Disclaimer

Disclaimer: I am not a Biblical scholar. All my posts and comments are opinions and thoughts formulated through my current understanding of the Bible. I strive to speak of things that can be validated through Biblical Scriptures, and when I'm merely speculating, I make sure to note it. My views can be flawed, and I thus welcome any constructive perspectives and criticisms!

Friday, November 30, 2012

1 Timothy 4

Bible study with Pastor Terry Gray

WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR THE END OF DAYS 

As Paul wrote to Timothy, the Holy Spirit is clear about the coming of the end of days, and we need to be ready.


The closer we get to the second coming of Jesus, the worse things will become.


In Matthew 24, Jesus described the end times as birthing pains. Any mom would concur that those are some of the worst imaginable pains. There will also be wars, rumors of wars, famine, deception, etc. In our time, we have already witnessed these events. As we get closer to the end times, these events will increase in intensity and frequency -- just like labor pains.


Great apostasy is coming (1 Timothy 4:1)
In the end times, many will depart from the faith. 

1 John 2:19

"They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us."

According to John, apostasy occurs to those never "belonged to us," aka, those who were never real Christians in the first place. These could be people who often hang out around the Church and may even speak "Christianese." However, their heart does not belong to Jesus. They come to Church not for the glory of God or to glorify God but for ulterior motives, such as fulfilling their own selfish needs or glorifying themselves.

Satan, on the other hand, uses this to his advantage. When we see people leave the Church, especially great leaders, we are confused. How can such a great leader leave? And for many, such instances can put their own faith into question. They might start asking themselves, Do I have the right faith? And things just go spiraling down from there. This type of manipulation will only get worse in the end times.


What are we to do? Stand strong in our faith. How do we make sure we can stand strong? Study the Bible. REALLY KNOW THE WORD OF GOD. Move beyond milk and start digesting solid foods. The only way we can combat Satan's mind games is with a solid understanding of the Word of God.


All false teaching comes from Satan
Ephesians 6:12 
"Our struggle is not against flesh and flood... but against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

False teaching coming from demonically led false teachers cause apostasy. 


Salvation by works is a false teaching (1 Timothy 4:3-5)

Paul used an example here to illustrate the difference between works and heart: There were numerous false teachings back then -- Those that forbade people to marry certain people or to eat certain food. (These are some of the same false teachings we have to deal with today as well!) And what is Paul's response?

1 Timothy 4:4-5

"For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the Word of God and prayer."

The key to salvation is humbling of the heart, not nursing the pride of ego. There is nothing we can do to earn God's favor or to earn salvation. God knows us -- He knows we are of sinful nature, and that on our own, we would kill ourselves. God also loves us -- And because we cannot save ourselves, God has made a way for us to be saved, through Jesus Christ.

And that is the bottom line: There is only ONE way to God -- through Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ ALONE.


If we want to eat only vegetables, great. But that's not going to save us. If we want to stay single and never get married, great. But again, that's not going to save us. We can do whatever we think is "godly," but unless that ONE thing is putting our trust and our heart in Jesus Christ, NOTHING else we do would save us! Salvation is not about what we do; it is about what Jesus has ALREADY DONE.


Be aware of false teachings that pull us away from Jesus. Have our faith be based on the Word of God, not on the empty promises of false teachers. God teaches us, through the Bible, that Jesus is our only way. What do we do when someone else comes along and say, well, hey, all roads lead to God! Counter false teachings with the truth, God's Truth. If God says the path to Him is narrow, that there is only one way to Him, then THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO HIM. If all roads lead to God, then where is the value in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Do not let false teachings diminish the Holiness of God.

Be nourished on the words of faith (1 Timothy 4:6)
By standing on the Truth of God, we can stand strong in our faith. And when we can stand strong, we can also instruct others in the Truth, and help others come to God.

Being a disciple requires dedicated discipline and training (1 Timothy 4:7-10)
We are to stay away from myths and tales -- things like mysticism and legends. Why? Because it's not based on God's Truth. Truth is easy to find. It is tangible, it is testable, it is security. There is no guessing. There is no feeling it to be right. Truth is backed by evidence. Unfortunately, many of us today are infatuated with myths and legends. We like the mystery. We like the unknown. We like to feel the force. We want to be one with the world. None of that is about having the Truth. It's all about feeding the selfish wants of the self. It's all about making the self feel good. Friends, what is that going to get us at the end? What are good feelings going to do for us? Good feelings are not going to feel that great in the Lake of Fire. Seek the Truth, love God, and receive what is ETERNAL and REAL.

Instead of seeking good feelings, Paul told us to train ourselves toward godliness. An athlete follows a strict exercise and diet regime in order to increase his chances of winning. That chocolate cake may look delicious, but when he is training, he has to say no. Similarly, as a disciple of Christ, we are running a race. It is a marathon. The finish line is to make it to the second coming of Christ. It is a race that we want to finish. And if we want to finish it, we need to discipline ourselves. Stay away from junk food (myths, rumors, gossips) and store up on healthy meals (Word of God). It takes a lot of work to be a top athlete. It takes a lot of work to be a good disciple.


Many people may think being a Christian is no fun at all. I think this is all a matter of perspective. What are your goals? Continuing with the example of an athlete, what is his goal? To win. To him, giving up smoking, excessive drinking, late night parties, binge eating, etc. is a matter of discipline. Does he think it's no fun at all? On the contrary, he thinks those activities are detrimental for the health of his body and could not understand why anyone would put his body through those activities.


