Bible Study Seattle

Solomon wrote: “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.” Proverbs 13:24

The shepherds rod was used many ways, discipline among them. Careful discipline was necessary if a sheep wandered off. Clearly, whatever discipline was enforced with the rod was corrective and loving. The shepherd did not beat the sheep. The interesting thing is not just our concept of appropriate discipline with children, but Jesus says he is the shepherd. He tells us that his Father disciplines us.
” Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:9-11

Many are of the opinion that spanking is always child abuse. Consider this:

“Now the son of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father went out among the Israelites, and a fight broke out in the camp between him and an Israelite. The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name with a curse; so they brought him to Moses. (His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri the Danite.) They put him in custody until the will of the Lord should be made clear to them.

Then the Lord said to Moses: “Take the blasphemer outside the camp. All those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the entire assembly is to stone him. Say to the Israelites: ‘Anyone who curses their God will be held responsible; anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord is to be put to death. The entire assembly must stone them. Whether foreigner or native-born, when they blaspheme the Name they are to be put to death.” Leviticus 24:10-16

This is discipline in the severest sense; death. A parent can abuse a child without even laying a hand:

“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4
“Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.” Colossians 3:21

But how might Jesus and his bride (the church) discipline their children? Here’s an interesting way to discipline:

“But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the Lord followed him in. They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the Lord God.”

Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead. When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the Lord had afflicted him.” 2 Chronicles 26:16-20

Here’s another possibility:

“Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.

Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.

Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff. Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”

Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”

The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”

“No,” he said.

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.”

Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.” Numbers 22:21-34

These sorts of supernatural things will happen to the children of the resurrection to guide them. Satan mentions this also:

“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Matthew 4:6

Satan quotes from Psalm 91:11-12

The Eighth Day is very prominent in scripture. It naturally follows the Seventh Day. Genesis tells us about the first seven days of creation. These are epochs and not 24 hour periods. The proof is in the scripture itself. ‘Days’ come in both 1,000 year and 7,000 year varieties. Adam died the ‘day’ he ate the fruit, which was only fruit in a figurative sense. He died at 930 years (literally), which is within his 1,000 year ‘day’. Adam was created 6,141 years ago according to scripture. (Just add the numbers, which takes you to 536BC.) 6,139 is still within this 7,000 year ‘Day’ of God’s rest. He’s resting in that he isn’t actively creating. We’re told that at the end of Jesus’ 1,000 year reign (at the end of God’s 7,000 year ‘day’ of rest), Jesus will turn over the kingdom to God the Father.

“Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.” 1 Corinthians 15:24

Joseph’s story takes up 14 entire chapters of Genesis. Joseph’s life foreshadows an enormous amount of detail of Jesus’ life. Most people understand that Joseph being lowered into the pit was as when Jesus was crucified. But Joseph was ‘crucified’ at 17, while Jesus was crucified at 33.5. Joseph understood by dream that he was to be preeminent among his brothers; Jesus understood the same. It says he endured the cross because of the “joy set before him.” He understood that there was a massive award awaiting him for his obedience. Jesus was publicly baptized at the age of 30, whereas Joseph became Pharaoh’s right hand man at 30 (“Seated at the right hand of the Father”). After Joseph was ‘crucified’ (lowered into the pit to be left for dead), a long time elapsed before he became ruler. So also, a long time elapses after Jesus is crucified before he comes back a second time. Joseph began his rule undetected by his brothers. So also, Jesus begins his rule undetected by the Israelites. Some time elapses before Joseph publicly reveals himself to his brothers. Likewise, some time will elapse before Jesus reveals his presence and Kingship to the Isrealites. So it is in our day: the Israelites have been regathering in Jerusalem since 1878, but have trouble all around them. Just as Joseph’s brothers had trouble securing food during the famine of Joseph’s day. But here’s the speculation: Jesus was tested for 3.5 years after his baptism. Joseph was tested for 13 years following the pit. Was there more testing for Jesus after his resurrection? There is evidence both ways. Will there be more testing for us upon resurrection? Will we be tested in the spiritual realm after we have been tested on Earth? How does the Eighth day and Jubilee fit into this? The Millennium corresponds to the Sabbath (Seventh day). But the Sabbath year was not as complete as the Jubilee. Will immortality wait until the Jubilee? This author is unsure.

