MasterTruth

Whose Son was David

I love the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. I’ll bet there’s not a children’s Bible story book that doesn’t include this amazing true snippet from David’s life. But has anyone besides me ever puzzled over the last four verses of this chapter? It’s the part where Saul becomes obsessed to find out whose son David is. He asks three times in four verses whose son David is. This wouldn’t be so odd, except if you read the end of the previous chapter, Saul was totally aware of whose son David was. Here, look.

After looking at these two passages next to each other, I can conclude one of two things. A) Saul had advanced dementia, or B) God thinks it’s really important that we all grasp whose son David is. If you can think of another reason, please share.

Jesse is the obvious answer to whose son David is. But was Jesse a remarkable character in the Bible? Look him up. His first claim to fame was that his son was David. Jesse is mentioned 47 times in the Bible, and 17 of those times puts David and Jesse in the same verse. Without being too wordy, I’m going to point out a few verses that add weight to whose son David is. All the while, let’s remember that David is a type of Christ (mentioned in my last 2 blogs).

• The prophet Isaiah said in Isa 11:1: And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: Jesse is the stem. David was a proxy for Jesus (Capital “B: Branch). This is Christ’s first coming.
• The prophet Isaiah continued in Isa 11:10: And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. This is Christ’s second coming. We know because of the reference to “that day,” which always refers to Christ’s second coming plus the reference to “his rest,” which refers to the Millennial rest. At Christ’s second coming He sets up the Millennial kingdom/rest.

If you can call a father’s children his branches, we will call Jesse the root stock, and king David is a branch from him. But so is king Jesus. Just a few years removed.

When Saul asked three times in four verses whose son this valiant David was, his curious thoughts and words were recorded to help us pay attention to this very detail. Later in Biblical time, we can all connect the dots.

Oh, by the way. Does it matter to us Gentiles that David (as a type of Jesus) was king of the Jews? Is this all for naught to us today living in a different dispensation and not part of Israel? This one is for us courtesy of the Apostle Paul: (Rom 15:12) And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. Ah. The Branch from Jesse wasn’t just for the Jews.

Jesus is King in our lives spiritually, and one day He will be our literal King. With Him reigning, our vexed souls will be at rest. Right now, we may feel that life as we’ve always known it is swirling down the drain. But when He finally appears, His righteous, just, pure, steady hand of control will be that much more glorious. And that’s by design.

As a proxy for Jesus Christ, David slayed that dastardly Goliath. Can we say that the spirit of Goliath lives today, and we are staring him in the face? It will take our real King to slay him. And let all the world ask… whose son is that?

Tell me what you think.

Jody

 

There's More to David and Goliath

Who doesn’t love the story of David and Goliath? When you read it, it’s like watching a movie in your mind. The underdog kid takes a stone in his slingshot and conks the nasty giant on the head and he falls over dead. Applause!

This movie reel that we are watching in our mind that happens in 1 Sam 17… I want to pause it on one frame. Before that frame, I want to highlight what has led up to this spot in the story. … Young David has already been anointed to be the next king by Samuel, unbeknownst to God-rejected current king Saul (1 Sam 16:1-2). David has become Saul’s music therapist by others’ persuasion (1 Sam. 16:14-23). David’s father Jesse has commissioned David to go feed bread to his brothers on the battle line (1 Sam 17:17). In this process, David hears Goliath’s challenge of 40 days for someone of Israel to step up and fight him like a man (1 Sam 17:16, 23). David’s brothers have rejected him being there (1 Sam 17:28-29). Perhaps because of his music-therapist connection with Saul, David gets an audience with Saul where this young whipper snapper presents himself as the one to take on Goliath (1 Sam 17:31-32).

Before I push “play” on our movie reel, I must stall briefly to lift our eyes out of the historical account to what’s going on prophetically. If you read my last post, you see that David was a type of Christ—seen from the verse where God tells us he has “provided me a king among his (Jesse’s) sons.” (1 Sam 16:1 confirmed in Isa. 11:1)

Okay. Back to our movie. Take a handful of popcorn. Here we go.

These two verses  begin the identity of David not only as a conquering king after God’s own heart (before he was installed as king), but also as a prophet. Here are some points to ponder:

• When you read the continuing story of David killing Goliath, don’t miss the fact that he acted kingly in this famous moment before he was king, just as Jesus accomplished his greatest salvation feats before being installed as king (which is yet to happen!)
• Notice also that the testimony David was driving at in the verses above was that “there is a God in Israel.” This story prophetically is about a king in Israel. This will be the case in the Millennium after Jesus has returned as King.
• But the biggest point I want you to see is how that David launched his identity as a prophet in these verses. BTW, was he actually a prophet as well as king? Yeppers. See Acts 2:30 and additionally, consider the “Messianic Psalms.” All those are prophetic and written by David. So yes, he was also a prophet.

Now let’s read the verses again, and this time, ask yourself, “how did David know that? Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. (1 Sam 17:45-46)

He knew how this story was going to end because the Spirit of the Lord was with him. He was future king, yes, but he was also a prophet. You read those two verses a third time and you get a glimpse into how God worked with prophets to record the scriptures. What the prophets recorded in the Bible didn’t come from their imagination or their gifted writing abilities. They were dropped in their pens/head/mouths just as the words David said in our verses were dropped into his mouth (2 Pet 1:20-21). What he told Goliath in that prophetic moment was God-breathed into David’s mouth. And then it was lived out. He took off Goliath’s head “this day.”

Just as a closing thought. That “feeding dead bodies to the fowls of the air.” In our story, Goliath had just told David he was going to kill him and give his flesh to the fowls of the air. Um. It didn’t happen like that. Instead, David turned that on Goliath and told him. No, he was going to give the carcases of the host of the Philistines to the fowls of the air. This also points to the future, Look at Rev. 19:17-18. Those fowls of the air will be the clean-up crew after the Battle of Armageddon. For David historically, it happened “this day.” Prophetically, it will happen “that day,” and that’s a whole different study!

There is certainly more to this whole story than the fascinating historical event that it was! It speaks of the future.

Tell me what you think.

Jody

I Wonder Why...

