Fulfilling of a King

Jesus fulfilled the prophecies as King of Israel when He came down to Earth.

Was there any chance that He wasn't the Messiah? Let's study that.

His exact genealogy was foretold. The coming King was to be a descendent of Shem (Genesis:26-27), Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3), Isaac (Gen. 26:3-4), Jacob (Gen. 35:11-12), from the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10), specifically through Jesse (Isaiah 11:1), from the house of David (2 Samuel 7:12). Whew!

The city of His birth was foretold to be Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), and His death was predicted to be before the temple and the city of Jerusalem were destroyed (Daniel 9:26).

These are all factors that Jesus, if merely human, would have absolutely no control over so, as to avoid manipulation of false messiahs.

Let's talk about the Magi, those wise men who came to visit Jesus when He was born. They are a mysterious people were know little about; however, we have some information. The Magi were the pagan priest clan within the larger tribe of Medes, somewhat like the Levites were to the Israelites. Once upon the Old Testament time period, they appeared many times such as in the books of Esther, Acts, Jeremiah, and Daniel. Now, with Daniel, the Magi were close to be being killed by Nebuchadnezzar because they couldn't figure out the meaning of his dream. However, Daniel stepped up and deciphered it, calling on the one, true God, after which point he was made a ruler and chief prefect over all Magi. Now, this affected them, and they began a search for a unique king, one they'd been taught would arrive by Daniel. The future King of Israel was indeed a prophecy held close to the heart of all Israelites, and Daniel would've let the Magi know.

The Magi were such a powerful people, politically speaking, at the time of Jesus, that no one became king in Persia without their approval. No one. They were the king makers. So, understand now the significance of their influence in that time and the fact that they crossed lands just to meet Jesus and acknowledge Him as king. If you're imagining a few men riding camels in the night, pulling up in silence outside some inn to see Jesus, you have it wrong. They were rich, powerful men with hundreds, maybe even thousands of mounted bodyguards. They would have been a sight to behold.

Then, the Magi didn't just acknowledge Jesus as king, they worshipped Him (Matthew 2:11). This means they understood Him to be God. They were, perhaps, the first gentiles to be saved since Jesus' birth.

The gospels tell of how Jesus' own people had a hard time believing He was the foretold King. They had in mind a different picture. The Jews thought He would arrive and take their troubles away. He would come in and unite the Israelites, and the Israelites alone, into a powerful kingdom on Earth. The Jews would be sought for their knowledge of God by all other nations. The world would enter into peace and utopia. They had a hard time understanding that Jesus came to unite all the peoples on Earth into a Kingdom of God, which wasn't immediately apparent. They knew Jesus would lead a rebellion, but they didn't see Jesus as a Messianic king leading His people in the way they expected.

What they got instead was a dusty-footed peasant with ordinary looks. No entourage, no crown. Only a commanding, yet humble presence, and a thorough yet heretical knowledge of the Torah. How would this person, who was just like them, lead them into battle against the world?

Some were surprised, sure, by His miracles. Some converted, sure. Many more were suspicious. They were right to be wary. There were many false prophets and "messiahs" who had popped up through the many years. They were desperate but already hardened.

See, since ancient times, the Israelites had wanted to conform to the other nations in what a leader and king was supposed to be like. After lifetimes of being led by God and His prophets, they begged to have a king like the others (1 Samuel 8:5). God warned them of the consequences of having a king but said He would allow it. Now, fast forward thousands of years, and they forgot that their ideas of what a king should be was completely world-derived. And, this strange man sitting on hillsides preaching strange words wasn't it.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. - John 1:10-11

“Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.” Luke 4:24-27

Here was baby Jesus, whom His Father heralded with the Magi's announcement and visit. Yet, He was so very normal and un-kinglike, according to worldly standards. Yet, Jesus wasn't here to change just the surface of things. He was here to change hearts and souls, to be the very ripple of water needed to usher a spiritual tsunami never before known.

When life looks hopeless and dark, it's important to remember that God is there working in the small things, stirring up the world in unknown ways, in order to bring about the utmost good.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. - Hebrews 11:1

God is by our side, even if we don't see Him. He's not about appearances of things but about the deepest recesses of our souls, so He's not always obvious. However, He's always there, forming His kingdom amongst us and within us, fulfilling His promises.

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now, My kingdom is not of this realm.”

“Then You are a king!” Pilate said.

“You say that I am a king,” Jesus answered. “For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.” - John 18:36-37

Jesus wished for Pilate to come to his own conclusions about His kinghood, but He states His kingdom is not of this realm. He was leading a spiritual battle.

This Christmas, we celebrate the arrival of the newborn King, the King of Kings in heaven and on Earth.

So, to which leader will you pledge your allegiance?


Sources other than Bible:
https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_234.cfm
http://blogs.christianpost.com/confident-christian/the-king-makers-a-look-at-the-magi-13659/
http://www.egrc.net/articles/director/articles_director_0605.html

Foretelling of a King

Christmas is coming, so our focus will be on Jesus, which is totally different from other weeks! (/sarcasm) Anyway, this week we'll be looking at the foretelling of Jesus' birth in the Old Testament, and how that was perceived by the Israelites.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." - Genesis 3:15

Here, just after Adam and Eve sinned and ushered evil into the world, God is already giving them hope. Eve's offspring will be wounded by evil (on the cross) but would ultimately crush its head (resurrection and salvation).

Judah will hold the royal scepter,
And his descendants will always rule.
Nations will bring him tribute
And bow in obedience before him. (Genesis 49:10)

His descendants will always rule? Who on Earth is on the throne from the tribe of Judah? Some places want to claim Queen Elizabeth might hold that claim, but honestly, this is at most a vague connection and at worst, completely missing the point!

The Lord says, “Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times.” (Micah 5:2)

The royal line of David is like a tree that has been cut down; but just as new branches sprout from a stump, so a new king will arise from among David’s descendants. (Isaiah 11:1)

The Lord says, “The time is coming when I will choose as king a righteous descendant of David. That king will rule wisely and do what is right and just throughout the land. (Jeremiah 23:5)

You will always have descendants, and I will make your kingdom last forever. Your dynasty will never end. (2 Samuel 7:16)

I understand that you probably understand who God was speaking of at this point. The King of Judah was Jesus, and He'll rule on the throne forever.

