testament we find ourselves in the book of Exodus and we’ll continue that journey. The children of Israel are around the mountain of God, Mount Sanai. God has descended upon the mountain to speak directly with the people. People are pretty freaked out about that. They’re asking Moses to be basically God's prophet, to speak on behalf of God. But God is giving instructions directly to the people and these are sort of the first instructions that are laying out what this new culture is gonna look like, what the chosen people of God are supposed to look like so that they can do what…well…so that they can do what they were chosen for, to be a kingdom of priests, to bless all the nations of the world, to point the way to God, to introduce God to a people who have forgotten. And, so, it's God's intention to establish a people under his rule giving them the ordinances and customs and rituals that they are to follow that will be an example to the world but will also be an example to everyone who participates - about who God is and who they are and where the whole things headed. And, so, God is giving some of these initial instructions and that's where we find ourselves today. We’re reading from the Voice Translation this week. Exodus chapter 21 verse 22 through 23 verse 13.

Commentary:

Alright. In the book of Matthew today Jesus begins a teaching about…about the end, the end of all things, the end times, which is like the ominous topic to talk about. And this is all in context of the fact that He's walking by the temple and He's predicting that it will all fall down. Like everybody's admiring it, but he's essentially saying it’s all gonna become rubble, which it did within about a 1/2 a century of Him saying it when the Romans completely, just completely demolished Jerusalem in 70 A.D. So, His disciples, later on they come to Him and they’re like, “so, tell us when this is gonna happen.” And that's what launches Jesus into this discourse about the end times. And, you know, like I was just mentioning the end times can be a terrifying topic, and yet every generation feels like they are living in them. And in truth every generation has been wrong up until this point unless it's all the end times. And, so, what we see from Jesus is not like this discourse intended to create mayhem and terror among those who were hearing Him. He’s like not trying to scare people to death, He’s just sharing. And he says, you know, there are some things that you will be able to observe about war about famine. You’ll be able to see these things. You’ll be able to see nations against nations. You’ll see this but that's not the end. That's the beginning of the end. Those are the contractions basically, the birth pangs, right? Those of the contractions. So, when you see this kind of stuff, understand that this is like a contraction and birth is not upon us yet, but it's assigned that birth is coming and this birth is that all things would be made new again. So, right there we should take hope. That’s where everything is headed, that all things would be made new again with. But some things have to happen and they’re the birth pangs and we can see them, and we should observe them so that we understand that we’re in the birthing process. Where it gets a little sideways, at least for me is trying to take that information and then create a prediction, take that information add a generous portion of Daniel, bring in, of course the book of Revelation, certainly bring in the book of Ezekiel, like all of the books that have prophetic utterances that seem to indicate future times and try to build this together into some kind of cohesive story that will give us a date. Well, there have been people who have had dates even in my lifetime. There are people who have…I mean I can remember people killing themselves to follow a star. I can…up in space like when the comet went by. I can remember people predicting a specific date and then everybody selling all their stuff and going on grand vacations because the end is coming, and Christ is returning. What we’re going to find as we continue this discourse is that Jesus is going to make a profound claim. He's going to claim that He doesn't even know the end date, the end of it all. Only the Father knows this Jesus will say. And, so, we can continue to kind of be fretting and anxious and have this underlying dread about things every time we see something that…that seems problematic in the world or we can understand this is a contraction but even the Savior isn't making predictions. That can be profoundly helpful.

Prayer:

Jesus, we invite You into that. We take that to heart. We’re listening. We want to have ears to hear. We’re listening. We want to have eyes to see. We want to look at what's really going on behind it all. We want to see like You see, we want to hear like You here. We want to be like You. We want to be Christ like. And, so, we have to follow in Your ways and believe what You're telling us. And You're telling us not to panic. Holy Spirit come because all kinds of things can turn us toward panic and then it can start spiraling and there’s nothing more dreadful than thinking about how the world may come to an end. And, so, come Holy Spirit into this, into this year where we are mending, into this year where the anxiety isn't doing any good anymore. It's really not helping us. It's just making us sick and we just look for all the things that can make us more and more restless when You are offering, shalom. You are offering peace. You are offering order. You are offering to allow us to see things as they really are. Help us to slow down and see we pray. In the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

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Just stay connected. The journey of a year is a long one and a short one. Like it's weird because it's a year. And, so, a lot happens in a year. A lot more happens in a year that we don't remember then we do. But if we’re kind of journaling our way through we are telling the story and staying connected in community and then it also feels like it just flies by. It’s like look at where we are. We are in the second month of the year and doesn't feel like it was just New Year's. It just flies by. It’s just so strange how time is, I don't know, elastic kind of, in our memory anyway. But going through the journey together through the whole Bible any year is a remarkable experience. And, so, let's stay connected in any way that we can.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, well first of all, thank you profoundly. Thank you humbly. It’s a remarkable thing that we can take this journey together, and it’s a remarkable thing that we’ve been taking this journey together for all of these years because that would've never ever been the case had we not been in it together. And, so, thank you. If you are finding life in the Scriptures and moving through the Scriptures in community than thank you for being life-giving. There is a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or the mailing address, if that's your preference, is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement you can hit the Hotline button in the app, which is the…it’s the button…the red one up at the top in the app, can't miss it, it's a hotline, it's red, looks like hotline button. So, you can press that no matter where you are in the world or there are a number of phone numbers that you can use depending on where you are. In the Americas 877-942-4253 is the number to call. If you are in the UK or Europe 44-20-3608-8078 is the number to dial. And if you are in Australia or that part of the world. 61-3-8820-5459 is the number to call.

And that's it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Heavenly Father I come before You again this morning to thank You for today February 1st and to listen to the children pray this morning. Father God You said as we become like Your children, we will see Your face and we can enter Your Kingdom. Lord forgive us. This is the first day of February and some of us are struggling with illness, sickness, diseases, loneliness. Father God in the name of Jesus I pray to Lord for the DAB community. Thank You, O Lord for Your word that rings true. Help us to be faithful. Help me Lord to seek Your face and not for the things of this world. Lord I know that You have a better plan for all of us, a plan where we can be one accord, we can be community of believers who truly seek Your face. And as we pray for those who are listening, those who may be feeling weary, warn, and tired Father God I pray that You add strength and You had wisdom because You said if we lack anything we should come and ask and we're asking this morning for a faith can move mountains, the mustard seed faith Father God. In the name of Jesus cleanse our heart. All of those around the world Father God those are who knew, those who are seasoned we pray that the Holy Spirit will be with them today. Give them an unction of Your love so they can wake up and rise and continue to do Your work. Lord forgive us because we know that we've sinned and come short of Your glory. Thank You, Brian and the DAB family. In Jesus’ name cover us with Your blood in Jesus’ name. Amen.

I'm Jeannie from Georgia a first-time caller. I started listening on February 1st, 2019. So, this is my second year through with daily audio Bible. In 2018 August my middle daughters’ husband was diagnosed with Esophageal cancer. He immediately underwent aggressive radiation and chemotherapy treatments but on December 16th, 2018 the Lord called him home to heaven and my daughter was left with seven children, four of them at home still to raise. I too lost my husband of 25 years when I was in my mid-40s. I often read through the Bible through the years, but I found that after my son in law died, I just couldn't bring myself to concentrate on reading through the Bible. And, so, I began the search online for something I can listen to and that's how I discovered Daily Audio Bible. Very shortly after I started listening in February 2019 I heard about the More conference for women. It seemed God was really urging me to go but I’d never done that…done something like that by myself before. My daughters were not able to accompany me and I just did it and I'm so grateful because it was truly life changing for me. The Lord helped me work through not only the grief of my son in law but grief of loss of my husband and so many other things that I had not really dealt with through the years as I should have. Anyway, I just wanted to share this. There's so much more but I wanted to tell you I appreciate all of you and I love the prayer time and the word. Thank you so much Hardin family. I am truly grateful.

Good morning DAB family this is Bridget from New York City and I want to share an encouraging word for those parents and everyone that is calling in for their prodigals. I wasn't raised in the church. I was raised…actually I hated God to be honest with you and never understood who God was or…or His purpose or anything about Him. And I remember being very young and just being around people that prayed for other people, being around, you know, revival camps. I'm from New York so there's a lot of, you know, a lot of stuff going on out here and I was around a lot of revival camps for some reason. I always ended up somewhere where there was church happening and I remember people distinctively just putting their hands on my head and praying for me and as I share with you my family wasn't, you know, I wasn't raised with the gospel. In fact, my mom was…I've seen her go through many things as a young child. So, I hated God honestly. I thought that my life was unnecessary, and I just want to encourage you guys. Don't give up praying because look at me now, I'm 46 years old, I love the Lord and the Lord spared my life. And I believe it was because of the prayers of the people. I believe that those strangers that believed for me, you know, prayed me into the Kingdom and now I'm sharing the word of God with my family and with everyone that I know. And I just want you to be encouraged. Pray, keep praying for your children, keep believing for them, don't give up. God has them. OK love you guys. God bless you.

Oh, my sweet 13-year-old Desiree my heart goes out to you for the situation that you're in. You are not responsible for your mother's drug addiction. That's a sin that only God can help her pull away from. There is no way that you hold any responsibility for that. And, you know, you’re a special, special person. First you have the courage to call in and cry out and secondly God must love you very specially because he plucked you out of that situation and put you in the lives of your aunt and uncle who’ve adopted you and that's a big step for them. They obviously love you very much. God has a special place in his heart for you. You're going to do some great things despite what your mother has done towards you. You loved my child. Thank you for sharing your story. This is Bob, Grandpa Bob from Michigan. Bye.

Hi family this is Anne from Arizona. I just want to encourage everyone that is part of this community, those on the Prayer Wall, those of us who call in to pray, those of us who are praying behind the scenes and may not necessarily be or have their voices be heard. I just want to encourage you, each and every one of you. Continue doing the work that you are doing. Continue praying. There's so much power in prayer and coming together as a community, you know, to pray for one another all over the world. It is amazing how the impact is on each and every one of our lives. I could testify of that myself knowing many times that people have prayed for me people who do not even know me. And I just want to say thank you because we see, and I know that God is breaking through in each and every one of our lives and I just want to continue encouraging each and every one of you. Do not lose hope, do not lose heart, continue doing the work that you are doing. Continue praying, continue seeking the Lord on behalf of others. It is such a blessing to pray for others and then to hear the report of what God is doing. It is so amazing. Family I love you and continue doing what you are doing. And I thank you all. Amen. And have a great day evening or morning. Bye now.

Hi this is Karen from Ontario on the Saint Lawrence River in the Thousand Islands. And first of all, I'm a newcomer. I've just been listening in the latter part of November and I am so thrilled to be here. I listen to your prayers. I pray for you. I want to thank Brian in his family for this wonderful, wonderful app and I'm sure you've come over many, many hurdles to just get on the air and stay on the air. I want to speak to Donna in California and Amy and Canada. I have so been where you were through the death of my former husband and it's not easy and you just need to hold still, just wait, just be patient. God has this He knows what you want He knows what you need, and He will take care of you. Just as He did today in the desert with the Israelites, He took care of me. He has taken care of me. He's brought me back from a very very big illness before my husband died and then He passed away and was upset that I…that I survived because then He just passed away. But once I got through all of that and opened my heart and said, “OK God you're not done with me yet, so we'll do it your way.” and I'm so thankful. Blessings to everyone. Thank you. Goodbye.

Hope For Humanity

By Emma Angela Cayton

According to World Heath Organization (WHO) "Depression is a common mental disorder affecting more than 264 million people worldwide". People in any ages can suffer depression. In this blog I will be presenting the hope that we all need to hear. I believe that one of the major things that we need to nurture is (aside from physical fitness) mental and emotional wellness. Throughout my research, I've found an article that entitles "Faith in Humanity: 10 Studies To Restore Your Hope For the Future" by Mark Barker, 2014. As I've browsed throughout it, I've found that everything in it relates our personal experiences. I have listed some of the topics from Mark Barker, yet I've add my insights about them. At the end of this blog I am anticipating to help bring hope and optimism for everyone.

First, you bounce back better from tougher problems (Mark Barker, 2014)

I have seen other people fall and saw how great they were able to lift themselves up. Yes we may fall, yes we may fail but we will always persevere. From a study by Harvard happiness expert Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness:

People rationalize divorces, demotions, and diseases, but not slow elevators and uninspired burgundies. The paradoxical consequence is that people may sometimes recover more quickly from truly distressing experiences than from slightly distressing ones (Aronson & Mills, 1958; Gerard & Mathewson, 1966; Zimbardo, 1966)…

We might think that if we fail we will never get ourselves out of that problem. Well that are just the usual thinking that we always have at the back of our heads. As long as the world still revolves in its own axis we still have hope. Hope of tomorrow and hope for a rainbow after the rain.

Second, regret is not that scary (Mark Barker, 2014)

I've read this line before from a book, (but I can't remember the exact title of it) "regret in taking a step out of something is not that bad, but regret of not taking that step is the worst". Many people out there wanted to take your place just to get that situation you are in, yet you don't have the guts to take that risk? It's just a matter of all or nothing. Whether you take them or not at all. You can never have your place in the middle, you'll always have to take a risk. I remembered from one of the videos I have watched before 'When Alexander the Great asked how did he conquered the world he said 'I did not stumble'. To stumble is to limp and have that fear of taking that risk. But what is that risk are you going to? Is it to 'take that all' or 'not at all'.

Third, “What Does Not Kill You Makes You Stronger” is often true (Mark Barker, 2014)

Let's take a look in how gold and silver are refined. They aren't refined by air, water yet they are refined with fire. Yes fire! This just shows us that 'the greater the trials the greater glory we can beheld'. Let us just look in the study that was conducted "A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being:

In a month, 1,700 people reported at least one of these awful events, and they took our well-being tests as well. To our surprise, individuals who’d experienced one awful event had more intense strengths (and therefore higher well-being) than individuals who had none. Individuals who’d been through two awful events were stronger than individuals who had one, and individuals who had three— raped, tortured, and held captive for example— were stronger than those who had two." Therefore, do not be dismayed about the things that were out of your control, but stand firm and keep going.

Fouth, sometimes terrible events make us better people (Mark Barker, 2014)

Things that we don't want to happen not just make us stronger but it helps us to become a better version of ourselves. A study entitles "The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work" claims that, for certain, not just anecdotally, that great suffering or trauma can actually lead to great positive change across a wide range of experiences. After the March 11, 2004, train bombings in Madrid, for example, psychologists found many residents experienced positive psychological growth. So too do the majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer. What kind of positive growth? Increases in spirituality, compassion for others, openness, and even, eventually, overall life satisfaction. After trauma, people also report enhanced personal strength and self-confidence, as well as a heightened appreciation for, and a greater intimacy in, their social relationships.

This just made me realize that after an incident people are most likely to bring the best out of them. Let me just associate this with my father's personal experience. He was once addicted to alcohol. This then triggers him to become violent. When I was 7 years old he was involved in an accident which almost lead to his death. One of his kidney was removed and the doctor strongly suggest for him to quit drinking alcohol because that might lead to greater infections. He then changed and become more focus on our family than his own selfish desires.

Fifth, it is not bad to excel in different areas aside from what your family are inclined with.

This is probably one of the problems that we teenagers are facing. We were isolated in a thought that if our parents are mathematical inclined we ourselves could be one. This then gives parents a reason for them to dictate their children to be good at something because they are good at it. Well this 'concept' is definitely not true! In a study conducted by Benjamin Bloom 'After forty years of intensive research on school learning in the United States as well as abroad, my major conclusion is: What any person in the world can learn, almost all persons can learn, if provided with the appropriate prior and current conditions of learning.” He’s not counting the 2 to 3 percent of children who have severe impairments, and he’s not counting the top 1 to 2 percent of children at the other extreme… He is counting everybody else.' This then gives us a good representation that all things are learned and not passed by generations to generations. Also this gives us a concept that it is not bad to be someone your family never had.

Their are still 5 things that was explained in Mark Barker's article, yet those things are for you to find out. The references are indicated below so you are free to browse there anytime you wanted to.

In this part of my blog, I will be presenting 2 things that I think very crucial for us to be able to surpass negativity and promote optimism and hope.

First, reassurance. Yes reassurance. We all need to be reassured that things will and can changed the way we wanted it to be. But I think it is more important that we should let God change it the way He wanted it to be. There are many passages in the bible that said 'fear not'. This is something that we must all remember. This was mentioned not just once or twice or even thrice but many times it was mentioned, 'fear not'. I think God is trying to persuade us that no matter how dark the world would be we should 'fear not'. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. - John 14:27" Fear can be really destructive. I think this is a strong hold that isolates people and then it produces anxiety and depression. Alot of people nowadays fear. I don't think that it is wrong to be afraid, but it is destructive when you stay afraid. I was once isolated by fear. Fear of messing up, fear of social interactions and even fear of oral recitations. But one great thing that made me stand up and be encouraged is John 14:27 (see the verse that was presented earlier). It was God who then gave me this great courage to face any troubles that I might and I have encountered.

In 2 Chronicles 32: 7-8 King Hezekiah said to his troops “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. 8 With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said."

