Posts
God’s message to me: I have written elsewhere that all the key prophecies have been fulfilled for the end times. One is still in question. Christ said that just before the rapture it would be as it was in the days of Noah. While the sinfulness of man is certainly at that stage this is not the first time that has been true. One point about Noah’s time that people don’t normally consider is the presence of 6 fingered, 6 toed giants descended from the Nephalim. The spirits of these giants were imprisoned after their bodies were killed but are connected to several biblical accounts of demon possession. While we may not see physical giants the alternative would be more possessed people making serious trouble and taking positions of authority through the use of supernatural power. While some suspect this is already happening, the giants of Noah’s time were not in the habit of concealing their power. They used it brazenly. This is something we don’t see yet.
Promises: God will establish you for His name’s sake. If you are working in His will and acting in a manner that promotes Him you will find success to come much more naturally. He wants the world to see examples of His people prospering because of Him. You are not condemned to poverty by your Christianity. In fact God wants to make the whole world know His power through your success. Give Him the glory for the things He has done and you will find He enjoys doing them even more.
Commands: Recognize your place in things. David felt it was wrong that he should have great palaces and homes while the Tabernacle of the Lord was a tent. God told him that is was not for him to build a house for the Lord and that his son would accomplish that goal. David made certain to dedicate great riches to that task so that his son would be able to build the temple quickly and grandly with little wasted time. He did not attempt to step outside God’s will and build the temple himself. He did give God the praise for all his successes recognizing that all of his talents and abilities were from God and that he could do nothing without Him.
Timeless principles: I can do all things through Christ but I am nothing without God who made me. I have been blessed with talents and worked hard to learn skills but without God I could do none of what I have accomplished. He gave me the intellect to learn, the judgment and endurance to work and to lead, the talent for music and the voice for teaching. I am proud of my achievements and thankful to God for the ability to achieve.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Never forget where my abilities come from. Trust God to provide what I need to succeed and thank God for the abilities He gave that lead to every success.
more to learn for in-depth study: Giants are a bible theme rarely visited outside of the story of David and Goliath. Nephelim, Rephaim, Anakim, whatever name is given to refer to them they are of serious importance. Others have done in depth studies of the giants and I won’t try to pretend this brief comment covers the subject but you should learn from them. The Nephelim or fallen ones were angels sent to earth to teach man God’s ways. Having taken a human form these angels fell prey to temptation and took wives of the daughters of men. The result was the giants who were the mighty men of renown. These descendents of fallen angels had no place among men. They did not share the ability of man to find salvation in Christ. Many of the great destructions in the old testament were meant to wipe out this race. The flood, the genocide of some nations in the promised land, wars against the giants by the Edomites and other events mentioned not only in biblical history but the history of the world. Even the Native Americans tell stories of a race of red haired, pales skinned giants with 6 fingers per hand and 6 toes per foot. The practice of raising a hand in greeting is not just a Hollywood affectation. The natives of this land lived in fear of a 6 fingered race and the practice of raising a hand when greeting unknown people was to get a good look at how many fingers they had and to show they themselves had only 5.
tomorrow: First Chronicles 21-23
Showing posts with label giants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giants. Show all posts
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Second Samuel 20-21
God’s message to me: Not every bad situation is a result of God’s wrath. When it is learned that something bad is resulting from such wrath it is our duty to do what God wants to turn that wrath. This nation has faced many disasters of financial, natural and even hostile origin in conjunction with actions taken against God’s people Israel. In each case the problems were resolved and the country found prosperity when our leaders turned their support in favor of Israel. I suspect we will soon find the recession is the least of our worries and it may deepen greatly itself as our leaders demand Israel bow to it’s enemies. i suggest we all keep that in mind next time we enter the election polls.
Promises: God finishes what he starts. The last of the Rephiam Giant’s were among the Philistines. David Slew Goliath and his generals and soldiers killed the other 4 that David had gathered stones for the day he killed Goliath. The descendants of the fallen ones (nephilim) were targeted for destruction by God and He saw to it they were wiped out.
Commands: Do not tolerate those who rebel against God. Not only did Sheba rebel but, David’s newly appointed general failed his duties in his first command by delaying the pursuit of the Rebels. Both men were killed.
Timeless principles: You really can teach an old dog new tricks. When famine came on Israel and David learned that God brought the famine because Saul violated a treaty with the Gibeonites that had been made before God. When the Gibeonites demanded the lives of 7 descendants of Saul he turned over 7 descendants to be killed. He protected the children of Jonathan because of his oath before God to Jonathan but he didn’t carry his protection of Saul’s house to an extreme that would harm Israel.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: People are often easily lead into both good and bad. Sheba managed to get a lot of followers to rebel against David. When one wise women convinced others to execute Sheba it ended the war and the rebellion without having to destroy all the other rebels. Without bad leadership they turned quickly back to God and the king God anointed. Frankly, this is the reason the leaders have a responsibility to eliminate threats. By killing, imprisoning, banishing or otherwise getting rid of the criminals we prevent them from leading others into evil.
tomorrow: Second Samuel 22-24
Promises: God finishes what he starts. The last of the Rephiam Giant’s were among the Philistines. David Slew Goliath and his generals and soldiers killed the other 4 that David had gathered stones for the day he killed Goliath. The descendants of the fallen ones (nephilim) were targeted for destruction by God and He saw to it they were wiped out.
