Finding Palms for Sukkot

from the September 25, 2012 eNews issue
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Leviticus 23:34, 42-43
"Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD... Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God."

For the second year in a row, Israel will have to find new sources for the palm fronds used for the fall feast of Sukkot (or Succoth). Palm fronds are not a great commodity most of the year, but tens of thousands of them are waved ceremonially throughout Israel on the Feast of Tabernacles, along with citrus, myrtle, and willow branches in accordance with Leviticus 23:40.

In years past, about 40 percent of the unopened palm fronds (lulavs) have been imported from the al-Arish area of the Sinai in Egypt. Trouble in the Sinai, however, will again force Israel to depend on local growers and other sources, like Jordan, and prices will be driven up in comparison to years past.

In 2011, Egypt banned the export of the palm fronds to Israel, and Israel had to scramble to find sources for the high demand of lulavs. Israel had previously imported some 70,000 palm fronds per year in the days leading up to this fun fall feast, and domestic crops are being harvested at higher rates than normal.

According to The Times of Israel, Avner Rotem, manager of date palms on Kibbutz Tirat Tzvi in the Beit Shean Valley, said that there will be enough domestically raised palm fronds to meet the demand.

The Feast Of Tabernacles: Yom Kippur starts at sundown September 25, beginning the solemn day of fasting and repentance. A few days after Yom Kippur, though, comes the joyous holiday of The Feast of Tabernacles. This year Sukkot will begin at sunset on Sunday, September 30 and run until sundown on Sunday, October 7th. The word "Sukkot" means "booths" and refers to the temporary dwellings that are built and inhabited during the festival. The Feast of Tabernacles is a time of feasting that commemorates God's provision during the 40 years the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land.

This is a fascinating time of year to visit Israel and see the temporary shelters built in the traditional way, leaving deliberate gaps in the branches to view the stars at night and to let the wind blow through during the day.

At the end of the eight days, the Jews leave their temporary dwellings to return to their permanent homes. (This is one of the reasons some suspect that this feast, rather than the Feast of Trumpets, is suggestive of the Rapture of the Church.) This day, traditionally, is also the day that Solomon dedicated the first Temple.

In the time of Jesus, Sukkot involved a daily processional to the Pool of Siloam to fetch water for the Temple. This ceremonial procession is the setting for the events of John 7, when Jesus offers his listeners living water. To this day, the water-drawing celebrations last until dawn, accompanied by music and dancing.

This holiday also involves waving four types of branches: the willow, the myrtle, the palm, and a citrus (Leviticus 23:40). The willow has no smell and no fruit. The myrtle has smell, but no fruit. The palm has no smell, but bears fruit. The citrus has both smell and bears fruit. In Judaism, these four branches represent different personalities and kinds among the people of Israel.

However, these descriptions can also be matched in the four soils of the first kingdom parable of Matthew 13.

As Christians we may not celebrate many of the traditional Jewish holidays, yet they hold great spiritual and prophetic significance. Colossians 2:16-17 says, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come."

Most observers note that the three feasts in the first month of the religious year - Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Feast of First Fruits - are prophetic of the Lord's First Coming. They each were also fulfilled on the day they were observed.

Between these three feasts and the final three feasts is the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, which is predictive of the Church. (It is also the only feast in which leavened bread is ordained!)

It is believed that the last three feasts, in the seventh month, are prophetic of the Lord's Second Coming. It seems little coincidence that the seventh day of Sukkot is called Hoshanah Rabbah - "Great Salvation". Many believers are particularly watchful each fall in the hopes that "this" will be the year these final three feasts are fulfilled. Even if Egypt wants to hold out on delivering its palm fronds.


Related References:
• The Feasts of Israel - MP3 Download - Koinonia House
• Rosh Hashanah and Shunning the Curses - eNews Archive
• Ahmadinejad to Give UN Speech On Yom Kippur - eNews Archive
• How is Sukkot Observed? - Chabad.org
• Egypt Bans Export of Ceremonial Palm Fronds for Jewish Holiday (2011) - CNN
• No Lulavs From Sinai for Sukkot - The Times of Israel

Genesis 4:1-24

Compiled notes from my BSF group

ABEL GAVE IN FAITH; CAIN GAVE RELIGIOUSLY (Genesis 4:1-5)

John 14:6
Hebrews 10:14; 11:4
1 John 3:12
Abel’s offering was given by FAITH (Hebrews 11:14). He gave because his heart was with God, and he always gave God his first fruits (the best of what he had) (Genesis 4:4).

In contrast, Cain gave selfishly, giving only the "leftover" portions of his harvest (Genesis 4:3).

Similarly, whatever we do, including what we give, God looks at our heart. God is not poor. God is not a beggar. He doesn’t need anything from us.

Why are we taught to give to God then?

We give, because whatever we give, we give toward helping God’s people, to help move God’s work forward. We give, because whatever we have, we have because God gave it to us first (James 1:17). We give, because God gave us. When we make a sacrificial giving, we can start to understand God’s heart when He sacrificially gave us His Son (John 3:16)!

LIKE HIS PARENTS, CAIN NEVER ADMITTED SIN -- INSTEAD, HE HID FROM GOD (Genesis 4:5-7)

Cain was selfish. He kept the best for himself. He cared only about himself. He sinned, and instead of seeking guidance from God, he turned away from God and hid, even when God tried to guide him (Genesis 4:5-7)!

Cain was a sinner and did not care to admit it. He was jealous of Abel, who had favor in God’s eyes. Instead of learning from Abel, reflecting what he could be doing wrong,  and changing his heart, he held on to his sin and killed Abel instead (Genesis 4:8).

"And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous." (1 John 3:12)

The root of Cain’s problem was not that Abel was better. The roof of Cain’s problem was that his heart was not in the right place. Instead of righting his heart and follow God earnestly, he chose to kill off anyone and anything that reminded him of his sin – And therefore, he killed Abel.

Genesis 4:9
2 Samuel 12:13
Psalm 51
Cain, like Adam and Eve, never admitted sin. David, on the other hand, understood the severity of sin and came clean before God.


WE CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS (Matthew 6:24)

Hebrews 13:15-16
1. Keep our lives free from the love of money
2. Be content with what we have

1 Timothy 6:10
"The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil."

Matthew 6:24
"We cannot serve two masters."

The act of giving teaches us a lot about the heart of God, and we learn many lessons about it throughout the Scripture. To sum up those lessons, I would conclude the following:

Worshiping anyone/anything else but God is idolatry
What do we put above God? Money? Status? Power? Ourselves? When we love anything/anyone more than we love God, we will inevitably deviate from the Word of God. Why? Conflict of interest. This is why we cannot serve two masters. When one master tells us to do one thing and the other master tells us to do the exact opposite, what will we do? We will go with whoever has our heart. And if we put ourselves above God, we will go with our selfish wants and needs as opposed to following God's Word -- We will be like Cain.

Our reluctance to give exposes our idolatry, our sin
Money itself is not evil. The LOVE of money is the root of all evil. This is talking about the heart condition. When we love something, we don't let go easily. Therefore, when we cannot let go of money (or anything else) to further the work of God, we need to stop and check our heart. Why is it so hard for us to let it go? What about it ties us to it instead of allowing us to follow God freely?

As God's people, we will one day be kings and priests, living in New Jerusalem, where the streets will be paved with gold (Revelation 21). There is nothing in this world that is worth us forsaking God and losing sight of our future with God. God made this ENTIRE world. Who do we want to worship? The Creator or the Created (man, man-made objects -- which includes money, power, status, etc.)?