If your goal is to do whatever you want and live however you want to, then yes, the Christian life would be nothing but rules to you. However, if your goal is to obtain for what is real, to obtain eternal value, then you will train like an Olympian who has his eyes on Gold. It's not so much about the rules as it is about goals. Once we figure out what is important to us, we can then take the necessary actions to live accordingly -- and then, be aware of the consequences and be darn okay with them before heading down that road. I pray that we all go after what is real.


Labor to the point of exhaustion (1 Timothy 4:10)
Both Paul and Timothy labored hard to get the Word out. They were serious about it. There is so much to do and not enough people to do it!

Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few" (Matthew 9:37). Be one of Jesus' hard workers!



SET AN EXAMPLE (1 Timothy 4:11-16)


Do not stumble (1 Timothy 4:12)

In Timothy's case, his youth was a stumbling block. He was young and therefore lacked confidence to demand authority. Paul encouraged Timothy here to not let that get in the way of his mission: To preach and teach the Word. Just set an example. Be an example of what a Christian should be -- in speech (the way we speak), in conduct (the way we live; how we treat others), in love (our enthusiasm, excitement), in faith, in purity.

Continue to preach and teach the Word (1 Timothy 4:13) 
Timothy's spiritual gift was to be a pastor teacher. This gift was confirmed by the elders; otherwise, they wouldn't have voted to have Timothy be anointed. Obviously, preaching and teaching the Word is the calling of a pastor, but all Christians should preach and teach the Word. As Christ's disciples, our number one priority is to spread the Gospel. We may not speak to a congregation from the pulpit, but we can all do our part in getting God's Word out.

Do not neglect our gift (1 Timothy 4:14)

Timothy was shy and timid and lacked confidences. When faced with challenges, he would prefer to shrink back than to face them head on like Paul. Paul understood that this was a trying period for Timothy, but he did not want Timothy to shrink back. Paul thus encouraged Timothy to remember that God has given him the gift of preaching. He should not let that gift go to waste and should bravely use it.

God has given each one of us a gift. We need to first discover what it is, and then, use it to do the Will of God!


Be existing in our calling (1 Timothy 4:15)
It is one thing to study the Word. It is another to LIVE it. If all we ever do is analyze and memorize when we study the Bible, then it's nothing but academics. There is little meaning beyond the pages. It is only when we breathe it, live it can we then allow the Word of God to permeate throughout our lives. God is after our heart, not our academic achievements.

Save ourselves, save others (1 Timothy 4:16)

One of the best way to spread the Word is through action. We can stand here and talk to people all day long about Christ, but if we live a life that is completely removed from what we preach, we will convince no one. Right our heart. And with a righted heart, right our behavior. Once our heart and behavior are one, we can then effectively speak for Christ. How we live is our most convincing testimony. Before we can convince others that we have Good News, we ought to be convinced with it ourselves first. LIVE the Word. Only then can we bring others to Christ!

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Daniel 11-12


Bible study with Dr. Chuck Missler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuSYiEDS8fc

REVIEW


The Ram and the Goat (Daniel 8)

- Occurred 2 years after the vision of Daniel 7 and 12 years before the Fall of Daniel 5
- The Ram is defeated by the Goat from the West
- The “notable horn” of the Goat divides into 4 (i.e., Alexander’s 4 Generals)
- A “Little Horn” has a key role at the end
- Daniel interprets the vision: A Leader from the West (Alexander) will subdue the Persian Empire
- Daniel 8:1-8: Alexander the Great
- Daniel 8:20-22: Daniel interprets Daniel 1-7
- Daniel 8:9-14: Antiochus Epiphanes
- Daniel 8:23-25: Draws parallels between Antiochus Epiphanes, showing how he foreshadows Antichrist

Alexander’s 4 Generals

- Cassander: Macedonia & Greece
- Lysimacus: Thrace, Bithynia, most of Asia Minor
- Ptolemy: Israel, Egypt, Cyrene, Arabia, Petraea – The Septuagint was translated under Ptolemy’s reign in 270 BC
- Seleucus: Babylon, Syria, and lands to the East all the way to India (Antiochus Epiphanes appears as the “Little Horn”)


OVERVIEW OF DANIEL 11


Daniel 11:1-2: Persian Empire

Daniel 11:3-4: Greece Empire
Daniel 11:5-35: Seleucid-Ptolemy Rivalry (The Silent Years between the Old and New Testaments)
Daniel 11:36-39: The Willful King (Satan)
Daniel 11:40-45: End Time Scenario

Persian Empire (Daniel 11:1-2)

539-530 BC: Cyrus (Daniel 5; Isaiah 45)
529-522 BC: Cambyses 
522 BC: Artaxerxes 
521-486 BC: Darius I Hystaspes
486-465 BC: Xerxes I (Esther)
465-425 BC: Artaxerxes Longimanus (Daniel 9; Nehemiah 2)
Greece Empire (Daniel 11:3-4) 
334-323 BC: Alexander the Great (Cf Daniel 8:8) -- This period also includeed the 4 Generals who divided Alexander the Great’s Empire

Seleucid-Ptolemy Rivalry (Daniel 11:5-35) 

Israel was caught in the middle of it – Their land was between the two great powers. The war was 150 years, and it trampled through Israel.