The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”

The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name. But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death.”

You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed. - Deuteronomy 18:15-22

Jesus referred to these words God spoke to Moses when he stated:

"For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me." - John 5:46

Everything Jesus stated came to pass, but there was even more proof that He was the King and prophet to rule the world.

But the LORD will still give you proof. A virgin is pregnant; she will have a son and will name him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

A child is born to us!
A son is given to us!
And he will be our ruler.
He will be called, “Wonderful Counselor,”
“Mighty God,” “Eternal Father,”
“Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

Check, check ,and check. These aren't the only signs of His coming that were foretold in the Old Testament.

“What I saw in my vision
hasn’t happened yet.
But some day, a king of Israel
will appear like a star. (Numbers 24:17)

Magi were men who studied the stars, interpreting omens, dreams, and signs. Who they were exactly have been debated apparently forever, but they were scattered throughout the country and were occasionally referred to as wise men.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”... After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. - Matthew 2:2-12

The King of Israel would be foretold and found by a star, and who better to notice that star sign than the Magi!

Honestly, we could go on for a while finding all the signs that Jesus would be born and destined to be King of Israel. The only problem is - the Israelites thought they would notice Him and make Him a King on Earth.

Next week, we'll find out how that worked out in the Fulfilling of a King.

Are People Who Never Heard of God... Going to Hell?

Can people be saved without hearing the gospel? Are those who've never been exposed to the knowledge of God condemned? What about babies who die? What about mentally handicapped adults?

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—
To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. - Romans 5:12-14

First, this entire post hinges on the idea of Original Sin. This is controversial, but I believe there's no such thing as Original Sin being passed from Adam/Eve to us. There's nothing in the Bible that truly substantiates this. You can disagree, but I believe Paul's meaning was this: Humanity was displaced from a utopia where we COULDN'T sin to a corrupt world we CAN'T ESCAPE sin. We each are condemned by our own sins. We are condemned by our own rebellion. We are all destined to die a physical (first) death, but we can be saved from a spiritual (second) death.

However, we need to be perfect in order to be saved from the second death, the extinguishing of our soul (Revelation 20:14). We need to be righteous, not just sin free. We can't escape the second death unless we're perfect. Only One is perfect or as the Bible says, Good.

And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. - Mark 10:18

Oh, was Jesus saying He wasn't perfect? Well, if He were, then His death meant nothing. He's asking the Jews, who didn't know He was God. He's saying, are you saying I'm good? Only God is good... He's trying to get them to come to the rightful conclusion. He is God.

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. - Matthew 5:48

The Father is perfect, as well. However, none of us are God. Therefore, none of us are good. We're all doomed... but wait! There's more!

And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men. - Matthew 9:2-7

Did God give the authority to forgive sins to men? No, dear Soul.

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” - John 8:58 

This is one of many times Jesus revealed that He was God. The Jews nearly stoned Him there because they knew what He was implying. Only the God of Exodus would say I Am that I Am. Yet, here, Jesus is saying just that.

Babies and mentally handicapped adults, if they are mentally unable to accept God's salvation, are equally unable to rebel or sin. Therefore, they're not condemned to the second death. They are, unfortunately, in this corrupt world with us, however. So, they are subject to physical death but not spiritual.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live." - John 11:25

None of us are perfect, not even those who are babies or mentally handicapped. They're human, after all. However, not everyone is under moral guilt. They're not righteous but neither are they guilty.

Okay, now that we have that out of the way, let's focus on those adults who never heard about God.

"So will God condemn the innocent tribesman who has never heard the name of Christ? No, because there are no innocent tribesmen." (TGC) 

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. - Ecclesiastes 7:20

This is a tough pill to swallow. No one is completely ignorant of God. Their path to Him may be harder, but God sees into the heart. Most people in the world would agree on certain morals and heart matters, namely that life is sacred, stealing and jealousy is painful, and there's a spirit that runs through the veins of the world.

If they live a life of love, not knowing who love is precisely, are they not walking in the right direction? Of course, there's that little issue of faith in someone they don't know, right?

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. - Romans 10:14-17

But, wait.

And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. - Revelations 5:7

So, there are people from EVERY tribe, language, people, and nation who are saved?? How? And, there will be a lot of people from every nation, not a handful.

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. - Revelations 7:9

God uses His creations to declare Him from one corner of the world to the other. Even though His people may not have reached everywhere yet, the winds, the mountains, the fauna, and the flora have reached them.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. - Psalm 19:1-6

The. world. is. God's. witness. everywhere. This isn't unique to our humanity. Everything is witnessing God's glory to His people. Do you see the way most creatures treat their young or mourn over death? There is God's wisdom everywhere.

We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." - Acts 14

Indeed, when Gentiles [i.e. non-Jews], who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. Romans 2:14

Notice this: we are not judged by our exposure to the gospel. We are judged according to how much we accepted the light in whatever way we were exposed to it. Did we reject our conscience? Where does our heart stand? If they have faith in the holy spirit that comes to anyone who accepts it, whether they know God by "I AM" or by the compassion (given only by the Holy Spirit) they have for their fellow humans, they are saved.

Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' - Exodus 19

God claimed the whole earth, but the Israelites were a nation of priests, set apart from His nations to be the light for them all. The rest of the nations did not need to be part of His priesthood to be saved.

 I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep... My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me - John 10:14-15;27

His people know His voice, and He doesn't always speak verbally.

Just as isolated tribespeople may have never heard the gospel, in human words, neither did most of the world before Jesus. The Israelites spread much of the knowledge of God, but they were fairly secluded when compared the expense of the Earth. This doesn't mean everyone was condemned before Jesus nor that all of the isolated tribes are now.

Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. - I Corinthians 4:4

I really hope to hear praise from God for the condition of my heart, and I hope that I hear the praises He gives to all of His creations.

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” - Romans 17:22-31

The Greek people didn't know God's true name, but they knew He was out there. There was something within them that called out to this God, and they feared angering this unknown being by not worshipping Him. So, they erected an altar for Him just in case. This is amazing. However, this isn't unique.