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights (James 1:17)
Money is just a tool. Power is just a tool. Status is just a tool. These are all tools that we receive from God. Instead of hoarding it to ourselves, we should use what we have been given to help further God's work. As mentioned above, stay focused on the REAL value, hold fast to the ONLY one who is eternal: God.


"DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND YOU WILL BE ACCEPTED" (Genesis 4:6-8)

God knew that Cain was angry about his situation (Genesis 4:6), and instead of admonishing Cain harshly for his sin, God lovingly guided him about what he needed to do to be seen as righteous.


God told Cain that if he did what was right, he will be accepted. However, if he continued to sin, he will be mastered by sin and continue to have an unrighteous heart (Genesis 4:6-7).

Doing right is not doing right in our eyes. Doing right is doing right in GOD’S EYES. When we devote ourselves to God as Abel did, when our HEART truly desires to be with God and truly appreciates the greatness and glory of God, we will do what is right in God’s eyes. This is salvation by faith.

However, if we do the same things but our heart does not belong to God, if we were only doing those things because we think that by doing these things, God will like us better, then this is salvation by works. The concept behind salvation by works is that we don’t do things out of love for God. We do things in hopes of gaining God’s favor. The motive is sinful, and therefore our works would be sinful and never righteous!

This was the root of the problem for Cain and the reason why his sacrifices were not favorable in God's eyes.

“Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (1 John 3:10-16)

We see here again that it’s about our heart. When we are filled with the love of God, we will do what is righteous in God’s eyes. When we are not filled with the love of God, we will be overtaken by Satan and evil, and fall into sin. John tells us that anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer because our hatred brings death, because our hatred shows no heart of God. And if we do not have the heart of God, we sin and we continue to die in sin.

How do we know what love is? Look at Christ. Jesus laid down his life for us – Not just the "good" people but also the "bad" people; in fact, all people. 

"I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:32)

Jesus did not die for the righteous. He died for the sinners, the same sinners who tortured and murdered him! This is the heart of God – That He wants ALL to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4)! Can we begin to appreciate God’s love? How many parents out there can imagine sacrificing their child for others? Not just that, but sacrificing their child for murderers and criminals? God did that for us. God did that so that we may all be saved.

GOD JUDGES, NOT US (Genesis 4:9-16)

It is not up to man to judge or to carry out judgment. Every one of us is responsible for our own actions, and each one of us will stand in front of God. Other people may have done us wrong, but we are not to seek justice with our own hands. We forgive and love because WE ARE ALL SINNERS in the eyes of God (Romans 3:23). WE ALL MURDERED JESUS ON THE CROSS, so who are we to judge? Thus, when we are wronged, we forgive and love, because we make mistakes, too and hope we would receive the same kindness. And if we seek forgiveness from God, whose Son we murdered, how could we not forgive others?

It’s important to know that just because we forgive does not mean that person is "off the hook." We are all on God’s hook. When we forgive, we simply give them over to God, who is the only righteous judge.


WHERE DID CAIN GET HIS WIFE? (Genesis 4:17)

The Scripture tells us that Cain got himself a wife (Genesis 4:17), but it does not elaborate on where his wife came from. The question of where Can got his wife is derived from the assumption that God made only Adam and Eve. And if that is the case, then Cain must have married his sister. However, there is also the possibility that God did not just make Adam and Eve. God could have made other humans as well, and Cain's wife may have come from those humans.

The bottom line is, the Scripture does not elaborate, and we do not know. This is one of the mysteries that we will have to ask God when we see him.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF CAIN AND HIS DESCENDANTS (Genesis 4:17-24)

- Cain built a city (Genesis 4:17)
- Cain’s descendent, Lamech, who was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock (Genesis 4:20)
- Jubal, Lamech’s brother, was the father of all who play the harp and flute (Genesis 4:21).
- Cain’s descendent, Tubal-Cain, forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron (Genesis 4:22).

CAIN AND HIS DESCENDENTS DEFIED GOD (Genesis 4:17-24)
- Lamech also killed a man (Genesis 4:23)
- Lamech married two women (Genesis 4:19) and killed a man (Genesis 4:23).


WE ARE LIKE CAIN IN MANY WAYS

Our heart is far away from God. We show no love of God. We do not behave as if we have the love of God within us. Instead, we seek justice with our own hands when we are wronged, and we do not admit our wrong when we sin against other people. We do not care about other people nearly as much as we care about ourselves. We are selfish, and we seek to glorify ourselves.

What can we do about it?


WALK IN THE LIGHT (1 John 1:5-10)

If we walk in the light with Jesus, our sin will be purified by Jesus. In order to walk in the light, however, we must admit our sin. If we say we have no sin, then the truth is not in us, and we will continue to walk in the dark. However, if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:5-10).


AFTERTHOUGHTS

Approach God with a sincere heart. God SEES us. God KNOWS us. Even if we tried to approach God with a selfish heart and think we can hide it with our acts, God sees through it all. There is no point hiding. Come clean and walk with God in the light.

Daniel 6

Bible study with Dr. Chuck Missler

DANIEL AND THE LIONS' DEN
Daniel and the lion's den were included in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11:33). This tells us the amount of faith shown by Daniel during this event.

Daniel rises to prominence even in the Persian Empire (Daniel 6:1-3)

Daniel, in Daniel 6, is now 86 years old, having accumulated 66 years of public service under Babylon. He has been placed in a position of honor for being an exceptional administrator. Out of the 120 satraps (princes) who report to 3 top administrators (presidents) (Daniel 6:1), Daniel was named above them all. Impressive indeed! From being a young Jewish captive to prime minister of Nebuchadnezzar's empire to becoming Nebuchadnezzar's close friend, Daniel indeed has had a great career!

And now, Babylon has been fallen (Daniel 5), its empire taken over by the Persians. Instead of falling out of favor as it is common for officials of previous administrations, Daniel instead rises to become the right hand man of the Darius ("Darius" is a title of Cyrus, not the name of the Persian ruler), who is not the King of Persia but has been placed in charge of the Babylonian portion of the Persian Empire.

We see again that Daniel rises to prominence because of his spirit (Daniel 6:3). Naturally, envy from the others arises (Daniel 6:4-5). They are definitely not excited about having an old Jewish man being in charge of them. They thus sought ways to bring Daniel down.

No one can find fault in Daniel (Daniel 6:4-5)

Look at the report card of Daniel's life: no fault could be found in Daniel!

His rivals, 120 of them, could not find a single thing to use against him!

(Daniel rose to the top rank of not one but two great empires had no fault in the eyes of men -- What does this say about our politicians today?!)

They thus resort to trapping Daniel by using Daniel's obedience to God against him (Daniel 6:5).

Darius is tricked to throw Daniel into the lions' den (Daniel 6:6-9) 

We see again that Daniel's rivals put their plan to sabotage Daniel's position by getting Darius on an ego trip. They make a decree (of course, without any input from Daniel, to whom they report) that said, "Anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den" (Daniel 6:7), boosting Darius's ego, and have Darius enforce it in writing (Daniel 6:9).

(Who's the puppet? Who's being played? Politicians have been the same since day one. Not one top official works to serve the people. It has always been about gaining power. The only leader who came to serve was Jesus. Don't trust and rely man-made government. Trust and rely on God.)

Note the differences between Babylonian and Persian laws. Nebuchadnezzar was above the law. Whoever he disliked, he could kill. The Persians didn't work that way. No one, not even the king or regional leaders, was not above the law. Once Darius signed the decree, he was stuck with it and cannot change it (Daniel 6:8). (The Book of Esther illustrates this limitation very vividly.)


On a side note, archaeological digs have confirmed that Persians indeed kept lions' dens. 

We see later that Darius regrets being conned into signing this decree (Daniel 6:14).