THE 400 SILENT YEARS (Daniel 11:1-35)


Daniel 1, 8-10 were written in Hebrew (language of the Jews), whereas Daniel 2-7 were written in Aramaic (language of the Gentiles). This is one of the many clues that Daniel 11-12 deals specifically with the Jews, not the Church.


Scholars call the period of time that received no message from God between the New and the Old Testaments the Silent Years. However, we see here that these years are not silent at all since the events are detailed in advance in Daniel 11. 


The Angel supported and protected Darius the Mede (Daniel 11:1) 

The "I" in the narrative is the Angel of Daniel 10. The Angel is still speaking here, continuing his explanation of the vision that has been given to Daniel. This is the same angel that spent 21 days fighting the prince of power of Persia to get to Daniel. 

Note what the Angel says: "I took my stand to support and protect him." Who is "him"? Darius! Not only did the Angel fight through the spiritual battleground to reach Daniel, he was also responsible for strengthening Darius!


God is behind every power. EVERY power -- even if that power seemed to strengthen the "enemy." God's plan is bigger than us. God's plan is not just to make my life awesome. God's plan is not just to make your life awesome. God's plan is the COMPLETE and PERFECT redemption of mankind. What is an enemy in our eyes is just another tool in the tool box for God.


The Launch against Greece in 480 BC (Daniel 11:2)
Xerxes: 486-465 BC
He accomplished many things: brought tax reforms; trained over 2 millions warriors in 4 years; built special barges; attacked Greece in 480 BC -- This laid the basis for the vendetta that Alexander the Great would capitalize on to go after Persia years later. 

Rise and fall of the Grecian Empire (Daniel 11:3-4)

These two verses summarize Daniel 8 (see review above). 

"Not to his posterity": Alexander the Great did not leave his kingdom to his heir. Instead, those who were loyal to him divided up the kingdom. 


Daniel 11:5-35 focuses on the history of Seleucus and Ptolemy.



PTOLEMIES VS. SELEUCIDS (Daniel 11:5-35)

Ptolemies (Kings of the South) 

323-285 BC: Ptolemy I Soter (Daniel 11:5) 
285-246 BC: Ptolemy II Philadelphus (Daniel 11:6) 
246-221 BC: Ptolemy III Euergetes (Daniel 11:7-8) 
221-204 BC: Ptolemy IV Philopater (Daniel 11:11-12) 
204-181 BC: Ptolemy V Epiphanes (Daniel 11:17) 
181-145 BC: Ptolemy VI Philometer (Daniel 11:25)

Seleucids (Kings of the North) 

312-281 BC: Seleucus I Nicator (Daniel 11:5) 
281-262 BC: Antiochus I Soter (Daniel 11:5) 
262-246 BC: Antiochus II Theos (Daniel 11:6) 
246-227 BC: Seleucus II Callinicus (Daniel 11:7-9) 
227-223 BC: Seleucus III Soter (Daniel 11:10) 
223-187 BC: Antiochus III the Great (Daniel 11:10-19) 
187-176 BC: Seleucus IV Philopater (Daniel 11:20) 
175-163 BC: Antiochus IV Epiphanes (Daniel 11:21-35)

Under Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the Septuagint (LXX) was translated

Most of the Jews in Ptolemy that lived in the capital city of Alexandria spoke Greek rather than Hebrew and wanted a Greek translation of the Bible (only the Old Testament existed at the time).

In 285-270 BC, the Bible was translated from Hebrew into Greek. The project took 15 years and was completed nearly 3 centuries before the Christian era. Most quotes of the Old Testament found in the New Testament were quoted from the Septuagint (Greek version of the Bible), not the original Hebrew text -- That is, the Septuagint became the Christian's bible.


Daniel 11:6

A political marriage was arranged between Antiochus II Theos (262-246 BC) and Ptolemy II Philadelphus's daughter, Bernice. 

Daniel 11:7

This is an allusion to Ptolemy III Euergetes, brother of Bernice. He invaded Syria, seized the port of Antioch and took his empire as far as Babylon.

Daniel 11:9-10

Seleucus marched south against Egypt and got clobbered. In 219 BC, a large army led by Ptolemy IV defeated Antiochus III that led to the signing of peace treaty between the two. Ptolemy celebrated his victory by a tour of eastern Mediterranean and provinces, including Jerusalem which prevented Jews from entering the Holy of Holies because of traffic paralysis. 

Daniel 11:11-12

South: Egypt 
North: Syria 
Ptolemy IV dies. His son, at the time only 4 y/o, Ptolemy V, succeeds him. 12 years after the war of Rafia, Antichus III attacks Egypt with an even bigger army. None is able to withstand against Antichus III, and hence he's also known as Antiochus the Great. 

Daniel 11:16

"Glorious Land": Israel, Judea (Daniel 8:9; Jeremiah 3:19, etc)

Daniel 11:17

197 BC: Antiochus III sets out with a fleet to attack Seleucia but is defeated by Rome. He marries his daughter, Cleopatra, off to Ptolemy, a political move to gain control of Egypt. Cleopatra, however, sided with Ptolemy and his new ally Rome, and this plan was thwarted.

Daniel 11:18-19

196 BC: Antiochus III turned toward Greece and Turkey (Asia Minor). In 190 BC, Antiochus III was defeated by Romans near Smyrna.

