Randy Green's Blog - Posts Tagged "bible"
The Doggie in the Window – Part 1
But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” [Luke 10:41-42]
Some of you may remember this popular song from way back in the day. No, it wasn’t before the Civil War! Actually it came out in 1952. I loved hearing it as a small fry. It is titled How Much is That Doggie in the Window. The chorus goes like this:
How much is that doggie in the window,
The one with the waggly tail?
How much is that doggie in the window?
I do hope that doggie’s for sale.
The scene is a pet shop with a picture window which faces the sidewalk. Some of the shop’s pets are on display at the window. As shopper’s walk by they see the cute little darlings and are enticed to go inside and make a purchase.
Things haven’t changed much, have they? The more things change, the more they remain the same. Today we have indoor shopping malls of massive proportions. No matter how bad the weather is outside, we can still shop all the stores in air conditioned comfort during the hot summers and central heating coziness during the cold winters. Come rain or snow or hurricanes, our craving to look at the world’s goodies never has to be put off.
Is it any wonder we cannot stop spending? Is it any wonder we have credit cards galore? Is it any wonder we haven’t time for family, unless it be to go shopping or play with our toys together? Is it any wonder our children are receiving a poor education and falling behind the kids of other countries? Between computer games and movies and texting and the social media, what time is left for study?
Today’s social landscape explains a lot, when it comes to the prevailing religious and spiritual climate in the good ol’ USA. When the shopping malls and restaurants are constantly packed; when we surf the web in search of more of the world’s toys to purchase; when even the tiny kids have their own cell phone with camera and texting and internet access and Facebook account—how is church supposed to compete?
Just look at the way church has evolved. At church we break the family down into age groups and separate the different ages into their own “churches” and Sunday School classes. And we don’t even blush when we pledge ourselves to “family values”! The older ages listen to the old hymns on piano in their “church”, while the younger ages listen to contemporary songs with guitar and bass and drums. Big screens carry the lyrics so everyone can sing along. A full band of innumerable parts is desirable, even a full orchestra! Big productions. Big programs. Elaborate decorations and outfits. All hail to Hollywood tactics in the church building!
We will pause here to give our attention to these things. Meditate on them and pray about it. Tomorrow we will assay how this affects the churches today. See you then.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Some of you may remember this popular song from way back in the day. No, it wasn’t before the Civil War! Actually it came out in 1952. I loved hearing it as a small fry. It is titled How Much is That Doggie in the Window. The chorus goes like this:
How much is that doggie in the window,
The one with the waggly tail?
How much is that doggie in the window?
I do hope that doggie’s for sale.
The scene is a pet shop with a picture window which faces the sidewalk. Some of the shop’s pets are on display at the window. As shopper’s walk by they see the cute little darlings and are enticed to go inside and make a purchase.
Things haven’t changed much, have they? The more things change, the more they remain the same. Today we have indoor shopping malls of massive proportions. No matter how bad the weather is outside, we can still shop all the stores in air conditioned comfort during the hot summers and central heating coziness during the cold winters. Come rain or snow or hurricanes, our craving to look at the world’s goodies never has to be put off.
Is it any wonder we cannot stop spending? Is it any wonder we have credit cards galore? Is it any wonder we haven’t time for family, unless it be to go shopping or play with our toys together? Is it any wonder our children are receiving a poor education and falling behind the kids of other countries? Between computer games and movies and texting and the social media, what time is left for study?
Today’s social landscape explains a lot, when it comes to the prevailing religious and spiritual climate in the good ol’ USA. When the shopping malls and restaurants are constantly packed; when we surf the web in search of more of the world’s toys to purchase; when even the tiny kids have their own cell phone with camera and texting and internet access and Facebook account—how is church supposed to compete?
Just look at the way church has evolved. At church we break the family down into age groups and separate the different ages into their own “churches” and Sunday School classes. And we don’t even blush when we pledge ourselves to “family values”! The older ages listen to the old hymns on piano in their “church”, while the younger ages listen to contemporary songs with guitar and bass and drums. Big screens carry the lyrics so everyone can sing along. A full band of innumerable parts is desirable, even a full orchestra! Big productions. Big programs. Elaborate decorations and outfits. All hail to Hollywood tactics in the church building!
We will pause here to give our attention to these things. Meditate on them and pray about it. Tomorrow we will assay how this affects the churches today. See you then.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
The Doggie in the Window – Part 2
But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” [Luke 10:41-42]
How has Hollywood tactics in the church building worked out for us, dear Christians? Let’s take inventory and see. In past generations Christians read their Bibles—their entire Bibles, not just parts here and there. The Bible was known so much better then than it is today, so very much better. People wasted far less time on the ways and things of the world, leaving them far more time to pray and read the Bible and study.
The result was large prayer meetings, serious conversations about the things of Scripture, and many more Christians getting involved in sharing the Lord Jesus with other people. Unlike today, where we swipe fish from the other fish tanks and call that “church growth”, back in the day Christians actually went fishing in the big pond. They witnessed to the unbelievers and won some to Christ. That was know as “church growth” then.
In the Scripture we quoted to kick off this study, there are three persons interacting together. One is Mary, another is Mary’s sister Martha, and the third Person is the Lord Jesus. Jesus was visiting the home of these two dear ladies, and they loved Jesus. Jesus did what He always did: He shared the Word of God with them. Martha wanted to make a fancy meal for Jesus, so she was in the kitchen preparing it. Meantime Mary was in the parlor sitting at Jesus’ feet and feeding on the Word of God which graciously rolled off Jesus’ tongue.