There are countless stories of missionaries coming upon tribes on various continents who instinctively knew of God and recognize His ways when they are explained to them. They'll generally point to nature as being what taught them initially.

There was a tribe of Kwaio people in Fiji who were violent and defensive, but after years of attempting missionary work, missionaries were finally allowed in when they told the Kwaio their God could save their dying chief. Haribo, the chief, listened and said,

"I have waited my entire lifetime to hear this story," the tribe chief said. "I have always felt there was some sacred message like this. But no one ever came to bring us such words. How can I receive this Jesus into my life?" (gospelherald)

Other times, one tribe will hear from another tribe that people come with this good news, and they beg for missionaries to visit. They are hungry for God.

“The men and women of Isahu village we are very hungry for this talk that it will be in our bellies. Please have pity on us. In all other places of the ground we have heard that they have the talk of God but us ones of Isahu are still standing without, we have nothing. I have heard of others hearing this talk in other villages but this talk is not in Isahu yet. So please send some to learn our language and teach us this talk so we can know it too. (godreports)

You'll find the belief in a god, especially a father or sky god that reigns supreme even over other gods, is an almost universal experience no matter what culture or country you visit. It'd be stranger to find a country that didn't ever have a religion, historically.

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. - Romans 1:18-20

No one is truly innocent. No one is perfect enough to escape a second death of the soul without God. Not everyone is morally guilty, but most adults are. God has and does save isolated or ancient tribespeople who have never heard the gospel in human language. The reason is God exists in our hearts, even if not on our tongues. Everyone knows God, even if they've never heard His name. They have the choice to follow the light of their conscience (which is the Holy Spirit) or not. All this isn't to say that you don't need to spread the gospel. That was a direct command by God.

And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.' - Mark 16:15

Also this:

And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. - Luke 12:47-48

I'm not including this verse to assure you that the ignorant will be dealt with less severely (remember that none are ignorant of God, in the end). It's here to ensure you understand that, like that Spider-Man line, "With great powers come great responsibility," God has given you a whole lot. You know the gospel. You have hope. Just because there are some tribespeople who are saved without missionaries' help doesn't mean those tribal people have hope. They may not know the greatness of the holy spirit within them. You are here to spread that light, and because you have that within you, God expects more from you.

No worries. He's always by your side. That's where the great power comes from.

Thousands are waiting for your good news, the hope and joy you carry within you. Are you ready?




Sources other than the Bible:
https://www.samstorms.com/enjoying-god-blog/post/will-people-have-a-second-chance-after-physical-death-to-repent-and-believe-the-gospel
https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/can-a-sinner-be-saved-after-death
http://orthochristian.com/101202.html
https://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/becoming-a-christian/is-christ-the-only-way/what-about-those-who-have-never-heard
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/what-happens-to-those-who-never-hear-gospel/
http://drmsh.com/romans-512-part-4/
http://christianthinktank.com/hnohear.html
https://www.gospelherald.com/articles/70280/20170428/tribe-chief-heard-gospel-before-dying-raised-back-life-testify.htm
https://blog.godreports.com/2016/02/when-tribes-beg-for-missionaries-to-come-and-share-the-talk-about-god/

Is the King Enthralled by Your Beauty?

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. - 1 Peter 3:3-4

There's nothing wrong with external beauty or making yourself look nice. It's just not important in anyway. A well-dressed businessman is not more than a mismatched cashier is not more than a filthy homeless woman. "Cleanliness is next to Godliness," is not a Biblical verse, and just because you walk into a church with your Sunday finest, you're not morally superior to the milk-stained-torn-shirt lady sitting in the back row. You both showed up to learn, and only your fruits can tell you apart.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. - Proverbs 31:30

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” - 1 Samuel 16:7

Consider God the Father's appearance. Yes, think upon what He looks like. Can you imagine Him? Not the fake, white bearded man books and movies like to make Him appear to be. I mean, what does He really look like?

As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. - Daniel 7:9

Hmmm... maybe He does have white hair. Nothing much else is clear about His appearance.

Okay, but consider Jesus. He walked among us. We obviously would know what He looks like, right? No, not artist interpretations with the long brown locks. Do you know true His appearance? Surely, they described Him in detail in the New Testament... No?

For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. - Isaiah 53:2

Okay... doesn't say much. We can assume some things. Jesus was a Jew in first century Judaea, and according to anthropology, Jews in Israel at that time were biologically closest to Iraqi Jews now. So, he probably was olive skinned with dark hair and dark eyes just like the rest of His family (Matthew 1:1-17). He blended in a crowd, easily lost when He desired in the masses (Luke 4:30). So, He probably didn't look too different from everyone else. As a carpenter with first century tools, He was likely muscular, at least somewhat. That's about all we got. Basically, He could look like just about anyone.

Yet, we "see" God everyday.

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. - romans 1:20

But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. - job 12:7-10

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. - Psalm 19:1

We know Him by His "invisible qualities," the fruit of His works, the love He bestows on us, and the beauty He suffuses the world with His power. Even the writers of the Bible knew that His literal appearance made no difference to the message He carries.

Yet He is said to have created us in His image.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. - Genesis 1:26-27

So, we look alike? That's hardly what this verse is saying. Maybe we do. Maybe we don't. That's unimportant. We were made in the spirit of His truth and love, and we are to follow Him in His ways. This is how we were made in His image. He expects us to continue as we represent Him here on Earth.

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.- Psalm 139:13-14

I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. - 1 Timothy 2:9-10

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. - 2 Corinthians 4:16

In a wedding song amongst the Psalms, we the church are compared to a bride marrying the king, in this case the King of the Universe:

Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:
Forget your people and your father’s house.
Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord. - Psalm 45:10-11

God isn't enthralled in our outer beauty. He appreciates it, as with anything beautiful that He's created, but that's more for us than Him. The beauty He is enthralled by lives within you, in a heart filled with His hope and love for others.

You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you. - Songs of Songs 4:7

The beauty of a life well-lived, serving others and spreading the good news of His salvation, is something we need to learn to appreciate more than external qualities. In many ways, the beauty that we see are shadows of what lives within us as Children of God.

