Just kind of rambling today, I’ll explain my thoughts here and there. I read a few psalms this morning, but then got to work and the happenings over the weekend drew me to Psalm 100.
“Know ye that the Lord, He is God. It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves. We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.” (Psalm 100:3)
The reminder to me today was clear. God is in control. Only He can answer the questions that we cannot.
I rehearsed last night with a friend how my recent attempts to discuss personal salvation with a Jehovah’s Witness acquaintance had seemed rather fruitless. His inability to answer questions on assurance of his eternal situation left me disappointed. He actually would not even make the attempt, and I have been praying for him to take a good hard look at Scripture and what it says about eternal security based on the truth of the Gospel. I so badly wanted him to “get it”, and I was left simply leaving it to god to work on His heart.
That’s actually the best place to leave it.
An EMT acquaintance of mine in NJ lost his life today after a rescue accident in flood waters over the weekend. Though I barely knew him, I know a few of his co-workers very well. This stuff happens every day, accidents claim lives, it’s become part of the routine ho-hum nature of the news. Honestly, it left me wondering how we got to be so numb to hearing bad news. I don’t know if this man was a believer; our brief work conversations from a while back never got to that point.
Why have we as a society lost the urgency of concern over the loss of life? Why have we as Christians not been more diligent with our spiritual walk, so that anyone “touching” us at some point would see or hear the Gospel? I know I can say a lot and do little, but yet today I felt compelled to really tell God that I am trying really hard to understand just how great and awesome and holy He really is. I felt compelled to start anew in my efforts to live the life the believer should, to share the great news of Christ more than I ever have before. And I pray that I am not just saying that, and that He will help me do it.
God is not surprised at the actions of the Jehovah’s Witness response to me. Nor was he surprised at what I saw as an untimely death of a young man. When Jesus was faced with questions such as “why this”, or “why that”, He reminded those who would hear that the time to repent was NOW. If we truly see God for who He is, and understand His control over His creation, we just might find life a bit more urgent to be lived…FOR HIM.
“For the Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endureth to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5)
Thank You, Lord, for being so awesome that we cannot even describe You. Thank You, Lord, for Your Spirit, to give us the ability to know You and to be convicted to live for You, and to share You with those around us. Help us do that today. Amen.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
Unity - Oil and Dew
Psalm 133
Another short psalm, so here it is in its entirety, but without line breaks, making it easier to pick up context, at least for me:
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing—life forever.
A couple phrases need some exploring to really grasp the picture being painted here. Obviously, the context is about brothers being in unity, which is said to be good and pleasant. Hard to disagree. But again, if we leave it there, we miss the richness of the further explanation. How does this compare with oil upon the head of Aaron, or some dew of Hermon? How do these help explain the goodness of unity?
First, for the oil, refer to Exodus 20:22-33. The oil to be used in anointing the high priest, Aaron being the first, was to contain four different spices. A singular spice was not prescribed, but rather four different and distinct spices, which, when blended together in the oil made a wonderful fragrance. Kind of like adding multiple ingredients to a cookie recipe, none of which taste good by itself, but when added together make for delicious eating. What a great picture of unity. The psalmist, David, is very familiar with this oil, and he uses its imagery to describe the unity that should exist between brothers (God-fearers), no matter how different they are as individuals.
Remember, this is another song of ascents, so it would have directly applied to those heading for Jerusalem to worship, very likely including a diverse group of people, unique in personalities and the like.
Hermon was and is the highest point in Palestine (Israel today), high enough to have a snowy cap at its top. In dry times in the land, the dew descended from this snow, refreshing those who experienced the moist relief. We take water for granted today, and really, when do we really thank the Lord for the dew? These worshipers did, and they relished in the refreshment it brought them.
That same refreshment is to be felt among those with God in common. For us, we can easily apply that to our relationship with other believers. We differ doctrinally, personally, professionally, geographically, name the difference, we have it here. Yet believers are to dwell together in unity, with Christ as the common factor.
Going a step further than the unity is the primary importance of our relationship with the Lord. For one to experience the fragrance of the oil, or the dew from Hermon, he or she needed to be close to the source. God refreshment, His wonder and His very presence are only felt by those who are near Him, who are close to Him.
When we are close to Him, we get a feeling for the unity that He says is good and pleasant.
Another short psalm, so here it is in its entirety, but without line breaks, making it easier to pick up context, at least for me:
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing—life forever.
A couple phrases need some exploring to really grasp the picture being painted here. Obviously, the context is about brothers being in unity, which is said to be good and pleasant. Hard to disagree. But again, if we leave it there, we miss the richness of the further explanation. How does this compare with oil upon the head of Aaron, or some dew of Hermon? How do these help explain the goodness of unity?
First, for the oil, refer to Exodus 20:22-33. The oil to be used in anointing the high priest, Aaron being the first, was to contain four different spices. A singular spice was not prescribed, but rather four different and distinct spices, which, when blended together in the oil made a wonderful fragrance. Kind of like adding multiple ingredients to a cookie recipe, none of which taste good by itself, but when added together make for delicious eating. What a great picture of unity. The psalmist, David, is very familiar with this oil, and he uses its imagery to describe the unity that should exist between brothers (God-fearers), no matter how different they are as individuals.
Remember, this is another song of ascents, so it would have directly applied to those heading for Jerusalem to worship, very likely including a diverse group of people, unique in personalities and the like.
Hermon was and is the highest point in Palestine (Israel today), high enough to have a snowy cap at its top. In dry times in the land, the dew descended from this snow, refreshing those who experienced the moist relief. We take water for granted today, and really, when do we really thank the Lord for the dew? These worshipers did, and they relished in the refreshment it brought them.
That same refreshment is to be felt among those with God in common. For us, we can easily apply that to our relationship with other believers. We differ doctrinally, personally, professionally, geographically, name the difference, we have it here. Yet believers are to dwell together in unity, with Christ as the common factor.
Going a step further than the unity is the primary importance of our relationship with the Lord. For one to experience the fragrance of the oil, or the dew from Hermon, he or she needed to be close to the source. God refreshment, His wonder and His very presence are only felt by those who are near Him, who are close to Him.
When we are close to Him, we get a feeling for the unity that He says is good and pleasant.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
A Quiet Soul
Psalm 131.
