Randy Green's Blog, page 452
February 7, 2013
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 back 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 known 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/Randy-Green/e/B...
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 back 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 known 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/Randy-Green/e/B...
February 6, 2013
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/Randy-Green/e/B...
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/Randy-Green/e/B...
February 5, 2013
Whistling Dixie – Part 3
But the Lord said to him (i.e., to Ananias), “Go, for he (i.e., Saul/Paul) is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” [Acts 9:15-16]
Just at that time some Pharisees approached, saying to Him (i.e., to Jesus), “Go away, leave here, for Herod wants to kill You.” And He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach My goal.’ Nevertheless I must journey on today and tomorrow and the next day; for it cannot be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem.” [Luke 13:31-33]
Let’s continue our rebuttal of those who claim Paul should not have taken the Gospel to the Jews in Jerusalem. We will begin by going to the beginning of this study and rereading the second portion of Scripture recorded there… Okay, we’ve reread it. Now let’s present additional evidence to support Paul.
Jesus repeatedly told His disciples that He was on His way to Jerusalem, where He would be ridiculed and tortured and put to death. This didn’t detour Jesus from going there anyway. He wasn’t being stubborn against the Holy Spirit because of His blindness for the Jews! Jesus even chastised Peter when Peter said, “Far be it from you to go to Jerusalem and die, Lord!” And when some Pharisees tried to dissuade Him from going there, you just read in the second portion of Scripture what His response was.
The Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet Agabus that, if Paul persisted in going to Jerusalem, he would be bound by the Jews and handed over to the Gentiles. This was prophecy, a foretelling of what was about to be, not a command to cease going there. I see nothing in the prophecy about not going to Jerusalem: I see a foretelling of what was to transpire there.
Jesus repeatedly foretold to His disciples what would transpire when He reached Jerusalem, in order to prepare them for the impending harsh events. In that way they could recognize God’s hand in the affairs, rather than think Jesus had failed. In the same way the Holy Spirit made it clear that what befell Paul in Jerusalem was the Lord’s doings, not Paul’s sinning. Paul expressed this quite eloquently to Agabus and the other Christians in his response to them. They pleaded with Paul not to go, and Paul answered,
What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus [Acts 21:13].
Let’s be sure we are walking by faith when we study the Bible, and when we make determinations about ourselves and others in life. The way of the world is to look at worldly success and think it proves God is for us. If we face struggles and failures and aren’t appreciated, well, then that proves God is against us because we did our own thing.
Dear friends, such a viewpoint is NOT spiritual reality. It is worldly delusion. It is whistling Dixie. Let’s talk to the Lord Jesus about this issue for a spell. We will be blessed by our time spent with 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/Randy-Green/e/B...
Just at that time some Pharisees approached, saying to Him (i.e., to Jesus), “Go away, leave here, for Herod wants to kill You.” And He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach My goal.’ Nevertheless I must journey on today and tomorrow and the next day; for it cannot be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem.” [Luke 13:31-33]
Let’s continue our rebuttal of those who claim Paul should not have taken the Gospel to the Jews in Jerusalem. We will begin by going to the beginning of this study and rereading the second portion of Scripture recorded there… Okay, we’ve reread it. Now let’s present additional evidence to support Paul.
Jesus repeatedly told His disciples that He was on His way to Jerusalem, where He would be ridiculed and tortured and put to death. This didn’t detour Jesus from going there anyway. He wasn’t being stubborn against the Holy Spirit because of His blindness for the Jews! Jesus even chastised Peter when Peter said, “Far be it from you to go to Jerusalem and die, Lord!” And when some Pharisees tried to dissuade Him from going there, you just read in the second portion of Scripture what His response was.
The Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet Agabus that, if Paul persisted in going to Jerusalem, he would be bound by the Jews and handed over to the Gentiles. This was prophecy, a foretelling of what was about to be, not a command to cease going there. I see nothing in the prophecy about not going to Jerusalem: I see a foretelling of what was to transpire there.
Jesus repeatedly foretold to His disciples what would transpire when He reached Jerusalem, in order to prepare them for the impending harsh events. In that way they could recognize God’s hand in the affairs, rather than think Jesus had failed. In the same way the Holy Spirit made it clear that what befell Paul in Jerusalem was the Lord’s doings, not Paul’s sinning. Paul expressed this quite eloquently to Agabus and the other Christians in his response to them. They pleaded with Paul not to go, and Paul answered,
What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus [Acts 21:13].
Let’s be sure we are walking by faith when we study the Bible, and when we make determinations about ourselves and others in life. The way of the world is to look at worldly success and think it proves God is for us. If we face struggles and failures and aren’t appreciated, well, then that proves God is against us because we did our own thing.
Dear friends, such a viewpoint is NOT spiritual reality. It is worldly delusion. It is whistling Dixie. Let’s talk to the Lord Jesus about this issue for a spell. We will be blessed by our time spent with 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/Randy-Green/e/B...
February 4, 2013
Whistling Dixie – Part 2
But the Lord said to him (i.e., to Ananias), “Go, for he (i.e., Saul/Paul) is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” [Acts 9:15-16]
Just at that time some Pharisees approached, saying to Him (i.e., to Jesus), “Go away, leave here, for Herod wants to kill You.” And He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach My goal.’ Nevertheless I must journey on today and tomorrow and the next day; for it cannot be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem.” [Luke 13:31-33]
In our last study we paused after hearing the claims against Paul’s ministry to the Jews. Now let’s begin with our investigation of these claims.