As always, Daniel continues to obey God (Daniel 6:10)

What did Daniel do when he found out the decree to worship Darius has been signed? NOTHING OUT OF THE USUAL.

Daniel has been living as a righteous man his whole life, and he will continue to live as a righteous man! He prays as he always did; he continues to give thanks to God!

At this time, Jerusalem was a couple hundred miles west and laid in rubble! 

Inspiration:

Daniel didn't pray just because the decree was signed into law. Daniel always prayed. He constantly communicated with God, good days or bad. On the good days, he praised and thanked God. On the bad days, he prayed for guidance (Daniel 6:11). Daniel prayed because no human event could interrupt his commitment to God.

This is the kind of prayer life we all need to aspire to have. Talk to God not just because we need something from Him. Talk to God because He is our awesome Father, and we cannot wait to share everything with Him!


(On a side note, Daniel prayed on his knees. Stephen, Peter, and even Jesus Himself prayed on their knees. The Levites even laid prostrate in front of God. When we lay bare in front of God, we lay bare in front of God.)



Darius regrets signing the decree and tries to save Daniel (Daniel 6:11-15)

Since Daniel continued with his prayers, the rival officials instigated a riot to force Darius have Daniel executed (Daniel 6:11-13).

At this point, Darius finds out he has been tricked and was greatly distressed (Daniel 6:14). Darius wasn't displeased with Daniel. He was displeased with himself -- At this point, he realized that he has been set up to trap Daniel. Darius immediately labored through the day to free Daniel. But, the law was the law -- there was no loophole.

Inspiration: 

Look at where the heart of Darius was! Like Nebuchadnezzar, his heart was on Daniel's side! I find Daniel amazing. No matter where he went, he changed people's heart and gained their respect -- even the heart of his enemies and enemy leaders! For those in politics, be inspired by the kind of Godly political leader that Daniel was!

Daniel survives the lions' den (Daniel 6:16-22)

As Darius gives the order to have Daniel be thrown into the lions' den, he says to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!" Even if Darius does not believe in God, he at least has some knowledge that God is effective and powerful (Daniel 6:16).

To ensure Daniel cannot escape, the den is closed off with a rock and sealed with the king's signet ring and the rings of the nobles -- This is so that Darius cannot let Daniel out on his own accord (Daniel 6:17).

Darius stays up all night, with no food, no entertainment, and no sleep (Daniel 6:18). And at the first light of dawn, he rushes to the den to find out if Daniel survived. This really tells us where his heart is: with Daniel!

Though Darius expected God delivering Daniel, he still had doubts (Daniel 6:20). Daniel, on the other hand, completely trusted God (Daniel 6:21-23). Daniel didn't just believe. He RELIED on God. (It is one thing to know airplanes are safe in flight. It is another to trust that knowledge and actually ride the airplane!)

Inspiration:

Even demons believe in God and tremble (James 2:19) -- Are demons saved? Believing is not enough for salvation. Completely relying on the knowledge of God and giving ourselves into God's glory is true faith.

"An eye for an eye" is a Persian law reserved for false witnesses (Daniel 6:24)

Satisfied with Daniel's innocence (Daniel 6:22), Darius has the 120 satraps, along with their wives and kids, thrown into the lions' den. The lions didn't rest until they got every single one of them (Daniel 6:24). This is in accordance to the Persian law that false witnesses receive the same sentencing as the accused.

To critics who say that Daniel was thrown into a den with old lions, which would explain why Daniel was not eaten, how would they explain how those same lions went after 120 plus people until they got them all?

Daniel is promoted, and God is glorified (Daniel 6:25-28)

Darius publicly notes the awesomeness of God throughout the world. The Persian Empire was far greater than the Babylonian Empire -- This notice definitely spread far and wide. Furthermore, because of Daniel's faithfulness, Darius may have been saved through this ordeal!

Be inspired by Daniel. From Daniel 1-6, we have seen the number of people saved through Daniel's great faith in God, including the world's worst despot, Nebuchadnezzar, and one of the world's most powerful rulers, Darius!

PARALLELS OF THE LIONS' DEN

Scholars believe that...
- Daniel and the Lions' Den is a prophetic anticipatory type of the faithful remnant of the end time
- The event foreshadows the man of sin (Revelation 7, 12; Matthew 24)
- The roaring lion is Satan (1 Peter 5:8; 2 Timothy 4:17; Revelation 13:2)

WHO WERE THE MAGI?
There were magi in Nebuchadnezzar's court. There were magi who followed the star to welcome the birth of Jesus. What is the significance of their presence?

Daniel was the Chief of the Magi (Rag-Mag)

Jeremiah 39:3, 13
The magi were valuable not for their skills in astrology. Their primary skill was in the interpretation of dreams. The title for the Chief of the Magi is Rag-Mag. There was such a title in Nebuchadnezzar's court, and he appointed Daniel that position.


Daniel 4:9
When Daniel deciphered Nebuchadnezzar's dream here, Daniel was already the Chief of the Magi.


Magi was a Persian sect, a hereditary Persian priesthood -- And Nebuchadnezzar put a Jew in charge of them! This obviously did not go well with the magi.

After taking over the Babylonian Empire, Darius the Great established the magi as the state religion of Persia. Why? Because the head of them was tied to the inner court -- that head may very well have been Daniel.

Magi vs. Levites
The Magi resembled a lot with the Levites.

- Both upheld monotheism against evil spirit (dualism was later developed).
- Both had a hereditary priesthood: Magi for the Persians; Levites for the Jews.
- Both priesthoods were the essential mediator between God and man by virtue of blood sacrifice.
- Each depended on the priesthood in divination.
- The kings always relied on the magi as their counselors, just as the kings of Judah were to rely on the high priest and the Levites -- In fact, the magi were responsible for picking the next king.

Point: The magi were a priestly cast.

The Christmas story: It's not 3 magi on a camel cutely pictured on Christmas cards

The magi that showed up on the day of Jesus's birth were a group of Persian magi in all pomp and circumstance. They came because of political power struggles. Rome and Parthenon (Eastern Roman Empire) were at odds with Judea stuck in the middle.

Near the birth of Christ, political powers started to shift with the old Persian king dying and such. In comes the magi parade to ensure safe entry into Roman territory -- The Persian Empire was strong, and the magi had the power to appoint a king who could push either Rome or Parthenon to power.

When the magi party entered Jerusalem, Herod and the whole city were in uproar. They knew this was a political move, with Jerusalem caught in the middle -- Jerusalem was placed under the rule of Herod, who was appointed by Rome. Herod didn't receive much support from Rome, especially when Rome was fighting off Parthenon. Herod had no idea what was going on and didn't know if the magi came as friend or foe.

Clearly, the magi that arrived on scene weren't just 3 guys on a camel. This was a major military escort.

Understanding the political turmoil during this time, we can see why Herod was nervous. He was given the title, king of the Jews, yet depending on how things were between Rome and Parthenon, he had power or he didn't. He had no real clue what was going on, and His Roman support was essentially non-existent. Augustus was getting old, and Tiberius was retired. There was basically no military leader in Rome -- The Roman Empire was in a transition of power.

The Jews had no sympathy with Rome and thus no sympathy with Herod. They were comfortable with the Parthenon Empire, because they enjoyed more freedom with them. Worse for the Roman Empire, the Jews were ready to revolt. However, not all was peachy with Parthenon. Parthenon was also in turmoil as well.

With Herod caught right in the middle of this and with his declining health, we can empathize with him a bit. What a thankless job he had! He was placed in charge of a state (Jerusalem) that was volatile on its own. Worse, its fate laid between two contending empires! And now, there was this formidable gang of Persian magi coming in with enough forces to destroy the whole city! They were king makers, ready to align with whichever empire was the strongest!

