Christmas: Light After Darkness

"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." Matthew 2:9-11

Winter Solstice is an astronomical event, marking the longest night of the year, and it usually occurs between December 21-23.

Just before Jesus was born, the Israelites experienced a long night themselves, held up only by faith in God's promises to bring them a King. The period between Malachi and the Messiah was known as the "400 years of silence," during which time there were no prophets and God did not speak to the Jewish people. They remembered the prophecies of old:

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:2

“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9

Then, a light came out after that long night, and the silence was broken forever.

Like a man stumbling out of a dark room into the bright sunlight, when Jesus was born, many were blind to the fact their King had finally arrived.

"-the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." Matthew 4:16

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have a light of life." John 8:12

It's interesting to note that Hanukkah, the festival of light celebrated by Jews, is followed by the darkest period of the year. This is followed by Christmas, a celebration of Jesus' birth. In the same way, the Jews rejoiced in God's light, which lasted in faith throughout a silent time of darkness, before Jesus came to Earth to be the light to even the gentiles.

Will you celebrate the light this season? Will you remember to be the light for others all year around?

Merry Christmas and may your homes be filled with light, love, and joy.



Sources other than Bible:
https://www.gotquestions.org/400-years-of-silence.html

God's Dwelling Place

"Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple." 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

First, there was a Garden of Eden. This was the first dwelling place of God amongst His people. Adam and Eve, as you know, were said to be naked and to know nothing of clothing. This may have been literal, but it was certainly figurative. They were without sin because they didn't know anything of good and evil or the separation it could give them from God. Therefore, they had nothing to hide and lived vulnerable, unafraid, and unashamed. Once they did sin, they covered themselves in fig leaves to symbolically hide their sins. (It's interesting to note that the fig tree came to be a constant symbol of the tribe of Judah, who would come to be known as simply Jews, throughout the Bible.)

They attempted to cover their own sins, but fig leaves did an inadequate job. So, God made the first sacrifice, performed in the first type of temple, the garden. There, he slaughtered a lamb (symbolic of Jesus) and covered their nakedness (which exposed their sins). There was now death that stood between God and mankind.

Later, the tabernacle and then temple would be a new type of garden for God's people to be in His presence and make necessary sacrifices for their sins.

However, in the temple and tabernacle, there was a place called the Holy of Holies, the only place God would visit His people. It was an area of the structures that was separated from everything else, even normal priestly rooms. The high priest himself only went into the Holy of Holies once a year, and it was covered with a thick curtain to keep it from stray eyes (symbolic of the sins and death that separated God and mankind). When Jesus died, that veil was torn, ripped from top to bottom. Let's put this into more perspective. The curtain was about sixty feet tall, thirty feet wide and four inches thick. Four inches thick. This was torn from top down, because it was an act from above.

It is important to note that Jesus rose again because God's people never die. True death would never again stand between God and His children, so neither would the curtain that stood for it.

As His children, we are now filled with the Holy Spirit that once only came to Earth within the Temple and Tabernacle's Holy of Holies area. We are literally His temples.

"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit." Ephesians 2:19-22

This should be a sobering thought. First, God communed with us in his garden, then his tabernacle and temple, and now, he communes WITHIN us.

"This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!” If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever. But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. “‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord." Jeremiah 7:3-11

We must be careful where our heart lies, as we are not only symbol of God's people and His message. We are literally His temple! If you wouldn't do or say something before God's face, you should not do or say that thing at all. You are an organic church, made to reach the world! It's not enough to say "I am a temple" as if you being a "believer" is enough. What stems from your heart will show. The seeds you water in your heart will grow.

"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." Matthew 23:27

A garden, tabernacle, and temple are teeming with life. The opposite would be a tomb, filled with death and decay. Don't cover your sins with fig leaves and white-wash paint. You can't cover up sins or its stench with your own actions. The only one who can eradicate death and fill you with life is God, and as His child you, as His temple, can spread that life and light to the world.