Commands: Do not tolerate those who rebel against God. Not only did Sheba rebel but, David’s newly appointed general failed his duties in his first command by delaying the pursuit of the Rebels. Both men were killed.
Timeless principles: You really can teach an old dog new tricks. When famine came on Israel and David learned that God brought the famine because Saul violated a treaty with the Gibeonites that had been made before God. When the Gibeonites demanded the lives of 7 descendants of Saul he turned over 7 descendants to be killed. He protected the children of Jonathan because of his oath before God to Jonathan but he didn’t carry his protection of Saul’s house to an extreme that would harm Israel.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: People are often easily lead into both good and bad. Sheba managed to get a lot of followers to rebel against David. When one wise women convinced others to execute Sheba it ended the war and the rebellion without having to destroy all the other rebels. Without bad leadership they turned quickly back to God and the king God anointed. Frankly, this is the reason the leaders have a responsibility to eliminate threats. By killing, imprisoning, banishing or otherwise getting rid of the criminals we prevent them from leading others into evil.
tomorrow: Second Samuel 22-24
Thursday, March 26, 2009
First Samuel 17-18
God’s message to me: One man, serving God has an army outgunned. David was a young teen. If the average soldier of Israel is 5’10” in that time period, Saul is about 6’7” and Goliath is 9’9” David is seen as a small youth so you can imagine he’s no more than about 5’8” and not powerfully built. That makes David just a little over half Goliath’s height. When Goliath mentioned sending him sticks, he might have been referring to David's staff but, given the size difference, it might have been a way of insulting David as being little more than a toothpick for the giant. David walked away from the battle without a scratch on him and carrying the head and sword of Goliath in his hands.
Promises: The Battle is the Lord’s. When God is on your side, there is no one who can stand against you. this doesn’t mean it’s wrong to prepare. David couldn’t handle the sword and armor of the king, it was to big for him to use effectively. He did take his staff and sling into battle. While it may not seem like much, he had used these weapons to kill both lions and bears while defending his flock.
This mismatched battle would be like a kid with a .22 rifle going out to battle “Hulk” Hogan in Body armor and packing a small arsenal of military grade assault weapons. No one would expect the kid to come home but imagine the reaction when the kid fires one shot then drags home “Hulk’s” M60 machine gun and helmet. God can use what you have to overcome whatever the enemy brings after you.
Commands: Trust in the Lord to provide your needs. Stand up for His Majesty and let no one denigrate your God or those who serve Him. David offered to kill Goliath, not to gain fame but to shut the big bullies mouth. Goliath had been standing in that field for 40 days yelling about how incapable the people of Israel were and how powerless God was because no one was willing to fight him one on one. David trusted that God would not let that sort of bragging stand and accepted the challenge to battle.
Timeless principles: “If God be for us, who can stand against us” This old saying is as true today as it was when it was first said. While it may not have been those exact words the sentiment dates back at least to Abraham. God doesn’t allow His enemies to denigrate his name and claim victory over Him. They may gain a brief advantage but it is always the prelude to a defeat so overwhelming that none can honestly deny God provided the victory.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Stand up for God. There is no reason to ever allow anyone to insult God, your faith or you for His sake. Not everyone who stood for God survived but, God has never failed to avenge Himself. Never has there been a victory over those who serve Him that wasn’t followed by massive defeat so powerful that it’s supernatural origin was undeniable. God makes certain that no one can honestly say He is powerless.
more to learn for in-depth study: Describing Goliath of Gath: The cubit is the length from the tip of your elbow to the tips of your fingers and the standard is about 18 inches. Cubit is measured differently in different cultures at the time and could be between 18 and 25 inches but, since it is the most likely, I will use the standard 18” cubit for comparison of size. A span is the distance between the tip of your thumb and the tip of your pinky when your hand is spread out. By these measures Goliath was 9foot 9 inches tall. Using any other measure of the cubit and span used in that time would only make him bigger so we can safely say he was at least 9’9”.
His Chain mail was about 156-157 pounds. The spear head alone weighed almost 19 pounds and the shaft of a standard spear would be longer than the soldier was tall. A javelin of bronze on his back refers to the shorter, lighter spear soldiers would carry just for throwing. Just to make things interesting, David took 5 stones from the brook because Goliath had 4 brothers. Described elsewhere in the bible, Goliath was the runt of the litter and his brothers were quite a bit larger.
David’s rank: David was a captain of thousands. In modern terms that would make him a Brigade commander for most militaries with the rank of at least brigadier general (one star). Saul had become fearful and mistrusting of David and wanted him dead. He put him in the military to make him face the enemy. He offered his daughter in marriage so he could force him into battle by David's own choice. David killed twice as many soldiers as Saul commanded and married the kings daughter.