Martha became flustered because she was doing all the work, you see. She chided the Lord Jesus Himself for distracting Mary and giving her an excuse not to help prepare the meal. What was Jesus’ response to Martha? He gave it in love and gentleness to be sure, but it was a rebuke nonetheless. Jesus pointed out that Martha was “worried and bothered”, while Mary wasn’t. Jesus added that Martha got her fur rubbed the wrong way about “so many things”, while Mary chose only “one thing”, and this “one thing” was “the good part”.
Martha, you see, was like the shoppers who walk by the storefront and look in the window. They don’t really need anything, but they want to feast their eyes on all the world’s gimcracks. This stimulates an insatiable appetite for more and more and more. It is a vicious circle which leads us to be “worried and bothered about so many things”. No wonder we aren’t sitting next to Mary at Jesus’ feet, feeding on the Word of God which proceeds out of His mouth.
Only ONE thing is needful, dear friends. Only ONE thing is the GOOD PART. Why do we allow ourselves to join the Prodigal Son in the pigsty to feed on the swill? Why not arise and go to Jesus to receive a royal robe and a ring and sandals, and sit at His table to feed on the fatted calf of His Word?
Let’s make this our lifestyle. Let’s permit the Holy Spirit to rule our hearts and minds. And may the name of the Lord Jesus be praised!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
How has Hollywood tactics in the church building worked out for us, dear Christians? Let’s take inventory and see. In past generations Christians read their Bibles—their entire Bibles, not just parts here and there. The Bible was known so much better then than it is today, so very much better. People wasted far less time on the ways and things of the world, leaving them far more time to pray and read the Bible and study.
The result was large prayer meetings, serious conversations about the things of Scripture, and many more Christians getting involved in sharing the Lord Jesus with other people. Unlike today, where we swipe fish from the other fish tanks and call that “church growth”, back in the day Christians actually went fishing in the big pond. They witnessed to the unbelievers and won some to Christ. That was know as “church growth” then.
In the Scripture we quoted to kick off this study, there are three persons interacting together. One is Mary, another is Mary’s sister Martha, and the third Person is the Lord Jesus. Jesus was visiting the home of these two dear ladies, and they loved Jesus. Jesus did what He always did: He shared the Word of God with them. Martha wanted to make a fancy meal for Jesus, so she was in the kitchen preparing it. Meantime Mary was in the parlor sitting at Jesus’ feet and feeding on the Word of God which graciously rolled off Jesus’ tongue.
Martha became flustered because she was doing all the work, you see. She chided the Lord Jesus Himself for distracting Mary and giving her an excuse not to help prepare the meal. What was Jesus’ response to Martha? He gave it in love and gentleness to be sure, but it was a rebuke nonetheless. Jesus pointed out that Martha was “worried and bothered”, while Mary wasn’t. Jesus added that Martha got her fur rubbed the wrong way about “so many things”, while Mary chose only “one thing”, and this “one thing” was “the good part”.
Martha, you see, was like the shoppers who walk by the storefront and look in the window. They don’t really need anything, but they want to feast their eyes on all the world’s gimcracks. This stimulates an insatiable appetite for more and more and more. It is a vicious circle which leads us to be “worried and bothered about so many things”. No wonder we aren’t sitting next to Mary at Jesus’ feet, feeding on the Word of God which proceeds out of His mouth.
Only ONE thing is needful, dear friends. Only ONE thing is the GOOD PART. Why do we allow ourselves to join the Prodigal Son in the pigsty to feed on the swill? Why not arise and go to Jesus to receive a royal robe and a ring and sandals, and sit at His table to feed on the fatted calf of His Word?
Let’s make this our lifestyle. Let’s permit the Holy Spirit to rule our hearts and minds. And may the name of the Lord Jesus be praised!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Oohs and Aahs – Part 1
(The Lord said to Elijah), “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing [1 Kings 19:11-12].
Elijah was the Lord’s Numero Uno prophet in northern Israel under the divided kingdom. During his day Israel was in a bad way, which is why the Lord used Elijah to perform fantastic feats of nature (i.e., miracles). The king of Israel was the no-account scoundrel Ahab, who married none other than Jezebel, princess of Sidon—you know, the Jezebel of byword notoriety.
Well, the Sidonians worshiped Baal. So it surprised no one when Jezebel brought Baal worship to northern Israel, after marrying King Ahab. That just didn’t sit right with the Lord. He alone is the true God and idols are merely the work of men’s hands. The practice of idolatry was a cardinal sin, and the worship of Baal was doubly so.
So the Lord sent Elijah into combat atop Mount Carmel. Elijah stood on one side, 450 prophet of Baal on the other plus another 400 prophets of Asherah. In reality the Lord stood on one side and some vain idols on the other. It was a foregone conclusion: the Lord won! All 850 false prophets were tossed off the mountain head first.
When Ahab returned to Jezebel in the city of Jezreel, he reported to her all that had transpired on Mount Carmel. Enraged, Jezebel sent an email to Elijah, threatening to do to him what he had done to her false prophets. And she would accomplish the feat before day’s end.
We should think that big bad prophet Elijah, the macho man, would have taken wicked old Jezebel’s threat with a grain of salt. After all, he just faced down 850 men, so what was a puny little woman, huh?
Alas, but it was not to be so. Elijah beat a fast retreat to Mount Horeb—you know, Mount Horeb as in Mount Sinai on the far southern end of the Sinai Peninsula. Consider that Mount Carmel was in northern Israel, all the way north as far as the Sea of Galilee but near the Mediterranean Coast.