He pointed out that even the imposible can be made possible with God. I just wanted to show people how great God is. Let us just look how reassuring Psalms 13:5 is "I will rely on your constant love; I will be glad, because you will rescue me." Let us remember that the God we are serving is "the same yesterday and today and tomorrow" Hebrews 13:8

In this pandemic we still have our God to run to and that is something that we must be glad about. So run to Him and find refuge and reassurance for a greater tomorrow.

Lastly, we all need restoration. You may say 'ofcourse we all need restoration". But the question is 'where can we find restoration?'. Great question right? As we all knew in the book of Chronicles in the Bible it was all about the different men who became the kind of Israel. But the thing is, many of the kings in Israel before sinned against God that is the reason why the fall of Jerusalem occured. (But let me just add that before their destruction God sent his messengers- 2 Chronicles 36:15- to let the people know that if they don't repent and turn back to their God it would cause their destruction, yet they didn't listen). It was then in the book of Ezra where God did rescued His people by moving the heart of Cyrus to commission Sheshbazzar (other name is Zerubbabel) "the prince of Judah", to rebuild the Temple; 40,000 exiles return to Jerusalem led by Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest. This then shows us that no matter how bad our situation is God is willing to restore everything in us. Let us also see the life of Job. At first he was really wealthy and he does all the things that pleased God, so Satan then persecuted Him and asked God to let Satan test Job. (I know some of you might think that God is unjust when He allowed Satan to persecute Job, but I think it is just for our own character development. As what I've mentioned earlier people who once gone through tough experience became a better version themselves) And throughout Job's trials he mocked at God and asked what sin did he did to let God suffered him like that. Inshort he started to asked God why all bad things happens to him. But the ending of this story is very interesting. God did RESTORED everything and he even had more than what he had before. This then reminds me of Romans 8:18 "The pain that you've been feeling can't compare to the joy that's coming."

In conclusion, it is not bad to cry and just let all your emotions out. But it is destructive to stay in that shadow of sorrow. We must all remember that even if you think no one out there wants to help, but be still God is willing to lift you up in that miry clay of fear, sadness, loneliness, sin and etc. Always remember that 'You can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth you.' Philippians 4:13.

References

https://www.who.int/health-topics/depression#tab=tab_1

https://www.google.com/amp/s/time.com/96731/faith-in-humanity-10-studies-to-restore-your-hope-for-the-future/%3famp=true

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400077427/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=1400077427

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439190763/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1439190763

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307591549/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307591549

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345472322/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0345472322

To Those Who Disagreed With My Posting Last Week: Thanks!

A Supplemental Message to Those

Who Disbelieved Last Week's Warning

by Minister Paul J. Bern

To view this on my website, click here :-)

Last week, as my regular readers know, I published a post about how there could well be an economic reset in the world's future, starting with the United States. I also used a lot of Bible scripture to back up my words. I got a lot of strong positive feedback about last week's posting, but there was a fair amount of the negative kind too, primarily from atheists and religious conservatives. I have found myself on the receiving end of open derision from a small but highly vocal minority because of my “radical” views, as one man called it. 'How could there ever be an economic reset when capitalism works so well', was just one of the replies I received (heavily edited, of course). Apparently many of those individuals did not bother to read the entire article or, worse yet, just glanced at the title and the picture, and jumped to whatever conclusion suited them for that moment.

The Bible has a lot to say about nonbelievers, but I'm going to quote this week from the Book of 2nd Peter, something I don't often get a chance to do. Peter may have been an illiterate fisherman who dictated the two small books named after him, but he was filled with the Holy Spirit (see Acts chapter 2), and as such he “wrote” some beautiful stuff, and I quote: “3) Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4) They will say, 'Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.' 5) But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6) By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7) By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” (2 Peter 3, verses 3-7)

Where is Jesus? I thought he would have come back by now. What's the holdup? These three questions are on the lips and minds of believers and scoffers alike. After all, Jesus said about the End Times, 32) “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33) Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34) Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35) Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24, verses 32-35) For those of you who may not know, 'the fig tree' is a Biblical symbol for the nation of Israel. So these words of Jesus, spoken when he was speaking to the Twelve about the End Times, refer to the rebirth of the nation of Israel, which happened in May of 1948.

“....when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.” So from these words of our Lord and Savior we can safely conclude that the End Times that Christ spoke about in Matthew chapter 24 have arrived, most likely beginning with the first two world wars. Since the nation of Israel was 'born' on May 14, 1948, one could normally conclude that one generation – roughly 70 years – away from the nation of Israel's birth could be assumed to be 2018. But it's 2019, people, and nothing having to do with a Second Coming of Christ is on the horizon. It's been over 70 years, a generation plus one more year, and still – nothing yet.

People are beginning to have doubts because Christ's return is taking longer than anticipated by many true believers, not to mention the skeptics. But the apostle Peter knew through the indwelling of the Spirit within him that this would occur. That's why he dictated the following words as he continued in 2nd Peter chapter 3: “8) But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9) The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10) But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11) Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12) as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13) But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” (2nd Peter 3, verses 8-13)

It is perfectly normal to have generally doubtful or even pessimistic thoughts enter our minds. It's even perfectly normal, believe it or not, to have doubts about the Bible, about God, and about the purpose and meaning of life itself. But I think Peter was saying right here to stop wasting time worrying about these matters, because they are often beyond our control – but not all the time. In verse 8, Peter is saying as best as he could that God is timeless, and that He operates in a higher dimension of existence than ourselves. Since God does not experience the passage of time like we do, his schedule, his timing, and that of humanity often don't coincide. Often this can appear to us as if a certain prayer to the Lord has not been answered. But oftentimes, it's not that God isn't going to answer our prayers. He's just waiting for an opportunity to give you even more than you asked for.

In the very next verse, the Bible tells us plainly why Jesus will be late in returning. “Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Jesus is waiting to return so that as many who want to enter into his Kingdom, who want to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, can be brought into it. The apostle Paul wrote, “God is not willing that anyone should perish, but that all people come to repentance.” So there you have it from the apostles Peter and Paul. God is going to wait for as long as he can before shutting the door. But once that door is shut, it will be shut forever, and then massive destruction will come.

“....the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?” Whatever nature this colossal event is going to be will be unknown right up until the moment it happens, there can be no doubt about that based on what I'm reading in verse 10. All indications are that – based on how this passage of Scripture is worded – Peter was speaking about some kind of massive cosmic event, either a large asteroid or comet striking the earth. I'm sorry to disappoint some of you, it isn't going to be Nibiru which, if it does indeed exist, is somewhere beyond Neptune right now. That's past Uranus, past Saturn and Jupiter too. It takes Neptune, the outermost planet of the four, 80 years to go around the sun. If Nibiru is beyond that, even if it were headed straight for us it would take 40 or 50 years to get here. Think about it, and do the darned math while you're at at so all you people can stop worrying about 'Nibiru'.

“11) Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12) as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming....” God is watching each and every one of us. Not to whack us on the tops of our heads every time we're 'bad', but because he cares for us like a parent would their little children. If you were raising kids, would you give them candy for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Out of the question! Would you take them to Six Flags or Disney World every weekend, whether they deserved to go or not? As before, completely out of the question. We are raising responsible adults, not spoiled brats and car thieves. Notice the part where Peter states that we “look forward” to Christ's return and that we are to “speed its coming”? The reason Christ has yet to return is because we are not ready for him to do so. And that's just for the believers. The nonbelievers would simply be swept away if Christ returned overnight. They would all be gone, and all their belongings with them, before morning light.

So Peter is clearly telling us that we need to clean up our act, and that we are rapidly running out of time to do so. Otherwise, “That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.....” “The heavens” presumably means the skies above us, implying a natural disaster of such Biblical proportions that the earth's atmosphere may be completely burned away, similar to what apparently happened on Mars sometime in the distant past. In that event, the earth's surface would be unlivable, but it would be possible to have large pockets of breathable air underground in caves. Maybe the cave men of 100,000 years ago lived there for the same reasons, having themselves escaped a similar calamity. Could this have been what Peter was trying to warn us about? Nobody knows for sure, but we all had better live each day as if that one is our last.

Living in a 24/7 Society [Tuesday to Friday lessons]

Tuesday, June 29

Defining Rest in the Old Testament

Certainly, we all need rest, which is why it’s a theme found all through the Bible. Though God created us for activity, that activity is to be punctuated by rest.

The Hebrew Old Testament, for instance, includes a number of terms denoting rest. The description of God’s resting on the newly created seventh day in Genesis 2:2, 3 uses the verb shabbat, “to cease work, to rest, to take a holiday,” which is the verbal form of the noun “Sabbath.” The same verb is used in Exodus 5:5 in a causative form and translated as “making someone rest” from their work. Angry pharaoh accuses Moses of “making them rest” from their labor.

The reference to God’s resting activity on the seventh-day Sabbath in the fourth commandment is expressed by the Hebrew verbal form nuakh (Exodus 20:11, Deuteronomy 5:14). The verb is translated as “rest” in Job 3:13 or, more figuratively, “settled,” referencing the ark of the covenant in Numbers 10:36. Second Kings 2:15 notes that Elijah’s spirit “rested” on Elisha.

Another important verbal form is shaqat, “be at rest, grant relief, be quiet.” It is used in Joshua 11:23, where it describes the rest of the land from war after Joshua’s initial conquest. The term often appears to indicate “peace” in the books of Joshua and Judges.

The verb raga‘ is also used to indicate rest. In the warnings against disobedience in Deuteronomy, God tells Israel that they won’t find rest in exile (Deuteronomy 28:65). The same verb appears also in a causative form in Jeremiah 50:34, describing the Lord’s ability to provide rest.

Read Deuteronomy 31:16 and 2 Samuel 7:12. What kind of rest is being talked about here?

Both verses use an idiomatic expression from the verb shakab, which literally means “to lie down, sleep.” In God’s covenant with David, God promises the future king of Israel that “when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee” (2 Samuel 7:12).

The long (and here incomplete) list of different Hebrew verbs denoting rest helps us to understand that the theological concept of rest is not connected to one or two particular words. We rest individually and collectively. Rest affects us physically, socially, and emotionally and is not limited to the Sabbath alone.

Death is certainly an enemy and will one day be abolished. And however much we mourn and miss our dead, why is it comforting to know that, at least for now, they are at rest?

Wednesday, June 30

Rest in the New Testament

A verbal form for rest often found in the New Testament is anapauo, “rest, relax, refresh.” It is used in one of Jesus’ most famous statements on rest, Matthew 11:28: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”. It can refer to physical rest (Matthew 26:45). In the final greetings to the Corinthians, Paul expresses his joy over the arrival of friends who refreshed his spirit (1 Corinthians 16:18).

Another verb used to indicate rest is hesychazo. It describes the Sabbath rest of the disciples as Jesus rested in the grave (Luke 23:56). But it’s also used to describe living a quiet life (1 Thessalonians 4:11) and can indicate that someone has no objections and, thus, keeps quiet (Acts 11:18).

When the Epistle to the Hebrews, in Hebrews 4:4, describes God’s creation rest on the seventh day, it uses the Greek verb katapauo, “cause to cease, bring to rest, rest,” echoing the use of the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. Intriguingly, most of the uses of this verb in the New Testament occur in Hebrews 4.

Read Mark 6:30-32. Why did Jesus tell His disciples to come aside and rest, considering the many mission opportunities they currently had? Look at the larger context of Mark 6 as you think about this question.

“Come ye yourselves apart ... and rest a while” (Mark 6:31) is not framed as an invitation. It’s expressed in the form of an imperative, which is an order or a command. Jesus is concerned about His disciples and their physical and emotional well-being. They had just returned from an extensive mission trip on which Jesus had sent them two by two (Mark 6:7). Mark 6:30 describes their excited return. Their hearts must have been full. They wanted to share their victories and their failures with Jesus; yet, Jesus stops it all by first calling them to rest. Mark includes an explanatory note: “for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat” (Mark 6:31). Being overwhelmed and too busy in God’s business is a genuine challenge for the disciples, as well. Jesus reminds us that we need to guard our health and emotional well-being by planning in seasons of rest.

What are ways of helping and relieving your local church pastor or elder or anyone you know who could be burned out from doing the Lord’s work? What could you do to express your appreciation and help this person find rest?

Thursday, July 1

A Restless Wanderer

Read Genesis 4:1-12. What made Cain “a fugitive and a vagabond” (Genesis 4:12) on the earth?

The biblical text does not explicitly state why God respected Abel and his offering but did not “respect” Cain and his offering (Genesis 4:4, 5). But we know why. “Cain came before God with murmuring and infidelity in his heart in regard to the promised sacrifice and the necessity of the sacrificial offerings. His gift expressed no penitence for sin. He felt, as many now feel, that it would be an acknowledgment of weakness to follow the exact plan marked out by God, of trusting his salvation wholly to the atonement of the promised Saviour. He chose the course of self-dependence. He would come in his own merits.” Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 72.

When God said that Cain would be “a restless wanderer” on the earth, it wasn’t that God made him that way; rather, that is what happened as the result of his sinful actions and disobedience. Not finding rest in God, Cain discovered that he couldn’t find it any other way, at least not true rest.

The Hebrew word translated as “respect” (Genesis 4:4) could also be rendered “looked closely, considered carefully.” The focus of God’s careful and close-up look is not so much the offering but more the attitude of the offeror. God’s rejection of Cain’s fruit offering is not an arbitrary reaction of a capricious God. Rather, it describes the process of carefully considering and weighing the character, attitudes, and motivations of the one bringing the offering. It is a good example of an investigative judgment.

Read Genesis 4:13-17 and describe Cain’s reaction to God’s judgment.

When we try to run away from God’s presence, we become restless. We try to fill the yearning for divine grace with things, human relationships, or overly busy lives. Cain started to build a dynasty and a city. Both are great achievements and speak of determination and energy, but if it’s a godless dynasty and a rebellious city, it will ultimately amount to nothing.

Even if we end up suffering the consequences of our sins as we usually do, how can we learn to accept the forgiveness for them offered us through the cross?

Friday, July 2

Further Thought: “In the estimation of the rabbis it was the sum of religion to be always in a bustle of activity. They depended upon some outward performance to show their superior piety. Thus they separated their souls from God, and built themselves up in self-sufficiency. The same dangers still exist. As activity increases and men become successful in doing any work for God, there is danger of trusting to human plans and methods. There is a tendency to pray less, and to have less faith. Like the disciples, we are in danger of losing sight of our dependence on God, and seeking to make a savior of our activity. We need to look constantly to Jesus, realizing that it is His power which does the work. While we are to labor earnestly for the salvation of the lost, we must also take time for meditation, for prayer, and for the study of the word of God. Only the work accomplished with much prayer, and sanctified by the merit of Christ, will in the end prove to have been efficient for good.” Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 362.

Discussion Questions:

1. The constant pressure of being on top of things, being available (physically or virtually) all the time, and trying to live up to ideals that are neither realistic nor God-given can make people sick — emotionally, physically, and spiritually. How can your church become a welcoming place for worn-out, tired people yearning for rest?

2. Is it possible that we are too busy, even doing good things for God? Think about the story of Jesus and His disciples in Mark 6:30-32 and discuss its applications in your Sabbath School group.

3. In 1899, a speed record had been broken. Someone had actually gone 39.24 miles per hour in a car — and lived to tell about it! Today, of course, cars go much faster than that. And the speed of the processors in our cell phones are much faster than the fastest large computers of a generation ago. And air travel is faster than it used to be, and is getting even faster. The point is that almost everything we do today is done faster than it was in the past, and yet, what? We still feel hurried and without enough rest. What should that tell us about basic human nature and why God would have made rest so important that it is one of His commandments?

4. Dwell more on the idea that even in Eden, before sin, the Sabbath rest had been instituted. Besides the interesting theological implication of this truth, what should this tell us about how rest was needed even in a sinless, perfect world?

Paul chose to face opposition

even though they were intent to kill him. and so he was wrongfully arrested in Jerusalem and taken into custody. similar to what happened to the Lord not long before.

the bravery of Love’s truth overcomes the fear of man, even if those who oppose have the power to take an innocent life from this world. and so we who are reborn in Light are meant to stand by continuing to share truth in Love. and we are to do so with kindness and respect. and with grace. because we are all in need of it.

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament is the 21st chapter of the book of Acts:

And so, with the tearful good-byes behind us, we were on our way. We made a straight run to Cos, the next day reached Rhodes, and then Patara. There we found a ship going direct to Phoenicia, got on board, and set sail. Cyprus came into view on our left, but was soon out of sight as we kept on course for Syria, and eventually docked in the port of Tyre. While the cargo was being unloaded, we looked up the local disciples and stayed with them seven days. Their message to Paul, from insight given by the Spirit, was “Don’t go to Jerusalem.”

When our time was up, they escorted us out of the city to the docks. Everyone came along—men, women, children. They made a farewell party of the occasion! We all kneeled together on the beach and prayed. Then, after another round of saying good-bye, we climbed on board the ship while they drifted back to their homes.

A short run from Tyre to Ptolemais completed the voyage. We greeted our Christian friends there and stayed with them a day. In the morning we went on to Caesarea and stayed with Philip the Evangelist, one of “the Seven.” Philip had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

After several days of visiting, a prophet from Judea by the name of Agabus came down to see us. He went right up to Paul, took Paul’s belt, and, in a dramatic gesture, tied himself up, hands and feet. He said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: The Jews in Jerusalem are going to tie up the man who owns this belt just like this and hand him over to godless unbelievers.”