All I can say is, “Wow! Let’s all go home and throw in the towel. No need to pursue this discussion any further, with such formidable and indisputable evidence quelling any other understanding.” But no, I don’t want to go home and throw in the towel. I don’t concede any such evidence exists to show that Paul was doing his own thing, when he took the Gospel to the Jews in Jerusalem.
Two different portions of Scripture are recorded to start this study. The first one records Paul’s call to ministry from the Lord Jesus. Read it again at this time, please. I’ll wait a second for you to do so… Okay. What did the Lord declare Paul was to do? Let’s use a bulleted list to itemize Paul’s ministry. He was to bear My name,
• before the Gentiles
• before kings
• before the sons of Israel
When Paul performed his ministry before those three categories of persons, there would be consequences to pay. Listen to the Lord express them: for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake. Let us be aware that, as Paul proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah and Savior of the world to each category of persons, he would suffer from each category for bringing Jesus to them.
Category #1, “The Gentiles”: this refers to every human being who is not a Hebrew by birth or by proselytism. When Paul went to the Gentiles with the Gospel, he was routinely persecuted by both the Jews and the Gentiles.
Category #2, “Kings”: As he went throughout the Roman world preaching the Gospel, Paul appeared before kings as well as other public officials. Sometimes he was received agreeably, at other times with indifference, while on still other occasions he endured extreme persecution.
Category #3, “the sons of Israel”: this refers to those whose forefather was Jacob/Israel, as well as to those Gentiles who converted to Judaism and were thereby incorporated into the Lord’s covenant with Israel. Paul preached to his fellow Israelites both in Israel and in the diaspora (i.e., the Jews who were dispersed in locations outside of Israel).
In every town he entered to share Jesus Paul went to the synagogues first before going to the Gentiles. He wanted to allow his fellow Jews to have their chance to receive their Messiah before the Gentiles did. Paul said unabashedly that the Gospel is to the Jew first, and then to the Gentile (Romans 1:16). Whether he preached the Gospel to the Jews in Israel or to the Jews in the diaspora, Paul faced extreme persecution for doing so—just as he did when he proclaimed Jesus to the Gentiles and to kings.
You see, the Gospel provokes hostility and violence from sinners. It doesn’t matter one whit whether they be Jews or Gentiles, dear friends. God called Paul to take the Gospel to three categories of people, and God warned Paul of what he would encounter when he did so. Paul wasn’t doing wrong when he went to all three categories. He was obeying the Word of God. Had he not done so, he would have been sinning. He said, “Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel!”
We will conclude this analysis in our next study. In the interim weigh the evidence for yourself. Be in prayer and meditate on the matter. And may the Holy Spirit lead you into all truth.
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/Randy-Green/e/B...
Just at that time some Pharisees approached, saying to Him (i.e., to Jesus), “Go away, leave here, for Herod wants to kill You.” And He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach My goal.’ Nevertheless I must journey on today and tomorrow and the next day; for it cannot be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem.” [Luke 13:31-33]
In our last study we paused after hearing the claims against Paul’s ministry to the Jews. Now let’s begin with our investigation of these claims.
All I can say is, “Wow! Let’s all go home and throw in the towel. No need to pursue this discussion any further, with such formidable and indisputable evidence quelling any other understanding.” But no, I don’t want to go home and throw in the towel. I don’t concede any such evidence exists to show that Paul was doing his own thing, when he took the Gospel to the Jews in Jerusalem.
Two different portions of Scripture are recorded to start this study. The first one records Paul’s call to ministry from the Lord Jesus. Read it again at this time, please. I’ll wait a second for you to do so… Okay. What did the Lord declare Paul was to do? Let’s use a bulleted list to itemize Paul’s ministry. He was to bear My name,
• before the Gentiles
• before kings
• before the sons of Israel
When Paul performed his ministry before those three categories of persons, there would be consequences to pay. Listen to the Lord express them: for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake. Let us be aware that, as Paul proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah and Savior of the world to each category of persons, he would suffer from each category for bringing Jesus to them.
Category #1, “The Gentiles”: this refers to every human being who is not a Hebrew by birth or by proselytism. When Paul went to the Gentiles with the Gospel, he was routinely persecuted by both the Jews and the Gentiles.
Category #2, “Kings”: As he went throughout the Roman world preaching the Gospel, Paul appeared before kings as well as other public officials. Sometimes he was received agreeably, at other times with indifference, while on still other occasions he endured extreme persecution.
Category #3, “the sons of Israel”: this refers to those whose forefather was Jacob/Israel, as well as to those Gentiles who converted to Judaism and were thereby incorporated into the Lord’s covenant with Israel. Paul preached to his fellow Israelites both in Israel and in the diaspora (i.e., the Jews who were dispersed in locations outside of Israel).
In every town he entered to share Jesus Paul went to the synagogues first before going to the Gentiles. He wanted to allow his fellow Jews to have their chance to receive their Messiah before the Gentiles did. Paul said unabashedly that the Gospel is to the Jew first, and then to the Gentile (Romans 1:16). Whether he preached the Gospel to the Jews in Israel or to the Jews in the diaspora, Paul faced extreme persecution for doing so—just as he did when he proclaimed Jesus to the Gentiles and to kings.