Only three verses, here they are in the NASB:
“ O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;
Nor do I involve myself in great matters,
Or in things too difficult for me.
Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child rests against his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me.
O Israel, hope in the LORD
From this time forth and forever.”
This is another song of ascents, typically a psalm to be repeated, perhaps spoken together as travelers would make their way “up” to Jerusalem, thus the term ascents. People literally ascended to Jerusalem, and they were on their way to worship. So they reminded themselves of preparatory elements like who God is, or how they as followers desired to be in relation to God.
Is this psalm, themes so relevant to us are present. A prideful heart, haughty eyes, trying to be “important”…all were struggles for the worshiper then, as now. But the psalmist camps on this idea of a quiet soul, and uses the imagery of a “weaned child” resting against his mother. We could stop and say that we see we need a quiet soul and be done. But when we can explore these metaphors, the psalms become even richer to read and dwell on.
As we understand this, a weaned child is one who is now old enough to take nourishment by other means than by nursing from his mother. Let’s back up for a moment. Prior to being weaned, a child instinctively (God-given) knows to get nourishment from his mother. Indeed, in those days, his very life may have depended on being able to do so. That it was instinctive implies that it was not a conscious decision or choice. Now that he is weaned, he literally no longer needs his mother for nourishment.
So why rest against her, if their nourishing bond is now broken? Because the child has learned, and understands that he trusts this woman, and finds great comfort in simply resting there. That’s why.
When we calm and quiet our soul, and truly put our trust in the Lord, we should do so consciously, on purpose, because we know that He alone is worthy of our trust and praise. I’ll speak for me here. I yearn for a heart that is empty of pride, for eyes that are not haughty, and to sincerely rest against our Lord.
My flesh battles against my spirit, and so the leaning on Him is not instinctive like the un-weaned child. Rather, I am presented with a place to rest, and whether or not I rest there is up to me. My spirit knows there is no better place! May we all hope in the Lord as we should.
Only three verses, here they are in the NASB:
“ O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;
Nor do I involve myself in great matters,
Or in things too difficult for me.
Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child rests against his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me.
O Israel, hope in the LORD
From this time forth and forever.”
This is another song of ascents, typically a psalm to be repeated, perhaps spoken together as travelers would make their way “up” to Jerusalem, thus the term ascents. People literally ascended to Jerusalem, and they were on their way to worship. So they reminded themselves of preparatory elements like who God is, or how they as followers desired to be in relation to God.
Is this psalm, themes so relevant to us are present. A prideful heart, haughty eyes, trying to be “important”…all were struggles for the worshiper then, as now. But the psalmist camps on this idea of a quiet soul, and uses the imagery of a “weaned child” resting against his mother. We could stop and say that we see we need a quiet soul and be done. But when we can explore these metaphors, the psalms become even richer to read and dwell on.
As we understand this, a weaned child is one who is now old enough to take nourishment by other means than by nursing from his mother. Let’s back up for a moment. Prior to being weaned, a child instinctively (God-given) knows to get nourishment from his mother. Indeed, in those days, his very life may have depended on being able to do so. That it was instinctive implies that it was not a conscious decision or choice. Now that he is weaned, he literally no longer needs his mother for nourishment.
So why rest against her, if their nourishing bond is now broken? Because the child has learned, and understands that he trusts this woman, and finds great comfort in simply resting there. That’s why.
When we calm and quiet our soul, and truly put our trust in the Lord, we should do so consciously, on purpose, because we know that He alone is worthy of our trust and praise. I’ll speak for me here. I yearn for a heart that is empty of pride, for eyes that are not haughty, and to sincerely rest against our Lord.
My flesh battles against my spirit, and so the leaning on Him is not instinctive like the un-weaned child. Rather, I am presented with a place to rest, and whether or not I rest there is up to me. My spirit knows there is no better place! May we all hope in the Lord as we should.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
The Watchmen Wait
“My soul waits for the Lord
More than the watchmen for the morning;
Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.” Psalm 130:6
If you have ever been in a basement while a tornado raged outside above ground (which I have), you know the feeling when the “all clear” sirens sound and it is safe to re-surface. There is never a timetable that is certain, but you wait and hope for relief.
In Psalm 130, the psalmist is discussing his sin, his iniquity, and how he longs for forgiveness from God. He adamantly seeks to be right with the Lord. And he does so with the eagerness of watchmen waiting for the morning, even repeating the phrase. Nighttime was a dangerous time in the Ancient Near East. If there was a surprise attack, it would not be in broad daylight. So watchmen were posted to keep an eye out for the city’s safety. I can imagine that no watchman seriously wanted to see action during his watch, but the only real feeling of safety came when dawn arrived. What great imagery!
But the watchman had no other surety or security during the night. Hope as he might, only daylight would confirm that the city was indeed secure.
We, too, know that if God kept track of our sin and held against them against us without assuring us of His forgiveness, we would forever feel the angst of that watchman, with no relief. But God is so very faithful, as in 1 John1: 9-10, to forgive us of ALL our sins, that we can have that dawn-appearing feeling of security anytime.
We do cry to God from our own depths, just as this psalmist. We do plead with Him to hear us, to answer us, to forgive us, at least I hope we do.
Next time you see a sunrise, think of this psalm, think of the watchman’s relief, and then praise our Savior for the blessed hope He has guaranteed to every believer.
More than the watchmen for the morning;
Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.” Psalm 130:6
If you have ever been in a basement while a tornado raged outside above ground (which I have), you know the feeling when the “all clear” sirens sound and it is safe to re-surface. There is never a timetable that is certain, but you wait and hope for relief.
In Psalm 130, the psalmist is discussing his sin, his iniquity, and how he longs for forgiveness from God. He adamantly seeks to be right with the Lord. And he does so with the eagerness of watchmen waiting for the morning, even repeating the phrase. Nighttime was a dangerous time in the Ancient Near East. If there was a surprise attack, it would not be in broad daylight. So watchmen were posted to keep an eye out for the city’s safety. I can imagine that no watchman seriously wanted to see action during his watch, but the only real feeling of safety came when dawn arrived. What great imagery!
But the watchman had no other surety or security during the night. Hope as he might, only daylight would confirm that the city was indeed secure.
We, too, know that if God kept track of our sin and held against them against us without assuring us of His forgiveness, we would forever feel the angst of that watchman, with no relief. But God is so very faithful, as in 1 John1: 9-10, to forgive us of ALL our sins, that we can have that dawn-appearing feeling of security anytime.
