Notes for BSF
See also this related post
BE A WISE VIRGIN (Matthew 25:1-13)
The virgins were all waiting for the bridegroom -- That is, they were all Christians expecting the return of Jesus.
The wise virgins are those who are actively studying the Bible to understand the times of Jesus’ 2nd Coming, so that we will be ready for Him when He returns.
The foolish virgins are those who also follow Christ – However, they became lazy in their walk. They knew that Jesus would return one day, but they never bothered to prepare for it. They didn’t keep their lamps glowing. The light of the lamp is representative of their walk with Christ. The oil they used to light the lamp represents the Holy Spirit. So, the foolish virgins did not tend to the lamp. They didn’t trim the wick or renew the oil. That is, they did not continue to take care of their faith; they did not renew their spirit with the Holy Spirit – And this is why their lamp did not shine with light. This is why they missed the Wedding Party.
Be prepared for Jesus' 2nd coming
Matthew 7:13-14
Jesus is the only way. Truly understand that in our heart.
Matthew 7:24-27
Heed the Words spoken by Jesus.
Matthew 24:4-5, 42, 44
Don’t let anyone deceive us, especially the false prophets.
John 1:12
Receive Jesus, and we can be children of His Kingdom.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-8
We are not children of dark but children of light – So let us have the knowledge and not be without understanding of Jesus’ 2nd coming.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
Be ready for Jesus’ arrival by remaining sanctified through the Holy Spirit.
Oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit
John 3:5-8
We are born again in the spirit through the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:9
Followers of Christ have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 1:13-14
When we received Jesus, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit.
As long as we hear Jesus’ words and follow Him – not just what we want to hear, but everything that Jesus has said – we know that we are in a solid relationship with Jesus, a relationship based on the WHOLE counsel of His Word. This is why we don’t just read some parts of the Bible and skip others. We should read the ENTIRE Bible.
BE FRUITFUL FOR GOD (Matthew 25:14-30)
Examples of being fruitful for God
Proverbs 3:13-15
Wisdom
Matthew 13:52
Discipleship
Matthew 28:19-20
Spreading the Gospel, making disciples
John 1:9-13
Receive Jesus
John 13:15
We should be an example to others.
John 21:15-17
Feed God’s sheep – Take care of God’s people. This is Jesus’ 2nd commandment: To love others as we love ourselves.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Learn from the Scripture. The Bible teaches us, rebukes us, corrects us, and trains us in righteousness. That is, the Bible teaches us what is the Righteous Way. It tells us when we are wrong and directs us back to the Righteous Way. It continues to train us, so that we remain on the Righteous Way.
Use what God has given us to the best of our abilities
The man who had received five bags of gold put his money to work and gained five bags more. The man who had two bags of gold also put his money to work and gained two more. To both, their master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!"
The man who had received one bag of gold, however, dug a hole in the ground and hid the money instead. He was lazy and did not want to work for the master, so he did nothing with the talent he was given. His master replied, "You wicked, lazy servant!" Instead of working for his master, he judged him and worked against him instead.
We are each uniquely equipped to do God's work on Earth. God does not judge us based on what other people were able to do with their abilities. God judges us based on what we have done with what we're given. As believers in Christ, we will not lose our salvation. However, our works determine the rewards we will receive in Heaven, at the Mercy Seat Judgment of Christ (Matthew 25:29; Matthew 13:12; Luke 8:18). We may not lose our salvation, bu we will still be judged for the works we do.
SERVE WITH THE HEART OF CHRIST (Matthew 25:31-46)
Jesus returns not as a Lamb but as a Lion
When Jesus returns, He returns as judge. He will judge between the believers and the non-believers; He will also judge the believers for their works. After these judgement, He will then begin His thousand-year reign on Earth.
Whatever we do, we do as representatives of Christ
Any time we take care of someone else, we have taken care of Jesus. Any time we refuse to help others, we have refused to take care of Jesus.
The way we live reflects our walk with Jesus
Romans 2:7-11
Seek and continue to seek Jesus with patience.
James 2:14-17
Show our faith. It is not enough to just have faith. We need to also have the actions that exemplifies our faith.
1 John 3:16-19
Love in actions. Don’t just say it or know that it is important. God told us to Love God and love others. Everything we do revolves around "agape," God's Love. Knowing this is important, but most importantly, we need to SHOW it in ACTIONS.
Heaven and Hell are eternal
Heaven is where God resides
Matthew 25:10
The door of Heaven closes on those who do not receive Jesus.
Matthew 25:21, 23
When we come into Heaven, Jesus will give us rewards based on what we have done.
Matthew 25:34
As followers of Christ, we will share in the treasures of God’s Kingdom.
Hell is where God is not
Matthew 25:41
Hell is made for Satan and his demons.
Matthew 25:12
People who are in hell die apart from Jesus. They do not know Jesus, and Jesus does not know them.
Matthew 25:30
Hell is dark, where there is gnashing of teeth and weeping.
We were made with eternal souls. We will exist eternally, and the choice to either live eternally in God or apart from God is completely in our hands. It is not the heart of God to have any one of us perish in hell.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Instead, it is the heart of God to see us all return to eternal life by His side. However, if we choose to live apart from Him, He will honor our choices.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Following Jesus is not just saying we want to follow Him and then sit back and do nothing. Following Jesus, being Jesus’ disciples, is a very active commitment. Jesus expects us to know the Bible, and from the Bible, to know of His return. The first step in following Him is to study and understand His Word. We are then to DO what we have learned. This is how we start to follow Jesus with our heart. When our heart belongs to Jesus, we are with Him in eternity.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Matthew 24
Notes for BSF
See also notes on a related Bible study with Pastor Terry Gray:
http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2011/11/matthew-24-signs-of-end-of-days.html
JESUS PREDICTS THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE (Matthew 24:1-14)
Matthew 24:2
Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
In 70 AD, the Roman empire conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple. And indeed, not one stone was left standing, because the Roman soldiers tore apart the stones to get to the melted gold.
JESUS REVEALS THE SIGNS OF THE END OF DAYS (Matthew 24:3-51)
The disciples asked Jesus about the end of days
Matthew 24:3
Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?