When we heard that, we and everyone there that day begged Paul not to be stubborn and persist in going to Jerusalem. But Paul wouldn’t budge: “Why all this hysteria? Why do you insist on making a scene and making it even harder for me? You’re looking at this backward. The issue in Jerusalem is not what they do to me, whether arrest or murder, but what the Master Jesus does through my obedience. Can’t you see that?”

We saw that we weren’t making even a dent in his resolve, and gave up. “It’s in God’s hands now,” we said. “Master, you handle it.”

It wasn’t long before we had our luggage together and were on our way to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and took us to the home of Mnason, who received us warmly as his guests. A native of Cyprus, he had been among the earliest disciples.

In Jerusalem, our friends, glad to see us, received us with open arms. The first thing next morning, we took Paul to see James. All the church leaders were there. After a time of greeting and small talk, Paul told the story, detail by detail, of what God had done among the non-Jewish people through his ministry. They listened with delight and gave God the glory.

They had a story to tell, too: “And just look at what’s been happening here—thousands upon thousands of God-fearing Jews have become believers in Jesus! But there’s also a problem because they are more zealous than ever in observing the laws of Moses. They’ve been told that you advise believing Jews who live surrounded by unbelieving outsiders to go light on Moses, telling them that they don’t need to circumcise their children or keep up the old traditions. This isn’t sitting at all well with them.

“We’re worried about what will happen when they discover you’re in town. There’s bound to be trouble. So here is what we want you to do: There are four men from our company who have taken a vow involving ritual purification, but have no money to pay the expenses. Join these men in their vows and pay their expenses. Then it will become obvious to everyone that there is nothing to the rumors going around about you and that you are in fact scrupulous in your reverence for the laws of Moses.

“In asking you to do this, we’re not going back on our agreement regarding non-Jews who have become believers. We continue to hold fast to what we wrote in that letter, namely, to be careful not to get involved in activities connected with idols; to avoid serving food offensive to Jewish Christians; to guard the morality of sex and marriage.”

So Paul did it—took the men, joined them in their vows, and paid their way. The next day he went to the Temple to make it official and stay there until the proper sacrifices had been offered and completed for each of them.

When the seven days of their purification were nearly up, some Jews from around Ephesus spotted him in the Temple. At once they turned the place upside-down. They grabbed Paul and started yelling at the top of their lungs, “Help! You Israelites, help! This is the man who is going all over the world telling lies against us and our religion and this place. He’s even brought Greeks in here and defiled this holy place.” (What had happened was that they had seen Paul and Trophimus, the Ephesian Greek, walking together in the city and had just assumed that he had also taken him to the Temple and shown him around.)

Soon the whole city was in an uproar, people running from everywhere to the Temple to get in on the action. They grabbed Paul, dragged him outside, and locked the Temple gates so he couldn’t get back in and gain sanctuary.

As they were trying to kill him, word came to the captain of the guard, “A riot! The whole city’s boiling over!” He acted swiftly. His soldiers and centurions ran to the scene at once. As soon as the mob saw the captain and his soldiers, they quit beating Paul.

The captain came up and put Paul under arrest. He first ordered him handcuffed, and then asked who he was and what he had done. All he got from the crowd were shouts, one yelling this, another that. It was impossible to tell one word from another in the mob hysteria, so the captain ordered Paul taken to the military barracks. But when they got to the Temple steps, the mob became so violent that the soldiers had to carry Paul. As they carried him away, the crowd followed, shouting, “Kill him! Kill him!”

When they got to the barracks and were about to go in, Paul said to the captain, “Can I say something to you?”

He answered, “Oh, I didn’t know you spoke Greek. I thought you were the Egyptian who not long ago started a riot here, and then hid out in the desert with his four thousand thugs.”

Paul said, “No, I’m a Jew, born in Tarsus. And I’m a citizen still of that influential city. I have a simple request: Let me speak to the crowd.”

Standing on the barracks steps, Paul turned and held his arms up. A hush fell over the crowd as Paul began to speak. He spoke in Hebrew.

The Book of Acts, Chapter 21 (The Message)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 12th chapter of the book (scroll) of Isaiah that points to the significance of grace:

In the face of such grace that day, you will thank God.

People: Thank you, thank you, thank you, Eternal One,

God of our people, of our promise

For establishing an end to our punishment,

for taking me back with kindness, and comforting me.

See, God has come to rescue me;

I will trust in Him and not be afraid,

For the Eternal, indeed, the Eternal is my strength and my song.

My very own God has rescued me.

With joy in each step, you will drink deeply from the springs of salvation.

You’ll want to sing out that day,

People: Give thanks to the Eternal; call on His name.

Spread the news throughout the world of what He has done

and how great is His name!

Sing praises to the Eternal!

Everyone, everywhere should know that God acts in amazing ways.

You who live in this God-blessed place, this Zion, shout out and sing for joy!

For God is great, and God is here—with us and around us—the Holy One of Israel.

The Book of Isaiah, Chapter 12 (The Voice)

A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures for Sunday, june 20 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A post by John Parsons about learning to Love (and receiving it) in the midst of an imperfect world:

One of the great tests of our faith is “enduring ourselves” as we learn to love as God loves us... To do so, we must receive the miracle of Yeshua... We must look beyond the realm of appearance, where the "outward man" perishes, to the realm of ultimate healing, where the "inward man" is finally liberated from the ravages of sin and death. This is comfort we have in affliction: God's promise revives our hearts to say, "I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth" (Job 19:25). Even in the "shadow of the valley of death" (i.e., this moribund and broken world), the LORD is with us and comforts us with His Presence (Psalm 23:4). We are given this great promise: "Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven" (1 Cor. 15:49). [Hebrew for Christians]

6.18.21 • Facebook

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

June 20, 2021

The Peace of Thy Children

“And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” (Isaiah 54:13)

This prophetic verse has its primary fulfillment still in the future. Nevertheless, it states a basic principle that is always valid and that is especially relevant on Father’s Day. The greatest honor that children can bestow on a father is a solid Christian character of their own, but that must first be his own gift to them. Before sons and daughters can experience real peace of soul, they must first be taught of the Lord themselves, and the heavenly Father has delegated this responsibility first of all to human fathers.

The classic example is Abraham, “the father of all them that believe” (Romans 4:11). God’s testimony concerning Abraham was this: “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment” (Genesis 18:19). This is the first reference in Scripture to the training of children, and it is significant that it stresses paternal instruction in the things of God. Furthermore, the instruction should be diligent and continual: “When thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deuteronomy 6:7).

The classic New Testament teaching on child training has the same message: “Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

Not wrath, but peace, as our text suggests. Great shall be the peace of our children when they know the Lord and keep His ways. Great, also, is the joy of a godly father when he can see the blessing of the Lord on his children and then on his grandchildren. “Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers” (Proverbs 17:6). HMM

Friends

FRIENDS-

 Isaiah 8:18

Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

 Friends 1- cut short https://youtu.be/2i1ZjzM8UEw

Friends 2 https://youtu.be/J0El3z9hjbM

https://vimeo.com/264083159

 NEW- I made the first video and accidentally turned the camera off- so we ‘re-did’ it a 2nd time- and I  decided to make that the teaching video for this post. I uploaded ‘friends 1’ the other day- and you can see the 2nd part on this post- John

 Psalm 68:18

Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.

 ON VIDEO

.James- Andy- Big Charlie- J.R.- Albert

. ‘Poor of the Lord’

.Stories from the street

.Andy prays [And teaches]

.Daily bread

.Lil’ Charlie at the end

 Comment right before I post this- I talk about news on my sites, today is a teaching post. But this morning Russia has warned the U.S. if we strike Syria- they will target not only the missiles, but also the ‘launchers’- meaning they are threatening to hit the U.S. targets from where the missiles will be launched. Which would be from one of our battle ships in the region. It is very possible that this could lead to a large scale escalation of a real war between the U.S. and Russia. It is a dangerous time to say the least. The American media has indeed played into this- and is consumed with entertainment news- let’s pray for our country- and the leaders of all nations involved- John

  OTHER VIDEOS

[I made these yesterday- and stuck them all together here]

 Tuesday 4-10-18

[10 am] Cop car takes my parking spot at Coffee Waves https://youtu.be/CpSVzKGbnig

https://vimeo.com/264078285

https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMgRmfH9gQNhY6QrdC

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jp9_rO2y0Vs-26601ALaL9k-NYYzMpU2/view?usp=sharing

 [3pm]Friends- what do they think about the raid on Trumps lawyer? Rated R for language [not kidding]

https://youtu.be/4cwTB90LnGU

 [5pm] More friends- Bill tells his story [Ray too]

https://youtu.be/4Tk7faf516E

 4-9-18 update https://youtu.be/fiX9PRozdpA

NYC skyline- taken from the cab on my trip to the area https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMgRholHyiKS3K8VQi

Pops- not my ‘pops’ but a man I was helping a few years ago. We became good friends and every so often I asked Pops to talk on video. Pops used to be in the recording business- and enjoyed talking about recovery and God. Sadly Pop’s passed away a year or so back- yet because of all these unplanned videos- he still speaks today- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lMacEW2oWMvXya1PIRtm8uXSAHmDdWwi/view?usp=sharing

On whom the tower fell https://vimeo.com/263969996

   Note- On the Friends videos- you will see that I re-did the 1st video- I didn’t catch all of what was said on the re-do. But Big Charlie said ‘we are God’s poor- and I know that some prosperity preachers have a problem with that’. so I quoted a verse or 2-

  James 2:5

Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

 And taught a little about what Charlie mentioned- Here is my first book- all of the verses and more can be found here- https://ccoutreach87.com/house-of-prayer-or-den-of-thieves/

 PAST POSTS [My friends quoted various bible verses on the video- below are my past studies on those bible letters]

 https://ccoutreach87.com/james-2015/

https://ccoutreach87.com/1st-2nd-corinthians/

https://ccoutreach87.com/2018/04/05/colossians-2/

https://ccoutreach87.com/romans-updated-2015/

https://ccoutreach87.com/john-complete-links-added/

https://ccoutreach87.com/hebrews-updated-2015/

 ROMANS 8-10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDqIktzp8Xc

https://ccoutreach87.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/2-24-15-romans-8-10.zip

 VIDEO- [I cover stuff on the videos that are not in the post- here are a few]

.Council of Trent- what did the Church say?

.Do we get the final say- at the Judgment?

.What are the Catholic virtues- did Paul teach them?

.Augustine, Calvin, Whitfield and Wesley.

.Infusion or Imputation? How bout both!

At the bottom I added some quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic church- to show that the official teaching of the church DOES NOT TEACH SALVATION BY THE LAW- BUT BY CHRIST.

 . REMINDER- This is a commentary I wrote years ago- the videos are new.

.CHAPTER 8- FEW POINTS;

· Did God choose us to believe- or did we choose him?

· When Paul says ‘he makes our bodies alive’ is he only speaking about resurrection?

· Does God use difficulty- or is it to be rebuked?

· Was Paul a ‘hyper- Calvinist’?

(839)ROMAN 8:1-4 ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh [sinful nature] but after the Spirit [new nature]’. Now, having proved the reality of sin and guilt [chapter 7] Paul teaches that those who ‘are in Christ’ are free from condemnation. Why? Because they ‘walk according to the Spirit’ the ‘righteousness of the law is being fulfilled in them’. Having no condemnation isn’t simply a ‘legal function’ of declared righteousness, and Paul didn’t teach it that way! Paul is saying ‘all those who have believed in Jesus and have been legally justified [earlier arguments in chapters 3-4] are now walking [actually acting out] this new nature. Therefore [because you no longer walk according to the flesh] there is no condemnation’! This argument helps bridge the gap between Catholic and Protestant theology, part of the reason for the ongoing schism is over this understanding. After the Reformation the Catholic Church had a Counter Reformation council, the council of Trent. They dealt with a lot of the abuses of the Catholic Church, things that many Catholic leaders were complaining about before the Reformation. They did deal with some issues and reformed somewhat. To the dismay of the more ‘reform minded’ Catholics [with Protestant leanings] they still came down strong on most pre reform doctrines. This made it next to impossible for the schism to be healed. But one area of disagreement was over ‘legal’ versus ‘actual/experiential’ justification. The Catholic position was ‘God can’t declare/say a person is justified until they actually are’ [experientially]. The Protestant side [Luther] said ‘God does justify [legal declaration] a person by faith alone’. Like I taught before, both of these are true. The Catholic view of ‘justification’ is looking ahead towards a future reality [The same way James speaks of justification in a future sense- He uses the example from Genesis 22, when Abraham does a righteous act] while the Protestant view is focusing on the initial legal act of justification [Genesis 15]. Here Paul agrees with both views, he says ‘those who walk after the Spirit [actually living the changed life] have no condemnation’.

 (840)ROMANS 8:5-13 Paul will teach the impossibility of the ‘carnal minds’ ability to submit to Gods law. Those who are ‘in the flesh’ [the unregenerate nature- not simply ‘in the body’. We will get into these distinctions in a minute] can’t submit to God. Society spends so much time and effort trying to get the ‘lost man’ to do what’s right. The prohibition movement [outlawing liquor], the increase in the severity of punishment for crimes dealing with drugs. Making the child kidnappers crime punishable by death. While all these laws are necessary and good [though some debate the wisdom of the kidnapper one, they think the kidnapper might just go ahead and kill the victim if the same punishment applies to both crimes] they have little effect on getting ‘the carnal man to submit’. Paul also says ‘if the Spirit of him who raised up Christ from the dead dwells in you, then he that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken [make alive] your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you’. Let’s do a little teaching here. Most commentators see this as speaking of the promise of the resurrection ‘your mortal bodies’. I see this more in line with the context of chapter 7. The discussion of ‘mortal bodies’ [your actual body, the flesh- which is different than ‘the fleshly nature’ which refers to the sinful nature] speaks of your actual life now ‘let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies’. Also in verse 13 of this chapter the same theme is seen ‘if ye thru the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live’. I believe Paul is primarily saying ‘if you are in the Spirit [born of God] the Spirit of life will make alive your physical life in such a way that you will glorify God in your body and spirit, which are Gods’ [Corinthians]. Chapter 12 says your bodies are living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God. Now later on in this chapter [8] we do see the resurrection, which is called ‘the redemption of the body’ [verse 23] so these two concepts work together. The fact that the believer is ‘training his mortal body’ for God [thru obedience] is sort of a precursor to the resurrection! Now, some believers confuse the resurrection of the body and the work of regeneration in ‘making you alive’ [Ephesians 2]. The work of regeneration brings your dead spirit back to life [born again] when you believe [which is a Divine imputation of faith at the moment of conversion, a sovereign act]. This ‘coming alive’ is purely spiritual. This qualifies you for the future physical resurrection of the body [Ephesians calls this the ‘down payment’, the ‘earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession’. The word ‘earnest’ here is used in the same way as ‘earnest money’ in a real estate transaction. The fact that we have been ‘sealed’ with the Holy Spirit is our ‘guarantee of future bodily resurrection’]. Bishop N.T. Wright, the bishop of Durham [the church of England- Durham is the 3rd most influential post in the Church of England. Canterbury is at the top] has recently written on the truths of the resurrection of the body. He is an excellent scholar, way way above my league. He has been instrumental in ‘re introducing’ the reality of Christ’s resurrection as well as our future resurrection as a very real Christian belief [and historic truth as well]. I have read some of Wrights stuff and am a little surprised at some of the ideas on ‘soul sleep’ and the immortality of the soul. Bishop Wright seems to side with some of the ideas that certain restorationist groups [7th day Adventists] espouse, that the Catholic Church kind of corrupted the ideas of heaven and the soul by being overly influenced by Greek thought. While it is possible for Bishop Wright to have come to his understanding entirely thru scripture and history, yet I felt it a little strange to see him make these arguments. For the most part I like brother Wright and totally agree with his stance on the future ‘new heavens and new earth’ as the final place of rest [as opposed to dying and going to heaven now, which is a temporary place] but there is the biblical reality of a present ‘heaven’ and this doesn’t only come from Greek thought. I have often used the Christian doctrine of the new heavens and new earth while speaking with the Jehovah’s witnesses, I always agree on the reality of a future kingdom on earth. I simply steer the conversation back to ‘who qualifies for it’ and get straight to the gospel. Well anyway we have a promise of a future resurrection, and also a ‘quickening of the body now’ [God actually using our physical life to glorify him]. These are both great truths!

 (841)ROMANS 8: 14-18 ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God’. Many of us are familiar with this verse [I hope!]. We often see it as saying ‘Gods direction in our lives is proof that we are Christians’ true enough. But in context ‘being led by Gods Spirit’ means living the new life thru Christ. The putting to death of the old man and being ‘made alive’ thru Christ is what this is saying. Paul agrees with John [1st John] ‘those that do what is right [led by the Spirit] are of God’. Paul says ‘we have received the Spirit and a natural result of this is crying “Abba, Father”. I don’t want to do too much here, but Paul sees the ‘confession’ and heart cry of the believer as proof, a result of being ‘a habitation of the Spirit’. A sign, if you will, of being born of God is confessing/ praying to the Father. Paul quoted David in chapter 4 ‘for this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found’ [Psalms 32- actually Paul quotes a different section from the Psalm, but this theme is consistent with Paul’s view]. Paul knew the reality of ‘the godly calling upon God’ they have an inner cry of ‘Abba, father’. ‘We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ’. For many years this has been a popular verse among many believers, often times it is used to say ‘God owns the cattle on a thousand hills’ [which he does] therefore if we are heirs ‘give me some cattle’! [stuff]. Here Paul uses this term in speaking of our identification with Christ’s sufferings. ‘If we suffer with him, we too shall share [joint heir!] in his glory’ [future glorification at the resurrection- we shall see him and be changed in a moment, at the twinkling of an eye. This mortal shall put on immortality]. It’s a symptom of modern American Christianity to view all these scriptures thru a materialistic lens, Paul held to the promise of a future reward [at the resurrection] that enabled him to go thru great difficulty and suffering in this present life. He counted the suffering as a privilege that he shared with Christ.