****

Sources besides Bible:
https://www.challies.com/book-reviews/the-temple-and-the-tabernacle/
https://heritagebbc.com/bible-question-and-answer-archive-1/i-1-why-did-adam-and-eve-cover-themselves-with-fig-leaves/

The Life-changing Magic of... Thanksgiving

"So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the Lord for seven days; the first day is a day of rest, and the eighth day also is a day of rest. On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before the Lord your God… All native-born Israelites are to live in booths so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt." Leviticus 23:39-43

I've recently started on a purging spree following the cleaning methods of Marie Kondo's book, "The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up." It can be far-reaching for some as parts of it seem like some sort of eastern esotericism. She recommends holding each household item and feeling if it sparks joy, and as you sort each thing (whether keeping or disposing) you thank it for all it has done. I like to thank God for each piece I hold as he is the giver of all blessings. I have actually brought something away from this practice so far besides learning good cleaning habits: renewed gratitude and worship in the mundane.

You see, at first, it was a little funny to imagine a plain pair of socks or a t-shirt sparking joy. Then, as I went from item to item I realized that I was holding something more important than "things." My socks kept my feet warm in the winter and wicked away sweat in the summer. My t-shirt with the funny saying made me smile every time I saw it. I began to look around me and see the many ways my house and all the small, sometimes annoying things (dang keys losing themselves everyday), actually brought me comfort and peace. A broom may not be pretty, but it keeps the floors clean so my child can pretend to be a puppy and fill our home with laughter. A spoon may be simple but accompanies delicious nourishment and family times. If something no longer serves its purpose, it is to be either trashed (if it's no longer usable) or donated so it can go on sparking joy for others.

Fun fact: The word "gospel" comes directly from Old English translations of the Bible, meaning "godspel." Godspel was two words smashed together: god/good + spel/message, itself a translation of the Greek "Euangelion," which means "good news." The gospel, as with any good news, brings with it an aura of joy for all that God has given to us, as undeserving as we are.

Let's be clear on something: Joy does not equal happiness. Some Christians feel guilt over depression or the blues, thinking that they are supposed to be happy all the time. Even God isn't happy all the time. There is a good deal of pain and evil in the world. Your tears are surely a reflection of His in that. Joy in God and His promises can exist at the same time as anger, sadness, even fear.

The Jewish holiday of Sukkot, aka the Feast of the Tabernacles, exists as a reminder of this joy. God is the only permanent in a temporary world. Jews set up shacks made of flimsy materials to symbolize the nomadic Israelites during their escape from an evil pharaoh and life. Although life can be inconsistent and as stable as a stormy sea, then and now, the communion between fellow believers, the family of God, and the gratitude for all our blessings that exists in Sukkot was a reminder for how we should live our lives in God's solid presence. We live in joy and thanksgiving on the Rock.

Does this holiday sound familiar? Many pilgrims, before travelling over to the Americas, lived among the Sephardic Jews in Holland. They picked up some of their traditions, as joy is pretty contagious, and brought it over the New World. We now call this day Thanksgiving. Besides the obvious gathering around a table bursting with food and gratitude, you may notice a similarity between other things like the cornucopia, the symbol of plenty. It's shaped like the Jewish shofar, the horn traditional Jews blow to bring in holidays like Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, which precedes Sukkot.

As we come upon Thanksgiving, what are you thankful for? What can you do daily to acknowledge your blessings? Remember, it doesn't have to be large, and it could be hidden in your everyday life in something as mundane as a broom.

It may just change your life.

Happy Thanksgiving, and may you be filled with joy this holiday season!



Sources other than Bible:
https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/sukkot-the-harvest-holiday/
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Godspel

White-Washed Tombs - Biblical Cleanliness

Cleanliness is next to Godliness.

Well, that's not exactly true, at least in the way it's typically used. Although, that was a debatable idea to the Pharisees who were sticklers about pre-dinner hand washing. In fact, you may have heard of a Jewish book called the Talmud, rabbinic teachings that "explain" the Torah. You can find all sorts of discussion over how clean one should be, but the basis for these modern-ish conjectures began with the Pharisees themselves, a Jewish sect founded in ancient times. They were focused on maintaining a pure Judaism: So much so that they delved into Leviticus laws in such agonizing depth that the Pharisees probably would be diagnosed with OCD today. It wasn't even all about HOW clean things were; it was also about the RIGHT WAY to clean things.