Signs of the End of Days
1. False prophets
2. Wars and rumors of wars
3. Famine and pestilence
4. Abomination of Desolation
A time of deception – Matthew 24:8
And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’"
There are many religions today that claim they can provide salvation, that claim they also believe in Jesus. However, the things they teach are contrary to what the Bible teaches. We cannot claim we believe in God and then turn around to preach a theology that directly contradicts with the Word. One of the best ways to prevent ourselves from following false teachers is to diligently study the Bible with the attitude of the Bereans:
Acts 17:11
These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
Paul was their ministering pastor, and from the Scriptures, we know Paul to be one of the greatest Christians leaders of his time. We all have flaws (and Paul had his share), but read through the New Testament, and no one can deny the awesome, admirable, and inspirational Christian spirit exhibited by Paul. Under the teachings of such an amazing scholar, the Bereans didn't just take Paul for his word. They went and compared his teachings against the Bible, to make sure for themselves that what Paul taught was consistent with the Word of God.
No man is perfect, no matter how Christ-like they are. We can all be tempted at any time of our lives. This is why it is dangerous for us to put our faith in any one person, to just trust them and take them at their word. Be like the Bereans, and our chances of weeding out the false teachers will be greater.
A time of war – Matthew 24:9-10
But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately. Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
Today, there are numerous wars brewing with Israel smack in the center of them. The battle for Jerusalem makes no political or economical sense, because the land has not strategic advantage. The only reason to fight for Jerusalem is Biblical, as prophecy dictates that people will constantly fight against Israel for the land granted to them by God.
A time of natural disasters – Matthew 24:11
And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.
A time of persecution – Matthew 24:12-13
But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.
Christians today are persecuted for their faith in Christ.
A time of betrayal – Matthew 24:16-17
You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.
Soon, the society will return to the times of the Judges, where the society regards no laws. Everyone will do what is right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25).
The documented responses in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 provide different perspectives
See also notes on a couple of related Bible studies with Dr. Chuck Missler:
1. http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2011/12/revelation-28-11.html
(Scroll down near the end)
2. http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2012/10/daniel-9.html
Matthew 24:9
They they will...
Luke 21:12
But before all these things...
Matthew 24 focused on events that follow the Signs (mostly centered around the Great Tribulation). Luke 21, however, focused on events that come before the Signs (mostly centered around the fall of Jerusalem).
... Until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled
Luke 21:24
Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
One of the criteria for the return of Christ is the fulfillment of the times of the Gentiles. What does this mean? The Bible does not elaborate. However, this passage informs us that there is a unit of measurement that defines completion for the time that we're currently living in -- and once that measurement hits 100%, all the events that usher in Jesus' return will take place in rapid succession.
Be aware of the Abomination of Desolation
In the end of days, the Antichrist will defile the Holy of
Holies, announcing himself as god. Jesus used the term, "Abomination of Desolation" (Matthew 25:15) to describe this event, quoting Daniel (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11).
The erection of a pagan idol is an abomination. When such an idol is erected in the Holy of Holies, it is the ultimate abomination, the Abomination of Desolation." This has happened only once in history, when Antiochus Epiphanes erected an idol in the Holy of Holies in 167 BC. The next time it happens, it will be as Daniel had prophesied about the Anti-Christ (Daniel 9:27).
Jesus warned those in Judea (Jews) that when they "see" this happening, drop everything and just FLEE to the mountains (Matthew 24:16-22).
We do not know exactly how we can "see" this occurring, but we know several things:
1. Only the High Priest can enter the Holy of Holies, and this occurs only once a year.
2. There hasn't been a Temple since it was destroyed in 70 AD.
Given the above, we can deduce the following:
1. The Temple will be rebuilt.
2. The erection of the Abomination of Desolation will be a major political move. And with our media today, major television companies (e.g., CNN) will capture this for the world to "see."
Jesus revealed these Signs so that we would know the signs of His coming, that we would know the seasons; that we would know the time -- and BE READY for His return.
Matthew 24:32-33
Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near -- at the doors!
Jesus expects us to know the seasons. He used the weather as an example. When we see leaves fall, we know that autumn is coming. Similarly, when we see the signs that Jesus spoke of, we should therefore know that He is returning soon.
Upon the return of Jesus...
Zechariah 12:10
The people of Israel will be redeemed; they will recognize Jesus as their Messiah.
Matthew 24:30
We will see the Son of God in glory.
Revelation 1:7
All will know Jesus is God, and those who are not in Jesus will mourn because they would realize their fate.
No one knows the day or the hour of Christ's return
Matthew 24:36
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
We do not know exactly when Jesus would return – so be aware of people who try to predict it. When God says we will not know, then we will not know.
Be on the look out for the return of our King
Although Jesus has made it clear that we will not know the exact day of His return, He does expect us to know the seasons, the times of His return.
The end of days will be like the days of Noah
Matthew 24:37-39
But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Those who perished in the flood remained blind to the warnings of God pronounced through Noah until they perished in the flood (Genesis 6-7). Jesus here warns us of the same fate if we are as those who eat, drink, and be merry, refusing to acknowledge the sovereignty of God.
The people of Noah's time...
1. Did not heed the Word of God
2. Mocked those who were good stewards of God’s Word
3. Were taken over by sins of the flesh
Be a faithful servant and diligently seek our King's return
In the parable, the first servant worked expecting his master to return at any time. And so, when he worked, he worked hard so that if his master were to return at any second, everything will be ready for his master.
The wicked servant, on the other hand, worked expecting his master to delay in his return -- perhaps, to never return. And so, when he worked, he was lazy, thinking since his master wasn't coming back any time soon, he could slack off and do the work later. When the master does return, this wicked servant would be caught off guard, having done nothing and not ready to welcome his master home.
Do not walk through our Christian lives as wicked servants. We do not know when Jesus will return, but Jesus has already told us how to identify the signs of His return. We are to remain vigilant and always be expecting His coming. If we are ready for Him when He returns, we will reign with Him as kings and priests. If we are not ready for Him, then we will be judged.
Therefore, let us be diligent students of the Bible. Study the Word of God, but most importantly, DIGEST and UNDERSTAND how the Word of God applies to our lives. And then, every day, LIVE out the Word of God, and let the Holy Spirit guide us in ALL that we do.
