Posted by: biblestudyseattle | October 14, 2013

The apostles creed

“I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.” The apostles creed

He descended to the dead? Is this suggesting Jesus was still alive, even though he was ‘dead’? Why the profession of belief in the Holy Spirit? Scripture only requires belief in Jesus for eternal life.

What is the communion of saints? Is this a special intercession from saints who never really died, and whose souls are flying around somewhere?

The resurrection of the body… Only? To reunite with the disembodied soul flying around lonely? This is Satan’s lie, that we will not really die. That only the body dies. That God is impotent to destroy a soul that he has created.

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28. [Hell being Gehenna or second death].

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | October 14, 2013

Proverbs 8

“The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,
before his deeds of old;
I was formed long ages ago,
at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
when there were no springs overflowing with water;
before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was given birth,
before he made the world or its fields
or any of the dust of the earth.
I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
Then I was constantly at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind.” Proverbs 8:22-31

Who is this referring to? Wisdom? Can a quality rejoice at creation? Or is this referring to Jesus? And if it’s Jesus, is it saying he had a beginning? On the one hand we have:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” Colossians 1:15

On the other, we have:

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

We assume the present tense indicates no beginning. But what about Jesus’ death? How can an immortal God die? This is where Satan’s lie to Eve comes in. “You will not surely die [only your body dies, but your soul flies around somewhere].” Why does Jesus say,

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:13

Jesus has huge goals as God’s son. “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death.” 1 Corinthians 15:22-26

The mostly unbelieved fact is that Jesus was born [before the rest of creation was created by him and his Father], and Jesus died. Not just his body but his entire soul. We too are born and will die, and just like Jesus, will be raised from the dead, to the glory of God the Father.

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | October 8, 2013

Two reconciliations

“After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.” Job 42:7-9

“Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’” Luke 15:11-21

In the first example, Job’s friends have to be rebuked by God himself. In the second, the son realizes his folly and repents. Dealing with friends or family like the first example is very trying. They are like clueless Pharisees convinced they have done nothing wrong. If you say anything, they will say you are the problem! Notice how large an offering God commands Job’s ‘friends’. Seven bulls and seven rams are expensive! Yet look at the Father’s joy at the son who repents. He prepares a feast!

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | October 1, 2013

David & Goliath

“When the words which David spoke were heard, they told them to Saul, and he sent for him. David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” Then Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.” Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor. David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” And David took them off. He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.

Then the Philistine came on and approached David, with the shield-bearer in front of him. When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance. The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine also said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.” Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.”

Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.

Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David’s hand. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. The men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines as far as the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the slain Philistines lay along the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and Ekron. The sons of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines and plundered their camps. Then David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent.” 1 Samuel 17:31-54

It is interesting that David was anointed King by Samuel before this! It was obviously done in secret. Why? Much as Jesus’ reign starts in secret, lest the current king, Satan, become aware. Also, David kills Goliath with a stone. He was stoned to death, just as God commands Moses. Malcolm Gladwell also has some great insights into this battle. http://www.ted.com/talks/malcolm_gladwell_the_unheard_story_of_david_and_goliath.html

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | September 26, 2013

That mean Old Testament God

“When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.” Joshua 6:20-21

From passages like these, people get the impression that God in Old Testament times was mean and vengeful and brutal. But what if God commanded Christians to slay the Nazi SS? At least we might feel like they deserved it. Somehow we think of the people of Jericho as peaceful harmless innocents who were slaughtered at God’s command.

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | September 25, 2013

Net Sin

Rather than thinking of us having a sinful nature, it’s helpful to think of ourselves having a dying nature. Sin is what we do to try to avoid death. Except that it accelerates death. Being kind and the like delays death, however little. When God gives us food that allows us not to age, it will be possible to learn how not to sin. But,

“…but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more…” Romans 5:20
Is there more grace in our world? I would argue yes. Since population is increasing, there is more living than dying (sinning) occurring for mankind. This may not be the case for animals. Perhaps this is the future for our vast universe. There may be lots of room to increase life for mortals on other planets. Who knows?