KINGS: David’s relationship with the kings daughter is growing. the king has tried to kill him on a couple of occasions and sees him as a danger to his rule. He has gone from private to Captain overnight and given the job of press liaison or official spokesman for the entire military.
tomorrow: First Samuel 19-21
Promises: The Battle is the Lord’s. When God is on your side, there is no one who can stand against you. this doesn’t mean it’s wrong to prepare. David couldn’t handle the sword and armor of the king, it was to big for him to use effectively. He did take his staff and sling into battle. While it may not seem like much, he had used these weapons to kill both lions and bears while defending his flock.
This mismatched battle would be like a kid with a .22 rifle going out to battle “Hulk” Hogan in Body armor and packing a small arsenal of military grade assault weapons. No one would expect the kid to come home but imagine the reaction when the kid fires one shot then drags home “Hulk’s” M60 machine gun and helmet. God can use what you have to overcome whatever the enemy brings after you.
Commands: Trust in the Lord to provide your needs. Stand up for His Majesty and let no one denigrate your God or those who serve Him. David offered to kill Goliath, not to gain fame but to shut the big bullies mouth. Goliath had been standing in that field for 40 days yelling about how incapable the people of Israel were and how powerless God was because no one was willing to fight him one on one. David trusted that God would not let that sort of bragging stand and accepted the challenge to battle.
Timeless principles: “If God be for us, who can stand against us” This old saying is as true today as it was when it was first said. While it may not have been those exact words the sentiment dates back at least to Abraham. God doesn’t allow His enemies to denigrate his name and claim victory over Him. They may gain a brief advantage but it is always the prelude to a defeat so overwhelming that none can honestly deny God provided the victory.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Stand up for God. There is no reason to ever allow anyone to insult God, your faith or you for His sake. Not everyone who stood for God survived but, God has never failed to avenge Himself. Never has there been a victory over those who serve Him that wasn’t followed by massive defeat so powerful that it’s supernatural origin was undeniable. God makes certain that no one can honestly say He is powerless.
more to learn for in-depth study: Describing Goliath of Gath: The cubit is the length from the tip of your elbow to the tips of your fingers and the standard is about 18 inches. Cubit is measured differently in different cultures at the time and could be between 18 and 25 inches but, since it is the most likely, I will use the standard 18” cubit for comparison of size. A span is the distance between the tip of your thumb and the tip of your pinky when your hand is spread out. By these measures Goliath was 9foot 9 inches tall. Using any other measure of the cubit and span used in that time would only make him bigger so we can safely say he was at least 9’9”.
His Chain mail was about 156-157 pounds. The spear head alone weighed almost 19 pounds and the shaft of a standard spear would be longer than the soldier was tall. A javelin of bronze on his back refers to the shorter, lighter spear soldiers would carry just for throwing. Just to make things interesting, David took 5 stones from the brook because Goliath had 4 brothers. Described elsewhere in the bible, Goliath was the runt of the litter and his brothers were quite a bit larger.
David’s rank: David was a captain of thousands. In modern terms that would make him a Brigade commander for most militaries with the rank of at least brigadier general (one star). Saul had become fearful and mistrusting of David and wanted him dead. He put him in the military to make him face the enemy. He offered his daughter in marriage so he could force him into battle by David's own choice. David killed twice as many soldiers as Saul commanded and married the kings daughter.
KINGS: David’s relationship with the kings daughter is growing. the king has tried to kill him on a couple of occasions and sees him as a danger to his rule. He has gone from private to Captain overnight and given the job of press liaison or official spokesman for the entire military.
tomorrow: First Samuel 19-21
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Joshua 10-11
God’s message to me: When God is for you, none can stand against you. This synopsis of the initial conquest of Canaan reads like the recent history of Israel. The enemy comes with overwhelming force and God protects His people so that they defeat their enemies quickly and with minimal loss ending with their possession of the enemies territory. The major difference between then and now is that Israel keeps bowing to international pressure to give back the territory which just gets used to attack them again.
Promises: God will never let you fail. So long as you stand with God, His name is with you and He will not allow others to overcome His name. No matter the odds you will win.
Commands: Don’t Back Down! You are a child of the King and He will not let you fail. As long as you are standing on the promises of God you are unable to fail. Claiming, in the name of God, that which is not yours will not work any more than it helped Achan when he took the spoils that were meant for the treasury. Claiming what God has promised, you cannot fail, just as the rest of the Israelites claimed the booty of Ai and so many other cities that were overcome afterward.