Some of my best Bible studies, especially when reading the Old Testament, start with the question, “I wonder why…”

Going through 1 Samuel, I’m in chapter 16 where Samuel and God are communing about God’s rejection of king Saul. But before even getting past verse 1, I just find it intriguing that the first king the Israelites got (Saul) was not up to snuff. He wasn’t good enough. Another king was needed. I wonder why? Did God make a mistake in having Samuel anoint Saul as king in 1 Sam 10:1? I’ve learned that there is always a bigger picture in play in the telling of historical events. And, in the telling of history, there are glimpses of Jesus. I watch how things are worded. And I found something today I’ve never seen before. I hope you will see it with me.

1 Sam 16:1: And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

What’s going on historically is plain. No need to repeat. But what’s happening prophetically? It’s in the words. Compare the verses in the graphic and tell me if you see it.

I’ve long heard Bible teachers talk about how you can see Jesus in the Genesis story of Abraham offering Isaac. Partly you see that in the phrase “God will provide himself a lamb,” meaning He would be the lamb (in Jesus) prophetically. Well, that same thing applies to our passage. Through a prophetic lens, God was saying just what He said. “I have provided me a king…”

Go with me into God’s plan for the yet future. If you think what’s happening in the world today is mind boggling, just consider the tribulation when there will be a wicked king (the antichrist) the likes of whom no one has seen. He will start out exemplary, just like Saul did. To the Jews, the antichrist will be a welcome sight with his promise of peace for Israel. Saul was a welcome sight to the Israelites. They just wanted a king. Unfortunately, their king did not know the Lord. How do I know that? After Saul had sinned by not obeying God’s command to destroy everything of the enemy Amalekites, Samuel confronted Saul with his sin. He made excuses for his sin, revealing his disobedient lackadaisical heart. The prophet Samuel told Saul that God was done with him as king. Saul’s response was… ponderous. Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God. (1 Sam 15:30)

Have you heard the term “saving face?” That’s what’s going on in this verse. Saul admits to messenger prophet Samuel that he sinned. But he doesn’t want his honor as king stripped away. He asks Samuel to honor him in front of the people. Honestly. That’s what’s going on in this verse. Read it again. His face-saving request is to “worship the Lord thy God” in front of the people. He wants to keep up appearances. Hmm. And looking at every word, do you notice that Saul requests to worship “the Lord thy God?” I guess he figures he isn’t fooling Samuel anymore, so he doesn’t find it necessary to confess the Lord as his own God. It’s “thy God” he asks to “worship.”

And so we see the bigger picture in type. Saul, the antichrist—not the true saving king. The next king, Jesus, whom David pictures, will be right after the antichrist to wrap up the tribulation and return as King.

Let’s end with the turning of the page to 1 Samuel 16:1 again—and now read it with fresh eyes:

And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

(Isa 11:1) And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

Learn to read the Old Testament through the lens of the future. You'll notice that God is the author of the concept "history repeats itself."

Tell me what you think.

Jody

There's Got to be More to the Bible

I wonder how many believers feel like I did the first half of my Christian life. I dutifully went to church (Bible and Baptist churches) and knew the verses that linked success to knowing and meditating on the Bible. I had daily devotions and sat through regular services. Two decades in and I became disheartened. Never in a sermon did I hear anything I couldn’t have gotten from reading the Bible myself. In fact, I was reading my Bible and had already gotten it. There was nothing new.  I cried out to God. There had to be more.

God heard my prayer, and He knew exactly what I needed. It required getting me out of my bland church and into one I never would have picked had God not drawn me by compelling circumstances. It was at this church I learned of deep, soul-satisfying treasures in the Bible. I had only ever read and heard of two dimensions of the Bible—historic and devotional. That is, you take the events that happened in the Bible and figure out how you can apply those lessons to your daily life. At this new-to-me church, I learned of a third dimension that makes the Bible come alive with God’s plan and His working through the ages to make that plan happen. The third dimension is the doctrinal/prophetic angle.

Exactly what am I talking about? Well, today I am releasing a fiction book called “Treasures in Plain Sight.” It’s a short allegory novel (62 pages) taking the reader though the main character’s experience regarding Bible understanding. It shows how she came to learn of the deep treasures from God and how that helped her to get to know the Lord better. And isn’t that the ultimate goal of our Bible reading? You can read the first six chapters for free if you click on “Book: Treasures in Plain Sight” on the right side of this page. If you like it, it’s available pretty cheap on Amazon ($4.95). Even cheaper on Kindle ($2.99).

Without that third dimension of doctrine and God’s ultimate purpose, my spiritual life was flat. But once I was conditioned and trained to see the hidden treasures, my life has never been the same. Further, it was at this church with this view of the Bible I met my husband Richmond who came to know the Lord and grow right out of the gate with that expanded outlook. We are on the same page and started this blog 14 years ago in order to share some of the truths we know and live by!

Jody

Assumptions and Deception are First Cousins

Both friends and foes of the Lord naturally operate on assumptions and end up deceived. Unpleasant consequences follow, like in 1 Samuel 3. The Israelites were just defeated by the enemy Philistines. The Israelites then assumed in chapter 4 that if they had the ark of the covenant with them, they would win the next battle. After all, hadn’t they won the battle against their enemy Egyptian slave masters when the ark went before them into the Red Sea?

Their assumption that the ark was the key to that victory was a deception. The truth was that God was not with them in this battle, for He was angry with them. The result of their assumption that they would have victory in the ark ended in disaster. Not only were they still defeated, the ark of the covenant was stolen by the enemy Philistines. It’s what 1 Samuel chapter 4 is all about.

In 1 Samuel 5, the enemy Philistines assumed that the ark of the covenant was a god who was on their side, allowing them victory against the Israelites. So, they stored the ark in the house of their god Dagon. Not only did their god Dagon mysteriously fall over twice in front of the ark (with its head and hands cut off the second time it happened), but the men in the cities were destroyed wherever the ark was. The enemy Philistines moved the ark to 3 of its cities to stave off destruction, and each of the three cities was destroyed: Ashdod (5:1-7); Gath (5:8-9); Ekron (5:10-12). Their assumption of victory turned out to be a deceived way of thinking.

Now, all that is history, isn’t it? But, be warned, deception is not over. In the context of the last days, which we are in, notice what Paul says to Timothy:  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived (2 Timothy 3:13). Little wonder, because Satan knows his days are numbered. Here’s what he has to look forward to: And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (Revelation 12:9).

Going forward, deception will reign in this world. How is one to live in this reality? The same way you’ve been taught: Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6). When we lean on our own understanding, we are leaning on our assumptions.