We do cry to God from our own depths, just as this psalmist. We do plead with Him to hear us, to answer us, to forgive us, at least I hope we do.
Next time you see a sunrise, think of this psalm, think of the watchman’s relief, and then praise our Savior for the blessed hope He has guaranteed to every believer.
Monday, August 22, 2011
15 Years
The story of Hezekiah, I have often joked about, is my “back pocket sermon” in case of emergency. That is, should anyone approach me at the very last minute and ask me to give a devotional or a brief challenge, I reply with “I always have Hezekiah.” Though I have never really formally scripted this devotional, it is indeed a Bible account that comes to mind readily when I am scheduled to teach, though I have never used him specifically.
While continuing on in 2 Kings, Hezekiah is front and center in chapters 18 and 20, and is proceeded in death in chapter 21. Since the books of 1/2 Kings are more from Israel’s perspective, there are more details about him and his reign in the books of 1/2 Chronicles, more focused on Judah. But how would you and I answer this question. What would you do with a “free” 15 years of life?
Hezekiah sought to serve God as king in the right way. He got rid of high places of idol worship, which already elevated him to a stature above Israel’s (and some of Judah’s) kings. 2 Kings 18:6 says it best: “For he clung to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.”
He saw Samaria, Israel’s capital, get besieged and taken away by Assyria. When Assyria turned its sights on Jerusalem, Judah’s capital, Hezekiah, though the spiritual support of Isaiah prayed for God’s intervention and saw 185,000 Assyrian troops (all of them) destroyed overnight by God’s own hand. God was indeed with him. But some chinks in his armor started to show a bit prior to this. Before praying to God, he sought to buy off Assyria with gold and silver, and only later did he realize he’d been deceived. But he did turn to God for help, and was answered favorably.
Fast forward now to Hezekiah’s illness and looming death in chapter 20. Realizing he is out of options, he petitions God for his health. God shows him a miraculous sign as verification of his healing (the shadow moves backward 10 steps), and he is told through Isaiah that he will have 15 years added to his life. God gave His word, and could now see how this kind act would be received.
Hezekiah is relieved when his illness is gone. Around that same time, though, the king of Babylon heard Hezekiah was sick, and he sent a representative to Jerusalem with well-wishes. Hezekiah pridefully shows this representative all the storehouses filled with treasure. God delivers the message that eventually Babylon will carry all the treasure away, and Judah with it. What he says next to Isaiah and what he thinks to himself are not compatible, and the disconnect speaks volumes. He tells Isaiah that what God’s said through the prophet is good. And all the while, he is thinking of his hope that the rest of his own days will be peaceful. Once healed, he seems to forget what God had really done for him, and turned his concern toward his own well-being for the remainder of his newly-found 15 years. He is no longer as concerned with leading God’s people.
Three years into his new lease on life, Hezekiah fathers Manasseh, and when Manasseh is 12, Hezekiah dies. One would think that a 12-year-old following his father would walk likewise, but as we see often in the Old Testament, such is not always the case. We don’t have recorded conversations between this father and his son. We don’t know what they talked about, or how involved Hezekiah was in his son’s life. We do, however, see Manasseh become the worst, most godless king Judah had, as he sought to undo all his father had done in ridding the nation of idol worship. 55 years Manasseh ruled, and God could only get his attention by having the king of Babylon remove him as if he were cattle.
SO WHAT???
So, as I said, we are not privy to the 12 years spent between Hezekiah and Manasseh. We like to think we’d do much better if God gave us a specific timeline to live. Truth is, we may or may not have 15 more years ourselves. I like to think that my children pay attention to what I do, and how I show them my view of God.
Oh wait, I do. Each and every day, I show them how I feel about God. So what do they see? What have they learned by watching me? Sure, they need to make their own decisions, yet they learn each and every day different aspects to use in making those decisions.
15 years, how much would I do for God if I knew that’s what I had left? Would it change my life today?
While continuing on in 2 Kings, Hezekiah is front and center in chapters 18 and 20, and is proceeded in death in chapter 21. Since the books of 1/2 Kings are more from Israel’s perspective, there are more details about him and his reign in the books of 1/2 Chronicles, more focused on Judah. But how would you and I answer this question. What would you do with a “free” 15 years of life?
Hezekiah sought to serve God as king in the right way. He got rid of high places of idol worship, which already elevated him to a stature above Israel’s (and some of Judah’s) kings. 2 Kings 18:6 says it best: “For he clung to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.”
He saw Samaria, Israel’s capital, get besieged and taken away by Assyria. When Assyria turned its sights on Jerusalem, Judah’s capital, Hezekiah, though the spiritual support of Isaiah prayed for God’s intervention and saw 185,000 Assyrian troops (all of them) destroyed overnight by God’s own hand. God was indeed with him. But some chinks in his armor started to show a bit prior to this. Before praying to God, he sought to buy off Assyria with gold and silver, and only later did he realize he’d been deceived. But he did turn to God for help, and was answered favorably.
Fast forward now to Hezekiah’s illness and looming death in chapter 20. Realizing he is out of options, he petitions God for his health. God shows him a miraculous sign as verification of his healing (the shadow moves backward 10 steps), and he is told through Isaiah that he will have 15 years added to his life. God gave His word, and could now see how this kind act would be received.
Hezekiah is relieved when his illness is gone. Around that same time, though, the king of Babylon heard Hezekiah was sick, and he sent a representative to Jerusalem with well-wishes. Hezekiah pridefully shows this representative all the storehouses filled with treasure. God delivers the message that eventually Babylon will carry all the treasure away, and Judah with it. What he says next to Isaiah and what he thinks to himself are not compatible, and the disconnect speaks volumes. He tells Isaiah that what God’s said through the prophet is good. And all the while, he is thinking of his hope that the rest of his own days will be peaceful. Once healed, he seems to forget what God had really done for him, and turned his concern toward his own well-being for the remainder of his newly-found 15 years. He is no longer as concerned with leading God’s people.