Matthew 2
When the magi met Herod, they asked who the King of the Jews was (Matthew 2:2). This was a pointed insult. Herod was appointed King of Jews. His appointment was given by Rome, a power that was very distant from Jerusalem. Worse, Herod was not BORN of a king of anything.

Herod was confused about the magi's question (Matthew 2:3). He was confused because he was not a Jew (He was an Edomite!) and did not understand what was going on. Why is a bunch of Persian magi asking about the birth of the king? To find some answers, they didn't consult the stars or astrology. They figured out the Persians were looking for the Christ, and so they consulted the Old Testament (Matthew 2:4).

They found the answer in Micah 5:2 -- Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 was written 5 centuries earlier!

Herod pretended to work with the magi (Matthew 2:7-8), but in reality had a plan of his own (Matthew 2:12, where God revealed to them that it was not safe to return to Herod).

Daniel may have passed down the knowledge about the birth of Jesus to a secret sect of the magi

How did the magi know about the birth of Jesus? How did they know to bring gold, frankincense, and myrrh? How did they know about the significance of this baby? (By the way, because they came bearing three gifts, this was why the common misconception is that there were only 3 magi.)

Scholars suspect that when Daniel was placed in charge of the magi, he also established an inside group that he could trust and shared with them Daniel 9 and equivalent prophecies so that they would know the time by counting the days. This selected group of magi stayed true to Daniel's word and when the day had come, they visited Jesus on the day of His birth. They brought 3 items that proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God who had come to bring salvation to mankind: Gold = deity; frankincense = priesthood; myrrh = embalming for death.

It is important to note that this is a THEORY. There is no direct proof of this -- just a lot of supporting circumstantial evidence.

God communicated with the magi with a dream (a language that Daniel had trained them in so that they could understand -- remember, the magi were trained to interpret dreams) and told them not to return to Herod (Matthew 2:12). 

Herod's fear that the magi were looking to replace the king was valid. In fact, the magi did replace the king in two years. However, the group of magi that inquired about Christ were the selected group of magi that had been anticipating the birth of the Christ -- They were not here for political gains; they were here for the King of Kings!

1 Timothy 2

Bible study with Pastor Terry Gray


PAUL CALLS US TO PRAY (1 Timothy 2:1)

Prayer is the top priority of a church, of our personal lives -- Jesus didn't call His house a House of Preaching or anything else; He call it a House of Prayer (Matthew 21:13).

Pray for Supplication
Pray to have people's needs be met according to God's will. It isn't just about fulfilling selfish needs. It is about following God's will. For example, if a person is looking for a job, pray for him, not just that he gets a job but that he finds a job that would allow him to fulfill the will of God (bringing the Word to that particular community, etc.). 

Pray for Intervention
People need saving, so save them. Christians are walking away from the Lord, pull them back. Pray for the Holy Spirit to move hearts.

Prayer of Thanks
We don't just pray because we need things from God. Prayer is communication with God. When our prayers are answered, and we are thankful, we can pray a huge thanks and praise God!

The list above is is isn't an exhaustive list. There are prayers of adoration, prayer without any agenda, etc. Pray to just enjoy God's presence, to be in God's company.


PRAY FOR EVERYONE: OUR LEADERS, FRIENDS, FOES (1 Timothy 2:2)

Pray for everyone. Friends. Enemies. Leaders of our nation.

Paul wrote this letter when Nero was the king. He was the king that burned down Jerusalem and blamed it on the Christians, who were then persecuted because of his faulty accusations.

We see that despite being under horribly corrupted leadership, Paul continued to pray for Nero, the leader of the nation. Why? Because all authorities are appointed by God (Romans 13:1). Not some. ALL. Yes, there are corrupted leaders all over the world. God did not appoint them to be corrupted leaders. God appointed them to lead well, but they did not, and they will have to answer to God on Judgment Day. And just because we have a horrible dictator above us does not mean we can get away with disrespecting them. God will hold us accountable for our submission not just to God but also the leaders He has appointed us. Besides, disrespecting our "enemies" is not a Christ-like method to solve our problems. Jesus never once disrespected the Pharisees, the Jewish leaders, or Caesar. He submitted to their authorities, although He always tried to teach them about God's way.


WE PRAY BECAUSE IT IS GOOD (1 Timothy 2:3)

Why pray? Because prayer is good. It is acceptable to God. It is pleasing to God.


THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF ALL PRAYERS IS SALVATION (1 Timothy 2:4)

As mentioned above, we don't just pray for things that we want. We pray for things accomplished that lead to salvation, to doing God's will. We pray not only that we will receive answers but that we will be closer to God.

It is God's will to save all. Some may ask, Why doesn't He just force us all to accept him then? God will not force His desires upon us at the cost of making us into robots. When God made us in His image, we received free will. And with free will, we get to CHOOSE whether or not we want to be saved.


IN GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS, HE CONDEMNS SIN
IN GOD'S LOVE, HE PROVIDES SALVATION
(1 Timothy 2:5-6)

There is only one mediator: Jesus. Not Mary. Not saints. Only Jesus. Only Jesus died on the Cross for us. No one else did. And even if someone wanted to try, he wouldn't be good enough. Because only Jesus was the perfect man that was the Lamb of God. Only His blood was pure enough to cleanse our sins forever.


SUBMIT TO ONE ANOTHER OUT OF REVERENCE FOR CHRIST (EPHESIANS 5:21)

As mentioned above, we are taught to submit to all levels of authority (Romans 13:1). It has to do with STRUCTURE. Without structure, there is chaos. Paul elaborates on this point in Ephesians 5-6.

Throughout the Scriptures, we see how Jesus showed submission to the authorities. For example, when Jesus went down to the Temple with His earthly parents (Joseph and Mary) as a child, He obeyed the wishes of His parents (Luke 2:51).

Ephesians 5:21
We are to submit to one another because we submit first to God.

This is the key to understanding the rest of God's order, especially in terms of the gender roles set by God.


THERE IS ORDER IN THE CHURCH (1 Timothy 2:8-15)

Here is the gist:
1. We FIRST submit to Jesus.
2. Then, we understand how to submit to one another.

Key: Submit to one another. That is, there is no equality issue. No one is better than another. Every one of us has a role to fill, and the body functions because we all do our jobs.

Based on the above, Jesus is the head, who placed men as leaders of the Church.

Men should lead prayers (1 Timothy 2:8)

Men who lead prayers need to have holy hands. HOLY. That is, they need to lead holy lives. Their testimonies have to match with how they live. They can't get up and pray piously but go on to live their lives poisonously.

They are to lead prayers without wrath. Control anger and lead with love.

They are to lead prayers without doubting, pray faith-filled prayers. Remember what Jesus says whenever He heals someone? "Your faith has healed you." When we doubt, the truth is not in us. And if the truth is not in us, why would we expect doubtful prayers to be answered?


This passage is not saying that women can't pray. There are plenty of passages throughout the Bible that show us that women pray. We should all pray, but men are the leaders of the Church and so should lead public prayers.



We are all equal in God 

As a side note, it is so important to note that having men lead prayers but not women is not about a matter of value but order. This is the same idea that a general is in charge of the brigade, but that doesn't make him better than a captain as a human being!

Where did this order come from? When God first created man and woman -- Adam and eve! Why did they fall? There was breakdown in the structure. Adam was not acting as a spiritual head, and Eve took over.

In the fall and even now during the fall, there are many guys who refuse to lead, and women who refuse to support their men. There is contention.


Many women are offended by Biblical passages that stress women's roles as men's helpers. They think this is sexism and find it disgusting.