Timeless principles: God doesn’t lose face. Despite the efforts of so many to point out disasters and claim God failed, the facts of history do not bear them out. The miraculous victories of modern Israel, the defeat of the Taliban by American forces in months when the Soviets couldn’t even slow them down in 10 years of war. The survival of Christian missionaries in war zones, even after capture by Muslim extremists sworn to kill them. The miraculous survival of various evangelists in assassination attempts. God does not allow defeat for those who represent Him.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Read and learn the Bible. It is the guidebook to what you can claim. If God has promised it you can claim it and He will grant it that your joy may be full. This is the promise of God, repeated by Christ, and reiterated throughout the bible.
more to learn for in-depth study: The treaty with Gibeon was a mistake caused by not waiting for God’s opinion. As the people of Israel were ordered to offer peace to any city they came against it is likely they would have spared their lives anyway. Their fear of Israel would likely have resulted in immediate surrender without a fight. As it is, they became the bait in God’s trap for the Amorites. While the five kingdoms of the Amorites were intent on eliminating the Gibeon army, which they considered strong and didn’t want allied with Israel, The Israeli army ambushed them by surprise and routed them. God provided the mobile artillery as he pummeled the fleeing army with hailstones as they ran. More Amorites died from hail than were killed in direct battle.
This is one of the more unusual events in the bible. As the battle against the five armies began Joshua commanded the sun and moon to remain in place. God, fighting on the side of Israel, stopped the sun and the moon for about a day. Adding an extra 12-24 hours to the available fighting time.
The book of Jasher is mentioned here. You won’t find this book in the bible even if you use a Catholic bible with apocrypha. Jasher is a book of Hebrew history. It’s not of vital importance to your study but, like the Talmud (and it might be part of the Talmud for all I know) it could provide some historical perspective. For newer Christians, I encourage you to concentrate on scripture. The reason the Talmud and Apocrypha are not included in scripture is because they are books of history, including myth and legend, and not even the rabbi’s who passed them along consider them the inspired word of God.
For those already familiar with the scriptures and interested in learning more, I recommend consulting a Hebrew scholar. Rabbi’s are a good start, I would try and find someone who is a Messianic Jew as this provides you with common ground from which to begin. There are several websites dedicated to education by Messianic Jewish organizations which could prove useful.
After defeating the 5 armies of the Amorites, Joshua led the attack on the other kingdoms of the region. The Israeli army conquered the armies and the cities they came from that had allied against it. Joshua conquered the mountain country and the Negev region, the lowlands and wilderness and all the kings and kingdoms in that region from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and all the country of Goshen as far as Gibeon. All of this territory was conquered in one continous assault because God was with them in battle and they could accomplish it all in a short time with minimal effort.
When the conquest was done the Israelites camped in peace until another coalition force came against them. This coalition of many kingdoms came to their camp seeking to eliminate the threat but, God was with the Israelites and they defeated the attack force the next morning. Moving on they eliminated the rest of those armies, killed their kings and destroyed their capital cities keeping the lesser cities and the soils of war and livestock for themselves. The war was long but fruitful and the Israelites grew rich from the spoils and gained both land and the livestock to raise on it, not to mention the houses they didn’t build and the gardens they didn’t plant, just as God had promised. They even cut off the giants and killed off all of the giants who
remained in their lands.
tomorrow: Joshua 12-15
Promises: God will never let you fail. So long as you stand with God, His name is with you and He will not allow others to overcome His name. No matter the odds you will win.
Commands: Don’t Back Down! You are a child of the King and He will not let you fail. As long as you are standing on the promises of God you are unable to fail. Claiming, in the name of God, that which is not yours will not work any more than it helped Achan when he took the spoils that were meant for the treasury. Claiming what God has promised, you cannot fail, just as the rest of the Israelites claimed the booty of Ai and so many other cities that were overcome afterward.
Timeless principles: God doesn’t lose face. Despite the efforts of so many to point out disasters and claim God failed, the facts of history do not bear them out. The miraculous victories of modern Israel, the defeat of the Taliban by American forces in months when the Soviets couldn’t even slow them down in 10 years of war. The survival of Christian missionaries in war zones, even after capture by Muslim extremists sworn to kill them. The miraculous survival of various evangelists in assassination attempts. God does not allow defeat for those who represent Him.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Read and learn the Bible. It is the guidebook to what you can claim. If God has promised it you can claim it and He will grant it that your joy may be full. This is the promise of God, repeated by Christ, and reiterated throughout the bible.
more to learn for in-depth study: The treaty with Gibeon was a mistake caused by not waiting for God’s opinion. As the people of Israel were ordered to offer peace to any city they came against it is likely they would have spared their lives anyway. Their fear of Israel would likely have resulted in immediate surrender without a fight. As it is, they became the bait in God’s trap for the Amorites. While the five kingdoms of the Amorites were intent on eliminating the Gibeon army, which they considered strong and didn’t want allied with Israel, The Israeli army ambushed them by surprise and routed them. God provided the mobile artillery as he pummeled the fleeing army with hailstones as they ran. More Amorites died from hail than were killed in direct battle.
This is one of the more unusual events in the bible. As the battle against the five armies began Joshua commanded the sun and moon to remain in place. God, fighting on the side of Israel, stopped the sun and the moon for about a day. Adding an extra 12-24 hours to the available fighting time.
The book of Jasher is mentioned here. You won’t find this book in the bible even if you use a Catholic bible with apocrypha. Jasher is a book of Hebrew history. It’s not of vital importance to your study but, like the Talmud (and it might be part of the Talmud for all I know) it could provide some historical perspective. For newer Christians, I encourage you to concentrate on scripture. The reason the Talmud and Apocrypha are not included in scripture is because they are books of history, including myth and legend, and not even the rabbi’s who passed them along consider them the inspired word of God.