To get to Mount Horeb from Mount Carmel, Elijah had to go south all the way to Judah, then keep going to the southern border of Judah, enter the Sinai Peninsula, and then cross practically the entire peninsula! Not only did Elijah flee out of Jezebel’s jurisdiction, but he fled out of all Hebrew territory. As if this wasn’t far enough away, he then continued across an entire peninsula too! Methinks Elijah was a scaredy-cat, when it came to women!
Oops! Time’s up. We’ll have to finish this topic tomorrow. See you then, and don’t forget to visit with Jesus before going to bed.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Exodus: Volume 2 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Elijah was the Lord’s Numero Uno prophet in northern Israel under the divided kingdom. During his day Israel was in a bad way, which is why the Lord used Elijah to perform fantastic feats of nature (i.e., miracles). The king of Israel was the no-account scoundrel Ahab, who married none other than Jezebel, princess of Sidon—you know, the Jezebel of byword notoriety.
Well, the Sidonians worshiped Baal. So it surprised no one when Jezebel brought Baal worship to northern Israel, after marrying King Ahab. That just didn’t sit right with the Lord. He alone is the true God and idols are merely the work of men’s hands. The practice of idolatry was a cardinal sin, and the worship of Baal was doubly so.
So the Lord sent Elijah into combat atop Mount Carmel. Elijah stood on one side, 450 prophet of Baal on the other plus another 400 prophets of Asherah. In reality the Lord stood on one side and some vain idols on the other. It was a foregone conclusion: the Lord won! All 850 false prophets were tossed off the mountain head first.
When Ahab returned to Jezebel in the city of Jezreel, he reported to her all that had transpired on Mount Carmel. Enraged, Jezebel sent an email to Elijah, threatening to do to him what he had done to her false prophets. And she would accomplish the feat before day’s end.
We should think that big bad prophet Elijah, the macho man, would have taken wicked old Jezebel’s threat with a grain of salt. After all, he just faced down 850 men, so what was a puny little woman, huh?
Alas, but it was not to be so. Elijah beat a fast retreat to Mount Horeb—you know, Mount Horeb as in Mount Sinai on the far southern end of the Sinai Peninsula. Consider that Mount Carmel was in northern Israel, all the way north as far as the Sea of Galilee but near the Mediterranean Coast.
To get to Mount Horeb from Mount Carmel, Elijah had to go south all the way to Judah, then keep going to the southern border of Judah, enter the Sinai Peninsula, and then cross practically the entire peninsula! Not only did Elijah flee out of Jezebel’s jurisdiction, but he fled out of all Hebrew territory. As if this wasn’t far enough away, he then continued across an entire peninsula too! Methinks Elijah was a scaredy-cat, when it came to women!
Oops! Time’s up. We’ll have to finish this topic tomorrow. See you then, and don’t forget to visit with Jesus before going to bed.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Exodus: Volume 2 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Oohs and Aahs – Part 2
(The Lord said to Elijah), “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing [1 Kings 19:11-12].
Yesterday we gave the background information to our text. Now let’s get to the point of the text, shall we? We now come to the two verses we quoted as a kick-off to this study.
On Mount Horeb Elijah threw himself a pity party and invited the Lord. The main course was an Elijah specialty named The Grouse Gourmet. Seems Elijah thought he had done so much good for the Lord, but the Lord didn’t appreciate him. Why, he alone in all Israel still served the Lord…at least according to old Elijah.
As a suitable payment for his services, Elijah wanted to see the Lord in person. And that is where the two quoted verses come in. Notice the contrast. On the one hand Elijah experienced:
• a great and strong wind...rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks
• after the wind an earthquake
• after the earthquake a fire
In contrast to all that Elijah lastly experienced a sound of a gentle blowing. To put this contrast into context, remember what Elijah had just gone through before fleeing from Jezebel. All by himself he performed a most impressive mighty miracle against 850 opponents. In fact Elijah’s ministry from the Lord was one of performing mighty miracles, awesome deeds, eye-opening feats.
Atop Mount Horeb the “strong wind” and the “earthquake” and the “fire” were meant to impress Elijah, just as his mighty miracles impressed others. Elijah saw God in terms of mighty miracles, you see. He was dumbfounded because the Lord didn’t perform mighty miracles on his behalf against Jezebel. Apart from mighty miracles Elijah couldn’t get a handle on the Lord.
Ah, but after the “strong wind” and the “earthquake” and the “fire”, on each occasion we are told that the Lord was not in those mighty miracles. The Lord did perform the mighty miracles, to be sure. But the mighty miracles were not the Lord.
This is a serious problem in some Christian circles today. Some Christians are so busy wanting to see the sign gifts (e.g., tongues, miracles, healings), that they lose sight of the Lord. It saddens me to see some Christians exude so much enthusiasm and gullible excitement, believing they are honored by the Holy Spirit with the sign gifts.
Their church is alive, you see, while those who don’t focus on tongues and miracles and healings are filled with half-dead, hybrid Christians, most certainly inferior to them, the present-day “super apostles”. They are like Elijah on Mount Horeb. They can only envision God in terms of outward, flamboyant power.
But this is precisely the stuff from which the Lord wanted to wean Elijah. After all the outward powerful signs were over, the Lord finally met with Elijah personally. He revealed Himself as a sound of a gentle blowing.
The Lord is omnipotent, all-powerful. He can manifest more power than any man can even imagine. But He wants to have a personal relationship with us, not frighten us into submission by impersonal force!