In these last days of deception in government, education, media and non-Bible believing/teaching churches, we can’t afford to believe everything we hear, assuming it to be true. There are only two sources of truth and certainty: God and His word. Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever (Psalm 119:160). Consider not only reading it, but studying it. And not only that, memorize it so His word and not your assumptions fill your mind.

Jody

Different Operating Systems

I confess, when talking to Christians who believe we should keep the Sabbath, I have misused Col 2:16. (Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:) My point with that verse was to say, “if you want to keep the Sabbath day, you are perfectly free to do that. I can’t judge you on that. Just don’t tell every Christian they need to keep the Sabbath.”

Like most of us, I have been guilty of taking a single verse and making a case with it. Restating my previous case: “I won’t judge someone who wants to keep the Sabbath day. I know Christians aren’t called to observe it, but anyone who wants to is free to, and who am I to judge them?”

But rule No. 1 of Bible study is context. What is God saying to whom? How does the verse fit in the larger context of what the writer is saying?

I discovered my lack of understanding when studying through Col. 2, just using the Bible, not a commentary, devotional book, fill-in-the-blank workbook or any outside source. In Col. 2, Paul is commending the Colossians for their faith in “the faith” and encourages them to keep it up. (Col. 2:4-7) Then Paul warns them of folks who try to spoil them through philosophy, vain deceit, the tradition of men and the principles of the world, and not after Christ. (Col. 2:8).

I think the key point of chapter 2 is verses 9-10 “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” This was HUGE for this time as folks were still morphing out of the OT law into NT grace. He was saying they were complete in Christ (and not complete by keeping the law).

To illustrate, the Old Testament law with its ordinances, feasts and sacrifices is like a computer operating system. Let’s say Microsoft on a personal computer. All those elements (dietary requirements, holy observances, sabbath days, etc.) were what God required of the Jews in the Old Testament. That was their operating system. One of the 10 commandments was to keep the Sabbath. And I will argue, it was one of the most important of the 10 commandments, punishable by death if they didn’t keep it. (Ex. 31:15 and 35:2)

Then came Christ as the divine human sacrifice for sins by which we could and should be saved by grace through faith in Christ’s shed blood for our sins. That, my friends, is the New Testament operating system. I’ll call it Apple’s Mac. It’s totally different from Microsoft. But you see, every religious person was used to “Microsoft.” Couldn’t/Shouldn’t NT believers keep that as part of their operating system?

Paul’s point to the Colossians, who were inundated with folks promoting the old operating system, was that the new system was all about faith in Christ. Only instead of calling it Apple’s Mac system, he called it “the faith.” (Col. 2:7)

OK, now let’s look at Col. 2:16-17. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. Paul’s readers were being judged by those insisting on the old operating system. These young believers were being told they had to observe the dietary laws and keep the holydays and sabbath days. Paul was telling them not to let anyone judge them for NOT keeping them. Look at verse 17. Those laws “are a shadow of things to come.” What God instituted in the OT pictured things yet future. “but the body is of Christ.” The body, the church, is the current operating system. The two systems just don’t operate the same. God invented both. Right now in the church age, those OT laws are set aside. For this age, don’t let anyone judge you for not keeping these laws, including the Sabbath.

In closing, I will say that God is not done with the old operating system. It isn’t the way we operate in the church age, but those OT laws and observances were a shadow of things to come. That means they were a picture or type. I’ll argue that some of this will come back in the Millennium, which is the 7,000^th year –a Millennium of rest, and the Sabbath (7^th day of rest) is a shadow of the 7,000^th year Millennium of rest. To some degree, in the Millennium, the world might go back to some of the old operating system. But not right now. So, the point is, don’t let anyone judge ME or YOU for not keeping the Sabbath. We live by grace through faith in the finished work of Christ. This is the church age (at least it still was on Oct. 9, 2021!).

Jody

Moses at God's Service

I continue to find amazing ways in which Moses pictures Christ. I started this journey of correlating the two after reading this verse: And the LORD said unto me (Moses), They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee (Moses), and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. (Deut. 18:17) This opened my mind to the possibility that much of what went on with Moses pictures Christ’s work at His first coming, and later at His second coming.

As we see things today, I have to first point out that not everything in Moses’s life pictures Christ. Moses was literally his own meek self. Oh wait, wasn’t Jesus also meek? The Bible only ascribes meekness to Moses (Num. 12:3) and Jesus (Matt 11:29).

At any rate, after God finishes explaining to Moses how He plans to use him to deliver Israel (Oh wait, doesn’t God use Jesus to deliver Israel at His Second Coming), Moses pushes back in chapter 4. And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. (Exo. 4:1) In my almost 50 years of reading the Bible and listening to sermons, the takeaway from this verse has always been that Moses, like us, had a lot of self-doubt and lack of trust that what God promises, He’s able to perform. But with my new lens, I see that what Moses does in this verse is NOT to question God. Do you see a question mark? He didn’t ask, “What if they don’t believe me?” He made a statement. “But, behold, they will not believe me.”  Do you see some Prophet Moses/Jesus here? He stated the fact, the people would not believe him. The “they” that wouldn’t believe him goes back to chapter 3 when God talked about the Egyptians. Egypt is a type of the world. Those in the world would not believe Moses—or Jesus. It was a prophetic statement.

From here, God introduces the rod in Moses’s hand. I won’t discuss that much here because I did a six-blog series on how the rod pictures Christ in 2012-13. (Check those out by clicking on the years to the left). But I’ll point out God’s command to Moses in Ex. 4:17: And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

Something fascinating happens next from a prophetic standpoint, and I only saw it when I meditated on the fact that God commissioned Moses with the rod (representing Christ in object form). But wasn’t it Aaron’s rod that budded that ended up going into the ark of the covenant in the holy of holies? I went back through the plagues and discovered that the catalyst for the miracle plagues was often Aaron and his rod. But didn’t we just read that Moses was to take his rod and do the signs? What happened? Here’s the main new thought for today. Moses was a type of Christ as prophet. Remember Jesus was Prophet, Priest and King—in that order. In fact, Jesus as king is still to come. In Exodus chapters 3 and 4, we have Moses positioned as prophet. He was first. In chapter 4, we are introduced to Aaron. He was not an afterthought, as it might appear. Aaron is a type of Christ as priest. You know, Moses and Aaron were brothers—both from the priestly line of Levi. Interesting that Moses was not a priest. Aaron was. Moses was prophet. They both picture Christ in their different roles. But now it makes sense that the rod (picturing Christ, in object form) was interchangeable between Moses and Aaron. They both picture Christ in different roles.