You see, the Gospel provokes hostility and violence from sinners. It doesn’t matter one whit whether they be Jews or Gentiles, dear friends. God called Paul to take the Gospel to three categories of people, and God warned Paul of what he would encounter when he did so. Paul wasn’t doing wrong when he went to all three categories. He was obeying the Word of God. Had he not done so, he would have been sinning. He said, “Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel!”
We will conclude this analysis in our next study. In the interim weigh the evidence for yourself. Be in prayer and meditate on the matter. And may the Holy Spirit lead you into all truth.
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/Randy-Green/e/B...
February 3, 2013
Whistling Dixie – Part 1
But the Lord said to him (i.e., to Ananias), “Go, for he (i.e., Saul/Paul) is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” [Acts 9:15-16]
Just at that time some Pharisees approached, saying to Him (i.e., to Jesus), “Go away, leave here, for Herod wants to kill You.” And He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach My goal.’ Nevertheless I must journey on today and tomorrow and the next day; for it cannot be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem.” [Luke 13:31-33]
I remember the time I accepted the Lord’s call to ministry. It was a process because I needed time to weigh the consequences and determine whether or not I was prepared to make the sacrifices necessary. After bowing to the Lord’s will—and that with the greatest relish—I announced it to the church.
Some folks were congratulatory, but others expressed words of discouragement to me. The discouragers were looking out for my best interests, at least in their own eyes. Trouble was, they viewed the matter according to the flesh. They based their conclusion on my background and things of that nature. They didn’t see the Lord’s hand in the call because they walked by sight in making their judgment.
The Lord’s call to ministry is based on His own purpose and grace, dear friends. It is NOT based on man’s worthiness or background. The Lord chooses the weak things, the beggarly elements of mankind, in order to show His own power and worth. If He depended on the worldly strong or wise or wealthy or high class folks to accomplish His goals, then it would appear they achieved success by their own abilities.
I’m discussing this issue because today’s study is about the Apostle Paul’s call to ministry. Paul was originally known as Saul. I’ve read in books and heard in sermons that Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. Therefore he should not have gone to Jerusalem to the Jews. It is claimed that the Holy Spirit even told him as much on his way there. But Paul was too determined to reach the Jews, when all along his ministry was to the Gentiles. Consequently Paul was imprisoned and his ministry hampered.
To support such a position Scripture is quoted. Let’s read a sample together, shall we?
As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” [Acts 21:10-11]
And then with glee it is alleged, “See! The Holy Spirit told Paul not to go to Jerusalem, but Paul wouldn’t listen. He was too stubborn to obey the Holy Spirit because of his blindness for the Jews.”
In our next study we will investigate these claims. For now let’s pause and reflect on what we’ve discussed today.
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/Randy-Green/e/B...
Just at that time some Pharisees approached, saying to Him (i.e., to Jesus), “Go away, leave here, for Herod wants to kill You.” And He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach My goal.’ Nevertheless I must journey on today and tomorrow and the next day; for it cannot be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem.” [Luke 13:31-33]
I remember the time I accepted the Lord’s call to ministry. It was a process because I needed time to weigh the consequences and determine whether or not I was prepared to make the sacrifices necessary. After bowing to the Lord’s will—and that with the greatest relish—I announced it to the church.
Some folks were congratulatory, but others expressed words of discouragement to me. The discouragers were looking out for my best interests, at least in their own eyes. Trouble was, they viewed the matter according to the flesh. They based their conclusion on my background and things of that nature. They didn’t see the Lord’s hand in the call because they walked by sight in making their judgment.
The Lord’s call to ministry is based on His own purpose and grace, dear friends. It is NOT based on man’s worthiness or background. The Lord chooses the weak things, the beggarly elements of mankind, in order to show His own power and worth. If He depended on the worldly strong or wise or wealthy or high class folks to accomplish His goals, then it would appear they achieved success by their own abilities.
I’m discussing this issue because today’s study is about the Apostle Paul’s call to ministry. Paul was originally known as Saul. I’ve read in books and heard in sermons that Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. Therefore he should not have gone to Jerusalem to the Jews. It is claimed that the Holy Spirit even told him as much on his way there. But Paul was too determined to reach the Jews, when all along his ministry was to the Gentiles. Consequently Paul was imprisoned and his ministry hampered.
To support such a position Scripture is quoted. Let’s read a sample together, shall we?
As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” [Acts 21:10-11]
And then with glee it is alleged, “See! The Holy Spirit told Paul not to go to Jerusalem, but Paul wouldn’t listen. He was too stubborn to obey the Holy Spirit because of his blindness for the Jews.”
In our next study we will investigate these claims. For now let’s pause and reflect on what we’ve discussed today.
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/Randy-Green/e/B...
February 2, 2013
My Hero – Part 2
“I myself (i.e., John the Baptist) have seen, and have testified that this (i.e., Jesus) is the Son of God.” [John 1:34]
Now when John (i.e., the Baptist), while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” [Matthew 11:2-3]
In our last study we expatiated on the hazards of hero worship in the church. Permit me now to interpret the Bible verses quoted at the initiation of this study. In them we encounter what appears to be a contradiction, but there is no contradiction. Every man of God is susceptible to doubts and fears at times. It is a part of life. It is a part of our sinful human nature. Our job as men and women of God is to grow from these failings by learning to trust the Lord better, not cover them up as if we are too perfect to fail.