Well, frankly, these women clearly do not understand what submitting to God means. Let us check that pride and humble our hearts.

Christianity has liberated more women than any other movement in history. Back during Jesus's time, women were property. Their place in society was lower than slaves. Men did not talk to women in public, not even to their wives or daughters.

Jesus, however, spoke gently to women. He gave them critical roles in His ministry. Deborah was raised as the only female judge of Israel. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared first to women, even though back then women's testimonies don't mean anything! Jesus freed women, recognizing them in society as PEOPLE!

Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Neither male nor female!

Clearly, Paul is not stressing the value between man versus woman. He is stressing the ORDER of God.

Paul has applauded women who were involved in his ministries, saying these women labored with him. He praised Priscella. He worked with women. He ministered with women!

Women should dress their inner beauty (1 Timothy 2:9-10)
Read the text with cultural considerations: This was written to church of Ephesus. Back then, the people of Ephesus worshiped a pagan goddess. One of the ways of their worship was for women to get dolled up with braided hair, dressed with gold, pearls, and expensive cloths to seduce the men to worship the idol.

Paul's bigger point here isn't to tell women what to wear and what not to wear. He is warning us all: Do not let the pagan culture influence the way we dress.

Using women as an example, we should watch how we present ourselves: Expose our inner beauty (which is eternal) as opposed to dressing up the flesh (which is ephemeral).

1. Dress honorably
Do not dress in a way that draws to physical beauty. Do Not dress to seduce.

Paul talked about braided hair and gold and pearls. Are these bad? As always, it's about the HEART. Did we braid the hair to be presentable (as opposed to looking like a slob) or to seduce? Both types of dress code have braided hair but only one has the right heart. It's not about what we wear. It's about our heart.

Matthew 5:28
Jesus taught that when men look even lustfully at women, they have committed adultery. (Again, it's the heart condition that Jesus is addressing here. Our heart condition is reflected in our behavior.) Since we are taught not to cause each other to stumble (1 Corinthians 8:9; Romans 14:13), why would godly women choose to dress in a way that would cause their fellow brothers to stumble? They wouldn't.

This is the same idea as no one would take an alcoholic friend to a bar!

2. Dress modestly
Don't dress in a way that draws ourselves to our social setting. Gold was weaves into their braids to make a statement: I have made it to the high society. I'm well to do. Look at me!

Do not dress to bring glory to ourselves. Dress to bring glory to God. (It thus goes without saying that we shouldn't dress like a slob either...)

The real beauty is inside, which shines through good works. Let our outward dress match our inward dress.

Women are just as important in a church as men
Can a woman speak at church? Can a woman teach? Can a woman have authority in a church?

1 Timothy 2:11
1 Corinthians 14:34
"A woman should learn in quietness and full submission."

Two WRONG understandings:

1. Ultra conservative misunderstanding
Women should not utter a word at church. They don't pray. They don't prophesy. They don't teach. They are given no position of responsibility in the church except with children or other women to teach women how to be better women and housewives. No woman can be ordained. They cannot be pastors or any other position of spiritual leadership.

2. Ultra liberal understanding
These passages are old school and in the past. Paul was only speaking to a particular culture during his time, and his comments no loner apply to our culture today.

Looking at the culture back then, Paul, of course, is speaking to the culture. However, these Scriptures are God-inspired (2 Timothy 3:16). Anything that God has to teach us, it's in the Bible. God's words are TIMELESS.

If we pick and choose which ones are timeless and which ones are not, where do we draw the line? If we learn anything about God, we should learn this: God's standards have no gray areas. We are either righteous or sinful. There is no maybe. If there was a maybe, WHY THE HECK DID JESUS HAVE TO DIE ON THE CROSS?!

God means what He says and says what He means. He is straightforward, and He does not bend the Truth. ALL of God's Truth matches up PERFECTLY. If we have to squint to make sense of it, it is not because God speaks gray. It's because we are missing something. This is why we never stop studying the Bible. Because there is always a gem in the Word of God that will shed light on our current understand of the Word of God.

Creating gray areas due to our own inadequate understanding of the Word is just as dangerous as selectively allegorizing the text.

Let's look at this phrase together with 1 Corinthians 14:35.
"If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church."

First, addressing the cultural aspect of this passage, men and women back then sat on different sides of the synagogues. Women would shout across the room to their husbands to ask a question. This was terribly disruptive during a service, to say the least.

Paul thus isn't saying, "Shut up and don't talk, women!" He's saying, Don't be disruptive during the sermons. Save the questions for the home.

The ultra liberal misunderstanding that states the above scenario no longer applies today thus take the stance that none of the above applies to how a church should be organized today as well.

Women have gained much more status today. Yeah? To WHOM?

We need to realize that since day one, since God created Adam and Eve, God has ALWAYS seen man and woman as EQUALS. It is unfortunate that man never saw it that way. Women today are finally getting the same level of respect from men that God has bestowed upon them SINCE THE BEGINNING.

So, to those who say that women have gained much more status today, yes, to MEN. To God, women have no more or no less status.

When Jesus came to free the oppressed, to free the women, we don't hear women fighting against it. However, when we hear God, speaking through His prophets, to remind us of God's order, of God's designed roles for men and women, all of a sudden, women hate the idea of being under men and want to rebel?

Check our pride at the door. It is never about us. It's always about God and God's will. God's standards are clear cut. We don't get to just pick the ones we like and spit out the ones we don't. That is called SIN, and Jesus came to free us from that. So, be freed. Be TRULY freed.

Let's get to the meat of the discussion: What do we learn from Paul here?

The word "silence" in this passage was translated from the Greek word that means quietness that is derived from PEACEABLENESS. UNDISTRUBING quietness. There is another Greek word that means absolute silence -- That word is not used here. Look back to 1 Timothy 2:2
"... that we may live PEACEFUL and quiet lives..."

The Greek word that is translated as SILENCE in 1 Timothy 2:11 is the same word that is translated as PEACEFUL.

As I always stress, whenever we are in doubt, refer to the ORIGINAL text. Looking the at Greek, we gain a new perspective: Paul asked for silence not in the sense of no talking. Paul asked for silence in the sense of no disruption.

That is, we should not be disruptive during church services. It is not that women cannot talk. It just so happens that back then, women were the ones who were causing the disruption (men ask wives questions far less than wives ask husbands questions).

Bottom line, women can speak and testify, just as the men can. Let us all learn in peace without causing disturbance or contention.

Men are spiritual leaders of the church

1 Timothy 2:12
Women were to learn without contention. Without contention with who? With the male spiritual leaders in the church. With God's order.

The greater idea here is not that women should not speak or teach or testify but that women should not break God's order -- and this applies to men as well.

By all means, women should minister! As mentioned above, Paul ministered along sisters in Christ, clearly proving to us that here, he is not supporting the notion that women have no role in the church.

However, women should minister UNDER GOD'S ORDER. Submit to God. And then, submit to GODLY men who are also under submission of God.

Obviously, Paul's comments do not address every detail that churches run into. Hence, pray for guidance. Each church differs from another and may run into different problems. However, as long as we are all under submission of God, God will guide each church along.

1 Timothy 2:15
"But women will be saved through childbearing -- if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety."

This is a difficult phrase to understand, and there is no authoritative conclusion.

Some believe this is saying that women are saved through the physical act of child birth. Well, there are plenty of godly women who died during child birth. Some believe that this is saying that women are spiritually saved by child birth. What about those who are infertile? These theories all support the concept of salvation by works!

Some do take this to mean that women are saved in THE child birth -- the birth of Jesus Christ. They believe that since the woman first sinned, the woman will also bring forth Jesus.