Although the Bible itself does mention cleanliness, it never makes God out to be quite as obsessive about it.

Leviticus 11-16 details clean and unclean meats, physical cleanliness and disease of body and home, and ceremonial cleanliness for the Day of Atonement which would be the precedent for much of the Tabernacle procedures.

Why? Some of it is obvious. Many unclean meats are refuse eating or carnivore animals that could spread disease easily. Physical cleanliness was a model for the modern age of separating our own refuse from our living quarters and isolating communicable illnesses. However, some of it is vague. Some unclean meats can be prepared differently to avoid illness, and ceremonial laws are, well, very ceremonial but hardly pertain to our everyday lives.

Therefore, many people dismiss Leviticus and cut through to the moral laws that they understand.

There's much debate over the "whys" and "wherefores" "whether-all-this-still-applies," and has been since the days of Jesus. There's something that has been made very clear, however. Cleanliness, whether it pertains to foods, health, or ceremonies, has nothing to do with your internal cleanness or purity.

"Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him...He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”” Mark 7:14-23

God is actually very obsessive about internal cleanliness.

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Proverbs 4:23

"Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me..." Psalm 51:10

"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules." Ezekiel 36:25-27

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me." John 15:1-4

"But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.” The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” Acts 15:5-11

He's obsessive about internal cleanliness because it's a sign of your salvation, and He's obsessed with YOU.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity. In the same way, you appear to be righteous on the outside, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." Matthew 23:25-28

So, what's up with all the clean vs. unclean described in the Old Testament? There are numerous theories.

Some purport that many of the animals forbidden were used in pagan rituals. Also, simply by having so many food restrictions, it set up the Israelites to physically separate themselves from the nations around them. If you can't even touch a pot an unclean food has been cooked in, how can you sit down and commune with the people who have eaten from it? The gentiles were considered "unclean" because of this and many other reasons.

Others state there are health reasons for only eating certain foods. Of course, there definitely are many physical and mental benefits in eating certain foods and keeping one and one's environment clean.

Still others hold that the animals are symbolic in how clean and unclean are attributed to them. Most of the unclean clean up waste, eat rotting carcasses, or kill others in order to eat. They stand for death and disease.

There's also another theory: that it's all truly arbitrary. This theory states that in the same way clean and unclean are arbitrarily attributed to animals, the Israelites were arbitrarily considered the chosen people by God as opposed to the unclean pagans surrounding them. The Israelites were no better than any of the others, yet God called them out of the world. They failed God innumerable times. Their faith wavered. They worshipped pagan Gods. They sinned as much as if not more than the gentiles. Yet, they were saved.

"And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles." Acts 13:46

As all true Christians, Jews and Gentiles alike, are sinners and yet are saved today. We're saved through God's grace and mercy and not our own strengths.

When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He yielded up His spirit. At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split. The tombs broke open, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised..." Matthew 27:50-52

The barrier between the clean and unclean was torn. God was done with the temple, its system, and a building created by human hands. His believers no longer had to become ceremonially clean to approach God as He has made us all clean. We no longer have to go through other humans to communicate with God, as Jesus is our High Priest. The Holy Spirit no longer lives in a tabernacle or human-made temple, He lives within us, so we must live as an organic temple.

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

So, what does all this mean?

Clean generally means life and unclean means death in the Bible, either figuratively or literally. God is the water of salvation to our souls, washing clean the sins of the world to bring us to salvation, not through who we are but who God is. I believe many of the clean/unclean theories surrounding especially the animals are all partially correct.

However, what it all really boils down to is the Holy Spirit tendency to be repulsed by the evils of the world and seek the clean light of all that is good, wholesome, truthful, and right. To be attached to love and soul-life and separate ourselves from being part of soul-death. The world was being re-taught the path of the Holy Spirit through the Israelites and all those Leviticus ordinates. Some, like the Pharisees missed the point, but we can understand that, as with everything, it's a matter of the heart, from which all else flows.