Let’s get to the Bible verses with which we began this study. Jesus began His ministry at about 30 years of age. He was baptized by John the Baptist, who recognized Jesus as the Son of God. Read John 1:29-36 and get the full extent of John Baptist’s recognition of Jesus’ true identity.
Sometime later John Baptist was arrested by that no-account Herod for preaching the Law of Moses to him. So Herod tossed John Baptist into prison. After considerable time as John rotted in prison, he heard about the ministry Jesus was conducting. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf. He fed multitudes of people by multiplying scanty amounts of food. He freed the prisoners too…but not John the Baptist.
The prevailing belief amongst the Jews back in the day was that the Messiah was soon to appear. John Baptist recognized Jesus as the Messiah. It was also the prevailing belief that the Messiah would be a mighty warrior, a military conqueror who whupped the Gentiles and restored Israel as God’s ruling world power. It is no stretch to see John Baptist as holding to that belief. Jesus’ own disciples did!
So there was John Baptist rotting in prison, and awaiting Messiah Jesus to overthrow Herod, re-establish the Kingdom of God on earth, and free Prisoner John. But the reports he heard about Jesus’ ministry showed a humble and gentle Shepherd of the sheep, not a mighty warrior. Jesus didn’t raise an army. He didn’t even raise His voice much.
This didn’t jell with John Baptist. He was utterly taken aback by Jesus’ behavior. So John sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask, “What gives? You’re supposed to be the Messiah. So stop doing this touchy-feely stuff and start messiah-ing already! Lead an army to conquer the Gentiles and overthrow Herod.”
Some Christians hold John the Baptist as a hero to worship. There were times when I taught this truth out of the Bible, and they charged at me with bayonets attached to cut me down to size. You see, they are hero worshipers, and heroes don’t make mistakes or fall short. I offended their sense of propriety when it comes to addressing heroes.
The Lord Jesus Christ is my Hero. Our heavenly Father is my Hero. The Holy Spirit is my Hero. Everyone else is somewhere far below them. Some of us are much better than others, but none of us deserves to be the Christian’s hero. When we fix our eyes on men like that, we wind up following men instead of the Lord Jesus. Let’s be in prayer about this and rectify hero worship in the Church.
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/Randy-Green/e/B...
Now when John (i.e., the Baptist), while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” [Matthew 11:2-3]
In our last study we expatiated on the hazards of hero worship in the church. Permit me now to interpret the Bible verses quoted at the initiation of this study. In them we encounter what appears to be a contradiction, but there is no contradiction. Every man of God is susceptible to doubts and fears at times. It is a part of life. It is a part of our sinful human nature. Our job as men and women of God is to grow from these failings by learning to trust the Lord better, not cover them up as if we are too perfect to fail.
Let’s get to the Bible verses with which we began this study. Jesus began His ministry at about 30 years of age. He was baptized by John the Baptist, who recognized Jesus as the Son of God. Read John 1:29-36 and get the full extent of John Baptist’s recognition of Jesus’ true identity.
Sometime later John Baptist was arrested by that no-account Herod for preaching the Law of Moses to him. So Herod tossed John Baptist into prison. After considerable time as John rotted in prison, he heard about the ministry Jesus was conducting. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf. He fed multitudes of people by multiplying scanty amounts of food. He freed the prisoners too…but not John the Baptist.
The prevailing belief amongst the Jews back in the day was that the Messiah was soon to appear. John Baptist recognized Jesus as the Messiah. It was also the prevailing belief that the Messiah would be a mighty warrior, a military conqueror who whupped the Gentiles and restored Israel as God’s ruling world power. It is no stretch to see John Baptist as holding to that belief. Jesus’ own disciples did!
So there was John Baptist rotting in prison, and awaiting Messiah Jesus to overthrow Herod, re-establish the Kingdom of God on earth, and free Prisoner John. But the reports he heard about Jesus’ ministry showed a humble and gentle Shepherd of the sheep, not a mighty warrior. Jesus didn’t raise an army. He didn’t even raise His voice much.
This didn’t jell with John Baptist. He was utterly taken aback by Jesus’ behavior. So John sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask, “What gives? You’re supposed to be the Messiah. So stop doing this touchy-feely stuff and start messiah-ing already! Lead an army to conquer the Gentiles and overthrow Herod.”
Some Christians hold John the Baptist as a hero to worship. There were times when I taught this truth out of the Bible, and they charged at me with bayonets attached to cut me down to size. You see, they are hero worshipers, and heroes don’t make mistakes or fall short. I offended their sense of propriety when it comes to addressing heroes.
The Lord Jesus Christ is my Hero. Our heavenly Father is my Hero. The Holy Spirit is my Hero. Everyone else is somewhere far below them. Some of us are much better than others, but none of us deserves to be the Christian’s hero. When we fix our eyes on men like that, we wind up following men instead of the Lord Jesus. Let’s be in prayer about this and rectify hero worship in the Church.
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/Randy-Green/e/B...
February 1, 2013
My Hero – Part 1
“I myself (i.e., John the Baptist) have seen, and have testified that this (i.e., Jesus) is the Son of God.” [John 1:34]
Now when John (i.e., the Baptist), while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” [Matthew 11:2-3]
Hero worship is about the most commonplace practice in the world today. Everyone is looking for a hero…including Bonnie Tyler. Yes, you and I are included in “everyone”. Don’t believe me? When you watch the football game, you have your heroes and your goats. When you want to buy a product, you have your heroes and your goats. When you want to go to a restaurant, you have your… Well, you get the point. We all have our heroes.