I’ll close with this. In the end, when it was time to cross the Red Sea, it was Moses’s “rod job.” The Lord said to Moses, But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. (Exo. 14:16) After the miracle, Moses sang a praise song in chapter 15. Look what he said:

Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. (Exo. 15:11-12) Does anyone else see what I see? Moses was the one who lifted up his hand with the rod in it, and he says God stretched out HIS right hand and did the miracle. I will leave you to meditate on that!

Meditation is observing, asking questions, praying, thinking, comparing Scripture with Scripture and being AMAZED at what you see.

Tell me what you think.

Jody

What's in a Name?

This is Part 2 (of many parts) in which we look at how Moses pictures Jesus and vice versa. I’ve embarked upon this quest, and I’m taking you with me, because I read this verse: And the LORD said unto me (Moses), They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee (Moses), and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. (Deut. 18:17) God makes it super plain here for even those who aren’t keen on “types” that Moses is a type of Jesus. It’s that capital “P” Prophet that made me want to read through Exodus with the lens of “How does Moses picture Jesus?”

Right from the beginning of Moses’s life, God starts His “typing” process. In Exodus 2, we read of the birth of Moses during a time when all the baby boys were killed. You remember how his mother placed him in a basket in the Nile river rather than have him killed. Passing by, Pharaoh’s daughter heard him crying and rescued him. After Moses was weened by Moses’s natural mother, Pharaoh’s daughter got him back and named him Moses. That name might appear happenstance, but not so if he was going to picture the Prophet. And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water. (Ex. 2:10) That there tells you what his name means: drawn out of the water. I suppose from Moses’s standpoint, we could say that he was saved from sure death by being drawn up out of the water.

Now let’s compare scripture with scripture. Was Jesus drawn out of the water? In His death and resurrection, you could say so. Look at this Messianic Psalm: He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. (Ps. 18:16-17) God drew Jesus up out of death-- “out of many waters.”

Can you picture this? I’ll help you. Consider baptism. You’ve probably never looked at it this way, but meditate on this with me. Jesus aimed to keep this picture alive by including it in the Great Commission: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost… (Matt 28:19) What is baptism? It’s a picture of our identity with Christ. We go down in the water to picture His death and burial. We come back up out of the water to picture being raised in newness of life. Like Christ was raised out of the water of death, we are raised out of the water to picture newness of life. Now with all that in mind, let’s go back to the verse I started with: And the LORD said unto me (Moses), They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee (Moses)…(Deut. 18:17a)

I didn’t find any of this in a commentary. I haven’t even read a commentary on Moses or Exodus. I got here simply with curiosity and my Bible. If you’d like to keep going with me on this, decide to be curious with me, and in order to compare verses, get a Bible app with the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK) on it, like the Blue Letter Bible phone app or any number of computer apps. The TSK, in book form, is a massive book of cross references that go way beyond what you’ll find in the center margin of your Bible.

And I’ll close with this thought I meditated on. Moses was unique in that He represented the Hebrews/Jews—the chosen people of God. After all, he was born in the priestly tribe of Levi. But Moses also uniquely represented the world. He was raised/adopted by the daughter of Pharaoh, the Monarch of ancient Egypt. Egypt is a type of the world. Jesus, you know, was the Son of God/High Priest, but He grew up in the world as the Son of Man. He was fully both, and Moses uniquely pictures that.

Oh, and one more closing meditation. Isn’t it unique that when Moses was born, all the baby boys were being killed (Ex. 1:16)? And when Jesus was born, he was sought out to be killed (per Matt. 2:13).

And because Herold sought to kill baby Jesus, guess where God had Joseph and Mary hide: When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. (Matt 2:14-15) Hmm. Moses was called out of Egypt too.

Well, if you followed all that, yay! Stay with me and let’s see more in Exodus of how Moses pictures Christ and vice versa.

Tell me what you think!

Jody

The New Prophet

THIS caught my eye: And the LORD said unto me (Moses), They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee (Moses), and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. (Deut. 18:17-17)

God said He would raise up another capital-P Prophet like Moses, and put His (God’s) words in his mouth, and he would speak all that God would tell him to speak. The capital-P Prophet is obviously a reference to Jesus. And if you read the verse carefully, it says He (Jesus) would be raised up like Moses. That’s enough to make me want to re-read Exodus, which heavily features Moses, and see in what ways he pictures Jesus.

But for today, I’ll just take these Deuteronomy verses to look for clues of how Moses and Jesus are alike. Let’s look at part two of the verse again. “and will put my words in his (the coming Prophet, Jesus) mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.” Moses was like that. He only spoke to the people what God told him to speak. That’s what prophets did. Was Jesus like that? Did He only speak what God commanded Him to speak?  

Absolutely. It’s one thing I’ve noticed that sets the gospel of John apart from the other three gospels. I’ll show you:

• For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. (John 12:49)
• I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. (John 8:26)
• Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. (John 14:10)
• Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. (John 15:15)
• For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. (John 17:8)

John was so careful to highlight that Jesus’s words weren’t His, but His Father’s. He was also just as quick to point out that Jesus only did the things God told him to do. With all this understanding, let’s re-read our Deuteronomy verses again: And the LORD said unto me (Moses), They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee (Moses), and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. (Deut. 18:17-17)

I’m about to take a journey through Moses's life in Exodus to see pictures of Christ I might not have seen before, because God clearly alerts us that there’s something to see there.

You know, after awhile, you’ve read through any number of books of the Bible multiple times, and the thought of reading some of them again can seem … dull. I’ll confess, years ago when I’d feel like I’d already covered the Bible well enough, I’d go out and buy a new Bible version to liven things up. That “livening method” is over. I eventually settled on the King James Bible, simply because it’s been proven to me that it’s the most accurate*, and that matters more than any other factor. But what makes the Bible come alive to me these days is the different lenses I “choose to wear” when I read through a book that I’ve already read plenty of times. For instance, the reason I know that Jesus was keen on only saying and doing what God told Him to say and do is because I noticed it once and decided that the next time I read through John, I’d focus on how Jesus only said or did what God instructed Him to. That understanding came back to me when reading these Deuteronomy verses.