 (843)ROMANS 8: 19-25 ‘the sufferings of this present time [are you ‘presently’ suffering?] are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us’. Paul compares the difficulty to the reward. The reward here is the future resurrection. Paul did not see suffering as ‘from the devil’ or the reward as something material [monetary stuff! The resurrection body will be ‘material’ – real]. Paul teaches that the whole creation is waiting for this day. Not only will we get a ‘makeover’ but there will be a new heaven and a new earth! The creation itself longs for this [almost as much as Al Gore!] This resurrection is called ‘the redemption of our body’. The next verse says ‘we are saved by hope’. John also says [1st John] that the future reality of the resurrection ‘causes us to be pure in this life’ [every one that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure]. Why? Because we know God has a purpose for our bodies as well as our spirits! The ‘getting saved by hope’ simply means the future hope of the resurrection ‘encourages’ us to live clean now. Once again ‘saved’ is a neutral term. In can apply to all sorts of things. I always found it funny how when you read certain commentaries, that you see the difficulty Christians have when coming across these types of verses. There’s a verse that says ‘the woman will be saved thru childbearing’ geez, you wouldn’t believe the difficulty some writers have when they come across this stuff. Some teach ‘she will be ‘saved’ thru the birth of a child [Jesus]’ and all sorts of stuff. I think if we simply changed the word ‘saved’ for ‘delivered’ [which are basically the same thing] that maybe this would help. But thank God that we have a future resurrection to look forward to, let this truth ‘deliver’ you from the temptation to think ‘what’s all this suffering worth, why even go thru it?’ Because we have a great promise at the other end!

 (845)ROMANS 8:26-28 ‘Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities’ why does Paul say ‘likewise’? He is saying ‘not only does the future hope of the resurrection sustain us, but also Gods Spirit helps us’! He knows how to make intercession for us in ways that we cannot. I just finished an hour prayer time, not an ‘official’ intercession time [which I do a few times a week now]. But an ‘unofficial’ time where I try and hear what the Spirit is speaking. When you are ‘praying in the Spirit’ [which can include the charismatic expression of tongues] you are depending upon the Spirit to transcend your limited ability to articulate what needs to be said. ‘All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are ‘the called’ according to his purpose’. A very famous verse indeed. What does it mean? It means what it says! Over the years I have heard so many excuses for trying to get around difficult things. Why do the righteous suffer? Some taught it was because of their ignorance of scripture. Why did the things that happened to Job happen? Some said it was because he ‘feared’ that the things would happen [this group seems to miss the whole underlying reason for the book. Job’s friends are continually looking for a reason thru out the book. The point is, sometimes there is no reasonable explanation. I realize you can pick apart certain statements from Job and come up with ‘reasons’, but the meaning of the book is God is sovereign and we shouldn’t always think we can figure him out or ‘work the system’]. Here Paul says ‘whatever is happening to you right now [even very bad stuff!] will eventually work out for you benefit’. What about Hitler? Did he love God? I don’t believe so. This scripture says ‘to them that love God’. Your only responsibility thru the difficulty is to ‘love God’.

 (846)ROMANS 8:29-30 ‘for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed into the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: whom he justified, them he also glorified’. Let’s talk a little. When I first became a Christian I began a lifelong study of scripture, where I continually read a certain amount of scripture every day for many years. Over the years I have varied on how fast I should read [that is how many chapters per day and so forth]. But during the early stages I always took these verses to teach predestination in the classical sense. Simply put, that God ‘pre chose’ me [and all whom come to him] before we ‘chose him’. The Fundamental Baptist church I began to attend [a great church with great people!] taught that ‘classic Calvinism’ [predestination] was false doctrine, and they labeled it ‘Hyper Calvinism’. I simply accepted this as fact. But I never forgot the early understanding that I first gleaned thru my own study. I also was very limited in my other readings outside of the scripture. I did study the Great awakenings and Charles Finney. I read some biographies on John Wesley and other great men of God. These men were not Calvinistic in their doctrine [which is fine], as a matter of fact Wesley would eventually disassociate from George Whitefield over this issue. Whitefield was a staunch Calvinist! Over time I came to believe the doctrine again, simply as I focused on the scriptures that teach it. Eventually I picked up some books on church history and realized that Calvinism was [and is] a mainstream belief among many great believers. I personally believe that most of the great theologians in history have accepted this doctrine. Now, for those who reject it, they honestly struggle with these portions of scripture. Just like there are portions of scripture that Calvinists struggle with. To deny this is to be less than honest. The Arminians [Those who deny classic predestination- the term comes from Jacob Arminias, a Calvinist who was writing and studying on the ‘errors’ of ‘arminianism’ and came to embrace the doctrine of free will/choice] usually approach the verses that say ‘he predestined us’ by teaching that Gods predestination speaks only of his foreknowledge of those who would choose him. This is an honest effort to come to terms with the doctrine. To be ‘more honest’ I think this doesn’t adequately deal with the issue. In the above text, as well as many other places in scripture, the idea of ‘Gods foreknowledge and pre choosing’ speak specifically about Gods choice to save us, as opposed to him simply knowing that we would ‘choose right’. The texts that teach predestination teach it in this context. Now the passage above does say ‘those whom he foreknew, he also did predestinate to be conformed into the image of Christ’ here this passage actually does say ‘God predestinated us to be like his Son’. If you left the ‘foreknowledge’ part out, you could read this passage in an Arminian way. But we do have the ‘foreknowledge’ part. So I believe Paul is saying ‘God chose us before we were born, he ‘knew’ ahead of time that he would bring us into his Kingdom. Those whom he foreknew he also predestinated to become like his Son.’ Why? So his Son would be the firstborn among many. God wanted a whole new race of ‘children of God’. Those he predestinated he ‘called’. He drew them to himself. Jesus said ‘all that the Father give to me will come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no way cast out’. Those who ‘come’ are justified, those who are justified are [present tense] glorified. Gods design and sovereignty speak of it as a ‘finished task’ like it already happened. God lives outside of the dimension of time. I believe in the doctrine of predestination. Many others do as well. You don’t have to believe it if you don’t want to, but I believe scripture teaches it.

 (847)ROMANS 8: 31-39 ‘What shall we say then to these things? [what things? The fact that God predestined us and has guaranteed completion of the purpose he has designed us for!] If God be for us, who can be against us?’ Paul teaches that Christ is the only one with the ‘right’ or authority to pass judgment. If the only person in existence who can ‘officially’ condemn and pass legal judgment has actually died for us for the purpose of ‘freeing us from a state of condemnation’, then who ‘gives a rip’ about others opinions and views of us? Most of us struggle with how others view us. Paul did teach that Elders should have good character and a fine reputation in the community. But there is another type of ‘persona’ that preachers can fall into. A sort of ‘concern’ about what the critics are saying. In this context Paul says ‘If the opinion of the only person in existence whose opinion really matters, is one of “I accept you unconditionally, I declare you free from what others think, you are my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Ever since I have known you, you have been pleasing in my sight” [all true scriptures by the way] Then who cares what others think! Paul also teaches that nothing can separate us from Christ’s love ‘not tribulation or distress or famine or persecution’ IN all these things we are more than conquerors thru him who loved us. Most times we view this passage from a ‘Calvinistic’ lens. I want you to see the impact of this statement thru a different lens. In the American church we have taught people ‘would a good father not pay the bills of his kids? Would a good father allow his kids to suffer? If you were really partaking of the New Covenant you would have it made’. While I do realize that many well meaning ministers have taught these viewpoints with honest and sincere hearts, I also have seen how this mindset accuses the saints. It basically tells the struggling believer ‘what kind of father do you have? If he really loved you would you be going thru these things’? In essence we are saying ‘tribulation and distress and persecution’ are all signs that ‘you have been separated from Gods love’! Paul blows this false [materialistic] mindset out of the water. He says it is thru these things that we are more than conquerors. It is the ability to look into the face of Pontius Pilate and say ‘you have no power over me, my father has permitted these things to take place. I am here to lay my life down for his glory’. Paul said all these things we are suffering are opportunities to glorify our father. To look into the face of society and say ‘nay, we are more than conqueror’s thru him that loved us’. The early church set the world on fire when they were laying their lives down for the cause, refusing to deny their Lord even at the point of death. They were ‘more than conquerors’.

 ROMANS 11-13

https://ccoutreach87.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/3-12-15-romans-11-13.zip

864)ROMANS 12:1-8    ‘I beseech you by the mercies of God to present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service [spiritual worship]’. Most times we see ‘by the mercies of God’ as a recap of all that Paul has taught from chapters 1 thru 12. This is true to a degree. I think Paul is honing in on the previous chapters that dealt with the purpose of God specifically seen in the resurrection of the body. As we read earlier ‘for we are saved by hope’ [the hope of the resurrection]. Basically I see Paul saying ‘because of what I showed you concerning Gods redemptive purpose for your body, therefore present your body now, in anticipation of it’s future glorious purpose, as a living sacrifice ‘holy and acceptable unto God’. Why? Because you are going to have that thing [body] forever! [in a new glorified state]  Paul exhorts us to be changed by the renewing of our mind, the way we think. I have mentioned in the past that this renewing is not some type of legalistic function of ‘memorizing, muttering the do’s and don’ts all day long’. But a reorganizing of our thoughts according to this new covenant of grace. Seeing things thru this ‘new world’ perspective. A kingdom view based upon grace and the resurrection of Jesus. This resurrection that is assured to us because we have the deposit of the Spirit which is our guarantee that God will complete the work that he has begun in us. And Paul will jump into one of his ‘Body of Christ’ analogies which he uses often to describe the people of God. Because we are all one body, we should think soberly about our different gifts and purposes. God gave some ‘better’ [or more noticeable] gifts for the overall edifying of the body. So don’t boast about it. All have varying gifts, freely given. Administrate them with much grace. Do it with humility and cheerfulness. We are simply children thru whom Gods Spirit manifests himself in different ways. Don’t boast that ‘Wow, daddy gave me a bike’. Or look, I got a more expensive Christmas present than you. Daddy distributes the gifts freely as he wills. They are for everyone’s benefit. Don’t use this grace gift as a means of self importance or prestige. It would be like ‘prostituting’ a gift for self-aggrandizement. People have done it, but it displeases the giver of the gift.

 (865)ROMANS 12: 13  Paul continues to give some basic guidelines on practical Christian living. Notice his teaching on financial giving ‘distribute to the necessity of the saints’. This basic Christian doctrine from Jesus teachings has become the premier act of giving for the New Testament saint. The reason I have stressed this teaching as opposed to the more popular view of tithing, is because the scriptures place such a high priority on Christian charity. As I have mentioned before, Jesus even uses this basic description to describe those who ‘are righteous’ or ‘unrighteous’. He teaches the final judgment will be based on this outward identifier of ‘what we did to the least of these’. If you read carefully the New Testament epistles you will see a picture of ‘local church’ as a caring community of people who show their love for one another thru these acts of kindness and compassion. None of the New Testament letters teach a  type of financial giving that focuses on ‘support the ministry/institution’ as being ‘the new testament church’ that replaced the ‘old testament temple’. For example a tithe system that supports the ‘pastor/priest’ in the same way the Levitical priests were supported under the law. It’s so vital for us to see and understand this. Because the average believer is taught thru out his life that his primary expression of giving is to ‘bring the tithe into the storehouse’ in such a way that it violates the actual primacy of giving as taught in the New Testament. Which is to regularly give to meet the needs of those around you. The fact that there were instances in the book of Acts or the letter to the Corinthians where believers gave an offering in a corporate way [the collection for the poor saints- 1st Cor. 15, or the laying of the money at the apostles feet in Acts] does not excuse the believer from the teaching that we should all regularly give to meet the needs of those around us. This is flatly taught as a regular part of the Christian experience. The other fact that Paul never once teaches the tithe as a function of giving for the Gentile churches should cause us all to take another look at the way we teach giving in the church today.

 (866)ROMANS 12:14-21 Notice how Paul puts such a high priority on the principles of Jesus. He exhorts the saints to live by the precepts of the great ‘sermon on the mount’. Often times believers try and make a division between Paul’s revelation of justification by faith and the ‘liberal moral teachings of Jesus’. I see no division here. Paul actually quotes Jesus ‘if you’re treated badly, respond in love. By not getting even you heap “coals of fire on your enemies head”’. Actually, I remember how a few years back, when everybody was coming up with their ‘new revelation knowledge’ ideas on scripture. Things like ‘the camel going thru the eye of the needle’. Some taught Jesus was not really rebuking wealth, he was simply talking about a ‘low gate’ thru the wall of the city that was called the ‘eye of the needle’ and the camels had to crouch a little to get thru, true silliness! This verse ‘coals on the head’ was taught as saying Jesus was simply saying you were helping your enemy on cold nights by ‘keeping his head warm’! Sad. Jesus said don’t avenge yourselves, God will avenge you. Doesn’t sound like the lord is talking about ‘head warmers’! Look at these verses carefully. Paul incorporates the teachings of Christ as having a very high priority for the believer. We are often inundated with modern concepts of ministry. How to raise funds [or amass wealth]. Paul ‘locates’ the important thing as being centered on Christ. He knew if the churches [believing communities] of the first few centuries would follow this idea, that they would truly turn their world upside down for the cause.

 CHAPTER 12:

END NOTES-

A HEAVENLY CITY.

DON’T BE SAD, HE’S TREATING YOU LIKE A SON.

NO REPENTANCE- OUTSIDE OF CHRIST THAT IS.

CULTURE SHOCK IS HARD ON US ALL.

 ‘Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses [all the heroes of the last chapter!] let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us’ a few practical things. Paul compares the journey to a marathon, not a sprint! The patient runner who paces himself will receive a reward. The sprinter will look good at the start, but you never see him again! I have been blessed by so many gifted people over the years. Some who were on radio, or were doing some type of ministry for the Lord. The gifts and callings were truly on these people. A few years would go by and they were no where to be found. Where did they go? Some of them jumped on the latest ‘Christian movement’ [I am not against movements from God, I just feel we get enamored by them and give up on the main thing the Lord has called us to] some walked away from the Lord.

 I have come to realize that God will put certain things in you from the early days, things that he predestined for you to fulfill before you were born. These are the things that you should be faithful to. Don’t abandon the original calling, it’s still there! You can spend your whole life leaving one ‘track’ and ‘sprinting’ in another. But God wants you to stay on the original course and run it with patience. It might not seem as glamorous or exciting as the newest race in town, but at the end you will receive a reward. ‘Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him ENDURED the cross, despising the shame and is set down on the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that ENDURED such contradiction of sinners…and ye have forgotten the exhortation that speaketh to you as children [remember what we said about this type of privileged language in Hebrews? It is speaking to Israel] my son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art REBUKED of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as sons’.

 Now, for many years I read this just like you. That God was telling Christians that he disciplines them. True enough. But in context what is Paul saying here? He spent 11 chapters ‘reproving’ Israel. He told them that all the sacrifices and wonderful holidays and family traditions are no more. That Messiah has fulfilled it and you can’t keep doing it. Now, how would you feel if some know it all preacher came along and totally dismantled your whole way of worship? And you knew in your heart he was right! You would take offence. You would feel like you just got ‘chastened’ up and down and all over. Your initial reaction would be ‘this is too much correction in one letter, I am tired of reading it!’ so Paul is telling Israel ‘Don’t take all this reproof the wrong way, Gods intent is to get you to move on with the program. He loves you guys; don’t forget that scripture [Old Testament] says ‘who God loves he chastens’ hey, God is just dealing with you as children who he loves’ get it? ‘We have had fathers of the flesh that corrected us…shall we not much rather be in subjection to the father of spirits and live?’ Paul is saying ‘you guys want to live [eternal life] then you need to submit to the correction the father is giving you’.

 ‘For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness’ Now, God does chasten believers for the purpose of holiness. Scripture says ‘those who have suffered in the flesh have ceased from sin, that they should no longer spend the rest of their days in the flesh pursuing the desires of the flesh, but the will of God’ ‘before I was afflicted I went astray, but after I kept thy word’ ‘thou in faithfulness hath afflicted me’ ‘though he were a son yet learned he obedience from the things he suffered’ ‘the captain of our salvation was made perfect thru suffering’ [the last 2 are in this letter, the others are some where in scripture, I just quoted them off the top of my head. As you can see I have some familiarity with this subject! Ouch] In context Paul is saying to Israel ‘you have tried to attain holiness thru legalistic means, by keeping the law [Romans 9-the last few verses] but until you submit to Gods chastening, and have faith in God, you will not truly have his ‘holiness’ [righteousness].