“And the day began to decline, and the twelve having come near, said to him, `Let away the multitude, that having gone to the villages and the fields round about, they may lodge and may find provision, because here we are in a desert place.’
And he said unto them, `Give ye them to eat;’ and they said, `We have no more than five loaves, and two fishes: except, having gone, we may buy for all this people victuals;’
for they were about five thousand men. And he said unto his disciples, `Cause them to recline in companies, in each fifty;’
and they did so, and made all to recline;
and having taken the five loaves, and the two fishes, having looked up to the heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and was giving to the disciples to set before the multitude;
and they did eat, and were all filled, and there was taken up what was over to them of broken pieces, twelve baskets.” Luke 9:12-17

Why did they sit in fifties? In the Exodus, Young’s Literal Translation says:
“and God turneth round the people the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, and by fifties have the sons of Israel gone up from the land of Egypt.” Exodus 13:18

Fifty has great meaning in the bible.

“and Moses chooseth men of ability out of all Israel, and maketh them chiefs over the people, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens.” Exodus 18:25

“Remember the word which Moses, servant of Jehovah, commanded you, saying, Jehovah your God is giving rest to you, and He hath given to you this land; your wives, your infants, and your substance, abide in the land which Moses hath given to you beyond the Jordan, and ye — ye pass over by fifties, before your brethren, all the mighty ones of valour, and have helped them,” Joshua 1:13-14

Fifty is intimately tied to God’s rest. The fiftieth year is also the Jubilee year. It’s also the width of Noah’s ark:

“and this [is] that which thou dost with it: three hundred cubits [is] the length of the ark, fifty cubits its breadth, and thirty cubits its height.” Genesis 6:15

“And thou hast made loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain, at the end in the joining; and so thou makest in the edge of the outermost curtain, in the joining of the second. Fifty loops thou dost make in the one curtain, and fifty loops thou dost make in the edge of the curtain which [is] in the joining of the second, causing the loops to take hold one unto another; and thou hast made fifty hooks of gold, and hast joined the curtains one to another by the hooks, and the tabernacle hath been one.” Exodus 26:4-6

Fifty loops and hooks held the Tabernacle together.

“Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, When a man maketh a wonderful vow, by thy valuation the persons [are] Jehovah’s.
When thy valuation hath been of the male from a son of twenty years even unto a son of sixty years, then hath been thy valuation fifty shekels of silver by the shekel of the sanctuary.” Leviticus 27:2-3

Here a man is valued at fifty shekels.

“And if of the field of his possession a man sanctify to Jehovah, then hath thy valuation been according to its seed; a homer of barley-seed at fifty shekels of silver;” Leviticus 27:16

Here a homer of barley seed is worth fifty shekels. Barley represents the bride of Christ. See the book of Ruth. The marriage takes place during the barley harvest, which is the first harvest. Then comes the wheat harvest, then the grape harvest.

“Take up the sum of the sons of Kohath from the midst of the sons of Levi, by their families, by the house of their fathers; from a son of thirty years and upward, even till a son of fifty years, every one going in to the host, to do work in the tent of meeting. `This [is] the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, the holy of holies:” Numbers 4:2-4

Here the Kohathite Levites are those serving between thirty and fifty years of age. Jesus began his public ministry at thirty. Solomon’s Temple also prominently used the measurement of fifty cubits.

“While he was still speaking, someone came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer.” When Jesus heard this, he replied, “Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be saved.” When he came to the house, he did not allow anyone to enter with him, except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother. They were all weeping and wailing for her; but he said, “Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and called out, “Child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then he directed them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astounded; but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened.” Luke 8:49-56

Why did he say sleeping? If her spirit was gone, she was plainly dead. Why didn’t He say she was in heaven? Or hell? Because she wasn’t. First death is always referred to as sleep in the bible. Hell is second death. For example:

“But you, my lord the king—the eyes of all Israel are on you to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, that my son Solomon and I will be counted offenders.” 1 Kings 1:20-21