Three years into his new lease on life, Hezekiah fathers Manasseh, and when Manasseh is 12, Hezekiah dies. One would think that a 12-year-old following his father would walk likewise, but as we see often in the Old Testament, such is not always the case. We don’t have recorded conversations between this father and his son. We don’t know what they talked about, or how involved Hezekiah was in his son’s life. We do, however, see Manasseh become the worst, most godless king Judah had, as he sought to undo all his father had done in ridding the nation of idol worship. 55 years Manasseh ruled, and God could only get his attention by having the king of Babylon remove him as if he were cattle.
SO WHAT???
So, as I said, we are not privy to the 12 years spent between Hezekiah and Manasseh. We like to think we’d do much better if God gave us a specific timeline to live. Truth is, we may or may not have 15 more years ourselves. I like to think that my children pay attention to what I do, and how I show them my view of God.
Oh wait, I do. Each and every day, I show them how I feel about God. So what do they see? What have they learned by watching me? Sure, they need to make their own decisions, yet they learn each and every day different aspects to use in making those decisions.
15 years, how much would I do for God if I knew that’s what I had left? Would it change my life today?
Friday, August 19, 2011
Our Own Idolatry - 2 Kings 17
I’ve been reading through 1 and 2 Kings devotionally lately, and I’ll be honest, who is ruling when and with whom, and who takes over after whom is tough for me to follow and track without a nice chart. Thankfully, charts are easy to come by, and for the most part I trust the conservative scholars who have put those together.
In the middle of all the leadership progressions are fascinating accounts of events that occurred to and around these Kings. 1 and 2 Kings primarily deals with the events from the prospective of the Northern Kingdom, or Israel, and a good, honorable king was a rarity. What is inescapable is God’s view of the sin that occurs during the reign of these leaders. And when I came to chapter 17 of 2 Kings, I really had to pause to consider what God thinks of the sin of believers today, of my sin, because the passages read like they could apply today. And in a very real way, they do. I am looking specifically at verses 7 to 19.
Since God never changes, He thinks no different of sin today than He did back then. Granted, I will stop short of comparing our country to Israel, because Israel was to be run as a theocracy, directly under God’s leadership. Today, we as individual believers still serve God directly, yet our country is not corporately called to do so, yet the principles are still rock-solid.
Verse 7 of this chapter begins to describe why Israel fell. Simply put, they sinned against the LORD by fearing (reverently serving) other gods. Having anything placed in priority above God was never acceptable. 1 John 5:21 even tells us “…guard yourselves from idols”. We certainly have a direct parallel to put into practice today. Really, what else does God need to tell us about His expectations. Sin is ultimately putting something, anything, before Him, and is thus idolatry.
Verse 8 then describes the extent of their idolatry. God had judged nations because of their wickedness and abject immorality, and here we read that Israel followed their customs, not God’s commands. The leaders introduced the pagan ways to a nation of God-fearers, and as a result, God decided to separate Himself from His own people. Verse 9 shows how the people thought their wickedness was being done in secret.
So Israel served idols, false Gods, in spite of God saying quite clearly “You shall do no such thing” (verse 12). Yet God never left His people guessing. He warned them repeatedly, which is rehearsed in verse 13. He gave them the Law, He sent prophets, fathers needed to raise their families in God’s way. He made His expectations very clear.
“However, they did not listen” (verse 14). They rejected…they forsook…they stiffened their necks…followed vanity…made for themselves…and even made their own children practice the pagan rituals of verse 17 (passing through fire - child sacrifice, witchcraft, divination, prostitution, etc.). “So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from His sight.”
Judah (the southern kingdom) was witness to all this. They had their own kings and leaders. So many of the minor prophets speak of Judah taking notice of Israel and what God was doing. Verse 19 speaks volumes, then, when you keep all that in perspective. “Judah…walked in the customs which Israel had introduced.” About 136 years later, Judah would go the way of Israel by way of judgment from God.
So what do we take from all this? I’ve already mentioned our own warning against idolatry. We, just like Israel and Judah have been warned directly by God. How closely do we associate with the pagan rituals surrounding us today? There may not be molten images of idols in our homes or in our society, but we have plenty to distract us from full-time attention to God. God promises that to follow Him will only result in eternal blessings, and yet we allow ourselves to regularly forget that.
God wanted a close relationship with His people in the books of the Kings. He wants the same thing now in the New Testament era. We are to pray to Him, hear from Him in His word, make decisions that demonstrate that He is central to our lives, be a shining light for the culture around us, that culture, while not being invaded by it. Israel and Judah both allowed their surrounding culture to dictate their spiritual walk. Quite the opposite was needed then. Quite the opposite is needed now from each of us. We as individual Christians can fall just as hard and devastatingly as Israel.
God loves us enough to warn us. He loves us enough to punish us. And He loves us enough to help us, if only we’d ask and yield to Him.
In the middle of all the leadership progressions are fascinating accounts of events that occurred to and around these Kings. 1 and 2 Kings primarily deals with the events from the prospective of the Northern Kingdom, or Israel, and a good, honorable king was a rarity. What is inescapable is God’s view of the sin that occurs during the reign of these leaders. And when I came to chapter 17 of 2 Kings, I really had to pause to consider what God thinks of the sin of believers today, of my sin, because the passages read like they could apply today. And in a very real way, they do. I am looking specifically at verses 7 to 19.
Since God never changes, He thinks no different of sin today than He did back then. Granted, I will stop short of comparing our country to Israel, because Israel was to be run as a theocracy, directly under God’s leadership. Today, we as individual believers still serve God directly, yet our country is not corporately called to do so, yet the principles are still rock-solid.
Verse 7 of this chapter begins to describe why Israel fell. Simply put, they sinned against the LORD by fearing (reverently serving) other gods. Having anything placed in priority above God was never acceptable. 1 John 5:21 even tells us “…guard yourselves from idols”. We certainly have a direct parallel to put into practice today. Really, what else does God need to tell us about His expectations. Sin is ultimately putting something, anything, before Him, and is thus idolatry.
Verse 8 then describes the extent of their idolatry. God had judged nations because of their wickedness and abject immorality, and here we read that Israel followed their customs, not God’s commands. The leaders introduced the pagan ways to a nation of God-fearers, and as a result, God decided to separate Himself from His own people. Verse 9 shows how the people thought their wickedness was being done in secret.
So Israel served idols, false Gods, in spite of God saying quite clearly “You shall do no such thing” (verse 12). Yet God never left His people guessing. He warned them repeatedly, which is rehearsed in verse 13. He gave them the Law, He sent prophets, fathers needed to raise their families in God’s way. He made His expectations very clear.