When we interact favorably with others, we communicate in a still, small voice. We talk kindly and respectfully. We respect the other person’s feelings, not try to intimidate him.
It is the same with the Lord Jesus and our personal relationship with Him. He wants to visit with us in the garden in the cool of the day. When He does He speaks softly and gently, so we can enjoy His company and come to know Him all the better. What He has to say is spoken in intelligible words we can understand, and those words come from His written Word.
Let’s take this under advisement in our quite time with the Lord now. We can learn a lot from Him, if we truly want to. He even makes it fun. Let’s go. I’ll race you to Him.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Exodus: Volume 2 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Yesterday we gave the background information to our text. Now let’s get to the point of the text, shall we? We now come to the two verses we quoted as a kick-off to this study.
On Mount Horeb Elijah threw himself a pity party and invited the Lord. The main course was an Elijah specialty named The Grouse Gourmet. Seems Elijah thought he had done so much good for the Lord, but the Lord didn’t appreciate him. Why, he alone in all Israel still served the Lord…at least according to old Elijah.
As a suitable payment for his services, Elijah wanted to see the Lord in person. And that is where the two quoted verses come in. Notice the contrast. On the one hand Elijah experienced:
• a great and strong wind...rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks
• after the wind an earthquake
• after the earthquake a fire
In contrast to all that Elijah lastly experienced a sound of a gentle blowing. To put this contrast into context, remember what Elijah had just gone through before fleeing from Jezebel. All by himself he performed a most impressive mighty miracle against 850 opponents. In fact Elijah’s ministry from the Lord was one of performing mighty miracles, awesome deeds, eye-opening feats.
Atop Mount Horeb the “strong wind” and the “earthquake” and the “fire” were meant to impress Elijah, just as his mighty miracles impressed others. Elijah saw God in terms of mighty miracles, you see. He was dumbfounded because the Lord didn’t perform mighty miracles on his behalf against Jezebel. Apart from mighty miracles Elijah couldn’t get a handle on the Lord.
Ah, but after the “strong wind” and the “earthquake” and the “fire”, on each occasion we are told that the Lord was not in those mighty miracles. The Lord did perform the mighty miracles, to be sure. But the mighty miracles were not the Lord.
This is a serious problem in some Christian circles today. Some Christians are so busy wanting to see the sign gifts (e.g., tongues, miracles, healings), that they lose sight of the Lord. It saddens me to see some Christians exude so much enthusiasm and gullible excitement, believing they are honored by the Holy Spirit with the sign gifts.
Their church is alive, you see, while those who don’t focus on tongues and miracles and healings are filled with half-dead, hybrid Christians, most certainly inferior to them, the present-day “super apostles”. They are like Elijah on Mount Horeb. They can only envision God in terms of outward, flamboyant power.
But this is precisely the stuff from which the Lord wanted to wean Elijah. After all the outward powerful signs were over, the Lord finally met with Elijah personally. He revealed Himself as a sound of a gentle blowing.
The Lord is omnipotent, all-powerful. He can manifest more power than any man can even imagine. But He wants to have a personal relationship with us, not frighten us into submission by impersonal force!
When we interact favorably with others, we communicate in a still, small voice. We talk kindly and respectfully. We respect the other person’s feelings, not try to intimidate him.
It is the same with the Lord Jesus and our personal relationship with Him. He wants to visit with us in the garden in the cool of the day. When He does He speaks softly and gently, so we can enjoy His company and come to know Him all the better. What He has to say is spoken in intelligible words we can understand, and those words come from His written Word.
Let’s take this under advisement in our quite time with the Lord now. We can learn a lot from Him, if we truly want to. He even makes it fun. Let’s go. I’ll race you to Him.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Exodus: Volume 2 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Who Turned Out the Lights?
The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the innermost parts of his being [Proverbs 20:27].
Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin [Proverbs 21:4].
I like the Sherlock Holmes books, and so I also like the movies. The newest effort starring Robert Downey Jr. has more suspenseful thrills and nail-biting excitement than what went before. Nonetheless the prior movies, as well as the books, are capable of leaving us spellbound too.
The scene of the Sherlock Holmes tales is 18th Century London. The cobblestone streets, the dimly lit sidewalks, the dingy atmosphere of brothels and floozies, all contribute to the tale. I particularly recall for purposes of this study the people and the cabbies with their lanterns in hand or hanging from the horse-drawn cabs.
Without those lanterns, you see, all would be too dark to function. Driving the cab down the street would imperil pedestrians. Walking down the sidewalks would be hazardous to one’s health, considering all the unseemly sorts of scoundrels lurking in the dark crevices. Indeed, light was essential to survive and function in sleepy London Town back then. Without the portable lamps, all the streetlights would have proved insufficient for the task at hand.
We hear a good deal about light and lamps in the Bible too. Spiritual reality is that the world is in the throes of Satan. Sin rules man and sin breeds darkness. Man is unable to recognize truth and reality because sin blinds him to suchlike things.
Instead of truth and reality, sin breeds in man haughty eyes and a proud heart, as noted in the verses which introduced this study. Those two evils may be displayed in a list for easy recognition:
• haughty eyes
• a proud heart
The verse defines these two evils as the lamp of the wicked, noting they are sin. Let’s assay the two.
In Scripture the heart is used to identify the center of one’s life, what he loves and so what motivates him. It is the internal man, the real person, the root and vine from which his life grows. The eyes are used to identify man’s outward focus, what he sees and so lusts after. The heart fertilizes the soil and plants the seeds, while the eyes produce the fruit.