“As waters fail from a lake,
and a river wastes away and dries up,
so mortals lie down and do not rise again;
until the heavens are no more, they will not awake
or be roused out of their sleep.
O that you would hide me in Sheol,
that you would conceal me until your wrath is past,
that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!” Job 14:11-13

“Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”;
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.” Psalm 13:3-4

“All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before him.
For dominion belongs to the Lord,
and he rules over the nations.
To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down;
before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
and I shall live for him.
Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord,
and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
saying that he has done it.” Psalm 22:27-31

“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2

Here is foretold the resurrection in the Millennium! Some to everlasting life, and some, like Pharaoh, who will not repent at any cost, will die a second time to everlasting contempt!

For a Christian blog, these banner ads are pretty atrocious! I’m working on getting rid of them.

Here are some of the ten instances blasphemy is mentioned in the bible:

“One who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall be put to death; the whole congregation shall stone the blasphemer. Aliens as well as citizens, when they blaspheme the Name, shall be put to death.” Leviticus 24:16

This is telling us the future. Whoever blasphemes the Name during the millennial reign of Christ will die the Second Death.

“Therefore, mortal, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: In this again your ancestors blasphemed me, by dealing treacherously with me.” Ezekiel 20:27

Here blasphemy is equated with treachery.

“Then the high priest said to him, “I put you under oath before the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you,

From now on you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of Power
and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your verdict?” They answered, “He deserves death.” Matthew 26:63-66

Here they twisted Jesus’ words that he was claiming to be God. But he was only claiming to be the Son of God.

“but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— Mark 3:29

Again we see that those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit in the millennium will be put to a horrible death never to rise again.
Compare this with Hebrews 6:4 and 10:26

Is drinking alcohol a sin?
“Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness…” Romans 13:13
“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” Ephesians
On the other hand…
“Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.” 1 Timothy 5:23
“On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine. …and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.” John 2:1-3,9

Where’s the line? Is drinking wine a sin or not?
Clearly that’s the wrong question.

Is Christianity a matter of sinning or not? What is sin? Are we capable of not sinning?
As it says in Psalms 14, 53, and Romans 3:
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.”

Bodily we cannot avoid sin, since we are all born sinful. But the one who has accepted God’s message of salvation through Jesus has the down payment of God’s Holy Spirit. “In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14

The Holy Spirit is likened to a down payment on property. It is possible that the purchase will fall through. If a person falls back and rejects God’s down payment, he will not be purchased into heaven, but will fall back to an ordinary inheritance into earth.

We must not get overly legalistic about sin. Sin is a function of relationships. Does my actions or thoughts harm a relationship? That is the test. That is what we will be judged on in the resurrection. We will have to make up with our enemies. That is why Christians are to forgive. We are practicing ahead of time. The world will practice after the resurrection.

“When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” John 13:12-17

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

Jesus loved his disciples by washing their feet. The disciples represent Jesus’ bride. By washing their feet, was he submitting to them? No, for he says in verse 16 that a servant (the bride) is not above her master (Jesus). Parents love and serve their children, but they do not submit to them. It is the same in marriage. A husband can serve and love his wife, even lay his life down for her, but that is not submitting, for God’s order stands.

If we truly love one another, we will exhibit the fruits of the spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

We will not exhibit: Evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, Adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, pride, slander, and foolishness. We could also add controlling, nagging, faultfinding, bickering, contention, and bossyness.

“It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a contentious woman.” Proverbs 21:9

“It is better to live in a desert land than with a contentious and fretful woman.” Proverbs 21:19

“It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a contentious woman.” Proverbs 25:24 The corner of the housetop is the ancient version of a man cave!

“A continual dripping on a rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.” Proverbs 27:15

Contentious means argumentative. Even arguing for sport. They think conversation is boring unless it’s a debate; how else can they sharpen their thinking? But how many friends are made or kept by arguing? A person who is overly contentious all the time probably can’t keep a job long. Or a husband. Or a wife. Christians are called not to be contentious, or mockers, or slanderers, but loving, peaceful, kind, patient, joyful, good, faithful, gentle, and self controlled. (Galations 5:22-23)