Sources other than Bible:
http://www.wordofhisgrace.org/wp/unclean-meats/
https://bible.org/seriespage/8-clean-and-unclean-part-i-leviticus-11
https://www.gotquestions.org/temple-veil-torn.html

Wisdom Jeopardy: Biblical or Not for $1000

"For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God For it is written, 'He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS'" 1 Corinthians 3:19

You have heard lots of "wise words" from various sources from the time you were born. Do you know the source of that wisdom? Remember that other wise saying that you should consider the source?

Consider the source of these popular quotes, phrases, and ideas. Is it from the Bible or not? Some are easy... and some not so much. Read each quote or idea, and look below for the actual source.
___________________________________________________________________

"There's nothing new under the sun." 1


"A house divided against itself cannot stand." 2


"Cleanliness is next to Godliness" 3


"A drop in the bucket" 4


"God helps those who help themselves." 5


"To thine own self be true." 6


"Escaped by the skin of my teeth" 7


"Don't cast pearls before swine." 8


"This, too, shall pass." 9


"To everything there is a season." 10


"Money is the root of all evil." 11


"God will not give you more than you can handle." 12


"jumping Jehoshaphat" 13

____________________________________________________________________

Here are some popular ideas. Are they actually Biblical or not?
____________________________________________________________________

Angel hierarchies exist with archangels, cherubim, etc. 14


UFOs visit the earth with otherworldly beings inside 15


Hell is a place of fire and brimstone and eternal suffering 16


Adam and Eve ate a forbidden apple. 17


Jesus was born in a stable amongst the animals. 18


Three wise men (or magi) visited Jesus. 19


Jesus was born December 25th or sometime in winter. 20


The holy grail 21


Angels mated with humans & filled the world with powerful beings 22

____________________________________________________________________

ANSWERS

Quotes & Phrases

1) Ecclesiastes 1:9
2) Matthew 12:25
3) John Wesley sermon in 1778
4) Isaiah 40:15
5) Grecian playwrights and philosophers
6) Shakespeare
7) Job 19:20
8) Matthew 7:6
9) Persian Sufi poets
10) Ecclesiastes 3:1
11) Trick question: Actual verse is "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" 1 Timothy 6:10
12) Who knows? I've found several possible sources, but it's definitely not Biblical.
13) 1 Kings 15:24; 2 Chronicles 20:30-32

Ideas

14) Not to say hierarchies don't exist amongst angels, but the Bible doesn't say much about it. There are different and strange heavenly being described, especially in Revelations, but nothing that states anything about who submits to whom besides God Himself. The idea of angel hierarchical levels was mainly created in the mind of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, a Christian theologian & philosopher in the Middle Ages, when the Western world was obsessed with hierarchies that matched their own societal system. (See Bible.org, Wikipedia, carm.org, etc)

15) Ezekiel 1:16 - "As I looked, behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire. 5Within it there were figures resembling four living beings. And this was their appearance: they had human form. 6Each of them had four faces and four wings. 7Their legs were straight and their feet were like a calf’s hoof, and they gleamed like burnished bronze. 8Under their wings on their four sides were human hands. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, 9their wings touched one another; their faces did not turn when they moved, each went straight forward...The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like sparkling beryl, and all four of them had the same form, their appearance and workmanship being as if one wheel were within another. 17Whenever they moved, they moved in any of their four directions without turning as they moved. 18As for their rims they were lofty and awesome, and the rims of all four of them were full of eyes round about. 19Whenever the living beings moved, the wheels moved with them. And whenever the living beings rose from the earth, the wheels rose also..."

16) Most of the modern idea of hell comes from the work "Dante's Inferno," which describes several levels of varying tortures based on the occupants earthly sins. There's also Chinese legends of Diyu, or the ancient idea of a hellish afterlife, which also has levels. Nowhere in the Bible does it describe a place of eternal suffering. The Christian idea of fire and brimstone probably comes from verses like:

"But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Revelation 21:8

"- and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 13:50

"suffering the punishment of eternal fire." Jude 1:7

There's fire, there's suffering, and there's eternal burning of a fire, but nowhere does it mention eternal suffering of souls. The oft translated hell or hades is Hebrew Sheol, which is simply "the grave," death itself figuratively or literally. Even that will eventually go away at judgment day described in Revelations, when all evil and death are thrown into a fire and taken out of existence completely.