When a person lives in sin rather than recognizes it and repents, his heart is darkness. Accordingly the fruit of his life is the fruit of darkness. His heart by nature seeks to accomplish his pleasure, and so his eyes wander about looking for ways to fulfill his lusts. The heart and the eyes work in conjunction to lead him into sin upon sin. The two serve to provide him light along the paths of sin and wickedness.
In utter contrast to this scenario is the lamp of the Lord (cf., the verses quoted to start this study). Scripture identifies what the lamp of the Lord is, so we don’t have to guess.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path [Psalm 119:105].
The Word of God is the lamp of the Lord, and it affords the believer light along the path of life. This light keeps the believer from stumbling onto the path of sin and wickedness. That is what the verses quoted at the start of this study teach.
A believer trusts in the Word of God (i.e., the life tree), rather than in his own understanding (i.e., the kogae tree) as the wicked do. Ergo, he allows the Word of God to search all the innermost parts of his being. In doing this the Word of God rules over the spirit of man. The Bible functions as the reins in the mouth of the horse (i.e., the spirit of man), effectively being the driving force of the spirit of man.
So we are left with a choice between two lamps, and the choice we make affects our eternal condition and location.
1. the lamp of the wicked
2. the lamp of the Lord
The ball is in your court, sir and madam. Which lamp do you choose? One of them feeds pride and affluent living, the other love for the Lord and the overwhelming desire to live like Him. Choose you this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will choose the Lord. I trust you will make the same choice.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin [Proverbs 21:4].
I like the Sherlock Holmes books, and so I also like the movies. The newest effort starring Robert Downey Jr. has more suspenseful thrills and nail-biting excitement than what went before. Nonetheless the prior movies, as well as the books, are capable of leaving us spellbound too.
The scene of the Sherlock Holmes tales is 18th Century London. The cobblestone streets, the dimly lit sidewalks, the dingy atmosphere of brothels and floozies, all contribute to the tale. I particularly recall for purposes of this study the people and the cabbies with their lanterns in hand or hanging from the horse-drawn cabs.
Without those lanterns, you see, all would be too dark to function. Driving the cab down the street would imperil pedestrians. Walking down the sidewalks would be hazardous to one’s health, considering all the unseemly sorts of scoundrels lurking in the dark crevices. Indeed, light was essential to survive and function in sleepy London Town back then. Without the portable lamps, all the streetlights would have proved insufficient for the task at hand.
We hear a good deal about light and lamps in the Bible too. Spiritual reality is that the world is in the throes of Satan. Sin rules man and sin breeds darkness. Man is unable to recognize truth and reality because sin blinds him to suchlike things.
Instead of truth and reality, sin breeds in man haughty eyes and a proud heart, as noted in the verses which introduced this study. Those two evils may be displayed in a list for easy recognition:
• haughty eyes
• a proud heart
The verse defines these two evils as the lamp of the wicked, noting they are sin. Let’s assay the two.
In Scripture the heart is used to identify the center of one’s life, what he loves and so what motivates him. It is the internal man, the real person, the root and vine from which his life grows. The eyes are used to identify man’s outward focus, what he sees and so lusts after. The heart fertilizes the soil and plants the seeds, while the eyes produce the fruit.
When a person lives in sin rather than recognizes it and repents, his heart is darkness. Accordingly the fruit of his life is the fruit of darkness. His heart by nature seeks to accomplish his pleasure, and so his eyes wander about looking for ways to fulfill his lusts. The heart and the eyes work in conjunction to lead him into sin upon sin. The two serve to provide him light along the paths of sin and wickedness.
In utter contrast to this scenario is the lamp of the Lord (cf., the verses quoted to start this study). Scripture identifies what the lamp of the Lord is, so we don’t have to guess.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path [Psalm 119:105].
The Word of God is the lamp of the Lord, and it affords the believer light along the path of life. This light keeps the believer from stumbling onto the path of sin and wickedness. That is what the verses quoted at the start of this study teach.
A believer trusts in the Word of God (i.e., the life tree), rather than in his own understanding (i.e., the kogae tree) as the wicked do. Ergo, he allows the Word of God to search all the innermost parts of his being. In doing this the Word of God rules over the spirit of man. The Bible functions as the reins in the mouth of the horse (i.e., the spirit of man), effectively being the driving force of the spirit of man.
So we are left with a choice between two lamps, and the choice we make affects our eternal condition and location.
1. the lamp of the wicked
2. the lamp of the Lord
The ball is in your court, sir and madam. Which lamp do you choose? One of them feeds pride and affluent living, the other love for the Lord and the overwhelming desire to live like Him. Choose you this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will choose the Lord. I trust you will make the same choice.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
A Human Jar – Part 1
Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” [John 2:6-7]
In John 2:1-11 Jesus was at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Mary His mother had an official role of some sort. During the celebration the wine ran out. This was most embarrassing for the newlyweds. They didn’t adequately provide for their guests.
Mary approached Jesus and informed Him of the need. From the story it is obvious she knew He had miraculous powers, though He hadn’t been about His ministry very long and had yet to perform miracles (cf., v.11).
Jesus politely declined His mother’s request, informing her that the new life of ministry to God established new relationships. The natural birth relationships such as parents no longer ruled. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit did.
After setting the bounds of leadership in ministry, Jesus then acted out a picture story to teach the spiritual truth of this very point. There were six stone water jars at the celebration. This was typical for the Israelites of that day. The jars held water—from 20 to 30 gallons each, we are told. The water was used by the Jews for ritual washing of various kinds, religious ceremonies if you would.