Now I’m going to read through Exodus focusing on ways I see Jesus in Moses and vice versa. I’ll take you on the journey with me. I hope you’re as excited as I am!

Jody

*Just one point regarding accuracy in our Deuteronomy verses for the day. Newer translations don't capitalize the "p" in Prophet, which will make you lose A) the understanding that it's referring to Jesus B) confidence that you can have any idea what the Bible really says in English.

Mercy is Blue

If you could give God’s mercy a color, it would be blue. Well, first it would be red, because Jesus shed his blood so that we might receive forgiveness of sins leading to a right relationship with God and an eventual home in heaven. But now He is in heaven, distributing mercy as a high priest who can identify with our mortality, and mercy is blue.

I mean blue as in calm blue skies and a quiet blue ocean. I take those for granted here in Hawaii. But it’s March, and we’ve had more than a week of angry skies—flooding and landslides, really. When God’s mercy smiles down on us, it shows up as a calm blue sky unmixed with atmospheric drama.

Just think about some Biblical times when God’s mercy was absent, like in Noah’s day when it rained for 40 days and 40 nights. There were no blue skies or blue ocean then. Only eight people lived through that.

Think of Sodom and Gomorrah—cities that were oblivious to God’s character expectations until the day the Lord opened the skies and rained fire and brimstone down on them (Gen. 19:24). They would have wished for blue skies.

Both of those examples demonstrate God’s wrath and judgment turned evident in the skies. Can we say that when it’s calm and “normal” out there, God is merciful, encouraging us to live in His gentle ways and to enjoy Him and all He created for us?

Now let’s go a little more metaphoric. What about the dark night when we don’t personally see blue skies/God’s mercy? Sometimes His mercy is hidden by darkness. But just know—it’s all blue to Him. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee (Ps. 139:10-12).

And then, what about the times we live in right now, when the world seems dark, and God’s blue skies of innocence and mercy are fading. This evil that is overspreading the skies is a sign of the end times. But it’s not time to shrink in dread and terror. It’s time to be alert, watchful and keep living right. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light (Rom 13:11-12).

We’ve seen nothing like the darkness that will be the tribulation. But that’s not the end of it all. Watch: For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall (Mal 4:1-2). In context, this is a promise to Israel, but it shows God’s character. He comes to the rescue of all believers who trust in Him and who call upon Him. For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds (Ps. 57:10).

With God, mercy lives on.

Jody

How to View Conspiracy Theories

While we navigate through these challenging times, I’ve become fascinated with the polarizing topic of conspiracy theories. Those who believe in them are tuned in to subversive plots to overthrow people and governments. Those who don’t believe in conspiracy theories bristle at the mention of them, citing lack of factual proof. (That pretty much summarizes the electoral college vote confirmation debacle on Jan. 5, 2021.)

What does the Bible say about conspiracy theories? Plenty. From the following example regarding the Apostle Paul, I learn that when there’s an actual conspiracy, there’s a plot, secrecy and deception. See if you notice: And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you tomorrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him. (Acts 23:12-15)

Who, on the outside of this story, would have known there was a plan to kill Paul? Had there been a hearing on this, the one side would have been up in arms over the conspiracy to kill Paul, and the other side would have said, “There’s no proof. You’re crazy.”

Another example. Jesus. In hindsight, we know that the religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus. He, knowing this, tried to prepare His disciples for the plot that was about to unfold.  

From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me. (Matthew 16:21-23a)

Look at that conflict and learn. Yes, there was a conspiracy to kill Jesus. It was not an overtly visible plot to the disciples. Jesus pointed out the conspiracy. Peter saw no proof, so he rebuked Jesus for thinking and saying there was a plot. And who was behind it all? You got it.

Here’s the ultimate lesson. Satan is a murderer (John 8:44), a deceiver (Rev. 12:9) and a liar (John 8:44). We know from the Bible Satan’s ultimate endgame: a one world government and the worship of all. And he (Satan) had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. (Rev. 13:15)

To get there, governments are going down. That’s all the proof we need of a subversive plot to overthrow people and governments. It’s headed to a world near you. The only question left is when will this plot to take down governments and require antichrist worship get under way? I don’t know for sure, but I’m watching the signs of the times, and I’m not surprised by anything I see happening. The warning, though, is not to allow an overactive imagination (2 Cor. 10:5). Pray for discernment and wisdom, especially regarding what to say, to whom, and when—and when to say nothing. Don’t go crazy with the truth you know and the details you don’t.

Jody

Should Christians Judge Others?

The question of whether Christians should judge others is an evergreen, multi-generational debate that stems from Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Those whose acts or lifestyles are being judged are quick to quote this verse to fend off their self-righteous accusers.

Those who judge claim that the Bible teaches them to “judge righteously” and that the Apostle Paul himself also judged the Corinthians. They cite Deuteronomy 1:16, Proverbs 31:9, and 1Corinthians 5:3.

Which camp is right?

Let’s take a step back and get the context of Matthew 7:1. It is part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount teachings, which begin in Matthew 5. Jesus’ sayings and teachings were very different than the traditional teachings of the Pharisees that the common Jews received in those days. In fact, Jesus’ teachings were radical in comparison. For example:

• Matthew 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
• Matthew 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
• Matthew 5:33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
• Matthew 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
• Matthew 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Jesus’ teachings not only went beyond the Pharisees’ morals, the messages were crafted against them. Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The Pharisees were members of a powerful Jewish religious party, distinguished by strict observance of tradition and the written law. Together with the Scribes, they corrupted God’s word and common people and were staunch opponents of Jesus. Recalling the movie entitled “The Devil Wears Prada,” the Scribes and Pharisees were devils in robes and phylacteries. In Matthew 23, Jesus called them out for their hypocrisies. Matthew 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. 14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. 16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! 17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? (Also read Matthew 23:23-33)

The Pharisees were the classic “do as I say, and not as I do” (Matthew 23:1-7) spiritual police who patrolled synagogues, marketplaces, and towns looking for faults in people. They had authority to put offenders out of the synagogue (John 9:22) and to send officers to arrest them (John 7:32).

Therefore, when Jesus said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged,” we must keep the Pharisees context in mind. The Pharisees loved to judge others’ faults with magisterial judgments, but justified themselves in doing the same things or worse (John 7:22-23 and the list in Matthew 23). It’s like the pot calling the kettle black. They got away with it because they had power and influence.