“However, they did not listen” (verse 14). They rejected…they forsook…they stiffened their necks…followed vanity…made for themselves…and even made their own children practice the pagan rituals of verse 17 (passing through fire - child sacrifice, witchcraft, divination, prostitution, etc.). “So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from His sight.”
Judah (the southern kingdom) was witness to all this. They had their own kings and leaders. So many of the minor prophets speak of Judah taking notice of Israel and what God was doing. Verse 19 speaks volumes, then, when you keep all that in perspective. “Judah…walked in the customs which Israel had introduced.” About 136 years later, Judah would go the way of Israel by way of judgment from God.
So what do we take from all this? I’ve already mentioned our own warning against idolatry. We, just like Israel and Judah have been warned directly by God. How closely do we associate with the pagan rituals surrounding us today? There may not be molten images of idols in our homes or in our society, but we have plenty to distract us from full-time attention to God. God promises that to follow Him will only result in eternal blessings, and yet we allow ourselves to regularly forget that.
God wanted a close relationship with His people in the books of the Kings. He wants the same thing now in the New Testament era. We are to pray to Him, hear from Him in His word, make decisions that demonstrate that He is central to our lives, be a shining light for the culture around us, that culture, while not being invaded by it. Israel and Judah both allowed their surrounding culture to dictate their spiritual walk. Quite the opposite was needed then. Quite the opposite is needed now from each of us. We as individual Christians can fall just as hard and devastatingly as Israel.
God loves us enough to warn us. He loves us enough to punish us. And He loves us enough to help us, if only we’d ask and yield to Him.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Death is the Enemy
A third contradiction is the major reality of death. If a Christian believes that the fossil record demonstrates millions of years, then he/she must also accept that the eons of death occurred before the Fall (because we can trace back the years to Adam and Eve, and arrive at just over 6000 years). To accept this death before the Fall is to then deny Romans 8:22, and Romans 5:12, and other key passages. Creation groans because of the Fall. Death entered the world because of Adam’s sin. The first recorded death would have been that of the animal used to make clothing for Adam and Eve after they sinned, in Genesis 3:21.
Death is the enemy of man (1 Cor. 15:26). Scripture makes it clear that man can be born once and die twice, or be born twice and die once. Christ died on the cross and rose again in order to defeat that second death. When a person believes and accepts Christ’s atoning payment, he/she experiences the second birth (born again), and thus is free from the second death.
So millions of years is not a salvation issue, per se, but it IS an issue of Biblical authority. The Gospel rests on the authority of Scripture, ultimately on God’s authority. Properly, Biblically, understanding death is then crucial to understanding the good news of the Gospel, and thus understanding its “timeline” helps one properly understand our true need for a Savior.
Look at the major biblical doctrines covered in Genesis 1-11, there for the simple reading and understanding:
God created everything - Gen. 1:1
God created man in His own image - Gen. 1:26-27
One man-one woman marriage - Gen. 2:24
Sin enters the world, by the first man - Gen. 3:1-24
God, from the beginning, promised a Messiah - Gen. 3:15
Death and suffering is the result of sin - Gen. 3:16-19
God sets society’s standards of right/wrong - Gen. 6:5-6
Our ultimate purpose is to walk with Him - Gen. 6:9-10
There is only one race, one human race - Gen. 11:1-9
Holding fast to the name of our Creator
Reference: www.answersingenesis.org
Death is the enemy of man (1 Cor. 15:26). Scripture makes it clear that man can be born once and die twice, or be born twice and die once. Christ died on the cross and rose again in order to defeat that second death. When a person believes and accepts Christ’s atoning payment, he/she experiences the second birth (born again), and thus is free from the second death.
So millions of years is not a salvation issue, per se, but it IS an issue of Biblical authority. The Gospel rests on the authority of Scripture, ultimately on God’s authority. Properly, Biblically, understanding death is then crucial to understanding the good news of the Gospel, and thus understanding its “timeline” helps one properly understand our true need for a Savior.
Look at the major biblical doctrines covered in Genesis 1-11, there for the simple reading and understanding:
God created everything - Gen. 1:1
God created man in His own image - Gen. 1:26-27
One man-one woman marriage - Gen. 2:24
Sin enters the world, by the first man - Gen. 3:1-24
God, from the beginning, promised a Messiah - Gen. 3:15
Death and suffering is the result of sin - Gen. 3:16-19
God sets society’s standards of right/wrong - Gen. 6:5-6
Our ultimate purpose is to walk with Him - Gen. 6:9-10
There is only one race, one human race - Gen. 11:1-9
Holding fast to the name of our Creator
Reference: www.answersingenesis.org
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Contradictions in an "Old Earth"
Thorns, Disease, Diet: Contradictions between the Bible and Secular Thinking
We start with the authority of Scripture, and then filter what we experience through that reality. That is, we can’t pick and choose when we think the Bible is accurate, and when it is missing some scientific or historical point. A few contradictions are noted here, and when I say ‘contradictions’, for the purpose of this entry, I am referring to a Christian’s belief in millions of years not squaring with the Scripture’s teaching.
Genesis 3:17-18 shows us that thorns and thistles showed up AFTER the Fall and resultant curse. So we have a choice, we can believe this, or we can look to “science” to give us a better answer, which it will not. Christians really need to settle on God’s Word, and trust its truth. But look at some evidence we have at hand. Scientists have found in rock layers, believed to be millions of year old, thorns. Thus, they reach the conclusion that they, too, are millions of years old, and Christians are tempted to believe them, coming to the conclusion that thorns must have existed before man. If we stay true to Scripture, and realize thorns came after the Fall/Curse, we can also understand very easily that those rock layers are not millions of years old, laid down slowly over time, but the result of some catastrophic event, perhaps some sort of global Flood?
Something else scientists have discovered is fossil remains showing evidence of diseases (cancer, tumors, etc.). Again, since we are told that these fossils are millions of years old, then even the Christian who believes in Adam and Eve are led to believe that disease was here before the creation of man. Read Genesis 1:31. God said “very good” when Creation was done. Disease does not fit that perfect nature of God, and would not have been existent at that time. As we read these passages, and then compare them with what we hear from the secular realm, we really should be sharpening ourselves to and by the Word of God, trusting Him at His word, and realizing there are simpler, Biblical explanations for what we find in the fossils.