"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the one who brings news of peace, who announces good things, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!' - Isaiah 52:7

Oh, for God to open our eyes to see the world as He does! Let us openly appreciate the enthralling, gorgeous light we see in others.




Sources other than Bible:
https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/what-did-jesus-look-like
https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/what-did-jesus-really-look-like-as-a-jew-in-1st-century-judaea-1.3385334

You are Genesis

Most of us read Genesis, even the origin story of humanity, and automatically imagine Adam, Eve, and their children as specific individuals. What if I told you that literalism may not be the only intention of this story?

There are as many ways to translate the Bible as there are people in the world. We're all reading the books from our own perspectives, experiences, cultures, and in our own languages. However, it's important to remember that the Bible is made up of several forms of literature, including poetry, wisdom works, parables, history, war stories, and of course origin tales. We should know the writers' intentions for each book and what literature traditions influenced them.

Since creation stories in many cultures were very symbolic, it'd be in keeping with this tradition that the beginning of Genesis would be much the same. This is about people who show up as our first humans: Adam, Eve, Cain, Able, and Seth.

Adam's name is Enosh in Hebrew, which means simply man or mankind. Eve's name is Chavah, which means breath or living. Together, they are humanity and the ability of creation and birth.

There is plenty of Biblical evidence that they were real individuals. Genesis delves into the beginnings of the genealogical tree naming a hundred "begats" and the age of each person when they died. It's not unreasonable, however, to entertain the possibility that, although these may have been real individuals, they also performed the double function of symbolizing humanity.

Adam and Eve have parallels in the New Testament. Jesus is referred to as the last Adam in 1 Corinthians 15:45.

The Scriptures tell us, "The first man, Adam, became a living person." But the last Adam--that is, Christ--is a life-giving Spirit.

Wives, and Eve as the first wife, are referred to as the Church in Ephesians 5:32.

In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. Indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church. For we are members of His body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is profound, but I am speaking about Christ and the church.

Consider this:

And from the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man, He made a woman and brought her to him. And the man said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of man she was taken. - Genesis 2:22

It states that Eve came from Adam's rib because the church comes from Jesus. When it states that Eve was bone of Adam's bone and flesh of his flesh, that's because the church is the body of Christ. Eve was the mother of all living, spiritual alive, but her childbirth is painful because it's a difficult process to be reborn in Christ.

Finally, in Revelations 12, the woman clothed with the sun is just like Eve.

A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days...

When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus. - Revelations 12:1-17

Eve was cursed with painful childbirth, and she gave birth to the twelve Israelite nations, some who fell from grace. The dragon is reminiscent of the serpent in the garden, and the male child the woman gives birth to is a clear parallel to Jesus who will rule all nations. Obviously, that child was brought back up to heaven for awhile. Yet, the woman (the church) is still pursued by evil (the dragon), but God has protected us. The offspring of the church is all of the Children of God.

Adam and Eve were the original groom and bride. Jesus referred to the church as a bride or virgin/maiden waiting upon His return eagerly (Matthew 25). Even Revelations refers to the woman clothed with the sun and a star crown, which draws several parallels with Eve and the church.

Onward to their children, Cain, Able, and Seth. There's a lot to unpack with all this, most of which we won't be doing today.

Cain in Hebrew is Kayan, which means acquired or possession. Able is Hebhel, which means breath or vanity. Seth is Sheyt, which stands for compensation. Cain's parents acquired him from God, Able was a new life (breath), and Seth was their compensation for what they lost. Some sources state Cain was preoccupied with possessing and acquiring, which very much may be true, but I've found nothing to substantiate it to my satisfaction.

Cain was raised to carry on Adam's livelihood, agriculture, but Able became a herder. We typically assume the first time God handed down rules or ways to worship Him was with Moses, but there's signs to indicate that's just not true. Cain and Able made offerings of grains and lamb, respectively, which indicates some sort of communication about sacrifices. It's abundantly clear that God spoke with them regularly because when God speaks to Cain before and after Able's death, he isn't terrified like most people are in later Bible stories. In fact, he's quite sarcastic with Him.

And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” - Genesis 4:9

So, we have reason to believe God gave them specific instructions, and Cain didn't follow them.

This is my own take on the subject of their symbolism. When his gift was rejected, we know his fury became out of hand.

So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.' Genesis 4:3-8

Cain could be symbolic of trying to gain salvation or approval by works alone while Able is symbolic of gaining salvation through faith. They both appear, on the outside, to be good; obviously, Cain offered from "the fruit of the ground." In the same way, Jesus shames those who display themselves as holy but inside are rotten.

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. - Matthew 23:27-28

Please compare to the Pharisees of Jesus' time who would rely on their own works to bring them into God's favor, believing that following the letter of the law made them superior. In jealousy of Jesus, who lived by faith and the spirit of the law, they murdered Him, also referred to as a type of shepherd. We could also see Cain as the Israelites losing their privileged place as the first born, giving the lineage of Jesus to Seth just as the gentiles were given the ability to join as Children of God. It's a strong parallel and an important lesson about all sins stemming from the heart.

Cain receives the punishment of being a wanderer (which is symbolic, too, of a lost soul). Cain is afraid of being killed due to his new reputation. This, combined with the fact he's being punished, indicates that God not only already told Adam, Eve, and their family that murder is wrong, but everyone else they would come across already knew that law too.

Notice, though, something God does when Cain expresses his fear.

But the Lord said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Genesis 4:15-16

God continues to place Cain in His protection, attempting to express His love. There is a possibly that Cain could be saved. God wishes for no one to perish, not even Cain. Not even the Jews, who would have the chance to be reborn, too.

Every one of these characters is us. We are the humanity who holds promise of creativity and rebirth, we are the humanity that falls like stars from a crown, we are the humanity that is protected by God's graces and willingness to save, we are the humanity who is raised once again to live amongst God in His Kingdom back where we belong.

It's fascinating that a single Bible story could tell of our entire history, present, and future in so few words.