What can we learn from Jesus’ teaching about judging others in Matthew 7?

Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

We are urged not to judge others, because how we judge can backfire. This refers to judging in the sense of censuring and condemning others for their doings, insisting that we are right and they are wrong and that their actions are worthy of punishment. Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

We are not spiritual police. God is the JUDGE. We should rather judge ourselves regarding how we are living out God’s words.

Matthew 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

Another reason why we shouldn’t judge others is because most of us are unqualified to do so for two reasons. One, we look at others’ faults without considering our own faults. Two, we are unable to see clearly through our self-righteousness. The things that we condemn are motes (twigs) compared to our self-righteousness (the size of a beam).

Matthew 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.  

If we desire to be the judge of others, we must not be self-righteous hypocrites. Until then, we should love our neighbors.

Jesus gave us a great example for not judging others in John 8. It is a story of a woman caught in the act of adultery. The Scribes and Pharisees brought the woman to Jesus to be judged. They informed Jesus that the law of Moses would stone such a sinner to death. Find out how Jesus handled the issue. John 8:1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

No one is perfect. We don’t need to like or agree with the sins of others. But we need to view sinners through Jesus’ heart and with love and compassion, sharing how they can receive forgiveness of sin.

Are you able to in a loving manner share the gospel with lost people?   

Richmond

What's Going on with 2020?

Stuff is happening that’s out of our control. “I know it!” you say. “Let’s work on that. Let’s get it under control!”

Our heads are swirling in clouds of either, “We’re all going to die of the virus!” or “It’s not really that bad; the numbers are all made up so we live in fear and someone can control us.” If all that isn’t enough, then there’s the spiraling anarchy combined with the insane defunding of the police. That can’t turn out well. But I don’t need to remind you of these things.

Here’s what I will remind you of:

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Eph 6:12). What’s going on around us is controlled by an unseen mastermind. He’s called the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2) and the prince of this world (John 12:31 &14:30).

Knowing that, how do we battle him? I mean, we can join demonstrations, write messages to government officials and expose things we find on Facebook. But Satan just laughs. In the grand scheme, those things are pretty much a waste of time, though it might feel good to “do something… anything!”

But here’s what the Lord says to do about this in Eph. 6:13-18: Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  (14)  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;  (15)  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  (16)  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  (17)  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:  (18)  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

Do you see that you’re not called to fight spiritual fire with natural fire? You fight the spiritual forces with spiritual tools, specifically the armor of God. How do you do that? You withstand and stand in this evil day held together with the truth you know from God’s word. You continue to live righteously. You be ready to share the gospel in these trying times. You use your faith to ward off the darts of the enemy who wants you to lose your ever-loving mind. Remember you are saved from eternal wickedness that’s being dished up. You fight off the evil with the Word of God. Find some truths to hang on to that will help you to stand—because notice that this passage begins with three encouragements to stand/withstand. Lastly, pray like crazy in the Spirit while you watch not only what’s going on, but how your brothers and sisters are handling it, and pray for them.

Now I know, all this doesn’t sound like enough. That’s because we think we need to take back some control. Well, just for one day, take your eyes off the news and off of Facebook and use those times to get the mind of Christ on this through reading some scriptures and praying. In so-doing, don’t feel like you’re surrendering to the enemy. You’re surrendering to God.

Jody

Am I a Milk Person or a Meat Person?

I’m intrigued with the idea that a person can be only able to handle spiritual milk and not meat. In the context of our key verse for today, Paul let the Corinthians know that because they were carnal like babies, they could only handle milk teaching. So, he was only feeding them milk and not meat.

It intrigues me because I don’t want to be like that. I want the meat of the word. It belongs to discerning believers who are of full age (Heb 5:14). How do I know if I’m a meat person or a milk person?

Meat has chunks and requires some assimilation. Here’s an illustrative example of the difference:

Milk: “If I was the only person on earth, Jesus would have died for me.” How many times have I heard that, and perhaps said it myself? Notice how simple and straight forward that is. It’s a satisfying feel-good statement (with no Bible backup).

Meat: Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (not just my sins). Remember, with meat we assimilate. The first time lamb is used in the Bible is the famous story of Abraham offering Isaac, and Isaac wondered where the lamb was that should be sacrificed, and Abraham said, “God will provide himself a lamb.” (Gen, 22:7-8) It looked forward to the lamb of God, whom John the Baptist announced (John 1:29). He would be sacrificed to take care of the sin of the world that started with Adam and Eve. And in the end, we read this: And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Rev. 13:8)

Lamb slain from the foundation of the world? That is something to chew on, for sure. A milk person might say, “that doesn’t seem to have anything to do with me. I’ll look for a verse that will help get me through today.” A meat person would wonder about and study what slain from the foundation of the world means, and rather than look at it through the lens of life application, it might simply lead to worshipping God for His awesomeness.

If I assimilate all this about the Lamb of God discussed from Genesis to Revelation, it’s apparent that a theme of the Bible is Jesus as the Lamb to take away sins…a plan set in motion before the world began and effective for everyone who will believe.

Now. If I was the only person on earth, would Jesus have died for me? Isn’t that just a bit absurd, considering the whole eternal plan of God through the ages we just breezed through?

To a milk person, Jesus and the Bible are all about me. Only the verses I can apply to my life today matter. To a meat person, everything is about God and His plan and His kingdom. I want to be a meat person and learn all about that.

Tell me what you think.

Jody

What is There to Praise God About Now?

Could it be any more obvious that your days left on this earth are short? You are about to be in God’s presence—where worshipping Him will be the main focus. Get a good start on that right now. It begins with knowing some awesome things about your awesome God—things for which you can’t help but praise Him.

Take this verse: For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. (Rom 11:36) 

First, what does it say? All things are of him, they go through Him and they are to Him. And so, all glory goes to Him. This speaks of the sovereignty of God in everything. Before you lower your eyes to the circumstances of your life, think of the testimony of some Bible characters. Think about Joseph’s life. His 11 brothers hated him and sold him as a slave where he ended up in Egypt. He had some bad times (unjustly accused of sexual misconduct and sent to prison) and good times (interpreted fellow prisoners’ dreams and was promoted to second in command under the king). Think of the Israelites enslaved in Egypt. They had some bad times (their hard labor was doubled) and good times (God released them and miraculously led them on dry land through the Red Sea). Are there others you can think of who had super highs and lows? How about Daniel, Samson and Paul?