As I have mentioned above, there is no authoritative conclusion on just which understanding is the correct understanding. We need to be careful about falling into false doctrines (such as salvation by works) or jumping to conclusions not supported by the Scripture. The above gives us an idea of the prominent theologies about this passage, but bear in mind that there is no firm conclusion.

Bottom line is, woman should be honored in the church just as men are. We should all work together as ONE in the body of Christ. We are a team. There is no contention between men and women. Heck, there is no contention between women and women or men and men! There should be no power struggle! It is not about fulfilling our selfish desires. It is about doing the work of God!

Genesis 3

Compiled notes from my BSF group

THE SERPENT IS SATAN (Genesis 3:1; Revelation 12:9; 20:2)


Matthew 13:19
Satan hardens hearts.
To those who have heard the Gospel message but do not humble themselves and seek understanding from God, Satan takes advantage of this situation and tempts these people to reject the Gospel message.

Matthew 13:25, 39
Satan comes when we are weak.
Satan tempted Jesus after 40 days and nights of fasting, when Jesus was physically weak.

Why does Satan attack when we are weak? Because we would be more venerable to temptations! When we are hungry, wouldn’t we trade anything to fulfill that hunger? This was how Esau traded away his birthright to Isaac (Genesis 25:29-34)!

It is important to note that Matthew 13:25-39 speaks about the end times. Satan has been deceiving people since the beginning. Even today, Satan continues to deceive.

In the end times (see the Book of Revelation), “Everyone will be sleeping.” That is, their eyes will be closed. They will not know the Word of God. And when everyone is blind, Satan will come to keep them deceived, blinding the people from the Truth.

John 8:44
Satan is the father of lies and deception.
Here, Jesus is teaching the disciples about our sin nature. He called us children of Satan because we are born of sin. Adam is a son of God, because God made him. We are not naturally sons of God because we are born of Adam who fell into sin. Satan wants to keep us this way.

However, through Jesus, we can inherit the kingdom of God, be restored in God, and become sons of God. Satan does NOT want that to happen. He wants us to worship him instead.

John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11
Satan will be judged. Jesus will judge Satan.

2 Corinthians 4:4
Satan blinds us from the Gospel, the Truth.

Ephesians 2:2
Satan works especially in those who have hardened their hearts against God.

For more Scriptural description of Satan, see this past post:
http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2012/08/revelation-12.html



DO NOT EAT FROM THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL (Genesis 2:8-17)

Once Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, God stopped allowing them to eat from the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:2, Genesis 3:22). The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23)!

What's the big deal about eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? I got into it a bit in the previous lesson, so I won't repeat those points. Here, I want to stress instead the HEART CONDITION.

What did Satan tempt Eve with? "For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God" (Genesis 3:5).

"You will be like God."

And why did Eve eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? She desired for gaining wisdom (Genesis 3:6).

Why did Satan fall? He wanted to be like God. Why did Adam and Eve fall? Because they wanted to be like God. Did mankind learn from this? No. Several chapters later, we see the fall of Tower of Babel. And why did it fall? Because man continues to want to be like God. Look at us today. What is our heart condition? Many of us still want to be like God. In fact, we want to be our own gods.

I believe that is the key danger for eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. We have the knowledge, but we are not mature enough to wield it. GOD KNEW IT.

Man was not ready to wield the power of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Instead of trusting God, we became prideful and think we can do it anyway. We did not fall because God kicked us out. We fell, BECAUSE WE CHOSE TO.

And so, we are overcome with pride. We sin and yet we do not care, because we have actually started to believe we ARE gods.

And we forget. We forget that God is absolutely righteous and cannot be in the presence of sin. We forget that we are NOT gods, and that there are consequences to the sins that we commit.

Our heart condition is what makes eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil dangerous. And I believe that is why God warned Adam and Eve against eating the fruit from it.


SATAN IS THE MASTER OF LIES AND DECEPTION

Let's look at how Satan tempted Eve to disobey God:

1. Satan first creates doubt
“Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” (Genesis 3:1) 

2. Satan then deceives
“You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5).

This is how Satan continues to pull our souls toward him TODAY. His methods have not changed. He continues to create doubts about God and deceives us about the Truth.


EVE FELL INTO SIN

Faced with Satan's temptation to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil...

1. Eve told Satan that she cannot eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
“We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘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 3:2).

2. Eve was tempted by Satan
“You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5).


3. Eve, instead of trusting God, decided to trust Satan
Eve caved in to Satan’s temptation and ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

4. Eve, instead of being the good helper to her husband as God had intended, led Adam into sin
Eve didn't just eat the fruit herself. She gave some to Adam as well (Genesis 3:6). It's not enough to do wrong ourselves. We always want to drag someone else with us. "Partners in crime," we like to say. It's almost like a security blanket or something, that somehow, when we share our guilt, we are less guilty.

Eve's sin is multiple levels: She turned her back on God. She stopped trusting God. And when she stopped trusting God, she failed to abide by her God-given role -- To be a godly helper to Adam (Genesis 2:18, 2:22). Not only did Eve fail to support Adam, she usurped Adam's position as the leader of the household and ultimately led them both into sin.

One bigger picture that is emerging from these passages is that we are witnessing what happens when we move away from God's order. We are all ONE in the body of Christ. When we stop doing what we have been given to do and start lusting after the things that other people are doing, we break God's structure and fall apart.

For those who are interested in roles of men and women DEFINED BY GOD (not by humans), check out these two posts:
http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2011/12/complementarianism-gods-roles-for-men.html
http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2011/04/womens-place-in-spiritual-leadership.html


ADAM FELL INTO SIN

Many people like to point fingers at women and degrade them because of what Eve did. In fact, chauvinistic males especially like to use 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and Ephesians 5:22-24 to support their claims that women are inferior, not just because they caused the whole human race to sin but also because God placed them below men.

Sigh.

It is so, so, so dangerous to take Scriptures out of context and pick and choose whichever supports our stance and ignore everything else.

I won't go into the details here because I've already done that in my previous posts below. However, I will stress these points:

God created men and women to be EQUAL partners but with DIFFERENT roles. Man is not better than woman. Woman is not better than man. Each have a role to play in the body of Christ.

Previous Posts:

http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2011/12/complementarianism-gods-roles-for-men.html
http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2011/04/womens-place-in-spiritual-leadership.html


Alright. Having said the above, let's look at Adam. He is definitely not the victim that people make him out to be.

Adam, instead of being the good leader that God had intended, failed to lead and allowed Eve to lead him instead.

Adam failed to be the spiritual head of his family (Ephesians 5:22-33). He failed to provide direction. He failed to stop Eve when she started to leave the path of God. He failed to redirect her. Worse, he entertained her unrighteous behavior. And because he failed to lead, his entire household fell into sin.

As anyone who has ever worked in a team knows, when a team fails, sure, team members will take some of the blame. But who shoulders the bulk of the responsibility? The leader.

So, before we all eagerly point to Eve and condemn only her, remember that Adam was placed as the leader of the household.

As mentioned above, the bigger picture is not about who sinned first or who is the worse sinner. Honestly, sin is sin is sin. We can compare to others and say, "Well, I'm not that bad." In God's eyes, any sin, no matter how insignificant is unrighteous. "Not that bad" is still bad.

The bigger picture is that neither Adam nor Eve remained obedient to God. Both lost sight of God. Instead of worshiping God, they worshiped the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Tree became their idol.

Adam and Eve were no longer submissive to God. They desired to be like God instead. Adam was not a godly leader, and Eve was not a godly helper. And because they turned away from God, they fell prey to Satan.

Learn from Adam and Eve: Do not walk away from God. When we walk away from God, Satan is right there welcoming us into his world.