Daniel 11:20

Seleucus IV Philopater succeeded Antiochus III.

Daniel 11:21-28

Antiochus IV Epiphanes gained the throne through flattery and murder. Unlike his father, Antiochus IV robbed the rich (not the poor) and attacked his enemies when they least expected it.

After the death of his mother, Ptolemy IV Philopater received bad advice about Antiochus Epiphanes.


Daniel 11:29-30

In his second campaign against Egypt, Antiochus Epiphanes was less successful and failed to take Alexandria. Worse, his army also encountered the Roman Navy, which was a force to be feared. His humiliating encounter with the Roman Navy and failure led him to look for someone to blame—And he blamed the Jews. And boy did he know how to attack the Jews.

"Chittim": Defined in the Dead Sea Scrolls as the general reference to the people of the Mediterranean.


Daniel 11:31-35

Antiochus Epiphanes made life extremely difficult for the Jews. Reading the Bible was against the law, for example. He deliberately slaughtered a pig on the holy altar, for another example. Antiochus Epiphanes sought to destroy anything and everything that was related to Judaism. What finally pushed the Jews over the edge, leading to the Maccabean Revolt, was when Antiochus Epiphanes erected an idol of Zeus in the Holy of Holies. This revolt lasted 3 years, and the Jews were successful in throwing off the yoke of the Seleucid Empire. The Temple was then rededicated, and the Jews celebrate this re-dedication to this day as Hanukkah.

We have just gone through 135 prophetic verses. These verses are now history to us, but they also set the stage for what is going to happen that have yet to happen to this day.


THE ANTICHRIST (Daniel 11:36-45) 


The following verses describes Antiochus Epiphanes. However, we soon catch a hint that these verses go beyond describing Antiochus Epiphanes. They hint at the final dictator to come -- The Antichrist.


Daniel 11:36

The Antichrist will always be shooting off his mouth -- a huge brag.

The Antichrist is two persons: Beast of the Sea and Beast of the Land (Daniel 11:37)
Some scholars suggest that the Antichrist may be Jewish based on the verse, "He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers." However, there are also plenty of other scripture passages that could support him being a Gentile.

Additionally, we learn from Revelation 13 that the Antichrist is two persons: Beast of the Sea and Beast of the Land.


The Antichrist will have no regard for God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit (Daniel 11:37)

"He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women..."

Some scholars conclude that the Antichrist will be a homosexual based on the verse, "He will show no regard... for the one desired by women." That is a literal understanding of the text, and we have no other clues to disregard that.

However, in Hebrew, this verse is a messianic title. It speaks of the dream of every Jewish mother up until the day Jesus was born. That is, many rabbis believe this messianic phrase speaks of the Jewish woman's desire to bear the Messiah. Taking this into consideration, this verse is better read as, "He will show no regard... for the Messiah."


Hence, reading Daniel 11:37 in full, this verse makes more logical sense: The Antichrist will have no regard for God the Father or God the Son. (It doesn't make as much sense reading it as, "He will have no regard for God the Father or women.")


To fully understand these passages (and just the whole book of Daniel in general), it's important to realize the Jewishness of it all. Here, we are hearing a Jewish God speaking to His Jewish people through Jewish scribes and scholars. 

The Antichrist will not worship any God (Daniel 11:37)
"... nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all."

The Antichrist will not worship any God. It is probable that he will take over religious leadership of the world.


The Antichrist will honor a god that no one knows (Daniel 11:38)
"Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his fathers he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts."

Instead of honoring God, the Antichrist will honor a god not known to anyone. 


ARMAGEDDON (Daniel 11:40-45) 


King of the South: Egypt
King of the North: Traditionally, it's Syria. Some scholars believe it points to Russia

Some believe this is the same war as the war of Ezekiel 38. The tricky thing about prophecy is, we don't know it is fulfilled until it is fulfilled. That is, whether Armageddon is the war of Ezekiel 38 or not are differences in views. Be aware of them, do our own homework, reach our own conclusions, but do not let that divide us.


Edom, Moab, and Ammon escape the Antichrist (Daniel 11:41)
The area that escapes the wrath of the Antichrist is known today as Jordan, Petra. No one knows why or how this area will be able to remain a safe haven for God's people during the end times -- The Bible does not elaborate. However, today, Jordan has signed a lasting peace treaty with Israel. 


SUMMARY OF THE END (Daniel 12)

Cf. Revelation

Daniel 12 summarizes the following:

World Ruler 
World Religion 
World War 
A time of Tribulation for Israel 
Resurrection of the Dead
Judgement of the Wicked
Reward of the Righteous 

In Matthew 24:15, Jesus quoted Daniel 12:1 by calling the second half of the Tribulation, the Great Tribulation


The Great Tribulation lasts 3 1/2 years and is a Time of Jacob's Trouble

Daniel 12:5-7
Daniel 7:25
Revelation 11:2
Revelation 13
Matthew 24:21
Mark 13:19
Revelation 7:14

3 1/2 years = 42 months = 1260 days

Deuteronomy, Jeremiah, and Joel all speak of this period of time as a Time of Jacob's Trouble. This time period is parallel to Daniel 11:40-45. The effects of God's end-time judgments are worldwide, but the purpose is aimed at the sons of Jacob. 


Ezekiel 20 

Israel will be passed under the Rod -- a time for the "spoiled brats" to be punished. 

Ezekiel 22 

This period is also called a furnace of affliction. 