Now back to our verse. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things. All things. That means the things that happened in those character’s lives were all of him, and through him and to him. And now, in hindsight, we see how that worked out in their lives. Not just their lives… go ahead and think of Sarah, Ruth and Esther. Good times and bad times, but all things in their lives were of him, and through him and to him. All their stories are testimonies to God’s glory that we learn from. (The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple Ps. 19:7b.)

He allows all things that happen for a purpose in His eternal plan. All those I mentioned above… God’s eternal plan. Life is a tapestry that we only see part of from the underside. He sees the beauty that He is creating from the top over time. We will get His perspective later. When he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:2). Time doesn’t permit me to give the example I’d like to give regarding our Rom 11:36 context. The chapter is about how things have been working for the whole nation of Israel (bad and good) for the sake of us Gentiles that we might be saved.

But here’s the final point. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. (Rom 11:36) Let’s start giving Him that forever glory right now as we understand the truth of this verse.

Tell me what you think.

Jody

How to Study the Bible

Do I need to go to Bible college to learn how to study the Bible? Do I need to learn Greek and Hebrew to study the Bible? The answer to both is no. Otherwise, most of us wouldn’t qualify to study the Bible. Would God want to make it so difficult that only a few could study it?

I’ll share the magic of how to study the Bible here. You only need two things.

Intense Curiosity

First you need an intense, passionate curiosity about Bible books, verses and words. Without that you won’t want to study the Bible. You will be satisfied with reading a daily devotional and enjoying what other people think about topics or verses. Or you will watch Bible-teacher videos and love the perspectives of others. Let’s not mistake that for studying the Bible. Those are nice supplements, but they aren’t what the Apostle Paul had in mind when he said, Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Tim 2:15) The question then is, do you have enough of a curiosity to drive you to study your Bible?

Here’s what curiosity looks like. You read or hear someone quote a verse, like 2 Tim 2:15 above, and you think, “What does studying have to do with being approved unto God?” Or you might really wonder, “What does it mean to rightly divide the word of truth?”

Rather than Google for the answers, you decide you are going to study it in the Bible. Let the Bible teach you the answers. It will define itself. But we’re back to our lead question. How do you study the Bible?

The Right Tools

The second thing you need to study the Bible is the right tools. The Strong’s Concordance was the first tool I learned about more than 40 years ago. It shows you every single verse that each Bible word appears in, so you can study where else that word is used. It also gives you the Greek or Hebrew word with its meaning.

The second tool is the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK) I discovered soon after Strong’s Concordance. It’s an amazing book of cross references for each verse. Many Bibles have a few cross references down the center column or at the bottom or off to the side. But the TSK book has umpteen more cross references so that you can get the idea of a verse by comparing it with verses that say something similar to the one you are looking at. When I discovered this book, I determined that if I was trapped on a desert island and could only have one book besides the Bible, it would be the TSK.

But I confess, now if I was trapped on a desert island, I would choose to have cell phone reception and an internet connection. That’s because both Strong’s Concordance and the TSK are on a few Bible apps for your cell phone or your computer. Since discovering that, it’s been revolutionizing. On my phone, I replaced the Bible app I had with the Blue Letter Bible. It has those 2 books/tools installed. On my computer, I installed e-Sword, which also has both books installed. Both apps are free. Install one or both right away.

In summary, the best way to study the Bible is to ask God to open your mind’s eye to have an intense curiosity. After all, it’s a spiritual book, and only the Spirit can teach you its meaning. (Pray this: Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Ps. 119:18). Then use one of your newly installed apps and start looking up cross references or word meanings and see what God shows you. It’s as simple as that!

Tell me what you think.

Jody

Missions, People Groups and a New Plan

The current popular 10/40-Window missions strategy emerged in 1990 and is still going strong. It focuses on areas in North Africa, the Middle East and Asia between approximately 10 degrees to 40 degrees north of the equator, which happens to be heavily populated with Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists—groups that by nature oppose Christianity, but they still must hear.

The idea of reaching people for Christ in those areas has become a missionary approach that makes sense and that anyone can get behind by personally going, praying or giving.

Those who lay it all on the line and actually go to those often-hostile regions and cultures are heroes in our minds. But time is short, and few of us will go ourselves. There are vast reasons that prevent us from going to those areas, and my purpose isn’t to address our reasons.

Rather, I’d like to look at some of the people groups Jesus spoke of, and these are groups any of us can take the message to. These are not divided by locale, but by need. And if we pick a group below, all we need is the same gospel message and faithfulness to actually get out there in a meaningful way. Here they are:

• The homeless. Rather than judge the reason for their homelessness, Jesus considers their need of food, drink and clothes. He points them out in Matt. 25:35-36 and commends those who minister to them as having ministered to Christ Himself. I’m not suggesting a social gospel where you build homes for the homeless and pat yourself on the back. In this case, along with those that follow, I’m suggesting developing a strategy of combining mercy with truth. Target this needy people group with a plan to go visit and help once a week or once a month and meet some physical needs while sharing the gospel. It’s not an easy group to reach because they likely will be suspicious at first. But mercy, love and the gospel over time will yield fruit and Jesus’s commendation.
• The sick. That is those in the hospital, hospice, nursing home, cancer center, etc. Jesus said in Matt. 25:34-40 that visiting the sick is the same as having done it to Him. This is the group I have picked out, and once a week I go to a local health care rehabilitation center with my ukulele and a few friends, and we visit patients, singing to them, sharing a Bible promise from the promise box I made for the occasion and sharing the gospel whenever possible. Some of the promise verses are gospel promises, which helps start the gospel conversation (John 3:16, John 1:12, etc.). Again, this is about sharing mercy and truth. We genuinely want to encourage them and lift their spirits, but we also want to make sure they are right with God and ready to pass from this life to the next.
• Prisoners. This is the group my husband has chosen to focus on. In that case, one of the goals is to help them with steps to overcome addiction, and the first step in that process is to recognize they are sinners (not hard to convince them) in need of a savior. Jesus said that visiting prisoners is the same as visiting Him in Matt. 25-34-40. There are other ministries that minister to the children of prisoners, which is a merciful way of ministering to prisoners. If you pick prisoners, find a regular opportunity to get in their space with a program that includes the gospel. My husband and I visited teens weekly in a local juvenile detention center for years. For the boys, it was basketball and a gospel message. For the girls, it was crafts and a gospel message.

