Tag: bible

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Why Such Segregation for Israel?

I’m sure you’ve noticed as you’ve been reading these opening books of the Bible that God’s people are set apart. They are set apart with their beliefs and with their calling, but this also has physical manifestations. Israel is to remain distinct from the pagan nations and tribes that surround them.

One implication is with marriage and how Israelites should not intermarry. But texts like these have been used throughout history to support beliefs that stand against the text and against God’s will. This quote from a sermon by John Piper gets to the point quite clearly, but go on to read the rest of this sermon for a longer explanation about what segregations can and absolutely cannot stand:

The point was not to protect racial purity. The point was to protect religious purity. For example, Deuteronomy 7:3-4:

You shall not intermarry with [the nations]; you shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor shall you take their daughters for your sons. For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods; then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you.

The issue is not color mixing, or customs mixing, or clan identity. The issue is: will there be one common allegiance to the true God in this marriage or will there be divided affections? The prohibition in God’s word is not against interracial marriage, but against marriage between the true Israel, the church (from every people, tribe, and nation) and those who are not part of the true Israel, the church. That is, the Bible prohibits marriage between those who believe in Christ (the Messiah) and those who don’t (see 2 Corinthians 6:14).

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Week 11

We are in the home stretch of this Spring quarter. I hope you can dig deep and finish out strong as we now enter this week into the book of Deuteronomy. We’ve got some longer weeks ahead, but then our last week of quarter one will give us some time to breath as we have a lighter load.

So jump in and get going on that reading today. It makes such a difference if you do even just one chapter a day. That way you’re building up the habit, making God’s Word part of your routine.

This week I’ll post some helpful resources about the Deuteronomy and thoughts on Acts. If you have something you’d like covered, let me know. Deuteronomy is the last of what is called the Pentateuch, or in other words, the first five (penta, like pentagon) books of the Old Testament. Once we finish that book we’ll have read those first five pivotal books of the Old along with two gospels and what amounts to the start of the church in the New Testament in the book of Acts. All that plus over a quarter of the Psalms. Not bad for a quarter.

This is also a great time to be thinking about our summer and asking others to try Year in the Bible along with you, at least for a quarter.

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The Story So Far, Week 10 – Balaam and the Spirit

Rembrandt, Balaam and His Ass, 1626

First off, we’ve now completed double-digit weeks of Year in the Bible! Congratulations.

Back in the Old Testament, Numbers slows its pace down to tell the reader about the diviner, Balaam. He’s known for his abilities to discern spirits, speak oracles, and generally relate to the spiritual world. King Balak wants to use Balaam’s abilities to bring down curses upon the peoples of Israel. They are great in number and are looming at Balak’s doorstep. But God will not allow his people, whom he has blessed, to be cursed by Balaam.

Because of God’s will, Balaam says he will not go, but Balak pushes him again and again. Balaam eventually goes, but only once God allows him, and even then, he has a stern message for the diviner on the road.

Balaam is riding his old donkey, with which he seems to have shared many rides. But on this ride the donkey refuses to continue. An angel of God stands in their way. The donkey won’t succumb to Balaam who tries to drive him on becase the donkey knows better. Balaam gets angry until God opens the donkeys mouth to speak to him and then opens his eyes to see the angel. The great irony of this story is that the person who is known in the land as being able to see spiritual things is here blind, while a mere donkey can see what is right before them. How humbling for the diviner, and how revealing to us how spiritual understanding is given. God has to give it to us.

And that is what we see given to the whole church in Acts. God gives his own Spirit to the people and they are given speech, like the donkey, and they are shown all spiritual truth. God’s Spirit lives in believers now and that has changed everything.

Just think of the implications. Take a moment.

To look at one example, think about the selection of the disciple who replaces Judas. The disciples cast lots. After Pentecost, when the Spirit comes upon the church, do you see lots cast again?

It is amazing to live in a time in which we all have greater access than so-called diviners like Balaam, for God has made his dwelling place among us and in us by his Spirit.

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Contest Winner and More Updates

So you may have wondered if you read a while ago about a book giveaway, what I was waiting for in naming a winner. Well, I was waiting for some participation. What I’ve decided to tell myself is everyone has been too busy reading the Bible instead of going along with the mild ridiculousness of my contest.

I’ve had two calls to action that I can think of–first was that contest and the second was the sweet potato bagging we did to help distribute food for those in need. If I had to choose, I’d say I’m thrilled we had a good number come out to serve.