17) Nope, no apples. "'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" Genesis 3:3 This could be literal fruit or figurative, but not an apple... probably.

18) Oh, you must like "The Christmas Story." Here's the actual Bible verse: "She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." Luke 2:7 Ok, so there was a manger, but it doesn't actually say He was born in a stable. He was literally anywhere other than a guest room.

19) Where did you get that number? From a play, maybe? "Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared." Matthew 2:7 Magi is just more than one "wise man." There were three gifts they brought Jesus, but that could've been a group gift. Never was a number of Magi mentioned anywhere.

20) Actually, no one really knows for sure when He was born. There are hints of certain seasonal practices suggesting fall but nothing for sure.

21) The legends of King Arthur: this is where the Holy Grail comes from. The only time the Bible mentioned a cup with Jesus was when He drink from it at the Last Supper, and it wasn't emphasized any more than the table or chair he was sitting in while drinking from it.

22) Genesis 6:4 - "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days--and also afterward--when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown." Surprisingly for this wildly supernatural phenomenon, neither the fallen angels nor their children are mentioned much more in the Bible. Yet, there you go. It's Biblical.


Thanks for playing my game, and I hope you enjoyed it!

Why Does God Let Evil Exist?

God is good, all-powerful, all-knowing, creator of all; yet, evil does exist in this reality God created. So, did God create evil? Why does He allow it to exist? How can He be good and yet allow innocent people and animals to suffer and die, even as children?

God gives people over to what they want. Problem is, we all live in this world, including those who only want good and those who don't know the difference. What gives?

First, what is evil? Evil is the absence of God just like darkness is the absence of light. The Philosopher Augustine surmised something similar. He said that evil is not a thing in and of itself but rather a lacking of something. Just as a hole in a sweater is not a thing in and of itself but rather the lacking of fabric. Because evil is a lacking of God, His truth, and love, it always causes pain in the end. You may not see it immediately, but somewhere down the line, it will always unravel the fabric of some piece of this world and cause a void. Sin and evil cause harm.

You can dive deep into the details of theodicy (theocracy on evil), but honestly, it all boils down to the fact that evil = harm/pain and evil = lacking God.

Please consider reading Job. Job was a Godly man, yet the devil threw down all sorts of evil upon his life. At first he was faithful.

"The Lord gave, and Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." Job 1:21

Yet, after all of his children died, his wealth was ripped away, and he contracted a deadly disease, his will was worn down. Most of his acquaintances forsook him because, to the ancient Jews, suffering meant you had sinned and probably deserved it.

As an aside, Jesus corrected those who erroneously believed this about a man born blind:

"As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.' John 9:1-5

Back to Job, he was living in misery for months when three of his only friends left in the world came to visit him. They sat with him for a full week without even a word, simply being there for him. Then, after this time, they started to discuss everything you might ever hear if you or someone you know are struggling with meshing both the reality that innocent people suffer and the faith in an omniscient and omnipotent God. Job wrestles with depression and longing for death.

His friends respond by reasoning that no human is perfect before God, so everyone is subject to suffering. They state that if Job hadn't sinned, maybe his children had.

"Can mortal man be righteous before God... Behold, happy is the man whom God reproves; therefore despise not the chastening of the Almighty." Job 4:17

"Does God pervert justice?... If your children have sinned against Him, He has delivered them into he power of their transgression." Job 8:3-4

They are trying and failing to comfort Job by taking up the popular stance that Job's suffering was... his own fault. Hmmm, no wonder this didn't go over well. Job protests his own innocence. He points out that they're really just trying to twist the circumstances in order to confirm their own beliefs.

"It is all one; therefore I say, God destroys both the blameless and the wicked.... Thou dost seek out my iniquity and search for my sin, although thou knowest that I am not guilty." Job 9:22-24 & 10:6-7

He brings up the statement that many say when an innocent has died, that they are now in a better place.

"For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last He will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then apart from my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side and my eyes shall behold, and not another." Job 19:25-27

This is true, but it doesn't answer the primary question. Why do innocent people suffer? Even Jesus suffers at the hands of His own people, experiencing death though he did no wrong.