For those already familiar with the scriptures and interested in learning more, I recommend consulting a Hebrew scholar. Rabbi’s are a good start, I would try and find someone who is a Messianic Jew as this provides you with common ground from which to begin. There are several websites dedicated to education by Messianic Jewish organizations which could prove useful.
After defeating the 5 armies of the Amorites, Joshua led the attack on the other kingdoms of the region. The Israeli army conquered the armies and the cities they came from that had allied against it. Joshua conquered the mountain country and the Negev region, the lowlands and wilderness and all the kings and kingdoms in that region from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and all the country of Goshen as far as Gibeon. All of this territory was conquered in one continous assault because God was with them in battle and they could accomplish it all in a short time with minimal effort.
When the conquest was done the Israelites camped in peace until another coalition force came against them. This coalition of many kingdoms came to their camp seeking to eliminate the threat but, God was with the Israelites and they defeated the attack force the next morning. Moving on they eliminated the rest of those armies, killed their kings and destroyed their capital cities keeping the lesser cities and the soils of war and livestock for themselves. The war was long but fruitful and the Israelites grew rich from the spoils and gained both land and the livestock to raise on it, not to mention the houses they didn’t build and the gardens they didn’t plant, just as God had promised. They even cut off the giants and killed off all of the giants who
remained in their lands.
tomorrow: Joshua 12-15
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Deuteronomy 6-9
God’s message to me: The blessings we receive are not a result of our righteousness. They are the result of God’s love for us and His desire to give us the best. When those blessings come at the expense of others it is a result of their wrongs not our rights. If you really think your better than the rest try this test.
Promises: God doesn’t give us more than we can handle. This includes good things as well as bad. Easy conquest of the entire promised land would have left the Israelites in charge of a huge land they could not manage with their small numbers. God helped them conquer it a bit at a time as their numbers grew to manage it so that they would not be overwhelmed by the enemies or by nature.
Commands: Never make the mistake of believing your better than others because your a Christian. Your not better, just forgiven. Your not blessed for your righteousness but because your loved.
Timeless principles: I watched the TV show “LOST” last night and couldn’t help seeing a comparison to the bible. John Locke returned from the island and got in a car wreck. He ended up in the hospital where Jack Shepherd worked. He tried to get Jack to come back to the Island.
After everything that had happened and everything he had seen, Jack still fell back on empty skepticism to act as though nothing about any of it was special and the experience on the Island wasn’t real. The Israelites, and many Christians, are the same. Most of us have seen and experienced things that could never happen without God but, when push comes to shove, we routinely fall back on what we can explain. If we can’t explain it, measure it and prove it with ease than we refuse to depend on it until there is nothing else to depend on.
We often wonder how a loving God could let so many bad things happen to us but, when we really look at our lives, it’s impossible to miss the meaning. We don’t turn to God until we have no other option. God should always be our first option.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Here’s a suggestion. As you read through the bible and find passages of importance, write them down. Whenever you recognize a command you have difficulty following a promise you tend to forget, print it on paper and post it in a noticeable spot. My sister simply used crayons and markers to write these important passages on the refrigerator, mirrors, and other easily noticed spots. My wife and I printed them and taped them to similar locations. When we found a new verse that we had difficulty with we would replace one we had well committed to memory. Deuteronomy 6:9
more to learn for in-depth study: The descendants of Anak is another reference to the giants.
tomorrow: Deuteronomy 10-13
Promises: God doesn’t give us more than we can handle. This includes good things as well as bad. Easy conquest of the entire promised land would have left the Israelites in charge of a huge land they could not manage with their small numbers. God helped them conquer it a bit at a time as their numbers grew to manage it so that they would not be overwhelmed by the enemies or by nature.
Commands: Never make the mistake of believing your better than others because your a Christian. Your not better, just forgiven. Your not blessed for your righteousness but because your loved.
Timeless principles: I watched the TV show “LOST” last night and couldn’t help seeing a comparison to the bible. John Locke returned from the island and got in a car wreck. He ended up in the hospital where Jack Shepherd worked. He tried to get Jack to come back to the Island.
After everything that had happened and everything he had seen, Jack still fell back on empty skepticism to act as though nothing about any of it was special and the experience on the Island wasn’t real. The Israelites, and many Christians, are the same. Most of us have seen and experienced things that could never happen without God but, when push comes to shove, we routinely fall back on what we can explain. If we can’t explain it, measure it and prove it with ease than we refuse to depend on it until there is nothing else to depend on.