JESUS CONQUERED SATAN'S TEMPTATIONS WITH THE WORD OF GOD (Matthew 4:1-11)

Jesus conquered Satan’s temptations. Jesus quoted the Scriptures to fight off temptations. Jesus never lost sight of God.

Both Adam and Eve failed to win against Satan’s temptations. Unlike Jesus, they did not rely on God's truth when Satan deceived them. Unlike Jesus, they lost sight of God and were vulnerable to Satan's attacks. Unlike Jesus, they lusted for what Satan had to offer, and they chose to hold hands with Satan. Bad, bad choice.

There are some key points to note from this passage:
1. Satan KNOWS who Jesus is. Satan KNOWS Jesus is God (Matthew 4:3).
2. Jesus CONFIRMS He is Son of God by not refuting Satan’s challenge (Matthew 4:3).
3. Satan controls this world (Matthew 4:9).


TEMPTATION IS NOT A SIN -- FALLING INTO TEMPTATION IS (James 1:13-15)

If temptation were a sin, then Jesus sinned because he was tempted by Satan (Matthew 4:1-11). God declares Jesus perfect, so clearly, temptation is not a sin.

We will be tempted because Satan is running free on this world. If Satan dared to tempt God, who will he spare?

When we are tempted, we should fight temptations the way Jesus did: With the Word of God. Keep our eyes on God, follow God, and He will help us through any temptation. Do not be like Adam and Eve, who turned away from God and ran toward Satan when faced with temptations.

James 1:13-15 stresses that God does not tempt. Satan does. We see Satan tempting Job. We see Satan tempting Adam and Eve. We see Satan tempting Jesus. And when we give in to Satan’s temptations, we sin. Jesus is the only perfect man because Jesus is the only one who has never caved in to sin and has conquered sin.


SATAN IS THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD

When Adam fell prey to Satan's temptation, Adam lost the title deed to Earth to Satan (Genesis 3). When Jesus died on the Cross, he won that title deed back. Jesus won't redeem that title deed until the end times, when He breaks the seals to the Scroll, releasing judgment upon Earth (Revelation 6).

Ephesians 6:11
2 Corinthians 11:14
Luke 4:10–11
Satan is powerful (although not as powerful as God), and he promises power to the people who follow him. For example, Satan tempted Jesus with the power of the world if Jesus would bow down to him (Luke 4:6-7).

Job 1:6-12
Luke 4:1-13
Revelation 20:2; 7-10
Satan is limited by God. He currently roams the Earth because he has been cast out of Heaven. And as I've stated above, when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (Romans 11:25).


PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD TO FIGHT AGAINST SATAN

Throughout Scriptures, we see how God's people sought God, especially during tough times:

1 Thessalonians 5:17
James 5:16
Pray. Our prayers to God during times of stress should always our FIRST top choice, never our last resort.

Matthew 4:1-2
Luke 4:1-2
Fast. Fasting is hard. If we don’t do it with the right heart, we may end up harming our physical health. The purpose of fasting is to cleanse ourselves of the things of this world and approach God with nothing but our heart. It is not easy to do. Our heart has to be in the right condition in order for us to effectively communicate with God through fasting. Thus, we should not attempt to fast for fun. Our mind and heart need to be completely on God to do it.


James 4:7
Submit ourselves to God. Look what Jesus did to combat Satan’s temptations: He quote Scriptures and stood under God’s authority (Matthew 4:1-11).

Jesus, as man, even submitted to God, the Father. In His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42).

The cup that Jesus referred to was filled with God's Wrath for all the sins that have been committed. Jesus was innocent and sinless, yet, he drank that cup for ALL of us. That is not an easy cup to drink from -- Jesus prayed hard for any other way! Yet, still, Jesus submitted Himself to God the Father, praying for have God's will be done.  


Ephesians 6:17
Hebrews 4:12
Put on the FULL Armor of God. 

The best way to stay prepared against Satan's attacks is to put on the FULL Armor of God. Don’t take just the helmet or just the sword. Take the WHOLE armor (Ephesians 6:10-18):
1. Belt of TRUTH
2. Breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS
3. Feet with GOSPEL OF PEACE
4. Shield of FAITH
5. Helmet of SALVATION
6. Sword of WORD OF GOD
7. PRAYER

Just as soldiers need to put on the armor BEFORE stepping into the battlefield, we need to put on the Armor of God on before we enter the spiritual warfare. And just as soldiers mend their armors before the next battle, we must constantly make sure our armor is in top condition. This is why we continue to study the Word of God. This is why we are encouraged to begin and end our day with prayers.


RELIGION IS MAN'S ATTEMPT TO REACH GOD;
CHRISTIANITY IS GOD REACHING MAN (Genesis 3:7-13)

When Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they became aware of all things that are good and evil. They thus recognized that they had committed a sin against the Lord, were ashamed, and wanted to hide themselves.

Religion is man’s attempt to reach God. When people rely on themselves to obtain favor from God, that is an act of religion. Here, we see that instead of confessing their sin and rely on God, Adam and Eve wanted to hide. By hiding behind the leaves (or covering themselves), Adam and Eve created the world’s first religion.

Christianity is NOT a religion. Christianity is the Truth.

Unlike other religions where they all stress the things man must fulfill in order to reach God or paradise (karma, reincarnation, etc.), Christianity shares Good News -- Man doesn't need to do anything to reach God because Jesus did it ALL.

Moments before Jesus breathed His last as man on the Cross, Jesus said, "It is finished" (John 19:30). What is finished? God's plan to redeem man. Jesus did it all. There is nothing else for us to do. And because Jesus, and ONLY Jesus, drank from the cup of Wrath for man, Jesus is the ONLY way to God the Father.

Salvation is a GIFT from God. All we need to do is RECEIVE it. We don't deserve it, and there is nothing we can do to deserve it. Review the Law of Moses. That is the standard of God. Righteousness is being able to live up to that standard PERFECTLY. Can anyone honestly say they can achieve that? The Law PROVES to us that we cannot achieve God's standard on our own. "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it" (James 2:10).

Understand the seriousness of Sin. Understand the pride that grew in the heart of Adam and Eve that all of us have inherited. And then, perhaps we can begin to understand the love of God and what He has done to save us from ourselves.

What is so ironic is that at the end of the day, God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them (Genesis 3:21). Even in their attempt to hide from God, they still needed God to help them. Religion is man's attempt to reach God, and this shows us man will never reach God by ourselves.

Religion is not the answer. Take God's provision.


ADAM AND EVE WERE NAKED AND ASHAMED (Genesis 3:10)

Adam and Eve hid when they heard God walking in. They hid because they were afraid. They were afraid because they were naked (Genesis 3:11).

Here, naked has two meanings. Adam and Eve were PHYSICALLY and SPIRITUALLY naked.

Before eating the fruit, they did not know the difference between good and evil. Being naked, spiritually or physically, there was no shame. There was no shame because God created them, and God claimed it all good. However, once they have sinned by eating the fruit, they now have the knowledge of good and evil. They knew their betrayal was evil. They knew their nakedness in their faith in God was evil, and therefore, they were ashamed and sought cover.

Why did God clothe them with skin? What was wrong with the leaves they covered themselves?

Animals had to be sacrificed for that skin. God is showing Adam and Eve (and all of mankind) that the only way to cover up sin is with the shedding of blood.

Before Jesus, atonement for sins were dealt with by Levitical high priests shedding the blood of perfect animals detailed in the book of Leviticus. Animal blood, before Jesus, was just the band-aid -- good enough to cover sin up but not enough to wash it away. Then, Jesus came and dealt with sin for good. He came as the Lamb of God, who lived the life of a perfect man. Because He was man, because He lived a perfect life, His blood is the ONLY solution to cleanse mankind of its sin. 