This people-group focus doesn’t require uprooting or learning a new language. It does require sensitivity to the culture the need has created and a plan to regularly get yourself in their presence with a gospel-sharing goal.

In closing, I encourage you to study the combination of mercy and truth in the Bible. Mercy and truth is found 10 times. The combination is part of God’s character and part of the directive He gives to us. It’s a great strategy for evangelism.

But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. Ps. 86:15

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Prov. 3:3-4

By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. Prov. 16:6

Jody

An Evil Spirit From God?

What does this mean? And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand. (1 Samuel 18:10)

How can it be that an evil spirit came from God? For context, God had already rejected Saul, the first king, from remaining as king because of his disobedience. This is the beginning of the downfall of Saul as king and the rising of David to become king.

God can use anything to accomplish His punishments and judgments. Everything is in God’s arsenal—in physical and spiritual realms. In the physical, He caused the earth to open up and swallow people; snakes to bite people; all the plagues in Exodus; fire and brimstone to fall on Sodom and Gomorrah; a flood; draught; enemy armies to get confused and kill each other; and much more.

He also can use things in the spirit world to accomplish His punishments and judgements. He can use evil as handily as He uses good. Saul wasn’t the only king to whom God sent a questionable spirit. Ahab was also a wicked king in Israel who needed to be taken down.

And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee. (1 Kings 22:20-23)

Why would God send an evil and a lying spirit? Apparently, sometimes it’s part of His strategy. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Just note that the verse says that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul. This does not imply that God created the evil. He sent it. If I send someone a dozen roses, they are from me, but I didn’t grow them. If an evil spirit comes from God, it means He sent it. The spirits are subject to Him. That’s not difficult to understand. The spirits were also subject to the disciples through Jesus’s name (Luke 10:17).

So, in summary, everything in the physical and spiritual realms are subject to God. He can and does use anything to accomplish His punishments and judgments.

Tell me what you think.

Jody

Satisfied with too Little

As we navigate through the end times, there’s a consequence I think we’ve succumbed to without realizing it. Combine the personal technology at our fingertips with the fact that we are in the Laodicean church age marked by obliviousness to our anemic spiritual state, and I think we become entertained and satisfied too fast—regularly. We stop too soon.

I’m working on this in my own life. I’ll talk about my daily quiet time. There have been whole periods in my life when I just looked for a personal verse for the day. But what if God had more for my soul and His glory than just a verse? No. Sorry. I just need one verse.

Right now, I’m reading through the Bible in a year. That would be about three chapters a day. I just went through Leviticus. I was thinking about the concept of becoming satisfied too soon, and so I read five chapters a few days. I was amazed at how much more understanding I received from reading two extra chapters. I got a bigger context and more things to marvel at.

I’ve also decided that just reading it and calling it good is stopping too short. So, I’m writing a summary of what I read and the insights I receive. So rather than just reading, I’m meditating on it.

Maybe another way to put this is, good enough isn’t good enough. Isn’t there something deeper that can capture my soul if I’d just look up some cross references with the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on my Blue Letter Bible phone app or e-sword computer app? When I find a heart-stirring verse, can’t I ask where else that might be in the Bible in different words, or who was an example of that somewhere in the Bible? Let’s all stop letting those devotional thoughts go by so fast. Let’s push ourselves to go a little bit further.

Let me illustrate another area where we have a whole Christian culture that stops too soon. Remember that beloved song “It is Well With My Soul?” What if Horatio Spafford was satisfied with his work after he finished writing the first verse and stopped? Or if John Newton thought he was happy and done after writing just that first verse of “Amazing Grace?”

I want to challenge the song writers of today to not be satisfied coming up with one meaty phrase and working that into a tune to repeat over and over. You are stopping too soon. Search your heart and pray and find more truths about God to add to that phrase. When you think you’ve done well, challenge yourself to go even deeper and come up with more, until you have a song filled with marvelous truths. It will be hard at first because it’s going to take more time, and you’ll be tempted to stop when you feel like you have one profound thought. But real worship happens when we interact with truths about God in our heart. We can’t let ourselves be satisfied with one little truth repeated 15 times because the writer didn’t take the time to think of anything more.

If you tell me it’s just the style of the day to repeat one phrase over and over, I’ll tell you that it’s a sign of our day. We’re satisfied with too little. We don’t know that we are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. We need to anoint our eyes with eye-salve that we might see.

Tell me what you think.

Jody

What Does it Mean to "Wait on the Lord?"

The Lord is glad you asked. If you’ve determined that you need to wait on the Lord, it means you are desperate for something that requires His action or His direction.

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Ps. 27:14

You might think that waiting is passive. You sit back in your chair and wait for something to happen. And you don’t budge until it does. LOL. That’s not it at all. This verse is a command. It’s something you do. And what you’re waiting for is not for the circumstance to resolve itself. You are waiting on the Lord.

If you’re not sitting in a chair (probably paralyzed with fear, doubt and worry) waiting for something to happen, what are you doing? The verse says Wait on the Lord: be of good courage.

You are waiting on the Lord and not the circumstance, so you can be of good courage. It’s out of your control and in God’s hands. That means you are emotionally and spiritually free to get up and live your life normally—in anticipation of what God is going to do—with a new spring in your step, because you have found new strength. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart.

Whatever your issue, turn it over to Jesus. He loves it when you rely on Him and not on yourself. When He comes through, you’ll have a testimony that includes “I waited, and He answered in this amazing way.”

David had a testimony like that. He said, I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. (Ps. 40:1-2)

Really? What was David waiting for? He wrote this while he was king of Israel, but his son was trying to overthrow him to be king in his place, and David (the dad, the king) became a wandering nomad—again. (Remember Saul chased him before David became king). David waited on God while he was on the move, and God provided all his needs (see 2 Sam 17) and restored his kingdom.

And so you too can wait on the Lord with anticipation. Waiting on God is trusting Him and His mercy to come through. Now jump out of that chair of fear and confusion and move along.

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Ps. 27:14

Jody

Note: You can tell where the Psalms fit in David’s life by looking at their placement in The Reese Chronological Bible.