Sources other than Bible. Some are related to this article; some are just interesting:
http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/articles_cainandabel.html
http://evidenceforchristianity.org/could-characters-like-cain-and-abel-be-symbolic-or-presentativer/
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4480857,00.html
http://whatthebiblesays.info/AdamandEve.html
https://biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/4-26.htm
https://www.chabad.org/theJewishWoman/article_cdo/aid/335943/jewish/Chavah-Mother-of-All-Life.htm
Strong's Concordance
https://biblehub.com/library/bunyan/the_works_of_john_bunyan_volumes_1-3/a_discourse_upon_the_pharisee.htm
http://modeoflife.org/cain-and-abel-and-the-publican-and-the-pharisee-accounts-in-parallel/
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2954&context=auss

Why is God so Different in Old & New Testaments?

Have you ever read through the Bible and found the depiction of God very different between the Old and New Testaments? Did it make you wonder if there were two gods being spoken about or if God had changed very much through the years? Why then does the Bible claim He's unchanging?

In everything, it's important to ask questions and seek them unflinchingly, though the answers have the potential of making us uncomfortable. God gave us brains to seek Him all the better. Let's begin with the many times the Bible states God is unchanging, since this the origin of our idea about His everlasting nature.

For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. - Malachi 3:6

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. - James 1:17

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. - Hebrews 13:8

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? - Numbers 23:19

Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end. - Psalm 102:25-27

So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. - Hebrews 6:17-18

Let's now consider the parts of the Bible that seem contradictory concerning God's nature.

First, some say the Old Testament God is wrathful while the New Testament God is full of love. Actually, He's both in both places. Here are verses showing a God of love in the Old Testament.

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and egracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness - Exodus 34:6

The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty (unrepentant), visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation. - Numbers 14:18

For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them. - Deuteronomy 4:31

They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. - Nehemiah 9:17

Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster. - Joel 2:13

In the New Testament, He's also shown as willing to punish or even allow painful natural consequences.

For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives. - Hebrews 12:6

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! - Romans 5:9

They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. - 1 Thess 1:9-10

If you read the Bible from Genesis to Revelations, you get a full picture of God and His relationship to humans. See, the Bible was written by us, through the divine spirit, so when humans felt the wrath of God, it poured out in their works. When, they were visited by blessings, that spilled into their writings.

God is a God of love, and one thing He despises is when evil is visited upon innocents. Our choices throughout history have a rolling domino effect onto others in the present and future. We may not always understand His directives, and His directives do change according to the circumstances. Yet, He has always wanted to change us for good above all. He yearns for us to change for good, and if we don't, it understandably upsets Him. It upsets Him not just that He's losing us but that we're inflicting the world and future with our evils, death, and pain.

Second, some will point to how God ordered the Israelites to kill many peoples as they moved through the lands. How could a loving God ask for us to do such a thing?

First of all, God doesn't like death. In fact, He's completely at odds with it.

Old testament:

For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live! - Ezekiel 18:32

New Testament:

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. - 2 Peter 3:9

Same God.

Evil is a cancer, spreading to kill all the healthy cells. What do we do with cancer? We remove it, but any cancer that doesn't or can't come out manually must be killed (i.e. radiation or chemo). If we don't kill it, it will KILL EVERYTHING ELSE. God would rather thousands die than for trillions, innumerable souls die.

The command was only to annihilate the inhabitants of Canaan (Deuteronomy 20) who didn't leave or choose to join Israel. You need to remember that the inhabitants were given a choice, first and emphatically, to leave their lands or join Israel. It's just that many refused. Some did though, like the prostitute spy Rahab and the entire tribe of Gibeonites!

Other enemies were not be handled the same. They were supposed to not kill their women or children as they were not part of the soldiers and had little to no power over, well, anything at the time. Yet, they couldn't be abandoned at the time or they'd all die. So, they were absorbed into the Israelites.

However, it's important to note that God told them to push the inhabitants out of the land of Canaan because He was promising it to His people so they could develop their own identity, an identity that would be supremely important in clearing a genetic pathway to the savior of the world. If they didn't get the other people out somehow, those inhabitants (who by the way were noted to be very wicked, violent, sacrificed children regularly) would influence the Israelites in turning from God. The children are innocent, though, right? Yes, they definitely are, while they were children. Those children were being raised in a horrible situation, doomed to spiritual and possibly physical death and pain. If they had the ability to join Israel, they could make that choice too. It's impossible to make warfare comfortable for people, and it's certainly not comfortable for God. So, imagine your discomfort times a million for a God who created each one of those people, loved them, and watched them suffer and die. Do you believe in a God of love? Then, you must understand that He loves those who died, and this was a last resort.

If a people were relentlessly evil, breeding needless violence, creating deformities through incest, bringing pain and death through their many means, He would always warn first and then allow natural consequences if they didn't change. Do you not think a God of love wouldn't give many chances before the last resort or that He doesn't know people's hearts better than us?

Third, some may bring up the harsh punishments Israelites were ordered to give for breaking various laws. Surely, we're no longer supposed to kill anyone who cheats, are gay, or who has premarital relations?

No, we're not. Israel was a theocracy, created in order to bring the ways of God into the forefront, to mold an entire line of genealogy, and these punishments weren't all that different from the punishments given by other nations in the same time period (example: Hammurabi's Code). Another point to make, take it as you will, is that Moses had a degree of leniency in creating punishments and rules in that theocracy, so he may have been influenced somewhat by other nations. Why do I say that?

Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” - Matthew 19:3-9

Now, the laws still stand that were written in the Old Testament, but now, the punishment is eternal death (if one doesn't change their heart). That's the crux of it. Things were made plain black and white for the Israelites to fully understand the consequences of their sins. However, it was just symbolic of what was occurring spiritually. We no longer live in a theocracy, so punishments can't be the same. Moses was trusted to give out instructions, and he did so for the better of the Israelites in their time period. It was the beginning of a change. Not the fulfillment or perfection of it.

There are as many examples of His love as His wrath throughout the Bible. He is our truest Father, guiding, warning, allowing consequences, forgiving forever until we learn.