Genesis 1:29-30 explain the original diet, how man and beast alike were vegetarian prior to sin entering the world. What we find in the fossils is lots of evidence of animals eating each other, and again, we are led to believe that this occurred millions of years ago. Since we know the Bible is true, and we know that the original creatures were not meat-eaters, we then should, as consistent Christians, come to the conclusion that the fossil record is not millions of years old, after all, but more like 4000 years old, dating back to some catastrophic event, like a global Flood.
We need to change our way of thinking, Christians. When we filter what we actually see and experience today through the Scriptures, holding to their authority and accuracy, then we should find that God is no author of confusion, but rather of order. Sin disrupted the order established at Creation, and we now need to rely on our Savior to once again bring order. We certainly should look forward to that new Creation, written of at the end of His Word.
Holding fast to the name of our Creator
Reference: www.answersingenesis.org
We start with the authority of Scripture, and then filter what we experience through that reality. That is, we can’t pick and choose when we think the Bible is accurate, and when it is missing some scientific or historical point. A few contradictions are noted here, and when I say ‘contradictions’, for the purpose of this entry, I am referring to a Christian’s belief in millions of years not squaring with the Scripture’s teaching.
Genesis 3:17-18 shows us that thorns and thistles showed up AFTER the Fall and resultant curse. So we have a choice, we can believe this, or we can look to “science” to give us a better answer, which it will not. Christians really need to settle on God’s Word, and trust its truth. But look at some evidence we have at hand. Scientists have found in rock layers, believed to be millions of year old, thorns. Thus, they reach the conclusion that they, too, are millions of years old, and Christians are tempted to believe them, coming to the conclusion that thorns must have existed before man. If we stay true to Scripture, and realize thorns came after the Fall/Curse, we can also understand very easily that those rock layers are not millions of years old, laid down slowly over time, but the result of some catastrophic event, perhaps some sort of global Flood?
Something else scientists have discovered is fossil remains showing evidence of diseases (cancer, tumors, etc.). Again, since we are told that these fossils are millions of years old, then even the Christian who believes in Adam and Eve are led to believe that disease was here before the creation of man. Read Genesis 1:31. God said “very good” when Creation was done. Disease does not fit that perfect nature of God, and would not have been existent at that time. As we read these passages, and then compare them with what we hear from the secular realm, we really should be sharpening ourselves to and by the Word of God, trusting Him at His word, and realizing there are simpler, Biblical explanations for what we find in the fossils.
Genesis 1:29-30 explain the original diet, how man and beast alike were vegetarian prior to sin entering the world. What we find in the fossils is lots of evidence of animals eating each other, and again, we are led to believe that this occurred millions of years ago. Since we know the Bible is true, and we know that the original creatures were not meat-eaters, we then should, as consistent Christians, come to the conclusion that the fossil record is not millions of years old, after all, but more like 4000 years old, dating back to some catastrophic event, like a global Flood.
We need to change our way of thinking, Christians. When we filter what we actually see and experience today through the Scriptures, holding to their authority and accuracy, then we should find that God is no author of confusion, but rather of order. Sin disrupted the order established at Creation, and we now need to rely on our Savior to once again bring order. We certainly should look forward to that new Creation, written of at the end of His Word.
Holding fast to the name of our Creator
Reference: www.answersingenesis.org
Monday, August 15, 2011
Young or Old Earth
Consequences of Belief in and Old Earth:
Authority of Scripture
Do I need to believe in a young earth to be saved? How old is the earth, anyway, and really, for the sake of Christian unity, why on earth (pun intended) does it matter? Who cares if it is 6000 years or 4.6 billion years? I mean, we are all about the Gospel, the Old Testament looks ahead to Christ, we look back to Christ, being New Testament believers. So as long as we truly trust in Christ and His work on the cross, why make a big deal on how old the earth is?
Well, first, take a look at three bible verses:
1 Corinthians 15:17, John 3:3 (and 3:7), Romans 10:9-13. Clearly, none of these speaks to a young or old earth belief. And there are many other verses that are similar. So the short answer to the first question is “No,” one does not need to believe in a young earth to be saved.
Over time, many different theories of creation have developed, such as the gap theory, the day-age theory, theistic evolution, and so on. Newer ones include framework hypothesis (where Genesis is viewed entirely as poetry and allegorical) and progressive creation (big bang, creation “days” of long eras, local Flood, and creation of new species as extinction occurred). And these are NOT beliefs held by non-believers, but by believers, and the latter two are the most popular today in our seminaries and bible colleges.
However, believing in the age of the earth to span millions and billions of years has very severe consequences.
At the top of that list of consequences is the authority of Scripture. It was man who came up with millions of years, and so they attempted to fit those long time periods into the Bible somewhere, and the beginning of Genesis was very convenient. In essence, they took the authority of man’s teaching and place it above the authority of God’s Word. The vast number of Bible scholars, using sound interpretive methods (good hermeneutics), realize that the Hebrew text does not allow for the days of creation being anything but literal 24-hour days. But since “science” has purported to show otherwise, these same scholars are left to reinterpret the words, or to add a human concept to the meaning.
In doing so, they have undermined God’s authority, and thus opened the door to compromise. The danger is that subsequent generations will take that door and push it open further. In our country today, there has been a major loss of Biblical authority, because the church has not stood its ground.
Already, Christians debate whether or not Adam and Eve were real, historical people, or if they were simply an allegorical example of God working in humans once they evolved as such. This is a direct outcome from compromising on God’s literal account as written.
The time to take a stand is now. A young earth is an essential, foundational Bible truth. Simply believing what God said has never really been a cause for popularity. But as I take today and the next couple days to discuss why this earth age topic is serious, I pray that you will find renewed strength to continue the battle we face in this world, defending our Savior, as we point others to Him in our daily lives.
Holding fast to the name of our Creator
Reference: http://www.answersingenesis.org
Authority of Scripture
Do I need to believe in a young earth to be saved? How old is the earth, anyway, and really, for the sake of Christian unity, why on earth (pun intended) does it matter? Who cares if it is 6000 years or 4.6 billion years? I mean, we are all about the Gospel, the Old Testament looks ahead to Christ, we look back to Christ, being New Testament believers. So as long as we truly trust in Christ and His work on the cross, why make a big deal on how old the earth is?