We often wonder how a loving God could let so many bad things happen to us but, when we really look at our lives, it’s impossible to miss the meaning. We don’t turn to God until we have no other option. God should always be our first option.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Here’s a suggestion. As you read through the bible and find passages of importance, write them down. Whenever you recognize a command you have difficulty following a promise you tend to forget, print it on paper and post it in a noticeable spot. My sister simply used crayons and markers to write these important passages on the refrigerator, mirrors, and other easily noticed spots. My wife and I printed them and taped them to similar locations. When we found a new verse that we had difficulty with we would replace one we had well committed to memory. Deuteronomy 6:9
more to learn for in-depth study: The descendants of Anak is another reference to the giants.
tomorrow: Deuteronomy 10-13
Deuteronomy 6-9
God’s message to me: The blessings we receive are not a result of our righteousness. They are the result of God’s love for us and His desire to give us the best. When those blessings come at the expense of others it is a result of their wrongs not our rights. If you really think your better than the rest try this test.
Promises: God doesn’t give us more than we can handle. This includes good things as well as bad. Easy conquest of the entire promised land would have left the Israelites in charge of a huge land they could not manage with their small numbers. God helped them conquer it a bit at a time as their numbers grew to manage it so that they would not be overwhelmed by the enemies or by nature.
Commands: Never make the mistake of believing your better than others because your a Christian. Your not better, just forgiven. Your not blessed for your righteousness but because your loved.
Timeless principles: I watched the TV show “LOST” last night and couldn’t help seeing a comparison to the bible. John Locke returned from the island and got in a car wreck. He ended up in the hospital where Jack Shepherd worked. He tried to get Jack to come back to the Island.
After everything that had happened and everything he had seen, Jack still fell back on empty skepticism to act as though nothing about any of it was special and the experience on the Island wasn’t real. The Israelites, and many Christians, are the same. Most of us have seen and experienced things that could never happen without God but, when push comes to shove, we routinely fall back on what we can explain. If we can’t explain it, measure it and prove it with ease than we refuse to depend on it until there is nothing else to depend on.
We often wonder how a loving God could let so many bad things happen to us but, when we really look at our lives, it’s impossible to miss the meaning. We don’t turn to God until we have no other option. God should always be our first option.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Here’s a suggestion. As you read through the bible and find passages of importance, write them down. Whenever you recognize a command you have difficulty following a promise you tend to forget, print it on paper and post it in a noticeable spot. My sister simply used crayons and markers to write these important passages on the refrigerator, mirrors, and other easily noticed spots. My wife and I printed them and taped them to similar locations. When we found a new verse that we had difficulty with we would replace one we had well committed to memory. Deuteronomy 6:9
more to learn for in-depth study: The descendants of Anak is another reference to the giants.
tomorrow: Deuteronomy 10-13
Promises: God doesn’t give us more than we can handle. This includes good things as well as bad. Easy conquest of the entire promised land would have left the Israelites in charge of a huge land they could not manage with their small numbers. God helped them conquer it a bit at a time as their numbers grew to manage it so that they would not be overwhelmed by the enemies or by nature.
Commands: Never make the mistake of believing your better than others because your a Christian. Your not better, just forgiven. Your not blessed for your righteousness but because your loved.
Timeless principles: I watched the TV show “LOST” last night and couldn’t help seeing a comparison to the bible. John Locke returned from the island and got in a car wreck. He ended up in the hospital where Jack Shepherd worked. He tried to get Jack to come back to the Island.
After everything that had happened and everything he had seen, Jack still fell back on empty skepticism to act as though nothing about any of it was special and the experience on the Island wasn’t real. The Israelites, and many Christians, are the same. Most of us have seen and experienced things that could never happen without God but, when push comes to shove, we routinely fall back on what we can explain. If we can’t explain it, measure it and prove it with ease than we refuse to depend on it until there is nothing else to depend on.
We often wonder how a loving God could let so many bad things happen to us but, when we really look at our lives, it’s impossible to miss the meaning. We don’t turn to God until we have no other option. God should always be our first option.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Here’s a suggestion. As you read through the bible and find passages of importance, write them down. Whenever you recognize a command you have difficulty following a promise you tend to forget, print it on paper and post it in a noticeable spot. My sister simply used crayons and markers to write these important passages on the refrigerator, mirrors, and other easily noticed spots. My wife and I printed them and taped them to similar locations. When we found a new verse that we had difficulty with we would replace one we had well committed to memory. Deuteronomy 6:9
more to learn for in-depth study: The descendants of Anak is another reference to the giants.
tomorrow: Deuteronomy 10-13
Deuteronomy 3-5
God’s message to me: God’s laws are neither excessive nor burdensome. The ten commandments are said to be the foundation of Civilized behavior and there are countless claims that similar rules can be found in most societies. (I could argue that point but it would take quite a few articles and, frankly, there are many books on the subject that clarify the point while barely scratching it’s surface.) We often try to find ways around the rules but, they are, literally, written in stone. Would you like to see how well you live up to the 10 commandments? Take the good test.
Promises: Fear God and obey His commandments and it will be well with you.
Commands: Do not add to or take from the Word of the Lord.