God shows up to speak to Job and his friends, shaming them all. This is but a piece of what he had to say:

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

“Who is this that obscures my plans
with words without knowledge?
Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.

“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[a] 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’? ..." Job 38-41

From my understanding, God was basically saying that, if you truly believe in Him and the fact that He is omniscient and omnipotent, then you must concede that He knows more than you. So, if you believe He is also good, then He must be working for our best interests in ways that we don't know and for reasons we may never understand.

Right now, the world is under evil's command.

"We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one." 1 John 5:19

We should know though, that weeds and wheat are separated at the harvest, not before.

"Jesus presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and slipped away. When the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared.

The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

So the servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

‘No,’ he said, ‘if you pull the weeds now, you might uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At the proper time I will tell the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat into my barn.'" Matthew 13:24-29

This is my own reading of this verse. If God were to take out all the evil, that would harm those who still hope of salvation. Not all evil in the world is permanent and God wishes for everyone to turn from their sins and become one of His children.

"Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be dissolved in the fire, and the earth and its works will not be found..." 2 Peter 3:8:10

It's little consolation to state that God always has a reason for everything that happens, especially if we've hit rock bottom and are living in misery. Yet, it's a fact. No, God doesn't wish for evil to happen, and He will eventually eradicate it for good. He has begged for evil to never enter our lives and world, yet that's what humans chose starting with Adam and Eve. Since then, he's been waiting with arms wide open for everyone to come to Him. Every soul is important to Him; every person He wants to take part in the joy of His kingdom.

Although there's nothing that will take away all of your suffering right now in this life, let's take some comfort in His promises.


1)http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/evil/
2)

Judge Not?

"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye." Matthew 7:1-5

You've probably heard "judge not!" whenever one considers another's actions to be wrong. It seems right to throw the Bible at someone who's throwing the Bible at others, right? Well, first, don't throw the Bible at others. Some are pretty heavy and painful to the noggin. Second, you need to read the rest of this verse. It's super important.

First let's see what "judge" means in Greek here:

κρίνω - properly, to separate, come to a choice by making a judgment either positive or negative. (Strong's Concordance)

Judging someone else by a certain standard and yourself by another is hypocritical. So, if you're living your life to the same standard ("first take the log out of your own eye"), then it's not hypocritical to "take the speck out of your brother's eye." Please note: you're taking the speck out of your BROTHER'S eye. What is a brother?

ἀδελφός, οῦ, ὁ - from the same womb, brother (whether born of same two parents or only one of the same parent), same national ancestor as in belonging to the same people (countryman), a fellow believer constituting as it were but a single family, an associate in employment or office. (Strong's Concordance)

This isn't even speaking of judging (deciding whether a person's actions are good or bad) an unbeliever! I believe it's speaking of not correcting your family (those you are close to) or fellow believers when you're not even trying to correct yourself. So, it's ok to lovingly redirect your brothers and sisters in Christ as we shouldn't even call ourselves Christians or believers if we are not correctly representing our God. Paul is also great at explaining further how to deal with other children of God, so I recommend reading Galatians, Timothy, or any of his other writings. However, here's something Jesus says:

"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

How do you treat a stubborn Christian who refuses to act Godly? Let him be like an unbeliever to you. In other words, you can't correct him as he's not really a follower of God.

So, what about unbelievers? How do we sway them to good?

“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you." Matthew 7:6

When you read the section about judging, you think this next verse is a change in subject. It's actually a very relevant statement completely related to the verses before.

You can't expect an unbeliever to act like a Christian. They might under their own fruition, but you can't expect it. They don't believe in your God, and they likely won't act Godly. That's where we are called to be disciples, living our lives as examples of God's love for our neighbors.

"On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. 'Teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?'

'What is written in the Law?' he replied. 'How do you read it?'

He answered, '‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’'

'You have answered correctly,' Jesus replied. 'Do this and you will live.'

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?'

In reply Jesus said: 'A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

'Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?'

The expert in the law replied, 'The one who had mercy on him.'

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise."" Luke 10:25-37

Go and do likewise.