This extends to the church too. Some folks worship Luther, some Calvin, and some John Knox. Some prefer labels like Calvinism, others Arminianism, and still others Lutheranism. There are the Pentecostals, the Baptists, the Episcopalians, and the Catholics. You name it, there’s an “ism” for it. We all have our heroes.
In the Corinthian Church of the Apostle Paul’s day, they had their heroes. Listen to Paul portray the quarrelsome bunch:
Each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” [1 Corinthians 1:12]
You see, heroes occur in the church too. Paul was a good steward of Christ. Apollos was a good steward of Christ. Cephas was a good steward of Christ. And Christ…well, He is Christ! Nothing was wrong with admiring such godly men for their service to our Lord. But the Corinthians took it a step further and turned them into heroes, to the extent they were on a level above men.
In many high church denominations you can take a gander at statues of the Apostles. These godly men are put on a pedestal and worshiped. Oh, I know, folks in those denominations deny that is what they are doing, but in actual practice that is what is done. Some even go so far as to pray to these super-heroes, stealing God’s prerogatives and giving them to mere men.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not here to bash specific denominations. I here to shine light on darkness and get to the truth of the Bible. In one way or another hero worship is a product of today’s world, whether it be in sports or TV or movies or music. The church should is to be salt and light in the world to lead unbelievers out of hero worship to God worship. Sadly, but we’re sometimes saltless and dark and participate in hero worship right along with them. Lord, forgive us.
Allow me to cite one example of how Christians have confronted me with hero worship. John the Baptist was one of the most godly men of his time, and of all time too. Still, he was a man, a sinner who needed a Savior to provide him with righteousness and eternal life. He wasn’t perfect, or all-powerful, or all-knowing. He had flaws and fell short of the glory of God, just as every other son of Adam has always done and will always do this side of eternity.
This being the case, we should not feel the need to justify John Baptist’s flaws or weaknesses when they appear in Scripture. But some Christians do just that, should John Baptist (or any other godly man in the Bible) have his warts exposed. Not that you or I are to expose anyone’s failings, mind you. The Bible does a good job of that all on its own! My job as a teacher is to teach the Bible, and I haven’t the luxury of leaving some of it out because some Christians need to have perfect heroes to worship.
Oh, it’s time to stop again. We will continue this topic in our next study. In the interim spend some time in prayer about this matter. Who are your heroes? How high are you exalting them? Do you look to them instead of to the Lord Jesus Christ?
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/Randy-Green/e/B...
Now when John (i.e., the Baptist), while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” [Matthew 11:2-3]
Hero worship is about the most commonplace practice in the world today. Everyone is looking for a hero…including Bonnie Tyler. Yes, you and I are included in “everyone”. Don’t believe me? When you watch the football game, you have your heroes and your goats. When you want to buy a product, you have your heroes and your goats. When you want to go to a restaurant, you have your… Well, you get the point. We all have our heroes.
This extends to the church too. Some folks worship Luther, some Calvin, and some John Knox. Some prefer labels like Calvinism, others Arminianism, and still others Lutheranism. There are the Pentecostals, the Baptists, the Episcopalians, and the Catholics. You name it, there’s an “ism” for it. We all have our heroes.
In the Corinthian Church of the Apostle Paul’s day, they had their heroes. Listen to Paul portray the quarrelsome bunch:
Each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” [1 Corinthians 1:12]
You see, heroes occur in the church too. Paul was a good steward of Christ. Apollos was a good steward of Christ. Cephas was a good steward of Christ. And Christ…well, He is Christ! Nothing was wrong with admiring such godly men for their service to our Lord. But the Corinthians took it a step further and turned them into heroes, to the extent they were on a level above men.
In many high church denominations you can take a gander at statues of the Apostles. These godly men are put on a pedestal and worshiped. Oh, I know, folks in those denominations deny that is what they are doing, but in actual practice that is what is done. Some even go so far as to pray to these super-heroes, stealing God’s prerogatives and giving them to mere men.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not here to bash specific denominations. I here to shine light on darkness and get to the truth of the Bible. In one way or another hero worship is a product of today’s world, whether it be in sports or TV or movies or music. The church should is to be salt and light in the world to lead unbelievers out of hero worship to God worship. Sadly, but we’re sometimes saltless and dark and participate in hero worship right along with them. Lord, forgive us.
Allow me to cite one example of how Christians have confronted me with hero worship. John the Baptist was one of the most godly men of his time, and of all time too. Still, he was a man, a sinner who needed a Savior to provide him with righteousness and eternal life. He wasn’t perfect, or all-powerful, or all-knowing. He had flaws and fell short of the glory of God, just as every other son of Adam has always done and will always do this side of eternity.
This being the case, we should not feel the need to justify John Baptist’s flaws or weaknesses when they appear in Scripture. But some Christians do just that, should John Baptist (or any other godly man in the Bible) have his warts exposed. Not that you or I are to expose anyone’s failings, mind you. The Bible does a good job of that all on its own! My job as a teacher is to teach the Bible, and I haven’t the luxury of leaving some of it out because some Christians need to have perfect heroes to worship.
Oh, it’s time to stop again. We will continue this topic in our next study. In the interim spend some time in prayer about this matter. Who are your heroes? How high are you exalting them? Do you look to them instead of to the Lord Jesus Christ?
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/Randy-Green/e/B...
January 31, 2013
Uncovering Secrets in the Bible – Part 2
Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him [1 Corinthians 8:6].