See also notes on a related Bible study with Pastor Terry Gray:
http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2011/11/matthew-24-signs-of-end-of-days.html
JESUS PREDICTS THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE (Matthew 24:1-14)
Matthew 24:2
Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
In 70 AD, the Roman empire conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple. And indeed, not one stone was left standing, because the Roman soldiers tore apart the stones to get to the melted gold.
JESUS REVEALS THE SIGNS OF THE END OF DAYS (Matthew 24:3-51)
The disciples asked Jesus about the end of days
Matthew 24:3
Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?
Signs of the End of Days
1. False prophets
2. Wars and rumors of wars
3. Famine and pestilence
4. Abomination of Desolation
A time of deception – Matthew 24:8
And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’"
There are many religions today that claim they can provide salvation, that claim they also believe in Jesus. However, the things they teach are contrary to what the Bible teaches. We cannot claim we believe in God and then turn around to preach a theology that directly contradicts with the Word. One of the best ways to prevent ourselves from following false teachers is to diligently study the Bible with the attitude of the Bereans:
Acts 17:11
These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
Paul was their ministering pastor, and from the Scriptures, we know Paul to be one of the greatest Christians leaders of his time. We all have flaws (and Paul had his share), but read through the New Testament, and no one can deny the awesome, admirable, and inspirational Christian spirit exhibited by Paul. Under the teachings of such an amazing scholar, the Bereans didn't just take Paul for his word. They went and compared his teachings against the Bible, to make sure for themselves that what Paul taught was consistent with the Word of God.
No man is perfect, no matter how Christ-like they are. We can all be tempted at any time of our lives. This is why it is dangerous for us to put our faith in any one person, to just trust them and take them at their word. Be like the Bereans, and our chances of weeding out the false teachers will be greater.
A time of war – Matthew 24:9-10
But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately. Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
Today, there are numerous wars brewing with Israel smack in the center of them. The battle for Jerusalem makes no political or economical sense, because the land has not strategic advantage. The only reason to fight for Jerusalem is Biblical, as prophecy dictates that people will constantly fight against Israel for the land granted to them by God.
A time of natural disasters – Matthew 24:11
And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.
A time of persecution – Matthew 24:12-13
But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.
Christians today are persecuted for their faith in Christ.
A time of betrayal – Matthew 24:16-17
You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.
Soon, the society will return to the times of the Judges, where the society regards no laws. Everyone will do what is right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25).
The documented responses in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 provide different perspectives
See also notes on a couple of related Bible studies with Dr. Chuck Missler:
1. http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2011/12/revelation-28-11.html
(Scroll down near the end)
2. http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2012/10/daniel-9.html
Matthew 24:9
They they will...
Luke 21:12
But before all these things...
Matthew 24 focused on events that follow the Signs (mostly centered around the Great Tribulation). Luke 21, however, focused on events that come before the Signs (mostly centered around the fall of Jerusalem).
... Until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled
Luke 21:24
Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
One of the criteria for the return of Christ is the fulfillment of the times of the Gentiles. What does this mean? The Bible does not elaborate. However, this passage informs us that there is a unit of measurement that defines completion for the time that we're currently living in -- and once that measurement hits 100%, all the events that usher in Jesus' return will take place in rapid succession.
Be aware of the Abomination of Desolation
In the end of days, the Antichrist will defile the Holy of
Holies, announcing himself as god. Jesus used the term, "Abomination of Desolation" (Matthew 25:15) to describe this event, quoting Daniel (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11).
The erection of a pagan idol is an abomination. When such an idol is erected in the Holy of Holies, it is the ultimate abomination, the Abomination of Desolation." This has happened only once in history, when Antiochus Epiphanes erected an idol in the Holy of Holies in 167 BC. The next time it happens, it will be as Daniel had prophesied about the Anti-Christ (Daniel 9:27).
Jesus warned those in Judea (Jews) that when they "see" this happening, drop everything and just FLEE to the mountains (Matthew 24:16-22).
We do not know exactly how we can "see" this occurring, but we know several things:
1. Only the High Priest can enter the Holy of Holies, and this occurs only once a year.
2. There hasn't been a Temple since it was destroyed in 70 AD.
Given the above, we can deduce the following:
1. The Temple will be rebuilt.
2. The erection of the Abomination of Desolation will be a major political move. And with our media today, major television companies (e.g., CNN) will capture this for the world to "see."
Jesus revealed these Signs so that we would know the signs of His coming, that we would know the seasons; that we would know the time -- and BE READY for His return.
Matthew 24:32-33
Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near -- at the doors!
Jesus expects us to know the seasons. He used the weather as an example. When we see leaves fall, we know that autumn is coming. Similarly, when we see the signs that Jesus spoke of, we should therefore know that He is returning soon.
Upon the return of Jesus...
Zechariah 12:10
The people of Israel will be redeemed; they will recognize Jesus as their Messiah.
Matthew 24:30
We will see the Son of God in glory.
Revelation 1:7
All will know Jesus is God, and those who are not in Jesus will mourn because they would realize their fate.
No one knows the day or the hour of Christ's return
Matthew 24:36
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
We do not know exactly when Jesus would return – so be aware of people who try to predict it. When God says we will not know, then we will not know.
Be on the look out for the return of our King
Although Jesus has made it clear that we will not know the exact day of His return, He does expect us to know the seasons, the times of His return.
The end of days will be like the days of Noah
Matthew 24:37-39
But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Those who perished in the flood remained blind to the warnings of God pronounced through Noah until they perished in the flood (Genesis 6-7). Jesus here warns us of the same fate if we are as those who eat, drink, and be merry, refusing to acknowledge the sovereignty of God.
The people of Noah's time...
1. Did not heed the Word of God
2. Mocked those who were good stewards of God’s Word
3. Were taken over by sins of the flesh
Be a faithful servant and diligently seek our King's return
In the parable, the first servant worked expecting his master to return at any time. And so, when he worked, he worked hard so that if his master were to return at any second, everything will be ready for his master.
The wicked servant, on the other hand, worked expecting his master to delay in his return -- perhaps, to never return. And so, when he worked, he was lazy, thinking since his master wasn't coming back any time soon, he could slack off and do the work later. When the master does return, this wicked servant would be caught off guard, having done nothing and not ready to welcome his master home.