Well, first, take a look at three bible verses:
1 Corinthians 15:17, John 3:3 (and 3:7), Romans 10:9-13. Clearly, none of these speaks to a young or old earth belief. And there are many other verses that are similar. So the short answer to the first question is “No,” one does not need to believe in a young earth to be saved.
Over time, many different theories of creation have developed, such as the gap theory, the day-age theory, theistic evolution, and so on. Newer ones include framework hypothesis (where Genesis is viewed entirely as poetry and allegorical) and progressive creation (big bang, creation “days” of long eras, local Flood, and creation of new species as extinction occurred). And these are NOT beliefs held by non-believers, but by believers, and the latter two are the most popular today in our seminaries and bible colleges.
However, believing in the age of the earth to span millions and billions of years has very severe consequences.
At the top of that list of consequences is the authority of Scripture. It was man who came up with millions of years, and so they attempted to fit those long time periods into the Bible somewhere, and the beginning of Genesis was very convenient. In essence, they took the authority of man’s teaching and place it above the authority of God’s Word. The vast number of Bible scholars, using sound interpretive methods (good hermeneutics), realize that the Hebrew text does not allow for the days of creation being anything but literal 24-hour days. But since “science” has purported to show otherwise, these same scholars are left to reinterpret the words, or to add a human concept to the meaning.
In doing so, they have undermined God’s authority, and thus opened the door to compromise. The danger is that subsequent generations will take that door and push it open further. In our country today, there has been a major loss of Biblical authority, because the church has not stood its ground.
Already, Christians debate whether or not Adam and Eve were real, historical people, or if they were simply an allegorical example of God working in humans once they evolved as such. This is a direct outcome from compromising on God’s literal account as written.
The time to take a stand is now. A young earth is an essential, foundational Bible truth. Simply believing what God said has never really been a cause for popularity. But as I take today and the next couple days to discuss why this earth age topic is serious, I pray that you will find renewed strength to continue the battle we face in this world, defending our Savior, as we point others to Him in our daily lives.
Holding fast to the name of our Creator
Reference: http://www.answersingenesis.org
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
God is...not like me
When we speak of foundations, we can never forget that we start with a sound working knowledge of just who God is. Not who we THINK He is, but really who He is. In reading through some Psalms last night, I was in Psalm 50. And in God’s perfect timing, which by now should really not surprise me, I picked up a recommended book today dealing with knowing who God is (“Knowledge of the Holy”), and the opening chapter deals with idolatry, and took me to that same Psalm. Here is the verse that the author mentioned, and God is speaking to His people:
“These things you have done and I kept silence;
You thought that I was just like you;
I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes…” Psalm 50:21
Our basic problem when it comes to our flesh, and our human way of thinking, is we tend to think that God is just like us, or that we think like He does. God says, “You thought that I was just like you”, and when we do just that, He faithfully says “Let me show you a thing or two. I’m God, you are not, now pay attention.” OK, so that is my paraphrase, and I praise God that He continues to be willing to show Himself to me, to show me where I am not like Him, to remind me where I fall short, and always so that I can be given the opportunity to grow, to learn more about Him, and to worship Him at a deeper level than I did the day before.
I’ve dealt briefly here with Creation, the Fall, the Flood, and Babel. And once we have these first 11 chapters of Genesis established as God’s accurate account of history, the rest of Scripture rests so firmly on the foundation He laid, as He describes Himself to us, who He is, and what He has done for us through Christ. My goal is never to “prove” these accounts, or to win converts just to belief in these accounts, but to win souls for Christ. And winning souls means dealing with sinful people, self included. And pride needs to be knocked down quite a bit, so as to let God work through me. All the knowledge in the world is wonderful, but only if I allow it to make myself more useful to Him and His purposes, His way of thinking.
When we take time to consider who God really is, we should be amazed; He should leave us in awe! There simply are not words to describe how we should feel and react. “Worship” sums it up Biblically, and even that word leaves us with questions. That’s OK, the main point He tells us is that He must be the object of that worship, and Him alone. When we seek to know God, when we listen to Him in our lives, we have all the foundation we need this side of glory.
Take time today to talk to Him, to listen to Him. We can so easily let what goes on around us take our hearts and minds away from Him; quite the opposite, we need our hearts and minds on Him to keep the world around us in proper perspective.
“Cease striving (be still) and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10
Holding fast to the name of our Creator.
“These things you have done and I kept silence;
You thought that I was just like you;
I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes…” Psalm 50:21
Our basic problem when it comes to our flesh, and our human way of thinking, is we tend to think that God is just like us, or that we think like He does. God says, “You thought that I was just like you”, and when we do just that, He faithfully says “Let me show you a thing or two. I’m God, you are not, now pay attention.” OK, so that is my paraphrase, and I praise God that He continues to be willing to show Himself to me, to show me where I am not like Him, to remind me where I fall short, and always so that I can be given the opportunity to grow, to learn more about Him, and to worship Him at a deeper level than I did the day before.
I’ve dealt briefly here with Creation, the Fall, the Flood, and Babel. And once we have these first 11 chapters of Genesis established as God’s accurate account of history, the rest of Scripture rests so firmly on the foundation He laid, as He describes Himself to us, who He is, and what He has done for us through Christ. My goal is never to “prove” these accounts, or to win converts just to belief in these accounts, but to win souls for Christ. And winning souls means dealing with sinful people, self included. And pride needs to be knocked down quite a bit, so as to let God work through me. All the knowledge in the world is wonderful, but only if I allow it to make myself more useful to Him and His purposes, His way of thinking.
When we take time to consider who God really is, we should be amazed; He should leave us in awe! There simply are not words to describe how we should feel and react. “Worship” sums it up Biblically, and even that word leaves us with questions. That’s OK, the main point He tells us is that He must be the object of that worship, and Him alone. When we seek to know God, when we listen to Him in our lives, we have all the foundation we need this side of glory.
Take time today to talk to Him, to listen to Him. We can so easily let what goes on around us take our hearts and minds away from Him; quite the opposite, we need our hearts and minds on Him to keep the world around us in proper perspective.
“Cease striving (be still) and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10
Holding fast to the name of our Creator.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Confusion over Babel
Questions to ponder…
Did the people ever finish the Tower of Babel at Shinar?