Jesus instructed the servants to fill the jars to the brim with water. They obeyed His word, which is always a good thing to do when Jesus speaks! Next Jesus instructed them to draw the water from the jars and serve it to the guests.
This was awkward for the servants. If they knew which side their bread was buttered on, they wouldn’t be so keen to obey this part of Jesus’ words. Imagine the wedding guests. They drank all the available wine and wanted more. Here come the servants with a fresh brew. The guests hold out their goblets and the servants fill ‘er up.
The guests take a deep gulp of the wine. Oops! It isn’t wine. It’s water! The guests demand in voices of outrage, “Tie those wretched servants to the whipping post, ya’ hear! We’re gonna exact our pound of flesh for their inappropriate prank. Fie fie on them! Serve us water when we want wine? Hmpf. The nerve of some folks!”
So we can see why the servants would not be excited by Jesus’ instructions to them. Notwithstanding, they obeyed. Praise the Lord! Would that all of us were so readily agreeable to the Word of God. In fear and trepidation the servants served the guests the water…and waited to be flayed alive for their mischief.
Not to worry. The guests began with one voice to sing the praises of the groom. “This is the best wine ever! Congrats to you, Mr. Groom. You sure are strange though. Everyone else serves the best wine first. After we’re all somewhat sated with wine, then the cheaper stuff makes the rounds. But you saved the best for last. Good things come to those who wait. My mama told me that, and she was right!”
And so it was that Jesus began his ministry of miracles. The water-to-wine in Cana was His first, but it was by no means His last, praise God! Being His first miracle, Jesus put it to work doing double duty. For one thing it revealed His powers. For another it taught spiritual truth.
This was common with the Lord. We will explain how so in our next study. See you then, and don’t forget to talk with Jesus a while.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
In John 2:1-11 Jesus was at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Mary His mother had an official role of some sort. During the celebration the wine ran out. This was most embarrassing for the newlyweds. They didn’t adequately provide for their guests.
Mary approached Jesus and informed Him of the need. From the story it is obvious she knew He had miraculous powers, though He hadn’t been about His ministry very long and had yet to perform miracles (cf., v.11).
Jesus politely declined His mother’s request, informing her that the new life of ministry to God established new relationships. The natural birth relationships such as parents no longer ruled. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit did.
After setting the bounds of leadership in ministry, Jesus then acted out a picture story to teach the spiritual truth of this very point. There were six stone water jars at the celebration. This was typical for the Israelites of that day. The jars held water—from 20 to 30 gallons each, we are told. The water was used by the Jews for ritual washing of various kinds, religious ceremonies if you would.
Jesus instructed the servants to fill the jars to the brim with water. They obeyed His word, which is always a good thing to do when Jesus speaks! Next Jesus instructed them to draw the water from the jars and serve it to the guests.
This was awkward for the servants. If they knew which side their bread was buttered on, they wouldn’t be so keen to obey this part of Jesus’ words. Imagine the wedding guests. They drank all the available wine and wanted more. Here come the servants with a fresh brew. The guests hold out their goblets and the servants fill ‘er up.
The guests take a deep gulp of the wine. Oops! It isn’t wine. It’s water! The guests demand in voices of outrage, “Tie those wretched servants to the whipping post, ya’ hear! We’re gonna exact our pound of flesh for their inappropriate prank. Fie fie on them! Serve us water when we want wine? Hmpf. The nerve of some folks!”
So we can see why the servants would not be excited by Jesus’ instructions to them. Notwithstanding, they obeyed. Praise the Lord! Would that all of us were so readily agreeable to the Word of God. In fear and trepidation the servants served the guests the water…and waited to be flayed alive for their mischief.
Not to worry. The guests began with one voice to sing the praises of the groom. “This is the best wine ever! Congrats to you, Mr. Groom. You sure are strange though. Everyone else serves the best wine first. After we’re all somewhat sated with wine, then the cheaper stuff makes the rounds. But you saved the best for last. Good things come to those who wait. My mama told me that, and she was right!”
And so it was that Jesus began his ministry of miracles. The water-to-wine in Cana was His first, but it was by no means His last, praise God! Being His first miracle, Jesus put it to work doing double duty. For one thing it revealed His powers. For another it taught spiritual truth.
This was common with the Lord. We will explain how so in our next study. See you then, and don’t forget to talk with Jesus a while.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
A Human Jar – Part 2
Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” [John 2:6-7]
Jesus used the miracle of changing water to wine to teach invisible spiritual truth. This was common with the Lord. In fact in the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, God made it a point to employ visible physical realities to teach invisible spiritual truth. Let’s interpret what invisible spiritual truth Jesus taught by His miracle of changing water to wine.
We would serve ourselves well if we first enumerate the several items involved in the miracle. Each one holds significance in our interpretation of the miracle. Here they are:
• six stone jars
• water
• wine
The “stone” jars were earthenware. They were baked clay. Clay comes from the earth. It is soil, dirt, dust. The clay is molded into the shape of a jar, then baked in an oven to transform it into “stone” of sorts. In the Bible man’s body is represented as an earthenware jar. We have this treasure in earthen vessels [2 Corinthians 4:7]. Jesus employed the six earthenware jars as a type of the human body.
This understanding is corroborated by the number of jars which were filled with water. There were six earthenware jars, not seven or twenty-three or two. The number “6” in Scripture is the number of the natural man. Man was created on Day 6 of God’s creation of nature. The number of the natural man and the composition of the natural man’s body combine to identify what the six earthenware jars represented.