Do not walk through our Christian lives as wicked servants. We do not know when Jesus will return, but Jesus has already told us how to identify the signs of His return. We are to remain vigilant and always be expecting His coming. If we are ready for Him when He returns, we will reign with Him as kings and priests. If we are not ready for Him, then we will be judged.
Therefore, let us be diligent students of the Bible. Study the Word of God, but most importantly, DIGEST and UNDERSTAND how the Word of God applies to our lives. And then, every day, LIVE out the Word of God, and let the Holy Spirit guide us in ALL that we do.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Ancient Human Footprints Found in England
From the February 11, 2014 eNews issue
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Ancient prints that look fully human have been studied and photographed extensively along a beach in Happisburgh, on the Norfolk coast in England. Members of the Ancient Human Occupation of Britain (AHOB) project have developed 3-D models of the site, which show the footprints of a group of adults and children who apparently went collecting seafood along the beach before the sands were covered up and preserved in rock that has been dated to 800,000 – 1 million years ago.
In May 2013, ocean surf had washed away the beach sand and exposed a large number of footprints at Happisburgh, and the AHOB team worked quickly to photograph the site before the footprints too were eroded by the waves. Many of the prints are just mushy marks in mud, but in some cases the heel, arch and even toes can be seen. The prints were documented using multi-image photogrammetry that can be used to create 3D images, and they have been determined to belong to a group of individuals who ranged from about 3 feet to 5 feet 7 inches in height.
The area is well known for its Pleistocene era fauna and flora, including mammoth, hippo and rhinoceros. Flint tools have been previously found in the area, but these prints give the first close up and personal remains of human activity. The small prints of children suggest a family group out gathering shellfish and seaweed rather than a hunting party. Fossilized humans have been found from the same time period in Atapuerca, Spain, and the scientists have supposed the prints to have been made by an early human dubbed Homo antecessor. England was still connected to the European continent during this time period.
“This is an extraordinarily rare discovery,” said Nick Ashton, a scientist at the British Museum, where the find was announced last week. “The Happisburgh site continues to rewrite our understanding of the early human occupation of Britain and indeed of Europe.”
The remarkable thing about these prints, like the footprints found in the Laetoli Trail in Tanzania dated to 3.6 million years ago or the footprints found near Ileret in Kenya and dated to 1.5 million years ago, is that they all look fully human, with forward pointing toes like men and not the hand-like feet of apes. These particular prints at Happisburgh are recognized as belonging to the genus Homo, without any apeish influences, but they are still regarded as quite ancient. Yet, in all these sites, the prints are made by beings who walked upright, going about their business with no occasional use of knuckles – just left-foot, right-foot, left-foot, right. They have been dated to ancient ages based on the rocks they are found in, but perhaps the prints are not made by ancient beings on their way to being fully human. Maybe they were just made by humans.
Is Vast Time An Illusion?
According to most respected geologists, the Earth is 4.7 billion years old, give or take a few days. Suggesting that the Earth is much younger can raise the ire of even the most chipper, likeable geology professor. Yet, there is evidence that many geological processes can take place in a much shorter time span than historical geologists tend to assume, and odd things have been found out of place—in the wrong time and the wrong geological layer.
The true age of the planet remains somewhat of a mystery, and geologists certainly have reason to regard the world as old. After all, Hadrian’s Wall cuts along northern England, relatively solid after two-thousand years of weathering. The Great Pyramid of Giza remains more than 4500 years after its completion. When geologists consider that mountain ranges have washed away and the once jagged peaks of the great Canadian Shield have been worn down to rolling hills, they reason that such massive erosion could not have taken place in a mere few millennia.
At the same time, sometimes geological events do much greater creation and destruction in a shorter time than we’d ever have expected.
Surtsey
On the 14th of November in 1963, a steaming, smoking volcanic eruption that had started 426 feet below sea level produced enough cooled rock to peek out of the water. Over the course of that week, the island grew to a height of 145 feet. When the island finally stopped rising in June of 1967, it had matured to a height of almost 500 feet and covered an area of two square miles. The island was named Surtsey after the Norse god of fire, Surtur.
Because of its newness, Surtsey has been closely studied by scientists who want to watch how the flora and fauna of the island develop and by others who have monitored its growth and its subsequent decay. The amazing thing about Surtsey, though, is not just its rapid birth, but its rapid aging as well. In 1964, when Surtsey was just a year old, Iceland’s top geophysicist Sigurdur Thorarinsson described the island in his book, Surtsey: The New Island in the North Atlantic:
On Surtsey, only a few months sufficed for a landscape to be created which was so varied and mature that it was almost beyond belief… You might come to a beach covered with flowing lava on its way to the sea with white balls of smoke rising high up in the air. Three weeks later you might come back to the same place and be literally confounded by what met your eye. Now, there were precipitous lava cliffs of considerable height, and below them you would see boulders worn by the surf, some of which were almost round… and further out there was a sandy beach where you could walk at low tide without getting wet.
The geologist continued his amazement later in National Geographic (127(5):712–726) in 1965, saying: “… in one week’s time we witness changes that elsewhere might take decades or even centuries … Despite the extreme youth of the growing island, we now encounter a landscape so varied that it is almost beyond belief.”
Perhaps “elsewhere” the changes did not take decades or centuries after all. Perhaps geologists just assume they did. Without the ability to watch features form firsthand, geologists can infer the history of a site based more on reasoning than on experimental evidence. Unless they can watch the same geologic processes take place elsewhere, producing the same results, they can err in the story they put together from the rocks.
Mt. St. Helens
When Mount St. Helens erupted in late May of 1980, it created geological results in minutes and days that were previously believed to take vast lengths of time. On June 12, 1980, a mud flow left a deposit 25 feet thick with thin laminae and beds. These kinds of sedimentary laminae and beds had been assumed to represent thousands or millions of years as they were laid down one season at a time. Instead, this mud flow produced 25 feet worth of thin layers in a single day.