Was Noah still alive during the Babel incident?
How important was Peleg?
Another key foundational truth is the account of Genesis 11, specifically the Tower of Babel. Following the Flood, the command given was to be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. Children were born and generations developed, and yet the people, all of a common language, settled in Shinar, and remained localized. As the people grew in number, so did their impression of themselves, and they looked to make a name for themselves, pridefully opposing God. The account is short, and rather straightforward. God confuses their language and forces them to scatter, by language groups.
This is an important event, because it provides for a Biblical defense and explanation of why we have many languages today, and even why we have different and diverse “people groups” (think of the modern concept of races). The languages aspect is clearer and quicker to reconcile.
But why the people groups? As people were separated and isolated somewhat by language, so too would their genetic information eventually become similarly isolated. Take melanin, for example, the pigment in skin cells that regulate our color, or more specifically, our shade. Those with higher levels of melanin have darker skin, and are actually more protected against sun cancer. OK, so there were not oncologists at Babel, but the scattered groups would have likely consisted of various-shaded people, and those who migrated closer to the equator (much more direct and intense sunlight) with fair skin might simply have died younger, reproducing fewer offspring. No genetic information was changed, but those genetically-disposed to darker skin would have more offspring and as the gene pool effectively diminished, you would be left with a population of people in the equatorial region with predominantly darker skin.
And so it goes that each people group resulted from an isolation of genetic material, resulting in common characteristics of those people. All human, actually all of one “race”, all in the image of God, and yet diverse in superficial characteristics. Having a clear Biblical worldview would naturally lend a person to NOT be racist, but rather see the creativity of our Creator in the complexity of the possibilities of human characteristics.
Genesis 1-11 must be held to a literal reading and understanding, as these chapters provide the foundations for the Christian faith today. Creation is vital to our understanding of Christ, the creator, according to Colossians, the diversity of life forms that we see, which is not a result of some evolutionary process over billions/millions of years. The literal Adam and Eve and the resulting Fall are key components to our salvation. The Flood so easily and readily explains what we see today in geology and paleontology, as well as the preservation of those life forms on board the ark. Genealogies support a young earth, and observational science does the same.
Too many today forsake these sections of Scripture, rendering them less meaningful than the Gospel, and yet they are an integral part of that very Gospel message. If we allow Christians to chip away at the very authority of God’s Word in these areas, what’s next?
ANSWERS:
1) Yes, the tower was finished (Gen. 11:5, “The LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.”) It was done. The city, however, was not, until after the dispersion, and Nimrod took charge. Chapter 10, which in not in chronological order with chapter 11, says of Nimrod, “The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.” (v. 10)
2) Yes, Noah was alive at the time of the Babel incident. He lived to be 950, 350 of those years after the Flood, and he was the great-great-great-great grandfather of Peleg. Noah would have been about 940 when Peleg died (at only 240). Peleg would have been born about 100 years after the Flood.
3) Peleg is noted in the genealogy in chapter 10 with this description: “in his days, the earth was divided”, a reference to the language division of Babel. Genealogies might seem boring to read, and God had them written down for a reason.
Holding fast to the name of our Creator, for His glory.
Did the people ever finish the Tower of Babel at Shinar?
Was Noah still alive during the Babel incident?
How important was Peleg?
Another key foundational truth is the account of Genesis 11, specifically the Tower of Babel. Following the Flood, the command given was to be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. Children were born and generations developed, and yet the people, all of a common language, settled in Shinar, and remained localized. As the people grew in number, so did their impression of themselves, and they looked to make a name for themselves, pridefully opposing God. The account is short, and rather straightforward. God confuses their language and forces them to scatter, by language groups.
This is an important event, because it provides for a Biblical defense and explanation of why we have many languages today, and even why we have different and diverse “people groups” (think of the modern concept of races). The languages aspect is clearer and quicker to reconcile.
But why the people groups? As people were separated and isolated somewhat by language, so too would their genetic information eventually become similarly isolated. Take melanin, for example, the pigment in skin cells that regulate our color, or more specifically, our shade. Those with higher levels of melanin have darker skin, and are actually more protected against sun cancer. OK, so there were not oncologists at Babel, but the scattered groups would have likely consisted of various-shaded people, and those who migrated closer to the equator (much more direct and intense sunlight) with fair skin might simply have died younger, reproducing fewer offspring. No genetic information was changed, but those genetically-disposed to darker skin would have more offspring and as the gene pool effectively diminished, you would be left with a population of people in the equatorial region with predominantly darker skin.
And so it goes that each people group resulted from an isolation of genetic material, resulting in common characteristics of those people. All human, actually all of one “race”, all in the image of God, and yet diverse in superficial characteristics. Having a clear Biblical worldview would naturally lend a person to NOT be racist, but rather see the creativity of our Creator in the complexity of the possibilities of human characteristics.
Genesis 1-11 must be held to a literal reading and understanding, as these chapters provide the foundations for the Christian faith today. Creation is vital to our understanding of Christ, the creator, according to Colossians, the diversity of life forms that we see, which is not a result of some evolutionary process over billions/millions of years. The literal Adam and Eve and the resulting Fall are key components to our salvation. The Flood so easily and readily explains what we see today in geology and paleontology, as well as the preservation of those life forms on board the ark. Genealogies support a young earth, and observational science does the same.
Too many today forsake these sections of Scripture, rendering them less meaningful than the Gospel, and yet they are an integral part of that very Gospel message. If we allow Christians to chip away at the very authority of God’s Word in these areas, what’s next?
ANSWERS:
1) Yes, the tower was finished (Gen. 11:5, “The LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.”) It was done. The city, however, was not, until after the dispersion, and Nimrod took charge. Chapter 10, which in not in chronological order with chapter 11, says of Nimrod, “The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.” (v. 10)
2) Yes, Noah was alive at the time of the Babel incident. He lived to be 950, 350 of those years after the Flood, and he was the great-great-great-great grandfather of Peleg. Noah would have been about 940 when Peleg died (at only 240). Peleg would have been born about 100 years after the Flood.
3) Peleg is noted in the genealogy in chapter 10 with this description: “in his days, the earth was divided”, a reference to the language division of Babel. Genealogies might seem boring to read, and God had them written down for a reason.
Holding fast to the name of our Creator, for His glory.
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