Timeless principles: Deuteronomy 4:27-31 should be enough to end all talk of replacement theology. God does not break blood covenants like he had with the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Neither the Muslim nor the Christian is a replacement for the Jew as God’s chosen people. As predicted here, the Children of Israel are returning to their land under the promise of God after being forced to scatter through the world for many generations. They are not forgotten or forsaken of God but blessed with His promise.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Obey God’s law. Obedience is better than sacrifice. Deeds are better than words. Faith without works is dead. How many ways can the bible and men of good conscience describe this before we understand.
more to learn for in-depth study: Chapter 3 describes the boundaries of the land taken before the Jordan river and reiterates the fact that Moses was not permitted to cross the Jordan into Canaan. Instead, he was only to see the promised land from a nearby mountaintop and Joshua would lead the people in.
Og king of Bashon is defeated and all his people destroyed in 60 fortified cites plus many rural towns. Og was a giant. His bed was 6 foot wide and 13 1/2 foot long. As biblical giants go he wasn’t all that big and you will see bigger in upcoming stories.
Here the word for giant is Rephiam and refers to the descendents of the nephelim giants of Genesis which were fallen angels.
Fun fact: Mount Hermon is easily found on a the map, even today, as it still goes by the same name.
The Lost World of Giants
Some want to deliver the idea of giants into the realm of allegory and myth. They can’t accept the idea of giant people within their understanding. I point them to the fossil remains of dinosaurs.
Dinosaurs and many other legends of the ancient world would never survive in our current environment but, the environment has changed. From the time of the flood onward there was a thinning of the atmosphere and it’s protections. Without the additional protection and air pressure most of the ancient creatures we take for granted could not have lived. The idea that humans had longer life spans and unknown creatures such as the giants flourished is no more fantastic than believing in T-Rex or his gigantic cousin. In fact the giant version is a recent discovery so it’s not unreasonable to believe fossils of other things we currently don’t believe in just haven’t been found.
tomorrow: Deuteronomy 6-9
Promises: Fear God and obey His commandments and it will be well with you.
Commands: Do not add to or take from the Word of the Lord.
Timeless principles: Deuteronomy 4:27-31 should be enough to end all talk of replacement theology. God does not break blood covenants like he had with the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Neither the Muslim nor the Christian is a replacement for the Jew as God’s chosen people. As predicted here, the Children of Israel are returning to their land under the promise of God after being forced to scatter through the world for many generations. They are not forgotten or forsaken of God but blessed with His promise.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Obey God’s law. Obedience is better than sacrifice. Deeds are better than words. Faith without works is dead. How many ways can the bible and men of good conscience describe this before we understand.
more to learn for in-depth study: Chapter 3 describes the boundaries of the land taken before the Jordan river and reiterates the fact that Moses was not permitted to cross the Jordan into Canaan. Instead, he was only to see the promised land from a nearby mountaintop and Joshua would lead the people in.
Og king of Bashon is defeated and all his people destroyed in 60 fortified cites plus many rural towns. Og was a giant. His bed was 6 foot wide and 13 1/2 foot long. As biblical giants go he wasn’t all that big and you will see bigger in upcoming stories.
Here the word for giant is Rephiam and refers to the descendents of the nephelim giants of Genesis which were fallen angels.
Fun fact: Mount Hermon is easily found on a the map, even today, as it still goes by the same name.
The Lost World of Giants
Some want to deliver the idea of giants into the realm of allegory and myth. They can’t accept the idea of giant people within their understanding. I point them to the fossil remains of dinosaurs.
Dinosaurs and many other legends of the ancient world would never survive in our current environment but, the environment has changed. From the time of the flood onward there was a thinning of the atmosphere and it’s protections. Without the additional protection and air pressure most of the ancient creatures we take for granted could not have lived. The idea that humans had longer life spans and unknown creatures such as the giants flourished is no more fantastic than believing in T-Rex or his gigantic cousin. In fact the giant version is a recent discovery so it’s not unreasonable to believe fossils of other things we currently don’t believe in just haven’t been found.
tomorrow: Deuteronomy 6-9
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Numbers 11-13
God’s message to me: Be content with what God has given you. He promises more and He will deliver. It’s even alright to ask for more. Don’t complain about what you have been given and don’t whine. Just picture the kids in the back seat on a trip. “Are we there yet? I’m hungry. I don’t like this food. I wanna go home. I want...” You can’t stand it and neither can God.
Promises: God delivers what He promises. The land of Canaan was as fruitful and plentiful as they had been promised and much, much more.
Commands: Trust God to deliver on His promises. Nothing can stand in the way of something God has promised to you no matter how hard the objective may seem.
Timeless principles: God’s power is limitless and eternal. When Moses asked how God would feed the Israelites enough meat to keep eating for a month he should have shut up and remembered recent history. the plagues of Egypt, parting the sea, manna every morning, quail every night, water from stones and even the burning of some of the complainers near the outskirts of camp were all signs that God could make anything happen that he said He would.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Have confidence in the Lord as Caleb and Joshua did. They saw the bounty of the promised land and wanted to take it, confident God could overcome the obstacles in their way. The rest of the spies saw only the problems and the dangers and decided the bounty was unreachable. Joshua and Caleb were there to see God conquer the obstacles and enjoyed the bounty. The rest were left behind in the wilderness. (OK, I’m reading ahead again, sorry). Just over a year from escape this nation found it’s homeland, then wasted 40 years not going there because they didn’t trust God’s power and promise.
more to learn for in-depth study: Remember what the Israelites had to eat. They were given manna in the morning and quail at night. The standard was about a 2 liter bottle worth of manna per person per day. Quail are small birds but one makes a fair meal for a single person and it wouldn’t be hard to get two. The Israelites were just not allowed to keep any food, including the quail, overnight except what they gathered the day before the Sabbath.