Mount St. Helens taught geologists that erosion can take place rapidly as well. Badlands topography in the form of rills and gullies appeared at the margins of seam explosion pits within five days after the Mount St. Helens’ pumice had been deposited in May of 1980. Nearly two years after the explosion, on March 19, 1982, a mud flow eroded a canyon much like a miniature form of the Grand Canyon in the headwaters of the North Fork of the Toutle River Valley. It did not take millions of years for this canyon system to erode; it took a day.
Mount St. Helens’ rapid formation of geologic features should give geologists pause. The results of the mountain’s eruption and mud flows do not prove that Earth is extremely young, but they do demonstrate that canyons and thick layers of sediment are not necessarily old.
This world is a mystery. The pages of its history given to us have left many stories untold. We do not necessarily have tales for every flood or hurricane or tsunami. We don’t know what earthquakes or volcanic eruptions or glaciers rocked and carved the earth. The more data we collect, carefully and honestly, the greater the clues we have of the tales that are still written to us in the very rocks. Which, if we don’t beat them to it, may still cry out in praise to our God.
Further Reading
We Were Here: Earliest Humans Leave Prints On Norfolk Beach
— Natural History Museum
Hominin Footprints from Early Pleistocene Deposits at Happisburgh, UK
— PLOS One
850,000-Year-Old Human Footprints Found In Norfolk
— The Guardian
Surtsey Volcano
— Iceland On The Web
Mount St. Helens and Catastrophism
— ICR.org
The Effects of Mud Flows
— Geologic Survey Professional Paper 1250
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Ancient prints that look fully human have been studied and photographed extensively along a beach in Happisburgh, on the Norfolk coast in England. Members of the Ancient Human Occupation of Britain (AHOB) project have developed 3-D models of the site, which show the footprints of a group of adults and children who apparently went collecting seafood along the beach before the sands were covered up and preserved in rock that has been dated to 800,000 – 1 million years ago.
In May 2013, ocean surf had washed away the beach sand and exposed a large number of footprints at Happisburgh, and the AHOB team worked quickly to photograph the site before the footprints too were eroded by the waves. Many of the prints are just mushy marks in mud, but in some cases the heel, arch and even toes can be seen. The prints were documented using multi-image photogrammetry that can be used to create 3D images, and they have been determined to belong to a group of individuals who ranged from about 3 feet to 5 feet 7 inches in height.
The area is well known for its Pleistocene era fauna and flora, including mammoth, hippo and rhinoceros. Flint tools have been previously found in the area, but these prints give the first close up and personal remains of human activity. The small prints of children suggest a family group out gathering shellfish and seaweed rather than a hunting party. Fossilized humans have been found from the same time period in Atapuerca, Spain, and the scientists have supposed the prints to have been made by an early human dubbed Homo antecessor. England was still connected to the European continent during this time period.
“This is an extraordinarily rare discovery,” said Nick Ashton, a scientist at the British Museum, where the find was announced last week. “The Happisburgh site continues to rewrite our understanding of the early human occupation of Britain and indeed of Europe.”
The remarkable thing about these prints, like the footprints found in the Laetoli Trail in Tanzania dated to 3.6 million years ago or the footprints found near Ileret in Kenya and dated to 1.5 million years ago, is that they all look fully human, with forward pointing toes like men and not the hand-like feet of apes. These particular prints at Happisburgh are recognized as belonging to the genus Homo, without any apeish influences, but they are still regarded as quite ancient. Yet, in all these sites, the prints are made by beings who walked upright, going about their business with no occasional use of knuckles – just left-foot, right-foot, left-foot, right. They have been dated to ancient ages based on the rocks they are found in, but perhaps the prints are not made by ancient beings on their way to being fully human. Maybe they were just made by humans.
Is Vast Time An Illusion?
According to most respected geologists, the Earth is 4.7 billion years old, give or take a few days. Suggesting that the Earth is much younger can raise the ire of even the most chipper, likeable geology professor. Yet, there is evidence that many geological processes can take place in a much shorter time span than historical geologists tend to assume, and odd things have been found out of place—in the wrong time and the wrong geological layer.
The true age of the planet remains somewhat of a mystery, and geologists certainly have reason to regard the world as old. After all, Hadrian’s Wall cuts along northern England, relatively solid after two-thousand years of weathering. The Great Pyramid of Giza remains more than 4500 years after its completion. When geologists consider that mountain ranges have washed away and the once jagged peaks of the great Canadian Shield have been worn down to rolling hills, they reason that such massive erosion could not have taken place in a mere few millennia.
At the same time, sometimes geological events do much greater creation and destruction in a shorter time than we’d ever have expected.
Surtsey
On the 14th of November in 1963, a steaming, smoking volcanic eruption that had started 426 feet below sea level produced enough cooled rock to peek out of the water. Over the course of that week, the island grew to a height of 145 feet. When the island finally stopped rising in June of 1967, it had matured to a height of almost 500 feet and covered an area of two square miles. The island was named Surtsey after the Norse god of fire, Surtur.
Because of its newness, Surtsey has been closely studied by scientists who want to watch how the flora and fauna of the island develop and by others who have monitored its growth and its subsequent decay. The amazing thing about Surtsey, though, is not just its rapid birth, but its rapid aging as well. In 1964, when Surtsey was just a year old, Iceland’s top geophysicist Sigurdur Thorarinsson described the island in his book, Surtsey: The New Island in the North Atlantic:
On Surtsey, only a few months sufficed for a landscape to be created which was so varied and mature that it was almost beyond belief… You might come to a beach covered with flowing lava on its way to the sea with white balls of smoke rising high up in the air. Three weeks later you might come back to the same place and be literally confounded by what met your eye. Now, there were precipitous lava cliffs of considerable height, and below them you would see boulders worn by the surf, some of which were almost round… and further out there was a sandy beach where you could walk at low tide without getting wet.
The geologist continued his amazement later in National Geographic (127(5):712–726) in 1965, saying: “… in one week’s time we witness changes that elsewhere might take decades or even centuries … Despite the extreme youth of the growing island, we now encounter a landscape so varied that it is almost beyond belief.”
Perhaps “elsewhere” the changes did not take decades or centuries after all. Perhaps geologists just assume they did. Without the ability to watch features form firsthand, geologists can infer the history of a site based more on reasoning than on experimental evidence. Unless they can watch the same geologic processes take place elsewhere, producing the same results, they can err in the story they put together from the rocks.