 So God is disciplining them thru this letter so they will ‘believe and become righteous’ as opposed to staying in the old system of law. ‘Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous [old brother Paul, he sure knew how to understate things!] nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of RIGHTEOUSNESS to them that are exercised [or exorcised! Just kidding, but it can feel like this at times] thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down…and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame [broken] be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed’ David said ‘restore to me the joy of your salvation that the bones which YOU HAVE BROKEN may rejoice’ The danger of chastening [both for Christians and Israel] is that we get so broken that we never fully recover. Paul is telling Israel ‘I know it’s been hard on you guys to hear so much rebuke. Don’t walk away totally discouraged. There is a danger that you might respond to Gods correction the wrong way. Lift up your hands, shake off the depression, and let yourselves be healed. God wants to restore you!’

 ‘Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For you know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for HE FOUND NO PLACE OF REPENTANCE though he sought it carefully with tears’. This is another reason why reading Hebrews in context is important. One of the themes of this letter is ‘if you miss out on it now, you can’t repent later!’[Chapter 6]. We know that Pauls other letters to the churches leave open future repentance for those who have sinned. In Paul’s letters to the Corinthians we see this being done. But in Hebrews the idea is ‘if you pass on the Cross, you can not find repentance thru any other means. There is no other place for repentance’. So this is the reason why Hebrews has this theme of ‘no future repentance’ thru out the letter. Paul is certainly not telling Israel that if they decide to repent and accept Christ at a future date, they can’t! But he is saying ‘if you pass over this sacrifice of Christ, all the other ‘sacrifices’ and means of repentance that are contained in the law will have no future effect, remember Esau!’

 ‘For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched…but ye are come to Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem [the church]…and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Able’ Here Paul comes back to a ‘scarlet thread’ that runs thru out this letter. He says ‘hey, you think the first covenant was a fearful thing, watch out! If you disregard this covenant [Jesus blood] then you have gone against something that is much greater than the law’. Also the ‘blood of Able’ cried out from the ground for vengeance, the blood of Jesus cries out from heaven for mercy and forgiveness! It ‘speaks’ better things than that of Able! ‘See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth [Moses and the law] much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him which speaketh from heaven’ again Paul repeats themes he hit on earlier in this letter. He says ‘Moses spoke Gods Word [law] to you from an earthly mountain and place, you are come to a heavenly mountain [Sion-spiritual Jerusalem] and Jesus is speaking to you from heaven. This is much more strict than he who spoke from earth’.

 ‘Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom that can not be moved, let us HAVE GRACE, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire’ Though Paul doesn’t say it [I think he should have!] but this alludes to the ‘God’ of Moses day, who did not consume the burning bush, compared to the ‘God’ of today [new covenant] who will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire! This fits in with the theme of a harsher punishment for those who reject the covenant of grace as opposed to those who rejected the covenant of law. I know these themes are not popular, but this is clearly the way Paul is presenting them. I also am not saying the ‘God’ of the Old Testament is different from the ‘God’ of the new [this is the heresy of Marcion! I think that was his name. He was an early Christian heretic who comprised the first canon of scripture for a ‘new testament’ it included basically Paul’s letters, and he taught that The God of the new testament was different from the God in the old] but Paul is presenting the new covenant in a way that says ‘don’t neglect this new way of salvation, those who do will receive a harsher judgment than those who rejected the law’.

END NOTES-

A HEAVENLY CITY.

DON’T BE SAD, HE’S TREATING YOU LIKE A SON.

NO REPENTANCE- OUTSIDE OF CHRIST THAT IS.

CULTURE SHOCK IS HARD ON US ALL.

Once again we see the contrast between ‘he that spoke from earth’ [Moses- the law]- and he that ‘speaks from heaven’ [Jesus covenant is more strict- to those outside of it and reject it- because he has heavenly authority- Moses had earthly]. Hebrews 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

 The writer says ‘don’t be sad- God disciplines every son who he receives’- though this certainly applies to Christians- Hebrews 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

 Remember this- though the message of grace and Jesus as the Messiah is wonderful- especially to us Gentile believers-

Yet- it was indeed a cultural shock to the 1st century Jew-

Why?

Even though Jesus was the fulfillment of the prophets- yet in order for the Jewish person to accept this [Like the apostle Paul]

He had to accept a real cultural change in the religion he practiced from his youth-

He was being asked to stop the animal sacrifices- to ‘move on’ from the Law covenant- and to embrace Christ.

Now- in reality- it would be the fulfillment of all that was contained in the law- but it’s often hard for anyone to ‘move on’ from former religious practices that are embedded in his culture.

So- in context ‘Don’t be sad- God is disciplining you- showing you new stuff- and it’s tough for sure- but he does this with all the sons he receives’.

We also see the promise of the heavenly city- As opposed to the earthly one. Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

Hebrews 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

 The writer is speaking about the church- and how both Jew and Gentile are part of this spiritual community coming down from God out of heaven.

And again we see the warning- of no repentance- for those who keep sinning.

I stress that this is never taught to the Gentile churches- as a matter of fact the Apostle Paul wrote the Corinthians- about a sinning brother- sleeping with his father’s wife [his step mom].

And In the 2nd letter- this brother repented- and Paul exhorted the church to receive him back into fellowship.

But to the 1st century Jew- still not fully in the covenant- he says ‘Hebrews 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

In keeping with the theme of the letter- Jesus is now the only acceptable means of repentance- and if you reject him as the Messiah- and continue in sin- then yes- there is no repentance.

Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Revelation 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

Ephesians 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Ephesians 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

Ephesians 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

Ephesians 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Galatians 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

  VERSES [these are some of the verses quoted on the video- Friends 2]

 2 Peter 2:20

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

James 4:2

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Galatians 4:3

Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Galatians 4:9

But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Philippians 4:6

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

 Philippians 4:19

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Proverbs 14:12

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Proverbs 16:25

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Galatians 6:8

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Hebrews 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

Hebrews 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Hebrews 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

Hebrews 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Hebrews 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

Hebrews 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

24 These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.

25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.

26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.

27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.

28 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

Psalm 107 [Quoted by Andy on the video- Friends 2- 1]

James 5:14

Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Psalm 68:19

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Matthew 6:11

Give us this day our daily bread.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Luke 11:3

Give us day by day our daily bread.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Acts 2:46

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

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Thanks- John.

THE PROPHECY OF OSEE - From The Douay-Rheims Bible - Latin Vulgate

Chapter 4

INTRODUCTION.

Osee, or Hosea, whose name signifies a saviour, was the first in the order of time among those who are commonly called lesser prophets, because their prophecies are short. He prophesied in the kingdom of Israel, (that is, of the ten tribes) about the same time that Isaias prophesied in the kingdom of Juda. Ch. --- The chronological order is not observed in any edition. The Sept. very from the rest. They place the less before the greater prophets, and read some of the names rather differently, as Prot. do also, though they have nothing but novelty to recommend the change. We shall here specify the Prot. names, (H.) in the order in which these prophets appeared: (C.) 1. Hosea, 2. Amos, 3. Jonah, 4. Micah, 5. Nahum, 6. Joel, 7. Zephaniah, 8. Habakkuk, 9. Obadiah, 10. Haggai, 11. Zechariah, 12. Malachi. H. --- It is not known who collected them into one volume. but the book of Ecclesiasticus (xlix. 12.) speaks of the twelve; and 4 Esd. i. 39. specifies them as they are found in the Sept. Osee, Amos, Micheas, Joel, Abdias, Jonas, Nahum, &c. as in the Vulg. C. --- Many other prophets appeared before these, (W.) but Osee is the first of the sixteen whose works are extant. He must have continued his ministry about eighty-five years, and lived above one hundred and ten, if the first verse speaks of him alone. But some take it to regard the whole collection, and may be added by another hand. C. --- The style of Osee is sententious and very hard to be understood, (S. Jer.) as but little is known of the last kings of Israel, in whose dominions he lived, and to whom he chiefly refers, though he speaks sometimes of Juda, &c. C. --- By taking a wife, and other parables, he shews their criminal conduct and chastisment, and foretells their future deliverance and the benefits to be conferred by Christ. We must observe that the prophets often style the kingdom of the two tribes, Juda, Benjamin, Jerusalem, or the house of David; and that of the ten tribes, Ephraim, Joseph, Samaria, Jezrahel, Bethel, or Bethaven; and often Israel or Jacob till after the captivity of these tribes, when the latter titles refer to Juda, who imitated the virtues of Jacob better than the other kingdom. W. --- Then all distinction of this nature was at an end. H.

The additional Notes in this Edition of the New Testament will be marked with the letter A. Such as are taken from various Interpreters and Commentators, will be marked as in the Old Testament. B. Bristow, C. Calmet, Ch. Challoner, D. Du Hamel, E. Estius, J. Jansenius, M. Menochius, Po. Polus, P. Pastorini, T. Tirinus, V. Bible de Vence, W. Worthington, Wi. Witham. — The names of other authors, who may be occasionally consulted, will be given at full length.

Verses are in English and Latin.

HAYDOCK CATHOLIC BIBLE COMMENTARY

This Catholic commentary on the Old Testament, following the Douay-Rheims Bible text, was originally compiled by Catholic priest and biblical scholar Rev. George Leo Haydock (1774-1849). This transcription is based on Haydock's notes as they appear in the 1859 edition of Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary printed by Edward Dunigan and Brother, New York, New York.

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES

Changes made to the original text for this transcription include the following:

Greek letters. The original text sometimes includes Greek expressions spelled out in Greek letters. In this transcription, those expressions have been transliterated from Greek letters to English letters, put in italics, and underlined. The following substitution scheme has been used: A for Alpha; B for Beta; G for Gamma; D for Delta; E for Epsilon; Z for Zeta; E for Eta; Th for Theta; I for Iota; K for Kappa; L for Lamda; M for Mu; N for Nu; X for Xi; O for Omicron; P for Pi; R for Rho; S for Sigma; T for Tau; U for Upsilon; Ph for Phi; Ch for Chi; Ps for Psi; O for Omega. For example, where the name, Jesus, is spelled out in the original text in Greek letters, Iota-eta-sigma-omicron-upsilon-sigma, it is transliterated in this transcription as, Iesous. Greek diacritical marks have not been represented in this transcription.

Footnotes. The original text indicates footnotes with special characters, including the astrisk (*) and printers' marks, such as the dagger mark, the double dagger mark, the section mark, the parallels mark, and the paragraph mark. In this transcription all these special characters have been replaced by numbers in square brackets, such as [1], [2], [3], etc.

Accent marks. The original text contains some English letters represented with accent marks. In this transcription, those letters have been rendered in this transcription without their accent marks.

Other special characters.

Solid horizontal lines of various lengths that appear in the original text have been represented as a series of consecutive hyphens of approximately the same length, such as ---.

Ligatures, single characters containing two letters united, in the original text in some Latin expressions have been represented in this transcription as separate letters. The ligature formed by uniting A and E is represented as Ae, that of a and e as ae, that of O and E as Oe, and that of o and e as oe.

Monetary sums in the original text represented with a preceding British pound sterling symbol (a stylized L, transected by a short horizontal line) are represented in this transcription with a following pound symbol, l.

The half symbol (1/2) and three-quarters symbol (3/4) in the original text have been represented in this transcription with their decimal equivalent, (.5) and (.75) respectively.

Unreadable text. Places where the transcriber's copy of the original text is unreadable have been indicated in this transcription by an empty set of square brackets, [].

Chapter 4

God's judgment against the sins of Israel: Juda is warned not to follow their example.

[1] Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel, for the Lord shall enter into judgment with the inhabitants of the land: for there is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no knowledge of God in the land.

Audite verbum Domini, filii Israel, quia judicium Domino cum habitatoribus terrae : non est enim veritas, et non est misericordia, et non est scientia Dei in terra.

[2] Cursing, and lying, and killing, and theft, and adultery have overflowed, and blood hath touched blood.

Maledictum, et mendacium, et homicidium, et furtum, et adulterium inundaverunt, et sanguis sanguinem tetigit.

[3] Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth in it shall languish with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of the air: yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be gathered together.

Propter hoc lugebit terra, et infirmabitur omnis qui habitat in ea, in bestia agri, et in volucre caeli; sed et pisces maris congregabuntur.

[4] But yet let not any man judge: and let not a man be rebuked: for thy people are as they that contradict the priest.

Verumtamen unusquisque non judicet, et non arguatur vir : populus enim tuus sicut hi qui contradicunt sacerdoti.

[5] And thou shalt fall today, and the prophet also shall fall with thee: in the night I have made thy mother to be silent.

Et corrues hodie, et corruet etiam propheta tecum. Nocte tacere feci matrem tuam.

[6] My people have been silent, because they had no knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will reject thee, that thou shalt not do the office of priesthood to me: and thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.

Conticuit populus meus, eo quod non habuerit scientiam : quia tu scientiam repulisti, repellam te, ne sacerdotio fungaris mihi; et oblita es legis Dei tui, obliviscar filiorum tuorum et ego.

[7] According to the multitude of them so have they sinned against me: I will change their glory into shame.

Secundum multitudinem eorum sic peccaverunt mihi : gloriam eorum in ignominiam commutabo.

[8] They shall eat the sins of my people, and shall lift up their souls to their iniquity.

Peccata populi mei comedent, et ad iniquitatem eorum sublevabunt animas eorum.

[9] And there shall be like people like priest: and I will visit their ways upon them, and I will repay them their devices.

Et erit sicut populus, sic sacerdos; et visitabo super eum vias ejus, et cogitationes ejus reddam ei.

[10] And they shall eat and shall not be filled: they have committed fornication, and have not ceased: because they have forsaken the Lord in not observing his law.

Et comedent, et non saturabuntur; fornicati sunt, et non cessaverunt : quoniam Dominum dereliquerunt in non custodiendo.

[11] Fornication, and wine, and drunkenness take away the understanding.

Fornicatio, et vinum, et ebrietas auferunt cor.

[12] My people have consulted their stocks, and their staff hath declared unto them: for the spirit of fornication hath deceived them, and they have committed fornication against their God.

Populus meus in ligno suo interrogavit, et baculus ejus annuntiavit ei; spiritus enim fornicationum decepit eos, et fornicati sunt a Deo suo.

[13] They offered sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burnt incense upon the hills: under the oak, and the poplar, and the turpentine tree, because the shadow thereof was good: therefore shall your daughters commit fornication, and your spouses shall be adulteresses.

Super capita montium sacrificabant, et super colles ascendebant thymiama; subtus quercum, et populum, et terebinthum, quia bona erat umbra ejus; ideo fornicabuntur filiae vestrae, et sponsae vestrae adulterae erunt.

[14] I will not visit upon your daughters when they shall commit fornication, and upon your spouses when they shall commit adultery: because themselves conversed with harlots, and offered sacrifice with the effeminate, and the people that doth not understand shall be beaten.

Non visitabo super filias vestras cum fuerint fornicatae, et super sponsas vestras cum adulteraverint, quoniam ipsi cum meretricibus conversabantur, et cum effeminatis sacrificabant; et populus non intelligens vapulabit.

[15] If thou play the harlot, O Israel, at least let not Juda offend: and go ye not into Galgal, and come not up into Bethaven, and do not swear: The Lord liveth.

Si fornicaris tu, Israel, non delinquat saltem Juda; et nolite ingredi in Galgala, et ne ascenderitis in Bethaven, neque juraveritis : Vivit Dominus!

[16] For Israel hath gone astray like a wanton heifer: now will the Lord feed them, as a lamb in a spacious place.

Quoniam sicut vacca lasciviens declinavit Israel; nunc pascet eos Dominus, quasi agnum in latitudine.

[17] Ephraim is a partaker with idols, let him alone.

Particeps idolorum Ephraim : dimitte eum.

[18] Their banquet is separated, they have gone astray by fornication: they that should have protected them have loved to bring shame upon them.

Separatum est convivium eorum; fornicatione fornicati sunt : dilexerunt afferre ignominiam protectores ejus.

[19] The wind hath bound them up in its wings, and they shall be confounded because of their sacrifices.

Ligavit eum spiritus in alis suis, et confundentur a sacrificiis suis.

Commentary:

Ver. 1. Israel. They are chiefly addressed, (Chal. S. Jer. C.) or what follows to v. 15, regards all. W. --- Judgment. Heb. "a trial." --- Mercy. The want of humanity and of practical knowledge is urged. C. --- The knowledge of God includes the observance of the commandments. 1 Jo. ii. 4. W. --- This science alone is requisite. Jer. ix. 3. Is. v. 13. Blind leaders prove their own and other's ruin.

Ver. 2. Blood. The successors of Jeroboam II. were mostly murdered. C. --- Incestuous marriages take place. H.

Ver. 3. Together. The waters shall be dried up, or infected. C. --- When the people are taken away, beasts will not long remain. Jer. ix. 10. Soph. i. 2. H.

Ver. 4. Judge, &c. As if he would say: It is in vain to strive with them, or reprove them, they are so obstinate in evil. Ch. --- Priest. Such must be slain. Deut. xvii. 12. C. --- Sept. "my people are like a priest contradicted," (H.) or degraded. Theod.

Ver. 5. Prophet, both true and false. --- Night of tribulation. Heb. and Sept. "I have compared thy mother to the night."