Hosea 5:15 

Jesus will remain at His place in Heaven UNTIL Israel admits her offense. Note that offense is singular and specific -- The failure to accept Jesus as their Messiah! 

One of the purposes of the Tribulation is to drive Israel to the wall and purge them of their sins, to have them earnestly seek God amid their affliction. Only one out of three Jews will be spared through the Tribulation (Zechariah 13:8-9). As a comparison, the Nazis murdered many, many Jews. And during that horrific era, two out of three Jews were spared. The Tribulation will be a time of horror the world has yet seen.


Israel will be judged, but she will also be delivered

God's repeated promises to Israel is found throughout the Bible: Thy people shall be delivered (Daniel 7, Zechariah 12-13, Jeremiah 30, Isaiah 14, Job 1-2, Zechariah 3, Revelation 12).

This is the great promise of hope that will the Jews through their judgment.


The dead will be resurrected (Daniel 12:2-3)
Cf. Psalm 16:10, 40:9, Isaiah

Daniel's book is sealed until the end of days (Daniel 12:4)
Contrast it to Revelation, which is a book that is unsealed (Revelation 22:10). 

The two books are similar in that they both discuss end times. However, the Book of Daniel was told to be sealed UNTIL the end times. 


There are many things that have taken place since Daniel's time, including Biblical knowledge and historical events that fulfill Daniel's prophecies. 


"Many will go here and there to increase knowledge" (Daniel 12:4)


This verse, in Hebrew, mentions not just the increase of knowledge in general but the increase of THE knowledge. That is, knowledge of God's Word will increase in the end times.

As historical and current events pave the way for us to increase knowledge of God's Word, it also makes us aware of the fact that we are getting closer and closer to the end, to welcome the return of our King, Jesus!


"Seal" means preserve until the end. In the last few decades, more and more of Daniel's writing are opening up. That in itself is a fulfillment of prophecy (Daniel 12:9). 


Daniel doesn't understand what he's been told (Daniel 12:8) 
Those who say we need to interpret Scripture the way the writer intended it to be understood have clearly not read this verse.

God's prophets do not just write what they want to write. They are guided by the Holy Spirit.


Here, we see Daniel writing faithfully as he was led. He did not understood, but he wrote down what he heard.


We understand the Scripture not because we can put ourselves in the writer's shoes or "get inside the writer's head." We understand because we are guided by God. Let the Holy Spirit guide our studying of the Word, and stop guessing what the writer is trying to say -- because, as we see in this case, sometimes, the writer may not even understand what he's trying to say!


Monday, November 26, 2012

Genesis 13:5-18


Compiled notes with my BSF group

LET US NOT QUARREL AND PART IN PEACE (Genesis 13:5-9)


When Abram and Lot ran into a disagreement that could not be settled, Abram proposed to not continue to quarrel and part in peace.


We see that throughout the Bible, we are encouraged to maintain peace and unity.


Do not take our dispute to those who do not know the ways of the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:1–8)
When we have a dispute, seek Godly men to help us solve the dispute. Do not open ourselves up to the judgment of ungodly men. In this passage, Paul is shaming the Corinthians about their inability to deal with disagreements in a Godly manner. Paul is reminding the Corinthians to stop airing dirty laundry in public. Be a family of Christ and handle issues with God's love and guidance.

Keep the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:1–3)
"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace, by being completely humble, gentle, patient, bearing with love for one another."

Be kind and compassionate (Ephesians 4:31–5:2)

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.


LOVING THE WORLD HAS ITS CONSEQUENCES (Genesis 13:10-13)

Lot chose worldly and put his family in danger

Lot chose the whole plain of Jordan because he liked how flourishing it looked. He did not at all seek God's will in making this decision.

In making this choice, Lot brought his family near Sodom, where "the men were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD" (Genesis 13:13). We learn in Genesis 19 that the sins of this city was so horrid, God destroyed it. During the process, Lot lost his wife (who was turned into a pillar of salt -- Genesis 19:26). And though Lot and his two daughters were spared from the destruction, their lives were so destitute thereafter that the two daughters conned their father into having an incestuous relationship so that heirs could be born (Genesis 19:30-38).


John 14:27
If we loved the world, we would have no peace.

Ephesians 4:17–20

If we loved the world, we would be darkened in our understanding and be separated from the life of God. We would be ignorant because of our hardened heart. We would give ourselves into every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

James 4:4

If we loved the world, we would be adulterous. Why? We are to love God and ONLY God. By loving the world, we are not faithful to God. Loving the world is idolatry. And in God’s eyes, idolatry is adultery. Worse, any kind of idol worship is an abomination. This is why if we chose to love the world, we chose also to become an enemy of God.

1 John 2:15–17

If we loved the world, the love of the Father is not in us. We will be taken over with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. And if we loved the world, we, too, will pass away with the world and not have eternal life with God.


LOVE GOD AND RECEIVE HIS LOVE (Genesis 13:14–18)


Abram may seemed to have lost out on giving Lot the choice of land. However, we should know by now that God takes care of those who follow Him faithfully.


God promised Abram, "All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted" (Genesis 13:15-16).
Through God, Abram received not just a great amount of land but also countless number of offspring.

As we make decisions in our lives, we really need to keep things in perspective -- in God's perspective.