In addition they had their flocks. Given the circumstances it would be bad business to slaughter them wholesale. The need for mobility, manpower concerns, and the lack of a permanent home would require that they not expand the herds to much. There was enough for sacrifices and feasts. God ordained these feasts and the sacrifices and would not leave them without the means to hold them.
Primarily, the Israelites were complaining about variety. As bread goes manna is “good eats” and would be fine for most. I know a lot of people who eat the same white bread for years on end without complaint. Quail could be a bit boring after a while I suppose but, with several ordained feasts involving beef and sheep. there would be variety. They couldn’t farm to get the leeks and other veggies they were used to in Egypt but many grew wild in the land they passed through.
Mostly, the Israelites were just whining. The result was that God gave them what they asked for. So many quail came to the camp that they spread out several miles around the camp and around 3 feet deep. Many who gave into the craving for meat were killed by the plague God sent with it.
RACE RELATIONS: Moses married a black woman.(some say Cushite, others say Ethiopian). His brother and sister spoke out against this interracial marriage and even went so far as to say they didn’t need him because the Lord spoke through them as well. God reminded them that He spoke to Moses directly and allowed him to see Him directly. He did not treat anyone else that way. Anyone with sense would see this as a good reason not to question Moses actions. God punctuated His point by covering Miriam in in leprous sores for a week. For those who wonder why he didn’t treat Aaron the same, consider that Aaron was the high priest. Leaving Aaron intact left the nation, and Miriam, with a priest to tend their needs.
It would be unwise not to see God’s opinion of racial intolerance.
Tomorrow: Numbers 14-15
Promises: God delivers what He promises. The land of Canaan was as fruitful and plentiful as they had been promised and much, much more.
Commands: Trust God to deliver on His promises. Nothing can stand in the way of something God has promised to you no matter how hard the objective may seem.
Timeless principles: God’s power is limitless and eternal. When Moses asked how God would feed the Israelites enough meat to keep eating for a month he should have shut up and remembered recent history. the plagues of Egypt, parting the sea, manna every morning, quail every night, water from stones and even the burning of some of the complainers near the outskirts of camp were all signs that God could make anything happen that he said He would.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Have confidence in the Lord as Caleb and Joshua did. They saw the bounty of the promised land and wanted to take it, confident God could overcome the obstacles in their way. The rest of the spies saw only the problems and the dangers and decided the bounty was unreachable. Joshua and Caleb were there to see God conquer the obstacles and enjoyed the bounty. The rest were left behind in the wilderness. (OK, I’m reading ahead again, sorry). Just over a year from escape this nation found it’s homeland, then wasted 40 years not going there because they didn’t trust God’s power and promise.
more to learn for in-depth study: Remember what the Israelites had to eat. They were given manna in the morning and quail at night. The standard was about a 2 liter bottle worth of manna per person per day. Quail are small birds but one makes a fair meal for a single person and it wouldn’t be hard to get two. The Israelites were just not allowed to keep any food, including the quail, overnight except what they gathered the day before the Sabbath.
In addition they had their flocks. Given the circumstances it would be bad business to slaughter them wholesale. The need for mobility, manpower concerns, and the lack of a permanent home would require that they not expand the herds to much. There was enough for sacrifices and feasts. God ordained these feasts and the sacrifices and would not leave them without the means to hold them.
Primarily, the Israelites were complaining about variety. As bread goes manna is “good eats” and would be fine for most. I know a lot of people who eat the same white bread for years on end without complaint. Quail could be a bit boring after a while I suppose but, with several ordained feasts involving beef and sheep. there would be variety. They couldn’t farm to get the leeks and other veggies they were used to in Egypt but many grew wild in the land they passed through.
Mostly, the Israelites were just whining. The result was that God gave them what they asked for. So many quail came to the camp that they spread out several miles around the camp and around 3 feet deep. Many who gave into the craving for meat were killed by the plague God sent with it.
RACE RELATIONS: Moses married a black woman.(some say Cushite, others say Ethiopian). His brother and sister spoke out against this interracial marriage and even went so far as to say they didn’t need him because the Lord spoke through them as well. God reminded them that He spoke to Moses directly and allowed him to see Him directly. He did not treat anyone else that way. Anyone with sense would see this as a good reason not to question Moses actions. God punctuated His point by covering Miriam in in leprous sores for a week. For those who wonder why he didn’t treat Aaron the same, consider that Aaron was the high priest. Leaving Aaron intact left the nation, and Miriam, with a priest to tend their needs.
It would be unwise not to see God’s opinion of racial intolerance.
Tomorrow: Numbers 14-15
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)