Another reason for the change in depiction of God is because the purpose of each book of the Bible is different. Some were meant to warn people of the consequences of their ways. Many times, even if it warned, it would remind them that God loves them and will keep harm away if they'll just change. The entire purpose of most of the New Testament was to spread the message of the gospel and the story of Jesus as the savior of mankind. That obviously makes the tone more one of hope and joy. As we've stated before, the word gospel literally means "good news."

God doesn't change. Our views on Him might have throughout history. Our relationship with Him definitely have.

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. - John 15:15

The Old Testament was a leading up to the reasoning of us needing a savior, our hopelessness without God. The New Testament is the fulfillment of God's plans to finally save us and the joy we have in spreading this hope. Really, the way we chose to characterize God in the Old and New Testaments have more to do with us and our reactions to God than God actually changing in any way. Of course God is more angry in the Old Testament while His people are still learning, trial and error, His ways and failing miserably. Of course God is more joyful in the new Testament as His plans have come to fruition for His people and the invitation for ALL nations to be His people was spreading in the world.

Thank God for His unchanging nature. We need that permanence in a forever changing universe.

The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The LORD has clothed and girded Himself with strength; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved. - Psalm 93:1

Has Revelations...Already Happened?

Did you know there are many interpretations on the book of Revelations and the idea of a returning Savior? Today, we're going to delve into what those theories are, and maybe you can decide which one appears to be the most accurate. However, remember with prophecies, sometimes it's impossible to know until it happens. There were prophecies in the Old Testament which shielded the full truth in order to keep the Evil One from intruding on plans (i.e. for a divine Son who would die for our sins.)

The major three views are Historicism, Preterism, and Futurism.

Historicism was the reigning translation of Revelations throughout much of the Christian church's history. It assumes the book was a prophecy being fulfilled in the present time. According to my sources, it was actually the only translation, with the exception of some Catholic scholars in the 1800's. The various churches listed were symbols of the entirety of the church body as it changed throughout history, ending with a lukewarm state that needed to recommit to Christ. Many began to have problems with interpreting the symbols as time passed, Jesus failed to return, and rationalism changed how we interpreted things.

Preterism was one split from the above method. This is the theory that Revelations was based in the past, specifically the first century. Instead of using all the symbols to point to specific events or beings, it paints with a broad surreal picture describing the fall of Jerusalem. Many using this theory will point to the several instances the New Testament says these events will happen soon with haste. Some holding onto this theory will state not everything in the book is about the fall of Jerusalem but it's also about the beginnings of the church and some important historical events.

Then, of course, there's Futurism, which states that most of Revelations is about the future. Since there's major apocalyptic events, judgement of the world, and a second coming of Jesus, all of which appears to not have happened yet, these are the arguments of those holding onto this theory. Some will even believe that the first part of the book is about the past or present, and it culminates in a prediction of the future.

The best way to read Revelations, in my humble opinion, is with a healthy mix of all three views. I think it's obvious that all of the events are future to John, the writer, and some of the events listed really did happen close to his time. For example, one of the most horrific things to happen for Jews was the destruction of their temple in 70AD by Romans. Jesus foretold this event to his disciples, and it's pretty reasonable to think John would've have mentioned it if he'd written Revelations after 70AD. Some of what he prophesized in Revelations were the "beginning of the end."

Some things are for us to know for certain, and some things are for us to know in general, and yet other things are hidden to our eyes until the time comes. I think the purpose of Revelations was to be used as both a warning and a promise. We should always be prepared to give an account of what we believe, and we should always live out of God's love. There's nothing about these prophecies that would change your everyday life. However, it's always good to be aware that there's an ending to suffering and a plan God has for us all.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. - Jeremiah 29:11

We tend to focus on the negative, scary parts of Revelations, forgetting that it's only permanently bad for those who are evil. Revelations was intended to be inspirational to Children of God. It was a promise of the joys to come.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. - 21:3-4

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” - 3:20

He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. - 22:20

Sources other than the Bible:
https://readingacts.com/2014/04/09/is-revelation-about-the-past-present-or-future/
https://www.crossway.org/articles/the-book-of-revelation-is-not-just-about-the-future/
http://www.historicism.net/
https://www.preteristarchive.com/CriticalArticles/baxter-irvin_ca.html
http://stevecha.net/ask-steve-futurism-historicism-preterism/
https://www.equip.org/bible_answers/was-revelation-written-before-or-after-the-destruction-of-the-temple-in-ad-70/

Set Apart

Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. - Isaiah 44:6

Originally, I was going to look up historical "gods" for why our God is different from every other "god." I may still do that another day. However, today, I needed to just write my personal reasons why God is different from anyone and anything else as I've experienced Him.

First, anytime He asks something from me, it's only ever something to help me or others, not Him. God doesn't ask me to follow a set of rules just to appease Him or task me to do rituals simply to calm down His wrath. His laws are to make the world a safer and happier place, even when it seems like it's about Him. For example, the commandment to put no other "gods" before Him is because 1) He loves us and gets jealous when we give our attention and desires to an imaginary figure when He's there open arms waiting for us. Everything else is emptiness. 2) Following other "gods" means following their possibly contrary rules, chaining ourselves as slaves to another master, and confusing ourselves and others in who we really are as Children of the One True God of love.

And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. - Revelation 21:6

The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths. Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them! - Psalm 78:58

Bel bows down; Nebo stoops; their idols are on beasts and livestock; these things you carry are borne as burdens on weary beasts. - Isaiah 46:1

He has limitless patience, love, and forgiveness. He does get upset if we purposely fall into pits of destruction, causing harm to ourselves and others, for obvious reasons. However, that doesn't mean He doesn't want us anymore. We are never so far away from Him that we're unreachable. We just have to be willing to accept Him and His forgiveness. He loves us no matter what and will seek us out individually just to save us from ourselves if need be.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. - 1 John 4:18

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. - 1 Corinthians 10:13

He's an individualistic AND community-minded God. Following on the heels of my last point, He looks at the good of the whole without sacrificing the good of the individual. We aren't just ants to His eyes or numbers to His heart. He breathes into our bodies to make us living souls, and His heart beats for each one of us, with all our unique quirks. He would have died for you if you were the only person in existence. YOU.