All that being said, I already have my own copy of The Prodigal God, so I don’t need to keep another one and I need a winner. So the winner is the one who posted a link to some other person’s art that was in reference to the prodigal son: Kevin D. Email me to let me know how to get it to you.

Now that we’re in June I’d like to mention another chance to we have with Year in the Bible to get out and participate. On June 24 we will have a review and preview session as we end one quarter and begin our Summer Quarter. After the second service at Triangle Pres we’ll have lunch together, review some big concepts from our readings, then look ahead to what we’ll see in the months ahead. I’d love to have y’all come out–especially if you’re reading on your own. It’s great to see that you’re not alone and others are doing the same thing. And if you have any specific questions you’d want addressed on the 24th, you’ve got a couple weeks to let me know.

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Did Christ Go Up Up and Away?

Ascension of Christ, Garofalo, 1520

In the end of Luke and in the beginning of Acts we read about the ascension of Christ. This short article from the site Near Emmaus raises some questions about what occurred that day and makes you think about where heaven is.

Here’s a quick blurb:

Jesus didn’t keep going into space, past Jupiter, to some floating New Jerusalem a few miles past Neptune. Rather, Jesus disappeared into a parallel reality, yet God accomplished this in a way that would have conveyed symbolic meaning to the disciples.

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What Would You Do? Joshua and Caleb Edition

The Israelites were LOST for 40 years.

The judgment on the Israelites for their fear and disobedience in regards to entering the promised land was that they’d wander in the desert for forty years. No one of that generation would see that abundant land, none but Caleb and Joshua. Instead it would be for the next generation to take possession of it for themselves. We read through this wandering in the second half of Numbers, watching how the old guard makes way for the new.

This may be a bit of review of last week, but this question came to mind this morning in a small group Bible study I’m in: What would you have said to the people to convince them to follow God and go into the promised land? If you were Caleb and Joshua, the two spies who trusted God’s provision, what would you have said to the people? How could you have tried to help Israel avoid the wandering we see in this week’s readings?

I think the way we answer that will also help us to know how to speak to fear in our own lives. How do we encourage trust in God in the face of fear? How do we follow when the road seems hard? These are the questions for Israel, and they are questions for today. I’d love to hear in the comments or via email what you would say if you were Caleb or Joshua.

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Not For Us To Know

If you ever get a chance to do a book review for a new book that claims to know the date of Christ’s return (note that old books on this topic have a hard time remaining in publication after having been wrong), do so. I think it’ll be an easy job. They’re wrong.

We see Christ speak about knowing the future in chapter one in Acts, and it comes up elsewhere, too. There may be general signs and indications that the end is nearing, but no one knows when that will be. It is not just that we’re ignorant, it is a willful ignorance willed by the Father. When people ask Jesus before he ascends in Acts 1, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?”, Jesus makes it clear we’re not supposed to know. He says, “It’s not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.” This is not to be our concern, but I do find it comforting that Jesus next statement regards the Holy Spirit. We can be an anxious and curious people, and to help us in our frustrations of knowing what to do and what comes next, Christ promises his Spirit.

We know how the story ends. We know the last chapter. But there is a lot left unknown to us, and it is not our place to speculate. We trust the future God has in store for us, doing so by the power of the Spirit, and we certainly welcome the day, whenever it is, of Christ’s return when he will restore his kingdom and make all things new. And I’m pretty sure that it won’t be December 21, 2012.

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Week 10 – Numbers and Acts

Balaam, the Angel and the Ass; Woodcut from the Nuremberg Chronicle (from Wikipedia)

Welcome to Week 10.

We’re back to just reading two books this week as the Psalms are taking a week off. But in its place we have another hearty week of Numbers and seven chapters of Acts.

In Numbers we have some well known stories like when Moses brought forth water from a rock, a bronze snake that heals the Israelite people, and a donkey that talks. We finish this week as the Israelites come to the end of their wandering and are readying themselves to enter the promised land (again).

Acts is a continuation of Luke, written by the same author, continuing the story of what happens once Jesus is raised. It is often described as Acts of the Holy Spirit, and that is what it is. You’ll see the way that God’s Spirit empowers the early church and the disciples to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. We’ll read about Pentecost, healings, opposition from the Jewish establishment, and Stephen’s wonderful testimony before the Sanhedrin and subsequent stoning. Stephen is considered the first Christian martyr.

Hope you enjoy this week. If you have questions or comments, send them this way and I’ll do my best to respond and share with everyone else. I’d love to have you join me this summer at either reading groups, which you can find more information about at the above link. Some things take breaks as school is out in the summer, but you can always find yourself welcome at a reading group.