Yesterday we began our study of this verse by noting that it contains two parallel concepts. We expressed it as a numbered list.
1. from whom are all things and we exist for Him (i.e., the Father)
2. by whom are all things, and we exist through Him (i.e., the Son)
So that no one should miss out on the fine details, we again employed a numbered list to point them out.
1. from whom are all things parallels by whom are all things
2. we exist for Him parallels we exist through Him
We concluded yesterday’s lesson by deciphering Line#1. This line reveals how creation came about. God did the creating, and He did so in the Persons of God the Father and God the Son. All things came into being “from” the Father. All things came into being “by” the Son. Line #1 in itself teaches the truth of the Trinity, or at least of two Persons in one God. Creation was accomplished by the Father and the Son working together as one God.
Now let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work deciphering Line #2. When a person builds something, it is his. He can get a patent on it and sell it exclusively because it is his property. It was built “for” him, and he is free to use it for any purpose he so desires.
If he built a boat he could fish with it, sail around the world in it, live on it, or just plain dry dock it and use it for scenery. It is his boat. He built it and it exists “for” him. The boat represents creation, you see, and God the Father is the Person from whom the boat came into existence.
But what if the boat builder actually employed someone else to do the work, a subcontractor if you will? The subcontractor was the means by which the boat came into existence. The boat exists “through” him, while the designer and initiator of the process was the contractor.
The contractor is of course God the Father, and the subcontractor is God the Son. The boat (i.e., creation) exists “for” the Father, while it came into existence “through” the Son. Do you see how intimately connected the Father and the Son are? The same is true of the Holy Spirit, though He isn’t in the equation of 1 Corinthians 8:6. This example is quite deficient, though, because a human contractor and a human subcontractor are not “one”. But God is One.
We cannot know God because He is the One Who created us. We are finite creatures, while He is infinite. Now we see through a glass darkly, but in eternity we will see clearly, face to face, and we will know Him even as we are known by Him. The Bible contains many mysteries, many secrets for our discovery, and the Trinity is one of them. We should approach the Bible as explorers looking for the lost continent of Atlantis, or as treasure hunters digging for buried treasure. How excited and enthusiastic would we be then? We would brook no delays or go off on any tangents.
Under our present limitations we cannot possibly get a handle on how there can be one God but three equal Persons who comprise the one God. Notwithstanding this, the Bible distinctly shows this to be true. Faith is taking the Bible at face value and obeying it, placing our trust in it as the inerrant and infallible Word of God Himself. Without faith it is impossible to please God (cf., Hebrews 11:6).
I know I can believe what the Bible teaches me about God being one while simultaneously existing as three Persons. He has proven Himself to me time after time, grace upon grace. I cannot help but trust Him. I cannot deny Him. This is why I subscribe to Rule #2 for Bible study, the Bible is our sole and final authority in all matters of faith and practice.
So what about you? Do you know God? Do you trust Him in all things without reservation? What value do you place on His Word? You can never feed on His Word too much. Just be sure to confess your sins to Him first and be cleansed and filled with the Spirit. That is how we put our money where our mouth is.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Yesterday we began our study of this verse by noting that it contains two parallel concepts. We expressed it as a numbered list.
1. from whom are all things and we exist for Him (i.e., the Father)
2. by whom are all things, and we exist through Him (i.e., the Son)
So that no one should miss out on the fine details, we again employed a numbered list to point them out.
1. from whom are all things parallels by whom are all things
2. we exist for Him parallels we exist through Him
We concluded yesterday’s lesson by deciphering Line#1. This line reveals how creation came about. God did the creating, and He did so in the Persons of God the Father and God the Son. All things came into being “from” the Father. All things came into being “by” the Son. Line #1 in itself teaches the truth of the Trinity, or at least of two Persons in one God. Creation was accomplished by the Father and the Son working together as one God.
Now let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work deciphering Line #2. When a person builds something, it is his. He can get a patent on it and sell it exclusively because it is his property. It was built “for” him, and he is free to use it for any purpose he so desires.
If he built a boat he could fish with it, sail around the world in it, live on it, or just plain dry dock it and use it for scenery. It is his boat. He built it and it exists “for” him. The boat represents creation, you see, and God the Father is the Person from whom the boat came into existence.
But what if the boat builder actually employed someone else to do the work, a subcontractor if you will? The subcontractor was the means by which the boat came into existence. The boat exists “through” him, while the designer and initiator of the process was the contractor.
The contractor is of course God the Father, and the subcontractor is God the Son. The boat (i.e., creation) exists “for” the Father, while it came into existence “through” the Son. Do you see how intimately connected the Father and the Son are? The same is true of the Holy Spirit, though He isn’t in the equation of 1 Corinthians 8:6. This example is quite deficient, though, because a human contractor and a human subcontractor are not “one”. But God is One.
We cannot know God because He is the One Who created us. We are finite creatures, while He is infinite. Now we see through a glass darkly, but in eternity we will see clearly, face to face, and we will know Him even as we are known by Him. The Bible contains many mysteries, many secrets for our discovery, and the Trinity is one of them. We should approach the Bible as explorers looking for the lost continent of Atlantis, or as treasure hunters digging for buried treasure. How excited and enthusiastic would we be then? We would brook no delays or go off on any tangents.