ADAM NEVER ADMITTED SIN (Genesis 3:10-12)

When God asked whether Adam had eaten from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam responded, "The woman you put here with me--she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it" (Genesis 3:12).

Adam's response speaks LOADS about his heart condition:

1. Adam did not admit sin. He boldly blamed Eve and even God!
Instead of admitting fault, instead of coming clean about his sin, Adam said, "The woman you put here with me..." Look at the amount of pride! He blamed Eve and God ALL in one breath! In fact, he blamed everyone but himself. He's just the victim. He took zero responsibility for his actions.

2. Adam did not fulfill his God-given duty as the leader of his family.
God made man HEAD of the household. The man of the household is supposed to be HOLY (1 Timothy 2:15). Adam was not. Not only did he fail to lead, he also failed to be responsible for his actions. Instead of admitting sin, he blamed other people. He blamed his wife. He blamed God. He blamed EVERYONE else but himself.


EVE NEVER ADMITTED SIN (Genesis 3:13)

Eve, like Adam, shared the exact same attitude when God questioned her about her behavior: "The serpent deceived me, and I ate" (Genesis 3:13).

1. Eve did not admit sin. She blamed Satan.
2. Eve did not fulfill her God-given duty as the helper of man.
Eve was supposed to help Adam be a godly leader (Genesis 2:18, 22; Ephesians 5:22-24). The two of them were supposed to work as one, each helping each other walk in the ways of the Lord (Ephesians 5:21-33). Adam failed. Eve failed. And with them, the entire human race fell.


GOD HOLDS EACH OF US RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHOICES WE MAKE (Genesis 3:14-19)

Who is ultimately responsible for Adam and Eve's sin? It is tempting to blame Satan, but ultimately, who made the CHOICE to eat the fruit? Adam and Eve. No one forced them. Satan simply came along with a compelling argument, and Adam and Eve chose to listen to Satan. When we do not stand on the Word of God, we are vulnerable against Satan.

If this was all Satan's fault, why did God judge Satan (Genesis 3:14-15), Eve (Genesis 3:16), and Adam (Genesis 3:17-19)?

Before we get our fingers ready to point at Adam and Eve, we should instead reflect. When we face temptations, when we run into problem, how many times have we put God on the back burner and ran forward with our own selfish desires?

For me, Adam and Eve remind me that our worldly nature is sinful. I can commit just as great a sin if I don’t keep my eyes on God. They remind me that Satan is a formidable enemy. When I am tempted, Satan will make it very hard for me to resist the temptation. However, if I fall into temptation, I know that God will hold ME responsible for my decisions. Adam and Eve are a constant reminder for me that whenever I run into trouble, I should handle things the way Jesus handled Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11).


THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH (Genesis 3:14-24)

To Satan, God said, "Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 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 3:14-15).

This prophecy is partially fulfilled and will be fully fulfilled when Jesus returns.

1. "Enmity between you and the woman"
Literally, there is already enmity between Satan and Eve. Eve already know she is condemned because she was deceived by Satan (Genesis 3:13).

However, the woman here can also be seen to represent Israel. Satan, since the beginning, have been working hard to destroy Israel, God's people. From the Egyptian Pharaoh ordering to have all Jewish boys born to be killed to Hitler mass murdering of the Jews to the coming world leader (Antichrist) who will attempt to kill all of God's people.

Satan's goal has never changed (to kill God's people), but his methods have altered according to changing circumstances:

Satan tried to corrupt the human blood line by creating the Nephilim -- where sons of God (aka, creations of God; aka, angels) mated with daughters of man. Why corrupt the bloodline? So that Jesus could not be born of the woman! That plan was thwarted because Noah was a righteous man, whose bloodline was not corrupted (Genesis 6). 

Satan tried to kill Jesus the baby. The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem was prophesied (Micah 5:2). And so, when Jesus was born, Satan moved to have Herod command the killing of all male babies born in Bethlehem that were 2 years old or under (Matthew 2:16). Well, Jesus wasn't born in Bethlehem. He was from Nazareth, a town so small, no one bothered to know about it. Yet, because of the census ordered by the Romans (Luke 2:1), the family had to head into Bethlehem to register their residence (Mary and Joseph were on their way to Bethlehem when Mary gave birth to Jesus--So, Jesus was born between Nazareth and Bethlehem). So, this plan of Satan failed again.

Throughout Jesus's ministry, Satan raised false teachers and false prophets against Jesus. This culminated at the night where Judas, moved by Satan, handed Jesus into the hands of Romans (John 13:27-28). When Jesus died on the Cross, Satan must have thought he won. His celebratory party was obviously cut short, because three days later, Jesus conquered sin and death. And so, Satan fails again.

Oh, but Satan definitely embraces, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."

Paul said, "Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in" (Romans 11:25). Why is this important? Because Jesus cried to the Israelites, "For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord'" (Matthew 23:39). That is, BEFORE Jesus returns, the fullness of the Gentiles has to be fulfilled.

We are currently in the Church Age. And so, Satan has now shifted his focus to prevent the fullness of Gentiles from being fulfilled. Satan's false prophets and false teachers continue to persecute the Church today. At the same time, he continues to persecute the Israelites, because if he can destroy the Remnant (Romans 9:27, Isaiah, Revelation, etc.), that will prevent God's will from being fulfilled. But, we already know how this is going to end: Satan will fail (Revelation 20).

2. “Enmity between your offspring and hers”
There are two ways to read this, and both ways are true.

Satan's offspring are all earth-dwellers (Revelation). The woman's offspring are Israelites. The world has not been kind to Israelites, yet, they have survived thousands of years of persecution. This is just one of the many factors that prove God protects His people.

Satan's ultimate offspring is the Antichrist, powered by Satan (Revelation 17). The woman's ultimate offspring is Jesus, the Son of God, Son of Man. In the Book of Revelation, we see the enmity between the Antichrist and Jesus. This is an in-depth study, and I'll direct interested readers to the Book of Revelation and my notes.

3. "… He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
As mentioned above, Jesus will conquer (Revelation 20). Satan may have sent Jesus to the Cross, but Jesus was resurrected. Satan's fate is not so great. He will be bound for a thousand years before being thrown into the burning Lake of Fire (Revelation 17:7-10).

To Eve, God said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you" (Genesis 3:16).

To Adam, God said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return" (Genesis 3:17-19).


ADAM CONDEMNED MANKIND TO SIN
JESUS REDEEMED MANKIND TO GOD

We die today because our eternal souls are placed in corruptible bodies. We were not made to die. We were made to live forever with God. However, when sin entered the world, our bodies and souls became corrupted. This is why Paul said the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Because of sin, we cannot be in the presence of God.

God, however, loved us so much, He gave His only Son to us (John 1:29; 3:16; 14:6; Romans 3:25; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21) ). Jesus came for sinner (Mark 2:17) to cleanse us from our sin, so that we can once again be in God’s presence.


AFTERTHOUGHTS

Satan tempts all of us. His goal is simple: to prevent us from becoming kings and priests, to prevent us from inheriting the kingdom of God.

When we face temptations, we should do what Jesus did when He was tempted: Remember God’s Word. Use God’s Word to help us fight these battles. God’s Word is the sword in the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20), “sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow" (Hebrews 4:12). God's Word exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. God’s Word exposes our sin and cuts it away from us.

Satan, although doomed for failure, is a formidable enemy. He has great powers, and we are not his match on our own. However, with Jesus, we are invincible. When we have on the FULL armor of God, we can confidently go out into the spiritual warfare and know that we will come out on top.