Mt. St. Helens
When Mount St. Helens erupted in late May of 1980, it created geological results in minutes and days that were previously believed to take vast lengths of time. On June 12, 1980, a mud flow left a deposit 25 feet thick with thin laminae and beds. These kinds of sedimentary laminae and beds had been assumed to represent thousands or millions of years as they were laid down one season at a time. Instead, this mud flow produced 25 feet worth of thin layers in a single day.
Mount St. Helens taught geologists that erosion can take place rapidly as well. Badlands topography in the form of rills and gullies appeared at the margins of seam explosion pits within five days after the Mount St. Helens’ pumice had been deposited in May of 1980. Nearly two years after the explosion, on March 19, 1982, a mud flow eroded a canyon much like a miniature form of the Grand Canyon in the headwaters of the North Fork of the Toutle River Valley. It did not take millions of years for this canyon system to erode; it took a day.
Mount St. Helens’ rapid formation of geologic features should give geologists pause. The results of the mountain’s eruption and mud flows do not prove that Earth is extremely young, but they do demonstrate that canyons and thick layers of sediment are not necessarily old.
This world is a mystery. The pages of its history given to us have left many stories untold. We do not necessarily have tales for every flood or hurricane or tsunami. We don’t know what earthquakes or volcanic eruptions or glaciers rocked and carved the earth. The more data we collect, carefully and honestly, the greater the clues we have of the tales that are still written to us in the very rocks. Which, if we don’t beat them to it, may still cry out in praise to our God.
Further Reading
We Were Here: Earliest Humans Leave Prints On Norfolk Beach
— Natural History Museum
Hominin Footprints from Early Pleistocene Deposits at Happisburgh, UK
— PLOS One
850,000-Year-Old Human Footprints Found In Norfolk
— The Guardian
Surtsey Volcano
— Iceland On The Web
Mount St. Helens and Catastrophism
— ICR.org
The Effects of Mud Flows
— Geologic Survey Professional Paper 1250
Matthew 22-23
Notes for BSF
WE ARE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD (Matthew 22:15-22)
In another attempt to trap Jesus, the Pharisees threw another trick question to Jesus.
Matthew 22:17
Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?
Taxes was collected for Cesar. The taxes were a great deal of stress for the poor; it unreasonably demanded the poor to continue to give all their earnings to the government. The rich, on the other hand, enjoyed the riches they gained from taxing all the people. Worse, fellow Israelites (including the Pharisees) nurtured political relationships with the Romans through taxation so that they could gain riches on the suffering of their own.
If Jesus had agreed that it was right to pay taxes, He would basically condone continued economical oppression of the poor. However, if Jesus rejected the payment of taxes, He would have openly rebelled against the Roman government, giving the Pharisees the perfect political reason to reject and condemn Jesus.
As always, Jesus knew what they were up to, and his response rose a level above theirs.
Matthew 22:21
Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.
The coins were made in Caesar's image, and so, Jesus told us to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. This was exactly what the Pharisees wanted to hear. However, Jesus added, we are made in God's image, and so, give to God what belongs to God. That is, our souls belong to God. This ought to greatly shame the Pharisees, who prided themselves in being the most devout and authoritative figures on God. If their souls truly belonged to God, they wouldn't be taking advantage of their own kind by striking political deals with the Roman government. They wouldn't feed on the poor; instead, they would take great care of the poor.
In one sentence, Jesus admonished the Pharisees. Jesus came not for the money, not for the worldly possessions. Jesus came for us, to cleanse and save our souls.
GOD IS THE GOD OF LIVING (Matthew 22:23-33)
If Jesus had agreed that it was right to pay taxes, He would basically condone continued economical oppression of the poor. However, if Jesus rejected the payment of taxes, He would have openly rebelled against the Roman government, giving the Pharisees the perfect political reason to reject and condemn Jesus.
As always, Jesus knew what they were up to, and his response rose a level above theirs.
Matthew 22:21
Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.
The coins were made in Caesar's image, and so, Jesus told us to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. This was exactly what the Pharisees wanted to hear. However, Jesus added, we are made in God's image, and so, give to God what belongs to God. That is, our souls belong to God. This ought to greatly shame the Pharisees, who prided themselves in being the most devout and authoritative figures on God. If their souls truly belonged to God, they wouldn't be taking advantage of their own kind by striking political deals with the Roman government. They wouldn't feed on the poor; instead, they would take great care of the poor.
In one sentence, Jesus admonished the Pharisees. Jesus came not for the money, not for the worldly possessions. Jesus came for us, to cleanse and save our souls.
GOD IS THE GOD OF LIVING (Matthew 22:23-33)
In the attempt to discredit Jesus, the Sadducees tried to trap Jesus in the issue of resurrection.
Matthew 22:29
You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.
When we make assumptions not based on facts or knowledge, we risk reaching erroneous conclusions. The Sadducees here made this mistake. They assumed there was no resurrection, despite the Scripture making it clear that there is. And because they did not base their assumptions on learned facts, they reached the wrong conclusions -- Worse, they used those conclusions as self-righteous rationale to justify their actions. This was why Jesus admonished them, that they thought they knew what they were talking about when in fact they didn't. God is the God of the living, not of the dead. If we wish to understand complicated issues, we must first take the time to learn the basics.
Matthew 22:29
You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.
When we make assumptions not based on facts or knowledge, we risk reaching erroneous conclusions. The Sadducees here made this mistake. They assumed there was no resurrection, despite the Scripture making it clear that there is. And because they did not base their assumptions on learned facts, they reached the wrong conclusions -- Worse, they used those conclusions as self-righteous rationale to justify their actions. This was why Jesus admonished them, that they thought they knew what they were talking about when in fact they didn't. God is the God of the living, not of the dead. If we wish to understand complicated issues, we must first take the time to learn the basics.
LOVE GOD WITH ALL OUR SOUL (Matthew 22:34-40)
Jesus teaches us that the most important commandment to keep is to love God with all our soul. He followed it up with a second most important commandment, and that is to love our neighbors as ourselves. Clearly, either case, it all surrounds love.