The servants filled the jars with water. Since the jars represented the natural man, the man of the earth, the water inside the earthenware jars symbolized the life of the natural man. This should be self-evident and need no more elaboration.
What did Jesus do with the life of the natural man? Answer: He transformed it to wine. In the sacrifices and offerings of the Old Testament, drink offerings consisted of wine. The wine typified blood. Wine has the appearance of blood. Wine is known as the blood of the grape. The wine typified blood.
In the same way the life of the animal was offered up to the Lord, so too was the offerer’s life symbolically offered to the Lord by the act of wine poured out on the altar in the form of a drink offering. The Word of God teaches that the life of man and animal is in the blood. By pouring out the blood, the life is offered to the Lord. Blood cannot be poured out apart from life being taken, i.e., without death occurring.
At the Last Supper Jesus employed wine as the same symbol. He identified the wine as His blood, which He would soon shed as payment for the penalty of man’s sins. He would not again drink the wine with His disciples until they did so in His Kingdom. In His Kingdom the wine would serve as a type of His blood (i.e., His life) in the resurrection. This means the wine also signifies the new life, the resurrection life.
In the context of the miracle of John 2, did the wine symbolize the natural life or the new resurrection life? Answer: it symbolized the new life. How so? Well, the contrast was between the water and the wine. Remember how the servants would not fare so well, should they serve the wedding guests water? Water was an unacceptable liquid to drink at the wedding celebration!
Spiritually speaking, what is unacceptable to God is the life of sin, man’s natural life. This is what the water typified. Hence the wine, the transformed water, symbolized a changed life. The wine was a type of the new life we receive through faith in Christ Jesus. It is eternal life, the resurrection life which Jesus imparts to His kids.
Mama Mary wanted to use her natural relationship as mother, in order to influence Jesus to perform a miracle. When Jesus entered His ministry, however, the rules of the natural life were no longer in force. His parents directed Jesus how to conduct His ministry. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit did.
The miracle of changing the water to wine was a picture story to teach this invisible spiritual truth. We cannot see this truth with the natural eye. It requires the eye of faith to envision it. Let’s spend time alone with the Lord Jesus now. Maybe He has some more goodies to teach us.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Jesus used the miracle of changing water to wine to teach invisible spiritual truth. This was common with the Lord. In fact in the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, God made it a point to employ visible physical realities to teach invisible spiritual truth. Let’s interpret what invisible spiritual truth Jesus taught by His miracle of changing water to wine.
We would serve ourselves well if we first enumerate the several items involved in the miracle. Each one holds significance in our interpretation of the miracle. Here they are:
• six stone jars
• water
• wine
The “stone” jars were earthenware. They were baked clay. Clay comes from the earth. It is soil, dirt, dust. The clay is molded into the shape of a jar, then baked in an oven to transform it into “stone” of sorts. In the Bible man’s body is represented as an earthenware jar. We have this treasure in earthen vessels [2 Corinthians 4:7]. Jesus employed the six earthenware jars as a type of the human body.
This understanding is corroborated by the number of jars which were filled with water. There were six earthenware jars, not seven or twenty-three or two. The number “6” in Scripture is the number of the natural man. Man was created on Day 6 of God’s creation of nature. The number of the natural man and the composition of the natural man’s body combine to identify what the six earthenware jars represented.
The servants filled the jars with water. Since the jars represented the natural man, the man of the earth, the water inside the earthenware jars symbolized the life of the natural man. This should be self-evident and need no more elaboration.
What did Jesus do with the life of the natural man? Answer: He transformed it to wine. In the sacrifices and offerings of the Old Testament, drink offerings consisted of wine. The wine typified blood. Wine has the appearance of blood. Wine is known as the blood of the grape. The wine typified blood.
In the same way the life of the animal was offered up to the Lord, so too was the offerer’s life symbolically offered to the Lord by the act of wine poured out on the altar in the form of a drink offering. The Word of God teaches that the life of man and animal is in the blood. By pouring out the blood, the life is offered to the Lord. Blood cannot be poured out apart from life being taken, i.e., without death occurring.
At the Last Supper Jesus employed wine as the same symbol. He identified the wine as His blood, which He would soon shed as payment for the penalty of man’s sins. He would not again drink the wine with His disciples until they did so in His Kingdom. In His Kingdom the wine would serve as a type of His blood (i.e., His life) in the resurrection. This means the wine also signifies the new life, the resurrection life.
In the context of the miracle of John 2, did the wine symbolize the natural life or the new resurrection life? Answer: it symbolized the new life. How so? Well, the contrast was between the water and the wine. Remember how the servants would not fare so well, should they serve the wedding guests water? Water was an unacceptable liquid to drink at the wedding celebration!
Spiritually speaking, what is unacceptable to God is the life of sin, man’s natural life. This is what the water typified. Hence the wine, the transformed water, symbolized a changed life. The wine was a type of the new life we receive through faith in Christ Jesus. It is eternal life, the resurrection life which Jesus imparts to His kids.
Mama Mary wanted to use her natural relationship as mother, in order to influence Jesus to perform a miracle. When Jesus entered His ministry, however, the rules of the natural life were no longer in force. His parents directed Jesus how to conduct His ministry. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit did.