God made this world. He made the flourishing land. He also made the desert. If God led us into the desert, do we need to worry about survival? Will He not provide? If it was not God's will for us to head into the flourishing land, would we thrive in such a flourishing environment? Jonah tried to run away from his calling, and no matter where he went, he met resistance.


Store up treasures in Heaven, not on Earth
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21)

A good example of this advice is illustrated here in Matthew 19:21–22:
Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

This young man could not part with his worldly possessions and therefore gave up his heavenly inheritance. Sounds silly? If we hold on to something more tightly than our hold on God, we, too, are that young man.


Die in our sins so that we can live in Christ

"Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39).

We are not of this world. We belong in Heaven with God. Thus, on Earth, there is no home. This is why Jesus said, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head" (Luke 9:58).


Here on Earth, our ONLY goal is to preach the Gospel. We are not here to build mansions and buy sports cars. We are not here to accumulate wealth and comfort. We are here to spread the Good News so that ALL souls can be saved. 


Do not be the rich young man of Matthew 19:21-22
To save us, Jesus LEFT HIS THRONE IN HEAVEN TO LIVE AS MAN. And not just that, HE WAS TORTURED AND BLED FOR US. Compared to this, NOTHING we do in Jesus' name can be considered us giving up anything. 

Jesus LEFT HIS THRONE! For what? For us, who are sinful creatures, who have done NOTHING to deserve salvation! We should be grateful. From deep down inside, we should be grateful. And if we are grateful, we would understand what it means to stand for Christ. We would understand the importance of sharing the Good News with everyone. And if we are grateful, we would NEVER think that the things we do for Christ is us giving anything up! We do the things we for Christ because we love Him, because we are thankful for what He has done for us. 


We love, and we are thankful BECAUSE GOD LOVED US FIRST.


Followers of Christ will be rewarded for our works
"We will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:9-10).

Christians will not be at the judgment of the Great White Throne. However, we will be judged at the Bema Seat of Christ. It is a time where we are rewarded for the works we have accomplished in God's name while we are on Earth.


Clearly, we want to stand confident and unashamed before Jesus at His Return (1 John 2:28)!


Thursday, November 22, 2012

Genesis 12:1-13:4

Notes compiled with my BSF group

FOLLOW GOD WITH NO HESITATION (Genesis 12:1-3)

Abram (Abraham) did not immediately heed God's call
Genesis 11:26-32
Acts 7:2-8

From Stephan (Acts 7:2-8), we learn that God told Abraham to "Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you" (Genesis 12:1) BEFORE his family moved to Haran (Acts 7:2). Yet, we see in Genesis 11:31, that instead of leaving his family as God had instructed him, Abraham moved with his father to settle in Haran. Abraham was 75 years-old when he finally left Haran. Since Abraham was married BEFORE they moved to Haran, and men usually got married when they were 30 years old back then, this suggests that it took Abraham more than 30 years to finally act on God’s command.

Even though Abraham did not immediately follow God’s command, God was still there waiting for Abraham when he eventually did move out of Haran. And although God is patient, this is not a good example of a disciple.

Below, we hear directly from Jesus just what it takes to be His disciple.


Being a disciple is more than just saying "yes" to salvation (Luke 14:28-32)
"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, 'This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.' Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace."

Being a disciple is not easy. Here, Jesus is saying, “If you are going to follow me, you need to know the challenges ahead.” 


If we don’t think ahead, we will most likely fail.


If we want to be Jesus’ disciple, KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. It is not just saying, "Sure! I will follow you, Jesus!" And then, go right back living our sinful lives.


So, what does it meant to be a disciple of Jesus? In a nutshell, understand what it means to love God. Easier said then done, as we see below.


Do not love the world (1 John 2:15-17)
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them... The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."

If we're not to love the world, who are we to love? God.



Love God so much that our liking of anything in this world appears insignificant, even to the point of hate (Luke 14:26)
"If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple."

Jesus is not telling us to hate our family or ourselves. We have confidence in knowing Jesus is using hyperbole here because Jesus' top two commandments are for us to love God and love others -- Nothing but love. Further, while Jesus walked as man on Earth, He exhibited nothing but love. 

Jesus is using hyperbole to make a very important point: We need to love God. Not just love God like we love a dog, or our friends, or our families -- not even ourselves!


God is to be our NUMBER ONE. We need to love God SOOOO MUCH, our love for our families and friends seem like "hate" in comparison. That is how great our love for God should be. Why? Because when we need to choose between following God and following man, our love dictates our decision. If we love man more than God, then when we are forced to choose between the two, we will steer away from Him. But, if we love God more than man, we will always be able to do not just the right thing. We will do the RIGHTEOUS thing.


Let the dead bury the dead (Matthew 8:21-22)
When one of the disciples said, "First let me go bury my father," Jesus responded, "Let the dead bury the dead."

Some people think Jesus is being insensitive here, but let us read this WITHIN the context of culture. Back in those days, when a person speaks about burying his father/mother, it didn’t mean his parent was dying. In fact, the parent could be perfectly healthy! It was part of the culture back then to stay live with the parents until they die, so that the children could bury their parents. Hence, when the disciple asked Jesus to wait, it could have been days; it could have been decades.


An alternative understanding of this statement, also read WITHIN the context of culture, is that ancient Jewish burial involved two phases: 1) Prepare the body; 2) A year later, when the body has decayed, collect the bones to place it in the family ossuary. Hence, this disciple's father may indeed had died and was waiting for that year to be up to bury his father's bones. That is, the disciple was already with his father at his death bed and had prepared his father's body for burial.