"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?" - Matthew 18:12

He's always present. He doesn't exist only in a figure to bow down to, and He doesn't leave us when we seek Him. He lies even within the deepest recesses of our being, settling down as the Holy Spirit to guide us through every day. When you speak to Him, you don't have to follow certain requirements, rituals, or formalities. You could be lying in a ditch with only the outpourings of wordless emotions thrumming through you, and God will understand more than you understand yourself.

"Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?" declares the LORD "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?" declares the LORD. "Am I a God who is near," declares the LORD, "And not a God far off? - Jeremiah 23:23-24

God doesn't live up to our expectations. He exceeds them. He isn't human-like as the Greek, Roman, Scandinavian, etc. gods were, with petty revenges, weaknesses, and the ability to be tricked or permanently killed. He isn't a live-action soap opera on the mountains with magical powers. When He loves, He loves beyond what you are capable of. When He overpowers, He can't be matched. When He protects, He can't be foiled. There is none like Him but Him. I guess that's why He calls Himself I AM.

God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? - Numbers 23:19

He's a God with a servant heart. Although He is King above all Kings, He would sit and wash others' feet. He could've continued to exist as comfortably as He wants, but He came to Earth to travel through hot lands, heal the ill and broken, and eat with the least of us. Then, He suffered a criminal's punishment and death before a crowd of mocking Jews, the very ones He came to save first! Yet, to the very end, He still forgave and still continued to save.

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.- John 13:3-5

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." - Luke 23:34

Our God is a God of love, patience, forgiveness, with a heart of servitude, a God who walks amongst and lives within His people, peering into our very souls for our wordless murmurings and our hearts for our pleas, and looking at each one of His children as individuals with our many unique characteristics and personalities that He loves. There is none like our God. What have you found sets apart Yahweh from the rest?

How & When to Stand Up

There has always been and always will be (until a new heaven and earth) tension and conflict between Judeo-Christian beliefs and those of the rest of the world. Sometimes, the difference between the two are gods worshipped, other times morality issues, and yet other times it's political. One thing's for certain: if you're a Child of God, you're gonna face down the world at some point whether that's with unbelievers or fellow Christians swayed by worldly ways.

Be heartened because, no matter how surrounded and put on the spot you may feel in that moment, you're not alone. There are millions of us facing down the world in that same moment just as you are and probably feeling just as lost in how to proceed. Part of the reason I write this blog is to invite you in my own search for answers, and you're about to learn with me.

Determine who:

There's a way to speak to our brothers and sisters and a way to speak to unbelievers.

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. - Acts 20:28

We're meant to call out, correct, and guide fellow Christians. In fact, although everything is to be done in love and gentleness, these are the only people you can truly call out on their behavior. I'll go more into that in a minute. But, you MUST be humble and understand you are not speaking from a place of perfection but a place of love, using the Word of God as a basis.

First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. - Matthew 7:6

"If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. "But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector." - Matthew 18:15-17

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Okay, so say this is an unbeliever who's asking questions or, alternatively, trying to argue with you. Not everyone who disagrees with you hates you. However, some DO hate our beliefs or seek to demean you in order to feel better about themselves.

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ - John 15:18-25

No matter whether they're speaking out of hate and anger or simple curiosity and joy, remember that you should be prepared for this. I mean, you do know you'll be called out on your beliefs at some point, right? You do regularly study the Bible, right? (See, I'm calling you out in love, fellow Child!)

But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. - 1 Peter 3:15-16

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone - Colossians 4:5-6

Remember, that although you're defending yourself, you have no need to defend God, who has no need for defense. The truth stands on its own. So, if someone is an unbeliever, you do not call them out on their behaviors and beliefs. I'm not talking about legal punishments or natural consequences here. I'm talking about calling them out. Let me repeat this.

DO NOT CORRECT AN UNBELIEVER'S BEHAVIORS AND BELIEFS.

Why would you expect an unbeliever to act or think like a believer? They are awash in an ocean without an anchor. You're calling from your place on the Rock yelling at them to be still. That's folly. After they find the Rock, expect them to stand firm, not before. It's impossible. Not only that, but it's potentially harmful to them and YOU.

Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces. - Matthew 7:6

Determine how:

When faced with questions or being opposed, simply answer the questions to the best of your knowledge. If you don't know, say so and offer to find out with them. Truth stands on its own. However, for those who simply want to demean or fight, you don't need to argue. Sometimes, it's good to stay silent and maybe even walk away.

Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. - Proverbs 13:3

A time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; - Ecclesiastes 3:7

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. - Ephesians 4:29

Be kind (respectful), build others up, speak in love or not at all.

As a caveat, Jesus was sarcastic and caustic with some people (particularly the Pharisees) when He corrected them. That is to say, He was respectful with regular people, but He could definitely be searing when speaking of or to powerful oppressors.

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. - Ephesians 4:25-32

Did you know most communication is non-verbal? You can stand up for your beliefs, defend yourself, and correct others simply by walking the walk.

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. - James 1:19-27

Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. - Ephesians 5:8-14

Determine when:

There are situations when it doesn't matter who you're speaking with, who is listening in, or why they're confronting you. When you must defend others' rights, lift the downtrodden, and illuminate the darkness of corruption, you just do it.

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. - Ephesians 5:11

Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy. - Proverbs 31:9

Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. - Proverbs 31:8

You should always remember to follow God's example. Jesus showed us how to face the world, correct others, lift the broken, and speak so others will hear all without being dragged down into the darkness of the world and its anger. Don't be afraid to speak up when necessary: when building up fellow believers, answering the curious minds of unbelievers, or lifting up the downtrodden and vulnerable. Don't be afraid to stay silent: when speaking would do more harm or would be in vain (arguing with the close-minded). Be bold with both your words and your silence. You're standing up and speaking up either way.

"...But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” - Acts 4:17-20

Do you Believe in Magic?

“I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" - Jeremiah 32:27

The world likes to dismiss magical situations and miracles as happy coincidences or only the product of mundane happenings. I'd like to suggest that real magic isn't Harry Potter, wands, cauldrons, and werewolves gathering with vampires to defeat ancient evils. (Side note: As you can tell, I read too many fantasy novels.)