The miracle of changing the water to wine was a picture story to teach this invisible spiritual truth. We cannot see this truth with the natural eye. It requires the eye of faith to envision it. Let’s spend time alone with the Lord Jesus now. Maybe He has some more goodies to teach us.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes
The first nine verses of Deuteronomy 21 detail a procedure to be used, when murder was committed but the murderer was unknown. Imagine watching one of the CSI TV series or Bones. A corpse is discovered in some secluded location. There are no witnesses to the crime and the corpse isn’t talking either. What to do?
Well, on TV the scientific nerds and squints commence to gathering materials from the landscape around the corpse, and from the corpse too. Then they retreat to the laboratory and see what they can find out from their collection of materials. Finally, as more and more evidence is examined and new revelations come to light, a light bulb comes on over the head of one of the actors and he or she exclaims, “I know who did it!”
Well guess what? It doesn’t usually work like that in reality! It didn’t usually work like that in Old Testament Israel either. So much for Plan A. That left the Lord with Plan B, which He shared with the Israelites in Deuteronomy 21:1-9. Let’s spend our time today studying this plan. You may read the full account in Deuteronomy Book III.
Deuteronomy 5:3 might be a wee bit befuddling to some folks. At Mt. Sinai the older generation of Israelites received the Law. On the plains of Moab in our present text the younger generation of Israelites were about to receive the Law. How then did Moses assert that the Lord didn’t make His covenant with their fathers, but with them?
Hmm. I am reminded of Winston Churchill’s 1939 description of Soviet Russia. He referred to them as “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma”! They were a tough nut to crack. But not to lose heart, dear heart. Let us wade through the confusion and decipher the cipher.
Moses and all the Old Testament saints had an Oriental mindset. They didn’t fraternize with Aristotle much. Their way of reasoning and concomitant mode of expression did not jive with the Occidental mode, and vice versa too!
Moses was not claiming the Lord at Sinai did not make a covenant with the older generation. He stated that the Lord’s covenant was not SOLELY with the older generation. His covenant was with Israel, with all Israelites throughout ALL generations.
So did the Lord give the Law to the generation of Israelites who were at Mt. Sinai? No, He did not. Did He give the Law to all Israelites of all generations? Yes, that is precisely what He did. It is in this context we are to interpret Moses’ words in verse 3, brothers and sisters. You may read the full account in Deuteronomy Book I.
Well, on TV the scientific nerds and squints commence to gathering materials from the landscape around the corpse, and from the corpse too. Then they retreat to the laboratory and see what they can find out from their collection of materials. Finally, as more and more evidence is examined and new revelations come to light, a light bulb comes on over the head of one of the actors and he or she exclaims, “I know who did it!”
Well guess what? It doesn’t usually work like that in reality! It didn’t usually work like that in Old Testament Israel either. So much for Plan A. That left the Lord with Plan B, which He shared with the Israelites in Deuteronomy 21:1-9. Let’s spend our time today studying this plan. You may read the full account in Deuteronomy Book III.
Deuteronomy 5:3 might be a wee bit befuddling to some folks. At Mt. Sinai the older generation of Israelites received the Law. On the plains of Moab in our present text the younger generation of Israelites were about to receive the Law. How then did Moses assert that the Lord didn’t make His covenant with their fathers, but with them?
Hmm. I am reminded of Winston Churchill’s 1939 description of Soviet Russia. He referred to them as “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma”! They were a tough nut to crack. But not to lose heart, dear heart. Let us wade through the confusion and decipher the cipher.
Moses and all the Old Testament saints had an Oriental mindset. They didn’t fraternize with Aristotle much. Their way of reasoning and concomitant mode of expression did not jive with the Occidental mode, and vice versa too!
Moses was not claiming the Lord at Sinai did not make a covenant with the older generation. He stated that the Lord’s covenant was not SOLELY with the older generation. His covenant was with Israel, with all Israelites throughout ALL generations.
So did the Lord give the Law to the generation of Israelites who were at Mt. Sinai? No, He did not. Did He give the Law to all Israelites of all generations? Yes, that is precisely what He did. It is in this context we are to interpret Moses’ words in verse 3, brothers and sisters. You may read the full account in Deuteronomy Book I.
Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes
Did you know that my book on Deuteronomy includes the entire Book of Deuteronomy? That is correct. Because of space considerations, it was divided into four books. Books I-IV are available from Amazon CreateSpace Amazon Kindle. Get your copies today! My Heavenly Citizens series offers full-length analysis of entire books of the Bible. It not only teaches the Bible, but it also role models for the reader how to study the Bible. It not only provides the reader with a fish to eat, but it teaches the reader how to fish for himself.
Kingdom of Eretz
Did you know...? I have already expounded upon all five books of Moses. These consist of the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The five Bible books together are known as the Law of Moses, aka Torah. Each and every verse of this major section of Scripture is vetted in detail. The Law of Moses is the foundation for the entire Bible. If you want to know the Bible, to really get a handle on it, you need to begin at the beginning and understand the foundation.
However, before initiating the Heavenly Citizens series I wrote my first book. It is title Kingdom of Eretz and is available from CreateSpace and Amazon Kindle. It is much smaller in pages than any of my Heavenly Citizens books, but it is no less ambitious. It is a Biblical Allegory of the Church Age, consisting of any exposition of two chapters in the Bible. You may purchase your copy from http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
However, before initiating the Heavenly Citizens series I wrote my first book. It is title Kingdom of Eretz and is available from CreateSpace and Amazon Kindle. It is much smaller in pages than any of my Heavenly Citizens books, but it is no less ambitious. It is a Biblical Allegory of the Church Age, consisting of any exposition of two chapters in the Bible. You may purchase your copy from http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