Under our present limitations we cannot possibly get a handle on how there can be one God but three equal Persons who comprise the one God. Notwithstanding this, the Bible distinctly shows this to be true. Faith is taking the Bible at face value and obeying it, placing our trust in it as the inerrant and infallible Word of God Himself. Without faith it is impossible to please God (cf., Hebrews 11:6).
I know I can believe what the Bible teaches me about God being one while simultaneously existing as three Persons. He has proven Himself to me time after time, grace upon grace. I cannot help but trust Him. I cannot deny Him. This is why I subscribe to Rule #2 for Bible study, the Bible is our sole and final authority in all matters of faith and practice.
So what about you? Do you know God? Do you trust Him in all things without reservation? What value do you place on His Word? You can never feed on His Word too much. Just be sure to confess your sins to Him first and be cleansed and filled with the Spirit. That is how we put our money where our mouth is.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
January 30, 2013
Uncovering Secrets in the Bible – Part 1
Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him [1 Corinthians 8:6].
1 Corinthians is in the New Testament, which means it was originally written in koine Greek. The word koine is Greek for “common”, meaning that it wasn’t the flowery Greek of cultured society, or the educated Greek of the Greek philosophers. It was the Greek spoken by the common man on the street of that time.
Even though we’re dealing with the Greek language in the New Testament, nonetheless we are also dealing with the Hebrew people. This means that, though they were speaking another language, they still spoke as Jews and not Gentiles. With this in mind we shouldn’t be taken aback when we realize they often expressed themselves in terms of parallelism.
Parallelism is the style used in Biblical Hebrew poetry. We today rhyme words at the ends of lines and call that poetry. The Hebrews rhymed ideas within the lines and called that poetry. The ideas might roughly coincide with each other, or they might be opposites of each other. Poetry which expresses coinciding ideas is known as synonymous parallelism. Poetry which expresses opposite ideas is known as antonymous parallelism.
Even when they presented narrative instead of poetry, it was not unusual by any means to find parallelism in the writing. When we today use alliteration in our narrative writing, we are employing a concept from poetry. And this is what we have in our Bible verse which kicked off our study today. Let’s consider it in that light now.
The parallelism is between the Father and the Son, and it is synonymous. The Father is identified as “God”, while the Son (i.e., “Jesus Christ”) is identified as “Lord”. But what follows from this is where the parallelism really comes into play. Permit me to express it as a numbered list.
1. from whom are all things and we exist for Him (i.e., the Father)
2. by whom are all things, and we exist through Him (i.e., the Son)
It should be ostensible to you, the way the two phrases run “parallel” with each other. But lest perchance anyone miss out on the fine details, I will spell them out to you. Again, a numbered list suits our purposes and shortens the explanation needed.
1. from whom are all things parallels by whom are all things
2. we exist for Him parallels we exist through Him
Now mull over the difference between the words “from” and “by”. They express the only difference in Line #1 of the preceding list. Both words are prepositions. So, then, what difference is portrayed by them in these two prepositional phrases? Answer: the phrase from whom are all things emphasizes the Father as the originator of all things. The phrase by whom are all things tells us that the Father created all things by means of His Son.
Do you see why I identified this as synonymous parallelism and not antonymous? The two ideas parallel each other in an agreeable fashion. They pull together rather than push apart. We learn that God is the Creator. He created as both the Father and the Son, and the two Persons worked together in perfect harmony, as One God.
We will decipher Line #2 in our next study. Be sure to be there. It gets even tastier.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
1 Corinthians is in the New Testament, which means it was originally written in koine Greek. The word koine is Greek for “common”, meaning that it wasn’t the flowery Greek of cultured society, or the educated Greek of the Greek philosophers. It was the Greek spoken by the common man on the street of that time.
Even though we’re dealing with the Greek language in the New Testament, nonetheless we are also dealing with the Hebrew people. This means that, though they were speaking another language, they still spoke as Jews and not Gentiles. With this in mind we shouldn’t be taken aback when we realize they often expressed themselves in terms of parallelism.
Parallelism is the style used in Biblical Hebrew poetry. We today rhyme words at the ends of lines and call that poetry. The Hebrews rhymed ideas within the lines and called that poetry. The ideas might roughly coincide with each other, or they might be opposites of each other. Poetry which expresses coinciding ideas is known as synonymous parallelism. Poetry which expresses opposite ideas is known as antonymous parallelism.
Even when they presented narrative instead of poetry, it was not unusual by any means to find parallelism in the writing. When we today use alliteration in our narrative writing, we are employing a concept from poetry. And this is what we have in our Bible verse which kicked off our study today. Let’s consider it in that light now.
The parallelism is between the Father and the Son, and it is synonymous. The Father is identified as “God”, while the Son (i.e., “Jesus Christ”) is identified as “Lord”. But what follows from this is where the parallelism really comes into play. Permit me to express it as a numbered list.
1. from whom are all things and we exist for Him (i.e., the Father)
2. by whom are all things, and we exist through Him (i.e., the Son)
It should be ostensible to you, the way the two phrases run “parallel” with each other. But lest perchance anyone miss out on the fine details, I will spell them out to you. Again, a numbered list suits our purposes and shortens the explanation needed.
1. from whom are all things parallels by whom are all things
2. we exist for Him parallels we exist through Him
Now mull over the difference between the words “from” and “by”. They express the only difference in Line #1 of the preceding list. Both words are prepositions. So, then, what difference is portrayed by them in these two prepositional phrases? Answer: the phrase from whom are all things emphasizes the Father as the originator of all things. The phrase by whom are all things tells us that the Father created all things by means of His Son.