Ver. 6. Silent. Sept. "like those who had," &c. --- Knowledge. Jeroboam I. had appointed unlawful priests, and some of the house of Aaron went over to him, and were excluded from officiating at Jerusalem, after the captivity. 1 K. xii. 31. Ezec. xliv. 10. Knowledge is always expected of priests. Deut. xvii. 8. Mal. ii. 7. Gratian. dist. 38. c. omnes. C. --- When the power of sacrificing is withdrawn, all spiritual functions cease, as sacrifice belongs properly to a priest. W.

Ver. 7. Me. A father rejoices in a numerous offspring. But my people take occasion to offend me the more they increase. C.

Ver. 8. Sins: victims. W. --- Iniquity; or "they seek for support in their propitiatory offerings," and lull the people asleep in their sins. The priests of the golden calf imitated the sacred rites of Moses. It would have been too difficult to make the people change altogether.

Ver. 9. Priest. They are equally dissolute, and shall meet the like punishment. --- Devices, or thoughts. C. --- Cogitatio mali operis pænas luet. S. Jer.

Ver. 10. Ceased. Heb. "increased." They have no children living. C. --- Sept. "let them not succeed."

Ver. 11. Understanding. Lit. "heart." H. --- Some sins darken reason more than others; but none so much as spiritual fornication. W.

Ver. 12. Staff. It was customary to use this mode of divination, (Ezec. xxi. 21.) and likewise incense. v. 13. --- Oak. These terms are variously rendered as the trees and stones mentioned in Scripture, will probably never be ascertained.

Ver. 14. Visit. This is the most dreadful of God's judgments. He permits those who offend him to receive discontent from their own families. --- Effeminate, like the Galli, &c. (S. Jer.) and votaries of Priapus. 3 K. xv. 11. Heb. "the consecrated women." Sept. "initiated," to honour a lewd idol by prostitution. C. --- Beaten. Sept. "adhere to a harlot. But thou, Israel, be not ignorant, and Juda go," &c. H.

Ver. 15. Offend. It was more culpable for Juda to commit idolatry (as they had the temple, &c. of the true God) than for Israel, whom Jeroboam hindered from going to Jerusalem, after he had set up his golden calves. W. --- Galgal and Bethaven. Places where idols were worshipped. Bethel, which signifies the house of God, is called by the prophet Bethaven, that is the house of vanity, from Jeroboam's golden calf which was worshipped there. Ch. --- Galgal was on the confines of the two kingdoms, and always venerated by the Jews. Idols had been there in ancient times, and probably a sort of oracle. Judg. iii. 19. If Israel be thus abandoned, let not Juda imitate them. C. --- Lord. Profane not this sacred name by giving it to idols. Theod. --- Use not this expression, since you do not worship me. S. Jer.

Ver. 16. Wanton. Sept. "stung," or rendered furious. Thus Israel gives way to ungovernable passions. The people shall be led into captivity, and have room to range about.

Ver. 17. Partaker. Heb. "tied to abominations." --- Alone. His case is desperate. C. --- Sept. "he has placed stumbling-blocks for himself." H.

Ver. 18. Separated from that allowed to God's people. Deut. xii. 12. Heb. "insipid," or spoiled. Chal. "their princes have sought after banquets." Sept. "He has provoked (surpassed) the Chanaanites." These two have not read as we do. --- They. Heb. "their shields (chiefs) have loved shame:" dissolute practices, or "presents," which are disgraceful. C. - Sept. "They have loved shame by her rage. (19) A whirlwind shall whistle in," &c. H.

Ver. 19. Wings. They shall be quickly removed hence. C.

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What Does the Bible Say about Fasting?

Bible / Bible Study / Topical Studies / What Does the Bible Say about Fasting?

Meg Bucher | Writer and Author

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

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Fasting is often accompanied by prayer in the Bible. In the Old Testament, fasting was symbolic of grieving or repenting of sin. In the New Testament era we live in, fasting is a way to grow closer to God, much like we do through prayer. Similar to God’s instructions on prayer, fasting is to be a largely private affair. “Fasting is a temporary renunciation of something that is in itself good, like food, in order to intensify our expression of need for something greater - namely, God and his work in our lives,” John Piper informs on desiringGod.org.

Scripture is clear, as we learn from Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, fasting is not to be a showy act of legalistic and religious pomp and circumstance. Fasting is a personal connection to our God, a reflection of our commitment to and recognition of our dependence on Him. 

Fasting Examples in the Bible

Fasting is mentioned over 70 times throughout Scripture. In the Old Testament, there were two types of fasting: public and private. According to the Harpercollins Bible Dictionary, public fasts were accompanied by prayer, supplication, and sackcloth, while private fasts were seen of acts of penance. Below are some examples of fasting in the Bible, and there are many more examples to be found. 

Moses Fasted before Receiving the Ten Commandments

“So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.” Exodus 34:28

Moses fasted for 40 days and forty nights, without food and water Scripture says. It’s not possible for humans to survive that long without food or water. Here, we witness a supernatural fast in the pages of Scripture. Only God could sustain Moses for that long without substance. At the end of the fast, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. 

Daniel Fasted and Prayed to Understand a Vision

“I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.” Daniel 10:3 ESV

This particular fast is in response to a vision Daniel had, but this is not the first time in Scripture to record Daniel fasting. Daniel 1:8 reads, “But Daniel resolved he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank.” The food and drink the king’s court was consuming violated the laws God’s people followed, and so David denied himself in obedience to the Lord. For Daniel, fasting preceded revelation in regard to his vision as to what would happen to God’s people in the future.

David Fasted in Mourning the Loss of His Son and Best Friend

“And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.” 2 Samuel 1:12, ESV

It’s common to find fasting, especially in the Old Testament, as an expression of grief and sadness. Though King Saul had chased David viciously, the king’s son Jonathan and David were best of friends. Later in David’s life, he also mourned the loss of his own son. “David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. On the seventh day the child died” (2 Samuel 12:15-18 ESV). According to the NIV Study Bible, his servants were afraid to tell David his son had died, fearing his reaction. If the child in fact was only seven days old, he was not even named or circumcised yet, and so not counted among the Israelites.

John the Baptist Fasted by Sticking to a Strict Diet throughout his Life

“Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.” Matthew 3:4 ESV

John the Baptist lived in the wilderness and survived on a diet one who lived in the wilderness might survive on. “John the Baptist observed one almost continual fast, his diet being locusts and wild honey, his disciples naturally had great respect for that rite.” The Fourfold Gospel Commentary, John’s ways held purpose. “John’s simply food, clothing and lifestyle were a visual protest against self-indulgence.” (NIV Study Bible)

Jesus Fasted in the Desert when Tempted by Satan

“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.’ And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.”’” Luke 4:1-4 ESV 

Jesus did not need food to sustain Him. Fully God and fully man, He knew His Father’s Word and will. The providence of the Father would sustain Jesus through the forty days in the desert. A supernaturally divine fast, impossible for just a man to survive, but Jesus was not just a man. He was the Son of God. The very Word of God quoted the Word of God: “Man shall not live by bread alone.”

The Early Church Fasted before Appointing Leaders and Elders, and When Enduring Trials 

“Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.” Acts 13:1-3 ESV

The early church was under severe persecution. They had an uphill battle ahead of them, yet they persevered. There was fasting prior to the consecration of teacher and elders (Acts 13:2-3) and during times of trials (Acts 27:1-38). The strength they gathered in getting as close as they could to God, many times through fasting, gave them the strength and supernatural direction they needed to make decisions about leaders and carry the gospel message forward.

For more verses about fasting in the Bible, click here.

What Does the Bible Say about the Practice of Fasting?

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:16-18

Many scholars are quick to point out that Jesus does not say “if” we fast, but “when.” It was assumed that followers of Christ would fast. However, Jesus also makes a point to shut down any legalistic or religious formality to fasting, telling his followers they should not be fasting to be noticed, nor fast in such a way as to draw attention.

Jesus’ command for people to pull themselves together before they go out in public was to highlight the importance of fasting as a connection to God. Only He needs to know we are fasting. Fasting reminds us to be grateful to God for His providence and provision. “The understanding is that we would recognize fasting as a habit of grace, a gift from God which He has given to His people in order for us to have a greater, heightened, awareness for the things of God,” Stephen Um says for thegospelcoalition.org.

Matthew 9:14-17 says, “Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, ‘Why do we and the Pharisee fast, but your disciples do not fast?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.” (ESV)

Jesus told them to fast after He had gone to heaven. That’s our cue. The new wine that can’t fit into old wineskins signifies Christ came. For believers, His presence is an everyday reality through the Holy Spirit. We are created to crave more of our heavenly Father, and our souls ache for the day our Savior returns. Fasting is a way to express the ache and desire, “Come, Lord Jesus.”

“Christian fasting is unique among all the fasting of the world,” says John Piper, “It is unique in that it expresses more than longing for Christ or hunger for Christ’s presence. It is a hunger that is rooted in -based on- an already present, experienced reality of Christ in history and in our hearts.”

Fasting is a form of worship, an acknowledgment that we need God more than food. Fasting is not the same as a diet; nor is losing weight the goal of a fast. Gratitude for the food God provides gives worship to God! In all we do, the aim is to keep God on the throne of our hearts, the center of our lives, and the top of our minds.

Should Christians Still Fast Today?

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Jesus did not command fasting, but it was a normal occurrence in His earthly time, and it would have made sense to His followers to take up this practice as a spiritual discipline. Fasting is not just for food, but food is widely used in different types of fasting. Fasting from food should be progressive and can be full or partial. Sam Storms, in his Crosswalk.com article, “What Christians Need to Know about Fasting,” lists the following different types of fasts: a partial fast, abstaining from a particular food; a liquid fast, abstaining from all solid foods; an absolute fast, abstaining from all food and liquids, and a supernatural fast, as in Moses refraining from eating or drinking for 40 days.

Fasting could be refraining from Netflix, spending the time it takes to binge a whole season in prayer or dedicate the same amount of time in prayer as our weekly screen time report reveals. Put thought into what you are abstaining from, and your fast can be short, intermittent, or longer. There’s not one type of fast that fits all; it’s important that the fast is between you and God rather than a group fad you’re joining.

A Prayer for Fasting

Father, 

Praise You for this day, and Your purpose for it. God, when we yearn to be close to You, to hear You clearly, remind us of the obedient pursuit of fasting and prayer. Clear our heart of all clutter threatening to throw us off focus and drift from Your will for our lives. Thank You for Jesus, Father. For sending Your one and only Son to earth, and to die on the cross sacrificially for us. Let us love You with all we are, glorify and worship You through fasting, prayer, and the everyday choices we make with each day You bless us with. Give us the strength and perseverance to walk through jubilant times and somber ones, all in a way that brings honor to Your name.

In Jesus’ powerful name we pray, Amen.

The bottom line is, fasting is an important part of the Christian life. Right alongside prayer, fasting is how we grow closer to our great God. We celebrate Jesus’ victory over death here on earth but look forward to the immensity of His presence upon His return.

Photo credit: ©GettyImages/RoterPanther

Meg writes about everyday life within the love of Christ as an author, freelance writer, and blogger at Sunny&80. Her first book, “Friends with Everyone,”  is available on amazon.com. She earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland University but stepped out of the business world to stay at home and raise her two daughters. Besides writing, she leads a Bible Study for Women and serves as a Youth Ministry leader in her community. She lives in Northern Ohio with her husband, Jim, and two daughters.

This article is part of our larger Spiritual Life resource meant to answer your questions about the Bible, God and the Christian faith. Visit our most popular questions on “What does the Bible say about…” questions answered by well known Christians and theologians to find more inspiration. Remember that as you read these articles, the Holy Spirit will give you understanding and discernment to make the right decision for your walk with Jesus Christ! If you know others struggling with these faith questions, please share and help others discover the truth on these controversial topics. 

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46 & Dwelling with God

written by Will Schumaker

In my last post I made a connection between the boards of the Tabernacle that “stand” and the Two Witnesses and the 144,000 of Revelation that stand before God.

It’s abundantly clear God uses numbers throughout the Bible to convey a message.  I wanted to look at the numbers surrounding the boards of the tabernacle.

There are 20 boards on the south side, 20 boards on the north side, and 6 boards on the west side for a total of 46 boards with a dimension of 10 cubits tall and 1 ½ cubits wide.

Exodus 26:18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward.

Exodus 26:20 And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards:

Exodus 26:22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards

There are also 2 corner boards with no dimensions given and different opinions on their width and shape.

Exodus 26:23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.

In this post I would like to show that God uses the number 46 with the concept of God dwelling with man.

As I said in my prior post just as the boards stand before God as a picture of the Church there is one group that stands before God, the Levites.

Deuteronomy 10:8 At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in His name, unto this day.

Levi has a gematria of 46.

From my prior post there are 2 prophets that stand before God, Elijah and Elisha.  Elijah has a gematria of 46.

1 Kings 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

This is verse 46.  God dwelled in the Garden of Eden and He put man there.  Eden is a type of temple.  The temple and tabernacle were a means of God dwelling with man.

Genesis 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

This is verse 46 from the end of the Bible about God dwelling with man.

Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Solomon’s temple had 2 pillars 18 cubits tall with chapiters  5 cubits tall on top at the front entrance that were then a total of 23 cubits tall each.  2 x 23 = 46.

1 Kings 7:15 For he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece: and a line of twelve cubits did compass either of them about.      

1 Kings 7:16 And he made two chapiters of molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars: the height of the one chapiter was five cubits, and the height of the other chapiter was five cubits:

The pillars were called Boaz and Jachin.

1 Kings 7:21 And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz.

Jachin means “I will establish”.  Boaz means “in strength”.  This is a reference to Zechariah 4, which is a reference to the Two Witnesses of Revelation standing before God, in which God says He will do it by the strength of His Spirit.

Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts”.

The only use of the number 46 in the Bible is said by Jesus when talking of the temple:

John 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this Temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

The next verse Jesus says His body is the temple.

John 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body. 

In the 46th book of the Bible Paul says the same thing -  that his body is the temple.

1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

It is interesting that our body is the temple and our body has 46 chromosomes.  We get 23 chromosomes from each parent.  We have died and become children of God through the Spirit.  Just like the two pillars of the temple entrance, Boaz and Jachin each 23 cubits tall, by God’s strength of Spirit we enter into His presence, the temple.

The 46 boards of the tabernacle also being 10 cubits tall and 1 ½ cubits wide have a perimeter of 23 cubits.

The 46th prime number is 197.

Strong’s H197= porch and is part of the temple.

1 Kings 7:6 And he made a porch of pillars; the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits: and the porch was before them: and the other pillars and the thick beam were before them.

Immanuel means “God with us” and has a gematria of 197.

This is verse 197.  Tishri 1, or Feast of Trumpets in Noah’s time, was the first day of the first month.  Many people look for Christ’s return on this day.  I have thought for some time the uncovering of the ark or church is symbolic of the revealing that will happen in the future.

Genesis 8:13 And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.

The 23rd triangle number is 276.  It is 12 x 23.  The 12 tribes, or Israel, were the 23rd generation.  The 276 saved in Acts are a picture of the salvation of the Church or all Israel throughout history.

Acts 27:37 And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

The 46th triangle number is 1081.

10810 is the gematria of this verse related to the 144,000.

Revelation 7:5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.

A circle with a circumference of 144 has a diameter of 45.84 or approx. 46. 108100 (40500 + 32200 + 35400) is the number of the westward encampment headed by Ephraim and consisted of Rebekah’s offspring of Ephraim, Mannasseh, and Benjamin.

Numbers 1:33 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred.

Numbers 1:35 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.

Numbers 1:37 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.

I have many posts on this site about the significance of Rachel and her children.  Benjamin has a gematria of 152 but the first time he is mentioned in scripture it is 162.  Ephraim has a gematria of 331 and Mannasseh has a gematria of 395.  395 + 331 + 162= 888  The same gematria of Jesus.

God is incredible.

God is not finished with the nation Israel, and to show Israel’s future is as secure as God’s promises, here are the top 13 Bible verses about Israel’s future from both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

January 3

Hebrew Scripture from the Torah: Genesis 28:10-22

Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.¹ And the Lord stood beside him and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place–and I did not know it!” And he was afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called that place Bethel; but the name of the city was Luz at the first. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house; and of all that you give me I will surely give one tenth to you.”

¹This verse is quoted in John 1:51, part of the calling of Nathanael

Psalm 72

Give the king your justice, O God,  and your righteousness to a king's son. May he judge your people with righteousness,  and your poor with justice. May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,  and the hills, in righteousness. May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,  give deliverance to the needy,  and crush the oppressor.

May he live while the sun endures,  and as long as the moon,  throughout all generations. May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,  like showers that water the earth. In his days may righteousness flourish  and peace abound,  until the moon is no more.

May he have dominion from sea to sea,  and from the River to the ends of the earth. May his foes bow down before him,  and his enemies lick the dust.

May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles  render him tribute, may the kings of Sheba and Seba  bring gifts. May all kings fall down before him,  all nations give him service.

For he delivers the needy when they call,  the poor and those who have no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy,  and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life;  and precious is their blood in his sight.