The fact of the matter is, pre-enlightenment (fairly recent history, started around 1700's) people viewed magic and miracles as commonplace and expected. Part of this is obviously because science, as we know it today, didn't exist, and most common people filled in the gaps of their knowledge with superstition.

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; - 1 Timothy 4:7

Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. - Colossians 2:18-23

If over-belief in magic and mundane were on two separate ends of a pendulum, the world would've seen a significant swing from magic to mundane during the enlightenment. In my opinion, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Although we have a brain, given by God Himself, to use and experience the world around you, we have a spirit which sees the unseen, not yet perceptible by scientific means.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. - 2 Corinthians 4:18

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. - 1 Corinthians 2:14

The unseen forces of God move around us always, and we as Children of God, can sometimes see them if God wants. It's unlikely we'll have such a dramatic eye-opening miracle as Elisha's servant:

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early in the morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. So he asked Elisha, “Oh, my master, what are we to do?”

“Do not be afraid,” Elisha answered, “for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.”

And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. - 2 Kings 6:15-17

Angels and their chariots were there to defend them against the Arameans, who surrounded their city by night and outnumbered them. Almost every book of the Bible speaks of miracles and magical or nearly-magical situations. Yet, do you see them nowadays?

I'll venture to say that few people saw the dramatic miracles that occurred in the Bible, and if anyone saw something like that today, they would dismiss it as either made up or explain it away with hypothetical reasoning.

As an aside, science has explained so much that would have been otherwise feared and cured diseases and injuries that would have otherwise killed millions. There's too much good in science to not see it as a manifestation of God using man to bless the world.

However, it is, like humanity, limited in its abilities to see and explain God and all He does. A few things science is still trying to figure out: The purpose of dreams, the possibility of life on other planets, the human brain, the depths of the oceans and the life that teems there, the true beginning (like pre-big bang) of life as we know it, time itself, and they're still working on discovering and cataloging all the living species of Earth (they made good progress on mammals, though). In reality, science is in it's infancy, and as it advances, we will understand more and more.

However, it will never explain everything concerning God, and it can only reveal what God wants revealed.

Do you know what science has revealed about God, though? Have you ever seen atoms that make up the world? They are like mini-solar systems, complete with a center star composed of protons and neutrons and swirling, circling planets called electrons. We are made of innumerable atoms. They hold small charges of negative and positive, an act of balance and order in the smallest known particle. Have you seen new-born stars or the death of suns? Have you experienced the birth of a child, a small human complete with toes and fingers, a heart, a brain, a soul tucked behind glittering eyes? I need to add something from Job that is beautiful about God's magic.

Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?

“Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place,
when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
here is where your proud waves halt’?

“Have you ever given orders to the morning,
or shown the dawn its place,
that it might take the earth by the edges
and shake the wicked out of it?
The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;
its features stand out like those of a garment.
The wicked are denied their light,
and their upraised arm is broken.

“Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
Have the gates of death been shown to you?
Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?
Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all this.

“What is the way to the abode of light?
And where does darkness reside?
Can you take them to their places?
Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
Surely you know, for you were already born!
You have lived so many years!

“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow
or seen the storehouses of the hail,
which I reserve for times of trouble,
for days of war and battle?
What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,
or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?
Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,
and a path for the thunderstorm,
to water a land where no one lives,
an uninhabited desert,
to satisfy a desolate wasteland
and make it sprout with grass?
Does the rain have a father?
Who fathers the drops of dew?
From whose womb comes the ice?
Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens
when the waters become hard as stone,
when the surface of the deep is frozen?

“Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades?
Can you loosen Orion’s belt?
Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons
or lead out the Bear with its cubs?
Do you know the laws of the heavens?
Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?

“Can you raise your voice to the clouds
and cover yourself with a flood of water?
Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?
Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
Who gives the ibis wisdom
or gives the rooster understanding?
Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?
Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens
when the dust becomes hard
and the clods of earth stick together? - Job 38-41

Understand that He exists beyond our imaginations and senses. Equally, understand that He is also your Father and the Spirit within you. Now, understand that you are made limitless through Him.

He is the one you praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. - Deuteronomy 10:21

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” - Matthew 19:26

Do you believe in a God of infinite possibilities, or do you limit Him to only what our human minds can understand?

“But if I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. - Job 5:8-9

"‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” - Mark 9:23

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” - Matthew 17:20

A lot of what science explains away as rational is also magical and a miracle in and of itself. God is very real. He's not just some puff of smoke that floats above the cloud tops. He sent His son to show us that He can be touched, heard, and smelled. He is more real than we are.

If you know me, you know our large Hackberry tree fell in our yard a week ago. It's been leaning toward the house for awhile, since it grew that way. On the day it fell, there was only a 15 minute period when no one was home and when most of our vehicles were out of the yard, and this is when the tree decided to fall. Somehow, it fell mostly away from the house, only causing minor damage to part of the porch, falling around the car that was there, only denting a grill almost underneath it. The only real damage it caused was tearing down a portion of the electric and cable lines, which was all back up within the next day.

I've been worrying about that tree falling for awhile, but it never was the "right" time to get it cut down. Now, I won't have to worry about that tree anymore, and we'll have more firewood for the winter.

Does this seem like a miracle? Does it seem magical? Does it look like an act of God? To many unbelievers, absolutely not. It was lucky, they might say, that it worked out that way, but pure chance. Yet, the Holy Spirit points out to me the maze of "coincidences" that occurred to make this work out so well. It whispers that although I need to take care of risks in the future, I never need to worry about anything because God holds us all in His hands.

Sometimes, miracles don't look like happy circumstances from the outside.

When Lot and his family were pressured to leave Sodom, they probably weren't overjoyed. This was there life, their livelihood, friends, and they had to leave it all behind. Yet, there was a reason God needed to destroy it, and He saved their lives despite His plans.

Sometimes, miracles don't look dramatic.

It's the slow but steady healing of an ill person, it's a hug when you need it most, and sometimes, it's something so minute, that we don't see the end result that was ordained.

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." - John 20:29

Magic is simply the unexplainable. Miracles are when the unexplainable works out in our favor. God is the unexplainable.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. - Ephesians 3:20-21