When we learn how to love God with all our mind, heart, and soul, we would naturally be able to follow the second commandment -- and in fact, gain deeper understanding and appreciation for God's plan and purpose in our lives. Prior to understanding God's love, we would, for example, look at the Laws of Moses and think of them as binding regulations that suffocate our freedom. However, once we understand God's love, we will look at the same laws and comprehend how they are the most logical actions that derive from love.
When we learn how to love God with all our mind, heart, and soul, we would naturally be able to follow the second commandment -- and in fact, gain deeper understanding and appreciation for God's plan and purpose in our lives. Prior to understanding God's love, we would, for example, look at the Laws of Moses and think of them as binding regulations that suffocate our freedom. However, once we understand God's love, we will look at the same laws and comprehend how they are the most logical actions that derive from love.
Many people have differing opinions about God of the Old Testament versus God of the New Testament. While scholars debate, my two cents is that God is love. Since the beginning, God has loved us, even when we may not be the best of all people (Deuteronomy 7:6-11). He continues to loves us and therefore provides for us and protects us – and He most certainly will always deliver on His promises.
JESUS IS A DESCENDANT OF DAVID (Matthew 22:41-23:12)
The Messiah was prophesied to be born of the line of David – which means David, in human age, would be
older, maybe wiser and greater, than the Messiah. This was the thought process of the religious leaders. However, David calls the Messiah, “Lord,” showing that David was in fact ranks below his own descendant. Jesus asked the religious leaders to explain this, and they couldn't.
In the Greek (the original language that the Book of Matthew was written in), a punctuation mark differentiated the nuance of "my lord" and "the lord." The religious leaders tripped on this distinction and could therefore not work out how the Messiah could be a descendant of David and still be David's lord.
I find it interesting that the religious leaders faltered on this understanding. In the previous passage, Jesus stressed that the most important thing to accomplish, if we cannot do anything else, is to love. Love God, love others. LOVE. David called the Messiah THE Lord, because the Messiah is God. David also called the Messiah "my Lord," because he LOVED God -- that was an affectionate term to not just recognized the Messiah as God but that the Messiah was a personable God, one who has a deep and intimate relationship with him. The religious leaders could understand this concept (even though it may appear simple even to some of us). And why not? Could it be because they shared no such love for God? Could it be because they knew not God's love and thus remained blind to the Messiah that came for them and nailed Him to the Cross?
WOE TO THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS (Matthew 23)
These last two chapters show how religious leaders back then had no real interest in loving God or doing God's will -- They were so bad, Jesus condemned them publicly. The religious leaders were powered by their hunger for power and fame, and they used religion as a tool to help them achieve their own selfish goals. God became man so that we may all live. God became man because He loves us and has provided us a way to live in eternity with Him. This has always been the purpose since day one, but unfortunately, religious leaders -- back then and today -- exploit it for their own purposes.
Obviously, not all religious leaders are bad. However, as we seek guidance from such leaders, it helps to remember lessons from these passages:
1) Man is flawed
I am sure everyone who chose the path of ministry started with good intentions. However, somewhere along the way, selfish desires took over and led them down a different path. No one is perfect, other than Jesus. This is why we do not place our trust in anyone other than Jesus -- and why we therefore measure everyone's words against the Bible, the Word of God. We should never just take a pastor's sermon for granted. We should always double check the facts against the Bible. Pastors can be wrong. No one, other than Jesus, is above mistakes. No one is above sinning.
2) God is love
I find it especially important to remember this whenever major disputes break out within the Church. Jesus has made it pretty clear what it takes to follow God -- Love God, love others. It's all about love. Any time we allow ourselves to bicker among each other, from theological debates (such as when the Rapture will take place) to practical living (such as are abortions okay), we simply are not in God's love. I am not saying we should just all let go of our differences and hug it out. I am saying that on the subjects that the Bible has not spelled out (such as when the Rapture will take place), be accepting of speculations; and on the subjects that the Bible is very clear on (such as homosexuality is a sin), we need to approach sensitive topics with love. We want to guide and support each other in truth AND in love. If all we are doing is thumping the truth over people's heads and end up driving everyone away, what good have we done? Be in God's love, always.
In the Greek (the original language that the Book of Matthew was written in), a punctuation mark differentiated the nuance of "my lord" and "the lord." The religious leaders tripped on this distinction and could therefore not work out how the Messiah could be a descendant of David and still be David's lord.
I find it interesting that the religious leaders faltered on this understanding. In the previous passage, Jesus stressed that the most important thing to accomplish, if we cannot do anything else, is to love. Love God, love others. LOVE. David called the Messiah THE Lord, because the Messiah is God. David also called the Messiah "my Lord," because he LOVED God -- that was an affectionate term to not just recognized the Messiah as God but that the Messiah was a personable God, one who has a deep and intimate relationship with him. The religious leaders could understand this concept (even though it may appear simple even to some of us). And why not? Could it be because they shared no such love for God? Could it be because they knew not God's love and thus remained blind to the Messiah that came for them and nailed Him to the Cross?
WOE TO THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS (Matthew 23)
These last two chapters show how religious leaders back then had no real interest in loving God or doing God's will -- They were so bad, Jesus condemned them publicly. The religious leaders were powered by their hunger for power and fame, and they used religion as a tool to help them achieve their own selfish goals. God became man so that we may all live. God became man because He loves us and has provided us a way to live in eternity with Him. This has always been the purpose since day one, but unfortunately, religious leaders -- back then and today -- exploit it for their own purposes.
Obviously, not all religious leaders are bad. However, as we seek guidance from such leaders, it helps to remember lessons from these passages:
1) Man is flawed
I am sure everyone who chose the path of ministry started with good intentions. However, somewhere along the way, selfish desires took over and led them down a different path. No one is perfect, other than Jesus. This is why we do not place our trust in anyone other than Jesus -- and why we therefore measure everyone's words against the Bible, the Word of God. We should never just take a pastor's sermon for granted. We should always double check the facts against the Bible. Pastors can be wrong. No one, other than Jesus, is above mistakes. No one is above sinning.