Long may he live!  May gold of Sheba be given to him. May prayer be made for him continually,  and blessings invoked for him all day long. May there be abundance of grain in the land;  may it wave on the tops of the mountains;  may its fruit be like Lebanon;  and may people blossom in the cities  like the grass of the field. May his name endure forever,  his fame continue as long as the sun. May all nations be blessed in him;  may they pronounce him happy. Blessed be the Lord,  the God of Israel,  who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name forever;  may his glory fill the whole earth.

Amen and Amen.

New Testament Epistle Lesson: Hebrews 11:13-22

All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, of whom he had been told, “It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you.”¹ He considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone from the dead—and figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked blessings for the future on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, “bowing in worship over the top of his staff.” By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his burial.

¹Genesis 21:12

Year A Days Around Epiphany January 3

Bible verses from The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All right reserved. Selections from Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright 1985 by the Consultation on Common Texts. Image Credit:Jacob's Dream by William Blake, via Wikimedia Commons. This is a public domain image.

01/25/2020 DAB Transcript

Genesis 50:1-Exodus 2:10, Matthew 16:13-17:9, Psalms 21:1-13, Proverbs 5:1-6

Today is the 25th day of January, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian it's great to be here with you at the end of another one of our weeks. And this is actually the final weekend of the first month of the year. So, well done. And as we end this week there's also another special line that we’re gonna cross. Today, we will conclude the first book of the Bible, the book of Genesis and then begin the book of Exodus. So, well done! And let's get to it. Let’s conclude the book of Genesis and then we'll talk about the book of Exodus as we begin it. But first, Genesis chapter 50, which is the final chapter of the book. And we’ll conclude the story of Joseph.

Introduction to the Book of Genesis:

Okay, so that concludes the book of Genesis and the book of Genesis concludes with the conclusion of the story of Joseph. So, what we have started at the very beginning, right, when we started on January 1st, the first words of the Bible were, “in the beginning.” So, we started at the beginning, we got a glimpse of how things were always intended to be for us. We saw how that got blown apart. We saw separation from God be introduced into the human story and then we watched humans try to use the knowledge of good and evil to essentially glorify themselves so that they could be their own God, which is what the serpent essentially tried to promise them, but we watched that disintegrate and fall apart completely until everyone's heart was evil and the world was flooded, which took us to the story of Noah. As we continued to journey forward, we met a man named Abram whose…his name was changed to Abraham and he entered into a covenant with God. God selected Abram changed his name to Abraham and then said, “I'm starting over with you. I'm going to create a people set apart unto me on this earth among all of the other people who bear my image, but who have rejected me and embraced separation. Through you. I'm going to create a people set apart as mine and through you will be the light to the world and all the nations will be blessed.” So, in other words God’s saying, “we’ve tried a few things but this knowledge of good and evil inside the heart of man is corrupting him utterly. So, I'm going to create a people of my own through Abram, Abraham. So, Abraham didn’t have any kids. We know that. He had a child in his old age, the son of promise named Isaac. And we went through all of that story. Isaac then had sons, Jacob and Esau. We went through that story of conniving and deception by Jacob and it certainly was revisited upon him. He did reap what he sowed but in the end Jacob's name became Israel. Alright. And, so, his children then are the children of Israel of which Joseph was one of them. And Joseph was trafficked into Egypt as we know. But that is how the children of Israel got to Egypt. And, so, we close Genesis at that point. Now we’re about to pick up the second book of the Bible.

And Exodus picks up this very same story, we’re just moving centuries into the future as we pick it up. So, these original children of Israel, the actual children who became tribes of Israel had...had certainly died. We’re centuries into the future, but their offspring had flourished in Egypt. They had become as numerous as the stars in the heavens, which is what God promised Abraham. But this flourishing that was happening was happening in Egypt and we’re centuries in the future and Joseph is forgotten and the Egyptians began to fear the numbers of the Hebrews and to fear their loyalty. So, like I said, Joseph's forgotten and they don't necessarily remember that he had saved them from devastation centuries in the past. So, Israel's children were enslaved. And the new Pharaoh of Egypt wanted to curb and control the explosion of population among the Hebrews. So, his version of population control was to demand that the Hebrew midwives would literally…would throw every boy, every baby boy that was born into the Nile River and the girls could live. And this…this, among other things certainly cause the Hebrew people, the children of Israel, Jacob's children, they cried out to God. And there was a baby and he was a boy and he was supposed to be thrown into the Nile River, but instead he was…he was put into the Nile River in a basket and then his little sister kinda watched from a distance to kinda watch out for him while he's technically in the Nile River. But he's being saved. This little boy's name is Moses and we will be journeying with Moses for quite a while. And as it turns out, this little basket that had this little baby in it was discovered by the daughter of Pharaoh and he was given the name Moses. And, so, he was a Hebrew who had been raised as an Egyptian and we will watch that story unfold as we now begin the second look at the Bible, the book of Exodus.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You, we thank You, we thank You for Your word and we thank You for bringing us these 25 days into this new year all the way to the last weekend of this first month. And we acknowledge, time, it moves by quickly, but as we established this rhythm, it strengthens us, it encourages us, it gives us wisdom for the road ahead. And, so, we thank You for all that You've done in our lives as we’ve journey through the book of Genesis, all that You are doing as we move through the first Gospel of Matthew. And we invite Your Holy Spirit as we release this week into our history and look forward to the next, that we would be aware of Your presence in all things. Come Holy Spirit we pray. In the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.

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And that is…that’s it for this week friends and that's it for today. I love you I'm Brian and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hi Daily Audio Bible listeners my name is Brent. I was encouraged to call by Ben from Ohio. I’m the guy that’s been on the fence from calling in. Anyway, I’ve been listening to the Daily Audio Bible for eight years. I’ve been a Christian since I was a young child and I talk to God all day long every day but I struggle from an addiction to prescription pain medicine that I used to take for my back but I now take for the euphoric feeling that I used to feel before I built up a tolerance. So, I end up taking too many and running out two weeks before my refill is due, and it’s been a vicious cycle and has destroyed my marriage. I’m still married but my wife and I don’t talk very much anymore, and I need deliverance from this stronghold. And I ask that you will pray that God will free me from this bondage. That’s about it. Thank you.

While happy new year family this is Biola calling from Maryland. I actually had to call even though I’m recovering from tooth surgery and my cheek looks as if a chipmunk hid a nut or two in it. Pray for me when you think of me for full recovery. But I had to call in because I heard Kimberly, Yvonne, and Victoria Soldier. I had to call into pray for you. Kimberly I am so sorry for what you’ve gone through. Father Lord I pray for Your daughter. You are the one that comforts oh God Lord and heels. I pray that You will heal Kimberly completely oh God emotionally oh God Lord Father even spiritually. I pray that You will give her a heart oh God even to forgive these people oh God and release them even though I know it’s very difficult. But Lord You said oh God Lord that when we do forgive its freeing. Father God I pray that You will heal her from PTSD in the name of Jesus. Father every part oh God that the devil is using to harass this woman oh God Father I put a stop to it right now and I command it to cease and desist in the name of Jesus set her free Lord. In Jesus name give us her sleep oh God in the name of Jesus. Yvonne…Yvonne my sister I heard Your prayer request regarding Your children. You know it is comforting what happened to the prodigal son. The prodigal son’s dad just kept waiting, waiting proudly praying for him and that is a picture of our Lord. You are not responsible for their choices, but I know as a mother myself I know how You feel. So, keep praying for them. Father Lord I pray that You will draw Yvonne’s children back to You. Arrest their hearts oh God Lord in the name of Jesus. Father let them turn their way even from darkness back into light in the name of Jesus. Lastly Victoria soldier so sorry for Your cousin. I pray that God will comfort You in Your loss in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Good morning Daily Audio Bible community I just wanted to call and pray for Brian this morning. This is Darby in Georgia. And Brian I just…I was thinking about meeting today in Genesis 39 and I think it’s verse 22 or 23 where God just he…he was with Joseph. It’s all about Joseph and being put in prison. And I think with depression and anxiety you can feel as if you’re in a prison, that you’re in a pit. But Joseph lived as if God was with him because he was. And at that right time God brought him out of the pit and raised him up so that he could not only be free of that but also be a blessing to many others. And I just pray today that God would give you hope, that God would fill you with a sense of his nearness even though you said you feel like He’s far from you, He is not. And I know I’m not the only one that’s been provoked by just your hopelessness today. I just pray that God would just give you a sense through His Holy Spirit that He is near to you, He is not far. And God, fill him with hope, fill Brian with hope and let him choose to live this day as if You were with him. Give him direction, give him wisdom, and surround him with others Lord who will help to fill him with hope and to see You and to raise his head up and look for You and find You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hi this is Linda calling from Folsom California and I’m a first-time caller and wanted to call. Today’s date is 1/19 and I just listened to the prayers for today and I’ve been meeting to call for a long time. I’ve been a listener for about five years. And Ben, I’m just going to thank you and do a callout for pushing us to call because I’d wanted to call again today and your prayer of “just call” has…has prompted this. So, I thank you but today I’m really calling about Brian. My brother, I heard your prayer today. I heard your anguish and feeling depression and problems in your marriage and lack of memory and I just want you to know you’re not alone. I...it’s been for me about 15 - 20 years, that I had to because of my depression have a ECT which…that’s the electroconvulsive shock therapy. And, so, since then I have suffered not only the disease of bipolar but with lack of…loss of memory and how frustrating. I do know…I do know what that feels like and I want you to know how much God loves you and it can be frustrating but continue in the blood of Christ. Remember how much He loves you and wants to be with you. Let Him…let Him and don’t shoot Him…don’t shut Him out by telling Him that you don’t feel Him. He loves you. He is inside of you. I also want to do a shout out that I am praying for Diana and Burning Bush. That was such great news. Welcome with your citizenship and I’m so glad to hear about your sister. Love you all.

Hi Daily Audio Bible this is Kylie calling from Brooklyn New York. I’m a first-time caller. I’ve been listening since 2018. I just…I heard some calls today. I’m reaching out for new listeners who haven’t called in before and I was super touched, and I was grinning really widely on the train. So, I just wanted to say that this community has been a family to me since I stepped foot into it in October. Even just by listening I have been met in places I never thought I could be met in by this community. So, thank you. It’s like a hug every day listening to you. Be well and talk soon.

Good evening DABbers this is Running Desperately to Jesus calling for you Diana. I have started and stopped calling on the prayer line so many times because I feel I don’t know what to say to you but then God let me know that you need to her know by His stripes you are healed. To be healed down here on earth or in eternity, but the ultimate is that you are going to be healed. Your boys will be taken care of. God has them in the palm of His hand. He will honor your request because you have been faithful to Him Diana. You have been faithful, you have taken His word and made it into rhymes and poems so that it…it touches everyone’s heart. Your legacy is here. Your boys will be taken care of. Diana, we love you, I love you. I desire to see you in person. I don’t…I don’t know what else to say. My heart wants to cry but at the same time I’m happy because I know that this whole thing, cancer does not have dominion over you. I love you Diana. Running Desperately to…

Hello, my name is Claire and I’m calling from Canada. I am a longtime listener and first-time collar. I just want to say that I’ve been praying for everybody all these years. Everybody I hear call in, I pray with you and I’m just glad that you guys do call in. I did want to mention the guy that was running, that he just started listening as a podcast. I thought that…just…it made me so happy to hear that because I pray for the salvation and that people would start listening to the Daily Audio Bible all the time. And anyways, I want to call in because I have a friend and this is probably running prevalent through a lot of people’s lives, but I had a friend that’s been injured, he’s had crones for many years. We’ve been friends for 20 years and he’s really suffered. He is a believer but it’s the crones, they ended up putting him on painkillers when he went through surgery and after that he became addicted to them. And anyways, he’s living with my mother now and we’re trying to get him into detox and the enemy really has, you know, a grip on him emotionally and spiritually and I just, you know, want to ask, you know, everybody to please pray for him as, you know, he is really fighting a battle and, you know…I’m sorry but it’s just, you know, I don’t…I…I really want to see him healed once and for all. And just so you know I’m praying for all the people that are dealing with sicknesses and cancer right now and all these kinds of things. I am standing in prayer with all of you as well. So…I didn’t want to cry or anything but be blessed everyone and thank you for this podcast. It’s an amazing gift to my day. Thank you. Bye for now.

Hello Daily Audio Bible community I’m calling in today because I just listened this morning and Ben from Columbus Ohio encouraged those of us who have been reticent to call in to just get on it and do it. And, so, here I am. I’m going into my 10th year with the Daily Audio Bible and I’ve been praying for all of you this whole time, just never called in myself. But I just wanted to share a praise report. Over the last…some of the things you’ve shared with me and my wife of the last 10 years even though you didn’t know you were sharing them with us, you were. So, we’re both soldiers in the U.S. Army and the last 10 years both of our children were born. We’ve done seven moves, we’ve done 23 month-long training deployments, we’ve done two combat deployments between two of us. We’ve done two noncombat deployments between the two of us. The year before this last job I’ve had I did 190 days on business travel over that one year. We did to master’s degrees and then we both got selected to command at the next level. Her unit that’s about 4000 people, mine is about 600…well 640 exactly today. I am currently on one of those noncombat deployments right now. And here comes…that was the praise report, here comes the prayer request. Reintegration with my family, looking at that in about 30 days. I’ve spent a lot of time away from them training and being deployed over the last 3 to 4 years and I need to be the person they need me to be. I need them…I need them to just see Jesus through my actions when we get back under the same roof. So, that’s…sometimes it’s more difficult coming back from all that time separated and living apart but just help when we’re back together and living under the same roof together. All right. I love you all. Thanks.

Hope for Humanity

By Emma Angela Cayton of Grade 12 HUMSS 1

According to World Heath Organization (WHO) "Depression is a common mental disorder affecting more than 264 million people worldwide". People in any ages can suffer depression. In this blog I will be presenting the hope that we all need to hear. I believe that one of the major things that we need to nurture is (aside from physical fitness) mental and emotional wellness. Throughout my research, I've found an article that entitles "Faith in Humanity: 10 Studies To Restore Your Hope For the Future" by Mark Barker, 2014. As I've browsed throughout it, I've found that everything in it relates our personal experiences. I have listed some of the topics from Mark Barker, yet I've add my insights about them. At the end of this blog I am anticipating to help bring hope and optimism for everyone.

First, you bounce back better from tougher problems (Mark Barker, 2014) I have seen other people fall and saw how great they were able to lift themselves up. Yes we may fall, yes we may fail but we will always persevere. From a study by Harvard happiness expert Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness: People rationalize divorces, demotions, and diseases, but not slow elevators and uninspired burgundies. The paradoxical consequence is that people may sometimes recover more quickly from truly distressing experiences than from slightly distressing ones (Aronson & Mills, 1958; Gerard & Mathewson, 1966; Zimbardo, 1966)…

We might think that if we fail we will never get ourselves out of that problem. Well that are just the usual thinking that we always have at the back of our heads. As long as the world still revolves in its own axis we still have hope. Hope of tomorrow and hope for a rainbow after the rain.

Second, regret is not that scary (Mark Barker, 2014) I've read this line before from a book, (but I can't remember the exact title of it) "regret in taking a step out of something is not that bad, but regret of not taking that step is the worst". Many people out there wanted to take your place just to get that situation you are in, yet you don't have the guts to take that risk? It's just a matter of all or nothing. Whether you take them or not at all. You can never have your place in the middle, you'll always have to take a risk. I remembered from one of the videos I have watched before 'When Alexander the Great asked how did he conquered the world he said 'I did not stumble'. To stumble is to limp and have that fear of taking that risk. But what is that risk are you going to? Is it to 'take that all' or 'not at all'.

Third, “What Does Not Kill You Makes You Stronger” is often true (Mark Barker, 2014)

Let's take a look in how gold and silver are refined. They aren't refined by air, water yet they are refined with fire. Yes fire! This just shows us that 'the greater the trials the greater glory we can beheld'. Let us just look in the study that was conducted "A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being:

In a month, 1,700 people reported at least one of these awful events, and they took our well-being tests as well. To our surprise, individuals who’d experienced one awful event had more intense strengths (and therefore higher well-being) than individuals who had none. Individuals who’d been through two awful events were stronger than individuals who had one, and individuals who had three— raped, tortured, and held captive for example— were stronger than those who had two." Therefore, do not be dismayed about the things that were out of your control, but stand firm and keep going.

Fouth, sometimes terrible events make us better people (Mark Barker, 2014)

Things that we don't want to happen not just make us stronger but it helps us to become a better version of ourselves. A study entitles "The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work" claims that, for certain, not just anecdotally, that great suffering or trauma can actually lead to great positive change across a wide range of experiences. After the March 11, 2004, train bombings in Madrid, for example, psychologists found many residents experienced positive psychological growth. So too do the majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer. What kind of positive growth? Increases in spirituality, compassion for others, openness, and even, eventually, overall life satisfaction. After trauma, people also report enhanced personal strength and self-confidence, as well as a heightened appreciation for, and a greater intimacy in, their social relationships.

This just made me realize that after an incident people are most likely to bring the best out of them. Let me just associate this with my father's personal experience. He was once addicted to alcohol. This then triggers him to become violent. When I was 7 years old he was involved in an accident which almost lead to his death. One of his kidney was removed and the doctor strongly suggest for him to quit drinking alcohol because that might lead to greater infections. He then changed and become more focus on our family than his own selfish desires.

Fifth, it is not bad to excel in different areas aside from what your family are inclined with.