Do you see why I identified this as synonymous parallelism and not antonymous? The two ideas parallel each other in an agreeable fashion. They pull together rather than push apart. We learn that God is the Creator. He created as both the Father and the Son, and the two Persons worked together in perfect harmony, as One God.
We will decipher Line #2 in our next study. Be sure to be there. It gets even tastier.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
January 29, 2013
Gigantic Exaggerations – Part 3
David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” Then Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth.” [1 Samuel 17:32-33]
Let’s continue right where we left off yesterday. We were talking about the word “youth”, as it was used to portray David when he fought Goliath. We need to understand it in the context of Old Testament Israel in the Promised Land under the Law of Moses, not in terms of today.
Back in Old Testament Israel the Law of Moses set the age of military service at “twenty years old and upward”. It was the age of accountability for Israelite males. Those younger were “youth” or “young men” (i.e., na‘ar). David was a na‘ar. Goliath began his military training when he was still a na‘ar. David was less than twenty years old when he killed Goliath. He was NOT a “little boy”. That is not the definition of na‘ar, dear friends.
David had seven brothers, and he was the youngest male sibling in the family. The words and depictions of David in the chapters preceding and following 1 Samuel 17, as well as in chapter 17 itself, do not lead us to envision a “boy”. We see a person who was old enough and strong enough to do manly things. Imagine a teenager, say 18 or 19 years old, who played offensive left tackle on the football team today.
David was no “giant” like Goliath, but he was a seasoned young man who fought lions and bears when those critters attacked his sheep. This was because David knew the Lord and daily spent time with Him. When he killed Goliath he was already playing the harp for King Saul. It was while playing the harp that David wrote his Psalms, many of which we have in the Bible. This demonstrates that David knew the Lord already at this time—knew the Lord not just as being saved but as demonstrating spiritual maturity to an extent. This takes a little age, a little seasoning from life’s experiences and learning, in order to learn how to depend on the Lord.
David said as much to King Saul, when he volunteered to fight Goliath. He said as much to Goliath when he charged at him with his sling and stones. “You, Goliath, have insulted the God of Israel, so He has given your life into my hands!” That’s basically what David said. Little boys don’t do that!
In terms of pure military abilities, and adding size and training to the equation, David was no match for Goliath. He knew that! He wasn’t depending on himself. He depended on the Lord to defeat the giant. David merely made himself available to the Lord and was happy to do so. That is what we need to learn from the David vs. Goliath saga, not that this kindergartner stomped on the head of the giant. For that story you should read Jack
and the Beanstalk!
Let’s not be content to be spiritually obtuse with the Bible, dear friends. Let’s take it seriously and spend time daily with the Word of God and the Lord Jesus, so that He can teach us His Word and spiritually mature us. It’s much more delightful to be spiritual adults than spiritual delinquents. Baby twaddle is indecorous in adults. Let’s make Jesus proud of us, shall we?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Numbers: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Let’s continue right where we left off yesterday. We were talking about the word “youth”, as it was used to portray David when he fought Goliath. We need to understand it in the context of Old Testament Israel in the Promised Land under the Law of Moses, not in terms of today.
Back in Old Testament Israel the Law of Moses set the age of military service at “twenty years old and upward”. It was the age of accountability for Israelite males. Those younger were “youth” or “young men” (i.e., na‘ar). David was a na‘ar. Goliath began his military training when he was still a na‘ar. David was less than twenty years old when he killed Goliath. He was NOT a “little boy”. That is not the definition of na‘ar, dear friends.
David had seven brothers, and he was the youngest male sibling in the family. The words and depictions of David in the chapters preceding and following 1 Samuel 17, as well as in chapter 17 itself, do not lead us to envision a “boy”. We see a person who was old enough and strong enough to do manly things. Imagine a teenager, say 18 or 19 years old, who played offensive left tackle on the football team today.
David was no “giant” like Goliath, but he was a seasoned young man who fought lions and bears when those critters attacked his sheep. This was because David knew the Lord and daily spent time with Him. When he killed Goliath he was already playing the harp for King Saul. It was while playing the harp that David wrote his Psalms, many of which we have in the Bible. This demonstrates that David knew the Lord already at this time—knew the Lord not just as being saved but as demonstrating spiritual maturity to an extent. This takes a little age, a little seasoning from life’s experiences and learning, in order to learn how to depend on the Lord.
David said as much to King Saul, when he volunteered to fight Goliath. He said as much to Goliath when he charged at him with his sling and stones. “You, Goliath, have insulted the God of Israel, so He has given your life into my hands!” That’s basically what David said. Little boys don’t do that!
In terms of pure military abilities, and adding size and training to the equation, David was no match for Goliath. He knew that! He wasn’t depending on himself. He depended on the Lord to defeat the giant. David merely made himself available to the Lord and was happy to do so. That is what we need to learn from the David vs. Goliath saga, not that this kindergartner stomped on the head of the giant. For that story you should read Jack
and the Beanstalk!
Let’s not be content to be spiritually obtuse with the Bible, dear friends. Let’s take it seriously and spend time daily with the Word of God and the Lord Jesus, so that He can teach us His Word and spiritually mature us. It’s much more delightful to be spiritual adults than spiritual delinquents. Baby twaddle is indecorous in adults. Let’s make Jesus proud of us, shall we?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Numbers: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