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | September 23, 2013

Spurious Scriptures

“How can you say, ‘We are wise,
And the law of the Lord is with us’?
But behold, the lying pen of the scribes
Has made it into a lie.” Jeremiah 8:8

“I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18

Here we have concerns in both old and new testaments about doctoring the scriptures. As older manuscripts came to light in the last couple centuries, errors became evident, particularly in the new testament. That is not to say we throw out the bible. God has seen to it, that his truth will be evident to those who desire it. But he has allowed some falsity to throw the less ardent off. He is a picky God who likes to see people who really dig for the truth. Consider how he chose men for one of Israel’s military campaigns:

“Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him, rose early and camped beside the spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley. The Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me.’ Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’” So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained.

Then the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink.” Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. The Lord said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home.” So the 300 men took the people’s provisions and their trumpets into their hands. And Gideon sent all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but retained the 300 men; and the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.” Judges 7:1-8

The Israelites proposed to send 32,000 men against Midian. God said take only 300!

One person who studied spurious texts was Sir Isaac Newton. He was a devout Christian, but secret in his beliefs for fear of official Church doctrine, which he did not agree with. He posthumously wrote a book titled ‘Observations on the prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John. Thomas Jefferson had a copy in his personal library. You can see it at the Library of Congress.

Another person to study spurious scriptures was Constantin von Tischendorf. By comparing manuscripts, he concluded that many words were added to the new testament later. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantin_von_Tischendorf Here is a list of spurious words and phrases he compiled,

http://www.bibletoday.com/htstb/spurious.htm

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | September 18, 2013

Many mansions

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2

Men go to great lengths to provide houses for their wives. Houses are marketed primarily to women with emphasis on kitchens and bathrooms. This also applied to Jesus’ Bride. The temple had possibly 47 rooms (the exact number of side rooms is not given). Ezekiel’s temple will have possibly 82 rooms. Jesus referred to the temple as his Father’s house.

“To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” John 2:16

Did Jesus go to heaven to build a mansion as a gift for his bride upon his return? Imagine how many rooms the heavenly temple will have! Jesus will provide for his Bride better then any earthly man. He’s a lot richer!

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | September 10, 2013

Lazarus

“Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham *said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’” Luke 16:19-31

What was the rich man’s sin? What was the poor man’s virtue? Neither are given. Are we then to conclude that poor people go to heaven, and rich people burn in hell? Are all the righteous to go to Abraham’s bosom? Can millions of people fit in one man’s bosom? How is it that the rich man’s tongue was on fire, but not his body?

These questions illustrate the need to be careful how we interpret Jesus’ sayings. Many people see this as a warning about hell. But it is an illustration of Israel and the Gentile nations. The rich man is Israel, and Lazarus is the Gentile nations. Jesus is rebuking the Israelites for not believing him. It is very likely that Jesus preached this not long before he raised his friend Lazarus from the dead. That was the crowning miracle that set the Pharisees hell-bent on killing him. The Pharisees were religious leaders in Israel. How could religious leaders plot to murder the Messiah? Jesus is also hinting that the gospel call will be expanded to the Gentiles since not enough Jews were faithful in God’s eyes. The torment will come at the resurrection when, “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.” Zechariah 12:10

Isn’t weeping bitterly a torment?

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | September 6, 2013

Double Portion

“But he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him belongs the right of the firstborn.” Deuteronomy 21:17
“but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the Lord had closed her womb.” 1 Samuel 1:5
“When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 2 Kings 2:9
“Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, Everlasting joy will be theirs.” Isaiah 61:7
“Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Pour her a double portion from her own cup.” Revelation 18:6

The double portion is either a blessing or a curse. The double portion for Christians is heaven. For Israelites it will be joy and double their land. We can be confident that the borders of Israel in our day will be much larger in the future. For Mystery Babylon, it will be double the evil they did to their enemies.

“After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.” Job 42:10,12-15

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