This is probably one of the problems that we teenagers are facing. We were isolated in a thought that if our parents are mathematical inclined we ourselves could be one. This then gives parents a reason for them to dictate their children to be good at something because they are good at it. Well this 'concept' is definitely not true! In a study conducted by Benjamin Bloom 'After forty years of intensive research on school learning in the United States as well as abroad, my major conclusion is: What any person in the world can learn, almost all persons can learn, if provided with the appropriate prior and current conditions of learning.” He’s not counting the 2 to 3 percent of children who have severe impairments, and he’s not counting the top 1 to 2 percent of children at the other extreme… He is counting everybody else.' This then gives us a good representation that all things are learned and not passed by generations to generations. Also this gives us a concept that it is not bad to be someone your family never had.

Their are still 5 things that was explained in Mark Barker's article, yet those things are for you to find out. The references are indicated below so you are free to browse there anytime you wanted to.

In this part of my blog, I will be presenting 2 things that I think very crucial for us to be able to surpass negativity and promote optimism and hope.

First, reassurance. Yes reassurance. We all need to be reassured that things will and can changed the way we wanted it to be. But I think it is more important that we should let God change it the way He wanted it to be. There are many passages in the bible that said 'fear not'. This is something that we must all remember. This was mentioned not just once or twice or even thrice but many times it was mentioned, 'fear not'. I think God is trying to persuade us that no matter how dark the world would be we should 'fear not'. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. - John 14:27" Fear can be really destructive. I think this is a strong hold that isolates people and then it produces anxiety and depression. Alot of people nowadays fear. I don't think that it is wrong to be afraid, but it is destructive when you stay afraid. I was once isolated by fear. Fear of messing up, fear of social interactions and even fear of oral recitations. But one great thing that made me stand up and be encouraged is John 14:27 (see the verse that was presented earlier). It was God who then gave me this great courage to face any troubles that I might and I have encountered.

In 2 Chronicles 32: 7-8 King Hezekiah said to his troops “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. 8 With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said."

He pointed out that even the imposible can be made possible with God. I just wanted to show people how great God is. Let us just look how reassuring Psalms 13:5 is "I will rely on your constant love; I will be glad, because you will rescue me." Let us remember that the God we are serving is "the same yesterday and today and tomorrow" Hebrews 13:8

In this pandemic we still have our God to run to and that is something that we must be glad about. So run to Him and find refuge and reassurance for a greater tomorrow.

Lastly, we all need restoration. You may say 'ofcourse we all need restoration". But the question is 'where can we find restoration?'. Great question right? As we all knew in the book of Chronicles in the Bible it was all about the different men who became the kind of Israel. But the thing is, many of the kings in Israel before sinned against God that is the reason why the fall of Jerusalem occured. (But let me just add that before their destruction God sent his messengers- 2 Chronicles 36:15- to let the people know that if they don't repent and turn back to their God it would cause their destruction, yet they didn't listen). It was then in the book of Ezra where God did rescued His people by moving the heart of Cyrus to commission Sheshbazzar (other name is Zerubbabel) "the prince of Judah", to rebuild the Temple; 40,000 exiles return to Jerusalem led by Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest. This then shows us that no matter how bad our situation is God is willing to restore everything in us. Let us also see the life of Job. At first he was really wealthy and he does all the things that pleased God, so Satan then persecuted Him and asked God to let Satan test Job. (I know some of you might think that God is unjust when He allowed Satan to persecute Job, but I think it is just for our own character development. As what I've mentioned earlier people who once gone through tough experience became a better version themselves) And throughout Job's trials he mocked at God and asked what sin did he did to let God suffered him like that. Inshort he started to asked God why all bad things happens to him. But the ending of this story is very interesting. God did RESTORED everything and he even had more than what he had before. This then reminds me of Romans 8:18 "The pain that you've been feeling can't compare to the joy that's coming."

In conclusion, it is not bad to cry and just let all your emotions out. But it is destructive to stay in that shadow of sorrow. We must all remember that even if you think no one out there wants to help, but be still God is willing to lift you up in that miry clay of fear, sadness, loneliness, sin and etc. Always remember that 'You can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth you.' Philippians 4:13.

References

https://www.who.int/health-topics/depression#tab=tab_1

https://www.google.com/amp/s/time.com/96731/faith-in-humanity-10-studies-to-restore-your-hope-for-the-future/%3famp=true

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400077427/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=1400077427

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439190763/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1439190763

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307591549/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307591549

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345472322/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0345472322

@queenlupitajones

Fight or flight or still?

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, the sky is bright and blue. It is a good day. Then, all of a sudden time seems to slow down, the world seems to spin, your heart beats faster and you feel suffocated, you are breathing heavily, your vision blurred, mouths dry, knees weak, and all you want to do is to lay down. Your thoughts are racing, am I dying? What’s going on? HELP!! 

That is what a panic attack feels like. 

A panic attack is intense. I remembered my first panic attack like it happened yesterday. The experience was so vivid. 

The worst one I had was 3 years ago. I was having lunch with my friends, joking and having fun when all of a sudden I could not find my newly purchased textbook. I did not know someone took the book as a prank. So, the panic rushed in an instance, I was trying to calm myself down but it intensified out of my control. To top it off, it all happened in public. Everyone was looking at me and my friends were unprepared, worriedly trying to calm me down. I felt my heart being constricted, beating faster and I kneeled down when my knees were weak and my headlight. The friend who took the book gave it back to calm me down, but my body was still in shock. If you think the attack was bad, having all eyes on you, witnessing you being a mess was worse. 

I had a couple of milder panic attack episodes during my high school years up to the second year of University. Thankfully, I have never felt a panic attack as intense as that one ever since. However, like many other, I still battle with anxiety and fear. There are days when I got so caught up with bad thoughts, I ended up feeling anxious the whole day. I thought about my future, my assignments, my appointments with friends and wonder how can I manage to do all that? I often think about what should I do next? Am I a good person? Do people feel like my presence is annoying? And so it continues. 

Panic attack is a large dose of fear rushing through your body and mind at the same time within a brief period. It is what I like to picture as a roller coaster ride. Normally, after you have had a panic attack experience, denying the fear and the bodily symptoms is a reasonable coping mechanism. But research has found that avoidance of panic attacks, when it is occurring, could lead to more severe anxiety and panic disorder. 

Research has shown that avoidance strategy in coping with panic attacks would lead to higher intensity of the next attack. In cognitive behaviour therapy, clients are encouraged to ‘let the fear wash away’ without fighting it. All you need to do is keep breathing, be still and take your time. The more you try to run away, the worse the upcoming wave would be. 

I find this solution very interesting because the Bible brought up the word “be still” a couple times, and usually, it is when someone is feeling fearful or anxious. For example, Exodus 14:13 “ And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.” In this context, Moses was telling the people of Israel who just fled from the Egyptians and was about to cross the Red Sea to calm down, after they saw the Pharaoh catching up to them. Can you imagine the panic? They were literally on edge. In front of them was the Red Sea, which makes an attempt to cross it over with millions of people (and their babies, food, camels, and ancient luggage) impossible. On the other, the bad guys were catching up to them, ready to slaughter and bring Israelites back to slavery. We often feel constricted when we fear something. Facing limitations could cause you to respond hastily and ended up with a bad decision. This verse reminds me that God wants you to consult and listen, to be still and let Him guide to what is best for you. When you cannot see what is available around, you need to look up!

Another example is Psalm 107: 29 “He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.” Your panic attack is a wave of fear, it might even feel like a tsunami of fear. But, if He can make a raging ocean calm, with no single ripple at all, He can definitely calm your body and your thoughts. Your panic attack is not meant to stay, it will go away. Moreover, if you still face anxiety and fear from time to time, take your time to reflect upon His love. His love would not want you to let fear consumes you. 

In an age where being assertive and taking control is very much endorsed, sometimes we forget that there are times where we should just be still. When things are not in order (e.g. panic attacks), we tend to want to control it as soon as possible or to take control in an effective way. The funny thing about trying to control things that are out of our capacity is, it almost never ends well. The answer is not avoiding it, or to bottle it up with all your might, but to close your eyes, take your time and be still. 

Premillennialism predicts that a new Temple building will stand in Jerusalem during the Millennium; the location of Christ’s throne and the global center of worship. The ancient feasts, sacrifices, and other Mosaic rituals will be practiced again; national Israel will finally fulfill its role as the light of the world.    This expectation is based primarily on chapters 40-48 of Ezekiel and Isaiah 2:2-4 (“in the last days the mountain of Yahweh’s house will be established on the top of the mountains…and all nations will flow to it”).      There are four problems with this interpretation: Only one scriptural passage refers to a thousand-year period and does not mention a temple (Revelation 20:1-10). Revelation locates Ezekiel’s ideal temple in “New Jerusalem” in the new creation (21:1-22:5). Jesus Christ is the true Temple foreshadowed by the earlier Tabernacle and later Jerusalem Temple “built with hands.” In the New Testament Jesus is the “light of the world.”      The only biblical passage to refer to a thousand-year period is Revelation 20:1-10. In it, Satan is bound to prevent him from deceiving the nations for the thousand years. Saints martyred “for the testimony of Jesus” and their refusal to bow to the Beast are vindicated; they reign with Christ for the period. The “rest of the dead” will not live until the thousand years are ended. Further details about events, places, and institutions during the period are not included in this passage; neither Temple nor Jerusalem is mentioned.     Satan is loosed at the end of the thousand years to deceive the nations and to gather them to the final battle against God’s saints. This confrontation results in the destruction of the wicked and ushers in the final judgment.      Ezekiel’s portrait of an ideal temple is viewed by some interpreters as a prediction of the Millennial Temple with perfected Levitical rituals: “According to Ezekiel 40:1-46:24, the millennial age will feature a magnificent temple that will serve as the center for the priestly rituals and offerings…The most natural interpretation…is to accept this prophecy of a future temple as literal—with the anticipation that in the millennial kingdom this temple will be built as specified in Ezekiel” (John Walvoord, Major Bible Prophecies, p. 395).     In contrast to such claims, in Revelation 21:1-7 John sees “a new heaven and a new earth,” and the “holy city, New Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.” John is carried “in the spirit to a great and high mountain” to see the descent of the holy city (21:9-10). This alludes to Ezekiel 40:1-2 where the hand of Yahweh carried Ezekiel “into the land of Israel to set him upon a very high mountain on which was the frame of a city on the south.”     In Revelation 21:15 an angel takes “a golden reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.” Similarly, in Ezekiel 40:3-5 a man “with a line of flax in his hand and a measuring reed stood in the gate…And, behold, a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man’s hand a measuring reed six cubits long, of a cubit and a handbreadth each: so he measured the thickness of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.”     In Revelation 21:12-13 New Jerusalem has “A wall great and high; with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written on it, which are of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: on the east were three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.”     Likewise in Ezekiel 48:30-35—“The gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel, three gates northward…And at the east side three gates…And at the south side three gates.”      In Revelation 22:1-2 John sees “a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” On either side is “the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits yielding fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:14; 22:19).     This last passage alludes to Ezekiel 47:1-12 where the “waters proceeded out from under the threshold of the house eastward.” On either bank grew “every tree for food, whose leaf shall not whither, neither shall the fruit thereof fail: it shall bring forth new fruit every month, because the waters thereof issue out of the sanctuary; and the fruit thereof shall be for food, and the leaf thereof for healing.”      The final verse of the book of Ezekiel reads, “The name of the city from that day shall be, ‘Yahweh is there’” (48:35). This corresponds to Revelation 22:3, “and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be there.” John does state that he “saw no temple” in New Jerusalem, but he refers to its lack of a physical building. In it, the “Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple,” just as the city has no more need of the light of the sun or moon, “for the glory of God illuminated and its lamp is the Lamb.”      In the end, the holy sanctuary encompasses the entire creation. God’s presence is everywhere; all unclean things and persons are excluded from the heavenly New Jerusalem.      Consistently in the New Testament, Jesus is the true and greater Temple, the habitation of God prefigured in the earlier Tabernacle and Temple (John 1:14; Colossians 1:19; 2:9). Jesus is the true Bethel, the “house of God,” the real mediator between heaven and earth (John 1:51). He is the temple Made-without-hands destroyed by evil men but raised from the dead, according to scripture (John 2:17-21). Questions about the proper location of a temple building are no longer relevant; with the arrival of Jesus “the hour is coming and now is when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth” (John 4:20-24).      Disciples of Jesus collectively form the “temple of God” where His Spirit dwells (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). They are “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone…in him all the building fitly framed together grows into a holy temple, a habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:20-22).      In Christ, all the fullness of God dwells (Colossians 2:9-17). Christians are built up, established and made “complete in him”; Jewish and Gentile believers are “circumcised with the circumcision Made-without-hands.” Since disciples have been quickened in him, no longer are they subject to calendrical and dietary rites. Such practices had their time and place, but in the end are mere “shadows of the coming things.” What was foreshadowed under the old system has arrived in Jesus Christ.      God never intended to achieve perfection through the Levitical system, otherwise, He would not have promised a future and greater priest (Hebrews 7:11-28; Psalm 110:4). A change of priesthood indicates a change of law, the bringing in of a new order. The Levitical system was powerless to perfect anyone or anything, therefore, we now “draw near to God with the bringing in of a better hope.” Jesus became the “guarantor of a better covenant,” appointed to a better and “un-transmissible priesthood.”     The Levitical priests entered the earthly Tabernacle to offer “gifts and sacrifices” (Hebrews 8:1-13). But the divine service they rendered constituted “glimpses and shadows of the heavenly things,” the Tabernacle was only the model of the heavenly reality. In contrast, Jesus ministers on behalf of his people from “the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens in the Holy place and Real Tabernacle pitched by the Lord and not man.” He likewise offered “gifts and sacrifices,” not animal sacrifices but his own life. Jesus inaugurated a “new and better covenant legislated on better promises” (Jeremiah 31:31-33). The old covenant was “not faultless”; it was unable to achieve “purification of sins,” otherwise God would not have promised a new one (Hebrews 1:1-3; 8:1-11). With the arrival of the new covenant, the old “has been made obsolete” (Hebrews 8:13).      Jesus is the supreme high priest, the final mediator who entered the “greater and more perfect Tabernacle, one not-made-with-hands, not of this building,” to appear in the presence of God for us (Heb 9:11, 24).      Jesus is the “true Light that lights every man that comes into the world” (John 1:4-9; Luke 1:78-79; 2:32; Acts 26:23). The mission previously given to Israel has now fallen to him and his followers. He fulfills the role because he is the true Israel of God. His disciples are also lights in the world but only as they reflect Christ’s light (Matthew 5:14; Philippians 2:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:5; Revelation 1:20).      With the arrival of Jesus, the light of Yahweh’s word has and is going out to the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. “Thus it is written and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be proclaimed in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:45-47).      At his ascension Jesus commanded the disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they received the Spirit, then they must “bear testimony to me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, in Samaria and to the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The book of Acts documents the early years of this global mission.     Jesus came to “the circumcision to confirm the promises made to the fathers.” This included the promise that “the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.” As Isaiah prophesied, Jesus was and is the “root of Jesse risen to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall they trust” (Romans 15:8-9). The gospel is proclaimed to all nations “for the obedience of faith,” as promised by the prophets and according to the commandment of God (Romans 16:25-16). The scriptures foresaw that God would justify the heathen and therefore proclaimed to Abraham, “In you will all nations be blessed” (Galatians 3:8). This has now occurred in Abraham’s “seed, which is Christ” (Galatians 3:16).      As he concluded his testimony before the Sanhedrin, Stephen reminded the temple authorities that “the Most High does not dwell in places made-by-hand.” However much a part of the Levitical system, at the end of the day temple buildings and tabernacles are man-made structures; shadows, types, glimpses and models of the true and greater habitation of God’s Spirit. With the arrival and victory of Jesus Christ, the time of shadows and types have come to an end. He is the end of the Mosaic system for believers (Romans 10:4). The structures of the old regime reached their intended end; the time of fulfillment was at hand. Jesus is the true and final temple, tabernacle and sacrifice, the substance to which the shadows and patterns pointed. Their time and relevance have passed.      The single passage that describes a thousand-year period fails to mention any temple, tabernacle, sanctuary, altar, animal sacrifice, Jerusalem, Israel, Palestine, or any other geographic location. The individuals who reign with Jesus are never identified by ethnicity or national association. They are recognized for their refusal to take the mark of the Beast and their martyrdom for Jesus.     Elsewhere the company of faithful saints destined to reign with Jesus is comprised of men and women “from every kindred, tongue, people and nation.” Ethnicity no longer has relevance (Revelation 5:9-10; 6:9-11; 12:11; 14:12).      A temple building in Jerusalem is found in the thousand-year period only by importing it into the text from other passages. This does not mean that the New Testament has abandoned promises of a future ideal temple, but it has reinterpreted them in light of Jesus Christ.     The fundamental problem with this Premillennialist view is that it ignores how the New Testament interprets and applies Old Testament prophecies about a restored Temple. Since Jesus is the fulfillment of said promises, the true and final habitation of God’s Spirit, proponents of Premillennialism need to explain why it is still necessary to return to the incomplete shadows of the Levitical system, which includes reversion to animal sacrifices.

http://finishedword.blogspot.com/2019/07/millennial-temple-grasping-at-shadows.html