2) God is love
I find it especially important to remember this whenever major disputes break out within the Church. Jesus has made it pretty clear what it takes to follow God -- Love God, love others. It's all about love. Any time we allow ourselves to bicker among each other, from theological debates (such as when the Rapture will take place) to practical living (such as are abortions okay), we simply are not in God's love. I am not saying we should just all let go of our differences and hug it out. I am saying that on the subjects that the Bible has not spelled out (such as when the Rapture will take place), be accepting of speculations; and on the subjects that the Bible is very clear on (such as homosexuality is a sin), we need to approach sensitive topics with love. We want to guide and support each other in truth AND in love. If all we are doing is thumping the truth over people's heads and end up driving everyone away, what good have we done? Be in God's love, always.
Woes of the religious leaders (Matthew 23:1-36)
1. They shut up the kingdom of heaven against men
We should, instead, first secure our own eternal life in Jesus, and then, bring that truth to our friends and family so that they too may secure their eternal life in Jesus. Woe to us if we ever become the stumbling block in others' path to Christ!
2. The devoured widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers
We should, instead, do good because it is in our heart to do good. Do good because we have the love of God flowing within us. Do good because we know the good that we do glorifies God.
3. They worked hard to win a soul, only to turn that soul into twice as much a son of hell as themselves
These are some serious and heavy condemnations that Jesus laid on the religious leaders. From Jesus' standpoint, the religious leaders only appear to be doing good works. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, the work is corrupted, sinking them further in sin. Spread the Gospel to bring people to God. We are not to manipulate God’s Word for our own selfish purposes. We are not to manipulate God’s Word so that others would follow us. This was what the religious leaders did. They used God’s Words for their own personal gain. We must be careful that we do not fall into that same trap. When we spread the Gospel, we bring others to the glory of God. We do NOT bring others to our own glory.
These are some serious and heavy condemnations that Jesus laid on the religious leaders. From Jesus' standpoint, the religious leaders only appear to be doing good works. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, the work is corrupted, sinking them further in sin. Spread the Gospel to bring people to God. We are not to manipulate God’s Word for our own selfish purposes. We are not to manipulate God’s Word so that others would follow us. This was what the religious leaders did. They used God’s Words for their own personal gain. We must be careful that we do not fall into that same trap. When we spread the Gospel, we bring others to the glory of God. We do NOT bring others to our own glory.
4. They were spiritually blind, seeing only the materialistic
Do not place our faith in meaningless objects. Gold (or money or stocks or houses or etc.) may appear to be extremely valuable, but it is only valuable when the society as a whole defines it as valuable. If the society one day decides gold has no value, we can have a ton of gold, and it wouldn’t buy us a piece of bread. God, however, sanctifies all things. Even the most worthless of all things, if sanctified by God, becomes the most precious object in the world. Case in point, us. This is what He has done for us. As sinners, we are of no value. However, because we are now sanctified in His name, we are His precious heirs. Put our faith in God, the Creator of all things.
5. They focused on works, not the love of God
Do not follow traditions just for the sake of following traditions or out of superstition. The heart of God is to love all people. It is not about fulfilling duties or accomplishing tasks. We should focus on spreading God’s love – in justice, in mercy, in faith. When we focus on God’s love, what we need to do under certain circumstances becomes very clear. Worshiping God is never about fulfilling tasks. It is always about being in the presence of God’s love and then spreading that love out. Tithing, for example, is never about money. It's always been about what we willing give in the name of the Lord.
Do not follow traditions just for the sake of following traditions or out of superstition. The heart of God is to love all people. It is not about fulfilling duties or accomplishing tasks. We should focus on spreading God’s love – in justice, in mercy, in faith. When we focus on God’s love, what we need to do under certain circumstances becomes very clear. Worshiping God is never about fulfilling tasks. It is always about being in the presence of God’s love and then spreading that love out. Tithing, for example, is never about money. It's always been about what we willing give in the name of the Lord.
6. They focused on purity of their external but failed to recognize the corruption of their own heart
We should, instead, focus on our insides, on righting our heart with God. When our mind, body, and soul are devoted to God, our actions will naturally reflect our true relationship with God. If we’re rotten on the inside, then it doesn’t matter how much we clean ourselves up on the outside. We would still be corrupted.
We should, instead, focus on our insides, on righting our heart with God. When our mind, body, and soul are devoted to God, our actions will naturally reflect our true relationship with God. If we’re rotten on the inside, then it doesn’t matter how much we clean ourselves up on the outside. We would still be corrupted.
7. They were self-righteous, thinking they would never commit the sins of their fathers
Ironically, they committed exactly the same sins of their fathers! We should, instead, reflect humbly. Do not blame others for our own sins, and do not ignore the sins in our own lives. Each one of us make our own decisions. Sure, our actions may be influenced by others, by our environment – but, at the end of the day, we still make the choices we make ourselves. Nobody forced us to walk this way or to choose this lifestyle. We did. It is extremely arrogant and irresponsible to blame others for the life choices we have made. We need to face the fact that we are ultimately responsible for all the choices we have made, and if we know some of them to be wrong, we need to stand before God and repent. Repentance is the first step toward being cleansed by God! If we refuse to take full responsibility for our sinful actions, we resist God’s cleansing. And if we resist cleansing, how can we ever become clean?
Israel will one day pray for the return of the Lord (Matthew 23:37-39; cf. Zechariah 12:10, Romans 11:26-27, Philippians 2:9-11)
The Israelites will remain blind, as a nation, to the arrival of the Messiah until the end of days. Indeed, Israel as a nation today continues to reject Jesus as their Messiah. However, as the End of Days approaches, the environment will become so anti-Semitic, the Israelites, as a nation, will pray and look to the Messiah, praying desperately for His coming, allowing their corporate blindness be lifted. This will then bring forth the 2nd Coming of Christ.
Despite the cliche, it is really all about love
Until we understand how great God's love is for us, we will not fully understand the work He has done to redeem us, we will not be able to let go of our pride, and we will not be able to effectively do His work.Jesus summed up Christianity in two commandments: 1) Love God; 2) love our neighbors as ourselves.
The above sounds like a simple summary, but it is quite difficult to follow faithfully. If it were easy, all of us would be perfect and amazing! As we continue our walk with Jesus, we must keep these two commandments close to our hearts. We must continue to try and understand just what it means to love God with ALL of our heart -- and then, what it means to love our neighbors as ourselves. As long as we remain focused on these two commandments, we will not fall far from walking firmly with Jesus.
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