Regardless of the length of the waiting period, Jesus said, "Let the dead bury the dead." Jesus is not being insensitive. The disciple's father could have been still in great health or could have died already -- and even if the father was dying -- the point Jesus was getting across is still valid: Follow me now, so that you can lead others to follow as well.


Why?


In sin, we are all dead. Buried or not buried, we are all dead. Without Jesus, we are the walking dead. So, why are we waiting for death to come when we could readily receive ETERNAL life from Jesus? We should follow Jesus to receive ETERNAL life and guide loved ones to LIFE! Only the dead buries the dead. In Jesus, we rejoice in LIFE!



Be fishers of men (Matthew 4:18-22)
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."

Notice how Peter, Andrew, James, and John all immediately left their family and secure jobs to follow Jesus (Matthew 4:20, 22). This is not an easy thing to do -- How many of us are ready to just drop everything and go? Abraham wasn't. Yet, this is what is expected from a disciple. Why is commitment so important? 


Why is following God so important? Because as Jesus' disciples, we are sent out to fish for PEOPLE. Because our mission is to spread the Gospel and bring people to eternal life through Jesus. And when we are attached to this world, when we think our jobs are more important than doing God's work, when we think our mansions, cars, yachts -- THINGS! -- are more important than doing God's work, we are choosing sin over God; we are choosing death over life. If we are attached to the world, we will never be free to follow God.


Be the salt of the world (Luke 14:34-35)
"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out." 

Jesus is comparing disciples to salt. What is salt used for? 


Back before there was refrigeration, salt was used to preserve food. When salt is no longer salty, it gets thrown away. Why? Because it could no longer preserve food. It has become useless.


As Jesus’ disciples, we are to be the salt of the world. We are to PRESERVE the heart of God, the Word of God. When we no longer do that, we, too, have lost our saltiness and have become useless.


What is our soul worth? (Mark 8:34-37)
Jesus: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?"

This is the same idea when God said to let the dead bury the dead and to "hate" our parents or even ourselves. We are not to love the world. We are to love the Father. The world is full of lust -- Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, lust driven by selfish pride. Lust is sin. Lust is death. This world is temporary. By loving the world, we put ourselves down the path of death. Love God, and we receive life. 


What is your soul worth? 


Choose to save your life now, so that you can go and save the ones you love. Do not bury the dead. Celebrate eternal life with family and friends!


Do not be ashamed (Mark 8:38)

Jesus: "If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels."

Heed the warning of Jesus. If we are ashamed of Jesus, then Jesus will be ashamed of us.


So, what’s more important – pleasing people or pleasing God?



GOD'S PROMISE TO ABRAM (Genesis 12:1–3)
- I will make you into a great nation
- I will bless you
- I will make your name great
- you will be a blessing
- I will bless those who bless you
- Whoever curses you I will curse
- All peoples on earth will be blessed through you

Zondervan NIV footnote for Genesis 12:2-3
God's promise to Abraham has a sevenfold structure: (1) "I will make you into a great nation," (2) "I will bless you," (3) "I will make your name great," (4) "you will be a blessing," (5) "I will bless those who bless you," (6) "whoever curses you I will curse," and (7) "all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." God's original blessing on the whole human race (Genesis 1:28) would be especially fulfilled in the lives of Abram and his offspring. In various ways and degrees, these promises were affirmed to Abram (Genesis 12:7, 15:5-21, 17:4-8, 18:18-19, 22:17-18), to Issac (Genesis 26:2-4), to Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15, 35:11-12, 46:3) and to Moses (Ex. 3:6-8, 6:2-8). The seventh promise is quoted in Ac 3:25 with reference to Peter's Jewish listeners (see Ac 3:12) - Abram's physical descendants - and in Gal 3:8 with reference to Paul's Gentile listeners - Abram's spiritual descendants.

"I will make you into a great nation"

Throughout history, we can see how these promises have ALWAYS been kept. Israel is the longest existing people, who can trace their ancestry back to the birth of Jesus, back all the way to Adam. Through the one son Abram had (Isaac), God indeed bring forth a GREAT nation. In the Millennium, Israel will be given the full glory God has intended (Revelation).

"I will bless those who bless you; whoever curses you I will curse"
Nations that bless Israel are blessed. The US has always been a main supporter of Israel. The US is known as the Christian nation, because it was founded on Christian principles -- a foundation that we are actively denying today. Dangerous, dangerous choices by not just us as individuals but as a nation, led by our government!

Here is a brief excerpt of the Declaration of Independence:

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

We enjoy the RIGHTS we have today not because the governmented grant them to us. We enjoy the rights because GOD endowed them to us. Our founding fathers recognized this and believed it to be so important, THEY WROTE IT INTO THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE! From their perspective, it was not the government's job to grant its people rights. It was the government's job to PROTECT these rights -- NOT man-made rights; GOD'S RIGHTS. 

We forget our roots, we stray.

We don't believe what we have is because of God. We believe we have what we have because of ourselves. And so, we say, "Screw God's one man, one woman marriage. Let us redefine marriage." So, we say, "Screw God's command to not murder. Abortion, abortion, abortion!" Is this not Tower of Babel all over again?


As a nation, the US is abandoning its roots so deeply ground in God... and for what? To become more and more like Sodom and Gomorrah.

Many people have asked why God has not judged the US yet. Scholars, such as Dr. Chuck Missler and Pastor Perry Stone, believe this has been because the US has always supported Israel. After all, God promised, "I will bless those who bless you." Under Obama, the US has started to pull away from Israel. The US is now in major decline. The US is not mentioned at all in Revelation.


I am not trying to being abysmal. I want to encourage us all to study the Bible and UNDERSTAND God's plan. God is merciful, but He will not remain graceful at the cost of justice.


Jesus will not return until Israel, as a nation, petitions for His return.
Hosea 5:15
"Then I will go back to my place until they admit their guilt. And they will seek my face; in their misery they will earnestly seek me."

And Israel will not seek Jesus until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in
Romans 11:25
"Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in."

And when Jesus returns, he does not come as a Lamb; he returns as a Lion, as the King of kings (Revelation).
Honestly, I do not know what will happen to the US, and this frightens me. However, I know where I stand -- I stand with God. And I heed His teachings very seriously. Jesus taught us to know the signs, and with Israel becoming a nation in 1948, there is absolutely no doubt that we are very close to His second coming. Pray for our nation -- We, as a nation, are just not heading down the right path. But most importantly, right our heart.



GOD BLESSES THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIM


Ephesians 1:3

Blessing

Ephesians 1:18

God’s glorious inheritance

Ephesians 2:6–7

Seated with Christ

1 Corinthians 2:9-10

Revelation of God’s knowledge

Psalm 16:5-6, 11

Security



IN FAITH, ABRAM OBEYED GOD (Genesis 12:4-9)

Hebrews 11:8-9

"By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise."

Romans 10:11
"Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame."

Genesis 12:4-5
Lot, his nephew, and Sarai, his wife, and his servants went with Abram.

Genesis 12:6-7

When Abram arrived in Canaan, God gave him an additional promise: "The LORD appeared to Abram and said, 'To your offsprings I will give this land.'" And to thank God's provision,  Abram built an altar there to the LORD.

As Abram moved forward through Bethel, Ai, and Negev in God's name, so should we also move forward

Colossians 1:23
Continue in our faith. Be firm in our faith and move forward with the Gospel.

Colossians 2:6-7

Continue to live in Jesus. Be rooted in Jesus, and build our lives through Jesus.

Hebrews 6:1

Move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ. Mature. 

This is a very important concept. Understanding the Gospel is the first step in becoming a disciple of Jesus. It is not the only step, and it is not the last step. The Bible teaches us more than just about the Gospel. Understanding the WHOLE Word of God takes maturity and continuous studying of the Bible. 

In order to mature, in order to move forward, we cannot forget what we have already learned. For example, once we know Jesus died for our sins, we shouldn’t have to keep re-learning this. We need to truly understand what that means, so that we can allow that knowledge to change us, bringing us closer to God.


Hebrews 10:35-38

Persevere through hard times, so that when we see God, He can say to us, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

1 Peter 2:2

Crave for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, so that He may help us grow in our salvation. Accepting salvation from God is only the first step. What do we DO with that salvation? This is where our growth as Christians come in.


ABRAM WAS NOT PERFECT (Genesis 12:10-13:4)



Life Application Study Bible footnote for Genesis 12:10
When famine struck, Abram went to Egypt where there was food. Why would God allow a famine in the land where he had just called Abram? This was a test of Abram's faith, and Abram passed. He didn't question God's leading when facing this difficulty. Many believers find that when they determine to follow God, they immediately encounter great obstacles. The next time you face such a test, don't try to second-guess what God is doing. Use the intelligence God gave you, as Abram did when he temporarily moved to Egypt, and wait for new opportunities.

Zondervan NIV footnote for Genesis 12:10
Egypt's food supply was usually plentiful because the Nile's water supply was normally dependable. Abram's experience in this episode foreshadows Israel's later experience in Egypt, as the author of Genesis, writing after the exodus, was every much aware. The parallels are striking: a famine in the land (here; 47:4); affliction at the hands of the Egyptians (vv. 12-15; Ex. 1:11-14); God's plagues on the Egyptians (v. 17; Ex 8-11); the Egyptians sending the people away as a result (vv. 19-20, Ex 12:31-32); the Egyptians letting them take with them all their possessions (v. 20; Ex 12:32); the people obtaining wealth from the Egyptians (v. 16; Ex 12:36); return to Canaan by stages through the desert (13:1-3; Exodus; Numbers; Deuteronomy; Joshua); arrival back in Canaan, where they worship the Lord (13:4; Jos 5:10; 8:30-35; 24:1-27). Abram was truly the "father" of Israel.


Upon entering Egypt, Abram feared for his life. And instead of trusting that God will deliver him, he chose to lie.

Genesis 12:12-13
"When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you."

Abram's choice has consequences

Abram’s fear: Death
His sin: Lie, instead of trusting in the Lord
Affect (Genesis 12:17, 20):
"But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai... Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had."

God disciplines His children (Hebrews 12:6; Micah 7:8-9)
Every sin is punished. Because Abram lied, he was forced to leave Egypt. However, God always looks out for his people. God punishes His children, but He also protects them from harm – very much like how human parents discipline and protect their children. God teaches us so that we may see the Truth and learn.

Abram goes to Bethel after God rescued him from Egypt (Genesis 13:3-4)